A Libero's Duty {Nishinoya x Reader}

8

It was any other day. The boys' late volleyball practices had caused me to help them practice again. Asahi-san was doing really good today, his serves were harder to receive and I was able to practice receiving hard serves from the Karasuno's ace himself.

Being in the same room as Nishinoya sometimes made my mind wander and miss a few served balls. I couldn't do anything but apologize profusely at Asahi-san for not focusing as best as I can. I'd look over to Nishinoya sometimes and I can see him trying to do a jump set. Sometimes liberos can also set balls for the spiker but it is a complicated combo of jumping and aiming the ball at the right place.

He tries so many times, not ever thinking maybe it wasn't made for him to do it or giving up was the only way. His relentless and hard work inspires me every time. I like seeing him smile when he's able to accomplish something and his determined look when one thing is in his mind. When I end up staring at his back, I can see the reliable libero the Karasuno team appreciates so much. He makes people put full trust in him and he doesn't break under the pressure. Everyone trusts him.

Maybe that's all that it is. I don't need to sort out how I feel because maybe I'm mistaking it for a sense of respect.

As I finish that thought, I hear a harsh slip, the sound I hear when players fall and scrape their skin on the floor after a foul jump and wrong footing. The ball that was flying towards me didn't matter because before my brain could think, my feet were racing towards him.

"Ah, that hurts," he managed to say as he tries to lift his body up into a sitting position after falling flat on his stomach.

I quickly crouch beside him, searching his body for any serious injuries. I can see him writhing in pain when he tried to straighten his legs so I pull the knee protective down to show a scraped knee.

"I'm fine-," he tries to stand but I can see him wince.

"Stop, you're going to get even more hurt if you try to move and leave your knee untreated," I look up at both Asahi-san and Tanaka-kun who reached him a minute after me.

I can see how nervous they were to have their star libero be in pain, not as strong, reliable and fearless as he usually was.

"He's going to be fine. Can you guys carry him to the side? I'll take the emergency kit," I rushed to the storage room of the gym and managed to find the emergency kit untouched.

I come back to Nishinoya's side and see a relief expression of Daichi-san who was clearly worried about the condition of his beloved teammate.

"It's just a small scratch, after a rest, tomorrow he'll be fine," I assured the captain, having experienced many types of injury as a former student medic.

"I'm sorry, I was jumping recklessly- I'm sorry--" before he could apologize any further, Asahi-san gave a hard pat on his head to silence him and Tanaka-kun punched his sidearm playfully.

"Just get better,"

Watching their interaction made me chuckle. They really do care a lot about each other.

"Don't worry about me, continue practicing guys," with Nishinoya's words, the boys continue to practice and leave him in my hands.

As I treat his wound using the disinfectant, I ask,

"You rarely mess up landing on your two feet, what happened?"

"Ahh... I kind of got a fever today, but I still wanted to practice,"

I reflexively put my hand on his forehead, feeling a rise in temperature.

"...idiot,"

"What?"

"YOU'RE AN IDIOT THAT WOULD PLAY VOLLEYBALL EVEN IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE," I can't help but nag him since I was so worried if he'd gotten badly hurt.

"At least I'd die doing what I love," I stare into his hazel eyes, trying to find the humor in that but he was being 100% serious and I became speechless for a while.

"...Idiot,"

He didn't reply this time and just smiles at me.

"Don't come to practice unless you're in perfect health, idiot," I say finally after putting on a wide bandage on his knee.

"I'm so lucky to have a girl care for me," he teased.

Tch, don't give me hope like that.

"I bet you'd be happier if it was Kiyoko-senpai, heh?" I replied with the same teasing tone.

"No," he said, the teasing in his voice was gone and his voice was serious yet sincere.

"I feel like I always knew you would come to help me,"