A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

TW: Panic attack. (Not sure if I need to put a TW for this but I've seen people do it in books so just in case.)

edited on january 27th, 2021 @ 12:44pm

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN - THE POINT THAT CHANGES THE MOMENTUM

"THE FINAL SET... if we drop the ball now... it's over." Hideaki thought getting into position as Karasuno stare determinedly at Aoba Johsai who does the same thing. Hideaki and Oikawa had a stare down, both of them determined to not loose to the other.

The game continues as Daichi receives the ball. "Nice receive!" Hideaki called out, as Kageyama gets ready to set, Hinata had already jumped into the air to spike. Hinata swung his arms back and then slammed down the ball, only for Kindaichi to block it, Hideaki narrowed his eyes that Aoba Johsai were already blocking quick attacks.

"Chance ball!"

The volleyball goes to Aoba Johsai as Kunimi jumps up to hit the ball, but it was a feint. "A feint!" Daichi called out as he and Hinata had jumped up block, Nishinoya dives down and saves the ball. "All right!" He announced.

"Hideaki!" Nishinoya called out as Kageyama tossed to the ace, Hideaki spiked it down but Oikawa received it.

"He's a setter, now he can't set to anyone. Just like with Tobio." Hideaki thinks to himself. He suddenly saw the libero running forward, and sees him jump from the back and into a setting position which made Hideaki widen his eyes.

"Liberos are allowed to do that?" Hideaki exclaimed in his head. "Tch, Nishinoya, you really need to step up your game."

The libero sets to Oikawa who spiked it down and got his team a point. Hideaki growled, and narrowed his eyes at the opposing team, more specifically at his boyfriend who notices him and gives him a small wave. Soon it was Oikawa's turn to serve as he gave the ball a spin before staring at Karasuno.

Oikawa did his jump serve, as he slammed the ball and Daichi runs over and saves it. "All right!" Daichi announced.

"Daichi, nice receive!" Tanaka yelled from the sides as Kageyama sets the ball to Hideaki.

One of the players did try to save it, but instead gave Karasuno a chance ball. "The ball's coming back!" Daichi commented as Hideaki saw Hinata jump to push it back over the net to get a point, but was suddenly stopped when Oikawa had stopped the ball from going to their side and sets it to Iwaizumi who spikes it down.

"Take that!" Iwaizumi exclaimed.

"All right!" Aoba Johsai announced as Hideaki watched Oikawa and Iwaizumi high five, he scowled at them. "That toss was so close to the edge." Hideaki thought as he glanced to Hinata and Kageyama who pant.

"Incredible..." Hideaki heard Hinata comment with an eerie look.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno calls for a timeout as they head off the court to go over to Ukai. "Okay, we're playing well! Keep calm and carry on!" Ukai announced.

"Yes, sir!"

"They're starting to get used to our central attacks, so use the full width of the court as much as possible!" Ukai stated.

"Yes, sir!"

TWEEEET!

"Let's go!" Daichi yelled as they headed back on the court.

Thank you, sir!" His team shouted back in reply, their eyes focused on Aoba Johsai who walks onto the court, the air was tense with both teams not wanting to back down.

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The ball goes into the air as Tsukishima did a feint, and got Karasuno a point. "Nice, Tsukishima! It's the dirty diversion that hits when they least expect it!" Tanaka calls out to Tsukishima.

"Phrasing." Tsukishima mumbled as Hideaki deadpan at the two and focus back on the game.

The ball goes into play, Hideaki watched as Kageyama gets ready to toss. Kageyama looks up at the volleyball and tosses it to Daichi, who slammed down the volleyball and got Karasuno a point.

Hideaki sees Oikawa staring him down from the other side of the net. "We're not gonna lose, Tōru." He stated.

Oikawa smirked at his boyfriend. "We'll see about that, won't we, Aki-chan?" He taunted. "Don't forget, I know your weakness."

"He wouldn't dare do that..." Hideaki thought. "Actually, now that I think about it, he would. Damn it."

Hideaki looked at the score.

Karasuno

12

Aoba Johsai

14

Soon, Hinata walks back onto the court, as Kageyama greets him, Hideaki also walked over. "Oi." Hideaki called out to his juniors, who flinch and look at him.

