Surprises, by their very nature, are not always good. Not always bad, either, but this one was well... Not what you expected, we'll say.
This narrative begins, not on the day of volleyball practice, or a game, or anything so simple. Despite officially retiring, the Shiratorizawa third years rarely didn't attend practice. And today, Ushijima had asked Shirabu to find Semi to set for him.
Shirabu wanted to be offended that Ushijima had requested his predecessor, but he'd resigned himself to Ushijima's attempts to make amends for the things he'd done and said that had negatively impacted others. Ignoring Washijou's sour expression (his 100 serve punishment after the Prefecturals loss had never happened because Semi's girlfriend threatened to beat him 'from here to Kingdom Come' if he tried) Shirabu trotted off towards the library. Semi lived off-campus with his girlfriend but stayed at school most of the day to study.
Halfway to the library, Shirabu heard music drifting down the hall from the dance studio. Curious, he tiptoed over and peeked in the window, jaw clenching when he saw what was inside. Semi was dancing with his redheaded girlfriend, her green eyes flashing as they laughed, but that wasn't what infuriated Kenjirou. It was that his girlfriend Ashika was giggling on the side of the room. She'd said she was busy! He froze.
Oh.
She was busy with Semi and Azusa, both third years she adored. Sighing, Shirabu raised a fist to the door and knocked, edging in as someone turned down the music. Freezing again when he realized he was at the centre of about ten different stares, he cleared his throat and said hesitantly
"Semi-sempai, Ushijima-sempai wants you to toss for him." Azusa hugged Semi close, pressing a kiss to his jaw as he stared at Shirabu. Shuffling his feet, Kenjirou turned to leave, but Ashika tapped his shoulder
"Kenjirou-kun? How's Kawanishi?" He answered tentatively, somewhat aware of Semi and Azusa walking by him on the way to the gym. She smiled and rolled onto her toes to kiss his cheek.
"I'm glad he's okay, Kenji, and you look alright." The last is a bit of a question, but Shirabu is still a little off guard from the kiss. She darts away, quipping with a friend of hers as Shirabu heads back to the gym, slowly and pondering.
Semi had been dancing with Azusa. Not just wiggling around in front of each other, but stepping and whirling through the motions of an elegant waltz. Could he do that with Ashika? She'd like it, he's pretty sure, being just as much a dance fanatic as her sister and a romantic.
It's probably not easy to learn, but less embarrassing than other things Ashika could demand. Because yeah, Shirabu can be a jerk, but he likes his girlfriend a whole hell of a lot, and she does a lot of things she doesn't have to, like check in with his team and make sure (because they don't really have a manager) all their water bottles are filled.
There's probably a lot of girlfriends (and more than a few boyfriends) out there just like Ashika and Azusa. Ones who wouldn't mind dancing like Semi did with Azusa. Idea forming, Shirabu waited until Azusa returned to her dance practice before asking seriously
"Semi-san, could you teach us to dance?" Semi raises an eyebrow and Ushijima asks
"What for, Shirabu?" Gathering a breath and his thoughts, Shirabu explains
"I saw you dancing with Azusa-senpai, Semi-san. I think Ashika would like it, and-" Exhaling, he blurted
"We need to thank them, and what better way than a dinner and dance?" Semi raises both brows, mulling it over before he nods and replies seriously
"While you're right, a dinner and dance for two is wasteful, since they're not the only ones in the prefecture who support their team. I have some contacts to help teach dance if you'll organize dinner, I can do music too." Kenjirou considers, weighs working with Semi (despite being his sempai, they've never really gotten along) with making Ashika happy.
Sighing, and then glaring at Semi's knowing look, he agrees
"Okay, I'll organize a prefecture wide dinner with guests of honour being the most supportive significant others, but you're helping me get the numbers." Semi agrees, and though it's gone over Ushijima and Goshiki's heads, everyone else is excited for the chance to thank Azusa and Ashika for taking care of them.
By the time dancing lessons actually happen, Goshiki is too happy to bother realizing Kageyama Tobio is standing with Semi, Kyoutani Kentarou and another blond Crow (Kinoshita Hisashi), two Seijou third years, a second year and a nervous looking black haired guy in a Datekou kit.
See, Goshiki Tsutomu is an orphan, one who was very grateful to win a scholarship to Shiratorizawa, which immediately landed him in the pleasant position of Tendou's favourite kohai and Azusa and Semi's sort of adopted son. Considering he'd recovered from a horrible flu at their apartment and slept between them when he had particularly horrid nightmares, it wasn't a stretch.
And now he was going to learn how to dance with Azusa!
