"Tooru?"
You asked as you walked into the backyard. Confused as to why the bouncing of the ball had stopped so suddenly.
"Toooooru?" You sang as you looked around. Not catching sight of his dark brown hair anywhere.
You walked by some of the decorations on the side and turned towards the concrete area you normally used as a court. "Tooru?" You asked as you peaked your head, seeing Tooru sitting on the floor.
You skipped over to him. "Why are you on the floor?"
He shrugged as he moved to get up, slightly flinching when he put weight on his right knee.
"Can you pass me the ball, little bunny?" You hummed as you turned away, not seeing as Tooru scrunched his face when fully standing up.
"Here ToO-" you stopped mid sentence, looking at him standing in front of you. "You're crying."
Tooru looked at you with a bewildered expression before moving his hands up to his face, wiping of the tears he hadn't realized he was shedding.
You looked him over, trying to see if anything was wrong. When your eyes landed on his right knee, it wasn't bleeding or anything of the sort but it was obvious his bone had jumped out of its socket, now sticking out to the side.
"MAMMA!" You yelled as you dropped the ball, beginning to run back into the house. "Wait. No little bunny!"
"MAMMA!"
"Y/N!" He tried to stop you, but you were already gone.
He sighed as he looked down at his knee, the bone popping out becoming more obvious when he was standing. He didn't get much of a chance to look at it before your mother and father came rushing out, carrying him to the car to take him to the nearest hospital.
__________________
"And you just let him?!" Hajime yelled through the phone as he panted from running.
"How was I supposed to know this would happen Hajime!" You yelled back, receiving stares from people leaving and exiting the hospital.
"I've always told you two to NOT overwork yourselves!"
"He was literally JUST STARTING." You yelled back, remembering how Tooru ate before going outside to practice some more. No more than ten minutes went by when you had gone out to check on him.
Hajime clicked his tongue before you hung up, seeing him in the distance. You turned away and started walking back into the hospital, Hajime catching up to you at the front doors.
You led him up to the room Tooru was at, maneuvering yourself by the crowded hallways.
"He's inside." You sighed as you stopped outside his room. Turning to walk away so he wouldn't have the chance to say anything.
You send a quick text to the family group chat telling them they called for you at Shiratorizawa so you were heading back. You waited for their okay at the lobby before stepping out back onto the gardens. Taking in the air as you convinced yourself that Tooru was okay.
The doctor had already said so anyways, he'd just need to take a leave from volleyball for about two months for his bone to move back to its original place. After that he'd have to ease back into volleyball, making sure not to overexert himself.
He'd also have to wear a knee brace every time he plays.
You sighed as you sat on one of the benches outside, not getting much time to collect your thoughts before a voice called your name.
Darn me for being so popular
You grumbled to yourself before turning to look up at the owner of the voice, face softening when you made eye contact with Tobio.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, confused as to why it looked like you were crying on a bench outside of the hospital. "Is everyone okay?"
You hummed as you patted the spot next to you, Tobio sitting down after you moved your hand back. "Yea we're fine." You lied. You knew Tooru wouldn't want anyone else to know he hurt his knee, much less one of the guys he's always seen as competition. "I was just running some errands."
Tobio hummed as he sat back, looking up at the darkening sky. "You headed back to Shiratorizawa?" You hummed, suddenly remembering you couldn't go back home after you gave your family that excuse. "I can walk you." You smiled at Tobio as you nodded before standing up.
Though he was a third year in junior high, he was quite intimidating for his age. He was around your height though, so it cut off some of the intimidation.
"Thanks Tobio."
_______________
"Again!" You told Kaneko as you stepped back for your approach. She hummed as one of the managers threw the ball up for her, you started your approach. Jumping up seconds after she had set it to you.
One blocker
You looked straight in front of you, the same look you had for a line shot. You brought your palm up to hit the ball, hitting a cross shot instead.
At least you tried to because it just went flying outside the sidelines.
You groaned as you leaned backwards. You had been trying the fake glance trick for a while now, but had only managed to successfully make one in. You turned to look at Kaneko. "Ag-" "NO" you all turned to the gym doors to see a glaring Nakayama with a snickering Nakamoto and Osaki meekly scratching the back of her head next to her.
It wasn't weird for you to stay after hours to practice more, and Nakayama knew that. Though it seemed like you had been outdoing yourself recently. Not only did you stay longer but you also beat yourself up more for all your mistakes. So that led to Nakayama coming back to the gym after having changed.
