Heroes Without Capes

SOS

Ooshiba hurried down the street with a sense of purpose, everything in him fixed on his current destination.

He didn't understand why exactly Kimishita had yelled at him when he'd told him he wanted to leave with him, but one thing he knew for sure. Kimishita hadn't told him off because he hated him. He had seen the look in his eyes, heard the crack in his voice, everything telling him that he, too, wished they could stay together but knew it wasn't possible. Kimishita had leaned on him all the way home from the match. He had hugged him back and cried on his shoulder. If his captain had pushed him away just now, it wasn't because he didn't like him.

That much was clear as day. And so was another thing.

He had to do something. No matter what, no matter how, he had to help Kimishita. He couldn't just stand by and watch him pretend to be fine while secretly saying his goodbyes to the team and disappearing on them.

So he had paced his room, thinking. He had stared out through the window, going through every possible solution in his head, turning it backwards and forwards and wondering if it would work. He had considered asking his parents; he had wondered if it was possible for the hospital to pay for Kimishita's father's surgery, but even he could see that probably wouldn't work. Kimishita's father had told him the surgery was extremely expensive, and his parents barely knew him, if they did at all; even he couldn't ask them to put such a big hole in the hospital's budget for the sake of a stranger, even if that stranger was the father of their son's friend, to say nothing of Kimishita's reaction at the offer. If he tried this, he should try this as his last resort, the backup plan he could use if everything else failed.

Was there no other way? There had to be one! Something easier, something that would work...

He had walked back and forth between the window and the door, replaying every conversation he'd had with Kimishita in his head. Something... some other way...

And then it hit him. There might be someone who could help. Someone who was closer to Kimishita and his father than his parents were... someone who knew them better.

It wasn't guaranteed to work, but it was better than nothing. It was worth a try.

Kimishita was so going to kill him if he found out though, wasn't he?

So he'd decided not to tell him. He had decided to sneak out and climb through the window, scrambling down the wall and escaping into the street before Kimishita could stop him. It wasn't like he'd be gone long. Just a little thing he had to take care of.

He picked up his pace and headed in the direction of the hospital.

---

Ooshiba was out of breath when he climbed the last stairs, sweating despite the cool evening air, and yet he didn't slow down, didn't stop until he reached the room where Kimishita's father lay, coming to a halt in front of the door.

For a brief moment something like hesitation stirred within him. Then he stepped forward and knocked.

"Come in!" a familiar voice replied, warm and welcoming. Ooshiba opened the door. As he stepped inside his eyes met with Kimishita's father's, the man looking years older since the last time he'd seen him, his face paler than before, wrinkles lining his face that hadn't been there the last time. Brown eyes fixed him with friendly interest, curious but not surprised.

"Is the match over? I had no idea it was that late already." He gave a good-natured laugh. "How'd it go?"

Ooshiba fidgeted, unsure how much he should tell him. "We won."

"Going to the Inter-High, are you? Congrats, kids! Shame I wasn't there, I'd have loved to see that!" Kimishita's father beamed with pride, smiling so brightly Ooshiba regretted coming here, regretted to make him so happy when he was burdened with bad news. He wasn't telling him about the injury, he decided. This man should just be happy for now, without having that happiness spoiled by worry.