Yeeeeaaaahhh I finally managed to finish this chapter!
I'd like to thank all the wonderful people who left lovely comments and reviews last chapter TTvTT
It really means a lot! They were very encouraging
I've been writing this fanfiction late at night everyday because any other time during the day I'm too busy...
This chapter is kinda boring in my opinion... but meh...
For what it's worth
Enjoy chapter 8~~~

Sugawara placed his hand on Kageyama's forehead and recoiled instantly as though he had just touched a burning hot iron. "What are you saying!? You've got a crazy fever!" His mum switch turned on. "You can't play in this condition! You have to rest!"

"I'm fine," Kageyama breathed. His voice was barely audible and the texture of it had become scratchy and coarse, certainly not a nice sound to hear. No wonder Kageyama had seemed so quiet during practice today Hinata thought.

Kageyama staggered a few steps forward, wobbling dangerously as though his legs would give way any moment. He bent down to pick up a volleyball that was lying beside his feet.

"Oi Kageyama!" Nishinoya yelled.

The volleyball slipped out of Kageyama's fingers and landed with a dull thud on the ground.

His body followed soon after.

Kageyama had fainted.

Everyone rushed towards his unconscious body and Takeda started panicking.

"A-a-ambula-la," He stuttered.

"Wait calm down sensei!" Ukai shook Takeda trying to snap him out of his trance.

"Ambulance!" Takeda yelled as though he did not even see Ukai. "Call an ambulance! 119! The police! Firemen!"

While Ukai tried to calm Takeda down, Sugawara took charge around Kageyama.

"Tanaka! Asahi! Lift him up carefully and lie him down on the bench!" Sugawara had that certain tone of urgency in his voice that was much like a mother's. One that you couldn't refuse. Not that anyone had any reason to do so in this situation. Tanaka and Asahi did as they were told.

"Nishinoya! Grab some clean towels and some drink bottles that are still full!" Sugawara instructed.

"On it!" Nishinoya ran off to gather the items.

"Ennoshita! Call the hospital!" It was probably unnecessary to say that as Ennoshita had already begun punching the numbers into his cellphone long before the order had even been given.

"Daichi! Go look for a teacher that can take Kageyama to the hospital!"

"Eh?" Daichi said puzzled. "But what about Takeda sense—"

"Do you think we can rely on him right now?" Everyone was a little shocked that Sugawara had just openly insulted someone but he was right, Takeda was still panicking and Ukai was still trying to calm him down. Daichi immediately left. Even he was not willing to argue with Sugawara when he was in his Sugamama mode.

"Tsukki! What do we do!?" Yamaguchi blubbered to Tsukishima. "What if he dies? Tsukki what will we do then!?"

"Shut up Yamaguchi." But even Tsukishima had a hint of worry in his voice.

Nishinoya came flying back into the scene, his arms full with drink bottles and towels.

"Tsukishima! Yamaguchi!" Sugawara yelled again. "Help me lower his temperature!"

Yamaguchi began helping with no hesitation, fumbling around with the bottles, but Tsukishima was not as cooperative.

"Tch, why do I ha—"

"Tsukishima," Sugawara murmured dangerously, giving him a look that was almost threatening.

Tsukishima knew better than to argue.

Hinata watched the event unfold before him, unmoving. Hinata didn't know what to do in this kind of situation so he just kind of stood there, mind blank, staring at Kageyama's agony induced face, the beads of sweat rolling down his pale complexion and the clouds of steamy breath that appeared and disappeared above his unnervingly still body.

"Hinata."

He didn't respond.

"Hinata!" Sugawara called.

This time he looked up.

Sugawara started when he saw Hinata's expression.

"Are you ok?" Sugawara spoke in a softer tone. "You look horrible."

"Eh? R-really?"

Hinata only just realised that he was gritting his teeth so hard it was beginning to hurt. His fists had been clenched tightly at his sides as if they were desperately clinging on to something and didn't want to let go. Cold sweat had caused his sunny orange hair to stick in clumps to his skin making his mess of a head even unrulier than before.

