#fukurodani vbc and archery club

[soranihimawari]

No Risk, No Reward

taglist: @kaidasen

Side notes: part 3 of this tale and well i hope you like some cafe banter and maybe some calculus problems. this was my favorite conversation(s) to write between muda, akaashi, and bokuto, lol.

next >>

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ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟛:

18:17

To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Frm: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

Waiting on you guys to show up and I texted Bo-kun. He said you weren’t coming? What the hell Akaashi? It’s not my turn to babysit him

18:38

To: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

From: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Listen, Bokuto literally begged me to have you tutor him (last minute mind you because I knew you were home right now), Hotaru-san [1/2]

We were in a practice match and he just freakin’ blurted it out of left field after  he was called out by our coach for his low grade in the trigonometry quiz this week. Then he went into his “dejected-emo mode,” and to make matters worse, he heard from Kaori-senpai archery club is going to be disbanded by the student council. He got all worked up and every time he kept missing the tosses Shuichi was giving him. Bokuto means well, and he’s a big dumbass because he doesn’t know how to properly act around you. 

TLDR: just lecture Bokuto about sin cos and tan today. 

18:40

To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Frm: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

…? Bokuto’s always been the kind one Keiji-san. Did Bo-kun actually catch feelings for me? Or are you just being snarky with that? 

18:41

To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Frm: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

ISTG AKAASHI-BOKE! YOU BETTER OPEN THIS WHEN YOU GET HOME! >..< 

                                                   After reading Akaashi’s essay of a text, I propped open my thermos and began drinking the warm tea in hopes of hiding my grin. Oh no, is Bokuto starting to catch feelings for me? Oh crap! I thought. This can’t be happening, bonk that noise. Let’s do some calculus homework!  

I nodded my head back and forth like an Etch & Sketch. I then took out my notebook and calculus textbook in order to prep my mindset for trigonometry tutorials. 

Once I got into my studious rhythm, I had thoroughly solved two limit equations where one answer yielded “the limit does not exist,” and the other was just a graph of a function, f(x) = x3 − 3x + 2.

I saw a hand reach out for my parfait and I smacked it away.

“Oww,” Bokuto yelped. “I was just going to taste one spoonful Hotaru-chan!”

“You’re late Bokuto,” I mused. “So no parfait for you!” 

I picked up my spoon and took another portion into my mouth. The blueberry tartness made my facial muscles contract into a slight pout. I was humming along to the cafe playlist absentmindedly when Bokuto pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. We sat in silence for a few minutes as I let him settle down post-volleyball practice. He took out his notebook and without even thinking, he leaned into my personal space bubble. I had to lower my gaze away from his because I had one final equation to complete before I could devote some time to a proper tutoring session.  

“Are you going to be ok Hotaru?” 

“Yeah, why do you ask Bo-kun?”

“...,” he paused for a moment before continuing; his silver hair was being swayed by the air vent on top of our table. I smiled gently because I know Bokuto usually has trouble with trying to say many thoughts at once but he does have a particular sweet tooth (i.e. he loves lemon ice pops on a spring morning; appreciates me coming to all the volleyball matches especially if Nekoma’s captain is involved (and the fact that he kept the friendship owl-origami Akaashi and I made for him on his birthday last year). He had a hard time communicating properly, but his body language telegraphed to me that what Akaashi’s text said was true. 

“If this is about the archery club being dissolved by our student council, then don’t worry ab-”

“I do worry about you because you’re the coolest captain our school’s ever had!” 

“Coming from the captain of the volleyball club that sounds more like an insult.”

“You don’t mean that, right?” His eyes were darting all over the place and suddenly, I wished I hadn’t said that aloud.

“Bokuto, of course I don’t mean that, but have you or Akaashi ever come to any of my tournament matches?” I closed my calculus textbook after I had copied the last problem in pencil in my notebook.

“No, we haven’t. It’s not like we can pick and choose when our matches are either.”

There was a silent rage building in the back of my mind and maybe now wasn’t the time nor the place to say this to my friend, but he needed the reality check since he’s the ace.

“Kotaro, please hear me out as a fellow captain first then as your friend second.”

I closed my notebook and stuck the spoon inside my parfait glass; I pushed the dessert toward his side of the table and he began to pick at the whipped lemon-zest flavored cream.

“OK, Hotaru. I’ll listen, but man! This whipped cream is amazingly refreshing!” 

I chuckled at his childlike wonder when it came to beautiful and photogenic desserts. Wait a second, has Bokuto always seemed this handsome in the evening sky? Oh, oh no. I thought. I shook my head in order to tuck those nsfw thoughts away in the back of my mind. I took in a deep breath and on my exhale, I started to stare into the space behind his head where the window to the outside public was. 

