⟬⎯𝝠𝖽𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖺⎯⟭

①⑥

The day the training camp starts, Aoki has physiotherapy. He was supposed to just be late to practice but ended up not going out at all due to how sore and uncomfortable he was. His physiotherapist had recommended using a hairdryer on the cold setting to blow air down the cast to itch at the skin when it got itchy. Aoki thought that was the stupidest thing ever.

He convinces himself he needs chocolate so he convinces his dad to stop at the grocery store on the way back to school. He gets himself way too much chocolate but it makes him feel better eating his Reece's Pieces in the car. 

"Aren't you shadowing the coaches for that training camp today?" His dad asks as they drive up the hill.

Aoki sighs. "I'm not going to today. I'm tired, sore, and uncomfortable so I'd just get snappy. I'll email Coach Saito when I get back to my dorm but I think I'm just going to rest for the rest of today."

His dad nods, making the turn into the parking lot. "That's a good idea. Take breaks when you need them, you're working around something you don't usually have to."

Aoki thanks his father as he helps him get out of the car and into his wheelchair. He's just started week five of his recovery today and it's gotten slightly easier to move around. Next week they would take the cast off and check the bone. Either it would go back on, or it would be off for good unless he fucked it up again. 

The cast itself had been covered in names and drawings from teammates, friends, and family. Satori had taken it upon himself to draw his name as big as Aoki would let him before throwing a pillow at his head. His favourite was still Wakatoshi's though. He had signed his name and put a little heart and flower next to it (Aoki had caught a glimpse of his laptop screen, he had been searching up what to write on someone's cast). Reon had told him to get the doctor to let him keep it for when Wakatoshi became famous. Aoki had laughed at the time but put a reminder in his phone later.

As he wheels himself into the school he can't help but pause at the sound of squeaking gym shoes off to his right. He wonders briefly if his dad had purposefully dropped him off at the entrance closest to the gym but brushes it off as a coincidence. As he stares down the hall someone runs into view carrying an armful of water bottles. The person stops dead, staring at him with surprise. It takes Aoki a moment but he recognizes him as little number ten Shoyo Hinata from Karasuno.

It seems Hinata recognizes him as well because he shouts in surprise and sprints at Aoki. "It's you! The really cool middle blocker that got hurt!"

Aoki stares at him, bewildered. "Hi?" He gets out before Hinata is off, chattering away.

"You're in a wheelchair! And a cast! Did you break something? It didn't look broken at the end of the game! Did you twist your ankle? Our coach wouldn't tell us exactly what happened. Did your coach tell Coach Ukai what happened to you? Asahi said he knows you and was worried but didn't know how to reach out or something like that. Are you okay? Does it hurt? How long until you can play volleyball again? I'd hate to not be allowed to play. Is it killing you inside?"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Aoki manages to shout before he starts talking again. "Uh... okay. So, I didn't necessarily break something. At least not visibly. I got a stress fracture in my tibia--" at his confused look, he sighs. "That's the bone in your shin I guess," he taps his right leg where the bone is. 

"I did not twist my ankle, I tore my ACL-- that's in my knee-- no, my coach wouldn't have told your coach what happened. He's kinda grumpy. It's nice to know Asahi is worried, we grew up together so I'll text him later, thank you for telling me. I'm not exactly okay, but I'm doing alright. It's more or less just sore unless I put too much weight on it. It'll be nearly two years before I'll be fully recovered and I'll never be able to play volleyball at my full strength again." Aoki almost laughs at the look on Hinata's face. "And yes, it is. That's while I'll be learning to coach. I'll still be a part of the game, I just won't be physically on the court."

"Physically? You won't be on the court at all though?"

Aoki grins. "Actually, I will be! In my mind, by being the coach and teaching other players everything I know, I'm on the court by extension of my methods being used by other players! They're using the knowledge I gave them to play their absolute best and win!"

"WAAHH!" Hinata shouts, stars in his eyes. "That sounds so cool!!"

"Right?!"

"Hey! Hinata! Are those water bottles ready yet?!" Hinata flinches at the shout.

"Sorry! Be right out!" He turns to Aoki as he starts to back away. "See you around cool middle blocker!"

"Uh-- my name is Aoki Ishii!" His self-introduction falls into an empty hallway because Hinata is already gone. Aoki stares towards the gym once more before turning his back on it and going to find the elevator near the dorms. 

As weird as that interaction was, it gave Aoki the chance to realize how hard it was going to be to stay away from the court. It would be his methods out there, sure, but it wouldn't be the same. It stung, deep down. And it hurt to realize how much it affected him. He loved this game and it was killing him.

He stops in front of his room-- his new room-- and stared at the door. Was coaching even going to be worth it? He would never be on the court the same way he was before. He had lost. He had to leave the court.

"Nice door there." 

Aoki flinches, turning to see Satori standing there with a grin on his face. "Uh-- yeah, nice door. Mhm." Aoki looks at it again then back at Satori. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to collect my manga. But with his reading speed, it'll be more like checking on how much longer I've gotta wait."

"Ah. It'll be a while then, he's out with his family today. He'll be back tonight." Aoki pauses before remembering that he was supposed to be kind of mad at Satori. "You and your stupid shonen manga! You've given him ideas! He's not supposed to get those!"

"Woah! Woah!" Satori laughs, startled. "Where's this coming from?!"

"He's--!" Aoki remembers to whisper last second. "He's kissed me twice because he's gotten ideas from your stupid manga!"

Satori stares at him in shock for a moment before laughing, bending over as he wheezes. "That's a bad thing?! I thought you wanted that! Why am I getting yelled at!"

Aoki sputters but doesn't have an actual answer for Satori so he just glares at him. "Whatever..."

"C'mon, let's go down to the cafeteria. You can share some of that chocolate in that bag."

"Should've known you'd see that." Aoki sighs as Satori moves behind to push him along the hallway to the elevator.