Chapter Text
Despite the fact that Ukai was coaching a team of teenagers, and currently had one living under his roof, he had to admit he didn't know a lot about them. Or more specifically, how to look after them.
The past seven weeks or so had been a massive learning experience for the coach.
He'd originally thought that most teenagers wanted space above anything else. That they preferred to be left to their own devices the majority of the time.
Though he was quickly proven wrong, finding that Kageyama actually seemed to enjoy spending a lot of his time with Ukai and his mother, whether it be watching them cook while making idle conversation, sitting on the sofa watching TV together, or just driving around to get the kid out of the house a little more.
He supposed that likely wasn't an trait he had in common with most people his age though. Living on your own for so long and at such a young age would probably make you cherish every bit of interaction you had with people. Especially if they were people that actually showed they cared about you, and were actively looking after you.
Ukai's heart ached for the kid. From what Tobio had actually told him, (he had a feeling there were still a few missing bits and pieces) he hadn't exactly had an easy life.
His parents died when he was young.
His sister abandoned him.
His only parental figure, his grandfather, died only about a year ago.
And the only people he'd ever even come close to calling friends left him, and in front of a crowd, no less.
It really wasn't a very good life at all.
But Ukai was determined to make it better. He and his ma, as well as Hinata and the team. They were going to make this kid feel so loved, he wouldn't know what to do with all of the affection.
But again, Ukai was still on his way to working out how to do that.
Surprisingly, the kid was completely different to how he was on the court.
Kageyama was actually pretty timid. He did as he was told, he didn't really talk back. He didn't really talk at all, unless spoken to first, in the first few weeks. The coach was originally slightly worried about it, so he assured the boy that he was allowed to speak his mind whenever he wanted to. With Hinata's encouragement, he began to speak up a little more. Not much, but he shared his thoughts and opinions more often, asking questions and having longer conversations.
He started getting to know the kid better.
Kageyama had taken a quick liking to his mother. She had always been a gentle but firm type of woman. Upon passing by Kageyama's room at one point, the coach overheard him talking to Hinata, telling him how Ukai's ma reminded him of his own mother, sometimes. Ukai didn't think his heart could ache any more for this kid, but once again he was proven wrong.
The coach also found out that Tobio, when given food, always cleaned his plate completely. Most of the time it didn't even matter what it was, he would eat it anyway. There were few things that he would turn his nose up at.
But he would never ask for seconds. It was only ever the one plate he would eat. Even when offered a second plate or bowl of something he would turn it down.
It was a little odd, but Ukai didn't question the boy.
This odd behaviour was the only reason why he noticed something was off, when one evening, Kageyama seemed to struggle to finish his curry.
"Everything okay, kid?" Ukai questioned, having watched as the boy pushed his food around his plate for the past ten minutes, taking small bites every so often.
"Yeah," Tobio responded quietly, pausing his movements, "just not that hungry, I guess."
The coach made brief eye contact with his ma across the table, her train of thought clearly in the same place as his own. This was not normal Kageyama behaviour.
"You look tired, honey," the older woman observed, her tone soft, "why don't you head to bed early tonight? It might do you good to get a little extra sleep."
Ukai hadn't noticed at first, but upon closer inspection, he found that his ma was right. Kageyama did look tired, exhausted even, the dark circles under his eyes standing out against skin that was far more pale than usual.
Tobio, instead of replying, simply nodded his head slowly, before pushing his chair backwards and standing.
"Head to the bathroom, kid. I'll grab your pyjamas out of the dryer and leave them outside the door for you," Ukai supplied.
The boy hummed, nodding his head in thanks as he stumbled to the doorway.
The pair waited until they heard the bathroom door click shut to discuss what had just unfolded.
"He's sick," his ma concluded, leaning over the table to collect their plates.
"Yeah, I gathered as much," he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "why didn't he say anything though?"
"He's used to looking after himself," she stood, moving over the sink, plates in hand, "and he likely doesn't wanna be a bother."
Ukai ran a hand down his face, "god. Why is looking after a kid so damn complicated?"
The older woman chuckled, "actually, Tobio is far easier to take care of than most kids. You were a nightmare when you were his age."
The blonde pushed his chair back and headed towards the dryer, "yeah, yeah I get it. You've told me often enough, you don't need to remind me again."
