#so many feelings about a volleyball manga/anime

[the-travelling-witch]

in my haikyuu feels someone please sponsor me so i can buy the entire manga + get a premium subscription for a steaming service so i can watch haikyuu

[ineedhaikyu]

Chapter 4

Summary: It was a bittersweet moment when Inarizaki lost to both Inarizaki's manager and Karasuno’s ace. What will happen next? Do the feelings stop there?

Word Count: 11.7K

Warnings: A lot of fluff. The slow burn is intense. This chapter is long because I wanted to add meaningful conversations. Spoilers for Season 4/Chapter 291! Dialogue from both sources. I don’t own anything. Haikyu belongs to Furudate Haruichi! Also, I added a scene that I found adorable. The Tiktok creator (astrq.ella) translates the fanmade manga into English and it's so cute!! Go check it out!

A/N: Obviously, the dialogue of the twins, Aran, Kita, etc are from the anime and manga. I tried my best to keep the flow of speech going throughout this chapter. Lol idk if I can keep up but I’ll do my best! When am I going to edit that dialogue in the previous chapter? Well, your guess is as good as mine! Also, I apologize for the sudden hiatus, my life is crazy but I hope you enjoy this new chapter.

The match ended with a score of 30-32. With each team winning a set, the third and final set was their last chance to win, to advance, to stay alive in Nationals. The hunger to win was there. The sheer determination to win was there. The will, the passion, the… Well, everything. Each player on the Inarizaki had it all. They played with everything they had.

Atsumu proved to everyone, whether they were familiar with volleyball or not, how his setter skills were top tier and worthy to be labeled as the best high school setter. With his opponent being a setter that attended the same All-Japan Training Camp, he was pushed to another level to become a star setter.

Osamu covered for any tiny mistake his brother made during the match. The unspoken intuition between him and his brother every time he scored a point through their version of Karasuno’s quick attack. Never before had he felt so hungry during a match.

Aran played his role as the ace more than ever. With each difficult pass that was made, he made sure to call out for the ball and with his strength he scored a point for his team. The title of ace suited him as he proved it with each service ace and spikes that broke through Karasuno’s blocks. Gin followed his senpai’s footsteps closely as he scored points through difficult blocks and receiving difficult passes. 

Omimi kept up his blocking skills all throughout the match, turning Karasuno’s possible points into their points through his blocks. The same can be said with Suna. The middle blocker, despite his deadpan expression, didn’t slack off as per usual. He lived up to his title as one of the best middle blockers in Nationals as he kept his sharp game sense and surprised his opponents with his wide-range spike.

Akagi did his best as lead libero. He saved the team on multiple occasions through his receives. His eyes focused on the ball more than anything as he commanded his body to follow after it. With each received he made, it brought a sense of security to his teammates to continue playing. He was the cornerstone for his team’s defense and wasn’t about to slack off, not even for a second.

Kita kept his plays consistent all the while keeping the rambunctious second-years in check. But ever so often, the match brought out a side of him that hasn’t been felt for a long time. Karasuno wasn’t like any other team. Every player on that team pushed his teammates to their limits so many times that it made him crack a smile or two throughout the game. Karasuno were worthy opponents.

Even the first years challenged themselves to play. They didn’t hold anything back. 

And yet… 

“It’s a madhouse in here!” The announcer’s loud voice filled the arena of the crowd’s uproar. “The entire Tokyo gymnasium is shaking with the roar of the crowd!”

The Inarizaki manager was the first to snap out of it. She didn’t realize how loud it was before until now. The last sound she heard was the sound of the ball hitting their side of the orange court. Everything after that felt muffled in a sense as she stood there motionless.

(Y/N) looked at her team. With the exception of their chests moving, no one made an effort to walk off the court. Whether they were too tired to move or they were in disbelief at their loss, (Y/N) knew that her friends were taking this loss harder than usual. 

They were so close…

“We lost.” It helped saying those two words out loud. It didn’t lessen the sting obviously, but it confirmed her reality. 

Even more so when she saw how unbelievably happy Karasuno looked. Her eyes automatically looked for Asahi. When her eyes landed on his jersey number, her wounded heart swelled up with admiration. Under the bright gym lights, Asahi looked unbelievably happy as his arms wrapped around his teammates. He, along with his friends, were hugging the two first-years that made the incredible block against the twins’ attack. 

The scene made her smile bittersweetly. While she was sad that her team was no longer able to advance, losing the match to Karasuno didn’t feel too awful. The match was almost like a battle of wills. Everyone was fighting for a point. No one gave up, not even when the odds were against them. 

There was no way around it, Karasuno won fair and square and while this didn’t mean the end of the world for her… Today marks the end of her Spring Tournament journey… Wow. Third year brings out a different perspective more than anything.

(Y/N) reminded herself to breathe. She looked for Kita. Unsurprisingly, the captain’s observant gaze was on her already. He always had a knack in knowing what she was feeling. It has been like that since their first year. The two smiled at each as they were thinking the same thing.

They couldn’t be any prouder of their entire team.

“It’s time to line up.” Coach Kurosu instructed with Coach Ōmi following behind.

She nodded and wordlessly grabbed the white picket sign that showed her school’s name. The manager waited for her captain to step next to her. Once he did, she gave the sign in his hands. Their eyes met and (Y/N) knew he was going to be okay. 

Everyone lined up on either side of the net; their Karasuno counterpart right in front of them. (Y/N) looked ahead and she smiled when she was met with Kiyoko’s teary-eyed expression. She hoped those tears were of happiness and not of pity for her and her team. In unison, everyone bowed down and thanked each other for the game.

After standing back up, the players stepped forward to shake hands. (Y/N), along with the coaches, did the same. 

“That was a great game.” (Y/N) told her when they shook hands. “Anyone who says Karasuno’s a fallen powerhouse is kidding themselves.”

Kiyoko wiped away the tears that threatened to fall at her new friend’s words. “Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to us.”

(Y/N) let out a good-natured chuckle. “You have a great team, Kiyoko. Take care of them because the competition is going to be even fiercer.”

“I will… And (Y/N)?”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry-

“Don’t be.” The Inarizaki manager cuts her off. “Don’t apologize. You never know what’s going to happen. All we can do is our best and keep moving forward. Okay?”

“Okay.” 

“Good.” 

The girls smiled at each other. To Kiyoko’s surprise, (Y/N) gave her a tight hug. It took her a second but Kiyoko managed to hug back. The loud cheers of the arena along with the announcer’s voice almost made it impossible to hear (Y/N)’s next words but she still heard them all the same: “Keep winning.”

Kiyoko pulled away first as she gave her friend a determined nod. “We will.”

(Y/N) smiled at her one last time before following her teammates. She stood next to Kita in front of the Inarizaki cheer section. She scanned the crowd to see her fellow classmates and friends. They had tears streaming down their faces but it didn’t stop them from clapping or shouting words of encouragement. 

In the corner of her eye, she saw how frustrated Atsumu looked. Anyone who had eyes can tell by the expression he wore. 

With furrowed brows and a small pout to accompany it, Atsumu muttered under his breath, “C’mon. Boo us. Losers don’t need no consolation applause.”

To his surprise, one of the older fans called him out. “Shut yer mouth, Atsumu, ya little dimwit!”

(Y/N) smirked when her underclassman was taken aback; he’s probably thinking how on earth did the man see right through him. 

“It’s scrawled all over yer face, ya idjit!” The fan yelled at him, confirming (Y/N)’s theory from before. She didn’t miss the way Osamu smirked at his brother, most likely thinking he was a idiotic moron.

“A GOOD GAME’S A GOOD GAME, AND WE’RE GONNA TELL YOU IT WAS A GOOD GAME! YOU GOT THAT?!”

While the loss did sting, the fan’s words gave her a sense of pride. Everyone rallied behind the fan’s statement. The claps became louder. They shouted each member’s names, including her own, telling them it was a great game. They even brought out the hand-made signs that had their names on it and carried them proudly over their heads. (Y/N)’s eyes swept over the crowd until she was met with Kita’s grandmother’s gaze.

She met the older woman before on multiple occasions. Kita Yumie was the ideal grandmother as she wore a gentle smile that matched her kind eyes. The fact that she showed up to their game only proved how much she cared for her grandson and his team. Not to mention she wore a hand-made sweater that said ‘Good Luck Shinsuke’.

It didn’t help when the elder woman mouthed, “I’m proud of you all.”

(Y/N) could feel her tears well up around her eyes. She blinked rapidly to gain control but there was always that one tear that ended up escaping down her cheek. Her hand quickly wiped it away before her team saw. But, as always, the Inarizaki captain was watching.

He patted her back and gave her the same gentle smile that he shared with his grandmother. The smiles were almost identical. 

Wordlessly, everyone bowed to the Inarizaki cheering section and shouted, “THANK YOU VERY MUCH!”

~

As Coach Kurosu and Kita delivered their post-game interviews, (Y/N) busied herself with packing everything up. Once she deemed everything was accounted for, she zipped up her bag and took one last look at the orange court. It was bittersweet to say the least. 

“Can’t forget this.” Aran came up to her, her maroon Inarizaki jacket in his hand. “Y’alright?”

(Y/N) smiled at her friend and nodded as she put on her jacket. “I should be asking you that, Aran.”

The ace shrugged. “It hasn’t sunk in yet, y’know?”

She hummed in agreement. “I keep expecting to wake up but I pinched myself enough times to know this is real.”

The two third-years walked towards the crowd of journalists where their friend/captain continued to answer questions. As they waited on the sidelines, Aran couldn’t help but steal glances at his manager. Which of course didn’t go unnoticed by her. 

“Something wrong, Aran?”

He took a moment to find the right words before he spoke, “That samurai guy… He made some great plays.”

“He did, didn’t he?” (Y/N) recalled Asahi’s top moments of the match. A smile graced her lips when she remembered the moment Asahi feinted a spike that surprised both Aran and Akagi. She can tell by the look of his face that he didn’t mean to do that, all the while Inarizaki’s ace and libero glared at him. “Even our own fans cheered him on at one point.”

“I know right? But I couldn’t blame them for cheerin’.” Aran sighed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He mentally winced as he recalled the time Karasuno’s #3 received his spike with his shoulder. He didn’t want to brag but he knew for a fact that his spikes were strong. No doubt Azumane is going to have a bruise that will last a few days. “He’s definitely a strong ace.”

“You guys shook hands, right? Did you tell him something?” (Y/N) asked her friend, curiosity getting the best of her. 

Aran nodded. “Yeah, I told him something.”

(Y/N) waited for him to continue but when he didn’t say anything else she stepped in front of him. “Well? What did you tell him? You didn’t say anything mean, did you? He’s sensitive and-”

Her mini interrogation was cut off when Aran laughed and said, “Relax, (Y/N). I didn’t say anything mean.”

“Then what did you tell him?” She asked again, getting slightly annoyed by Aran’s secrecy.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a guy thing.”

Oh, you suck.” (Y/N) pouted as she punched his arm repeatedly. “And here I thought you were the one guy that I can trust unconditionally. Guess Kita is the only one.”

“Aww. Don’t be like that.” Aran swung his arm over her shoulder and brought her in for a side hug. “After all we’ve been through these last three years, you’re just gonna toss me away like that?”

(Y/N) let out a small yelp when she felt Aran’s hand ruffle her hair. “Hey! My hair! It took me all morning to make it look good.”

“Oh?” Aran gave her a teasing smile that could rival the twins’. “You never do your hair for matches. You tryin’ to impress samurai guy?”

“S-Shut up! What’s wrong with me trying to look good?” (Y/N) defended, hoping Aran didn’t see through her tough act. “Are you really not going to tell me what you told him?”

Aran laughed and shook his head. “Nope!”

“Fine. I’m sure Kita would tell me.” She said before pulling away from the ace’s embrace. She wrinkled her nose before covering it. “You stink.”

(Y/N) opened her bag and gave him a clean towel. Aran huffed but didn’t argue because he knew he didn’t exactly smell like roses. He wiped away the sweat around his face and neck when he noticed his captain coming towards them.

“Looks like Kita’s done.”

“You guys were waiting for me?” Kita asked his friends. “You didn’t have to.”

“It’s tradition.” Aran pointed out. “We always walk together off the court.”

“It’s been like this since our first-year, Kita. Remember? Why would we change it now?” She added.

Kita hummed as his heart stirred at his friends’ words. “I guess not but let’s go. The next match is going to start soon and we shouldn't get in the way.”

He walked forward, missing the way his friends shared a knowing look. Together, the Inarizaki captain, ace, and manager made their way to the rest of the team that were patiently waiting for them.

Along the way, (Y/N) took the chance to ask the same question she asked Aran and hoped he would give her the answer she was hoping for. To her dismay, Kita gave her a soft smile and said, “Aran only told your friend the obvious.”

(Y/N) sighed. “You wound me, Shinsuke. I thought you were my friend. My best friend who would tell me everything. My good friend who should have my back after everything we went through. My-”

“Give it up, (Y/N).” Aran laughed at her attempt to guilt trip Kita. “I told ya it’s a guy thing.”

“That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.” (Y/N) complained as both captain and ace smirked at her. 

The third-year trio met up with their team and together they departed to the sub-arena. As they walked down the stairs, (Y/N) could practically feel her underclassmen heavy stares on her back. It was only a matter of time before someone said something.

It’s almost comical how she was able to call stuff out before they even happened, especially when the twins asked for Kita. Judging by the guilty expressions on their faces, it wasn’t hard to figure out what they were going to say.

In unison, the twins began their apology. “Um… We’re sorry-” 

But, as usual, Kita was one step ahead of them as he interrupted their speech. “What? Gonna apologize to me so you can feel a bit better about yourselves?”

Standing next to the captain, (Y/N) shivered under her jacket at Kita’s seemingly ice cold words and she wasn’t the only one who felt the effects. The Miya twins straightened up their posture and with similar embarrassed expressions they yelled, “Wha?! N-No! Course not!”

(Y/N) grinned at the second-years’ panicked response. She’s going to miss those two when she graduates in a couple of months. 

Kita smirked to himself and waved his hand in dismissal. “I know, I know. Sorry.” His expression changed into a pensive one. “But… I think you should save the apologies for when you’ve done something wrong.”

Atsumu and Osamu’s eyes seemed to glimmer under the light, taking their captain’s words to heart.

Kita continued. “I don’t think you made a mistake by choosin’ to do that quick set right then. I thought you were gonna score too… Though I hafta say I hate the idea of tryin’ stuff in real games that we ain’t done in practice first.”

The twins grimaced as their eyes looked at the ground with great interest. They looked so guilt-ridden because they knew Kita had a point. 

