Well friends, this is it. The day has finally arrived.
The Trash Can Showdown. The Battle at the Garbage Dump. The Cats versus the Crows. Call it what you want, but it's finally time.
Today, we face our friends and rivals across the net in a real game. A game where one of us is going home afterwards. Winner takes all today - there's no second chance. I gotta admit - I'm excited. We've been waiting for this for a long time.
The excitement is palpable as we enter the arena. We've got a lot of fans here today, and things feel almost electric. Everyone on the team seems a little extra excited - even Kenma, and that's saying something. We go through our regular routine of preparation for a game, and across the net from us, Karasuno is doing the same. I can see Tsukki and Nakano going through their own little ritual - he steals a kiss from her as she's trying to get everything set up. I look up into the stands...but I can't find Amalie. Well, there's an awful lot of people here, that's not surprising. I know she's here, though. She wouldn't miss this for anything. Over on the sidelines, the Boku-bro has arrived with Akaashi. Fukurodani has a game today too, but I know they'll stay as long as they can. After all, it's Bro-sketeer against Bro-sketeer today, and that's gonna be worth watching.
It's time. I call my team together, and we huddle.
"We're like the blood in our veins. We must flow without ever stopping. We must keep the oxygen moving so that the mind can function at peak efficiency."
I pause, looking at the guys. We're ready. There's nothing else we need, nothing more we could possibly do to prepare. This is it.
"Karasuno..." I mutter, gathering my strength for a roar. "We're gonna eat you alive!"
On the other side of the court, Karasuno finishes their huddle. As we all move into position, I hear it.
"SEXY TREE!!!"
I look up, as half my team laughs, mocking me, while the other half is practically manifesting heart eyes. There she is, laughing and waving and making a heart with her hands. Ogawa Amalie is flat out crazy, and doesn't seem to care who knows it.
She's amazing. I throw her a kiss, and get myself into position. Kenma looks at me, the tiniest little smirk on his face.
"Don't you dare sass your captain right before we start a game, Kenma," I say, giving him a glare.
"I didn't say a thing, Kuroo," Kenma responds, getting himself ready for Kageyama's serve.
And then, all of a sudden, the whistle blows, and the game begins.
It's a long rally right out of the gate. These are not the same Crows we've played against in practice matches so many times. I know that, objectively, just from watching the games they've played in here at Nationals.
And yet, that knowledge somehow does not prepare me entirely for the reality of playing against them myself.
The long first rally ends with Shoyo and Kageyama busting out the freak quick attack. As many times as I've seen that, you'd think I'd have gotten used to it. But seeing it happen in front of you, it's stunning, every time.
They've evolved, of course. They have to. Heck, they're Crows...the very nature of their team, their very strength, is the ability to adapt, to adjust to the opponent they face across the net. And they will adjust to us quickly, as they've faced us before, they know us...just as we know them. Kenma sees it well. He knows Shoyo is evolving, has prepared a strategy that takes that into account. They've opened with the freak quick, reminding us of the power of that weapon. And now...Hinata will use the very existence of that attack - the mere possibility of it occurring again - like a decoy. Making us commit resources to preventing an attack that never comes.
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.
"Impossible."
Part of me wants to laugh, especially at Suga's completely nonplussed face in response to Skinny Jeans' retort. Part of me wants to smack Tsukki. Seriously, bro? After all this time, after everything you've achieved, do you really think you can't beat me?
Shoyo just scoffs at him as he goes past. "I knew you were gonna say that," he says.
Tsukki just looks at me across the net. "I've never thought about winning against anyone who is stronger than I am." Suddenly, that self-deprecating smile he likes to use spreads across his face. It's a face he pulls when he's trying to convince you that he's definitely not good enough. "There's no way I can win against Kuroo-san! It's impossible!"
I give him a smirk, wondering where this is going.
"I never thought for a single second that I would be able to win by myself."
Ah...he knows he's part of a team...that no one can win at volleyball by themselves. Very true, and very wise, my dear bro.
Yamaguchi steps in to serve, and he looks quite determined. Of course, when you serve, you are alone. It's all on you...despite what Tsukki just said. I can't help myself...I take the chance once again to get in a dig against my favorite opponent. "Yamaguchi looks like he's gonna win on his own, though," I say, taunting Kei as best I can.
He looks at me...and this time a very different smile breaks over his face. This one is almost...wistful? "Yeah, you're right," he says, "He really has gone on ahead of me after all."
Now what the heck does he mean by that?
And suddenly, here it comes. Tora did his best, but it wasn't meant to be. Service ace.
And Tsukki laughs at me.
Well, that's irritating.
He won't get another one on us. We're able to adapt too. And sure enough, we keep the next serve in play. I get the set up...
...and dammit if Tsukki-bro doesn't block me.
