Snapshots (Yakulev)

8. Nightmare

a/n: I dont own the fanart :)

All Lev wanted to do at training camp was hit sets, but unfortunately for him, Kenma was out as soon as official training was done. Maybe, maybe Hinata from Karasuno could convince the second-year to help him for a few minutes but that was it, and it was hard to get ahold of another setter that he felt comfortable asking. He really didn't know the Shinzen or Ubugawa ones, Teshiro helped him a bit but finished soon after, Akaashi was busy with Kuroo and Bokuto, try as he did to join, Kageyama wasn't working with anyone, and he'd asked the third-year setter from Karasuno but he was working with his own teammates on something else (he'd promised to help him another day though, so that was something).

Because he wasn't doing hits, and he hadn't started learning complicated serves yet, that left receive work with Yaku.

The spending time with Yaku wasn't bad, in fact that was the only thing that made it worthwhile, but Lev had grown to hate receives and much preferred getting actual experience playing to the boring drills that he sucked at and hurt. The first few weeks, month, it had been okay, but now he'd gotten more used to volleyball and wished his receives would magically fix themselves (they did not).

"Oi, Lev, keep your wrists together, you can't leave a huge gap for the ball to get through!" Yaku criticized, and really, that was something Lev knew by then, but he was having trouble focusing knowing everyone else was either resting or doing more fun practice. Yamamoto, Fukunaga, Kai, and Inuoka were doing way more fun stuff on the other side of the gym he would've happily joined in on.

"I'm trying Yaku-san!" Lev protested as another fast ball was sent his way. It curved high into the air before going out of bounds, earning another hard look from Yaku, who sighed and said he would go get it.

Lev, searching for any out he could think of, brought up the bruise on Yaku's arm from earlier in the week, which was mostly faded by now, but Lev was desperate. "Say, Yaku-san, we've been at this for a while, and I feel bad making you do extra receives with that bruise, so why don't we call it quits for tonight?" Shockingly, that didn't work.

"Oh no you don't, you're not getting out of this that easily," Yaku replied, upping the intensity afterwards. Lev groaned, slowly accepting his fate. By the time they were done, he was lying on the floor, barely able to move from how much his arms hurt.

"Come on Lev, we have to clean up and go get ready for bed." Yaku said, beginning to put the balls back. Lev remained motionless, still sounding like a wounded animal. The libero looked at him and sighed as he continued putting everything back and closing up for the night.

"Yaku...-san...can you–help me up?" Lev begged, still trying to sit up. Unlike most of the rest of Nekoma, he had no experience in playing sports prior, volleyball or otherwise, and they had been pushing him pretty hard as of late.

"You can get up yourself." Yaku said reproachfully, going and waiting at the door. He crossed his arms and gazed expectantly at the first-year, who groaned some more before finally picking himself up and trudging out the main entrance to meet Yaku.

"Yaku-san...I don't know if I can do this anymore!" Lev cried dramatically. Yaku snorted. He knew Lev at that point and knew there was no way he was giving up.

"You'll get through it." Yaku replied curtly. Lev sighed heavily as they continued to walk in silence to the rooms where Nekoma was staying. Sometimes he wished Yaku was more sympathetic, but at the same time, he wouldn't really have been Yaku if he were like that.

"Kuroo let that other first-year practice with him who doesn't even go here." Lev muttered, thinking back to how jealous he was of the blonde middle blocker. What did he have that Lev didn't??