Work Text:
THE ALUMNI GC: THE RESTRAINT ERA
(or: Daichi Tries to Be a Normal Adult While the Group Chat is on Fire)
Daichi Sawamura’s apartment was quiet in the way adulthood promised it would be.
No whistles. No sneakers thumping against wooden floors. No Hinata shouting something that would later require an apology tour.
Just the low hum of the electric fan and the soft clink of dishes in the sink.
Sugawara was on the couch, legs tucked under himself, scrolling through his phone with the peaceful expression of a man who had emotionally detached from high school volleyball—mostly.
Daichi was at the small table by the window, pretending to read.
His phone buzzed.
He did not look at it.
This was not negligence. This was self-preservation.
Daichi had learned that the Karasuno alumni group chat only became active for three reasons:
1) Someone had done something stupid.
2) Someone had done something stupid publicly.
3) Someone had done something stupid and attracted volleyball monsters.
He had graduated.
He was not responsible anymore.
His phone buzzed again.
Sugawara glanced over. “You’re doom-ignoring,” he observed. “That’s new.”
Daichi didn’t move his eyes from the page. “I am minding my business.”
Sugawara smiled knowingly. “You’re clenching your jaw. That’s not minding your business. That’s pre-anger.”
The phone buzzed a third time.
Sugawara leaned over and read the preview notification.
His expression shifted. Just a little.
“…It’s probably nothing,” Sugawara said.
Daichi looked up immediately. “That’s a lie.”
Sugawara turned the phone screen toward him.
Alumni GC (19 unread messages)
Ennoshita: why is bokuto in karasuno again
Narita: HE’S LOUD
Kinoshita: isn’t oikawa still in japan too
Ennoshita: wait ushijima and tendou were there last week
Narita: ???
Shimizu: Coach Ukai said it’s “good practice”
Shimizu: Takeda-sensei agreed
Daichi inhaled slowly through his nose.
“They’re just visiting,” he said. “Ukai-san uses them for practice.”
Sugawara nodded. “You said that when Bokuto showed up the first time.”
“That was different.”
Sugawara did not argue. He just kept scrolling.
Alumni GC
Tanaka: BRO IF THEY BREAK THE NET AGAIN IM GOING BACK
Nishinoya: I’M ALREADY PACKING MY KNEEPADS JUST IN CASE
Ennoshita: WHY DO YOU STILL OWN KNEEPADS
Nishinoya: FOR EMERGENCIES
Shimizu: Please do not go back yet.
Daichi closed his eyes.
“Tell them to stop,” Daichi muttered.
Sugawara typed:
> suga: do not go to karasuno
Tanaka replied immediately:
> Tanaka: YOU CAN’T STOP ME
> Tanaka: THE GYM IS IN DANGER
Shimizu sent a single message:
> Shimizu: I will go if it escalates.
Daichi opened one eye.
“…That’s worse,” he said.
Sugawara set the phone down.
“You’re not allowed to intervene,” Sugawara reminded gently. “You promised. Remember? The Great Post-Graduation Boundary Agreement.”
Daichi rubbed his face. “I promised to try.”
The phone buzzed again.
This time, it was not the alumni GC.
Unknown Contact: hey isn’t that your old team?? why is bokuto in their gym 😭
Former Captain (Shiratorizawa): Sawamura. Is Karasuno hosting outsiders now?
Random Grad From Two Prefectures Over: bro why is oikawa in karasuno like he owns the place
Daichi slowly put his phone face-down.
“…It reached outside Miyagi,” he said quietly.
Sugawara peeked. “It reached outside the prefecture?”
“Japan,” Daichi corrected. “Possibly the Earth.”
Sugawara patted his knee. “You didn’t go when the first rumor hit. Or the second. Or the third.”
Daichi exhaled.
“…I am committed to growth.”
The phone buzzed again.
Yamaguchi Tadashi had posted a photo.
The gym was crowded. Bokuto’s hair was visible in the corner like a warning sign. Oikawa’s sunglasses reflected the overhead lights. Ushijima stood there like a side quest boss. Tendou waved at the camera.
Yamaguchi held a clipboard with both hands like it might protect him.
He looked exhausted.
Daichi’s chest tightened.
Sugawara watched him carefully.
“You don’t even go there anymore,” Sugawara said softly. “It’s okay to let them struggle a little. That’s how they grow.”
Daichi nodded.
Then nodded again.
“…Leadership shouldn’t build trauma,” he muttered.
Sugawara squeezed his hand.
Alumni GC
Asahi: yamaguchi looks really stressed…
Asahi: i feel bad…
Ennoshita: he’s doing his best
Ennoshita: bokuto is just… a lot
Shimizu: I can speak to the coaches if it gets worse.
Daichi’s knee started bouncing.
“You’re spiraling,” Sugawara said.
“I am not spiraling,” Daichi said. “I am concerned. There is a difference.”
Sugawara smiled fondly. “You’re spiraling responsibly.”
Alumni GC
Narita: also hinata almost got pulled aside by admin
Kinoshita: for talking about ppl’s personal lives again
Ennoshita: he’s fine but 😬
Shimizu: …I will go if he gets suspended.
