Eclipse

1

Hinata Shouyou was a legend in the skating world. His first year in the Japan Junior Figure Skating Championships he won gold and beat the previous high score record. This was no surprise to some, seeing as he had been coached and raised by his adoptive parents Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki.

Not only were his step sequences and jumps impeccable, he also managed to enthrall the crowd as well. The expressiveness of his performance showed how much effort and care he put into each skate. He never rushed his moves, but he never hesitated either. He was always sure of himself. Every junior skater wanted to be him or beat him.

His dance teacher came to every competition to cheer him on, and if she couldn't, she always watched the live stream. She never missed a moment. She was like a mother to him.

He was amazing. He was perfect.

Until the accident.

It was a move he had done a million times in practice. A move he was sure he could do without error. A move that he had been practicing in secret. A move to surprise Viktor and Yuuri.

A move that went terribly wrong.

A move that sent him to the hospital.

A move that broke three ribs and fractured his pelvis.

A move that kept him in the hospital for almost two months.

A move that Hinata decided was the end of his figure skating career.

Hinata ran away. He ran to his dance instructor just as she was leaving, and they moved to Miyagi to live with her family after that. Nobody mentioned skating around him again. They were afraid he would break. Afraid he would never be able to be fixed.

---

Later that year, as Hinata went to the soccer fields with the friends he had made during summer visits to family, he saw it.

Hinata was the type to go all in. When he started something, he was usually too stubborn to give it up. So when he saw Karasuno's Tiny Giant jump so high Hinata swore he could fly, he knew that was what he wanted.

He practiced without end. Watching videos on how to spike. Practicing wherever he could. The agility and leg power from skating became helpful to him once again. The feeling of the wind in his hair when he jumped and the blur of people as he ran was almost as good as-

No, he wouldn't think of that.

Not once did he think he was pushing himself too far in, too quickly. Not once did he think this was a distraction from his past. Not once did he look back and regret his decision.

And maybe, in the beginning, it all had been a distraction. Dive deep into another pool to forget the warmth of the one you left. But after a while, volleyball had also taken a special place in his heart. In his soul.

During his first tournament, they were utterly defeated.

Hinata wouldn't go as far as to say he was surprised, especially since his team was a ragtag group of first years and some of Hinata's friends from other sports. He was, however, surprised when the other team's setter asked what he'd been wasting his time with for the last three years.

That's right. Nobody here knew.

He swore he would beat him, but it's a little hard to beat someone who's on the same team as you, so he took the little things.

At their first match, Hinata could feel the nerves. He used to never get nervous going into a competition, but that was before he failed. Before he knew what it was like to let everyone down. It didn't help when the stupid turnip-head convinced him that anyone Kageyama couldn't use would be thrown out like trash.

He ended up doing more harm than good by overcompensating. He felt a little better when Kageyama didn't murder him for hitting him with a stray serve. He scolded himself for not trusting his teammates.

Not trusting the people who have helped you is worse than failing.

Kageyama ended up being a pretty cool guy. Yes, he was temperamental, but he was used to that from practicing with Yuri. Yes, he could be a huge jerk, but he meant well.

The crushing defeat at the Inter-High Tournament didn't break his spirit for some reason. Not the same way his injury had. It wasn't the same feeling as before. Yes, it hurt like hell to lose, and he never wanted to feel that way again, but he was ready to try again.

Maybe that meant he could try again to-

No, he could never. Not after running away like a coward.

He could never touch the ice again. He would never trust himself again. He would never trust his skates again. The only thing he could trust was that the ice would be there to harden his fall.

Although, Hinata thought as he was thrown to the ground, the wooden floors of the gym aren't much better. That's not exactly my good side either.

And of course, Kageyama had to throw him down onto his bad side. On the side with all the injuries from not-so-long-ago. Of course, the room got colder, and suddenly Hinata could feel the skates on his feet. Of course, he could hear the worried chatter of all the people in the stands. Of course.

For some reason, it hurt more to be thrown to the ground by Kageyama. His partner. His friend.

The fight ended up with both of them getting a punch in the face from Tanaka. One they both deserved, really. Especially with the way they had scared Yachi.

He could still feel the phantom pain the next day, practicing with Old Coach Ukai. He could still feel the ice.

He didn't want to fight alone, but that was what the team needed. He didn't want them to think he didn't trust them, but if they wanted to win, they have to get better.

That was the only way.