Guess who's been watching Haikyuu? I've got volleyball on my mind and suddenly I was hit with the genius idea of VnC characters playing volleyball (please be aware I have never played volleyball in my life and may therefore mess some stuff up). So let's go kids! This will probably be more full cast focused than Vaninoé focused but oh well. And my rewatch has let me know I still love Oikawa more than I should.

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Vanitas was sitting at his desk, scribbling down some work and trying to be productive. He was doing okay, he was bored out of his mind but he was slowly getting things done. Until it was ruined very abruptly and painfully. A stone flew through his open window and hit him in the temple. Quickly followed by someone shouting.

"I'm sorry! I didn't realise the window was open!"

Vanitas growled, stalking over to the window to stick his head out and look down at the street below, "what the hell Noé?"

"We're playing a volleyball game!"

"You hit me in the head for that!" Vanitas tossed the stone back at Noé but it missed and bounced to a halt several feet to his left.

"Come on!"

"What? No! I'm busy!"

"We need another setter."

"Tough. It's not like it's an important game, who cares if you have all the positions filled. I know you can still set decently even if it's not your position."

"I'll just tell Astolfo you were too scared to play him then," Noé shrugged.

"What!? Astolfo!? Argh, give me five minutes and I'll be down there."

Vanitas quickly changed into something suitable for playing volleyball in. Because he absolutely needed a bow somewhere on his outfit Vanitas tied his hair back with a blue ribbon. He slammed the door open before striding up to Noé, scowling. They walked down to the local outdoor volleyball court. Everyone else was already there, warming up. Everyone else being: Antoine, Veronica, Dominique, Jeanne, Dante, Chloé, Jean-Jacques, Roland, Olivier and Astolfo.

Veronica, Antoine and Domi were all standing together, the picture of a cohesive unit despite how little they seemed to get along. They all had their long hair tied up, indicating they planned to play seriously. Jeanne, Chloé and Jean-Jacques were practicing receives together, Jeanne clearly full of energy as she bounced around more than necessary. Roland, Olivier and Astolfo were all stretching together. The only one doing nothing was Dante, who was just standing on the sidelines.

"Hey, Noé, this looks like a real game," Vanitas glared at the gathered group, "I didn't realise you gathered all the most competitive people we've met. I thought this was going to be relaxed."

"It'll be fine. Just set to me if you get too tired to do much else."

"Whatever."

An argument broke out as they tried to split into teams. They wanted it to be an even match but there were also certain players who had specific requirements for playing. For example, Chloé and Jean-Jacques categorically refused to be seperated and others had similar feelings though often less extreme. Domi and Noé wanted to play together but did eventually yield and ended up on opposite teams.

The two teams each had six players. The first consisted of Vanitas, Noé, Jeanne, Dante, Chloé and Jean-Jacques. The second: Roland, Olivier, Antoine, Veronica, Dominique and Astolfo. The elected captains were Jeanne and Roland. Both were reasonably strong teams and Vanitas really wasn't looking forward to dealing with the de Sade trifecta. They had all played each other on various occasions but never that particular group all at once. Most of them were members of different teams after all and the gender differences prevented any official matches between some of them.

The first up to serve was Roland. He didn't even bother trying to go easy, starting with a powerful jump serve. Vanitas was expecting their team to already give up the first point but Chloé dove for it, sending the ball high. Vanitas hissed, annoyed that the ball wasn't coming directly for him and he had to run for it.

"Dante!" Vanitas yelled, as he sent the ball towards him.

Dante jumped high for a powerful spike but the ball was stopped as Antoine and Domi jumped to block it. The ball was sent back down into their side of the court, and although Jeanne tried to reach it the ball still hit the ground, and they lost the point.

"Looks like the first point is ours," Astolfo drawled at Vanitas from the other side of the net.

"I don't know why you're acting so cocky when you didn't even touch the ball," Vanitas narrowed his eyes.

The next few minutes were spent with both teams gaining and losing points in equal measure. There were some difficulties with everyone working together, not quite used to all their team members. Astolfo just couldn't set quite right for the de Sades and Vanitas's team had trouble communicating about blocking. But it was going well and the set was nearly over, Roland's team at match point and Jeanne's only one behind. The rally had been going on for ages, each team desperately trying to stop the other. Domi spiked the ball over the net, avoiding Jean-Jacques's block, and Dante received it. The ball flew directly to Vanitas and he couldn't help but grin.

"Nice work, Baldy!"

Jeanne was running from the back row, obviously a good choice to set the ball to. But Vanitas didn't want to send it to her. So, as the ball approached Vanitas jumped and rather than sending it to any of his team's spikers he dumped it over the net. With satisfaction he heard Astolfo swear and the ball hit the ground. Everyone froze for a second before his team cheered.