“Still,” (Y/N) spoke up, causing everyone to perk up. “The fact you guys were able to copy that quick attack on your first try was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Aran nodded. “And that last rally there… We probably just picked the wrong guys to try it against.”

“I agree.” Kita said as he recalled the match’s final moments. “When you two get all fired up and gung-ho-like… You usually leave everybody else back behind you in the dust.” He paused, recalling Karasuno’s so-called ‘freak’ duo before continuing. “But this once, the other guys were just as fired up and gung-ho-like as you two… It was amazin’ right?”

The captain couldn’t help the smile that grew on his lips and (Y/N) couldn’t help but smile as well. It was a rare sight to see her friend smile but it never failed to warm her heart. Kita began his descent down the stairs but not before saying, “It ain’t every day you get to play a game like that against a team like that. We got real lucky… Good for you.”

(Y/N) chuckled at how her underclassmen looked so shocked after hearing Kita’s touching words. They must have thought he’d be his stoic self. They don’t realize that he’s happy that his teammates found worthy opponents in Karasuno.

“Wait…” Atsumu said. “Kita-san was smiling just now, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah.” Osamu confirmed, his eyes following his upperclassman.

Riseki stepped beside Atsumu and added, “I caught him smiling bunches during the game.”

“Bunches?!/Yer kiddin’.” The twins exclaimed at the same time, not believing the first-year’s statement.

They looked at their manager, mentally asking her if it was true. Their jaws dropped when she nodded and said, “He’s not a robot, you guys. Kita can smile. Don’t act so surprised when he shows his feelings.”

Kita stopped in his tracks when he heard his manager’s words. He stood there in silence, contemplating his next words that could leave a lasting impression on his team. 

After a moment, he admitted his feelings, “Still, for some reason I’m awfully frustrated. Now, I did everything I could proper and I did it right. I can say I don’t have any regrets and mean it as the honest truth. Results like winning and losing, they’re still just side effects that happen when I’m doin what I oughta be doin’. But… It’s funny.”

The captain of the Inarizaki volleyball team turned to look at his teammates. His eyes met with each one along with his rare gentle smile that surprised the first and second-years. 

“‘Well? Isn’t my team amazing?’ I wanted to say that even more.”

(Y/N) opened her mouth to say something but she was left speechless after listening to Kita’s speech. She tried so hard to contain her tears but it was no use. Her strong facade crumbled with each tear streaming down her face. Kita’s words etched into her heart and she hoped her juniors will continue to work hard in the future. At the thought of her juniors, (Y/N) glanced up at them only to see they were tearing up as well. Suna was the only one who remained tear-free but (Y/N) knew him well enough to know he’s feeling the same way as everyone else.

As she tried to compose herself, Osamu tearfully spoke up, “Please keep saying it, senpai.”

Atsumu followed up and declared, “We’ll be the kind of teammates you can brag about to your great-grandkids.”

Kita looked up to the ceiling with a hopeful look on his face. His smile grew even more after hearing the twins’ promise.

“I look forward to it.” 

And with that, the third-year captain turned around and continued to walk down the stairs. The rest of the Inarizaki team were left spellbound, too stunned to move an inch. 

“Come on. Let’s hurry up and get changed.” Kita advised them. He looked at his friends and his eyes softened when he saw the state (Y/N) and Aran was in. “You guys okay?”

(Y/N) couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped her lips. Automatically, her arms wrapped around him and hugged her friend tightly. It took a few seconds but she soon felt him hug back. Then she felt another pair of arms around them and it didn’t end there. In less than ten seconds, her and Kita were in the center of a massive group hug.

Inarizaki’s motto stated that they didn’t need the memories, but with this heartfelt moment she was experiencing… (Y/N) hoped her teammates would make an exception because she will definitely hold this memory close to her heart.

“You guys are the best. I wouldn’t manage any other team. Thank you for the last three years!”

It went without saying there wasn’t a single dry eye amongst the group.

“THANK YOU SENPAI!”

~Meanwhile in the baggage storage area~

Asahi never felt so exhausted before in his entire life. This match was, without a doubt, on his list of top three most difficult matches. The adrenaline from before seemed to evaporate the moment he stepped away from the court. He was sure he looked like the dictionary’s definition of tired. Despite the exhaustion and the victory under his belt, he felt conflicted.

He hasn’t seen (Y/N) since the final line up and he wondered if she was okay. Her team came close to winning. The last rally was really a battle of wills between his team and hers. He could only imagine the sting of hurtful defeat the moment the ball fell onto their court. And with (Y/N) being a third-year, it was her last chance to be with her team in Nationals.

Now her chance is gone… Asahi couldn’t help but feel a bit responsible for that. 

Which is why his eyes keep glancing at the entrance every five minutes, hoping to see her and talk for a minute. Even after he cleaned up and dressed back into his normal clothes, there was still no sign of the girl that made him nervous yet confident all at the same time.

It didn’t help how tired he felt. He yawned for what seemed like the fourth time today, but his tired eyes kept focus on the entrance. 

“Yo Asahi! You look like the walking dead.” Suga jested, sitting down next to him. “Everything okay?”

“Just tired. My arms feel like they’re going to fall off.”

Suga laughed and repeatedly slapped his aching back. “But you were great out there! You looked so dependable.”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “Thanks. I didn’t want to let the team down.”

“Oh yeah? And here I thought you were just showing off for a certain Inarizaki manager. I caught (Y/N) smiling when you made that awesome service ace.”

“You did?” He hoped Suga wasn’t pulling his leg. The thought of (Y/N) smiling because of him felt too good to be true. 

Asahi wished he could have seen that smile but with how intense each set was he could only afford the briefest of glances in her direction. Thankfully, there was a moment they shared together that felt like an eternity. 

It was during a time out and he was intensely listening to Coach Ukai’s instructions. Kiyoko just handed him his water bottle and a clean white towel to which he gratefully took. He wiped away the beads of sweat that formed on his neck and face before taking a drink. As he took in the cold refreshing drink, his eyes drifted to the other side of the net where the Inarizaki players were huddled together. And there was (Y/N), doing the same thing as Kiyoko as she handed her teammates their water. She just gave her setter his water when she looked up and met his gaze.

His heart began to beat wildly against his chest and it had nothing to do with the high caliber game that was going on. Then she gave him that smile, the same smile that made him all warm and fuzzy on the inside, along with a small wave. His face began to burn bright red and for a few seconds he forgot how to breathe. Unfortunately, during those few seconds he was drinking his water which led to him having a small choking episode. Luckily, it wasn’t too bad so when he looked up and saw (Y/N)’s worried expression, wordlessly asking him if he was okay. Touched that she was worried for him, Asahi gave her a small nod and hoped it was enough to reassure her. 

The interaction lasted about maybe 45 seconds before the referee signaled for the game to continue but those 45 seconds were committed into memory, something he will cherish for a long time. He wondered if (Y/N) thought the same… 

“Are you remembering how you choked on your water when you looked at (Y/N)?” Suga laughed. “I thought you were going to pass out! Then we would’ve been in real big trouble!”

“I-It wasn’t that bad.” Aashi protested though he could feel his cheeks beginning to warm up. Trying to hide his blush, he grabbed a towel and wiped away the nonexistent sweat from his face. “She just surprised me, is all…”

Suga grinned at him. “How is it that you two are so adorably cute yet you guys aren’t even together?”

“Sorry?” The ace apologized with a confused look on his face because honestly he didn’t know what he was apologizing for. 

“Never mind. By the way, did Inarizaki’s ace say something to you when we shook hands?”

Asahi recalled that moment with Ojiro Aran. “Yeah, he did. He didn’t say anything bad. Just wished us luck in the next round.”

It was true…ish. His Inarizaki counterpart did wish him luck as well as some advice, something he wasn’t quite ready to share with his friends just yet.

“Huh, well that’s nice of him. He looks like a cool guy. The kind you want to hang out with, you know?” Suga remarked.

Asahi nodded. His eyes took a quick glance at the entrance, hoping to see the familiar maroon-colored Inarizaki jackets. He tried not to look disappointed when he didn’t see anyone on the team.

“I just can’t believe that Aran guy!” Suga exclaimed. “He was on a roll so many times. I can’t believe he jumped for the ball not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!”

“Uh-huh.”

Suga furrowed his brow at his friend’s lack of active response. He was just about to ask him what’s wrong when he took one look at his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was on his mind.

“Lighten up, Asahi, I’m sure your future girlfriend will walk through those doors any minute now.”

Another wave of heat washed over him as he tried to stutter out a reply. “I-It’s been a while. I wanted to talk with her before we go back to the inn.”

Initially, Suga was going to poke fun at the fact Asahi didn’t deny the ‘future girlfriend’ part but he decided against it. 

“I’m sure she’s with her team right now, Asahi. They lost their place in the Spring Tournament so they must be torn up. After all, they were the favorites to win this whole thing.”

“Yeah, I know. That's why I want to talk with her to see if she’s okay. I mean I know she’s a third-year so this is her last year, so I can’t help but feel bad.”

“I thought you guys agreed on being cool whatever the outcome was?” Suga asked.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t feel bad for her.” Asahi countered. “I mean, I’m happy we won but… I don’t know… I wished it was different.”

Suga sighed but he understood where his sensitive friend was coming from. “I get it, Asahi, but you also need to stand proud for what you accomplished, it’s almost like a slap in the face to her and her team if you don’t. I’m sure if (Y/N)-san was here, she’ll agree with me.”

Asahi slightly grimaced but he couldn’t find any fault in Suga’s advice. After all, he did make an agreement with (Y/N) before the match started that they would stay on good terms whatever the results may be. Still, the thought of her being sad, especially when he was the cause of it, made his heart tighten in anxiety.

The ace was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Suga’s hand on his shoulder, “Just breathe. Everything will work out in the end. So quit giving yourself a panic attack.”

“Right.” 

Following his friend’s advice, Asahi took a deep breath to calm his nerves and to get rid of the worst case scenarios in his head. It was difficult to say the least with each passing minute and there was still no sign of (Y/N) or her team. During the time he waited, he made the choice to sit on the bench closest to the entrance. 

Asahi was very much aware of the stares from the other players but he didn’t take it to heart. Instead, he kept his cool composure while his hands were balled up inside his black jacket. That’s when he felt his phone and an idea formed at once. He quickly pulled out his phone, clicked (Y/N)’s contact, but then stared at the blinking cursor.

‘What should I text her? Something short and sweet? No, it should be something meaningful. But if I do that then it will be a super long text and it might freak her out… Gah! Why is it so hard making a good text?’

“Listen up everybody!” Coach Ukai announced loudly. “We leave in a few minutes. Get your stuff and head outside.”

Focused on the task at hand, his mind wracked for the right words that would check off the metaphorical checklist of the perfect text. After a few rough drafts and deleting a few words here and there, Asahi was more or less sure, 85% sure, he wrote a good enough text. All he had to do was press the send button.

His thumb hovered over the button for a moment and at the same time his heart was beating like crazy. It’s unbelievable how nervous (Y/N) made him even when she’s not physically there next to him. He wished he could at least see her.

“Chop! Chop! Man-bun! Our ride is here!” 

Asahi shuddered under Coach Ukai’s nickname designed specifically for him. Without thinking, he hurried to pocket his phone, grabbed his bag, and joined his team. He looked over his shoulder one last time before following his team to the bus. Once he sat down, he took out his phone and opened up his messages when his heart jumped to his throat.

Message sent.

His message to (Y/N) has been delivered. 

He must have accidently sent it when he was getting his stuff together when Coach Ukai called him out. Maybe it was for the best. He wasn’t mentally ready to send the text but perhaps it was for the best. A little push from the gods to give him a little boost of confidence.

Now all he could do was wait for her reply. The anticipation of her response was suspenseful to say the least. Either way, at least he could breathe a bit more easily now that his text message was sent. He just wished he had another chance to talk with her.

~

(Y/N) stood right next to Suna as they all stood in line underneath their Inarizaki banner. Her attention focused on Riseki who was pointing the camera, ready to take the commemorative photo Kita had asked for. She put on her best smile and placed her hand on her hip, ready for the picture to be taken.

She felt a subtle shift in her hair and automatically her other hand went to pinch Suna’s arm as she knew how childish the middle blocker was for making bunny ears from behind. 

“Really, Suna?” She quietly chided, making sure to keep her smile on for the camera. “Bunny ears? What are you? Nine?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about, senpai.”

“Watch yourself, Suna. I know your phone’s passcode. Don’t tempt me.” 

Suna pouted slightly before removing his hand away. He’ll just have to time it the moment the picture is taken. Easy enough.

“Ready? Say cheese!” Riseki called out.

Ding! (Y/N)’s phone alerted her that she received a text message.

Bi-Bip! Kashik! The camera took the picture without a hitch.

Multiple events happened at once the moment Riseki took the picture. What was supposed to be a normal commemorative picture that enshrined Inarizaki’s great volleyball players turned out nothing of the usual. Everyone gathered around the first-year to look at the picture, hoping it turned out alright. It didn’t take long for opinions and excuses to start flying all around.

“What the heck, Samu!” Atsumu exclaimed to his brother. “Look at the camera, wouldja!”

Osamu shrugged his shoulders and offered his excuse, “I thought I caught a whiff of curry comin’ from outside.”

“Curry? You’re imagining things!” Ginjima laughed but he wouldn’t be surprised if the ever-so-hungry Miya was right.

Suna joined in on the banter as he said, “You’re hallucinating smells now? Scary.” 

“Like you’ve got room to talk, Suna!” Aran called out the middle blocker. “You weren’t lookin’ at the camera, neither! Or you, Akagi!”

The libero offered the ace a smile. “I was thinkin’ maybe we oughta go call coach.”

Ōmimi sighed while closing his eyes at his team’s antics. He looked at Riseki, who stared wordlessly at the camera’s screen with a sweatdrop rolling down his face. “Time it better next time.”

Suna took one more look at the picture and his lips formed a smile when he saw his bunny ears hand gesture behind (Y/N)’s head. Even with the silly hand gesture unbeknownst to (Y/N), the manager looked effortlessly beautiful with her smile. He was sure if the president of the yearbook club were to see this picture, he wouldn’t hesitate to put it front and center of the dedicated pages because of their lovely manager that could charm any guy with a smile.

Speaking of their manager, Suna never heard her opinions about the picture. He looked up and his eyes searched for her. It didn’t take long to find her. She was in the same spot as she was in the photo though this time with her phone in hand. Come to think of it, he remembered her phone notifying her that she received a message.

Who could be texting her? He had a pretty good guess.