“I’m the only member of the archery club left in Fukurodani, Bokuto. All my third year senpais graduated in our second year. You and Akaashi were always so busy and dedicated to your own club that you even got to be in the top five aces of Japan. I’ve been to every single match I could because I was able to finish my practices early enough to catch some of the highlights on the evening news.

“You never asked me once when my tournaments were or what the awards ceremonies were like. Akaashi is equally as guilty because you’re always together with the club or hanging out with other teammates during away training camps.” 

“Well, those were trips arranged by our coach and managers, but that can’t be helped. Are you angry at me? What did I do wrong?”

“Ko, please listen to me first and you didn’t do anything wrong. I can’t stay mad you (or Akaashi) forever, but I need to say this so you can understand what is making my voice sound bitter.”

He folded his arms over the table and leaned forward almost as if he wanted to receive some sort of praise but with his stare being more obvious now, I had lost my train of thought.

Bokuto is many things to the outside world (loud, kind, ace, etc), but for right now, I needed to level with him as a captain and set aside our mutual friendship for once. When this conversation would cease, would he still want to give it his all on his court? Will my emotions cause me to lose my sense of pride as an archer or worse, his and Akaashi’s camaraderie?

“The student council told me that when the inter-high games start up again for volleyball, I was given a month left to clear out and organize the archery club belongings. My mornings are spent alone on the target fields, Kotaru. I set up and clear out an hour before classes begin because I know the other sports teams need the space. 

After my meeting today,  Kaori and Yukie saw me sauntering off into the faculty office to let our maths-sensei know what had occurred minutes prior. That’s why Kaori asked Akaashi about me and when I heard you were having a rough day too, Akaashi told me you were going to meet here like we always did for our tutoring sessions.”

I closed my spiral notebook with a solemn face. Bokuto, who is usually brash and fearless was eerily quieter since his voice was softer than normal when he spoke to me.

“I didn’t know you practiced alone in the mornings, if I did, then maybe I would have texted Shuichi or Akaashi to help you. Hell, even if I would have woken up too.”

I reached out to place a hand on his right shoulder to show I had appreciated the gesture, but I pushed my calloused fingertips on to the knots that were forming there. Being an ace is tough work, but being an archer has left my hands “unpretty” with calloused fingertips. 

“Did you or Akaashi know that I’m in the top three inter-high archers for our prefecture? Did you know that I have fired nearly three hundred arrows since we gained club captain status?” I inquired. “That’s almost the same amount as spike tosses Akaashi practices with you in like the last four years alone.”

I felt the sting of my own angry tears glaze over and even if Bokuto was maybe three hours overdue for another deject-mode, he got all mopey again because I invaded his personal space bubble without meaning to. He was able to relax a little bit while the tensed knots loosened; I noticed he was looking at my right hand because it was swiftly tucking away pens into my messenger bag pocket. I released my firm grip off his shoulder when he reached out to hold my hand in his. 

If this were a shojo romance, maybe this would have been an amazing meet-cute idea to introduce the main couple. However, Nanase Ohkawa did not write my life with the parliament of owls, although Cardcaptor Sakura was the only magical girl manga I truly loved. I actually was more interested in reading more horror manga at this point in my life since I was a fan of early 1930-1950s monster films (cira the Twilight Zone reruns on YouTube) nowadays anyway.

“Your hands are rough,” Bokuto stated in an empathetic tone.  “They’re pretty though. I like how they feel calloused from your bow. Do you want me to hold your hand?”

Smooth as hell, this one, but thick headed when it came to trigonometry, I thought. I shrugged my shoulder and extended my other hand to him.

“I have two hands, Bokuto,” I said. His laughter shook through his entire body. Two of us can be as sweet as we wanted because we were too stubborn to admit that maybe, just maybe, we might actually like each other in the same way as when someone hands you a warm cup of hot chocolate on new years’ eve. 

“Can I walk you home like this?” Bokuto raised our linked hands.

“Of course, but first, I need you to tell me what the difference is between sin, cos, and tan.”

#norisknoreward #haikyu!! fiction #fukurodani vbc and archery club #ocs ans ot3s #a gal & 2 best buds #let's write a short story because i'm a hoot

[soranihimawari]

No Risk, No Reward

taglist: @kaidasen

Side notes: part 4 is here! woot woot!  bokuto and muda are my quaratine moods, lol. i’m almost done completing the story and don’t worry about akaashi. he’ll be back before you know it!

next >>

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ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟜

Bokuto stuck his tongue out like an impatient child, yet he did answer the question correctly in a matter of fact tone. When I told him he mixed up the graphs on his latest quiz, his hair flopped downward just like it did when we saw him lose his first volleyball game in junior high.

