"Oh my gosh, can you believe this?"
"Who took it? Do you know?"
"Hinata was the one who sent it, so I guess it was him? I wonder how he managed to get a shot like that..."
"Wow that is some serious tongue action happening there..."
"Hey!" Nakano felt a kick to her rear and her eyes flew open to see a phone shoved in her face. She focused on it, seeing a picture of herself and Tsukishima, Tsukki's tongue slipping into her mouth as they began to kiss. "He helps you with your leg therapy, hunh?" Mako said to the still half-asleep girl, who groaned.
"So I guess you all got the picture from last night," Nakano said, pushing the phone away and sitting up.
Eri plopped herself down on Nakano's futon, practically in her lap. "Okay, spill."
Nakano looked at her. "Spill what? You already knew about Tsukishima and I. What's to spill?"
"Arrrghhh! Why is this picture currently making the rounds on the group chats of all five of the teams? Who took it? How did they get it?" Eri babbled.
"And how far did that go?" Mako asked with a wicked grin.
"It was a kiss, Mako, that's all," Nakano said, still too sleepy to even be embarrassed.
"I'd call that a pretty impressive kiss," Kiyoko said, giving the girl a sly grin.
Nakano blushed at last. "Well, yeah, it kinda was. But I promise Kiyoko-senpai, nothing else happened besides a kiss." She glanced at Eri. "After all, there were 8 other boys in the room at the time," she said with a grin.
"WHAT!!?? SPILL!!!" Eri nearly exploded.
Nakano laughed. "Alright, alright. A bunch of the guys got together last night to play Truth or Dare. Kuroo-san organized it with some of the boys who've been doing individual training together in Gym #3 in the evenings. We just wanted to get to know each other better outside of volleyball."
"I'd say you and Tsukishima know each other pretty well at this point," Mako said. Nakano chucked a pillow at her.
"So who was there?" Kiyoko asked.
"Let's see...Kuroo, Kenma, Yaku and Lev from Nekoma...Me, Tsukki, Hinata and Kageyama from Karasuno, and Akaashi and Bokuto from Fukurodani." Nakano counted off on her fingers.
"Oh my gosh, you played Truth or Dare with Bokuto and Kuroo? That must have been crazy!" Eri said, looking amazed.
"So how did this picture end up happening?" Mako asked.
"Well, Bokuto dared Tsukki to let him, Kuroo and Hinata take a picture of us making out and send it to the team group chats," Nakano laughed recalling how badly Tsukki wanted to avoid it.
"And Tsukishima went along with that? I can't believe it," Kiyoko said, "He barely holds your hand at practices. How'd they convince him to do this?"
"You can thank Hinata for that. Tsukki was about to refuse to do it when Shoyo starting making all kinds of noise about how he was afraid to kiss me in front of people because he was a lousy kisser. Never tell Tsukishima he can't do something...it irritates him even more than the thought of PDA," Nakano chuckled.
The girls laughed. "I'd call this more than just a little PDA," Kiyoko said, "And you said Kuroo and Bokuto sent pictures as well? So there are more of these out there, hmm? I'll have to be sure to collect the set." Nakano rolled her eyes at her.
"Wait a minute...he doesn't even hold your hand at practices? Why not?" Eri asked, sounding a little sad.
Nakano smiled. "That's our choice, Eri. Generally Tsukki and I try not to be too romantic at practice because we're supposed to be working. We promised our captain not to let that sort of thing interfere with training time."
"Oh that captain of yours...the incredibly delicious Daichi-san..." Eri fell back, looking enraptured.
"Looks like you guys are plenty affectionate outside of practices, however," Mako said, smiling at the strawberry blonde.
The girls gathered their toiletries and headed for the bathroom, teasing Nakano as much as possible along the way.
Meanwhile, in the Karasuno room, Tsukishima was enduring his own inquisition.
The boys had done pretty much the same thing as the girls, awakening Tsukishima with the picture and teasing him mercilessly, asking rather cruder questions than the ones Nakano had to endure. Kageyama immediately leapt to Nakano's defense, and therefore Tsukishima's, if only indirectly.
Tanaka and Nishinoya soon began a dramatic recreation of their idea of what led up to the taking of the photograph, with Tanaka playing the part of Tsukishima.
"Ooooh Tsukki, I'm so happy to be here in Tokyo with you, my love," Noya squeaked out in a voice at least an octave higher than Nakano's.
"Yeah, babe, it's awesome. We should live here someday, babe," Tanaka rumbled.
The rest of the team was cracking up and yelling advice to the thespians.
"Does Tsukishima actually call her 'babe', do you think?" Ennoshita asked Hinata, laughing.
"I don't think so," the boy replied, "It doesn't seem like something he'd say."
"Ooooh Tsukki, can't we run away someplace where we can just be together, alone?" Nishinoya cooed.
"Come on, babe, let's go hide out in a classroom and I'll show you how much I love you," Tanaka said, grabbing Noya by the shoulders.
Tsukishima was holding his head, trying to figure out how he was going to survive this. Yamaguchi came up beside him. "Are you okay, Tsukki?"
Tsukishima gave him a look that spoke volumes. "Yeah, I guess that was a dumb question," Tadashi said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Ooooh Tsukki, kiss me please!" Noya threw his head back dramatically.
"Anything for you, babe," Tanaka replied as he and Noya began wiggling their tongues at one another.
Tsukishima groaned, thinking that surely the gods must hate him. What was I thinking? I should never have gone to that stupid get together, he chided himself. No, I should never have listened to that stupid shrimp Hinata. I should have just taken the damn penalty. Spending an hour or so on a beer buzz in the company of my girlfriend wouldn't have been so bad. He paused, considering that. Although, if I'd been caught drinking, that would have been a hell of a lot worse than anything that can come from this. Ugh, how long is this gonna go on?
He looked up just in time to see a little bit of payback. Tanaka and Noya got too enthusiastic with their mock kissing, and managed to touch their tongues together, resulting in a great deal of screaming, spitting, and attempting to clean their tongues with their fingers. The team turned their attention to mocking the pair of second-years.
Tsukishima chuckled. He heard a scoffing noise next to him, and looked over to see Kageyama smirking at his two senpais. "Serves them right," he said. Man, what has happened to me, Tsukishima thought. First, I allow pictures of me kissing my girlfriend to be sent to group chats, and now the King is apparently sticking up for me. I think the world has gone insane.
Daichi finally waded in to break things up. "Alright, that's enough. We need to get to breakfast. Let's get ready, guys." He turned to Kageyama and Tsukishima. "You two, come with me."
The first years looked at each other, and then followed their captain over to a corner of the room. "Now," Daichi said, looking stern, "explain what happened."
"Kuroo-san invited those of us who've been working with him during individual training to get together last night to get to know each other better outside of volleyball," Tsukishima began.
"So Nekoma's captain started all this, hmmm? Okay, continue." Daichi said.
"We played Truth or Dare, sir." Tsukishima said.
