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It's right in the middle of their conversation that Hinata realizes he left his tennis shoes in the locker room.
Asahi is trying his best to convey to Tsukishima that he did a great job covering in the spots that were left open and Hinata is helping by providing the sound effects for said amazing blocks. So it's just typical post-win game stuff. Tsukishima's got that look on his face that is like- I am not listening to anything you are saying but I know that you are incorrect - so when Hinata stops short, and declares that he forgot his shoes, Tsukishima instantly jumps on it, probably grateful that the attention isn't on his blocks.
"Come on," Tsukishima sighs, "maybe you've only been playing volleyball for only a couple of months now but even beginners know how to keep their stuff together."
Hinata glares. "They must've fallen out of my bag. I can't control gravity Tsukishima."
"Doesn't stop you from trying though," Asahi laughs lightly, and he probably thinks he's being nice and complimenting Hinata's jumps, but it just makes Tsukishima's condescending grin widen. And of course, anything that gives Tsukishima a point over Hinata is something that Hinata cannot stand.
He blows out a long breath and turns to Daichi, who's talking with Coach Ukai. "Coach, captain, can I run to the locker rooms to get my sneakers?"
Ukai waves a go ahead at him, not looking up from Takeda's notes and Daichi nods. "Do you want Tsukishima to go with you?"
Hinata balks.
"Aw," Tsukishima snickers. "Little shrimp needs someone to hold his hand on his walk."
Asahi frowns. "Tsukishima-" he starts, tone making the name come out as a soft reprimand, but Hinata cuts him off with a growl before he can finish.
"I'll go by myself," He brushes off Sugawara and Kageyama's glances when he stalks off, quietly fuming.
He makes it to the locker room with no problem. It's basically deserted- with games either just starting or right about to end. He's glad too, because someone must have seen his sneakers on the floor and put them away- they're up in the high cubby and Hinata has to stand on the wooden bench just to reach them. He's about to hop down, sneakers in hand, when he hears the door open, shut, then a click.
"You're Hinata Shoyo, aren't you?"
When he turns around he's faced with a man he's never seen before. Heavy set, puffy in the face, the kind of person who seems like laughing and being called jolly is their part-time job. He must be a coach too, judging by his tracksuit and the whistle around his neck. His eyes are bright, alight with an emotion that Hinata can't place.
Hinata quickly hops down from the bench, flush spreading across his face. How embarrassing. "Uh, yes sir. I-"
"You play the middle blocker position yes?" He doesn't wait for an answer. "A bit unusual for a player as short as you, but you've got a secret weapon don't you? Luckily I was able to see it in your match today. And it seems that all the rumors are true."
He steals closer and Hinata laughs nervously. Normally he'd feel that new bubble of giddiness he's growing accustom to feeling when people talk about him- that shock and happiness of wow, I'm one of those impressive players that other people admire, that other people are excited to play against- but for some reason, he doesn't now. He only feels uneasy, nervous, like something isn't right.
"I- heh- yeah, I mean, I'm sorry sir, you seem to know a lot about me. I can't say the same for you?"
The coach chuckles. "Ah well, that's usually how it goes unless you're a Ukai." Hinata frowns, half expecting him to introduce himself, but he doesn't. He just continues talking like he wasn't interrupted.
"It's that jump." He decides. "Those legs. They seem to launch themselves off the Earth- actively fighting a battle against gravity and winning. It's amazing."
This time when the coach takes another step forward, Hinata takes one back, sufficiently freaked. He's too close now. Way too close.
"Oh, thank you sir," Hinata manages nervously. "I mean, I think my teammates might disagree but I really appreciate it. Um- I should probably be getting back to them now. My team is-"
"Of course though," and now the coach's tone has shifted. It makes Hinata freeze up even more. "It's a shame. If you were just a normal player- if you jumped a normal height, if you didn't have that freak attack with that setter, then none of this would have to happen."
Hinata is honestly thrown. "Wh-what?"
"I'm sorry Hinata Shoyo." He says solemnly. "I truly am. But my team will be going to nationals this season, and I won't let you and your talent stop us."
Hinata's reflexes are fast- really, they're his pride and joy- but they are nowhere near fast enough to handle dodging a heavy set volleyball coach pushing him backwards into a set lockers. He hits them with a slam, his mouth rattling, teeth closing on his tongue. He tastes the tang of blood and is blinking black dots out of his vision when a fist comes at his face. He takes the hit, because what the hell else could he do, and crumples to the floor.
It's when his head is ringing, pain is blooming in his mouth and face, and the coach's foot is about to stomp down on Hinata's exposed ankle that Hinata's brain finally comes back online. He yanks his knees to his chest and the man stumbles in surprise, not expecting Hinata to move. Hinata shakily pulls himself to his feet, and with the way his stomach is turning and twisting, he's sure a concussion is on the way. And the coach is still fixated on him, bright eyes darkening steadily.
