Author's Notes: Chapter 2 already up! I'm feeling on fire with this story and I'm so excited to continue this. I have a feeling this one is gonna end up being one of my best but we'll see.

Let me know what you think!

Chapter 1: Countdown To Karasuno

1, 2, 3, 4…

Tobio counted in his head as he gently set the ball above his head, being mindful not to use too much force since he was in the house. This was a part of his nightly routine. He would eat dinner, lock the doors and windows, check each lock three times before moving on to the next, brush his teeth for four minutes, shower for twenty minutes, dress in his pajamas, set his alarm, and the final step that he was on now; one hundred sets before he takes his meds, shuts his light off, and tucks in for the night.

15, 16, 17, 18…

Counting always seemed to calm him down. While never the math expert, counting was easy for everyone, and unlike a lot of things, it never changed. Two will always come after one, no matter what. It was soothing in that aspect. No surprises to be found when counting. Always the same, never changing. It's good.

27, 28, 29, 30…

He doesn't quite remember when this compulsion with counting or numbers in general started, but he knew that when his grandpa died he was desperate to find some sort of comfort, and in that desperation, he came up with this routine, his daily rituals. Never changing, always doing the same thing. Even just thinking about his grandpa still brought an ache in his chest but he refused to acknowledge it, instead pushed the feeling down and focused on the ball in his hands.

34, 35, 36, 37…

His mind, while still counting, began to wonder again despite his best efforts. He couldn't help but remember what happened only a short few weeks ago, the day where his team deserted him. He was so anxious about failing, so desperate to win that he failed to realize the way he was interacting with his teammates, and because of that, they refused to play with him anymore, right in the middle of their game.

42, 43, 44, 45…

Of course he couldn't blame them, he was a jerk. Whether it was unintentional or not, he was at fault. As per usual, it was his fault. As per usual, he wasn't good enough.

56, 57, 58, 59…

If he had pushed harder, if he was stronger, if he was better at communication, if he was more like him that never would have happened.

Nor would the events immediately after that game.

63, 64, 65…

"Yoohoo~ Tobio-chan!" Tobio froze, the voice that he hadn't heard since the incident in first year called out in the hallway. He slowly turned around and sure enough there was Oikawa Tooru, with his signature wide but fake grin.

Tobio glanced around for a way out of the situation. He had made it a point to not interact with either of his soulmates lest the Hanahaki disease worsen, so he was terrified of what would happen if he stayed this close to Oikawa for too long. Before he could make his escape Oikawa backed him up against a wall, leaning on his hand just above Tobio's shoulder.

"I just so happened to be in the neighborhood and couldn't resist the chance to see my old kohei's game." Tobio's eyes widened. If Oikawa was watching the whole game, then he must have seen what happened. Tobio finally looked into Oikawa's eyes and the fake smile widened "I couldn't help but notice your new play style. I must say, I was quite surprised to see how far you've fallen."

Tobio tried to hide the wince, but he knew that he couldn't hide it from Oikawa. Nothing got by Oikawa. Tobio tried not to squirm under his sharp gaze. "Were you by chance planning on coming to Aoba Johsai after this?"

Tobio tried to answer in the negative but his voice failed him as he felt the flowers starting to bloom inside him. How could he when even being here with Oikawa for the few minutes that he has immediately filled his lungs with the flowers that served as a painful reminder of what he could never have?

Oikawa watched him while he struggled, an unreadable look across his face as his eyes flickered across Tobios face, as if the answer was written there just waiting for him to read it. Oikawa sighed and shook his head.

"And here I thought I would see a setter that would be so great and who could surpass me." Tobio tried to quiet his breathing, feeling the panic attack coming. Oikawa backed off a bit so that he could look him in the eyes. "Guess I was wrong. Instead, I see a selfish brat parading around like a dictator screaming at his team to do better when he's not even trying to meet them halfway. How sad."

Tobio didn't want to react, refusing to feed into Oikawa's goading. He knew that he was just trying to get under his skin. Damn Oikawa for succeeding in that.

Damn Oikawa for being right.

"Well then, I must be off, hopefully the next time we meet you won't be a tyrannical king." Oikawa then pushed off the wall and walked away, his hands in his pockets. Tobio watched him walk away, and as soon as he knew he was gone bolted to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before flowers burst from his lips into the bowl. The familiar multicolored carnations appeared, but oddly there were now new flowers. A zinnia and a begonia.

77, 78, 79, 80…

Since he contracted the Hanahaki disease he had read up on flower meanings since according to his physical therapist they reflect his soulmates feelings when they are around him since the usual bond was blocked. Yellow carnations meant rejection, orange lilies meant hatred or disdain, and carnations with multiple colors meant "I cannot be with you". Those were the three flowers that always showed up when he was purging his lungs. Not once have they changed until that moment. And to have a Begonia and a zinnia of all things. While their actual meaning is peace and usually positive, Begonia's are usually given to someone when the giver felt… Remorseful. Guilty.