"I see. And I'm guessing this was some kind of dare? Let people take pictures of you making out with your girlfriend?" Daichi said, trying hard not to smirk at the boy as Tsukishima nodded, "Who dared you?"
"Bokuto-san dared him, sir." Kageyama said.
"So Fukurodani's captain was there too, eh? At least I know you're training with some good people, Tsukishima. Kageyama, I don't think you've been training with them...how did you wind up at this event?" Daichi asked the setter.
"Hinata invited me, sir. He's the one who took the picture and sent it to the group chat." Kageyama replied. "Are we in trouble, Captain?"
Daichi gave the boys a small smile. "We'll see. Is there anything else that happened at this gathering that I should know about?"
The two boys looked at each other, silently agreeing that the captain really didn't need to know about the penalty, especially since no one from Karasuno had actually had any beer. "No, sir," they said simultaneously.
"Good," he said, "And no, you're not in trouble. I'm sure you'll face punishment enough, however, Tsukishima." Daichi gave the boy a wicked smirk, and walked away.
The blonde began to sweat.
🏐🏐🏐
Tsukishima sat beneath a large tree, almost shaking with anger. Daichi's prediction had been all too correct, and the blonde boy really didn't know how much more he could take.
Breakfast had been a nightmare. From the moment he'd set foot outside the Karasuno room, he'd been surrounded by catcalls, wolf whistles, and various taunts and jibes. Most fell into one of two categories - either mocking him for 'getting caught' with a girl, or praising him for 'getting some' from a girl. The team closed ranks around him and Nakano - but they could only do so much. He'd just shut himself down, trying desperately to ignore everyone and hoping it would all go away soon. It didn't. He'd sat down across from Nakano, who was blushing at all the commotion, but somehow had a smile on her face. She'd tried to talk to him, but he'd remained largely silent, not trusting himself to say anything. She gave up after a little bit, the smile fading from her face, soon to be replaced by the fake one she used whenever she tried to hide what she was really feeling as people talked to her. Watching that play out had only added to his anger and frustration.
He'd hoped things would get better once the games started for the day. Nakano was acting as stand-in manager for both Fukurodani and Nekoma, so she was often busy and far from the Karasuno boys. He kept his distance from her, praying that people would just move on and find something else to obsess about.
He hadn't counted on the opposing teams using this whole thing to their advantage.
Every time he was at the net, regardless of who his opponent was, they made kissy faces at him.
Every. Single. Time.
It took every ounce of willpower he had to not completely explode on the court. He looked daggers at each person he faced across the net. His entire body was tense, and his playing suffered. He tried to refocus himself on the game, but found himself frequently distracted by thoughts of literally beating the person opposite him. By the time lunch was called, he'd had enough. He ran the hill with his team and as soon as that was done, he took off in a random direction, finally stopping in the shade of a large tree. He sat there, just trying to regain something resembling composure.
This is why I tried to avoid this, he thought to himself. You let people get too close and they will do crap like this to you. Why did I think this bunch would be any different? Ugh, I am so fucking weak. And now, everyone knows it, and is taking advantage of it. He stared up through the tree branches at the blue sky. And how was Nakano smiling through all this bullshit, like it didn't even affect her? Why the hell did I ever let Kuroo talk me into going to that stupid lounge?
He buried his face in hands. "Ugh! Stupid Kuroo...stupid Bokuto...stupid Hinata...stupid Nakano!" He groaned.
"Oh, I see." Her voice was pained.
Shit, he thought, looking up to see Nakano. She was carrying a basket, and the look on her face was a mix of shock and hurt.
"No...I don't...it...I just...arrrghhh!!" Tsukishima buried his face again. "That wasn't how I meant it."
"Oh?" she replied, setting the basket down next to him and standing over him, "How did you mean it then, Tsukki? Because it sounded to me like maybe you were regretting having a girlfriend in that moment."
He gritted his teeth. Anger and shame flooded through him. He really didn't mean it the way it sounded...but at the same time, he knew she wasn't wrong. That thought had gone through his mind. It was too much for him, he lashed out at the only person around. "DAMMIT! How did you have a smile on your face this morning? They were mocking us! Making fun of us for being so stupid and weak! How the hell did that not upset you?" he yelled at the girl.
He looked up to meet her eyes and started backwards in shock, his head hitting lightly against the tree trunk. Her bright blue eyes fairly blazed with fury and pain. "You think this was bad? You know nothing." Her voice was tight, controlled. She was holding back her emotions, and he knew it. It frightened him. "For three years I've endured far worse. I've been mocked relentlessly. People have run from me, fearing I was diseased. People have called me stupid, disgusting, and damaged. People have pitied me. I've been made to feel I was less than a human being...and I had to learn to defend it!" She was yelling now, also no longer able to control her anger. "I had to defend this miserable existence I was forced into! I had to learn to smile at the world and pretend none of it hurt because it was the only way I could go on! I HAD TO DEFEND THESE," she slapped her legs hard, "when they were goddamn useless!"
She took a deep, ragged breath. He stared at her in shock. When she resumed speaking, her voice was once again locked into a semblance of calm, but her eyes were as wild as ever. "The only thing that kept me from going mad was the knowledge that I was working on making them better. That I was trying to become whole again. That one day, I'd be able to be in a room and not a single person would stare at me for being a freak."
Hot tears began to slide down Nakano's face as her eyes locked directly onto Tsukishima's. "You asked me how I could smile this morning. You said they were making fun of us for being weak. I disagree. They were making fun of us because they were jealous. Because we have something they don't. Was I embarrassed? Yeah. We let them see an intimate moment, something that should have been just between us. Was that stupid? Maybe. But I could smile because I'm proud to be your girlfriend, and because I really care about you." Her voice now hitched with the beginnings of sobs. "Because for once I was being made fun of for something I am truly happy to have. So I don't care if they think I'm stupid or weak for that. And I don't regret it. And I would have hoped you'd be happy about it too."
Tsukishima's eyes widened. His brain was simply not working. It was all too much for him to take in. He just sat there, feeling numb. I really am not the best when it comes to emotions. His own thought on the matter took him by surprise.
Nakano took several deep breaths, and dashed her tears away. "I'm sorry," she said, "we're probably both a little too upset right now to deal with this properly. I guess it's good that we won't be spending any time together tonight after all."
"W-what?" he managed to stammer out.
"The coaches have arranged for the managers to have a ladies' night out tonight, to thank us for all the hard work we've put in this week." The words were now coming out of her emotionlessly, as if she'd already poured out everything she'd had inside. "We're leaving right after regular play today, so I won't be at dinner and I won't be coming to Gym #3 tonight." She gestured to the basket. "There's food in there, please eat. You need to keep up your energy to continue playing. All of the captains told me they intend to put a stop to the teasing, so the afternoon should go a lot better. I'm sorry I yelled at you, Tsukki. Maybe I'll see you when we get back, huh?" She turned and started walking back.
