Clouds of Rain
Neteyam X F!Reader
Part 3 of Clouds Series
Summary: Everyday you and Neteyam get closer, but now he's seen a side you want to hide
Warning: Toxic parents, a little angst, fluff moments between Neteyam and Reader, Neteyam and Reader are eyeing eachother đâ¤ď¸
When the day had started, distant sounds of thunder echoed around the forest. Shadows crept across the moss covered floor as a storm rolled in. Many Na'vi relished in the rain, the prosperity it brought to the food and animals almost seemed mystical, but to you it brought a sorrow.
You weren't allowed out of your families tent on stormy days, even though you were seen as a grown adult, you were unmated, uncourted, so therefore, still a child in your parents eyes.
You longed for the sunshine and blue skies, but Eywa seemed to want a day of rest and restoring water to the cycle of life. "(Y/N)! Come here at once!" Your mother's voice cut through your day dream as you stared out into the vast mist of rain in the distance.
You stood from your position and walked with small steps to your mother. Your youngest sibling, a boy the age of three, sat in her lap fast asleep. You wished you could curl up like that, remembering the days she would coo at you and kiss you sweetly, that changed when more siblings came along and suddenly you couldn't do anything right in her eyes.
Kneeling in front of her, she spoke,"You are to go get us some fruit from the gathering circle, be quick, you are to come straight back, do you understand," her tone left no answer needed, it was a demand.
You nodded, going to stand but her hand tightly grapsed your wrist, pulling you back around to face her, her dull yellow eyes hard. "Answer me girl!" "Yes mama," you quietly spoke, eyes meeting her face but not her eyes, she hated when you looked at her in the eyes.
Releasing you, she waved you off and you quickly turned and hurried out. It wasn't usual for Na'vi to be abusive to their children, yet it wasn't unheard of. Your parents just happened to check every mark there was, verbal, emotional, mental, and physical. It just depended on their mood of the day to determine how your day would end.
Reaching the gathering circle, you picked the nicest looking fruit that you hoped would appease her rath, you began to walk back with it bundled in your arms, only to run smack into another person.
The fruit got squashed between both bodies, the juice sticking to your arms, chest and stomach, your mouth slightly open in shock. That was unexpected, but then again you were rushing with your head down.
"Oh Great Mother, I'm sorry!" Neteyams voice made you jolt up to meet his eyes, his face worried as he realized he ran into you. Just another foolish episode it seemed.
"(Y/n)! I'm so sorry, let me help you," Neteyam reached down to grab the fruit, but it unsavable at that point. You covered your mouth with a soft laugh, not wanting to upset the man in his rush to help you.
"Its alright Neteyam, no harm done," you assured, a smile gracing your lips. Neteyam was a light in your gray world, he could do no wrong in your eyes. The thought of the fruit left your mind, now focused solely on spending time with Neteyam.
"Come," you helped him up, his words stumbling over each other as he tried to figure out how to help, "B-but your fruit? Let me, let me help," you shook your head, waving it off, "There will be more fruit, but let's go get washed up," he let you drag him away, the fruit left forgotten on the floor.
Mother would not be happy later.
~.~
Laughing as you two walked up the edge of the village where vases of water sat, you let go and approached the water. Cupping your hands together, bringing the cool water to your face and neck, you breathed in a sigh of relief and shut your eyes, the water doing good to help rid the sticky fruit and seeds that stuck to your skin.
Neteyam allowed his eyes to trace over each water droplet that ran down your soft skin, going where only his eyes could imagine and where he wished he could touch too. Oh to be envious of water.
"Aren't you going to wash up?" Your soft voice broke his concentration, eyes looking to your face and seeing your glowing green eyes staring at him with your eyelids lowered, a look you weren't trying to give him but his thoughts quickly wondered and this caused him to rush forward, almost dunking his head into the water to cool himself off.
You giggled, having noticed his look from before and allowed your own eyes to slowly rake over his flushed body. His years of training doing wonders for him, the muscle and strength he held made your tail flick a few times before you willed it to stop and wrap around your leg.
"I am sorry, for ruining your fruit," Neteyam wiped his face of water, looking down at you though you smiled.
That pretty smile made him weak.
"Its alright, there will be more fruit later," you looked up at him, "let me make it up to you," he offered, though you grew confused. How would he make it up to you? Why did he feel the need? It was only a few pieces of fruit, surely you could replace it on your own.
"Oh? How?" You asked, arms crossing and staring at him intrigued, your hip jutting out a little causing him to gulp, trying to focus back on you as a whole.
"That's for me to worry about, now, let's go grab you some more fruit," he placed a small kiss to your head as he walked by, your face flushing as you trailed after him.
It was true you had kissed him before, a few weeks ago before he took you flying on his Ikran, but since then it had only been longing stares and a few light touches. A whisper here and there in the others ear, both of you too scared to ruin what you had going on. Scared that your realities would be crushed by the world if the true feelings were spoken out into the air.
~.~
Arriving back at the gathering circle, Neteyam grabbed new fruit to replace the ones he messed up, placing only one in your arms and he carried the rest.
"Oh no, Neteyam I can carry It really," you begged, not wanting him to follow you home. Not to the horrors that may await you. "Nonsense, allow me to help you, it was my fault," he grinned, not picking up on your worried tone.
It seemed he didn't have to, for your father's voice cut throught the air like a knife. "(Y/n)!" His deep, growl like voice caused you to freeze, Neteyam frowning when he saw the fear plaster on your now pale face. His eyes glanced behind you where two figures were appearing.
"Papa," you greeted, turning where the tall, brooding Na'vi man stood. He was one of the best hunters in the clan, your younger brother, only three years younger than you, trailing behind him with a small, smug look.
Your brother quite enjoyed when you got in trouble, but that's only because he himself didn't have to bare your father and mother's disapproving gaze.
"What are you doing? Your mother has been waiting and here you are, goofing off and laying around like you always do," Your fathers eyes made you shrink, head down into your shoulders hoping to disappear.
Neteyam placed himself between you both, chest puffing up to match your father. He didn't like how dull your eyes got, he hated how you tried to shrink instead of stand tall. "The fault is mine, sir, take it up with me. Leave your daughter out of this," Neteyam hissed, his tail lashing at the thought of what this man would say or do to you, his own child.
Your Father seemed to realize who he now faced, eyes narrowing suspiciously as they darted between Toruk Maktos oldest son, the future leader of the clan and his own child, his only daughter and oldest child.
The way the young man stood in front of you, challenging him to dare say another word had your father ask,"Who are you to tell me how to talk to my daughter? Have you courted her, mated with her," he knew the answer, but your father wanted to prove a point.
"No sir, but the fault is mine. I caused her to drop fruit and helped to clean her up, so any qualms you have you can deal them with me right now," Neteyam promised, knowing that the fact you two really weren't together stung, but he would defend you no matter what. He loved you that much.
It seemed as though Eywa had a saving grace, his own father, Jake Sully, appeared. "What's going on here?" Jake looked narrow eyed to the hunter in front of him, he knew (F/N) well, the man was very strict and harsh, but one of the best hunters to the clan.
You rushed forward, tired of all the arguing and not wanting a whole fight to break out. "Neteyam was helping me with fruit, I was clumsy and dropped it," you spazzed through your words, not turning to meet either Sully mens eyes behind you, focusing on your father instead, scared of what he would say more or do.
"I'm sorry Papa, I will be more careful from now on," Your father didn't want to cause a bigger scene infront of his Olo'eyktan, so he called for your brother to take the fruit who glared at you as if you had asked him instead of your father. "We will speak at home," your father leaned down close and threatened, eyes of green, though darker than your own, stared right through you. His words a silent threat that more than talking will be done at home.
"Yes Papa," you submitted, ears pulled back in fear and humiliation. Fear of what your father would do. Humiliation that Neteyam had to witness you like this.
Your Father and brother stomped away, your shoulders tense as you turned to see both men staring at you sadly.
"Thank you for helping me Neteyam, I'll see you around," you hurried out, words like mush as you trailed off into the direction your family had gone to.
"(Y/n)-" Neteyam reached out, but his father's hand on his shoulder stopped him, a huff of defeat in his lips as you disappeared from view.
"Give her some space, (F/n) is not one to mess with, getting her in more trouble may not be a wise case," Jake instructed, Neteyam clicking his tongue in annoyance and anger.
"(Y/n) shouldn't be suffering with them! It was my fault that the fruit fell, she shouldn't have to pay for that," he felt himself become hostile every second that passed, now beginning to pace in front of his father.
"(Y/n) deserves to be free! She is a grown woman, not a pet or a child!" He cried, Neteyam turning his body, eyes gazing after your invisible figure one last time.
"She so gentle, I want to watch her float on the clouds, not be tied down," Neteyam whispered.
~.~
Taglist: (there is a lot of yall đ¤Ł)
@jaymiemallari21 @ssc7514 @itsemy01 @zbeez-outlet @danamq1 @cwufst @sourpatches111 @eywas-heir @heaven1oo4 @neteyamforlife @naynay2808 @msjae @ultimatebluff @jjkclub @ksata @otukirey @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @whenercolorfulrainbowlol @teyamdefender17 @tejas-kris @serpientez @thexplosivegirl @inluvwithneteyam @dead-28 @brooklynscherry-z @weridpersonhelp @he110hon @rainbowsocks @andromets @awriana @alldaladiesloveleooo @loves1ckgirl @pixiexdusts-world @yagirldd @wwwellacom @melllinaa @dreamingsmile @starstruckmentalitypaper @velvetskies @mxrgodsstuff @ambla-nezie @wiltedkyinn @giannadodson @glowbugsblog @boggiesho @mentallyillartist @hastalapastayuh @
@honeyluvsblog @blairrrrrr @heluvsst4rgir1
Beautiful Sounds
Neteyam x Metkayina!Deaf!FReader
Summary: Neteyam finds a way
Warnings: Fluffffffff for daayyys, angst đ we are caught up in our feelings, not proof read
A big thank you to @iikatsukii for this idea! I hope you like it, I tried my best đđ
Part 2 to this little beauty:
Neteyam thought he could never love anything so much until he met you. Learning your clans ways brought new insights to how the world can be so different but still beautiful. You were an example of that.
Even though you couldn't hear, you learned how to dance with elegance from the vibrations in the sand, he saw the patience you had with children, taking the time to guide them and understand what they needed, sometimes better than their own parents.
What really took his heart was how you found the simple joys of everyday life. The look of bliss on your face when the ocean sprays you with its salty mist, the contempt in your eyes as you looked at your family and friends. The love you expressed through your hands and body when you hugged or kissed him.
He thought you deserved to hear more than anyone, which is why after two months of communicating and deliberation with Norm and Max, they finally made the first set of hearing implants for Na'vi. A beautiful aqua to match your skin tone, and water proof so you could hear underwater as well.
As Neteyam watched from the shoreline as you raced your sister on Ilus, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He's practiced so hard with you and the others with sign language and yet he still continued to mess up sometimes. You never got angry or upset, just flashed your beautiful smile and repeated what he was trying to sign so he could practice again.
He'd especially been practicing for something special to you when the time came right, of course getting past Tonowari and Ronal wouldn't be easy. Taking one last glance at your figure, he turned and headed for the Marui pod that he knew your family resided in.
~.~
Ronal hissed and threw a shell at Neteyam which he ducked out of the way of, "You dare ask me such a question! That demon device will ruin her!" Tonowari just shook his head at his mate, she was nearing the end of her pregnancy and was very cranky.
"It'll help her hear! She can finally here all of you and everything around her!" Neteyam raised his hands in the air, trying to calm the angry pregnant woman. "Ronal, maybe she should give it a chance," Tonowari reasoned, Ronal growling lowly.
"You want to change her? You asked us mere days ago to mate and now you want this!? I pray to Great Mother to have the strength to not bury you alive! Skxawng!"
"No I don't want to change her! I want her to experience things that I know she longs for," Tonowari placed his hand on Ronal's shoulders giving her a look to calm down. Ronal did so, but not happily.
Both turned towards the young man, which he took as a continuation, "I promise, I love everything about her. The way she looks at the horizon with longing, wanting to go there and explore. The way (Y/n) wants to join in on everything everyone is doing but knows she can't hear everything, you may not have seen it, but I can. I hate that she cannot experience the wonderful sounds of the world, but if I could help her make one thing...The thing I know she may long for the most happen, I would crawl through viper thorns to do so, so please, let me try this," he begged at this point, taking a knee before the leaders of the clan.
Glancing at eachother, Tonowari spoke for both, "Very well, if she wants to try it, you have our blessing," Neteyam grinned, thanking them as he ran out the Marui pod to find you.
"You know he would never hurt her, Ronal?" Tonowari smiled at his mate gently, who rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Maybe Eywa will give me strength to not bury you, Tonowari,"
~.~
You huffed air laughing as Neteyam grabbed your hand, dragging you through the trees that surrounded the island.
Tapping his hand, he turned to you so he could watch, 'Where are we going?'
'Somewhere private' he replied, your smile wide as you let him carry on guiding you.
Coming to a beach front, your eyes saw a wonderful sight of a hand weaved blanket on the beach with some delicious fruit you adored. The sun was almost the horizon, the beauitful shades of orange and pink beginning to shine on the clouds and sky.
He led you down and helped sit you on the blanket, his eyes holding nothing but love for you. You returned the gaze, hand caressing his face as he lightly pecked your lips.
"I have something, for you," he gestured, you nodding, eyes staring at his figure so you wouldn't miss anything.
Pulling out a blue box from his hip bag, he opened it to reveal two small, weird looking devices. Your eyebrow furrowed, glancing up at him confused. Was this a forest thing? Why did it look like something sky demons made?
"Oh right, um," Neteyam mumbled to himself, licking his lips as he put the box down, hands moving slowly as he thought each sign out.
"These," points to the box, "help you, hear," he tried to keep it short and to the point. Yet this only confused you more.
"I cannot hear, how can these help me?" Your hands were moving quickly, 'I don't understand-' he took your hands into his, holding them close to his chest to try and regain your attention, your eyes narrowed with unease and confusion.
