𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖

xxix - first offical match

"Okay, are you ready?" Daichi came over to them, then stood at the entrance to the gym while glancing back at his team. "It's our first match! We need to warm up."

"Hai!" The team responded, standing up and also making their way into the gym with the captain spearheading.

"It's so spacious!" Hinata gasped as he looked around in awe. "It's so huge!"

"Oi, no freaking out," Kageyama said as he stretched his arms.

"You're the freak!" The ginger retorted angrily.

"You're the only freak here!" The setter grabbed the top of Hinata's jersey threateningly.

"D-don't get so mad at me!"

"Don't fight on the court," Crow muttered as he passed them. "That rule hasn't changed even if we aren't in the Karasuno gym."

"O-oh, sorry," The two apologized before Hinata had even realized it. Why am I apologizing when Kageyama was the one that got violent?! But then, all eyes were drawn to Takeda and Kiyoko tying their banner up. Crow's eyes gleamed with fondness as his face remained expressionless.

"All righty then!" Keishin yelled, gaining everyone's attention. "Let's start warm ups!"

"Yessir!"

"Oh, it's turnip head!" Hinata saw as the Aoba Johsai team made their way through the stands. "Oh, and.."

"Ya-hoo~" Oikawa peaced at them as he leaned over the railings. "Tobio-chan, Chibi-chan~ Having fun with your deviant combination?" He beamed. "You look stunning with a braid by the way, Crow!"

"The great king!" The ginger exclaimed, only for Iwaizumi to slap the captain's hand angrily.

"Ow!" He rubbed the spot he was hit. "That hurt Iwa-chan.."

"Ignore him Crow!" The vice captain yelled down as he dragged the womanizer away.

"Already planned to," The ravenette hummed.

"Gimme another ball!" Nishinoya demanded of him.

"Hey, we have a limited amount of time, so keep hitting those!" Keishin reminded. "Hinata, pick up your feet!"

"Gomen!"

Soon enough, the referee called for the captains, and then it was time for the game to begin. "Gather round!" Daichi yelled. "Form a line!"

With a moment of silence as the weight of reality set on each of the starting teams that it was really their first preliminary match round, the referee blew the whistle. "Let's have a good match!" The teams bowed to their opponents before going up to the net and shaking hands with them.

"Now listen," Keishin gathered the team around him for one last pep talk. "This is the first match of the tournament. This would make anyone nervous enough to throw off their game. Our challenge," He went on. "Is to shake it off before they do. We need to start by scoring one point to get into the rhythm!"

"Yes sir!" The team agreed.

"What I'm about to say," Takeda spoke up from beside the coach. "Is neither flattery nor loyalty. You're all good," He sincerely told the boys in front of him. "Karasuno has a good team! Let's show the entire stadium that the clipped crows can fly once again!"

"Whoa! Take-chan's brought out the buzzwords!"

"I'll bet anything they're saying that infamous nickname right now."

"And then we'll say to them..." The faculty advisor looked particularily excited as he said his next words. "Observe! The old warhorse, Karasuno, is back!"

"Yessir!"

"Ack!" Takeda immediately backed off. "Was it too poetic?! Did it gross you out?!"

"It's okay! Don't worry!" Daichi assured him as Crow yawned.

"It's cute." Everyone paused at the ravenette's words, and a second after he processed it, the faculty advisor's face blew up.

"CROW! THAT IS EXTREMELY INAPPROPRIATE!"

"What's inappropriate is whatever you're thinking right now."

"What's an old warhorse?" Hinata asked Kageyama.

"You think I know?"

"It's not strictly accurate," Suga decided to rescue them from their stupidity. "But it basically implies we were strong once."

"Can we just worry about today?!" Daichi demanded. Finally, after a bit more arguing under the guise of informing, the team circled up for a pre-game cheer. "Karasuno, fight!"

"Yeah!"

Thus, the starters made their way onto the court, with Daichi going in where Crow usually would. The ravenette, meanwhile, was sitting between Keishin and Kiyoko, but he wasn't holding a number so it could be assumed that he wouldn't be going in for anybody, at least for now.

Well, Keishin had no plans to put him in at all during their first match, since their opponent didn't look like much of a threat. And he was proven right.

~*~

As the team was making their way to somewhere--Crow didn't know, he was just following the group--someone shouted. "Sawamura!" This caused the team to pause, said person turning to see who it was. It was his friend from the team they had just beat two to nothing.

"Ikejiri?" He looked confused as to why the person had followed him, especially why he was panting from having run to do so. It took the dude a few seconds to regain himself before he stepped forward and grasped Daichi's shoulders desperately.

"Win!" He pleaded. "You have to keep winning! Win for us too!"

Crow yawned as Daichi moved the dude's hand off of his shoulder and then took hold of that hand with his own with a serious look on his face. "Sure," He agreed. "Challenge accepted!"

With that, Karasuno took their leave.

"Karasuno was incredible."

"Their tiny number ten really freaked me out!"

"Yeah, that's for sure."

"He was totally nailing those fast attacks."

"W-what?!" Hinata demanded as Kageyama gave him a look. "I'm allowed to be happy! No one's ever said that kind of stuff about me before."

And then, the scariest thing to happen that day besides Asahi and Crow's story, Kageyama grinned creepily. "Did I say anything? It's great that you're getting noticed," He smirked. "The more our opponents notice you and get defensive around you, the more you can tap into your potential."

"Uh," Hinata blinked. "I'm not sure what you're saying, but for now, your smile terrifies me."

That comment must have hurt the poor setter's feelings, considering he vice gripped the ginger's head. "OW!!"

"Yeah, he's right," Keishin came over after taking care of some things. "Anyway, that tiny number ten will set an excellent mood. The brighter the mood is, and the more Hinata shines, the more it will blind the opponent blockers."

"That's always great," Crow mused as he came to stand by the fake blonde.

"Anyway, for the second round, Crow will start as the opposite and we'll play it by ear after that," The coach told the team. "Everything else stays the same."

"The next match is at 1:30pm," Daichi read off of the paper in his hands before glancing at everyone. "Don't let yourselves cool down."

"Have a light meal before that time," Keishin added. "But don't fill up."

"Yes sir!"

"Keishin, get me a meatbun."

"Get it yourself Crow, I'm not your mother."

"Be grateful you aren't. But still, Tenma said he would bring me food but he isn't here yet so it falls upon you, my dork cousin, to feed me."

"Good god Crow, you are insufferable."

"It's one of my best qualities. So food, now."