He wanted to call to her. But his mind was completely shut down. He simply watched as she went back inside without looking back. He reached inside the basket, eating something he'd pulled out without really being aware of what it was. Her words had completely scrambled his perception of what had happened to him that morning. He continued to eat mechanically, while his mind tried to sort out everything that had happened. One thought kept returning to him, over and over. How did I not see that? How could I have been so stupid?
🏐🏐🏐
Tsukishima went through the afternoon games on something like autopilot. He played when asked to, but it was obvious to everyone around him that his mind was elsewhere. The teasing had stopped, and a few people even tried to engage him in conversation, perhaps to make amends. He barely noticed, completely lost in his own thoughts.
He watched Nakano go about her work. Her forced smile was plastered on her face, it never left. I've never seen her use that face for so long, he thought. She's smiling and even laughing and joking with people, but none of it is real. None of it is touching her eyes. But I don't think anyone else has noticed but me. He watched her as often as he could. Rarely, she would meet his gaze. When she did, she would nod in acknowledgement. Nothing more.
She still joined them for their penalty runs. At first, he kept away from her. She didn't seem to mind. Later in the day, he would walk over to run next to her. It didn't seem to make a difference. As soon as the run was finished, she would go right back inside to assume her duties again. He wanted to speak to her, but no words would come.
He was in the bullpen, watching Nakano. Coach Ukai had pulled him out for this set, replacing him with Narita. The girl was currently replenishing the drinks and towels for Nekoma. I knew there was pain in there, and I knew she'd been through a lot, he thought. But I never knew it was so intense. And I was upset over some embarrassing photos? Gods, I'm such an asshole. How in the hell do I fix this? A chilling thought ran through his brain. What if she doesn't want to fix it anymore?
"Hey Tsukki?" Yamaguchi startled the boy out of his thoughts. "What's going on with Naka-chan? She looks...weird. I mean, she seems like she's fine, but her expression looks..."
"Fake?" Tsukishima supplied.
"Yeah, like she's just going through the motions."
Damn Tadashi, you are a much better friend to her than I've been. Why the hell isn't she with you? "We...fought. Like a real, no kidding screaming match. I've really screwed up here, Tadashi." He looked into his friend's face.
Yamaguchi was shocked by what he saw in Tsukki's eyes. His friend, who had always been so good at hiding what he felt, was very obviously hurting. "Tsukki? What happened?"
"Well, to keep it short, I think I made her feel like...like...maybe I'm not happy having a girlfriend." Tsukki's voice dropped to a whisper. "Like maybe, I didn't want..." He choked up, unable to continue.
"Is that how you feel?" Tadashi asked softly.
"NO!" Tsukki barked out, making quite a few people turn to look at him.
"Well then, you need to talk to her and tell her that. Nakano really cares about you, Tsukki. I don't think she'll give up on you so easily. But you've got to stop hiding how you feel from her." Tadashi looked at his friend with a great deal of sympathy. Two very strong-willed, passionate people, he thought, trying to make a relationship work. It's not going to be easy on them, but it'll never be boring either.
"I know. But...I don't know what to say. And right now, I think she might be too mad under all that fake smiling to listen."
"Then give her time to calm down. Besides, it'll give you time to figure out exactly what you need to say. But when you get the chance - just say it."
"Yeah. I guess you're right, Tadashi. Thanks."
As Tsukishima was thanking his old friend, there came a loud squeak of shoes and a sudden thump. The boys looked up to see Nekoma's captain on the floor, groaning. Nakano was running, grabbing her medical bag and urging Kuroo to stay down.
"What happened?" she asked, plopping herself down next to the boy and shooing the others away.
"It was a long rally, with a couple of diving saves. I think he must have slipped on sweat on the floor. Is he okay?" Kenma said.
"Kuroo, what hurts?" Nakano asked.
"I'm fine, quit worrying about me, girlie," the bed-head replied, trying to stand up.
"Nope," the girl said, pushing him down. "You get two choices, my friend. You can tell me what hurts, or I can pull you to the side for a full exam. That was a hard hit. I heard it, but I didn't see it. So I need you to be honest with me and tell me what hurts or I will literally check every single part of you."
"Every part?" he asked with a suggestive smirk.
The look she gave him brooked no nonsense, and there was nothing even remotely flirty about it. "A full exam will take at least an hour. What's it going to be, Kuroo?"
He sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this one. "My left wrist hurts a little, but the thing that hurts the most at the moment is my right ankle. I think I must have twisted it a bit when I went down."
Nakano pressed her lips together. "Okay, this is going to take a few minutes. Kenma, Inuoka, can you please help Kuroo over to the side? Bleachers, a chair, just make sure he sits on something. Don't let him put any weight on his right foot." She turned to yell across the room. "Eri! We need the floor cleaned over here so no one else gets hurt!"
Nekoma resumed play as Nakano looked over Kuroo's injuries. "Let's start with the wrist. How does it feel now?" She began gently manipulating his wrist, assessing his reactions.
"Actually, it's already feeling pretty good. I must have hit it oddly when I fell."
"Mmmm. You're not showing any signs of pain, so I think it's probably fine. If it does start to hurt again, please don't ignore it, okay? I won't be around tonight for individual practice, so I'm counting on you to be smart about this." She moved to begin looking at his ankle, removing his shoe and sock.
"How come you're not coming tonight?"
"The managers are being treated to a ladies' night out by the coaches."
"Sounds like fun. But you don't seem very happy about it...urgh," the boy grunted as she manipulated his ankle.
"Was that sharp pain, or just kind of uncomfortable?"
"More the uncomfortable type."
"Hmmm. Well, I think you're lucky. It's not swelling, so hopefully it's just annoyed at the mistreatment it received. I'm going to wrap it just in case, because something tells me ordering you to stay off it will be pointless." She gave him a grin. "Keep the wrapping on until you're done playing for the day. Unwrap it before bed. If it starts to hurt, or seems to be swollen, tell Coach Nekomata and get it properly looked at, okay?"
"I promise to follow your instructions to the letter, Dr. Nakano...on one condition."
"And what might that be?"
"Tell me what's wrong."
She looked him in the eye. "What makes you think something is wrong?"
He looked back. "Give me a little credit, okay? I may be a terrible flirt and have a dirty mind, but I can tell when a friend is upset. Is it about all the teasing today?"
She sighed, wrapping his ankle carefully. "Only indirectly. Tsukki and I had a fight...and I yelled at him pretty badly. I lost my temper at him, Kuroo, and it was pretty unfair of me. I didn't give him the chance to really express how he was feeling. But the really bad part is...I'm still mad. I'm still upset. I don't think I can talk to him again yet without risking losing it."
Kuroo smiled gently. "Well, there's one thing I can tell you, Nakano," he looked across the room at the blonde middle blocker, who was still staring at the girl, "that boy is crazy about you."
Nakano snorted. "Kuroo, you barely know Tsukki. How are you so sure he's crazy about me?"
"I know that look he's got on his face. I keep hoping to find someone who gives me that look." Kuroo's voice was soft, and held just a hint of longing. "When you're ready to talk to him, I bet you anything he'll be ready to listen."