"I-I'm o-ok," Hinata stammered. I'm not ok! He wanted to shout. Why did Kageyama faint? He wanted to ask. Was it HIS FAULT?

Hinata bit his lip, trying not to let the tears right on the edge of his eyes spill over.

"Don't worry," Sugawara said, patting his head. "It'll be fine."

No it most definitely is not fine! Hinata wanted to scream. But the fact that he was even thinking these kinds of thoughts when Sugawara was trying to comfort him only made him feel worse.

"Hey Hinata, do you think you can go get Kageyama's things and bring it over here for me?"

The thought that Hinata might be of a just the smallest bit of little help to Kageyama gave him a little strength. He immediately dashed to the clubroom to look for Kageyama's possessions.

After about 15 minutes of turning the clubroom upside down searching for Kageyama's bag and uniform, he finally found it wedged in a gap between the lockers and the wall.

Why would he stash his stuff in such a bizarre place? Hinata wondered. It certainly wasn't an easy place to access.

Tossing the thought aside, Hinata grabbed the items and ran back out the door.

"Hey Daichi…" Sugawara said.

Daichi had managed to find a teacher to offer their help to take Kageyama to the hospital and Asahi and Tanaka were helping the teacher carry Kageyama to the car.

"Yeah?" Daichi was busying himself with cleaning up the gym. The normal training was long from over but everyone figured they would all go and take the bus to the hospital to wait for Kageyama's diagnosis. Many other Karasuno volleyball team members were also darting around the gym, picking up volleyballs and mopping the floor.

"Do you think Kageyama will be ok? I heard high fevers can lead to worse i-illnesses…" the last word was uttered with such reluctance, it sounded as though it had took everything in him to force it through the gaps between his lips.

Daichi sighed. "Don't overthink it." He slapped Sugawara's back (receiving a loud "OOF" in response) "you always end up doing that."

Sugawara winced as he rubbed the area in which he had just been hit. "Haha… I guess you're right…" but he didn't sound as though he had been convinced at all.

Hinata stood outside, listening intently to the conversation that was being held inside. Kageyama was… might be…? He furiously shook his head. No. There's no way Kageyama would. But what if… What if… he wasn't able to play volleyball anymore? What if he wasn't able to toss to Hinata anymore?

Where would his invincibility go then? What was the strongest decoy without his setter? Without Kageyama he would be nothing. A nobody.

Hinata's arms flopped to his sides, forgetting that they were supposed to be holding Kageyama's items. The heavy bag hit the ground with a muffled clunk, the fall softened by the long grass growing beside the gym.

Sugawara and Daichi's voices immediately became quiet.

Hinata then realised that if he was eavesdropping, he probably should've been more careful with his actions.

"Hinata?" Sugawara called from inside the gym.

Hinata peeked his head from the doorway and grinned sheepishly. Sugawara picked up on the situation right then.

"How much did you hear…?" Sugawara tried to approach the subject delicately.

"N-nothing! I heard nothing! N-nothing at a-all!" Hinata blabbered, flailing his arms in the air in wild gestures.

Daichi stared and Sugawara raised an eyebrow.

"I mean I h-heard a little, just a little. I d-didn't mean—but I just! I just happened to-!" Hinata came up with a whole string of excuses, none of which seemed even remotely plausible.

"I'm sorry," Hinata lowered his head. "I heard everything."

Sugawara laughed cheerily causing Hinata's face to flush a bright red. But his mood quickly darkened.

"Sorry that you had to hear that," Sugawara apologized. "It seems that you just keep receiving more things to worry about…"

Hinata was indeed becoming more and more anxious, but Sugawara was only half-right, as the roots of his problems all technically came from the same place. Lately, Kageyama seemed to be occupying so much of his time and effort that there was nothing else in his head but Kageyama.

"It's ok," Hinata mumbled. "He's invincible after all."

"Eh?"

"Nothing!" Hinata said quickly. Kageyama had said that he was so he was, right?

"Why don't you go with the sensei to take Kageyama to the hospital?" Sugawara suggested.