"Always made a fuss about every little thing, didn't do anything you were told-"
"Alright Ma, I get the picture," he rolled his eyes, dry clothes in hand.
"And when your father found out you were smoking-"
"Enough already!"
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"Kid?"
When Ukai had instructed the boy to go to the bathroom, he had expected him to be out again and in bed in a matter of minutes. But alas, twenty minutes later, the boy was still locked inside, and hadn't even taken the pyjamas from outside the door.
"You okay, bud?"
So Ukai was knocking as non-threateningly as possible, his mother stood behind him on the landing, both of their worry increasing with every second that went by without a response.
Once again he was met with silence.
His ma tried this time, "Tobio? Is everything okay?"
There was a beat of silence, both of them straining to hear any sound through the door.
Until finally, they received a quiet reply.
"No."
The coach almost sighed in relief. It wasn't exactly a reassuring response, but at least now they knew that the hadn't collapsed or something.
"You think you can let us in, kiddo?" The blonde asked, silently pleading for the answer to be yes.
There was a soft click, indicating that the door had been unlocked, and again Ukai had to fight the urge to sigh in relief.
He pushed down the handle, and slid open the door.
Immediately the pair were met with the foul stench of sickness, vomit and sweat. For a moment, Ukai had to will himself not to retch as well. His mother -clearly far more adept in dealing with this kind of situation- stepped forward speedily, towards the sickly boy leaning his back against the bathtub, looking all but miserable.
There were a few paper towels across the floor, with murky coloured liquid soaking into them. Clearly Kageyama hadn't quite made it to the toilet in time.
Analysing the setter, he looked far worse than earlier, his face now a pasty white, sweat dripping down his cheeks and fringe sticking to his forehead. His breathing was heavy and laboured, and his right arm hung loosely around his middle.
Ukai remembered all at once that the kid, although now reaching the end of his healing process, was still injured. The couch doubted vomiting while hunched over the toilet would be particularly pleasant, but the poor kid was also in pain, on top of that. He grimaced in sympathy.
"Oh, Tobio," his mother whispered, kneeling next to the boy, her eyebrows pinched in worry.
"Sorry for making a mess," he mumbled, "I tried to clean it up, but I- I didn't-"
"Kiddo, it's perfectly fine. I can clean it up," Ukai reassured, "you've got nothing to apologise for."
The setter hummed tiredly, leaning into the older woman's touch as she rested the back of her hand on his forehead.
"Yeah, you've definitely got a fever," she affirmed, bringing her hand down to cup his cheek gently, "how about we get you to bed, huh?"
The ravenette hummed again, "I don't think I can get up."
Ukai knelt down on Tobio's other side, "here, let me help."
He slipped his arm behind the teenager's back, his mother doing the same on the boy's other side, before the two of them lifted Kageyama's body weight for him, bringing him to stand on shaky legs.
They slowly guided the setter out of the door and across the landing, before finally getting him into his room and into bed.
His ma lifted the covers over the boy, before speaking softly, "do you think you'll be comfortable sleeping in those clothes, sweetie? Or do you want help changing?"
"M'fine like this," he rolled onto his side, practically nuzzling his face into the pillow.
Ukai's lips upturned slightly at the sight, glad to know that the kid was finally beginning to realise that he was allowed to be a little vulnerable from time to time, and know that there were people around to pick up his slack.
"I'm gonna go grab a few things, I'll be right back," the older woman spoke as she walked past the blonde, "try and get him to sleep."
The coach smiled, "I think he's already half way there as it is."
He gestured to the bed, where Tobio lay with his eyes already closed, his breathing not quite even enough to be asleep just yet, but he was certainly nearing that point.
The older woman chuckled fondly as she left the room.
Ukai was fairly certain that his ma, even if she had only known the boy for less than two months, would be more than happy to let Kageyama live with them forever.
The two of them had been quick to get along.
Tobio didn't talk much, though his mother didn't seem to mind. She was happy to do the majority of the talking for both of them. It was clear that he was listening intently to every word she would say, humming affirmatively or nodding along every so often. And when he was well enough to start moving around a little more, he would start accompanying her on the shop floor, behind the counter, spending time together when business was slow.
But eventually the boy did begin to speak, and it seemed that the older woman only grew more fond of the boy.
