Kageyama's POV
He never made it to the couch in the hallway. Sleep claimed him soon after Hinata's breathing slowed, the beeping of the monitor and whirring of the machines offering a steady white noise that slowly lulled him into a state of unconsciousness.
For the first time in a while Kageyama didn't dream about the suffocating waters of the river. Rather, a single scenario replayed itself in his head.
- Kageyama's dream/memory-
The form in his arms was cold, Hinata's shivering and panicking had stopped during the drive. The van screeched to a halt outside the the private hospital, and when the doors were pulled open, they were greeted by their friends and medical personnel. Ukai looked shocked at the number of nurses and doctors waiting to assist. "What is all of this?" He asked, sweat trickling down his forehead as he clutched his bloodied side.
"Ukai-kun, if you expect my help for something this big, then you're going to get all of the help you actually require." A short man he recognized from the bar was at Ukai's side with gauze, pressing it against the wound in the man's side. Ukai groaned at the pain, and nodded, "Don't worry about the police, those two junior officers you got involved felt bad that they couldn't keep someone away or something… I didn't get all the details, anyway, they're concocting a story to keep this under wraps."
"T-thank you…. That's a relief. Here, don't worry about me, that kid there needs immediate attention, and there is two more in the van in worse shape." Ukai pointed to Hinata who was limp in Kageyama's arms as he stepped out of the van. Doctors immediately came to retrieve Hinata, but Kageyama held tightly onto him. "Kageyama-kun… you need to let go." Ukai touched his shoulder. Reluctantly, he released the smaller man.
He watched as doctors placed the pale form onto a stretcher and began feeling around for a pulse, already putting pressure on wounds. "Have a defibrillator on standby, his pulse is weak, let's get some oxygen here!"
"Doctor, we have an operating room prepped and ready."
Kageyama stood frozen as they started compressions on his friend, his body appearing unresponsive. Something warm was falling down his face, though it hardly registered. Beside him, doctors were getting Yaku onto a stretcher, his own consciousness waning. Next Tsukishima was helped onto a third stretcher, then Ukai on a forth. The four of them were wheeled into the emergency room, while nurses started to examine the rest.
"Sir? Sir… you're injured, if you could just come with me?" A gentle hand touched his shoulder, and only then did he realize that Hinata was gone and he'd been staring blankly at the doors. He could see his own reflection in the glass now, eyes red from tears, grime covering his clothing and skin, and blood soaking through the arm of his sweater. He nodded, and the woman placed a gentle hand on the small of his back, taking him by the elbow with her other hand and guiding him inside.
The wound wasn't terribly deep, just a graze, however he received a couple of stitches and some pain meds. By the time he was out of the ER, Hinata was well into his surgery. All he could do was wait. First he checked in on Tanaka and Tsukishima, who both were sleeping off the pain meds but were overall doing well. Saeko was standing guard over her brother with a stern expression, while next to Tsukishima's bed was a weeping Yamaguchi. Kageyama approached and gently set a hand on the freckled boy's shoulder. "He's okay, don't worry." was all of the comfort he could give.
Kageyama's feet carried him down sterile halls to the operating theater waiting rooms. Chairs lined up along the walls, framing a large set of double doors. A red light was shining above them, alerting the staff that surgery was in progress. Sitting in the chairs closest to the door were two small forms bundled together as if it was the dead of winter. Natsu sat half on her own chair and half on Yachi's lap, her face buried against the woman's shoulder. Yachi turned her head to look at Kageyama, her expression severe, and her eyes stained red from tears. "You got him back…" Was all she managed to say. Kageyama couldn't speak. He walked to the two young woman and knelt before them.
In any other circumstance, Kageyama would never bow to anyone except Ukai-sama and his grandfather. However, in this situation, he broke his internal promise. Long, slender fingers were placed flat on the floor before him, middle fingers touching tips. He held back the tears that threatened his eyes and touched his forehead to his knuckles. "I humbly beg your forgiveness. Hinata-san is in this situation because of me."
The women were silent for a moment, save for some sniffling from Natsu. "But you brought him back." Yachi stated sternly, "So long as he survives this, that's all that matters."
