I'll be here for you, through everything

Chapter 8

Minato put Natsu to bed and went to see if Nishinoya had eaten anything.

The full plate laid where she left it.

She sighed and replaced the plate with water and three pills. Minato touched what she assumed was Nishinoya's shoulder and shook him gently. He opened his eyes and saw Hinata's mom.

"It just occurred to me that you don't know my name". Noya blinked once.

"Yes, I think"? Minato thought. "My name is Minato Hinata, what's your name"? She asked. He blinked at her twice.

"Not ready to talk"? Two blinks. "Alright, that's ok," Minato said kindly.

Nishinoya looked past Minato and at the door where Hinata stood.

Nishinoya was well aware of how bad he looked. Red eyes, tear stained cheeks and bruised face. But he still stared at him.

"Who was he again"? Hinata smiled at him sadly. "Hinata, the boy I like".

Minato followed his gaze to the door and Shoyo ducked into his room. "I'll let you see him if you want," she said.

Nishinoya shook his head. "Not ready for that either"? Noya lowered his head.

He wasn't ready for Hinata to see him vulnerable or to see him cry. That's when he remembered.

Had Hinata seen him when his mother brought him inside? He prayed that wasn't the case.

"Goodnight" Minato smiled at the boy and left the room.

Nishinoya swallowed the medicine and fell asleep soon after.

Minato knocked on her son's door and let herself in. "Did he see you"? she asked.

"Yeah, he did," Hinata said. "But he looked like he didn't know me, why"?

"Sometimes when traumatic things happen, a person can forget things like names," Minato explained. "Oh".

"He knows who you are, Shoyo, trust me". Hinata nodded. "You never told me what happened to him".

Minato sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"You're not ready for the truth," she said. "At least not tonight, but soon".

"If you think it's best I don't know," Hinata said. "Goodnight". Minato kissed his forehead.

She closed the door behind her and broke into tears as soon as she reached her room.
~(T-T)~

The next morning, Hinata was quick getting up and heading to school.

He had slept that night, despite the nightmarish theories of what happened to Noya he saw.

It was something to do with his mother, he guessed. Noya never talked about his family much.

Arriving at school, he was met by Kageyama who he just walked past. "What's wrong with you"? The setter asked in a rude tone.

"Does it matter"? Hinata merely said before entering the change room and putting his uniform on.

"Of course it matters".

Hinata turned and saw that Kageyama was concerned. "Are you... worried about me"? He asked.

"Don't say yes or I might just cry".

"A little bit" Kageyama admitted. "Thanks but I'm ok" Hinata said. He turned and walked down to the gym with his rival/ friend beside him.

They walked in and saw Asahi pacing around. "What's going on"? Kageyama asked him.

"Nishinoya still hasn't texted any of us, we're not even sure if he's at home" Asahi said.

"You all texted him"!?

Asahi nodded. "Suga looks like he's going to either break into tears or break into Nishinoya's house".

"Anything else"? Hinata asked.

"Daichi drove by Nishinoya's place last night and it looked like there was a small party happening," Ennoshita said as he walked over. "There's no way Nishinoya was there".

"Maybe it was a ritual to sacrifice him," Narita said.

Kinoshita smacked the back of his head. "Not the time for jokes".

Asahi paled. "Do people do that"?

"Some, but I doubt that happened," Ennoshita assured him.

Tanaka ran in the door just after Tsukiyama walked in. "Am I late"? He asked. Daichi shook his head. "No, you're safe".

"Oh good".

"Did you get a hold of Noya at all"? Sugawara asked hopefully. Tanaka lowered his head. "Nothing, just voicemail".

"That's it, "I'm going to knock on Nishinoya's door and I swear if no one answers, I'm breaking in" Sugawara said angrily.

Daichi grabbed the setter wrist and sat him back on his chair.

"I know you're worried but be rational, you can't just go break into someone's house" He said.

"Watch me" Suga stood only for Asahi to push him back down.

"Fine, I won't do that"! He said in defeat. "Good" Daichi took a deep breath.

"Start practicing guys, we'll talk more after school".

Everyone listened and started practice.

Hinata grabbed a ball and felt someone watching at him. He turned and saw Tsukishima talking to Yamaguchi.

"I could've sworn Tsukishima was staring at me". Hinata was confused.

Why would that beanpole stare at him anyway?
---
785 words

Next chapter is going to be...
interesting

Sugawara is way mad😯