Snapshots (Yakulev)

5. First hug

a/n: I don't own the fanart

Lev was making a lot of progress with Kenma and his spikes, but his receives were doing surprisingly well too. They could've been a lot better, but still.

One particular practice, when the team was doing a scrimmage against each other, Lev happened to make an outstanding receive, the best one he'd had since starting.

"One touch!" Inuoka called, just barely managing to stop one of Kuroo's hits. Unfortunately, Yamamoto hadn't been able to get there in time, so it had been just him, or else they probably could've done a kill block.

"Lev!" Yaku called, knowing (or assuming) that the first-year wouldn't be able to get it up, which was undoubtedly what Kuroo had intended when he sent the ball that way, but it was for the best. Only practice would make him better.

Lev gritted his teeth, determined to get the ball up. In a split second, he tried to be like Yaku and predict where the ball would land, making sure to line his body as best he could behind it. He also put his platform together and angled his arms in the way that he thought would be best to make the ball go up and send it to Teshiro.

"Yamamoto," Teshiro hollered, moving to get the ball and spike it over. In the next instant, the ball was on the other side of the court, just barely in bounds. They had gotten the point.

Yaku turned to stare at Lev, who was looking at his hands with wide eyes. Had he...had he actually...had that been him who had gotten the ball up...? Surely it couldn't have been, the Lev he knew couldn't receive anything...

"YAKU-SANNN!!!! DID YOU SEE THAT!?!?!?!" Lev shouted, running over to his upperclassman, desperate for some kind of approval. Yaku could still only look on in shock (as was the case with pretty much everyone else, including the opposing side who hadn't done a good job reacting to Yamamoto's hit, as they hadn't expected Lev to get the ball up).

"I...yes. I saw–" Yaku choked out, going rigid when Lev put his arms around him and picked him up, spinning him around in a hug. He was so caught off guard, it took him a solid five seconds to react.

"Oi, Lev! Put me down!!!" He demanded, pounding on the first-year's back. Poor Lev had been so caught up in doing something right, doing something Yaku had helped him with, that he let his feelings get the best of him and totally forgot Yaku definitely wouldn't like being picked up and spun around.

"Oh. Sorry." Lev apologized, only just registering the fists raining down on his back. Yaku grumbled at him after finally being returned to the ground, but after getting over that, he allowed, "Good job Lev." Lev smiled one of his widest smiles yet, which was an impressive feat given how much he already did smile.

"Thank you Yaku-san!" He exclaimed happily. "Tch," was all Yaku said, trying to ignore how fast his heart was beating.