im not crying | haikyuu angst oneshots

roses for you part one

Practice targets:
Length
Character development
Pain, like physical pain

Advice very appreciated, please, this is taking me forever to write

Warnings: inaccurate depiction of disease, because it doesn't actually exist, or maybe it is accurate because it doesn't exist so anything goes

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Hanamaki Takahiro walked alone to school, stinging needles blown into his uncovered face at an unrelenting pace. He cursed himself quietly for forgetting his scarf and tried to stuff his head into his coat like a turtle. His breaths fogged the air in front of him, and he shivered at a particularly fierce gust of wind.

The closer he got to the gates, the more schoolmates he saw in chattering pairs or groups, similarly braving the cold to get to class.

The school year is almost done, the brown-haired boy told himself, you'll get to Aoba Johsai soon enough, then you can enjoy not having to walk for ages everyday.

The blissful coziness of the working thermostat in the classroom was welcoming and Hanamaki relaxed into his rock hard seat in the middle of the classroom.

Few heads acknowledged him as he looked around, most too absorbed in their own little circles. Sato nodded slightly at him from the front before returning to his textbook and notes.

Sighing, he slumped onto his backpack for a quick doze before the teacher came in with that year's final exam results.

'Hanamaki Takahiro,' He slouched to the front, accepted his report card and returned to his seat soundlessly, giving the printed numbers a quick once-over. Alright grades, good enough to be in the top percentile, but not enough to be labelled a nerd or granted access to the smart kids group.

The teacher droned on, even though they were watching a film, she still managed to make it boring by choosing a documentary about fold mountains, pausing it at random intervals to quiz students about the things they had long forgotten in favour of making plans for vacation.

Flicking his eyes to the clock every few minutes or so, the brunette sighed again.

'Takahiro-kun, which direction does the Eurasian plate move in?'

He sighed for the umpteenth time, half-rising from the claustrophobic space between chair and desk, 'South-west, sensei.'

Thank god school lasted for just half a day. Hanamaki went straight home for lunch and a long nap, the afternoon sun's shining rays warming him up just a little. It was still cold though.

-

Orientation day was complete utter chaos. Hanamaki knew no one at all, the few students from his junior high weren't even his acquaintances, and he was just trapped in the midst of screaming and laughing friends.

Ducking towards one of the only empty spaces, too-early relief to be out of the sea of jostling people flooded him, and it dissipated soon when he crashed into someone's hard, muscled back.

'Sorry,' He muttered to the standard school schoes and tried to move away, looking for another safe haven.

'Nah, it's okay, it's too crowded here. Hey, wait! What's your name?' A hand caught his shoulder.

He turned, the first thing that registered were the triangular, dark, bushy eyebrows.

Surprised anyone would bother asking, he replied, 'Hanamaki Takahiro.'

Eyebrows grinned, 'Matsukawa Issei, nice to meet you.'

'Nice meeting you too, Matsukawa-san,' the brunette nodded and let a ghost of a smile peek through just for politeness' sake before joining the crowd again.