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“There’s definitely something wrong with our captain.” Lev said one day during their break in practice. Kai and Yaku were standing near the bench where their water bottles were placed when Lev approached the two third years about his concern for the captain.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed. Tell me what gave it away, oh wise one, we seek your guidance.” Yaku answered sarcastically.
Lev started counting with his fingers as he said, “Well, his usually receiving forms are kinda sloppy–”
“You’re one to talk.” the brunette interrupted.
The young alpha ignored his upperclassman’s commentary and continued, “His blocks aren’t as effective recently,”
“I’m extremely concerned with that one.” Yaku chimed in again and looked pointedly at Kai—which Kai then smiled sheepishly, none of their teammates could deny that the captain was not effective with his blocks lately.
“And he keeps getting hit by a ball in his face more than me!” Lev finished as he pointed at himself in astonishment at witnessing his upperclassman currently sucking at volleyball.
“The worst part about that is he just smiles and brushes it off. That buffoon is usually screeching at us for making the wrong serves.”
“He’s just in a happy state, give him a day or two.” Kai said dotingly and glanced at Kuroo who was busy fiddling with his phone, a smitten look plastered on his face.
“A day or two–” Yaku sputtered and exasperatedly threw his arms in the air and pointed at the raven haired captain. “Dude! It’s been five months and the moron can’t get back to his usual headspace! It’s sickening! All the guy talks about is how pretty, or beautiful, or amazing, or handsome his omega is! It’s almost Nationals and that docosahexaenic acid is not helping us in boosting our morals! At this point, I should just replace him!”
“You can’t be a captain Yaku-san, and even if you were you’d be a terrible one, you’ll just kick all of us in the butt and–Ack!” Yaku cuts him off and did exactly what Lev was trying to point out.
“It was fun teasing him during Training Camp, but now it’s just blergh!” the brunette crossed his arms and indignantly scowled.
“Anyway, let’s just see how he’ll fair in the coming days before the Nationals.” Kai said with full confidence. If there’s anyone who has a head strong mentality and can over come adversaries, it’s definitely Kuroo.
＋☽＋☽＋☽＋
Kuroo Tetsurou was practically buzzing in his seat. His pheromones wafting an extremely pleasant yet intoxicating scent, making his team endure the feeling of excitement and longing that he’s exuding.
He couldn’t wait to see Tsukishima again, it’s been almost three months since they met during his surprise visit in Miyagi, the memory of his omega charging at him with the warmest embrace was still fresh from his memories, and the alpha couldn’t wait to see what side of his awkwardly shy and grumpy blonde mate will show this time.
“You were saying?” Yaku said mockingly as he stared Kai down with a raised eyebrow, he revelled in the feeling of proving his friend wrong.
“Okay, so I may have overestimated my faith in Kuroo a little bit.” Kai admitted as he scratched the back of his head.
“Kuro, tone it down, I can’t concentrate.” Kenma said without looking away from his gaming console, he was frantically smashing the buttons rather than his usual calm and collected game play due to the alpha’s ecstatic pheromones.
“Sorry. I just can’t wait to see Moonshine!” Kuroo beamed. The captain’s usually sly smirk was replaced with a dopey smile and a small blush coloring his cheeks. The whole team who was watching the small exchange looked at each other and collectively groaned in frustration at the captain’s sappy remark.
“We are done for. I’m calling it! Forget even thinking about making Battle at the Garbage Dump happen, we won’t even make it to our first game!” Yaku whined helplessly upon hearing the alpha’s love stricken response and slumped in his seat. Kai just chuckled and let his teammates be.
“I don’t think it’s something to worry about, once he gets to see Tsukishima he’ll get more motivated to win since he wants to play against him and Karasuno. So make sure to spot the Crows before the matches starts.” Kenma deduced, a small smirk forming his mouth.
“Sometimes you’re really scary.” Yamamoto said as he pretended to shiver in fear, already picking up what the omega setter implied.
“As laid back as Kenma is, he’s a stubborn one when it comes to winning.” Yaku nodded his head proudly.
“We’ve arrived! Gather ‘round at the front before we go inside the stadium! Make sure all your needed equipments are with you!” Their Coach Naoi instructed.
