CHAPTER TWELVE: DEFINITELY
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"The best athletes in the world are those who are willing to push harder then anyone else, and go through more pain then anyone else."
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Daisuke leaned further into the palm of his hand, his shoulders hunched forward as he leaned against the counter. Rin's hair was held back by a few clips lazy, long strands still falling in between her eyes as she sliced and diced at vegetables. The man's eyes lazily looked around the kitchen, food was laid out neatly around, a few cases of soda and a few bottles of alcohol joining - obviously their grandfathers.
"You're dressed awfully nice for just a simple bbq?" Daisuke drawled, a sly grin making it's way onto his lips. Rin looked over her shoulder, providing her brother with a deadpanned look that excellently showed her lack of amusement at his comment. She was dressed fairly simply in a loose tank top that fell a little below her belly button, and a pair of drop crotch pants that fell low on her hips her feet were bare and her hair was as messy as it usually was. She wasn't dressed up per-say, but she was definitely wearing clothes that she pulled from the back of her closet. It's been a while since Daisuke had seen her wear anything besides jeans and shirt, or a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt. Point was, it's been a while she's actually looked forward to dressing up. The BBQ and her "date" to the Aquarium with Kenma and Kuroo were big steps for Rin, even if she didn't realize it - Daisuke definitely did. He wasn't dumb, he noticed the subtle change. The fact that she no longer fussed about her knee as much, or even complained about it. During their week of practices he noticed that she was smiling more, even if she did wake up sore the next day.
"Why are you so dressed up?" Rin muttered.
Daisuke grinned even wider, lifting his arm to flex, "Haaah? I thought my tank top was nice! It shows off my arms!"
Rin snorted, "Like you need to show them off, your regular shirts were tight enough."
Daisuke opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by the sound of Kogami barking near the front of the house. He raised a brow, a grin making it's way onto his face when Rin's head shot towards the door. She immediately called out to the dog, exiting the kitchen to go and open the door for whoever arrived. Daisuke reached over, grabbing a soda from the table and opening it up. Their grandfather walked in, dragging his feet lazily.
"I told you I could take care of her."
Daisuke snorted into the can of soda, pulling it away from his lips and setting it down onto the counter, "Don't get ahead of yourself, old man."
Yasufumi chuckled, a smug look crossing his face, "Why don't we make a bet out of something?"
Daisuke rose a single brow, "Old man, you should know by now that your gambling addiction is just as bad as your alcohol tolerance. I'm in."
Yasufumi rubbed his chin, "By the middle of the season Rin will realize her little crush on Kuroo-kun."
Daisuke let out a hearty laugh, slapping his hands over his stomach for emphasis on just how ridiculous his grandfathers statement was, "Do you even know Rinny? Old man, you're gonna lose."
"Oh?"
Daisuke grinned coyly, watching as Rin ushered Kuroo & Kenma towards the backyard where the BBQ was warming up, "The very last game of the season, she'll realize it at the end. She always does, old man."
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"Are you nervous?"
Rin looked up from her food, her cheeks puffed out while she chewed on the BBQ. Her eyes locked with Kuroo as he took a seat across from her, placing his plate down on his lap. Rin chewed a little quicker, swallowing her food and wiping at her mouth before she questioned him.
"Nervous?"
A smirk tugged at Kuroo's lips and he tilted his head, "Every time someone mentioned the game tomorrow you made this face, like you were nervous."
Rin grimaced, a frown tugging at her lips as she quietly huffed, "No."
"Hoh?" Kuroo leaned forward a little, his grin growing wider, "You are nervous, how cute!"
Rin narrowed her eyes at Kuroo, pushing his face away by setting her index finger in between his eyes and pushing, "Stop saying embarrassing things. And who cares if I'm nervous! I can be nervous! I'm just - I'm just scared I'll, uh, run into old rivals?"
Kuroo gave her a look clearly telling her he didn't believe anything she was saying, "Uh huh."
Rin huffed again, "...So what if I'm nervous for you guys?"
"Rin-hime is nervous!?"
Rin jumped, a soft yelp leaving her lips at the closeness of Yamamoto's voice. He popped up beside her, his chest puffed out and his cheeks tinted a light pink while he pointed to himself proudly, "We definitely won't lose, Rin-hime!"
Rin let out a sigh, just as Yaku walked up to slap Yamamoto upside the head, scolding him for being so loud in a home that wasn't his own.
"You shouldn't be nervous."
"Huh?" Rin looked up at Kuroo, he wasn't looking at her, but instead looking at the rest of the team. Yaku was still scolding Yamamoto who looked defeated as he held the back of his head. Fukunaga was standing close by, nodding his head while making animated hand gestures. Kenma was seated not to far away beside the twins, Kenma on his phone while the twins sat quietly eating. Kai was making his way towards Yaku and Yamamoto, calling out to Yaku while he held a plate full of food.
"We're strong."
Rin blinked, surprised at his calm and collected tone. But that wasn't what surprised her the most, instead it was the fact that he was reassuring her. She was only the manager, he was the one who was going to step on the court tomorrow and he was the one who was giving her words of encouragement?
Rin laughed softly, causing the bed-head to turn to her in confusion. She waved one hand dismissively in his direction while using the other hand to hide the smile that played at her lips, "I don't know what I was nervous about anymore."
Kuroo could feel his own smile tugging at his lips as she continued to speak.
"Just don't lose, yeah?"
Kuroo rolled his eyes playfully while Rin shoveled more food into her mouth.
We definitely won't lose.
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{AUTHORS CORNER: THIS WAS REALLY SHORT WOW I APOLOGIZE A LOT BUT I HAD TO END IT THERE CAUSE IF NOT IT WOULD'VE DRAGGED ON AND BEEN DUMB AND NEXT CHAPTER ARE GAMES AND WOW GAMES OKAY. Sorry for laggy updates, I'm on tumblr a lot but mostly mobile & honestly I've been working a lot so I've been p lazy with updating.
p.s. New cover image for this story ayy.}
(HEAD CANON NINE: Rin originally didn't want to play Volleyball, she wanted to play Basketball like Daisuke. But after realizing she wasn't very good, her father and grandfather suggested she try Volleyball - since her dad played both sports.)
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OMAKE:
"Just don't lose, yeah?"
Kuroo rolled his eyes playfully while Rin shoveled more food into her mouth.
"SAAA~"
Both Rin & Kuroo jumped, Rin choking on the food she was eating. Kuroo looked at her frantically, scrambling to hand her some of his soda.
"That's so cute that you're giving him words of encouragement, Rinny!"
Rin coughed harshly, trying to regain her breath from being startled by Daisuke's sudden (and loud) appearance. The tall man had an all too happy smile playing at his lips while he looked between the two teens.
"You shouldn't eat so fast, Rinny," Daisuke stated pointedly, wagging his finger mockingly at her , "It's unbecoming of a young, beautiful girl like yourself."
Rin shot her brother a harsh glare while she gulped down the drink Kuroo had offered her.
"Hey, you two just shared an indirect kiss just now - didn't you?"
Kuroo chortled while Rin spluttered, causing the drink to spray all over her face.
"Daisuke," Rin growled.
"Yeah?"
Rin raised her hand and dug her knuckles into Daisuke's temple, causing the large man to whine, "Ow! Rin! Stop, that hurts!"
"Good!"