#volleyball dorks

[parkersghoost]

haiykuu fandom after looking through fanart because i watched the new movie, you need to get your shit together.

HINATA IS A GINGER DRAW THE BOY WITH FRECKLES. KENMA DESERVES FRECKLES. ALSO WHY DO YOU NOT DRAW YAMAGUCHI COVERED IN FRECKLES THAT ONES AT LEAST CANON. GIVE THEM FRECKLES AND TANNED SKIN THEY PLAY VOLLEYBALL FOR FUCKS SAKE.

thank you for coming to my ted talk.

[sweetlikesuga]

Sometime during training camp:

Tanaka, Nishinoya and Asahi sit together on their futons. Tanaka pretends to hold a phone while listening to Nishinoya who pretends to pick up a call from a customer.

Nishinoya: Welcome to Jesus hotline, how may I be of help?

Tanaka*giggles*: Uh, hi. How do I speak to a godess?

Nishinoya: I don't know, dude, ask jesus. He sits right next to you.

Asahi*startled*: What, me?!

Tsukishima, from the other side of the room: He does kind of look like jesus.

[mediumgayitalian]

Will wakes up a little bit stuck and a lot bit hot. It’s just past sunrise, from what he can see out of the mostly-shuttered window, which means he’s just past late. Fuck.

“Nico,” he whispers, trying and failing to delicately free himself, “Nico, un-octopus. I gotta pee.”

He does have to pee. Moreso, he needs to wake up and leave, but if Nico hears so much of a syllable pertaining to his abandonment he will never let go. Ergo. Will has learned some creativity.

“Mmfggh,” groans Nico, maturely. He tightens his arms around Will’s waist and buries his face deeper into the (boiling, suffering, sweating, etc) crook of his neck. “No. Suffer.”

“Nico.”

“Sh.”

“Nico.”

“Sh. I’m sleeping.” Will feels more than sees one eye opening, eyelashes tickling his skin. He can guess at the glare. “Don’t you want me to be well-rested and healthy.”

“Right now I kind of want to flick you, honestly.”

Nico hides a smile along Will’s spine.

“That’s because you’re sick and twisted.”

“Mhm. Get off, di Angelo.”

Nico pouts but, finally, relents: he loosens his hold not enough for Will to roll out but enough that he can actually fill his lungs with enough oxygen to wiggle his way to the edge of the bed. Nico, as soon as Will is not glued to him, huffs and rolls over, smothering himself in Will’s pillow.

“I see how it is,” he complains, muffled. “You don’t want me. Fine. See if I hold you next time you come in here all needy and affectionate.” He shifts just enough to glare, once he’s sure Will is looking. “I’ll close the door in your face.”

Will rolls his eyes, smiling. He’s late, but he lingers a moment, tracing his fingers across Nico’s spine, his ribs; trailing along the reddened scratches over his shoulders and ignoring Nico’s nooooo leave them leave them as he heals them.

“You’re such a drama queen.”

“I mean it!”

“Right. You meant it yesterday, too, and yet…”

“You seduced me,” Nico says, emphatically. He sits up quickly and catches Will’s hand, staring at him hard and serious — enough so that Will almost believes him, except the corner of his mouth twitches. “You — did some kind of spell fuckery on me, no doubt purchased from your various witchy sources, and all restraint — gone. Poof. And I have restraint in abundance, so obviously it was not my weakness.”

“Obviously,” Will agrees. “Not like you say my name in your sleep and wake up pouting if I so much as breathe near the door. ‘Course not.”

Nico goes pink. “I — do not.”

Will grins. “You do. Sometimes you try and kiss the air where you imagine I am.”

“You’re full of shit.”

“Whatever you need to believe, darlin’. It’s not like I’m allergic to lying.”

He leaves Nico sputtering, cackling on his way to the ensuite. It is half the reason he’s dating Nico, honestly. How come Will’s cabin doesn’t get an ensuite? They’ve got like a billion people in there. They need it more than he does.

But, well. Will needs an ensuite to get ready most mornings, because he’s up before the harpies are cleared for the night, so he supposes he will just have to sleep at Nico’s more often than not. Shame. Tragedy, really, because he is just so attached to his twin bed that is not long enough for his legs. Too bad.

“I can hear you rearranging products in there,” Nico calls, still grouchy. “Cut it out.”

Will turns the last tube of hair gel so it is just slightly off-centred from the rest of the products. He smiles around his toothbrush.

“Wouldn’t be such an issue if you didn’t have so much hair shit,” he responds, spitting into the sink.

“You should have more hair products! Look at yourself!”

Will does not. He does not have a sister who continues to look judgementally upon his mess of a head and passive aggressively but lovingly gift him hair supplies for all birthdays. He also does not have time to do his hair. Less people should maim themselves for Will to handle all day, and then maybe he’ll do something with his hair.

“You think my hair is sexy,” Will says, walking back into the main cabin. Nico harrumphs from under the covers, notably not denying it, and stares unabashedly — not that there is much to see, since it’s still pretty dark out — at Will while he changes. Will slips on a scrub top and then walks over and pinches him.

“Ow,” Nico whines, rubbing the spot as if he did not try to hide the stab wound he got sparring from him yesterday. “You hurt me.”

“Mhm. You objectified me.”

“…Only a little!”

Will shakes his head, smiling, and leans down — holding Nico’s wandering hands away from the hem of his shirt, he has places to be and has been distracted enough already — to kiss him. It’s a challenge, pressing his smile to Nico’s pout, but very quickly Nico sighs, eyes fluttering shut, and Will can kiss him properly.

“I’ll come wake you up again around noon if you’re not already up,” he murmurs. “I have to open the infirmary, but then I’m practicing for the rest of the day. You’re coming to my game, right?”

Nico tries to slide his hands up Will’s chest. Will bats his hands away.

“Yes,” he says, mournfully. “I will come watch you hit a ball around with other such interested jocks.”

“Bring your pom-poms,” Will says, cheeky, “and I wouldn’t remiss a matching skirt.”

He pulls away to Nico’s snorting laugh, wiggling his fingers in a wave as he heads to the door. He hears Nico’s quick have fun, goober as he pushes the solid obsidian shut behind him and blows a kiss at the window. He stands on the veranda, stretching, and relaxes with a sigh, staring across the common.

Gods, it is early.

And cold.

He trudges his way to the infirmary, anyway, already anticipating tonight’s koala cuddling.

———

next

[reinedeslys-central]

iwaoi and oh it's you. every time it's you. I'm running I'm running my knee is killing me but it's worth it this is worth it I'm running past the line and I'm pointing straight at you and everyone can see it. because it's you who else would it be right at this moment it's you it has to be you. win or lose it has to be you. going pro or not going pro it will always have been you. I'm running and I'm making the longest most monstrous set of my life and it's up to you, I'm falling and crashing into the tables and I can barely feel it, I'm scrambling back to our stage and who else could it be right at this moment but us. win or lose. win or lose. six who are strong together are stronger six who are strong together are stronger who else could it be but us. who else would I choose right in this moment when we all know it's going to end one way or another. who else would I choose. but you. every time it's you.

