Haikyu one shots

Falling Slowly" Lev

Lev Haiba had always been a little too much for most people—too loud, too tall, too eager, too everything. It wasn't that he minded it much; his confidence was almost impossible to shake. He was proud of his energy and his determination, especially when it came to volleyball. But when it came to Riko Nakagawa, it seemed like none of his usual charm worked.

Riko, the quiet and observant girl in his class, never gave Lev more than a passing glance. She wasn't like the other girls who giggled at his clumsy antics or admired his height. Instead, Riko kept her distance, rarely speaking unless absolutely necessary. Lev found her mysterious, and that mystery only made his infatuation grow stronger.

He couldn't explain why he was so drawn to her. Maybe it was the way she seemed to glide through life, always composed, with her soft brown hair framing her gentle features. Maybe it was how she always had a book tucked under her arm or how she seemed perfectly content with her own company. Whatever it was, Lev couldn't get her out of his mind.

"Lev, you've been staring at her for the past five minutes," Yaku said one day during practice, rolling his eyes. "You're going to scare her off."

Lev blinked, tearing his gaze away from Riko, who was sitting on the sidelines of the gym, quietly reading a book. "I wasn't staring," he defended, though the flush on his cheeks gave him away.

"Right," Yaku said, clearly not buying it. "Why don't you just talk to her? You're not exactly subtle."

Lev sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair. "I've tried! Every time I go up to her, she just nods or gives short answers. I don't think she likes me."

Yaku snorted. "You overwhelm her, obviously. Not everyone can handle all that energy of yours."

Lev groaned, leaning against the gym wall. "I'm trying, but... she's so quiet. It's like she's not even interested."

Yaku patted him on the back in a mock comforting gesture. "Maybe she isn't."

"Gee, thanks for the support," Lev muttered, frowning. But deep down, he knew Yaku might be right. It wasn't that Riko was rude or cold—she was just... distant. And no matter how much Lev tried to get closer, it felt like there was an invisible wall between them.

The Library Encounter

Lev wasn't one to give up easily, though. One day, as he wandered through the school hallways after practice, he found himself near the library. He paused, remembering that Riko often spent her time there after school. On a whim, he decided to go in, hoping for a chance to talk to her without the distractions of the volleyball court.

Sure enough, Riko was there, sitting at a table by the window, her head bent over a book. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow over her, making her look even more serene than usual.

Lev took a deep breath, steeling himself before walking over to her table. "Hey, Riko," he greeted, trying to keep his voice from sounding too loud in the quiet library.

Riko glanced up, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Lev?" she asked, her voice soft, as if she couldn't quite believe he was standing in front of her.

He grinned, hoping to make her smile in return. "Mind if I sit here?"

Riko hesitated for a moment but then nodded, closing her book gently. "Sure."

Lev sat down, feeling oddly nervous for someone who was usually so confident. He had to resist the urge to fidget under her calm gaze. "What are you reading?"

Riko showed him the cover of the book, a historical novel Lev had never heard of. He scratched the back of his neck, feeling a bit out of his depth. "That looks... interesting," he said, not entirely sure what else to say.

"It is," Riko replied simply, folding her hands in her lap. She didn't seem eager to continue the conversation, but she didn't look uncomfortable either.

Lev drummed his fingers on the table. "So, uh... do you like volleyball?"

Riko blinked at him, clearly caught off guard by the sudden question. "I think it's interesting," she said after a moment. "But I don't know much about it."

Lev's face lit up, glad to have found some common ground. "I can teach you! I mean, I'm not the best yet, but I'm getting there," he said enthusiastically, leaning forward. "If you ever want to learn more about the game, I could show you. Maybe you could come watch one of our matches?"

Riko gave him a small, polite smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll think about it," she said.

Lev's heart sank just a little. It wasn't a flat-out rejection, but it wasn't exactly a yes, either. Still, he wasn't about to give up.

Slow Shifts

As the weeks went by, Lev continued to find ways to talk to Riko, though it often felt like he was the one doing most of the talking. He started sitting next to her during lunch, trying to make her laugh with his goofy stories about volleyball practice or his teammates. At first, Riko remained her usual quiet self, only offering polite responses. But slowly, ever so slowly, Lev started to notice small changes.

Riko began to engage a little more in their conversations, asking him questions about his matches or commenting on something funny he had said. She wasn't bubbly or loud, but Lev noticed the way her eyes softened around him, the way her lips would twitch into a small smile whenever he rambled on about volleyball.

One day after school, Riko approached him first, a rare occurrence that left Lev momentarily speechless.

"Lev?" she called softly, standing just a few steps behind him as he was leaving the gym. He turned around, surprised but excited.

"Yeah?" he responded, a hopeful grin on his face.

"I, um... was wondering," Riko began, fidgeting with the strap of her bag, "if you could show me more about volleyball. You mentioned it before, and... I think I'd like to learn."

Lev's heart soared. "Really? That's awesome! I can totally teach you! We can start with the basics, and—"

Riko's soft laughter interrupted his excited outburst. "Okay, Lev. One step at a time."

The Shift to Mutual Feelings

As they spent more time together, Lev noticed a real shift in their relationship. What had once been one-sided infatuation on his part was slowly becoming something more mutual. Riko, in her quiet and gentle way, had started to let him in. She wasn't as distant anymore, and sometimes, Lev even caught her looking at him with a small smile when she thought he wasn't paying attention.

One afternoon, as they were sitting together on the bleachers after practice, Lev turned to her, his usual grin a little softer. "Hey, Riko?"

"Yeah?" she replied, turning to face him.

"I know I'm a bit... much," he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "But, uh, I'm really glad we've been hanging out."

Riko looked at him for a long moment before giving him the smallest, sweetest smile he had ever seen. "Me too, Lev. You're a lot... but in a good way."

Lev's heart skipped a beat, and for the first time, he felt like maybe, just maybe, his feelings weren't so unrequited after all.