Daichi stood up.
Then stopped himself.
Then sat back down very carefully.
“…He’s about to commit a HIPAA violation, isn’t he,” Daichi said flatly.
Sugawara bit his lip to keep from laughing.
Daichi stared at the wall.
“They’re fine.”
“Yamaguchi is captain now.”
“This is not my problem.”
The universe, unfortunately, had heard him.
THE TRIPLE FINAL STRAW (DAICHI LOSES HIS MIND, SLOWLY)
The Karasuno Alumni Group Chat went quiet.
Not the peaceful kind.
The kind of quiet that meant someone was typing with intent to harm.
Daichi sat on the couch, staring at the TV like the TV had personally offended him.
Sugawara sat beside him, fully aware this was a bad sign.
“You’re glaring at a cooking show,” Sugawara said. “The man is just making soup.”
“The soup is too loud,” Daichi replied.
The phone chimed.
ENNOSHITA: um. not to be dramatic but admin might limit outsiders in the gym
NARITA: apparently teachers are ‘monitoring visitor activity’ now
KINOSHITA: why does that sound like a threat
Daichi picked up his phone.
Stared at it.
Then set it down like it had just told him a personal insult.
“…They’ve involved the school,” he said calmly. “They’ve weaponized authority.”
Sugawara gently slid the phone away. “It might be exaggerated. People love dramatizing.”
Daichi nodded once. “People also love Bokuto. That doesn’t make him quiet.”
The phone vibrated.
Then vibrated again.
Then tried to vibrate its way off the table.
TANAKA: YAMS IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY VOLUME
NOYA: BOKUTO IS DOING MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES AGAINST HIS WILL
ENNOSHITA: he looks like he’s smiling but i think it’s fear
Daichi’s eye twitched.
Just once.
Sugawara noticed. Sugawara always noticed.
“On the bright side,” Sugawara offered, “he’s getting mentored?”
Daichi turned his head slowly.
“If Bokuto is mentoring him, this is legally workplace harassment.”
One new message appeared. Carefully. Politely.
ASAHI: yamaguchi keeps apologizing for existing again…
Daichi exhaled like he was letting a demon out of his lungs.
His mug met the table with a sound that felt like a warning.
The phone buzzed.
KINOSHITA: hinata almost got talked to by admin
NARITA: he’s fine but it was close
Daichi closed his eyes.
“…That child is a walking HR violation,” Daichi said with deep sincerity.
Sugawara snorted. “You can’t HR a high schooler.”
“Watch me try,” Daichi said.
Shimizu’s name appeared.
SHIMIZU: I spoke with Takeda-sensei. No punishments yet.
SHIMIZU: Coach Ukai says the visitors are ‘good experience.’
Daichi opened his eyes.
“…Ukai-san is an enabler.”
Sugawara nodded. “In his defense, they are good practice.”
“In my defense,” Daichi said, standing, “this is how buildings get condemned.”
TANAKA: IF THEY BAN VISITORS I’M STARTING A PROTEST
NOYA: I’LL MAKE SIGNS
Daichi stood up.
Not fast.
Not slow.
The way a man stands when he has accepted violence as a concept.
“We are going to Karasuno,” he said.
Sugawara sighed. “We agreed you wouldn’t go full Dad Mode.”
“This is not Dad Mode,” Daichi replied. “This is Public Safety.”
The alumni GC exploded.
TANAKA: SHOTGUN
NOYA: KNEEPADS ON. THIS IS A PEACEKEEPING MISSION
ASAHI: …do i apologize when i arrive or before…
ENNOSHITA: please do not punch any professional athletes
NARITA: he’s already grabbing his jacket
KINOSHITA: godspeed, captain
SHIMIZU: I will come. Someone should be calm.
Sugawara grabbed his shoes. “…Thank god.”
Daichi paused at the door.
The universe had tested him with administration, emotional damage, and Hinata Shouyou.
Daichi Sawamura was out of mercy.
THE ALUMNI INVADE THEIR OWN GYM (EVERYONE IS COMPLICIT, OIKAWA IS STILL HERE FOR SOME REASON)
The sliding doors to Karasuno Gym opened.
They did not slam.
They did not creak.
They opened with the quiet, ominous sound of Consequences arriving on time.
The gym felt it before anyone saw them.
Even Bokuto paused mid-yell.
Even Oikawa stopped circling Kageyama like a dramatic villain with joint custody issues.
Even Ushijima’s presence shifted, like a final boss sensing another final boss had entered the arena.
“D–Daichi-san,” Yamaguchi croaked.
Daichi Sawamura stood in the doorway.
Sugawara was beside him, calm and smiling like he had personally scheduled this disaster.
Tanaka was already rolling up his sleeves.
Nishinoya was wearing kneepads in public.
Asahi apologized to the door for bumping into it.
Ennoshita, Narita, and Kinoshita were here for moral support and immediately regretted it.
Behind them, Shimizu stepped in with her usual quiet authority.
Yachi hovered just behind her, clutching her clipboard like a shield.