Once again I can hear Bokuto cheering for Tsukki...I'm gonna have to have a little talk with my bro after this game, I think.
But I can't blame him really. It was perfect. Get the point with the serve if you can...but if you can't, be ready to block the return. Another excellent strategy from the Crows. And the crowd is cheering for Kei...but he's giving Yamaguchi a high-ten. He knows that took them both.
Meanwhile, Yaku is kicking my ass, literally. "It's all your fault!" he's yelling, as if my tutelage alone made Tsukki into the middle blocker he is today.
"What are you talking about?" I yell back, "That's Tsukki's true ability!"
And it really is. Despite his often prickly attitude, Tsukki is at his best when he's meshed with his team. Blocking really isn't something you do alone. It's taken Tsukki a while to learn that, but now that he has...he's kind of amazing. A far cry from the disinterested, bored jackass he was when we first met. He's come an awfully long way. Yeah, I should be trying to trash talk him...but I can't. Not at this moment. Not when I feel so damn proud of him for what he's become.
"Tsukki," I say, smiling at him across the net, "How's volleyball lately?"
He looks right in my eyes. "Thanks to you..." He seems to falter a moment. My Tsukki-bro, in his feels, right here on the volleyball court. It's a thing of beauty. "Really...thanks to you...once in a while, I find it quite fun."
Well damn, Tsukki-bro. That made this game totally worth it right there.
🏐🏐🏐
This game...this game is completely intense.
We're battling back and forth for virtually every point. The occasional service ace gives us the opportunity to catch our breath, but almost every time the ball goes into play, there's a rally before the point is made. Karasuno is still ahead, but not by very much. We're slowly...very slowly, mind you...closing that point gap.
By doing nothing all that amazing, honestly. Doing just what Tsukishima and Yamaguchi did earlier. Get a service ace when you can, but when you can't, try to block the return shot. When you get the ball, set up a simple attack. Try to make the point.
And yet, it feels crazy. We're all covered in sweat already. We feel like we've been playing this game all day. And it's barely the middle of the first set.
Karasuno's libero makes a rough receive, and their formation is disturbed. Could be a chance ball inbound...but I don't think so. Karasuno has a powerful weapon against things like that. He manages to get under the ball, and executes an incredible set to his counterpart. I've watched it happen before, and it never fails to impress me.
Kageyama Tobio really is an amazing weapon for Karasuno. His prowess astounds me.
But don't get me wrong. We've got our own amazing weapons. We don't have a top five ace, or a player being considered for the National Youth team...but we do have something extraordinary. We have each other. We have this team. It's incredible to be a part of. Nekoma doesn't stand out the way other teams do...and that's why we stand out. We mesh together in a way I think other teams struggle to achieve. I love being a part of this team. It's incredible to be playing against the Crows. We all just feel this kinship for one another, even as we battle across the net.
Well, almost all of us.
Something is happening that I'm not sure I've ever seen before. Kenma is more intense today than I've ever seen him. I mean, I know he wants to beat Shoyo. But...I don't think I realized just how badly he wants that. Not until we got out on to this court, and this game got underway.
It's been a lot already, and Kenma isn't usually one to want to move around that much. Nakano said it really well once - she described Kenma as a player who makes no unnecessary moves. Today, Kenma is making all kinds of moves that are surprising a lot of us.
Lev and Kageyama have it out at the net, with Kageyama able to push the ball over. Taketora makes the flying receive...but the ball goes a little wild. Kenma straight up ran to get under it and set up Lev to take the point. Now, I knew our guys were surprised...I even saw it on Coach's face. But when Kageyama caught up with Kenma at the net...well...it was amazing. He gives Kenma this wide-eyed look - like he can't believe what he's just seen.
"Kozume-senpai...you...can run?" Kageyama says, and he's not joking. He's like, completely, seriously amazed by this.
Kenma scowls a bit. "I'm actually a living human being, ya know."
I cannot bust out the hyena laugh right here on the court at Nationals. I force it down, spluttering and chuckling to myself.
Kenma is giving me the death glare. I can't complain...I do deserve it. I look up to see Naka-chan giving me raised eyebrows from across the court. She's too far away to have heard that, but she knows something's up with Kenma. Something about him is different today.
Today, Kenma is aiming to pluck himself a little ginger Crow.
🏐🏐🏐
People have a bad habit of underestimating Kozume Kenma.
He's quiet, and unassuming, and doesn't really stand out in any way.
He's not a genius setter like Kageyama or Miya Atsumu. He's not fast like Karasuno's Chibi-chan. He doesn't jump like Shoyo either. Heck, there are times the guy barely wants to move. He's not particularly sociable, and he can seem...well...like a bit of a total gamer geek sometimes.
Okay, a lot of a total gamer geek.
But without Kenma, Nekoma would not be the team it is.
