Guardian (Nishinoya x Reader) 🏐

Chapter 37: Tears of Joy

*Tobio's POV*

"Dad..." Y/N's hush voice whimpered, unable to draw his attention.

I stood up abruptly. "Mom. Dad." I ordered sternly. "Please, have a seat. This conversation isn't over yet."

Dad cautiously sauntered over, positioning himself between the couch and the reclining chair, arms crossed firmly over his chest. Mother complied reluctantly and flopped back down on the reclining chair, unlike the perfect posture she was posing earlier.

"Dad? Did mom ever tell you? That I was diagnosed with... a-ano-orexia-a?" The word stuttered out of Y/N's mouth. I know how much she hates that word. Hates looking at herself that way. Hates treating it like it's part of her.

Dads arms immediately dropped to his sides, his face crossed with shock and horror. He turned to mom, who glared and looked away, avoiding all our stares. "What is this about? Did you know?" But mom stayed silent. She refused to admit it.

She never told him... she lied and kept it hidden. Was she ashamed of Y/N ?

"I'm done with this shit," mom grumbled to herself as she angrily stormed off upstairs to her bedroom, slamming the door shut, all of us flinching and grimacing in response.

Dad focused his attention back on us and slowly found his way to the empty reclining chair, eyes never leaving the group in front of him.

It took two and a half hours to provide our viewpoints, experiences, and concerns, as well as the most plausible options for her recovery. Bravely enough, Y/N was also able to express some of her own thoughts, about her anxiety around food, the absurd hours she exercised for, calorie counting, weight, all of it. She spilled it all.

She cried as she spoke, tears rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably. Finally letting her secret free, we hoped dad would be more supportive and understanding than mother has been.

Some of the words she released even surprised us. I didn't know her weight. I didn't even know she weighed herself everyday. But hearing the number now, it was frightening and all the more reason to push getting her help.

I have to remember to hide the scale later...

"Wow..." Dad looked blown away by the amount of shit we just dumped on him. "I can't believe this has been going on for so long... without me noticing."

He looked like he was going to cry... unusual for his typical tough guy act.

Resting his elbows on his knees, he crouched over and placed his head in his hands. "I'm so invested in my work, that I was blind to the chaos at home. My own daughter suffering in front of my eyes. My wife dismissing it like a common cold." Clear distress was in his voice as he kept shaking his head.

When he looked up again, his eyes were red and puffy. "Thank you boys... for looking after my daughter and caring for her when I wasn't there... Thank you," he croaked out.

Y/N slowly crawled over to dad and lightly wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you for understanding. That's all I could ever ask for," her strained voice managed to wheeze out.

We all watched the spectacle as the two of them held each other, bawling their eyes out together.

My heart twinged at the sight. I felt the tears brimming my eyes.

Without thinking, I piled on top their hug, letting my body lie limp across their shoulders.

It felt good to cry. To let out all that emotion I've been holding back.

In the beginning, before coming to Karasuno, I was so scared for Y/N. So scared to do it all alone. To be the only one there for my baby sister. But glancing behind me... I'm reminded of all this support we gained. How amazing it is to find people who care about you.