Broken Like Me

Chapter Nine: Kindness

The next morning Kageyama walked into the cafeteria with dread weighing down his every step. He had been forced out of bed by one of the nurses despite his protests. He avoided all eye contact as he made his way to an empty table, attempting to sit as quietly as he could muster. Before he was fully seated his ears were accosted with the sound of scraping chairs, he looked up in bewilderment only to realize that Noya, Tanaka, and Hinata were balancing their trays with one hand as they drew chairs to his table. Their once filled table now laid abandoned as an awkward Asahi sheepishly followed his way over to join them. Kageyama was unsure what to say, he was apprehensive about the reason for their sudden migration. Luckily, he didn't get the chance to dwell much before all three boys burst out speaking, all vying for his attention, talking all at once.

"Kageyamaaaaaa....are you ok? I was so scared when I saw them take you! AHHHHH how could you ignore me like that? Did you get into trouble? I was so worried you wouldn't come back and that we would never see you again!" Hinata whined at him loudly, his large brown eyes filled with worry, an unusually thoughtful look painted on his small face.

"Yeah you should have seen him, he wouldn't stop fidgeting and bouncing around talking about you. He was a mess...I thought he was gonna cry.." Tanaka began to say loudly, gesturing with his spoon, sending small bits of apple sauce everywhere. Before he could continue describing Hinata's distress he was punched in the shoulder by a blushing Hinata, who pouted in displeasure.

"Forget that," Noya interjected, unwilling to let the conversation go on without his contribution. "Why the hell did you beat up Tsukishima? I mean I can already think of plenty of good reasons why. I am sure he deserved it, not gonna lie seeing him looking so pissed was super satisfying. But I still want to know what went down?" Noya peered at him like an excited puppy waiting for his favorite toy.

Kageyama was overwhelmed by his sense of disbelief. They were worried? Hinata almost cried? Noya thought he did the right thing? They didn't blame him for what happened? They didn't think he was out of control? malicious? Selfish?

Kageyama hadn't realized how strongly he thirsted for care, until he was drenched with kindness and friendship. His parched body couldn't handle so much of what he had long been denied, especially when it rained down on him all at once.

He choked up, unable to formulate words, his mouth felt like sand, his brain drowned in the implications of the friendly presence at his table.

Asahi, noticing his state, timidly interjected, "Guys, give him a chance to breathe...you are overwhelming him." It was the most assertive Asahi had been in his whole two weeks here.

Everyone looked at Asahi in surprise, he was hardly the type to interject, Hinata gave him a large suprised smile, Noya gave him a thumbs up. Asahi blushed lightly retreating into his usual silence.

All the commotion from his table seemed to have caught the attention of the only other occupied table across the room. The table which hosted Tsukishima, Yamaguchi and a miserable looking Oikawa.

Kageyama's eyes briefly met with Tsukishima, his bruises had regressed into a purplish color, at least his face wasn't swollen anymore. Tsukishima glared at him with a look of disgust, he Tsked and pointedly looked away, Yamaguchi gave him a look that was an odd mixture of apologetic and frightened before gazing back down at his uneaten food.

Kageyama's gaze found its way back to his table. To his surprise he found Noya, Hinata, and Tanaka, three of the loudest people he had ever happened on, quietly waiting for him to speak.

Although they seemed to have reached the limit of their patience, Hinata looked like he was going to pop the bubble of silence any second, his hands fidgeting with his utensils and his teeth grinding down on his soft lips in anticipation of Kageyama's words.