Chapter 67: A Team Player

I dreamt of volleyball. All night, I heard the sound of volleyball hitting walls, floors, skin. That girl's nose.

Which might be why, when to sounds continue, I don't notice that this time, they're real. Not until I hear a man's voice shout, "I'll get some more from the closet."

Oh shit.

I shot up and shook Bokuto beside. Shirtless Bokuto beside me. Cheese and crackers, it's like this guy's shirt just melts off of him at night. "Bokuto, wake up someone coming."

The know twist, Bokuto gasp awake and I search, far too late, for a place to hide. The door opens, and a man with pulled back blonde hair opened the door. Startled he seemed, taking a step back saying, "Hey Fukurōdani, you do know your captain's in here with-"

Bokuto is shaking his head frantically, holding a finger to his lips. The man tried to back peddle a bit saying, "In here with the supplies and stuff."

He tried. But it didn't help. Coaches voice rang strong through the gym, "MAC, BOKUTO!"

"Yes coach," we both say as Bokuto struggles to put his shirt on. We both scramble up and out of the supply closet past the man. Me with my head down, Bokuto with his eyes up, looking straight ahead. He still holds onto pride while I try to stay as close to him as possible. Hiding myself from the boys who now stood silent. Watching. They won't say anything in front of their coaches. But lord knows what they think. I'm sure if Bokuto found out, they'd be running suicides.

This isn't a big deal to him. Nothing is a big deal, it's just is. So when we stand before the coach, he sounds just as strong as he always has.

"Yes coach?"

"Mac."

My head shot up to the short coach, "Yes coach?"

"Congrats on the win. Don't beat yourself up about the injury, it's a sport. People get hurt."

"Yes coach, thank you coach." I bow, best to use all the respect right now.

"Now, call whoever you need to call and let them know you are alright. For now. You're here, so you'll work. You two have twenty minutes to ready yourselves, get some food in you and get on the court. Every minute late you are is ten minutes of running. Got it?"

"Yea coach," we both say, I go to bow again but Bokuto snatches my hand and turns running.

Once we're out of the gym, he stops and laughs. "We need stop getting caught like this."

He walks now and I step at his side, "Yeah now everyone thinks we were having sex in a closet all night."

I laugh with him.

He looks to me, smiling confidently. "I mean, we could have."

I shake my head, "That was not the deal, you said if we both win nationals not if we both get into nationals."

"Oh so when we win then-"

"You said you were joking!"

"I did," he laughed, "But you seem to be taking this seriously. I mean, it is your birthday weekend, I could-"

"No thank you," I say, following him into a classroom filled with bags and mats.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled, "You'll have to wear your game shorts but I got a shirt you can borrow." He goes over to his bag and tosses me a blue way of the ace, shirt.

"How many of these do you have? You already let me keep one."

"A few," he shrugs and pulling another one from his bag. "I don't have a spare toothbrush though."

I shrug, "as long as you have toothpaste I'll be okay."

"What are you gonna-"

"I told you, only my aunt is rich. Now come on before we have to run."

He guides me towards the bathrooms but instead of turning towards the girls bathroom I start following Bokuto into the boys. At least until he stops me saying, "At least let me check first." He laughs and steps into the bathroom. Seconds later he comes back, pulling me in with him. "You know, wasn't I just talking about how we need to stop getting caught in compromising situations?"

"I need your toothpaste," I shrug.

"With no toothbrush?"

I ignore him and just go to the sink and wash my hands. I grab a paper towel and wrap it around my finger and snatches Bokuto's toothpaste. He just watches as he brushes his teeth.

I shrug again, "The struggles been real," and go about brushing my teeth with my makeshift brush.

We quickly get ready, snatch a quick snack from the Cafe and head back to the gym. I call Aunt Bri not truly ready for this but I'm low on time.

"Hey aunty, kinda snuck out last night and ended up at Nekuma where Bokuto is training. I'm safe but I'll be here all day. See you later,"

"Wait what?"

"Bye," quickly I hung up the phone and huffed, "Kinda glad coach is taking my phone."