Finally, after explaining and drawing a few examples of each equation, I felt the fatigue from today’s events catch up to my body.

“Alright, let’s head back to my apartment so I can finish going over some sample graph equations for parabolas and hyperboles, yeah?” I placed my bag on my shoulder signaling him to do the same.

Bokuto nodded when he let go of my hand to stifle a yawn; he took my thermos for me when I stood up and began to walk outside the cafe. He followed my lead in exiting the cafe. Once we were a few steps away from the mini-cafe, the soft glow of the city lamps outside the neighborhood created a silhouette outlining the chairs on the outdoor partition (patio deck).

“Hey, hey hey,” Bokuto said in his raucous tone. “Don’t think you’re gonna walk way ahead of me so I don’t get to hold your hand, Muda-chan!”

I shushed him by turning around and placing a closed fist against his chest. It landed with a soft thud and swish against his club jacket. He raised up both of his arms like the actors do in police dramas.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “I can’t focus when you’re being both fiercely adorable and incredibly gorgeous right now.”

I dropped my arm and placed it on my side before Bokuto’s blush tinted his ears. Date someone who makes you feel like you’re missing all the arrows in a round of Dance Dance Revolution (home edition), was something I heard Bokuto say to Akaashi in our first year at Fukurodani. I chose to forgive his comments because he was trying to make up for the fact that he didn’t know my ranking was just as high in the local prefectural archery tournaments as his is in our city for volleyball.

Currently, Bokuto placed both hands in his track suit pockets and we headed toward my apartment building. As fate would have it, we arrived back at a decent hour. My mom was still awake organizing the mail and making a short grocery list to take with her to work.

“You’re home early. It’s nearly nine o’clock in the evening. Thank you for walking with her Bo-kun. If you want to stay over tonight, you can like you normally do when you get lost jogging around this part of the city. You’re both free from club practice since it’s the weekend.”

“Mom, please,” I groaned. I rolled my eyes while Bokuto was ushered into the kitchen to taste test a few macarons from our neighbor across the hall. When she excused herself for the night, she was more teasing in saying “studying first means you flirt later,” glances at Bokuto who seemed to have gained a rapport with her. He sat down at the kitchen counter while I told him to wait a moment while I rummaged around the bedding closet to procure a blanket and pillow set.

“Here,” I said, handing him the pillow. He hung on to it the same way I would a teddy bear, but he put it on the edge of the couch in the living room. The entertainment center was on my mother’s extra chores list after helping in baking tomorrow’s dessert for the week. I placed the blanket on the couch behind us. I noticed he was standing up with a small smile. It was one of his fans’ favorites.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. My mom knew it was going to be too late for you to go home anyways, so she made some space for you.”

Now it was my turn to yawn first. I was so exhausted from dealing with the workload of my classes, plus with the student council’s news, I was just over school as a whole tonight. The next thing I knew, I had begun leaning too far forward and Bokuto caught me in a loose embrace in time to change his center of gravity in case we would fall in the living room. I liked the way he repositioned himself and pressed me into his chest. My arms were squished to my sides and I had to wiggle myself out of my friend’s embrace. I saw him purse his lips together like a child when he crossed his arms over his chest.

“You don’t like being hugged by me?” he whined. I held my hand up for him when I took a step back toward my kitchen table where I took out my notebook and calculus textbook.

“I’m not used to you being this affectionate around me,” my tone in my voice became light with laugher bubbling up in my throat.

“Usually Akaashi or Kaori-san are the ones who cheer me up since you’re always either asleep or playing video games Kotaro, that’s all.”

“Ah, OK. I thought you didn’t like my hugs. Yours usually cheer me up when I mess up at practice!” he replied. He let out a sigh of relief shortly thereafter and joined me in placing his trigonometry textbook and notebook on the table. At the very least, I was relieved we were free from both of our club activities and classes tomorrow; he and I both became hyper aware of our closeness for the first time. I didn’t always hang out with Bokuto alone since Akaashi and other members of the team would include me in shopping trips after away matches. There was a whole bookshelf in my room dedicated to little knick knacks the managers bought me or cool birds of prey stationary scattered about my manga collection.

“I’m gonna go to bed. We’ve both had a long day, so don’t stay up too late either,” my tone was assertive, yet I knew he would still wake up around six in the morning to go for a run around the neighborhood.

