Tadashi didn't skip practice the next day, but Daichi still pulled him aside to ask him about it. He wasn't stern like he was with everyone else, though, a relief to the green-haired boy. At first, the two stood next to each other in silence, but eventually the captain spoke.

"I know you skipped, and I know it's for a reason. You don't have to tel me why, because you've earned my trust, but I'd like it to not happen again, or at the very least I expect to be told why if it does. Okay?"

"I'll just tell you now, and spare myself the trouble."

"Okay. Take as long as you need."

He took a deep breath.

"Sometimes I get too overstimulated and I have to stop because I have really bad anxiety. It can get so bad I have panic attacks, and I'd rather that not happen in the middle of practice."

"Okay. Thanks for telling me. If you want, I can tell the team, but I can also keep it a secret if you'd like that instead. And if you want to talk about it or go home, we can come up with a safe word."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe ask me to help you with receives."

"What if I actually need help with receives?"

"Ask me to help you with receives, and if you clench your right fist then i'll know that we need to talk."

"Okay. Thank you."

"No problem. Take breaks if you need them. And tell me if you need an escape. If I'm not there, Suga can handle it, okay?"

"Okay. I will. But how will he know?"

"He'll know. Trust me."

"Mkay."

"Are you okay to practice today?"

"Yeah, I think I am."

"Good. Then let's go, we all missed you yesterday."

That class period, Tadashi felt a little less sick. Still anxious, but better.

Better was always an improvement. In his eyes, at least, because what is better than getting better? Not a lot, that's what. I mean, maybe being perfect, but that's impossible, so I'll take better. 

There's no such thing as perfect, after all.

Besides, anxiety is normal. Maybe his level of anxiety wasn't something everyone experienced, but everyone experienced anxiety. He wasn't mentally ill. In fact, his therapist told him he was quite stable, compared to others that she'd seen. Just someone who struggled with anxiety. When he'd first begun to battle with it, he was scared that something was wrong with him. His mother told him that everyone dealt with it and it was normal. That helped a little, but if everyone dealt with it, why did no one talk about it?

That was a question no one he knew could answer.

Unanswered questions. He had a lot of those, ranging from his schoolwork to his gender identity and sexuality. Tadashi had no clue who he was, or what he wanted, or who he wanted-

Well, that last one wasn't entirely true. He did know who he wanted.

He wanted Tsukki.