CROW / N

               a fellow setter:  normally,  the common ground would be reason enough to narrow his eyes,  switch their dark depths from neutral to sharply assessing .  what holds him back is the fact that this one sported the same striking clash of black  &  orange as he did .  like crows of the same family tree,  though their nuclear families  (  boy team,  girl team !  )  clearly differed they were still linked in no small way .

               even from his halfway span across the court,  hawkish eyes zeroed in on the finest,  most understated misplacement of knees .  in that pinprick of a moment he can list off the tens of ways that the following receive will be off -- kilter .  in fact,  he wants to correct the posture before the ball’s even in the air .  what happens instead is the dam of the control tower that is kageyama tobio opening its floodgates:

                “   TCH..   this damn shitty thing --!!!  “ 

               i don’t want to lose ever again .  the competitive force of will to improve  &  EVOLVE  :  it’s a flame that burns stronger than ever on all the kindling it can reach .  his tall form showcases such resolve,  now deferentially bowed while stopping a  (  respected  )  senior in the hallway .  “  kiyoko -- senpai,  i’d like to ask a favor:  could i take a look at your annotations from the last game ?  “    

star   -   stricken   girl,    she   finds   her   self    with   her   jaw   dropped   !   the   mere   fact   that   he   said   yes   was   enough   to   have   her   head   in   the   clouds   !   (   not   to   mention,   was   he   complimenting   her   ?   )   jaw   snapping   shut,   she   is   at   a   loss   for   words.   maybe   hinata’s   advice   was   right   !

❛   you   really   think   so   …   ?   ❜   was   her   flustered   reply,   cheeks   reddening   at   the   thought.   ❛   ahhhh    …   i  -   it’s   really   nothing   !   you   retain   information   a   lot   better   than   you   think   !!!   you   studied   hard,   s   -   so   …   really,   you   did   great   !   ❜   hitoka   allows   a   rather   shy,   but   relieved   smile.   she   was  content   with   just   being   able   to   spend   time   together   like   this.   ❛   um,   after   practice   …   do   you   want   to   stay   in   the   club   room   ?   o  -  or,   maybe   come   over    ??   i’m   okay   with   either   one   !   ❜

               it’s not like him to verbally push forward by that extra mile for someone else,  but yachi isn’t one of the boys  &  it’s just easier when it’s not a fiery rival  (  hinata !  )  or a teammate  (  the others !  ) .  “  ..still,  i appreciate you going out of your way back then .  i’m sure there were other things you’d rather have been doing .  “  like volleyball,  for instance,  if it were him talking––––  the sturdy weight of the ball in his hands,  the tirelessly triumphant moment as it soared from the   RUNWAY   of his fingertips .  something so exhilarating,  such a willing monopoly of one’s   TIME   &   EFFORT :  did she have something like that,  too ?  common sense dictated that it probably wouldn’t be tutoring a doomed class -- three student like himself .  “  the club room is fine,  isn’t it ?  though,  i guess it can get a bit crowded with all the guys packed in there––––  “     

❛   kageyama   -   kun   ————   !   ❜   it’s   either   now   or   never   !   hinata   gave   her   so   much   courage   before,   it   would   be   a   waste   to   not   use   it   to   it’s   capacity   !   ❛   i  -  i   was   wondering   …   did   …   did   you   ever   want   to   study   together   again   ???   but   …   i   mean,   you   can   absolutely   say   no   !!!   in   fact,   i’m   sure   you’re   doing   much   better   !!!   ❜   she   got   cold   feet   …   ❛   ah   ——–   b   -   but   if   by   any   chance,   you   need   it   ————   i   -   i’m   free   after   practice   today   !!!   ❜   /   @recrowns​    ♡ .

               in light of anyone who knew him,  it was almost comical how ungainly tobio could be during any given time off the   VOLLEYBALL   court .  hard to believe,  really,  that the same genius  (  monster !  )  setter who manifested jaw -- dropping plays like doves out of a magician’s pocket was now singled out by a complete lack of skill .  social skills .  this ineptitude betrays him just like the quiet snickers ringing from the sidelines of the classroom  --  a few boys with bravado profiling their encounter openly  :  stuttering girl,  ooooh is kageyama getting a confession  ?  (  oh,  get a grip  !  )  --  as he obliviously leaves the conversation in limbo,  silent with his own thoughts .  as it stands,  his   GRADES   couldn’t possibly say no to a partnered studying session with someone more academically stable .  he also has no reason to refuse yachi’s offer with the kind of person she is  (  &  the nasty caliber of the guy who stood at the opposite end,  tsukishima  )  .