Winner [Haikyu!! x OC] (Completed)

Tense

I make my way to the volleyball gym as soon as I can after class. I can show the team that I care about them. And if that includes being nice to an airheaded Pretty Boy like Oikawa, then I can do that for them. Because that's what good teammates do.

The gym is empty, so I change into some tennis shorts and a tank top. I want to be able to do drills with the team, but that's something I'll have to work up to. Since I've never played volleyball before, I'm going to have to spend a lot of time observing the boys during practice, then experimenting on my own. Most likely, I will not be capable of keeping up with their volleyball skills while I'm in Japan, but I will put in the effort to become useful to this team. Even if I'm just tossing volleyballs. Even if I have to practice tossing volleyballs.

I open the supply closet and select a volleyball, bouncing it a few times. Compared to a basketball, it's pretty small and slippery. But it has plenty of air inside it, so it's still solid. I bounce it again and turn to survey the gym. How can I practice by myself? Should I just bounce it off my arms and try to keep it in the air?

I try doing a basic bump to myself, but it's hard to get enough power going straight up. The ball barely bounces into the air, and getting a second hit off such pathetic momentum is nearly impossible. Maybe if I do it against the wall?

I turn to face the wall, throw the ball into the air, then hit it with my forearms as it comes down. The ball hits the wall and ricochets down toward my knees.

"Whoa!" I throw myself into a squat in an attempt to get under the ball before it hits the ground, but I'm much too late. I let out a hum as I retrieve the ball. Do I have to hit it higher?

I repeat my routine a few more times, doing my best to adjust to how the ball bounces. Playing against the wall is definitely easier, but I'm still losing control of the ball quickly. It's getting frustrating. How am I going to be of any use to the team if I can't play volleyball?

"It's pretty hard playing by yourself when you're a beginner."

Watari walks into my field of vision, gray eyes smiling at my efforts.

I press the volleyball between my hands. "Yeah. But I'm going to have to get good fast if I'm going to be helpful around here."

"I think you can be helpful even if you don't know how to play volleyball," he shrugs. "But if you want to learn, you don't have to do it by yourself. Here, I'll show you a good drill you can do with anyone." He takes the ball from my hands, backs up a few paces, and tosses it for me to bump it back to him.

I hit it, but it definitely does not go back to him. "Sorry."

"Try turning your forearms outward more. That will give you more control and power."

I do as he says and after a few hits, I start being able to return the ball in his direction.

"Good. Now try and get that hit nice and high so I can set it, and then you'll spike it back to me."

I nod and hit the ball with a little more power this time, intent on aiming it to fall right over Watari's head. It does go higher, but it's way off to the right and Watari has to bump it back to me anyway. I growl. "Sorry."

"Try again."

This time I really focus on hitting the ball with a flat surface so it doesn't bounce off any angles and will follow a straight path. It's not perfect, but it's high enough to allow Watari time to adjust.