Nakano looked up at the dark-haired boy to see him smiling at her. He gestured with his chin across the room. Nakano looked to see Tsukishima staring right at her. She felt a blush creep across her cheeks, and for just a moment, a small, real smile played on her lips. She looked away, turning her attention back to Kuroo's injuries.
Across the room, Tsukishima hoped that what he thought he'd seen wasn't just in his imagination. If that was a smile, he thought, then maybe I've not completely screwed this up.
🏐🏐🏐
By the late afternoon, the managers were all dressed casually and wandering in the shopping district near Shinzen High School. Mako, being the one most familiar with the area, took the lead to guide her friends to do a little souvenir and window shopping before heading to the dinner the coaches had arranged for them.
"Hey, can we visit that beauty shop over there? I've been needing to get some more eyeliner..."
"Ooooh, look at that dress! Let's check out that boutique."
"Oh my gosh! Is that a cat café? I've always wanted to go to one of those!"
"Girls, please!" Mako cried, trying to keep everyone from scattering to the four winds. "We really should stay together. It's much safer that way." She was greeted with a chorus of complaints.
"Ugh, fine. At the very least, no one should go anywhere alone. What about this? Our dinner reservation is in 2 hours. Let's meet at the cat café over there in 1 hour. That will give us time to visit the café for a drink and still make our dinner reservation on time. Sound good?" Mako proposed. The girls readily agreed.
Nakano decided to join Eri and Kaori as they went over to a little souvenir shop that had a wide variety of adorable gifts and knick-knacks. She smiled and laughed with the two girls, checking out all the cute things the shop had to offer. At least, on the outside.
I haven't felt this bad since before I joined the team, Nakano thought to herself. I can't believe I lost my control like that. Kei wasn't anywhere near ready for that kind of onslaught. It wouldn't surprise me if it took several days before he's even ready to talk to me. She smiled at Eri as she held up a pair of Demon Slayer earrings, telling the pretty dark-haired girl that they were perfect for her. Damn, I swear he's like a truth drug to me. Whenever he's around, I can't seem to stop myself from pouring out whatever I'm feeling inside, no matter how painful or toxic. The look on his face when I left him at the tree...he looked like I'd absolutely broken him. She found herself looking at a pair of earrings shaped like acoustic guitars. Gods, how I love his singing voice. A small smile crept on to her lips again, quickly gone as a darker thought invaded her mind. I may never hear it again now. What if it was too much? What if he really is thinking he'd be better off without a girlfriend that causes such trouble in his life?
"Nakano? Are you okay?" Eri's voice cut through Nakano's internal musings.
The strawberry blonde looked up, a smile once again plastered on her face. "Yes, of course! Just thinking these were cute," she said, returning the guitar earrings to the rack. "Are you girls ready to go?"
The three girls headed on to the next shop, chatting and laughing. Nakano tried to settle her mind. We were both upset, and both blurted out things in the moment we probably shouldn't have. Once we both settle down, we can talk it out, and see where things stand. That's all I can do right now. She tried hard to put herself back into the moment, to be fully present shopping with her friends. But her thoughts kept wandering back to the blonde middle blocker. It seemed as though every shop they visited had something that brought him right back to the front of her thoughts.
Eri and Kaori couldn't help but notice that their friend seemed distracted and distant. Every attempt to ask her what was wrong was deflected or dodged. When Nakano decided to buy a ceramic box shaped like a guitar filled with strawberry candies, the two girls waited for her at the door of the shop.
"Do you know what's wrong, Eri? Nakano seems so..." Kaori trailed off.
"Shut away," Eri finished, "No, I'm not sure what happened. I mean, Tsukishima took a lot of teasing for those pictures of the two of them, but I'm not sure how that would have caused this."
"I'm going to text Kiyoko," Kaori said, pulling out her phone.
Kaori 🦉
Do you know what's wrong with Nakano? She seems kind of sad.
Kiyoko 🖤
I think she and Tsukishima might have had a fight. But I'm not really sure. Is she okay?
Kaori 🦉
Yeah she's doing fine but we can tell she's not her usual self. Thanks!
Nakano returned, her purchase tucked away her in bag. "Sorry that took so long! The shopkeeper wrapped up it extra for me since I figured I might have to carry it around for awhile. So? Where to next?"
Kaori checked her phone. "Oh wow, look at the time! We'd better get to the cat café - it's been almost an hour already!" She slung an arm around Nakano's shoulders. "Let's go play with some cute kitty cats!"
The girls did indeed get to enjoy the company of many adorable cats in the café. A large, fluffy white cat settled in Yukie's lap and simply refused to move, which everyone agreed was just far too cute. They had some tea and chatted about the purchases they'd made as well as the things they were not able to afford. Before long, Mako got everyone moving again.
Twenty minutes later, the girls arrived at the restaurant chosen by the coaches for their special dinner. The place was casual, but offered a wide variety of dishes. The girls enjoyed a fabulous meal as they talked about school, their teams, the future, and anything else that came into their heads. When the conversation eventually came around to the inevitable topic of boys, Nakano seemed to withdraw a little, still smiling and nodding but clearly not really following the conversation any longer. Kaori watched the strawberry blonde, and started formulating a plan.
Mako returned from paying the check with a cheeky smile on her face. "Well girls, our coaches are all very generous. They gave me more than enough money to pay for this dinner, and insisted that we should go ahead and use the remainder as we wish. I noticed we passed a Karaoke Kan on the way here...anyone up for it?"
Kaori giggled and clapped her hands. Perfect, she thought, this is just what we need. "Absolutely! Come on, girls, this will be fun!" Everyone at the table agreed.
Nakano stood up, excusing herself to the ladies' room. Eri jumped up as well. "Hold on, Nakano, I'll come with you! Be right back!"
Once the girls were out of earshot, Kaori turned to Mako. "How much do we have left? Do you think we can afford to add a few more people to our box?"
Mako looked at her. "Like who?"
"Nakano's really down. I think we need to get her boyfriend here. I know he trains with Bokuto in the evenings - what if I texted him to meet us at Karaoke Kan and to make sure to bring Tsukishima with him. Can we afford it?" Kaori looked at Mako hopefully.
Yukie chuckled. "Even if we can't, I'll chip in just to get to see Bokuto sing."
Kiyoko giggled. "I will too, especially since I expect Bokuto will bring more than just Tsukishima along. We'd better get a big box."
"Count me in too," Yachi chirped.
Mako smiled. "I think I can probably cover it - we might just need to chip in for snacks and drinks. I'm sure the boys will help too. Let's do it."
Kaori chuckled, pulling out her phone. "Don't say anything to Nakano. I'm texting Bokuto now."
🏐🏐🏐
Gym #3 was busy again that evening as the six boys played another three-on-three. At the moment, however, play had stopped to allow Bokuto to teach Hinata another 'special move'. Tsukishima wandered over to the bleachers to grab some water. Kuroo handed him a bottle.
"Hey...I'm sorry about all the grief you had to take over those photos. I hope it didn't bug you too much," Kuroo began.
