Lean on Me (Lean on Us)
Chapter 1
Oikawa
Daichi was tired. Not that that was a new feeling for the former volleyball captain. He'd been on the verge of near exhaustion since his second year of high school when he'd been named Captain after his after the third years had left.
But Daichi knew his biology class wouldn't always let out thirty minutes early so he should try to get the extra practice in while he could. Besides, despite having led his team to nationals last year in high school, he still felt like the underdog player. All the players here had to have been scouted out for college teams much earlier than he had. So, despite technically being on the same team, he couldn't shake the feeling that his upper and regular classmates we're just waiting for him to fall.
Which was ridiculous, everyone on the team, including the coaches, hadn't been anything but welcoming. True he, along with the rest of the freshmen, weren't at the top of the food chain by any means. Heck, Daichi was pretty sure he wouldn't see much action on the court this year. But still, the Captain (a long limbed smiling guy by the name of Yamamoto Takashi) had taken all the freshmen aside one by one and expressed his delight at having them all there.
Daichi shook his head. He really needed to stop being so introspective, he'd come to the gym early to practice. Not go over how lucky he'd been to be scouted by his univeristy of choice. Daichi quickly changed into his practice uniform of green shirt and grey shorts (the volleyball uniforms were grey, green, and black).
Daichi finished adjusting his knee pads, grabbed his water bottle and made his way into the gym. Practice was on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, from three to six. With Saturday practice from noon to four. Daichis biology class had miraculously gotten out early that day so after he'd gotten a head on all his pressing homework he'd decided to get some extra practice in.
Now it wasn't unusual for one of his other team members to already be in the gym and practicing. What Daichi was slowly starting to be more concerned about was one member who seemed to be there before anyone else and the last to leave the gym.
Oikawa Tooru was serving with vicious intent. His almost robotic movements never wavered from the toss, jump, hit and repeat. Daichi watched him in silence for a moment. It had been what Daichi would almost consider a cruel twist of fate that he, along with Oikawa Tooru, Ushijima Wakatoshi, Kuroo Tetsurou, and Bokuto Koutarou had all been scouted by the same university and had all accepted.
Daichi now shared a three-way connected dorm with the others. Bokuto and Kuroo had claimed the each other as roommates before they'd even found out who the rest of their dorm mates were. Oikawa had straight up refuse to room with Ushijima and Daichi had quickly claimed the former Shiratorizawa Captain as his roommate. Leaving Oikawa quite happy with his one-person bedroom.
It could have been a lot worse Daichi decided. Ushijima was a tidy type of person and didn't mind Daichi's late night skype calls to his Karasuno teammates. Bokuto always had coffee made in the mornings for them all. Kuroo had brought his Xbox and they'd all have movie nights after practice and video game tournaments. And Oikawa (who couldn't cook to save his life) was a pretty adapt baker and usually had muffins, some healthy yet sweet cereal bars made up for mornings where they were all running to get to class (or practice).
But now it was concern he felt for Oikawa. Out of all the people on the team he was the one most likely to over work himself or strain something. It wasn't that he didn't know his limits. Oikawa was just a firm believer that any limits he had he could push, and push, and keep pushing until he either hurt himself or someone told him to stop. Kageyama and Hinata were like that, heck Daichi could get like that too. But so far no one had told Oikawa to stop.
Well, Daichi shrugged his shoulders and cleared his throat loudly, it was probably time for someone to. Oikawa yelped at the sudden throat clearing a whirled around to stare at Daichi. Blinking a few times as if to reassure himself that Daichi really was there, staring at him expectantly.
"Oh, Mura-chan, it's just you. What are you doing here? Usually your cursing your biology homework at this time.'
"Usually my biology homework is trying to get me to tear my hair out. But class got let out early today so I could work ahead. I see you you're here early…again."
Oikawa looked guilty for all of two seconds but quickly changed his facial expression to a smirk. "Well Mura-chan, since I'm ahead in my homework what excuse do I have not to get a little extra practice in?"
"And you're excuse for staying later after every practice?"
"I don't have morning classes Tuesdays and Thursday, so I can catch up on any sleep I might miss." Oikawa said smugly. Oikawa obviously thought he had Daichi stumped. But Daichi had gotten quite a bit of practice with teammates who also tended to over work themselves.
So, Daichi just looked at Oikawa. It was a look he'd patent tested on his Kouhais and had an 85% success rate in getting them to rethink their actions.
Oikawa began to fidget after a few moments, turning his head this way and that to avoid Daichis stare. Finally, the setter said, "Would you stop with the disappointed Dad stare? I'm basically an adult I think I know when I've hit my limit!"
"Oh I have no doubt you know when you've hit your limit," Daichi said, ignoring the Dad comment. "But you also believe you can just push past it and not suffer any repercussions after."
