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

edited on december 5th, 2020 @ 4:25pm

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CHAPTER TEN - GUARDING YOUR BACK

"CHANCE BALL!" Daichi yells as Tadahiro sees the volleyball go into the air. Kageyama tosses it over at Tanaka who lets out a battle cry and spiked it down, getting Karasuno a point.

"All right!" Tanaka cheered.

"Nice kill!" Sugawara praised as Tadahiro sighed and looked over at the scoreboard.

Dateko

23

Karasuno

19

"It's still only the first set..." Tadahiro mentally noted as he turned his attention to the game once more.

"Tsukishima, one more. Nice serve!" Tanaka encouraged as Tsukishima serves the ball, the ball gets saved by Dateko, as everyone kept it in play.

Tadahiro watched as Aone spiked the ball down, Hinata managed to one touch it. "Counter!" Ukai shouted.

"Chance ball." Nishinoya informed as the ball goes to Kageyama as he tosses it up to Hinata.

"Don't underestimate us!" Futakuchi exclaimed but his shout was in vain as Hinata spikes the ball and got Karasuno a point.

It was now set point for Karasuno, making Tadahiro grin a little.

Tadahiro observed as Daichi saves the volleyball from a Dateko player. "Give me a toss!" Hinata beamed at Kageyama as he gets ready to set, Hinata jumps up to spike but he was a decoy as it was Asahi once more to spike down the volleyball.

Asahi gets passed Aone who saw the tactic but Asahi had a powerful spike, so the ball got through and Karasuno got a point.

"All right!" Narita, Sugawara, and Yamaguchi announced. Karasuno had won the first set.

TWEEET!

Dateko and Karasuno all leave the court to rest and take a break before the second set. "Kagami, can you help me give these out?" Kiyoko asked, as she holds up a rack of water bottles.

"Sure." Tadahiro replied as he helped her out. Suddenly, Ukai calls them over so the team surrounded him as he holds up a board.

"So, we're going to start the second set with our second rotation." Ukai informed as Tadahiro looked at the whiteboard. Tadahiro was at the back with Kageyama and Tsukishima, Tanaka was going to be on the sides with Sugawara and the others, this time.

"The first rotation directly matched up Hinata and no-eyebrows #7, so we'll shift that over two places to start." Ukai explained.

"I see. That means Hinata won't get marked by #7 like he was in the first set." Takeda stated, Hinata had a blank look on his face but didn't say anything.

"But we can't completely avoid that. All we're doing is shifting players around." Ukai said. "While Hinata won't get marked, but the other players will get marked instead."

"We can't let Hinata shoulder all our burden. When Hinata's at his best, we're at our best. I'll do my part as the ace." Asahi spoke up as everyone looked over to him.

Nishinoya, Tanaka, Sugawara, Tadahiro, and Daichi all looked at their friend. "Asahi, you're awesome!" Nishinoya and Tanaka exclaimed happily.

"You've grown, Asahi." Daichi praised.

"What are you, my relative?" Asahi dead panned at his teammates.

"Me too! I can't back attack like you, Asahi. So, I'll score as many points as I can while I'm front." Hinata assured their ace. "I'll be the best decoy ever!"

Tadahiro chuckled. "And to think he didn't think the name was cool in the beginning." He thought.

"Yeah, I'm counting on you. And you can count on me, too." Asahi smiles down at his underclassman.

Hinata beamed. "Yes!" He replied excitedly.

"You can count on me too, Asahi. I'm the tallest on the team, after all." Tadahiro added as Asahi smiled. Soon, they started the second set, as it was Tadahiro's turn to serve.

"Hiro, nice serve!" Daichi called out as Tadahiro tossed the ball into the air and spiked it. Dateko's libero saves it, but just barely, as the ball was kept in play. The ball gets spiked down by Dateko, letting them get a point.

The ball gets into play again as it was up in the air. "Kageyama!" Daichi shouted. Hinata yells and jumps up to spike, but he was a decoy as Kageyama tosses it over to Asahi who managed to break through the block and get Karasuno a point.