“Yo.” He called out to (Y/N) before peering over her shoulder. His eyes strained to read the screen before she quickly pressed her phone to the chest. “Is the samurai guy texting you already?”

She turned around and gave him a soft glare. “Quit sneaking up behind me, Suna.”

Suna ignored his manager’s words as he swung his arm over her shoulders. “Don’t dodge the question. I’m right, aren’t I?”

“... Maybe.” (Y/N) smiled up at her friend. “How did the picture come out? Are we taking another one?”

“Nah. I think Kita-senpai liked it. Said it looked just like us or something like that. You looked great compared to the rest of us.”

(Y/N) playfully rolled her eyes, “I would hope so. You guys need a shower. Like badly.”

“I take it back. You looked horrible.” Suna huffed in what was supposed to be annoyance but the third-year manager knew better as she saw the playful glint in his eyes. “Now I don’t feel bad for doing bunny ears behind your back.”

“You’re such a rascal. Just wait, I’ll get even with you.” (Y/N) informed him with a mischievous glint in her (E/C) eyes.  

“I like to see you try.” Suna remarked as he removed his arm away from her. 

Ever the observer, he looked for any signs of sadness that (Y/N) may be hiding. Today’s loss was a harsh reality for the entire team’s expectations to make it far into this competition. He’ll never admit it to anyone but he did try his hardest to help his team win. He wanted to keep playing more matches with the third-years… 

“You okay?” He asked her after sharing a moment of silence. “You can tell me the truth. I won’t tell anyone.”

(Y/N) couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle, leaning her head back to look at the gym lights. She replayed all the best moments from the match with a fond smile across her lips. There were no regrets at all as she answered, “Honestly and strangely, I feel fine. I know you guys played your best against them so that’s all I could ask for. If anything, I’m grateful for Karasuno because I know for a fact this loss will only push everyone, including you, to become better. ”

Suna frowned at the idea of the extra drills and long practices that will no doubt be inevitable. But before the tiring thought could take over his entire mind, the sudden urge to win against Karasuno grew tenfold. By this time next year, Inarizaki will come out victorious.

“I haven’t lost you, have I, Suna?” (Y/N) asked in a teasing tone. “How on earth are you going to manage your third-year?”

“Don’t ask.” Suna groaned. “You’ve been with us since day one. It’s going to be weird without you and the rest of the third-years around. We’ll miss you.”

(Y/N) bit her lip in order to contain the laugh that threatened to slip out. “I’m not dying, Suna. I can’t stay in high school forever.”

“Not forever. Just stay another year with us.” Suna clarified.

“Tempting offer but this girl would like to step out into the real world. Besides, don’t pretend you aren’t going to send me daily texts. I’m counting on your videos to cheer me up.” (Y/N) smiled one more time at Suna before patting his back. “Now, come on. Let’s get going. We wouldn’t want to keep everyone waiting.”

“Oh? What’s the rush? Eager to see samurai-guy again?”

She could feel herself getting warm from Suna’s line of questions. Though it didn’t stop her from saying, “His name is Azumane Asahi.”

Suna exhaled but still smiled nonetheless. “If he cares for you, the same way you care for him then I guess I’ll remember his name.”

(Y/N) smiled at Suna and nodded. As the middle blocker made his way to follow the rest of the team, the manager slowly trailed after him. She took out her phone and reread the text Asahi sent her.

Hey (Y/N)-san. I don’t know if you want to hear from me or not but I hope you do. I wanted to talk with you face-to-face but I’m about to leave. I was waiting for you but I guess you were busy? I mean, I understand if you were. So if you’re free and if there’s any chance we could talk in person somehow, could you text me back? I want to explain myself to you (if that makes sense). Please… Thanks.

Even with words on a phone screen, (Y/N) can feel how anxious Asahi must have been when writing this message. It was almost adorable in a way. Then again, the fact that he said he waited for her really had her heart skip a beat.

She quickly typed her response:

Hi Asahi! I’m sorry we couldn’t meet up after the match. We were taking a picture and it took longer than expected lol. I’m sorry you waited for me. I wanted to talk with you too. Congrats on winning! It was a great game! If it’s okay with you, do you want to meet up tonight? Our coach is taking us out to eat so I’ll text you when we’re back at the hotel. 

It didn’t take long for another message to show up and she felt herself smile like a fool in love when she opened and read Asahi’s text.

If it’s no trouble then yeah let’s meet up. Enjoy your meal and see you soon.

(Y/N) smiled to herself once more as she held her phone close to her heart. She couldn’t wait to see him again. 

~Hours Later~

“SAMU!! QUIT STEALING MY ONIGIRI!!” 

“IT WAS MINE FIRST AND YOU KNOW IT!!”

(Y/N) sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time today but the amused smile never left her lips as she watched the twins continue to bicker. The other third-years sitting next to her also watched in amusement while adding their own comments.

“I’m gonna miss this.” (Y/N) confessed when she took a sip of her drink. “You can always count on the twins for entertainment.”

“Right? It’s going to be weird without hearing their arguments.” Aran laughed.

“Or separating their fights once every two weeks.” Akagi added.

“They’ll be fine.” Kita spoke up from the center of the table. “They all will.”

And strangely enough, no one doubted the captain’s words. (Y/N) had no doubt in her mind that by this time next year, their juniors will make it to Nationals once again and when that time comes, she’ll be there. 

“Hey (Y/N)-senpai? You’re still treating me to dessert, right?” Osamu asked from across the table. Sticky pieces of rice danced around his mouth but still had that hungry look in his eyes. 

“HUH?! If he gets dessert, then I should too!” Atsumu proclaimed.

Yeah. She’ll definitely be there for them. 

~

After leaving the restaurant with stomachs filled with ramen, curry, onigiri, and other delicious meals, the Inarizaki manager took her phone out and texted Asahi that she was on her way back to the hotel. With each passing minute, (Y/N) could feel herself become excited yet nervous at the same time. It wasn’t long until the familiar building of her hotel was right in front of her.

On the walk back to the hotel, she was laughing along with the rest of the third-years when she heard her name being called from outside the group. 

“Asahi!” (Y/N) greeted him with a wave. It was almost natural to have a smile on her lips; the crush she had on Karasuno’s ace was so obvious. She can practically feel her face burn with all the warm fuzzy feelings against January’s chilly air. 

“H-Hey (Y/N)!” He waved at her before giving the crowd of boys a nod of acknowledgement. His mind racked for the right words to say to them, but having ten or so guys staring (were they glaring at him?) made it almost impossible. Still, Asahi found the ability to speak and without stuttering he said, “Hey guys. Er, nice to see you again.”

While the first-years were too scared to reply and the second-years tried to maintain their silent dominance, it was Aran and Kita that finally broke the tension.

“Nice to see you too. Azumane, right?” Kita asked, giving the ace a warm smile. “You played a great game.”

“Oh, thanks! You guys did too.” Asahi returned the compliment, meaning every word. 

“Your receives were impressive, Azumane-san.” Aran followed up. “How’s your shoulder? Hope I didn’t hurt you too badly.”

Funny how at the mention of his shoulder, Asahi felt it throb in pain. Still, he made himself smile and lied, “It’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

“That’s good to hear.” Aran laughed in good nature. “Karasuno is definitely a team to watch out for. Hope you’re ready for tomorrow.”

There were a couple of scoffs and a few mumbles but Asahi was sure he heard someone say, “Day three is always hell.” But before he could ask, (Y/N) clapped her hands together and stood in front of him. 

“Guys, let’s not make Asahi nervous. He doesn’t need the extra stress.” She told her friends, making sure to give the second-years a pointed look just as Atsumu opened his mouth to say something. “Why don’t you all head inside? I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

Kita nodded. “Alright, don’t stay out too long. You’ll catch a cold.”

“I’ll make sure she stays warm.” Asahi was quick to say, not realizing the slight innuendo his words sounded until it was too late. “I-I mean-”

Atsumu stepped forward with Osamu right behind him. “Oh, now we’re definitely staying.” 

“No you are not.” 

The Inarizaki setter flinched under Kita’s ice cold words that felt like a punch to the gut. 

“B-But (Y/N)-senpai-”

“Let’s go, you two.” Aran placed his hands on each of the twin’s shoulders before forcing them to the hotel’s entrance. “I’m sure your company isn’t needed.”

“What are you talking about? I make great company.” Atsumu argued.

Osamu scoffed. “Not really.”

“Shut yer trap, ‘Samu!”

Kita sighed before facing (Y/N) and Asahi. “Sorry about them. They mean well. Go ahead and have your conversation.”

“Thanks, Shin.” (Y/N) told him as she hugged her friend. “You’re the best.”

“No problem.” 

With one final wave, the Inarizaki captain followed the rest of his team. He helped Aran push the resistant twins into the hotel, but not before Osamu yelled, “No funny business!” 

“Yeah! What ‘Samu said!” Atsumu called out from over Aran’s shoulders. “(Y/N)-senpai is our manager. Don’t hurt her!”

“QUIT TALKIN’ AND GET INSIDE, YA STUPID TWINS!” Aran yelled as he gave one last push to make the Miya brothers enter the hotel.

(Y/N) sighed before facing her crush. It wasn’t until now she realized how warm she felt until a cold breeze flew by. It was funny how a crush can emit such feelings. She wouldn’t deny she never had a crush before. Perhaps there were fleetings moments of admiration and adoration to some guys at school and an embarrassing fangirl crush on famous celebrities.

But never before have the butterflies in her stomach felt so impactful. Asahi has unknowingly made his way to her heart and caused the warm feeling of love to bloom.

Which is why she couldn’t help but smile up at Asahi. He looked taller up close. Broader too. His hair wasn’t in its usual style, instead it was in a low man bun with a few strands framing his face very well. His eyes remained kind and warm and she could feel herself fall deeper in love with him. 

“So,” (Y/N) began, her hand instinctively tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Your text said you wanted to talk? 

“Y-Yeah.” Asahi confirmed nervously. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything with your team. You guys look close.” 

She smiled at how anxious Asahi was behaving and a small part of her hoped it was because of her. “I could say the same thing about your team, but don’t worry about them. We spent the entire evening together so they should be fine without me for a while.”

“Are you sure?” Asahi asked, the worry in his voice was evident and (Y/N) knew she had to do something to help him calm down. “I-If y-you rather be with t-them-”

Without a second thought, (Y/N) took his hand and held it reassuringly, “I want to be with you.”

Her heart swelled when she saw how Asahi’s eyes seemed to light up as he asked, “Really?”

“Really.” She confirmed, her voice firm yet gentle that washed away all doubt in Asahi’s mind. “Now, come on. Let’s sit down and have a friendly chat.”

Never before has Asahi felt his heart beating so fast against his chest than it was at this very moment. He was feeling hot and cold at the same time. His stomach was in multiple knots with those metaphorical butterflies dancing between his ribcage. Was it weird for his mind to go a million miles a minute yet he couldn’t figure out what to say to the most beautiful girl he’d ever laid eyes on? 

(Y/N) looked like an angel sitting under the strings of outdoor lights. Even while wearing casual winter clothes with her maroon Inarizaki jacket and a red scarf, Asahi thought she looked ethereal. Her (H/C) hair looked so elegant, almost magical in a sense when he noticed tiny snowflakes decorating her head, like shimmering diamonds. Then there was that smile of hers. A smile that made him feel like he could do anything in the world. He wished he could see that smile of hers for the rest of his life.

“So, what did you want to talk about, Asahi?” (Y/N) asked, her eyes were bright and inquisitive. “Your text said you wanted to explain yourself?”

“Y-Yeah, I did.” He admitted, his hand rubbing the back of neck. He took a deep breath to calm down before facing his crush. “I-I wanted t-to apologize.”

(Y/N) furrowed her brow upon hearing this. “What? Asahi, what are you- H-Hey!”

He was bowing his head and before she could ask further questions, Asahi spoke, “I-I’m sorry that w-we ruined your chance to advance. Y-You guys were the favorites to win this whole thing! A-And it’s y-your last year too! I’m sorry we took your chance away. Please forgive me!”

Asahi didn’t dare raise his head after spilling everything he felt ever since the match ended. He could feel his ears beginning to burn against the cold air. The silence was unnerving and it didn’t help when his mind was overtaken by anxiety.

‘Why would (Y/N) ever forgive me?’ He frustratedly asked himself. ‘She probably hates me. No. I’m sure she hates me and probably everyone on my team.’

‘(Y/N) is not like that. She’s kind, considerate…’ The tiny voice of hope spoke up. ‘She doesn’t hate you. You’re friends-’

But the dark voice of anxiety and doubt took over. ‘For now. (Y/N) probably only agreed to talk to you so she can say it’s over. She doesn’t want anything to do with you. Why would she be friends with the person who stole her and her team’s chance to win?!’

“Asahi.” (Y/N)’s voice sounded so soft and full of care. It may sound crazy but just hearing his name in her voice made Asahi feel the warmest he has ever felt. “Please look at me.”

He didn’t want to but something in her voice reassured him, similar to a ray of sunlight after a hurricane. Slowly, Asahi looked up and his eyes immediately found comfort in (Y/N)’s eyes. His heart skipped a beat when he saw (Y/N) was smiling up at him, not an ounce of hate anywhere.

“I thought we agreed that whatever the outcome of the match, we’ll be okay?” (Y/N) asked before taking hold of his hand, the very hand she shook when they made the agreement. “We shook on it, remember?”

Asahi felt himself flush under her words but he still found the courage to speak as he said, “I-I just thought… You would, I-I don’t know…hate me after what happened today.”

“I would never! Today’s match was the result of everyone’s hard work. Everyone played amazing. You guys won fair and square. If there’s anything I should feel, I think being grateful comes to mind. In fact, I feel like I should thank you.”

“Thank me?” Surely, he must have heard her wrong.

But (Y/N) flashed him a bright grin and nodded, “You and your teammates gave motivation to my team the next time they get to Nationals. I’m not sure if you realized this, Asahi, but you guys represent Nationals to a lot of people now.”

“Are you sure? I feel bad. I want to do something, anything, to make you feel better.”

Out of everything that came to mind, Asahi wasn’t expecting to be punched in the shoulder by the girl he has a major crush on. It was just like yesterday, (Y/N)’s punch wasn’t as forceful as Suga’s nor was it delicate and yet it was enough to send shivers and goosebumps all throughout his body. Then when her eyes met his, Asahi swore his breath was taken away with how close she was to him.

“First, you can stop feeling bad. I’m okay, really.” Her hand lifted again and Asahi mentally prepared himself to be punched again only to have her hand on his shoulder. (Y/N) offered a gentle smile before continuing on. “And second, if you really want to make me feel better then take the win. Take it and do the same thing tomorrow. Play each set and win some more. I promise if you do that, I’ll be more than okay because I’ll be rooting for you.”