He would ask a lot of questions, the two of them found.
Surprisingly, he was a very curious boy, and seemed to always be looking to help out wherever he could, even while he was injured and could barely move.
Ukai and his ma taught the setter a fair few board games and card games, and his mother had given permission for Kageyama to raid her book collection, stored away in her bedroom, so that he could have something to entertain himself with.
In all honesty, the coach wasn't expecting him to take her up on her offer, as the majority of her books were nothing but cheesy romance novels. But alas, one day he returned home from practice to find Kageyama parked on the sofa, blanket across his lap and cheesy romance novel in hand. He was already at least halfway through the book.
And that only gave him and the Ukai's ma more to talk about.
He though back to what he'd heard a few weeks ago.
Ukai's ma reminded Kageyama of his own mother, who had passed on at least ten years prior.
It was bittersweet.
But still, the boy was finally getting the motherly relationship that he'd been deprived of his whole life. That was something to be pleased about, at least.
He certainly seemed happier now.
When he first met the setter, he was invigorated. Full of life and energy. But he quickly realised that with anything outside of volleyball, that energy disappeared.
He was like a shell of a person most of the time, just floating through life, waiting for something to happen. That didn't seem to be the case anymore. At least not quite as often. There were still days where he would seem to shut down. He'd barely talk on those days, if at all, and he'd spend his time just laying in bed.
Tobio's injury was a horrific event, of course, and those had been a very stressful few days. But in the long run, it was probably a good thing.
It had opened both Kageyama's eyes, and everyone else's.
Kageyama was depressed.
There was no doubt about that, at least not to Keishin.
It had only been confirmed for him a few weeks back, when Hinata and the boy in question had approached him one evening, and asked if they could talk to him.
They'd agreed that once Tobio was well enough physically, they would be booking to see a therapist.
Hinata seemed to be a recurring theme in all of these breakthroughs as well. He also seemed to be a recurring person within the household. He visited most afternoons, and stayed for dinner sometimes too. He had stayed for sleepovers a couple times, when the weather got too choppy to bike home in, or if Kageyama just needed his friend with him for the night.
Friend.
There was no way the two of them were just friends. That was obvious enough.
If the amount of time they insisted on spending together wasn't enough evidence, the way they gazed at each other when they thought no one was looking certainly was.
His mother called it sweet. And to be honest, it kind of was.
Ukai wasn't one for romance, but it was amusing to watch the pair dance around each other, seemingly trying to convince everyone that there wasn't something happening behind the scenes.
Young love was certainly something to behold.
And it was probably something that Kageyama needed. Hinata was a very kind boy, and obviously cared about the ravenette a whole damn lot.
They were inseparable.
They were a duo like none Ukai had ever seen.
And he'd be lying to himself if he said it wasn't a little sweet.
Tobio hadn't deserved any of the shit he'd had to put up with. But Ukai was glad that people were helping him mend.
And now, sat on the floor, leaning against the side of the Kageyama's bed, he was once again cursing whatever gods decided to make this kid's life a living hell, as he listened to him hiss in pain.
"Hey, bud," he started, speaking as gently as possible, "what do you need? Water? Some more pillows?"
God, Ukai really had no idea what he was doing. He was only twenty-six, how the hell was he supposed to know how to look after a sick kid?!
The boy mumbled something inaudible, his voice muffled in the duvet.
"Sorry kid, I didn't catch that," he leaned forward, moving a little closer to the boy's face, "could you say that again?"
The sickly boy slowly and shakily tugged the duvet away from his mouth and spoke again, "just stay."
Ukai's eyes widened. After a few seconds, the setter added even more quietly, "please."
It took another couple of moments for Ukai to realise he should probably respond, "yeah. Yeah kiddo, I can do that."
Kageyama gave the barest hints of a smile, "thank you," he replied.
The blonde didn't think there was anything more to be said, so he began to turn back around. He stopped when he heard the boy speak again.
"For everything."
The coach hesitated, once again taking in the information, before smiling.
"It's no problem, bud."
The ravenette yawned, and at that point, Ukai was sure the conversation was over. He turned back around and rested his head against the mattress, letting his eyes slip closed as he waited for his ma to return.
"You remind me of my grandpa."
His eyes shot open as he whipped his head around again, only to find the boy finally slumbering, his breathing evened out.