Kenma is our brain. He's the strategist. And when he's motivated, like he is against Karasuno...he's devastating.
We've been working Karasuno hard, keeping the score as close as we can. We caught up near the end, dragging them into a deuce. Pushing them so that we'll have to play beyond 25 points to end this set.
Kenma wanted us to get to this point for a very specific reason. You see, Karasuno is all about the attack. And when it gets late in the set, and they're so close...they get hungry for the win. I've seen this. Kenma has seen it...and knows how to exploit it.
First, he goes up on a ball so so close to the net. He moves like he might dump it, but he doesn't. He knows Tsukki is watching him, and sure enough, he jumps the block...and touches the ball.
Which is illegal, since Kenma wasn't spiking. He baited the blockers into a committing a foul. And suddenly, we're up by a point. And I can see my bro is more than a little bit ticked off.
And then, Kenma really gets Karasuno where it hurts.
You see, it's rare for Karasuno to not win the first set. In fact, I think they've done so in every regular game I've seen them play. And since we're now at set point, their drive to score is through the roof. A long rally, as always, and we fight to get the ball into the position we want. It looks, for all intents and purposes, like Kenma has no choice but to throw a chance ball back over the net to Karasuno.
But he wanted this. We got him this chance deliberately.
Kenma places the ball in precisely the worst possible spot for the Crows. A synchronized attack is coming, and neither Kageyama nor Nishinoya can easily reach the spot Kenma has put the ball. And for just a moment, Karasuno loses their communication. No one quite knows what to do.
And that moment is death. The ball drops to the court. And Karasuno doesn't even know exactly what happened.
We just took the first set from them, 27 to 25. Kenma is right on the mark. Especially late in a set, all of the Crows really do seem to turn into Shoyo.
We know the plan. We're trying stop Hinata...even though we know we can't stop him entirely. He's just too insane. He moves too fast, and he's improving faster than anyone as small as he is has any right to. Kenma is surprisingly focused on shutting the Chibi-chan down, however. I know Karasuno has figured this out. Even if by some bizarre turn of events the players haven't noticed it, I know Nakano will. She's got the perspective outside the game, and she'll have seen it for sure. They've got to be talking about it over there, trying to find a way to get Shoyo off receives, even as we target him, trying to force him to receive so he won't be the one going up to make the shot.
As we begin the second set, I know Karasuno has got to be feeling a little off kilter. They are going into this in a strange position - they have to take this set, or it's all over for them. They aren't used to that, and I'm hoping that will be good news for us.
And right off the bat, Kageyama Tobio shows us that we really can't ever underestimate the Crows.
Fukunaga puts a nice jump float right where we want it...right in front of Shoyo, who dutifully does the receive.
And then somehow, in that insane way that only Hinata Shoyo seems to be capable of, he moves faster than any of us ever think is possible. Kageyama had Tanaka coming in on the left, and Sawamura in the back row. Hinata had received, we assumed he was done.
And Kageyama tossed to Hinata who moved in from the right with a broad attack.
I had to laugh. That was a deliberate jab at us. 'Don't think you can constrain us,' Kageyama just said, very loudly and clearly. If there's one thing we definitely must make sure we do - it's absolutely not underestimate the Crows.
🏐🏐🏐
They say that he who hesitates is lost.
I was one of those. I was a shy sort of kid. I hesitated a lot...lots of things made me feel scared or nervous. Volleyball was one of the first things I didn't feel a whole lot of hesitation about. I loved it, very quickly. I wanted to be good at it. I wanted to play all the time. I wanted to have someone play with me...and that someone was Kenma. He's my best friend, and I wanted him to be there with me. For this game that made me feel so powerful. So in control. So able to move forward quickly and decisively.
And now, here we are, Kenma and I. We're setter and blocker...strategist and captain...and we're doing our level best to make our friends and rivals fall victim to hesitation. Part of me feels badly about that...because I know just how painful that hesitation can feel. How difficult it is sometimes to overcome it. Because once you realize you're hesitating...trying to make yourself not hesitate just makes you hesitate even more. You hesitate because you're too busy worrying about making sure you don't hesitate to remember what it is you're supposed to be doing.
And...it doesn't seem to be working. At least, not against Karasuno as a whole.
I know Tsukki would understand. He and I are alike in that way. Alike, yet different. I'm actually surprisingly shy, though most people wouldn't believe me if I told them that. My outgoing nature is learned behavior. I had to train myself to be this way. Don't get me wrong, I like it, and I don't want to go back to being the shy kid. My hesitation was always born of uncertainty. Of the fear that I wasn't good enough. Tsukishima, well, he's a thinker. He hesitates because he's analyzing. He's considering all the ramifications of whatever move he's contemplating - and I do mean all. Tsukki-bro can get all tangled up in his own head better than anyone else I know. Witness his struggles in his relationship with Nakano...all of his troubles in that area have always stemmed from his own overthinking. And yet, it comes from that same underlying fear - the fear that you aren't good enough.
