Author's Note: So I love Haikyūu because I personally play volleyball. It's the only sport I'm good at and to watch an anime where all the explanations are review to me is so amazing, I felt powerful and knowledgeable. Course, I learn a couple of things too, like the libero position. I loved the teamwork and really, I started to practice more and more and just hearing Hinata say "One more!" gets me all psyched up. When I first started watching it (on a whim), I stayed up till 4, yelling and screaming because it was so intense. My mom thought I was having a seizure. I came up with this idea because I've always wanted to do something that involved a count-down and I haven't done one yet so here you guys go, my first ever Haikyūu story. I used a lot of canon stuff, but then deviated. I felt like Kageyama's mind worked this way and also I like equal relationships, balance. I don't know how to explain it. I still haven't seen season 2, no spoilers! It's mostly chronological. Please review! I might write more in Haikyūu if I get a good response. Now just to remind you, volleyball matches go to 25 points, even more if the opponent is only ahead by 1 point, they need to be ahead by 2. Also, I use an excessive amount of line-breaks, that's cause of format/style.
Dethroned
by: Setkia
The first to fall loses.
Game start.
It's the short guy with the orange hair and green shirt. He leads five other lanky, equally awkward and inexperienced guys forwards onto the court and Kageyama is certain they've already won.
Chibi: 0, Kageyama: 1
Much to his surprise, the chibi makes a recovery and manages to score 8 points somehow. His jumps are impressive, his determination foolish. He spikes well.
Chibi: 1, Kageyama: 1
One all.
If the damn team was faster, the genuine point wouldn't have been scored. If the libero wasn't slacking this wouldn't have happened.
His team moves as he commands, albeit clumsily, he's encouraging and smiles a lot. And then he falls, taking a horrible tumble into the wall. To be honest, he has to admit he likes the idiot's perseverance but that just makes him annoying.
Though the orange haired chibi pulls some surprise moves and manages to score just a bit, in the end, he wins as he knows he will.
Chibi: 1, Kageyama: 2
After the match, the shortie catches up to him and tells him that he will overcome him, that he will be defeated.
It sounds ridiculous, his height and the fact that he's crying is pathetic but somehow it lights a fire in Kageyama's heart, of determination and courage and the desire to win.
Though he's short, he has a drive and amazing reflexes as well as speed. If only his teammates were faster.
He won't admit it, but maybe he finds something inspiring in the way the idiot is blubbering while pointing an accusing finger and declaring promises of defeat with the innocence only an amateur knows. Only a little.
Chibi: 2, Kageyama: 2
Well-played, chibi-tan, well played.
The day that everything goes downhill, when his teammates are no longer his teammates, the day the ball hits the floor and he gets benched, he can't help but feel defeated.
It's a horrible feeling and he spends the rest of his time trying to reign in his anger and sharp tongue.
Chibi: 3, Kageyama: 2
He misses his serve. Because of the damn orange top. How someone so small can cause so many problems is beyond him but either way he misses the shot and gets distracted.
His name is Hinata Shoyo. Boyish, like him and cutesy. It makes him sick, but he'll admit he was caught off guard.
Part of being a good player is knowing when someone's gotten the best of you, right?
Hinata: 4, Kageyama: 2
When he claims he can receive his serve, Kageyama laughs. Of course he laughs. Perhaps the boy has speed and agility and an amazing jump that will make it doubly more surprising when you first take in his short stature, but he can't receive his serve.
Perhaps he's been practicing, but so has Kageyama.
The ball hits him square in the face.
Hinata: 4, Kageyama: 3
When it comes down to it though they knock off the dean's rug of a wig and get kicked out of the gym. He doesn't like standing in the cold right now, but he supposes this one, unspoken battle is a tie where neither win and both lose, earning them both a point.
Hinata: 5, Kageyama: 4
They have to work together. Working together doesn't work, Kageyama knows this. He knows this because it can't work if your teammates are ready to risk defeat in order to get back at you for talking just a bit too firmly. It was for the better of the team though.
He likes to think that in the end, he was justified. If they only met his expectations, if they could only be faster, if they weren't so slow, if they could only take his plays seriously; if they could realize this isn't just a game. If they could only ...
King of the court.
How he hates that name.
He hates it even more when Hinata says it.
Hinata: 6, Kageyama: 4
Hinata doesn't deserve a toss. He isn't essential to winning, therefore he can be disposed of. Watching Hinata as he asks for another one, just one more, it annoys him.
How is he so optimistic? How does he know that Kageyama won't just stop passing to him? Who cares if this is a practice, who cares if Kageyama is doing this because he has to, or else he can't be setter? Who cares about any of that? Doesn't he realize that people can't be depended on?
I'm not tossing to you. You're not essential to winning.
Hinata: 6, Kageyama: 5
When the blond and his friend come along and decide to go around calling him King, he gets pissed. He can admit that he loses his cool and maybe those hours of meditating and trying to ignore and block everything out haven't worked entirely, but he knows he can handle it if the damn shortie just didn't interfere.
But he does.
And it gets to him.
Hinata: 7, Kageyama: 5
He's proven himself.
Somehow, during their week of training, he's proven himself so when he finally receives the serve, Kageyama instinctively tosses him the ball.
