AN: Oh shit, they're back. Gimme a break on these guys, I did say they're really hard to think up. This is like, the most I've been consecutively productive in years. Anyways, you already know all the trigger warnings, and stuff. So anyway, I hope you enjoy it!
-AP

The Loyal Libero

"And then he asked me for advice! Worst part is, I gave it to him!" Oikawa ranted, and Shinji just hummed in affirmation, not really listening. Unlike other liberos out there, he wasn't much of an advice-giver, nor a listener. His captain huffed. "Are you even paying attention?! That stupid game can't be that good!" Tooru said, pointing at the phone which displayed an avatar on a road. Yes, you guessed right, Watari was more consumed in Pokémon Go than his setter's problems. But who wouldn't be? After all, Oikawa was the team's resident drama queen.

"Well, maybe if you tried it, you wouldn't hate it so much." He defended, sending a joking glare to the other boy. Tooru crossed his arms and turned his nose up, flicking his head away from the device the libero held out. "I can have fun without video games. Who has time for them, with volleyball?!" He demanded it as if there was no answer, but Iwaizumi piped up from behind him. "Well, Kozume, the setter for Nekoma, seems to balance it fine. I heard Karasuno are pretty sick at Mario-Kart and Zelda and stuff. And Ushiwaka likes Pokémon to-!"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT USHIWAKA LIKES!" Oikawa shouted it almost defiantly, like a toddler having a tantrum, pout and everything. His boyfriend let out a snort, glancing down to his phone. He was, of course, playing the game too, it being the latest craze. "I see what this is about." Their libero said suddenly, causing both the boys to look back at him. "You've still got a grudge against Captain Shiratorizawa, right? I don't know why you hate him so much. "

"It's not a grudge! And I don't hate him! I just hate what he stands for as a human being!" Tooru protested, stamping his foot. He really was the picture of a young child that had been spoiled absolutely rotten, and truth be told, that was probably accurate to how he was raised, too. At least he didn't go too rotten. "That's pretty much hating him, Captain." Shinji said coyly, with a small smile. Oikawa let out a growl and huffed, marching off.

After he was out of earshot, Watari sighed. "Jesus, Iwaizumi, I don't know how you deal with him." He said, turning his phone off and shoving it in his pocket. The ace did the same and shot the boy a bemused grin. "What do you mean? You really think I'm the one who wears the pants? If you do, you've never really met Oikawa Tooru, because he never, ever settles for bottom." The libero turned bright red, and Hajime let out a bark of laughter, patting him on the shoulder as he walked past.

"Don't say things you aren't prepared for the response for." He said simply, disappearing into the night. Shinji smiled and yawned, wiping his eyes.

He should probably go home too. He was trusted with locking the gym up, after all. Despite this, the ball basket peeking out of the cupboard was tempting, frustrating him, taunting him.

Shinji Watari knew himself like the back of his hand. Unlike most of his team, he didn't need any self-discovery. He knew his limits, he knew how good he was, he knew who he was attracted to and why, and he had absolutely no confusion about his identity. He had to go through that when he was much younger. His father had been sick for most of his life, so he was forced to take charge over his siblings and the house. Their mother had left after his youngest sister was born. When he took charge, he had a lot of confusion.

Chance to discover himself came quicker than for everybody else.

Something he knew particularly about himself was that he wasn't a spectacular player, and he definitely couldn't be classed as anything more than average as a libero. But he couldn't exactly be the setter with Oikawa around; Who could live up to him? Definitely not Watari. Libero wasn't a position he was uncomfortable with, particularly, however, his lack of skill often frustrated him to exhaustion. Usually, Tooru would be the one to stay late, so Shinji would head home; He preferred to practice alone. Walls can't laugh at you, after all.

He glanced down at the watch on his wrist. 9:15PM. He should really be going home. The second eldest of them had probably already put the younger kids to bed and fed them, but he knew that him and Haruhi, the eldest girl, would stay up waiting. Then again...Shinji slipped his phone back out of his pocket, turning it on. Once he was in the text section, he bit his lip, fingers hovering over the keys, before he finally typed a short message, and a lie at that.

Practice is running late. Don't wait up - Shinji

"OIKAWA-SAN!" The captain spun around to be greeted with the teary face of Haruhi Watari. She was a first year, and so was her other brother (they were born in the same year) so it was strange to see her around. "Yes?"

"Forgive me! But do you know where Shinji went after practice last night?! It was so late and he didn't come home-!" Tooru furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, pulling his backpack further up his shoulder. "It was only 9PM." He said simply, glancing at the girl, who gasped and suddenly looked absolutely and utterly pissed off. "Shinji said practice ran late!"

"It didn't. We ended pretty early, actually." The captain affirmed, blinking slowly. He wondered why Watari had lied to his sister; He wasn't usually the type to gossip or spread rumors or lie at all really. "We can check the gym together, come on." Oikawa said, and with that, they both made their way to the volleyball gym. The setter was vaguely unsurprised to find it unlocked. They both walked in, and the boy immediately started giggling.

Shinji was snoring, completely asleep, leaning against the wall and sat, sprawled, on the floor. A ball was limply held in his hands.

"...Is he...sleeping?" Iwaizumi said bemusedly, having come up behind the two, peering confusedly into the gym. Oikawa just nodded before striding in, walking over to where their libero was sprawled. He dragged his leg backwards into the air and then...

"OI!"

Watari let out a sound that could be compared to the yelp of a dog, if that dog was mixed with a cat, and had rabies, and was caught doing something it shouldn't have been, with maybe a little werewolf. He jumped up in surprise and groaned, rubbing the volleyball-shoe sized mark on his side. He blinked drearily, and it took him a second to realize where he was, and then another second to realise he wasn't alone. He straightened up and stretched, yawning, before turning to his captain, sister, and ace.

Oikawa was wearing a somewhat unimpressed expression, Iwaizumi just looked curiously amused, and Haruhi had...an indescribable look. She suddenly lunged at her elder brother, immediately ranting. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU-?! I WAS SO-?! HOW-?! I JUST-?!"

"Good morning, Haru." Shinji said sheepishly as he pried himself from his sister's grip. "Sorry. I just uh, I guess I felt like practicing a little later? And then, well, I lost track of time..." He trailed off uncertainly as his sister sighed. She was always the most mature of her and her brother, despite being younger than him by months. She shook her head amusedly before hugging him. "It's okay, niisan. Just...don't overwork yourself, okay? I worry."

"I know. I'll...I won't." He whispered, resting his head on top of hers and patting her back. Both of them seem to have forgotten the other two, who stopped setting up to let out a simultaneous 'aww'. The two jumped apart embarrassedly, before Haruhi patted herself down and rushed out. "OH, AND YOU HAVE TO SKIP PRACTICE, DAD'S COMING HOME FOR THE WEEKEND!"

Watari let a smile fall unto his face, and for once, it stuck for the entire day.

AN: Yay! How does this have so many words, this fic? I didn't even know I HAD that many words in me?! Oh well. You guys better appreciate this, these take time, you know. And a lot of motivation! Anyways, all joking aside, I hope you enjoyed! Review if you liked, and thank you very much for reading!
-AP