Sendai City Gymnasium was already abnormally crowded as Karasuno walked in, headed for the final game of the qualifying tournament. Center court, thought Nakano, this is it. We win today, we're going to Tokyo in January. And at home, my dad will be watching.
He'd surprised the girl that morning, greeting her as she walked into the kitchen to make herself something to eat, and placing two big plates of milk bread French toast on the table. Her eyes had gone wide. "Dad? What's going on? Where's Mom?"
"Still asleep. I told her she needed to take a day off and sleep in, and I decided to get up and make you something special for breakfast. Your mom isn't the only one who can cook in this house, you know. Now come here and eat. You've got a big day ahead."
Nakano had smiled and sat down to an indulgent breakfast with her father. They talked about the team and how they were doing, and the girl's expectations for the final match. And then, as she prepared another bag of strawberries, they talked about the boys specifically.
"Your young man, he's a middle blocker, right?" her dad asked.
"He is. A very good one. He's our logical mind. We wouldn't be able to get through these games without him."
Her dad smiled. "What's his jersey number? And Tobio's on your team too, right? Which number is he? Are they both in the starting line up?"
"Yes, they are. Kei is Number 11, Tobio is Number 9. Why, Dad?"
"So I know who I'm looking at when I watch the game today. You're going to be on television, you know."
Nakano's eyes had gone as wide as saucers. She'd known, in an abstract sense, that the game was going to be televised. Now she suddenly realized her mom and dad might actually be watching them in real time. Somehow, that made her self-conscious, and her dad had immediately noticed. "Hey now, relax! You just do you and forget about those cameras, okay? I'm just glad your mom and I can watch you without making your young man overly nervous. I'm guessing he'd absolutely lose it if I was to come with you to Sendai. Once these qualifiers are over, we'll all get together as soon we can."
Nakano laughed aloud. "Thanks, Dad. I'm glad you'll be able to watch too. Besides Kei and Tobio, our Number 10, Hinata Shoyo, is also a first year. And then Yamaguchi Tadashi, Number 12, is Kei's best friend - he's a pinch server. Watch for him too."
"That's a lot of first years participating in the team! I'm kind of amazed."
"Yeah, Karasuno has some amazing volleyball talent. I'm so lucky to get to work with them."
Her father had pulled her into a tight hug. "And they are lucky to have you on their side, Little Warrior. Knock 'em dead today!"
Nakano could feel the echo of her dad's hug as she walked down the main hallway of the gymnasium. Her nerves were gone, and all she felt at the moment was excitement that her family would be able to watch her boys play. Tsukki and Yamaguchi were up ahead, and Nakano was hurrying to catch up to them. However, she couldn't help but slow down as she heard Hinata telling a couple other guys 'I got this.'
"That's what I like to hear, Shoyo!" she said as she went by, slapping the ginger on the back, chuckling.
Hinata laughed in reply, folding himself down under the force of her slap. "You bet, Naka-chan!"
"Naka-chan?" Izumi asked, watching the strawberry blonde go by.
"Is she your girlfriend, Sho?" Koji asked, also staring at the girl.
"What? No! She's my coach!" Hinata cried, scrubbing his hands in front of him.
"Your coach?" Izumi looked at his old friend, confused. "But she...she couldn't be that old..."
Nakano chuckled to herself as Kageyama went back to collect Hinata. I wonder what Tobio, or Kei, would have thought of that little exchange, she thought. Given how mercilessly Kageyama began teasing Hinata, it was entirely possible he did hear it. Of course, this led to the two boys starting to scuffle with one another, which led to Tsukki mocking them, declaring that with the two idiots using up all their energy like that, the team was sure to lose in straight sets.
Nakano stopped in front of the blonde middle blocker, fixing him with a glare.
"What?" he muttered, not quite meeting his girlfriend's sharp blue eyes. "I'm just saying they need to save all their energy for the game we're about to play. You know this isn't going to be easy, Naka-chan."
"I never said it would be, Tsukki. But as I know Tadashi has advised you before, if you don't try, you'll never really know, will you?" Nakano said with a smirk, making the freckle-faced boy chuckle.
"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukki said almost automatically.
"Sorry, Tsukki," came the boy's usual reply, voice bright with merriment.
Walking into the actual gym took Nakano's breath away. The stands were already filling, and the single center court was somehow more impressive than any other court she'd ever seen. A shiver wriggled its way down her spine and her body moved with it, an almost instinctive response. I wanna play on this court, she thought suddenly, eyes glued to the pristine venue in front of her. I'm glad to be here with my boys, but it's not enough. I want to be the one playing the game on this court! She took a deep breath, steadying herself. One step at a time, she mentally admonished herself, trying to get her feelings under control. Your first steps are here, as a coach, seeing these boys through their time. Next year, if all goes well, it will be your turn. Dimly, she heard Tsukishima's voice, calling out, mocking someone.
She turned her attention towards the sound, and was confronted by a greenish looking Hinata. "I...I'm gonna...bathroom..." he muttered out, heading for the door. The setter quickly slipped the boy some stomach medicine, handing off more to Yachi to distribute and moving through her team, offering comfort and encouragement. Except to Tsukishima, to whom she offered a flick to the forehead.
"Hey!" he pouted, rubbing the spot.
"That's what you get for being mean, gorgeous," she said, moving to try to get Nishinoya and Tanaka to calm down and breathe.
"I'd better get a heck of an encouragement kiss later," Tsukki replied, smirking at the girl.
"Encouragement kisses?" Noya said, perking up, "are those a thing again? I need one, Naka-chan!"