We head into the gym and I hand my phone off and try to follow Bokuto over to the team, but the coach stops me with the strong calling of, "Mac!"

I straighten up, "Yes coach."

"Mac, a great player can play with any team and make them better."

"Yes coach."

He sighs before saying, "You're a great player Mac. Today, we prove it. See that team over there with the broccoli hair kid? That team's been stinking up the whole training set. You're with them, win a set with them and you get to move up in rank. Maybe by tonight you'll be able to play with your own school. But for now, consider yourself an improvement plan."

"Yes coach," I nod. Not really buying the great player talk. But like he said, we'll see today.

I head over to my first team but stop when I hear the coach's voice again, "Oh and Mac. Punishment for today is diving laps. You lose a set, you dive. Got it?"

I sigh, this is going to be a long day, "Yes coach."

I head over to the team and broccoli top stared me down, "What do you want?"

"I was told you guys suck, so I'm here to help."

"They sent a girl to help us?" He spat with laughter.

I don't respond back, only step to the court saying, "I'm a middle blocker. Who am I in for?"

They're not happy, but it's rare that a play with a happy team anyway.

We don't lose. At least not most of the sets. I move from team to team, trying to move my way back to Fukurōdani. I'm so close, like across the net close. Like dark skies close. This has to be the last set. This might be as close as I get.

With Bokuto grinning from across the net. I swear his eyes are on me more than the ball. Though I don't blame him. I've missed him this week.

Normally we spend everyday together but between double practices at UNC and the tournaments and training camp. It seems like our time together has been pretty short.

Probably why I ventured all the way out here last night. Just being close to him makes everything feel better. Nice to know that he'll be so close next year. He'll be right down the hall.

Which might be too tempting. He's glancing at me from 12 feet away and already it feels tempting.

"Serves up," Kuroo calls from the sideline, he's out of rotation and clams he trust me more than his first year middle, Lev. The kids a freaking giant but by no means his he gentel. He's almost ran into Kenma so many times and he depends on His team too much.

Though I guess it could be said that I don't depend on my team enough. Nekuma is so well balanced and reliable. When the ball gets past me, I have no worry about it the ball will hit the floor. I know it won't, not that easily. I wish I could have this much trust in my own team.

I don't call the ball, but Kenma send it to me anyway. "Short," Bokuto called out.

Short uh? As though I didn't have more tricks up my sleeve. They block my right side so i got for a cross body shout, deep to the left. This is why i love middle. Options, but they've limited my space and I know it.

Someone was waiting right where they knew my ball would go. They know me. They understand how I move.

"It's coming back," I call out. Moving in for the block. Of course it's Bokuto. Their ace, and of course, he holds nothing back.

"Touch!" I Shout out when the ball slams past my hands.

Kenma brings the ball to me and I figure I'd go for a straight down but I don't get that far. Blocked, by the stupid first year and Bokuto. Killed.

I dont look back at the ball behind me. I know it hit the ground. I know we lost the point. And Bokuto staring down at me from across the net with that stupid grin.

"Do it."

"Do what?" I ask.

"That cut shot," Bokuto urged.

I shake my head, "That was a fluke."

"If you can do it once you can do it again," He says as he moves into his place.

I keep my eyes on him as I move back ready to receive. I don't notice how Kenma stared at me. So when we get the ball, kenma send it left, no. Its not all the way left, its still in my zone.

"Go!" Kurro called from the sideline so i went.

And the same, their ready for me, short, deep, double block, I'm stuck. So I do what Bokuto would.

I cut it, turning my wrist, rolling my shoulder, pushing the ball to the right, passing the blockers and gooding to the floor. Not to anyone's nose.

"Hey hey hey," Bokuto shouts for me.

I give a smaller, "Hey hey hey," Back.

And he puts his arms up for a double high five above the net. We both jump up, slapping hands across the net, leaving me to laugh a little before Aakashi shouted, "Stop cheering for the other team!"

"But Baby Bird was super cool!"

"Baby Bird?" Some people chuckled around, but we just move on.

We rotate but as we move around Kenma says, "So you can do a cut shot?"