Semi claps his hands and announces that he and 'Kaname' will demonstrate, Kaname taking the role of the female for the sake of learning. The two males dance together fluidly if not beautifully, and eventually, Goshiki has to glide Kageyama through the motions (all the first year boys who plan to dance with one of the women must) and it is so fucking uncomfortable to watch his stoic expression even as he steps perfectly so.
Watching most of the male dancers explains a few things to the attending coaches. Moniwa, despite a slender frame and nervous disposition, had been able to keep up with Datekou his entire tenure. Semi, Kageyama and Kyoutani clearly know exactly what their bodies are capable of, as do Iwaizumi and Matsukawa. But Kinoshita, despite knowing exactly what to do, is not as glowing an example, if barely. It is simply explained by a disinterested Kageyama
"Except for Kinoshita-sempai, we've been serious athletes all along, Moniwa-sempai, Iwaizumi-sempai and Matsukawa-sempai learned to dance in middle school, Kyoutani-sempai, Kinoshita-sempai, Semi-sempai and I learned in elementary."
By the time the celebratory dinner rolls around, the teams involved (of which there are five) have adapted to a harsher exercise regimen of both dance and volleyball. Surprisingly, Semi hadn't focused on the partner dancing if they didn't want it, but he had forced those with girlfriends to polish their skills. Iwaizumi had chuckled and remarked they'd thank him later.
So here they were, waiting nervously for the appointed hour. For the past twenty minutes, boys and their 'dates' were lined up in front of a pair of doors in a fancy dance hall. Little did they know, the dinner was a charity event, held to fundraise for the volleyball teams while in honour of the guests they were about to announce.
Every girl in the room stiffened when they heard a male voice announce
"And now we will introduce our beautiful guests of honour!" Kagari Sakura, Kunimi's girlfriend squeaked when he pushed the door open in time for her to hear Kyoutani (her dear cousin Kentarou) decree
"Of Aobjosai High School, Kagari Sakura, escorted by Kunimi Akira." Wide eyed, Sakura took in the applause holding her breath. The Seijou table (where the rest of the team, coaches and students who'd paid admission) rose to bow to her. Oikawa came over to gently lift a tiny tiara out of Kindaichi's hands and onto her head. Kunimi brushed his lips over her ear to mumble
"Thank you... for everything." Sakura's grip tightened on his arm, but she walked with him under her own power to their seat.
Next came Sakura's sisters, Himawari and Tsubaki, escorted by Hanamaki and Matsukawa, and, sitting down at the table, Sakura could see the glee Hanamaki wore like a second skin, while Matsukawa was alert, watching everyone take in Tsubaki's statuesque beauty as Oikawa crowned her, too. Last of the Aobajosai Court to be presented was Miyamoto Shizuha by Iwaizumi Hajime. Shizuha seemed as stunned as Sakura and her sisters had been, but Iwaizumi only had eyes for her, his pride radiating from every pore. Oikawa smiled at his best friends, two fingers sliding down her cheek after her slightly bigger tiara rested on her blonde head. Oikawa stepped aside so Iwaizumi could seat Shizuha, both he and Kyoutani seating themselves as Sakunami came forward and crowned the first princess of Datekou, Kazama Natsuko, who was escorted by Koganegawa Kanji.
Sakunami crowned her himself, announcing the second princess, Kazama Nagisa, escorted by Futakuchi Kenji, who, unlike Koganegawa (who had winced) grinned when the Datekou table applauded as Aone crowned Nagisa. Next, they crowned Nametsu Mai, escorted by Sasaya Takehito.
Kamisaki stepped up, booming
"Eldest princess of Datekou Tech: Kazama Naomi, escorted by Moniwa Kaname!" Sasaya grins at his friend as Naomi laughs at the amalgam of shouts from the Datekou table, bowing her head to receive a tiara similar to Shizuha's. Impossibly fond hazel eyes look up at Moniwa when she arches her neck just slightly. He returns the look gently before escorting her to her seat.
Bobata bounces anxiously to the front, flanked by two team members who carry tiaras on mustard yellow pillows. Clearing his throat, he announces
"Johzenji's younger Princess, Kuribayashi Runa, escorted by Terushima Yuuji!" Once she's been crowned and applauded, Bobata sucks in a breath and announces again
"Elder Princess Misaki Hana, escorted by Okudake Seiji!" the amused Johzenji third years permit the pomp and circumstance, especially when the Johzenji table screams like a group of Banshees for the second time. Bobata high tails it out of there, to be replaced by Tobio and Daichi. Blue eyes flash before he announces imperiously
"Younger Princess of Karasuno, Yachi Hitoka, escorted by Kinoshita Hisashi." Yachi Madoka observes from the parents' table on the raised platform above the teen tables. Her daughter blushes as she is crowned, but accepts the accolades of her team, not even starting when they whoop and holler to be heard.
