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They were having a break after the first set against Fukurodani and everyone was drinking from their water bottles and wiping their faces with towels. Kageyama was sitting crossed legged on the floor as he drank, thinking about what he could improve on from the first set.
He looked across the court and found Bokuto was sitting opposite him on the other side of the gym; he seemed a little deflated. Maybe because he missed one of Akaashi's amazing sets. Kageyama was wondering if anyone on Fukurodani's team would come and cheer their captain and ace up. But they didn't.
Bokuto sensed someone was looking at him so scanned the gym, his eyes settling on the Karasuno first year opposite him. He smiled and waved but saw the thinking expression on the setter who waved back and shuffled around so he was directly facing the ace. He made the TT expression with his hands then pointed at Bokuto. The captain brushed him off gave a thumbs up, but a raised brow from the setter made him sigh and nod his head.
Kageyama then waved his hands for the ace to focus on before making the hand signals for rock, paper, scissors. Bokuto picked up what Kageyama was suggesting and nodded with a smile, shuffling so he was also cross-legged and facing the younger. He held up three fingers and the setter nodded.
They hit their fists against their palms three times before showing their hands. Kageyama played paper whilst Bokuto played rock. The ace sighed and pouted but they played again. One, two, three: Bokuto played scissors whilst Kageyama played paper again.
The ace's eyes widened and he punched the air from his victory. Kageyama let out a small smile- glad that the older was feeling better- and they played best of ten. Bokuto won 6-4; by the time they had played ten games he was feeling much better. Kageyama looked down to hide his smile but looked up at the ace through his bangs and saw him looking at him with a new expression.
From across the court, Bokuto watched as the setter looked down, hiding the smile on his face. When he looked up at the ace through his bangs, his piercing blue eyes shone through the black locks and the ace was momentarily stunned.
He pulled a funny, macho-looking expression that made Kageyama let out a laugh, one hand over his mouth to not draw attention. But some of the Karasuno team looked over then to where his gaze was focused. Eventually the funny faces made Kageyama laugh too much and he put his hands over his stomach whilst he leaned his head back against the wall. Karasuno looked over with smiles: after all, it was a rare sight to see the first year smiling and laughing.
Bokuto's eyes lit up when he saw the setter smile, and the members of Fukurodani saw the gleam in his eyes. His whole attention was on Kageyama. When the younger had cooled down he gestured the hand signals for the game so they played another round, this time gathering the attention of the other players. But neither Kageyama nor Bokuto noticed, too focused on the person on the other side of the court.
One, two, three: Kageyama played scissors and Bokuto played paper. Blue eyes gleamed at the ace, and a smirk was present on his face. He was getting his revenge this round. Bokuto grinned and they played again: Kageyama playing rock and Bokuto playing scissors. Another win for the younger.
Now the competition was on; some of the members even began making small bets on who would win each round. This was a great way to pass the time and now Fukurodani's ace wasn't down in the dumps. Three more hits of the palm then play. Kageyama won a third time with rock.
"Wah! Three in a row!" Bokuto exclaimed. "I'll stop you before five!"
He didn't manage that exactly but stopped him at 6 rounds. Oh well, Kageyama had won anyways.
"You stopped me!"
"But you won!"
"One more?"
"Yeah!"
Kageyama grinned before getting his hand ready, Bokuto doing the same. After three Bokuto played a rock whilst Kageyama did something unexpected. He put his hand in a gun signal, meaning the play 'shoot' which wasn't used often, and pretended to fire it at Bokuto with one eye shut and a smile on his face.
Bokuto's eyes widened but he played along, holding one hand against his chest and falling back dramatically. Kageyama laughed at how extra the ace was. Bokuto pushed himself up on his elbows and grinned widely at the laughter coming from the younger.
Kageyama just smiled at him before standing up and returning his water bottle to the box. He then asked if they should start the second set and everyone agreed. Bokuto was talking to his team about how Kageyama had made him feel better then feel competitive and then his eyes were so bright when he was laughing.
"Does Bokuto have a crush?" they teased.
"Wah, Akaashi do I?!"
"I don't know Bokuto-San. Think about it then let me know."
"Okay, let's play!"
Everyone headed back onto the court for the next set, each wanting to do their best and win the game even if it was a practise match...
It was the break after their second set with Shiratorizawa and Kageyama was once again sitting and thinking on the floor whilst drinking his water. He thought of the best way to improve his serves to dismantle the opposing team's positions.
He was in the middle of this train of thought when he felt a strong gaze upon him. He looked up and around the room, realising it was coming from Ushijima across the court from him. His eyes were focused on the setter who looked around to make sure he was looking at anybody else. No, it was just him.
