Volleyball League Practice Catch-all

[bluecastleace]

Who: primarily those who signed up to participate in the Void’s new volleyball league, but anyone and everyone is welcome!
What: volleyball practice for the new Void volleyball league
Where: the underground gymnasium
When: early December
Content Warnings: none yet, but will update if necessary!


((ooc: this log is gonna be used for a few practice sessions, as well as a practice game and other such things! Iwaizumi will be sharing his knowledge with everyone and acting as a coach of sorts until the practice game, so feel free to use the TLs to interact with him, or make your own TLs under the sections to start your own threads with your teammates or others participating! also, if you are not a player but want to be in the audience or are playing another role, feel free to make TLs reflecting that! everyone is welcome (walk/ins included!) If you have questions or want to plot, feel free to add me on Plurk at pantheraliam))

Comments

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Although Kaiba liked to keep himself physically fit, he wasn't really into this whole team sports scene. Team anything really. That being said, the participants had been making so much racket that he eventually deigned to show up to see what all the commotion was about. Then he couldn't help smarting off after the winning team was decided]

The correct team won.. [The one with his girlfriend Ann on it] .. and Blue continues to forever remain a loser.

[If he'd had his preference he would have shuffled the teams around further to group everyone he despised into one, and the people he tolerated onto another... but whatever. Not his circus, not his monkeys.]

[bluecastleace]

Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.

[Said sarcastically and from a few feet away as he drinks from his water bottle. He knows Kaiba isn’t talking about him, which is precisely why he acts as though he is.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Kaiba's first impulse is to continue ignoring that volleyball-dork™ exists, since in a perfect world he wouldn't but that would have also felt marginally like a concession in some form. The idea had to be reinforced that no matter how humiliating the earlier incident had been, it held no sway over later actions]

Ah, Iwaizumi. [The words sounded pleasant but almost too saccharine, and the smile on his lips seemed unnatural and a touch smug as he turns to make eye contact. Should the other male be concerned? Most definitely.] I should have assumed this was your handiwork. [As if he could have missed seeing the other boy on the field- but it was just a gentle reminder about how little Kaiba cared about the other male, said in the nicest way possible]

I trust there are no hard feelings from before? I won't make excuses but we met under unique circumstances that did both of us a disservice.

[bluecastleace]

[...]

Why you gotta say “hard” like that, dude?

[Yeah, no. Fuck you. He’s going to keep Causing Problems On Purpose.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[There was a pointed pause, but his mask didn't slip]

.. How droll.

[.. or in other words, how proud you must be to have the iq of a complete buffoon.]

Now that you've held this practice game, are you planning on turning this into a semi-regular event?

[bluecastleace]

Not sure why you care. [He says while turning his back on the man and loading his water bottle and volleyball into his gym bag.] But yeah. Wouldn’t be much of a point in doing all this practice just to quit right after.

[Dumbass, he feels like adding, but refrains.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[FYI, he doesn't, moron. When Iwa turns from him, Kaiba can't help but think that it's a pity there are so many witnesses present.] Is it so unusual to take an interest in current events?

[This small talk he would endure, secure in the fact that it would all be worth it later.] I suppose you have a point.

How many participants are you hoping to acquire?

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi turns to him with a blank yet thoroughly irritated stare.]

Don’t tell me you’re interested. [No way. No. Way.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[The reaction wasn't much, but he savored it. It was as if he felt enlivened by the other male's obvious apprehension, one corner of his lips quirked upwards. Whatever his original intentions were, Kaiba decided to persue the new course.]

I might be. There's merit in maintaining physical fitness.

[bluecastleace]

You’re full of it. [He has to be, and Iwa isn’t buying it.] There’s a whole room full of shit to help with your fitness. Find a different outlet, asshole.

[This is the one thing bringing him any sort of comfort or joy around here, and he’s not about to let Gamer Boy ruin it for him.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Oh yes, this was delicious. Iwa was so concerned about having his little game ruined by the inclusion of one person?] Temper, temper. [The words were filled with condescension.]

For someone who engages in a competitive sport, I'm surprised at how little pressure you can take. [Still speaking in a composed even tone. Not letting Iwa rile him up with his foulmouth today]

[bluecastleace]

[This creep—-]

I’m not doing this with you today. You wanna play, then find someone else to teach you, and someone else to play with. I don’t care.

[He says as he goes back to packing his bag, this time with the force of frustration. He is not going to let you ruin this, Kaiba - he’s not]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Doing what, exactly? [Feigning the innocence they both know he doesn't embody.] We're just having a casual conversation about volleyball, Iwaizumi. [As if that needed to be explained]

I'm not sure why you're getting so bent out of shape. [Except that he totally gets it and he's enjoying it thoroughly]

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi turns back to face Kaiba with his own sugary sweet expression reflected back at him.]

What I’m not doing is entertaining a conversation with a self-righteous asshole who has a rod shoved up his ass and bruised balls.

Have a wonderful day.

[And with that he will grab his bag and (try to) make his exit! Ta ta, Gamer Boy!]

[menaretrash]

[ Ann's Bullshit Senses are tingling, and at first, she's not sure why. She's been hanging out by Ren mostly, eagerly rubbing victory in Akechi's face, when it started. It doesn't take long to realize why, either -- upon scanning the beach, she catches sight of her dearly beloved boyfriend chatting away with Iwaizumi.