"Awesome, Vanitas!" Noé said.

"Please be careful when doing a move like that," Jeanne chastised, though she still looked pleased. "They could have blocked that easily."

"But they didn't. Anyway, it's a deuce now so let's score the next two points!"

The current server was Jean-Jacques, his serve wasn't particularly powerful but it did the job and got over the net. Olivier received it with ease and sent it directly to Astolfo. Astolfo set the ball to Domi while Vanitas and Dante jumped to block her. Domi's spike was powerful and it broke through the block, glancing off Dante's fingers.

"One touch!"

Noé got the next hit, sending it up with little accuracy but keeping it off the ground. Luckily Jeanne was ready and despite the poor set up leapt up to spike the ball over the net. Roland dove for it and the ball hit his outstretched fist but it bounced out of bounds and no one could save it.

"Yeah!" Jeanne yelled in excitement and the rest of her team joined in the celebration.

"You should have set that last ball to Roland," Olivier told Astolfo.

"That's not your call," he retorted.

"Roland's the ace and you've been neglecting him because he annoys you. He annoys me as well but he's a good player so send the ball to him, got it?"

"Fine."

Jean-Jacques served again, this time the ball went almost directly to Antoine, who sent it handily to Astolfo. Vanitas clicked his tongue in irritation as he saw Roland moving in for a back attack. Their front row was remarkably weak, currently consisting of Chloé, Dante and Vanitas himself. Hell, Chloé usually played as a libero so she really had zero experience. They should have planned their rotation better. Still, the three of them jumped to try and stop Roland's spike.

It didn't work and the ball powered past where Chloé's hands should have been, if she had managed to jump higher. Vanitas braced himself for the sound of the ball slamming into the ground but it didn't come. Instead, there was the familiar sound of the ball hitting skin and someone shouting.

"Cover!"

Jeanne, miraculously, had kept the ball in play. As soon as he realised what had happened Vanitas ran to get under the ball, so he could set. As he approached he realised with irritation that he wouldn't be able to do an overhand pass. Still, he knew who he wanted to send the ball to.

"Noé!"

Noé was there, as always, jumping with admirable speed and strength. A three man block, consisting of all three de Sades rose up before him. Noé could see the block and knew he couldn't get past it. So he did the next best thing, he sent the ball over the blockers, letting it just brush the tips of Antoine's fingers before flying out of bounds.

"One more point!" Jeanne cheered and the rest of the team joined in, praising Noé's game sense.

Vanitas was determined to not let the game last any longer. He was tired and didn't want a back and forth battle for a winner. So, even before the serve, he decided who he'd set the ball to. Jean-Jacques did a better serve this time, making Astolfo receive so he couldn't follow up with a set. Astolfo sent the ball to Olivier neatly who in turn set to Veronica. Vanitas and Dante jumped to block while Chloé moved back to help defend. Veronica hit a cross that Jean-Jacques received perfectly.

"Left!" Jeanne called as she made her approach so Vanitas could set to her.

But he had already decided who he wanted to make the winning shot. If it didn't work out he'd get scolded by his teammates and chewed out for playing favourites but somehow Vanitas knew it wouldn't come to that. They would score this point.

"Noé!" He sent the ball a bit high but Noé's jump more than made up for it.

Vanitas could see the smile on his stupid face as he realised he would have the last hit. The blockers had focused on Jeanne this time so Dominique was the only one facing Noé down. But a one man block wouldn't be able to stop him. Noé spiked past Dominique and between the waiting figures of Roland and Olivier.

When the ball touched down their team erupted into cheers. With satisfaction, Vanitas noticed Astolfo scowling at them.

"Good job Vanitas! Noé!" Roland beamed from the other side of the net.

"They're our opponents Roland," Olivier reminded.

"But they played so well! Hey, hey Vanitas! Set to me some time!"

"Never!" Vanitas hissed, hiding behind his teammates.

"Good game," Jeanne said, "maybe we can do this again some time and switch up the teams?"

"Yeah, let's do it!" Roland cheered.

"No," Vanitas complained. "I'm never doing this again. I'm going home to sleep."

"You've played longer games than this plenty, Quack," Dante scoffed.

"But never just for fun. See you around." Vanitas started walking off.

"Hey, Vanitas, wait!" Noé fell into step beside him. "Did you have enjoy it?"

Vanitas sighed, "I guess... I did like beating Astolfo and Roland and Dominique and... I enjoyed winning."

"Then next time I'll just have to make sure to win again and you'll agree to keep doing this."

"We'll see," Vanitas smiled.