Tsukishima colored gently as he downed the water. "Don't worry about it."
"Sorry, my dude, I've gotta worry about it," Kuroo responded, "You and Nakano are my friends, and I don't like seeing you guys like this." Tsukishima gave him a startled look. "Come on, Tsukki. I can tell something's off. What's on your mind?"
The blonde sighed. "Kuroo, what do you do when you've said something to someone you really didn't mean? When...when you've let anger and frustration get the better of you?" Kuroo chuckled. "You find that question funny?" Tsukishima said, now annoyed.
Kuroo waved his hands in front of him. "No, Tsukishima, I find you and Nakano to be kinda funny. I'm guessing you asked me that question because you blurted out something to Nakano when you were upset, right?"
"Well, yelled out would be more accurate. I was feeling pretty pissed off at the time."
Kuroo nodded. "Well, your lovely lady told me earlier today that she was upset because she'd lost her temper at you and she was feeling pretty damn guilty about it. I find it funny that the two of you are so similar. I swear, you guys were made for each other." He looked up to see Tsukishima's face. He cocked an eyebrow at the boy, surprised to see him with a look of mingled hope and incredulity.
"She...she's feeling guilty because I acted like an ass?" he whispered. He focused his attention on Kuroo. "Kuroo-san, you wouldn't joke around with me about this, would you?" he asked him.
Kuroo quirked a smile at him. "Look, Skinny Jeans, I'm more than willing to tease you about a lot of things, including your half-assed blocks, but this? No way, man. I take matters of the heart very seriously." He placed a hand on his chest, letting his head droop melodramatically.
"You're making me completely doubt your sincerity, Kuroo-san."
He looked up, giving Tsukishima a smirk. "Well don't, because I really am serious. I wouldn't joke about this. I consider you to be a lucky guy, Tsukishima, and I'm envious. I would never do anything to jeopardize a good relationship like the one you and Nakano seem to have."
Tsukishima once again looked incredulous. Envious, senpai? Of me? I find that hard... Nakano's words from earlier suddenly came back to him. 'They were making fun of us because they were jealous.' Shit. She was right. His expression changed, softening. Why am I surprised at that? She's right an awful lot. She's got a much better handle on life than I do, I think. Determination began to creep across his features. I need to talk to her tonight. I don't care how late they get in, I'm not putting this off.
Kuroo watched the emotions play across Tsukishima's face, amazed. Now this is quite a sight, he thought. This guy is usually a blank wall. Amazing what the right person can make happen to you. He let a small smile play on his lips as Tsukishima's face settled back down to something more akin to his usual dispassionate look.
"Thanks, Kuroo-san. I think maybe I should text her. I don't want to take the chance of not being able to catch her when they get back from their ladies' night." Tsukishima reached over to his bag, looking for his phone, just as the other boys came jogging over. Bokuto was holding out his phone.
"Hey hey hey! Guys, check this out! Kaori just texted me - the girls want us to join them for karaoke!" He slapped Tsukki on the back, making the boy flinch. "And they insist I have to bring along a certain middle blocker!" Bokuto finished in a sing-song voice.
"HA! What's so great about you, Tsukishima? Are you some kind of karaoke god or something?" Hinata cried at his teammate.
Kuroo slung an arm over Tsukishima's shoulders as the boy turned to clap back at Hinata, stopping him. "Well I guess we're gonna find out, boys. Let's not keep the ladies waiting. I suggest we grab quick showers and change, and meet at the gate in 15 minutes. Let them know we'll be there as soon as we can, Boku-bro, and get us some directions." The six guys headed out from the gym, Bokuto, Hinata and Lev chattering excitedly about karaoke. Kuroo smiled at Tsukki. "Looks like you'll get your chance to talk your girl a little sooner than expected, my man. I think maybe she really misses you. Make the most of it."
Tsukishima gave him a small smile in return. "Don't worry, senpai, I intend to."
🏐🏐🏐
"Hey, this is really amazing," Kaori gushed as the girls took in the karaoke box Mako had gotten for them. The room was large, easily able to accommodate more than twice the number of girls currently in it. Dark brown leather couches lined the sides of the room, with long low tables in between. On one wall was a huge screen, with all the controls for the karaoke system below it, 3 microphones, and space for people to stand while using them. "Are we really able to afford this?"
Mako laughed. "Yes, thank goodness it's a weeknight and the rates are lower. But if you want food or drink, that's going to be up to you. Just this box will tap out the rest of the money I got from the coaches."
Nakano looked around at the huge space. "Why such a big room, though? There's only seven of us - we could have made do with a room half this size." Everyone but Nakano knew that soon the room would be quite full. Bokuto had texted Kaori to let her know that all six boys from the gym were coming, and should be catching up with them in about 10 minutes.
"I like having lots of room to stretch out," Kaori quipped, flopping down lengthwise on one of the couches. "I hate feeling crammed into a space, you know?"
Eri giggled. "Besides, the coaches wanted us to have a good time. We've worked hard for this! Let's enjoy it!"
"Absolutely," Mako sat down and began looking through the available song choices.
Kaori sat up and grabbed the tablet used to order food and drink. "Anybody want anything special to eat or drink? I'm gonna order some stuff," Bokuto had asked her to order a few things since the boys were missing out on dinner at Shinzen.
Nakano chuckled. "Kaori, how can you even think about food at this point? But I would like a strawber..." Nakano's face fell as she thought about sharing strawberry sodas with Tsukki. "Nevermind, just some water is fine."
"Hey," Yukie said, patting Nakano on her shoulder, "Order whatever you like, I can cover you if you don't have the money."
Nakano looked up at Yukie, her smile once again in place. "No, it isn't that, Yukie. I just changed my mind, that's all."
Yukie fixed the girl with a knowing stare. "You wouldn't lie to your senpai, now would you, Nakano?"
Nakano laughed. "Goodness, why am I getting the third degree, hmmm?"
"Hey, uh...did anyone happen to notice where the ladies' room is?" Yachi asked.
Nakano jumped up. "I did, Yachi. Come on, I'll walk with you." The two girls headed out of the box and through a side door into a hallway where the bathrooms were. Nakano was grateful to get out of the box for a moment. Man, I've got to keep it together here. The last thing I want is to bring the girls down on what is supposed to be a fun night out. She turned to Yachi and smiled. "Are you having a good time, Yachi?"
"O-oh, yes, very much! I can't believe how generous the coaches were to us! And how n-nice all the other managers are," Yachi blushed as she thought about the impending arrival of six boys, only two of which she really knew.
The two girls entered the ladies' room, Yachi making a beeline for a stall. Nakano stood in front of a mirror, trying to compose herself. She'd chosen black leggings for their outing, which did a decent job of hiding the black leg supports she was wearing. Her purple and white checkered blouse was loose and comfortable. Her hand wandered to her bismuth Moon pendant, reminding her again of her boyfriend. She looked at her face in the mirror, touching the pendant, and trying to keep anything at all from showing on her face. I've been through worse, she thought, a sad smile quirking her lips. Hell, I've been through much worse. She chuckled to herself. I wonder if they have 'Let It Go' from Frozen, that'd be a good one for me to sing tonight. She decided to use the restroom after all, heading into a stall just as Yachi came out.