Kageyama raised his head to look at her. A soft smile played upon her lips, contradicting the tears marking her cheeks. He quickly bowed once more, "Thank you." Kageyama stood, and took the seat next to Natsu, who remained cowered against Yachi.
Hours passed, and the man's worry only festered. When he began to convince himself of the worst, the red light shut off, and moments later the doors opened. A number of doctors and nurses left through the doors, looking exhausted. "Kageyama-kun," A familiar voice said. The man from the lounge approached, shrugging on his lab coat over his dress clothes. Kageyama stood, swaying a bit from his own exhaustion. "You two must be Hinata-kun's family, you'll all be happy to hear that Hinata-kun's surgery went well." A sigh filled the air from all three parties.
"Can we see him?" Was the first thing out of Natsu's mouth, her voice thick with emotion.
"Not just yet. They're getting him situated in a private room on the third floor, once everything is setup, family will be given access."
"What about Kageyama?" Yachi asked, looking between the two men, "He's family."
Kageyama blinked at the woman, shocked by her words. He was sure that despite her forgiveness, she'd want him far away from her friend.
"If you fill out the appropriate visitor paperwork, then yes." The doctor smiled softly at the trio, and bowed. "If you could migrate into the main waiting rooms, a nurse will bring you to Hinata's side once it is time." The three offered small bows, after standing, and followed the small man outside of the operation wing. As they walked they passed by two more theater waiting rooms with groups huddled in chairs. Kageyama recognized some individuals who had grouped together as members of Nekoma, clearly there waiting to hear about Yaku's condition.
"Yaku-san is badly injured, however most of his wounds are non-life threatening. Due to the nature of his injuries his operation will take considerably more time." Takeda explained, before they passed the other set of chairs. Takinoue, Shimada, Daichi, and Sugawara sat waiting for news, appearing as tired, and worried as everyone else. "Ukai-sama should be out of surgery soon provided there aren't any complications. They started working on him about an hour ago."
Finally they exited the wing, approaching the few members not next to people's beds, or theaters. Asahi, Nishinoya, Ennoshita, and his two roommates, Kinoshita and Narita stood at their approach. "How is he?"
"Out of surgery, they're moving him to a private room now." Everyone visibly relaxed some, before sitting.
The doctor disappeared for a moment before returning with a clipboard, handing it to Natsu. "Yachi-san is already on the list as Hinata-kun's emergency contact, however as his only present family, you must be the one to sign over Kageyama's right to enter the room as a visitor." The doctor explained. "Once Hinata-kun wakes up, he will be able to give permission to others."
Natsu nodded, and took the form and pen. With that, Takeda ruffled her hair, and then retreated into the depths of the hospital. Within two hours they were given access to Hinata's room, however they weren't prepared for what they saw. Wires extended from the collar of his shirt, a tube taped in place over his open mouth, traveling down his throat. He was covered in bandages, his skin white as a ghost. Natsu had broken down into noisy sobs, turning to cling onto the person closest to her- which happened to be Kageyama. He held back his own turbulent emotions, focusing instead on comforting the highschooler.
"Natsu-chan, do you want to leave the room for a moment?" He heard himself ask, his arms protectively wrapped around her as she buried her face against his chest. She nodded.
"I'll stay here with Hinata-san," Yachi stated, her voice thready, "Could you keep her company?" Kageyama nodded, and led the young girl into the hallway. They occupied the couch, Natsu curling herself into a ball like a child on the tall man's lap as he rubbed her back. Her tears churned his own emotions, and soon they were both crying.
Hours past, the pair of them having cried themselves to sleep. Eventually Natsu shifted in his arms, waking him. "I want to see Oniisan…" She mumbled. He nodded, and straightened himself on the couch. She clung to his shirt, completely regressing into the attitude of a child. He lifted her off his lap and set her feet on the ground, before leading her to the hospital room again. Yachi was sitting on a stool, her head on the side of the bed as she slept.