Nakano rolled her eyes at her salty blonde boyfriend. "See what you started? Look Noya-senpai, I'd give you one, but then all the pretty ladies watching you today might think you've already got a girlfriend. And we certainly wouldn't want that, now would we?"
"Hmmm, you're right, Naka-chan. But I do want some encouragement. Encouraging side hug?" the libero said, smiling at her, his eyes sparkling with affection.
Nakano happily obliged. "Anytime, Noya-senpai."
A short while later, Nakano was giving Hinata a back-from-the-bathroom pep talk, when she could suddenly feel waves of irritation crashing into her very soul, coming, of course, from none other than her boyfriend. She patted Hinata's shoulder one more time, turning and walking away towards the blonde middle blocker. He was staring up into the stands, and Nakano swore she could see the air distorting around the boy, he was so aggravated. As she touched his shoulder lightly, his golden eyes locked on to her, bright with anger.
"Did you tell him to come?" he said through clenched teeth.
"What? Who?"
Kei's eyes darted upwards, and Nakano looked up to see Akiteru, his dark glasses and baseball cap doing absolutely nothing to hide his identity. She snorted, which was a mistake. Kei's mood was quickly rising from aggravated to furious. "You think something is funny here?" he ground out.
"Clearly Aki-nii and Tobio-chan studied the art of disguise from the same sensei," Nakano quipped, "the same blind drunk sensei."
Tsukishima started, then scoffed, and after a few moments of struggle, chuckled, his anger beginning to bleed off. "Sorry, Roses," the boy whispered, "I just...don't need the extra stress."
"He's not here to put pressure on you, Kei," the girl said, hugging him gently, "he's here to encourage you. To support you. To let you know he'll always have your back."
The blonde suddenly kissed the girl fiercely, but briefly. "We got this, right?"
"Damn right we do, gorgeous."
Things began to move ridiculously fast. Warm-ups, prepping the bench, pre-game rituals all went by in a flash. Suddenly, Nakano found herself facing her team, the last of the coaching staff to give the boys an encouragement speech. She looked over the twelve faces, the guys she had come to know and care about so much, especially one megane in particular. Her eyes lingered on him.
"A rag-tag bunch of crows, about to take on a mighty white eagle," she said, as Kei's eyes widened. "Bet there's not too many people who would think that would be much of a match up. After all, they've been on center court time and time again, and we've not been here for years. But they'd be wrong about that. Because you see, crows learn fast. Crows adapt. Crows are smart, and they know how to use their numbers to increase their strength. And crows never, ever, back down from a fight. It's time, boys." She stabbed a finger towards the Karasuno banner. "Now go and do what your motto says! Fly!"
Twelve pairs of eyes glittered in response to her speech. They were ready.
Player introductions came next, and Nakano joyfully slapped hands and gave high and low fives to her teammates. Tsukki's hand lingered in hers just ever so slightly, bringing a little color to her cheeks. When Takeda-sensei was introduced as head coach, completely shocking the man, Nakano giggled.
"Sorry about this, Legs, but they only introduce the head coach of record, which in this case is Takeda. You and I are just the support staff," Coach Ukai said with a soft chuckle.
"Why are you sorry about that, Coach? I didn't expect to be introduced. If anything, I'm sorry they don't acknowledge you. You're the one who's made this possible for this team," Nakano replied, making the older man turn away from her grateful countenance.
"I can't imagine having come this far without both of you," Takeda chimed in, smiling at the two coaches. "Thank you, both of you, for everything you've done."
"Save that for after we win the game, Specs," Ukai said, regaining his composure and grinning.
And suddenly, Daichi was serving, and the final was underway.
The opening volley was unsurprising, with Shiratorizawa getting the ball to Ushiwaka. The powerful spike blew right past Kageyama and Tsukishima's block, heading directly to the waiting arms of Nishinoya Yu.
The team all stared in shock as the receive went wild, the ball careening far out of bounds off of Nishinoya.
Takeda gasped softly. "How did Noya not get that?" he whispered.
"Lefty." Nakano said softly.
"Hmmmm?" Takeda hummed, looking at the girl.
"Ushiwaka is left-handed, Takeda-sensei," Nakano said, "The way he hits changes all the physics of the ball's motion. It's going to take them time to adjust to that, especially Nishinoya. We don't have any left-handed hitters on our squad, so we've not been able to prepare for this."
Indeed, the nerves and the strangeness of being on center court, the intensity of it all, was rattling all the Karasuno players. Simple mistakes were being made; rookie mistakes that were totally out of character for them. Nakano ran her hands through her hair, wondering how she could help her boys settle in as she watched Asahi and Tanaka both hesitate to act after calling the ball, letting it fall on their side of the court between them, giving Shiratorizawa yet another unanswered point. She was about call out something encouraging when suddenly Suga went nuts, yelling at his teammates to get it together in such a colorfully worded way that the ref glared at him in warning. Nakano couldn't help it, she burst into laughter, earning herself a look from the ref as well. She clamped both her hands over her mouth, stifling her continued giggles as she noticed several of her teammates on the court doing the same thing.
"I'm surprised Naka-chan is laughing," Kageyama said to no one in particular, "I'd have expected her to be annoyed with Suga."
"They're both just trying to break us out of the nerves! Let's get it together, guys! We know what we need to do, so let's just do it!" Nishinoya cried, his focus seeming to intensify.
Despite their best attempts, however, Shiratorizawa continued to run away with the set. It was painful to watch, and painful to be part of. Tsukishima could feel his doubts beginning to creep up on him, whispering into his mind that no matter what he did, he'd never be able to defeat Ushijima Wakatoshi. He jumped against the captain of the opposing team again, unsurprised at the outcome. His hands had been blasted apart. What was the point of this?
