[ For being part of such an unpredictable team, Kageyama himself is mostly a creature of habit: after a long tournament day, he's ready to, A) jog off any excess energy, or B) head right to the baths and then stretch and watch a replay or two of the day's match, both as homework and cooldown, then nod off. The Inarizaki game had been fierce, and he's looking forward to the fantastic sleep that follows a narrow-won, physically exhausting victory.
Instead, the small inn they're staying at is in shambles.
To their credit, the small staff is handling the unexpected situation with aplomb, but their tenants are a bunch of teenage boys, who have been unleashed upon each other in a whirlwind. It's amazing that so many of them still have energy to point and shout when the Inarizaki team is suddenly in their dining room, eating their crispy salmon. Due to an emergency closure thanks to a Legionnaires scare at one of the nicer hotels in the area—the kind where a seeded team for nationals would normally be staying—there's now another team booked at their inn, one of the few with enough openings to host a substantial party. The coaches are all amiable to shuffling rooms around to make sure everyone has a space and things are cleaned up, and now they're all displaced and mingling.
Most of the Karasuno boys are outgoing enough to bridge the gap and make the air less prickly and heavy, a well-meaning bunch for the most part despite the amount of competitive banter and ribbing that still flies around. But Kageyama—who has never correctly read a social cue in his life—doesn't clue in on how weird the situation is. Maybe that's why he doesn't have a problem hanging around Atsumu after dinner and before A) jogging, B) bathtime, wherein The Lads are all currently decimating a cake. It was originally a celebratory cake in their victory, though now obviously it is... just a cake.
He awkwardly offers Atsumu a plate. Not because he's nervous, but because he's awkward. ]
[ Losing nationals isn't the end of the world. Atsumu is, after all, still in his second year of high school, and he's confident that he'll pull his team along again next year for a redemption shot.
The difference is that their hard working third years won't be with them this time. Akagi, Omimi, Aran, and Kita-san will graduate and move on with their lives, though Aran at least has already been looking at pro teams. He might not have a chance to go to nationals again, but there will be other games, bigger, more important games for him in the future.
It doesn't make Atsumu feel any less sullen about the loss though. He'd been waiting for the ridicule from the crowd when they lost, and then later waiting for scolding from his seniors, and neither of them had come. It almost felt like he'd gotten off too easily for something he felt like he should have at least been given a slap on the wrist for if nothing else.
And then they got back to their hotel, only to find out that there was a disease scare, and they were shuffled off into a small, cramped hotel with the team that had just trounced them earlier that day.
So while the rest of Inarizaki (who by and large are a lot more amicable than Atsumu has ever been, and in some cases much easier to bribe with food) seem to be willing to open up to the Karasuno boys, Atsumu has sequestered himself like some kind of sulking hermit. After the match he'd slowly been working himself up to the idea of begrudgingly rooting for the team that beat them in future games, but he wanted at least a day to be a petty child about things first. He was supposed to have downtime to pretend he was a bigger person first! Being surrounded by the whole murder of crows, who have way too much energy given the game they played, is not giving him the time to wallow that he needs!
Kageyama in particular is absolutely not giving him is requisite wallowing time. His teammates had loudly been telling the rest of Karasuno to ignore him (rude!), but apparently no one had given Kageyama in particular that memo. He's torn between being somewhat relieved that the boredom of theatrically sulking alone is getting interrupted, and agitated that he's being offered cake he knows good and well was originally intended to celebrate his teams downfall.
It's the second feeling he lets shine through at first as he sits up, trying not to look too interested in the proffered cake. ]
[ It works out that Inarizaki's prized setter is the least amiable of their team, as Karasuno's prized setter is also the type to sit alone and leave a party early. Spikers might be glory-hounds, but maybe it's a trend for setters to be divas in their own, uniquely ridiculous ways, armed with amazing aim but terrible personalities.
