This Map is Broken

Hinata really wanted to cry. "I'm not even going to the bathroom. Why am I lost!"

He'd been given a map of the place by Daichi with strict instructions to not go anywhere but the marked sections. Suga and Asahi even showed him how to read it. Tsukishima laughed to whole time but Hinata would rather have that than an angry Daichi. The paper sat on his knees looking as deflated as he felt. He tried to remember what Suga and Asahi had said about how to read the map, but his mind was blank. Their instructions were nothing more than a mumbled memory.

The hallway he was currently in was supposed to branch off to the left and meet up with the main doors but no matter how many times Hinata walked the hallway there was only a right-hand turn and that led to nothing but a dark corridor. He backtracked to the T-junction but couldn't remember which direction he had taken first. He stood at the crossroad for several minutes. Would it be worth going down on to see, or would that just get him more lost? There was nothing in the surroundings he could pinpoint on the map, so he figured it was better to just stay put. His team would have to look for him eventually.

After several minutes of wandering back and forth, Hinata slumped against the wall. He was in so much trouble again. His mind drifted and thought of all the ways Daichi was going to kill him. It was a rather extensive list and Hinata prepared himself to never play volleyball again. Shoes squeaked against tile and brought Hinata's head up so fast his neck cracked. He wasn't certain where the sound had come from, the echoing quality of the hall not aiding in his search.

"Hello?"

Fear nagged at him. Maybe it was more bullies? A deserted hallway wasn't a good place to be caught. He would run, like Tobirama said. The shoes squeaked to a halt and now Hinata wished he hadn't said anything at all.

There wasn't a point to running if the only places to run to would only get him more caught. Hinata pressed himself farther against the wall. Maybe whoever it was would go past. A small spark ignited when he recognized the shoes, only to die the next second when he recognized the shoes. Ushijima's oppressive shadow fell over him. Someone he knew. Unfortunately, not someone he wanted.

"Hinata."

"Ushijima."

"Why are you here?"

"No reason."

Ushijima stared and Hinata fidgeted. Not wanting to be smaller than he already was, Hinata sprang up from his crouch forcing Ushijima back a step.

"I was just about to leave. See you later."

Hinata escaped as quickly as he could. He would just take the left path. His team could look for him somewhere else.

"Wrong way. Gym is in the other direction."

Laughing nervously, Hinata changed direction mid-stride. He'd almost rounded the corner when Ushijima appeared beside him. In his hand was a paper. A familiar paper.

"This belong to you?"

Hinata stared at the offending paper. He wanted to snatch it and rip it to pieces. Embarrassment colored his cheeks, and he wasn't sure why he even was. Natsu said it was cute when he blushed, but how was his embarrassment cute?

Ushijima still stared at him arm outstretched and Hinata went over ways he could make him stop. Nothing short of bolting came to mind but Ushijima had the advantage of longer strides and knowledge of where he was going. Hinata wouldn't make it.

"Yeah," he said weakly. "Thank you."

Hinata took the paper, tucking it in his pocket expecting Ushijima to leave. Instead, the bigger man picked Hinata up, sitting him on his forearm. Not expecting it gave Hinata no time to react and before he knew it, he was taller than he'd ever been. He let out a delayed shout of surprise, his arms wrapping around Ushijima's head.