Silence Speaks (kageyama) (soulmate AU)

26

The next day May showed up to practice and seemed like she'd finally gotten a decent amount of sleep.

She watched the boys practice, and was asked a few questions about hulk, specifically if he was okay.

She nodded and eased everyone's nerves.

Takeda sensei had talked to May more than usual that day, mostly because Yuki wasn't there, as she was busy with family matters.

"You're an incredible student, May. You're grades indicate that you could probably get into college with a full scholarship." He doted.

May was happy that someone believed she would get into college. She'd been saving since she was a small child just for the funds to attend, and she wasn't even a small part of the way to what it would take to pay for college.

"I just wish I knew why you don't talk." He sighed deeply. Something about the look in May's eyes when she looked at him told him that she was okay.

But somehow that was still a lie.

He only saw the surface of the water, smooth and calming. Not the violent currents buried in the deeper depths.

He didn't know that the further you dove, the harder it became to escape the grips of the waves, until they were swirling around you, trapping you... drowning you.

But... May admitted to herself that once you take the first gulp of water, it doesn't hurt so much.

Once you admit your fait. It's not so awful to be trapped beneath the tides.

Finally practice came to an end, and Takeda couldn't help but notice they May was staying behind unusually late.

All of the boys and Ukai had already left.

"Takeda-sensei." She suddenly said, causing him to jump out of his skin.

"Y-you can talk!?" He stuttered.

"Of course I can talk." She responded. "But I don't like to." She said.

Somehow, she was fighting an internal battle on shutting up.

"Why?" He asked, suddenly becoming sympathetic.

May fiddled with her hands for a moment as she thought. "I don't want to say the wrong thing. Even so, my mind is a very dark place. There is a lot going on inside of me that conflicts with everything I want to do." She said. "If I were to say the wrong thing, my own mind would rip me to pieces."

Takeda swallowed sharply.

The next day Takeda talked to the school counselor about the issues, not using May's name.

He later informed her that it seemed she was suffering from depression, anxiety, and a personality disorder.

He suggested that she receive therapy for these issues, and offered to pay the expenses, and May very cautiously agreed, promising to pay him back after swearing him to secrecy about her talking.

Later, Daichi convinced May to stay in the team group chat for once.