But that's part of why he's not put off by the sulking. He gets it. Being surrounded by raucous near-strangers after a vicious loss would probably make him want to launch into the sun. Even so, his ability to act upon any empathy is pathetic enough that he doesn't pick up on the fact that it may be better to just let Atsumu brood for a bit, instead of holding this peace offering of a cake at him indefinitely.
Without a hint of irony: ]
No, it's vanilla.
[ It has some, like, fruit? Kageyama's not even having any. He sets it down for Atsumu before he sits, officially ending the hour of lonesome wallowing. ] Are you thinking about the match, Miya-san?
[ He'd be obsessing over the details if it'd been Karasuno's loss. Even with their victory, he'll still inevitable turn all the little clips and replays over in his head however many times it took to learn something new. Or, this could be some sort of emotional thing. Atsumu doesn't seem like the type to cry into his food after a loss, but Nationals carries hefty feelings for most people. ]
[ It does take a certain kind of person to want to control the flow of the game, and if they're not humble enough, then the egos are going to be something to contend with. That Atsumu and Kageyama are both a headache in their own ways probably shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
And if the headaches want to entertain each other for a bit, then at least the rest of the team can relax in peace without those diva personalities for a bit.
Though it's really only one of them that's being dramatic right now, while the other is being kind if not somewhat obtuse. Atsumu blinks slowly at Kageyama, trying to think of a good retort to that surprisingly disarming correction. He could have gotten defensive, or told Atsumu if he was going to behave that way then he could keep sulking by himself, he could have done nearly endless number of things other than to look gormless and mention what kind of cake it was.
With a sharp inhale, Atsumu snatches the plate off of the table. ]
Gimme the damn cake.
[ And shoves a bite into his mouth immediately as he proceeds to sit there with the same air of sulky agitation as he chews on both the cake and the question he was just asked. He hasn't even fully finished chewing before he answers. ]
'Course I am. Who wouldn't be?
[ Apparently the rest of his traitorous team, but those scrubs don't have the same drive as him. He shoves another piece of cake into his mouth with a huff, still charmingly talking with his mouth full. ]
Just for right now while the details of what went wrong are still fresh. Tomorrow I'm gettin' back to trainin', 'cause this ain't happenin' again next year.
[ There is one bright side to being so intensely thick-skulled—it means Kageyama can sip his drink impassively, untouched by his senior's ambient irritation and questionable table manners. The Karasuno team, aptly, descends on food like a pack of starved bird-rats, so this is par for the teenage boy course. They might be vultures more than crows.
But more importantly, it seems that whatever simmering agitation he's feeling has already started to metabolize into conviction. It's just been hours after their match, and they all have their minds of the next one, whether it's in the next morning or the next month or the next season. He squares his shoulders, feeling strangely challenged, even if he's tired and they're in a cafeteria instead of a court. ]
It might. Because we'll be there too.
[ He doesn't intend to lose in a rematch, even if he's sure it'll be a worse battle than today: a good majority of Inarizaki's team will still be here next year—they'll still be a threat, and come next season, they'll be even more starved for a win. It's the sort of hunger that any good player has. It's the same reason why Kageyama feels a prickle of excitement rather than intimidation.
How good will Atsumu Miya be after some months, armed with the last-ditch urgings of third year determination, and the memory of defeat? Better than today, at least. It's insanity. Despite the intensity of his volleyball thoughts and the seriousness with which Kageyama carries himself, it's undercut somewhat by way he spins the straw of his little juicebox between his forefinger and thumb. ]
You made me a better player for this match. I'll learn from what you taught me today, too. [ And despite the undertone of very natural haughtiness, he's thankful, too. Meeting Atsumu at the youth camp had been an eye-opening experience, as was their match. ]
[ They're losing some important members this year, bedrocks of Inarizaki like Kita-san, and their ace, Aran. Atsumu has some good hitters like Suna and his brother still left to use as weapons, and there's no telling what sort of first years might darken his doorstep in the future though. More than anything, now that they've played the crows, Atsumu knows some of their tricks first hand.
