Hiding The Pain

Chapter 4

Kageyama's POV

Hinata has been acting strangely these past few weeks and I'm tired of it! That idiot is clearly hiding something at this point and if it's big enough to have this much effect on him then I-we need to know what's wrong. As much as I may not act like it I guess I've come to love that idiot's smiles too...

I'm going to talk to him during practice today, maybe he'll tell me. He looks like he's pretty sick or something, did that idiot come to practice while he's sick?!

Twenty minutes into practice and I'm not so sure how much longer he can hold out. His eyes are even more unfocused, his face would occasionally contort into an expression of pure agony and he knew Hinata could see he was getting looks from the others as he panted far too heavily. He kept gulping water down like a fish as he always does when the call came for a break out of concern for Hinata. It was too late that I noticed he had left the gym and gone outside to refill his oversized water bottle, in the pouring rain... I am so going to punch that damn idiot.

After a few minutes I made my way to the door to search for Hinata only for the doors to open themselves from the outside and reveal a very wet, very tired and almost definitely now sick Hinata. "Oi, Hinata boke! What the fuck is wrong with you?" came the crass remark from my mouth as he walked back in.

Hinata smiled fairly convincingly for a boy so clearly drained of energy, the rest of the team watching us anxiously, before he spoke between heavy breaths with drawn out speech missing pieces of words,"Whhha-...do yaa..mea Kage-....yama?"

I looked at him knowing my face was showing the I call bullshit for $500 and glared at him, "You're pale as shit dumbass! Then you walk out in this weather for water with that giant thing as your bottle! Not to mention you're breathing way to hard this early in! And why the fuck are you slowing down you're speech?!" Not to mention mumbling too, one thing at a time though, one thing at a time. Hinata's unfocused eyes shot open in surprise as he drew a sharp breath at my words. So really this was unintentional, good. I don't have to punch him for this.

"Kaggge....yaaaaam....don....fre......ou....."I think he's noticing his speech now, he seemed to be a bit panicked but...Calm?

My frustration only is growing it seems, why can't he just give me a straight answer?! "What the hell does that-!"

I stopped in shock of Hinata's begging stare and quivering lip as he opened his mouth again, "I.....sooo....re....." I froze, confused at his words, why was he sorry? Was this not just him beingan idiot and practicing while sick? His eyes were so unfocused as he looked at all of us before a small smile filled with sadness appeared as his body began to fold almost to an almost unnatural extent under him. All in less than three damn seconds he went from mumbled slow speech to marionette having his strings snapped.