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The sight of Daichi colliding with his teammate made Oikawa wince. Daichi's face met the spiker's shoulder at a direct angle, and it had Kunimi cringing.
Iwaizumi noticed Oikawa's wince, although he didn't see the collision. "What happened?"
"They ran into each other," Oikawa said quietly. He was standing, but he decided to retake his seat as he continued to watch.
Daichi slowly sat up, his teammates and coach hovering over him. Oikawa could see their mouths moving frantically, and others just stared in disbelief. Without being able to hear them speak, he couldn't tell what was going on now, aside from the obvious; Daichi was being pulled out of the game. He was escorted to the sideline, and the other side of the court fell still.
"Their captain might be out for the rest of the match," Oikawa said. Iwaizumi pulled his jacket on and slipped into the seat next to Oikawa.
"He should be taken out. If he gets a concussion, then it could be dangerous. I've heard stories of guys who kept playing with a concussion, and they fell into a coma."
Oikawa slid down his seat, his mouth pressing together. That was a worse-case scenario, but it still happened. It made his stomach sink. He didn't think it would happen right now, though.
"He should rest, then."
Iwaizumi gestured with his chin. "He doesn't have a problem with walking. He should be alright. Being light headed and dizzy would be a real problem."
"You're right." Oikawa sighed.
He turned in his seat, straightening and crossing his legs. Oikawa felt restless now. He was already restless for their upcoming match against Datekou, and now there was an actual injury. Even without serious head damage, Daichi might be kept from the next match too, or his team could lose here.
Oikawa didn't think he liked Wakunan. He wanted them to lose.
After an unfamiliar player took Daichi's place, Karasuno won. Oikawa didn't watch the victory unfold, since Seijou's match against Datekou started before Karasuno's ended, but the result presented itself when they stepped on the court.
Oikawa tried not to think about Daichi's injury. His mood lifted when he struggled with Kageyama for a volleyball, dumping him backwards in the process. Kageyama landed with a satisfying grunt, and Oikawa walked away with his prize, his nose in the air. One of his teammates muttered a disparaging comment questioning his seniority, but Oikawa wasn't bothered by it. Kageyama had it coming. Probably.
Once both teams were prepared for the match to begin, Oikawa approached Daichi for the coin toss to decide who serves first. Oikawa stopped in front of Daichi to greet him, and his eyes were drawn to the bruises darkening on Daichi's face.
"I saw you get injured earlier. How are you feeling?"
Daichi had a serious expression, but it dissolved a little. His smile was half-hearted, flickering into place for a moment.
"I'm fine now. I rested, and now I feel even better than I did before."
"I'm glad to hear that." Oikawa's mouth settled into its own smile. He attempted a genuine one, believing that Daichi deserved cordial sportsmanship.
Oikawa extended his hand, and Daichi returned the gesture. Daichi's hand felt as warm and firm as their last handshake, and the warmth was welcoming. Daichi was definitely the kind of captain Oikawa looked forward to playing against; someone he had kindred respect for. It was tiring being at odds with other teams. Here, Kageyama was the only source of bitterness.
Oikawa's smile was soft and small, but it quirked more as held Daichi's hands and stared. Even with the bruises, Daichi was dignified and handsome, his well-built arms tucked by his sides and his face maintained with a steady calmness.
Oikawa released their hands and placed his own at his hips, his head tilting. "You've always had this dignified look about you, haven't you?"
Daichi's face suddenly looked dead at the memory of something Oikawa didn't understand. Oikawa patted his arm reassuringly.
Aobajousai lost, but Oikawa wasn't as upset about it as the other third years. Oikawa had already grudgingly accepted that Kageyama was going to surpass him one day. Oikawa was really frustrated, but he didn't let it show on his face.
Oikawa left his team for a few minutes and walked through the hallway to find a water fountain to refill his bottle. He caught sight of something familiar, and when he perked up he saw Daichi passing by.
"Captain," Oikawa said in greeting, his mouth lifting in a grin.
"Hey, Oikawa," Daichi said slowly, eyeing the expression on Oikawa's face. Oikawa guessed that he was trying to gauge Oikawa's reaction to the loss.
"Congratulations on your win. Karasuno's captain really pulled through, despite his injuries. Who else can receive my serves?"
"Our libero?"
"Besides a libero." Oikawa placed his water bottle on the fountain and crossed his arms, stepping towards Daichi for a better look at the marks on his forehead. He clicked his tongue. "Does it hurt?"
"Not really."
"Meaning it does." Oikawa leaned over and pressed his hand against Daichi's head gently, his thumb featherlight on a bruise.
Daichi winced and grimaced. "If you think it hurts, then why did you do it anyway?"
Oikawa's mouth slipped into a sympathetic frown. "It looks bad, too," Oikawa said, ignoring Daichi. "I mean, it looks painful, but it still looks nice on you."
Oikawa liked the deepening frown on Daichi's face. Seeing him flustered would have been better, but this was still entertaining. And Daichi was too kind to do anything about it the way Iwaizumi would.
"Is that a compliment?"
"I was watching earlier, you know. We all felt horrible when you got hurt. But if anyone can survive that, it's you." Oikawa smiled more, diverting attention from his eyes skimming Daichi's face, fixing on the bruised skin wistfully.
"Oikawa, I'm fine. I just played through a whole match against you."
"You must be so tired." Oikawa glanced at his clothes and pretended to dust off something from Daichi's shoulder.
"I have somewhere to go."
"So do I." Oikawa's hand squeezed Daichi's shoulder before letting go. "Good luck against Shiratorizawa. Even with your injury, I'm sure you can compete." Oikawa patted the side of Daichi's face, and after a beat, his eyes and mouth shifted thoughtfully.
A brief look of caution took over Daichi, but he trusted Oikawa enough to not step away. Oikawa bent his head down, his mouth twitching as he brushed it against Daichi's bruise. Oikawa maintained the kiss for a few seconds, twisting his head for pressure to ensure that Daichi felt it.
"For good luck," Oikawa said kindly when he pulled away.
Daichi's mouth and shoulders were set tight, but Oikawa could see the bristling tension in them from surprise, face a little red and a choked sound coming out.
"Good…luck…" Daichi repeated.
Oikawa waved a hand away. "Shouldn't you hurry, captain?"
Daichi's eyes held an embarrassed annoyance to them, but to his credit, he turned and walked away instead of sticking around to tell Oikawa something.
Oikawa took a seat in the stands with the rest of Aobajousai. During warmups, Daichi glanced in his direction, and Oikawa waved to him, making Daichi snap his head away. Oikawa sat back in contentment after noticing the slight ducking of Daichi's head from seeing Oikawa.