Though Kageyama better have some new ones to pull on him next year too. It would be boring if Atsumu didn't have to adjust and re-strategize in the middle of a game. His mind is already twisting and molding potential plays despite the fact that the game is a year off, and he has no idea if both of their teams are going to make it.
They better both make it though. Atsumu's hungry for a rematch first chance he gets. Sure, playing against powerhouses like Shiratorizawa might be nice, but without their southpaw in play next year, Atsumu would much rather have a chance to sink his fangs into the crows.
The begins of an unpleasant little smirk twitch up the corner of Atsumu's mouth, though he tries (not too successfully) to pull it back down into a frown at the compliment that Kageyama offers him. ]
I ain't playin' for your sake, just so we're clear.
[ He could not possibly sound more pleased and preening if he tried, despite the actual words coming out of his mouth. ]
[ Kageyama, thankfully, isn't riled up enough to contort his face into one of his patented awful smiles back. If anything, he's got a puzzled little tilt to his head, because he never says anything meaning for it to be praise. Even if it is a compliment, coming from him.
Some people are happy when you tell them the truth. Some people really aren't? Some people react really badly when he just says things? Atsumu must be the type to take brutal honesty well? He settles on answering with a nod. ]
I know. You're a good reference anyway.
[ As was the rest of their team; Atsumu has a similar, starlike quality to Oikawa, where his players seem to shine brighter alongside him. It's good, even as a competitor. He'd gotten a taste for it at camp, but getting to play the very best of the best from across the country has meant explosive growth for him—for Karasuno— ]
What did you think of our team?
[ —Karasuno, which is currently doing something ridiculous like arm-wrestling competitions against anyone they can goad on Inarizaki's team in the background. He looks serious all the same. ]
[ In a weird way, Atsumu is the kind of guy who takes brutal honesty well. It's one of the things he's always respected about his captain, even if that icy honesty can sometimes be painful to be on the receiving side of.
... And somehow Atsumu is one of the main targets for it. For some reason? A true mystery as to why.
What Kageyama just said to him felt more like a compliment than the other boy could ever realize, and the fact that he didn't actually mean it as one just makes it all the better in Atsumu's book. False flattery isn't particularly welcome. Sincere but overblown flattery? That's actually okay, but an honest comment from a worthy opponent is one of the best compliments a guy can get.
And as loathe as he is to admit it when he's down, Kageyama is definitely a worthy foe.
The fact that he's asking for Atsumu's assessment now fluffs his ego up even more, and he hums to himself as he takes another bite of cake, not bothering to not look like he's preening under just the right kind of attention to soothe his ego at the moment.
Without a doubt, the entirety of Inarizaki is breathing a collective sigh of relief that they don't have to deal with an Atsumu who is in an even shittier mood than he was before.
Instead they'll get a slightly more relaxed Atsumu, who is coming out of his sulky anger, and moving right along into post-game analysis Atsumu. A significantly easier version to deal with.
He raises his fork to gesture to the group of boys crowding around the food. ]
You've got a solid defense on your hands. Your libero is seriously something else. You don't often you see a guy like him, and glasses ain't half bad himself. He was really gettin' under Suna's skin near the end.
[ He doesn't sound as upset by that fact as someone might about their teammate being egged on. They're friends. Really! It's just a slightly adversarial friendship. ]
Your third years seem pretty solid too, but the real one you wanna work on buildin' up is...
[ The fork he'd been waving around before stills now as he looks directly at Hinata. ]
A little more practice and polishin' and that little guy is really gonna end up bein' something.
[ It's a valuable teaching moment to listen to another, talented setter's take on Karasuno's strengths. In a way that makes sense to only someone as socially maladjusted as Kageyama, this is a generally nice moment. Atsumu seems like a decent kind of guy. Their teams are collectively spared of having to deal with them because for some reason, they're getting along. They're gassing each other up. It's a marked change from Atsumu casually giving him an existential crisis at youth camp.