"I wanna win this, and you guys do too, right?" Hideaki questioned as they nod at him. "Good. So let's show Tōru and the rest of Aoba Johsai..." He began as he turned and walked onto the court. "...just how murderous crows can be." He finished his sentence.

The ball goes into play, as Hideaki watched Oikawa set it up, Kageyama jumps up and managed to get a one touch. "Kageyama, nice one touch!" Tanaka called from the sides.

"Chance ball!" Daichi called out as Hideaki gets in front of the ball and saves it.

The ball goes to Kageyama who gets ready to toss, as Hinata runs forward and jumped up, Hideaki noticed he had his eyes closed this time as he spiked down the ball and got a point, the gym was silent until the audience cheers and so did Karasuno.

"Nice kill, Hinata!"

"Shoyo!"

"Yes!"

Hideaki panted and turned to look at Aoba Johsai, giving them his best sly look, making them tense up and Hideaki walked away. The game continued as Aoba Johsai gets their point, as Oikawa and Hanamaki high five. Hideaki scowled.

The game goes on as Daichi receives the ball and the volleyball goes into the air, Hinata kept spiking it down, as the ball almost touched the court but the libero dived down and saved it.

Iwaizumi then quickly kept the ball in play. "Chance ball!" Daichi announced as Nishinoya saves it and sends it up, Hinata runs forward to the side to perform another quick, however, Hideaki smirked slyly when he jumped up high and spiked down the ball that Kageyama tosses to him instead.

Hanamaki tried to receive it, but Hideaki's spike was powerful and the ball bounces off his arms and Karasuno gets a point. "All right!" Karasuno cheered as Asahi gave Hideaki a pat on the back.

"Good one." Asahi said as Hideaki nodded at him.

"Right. Come on, I wanna beat Seijoh." He shrugged him off, making Asahi blink at his fellow third-year in confusion, most likely wondering why he wasn't in a cheery mood like their teammates.

The game goes on as Karasuno did the same thing, Asahi jumped up to spike but got blocked, but Nishinoya was quick to dive down and save the ball before it touched the court.

"Nishinoya, nice cover!" Daichi praised.

"Back, go back! One more time!"

"Left! Left!" Daichi yelled out.

"Bring it to me!"

Hinata runs forward as Kageyama gets ready to toss, but Kageyama instead sends the ball to Hideaki for a back attack as Hideaki gains a point for Karasuno.

"Nice kill!"

"Hinata!"

Everyone was panting, tired from the never ending playing, but Hideaki just kept reminding himself that they just had to win this set, they had to beat Aoba Johsai. His gray eyes lingered over to the score to see that both teams were at 15 points.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno got off the court for a break as Kiyoko and Yamaguchi hand out the towels and water bottles.

"Here, senpai." Yamaguchi said, giving Hidekai a towel.

"Thanks, Yams." Hideaki mumbled as he took it to wipe away his sweat and Yamaguchi also handed him his water bottle.

The Karasuno players all panted from exhaustion, gulping down the water and resting their legs.

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The game goes on as Hideaki jumped up to spike the ball, he got the volleyball past Oikawa and Kindaichi and get the point. Hideaki sighed in relief.

"Hideaki, nice kill!" Daichi praised. Hideaki turned away, not without hearing Kindaichi growl at him. The scores were 16-16, tied once more.

"Hey, you doing okay?" Kageyama yells to Hinata who was in the back row.

"I-I'm fine!" Hinata assured, jumping at the sudden yell.

"Rack up lots of points before you go back." Kageyama stated as Hinata couldn't help but scoff at him.

"Duh!" He said.

Hideaki watched as the ball goes back into play, the ball gets spiked down but Nishinoya saves it in time. "Nishinoya, nice receive!" Daichi praised as Hideaki saw Kageyama getting ready to toss, Hinata runs over, but Hideaki widened his eyes when he noticed Hinata was unmarked.

"No way... why aren't they marking him?" Hideaki panicked.

"All right, hit it unmarked, Hinata!" Tanaka called out from the sides but Hideaki had a bad feeling that something was gonna happen. Hideaki noticed the libero was eyeing down Hinata as Hinata spiked it and the libero saves it with ease, which made Karasuno be taken aback.

