When the Sun Stops Shining

Chapter Eight: The Day that Never Comes

***Song above is Metallica's 'The Day that Never Comes', the song this chapter is inspired by.***

When Hinata finally saw daylight again, he was unable to walk on his own. He had to be taken straight to the medical area in the prison. He'd been discovered lying on the floor by C.O. Ukai, who had decided to open the door to Hinata's cell after hearing strange noises coming from there. Hinata had been lying there, stripped entirely of the clothes on his lower half. His once porcelain skin was now covered with red blemishes and bruises. Ukai had tried to get the orange-haired man to talk, but his lips had been sealed shut.

"Oi, Sensei. You here?"

"Ah, Ukai-kun!" A peppy-looking man came into view, holding a cheese sandwich in his hand. "I'm on lunch break. What do you need..." He dropped his sandwich when he saw Hinata. Ukai had managed to get a towel to cover his essentials with, but nothing could be done for the broken look in Hinata's eyes.

"I found him in SHU. He'd been left in one of the old rooms. You know, the ones we're not meant to use for inmates anymore..."

"Are there any... injuries?"

"T...There are, but I think his mental health's taken quite a toll too."

"How long was he in there for? Were the higher-ups informed about this? Wait, look at his shirt, it's bright orange. He's new. Why would he be put in the SHU?"

"Sensei, I think we should sort him out first before we ask questions."

"Ah, you're right." The dark-haired man rushed towards the closest bed and pulled the sheets back. Then, he went towards Hinata and led the small man over to the bed, lying him down with the utmost care. He turned to Ukai, who still looked quite troubled. "In my office, there's some spare trousers and underwear. Bring them over, please. They're in a box with 'Spare Clothes' written on them."

"Alright." Ukai rushed over to the office, leaving Hinata alone with the doctor. The nametag on his shirt read Takeda Ittetsu. Takeda seemed slightly alarmed when he realised that Hinata wasn't blinking. His eyes were just wide open. His pupils would dart from side to side every now and again, but he wasn't moving.

"Ukai-kun is just going to get you some clothes, alright? H—Here, have some water too!" Takeda rushed over and grabbed a nearby water bottle. He poured it out into a plastic cup and handed it to Hinata. However, he didn't take the water. He didn't move his hand. "Are you thirsty?" Hinata didn't respond. He blinked once at the doctor, but he didn't make any movements.

"Got them," Ukai said, rushing back into the room with the clothing in hand. Takeda rushed back over to where he'd placed the water bottle and set the cup of water down. Ukai tossed the bottoms to Takeda, who caught them one-handed. Takeda then placed them on Hinata's bed.

"Do you feel up to dressing yourself?" Hinata still wasn't responding to Takeda. "Can you hear me?"

"Sensei, I think it might be best if we let him get some rest. He looks pretty tired, don't you think?"

"But..."

"I don't think he's up for talking right now. He was left in a freezing-cold cell, he was bleeding and the room didn't have a futon. Just a toilet in the corner of the room," Ukai said. He recognised him now. Hinata Shouyou, the man who had thrown a phone up against a wall and broken it. Ukai had written up a shot for him the same day. But now, seeing him like this, he was regretting the way he'd spoken to the orange-haired man. Maybe if he'd done something differently, he wouldn't have ended up in the SHU. If only...