“S–Shimizu-san!” Yamaguchi said, voice cracking in relief.
“Hi,” Shimizu replied gently. “We heard it was… loud.”
Yachi nodded rapidly. “I brought spare towels. And tea. For… emotional emergencies.”
Daichi took one step inside.
The air pressure dropped.
“Why,” Daichi asked calmly, “are there professional athletes in my high school gym.”
Ukai exhaled smoke. “Free practice.”
Takeda nodded serenely. “Educational chaos.”
Daichi stared at them.
“…You are enablers.”
“We prefer the term facilitators,” Ukai replied.
Takeda smiled. “I am afraid of them.”
Daichi’s eye twitched.
His gaze snapped to Oikawa.
“Why,” Daichi said, voice flat, “are you still in Miyagi.”
Oikawa blinked. “Wow. No ‘welcome back’? No ‘you look great being internationally embarrassing’?”
Kageyama immediately bristled. “Why are YOU still here. You said you were leaving.”
“Plans change,” Oikawa said lightly. “I decided to emotionally terrorize high schoolers for a bit.”
“PLANS SHOULD INCLUDE GOING BACK TO ARGENTINA,” Kageyama yelled.
From the bleachers, Iwaizumi sighed.
It was not dramatic.
It was the sigh of a man who had lost every argument in advance.
“He’s my boyfriend,” Iwaizumi said tiredly. “He’s like this now.”
The gym released a collective sigh.
Kenma sighed.
Tsukishima sighed.
Kuroo laughed.
Tsukishima elbowed him in the ribs.
“Stop laughing,” Tsukishima hissed.
“I can’t,” Kuroo whispered. “This is performance art.”
“You are part of the problem,” Tsukishima muttered.
Shimizu closed her eyes briefly. “So this is why the noise complaints increased.”
Yachi whispered, “I thought it was the shoes…”
Daichi pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Why,” Daichi continued, “is Bokuto shouting.”
“I am emotionally supportive,” Bokuto yelled.
Akaashi bowed deeply on reflex. “We’re so sorry. I will keep him quieter.”
“YOU CAN’T QUIET THE SOUL OF AN OWL,” Bokuto declared.
Daichi stared at Akaashi. Then at Bokuto. Then back at Akaashi.
“…You look tired too,” Daichi said.
Akaashi smiled politely. “I am.”
“Your emotions are too loud,” Daichi said, pointing at Bokuto.
“This is discrimination,” Bokuto gasped.
“This is a noise complaint,” Daichi replied.
“Why,” Daichi said, turning slightly, “is there a man from Shiratorizawa standing in our court like a boss fight.”
Ushijima bowed politely.
Asahi whimpered. “He’s polite.”
“That’s worse,” Daichi replied.
“Why,” Daichi finished, scanning the room, “does it smell like a rumor started in here.”
Hinata raised his hand.
Tsukishima grabbed him by the collar.
“I was just thinking out loud—”
“YOU THINK TOO LOUD,” Daichi snapped.
Hinata bowed at a ninety-degree angle. “YES, SIR.”
Sugawara rubbed Daichi’s back. “Deep breaths.”
“I am breathing,” Daichi said.
Asahi whispered, “He is not breathing.”
Tanaka pointed at Tendou. “HEY. YOU LOOK LIKE A PROBLEM.”
Tendou waved. “I am!”
Nishinoya grinned. “I like this gym.”
Daichi turned back to Ukai and Takeda.
“You are complicit,” he said.
Ukai shrugged. “Free practice.”
Takeda nodded. “Educational chaos.”
Shimizu folded her arms. “Coach Ukai, Takeda-sensei… this is not ‘practice.’ This is a zoo.”
Ukai looked vaguely offended. “Hey, I clean up after them.”
Daichi stared at the ceiling.
“…I hate all of you.”
“That’s affection,” Bokuto said.
“No,” Daichi replied. “That’s a warning.”
The gym braced.
Everyone felt it.
The ban was coming.
THE VISITORS ARE BANNED (THEY SIMPLY REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT)
(or: The Karasuno Gym Becomes a Zoo Exhibit and Everyone is Complicit)
The sign went up on the gym door at exactly 6:02 p.m.
It was printed in black ink, taped crookedly, and featured a hastily drawn picture of Bokuto Kotarou’s face with a large red X over it.
NO OUTSIDERS ALLOWED
(YES, THIS MEANS YOU)
Yamaguchi stared at it.
Yachi stared at it.
Shimizu stared at it with the calm, unblinking gaze of someone who had sanctioned violence without saying the word violence.
“This feels illegal,” Yachi whispered.
“This feels necessary,” Yamaguchi replied.
Outside the gym, chaos arrived on schedule.
Bokuto sprinted toward the doors, read the sign, and gasped like he’d been personally betrayed by laminated paper.
“TSUKI TSUKIIIIII LET ME IIIIIIIIN—”
Akaashi immediately bowed to the door.
“I sincerely apologize. Please forgive my boyfriend. He does not understand boundaries, signs, or social cues.”
Inside, Tsukishima pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Why is this my life.”