But he's also a Crow, and the Crows have a simple, basic nature that I think we failed to take into account when devising this strategy. I thought forcing them to commit errors would make them begin to overthink...to hesitate. After all, I know that's how I would react. But Karasuno as a whole is built on one idea - they will dominate the rally. They will bring the attack. When mistakes are made...they have an amazing ability to see them, learn from them, and then set them aside. Collectively, they've managed to rid themselves of the fear of not being good enough. They know they are. They know they can be. And thanks to that, they are not falling victim to the hesitation that we'd hoped they would.
That doesn't mean we're out of weapons. Not by a long shot. That lack of hesitation is a team thing...we can still target individuals, like Shoyo, still make them start to hesitate perhaps. But there's another weapon we have against Karasuno...time.
Every rally takes its toll. Every long, drawn out point hurts them more than it hurts us. And it goes back to their nature again - that domination of the rally. The will, the drive, the need to score. Karasuno always brings the attack. They seek to dominate the sky...and that means they have to keep flying. And flying...flying is exhausting. It takes energy, will and stamina. Nekoma - we're a defense team. Don't get me wrong, we're working hard, no doubt about that. One look at Kenma's face will tell you that. Every man jack of us is covered in sweat. We're all giving it everything we've got. We're working amazingly hard.
And yet, as hard as we're working...Karasuno is working harder. It takes more energy to fly than it does to stand your ground.
And slowly but surely, we're beginning to wear them down.
Keep flying Crows. The Cats are patient. We'll be waiting for you when you crash to the ground, and then, we'll strike.
🏐🏐🏐
This is it. Kenma has pulled the trigger.
We've been leaning on Chibi-chan...targeting him with serves. But that's not all we've been doing. We've been using his own teammates against him. Placing the ball in ways that make his teammates move to obstruct his path...denying him the space he needs to be able to get in the steps that allow him to fly so high.
Without the space to run forward, Hinata is not actually all that much of a dangerous opponent. This crow can't fly without a runway to launch from. We've clipped his wings.
A Shoyo that can't jump is of no use to Kageyama.
In the last time out, Kenma finally called for three-man blocking on Hinata. Even when he can get a hit in, we're doing everything we can to shut him down. And the pressure is beginning to take its toll. Tsukki-bro plays the long game...well, so can we. And we're focusing our long game on the tiny little menace who can easily put up ten or more of Karasuno's points in a set.
And it's working. Hinata is getting frustrated...and that frustration is leading to small errors. A net touch. An overpowered smash that goes just slightly out. A jump that just doesn't quite get high enough...and gets blocked.
And in his most recent turn at the net, Hinata Shoyo did not score a single point.
He might not have noticed all the subtle uses of Tanaka and Sawamura...the way we're forcing his teammates to receive to curtail his movements...but I know Hinata noticed the fact that he got not even one point in his most recent time at the net. That's gotta be so annoying to him. Hell, I can see it on his face.
We've gotten the score dead even...took the lead for a moment there. We're never more than a point apart now. Had a few more fun interactions with Kei at the net - I do enjoy getting one over on my kohai. You may be taller Tsukki-bro, but never forget that I am the master. It's so fun to see his usually impassive face look at me with awe in his eyes as I can see he feels like he's looking up at me even though he's taller. Meanwhile, Hinata is trying to remember that he's still useful. I can see that in his face. He's knows he's being targeted, forced to receive rather than spike, but he can't just let the ball drop.
If the ball drops, it's all over.
The rallies continue to be intense, and now we know that Karasuno is aware of our strategy, because they keep trying to do whatever they can to give Hinata the distance he needs to be able to fly. But even when they do, sometimes, things just don't go your way.
Hinata is making an approach, when suddenly, he falters, leg hyperextending.
He slipped - probably on sweat on the floor. Couldn't participate in the attack at all.
Nakano is beside herself...I can see her face, and she's all but screaming at the ref. While they quickly clean the floor, she's giving Hinata a quick once over...and she's whispering to him. She knows. She always knows. Makes me wonder what she's telling him. Tsukishima looks at them...and then looks at me and smirks.
Damn, this cannot be good.
And sure enough, it isn't. Suddenly, Kageyama, who has always relied on speed when dealing with Shoyo, is using massive, slow, high, open tosses down the center for the Chibi-chan. He gets plenty of time to get a run up...and damn if he isn't jumping higher than I've ever seen him fly.
Hell, even the sound is different. I can hear the smack he generates on the floor as he bounces upward. It's like the floor is spring-loaded under him. Where the hell is this height coming from? I mean, his first such hit was pretty lame - he scored the point, but he still took hell for it, from both sides of the net. But damn, I was not expecting this.
