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when you were young- the killers
the sound of shoes squeaking was loud over the sounds of people talking as they made their way to the stands on the one side of the gym, parents of kids from opposing teams side-eying each other as they passed by with bottled drinks and nachos in hand.
it was currently a friday on a warm january afternoon, a few hours before sundown. tonight wasn't a men's volleyball match, no. today, some of the volleyball players were even in the stands.
everyone was gathering around to watch the first women's basketball game of the season.
oh yes, nekoma high was packed and ready for action, the visiting team already out and practicing for the game that was set for ten minutes, as said by the countdown that was reading on the scoreboard.
elsewhere, the home team was finishing up and heading over, some girls taking extra minutes to run to the small room by the gym that housed the ice machine so their water would be even colder when they needed it halfway through the game.
one girl in particular scooped up a few pieces of ice, dropped them into her water bottle- careful not to put too many- and then screwed the lid shut, nodding as another girl went to grab the scooper. stopping her for a second, she plucked a few larger pieces out and tipped them into her mouth, shivering as the icy-freshness hit her tongue, numbing it instantly.
"cold," she managed to get out, frantically shifting the ice left and right throughout her mouth to ease the burn. her teammate just laughed and shooed her off towards the gym, where the rest of the team was finishing warmups.
nodding, she began unzipping her jacket as she jogged towards the door, two teens stepping through a door on the opposite end of the gym at the same time.
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"you act like i'm delivering you to your death," kuroo mused as he stepped into the gym, a stream of people in front and around him. the person behind him snorted under his breath, causing the taller teen to shake his head and look at him over his shoulder.
"you are."
"you've always been so dramatic," kuroo grinned widely. "kenma."
the brown-haired-dyed-blonde teen just glared up at his friend (debatable at this moment) and fingered the phone in his pocket, already on the game app that he was going to be on the entire time he was here.
he didn't know why kuroo had even brought him here- he didn't like sports at all. playing or watching; he wanted none of it. hell, he only played volleyball because of kuroo!
so why was he making him sacrifice more of his free time to come to a friday night basketball game? he just didn't get it.
"i know you're upset because i dragged you out here, but it'll be fun! speaking of, i'm gonna need every gaming device you have on you," kuroo continued as he tramped up the steps to the bleachers, waving to people that called his name as they walked.
kenma shrunk further behind his collar and stared at the ground as they walked, certain that everyone was watching him, waiting for him to stumble or make an embarrassing scene. he ignored his friend's request, hoping that he would forget by the time they took their seats, kuroo setting down the loaded burger he'd bought at the concession stand in his lap to hold his hands out to the younger teen.
"no," he said instantly, fingers tightening around the phone he held. the taller guy shrugged and reached for the burger, unwrapping it as he shook his head.
"i don't wanna see it throughout the entire game, though. i'll put it in my pocket if it comes out of yours." kenma snorted sarcastically, unscrewing the cap of the orange fanta he'd housed in his pocket. he took a large gulp, watching as the home basketball team jogged into the gym, people starting up as they waved to parents and friends.
"you're not my mom," he said back, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of the hoodie he wore.
"no, because if i was, the phone would've been mine in the car," kuroo raised an eyebrow at the blonde and then turned forward again when people began cheering, coaches beginning to round up team members for a last pep talk before the game began.
kuroo sat up and began scanning the gym floor, kenma eying him.
"what are you looking for?" he monotoned, running his eyes over the players, trying to figure out what his friend was doing.
"i'm looking for a specific player. hinata's friend, noya, knows one of the players. she transferred over here to play basketball and apparently, she's really good. i wanna see her play," he explained, kenma nodding along.
he didn't really care.
"what number is she?" he asked so kuroo would stop wasting his time looking for someone that was obvious there.
"i'm not sure," he said sheepishly as the game began, the first five players from each team making their way back out to the floor, pulling up shorts and wiping shoes. they took their places and kenma scanned them.
usually the best players were who started first, so he studied them to see if maybe he recognized anyone before. if hinata knew them then he would've asked- but he doubted it because hinata didn't care about anything that wasn't volleyball- and he didn't ever talk to nishinoya either, so that was a dead end.
the whistle blew and the two players in front of the ball jumped for it, the home team getting it onto their side with inches to spare. kuroo hissed in satisfaction and leaned forward, his earlier thought having left his mind as he got into the game.
kenma was still stuck on who the mystery girl was- he didn't know why. maybe he was just looking for something to do since playing his game was out of the question. sure he'd rather be on it, but even just having it in his pocket was comforting enough.
he didn't know any of the girls on the team anyways; talking to people was already a reach, but girls? out of the question. after being mistaken for one one too many times, he was over them. not that they did anything wrong, but he didn't get why it was a big deal to guys for him to have long hair.
if girls had short hair it wouldn't be, he thought bitterly, leaning back against his seat.
he watched as the "bad guys"- the girls with the blue and black uniforms- dribbled the ball down the court, nekoma's red team spreading out under their goal to keep them out, black numbers shining under the bright lights.
he watched the ball as it was dribbled, stolen, thrown, passed, stolen, and then finally stolen again, this time, no one being fast enough to catch the girl in red as she sprinted back down the laminated floor, ball dribbling loudly at her side.
their side of the stands was losing it, cheering and shouting for her to shoot as the other team finally got their bearings and barreled back down the court behind her, shouting player numbers at each other.
but, they were too slow and the girl jumped to a stop at the three-point line, lifting the ball and holding it for a second before boosting it up and following through, holding it even as it spun through the air, towards the net.
no one breathed until it went in and the points were set on the board.