But he's matured some, and this wouldn't have been possible a year ago; he's grown enough that he's willing to learn and accept feedback, and then maybe apply it, critically. And—it's kind of nice to hear praise for his teammates, which is odd for a number of reasons he can't quite grasp, like maybe he cares about them or something. Even with Tsukishima, famously an enormous pain in the ass, there's a kind of twisted pride in knowing that he can improve and is a threat, thereby proving Kageyama right.
However, as much as Kageyama has improved as a person or as a player, he has his limits. His limits are small and orange and deeply irritating. So he is suddenly making. SUCH a face. It's like Atsumu made him suck on an entire lemon. ]
... ... ...Okay. [ His ability to remain civil for the sake of being polite to his senior lasts for about two seconds. He stares at the path of the fork one more time, just in case. ] No? Hinata? He sucks.
[ He does not suck. Okay, his serves still kind of suck. Hinata is... better at volleyball now than he used to be, because he used to really suck. Kageyama is grappling with this truth and it is showing in the obvious contortions of his face. He should've gotten a cake to stab too. ]
He thinks he can be all demanding [ in a way that Atsumu should understand, as a setter ] when he catches receives with his face half the time...!
[ Decent isn't usually a term that people would apply to Miya Atsumu, but obsessive about the sport he plays sure is. Whether it was entirely unintentional on Kageyama's part or not, he managed to approach Atsumu just the right way to have him relaxing and willing to share his "wisdom". He prefers to be out there playing and practicing, but it doesn't mean that Atsumu doesn't love a little game and player analysis too, and Kageyama is giving him a chance to do just that.
Plus, besides the third years, Atsumu fully counts on both teams making it back to nationals next year, and getting a jump start on working our details on the other team means he'll have a better idea of how to crush them come that time.
There's a lot of assumptions being made on Atsumu's part in that, but he's brushing all of that aside to focus on what he wants to instead, which is a future rematch with Karasuno. With the second and first years now, and whoever new they recruit after that. With Kageyama and Hinata specifically, even if Kageyama's assessment of his own teammate has Atsumu bursting out with a cackle loud enough to draw some attention back to them. ]
You oughta see the look on your face right now, Tobio-kun. It's something else.
[ He spears his fork into his cake as he settles back comfortably, grin stretching wider as he focuses a look on Hinata, who at least seems too food focused to worry about the fact that he's apparently the center of conversation right now. ]
You're right about that though. He's real rough and unpolished at the moment, but that's why I said you gotta put him through his paces and really make him into something.
[ There's something just this side of unpleasant about the way one side of his mouth crooks up even further. ]
Sounds like he's already doin' it to you.
[ Atsumu knows it well, the control freak side that came come with being a setter, that so often does come with being a setter. It makes it frustrating when players don't dance to your tune, and try to force the setter to follow their steps instead, but that's kind of exciting, isn't it? That sort of demanding shakeup, having a person there that'll keep pushing you to do better than you did just the day before. Atsumu has that to some extent with his twin, but his brother doesn't have the same sort of hunger and drive for it that Hinata does.
He likes that he sees that in Hinata. Hell, he likes that he sees it in Kageyama too now that they've actually played a proper match against each other, but they're talking face to face right now and share a position on the court, so like hell Atsumu's going to tell Kageyama that much. ]
I'm real envious of you honestly, gettin' to build up a guy like that from scratch. I'd steal Shoyo-kun away from the crows right now if I could.
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no subject
Instead, the small inn they're staying at is in shambles.
To their credit, the small staff is handling the unexpected situation with aplomb, but their tenants are a bunch of teenage boys, who have been unleashed upon each other in a whirlwind. It's amazing that so many of them still have energy to point and shout when the Inarizaki team is suddenly in their dining room, eating their crispy salmon. Due to an emergency closure thanks to a Legionnaires scare at one of the nicer hotels in the area—the kind where a seeded team for nationals would normally be staying—there's now another team booked at their inn, one of the few with enough openings to host a substantial party. The coaches are all amiable to shuffling rooms around to make sure everyone has a space and things are cleaned up, and now they're all displaced and mingling.
