Chapter Text
A match where it's immediately “game over” if you lose.
It was January 2013, the winter of her sweet 16. A girl stands amidst the deafening crowd. She can barely hear her surroundings; it’s muffled as if she’d been dunked underwater. Wide and starry-eyed, her lips ever slightly parted in awe, she feels as if she forgot to breathe in the presence of these powerhouse schools.
Around her was a sea of unmistakably red and black; her school’s colours. Her field of vision from across them lit up in orange and black from the opponent’s cheer squad. Clutching the red clappers/plastic megaphones, her palms in cold sweat. Her whole body felt like it was on fire and then dunked in ice cold water simultaneously. Then as if from the clap of some hands ( the megaphones, likely ), she snapped out of her reverie.
“Wait, which team was I here to support again??” She giggled nervously under her breath. Long had she lost her groove in cheering for her home team. Instead she was transfixed on the match happenings, not wanting to miss the moves of either team.
The unflying crows, so unrelenting the rumours spreading at school and through the throngs attending the Spring Tournament (why was it Spring when it was winter?? she should look that up–). They were most certainly soaring. She thought inwardly “who said they couldn’t fly?!”. Her eyes kept following the flash of orange tufts on #10, and his raven haired setter #9. Their synchronism uncannily eerie despite Nekoma’s setter attempting, but ultimately failing to cage him. Heck, the whole team kept doing their synchronised attacks! How were they still going at it! The noisy #5 and libero. The solid defense and offense of #1 and #3! The squeaks of the shoes on the volleyball court. The sounds of the balls as they made contact with the players and the floor. Resounding cheers at each point taken. The faint but lingering scent of air salonpas.
“They’re actually holding their own against Nekoma!” She exclaims to herself, which drew whispers from her schoolmates. She would have done her utmost to ignore their pointed looks had she even taken notice of them.
And even through all that action, she couldn’t help but be captivated by the lanky, ( TALL ) blonde, middle blocker. An unfamiliar feeling washed over her, threatening to seep into her very bones. She was at a loss for words. His movements, his honey coloured eyes (could she even see them clearly from all the way up there), the positively radiating snark as he interacted with everyone. And his SMILE, that could melt the lingering winter frost. She felt her cheeks grow unusually warm.
“It can’t be. ” Kuh- A choke settled in her tightening throat.
It’s ridiculous to even fathom the thought that a mere boy existing was able to induce such unwelcome feelings in her. “Was the gymnasium turning up the central heating?” she mused whilst shaking her collar. In her attempts to fan herself as she banished the thought, there was an abrupt shift in atmosphere. A moment of silence engulfed the hall.
“H-huh..? What happened??” the beads of perspiration trickled down her forehead. The match was over. Everyone was in shock. She, too, could not believe her eyes. “ It didn’t.. connect… ”
“ It was.. sweat huh.. that’s unfortunate for Kozume-kun … … ” the announcer let out after a pause.
The schoolmates around her watching with bated breaths, let out sighs of disappointment and disbelief. The whole audience did actually.
“They were so close!!”
“I can’t believe that just happened”
“It was so fast I couldn’t keep up with it”
The deafening chatter ensued. Amongst her schoolmates, the girls around her were crying. The boys were clutching each other; you could tell they were holding tears back. She herself felt the telltale signs of the waterworks springing forth and welling up. She made a swiping motion with her arm to hide the wetness in her eyes. “ I-I’m exhausted… ” She figured she would not be able to make sense of this whirlwind of emotions even if she tried. Slumping down in her seat, the tension left her body.
Pushing the rim of her glasses up to her forehead, she pinched her nose bridge trying to alleviate the beginnings of a migraine. One she often got when she couldn’t process her high-speed train of thoughts.. “hey.. what is she doing now when we need to greet them.. yeah geez…” more pointed whispers echoed in surround sound “ ugh, what are they talking about now… OH–“ her eyes startled open, and she shot up from her seat just in time for their school’s send off. As the team bowed and thanked the cheering squad, there was a resounding “OTSUKARESAMA-DESHITA!”
“O-otsukare.. sama-deshita..” she stuttered in her tiny voice whilst clapping and fighting back the tears that threatened to overflow again. “ It was such good match, it was a shame it had to end like that ” she thought dejectedly.
“Alright everyone. Unfortunately it’s time to head back! Those who are heading back to school on the bus, please gather NOW! If you’re heading home from here, or staying to watch the rest of the matches you’re on your own for transport!”
“ !!! Staying!! I need to know what happens to them! ”
“U-um.. Kishikawa-sensei, I won’t be heading back to campus, is that alright?” She asked meekly to the teacher in charge.
“Well yes of course that’s alright, are you able to get back home from here by yourself?? Do let your parents know if you’ll be late” instructed Kishikawa as she herded the students in orderly file.
