Rigid Crow

Falls to Pieces

     I wake during the night to that painful gnawing in my upper abdomen again. Groaning, I flip onto my stomach and grab my phone to check the time. Three in the morning. When I check the date above, my heart skips a beat.
     It's been two weeks. Two weeks since Shō was first in danger of sepsis. Which means he's safe. He'll recover.
     I pull up his number to text and make sure he's really okay. His parents brought him back his phone so he can text when we're not around. I doubt he'll be awake, but I text him anyway, eager to hear from him as soon as possible.

T: Hey, you're okay, right??

     His response comes sooner than expected.

S: Of course I am, bakageyama

T: Be more excited, dumbass! You realize it's been two weeks, right? You're gonna be fine now
T: Why are you up?

S: I should ask you the same thing lol. My sleep schedule's really off because I nap so often
S: I was supposed to start walking before this, so that should start this week as long as ur able to come- I'd rather do it with you there
S: So, u??

T: Idk. Just woke up for some reason

S: Go back to sleep, dummy. U have a practice match tomorrow- Nekoma, yeah?? So jealous! Wish I could watch
S: Say hi to Kenma for me!!!

T: K. See u

     My heart calmer, I try my best to ignore the burning sensation in my stomach. I can finally let myself relax. He won't die on me anytime soon. Things will only get better from here. I drift off to sleep.
     After school, we hang out in the club room for about an hour because we have a lot of time before warm up and when Nekoma gets here, because they have a two hour drive.
     Shortly after we start warming up, our rivals arrive, along with a surprise guest.
"Kuroo-san?"
He grins widely. "That's me!"
"What are you doing here? You graduated, right?" I ask as the rest of the Nekoma team greets our Karasuno members.
"Just had some spare time and I live in the area now. Wanted to watch the match between my old buddies and rivals."
"What are you doing now?"
"I'm actually at university here in Miyagi. Studying pre-med. But I still play volleyball. You should come over sometime, see us play. College volleyball is a whole other level."
     "Yeah. Well, I should go."
     He smiles and gives a thumbs up. "Yeah. Good luck!"
     "Kageyama." I turn to see Kenma. "How is Shōyō?"
     "Doing well, actually," I'm relieved to say. "He told you about what happened a couple weeks ago?"
     Kenma nods, looking somber. "Yes. That's why I was worried."
     "Well, as of today, he's officially going to be okay. I texted him this morning, and he said he's fine, and also asked me to tell you hi."
     A small smile forms on his face. "That's a relief."
     "Kageyama!" Ennoshita waves me over.
     "Sorry, gotta go."
Kenma nods, and we go to our respective teams.
The teams are pumped by the time the match begins. Friendly trash talk is exchanged, and Karasuno is ready to win.
As we work through the first set, I can see how on their games my teammates are. It has been awhile since we've gotten to face Nekoma.
I'm bringing my A game as well, at least until Nekoma hits twenty points and Karasuno hangs at nineteen. I begin to feel dizzy, which is strange. I don't get sick during games, and I've hydrated well enough.
I blink a few times, trying to clear my head of it. I don't want to leave the game, not even for a time as short as the end of the set.
Everything falls to pieces right before the next serve.
Out of nowhere, an agonizing pain hits my upper stomach, and I cry out, my knees buckling.
Faintly, I hear the shouts of others in the gym, but I can't make out anything. The pain persists, an agony like I've never felt. Someone screams. I realize it's me.
I breathe in short, ragged gasps, desperate to relieve any of the fierce pain in my gut. What is happening to me? I curl into the fetal position, just trying to breathe. My heart thumps wildly.
"—yama!—wrong? What—"
"Call— now!"
"Get back! Let me— a look—"
Someone kneels beside me, and somehow, I realize it's Kuroo. He puts a hand on my shoulder and tilts my face toward him, redirecting what little focus I have left. "Hey," he says firmly. "We're getting you help. I have some medical knowledge, so I'm going to feel your stomach for a moment, okay? Just bear with me."
I uncurl slightly, none of the torture lessening, and he feels around my midriff. My abdominal muscles go rigid and everything flares with pain. I grit my teeth and breathe faster.
Kuroo curses. "Damn, this isn't good. There's some distention and your pain..." He shakes his head and looks around us. "He has to go to the hospital immediately! I think he's going into septic shock."
"Is that bad?" someone asks shrilly.
"It's worse than bad! If we don't get this operated on soon enough, he could die."
Septic shock? Wasn't that what we were afraid Shō was going to die from? What's happening? Why is this happening to me?
"I'm scared," I cry, panicked and terrified, praying that it will just end. "Why does— it hurt— so much?"
"Look," he says as calmly as he can, "I just need you to keep your focus on me until the paramedics arrive. Can you do that for me?"
I gasp and try to nod.
"What's wrong with him?" I think Yamaguchi asks.
"I'm not sure, but it could be an ulcer that perforated, like, tore through his stomach lining? That's my best guess." He shakes his head and groans. "How long did you ignore that kind of pain for this to happen?"
My eyesight goes blurry. I don't know what to do.
After what feels like an eternity, though it must only be a few minutes, the bustle of medical help arrives.
Pain flares through me as I'm helped into a stretcher, then into an ambulance. I'm being asked questions and told other things, but utter confusion has taken over my mind.
What. Is. Happening?