I love it when the Crows manage to pull out something that totally surprises me.
I also hate it, because if we can't take this second set, we're gonna have to fight to survive the third. Once again, the score is tight, and we trade the lead with Karasuno back and forth. I see Kenma give a look to the coach's bench - it's obviously time to bust out our next little strategy.
Inuoka.
That kid has been fascinated by Hinata from the first time he saw him. I can't blame Inuoka - he's really something to see. But Inuoka watches Hinata for a reason, and not just purely out of awe.
He wants to beat him...almost as much as Kenma. For Kenma, Shoyo is like the final boss in a video game. If he can take Shoyo down, he's truly conquered the whole thing. For Inuoka, I think beating Shoyo represents his becoming a truly great middle blocker. He wasn't originally interested in the position...but now he wants to make it his own.
Inuoka will be on Shoyo like glue. And he'll lead our three-man blocks. With Hinata's new-found height, he's hanging in the air longer than our blockers, enabling him to get his hits in over the block. Inuoka needs to put a stop to that. We've got to cut off this open set strategy, or we will most certainly be playing a third set against Karasuno. And if it comes to that...
Well, then honestly, this could well be anyone's game.
🏐🏐🏐
I wonder if maybe Kenma didn't realize something important about Karasuno.
Kenma's strategy to move against the Crows was predicated on the idea that even if we can't stop Shoyo, if we can slow him down enough, just a little, we can create a point gap that we can exploit. If Shoyo isn't scoring as much as usual, we can make up the difference, slip in and take the set.
But everything we've done has been based on Kenma's picture of who and what Shoyo is.
I mean, not just Shoyo...but mostly Shoyo. We've been focusing our efforts on reducing the number of points scored by that tangerine headed little menace. On the face of things, this makes sense. In a twenty five point set, Shoyo can generally be counted on for about ten of those points. Not quite half, but coming darn close. Slow him down, and you can really affect Karasuno's chances of winning.
But the Hinata we are facing today is not the same as the Hinata we've been studying all along.
He's changing. Almost faster than we can keep up. He's adapting, finding new skills, and reacting in ways that we didn't predict. And of course, the Crows themselves are all about adapting. It's one of the things they do best.
And maybe...we've overestimated how much Karasuno relies on Hinata to put points on the scoreboard.
We've played them to a deuce in the second set, and brought Teshiro in to pinch serve. He'll underhand it...right up into the ceiling. We were hoping this would thoroughly confuse the Crows...but sadly they faced a ceiling serve in their first game of the Nationals, so it's not as impactful as we'd hoped it would be. Nothing we can do about it - can't be helped. We'll still try it, after all, they've never seen us use one before. But it's not enough to throw Karasuno off. After another rally, Asahi puts one over on us. The Crows are at set point. We begin again.
The rally goes on as they often do. Inuoka tried to put it away, but Tsukki-bro is right there with a one-touch. The Crows will go to their synchronized attack, and of course they do. I'm ready.
You're not the only one who can get a one-touch, Tsukishima my man.
Nor are they the only ones who can do a synchronized attack. We bust ours out, but Tsukki and Daichi are not fooled...and they force Yamamoto to take the shot right to Hinata.
Who is blown back by the force of the impact.
The ball comes straight back to our side of the court.
We aren't ready for that. And dammit if the ball doesn't drop right where we've got no one.
Karasuno takes the second set from us, 24 to 26.
Damn.
But at the moment, I don't have time to wallow in self-pity. Would I have liked to have taken the second set, put this game to bed in two? Hell, yes.
But if I'm being honest with myself, I never really thought we would do that. That would be too easy.
And where's the fun in that?
It's time to make sure my most problematic children are gonna focus and be ready for whatever the third set brings us. Let's start with Lev, who is already loudly declaring that he will score twenty points in the final set. Not that I want to dissuade him from doing that, but if he gets too wound up, he'll fling himself into the fray and just flail about, making a mess of things rather than using his head and making good plays. And how do you rein in a wild Lev? Not by telling him to slow it down, or giving him direct advice. Lev will not listen, or if he does listen, he won't understand. And if you yell at him, he'll pout, and be useless.
I wait until he's all enthusiastic, and then I pounce, just as Shibayama is looking like he's going to try to reason with Lev. Silly first year, Lev cannot be reasoned with.
"Hey, did you know?" I lead with, "When you're doing muscle training, rather than going for a hundred sit ups, it's apparently better to see if you can do it in batches of ten."
This word-grenade, lobbed into the middle of Lev's enthusiasm, has the desired effect.
"Huuh?" Lev grunts out, train of thought thoroughly derailed, "Isn't it supposed to be the more the better?"
Gotcha, Lev. Okay, work with me now. I simply stare at him with a knowing grin. Let's see if he takes this where I think he will.