“Yes I will, thank you!” she rejoiced internally. In rapid time, she sent out a short text before she forgot ( they always get so upset when she conveniently does ). “Ohmygodohmygodohynygod what do I do now where do I go do I stay here no wait there’s the next school I don’t know if they’re playing in this court wait I can check the tabling” she had a small panicky moment and in her haste, she’d dropped the event booklet.
“Oh no!” she bent down to pick it up. Hm? Doesn’t this have all the school’s information in it? “ Karasuno #11… ” she muttered as she flipped the booklet to the Karusuno member lineup.
“Wait, he’s the same as me!! A first year!!” she let out in an uncharacteristically high pitched voice. Her cheeks turned crimson as she noticed the bystanders whip their heads over at her remark. Trying to cover up her embarrassment from her outburst, she looked straight down and beelined for the information board.
Bam-!
“Ouch…” echoed from both herself and the wall she just ran into.
“Huh- wall?? Ouch??”
Aside from the pain smarting her backside, a numbing ache was also spreading on her face where her spectacle frames had slammed into. Wincing slightly, she rubbed the sore spots and cracked opened her eyes to find a bemused expression staring back at her. “ Gulp ” they were the most gorgeous honey coloured eyes she had ever gazed upon.
“ Is this real or fantasea am I having a concussion now or- “
“Oiii… if you’re okay I’m leaving?” his voice held a lilt of amusement and yet irritation at the same time. It was almost beguiling. How did he do that? She was frozen for a good few seconds. The bespectacled boy had crouched down to make sure this mess of a.. girl? was okay. “Yes, she has some really short hair, just took me off guard when she barrelled into my chest”. The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly as he brooded. But no sooner than it happened, it returned to the tight lipped line it usually maintained. “ Jeez can she get up already my legs are killing me. Hm..? The uniform she’s wearing looks like Nekoma… ” He shifted his limbs uncomfortably and the contact from his tracksuit made a shuffling sound where he had placed his arms on his legs.
“AUGHHHH!” she suddenly let out a ear splitting screech.
“Gahhh!” Tsukishima reeled backwards on to the ground as well.
Both of them stared at each other, hair tousled, glasses askew (why was he so alluring in that messed up state–), legs barely touching (??!!) and in much incredulity of the state of things. The bypassers glanced and whispered, yet quickly paced away from the presently TWO people on the ground.
“I-I’M SO SORRY!! are you OK?? I’m really a klutz I’m really sorry please let me help you up” she almost wailed as she clambered to her usual height, extending a shakey hand (and body, it seemed to extend through her very being).
“Uh no it’s okay” how is she even going to help me? She kinda reminds me of Yachi-san. But taller.. He adjusted his lanky form and got up as well, albeit the soreness in his limbs. Tsukishima was somewhat prideful, not wanting to show his uncool side to a stranger he had just met. And from the opposing team’s school they just won against!
“Um, you dropped your things” he said in a deadpan voice.
“Oh no where…” she frantically looked around the vicinity but he was already reaching down to the area behind her, the red clappers in his hand. Although he failed to calculate the close proximity between their heads as he pulled his upper body back—
BONK-
“Ow...” they both let out another soft yelp of pain. His head had collided into her jaw. Tsukishima was rubbing his head with his free hand whilst the girl staggered away, nursing her likely bruised chin. Their glasses were askew again. Was it ever going to stay put?? After what seemed like an eternity in teenage embarrassment counts, he broke the silence.
“Um, I’m sorry. Are you really okay?” he let out in the same low voice, with a tinge of remorse.
“Y-yeah, just in minor shock haha.. I’ve a pretty good pain tolerance. Today is just not my day it seems I think I was distracted by yo-” IT REALLY ISNT MY DAY but WHAT ARE SAYJNT SKSKSK STOP IT SHUT IT AARHEHEH- she chuckled inwardly with a nervous air, fidgeting and refusing to meet eyes with him.
Yo-?? Was she about to say ‘your ’ ? ‘Your’ what? “Oh okay. Well, I’m this way. Sorry. Again.” he replied with an awkward half bow.
“Yeah I’m actually that way! Sorry again too!!” she too bowed in turn.
Unfortunately they ended up in the never ending Cha-cha slide– sorry, I meant the movement one takes when one is trying desperately to get away from the situation but end up matching the direction the other is trying to sidestep to, then in turn they each step left and right with no end in sight. (I’m sorry that was not very mindful demure narrator 3rd person past tense of me, I digress).
Tsukishima swerves his body, slightly brushing past her, breaking the back and forth they just went through. The static electricity bristled through her arm and she jolted mildly, hoping he didn’t see it. What she failed to notice was that he had felt it too.
“Um, yeah. Bye.” um, yeah?? He bolted away from the spot faster than she could process the entire interaction.
“Huh..? What just…” she was left stymied about the captivating blonde. Little did she know that was not to be their last encounter…