If there was anything worse than dealing with stupid high school rumors, it was putting up with the pity that now seemed to follow Machi around the school. That first day back after training camp was the worst. A one-two punch of whispers spreading like wildfire as to why her right knee was wrapped in bandages and she hobbled around on crutches; and then when the news had spread, the looks of sympathy that she could never get away from. Machi despised pity, a trait she blamed on inheriting from her father, who was also responsible for the reason she had to experience so much pity in the first place.
"So what did the doc say?" Tsukki picked at an invisible spot on the volleyball in his hands, feigning disinterest at the answer. Tadashi, however, poked his head around Tsukki's shoulder to listen closely. He hadn't been brave enough to ask himself when Machi had shown up in the middle of their practice Monday afternoon, grumpy from spending half the morning at the doctor's office, and even less happy with the results. Still fuming quietly to herself, Machi had skipped out on her own practice (what was the point if she couldn't be on the mats with everyone else) and made a beeline to the volleyball gym, where she dropped into a chair next to Kiyoko with a huff and waited until their practice ended. Her cousin was the first to rush over to her, anxiety pinching his face.
"Torn ligament." She grumbled to Tsukki, just loud enough for the rest of the team to eavesdrop. Machi was a little glad they were all paying attention, it would save her the trouble of having to repeat the same sob story over and over, but she really didn't want to deal with the crowd of them right now. Her knee was aching, and the crutches made her bruised arms sore. In all honesty, the only thing she wanted to do was eat a bunch of junk food and watch re-runs of sitcoms, alone.
Her bad mood of course did not stop the Karasuno team from congregating around her chair, the squeaking of shoes making her eye twitch as they gathered closer. Despite their proximity, Machi kept her gaze glued on the floor, knowing if she looked up all she would see would be a dozen pairs of eyes locked on her, a dozen different shades of pity clouding them. The sympathy of strangers was one thing, but it was ten times worse when it was from people she knew, people who cared about her. And she really didn't want to deal with that just yet.
"Oh, that's kinda bad, isn't it?" Hinata meant well of course, but Machi's patience had already run thin. Giving him such a look Hinata was sure he'd spontaneously combust, Machi snapped back with more bite than she anticipated.
"Yeah no shit, Tangerine-Head, tell me something I don't already know."
Sensing the trouble boiling to the surface, the ever kind vice-captain stepped around his taller teammates and placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder, "Hey guys, the court still needs to be cleaned, why don't you go be useful and grab the mops." Hinata took the escape and the other first and second years followed quickly behind, only Tadashi hesitating for a moment to sneak a peak at his cousin.
Waving away both Daichi and Asahi as well, Suga pulled at a second chair and plopped down next to his bristling girlfriend. Even with the rest of the team away and extremely focused on their chores, Machi kept her face angled towards the gym floor, attempting to hide behind her ponytail. Suga chuckled lightly at her attempts to hide, then carefully brushed her hair out of her face. "Hey, come on don't hide your pretty face from me."
Machi only shook her head furiously and continued to refuse his coaxing. Any other occasion and she might have caved, but this time Suga was the one person who would only make things worse. She knew if she turned around and faced him, all she'd see was that damn bruise on his face, and she would have to relive the entire horrible event all over again. And she'd worked hard to keep that from happening. So like a child, Machi pouted and refused to look away from the floor, turning her chair so her back faced him. When Suga scooted his chair a bit closer to try and peer around at her, Machi inched hers farther away, prompting an improvised game of cat and mouse that only ended when Suga grabbed her chair and wouldn't let go.
Of course Suga knew why she was being so stubborn, and he didn't blame her. But they hadn't had a chance to really talk about what happened and the longer they waited, the more awkward it would be. "Come on, Sunshine, we have to talk about it at some point." Not like he exactly wanted to relive it all again either, but there were still things left unsaid, questions unanswered that had to be solved.
After he and Kaido had found her huddled on the gym floor, clearly in agony, Suga had refused to leave her side for another twenty minutes while they had both cried. Kaido had eventually taken charge and had convinced the Nekoma coach to drive Machi to a walk-in clinic when she had refused to let him call an ambulance. The clinic gave her enough pain meds and ice packs to last the rest of the weekend until she could visit her regular doctor, and Suga and Kaido both double teamed it to make sure she actually took the medication and stayed off the mats for the remainder of the training camp. Whether in a state of shock or a bit woozy from the meds, Machi didn't say much to anyone the next few days; avoiding her father more than ever, but also limiting contact with the entire volleyball team as well. When the buses had finally dropped both teams back at the school, Machi had followed behind her cousin quietly and without a farewell to anyone, and Suga knew then he'd have to do something soon to try and break through the fog she'd seemed to place around herself.
Finally accepting she'd been pinned into a corner, Machi peered at Suga with a pouty lip, scowling further when he grinned, "There she is! The prettiest girl I know." Suga gave her nose a soft peck to try and make her smile, "Now we just gotta turn that frown upside down."
"Seriously, Suga, I'm not in the mood..."
"All the more reason to talk it out and help you feel better." Starting to feel a bit anxious at her reluctance, Suga reached for both her hands and leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers, "Please. Don't shut me out. Let me help."
Now her throat was burning in the effort to remain composed. He was being too sweet, too patient, and she didn't deserve it. Keeping her voice low so as not to attract any more unwanted attention, Machi focused on their entwined hands instead of his painful looking bruise that she was convinced she was responsible for. "But it's all my fault, Suga. I should have known this would happen and tried to stop it."
"Don't do that. You are not to blame for anything."
