31

Hinata was having trouble breathing.

"His heart rate is dropping!"

Hinata heard people talking but couldn't understand what they were saying.

He groaned, and feel himself losing his senses. He couldn't feel anything, and he was stuck in his own mind.

Eventually his eyelids shut, and he found himself in endless hole of darkness again.

He resorted into thinking of his happiest moments, as Kageyama once told him to do when he was in a slump.

He tried thinking of everything but it just ended up being the moments he got to spend with his boyfriend.

The time Kageyama brought him bubble tea and he tried it for the first time, the pure bliss on his face every time they meet each other, and watching the sunset.

He couldn't physically feel it, but he knew he was smiling.

"Bubble tea?"

"What?" Kageyama realized he zoned out again. The library just seemed to be the place to zone out or take a nap rather than study.

Iwaizumi chuckled. "Thought we could study together, and grab some bubble tea."

Kageyama rolled his eyes. "You're literally in university."

"Yeah, so I could help you out with university application." He gestured towards the papers on his desk.

"Whatever." Kageyama chuckled, and organized his things. "Let's head to Tapi-Ola (credits to DoULikePie for this random name)!"

They got out of their chairs and headed out of the building side by side.

"You know you wouldn't need an application if you accepted the scholarship," suggested Iwaizumi.

"And you know that I'm not going to," Kageyama said.

Iwaizumi stopped him in his tracks. "Kageyama, I know it's hard but it's such a great opportunity!

Kageyama pursed his lips, and his words came out cold. "Seriously, no."

Iwaizumi quickly read his expression and apologized quietly.

Immediately Kageyama felt guilty for making him feel bad, but said nothing.

"Damn there's a really long line today!" Iwaizumi said. "Do you still want to go here? Maybe we could go to another store, or get a McFluffy instead."

"Up to you," Kageyama replied brainlessly. He had zoned out again.

"I'm not sure if McDucknolds is open today."

"Sounds interesting."

Iwaizumi noticed his friend's glassy eyes.

"I like murdering people for fun on Sundays," he said casually.

"That's cool." The reply almost made Iwaizumi burst out laughing.

He continued. "I bury their bodies in your basement."

"Sure, no problem."

"Tobio," the spiky-haired boy said softly.

"Huh?" He finally seemed to snap out of his daze.

"How much sleep are you usually getting?"

"Maybe like three hours?" Kageyama said sheepishly.

Iwaizumi sighed and shook his head. "Let's go get you some coffee."

They made their way to McDucknolds, with Iwaizumi continuously teasing his younger friend.

"Line isn't too bad," Kageyama remarked. "I'll find a table."

Iwaizumi called out. "Do you want to try a cappuccino?"

"Surprise me," Kageyama grinned.

The fast food restaurant was surprisingly packed as well, and he managed to find a table in the back corner. He took out his university applications for something to look at, as he waited patiently for his friend.

Perhaps he should take the scholarship.

He had a few more days to decide.

"Do it!" a man's voice beside him pressed. "C'mon Tooru don't be a p***y."

Tooru?

Kageyama looked up and a few tables down was indeed Oikawa Tooru and a person his age that he did not recognize. He had dyed blond hair that covered half of his face, and tattoos that covered his entire left arm.

"I'm not sure Sumu." Oikawa chuckled nervously.

Kageyama quickly recalled a conversation he had witnessed a few years ago.

"Ah Iwa-chan, I forgot to tell you..I'm dating Nakajima Susumu."

"The transfer student?" Iwaizumi asked.

"Yep." Oikawa grinned. "He's hella cute and he's actually going to the same university as me!"

"And also a huge trouble maker." Iwaizumi groaned.

"You're such a p***y."

Kageyama caught a glimpse of a bag in the other boy's pocket. It first looked like dirt, but from their conversation, he deducted that it must be weed.

"Y'know how much this sh*t is worth Tooru? I sell these and earn thousands everyday."

"I know Sumu, but I just-"

"Got you a cappuccino." Kageyama was quickly snapped out of eavesdropping on the pair from Iwaizumi.

Kageyama hummed. "Thanks."

"What were you looking at?"

"Uh-" Kageyama wasn't sure if he should give away Oikawa's presence but he was always an easy tell and Iwaizumi could already tell something was up.

"Tobio? What's up?"

Kageyama leaned forward and spoke in a hushed tone. "Don't make a big deal out of it but I think Oikawa's boyfriend is offering him drugs."

"What!?" Iwaizumi whispered loudly. This caught the attention of some people nearby but luckily neither Oikawa or his boyfriend.

"Shh! Look," Kageyama slightly nudged in the direction of Oikawa.

They were still in a very focussed conversation.

"Think you'll mess up that pretty boy persona of yours if you get addicted?" Nakajima Susumu snickered.

Oikawa laughed but said nothing.

"Your loss,"the blond boy said, getting out of his chair. "Let's get out of here so I can smoke."

Kageyama noticed Iwaizumi's fists clench.

"Iwaizumi-san?"

"I'm fine. How's the application coming along?"

"Should we do something about Oikawa-san?" Kageyama hesitated.

"Nah."

"'Nah'?" Kageyama said in disbelief.

"I tried helping him but after we lost he started pushing me away. You remember the first time he mentioned this guy right? It was when we saw you and Hinata..." His face softened a bit.

"Yep."

"That was one of the last time we hung out," Iwaizumi explained. "After that day he wouldn't return my calls, and if I met him in person he'd act like everything was the same but never. I told you he resorted to irresponsible behaviors, but I'm sure it's gotten worse. Everyone he hangs out with makes my skin crawl."

"How do you know though? You guys don't go to the same school, er, college, or university or whatever-" Kageyama stammered.

Iwaizumi face turned a bit red. "I have other friends you know."

The former setter read the situation and decided to change the subject.

"I'm not sure if I want to go to this University."

"It's pretty good!" Iwaizumi marveled. "You could study law."

"Law?" Kageyama was a bit taken back. He had considered a couple of options but he never thought about law.

"Oh that sort of slipped out sorry."

"Why law?"

"Tobio, you have an amazing memory. If you had a passion for it you could really be astonishing."

"You know how hard being a lawyer is right? And you know that I'm not that bright."

"I don't know that," Iwaizumi frowned. "I know that you are incredibly talented but never put your all into it, unless it was... volleyball."

Kageyama gripped the papers in his hands tighter. He read each and every word, again and again until they didn't look like real words anymore. Slowly he was in a daze again, and it was as if he was stuck in a tunnel. There was a light at the end of tunnel but he just couldn't reach it.

As the light slowly got dimmer and dimmer, Kageyama closed his eyes. He had a certain fear of closing his eyes these days, not because it was dark, but more so that it was blinding. He was blinded by his thoughts of Hinata, and it was like staring at the sun directly.

"I'll take it."

He had been in silence for probably a long time, but Iwaizumi sat in front of him with patience.

"Take what?"

"The scholarship," Kageyama croaked. "I'm going to take it."

A/N: I wish I could have worked on this story but I decided to take a summer course this summer and I was sooo busy and had at least 10 mental breakdowns in the past week. (It's over now though yay!)

WattCon was at Toronto last year but I had no idea (I live therE YIKES) but this year it's in New York. I'm not really sure what it is but it would have been cool to be able to see what it's about.

Are you going to WattCon this year?