Kageyama touched Natsu's shoulder and separated from her grasp before walking over to the young nursing student. Gently he shook her, resulting in a string of mumbles from the sleeping girl. "Yachi-san, there is a couch that will be much more comfortable out there…" He stated. Her eyes slowly inched open, and she offered a weak smile. The man helped her stand, leading her out into the hallway. As they approached the sofa, they saw Takeda approaching with a blanket and pillow.
"Ah! Kageyama-kun! I was just coming back to get you and Natsu-chan a blanket… but it seems you've woken up." The doctor looked absolutely exhausted.
"Takeda-sensei, perhaps you should worry a bit about yourself?" Kageyama stated, smiling weakly.
"Ah, do I look that rough?" The doctor's eyes were dark circled, and the beginnings of stubble had appeared, his hair looking even more disheveled than usual. Kageyama offered a small shrug and a smile, before releasing his hand from Yachi's shoulder so she could get comfortable on the sofa. The doctor handed him the blanket and pillow and smiled, "Perhaps I should get some shut eye now that the craziness of last night is over." With that, he waved and walked down the hallway, his steps slow and unsteady.
Kageyama handed the pillow to Yachi, before draping the blanket over her. "Get some rest. I'll wake you if anything happens." She nodded, and immediately closed her eyes.
Kageyama returned to the room to find Natsu next to the bed on the stool, holding onto her brother's limp hand. He approached silently, but he didn't touch the man. Deep down, he felt he didn't have the right to do so. Suddenly he felt awkward being there, intruding on Natsu as she watched over her only family. "Uh… Natsu-chan, are you hungry?" She shook her head, however her stomach betrayed her with a growl. "You need to eat, I'll go get us something. Keep watch, okay?" Her eyes peeled away from the prone form of her brother to meet with Kageyama's oceanic gaze. Slowly she nodded.
He left the room and walked down the halls to find the elevator. As he travelled, he checked the panels beside the rooms for any names he recognized. Yaku had a room close to the elevator, however he didn't see the names of the Dahlia staff. The hospital was quiet as he arrived on the main floor, the windows showing the first rays of sunlight. He'd been to clinics before, however being in a hospital was a new experience for him. The place was fairly vast- even though it was privately owned. He could only imagine what the large hospital in central Tokyo was like.
"Kageyama-kun?" A tired sounding voice made him jump. Behind him Asahi was exiting the washroom, his face damp from splashing water.
"Ah, Asahi-san, how is everyone? Sorry I didn't stick around to find out how the surgeries went…" He felt terrible about that, however his mind had been so completely consumed by Hinata, it hadn't even crossed his mind.
"Resting. Yaku-san is still in bad shape, they've got him heavily sedated. Ukai-sama was awake shortly after his surgery, almost everyone else is asleep."
"That's… that's a relief." Asahi nodded at that, rubbing the back of his neck.
"How's…" The bartender began to ask.
"Stable. Unconscious. It's-" He sighed heavily and rubbed his chin, feeling stubble. "It's hard to be in there right now." Asahi nodded slowly, understanding.
The large man took a step towards Kageyama, and pulled him by the back of the head into a hug. Kageyama blinked, the fresh smell of clean clothes flooding over his senses. Asahi was warm, offering support and shelter. Before Kageyama could return the hug however, Asahi pulled away, his face red with embarrassment. "Ah, sorry- you looked like you needed-"
"No- uh, thanks… I did." the younger man assured. Asahi looked relieved at that. "Is everyone still here?"
Asahi shook his head, "We sent some people home to rest. We're going to take shifts watching over everyone." Kageyama nodded. "The next group should be arriving in an hour or so. They'll be bringing clothing and such with them for you and the girls."
"Oh, that's good." Kageyama sighed, he felt disgusting in his grimy clothing, and he was desperate for a shower. "Do you know if there is a cafe in here or anything?"
"Yeah, but I'm not sure if it's open. It's only six in the morning, worth a check though."
The pair made their way to the main waiting rooms and found a Cafe. The old woman behind the counter was just setting up the displays as they approached. "Give me twenty minutes boys and you'll be my first customers of the day." They both offered her small bows as thanks and took a seat to wait.
