A/N: I originally wrote this for HQ! Brofest. I had so much fun with this event and writing this story. There re five chapters in total and I'll be uploading them every Monday!
"The starting lineup will be Ushijima, Ohira, Tendou, Goshiki, Shirabu…" as Coach Washijou continued listing the other players, Semi peeked over nonchalantly to the second year. Shirabu was facing forward and bowed his head in silent acknowledgement; his face as blank as the third year's. "…Semi will be our pinch hitter. That is all," Saitou blew the whistle and everyone broke apart. Without hesitation, Semi strolled up to Shirabu; his back straight, his shoulder broad, his eyes set on the second year.
"Don't screw up," he stated coldly crossing his arms as he stood before him.
"I won't," he replied back with a glower. The two of them stood in complete silence, with eyes narrowing in malice. Suddenly the whistle blew again, scaring the two setters.
"Get to work!" Washijou screeched.
"Yes sir!" they both called out turning away from one another, their glares lingering a little longer.
"Aw Semisemi, no need to be so bitter. Kenjirou is just as good of a setter as you are," Tendou chirped when Semi approached the other third years.
"Bitter? What? I'm not bitter!" he frowned setting one of the volleyballs. "Why would I be bitter?" he spat in offense as Ohira spiked the ball.
"Cause you're jealous that Kenjirou took your spot," he sang standing in front of him, monitoring the other middle blockers.
"What?" Semi shouted again, grabbing another ball. "I'm not jealous of him," he scoffed rearing his head in confusion as he tossed once more.
"Of course you are! Why else would you threat him?" Yamagata called from behind the net, receiving all the balls that came flying towards him.
"Look, I'm not jealous of him. And I didn't threat him, I was encouraging him—" suddenly Tendou burst into laughter, throwing his head back in jubilant cheer.
"That's what you call encouraging?" he whooped. "Oh, you poor thing, Semisemi. What kind of encouragement did you grow up with?" Semi chucked the ball at him, the middle blocker catching it with ease.
"I'm serious here!" he hollered again. Tendou shook his head, and clicking his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk tsk," he hummed throwing the ball into the air. Semi tossed it back up, Ushijima slamming it down towards the ground.
"Nice kill," they complimented instinctively.
"You could be a little nicer," Ushijima stated blankly before moving back to the end of the line. In shock, Semi dropped the volleyball, Tendou bursting out into bubbling laughter again.
"Even Wakatoshi says you're bad!" Tendou howled loudly.
"He didn't say I was bad—"
"That's what he meant," he hummed wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Why don't you just tell him good luck?" Yamagata suggested, swapping out with one of the substitute liberoes, his arms red from Ushijima's spike.
"I did!" Semi complained, tossing another ball.
"What did you say to him specifically?" the shortest of them asked.
"I said…" Semi paused. "Okay, maybe I didn't say those exact words, but that's what I meant," he grumbled.
"Not everyone speaks your language, Eita," Tendou whistled. Debating whether he should throw another ball at his face or not, Semi glared at him.
"Honestly though, do you not have a problem with him taking your spot as the main setter?" Yamagata asked stopping him from chucking the volleyball.
"Not really. I mean, of course I'm frustrated that I can't play, but I know why Shirabu is better fit for this team. Not that I'm admitting he's better than me, just better suited," he frowned. "Frankly, I think he's a pretty cool guy," he shrugged.
"Why don't you becomes friends with him? It would certainly lighten the tension," Ohira chimed in, stepping out of the line and up to the setter.
"I'm trying!"
"You really aren't," Tendou hummed.
"I—! I don't know how," he grumbled angrily setting the ball higher than usual.
"Start off by being nice to him," the wing spiker mused.
"I don't know how," he repeated this time with a more disappointed and defeated tone.
"You're always nice to Tsutomu!" Tendou chirped pulling the first year from apparently nowhere.