He let go slowly, his hands moving the same time as his lips, "These go in here," he gestured to your ear, "and when turned on, they let you hear," you slowly nodded, Neteyam picking up the box and holding it to you, the sunset reflecting of your eyes as you nodded to him.
Closing your eyes as you felt his hand gently place the small things in your ears, the other holding your cheek in reassurance.
He pressed on something, a small high pitched noise filled your ears which made your eyes shoot open. You looked around frantically, hands covering your ears and the devices from the shock of hearing something for the first time.
Neteyam placed his hands over yours, holding your head as your eyes turned to him with fear. He breathed in and out, eyes trained on yours as you began to copy him, slowly relaxing.
You both moved your hands, your ears twitching as you heard something else. A soft roaring and crashing sound that made you look to the water, eyes filling with tears as you signed, "waves?" His face lighting up and nodding, taking your hand as he helped you up.
You stared out into the giant mass of blue, the sound of the waves flooding every sense you had. The distant calls of birds and animals soon followed, all overwhelming but yet so majestic in your eyes.
Your hands came to cover your mouth and muffle your sobs as you began to cry. The world sounded different than you had ever thought, it sounded better.
Neteyam wrapped his arm around your shoulder to comfort you. Your shoulders slowly stopped shaking as you gazed up at him.
"(Y/n)" he whispered, your face morphing into one of disbelief. He sounded as gorgeous as he looked.
You tapped his lips, a grin on your face as you turned your body to face him completely now. "You can hear me?" He asked, your smile wide as you nodded. "There's something I want to ask you. I thought I would ask like this, but I want to ask you in your own way," he gently caressed your face as you nodded, feeling a small rush of adrenaline from all the excitement.
You never thought he would go through all this trouble for you, this just showing you how much he truly cared.
He held your hands, giving them a squeeze before taking a step back to see your whole body. Also incase he had to run from rejection.
'You are so beautiful,' he started, your eyes narrowing in curiosity, wondering where he was going with this. You were very flattered though as you shyly shuffled.
'When I look at you, I think of home' he started fumbling a little bit, but you smiled at him which gave him strength to keep going. "I want to spend the rest of my life, with you,'
Your mind suddenly went blank, realizing what he was asking, 'Will you be my mate?' He finished with a shy smile, but you were only staring at him with a blank expression.
A cold shiver ran down his spine, you weren't saying or doing anything. Just starting at him.
"(Y/n)?" He asked softly, taking a step forward to grab your fingers, but you jerked back suddenly, your ears flattened as you turned and ran.
Neteyam could only stare heartbroken as you disappeared from view, the sun now down below the horizon.
~.~
'You did what!?' Tsireya signed, but you didn't see it as you were hiding your face in your hands in shame. Tsireya tapped you, your glossy eyes looking at her disbelief ones. 'You left him without an answer? I thought you loved Neteyam!' 'I do!' You began, teeth gritting together, 'why would he want me?' You sobbed, tears begging to flow passed your waterline, Tsireya looking at you in empathy. 'I cannot hear, I cannot talk well, I only babble like newborn baby,' you began to hiccup, 'He gave me these to help me hear, I wish to talk to him like he can with me, but my voice is ugly,'
Tsireya grabbed your shoulders, her look fierce as she shook her head, "No! Your voice is beautiful and unique!" She knew you didn't take the sky peoples devices out, so you could hear her.
And hear her you would.
"Neteyam begged mother and father for weeks before they agreed! He planned these hearing devices for months. He loves you, all of you!" Tsireya exclaimed, your whimpers making her hug you close. "If you wish to speak to him, we will help you," Tsireya declared, her heart breaking for her older sister.
(Y/n) spent her whole life looking after others, even with the loss of hearing. Tsireya felt a few tears slip through her own eyelashes as she's never seen you this upset before. You were always smiling for everyone, the first one out and the last one in. You never told anyone how you truly felt.
Tsireya promised to Eywa she would make it right.
~.~
You avoided Neteyam for days, diving out of sight when you caught a glimpse of the oldest Sully sibling, your heart filled with guilt. You never meant to hurt him, but how could you face him before you were ready.
The Sully siblings, aside from Neteyam, knew what you were doing and tried their best to help both sides, but they still felt bad for their oldest brother.
Your own siblings helped you morning and night in getting your words more precise and clean, the pronunciation being the hardest as you technically never had to speak Na'vi or English before.
You sat in that beach shore cove Neteyam had brought you to only days prior, your eyes clenched in frustration as you tried again.
"oil ngatee kameee," the simple phrase of 'I see you' fell from your lips as you groaned in your throat. You were never going to get it, they sounded slurred together and it was hard to understand.
Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and tried again, "oel ngati kameie," this time it sounded better, but you really had to think and enunciate with your lips.
Head falling into your hands, you felt a few tears slip out. Why did Neteyam choose you? There are better girls, ones who weren't at a disadvantage like you were.
Standing up, you turned to see Neteyam right behind you.
You gasped inwardly, taking a few steps back. Neteyam only stared at you with a inquiring look, but you could see the hurt in his eyes too.
'I'm sorry,' you signed, looking down so your bohemian knotless braids covered your face. You couldn't face him. 'I'll leave now,' you made to scurry past him when he grabbed your hand, your breath hitching as you were frozen in place.
He carefully walked around to face you, his face looking solem at your stiff body. 'Why?' He questioned, you feeling tears staring to build up. 'Many girls better than me,' you answered, his shocked expression taking you off guard. 'No one is better than you, I only want you, now and forever,' he signed passionately, your tears streaming down your face as you shook your head.
'I sound like a baby, I cannot talk like an adult,' you desperately tried to get him to see, but he only shook his head at you.
'I have never heard your voice, but your quiet huff bring music to my ears. My heart yearns for yours so that they may beat together. Make their own sound, together. As one," Neteyam emphasized, never seeing you look so down heartened as you did right now.
Lo'ak had finally cracked and told him that you'd been practicing your voice and speech so that you could be better. Better for him. When all Neteyam wanted was you. He was so lost these last few days, never seeing you and his thoughts running wild on why you rejected him.
'Please, I stand here with my heart for you. I only want you, (Y/n)," he whispered, pressing his forehead to yours, his eyes closed in pain as he wished you could see yourself how he does.
"Neteyam," you whispered, his eyes shooting open as your lips twitched. "Yes," you said answered, his face changing rapidly between emotions.
"Y-yes? Yes you'll be my mate?!" He exclaimed, his eyes turning glossy as he realized you'd just spoken to him. You laughed and nodded, Neteyam cackling as he picked you up and spun you around.
"She said yes!" He yelled out, both of you now laughing like idiots as he fell back, both of you landing in the sand.
You rolled over, lips connecting with his with urgency as he gave it right back. Both of you in each other's embrace, fitting perfect together like a puzzle.
'I love you,(Y/n)' he signed, eyes filled with adoration cause you to smile back shyly, "I love you, Neteyam,"
Even though Neteyam had given you the blessing of being able to hear, the most beauitful sound you'd ever heard was his voice.
You couldn't wait to listen to it for the rest of your life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@eywas-heir @jimfiqs @minkyungseokie
@bealone-prm @thecrazyswamp
@he110hon @urforevermore
@iikatsukii
Fine, I guess I'll work on writing fanfics again since I can fucking scroll anywhere to distract my ADHD
Good Soup đĽľ
my hero academia
pairing. pro hero!bakugou x villain!reader
word count. 4k
warnings. kidnapping, mentions of drugging, dub-con, sub!bakugou, dom!reader, tentacles oh my, bondage, anal penetration (m. receiving), edging, deep throating aforementioned tentacles hello
Darkness. Thatâs the first thing Katsuki becomes aware of as heâs drawn slowly from the tender thralls of a deep, dreamless sleep. Even as his heavy eyes blink open, thereâs not a hint of light, only deep, inky blackness that surrounds and consumes him.
For a moment, he thinks he must be in his bed, waking in the middle of the night for one reason or another. But that belief is abruptly snuffed out when he attempts to move and finds that none of his limbs will cooperate. Noâ thereâs something holding him down, something cold and metal around each of his wrists and ankles, restricting his movement.
The air around him chills his skin as he realizes the dangerously compromising position heâs in, spread eagle and locked down against a cool slab of something hard and flat. Metal? Stone? He couldnât quite tell.
Confusion settles in his bones.
âWâ what theâ?â the young hero chokes hoarsely, words slurring on his heavy tongue. His throat is painfully dry, and his head is throbbing, symptoms vaguely similar to a bad hangover, but far more intense.
âHe lives.â
Katsukiâs head jerks at the low purr that ripples through the air around him, narrowed vermillion eyes fervently searching through the opaque darkness.
âTâ the hell is this? Whatâs going on?â He growls, head swiveling uselessly as soft footsteps echo in his ears.
âWouldnât you like to know?â The voice is light, taunting, and it only riles him up more, stroking the flames of anger and frustration flickering inside of him.
âStop fucking with me and show yourself, coward.â The blonde spits viciously, yanking against his sturdy binds.
Laughter comes, trickling impishly from unseen lips.
ââCowardâ?â Katsuki gasps in shock, not expecting the whisper to come from so near, not expecting the rush of warm breath that washes over the shell of his ear. Vague recognition flickers in the back of his mind, but itâs gone before he can fully grasp it. âIâm not sure thatâs quite the right word to describe me.â
It clicks in an instant, the void in his memory suddenly flooding with the events of the previous day.
The villains. The fight. Being snatched up some strange, alien-like tentâ
His eyes widen in realization, before a deep scowl contorts his features. âTentiplicity.â
Keep reading
UGH I LOVE THIS đâ¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
Summary: It was a bittersweet moment when Inarizaki lost to both Inarizaki's manager and Karasunoâs ace. What will happen next? Do the feelings stop there?
Word Count: 11.7K
Warnings: A lot of fluff. The slow burn is intense. This chapter is long because I wanted to add meaningful conversations. Spoilers for Season 4/Chapter 291! Dialogue from both sources. I donât own anything. Haikyu belongs to Furudate Haruichi! Also, I added a scene that I found adorable. The Tiktok creator (astrq.ella) translates the fanmade manga into English and it's so cute!! Go check it out!
A/N: Obviously, the dialogue of the twins, Aran, Kita, etc are from the anime and manga. I tried my best to keep the flow of speech going throughout this chapter. Lol idk if I can keep up but Iâll do my best! When am I going to edit that dialogue in the previous chapter? Well, your guess is as good as mine! Also, I apologize for the sudden hiatus, my life is crazy but I hope you enjoy this new chapter.
The match ended with a score of 30-32. With each team winning a set, the third and final set was their last chance to win, to advance, to stay alive in Nationals. The hunger to win was there. The sheer determination to win was there. The will, the passion, the⌠Well, everything. Each player on the Inarizaki had it all. They played with everything they had.
Atsumu proved to everyone, whether they were familiar with volleyball or not, how his setter skills were top tier and worthy to be labeled as the best high school setter. With his opponent being a setter that attended the same All-Japan Training Camp, he was pushed to another level to become a star setter.
Osamu covered for any tiny mistake his brother made during the match. The unspoken intuition between him and his brother every time he scored a point through their version of Karasunoâs quick attack. Never before had he felt so hungry during a match.
Aran played his role as the ace more than ever. With each difficult pass that was made, he made sure to call out for the ball and with his strength he scored a point for his team. The title of ace suited him as he proved it with each service ace and spikes that broke through Karasunoâs blocks. Gin followed his senpaiâs footsteps closely as he scored points through difficult blocks and receiving difficult passes.Â
Omimi kept up his blocking skills all throughout the match, turning Karasunoâs possible points into their points through his blocks. The same can be said with Suna. The middle blocker, despite his deadpan expression, didnât slack off as per usual. He lived up to his title as one of the best middle blockers in Nationals as he kept his sharp game sense and surprised his opponents with his wide-range spike.
Akagi did his best as lead libero. He saved the team on multiple occasions through his receives. His eyes focused on the ball more than anything as he commanded his body to follow after it. With each received he made, it brought a sense of security to his teammates to continue playing. He was the cornerstone for his teamâs defense and wasnât about to slack off, not even for a second.
Kita kept his plays consistent all the while keeping the rambunctious second-years in check. But ever so often, the match brought out a side of him that hasnât been felt for a long time. Karasuno wasnât like any other team. Every player on that team pushed his teammates to their limits so many times that it made him crack a smile or two throughout the game. Karasuno were worthy opponents.
Even the first years challenged themselves to play. They didnât hold anything back.Â
And yetâŚÂ
âItâs a madhouse in here!â The announcerâs loud voice filled the arena of the crowdâs uproar. âThe entire Tokyo gymnasium is shaking with the roar of the crowd!â
The Inarizaki manager was the first to snap out of it. She didnât realize how loud it was before until now. The last sound she heard was the sound of the ball hitting their side of the orange court. Everything after that felt muffled in a sense as she stood there motionless.
(Y/N) looked at her team. With the exception of their chests moving, no one made an effort to walk off the court. Whether they were too tired to move or they were in disbelief at their loss, (Y/N) knew that her friends were taking this loss harder than usual.Â
They were so closeâŚ
âWe lost.â It helped saying those two words out loud. It didnât lessen the sting obviously, but it confirmed her reality.Â
Even more so when she saw how unbelievably happy Karasuno looked. Her eyes automatically looked for Asahi. When her eyes landed on his jersey number, her wounded heart swelled up with admiration. Under the bright gym lights, Asahi looked unbelievably happy as his arms wrapped around his teammates. He, along with his friends, were hugging the two first-years that made the incredible block against the twinsâ attack.Â
The scene made her smile bittersweetly. While she was sad that her team was no longer able to advance, losing the match to Karasuno didnât feel too awful. The match was almost like a battle of wills. Everyone was fighting for a point. No one gave up, not even when the odds were against them.Â
There was no way around it, Karasuno won fair and square and while this didnât mean the end of the world for her⌠Today marks the end of her Spring Tournament journey⌠Wow. Third year brings out a different perspective more than anything.
(Y/N) reminded herself to breathe. She looked for Kita. Unsurprisingly, the captainâs observant gaze was on her already. He always had a knack in knowing what she was feeling. It has been like that since their first year. The two smiled at each as they were thinking the same thing.
