gravity | r. suna ✓

ten

this chapter will be a description of how the game goes, and will contain little to no romantic or sexual tension/interaction. despite this, i will try to make the game sound as interesting as possible. however, if you are likely to get bored, please skip to chapter 12.

- Tuesday, 5:30pm -

The game begins with Chiyoko's serve, a jump floater. This is aimed at Aran, who receives it messily - he isn't bad at receives at all, but Chiyoko's jump float is fearful and it was the first serve of the game.

Still, Atsumu manages to get under it and he back-sets it to Osamu, which is predictable, because Aran is one step behind where he'd like to be and Osamu is the next best option. Osamu spikes it straight, but Kayo dives and manages to put it up. This is where I come in.

When a receive is put up, it can be like slow motion, or it can be faster than you expect. You're lucky if you get the first option, but mostly, it's the latter.

This one, though, is in slow motion. It's an amazing receive. It gives me time to breathe, to think, to look, to decide.

Suna's in the middle, Osamu beside him, with Aran and a defender covering the block on my right side. The choice anyone would make would be to put it to the right and have Kanemoto do a slide (a move where the middle blocker changes to the right side of the setter and spikes off a back set) as I had signaled at the start of the round, but that's a decision that is a little too obvious for me.

The blockers see my quick glance to the right but don't make their move just yet; instead, they shuffle their feet into the optimal position to move quickly to the left. I'm disappointed - I thought, after training with and watching the boys, that they would read my body language and go for the block before the set is made. It's unfortunate that they're waiting.

I jump for the ball, letting it settle into my hands, and try to make it look like I'm setting it to Kanemoto, who has gone in for the slide, but instead I set the left. Emi hits it straight, forcing Atsumu to receive it.

This would be a genius move with any other team, but Osamu, Atsumu's twin, is talented at setting despite being an outside hitter. He sets the ball to Aran, nice and high like Aran likes it, and the ace slams the ball down on our side before our back court can get to it.

The first point goes to the boys team, but I'm not mad. That was very well fought for by both teams.

The first set is reasonably uneventful. I'm on my game, but so is Atsumu. Kanemoto, our ace, is scoring points, but so is Aran. Etsuko is shutting spikes down, but so is Suna. And Inari is diving for every ball, but so is their libero.

The set ends with them two points up at 25. The team gathers round, all of us sweating and panting.

"We were so close, everyone," Etsuko says firmly. "We're playing so well - but we need to do better for the Spring Interhigh. Remember, these boys are our opposition. They are the things blocking us from nationals. Okay? Lets kick their asses in the second set. Focus on aiming your serves for the corners so they spread more. We're doing great with controlling Suna, let's keep it up! Great spikes, Kanemoto. Great saves, Inari. Amazing sets, Ayano. Try set the back if you don't think the front is an option, k? Right, everyone, nationals on three!"

Everyone puts their hands in the middle of the circle and Etsuko counts to three, leading to us cheering, "NATIONALS!"

With everyone motivated and with a new mission depending on their position on court, we take our places. Set the back if the front doesn't look like a good option. That's my assignment for this match.

- Suna, Tuesday, 6:04pm -

I know they're trying to limit my range, and it's working. Atsumu can see this. He's setting me higher so I can try to get over the block, but I'm not Aran - I don't have such a high jump, and I'm not motivated to jump higher.

I'll work out the solution myself. I tell him to set me like he usually does, and he looks at me with one eyebrow raised, but nods, understanding that if there is a solution, I'll find it without him trying to force it on me.

Besides, this is what will happen at the Spring Interhigh. People will take a time-out when they realize my so-called "jelly arms" aren't a fluke and that I can move my body more than normal people can. They'll discuss a strategy to shut me out. I'll still win the game.

The girls' team cheers, we finish our discussion, and we raise our hands to do our cheer. When the referee blows the whistle to step on court and begin the second set, I'm calm as always.

I've been trying a little harder than I normally would, probably because I don't want to be the one to lose to Ayano.

The second set begins at the blow of a whistle.

I cover the back of my head. I don't want to get hit by Atsumu's serve.

Six steps from the start line, he tosses the ball into the air.

- Ayano, Tuesday, 6:06pm -

I have trained with Atsumu enough to know the difference between an intense, fast, spike serve and a jump floater, just by looking at it. There's nothing particular that I can name, but if you show me two videos, one of the seconds before his spike serve, and one of the seconds before his jump floater, I will be able to tell you the difference.

I move back, readying myself for what's coming.

The whistle blows. Atsumu tosses the ball into the air. It's the perfect toss for a spike serve. A little too late, my teammates move back.

A second later, the ball slams into the ground on our side. We barely saw it coming.

Our libero, Inari, comes on for Etsuko, who is the weakest receiver in the back row at the moment. This will change the play for us.

The whistle blows, Atsumu tosses for another spike serve, and Inari puts it up.

It's not as far forward as I'd like it to be, but I'm just happy that it's in the air.

I position myself under it in two, well placed steps, and suddenly I'm faced with a world of choice. I decide to toss to Chiyoko, who is already running up for a slightly fast set to the right. I rise to the ball and push it over my shoulders.

It's perfect.

Chiyoko slams it to the ground faster than the boys' defense can react.

We battle over the next few points, rallying for minutes, and the first team to reach 15 is the boys, but only by one point.

"This game is far from over," I tell my teammates, who are dripping with sweat and looking tired. "We're playing three sets. We WILL NOT LOSE."

a/n++

i play and coach volleyball, so this should be accurate, but if i made a mistake im sorry!! i probably did, this is unedited so when i've published every chapter of the story i'll go through the editing phase to polish everything off!!

qotd: do you play any sports? if you play volleyball, what position are you? im a setter/middle blocker depending on what my coach puts me as :>