Lev contemplates a moment, then gets a serious look in his eyes. "So basically you're saying...rather than scoring twenty points, try for any impactful single point?"
I say nothing, just smirk at him. Sure Lev, that works. Anything that's going to keep you focused will do. I honestly didn't care what he made of that...so long as it took him down a level or two. Okay, problem child one, dealt with. On to problem child two, and that would be Yamamoto.
He's standing there, breathing hard, looking all serious. I know what's going on in that little brain of his. He's thinking he cost us that last set. If I let him go on thinking that way, he'll be second-guessing himself all through the third set...and that will render him useless to us.
"Oi!" I yell out, slapping Tora on the back, "You're the one that needs to get more fired up."
He boggles at me. It's kinda funny, actually. But I keep the laughter that bubbles up inside me down and keep going.
"Oh yeah, your last straight just now was really something," I say, almost conversationally, with just the right lilt of awe in my voice. I'm not lying, it was actually really good. "When'd you get in the practice for that?" That should seal the deal.
Sure enough, Yamamoto blushes and and looks like he's about to leap to the ceiling. "Thank you!" he cries out, clearly pleased that senpai has noticed him. Problem child number two resolved, one more to go.
I look at Kenma, and he's already giving me a look. Ah, I see.
"What?" I ask, barking out the word like I don't already know what's going on behind those golden brown eyes of his.
"I was just thinking, you're talking a lot," he mutters in reply.
"Always with the jibes," I answer, and just let him be. He'll be okay. I know what he's thinking about when he looks at me like that. He thinks that somehow, I don't remember what it was like when we were little.
What I was like.
Oh I remember, Kenma. There's not a day that goes by that I don't. Volleyball gave me something to love. You, Kenma, gave me someone I wanted to share it with.
Don't think I don't remember, you big dummy. I became the Captain. The man who can motivate and manipulate the group of guys that make up a squad into a team.
You became the Setter. The strategist. The man who can lead us, guide us forward and give us a fighting chance for victory.
This is it. The time is now. We go back out on to the court, and we give it everything we've got. Whatever happens, I'm glad I got the chance to do this with you. Whether we take this last set or not, it's okay.
I'm having fun.
🏐🏐🏐
Did I say I was having fun? I must be insane.
Okay, I am having fun...but this is the most challenging, roughest, most exhausting fun I've ever had in my life.
Look, get your mind out of the gutter. Sheesh, just cause people call me a fuck boy doesn't mean I think about that all the time.
Seriously though, this set is beyond anything I've ever experienced. Both teams are playing at a level that is just amazing me...and I'm in the middle of it. We've truly pushed each other to improve beyond what I'd have thought was possible. This...this is volleyball at its finest.
Damn, I'm proud of us. I'm proud of Karasuno. I'm proud to be a part of what is happening on this court.
I am also bloody damn exhausted. There's not a man on this court who isn't dripping in sweat. The third set is always hard, but now, it's impossible. I'm keeping a close eye on Kenma...because honestly, I can't believe he's still moving. I've never seen him push himself like this before. I've always known he could...but I've never seen him have the will to do so.
We are all way too into this.
It's exhilarating.
With the level of play being what it is, every point is hard fought. The score is close, and right from the get-go, we're battling back and forth for each point, neither team willing to give any quarter to the other. And it happens at last...what I've been waiting for...
...Tsukki and I get into a literal push-and-shove match at the net over the ball.
Damn him, he will not back down. He's strong, and determined...but I've got a little more experience than he does. I twist my wrist just right, and push the ball over to Karasuno's side.
I won this one, but I damn near wrecked my wrist doing it. Kinda wish I could get Naka-chan to look at it. Not that it really hurts or anything.
I just want the break. I'm exhausted!
Tsukki-bro and I stare at each other across the net. We both look like hell I'm sure...breathing hard, sweating like mad, worn out. Damn, he's good. I'm so proud of him, the giant blonde pain in my ass.
"Tsukki, quit tryin' so hard, man!" I gasp out at my blonde bro, trying to make it sound cute but I just sound wiped out, "Prolonging the rally - haaah - only makes you more tired, right?"
He's looking at me like I'm the source of all his pain. Pfft, at the moment, I probably am. "Well, Kuroo-san, if you stopped trying so hard - haaah - we'd - haah - already be finished here, wouldn't we!?" He straightens up, face coming to something more closely resembling his dispassionate stare. "You can thank yourself for all of this," he says.
I can't help but grin.
"Well, you could do the same," I reply, walking from the net.
I just know Tsukki is looking both confused and irritated at my back.
