Clawed & Flawed: A Nekoma Story

Chapter 14

Monday – 7 P. M.

Bam!

The spike went through Tora's hand and bounced right off Yaku's receive. The ball dipped lower and faster than expected as it lost speed and momentum from the bump. Shiro dashed and slid on her back with her hands in the air; ready to set the ball a few feet above her face.

"Yamamoto! Spike it!" she called out before tossing a quick set.

Wham!

The ball blasted through their defense; allowing them to score with no one guarding the spot.

"Yeah!" the rowdy teen hooked his new manager in his arm. "That emergency set is amazing! I can't believe you glided on the floor and still managed to toss it perfectly."

"I wanna say it's a fluke, but I also play setter. So, I'm not gonna offend myself," she pushed the sweaty guy away.

"Yeah, I see what she meant by disrupting harmony. But someone might just try to pull off weird stunts like that in Nationals, and they won't be flukes either," Kuroo wiped his face and neck with a towel.

"I think this year will be interesting," Kenma mumbled before chugging water.

"You're right."

Phweep!

"Shiro, nice serve!"

Bomp!

Team puppy won the second set as Shiro spent the last of her energy on a block out. She fell on the floor as she spent the past few hours running and jumping around. Her legs couldn't support the impact and caused her to land on her side.

"Oof!"

"Shiro! You okay, dude?" Tora rushed over.

"I'm... huff... so... huff... tired... huff..." she put an arm over her eyes.

"We won though! Here," he offered a hand.

Yaku and Tora pulled her up to her feet and walked her to the bench.

"I'll have so much to write on my note."

"Don't worry, we'll write our own in a journal and submit it to you. You've done enough today. Right, Kenma?" Kuroo grinned.

"I guess it's better than doing extra practice," he looked away.

"Now we get to watch the rest of the team's passing drills and serve practice," Tora slumped himself on the floor and leaned his back on the wall. "That was a good match though."

Out in the distance, Fukunaga and Kai were practicing with each other.

"Kobe!" the former tossed the ball high.

"Huh?" his partner got distracted by the remark and botched his spike.

"What's up with number 6?" the manager asked Kenma.

"He's just like that," he answered as he kept stealing glances at her tablet.

"Hmm?" she picked up on his quirk and handed it to him. "I have a bunch of stuff downloaded in here too if you wanna see."

Kuroo sat next to Tora with a towel around his neck, "Look at those youngsters. Hitting it off well enough. I don't know what they're even talking about. Probably some weird computer lingo."

"Woah, woah. What's this? Is Kuroo-senpai jealous?" he lurked.

"Of who? Kenma?"

"Shiro, obviously. What if you're not his number one favorite human anymore?"