Part of him wants him to let it drop. Part of him wants the shortie to screw up and realize he can't be the ace of a team, not with his height, no matter how high he jumps. Part of him wants to shatter those naive dreams of an idiot who thinks because he saw some shortie in the Nationals, he's got a chance at it too. Part of him wants to stop him before he gets his hopes up.
But another part of him, however minor, wants to watch him succeed.
And he does.
And it's breathtaking.
Hinata: 8, Kageyama: 5
He still sucks at receiving though, undoubtably.
Hinata: 8, Kageyama: 6
And his experience is horribly limited.
Hinata: 8, Kageyama: 7
And he gets sick before a game, making him a nervous wreck.
Hinata: 8, Kageyama: 8
Kageyama doesn't like to think about pity points.
But he likes to think that because he wasn't the one who threw up on Tanaka, that makes up for it.
Hinata: 8, Kageyama: 9
He's just looking for excuses now, isn't he?
Hinata can do many things and has many skills; speed, agility, stamina, jumping. But he doesn't put any of these skills to use. Honestly it's really pathetic.
But if he considers his options and does his calculations right, he realizes something.
Hinata is the ideal person to handle his tosses.
He has the speed his junior high team lacked, he has the ability, he can meet the net. However the problem is the blockers. If he could avoid the blockers ...
And Kageyama realizes Hinata is indeed necessary to winning.
Hinata: 9, Kageyama: 9
What's the highest point? What's his max speed? His airtime? What's his maximum height? How many times can he go?
Kageyama studies him as the idiot sprints around the court, dashing without looking the least bit tired. He looks like he's having fun.
Idiot, this isn't about having fun, this is about securing positions.
He tells him what to do. To where there are no blockers and jump. The ball will come to him.
Hinata follows his orders.
Hinata: 9, Kageyama: 10
But then Kageyama realizes that, unknowingly, Hinata has forced him to adjust to him.
Hinata: 10, Kageyama: 10
He remembers feeling proud when they hand him his official team shirt.
Hinata: 10, Kageyama: 11
But then Hinata gets one too.
Hinata: 11, Kageyama: 11
When he doesn't even know about Nekoma, Kageyama feels slightly satisfied.
Hinata: 11, Kageyama: 12
When the idiot makes friends with the enemy, he thinks he's gained another point over him, but he's wrong. Instead he's won something over him because he managed to make friends, something Kageyama didn't know he needed, nor wanted.
Hinata: 12, Kageyama: 12
Everything's just a bit too weird and as time passes Hinata keeps winning.
He catches Kageyama off guard more often, offers to walk home with him.
Hinata: 13, Kageyama: 12
Then there's one morning where he beats him to the door, but he doesn't brag. Instead, he opens the door and enters the gym with him, as though they've tied once more but it's not a competition anymore, which is weird because everything is a competition between, isn't it?
Hinata: 14, Kageyama: 12
It's weird but slowly Kageyama realizes the counter in his head means nothing and yet he's still clinging to Hinata's words about beating him on the court one day, something that will be impossible if they keep it up on the same team though he has to admit he likes having Hinata on his team. Not because he likes the carrot-top, just because he's a valuable asset is all.
Dammit, that sounds worse.
Well, if Kageyama is anything, it's fair.
Hinata: 15, Kageyama: 12
The only reason Hinata is winning, Kageyama reasons, is because he has the element of surprise. Which he then realizes is something he has to his advantage at every game.
Hinata: 16, Kageyama: 12
Hinata doesn't demand respect, he earns it.
Hinata: 17, Kageyama: 12
He can still bring this back.
Kageyama has played more than Hinata.
Hinata: 17, Kageyama: 13
He's still more skilled than Hinata.
Hinata: 17, Kageyama: 14
He's the king of the court, remember?
Hinata: 17, Kageyama: 15
And then he remembers why he has that name.
Hinata: 18, Kageyama: 15
But now they're more even.
Oh wait, Kageyama is taller than him too.
Hinata: 18, Kageyama: 16
But Hinata's proved that height doesn't matter.
Hinata: 19, Kageyama: 16
Soon he's counting numbers and trying to trip Hinata up, catch him off guard. He's not sure how, maybe embarrass him, maybe surprise him. He wants to throw him off, in whatever means possible.
He gives Hinata part of his lunch one morning.
Hinata: 19, Kageyama: 17
He helps him cure his pre-game sickness.
Hinata: 19, Kageyama: 18
The shortie's sister likes him plenty.
Hinata: 19, Kageyama: 19
He offers Hinata a compliment after a game once.
Hinata: 19, Kageyama: 20
He's good at this, isn't he?
He eventually wins over all of Hinata's family, which isn't so hard really. He just has to pretend he likes them which isn't too hard because they're actually pretty likeable people.
Hinata: 19, Kageyama: 21
Kageyama eventually forgets what he's counting, but he keeps counting anyway.
Hinata decides to sit next to Kageyama during lunch, all on his own and while he thinks maybe Hinata should win something for catching him off guard, Kageyama thinks this might be a win for him because Hinata came to him willingly.
Hinata: 20, Kageyama: 22
Kageyama looks at Hinata one day and the carrot-top blushes.
Hinata: 20, Kageyama: 23
He doesn't notice that he's blushing too, so it doesn't count.
Kageyama hears Hinata defending him against some bullies and he thinks he's got Hinata on his side, more than just in volleyball. It feels good.
Hinata: 20, Kageyama: 24
And then Hinata kisses him.
Hinata: 25, Kageyama: 24
Game over.