How to fly with clipped wings (English ver.) HAIKYUU!! FAN FICTION

Chapter 35: The Surgery

Mikaela was too nervous to sleep on the train. After responding to every single one of her texts, it finally started to sink into her that she was about to have surgery done to her legs. She was about to be fixed.

When she stumbled off the train, she didn't realize how distracted she was until she was navigating through the crowd and walked right past Kuroo without noticing him. Thankfully, he grabbed her shoulder. "Oi, I'm your ride."

"Kuroo! Oh, hi," Mikaela stammered, staring up at the devilish man who was going to be taking her to the hospital.

He cocked an eyebrow. "You good?"

"Fine. Where's your grandfather?"

Kuroo let it drop and guided her out of the crowded Tokyo train station and towards the parking lot. They were quiet the whole way there- kind of hard to talk when you can barely hear anything around you- but when they reached the car, Mikaela murmured a quick thank you. Kuroo rolled his eyes (she'd lost count of how many times she'd thanked him) and told her she should get in on the left side. She did, and he moved to sit next to her on the right.

Kuroo's grandfather was quite kind. She thanked him repeatedly for the ride and he shushed her, saying it was his pleasure. Apparently, Kuroo had told him she was going to visit someone, but he didn't ask questions and he let the two of them chat. Kuroo asked about the Shiratorizawa game, and Mikaela was quick to talk about all her favourite parts. Five full sets meant there was a lot to talk about.

"You should've seen Kageyama," she said with a laugh. "He was on fire the entire time. Coach took him out in the fifth set for a bit so he could rest, and his first point back on, he did a two-touch point with Hinata."

"That doesn't surprise me," Kuroo said with a shake of his head. "Those two are nuts."

She nodded. "Yep! Hinata actually managed to tap the ball with his left hand when Kageyama messed up a set-"

"Wait, that actually happens?"

"He was tired, shush. But yeah! That was point that won them set four!"

"You're kidding," he said in disbelief. Mikaela shook her head. "Huh. How was Tsukishima?"

"Amazing! You should've seen him!" Mikaela said eagerly, gesturing widely with her arms. "Tsukishima roofed Ushijima! He did the thing that you do, he left a little bit of space and when Ushijima went to spike, he moved!"

"He roofed him?" Kuroo said, surprised.

She nodded vigorously. "Yeah! He got the set point in the second set!"

He grinned. "What is it with you ridiculous first years getting the set point with these crazy stunts? How's that fair?"

"He dislocated his pinky finger in the fifth set," Mikaela added, and when Kuroo stiffened, she quickly said, "he was fine, he came back in a few points later. You know, grumpy like usual. But honestly?" She sighed dreamily and sunk back into the car seat. "He's changed so much. You should've seen how happy he looked when he roofed Ushijima. And he did that delayed spike I suggested that he try, and he coordinated all of the blockers to work with Nishinoya, and..." Mikaela broke off and grinned. "It was amazing," she finished with a smile on her face.

"Really now?"

She turned to Kuroo. The Nekoma captain had a shit-eating grin on his face. "What?" she asked, frowning.

"You sound reeeeeally happy about Tsukishima," Kuroo taunted, smirking at her, "like, more than the average person should be happy about Tsukishima."

"What? No I don't," Mikaela denied, but as soon as she said it, she knew she was screwed. Crap, I said that way too quickly. It got worse when Kuroo leaned towards her, his grin widening, and Mikaela felt her cheeks heat up. "What?! I don't!"