Most of the Karasuno boys are outgoing enough to bridge the gap and make the air less prickly and heavy, a well-meaning bunch for the most part despite the amount of competitive banter and ribbing that still flies around. But Kageyama—who has never correctly read a social cue in his life—doesn't clue in on how weird the situation is. Maybe that's why he doesn't have a problem hanging around Atsumu after dinner and before A) jogging, B) bathtime, wherein The Lads are all currently decimating a cake. It was originally a celebratory cake in their victory, though now obviously it is... just a cake.
He awkwardly offers Atsumu a plate. Not because he's nervous, but because he's awkward. ]
Do you want some?
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The difference is that their hard working third years won't be with them this time. Akagi, Omimi, Aran, and Kita-san will graduate and move on with their lives, though Aran at least has already been looking at pro teams. He might not have a chance to go to nationals again, but there will be other games, bigger, more important games for him in the future.
It doesn't make Atsumu feel any less sullen about the loss though. He'd been waiting for the ridicule from the crowd when they lost, and then later waiting for scolding from his seniors, and neither of them had come. It almost felt like he'd gotten off too easily for something he felt like he should have at least been given a slap on the wrist for if nothing else.
And then they got back to their hotel, only to find out that there was a disease scare, and they were shuffled off into a small, cramped hotel with the team that had just trounced them earlier that day.
So while the rest of Inarizaki (who by and large are a lot more amicable than Atsumu has ever been, and in some cases much easier to bribe with food) seem to be willing to open up to the Karasuno boys, Atsumu has sequestered himself like some kind of sulking hermit. After the match he'd slowly been working himself up to the idea of begrudgingly rooting for the team that beat them in future games, but he wanted at least a day to be a petty child about things first. He was supposed to have downtime to pretend he was a bigger person first! Being surrounded by the whole murder of crows, who have way too much energy given the game they played, is not giving him the time to wallow that he needs!
Kageyama in particular is absolutely not giving him is requisite wallowing time. His teammates had loudly been telling the rest of Karasuno to ignore him (rude!), but apparently no one had given Kageyama in particular that memo. He's torn between being somewhat relieved that the boredom of theatrically sulking alone is getting interrupted, and agitated that he's being offered cake he knows good and well was originally intended to celebrate his teams downfall.
It's the second feeling he lets shine through at first as he sits up, trying not to look too interested in the proffered cake. ]
In what? Pity cake?
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But that's part of why he's not put off by the sulking. He gets it. Being surrounded by raucous near-strangers after a vicious loss would probably make him want to launch into the sun. Even so, his ability to act upon any empathy is pathetic enough that he doesn't pick up on the fact that it may be better to just let Atsumu brood for a bit, instead of holding this peace offering of a cake at him indefinitely.
Without a hint of irony: ]
No, it's vanilla.
[ It has some, like, fruit? Kageyama's not even having any. He sets it down for Atsumu before he sits, officially ending the hour of lonesome wallowing. ] Are you thinking about the match, Miya-san?
[ He'd be obsessing over the details if it'd been Karasuno's loss. Even with their victory, he'll still inevitable turn all the little clips and replays over in his head however many times it took to learn something new. Or, this could be some sort of emotional thing. Atsumu doesn't seem like the type to cry into his food after a loss, but Nationals carries hefty feelings for most people. ]
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And if the headaches want to entertain each other for a bit, then at least the rest of the team can relax in peace without those diva personalities for a bit.
Though it's really only one of them that's being dramatic right now, while the other is being kind if not somewhat obtuse. Atsumu blinks slowly at Kageyama, trying to think of a good retort to that surprisingly disarming correction. He could have gotten defensive, or told Atsumu if he was going to behave that way then he could keep sulking by himself, he could have done nearly endless number of things other than to look gormless and mention what kind of cake it was.
With a sharp inhale, Atsumu snatches the plate off of the table. ]
Gimme the damn cake.
