Summary : When Yamaguchi is feeling sick during practice, Hinata is worried.
AN : I know, I know, I haven't published in forever. But guess what ! I'm back !
I have had this written for forever but I hesitated so much.
I really hope you'll like as much as I do :)
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After a particularly cold and rainy week, today was finally a sunny day. Hinata felt so full of energy she kept running around.
Practice was beginning and she had already run so much she was sweating. She had had a free period just before practice and hadn't noticed the rest of the team filling in the gym, too focused on her work out.
Coach Ukai furrowed his brows at her when he saw how exhausted she already was but said nothing. He didn't mind as long as she could go through the entire practice. He knew she could.
They started with spiking drills and she took her place in one of the two lines, right behind Yamaguchi. The boy was silent today and didn't really respond to her playful banter when she poked his side, asking if he had failed a test or something. She wondered if he was sad because Tsukishima was in the other line and did not push the matter any more.
When her turn came, Hinata waited for Yamaguchi to go back to the back of the line before she ran full speed and jumped. She smashed the ball on the other side of the net and landed heavily, almost losing her footing.
She ignored Kageyama snickers and walked back behind Yamaguchi.
When she looked at him, his face was red and he already looked exhausted.
"Hey, Yamaguchi, are you alright ?" She whispered. She doubted he'd like it if their senpais heard her concerns for him and crowded him.
"Yeah." He sighed and she saw him rub his eyes even if he didn't turn to face her.
"If anything is wrong, just tell me. Okay ?" He nodded.
She did not push him but her eyes and worried frown did not leave him anymore.
The next time it was his turn, she noticed he jumped a little less high and that he swayed a bit at the reception, but said nothing. She thought Ukai might have seen it too, though.
Again, she ran and jumped and smashed the ball, close to the opposite line but still where it was supposed to land.
"Good job, Hinata !" Suga smiled at her and she smiled back.
Back behind the other first-year she noticed how he seemed to be swaying on his feet. She put her hand on his back and craned her neck to look at his face.
"Yamaguchi, maybe you should sit down a bit. You really don't look that well."
"It's okay, I jus-" But he never finished his sentence. He swayed once more and suddenly collapsed.
"Yamaguchi !" Hinata gasped. She already had her hand on his back and successfully wrapped both her arms around his waist, preventing him from hitting the floor. She lowered him slowly, carefully until he laid next to her. "Yamaguchi ?" She hovered over him, worried.
Her hand patted his hair and touched his forehead and cheeks. He was burning up. She looked up in panic and saw the entire team had gathered around them. Even Tsukishima had a worried frown on his face, instead of his usual bored one.
The boy blinked his eyes open and she stopped breathing for a second.
"Yamaguchi, don't move !" She pushed her palms against his chest to force him back down. "Don't move. You're burning up. Why didn't you tell me you had a fever ?"
Everyone was asking him if he was alright and what had happened but he focused on Hinata. Her orange hair and anxious face just above his.
"I'm gonna get you to the infirmary, okay ? But first you need to drink something. Did you eat today ?"
"Yeah, we had lunch together. But he didn't eat much." Tsukishima supplied and she nodded.
Suddenly a hand holding a bottle of water appeared and HInata grabbed it.
"Can you sit ?" She helped him sit, Suga was kneeling next to him too and kept his hand on his back, making sure he wouldn't fall back again. She held the bottle for him and he grabbed it with slightly shaking hands.
He swallowed a few gulps and gave the bottle to Daichi.
He didn't want the team to worry any longer and decided to stand.
"I'm okay, thanks." He pushed himself up, shakily. Suga grabbed his upper arm and Hinata his waist and they kept him upright.
"I'll walk you to the infirmary." Her tone didn't leave space for argument.
"Are you gonna be okay, Hinata ?" Suga asked, biting his lower lip. The boy was hovering over her. He could see how Yamaguchi was doing his best not to lean on her and bury her under his weight.