They couldnât be any prouder of their entire team.
âItâs time to line up.â Coach Kurosu instructed with Coach Ĺmi following behind.
She nodded and wordlessly grabbed the white picket sign that showed her schoolâs name. The manager waited for her captain to step next to her. Once he did, she gave the sign in his hands. Their eyes met and (Y/N) knew he was going to be okay.Â
Everyone lined up on either side of the net; their Karasuno counterpart right in front of them. (Y/N) looked ahead and she smiled when she was met with Kiyokoâs teary-eyed expression. She hoped those tears were of happiness and not of pity for her and her team. In unison, everyone bowed down and thanked each other for the game.
After standing back up, the players stepped forward to shake hands. (Y/N), along with the coaches, did the same.Â
âThat was a great game.â (Y/N) told her when they shook hands. âAnyone who says Karasunoâs a fallen powerhouse is kidding themselves.â
Kiyoko wiped away the tears that threatened to fall at her new friendâs words. âThank you. You donât know how much this means to us.â
(Y/N) let out a good-natured chuckle. âYou have a great team, Kiyoko. Take care of them because the competition is going to be even fiercer.â
âI will⌠And (Y/N)?â
âHm?â
âIâm sorry-
âDonât be.â The Inarizaki manager cuts her off. âDonât apologize. You never know whatâs going to happen. All we can do is our best and keep moving forward. Okay?â
âOkay.âÂ
âGood.âÂ
The girls smiled at each other. To Kiyokoâs surprise, (Y/N) gave her a tight hug. It took her a second but Kiyoko managed to hug back. The loud cheers of the arena along with the announcerâs voice almost made it impossible to hear (Y/N)âs next words but she still heard them all the same: âKeep winning.â
Kiyoko pulled away first as she gave her friend a determined nod. âWe will.â
(Y/N) smiled at her one last time before following her teammates. She stood next to Kita in front of the Inarizaki cheer section. She scanned the crowd to see her fellow classmates and friends. They had tears streaming down their faces but it didnât stop them from clapping or shouting words of encouragement.Â
In the corner of her eye, she saw how frustrated Atsumu looked. Anyone who had eyes can tell by the expression he wore.Â
With furrowed brows and a small pout to accompany it, Atsumu muttered under his breath, âCâmon. Boo us. Losers donât need no consolation applause.â
To his surprise, one of the older fans called him out. âShut yer mouth, Atsumu, ya little dimwit!â
(Y/N) smirked when her underclassman was taken aback; heâs probably thinking how on earth did the man see right through him.Â
âItâs scrawled all over yer face, ya idjit!â The fan yelled at him, confirming (Y/N)âs theory from before. She didnât miss the way Osamu smirked at his brother, most likely thinking he was a idiotic moron.
âA GOOD GAMEâS A GOOD GAME, AND WEâRE GONNA TELL YOU IT WAS A GOOD GAME! YOU GOT THAT?!â
While the loss did sting, the fanâs words gave her a sense of pride. Everyone rallied behind the fanâs statement. The claps became louder. They shouted each memberâs names, including her own, telling them it was a great game. They even brought out the hand-made signs that had their names on it and carried them proudly over their heads. (Y/N)âs eyes swept over the crowd until she was met with Kitaâs grandmotherâs gaze.
She met the older woman before on multiple occasions. Kita Yumie was the ideal grandmother as she wore a gentle smile that matched her kind eyes. The fact that she showed up to their game only proved how much she cared for her grandson and his team. Not to mention she wore a hand-made sweater that said âGood Luck Shinsukeâ.
It didnât help when the elder woman mouthed, âIâm proud of you all.â
(Y/N) could feel her tears well up around her eyes. She blinked rapidly to gain control but there was always that one tear that ended up escaping down her cheek. Her hand quickly wiped it away before her team saw. But, as always, the Inarizaki captain was watching.
He patted her back and gave her the same gentle smile that he shared with his grandmother. The smiles were almost identical.Â
Wordlessly, everyone bowed to the Inarizaki cheering section and shouted, âTHANK YOU VERY MUCH!â
~
As Coach Kurosu and Kita delivered their post-game interviews, (Y/N) busied herself with packing everything up. Once she deemed everything was accounted for, she zipped up her bag and took one last look at the orange court. It was bittersweet to say the least.Â
âCanât forget this.â Aran came up to her, her maroon Inarizaki jacket in his hand. âYâalright?â
(Y/N) smiled at her friend and nodded as she put on her jacket. âI should be asking you that, Aran.â
The ace shrugged. âIt hasnât sunk in yet, yâknow?â
She hummed in agreement. âI keep expecting to wake up but I pinched myself enough times to know this is real.â
The two third-years walked towards the crowd of journalists where their friend/captain continued to answer questions. As they waited on the sidelines, Aran couldnât help but steal glances at his manager. Which of course didnât go unnoticed by her.Â
âSomething wrong, Aran?â
He took a moment to find the right words before he spoke, âThat samurai guy⌠He made some great plays.â
âHe did, didnât he?â (Y/N) recalled Asahiâs top moments of the match. A smile graced her lips when she remembered the moment Asahi feinted a spike that surprised both Aran and Akagi. She can tell by the look of his face that he didnât mean to do that, all the while Inarizakiâs ace and libero glared at him. âEven our own fans cheered him on at one point.â
âI know right? But I couldnât blame them for cheerinâ.â Aran sighed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He mentally winced as he recalled the time Karasunoâs #3 received his spike with his shoulder. He didnât want to brag but he knew for a fact that his spikes were strong. No doubt Azumane is going to have a bruise that will last a few days. âHeâs definitely a strong ace.â
âYou guys shook hands, right? Did you tell him something?â (Y/N) asked her friend, curiosity getting the best of her.Â
Aran nodded. âYeah, I told him something.â
(Y/N) waited for him to continue but when he didnât say anything else she stepped in front of him. âWell? What did you tell him? You didnât say anything mean, did you? Heâs sensitive and-â
Her mini interrogation was cut off when Aran laughed and said, âRelax, (Y/N). I didnât say anything mean.â
âThen what did you tell him?â She asked again, getting slightly annoyed by Aranâs secrecy.
âDonât worry about it. Itâs a guy thing.â
Oh, you suck.â (Y/N) pouted as she punched his arm repeatedly. âAnd here I thought you were the one guy that I can trust unconditionally. Guess Kita is the only one.â
âAww. Donât be like that.â Aran swung his arm over her shoulder and brought her in for a side hug. âAfter all weâve been through these last three years, youâre just gonna toss me away like that?â
(Y/N) let out a small yelp when she felt Aranâs hand ruffle her hair. âHey! My hair! It took me all morning to make it look good.â
âOh?â Aran gave her a teasing smile that could rival the twinsâ. âYou never do your hair for matches. You tryinâ to impress samurai guy?â
âS-Shut up! Whatâs wrong with me trying to look good?â (Y/N) defended, hoping Aran didnât see through her tough act. âAre you really not going to tell me what you told him?â
Aran laughed and shook his head. âNope!â
âFine. Iâm sure Kita would tell me.â She said before pulling away from the aceâs embrace. She wrinkled her nose before covering it. âYou stink.â
(Y/N) opened her bag and gave him a clean towel. Aran huffed but didnât argue because he knew he didnât exactly smell like roses. He wiped away the sweat around his face and neck when he noticed his captain coming towards them.
âLooks like Kitaâs done.â
âYou guys were waiting for me?â Kita asked his friends. âYou didnât have to.â
âItâs tradition.â Aran pointed out. âWe always walk together off the court.â
âItâs been like this since our first-year, Kita. Remember? Why would we change it now?â She added.
Kita hummed as his heart stirred at his friendsâ words. âI guess not but letâs go. The next match is going to start soon and we shouldn't get in the way.â
He walked forward, missing the way his friends shared a knowing look. Together, the Inarizaki captain, ace, and manager made their way to the rest of the team that were patiently waiting for them.
Along the way, (Y/N) took the chance to ask the same question she asked Aran and hoped he would give her the answer she was hoping for. To her dismay, Kita gave her a soft smile and said, âAran only told your friend the obvious.â
(Y/N) sighed. âYou wound me, Shinsuke. I thought you were my friend. My best friend who would tell me everything. My good friend who should have my back after everything we went through. My-â
âGive it up, (Y/N).â Aran laughed at her attempt to guilt trip Kita. âI told ya itâs a guy thing.â
âThatâs the lamest excuse Iâve ever heard.â (Y/N) complained as both captain and ace smirked at her.Â
The third-year trio met up with their team and together they departed to the sub-arena. As they walked down the stairs, (Y/N) could practically feel her underclassmen heavy stares on her back. It was only a matter of time before someone said something.
Itâs almost comical how she was able to call stuff out before they even happened, especially when the twins asked for Kita. Judging by the guilty expressions on their faces, it wasnât hard to figure out what they were going to say.
In unison, the twins began their apology. âUm⌠Weâre sorry-âÂ
But, as usual, Kita was one step ahead of them as he interrupted their speech. âWhat? Gonna apologize to me so you can feel a bit better about yourselves?â
Standing next to the captain, (Y/N) shivered under her jacket at Kitaâs seemingly ice cold words and she wasnât the only one who felt the effects. The Miya twins straightened up their posture and with similar embarrassed expressions they yelled, âWha?! N-No! Course not!â
(Y/N) grinned at the second-yearsâ panicked response. Sheâs going to miss those two when she graduates in a couple of months.Â
Kita smirked to himself and waved his hand in dismissal. âI know, I know. Sorry.â His expression changed into a pensive one. âBut⌠I think you should save the apologies for when youâve done something wrong.â
Atsumu and Osamuâs eyes seemed to glimmer under the light, taking their captainâs words to heart.
Kita continued. âI donât think you made a mistake by choosinâ to do that quick set right then. I thought you were gonna score too⌠Though I hafta say I hate the idea of tryinâ stuff in real games that we ainât done in practice first.â
The twins grimaced as their eyes looked at the ground with great interest. They looked so guilt-ridden because they knew Kita had a point.Â
âStill,â (Y/N) spoke up, causing everyone to perk up. âThe fact you guys were able to copy that quick attack on your first try was amazing. Iâve never seen anything like that.â
Aran nodded. âAnd that last rally there⌠We probably just picked the wrong guys to try it against.â
âI agree.â Kita said as he recalled the matchâs final moments. âWhen you two get all fired up and gung-ho-like⌠You usually leave everybody else back behind you in the dust.â He paused, recalling Karasunoâs so-called âfreakâ duo before continuing. âBut this once, the other guys were just as fired up and gung-ho-like as you two⌠It was amazinâ right?â
The captain couldnât help the smile that grew on his lips and (Y/N) couldnât help but smile as well. It was a rare sight to see her friend smile but it never failed to warm her heart. Kita began his descent down the stairs but not before saying, âIt ainât every day you get to play a game like that against a team like that. We got real lucky⌠Good for you.â
(Y/N) chuckled at how her underclassmen looked so shocked after hearing Kitaâs touching words. They must have thought heâd be his stoic self. They donât realize that heâs happy that his teammates found worthy opponents in Karasuno.
âWaitâŚâ Atsumu said. âKita-san was smiling just now, wasnât he?â
âYeah.â Osamu confirmed, his eyes following his upperclassman.
Riseki stepped beside Atsumu and added, âI caught him smiling bunches during the game.â
âBunches?!/Yer kiddinâ.â The twins exclaimed at the same time, not believing the first-yearâs statement.
They looked at their manager, mentally asking her if it was true. Their jaws dropped when she nodded and said, âHeâs not a robot, you guys. Kita can smile. Donât act so surprised when he shows his feelings.â
Kita stopped in his tracks when he heard his managerâs words. He stood there in silence, contemplating his next words that could leave a lasting impression on his team.Â
After a moment, he admitted his feelings, âStill, for some reason Iâm awfully frustrated. Now, I did everything I could proper and I did it right. I can say I donât have any regrets and mean it as the honest truth. Results like winning and losing, theyâre still just side effects that happen when Iâm doin what I oughta be doinâ. But⌠Itâs funny.â
The captain of the Inarizaki volleyball team turned to look at his teammates. His eyes met with each one along with his rare gentle smile that surprised the first and second-years.Â
ââWell? Isnât my team amazing?â I wanted to say that even more.â
(Y/N) opened her mouth to say something but she was left speechless after listening to Kitaâs speech. She tried so hard to contain her tears but it was no use. Her strong facade crumbled with each tear streaming down her face. Kitaâs words etched into her heart and she hoped her juniors will continue to work hard in the future. At the thought of her juniors, (Y/N) glanced up at them only to see they were tearing up as well. Suna was the only one who remained tear-free but (Y/N) knew him well enough to know heâs feeling the same way as everyone else.
As she tried to compose herself, Osamu tearfully spoke up, âPlease keep saying it, senpai.â
Atsumu followed up and declared, âWeâll be the kind of teammates you can brag about to your great-grandkids.â
Kita looked up to the ceiling with a hopeful look on his face. His smile grew even more after hearing the twinsâ promise.
âI look forward to it.âÂ
And with that, the third-year captain turned around and continued to walk down the stairs. The rest of the Inarizaki team were left spellbound, too stunned to move an inch.Â
âCome on. Letâs hurry up and get changed.â Kita advised them. He looked at his friends and his eyes softened when he saw the state (Y/N) and Aran was in. âYou guys okay?â
(Y/N) couldnât help the small chuckle that escaped her lips. Automatically, her arms wrapped around him and hugged her friend tightly. It took a few seconds but she soon felt him hug back. Then she felt another pair of arms around them and it didnât end there. In less than ten seconds, her and Kita were in the center of a massive group hug.
Inarizakiâs motto stated that they didnât need the memories, but with this heartfelt moment she was experiencing⌠(Y/N) hoped her teammates would make an exception because she will definitely hold this memory close to her heart.
âYou guys are the best. I wouldnât manage any other team. Thank you for the last three years!â
It went without saying there wasnât a single dry eye amongst the group.
âTHANK YOU SENPAI!â
~Meanwhile in the baggage storage area~
Asahi never felt so exhausted before in his entire life. This match was, without a doubt, on his list of top three most difficult matches. The adrenaline from before seemed to evaporate the moment he stepped away from the court. He was sure he looked like the dictionaryâs definition of tired. Despite the exhaustion and the victory under his belt, he felt conflicted.