All right!" Karasuno announced, Tadahiro kept his eyes focused on Aone. "He was lured in for a moment by Hinata's move, but he's already on the left..." Tadahiro thinks to himself with sweat coming down his forehead.

The whistle blew as the game continued. The ball gets spiked down as Kageyama jumps up to block the spike but the ball went down by him. However, before the ball could hit the court, Tadahiro sped over and received it.

"Nice, Hiro!" Daichi smiled.

"Nice receive!" Kageyama exclaimed as he gets ready to set the ball.

"Open!" Asahi calls out for a toss as he runs forward, however, when the ball gets set to Asahi, the ace got blocked by three of Dateko's blockers.

Daichi's turn to serve as he threw the ball and hit it, making Karasuno get a point when the ball touches the court on Dateko's side.

"Nice, Daichi!"

Daichi serves once more but failed and Dateko got a point. But Karasuno soon got the point back when Kageyama tossed the ball to Tadahiro and he spiked it down powerfully as the ball hits the court on the other side.

"All right!" Everyone cheered.

"Nice one, Kagami-senpai!" Nishinoya beamed.

Tadahiro stared down at his palm, feeling the familiar stinging as he glanced at the scoreboard.

Dateko

04

Karasuno

04

Hinata soon rotates to vanguard. "Bring it." Hinata challenges. The ball gets served and is kept in play as Kamasaki spikes it down as Hinata tried to block him. Tsukishima saved the ball.

"It's up, nice." Tadahiro heard Tanaka say from the sidelines.

"Kage-chan, cover." Tadahiro called out to his junior who nods.

"Bring it here." Hinata yelled for a toss.

Kamasaki didn't react in time, as Hinata scores them a point when Kageyama tossed to him. "Nice, Hinata, Kageyama." Daichi praised the two first years.

The game continues as Kageyama sets the ball up, Hinata lets out a determined war cry to spike the ball, but he was a decoy as Kageyama had instead set the ball Tadahiro's way, he eyed the volleyball and locked his eyes onto it, swinging his arm back as his palm smacks down.

Tadahiro sighed and stared calmly at the opposing team who flinched under his gaze.

The game goes on as Asahi got Karasuno a point. Before Tadahiro knew it, Dateko called for a time out. "All right!" Everyone cheered, as they head off to rest themselves and get some water. Tadahiro stared at the score and grinned.

Dateko

10

Karasuno

12

"We're ahead, but Dateko won't go down without a fight... but neither will we. We won't lose to them, not this time." Tadahiro thought.

TWEEET!

It was Hinata's turn to serve. "Hinata, nice serve." Daichi encouraged as Hinata hits the ball, it gets over the net but was saved as the ball was once again in play. Karasuno gains a point when Asahi spiked down the ball.

Tadahiro saw that Asahi was giving a pep talk to Tsukishima, but didn't know what it was about. The whistle blew as he saw Futakuchi do a jump serve, Tadahiro saw where he was aiming and used his quick reflexes and sped over to receive it, however, it was sloppy.

"Sorry. Kage-chan, cover." Tadahiro announced.

"All right." Kageyama assures and gets ready to set the ball.

"Open." Asahi shouts out.

"Azumane-san!" Kageyama replied as he sets the ball over to the ace.

Tadahiro noticed a spot in between Aone and Dateko's captain when they jump up. Asahi was aiming there to blast through the block, but Aone sensed it and moves his hand to block the spike. Dateko gets a point and Aone cheers by yelling.

"Asahi, one more!" Hinata yelled from the sides.

"Don't worry, don't worry." Sugawara added.

The score was a tie with each team having 17 points. Tadahiro was already feeling exhausted as he breathed heavily and wiped his sweat.

Dateko serves the ball as it comes down to Karasuno's side, Daichi successfully saves it. "Daichi, nice receive." Tanaka yells from the sides. Tadahiro kept his eye on the ball.

"All right." Kageyama yelled out, Asahi eyes the ball, as Kageyama tossed to him. The ace jumps up and spikes it down, he didn't fully get blocked but Aone managed to one touch it.