"He's deliberately unmarked! Barely any time passed! They change their game really fast!" Hideaki gulped in his mind as Oikawa gets ready to toss it, but he instead did a setter dump. Nishinoya and Hideaki dived down, but the two of them failed to save it in time.

Aoba Johsai praised each other, as Karasuno stares them down, as they panted. Hideaki was glaring at Oikawa, feeling the urge to punch him. "You okay?" Nishinoya asked him, patting his shoulder.

"I'm fine, Nishinoya." Hideaki said, walking off into his position. It was Oikawa's turn to serve, making Hideaki anxious.

"One point to end it." Daichi spoke.

"Yes, sir!" Nishinoya replied as they focus on the ball. Oikawa soon did his famous jump serve.

However, the ball hits the net and rolls over to Karasuno's side, Kageyama and Hinata dive down to save it, but they both missed.

"That was unavoidable! Get over it!" Ukai shouts at them from the benches, Hideaki narrowed his eyes.

"Shit, they have another two point buffer." Hideaki thinks to himself as he breathed to calm himself down.

Oikawa does another jump serve, and Nishinoya slides in and saves it. "I'm sorry, cover it!" Nishinoya shouted.

"I've got it!" Both Kageyama and Asahi announce, making them confused as they almost ran into each other.

"Tobio!" Hideaki called out, noticing the ball, as Kageyama recovers his composure and saves it quickly.

"Asahi, last hit!" Daichi yelled as Asahi sends the ball up.

"That was close! Too close for my liking." Hideaki thought, sweating at the tense air.

Aoba Johsai spiked down the ball as Asahi quickly saved it as the volleyball goes up, Kageyama gets ready to set it, and Hideaki spiked it down but the libero pounces to the side and receives the ball. Hinata jumps and got a one-touch.

"Cover it!" Daichi yelled out as Hideaki dives down and saves the volleyball in time.

"Center!"

Nishinoya nods to Hinata. "Shoyo, take it!" He yelled out, sending the ball his way.

"Get through!" Daichi, Kageyama, and Hideaki all yelled in unison as Hinata jumps up to spike it down. However Hinata was blocked by three people from Aoba Johsai which made Hideaki scowl and frown in disappointment.

TWEEEET!

Hideaki looked at the score and winced when he saw Aoba Johsai was at 19 with Karasuno being at 16. Karasuno heads off the court as they surrounded Ukai who talked to them, Hideaki wasn't really listening, too occupied on how they could win the match.

"Damn it all, how can we turn this match around?" Hideaki asked himself. "Calm down, Hideaki. You're the team's ace. You can't get anxious."

Hideaki looked up when he heard people cheering for them, he saw two people from the Neighborhood Association team, which made Hideaki deadpan at the duo before heading back on the court. Hinata had jumped when the volleyball came to him, but he got blocked.

However, Aoba Johsai had touched the net making Karasuno get the point. "Pure luck..." Hideaki thought in relief.

However, Hinata was now in the back row, which was going to make things hard for Karasuno. Tsukishima and Nishinoya switched.

TWEEEET!

Hideaki looked up in confusion. He widened his eyes to see that Yamaguchi was being called to swap in for Hinata to do a serve. Yamaguchi was shaking like a leaf.

"Ah, that's right. This is the first official match that he's on the court. He's so used to cheering us on from the sidelines." Hideaki thought with a sweat drop. "That'll just give more pressure to Yamaguchi. Will he be okay?" He added in his head, worried for his junior.

Hinata walks over and grabs the number sign, before heading off. "Yamaguchi!" Ukai calls out. "Go change the flow!" He added as Yamaguchi nods.

"Y-Yes, sir!" He yelped as he heads off to be the pinch server.

The second Yamaguchi crosses the line to enter the court, he was taken aback by the intensity from his teammates.

"Way to score a huge promotion, Yamaguchi!" Tanaka calls out from the sides with a big smile, easing him a little.

"Yes, sir!" Yamaguchi exclaimed.

"Take a shot at 'em, Yamaguchi." Daichi added with his own gentle smile.

"Take deep breaths, Yamaguchi. It's what I always do to calm myself down when I'm anxious." Hideaki put in, giving him a smile as well.

"Nice serve!" Kageyama encourages.

