Coach Ukai and Kageyama waited until everyone had left to go home when afternoon practice had finished.
They had put the net back up and Keishin had the basket on his side of the net.
"What did you want to practice for today?" Tobio thought for a moment, then made the position to receive.
"Alright, just tell me when you're ready," Ukai had a ball in his hand, ready to toss it to him. Tobio got into position and gave a thumbs up, now wanting to bail.
He didn't. He gave a thumbs up, body going stiff. Kageyama watched as coach Ukai tossed the ball up into the air.
It came closer and closer and closer.
Tobio wasn't sure what happened. One moment the ball is heading towards him, and the next it was on the ground.
He had put his arms up reflexively and it bounced off of him and onto the ground. He stared at the ball, disappointed in himself.
"That's okay, we'll try again alright?"
Keishin grabbed a ball from the basket. They got back into position.
The same thing had happened.
"Third times a charm," Ukai encourages. But it happened again.
"Fourth times a charm?" Tobio gave a half shrug, less enthusiastic then before.
"One more time," this time Kageyama has dodged it completely.
Keishin walks over to him. "What happened?" He didn't sound upset like he thought coach would be. Instead it sounded genuine, as if he actually wanted to know what was wrong.
They make their way over to the bench, so Tobio could get a drink and grab his board. Not sure.
"Something's distracting you, what is it?" Kageyama shrugs again. "No no, don't do that, what is it?" Tobio takes another drink, mouth feeling dry.
"It's almost like you were scared of the ball on the court there," What if I don't like volleyball as much as I did anymore?
Ukai sat there, reading the writing over, stunned. "I'm not sure how to actually answer that," he said truthfully. Yeah obviously, is written under his question. "Don't you get sarcastic with me."
It went quiet for a moment, as Keishin thought of an answer to say to him. "I still don't really have an answer for that," I know.
"How about we try again?" Tobio looks over the volleyballs on the ground, each one an utter fail.
"Come on, let's go," he has one more drink before getting back into position, far less confident then before.
"You ready?" Kageyama shakes his head, heart racing, knowing it's about to be another fail. "Kageyama, just take a breather."
He takes a deep breath in, holding it, then let's it out. He closes his eyes and takes two more breaths.
Tobio gives a thumbs up, eyes focused on the ball, ignoring anything else going on around him.
He watched as Keishin tosses it up in the air. He's in perfect position. He watches as it gets closer and closer.
Tobio felt the all too familiar sting. It lands on the other side of the net, except this one wasn't a failure.
"Fuck yeah!" Ukai yells, seemingly more excited then him. "You wanna go again?" This time, Kageyama nods enthusiastically.
The next recieve was another success. Keishin watches as Kageyama gets his confidence back.
The two practice until there's no more balls left in the cart, which is when coach decides to take a break. Tobio's arms now stinging slightly from receiving.
"See, sometimes it is better to let it out then in now isn't it?" He teased, seeing him trying to hide his smile. Can we go again?
"Yeah just sit down for five minutes," why are you trying to dull my sparkle for? "I'm not dulling anything, you're the one who's always frowning."
YOU ARE READING
The Silence Is Loud
Fanfiction*This work is also being rewritten and edited by me, EeryCurlew53, on ao3* Tobio Kageyama mysteriously disappeared. he's found months later in the forest. He hasn't said much since then. Not to his teammates. Not to his friends. And not to any of th...