Just hearing her words of encouragement was enough to make his head spin. All the self-doubt threatening to take over his mind washed away. How does she do that? Say these words so easily that brought him back from the edge? Words that held such meaning that easily helped him calm down and breathe.

“Asahi? You okay?” 

“Ah! Yeah! Sorry! It’s just…” Asahi looked at his feet, his hand scratching his cheek. “You just surprised me is all…”

(Y/N) was taken aback before smiling, “I hope that’s a good thing. But I meant what I said, Asahi. Though if you’re still worried about me being sad and you were serious about making me feel better then maybe… You could do me a favor?”

Asahi jumped at the chance and nodded furiously. “Anything!”

It was hard to hide the laugh that threatened to escape but (Y/N) can’t help how adorable Asahi was behaving. He’s a teddy bear. Ugh! She just wanted to hug this gentle giant!

“Win the next match for us.” 

He opened his mouth to say something, anything really, but his mind was still reeling of how sincere (Y/N) was with him at this moment. His eyes never left hers, searching for any hint of sadness or bitterness. Instead, he felt himself getting lost the longer he gazed into those beautiful, kind eyes. 

After what felt like a lifetime, Asahi found his voice and for the first time his voice did not waver, “We will.”

(Y/N) smiled before nudging her shoulder against his. “That’s the spirit! Plus look on the bright side, Karasuno is getting popular. I’m sure after today you guys earned some fans cheering you on. You’re definitely going to have fans cheering you on.”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “I guess so. I just hope I don’t disappoint them tomorrow.”

“Hey!” A series of soft pats made their mark on his shoulder and Asahi could feel himself flush under her touch. “Think positive! Remember you’re not alone. You have your friends and the rest of your team that you can rely on.”

There was a moment of hesitation. He can see it in her eyes though it was gone because (Y/N) smiled at him and said words he won’t be forgetting anytime soon, “And if it helps, you have me too.”

She didn’t physically hug him but she might as well have with her words that filled Asahi’s whole being with warmth. 

“It does. Thanks, (Y/N). You-” Asahi stopped himself when he realized he was about to say something embarrassing. Instead he said what he always thought since yesterday, “You’re amazing.”

This time it was her turn to flush under his gaze. His warm brown eyes had her melting in her seat. Out of habit, (Y/N) let out a nervous laugh before playing with a strand of her hair, “I’m not as cool as you, Asahi, but thank you for saying that.”

The two high schoolers sat in comfortable silence underneath the twinkling lights and while neither one of them said a word they found themselves gazing at the dark sky full of stars. Maybe there was a stolen glance or two but no one said anything. 

“Hey, Asahi?”

“Yeah?”

“This is going to sound a bit weird but… What’s your star sign?”

Asahi furrowed his brow but he answered nonetheless. “I’m a Capricorn.”

For some reason, a childhood memory played in his mind and the thought of it made him smile. It was a bit silly thinking about it but it was a precious memory all the same. 

“You know, when I was a little kid I used to spend all my time looking for the Capricorn constellation.”

“Oh? Any reason why?” (Y/N) asked with genuine curiosity.

Asahi looked up at the sky full of stars. It was a shame they were in Tokyo as the bright city’s lights made the stars look faint, almost dim.

“Well, I thought that if I could find my constellation in the sky and make a wish it would come true.” The ace felt his neck grow hot when he confessed the next detail. “But whenever I couldn’t find it, I would go crying to my grandma.”

“Aww, Asahi.” (Y/N) cooed though there was a faint glint of amusement in her eyes. Her imagination took over as she thought of how cute Asahi must have been as a kid. He must have been the sweetest little kid with the biggest heart. “That’s adorable. Do you still look for your sign or did you grow out of it?”

“Will you think it's embarrassing if I admit I still do?” Asahi asked.

“Course not. I think it’s sweet to carry on your childhood tradition. I hope you made a lot of wishes.” (Y/N) looked back at the sky and sighed. “I wish I could see my star sign right now. I don’t even know what mine looks like.”

“Really?”

(Y/N) rubbed her hands together, trying to bring back some warmth. “You can’t really see the stars well back in Hyōgo.” 

Asahi rubbed his neck. “Well, if you want… I could show you.”

Surprised, (Y/N) looked at him before asking, “You would do that for me? You know you don’t have to, right?”

“I want to. You did a lot to help me. Besides, after looking at the stars for so long I’m sure I can find your star sign.” He looked at the sky and his heart physically deflated when he saw how faint the stars looked above the Tokyo city’s lights. “Though I won’t have any luck seeing any constellations tonight. I’m sorry.”

(Y/N) giggled before nudging her shoulder with his. “You really like apologizing, don’t you Asahi? It’s not like you could control the weather or light pollution. But it’s nice of you to offer. Maybe one day I can visit Miyagi and see what the stars are like from your perspective.”

Asahi felt his heart skipping a beat at the sound of her laughter and the smile in her eyes. While he only met her literally yesterday, he felt comfortable enough to relax around her, even if his heart was going a hundred miles an hour and his skin felt like lava.

He didn’t know where he found this extra boost of confidence to say, “I could show you around if you want. Miyagi has a lot of hidden gems that only locals know about. We can hang out i-if you want to.”

“I’d like that. Can’t wait for the tour.” (Y/N) said as she clapped her hands together in glee. “Maybe one day, you could visit Hyōgo and I could show you around too!”

“If it’s not a bother to you then yeah, I could pay a visit.”

“Great!” (Y/N) exclaimed. “Hyōgo has a lot of tourist attractions we can visit. I’ll show you all my favorite spots! Oh, like the Kobe Port Tower! It’s 108 meters high and it's designed to look like a traditional Japanese drum. It has an observation deck where you can see for miles! It even has a revolving cafe! Or if you don’t like heights, there's the Himeji Castle. It’s a very popular tourist spot because of its architecture-” 

It was only then she realized how much she was rambling. She glanced at Asahi only to find him already staring at her with those warm brown eyes, as if she did something amazing. Embarrassed, (Y/N) tried to hide herself behind her red scarf.

“Sorry.” What was she apologizing for? (Y/N) didn’t know. Maybe Asahi’s habit of excessive apologizing was starting to rub off on her. “I got excited for a second. I ramble whenever it’s a topic I’m passionate about. I know architecture is a bit boring to some people but I think it’s so cool to see the different kinds of designs buildings can have and- Oh. Sorry I’m rambling again.”

“I don’t mind.” Asahi told her along with a soft smile. “I think it’s cute.” 

(Y/N)’s eyes widened when she heard her crush calling her cute. Did he realize what he just said? Or did she imagine it? So she had to ask, “Did you just say cute?”

The look on Asahi’s face quickly morphed into one of panic as he tried to jumble out a reply with an obvious blush painting his face, “I- Uh? No? I mean, I did. B-But I-I meant you’re rambling. N-Not you specifically. W-Wait! I think you’re cute too! P-Pretty even!”

(Y/N) couldn’t hold back her laughter at how panicked Karasuno’s ace was currently behaving. So strong on the court and yet he was practically shaking like a fall leaf. 

“Asahi, it’s okay. Breathe.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping it offered comfort. “It’s just me.”

“I-I know.” He took a deep breath before facing her. “But I meant what I said. A-About you.”

There goes her heart again, beating like crazy against her chest. “Thanks Asahi… I… I think you’re pretty cute too. And you’re an amazing player.” She sighed longingly. “I just wish I can see you guys play again.”

“Wait,” Asahi furrowed his brow, concerned . “You aren’t coming to the match tomorrow?”

“I…I don’t know. I heard the coaches talk about it during dinner. Apparently, the principal called. He expected us to place further along in the tournament and since we didn’t… Well, there’s a chance we might go back to Hyōgo tomorrow morning.”

“Oh.” He couldn’t hide the bitter disappointment in his voice. Now more than ever, he didn’t want this night to end. It might sound a bit silly but he wanted to keep seeing (Y/N). Today’s victory dimmed in comparison now that he learned this might be the last time he’ll see (Y/N) in a long time. “Sorry again.”

“Hey, come on, Asahi.” (Y/N) got up from her spot and stood in front of him. “You don’t have to keep apologizing. There’s nothing to forgive.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes pleaded for the truth. 

(Y/N)’s light chuckle pulled his heartstrings and the vibrations sent warmth from his chest all the way to his fingertips. He can feel himself falling in love with her all over again when she surprised his soul out of his body the moment her hands touched his. She pulled him towards her and he was so anxious he almost tripped over his own feet as he stood in front of her. 

Then Asahi felt it. Her arms wrapped around his torso bringing him close. It was a hug that sent a huge swarm of butterflies in his stomach. She was so close, closer than he has ever been to her. Wait… That’s not exactly true. Yesterday, when he saved (Y/N) from getting hurt, he was able to pull her aside just in time. (Y/N) stood right next to him with his arm around her. It was the first time he ever did something that brave and he remembered every second of it in that short moment.

But that moment of (Y/N) being next to him so close only lasted a minute. Asahi thought nothing could top the moment he met the girl that made his heart race. 

Boy, was he wrong. Maybe his so-called bad fortune from his new year shrine visit was wrong. Or maybe the gods thought it was time to cut him a break. Perhaps he did something in his past life that granted him this moment right now. Whatever it was, he didn’t want this moment to end.

(Y/N) had her ear pressed into Asahi’s firm chest as she continued to hug him. She could hear how fast his heart was beating and she smiled to herself because of it. It was cute that she had this kind of effect on her crush. 

“(Y/N)?” His deep voice reached her ears and while she couldn’t see him she could imagine the nervous expression on his face. “Is this okay? You hugging me? I mean, w-we only met yesterday…”

“Are you uncomfortable with me hugging you, Asahi?” 

“No!” He was quick to reply. “I just meant… You don’t have to hug me.”

“You’re my friend and this is my way of showing you that there’s really nothing to forgive. You don’t have to apologize anymore.” She pulled away and smiled brightly up at him. “Deal?”

“Deal.” 

“Good.”

“Great.”

“Amazing.”

“Awesome.”

“Cool.”

“Uhh… Warm?”

(Y/N) raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “I-I don’t know. You’re warm so I said what was off the top of my head.”

The two high schoolers stared at each other before they laughed together. They were still in each other’s arms but they made no movement to separate. If anyone were to walk by and saw them together, no one would have any doubts about how genuine young love can be.

Which is why they were surprised to hear a familiar voice that broke the calm, soothing atmosphere around them. 

“Oh? Asahi-senpai! I didn’t know you had a girlfriend!” 

(Y/N) pulled away but she didn’t stray too far as she stood her ground by Asahi’s side. Her eyes met with the innocent yet excited eyes of Karasuno’s #10, Hinata Shoyo and not far from him was the other half of the terrifying duo, Kageyama Tobio. Well, at least no else was here- Oh. Wait. Was that Tsukishima on a bicycle? 

“Hinata!” Asahi shouted before turning back to (Y/N). “Sorry about him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

The manager smiled and reassured him that it was okay. She then turned to face Karasuno’s first years and introduced herself. They did the same and Asahi was just about to sigh in relief when-

“So are you Asahi-senpai’s girlfriend?” This time it was Kageyama who asked.

(Y/N) felt her neck warm up and it wasn’t because of her scarf. Out of habit, she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before answering, “No, I’m not. I’m just a friend.”

Hinata and Kageyama looked satisfied with the answer. However, Tsukishima looked unconvinced. His calculated eyes looked at his upperclassman as if asking for the truth. Asahi tried to convey the silent message to leave them alone to the middle blocker, hoping they could leave them alone. Preferably before the duo could ask any more embarrassing questions.

“Hey, Asahi-san, why are you holding hands-”

“Come on, you two,” Tsukishima, Asahi’s savior right now, grabbed their collars. He bowed before his upperclassmen before dragging his teammates. “We finished your nightly jog. It’s time to get back.”

“Ack! You’re choking me!” Hinata cried.

“You don’t have to push! Besides, Asahi has to come too!” Kageyama argued, clearly frustrated at how he was being manhandled by the snarky middle blocker.

“No. Asahi’s right where he has to be.” Tsukishima stated. “You idiot.”

“HUH?!”

(Y/N) watched in amusement as the trio of first years entered their little inn. “They sure are interesting.”

“Sorry about that. They can be a bit much.”

“Oh, that’s okay. The Miya twins are like that too. But I think… I should let you get back. It’s getting late and you need your sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day for you.”

“Right. Tomorrow…” Asahi wished there were more than 24 hours in the day. “So I guess this is it?”

“Yeah...”

Her hand was still interlocked with his but did not make the effort to leave. She still wanted to spend time with him. Instead, she said, “So, um, good luck tomorrow. I might not be there in person but I’ll be cheering for you.”

“Thanks. That means a lot.”

“You got this Asahi.” She gave him one last hug. “I know you do.”

The ace hugged her back one last time before he awkwardly pulled away. (Y/N) cleared her throat before smiling.

“Keep in touch?” She asked.

Asahi nodded. “Of course. I’ll call you before and after the match.”

“Okay… You know, Asahi, I’m glad we’ve met each other. You’re not like any guy I’ve ever met.”

“That’s a good thing, right?”

(Y/N) laughed but nodded. “Yes. I’m glad we've become friends. I would have hated for you to be someone I used to know.”

“Me too… So I guess, this is goodbye?” Asahi couldn’t hide the sadness in his voice. His eyes landed where their hands were still connected. 

“Mmm, it’s more like see you later. We’ll see each other again.”

It was a silent promise under the endless night sky where the moon and stars were the only witnesses to see how enchanted Karasuno’s ace and Inarizaki’s manager were with each other. 

~ Meanwhile inside Inarizaki’s hotel room~

“Say Aran-kun.”

“What’s up, Osamu?”

“I wasn’t going to ask but (Y/N) brought it to my attention so I’m curious. What did you tell Azumane when you shook hands?”

“Oh that?” Inarizaki’s ace smiled to himself as he recalled that specific moment. “I just gave him friendly advice.”

“Which was?”

“Please don’t hurt my friend.”

~

Next: Chapter 5

[bimir]

it's not something strange or unique to say that after the last haikyuu movie, most of us got into it again, but at the same time, I know for sure that I'm not the only one who benefits the most from this re...union.

I went to see the haikyuu movie alone, and at first, it didn't hit me that much. maybe it was because I couldn't help but wonder how much I would have enjoyed it with my best friend, but we are grown-ups now and long distance.

after a couple of days, the internet was full of haikyuu content again, just like during lockdown, and because of that, I also got into it again and realized how much of a masterpiece it is.

haikyuu is well known, but in my opinion, it is underestimated and categorized by others as just a silly volleyball-sport anime. it saddens me so much that there are so many people who will never get to embrace this piece of art.

