(Requested)
olympics au
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He was amazing. So incredibly amazing. Every single movement of his captivated me beyond human comprehension. My fingers would tremble at the sheer power he held in his arms, knowing that if I even touched the ball he hit, my hand would be blown away like fragile leaves in the wind. I just watched from the backroom as he set again and again, perfectly, like some god.
I admired him for doing so well. Giyuu never ceased to surprise me with his technique and skill, his body flowing in harmony with his mind, like a steady spout of water. The sight quenched my thirst for action, the draining feeling replaced by a wave of adrenaline. It would get my legs bouncing and my soul yearning for his attention. He inspired me to do well in every event I competed in.
Perhaps it was a bit selfish of me to view him in that manner. It made me wonder if I really liked him or not. But whenever I saw a magazine cover with his face on it, my eyes wandered to the skin-tight shirt he wore that pronounced his muscles even further. A grin and a blush would dance upon my features as I laughed like a child, satisfied with the evidence that proved that I really did have feelings.
A small timer went off in the midst of all my thinking, signaling that I should start heading towards the court. I knew that volleyball was over, and hoped that Giyuu would watch me as I fought my way to the top. Brandishing a racket, I took a deep breath in and shook my head, trying to let all the nerves out.
Now wasn't the time to be anxious. I had a match to win.
Emerging from the lion's den, I heard the roar of the crowd as the announcer called for me.
"And here comes (Y/N) (L/N), representing Team Japan! They barely slipped up their chance for gold last year, which unfortunately resulted in a broken ankle, but everyone has high hopes for this year's Olympic games!" Waving at the crowd, I smiled as I saw my family seated in the first row, yelling as hard as they could for me.
I'm not going to mess up this time.
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"Giyuu, what are you watching?" A curious brunette peered over his teammate's shoulder, eyes slyly glancing at the livestream playing on the setter's phone. Tanjiro smiled and chuckled, lightly socking Giyuu's arm, to which the ravenette protested against by swatting at the red-eyed middle-blocker.
"(L/N) again, huh? What, I thought you liked volleyball, not tennis," Kamado teased, coyly pointing at his friend, "You've been obsessed with them ever since you saw them at the Australian Open." Giyuu sighed and shot his friend a dirty look, but immediately went back to staring at the small phone screen.
He couldn't really argue, since Tanjiro was correct. As much as he hated being teased, the ravenette found a soft spot in his heart for the tennis player. In a way, he looked up to them. (Y/N) had a perseverance that few athletes managed to obtain, and the level of skill they possessed was undoubtedly polished to the extreme. As Japan's pride and joy, he really didn't expect anything less.
What made his interest in them spike even higher was the morality and humbleness that (Y/N) seemed to uphold themselves with. No matter what, they always managed to be so selfless, even when flocks of paparazzi would bombard them with undying praise and compliments. They'd just smile and laugh, thanking the admirers, never letting their words get to their head.
Giyuu's eyes were blown wide while watching (L/N) move across the tennis court. They jumped at every single ball return, all the while never being deprived of energy. Their stamina was endless when they played -- the rush of the game the only thing cramming its way into their mind. Tomioka knew that feeling all too well.
He often craved it -- the ability to feel something. It ended so fast when he'd play his sets in volleyball, but it lasted longer when he watched (Y/N). Experiencing the rush of adrenaline second-handedly wasn't exactly the most fulfilling, but Giyuu was surprised that he even got to go through it. Never in his life had he gotten that burst of energy while watching someone else play. It wasn't even volleyball.
Giyuu Tomioka was infatuated.
Right there and then, as (L/N) hit their second service ace, he vowed to meet them.
And maybe, if he was lucky enough, treat them to dinner.
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Perusing the empty halls of the stadium was nice. It was a restricted area where only athletes could access, so I had my fair share of alone time. As I meandered around, gazing at the vast, yet intricate design on the ceiling, I heard footsteps approaching. Taken by surprise, as I didn't expect anyone to be here, I stopped and just gazed at the figure that turned the corner. If my heart wasn't beating hard enough from the scare, its rate had just increased tenfold when I saw who it was.
Giyuu Tomioka is right in front of you. You absolute idiot, what are you going to say?
My face flushed as I realized he also froze, staring at me with an emotion I couldn't exactly pinpoint. I could only hope that it wasn't disgust. Opening my mouth to say something, I realized that Giyuu's lips parted to speak as well, so I shut up. Seeing that he also shut up, I tried to talk again, but noticed that he also made an attempt to.
This continued for another few awkward moments before we just blurted out formal greetings to each other and bowed curtly. Biting my bottom lip, my eyes were blown wide in desperation.
Just say something, say anything-
"I just saw your program, you were great." Quickly lifting my head up, my cheeks burned brighter as I processed the information. That meant that Giyuu watched me play. He thought I did well. Nearly fainting on the spot, I managed to regain my composure and grin at him, feeling a lot happier than before.
"Th-Thank you! It really means a lot, coming from someone like you," I blabbed, trying to diffuse the awkwardness, "You did amazing in your game too. Your technique is impeccable, it's no wonder why you're a contender for the title of the 'world's best setter.'" I saw a small smile surface on Giyuu's lips, his expression growing softer with every compliment I slung at him. Could've sworn I saw a faint blush, too.
I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm doing this. Oh my God, oh my God.
My thoughts were flooded with reprimands from my insecurity, but those were easily outweighed by my total appreciation for Giyuu. I disregarded the fact that I was an Olympic athlete just like him, since I was so blown-over by the fact that he was standing right in front of me. Remembering I had a pen and pad of paper somewhere in my jacket, I fumbled for it mid-sentence.
"-I've actually been a big fan of yours for a long time," I admitted, cutting my compliment short, "I-I'd like to- If you don't mind, that is- To get your autograph." Holding out the small articles, I saw as the ravenette's expression transformed into a mix of amusement and wonder. Truly, I prayed that he didn't give me a negative response.
"Of course." His warm reply elicited a silent squeak out of me as I elatedly handed him the pad and pen. Shaking with anticipation, I could feel my body heat up at the feeling of excitement. This had to be a dream, it had to. The feeling of childlike enjoyment amplified even more when a soft-spoken Giyuu gently tore off the slip of paper from the pad and asked for my autograph.
Of course, I nodded vigorously and made sure to write as neat as possible, with a tiny heart next to my signature for good measure. Happily handing the precious paper to the setter, I felt like everything was right in the world when he gave me a smile, only a little bigger than the last, but overflowing with veneration.
"(L/N)-"
"Just (Y/N) is fine," I responded gingerly, clasping my hands together. The volleyball player nodded in understanding, a thrilled gleam glossing over his eyes.
"Then you can call me Giyuu." He started over from the top. "(Y/N), it's really been an honor to meet you and talk with you, and I know it's a little bit early to eat- And both of us are probably really busy during the Olympics- But I wanted to treat you to dinner sometime soon to celebrate your victory against Switzerland today." My heart melted at his offer, and I had to steady myself in order to properly accept.
"Giyuu, I'd be delighted," I breathed blissfully, "We'd better celebrate your win too, okay?" He cracked a small grin, clutching the piece of paper with my signature on it tightly. I did the same with his.
"Of course," he mused, slowly taking a step forwards, "I was thinking we could go get food from this place I'm a regular at. They have really great dishes that I'm sure you'll enjoy." He was beginning to move, so I had to act fast. Blinking at Giyuu in appreciation, a large, open-lipped smile made its way onto my features. Playfully smacking his shoulder and laughing, I leaned in close to murmur in his ear before we parted ways.
"I'd like that a lot."