Shimizu Kiyoko's entrance is by far one of the most magical because she is escorted by Sugawara Koushi, whose Fey charm perfectly balances her more Earthly beauty. Like the other eldest (or, in Shizuha's case, most senior) Princesses before her, Kiyoko receives a larger tiara and louder applause.
Ushijima strides forward, gaining silence by virtue of presence.
"Shiratorizawa's younger Princess, Genbu Ashika, escorted by Shirabu Kenjirou." Shirabu himself holds his breath as Tendou carefully rests the thin circle of metal on her head, stepping aside for her subjects purview. As one, the team bows to her, the other students a beat behind. Ashika hurries to take her seat, smiling when Ushijima blinks and then says softly
"Shiratorizawa's elder Princess, Genbu Azusa, escorted by Semi Eita." Shirabu hears breaths catch all around him, and maybe it's because he never saw the other girls entrances, but he gasps. Azusa, when not in her school uniform, makes an effort to match Eita in some way. Tonight's effort was a cream yukata, embroidered with the outlines of black swans. Semi was at ease beside her, his hip length pearl white kimono shirt over black pants, topped with a black haori the perfect complement to the woman at his side, her flaming curls flowing down her back as glowing green eyes met soft brown before swinging around to meet Ushijima's hazel and Tendou's black. Semi rushed down the last few steps to properly usher Azusa over them, Ushijima also offering his hand.
After Tendou crowned Azusa, both he and Ushijima swept her bows, prompting waves of bows from both the Shiratorizawa table and the other teams. Eita made to bow, but an outflung hand stopped him. They stepped toward the open seats with the other third years, and Shirabu was alarmed to see that Ashika was tearing up as dinner was served.
"Ashika-chan?" She turned watery green eyes, so like her sister's, on him, before she said in a low voice
"Thank you, Kenjirou, this was the best surprise, to see my sister greeted as she deserves." Wryly, Shirabu told her
"You're welcome, but the surprises aren't over." She looked at him, puzzled, but ate, snickering when her sister called down the table that they would have to fix their hair, apparently.
While the ladies went to fix their various coiffures (with supplies courtesy of several attending mothers) the tables were put away, sound system adjusted, and playlist hashed out.
Kenjirou barely bit back a gasp when Ashika floated back into the ballroom ahead of her sister. The tiara was a basic design, despite being commissioned from a jeweller by the girls' extended family (being that they were all cousins and friends) little more than a circle of metal with a triangle of metal and amethysts mounted on it. But Kenjirou didn't care. Ashika looked damn hot with the tiara riding her head properly, her own caramel yukata, picked out with maroon flowers allowing her a gliding gait.
Of course, the title of Princess was about recognizing young women who had assisted the volleyball team, although each of the ones who weren't managers had been making massive strides towards dance trophies.
However, in the hour since they'd been crowned, the students of each school were murmuring about how 'right' it was, and how beautiful they looked with their 'Princes'. Shirabu didn't hear the gossip, though, because Ashika had turned to him, eyes shining after he'd effortlessly waltzed, tangoed and salsa'd her across the floor and declared
"Next year, we're going to be as good-looking as Eita-nii and Ane-sama, Kenjirou." That was when Kenjirou knew before the profits (which were vast) came in- that he would have to do this again next year if only to see that look on Ashika's face again, to have Kawanishi crown her Elder Princess of Shiratorizawa.
Within a week, the Princesses had used armbands to crown the 'Dance Princes', throwing together a New Years party where the Princes' held Court for the first time with their 'Princesses'.
In the year that followed, plans were made quickly to do another 'Royalty Banquet', since they were already teaching the first years to dance anyway. It was kind of irritating though, that people were looking for some sort of date by the time Spring High was rolling around. Having had a long enough reprieve, Shirabu and the other captains announced that the original five teams would each hold one 'Royal' event that year, with the host able to invite new teams. The first would be a tea at Sendai City Gym, hosted by Aobajosai, to open Interhigh. Datekou would host a 'Princesses only' volleyball game, the proceeds split between the dance and volleyball teams. Johzenji would host a dance camp, with an evening 'Guys only' dance off, the proceeds once again split between the two types of teams. Karasuno would host another tea party, this one to celebrate Spring High Prelims starting. Shiratorizawa would host the crowning banquet, where the new Princesses would hold Court for the first time and the third years for the last time.
Ashika and the other dance captains, announced that, for that year at least, the Volleyball and Dance teams of each school would be co-hosting events, and Dance Princes would be formally acknowledged with the Princesses.