He puffed out his cheeks and let out a sigh as he wondered what the ace wanted with him. When he looked back to the older he found that Tendou had joined him and was staring at him too. Honestly, the red-head had no idea what Wakatoshi was doing but he was bored so joined in.
They watched as the setter tilted his head, wondering what they were looking at him for. Tendou grinned and copied him before waving; Kageyama waved back slowly. He thought back to what he did with Bokuto when he was seeming down, but the Shiratorizawa players did not seem sad.
He sighed before sitting up against the wall and making the gestures for rock, paper, scissors. Surprisingly both Ushijima and Tendou perked up and sat up too. They held up three fingers just like Bokuto and the setter nodded.
One, two, three: Kageyama played rock, Tendou paper and Ushijima scissors. No victor. The second round Kageyama played paper and the third years played rock. The setter grinned and they continued playing. At nine rounds it was 5-4 to Shiratorizawa; the teams had once again all focused their attention on the game. Why Kageyama seemed to catch people's attention and then they started games of rock, paper, scissors no-one knew but they didn't stop him.
It was great entertainment. And when Kageyama scored the point calling it even scores they liked the way his blue eyes lit up. And when they played again and Kageyama won 7-3, he smiled happily; Tendou liked the setter's smile and saw Ushijima thought the same thing.
"Why were you looking at him earlier Wakatoshi-kun?" the middle blocker asked the ace.
"He was simply sitting opposite me. I did not know he would initiate this game but I enjoyed it."
"Me too. And doesn't he have a pretty smile? He should smile more often."
"I agree Tendou."
Everyone got up and headed onto the court for the third set; it was Kageyama's turn to serve. He served the ball as if he was going for a line shot but turned his upper body in mid-air and sent a diagonal serve, taking Shiratorizawa by surprise and forcing their ace to receive it. They made eye-contact from each side of the net, and the setter had a competitive look in his eye that made Ushijima want to give him the best game he could...
It was the break between sets of Nekoma and Karasuno. Kageyama was sitting by himself and thinking about he and Hinata's quick attack. When he looked up he saw Kuroo sitting opposite him and waving. He waved back and was about to get up to get more water but the captain waved again, gesturing for him to sit down.
He did so and sat there expectantly, wondering what Kuroo wanted. Seeing the setter sit down made the captain grin and he quickly waved about his hands before making the rock, paper, scissors symbols. Kageyama perked up and nodded his head, and the pair got comfortable before going. Three hits of the palm then go: Kuroo playing rock and Kageyama playing paper.
"Good one!"
"It was luck!"
"Out of five?" the captain asked.
"Ten?"
"Twenty?" Kuroo dared.
"You're on."
This seemed to be the usual occurrence as of late. First Bokuto, then Ushijima and Tendou, then it was Iwaizumi last week (who had enjoyed his game very much), and now Kuroo. Word seemed to have spread: it was probably due to Bokuto not stopping talking about Kageyama and their game which was then passed on to his friends and thus other volleyball teams.
Karasuno noticed- though Kageyama didn't- that players began to watch Kageyama a lot more. Off the court as well as on. They noticed longer stares and watchful eyes when the setter did the most normal things: like taking a drink of water, or wiping his forehead with his jersey, or shouting at Hinata when he wouldn't shut up.
"How are you so good at this?!" Kuroo asked with wide eyes at Kageyama's streak, leading him into the winning position with 11-6. He had scored the last 5 with no interruptions.
"I don't know, I just think of different possibilities I guess? You're a little easy to read."
"Wah!"
"Stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what?" the captain teased and smiled wide when he watched Kageyama blush.
"Damn you." the setter muttered before he got up to get more water.
Yet when he sat back down it wasn't just Kuroo sitting opposite him but Kenma too. Kageyama looked over to where Daichi was sitting and found that he looked at the Nekoma players with an amused expression before looking at Kageyama and gesturing for him to play. The setter puffed out his cheeks as he thought, giving one look to Kuroo and Kenma before turning back to the captain and waving him over.
The captain was pleasantly surprised but went and sat down by the first year.
"I played 2v1 with Ushijima and Tendou. I think being on a team creates a better chance of winning."
"Sure, why not."
The two pairs began to play rock, paper, scissors. Suga noticed Daichi was playing with Kageyama too- and saw the same expression on his face that he did when others looked at the setter. It seemed that the first year had some sort of presence that caught people's attention. And it was cute how Kageyama didn't see it.
"We should carry on the game." Kageyama said when they drew 10-10 with Nekoma.
"Probably."
"Had fun?"
"Yeah..."