“By the way,” I said when I was in the hallway leading to my room to the left of the kitchen. I flicked the lightswitch to turn on the light. “If you happen to go for a run tomorrow morning and get lost, call me and I’ll meet you at the cafe from earlier.”

“I won’t get lost! I might get distracted by the sweets,” Bokuto explained. His voice naturally cracked when he whined the more he annoyed he became. Of course there were times in our first year when Akaashi was asked to find him because Bokuto took a wrong turn on more than one occasion.

“You would wind up at the ice cream shop near my dad’s place,” I reminded him. Although I live with my mother, my parents were separated for months at a time since my father was a city architect for our prefecture. Typically on the nights before the away games Bokoto and Akaashi would play, my dad would come pick me up in the company car and we’d make a whole father-daughter weekend out of it. My mom and I spoke to him often, but to be fair, my text conversations with my dad were sometimes the funniest things. He’d send me memes about his job one of his coworkers shared, the really funny ones I shared with Akaashi since I think Bokuto wouldn’t get the joke (it happened more than twice, so I just keep those memories with me).

“It was raining so hard, I couldn’t see!”

“I had to come find you because Akaashi was worried you’d miss your last train home. I think it was the second time you stayed over because the storm got worse. My mom had to baby you because you were so embarrassed. Good night Ko.”

#no risk no reward #haikyu!! fiction #fukurodani vbc and archery club #oc & ot3s #a gal & 2 best buds #let's write a short story because i'm a hoot

[soranihimawari]

EPILOGUE No Risk, No Reward

Welcome to the night read guys!

tag list: @kaidasen

Side notes: about two months later (mini time skip) ; introduction to other managers outside of Fukurodani & two other schools get mentioned here. 

_ >Thank you for reading this fic! <_

ⒺⓅⒾⓁⓄⒼⓊⒺ ⓁⒾⒻⒺ

Akaashi’s name lit up on my cell phone. I could let tell if he was angry he missed his chance at trying to snag me up before Bokuto did, but I figured he was calling because he was worried about our relationship balance.

“Why do I feel like you’re trying to act like my nii-chan right now, Keiji?” I asked. I was pacing my room again trying to reshuffle my books. It was a few weeks since Bokuto and I had our “scandalous” rendezvous, but when I told my mother what happened, she nodded in approval. Then she said something along the lines of, “At least my other son is hot too,” and I told her Akaashi is not for her.

“Because I care about you? Duh. Besides, I already told him at practice if he breaks your heart, I’m not tossing to him until the spring tournament.”

“Oh my god Akaashi.”

“Well, if it were me, I would assume Kaori and Yukie backed you up?”

“Yeah. Also, Kuroo and Kenma say hi. We had a practice match with Nekoma today. Real talk though, Kuroo wanted your number in case you and him got accepted into the same university.”

“Just give it to Kuroo. Don’t tell Bokuto though, he might be emotionally dejected again. Anyway, sorry to cut this convo short, but I have to head out with my mom for grocery night.”

“Alrighty. Later Muda-san.”

About an hour later, I received a text from the captain of Nekoma. It was a photo meme of a chemistry pun:

18:07

To: ヾ(〃^∇^)ﾉ Boku-bro GF Muda-chan ヾ(〃^∇^)ﾉ

From: (〜￣▽￣)〜 Nekoma VBC-captain???

“Did you hear that oxygen and magnesium started dating and I was like: OMG!”--Kuroo, T. 

18:10

To: (〜￣▽￣)〜 Nekoma VBC-Captain KT

From: ヾ(〃^∇^)ﾉBoku-bro GF Muda-chanヾ(〃^∇^)ﾉ

>..< that pun hurts me, but i like it. i g2g. late night archery practice has me in it’s clutches. ttyl 

-Muda-chan

______________________________________________________________

At my previous competition, I received my final placement score of the year and was gifted a plaque for placing in the top 3 of our prefecture. Even though Bokuto had missed this tournament due to another volleyball game, he sounded peeved on the phone last night:

“I really wanted to see you win,” he was annoyed. I could picture him pouting on the other side of the call.

“It’s ok Bokuto, we knew this was gonna happen anyway,” I spoke into the receiver. “Besides, you’ll see me on campus tomorrow before your game. You can wish me luck then. Oh! If I win and finish in the top 5, can you please buy me the parfait I like at the cafe?”

“It’s a deal and a date love,” he said. “Good night.”

“Night,” I stiffed a yawn afterwards and of course he caught it.

“I caught that yawn of yours like how I caught these feelings,” Bokuto said. I could tell he was trying to be really kind currently and my tired mind had stopped working altogether and in my flustered state I said something really hilarious.