Tadahiro saw the ball go to one of Dateko's players as the setter then tosses the ball to Aone who jumps up to spike. Tsukishima and Asahi jump up to block the incoming attack.

"Karasuno... has a wall too!" Tadahiro heard Takeda yell from the sides as Asahi and Tsukishima block the attack and Karasuno gets a point.

"All right." Everyone cheered.

"Nice block, Tsukishima." Asahi smiled.

"Thanks." Tsukishima responded.

"Dateko may be a powerhouse school, known for its blocks and iron wall, but that doesn't mean Karasuno can't do the same." Tadahiro thought.

The game goes on as the volleyball made it's way to Kageyama, who tosses the ball high up. Tadahiro ran forward and jumped up. He swings his arm back and smacked the ball down when Kageyama tossed to him. He got passed the blockers and managed to get Karasuno a point.

"All right!" His teammates cheered for him.

Tadahiro panted and looked at Dateko, who stared down at him. He knew that he must've gained their attention throughout the game finally. Tadahiro gave the opposing team a smirk.

"Good. I want them to pay attention to me and see me as a threat. I want them to know I'm not the same as last year. It'll be so much enjoyable seeing their faces when Karasuno wins." Tadahiro thinks to himself as he walked away. His aura was intense.

Hinata was moved to the front. "All right." Hinata announces, waiting to hit the ball. It was Tsukishima's turn to serve as he throws the ball up in the air and hits it. Dateko's libero saves it, as Tadahiro watched the setter toss the ball up, he jumps up to block but the setter tosses it to someone else who spikes it down.

However, Asahi saved the ball in time. "It's up. Kage-chan, cover." Tadahiro called out.

"Yes." He replied as he gets under the ball to set it.

"Bring it!" Hinata yells as he runs forward and Kageyama tosses it at Hinata, who got Karasuno a point when he did his spike.

The game goes on as Kamasaki spikes the volleyball, Daichi tried to save it but it was too late. "Take that. We're going to stall them!" Kamasaki yelled out. Tadahiro looked at the score.

Dateko

20

Karasuno

22

"We can't seem to pull ahead." Tadahiro hissed in his mind. Then, he let out a shaky breath. "Keep your head in the game, Hiro. Karasuno hasn't lost yet." He reassured himself.

Dateko spikes the ball down again, but Asahi managed to one touch it. "Nice, Asahi!" Tanaka yells from the sides as Tadahiro saw Nishinoya receive the ball.

"Chance ball." Nishinoya yelled at the team.

"Give me a toss!" Hinata yells out, running forward, Hinata jumps but was a decoy as Kageyama tossed the ball to Asahi who smacks it down, and got Karasuno a point when Dateko's captain failed to save it properly.

"All right!"

"Nice keep!"

"One more!"

It was one more to match point making Tadahiro anxious but also excited. The ball gets served as Nishinoya dives down to save it. "Nice receive, Noya-chan!" Tadahiro said, keeping his red orbs on the volleyball in the air.

"Nice receive, Noya!" Tanaka yelled from the sidelines.

Kageyama tosses it up, Hinata was once again being a decoy, as the ball goes to Asahi who spiked it down, but Kasamaki was fast and went over to help block the attack.

Nishinoya tried to save the ball, but it bounces off his arms and Dateko scores a point. "All right." Dateko cheered. Tadahiro looked over to the opposing team to see Aone be vanguard now.

Dateko serves the ball as the volleyball made its way to them. "Nishinoya." Daichi called out as Nishinoya saves it and sends it up.

"Nice receive!" Tadahiro praised as Hinata runs forward.

"Bring it!" Hinata called out as Hinata and Kageyama do their famous quick attack.

However, Aone blocked it, but the ball came down and landed onto Dateko's side, making Karasuno get a point, but just barely. It was a match point for them now, which was good.

"All right." Hinata beamed. Nishinoya leaves the court as Tsukishima comes back on, Hinata was back in the rear guard, as it was his turn to serve.

