Work Text:
You stood outside the Shiratorizawa volleyball gym nervously. The sound of balls ricocheting off walls and the cries of exhausted teenagers were silent compared to the screaming voice in your head telling you to just go back to your dorm.
You fiddled with the pretty letter in your hand, written and sealed in a pink envelope with delicate care. This would have been the hundredth and one draft of it after spending nights at your desk vigorously writing and rewriting it, trying to find the perfect words to pen down.
I guess it’s worth a shot.
Holding your breath and shielding yourself from the volleyball team, you quietly snuck into the gym, taking wide steps in hope of reaching the boys locker room slightly quicker.
Luckily, everyone seemed to be invested in something on the court, and you managed to make it to the locker rooms unseen. Of course, not before you snuck a glance at your longtime crush—Tendou Satori.
It began with your friends dragging you to watch a volleyball match with them, insisting that the school’s spiker was the the best spiker in the prefecture, though that seemed to come second to the fact that he was insanely attractive.
You conceded and let yourself be taken to ONE game.
“Look! That’s him! The left-handed one, see? Wakatoshi-senpai!” Your friend squealed into your ear, jumping with joy as the senior donning the number one jersey managed to make yet another successful spike.
Half-heartedly, you agreed. Though he wasn’t really your type, you understood the appeal.
But as another point was scored for Shiratorizawa, you realised that your eyes were fixated on another. A tall, lanky man that had just gotten the team to match point by blocking the opposing team’s spiker.
Your breath hitched. He was definitely your type.
He seemed to strut around the court with a languid demeanour, and yet managed to race to block each and every ball that threatened to make its way into Shiratorizawa territory. Laughing each time he managed to successfully score, and doing a little dance as well. You bit back a smile, turning to your friend and whispering, “Hey, who’s that number five?”
“Hm?” Your friend turned to you, attention clearly still on Ushijima Wakatoshi.
You repeated the question.
“That’s Tendou Satori. He’s our middle blocker. People call him the Guess Monster though, because he doesn’t really wait for the setter to toss the ball before running to block someone. And also because he’s not the most attractive, I guess.”
You squinted in confusion at all the positions, but was cut off by the game ending with Shiratorizawa’s win.
You couldn’t help but cheer as you watched the team bow to the crowd, eyes still fixated on that number five.
Now, half a year later, your friends finally got you to make a move. Well, you couldn’t really call it a move. You were just going to slip an anonymous love letter into his locker and run away to try and forget your feelings.
Still, at least you were doing something.
You slipped into the dark room, trying to make out which locker was Tendou’s. Your friends had told you, first from the right in the second row. Right next to Ushijima’s, one of them added, before they all nodded in agreement. It seems as though all of them had slipped him one or two love letters before.
You found it when you noticed a letter sticking out of the corner of another locker and recognised the handwriting to be of course, from one of your friends.
But just as you were about to open Tendou’s locker, a voice startled you.
“You have the wrong locker. Wakatoshi-kun’s is the one next to that!”
You jumped, turning around in shock and coming face to face with the red haired blocker. Tendou was taller up close, you noted, heart hammering away.
Tendou had a towel draped around his neck, using it to dry the sweat that clung onto his skin because of the hot summer heat. The light from the gym backlit him, and though you couldn’t really see his face, you swear he was glowing.
“It-It’s not for Ushijima-senpai!” You managed, stammering.
“Oh?” Tendou questioned, tilting his head. “Semi-semi, then? He’s really popular with the ladies, huh?”
He began walking closer, and you moved instinctively away from his locker. He gave you a smile of appreciation as he opened it to get another towel.
“Semi’s is the one at the end! There should be a sticker on it. When you guys get together don’t forget to thank me! I’ll hold it over his head forever, that I got him and his cute junior-“
“It’s not for Semi-senpai either!” You squeaked. Did he just call you cute? You brain was racing, if you left now you could probably make it out with only some questionable looks. It was a risk you were going to have to take.
Preparing yourself to being sprinting, you froze as Tendou continued talking.
“You’re from the second year right? I’ve seen you come watch us sometimes. Oh, don’t tell me it’s for Shirabu, you can’t have that bad taste, can you?”
The words were out of your mouth before you could stop yourself.
“It’s for you! Tendou-senpai!”
You bowed, trembling and holding the letter in front of you with two hands.
It was silent for a while. You squeezed your eyes shut, embarrassment flooding your system. You had just made a fool of yourself in front of your crush. You should have just ran away when you had the chance.
“I guess you really do have bad taste.”
You opened your eyes, tentatively looking up at Tendou. He seemed to have become meeker, one hand rubbing the back of his neck in shame.
“If it’s a prank, it’s okay. I’m used to that, hasn’t been done in a while thought so props to you and your friends for thinking about it.”
Prank?
“I know some people like to get their friends to confess to me just to see my reaction. You can tell them I cried in happiness or something, if that makes makes your day.”
Who would be so rude? You huffed, and in a rush of boldness said, “It’s not like that at all! Frankly, I’m insulted that you think I’d stoop that low. I am into you. That’s that. Please accept my letter.”
You didn’t bow this time, instead deciding to take a risk. Stepping closer to him, you looked him directly in the eyes and pushed the letter into his chest.
“I like you, Tendou Satori.”
EXTRA:
Following a high is an extreme low, and that night, you ended up surrounded by your friends in the dorm room moping about how stupid you were this afternoon.
Just as the next movie was about to start, you received a text.
I had to ask around for a bit but your friend finally gave me your number on the condition that I would give hers to Wakatoshi-kun! Though, please tell her not to be too disappointed seeing as all he cares about is volleyball.
Tendou was typing. Your heart was racing.
Thank you for the letter.
Do you want to go get ice cream? My treat.
Despite wanting to come off as nonchalant and totally not head over heels for this boy you’ve only ever spoken to once, you replied “YES” immediately.
Great! I’ll meet you at the front gates in fifteen minutes ^_^
(You might have taken a little longer than that though, because you fainted and your friends literally had to drag you there)