[mmhawkes]

I haven’t seen the people I went to high school with since graduation. It’s been a long time. I don’t use Facebook or anything, and that’s really fine. But today I was thinking about some people I was fond of as a teen, and decided to google one or two of them. There was a girl who was always so nice, and we did theatre together, and I just really liked her. I think she went to Juilliard for dance. Turns out she died this past October. Cancer. I should not be this sad about someone I haven’t seen since I was seventeen.

[parkersghoost]

,,,,,, as someone who was in volleyball and got a video sent to them of a sophomore talking about me as if i were dead while holding back tears i can agree

they went: sniff... they were so cool and awesome. i must further on their legacy. for parker! and the senior was standig there like: wtf man... parker is trying to get a med school degree they don't have time to play volleyball and also if anyone's gonna be carrying on their legacy it ain't gonna be someone who only knew them in their freshman year

true story

[alpali]

pt 2 of oikawa being a dork in love

After your small declaration of a truce. Oikawa acts like he’s won nationals.

You’re still mean to him. Which confuses him to no end but you enjoy it. You’re not hateful like before it’s just teasing.

“So does this mean I can finally take you on a date?”

“Absolutely not.”

“But why!”

It’s routine that you guys eat lunch together at the same spot you made up.

“Ooo your food looks good lemme try it.”

Swat!

“Hey!” He clutches his hand with a pout and you purse your lips.

“Don’t touch.”

“I need this hand to play you know!”

“I barely even touched you.”

“Kiss it.” He grins.

“Ew no!”

He’s wounded.

Oikawa helps you out with your studies that you’re struggling with. Often hosting study dates, as he loves to call them.

“I’m tired.” You groan out, sprawling your arms across the table, your cheek squished against the table.

Oikawa smiles, moving a stray piece of your hair behind your ear.

“We can take a little break.” He doesn’t miss the way your cheeks redden.

His routine still hasn’t changed. He still visits you before class but now he always brings your favorite drink with him.

“Here ya go pretty girl.” He places the can on your desk, ruffling your hair.

“My hair!” You narrow your eyes.

“Sh, it’s okay you’re still beautiful, look.”

He has a habit of taking pictures of you. Not in a creepy way, they’re mostly off guard so he can get back at you with your teasing. But also just because you really are beautiful. He knows he’s made it when he finds photos that you took of yourself and even of him when he’s left his phone unattended. Sending them to you and saying.

“You got my bad side :,(. Do better next time.” 

It takes him awhile to convince you to actually come to his games.

“Come on please! Prelims are coming up. I need you there.”

“I don’t think I could enjoy it with all your girls there.”

“Is someone jealous~”

“Oh please. As if all your attention isn’t focused on me anyways.”

“That’s my girl.” A dumb smirk lacing his features.

However he isn’t aware when you actually do decide to show up. Iwaizumi is actually the first to notice and honestly he’s not really excited for the Oikawa he’s about to put up with. Yet he tells him nevertheless.

With a nudge Iwaizumi is gesturing to the stands and Oikawa looks up, his water bottle gripped in his hand. You sit there and the both of you lock eyes. He visibly lights up and blinks, not believing his eyes. You honestly weren’t expecting to have that much of an impact on him but you can tell just how much it really does mean to him.

“She came!” Oikawa gushes, smiling up at you as you send him a small smile.

Iwaizumi is a little surprised at just how much Oikawa adores you. Guess he lost that bet with Shigeru. He’s attacking more during this game which confuses his teammates a little but they take the set and secure the win with ease. Once he finds you in the hallway, he’s jogging up to you.

“You actually came.” He says out of amusement.

“Just thought I’d check it out.”

“So how was it, seeing me in my natural habitat.”

“Pretty impressive, sadly.”

“Hey! All of those points were for you!” He sulks and you giggle.

Oikawa flushes, a genuine smile on his face. Out of pure adrenaline and love he has for you he kisses your head, pulling you straight into his sturdy chest.

“Thank you. Really.” He whispers, holding you a little tighter. You flush in his arms, gripping the ends of his jersey.

After that, he’s more persistent than before. He starts asking to hangout whenever he has any kind of free time. He just wants to be in your presence.

He’s over the moon when you agree to play volleyball with him. He’s teaching you how to set and when your form is wonky. He comes up behind you, placing his hands over yours he adjusts them.

“Then you just wanna let the ball touch your hands.”

When you actually get a decent set in, he cheers.

“I think I just fell in love with you all over again.”

“Be quiet.”

“Never! My perfect little setter.”

After a couple months you finally agree to let him take you on a date and he’s spoiling the hell out of you. He insists the two of you get matching keychains.

When he’s walking you home he’s so corny it makes you wanna laugh. The way he subtly tries to grab your hand. He opts to holding your pinkie instead. However this act has him STRESSING. You reach your doorstep and it’s obvious he doesn’t want you to go.

“Thanks for tonight…Toru.”

He’s deceased.

“T-Toru?!”

“Don’t make it weird!” You both are flustered now.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” You mutter but right before he steps away you plant a kiss on his cheek.

Hitting the nail on his coffin.

In a flash you’re gone, in the comfort of your house as he stands there recollecting what the hell just happened. His fingers slowly gracing his cheek as his whole world was just altered. He fist bumps the air, even skipping as he makes his way home.

“So are we gonna talk about yesterday?”

“no.”

“Will I be receiving more of those?”

“Depends, will you ask me out?”

“I think I’m gonna cry.”

“Never mind.”

“No wait! Come back!”

[luza-wayne]

who fell in love first.

pre-timeskip!

characters: kageyama, suna, kuroo, tsukishima, sugawara, tendou, kenma, sawamura, oikawa, aone, atsumu, atsumu, ushijima, iwaizumi, osamu

will try to make kny and knb vers!

you.

man is canonically a pretty boy with no weakness except studying and animals hating him.

he just happened to know of your existence when he, along with Hinata, were searching for someone to tutor them. (You tried to volunteer, because you didn’t want to waste the chance.)

most definitely, you.

he's the type of guy who will consciously make you fall in love with him as a joke.

but, also the type to unconsciously fall in love with you while in the process of making you fall for him.

of course, you.

his charismatic aura is enough to be drawn to him.

maybe you'll only notice that you are head over heels for him if one of your friends will point it out.

this dork is also the type to tease you by flirting with you so that you make sure to return the favor by flirting back with him.

definitely him.

but, this big ass tsundere will never admit that he fell for you even before you did.

he'll annoy the hell out of you to make you notice him, though sometimes it turns into bickering between the two of you that will make you think twice whether you're falling in love with him or not because sometimes you just want to kick him in his guts.

it was suga first.

i see him as someone who would fall for people who excel in academics, doesn’t need to be at the top, but he’s attracted to someone who cares deeply about education.

he’s definitely the type to tell his friends about his crush as vaguely as possible, but his actions and how he acts when he’s close to you basically screams who it is.

maybe he was just a few steps ahead of you when it comes to realizing it.

when he realized he was in love, he made a mission that will indirectly tell you that he's infatuated with you.

but, those were the times when you've already realized your feelings for him too.

