Saving Shoyo ✔︎

02//Ushijima Wakatoshi//

"What the fuck is going on here?"

~~~

Oikawa lurches away from Shoyo as the redhead heaves panicked breaths, still sobbing.

"U-Ushiwaka!" The Sajo setter stutters, whipping his head to face the Shiratorizawa Ace. "What brings you here?" Oikawa can barely keep the panic from his voice.

"Cut the shit Oikawa, what are you doing to Hinata?" Ushijima sounds pissed. Shoyo takes his opportunity and twists out of Oikawa's grasp, stumbling toward his savior.

"We were just...having some fun!" Oikawa says with a strained smile. "Weren't we, Sho-chan?"

Shoyo shakes his head vehemently. Why would the setter do something like that? He felt his tears increase, splashing on the tile beneath his feet. He felt like hurling his guts up.

"Leave the other teams alone, setter," was all Ushijima said before dragging Hinata out of the bathroom by his collar. Hinata couldn't control his sobs, and  after awhile Ushijima noticed. "Hinata...are you alright?" He says, releasing the boy's shirt.

"I'm...," Shoyo begins, but he can't get rid of that helpless feeling. "N-no. I-I don't t-think s-so."

Ushijima POV

I felt my heart melt towards this little crow when he started sobbing again. Oikawa had clearly been forcing Hinata against the wall, and the firery redhead was now terrified. I'm not good with words, and I don't know what to say to him. I want to comfort him but...maybe I should just tell his teammates.

"Hey why don't I take you to your dorm? You could talk this out with your silver-haired setter." I say, voicing my thoughts.

Hinata's head snaps up. "N-no!" he nearly shouts, eyes brimming with tears. My eyes widened, and I can't help my surprise.

"What? Why not?" He doesn't want his teammates' help? Odd.

Hinata looks down, swallowing his tears. "It's just that...I don't want anybody to know. It's pathetic anyway." He wipes his eyes and shoots me a forced smile. "I'll forget about it soon, it wasn't a big deal."

Liar. But I don't push him. It'd be far too intrusive of me. "Okay...I won't tell anyone without your permission, just take someone wherever you go," I say, a bit startled that I care enough to tell him this.

But Hinata gives me a small smile and nods. "Thank you. I'm not sure why you bothered with me but...thanks, really," he seems to be calming down a bit.

"Hinata," I say, making him look up at me. God, he's so delicate, like a baby crow. Or maybe I'm just freakishly tall. "We're rivals, but I don't hate you. I respect you, actually. And I'd defend anyone in that situation."

Hinata seems a bit taken aback, and I know why. I hardly ever talk much, and when I do it's usually just two word phrases. I don't know why...I just felt he needed to hear that.

"Thank you, Ushijima." He really was kinda cute looking up at me like that.

Wait, cute? Did I seriously just think that? I clear my throat. "You should get some rest, Hinata."

"You too, Ace of Shiratorizawa."

~Time skip brought to you by Sugawara's eye freckle~

Hinata POV

"Sorry!" Nishinoya called upon making a short receive. "Cover!" Kageyama rushed under the ball, a trickle of sweat sliding down his face as he waited to make the set.

"BRING IT TO ME!" I shout, running full speed towards the net, then jumping laterally. Just as I'd asked, the set sailed and hung perfectly in the air before me.

Wham!

The ball slammed into Seijoh's court with a satisfactory sound, scoring us the winning point. I smile, but just as I'm coming down I spot Oikawa staring at me with a manic look in his eyes. I shudder and loose my orientation, crashing down on my back.

"Ahrg~," I gasp at the pain. I'm so stupid! I need to ignore that asshole, not let him ruin my life. I pant a little as I let Sugawara-san help me up.

"Wow you ok Hinata?" Tanaka asked, coming over to where I was rubbing my back next to Suga.

"YEaH!" I say, a bit too enthusiastically. Sugawara and Tanaka exchanged worried glances, but let it slide.

At least we won...

I hope he'll leave me alone after what happened with Ushijima, but I'm not sure. The look in his eyes...I really don't want to see that up close.

"Hinata!"

Right! Next game!