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You let out a sigh, slowly dropping your aching muscles into the bath's hot water. Pushing back the stray strands of wet hair against your scalp, you dipped yourself into the steaming water, only your eyes visible above the surface.
Your team's captain laughed as she rubbed shampoo in her deep brown hair from the washing station, not bothering to wear a towel unlike the ace of the team who sat next to her. "Looks like (Y/N)-chan is finally relaxing!" Your captain said with a mischievous smile.
"Don't tease her too much Yui!" Ace, nicknamed as such from her position, chastised.
Still in the water, you shook your head lightly, a silent confirmation that Yui wasn't annoying you. Your fellow first year and closest team mate Haru climbed into the bath quietly, gliding over to you and soaking in the water. She didn't dare dip her head in just as you were though, content with just her torso.
"You did well in the match against Aoba Johsai today." She complimented, rubbing your hair affectionally. You nodded, registering her words.
Peaking your head up just enough for your mouth to breech the water, you spoke, "It was only the girl's team. I actually kinda wanted to play against Oikawa-senpai." And with that you dipped your head back under the water.
The serenity of the water was broken as the first year libero literally jumped into the bath with you and Haru, making you flinch as water rolled out of the bath. "Puhlease! The girl's team's libero was amazing!"
"Aki! Don't just go jumping in here!" Haru complained, rubbing the water out of her eyes.
Aki only giggled, leaning back against the wall. "Sorry not sorry!"
Standing up, you stepped out of the bath and dried yourself off, wrapping the towel around yourself and walking back towards the changing area.
"Leaving already?" Hikari, the team's vice captain, asked as she rinsed her hair out.
You nodded silently. "I'm tired and sore from the training today."
The team bid you farewell, waving you off as you changed into your yakuta before going back to the team's sleeping room. Smoothing out your own blanket, your didn't even bother to change out of your yakuta before drifting off to sleep.
When you were awakened the next day... you weren't too happy.
"What do you mean we have another practice match today?" You asked as your brushed your teeth, looking at Hikari with a stare that just radiated fatigue and annoyance. The vice captain chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.
She shrugged before answering. "I had no idea until this morning either. Apparently the boys' team was supposed to have a practice match but the bus they were taking here last night broke down and they can't make it until late this night. So coach Nekoma asked Coach May to go in our place." The girl explained as she began to braid her hair. "We'll be going at two, so in about four hours." She further explained.
As you rinsed the toothpaste out of your mouth, the loud and sort of obnoxious second year wing spiker looped her arm around you, making you choke.
"Now don't be like that (Y/N)-chan! Who knows, maybe you'll meet the soulmate you oh-so-hate!" Iko teased.
You shook your head. "I never said I hate him. It's not like he forced me to join volleyball. I just don't like how the universe put me, the least athletic person ever, with a flipping prodigy. It makes no sense!" You rambled, pouting at yourself in the mirror.
Hikari and Iko laughed at your "demise" giving you words of encouragement, even up to the bus ride to impromptu match.
Bringing your knees up to your chest, you turned to your coach, who sat across the aisle. "So where is this match anyways?"
"It's at Karasuno High School. This will be a good chance to gain experience. After all, they won the inter-high for mirage against Shiratorizawa."The coach explained, flipping through her papers. "Even Keiko is excited for this match. She's already written notes about their ace Asahi Azumane." She said, pointing to the silent and slightly scary second year in the back of the bus, who was indeed writing in her infamous "Ace Journal".
You hummed in response before turning your attention back to the window, eyes glazing over the rural roads.
"Wait so we're not having a match against Nekoma?!" Hinata exclaimed, obvious sadness overcoming his features.
Ukai shook his head, looking back at his clipboard, where he had hastily written down information on the new team Karasuno would be facing. "Not exactly ginger. The boy's team had some issues with their bus ride over here. However he said there was another team in town that he could send our way. From some quick research and questions to that old man, I've found that they're a pretty strong team. They've made it to nationals for six years straight, including this year. They also have some promising first years too, just like us so we'll have to watch out for them."
"As if some measly first years could beat us! Right Noya?!" Tanaka quickly exclaimed, puffing his chest out.
"Hell yeah! And I doubt their libero is as good as Morisuke!" Noya added in, mentioning the short libero from Nekoma.
Ukai and Takeda sighed as the boys began to cheer themselves on, hyping themselves for victory. A small trill came from Ukai's phone, to which he quickly checked to see a message from the new team's coach.
"Hey ya dorks, the team we're challenging is here already! Change into your uniforms while Takeda and I go get them from the front!" However, as Ukai turned, he was met with two girls shuffling into the gym.
The shorter one of the two, looked up to the second, eyes full of fatigue. "Hikari-senpai, you're too fast. Everyone's back there." The former said, pointing her hand backwards.
The taller one, Hikari, only laughed. "What, you're senpai can't be excited." Her eyes turned to the gym, where she spotted the team and coaches. "Oh!" She exclaimed, quickly slipping on her gym shoes that she was carrying in her hands. Jogging to the blond and black haired man, she bowed lightly. Upon straightening up, she smiled widely. "Hi there! I'm Yamatsu Hikari! And this here is (L/N) (Y/N)-eh? (Y/N)!" Hikari pouted as she watched you finally tie the laces of your shoes, shuffling towards her and the opposing coaches.
Yawning into your hands you waved Hikari off with the other. "I'm right here senpai. Don't worry."
Daichi and Suga walked up to the four of you, quickly introducing himself as the captain. "Are you two the managers of the team?" He asked.
Hikari furrowed her eyebrows in confusing, her gray hair falling across her face. "What are you talking about?" Her golden eyes seemed to burn brighter. "I'm the vice captain and this is our setter." She explained, pointing towards the (h/c) haired girl.
