RAR :

LadyAnniki: Yeah it was meant to be that way, since I first published this on Wattpad and I wanted to try the concept. I wished there were more x Reader stories on HQ like on Wattpad and AO3. Hope you still find the story interesting :) Thank you for your review.

Part 2

You were lost, or damned, or done for. Maybe it was all the same. You couldn't stop replaying the sight of Semi's body dripping with water, or it playing tricks on you as you were watching his beautiful form on the court, still remembering how he looked, or rather how he would look without his shirt on him doing all this.

Each time you looked at him (and it was becoming a hard habit), you were blushing. When he comes to get his water, smirking and wiping off his sweat off his face or water off his chin, flashing you his ridiculous six-pack, you feel close to fainting. You felt happy for his slow regain of confidence despite his position, and the team felt it too, liking more and more doing games with him...but you felt it was at the expense of your heart and dignity.

This went on for a few weeks again, where Semi was more and more teasing and poking at you the more he felt you smitten with him. But someone saw your struggle, then another, and another. Semi was more and more obvious, as if he was laying some sort of thick claim on the untouchable, pure, out of reach sole female presence of the gymnasium in their time of need or enjoyment at volleyball.

The poor benched Semi Eita, attracting the hard-working, devoted, 'hands off' manager of the team. Now that was something to show off! It wasn't the stern ace Ushijima like usual, the pretty loud Goshiki or annoying hell of a prick newbie Shirabu - no, him ! It wasn't a first, their team has a ton of fans, but it has never been this blatant. It has never been you .

He wasn't pitiful anymore...!

One day, Ohira asked you about it himself:

"Is he...bothering you, by any chance?"

"Y-...N-no...It's just...complicated."

He didn't seem convinced in the least. He must have sugar-coated it this much if Ohira himself was coming to talk to you about his friend.

"...If he is, you just need to tell him, or me. He'd understand, you know."

You shook your head confidently. "It's alright." You hold your ground.

As he went to the locker room someday trailing behind the others, you grabbed his sweater by the elbow to catch his attention. You immediately get it, finally acknowledge his presence, going as far as to interact with him. He was always aware of where you were and what you were doing. Maybe this time, he could get some answers.

"S-Semi...a moment please." He quickly turned to front you, his eyes intently fixing you. And your blush.

"Of course. What is it?" He asked with his normal, harsh tone.

You planned this! You planned this talk for days. But you couldn't get any straight ideas out of your dry mouth. You were still thinking about his muscles and abs rather than his uniform. Heavens, he was so beautiful.

"Um...p-people...are starting to talk."

He raised an eyebrow. Maybe he went on a little too brash or rough with his intentions. "And what are they saying?" He looked ready to murder anyone you would name on instinct alone.

He didn't mean to hurt or bother you. If there were any casualties, he was more than ready to deal with it or any demeaning behaviour towards you.

"My, my, my... If it isn't the great Semi Eita and the pretty manager. Or should I say, girlfriend?" Slipped in Tendou smiling widely, coming beside you.

"U-uh... I'm not." I weakly denied.

"Oh~ really? Could have fooled me. Semisemi's trying so hard to impress lil' you! Aren't you even a lil' bit swooned by now?" He lightly asked.

"It's... It's not what it looks like."

"This is none of your business, Tendou. Leave."

Tendou, usually so careful and cheerful around you, sent him the most cold-blooded and frightening look you ever saw. "Maybe you should leave."

"Excuse me?" Semi barked, already starting to feel his blood boil.

"Yah, yer should. Can't ya take a hint?"

"Please, Tendou." You told him, trying to diffuse the tension.

"What do you mean?" He spat, teeth gritted.

"Ya makin' her uncomfortable, wooing her 24/7. If (Surname) hasn't said yes by now, you should give 'er a fuckin' break man."

"You know nothing about this. This is between (Y/N) and me. In fact, I don't need any of your blessings concerning '(Surname)'." Semi angrily stepped up, right in the face of the middle blocker.

Of course, you were their little precious baby doll to protect at any cost, so he expected some jealousy or complaints, but he was serious about this. He didn't mean to hurt you, but you took a liking to him, and you couldn't even look at him properly now, but that's okay, he could understand this, it's not as easy for him as he let on, so he had to take this matter in his own hands. Semi understood that someone has to work for anything in return.

"If (Y/N) has any complaints about me, she can tell me anytime." Tendou's eyebrow twitched.

"Except she can't." He deadpanned.

