Chapter Text
If there was ever a time Kageyama was at complete ease it would of been on the vollayball court. And if there was ever a time his world all fell into place it would of been playing with the team from Karasuno.
Kageyama wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned against the doors of the gym until Hinata came bounding over. "Kageyama! Where'd everyone go?" Hinata asked, as he leaned out the door.
"They all left, dumbass! You were taking forever." Kageyama pushed Hinata out the door and closed the door as he left, the pair walked through the silent streets.
After members of the team began graduating they had wanted to stay together in whatever ways they could. In the year before the third years graduated the Crows had become a family, and none of them were willing to give up that bond easily. Staying together was hard, but with so many living in the same area it wasn't impossible. The solution was easy enough, they came back together routinely at an available gym and play game after game until they all crashed and in a nearby park.
It wasn't long before they could hear everyone shouts across the road. "Hinata, finally! Come here!" Noya shouted waving his arms as they entered the park. Hinata wasted no time springing across the field, grinning and joining the group.
"They're as exciting as ever." Kageyama looked over to see Suga walk up besides him, he laughed into his hand as he watched the small libero suddenly pounce on top of Hinata's shoulders.
"You could call it that." Kageyama responded quietly and sat on a bench as Suga followed suit. The two of them sat in a comfortable silence, the only sound between them the music from a radio and the occasional sip of a drink. Suga leaned forwards, keeping an eye on the younger boys. The silent held until it was disrupted by an abrupt change in the radio.
Another body was found on the North side of town today, making four bodies so far this month alone. All the bodies were disfigured beyond recognition and are believed to be the work of a ghoul. Whether the killings are related or separate accounts however is yet to be determined and is still under investigation. It is believed among most scientists that a ghoul can survive by eating only once a month, so could this-
Kageyama looked up just in time to see Asahi switching the radio off. "I think that's enough of that." he said with a quiet laugh and looked at everyone now gathered around the radio.
"Scary..." Hinata mumbled, rolling his volleyball between his hands.
"Alright, like Asahi said that's enough of that! It's only getting darker and we all need to get ourselves home, so how about we call it a night." Daichi said confidently and hit Noya and Yamaguchi on the shoulders before he turned to Hinata. "Suga, why don't you accompany our fair Hinata home? It's not out of your way is it?"
"Not at all." Suga grinned and stood, wrapping an arm around Hinata's shoulders. Everyone called their goodbyes and left for their apartments until only Kageyama and Daichi were left.
"You've got a long walk don't you, Kageyama? Do you want-" Daichi started.
"I'll be fine. Besides, you live in the opposite direction."
"Yeah, but I don't mind the extra walk."
"Weren't you the one saying it's not getting any lighter?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Daichi, why don't you want me walking alone?" Kageyama raised an eyebrow.
"It's just, it's dangerous there, especially this late. I don't want you getting hurt."
"You could get hurt just as easily, and I've made this walk before."
"Bu-"
"Goodbye, Daichi." he turned with a wave and a small smile. Bag thrown over his shoulder he started walking, glancing over his shoulder quickly to see Daichi walking the other direction.
The walk felt like forever as Kageyama walked through the streets. Everything felt dead silent with the exception of the occasional radio playing through an opened window. All of it was talk and stories of ghouls. A SSrated this, the CCG that, a body found here, a ghoul killed there, it was slowly driving him mad. He picked up his pace before he paused in front of a back road. It cut his walking time in half, but going through what was essentially alleyways this late at night...
Before he could make the decision it was made for him. Further up the main road he heard a loud crash, and before he could even spin to face it there was another. He took a breath and took off down the back road, not focusing on anything outside of his own footsteps and breath. He tried to ignore the nagging feeling something was following him and instead continued forwards. About to turn onto his home street he let out a sigh of relief just as something jumped down in front of him.
Inhaling sharply he froze, only able to watch as something long, blue, and bright unfurled itself to ready for attack. It only took him a moment to recognize it, it was all anyone saw on TV anymore. A ghoul's kagune.
Grounding himself in reality Kageyama turned and started sprinting, he pushed himself as hard and as fast as he could but it wasn't enough. A second before he could of turned the corner the kagune wrapped around his arms and roughly pulled him backwards.
He opened his mouth to scream but a hand clamped over his mouth, forcing it closed as a raging pain took over his neck. Kageyama screamed uselessly into the hand and tried to pull away. Blood trickled down his neck and he winced as it was licked away.