"N-Nice serve." Asahi encourages as well. "T-Take it easy now." He added, but he looked like to be the one taking things nice and easy.

"Asahi, do you understand what "nice and easy" means?" Hideaki teased making Asahi jump back, and shake like a leaf, worried for Yamaguchi.

Hideaki could tell everyone on the court was panicking for Yamaguchi, except for Kageyama who had an expressionless look. Hideaki also wasn't worried.

"Perhaps this is what we need to get ahead." Hideaki thinks to himself.

Yamaguchi goes to the serving line and stares at the ball. "Hey, Yamaguchi!" Hideaki heard Sugawara announce making everyone turn to him, Hideaki was taken aback when he saw Nishinoya, Ennoshita, Sugawara, Kinoshita and Narita do a pose and point at Yamaguchi.

"One point! Nice serve!"

Yamaguchi just nods at them, as he turns his attention back on the game, he then bounces the ball, getting the feel of it. Hideaki sighed loudly when the ball rolled away from his feet and he runs quickly to get it.

"I take back what I said..." Hideaki thought, sweat dropping at his junior. Yamaguchi gets back on the line.

TWEEET!

Yamaguchi holds the ball up to do his serve, he throws the ball up, and he was in position to do a jump float, the ball goes forward, as Karasuno was dripping with anxiety.

"Come on!" Hideaki thinks to himself, keeping his eyes on the ball. However he widened his eyes when the ball hits the net and falls onto our side, getting Aoba Johsai a point instead of Karasuno.

Hideaki hold back a sigh of disappointment, Karasuno stayed silent as Aoba Johsai looked relieved by Yamaguchi's mistake.

"I-I'm sorry." Yamaguchi frowned in guilt.

"Shake it off!" Asahi announces.

"D-Don't sweat it!" Tanaka adds from the sides.

"Shake it off!" Kageyama responded.

"Don't mind, don't mind!" Hideaki added.

TWEEEET!

Yamaguchi was called back to the sides. "Yamaguchi!" Hideaki heard Daichi yell out for him.

"I-I'm sorry!" Yamaguchi apologized.

"Make the next one count." Daichi said as Yamaguchi looked as though he was holding back a sob.

"Yes, sir!" He announced, his eyes teary.

The mood around Karasuno relaxes, Hideaki however was still feeling stressed.

The game goes on as the ball was in play, Kageyama sets it up and over to Asahi, as Asahi jumped up and spiked it down powerfully, getting Karasuno a point.

The ball goes into play again and Hideaki sees Aoba Johsai spike down the volleyball and Daichi receives it.

The ball goes up as Hideaki spikes it over the net, Oikawa slides on his knees and saves it. "Cover it!" He yells to his teammates, Kunimi saves it in time, as the ball goes up to Karasuno's side, Hideaki gets ready to jump high, as Kageyama tosses the ball to him and he slams it down past the two blockers, however it was an out.

Hideaki growled to himself, but kept his composure. He turned to his teammates. "I'm sorry." He bowed at them.

"I-It's okay!" Asahi reassured him, as Kageyama nodded.

"Don't mind." He added, Hideaki nodded and focused back on the game.

"Just relax. You're getting tense." Daichi added as Hideaki gulped but nodded.

Kageyama sets the ball up, once the volleyball was in the air, Tsukishima jumps forward and spikes it down, getting Karasuno a point. However, the victory didn't last long as Aoba Johsai gets a point as well.

Hideaki watched as Aoba Johsai serves, he noticed that it was going to be an out.

"It's an out!" Hideaki called to Asahi. He nods at him and moves to the side.

"Nice judgement call!" Daichi praised.

Hideaki nodded and sighed of relief. The game continues as Kageyama crouched down and saved the ball. "Hideaki, last hit!" Nishinoya yells for him, as Hideaki nodded in agreement.

Hideaki charged forward and watched as the ball came to him, he jumped up as Oikawa and Iwaizumi do the same, Hideaki narrowed his eyes at Oikawa who flinches at his stare as Hideaki slammed down the volleyball, it got blocked, which made Hideaki glare.

"Hell no! I won't let us lose like this!" Hideaki thought as he quickly used his foot to kick the ball back up into play, Hinata came over and saved the ball as it came back down, he face palmed but the ball goes over the net and rolls off.