Semi's anger doubled, his hair seeming to spike with his mood, his fists tightening at his side.

"What are you even talking about? You don't know anything! You're just jealous, aren't you? Why don't you leave us alone so we can talk, just the two of us."

"Don't cha know? She can't tell ya anythin', at least not 'erself, 'cause you're poor Semi Eita."

His anger visibly dissipated.

" What ?" He threw you an anxious glare.

"'Poor benched Semi, havin' been replaced by a second-year. He playin' so well now. Even if he makes fun of me, embarrass me...If I say anythin', I'll break 'is chipped heart again. He so nice. Even though I'm so abashed.'"

Semi's irises trembled as he was witnessing Tendou guess your thoughts. Tendou wasn't the Guess Monster for nothing, or maybe you even talked to him or the team about this, but couldn't have the heart to tell him yourself he was misled. Actually, no, you did tell him he was misled once.

Maybe you just wanted to try one of the uniforms at least once, and maybe it was natural for you to know their smell, you trailed around them every time they practised and played a match. Maybe you were rightfully embarrassed the other day, at seeing a boy shirtless this close, like any other girl would.

But you'd tell him, right? Rather sooner than later, you wouldn't let him make a fool of himself in front of the team after what happened. He knew you!

Then he looked at you, a newfound anguish and conflicted feeling in his eyes and features.

"He's got it all wrong, right (Y/N)?" He seemed on the verge of a falling cliff, and you didn't know what to do.

You definitely weren't good enough for Semi. He didn't have any time for you. You didn't even know if you'd make a good girlfriend. You were just a girl.

You gripped your shirt where your heart is, on the verge of crying. This was too much, it went too far!

"I know how you feel, but just for this time (Y/N), say something!"

You were this close from choking on air. "I-I...I-m sorry. I-"

"Am I bothering you? If I was, you'd tell me, right? You're not thinking any of this 'Poor Semi' shit, right?!"

"I-I...Yes!" Oh god, why was Tendou still here? You grabbed the front of your shirt and buried your face in it, wishing you could disappear, that none of this ever happened, that you could go back on time and let him take his own jacket. This wasn't supposed to go public like this!

"...Yes?" He repeated.

Your lips trembled, you couldn't talk anymore. You just wanted to talk to him smoothly, tone down his flirting a little. Because if it wasn't serious, it was hurting you. If it was just to brag in front of the others, it was hurting you. If he was serious, and you couldn't live up to his expectations, or spend enough time with him, it was hurting you all the same.

A long moment stretched on between the three of you, until Tendou finally launched an arm around your shoulder, smothering you.

"See? She can't even talk. 'Tis no pleasure to her to break ya heart, and you know that. Dat's why it's so difficult!"

"Tch!" You heard Semi spat. He was hurt, you sensed it.

"Doesn't mean you ugly or what. She's just not into ya. Just stop embarrassin' 'er. Ya know how she is." He didn't have to say it but you knew, "fragile".

Semi stormed out of the gymnasium, his fists clenched tightly. Just as you put down your shirt to call him back, the sight of his glare sends pangs of guilt through your heart, rendering you speechless. He was beyond hurt and furious.

After that, everything went downhill. Semi stopped looking or talking at you completely, while his plays became messy and unpredictable. He closed up completely, so of course, Shirabu went on the front scene again. You felt more guilty than ever. You knew all of this was a bad idea from the start. You shouldn't have left any of your feelings known to him or the team. You should have lied to his face, right at the start when you played with his jacket.

Your plan to tell him it was a foolish crush like you would on any of his teammates was the worst idea you could have told in front of Tendou. So you chose to tell nothing, and now things are bad.

Everyone knew how guilty you felt, but the whole team backed you up. After all, he brought this on himself all on his own. But you knew this was wrong. Semi wasn't stupid. He wouldn't have acted so bravely if he hadn't seen something. You betrayed yourself. Maybe it wasn't that serious on his part concerning the feelings department, but there was no need to go as far as to say that he was bothering you.

If you knew, you would have let him hit on you again and again if it'd let him play at his full potential. He looked so happy and confident back then, watching you as he licked his lips with a heated gaze when he served to gather your attention, as if you were some prey to conquer. And he knew he had it. You were looking back. He was merciless.

The first prefectural tournament of the year was closing in, and despite Ushijima's incredible advantage and strength, you were afraid Shirabu wouldn't be enough for the plays and the pressure threatening to fall on him. And there was no one else to substitute since the unthinkable happened: Semi became unreliable.