The whole team trickled out of the bus and waited for everyone to gather after the coach head counted each one of them.
They made their way in to the stadium, catching people’s attention off the bat because one, their uniforms were the flashy type of red that made it look like blood staining clear water, and two, most of the team had alphas—an unavoidable occurrence whenever alphas are concerned—and their captain especially, was oozing with a powerful and heady scent. You’d think he was trying to catch a mate if it weren’t for that very faint fruity scent of strawberries underlying with his cool and earthy fragrance of sandalwood that indicates he let’s an omega scent mark him, earning Kuroo a few bewildered stares from other alphas and dreamy sighs from omegas of different teams.
It wasn’t taboo per se to let omegas scent mark an alpha like how alphas do to claim unmarked mates, but it was an uncommon practice since alphas are superior of the three genders, they had no trouble being pursued to the point violence and all the ugly things that comes with, unlike what omegas go through at most. Kuroo never thought of himself above others and had only thought it to be fair that Tsukishima should scent mark him as well, he had no qualms with it, and frankly he’d happily flaunt that he was well and truly paired despite the lack of a bite mark. He always made sure that Tsukishima never felt less of himself just because of a gender that he was unavoidably presented with. (Though the younger recently admitted that he wasn’t bothered by his secondary gender anymore.)
He—for all his self righteously imposed captain beliefs—discreetly darted his gaze around the spacious waiting hall to spot his omega, as much as he’d love to just run off to were his Moonshine would be, he is firstly, the captain of Nekoma, his team comes firsts. He could never bail on them even if it meant a few minutes spent with Tsukishima. I'm sorry, Tsukki.
Kuroo tried, emphasis on tried, to tone his scent down, he was usually good at keeping control of his pheromones and use it to his advantage whenever truly necessary, but today is not that day. All the signals in his brain is hellbent on one thing and one thing only; find Tsukishima Kei.
Luckily enough, the whole team heard Bokuto’s loud hooting before they even spotted him in the crowd, Hinata’s name echoing throughout the hall followed by a flurry of friendly taunting of who’s gonna make it out of the court alive.
“That horned owl bastard sure doesn’t know when to shut up.” Kuroo mumbled as he watched his excitable best bro talking animatedly with his ‘disciple’, as he would like to call the short middle blocker.
“I’m so envious that he can feel so at home wherever he goes, it’s like he owns the place.” Kenma said disdainfully, a scowl on his face as he watches the cheery owl captain.
“Ah! Tsukki!” Bokuto screeched. Kuroo twitched at the sound of his omega’s name being called, finally spotting a tuft of blonde hair and dark clothing.
He watched as his best bro dragged the tall first year with him, Hinata who wasn’t looking behind him accidentally bumped into Tsukishima, causing the blonde to stagger backwards.
“Woah there,” Kuroo caught Tsukishima in time before he fell flat on his bum. His hands held firmly on both sides of the omega’s waist and helped steady the younger’s footing. “That’s why I keep telling you to eat more.” The blonde glared in response.
Tsukishima mumbled his thanks, embarrassed that he was seen by Kuroo in that kind of blunder. He couldn’t make eye contact with the older at the moment, he was too well aware of the alpha’s proximity—which was beyond normal distance for human interaction. The alpha finds it cute whenever Tsukishima futilely attempts to act normal when he’s shy. I can practically read him now, Kuroo thought proudly. Self-assured of his accomplishment in understanding Tsukishima little by little.
Dang it, he’s so cute! I don’t think I’ll be able to hold back.
“I hope you guys haven’t roughened up my Moonshine too much while I was gone.” Kuroo drawled as he wound his arms around the blonde’s waist from the back and perched his chin on the younger’s shoulder, nuzzling his face until his temple was touching Tsukishima’s cheek, their scent glands slightly brushing against each other due to their closeness, Kuroo rubbed his neck languidly against Tsukishima’s; just a light feathered stroke—renewing the faded scent that still lingered on their skin and making it stronger again. The younger stiffened once he realized what Kuroo had done, but it was already over before the younger could retort.
A groan could be heard by Yaku who was watching from the sidelines, utterly appalled by his friend’s shameless display of affection, scent marking his pair in front of other hormonal teenagers no less.