Furudate not only created a coming-of-age story, a story that inspired and still inspires generations to fight for their dreams, to engage in the complex mess of relationships, teamwork, and partnerships. haikyuu teaches you that if you really do have a dream, and if you are really ambitious, if you work hard for it, your time will come too. but it also teaches you that not choosing to be great is not a tragedy; your dreams of what a good life means can be different from the ideals of others: "life is unfair, but damn it, at the same time, it is really fair too."

so why did I go on writing about this? because I can't comprehend how haikyuu manages to be there for me at the best time—or the worst, better said—how it really took its "comfort anime" title seriously for me. I started haikyuu in my last year of high school: extremely stressed, depressed, and anxious, so scared of what the upcoming end would mean for me that I'd tricked myself into living by coming to the conclusion that I'd simply not make it to 18 if I didn't see a future for myself. it seemed only fair and the universe would do its thing, no? I know, kinda depressing and triggering, but it did help that miserable me then, it did help but not in the way I prayed it would. the universe didn't send me "death," it sent me life and hope through haikyuu. feeling so empty, so bland for such a long time, haikyuu managed to make me laugh and cry. it doesn't sound like much, but real ones know what I'm talking about. seeing their connection, their ambition, the troubles and feelings I was so desperate to put into words right in front of me saved me from my misery. I began to wish to live, to wish to be like them, to wish to fight, to wish to connect again with people.

now, after almost 4 years, I'm in my last year of uni. the main reason for my depression back then in high school was because I didn't know what to do with my life, what uni and career to choose. hell, I didn't know I would take this path until last autumn, but here I am, on my way to becoming a teacher. it's hard, really hard, but right now, after the new movie, I finally committed to start and finish the manga even though I knew bits and pieces of what happens. it was the best time to read it now. over these 3-4 years, I pondered why I couldn't start getting into the manga and see for myself what happens, but damn it was the best time to read it now. seeing them go all out on their path, learning that in order to succeed you need to fight and fight and fight, to push through, to overcome your limits, to push yourself, to not take it easy if you really want it, came at the best time as I got into a slump and a burnout from learning too much but also not learning enough. I've got to see all of the characters continuing to be pros while fighting for their way, but also choosing to let go of something they once loved in order to live a normal life.

haikyuu is like a reminder that there is more to life than just your high school/childhood years, that your path could take a 180-degree turn at any point, but at the same time, it makes you appreciate those times and not want to sweep your childlike wonder, your growth, and mistakes under a rug. Furudate was a genius for creating haikyuu, and I really hope and pray that haikyuu will continue to be there, to comfort and save future generations until the end of time.

[gayaest]

I just want to say your Paravolley AU has helped me a lot with overcoming internalized ableism, made me learn about sitting volleyball, and has also gotten me to read and watch Haikyuu again after years. I've been a volleyball person my whole life but I got a sports injury in highschool and now use a cane (and hopefully a rollator walker in the future).

Kageyama Tobio has always been my favorite character and seeing him in your AU hit me really hard. Though we don't have the same injury, I saw myself in your portrayal of him very much.

Your AU had made me re-evaluate the Haikyuu manga and anime through a disabled lense, and made me fall in love with Furudate's story all over again. Even stronger than it was before. And I adore the parallels you decided to put with your own AU.

I've since been searching up if there's sitting volleyball in my area (with little luck so far but dammit I'm going to keep looking). I'm so disappointed that it's never been brought up to me when I got injured. I'm upset that I was convinced that I'd never have a place in volleyball again. I legitimately started crying tears of joy when I learned sitting volleyball existed.

Thank you so much for your AU. I think it'll have a special place in my heart for a long time.

This is a genuinely sweet and kind-hearted message, and I have to thank you for sending it.

It means a lot that my AU brings comfort to not only myself, but other disabled people as well — the idea that my experiences, thoughts, feelings, research, etc is being put to good use to help and soothe people is more than I could ever wish to achieve or want.

I think something so important in my AU with Kageyama is that he wasn’t born disabled, he got his spinal cord injury at one of the worst points in his life, while simultaneously losing his support system (grandfather). He had no idea how to cope with becoming disabled because the people he surrounded himself with previously (MiddleSchool Volleyball Team) all turned their back on him and his drive to still want to play volleyball and feel lost without it. In turn, he turns that anger and fear and disappointment into internalized ableism, and even some outwards ableism he doesn’t even realize he needs to fix, because it’s just something most able-bodied people get told or believe. He pushes himself past his limits, hoping that he could one day be back to his old self, but that old self no longer exists, and that’s something the Karasuno Sitting Volleyball team teaches him. They teach him acceptance, support, community, etc when he didn’t even know it existed before.

I’m glad my AU can resonate with so many people, and I wish I could blab even more about it because it’s always in my head constantly, so if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask about it.

Furudate’s story is truly amazing, and to me, it doesn’t lose it’s charm and meaning for me as a disabled person, in fact, in makes me want to form even bigger bonds with community and other disabled people.

Thank you again for the ask, anon! It’s very sweet.

[bluestarjay]

Most of my hinata headcanons are based on the fact that most people write him pretty shallowly- as nothing more than his height and love of volleyball, his need to fly, and the fact he's friendly. The really well written stuff writes him well, as a kind of enigma, but even then, one of his main traits is: Oh, he's pure sunshine!! His eyes shone with pride and determination, a hunger to win; to fly, etc, etc. Right? With most ships, it's just about how beautiful he looks in the sunset/sunrise with his hair and eyes. My point is that he's mischaracterized without really being mischaracterized because it's all *true*. he is absolutely gorgeous, and he does have a hunger to win and fly, and volleyball is his entire world, but there's sooooo much more still.

Normally, I hc him according to canon; according to scenes from the manga/anime, and then further analyzing it, yk? But I *truly* think hinata shoyo would be a good liar and hard to read.

It's already somewhat canon that people find him confusing, in the fact that he's a people pleaser and switches up really quickly to make people happy. He'll say something, and then someone will disagree, and he'll immediately switch up so that person won't dislike him for his different opinion, ykwim?

And then people never know what he's thinking, either. He's completely oblivious to his own feelings but is hyper aware of other people's feelings. He doesn't notice when he's running a fever of 102° but notices that someone has 2/5 symptoms of the flu 💀💀 like my guy can remember suuuuper specific details about a person's life, like the day their great aunt's cat died, but forgets his own bday.

He's actually really smart, but he's failing all his classes bc he can't focus. I think he'd be really good at math, but really only with like decimals and uhh money math, like he's good at calculating tax and saving money, but that's bc he grew up especially poor and had to be cautious with money. He'd probably be better with Japanese literature than English literature bc obvi that's his native language, and I think he'd really like linguistics post Brazil.

But, he also has his signature death stare, and I kinda came up with a hc based off it; since we all agree he has adhd, a part of it is zoning out, and i think he'll sit hunched over like L and just do his little death stare out to nothing or nowhere in particular, or will sit on his bed zoned out doing the death stare out towards the door, with the lights off, and someone will walk in and scream. He just randomly hunches over like L sometimes, and daichi will tell him that it's bad for his back, and he'll say, "But it's comfy :(" actually I think I'm just writing autistic hinata rn oopsies it's ok tho we love autism hcs here!!

Since he's really small (probably underweight actually), he can fit into really small spaces, and he thinks they're comfy (me guys). But at the same time, he loves big fields and gyms bc he likes to run around. Basically, he says and does really conflicting things, and it confuses people, which is another reason he was bullied in middle school.

He started doing the death stare as a defense mechanism in middle school actually, bc older, taller kids tried to use that to their advantage and bully him, but glaring at them weird made them walk away. Also, contrary to popular belief, I hc he can fight. So many people have just decided he's, like, too weak to fight or smth?? Like they think he can't defend himself physically, which I personally think he could, but yk, anxiety, so he doesn't. Like my guy is an athlete, have you seen him?? He may be small, but if he wasn't frozen in fear and anxiety, he could beat someone's ass!!

I said before I actually do think he could lie, bc one again, he's a people pleaser, and I feel like once when he was a kid, a family friend or someone or like when he was at a friend's house, they made dinner and he didn't like it, so he lied about liking it, but the person knew he lied and called him out on it and he cried bc he lied abt liking it and lying is bad, but also telling them he didn't like the food is rude, which is also bad. So then he decided he'd learn how to lie. Also, ik he uses his height and baby face to his advantage!! ***Depending on the person*** he can get away with just about anything bc "🥺🥺🥺" and then when everybody else calls him out for it he's like "L fuck you hehehe 😜💪💪" Like he drew a 🍆 pp on the wall or something once and then blamed it on kageyama and the teacher believed him.

And even though he's a people pleaser, he's managed to find peace in playing pranks and being mean, in a normal teenager way ofc, because suga helped him come out of his shell (suga purely bc he is mischievous but still responsible and nice)(and then suga asks Asahi why he can't be like hinata bc Asahi can barely even write with pencil on a desk, let alone sharpie anything so 'vulgar' on school property (it's not *just* because he's scared bc it's vulgar it's also bc he doesn't think those kinds of jokes are funny, and simply doesn't understand why writing on school property is fun (that's how I feel, idk 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️) ))

BTW, guys, half of these are to spite my friend who calls hinata a "bean 🥺" even though she's not on Tumblr. Also, I think I'm gonna start organizing these kinds of posts so they're easier to read, haha. Does anyone want any character specific hc posts since I always do hinata?

[cursedvibes]

I think that BNHA is kinda too long (like it's better if it were shorter, more compact) and JJK is kinda too short (there are still many plotholes). What do you think?

You know what series that have the perfect length and ending for me? Haikyuu! I really love this series. What an amazing series with great characters...(If you have not read/watch them, please do). Also, Naruto! Yes, I dislike the few last arcs and the last big "villain" (alien, really). But overall, Naruto have better ending and conclusion for their characters, right?

Hmm, it's hard for me to judge... I have only read/watched MHA until some time after Villain Academia and then the rest more sporadically. Even before that I skipped through some parts. I definitely agree that some parts feel very long like for example that school festival, where I wouldn't have a problem if it was cut altogether, but then again I generally don't care about all the Class A shenanigans. So this might just be an issue with me not being the target group. Arcs like that can definitely enhance character's characterization. The main trios in jjk and Naruto could've used some more of that to make their bond as a group more believable.

JJK is definitely too short and left too many issues it brought up unanswered or tied them up very hastily (like everyone moving on way too quickly from the Shinjuku fight, the end of the Culling Games and the merger, Tengen & her barriers, not to mention the whole problem with cursed energy itself and the foreign invasion...there's just so much). Although I don't think it needed that much more time to do all that. I've always expected the manga to only go on for maybe 20 more chapters and it didn't need all that much more time. Even with the last 5 chapters you could've done way more. At least wrap the main problems up a little more satisfactorily and don't just casually brush past trauma. Especially with 269 Gege really dragged their feet and wasted time on things that don't matter instead of addressing the real problems. You could've included at least a little bit of Sukuna's backstory to then lead into his talk with Mahito. That would've made that moment hit way more. So we didn't need that much more, Gege just needed better time/space management.

With Haikyuu I only watched until the beginning of the 4th season so far and still have to watch the movie(s) as well. It's a great sports anime. I mean, I hate volleyball in real life, but watching the anime I actually find myself enjoying the sport second-hand. 😅 Haikyuu and other sports anime/manga have an advantage compared to battle shonen though, particularly in regards to endings. The stakes are much smaller and usually the viewer/reader already kinda knows how the story will end. They will reach nationals or win a big competition and then they'll either go on to be good athletes or graduate high school and get a regular job. They have advanced in their sport, matured, overcome some mental and physical blocks and the rest kinda goes on like normal life. You usually don't have all that much difference from a real life setting either with maybe only the sport having some (borderline) supernatural elements, but nothing that needs much to be resolved. In sports anime it's all about the road to the end and how well the sport is conveyed. Honestly, it often has more similarities in slice-of-life stories in terms of the goals of the genre. Unlike Naruto, MHA and JJK, Haikyuu isn't setting out to restructure society as we know it and overthrow a corrupt system, so the expectations the ending needs to fulfill are much lower. There isn't all that much you can fumble as long as you have solid characterization and fun sport.

As to Naruto's ending being better than JJK's...eh idk...I think where JJK did too little with it's setting and all the larger scale problems it set up, Naruto did too much. It explained too much. I did not need to know where chakra itself came from and it went with its scale way too large. Naruto works best when it's kinda grounded and working on addressing problems of childhood trauma and the horrors of war. If you throw in aliens and shinobi that are basically fighting with spiritual Godzillas it gets too big for its own good and loses its core appeal. I'd say both Naruto and JJK's ending are pretty bad. They both fail to change the fundamentally corrupt system they introduced and merely put different people at the top, while not addressing the root problem. They both still have child soldiers in the end, the child soldiers just now feel a little better about their situation. I mean, at least Yuuji didn't go on to condone slavery he previously swore to wipe out I guess. He also isn't trapped in an unhappy marriage...so win? Also while surprisingly little people died in the final battle and the ones who did die were brushed off pretty easily (if there's one thing Naruto knows how to do, it's show people grieving), more happened than just one side character dying in a way that ruins his entire story arc (Neji died protecting the main branch like he was always supposed to do yay). And Naruto had a much larger scale war, where you'd expect a lot more casualties. Sukuna might destroy Tokyo and Furnace is like a bomb, but he's way less dangerous for the world or country at large than Madara or Kaguya. So it's weird that so little people (of importance) actually died in Naruto. But yeah, both not very satisfying endings and final arcs that I try to avoid when engaging with the series.

As for character arcs in Naruto being better. Hm, it's true that not many of the characters in JJK got a very satisfying end. Yuuji is quite good, Sukuna as well in theory although we lack a lot of the groundwork for his development to really hit, Megumi is...debatable...he got to some kind of end, but I think he was way underutilized in the ending overall. Gojo got an end that I think is quite good, if controversial, although I think you could've done more there as well, especially about how he affects the story and characters after his death. He's happy with his death, but there's more to it than just his personal feelings. Nobara is not that important in the grand scheme of things, what little arc she had was concluded in Shibuya, so I guess she did what little she was given alright. Maki had a very interesting arc, but Gege kinda forgot about it when the Culling Game arc ended and we moved into Shinjuku. There is so much more you could've done with the Zenin Clan's massacre, her new body, the effect of Mai's death on her psyche and her parallel with Toji, even explore her similarities with Sukuna more, but we kinda didn't really get anything in the last arc for her. She's strong now. Cool, I guess.