"That's because Tsutomu's a good boy," Semi replied as he tossed the ball, Goshiki running up and spiking it. "Nice kill," he smirked reaching up and patting him on the head. The first year's face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. Grabbing his shoulders, Tendou motioned him away again, the first years leaving with no questions, except the ones running through his head.
"Just say good luck. Don't interpret it in another way. Don't reword it. Don't even add anything. After practice—in layman's terms—just say those two words. Good. Luck. Nothing else, okay?" Yamagata instructed.
"I can try," he muttered.
"Now you're just being bias, Semisemi," the red head mused.
"I think what Tendou means is what makes Tsutomu a good kid and Kenjirou a bad one?" Ohira clarified.
"I never said that Shirabu was a bad kid! He's just—he's so infuriating!" he yelled setting the ball all the way to the ceiling. As the ball fell down, slamming hard against the gym's floor, people turned to look at the irritated setter. "That's it; I'm practicing my serves. Not like I need to be setting anyways," he muttered scooping up the ball and walking away to another court. Kawanishi turned to Shirabu from the opposite side of the net and whistled.
"Still think I misunderstood him?" Shirabu snorted, continuously tossing balls up into the air. Kawanishi easily blocked the balls and sighed.
"Probably," he muttered. Practice went on for several more moments, before the whistle was blown, everyone pitching in to clean up the gym. As they all walked over to the changing room, the third years nudged Semi with the exception of Ushijima, who gave him a supportive nod. With a low grumbled Semi walked over to the two second years.
"Hey!" he shouted catching their attention his fist shoved into his short pockets.
"Bad start," Yamagata mumbled softly, as they watched in anticipation.
"Good luck," he stated, his head tilted back in an intimidating manner.
"With?" Shirabu scoffed his face deadpan. Semi clicked his tongue and looked over his shoulder at his friend who gave him thumb-ups and grins. With a deep breath, Semi shook his head at his friends' response.
"Good luck with being in the first string," he muttered.
"Are you implying that I need luck?" the second year asked.
"What? No! That's not what I'm saying. Look, you may be comfortable on the court and playing alongside the team, but you're going to be the defining backbone of Shiratorizawa. It's your job to utilize everyone at the perfect time for every possible situation. So, good luck," he explained an undeniable scowl on his face.
"Thanks, but I don't need your luck. It was my hard work and determination that got me my position. I never needed some dumb luck to help me win, what I need is my knowledge and my teammate's skill," Shirabu huffed taking a step forward. Semi stifled a laugh and shook his head.
"I get it; you're good. You took my position after all. All I'm saying is: good luck," he repeated gesturing at Shirabu with his hands before walking away back towards his friend.
"We need to work on your social skills," Ohira sighed patting Semi on the back attempting to reassure him.
"Ha? Did I do that poorly? I did exactly as Hayato said. I told him good luck!" he cried turning to the other three.
"I told you not to add anything," the libero sighed shaking his head in disappointment.
"Screw going back to the dorms; let's have a night out. Eita dearly needs our help," Tendou sighed as well, resting his elbow on Ushijima's shoulder.
"I wasn't that terrible!" he hollered loudly. As the five of them remained outside—Semi determine to defend himself—the two second years entered the changing room, Kawanishi staring at Shirabu silently. When Shirabu took off his shirt, his expression slowly changed. He sucked in his lower lip, biting it softly, as his eyes glazed over, mindlessly staring at his locker full of clothes. His brows were furrowed inwards, his forehead crinkling with contemplation.
"What?" Kawanishi sighed closing his locker after he finished changing. He would never admit it, but he was weak to Shirabu's sad face.
"Did I do something wrong?" he mumbled sadly almost as if he were talking to himself.
"You did," Kawanishi replied bluntly. "You should've just said thank you and walked away. You didn't have to insult him and you especially didn't need to rub it in his face that you stole his position,"
"I wasn't trying to," he pouted buttoning up his shirt. "I thought he was trying to mock me," he grumbled.