Nakano was next to him in a flash, tape in hand, as the buzzer sounded for the technical time out. Shiratorizawa was now at 16 points, and Karasuno had yet to break double digits. Tsukishima sighed, looking at the girl quizzically. Why had she rushed over to him?
"How bad is it?" Nakano asked manipulating his fingers gently.
Tsukki scoffed. "You can see how bad it is," he ground out. He realized she was tending to his hand, and for the first time, he felt the injury.
She looked up into his face, waiting for him to meet her gaze. He finally did so, reluctantly. Nakano could see the pain and aggravation in his eyes, and knew they had little to do with what had happened to his finger.
"Hey, Legs! I need you over here!" Ukai called out to the girl.
"In a minute, Coach," the girl replied, not taking her eyes from Tsukki's.
"Come on, Nakano, Noya needs someone who understands the physics of a spinning ball, and that ain't me! Get over here, please!" Ukai was almost whining.
Nakano's face broke into a grim smirk as she handed her boyfriend the tape. "It's only bad if you learn nothing from it, Tsukki. If we can learn them, we can defeat them. To do that, we need you. Now quit complaining and do what you do best. Your got your finger jammed but it's not bad - tape it up and you should be good to go." She gave his hand a final squeeze before running off to rescue Coach Ukai and try to help Noya figure out how to handle a ball that was spinning the wrong way.
Tsukishima stared after the girl for a long moment. That was both a gentle reminder and a kick in the ass, he thought. You promised her you would give it your all, you idiot. She deserves nothing less. So you'd better start getting your act together. He grimaced as Yamaguchi called out his injury in childish fashion. He let Ennoshita help him tape his finger up, determined to do all he could once they got back on the court.
🏐🏐🏐
The first set had indeed gone to Shiratorizawa, rather overwhelmingly. But Tsukishima was absolutely set on showing that while they might have lost the first set, they gained a great deal of valuable intelligence on how their opponent worked. There was a lot of information available on the court, and Tsukki's mind raced to keep up with it all.
He was both fascinated and deeply irritated with Shiratorizawa's Number 5, Tendo, the red-headed middle blocker. Other than their volleyball position, he couldn't really think of another person on the planet who seemed to be more his opposite. Their styles were completely different, and yet they were well matched against one another. Fortunately, I think I'm beginning to understand him fairly well already, even if a lot of what he does appears to be unpredictable, Tsukki thought. He may call it intuition, but that's still a system of its own, and he's vulnerable to getting lost in his own head. And that, I can use against him.
Tsukishima caught Nakano's eye from time to time as she sat on the bench by Coach Ukai, watching everyone carefully and calling out encouragement. Each time he did, her answering smile to him got more and more...devious looking. And yet, at the same time, happy. He knew the girl was excited that he was so deeply into the game, talking with his teammates, sharing his ideas and information, and that they trusted him to lead them in blocking. He had to admit, it kept his motivation up, to see her looking at him like that. And hearing her. She cheered for everyone, but her calls for his one-touches and successful plays seemed a little louder to him. Maybe it's just my imagination, he thought, a small smile playing about his lips, but I don't think so. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
As the second set went on, the score staying much, much closer than the first set, Tsukishima knew he was beginning to get under the skin of Shiratorizawa's setter. He could see the frustration in Number 10's eyes every time Karasuno...no, himself in particular...managed to stop someone Shirabu had set up to score. Yes, this is personal, isn't it, he thought, catching Shirabu's eyes as he led another three-man block against Ushijima, forcing him into a straight headed right for Nishinoya. Gotta keep the pressure up. If I can keep him under pressure, eventually, he'll crack. It's only a matter of time. Tsukishima redoubled his efforts, making sure to catch the eyes of the setter every time he managed to get a one-touch or stop an attack from landing. Kageyama was irritating the opposing setter as well, just adding more frustration on top of what Tsukishima was already applying. Perfect, Tsukki thought, before long, it will take its toll.
It was a small thing, when the moment came. Frustration and exhaustion from a set pushed past 25 points, set point for Karasuno and a desire to get back to a deuce pushed Shiratorizawa's setter just over the edge, and his toss to Ushiwaka was just a little too low, a little too close to the net. That was the opening Tsukishima had been waiting and watching for. He jumped with Asahi, carefully leaving the big ace an opening...and once Ushiwaka took the bait, Tsukishima swung his hands over, closing the gap and shutting the spike down.
The look on Ushijima Wakatoshi's face was priceless. He'd just been blocked. By some unknown first-year middle blocker. Karasuno had just taken the second set, thanks to some random boy being able to block the great Ushiwaka.
Tsukishima felt his feet contact the ground. A strange tingling was running up through his body. This, he thought, this is what Bokuto was talking about. This is it. He felt his hand clench into a fist of victory. This is how Nakano feels when she plays volleyball. I get it now. His cry ripped up through him from deep inside as his whole body shuddered. His eyes caught Nakano's. She was standing up, her arms raised up, fists clenched, mouth hanging open in a silent yell. Damn, I want to feel that again. I can't wait to do it again!
The team went mad, congratulating Tsukishima, celebrating that they had come back and won the second set. It was all a bit much for Tsukishima, after all, it had only been one point. What mattered was what came next. But, just for a moment, he indulged in a small celebration of his own as Nakano embraced him tightly.
"You did it," she whispered in his ear, "I knew you could do it."
"Yeah," he said, "You did. Thanks, Roses." He tightened his hold on her. "And now, I wanna do it again."
🏐🏐🏐
To no one's surprise, Shiratorizawa roared back, taking the third set. It was only to be expected, after seeing one of Karasuno's first years take down their captain and ace. Nakano knew it was likely, and yet, she had hoped that maybe they could avoid having to play all five sets.
