Hey! An early update because I had the writing bug and I'm excited to get to the next chapters I have planed *rubs hands together* lmao. Thanks for your continued interest in Co-Captain's Doubts, I hope you still enjoy it as much as I do! See you in the next chapter!
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Laying with one arm draped over his eyes, Sugawara sniffed and clenched his jaw until his teeth creaked. The lights were off in his hospital room and the only illumination came from the annoying machines he was connected to, the steady beeping of his heartbeat agitating him.
Tears rolled hot and unyielding from the corners of his eyes, slipping over his temples and running into his silver hair. He was so frustrated with himself; he wasn't even completely sure why he was crying. Was it because he wanted to go home and couldn't? Maybe it was the pounding in his head or the stinging ache in his hand. It could be the fact his parents were displeased with him or was it the irritability that came with a concussion?
"We won the match."
Suga flinched as Daichi's words replayed in his head, a fresh stream of tears flowing as he squeezed them shut. Maybe he was crying because he was irrelevant. Replaceable, forgettable…
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Left to his thoughts, Suga spent his night trying to fall asleep and failing. The doctor had mentioned both inability to fall asleep and excessive sleeping as possible side effects, it seemed he was experiencing the first. Even after his tears dried into salty tracks on his temples and his breathing settled, he couldn't get Daichi's voice out of his mind.
"We'll be okay without you." And they had been.
Without Suga to cheer them on or give them further instruction, Karasuno won the match and proved they didn't need him. Kanda was right, and he hated it. He was a loser.
His thoughts spiraled like this for hours, his brain bouncing around and shifting restlessly until the sun began to rise. As pale morning light leaked in through the sheer curtains hanging over the large window, he groaned and blinked heavy-lidded eyes. He didn't feel well, but he was sure it was due to his night of no actual sleep.
"Oh, isn't it a little early for you to be awake?"
Slow to respond, Suga's movements were lethargic as he blinked and rolled his head to look at a young light-haired nurse entering with a clipboard clutched in one arm. She looked as though she were sleepy, but her soft smile and mellow tone was a pleasant contrast to his somber mood.
Clearing his hoarse throat, he raised his good hand to rub his eye. "I've had some trouble sleeping… Do you know the time?"
Her response was light as she approached the side of his bed and wrote down a few things after observing the machine there. When she was finished, her attention went back to him. "It's 5 am. How are you feeling?
5 am, that meant he had another 5 hours of laying here before he would burden someone with transporting him home. To an empty house, because his parents would be working, and his brother would be out with friends. The thought of the echoing silence made his chest ache.
"Mr. Sugawara?"
"Uh- sorry. What did you say?"
"I asked how you're feeling?" She repeated, still kind and reaching a hand out to lay against his clammy forehead. He flinched at first but relaxed when the touch was gentle.
"Oh… Uh… Not particularly good."
"I see. You feel warm, I think you might be running a fever."
Retreating, she went to a medical cart stationed by the door and rummaged around until she found what she was looking for. When she appeared at Suga's side again, she turned the handheld device on and tucked his hair behind his ear.
"We're going to take your temperature. This will rest just inside your ear for a few seconds."
He nodded his agreement, too tired to talk if he didn't have to, and laid still. The thermometer was cold as its hard plastic invaded his ear, but he allowed her to finish and waited until it beeped.
"100.8, it seems you do have a bit of a fever."
Suddenly worried, he began to sit up. "Is that bad? Does it mean I won't be able to go home when the doctor said?"
"Easy, try not to stress yourself. Here, have some water."
Anxious, Sugawara took the cup she filled at his bedside and raised it to his lips with a wobbly hand. He cleared his throat and took another drink, then lowered it to his lap as he took his time to swallow. It did help his dry mouth, but he looked back to the nurse in hopes she would answer his question. She maintained her mellow smile until he finished, then accepted the cup to set it on the small table.
"Better?"
He gave a nod. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." She said calmly. "Do your best to get some rest, a fever sometimes occurs with head trauma, but isn't something that will keep you here unless it reaches 103 or higher. I'll speak with the doctor, but you should still be okay to leave at the time on your chart."
Relieved, Suga nodded and sank back into his pillows again. He needed to fall asleep and give his body a chance to recover, but lately, nothing was that easy. With a soft sigh, he shut his eyes and tried to think of nothing.
…
"It's okay, I understand. No, I'm not mad. Yes, I'm sure—Asahi. If you apologize one more time, I will be mad." Daichi said, one hand placed on the railing of his balcony as the other pressed his cellphone to his ear.
He looked out over his quiet neighborhood as he talked on the phone, his breath leaving in white puffs from the chill in the air. Morning light spilled over the traditional style home, painting everything a rich glowing gold but even with a jacket zipped up to his chin and a scarf wrapped around his neck, Daichi gave a shiver. Taking in a deep breath, the tired captain held it for five seconds, then let out a sigh.
