the cut that always bleeds - haikyuu!

chapter 7

KAGEYAMA POV

"Here take some more medicine..."

"Thank you Kags,"

"It's nothing dumbass..."

"Really though. Thank you so much for everything."

Why did this sound like a goodbye? I gave Hinata a suspicious look, and all he did was smile. There was something in his eyes, something I couldn't quite discern. A look of pain maybe. I watched as he fiddled with his sleeves, as if the friction of fabric against his skin hurt. And then it clicked. Kind of.

"Sho, do your arms hurt?"

"No. Of course not..."

"Then why are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Fiddling with them like you feel uncomfortable if they touch your skin, you could just wear short sleeves you know? And your fevers still not down, you should probably take off that shirt you're always wearing it!"

"I...Uh...it was my—"

His eyes were practically burning in the ground as I noticed small dots of dried up blood on the forearms of his shirt. Then it definitely clicked.

"Why Hinata, why would you—"

Hinata POV

I met his gaze awkwardly. He knew. I saw that look in his eyes, a look a disappointment, he knew. I felt tears well in my eyes again. I'd cried so many tears, but this felt different.

He takes my arm. The one that's covered in little angry red scars. My heart skips a beat.

"How long?"

It was all he asked. I couldn't open my mouth to answer the question. He didn't press me for an answer, which surprised me a little.

"It's nothin—."

I manage to struggle out , the sensation of the hands around my throat returning again.

"You know," he begins, and I prepare myself, "Our lives are like books, you can't just skip chapters, that's not how life works. You have to read every line, meet every character. You won't enjoy all of it, hell some chapters will make you cry for weeks, some with make you want to tear the pages apart. You will read pages you don't want to read, you will have moments when you'd do anything for the page not to end, but you have to keep going Shouyou, you can't close your book, because it's barely begun yet."

His voice choked up as he finished, tears of his own pouring down his face. It felt a little strange to hear something so wise and poignant come out to the quick to anger king of the court. It almost felt like maybe he was recalling something someone had once said to him.

I stared at him, for the first time and really looked at him. His tall muscular frame. His frown lines, ironed into his face. His dark black hair. But in him, and only him, I saw a unique kind of...beauty. God I sound like such a girl, but I can't help it. His eyes were a rich brown that stole your breath while looking through your soul.

Guilt mounted in my chest as I opened my mouth to reply, he wouldn't believe me, but this was the only way, I wouldn't admit something was wrong.

"I don't know what you're on about. That was my cat baka."

I let out a airless laugh as I watched this expression shift. Anger seemed to find a way onto his face as his eye brows furrowed in rage, tears falling like a tragic waterfall.

"STOP LYING TO ME. JUST STOP LYING. YOU ARE NOT OK. AND YOU'RE BEING SELFISH. ALL I WANT TO DO IS HELP YOU, AND YOU JUST KEEP PUSHING ME AWAY."

"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP KAGEYAMA. WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME?!"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE LYING TO ME, I KNOW YOU ARE."

"I'm...I'm not...I..."

I rand out of words to say, I'd never forget that look on his face. Feeling my heart break in two I stood up, ignoring the pain in my chest and stomach, and stormed out of the room.

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3rd Person

Hinata looked worse today, but he still went to practice. It was depressing watching the sunshine seem so, out of it. The passion in him had gone out like a light. Kageyama wouldn't go near him, and he wouldn't go near Kageyama.

The Karasuno Team felt like they were watching Hinata slip through their hands but there was nothing that could be done. Every time anybody asked about his well being, he'd give the same automated response. He couldn't even bring himself to convincingly fake a smile anymore, but he still tried. Even other teams had tried, weirded out by the sudden change they'd seen since last camp.

"WHERE'S MY LITTLE SPITFIRE HUH."

"Ma'am I'm going to ask you to calm down a little please..."

Takeda Sensei followed behind the woman.

All eyes in the gym turned to where the door had slammed open. A woman with burning orange hair, almost the same as Hinata's and a small carbon copy of the woman in her arms burst into the gym. Kageyama noticed Shouyou's eyes widen in...panic?

"Natsu..."

He whispered, audibly enough for the black haired setter to hear. Everybody looked at each other sharing a similar expression What the fuck is going on, who is she?

"HINATA BABY WHERE ARE YOU?"

Then everyone looked at Hinata.

"Is that your m—"

Sugawara started.

"Mum."

"AH THERE YOU ARE HONEY! THE HOSPITAL DISCHARGED ME!"

Worry surged through Hinata's veins, the hospital hadn't discharged her, she'd escaped. She had a hospital gown on underneath the large coat the was wearing. He noticed the blue gown peeking from under the brown trench coat.

"AND LOOK WHO'S WITH ME!"

A tall man, almost Lev's height, stepped into the doorway. A terrifying smile etched on his face.

"D...D...Dad."