I don't have to say anything, Kuroo does, "You set her up again without knowing if she could do it!?"

Kenma gave a small shrug, "She did everything else I tried."

He's not wrong. I've managed to do everything he's tried. Maybe not clean, definitely not the first time, but I did it. With almost every team, I moved, I adjusted. I worked with them and we made it work.

With Fukurōdani knowing that a cut shot is an option, the defence is more scattered when the ball comes my way. My blocks are still sharp, killing a few but only killing one of Bokuto's blocks.

We don't win.

I finish the training day with a lap of dives and bruised hip bones. We all pack up, clean the gym and had to our busses. Bokuto steps to my side, dropping an arm around my shoulders.

"Sorry to beat you like that Baby Bird, but you know. Couldn't take it easy on you."

"You won by three points," I rolled my eyes, "And your team knows everything about me."

"Yeah, but other teams could know a lot about you. I'm sure there's a few video clips going around."

I climb onto the bus groaning, "I sure hope not. I'm done with pictures and videos of me."

Bokuto stays close behind me as we walk down the aisle of the bus. He grabs my hand to stop me at an empty bench and sat down, pulling me to sit with him.

I do, I barely getting my butt to the seat before he pulls me close. A few people passing snicker as they walk past.

But Bokuto doesn't let go, not even when Coach came down the aisle handing everyone their phones back.

"Alright everyone, we should Congratulate Z for-" coach started before saying second year interrupted from the back of the bus.

"Why, hey and Bokuto getting married?"

"Shut up," I call back quieting the small laughter.

Coach went on, "No, not that I know of. What I do know is that Fukurōdani will have two volleyball teams in nationals this year."

The bus roared with applause as the wheels began to turn. Time to head home.

Once the lights went out and the bus went dark, Bokuto's face turned to the crook in my neck. His voice, low and soft when he says, "I've missed you." He places a soft kiss on my neck before saying, "I've been looking forward to this weekend."

His head rises, only a little as my common sense starts to leave me. Why does he do this to me?

I don't even check to see if anymore was looking, before I brought my lips to his. He didn't check if anyone was looking before he brought his lips to mine. But still, he shows me that he's stronger. He doesn't let us stay like this for long. He just keeps me close as we ride home.

When we get back to Fukurōdani, a few cars wait, though most of the boys walk. No one was left for Bokuto to wait on and we've already spotted Jay's black SUV.

"Ugh, he's gonna be so passed," I say stepping towards the SUV.

Bokuto chuckles and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close to him, "Well, maybe you shouldn't have snuck out? But I get it, you just missed me too much."

"Shut up," I laugh pushing him away as we step. But he doesn't go far, he comes right back to me, stopping me with his hand in mine and a hand to my check, "It's fine, I would have done the same thing if I could." He kisses me softly.

Barely anything before Jay pops out of the SUV, "Um, Young Mac. We really should be going."

"Coming," I call back.

I go in for one more light, quick kiss, with a plan to run for the SUV after. But before my lips were back to Bokuto's, I hear a voice that snaps my spine straight and makes me step two feet away from Bokuto in instilled fright.

"ZARA RASHON MAC, GET YOUR ASS IN THIS CAR RIGHT NOW!"

"Sorry Mother," I say quickly, as respectfully as I can after my Mom caught me kissing a boy, who was never supposed to be my boyfriend.

I don't look back to Bokuto to step forward quickly and hopped into the SUV. Bokuto had my bag and was taking it to the trunk, I'm sure Jay is wishing him luck.

Mom is in one of the solo seats of the SUV so I go to the back back, beside my little brother, who was already covering a laugh with his hand. The diabolical sucker always loved to see me in trouble.

"HI Mom," I say, shakily, expecting a cuss out.

Then Bokuto gets into the SUV, sitting beside Mom in the other solo seat. He put his hand out saying in English, "Hello, I'm Kōtarō Bokuto. It's nice to finally meet-"

"I know who you are," Mom snaps.

Slowly, Bokuto retracts his hand.

This is going to be a long ride to Aunty's house.