"You know… Things aren't just going to calm down now that Hinata-kun is safe," Asahi spoke quietly, looking sideways at his friend. "Even after all of this, he could still be targeted in the future. Same goes for his sister and Yachi-chan."
Kageyama chewed his bottom lip and nodded, "I don't know what to do…" He replied honestly. Asahi lifted a large hand and ruffled the younger man's hair.
"Don't try taking on all the problems we've gotten ourselves into on your own. You've got a family at your side, and we'll all work together to figure this out. Nobody's going to get left out in the cold- not you, not Hinata-kun, and not his family." Asahi's words brought moisture to the younger man's eyes as he blinked them back, his hands twisted together tightly as he tried to reign in his emotions. He'd been alone on the streets, watching his own back for so many years… now he had others to watch it for him and he hadn't gotten used to that security yet.
"Alright loves, what can I get for you?" The woman asked, standing at the ready behind the counter.
The two men rose and approached, ordering coffee's for themselves, and a few others, along with muffins, porridge, and a few other breakfast pastries. Kageyama accompanied Asahi to the others rooms to check up on them. Seeing Tsukishima awake and trying to calm Yamaguchi was enough to calm some of the raven haired man's nerves. They passed off coffee to Nishinoya, and Saeko, and tea to Yamaguchi before Kageyama offered to take the other beverages to Daichi and Shimada who were watching over Ukai. He offered a nod To Saeko who sat next to a sleeping Ryuu, before travelling down the hall back to the elevator.
Ukai's room was on the same floor as Hinata's, however it was closer to the fire exit. Kageyama wondered absently if Takeda had planned for that, knowing that Ukai wasn't exactly a low profile patient. With a small cardboard tray of drinks in one hand, and a bag of snacks in the other, Kageyama entered the private room. Daichi was immediately facing the door with his hand at his hip; if Kageyama hadn't known Daichi was probably packing a weapon, it wouldn't have caused him any alarm. The younger man raised his encumbered hands and quickly blurted out, "It's just me!"
Ukai was awake in his bed, but tired looking. He waved Kageyama in lazily. "I'm surprised you got past the nurses. Takeda-sensei has had them patrolling diligently."
"They must be doing a shift change, I only saw one on my way up here." Kageyama stated, lowering his arms carefully. He began to hand out the drinks and some snacks. "Don't give me that look, I don't think the doctor would think kindly of me giving you coffee." He scolded the bedridden blonde. Ukai huffed, his expression sour.
"Thank you Kageyama-kun," Daichi offered, taking a muffin before handing the bag to Shimada to choose something to eat.
"Anything new happen? We haven't been able to talk to the others yet." The older man asked, taking a porridge.
"Not really, Tsukishima-san is awake now, but Tanaka-san is out like a light. Asahi-san mentioned that the others should be arriving soon with clothing and such to relieve you guys." Kageyama reported.
"You should go home and sleep at some point too Kageyama-kun... " Shimada warned softly, "The last thing Hinata-kun needs is for you to get sick while watching over him."
Kageyama scowled in his usual tell-tale way, "I slept on the couch, and the others are bringing me clothing and toiletries. I'll be fine." Shimada sighed, knowing full well that nothing would get through the younger man's stubbornness
"Anyway. It's good to see you up- I've gotta get some food to Natsu-chan… I'll stop by later if you're feeling up to a talk." Kageyama directed towards Ukai. The man simply nodded, rubbing his chin. Kageyama offered a small bow at the door, before retreating to Hinata's room. Yachi was sleeping soundly on the sofa, looking like nothing could possibly wake her.
He let his feet carry him to the door, sliding it open as best he could without spilling the remainder of the drinks. Upon seeing him struggling with the now unbalanced drink tray, Natsu rose and walked to meet him. He handed her the drinks and joined her next to the bed. "The one on the left is tea. I didn't know what you preferred so I also picked up some milk and sugar."
"I'm happy with tea, thank you," She offered him a weak smile, mixing in a single packet of sugar and a splash of milk before taking porridge from the bag. Kageyama added some milk to his coffee and sat back with a muffin.
They ate in silence, sitting for what felt like years just watching Hinata's chest rise and fall slowly as the machines regulated his breathing.
