strawberry blonde ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ hanamaki takahiro

07: after a loss

(a/n: okay so when they're facetiming, it's gonna look like a regular phone call bc there's no fucking way making a header for that would work)

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:⠀ *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

[friday 16:15]

it was funny really.

they do say that if you wish upon a star, it'll come true. and that seemed to be the case for y/n.

somehow, the very small chance stacked up on her behalf and shiratorizawa lost to karasuno. it was a shocker, that much was obvious. it was evident in the crows' faces when that final point was made. even their own manager shed some tears.

while she should've been sad that her boys wouldn't be going to nationals, she was happy for the opponent. but it still stung to see that look of displeasure in ushijima, tendou, and semi. she knew they gave it their all.

after the closing ceremony, while the team was getting ready to head back to the bus, she finally glances at the stands. she had been avoiding doing so out of fear that he hadn't shown up and she didn't know if she could handle another disappointment from him or a second loss that day.

she can't help the smile that crosses her features when she meets his eyes. it's as if the sight of the strawberry blonde brightened the bittersweet emotions stuffing the gym. he was leaning against the railing, one arm supporting himself and the other shoved in his jacket.

he waves to her, his fingers wiggling to execute the motion. her eyes crinkle at the corners. he pulls his phone out of his pants pocket, pointing at it and mouthing the words, 'text me.'

she nods a bit too enthusiastically and he laughs lightly. she salutes to him with the widest of grins, before turning around to catch up to the team. he watches her, a simper of his own etched on his lips.

it was crazy how someone could go from being a complete stranger, to being the only person in the world that you'd do just about anything to see smile.

the exchange hadn't gone unnoticed, though. so when y/n told the coaches that she would be 'going back with her parents', a certain ash blonde pinch server knew better than to believe that as the truth. his fists clenched at his sides while she tried to hide her true emotions from everyone.

he knew the tapping of her fingernails on her thighs was a tell tale sign of her excitement.

she bid her goodbyes to the team, hugging ushijima and tendou, but not him. she was still a bit upset over the events from yesterday. she rejoined their group chat, but had yet to speak to him about it. she didn't wanna think about that, though, she had more important matters to deal with. like finding hanamaki takahiro in the swarm of people outside of the sendai city gymnasium.

luckily for her, he was a little taller than average, so it wasn't too hard. he hesitantly links his pinky with hers, leading her through the crowd and away from the commotion.

the evening consisted of nonstop banter and consistent smiles, heat flooding both of their faces the entire time. it seemed that he knew exactly how to be the perfect distraction, but she didn't mind it at all. in fact, she'd choose to be distracted every day if she could.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:⠀ *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

[22:50]

"hey, are you showered and stuff?" y/n asks, setting her phone on the counter of her bathroom. she proceeds to apply a face mask for the fun of it since it was there and she hadn't spent a weekend at her house in months.

"yeah, i'm going into my room right now actually. el oh el." hanamaki answers, peeking down at his screen to see her ceiling. he huffs, flopping onto his bed. "no homo, but i wanna see your face. i wouldn't have accepted your facetime if i didn't."

she chuckles, peering over at the camera. he has his own extremely close to his face. "did you just say 'lol' out loud?"

"that's all you took from that?"

he shakes his head, but smiles to himself upon getting a clear view of her features, though masked in clay. she prepares a damp wash cloth before turning off the lights and heading to her bedroom.

"i'm guessing you're home alone?" the question interrupts a moment of silence. he sighs.

"as per usual. what'd your parents do when you got there? were they surprised?"

"i don't think they cared so much about me being home. they were upset about the outcome of the game though. dad was not happy that we lost to karasuno of all teams. he was hoping we'd play y'all again." she gets her bed ready, not really bothered by her parents' behavior at this point. she was used to it. it was also why she hadn't been home in a while. she gasps dramatically. "i should tell them i'm on the phone with a member of the seijoh boys' volleyball club."

"shut the fuck up," he laughs, the sound muffled by his pillow. she takes the wash cloth and begins to wipe away her face mask, joining in on his amusement. "i'm positive they'd disown you. my hotness and charming personality will only get me so far in life. it's a pain, really."

"you're so stupid. i wonder why i haven't slapped you yet. i should've taken the opportunity when you gave it to me." y/n rolls her eyes, trying to suppress the way her giddiness elevates whenever she talked to him. he places a hand on his forehead and rolls onto his back, feigning shock.

"how dare you?! does my friendship mean nothing? am i merely a punching bag to you?" following these words, she both literally and figuratively tosses in the towel. her hands cup her cheeks as she gazes adoringly at him through her phone.

"hey, hiro?" her voice is so quiet, he's not even a hundred percent sure he heard her. the nickname she'd landed on makes his stomach churn with a feeling he isn't used to.

"what's up?" he manages to force out, staring right back at her.

"i had a lot of fun with you today. thanks."

the smile on her face rivaled the brightness of the stars in the night sky. it was one that he'd kill the last man on earth to see every day for the rest of his life.

it was funny really.