Survival of the fittest- A Haikyuu apocalypse AU

Chapter 23

Yachi screamed and shoved the zombie away from her. The group bolted to the bus, where Kiyoko immediately checked her for bites.

"It's okay!" she almost shouted. "They got my jacket. It didn't go through."

"Where did it bite you?"

"Right there."

Kiyoko rolled up her sleeve and inspected the area, then let out a sigh of relief.

"You're fine."

"Yeah."

"But are you okay?"

"I...don't know...?"

Yachi suddenly sniffled, and large tears started to drip down her face and plop into her lap. Kiyoko quickly wrapped her arms around her, and they stayed like that for a little while. Eventually, however, the bus was back at the gym, and everyone bolted back to the club room, the short blonde still a mess. Alive, but a mess.

Immediately, Suga checked to make sure everyone was there. He let out a small sigh of relief seeing that everyone was safe, but he gave Kiyoko a questioning glance. She twitched her head towards Yachi, then pretended to bite her arm. Suga's eyes widened until she shook her head, pulled him over, and whispered the entire story. He tensed, then relaxed. "She's fine," Shimizu whispered, "Just shaken up." Sugawara nodded, then went back to sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest. He'd been sitting like that a lot lately.

"It's getting colder," he whispered.

"Yeah," Kiyoko said, "I think It's almost winter."

"I'm not sure if that's a good sign."

"Me neither."

"I need to use the restroom."

Daichi was closest to the bathroom at the time. He'd seen Suga go in, and hadn't paid much heed. However, soon he heard retching coming from his location. Everyone seemed to stop and stare at it. His stomach twisted into a knot as he slowly knocked on the door.

"I'm fine," Sugawara called out weakly, but he opened the door anyway. He was pale and clammy, and the second Daichi saw his face he enveloped him into a hug. Akaashi ran over to the pair and Kinoshita, levelheaded as always, brought the medical bag to them and made sure that everything needed was in there.

Suga was crying. Daichi was rubbing circles into his back and whispering words of comfort, and Akaashi was sitting with his head in his hands. They already knew that this was a relapse, but it seemed even more severe than the first time. The problem was that the illness couldn't be diagnosed. The setter's extensive knowledge of first aid could only take him so far. After that, he just had to hope.

I guess it wasn't just distress after all.

Akaashi felt terrible. He'd dismissed Suga's problems, and because of that, they were worse than ever. Not only that, but he was sure that everyone else was more worried and guilt-ridden as well. His anxieties were beginning to pile up. It was harder for him to sleep at night. His hands were usually shaking, and he was often clammy. His stomach hurt. How does Suga-san handle this so well? I'd have broken down years ago.

I can't. I can't. I have to keep going. If I do break, I'll keep going anyway. They trust me. They look to me, they look up to me.

I can't let them down.

So he ignored the throbbing in his temples, and did his very best with Sugawara, who was unconscious by this time. But there was a pulse, and that was what mattered. For now, he was alive, so for now, Akaashi hadn't lost hope. He hated himself for saying it, as he always wanted to not need someone to hold, but he didn't know what he'd do without Suga. He was a point of stability in this mess of emotions mixing with the cruel outside world. He was a true godsend in a time of critical need. He was crucial.

And now he was compromised.

Hinata sighed and tucked his knees into his chest. He was all alone, in the corner of the room. Other than the bathrooms, it was the spot with the most privacy, since the view was partially blocked by the food stores. the scary part was that the privacy wouldn't last forever. The food would all go away eventually. One night, they'd be eating, and the next night, they'd be starving. It was a nightmare he didn't want to live out.

"Hey."

He hadn't noticed Kageyama arrive, but was glad that the boy was there. He let out a small hum of response, then shifted his gaze towards the ravenette. "I'm worried about him," he mumbled.

"Who?" Responded the setter.

"Suga."

"Yeah. Me too. But I think he's gonna be okay."

"But how do you know?"

"I don't. But I do know he's a fighter, and the fighters always come out okay in the end. And I know that Sugawara can keep fighting. So I choose to keep faith."

"...yeah."

Hinata suddenly fell onto the other boy. The ravenette was surprised, but wrapped his arms around the other in an attempted gesture of comfort. The middle blocker leaned into him, and suddenly his face was close to the Kageyama's face, and then their lips were close, closer than they had ever been before, and then they touched.

Hinata wrapped his arms around his partner and kissed him. After a second, or a minute, or maybe hours or days, they broke apart. "I know this is rash, but I want to ask you something," the setter whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Date me?"

"Always."

Then the distance between them had been bridged again and they were happier than they had been in many weeks. More weeks than Hinata, who had been keeping track the entire time, could even count.