I'd have to be an idiot not to notice. Did they seriously think I wouldn't?

Every time I went into our group chat they did their hardest to act normal but I could sense the tension. And, because I was yet again on training camp with Nekoma and Fukurodani, I was able to see the actual tension. Not just between Kuroo and Bokuto, but also between Bokuto and Akaashi.

Normally I would be taking massive advantage of that but I couldn't shake the thought that something was wrong, that something had changed.

And I didn't like it one bit.

It was just a shame I couldn't get all of them together at once, since, you know, they all lived quite a distance from me.

So I took my thoughts to the chat.

KingMatsu: Okay, I want answers

GuessyTendou: ? About what?

KingMatsu: I don't know what's gotten into all of you but cut it out

ScalySugu: I'm confused

KingMatsu: So am I

KingMatsu: Why are you all so tense around each other?

CatKuroo: …

BokuAce: Well…

PiercedTeru: Wow really Matsuo?

KingMatsu: What?

Prettykawa: How come you missed our enormous crushes but notice this immediately?

KingMatsu: Shut it

KingMatsu: Wait, that's what this is about isn't it?

AngelAka: You could say that, we're all well aware that only one of us can end up with you

KingMatsu: So you decided to fight for it?

GuessyTendou: We're not going to throw any punches

ScalySugu: Though with your very late realisation we all know that the stakes have heightened

KingMatsu: And that's why you all suddenly don't get along anymore?

CatKuroo: You sound upset

BokuAce: Very upset

KingMatsu: Because I fucking am?

PiercedTeru: Language

KingMatsu: Japanese

PiercedTeru: … you little shit

KingMatsu: It's almost like you all only hang around me because of your crushes

Prettykawa: NO

Prettykawa: I can't talk for the others but I am not just staying friends with you for that!

GuessyTendou: For once I agree with the pretty setter, you're my little kouhai far before you're my crush!

CatKuroo: You fascinated me before you broke into my heart like you owned the place

PiercedTeru: You helped me out in a way no one has done before, you saved my life of course I'm going to stay with you

ScalySugu: Same, you saved me when everyone else had given up on me, there's no way I can repay that by leaving you

BokuAce: You don't care what I act like, you don't care about who I am, there's no way I can leave someone that sees me as a person

AngelAka: You don't have expectations for anyone, you just want to be their friend and if that means roasting the shit out of people around you then so be it, none of us are leaving you

KingMatsu: You're going to make me cry

I hadn't meant for the conversation to turn so heartfelt, but I needed to hear that. They wouldn't leave me even if I didn't choose them. That meant they were better than so many guys from my previous life, but that was probably because they were fictional. Then again so was I.

But that existential crisis could wait until a later date.

I fell for my friends all over again. They made me fall in love all over again, something I had absolutely not expected. Hell, I didn't even think I was in love with any of them, let alone with all of them!

Not that I was going to complain…

How dare they be so sexy and hot, and attractive, and adorable and those sexy sexy abs and those thick thighs and them biceps and yum…

"Daichi-san! Matsuo is drooling again!"

"Huh what! No I'm not!" I quickly retaliated to Tanaka, how dare he rat me out like that!

Daichi gave me a long suffering look. "Matsuo, try to control your gay."

"No promises," I grumbled.

The team had gathered in the Sendai city gym for the next match, against my boy Yuuji. Ah, my favorite punk, kinda, boy. I mean, let's be honest here. Yuuji isn't a punk, not by a long mile. He's a giant and adorable dork.

I continued my grumbling even as we walked on the court. On the other side Yuuji gave me an encouraging smile, knowing what I was thinking about. I returned his smile with one of my own, it was useless to think about during a match. I would do my best to completely break Johzenji apart in order for Karasuno to advance.

Because when it came to the games, there would be no mercy. I didn't hold back against anyone, no matter who they were. That included my suitors.

The match began with me on the 'bench', I say it like that because we actually didn't get to sit on a bench. Which is total bullshit by the way. But I digress, I got to stand around and figure people's habits out, fun.

That sounded really sarcastic but I did enjoy my observational abilities. The fact that I could tell what people would do in advance was the best thing ever. I had even improved my observational abilities to a certain point where I was able to do something else, something I was only going to use in like either the Seijo or Shiratorizawa match.

Because, to be frank, Johzenji wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth it to reveal your hand so soon in the game.

But just because I didn't consider Johzenji worthy of my ace didn't mean I couldn't appreciate the team itself. I mean, they were just the most fun people to watch. Utter bitch to play against though. But they were just so pure! The entire team was made up out of Yuuji's and Hinata's, how can you not love that!

Although… the less to be said about the match the better… It wasn't exactly difficult for us…

Not that they were bad! Not at all, it's just, we were a bad matchup for them. Usually Johzenji faced teams that were more serious and easily flustered. Most teams only getting overwhelmed by the energy Johzenji possesed. But not Karasuno, we were a chaos team ourselves and while that may not show during matches it sure as hell did during practice where we tended to go absolutely wild.

So many ducks…

Ahem! Focus, I could dwell on my traumas later.

I wildly shook my head, trying my hardest to forget about the feathery demons and attracted the attention of everyone around me.

"Matsuo? What's wrong?" Nishinoya questioned, jumping to walk next to me.

We had just about returned to the Karasuno gym and were gathering for a meeting about the match against Wakunan.

Internally I debated whether or not I should share my struggle with the ducks, everyone had experienced the same horror after a prank gone wrong.

Briefly I considered that none of us really wanted to deal with that suffering ever again, that I really didn't need to be bringing up past events.

Then I remembered that I was a huge shit and looked up at my team.

"Ducks."

The effect was instantaneous, the third years turned completely blank, trying their hardest to hold back any sort of reaction. The second years and the more vocal first years just let out screams of fear with Tsukishima just shivering in horror from remembering.

Ah, how I loved creating chaos.