Kuroo, already laughing, leaned over the barrier.
“Because you love me.”
Tsukishima elbowed him without looking.
Oikawa had claimed a patch of sunlight outside the gym like a cat.
He was reclining against the wall, sunglasses on, basking like he was at a resort.
Iwaizumi sat beside him on a folding chair, handing him a cold drink.
“If you’re going to terrorize minors, at least hydrate,” Iwaizumi muttered.
“This is my vacation,” Oikawa said blissfully. “The vibes are rancid. I love it.”
Kenma sat on the ground nearby, gaming.
“We’re camping,” he said. “I’m not moving.”
Tendou had brought snacks.
“Picnic time!”
Ushijima stood there like a final boss who had been told to wait outside the dungeon.
“…We are not permitted entry,” he observed.
Inside the gym, Tanaka pressed his face to the glass.
“…Don’t look Bokuto in the eye.”
Hinata turned too fast.
They made eye contact.
Bokuto gasped like he’d just been activated by a sleeper phrase.
“HEY LITTLE GUY!!! YOU WANNA SPIKE WITH ME THROUGH THE WINDOW—”
Daichi grabbed Hinata by the collar and yanked him back.
“DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH THE BOKUTO,” Daichi barked.
Yamaguchi flipped through his clipboard in a panic.
“I— I don’t have protocols for this—”
Tsukishima deadpanned, “We’re adding them now.”
Kenma, already typing, nodded. “Rule one: do not acknowledge the Bokuto. It gives him hope.”
Akaashi bowed again through the glass.
“I am so sorry. He is triggered by eye contact and positive reinforcement.”
Bokuto pressed his face to the window.
“TSUKI LOOK AT MEEEEEEE—”
Tsukishima stared at the wall.
“…If I pretend he’s not real, he might return to the forest.”
Kuroo waved subtly.
Tsukishima elbowed him harder.
“DO NOT FEED IT,” Daichi snapped.
Yachi whispered to Shimizu, “Is this what third years deal with?”
Shimizu nodded. “Yes. This is why they look tired.”
Outside, Oikawa raised his drink in a lazy toast.
“To Karasuno,” he said. “The only place that bans visitors and somehow makes it worse.”
Iwaizumi sighed.
Kenma didn’t look up from his game.
Tendou crunched on chips.
Ushijima waited patiently.
The gym doors stayed locked.
The visitors did not leave.
And the rumor mill, watching from afar, began sharpening its knives.
KARASUNO IS APPARENTLY A PUBLIC PARK NOW
(or: Romeo & Juliet Volleyball and Daichi’s Soul Quietly Leaving His Body)
Karasuno Gym was functioning.
This should have been a victory.
The nets were up. Practice was happening. No one was screaming in six different prefectural accents.
This was because outsiders were banned.
Bokuto’s face was still taped to the gym door.
There was a big red X drawn over it.
Someone had written: NO OUTSIDERS ALLOWED.
Inside the gym, everything was calm.
Outside the gym, it was a crime scene disguised as a picnic.
Daichi Sawamura stopped walking.
The alumni stopped with him.
Sugawara stared.
Asahi made a noise like his soul briefly disconnected from his body.
Tanaka laughed once and immediately stopped.
Nishinoya whispered, “What the hell.”
Ennoshita, Narita, and Kinoshita considered turning around and pretending they never came.
Because outside the gym—
There were folding chairs.
There were snacks.
There was a portable speaker playing music too loud for a school zone.
Oikawa Tooru was lying on the grass in sunglasses like he was on vacation.
Iwaizumi sat beside him, holding out a cold drink like this was a normal Tuesday.
The Miya twins were arguing over chips.
Sakusa stood several feet away from everyone, regretting his life choices.
Hoshiumi balanced on the fence like a gremlin scout.
Someone had brought a picnic blanket.
Daichi’s soul left his body.
“…Why,” Daichi asked quietly, “are there professional volleyball players having a picnic outside my high school gym.”
“We heard it’s a public park now,” Atsumu said cheerfully.
“It is not,” Daichi replied.
Oikawa waved lazily. “Hi, Captain Dad.”
Daichi pointed at him. “Why are you horizontal.”
“The sun is free,” Oikawa replied. “Unlike access to your gym.”
Iwaizumi handed him the drink. “Hydrate before you pass out, idiot.”
Daichi looked at Iwaizumi. “Why are you enabling this.”
“He’s been like this since we were fifteen,” Iwaizumi said. “I’m tired.”
Sugawara leaned toward Daichi. “You’re making the face.”
“This is my calm face,” Daichi said.
“That is not your calm face,” Asahi whispered.
Inside the gym, practice continued.
Tsukishima drifted toward the railing without thinking.
Kuroo stood on the other side of it.
They did not touch.
They just stood there, too close to the fence, voices lowered so only the other could hear.
“You didn’t have to come all this way,” Tsukishima said quietly.
“I did,” Kuroo replied. “Even if I can’t come in.”
Tsukishima’s fingers curled around the metal railing.
“This is stupid,” he muttered.