As they sat, Kageyama watched the screens, not sure what the numbers meant, he didn't react as they began to change. A nurse came into the room with a serious expression, hardly even speaking to the two sitting with their drinks. Kageyama watched her curiously as she began checking the machines, taking hurried notes on her clipboard. He began to worry however when she hit the nurse call button on the side of the bed. In no time, another nurse, and a doctor were in the room. "I'm sorry to ask this, however could the two of you wait either outside or on the far side of the room? We're going to need to get in beside Hinata-kun's bed." One nurse asked. Natsu made a small sobbing sound as worry overcame her at the sudden presence of medical personnel.
"Is something wrong?" Kageyama asked, hearing his own voice crack with strain. His heart was pounding in his ears, the muffin he'd just finished sitting uncomfortably in his stomach.
"We just need to run some tests, please-" She indicated to a spot away from the bed and the machines. Kageyama stood and held out his hand for Natsu. She took it, her grip crushing as he led her away from the bed. Once they were out of the way, the nurses set to unbuttoning Hinata's shirt. Under the fabric was a mess of bandages and bruising. Kageyama looked down at Natsu, who was now wrapped around him with her face buried against his chest.
"I noticed on the monitors that his blood pressure was fluctuating over the past few minutes…" The first nurse explained to the doctor. The group around the bed began discussing Hinata's condition in intricate medical terms that were completely lost on Kageyama, while checking the machines, and Hinata.
"Blood pressure's crashing!" One nurse called. The beeping of the heart monitor grew unsteady. The second nurse quickly turned and grabbed the phone on the wall, calling for a cart- whatever that meant. The first nurse folded down the railings of the bed, and took the pillow out from under Hinata's head. Next she unscrewed the tube from the device coming from Hinata's mouth, replacing it with a clear bubble that she began to squeeze to push air into his lungs. The nurse that had used the phone turned to Natsu and Kageyama and began hurrying them out of the door just as a doctor and another nurse arrived this time with some sort of machine on a cart. They let the professionals by before hurrying back to the door to look inside. During the ruckus, Yachi had woken, and joined the pair in the doorway.
"Oh no…" She whispered, her eyes wide as she watched them start compressions on her childhood friend.
The cart was moved beside the bed, and two paddles were prepared, and then placed against the small man's bare chest. Kageyama flinched as electricity was pushed through the redhead's body, his back arching off the bed before crumpling back down. They continued to work on him, hitting him again with the charge.
He felt his chest compressing as panic set in. He was watching Hinata's body fail, the doctors trying their damndest to save it.
They were losing him. His back arched off of the table again, and the flat tone of the heart monitors rang through his ears.
"Time of death- 8:24am"
Kageyama woke with a start, sweat covering his brow as he breathed heavily through his clenched teeth.
"Kageyama-san?" A voice like sandpaper greeted him. Blue eyes flicked up to meet a warm earthy gaze. Hinata was alive. That was right- it was just a dream. In reality, his heart had only stopped for a short time. They'd been able to revive him almost immediately. He was here. He was alive. Kageyama's body moved on it's own. His long fingers greeting the soft skin of Hinata's cheeks. The redhead stared at his friend with wide, curious eyes as Kageyama continued to move. The taller man rested his forehead against Hinata's trying to calm his breathing. He was shaking, his heart pounding in his ears. "K-kageyama-san? Are you okay?"
He didn't move, he just continued to stand there, his forehead pressed to Hinata's, the man's small head held between his hands. Cold fingers wrapped around one of Kageyama's wrists, while Hinata's other hand rose to cup Kageyama's cheek.
"It's okay- we're safe…" Hinata's voice shook. He was trying to be supportive, but his own insecurity was betrayed in his voice.
"I'm the one that should be telling you that," Kageyama's voice came out as a hushed whisper, only for their ears. "I keep feeling like every time I take my eyes off of you, I'm going to lose you forever." His eyes were closed as he spoke, focusing entirely on calming down. When he opened his eyes and pulled back from Hinata's face, he was surprised to see a vibrant flush covering the man's face.