"I do not!"
"Oh?"
"Yes!"
Daichi stared at him for a bit longer.
"Oh! Alright! Fine! So, I may have been pushing myself a little too hard recently."
"And?"
"…And my knee might be hurting just a little bit right now because I've been ignoring it."
Daichi sighed before motioning Oikawa over to him. Oikawa walked over and sat down on the bench, Daichi kneeled in front of him before gently removing his knee pad. His knee didn't look bad, maybe a little swollen and judging by Oikawas expression tender to touch but nothing a day or two rest wouldn't fix.
"I'm going to go look for some ibuprofen and some ice or something. Don't move."
"Mura-chan, seriously I'm fine do-"
"Tooru."
Oikawas mouth clicked shut at the sound of his first name staring at Daichi shocked.
"I'm not going to stop you from practicing today. Like you said you're basically an adult. But I am going to make you tell coach so he can keep an eye on it. And if you don't tell him. Then I will, and I'll make sure he knows it's the same knee you've injured before and request he pull you from practice until you're 100%. Deal?"
Oikawa stared at Daichi incredulously for a moment before sighing and nodding his head. "Alright, you win. I'll tell him when he gets here and I'll even let Yamamoto-san know too."
Daichi nodded before smiling at Oikawa. "I'll be right back."
By the time Daichi had managed to find some medicine and an ice pack, there was only 15 minutes before practice officially began and the rest of the team had begun to trickle into the gym. Everyone talking amongst one another and just being overly boisterous.
Yamamoto-san was the first to notice the two first years sitting on the benches, Oikawa with his knee propped up with and ice pack and Daichi sitting next to him. The captain quickly rushed over along with his vice-captain, Akashi Kimihiro.
"Are you okay? What happened? Sawamura what happened? Does he need to go to the hospital?" Yamamoto asked, looking increasingly more panicked by the second.
"Yamamoto-san, please calm down." Akashi said, firmly kneeling down by Oikawa and gently removing the ice pack.
"Oh, I'm fine Yamamoto-san, Akashi-san, I worked myself a little too hard recently and my knee just hurt a bit. Mura-chan here had been taking very good care of me."
Daichi rolled his eyes, of course when Daichi asked Oikawa he had to wrangle the answers out him. But if the Senpais asked he was all for answering, oh well at least he was being honest about it.
"Oikawa, Sawamura, what's this I hear about an injury?" Coach Furinji barked out. Making the small group of volleyball players jump.
"Nothing to bad Coach, my knees just been acting up so I was icing before practice." Oikawa said quickly, shooting Daichi a helpless look.
"Is that true Sawamura?"
"Yes coach, if he doesn't push himself to hard then he'll be fine."
Coach Furinji stared the two first years down, making Dacihi shift a bit in his seat. He knew he hadn't done anything wrong. But whenever coach looked at him like that it made Daichi feel like a high school student who'd accidently pulled the fire alarm all over again.
"Alright, Oikawa you can practice today, but if I so much as catch you stumble I'm benching for the rest of practice. Can't have one of my only setters out for the season because he didn't know when to stop."
"Right coach!" Oikawa said happily carefully removing the ice pack and pulling his knee pad back into place.
"WE"RE HERE!" A very loud, and very familiar voice screamed. A flash of green, grey, and sliver ran into the gym.
"We're not late! There's still two minutes before practice starts!" The blurs other half yelled as he also ran into the gym.
"I apologize for our tardiness," a low steady voice said, also walking into the gym at a much more sedated pace. "I couldn't get these two away from the Mario cart duel."
"Dude!" The first voice howled, the silver haired spiker named Bokuto looked completely scandalized.
"Does vow of silence mean nothing to you?" The wild haired blocked named Kuroo demanded, shooting the rest of the team a pointed look.
"You two made 'the vow' Kuroo," Ushijima said frowning. "I merely 'witnessed' for you."
Daichi tried not to groan to loudly. His teammates were great players, and…alright people. But he couldn't help but wonder what he'd done in a past life to get stuck with them for the rest of his college career.
"I don't care about some vow of silence or a Mario cart competition! You all should have been warmed up and ready to go five minutes ago, get to work!" Coach Furinji shouted. The next few minutes were filled with volleyball players rushing about to start warm ups. Daichi grabbed Oikawas shoulder and hauled him over to where some other members had started stretching out.
"Hey.. ummm…Sawamura…thanks, ya know, for taking care of me." Oikawa said, looking at the ground and nudging a stray volleyball.
Daichi smiled light before nudging Oikawa with his elbow. "Hey, no problem. Just try to take care of yourself a bit more, okay?"
Oikawa smiled back, "Alright, I can do that."