He hasnât seen (Y/N) since the final line up and he wondered if she was okay. Her team came close to winning. The last rally was really a battle of wills between his team and hers. He could only imagine the sting of hurtful defeat the moment the ball fell onto their court. And with (Y/N) being a third-year, it was her last chance to be with her team in Nationals.
Now her chance is gone⌠Asahi couldnât help but feel a bit responsible for that.Â
Which is why his eyes keep glancing at the entrance every five minutes, hoping to see her and talk for a minute. Even after he cleaned up and dressed back into his normal clothes, there was still no sign of the girl that made him nervous yet confident all at the same time.
It didnât help how tired he felt. He yawned for what seemed like the fourth time today, but his tired eyes kept focus on the entrance.Â
âYo Asahi! You look like the walking dead.â Suga jested, sitting down next to him. âEverything okay?â
âJust tired. My arms feel like theyâre going to fall off.â
Suga laughed and repeatedly slapped his aching back. âBut you were great out there! You looked so dependable.â
Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. âThanks. I didnât want to let the team down.â
âOh yeah? And here I thought you were just showing off for a certain Inarizaki manager. I caught (Y/N) smiling when you made that awesome service ace.â
âYou did?â He hoped Suga wasnât pulling his leg. The thought of (Y/N) smiling because of him felt too good to be true.Â
Asahi wished he could have seen that smile but with how intense each set was he could only afford the briefest of glances in her direction. Thankfully, there was a moment they shared together that felt like an eternity.Â
It was during a time out and he was intensely listening to Coach Ukaiâs instructions. Kiyoko just handed him his water bottle and a clean white towel to which he gratefully took. He wiped away the beads of sweat that formed on his neck and face before taking a drink. As he took in the cold refreshing drink, his eyes drifted to the other side of the net where the Inarizaki players were huddled together. And there was (Y/N), doing the same thing as Kiyoko as she handed her teammates their water. She just gave her setter his water when she looked up and met his gaze.
His heart began to beat wildly against his chest and it had nothing to do with the high caliber game that was going on. Then she gave him that smile, the same smile that made him all warm and fuzzy on the inside, along with a small wave. His face began to burn bright red and for a few seconds he forgot how to breathe. Unfortunately, during those few seconds he was drinking his water which led to him having a small choking episode. Luckily, it wasnât too bad so when he looked up and saw (Y/N)âs worried expression, wordlessly asking him if he was okay. Touched that she was worried for him, Asahi gave her a small nod and hoped it was enough to reassure her.Â
The interaction lasted about maybe 45 seconds before the referee signaled for the game to continue but those 45 seconds were committed into memory, something he will cherish for a long time. He wondered if (Y/N) thought the sameâŚÂ
âAre you remembering how you choked on your water when you looked at (Y/N)?â Suga laughed. âI thought you were going to pass out! Then we wouldâve been in real big trouble!â
âI-It wasnât that bad.â Aashi protested though he could feel his cheeks beginning to warm up. Trying to hide his blush, he grabbed a towel and wiped away the nonexistent sweat from his face. âShe just surprised me, is allâŚâ
Suga grinned at him. âHow is it that you two are so adorably cute yet you guys arenât even together?â
âSorry?â The ace apologized with a confused look on his face because honestly he didnât know what he was apologizing for.Â
âNever mind. By the way, did Inarizakiâs ace say something to you when we shook hands?â
Asahi recalled that moment with Ojiro Aran. âYeah, he did. He didnât say anything bad. Just wished us luck in the next round.â
It was trueâŚish. His Inarizaki counterpart did wish him luck as well as some advice, something he wasnât quite ready to share with his friends just yet.
âHuh, well thatâs nice of him. He looks like a cool guy. The kind you want to hang out with, you know?â Suga remarked.
Asahi nodded. His eyes took a quick glance at the entrance, hoping to see the familiar maroon-colored Inarizaki jackets. He tried not to look disappointed when he didnât see anyone on the team.
âI just canât believe that Aran guy!â Suga exclaimed. âHe was on a roll so many times. I canât believe he jumped for the ball not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!â
âUh-huh.â
Suga furrowed his brow at his friendâs lack of active response. He was just about to ask him whatâs wrong when he took one look at his face. It didnât take a genius to figure out what was on his mind.
âLighten up, Asahi, Iâm sure your future girlfriend will walk through those doors any minute now.â
Another wave of heat washed over him as he tried to stutter out a reply. âI-Itâs been a while. I wanted to talk with her before we go back to the inn.â
Initially, Suga was going to poke fun at the fact Asahi didnât deny the âfuture girlfriendâ part but he decided against it.Â
âIâm sure sheâs with her team right now, Asahi. They lost their place in the Spring Tournament so they must be torn up. After all, they were the favorites to win this whole thing.â
âYeah, I know. That's why I want to talk with her to see if sheâs okay. I mean I know sheâs a third-year so this is her last year, so I canât help but feel bad.â
âI thought you guys agreed on being cool whatever the outcome was?â Suga asked.
âDoesnât mean I canât feel bad for her.â Asahi countered. âI mean, Iâm happy we won but⌠I donât know⌠I wished it was different.â
Suga sighed but he understood where his sensitive friend was coming from. âI get it, Asahi, but you also need to stand proud for what you accomplished, itâs almost like a slap in the face to her and her team if you donât. Iâm sure if (Y/N)-san was here, sheâll agree with me.â
Asahi slightly grimaced but he couldnât find any fault in Sugaâs advice. After all, he did make an agreement with (Y/N) before the match started that they would stay on good terms whatever the results may be. Still, the thought of her being sad, especially when he was the cause of it, made his heart tighten in anxiety.
The ace was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Sugaâs hand on his shoulder, âJust breathe. Everything will work out in the end. So quit giving yourself a panic attack.â
âRight.âÂ
Following his friendâs advice, Asahi took a deep breath to calm his nerves and to get rid of the worst case scenarios in his head. It was difficult to say the least with each passing minute and there was still no sign of (Y/N) or her team. During the time he waited, he made the choice to sit on the bench closest to the entrance.Â
Asahi was very much aware of the stares from the other players but he didnât take it to heart. Instead, he kept his cool composure while his hands were balled up inside his black jacket. Thatâs when he felt his phone and an idea formed at once. He quickly pulled out his phone, clicked (Y/N)âs contact, but then stared at the blinking cursor.
âWhat should I text her? Something short and sweet? No, it should be something meaningful. But if I do that then it will be a super long text and it might freak her out⌠Gah! Why is it so hard making a good text?â
âListen up everybody!â Coach Ukai announced loudly. âWe leave in a few minutes. Get your stuff and head outside.â
Focused on the task at hand, his mind wracked for the right words that would check off the metaphorical checklist of the perfect text. After a few rough drafts and deleting a few words here and there, Asahi was more or less sure, 85% sure, he wrote a good enough text. All he had to do was press the send button.
His thumb hovered over the button for a moment and at the same time his heart was beating like crazy. Itâs unbelievable how nervous (Y/N) made him even when sheâs not physically there next to him. He wished he could at least see her.
âChop! Chop! Man-bun! Our ride is here!âÂ
Asahi shuddered under Coach Ukaiâs nickname designed specifically for him. Without thinking, he hurried to pocket his phone, grabbed his bag, and joined his team. He looked over his shoulder one last time before following his team to the bus. Once he sat down, he took out his phone and opened up his messages when his heart jumped to his throat.
Message sent.
His message to (Y/N) has been delivered.Â
He must have accidently sent it when he was getting his stuff together when Coach Ukai called him out. Maybe it was for the best. He wasnât mentally ready to send the text but perhaps it was for the best. A little push from the gods to give him a little boost of confidence.
Now all he could do was wait for her reply. The anticipation of her response was suspenseful to say the least. Either way, at least he could breathe a bit more easily now that his text message was sent. He just wished he had another chance to talk with her.
~
(Y/N) stood right next to Suna as they all stood in line underneath their Inarizaki banner. Her attention focused on Riseki who was pointing the camera, ready to take the commemorative photo Kita had asked for. She put on her best smile and placed her hand on her hip, ready for the picture to be taken.
She felt a subtle shift in her hair and automatically her other hand went to pinch Sunaâs arm as she knew how childish the middle blocker was for making bunny ears from behind.Â
âReally, Suna?â She quietly chided, making sure to keep her smile on for the camera. âBunny ears? What are you? Nine?â
âDonât know what youâre talking about, senpai.â
âWatch yourself, Suna. I know your phoneâs passcode. Donât tempt me.âÂ
Suna pouted slightly before removing his hand away. Heâll just have to time it the moment the picture is taken. Easy enough.
âReady? Say cheese!â Riseki called out.
Ding! (Y/N)âs phone alerted her that she received a text message.
Bi-Bip! Kashik! The camera took the picture without a hitch.
Multiple events happened at once the moment Riseki took the picture. What was supposed to be a normal commemorative picture that enshrined Inarizakiâs great volleyball players turned out nothing of the usual. Everyone gathered around the first-year to look at the picture, hoping it turned out alright. It didnât take long for opinions and excuses to start flying all around.
âWhat the heck, Samu!â Atsumu exclaimed to his brother. âLook at the camera, wouldja!â
Osamu shrugged his shoulders and offered his excuse, âI thought I caught a whiff of curry cominâ from outside.â
âCurry? Youâre imagining things!â Ginjima laughed but he wouldnât be surprised if the ever-so-hungry Miya was right.
Suna joined in on the banter as he said, âYouâre hallucinating smells now? Scary.âÂ
âLike youâve got room to talk, Suna!â Aran called out the middle blocker. âYou werenât lookinâ at the camera, neither! Or you, Akagi!â
The libero offered the ace a smile. âI was thinkinâ maybe we oughta go call coach.â
Ĺmimi sighed while closing his eyes at his teamâs antics. He looked at Riseki, who stared wordlessly at the cameraâs screen with a sweatdrop rolling down his face. âTime it better next time.â
Suna took one more look at the picture and his lips formed a smile when he saw his bunny ears hand gesture behind (Y/N)âs head. Even with the silly hand gesture unbeknownst to (Y/N), the manager looked effortlessly beautiful with her smile. He was sure if the president of the yearbook club were to see this picture, he wouldnât hesitate to put it front and center of the dedicated pages because of their lovely manager that could charm any guy with a smile.
Speaking of their manager, Suna never heard her opinions about the picture. He looked up and his eyes searched for her. It didnât take long to find her. She was in the same spot as she was in the photo though this time with her phone in hand. Come to think of it, he remembered her phone notifying her that she received a message.
Who could be texting her? He had a pretty good guess.
âYo.â He called out to (Y/N) before peering over her shoulder. His eyes strained to read the screen before she quickly pressed her phone to the chest. âIs the samurai guy texting you already?â
She turned around and gave him a soft glare. âQuit sneaking up behind me, Suna.â
Suna ignored his managerâs words as he swung his arm over her shoulders. âDonât dodge the question. Iâm right, arenât I?â
â... Maybe.â (Y/N) smiled up at her friend. âHow did the picture come out? Are we taking another one?â
âNah. I think Kita-senpai liked it. Said it looked just like us or something like that. You looked great compared to the rest of us.â
(Y/N) playfully rolled her eyes, âI would hope so. You guys need a shower. Like badly.â
âI take it back. You looked horrible.â Suna huffed in what was supposed to be annoyance but the third-year manager knew better as she saw the playful glint in his eyes. âNow I donât feel bad for doing bunny ears behind your back.â
âYouâre such a rascal. Just wait, Iâll get even with you.â (Y/N) informed him with a mischievous glint in her (E/C) eyes. Â
âI like to see you try.â Suna remarked as he removed his arm away from her.Â
Ever the observer, he looked for any signs of sadness that (Y/N) may be hiding. Todayâs loss was a harsh reality for the entire teamâs expectations to make it far into this competition. Heâll never admit it to anyone but he did try his hardest to help his team win. He wanted to keep playing more matches with the third-yearsâŚÂ
âYou okay?â He asked her after sharing a moment of silence. âYou can tell me the truth. I wonât tell anyone.â
(Y/N) couldnât help but let out a light chuckle, leaning her head back to look at the gym lights. She replayed all the best moments from the match with a fond smile across her lips. There were no regrets at all as she answered, âHonestly and strangely, I feel fine. I know you guys played your best against them so thatâs all I could ask for. If anything, Iâm grateful for Karasuno because I know for a fact this loss will only push everyone, including you, to become better. â
Suna frowned at the idea of the extra drills and long practices that will no doubt be inevitable. But before the tiring thought could take over his entire mind, the sudden urge to win against Karasuno grew tenfold. By this time next year, Inarizaki will come out victorious.
âI havenât lost you, have I, Suna?â (Y/N) asked in a teasing tone. âHow on earth are you going to manage your third-year?â
âDonât ask.â Suna groaned. âYouâve been with us since day one. Itâs going to be weird without you and the rest of the third-years around. Weâll miss you.â
(Y/N) bit her lip in order to contain the laugh that threatened to slip out. âIâm not dying, Suna. I canât stay in high school forever.â
âNot forever. Just stay another year with us.â Suna clarified.
âTempting offer but this girl would like to step out into the real world. Besides, donât pretend you arenât going to send me daily texts. Iâm counting on your videos to cheer me up.â (Y/N) smiled one more time at Suna before patting his back. âNow, come on. Letâs get going. We wouldnât want to keep everyone waiting.â
âOh? Whatâs the rush? Eager to see samurai-guy again?â
She could feel herself getting warm from Sunaâs line of questions. Though it didnât stop her from saying, âHis name is Azumane Asahi.â
Suna exhaled but still smiled nonetheless. âIf he cares for you, the same way you care for him then I guess Iâll remember his name.â
(Y/N) smiled at Suna and nodded. As the middle blocker made his way to follow the rest of the team, the manager slowly trailed after him. She took out her phone and reread the text Asahi sent her.