Suddenly, it hits Hinata.
"Y-you coach Furui Ryoken " he gasps. "we're supposed to play you next week. You guys- your record-"
The coach growls and lunges for him again, angered, cutting him off, but Hinata is hip now and dodges the blow, albeit clumsily. The coach, who's name just came to his head, a Serizawa Ukon, stumbles into the lockers knuckle first. The sound is loud- someone outside has to hear it. Someone has to be walking by- please-
Serizawa gnashes his teeth together and this time, instead of throwing a lunch, he grabs at Hinata. Hinata is too frazzled to move in time and before he knows it he's being slammed into the lockers again and pinned there.
"You're right," Serizawa says, breathing heavily, ignoring Hinata's squirming, "our record has been shit lately. And this is my last year to set it straight. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win."
Hinata whines lowly when the coach presses tighter, squeezing his arms with all the weight that Hinata doesn't have. Someone has to be looking for him- his team has to be coming to get him- he was only supposed to grab his shoes, by now they had to know that he needed them. That he needed help.
The coach pulls back to try again to snap Hinata's ankle in half. Hinata just doesn't have the strength to wrestle out of his grasp. Karasuno is going to beat Furui Ryoken, Hinata has no doubt about that. Every single player on Karasuno is amazing and they don't need a threatening, aggressive, cheating coach to win games. They'll win just fine, they'll just have to do it without him. He braces himself for more pain on top of his throbbing head and split lip, but thankfully , the locker room door handle jiggles.
He hears a voice, vaguely familiar, say, "Why is this locked? Hey- go get an official to open this up."
Another voice responses, "Hai, oh- there's one right there-"
The coach loosens his grip and pulls back, fear flashing across his face. Through his haze of pain, Hinata is able to bite out, "You better go before someone catches you-"
And maybe Serizawa thinks he's done enough damage, or maybe he thinks that Hinata won't talk, or maybe he thinks that whatever team is outside won't connect the dots- that he's running away from an injured volleyball player from the team he'll be playing next week- Hinata doesn't know. All he knows is that Serizawa lets him go completely, stumbling to the door, unlocking it and pushing his way out.
As soon as he's out of Hinata's personal space, Hinata crumples, his legs becoming jelly, all the adrenaline leaving him in a single whoosh. The doors open again, light coming in and chatter between whatever team filling Hinata's ears, but he's too shaky to move, too horrified to pull himself off the floor. He just keeps himself there, pressed against the lockers, knees pulled up to his chest like a scared kid.
"-next time, just trust me to- Oi. Hinata?"
Hinata looks up blankly, and it's hard to see through the tears in his eyes, but the colors swimming in front of his eyes are teal and white so-
"What the hell?"
The grand king.
Oikawa's eyes are wide, flitting from Hinata's shirt sleeves to his busted lip, like he's trying to figure out what went wrong. Next to him is Iwaizumi, who's wearing a matching expression of confusion and slight horror. The rest of Aobo Johsai quiets from behind Oikawa, also catching sight of Karasuno's middle blocker curled up and shaking on the locker room floor.
Oikawa falters before crouching down next to Hinata. "Hey," his voice is softer now, "are you hurt? What happened?"
Hinata takes a shaky breath, and he wants to say: he caught me alone, I was terrified, he's getting away, I think I have a concussion- but when he opens his mouth, the thing that comes out is: "Kageyama-" his breath hitches. "I need Kageyama."
Oikawa nods, no hesitation. His eyes don't leave Hinata, but he reaches up to brush Iwaizumi's hand. "Haijime, can you-"
"Yeah," he says before hurrying out of the locker room.
Hinata suddenly feels light headed, like there isn't enough air in the room. Like he's being pressed against the lockers by someone who has over eight pounds on him. Stuck there, unable to move, unable to breathe-
Kindaichi steps forward, brows furrowed. "Hey, he's hyperventilating- hey kid, you need to breath."
"He's having a panic attack," Kunimi speaks up, voice pitched oddly- worried.
"What do you need?" Oikawa asks. "What can I-"
"Space-" Hinata pants through his malfunctioning lungs and heaving chest, "please, I need some space-"
"Clear out!" Oikawa says to his team. Kindaichi and Kunimi only hesitate for a minute before they file out, taking the rest of Aobo Johsai with them. "Don't let anyone else in if they aren't Karasuno."
Oikawa moves to scoot back, but Hinata reaches out, curls a hand around his wrist. "Wait, don't-"
"I'm not going anywhere Chibi- I'm right here. I need you to breathe alright? Follow my lead, breathe in for four counts, hold and then exhale for four counts."
Hinata does follow his lead- shakily breathing until his chest is looser and his shoulders slump. And Oikawa sits there with him the whole time through, expression patient and gentle. He waits until Hinata stops shaking to brush a thumb against his wrist.
