The Introverted Kitten's First Date

A Puppeteer, A Tactician, A Teacher, and Two Guardians walk into a gym...

This was the tactician's weirdest hope. He knew he had the tools to become better. He knew he had the determination to surpass even Kageyama's, the perseverance to become the best on his own terms.

But once...just once...even though he'd learned from his role model that he can complain once he's given literally everything he has...

The tactician wondered what it would be like...if he didn't have to push with all his might to even equal talent.

And breaking the talented one's tools?

That seemed to work.

~~~

Bokuto, though his grades were abysmal, still thought himself a teacher. A mentor. A role model. A captain. Just...someone to look up to.

That's sort of why he felt so strongly for Hinata, this sort of urge to help him. It was almost like a parental role, though not exactly what he was going for.

When the bright-eyed, super bubbly piece of sunshine that probably God himself personally blessed upon the Earth with his smiles, he knew that there was something that he had done right in a previous life if that exact boy had come up to him in admiration, asking for him to be his teacher.

And no. He didn't think Akaashi was the mother to his fatherly relationship to Hinata. Though he partially wished it so.

There wasn't too much behind it at first.

That's when the first wave of applause came in, trapped him in the whirlpool of this role he gladly played for the young teenager.

It made him feel like a true ace.

He knew, that in reality, he wasn't like your ordinary ace. And he didn't mean it in the sense of being a top 5 ace in the entire country.

He wore his 'Way of the Ace' shirt with pride. Yet, he knew there was more to being an ace than that. Especially the first one.

His back? He knew that his teammates had faith in him, that they acknowledged his strength and his ability to carry them to the finish line.

Yet, he knew that in the end, rather than being a role model for his team, he knew he was like the baby of his team, especially during practice. He'd been able to resist the urge during games, yet weakness still showed here and there.

Hinata?

The kid made him feel like he was truly powerful. Where he knew he was a true inspiration. And sure, while Hinata wouldn't have affection for Bokuto as he would for Kenma, he knew that was fine. It was a different type of affection. An admiration sort of affection.

That was a factor in what propelled Bokuto to keep improving. To keep following the way of the ace. To fight harder, stronger, faster, to be the best ace he could be.

And hey. It was said that when he was serious, he could match the top 3. Hell, match Ushijima, Sakusa, and Kiryuu!

Bokuto knew that being serious wasn't his strong suit.

Yet, the role of being a teacher?

He sure as hell wanted to be more serious.

Cause in the end?

People like to be strong. It's what allows them to have fun.

Bokuto, even though he played volleyball, and happened to be really good at it, even if he sucked, he knew that there was one thing keeping him going. It was the same thing he said to Tsukishima.

When you finally have your moment? That's when you'll be hooked on volleyball.

That was the same thing for romance. Or at least, what Bokuto thought.