“Kuroo-san, we’re in public.” Tsukishima reproached, a tint of a small blush coloring his cheeks in contrast to his ears that are a blazing furious red. The alpha could already tell that the blonde felt self conscious at all the other players from different schools unabashedly watching the captain of Nekoma claiming one of the new comers from Miyagi.
“So mean Tsukki! You hugged me back then with all those students from your school, and you even scented me in front of the–”
Tsukishima reached out his hand and covered the olders mouth to stop him from talking. “We do not speak of that incident.”
“That’s Nekoma’s captain right?”
“It’s amazing how all these old powerhouse schools are able to make it here again.”
“Who’s that pretty blonde though?”
“That bed head dude is fast, I was about to talk to that tall blonde.”
“Isn’t he the one who blocked Ushiwaka’s spike?”
“No way! Really?!”
“I thought he was an alpha when I saw the match on TV! But seeing him in person, he's too pretty to be an alpha!”
“An omega stopping Ushijima’s powerful spikes? Mad respect.”
“My Tsukki is so popular, I’m jealous.” Kuroo pouted as he unwound his hold on Tsukishima.
The younger clicked his tongue then said, “is it a common occurrence for teenage boys to gossip right in front of their subject of conversation.” In an instant, people who were watching them turned their backs and acted like they weren’t talking about them just a seconds ago.
“Be nice little crow.” Kuroo appeased teasingly as he shook his head in amusement at his omega’s gutsy attitude towards the player from other prefectures, he earned a glare that lacked spite from the blonde.
He went up to Bokuto and greeted him with a bear hug. “Brokuto!” Which the grey haired captain enthusiastically hugged him back.
“Kubro!”
“Still as noisy as ever.” Sugawara commented as he watched from the sidelines.
“It’s been a while,” Sawamura said as he walked up to them, he shook bokuto’s hand first which the other captain took too eagerly, then when it was Kuroo’s turn, the ominous black aura that the two captains always eeriely conjured could be felt by their teammates. The two rivaling captains put on a strained smile as they sized each other up—making sure their pheromones weren’t strong, but just the right amount that only a few people around them could pick up—hands squeezing tightly, and neither one backing down.
“Oya, oya, oya, it would appear as though someone has a really bad case of the jitters, eh, Sa’amura-san?”
“I’d say that he who runs his mouth making small pointless talk is exhibiting the true symptoms of nervousness, wouldn’t you agree, Kuroo-san?”
“Bet you they think they look cool doing that?” Yaku said as he sidled up to Sugawara.
“It gets more ridiculous everytime I see it, it’s embarrassing,” Sugarawa said and made sure that his captain heard the last part loud and clear, Sawamura recoiled at being called out by their setter and settling the small banter with Kuroo.
“Kuroo-san, is your finger nail healed?” Tsukishima asked once his alpha came back and stood in front of him, he took the older’s hand in his, inspecting Kuroo’s right finger nail for any scar or darkening of his nail.
“Are you worried, Tsukki?” The alpha teased as he watched his omega’s reaction.
The younger smiled sarcastically and said, “I was just thinking, if Kuroo-san had a busted nail, he wouldn’t be able to play in his greatest condition, that’s one less team to think about beating.”
“Scared to face us on the court, Moonshine?” The alpha taunted, smirking at his omega provokingly with an underlying tension.
“Oh, not at all, why would I be scared of a team we’ll beat later on,” the blonde still smiling said dismissively, his gaze turning back to the older’s hand, holding Kuroo’s index finger and looking at the nail bed intently.
The alpha sighed fondly, sometimes, actions do speak louder than words, “It’s been a month since the game with those Snakes, pretty sure it’s already healed, doesn’t ache anymore when I practice blocking, what about yours? That spike was pretty nasty when I saw it.” It was Kuroo’s turn to inspect the younger’s hand.
“You already asked that thrice last week.” The younger deadpanned.
“Can’t help it,” Kuroo said unapologetically and scratched the back of his head with his free hand. “Bokuto had to hold me down when I saw your hand bleed.”