The whistle blew as Hinata serves the ball, however, he hits it out, making Dateko gain a point. "S-Sorry!" Hinata apologized.

"Don't mind. Don't worry about it." Daichi reassured him. Tadahiro saw Kageyama coming over to scold or hit Hinata. Tadahiro didn't want to get in trouble with the referee like they did during the first round so he held his arm out to Kageyama to stop him.

"Hinata, you lousy airhead!" Kageyama growled.

Tadahiro flicked his junior's forehead. "K-Kagami-senpai!" Kageyama stuttered, rubbing his head.

"Don't make a scene. You'll cause trouble for Dai-chan." Tadahiro warned as Daichi gave a small pep talk to Hinata. Hinata goes off the court to join the others.

"Bring it, one point!" Asahi yelled out challengingly.

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The ball gets served as Nishinoya saved it, as the volleyball makes its way to Kageyama. "Tsukishima." Kageyama said as Tsukishima spikes the ball, Dateko's libero saves it.

Tadahiro saw Aone spike down the ball as he quickly ducks down and saves it. "Cover! Cover!" Nishinoya shouted as Kageyama gets under the ball.

"Azumane-san." Kageyama called out to Asahi who runs forward.

Asahi gets blocked as the ball came back to Karasuno's side. "Shoot! The rear guard is wide open!" Tadahiro panicked as him and Daichi raced over to save it, but suddenly Nishinoya came out of nowhere and slides down to save it just in time.

The ball goes up once more as Nishinoya managed to save it, making Tadahiro sigh in relief. "Cover for me!" He shouted.

"Left! One more!" Asahi called out for a toss as Kageyama sends the ball his way.

"Azumane-san!" Kageyama shouted out. Tadahiro saw that the toss was too close to the net. Tadahiro hoped that Asahi can avoid touching it.

However, instead of a spike Aone and Asahi have a joust instead, suddenly to Tadahiro's shock, the ball goes down to Karasuno's side, making everyone silent and had their eyes wide open when the ball was about to touch the court.

Tadahiro was the closest to the ball, at first he was frozen in place. "Damn! What do I do?" He thinks to himself. Images of him collapsing and Asahi being distraught after their defeat last year flashed in his mind. "No! That won't happen again! Not on my watch!"

Something within him just snapped and before he knew it, he slid his foot out and saved the ball, his eyes staring down at the ball he just received.

The whole gym yells out in shock at this.

"So close!"

"Awesome!"

"He's incredible!"

Tadahiro panted. "That was new..." He thought, gulping at what just happened.

"One more!" Sugawara, Hinata, and Nishinoya all shouted in unison.

"Hiro, nice follow!" Asahi praised. Tadahiro just nodded at him in appreciation.

"I wonder if I can do that again." Tadahiro thinks to himself. He winced as he felt pain coming from his right hamstring. "On second thought, maybe I shouldn't."

"Kageyama, cover!"

"Yes!"

Kageyama gets under the ball, readying himself to toss it. "One more!" Tadahiro heard Sugawara call out, making everyone flinch and look over. "One more!" Sugawara repeated.

Kageyama sets the ball high in the air for Asahi as he charged forward. "Go, Asahi!" Sugawara shouted from the sidelines.

"Blast through, Asahi!" Daichi added on.

"Go!"

"Go!"

"Go!"

Tadahiro watched as Asahi jumped up to hit the ball, it was like an iron wall opening up for Karasuno for the first time. Asahi smacks down the ball and everyone watched as the volleyball falls onto the net, making Tadahiro swear and hold his breath as he wondered which side it was gonna roll onto.

It rolls onto Dateko's side as Tadahiro saw Futakuchi and another player run to save it.

They were slow...

... and Karasuno got a point.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno had just won against Dateko.

Asahi looks up and had a big victory yell as his team joins him.

"All right!"

"We did it!"

Daichi soon told them to line up as Karasuno had a bright aura around them.

TWEEET!

"Thank you very much!" They all said, bowing their heads to their opponents. Karasuno walked to the net to shake hands with Dateko. Tadahiro goes over to Futakuchi as he looks as though he was trying hard not to cry. Tadahiro sighed at him as he gave his hand a firm shake.

