🔹🏐The Courts Calling🏐🔹- A Haikyuu Fanfiction

Dragon's Reign (Part 5) - The Next Step

The empty echo of the slamming door seemed to be the only sound that existed in the moment. We were shocked, stunned, as we stared in disbelief at the spot where Jiro once stood. Half of me expected him to stomp straight into those doors again and try to deliver another blow, I'm almost certain everybody else did too, considering the fact that we stood waiting for almost ten minutes.

It was almost at the same time when the sudden realization dawned on us all. This was the final checkmate. We had won, and Jiro had lost.

"What..." I almost jumped out of my skin when Isozaki sputtered out a few words. "What just happened?"

When my mind finally started to come back to reality again, I felt a sharp stinging in my hand and looked to see that I had developed an iron grip on the tape, causing it to begin cutting into my flesh. Taking a breath to calm myself, I relax my still tense muscles and let the silver disk fall to the ground at my feet. "Its over." I replied, turning to look at the group behind me as they wanted for my own words. "We finally beat him..."

I could tell it took a second for those words to sink in, considering that they have been nothing more than a distant dream to us for 6 months now, but when they finally did, it was an explosion of cheers as everyone's built up energy just escaped into the open. I watched as Haruka engulfed Etsuka in a bear hug, but quickly jumped back when Etsuka let out a playful yelp from her still injured shoulder, then laughing it off right after. Kaiya and Yoshie were practically squeezing the life out of each other, kneeling on the floor to give their tired feet a rest, and even if Shinobu tried to contain herself, I could still see a tiny smile trying to creep onto her face. Kimie seemed back to her old self too, maybe even happier since Miyu jumped up to give her a hug and, for the first time in ever, she didn't shy away.

Turning to my side, I seen Kiyomi still clutching her tablet tightly to her chest, barely even able to move after what she had just done. Reaching out, I set a strong hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of the daze as her gaze looks up to me. "That was absolutely amazing, Kiyo!" I laughed, holding up a proud fist. "Come on, wake up and celebrate with us! You did it!"

It took a second for those words to sink in, but when they did, a wide grin began spreading on her face as a laugh escaped her lips. "I did it?" She asked, mostly to herself than me, and we both engulf each other in a huge hug as if we would never let the other one go again. Her bright laughter was what really made all of the struggle worth it in the end.

She didn't get a chance to respond, though, before the back gym doors swing wide open to reveal the entire Nekoma team, unable to contain their excitement behind the door. Even the other half that has been roaming the school finally made it back, all eager to celebrate our victory. As we all run to meet them halfway, we were all engulfed in a sea of red as they scoop us up into their arms, our cheers so loud that they could probably be heard from the other side of the campus.

While jumping around in the crowd I suddenly felt arms around my body as Kuroo sweeps me up off the floor in his arms, lifting me above his head so my arms were wrapped around his neck. "That was the bravest thing I've ever seen!" He exclaims, spinning me around so fast I was afraid I'd end up kicking someone in the back.

As he finally begins lowering me back down, I couldn't stop myself from pulling him into a tight hug, burying my face in the neck of his red team jacket. He lets out a light chuckle as he sets his hands gently on my back, looking down to connect our eyes again. "See?" He says, his tone turning sincere again through his proud grin. "I told you you could do it."

Finally releasing him again and taking a few steps back, I open my mouth to reply but was suddenly tackled from behind by a blue stampede as the rest if my team finally began to gather back together again with Nekoma latched to their side. "I can't believe you drop kicked Jiro right to the floor!" Ren exclaimed, appearing through the crowd with Tora around her waist as they both launch themselves onto my shoulders. "How did you even learn to do that!"