Did the kid really just... drop a bombshell like that and then immediately fall asleep?
Of course he did.
He, Ukai Keishin, the twenty-six year old nobody that the kid had only really known for a few months, reminded him of one of the most important people, if not the most important person in his life? He reminded this poor, lonely kid of his grandpa?
Ukai lifted his head up to stare at the ceiling, blinking the wetness out of his eyes. Jesus christ.
This boy really needed a hug.
His ma wandered back into the room as quietly as possible, a variety of objects in hand. If she noticed her son scrubbing at his eyes as he scrambled to his feet, she didn't comment on it.
"I grabbed a bucket, a bowl of lukewarm water and a rag. Here take this-" she held out her hand with the bucket, "and put it next to the bed, where he'll see it if he wakes up."
Ukai did as he was told, taking note of the square looking object sticking out of the older woman's pocket.
"What that?" He questioned.
"Crackers, so he can eat something easy on the stomach-" she placed the bowl of water on the bedside table, taking the crackers out of her pocket, followed by another object, smaller this time, "and so he can take these with some food."
'These' were a small packet of medication, mainly for pain, but also used to ease nausea.
Ukai silently reminded himself to note all of this information down later, should he need it in future. Just in case Tobio became sick again at some point. He reasoned that it could also be useful should one of the boys become ill while on a training camp, far from home.
He watched as his mother knelt beside the bed, just next to the bedside table, and fairly near to the setter's face. She carefully squeezed out the rag into the bowl of water, before slowly wiping it along the back of his neck. She then moved to wipe down his face, taking off as much of the sticky sweat as possible, before submerging it back in the water again. Wringing it out once more, she finally moved to place it across the sleeping boy's forehead.
Even in his sleep, Kageyama tilted his head upwards to meet the touch of the cloth, his face going slack as he was provided with a little relief, a small whine leaving his lips. Ukai's heart clenched in sympathy.
"Why were you crying?" His ma whispered into the silence, her eyes remaining fixed on the sick teenager.
Damnit. He thought he'd gotten away with it.
"You saw that, huh?"
"I did," she replied, finally facing her son as he sat on the floor next to her, leaning his back against the bed frame, "what's going on?"
He sighed, closing his eyes, "kid just said something, is all."
The older woman shifted from her knees to her backside, beside the blonde, "what kind of something?"
"He said I reminded him of his grandpa," he chuckled breathily, "and then he fell asleep. Literally. No room between the two events."
There was a beat of silence as his mother contemplated her reply.
"And are you... upset? About him thinking that?"
"No. God no. It's just-" he paused, "It's just made me remember all of the shit he's had to deal with."
He didn't elaborate.
He didn't need to.
A few minutes passed in silence. His mother didn't question further.
"We should let him sleep in peace," she said, getting up.
"Yeah," the coach agreed quietly, "yeah we should."
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Ukai should've been expecting the knock at the door, in hindsight. He should've been expecting a short red head to barrel into his house in the early afternoon, out of breath from having run all the way from school. He should've been expecting people to question Kageyama 's sudden disappearance. He should've. But he didn't.
"He's sick?"
The boy's face dropped.
"Yeah. I'm not sure if he's gonna be up for visitors," the coach responded, his annoyance at the spiker's sudden appearance quickly dissipating as the teenager's expression morphed into one of immense sadness.
Ukai knew the feeling.
Kageyama had already put up with far too much shit. This illness was taking the mick at this point.
"But- but I'm his boy-" the red head cut himself off, his eyes widening before stuttering out a correction, "his best friend. I'm his best friend. I'm sure he'd be up to seeing me."
Ukai raised an eyebrow, smirking at the short boy's slip up.
Hinata blushed, "please just ask him."
Ukai sighed, shaking his head, "if he's awake, I'll ask him. If not, you're going home. You can see him tomorrow."
"But-"
"Nope," Ukai raised his hand, halting the red head, "it's either these terms, or you go home now. Your choice."
Hinata closed his mouth.
The blonde marched his way up the stairs, and gently knocked on Kageyama's door.
"Kageyama? You up, kid?"
A few moments passed in silence, and just as Ukai was about to head back down stairs, assuming the teenager was still asleep, a groggy voice met his ears.
"Yeah, I'm up."
