Blue Star || Oikawa Tooru x Reader

Chapter 2: Stagnation

TW: Swearing, mention/description of family on hospice care

There was a sports therapist about halfway between Tokyo and Miyagi. The sparkling exterior and the high-end equipment screamed 'rich' and its clientele liked it that way. That day, I was getting folded like a pretzel by my therapist.

"All these years and you still never go easy on me," I wheezed out against the burning sensation in my hamstrings.

Dr. Chen slowly releases me and leaves me winded on her table to go chart something on her computer.

"I have to keep you humble somehow, my dear," she replies. After some furious typing, she peers over her wire-rimmed glasses at me. "So, how's school?"

"Fine," I reply as I roll onto my back to stare at the ceiling.

"Classes are going well?"

"Mhmm."

"Made any new friends?"

"I guess."

Dr. Chen goes quiet and so does her typing, but she doesn't say anything for a long while. She was more than a physical therapist. I'd been seeing her throughout my career to keep my body in top shape, and she'd watch me develop over the years. But she was also one of the only two people who ever talked to me about something other than volleyball, ironically enough. Before, I could talk about it all day, but, I don't know, it was nice to be associated with something else for once. Despite being paid good money to see me, teeny tiny Dr. Chen with her nerdy frame but brutal training was more of an older sister to me than anything.

"Hey, Dr. Chen?" I said into the room.

"Yes?"

I decide to just get it over with.

"I joined a club. I'm the manager for the boys' volleyball club."

I hear her coat ruffle when her head snaps up.

"Volleyball, huh?" she asks tentatively.

"Yeah," I murmur. "Weird, huh?"

"Well, your expertise will be valuable. I wish them the best of luck," Dr. Chen says, choosing her words carefully.

I breathe in the smell of GenBay and close my eyes against the harsh light. I guess I might as well explain a little bit about the accident I keep talking about.

So, long story short, I wasn't just good, I was amazing. I joined Japan's U19 team, where I met some of my closest friends who loved volleyball as much as I did and we pushed each other to be better.

Lowering my legs to the ground, I sit up on the bench. I rest my elbows on my knees, hoping the yoga balls or exercise bands around the room would be at least somewhat interesting enough to distract me. Dr. Chen leans back in her rolling chair. The look she gives me as she opens her mouth makes me cringe.

"You know, we can't fake an injury forever," she says.

I shrug, "I wouldn't call it fake."

"Semantics. You know, I feel like you should have a talk with your parents."

"You mean my father."

Dr. Chen looks at me with empathy. She gathers her documents and taps them into a neat pile on her clipboard.

"I just want what's best for you, and so does your dad. He loves you, he's just..." she searches for the right word.

I card a hand through my hair, "He's just not good at it?"