Pain Without Love || UshiTen x Reader

Chapter Four

"Y/N?"

What started off as a small whisper of your name began echoing louder and louder until it was almost impossible for you to ignore. You groaned ever so slightly, eyes squinting in an attempt to block out the lights clouding your vision, and making it even harder for you to get your eyes open. You heard slight shuffling coming from in front of you before the brightness was gone.

"You can open them now," a deep voice uttered. You obeyed, cracking them open only to see Ushijima standing in front of you, his body shielding you from the light of the street lamps in front of your apartment complex. How long were you asleep? You could have sworn you had only shut them for a second.

"Sleeping beauty has risen," Tendou hummed leaning in and unbuckling your seatbelt for you. As he leaned over, fingers gently brushing against your thigh, you caught a brief scent of his cologne. The smell definitely suited him, but before you could take in any more, he pulled away, both of your eyes briefly meeting before he was outside the car, offering you a hand to help you back out onto the sidewalk.

"I could've done that myself you know. I just have a concussion. It's not like I'm completely helpless or something," You huffed, ignoring his hand and getting out of the car on your own.

"Hmm, looks like someone isn't a morning person."

You ignored his comment, turning to close the car door behind you.

"I don't know why you're talking. You hate mornings too. It was hell getting you up for early morning practice back in high school and that hasn't changed a bit now." Ushijima spoke up.

At the mention of high school, suddenly your ears perked up a bit. "Exactly how long have you guys known each other?"

"Since our first year of high school. We were on the volleyball team together. Although we didn't talk much, we definitely knew of each other."

"Mmm, you must've been pretty popular."

"Nah." Tendou waved off, sticking his hands in his pockets and leaning down slightly to be closer to your level. "We were just killer at volleyball," he smirked.

"Well, as much as I'd like to sit here and listen to you brag about how amazing you are. I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to head in." Making your way over to the doors of your building. You turned around once you had reached the top of the steps and offered a bow to both of them. "Thank you for the ride, and I'm sorry for the trouble."

"You don't have to thank us. It was no trouble. Plus, whether you agree with it or not, you are our soulmate, and it made us feel better knowing you got home safe." Ushijima explained.

"Uhh..right."

The reminder of your whole soulmate situation left you with an awkward... almost uncomfortable feeling settling in on you. You had almost forgotten about it entirely. God, why did they have to keep bringing it up?

"Well. Goodbye, and thanks anyway."

As much as they wanted to, they didn't stop you from going inside. You did need your rest. They just wished they could've had more time with you. The time they shared seemed to pass by too fast for either of their likings.

Then again. Maybe using 'goodbye' wasn't the best choice of words on your end. After all, now they knew where you lived. So this definitely wasn't the end. Your relationship with them was only just beginning.

You woke up the next morning with a bunch of texts from everyone wondering how you were doing, and if you were okay. You told them you were fine and would be back in the game by tomorrow. Even as you sent the text, the doctor's words were floating around in your head.

'No volleyball for at least a few days.'

But after a good night's rest, you were already starting to feel better. Your headache had already decreased tremendously, so what would be the point in waiting around and doing nothing. Especially when your team needed you. Today, you would get more rest, but tomorrow morning you would be up and ready to get back in the game.

---

"Hey, Waka! My arms are stinging like crazy, I didn't know you planned on practicing today. You should have told me I could have helped if you needed it." Tendou offered as Ushijima walked through the front door in his workout clothes.

Ushijima looked over at his partner confused. "I didn't. I just went out for a jog. I thought you were practicing in order to make up for missing last Saturday's practice."

Both of them knew what this meant, but neither of them wanted to admit it. You wouldn't. No, you couldn't have... right?

"Fuck!" Tendou shouted, frustration and anger clear as he stood up from his spot on the couch "I knew we shouldn't have listened to them." He was already reaching for his coat before Ushijima grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going over there!"

"Not yet."

"What the hell do you mean not yet?" Tendou questioned. He couldn't understand why Ushijima wasn't as pissed off about this as he was. You were supposed to be resting, in bed. They even planned to drop off some extra pain medication at the front desk of your building so you wouldn't have to leave if you ran out. Little did they know, you never had any intentions of staying in, in the first place. Tendou felt stupid having ever believed you would take anyone's advice and Ushijima felt the same way.

"Take some time to calm down. I'm going to shower and we can head over as soon as I'm out. You'll scare her if you approach her angrily, and she has a hard enough time trusting us as is."

Tendou huffed in response, body slumping as he released a long frustrated breath. Ushijima was right. For now, he would continue to play nice.

"...Fine. Hurry up and shower. You have ten minutes before I leave without you."

---

You don't know what it was, practice started off just fine, but the longer you continued, the more exhausted your body felt. Your stamina was unusually low when compared to your normal days, which was frustrating enough on its own, without the help of your other symptoms. The fast-paced workout that was normally a breeze was now an almost impossible task to complete. Despite your struggles, you pushed through with all your strength until your coach called it a day.

"You know, you had us all worried there for a bit, but I'm glad you're okay."

"I thought for sure that hit would've taken you out for at least a week."

"Yeah, no one can take a hit to the head like you," Your teammates joked.

"Gee, thanks. At least I got that going for me." You laughed,

"Well, it's a good thing you're feeling better," Manami, your team's setter, spoke up, "But you should start heading home and get some more rest. We'll cover clean up from here."

"Thanks, Manami. I appreciate it."

After finishing up your goodbyes you started heading towards the train station so you could go home and start studying for next week's exams. You didn't want to, but you knew you didn't have much of a choice. Bad grades mean your school won't allow you to play volleyball, and you couldn't bear to let your team down like that.

The thought of you being stuck back at home head stuffed between the pages of a workbook was already enough to give you a headache. But the slight pain in your head was nothing compared to the two headaches currently waiting for you outside your apartment.