DISCLAIMER: Haikyuu! belongs to Haruichi Furudate, Shueisha, and Production I.G. I'm just having some fun playing on their… volleyball court?

A/N [14/6/2018]

Despite having loads of things I need to write (or start writing), I've grown distracted. I've also adopted many new volleyball sons. Yachi, to me, is an underrated and highly shippable character, and I've enjoyed reading through the few rare-pair fics out there on both FF and AO3. However, an idea hit me, and I wasn't able to leave it alone.

I'm not sure when the sign ups are for Haikyuu! rare-pair week(s), so if anyone could let me know drop me a comment or PM. Also, this isn't Beta'd, so any mistakes lay with me.

Thanks for reading, and don't be afraid to let me know what you think!

Heartbreaker? Pfffsh…

Chrysalis

"Hitoka-Chan?"

"Y-yes, Kiyoko-San," Yachi answered, nearly dropping the water bottles she carried in fright. Kiyoko generally only talked to her if there was a task she needed help with, or something that had escaped Yachi's attention, and Yachi was becoming pretty good at noticing when she was needed. Now was not one of those times though.

Being the manager of a boys' volleyball team was hard. Or well, it shouldn't be, but having Hinata, Kageyama, Nishinoya and Tanaka present increased the club's rowdiness tenfold. Yachi constantly felt as though she were being pulled from place to place without respite whenever the aforementioned's antics spiralled out of control, so being able to keep on top of things with simple observations made her life easier for the most part.

Not even Coach Ukai could wrangle them into a semblance of calm when they got too het up, and Kiyoko was only really effective on Nishinoya and Tanaka. Nipping excitement of disputes in the bud was a useful skill, especially if all one could do was watch out for a storm brewing on the horizon.

Looking up at Kiyoko with concern etched onto her features, Yachi tried her best not to tremble with anxiety as the senior eyed her. The chrome frame and sheening lenses of Kiyoko's glasses glinted briefly, catching the light as she tilted her head sweetly to the side.

Yachi felt herself stiffen. Then the elder manager smiled, and it took Yachi everything she had not to break into sobs at the beautiful expression.

"You're doing well," Kiyoko told her smoothly. "There isn't really much else left for me to teach you, though perhaps..."

Kiyoko trailed off, and Yachi's brows furrowed slightly; it was unlike the third year to forget anything, though that did not mean she wasn't infallible. Yachi watched intently as something seemed to flicker behind Kiyoko's eyes – a glimmer of emotion, which was quickly dissipated as Kiyoko made up her mind.

"Yes," she said, smiling lightly. "I think it's time. There's one last thing I must teach you, Hitoka-Chan. It's integral to the survival of this club, but I was unsure as to whether you were ready or not."

'For what?' Yachi wanted to ask, but her lips were clamped shut and white from the force of stopping her teeth from chattering.

"With the training camp coming soon, I think it's the best time for me to introduce you to the last part of your training. Then, and only then, can I leave the club in your hands," Kiyoko continued, nodding sagely and tucking her notebook under her arm. Suddenly, the elder manager straightened her back. Coach Ukai was calling her over. "We'll speak more later, but for now think about where you see yourself in a couple of years – or, ideally, who you want to be, okay?"

"Y-yes," Yachi stuttered back, watching the third year practically float her way across the gym to Coach Ukai's side.

In truth, Yachi was a little envious of how effortlessly graceful Kiyoko Shimizu could be. From her silky black hair, her empowered figure, and her intelligence, to the little captivating beauty mark resting by her lips. Kiyoko commanded people's attention.

Caught no longer by her 'Villager B' mentality, Yachi still had doubts about herself. She tried her best to be confident going about her tasks as the secondary manager, yet things still frightened Yachi half to death.

(Asahi was going to be a major part of that problem until he graduated. Or got a haircut.)

Kiyoko's words rattled about Yachi's head for the remainder of that day's practice. The squeak of volleyball shoes against the waxed wooden flooring, the swish of the net as Yamaguchi flubbed a serve, and the tapping of palms against the pliant surface of volleyballs, became a sort of white noise to accompany Hitoka Yachi's descent into a teenage crisis.

Where did she want to be in a couple of years? Was she always going to stutter her way through life? How did you stop stuttering and, well, grow a metaphorical pair?