With Naruto it's...okay I would say. Nothing incredible except for a few characters like Obito, Kakashi, Gaara, Gai and...Orochimaru maybe. Naruto gets the acknowledgement he wanted, he becomes Hokage and he brings Sasuke back to the village. For a brief moment, before he leaves again to only come back sporadically. Naruto kinda got what he wanted, even if I don't find it very exciting (might just be me not liking his character in general for the majority of Shipudden). Sasuke got fucked over though. Yes, he got some form of peace, but he still can't really stand being in the village, the fundamental problems he had with it didn't go away and while his clan theoretically can live on in Sarada, he doesn't seem all that happy about it. He can barely stand being around his new family. So not much of a win really. I can't say which ending in terms of character arcs I prefer more between JJK and Naruto. They both have things they did well and some that went absolutely horrible. Same as with their story you could say.

[whywoulditho]

hq movie review!!!

(not spoiler-free)

went to see the haikyuu movie: dumpster battle today and i wanted to share my thoughts!!

first of all the movie had better animation than season 4 of the series! even though it stuck with the same animation style and character designs this was a much more neatly done project for sure. it felt like they had finally adapted into the style and managed to bring out the best version of it. in that sense i feel like season four was their experimental phase, if that makes sense? the movie's animation was so much smoother than i expected. i still prefer the first three seasons' style, but this wasn't bad at all in my book.

they used the same OSTs from the series as far as i've noticed, and they did make the match dramatic enough in most parts, (-we'll get to those other parts) and the voice cast did a good job as always.

they cut the arc a little shorter, trying to fit it into a 1h 30m runtime. it's a three set match so it was bound to be shorter than the five set matches like the shiratorizawa and the inarizaki matches, but it still deserved a good two hours in my opinion. you might think, well obviously they weren't going to animate every single point but honestly? furudate drew almost every single point and people READ that, on paper. we would have eaten up a two hour long movie. but well, since it's all done let's talk about what we had, and what we didn't.

the movie opened with a redrawn version of the season one scene where hinata meets kenma for the first time. it was a nice, nostalgic touch. they kept focusing on the random crow and cat they added to the background of the scene for peak symbolism and frankly i kinda loved that. i don't care that it's overdone it's still good okay? 😤

oh and even though they reanimated that first scene, there were still many instances in the movie where they cut to flashbacks from earlier seasons taken straight from the original version with the older animation style.

the first half of the movie was weaker than the second. they skipped a bunch of points and tried to only show the important lines but without the leading rallies the lines just looked kinda goofy and out of place. this one for example,

when they threw in this line i was kinda thrown off?? because like, the build up just wasn't there? does that make sense? this whole bit about yamaguchi finally catching up to tsukishima and then actually surpassing him was very well done in the manga. and it was a huge thing too, the two of them were the first page art of that volume, but the movie tried to get it over with in like, thirty seconds, i'm not even joking.

this part:

was made into a weird little slideshow type of thing that transitioned into their high five and it looked so goofy to me... i'm sorry. i just wanted them to have this moment so badly. and they did, kind of, but it wasn't all that satisfying.

also, they didn’t give us tsukkiyama having a telepathical conversation, HOW DARE YOU.

tendou and tsutomu watching the match on tsutomu's ipad was also in the movie! i was really happy to see that because that's one of my favorite things from this arc lol. though they didn’t give much of tsutomu's frustration with tendou.

the first half was pretty bland, accurate to the manga but with most inner monologue cut and some parts skipped.

through the middle they gave us the kuroken childhood flashbacks, it was cut shorter than it was in the manga. and get this, i feel like the way they delivered their childhood memories were like they wanted to make them more about kuroo's love for volleyball than exploring kuroken's bond with each other. i feel like the movie tried too hard at focusing on one thing at a time, they cut the tsukkiyama scene short because during that bit they were focusing on kenma. they cut the kuroken memories short because they were trying to focus only on kuroo.

this kept going, honestly. even though this match was ALL about parallels and the bonds these characters have with each other, friendships and rivalries. in the manga, furudate made this match about exploring ALL the dynamics he'd been building up since the beginning. it was more random, yes, but that's what made it natural. kenma and hinata's rivalry/friendship, kenma and kageyama's rivalry, yaku and nishinoya's rivalry, kuroo and daichi's rivalry, tsukishima and kuroo's mentor-student relationship, nishinoya and asahi's trust bond, whatever the fuck yamaguchi and tsukishima had going on. the man took the time to give us crumbs of all these dynamics in the middle while a volleyball game was kind of just playing in the background. i know that sounds like i'm saying playing volleyball wasn't the main point, that's because that is what i'm saying. inarizaki v karasuno was about volleyball. shiratorizawa v karasuno was about volleyball. nekoma v karasuno wasn't. it was about two teams. because furudate made sure that we know every single player in each team, through and through.

this match wasn't just a simple match, it's something that they never shut up about since season one. this match was the end goal of all the relationships and parallels and dynamics they have been building for these characters, and the movie did a half-assed job delivering their fated battle.

it's like they looked at the arc and thought, "this is about hinata defeating kenma. let's focus on that and mention everything else briefly." so it was a whole mess of characters throwing these one liners back and forth and you just sitting there trying to catch up. look, maybe i'm blinded by nostalgia. but i don't remember feeling this way while reading the manga.

(edit: totally forgot to mention this but THEY CUT OFF THE COACHES' BACKSTORY !!! no young nekomata :((( )

okay, moving on, they did give us the birdcage scene:

and better than the manga, if i'm being honest. like i know it's a bad picture but LOOK at that composition. i love it so much.

they also included the one where kenma and shoyo shoved knives up each other's throats (they're such good friends fr 🤧)

they did this scene:

so well i was about to cry. shoyo literally screamed it was kinda overdone but i'll take it. kuroo's laugh was beautiful.

there was also this other scene where kenma is exhausted from running and is just desperately trying to keep playing and they did this amazing 360 degree perspective shot from his pov and IT WAS SO GOODDD. the heavy breathing kept getting louder and intenser and you could literally FEEL his breath and the voice acting in that scene was top notch i had fucking goosebumps. there was this bit where he faced the ground and his sweat was dripping down on the floor and YOU COULD SEE HIS REFLECTION ON THE WATER DROPS?? LIKE???? i'm still shocked this studio pulled that off you guys it was awesome.

and at the end of the match, they took this scene,

and made it 10 TIMES BETTER?? AS IF THAT'S POSSIBLE???

in the movie my boy kenma was fucking FLOORED. he was lying on the ground all sweaty and limbless and he had this beautiful smile on his face as he looked up at kuroo and said this line. I LOVED THAT SO, SO MUCH YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW WARM IT MADE MY HEART. THANK YOU WHOEVER LOOKED AT THIS BEAUTIFUL PANEL AND THOUGHT, "YOU KNOW WHAT, I CAN MAKE THIS EVEN GAYER"

oh, and they also included this for some reason lol:

okay, so, the movie wasn't as bad as we thought it would be.

i was really surprised by the quality of animation. they definitely solved the problem they had in season four where even the smallest movement always looked stiff. i don't think they paid enough mind to what the arc was actually about, to be honest. they tried to make this into just another one of their matches. well, maybe it was and i'm just reading too much into the character dynamics, who knows..

oh, and the bitter sweet news is that in after credits they teased the kamomedai match. since we're getting only one last movie for the finale it was a given that either the kamomedai match or the time skip were going to be cut short or cut off entirely. well, it doesn’t seem to be the kamomedai match... so. yeah. i guess we're kissing our beloved brazil and V league and olympic arcs goodbye. there was no way they did all of them justice anyway.

while the time skip is a high sacrifice i have to say i'll still be pretty happy if they make the kamomedai game full-length. that's my favorite match in the whole series and it definitely deserves more love. i doubt it will receive any if it comes in the expense of the time skip though...

so have you seen the movie? let's chat on the comments!!!

[hiuythn]

Hi, how are you? If you don't mind me asking, what are your top 7 favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series/etc)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before...... Thanks....

hi! I'm doing great, thank you for asking! I haven't thought of a top 7 before so that's interesting to think about. hm...I guess it would probably be:

1. Haikyū!! (it's so simple but it's so good. I heard Furudate created it to get people into volleyball and I'm confident in saying that he succeeded. there's just something so refreshing about it, but underneath everything, it still manages to communicate a thoughtful message that where you are today is not where you'll be tomorrow, and that the journey brought on by your passion—while it may not get your end—still has meaning in its pursuit.)

2. The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by Meatbun doesn't Eat Meat (xianxia danmei. my god, I went into this novel thinking it was another low-hanging fruit enemies to lovers type bait where the ML is basically abusive and the MC is a weak backboned twink, but no. no the story had me screaming, sobbing, and begging the author to stop because it hurt too much. I was in tears and I was laughing and I was in love and I was praying for them to be happy so, so bad. it's actually insane. NOTHING will beat how Meatbun managed to make me reconcile Chu Wanning's cold exterior with his soft heart, and Mo Ran's past life with his current one. I was actually baffled by how many fucking revelations, foreshadowing, and plot twists (that made sense and didn't come out of left field entirely) this book managed to have. Meatbun expertly weaved humor, tragedy, horror, mystery and romance all into one misleadingly-packaged book and I feel delightfully bamboozled.)

3. Turning by 쿠유 (Korean historical bl novel. Still reading this one, but the deep unspoken trust the MC and ML have for each other is really awe-inspiring, and they're also very competent at what they do. The relationships with their subordinates and allies are also really heartwarming. The plot is sufficiently interesting as well, and not just something cobbled together to make the characters kiss lol—not that that's bad intrinsically, but it can get old after a while.)

4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rock Riordan (everyone knows this one. I love it because I grew up reading it, and then reading it to my sister out loud with the voices and everything. I love an MC that just consistently doesn't know what he's doing and yet sees things through to the end, and whose motto is just "fuck it, fuck this, and fuck you". and again Percy and Annabeth have that "bantering duo who trust and balance each other out and are also very, very good at what they do" type relationship that I'm such a sucker for.)

5. Bleach by Tite Kubo (one of the Big 3 manga serialized back then. I'm down bad for the art, he's one of my favourite mangaka in terms of art style, and also it's nostalgic. I grew up watching ichigo fight through impossible odds with just his "fuck you don't touch my people" mentality. are you starting to see a pattern with me and protective, headstrong MCs? the cast of side characters are all pretty memorable, despite its growing size down the line and again, i love their designs. I know people gripe a lot about the plot and continuity errors, but I enjoyed it regardless—except for the accursed ending and Epilogue Dad Haircut..)

6. Montmorency by Eleanor Updale (victorian crime fiction novel. I was sent this as compensation in, like, 5th grade when the Scholastic Fair delivered the wrong order to me. I didn't expect to like it but it was surprisingly a good standalone read. i used to reread it loads but it's been about a decade now so some details are blurry, but i am very fond of it still.)

7. A Quiet Place (horror movie, though for me it's less horror and more of a family-centric movie. I'm awful with horror, I'm such a wuss, but this movie was so good with its character dynamics and the ending was so fitting that I couldn't help but rewatch it and have it engrained in my head. I haven't watch the other movies in this series and tbh I fully believe the first movie is sufficient on its own, not to say the other suck, I just have no urge to watch them. this movie was such a palate cleanser for me in cinema.)

thank you for your ask, had a lot of fun coming up with this list!

[electratheart]

my mini essay about how much i love haikyu bc i need to express it pls

oh gosh idk what’s come over me but i could not be happier honestly.

after watching the dumpster battle move in theaters last month, i feel like ive been thrown into a full fledged haikyu phase that i missed out on both in 2020 (but it’s fine i heard it was also horrid at times during this, but lowkey looked fun LOL) and when i watched it for the first time in 2021 (ik im a little late to the game… don’t remind me)

when i watched it for the first time, i obviously loved it. but it’s hitting so much harder now—how im both reading the manga from volume 1 to rewatching the series (loosely) side by side. and i rarely rewatch anime’s unless it’s casual random ep (i.e ohshc or hxh for me hehe)

something about it this time means so much more. haikyu gets me so excited, hyped, happy, and so emotional. i don’t even play volleyball, but i do love the sport! yet it makes me feel like i can fly too 😭😭 i wish i was able to witness this series during its first release (i would’ve been in middle school!!) and i feel like it would hit so hard to grow up with them and the series 🥹 but it’s okay—timing is everything. even 3 years is a while already too.

but i’m so glad to have haikyu rekindle this spirit of excitement and motivation in my life right now. the story. the characters. how they all grow and develop and improve. and the themes about teamwork, believing in yourself, passions, hard work, everything in between just reminds me and teaches me so much in my own life too. i could go on and on but this is only a mini essay after all haha. i just love it so much.

thank u furudate for creating such a masterpiece. this piece of work changed the world and so many lives. even mine. and ik this might sound corny but idc. i really do love haikyu and what it means to me. everything about it, it makes me want to live that way too—to go after my dreams and believe in myself and cultivate my passions and work hard and find a community and live my life the way i want. so simple but powerful at the same time.

it makes me sad that the manga is over and we’ll only be getting another movie (literally robbing us…. i’m still manifesting for a new season idc idc i’m in denial) but i know haikyu is always there for me whenever i need it. and look, i can rewatch it, reread it over and over again. bc the spirit of haikyu goes on forever always!! we keep on flying higher!!!

[animebw]

Short Reflection: Haikyuu: The Dumpster Battle

It's been a few years since I've talked about Haikyuu on this blog, so if you're new here, let me catch you up to speed: Haikyuu fucking rules. It's unquestionably the best sports anime I've ever watched, a thrilling, fist-pumping ride with one of anime's greatest ensemble casts, spectacular animation and directing that makes every volleyball match spring to life, and a real human touch that can make even a non-athletic slug like me care about sports as much as any tailgater. And this movie, in particular, has been a long time coming. Karasuno vs Nekomata. Crows vs Cats. The beasts of the garbage dump, friends and rival and training partners from the earliest days of the show, finally facing off on the stage of nationals. And this showdown takes up the entirety of The Dumpster Battle, a movie-length volleyball match that sends Haikyuu to the big screen for the first time (not counting the compilation movies, but who does?) At long last, Haikyuu is cinema... though this approach isn't without its drawbacks.