"Do you want to tell me what happened?"
Hinata squeezes his eyes shut, continuing to breathe, trying to pull himself together. He's all over the place- as if when he was first slammed against the lockers, some of his brain got knocked loose and he's stuck still scrambling after it. He presses the arm that Oikawa isn't holding against his face, covering his eyes.
"I was getting my sneakers and I was only gonna be a second, so I went alone. The locker room was empty when I got here, but then Coach Serizawa came in." Hinata pauses, taking a breath. "I didn't know who he was at first. But he knew all about me."
"A lot of people do," Oikawa says, and he doesn't even sound bitter about that- he sounds more sympathetic, understanding, "coaches and players alike."
Hinata nods, stomach twisting. It doesn't seem as fun to have people talking about you when you find out they want to hurt you over it.
"He kept saying that he needed to win- that I was going to be in his way and he needed to get rid of me."
Oikawa's eyes go big. "Fuck, I guess Furui Ryoken wasn't ready to go against your superhuman quick. But that's no excuse. The second that sports become more important than the way you treat other people- specifically younger people- is the moment a lot of things go wrong. I would know."
"Why would you-"
Hinata is cut off by the locker room door opening so hard that it slams into the wall. His eyes widen- Kageyama rushes in, followed closely by Daichi, Sugawara and Tsukishima.
"Hinata-" Kageyama says, all in one breath, catching Hinata's bloody lip and red rimmed eyes in one glance, barely even sparing Oikawa a look. There's only a split second pause before Kageyama is reaching for Hinata and Hinata is reaching back, allowing Kageyama to curl his arms around Hinata's newly shaking body.
Hinata buries his face into Kageyama's shoulder, his eyes burning. He suddenly wants to cry all over again, but this time, just from the fact that he feels safe here, in Kageyama's arms.
"Hinata, what happened?" Sugawara asks, voice gentle and concerned.
Hinata pulls away just enough so he can look his teammates in their faces. Kageyama keeps an arm around his shoulders- keeping him tucked close. Hinata doesn't think he can go through the whole story again so he just- "he tried to break my ankle- twice."
Daichi and Kageyama both inhale sharply and Sugawara jolts, clearly not expecting that. Oikawa makes a face from his spot on the locker room floor, and it looks a lot like why didn't you tell me that?
"I just-" Hinata starts, then stops himself, feeling newly nauseated- just processed it myself, goes unsaid.
"Who." Tsukishima says, finally speaking, his voice hard. There's a glint in his eyes that Hinata has never seen before- a cold, calculating type of anger that makes Hinata shrink a little. "Who did this?"
"Ai, back up beanpole-" Oikawa drawls, though despite his lazy tone, his eyes were alert. "You're freaking him out. It was coach Serizawa. He was leaving as we were coming in and he was looking guilty as sin."
Tsukishima's frown deepens. With only one more glance over Hinata's injuries, he turns and stalks out of the locker room, his steps quick and purposeful. Daichi startles, tosses a frazzled, can you please deal with this look to Sugawara, then rushes after him going, "-wait, Tsukishima, let's not do anything rash-"
Hinata leans further into Kageyama, exhausted, still in pain.
"Ai," Oikawa snaps at Sugawara, getting his attention. "You might want to take chibi here to the trainer to get checked out- you know, since he got attacked?"
Sugawara blinks then nods frantically, like he was snapping back to his self. "Right, yes! Um- Hinata, come on. I'll take you down to the trainer, get you some ice for those-" he swallows thickly here, "- those, uh, bruises. Kageyama are you-"
"Yes." He says, arm tightening around Hinata. And maybe it should remind Hinata of larger hands holding him still to get ready to shatter his ankle, but something about Kageyama's strength is soothing instead.
Hinata lets Sugawara and Kageyama lead him towards the door, but before he gets there, he pauses and turns to Oikawa.
"Thank you grand king," he says, voice so quiet that it's almost like it's coming from someone else. Oikawa must hear it too because he straightens.
"Think nothing of it chibi- just come back to the court with that annoying can-do attitude of yours. I'll be waiting to win."
And Hinata can hear the message tucked between the lines there, he can hear the- don't let this change anything for you, don't let this beat you, don't let this break your spirit.
Hinata manages a small grin. "In your dreams."
…
A lot of people visit Hinata as he's getting checked out by the trainer.
Nishinoya and Tanaka are basically vibrating with anger at the sight of the ice pack Hinata needs for his headache- really it's a wonder that he didn't get a concussion after all of that- but they are quickly calmed down by Sugawara's glare.
Yamaguchi and Ennoshita bring him his bag and water bottle- even going to grab his shoes from the locker room, because after all of that, he still didn't grab them. When Hinata asks where Tsukishima is, Yamaguchi goes weirdly quiet, keeping his eyes down and away.