Hey (Y/N)-san. I donât know if you want to hear from me or not but I hope you do. I wanted to talk with you face-to-face but Iâm about to leave. I was waiting for you but I guess you were busy? I mean, I understand if you were. So if youâre free and if thereâs any chance we could talk in person somehow, could you text me back? I want to explain myself to you (if that makes sense). Please⌠Thanks.
Even with words on a phone screen, (Y/N) can feel how anxious Asahi must have been when writing this message. It was almost adorable in a way. Then again, the fact that he said he waited for her really had her heart skip a beat.
She quickly typed her response:
Hi Asahi! Iâm sorry we couldnât meet up after the match. We were taking a picture and it took longer than expected lol. Iâm sorry you waited for me. I wanted to talk with you too. Congrats on winning! It was a great game! If itâs okay with you, do you want to meet up tonight? Our coach is taking us out to eat so Iâll text you when weâre back at the hotel.Â
It didnât take long for another message to show up and she felt herself smile like a fool in love when she opened and read Asahiâs text.
If itâs no trouble then yeah letâs meet up. Enjoy your meal and see you soon.
(Y/N) smiled to herself once more as she held her phone close to her heart. She couldnât wait to see him again.Â
~Hours Later~
âSAMU!! QUIT STEALING MY ONIGIRI!!âÂ
âIT WAS MINE FIRST AND YOU KNOW IT!!â
(Y/N) sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time today but the amused smile never left her lips as she watched the twins continue to bicker. The other third-years sitting next to her also watched in amusement while adding their own comments.
âIâm gonna miss this.â (Y/N) confessed when she took a sip of her drink. âYou can always count on the twins for entertainment.â
âRight? Itâs going to be weird without hearing their arguments.â Aran laughed.
âOr separating their fights once every two weeks.â Akagi added.
âTheyâll be fine.â Kita spoke up from the center of the table. âThey all will.â
And strangely enough, no one doubted the captainâs words. (Y/N) had no doubt in her mind that by this time next year, their juniors will make it to Nationals once again and when that time comes, sheâll be there.Â
âHey (Y/N)-senpai? Youâre still treating me to dessert, right?â Osamu asked from across the table. Sticky pieces of rice danced around his mouth but still had that hungry look in his eyes.Â
âHUH?! If he gets dessert, then I should too!â Atsumu proclaimed.
Yeah. Sheâll definitely be there for them.Â
~
After leaving the restaurant with stomachs filled with ramen, curry, onigiri, and other delicious meals, the Inarizaki manager took her phone out and texted Asahi that she was on her way back to the hotel. With each passing minute, (Y/N) could feel herself become excited yet nervous at the same time. It wasnât long until the familiar building of her hotel was right in front of her.
On the walk back to the hotel, she was laughing along with the rest of the third-years when she heard her name being called from outside the group.Â
âAsahi!â (Y/N) greeted him with a wave. It was almost natural to have a smile on her lips; the crush she had on Karasunoâs ace was so obvious. She can practically feel her face burn with all the warm fuzzy feelings against Januaryâs chilly air.Â
âH-Hey (Y/N)!â He waved at her before giving the crowd of boys a nod of acknowledgement. His mind racked for the right words to say to them, but having ten or so guys staring (were they glaring at him?) made it almost impossible. Still, Asahi found the ability to speak and without stuttering he said, âHey guys. Er, nice to see you again.â
While the first-years were too scared to reply and the second-years tried to maintain their silent dominance, it was Aran and Kita that finally broke the tension.
âNice to see you too. Azumane, right?â Kita asked, giving the ace a warm smile. âYou played a great game.â
âOh, thanks! You guys did too.â Asahi returned the compliment, meaning every word.Â
âYour receives were impressive, Azumane-san.â Aran followed up. âHowâs your shoulder? Hope I didnât hurt you too badly.â
Funny how at the mention of his shoulder, Asahi felt it throb in pain. Still, he made himself smile and lied, âItâs nothing I canât handle. Iâll be fine by tomorrow.â
âThatâs good to hear.â Aran laughed in good nature. âKarasuno is definitely a team to watch out for. Hope youâre ready for tomorrow.â
There were a couple of scoffs and a few mumbles but Asahi was sure he heard someone say, âDay three is always hell.â But before he could ask, (Y/N) clapped her hands together and stood in front of him.Â
âGuys, letâs not make Asahi nervous. He doesnât need the extra stress.â She told her friends, making sure to give the second-years a pointed look just as Atsumu opened his mouth to say something. âWhy donât you all head inside? Iâll catch up with you guys later.â
Kita nodded. âAlright, donât stay out too long. Youâll catch a cold.â
âIâll make sure she stays warm.â Asahi was quick to say, not realizing the slight innuendo his words sounded until it was too late. âI-I mean-â
Atsumu stepped forward with Osamu right behind him. âOh, now weâre definitely staying.âÂ
âNo you are not.âÂ
The Inarizaki setter flinched under Kitaâs ice cold words that felt like a punch to the gut.Â
âB-But (Y/N)-senpai-â
âLetâs go, you two.â Aran placed his hands on each of the twinâs shoulders before forcing them to the hotelâs entrance. âIâm sure your company isnât needed.â
âWhat are you talking about? I make great company.â Atsumu argued.
Osamu scoffed. âNot really.â
âShut yer trap, âSamu!â
Kita sighed before facing (Y/N) and Asahi. âSorry about them. They mean well. Go ahead and have your conversation.â
âThanks, Shin.â (Y/N) told him as she hugged her friend. âYouâre the best.â
âNo problem.âÂ
With one final wave, the Inarizaki captain followed the rest of his team. He helped Aran push the resistant twins into the hotel, but not before Osamu yelled, âNo funny business!âÂ
âYeah! What âSamu said!â Atsumu called out from over Aranâs shoulders. â(Y/N)-senpai is our manager. Donât hurt her!â
âQUIT TALKINâ AND GET INSIDE, YA STUPID TWINS!â Aran yelled as he gave one last push to make the Miya brothers enter the hotel.
(Y/N) sighed before facing her crush. It wasnât until now she realized how warm she felt until a cold breeze flew by. It was funny how a crush can emit such feelings. She wouldnât deny she never had a crush before. Perhaps there were fleetings moments of admiration and adoration to some guys at school and an embarrassing fangirl crush on famous celebrities.
But never before have the butterflies in her stomach felt so impactful. Asahi has unknowingly made his way to her heart and caused the warm feeling of love to bloom.
Which is why she couldnât help but smile up at Asahi. He looked taller up close. Broader too. His hair wasnât in its usual style, instead it was in a low man bun with a few strands framing his face very well. His eyes remained kind and warm and she could feel herself fall deeper in love with him.Â
âSo,â (Y/N) began, her hand instinctively tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. âYour text said you wanted to talk?Â
âY-Yeah.â Asahi confirmed nervously. âI hope I wasnât interrupting anything with your team. You guys look close.âÂ
She smiled at how anxious Asahi was behaving and a small part of her hoped it was because of her. âI could say the same thing about your team, but donât worry about them. We spent the entire evening together so they should be fine without me for a while.â
âAre you sure?â Asahi asked, the worry in his voice was evident and (Y/N) knew she had to do something to help him calm down. âI-If y-you rather be with t-them-â
Without a second thought, (Y/N) took his hand and held it reassuringly, âI want to be with you.â
Her heart swelled when she saw how Asahiâs eyes seemed to light up as he asked, âReally?â
âReally.â She confirmed, her voice firm yet gentle that washed away all doubt in Asahiâs mind. âNow, come on. Letâs sit down and have a friendly chat.â
Never before has Asahi felt his heart beating so fast against his chest than it was at this very moment. He was feeling hot and cold at the same time. His stomach was in multiple knots with those metaphorical butterflies dancing between his ribcage. Was it weird for his mind to go a million miles a minute yet he couldnât figure out what to say to the most beautiful girl heâd ever laid eyes on?Â
(Y/N) looked like an angel sitting under the strings of outdoor lights. Even while wearing casual winter clothes with her maroon Inarizaki jacket and a red scarf, Asahi thought she looked ethereal. Her (H/C) hair looked so elegant, almost magical in a sense when he noticed tiny snowflakes decorating her head, like shimmering diamonds. Then there was that smile of hers. A smile that made him feel like he could do anything in the world. He wished he could see that smile of hers for the rest of his life.
âSo, what did you want to talk about, Asahi?â (Y/N) asked, her eyes were bright and inquisitive. âYour text said you wanted to explain yourself?â
âY-Yeah, I did.â He admitted, his hand rubbing the back of neck. He took a deep breath to calm down before facing his crush. âI-I wanted t-to apologize.â
(Y/N) furrowed her brow upon hearing this. âWhat? Asahi, what are you- H-Hey!â
He was bowing his head and before she could ask further questions, Asahi spoke, âI-Iâm sorry that w-we ruined your chance to advance. Y-You guys were the favorites to win this whole thing! A-And itâs y-your last year too! Iâm sorry we took your chance away. Please forgive me!â
Asahi didnât dare raise his head after spilling everything he felt ever since the match ended. He could feel his ears beginning to burn against the cold air. The silence was unnerving and it didnât help when his mind was overtaken by anxiety.
âWhy would (Y/N) ever forgive me?â He frustratedly asked himself. âShe probably hates me. No. Iâm sure she hates me and probably everyone on my team.â
â(Y/N) is not like that. Sheâs kind, considerateâŚâ The tiny voice of hope spoke up. âShe doesnât hate you. Youâre friends-â
But the dark voice of anxiety and doubt took over. âFor now. (Y/N) probably only agreed to talk to you so she can say itâs over. She doesnât want anything to do with you. Why would she be friends with the person who stole her and her teamâs chance to win?!â
âAsahi.â (Y/N)âs voice sounded so soft and full of care. It may sound crazy but just hearing his name in her voice made Asahi feel the warmest he has ever felt. âPlease look at me.â
He didnât want to but something in her voice reassured him, similar to a ray of sunlight after a hurricane. Slowly, Asahi looked up and his eyes immediately found comfort in (Y/N)âs eyes. His heart skipped a beat when he saw (Y/N) was smiling up at him, not an ounce of hate anywhere.
âI thought we agreed that whatever the outcome of the match, weâll be okay?â (Y/N) asked before taking hold of his hand, the very hand she shook when they made the agreement. âWe shook on it, remember?â
Asahi felt himself flush under her words but he still found the courage to speak as he said, âI-I just thought⌠You would, I-I donât knowâŚhate me after what happened today.â
âI would never! Todayâs match was the result of everyoneâs hard work. Everyone played amazing. You guys won fair and square. If thereâs anything I should feel, I think being grateful comes to mind. In fact, I feel like I should thank you.â
âThank me?â Surely, he must have heard her wrong.
But (Y/N) flashed him a bright grin and nodded, âYou and your teammates gave motivation to my team the next time they get to Nationals. Iâm not sure if you realized this, Asahi, but you guys represent Nationals to a lot of people now.â
âAre you sure? I feel bad. I want to do something, anything, to make you feel better.â
Out of everything that came to mind, Asahi wasnât expecting to be punched in the shoulder by the girl he has a major crush on. It was just like yesterday, (Y/N)âs punch wasnât as forceful as Sugaâs nor was it delicate and yet it was enough to send shivers and goosebumps all throughout his body. Then when her eyes met his, Asahi swore his breath was taken away with how close she was to him.
âFirst, you can stop feeling bad. Iâm okay, really.â Her hand lifted again and Asahi mentally prepared himself to be punched again only to have her hand on his shoulder. (Y/N) offered a gentle smile before continuing on. âAnd second, if you really want to make me feel better then take the win. Take it and do the same thing tomorrow. Play each set and win some more. I promise if you do that, Iâll be more than okay because Iâll be rooting for you.â
Just hearing her words of encouragement was enough to make his head spin. All the self-doubt threatening to take over his mind washed away. How does she do that? Say these words so easily that brought him back from the edge? Words that held such meaning that easily helped him calm down and breathe.
âAsahi? You okay?âÂ
âAh! Yeah! Sorry! Itâs justâŚâ Asahi looked at his feet, his hand scratching his cheek. âYou just surprised me is allâŚâ
(Y/N) was taken aback before smiling, âI hope thatâs a good thing. But I meant what I said, Asahi. Though if youâre still worried about me being sad and you were serious about making me feel better then maybe⌠You could do me a favor?â
Asahi jumped at the chance and nodded furiously. âAnything!â
It was hard to hide the laugh that threatened to escape but (Y/N) canât help how adorable Asahi was behaving. Heâs a teddy bear. Ugh! She just wanted to hug this gentle giant!
âWin the next match for us.âÂ
He opened his mouth to say something, anything really, but his mind was still reeling of how sincere (Y/N) was with him at this moment. His eyes never left hers, searching for any hint of sadness or bitterness. Instead, he felt himself getting lost the longer he gazed into those beautiful, kind eyes.Â
After what felt like a lifetime, Asahi found his voice and for the first time his voice did not waver, âWe will.â
(Y/N) smiled before nudging her shoulder against his. âThatâs the spirit! Plus look on the bright side, Karasuno is getting popular. Iâm sure after today you guys earned some fans cheering you on. Youâre definitely going to have fans cheering you on.â
Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. âI guess so. I just hope I donât disappoint them tomorrow.â
âHey!â A series of soft pats made their mark on his shoulder and Asahi could feel himself flush under her touch. âThink positive! Remember youâre not alone. You have your friends and the rest of your team that you can rely on.â
There was a moment of hesitation. He can see it in her eyes though it was gone because (Y/N) smiled at him and said words he wonât be forgetting anytime soon, âAnd if it helps, you have me too.â
She didnât physically hug him but she might as well have with her words that filled Asahiâs whole being with warmth.Â
âIt does. Thanks, (Y/N). You-â Asahi stopped himself when he realized he was about to say something embarrassing. Instead he said what he always thought since yesterday, âYouâre amazing.â
This time it was her turn to flush under his gaze. His warm brown eyes had her melting in her seat. Out of habit, (Y/N) let out a nervous laugh before playing with a strand of her hair, âIâm not as cool as you, Asahi, but thank you for saying that.â
The two high schoolers sat in comfortable silence underneath the twinkling lights and while neither one of them said a word they found themselves gazing at the dark sky full of stars. Maybe there was a stolen glance or two but no one said anything.Â
âHey, Asahi?â
âYeah?â
âThis is going to sound a bit weird but⌠Whatâs your star sign?â
Asahi furrowed his brow but he answered nonetheless. âIâm a Capricorn.â
For some reason, a childhood memory played in his mind and the thought of it made him smile. It was a bit silly thinking about it but it was a precious memory all the same.Â
âYou know, when I was a little kid I used to spend all my time looking for the Capricorn constellation.â
âOh? Any reason why?â (Y/N) asked with genuine curiosity.