‌he fell first.

‌but! he won't notice until his friends will tease him about how he treats you differently from others.

at first, he'll be like "don't be stupid.", but then will also be super bothered by it and will ask himself whether he does fall for you or not.

i love him so much, but he definitely won’t be the first one to fall in love.

he’s canonically oblivious (in haikyuu-bu! man’s was stressing me)

does the most gentlemanly, most romantic, best actions to make you fall in love, but still wouldn’t realize that people might just develop feelings for him because of that, so yeah, it’ll be you.

‌yes, it's you.

‌let's be real. no matter how annoying he can be (though you also love it about him), the way how passionate he is when doing the thing he likes will most probably be the reason you fell into the hole of love.

‌but, since he's popular, it might take you a bit of time and courage to confess.

not sure who it will be.

because, you might fall in love with him by seeing how his demeanor is completely different from his personality or how he might fall in love with you, just by being yourself.

but, he might confess first though. could be because of futakuchi's plan to get him to confess, or just koganegawa's big mouth.

yeah, you, no doubt about it.

another canonical ikemen.

will not notice if you’re not close with him or any of the inarizaki players, but if it’s otherwise, then be prepared to get teased by suna or osamu, sometimes he’ll even join in if he enjoys how you react.

‌it might be you.

because, there can be a possibility where you have heard his name and saw how good he is and that'll be the deciding factor, but you know how dense he can be, so confessing is a difficult task.

though, if he realized he's captivated by you, he might just walk up to you and tell you straight about his feelings.

you.

the ace of the boys’ volleyball team that is always in the finals, truly the school’s pride, so who doesn’t know him in your school, that includes you.

his attentive nature— how he’ll notice that you always watch their games and practice might be either a hole to make you fall deeper for him or finally take notice of you.

i’m not sure, but i’m getting the feeling that it’s him.

he’s the type to be secretly in love with you for a long time and only his closest friends would know.

osamu’s the person to fall for people who have the same preference about food with him, he thinks it’ll be easier to get along and hang out with them if they share something in common.

if you'd like to support me, you can tip me here! ❤︎ ྀི˖ ko-fi. ❤︎ ྀི˖ patreon.

i hope you enjoyed it!

[luster-less]

i think the weirdest part about falling into the haikyuu fandom is realizing how i used to see these characters one-dimensionally. like, you start the show thinking they’re just a bunch of volleyball dorks. nothing more, nothing less. you watch kuroo show up with his messy hair and snarky comments and you go "ah. the flirty one." and that’s all you think about him. you move on.

but then you’re on here for too long. you start reading things. fanart. fics. metas. suddenly you’re seeing posts about how kuroo’s actually smart—like nerd smart. how he’s a science guy. how he’s majoring in biology and tutors underclassmen and probably owns glasses he only wears in private. and the worst part? it starts making sense. you start going, "yeah… he would quote scientific metaphors during sex, wouldn’t he?" and boom. he’s not just the flirty one anymore. he’s the kind of man who’d press you up against a chalkboard and ask if you want to learn about anatomy.

and it keeps happening.

like sakusa. the fandom got him so wrong and so right at the same time. everyone saw the mask and immediately screamed "germaphobe!" and now every post is like "he won’t even hold your hand" but that’s not even canon. he’s cautious, not afraid of germs. the man wipes a volleyball, not your soul. he’s not squeamish. he’s careful. and that changes everything. because now you realize, oh. he’s not afraid to touch. he’s just particular. so when he does touch you? when he’s intimate with you? it’s intentional. it means something. and that thought? way filthier than "germaphobe" ever was.

then there’s mattsun. i watched the show thinking, "he’s chill. background character. probably smokes." but now? i can’t not associate him with the phrase "horse cock mattsun" like it’s his legal name. no one questioned it. we just saw him with that slow smile and relaxed posture and said, "yeah, he’s packing" and we believe it.

hinata? i used to think he was just cute. just energetic. little ball of sunshine. then he comes back from brazil all tanned and toned and suddenly the fandom’s like "he fucks now" and i didn’t even fight it. i just accepted it. post-timeskip hinata isn’t just confident. he’s got that kind of raw, unbothered, i’ve-been-around-the-block sex appeal that radiates off him. and i feel like i didn’t agree to that but also… thank you?

and osamu. osamu was just "atsumu’s twin who makes rice" that’s it. until the fandom made him tired and stern and warm. now he’s dad-coded. husband-coded. dilf-coded. sleeves rolled up, calloused hands, says very little but feeds you like it’s love. i didn’t plan to simp for a fictional small business owner but here we are.

what gets me is how natural it all feels. like the fandom didn’t invent anything. they just found it. they looked at crumbs and somehow baked an entire meal. and now i’ll never be the same. i watch the show now and all i can think is "you have no idea what tumblr’s done to you."

[otherworldlyranse]

I HAVE A FEW HCS ABT THIS VERY THING OMG

ok but how is shinzen not confirmed yet??? what ordinary school has the money for two gyms, a bunch of dorms, and 5 HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL CLUBS WORTH OF FOOD

also, i hc that kakugawa makes bets on just abt anything and when Makado, kakugawa's token nonrich kid, wins, he gets so cocky abt it

aLSO MONIWA IS THE ONE PERSON FROM DATE TECH THAT IS RICH

HES SO RICH AND IF HE WARMS UP TO SOMEONE ENOUGH THEN HE'LL START SPOILING THEM SM

he invited Sasaya and Kamasaki to his house for the first time in their first year and they were absolutely flabbergasted at how big his house was and how rich his parents were

this is the reason Moniwa continues to loiter around the volleyball club instead of looking for a job

Himekawa is tsubakihara's richest teammate (as they know of) and everyone is jealous, his parents are so filthly rich and aren't afraid to show it

Maruyama, tsubakihara's token nonrich kid, is always tryna hang out with Himekawa bc of this

I say Himekawa is the richest as the team knows of bc Echigo is right up there with Himekawa but doesn't say anything js because

moving on to shinzen and ubugawa bc ive literally been trying to construct these team's with whatever foundation furudate has laid out for us

shinzen's vbc is so fucking priviledged that they have their dorms in a separate building near the gyms, away from every other student's dorms (u need to take that up with their principal)

