Winner [Haikyu!! x OC] (Completed)

Sneaky

"Let's go!" I throw my fists into the air upon my entrance into the city gym. This is the day I've looked forward to for weeks: the city league match.

A few of the city league guys give me strange looks and hesitantly raise their fists in response.

Daisuke, however, lets out a loud holler and punches both fists upward.

I grin at him. I would have thought that the other guys would be accustomed to my antics by now, but I guess not. Daisuke is the only one who encourages me.

We're using the main court in the main gym today, having reserved it for the match. I set my things down and start helping to set everything up. The league team from a nearby city will be coming, and I'm excited to learn from players I haven't seen before.

Mad Dog arrives shortly after I finish setting up chairs alongside the sideline of the court. He doesn't pay any attention to the other players as he marches to the chairs and drops his bag.

"Kyotani!" I repeat my excited air-punching gesture.

He rolls his eyes at me. "Tone down the idiotic enthusiasm, Lily."

I laugh. Since our fight, my relationship with Kyotani has dramatically improved, which is somewhat ironic, but I'm not complaining. He has even come to eat lunch with Watari, Yahaba, and I a few times of his own free will. Not every day, but it's more progress than I expected to see before the Interhigh Tournament.

Unfortunately, my improved friendship with Mad Dog hasn't translated into immediate results with the team like I hoped it might. Our team dynamic has been gradually settling with our weeks of practice, and I'm starting to see the wisdom in Daisuke's suggestion that it will take time. But I'm much less stressed about the whole situation than I was before. Our team is strong. I have complete confidence that we will conquer this temporary discomfort before too long.

"Thank you for having us!"

The shout from a group of bowing teenage boys at the door shakes me from my thoughts and I jump out of the way so they can take their seats and change their shoes.

"Lily, would you mind filling up the water bottles?"

I turn to see Daisuke holding several water bottle cages. "Sure thing, Cap—" I cough. Whoa. That was weird. I must be in full manager mode. "I mean, absolutely, Daisuke-san."

"Thank you."

Daisuke's smile melts its way into me as he hands me the cages, and its influence is electrified when his fingers brush mine. I fight back a shiver. For such a calm, nice guy, Daisuke has quite the presence.

Running to the water fountains, I begin filling bottles as fast as I can. I don't want to miss any of this match. Not when I have the opportunity to see Mad Dog play with a team other than Seijoh. I could gain invaluable information on how to help him feel more comfortable on our team.

I make it back to the gym as the players are taking their place on court. Both Daisuke and Mad Dog are on the front line. I expected this, of course, but it's Mad Dog's expression that freezes me in my tracks.

He looks happy.

Well, not quite happy. His expression is still dark. But he definitely looks less angry. It's a much more pleasant expression than I've ever seen him wear at Aoba Johsai. Is it because of the people he's playing with? Or is it simply because he's on the court?

It's possible that both are true. It's also possible that neither are true and he's just in a good mood. But what I do know is that right now, Mad Dog is on the court with teammates who accept him as he is. And right now, Mad Dog has a positive expression for the first time since I've known him. So I think it's safe to assume that the answer to at least one of my questions is 'yes'.