"He literally just said good luck," he frowned the two of them walking out of the club room and back to their dorms. As they opened the door, the group of third years took a step back—about to enter themselves. Semi turned away with a small huff, Shirabu doing the same in the opposite direction. "Sorry," Kawanishi said bowing his head as he grabbed Shirabu and slipped passed them.
"Its fine," Tendou chirped waving them goodbye. The second year paused for a moments as he noticed the same look on Semi's face that was on Shirabu's. Pondering for a quick second he looked back and forth between his best friend and his upperclassmen before shaking his head and leading him away.
"You two," he murmured softly as they disappeared into the dormitory.
"You know Eita, I don't think you did anything wrong," Ohira stated as the five of them started changing. "You're not meaning to be rude, we just need to teach you how to be a little more delicate with your words," he reasoned with a dry chuckled.
"You need a maiden's heart!" Tendou sang swinging his fingers in little circles.
"First off, fuck you. And second of all, who the hell is gonna teach me to have a maiden's heart? You?" he scoffed with a look of disgust.
"Wakatoshi, why don't you teach him?" the middle blocker sang. Semi turned to the captain with a look of utter shock and disbelief. Ushijima turned to him and placed one heart over his heart, the other one outstretched to the side. As Ohira and Yamagata stared at him in confusion, Tendou cried out with laughter.
"You know what? This gives me an idea!" Yamagata smirked, quickly finishing changing his clothes and running over to the door in excitement. "We have a long night ahead of us," he grinned eagerly his face illuminating.
"Plus we only have afternoon practice tomorrow," Tendou chirped in addition.
"Oh god," Semi grumbled, everyone finishing up and following the libero out. Yamagata and Tendou led the group the two of them conversing in quiet, secretive whispers. "So," the pinch server hummed. "Was I really that terrible?" he asked turning to Ohira.
"Well," he chuckled patting his friend's back. "You tried," he shrugged. "You're almost as bad as Wakatoshi when it comes to being upfront and, well, crude," he smiled. "You just need to know how to word things better that's all," he reassured.
"And body language!" Yamagata called over his shoulder giving a little shimmy. Semi snorted and nodded his head.
"If you guys can actually make me and Shirabu get along, well, that would be a miracle," he smirked a sort of gentle fondness gleaming in his eyes. The five of them walked through the golden rays of the evening, the sun cradled in the horizon. The air was chilled, the wind blowing in slow increments. Cheerfully, the five of them chatted away, they're minds on idle things. Eventually, they entered a ramen shop, all of them crunched together in a booth. "So what's your great advice?" Semi asked sarcastically after they finished ordering. He was squished in between Ushijima and Ohira, Yamagata and Tendou sitting in the seats in front of them.
"What is it that you want to tell Shirabu?" Yamagata questioned, Tendou giving him a supportive nodded. At first Semi stared with grueling hate before shaking his head and sighing deeply.
"I don't know," he shrugged, shuffling around to sit up tall.
"Well, what's your opinion of Shirabu?" Ohira asked trying to help.
"He's really good at being a setter, but he doesn't have enough experience with a team like this. I was the main setter for two years and even though he kicked me out of my spot, I still feel like I can use this knowledge for something," he grumbled.
"And that something is?" the libero persisted rolling his wrist.
"I don't know," Semi muttered tilting his head down and pouting like a frustrated child.
"You do know," Ohira reassured. "You're just too embarrass to admit it, aren't you?" he questioned. Softly, Semi grumbled some more before sighing and sprawling out onto the table.
"I just want to give him advice, because I feel like he could really benefit from it. He's good; I have faith that he can carry this team without my help, but it would be more convenient if he could just learn from my mistakes and my experiences. I just don't get why he hates me so much? I mean, I can't possibly be the bad guy in all this!" he cried out the last part ruffling his head with his hands in irritation.
"Are you imply that someone is the bad guy?" Tendou chirped giving the silverette a knowing glance.
"Shirabu isn't the bad guy either," he hissed spitefully looking up and glaring at the red head.