Goura and Ogano bet so much fucking money during training camps on who'll win the most practice matches and get so goddamn salty when they lose

similar to Shirabu and Yahaba, Yukawa and Chigaya are absolutely petrified when they learn that they're both the token nonrich kids of their team

ohgiminami's vbc is so pissed at kakugawa for being such a rich school, and they called kakugawa's vbc a team of snotty rich kids when they don't even do anything, and kakugawa gets so ticked off at that (Towada and Komaki are pretty close though)

literally have not stopped thinking about that nationals panel where fukurodani players have ppl to fucking MASSAGE them or whatever it was and i truly don't think we have realized the pure absurdity of how rich some of the schools are so here's some hcs let's goooo

every private/rich school team has at least one (1) token nonrich kid

i could list them all but like. that would take a while

shirabu and yahaba are each HORRIFIED to learn that the other is the token nonrich kid bc all this time their insults were based on "tch, bet he wouldn't even survive in PUBLIC SCHOOL"

karasuno🤝🏻dateko: determined to beat the shit out of private school teams

the real reason nekomata invited karasuno to the tokyo training camps was so that they could have another public school team just completely fuck up fukurodani, ubugawa, and shinzhen

(i know shinzen and ubugawa aren't exactly confirmed but it's SO much funnier this way)

also. nekoma will finally have other people to do The Eyeroll with whenever one of the students from the other schools say something COMPLETELY out of pocket

like okay yeah they love hanging out with each other but like. how the fuck else are you supposed to react when komi goes "haha yeah we just got a new tv it only cost like a million yen" and everyone else just starts nodding and comparing prices from these fuck-all brands

god and inarizaki . . .

look regardless of whether we're ever going to get confirmation if inarizaki is public or private. they're still rich as hell and we NEED to acknowledge that!!

like hello? you think a normal school would have the resources to recruit students from a whole other prefecture?? you think a normal public high school could afford to send THEIR ENTIRE BAND TO TOKYO??

suna gets to inarizaki and is immediately blown out of the fucking water by how nonchalant people are about . . . just pretty much everything that goes over his weekly budget

one of his classmates is like "yeah i broke the dorm washing machine once but it's okay my family just bought them a new one" and suna has never wanted to punch anyone more in his entire life

ANOTHER REASON WHY I THINK YAKU AND SAKUSA WOULD DISLIKE EACH OTHER SO MUCH

the only time you'll find nekoma and nohebi allied is when they want to trash talk the rich kids

shirabu: "yeah if you get the shiratorizawa uniform dirty you know we can sue right" futakuchi: "oh fuck off like the cops could ever catch me anyways"

[meganegatari]

pool/beach day w/ ellie thoughts! source of pondering: i was in the pool and am never not thinking about ellie so…this is very much insane projecting LOL. (like projecting to the level of this was literally how i spent the last few hours but am writing as if it's ellie…with creative expansions obvi.) informal format, basically just thinking and not a fr story iykwim. closer to headcanons? I DON'T KNOW JUST A SHITTY YAP OF SORTS OK. loser!ellie kindaaa, jesse cameo, teeny suggestive mentions if you squint.

pool (or beach, either work) day with ellie, how fun!! let's start with her fit. she'd wear plaid swim trunks with a sports bra style bikini top, unbuttoned short sleeve button up shirt on top when out of the water, all pieces of her outfit totally different, clashing patterns. yet she somehow rocks it. and when she's in the water, she wears swim goggles because of course. she'd love wearing her outfit, and “f-boy” coded ellie would hike her bottoms down just enough so her happy trail would peek out perfectly, because she knew all the girls would drool at the sight. you included. (who wouldn't.)

in the water however, she'd be a nuisance like none other, literally turning into a teen boy. splashing you like crazy, goofing around until there's so much water in her nose you're sure you can hear it sloshing around inside her skull. at times you'd even have to act like her mother, yelling at her to reapply her sunscreen so her delicate skin didn't burn to a crisp. she finds this absolutely hilarious.

“ellie, you're gonna turn into a lobster, get over here!” you toss the bottle in the air and catch it, a fed-up look on your face. she stands up and shakes the water off her body as if she's a dog, then strides over to you, snatching the sunscreen out of your hand. she rolls her eyes, and you can clearly hear the smirk in her tone. “ugh, sorry mom. i bet i'd be delicious as a lobster though.” she chuckles at her stupid joke, a husky “heh”, but then doubles over laughing even harder once she sees your stone-cold expression not crack in the slightest. in the most bored, deadpan voice you could muster, “you taste fine as-is, dork.” cue her face turning as bright red as a freshly boiled lobster once the rebuttal properly registers in her mind. you = 1, ellie = 0.

you'd be over there away from the water on a towel trying to get some vitamin d, or hidden away in the shade with a book and cocktail with one of the tiny umbrellas in it, but your els would want you there with her, and try to drag you in the water.

as she grabs your arm to pull you to your feet, “c'mon babe, get in. just for a little bit, how aren't you bored over there?” when you don't move, she attacks your neck with cold, wet smooches, the temperature of her lips a shock against your hot, dry skin, causing goosebumps to erupt all over. finally you'd comply, following her while she's pulling you in. “see, look how nice it is!” a grin so wide it melts your insides, you can't be mad at her, and you find a floaty to lay on. you can do some relaxation like that. but ellie, she insists to be close to you at all times, and finds a floaty to lay on next to yours. can't forget she's still holding your hand, you both look like two little otters floating down a stream, swept away on beds of seaweed, hand in hand.

as you're listening to the sounds of the water around you, the gentle rocking as a gust of wind passes by, you feel ellie's grip on your hand go limp, and you look over at her to see the fucker's dead asleep. “hey, ellie?” you ask, and are met with silence, her head lolled to the side with her mouth slightly open, she was out cold. it seems all that silly splashing around had made her tired, and that in combination with the comforting, warm environment had rocked her to sleep. you float there next to her peacefully for a short while, resting your eyes. then out of nowhere, you hear her yelp, and sit up to see that her friend, jesse, had made an appearance and threw a volleyball at her, which hit her smack-dab in the face. “what the fuck man!” he's looking smug, proud of his aim, and waves hi to you. ellie throws the ball back at him, but unfortunately she misses. and by a long shot at that, seems she was still drowsy. you're tuning them out and have returned to floating in relaxation, vaguely hearing them yelling profanities and “your mom” jokes to each other. in no time at all ellie bolts out of the water and dashes over to him, and you take a deep breath, happy to get some quiet, but also enjoying watching them from afar as they toss the ball around. ellie gestures for you to join them, to which you yell to her that you'll join in a bit, watching from the sidelines was proving to be better entertainment than you thought it would be, you loved observing her athletic form, whatever she's doing.