Yachi supposed all she wanted was a modicum of the grace Kiyoko possessed. That would surely be enough to see her through the rest of her teenage years and perhaps even adulthood. For now, Hitoka Yachi was a chrysalis. She had been for some time, stuck perpetually between leaving caterpillar-hood and not quite being able to flourish in the spring. That was what she wanted – to be able to emerge as a beautiful butterfly and cast off her shyness. To be able to spread her wings and have people take notice, not just to blend into the foliage like she had been for most of her adolescence.

With a start, Yachi was pulled from her thoughts by the sharp shrill tone of Coach Ukai's whistle and an excited Hinata. The ginger-haired teen had bounded over and pulled his awaiting water bottle straight from the assistant manager's hands, chattering nonsensically about tosses and spikes with a vivacity that made Yachi's head spin.

It was time for Yachi to resume normal service, and she cursed herself for not having been paying attention. Hinata and Kageyama were easily satiated with fresh towels and water, the second years received these too – though out of the five of them, Nishinoya and Tanaka were the most difficult to pin down since they were chasing after Kiyoko – along with Daichi and Sugawara. Still ruffled from Daichi tousling her hair in thanks and Suga's angelic smile, Yachi made her way over to Asahi, quickly offered him a towel, and scuttled away.

The remaining two people, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, were the one's Yachi usually saved until last. Handing things over to them was like swallowing a particularly nasty-tasting brand of medicine. Tsukishima was off-putting at best (and terrifying at worst), so Yachi usually handed over his towel first before turning to Yamaguchi. The latter would smile coyly and scratch at his cheek with his index finger as he thanked her, and Yachi would feel the weight of constantly being overwhelmed by confident people lift from her shoulders.

Today, when Yamaguchi thanked her, Yachi dared to smile back.

When Yamaguchi stiffened and flushed in response, she tilted her head inquisitively. Yamaguchi uttered another thank you – meeker this time – and hurried off before Yachi could ask whether she'd done something wrong.

The feeling of eyes on her back made Yachi shiver, and she turned, noticing that Kiyoko was staring at her intently with the ghost of an appraising smile on her lips.

"Later," the elder manager mouthed, and Yachi nodded.

They had team practice to finish up after all.

"Thank you for waiting, Hitoka-Chan. I didn't anticipate Coach Ukai holding us for longer than usual," Kiyoko said apologetically, dipping her head. A wave of raven black hair sluiced from over the third years' shoulders, distracting Yachi with its bouncy movement and silken sheen.

Kiyoko was awaiting her response though and cleared her throat expectantly. "Oh-uh, ah, it's n-no trouble!" Yachi squeaked.

They were stood on the balcony walkway outside of the team's changing rooms. The boys were laughing and joshing about inside, having waited and allowed both of the managers to change out of their sports clothes beforehand. Yachi had hoped that maybe she was hearing Kiyoko's utterance wrong after she next spoke, considering the childish screams, thumps, and laughter being emitted from the room behind them.

"I wanted to say that there is one more element to being our club's manager – especially if you're to follow in my footsteps," Kiyoko clasped her hands together, resting them against her breast. "You must be sure though, Hitoka-Chan, that you're completely open to any changes that might occur during these lessons."

Change, Yachi thought, will do me good. I'm not going to be an extra in my own life – I want to be a star, or, well, at least shine a little.

"I want t-to be Karasuno's manager," Yachi said surely, only a hint of a stutter disrupting her words. She'd handed in the form, she'd subjected herself to Kiyoko's training before – and the general madness involved with the boys. Yachi could do this. She would do this.

Yachi willed herself a spine of iron, stretching to look eagerly into Kiyoko's eyes. "I will do anything, Kiyoko-San!"

"Good," the elder manager replied.

The door to the changing room flung open, and out piled Karsuno's boys volleyball team.

"Ah! Ya-Chan! Did you wait for us?" Hinata beamed.

"I, uh, was j-just talking with Kiyoko-San, Hinata-Kun." Hinata seemed to deflate slightly with her admission, and Yachi wondered how someone Hinata's age could still be both wondrously optimistic yet childishly absorbed.

"Why would she wait for you, dumbass," Kageyama scoffed, and oh, there the two went; ranting and raving at one another while they made their way home. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi soon followed, with a roll of their eyes and a cheeky grin respectively.

Nishinoya and Tanaka hung back, blocking Asahi's way from the stairs by hovering close to Kiyoko. The latter softly cleared her throat. "Maybe we should talk more on the way home, Hitoka-Chan? Or, if you'd like, we could discuss things in detail tomorrow?"