See, while I haven't read the manga, I know that the Nekomata vs Karasuno match is much longer than a single movie could realistically cover. And I know fans have been nervous about how much would need to be cut to fit the match into this runtime. As I am anime only, I don't know what exactly was left out, nor am I interested in criticizing The Dumpster Battle from that angle. An adaptation should stand on its own regardless of its source material's context, and this movie should rise or fall on its own merits. That said, you can definitely feel the time constraints affecting how Nekomata vs Karasuno plays out. But it's not that the pacing is rushed or you feel like you're skipping important scenes. Quite the opposite, in fact; whatever edits the scriptwriters made were remarkably seamless and keep the story flowing smoothly without any obvious "Oh yeah, this should've been longer" moments (save for maybe a messy start to the final set). If I hadn't known beforehand this match was much longer in the manga (Side note, how many chapters was this, exactly?), I doubt I would've been able to tell.

No, the way the shortened runtime manifests in The Dumpster Battle in its narrowing of focus.

See, most Haikyuu matches are, by nature, ensemble pieces. There's never just one or two players robbing all the attention; almost everyone on both sides of the net gets important character moments, with Karasuno especially rotating often between who gets to take the spotlight at any given moment and between matches. The reason all the matches are so long, with almost every point given attention by the narrative, is because all that time is necessary to weave so many different characters' stories together and find so many different moments to afford everyone. Which works to emphasize the show's themes of teamwork and mutual growth by showing how everyone on the court- even a bit player like Enoshita- matters.

But of course, while a TV show can afford to spend multiple episodes watching such lengthy and interconnected character work play out, a movie doesn't have that luxury. And to account for that, the scriptwriters made a decision: focus all the character work down to just the most important players. In this match, Hinata, Kenma, and Kuroo are the only players that get Haikyuu's usual intricate character treatment, with Kageyama and Tsukishima picking up some minor support as well. Everyone else is just there to smack some balls around and offer up big personalities to keep the action exciting and fresh. Honestly, you could argue that the movie's structured to make Kenma the protagonist; it's his point of view we're first shown, its his character arc that forms the backbone of the match, and it's his inner monologue we spend the most time with. Moreso than any other Haikyuu match, this movie feels like the story of one kid's journey, every serve and spike and strategy centered around this easily exhausted introvert's full acceptance of volleyball as something he genuinely loves participating in, warts and all.

And honestly? I think this was the best approach. If the screenwriters tried to squish every last moment and character detail into this shortened timeframe, The Dumpster Battle would become an incomprehensible mess. Tightening the focus so much lets this movie stand on its own as, well, a movie instead of a rushed highlight reel. The story remains focused, the pacing stays tight and tense without spiraling out of control, and the emotional throughline of Kenma's growth gets all the time it needs for the climax to soar as high as it does. On its own terms, it's as successful as it could possibly be. But of course, this movie doesn't really exist on its own terms. It's part of a series we've been following for close to a decade, and it's a series that's built up expectations of what its storytelling is able to accomplish. The Dumpster Battle itself has basically no issues; the only issue is the question of whether it was a good idea to turn Haikyuu into a movie at all. And unfortunately, it's that issue that hangs heaviest over this movie.

Because those intricate ensemble-piece showdowns I talked about earlier? Those nail-biting point-by-point slugfests where every character is a critical cog in the narrative machinery? Those can only exist in the space allowed by the TV format. It's only over the course of so many episodes, week after week, that Haikyuu can weave such spectacular webs of character growth, camaraderie, tension and release. This kind of lengthy, multilayered storytelling needs the runtime of a TV show to play out in a satisfying way. And as good as this movie is, it just doesn't capture that. It can't capture that, with so little time to focus on anything except the main characters. The Dumpster Battle is probably the best possible result of turning Haikyuu into movie format, but that also makes it undeniable proof that Haikyuu itself cannot be at its best in movie format. I want to see all the other characters' thoughts and struggles over the course of this match. I want to feel that sense of interlocking parts as everyone's emotional threads come crashing together. I want to see Nekomata and Karasuno's ensemble story, as richly detailed and fully realized as any of the matches that's come before. And while not having such a broad focus isn't necessarily a "flaw," it's a step back from what this show is capable of at full power.

Thankfully, the switch to movie format isn't a one-sided loss. Because while we may lose in the breadth of its storytelling, the trade-off is getting to see Haikyuu's spectacular volleyball action on a movie budget. And sweet buttery Christmas, it is a sight to behold. From start to finish, this movie is nothing but the most explosive, dynamic, pulse-pounding sports animation ever put to screen. Every single play, from quick smashes to the lengthiest of volleys, erupts with kinetic motion and stunningly detailed artwork that twists and bends with the speed of each movement. Every impact hits like a wrecking ball. Every mad scramble for a dropped ball feels like a gale-force hurricane blowing by. Every wide shot showcasing both entire teams in motion feels like a minor miracle of staging and blocking. It also helps that after season 4's weird stylistic diversion, the character designs and art direction of the first three seasons have returned and god I fucking missed when Haikyuu looked like this. And seeing those richly textured designs blown up with such spectacle, captured with such confident and free direction, is nothing short of a visual marvel. The final POV tracking shot that brings the match to a close had my jaw on the floor minutes after it was over. That was fucking insane.

So make no mistake: The Dumpster Battle is a good movie. It's a great movie, even. All that lets it down is the fact that this format doesn't allow it to fly as high as we know this show is capable of. Its resounding success on its own terms is, at the same time, a conceptual failure in context of the show as a whole. But it's hard to complain about an experience this exhilarating when its only real problem is just not being able to do as much as it could be. Maybe I'd feel different if I'd read the manga and knew what parts had to be shaved down, but if I ever become the kind of person who cares more about an anime's source material than the anime itself, do me a favor and ship me off to a glue factory or something. Anime deserves to stand on its own, and that's exactly what The Dumpster Battle does, narrowed focus and all. So I'm happy to give it a score of:

8/10

And there's one more finale movie to go. Perhaps the anime team will be able to push the movie format even farther now that they've got some experience under their belt? We'll have to wait and see. Until next time!

[abovetherainandroses]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Storm here! 🌩 Tysm for the tag @27-royal-teas! <3 I haven't done a tumblr meme thing in forever! And I don't really have any friends on this blog so I don't have anyone to tag, but if you're a writer who follows me, consider yourself tagged! (And also come be my friend)

This got long! I talk too much! Answers are below the cut!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

So I have two accounts lol, because for some reason I decided to make a separate RPF account even though I have other embarrassing things on main account anyway?? Anyway, I currently have 100 fics on my main and 5 on my RPF account.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

Across both accounts, 379,693 words for an average of 3.6k per fic. Longfic? I don't know her.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I usually write for one fandom at a time, but I will revisit/cycle through fandoms. Currently it's Fall Out Boy. Previously, I was writing some MCU stuff (mostly Spider-Man). Also wrote a handful of Good Omens stuff back when S1 came out. I have the most fics posted for Haikyuu (volleyball manga/anime) lol.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Oops I only have 5 fics so far on my RPF account and I'm still debating whether I want this account directly linked to my main.

But I will take this opportunity to tell anyone who needs it not to put too much stock into kudos!! Kudos count relies on a lot of factors, but a big two are fandom/ship size and when you post the fic relative to the height of the fandom's activity. (Getting in early with a fic right after a new movie/season/etc. comes out so you're one of the first fics for the New Thing can be huge too.)

External validation is obviously very nice but if you rely too much on it, you're not gonna have a good time.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Comments make my entire life and I always want to respond to them, but I inevitably fall off because the brain energy isn't there, and I keep putting it off, and putting it off, and putting it off, and then it feels too late. But seeing as I only have 5 fics on my RPF account, I recently went and responded to everything, even if it was years late. In the past few weeks I've actually gotten responses to some comments I left on fics like 3 years ago so it inspired me, haha.

I myself am not always good at leaving comments (continuous goal to get better at it), so I really appreciate the people who take the time to leave kind comments for me and I want to express that appreciation.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't usually write angsty fic... I'm too softhearted. That said, I have made a few forays into angst, but Your Mileage May Vary on which one is the angstiest. Is it the major character death? Is it the one where they're soulmates with the last words they'll say to each other written on their skin, and in the end it's not death that separates them, but their own inability to have a functional relationship with each other?

Or is it the one I didn't even think was super angsty and tagged "bittersweet ending" but then it made a bunch of people cry? I'm still like "...my bad" about that one lmao.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Fluff is my lifeblood and almost all of my fics have a happy ending. I couldn't tell you which was the happiest, haha. Again, I'm incredibly softhearted, and also a big sap. I cannot deny this!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Thinking very hard... I have been posting fic for............. several years so it is possible I am forgetting something but nothing comes to mind! I have always felt too relatively unknown for haters, which is just fine by me.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

"What kind" lol. What does that even mean. Listen, my kink is holding hands during sex and being ❤️ in love ❤️ (I mentioned I'm a softhearted sap, right??)

Sometimes I might explore some light kink but nothing too hardcore imo.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Again, I've been writing/posting fic for several years, so I could be forgetting something, but I don't remember ever writing a true crossover. Though in my personal definition of fandom terms, crossover = characters from fandom A meet characters from fandom B. I have written a few fusion AUs in my time (characters from fandom A existing in the world of fandom B), which you could say falls under the crossover umbrella. For example, I've written Kingdom Hearts characters in a Pacific Rim AU and Haikyuu characters in Dragon Age AU.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of. Though I did once see (this was a SUPER long time ago) someone repost my fic on tumblr the same day I posted it on FFN, even though I also posted the full text of the fic on tumblr myself. They credited my FFN account, at least, but like. Hey. Don't do that.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, I've had some fics translated into various languages! It's definitely an honor that people want to share some of my stuff in other languages and take the time to do that translation work. I try to ask people keep translations on AO3 but it hasn't always succeeded so there are some translations of my works floating around on foreign language fic sites... Ah well.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I successfully co-wrote one (1) fic with one of my friends years ago. I've tried a few other times to co-write fics (including with the same person) but none of them ever finished... Co-writing fic is hard! Idk how to do it effectively. I've done a handful of fic/art collabs with my wife though!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I don't know that I have a single all-time favorite ship, but Peterick is definitely the current fave. I........ adore them. So much.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Listen, I am a hoarder of WIPs and a clinger to delusions that they will one day be finished. But okay, one of my peterick WIPs from 2016-2017 that I really liked but highly doubt I'll ever finish is a no-band, dating show AU where Pete is the eligible bachelor on a queer offshoot of the Bachelor/Bachelorette and Patrick (through machinations by Joe) ends up as a contestant on the show. Patrick is camera shy and does not want to be there, but he made a deal with Joe to stay til he was eliminated. Pete, who just went through a public and messy divorce with Ashlee, does not want to be there, but he was guilt-tripped into using his moderate fame to help bring viewership to the underfunded little queer show.

Pete finds out Patrick never wanted to be there in the first place and offers to eliminate Patrick. I will copy/paste the next bit from my gdoc:

"[...] pete’s like what if…i didn’t eliminate you and we just stayed friends and hung out and stuff and patrick finds himself agreeing bc pete’s a really nice dude and they have a lot of interests in common

But then Patrick keeps sticking around through the weeks and Patrick and Pete fall in love and both end up having separate private crises because they agreed to be friends. Patrick sees Pete spending time with other candidates and clearly being attracted to them and it sucks because now Patrick is in love with Pete and Pete isn’t considering him at all. Meanwhile Pete is having a good time with the other candidates and sure there’s lust there and even some like but he can’t stop thinking about how perfect Patrick is for him except for oh wait Patrick doesn’t even want to BE here and Pete was the one who convinced him to stay and now he’s fucking in love with him."

Blah blah blah, stuff happens, Pete eliminates Patrick in the last few weeks then when he has to make the choice between the final two candidates, calls Patrick and confesses to him instead, blah blah blah, happy ending.

Anyway. I wrote 11k of that fic and I was about 1/3 of the way through. It will never be finished. But now I've told you all about it and that's good enough, right?

16. What are your writing strengths?

Internal narration and emotions. Tightly focused fics that span 1-3 scenes. Spelling and grammar.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Longfic or fic with several scenes that take place over an extended stretch of time. Related to that, coming up with external plot events rather than just internal conflict HAHA. Describing the setting/environment so the characters don't just exist in a nebulous empty space.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

As with most of my preferences re: fic, it depends on the execution. It can feel clunky and maybe even cringey, or it can feel natural and realistic. Just be intentional about how you're using it. Also, it always helps if you know a fluent speaker who can review it for you but understandably you may not always have someone like that.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Warrior... cats...

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

This is impossible to answer hahahaha. Certainly if we look at my main AO3. But if we're looking at my grand total of 5 (as of yet) RPF fics, I can say that I'm still quite fond of get us right (quitters never win), a fob AU fic where everything is the same but they all have minor superpowers, featuring empath!Patrick and telepath!Pete.

Aaaaand we are done! If you got this far, I am giving you cookies.

[kazuyummy]

Do you hc the boys would try to make it to the mlb?

for the best of them, yes. i'll be honest, i don't know a lot of how pro baseball works compared to say basketball or volleyball, but i do know it's pretty different in some regards - typically, american baseball values strength & athleticism while japanese baseball relies more on tactics and speed. this is highlighted a bit in the anime, but both games are certainly ever-evolving.

so i think smaller players like mei or kuramochi might dominate the japanese baseball leagues, and a lot of characters in the manga would certainly go on to play there. sawamura - i think it'd be his dream, but i'm honestly 50/50 on whether or not he'd be able to make it there. he'd need to fill out more (praying for timeskip content lol) but sometimes i feel like he could make it there on sheer determination alone lol. maybe take an alternative path at first like hinata in haikyuu (that's all i'll spoil for this post haha)?

again, i'm not by any means a pro at this nor do i frequently look at baseball analysis - but in terms of surface-level analysis, we see that ohtani actually does better in the mlb in ops (basically an overall hitting metric) vs. the npb - though that's only one stat and many factors can contribute to that increase like playstyle and growth in career. i did see that overall, japanese players do better in the npb but that could be a lack of opportunities as well.

which brings me to my next point! moving from npb to mlb is an extensive process and players aren't usually able to do so until later in their career (i.e. playing npb or other pro league for a certain number of years) - they go through a posting system and these roadblocks are partially in place so that mlb doesn't poach all of japan's talent.

that being said! i think some of the bigger players would be better off in the mlb, but they'd have to practice hard, have good luck, and be the best of the best! for some reason, i can't get it out of my mind that miyuki would find his way there eventually, and if chris overcomes his shoulder injury, grows a little, and continues to improve, i can see him playing there as well (... potential nepotism? lmao) otherwise i can see him being a physiotherapist / athletic trainer. or maybe i'm being biased since they're my faves?

the ones i'm on the fence about are sanada, furuya, raichi, and tetsuya. they all have potential to make it - tetsu & raichi the most out of them, i think - it would be difficult and i don't think they'd be star players in the mlb. for example, tetsu & raichi are great hitters relying on strength, but they'd have to grow a lot to match the strength of american players.

others i think would play in npb only are haruichi, kawakami, and okumura. again, smaller players with high skill levels (hc huge college improvement from kawakami for some reason lol) but not enough to go to mlb. there are some that i headcanon would quit baseball after high school (or college) for various reasons - including ryousuke, jun, shirasu, and toujou. hmu for those deets lol

sorry if you just wanted a simple headcanon but your question lead me down quite the enjoyable rabbit hole and i'd love to hear other peoples' thoughts on this - especially those who actually know baseball! 😅

this also almost became a whole-ass timeskip post lmfao. let me know if i missed anyone that you want me to comment on!