It was then that the Karasuno's boys volleyball team finally learned who they were competing against.
Nekoma girl's volleyball team.
You yawned again into your hand as you lined up for the match. Aki nudged your shoulder, her white uniform contrasting sharply against the red you wore.
"Still tired (Y/N)-chan?" She asked, smiling at you.
You nodded. "I have low stamina, you know that. I'm not built for this sport."
"Then why do you play?" A sudden voice cut in.
Looking across the net, your eyes met those of the short orange haired boy you had seen earlier. "A middle blocker?" You thought at you glanced around at his teammates and their positions. "He's quiet small for one. Meh, who knows." Looking back into the boy's eyes, you answered.
"Cause of my soulmate. They're some kind of prodigy and I just got roped into the sport."
The boy seemed to deflate for a moment before puffing out his chest and standing straighter. "So are you saying you don't like volleyball?" He asked, almost as if he was a dad and you had offended his son.
You shook your head. "No, don't get me wrong. It's fun. I just don't like having to rely on my soulmate's talents. Not too mention they're way out of my league when it comes to the sport, so I push myself too hard in games without realizing it." You grumbled at the end, huffing in slight annoyance.
Mr. Ginger looked surprised at your response, blinking at you rapidly. He opened his mouth to respond, only for the shrill sound of the starting whistle to cut him off.
The game was beginning.
Your team was first to serve, Keiko, who simply served overhand, no theatrics. After all serving wasn't her specialty. Karasuno's team captain received it flawlessly, sending it to the black haired setter who set it to their ace. Stepping back, you allowed Keiko to rush forward to your spot, jumping up to meet their ace while Aki side stepped to cover both her and Keiko's spots.
Their ace was quick to spike the ball against Keiko's fingertips, sending the ball back for Aki to receive. Once Keiko landed, she moved back to allow you space and possibly give her run up time for a spike of her own if you chose her. Slowly moving back to your position, your eyes trained the ball.
Jumping up, you started to set the ball, only to dump it to the other side of the net.
The orange haired middle blocker rushed to receive it but missed, landing your team a point.
"Nice job (Y/N)-chan!" Aki cheered, slapping your back roughly. You groaned in protest, jumping away from her before she could slap you again.
The game proceeded as normal, each team scoring points steadily. Glancing at the scoreboard, you nodded to yourself. It was ten to nine in your teams favor. Despite the small point difference, it was enough to egg the team on to score more and more points.
By now you have already rotated around the circle once and now you were in the back row. Karasuno served this round, their ace delivering a powerful jump serve. Side stepping, you let Yui take care of receiving it as you jogged towards your setting spot. Setting it to Haru, she spiked it towards the very back corner of their side of the court, but their libero was quick to dig it, sending it to their own setter.
To the normal eye, the following set the ravennette sent to his orange haired companion would have been nearly impossible to see. But you could easily see it in slow motion, almost as if you had seen it everyday.
The orange haired boy moved faster than you had seen that entire match, and jumped higher than you had seen any player jump, and scored before anyone could react, even Aki.
The court was silent for a moment until Aki spoke up. "I'm sorry, could you run that by me again?" She semi-joked. It was her automatic defense system to new and uncomfortable environments you had found.
Yui was quick to clap loudly, gaining your team's attention and get the team back together. Well, almost everyone's attention. Both you and Haru continued to stare at the odd pair, for the same reason, but processing it differently. Your eyes, gleaming with astonishment, were trained on the boy in front of you across the net.
You let out a deep exhale, all words seeming to leave your brain except one.
"Beautiful..." You whispered, but just loud enough for the boy to hear.
His blue eyes widened in shock, cheeks turning dark red. Something in you pulled at your chest, making you duck under the net, where you grabbed onto the boy's hands, bringing them up in between your chests. "Your set! It was beautiful! It was amazing, astounding, it was.... just like mine." You continued to say quietly. Even with most of the gym looking at the two of you, you whispered to words just low enough for him to hear.
"Wh-what?" He stuttered. He obviously wasn't used to this kind of contact.
Letting out a shallow breath, you answered. "Watch my next set carefully. You'll see what I mean." Stepping back to your side of the net, you brought Haru close to you, whispering your thoughts to her only to find she thought the same. Nodding to each other, you move back to your appropriate places.
With a nod to your coach, you silently urged her to start the game again. She motioned to Karasuno's coach and with a shrill whistle, the ace served once again, Yui picking it up just as last time. Except this time, instead of setting it normally, you aimed directly for Haru, the girl you had been setting for since junior high and the one girl you confided everything too. She was able to hit these crazy serves that weren't yours.
Just as before, the attack was too fast for most of the court to see, much less receive. However it was obvious in the boy's eyes that he knew. He knew that that serve was his. And that could only mean one thing.
He looked at you, astounded and shocked.
"A-are.... are you my soulmate?" He asked hesitantly, grabbing the attention of everyone in the gym.
You hummed. "Can you name and take care of essentially any plant without knowing how?"
"Yes, and it's annoying when my grandmother makes me help take care of her garden." He answered back quickly, and a little snappy. "What does that have to do with us being soul-ooooh...." He cut himself off, realization spreading across his face. Pointing a finger at you, he asked, "That's your talent?"
You shrugged. "It's the only thing I'm really good at so I would say yes."
At this Kageyama's cheeks turned bright red once again, his hands clenching and unclenching rapidly by his sides. "D-do you want to go out to a cafe after the match?"
Now it was your turn to blush. Recoiling back slightly, you chastised the boy. "You don't just ask a girl that in front of everyone! Y-you dumbass!"
'What?! I'm not a dumbass!"
"Yes you are! You're the biggest dumbass!"