Strengthen, Never Weaken (Ushijima Wakatoshi x Male! Reader)

Chapter 1

Hi! So this is basically my first time ever writing a fanfiction and I'll be using none other than Ushiwaka!! I hope you like it!

Character Characteristics
Name: (F/N) Watanabe
- Watanabe: "to cross or pass over" is one of the several meanings it has. Perfect for you as you were the Ace who could cross or pass over any blocks at your peak.
- Fun Fact: At your peak you were in close contention to be one the top 5 Aces of the nation, 2nd fastest rising Ace of the nation and comfortably well in the top 10 Aces.
Nickname: "Rising Ace", "Wall Breaker of Shiratorizawa"
Gender: Male (duh)
Date of Birth: 31st of July
Age: 17 (2nd year student)
Height: 183cm (6ft)
Weight: 75.4kg (166 lbs)

Stats
Power: 5/5
Jumping: 4/5
Stamina: 3/5
Game Sense: 4/5
Technique: 2/5 if we're talking about spiking specifically but if it's all other things i.e. receiving, blocking etc. Then you're a solid 4/5 (you'll learn soon hehe)
Speed: 4/5
(Hey, these seem pretty far fetched but it's a fanfiction for a reason AND because you weren't called the rising Ace for nothing ;))

Your P.O.V
Third Set.
Match Point to Itachiyama.
34-33.
'I can do this. I can do this. I... can, do this?'
That's what I told myself as the humidity of the gymnasium we were in was at an all-time high.
The crowds from both sides, chanting their hearts out in constant beats of 4-4 for our respective teams to win.
The pressure was immense to say the least, we just had to keep the ball in play.
No point in playing safe when all we've done is play catch-up to this team.
God I hated them, especially that #10, Kiyoomi Sakusa, his dead panned face in his mesmerising uniform colour of emerald green and daffodil yellow.
I wanted to punch his face so bad.
He kept blowing through our blockers.
And no one gets through our blockers, I mean no one.
I guess he earned that title of one the top 3 aces Japan has, along with our crazily serious but actually pretty hot Wakatoshi-kun.

It was Sakusa-san's serve in their rotation which was to say the least, the biggest nightmare of a rotation if I had to concede.
I could see through those piercing dark eyes of his.
He was aiming right at me before his serve.
I remembered that he threw the ball high, blocking the stadium lights that dawned on us and took 4 steps before he jumped and slammed it down towards my direction, I was in the receiving stance, knees down, feet shoulder length apart and my arms ready to receive.
Boy, I could barely receive it and I've faced Wakatoshi-kun's serves.

That's when panic replaced adrenaline.
"You'll never be good enough for Shiratorizawa."
"Shiratorizawa? HAHA what a big joke, you must've gotten in because of how little the entries were to that school."
"Honey, maybe you should go to a school more of your calibre like, Aoba Johsai?"
The fact that my parents weren't even happy I made it into Shiratorizawa made it clear to me that they thought I wasn't that talented.
I mean, I made it into one the top schools and was put into magazine as one the rising stars but to them, that wasn't enough.
Just like how in this match, I'm not enough to help us win, I suppose.

Third P.O.V
The ball (y/n) received flew high up into the air of the indoor stadium.
"Chance Ball!" one person from both sides called out.
Kiyoomi Sakusa quickly got into his running position as their setter tossed the ball towards the left, completely blinding the Shiratorizawa players as Tendō quickly blocked the ball that was zooming straight down.
"One touch!" Tendō called out as the ball once again went into the air.
Shirabu then called out "(y/n)-kun!"
Dead silence loomed over the crowd-packed stadium. The tensions boiling over whose team will make it to the finals. Will it be the Tokyo based Itachiyama or Miyagi based Shiratorizawa?

Your P.O.V
The ball, it was the perfect toss, towards the right with lots of spin, the height just perfectly placed for my palm. That was until;
"No matter how good you you are, you just don't have the presence to be an ace, even if you took us to the top."
One of the last things that was ever said by my former coach. He looked at me with a smile as he said those words in that one simple sentence.
It broke me for a while, I'd gotten over it by the time I got to Shiratorizawa but here it is, in my brain, mid-spike in one of the most important matches in my life. Weird huh? How that simple sentence, even if it didn't and wouldn't mean to a lot of people, meant a lot to me.
I was never gonna be good enough for anyone. Those thoughts loomed in my brain from the moment I jumped to spike, to the time I planted my feet down on the hard wood floors.
The ball strangely enough, falling to our side of the net.
No one reached it in time.
And there it was, the stare from all of my members, the members of the other team as I fell to my knees, crying on the floor knowing I failed them again.
That was the last thing I remember from that match a year ago.
The rest of that time was a blur.
Shirabu-kun ran up towards me, consoling me in that 2 minute time span as everyone else from both teams surrounded me.
To think, even as someone as serious as Sakusa-san concerned over my well being. What a laugh I'd say.
"Get up. Stop crying, you look weak." The deep, serious tone Ushijima-kun said as he looked down towards me.
Pathetic I tell ya. That's what he probably thought of me when saw me on the ground like that.
I looked over at him, my red, teary eyes burning from the intensity of crying so much in such little time.
'Christ I'm making a scene' I thought.
Looking at every single member that was in my vision, even the members of the team we closely lost to.
Staring up to our side of the crowd, Ushijima-kun bowed and thanked the crowd and the rest of us followed suit.
I then went down on my knees, in a bowing position, shouting out at the loudest frequency possible
"I apologise for making a scene everyone!"
The crowd looked at me, apologetically, some crying, some looking in disdain while the rest assured me it was fine, that we'll get them next year.
Oh how that next year didn't come for me at all.
I looked over to the other side one last time, with Tendō stabbing his elbow to my stomach and rubbing my head with his other arm.
"It's okay to cry (y/n), I mean look at the other members."
He pointed towards Soekawa, Semi and Shirabu trying to quickly wash their sorrows down by wiping their tears off with their sweaty arms.
"Next year, I promise you guys I'll make us win!"

Ushijima's P.O.V
"Next year, I promise you guys I'll make us win!"
There's that boy that I fell in love with, making me fall in love with him again.
Wait, I need to set them straight and lead them properly.
C'mon Waka, you gotta pull yourself together!
"Remember, we are Shiratorizawa Academy. No matter how capable they may be. They'll see we'll never weaken. Again."
I march off, towards the exit of the stadium, waiting for our bus to take us back to Miyagi.
I never glance back at the rest cause I know, as their Ace, I will lead us to win, no matter where we are.
They trust me enough with that.
That's all that matters.
The pride of Shiratorizawa.