"Sorry, Yachi, I'll just be a minute. Wait for me, okay?" Nakano called out.
"Oh, of course I will." Yachi washed her hands, then called out to Nakano again. "I'm going to use the water fountain in the hall. Umm...I'll wait for you out there, okay?"
Nakano came out to wash her own hands. "Sure Yachi, I'll meet you out there in a second." She watched the shorter blonde slip out of the room. She's still so nervous around us, she thought. I wonder what I can do to try to make her feel more comfortable. I mean, it's gotten better, but she can still be so jumpy at times. Nakano exited the ladies' room, just in time to see Yachi opening the wrong door. "Hey, Yachi, that's not..."
"Well hello, cutie. C'mere," a deep voice sounded from beyond the door Yachi had opened. With a squeak, Yachi disappeared through the door as if she had been yanked on.
"Yachi!" Nakano dashed out of the door without a second thought.
Meanwhile, in the karaoke box, Mako had started singing a J-pop song in a rather screechy sort of voice. Kiyoko looked over at Kaori. "I'm going to go out front and bring the boys in when they get here."
Kaori smiled. "I was about to do that," she chuckled. "They should be here in a few minutes. Thanks Kiyoko!"
Yukie frowned, looking around in the hallway as Kiyoko left. "Where are Nakano and Yachi? They've been gone for almost 10 minutes. Seems like a long time for two girls to go to the bathroom."
Kaori seized the opportunity to get away from Mako's voice. "Let's go look for them. I think I saw the sign for the restrooms on the way in." She grabbed Yukie's hand and headed out the door with her to look around for the other two girls.
Kiyoko waited in the lobby of the Karaoke Kan, watching out the big windows for the boys to arrive. After about five minutes, she saw Hinata suddenly appear at the window, a huge smile coming across his face when he saw her. He turned and seemed to be calling down the street. Kiyoko was about to go outside and greet him when Kaori and Yukie came running up.
"Kiyoko, have Yachi and Nakano come by here?" Kaori asked, looking concerned.
"No, they haven't," the raven-haired girl replied, following Yukie as she opened the main doors and stepped outside, looking up and down the block. "What's going on?"
"We can't find them anywhere," Yukie said, a nervous catch in her voice. "We've looked around the whole building. They're not in the ladies' room, we didn't see them in another box. It's like they've disappeared."
"Who's disappeared?" Hinata asked.
"Ladies, what's wrong? You look upset." Akaashi said as the other boys caught up to Hinata.
"Nakano and Yachi have gone missing. We don't know where they are!" The girl was beginning to look almost panicked.
Tsukishima's blood froze. "When did you see them last?"
"They went to the ladies' room about 15 minutes ago." Kaori replied.
"I'm texting them right now," Tsukishima said, taking out his phone.
"No good. They left their phones in the box." Kaori groaned. "We already thought of that."
Kuroo held up his hands. "Everybody calm down. Did you search the building?"
"I've been waiting in the lobby for you for about 5 minutes. I didn't see them come by." Kiyoko said.
"We l-looked all over the p-place. We d-didn't see them anywhere." Kaori began to cry as Bokuto swept her into a hug.
"Alright, we've got plenty of people here, let's make a plan of attack. They can't have gone far. I'm sure we can find them." Kuroo began.
🏐🏐🏐
Nakano emerged in a dark alley, her eyes washed out from the bright lights in the building. She swept the area as best she could, assessing as she would if she were on the court. Trash cans lined the area. Two people besides Yachi were there, both males, she judged. One was holding Yachi, roughly stroking her hair. From the smell of things, the boys had been getting high when Yachi interrupted them. Good, Nakano thought, that might dull their reaction times a little.
"Well isn't this our lucky night. Looks like we'll both get a blonde to spend the evening with," the unoccupied male said as he started to move towards Nakano. "Don't be afraid, pretty girl, we just want to show you ladies a fun evening."
Five steps, Nakano estimated, he's got to take about five steps to reach me. She shut her eyes tight, counting slowly to four, hoping her eyesight would improve with the few moments of darkness. She heard Yachi whimper. I've got to stop this one, then get Yachi free. When she got to four, her eyes flew open, seeing her attacker closing in, a wicked grin on his face. He had long jet black hair and a crooked nose, and appeared to be a teenager, perhaps 18. He stank of weed and stale sweat. His eyes were thoroughly bloodshot. I'm in luck, Nakano thought, this guy's already pretty far gone. As his hands began to reach for her, she lashed out with her right fist, connecting hard with his face.
The male fell backwards, grunting and crashing into one of the trash cans. "Sota!" the brown-haired male holding Yachi cried, moving towards his comrade. Nakano launched herself forward, tackling him low and knocking the wind out of him. He lost his grip on Yachi and the girl stumbled sideways.
"YACHI!! GO!!" Nakano cried, pointing up the alley towards the main street. Yachi complied, running as fast as she could without looking back. She heard a lot of grunting, and then a sudden loud crack and a yelp from Nakano.
Bokuto looked up from Kaori as a loud clattering sound rang out. "What was that?"
A female voice could be heard, shouting. "Nakano!" Tsukishima cried, moving in the direction from which the voice came.
Kuroo and Bokuto moved to follow him. "Akaashi, you and the other boys stay here with the girls!" Kuroo said.
"Right," Akaashi said, wrapping his arms around the still-crying Kaori.
Just then, Yachi burst from the alleyway, almost crashing into Tsukishima.
"Yachi! Where's Nakano?" the blonde boy asked her.
Yachi's eyes were as big as saucers, and her whole body was trembling. Her hair was a mess, and her clothes were completely disheveled. "Alley...boys...fighting..." Yachi didn't seem to be capable of forming a coherent sentence.
"Hinata!" Tsukishima called. The orange haired boy ran up and put his arms around Yachi, leading her away.
"SHE SAVED ME!" Yachi suddenly yelled. "SHE FOUGHT THEM AND LET ME GET AWAY!" The tiny blonde then burst into tears, her whole body sagging against Hinata.
Tsukishima's golden eyes blazed with fury as he walked down the alley, Kuroo and Bokuto behind him. There were three men in the alley now, two closer to them, facing away, and a third one, a redhead with a black streak in his hair, holding Nakano from behind slumped over his arms. She looked unconscious, and her blouse was torn, exposing her side and her pale peach bra. The redhead laughed at his companions. "You guys must be totally blasted if you couldn't handle a little thing like this one. Come on, let's take her somewhere more comfortable..."
"Put her down." Tsukishima commanded, getting the attention of the three.
"Look, man," the guy said, turning towards Tsukishima, "she's ours. Go find your own piece of ass for the night, huh?"
Tsukishima's hands clenched into fists, and Kuroo and Bokuto both cracked their knuckles. "I believe my friend told you to put her down," Bokuto said, his voice deep with controlled anger. "I suggest you do it now."
