Eclipse

12

"Please take me away," Hinata cried as he ran to his dance instructor. She was moving soon, and he wanted to go with her.

"Hinata, are you sure you should be up and about. You just got out of the hospital." She seemed to be ignoring his plea.

"Please, please take me with you."

The tears streamed down his face, and she was curious as to why. Why was the strongest student she had ever had running away?

"Why do you want to leave? Why are you running away?"

His whole body stopped moving, the only thing that shifted were the tears as they fell down his face. It hurt her to see him like this. She knew she wouldn't be able to say no. She knew that he would come with her, but she wanted to know why.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to skate again. Every time I even look at the Ice Castle my entire side hurts. I can't handle it anymore. But I can't stay here and disappoint them either."

The tears still flowed.

"You do know they would love you, right? No matter what."

He didn't answer and she knew her fight was one she would not win.

---

"Kageyama-kun, I don't think I can do this. What if I mess up and have to go to Russia?"

Hinata paced the hallway near their room. The competition was tomorrow, and everyone at the camp was going. Something about needing to take a break. He was sure that they just wanted to see clumsy Hinata try to skate.

"Hinata, if you do fail, I will personally come to Russia and kidnap you." The look on his face showed he was completely serious, and despite it being a threat, it warmed his heart a little bit.

"Aw, it's nice to know you care."

He reveled in the way Kageyama's face turned pink. It was a sight he didn't get to see all that often.

"Shut up dumbass. You're the only one that can do those stupid quick attacks with me." He mumbled, his face inexplicably going even redder.

"Oh, come on. Face it, you love me."

They both froze at the words. Why was he such an idiot ?

"Um, sorry. I just, well, I wasn't thinking and-"

He was cut off by a voice much too quiet to be Kageyama. Much too soft to be his setter. Much too insecure in what it said to be the confident king he knew.

"Yeah, I do."

"What?"

God, he really was a huge idiot.

"I do. I really like you. Like, a lot. You have a really nice smile, and even when you're annoying I can't help but love you. So yeah, I really, really like you."

He was looking at the ground, but Hinata could see the glowing red color of his face. He realized he wanted to see that over and over.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same. We can just be friends if you want to."

Hinata couldn't respond. His feet seemed stuck to the ground. His throat was so dry that he knew if he spoke his voice would wobble and crack. He didn't care though.

"No," He finally got out, "I don't want to be friends. I really like you too. I, um, I really like the way you always trust me with the ball, and how cute you look when you blush. I really, really like you too."

They both stared for what felt like hours but must have only been a few seconds. Then, suddenly, without either of them consciously moving, they were in each other's arms. It felt right. They both knew they wanted to stay there forever.

But, alas, they could not. They separated, both of their faces red as they walked back to their room.

The next day, Hinata was up and out of the room before anyone else was awake. The sun hadn't risen yet as he made his way to the rink. He was hoping to get some practice in before volleyball started. After that, the competition would begin.

The bridge seemed lonelier than normal, but it may have been the absence of the fisherman who was usually there. It seemed too early for anyone to be awake.

As he reached the Ice Castle, he reached under one of the rocks decorating the front and pulled out a key.

'They haven't moved it since I left.'

Not too long after, he was done lacing up his skates and was busy doing his warm ups. He slid the CD into the player.

As the voices began, so did his program.

All of his jumps and swirls and spins. Everything charged with such emotion that just doing it once wore him to the bone. It took so much energy to be silently expressive. To show the people around you how much you put into the program, into the song.

It wasn't a long program, just three and a half minutes. Just three and a half minutes to show them how much his team meant. To show them how much he wanted to stay.

Three and a half minutes to change his life.

---

I know, sorry for the short chapter.