┌─────── ∘°∘♡∘°∘ ───────┐
I love you,
because your hand fits perfectly in mine.
└─────── °∘∘♡∘∘° ───────┘
.
.
.
♡
"L/N, aren't you going to head home soon?" One of Oikawa's teammates, whom you learnt was called Iwaizumi Hajime, approached you while sweating like a hippo. You couldn't blame him, even their practice matches looked so vigorous to you. Yet, he was only sweating. If you were standing on that court, you would have died already!
Shaking your head, you looked up to him with a polite smile. "No, not yet. I'm waiting for someone," You scratched the back of your nape, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Iwaizumi raised a brow at your statement, then it clicked. You were waiting for... "I see. You're waiting for Oikawa." The boy took a big gulp of his water and wiped off the excess droplets from the sides of his mouth.
"Yeah," You responded. Then, a cloud of awkwardness floated between the two of you. You internally smacked yourself, because you always find yourself in an awkward situation with new people. What topic was there to talk about? Hamsters? The latest idol gossip?
You eyed Iwaizumi from top to bottom, who was busy focusing on the practice to even notice your stare.
Yeah, he definitely looked like he didn't enjoy the latest James Charles situation.
"He's careless," Iwaizumi said, eyes still boring into the figure of Oikawa, who was preparing for his jump serve. That one volleyball serve that woke up all your senses because of the loud smack on the squeaky floor.
The first time you saw him serving like that, no, the first time you saw him playing volleyball, you thought you were watching a horror movie in front of your very eyes. Oikawa was no joke. His volleyball skills compared to yours was like comparing a cereal with milk or cereal with plain water. Needless to say, you couldn't even receive a ball without wincing in pain. You wondered how these people endured the pain.
You wondered how people could even receive Oikawa's serves. That shit could blast your arms off to Neptune before you could react.
"Who? Oikawa?" You turned your head towards the captain, who was already high up in the air. Then, using all his force and strength, the ball was sent flying to the other side of the court, a loud smack echoing through the nearly empty court.
As an instinct, you flinched back a little, expression holding one that was similar to in pain. Iwaizumi nodded, showing no reaction to the volleyball serve that seemed more like a spike instead. Of course, he had been playing volleyball with Oikawa for so long that he was already used to it.
Arms crossed, he released a deep sigh, "Sometimes, he just doesn't know when to stop." Before you could reply anything, Iwaizumi already walked himself to the court and was ready to yell at Oikawa to stop.
"Oi, Shittykawa, it's time to rest!" However, despite this, Oikawa was still adamant to practice more and more. It wasn't enough. He needed to practice more, or else the team would fail to win past Shiratorizawa, just like the past competitions... They were always suffering when dealing with the owl-themed school, always so close to gripping the chance to Nationals...
"Just one more, Iwa-chan! Hold up!" The brunet grabbed another volleyball that rolled nearby his feet. Witnessing this scene, and remembering what Iwaizumi told you, you instantly hopped on your feet, approaching Oikawa who insisted on the last serve of the day.
Iwaizumi protested, his hand reached out to prevent Oikawa from serving again because exhaustion was evident in the latter's eyes. "Shittykawa, I swear to God, stop being so stubbo-"
Smack.
As if the Gods were cursing Oikawa on this very day, you watched in horror as Oikawa ended up missing the ball with just a one-inch distance between his fingers and the ball up in the air. He landed on one leg at a weird angle, appearing to be twisted. With a thud, his back met with the clean floor as his expression morphed into great affliction.
"OIKAWA!"
"S-Shit..."
"GET A MEDIC, QUICK!"
────── ∘°∘♡∘°∘ ──────
Closing the door behind you, you took quiet steps to the brunet who was laying on the infirmary bed. You were worried that he was asleep, and you didn't want to disturb him.
However, that thought was deleted as soon as you heard a soft voice calling out to you, "Y/N? Is that you?" Hearing that voice, you were startled for a second there, like a deer caught in the headlights. You walked towards the direction of the beds, and your heart pained at the sight of Oikawa looking so gloomy and sad on the bed.
But despite that, a smile was still plastered on his lips. It was like, he was trying to convince you that he was okay. Even though it was super clear, that he wasn't okay at all. Your eyes trailed down towards the plaster that was wrapped around his ankle.
Oikawa followed the gaze of your eyes and discovered that you were staring at his injury. "Oh, this... I might have accidentally gone a little bit too far this time..." He awkwardly chuckled, then released a huge sigh while falling into a daze staring at the white ceiling.
White symbolized purity or innocence. That was why people usually drew angels with the colour white. But to Oikawa, he didn't like white. They reminded him of medications, injuries, infirmaries, hospitals. Because every time his ankle decided to give up on him, he would end up in a room filled with white.
For him. It was haunting since there was a chance he might never be allowed to play volleyball again, and maybe... He might not even be given the chance to stand on the court again before he could head to nationals with his team.
"You're dumb, you know that?" That was the first thing you said to him when you entered the infirmary. Then, you sat down on the chair beside him, seeing through the mask that hid his sadness.
He let out a light laugh at your words, but then it faded into nothing. His expression was blank. It also showed nothing. He felt empty. The more he thought about his injury, the more he thought about his future, he couldn't help but think he fucked up again, like no other day. Volleyball was his remedy. So, what would happen to him if his remedy was tugged away from him?
What could he do?
And yet he also failed his teammates, all because of a silly injury he could have prevented. However, he was too stubborn, just like how Iwaizumi described him. He was too dumb, too blind to put himself first. Now, how would his teammates think of him?
"I heard from your teammates that this was not the first time that you got your ankle hurt," You said, surprising Oikawa. He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost forgot that you were beside him.
You continued, "I know volleyball is important to you but, sometimes, you need to take care of yourself first. You yourself is always the first priority. Your teammates, your friends, all of us want you to get better, so don't force yourself to do something you can't."
"You're human, Oikawa. And we care."
"I care."
Oikawa was stunned by your words. He couldn't even find himself opening his mouth to say a simple thank you. Because a thank you wasn't even enough to show his gratitude towards you.
The volleyball captain faced downwards, looking at the white sheets that were barely covering up his body. Then, his fingers tightened on the blanket, clutching it for life. How did your words affect him so much? Why was he burning so warmly? Did he suddenly catch the flu out of nowhere?
At that moment, he remembered the white curtains, white floor, white walls, white bed. White. However, this time, to him, white wasn't that terrifying anymore, because you were here. With him.
"Y/N, can you... Can I hold your hand?" He looked so vulnerable for once. Even his voice was quivering as if he was hardly holding on to that tiny little thread that bottled up all his emotions.
Without saying much, you reached out towards his hand, intertwining your fingers together. The warmth from your palm transferred to his cold one. Perhaps even embracing his heart with warmth.
Comfortable silence filled the room, where the two of you were, hand-in-hand.
There. He felt it again. The loud pounding of his heart against his chest. The room was so quiet, that even Oikawa was afraid that you could hear the little jumps his heart was making, even though you couldn't.
Despite his fears, he wished this moment would never come to an end.
"Please, don't let go."
────── ∘°∘♡∘°∘ ──────
REACHING YOU.