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

Hey, you can call me Brook! I was wondering if I could get a match up for a couple fandoms?

I’d like Haikyuu, My Hero, Demon Slayer, Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and Obey me!

If these are too many, feel free to just pick a few out of them! I would really like one of them to be haikyuu though.

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Pan/Demi

Zodiac: Aquarius

MBTI: INTP

Appearance: 5’9”, chubby thighs and belly, hazel eyes, shoulder length brown hair (with blonde streaks), glasses

Personality: I’m pretty quiet. I am however very sarcastic and even witty. I keep to myself normally. I tend to stay out of people's business, and people stay out of mine (i prefer to observe). I’m a true neutral on just about everything. I like things to be calm most times, but a bit of chaos is definitely needed. I get bored quickly and need something happening around me constantly, just simple things like a show or music in the background. I don’t listen to most people, i like to do things my own way. i’m very stubborn. i’m very cold to people i don’t really know or like, once i open up though you discover my sense of humour and my general clinginess to the people i actually like (which is very few people).

Likes: Volleyball, badminton, sketching, anime, video games, the color purple, heated blankets, sweet foods and salty foods (never together), cats, the smell of vanilla, cold weather, the nighttime, napping in the day, when you go to bed for the night, music, candles, mangas, baking, the stars, space, snow days, science classes

Dislikes: Spicy foods, being told what to do, super hot weather, being woken up, homework, having to actually do things, cooking

Extras: Resting Bitch Face. looks like they could kill you, is a cinnamon roll. my love languages are quality time and words of affection. im a picky eater. i love to complain.

If you aren't taking matchups right now, thats fine! Just ignore this!

Hi Brook! Thank you for your request! Sorry it took so long. This is more than I usually do but I don't have a limit to how many matchups you can request so you're all good! I hope you like your matchups!

In Haikyuu, I match you with...

Nishinoya loves your quietly sarcastic personality. You make a good balance of loud and quiet but people know not to do anything that gets the two of you to gang up on them. You’re both equally sassy.

He appreciates that you’re there for him. He doesn’t really talk about important things a lot but when he feels the need, he’s glad you’re there for him, even if you're not a good listner.

Please play volleyball with him! He would love getting to share his biggest passion with the person he cares about.

Also loves sharing naps with you. I see Nishinoya as someone who has short naps through the day when he gets a quiet moment. It’s how he gets his seemingly unending energy. And he always sleeps best when you’re with him.

Star gazing dates! He doesn’t know much about the stars but he’s willing to learn. He knows a few good spots around town that have a nice view of the sky.

In My Hero Academia, I match you with...

Oh, the quiet, sarcastic duo you and Shinsou would be. No one stands a chance against you two.

Nap buddies! Some of Shinsou’s favourite moments are when the two of you are laying together, both on the verge of sleep and he gets to look over at your relaxed face. He feels honoured that you’re so comfortable around him.

I see his love language as quality time as well so you can be sure you’ll spend a lot of time together. Sometimes that time comes in the form of talking or doing things together. Other times, it’s just enjoying the silence together.

Please take him to a cat cafe. You’ll both have the time of your lives and become regulars there. The staff know your orders off by heart at this point.

I think Shinsou would be surprisingly good at cooking so he doesn't mind taking on that role in your relationship. He knows you don’t like things too spicy and will tailor any dishes to your tastes.

In Demon Slayer, I match you with...

Another quiet one. Giyu is so glad you’re in his life. He already has to deal with the other Hashira and the kids. He doesn’t need another loud person.

Enjoys spending quality time with you. He doesn’t get a lot of free time with his work but when he does get a day off, he wants to spend it with you.

Giyu does find your stubborn streak annoying at times. He’s got to know that telling you what to do doesn’t work so instead, he’ll suggest things when he thinks he needs to. Otherwise, he lets you do what you want. You’re capable of being responsible for yourself and he recognises that.

As strange as this is going to sound, he likes that you like the same smells. I see Giyu as someone who likes gentle scents like vanilla so he wouldn’t mind getting some incense sticks to place around the house.

Please bake things for him, especially if he’s going away on a mission for a while. He’d smile to see your cooking wrapped up in his bag for him to enjoy.

In Genshin Impact, I match you with...

Another nap buddy! Layla’s sleeping habits only get worse when encouraged by your napping.

Appreciates that you stay out of people's business. She’s not a super nosey person herself so she’s glad you’re the same in that regard.

Layla enjoys watching your sketch things, she finds it relaxing watching the drawing unfold before her eyes.

If you ever draw her or give her one of your drawings, she’s going to pin it up on her wall so she can see it every day. It gives her motivation. You worked hard to make that, she can work hard as well.

With her cryo powers, you won’t have to worry about hot weather. If it’s getting too warm, she’ll just drop the temperature around you for some respite.

In Honkai Star Rail, I match you with...

March is without a doubt the most outgoing person in this list. She’s the one to draw you out of your shell and bring out the best in you.

Really good with words of affection and quality time. She just somehow always knows what to say and will always make time for you.

If there’s something in your meal you don’t like, March is more than happy to eat it instead. She’s not picky about her food so she’ll eat pretty much anything you don’t want to.

There are definitely going to be stargazing dates with March. The Astral Express is one of the best places to see the stars but she likes looking at the sky on each new planet with you as well.

Definitely not someone to tell you what to do. March usually does her own thing as well, so even if she did want to tell you to do something, she’d feel like a hypocrite doing it.

In Obey Me, I match you with...

The ultimate nap buddy. You thought Shinsou and Layla were the perfect companions for a nap? Nope, Belphie takes that title.

You’re going to bond mainly over napping and your shared love of going to bed. But you have other similarities as well.

People know not to get on either of your bad sides. You’re very observant and they know what a power couple you are when you gang up on a shared enemy.

Dates in the observatory, looking at the stars. Belphie spends a lot of time there so he knows a bit about the sky. He’ll also keep track of meteor showers so he can take you to a lookout to watch them together.

He’s not great with words of affection but he’s good with quality time. Even if you’re both asleep, Belphie feels your presence and the warmth of being with someone he cares about.

[rigberts]

just finished teppuu, and while of course i wanted more, i was super satisfied and really intrigued by it. number one, it's a mma sports manga focused on women that is insanely horny, but not because of the normal reasons anime is horny, like skimpy outfits or contrived excuses to have a character be groped or stripped. In fact, most of the characters fight fully clothed in athletic shorts and tshirts. Rather, it's the psychology of the characters that makes it horny. More on that later. There are many cool side characters with really unique, recognizable designs (always a plus for me) but the real draw is how the author deconstructs two major character archetypes in sports: the hardworking enthusiastic protagonist, and the arrogant antagonist that gets by on talent until the MC puts them in their place.

Except, in this case, we follow the bad-tempered Natsuo, as she works to improve at MMA so she can get back at the friendly Yuzuko after she easily beats her in a spar. It's a total role-reversal. And the interesting thing is, you definitely start to root for natsuo, though she maintains a pretty terrible personality, and at no point does yuzuko become a "bad person".

To put it frankly, Yuzuko is the sports genre version of Gon. That is to say, she's a classic protagonist, to the point that it's unsettling. She's been training in MMA since she was a kid living in brazil, and though she has no particular talent, she trains constantly, simply because she has boundless enthusiasm for the sport. She loves it, to the point that she doesn't care at all about the brutal side of it, hurting people or getting hurt. She's not a sadist, but hurting people in the name of the sport is no consequence to her. And though she has multiple friends who like her, it is made very clear that they find her extremely creepy. She seems to have no emotion but cheery enthusiasm and it's deeply off-putting, especially to Natsuo. (I also make the comparison to gon because there is a side character that is essentially Pitou, so i think it's safe to say the author is a hxh fan)

Natsuo is a classic sports manga antagonist. She's extremely tall, beautiful, and has a terrible attitude towards others. Everything comes easy to her, and she's always bored. However, she has almost no friends because of this, and her home life is awful, with an absent single mother and a shut-in older brother that hates her because she's better than him at everything. Natsuo hates Yuzuko for "having everything", and out of pure spite, she quits volleyball and becomes an MMA fighter just to kick her ass.

Natsuo never becomes "good", but she is insanely interesting. She's selfish and condescending at the best of times, but she's not two faced or underhanded. She's also remarkably self aware, knowing that her grudge towards yuzuko is mostly based in sheer jealousy and her inferiority complex. Also, she's a huge sadomasochist (see where the horny part comes in) who feels deeply unsatisfied when she can beat people with ease, but also enjoys beating the shit out of people in a hard-won fight.

There are very few male characters, but lots of really well designed female characters, and as you can expect, there's lots of lesbian undertones, from the in-depth grappling scenes, the protagonist's blatant attraction to other women (she's almost always the one to point out when a woman's sexy) and masochistic tendencies, and the (unfortunately) unrequited lesbian romance subplot. There's also some really handsome middle-aged butch women.

In terms of art, this is a really great series. Super expressive and individualized faces, excellent anatomy and really clear fight direction, art is detailed and polished.

All in all, i want to call this Baki for girls, but first of all, the tone is very different, and second, to compare Baki to Teppuu is an insult to Teppuu. Fighting can be horny without having people piss on each other all the time, Itagaki.

All in all, would solidly recommend.

[akaashism]

Are you excited to watch Haikyuu movie? Can I ask what is your fav plot twist in HQ? For me, is when I found out that the 'little giant' who inspire Hinata end up becoming a mangaka (not pursue volleyball). Like, really?

Also, just want to say, love your fics, thanks for sharing your hard work. One of the thing that I love every time I read your Merthur and Kagehina fics is there is no ooc (really feels like I watching the series and anime). 💐🌷🌻🌺

As new merthur fan, I'm glad to have found someone who love bbc merlin and anime (especially Haikyuu). Because not many people that I know who love both series.....

Random, but can I ask your opinion on atsuhina and kenhina (if you don't mind me asking)? Like, even as multishipper, I really can't feel the potential romance with either atsumu or kenma. But I love atsuhina & kenhina as platonic duo.... Not that I hate the ship or people who ship them, every one is free to ship who they love. But for hinata, kageyama is the only one (in my opinion).

P.s

From your name, at first I thought it will be bokuaka blog (because your name is similar with akaashi), sorry for my mistake. But do you also love Akaashi as a character? Him and Bokuto is my third fav ship and fav dynamic in HQ 🤣

Hi!!

Yes, I'm very excited to watch the Haikyuu movie, 31st May can't come fast enough!! I've heard that the movie leaves a lot to be desired but it's still an exciting thought to see my boys on the big screen ❤️❤️

The Little Giant/Tenma thing is definitely one of my favourite plot twists in the manga as well, I never thought we'd actually get to see him + Akaashi ending up as his editor in the timeskip was a wild coincidence! Hinata going to Brazil was a huge surprise as well, and also Oikawa becoming an Argentine citizen and facing all his rivals on the highest stage @ the Olympics was so unexpected and iconic and made me a bit crazy ngl 😵‍💫

Thank you for the love on the fics, I'm elated you enjoy my characterization 🥰 A bunch of my friends are actually both into anime and Merlin, so I really enjoy sharing the two with them! Admittedly, I'm the one who converted a lot of them into haikyuu fans, but I have this theory that people who love merthur WILL love kagehina and it has proved to be true till now 😈 I hope you're enjoying merthur, they're truly legendary and the fandom is also incredible, no ship will ever make me feel the way merthur did!!

Oh yeah, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. I love both kenhina and atsuhina as friends, but I can't see either of them romantically. In fact, I am actually insanely fond of the Atsumu and Hinata best friendship agenda aahhh I think it works so perfectly and I enjoy interpreting them as kinda chaotic sibling-coded within the dynamics of MSBY 4, so I love, loveee thinking about that!

Kageyama is definitely the only one for Hinata. Period.

I do adore Akaashi as a character, I see so much of myself in him and he's just very relatable and comforting 🫂 I did used to love bokuaka a lot in my early days of being an hq fan, they were briefly in my top 3 ships as well, but somewhere I lost interest in them :( I've been a lot more into osaaka (osamu x akaashi) these past two years and I know it's a bit of a rarepair, but I love them to death 😭❤️

Thanks for such a nice ask! I hope you're having a wonderful day 💗💗

[le-panda-chocovore]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who liked or reblogged something from you! I got this as a chain and liked it, so lets spread the positivity!

Ooh that's a sweet ask ! Okay let's go :

Anime and Manga. If I say one particular fandom I'll have to list them all so let's just say the whole work over Japanese animation. Literally the idea that this kind of art exists makes me so happy.

Sport. Being able to move is so important to me, when I'm inactive for too long I quickly start to feel down. If have to be precise I'd say Volleyball, Rollerblading and Dance.

Humanity. I know most people would say it's pretty depressing and awful but I do believe that human beings are beautiful and wholesome. Sure there's too many assholes but ultimately, there're more good people in this world than the other side. It's hard to see because dickheads have power and voice, but if you look around you'd see that human beings are actually nice and lovely, all they want is to spend time with their friends, enjoy art and nature, eat good food and hug each other. Knowing that all around the world and in every era since the beginning, humans have always been humans is so overwhelming (positively). Parents loving their children and siblings pretending to fight and friends teasing each other and neighbours helping each other. The asshole are going to lose someday and we will bring back love and peace to the world.

Colors. Fucking love colors. Looking for shades and tones around me. Wearing rainbow clothes. Putting on shiny makeup. Looking at leaves and flowers. Damn colors are so beautiful I'm so glad to be able to see them. Sometimes I just sit on a bench outside and enjoy the view. I live in the middle of Paris and not on the tourist side, the street isn't even beautiful, I'm just enjoying the colors.

Books. All sorts of books. Novels, comics, fanfictions, mangas (I know I already said that). Just, books. Someone in front of a computer or a notebook for hours daydreaming about a whole new universe and putting down words to bring it to life. It gets published and waits on the shelf of a shop or a library and someone -anyone- picks it up, looks through the paragraphs, and daydreams about the very same universe even years later. Yeah, books make me happy.