“I did too you human snow owl. Good night Kotaro.”

“Oof, that hurt, but I still love you nonetheless. Get some rest babe.”

I hung up and placed my phone on its charger in order to change into my pajamas. It was getting cooler now, but I remembered my mom mentioning that she found Bokuto’s team jacket lying around after one of our study sessions earlier that week. She and I had a mini-argument over it, but in the end she laughed the most because the thought of the two of us heading to different universities was probably not the best one to blurt out when I chose to wear it in front of her.

“That jacket looks like a dress on you, but he’s your boyfriend now, so I have to get used to seeing you in it, hahaha,” she told me.

“I know I know. It’s embarrassing because he can’t even wear my jackets, not that I’d let him anyways.”

“Hotaru, all I’m saying is that after this last competition of yours, I suggest you keep wearing it around him. It might boost his morale during an actual game when he sees you in it.”

“MOTHER!”

After I slipped on my pajama top, I grabbed Bokuto’s jacket from the back of my desk chair and draped it around my shoulders. It was like receiving a distant hug from him. When I was done swishing my arms with his jacket on, I sat on my bed to pick up my phone, and it was where I took one (of the soon to be many) photos of me wearing his club’s jacket and I sent it to him with this caption: “Good luck at your next match. Don’t make Akaashi mad! >.<”

23:11

To: Captain_Muda-chaaaan!〴⋋_⋌〵

Frm: ヘ(^_^ヘ) Boku-kun ヘ(^_^ヘ)

WTF BABE! SERIOUSLY THOUGHl...YOU LOOK SO GOOD IN MY JACKET! JUST KEEP IT. I’LL GET ANOTHER ONE LATER. 

23:22

To: ヘ(^_^ヘ) Bokuto_Dejected ヘ(^_^ヘ)

Frm: Captain_Muda-chaaaan!〴⋋_⋌〵

Go to sleep Ko! I was just about to be tko’d and my phone buzzed. =.=0

____________________________________________________________

Presently, at the back in the stands of the competition, I noticed three volleyball club managers running up to me each holding a program book with today’s schedule. They all sported their official jackets from the schools they represented, although I already noticed one in Fukurodani’s colors. 

Luckily, the place where my last competition took place had an area secured off for the students to change out of their formal attire, so when I left the ceremony, I was dressed in a casual style (for me, today was a skinny jeans, shirt, club jacket and combat styled boots kind of day). 

“Thanks for coming everyone,” I said. I glanced down at the camera and the blonde girl started to get all flustered. I couldn’t tell if it was because she thought I was pretty, or because she was a naturally shy first year. Then, she stuck out her hand for a hand shake and I humbly obliged only to let go and shake the other girl’s hand (she had glasses on and honestly, she looked like a floating deity) who stood next to her. 

“Bokuto is gonna be so mad he missed out on you looking really cool,” Kaori said. She and I had gotten close since the Tokyo training camp everyone had attended; Yukie was busy today too since today was one of the qualifying matches for Fukurodani to move on to the next round before the Inter-High Spring Tournament were decided.

“I’m Hitoka and this is Shizumi. We’re the volleyball managers from Karasuno, but we didn’t have a game today, so we’re here to cheer for you. The three of us met a few times already through Bokuto-senpai and Kaori-chan. I’m gonna go home and edit these. Is it ok if I tag you on social media for these?”

“Sure Hitoka-chan,” I said. “I’m gonna head home. Probably planning on listening to the highlights from the volleyball match today. Thank you ladies for coming out to support me.”

Later that evening, Bokuto met me at the cafe and we both took turns talking about our days in the field and on the volleyball court. Akaashi coincidentally received the memo about meeting here, so the three of us could enjoy the remaining daylight of the autumnal Tokyo weather.

🆆🅸🆃🅷🅾🆄🆃 🆁🅸🆂🅺, 🆃🅷🅴🆁🅴 🅸🆂 🅽🅾 🆁🅴🆆🅰🆁🅳

#no risk no reward #haikyu!! fiction #fukurodani vbc and archery club #let's write a short story because i'm a hoot #that's all i wrote folks #the thrilling epilogue of my first short story <('."<)

[soranihimawari]

No Risk, No Reward

taglist: @kaidasen

Notes: this is the final chapter and a mini-epilogue of No Risk, No Reward.

I initially started this out as an ot3 fic focusing on the friendship of Akaashi, Bokuto, and Muda, but then everything changed once i started typing part 5.

