A Co-Captain's Doubts

To Leave the Court

"Are you- uh, Are you okay? Your- Your mouth is bleeding."

Kageyama was working hard to get his words out, wearing one of the peculiar faces he made when unsure of what to do, nose scrunched, and brows askew as if he'd bitten into something sour. The expressions usually made Sugawara snicker, but right now it was hard to find it funny with how disoriented he felt. Wincing, he continued to lay on the ground but reached a hand up to his tender mouth, tasting blood and feeling wetness there as he cringed at the ache. Kageyama must have split his lip again when he'd accidentally headbutted him, great.

"Suga! I messed up that receive, it wasn't supposed to go this way!"

Hurdling the bench, Noya crouched beside the injured setter with clenched hands and a face full of remorse.

"I'm sorry, I messed up, I messed up- Man, your face is bleeding again! Dammit- I messed up!"

The libero's voice was far too loud as Sugawara's head swam and pounded, it made him groan and reach up to place a hand over the second years face.

"Shh... s'fine... It was an accident, Nishinoya."

Chin trembling beneath his upperclassman's hand and knuckles turning white in his lap, Noya mumbled roughly.

"I should have better control, you got hurt again because of me... I'm sorry..." He said, head falling and eyes squeezing shut as his face crumpled.

Hearing the misery in his teammate's voice, Suga's brow furrowed and he creaked an eye open to peer at his friend. Moving his hand to plop it on top of the smaller boy's spikey brown head, he ruffled Noya's hair.

"Cut that out...You did your job... Kept the ball in. Shoulda moved, s'my fault." He said struggling to form full sentences when his brain felt scrambled but gave a slight smile.

"Nice save, Guardian."

Tearful eyes quickly turning to his upperclassman, Noya swallowed his third apology and gave a short nod and a shaky grin.

"Suga!"

"Suga-san!"

"Suga!"

Suddenly there were multiple bodies and voices around him, everyone asking him questions, and crouching over him being far too loud. Closing his eyes against the assault, he groaned and wondered where Tsukishima's headphones had gone, he hoped they hadn't broken in the fall.

"Watch out, everybody back up, move. Sugawara, can you hear me?"

Suga could feel a strong hand grip his shoulder and give a squeeze, but he didn't want to open his eyes, it hurt too much to stare into the lights on the ceiling. Instead, he gave a slight nod and tried to stop the spinning sensation in his head. If he was going to pass out, he wished he would do it already, this feeling of barely conscious and struggling to function was horrible.

Aware that it was Coach Ukai that spoke in his ear, the setter groaned as a hand slid beneath his shoulder blades and began to fold him into a sitting position.

"Come on, lets get you up. Did you hit your head, what hurts?"

Suga slumped forward as Ukai pushed him up, sagging into the man as his head lolled to his shoulder. It felt as though his skull weighed 100 pounds, far too much to hold up, and he squeezed his eyes shut tighter with a whimper as the movement caused another surge of disorientation.

"Mmm... My head..." He muttered, unable to give anything more and just wishing to find a comfortable place to curl up and croak. Somewhere warm and reassuring... Like the seat he shared with Daichi on the bus... Yeah, maybe someone could drag him there and his friend would be nice and quiet as he let him fall into a peaceful unconsciousness.