"He's...around," is what Tadashi offers, but that's vague as hell. Clearly there's more to it. "He'll be on the bus."
"Captain's with him?" Hinata asks.
Yamaguchi nods. "Coach too."
Hinata relaxes. He doesn't know if that coach left yet, but Tsukishima's got a smart block. If he was really so desperate to win, he could linger around hoping to get another Karasuno player. But Hinata knows that Daichi and Ukai won't let anything happen to him.
"Coach was putting up a major fight with the tournament officials." Ennoshita says. "Practically biting off their heads. Not only will Serizawa be banned from coaching at this tournament ever again, but Takeda is willing to go with you to your mom's house- talk to her about pressing charges."
Sugawara waves him off when Hinata looks overwhelmed. "This is all up in the air- just relax for now."
Even players from Aobo Johsai visit- Kindaichi and Kunimi swing by to make sure that he was okay and in good hands, and Iwaizumi offers him some water while telling him in low tones about their match. Hinata listens gratefully, feeling better focusing his mind on volleyball and plays rather than anything else.
The only person who doesn't visit is Kageyama, and that's because he never leaves Hinata's side- glaring at the doorway like a gruff guard dog, only relaxing when Hinata is fully checked out.
Eventually the trainer lets them leave, telling him that he'll have a mild, borderline migraine type headache but it was the stress of the situation that made him nauseous, not a concussion. An ice pack, a good amount of water and some sleep should put him right again.
Kageyama was quiet the whole time Hinata was getting checked out. He didn't speak when Yamaguchi brought Hinata his stuff, he didn't speak when Kindaichi and Kunimi came into the room- but he stops Hinata in the hallway, right outside the med doors.
"Hinata," he says softly.
Hinata turns to his- his Kageyama, brows furrowed. But Kageyama isn't meeting his eyes, gaze trained on something else.
"Kageyama?"
Kageyama doesn't move, clearly thinking hard, but right as Hinata is about to call him again, he reaches up and gently brushes Hinata's arm- traces the hand shaped bruises beginning to form.
"This isn't going to happen. Ever again." He says finally, something deep hidden in his voice, something almost sweet sounding. A promise. "Okay? You're with me and- and I'm not letting this happen again."
Hinata is startled, but moved. And the words are nice to hear, but he doesn't like the tense lines on Kageyama's face.
"Okay Kageyama, okay." He musters up a smile, nudging his friend. "But technically, it's you who is with me."
Kageyama rolls his eyes, expression clearing, the moment passing easily. "Shut up and ice your stupid head."
…
When Tsukishima gets on the bus following Daichi, he's got one hand wrapped in orange prewrap and stark white sports tape and his nose is deliberately high in the air. He glances at Kageyama and says, "don't say a single word," when Tobio opens his mouth.
He sits in the seat across from them, next to Yamaguchi, who's grimacing at the sight of the bandages.
"Tsukishima?" Hinata frowns. "What did you-"
"I'm suspended from the next three matches." He says, voice as flat as usual.
"Wha- why?"
"Apparently, punching coaches- no matter how terrible they are at being decent, sane, feeling human beings- is not okay."
Hinata chokes. "You punched him? Like really hit him? But- you- why Tsukishima?"
Tsukishima side eyes him- the new forming bruise on his bottom lip, the darkening skin shaped like a grown man's hand curled around his arm, the small hands folded around a dripping ice pick. Without being inside of his head, Hinata can tell that Kai is thinking about the differences in their frames, the height and weight that Serizawa had on him for the eight minutes they were alone in that locker room. Thinking about how differently it all could've gone if Aoba Johsai hadn't been there.
"I was supposed to go with you." He says shortly, looking away. "I made up for it."
Oh. Fuck.
Hinata thought that Serizawa needed to be watched and that Tsukishima needed to be kept safe from him. He never could've imagined it being the other way around. Hinata tries to imagine himself in Tsukishima's shoes- finding that he can. The anger, the protectiveness, the guilt.
Hinata doesn't like it. That note of guilt in Kei's voice- the fact that the middle blocker thinks any of this could be pinned on him.
"Ai, I don't like all of this nice Tsukishima all of a sudden-" Hinata says loudly. "Freaks me out." He reaches over, pokes at Kei's cheek, and is delighted when he is swatted away. Nothing's changed. "Bring me back meanieshima- this is too weird."
"I can't believe I gave up on three games for an idiot." Tsukishima grumbles, no heat in his voice. "Why do I even bother."
"Next time, I won't leave my shoes in the locker room, how about that?" Hinata offers.
Tsukishima's eyes flit hack over and he pauses, before nodding slowly. "I'll even get you a bigger bag."
...
Next week they crush Furui Ryoken into the dirt and Aobo Johsai are in the stands cheering the loudest when Hinata scores the match ending point.