"'things'?" Daichi echoed quizzically, finally exiting the changing room with Sugawara not far behind, as per usual.

"Managerial things," Kiyoko clarified. "Hitoka-Chan is nearly there. I just have one last lesson to impart on her."

"Oh?" Sugawara crowed curiously. Truthfully, Yachi wished she knew what this lesson as going to be too.

Kiyoko's smile, though it appeared saccharine, was anything but. Nishinoya and Tanaka were rooted to the spot, enraptured by her expression. "That would be a secret."

"I-I wouldn't m-mind talking more on the… uh, way home," Yachi interjected, trying to diffuse the sudden tension. What were Daichi and Sugawara so worked up about? Surely there were some things that couldn't be taught from male members off the club, so what was so bad about it being a secret?

For all they knew (including Yachi) it could be the ancient art of concealing sanitary ware on your person whilst surrounded by copious number of teenage boys. A vital skill if you wanted to survive a following two years with nosy club members and their severe disrespect of personal space and boundaries.

Nishinoya and Tanaka, having finally lost interest in the conversation, moved on; poor Asahi was eventually allowed to pass by, trailing after the pair of second years. Sugawara and Daichi waited behind for the remaining second years to finish changing.

"Shall we go?" Kiyoko asked, leading the way down the stairs. Yachi stumbled after her.

Taking a deep (calming? not so much) breath, Yachi inquired as to what exactly Kiyoko's final lesson would entail.

"I wasn't always this confident, you understand," said Kiyoko. Her eyes were distant, scanning the vacant pavement and the quiet road as they left the school's front gate. "I was shy, reserved. My hair was cut short to my chin and my skin was awful. Daichi-San and Sugawara-San might not remember it as well, because there was a lost of pressure placed on them under the former Coach Ukai. But my predecessor imparted this lesson upon me, which I shall soon impart upon you."

That sounded awfully cryptic to Yachi, though a flame of kinship fizzled up inside of her at the thought of a less polished, extremely shy Kiyoko. Another part of Yachi hissed that Kiyoko's words probably weren't true, and the girl bit her lip agitatedly. She'd never heard Kiyoko talk to freely before, and it would be awfully rude of Yachi to just blurt out her doubts and denials of Kiyoko's past.

"Karasuno are known for the Little Giant, that is true. They are known around Tokyo for the rivalry between Nekoma High and ourselves. However–" here Kiyoko looked over her shoulder suspiciously; Daichi and Sugawara were hot on the two manager's heels, having locked up the gym and changing room for the night. The elder manager beckoned for Yachi to come closer before she continued. "There is another thing we are known for."

Yachi leant in, ears at the ready. "W-what is that, Kiyoko-San?"

"Our female managers." Kiyoko tucked stray locks of her hair behind her ears. "Picture this, Hitoka-Chan. Birds of prey are strange, underacknowledged and volatile creatures – but like with anything remotely dangerous, they hold a beauty. Crows, whether people like them or not, are beautiful and menacing birds."

The two girls were eking their way towards the store where Coach Ukai spent most of his time working behind the register, so they slowed their pace to avoid catching up to the rest of the team. Yachi could already hear Hinata's demands for more nikuman; an exasperated sigh dragging from her lips that Kiyoko acknowledged with a knowing giggle.

"You're already partway to understanding, which is incredible," she said. "Our team will impress everyone on the court with their prowess and ruthless plays, but they're not the most appealing bunch as they come from all backgrounds and walks of life."

Kiyoko looked to Yachi; the younger girl was hanging off of the elder's every word. "The task of beauty lies with us, the managers, to ensnare and beguile other teams into a false sense of security – though having Suga-San around for the past three years has helped me out tremendously."

"B-but wh-"

"Why? Or rather, how does it help them? Well, after all, if you're being distracted by a pretty bird then you're unlikely to catch on to her team scavenging away the oppositions points."

"I don't…" Yachi trailed off. "I don't think I understand still what you want to teach me."

Aware of Daichi and Sugawara's approach, Kiyoko hoped that her blurted words weren't overheard. "I'm going to teach you how to seduce, Hitoka-Chan. I'm going to show you how to take hearts but never break them. It is, if you can call it that, part of our job description, considering you can't really rely on Hinata for pre-game psychological warfare."

"Oh."

Yachi hoped that her face wasn't totally red.