"Really? You want her that badly, eh? Lemme guess why." He leaned slightly in toward Nakano, turning towards her, taking a deep breath of her hair. "She smells good...and I bet she tastes even..."
Nakano suddenly flung herself up and backwards with full force, her skull crashing into her captor's face with a sickening crunch sound. She was freed from his grip as he flew backwards, blood pouring from his nose. Tsukishima dashed forward at the first sign of movement from Nakano, squaring off against her attacker as the redhead tried to stay on his feet. Bokuto and Kuroo moved to engage the other two men, as Nakano wheeled around to face the man she'd already injured.
"Nakano, get out of here!" Tsukishima yelled, ducking a punch from the man in front of him and catching his target in the stomach with his own fist.
"Oh hell no!" growled Nakano, turning to see Bokuto grappling the guy who had held Yachi. Nakano was facing the brunette's back, his legs spread apart for balance, all his attention on the bulky ace in front of him. She took advantage of the situation, kicking straight up between the man's legs and right into his crotch. He gave out a strangled cry and dropped to the ground.
"She's a hellcat when she's pissed!" Kuroo laughed as he landed a solid hit to the jaw of the third man. "Bokuto, grab her and run!"
"BOKUTO TOUCH ME AND LOSE A HAND!" Nakano screamed. She turned back to Tsukishima, who was now angrily pummeling his opponent at will. "STOP IT!" Nakano yelled at Tsukishima. "HE'S HAD ENOUGH!" She grabbed Tsukishima's right arm, stopping his next hit.
Tsukishima's honey brown eyes locked with Nakano's bright blue ones. His gaze swept over her, taking her in. She was a complete mess, but she was standing on her feet, looking strong. He dropped the man he was holding, letting him collapse to the ground, nearly unconscious. He grabbed Nakano, wrapping her tight into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him, both of them breathing deeply, trying to regain control.
Kuroo tossed the dark-haired fellow at the other two. "Better gather up your buddies and get the hell out of here before we call the police, boys. And next time, maybe think twice before you try taking advantage of a girl. Especially our girls." Kuroo pushed Tsukishima and Nakano to move forward out of the alley.
"Nakano-chan, you're bleeding!" Bokuto cried.
"What?" Tsukishima pulled away from her to look into her face. Sure enough, she had a gash across her left cheek, gently weeping blood.
"One of them backhanded me at some point. I think he had a ring on his hand." Her voice was still a low, tense growl. "Is Yachi alright?"
Kuroo nodded and continued to usher everyone forward. "Let's get everyone back to Shinzen and sort this whole mess out."
🏐🏐🏐
Hinata had to carry Yachi on his back, as the girl had passed out not long after getting herself out of the alleyway. Tsukishima carried Nakano, as her legs gave out about halfway back. Mako had contacted the coaches, who had Kuroo bring the entire group to the teacher's lounge. Daichi met them there as well.
It took some time for the adults to piece together the entire story of the group's ill-fated trip to Karaoke Kan. As soon as the coaches departed, leaving Daichi in charge of getting everyone settled for the night, Kageyama burst into the room, despite Daichi's insistence that the team stay away. The raven-haired setter rushed to Nakano's side, throwing his arms around her. Tsukishima, who was getting the cuts and scrapes on his knuckles cleaned at the time, simply snorted.
The setter rounded on him. "You!" he yelled pointing at the middle blocker, "You're supposed to protect her from shit like this..." He started angrily walking towards the blonde. Numerous voices erupted, with several people trying to reach out and grab the boy.
"KAGEYAMA!!!" Nakano's strong voice powered over the din in the room, bringing everyone to a sudden halt. She looked up at her best friend, bright blue eyes meeting dark blue ones. "Tsukki saved me. If he, Kuroo and Bokuto hadn't shown up when they did...well...I don't want to think about what would have happened to me." Her voice was quavering, she was clearly working hard to hold it together. "There's no way I could take on three guys like that, even if two of them were completely wasted. So please, just stop, okay?"
All of the fight went out of the boy. Kageyama looked at Tsukishima. "I'm sorry. I just..."
"I get it. It's okay." Tsukishima said softly. Yeah, I very much get the concept of yelling shit you don't mean when you're angry and frustrated. I'm amazed it took him this long before he came in here.
Daichi put a hand on Kageyama's shoulder. "Kageyama, why don't you and the other boys see to the managers. Make sure everyone is settled and safe for the night. I'll stay here with Bokuto, Kuroo, Tsukishima and Nakano to make sure everyone's medical needs are taken care of. Sound good?"
"Yes, sir," Kageyama said.
Kiyoko turned to Daichi. "Would it be alright if Yachi and I stayed in with you boys tonight? I think I'd feel a little better surrounded by the team, at this point."
"Me too," Eri said, "That is, I think I'd rather be with my team."
Daichi looked at the other girls, who all nodded. He gave a small smile. "Well, I can understand that. Our managers are like sisters to us, and I'm sure it's the same for the rest of you. Given what's happened tonight, I think we can make an exception to the normal rules. Akaashi, please make sure everyone gets properly settled, okay? There's food in the kitchen for anyone who still needs dinner as well."
"Of course, Sawamura-san." Akaashi gathered everyone together and herded them out of the room.
Once the majority of people had left, the boys became aware of a soft sound. They turned to see Nakano shaking, almost violently. Tsukki quickly sat by her side, wrapping his arms around her. "Hey," he whispered to the girl, "It's alright, you're safe now." He gently stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. "Naka-chan, what is it?"
"A-a-adrenaline crash. L-l-legs. S-s-sore." She buried her face against Kei, eyes filled with tears. "O-Ov-overwhelmed. Em-embar-embarassed," she stuttered out softly.
Daichi sat on the other side of Nakano, taking her hand in both of his. "Nakano, why on Earth would you be embarrassed?" Daichi smiled at the girl, brushing her hair away from her face. Tsukishima was surprised to see the captain's eyes were shining as if with unshed tears. "You were so brave today. And you've no idea how grateful we all are that you're okay." He chuckled. "Actually, you'll probably find out as soon as you come to the room. I doubt anyone has been able to go to sleep yet, other than maybe Yachi."
Nakano made a small noise, a squeak of fear. She buried her head in Tsukishima's chest. "P-p-p-please...n-n-no..." she managed to whisper.
"Daichi-san, I know this might be a lot to ask, but I don't think Nakano is ready to face everyone tonight."
"Would you rather stay here tonight, Nakano?" Daichi asked. The girl nodded against Tsukishima's chest. "Are you sure? I hate to think of you in here alone..."
"Please let me stay with her, Captain," Tsukishima said. Nakano nodded again, clinging to Tsukki.
Daichi looked at his middle blocker, concern and sympathy on his face. "Tsukishima, I don't think I can..."