“Yeah,” Kuroo said softly. “But I like seeing you.”
They smiled at each other in that small, tired way people do when they’re used to distance.
They did not kiss.
They did not touch.
They just stayed there, close enough to pretend the fence wasn’t real.
Daichi saw it.
Something in his chest cracked.
“…That’s my son,” Daichi muttered.
Sugawara squeezed his hand. “He’s doing his best.”
“…He shouldn’t have to,” Daichi replied quietly.
Outside, Bokuto slapped the window dramatically.
“TSUKI TSUKIIII LET ME IIIIIIN—”
Akaashi bowed deeply to Daichi. “We apologize for him.”
Daichi stared at Tsukishima and Kuroo standing on opposite sides of a fence like idiots in love who couldn’t cross a line drawn by rules that didn’t even exist yet.
He exhaled.
Long.
Tired.
“…I am going to write rules,” Daichi said.
Sugawara smiled at him, soft. “You’re a good dad, you know.”
“…We graduated two years ago,” Daichi said weakly.
“And yet,” Sugawara replied, “you still care about your kids.”
Daichi looked at the chaos outside.
Looked at the kids inside.
His vein twitched.
“…I hate it here,” he said, affectionately.
VISITING HOURS (CONTROLLED CHAOS, UNREALISTIC OPTIMISM)
(or: The Rules Are Posted and Everyone Immediately Tests Them)
They came back the next week.
Not all at once.
That would have been suspicious.
They came in clusters. Like migrating disasters.
The sliding doors to Karasuno Gym were closed.
A laminated paper was taped to the glass.
OFFICIAL VISITOR RULES — KARASUNO VOLLEYBALL GYM
(Please Read Before Being A Menace)
There was a pause.
Kuroo leaned forward, squinting. “Is this… visiting hours?”
The door slid open from the inside.
Daichi stood there.
Calm. Armed with a clipboard. Emotionally prepared for nonsense.
“It is,” Daichi said. “Conditionally.”
Kuroo’s eyes lit up. “Conditionally is my favorite genre.”
Daichi pointed past him.
“As long as Bokuto is controlled.”
“HEY HEY—” Bokuto began.
Akaashi’s hand appeared over Bokuto’s mouth like a practiced emergency response.
“We understand,” Akaashi said, bowing deeply. “He will be supervised.”
Bokuto muffled something about emotional oppression.
“Good,” Daichi said. “Come in.”
Kuroo did not walk.
Kuroo sprinted.
“TSUKIIIIII—”
He threw himself into Tsukishima’s space and wrapped his arms around him dramatically.
“Moonshine, I missed you,” Kuroo said into his shoulder.
Tsukishima pushed his forehead away. “You literally walked me to school today.”
Kuroo tightened the hug anyway. “It felt like years.”
Tsukishima rolled his eyes.
He did not actually shove him off.
Kenma trailed in behind them, eyes already on his phone. “I’m only here for the free Wi-Fi and the drama.”
Daichi looked at him. “There is no free Wi-Fi.”
Kenma paused. “Then I am here under protest.”
Oikawa sauntered in next, hands behind his head like he owned the place.
“Wow,” he said. “Back inside Karasuno. Feels like trespassing with permission.”
Iwaizumi followed, already tired. “If you start anything, I’m leaving you here.”
“You say that every time,” Oikawa replied.
“One day I’ll mean it,” Iwaizumi said.
The gym doors slid open again.
Atsumu bounced in. “LET’S PLAY VOLLEYBALL.”
Osamu followed, hands in his pockets. “Why is this a supervised activity now.”
Hoshiumi stepped in like he was entering a battlefield. “THIS GYM IS SMALL BUT IT HAS GOOD ENERGY.”
Sakusa hovered behind Atsumu. “…I regret all my life choices.”
Daichi pointed at him. “You can leave.”
Sakusa immediately shook his head. “No. I am here to suffer productively.”
Tendou waved cheerfully as he entered. “Hi! We brought vibes.”
Ushijima bowed politely to Daichi.
Daichi blinked.
“…Why is he respectful,” Daichi muttered.
Asahi whispered, “It’s scary.”
Bokuto started vibrating with excitement.
“HEY HEY—”
Akaashi gently steered him forward. “Inside voice. Remember the rules.”
“I HATE RULES,” Bokuto whispered loudly.
Daichi clapped once.
The sound echoed.
“You’re here to play,” Daichi said. “Not to start rumors, not to emotionally imprint on my team, and not to treat this gym like a park.”
Everyone nodded.
Some people nodded more sincerely than others.
“Good,” Daichi said. “Warm up. Controlled chaos only.”
The monsters moved to the court.
The Karasuno team stared in awe.
Hinata vibrated. “THIS IS LIKE A DREAM.”
Tsukishima muttered, “This is a nightmare with benefits.”
Daichi watched them line up.
The noise rose.
The energy shifted.
The gym felt alive in a way that was chaotic—but focused.
For the first time in a while, Daichi didn’t feel like he was putting out a fire.
He felt like he was running a gym again.
Sugawara nudged his side. “You’re smiling.”
Daichi realized he was.
