a/n: basically im changing all the instances where he came on too strong with different phrasing and trying to make it less cringy. 🥲
meet me in the hallway - Harry styles
sweet creature - Harry styles
Nevermind that. I get why it's inspiration now. Y/n is like 'sweet creature' for bokuto
https://discord.gg/UPGcZKwY
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'𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗?'
'𝚘𝚑 𝚘𝚑 𝚢𝚎𝚜. 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢!'
'𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗'
『𝘀𝗶𝘅』
as if it never faded, your interest in volleyball began to take over your life again. After school you'd watch them practice or go to matches, on weekends you saw games with Bokuto and somehow at lunches, you found yourself thinking of new things the boys could try.
not only the Fukurodani boys but also drawing up strategies for the boys at the school you and Bokuto always watched.
you were utterly consumed with the passion you had been neglecting and it was beginning to rear its head in public.
you had a granola bar between your teeth and wore slightly furrowed eyebrows as you rubbed at the sketch.
this wouldn't work for them. their spiker barely gets to first tempo.
regardless you thought of another strategy as you sat under the tree by the window to the cafeteria, completely unaware of your surroundings.
"quite the busy ant are you?"
that was until you heard a voice close behind you and you frantically threw up everything that was in your hands and yelped.
he breathed a laugh at this and you turned around to see the captain smiling warmly. Bokuto had been leaning out of the window with a sparkle in his golden eyes from amusement. so flustered from his appearance, you laughed nervously.
"Sorry Bokuto-san, you really scared me just now. I didn't see you" you said and cringed when your voice broke, hemming to get rid of the nervousness as you recollected your stuff.
"It's okay, and why are you apologizing, aren't I the one that surprised you? I wasn't here very long....though I was here long enough to glimpse your talent. Can I see?" he asked outstretching an arm over your shoulder and hesitantly you handed the journal to him by the spine, closing it around your index.
his own finger brushed against yours in the narrow space as he tried not to lose the page and your breath hitched unintentionally.
I'm so childish. this is nothing.
scolding yourself mentally, you listened in for him to say something—anything.
growing anxious you began to babble. "It's really nothing great bokuto. I'm not saying that what they're doing is wrong. I just thought maybe if they did these techniques or focused on these passes once in a while then maybe.." you trailed off when you felt his large hand on top of your head, patting your head.
"waaa" you whined in embarrassment feeling his large hand smothering your head. your heart wanted to explode.
"You really are a setter y/n. As smart as they come. This is amazing!" he awed with raised brows, and you chewed the insides of your cheek.
amazing...
"I hope you ate lunch already though and not just that bar. Lunch ends in three minut...hey!" he broke off to speak to some other students that beckoned to him as they passed by him in the cafeteria.
it was only then that you realized how he must've looked from inside, half of his body out the window with only his lower half inside, and you softly laughed.
was everyone staring at his butt?
he heard it just as he'd finished speaking with the class president in his class that reminded him about an assignment.
your soft sputters of snickers you struggled to contain.
when he affixed his gaze on you again, he realized your body shaking and a small smile fighting its way on your lips. though he didn't know why, he didn't ask but instead fought his own urge to smile as his gaze softened.
contagious.
though he wasn't in a good mood before, the dampening mood was now slightly forgotten.
"will you be there today again?" he asked leaning his face into his palm, book still hanging from his grip, and realizing his attention was back on you again, you tried your best to suppress your laugh with coughs.
it's not working.
"Oh oh yes. Definitely." you said bringing your hand to your lips as a means to hide your smile instead and flushed when once again you glanced at the armband he sported proudly.
he finally allowed the toothless smile to break on his face, though in his eyes you could still notice a pinch of sadness.
why are you sad? you wanted to ask feeling your smile fade but the words couldn't leave your mouth.
"I'll be looking forward to it then".
'he's okay'
by evening it seemed you didn't have much to worry about. he was smiling again, grinning ear to ear as he practiced with the boys and joked with them.
though a few students watched in on the practices, you were acknowledged as a regular even by the coach. he didn't mind, it was even considered as the norm now.
they also knew you were more comfortable alone and so the middle rows were usually left empty for the girl that preferred the solace that an empty row provided.
the middle rows were for said junior, an unspoken law.
one that Bokuto knew all to well as with a single glance he always found you were he expected you to be.
you'd smile and wave shyly and he'd laugh. you were getting more comfortable, not as flustered.
after practices, you soundlessly aided in cleaning up even when they tried to stop you, but you just wanted to be helpful.
if anything, your main motive was to feel the squeak of your shoes against the court again. it caused a distant and pleasing ache in your heart that made you smile.
