Daichi x Yuuji [18+]

- Behind the Gym -

His eyes are sore and puffy from the crying that he had only just managed to stop. His team had just lost a match, Hana's last match, to some upstart team from an old powerhouse school - Karasuno.

He had heard of stories about how the old crows, who had been clipped of their wings, were beginning to make a comeback. It's only natural, after all. What happens when older generations die? They get replaced by younger, fresher ones. Much like everything else, Volleyball was survival of the fittest. That means same is to be said for this Karasuno.

Despite the general brooding of the other teams, he felt an understanding. People can only take being beat down for so long before they have to rise from where they fell, and Karasuno were rising.

Yūji Terushima was in his second year at Johzenji and he had been part of the regulars since his first. He was part of an eccentric team, one he wouldn't change for the world, and he never felt out of place. They were good people and they knew how to have fun.

Terushima always perceived Volleyball as a hobby and a club, something he had to pass the time. The team were good enough to make it to the Spring High Preliminaries each year but that never stopped them from having fun. Even losing was a laugh and it was anything but serious. That was until today.

Karasuno were good, with some superhuman setter and a couple of crazy spikers, but they had the potential to become weak. That means there's something holding them together. At first, he thought it might be because of their manager; a babe who seemed to be under constant surveillance but had a serious countenance about her. She seemed similar to Hana so he assumed they both could be stern when they had to be. So, he thought the team only worked because of her. Well, that was before they played.

Reflecting on the match, Terushima smiles to himself at the realisation that the team is more than strong management. It was all to do with their captain:
He's calm, serious and has a strong bond with his team. So strong, in fact, that it was hard to notice the team was actually all over the place. Well, even though the skills in his team are varied, this captain knows how to keep them standing...keep them strong.

This captain had caught his interest the day leading up to the match, as they shared a brief encounter: when Terushima made a move on their precious manager, some of her underclassmen began causing a ruckus. He was sure that they were about to come pick a fight or something, but then the big crow stepped up to the plate.

His build was sturdy, but it was hard to see much under his jersey. From what Terushima could tell, the third year was anything but small. They call him Daichi and it's obvious, by the way the chicks react to him, that he was their captain. The look in his eye was serious and intimidating. Terushima almost couldn't help himself as he shot back a look, a look to say 'get ready for some fun'.

Looks like Karasuno had their fun, and so they won. Their moves were new and -not exactly, but close to- polished. Not only that, but the first years were interesting and knew how to have fun. This got Johzenji maybe a little too excited as they spent a lot of the match trying to copy the moves of Karasuno.

During the match, however, Terushima experienced a moment of serious intent and his desire for fun disappeared. The Captain glanced at him, his eyes brimming with pride and he was caught in a second of inferiority. He hated that. Therefore, the match felt unfinished and he wanted nothing more than to go another set with Karasuno. He wanted to know what that feeling felt like...the feeling of superior pride Karasuno's captain had behind his eyes.

Now, the match was over, but Terushima couldn't get Daichi out of his head: That expression, that pride, that look telling his opponents that he had won. He had to meet him again.