“Hitoka-chan.” Came the whisper in the dark, and Yachi pulled her sleeping back up over her head in fright. The room was full of girls, managers for various volleyball teams, surely no one could sneak in? The doors had locks, right? Maybe someone snuck in through the window? No, the windows were too small, what if someone, a miniature someone climbed in the tiny window and whispered her name?
“Hitoka-chan.” The voice came again, a little louder but still a whisper and Yachi realized she recognized it, it was Kiyoko.
“Kiyoko-san?” She still had her sleeping bag pulled up, but it was just beneath her chin now, held tight with both hands in case she needed to pull it over her head at a moment’s notice.
She heard Kiyoko laugh a little and wondered why she was laughing. The room was quiet otherwise, the only sound was the deep breathing of the other girls. Kiyoko’s futon was right beside hers, and this time she clearly heard the direction of the voice.
“I can’t sleep.” Kiyoko said.
Yachi wondered why Kiyoko chose to talk to her, she could have talked to one of the other girls, or she could have gone for a walk, or maybe got some tea from the kitchen, or milk from the vending machine in the hallway, there were a lot of option.
“Are you excited?” Yachi asked instead, thinking it was as good of explanation as any, it was only the first night at training camp, after all. She knew she was excited, if nervous.
“I’m sort of sad, actually.” Her voice was calm when she responded, but still quiet, and Yachi wished she could see her face, to judge if she really looked sad.
“Why?” It seemed like the right thing to ask, but she wondered if it was rude, was she prying?
“This is my last training camp.”
“Oh.” It sounded so final, like an ending of something that had only just begun for Yachi. She didn’t want to think about that either, what it would be like to be the manager without Kiyoko there to teach her, or what it would feel like if this was her last training camp, and she had a trainee manager of her own.
“I’m going to miss you, Hitoka-chan.”
Yachi pulled the sleeping bag over her head, certain that even in the dark Kiyoko would be able to see the flaming red of her cheeks.
“I-I’ll miss you, too Kiyoko-san.” She said into her sleeping bag and Kiyoko laughed a little.
“Thank you. I think I can sleep now.” Kiyoko said, and Yachi nodded, staying silent for a beat too long before she realized that Kiyoko wouldn’t be able to see her nod.
FILL: Team Nishinoya Yuu/Tanaka Ryuunosuke Rating: G
471 words
“Hitoka-chan.” Came the whisper in the dark, and Yachi pulled her sleeping back up over her head in fright. The room was full of girls, managers for various volleyball teams, surely no one could sneak in? The doors had locks, right? Maybe someone snuck in through the window? No, the windows were too small, what if someone, a miniature someone climbed in the tiny window and whispered her name?
“Hitoka-chan.” The voice came again, a little louder but still a whisper and Yachi realized she recognized it, it was Kiyoko.
“Kiyoko-san?” She still had her sleeping bag pulled up, but it was just beneath her chin now, held tight with both hands in case she needed to pull it over her head at a moment’s notice.
She heard Kiyoko laugh a little and wondered why she was laughing. The room was quiet otherwise, the only sound was the deep breathing of the other girls. Kiyoko’s futon was right beside hers, and this time she clearly heard the direction of the voice.
“I can’t sleep.” Kiyoko said.
Yachi wondered why Kiyoko chose to talk to her, she could have talked to one of the other girls, or she could have gone for a walk, or maybe got some tea from the kitchen, or milk from the vending machine in the hallway, there were a lot of option.
“Are you excited?” Yachi asked instead, thinking it was as good of explanation as any, it was only the first night at training camp, after all. She knew she was excited, if nervous.
“I’m sort of sad, actually.” Her voice was calm when she responded, but still quiet, and Yachi wished she could see her face, to judge if she really looked sad.
“Why?” It seemed like the right thing to ask, but she wondered if it was rude, was she prying?
“This is my last training camp.”
“Oh.” It sounded so final, like an ending of something that had only just begun for Yachi. She didn’t want to think about that either, what it would be like to be the manager without Kiyoko there to teach her, or what it would feel like if this was her last training camp, and she had a trainee manager of her own.
“I’m going to miss you, Hitoka-chan.”
Yachi pulled the sleeping bag over her head, certain that even in the dark Kiyoko would be able to see the flaming red of her cheeks.
“I-I’ll miss you, too Kiyoko-san.” She said into her sleeping bag and Kiyoko laughed a little.
“Thank you. I think I can sleep now.” Kiyoko said, and Yachi nodded, staying silent for a beat too long before she realized that Kiyoko wouldn’t be able to see her nod.
“Okay. Goodnight.” She replied at last.
“Goodnight.” Kiyoko said.