[ And shoves a bite into his mouth immediately as he proceeds to sit there with the same air of sulky agitation as he chews on both the cake and the question he was just asked. He hasn't even fully finished chewing before he answers. ]
'Course I am. Who wouldn't be?
[ Apparently the rest of his traitorous team, but those scrubs don't have the same drive as him. He shoves another piece of cake into his mouth with a huff, still charmingly talking with his mouth full. ]
Just for right now while the details of what went wrong are still fresh. Tomorrow I'm gettin' back to trainin', 'cause this ain't happenin' again next year.
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But more importantly, it seems that whatever simmering agitation he's feeling has already started to metabolize into conviction. It's just been hours after their match, and they all have their minds of the next one, whether it's in the next morning or the next month or the next season. He squares his shoulders, feeling strangely challenged, even if he's tired and they're in a cafeteria instead of a court. ]
It might. Because we'll be there too.
[ He doesn't intend to lose in a rematch, even if he's sure it'll be a worse battle than today: a good majority of Inarizaki's team will still be here next year—they'll still be a threat, and come next season, they'll be even more starved for a win. It's the sort of hunger that any good player has. It's the same reason why Kageyama feels a prickle of excitement rather than intimidation.
How good will Atsumu Miya be after some months, armed with the last-ditch urgings of third year determination, and the memory of defeat? Better than today, at least. It's insanity. Despite the intensity of his volleyball thoughts and the seriousness with which Kageyama carries himself, it's undercut somewhat by way he spins the straw of his little juicebox between his forefinger and thumb. ]
You made me a better player for this match. I'll learn from what you taught me today, too. [ And despite the undertone of very natural haughtiness, he's thankful, too. Meeting Atsumu at the youth camp had been an eye-opening experience, as was their match. ]
no subject
Though Kageyama better have some new ones to pull on him next year too. It would be boring if Atsumu didn't have to adjust and re-strategize in the middle of a game. His mind is already twisting and molding potential plays despite the fact that the game is a year off, and he has no idea if both of their teams are going to make it.
They better both make it though. Atsumu's hungry for a rematch first chance he gets. Sure, playing against powerhouses like Shiratorizawa might be nice, but without their southpaw in play next year, Atsumu would much rather have a chance to sink his fangs into the crows.
The begins of an unpleasant little smirk twitch up the corner of Atsumu's mouth, though he tries (not too successfully) to pull it back down into a frown at the compliment that Kageyama offers him. ]
I ain't playin' for your sake, just so we're clear.
[ He could not possibly sound more pleased and preening if he tried, despite the actual words coming out of his mouth. ]
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Some people are happy when you tell them the truth. Some people really aren't? Some people react really badly when he just says things? Atsumu must be the type to take brutal honesty well? He settles on answering with a nod. ]
I know. You're a good reference anyway.
[ As was the rest of their team; Atsumu has a similar, starlike quality to Oikawa, where his players seem to shine brighter alongside him. It's good, even as a competitor. He'd gotten a taste for it at camp, but getting to play the very best of the best from across the country has meant explosive growth for him—for Karasuno— ]
What did you think of our team?
[ —Karasuno, which is currently doing something ridiculous like arm-wrestling competitions against anyone they can goad on Inarizaki's team in the background. He looks serious all the same. ]
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... And somehow Atsumu is one of the main targets for it. For some reason? A true mystery as to why.
What Kageyama just said to him felt more like a compliment than the other boy could ever realize, and the fact that he didn't actually mean it as one just makes it all the better in Atsumu's book. False flattery isn't particularly welcome. Sincere but overblown flattery? That's actually okay, but an honest comment from a worthy opponent is one of the best compliments a guy can get.
And as loathe as he is to admit it when he's down, Kageyama is definitely a worthy foe.
The fact that he's asking for Atsumu's assessment now fluffs his ego up even more, and he hums to himself as he takes another bite of cake, not bothering to not look like he's preening under just the right kind of attention to soothe his ego at the moment.