Now it's become a test of endurance, she thought, we have to not only make it through two more sets, we have to win both of them. We will win both of them. They can do this!
She moved among her boys as they recovered from the third set, offering encouragement and making sure they were drinking water. She softly began advising them on how to massage their own legs, to help loosen the muscles that would soon begin protesting at the treatment they were receiving. There were several people she wanted to talk to, and she knew her time was limited. She started with Sugawara.
"Suga-senpai?" she said softly, touching the silver-haired setter on the shoulder.
"Hey, Naka-chan, what's up?" he asked, curious.
"You know you'll probably have to help him out, right?"
Suga glanced at Kageyama, who was toweling his face. "He seems to be doing okay to me. Are you worried about him?"
The girl smiled. "Only in that he will start to get exhausted, and that will lead to errors. My guess is that at some point, Coach will call for you to sub in for him. So stay limbered up, okay Suga-san? And watch carefully."
The smile her senpai gave her was brilliant. "No worries, Coach Legs. I got this."
The girl chuckled and moved on to her best friend, who had come out from under his towel and was now taking long pulls from his water bottle. She sat on the bench next to him, shoulder checking him. "How you holding up?"
"I'm fine. Looks like your boyfriend has finally decided to give it his best shot," Kageyama said, still breathing a little heavy.
The girl chuckled. "Now I know you're getting tired." Kageyama gave her a quizzical look. "You called him my boyfriend...not my jackass of a boyfriend, or my crappy boyfriend, or something like that. Seriously, how are you feeling?"
Kageyama snorted. "Geez, actually be nice for once and people assume you're losing it."
"When it comes to you referring to Tsukki, yeah, pretty much, Tobio-chan."
"Like I said, I'm fine."
"Pay attention out there, Kags. You'll know it when it starts getting to you. Don't ignore how your body is feeling. Suga's got your back, and that's a good thing." She patted him on the shoulder and stood, intending to move on, but when he offered a best-friend hug, she couldn't turn him down. As the pair completed their little ritual, Tsukishima came up behind Nakano, gently pulling her away from the raven-haired setter.
"Would you mind not getting my girlfriend all sweaty, King?" Tsukki complained, leaning over the girl, wrapping his arms around her and putting his mouth near her ear. "That's my job," he whispered.
Kageyama clicked his tongue, but moved away, giving the couple a little space. "Kei!" Nakano chided the boy softly, as she gently removed herself from his arms to look at him. "How about you? Are you ready to take the next two sets?"
"Yeah," the blonde replied without hesitation, "Keep helping me, okay?"
"Me? You're doing all this yourself, gorgeous."
"No I'm not. Trust me on that one." Tsukishima gave the girl a quick kiss as the team was called back to the court to begin the fourth set.
It was another close one, Karasuno keeping pace with Shiratorizawa. Tsukishima was proving his worth on the court, pouring everything he had into his performance. Nakano was bursting with pride, and every time the boy met her eyes, she gave him back every ounce of strength and love she could muster. She was amazed to see Kageyama and Tsukki pull off a beautiful time differential attack, fangirling over it almost as much as Hinata did.
But soon, as she predicted, Kageyama began to show signs of exhaustion. She grimaced as she saw him set to Tsukki, the toss out of synch with the middle blocker's approach. Fortunately, Tsukki was quick to react, stretching and popping the ball over the net with his fist. Nakano cheered for Tsukki's save, and was about to call out to Kageyama, when she saw her best friend approach her boyfriend.
"That's my fault," Kageyama said, voice straining.
"You creep me out when you apologize. I don't accept it," the salty blonde said briskly.
"WHAT?!" Kags looked like he wanted to smack his teammate.
"Much better," Tsukki said with a smart-ass grin on his face. Kageyama scoffed and turned away.
Nakano knew that was a far better response to Kageyama's irritation with himself than if Kei had accepted his apology, or even waved it off. But she also knew that Kageyama was reaching his limit, and by the look she saw on his face, she knew that Kei knew it too. She turned to Coach Ukai.
"I know, Legs," he said before the girl could even open her mouth. "I see it too. But not yet. If he can hold out, I'd rather he finish the set."
Nakano nodded, turning her attention back to the court. Kei had implied to her between sets that somehow, she was helping him do what he needed to do on the court. Can I do that for my boyfriend and my best friend at the same time, she wondered, whatever it is that I'm doing? She tried her best, willing Kageyama to stay strong and focused as the set went on.
🏐🏐🏐
Karasuno took the fourth set, and by the end of it, Kageyama was spent. He protested being subbed out, of course, but Nakano could tell by the look on his face that knew he needed the rest. Sugawara is more predictable, more easily read by someone like that Number 5 of theirs, Nakano thought, but, he's also got a few tricks up his sleeve that they may not be expecting. And, he's pretty much fresh. On a court full of exhausted boys, Suga's energy may make all the difference. And with Kei working his magic out there, I know we can take this.
This time, she got no warning of disaster. No premonition, no weird feeling, no sense that something was about to go horribly wrong.
It just happened. As she watched. She knew it immediately. Her medical bag was in her hand and she was racing towards him as soon as the ref gave her the nod.
A gauze pad was in her hand in seconds as she cradled Kei's right hand in both of hers. She didn't even ask. She could see in his face how much pain he was in. Broken, or just dislocated? Please, don't let his finger be broken! "Come on, we've got to get you to the infirmary," the girl said, moving to lead him off the court.
Ukai stopped her, gesturing for Kiyoko to take over. "I need you here, Legs," the blonde man said softly.