“…Don’t tell them,” he said. “They’ll get ideas.”
SET 1: MONSTERS VS KARASUNO (THEY REGRET THIS IMMEDIATELY)
The gym felt different.
Not loud-different. Not chaotic-different.
Charged.
Like the air itself had decided to witness a crime.
Karasuno lined up on one side of the net.
Hinata was bouncing on the balls of his feet like he might physically combust.
Kageyama was already arguing with him about approach angles.
Tsukishima adjusted his glasses and stared at the other side of the court like he was personally offended by their existence.
Yamaguchi cracked his knuckles with the energy of someone trying to be brave on purpose.
On the other side of the net:
Oikawa stood at setter, smiling like he was about to emotionally manipulate the laws of physics.
Ushijima stood at left wing spiker, existing like a threat.
Kuroo and Sakusa took the middle, both radiating different flavors of menace.
Bokuto bounced in place at outside hitter, already yelling about vibes.
Hoshiumi rotated in like a gremlin with something to prove.
Osamu Miya stood at libero, dead-eyed and chewing on a protein bar like he had made several poor life choices.
From the sidelines, Atsumu Miya was vibrating with rage.
“WHY AM I NOT SETTING,” Atsumu yelled.
“Because you yell,” Oikawa replied sweetly. “And I yell better.”
“THIS IS DISCRIMINATION.”
Kenma, sitting on the bleachers, muttered, “I give it three points before someone commits a crime.”
Daichi crossed his arms. “If anyone breaks the net, I’m billing you.”
Ukai blew the whistle.
The ball went up.
Oikawa served.
It was beautiful. Precise. Mean.
Nishinoya dove like rent was due.
The receive was shaky.
Kageyama corrected it out of spite.
Hinata flew.
The spike went through Bokuto’s hands.
The gym lost its mind.
“HEY HEY HEY—” Bokuto yelled, immediately offended. “THAT WAS A GOOD BLOCK ATTEMPT IN SPIRIT.”
“That was not a block,” Tsukishima said. “That was optimism.”
Hoshiumi cackled. “I like this gym.”
Next rally.
Oikawa set to Ushijima.
The floor trembled.
Asahi flinched on instinct from three meters away.
Daichi did not move.
Ushijima’s spike detonated off the block.
The point was inevitable.
Hinata stared in awe. “That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair,” Oikawa said. “And neither is volleyball.”
Tsukishima blocked Kuroo on the next point.
Just barely.
Kuroo grinned at him across the net like a proud menace.
“You’re getting better, moonshine.”
“Don’t call me that in front of my entire team,” Tsukishima hissed.
“I will call you that in front of God,” Kuroo replied.
Sakusa stared at both of them. “…This is why I hate traveling.”
Osamu failed a dig.
He stared at the ball on the floor.
“…I am a middle blocker,” he said flatly.
“You volunteered,” Atsumu yelled from the sidelines.
“I was emotionally coerced.”
Bokuto missed a receive and immediately collapsed to the floor.
“I’VE FAILED THE TEAM.”
Akaashi covered his mouth from the sidelines. “Please stand up. You’re upsetting the gym.”
Oikawa yelled, “STOP BEING DRAMATIC. ONLY I’M ALLOWED TO DO THAT.”
Karasuno scored again.
And again.
And then Ushijima scored twice in a row like the universe correcting itself.
Daichi watched the rally, heart pounding despite himself.
This was stupid.
This was chaos.
This was… good.
Sugawara leaned into his side, smiling.
“You’re enjoying this,” he murmured.
Daichi exhaled, slow.
“…Don’t tell anyone.”
Set 1 ended with both teams breathing hard, sweat on the floor, and Bokuto lying on his back like a fallen warrior.
“I LOVE VOLLEYBALL,” Bokuto yelled at the ceiling.
Kenma looked up from his game.
“…I’m uninstalling my expectations.”
SET 2: EVERYONE IS TIRED, EVERYONE IS PETTY
Set 2 began with resentment.
Not the quiet kind.
The loud, competitive, “I am personally offended by your existence” kind.
Karasuno rotated in.
Hinata wiped sweat off his face and grinned like he’d just unlocked a new difficulty level.
“This is so fun,” he said.
“This is not fun,” Tsukishima replied. “This is cardio with consequences.”
On the other side of the net, Atsumu had migrated from the bleachers to the sideline.
“OI OIKAWA,” he shouted. “YOU’RE SETTIN’ TOO SLOW. LET ME IN.”
Oikawa smiled without looking at him.
“You can set in your dreams, Miya-kun.”
“I’LL SET YOUR FACE—”
Iwaizumi covered Atsumu’s mouth. “No violence in the gym.”
“I’m not even from here,” Atsumu said, muffled. “Why am I being disciplined.”
Serve went up.
Oikawa sent a backset to Sakusa.
Sakusa jumped, hit, and immediately landed wrong.
“…I hate this court,” Sakusa muttered.
“You landed fine,” Hoshiumi said. “You just hate joy.”
“Correct.”
Kageyama set Hinata without looking.
Hinata flew.
