Pterodactyl - Tsukishima Kei x OC

Chapter 30: Light

Chapter 30:

What happened after Kei blacked out was pretty much a scattered blur, according to Mizuki. Bokuto helped carry him on his back to the school infirmary while her, Kuroo, and Akaashi joined them. Mizuki's mind was in a delirious frenzy, and it took several deep breaths and Akaashi's comforting words in order for her to finally feel somewhat at ease. Meanwhile, Kei gained consciousness for a few minutes as soon as they reached the clinic but he seemed dazed and disoriented. The nurse insisted that they would take good care of him and assured them that he would be alright. Afterward, Akaashi went to find Coach Ukai and Takeda-san to report what had happened to Kei.

Word spread around quickly that night about Kei's current condition. His teammates, Mizuki, and the twins waited outside the clinic for the nurse to tell them what was wrong. To add to the stress, Mizuki felt like she couldn't breathe - one minute he was fine, the next he was on the floor, pale and unconscious.

"What was he doing before he passed out?" Yamaguchi inquired worriedly.

"We just finished practice," Akaashi answered, observing Mizuki's current state.

She was slumped over on the floor while Rina and Mina soothed her with words and hugs. She remained silent, replaying the day over and over again to see if she missed something. There was no indication that he was feeling physically ill, at least in front of her. Was there some illness he had that she was unaware of? Kei often kept to himself, and he usually never talked about what he was feeling unless she forced him to. Maybe he didn't want her to know that he was sick for her sake. Suddenly, the nurse walked out of the clinic with Coach Ukai and their teacher. Mizuki immediately stood up and braced herself for the worst news possible.

"Tsukishima will be fine," Coach Ukai assured, "He was overheated and he didn't drink enough water today which most likely caused his dehydration. It probably didn't help that he doesn't eat much either."

His teammates, as well as the twins, were relieved to hear that Kei was going to be alright.

"We'll keep him here overnight to monitor him, and we'll make sure to keep him hydrated and cool." The nurse added warmly.

"See? I told you he'd be fine!" Rina rubbed Mizuki's back gently.

"Can... can I see him?" Mizuki mumbled softly.

"I think it's best to let him rest for now," The nurse smiled tenderly, "I'll make sure to tell him that his girlfriend was thinking about him. I'm sure he'll appreciate that."

"I'm not..." Mizuki trailed off, not bothering to correct the nurse, "...Thank you."

As everyone got ready for bed, Mizuki made her way to the bathroom for a brisk shower. She felt somewhat comforted knowing that Kei didn't have any serious, underlying health conditions. Despite all that, her heart felt like it was about to give up, especially when she thought about what life would be like without him. She didn't know if she could think of a life without him, especially now that they've reunited.

As Mizuki lay down on her temporary futon, she removed the necklace he got her from when they were kids and stared at it. The silver chain had become somewhat rusty, and the T-Rex charm had become chipped and scratched. All sorts of memories came flooding back in her mind, ranging from when they were kids, to now. All the things that he said remained with her, and those words that seemingly had no meaning at first, began to develop significance.

"Welcome back, stupid."

"I want to be in your life. Sorry it took me five years to tell you that."

"I had fun today. I always have fun when I'm with you."

"Don't go. Stay."

"I want you all to myself, even just for a little bit."