"What!? No, I have to..." Nakano looked to be on the edge of panic.
"You're a coach. You can't leave now. Make sure they hold out until I get back," Tsukishima said, and Nakano could see the pain in his eyes that he was trying so hard to keep out of his voice.
She knew there was no time for arguments. Her shoulders slumped. "Kei, I'm sorry..." she began, her voice barely a whisper.
"No you're not," the blonde middle blocker said, "and you shouldn't be. Because you'll be right there with me. Now don't let them give up."
Nakano gave a firm nod of her head, and a tight smile. "Hurry back, slacker. You've got a game to finish." If her voice quavered a little, well, no one remarked on it. Tsukishima glanced back only once, just before leaving the gym. Nakano was already giving Narita some loud encouragement. Dammit, don't you dare let this end. Make them keep going, Nakano. I'll be right back.
Nakano tried to stay focused on the game. She forced herself not to look at the gym doors. She knew the fifth and final set would go fast - fifteen points would creep up on them before they knew it. She cheered her boys on, watching, calling out anything she thought could be helpful. The rallies were long, far too long for boys pushed so far beyond their limits. She knew their legs were in pain, she cried out to them to keep going, to keep moving.
Soon enough, Kageyama was back in, and as always, the character of Karasuno changed again. It frequently amazed her how simply having a different setter could make a team behave so differently. She wondered how it would be if she could sub in, could play on the court with her boys. What would that be like, if she could actually play in a game like this one as their real setter?
Nakano shook her head to clear it, casting aside the annoying itch of wanting to play and focusing instead on supporting Yamaguchi as he stepped up to serve. I know Yams can get us the points we need to catch up, she thought. Please, Kei, get back in here soon!
Tadashi successfully got them three points, and then a strong synchronized attack brought them to a deuce. Nakano sighed, wondering how long this one would run. How long could her boys keep going? When Shiratorizawa scored the next point, Ushiwaka slamming down yet another powerful spike, even so late in the game, Nakano's head began to spin. How could they keep this up? The boys on the court looked exhausted, defeated. No! How do I motivate them? What do I say? We've got no time outs left, what can we do? The strawberry blonde turned to Coach Ukai just as the man stood up from the bench.
"Don't you hang your heads! STOP IT!!!" the coach bellowed. The gym suddenly fell silent. "Volleyball is a sport where you always have to look UP!"
Nakano smiled, cheering loudly as she watched the boys perk up, and ready themselves for the next rally. They got this, they won't let go, they're gonna keep the ball in play until...
The gym doors banged open.
Tsukishima looked more determined than Nakano had ever seen him. She spotted the taping on his right hand. Buddy taped, she thought, a dislocated pinky finger. Not a break. He wants back in, right this second. Her mouth dropped open at the fire she saw in her boyfriend's eyes. Tsukishima stopped right in front of Coach Ukai, leaning in to his personal space. "The bleeding has been stopped, and the dislocation has been properly reset. The injured pinky will have little to no effect on how I play."
As the boy spoke, Nakano softly placed her hand over his uninjured left one. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand, squeezing so hard she almost cried out. He's in pain, of course he is, she realized, but he doesn't care. He's going to push himself past his limits. He wants this so badly. Every single block is going to be agony, but he's going to do this anyway. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze back. I'm scared for you Kei, but I know all too well how this feels. To feel like you have to push yourself forward no matter what. As he glanced to her, the look she gave him back was one of total confidence. He gave her a tight smile in return.
Tsukki got right back to work, strategizing, pushing, doing his best to make sure the ball did not fall on Karasuno's side of the court. Nakano could feel the beginnings of tears in her eyes, watching this man who once said to her that volleyball was just a club fighting with all his heart and soul and strength for every single point. Enduring pain and still pushing himself to do more. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and Nakano laughed.
"My sweet volleyball idiot," she muttered under her breath. Ukai and Takeda looked at her as if she'd lost her mind.
It was 20 to 19, in favor of Karasuno. They were once again at match point. The rally was long, as they had all been, neither side willing to surrender. The saves being made were mad, epic moves, the kinds of things only possible when you were at your limit and desperate not to give up, flinging your body into the fray with no thought to what might happen, only knowing you had to keep the ball in the air. Karasuno launched a synchronized attack, and Kageyama gave the toss to Hinata.
The tiny ginger middle blocker put it away. Karasuno won, and would represent Miyagi prefecture in the National tournament. Shiratorizawa had been defeated.
The world went insane.
Nakano could only sit on the bench and cry as she watched her third-year senpais sob on one another as they realized their high school dream was coming true. They were going to play on the Orange Court. She sat, dazed, tears dripping from her eyes as the boys knocked each other down, celebrating. Her vision blurred as the tears just kept coming. She was pretty sure she was laughing, although she wasn't entirely certain. She just stayed there, crying and laughing and not quite able to see until a hand took hers, pulling her up and into a familiar pair of arms.
"Why are you crying, Roses?" Tsukki asked her softly.
"Because you did it," Nakano replied, blinking away tears and wrapping her arms around the boy she loved, "You led this team to victory, Kei. My wonderful, talented, volleyball idiot."
Tsukishima was about to protest when the team gathered around, pulling the couple apart. Ukai declared Tsukishima to be the MVP of the game in no uncertain terms. His teammates certainly seemed to agree, but Tsukishima definitely did not feel like he deserved that kind of acclaim. Nakano had even said he led the team to victory. How can she call me any kind of leader, he sighed internally, I only managed to block him once. I can't honestly call that leading.