and so the evening continues like that, you two make it back home as it gets dark, and crash into bed immediately. bla bla bla...

yeah i dunno. had to write SOMETHING don't yell at me if it's crap idrc. ig i shall tag peeps anyway cuz that's what yall do! wrote while listening to tsp, especially 1979 which is a very summery song imo. sunset drives with friends blasting that song...UGHHHH

everything everything: @andersonfilms @fleshunger @ch6douin @aouiaa @sapphic-ovaries @astro-cat2

ellie everything: @flowrmoth @srooch @liddysflyer @fortune777

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[sweetlikesuga]

But there's also this

[oligbia]

kuroo x f!reader headcanons?:3

i don't think about him often, but I will never buy into the fuck boy/player Kuroo narrative. This man is forever a dork with no bitches to me. I've never met a Kuroo stan I didn't like tho

Tetsurō Kuroo Headcanons

Tags: Kuroo X GN!reader, timeskip and highschool

⠀˳ ˳ . ⋅ ॱ ˙ ॱ ⋅ . I take requests! Visit my profile to submit!˳ ˳ . ⋅ ॱ ˙ ॱ ⋅ .

Before you started dating

I think that Kuroo is the type that once he finds someone, he'll be there for a while. He knows he is not the top pick of his peers, so when he finds someone who likes him back and he likes them, he's committed to you

So when he realized he liked you, and you gave him even the slightest reason to think you'd like him back, he is going to keep a close orbit to you

I imagine he'll try and find reasons to see you outside of volleyball or school but in casual ways to not take things too fast. So I think he'd do a casual invite to a 7/11 run between study sessions or at lunch, asking you to study, etc.

He probably would ask Kenma what he thinks of you, but probably wouldn't take anyone else's opinoin too seriously.

How he asks you out

I almost can't believe that he'd ask you out first. I think at minimum you have to confess first.

But once you confessed to him, probably after a volleyball game you were at, he wastes no time with a relationship. He's asking you out on a serious date that same day

He's also asking you to be his girlfiend that same date. The title is really important to him in my head.

Generally, I just think he is kinda nervous and insecure about the whole dating thing since he isn't really expirenced, so having firm titles and relationship lables is just really important to him.

What it's like dating Kurro

Devoted. This man is so fucking devoted to you it's not even funny. He's buying snacks and drinks in pairs now, he is considering how you fit in every step of his future, he is in it for the long haul. His teammates tease him, but your're on his mind all the time

A picture of you isn't his lockscreen, but a text you sent him before a game wishing him luck is.

Not a day is going by where he doesn't say "I love you" "Have I mentioned you are beautiful?" "You should know I live to worship the ground you walk on," "I am but a man willing to give you it all" or similar statments multiple times a day

His entire playbook for being your boyfriend is from early 90s and 2000s romance movies because he simply is so inexpreinced. But trust, he is a fast learner!

He has a calander on his phone because it's important to him he balances his time with volleyball, schoolwork, friends and now you. He always carves out time in his busy week to give you his full attention ontop of the study dates and snack runs during lunch. He wants time every week where you can enjoy eachother's presence without having to do something else like homework.

I think his love language is quality time, but he likes reciving affection. Back to my whole thing of I think he get's insecure a bit about dating- I think that small affections like holding your hand or having you so casually kiss his cheek in public helps ground him

He is such a goddamn nerd that the best gifts you've ever given him are ones related to his interests.

He likes to call you before bed to ensure you sleep well, and normally he lures you to sleep by talking about something of his interests.

Your comfort, wellbeing and happiness are a high priority for him. When you're sick, he's there in minutes with soup and medicine, timers set on his phone to make sure you take it. You told him once you get lonely at night so he got you a stuffed animal. You mentioned once that you're happy when the stars are clear, he's putting glow in the dark star stickers on your ceiling next time he comes over. this man is devouted.

You don't argue often because Kuroo is always so willing to put you, your wants, and your needs first. but, when arguments do come up, he refuses to go to bed angry and insists on only talking about it in person. King of using "I feel" statments. He's biking to you in the middle of the night if you don't live together yet. He takes these very seriously because he can't risk loosing you!!

When he starts in his career in promotions, i imagine he has to travel a lot and he always brings you along. The other men he works give him shit, because to them work trips are a chance to leave their wives for a bit, but he simply cannot stand to be parted from you like that.

I also think he proposes you really quickly after highschool because he simply needs to be your husband? Like, boyfriend wasn't enough he needed a ring on it ASAP, but he is happy to give it time for a wedding until after uni graduation.

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A/N: I fear fanon kuroo and canon kuroo are so different and i got so caught up in 2020 fanon that i lowkey forget how kuroo actually is. so i worry none of these are in character. but i'll die on my own sword to defend nerdy looser boyfriend kuroo

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[rae-writes]

Blueberry #241571 — Kageyama Tobio

king blueberry baby my love || 0.3k || m.list

Blueberries were tricolored. They were blue on the outside, obviously, but when you peeled them, they were green. And when they were smushed, they were purple. 

It was just useless knowledge sitting in your brain until you heard Hinata coin Kageyama as ‘blueberry’ (since the shorter male was coined ‘orange’). 

And then you made the comparison. 

Tobio’s ‘blue’ layer was his aloofness. The unbothered facade he plastered on to not get hurt, the biting words that usually came out before he could think about them. 

“Watch where you’re going—“ he muttered sharply, glancing down uninterestedly to see who’d knocked into him, before his cheeks flared red when he saw your apologetic smile. 

His ‘green’ layer came after he let people get closer. Watching him turn into the biggest dork you’d ever met, whether it be over volleyball or his milk boxes. It was learning that the ‘king of the court’ was just…misunderstood a lot. 

“Here.” Kageyama handed you a milk box, voice muffled a bit because of the straw in his mouth as he drank his own milk. But he sounded excited. And it made his eyes shine. “The machine gave me two!”

The ‘purple’ came after you finally had his heart in your hands, a bit shy, still, but sweet and open and like…a dream. 

“Tobio, you’re going to be late for practice.”

The only acknowledgement that came was an indignant, drawn out, groan as he snuggled his head deeper against your stomach from where you were both hiding away in the school stairwell.

Your fingers scratched his scalp, coaxing his head back so you could kiss at his forehead. “Come on…I’ll walk you.” 

“Kiss.” 

“Another one?” 

“You missed my lips.” 

And wouldn’t you know it…

He peeled back all his layers for everyone to see as he proposed to you in front of hundreds of people, thousands more watching on live tv, after winning his first national team match.