A second time the ghoul bit into him, this time his arm. The pain was torturous, but he could feel a final burst of adrenaline shoot through him. Throwing himself from the captor's arms with a shout he began running. But he didn't make it far when something pierced through his chest.
Slumping forwards Kageyama looked down to see the kagune pull out from his chest and tug him back once more. Am I going to die here? I'm going to die here. I can't die here, I CAN'T DIE HERE. The realization hit him as he was pulled into his captors arms, no longer able to even hold himself up never mind scream for help. The only thing on his mind was the unbearable pain as he felt himself be literally ripped apart. As he eventually slipped out of consciousness he didn't even hear the shout as he was abruptly dropped to the ground.
***
Everything was cold. Slowly Kageyama breathed in. He wasn't home, that much he knew already. Before he opened his eyes and found out where he was he tried to remember what happened last. He met up with everyone from Kasuno, he lost in the final match, he walked home after, and.... oh. The memories of what happened came flooding back all at once. The attack, the fear, the pain.
Quickly he opened his eyes and pushed himself up to look around. He was in a hospital room that was empty with the exception of one doctor. "Kageyama, you're awake!" she said immediately and crossed the room towards him. "How are you feeling?"
"A-alive?" he answered hesitantly. He wasn't sure how he felt, the shock of what happened was still so strong he wasn't sure it was real. "What happened to me?"
The doctor went quiet, thinking over her words as she checked his vitals. "You just woke up, maybe you'd like to rest or eat first?"
"What happened?" he repeated insistently.
"Well... you were attacked by what could only be a ghoul. You should of died, but by a miracle you lived. Now when you were taken in another boy was brought in at the same time, so his organs were transplanted into you. That saved your life."
"I survived a ghoul attack..."
"Yes. A man brought you in and said he found you outside all alone. I'm afraid that's all we know." She picked up a tray and passed it to him. "Now, you've been asleep a long time. You need something to eat."
"How long?"
"Three days now."
Kageyama nodded solemnly. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised he was out for so long, though all the information still felt like a fresh weight on his chest making it difficult to breathe. After what felt like forever he raised his eyes and picked up a piece of the sandwich from the plate. He took a bite and gagged, spitting it out immediately.
"Kageyama, are you alright?" the doctor asked.
"It just... it tastes awful." he shook his head, pushing the plate away. He couldn't even try anything else it just tasted so disgusting and... wrong.
"Of course, that must be a symptom of your trauma. What do you say you get some rest and we'll try again later?"
During the rest of the time in the hospital Kageyama couldn't stomach a single thing. Even on the one occasion he managed to swallow half a sandwich he was in the bathroom less than an hour later vomiting it up again. Everything tasted just vile. It was rotten or slimy or moldy and he couldn't understand how no one else tasted it.
Finally when he was released he walked out of the elevator and through the lobby. He stopped at the main desk pausing half way as he turned to leave. On the couch in the corner of the room was an all to familiar head of bright orange hair curled up with a head on the arm rest. "Um, how long has he been here? The one on the couch?" he asked leaning over the desk.
"Him?" The man at the desk looked over with a small frown. "The poor kid's come in every day for like a week. Trying to see a friend of his but the doctor gave strict orders he wasn't to have visitors. I've been supposed to kick him out when it gets to late each night but well, I took pity on the guy. Looks like the boy hasn't slept since his friend was admitted."
Kageyama nodded and thanked him as he quietly crossed over to the cough. Gently he brushed the ginger bangs away to see the bags under Hianta's eyes. "Dumbass, you really haven't been sleeping.." he frowned, carefully bringing back his hand.
He stepped back and considered waking Hinata. Hinata must of been worried to visit every day and would no doubt want to be woken up but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. He wasn't ready to answer the inevitable barrage of questions that awaited him, and it really did look like Hinata needed the sleep. Kageyama took his jacket off and dropped it over the sleeping figure hoping the message would be received.
He exited the hospital and began walking, pausing to shift awkwardly every few steps. Kageyama knew he was being paranoid, but he couldn't fight the feeling he was being watched. And watched closely. As he stopped to look around again he jumped feeling something on his neck. Hesitantly he brought up a hand and touched it, letting out a sign of relief at just feeling water. The relief was short lived though as a minute later rain was pouring down.
Muttering a curse under his breath he ran to a bus stop, ducking under the structure and going to get his umbrella out but... fuck. The umbrella was in his coat with the dumbass. As he looked up he groaned, it didn't look like the rain would be stopping anytime soon. With another groan he sat on the bench, letting his head fall back against the glass.