Nakano saw the look on Tsukki's face, and was about to go and confront him, when Takeda-sensei pulled her away to help get things cleaned up to prepare for the award ceremony. As the boys began to scatter to clean themselves up, Tsukishima jogged away. Nakano grabbed Yamaguchi's arm as he moved past her. "Yams, can you talk to Tsukki, please? I think he probably went to the men's room."
"What's up? Is he okay? His finger, is it..."
Nakano smiled. "No, I don't think this has anything to do with his injury, though I imagine it's probably hurting some. If I had to guess, based on the look I saw on his face, Tsukki is feeling like he failed out there."
Shock splattered across Yamaguchi's face, followed by a wave of understanding. "Because he was only able to actually block Ushiwaka once." Nakano nodded, and the pinch server chuckled. "He can really be an idiot sometimes, can't he? Don't worry, Naka-chan, I'll straighten him out."
Nakano pulled her friend into a quick hug. "Thanks, Tadashi. You were pretty amazing out there today, too, ya know."
Tadashi's face went a soft pink, and he chuckled again. Patting his blue-eyed friend on the shoulder, he took off in the direction Tsukishima had gone a few minutes ago.
"Best wingman ever," Nakano whispered, watching him go.
🏐🏐🏐
Tsukishima was exhausted. He was beyond tired, and his hand was aching. He was full from dinner, and so very, very sleepy.
He was also walking home from Karasuno, his right arm draped around his pretty girlfriend's shoulders, keeping his injured hand elevated, the way she told him to. Her arm was around his waist, and, if he was being honest with himself, he was leaning into her a little more than he usually did.
Okay, if he was really being honest with himself, he was actually letting her carry all their things, leaning on her rather heavily, and dragging his feet.
The girl was chuckling softly as she tried again to keep him upright and moving forward. A soft little smile played on his lips. Anyone seeing the two of us like this would think at least one of us was drunk, he thought, probably me. He couldn't help it. Between being absolutely bone-weary, and knowing that when they got to his house, she would be leaving, walking forward just didn't hold a whole lot of appeal for him.
"Kei," Nakano said, a slightly exasperated giggle coming from her, "I know you're tired, but help me out here a little. I love you, but I'm afraid I can't carry you very well."
He grumbled gently, letting his head loll onto hers, making their shambling walk even more awkward. "Don't wanna get home so fast, Roses," he pouted.
Nakano chuckled again. Sleepy and needy Kei, folded together, she thought. But I can't really be mad at him. He's earned the right to be both, after what he pulled off on the court today.
The award ceremony had been a blur of smiles and tears. She'd iced his hand on the bus as they drove to dinner, insisting he keep the icepack on it for fifteen full minutes, and holding his hand above the level of his heart until they got to the restaurant. He'd eaten like a horse. Heck, he felt like he'd eaten a horse. She'd smiled and laughed at their exhausted teammates, feeding herself and frequently him as well, since his injured right hand wasn't exactly going to be able to deftly maneuver chopsticks for a while.
He'd begun to feel sleepy on the ride home, Nakano gently playing with his hair the way he liked and giving him little kisses. She fussed over his hand, and he snuggled into her, feeling her warmth and her affection surrounding him like a big, downy comforter.
But then they'd gotten to Karasuno, and everything had to be put away, and there was a team meeting (though not much of one), and then they had to walk home. He'd kept it mostly together until Yamaguchi and Yachi had parted from them, and then, well, he'd slumped against Nakano, and their walk had slowed to a crawl.
Kei tried to nuzzle himself into the girl even harder, causing her to stumble sideways. "Kei!" she laughed, "People are gonna think we're both dead drunk, not to mention you're going to knock me down if you keep this up. Hang in there just a little longer, love, and you'll be able to relax in your own bed."
"Mmmm," he growled, "My own, cold, lonely bed, without you, because you have to go right home."
"Kei," the girl began again, pushing against him to get him more upright, "if you can manage to walk more properly, I'll let you read something on my phone that might cheer you up a bit. Think you can handle a phone left-handed?"
"Don't wanna read anything," he pouted back, though he did haul himself a little more upright and support his own weight a little more. His forward speed in no way increased, however.
"Trust me on this one, okay? Here," she pressed her phone into his left hand. A series of texts was visible on it. Kei took a deep breath and tried to focus on reading, letting the girl guide his steps completely.
Dad 💕
You guys look so great! Tobio's gotten so tall, and your young man has got to be over six feet. Looking forward to facing him on the court!
Kei's brain re-engaged as he read the first text. "Roses, did your dad come to the match today after all?"
"No silly, it was live on TV, remember? Mom and Dad watched the whole thing. Keep reading, love."
"He wants to face me on the court?"
Nakano chuckled. "He'll have to wait a couple of weeks until your pinky heals, but yes, I'm sure he'll want to play some volleyball with you at some point."
Dad 💕
What the heck are you feeding that Number 10? Where does he get off being able to jump like that? Insane!
Kei snorted. He liked Ogawa-san's choice of words.
Dad 💕
Don't panic. First set is a learning curve. Come on back and crush them in the second set. You got this, Little Warrior!
He knew she wasn't going to see these until after the game, he thought, and yet, he had to send encouraging words to her. They are so much alike. I really can't wait to meet this man in person.
Dad 💕
HOLY CRAP! HE GOT HIM! KEI GOT HIM AND TOOK THE SET! THAT WAS AWESOME!
A mix of feelings washed over Kei. Pride at having impressed Ogawa-san, and having beaten Ushiwaka. The echoes of that moment, running through him again, the thrill of suddenly knowing how damn much he loved this stupid game. Aggravation at remembering he'd not been able to repeat the feat. And a strange warm feeling as he realized Nakano's dad called him by his first name, there, in that message.
Dad 💕
Dammit, you're gonna have to go five sets. Come on, Little Warrior, keep those boys going.