"Huh!?" Hinata froze. He wasn't ready to see Kageyama yet! Let alone be with him with no one else around (except the teacher). Sure he would be knocked out cold and probably wouldn't even know that Hinata was there but still. The car had probably left already anyway.

"The car probably still hasn't left yet," Sugawara said, confirming Hinata's fears. "And we need someone to take his stuff for him," he glanced out the doorway where Kageyama's bag and its contents still lay scattered over the grass.

"I-I can't!" Hinata cried.

"Why not?" Daichi asked.

Hinata opened his mouth to speak before realising that 'I can't face Kageyama right now' probably wasn't the best excuse to use.

"M-my stomach hurts." He lied instead. He clutched his stomach dramatically (if that was even possible) and made horrible groaning and moaning noises.

Daichi chuckled before throwing his demanding captain's glare in Hinata's direction.

Hinata dropped the act, grabbed Kageyama's things and was out the gym in 2 seconds flat.

Sugawara and Daichi watched the little figure run off and jump inside a car. The car drove away moments later.

"Daichi, do you think he'll ever realise?" Sugawara sighed.

"I wonder about that…"

Hinata bowed many times to the teacher and explained the situation to him before throwing Kageyama's bag and clothes into the boot and climbing into the backseat of the car. Problem was, Kageyama was also lying down and took up the entire back row. Hinata had two options, to give Kageyama a lap pillow and sit still like a rock for 45 minutes and risk getting a leg cramp or to sit up front. The latter seemed much more appealing at the moment.

"Hinata-kun," the teacher said. "Can you stay with Kageyama-kun and make sure he doesn't roll off the seats during the ride?"

Well, Hinata thought, there went his options.

Hinata stared at Kageyama's face. It was still contorted with pain but it had softened ever so slightly. He looked peaceful and kind of… cool. He would be so much more attractive if he just stopped frowning a little, Hinata thought. What a waste.

His heart skipped a beat.

What was he thinking? Kageyama was his arch-rival. You weren't supposed to think these kinds of things about your worst enemy!

All of a sudden, the idea of giving Kageyama a lap pillow just got a whole lot worse.

"Hinata-kun?" The teacher called from the front seat. "We need to go."

"R-right!"

What was he doing? Kageyama needed to go to the hospital! This was no time to be thinking about these things!

Hinata carefully slotted himself underneath Kageyama's head, shut the door behind him and they were off.

Hinata tried to look elsewhere, anywhere as long as it wasn't at Kageyama. His fingers itched, resisting the urge to run his hand through the messy looking black hair that lay before him. His face felt hot. He hoped the teacher didn't notice his reddening cheeks.

Hinata tried to think of something that could distract him. Bad idea.

His thoughts drifted back to what Sugawara had said earlier.

He had said that high fevers could potentially lead to much worse sicknesses. Does that mean that Kageyama could end up like that? He wouldn't right?

Kings didn't suffer from things like illnesses right?

The more Hinata thought about it, the more his chest tightened. He wanted to run his hand through the coal hair sprawled over his lap but this time for a different reason.

He wanted to reassure himself that Kageyama was actually there, warm, still breathing. He wanted to confirm Kageyama's existence.

Hinata placed his hand on Kageyama's head. It was hot. Uncomfortably hot. But Kageyama's hair was soft and silky despite appearing rather stiff and bristly. It was a nice feeling.

Kageyama's fever hadn't gone down at all, in fact it seemed to be getting higher. His face was a sickly pale colour, a complete contrast against his dark hair.

Hinata looked out the window and watched the scenery of trees and buildings fly past, his hand still gently stroking Kageyama's hair.

Kageyama would be fine right? Kageyama had said so. He had said that as long as he was there, Hinata would be invincible. So there was no way he would just disappear right? Of course not. After all, to Hinata,

Kageyama was invincible.

Author's Note: Fufufufu
Sugamama and Sawapapa know~~~
Everything from this point on will probably be mainly in Hinata's POV
Keyword: PROBABLY
Since I always end up changing things around...
Please leave a comment or review! It's really nice listening to what my readers think
See you next chapter~~~