Chapter Text
Time is one of those things that feels like it is never on your side. One moment- you have all the time in the world. The next? You’re crashing and burning. Tobio Kageyama only felt sad on certain occasions, when he lost against Oikawa- well better known as when they lost against Aoba Johsai, when he failed one of his exams and couldn’t go to the training camp, but there was always something constant between those moments. His team beat Aoba Johsai the next time, his team helped him study for his makeup exam, his team helped him get to Tokyo. Everything always worked out, and his team was always there to help. Yet right now, it feels different, because not only was a part of their team leaving, it was the part of the team who acted the most endearing towards all of the younger students. After the loss at nationals, Daichi, Suga and Asahi knew that it was over for them. Kiyoko would retire as team manager and pass the torch to Yachi. They would graduate in a few months and the team would lose a vital part of its support system. Yet they never acted sad, sure they participated in the tears after the loss, but they were never vocal about how they would be leaving. They never brought it up, everybody on the team knew it would happen, just not so soon. Yet the day had come, and here they all were, saying their last goodbyes, in the gym, the same gym that had been such a home to the four graduates for the last three years. They said goodbye to the team that had become a family like no other.
Above the goodbye party happening in the gym. There was a short ginger boy on the balcony, who had a secret of his own. The third years were having their moment, it wouldn’t be fair to spoil it, they were attempting to make this a happy event. A showing of moving on, yet to be fair, they weren’t doing a very good job at it. Though it felt nice for them to try. Shoyo Hinata was sitting in a ball, in the darker corner of the balcony of the gym, thinking. Most would assume he never did that very often, and though they would be right, he did spend a lot of time in his own head. Time sped by, and unknowing to him, there was a small blond girl who climbed up the ladder, and walked over to where he was. She just sighed and sat down.
“It’s okay to be sad- Not saying that you’re sad! No, I’m not assuming anything! Just saying that if you are sad- which you don’t have to be! That it’s okay! But if you're happy that's-”
Yachi has a bad habit of rambling, especially when she thinks she offended someone- especially if she thinks she offended someone. Which was difficult because everybody saw her as a cute blabbermouth, pretty hard to get offended when a short, blond, stuttering blond girl starts rambling. Hinata lets out a small laugh,
“It's fine Yachi, and yes I’m sad about the third year’s leaving. I’m gonna miss them. Also… Eh never mind. You should go join them, I’ll be down in a second.”
At that moment, Hinata realized he screwed up. Sure, he could be sad, but not even a little enthusiastic. Well, that’s a lie. With everything that's happening right now, there really isn’t room for joy. Yachi wouldn’t get suspicious by no joy. No, she’d get suspicious by the fact that the entire time he had been talking to her, he hadn’t looked at her once. He had just stared blankly ahead. Instead of doing what he said, Yachi just slumped down closer to him, and asked quietly
“You’re not saying something, aren't you?”
Damn it. He couldn’t help the shaking that started. The violent trembles of his shoulders shook throughout his body. He couldn’t stop the silent tears that began dripping down his face. This shouldn’t be happening. He thought. It was never meant to be this way. He wished he could speak. Yet he couldn’t. The words would just get stuck in his throat and then he’d choke on them and continue quietly sobbing.
“Oh… So there is something else.”
Yachi whispers softly. Not a question, this type of response really doesn’t need an answer.
“I’m..- I’m.”
Stuttering wasn’t something Hinata did often. Yet at this moment, saying the words that had been eating him up for so many weeks, made them feel official. He was…
“I’m leaving.”
He choked out. Yachi whipped her head toward him, her little side ponytail flinging slightly at the motion.
“...What do you mean ‘I’m leaving'? Are you going on vacation?”
she looked worried, though Yachi typically did wear a worried expression on her face.
“No,”
He said lightly, trying his best not to let the other hear.
“I'm moving… I’m leaving Karasuno... I’m- I’m leaving the team.”
Hinata felt the tears start to make their way out of his eyes, he tried to wipe them but they kept coming too quickly. He felt a small and warm hand on his shoulder, rubbing in slow comforting motions.
“I’m assuming nobody else knows.” Yachi’s voice was calm, at least one of them was now calm. He shook his head lightly.
“Why didn’t you tell anybody? When do you leave?” She asked, still quiet for the sake of not alerting the people below them.
“I didn’t tell anybody… I didn’t… Because it made it feel real!” He said a little too loudly- not loud enough for the rest of the team to hear, but he should be more careful.
“A part of me was still hoping that it wouldn’t happen. But saying it out loud- saying it to someone… It just confirms it. Like I’m stamping my fate into place and I have no control over it.”
Hinata is just crying now, he’s not trying to hide it from Yachi.
“But… we could’ve had a party like this for you- or you could have been a part of this one… Like a send-off, a proper goodbye-'' She sputters before Hinata cuts her off by saying,
“I don't want a party! I just want to stay!” It’s that kind of wheeze that you get when you’re crying too much… He knew he'd have to tell the team… Yet, no time felt appropriate.
“I leave in two days.” Yachi’s eyes fly open. “What-What? So soon?”
He quickly responded with a nod of his head.
“I’ll tell the team tonight… I’ll tell them when we are all saying goodbye… That feels right.”
He needed to do it today-tonight, he had waited long enough already, it wasn’t fair to everybody else- it wasn’t fair that he had to leave. “You promise?” Yachi whispers,
“I promise,” Hinata whispers back.
“Do you want me to do it with you? Or at least help you?” Yachi asks.
“No- Well, yes. Just be there, but this is something I have to do on my own. Speaking of which, I should probably go down now.” He quickly wipes his face, trying to rid it of tears, hopefully, the redness of his face will go down soon enough. He sits up quickly and then holds out his hand for Yachi.
“You coming?” He asks, she responds by gripping his hand and pulling herself up. As they begin the short walk to the ladder, to what will most likely be the most difficult goodbye he’s ever had to make.