Solace In The Shadows ; An UshiTen fanfic.

S.I.T.S | 01

alone (adjective)
    having no one else present.

Tendou Satori sat alone in the dimly lit room, the only source of light being the flickering lights from the hallway next to his room. His usually vibrant red hair was now dull in the muted light, his eyes clouded with an uncharacteristic sadness.

His room was eerily silent besides from the occasional drip from his leaky water faucet in his bathroom. Tears stained his tainted cheeks as blood dripped down his forearm, a stinging sensation of adrenaline pumping through his veins with every cut. He looked up at the ceiling letting out a shuttered sigh.

Memories of his days on the volleyball court flashed through his mind — the laughter, the intensity, the time he spent with his teammates. Those days felt distant now, like a half-remembered dream. He clenched his fists, feeling the sharp bite of the cuts, the pain grounding him momentarily in reality. Tendou looked down at his arm and let out a regretful groan, he stared at the red cut marks covering his forearm.. he grabbed a tissue box from his bedside table, wiping his arms clean with the tissue, he clenched his teeth trying too avoid the pain.

Tendou's breath hitched as he tossed the bloodied tissue aside, watching it crumple into a lifeless heap on the floor. The room seemed to press in on him, the weight of his memories, regrets, and present pain forming an unbearable pressure. The faint echoes of his teammates' voices rang in his ears, their laughter and encouragement now twisted into haunting reminders of what he had lost.

He dragged himself to the edge of his bed, his legs feeling heavy and unresponsive. His eyes flitted to his old volleyball jersey draped over the chair in the corner, a reminder of when his world had actually made sense. The name "Tendou" and his number "5" stitched onto the fabric only seemed to mock him now, a reminder of the person he once was but could no longer find.

With a trembling hand, he reached for his phone. He scrolled through his contacts, stopping at a familiar name: Shirabu. His thumb hovered over the call button, uncertainty gnawing at his resolve. It had been so long since he'd spoken to any of them, and he feared how they would see him now, broken and lost.

But the need for connection, for a lifeline, outweighed his fear. With a deep, shuddering breath, Tendou pressed the call button. The phone rang once, twice, before it clicked, and Shirabu's voice came through, hesitant and unsure.

"Tendou? Is that you?"

Tendou's voice cracked as he tried to speak. "Hey, Shirabu. It's... it's been a while."

The silence on the other end was deafening, and for a moment, Tendou feared that Shirabu would hang up and leave him alone again. But then came a soft, concerned reply.

"Yeah, it has. Is everything okay?"

Tendou swallowed hard, the words sticking in his throat. "I'm... I'm not doing great. I just... I needed to talk to someone. I don't know who else to call."

His voice cracked, There was a pause, then the sound of shuffling, as if Shirabu was moving to a quieter place. "I'm glad you called. Do you want to meet up? We can talk in person."

Tendou nodded, even though he knew Shirabu couldn't see him. "Yeah. I'd like that. Thanks, Shirabu."

"Hang in there," Shirabu said softly. "We'll figure this out, okay?"

As Tendou ended the call, a small glimmer of hope flickered in the dimness of his room. Maybe he wasn't alone. And maybe, just maybe, he could find his way back to the person he used to be.