Asahi looked up at the sky full of stars. It was a shame they were in Tokyo as the bright cityâs lights made the stars look faint, almost dim.
âWell, I thought that if I could find my constellation in the sky and make a wish it would come true.â The ace felt his neck grow hot when he confessed the next detail. âBut whenever I couldnât find it, I would go crying to my grandma.â
âAww, Asahi.â (Y/N) cooed though there was a faint glint of amusement in her eyes. Her imagination took over as she thought of how cute Asahi must have been as a kid. He must have been the sweetest little kid with the biggest heart. âThatâs adorable. Do you still look for your sign or did you grow out of it?â
âWill you think it's embarrassing if I admit I still do?â Asahi asked.
âCourse not. I think itâs sweet to carry on your childhood tradition. I hope you made a lot of wishes.â (Y/N) looked back at the sky and sighed. âI wish I could see my star sign right now. I donât even know what mine looks like.â
âReally?â
(Y/N) rubbed her hands together, trying to bring back some warmth. âYou canât really see the stars well back in HyĹgo.âÂ
Asahi rubbed his neck. âWell, if you want⌠I could show you.â
Surprised, (Y/N) looked at him before asking, âYou would do that for me? You know you donât have to, right?â
âI want to. You did a lot to help me. Besides, after looking at the stars for so long Iâm sure I can find your star sign.â He looked at the sky and his heart physically deflated when he saw how faint the stars looked above the Tokyo cityâs lights. âThough I wonât have any luck seeing any constellations tonight. Iâm sorry.â
(Y/N) giggled before nudging her shoulder with his. âYou really like apologizing, donât you Asahi? Itâs not like you could control the weather or light pollution. But itâs nice of you to offer. Maybe one day I can visit Miyagi and see what the stars are like from your perspective.â
Asahi felt his heart skipping a beat at the sound of her laughter and the smile in her eyes. While he only met her literally yesterday, he felt comfortable enough to relax around her, even if his heart was going a hundred miles an hour and his skin felt like lava.
He didnât know where he found this extra boost of confidence to say, âI could show you around if you want. Miyagi has a lot of hidden gems that only locals know about. We can hang out i-if you want to.â
âIâd like that. Canât wait for the tour.â (Y/N) said as she clapped her hands together in glee. âMaybe one day, you could visit HyĹgo and I could show you around too!â
âIf itâs not a bother to you then yeah, I could pay a visit.â
âGreat!â (Y/N) exclaimed. âHyĹgo has a lot of tourist attractions we can visit. Iâll show you all my favorite spots! Oh, like the Kobe Port Tower! Itâs 108 meters high and it's designed to look like a traditional Japanese drum. It has an observation deck where you can see for miles! It even has a revolving cafe! Or if you donât like heights, there's the Himeji Castle. Itâs a very popular tourist spot because of its architecture-âÂ
It was only then she realized how much she was rambling. She glanced at Asahi only to find him already staring at her with those warm brown eyes, as if she did something amazing. Embarrassed, (Y/N) tried to hide herself behind her red scarf.
âSorry.â What was she apologizing for? (Y/N) didnât know. Maybe Asahiâs habit of excessive apologizing was starting to rub off on her. âI got excited for a second. I ramble whenever itâs a topic Iâm passionate about. I know architecture is a bit boring to some people but I think itâs so cool to see the different kinds of designs buildings can have and- Oh. Sorry Iâm rambling again.â
âI donât mind.â Asahi told her along with a soft smile. âI think itâs cute.âÂ
(Y/N)âs eyes widened when she heard her crush calling her cute. Did he realize what he just said? Or did she imagine it? So she had to ask, âDid you just say cute?â
The look on Asahiâs face quickly morphed into one of panic as he tried to jumble out a reply with an obvious blush painting his face, âI- Uh? No? I mean, I did. B-But I-I meant youâre rambling. N-Not you specifically. W-Wait! I think youâre cute too! P-Pretty even!â
(Y/N) couldnât hold back her laughter at how panicked Karasunoâs ace was currently behaving. So strong on the court and yet he was practically shaking like a fall leaf.Â
âAsahi, itâs okay. Breathe.â She placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping it offered comfort. âItâs just me.â
âI-I know.â He took a deep breath before facing her. âBut I meant what I said. A-About you.â
There goes her heart again, beating like crazy against her chest. âThanks Asahi⌠I⌠I think youâre pretty cute too. And youâre an amazing player.â She sighed longingly. âI just wish I can see you guys play again.â
âWait,â Asahi furrowed his brow, concerned . âYou arenât coming to the match tomorrow?â
âIâŚI donât know. I heard the coaches talk about it during dinner. Apparently, the principal called. He expected us to place further along in the tournament and since we didnât⌠Well, thereâs a chance we might go back to HyĹgo tomorrow morning.â
âOh.â He couldnât hide the bitter disappointment in his voice. Now more than ever, he didnât want this night to end. It might sound a bit silly but he wanted to keep seeing (Y/N). Todayâs victory dimmed in comparison now that he learned this might be the last time heâll see (Y/N) in a long time. âSorry again.â
âHey, come on, Asahi.â (Y/N) got up from her spot and stood in front of him. âYou donât have to keep apologizing. Thereâs nothing to forgive.â
âAre you sure?â His eyes pleaded for the truth.Â
(Y/N)âs light chuckle pulled his heartstrings and the vibrations sent warmth from his chest all the way to his fingertips. He can feel himself falling in love with her all over again when she surprised his soul out of his body the moment her hands touched his. She pulled him towards her and he was so anxious he almost tripped over his own feet as he stood in front of her.Â
Then Asahi felt it. Her arms wrapped around his torso bringing him close. It was a hug that sent a huge swarm of butterflies in his stomach. She was so close, closer than he has ever been to her. Wait⌠Thatâs not exactly true. Yesterday, when he saved (Y/N) from getting hurt, he was able to pull her aside just in time. (Y/N) stood right next to him with his arm around her. It was the first time he ever did something that brave and he remembered every second of it in that short moment.
But that moment of (Y/N) being next to him so close only lasted a minute. Asahi thought nothing could top the moment he met the girl that made his heart race.Â
Boy, was he wrong. Maybe his so-called bad fortune from his new year shrine visit was wrong. Or maybe the gods thought it was time to cut him a break. Perhaps he did something in his past life that granted him this moment right now. Whatever it was, he didnât want this moment to end.
(Y/N) had her ear pressed into Asahiâs firm chest as she continued to hug him. She could hear how fast his heart was beating and she smiled to herself because of it. It was cute that she had this kind of effect on her crush.Â
â(Y/N)?â His deep voice reached her ears and while she couldnât see him she could imagine the nervous expression on his face. âIs this okay? You hugging me? I mean, w-we only met yesterdayâŚâ
âAre you uncomfortable with me hugging you, Asahi?âÂ
âNo!â He was quick to reply. âI just meant⌠You donât have to hug me.â
âYouâre my friend and this is my way of showing you that thereâs really nothing to forgive. You donât have to apologize anymore.â She pulled away and smiled brightly up at him. âDeal?â
âDeal.âÂ
âGood.â
âGreat.â
âAmazing.â
âAwesome.â
âCool.â
âUhh⌠Warm?â
(Y/N) raised an eyebrow at him. âWhat?â
Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. âI-I donât know. Youâre warm so I said what was off the top of my head.â
The two high schoolers stared at each other before they laughed together. They were still in each otherâs arms but they made no movement to separate. If anyone were to walk by and saw them together, no one would have any doubts about how genuine young love can be.
Which is why they were surprised to hear a familiar voice that broke the calm, soothing atmosphere around them.Â
âOh? Asahi-senpai! I didnât know you had a girlfriend!âÂ
(Y/N) pulled away but she didnât stray too far as she stood her ground by Asahiâs side. Her eyes met with the innocent yet excited eyes of Karasunoâs #10, Hinata Shoyo and not far from him was the other half of the terrifying duo, Kageyama Tobio. Well, at least no else was here- Oh. Wait. Was that Tsukishima on a bicycle?Â
âHinata!â Asahi shouted before turning back to (Y/N). âSorry about him. He doesnât know what heâs talking about.â
The manager smiled and reassured him that it was okay. She then turned to face Karasunoâs first years and introduced herself. They did the same and Asahi was just about to sigh in relief when-
âSo are you Asahi-senpaiâs girlfriend?â This time it was Kageyama who asked.
(Y/N) felt her neck warm up and it wasnât because of her scarf. Out of habit, she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before answering, âNo, Iâm not. Iâm just a friend.â
Hinata and Kageyama looked satisfied with the answer. However, Tsukishima looked unconvinced. His calculated eyes looked at his upperclassman as if asking for the truth. Asahi tried to convey the silent message to leave them alone to the middle blocker, hoping they could leave them alone. Preferably before the duo could ask any more embarrassing questions.
âHey, Asahi-san, why are you holding hands-â
âCome on, you two,â Tsukishima, Asahiâs savior right now, grabbed their collars. He bowed before his upperclassmen before dragging his teammates. âWe finished your nightly jog. Itâs time to get back.â
âAck! Youâre choking me!â Hinata cried.
âYou donât have to push! Besides, Asahi has to come too!â Kageyama argued, clearly frustrated at how he was being manhandled by the snarky middle blocker.
âNo. Asahiâs right where he has to be.â Tsukishima stated. âYou idiot.â
âHUH?!â
(Y/N) watched in amusement as the trio of first years entered their little inn. âThey sure are interesting.â
âSorry about that. They can be a bit much.â
âOh, thatâs okay. The Miya twins are like that too. But I think⌠I should let you get back. Itâs getting late and you need your sleep. Tomorrowâs a big day for you.â
âRight. TomorrowâŚâ Asahi wished there were more than 24 hours in the day. âSo I guess this is it?â
âYeah...â
Her hand was still interlocked with his but did not make the effort to leave. She still wanted to spend time with him. Instead, she said, âSo, um, good luck tomorrow. I might not be there in person but Iâll be cheering for you.â
âThanks. That means a lot.â
âYou got this Asahi.â She gave him one last hug. âI know you do.â
The ace hugged her back one last time before he awkwardly pulled away. (Y/N) cleared her throat before smiling.
âKeep in touch?â She asked.
Asahi nodded. âOf course. Iâll call you before and after the match.â
âOkay⌠You know, Asahi, Iâm glad weâve met each other. Youâre not like any guy Iâve ever met.â
âThatâs a good thing, right?â
(Y/N) laughed but nodded. âYes. Iâm glad we've become friends. I would have hated for you to be someone I used to know.â
âMe too⌠So I guess, this is goodbye?â Asahi couldnât hide the sadness in his voice. His eyes landed where their hands were still connected.Â
âMmm, itâs more like see you later. Weâll see each other again.â
It was a silent promise under the endless night sky where the moon and stars were the only witnesses to see how enchanted Karasunoâs ace and Inarizakiâs manager were with each other.Â
~ Meanwhile inside Inarizakiâs hotel room~
âSay Aran-kun.â
âWhatâs up, Osamu?â
âI wasnât going to ask but (Y/N) brought it to my attention so Iâm curious. What did you tell Azumane when you shook hands?â
âOh that?â Inarizakiâs ace smiled to himself as he recalled that specific moment. âI just gave him friendly advice.â
âWhich was?â
âPlease donât hurt my friend.â
~
Next: Chapter 5
Yall go read this đ
part one part two
4.3k Word Countâ¨
here is the well awaited pt 3, I didnât know it could get more angst-y than it already has but boy I was wrong. the next part will be the final part to the series, prepare for sh!t to go down yâallll đ
contains: soft + angsty neteyam, lots of emotions so buckle up fr, some language (not much at all), familial conflict
â~~â resembles a time skip or a POV change
_______________________________
Neteyam rarely got angry. But after witnessing Eyiti purposely say what she did to hurt your feelings, he felt anger bubble deep in the pit of his stomach. He so badly wanted to chase after you as he watched you walk away, but he couldnât risk having her run to tell her parents that the oloâeyktanâs son had disrespected her. This was what he faced on the daily, people holding his future over his head with no regard of how high he had to jump just to get it back. He was trying his hardest to keep his parents in a good mood, so when he would tell them about you they would be less inclined to deny his pleas and actually hear him out. If he went after you, it would squash all of his hopes of ever being yours. He whipped his head around to face the unapologetic girl in front of him, not being able to conceal his repugnance.
âWhy did you do that?â He spoke through gritted teeth, jerking his arm away to remove her grimy mitt from his skin. âI did not promise you anything. My parents do not speak for me.â He brushed his arm, trying to expunge the feeling of her touch.
âOh, but I think they do âTeyam.â She cooed with a pout that was far from genuine to shield the smug that lied behind her lips. âThey said youâd talk to my parents, so thatâs what youâre going to do. Unless, you want me to go and tell my father about your little girlfriend. And now that I think about it, I donât even think I heard your parents mention her. Is that allowed?â She already knew the answer, her question was only a threat.
Everything began to add up in his mind. Why her behavior would change so suddenly- trying her hardest to gain his attention conveniently at the time you would come around. He had never once felt the urge to injure a woman, and he still didnât, but he was definitely tempted to tag Kiri in on this conversation and support whatever method of action she chose to take.
He wished he could have told you in that moment that being her date was never his idea. But he was just as stunned, it hadnât even been brought up to him before Eyiti revealed the information in front of the two of you. There his parents went again, making decisions for him knowing he would have no choice but to follow through. His heart felt like it had been stomped on, even more so at the thought of how badly you were hurting right now. He had no intention of leading you on, and you probably hated him for doing just that, even if it were accidental. In fact, he planned on agreeing to the Ikran ride, taking the two of you somewhere you wouldnât be disturbed and asking you to be his date to the festival. But everything went to shit, like usual.