"It's alright, I've got a backup plan."
"I thought I was the backup plan?" Asahi asked wearily.
"Yeah… But I've got a backup, backup plan… I was just really hoping I didn't have to use it."
"Why, what's your other plan?" Asahi's voice was squeaky as his anxiety spiked.
Pushing away from the railing, Daichi rubbed at the back of his neck as he padded across his balcony and tugged open the sliding glass door.
"You'll know soon enough. I'll text you when we get back to Suga's if you want to walk over. We should probably stick around until someone else gets home."
"Yeah, okay…"
"Alright, I'll see you later."
With that, Daichi hit 'end call' and stepped into his room, rolling the door shut behind him and pulling up his text messages. It was nine o'clock in the morning and he was scrambling to find a ride to the hospital, his original idea of his mom fetching Suga having fallen through. By the time he'd gotten home the night before, his entire family was asleep, so he'd drug his exhausted body upstairs to bathe. It was a little past 1 am when he finally laid down in bed, but then he spent the next couple of hours staring at the ceiling as his busy mind refused to calm down. His concern for his friend was a throbbing pain in the back of his mind, the empty expression on the setter's face imprinted on the backs of his eyelids. Daichi knew there was nothing to be done until he saw Suga again, but that didn't stop him from wondering if there was more he could have done to prevent the situation in the first place.
When he woke up to his barking alarm tone, he blinked sleep from his eyes and dashed out of bed as he realized he'd accidentally set it to go off an hour later than he wanted. Rushing down the stairs, he found the house empty and a note on the table held down by a plate of cold pancakes.
Daichi,
Your Dad and I took Yasu and Kokoro to visit Aunt Sachiko. We know you were at the hospital late with Suga and thought you could use the rest. Congrats on winning both of your matches yesterday, we're so proud of you. Tell Suga we hope he heals quickly.
Ps. Kokoro made you pancakes, be sure to thank her.
Love, Mom
As thoughtful as the note was, he sank into a chair and let out an expletive as his head thunked onto the table. His Aunt's was an hour away, even if he called and asked them to come back, they wouldn't make it in time. Scarfing his breakfast down without bothering to reheat it in the microwave, Daichi tossed his plate into the sink and ran upstairs to get dressed and call Asahi. He'd hoped the ace's parents might be available to pick up their injured friend, but as luck should have it, the Azumane's car was in the shop, and would not be in their possession for another two days.
Typing away on his keypad, Daichi read over his message to make sure he included everything he needed to, then hit 'send'. He wasn't sure what he would do if his backup, backup plan didn't work, so he stared at the screen intently and waited with bated breath as he sat down on his mattress. A couple of minutes passed, but then his phone buzzed, and he clicked on the new message immediately. Scanning its contents, he let out the breath he was holding and fell back onto his bed.
"Thank, God." He murmured, thumbs tapping a response and then snapping his phone shut. "Hang in there, Suga, we're coming."
…
For what was probably the hundredth time, Sugawara drug his pounding head up to glance at the clock hanging on the wall. 10:16… That meant it was 16 minutes past the time Daichi was supposed to be there to pick him up.
Dressed in last night's uniform and warmups, Suga sat waiting in the chair by the window in his room. He felt grimy and clammy while at the same time he wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. His temperature had gone up to 101.7, but it was low enough they were going to let him leave. Although this was good news, it didn't ease his aches or discomfort. He desperately wanted to sleep, but it hadn't been possible since Daichi woke him up in the car. Instead, he sat sagging in his chair, bandaged hand cradled in his lap as the other held his head, wondering if he'd been forgotten.
What would he do if no one showed up? Would he have to wait for Yuuto to finish with his brunch? They could call his parents, but would they even answer? He had no idea where his phone was, did he remember their phone numbers?
"We're here!"
Flinching terribly as a voice shouted, Suga looked up startled when two people practically fell into the room, out of breath and panting.
"Tanaka?" Suga asked, Daichi straightening behind him and slapping the other boy on the back of the head.
"Don't yell, idiot. He has a concussion."
"Ouch," He muttered, but inviting himself into the room, Tanaka looked around curiously and gave him a toothy grin. "Sorry, I forgot. What's up, Suga? Nice place you got here."
Without a care in the world, he flopped onto the stiff hospital bed Suga had laid awake in all night and stretched out to catch his breath. Utterly confused, Suga looked to Daichi and then Tanaka.
"Uh… Thanks." He murmured, his voice rough with exhaustion. "Not that I'm unhappy to see you… But what are you doing here? I thought Daichi and his mom were coming."
It was Daichi's turn to speak up, and he pawed at the back of his head sheepishly.
