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Sometimes when Yahaba smiles, it’s all too blinding. Kyoutani doesn’t think Yahaba realizes this as he’s currently grinning at Watari under the equally vibrant gym lights. Perhaps this smile of his, one with more purpose now is some sort of side effect from his new position as captain. Kyoutani wonders if that’s a hand-me-down from all the past captains being that Oikawa had also sported that hundred-watt smile of his though Kyoutani had merely found it irritating. Yahaba though—
Kyoutani looks away, scowling as usual. He focuses on tying his shoelaces properly instead, he’s squatted on the floor having just finished a round of stretching. He finishes his shoelaces and grunts to stand.
And then a shadow blocks the light and Kyoutani looks up, already an irate expression showing on his face. It’s an irate expression that doesn’t last very long when he sees Yahaba looking back at him, smiling only the slightest now and even then it still makes Kyoutani’s stomach turn, blinding.
“What,” Kyoutani grumbles, settling for a frown.
Yahaba jerks a thumb over his shoulder.
“Spikes?” he inquires.
Kyoutani scoffs and walks past him. As if this was even questionable in the first place.
“Wait, hey, Kyoutani,”
Kyoutani clicks his tongue but stops and turns nevertheless.
Yahaba is looking amused.
“You shouldn’t scowl so much these days, you know. You have to get along with the first years at least.”
Kyoutani makes a face.
“They’re first years. They’re scared of everything. Don’t waste time.” And then he’s turning back around and walking off towards the nets where Watari is setting to Kindaichi and Kunimi for the mean time.
Yahaba catches up to him easily before he can even get there however.
“Hey, wait you know what,” Yahaba says, twirling his fingers. “Forget spiking for a moment—”
Now Kyoutani is just exasperated.
“What the hell, Yahaba.”
Yahaba snorts. “Really. I’ll introduce them to you they’re five of them.” He grasps Kyoutani’s forearm and starts pulling.
“Hey—! Wait, hold on—” Kyoutani complains aloud, alarmed as he’s dragged along by Yahaba unceremoniously to the general direction where the first years must be.
“Be nice,” Yahaba suggests. “Oikawa-san said we have to have team bond right? Well this is team bonding right here. We want to go to Nationals don’t we?”
Kyoutani is matching Yahaba’s footsteps now, Yahaba’s still holding his hand and his smile is wider as though he hadn’t given Kyoutani a subtle threat.
“Let go of me,” Kyoutani tries.
“You’ll run away.”
“I have to practice—”
“This is also practice, Kyoutani, ah hey guys!”
Kyoutani is pretty stiff, unable to stop where this is headed. Yahaba is waving at the freshmen Kyoutani hasn’t bothered to get acquainted with. They were stretching moments before Yahaba had interrupted and now they’re all standing in attention, alert.
Three of them, Kyoutani noticed, are around his height, the other two nearly taller than Yahaba.
Kyoutani tries tugging back his arm but Yahaba is keeping it in a tight grip still.
“Hey, will you just—” Kyoutani hisses at him quietly.
Yahaba abruptly raises Kyoutani’s arm and despite the fact that Kyoutani is clenching his fist, Yahaba waves it back and forth like a wave.
“This is our ace, Kyoutani Kentarou. You haven’t officially met, have you?” Yahaba says pleasantly.
Kyoutani’s about five seconds into kicking him. He forcefully takes his arm away, glaring at Yahaba who’s smiling expectantly at him. Slowly and grudgingly, Kyoutani bobs his head to the first years in greeting, just the slightest.
“Hello.” Kyoutani says gruffly.
The first years seem to bristly for a bit, probably a little uncomfortable and then they return the greeting, shy and cautious for now.
And then Yahaba says, “Why don’t you give them a smile for once…?”
It takes barely a second for Kyoutani to turn around his heels, snapping a quick “Fuck off,” to Yahaba who laughs as Kyoutani walks away.
He briefly hears Yahaba telling the first years to, “Not to worry, he always looks like that. It doesn’t mean he’s always mad.” Fucking Yahaba.
Yahaba catches up to him as Kyoutani picks up a stray ball, Yahaba grinning his bright smile.
“Not so bad huh?” he tells Kyoutani.
Kyoutani weighs the options whether he’s going to be kicked out of the team if he spikes the ball straight into Yahaba’s grin.
“Hmm,” Kyoutani mumbles, setting the ball down and kicking it away.
Yahaba looks pretty satisfied with that.
“Okay. Let’s do your spikes now—”
“Hey,” Kyoutani says before Yahaba manages to leave. Yahaba looks at him curiously, eyebrows raised.
“Stop that,” Kyoutani continues, voice lowering.
Yahaba’s fair eyebrows knit in puzzlement.
“What?”
“S-Stop that godawful smiling. Who are you, Oikawa?” Kyoutani spits out and then quickly walks past Yahaba again, chewing on the insides of his cheek.
Yahaba smiles despite himself, if anything, it makes his smile wider. He picks up the ball Kyoutani had kicked earlier and goes after him to toss.
“Do you like me smiling—”
“Shut up Yahaba!”
Yahaba chuckles delightedly, throwing up his arms to toss.