[paxaz535]

Brothers Best Friend

♡pairing ♡

paige bueckers x black!oc

___

note: yea im gonna move this to wattpad

___

It had been exactly seven months since Paige left for UConn. Seven months of late-night calls, text messages, and the occasional visits. Now, with Daveli’s senior year coming to an end, everything felt like it was speeding toward a new beginning.

She thought back to what Azzi once told her, almost teasing:

“What if you got into UConn too?”

At the time, it felt like a far-off dream. But now — it was real.

Daveli stared at the email on her phone, rereading it at least five times. UConn had offered her a spot — for volleyball, no less. She couldn’t stop smiling. The happiness bubbled out of her as she jumped up and down, her heart pounding with excitement.

The first people she told were her mom and David. They were thrilled, their voices full of pride and joy as they hugged her tight. For once, Daveli let herself believe it: maybe everything really was falling into place. She wanted it to be a surprise for Azzi and Carol, meaning that she’d have to tell Paige soon.

-

Later that night, when the excitement had finally calmed into a warm, buzzing feeling in her chest, Daveli found herself lying in bed, phone in hand, staring at her messages with Paige.

She hadn’t told her yet. She wanted to do it right — maybe call her, maybe even see her in person if she could.

Daveli smiled to herself, imagining the way Paige’s face would light up when she heard the news. Maybe she’d scream. Maybe she’d cry. Or maybe, in that quiet way Paige sometimes had, she’d just pull her into a hug so tight it said everything words couldn’t.

The thought made Daveli’s heart ache — in the best way.

All this time, she had missed Paige so much it almost hurt.

Now, maybe soon, they wouldn’t have to miss each other anymore.

They could finally be there — together.

And being a Husky didn’t sound too bad, either.

She thought for a moment, then smiled to herself. She knew exactly how she wanted to tell Paige.

Opening their chat, she started typing:

eli <3

hey p

when do you think you’ll be back home again?

It didn’t take long for Paige to answer.

paigey >_<

uhh.. i think i can come this weekend

why? did something happen?

Daveli bit her lip, holding back a laugh. She loved making Paige curious.

eli <3

you can say that.. yea

There was a pause.

Then another text popped up — Paige was getting worried.

paigey >_<

did something… bad happen?

Daveli giggled, imagining the look of concern on Paige’s face. She quickly replied:

eli <3

no silly

you’ll find out when you get here

She tucked her phone away, heart pounding with excitement.

She could hardly wait to see Paige’s reaction in person.

⸻

Saturday

Daveli finally pulled away, but not too far — just enough to see Paige’s face. She was grinning, cheeks a little pink from the cold.

“I missed you, dork,” Paige said, nudging her playfully.

Daveli laughed. “I missed you too. But listen,” she said, bouncing a little on her feet, “we’re gonna go out to eat. My treat.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, suspicious. “Oh? Is that what all the mystery is about?”

Daveli just shrugged, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. “Maybe.”

Paige narrowed her eyes, but she was already smiling. “You’re being so weird right now.”

“You’ll find out soon,” Daveli said, grabbing Paige’s hand and tugging her inside so she could drop off her things.

Her heart was pounding the whole time.

She could barely keep the secret for another hour — but she wanted it to be special.

“Okay, let me go say hi to Angelica and David first,” Paige said, dropping her bag onto the floor of Daveli’s room.

Daveli playfully groaned. “Ugh, fiiine,” she teased, but she nodded, grinning.

Paige made her way down the hall and knocked lightly on David’s door. She could hear movement inside before it finally swung open.

David looked up — and immediately lit up.

“P!” he shouted.

Paige laughed as he pulled her into a hug, practically lifting her off the ground. “Hi, Dave,” she said, her voice warm.

David pulled back, his grin wide. “How long you staying?”

“Just until tomorrow afternoon,” Paige said, watching as he took in her presence like he hadn’t seen her in years. They caught up quickly, sharing a few jokes and updates, the easy friendship between them picking up like no time had passed.

After a few minutes, Paige headed to Angelica’s room.

She knocked once before calling out, “Ma!”

Angelica’s voice came through the door instantly. “Paige?!”

She hurried to open it, eyes lighting up when she saw the blonde standing there with a nervous smile.

“Oh, you’re getting so tall!” Angelica said, pulling her into a tight hug.

Paige laughed. “Maybe you’re just shrinking,” she teased.

They chatted for a bit, catching up on everything they’d missed, the room buzzing with warmth and familiarity.

Finally, it was time.

“Ready?” Daveli called from the front door, keys jingling in her hand.

Paige said quick goodbyes, promising to visit again soon. She slipped on her shoes and hurried to catch up with Daveli, who was practically bouncing with excitement.

The sky was starting to turn golden, the air buzzing with that soft kind of excitement that only came when something good was about to happen.

Daveli squeezed Paige’s hand as they walked toward her car.

She smiled to herself.

Soon, she thought. She’s gonna know. And everything’s going to change — in the best way.

As soon as they got into the car, Paige wasted no time. She immediately plugged in her phone to the aux, making Daveli furrow her eyebrows in suspicion.

“Oh? Who are you feeling like?” Daveli teased, shooting her a quick glance.

Paige just smirked, not saying a word as she scrolled through her playlist. She already knew exactly what she was looking for — their song.

When the opening notes started to play, Daveli recognized it immediately. Her smile broke out without even thinking, and she looked over at Paige, heart swelling, before turning her eyes back to the road.

The lyrics filled the car, soft and familiar:

“Shooting stars never fly for me…”

“My heart’s on Mars, kinda hard to see…”

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

It was just the music, the soft hum of the car, and the quiet, heavy feeling that everything — everything — was about to change for the better.

They let the song play all the way through, neither one daring to interrupt it.

By the time they pulled up to the diner, the sky had shifted into deep golds and purples, the sun dipping low on the horizon.

Paige hopped out of the car, stretching her arms overhead with a dramatic yawn. “Man, I forgot how good it feels to be home,” she said, flashing Daveli a lazy smile.

Daveli laughed nervously, twirling the car keys around her finger. “Yeah, home’s been… waiting for you,” she said, her voice a little shaky from excitement.

They walked into the diner, the little bell above the door chiming as they stepped inside. It was quiet, cozy — the same red vinyl booths and chalkboard menus they remembered.

They slid into their usual booth by the window, and Paige grabbed a menu, even though she already knew what she was going to order.

Daveli, on the other hand, couldn’t sit still. She kept bouncing her knee under the table, tapping her fingers against the edge, looking at anything but Paige.

Paige noticed immediately. She leaned her elbows on the table, raising an eyebrow. “Okay. Spill it,” she said, smirking. “You’ve been acting like you’re gonna explode this whole ride.”

Daveli froze, caught. She bit her lip, trying to hold it in just a little longer, but it was no use. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure Paige could hear it.

“Okay, okay,” she said, throwing her hands up in surrender.