"Kageyama…" Hinata said softly, one of his hands still grasping the taller man's wrist. Kageyama felt heat over his ears at the usage of his name without honorifics. It made his heart skip a beat, which he thought was strange. His friends sometimes called him Kageyama, and his stomach never backflipped when they said it. "I'm n-"
"Oniisan!" A shrill cry rang out. Whatever Hinata was about to say was lost, as the body of a high schooler all but flew across the room. "Thank goodness, I thought you'd never wake!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hiccuped, her arms flung around her brother, causing Kageyama to jump back or risk getting smacked.
"Natsu-chan!" A stern voice barked, "Your brother is injured! Don't be so rough!" Yachi walked calmly into the room, though she had a smile on her face that screamed relief.
"I can't believe you didn't wake us, how could you- keeping oniisan all to yourself…" Natsu turned her head to glare at Kageyama. He gulped, rubbing the back of his neck. Hinata hugged his sister as best he could before working to pry her off. She released her crushing hold, but kept herself snuggled against him on the bed. Yachi arrived at their side, and placed a gentle kiss on Hinata's forehead.
"It's good to see you awake, how do you feel?"
"About as good as I look," The man joked, offering a strained chuckle, "Pain meds are doing their job, but I've still got some aches."
She nodded in understanding, "Any nausea?"
He sighed, "Yeah, I haven't had anything but water though so it's not like anything's come up." She turned her head to the small table and found the sippy cup. Carefully she brought it to him, and held it in place for him to drink.
"You should have more water. Try to fight through the discomfort."
"Yes ma'am." He took the straw in his mouth and drank.
Yachi blushed and sighed, "Sorry, I don't mean to nag-"
Hinata finished drinking and shook his head, "Don't be ridiculous. You've been like this since we were little, only now you actually know what to do. Thank you, all of you."
Kageyama felt awkward being there, a flush covering his cheeks. This felt like a family moment, which was his hint to leave. He stood, and head for the door, "Uh… Sorry- I'll let you guys have some time. I've gotta talk to Ukai-sama anyway."
"Kageyama?" Hinata asked at his back, sounding confused for his sudden departure.
Kageyama felt his stomach backflip again, hearing his name being spoken in such a familiar way. Absently, he wondered what the name Tobio would sound from those very same lips. His feet carried him down the hallway as he mentally scolded his mind for imagining something so ridiculous. Why would Hinata ever call him Tobio?
Damn, he needed some fresh air. The whole hospital felt claustrophobic. He could feet the coolness that had accompanied Hinata's touch. It clung to his wrist, to his cheek. A shiver ran down his spine as he heard Hinata's voice, or his imagination of it- "Tobio…" Heat splashed over his face as he groaned. What the fuck was his brain trying to do to him?
He was just tired… yeah, that's it.
A/N: I very nearly erased this whole chapter. Apologies if it's crap- My muse has been all over the place because of exam stress and I feel it's probably making my writing sound forced. -sigh- ANYWAY. Almost free from the terror that is finals.
To top it off, my friend dropped out of coming down for Vancouver Fanexpo and now I have nobody to go with -sob- this will be my first time going in cosplay and I feel terrified! I also feel like I'm going to be terribly bored by my self. -sigh- I may only go for one day now, which is a waste of my second cosplay. Enough rambling...
EDIT: Thank you all for reading, and supporting! More to come!I would like to formally apologise to readers who began reading this expecting a Kuroken or kurotsuki fic- I've received a few complaints regarding my tagging them as pairings. So, let me explain. Upon writing this fiction, I had a general plan for some characters- however when it came to Tsuki and Kuroo I was undecided.
So here's the official statement. This fiction is KurooXkenma and TsukiXYamaguchi. There will be reference to TsukiXKuroo past relations. You have a problem with that, then don't continue reading. I don't support ship wars, so anti's can go elsewhere. If this isn't your ship, I support that, because honestly, I also ship kurotsuki- why? Because I don't have any notp's. Sorry to those I upset with my lack of decisiveness, I'll attempt to avoid further confusion in future fics. Overall though, this pairing is MINOR in this story. This is a Kagehina fic first and foremost.
Thank you.