"About that… There was a last-minute change of plans. I can tell you about it later, ready to go home?"
Whatever the reason for the unexpected change, it instantly fled his mind with Daichi's question.
"Yes," he said in desperation, pushing to his feet and stumbling as his head spun. "I'm more than ready."
"Woah, easy my dude."
Tanaka was out of the bed and on his feet in a snap, grabbing Suga's bicep and steadying him as he blinked away his dizziness. He swayed a little as he gained his bearings but otherwise managed to stay upright. Although sleep had evaded him, the IV meant to help with his dehydration managed to replenish some of his strength.
Eyeing Suga, Tanaka grimaced as he scrutinized his upperclassman. "I knew you were in rough shape last night, but your face looks even worse today."
"Tanaka, what did I just tell you on the way here?" Daichi hissed.
"Uh—Chewing gum doesn't count as brushing your teeth?"
Daichi deadpanned. "The other thing."
"Other thing?" He thought on it for a second and then he raised a brow. "Don't say something stupid to Suga? Oh. I see what you're getting at, my bad, Suga!"
"And stop yelling."
"Right." He said with a guilty chuckle.
"Do you not brush your teeth?" Suga asked, leaning away from the taller second year who still held him steady.
"Look, if it's between getting a few more minutes of shuteye or brushing my teeth, it's always gonna be shuteye." He said, unapologetic.
"That's disgusting."
"Did you want to go home or stand here and debate my morning routine? Let's get going!"
Cringing again at Tanaka's loud voice, Suga relented. "Fine, but only because my head hurts too much to argue." He said, beginning a slow walk to the door.
"You guys are always nagging me. What are you, my parents?"
Exasperated, Daichi shook his head. "Sometimes, it feels like it, Tanaka."
In the hall, he released Suga's arm, Daichi walking on one side of him as Tanaka walked on the other. They were quiet as they made their way to the checkout desk, and it inevitably gave Suga time to think. As tumultuous as his mind and mood had been lately, he was relieved to find his friend's usual banter a distraction and a salve. When he was alone, he couldn't get out of his head, and when they were there… Well, he distanced himself from the pain, but he was reminded just how badly he wanted to be on the court with them. These people, his friends… They meant the world to him, but what did he have to offer them if he wasn't the official setter anymore.
Out of the corner of his eye, Daichi discreetly peeked at Suga as they walked at a snail's pace down the hall. He hadn't expected him to heal overnight, but he had anticipated him looking at least a little better after getting some rest and hydration. That was his expectation, but from the moment they'd walked into the hospital room, Daichi could see Suga's normally fair cheeks were flushed a feverish pink, his eyes drooping as if he'd been watching television all night and hadn't blinked once. The bruise under his eye was horrendous, his hair flattened to his head, but damp and curling at his temples. It certainly didn't help that he was still in his uniform from the night before, and Daichi felt guilty he hadn't thought to bring him a change of clothes.
On top of his injures and exhaustion, Daichi could see the pensive expression returning from last night, his gaze detached whenever he thought they weren't looking. It was frustrating to see something was wrong and watch as his friend pretended to be fine, was this how Suga felt when Daichi's heart was breaking over his Gran? Wholly absorbed in his grief, he hadn't thought his suffering affected anyone other than himself, but now he understood.
Back then it had taken a breakdown for him to realize he wasn't alone, and his friends were there for him, would the same have to happen to Suga? He frowned, wasn't there a way he could help before something like that happened? Approaching the lobby, Daichi decided he would do everything he could to keep his friend from the same fate. He would test the waters, ask if something was on Suga's mind, and see what kind of response he got. He was about to do just that, but then a shout interrupted him.
"Suga! Look at you, you're a mess!"
All three heads turned toward the voice and Daichi groaned internally. Previously standing at the checkout desk, Saeko Tanaka stomped across the polished tile floor and grabbed Suga's face with her two hands. Thoroughly startled, the setter blinked sluggishly as she squished his pink cheeks between her palms, inspecting his bruised eye and split lip.
"That black eye is fucking cool, but you look like you're knockin' on death's door! Ryu said you socked that guy so good you needed stitches, is that true?" She asked, clutching his face as her bronze eyes glittered with expectation.
"U—Uh Well, I did have to get stitches…" Suga managed, his voice warbled due to his cheeks being smooshed.
"Oooh, I just love a boy who can fight! I think I might be in love, when should we get married?" Saeko mused, releasing Suga's face, but grabbing his arm instead and snuggling up against him, her cleavage pushed up and on full display as she did so.
Daichi's eyes widened, and he coughed as Suga went a brilliant shade of red that stretched from his hairline and disappeared beneath his collar.
"For the love of God, stop sexually harassing my teammates! Get off!"