He cuddled Nakano gently, momentarily resting his head on hers again. She had kept them going, kept him going, through the toughest game he'd ever played. She'd been right about him all along. "I love you, Roses," he mumbled.
She snuggled him back, chuckling. "What brought that on?"
He just hummed softly at her, reading again. The texts were coming faster now - the time signatures were much closer together.
Dad 💕
Naka-chan, you did not tell me your young man was such a brilliant strategist. He's amazing. And Tobio's just as incredible as ever, of course. Your libero, your captain, your whole team is working together like a machine. That's a testimony to your coach, and to you, Little Warrior. Nice work. Now take that last set!
Dad 💕
Your mom apparently has a soft spot for Koshi-chan, your Number 2. She cheered very loudly for him when he got put in as setter for the start of the fifth set. Should I be worried? 🤣
Dad 💕
NO! I know it's got to be killing you not to be able to go with Kei to the infirmary. Don't worry. He's gonna be okay. Bet it's a dislocated finger.
Dad 💕
I KNEW IT! HE'S BACK! BRING IT HOME KEI-CHAN!!
Kei's eyes widened. "Your dad is...something else," he said softly.
"Did you finish them all yet?" the girl asked.
"Not quite."
Dad 💕
YOU DID IT!!! WE'RE GOING TO NATIONALS!! We're so proud of you!
Queen Setter 🏐
I know right? I can't believe it! Coach is taking us to dinner, so we'll be back a little late. Thanks, Dad, I'm so glad you were able to watch the game!
Dad 💕
And after dinner, you take that young man of yours home and take care of him. I know you'll be feeling badly that you couldn't be with him while he was hurt. Mom and I will be waiting for you and we'll celebrate with cake when you get back. Love you, Little Warrior! Congratulations!
Kei returned Nakano's phone to her. "So, does this mean..."
"I can't stay the night, but I can stay until you're properly cared for and sound asleep, love. Will that do?"
"Yeah," he said, looking up to see that they were almost at his house, "Thank you, Roses."
Stepping into the Tsukishima household was like stepping into a whirlwind. Both Akiteru and the boys' mother were wound up, alternately fussing over Kei's injuries and crowing over his incredible victory over Ushiwaka and Shiratorizawa. Okaa-san pressed strawberry shortcake on everyone, and Kei bore up as long as he could, but he really was exhausted and very cranky. He was soon pouting and grumbling into his cake, refusing to look up at anyone. Nakano gave Kei's mother the details on how best to treat his dislocated pinky, recommending an appointment with the family doctor as soon as possible. She asked Akiteru to gather some ice up into a bag for her, and to bring it, a towel, and a glass of water to Kei's room.
"Come on, sleepyhead," the girl said to the grouchy boy, who was now slumped over his empty cake plate, "I think it's time someone got some proper rest."
He looked up at her, eyes filled with longing and love, warmth and sadness. Nakano gave a small gasp, trying to cover it by quickly moving to him and helping him up.
"Thanks for taking care of him, Nakano," okaa-san said, kissing her younger son on the cheek. "Goodnight, Kei. Congratulations. It really was amazing to watch you."
"Thanks, Mom," he mumbled, letting Nakano guide him up the stairs to his room.
Akiteru was just coming out of Kei's room as the couple approached it. "Hey, Nakano, when you're ready, just come knock on my door and I'll walk you home."
Nakano smiled at the older boy. "Aki-nii, you don't have to..."
"Let him," Kei said, overriding her. "I'll sleep better knowing he got you home safe. It's already dark out, Naka-chan."
His eyes were just as full of tenderness as they had been before. She sighed, knowing that she could deny him nothing when he looked at her like that. "Alright," she said, "Thanks, Aki-nii."
"Goodnight, Kei," Akiteru said, "You were amazing out there."
He grunted, a small smile on his face. She led him into his room and immediately sent him into his bathroom to get ready for bed. She spent the few minutes he was gone getting a few supplies out of her medical bag. Fifteen minutes later, she had him cuddled against her in bed, her one hand gently holding an ice pack around his injured hand, and her other one tangled in his oh-so-soft blonde hair. His eyes were wide open, as if he were trying very hard not to let them close.
"I've left you a wrap, so that you can ice this tomorrow without needing to hold it in place the whole time. Just fill a bag with ice, wrap a towel around it, and then use the wrap to hold it all firm. Make sure you..."
"...keep it elevated, and ice it for fifteen minutes every three or four hours," he finished. "I heard you telling Mom," he said as the girl looked at him askance. "And I'll take the anti-inflammatory if it aches too much." She'd already given him another dose, knowing that the first night was likely to be the most uncomfortable.
"Kei, I'm so sorry I couldn't be there when you needed me," Nakano said, her voice soft and a little broken.
He snuggled into her again. "Idiot. I told you not to be sorry about that. I used that time to think, to prepare to get back into the game again, to plan. Besides, you were with me. I knew you were thinking of me. That was enough, Roses." He fought the sleepy feeling that her gentle touches were bringing over him. "I'm sorry I couldn't manage to block him more than once. I thought I'd at least get a couple blocks on him."
"No, you're not. You're not allowed to be sorry for that," she said, mirroring his statement to her earlier. "You did something that very few other people have ever done, Kei. You blocked Ushiwaka. Did you see the look on his face? Did you see the looks on his team's faces? No one expected that, Kei. And I can't even begin to remember how many times you yelled 'one touch,' or the number of times you forced him to spike it right to Noya-senpai. You were absolutely incredible, and I am so very, very proud of you." She leaned down and kissed his lips, softly, sweetly, with just the tiniest hint of passion. He focused on the latter, nipping at her bottom lip and sliding his tongue into her mouth at her tiny gasp. Their kiss became sloppy and wet, his left hand sliding up into her hair. But the exhaustion dragging at him was too much, and he let things slow down, loud smooching sounds filling the room as they slowly kissed each other's lips over and over.
