A Co-Captain's Doubts

Infirmary

"In a fight you say? Such disgraceful behavior..." Tsked the plump old woman that greeted the group of four from the doorway of the infirmary, shaking her head and letting out a sigh as she looked them over.

"It was pretty one sided, the other guys did all the fighting." Daichi grumbled, but it was Yachi who bowed deeply to the elderly woman, rising once more with pleading eyes.

"You've got it all wrong Miss, Sugawara saved another one of our players! He tried to stop the fight, but those jerks beat him up! He's innocent!"

Sugawara who stood between Takeda and Daichi nodding in agreement, felt heat rising to his cheeks all over again, deciding he didn't feel so sore after all.

"Ah, you seem busy, we can come back later. Sorry for bothering you." He apologized, beginning to turn away as the brunette beside him grabbed his bicep.

"Oh no you don't, we're at least getting you ice for that black eye."

Sugawara gave Daichi a weak glare that held no actual malice, and then made a startled noise as he was grabbed by a wrinkled but strong hand.

"Oh you poor dear, I should have known a sweet looking boy like you would never be part of such deplorable violence! Come in, come in, let me take a look at you. Have a seat right here. The rest of you may sit by my desk." The old woman instructed the three who still stood in the doorway, pointing to a few unoccupied fold out chairs.

Wincing as she pulled him along rather quickly, Suga took a seat on a low cot covered in crinkly white paper, and tried to smile lightly as the short waddling woman made herself busy opening drawers and drawing out various implements.

"Thank you Ma'am. Sorry for troubling you."

"Nonsense, you're no trouble at all dear. Alright, look here. Keep those pretty eyes wide open for me."

Having grabbed a little flashlight and maneuvered her way to stand directly in front of her patient, the hearty woman leaned in and rested her warm hand on Suga's head. Using her thumb, she tugged his right eyelid up and shined the light into it, causing the setter to cringe as his eyes began to water.

"Very good, now the other..."

Moving to his left proved to be much more painful as even her slight touch on his swollen eye was enough to make him grimace, and he nearly knocked the light out of her hand as the beam seared into his retina, making him recoil. Sugawara did his best to sit still, but he couldn't help the pained breath that escaped him as she finally let go. Turning his head, he began blinking away the bright speckles now dancing in his vision, and pulled the collar of his jersey up to dab away the tears that threatened to spill.

"Not as bad as I anticipated, you're pupils are dilating a tad slow, but they're the same size which is a good sign. Were you hit in the head more than once? Are you experiencing any nausea? Follow my finger with just your eyes."

Suga almost couldn't keep up with all she was asking of him, trying to recall the specifics while hurriedly dropping his collar to pick his head back up, and chase the thick wrinkled finger that began to pan across his field of vision.

"Oh- Um... Once below my eye and in the mouth, and... I'm not positive, but I think a wet floor sign hit me in the back of the head, I was out for a few minutes so the details are a little fuzzy."

"He got sick when we helped him up." Daichi chimed in, Suga giving a slight nod to confirm.

The nurse hummed to herself looking displeased. "Hmm, any dizziness or headache?"

"When I stood up I was dizzy, but it's gone now. As for the headache... Nothing unbearable, it's like a dull throbbing that gets stronger around a lot of noise."

"And can you tell me what year you're in? Can you recall what position you play on your team?" She inquired, leaning back with her hands perched on her hips as she watched him nod.

"Yes, I'm a third year, I'm the official set-"

Sugawara stopped partway into his answer, a stab of bitter embarrassment searing through him and momentarily stealing the words from his lips. His mouth closed into a firm line and his eyes fell to the floor as he swallowed the heavy lump in his throat. When he spoke again, his voice was softer and held a pensive tone.

"I'm a backup setter."

The room was quiet.

"Is that correct?" The old woman asked, turning to the three sitting by her desk for confirmation.

"More or less... He didn't mention he's the Vice Captain."

Suga could feel Daichi's heavy stare on him from across the room, but his attention remained on the polished tiled floor. Vice-Captain of a team he wasn't even a starter on, it wasn't really something he thought deserved boasting about.

"So slight confusion and difficulty remembering details. Loss of consciousness and vomiting, my diagnosis is you've got a mild concussion and I'm recommending a visit to a doctor to confirm there is nothing more serious. As for now, I can't permit you to play, but we'll get you some ice for that bruise. What a shame on such a handsome face." The nurse sighed as she gently reached out to tilt Suga's chin up, giving an apologetic smile before leaving to retrieve some ice.

Suga was relieved the nurse had taken his silence after messing up his position, as confusion rather than shame, but it did nothing to lift his mood. It felt as though he were standing in the middle of a vast baking desert, a vicious sand storm whipping around him and buffeting his exposed skin as it raged. Surrounded by miles of emptiness, and struggling to see through the barrage of sand, he wasn't sure where he should turn. How did one survive in the desert and even more pressing...Did he have the strength to figure it out before he succumbed to the heat?

Because Daichi had been carefully watching as the nurse did her examination, the volleyball Captain was quick to catch every wince his friend made. He found that his desire to hunt down Kita Wasaki's number four, and break his jaw, had returned with a vengeance. Sure the brunette had his share of days where he swatted the setter for being so damned cheeky or mischievous, but overall he could never imagine actually hitting the guy. He simply didn't understand how someone could raise a hand to such a charismatic and friendly person, it made his blood boil.

Stewing in his silent rage while the nurse walked past him, Daichi paused as he took in the Vice Captain's empty expression, devoid of the humor or the quiet conviction it usually held. This was a face he'd never seen the silver haired boy wear, and it made him wonder what was going on in his teammates head. The way he'd said 'A back up setter', as if he was an unnamed extra in a movie, and not someone who made an impact on their team... Suga had never talked like that before.

Daichi knew his fellow third year had been disappointed to step aside as the team's official setter when Kageyama had appeared with his overwhelming natural talent, but he'd been under the impression Suga had no intentions of rolling over and giving up. He still practiced in earnest, and began watching everything with calculating eyes that absorbed vital information the rest of them missed. He was essential to the team, and he knew no one would argue such facts... Except... Maybe that had changed. Perhaps there now was someone who no longer agreed with that.

"Alright, here we are. I've brought you some ice for that nasty bruise; it should help with the swelling. I'll allow you to sit with your team during the match, but return here immediately if your headache worsens, or your nausea returns. You'll likely feel fatigued or have trouble concentrating, so be sure to keep activity to an absolute minimum until you see a doctor, do you hear that Sensei?" The stout woman finished, looking to Takeda who jumped to his feet and promptly bowed.

"Oh- Yes, I'll make sure he doesn't overdue it Ma'am! Thank you for seeing us."

"It was my pleasure, I hope you feel better soon, dear."

Suga gave a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes as he accepted the bag of ice wrapped in a cloth, grimacing when he pressed it to his face and got slowly to his feet.

"I'm grateful for your help, Thank you." He murmured quietly.