"Look," Yamagata sighed grabbing Semi and forcing him to sit up nicely. "If you don't hate Shirabu, and you actually want to help him, then why do you always sound and look so angry when you talk to him?" he asked. The other four turned to look at him, even Ushijima curious about his reasoning.
"I… I don't know. That's just how I act around him. The same as when I act around you guys, I'm not doing anything on purpose, it's just the way I am," he shrugged. "Whenever I actually try being nice, he always replies with something cool or witty and it just pisses me off," he grunted, his hand tightening into a fist.
"Well, maybe that's because even if your words are meant to be nice, the way you say things are, well…," Yamagata turned to Ohira for help. The big man sighed and nodded his head.
"You're very nonchalant whenever you say anything to him which gives off the vibe that you don't really care or that you're being sarcastic. Sometimes you just sound down right angry, which probably makes him think that we put you up to it or that you're doing it begrudgingly to save face. Get it now?" he explained. With a grumble and a sigh, Semi nodded in defeat.
"Here, let's have some practice!" Yamagata chirped. "Compliment Ushijima," he ordered gesturing over to their silent captain. Semi turned to his left and looked at the towering man.
"N-nice kill?" he stuttered, not sure of what else he could say. Immediately, Tendou burst into outrageous laughter, Yamagata suffocating him with a jacket in attempts to stifle his laughter. Closing his eyes and tilting his head down, Semi clenched his hands into fist, trembling with rage. Ohira chuckled and shook his head as he placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Come on," he cooed, Semi taking a deep breath. The waitress arrived handing each of them their bowl, Tendou still hiccupping with jubilant giggles.
"Eita," he wheezed shaking his head in disbelief. "You're the absolute worse," he breathed, finally calming down.
"I. Hate. You," the setter replied bitterly as he began to dig in. As everyone started eating, Semi took note of Ohira's food. "That looks good; can I try some?" he hummed pointing at the ramen bowl with his finger.
"Go ahead," he grinned shifting his bowl over towards his friend, Semi offering up his own food as well. As he took a spoonful, Yamagata's face lit up.
"Eita!" he shouted, startling the table. "Ask Ushijima if you can have some of his food!" he commanded. Confuse, Semi turned to his captain once more, who stared back at him expectantly. "And be casual! Like how you normally would ask at lunch!" he added quickly when he noticed his friend's hesitation. Taking a deep breath, Semi shrugged and nodded his head.
"Hey, can I have a bite of that?" he asked plainly, eyeing the food before looking back at him. Ushijima nodded his head and Semi casually scooped up the noodles and ate it.
"Now ask Tendou if you can have some!" Semi frowned and turned to Tendou and his sly grin. With a slight scoff, he nodded his head.
"Hey, give me some of your food," he stated his chopsticks already pointing at the bowl.
"I get it now," Ohira mused turning to Yamagata as if he were a genius.
"I don't?" Semi scowled tweaking his head to the side in confusion.
"Now ask me," Yamagata instructed. The silver haired third year stared at him for a moment before grabbing his food without question. Sighing, Yamagata nodded his head. "I expected that much," he hummed.
"I still don't get it," Semi stated again his mouth now full.
"You act differently around everyone. Even though you're just asking for food, you use different phrases and you do different things with your body. Now, how would you ask Shirabu for food?" he questioned.
"I wouldn't," he replied.
"Close your eyes!" Tendou commanded. With a grumble, Semi did as he was told.
"Now, imagine he has an abundant amount of tuna rolls and he's handing some out," Ohira described. "How would you ask him for some?" he asked. All four of them stared at Semi intensely as his face began to contort into irritation and frustration.
"Oi, I want some too," he grunted. All of them sighed deeply. "Did I fail?" he mumbled opening one of his brown eyes to their dishearten expressions.
"Maybe he should try talking to Kenjirou with his eyes close?" Tendou suggested turning to his left.
"This is going to be a really, really long night," Yamagata sighed with an amuse smirk.