There was a shuffling sound, followed by clumsy footsteps, before the door opened from the inside, revealing a very dishevelled, still very sick looking Tobio.
"S'everything okay?" The ravenette asked, rubbing at his eyes.
"You think you'd be up for a visitor?"
His current appearance told Ukai that he would absolutely not be up for visitors, whether they be his 'best friend' or otherwise. But alas, he already knew what the setter's response would be.
"Hinata's here?" He perked up immediately, all traces of sleep suddenly having disappeared.
The coach sighed, "Yeah, he's here. But you don't exactly seem well enough to-"
"Please can he come up here?"
Ukai had never understood the persuasive effects of what other adults would call 'puppy-dog eyes'. He never really saw what made people give in so easily.
He certainly did now.
It was sure that Kageyama didn't even know he was doing it, and of course, if Ukai brought it up, the boy would be mortified. So instead, the blonde opted for letting out a heavy, defeated sigh.
"Fine," he responded, "but if he starts causing trouble-"
"He won't. You know he won't."
Ukai could only sigh again.
Once again, the blonde made his way back down the stairs.
"Alright, shorty, you're good."
Hinata beamed.
"But be-"
"Careful. I know," he climbed up the first few steps, "I've been here everyday for the past month and a half. I know how to treat him."
Ukai shook his head, smiling, "I know you do, kid. Go on then. I'll call you down when dinner's ready."
The red head grinned once more, "Thanks, coach."
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"Kids! It's time for Hinata to head home!"
Ukai had called up the stairs three times already, and was now more than a little pissed.
It was nearly eight in the evening, and was already dark, meaning the coach was going to have to drive Hinata home. And if that wasn't enough, the pair now weren't even responding to him calling the red head downstairs.
"I'm gonna drag him down here, in a minute," he mumbled under his breath.
He lets this kid into his house every day for the past month and a half, and this is how he repays him?
"Just give them a second, they're probably just trying to spend as much time together as they can," his mother attempted to reason.
"What, by blatantly ignoring me?" he growled, "yeah, that's a great way of going about it."
"Okay, if you're so angry about it, why don't we go up there and find out what's so distracting, huh? Will that help you calm down?"
He threw his hands in the air, the older woman's sarcasm only angering him further, "you know what? Let's do that, shall we? Then I really can drag him downstairs."
He stomped up the steps, his mother in tow, practically fuming. Rounding the corner on the landing, he found that the door to Tobio's bedroom was even open. So that ruled out the possibility that they couldn't hear him. Fantastic. Even more reason to lynch the red head when he saw him.
"I swear," he hissed through gritted teeth, "what the hell kind of game do you two think you're playing a-"
He barged into the room, stopping in his tracks immediately, as he realised the reasoning behind the pair's lack of response.
"See," his mother whispered from behind him, "I told you they'd have a good reason."
There on the bed, lay the boys in question curled up against one another.
Both of them laid on their sides, Hinata's back to the door, with Tobio's face pressed into his chest. The ravenette had one of his arms against his front, trapped between his and the red head's bodies, while the other was draped loosely across the spiker's middle. Hinata was almost mirroring this position, except his arms were instead around the taller boy's shoulders, not to mention the fact that his legs were also intertwined with the setter's.
Both of them were fast asleep, likely having passed out not long after dinner, considering it had only been around forty-five minutes prior.
Ukai stared wide eyed at the scene, only snapping out of his stupor when he heard the quiet click of a camera beside him.
His ma pressed a finger to her lips, pocketing her phone again, "don't tell Tobio."
He smiled fondly at the boys, his anger forgotten (and regretted), "my lips are sealed."
The older woman backed out of the room, "c'mon, I'll call Shouyou's mom, let her know he's staying over."
He spared one last glance at the slumbering teenagers, before following after her, "sounds good."
Tobio was still very much unwell, that much was clear. Most days, he would be awake until late into the evening. It was generally unheard of for him to be sleeping at only eight o'clock.
Plus, they had taken his temperature just before dinner, and it still rested somewhere far too high to be healthy. He had barely touched his food for the second night in a row, and could likely barely keep down the bits and pieces that he did manage.
He was still sick.
But even so, even when Ukai couldn't see his face, hidden in Hinata's chest, the boy looked happy. Content with the world around him.
And currently, that was all Ukai could really ask for.