"Don't worry, I'm stronger than I look !" She flexed the biceps of her free arm and looked at Yamaguchi. "Good for you ?" He nodded.
Slowly, she took a few tentative steps forwards and he followed her diligently. She glanced at Tsukishima and could see he looked concerned even if he tried to hide it.
"I'm taking care of him. See you later !" She waved at them above her head and in a few more steps they were outside the gym.
"Someone should have gone and helped her, don't you think ?" Kageyama mumbled.
"She'll be fine. She said it, she's strong enough." Ukai slapped him in the back. "Come on, back in position everyone !"
"You don't have to pretend anymore, Yamaguchi." Hinata sighed when they were far enough from the gym to be sure no one would overhear her.
"I don't know what you mean." He focused on each step, looking forward.
"I'm not that stupid." She groaned and adjusted her hold on his waist, squeezing his hip a little. "I can feel you shaking, just lean on me, I'll be alright." He opened his mouth and she rolled her eyes. "Stop the crap, you're sick, you need help, all you have to do is to accept it."
He sighed dramatically and leaned a little more on her, his left arm around her shoulders.
They made their way, slowly, through the school. They attracted a lot of attention but ignored the weird looks.
"Since when do you have that fever ?"
"Yesterday evening. I really thought I'd get better quickly and would be fine for practice." He grimaced and she rubbed his hip with her thumb in a soothing motion. He blushed, he knew it, and he really hoped that if she noticed how red he was she'd think it was because of the fever.
"You really need to take care of yourself." She groaned. She propped him a bit better against her, tightening her hold. He didn't answer.
She could hear his ragged breath and felt how tired he was getting by just walking in the shadows of the building. She wondered why the school infirmary was so far away from the sports facilities.
She could feel him leaning more and more against her, her knees bending under his weight. Sure, she had been working out, but she doubted she'd be able to carry him all the way to the infirmary on her own if he fainted again.
"Hang on, Yamaguchi. We're almost there !" She groaned. She could see the door of the infirmary at the end of the hallway. They would do it !
"Yamaguchi-kun ?" They startled but couldn't turn around to see who had called him. "Are you alright ?" A boy she knew she had passed in the hallways before appeared on his other side. "Do you need help ?" He asked Hinata. His eyes widened when he recognized her.
" 'S good. We're almost there." She smiled, resisting the intense desire to wipe the sweat from her brows.
"Come on, it'll be faster with the two of us." He slipped his arm just above Hinata's and squashed it between Yamaguchi's torso and Hinata's. She blushed but said nothing. "What happened ?"
"He's got a fever." Hinata said. She was not sure Yamaguchi would like it if she said he had fainted.
"Oh…"
Between them, the boy groaned.
"I'm fine, it's nothing, really."
"Well you don't look that fine, half-dragged by your friend." The other boy shrugged. "I'm Omirou, by the way." His head appeared in front of Yamaguchi and his free hand waved at Hinata. "I'm in his class."
"Nice to meet you, Omirou-kun. I'm Hinata. I'm in class 1"
The two of them half-carried Yamaguchi, slowly progressing in the hallway.
"So you're the manager of the volleyball team ? I mean, it's cool but the players could have taken him to the infirmary don't you think ? Wasn't Tsukishima-kun there ?" Omiru asked and Yamaguchi snorted.
"I'm not the manager, I'm on the team." Hinata huffed.
"Oh ? I'm sorry. Isn't it too hard to play with these tall beans ? Which position do you play ?"
"Middle blocker."
"Wait, isn't that also Tsukishima's position ?" The boy laughed and Yamaguchi snorted again. Hinata pinched his hips in retaliation. She felt him trying to hide his squeal.
"Yes, it is." She mumbled.
"How is it ? Playing the same position as someone so tall ? I mean aren't you supposed to be tall to play volleyball ?"
"She doesn't need to be tall to be good." Yamaguchi piped in. "Hinata can jump."
