Three weeks passed, with practice ramping up and more practice games against each other. Finally it was time for the Inter-High to start, and everyone was raring to go. Daichi glanced at Kitsuna, who hadn't spoken to him since that night. She kept sending glares his way when she caught him looking at her, and refused to elaborate when anyone asked about it. She had also been more stiff and closed off around Suga, unfortunately.

Everyone loaded off the bus and into the arena, warming up quickly. Once they were warmed up, though, the nerves all hit at once. All the usual suspects were close to collapse from anxiety, but it had somehow spread to everyone else too. Kitsuna was still quiet, though it was obvious she was trying to center herself on the side. She was planned to take over the second set to let people rest for the next match, and in an official game. The first game went smoothly enough that she didn't need to help out, but things were tense as they moved into the second match.

Kitsuna was in the first set, and ran herself ragged trying to support her teammates. Her communication was more direct, and she was cool and collected on the court at least. They scraped out the first set as a win, then she swapped for the second.

"Hey, Kitsuna," Yamaguchi tried to talk to her after she got some energy out. She was crouched down, resting and watching the game like a hawk. The team was starting to get rough around the edges, and it worried everyone. There was silence as the ball flew left. Then right with a bang. Then up, then down, then up again. It breezed over the net and scored them a point, but there were no cheers. Kitsuna stood up in an instant, body a mass of burning muscle.

There. On the court. Not moving at all. Daichi and Tanaka collided trying to dig that spike. Tanaka held onto his shoulder, but Daichi hadn't moved since the impact. In the span of barely two seconds, her mind raced through every horrible possibility. Broken neck, broken facial bones. Concussion was the worst, because it would be hard to detect. Before she registered anything else, her own shirt collar felt like it was pulling against her throat. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. But that wasn't it.

"Ki-Kitsuna, don't!"

She heard a voice, but it was alien. Too high to be anyone she knew. Too far away. But something was definitely holding her shirt and keeping her from rushing out. She whirled around violently, batting away the arm that kept her in place.

"Let go."

She said it with such ferocity that the iron grip released. Suga looked back at her, absolutely distraught at so many things. Worst of all, he was looking at her with pure terror in his eyes. Her own face was a sight that would shake even the strongest of men. Eyes wide and wild, nearly frothing at the mouth. Her nose was a steppe of wrinkles where her face pulled up and her eyebrows scrunched together and up in the middle. The fear in her friend's eyes wasn't from rage or fury. Not even from the vicious swat at his arm that was already bruising. It was the way she looked horrified at the scene before them. Like she'd witnessed a horrible accident and saw her friend die in front of her.

"Ennoshita, you're up! Takeda, you too!"

Keishin called out and everyone looked back to check the situation. Daichi was standing, and seemed fine. Aside from the god awful bruise on his cheek, blood, and the tooth he spat out. He was escorted out by Keishin and the game resumed. Kitsuna's posture returned to normal, though her hands were shaking something fierce. Her breathing was ragged, and she stared straight down at her shoes.

"S..orry.."

Her voice cracked, barely more than a raspy squeak. Her teeth clenched, she tried to make herself face Suga and apologize properly. She couldn't, so she just tugged helplessly at his sleeve so he would come a little closer.

"Sorry! I panicked," she blurted out. Her voice was even weaker, but she got it out in the end. She felt a hand touch her own, the one clinging to Suga. It was cold, and shaky. She looked up then, over at the boy who she'd nearly attacked in her emotional outburst. Suga smiled, but it was tense. He gave up on that and looked her dead in the eyes, absolutely serious. He saw where tears had run down her nose, and were leaking from her eyes. Her lower lip trembled, but she was trying to hold it still by force.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. Daichi'll be fine, so let's give this match all we have," Suga squeezed her hand, and she finally let go of his sleeve. She really looked ready to start sobbing then, but Suga was certain that was the right call. She wiped her face with her shirt, then shook her head before looking back at him.

"Right."

They slowly lowered their hands and turned back to the match. Ennoshita was doing well enough, but it was Yamaguchi's time to shine with some pinch serves. Keishin came back and checked her condition. It's not like anyone missed that outburst from the side earlier, they just focused their energy on other matters.

"Ehh? Gross," Tsukishima taunted the pair as he joined them on the side. Kitsuna wasn't forcing it or anything, but she still held Suga's hand in her own. His pinkie finger between her finger and thumb in truth, but it was still a hold. Suga's face flushed a little, and she pulled away without a word. Somehow the lack of response made Tsukishima even more angry than whatever bonding moment they were having during an important match.

The air hung heavy, everyone just as tense as the pinch server waiting for the okay to go. The whistle went off, Yamaguchi flinched and sent the ball up. The toss was off, but he hit it anyway. It hit the net and barely made it over, scoring a point somehow. That managed to relieve everyone else's tension on the floor, but the boy felt an intense pressure in the pair of golden eyes watching him from outside the court.

The same thing again. Whistle blow, flinch. Add a sharp inhale, and remove the jump for the serve. It was still a float, but it was easily received and sent back for a point to the opposing team. Everything faded out as he bowed and apologized over and over. Until the coach rushed him, clearly pissed off. Ennoshita stepped in, but there were still some hard words for bailing on that last serve. He returned to his spot on the sidelines, staring hard straight ahead.

"Hey, Tadashi," Kitsuna rapped at his shoulder until he looked her way.

"Sorry. I guess you'll be covering that position from here on out," he apologized weakly.

"No."

"Eh?"

Kitsuna said that and looked at him with burning determination. It was clear she wanted to be out there, but there was a time for opportunity and a time for stepping back. She decided to step back this time.

"You'll get it next time. Keishin wants to talk after the match. Come with me," Kitsuna bumped his arm and went quiet for the rest of the match. Karasuno pulled out another win, in the third set.

The boys all cheered, but Kitsuna took off toward the doors. Tanaka pointed out Daichi, and they started to head over but were called for the aftergame lineup. Kitsuna stopped in front of Daichi, and looked up at him to check the damage herself. Her eyes were leaky again, and it was obvious that she was worried to the extreme.

"Sorry," was all Daichi could say to respond to her feelings. He put his hand on her head and pulled her into his shoulder. A move he hadn't done for a very long time, but one that they both knew well. Kitsuna's body trembled for a few minutes, and pinched sobs made their way out. She didn't hold onto him at all, but she didn't need to for him to know that what he was doing was helping.

"Idiot. Look before you leap," she finally said. She rammed her fist into his gut. Gently. Once, then twice, before she broke away and wiped her eyes. Noya and Suga ran over just then, with one hanging off the boy's shoulder and the other making several quick jabs at Daichi's gut.

"Daichi!," Tanaka stood behind the welcoming party. He wore a hardened expression, but softened when Daichi smiled back at the team.

"I'm fine. Got so much rest it's like I never played today. Come on," the captain had approached Tanaka and slapped him square between the shoulders. They headed to get changed and cool down, with Daichi offering some words for Ennoshita's leadership as well. Then they headed for the stands to see who won the match to be their opponents. Seijoh vs Date Tech.