He exhaled sharply, biting his tongue to keep himself from saying anything that would have this brat running to make his life more of a living hell than it was already becoming. He dodged Eyitiâs attempt at grabbing his hand to lead him along, shooting her a piercing glare. If looks could kill, the village would be planning her funeral right about now. âI can walk just fine on my own. And stop calling me that.â
He entered her familyâs home with as much respect as he could muster, grudgingly taking a seat once realizing his parents had already arrived. There was nothing he could do to stall this any longer. He kept his stare avoidant, anything to distract him from the conversation at hand. There was a drastic amount of space between him and Eyiti on the mat, which Jake had not failed to realize. The voices around him sounded like they were underwater as he tuned them out. He toyed with the intricate details on his armband while they spoke, all he could think about was how this was the last place he wanted to be. His mind was anywhere else but here. The image of you talking with Taâolu reappeared in his mind like clockwork, regardless of how many times he tried to erase it.
âNeteyam?â Neytiriâs voice repeated for the third time, sending him a warning glance once noticing he was out of it before she proceeded. âDo you agree with the date chosen for your ceremony?â
No, absolutely not. He didnât agree with the date chosen, he didnât even agree with the woman chosen.
Eyiti never paid him mind years ago until the day she found out what he would grow up to be. She looked at him like a piece of meat and he knew it. Not that he ever craved her attention; when she would speak he would simply imagine she was someone else. You were the only girl in the clan who saw him for who he truly was. Just a man wanting to fall in love like everybody else. Was that so bad?
Neteyam abruptly rose up from where he sat and cleared his throat, effectively cutting the conversation short with an unexpected answer. âI am sorry, I refuse to mate with Eyiti. I will only accompany her to the festival, as that has been promised by my parents. But no one other than me will have a say in who will have my heart.â
The mouths of everyone in the room fell to the floor but Neteyam stood strong on his declaration, excusing himself from the conversation and walking out of the tent- leaving Eyiti as stunned and embarrassed as she had made you feel earlier. Jake and Neytiri immediately rose to go after him, apologizing for his change of behavior as much as they could while her parents consoled their daughter who was now sobbing dramatically.
He didnât want to accompany her to the festival at all, but declining her as a mate, and forcing his parents to meet someone new all in one day was probably not the best idea. His plan was to show up with Eyiti, then ditch her in roughly ten minutes after her parents saw them together, slip out unnoticed and find you. Heâd have to get Tuk in on the plan to serve as a distraction, which shouldnât be too difficult for him. Neteyam was a stickler for being a gentleman, but he couldnât care less about that witchâs feelings.
His legs were sent into a slight run-walk as Jake forced him into their family home by the back of his neck. He sighed and pushed a hand through his hair before turning around to face his father who was nearly red in the face, already knowing what was next to come.
âWhat the hell is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how much youâve embarrassed us? Our entire family? In front of the parents of the woman who is supposed to be your mate?â He yelled a string of questions, his finger pointed out of their tent to clarify exactly what he was referring to. His eldest son stood unamused. Silent and withdrawn. His physical body was here, but his mental was somewhere unknown. His head was turned to the side, his face not even so much as flinching at his fatherâs words. He simply laughed to himself, dropping his head towards the floor and mumbling incomprehensible sentences to himself.
âAnd what are you laughing at? Which part of this is funny to you?â Neytiri chimed in, looking at him with such disbelief it would have hurt his feelings, had he found the will to care. There was no more approval he strived to seek from his parents.
âAnswer your mother when sheâs speaking to you, boy.â Jake growled, Neteyamâs ears perking up.
âI am not a boy.â His eyes shot up, challenging his father with zero hesitation in his tone. Neteyam had it to his wits end with his parents trying to control every aspect of his life. Elder or not, he was no longer going to let them have a say in who he chose to love or how he chose to live his life. âYou heard what I said.â His accent was apparent.  âI will not mate with that woman. And I will not apologize for loving another, my heart belongs to [Y/n].â He stated strongly, lifting his chin to indicate confidence in his decision.
Neytiri blinked in astonishment, her voice sputtering while she tried to find a way to continue the conversation with words instead of knocking him over his head. âAnd what makes you think we will allow you to mate with someone we do not know? Someone we have not deemed fit for you? This girl will be Tsahik, Neteyam!â She hissed.
This. This was the issue. His parents were so concerned about status in the clan that they let it overshadow their own sonâs right to happiness.
âI have tried so many times to tell you! She is special, I swear it. You guys wonât listen to me.â He extended his hands to the pair in a pleading motion, his voice growing louder with each word he spoke and a slight crack in his pitch giving away how much this was all starting to affect him. âDad wasnât even one of the people when the two of you mated, it went against everything the clan knows. You cannot judge me. And I couldnât care less about this stupid title. You can give it to Loâak, for all I care.â He spat, leaving them right where they stood and storming out of their home.
He was right, whether they wanted to admit it or not. Jake wasnât a real naâvi when he first arrived, he was an avatar driver with an aborted mission. Neytiri was promised to another, but went against her parents and mated with him anyway. They both went against the rules because their love for each other was so strong, just as he was now. How could his own parents blame him for wanting to find true love just as they did?
âNeteyam!â Neytiri gasped, both her hands coming up to cover her mouth and tears forming in her eyes.
Jake immediately turned to comfort her, pulling her into a firm hug and rubbing her shoulders. âHe doesnât mean that, I know he doesnât. Heâs just upset, Iâll talk to him.â He held her as she cried into his chest, wanting to go after Neteyam but knowing he couldnât leave his wife alone after what had transpired.
By the time Jake had soothed Neytiri and ran out after his son, he had already set out into the air on his Ikran without another word spoken.
Neteyam soared through the purple-tinted ski aimlessly, allowing the bond with the animal to reach deep into his heart and figure out where to take him. He winced at the thought of how he had addressed his mother, the look on her face after what he said. He was fed up and couldnât stand to argue any longer, his voice was not being heard no matter how loud he spoke and it had pushed him well over the edge. By the time he realized what he was saying, it was too late to take it back and the damage had already been done. He felt the innate urge to turn around, to run to his mother and apologize. But he was tired of doing the right thing all the time. For once in his life he just wanted to be able to make a mistake like everybody else could without it seeming like the end of the world.
His fatherâs voice calling his name could be heard through the speaker connected to the neckpiece they all wore for communication. He curled his lips in annoyance, hooked two fingers under the band and snapped it off his neck with ease. He pitched it into the air without another thought, letting it fall to the ground below him. He had no idea where it landed and he couldnât care less. He didnât want to be bothered anymore.
He allowed the wind to flow through his braids, the cold, crisp air hitting his cheek and helping in keeping him grounded. After what felt like a short journey, his Ikran slowed and prepared to land in the open field by the Tree of Souls- a place for prayers to be heard. He eyed the giant willow tree, ignoring the heavy weight in his chest. He dismounted from the bird, gently pulling his braid to break tsaheylu and smoothing a hand up its rough back, followed by a tender pat to calm its spirit. He hadnât been here since his parents brought him to visit the ancestors, when he was younger. There had been nothing he wanted enough to call upon Eywa for, and his duties rendered him far more busy than he had expected, which left almost no time for a casual visit.
He trailed a hand along the delicate, elongated tendrils of the tree as he walked- taking a brief looking around to make sure he was alone before he slowly lowered himself to the ground. He reached over his shoulder to pull the long braid from behind his back, taking hold of one of the treeâs branches in his other hand. He watched closely as his queue reached for the branch, wrapping itself around and making the connection that would allow Eywa to hear his pleas. He could feel the intense spiritual energy coarse through his veins, allowing him to let his guard down.
His head lowered and his eyes came to a close. He had so much to say but didnât know how to phrase it, didnât know how to start. Neteyam was not familiar in asking for things, let alone help. He was always made to do everything himself, made to figure it out on his own like a true leader. Every moment in his life boiled down to preparation for what was yet to come, so much that he didnât even know how to handle the emotions that would arise in the present. He was constantly running, motivation carrying him forward. But now he questioned the purpose of the race entirely. Had he ever stopped to ask himself if this was what he wanted?
âEywa, I have come to you to ask for help, if youâll have me.â He started, his voice merely a whisper as he continued. âI donât know what to do.â
Going against his parents was ultimately going against everything he knew. It felt wrong. Forbidden. But giving up on his feelings for you felt even worse. At this point he didnât care what would happen, heâd bare with having his potential title stripped from him if it meant he could spend the rest of his life with you by his side.
His eyes shut tightly in attempt to stop the tears he dreaded welcoming. His throat burned and a lump began to form that felt nearly impossible to swallow. He didnât want to cry, not after he had tried so hard not to. He hadnât in years, and he knew if he allowed himself to break down in this moment it would only lead to bringing up every other emotion he had succeeded in bottling up for so long.
Neteyamâs shoulders began to shudder and he shook his head in resistance at the shiver that struck through his body, but ultimately failed at putting up a fight. A sob finally erupted from his trembling lips and he brought his free hand up to shield his face, as if he were afraid someone would see him in such a vulnerable state. He sat in the bioluminescent flora around him, simply allowing himself to cry, something he hadnât been able to do in years. The pressure of being the perfect son had finally gotten to him. He was aware from time that it was slowly creeping up, taking an immense toll on his mental health and he tried his best to outrun it. A slight miscalculation on his end, you can never outrun the inevitable. He had never expected it to break him down in such a way, his body physically feeling weak and hopeless. He was completely conflicted, knowing it was always best to follow his heart but it went against his coding to disappoint his parents.
He felt the presence of Eywa and his ancestors calm him, the pace of his breathing gradually returned to normal and the beating of his heart followed soon after. He wiped his face dry with the backside of his hand, regaining his composure while gathering the will to carry on with his prayer. âI have never asked anything of you until now, because nothing has ever meant more to me than this. Until I met her, I hadnât known the true meaning of happiness, what it felt like to be alive. And now, weâve found our way back into each otherâs lives and I cannot let her go. Not again.â He felt an ache deep in his chest, fearful that even saying these words out loud would turn them into reality.
âI fear that I have disappointed my parents greatly. I said some things I am not proud of, and I am not sure if I can take back the damage they have caused.â He sighed, his eyes opening and his head raising to peer at the sky above him. âI know she is special. I donât know what it is, but I can feel it, deep in my bones.â With his hand placed over his chest, it balled into a fist against his skin and he begged with everything he had left in him.
âPlease, allow them to see her the way I do.â
~
Had it not been for your mother that day, you donât know what you wouldâve done. The walk back to your tent was unforgiving as you tried to hide the tears that were forming once more, not out of sorrow, but of pure disgust. The speed in which you declined Taâoluâs invitation was utterly comical. Youâd be lying if you said you didnât consider it for a second, but all the faith you had in his proposal died as soon as you found out he was only inviting you to make the same girl he ditched you for in the past, jealous. You wished you hadnât even stopped to give him the time of day because the whole encounter only made you feel worse.
You pushed through the fabric that served as a doorway to your home and crossed the distance that separated you from your mother, sinking to your knees and tears flowing from your eyes when she wrapped her arms around you without question. âIâm too late, Mama.â You hiccuped. Your tears felt like acid on your cheeks and it hurt to even speak. You hated crying, especially over something like this. The entire process of being upset, realizing your emotions, then having to find an outlet to rid them- revolted you.
âWhat happened?â Your mother looked down at you, her eyebrows furrowed with concern and a hint of apprehension. Her head moved to the side with an understanding sigh when your crying picked up at the nature of her question, resting her cheek against the top of your head and stroking your hair. She quietly shushed you, rubbing your back to aid in comfort. Your fervent emotions shrouded your will to elaborate.
You sniffled, inhaling a pathetically shaky breath and forcing your voice to come together and make words after a bit. âIâm too late. Heâs found someone else.â Saying it out loud to her made it all the more real. You couldnât stop your heart from clenching when you admitted the truth to her. In all your years of loving him, your mother had never had you come to her with anything he had done that wasnât positive.
She slowly pulled away from your embrace, but only to look into your eyes as you spoke. She needed to make sure for herself that she was hearing this correctly. âNo⌠How? The two of you were just together only two days ago.â She sounded as dumbfounded as you felt.
âEyiti,â You shook your head, wiping the tears that had fallen without your permission off your face with the heel of your hand, annoyed at the fact that more appeared no matter how hard you tried to settle yourself. âSheâs his date to the festival tomorrow. Heâs probably talking to her parents about it right now.â Your voice got quieter, your shoulders slumping down as you sulked and studied the palms of your hands- staring at the lines etched into your skin as a getaway from your feelings.
Your eyes shot up when you heard your mother breath out a sigh, it almost sounded like she was *relieved*. She quickly geared up to explain once the expression on your face became one of slight betrayal and confusion.
She shook her head and laughed quietly, âThere is still time, [Y/n]. Her being his date does not mean they are promised to one another. But it very well could, if you do not take your chance tomorrow.â She used her thumbs to clean the tears that had rolled down the side of your face, cupping it in her hands afterwards. âDid you bring what is needed?â Her eyes were soft and seeing her calm expression somehow helped you in doing the same.
âYes, IâŚâ You blinked to clear your vision, opening your mouth to speak but settling for a nod of your head. The small bag was brought around to your front, holding it open so she could see inside.
A grin from her was all that was required to strike you with the ambition you didnât know you had left.
Your fingers were sore to the touch and swollen after hours of carving the marbles and stones you had found into small beads. The process was intricate and painstaking. It required delicate hands and utmost patience. Had you tried to speed up the process you were at risk of cracking the material directly in half, rendering it useless. And after doing just that almost three times while trying to rush through, you had absolutely no more room for error.
You used a thin twine to weave the beads together, crocheting intricate rows of stitches between the material to hold it together, making a clasp that would be easy for him to take on and off on his own. Your mom had taught you how to make jewelry and garments years ago, you eventually surpassed her in skill. You hadnât the desire or need to make something for a while, but the talent you possessed remained. You constructed his gift with unbelievable precision, your eyes strained from barely taking time to blink. But you were still incredibly nervous that it wouldnât be to his liking.
Unknown to you, Neteyam loved everything you did, even if it was as simple as breathing.
