Behind a strong man [Ushiwaka /Oc]

Chapter 47 - An idea

Ushijima had to run. He had to run after her. Or at least jog. It may have appeared like a chase and it sort of was. Although he did keep his distance until she reached her home. She may have known that he was behind her since she left the door open for him. She was nowhere to be seen. Calmly he hung up his jacket and took off his shoes when he entered. It was in the living room where he found her. She sat there, slouching on the couch, biting the nail of her index finger. Ushijima sat down beside her, waiting for her to respond.

"Did I do the right thing?" she asked.

He didn't know what to say. Was it really that bad from her perspective? She did revolt against her own mother, the provider of the family. What her mother would do now was beyond him. All he could do now was to support her in any way she could. Even if it meant he using his own father as leverage.

To make his presence known he laid an arm over her shoulder and pulled her against him. She let it happen and leaned against him. Her head was heavy lying on his shoulder.

They sat like this for a while. No attention was paid to the passing time. Both dwelled in their thoughts, trying not to think about them too much, just assessing them, noting them. It was difficult for Tamiko. Her feelings were bubbling beneath the surface. An boiling speck of emotions she didn't know how to handle. In the storm of thoughts Ushijima placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Like a soft breeze her thoughts shifted to him. Their eyes met and never had she seen so much concern written over his face. For a glimpse of a moment she thought she had broken him.

"I don't know if I can protect you from her," he told her in all honesty.

He didn't want to use his father as a shield for her protection. If he could linder any punishment directed towards her that would be enough. From what he knew she had suffered enough at the hands of her mother.

"It's fine, Toshi-kun," she whispered gave him a weak smile. "I'll survive. I always have."

"It's not right," he noted.

"I know."

The grip around her tightened as he pulled her even closer. A strong feeling of safety flooded her body despite him just stating the opposite. With him his actions spoke louder than words. It wasn't hard to sense his determination to keep her out of harm's way. But she also felt his helplessness. He didn't know how to comfort her right now and she didn't blame him. She didn't know what kind of comfort she needed but right now, this was okay. This contact was okay. It was enough.

She closed her eyes, sensing her pulse, her breathing, his breathing. Just thinking about something else. He had called her his girlfriend for the first time. That was something that made her feel warm. A soothing warmth. Like drinking tea and it warming you from the inside. Yet she still hoped that nobody from school would hear this. Especially that fanclub of his. They had come barging into the classroom during lunch, assaulting him with questions about his future and more. She had tried to ignore it all and she trusted Ushijima not to give in to them, but it still stirred her anger. She had learned to be resilient when emotions are involved.

She suddenly noticed the deep breath she had taken, the oxygen filling her lungs to the brim. She opened her eyes, sat upright and stretched her arms. Ushijima kept an eye on her just in case. Yet she seemed more relaxed than before.

"Want some tea?" she asked him.

He nodded and followed her into the kitchen. Soon the smell of herbs filled the air and both sat in silence with their cup warming their hands. And as they sat there drinking their tea, Tamiko started to smile and shake her head, tears forming in her eyes. Then the first sob came and the tears began to flow. Ushijima watched helplessly as she sank into a pool of emotions, almost screaming. Her face reddened, hair began to stick to her tearstained face and her lips quivered uncontrollably.

"What did I do to deserve this?" she wailed."If she doesn't want me why did she give birth to me?"

Ushijima stood and wrapped his arms around her while she kept repeating herself. With the only helpful strategy he could come up with he held her tightly and rocked her from side to side. His sleeve was soon soaked with tears and snot. He didn't mind. He didn't care. All he wanted was for her to stop crying.

It took a long long time. But it gave her the opportunity to ventilate this piled up anguish. And was that a relief. Her breath was still spastic and her lips still quivered a little but her heart felt so much lighter. She felt more at ease. And also tired so she closed her eyes. It was easy to hear Ushijima's heartbeat when she was pressed against him. It was beating fast. And he was still tightly holding onto her.

She lightly patted his arm and his grip loosened. With a handkerchief she cleaned herself up and took a deep breath. She had to distract herself somehow. And so she stood, trying to get her body and mind into motion but then Ushijima wrapped his arms around her again and pressed her against his chest. Against strong arms like these she didn't bother to resist. She could tell that he was trying to be there for her and it was all he was focusing on right now. A small fear suddenly arose, that this incident might distract him from his training, a big no-no.

"I'm good, Toshi-kun," she whispered to him.

He pressed his lips to a tight line as he slowly let go of her. He wasn't convinced. The frown showed her that but she gave him her best smile she could muster at the moment and he relaxed a little more.

"Maybe if we talk to your dad, he will pull my mother's leash back a little," she proposed.

This made him blink and he was about to add something when the door opened. A ruffling of clothes could be heard, as if someone was undressing in a hurry. Tamiko headed for the entrance to the kitchen when Tobio almost bumped into her. He was panting and his face was red.

"Sis, we have to do something," he huffed.

"Calm down," she urged and placed a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded and took a few deep breaths. Meanwhile he also turned a few times. He nodded again when he was done with calming down.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"I don't want to move to America," he told her. "It was all she was talking about. I don't want to leave Karasuno. It's my first...,"

"Real team," she finished for him.

He nodded stiffly and pressed his lips together. A sad smile tugged at her lips and she stepped forward to hug her brother.

"We can't do anything about it, Tobio-kun," she told him. "She is our mother and we are still in her care."

"But she was hardly there," he interjected. "Can't we go to the law and complain? She did neglect us after all."

Tamiko stared at her brother in disbelief. Did he really want to go that far? But it couldn't be done. Even if they did succeed with a prosecution, what would happen then? They would probably be sent to a foster home and who knows where that would be.

"Even if we go to the law I am under the age of 20 and I don't have a full-time job. Plus, you will still have to go to school. It will be impossible for us to live on our own." she explained. "Or do you want to end up in a foster home?"

Tobio's eyes grew restless.

"No, but I don't want to move away," he wined.

"I know, neither do I but we have no choice." she told him with a heavy heart. "We just have to live through it."

She knew what Karasuno meant to him. She knew about the friendships he had managed to gain there. And mother wanted to take that all away from him. How cruel. Tamiko hugged her brother again and her eyes met with the photos on the counter. On none of the photos did they look happy. Their mother wore her usual stern expression. On one she smiled and that was with baby Tobio on her lap.

Then her eyes met with Ushijima. He was watching them not wanting to interfere. Thinking back his mother had been stern with him. And yet she had shown her love towards him. He was her only son after all. Yet Tamiko didn't have that at all and now his own father wanted to marry that woman. Maybe he could voice his concern towards his father to at least make him think. Then again, he had seen how happy his father was. There had to be another way.

"I may have an idea," Ushijima suddenly spoke.

The siblings looked up at him.

"But it involves you two coming with me next weekend."