"hey, kageyama, you missed a spot,"
"sorry, captain!"
"i'm just kidding, man," daichi gasped for air as the first year dove for the part of the floor where he pointed, "man, you really follow orders blindly."
"oh. you're joking," tobio nodded embarrassedly, "um... ha."
daichi rolled his eyes, a sigh accompanying them on their travels. he held the volleyball he'd just picked up against his hip and smirked knowingly.
"what?"
"you seemed pretty excited after that quick practice today. i've never seen you get that loud over hinata."
tobio sucked in a breath, nearly burning himself out with shock; he stared at his upperclassmen, unable to form a retort.
"i like seeing you so motivated. i guess hinata drives you to be better, huh?"
"u-uh, y-yes, i guess so, sir."
"good, good," daichi wiped his bottom lip with his thumb, looking down at the floor and back up to his teammate with a warmer grin than before. he spoke quieter as he added, "kageyama, i'm gonna say something, and i don't want you to get offended if i'm wrong. i just gotta clear it up for myself." he laughed.
"okay," tobio replies, but it fell more like a question from his confused lips.
"do you," the captain paused, "do you like hinata?"
"sure i do. he's my friend, and a good player."
"no, kageyama, not like that! i mean, like, do you like-like him?"
tobio bit his lip, his face hot enough to spark a flame. he mumbled almost inaudibly, "l-like- uh, like how you and sugawara like each other?"
"yeah, like that." daichi nodded encouragingly, seeing the confusion behind the younger boy's eyes and remembering how he had felt the same way when he was a little younger, too- coming to your senses when it comes to love is hard. if anyone knew that, daichi did.
"daichi?"
"yeah?"
"i do."
"you do?"
"mhm."
"i knew it!"
"what?"
"you know, you remind me a lot of me when i was a first year, kageyama," daichi smiled, patting the young setter roughly on his back, "just like how i was with suga!"
"please don't tell anyone, captain-"
"don't be silly, i would never!" daichi punched his arm playfully, making the boy crack a teeny smile. "but, let me tell you something- you should go for it."
"i should? why?"
"because, kageyama, i have a feeling the odds will be in your favor," the captain smiled optimistically as his eyes met his favorite pair of dusty blue ones across the gym. they gave him a told you so glance, and he walked away to put the volleyball in his arms back, stranding tobio in his astounded state.
tobio hasn't had a crush on anyone before- well, if he did, he hadn't noticed.
but as he soaked up the conversation he just had, he felt panic flood him from his head to his toes.
shit, he thought to himself, what do i do now?