"Go back to the dorms Oikawa." Your jaw dropped.
Has she always been this demanding
"But Yama-san!!!" You whined as you waved between the court and the ball in the manager's hand.
"Dorms. Now." Her glare intensified as you shrunk under it. "Yes." You sighed as you turned back to collect your bags.
"Nakayama-San?" Kaneko spoke up. "Do we have to go too?" She motioned towards the other first years you had been practicing with. Nakayama shook her head. "You can stay. Just don't overwork yourselves." The first years nodded as you looked at her with a betrayed expression. "Yama-San?" You clutched your heart, acting as if you were in pain.
"Dorms. Now." She turned to look at you. Chills going down your spine as you nodded, throwing on your jacket and bag as you walked to her. "Okay." You said as you began walking back to the dorms.
I can just go back when they leave
You snickered to yourself, turning around to see the three third years following you. Sighing as you accepted defeat.
You walked into the dorm building as Nakayama called your name. You looked back at her and lifted an eyebrow.
"If I find out you went back to the gym you're doing fifty suicides!" You nodded, snickering to yourself because those suicides would only do you good. "And you won't be allowed in ANY of the gyms for a week!" You looked up at her. Nakayama smiled at you before walking away, leaving you a deflated mess in the dorm lobby.
You walked back to your dorm. Settling on lifting weights instead. So you turned on a random show on the TV as you began your lifting.
You lifted for about an hour, the entirety of the show you had clicked on before falling back onto your pillows, panting for air.
We leave for Tokyo in less than a week and I'm still weak
You sighed as you looked at the alien and Godzilla canvases on top of the TV. Courtesy of Tooru's and Hajime's dorm warming gift.
"Quit judging me Godzilla-Chan."
_______________
"Oikawa." you turned to look up at Nakayama as she approached you. You hummed as you finished tying your shoes. "Why the sudden change?" you looked back up, tilting your head at the sudden question.
Nakayama pointed at your right knee pad. You had changed up your knee pads, your right one being white, a noticeable contrast to your black one on your left knee. You shrugged as you stood back up, dusting yourself off.
"A little fashion statement." you grinned up at her as she rolled her eyes with a smile. Ushering you to get in line for the opening ceremony.
"White?" Tooru hummed as he looked at himself in your vanity mirror. "It's this compression but at the same time knee brace and knee pad. Pappa had it made like that, but it's white."
"So you're going to be wearing your white knee brace thingy on your right knee but your normal black knee pad on your left?" You asked, giggling at the thought of him in his mismatched knee pads as he hummed. He turned to look at you, leaning back on your vanity as he shrugged.
"Think of it as a little fashion statement." you turned to look at him, biting your lip as you tried to suppress your laugh. Ultimately failing as you broke out laughing, looking up between your lashes at a pouting Tooru.
Once your laughter had died down he moved to sit next to you, handing you a bag. You took it and looked up at him with a confused expression. He nodded at you to open it and so you did. Taking out a white and black knee pad from under all the tissue paper. You turned to look at him, confusion only deepening.
"New Interhigh knee pads." He hummed as he smiled at you, scowl painting your face.
"I'm NOT wearing mismatched knee pads at Interhigh."
Tooru's smile grew as he looked at you. "Yes you are."
You huffed as you scowled at him, "and what makes you think I will?"
"I threw away your old ones."
"I'll pick them out of the trash."
"I burned them."
"I'll buy new ones."
"I took all your allowance."
"I'll- wait, you did what?"
You glared at Tooru as he smiled at you.
"You have five seconds to start running Tooru."
"I can't run, bunny, I am resting. Doctor's orders." he grinned at you as he laid back onto your bed. "You can't hurt patients."
"We'll see about that."
"Miyagi Prefecture Representatives. Boys', Shiratorizawa Academy."
"Don't trip Kenjirou~" you whisper yelled at Shirabu, receiving a glare from him and snicker from Kawanishi.
You snickered back, promptly shutting up when Nakayama turned around to glare at you.
"Girls', Shiratorizawa Academy."
Nakayama started walking ahead, the rest of the team following behind her.
"See Iwa-chan!" Tooru pointed at the TV as he looked back at Iwaizumi. "I told you she'd wear the knee pads!" he grinned as he looked back at you walking across the court. Your white knee pad contrasting to the rest of the teams' black ones.
You breathed in as you looked around before looking down at the floor.
It isn't wood
You smiled to yourself, looking at the TV crews around you.
It's starting
Interhigh National Tournament.