“the final part”

🏵🏵epilogue comes out on 6/2/2020🏵🏵

______________________________________________________________

ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟞 :

I kissed Bokuto like how I wanted to be kissed; when our lips mashed together, I heard him whimper against the surprise answer. I wanted to destroy his lips and when he hungrily pushed back my kiss, he was satisfied with the answer. My hands gripped his shoulders again; I wondered if he knew how strong I was because my knuckles were stiff from the fistful of cotton fabric his shirt was made of.

The next thing I knew, Bokuto had taken me into his arms again and lifted me up. Ok. I knew he was strong earlier, but now? What in the high holy hell Kotaro? Do I have to keep up with you so we could exhaust the other with our nuanced emotions? I thought when he pushed his tongue back inside my mouth. C’mon Ko. Give into me like a moth to a flame. Keep up with me...

I raised a hand to his cheek and he leaned into my palm. Bokuto knew I couldn’t sleep like this with the way he’s been acting; his kisses render me defenseless against his statement (tell me you’re mine bounced around my brain for a few seconds).

I tilted my head in the opposite direction while he followed my lead. Our necks cracked gently releasing the built up CO2 in our vertebrae (allowing for our shoulder muscles to relax more). 

I pulled away first to catch my breath taking short deep breaths, but also I needed to touch the ground. I wasn’t going to let Bokuto just carry me all through the night. Although, he still held me with one arm on my back.  

“You make my heartbeat in irregular rhythms, damn it. I can hear my pulse in my ears,” I began. “So don’t get too haughty and worked-up if I don’t tell you I’m yours. I do not belong to the people I love, got that?”

Bokuto nodded, he was breathing normally now. He never heard me use my captain tone, but he didn’t mind. I know he could tell I was being a bit grouchy since technically I was about to fall asleep when he knocked on my door. What is with that shine in his eyes anyways? Bokuto and I both knew we’re sailing in uncharted waters here without Akaashi to guide us, I thought. I picked up a different hair tie that was within arms’ reach located on my night stand and tied up my hair again. 

“I’m going to sleep now. I think you should try to sleep too, Hotaru,” he said. My name rolled off his tongue in a delicate way. I liked the way it wafted through the air like fireflies on a spring night.

A sheepish grin emerged on my face because I thought he wanted to sleep here. Then it dawned on me I wasn’t sitting on my bed just yet.

“Oh,” I said when I rolled over to my mattress. I had gotten used to how my body felt next to his the times he had picked me up and I clutched the closest pillow to bury my face in. A chortled laugh escaped my mouth only to be squinting at the beaming grin on his face.

Bokuto was about to walk toward my doorway and when I reached for arm to stop him, I couldn’t resist saying this:

“I didn’t know you also needed tutoring in anatomy and physiology either, hahaha.” 

Bokuto turned around so I could see that his face suddenly exploded with rose colored blushes under his eyes. I sat down like a child immediately and folded my arms over my chest and politely kicked him out of my room.

This time, I let him leave my door ajar. Not even ten minutes later, he came back inside with two glass bottles of apple juice. I had already closed my eyes and turned away from the door when he nudged me with the bottle. 

“Mmm…?” I was deliriously drowsy. It was way past my personal bed time, but seeing him kneeling down next to my bed made me sit up and scoot over.

“Drink this first and then go to sleep, ok?” He instructed. I nodded and opened the juice with the twist cap. I took a few short chugs and placed the empty one on the floor. I watched him do the same when he finished his. He leaned against my mattress when he sat down.

“Where did you learn to kiss like that?” Bokuto’s query caught me off guard. I wasn’t sure why he was curious, but when I saw he was tapping the corner of his mouth, he furrowed his brows. I placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Does it matter?” I asked. I used my free hand to comb a loosened portion of of my hair behind my ear. I nudged the nape of his neck then said in a kind, but teasing tone in the spot closest to his ear: “You’re the one who knocked on my door and kissed me first Ko. What was that about anyway?”

“Usually the members of the volleyball team we praise when I get a play right,” he turned to face me. He really did look like a shy version of himself. “I thought maybe instead of telling you how I felt, like Akaashi said I should, I just kissed you and I didn’t know if—”

“But I kissed you back, you dork!” I tapped his shoulder so he could turn to see me. I flicked his forehead and he made a confused face.

“Oh yeah?” He teased. “I don’t remember.” 

I rolled my eyes. 

“Get out of my room.” 

I laid myself back down and turned my back to him. I was bothered by his lack of respect for my sleeping patterns. 

“You did kiss me back; you’re mine now, you know.”

