𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐀𝐂𝐄

10; day 1 [UPDATED--PLEASE READ]

(author's note: i unpublished chapters 10-16. i'm rewriting most of it because i didn't like how it turned out, but things regarding nationals will stay the same. i'm mostly fixing the relationship between atsumu and seishun. treat these as new chapters!)

;;

atsumu was at the courts ten minutes later. flashing his card and yanking open the door, atsumu walked into the first court. 

seishun was lying down on the floor. she was staring at the ceiling with a dazed expression on her face, hardly noticing atsumu walking in. 

"what're ya doin', laying on the floor?" 

seishun blinked out of her daze and found atsumu standing above her. "you got here fast," she noted. she didn't move from her position on the floor. "did you speed over here, just 'cause i asked?"

atsumu rolled his eyes. "no, there wasn't any traffic," he lied. atsumu sat down beside her.

"liar," seishun replied. seishun rolled over to sit up, a pained expression appearing when she felt her muscles ache. 

atsumu noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "what happened? did ya hurt yourself?" he asked.

seishun chuckled at his concern. "aw, are you worried for me, 'tsumu?" she cooed teasingly.

"you're hilarious," atsumu snorted. atsumu looked around the court. there were balls everywhere. "how long have you been practicing for?"

"a little while," seishun murmured. 

atsumu raised a brow. "i'm not stupid, y'know," he chided. "how long have you been practicing for?"

"don't worry about it," she replied unbudgingly. 

"you're overworking yourself."

seishun could only shrug. she'd heard that one before. "if i have to, i have to." seishun attempted to stand up, but it was proving to be rather difficult. she looked at atsumu and held up her hands. "help me up?"

 atsumu stood and held his hands out for seishun to take, and he easily pulled her up. "you're going to regret this, tomorrow," he said matter-of-factly. 

"not if i win," she sang back in reply. seishun bent over to grab onto her bag. 

he rolled his eyes and followed her towards the entrance. "who are ya playing, second round?" because niiyama was in the first seed, they weren't going to play the first round. 

"date tech," seishun answered. she gazed at him curiously. "are you guys going to come watch?"

atsumu hummed. "they were talking about going to watch on the last day," he explained. "i'm going home this week, though, so i can come all three days." since nationals was in hyogo, this year, atsumu was more than eager to attend. 

seishun perked up. she couldn't remember the last time someone came to support her all three days. "really?" she asked, surprised.

"sure," he told her. "i'll serve as a reminder that you have to win the title. otherwise, i'll support inarizaki."

seishun snorted. "we're playing them in the fourth round," she said, and added, "if they can even win two games in a row."

"they might surprise you, y'know," atsumu said. 

"i'll pay you twenty bucks if they beat us."

atsumu rolled his eyes. "that's a losing battle," he eventually admitted. atsumu took her bag from her hand and slung it over his shoulder. he held onto her bicep and guided her out of the building. he saw her bike leaning against the bike rack kenjiro had installed in the main corridor. "you rode your bike, here?"