"But you got hurt because of me." Suga watched as her eyes focused momentarily on his bruised chin and slightly swollen lip before they settled back down at the floor. "I dragged you into this mess and look what happened." In all honesty his injury was minor, but the very thought that it happened at all because of her selfish desire to have him around was a guilt as sour as lemonade without sugar.
"I got punched because I defended my girlfriend." Suga replied gently. Of course she would shoulder all the burden on herself, that was just typical. "That jerk couldn't handle that we are happy together," his thumb started tracing circles along the back of hers in a comforting way, "and if I had to do it all over again I would."
Machi turned their hands over in her lap and anxiously began drawing circles of her own on his palm. "So, you don't regret it?" Or us? The silent question behind her words rang loud and clear, and Machi mentally prepare herself for the worst. He wouldn't want to stick around after this. Obviously she'd warned him of the consequences of her father finding out about them, and he'd seemed willing to take the risk then, but now that shit had hit the fan, Machi couldn't blame him for wanting to leave while he still could. It would hurt, to watch him go; but it would be for the best. She'd be alright. Alone was safer anyway.
"The only thing I regret is this." With the softest of touches Suga pulled her bandaged leg to rest in his lap, "That you got the worst of it and somehow still think it's your fault." With one hand keeping her knee in place, he pulled her chair closer so they could sit more comfortably together. And when it looked like her eyes began to water, Suga's caress was there to wipe them away. "It was the happiest day of my life when you agreed to be my girlfriend, Machi. And while it hasn't exactly been the walk in the park we hoped it might be, no, I don't regret it. And I'm not going anywhere."
Machi let out a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding, waves of relief crashing over her. "Are you sure? It won't exactly be much easier now that dad knows, and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to get out while you can..."
"Nope," Suga pecked her on the nose again, this time proud to see the faintest of smiles starting to form, "you can't get rid of me that easily. What, did you seriously think I'd ditch you?"
"Well, yeah..." She wiggled sheepishly in her seat, which only made Suga want to hold on tighter.
"Then I guess it's a good thing you were wrong." He teased lightly, earning a real smirk from her for the first time in days. "And I promise, no matter what, we'll get through it together."
***
"So how bad is it really?"
After another hour of sitting together in the gym, watching the rest of the volleyball team clean the floors and put away all the equipment, Machi and Suga now lounged comfortably outside, enjoying the evening chill and chirping of cicadas. Having cleared the air of all the worries they had both harbored around for days, Machi felt incredibly light, even for someone in less than ideal circumstances.
"It could be a lot worse." Machi kept her voice low, this time hoping no one really was eavesdropping on them. Even after sitting the rest of the time in the gym with her leg propped on Suga's, he had outright refused to let her put any weight on it as they moved outside to wait for her ride home. When Suga had taken a seat on the low wall outside the building and immediately requested she prop her foot up again, Machi had tried to argue it was fine, but was met with a lighthearted 'you-literally-have-a-knee-injury-and-need-to-keep-it-elevated' scolding from Suga. Rather than continue to argue, Machi had complied, letting Suga use his bookbag as a pillow for her knee while she leaned against his shoulder. They had remained like that for a few moments of comfortable silence, before Suga spoke, finally addressing the second elephant in the room. Rather than respond right away, Machi took her time, watching a trail of ants crawl along the brick of the wall, "The doctor said it was a minor MCL tear, which can often repair itself with a bit of rest."
"Well that's good news." His shoulders dropped in relief. After watching how much pain she'd been in, Suga had feared the worst. "A few days of ice and rest will hopefully do the trick. It's just a shame it has to happen right before the Qualifiers. I know you were really excited about going."
"Yeah, um, about that—"
"Hey, Machi" Tadashi had poked his head out of the gym door, an apologetic smile stretching across his face for interrupting, "My dad just called, said he's here but parked at the wrong building. Are you ready?"
Jumping up, Suga offered his hand to help Machi to her feet, then swiped up her bag with his own while she readjusted her crutches. "It's really nice that you can stay with Yamaguchi for a few days. Honestly I was a little worried about you going back home right away." Suga had actually been ready to ask his own parents if Machi could stay with them for a few days when Machi had mentioned staying with her cousin. While neither had heard from or seen much of Reo since that afternoon in Tokyo, neither really wanted to risk what would happen once he did show up again.
Setting a slow pace around the parameter of the building to the waiting car her uncle had parked by the library, Machi mumbled her agreement. "They've been really great, and I know Tadashi is happy about it too." Secretly, Machi had been so relieved when her aunt and uncle had welcomed her into their house with open arms and minimal questions that she almost cried. Could she have managed at home, skirting around the house to avoid confrontation? Absolutely. But it was a relief to know she wouldn't have to. And wouldn't have to see her father for a bit longer.
In an effort to be helpful, Tadashi had the side door to his father's van already open and ready when Machi and Suga approached the vehicle. While he helped his cousin into the back seat, her complaining the whole time that she wasn't a child and could put a seatbelt on by herself, Suga and Machi's uncle chatted amicably. Hoping to sneak one more moment together before he walked home, Suga placed Machi's bag at her feet and leaned in for a goodnight kiss.
"See you tomorrow, beautiful." He hummed softly, "Maybe we can talk about what movies to watch this weekend now that it'll be free." Machi gladly returned his kiss, flipping her uncle and cousin off behind Suga's back when they started a chorus is 'ooohhhs.' But when Suga pulled away, he was a bit surprised to see a steely determination had returned to Machi's eyes. A cold pit dropped into his stomach when she spoke.
"That's just the thing Suga, I'm still competing this weekend."