The Light Under the Doorway | h. harem

③⓪

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By the time Karasuno hit the roads, Hinata had yet to wake up. What's worse is that he seemed to be having some sort of nightmare every half hour or so. The moment they calmed him down, his breathing would start becoming uneven again.

It was hard to see.

"You don't suppose those people are still in the house, do you?" Nishinoya suddenly piped up, looking at Daichi in question. "If they are, we can pound 'em senseless!" Exclaimed Tanaka, punching his hand.

"Shut up, Idiot!" Whispered Sugawara, "You'll wake up Hinata!" After apologizing, Tanaka and Nishinoya turned back to Daichi. "I doubt it, but I guess that depends on who managed to get in. If it was Daishou, I'm sure they're fucking with everything."

To calm himself, Daichi pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Let's just hope it's some wannabe gang we can take out quickly."

"Mmh~" Hinata whined, gripping onto Sugawara's jacket. Tightening his grip on the ginger, he looked at the others with his brows furrowed in worry. "It's okay, Shouyou. Nothing's going to happen," Nishinoya coaxed quietly, patting Hinata's head.

The silver-haired male in charge of holding him bounced him lightly on his lap, tucking his face closer to his chest. "It's alright. There, there," Suga whispered, his face coated in guilt, but his voice calm and soft.

"Don't..." The squad listened closer to what Hinata was trying to say since this was the first time he had tried to talk. His eyebrows furrowed and tears began to slowly drip from his closed eyes.

Sugawara held his shivering body impossibly closer, wiping the ginger's eyes with his jacket sleeve. His eyes shot open and he pushed against the silver-haired male's chest. "Let me go!" He choked out, his breathing erratic.

"Hina-"

"Stop! Please, don't touch me!" He cried, still trying to fight against Sugawara's tight grip despite his much weaker stature.

"Shouyou!" Nishinoya shouted, taking hold of his hand. Shocked, Hinata opened his eyes once more and blinked away the tears that blurred his vision. As his eyes focused, he saw a panicked Nishinoya.

Turning his head a bit to the side, he gazed at everyone else's shocked and worried faces. Finally, he fixed his posture so he could look up and at the person holding him. He looked the most worried in Hinata's opinion.

I made his heart ache. He hated causing people pain.

"I'm-I'm sorry. I don't, um, I don't know what I was-" He yelped when he felt arms wrap around him. Then another pair. Then another. Everyone pulled him into a hug (except Kageyama and Tsukishima, but they wanted to join in).

It was the first time they had heard Hinata shout so loudly. He sounded horrified. "What did you dream about?" Tsukishima questioned once everyone pulled away from the ginger. Blushing at all the eyes on him, Hinata played with Sugawara's shirt.

"It-It wasn't... so much a dream. Rather, it felt like I was actually there. I couldn't make out any colors or faces, but there were a lot of people in my room, and they were destroying it. For some reason, it really hurt."

Silence followed Hinata's explanation as everyone thought about the hidden meaning behind his... dream.

"We need to be ready for anything, guys. Our best bet is to assume that they're still in the building and prepare to fight. Yamaguchi, Tsukishima, head to the underground shed with Hinata.

Tsukishima, we'll need you to survey the cameras and inform us of the enemies' position. Yamaguchi, make us some extra ammo and put it on the dining table if you can." Daichi's face suddenly turned more serious than it was.

"Don't let anything happen to Hinata. Our mission isn't just to eliminate the enemies, it's to protect him with our lives on the line." Everyone made a sound of agreement, except the ginger himself.

"No! I don't want you guys to get hurt because of me! I'll help! I won't get in the way. Promise!" His face full of desperation. "Don't be stupid! If something were to happen to you, we could never forgive ourselves!" Kageyama yelled, gripping his knee in frustration.

"If something were to happen to any of you, I could never forgive myself!" The ginger responded, pointing to himself with tears in his eyes. Again, silence fell over them.

"Hinata, you're being illogical," Tsukishima began, "You have no strength or experience to fight against them. Everyone here, including me, has been put in a life-or-death situation more than once. Let's say you were put into that situation. Would you be willing to give your life up for-"

"Yes," Hinata interrupted. The tears that had once threatened to wet his cheeks were now dried, and a bright orange fire danced in his eyes. "I'd do anything to save someone I care about."

Chills ran down everyone's spines. His words had enlightened the squad of yet another side of him they were unaware of.

His spirit may be strong, but it doesn't change the fact that his body isn't as strong as everyone else's.

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They parked at the end of the driveway and unloaded their weapons from the trunk of the limo. "Shimizu, Sugawara, Ennoshita, I want you guys to scout the outside and make sure no one escapes since you guys are the quietest," said Daichi, tossing Shimizu her bow and arrows.

She nodded, giving Yachi a farewell kiss. "Tanaka, Nishinoya, Kageyama, and I will be heading to Hinata's room. Everyone else, scout throughout the base and make sure everyone's eliminated."

Slinging a heavily loaded gun over his shoulder from the strap, Daichi motioned two fingers pointing to the driveway. "Please, let me help!" Hinata cried, struggling against Yamaguchi's tight grip.

"We already told you, Shou. It's best if you stay in the warehouse where you'll be safe!" NIshinoya patted his small shoulder supportingly, but it only proved to upset the ginger more.

"Your heart is beating really fast," he observed, looking at everyone with eyes that seemed duller than before. "All of you guys' hearts are beating really fast. You're all scared."

They couldn't believe they had forgotten that Hinata could read them like an open book, and it honestly made them feel stupid. "If you get hurt, if your heartbeat ceases, if it speeds up if anything happens- I'll know, and I won't hesitate to come after you."

Looking up, it seemed that even the bright sun up in the sky couldn't shine any light into Hinata's sullen eyes. No one could say anything. Hinata did have a habit of making them speechless.

"After all... I know the sound of a dying heart all too well."

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