82, 83, 84, 85…

Why would a flower like that show up in his lungs, especially after meeting Oikawa again after years like that. Did he regret that day? Does he regret blocking the bond? Does he feel guilty for the way he treated Tobio? And what of the Zinnia? Zinnia's mean longing, so why would meeting Oikawa make that flower appear? Was this from Iwaizumi somehow? Or did Oikawa actually miss him?

91, 92, 93, 94…

Nah, couldn't be. Why on earth would Oikawa feel guilty about what happened? He was right after all. Tobio was selfish. Tobio didn't know how to get along with others well, he was impeding on their relationship. He was an outsider, and if they had accepted him in the soulbond he was sure that he would end up messing that up too. The Zinnia must have just been a mistake.

No, it was better like this. Far away from the both of them where they could be happy and Tobio could continue living his own life and everything would be fine.

He was fine.

97, 98, 99, 100…

He caught the ball and replaced it in its spot on his dresser before taking his meds, shutting off the lights, and tucking himself in. He stared at his ceiling as if it would answer his question about the new flower, about what it meant for his relationship with Oikawa and Iwaisumi, if he could even call it that at this point.

Tobio's eyes flicked down to his right arm where his faded soulmark was, not a single thing having changed since that day. During the day when he was outside he made sure to cover it up, but when he was at home he couldn't help but stare. Tobio traced his fingers along the lines. Even though the bond so far has brought him nothing but pain, he actually really liked his mark. He wasn't sure what it meant or which part represented who, but he always thought it was cool how even though the parts didn't necessarily go together in any normal setting, the way it was designed made them connect and flow as if each part was equally meant to be there. Even if that's not how it worked out in real life, to Tobio it was beautiful all the same.

With that last thought in his mind, he drifted off, dropping into a dreamless sleep.

Tobio woke up to his alarm, the same time as usual. He let it beep three more times before shutting it off, slowly getting out of bed. He went through his morning routine, brushed his teeth for four minutes, combed his hair (the comb being pulled through his hair fifty two times as usual). He got dressed, took his meds. He then grabbed his bag, checking the items three times before satisfied and he swung the strap over his shoulder before heading to the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast (a protein bar and a milkbox). He checked every door and window three times before finally putting on his shoes and closed the door, being sure to test the knob three times before he left, pocketing his keyes.

Tobio sighed, dreading the first day of high school. As promised to Oikawa and agreed upon with his doctors, he chose to not go to Seijoh, and since he was rejected by Shiratorizawa, he ended up applying to Karasuno. Truthfully nothing really stood out about the school that attracted him to it other than the coach there who was supposed to be amazing.

He looked up and saw the school gate, feeling hesitant for a second before he shook his head and pressed on. He wouldn't get anywhere if he kept cowering in fear, waiting for something bad to happen. He needed to walk in with his head held high to prove to everyone that he didn't need anybody to succeed, he could manage just fine on his own.

With that last thought in mind he took a big breath and walked through the school gate, eyeing the other students as they passed. No one paid him any mind, which Tobio was grateful for. It meant that he didn't have to try to talk to strangers so he just kept to himself. Even if he could carry a conversation well enough at this point, it didn't mean that he wanted to.

As the final bell rang Tobio popped out of his seat and hurried to the gym where the volleyball club would be meeting. He scurried to one of the bathrooms and changed quickly before stepping on the court. Surprisingly, instead of the dread and impending doom he thought he would feel, he just felt relief. Finally he was back on a court with no drama. No soulmates, no angry teammates, no disappointed coaches, just him, the court, and potential for greatness if he played well. With this in mind he warmed up, stretching his limbs thoroughly and making sure his joints were relaxed. He picked up a ball from a nearby bin, deciding to start by practicing his jump serves. He tossed the ball in front of him, taking the quick steps to propel him into his jump, he swung his arm and hit the ball, making it soar gracefully over the net, but the trajectory was a little off. He scowled slightly, wondering if maybe the angle of his hand was what made it move off target.

Not deterred, he grabbed another ball, eying the back line as his next target. He threw the ball up a little higher, giving him a little more time to angle his hand properly to aim, but right before he could swing his arm to hit it the doors of the gym slammed open, startling him and he landed safely, but his head got smacked with the ball on the way down. He winced and rubbed the back of his head before he turned to the person who interrupted him.

It was a really short boy with bright red hair and large brown eyes that were opened impossibly wide as he gaped at Tobio, pointing a shaky finger at him. Tobio squinted, this kid was oddly familiar. Where had he seen him before?

"You're Kageyama Tobio!" He shouted with a loud voice, a frown on his face. Tobio then realized who this kid was.

"I met you last year." Tobio muttered, not really sure what to say considering he didn't even know his name. The ginger suddenly smirked and stood up to the top of his height, (which wasn't saying much considering the kid couldn't be taller than 5'4")

"My name is Hinata Shoyo, you might not remember me-"

"I do." Tobio interrupted. "You're the kid with the crazy jumps and quick reflexes, not to mention incredibly fast." Hinata's chest puffed up at the praise. Tobio smirked. Something about this kid made him want to tease him a bit. "Too bad you have no skill whatsoever."