“So… I finally got that offer,” Daveli said, her voice light but shaky with excitement.

Paige’s eyes shot up from the menu, suspicion flashing across her face.

“Yeah?” she said slowly, narrowing her eyes.

“Mhm,” Daveli hummed, trying to play it cool.

Paige placed the menu down carefully and leaned in, studying her like she was trying to read her mind.

“What school?” she asked.

Daveli gave her a look — that knowing look.

The one Paige knew all too well.

Paige froze.

Her mouth dropped open just slightly as realization hit.

“No,” she whispered.

Daveli couldn’t hold it in anymore — she giggled, her heart bursting with happiness. She reached into her bag and pulled out the envelope she had printed, sliding it across the table.

Paige stared at it like it was something sacred, hands trembling slightly as she reached out.

The bold UConn logo was impossible to miss.

Her eyes filled with tears almost instantly.

“You’re kidding me,” she said, her voice breaking.

“You’re really coming to UConn?”

Daveli nodded, her smile so wide it almost hurt. “They want me for volleyball.”

Before she could say anything else, Paige was out of her seat, running around the table and pulling Daveli into the tightest hug she’d ever given.

“I’m so proud of you,” Paige whispered, squeezing her like she never wanted to let go.

“I missed you so much… and now you’re coming.”

Daveli hugged her back just as tightly, feeling herself tear up too.

“I missed you too, P,” she whispered. “I couldn’t imagine doing this without you.”

And in that moment, in that tiny diner with the sun setting outside the window, it felt like the whole world had fallen perfectly into place.

After a few minutes of hugging and wiping at teary eyes, they finally sat back down, still smiling so wide it almost hurt.

The waitress came by, and they hastily ordered their usual — two burgers, fries to split, and milkshakes — barely able to focus on the menu with all the excitement buzzing between them.

As soon as the waitress left, Paige leaned across the table, practically vibrating with energy.

“This is gonna be insane, Eli,” she said, “We’re gonna be living in the same place again. Every day.”

Daveli laughed, picking up her water to sip, mostly just to keep herself from bursting into another fit of giggles.

“I know! I still can’t believe it,” she said. “It’s like… it finally feels real, you know?”

Paige nodded eagerly. “We’re gonna take over that campus,” she said, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Like, I’m serious. Volleyball games? I’m gonna be in the front row, screaming my head off.”

Daveli chuckled. “You better,” she teased. “If you’re not the loudest one there, we’re gonna have a problem.”

Paige grinned. “Oh, you know I’ll embarrass you. Full-on face paint. Posters. The works.”

Their food arrived not long after, and they dug in, still talking between bites.

They imagined late-night study sessions, weekend road trips, movie marathons in their dorms.

They talked about the best coffee shops near campus, the cute spots Paige had already scoped out, and how they’d spend hours just wandering around like they used to — only now, it would be their campus.

“I know that Azzi and Carol are going,” Daveli said between bites, “but I want it to be a surprise.”

Paige immediately perked up, nodding eagerly. She loved the idea — the thought of seeing their friends’ reactions made her grin even wider.

“Okay,” Paige said, wiping her hands on a napkin. “We’ll surprise them. I’m so down for that.”

Daveli giggled, imagining the scene already. “I can’t wait to see Azzi’s face. She’s gonna lose it.”

“And Carol’s probably gonna scream,” Paige added with a laugh, shaking her head. “We’ll have to catch it on video or something. For proof.”

They both laughed, the idea of it making everything feel even more real — and even more exciting.

Paige leaned back in the booth, a dreamy look crossing her face. “This year’s gonna be different,” she said. “But it’s gonna be so good.”

Daveli smiled, picking at her fries. “The best,” she agreed softly.

They didn’t need to say it out loud, but both of them knew:

UConn wasn’t just a new chapter — it was their chapter.

And it was only just beginning.

-

Daveli had a huge championship game coming up for her high school volleyball team — and to say she was nervous would’ve been an understatement.

She was oh-my-god-I’m-gonna-shit-my-pants nervous.

Everything she had worked for all season came down to this one game.

One night.

One shot.

She tried to play it cool around everyone — laughing, making jokes, pretending she wasn’t internally losing her mind — but the second she was alone, the panic would creep back in.

What if she messed up?

What if she let her team down?

What if she totally choked in front of a packed gym?

The pressure felt like a boulder sitting on her chest.

And worst of all? She knew Paige was coming to watch.

No pressure, right?

The night before the game, Daveli sat on her bed, tossing a volleyball up and down absentmindedly, her leg bouncing like crazy.

She couldn’t sit still — her mind just kept replaying worst-case scenarios over and over again.

A soft knock came at her door.

Before she could answer, Paige peeked her head in.

“Hey, champ,” she said with a soft smile.

Daveli groaned dramatically and flopped back onto her pillows. “Don’t call me that. Not yet. I still have to, you know, not die tomorrow.”

Paige laughed and walked in, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She gently took the volleyball from Daveli’s hands and set it aside.

Then she grabbed both of Daveli’s hands in hers, squeezing them tightly.

“Listen to me,” Paige said, her voice firm but gentle. “You are one of the best players I’ve ever seen. You’ve worked so hard for this. You’re strong, you’re smart, and you love this game. You deserve to be out there.”

Daveli stared at her, swallowing hard.

“But what if I mess up?” she whispered.

“What if I let everyone down?”

Paige squeezed her hands even tighter.

“Then you mess up,” she said simply. “And you get back up. Like you always do.”

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.

“You’re not out there because you’re perfect. You’re out there because you’re you. And that’s already enough.”

Daveli felt something break loose in her chest — a flood of emotions she had been trying so hard to bottle up.

She blinked quickly, trying not to cry, but a few tears slipped out anyway.

Paige just smiled and reached up, wiping them away with her thumb.

“You’ve got this, Eli,” she said softly. “And no matter what happens… I’m so damn proud of you.”

Daveli let out a watery laugh. “You’re like… a cheesy motivational speaker.”

Paige grinned. “Yeah, but you love it.”

Daveli rolled her eyes playfully, but she couldn’t help the warmth spreading through her chest.

She felt lighter.

She felt ready.

All because Paige believed in her — even when she wasn’t sure she believed in herself.

-

The gym was packed.

The buzz of excited chatter filled the air, sneakers squeaking against the polished floor as people shuffled to find seats.

Banners hung from the rafters, the school colors flying proud.

The championship trophy sat gleaming on a table at the edge of the court, waiting — taunting.

And up in the stands?

A whole section was basically taken over by Daveli’s people.

Paige, Azzi, Coral, David, Angelica, Makayla, Emma, Derek, Nai, Mia — everyone. (Crazy to even see Mia and Nai, considering what happened at the hotel but she wasn’t complaining, she knew the two really loved her fr)

All of them wearing school colors, some even holding handmade signs with Daveli’s name scribbled across them in glitter and marker.