His voice was low, but he was grinning like an idiot. It wasn’t like I had intended to kiss him back at all. I’d be an absolute fool if I didn’t enjoy any of it; at the very least, I know I felt my cheeks get hot when he said that. I could tell Bokuto bit his lip when he chuckled at how my body twitched when I got flustered.

“Of course I am. Ko, simmer down and go get some sleep, please? Leave me alone for a few hours, that’s all I ask because I don’t know if I could handle being in the same room with you right now.”

“OK. Oh, for the record, I love you too. Night babe,” he said. I heard him pick up the empty juice bottles when he stood up to head out to the kitchen area. I was already dozing off after I told my heart rate to return to normal so I couldn’t hear him come back to pull my door shut. 

***

The next morning... 

10:32a.m.  To:ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ From: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ What the hell happened last night? Bokuto told me he kissed you? Nani da fuq Muda!

10:38a.m. To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ From: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

Yes, Akaashi. Bokuto did kiss me, but that’s all I’m going to confirm. Idk where he went because as of right now, he isn’t here. My mom left for work hours ago, so maybe he went out for a run to clear his head. I’d like to think last night was a fever dream. 

10:58 a.m. To:ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ  From: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ What a time for Bokuto to figure out he likes you & you kissed him back. That’s great. My 2 best friends happened to fall in love leaving me as the third wheel (sarcasm, in case you couldn’t tell, lol).  We got the next two days free of morning practice since the whole team needed some time off to take make-up exams for various classes. Is it ok if I hang out with you tomorrow? My biology essay needs a once over about the human nervous system. I’m gonna be hanging out with Shuichi, so I’ll stop by your apartment on the way home.

11:29 a.m.

To: ┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘blessed_setter keiji┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ From: ಥ⌣ಥmiserablerage_muda ಥ⌣ಥ

Are you jealous Akaashi? If you would of told me you felt the same way about me a long time ago, maybe when you get into the same university i plan on attending, i’d probably out match you physically, lmao, jk jk. I can’t do that to you, Keiji. Bokuto would literally kill me. Anyways, he found his way back! he wanted to buy me coffee before we started studying. see ya later lil owl-chan. 

***

Bokuto and I have been dating for a few weeks now. It was not that big of a change for us. I guess because of our time away from each other due to club activities we kept tabs on each other via phone calls and sms messaging. My season as archery captain was coming to a close and when the week of the inter-high competition came around, I told Bokuto, Akaashi, Kaori, and Yukie to come see me perform. Somehow word spread among the other friends they had made in neighboring schools like Nekoma and Karasuno about the solo archer who was dating the Fukurodani ace. 

Every time I went to my usual archery range on campus grounds, someone from the team would be there to help me build my targets before their team started warm ups. One time, I didn’t notice that practice had concluded early enough since the coach of the Fukurodani Volleball Club, ‎Takeyuki Yamiji, had a prior engagement to attend to with his family. Both Nekoma and Karasuno’s members were using our school gyms for practice since the invitation was extended to them on occasion. I had gotten myself more familiar with the ladies who managed Karasuno’s team since Nekoma had none (except I finally learned the name of their captain). 

I looked down at my notebook with the tally marks for misses and hits. In high school tournaments, you pass to the next round with the average number of hits you make. I strung up my bow earlier this afternoon and began to test how taut my bow was, when I was finally able to hear the tsurune (the vibration of the bowstring) clearly, I moseyed over to my quiver filled with ten practice arrows. 

“No risk, no reward,” I said. I peered over my shoulder to make sure none of the volleyball players were coming to scare me even though the one time Kuroo did, Bokuto quarreled with his friend. I squinted at the large target from fifteen feet away and nodded. I took my warrior stance and began to take a deep inhale through my nose at the same time, I picked up an arrow. When I had exhaled, I had laced my arrow through and inhaled a short breath this time. I kept both my eyes opened, my hand that gripped the bow was steady. I drew the string back and when my hand grazed my lip, I exhaled and released my arrow. 

It flew in the air in slow motion until it landed on the target. Six more arrows were shot in succession each hitting the various distance markers. Volleyball practice for the guys were almost done, but apparently, the three team captains decided to call it an hour earlier than expected since Bokuto wanted to watch me practice a bit more, so he went on ahead to watch my genius at work.

*** end

#no risk no reward #haikyu!! fiction #fukurodani vbc and archery club #oc and ot3s #a gal & 2 best buds #let's write a short story because i'm a hoot

[soranihimawari]

No Risk, No Reward...

taglist: @kaidasen

Side note: this is the second (2nd) installment I had queued up for “No Risk, No Reward.” story continues after the cut.

next >>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚

I was pacing in my room in an attempt to gather my thoughts. I re-read the texts Akaashi sent me and I finally realized my annoyance meter with the volleyball team as a whole was just jealousy for the popularity my two closest friends since junior high were the main reason why my club was going to be dissolved in May. From the televised games I saw at home, they seemed to work well together.