Hinata squawked in indignation, "Hey! I may not have as much experience as you but I will defeat you!" Is this kid for real? Tobio thought to himself, having a hard time keeping up with the amount of pure energy Hinata was exuding. "But how can I defeat you when we're on the same team?! What are you doing here, huh? Shouldn't you be in some crazy powerhouse school or something?"

Tobio tried not to flinch at that, not wanting to think about Seijoh anymore. He looked Hinata in the eye and sighed. "I applied to Shiratorizawa, but I was rejected."

Hinata gasped dramatically. "What?! You? Rejected? How?! You're such a strong player, I mean you're the king of the court!"

Tobio froze, flashes of last year rushing back, the game, the toss, the sound the ball made as it hit the ground when no one was there to hit it, The look that Oikawa gave him after, one that Tobio still couldn't figure out what it meant. Tobio shook his head to rid himself of those memories and glared at Hinata, making the redhead squeak in fear.

"Never, ever call me that." he growled. At the sound of his own voice he backed off, feeling immediately guilty. He wasn't trying to be scary. He just couldn't stand that old nickname and he refused to let it follow him into highschool.

Hinata tilted his head curiously at him, but before he could say anything the doors of the gym swung open again, this time three people walking in. They walked up to them, seemingly to greet them, or at least that's what he thought until the one with the buzzcut began making weird faces at them.

"Um, Tanaka, what are you doing?" The one on the left with grey hair and pretty hazel eyes said, giving the buzzcut kid an exasperated look.

"C'mon Suga, they're newbies, we need to assert our dominance!" Buzzcut, or rather Tanaka said, squinting at the two of them in an attempt to seem menacing.

"Cut it out, you look dumb." The one in the center said. He wasn't as tall as Tobio, but what he lacked in height he more than made up for in sheer muscle. His dark eyes shifted to Tobio and Hinata and he smiled. "Welcome to the Karasuno Men's Volleyball Club guys."

Both Tobio and Hinata bowed in greeting. "Thank you for having us."

"My name is Sawamura Daichi, on my left is Sugawara Koushi," Sugawara greeted them with a kind smile and a little wave, "and this idiot on my right is Tanaka Ryuunosuke." Tanaka shot them a feral grin. Hinata took a step back, intimidated. "I promise he doesn't actually bite." Daichi added, smiling at Hinata in amusement.

"So you're Kageyama Tobio, right?" Sugawara asked, tilting his head in question. Tobio paused. If they already knew his name, does that mean they know everything that went down last year? Tobio took a slow breath, refusing to let the impending panic attack take hold and he stood his ground.

"That's right." He said, with a slight nod. Tanaka eyed him up and down.

"Dang dude, you were insane last year in that match! Mad skills my bro." Well, that wasn't the response that he had expected but it was a hell of a lot better than the alternative. He still found himself wrinkling his nose, still not really good with taking compliments.

"You have a huge presence on the court for sure." Sugawara added, patting him on the shoulder. Funny enough the nervousness in his body left him right as he did that. He didn't know what it was about him but everything about Sugawara to him said safety and comfort, though how he could think that after a few minutes of meeting he wasn't sure. Maybe it was the way that he carried himself? Is it weird to be comforted so easily by a stranger?

"Hey! I'm here too!" Hinata hollered, jumping in between Tobio and the upperclassmen, interrupting Tobio's train of thought.

Daichi laughed and ruffled Hinata's hair "Ah yes, Hinata Shoyo. The one with the speed and jumps, how could we forget."

Hinata preened at the praise, smiling widely. "I wanna be the ace!"

Tobio stared at him in disbelief. Is this kid for real?

Tanaka cackled, leaning his arm on Hinata's head. "Already aiming to be an ace huh? Someone's got some balls."

"Seriously Tanaka?" Sugawara sighed, holding his head in shame. Tanaka merely shrugged.

"What? It's not like I'm wrong."

"He has a long way to go before he could ever be considered ace material." Tobio said without thinking. Hinata snapped his head towards Tobio angrily.

"You think I can't do it?" He asked, as if daring Tobio to say otherwise. He stood his ground and stared Tobio down, not flinching at all when Tobio returned the glare.

Good, Tobio thought, I can work with this.

"What Sawamura said is correct, your natural athletic abilities are great and your speed and jumps will be your biggest weapons moving forward, but if you want to become an ace, hell. If you ever want to beat me on the court you need to master the basics." Tobio finished. Hinata's mouth kept opening and closing, not unlike a fish. Apparently he wasn't expecting Tobio to support his goal. "Especially your shitty receives."

Hinata glared determinedly, shoving a volleyball at Tobio before walking to the other side of the net. He turned around, squating slightly, readying himself.

"Let's get started then, shall we?"