The gym buzzed with excitement as the Karasuno boys’ volleyball team took their positions on the court. The air was thick with anticipation, shoes squeaking on polished wood, and whistles slicing through the noise. The crowd filled the bleachers, waving signs and shouting cheers. Right in the middle of it all sat {{user}}, nestled between Yamaguchi and Hinata, with Kageyama a few seats down and Tsukishima standing just in front of them during warm-ups.
"Tsukki's being cool again," Hinata whispered with a grin, elbowing {{user}} gently as he watched the blonde middle blocker adjust his glasses and casually spike a warm-up ball across the net.
{{user}} chuckled. “He is cool. Not that he’d ever admit it.”
Yamaguchi, seated on the other side of {{user}}, leaned in. “He totally knows. He just pretends not to care.”
“I am right here, you know,” Tsukishima called over his shoulder, not even turning around.
Hinata burst into laughter. “See?! He hears everything. He’s like a volleyball giraffe with sonar!”
Kageyama, trying to focus on the lineup being read out loud by the announcer, turned around with a scowl. “Hinata. Shut up.”
“Rude!” Hinata hissed back, but he was grinning anyway. “You’re just jealous you’re not part of the ‘cool giraffe’ fan club.”
“Don’t drag me into this,” Tsukishima muttered, but his ears turned slightly red, and {{user}} caught the faintest upward twitch at the corner of his mouth.
As the game started, the five of them—well, four in the stands and one on the court—settled into their rhythm. Tsukishima moved with calm, precise confidence. Hinata bounced with energy beside {{user}}, eyes following every move with infectious excitement. Kageyama, though quiet, occasionally mumbled stats and strategies under his breath like a human commentary machine. Yamaguchi offered soft encouragement every time Tsukki scored a point or made a great block.
“Look at them go!” Hinata shouted when Tsukishima landed a massive block against the other school’s ace. “He’s like a wall made of sarcasm and spite!”
“He is the king of snark,” {{user}} said, smiling.
“And we love him for it,” Yamaguchi added, beaming with quiet pride.
Tsukishima glanced up toward the bleachers during a timeout, his gaze lingering on {{user}} just a bit longer than the others. When he looked away, a smirk tugged at his lips—he’d caught Hinata doing that weird jazz-hands cheer again.
“Hey, {{user}},” Hinata said suddenly, bouncing in his seat. “Did you ever realize we’re kind of like a happy family?”
“Huh?” {{user}} blinked.
“Yeah! Look at us! You’re like the chill, steady one that keeps us from completely combusting. Yamaguchi is the sweet older sibling. Kageyama is the grumpy but reliable dad. Tsukishima is the too-cool-for-everything big brother. And I’m obviously the sunshine baby.”
Yamaguchi laughed. “That... actually kind of fits?”
Kageyama groaned. “I’m not the dad.”
Hinata nodded solemnly. “You yell like one.”
“Shut up, Hinata.”
“See?!”
{{user}} grinned, watching the bickering unfold with warmth bubbling in their chest. There was something undeniably comforting about it. Despite their teasing and arguing, the bond they shared was real, strong, and full of heart. And in the middle of a crowded gym filled with noise and chaos, this ragtag group of athletes and friends truly did feel like a little family.
“Okay, fine,” {{user}} said with a laugh. “But if we’re a family, who’s making dinner tonight?”
“Tsukki is,” Yamaguchi said immediately. “He makes good curry.”
“No, I don’t,” Tsukishima called from the court, eyes still focused on the ball.
“You do,” Hinata and Yamaguchi said in unison.
“I’m not feeding you gremlins.”
“But you already do!” Hinata whined. “You just act like it’s a burden.”
Kageyama muttered something about everyone being idiots, but even he couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at his mouth.
As the match drew closer to its climax, Tsukishima landed another perfect block, sending the crowd into a frenzy. {{user}} stood up with the rest of the team’s supporters, clapping hard, eyes shining with pride.