“The world doesn’t revolve around Bokuto-kun, but the alternative would be just a worse case scenario,” I muttered under my breath. I am not leaving Akaashi alone with “emo”- Bokuto, I thought. Although I didn’t live too far from campus, the walk in the thick humid air was going to metaphorically kill me. The cicadas were already chirping at this hour. 

In all honesty, I didn’t want to leave my house, however, a brilliant idea entered the forefront of my mind. I browsed my contact list and called the first volleyball club member’s cell. When the courtesy beeps for voicemail had ended their sotto voce tune, I smiled while placing my notebook in my messenger bag. I was pacing my room trying to coordinate a casual study-group outfit.

“Hey, Akaashi. I’m heading to the cafe in my neighborhood; I’m going to bring my calculus notes if you want to study together with Bo-kun. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes or so,” I said. I tapped the red end-call button. I rummaged through my closet and found an old pair of navy ADIDAS sweatpants and slipped them on. I was already wearing a Tokyo Archery 2015 souvenir shirt when I left my room. I found a packet of small hair bands and tied my coarse auburn hair into a loose ponytail. I packed my stationary pencil pouch in my messenger bag outside pocket.

“Study group with volleyball club again?” my mother asked me. She handed me one of our shared thermos. The smell of tangerine tea wafted through the kitchen. 

“Yeah,” I replied. I flashed my mom a toothy grin when I took my first sip. The tea was warm, like our relationship, but a bit sour. “We’re meeting up at the cafe down the road.”

“Which subject does Akaashi and Bo-kun need help with this time?” 

“Biology for Akaashi and trigonometry for Bokuto, mom.”

“They can sleep over like you three used to when you started at Fukurodani.”

I rolled my eyes, “Mother, would you trust the two of them around me?” 

My mother pressed her two hands together and gave me a bodhisattva face of prayer.

“All I’m saying is that you’re lucky to have friends like them. Maybe one day you’ll date those two. They’ve grown up to be quite handsome, Hotaru.”

“Damn woman, you’re thirsty. Go get some water, I think your brain is done working and you’re in heat because you’re going to visit dad next weekend. One more thing,” I felt my ears burn with embarrassment for my mother thinking impure thoughts. “Even if one of them were to ask me out on a date, I won’t tell you because I’d need some time to process what unholy lottery I won to gain either Keiji’s or Kotaro’s affection.” 

I stuck my tongue out with my eyes closed and my mother decided now would be the best time to pinch my cheeks since I was giving her sass. 

“I know my daughter of mine like my own mind, so you better invite them over if your tutoring session lasts longer than you anticipated,” her tone was ortund in a similar way to her discipling me. My mother didn’t frighten me in the slightest, yet I knew she had kept the traditional values of being a working parent who’s husband worked for a separate city architecture firm close to her heart. Of course that did not stop her from teasing the three of us when we would celebrate my birthday here. Sometimes I wonder if she thought I was insane for picking up archery as my club activity in my third year of junior high. When she asked me why I wanted to learn the rules of archery, I simply stated, “This is the way of our family.” It was a motto my grandparents collectively came up with when my parents named me Hotaru after fireflies danced around the newborn wing of the hospital I was born in.

I glanced down at my phone and noticed the time and drew in a breath. When I exhaled, I realised that wearing my black ballet flats would suffice since I wasn’t roaming too far way from our apartment building.

“OK OK! I’ll think about them sleeping over if Akaashi and Bokuto need additional practice problems. See you later. Don’t wait up for me. I know you have to report to work in the physical therapy office in the morning.”

I tucked my wallet in my bag, took my wrist lanyard with a copy of our apartment keys and locked the door behind me. 

***

18:00

To: ヘ(^_^ヘ) Bokuto_Dejected ヘ(^_^ヘ)

Frm: Captain_Muda-chaaaan!〴⋋_⋌〵

I’m here eating a blueberry cheesecake parfait. Waiting on you guys to show up.

18:07

To: Captain_Muda-chaaaan!〴⋋_⋌〵

Frm: ヘ(^_^ヘ) Boku-kun ヘ(^_^ヘ) 

OK! 

Akaashi said he couldn’t come any more. He needed to talk to Shuichi about strategy for nationals. :)

#norisknoreward #haikyu!! fiction #fukurodani vbc and archery club #oc and ot3s #a gal & 2 best buds #let's write a short story because i'm a hoot