Eleven Red Lotuses | Kageyama Tobio | S/H

Blooming in Reverse

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     She pulls in a deep breath, eyes open but staring at nothing at all.  Kageyama clung to her and buried his head in her shoulder in anguish.  He was utterly defeated.  They'd played against Seijoh and lost, meaning they wouldn't get to go to the national tournament.  

     He'd told her the morning of the day prior —just before they got to where they'd be competing— about his past relationship with Oikawa, their setter and captain.  In a way, he looked up to him, because he really was a good setter.  On the other hand, he hated Oikawa because Oikawa hated him.  
     They could've had a really good upper- and under-classmen relationship if Oikawa could be less prideful.  He didn't have to get so angry that Kageyama was "better," which was honestly pretty relative since their strengths and weaknesses were vastly different.  Kageyama didn't really like benching Oikawa in his third year of middle school, and he'd blamed himself for a long time, thinking that Oikawa's feelings were entirely justified.  However, now that he was doing the same with Sugawara, he realized how petty Oikawa had been, especially since it was still middle school.  
     Kageyama had realized that he did not like Oikawa's play style.  The reason he worked hard.  He was so good at drawing the best out his spikers and getting them to trust him, yet Oikawa put absolutely zero faith in them in return.  He didn't care if his spikers were good or not, not because he could and would make them better, but because he only wanted to score and win, and he wanted to do it by his own control.  It had taken Kageyama breaking that same mentality in himself to notice how bad it was.  

     And now, they'd lost to Seijoh, of all schools.  It couldn't be Date Tech or Johzenji or Wakutani Minami or even Shiratorizawa itself.  No, it had to be Seijoh.  Even though they were sitting in a mostly full classroom, the only comfort he knew was (Y/N).  Even though they were sitting in a mostly full classroom, she sat on his lap, holding his head in her right hand and brushing her thumb up and down his shoulder blade with her left.  
     He was more frustrated than sad, really, so it wasn't like he was crying at all.  Not that he would've allowed himself to cry in front of the class, he would've had to wait until they were alone.  But he didn't feel like crying.  Honestly, he wanted to do some spike-serves that would tear the damned net apart and rip Oikawa's arm off his shoulders, but he couldn't do that.  First of all, that was illegal when it came to the court of physics.  Second of all, if he practiced in this angry state of mind, he would develop some seriously bad habits.  He just needed to calm down.
     (Y/N) didn't need to use words as she brushed through his locks.  The rhythm of secure simplicity was all he needed and only she could provide that.  The sensation of safety as he curled his arms around her.  He could feel her thumb swishing to and fro, her nails lightly dragging through his flat black hair.  He could feel her arms holding him to her, her legs resting around his waist.  
     She was well aware of the class staring, and had Kageyama been thinking about anything outside of volleyball and her soothing touch, he would've known, too.  She kind of wanted to say something, to ask if it was really such a big deal that she was comforting someone that they had to stare at her for 10 minutes straight.  She wasn't sure she could go through the remaining 18 minutes of lunch like that.  
     The pictures were definitely overstepping a line, but (Y/N) didn't say anything.  It wasn't like they cared who she was hugging, so as long as they didn't try to be rude to Kageyama about it, it didn't matter.  They just wanted to prove to their friends in other classes and grades that they weren't lying.  
     She could vaguely make out people constantly walking past the window in the one door to the classroom that she could see.  Even though she was staring up to where the ceiling met the wall, she could see them stopping to gaze inside.  

     She took notice of Kageyama's grip getting a bit tighter.  Clearly, her rhythmic patterns weren't working anymore.  They only have 5 minutes left now, so distracting him shouldn't be too difficult.  
     "Pine."  She whispers.  Nobody could even understand what word she had said, half on account of it being English and half on account of it being so quiet.  
     "Mm?"  He hums.  Even though he didn't speak, his tone was dejected and depressed.  She squeezes him a bit tighter.  
     "Do you know what happens to a lotus during winter?"  She asks softly.  
     "...no?"  He mumbles.  
     "Do you want me to tell you?"  She could feel him nod a tiny bit.  She takes in a breath, preparing to start explaining even when everyone could probably hear her now.  The room was deathly silent.  "During winter, the lotus will close its petals, looking like a bloom in reverse."  She starts.  "The pink will wilt to brown and its stalk will droop.  It will die almost completely.  
     "When spring comes, the water gets warm again.  Since it had been cold, it prevented the lotus from decaying.  As the water gets warmed and algae flourishes yet again, nutrients circulate just as the lotus is being thawed.  It wakes up as if it had never died.  After feeding and regaining its colors and its proud stature, the lotus will bloom yet again, petals pink and soft.
     "The lotus is one of few plants that can survive winter without human care.  Similarly, pine trees stay green throughout as well.  Both have heavy symbolism in many cultures that are interestingly alike.  Still, they're also very different.
     "Pine trees are said to be wise and peaceful.  They symbolize longevity.  They do not disturb their fellow creatures and have learned to live through the harshest weather.  The sacred lotus, on the other hand, is said to be a sign of enlightenment and purity.  Instead of longevity, they symbolize rebirth.  The lotus does not survive the winter, but it does preserve itself enough to be reawakened.  It is intelligent in a familiar fashion, and yet also creative, utilizing its surroundings.
     "Lotuses can grow in even the most unfavorable waters; water even animals would hesitate to enter.  Contrary to this, —while pine trees do grow out of the dirt, yes— they thrive in specific environments that make them the most healthy and radiant.  Even though pine trees are prickly at first touch, once around a specific tree enough, many animals learn how to avoid the harshest parts of their pines and can even use them as a defense should they make a home there.
     "Pine trees are grand.  They reach for the sky with tendrils until they can grasp the clouds.  Pine trees are inspiring to all vegetation that stands around them.  They are beautifully alive, unable to stop until they've felt the light of every star.  The lotus, however, is simple and content.  It gets to a height enough to feel the breeze and the bugs and the boats, but it is okay staying there.  The lotus can instead find its reach under the water as its roots burrow into the earth, connecting it to everything that ever once was and everything that will be."

     There was a small silence that engulfed the room before the bell rang to tell students class would resume in 60 seconds.  Kageyama picks up his head, a small smile on his face.  
     "You should consider writing."  He mumbles.  
     "I'm not good with words."  She responds which only made him chuckle. 
     "You've been talking for 4 minutes."  
     "Because you needed me to."  He could only smirk a bit at that.  She probably didn't even realize what she said.  
     "Okay.  Now go back to your seat, leech."  He laughs at her small pout.  
     "You're so rude to me, Pine."  Still, she slides off.  She turns around as soon as her feet hit the tile flooring.
     "Sorry, Petal."  She could only shake her head, leaning down to give him a peck on the forehead before wandering away.  
     The teacher entered, completely oblivious to the whole scene that had just unfolded the past 25 minutes, and completely perplexed by the class's confused and shocked expressions.