"akaashi-kun is gonna have your head if you don't stick to what he says" konoha teased Bokuto who chuckled.
"he's so mean to me but he scolds me because he loves me. Right Ag-aaa-shi" Bokuto used the sing song tone he used with the nurse, only to have akaashi move to another bench in exhaustion and annoyance.
"I scold you because you're childish and act rashly when you're too excited" akaashi said pushing back his hair from his sweating forehead with a hand.
"so because you love me" he concluded whimsically and akaashi made a sound of annoyance causing some laughter to erupt between the rest of the team.
breaking from his convo with konoha and akaashi, Bokuto saw you move the empty box for the balls to side of the court and smiled, wiping sweat from his neck with the back of his hand.
"Y/n" he said and you turned to where he was. "catch" he said before abruptly tossing the ball your way and though caught of guard, you managed to catch it.
surprisingly your reaction was still sharp.
you held it to your chest, slightly wide-eyed from the abrupt toss.
does this man have a vendetta out for me?
he breathed a laugh at your expression and curled his fingers in a beckoning manner. you obliged as you moved closer to the court with the wariness of a wild fox.
for some reason the manner in which he motioned for you to come closer made your heart skip a beat.
"can you set to me?"
eh
"eh?"
usually you stayed in the shadows and out of their practices, so now being involved and the center of attention, you blanched and immediately thought of disappearing.
especially when the other teammates looked to you, some smiling at the challenge; konoha joked that Bokuto was trying to replace akaashi.
"no way"
you instinctively took two fleeting steps back, bokuto held your wrist.
"yes way"
"don't trouble her Bokuto" akaashi said noticing your nervous state as he met your eyes with his green ones for a moment.
"don't worry, she was a setter. everything will be fine" he said grinning almost proudly, releasing your hand as he got in position, standing by the net expectantly.
"you were?" Shūichi and wataru asked at the same time and after nervously admitting to it, the team was now 100% interested in what would happen.
can I die?
"I really shouldn't. Are you sure it's okay? I don't even remember how to...do this" you said though you were honestly excited; feeling the ball in your hand again and getting the chance to spike to an ace like him.
it felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. your shaky hands gripped the ball tightly.
I'll get to set to him. Do I still remember how to set?
will it be too high? Will it be too low?
you looked to the coach who also sat, smiling with a nod as he watched on.
"I know you can do it" Bokuto said and reluctantly, you also stepped to the court—finding some courage in his golden eyes.
sometimes people found hope when stargazing. they find balance and guidance. you often felt that whenever you met the captain's eyes. It made you breathe easier and made everything much more quiet.
he believes in me.
"I'll count you off then" akaashi said slouching forward, slightly relieved that the volleyball crazed ace wasn't asking him for another set instead but still watching you a certain vigilance.
1
2
3
though you felt pressured and nervous, the moment you heard the last number your body began to move on instinct. simply because it was tired of being denied of a pleasure it once knew.
and when the time came your mind blanked, operating solely from muscle memory.
you could only hear your breaths, only see the ball, the net and Bokuto. though it seemed like a simple thing to you, the moment felt ethereal.
as soon as it left your fingertips and was slammed down on the other side by a powerful spike by Bokuto, you had goosebumps. the hairs on your arm stood at attention.
your heart raced as you began to piece together the happening and the overdramatic cheers from the others.
Bokuto stared at the ball for a while, panting before turning to you with bright eyes and smiling.
the brightness took you aback, watching as he walked to you with raised arms. The action gave you a serotonin blast that made your heart beat hard.
i might pass out.
You've watched him do it too much times that naturally you raised your arms too with your palms turned to him.
but for a very short moment, bokuto seemed as if he was moving in to hug you.
"Uweee!" he cheered double high-fiving you softly and you smiled meekly as you returned the cheer "u....uwee".
you'd barely had time to process it all before he placed a hand on your shoulder, ushering you closer to the others.
"So what do you think guys? She'll be our new manager afterall"
!????
and just when you think you couldn't take anymore excitement. your heart exploded