But I wasn't just saying that to piss him off, although, that is a lovely side benefit. No, it's true. If Tsukishima hadn't been so talented...so ready to become something more than just a guy who sorta plays volleyball...well, we wouldn't have this rivalry. This friendship. It was like...everything came together at the right time. To make this moment happen. It's glorious, and I love it, and I'll be forever grateful to have been a part of it.
The game goes on, and Tsukishima and I continue to challenge one another. He'll block me, and then I'll stop him. We're getting to be pretty evenly matched, honestly. I can receive, block, and handle the ball pretty well. Tsukki's not the best at receives or passes...but he can get a one-touch like nobody's business. We grouse at each other across the net. I mock my bro relentlessly, cause that's what I do. He tries to stay impassive, but I can see the frustration cross his face from time to time. Does he feel it? I know he feels the angst of this fight...but does he feel the joy? It may not show on my face right now...but every battle, every time one of us gets it over on the other, I can't help but feel a strange sense of happiness bubble up inside of me. This is what we were meant to do! It's incredible! I want him to know the thrill of this!
Kageyama gives Tsukki a nice toss, right up the middle. Perfect height. He goes up, smashes it past Lev. I dive...
...but I must have been distracted, because this time, I'm a hair too late.
I look up from the floor, grousing as I lie on my belly.
And the smile on Tsukki's face is the happiest I've ever seen. It's a big, wide, open mouthed smile. It's not an 'I got one over on you, Kuroo' smirk, like one might expect from Tsukki. No, this is a smile of pure, adulterated joy.
Good. He knows. We've made each other stronger. It feels awesome.
We keep going. Dammit, if I hear him yell 'one-touch' one more time, I'm gonna scream. But it's also so cool. He's just extraordinary. And Kageyama is not letting him slack off...he's making him spike at a higher point than I've ever seen him hit before. Even now, in the middle of the third set, he's still able to get up and take a shot...that pops off my fingers and falls to the ground. And Kageyama apologizing for making him jump for it just pisses my bro off even more...which is simply fabulous.
Just don't forget boys, I can make amazing plays too. I slam one right down between Sawamura and their ace, and damn if it doesn't feel so freaking good.
Sugawara comes in for Tsukishima, giving my bro a break. I look over at him as he leaves the court...he turns and looks at me.
He's worn out, and looks like he could sleep for a week.
But he's smiling. Nakano comes up to him with a towel and water. She's smiling too.
When all this is over, the Three Bro-sketeers are gonna celebrate so hard.
🏐🏐🏐
Oh man. You've heard the expression that dude brought a gun to a knife fight?
Well, Kenma and Shoyo brought knives to a volleyball game.
Okay, that sounded better in my head. But it's entirely true. They are seriously out to get each other. I know they are great friends, and that when this is all over, they will likely be bound by an even stronger friendship than before.
But watching this, right now, you'd seriously think they were trying to kill each other.
They are both targeting the other...deliberately placing the ball just out of the other's reach...baiting each other to overextend...forcing each other to run harder, reach further, fly higher. Like the rest of us, they are drenched in sweat, and seem like at any moment, they might just collapse.
And then, after a particularly long and hard fought rally that saw so many incredible saves that I completely lost count...Shoyo manages to totally outthink Kenma. Kenma had everyone move forward, as Hinata seemed to be about to spike it short, close to the net.
And instead, once the back was empty, he pushed it right past Kenma. Point for Karasuno.
And Kenma, who was on all fours on the floor already...just...collapsed.
I assumed he was hurt. I rushed to him, calling out, wondering what was wrong. He just lay there, and I confess I felt the beginnings of panic welling up. Until I heard his voice, small and quiet.
"This is fun."
Followed by an exultant cry of victory from the Chibi-chan behind me. So they obviously feel it too. The joy of this game, even in the exhaustion.
I'm so happy, I can't help it. I throw my head back and laugh right out loud. And then I help Kenma up, of course.
We've still got a game to play.
A game that is in its final moments. Karasuno is hungry. They want it so bad...but then again, so do we. As they often do as the game gets down to the end...Karasuno is beginning to move faster. We're trading points...but they've pulled ahead a bit. We're keeping the gap to two or three...but they reach 24 first. Match point for Karasuno.
We're pushing so hard. We don't want this to end. Not yet.
The ball goes up. Save after save during this rally, we keep going. We scream, we yell, sometimes we're able to get in an attack, and sometimes it's all we can do to just keep the ball from hitting the floor.
And then...Kenma goes in for a set.
And the ball slips.
His hands are coated in sweat. The ball is coated in sweat. And it just...happens.
The ball falls to the floor.
It's over. Karasuno takes the third set, 21 to 25, because of a simple slip.
I flop to the floor with a groan. I can't believe it. It's over.
I sit up and sigh. It's nothing we could have prevented. It's nothing we could have changed. We gave it all, we gave it everything and I'm so damn proud of us.
And if we had to lose to somebody, I'm glad it was Karasuno.