Karasuno gets the point since Iwaizumi failed to save the ball on time.

"Nice, Hinata!"

"Break!"

"One more point!"

Hideaki got a few pats on the head and backs from his teammates, making him flustered and turn away. It was now Kageyama's turn to serve the ball.

"Kageyama, nice serve!" Hinata announced, as Kageyama did his jump serve.

The ball stays in play as Aoba Johsai spikes it down, but Daichi quickly saved it, as Hinata and Hideaki had jumped up to block.

"Daichi!" Hideaki called out in shock.

The ball stays in play as everyone received, spiked, and saved the ball.

"We can't lose, not now!" Hideaki thought to himself as he had jumped up to spike, however Iwaizumi saves it as Hideaki growled to himself as the ball gets spiked and Aoba Johsai gets a point.

"Shit..." Hideaki thought as he saw that Aoba Johsai has the match point, with Karasuno being at 22. Hideaki starts to breathe heavily, his vision getting blurred and thoughts came into his mind.

"You should've gone to basketball!"

"Volleyball reject!"

"You're no ace!"

Hideaki widened his eyes as a picture of his younger brother popped into his mind.

"Shun would be so disappointed in you."

Hideaki gasped as he coughed, forgetting how to breathe. "Hey, Hideaki!" He heard a voice yell out his name, but he couldn't tell who was yelling at him. "I'm fine!" Hideaki said as he regained his breathing. "I'm okay... I'm just overwhelmed."

He looked up to see Iwaizumi and Daichi frowning at him as they looked at one another, Hideaki can see Oikawa behind Iwaizumi, looking at him with concern in his eyes.

Hideaki turned to his team. "Let's continue." He said as they all nodded at him. Karasuno's players were panting as Aoba Johsai's cheer squad from the stands was all that can be heard.

"Don't be intimidated, men!" Nishinoya yelled. "Let's throw ourselves into it!"

Everyone stared in surprise at Nishinoya. Everyone smiled and chuckle at him, well except for Hideaki.

The game goes on as Asahi jumped up to spike the ball, getting Karasuno a point.

"Yes!"

"Asahi, nice kill!"

"One point to go!"

Soon, it was Hideaki's turn to serve, as he gets the ball. "Hideaki, nice serve!" Daichi encouraged.

"One point!" Hinata added.

"Nice serve!" Kageyama added as Hideaki breathed in to calm his anxiousness.

"If I mess up this serve, it's game over. If they receive this ball and make their attack, it's over!" Hideaki thought.

Hideaki shook his head. "Don't start having anxiety attacks now, calm down..." He assured himself, taking a deep breath.

"What's wrong with you?" Oikawa questioned, sitting down next to one of his childhood friends. Hideaki sighed to himself.

"I'm trying to figure out how I can avoid getting blocked in matches." Hideaki replied. "Sure my eyes are my greatest weapon, but if I get blocked by tall players, my ability is useless. Which makes me useless."

"I don't think so." Oikawa said as Hideaki looked at him. "Sure your ability makes you a great player, but you can become great even without it. You just have to find another way to get passed blockers."

"And how exactly do I do that?"

Oikawa smiled. "Remember my favorite quote, Aki-chan?" He asked.

Hideaki blinked. "Huh?" The black haired male questioned, confused on what his best friend was talking about.

"If you're going to hit it..."

"...hit it until it breaks." Hideaki recalled in his head as he served the ball up and spiked it with his palm. "Or bare minimum..." He added as he watched Kindaichi spike the ball past Hinata, but Hideaki was there to save it in time.

"Touch it!" Hideaki finished his thought, his eyes darkening. As the ball goes over the net to Aoba Johsai, Oikawa jumps up to spike down the ball and get the point.

But suddenly, Kageyama came into view and did a one-handed toss. Hinata came up from behind and slammed down the ball, getting the point Karasuno needed to get to set point as well. The gym went silent before Karasuno jumped and cheered.

"All right!"

The gym cheered for Karasuno. Hideaki panted. "Just one more point." He stated in his mind. "One more point, and we'll win against Aoba Johsai." Hideaki added, feeling motivated.

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A/N: Another chapter done! Please let me know if there's any mistakes. Hope you enjoyed!

Word Count: 3731 words.