Hoshiumi met him in the air.
Their hands collided.
The ball ricocheted into the rafters.
Both of them landed and immediately turned to glare at each other.
“You jump weird,” Hoshiumi said.
“You jump rude,” Hinata replied.
“That’s not a word.”
“It is now.”
Bokuto got blocked by Tsukishima.
He stared at his hands like they had betrayed him personally.
“…I have lost my powers,” Bokuto whispered.
Akaashi pressed a bottle into his hands. “Hydration.”
“THANK YOU. I’M BACK.”
Kuroo fake-tipped over Tsukishima’s hands.
Tsukishima blocked him the next rally out of spite.
Kuroo laughed.
Tsukishima did not.
“Stop enjoying this,” Tsukishima muttered.
“I literally cannot,” Kuroo said. “You’re competitive. It’s hot.”
Tsukishima missed the next receive on purpose.
Daichi turned slowly to Sugawara.
“…I raised him better than this.”
Sugawara smiled sweetly. “No you didn’t.”
Ushijima spiked through a triple block.
The ball left a dent in the floor.
Asahi whispered, “I saw my life flash before my eyes.”
“Same,” Yamaguchi said. “I don’t even block.”
Osamu dove late for a dig and slid across the floor.
He lay there, staring at the ceiling.
“…If anyone asks,” he said, “I was never a libero.”
Atsumu fell to his knees dramatically on the sidelines.
“THIS IS WHY I’M THE SETTER.”
Oikawa finally snapped.
“IF YOU WANT TO SET SO BADLY, GO HOME AND SET YOURSELF.”
Kenma murmured, “That was uncalled for.”
Set 2 ended on a long rally.
Hinata dove.
Kageyama saved it.
Tsukishima blocked Bokuto.
Hoshiumi answered back.
Ushijima ended it like a statement.
The whistle blew.
Everyone stood there, bent over, hands on knees, rethinking their life choices.
“Why,” Bokuto panted, “does this gym feel personal.”
Daichi watched the court, eyes bright despite himself.
“…This is good for them,” he said quietly.
Sugawara leaned into him again.
“You love this.”
Daichi exhaled.
“…Don’t tell anyone.”
SET 3: EVERYONE GOES FERAL (EMOTIONALLY AND ATHLETICALLY)
Set 3 started with silence.
Not because anyone was calm.
Because everyone was too tired to speak without committing a crime.
Daichi clapped once.
It sounded like a threat.
“Last set,” he said. “No injuries. No property damage. No new rumors.”
Hinata raised his hand. “What if the rumor already exists.”
“Then we do not feed it,” Daichi replied.
Oikawa smirked. “That’s adorable.”
Iwaizumi took one step forward.
Oikawa immediately shut up.
Serve went up.
Kageyama didn’t look at Hinata.
He still set him perfectly.
Hinata hit clean.
Hoshiumi met him in the air.
This time, they smiled at each other like two idiots who respected violence.
“You’re fun,” Hoshiumi said.
“You too!” Hinata replied. “We should fight more.”
“That’s not how friendship works.”
“It is for us.”
Atsumu finally got subbed in when Oikawa tripped over nothing.
“THIS IS MY MOMENT,” Atsumu yelled.
He set to Ushijima.
Ushijima hit so hard the echo stayed in the gym for a second too long.
Asahi watched in awe.
“…So that’s what a clean kill feels like.”
“Asahi,” Sugawara said gently, “that’s not a phrase.”
Osamu took libero seriously for exactly one rally.
Then he stood up mid-point and yelled, “WHY IS THIS MY LIFE.”
Kuroo and Tsukishima met at the net.
They glared.
Then they both smiled.
This was flirting.
Daichi made a noise of pure suffering.
“They’re doing it again,” he muttered.
Sugawara smiled. “You raised romantics.”
Tsukishima blocked Bokuto again.
Bokuto dropped to his knees.
“I’VE BEEN BETRAYED BY MY OWL SPIRIT.”
Akaashi appeared immediately with water and a towel.
“You’re fine.”
“THANK YOU I’M BACK.”
Kenma whispered to Iwaizumi, “Do you think Bokuto runs on placebo.”
“Yes.”
The score tied.
The gym held its breath.
Kageyama served.
Tsukishima touched it.
Hinata saved it.
Kuroo tipped it.
Yamaguchi somehow got the receive of his life.
“WHEN DID I LEARN THAT,” he screamed.
Ushijima jumped.
Asahi jumped with him.
For half a second, they were in the air together.
The ball hit the block.
It dropped.
The whistle blew.
No one spoke.
Then Bokuto screamed like he’d won the Olympics.
“THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.”
Everyone collapsed.
Daichi walked onto the court.
He looked at the kids.
At the monsters.
At the absolute mess of a gym.
Then he smiled.
Just a little.
“Good game,” he said.
Tsukishima stared at him.
“…Are you proud of us.”
Daichi ruffled his hair.
“Annoyingly.”
Tsukishima pretended not to lean into it.
Oikawa groaned from the floor.
“I’m never leaving Japan again.”
Iwaizumi kicked him lightly.