Kuroo settled the younger’s hand atop his left one, while his right hand delicately grasped for Tsukishima’s long bony finger, feeling for the indent that slightly protruded due to the fracture; a small pout formed as Kuroo remembered feeling helpless in that moment, he was miles away when he witnessed his omega hurting from giving his all in the sports they both love (even if the younger won’t admit it), he prided in himself in knowing that he had a part in helping him rekindle the spark of joy the blonde had for volleyball.
He unconsciously gripped Tsukishima’s wrist, his eyes widened as a sudden realization formed in the back of his head; his omega’s wrist are as dainty as he remembered them. He was unexpectedly struck with awe at how being in a long distance relationship had it’s good points when you least expected it, for example this—rediscovering and relearning things he knew of the blonde like it was the very first time.
Kuroo laughed softly to himself, helpless not to at discovering time and again how much affection he held for this tall, beautiful, and sensitive being standing in front of him.
Tsukishima curiously wondered what was going on inside Kuroo’s head, the alpha had been absentmindedly staring at their joined hands, a soft and distant smile on his face—obviously lost in thought.
The blonde was about to ask what was bothering the alpha when Kuroo lifted the younger’s hand up close to his mouth, his lips a soft touch to his pinky finger. It was only a light peck, but the ghost of the older’s lips stayed as he felt it’s warmth travel all throughout his body. Tsukishima’s stomach dropped and he all but melts at the older’s gesture, Kuroo is far too good at turning him into a puddle of too many feelings, it hurts in all the right places.
Players who were discreetly watching them can tell just from looking, this alpha was head over heels, knee deep in love with his omega, if the powerful yet calming and self-assured scent wasn’t already a dead give away.
“I wasn’t informed that this was supposed to be a dating spot and not a volleyball tournament.”
“Oh shush you! It’s very cute if you ask me!”
“I wouldn’t wanna be those two though, one of them is bound to lose in the upcoming matches.”
“All the more romantic! Like star-crossed lovers!”
“If I’d known, I would’ve gone to Nekoma to catch that alpha.”
“I’d have gone to Karasuno, have you seen their omega’s?”
“What was that you bastards?!” Tanaka demanded, earning a wack on the back of his head from Sugawara. “Behave.”
“There he goes again,” Yaku sighs, already getting used to their captain’s pining.
“Ah, young love,” Nishinoya bemused.
“You sound like an old man.” Sugawara commented.
“Y-You can’t just–” Tsukishima couldn’t form any coherent words to reprimand the older. Kuroo watched with adoration and fondness at how flustered the blonde was, eyebrows furrowed in panic, golden brown eyes a touch too glossy, pinking cheeks and red ears, and his mouth quivering from wanting to rant the alpha’s ears off but too lost for words to say anything, choosing to cover his mouth with the back of his hand.
Kuroo was about to apologize (unapologetically) when the static from the speakers startled all of the players in the waiting hall.
“Thank you for your patience, we will now commence the ceremony for the National Japanese Cup Spring High Volleyball Championship.”
“It’s time.” Yaku said as he looked pointedly at Kuroo before walking back to their designated line.
“I’ll see you?” Kuroo asked, unsure if they’ll even have free time to meet up for anything, but the younger nodded anyways.
The alpha pulled at Tsukishima’s wrist that he was already holding, and his other hand by the nape of the omega’s neck, surprising a quick open mouthed kiss, nipping the blonde’s lower lip for good measures.
Tsukishima was stunned for the second time that day, too slow to process what had happened as the older parted and kissed the tip of his nose. “Good luck, Moonshine.” Kuroo beamed at him, a full toothy grin before he waved at him as he jogged back to his teammates.
The omega’s knees gave out as he full on crouched from where he stood, he covered his face with both his hands and helplessly groaned, too overwhelmed by the extreme fluttering of his heart, and mentally cursing his alpha for being the dorkiest and most charming person he’s ever met.
“Look it, he’s beet red down to his neck!” Nishinoya teased, followed by Tanaka’s cackling.
“I must say, it’s refreshing to see Tsukishima so winded.” Ennoshita chimed in.
“Kuroo was like a hurricane.” Sugawara added.
“Tsukki, are you alright? Can you stand?” Yamaguchi asked worriedly, though his best friend was suppressing a smile.
“Shut up, Yamaguchi.”