Kenma sits nearby, and suddenly, he flops backwards. I get up, and walk up behind him.
"Ahhh," he sighs out, and I think it might be the most satisfied sound I've ever heard him make, "That was fun." Based on the way he sounds, you'd think he'd just beaten the most challenging video game ever. He sits up and looks back at me. "Kuro," he says, "Thank you for getting me into volleyball."
I'm just...dumbfounded. The whole team is dumbfounded. I stare at him, lost. "Uh...sure..." I manage to get out, watching as he lurches to his feet, shambling like a zombie. I grunt at him, all my eloquent words gone in this stunning moment.
Where is he going?
Is he...leaving?
"Wait wait wait, just wait a mo - you idiot!!" I yell at him, not turning, even though he's already gone past me. The team is laughing, I'm starting to laugh...it's just...priceless.
"Eh," Kenma mutters, "What are you getting so worked up over..."
Post-game rituals get underway...thanking each other and our fans...shaking hands with the coaches...and shaking hands with our opponents.
But I'm sorry, guys, in this case, I don't think a handshake is gonna do it.
Daichi must agree with me, because as I reach my hand out to shake his, he's already ducking under the net. We hug, tired and sweaty though we are. What we've just been through - it's a bond that we will carry with us always. Forever friends and rivals. My deepest respect, Captain Sawamura.
I give Asahi a big hug too - he's amazing. The quintessential terrifying teddy bear. On the court, he'll kick your ass...and when the game's over, he'll be the first one to invite you out for a drink, no matter which way the game went.
Tsukki-bro tries to slip past me...but I'm not having it. I catch up to him, patting him on the back. He stops and shakes my hand...looking for all the world like he just lost his best friend. He's such an idiot. I clap him on the arm - I know a bro hug will not be his favorite thing just now, given how disgusting we both are.
"Hey," I say softly, "you were amazing out there today. Congratulations, bro. Really."
He's quiet a moment, that look of almost shame on his face. "It's not like we won because of overwhelming skill. The ball slipped on sweat. If that hadn't happened..."
"Tsukki...Kei..." he startles a bit at my use of his name, "I'm not feeling disappointed. I mean, I am, but not in us. And I'm sure as hell not angry at you for winning. This was the most incredible game of volleyball I've ever played. If anything, bro, I feel like this experience just makes our bond that much tighter, ya know?"
The smallest little smile breaks over my blonde bro's face. Before he can say anything, something crashes into the back of both of us, squeezing us together. Nakano has an arm around each of us and that girl is incredibly brave to even be touching us as we are at this moment.
"Congratulations to you both, my dear Bro-sketeers. That was the most insane game I think I've ever seen. And when the tournament is over..." Naka-chan begins.
"...we are gonna celebrate like nobody's business!" I finish for her as she laughs, Tsukki's smile growing wider but looking decidedly sleepy. I can see some of my guys starting to break down. "I'll catch up with you two later, okay. Congratulations again, Crows!"
I leave my bro in the very capable hands of Naka-chan, and tend to my boys. I'm smiling, I can't help it. This just doesn't feel sad to me. I can't be sad or mad at the outcome of this game...not with how we played it. Tears will fall, I'm sure. But not now. Right now, I'm humbled and grateful and so proud of us.
We take a little time, for the team, for Coach Nekomata, and for us third years (man, that was almost a crying moment for me, but I held out - Yaku lost it though, so that made it all worth it), but then, there's a little something we need to do before we can go collapse.
Fukurodani is finishing up their match. We show up just in time to watch Bokuto put the game to bed in straight sets. We lock eyes and he knows. I know he knows. The Crows came along too, and he can see it. We hug. He's moving on, I'm not. It's okay. We inspire each other, and Tsukki-bro and Boku-bro will carry forward for me. It's gonna be something to see. There's compliments and congratulations all around, even from Tsukishima, which elicits a few stares from people.
Finally, we move out. As we head away from the gym, I see Amalie, headed towards me. She's got a strange sort of look on her face...like she's not sure what to say or do. She's rushing towards me, looking like she's gonna go for the hug.
"You don't have to, I'm a mess," I call to her, but she plows in anyway, tossing her arms around me and squeezing tight as the boys catcall us.
"Like I care," she whispers, "if you're all sweaty. You were amazing, Sexy Tree."
I smirk, I can't help it. "I like the way that sounds, lovely."
She moves in for the kiss, I let her lead, I'm too exhausted. After a brief one, with just the tiniest nip on my bottom lip to let me know she got the innuendo, she leans back. "Tonight, we celebrate. Right now, you rest. I'm gonna stay here and watch Karasuno, okay?"
"Sounds good, lovely."
I kiss her hand as she pulls away from me, waving goodbye to me and the rest of the boys.
This has been a day I'll never forget.