You couldnât thank your mom enough for helping you with this. She had given you a deadpan look the tenth time you expressed gratitude, so you figured ten was a good number to settle on. You felt silly even asking, so you were more than appreciative that she had offered. At first, it was hard for you to understand why she had been so supportive. Then she explained to you that when she were head over heels for your father, she had no one to lean on but herself, not even her own mother. She was more than willing to help her daughter win over the one she loved, because all she wanted was to see you happy.
Eclipse had long passed, the sun tucking itself away after a job well done and the moon announcing its arrival with how the night now encapsulated the village. The necklace was finally complete. One could tell how much effort went into it just by looking at it, it was beautiful. The beads were varying shades of brown, orange, and red- Neteyamâs favorite colors to wear. You honestly had no idea why you decided on still making it, without even knowing how this whole thing would play out at that. There was a small part of you that feared it would go to waste after what you witnessed earlier, but there was an even bigger part of you that since rediscovered the hope you previously lost.
How dark it had become outside skated past you without notice until you finally looked up from the spot your eyes were locked on since this afternoon. The both of you had even skipped dinner just to make sure you finished in time for tomorrow.
âHow are you even still sitting like this?â You collapsed backwards with a exhale of great fatigue, your eyes fluttering closed against your will and your back crying out in relief. You knew hunching over in the same exact spot would hurt, but you had no idea youâd come out of it feeling a hundred years older than you already were. âDo you think he will like it?â You mumbled, sleepiness hurriedly overtaking you.
By the time your mother turned to respond, an array of faint snores could be heard. Had you not been so exhausted, you wouldâve awoken at the sound of her laughing due to your mouth hanging open obnoxiously. She smiled at you with nothing but endearment, gingerly lifting your head to slip a cushion under and draping a light blanket over your body that was now curled into a fetal position- a mindless endeavor to seek warmth. She leaned down to kiss your temple, pushing a few braids from your face so they wouldnât disrupt you. âHe will love it.â She whispered.
________________________________
yâall knew i wasnât gonna make her accept Taâoluâs invitation thatâs toooo cliche for my liking đ also you literally have the best mom sheâs so sweet
This chapter was so emotional to write omg! but can we talk ab the fact that Neteyam finally stood up to his parents about you, need a him in my life fr đ
Please like + reblog if you can, itâs much appreciated! đ
tag list âŹď¸
@hornknee-and-bi-myself @obsessedwithlife @llearlert @awkward-halfhug @extreamlycutecuban @answer-the-sirens @arminsgfloll @jackiehollanderr @tejas-kris @neteyamoa @instabull @halibanana @bookishaficionado @uwu-i-purple-you @neteyamsgirll @kre3ce @philiasoul @eringaitskill @bwormie @fanboyluvr @ssc7514 @meivap @afro-hispwriter @hellok1ttycake @melsunshine @casuallydogobsessed @katsukiswrld @mcdonalds-playground @itscheybaby @neenieweenie @babyvinnie @msjae @laylasbunbunny @epicy0n @dreamersbelieveinus @elegantzippercashshoe
Different
Izuku Midoriya x Reader
Summary: You thought he'd be different than the rest, but he proved you wrong.
Warning: Cheating, angst, hurtful words, cussing,
You've known for a while now that you were no longer your boyfriends main priority. For about seven months out of your two year relationship you've known.
It started with the late meetings, the coming home after midnight, hiding his phone, getting random rescue and office calls during your days together.
Soon came him not even trying to hide it. Rumpled clothes, cheap perfume that wasn't yours. Markings on his neck and back that you didn't make, how could you when you haven't been intimate in over three months now.
You thought he'd be different from the past. He promised to be. So why are you crying alone on a Thursday night at 1 o'clock in the morning? You've should've known better? Prepared yourself better? Confront him? Ignore it?
Your heart and chest ached so badly as your thoughts raced. It was almost difficult to breathe.
Hearing the door open and shut you whiped your eyes and took a deep, shaky breath to even your breathing out.
Turning to the man you called your lover, you could only stare at his face as his eyes tried to look elsewhere but you. You could tell he was annoyed. At you? The situation? Why can't he break it off if he's not happy? Why torture you?
"What are you doing awake? You should've been asleep," Izuku grumbled out, hands leaving his pockets to start to undue his tie and button down shirt.
"I missed you, couldn't sleep without you, wanted to make sure you were okay from your meeting,"
He simply nodded, disregarded his clothing and you caught a wiff of that same damn perfume as it hit the ground. Your eyes began to tear up as you could only think of what you had done wrong.
Did you not satisfy him enough? Not cook and clean good? Pretty enough? Sexy enough?
"Look I've had a long day, I'm going to bed. Goodnight,"
He got into his side of the king sized bed, far away from you with his back turned. A lone tear ran down your cheek as you nodded, not that he could see. Not that he even cared at this point.
You laid down too, staring at his back and it seemed he went right to sleep without a care in the world. You slowly reached a hand out to him, your fingertips just close enough to brush him if you wanted too. But you retracted at the last second, not wanting to annoy him more.
You've lost track now on how many nights has been like this. Him so close but so far away. No way of reaching him. Not that you even wanted to anymore. After all, where excitement and love once was, was now sadness and emptiness.
~.~
"Izuku, I know about her,"
This didn't seem the right time, but you were done.
A newspaper article had come out with Izuku and Uraraka at a fancy restaurant together, hands locked together in a lovers gaze. The headline simple, "Does Your Girlfriend Know Deku?"
You had been to many a Gala in your first few months together, Izuku showing you to the press as his girlfriend. His one and only.
"Look I don't want to talk about this right now, I'm late for a conference with Bakugou, Shoto and-" "And her. Right?"
He sighed, turning his head to where you sat at the kitchen table. A mug of tea clasped in your hand as you stared back. (E/C) eyes that now seemed lifeless and dull. The once beautiful shine and glow of life, now gone.
"I've know about her for months now, you didn't exactly try to hide it," you mumbled out, a small sip helping your nerves as you tried to prepare yourself for the end.
"If you've known then why are you still here? Get out then! No one is making you stay,"
His green eyes tried to cut through you, but now you simply blinked back. "I made myself stay because you promised,"
That made him flinch as his eyebrows furrowed together, "You promised to be different. That you'd never hurt me like I was hurt in the past. I guess we're just all bastards who lie then huh?"
You stood up and placed your mug in the sink, Izuku trying to find some logical reasoning,"Well what do you expect!? You never do anything, I do everything! The bill paying, the bread winner, thats all me! Sorry if for once I'm seen as someone who isn't just that,"
You walked closer to him, causing him to shuffle back a little. "I've never once asked you for anything but your heart. I guess I was a dumb idiot for that, maybe I should've used you for gain like she did to rise in the charts,"
You reached for the bag you had packed, sitting next to the hallway closet.
"I thought it would be alright if I ignored it. You promised me love, a friend, a lover. Someone I could confide in and be able to return it on the rough days. I guess I was wrong then,"
You turned sharply to Izuku who flinched back. Your eyes met his as you uttered one final sentence to him before you walked out forever.
"The sad thing is. I actually thought you were different,"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ooof, it's been a rough one you guys. I've lost someone dear to me and it's impacted my wanting to write a little bit. This isn't my best but I'm trying to get back in the game. I hope you like it đ¤
The sweetness đ đ đ
bakugo x fem!reader
summary: Bakugo gets thrown into the future and meets his adult self and discovers his future family.
Young Bakugo was on his way to the playground when another kids quirk went haywire and accidentally hit him. One minute young Bakugo was walking to the swings and all of a sudden the swings were gone, replaced with a busy street and a car coming his way.
All the loud noises and the new busy environment, confused and overwhelmed young Bakugo didn't know what to do. Standing frozen in front of the vehicle like a deer in headlights his palms starting to sweat from nerves, little sparks started popping out of his hands.
Hearing the car horns blaring all around him, squeezing his eyes shut he waited for the feeling of the pain to come. But the feeling never came, the world felt like it was moving at the speed of light. An explosion covered the sound of the honking and the feeling of warm hands grabbed him as he was carried away from the traffic, saving his little life.
Still dazed and confused young Bakugo didn't understand what the voices around him were saying. The warmth from before now gone and replaced by a cooler touch as he was put into someone else's hold, huddling him close to their chest.
Usually he would push anyone away who tried to coddle him but in this moment he found comfort in the feeling. The sweet smell of citrus putting his thought and feelings at ease. He felt the person holding him start to move, walking somewhere less noisy.
Once they got to a more secluded area, young Bakugo lifted his off head off the strangers chest. Slowly turning his head to look up, he saw the person gazing at him with a soft look in their eyes.
"Hey sweetie are you okay?"
He was star stuck, the stranger holding him looked exactly like the girl from the playground. The same girl that played at the same times he did, said "hi" to him every time she ran into him, and shared her toys when she noticed him looking in her direction.
It looked exactly like her just older and more mature, but he could recognize those eyes anywhere. The same sparkle as she looked at him and the same way they softened when they shared small conversations on the playground.
Young Bakugo was stuck in a daze as he stared, taking in her new features. He didn't hear her talking to him trying to get his attention.
'Maybe he's still in shock from the incident' you thought as you stared down at the young boy in your arms.
Not getting any answer from him and not knowing if he had a parent or guardian you could take him to, you decided to keep him with you just incase someone did come looking for him, and he couldn't seem to stop staring at you.
Your husband was on patrol when he found the boy, you just happened to be in the area as you were in route to pick up your daughter from daycare. Still holding on to the boy you started walking again, trying to make conversation. It wasn't until the happy daycare came into view did young Bakugo snap out of his trance and realize he was in new surroundings.
Wiggling out of your arms he plopped his feet on the ground looking around the area as he heard footsteps and little voices making noise. You held his hand so he wouldn't get lost in the crowd of parents and went to get your daughter.
Walking straight to your kid young Bakugo noticed right away the small girl crawling on the floor. A mix of your and your husbands features, your hair color and his ruby red eyes but the same softness you carried in yours.
It wasn't until you picked up your baby did you look at the young boy next to use and realize they looked like they could be related. Actually, the young boy looked like he could be directly related to your husband.
Not related, but exactly like your husband when he was younger.
The same spike blonde hair, the ruby red eyes that held a certain sharpness to them, and the harsh expression he would have on his features.
"Excuse me, but what's your name honey?" you asked him in a sweet tone.
"I'm Bakugo Katsuki!"
You must've been hallucinating, because no way did the small boy who looked exactly like your husband just say his name was Bakugo. Before you started overthinking you decided to get both your baby and this boy home before anything else.
When you got home you put your daughter down in her play pen and asked "Bakugo" to keep an eye on her while you made food for everyone.
Young Bakugo couldn't help but look around your home as he sat with the baby. He saw pictures of what looked to be you and a guy who looked like him but older, they varied in age from teens to adults, and different scenes with the two of you together, the biggest one showed you getting married. He was in awe at everything around him.
His attention turned to the baby next to him, babbling away as she looked up at him. Even if he didn't care for babies and thought they were icky little creatures he thought this one was adorable. Talking in baby speech and holding on to his finger in one hand and shaking a toy in the other.
It wasn't until a loud bang coming from the front door and someone yelling "im home!" did he snap his attention away from the kid next to him.
Coming into his view was a man with the same sharp red eyes and spiky blonde hair as him in a black and orange hero uniform.
"Hey pipsqueak daddies home-" Bakugo froze.
Both Bakugos froze as they stared at eachother, taking in the other's appearance. Everything was starting to click in the young boys head.
The sound of the explosion and the warm hands when he was saved, the lady who looked exactly like the sweet girl he knew, the baby that had similar features to him, and the big wedding photo.
Oh my god, he was staring at his adult self and playing with his future kid, while his future wife is busy in the kitchen. His poor brain was on overdrive.
Bakugo couldn't believe what he was looking at, his kid self sitting in his living room. He thought it was all a dream when this exact situation happened to him when he was younger, but here he is this time the adult in the situation.
You came around the corner and saw both boys frozen in front of each other. You went up to your husband, a comforting hand on his should as you asked him if he knew what was happening. He slowly turned to you, his expression softening as he locked eyes with you. "I know I sound like a nut case but I swear I'm telling the truth." he said to you after he explained the whole situation.
You trusted him, how can you not when you're staring at the past embodiment of your husband. "You're still as cute as you were before." you told Bakugo with a wink. He just rolled his eyes before kissing you on the cheek.
Young Bakugo couldn't help but look away after witnessing that his whole face heating up. You couldn't help but giggle seeing young him get shy from the act of affection.
"How will he get home?" you questioned your husband, concerned about his younger self. "A couple more hours and he'll get sent back to his time." Bakugo replied as he watched younger him play with his future daughter.
It was a couple minutes before the predicted time when young Bakugo would go back to where he came from, he was getting sleepy his eyes slowly blinking as he tried to stay away. You gave him a small kiss on his cheek and wished him well in growing up. Your husband grumbling to you that your his wife and younger him will have his own time with you when he goes back, slightly jealous you were giving little him more attention than current him. The last thing little Bakugo saw before he fell asleep was you smiling down at him.
Young Bakugo woke up, dazed and confused as he slowly sat up. Remembering his dream about having a future with you.
"Hey are you okay?"
The same voice questioned as he turned and saw young you sitting next to him.
~~~
Thank you everyone who voted and even those who didn't thank you for reading!
Stop I'm fucking sobbing đ â¤
Bakugou x Reader Word count: 3k
!!: angst
Part of Mixtape Melodies Collab!
Bakugou told you to meet him five years after leaving and putting his job above all else.
The wood paneling in the hotel bar glows golden with the setting sun streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Looking around the room, you see people on their own lost in their phones or drinks. But none of them are the one youâre looking for. Thereâs no swath of ash-blond hair, no vermilion eyes watching you.
Keep reading
soft as clouds is so good!!! youâre a rly good writer! could i be added to the tag list? thanks :)
I'm blushing 𼰠of course dearest
I don't know if everyone has seen the new episode of My Hero but when they showed the boy Toga had a crush on and it was basically Izuku just in a black wig and pale makeup, I need a DNA test yall. Who's The Daddy Murray!?!