Without a doubt, the entirety of Inarizaki is breathing a collective sigh of relief that they don't have to deal with an Atsumu who is in an even shittier mood than he was before.
Instead they'll get a slightly more relaxed Atsumu, who is coming out of his sulky anger, and moving right along into post-game analysis Atsumu. A significantly easier version to deal with.
He raises his fork to gesture to the group of boys crowding around the food. ]
You've got a solid defense on your hands. Your libero is seriously something else. You don't often you see a guy like him, and glasses ain't half bad himself. He was really gettin' under Suna's skin near the end.
[ He doesn't sound as upset by that fact as someone might about their teammate being egged on. They're friends. Really! It's just a slightly adversarial friendship. ]
Your third years seem pretty solid too, but the real one you wanna work on buildin' up is...
[ The fork he'd been waving around before stills now as he looks directly at Hinata. ]
A little more practice and polishin' and that little guy is really gonna end up bein' something.
no subject
But he's matured some, and this wouldn't have been possible a year ago; he's grown enough that he's willing to learn and accept feedback, and then maybe apply it, critically. And—it's kind of nice to hear praise for his teammates, which is odd for a number of reasons he can't quite grasp, like maybe he cares about them or something. Even with Tsukishima, famously an enormous pain in the ass, there's a kind of twisted pride in knowing that he can improve and is a threat, thereby proving Kageyama right.
However, as much as Kageyama has improved as a person or as a player, he has his limits. His limits are small and orange and deeply irritating. So he is suddenly making. SUCH a face. It's like Atsumu made him suck on an entire lemon. ]
... ... ...Okay. [ His ability to remain civil for the sake of being polite to his senior lasts for about two seconds. He stares at the path of the fork one more time, just in case. ] No? Hinata? He sucks.
[ He does not suck. Okay, his serves still kind of suck. Hinata is... better at volleyball now than he used to be, because he used to really suck. Kageyama is grappling with this truth and it is showing in the obvious contortions of his face. He should've gotten a cake to stab too. ]
He thinks he can be all demanding [ in a way that Atsumu should understand, as a setter ] when he catches receives with his face half the time...!
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Plus, besides the third years, Atsumu fully counts on both teams making it back to nationals next year, and getting a jump start on working our details on the other team means he'll have a better idea of how to crush them come that time.
There's a lot of assumptions being made on Atsumu's part in that, but he's brushing all of that aside to focus on what he wants to instead, which is a future rematch with Karasuno. With the second and first years now, and whoever new they recruit after that. With Kageyama and Hinata specifically, even if Kageyama's assessment of his own teammate has Atsumu bursting out with a cackle loud enough to draw some attention back to them. ]
You oughta see the look on your face right now, Tobio-kun. It's something else.
[ He spears his fork into his cake as he settles back comfortably, grin stretching wider as he focuses a look on Hinata, who at least seems too food focused to worry about the fact that he's apparently the center of conversation right now. ]
You're right about that though. He's real rough and unpolished at the moment, but that's why I said you gotta put him through his paces and really make him into something.
[ There's something just this side of unpleasant about the way one side of his mouth crooks up even further. ]
Sounds like he's already doin' it to you.
[ Atsumu knows it well, the control freak side that came come with being a setter, that so often does come with being a setter. It makes it frustrating when players don't dance to your tune, and try to force the setter to follow their steps instead, but that's kind of exciting, isn't it? That sort of demanding shakeup, having a person there that'll keep pushing you to do better than you did just the day before. Atsumu has that to some extent with his twin, but his brother doesn't have the same sort of hunger and drive for it that Hinata does.
He likes that he sees that in Hinata. Hell, he likes that he sees it in Kageyama too now that they've actually played a proper match against each other, but they're talking face to face right now and share a position on the court, so like hell Atsumu's going to tell Kageyama that much. ]
I'm real envious of you honestly, gettin' to build up a guy like that from scratch. I'd steal Shoyo-kun away from the crows right now if I could.