The hushed conversations stopped when Ukai carried Kageyama onto the bus and gently set him in a bench. Suga slid in next to him. "Keep eating, please. And drink enough water too, okay?" Kageyama just nodded and started on a small bag of pretzels.
"Hey, Kags, good to have you back," Asahi said gently with a soft smile.
"Thank you," Kageyama whispered.
"Glad you're safe, buddy," Noya offered. While he kept his voice quieter than normal, he spoke a little louder than Asahi but that wasn't anything new. He wore his normal blinding smile.
Kageyama nodded in response not knowing how to respond.
Shortly after the bus started moving, Kageyama started nodding but apparently tried to fight off the sleep. Since he wasn't going to be able to eat anything else right now, Suga snaked an arm around the younger's neck and gently guided him to rest against his shoulder. Suga resumed stroking Kageyama's hair and within seconds he was sound asleep.
"Daichi, will you text my mom to pick Kageyama and I up from school? He'll be staying with us but I normally walk home." Suga almost whispered.
Thankfully, Daichi somehow heard and immediately took out his phone. "Do you want me to fill her in on the situation?"
"Please, and keep her posted on what time we'll be getting back?"
Daichi simply nodded.
--Time Skip--
Suga sighed in relief when he noticed his mom was waiting as the bus pulled in. The bus came to a stop and Suga looked to his coach. "I don't think we should wake him up," he whispered.
Suga gently moved his arm from behind Kageyama. "Enno, will you support him from behind until we can get him up?"
Ennoshita nodded and moved to the row behind them placing his arms on Kageyama's shoulders to keep him upright.
Before Ukai could pick him up Tsukkishima jumped in. "Coach if you put a blanket in your arms it'll cushion his skin and his sunburn won't hurt as badly." He offered a blanket.
Asahi took it instead. "You can transfer him to me, coach," he offered.
Ukai nodded and Kageyama didn't even stir while he was moved. Daichi volunteered to take Kageyama's stuff to Suga's ride.
Asahi laid the boy in his arm so he was resting across the back seats. His sleep was more important at the moment. "Do you want me to ride with you? It might make it easier to get him inside," Asahi suggested.
"Thank you, but my dad's waiting at home. He'll help us," Suga answered. Asahi nodded and Suga thanked Daichi as well before climbing into the passenger seat.
"Thank you for agreeing to this, Kaachan."
"For nothing, that poor boy needs some spoiling. I'm glad he'll be staying with us. Between us he'll get all the care he needs and more. You know I adore when I get to dote on people. *chuckle* After all, you've been on the receiving side of my care every day. That's just one of the things you get from me. You're heart might actually be bigger than mine. Never thought I'd say that. *chuckle* Between the two of us he'll be absolutely smothered in love and from what Daichi said he's in serious need of it," she paused her soft rambling to glance at the rear view mirror to catch a glimpse of the sleeping figure. "I think I'll give his mother a piece of my mind when I meet her. And your team too. Who could hurt such a precious child?"
Suga chuckled, "You're the greatest, y'a know? You'll have to get in the line that's forming to lecture everyone. He's so stoic all the time most assume he just doesn't have emotions."
"Well that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Everyone knows stoic, quiet people generally have the most going on inside their head. Most of the time, thoughts we keep in our heads are the most distressing."
"I think we're starting to realize that. How could we not after all of...this?" Suga's voice was dripping with regret.
"Sugawara Kōshi, you had better not be beating yourself up about this. Just because you couldn't stop it doesn't make this your fault. You have a big heart but that doesn't mean you get to carry the weight of the world. I know you. I know you tried your best and I know you're going to be a fantastic help moving forward. So don't you dare blame yourself, understood?"
Suga smiled and offered, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
His mother chuckled as she answered, "Hmm, possibly, but I can never hear it enough. It makes me happy to hear I'm taking good care of my children. You all deserve the world after all."
"Well I love you very much. I couldn't ask for a better m-" he was interrupted by a whimper from the still sleeping boy.
Suga turned in his seat to see his underclassmen with furrowed brows and tense muscles. "Mom, i think he's having a nightmare. What do I do?" Suga asked trying to keep his panic at bay. Thankfully, his mom was already starting to pull over. He threw open his door just as Kageyama started thrashing and his whimpers turned into desperate pleas to 'stop' and 'help'combined with heartbreaking 'sorry's.
"Mom, he's going to hurt himself even more!" Suga cried frantically.
"Koshi, calm down. Everything will be okay but he's clearly distressed. We need to stay calm to ease his distress. Take a few deep breaths, son," the woman instructed gently as she pulled open the door by Kageyama's head. "Gently pull him up by his wrists so I can slip behind him."
Suga did as he was told and watched his mother slide behind his underclassmen cradling him against her chest. She gently started carding a hand through his hair. "Suga, keep hold of his hands so he doesnt hurt himself but stay gentle so you don't scare him. And talk to him. He's more familiar with your voice." He did as he was told while his mom hummed soothingly and continued brushing his friend's hair.
"Kageyama, you're safe. This is Suga with you. I'm not going to hurt you and I won't let anyone rlse hurt you either," Suga cooed. His grip remained firm but gentle on Kageyama's wrists and he started tracing patterns over the younger's forearms. "Whatever you're seeing right now isn't real. You're safe with me and my mom. We found you and you are safe. You'll be staying with us at my home and you won't be alone anymore. So you just need to wake up, kiddo." The pleading and thrashing had died down to soft whimpers. "You're doing so good, Kags, just follow my voice. You have to see that you're not alone. We'll keep you safe and you can't even imagine how excited mom is to spoil you."
Kageyama's eyes fluttered open, blew wide, and then he was curling into himself with desperate apologies flying out of his mouth faster yhan bullet trains. It shocked Suga speechless. He'd never been so grateful for his mother in his life.
"Kageyama, baby, you have nothing to apologize for. Just take deep breaths," she whispered. Her hand mived to the boy's back remaining conscious of his injuries while offering comfort.
"B-but, I-why-how-I-" Kageyama stammered helplessly.
"But what, sweetheart. What do you feel the need to apologize for?"
"Running. Getting hurt. Being stupid. Telling on ma. Weak. Nightmares. Crying. Bad. Bad. Bad."
Kageyama's hands moved his hands toward his hair but Suga captured them before the boy could hurt himself any more.
"Oh, honey," Suga's mom whispered. "I'm glad you understand why taking off on your own is dangerous but you don't get to apologize for that. Running was an instinct that you've now learned the cost of. Getting hurt was absolutely not your fault and I won't head another word about it. I never want to hear you call yourself stupid again. You were scared and desperate. The fact that you hot so scared and desperate is something many people need to apologize for and not a single one is you. We'll be talking about your mother later, but I need to hear this loud and clear. You are NOT weak. You are NOT bad. Nightmares are a normal human experience, especially after everything you've been through. And crying, my dear, that's a strength. It helps you release stress and makes you feel better. So I font want to hear one more apology out of your mouth, love."
Kageyama moved to wrap himself around the calming woman and stayed that way until he cried himself back into sleep. Suga then carefully switched places with his mom who finished the drive home in silence.