“You say that every time.”
Hinata beamed at Kageyama.
“Let’s do this again!”
Kageyama nodded without thinking.
Daichi pointed at both of them.
“After homework.”
Everyone groaned.
The rumor mill, for once, took the night off.
DAICHI MISSES KARASUNO (AND KARASUNO DOESN’T LET HIM PRETEND OTHERWISE)
The gym emptied slowly.
Not because anyone wanted to leave.
But because their bodies had finally lost the right to argue.
The monsters were gone.
Bokuto had been physically carried out by Akaashi.
Oikawa was still talking about staying in Japan.
Iwaizumi was already planning the apology text he would never send.
Ushijima and Tendou had left with the way people do when they know they’ll be back.
Eventually, it was just Karasuno again.
Shoes by the door.
Towels over shoulders.
The familiar mess of people who had survived something together.
Daichi stood near the entrance.
He hadn’t realized he was waiting for anything.
Sugawara came up beside him, pressing a cold bottle into his hand.
“You didn’t yell at anyone for a while,” Sugawara said gently.
Daichi huffed. “I was choosing peace.”
“You looked like you were choosing memories.”
Daichi glanced back into the gym.
Hinata was still buzzing with leftover energy, retelling one rally to anyone who would listen.
Kageyama was arguing about footwork with someone who wasn’t even listening.
Yamaguchi laughed too loud, relief still clinging to his voice.
Tsukishima stood near the railing.
He was pretending to watch the court.
He was not watching the court.
Kuroo was waiting outside.
Leaning against the railing like he had all the time in the world.
Tsukishima’s attention drifted in that direction without permission.
Daichi exhaled.
“…I hated every rumor,” he said.
Sugawara nodded. “I know.”
“I hated the chaos.”
“Also true.”
Daichi’s voice dropped.
“…But I missed this.”
Sugawara didn’t tease him.
He just waited.
Daichi swallowed.
“I missed the noise,” he admitted. “The stupid arguments. The way the gym feels when everyone’s tired but still standing.”
He stared at the floor.
“…I missed knowing they’re okay.”
Sugawara’s fingers curled into Daichi’s sleeve.
“You don’t stop being their captain just because you graduate,” he said softly.
Daichi laughed under his breath.
“I’m not their captain anymore.”
“You are,” Sugawara replied. “Just in a different way now.”
Daichi didn’t argue.
Inside the gym, Hinata suddenly looked up.
“HEY,” he yelled, pointing. “DAICHI-SAN IS STILL HERE.”
It was like a signal flare.
Everyone turned.
For one terrifying second, Daichi considered running.
He did not get the chance.
Hinata sprinted first.
Then Tanaka.
Then Nishinoya.
Then Asahi.
Then Yamaguchi.
Then Kageyama, because he never knew when not to follow Hinata.
They collided with Daichi in a wall of bodies and limbs and sweat.
Someone yelled, “GROUP HUG.”
Someone else yelled, “COCOON HIM.”
Daichi disappeared.
He was trapped in a suffocating, chaotic, warm pile of his kids.
“YOU ARE CRUSHING ME,” Daichi barked.
“YOU RAISED US,” Tanaka yelled back.
“THIS IS YOUR FAULT,” Nishinoya added cheerfully.
Asahi apologized to Daichi’s shoulder.
Yamaguchi’s voice wobbled. “Thank you for coming back.”
Daichi froze.
Then slowly—carefully—he lifted his arms and wrapped them around the nearest backs.
“You idiots,” he muttered, voice rough. “You’re heavier than you used to be.”
Hinata beamed into his chest. “We grew up!”
Daichi’s grip tightened.
“…Yeah,” he said quietly. “You did.”
Tsukishima had been halfway toward the exit.
Kuroo was still there.
Waiting.
Tanaka noticed.
Tanaka is a problem.
“HEY,” Tanaka yelled. “EMO BOY IS TRYING TO ESCAPE HIS FEELINGS.”
“I am not—” Tsukishima started.
Tanaka grabbed the back of his collar.
“GET IN HERE.”
“LET GO OF ME,” Tsukishima snapped.
He was physically dragged into the pile.
He tried to complain.
He failed.
“…This is unnecessary,” Tsukishima muttered.
His hand, unfortunately, tightened around Daichi’s shirt anyway.
Outside, Kuroo smiled.
He did not interrupt.
He waited.
Shimizu approached quietly.
She didn’t say anything.
She simply rested a hand against Daichi’s back.
That was enough.
Yachi hovered at the edge of the chaos, panicking.
“…Um—are we—are we allowed to join?”
Yamaguchi nodded immediately. “Yes.”
They joined in.
The pile got worse.
Daichi closed his eyes.
For a second, it felt like nothing had changed.
For a second, it felt like home.
Sugawara watched with a soft smile.
“You’re a good dad,” he said quietly.
Daichi did not deny it.
“…I missed them,” he admitted.
From somewhere in the pile, Hinata yelled, “WE MISSED YOU TOO.”
Daichi sighed.
“…I know.”
And for once, he didn’t pretend he didn’t.