Gold || Oikawa Tooru x Reader

Chapter Twenty-Three: Injuries

The first and second set went by smoothly. Both of the male teams looked thoroughly impressed with the stamina they all had.

"She's a complete monster." Tendo muttered, his eyes widening.

Ushijima furrowed his eyebrows. "If she's anything like Oikawa, then she'll tire out and get frustrated just like him."

"OI! (F/N)!" Iha yelled, setting the ball backwards. The captain jumped up, and spiked the ball from the centre of the court.

What aggravated her was that Shiratorizawa's team kept getting them. It was only the third set, and she realized she was using up too much energy.

"Sorry!" The captain called to her team, running towards the net and blocking with Iha and Tengan.

The ball hit the ground, and the girls began moving back to their previous positions. Yada high fived her captain as they passed each other.

"She's stressed." (B/n) said in concern, his hands clutching the railing so tight that his knuckles were pale. "I don't know how she's doing. I hope she doesn't break down."

"Her mood is already affecting the team." Iwaizumi said, and Oikawa nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I think Yada is the only one holding them up at this point."

"Tengan! Nice serve!" The first year called, and the third year nodded. The serve went smoothly over the net, and a rally began again.

"I can't tell if one's trying to exhaust the other." Matsun pointed out. "They're already wearing thin. The pack's already broken up from the loss of Moto-chan."

They all looked over at the female libero in unison, whom was staring at her bandaged wrist and hand. Obvious tears were running down her face.

"Look~." Tendo said smugly. "They're already on their knees. How pathetic."

Shiratorizawa scored another point. Seijoh's team quickly gathered together. They looked sluggish. Horrible. Many people in the audience thought that they just didn't practice enough.

But that wasn't the case at all.

"Are you guys ready?" (F/n) muttered to her huddled up team. They nodded. "Enomoto went the extra mile and took separate drama classes for us so she could cry convincingly. She's gotten us time. Quickly, does anyone have any ideas or thoughts before we go?"

The girls shook their heads. Yada was almost vibrating with excitement. Iha and Tengan moved a little bit to block the small girl from view, just enough so nothing was given away.

"The cameras are so creepy." Seki shivered, cutting a glance at the camera crew at the side of the court.

"They aren't there, Chibi-chan." Iha whispered to the girl, and they all got out of their little huddle, moving back onto the court, this time, with a determined aura around them.

Tendo blinked. "What's with the sudden mood change?"

"Captain speech?" Tsutomu suggested, and everyone else mumbled in agreement.

And then suddenly, they were all moving, energy suddenly igniting the gymnasium like a wild fire. They darted past each other, but not one stumbling or colliding. The moment Shiratorizawa's setter set the ball to a spiker, they were off, hitting Seijoh's blockers.

"ONE TOUCH!" Iha called, but there was no libero to back them up. Instead, Seki dove down, getting the ball up.

"They got it!" Oikawa burst out.

"It's up!"

"Iha-san!" Tengan called to the setter.

"Left!" (F/n) called.

Yada flailed her hands in the air. "Centre!"

"Yada!" Iha pushed the ball towards her kouhai. She jumped up, and spiked the ball, successfully getting her team to the match point.

"How did they...?" Tendo's smirk faded away, and he leaned forwards in his seat.

(F/n) served, this time with her left hand. The other team easily received the ball, and the girls were scrambling around again.

But things didn't go to plan. The set and spike was a second off, ricocheting off of the opposite sides blockers hands, flying off of the court.

(F/n) sprinted after the ball, her focus narrowing in on the sphere that could lose the set for Seijoh.

"She's gotta get it!" (B/n) was clenching his fists, nearly shaking from the tense and energetic atmosphere.

"C'mon, (F/n)-chan!" Oikawa called.

Iwaizumi stood up from his seat, his eyes widening. "(F/n)!"

I can get it, I can get it, I can get it. She reappeared to herself, holding out her arms and pushing herself forwards, managing to receive the ball and get it back towards her team.

She stumbled forwards.

Don't hit the bench! She screamed internally at herself, flinging her arms out before her. Her own movements seemed to go in slow motion, one heavy step after another, unable to stop her shins from colliding into the bench.

I hit the bench. Her thoughts whispered as the bench was knocked over from her momentum, causing her to trip. She tried flinging out her hands in one last instinctive attempt to save herself, but the moment her left hand reached the floor, it bent awkwardly.

And suddenly, time rushed back to her, sending her tumbling away from the bench with a yell. She rolled to a stop, completely frozen, lying shakily on her side, back facing the court.

Both Seijoh and Shiratorizawa's teams seemed to forget how to breathe. The entire thing happened so quickly that it was over in a matter of seconds.

All she could hear was silence, until a scream erupted from the court. It was Iha.

"(F/N)!" Her cry cut through the silence. It felt like an earthquake. Her team was suddenly there, surrounding her. (F/n) finally realized that she was shaking.

"Help her up!" Arata called, running over. Moto-chan was over there, too. Hana appeared soon after. "(F/n)! Cap, ya good?"

"Y-yeah... I..." The ace tried grasping onto Tengan's hand to get herself off of her back, but hissed in pain, pulling back and looking down at it. "I..."

She couldn't find words. Shock was beginning to overcome her, loose tears filling her eyes and spilling down her face. She saw that there were harsh scratches where her shins had hit the bench, and a small bit of blood was coming up. Luckily, she was just skinned, nothing deep.

"Here, get her waist. Watch her legs." Arata ordered, crouching down along with Iha to haul their captain to her feet.

"Are you okay, (F/n)?" Her coach ran over worriedly along with Shiratorizawa's coach.

"I-I'm not sure." She shook her head, and saw from the corner of her eye her brother, Iwaizumi and Oikawa depart from the male team, moving to the stairs.

"I've got her." Moto said to the team.

"Hana, one moment," The captain demanded. "Watch out. I don't need another injury. We've already got Iha and Yada with busted fingers. We don't need anyone else. Got it? Iha, don't stop thinking. Tengan, be right beside Iha and ready to spike. Kazehaya, when you go on, unleash hell. The moment you're exhausted, we'll have already won the fourth set."

Everyone nodded.

"Seki, remember, nothings here except the teams and the ball. Don't let your nerves get to you." She ordered. "Everyone, keep sharp, stay positive, hold your heads high."

She wiped her eyes with her good hand. "I'm proud of all of you. Lets go to nationals, yeah?"

"YEAH!" The team cheered, and with that, Moto helped support her to the exit doors of the gymnasium, feeling the reporters, her teams, Shiratorizawa's teams, and the audiences eyes burning holes into her back.