𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖

iv - no

Immediately upon contact, Crow frowned. However, he did his job as referee and called the ball out, giving the point to Tsukishima's team.

"That was close," Hinata's eyes bulged. "I nearly whiffed that one. It went out though.."

"What was that for?!" Kageyama snapped, only for Hinata to snap right back at him.

"But the ball did come to me!" He yelled. "Who cares about junior high? I'll take whatever set I can get, and I'll be grateful for all of them!" The ginger continued his rant. "I'll jump anywhere. I'll spike any ball! So.. Set for me!"

"You guys can run quick plays?!" Tanaka demanded after they got done yelling at each other.

"Quick plays?" Hinata looked confused.

"Fast attacks like the one you just did!" The baldy exclaimed.

"No way," The ginger immediately shook his head. "I've only every spiked slow and looping sets," He gestured with his arms.

"But you just did it!" Tanaka protested. "Besides, didn't you once spike a messed up set from that beginner on your junior high team?" He reminded him. "Stuff like that."

"Oh, I don't remember how I did that," Hinata admitted. "But I'll spike any set that comes my way," He whipped to face his setter. "You hear that?"

"We've never practiced plays. Running a quick one is impossible," He denied, shutting the ginger down as he gasped in shock.

"You're being weird!" Hinata pointed at him. "You're acting so timid it's giving me the creeps! Weirdo!"

"Oh shut it."

"This isn't like you, king!" Tsukishima called after him.

"Just you wait!" Hinata swore. "I'm gonna break through your defenses!"

"There you go," The beanpole put a hand on his hip while smirking. "getting all worked up again. Try and try until you succeed sounds nice on paper, but it doesn't always work like that. Everyone has things they're just not cut out for, and you're clearly not fit to be a spiker."

"Maybe," Hinata murmured as Tanaka raised his fist, Daichi luckily stopping him from hitting the first year. "I mean, be it back in junior high or in this watch, I kept getting blocked no matter how much I jumped. And I know that a volleyball player needs to be tall. Doesn't matter how high you can jump. It'll never make up for a massive difference in height. Even so, I ended up wanting to be like that! So I don't care if I'm disadvantaged or not cut out for it," He fisted his shirt. "I wanna fight using my own body. I wanna keep winning... and stay on the court as much as I can!"

"But you don't have the means to do so," Tsukishima rejected his rant. "We're not talking psychology here, your feelings aren't gonna make up for your lack of height."

"He does have the means," Crow said, leaning on the pole as everyone looked up at him. "He joined our team. That's means enough, right guys?" He glanced at those off to the side.

"Yeah," Asahi gave a thumbs up. "With this team, height doesn't matter, especially since you're a middle!"

"Don't remind me," The referee sulked and sort of deflated, causing all the second and third years to laugh as the first years processed this new information. Suddenly, Kageyama gripped Hinata's shoulder and dragged him away from the net.

"W-what is it, Kageyama?!" He demanded. "Hey, that hurts! Lemme go!"

"Calm down Kageyama!" Tanaka scolded as he rushed over.

"I take it we're taking a time out then," Crow sighed, fingering his whistle. Thus, the teams took a second to deliberate amongst themselves, a bunch of yelling coming from Hinata, Kageyama and Tanaka's side, but in the end, the time out ended and play resumed.

"No," The immediate response as soon as Kageyama set Hinata an impossible shoot caused everyone to freeze. He hadn't even blown the whistle, and his facial expression was terrifying. "No. Stop. Just no," He stepped down from the referee stand, making his way over to the first year setter. The other first years all gaped, trying to figure out what was going on and why no one was interjecting.

Without another word, Crow grabbed the collar of Kageyama's shirt and practically dragged him off the court. Now everyone was gaping.

They ended up on the side of the court, Crow releasing the first year as he turned and leaned against the wall. Snapping his fingers and pointing downwards in front of him, Crow watched with narrowed eyes as Kageyama, slightly intimidated, sank to his knees. Crossing his arms, the second year opened his mouth.

"I've worked with setters like you," Was the first thing he said, which surprised everyone that heard it. What setters? Who? When? Where? Why was he bringing it up? "While speed is important in this sport, if you're the only one with that amount of speed, the team will sink as tragically as the titanic. That is why," He pushed off the wall. "Instead of just throwing the ball as fast as physically possible, you need to sync up with your hitter as well. Throwing it straight past them does nothing, you have to get the ball to them. Pinpoint, don't just toss. The hitter shouldn't even have to look at the ball to hit it. Now, go try it out while keeping that in mind," He said as he walked past him, leaving the entire gym stunned as he returned to the referee stand.

"Uh, right!" The setter sprang up. He wasn't really sure how to do what his upperclassman was asking him to, but for some reason, he felt that it was possible. So, he returned to the court. The next time he set to Hinata, his thoughts were on nothing but Crow's words. It was as if a target appeared in his mind's eye as Hinata jumped; so, Kageyama set the ball to Hinata.

Boom. Crow's lips quirked upwards as he blew the whistle. Geniuses are scary.

"It hit my hand!"

"He's so melodramatic," Tsukishima grumbled.

"Oi," Daichi's eyes were wide. "Hinata had his eyes closed just now!"

"Huh?!"

Idiots are scary, Crow facepalmed.