At last, Kei settled back, looking up at Nakano. "Do you really think I did well?" Once again his eyes were wide and almost pleading, like a child seeking approval from his mother.
"Coach Ukai called you the MVP, and he was absolutely right. My dad saw how brilliantly you played and remarked on it. Kei, without you, the team never would have won." Her look back to him was equally loving, and full of admiration. "I knew when you found your passion for volleyball, it was going to be incredible. I can't wait to see where you go from here, my sweet volleyball idiot."
He turned away to hide a small smile, clicking his tongue. "I am not a volleyball idiot."
She turned his face toward her again with a finger under his chin, smirking at him. "Are you sure about that, love?" She kissed him again. "Because I'm pretty sure that you were just as intense as Kageyama or Hinata gets out there."
"Now you're just being rude."
"Pity. As you've noticed before, I've got a thing for volleyball idiots."
"Idiots? Plural?"
"Well, okay. One particular handsome, tall, blonde, volleyball idiot. Who kicked Ushiwaka's ass today."
Tsukishima couldn't help it, he chuckled. "I guess if I can be your volleyball idiot, it won't be so bad."
"Are you ready to try to sleep now?"
The boy sighed. "Do I have to?"
"Yes, love, you really need to. I'll stay until you're fully asleep, I promise. Lie on your left side for me, and you can spoon me, okay?"
He did as he was told as the girl turned out the lights, taking her into his embrace and wrapping his body around hers. He draped his injured hand gently over the curve of her hip. A soft, pleasurable sigh escaped him as he settled in, soaking in her warmth. "I love you, Roses," he breathed out, already sounding half asleep.
"I love you too, gorgeous. Get some rest."
It didn't take long for Tsukishima's breathing to even out and slow down. Soon, he was down for the count, gentle snores issuing from him, along with occasional kitty-like murmuring noises. Nakano remained in his arms a while, just enjoying the feeling of being curled up with this boy she loved so much, who loved her too. Who had given his all and opened himself up to really experience the sport that they shared. Do you understand now, Kei, what it means to me, she wondered. I think you do. I think you felt it when you blocked Ushiwaka. She lingered, not wanting to leave the little world they had to themselves when they were together like this.
But she knew she couldn't stay. Carefully, gently, she began to untangle herself from him. She moved very slowly, not wanting the boy to awaken. She got herself at last to a sitting position, reaching over to her bag and pulling out her phone. The Gym 3 Squad had been texting for a bit, it seemed.
Crazy Owl
HE DID IT! MY TSUKKI-BRO DEFEATED USHIWAKA!
Tiny Crow
How did you know, Bokuto-san?
Suave Owl
Your game made the news, Hinata-kun.
Tall Cat
Congratulations, Crows!
Tiny Crow
Thanks, guys! We're going to Nationals!
Suave Owl
Did Tsukishima-kun really block Ushijima-san?
Pretty Crow
He did, Akaashi-san. It was amazing to see.
Suave Owl
Will he be joining us? I'd like to congratulate him.
Pretty Crow
I'm afraid he's sound asleep at the moment. He dislocated his pinky in the fifth set, so he's pretty exhausted.
Flirty Cat
Oh man, is he okay? How bad is he hurt?
Pretty Crow
It's not too bad, he'll be fine in a couple of weeks, I'm sure. But add the pain from that on top of the exhaustion from the game and he's out like a light.
Tall Cat
Wait a minute...are you with him right now, Nakano? In bed?
Pretty Crow
Yes, Lev, I am sitting next to him on his bed. I just finished treating his injury, and wanted to make sure he was able to fall asleep. Quit thinking naughty things.
Tiny Crow
He was so amazing today, Naka-chan! I've never seen him get so into a game before!
Crazy Owl
It finally happened for him, didn't it?
Tiny Crow
What do you mean Bokuto-san?
Crazy Owl
Tsukki finally had his badass personal moment, didn't he?
Suave Owl
It certainly sounds like he did.
Pretty Crow
Pretty sure he did, guys. He's finally letting his passion for the game through. But hey, Shoyo, don't forget you were pretty awesome out there yourself!
Suave Owl
Sounds like the National tournament is going to be very exciting this year.
Crazy Owl
Oh man, I really wanna get Tsukki-dude to jump some blocks for me now! We should get together and celebrate the Crows' victory!
Suave Owl
Didn't you say Nakano-chan has a volleyball court in her backyard, Bokuto-san?
Pretty Crow
I do indeed, Akaashi-san.
Tall Crow
Man, I wanna play volleyball at Nakano's house!
Pretty Crow
Well, we should probably wait a couple weeks so Tsukki's hand can heal up.
Tiny Crow
But then you should all come to Miyagi so we can play!
Flirty Cat
By then we should have finished our qualifiers as well. We can make a celebration of it. Of course, outdoor volleyball in November might not be our smartest idea.
Pretty Crow
We'll figure it all out, Kuroo-san. Goodnight you guys! And thanks for all the good wishes.
Nakano smiled as she looked over at her sleeping boyfriend. He'd see the chat tomorrow, and probably groan at the idea of having to play more volleyball with the Gym 3 Squad. But that groan will be mostly for show, she thought. He might actually really want to show off to Bokuto and Kuroo. That would be fun to see. She leaned down and gave him a feather-light kiss on his forehead before slipping out of his room to find Akiteru and make her way home.