"Hey." Tadahiro called out to him, Futakuchi stares at him, wondering what he had to say. "I'm not good at comforting others, but I just wanted to say, that you and your team are talented at what you do. I'm jealous to be quite honest, I can't block well like you and your team." He informed the opposing team, which made Futakuchi and the other Dateko players who heard the red haired male widen their eyes.

Futakuchi then gave him a low smirk. "I'm jealous too. You have the good looks and that save you did with your foot? Amazing." He states with a grin.

"Thanks... I think." Tadahiro replied as Futakuchi grips his hand, making Tadahiro raise an eyebrow at him as he leans in.

"Say, are you single by any chance?" Futakuchi asked with a grin.

Before Tadahiro could reply, Dateko's captain drags Futakuchi away while Daichi came up and grabbed Tadahiro by his wrist. "O-Oi! I need to know! I think I found my one and only!" Futakuchi whined.

"Hiro's taken." Daichi growled as he dragged Tadahiro away.

"D-Dai-chan!" Tadahiro complained.

Daichi pulled him down to his height and kissed him. "You did great out there. Though, I was shocked when you did that save with your foot." He said.

"I was just as shocked as you are. I'm not sure how I did that exactly. Something within me just snapped." Tadahiro stated.

Hinata eventually followed them after talking with Aone and they headed off the court.

"You did it, Asahi!" Nishinoya proudly stated.

"Asahi, you went boom! past Dateko's blockers, and they went like argh! And I was like, ka-blam!" Hinata announced as well, as the two stared in amazement as Asahi sweat dropped at the two.

"Speak Japanese." Tsukishima dead panned at Hinata.

Asahi chuckled. "I'm the ace, but you guys are heroes." Asahi informed as Tadahiro saw Hinata beam in excitement and even Kageyama looked happy at this praise.

"Heroes!" Hinata repeated in a high voice. Nishinoya smiles widely.

"I like that." Nishinoya added.

They start to head off as Tadahiro followed Sugawara, Asahi, and Daichi stop to greet the girls volleyball team up in the audience. Nishinoya and Tanaka went to greet the team as well.

"Sawamura! Sugawara! Azumane! Kagami!" Michimiya greeted as she waved. "Congrats on winning your second match."

"Michimiya! I knew I heard the girls voices behind us." Daichi said.

"You didn't notice them?" Sugawara questioned.

"Aya-senpai." Nishinoya and Tanaka shouted as Tadahiro sighed at the two.

"You got your revenge." Michimiya said as the four third years looked at each other.

"Yeah."

Daichi, Sugawara, and Tadahiro raises their fists at the girls team.

"And we're gonna keep on winning."

"I guess they lost their match." Tadahiro mentally noted. Soon Karasuno stood together as they looked at the audience who came to them, which wasn't that many, but it was still appreciated that they clapped for them. All of them were in number order.

"Thank you very much." Daichi shouted out, bowing, as his team followed.

"Thank you very much."

Karasuno walked over to their bags to pick them up. Tadahiro zipped up his bag and swung it over his shoulder. They were about to head off when they heard the girls squeal, making them freeze. They looked over towards the source.

"Oikawa!" A girl announced as Karasuno saw Aoba Johsai as they saw Aoba Johsai winning the game. "It's Aoba Johsai's..." Daichi mumbled but paused.

"... first match." Sugawara added as Tadahiro saw Tanaka and Nishinoya radiated some dark aura at the sight since the girls seem to love Oikawa.

Tadahiro narrowed his eyes at Oikawa, who was about to serve the volleyball.

"Who will devour the king and the dark horse? Who will devour them all and go to Nationals?" Tadahiro heard Oikawa say as he bounces the ball. He then looks forward at his opposing team.

"We will."

Tadahiro smirked to himself. "My path to that bastard Ushiwaka begins now. But first, I need to take out the pretty boy. Let's see how you do against the King of the Crows, Oikawa Tōru."

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Hope you enjoyed!

Word Count: 3589 words.