When Oikawa announces that he's passing on the captaincy to Yahaba, absolutely nobody in the team is surprised. Least of all Yahaba, when they have been spending all of their time together recently. Oikawa started out quizzing him on strategies after matches, asking him for what he would improve, and what he would keep the same. He's been teaching Yahaba to be mindful of each individual player's strengths and weaknesses, and has helped him build a mental catalogue of the teams that they're most likely going to be coming up against in the future, with their overall strengths and weaknesses as well, along with key players to look out for in each of them.
Oikawa has invested a lot of time and effort into making sure that Yahaba is ready, that he'll be able to meet the expectations that will be placed on his shoulders. Yahaba knows, somewhere beneath his own insecurities, that their team is more than just their seniors. Losing them is going to change things, of course, but it's not going to mean the end for the rest of the team. Yahaba will be there to push them along, to make sure that they keep improving.
Yahaba's ready. Or so he thinks.
He isn't ready for the way, at the end of the same practice where he's appointed as the new captain, Oikawa takes him by the arm and holds him back, while the rest of the team walks ahead to the club room, to get changed and go home.
Even Iwaizumi keeps walking without glancing backwards, which tells Yahaba that he's probably been expecting this. He stays where he is, letting Oikawa's fingers dig into his arm.
"Oikawa-san," he says eventually, because they're just standing there in the dark, between the closed gym and the club room.
Tugging gently on Yahaba's arm, Oikawa leads him around to the side of the gym, out of sight from the others even though they've already too far ahead to see.
"Oikawa-san—" he begins again, and falls silent when he feels Oikawa gripping his shoulders.
"You have to win," Oikawa says, and Yahaba is alarmed to realise that his voice is shaking. "You have to, Yahaba. Succeed where I—where we didn't. Can you do that?"
"I—" Yahaba begins, and lifts his chin, meeting Oikawa's eyes. "I'll do my best."
Oikawa nods, satisfied. "Crush them, Yahaba."
"I will," Yahaba says, even though he isn't entirely sure he can. He'll do his best anyway.
When Oikawa leans closer, kissing him softly, Yahaba takes that into stride along with his captaincy. He rests his hands on Oikawa's arms, and kisses back.
"We'll win," he whispers as they pull apart, more confident this time, just to feel the way Oikawa's lips curve into a smile against his own.
FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, G
word count: 464
When Oikawa announces that he's passing on the captaincy to Yahaba, absolutely nobody in the team is surprised. Least of all Yahaba, when they have been spending all of their time together recently. Oikawa started out quizzing him on strategies after matches, asking him for what he would improve, and what he would keep the same. He's been teaching Yahaba to be mindful of each individual player's strengths and weaknesses, and has helped him build a mental catalogue of the teams that they're most likely going to be coming up against in the future, with their overall strengths and weaknesses as well, along with key players to look out for in each of them.
Oikawa has invested a lot of time and effort into making sure that Yahaba is ready, that he'll be able to meet the expectations that will be placed on his shoulders. Yahaba knows, somewhere beneath his own insecurities, that their team is more than just their seniors. Losing them is going to change things, of course, but it's not going to mean the end for the rest of the team. Yahaba will be there to push them along, to make sure that they keep improving.
Yahaba's ready. Or so he thinks.
He isn't ready for the way, at the end of the same practice where he's appointed as the new captain, Oikawa takes him by the arm and holds him back, while the rest of the team walks ahead to the club room, to get changed and go home.
Even Iwaizumi keeps walking without glancing backwards, which tells Yahaba that he's probably been expecting this. He stays where he is, letting Oikawa's fingers dig into his arm.
"Oikawa-san," he says eventually, because they're just standing there in the dark, between the closed gym and the club room.
Tugging gently on Yahaba's arm, Oikawa leads him around to the side of the gym, out of sight from the others even though they've already too far ahead to see.
"Oikawa-san—" he begins again, and falls silent when he feels Oikawa gripping his shoulders.
"You have to win," Oikawa says, and Yahaba is alarmed to realise that his voice is shaking. "You have to, Yahaba. Succeed where I—where we didn't. Can you do that?"
"I—" Yahaba begins, and lifts his chin, meeting Oikawa's eyes. "I'll do my best."
Oikawa nods, satisfied. "Crush them, Yahaba."
"I will," Yahaba says, even though he isn't entirely sure he can. He'll do his best anyway.
When Oikawa leans closer, kissing him softly, Yahaba takes that into stride along with his captaincy. He rests his hands on Oikawa's arms, and kisses back.
"We'll win," he whispers as they pull apart, more confident this time, just to feel the way Oikawa's lips curve into a smile against his own.