Soft fingers caressed the smooth surface of the picture frame, his thumb rubbing the corner of the beautifully carved wood in distraction. Tears stained his cheeks and trailed down until they left nothing but hot rivers that pierced his skin.
The silence surrounding his room only turned to echo in his thoughts, his lips trembling to hold back chokes and swallow them as a means to control his cries. He was so tired.
His hands clenched and gripped the frame until his fingers ached and his pain was directed someplace else; a place that was physical. A place that could heal. He prayed for injury, hoping that it could block out everything that threatened to tip him over the edge and send his emotions pouring into something he couldn't tame.
He gave a shaky sigh and brushed his white bangs from his eyes, his hands reaching for his phone. Ten text messages were notified on his device, his thumb swiping the screen until he paused, hovering over his contacts.
He pressed the icon, holding his cell phone to his ear and swallowing once more to ease the burn in his throat. He didn't expect it to ring, and he only waited for the voicemail before he spoke.
"I know that you're not going to get this, but I just need someone to listen," he stopped to take another breath, "but I know you're not going to do that, either."
This was so stupid and he knew it. There wasn't any point bothering with a call. "I miss you." His voice cracked and he felt another warm tear run down, the drop mixing with the rest he had shed earlier. "I wanted to let you know that I miss you and I love you."
He looked down at his feet, idly wondering when he had curled his legs in. "The team misses you, too. It's not the same without our captain. The first years have improved on their receives, you know. Nishinoya got suspended again for yelling in the hallway. I tried lecturing him, but you know how he is." He gave a smile, but his eyes showed no happiness and the expression was bitter.
He sunk down into the pillows and pressed the picture frame to his chest, his eyes squeezing shut before he sobbed, his breathy gasps the only audible noise until his phone alerted him that the voicemail timed out and he slumped his arm down and his phone dropped onto his sheets.
He covered his face and ignored the need to wipe his tears, the setter crying into his hand as a means to muffle the sound.
"Please come back, Daichi."