The girl looked at him in surprise before smiling with pride.
"I'll come and see for myself then." Omirou's face winked at her from in front of his classmate. "I'm going to open the door, can you hold him ?" She nodded.
Slowly, he untangled himself and Hinata felt all of Yamaguchi's weight on her shoulders again. She knew he was doing his best to hold himself without leaning too much on her though.
"You okay, Yamaguchi ?" She whispered, looking at him carefully. His face was a little less red but he seemed to have troubles keeping his eyes open.
"Tired." He tried to shrug and almost lost his feeble grip on Hinata's shoulder.
"Don't move too much." She frowned at him. "I don't really feel like saving your face from meeting the ground a second time." He could see the corner of her lips rising in a smirk.
Omirou kept the heavy door open for her to drag her teammates through.
The nurse looked at her with wide eyes and quickly walked to her. She put her hand against the boy's forehead.
"What happened to him ?"
Hinata glanced behind her at Omirou.
"He fainted during practice. He has a fever and didn't eat much at lunch." She whispered and the nurse nodded.
"Let's get him to bed." She grabbed his free arm and helped Hinata. When they reached the bed, the nurse ran to her office to grab some medicine.
"Okay, let's sit on the bed, and then you'll lay, alright ?" Yamaguchi hummed in agreement. Slowly, she turned them around. Yamaguchi's knees bumped into the mattress and he fell on it.
He laid on his side and Hinata lifted his legs so they'd be on the bed too. She sighed deeply, exhausted.
She leaned above her friend and put her hand on his forehead. He was so hot, it was alarming. Her fingers grazed his cheek and he opened his eyes.
"Thanks for helping me, Hinata." He breathed, a small smile on his lips.
"Don't thank me, that's what friends are for."
"Yeah, but I'm happy it was you, imagine if it had been Kageyama." He chuckled and she grimaced. She knew the setter would have most likely abandoned him on the way, to hurriedly go back to practice.
"Oh, how cute. I didn't know you two were together." Omirou's voice surprised them both. The two volleyball players froze, eyes wide.
"We- We're not !" Hinata shrieked, her face as red as Yamaguchi's. "We're just friends."
"Yeah, we're just friends." Yamaguchi added quickly.
"Alright !" Omirou chuckled. He walked to them. "So, does that mean that you are single, Hinata-chan ?"
"Wh- I-..." She looked at Yamaguchi, panicking. "Yes ?"
Before Omirou could say something else, the nurse came in.
"Alright, Yamaguchi-kun. Here, eat this and this and drink. She propped him against a mountain of pillows so he'd be sitting. I also called your parents, they're going to come here to get you. If the fever is not down tonight, you might miss class tomorrow."
The boy nodded at everything she was saying, nibbling on the cookie she had given him.
"You two can go back to your club, I'll take care of him." The nurse smiled reassuringly. Hinata opened her mouth but she cut her. "Don't worry, he'll be just fine with some rest !"
"Alright. Get better, Yamaguchi-kun. I hope to see you tomorrow in class." Omirou smiled at him and walked to the door. Yamaguchi hummed and waved at him.
"I'll tell the team you're not dead and that I didn't drop you halfway here." Hinata smiled and patted his hair.
"Thanks for walking me here, Hinata. And sorry for having almost crushed you on the way."
"No worries, I'm always here to help." She walked to the door too, Omirou was waiting for her there. "Get some rest, I'll take care of your bag and stuff, don't worry."
"Thanks again Hinata. See you soon." He waved at her and she finally left.
"Are you going back to the gym ?" Omirou asked her and she nodded. "Want me to walk you there ?"
"I'm fine thanks. I'll run anyway." She smiled. He opened the heavy door for her. "What club are you in ?"
"Science club. It's pretty fun and less tiring than volleyball, I'm sure."
"Sure."
"Maybe I could come and see you play sometimes." Omirou smiled when he reached the stairs leading to the science wing of the building.