"Look, Captain, I wouldn't even dream of asking for this, except you can see the state she's in. Absolutely nothing is going to happen in here except me holding her so she can sleep. You can prop the door open all night if you need to. Heck, you can have someone else sleep in here with us if that will help. I just don't think she can stand being in a big group any more tonight, nor am I willing to leave her alone in this condition. Please, sir."
Daichi looked at his two fellow captains. Bokuto nodded, and Kuroo put a hand on Daichi's shoulder. "I think you can trust them, Daichi. Why don't you go get them some blankets and such? Bokuto and I will finish up the medical stuff with them."
Daichi nodded. "Alright," he stood, headed for the door. "I will ask you to leave this door open, though. At least I can tell the coaches I insisted on that much." He gave Tsukishima a lopsided grin.
"Thank you, Captain. Would you mind bringing me something to eat from the kitchen? Anything at all will do, sir." Tsukishima said.
"Sure thing. I'll be back shortly." Daichi headed out down the hallway.
Tsukishima turned his full attention back to Nakano. "Do you need me to get you a change of clothes? You're a bit of a mess."
"And I really want to have a look at that cut on your cheek, Nakano. It needs to be cleaned and bandaged, at the very least." Kuroo said gently.
"Can I help?" Bokuto said softly, causing Nakano to chuckle even as she continued to shake.
"B-b-bag," Nakano said, pointing at the bag she'd carried with her that evening, which lay on the table. Tsukishima grabbed it, opening it up. Inside was a tube of her medicated cream, and a change of clothes. He stood up, offering Nakano his hand. "Come on, I'll take you over to the ladies' room so you can change."
A few minutes later the pair returned, Nakano now clad in a clean tee shirt and workout shorts. Tsukishima carried her back into the room, causing Bokuto and Kuroo to jump to their feet with worry. "She's okay, she just doesn't have a whole lot of strength left in her legs right now." He set her down gently on the couch again.
"Actually," Nakano said softly, her shaking finally reduced to a gentle shiver, "The floor will be easier for you Tsukki. Can you do my legs? Just a quick rub down - you don't have to do a full massage. The cream can do most of the work. And Kuroo can look at my cheek at the same time."
Bokuto pouted slightly. "What about me?"
"Could I lean on you, Bokuto-san?" the girl asked softly.
Bokuto plunked himself on the floor, his back against the couch, his legs folded to the side. He offered the girl his hand, guiding her down to sit with her back leaning against his chest. "How's that?"
"Thanks, Bokuto-san," Nakano said gratefully, trying to stop shaking.
"Just lean against your bro now, girl, and let these guys take care of you," Bokuto said with a smile, patting her head.
Tsukishima clicked his tongue, getting to work on her legs. "Not another big brother I have to worry about..." he said, giving Nakano a small smile.
She giggled. "At least this one is actually older than me," she replied.
"Huh?" Bokuto looked confused.
"Kageyama considers himself Nakano's older brother. Gives me a whole lot of grief about taking good care of her all the time," Tsukishima explained.
"Oh, well that means that I'm his older brother too! And as the oldest brother, I'll be sure to tell him that you have my permission to date our little sister here," Bokuto said, giving Nakano's shoulders a soft squeeze.
Tsukishima rolled his eyes, "Oh man, we've created a monster," he muttered. Nakano smiled.
"Alright, big brother, hold her still so I can clean that cut. This is going to hurt a bit, Nakano-chan," Kuroo moved in with an alcohol pad. Nakano looked up at him, ready. "Not that you can't take it...you really are one tough lady." His hands moved gently to clean her cut. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" He asked, once his work on her face was done.
"My dad is a naval officer with two daughters. He made sure we knew how to protect ourselves when he couldn't be there," she said, "How bad is it, Kuroo?"
"Not bad at all, in fact, it's a much smaller cut than I thought. It just bled a lot. You want me to bandage it?" Kuroo asked.
"If you think it can do without, that's probably better. How's your lip?" Nakano replied.
"Sore," he quipped, "but I've had worse." He packed up the medical kit he'd been using and returned it to its place in the kitchen. "You were really something tonight. You definitely saved Yachi from something really awful. I've gotta ask you...when we got into the alley, I would've sworn you were out cold. And then you cracked that guy in the face with...hey, speaking of, Bokuto, check the back of her head - gently!"
Nakano chuckled softly. "Don't worry guys, my head is fine."
Bokuto gently felt the back of her head looking for a bump. "I think she's right, bro, I don't feel any bump or anything."
"So...what happened there? What was your plan?" Kuroo asked, sitting beside the girl again.
Nakano took a deep breath. "My initial plan was just to get Yachi clear. Once I did that, I was hoping the fact that both boys were stoned would work in my favor to let me get away. But then the third guy showed up, and he was clearly sober. I knew I was in deep trouble at that point. But then I heard Yachi yelling at someone, so I took a gamble that help was on the way. When that guy grabbed me from behind, I struggled a bit and then pretended to pass out, hoping he'd get distracted by whoever showed up. Gave me the chance to try that little trick. I'd never actually used it on someone before." Nakano began a shake a little again, remembering how she felt during those moments that she'd had to wait, silently praying that whoever had entered the alley would be able to help her.
Kuroo looked at her with admiration clearly visible on his face. "You broke his nose, I'm pretty sure of that. You really are a wildcat, girlie." He ruffled her hair gently. "And I'm really glad you're okay."
"Me too," Bokuto said, squeezing her shoulders again.
"And I'm really glad you guys came when you did." She thought for a moment, and realized something. "Why were you guys even there anyway?"
Kuroo gave Bokuto a look. The owlish captain gave Nakano a last squeeze and slid out from behind her. "I think we'll let Tsukki explain that one." The two captains stood up, and headed for the door as Tsukishima finished Nakano's legs and put the cream away, going to wash his hands in the sink.
"You make sure to get a good night's rest, okay?" Kuroo said.
"See you guys tomorrow!" Bokuto chimed as the pair headed out.
Nakano turned to look at her boyfriend as he walked back from the sink. She was about to ask a question when Daichi returned, carrying pillows, blankets, and a basket. "Sorry that took so long, guys, it's a little crazy out there tonight." He set everything down on the floor. "I suggest you try to get as much sleep as you can. I've asked everyone to leave you alone tonight, but I think you're going to be the center of attention tomorrow, Nakano, whether you like it or not."
Nakano yawned widely. "I'll be ready, Cap. Thank you for everything."
"Sure thing. Goodnight, you two." Daichi headed back to the door, propping it open.
"Would you turn off the lights, please, Daichi-san?" Tsukishima called, "I'll have enough light from the doorway to finish setting everything up." He was in the process of using couch cushions to create a makeshift sleeping pallet. Daichi smiled and hit the lights as he left.
"But Kei," Nakano said around another big yawn, "Shouldn't you eat first?"
"Don't worry about me. You're practically asleep already, your body has had enough." He settled her down on the cushions and covered her with a blanket, sitting close beside her. He grabbed an onigiri from the basket. "See? I'm eating. Now, please, try to get some sleep." He stroked her hair gently. Despite herself, Nakano quickly fell deeply asleep.