Muttering, Tanaka stepped between them and put a hand on his sister's face to shove her away. "Can't you see the guy is in rough shape, you're gonna give him a heart attack."
Offended, Saeko stumbled as her younger brother interrupted her flirting and stuck her tongue out.
"You're just jealous of our love, it doesn't look good on you, Ryu."
"Suga is not in love with you! Chase after someone your age, you thirsty hag."
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"
A wrestling match broke out between the Tanaka siblings as Saeko grabbed her brother around the neck, capturing him in a chokehold and threatening his life unless he took his words back. Inching away, Suga sidled up next to Daichi and tugged at his collar.
"So you said you had a good reason for bringing Tanaka?" He asked, a brow lifting as he watched the two bicker, the rowdy wing spiker currently attempting to bite his sister's thigh.
Reaching up to run a hand down his face, he sighed heavily.
"Uh… I thought I did, I'm not so sure anymore."
The squabble went on for another minute or so before a nurse approached with a clipboard clutched to her chest, her brows pinched as she came to stand beside the ridiculous scene.
"Excuse me, are you the adult responsible for," She stopped to look down at the paperwork she held. "Koushi Sugawara?"
Freezing mid-noogie, Saeko let go of Tanaka which resulted in him falling to the floor, then turned her attention to the thin brunette nurse. "Who's asking?"
Clearing her throat, the young woman pointed to her name tag. "Yuna Kamaki, I'm one of Dr. Asada's nurses. I need to go over Koushi's chart and give you his home care paperwork along with his prescription. Are you the one I should be speaking to?"
"Oh, yeah," Saeko said, stepping around Tanaka as he groaned at her feet. She crossed her arms as she gave her attention to the other woman, her face stern as if she were receiving a mission report. "Lay it on me."
The nurse looked a little skeptical, but after receiving a reassuring smile and head nod from Daichi, she continued. "Um, okay. Here is the information about Koushi's current condition." She said, slipping the paperwork out of the clip and turning it around to hand to Saeko.
"He was diagnosed with a level two concussion and possible bruises on his ribs. Thirteen stitches were needed for his right hand, and he developed a fever overnight."
Flipping through the pages, Saeko furrowed her brow. "He got worse overnight? You sure it's okay to take him home?"
Sugawara stiffened beside Daichi, his good hand gripping the fabric of his pants in what he assumed was anxiety. Knowing how bad the setter wanted to go home, Daichi sent a silent prayer to the heavens asking them to let Suga be healthy enough to be discharged.
Hugging the clipboard to her chest, the nurse nodded. "The doctor said as long as his fever remains under 103, he should be okay to rest at home. Exercise and mental exertion should be limited for the next few days, as well as time using electronics. Water and sleep will be especially important for recovery. Instructions on how to care for his stitches are included, and there is a prescription for an antibiotic. For pain relief, Tylenol should suffice."
Reading through a few more pages, Saeko nodded before slapping the stack of papers against her brother's chest for him to hold onto. He scrambled to catch them before they fell, sending her a dull glare as he did so.
"Easy enough, is that all? Are we cool to leave, hospitals give me the creeps." She said, giving a shiver.
It was clear the nurse was unsure if she should be offended by the statement, but instead of questioning it, she stepped aside.
"That should be everything, you're free to leave whenever you'd like. If there are any questions, the hospital's number can be found in the discharge papers." Turning to Sugawara, she offered a kind smile. "We hope you have a speedy recovery, Koushi."
He gave her a meek smile in return and sounded relieved as he bowed his head. "Thank you."
…
The ride to the Sugawara residence was not a comfortable one, and with each sharp turn or curb they hit, Daichi wondered if they would even make it there. As Tanaka sat up front gripping the handle of the passenger door for dear life, the captain found himself grabbing the sleeve of Suga's jacket more than once to keep him upright and prevent his head from bouncing off the window. By the time they were pulling into the driveway, the poor setter was green and squeezing his eyes shut. Daichi couldn't say he was doing much better, his heart hammering in his chest as he yanked his seatbelt off in a hurry to get out of the death trap.
Coming to Suga's door as Tanaka kicked open his own and spilled out of the front seat, he called a thank you to Saeko.
"Sorry for calling so last minute, you saved my butt. I owe you one." Daichi said, tugging Suga's arm up and around his shoulders to help him get on his feet.
Flashing a toothy grin, Saeko held up two fingers in a peace sign. "Give Suga's older brother my number and we'll call it even." She winked, snickering as Tanaka groaned and shook his head.
"See you at home, Sis. Byyye." He deadpanned, kicking the door shut, then jumping out of the way as the engine revved.
Rolling the windows down, she turned her music to full blast and shouted over the bass. "Later nerds!
With that, she flew out of the driveway, tires squealing, and speeding out of sight.