"I'm sure Yamaguchi and Tsukishima will be pleased to have a classmate come to support them." The boy almost groaned at how oblivious that girl was.
"Sure. But I'd love to see you jump too." He winked and she blushed.
"Yeah… I- I need to go back to the gym. Thanks for the help, Omirou-kun." She bowed and fled.
He watched her running back to the gym and was impressed at how fast she was.
She burst inside the gym, almost breathless and every pair of eyes turned to face her.
"Hinata, are you alright ?" Suga asked her with a concerned look.
"I'm good, yes. And Yamaguchi too. He just has a fever and needs to rest." She turned to Tsukishima. "He may be absent tomorrow though. His parents are coming to get him so I told him I'll bring him his bag after practice."
"I'll bring it to him." Tsukishima decided and turned back to the court. "My place is near his anyway."
"Oh, thank you Tsukishima." She smiled. "What did I miss ? You were working on receiving, right ?"
"Yes, so you better move and take your place on the court, Hinata." Ukai roared and she ran where he pointed her to. "But thank you for taking him to the infirmary." He added before throwing the ball towards her.
Practice resumed and when it finally ended Tsukishima promised the team to send a message to the group chat to update them on Yamaguchi's state. He had grumbled and tried to refuse but Tanaka and Hinata had been very persuasive.
He also grimaced when Hinata told him that his classmate, Omirou, had asked to come and see them play. He didn't really feel like talking to the boy to give him the next game's date. He didn't feel like talking to anyone, really.
When the sick boy came back two days later, Hinata had prepared cookies and Tanaka didn't try to scare him during the entire practice and Daichi and Suga almost did not yell when he snickered at Kageyama after he got hit in the face by a stray ball.
He did not say it but he was really happy to be back with everyone else.
Bonus :
Tsukishima knew the Yamaguchi household very well, after years of coming to see his best friend. He had also been there a few times to bring him his homework when he was sick. His mother opened the door with a large smile and pointed to Yamaguchi's room.
"Tsukishima-kun, it's nice of you to bring Tadashi his bag back, thank you." He smiled politely and quickly knocked on the bedroom's door.
"Hey, Tsukki." The boy waved from his bed. He looked almost as if he had been sleeping and Tsukishima had just woken him up. The tall boy put his bag next to the desk.
"How do you feel ?" He sat on the floor in front of the bed, his legs crossed.
"I've been better but I've also been worse. I'm just tired." He shrugged and propped himself on his elbows with a tired smile. "How was practice ?"
"Fine. Hinata must have had to drag you to the infirmary or something because she ran back breathless and tired." The blond snorted.
"Yeah, I feel bad about that though. I leaned on her a lot." He grimaced, ashamed. "We met Omirou-kun though, he helped us too."
"Oh." Now Tsukishima knew that their classmate would ask him questions to make sure Yamaguchi was fine, the next day. And he didn't like talking to people.
"Yeah. I think he creeped her out a bit." Yamaguchi frowned. "He asked her if she was single."
Tsukishima burst out laughing, wondering who in their right mind would like to date the shrimp anyway.
Even if they laughed about it, they agreed they should keep an eye on the boy as he wasn't known to be the kindest boy in the school even though he was quite charming.
They also agreed not to talk about it to their senpais, afraid that Tanaka would hunt the boy relentlessly.
When Tsukishima went back home almost an hour later, his stomach was full of his friend's mom's delicious cooking. On his way, he sent a message to the team, telling them Yamaguchi was fine and that they'd see him back in school two days later.
In his room, Yamaguchi fell asleep really quickly, his fever still too high for him to go to school. He felt guilty for missing practice, and swore to himself that he'd train twice as hard for a week to make up for the missed practices.
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AN : Thank you for your time ! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter ! Comment and tell me who you'd like to see next or what you'd like me to write about :) I can't promise I'll make it happen but if it inspires me I'll do it !