His Warrior Queen: A Haikyuu!! Novel (Tsukishima x OC)

Chapter 94: Kuroo: This is It

Except, every once in a while, it does.  It's a good strategy.  But we've got a strategist of our own.

Kenma moves to set, tossing a tiny glance at Taketora.  It's a small thing, but I know Hinata sees it.  Chibi-chan watches Kenma like a hawk.  Those two - they really want to beat one another.  I can see the wheels turn in Hinata's head, and he doesn't fall for it.

But he still can't recover fast enough to stop me.  I knew the set was coming to me, and that tiny delay while he reasoned out what Kenma was doing, that was enough.

We can't necessarily stop Shoyo.  But if we can slow him down enough...we might just be able to put more points up on the board than they do.

This is going to be a long, hard game of wearing Hinata down.

🏐🏐🏐

We know each other almost too well.  We've trained with each other, learned from each other, seen each other's weaknesses and seen each other overcome them.  It's making for an interesting game.  Every serve seems to result in a rally.  And while we're definitely battling against one another, and both teams really want the win...we can't help but be excited for each other.  We may be rivals, but we're also friends, and the one doesn't preclude the other.  If anything, it's just making the game more fun.

We bust out a synch attack on Karasuno, just to show them that they are not the only ones who can put one of those together.  The Crows are experts at mirroring your own moves back at you, and it's nice to turn the tables on them a little.  Kai goes up for the hit, and almost puts it over on them, but Tsukki manages to get a one-touch.  

But when they do the same to us a short while later, using a new five-man approach, I manage to block it.  Tsukki, you've learned well from me, but not well enough to beat the master.  I think it's time for a little trash talk across the net.  I accept the acclaim of the crowd, and then come face to face with my bro as we prepare for the next serve.

"The reason the ball flew was because your hands were stretching upwards," I tell him professorially, "I've said it before...your hands have to be in front, Nobukatsu-kun."  I absolutely could not resist calling him Just-a-Club-kun.  I still remember what he was like, back when we first met.  Barely giving any effort - just enough to say he was there.  And look at him now.  He's come so far, my dear kohai has, and I'm proud of him.  But that doesn't mean I won't poke the hell out of him if I can.

In entirely typical fashion, Tsukki-bro totally ignores my well-thought out and clever verbal jab.  "You can still afford to give me advice, just like usual?" he says, and it isn't really a question...more like a scoff.  He's scoffing at me?  I just scored a point, dude!

"Nah," I say back with a goofy smile, "I'm just trying to pick a fight."

Tsukki just gives me a look.

Suddenly, from the sidelines, comes the sound of a wild Boku-bro.

"DON'T LOSE, TSUKKI!!!!"

We can't help but snicker.  I turn to the Boku-bro, giving him my best hurt eyes.  After all, he just supported Tsukki over me!  Of course, he's not wrong to do so... I was deliberately being an ass.  But he shouldn't be able to tell that from that far away!  Unless...he just knows me that well.  

We continue on, trailing a little behind, as we often do during the first half of a set.  It's our way.  I'm not worried about it right now.  It's all part of the plan.  We continue to trade points, back and forth.  Tsukki, who had been out for Nishinoya, comes back on to the court, giving me another opportunity to mess with him.

It's what I live for.

Sugawara seems to be all kinds of fired up today, and yells at Tsukki as he makes his way on to the court.  "Go Tsukishima!! Don't lose to Kuroo!!"  Kei does what Kei does best, turning back to him and uttering a single word.