𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖

xlii - communication

"Tsukishima, I think you might be jumping to block too soon. Delay it more," Suga suggested as he stood with the beanpole and Yamaguchi.

"Understood," The blonde replied with a slight nod.

"Yamaguchi, keep yelling things out!"

"Hai!"

"What?" Tsukishima demanded when he noticed that Kageyama was practically glaring at him. But then the time out was over and the others made their way onto the court.

"Kageyama," The third year setter addressed quietly. "Start with a conversation. With a guy like Tsukishima, you need direct communication," He advised.

"Uh, hai," The first year murmured before also heading onto the court. The first point back in went to Seijoh from a kill from Matsukawa off of Tanaka. Thus, Karasuno went on the defensive. Crow recieved the ball and Kageyama set to Tsukishima. Makki got the hit up, and so Seijoh made a play and got the point, leading them to be tied at 20s.

Keishin had Takeda call for a time out. "Come on guys!" He exclaimed. "You look too tense!" Suddenly he grabbed Tanaka's jaw. "Stay calm! You're moving well!"

"..Yessir.."

"Oi," Kageyama stepped up, directing his words at Tsukishima. "How was that last set for you? eh?" He demanded grumpily.

"Why are you talking like Tanaka-san?"

"What's that?" Said person made a face. "Eh?"

"It pisses me off," The beanpole answered the setter's question. "Cause it's like being told Shut up and hit it, you pleb."

"HUH?!" Kageyama's face twisted along with Suga's, who had just come over to observe the situation. Right as he was going to rip the blonde a new one, Kageyama went on.

"What do you mean?" He asked for him to elaborate. This seemed to surprise anyone that was listening, but eventually, the surprise faded from Tsukishima's face as he spoke his next words.

"I have my own way of doing things, so I want sets to be consistent," He told him. "You're not the only one who's thinking about stuff. Whether it's the opponent's defense formation or the attacks that work for us that day, everyone is always thinking. Even Hinata thinks occasionally. That's how he learned how to do regular fast attacks," He paused. "barely, anyway."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN EVEN?!" Hinata stampeeded over in protest. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BARELY?!"

"There, there," Suga held the small middle blocker back.

"Understood."

"Huh?" Everyone looked at Kageyama like he had grown another head right then and there.

"You're awfully compliant today," The blonde noted. "Are you feeling okay?"

"He's learning," Crow patted Tsukishima on the back as he passed him, the whistle that signalled for the time out to be over having just been aired. "Isn't that right?"

"Yes," The setter nodded. "Besides, you never know what works until you try it."

"That's a good mindset," The ravenette approved with a quick nod. Thus, the team went back onto the court. The next ball that went up on Karasuno's side, Kageyama sent it to Tsukishima. He tipped it over the block, which got the point.

"Right on!" The bench went up in cheers. "It landed in the empty zone right behind the blockers! He did it!"

"Nice one," Crow nodded to the beanpole, who returned the gesture. "Careful, your passion is showing."

That got a reaction as he reeled back slightly, blinked, looked repulsed, then shook his head and went to get back into position. It was Crow's serve, and he decided to switch things up. "Ah crap," The libero grimaced as the ball slammed right into the backline without a single touch.

The stands went crazy.

"THAT'S CROW-SAMA FOR YA!"

"NICE ONE!"

"HOLY CRAP THAT WAS FAST!"

"LET'S GO-GU-GO-GO CROW!"

"One more," Crow's eyes deadlocked on the libero, who gulped but got ready anyway. The whistle to serve was blown, so the ravenette tossed the ball up, jumped, and slammed the ball on the sideline.

"HOLY CRAP!"

"JUST HOW MUCH CONTROL DOES HE HAVE?!"

"KEEP IT UP CROW-SAMA!"

"Sorry guys," The libero apologized, but his teammates told him to shake it off and that they would get the next one. That they did.

"Counter!"

"One touch!" Tsukishima called as Matsukawa hit the ball off of his hands.

"Chance ball!" Tanaka got the ball, passing it to the setter. Seijoh's eyes widened as Crow jumpset to Tsukishima, why was he setting and not Kageyama? However, they couldn't ponder that for too long, seeing as the blonde dinked the ball over the blockers again. This time, their libero got to it.

"It's coming back!" Nishinoya said, then got under the ball. "Chance ball number two!" He passed it to Crow, who jumped to set. It went to Kageyama, who slammed the ball down line.

"Yeah!"

"Nice line shot," Crow held his hand up for a high five, which the first year eagerly supplied.

"Thank you! It was easy since the set was aligned so well," He told him, causing a smirk to line the ravenette's lips.

"Sweet talker."

"Get another one Crow!" The bench yelled as he went back to serve. However, Aoba Johsai ended up scoring the next point.

"Nice Mattsun!" Oikawa complimented. Matsukawa gave him a thumbs up before heading back to serve. He was surprised to find that Crow was a part of the receive formation, whereas Kageyama was up at the net. These guys are weird, the center thought to himself before serving the ball. Crow got it up, and Kageyama sent the set to Tsukishima, who lobbed it over the block again.

Seijoh's libero got it up, so Oikawa tossed the ball to Kindaichi, only for Tanaka to dig him out. Crow got into position to set, and then went to Tsukishima. That seemed to be a good call, considering the libero shanked the full powered hit from the blonde.

And that was the end of the second set at 25 to 21. "On to the third," Crow mumbled as he headed towards the bench for the break between sets. As everyone was chatting and drinking their water, they suddenly got chills and whipped to face Aoba Johsai.

Oikawa was grinning deviously. "Now!" He declared. "I want to play the last set now!"

"Cool your tits over there."

"YOU WANNA HURRY UP AND PLAY TOO CROW I CAN SEE IT ON YOUR FACE SO STOP TRYING TO ACT COOL!"