Paige was practically bouncing out of her seat, too excited to sit still.

She clutched a sign that read “LET’S GO ELI!” and had a little volleyball doodled next to it.

Azzi kept slapping the bleachers, chanting her name every few minutes just to hype everyone up.

Even Angelica — who normally hated loud crowds — was grinning and clapping along.

When Daveli jogged onto the court with her team, the whole section erupted into wild cheers.

Paige cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed,

“GO ELI! YOU GOT THIS!”

Daveli spotted them immediately.

She laughed under her breath, her nerves easing just a little when she saw all the familiar, crazy faces yelling for her like she was already a champion.

The whistle blew, and the game began.

The first set was brutal.

The other team was good — really good.

Every point was a battle.

Daveli dove for balls, set up plays, called out instructions to her teammates with a steady voice even when her heart hammered inside her chest.

And every time she glanced up into the stands?

There they were — standing, clapping, shouting her name like she was the only one on the court.

Paige especially.

Every time Daveli landed a point, Paige would jump to her feet, fist-pumping and yelling loud enough for the whole gym to hear.

By the third set, it was tied 1–1.

Everything came down to this.

The gym was electric, the tension so thick you could feel it in your bones.

Match point.

Daveli stood at the back line, ball in hand, ready to serve.

She closed her eyes for just a second.

You’ve got this. You’re you. And that’s enough.

She opened her eyes, breathed deep, and launched the serve.

The ball sailed over the net — perfect.

The other team scrambled, setting up a weak return.

Daveli’s teammate passed it to her — and Daveli, without hesitation, spiked it straight down the middle.

The ball hit the floor.

The whistle blew.

Game over.

For a second, there was just stunned silence.

And then — the gym exploded.

Her teammates tackled her in a massive hug, screaming and jumping up and down.

And in the stands?

Her whole section was going absolutely feral.

Paige was yelling at the top of her lungs, tears in her eyes.

Azzi was waving her sign like a maniac.

Angelica was crying into David’s shoulder.

Makayla and Emma were hugging each other and jumping up and down.

Nai and Mia weren’t full on celebrating like everyone else but they were clapping.

It was chaos.

Beautiful, perfect chaos.

And when Daveli finally broke free from her teammates and looked up?

All she saw was her people — her family — standing, clapping, loving her louder than anyone else in that whole damn building.

As the final whistle still echoed in the gym, the bleachers practically shook.

Before Daveli could even process what just happened, she heard someone yell:

“LET’S GO!”

She looked up just in time to see Paige sprinting down the bleachers, followed by Azzi, Coral, David, Angelica, Makayla, Emma, Derek, Nai, Mia — everyone.

Security didn’t even try to stop them; it was like the whole world just said, Screw it. Let them celebrate.

Paige was the first to reach her.

She didn’t slow down — she crashed into Daveli, arms thrown around her, almost knocking her clean off her feet.

“You did it!” Paige shouted into her ear, squeezing her so tight it hurt. “I’m so proud of you, Eli! You did it!”

Daveli laughed, breathless, clutching onto her as her heart raced in her chest — not from nerves this time, but pure joy.

Before she could even say anything back, the rest of the crew piled in, forming a giant, messy, shouting hug.

David ruffled her hair.

Azzi was practically jumping up and down while hugging her.

Angelica was wiping tears but smiling bigger than Daveli had ever seen.

Makayla and Emma were screaming about how they “knew she was gonna crush it.”

Derek was waving his phone around, recording every second.

Nai and Mia weren’t as close but stood off to the side, thin lipped smiles on their faces.

“Should we just go?” Mia asked Nai as she noticed everyone smiling big. Nai thought about it, “Yeah, come on.” She told Derek that they were leaving and they’d talk later.

It was chaos again — but the best kind.

The kind that felt warm and overwhelming and perfect.

Daveli blinked back tears as she laughed and hugged everyone back.

She couldn’t even find words — didn’t even need to.

They all knew.

They were proud.

They were there.

And so was she.

Right where she was meant to be.

-

After all the photos, the hugs, the medals, and the screaming, Daveli and the whole crew piled into cars and headed to their favorite late-night diner — the same one she and Paige had gone to just a few days ago.

The place was practically empty when they stumbled in, loud and buzzing with excitement.

They crammed into two booths, dragging tables together just to fit everyone.

Menus were tossed aside almost immediately.

Everyone already knew what they wanted — burgers, fries, milkshakes, and everything in between.

Tonight wasn’t about food, anyway. It was about celebrating. About being there.

Paige sat next to Daveli, still grinning from ear to ear, her arm casually thrown around the back of Daveli’s seat like she just couldn’t stop touching her — like she was making sure she was really there.

“You were unreal out there, Eli,” Azzi said through a mouthful of fries. “Like, seriously. I almost cried.”

“You did cry,” Coral teased, throwing a fry at her.

Azzi just shrugged proudly. “Yeah. ‘Cause I’m a supportive friend!”

Everyone laughed.

David made a whole speech — half serious, half full of dumb jokes — about how proud he was and how he technically taught Daveli everything she knew (which made Daveli roll her eyes so hard she almost hurt herself).

Angelica kept reaching across the table to squeeze Daveli’s hand every few minutes, her smile never fading.

Makayla and Emma were already posting a dozen pictures and videos on Instagram, tagging her in every single one.

Derek ordered two milkshakes because, as he put it, “Tonight deserves double dessert.”

The food came, and somehow, the energy only got louder.

Everyone talking over each other, laughing so hard they almost choked, stealing each other’s fries, clinking milkshake glasses together in messy, chaotic toasts.

At one point, Paige leaned in closer to Daveli, her voice quieter against all the noise.

“You know,” she said, smiling that soft, proud smile that made Daveli’s heart flip,

“This is just the beginning. UConn’s next.”

Daveli smiled back, feeling her whole chest swell with happiness.

“I know,” she said. “And I’m ready.”

And for the first time in a long time — she truly, truly was.

tag list @melpthatsme @prettygirl-gabi @rebecca-woso @starfulani @avvwritesstufff @evry1luvzzae @iluvazzi

[alottalocomotion]

Ideas for a StEx beach au

Rusty: building a sandcastle

Pearl: looking for seashells to add to Rusty’s castle

Greaseball: absolutely destroying the champions in beach volleyball (they’re all terrible sports)

Dinah: setting up the best beach picnic known to man

Electra: hiding out in the shade under a fancy tent (afraid of the water)

Freight: water gun fight! (Yes they try to “accidentally” hit Electra as much as possible)

Hydra: that dork with a metal detector (keeps leading him back to Rusty)

CB: worlds worst lifeguard

Feel free to add any other ideas!