This would be fine, except that the last time these two were together, an altercation took place and Seto's balls were at the wrong end of Iwa's foot. So, she gently pries herself away from Ren, smiling brightly as she ever so c a s u a l l y slips herself between the two young men. ]

Seto, I didn't know you liked volleyball! [ She's pretty sure he probably doesn't, but it's m...aybe a way to sort of defuse the situation. If... there's a situation, even. There's probably a situation. ]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Why Iwaizumi, you're the one that started this discussion. [Not so gently pointing that out. He would have been content had the moron just kept his fat mouth shut from the start, too bad Iwaizumi was incapable of the simplest tasks.]

[It was difficult but he managed not to address the condition of his prior injury. Laugh while you can, it won't last forever. He was about to deliver some more disengenuous phrases when Ann inserted herself into the equation]

[A change swept over him, however minor. He resumed his usual level of disinterest]

I'm just full of surprises. [Said while still keeping his eyes trained on Iwa. As you'll find out]

[bluecastleace]

My guess is that he doesn’t. [Said rather flatly, and with another pointed glare in his direction. He knows these two are close (maybe not just how close yet), so he won’t continue piling on insults unless Kaiba decides to keep antagonizing him (and he was antagonizing him, he swears!).]

Full of something alright. I was just leaving.

[menaretrash]

Yeah, you really are! I didn't know that you eve liked sports.

[ Wow, you two are worse actors than she is, jeez. Ann glances between the two, before she heaves a sigh and then glances off to the side. ]

Hey... are you two fighting again? [ Because it looks like they're fighting... or this is some build up to it, at least. Ah, but Iwa says he's leaving and she smiles at him again. ]

Oh! Are we meeting up later for more practice? Just because we won doesn't mean we should slack off, right?

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Her enthusiasm almost made him feel guilty. Almost. Still, Kaiba wasn't quite done making this uncomfortable for Iwaizumi]

I was thinking about joining one of the teams myself. [Not with any serious consideration, mind you but this seemed like a good way to make volleyball-dork™ look worse] .. but Iwaizumi strongly suggested that I shouldn't bother. [Finally looking away from him to look at his much more attractive girlfriend instead]

Fighting? Ha, I wouldn't dream of it. [Not here, or now anyway] I've put all that behind me. [No, he really hasn't]

[bluecastleace]

Right. [As in “right, I told you to fuck off,” and then a very sarcastic, “right, you wouldn’t dream of it.” God, why does she eat his shit up like this?

[He too turns his attention to Ann (which might mean her intervention here is actually working), and even smiles just a bit at the mention of more practice (only because he likes Ann and he likes her attitude, but if it got under Kaiba’s skin that she wanted to hang out with him, he wouldn’t mind).]

I’ll probably be back here in a few hours, or we could hit the beach. You kicked some serious ass out there, Ann. It’s paying off.

[That’s right. Focus on your friend, not her asshole boyfriend.]

[menaretrash]

Wait, you were? Really? [ Ann visibly brightens at Seto's words, before the excitement fades and she immediately looks crestfallen. ] W-wait, why?

[ Okay, she KNOWS why, but it doesn't stop her disappointment, at least. She quickly glances back at poor Iwa. ] But if he joined a team, wouldn't that make it so you two could maybe like, better get to know one another? Come to an understanding sort of thing, you know?

[ T e a m w o r k! Teamwork makes everyone stronger in the end! Sort of. ]

Thank you! [ She brightens again at the compliment, turning a little pink with embarrassment. ] I'll meet up with you wherever you want, today was really fun!

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Nothing she says really absolves him of guilt, but he keeps up the farce] I hadn't taken it off the table.. [out loud, just internally.] Something about.. how did you put it? [Glancing past her to Iwa briefly, then back again] Ah yes, my being a 'self-righteous asshole'. Even after I tried to smooth things over and everything. [Ann might have been able to see through this, but in this case nothing he said had been wholly inaccurate. He did, in theory, try to patch things up, and Iwa 100% called him an asshole]

[Kaiba felt confident that no matter what was said, he'd get the desired results. There was no risk of capitulation on this, it would just serve to make the other teen look like a jerk]

[The way she brightens up to the compliment, bothers him a bit.] You mean- you'll be meeting up with the team, right? [Just looking for clarification.]

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi bristles at each and every one of Kaiba’s words. It’s enraging that he’s trying to stick his nose into Iwa’s business and ruin his good time - some of the only activity that’s been able to bring him any peace in this place - but it’s even more infuriating that he’s trying to pull his bullshit wool over Ann’s eyes. If it weren’t for the fact that he trusts Ann’s perception enough to realize she probably knows Kaiba’s flaws better than anyone, he probably would say more about it - out of respect for her, he doesn’t.]

I told him if he wanted to play he could learn from someone else. [He says with his eyes on Kaiba. Eventually, he turns them back to Ann.] I know you like this guy, but I don’t, and I’m not trying to tangle myself up in more bullshit forcing something that can’t be forced.

[As for who will be practicing with who...] The rest of the team is heading home. I’ll be back here in an hour or two, so meet me then if you want to practice, okay?

[A simple invitation, and said without the same venom he’d been using when addressing Kaiba. He’s talking to Ann - his friend - right now, and so the tone is gentle, inviting. If Kaiba wants to take offense to that, let him (and if Iwa takes enjoyment in that offense, well, it can’t be helped).]

[menaretrash]

Mm? [ Ann blinks up at Seto, before glancing off to the side, because.... yeah. She can't see him trying to smooth things over period, and she knows that more than likely, he's instigated things here. It genuinely concerns her about what may happen in the future, but at least she doesn't have the chance to be disappointed for long as she starts connecting the dots one by one in her head. ] I mean... if... if you want to learn, Seto, I can teach you!

[ #nailedit? She smiles nervously up at both of them again, before turning beet red at Iwa's words. I k n o w y o u l i k e t h i s g u y... does he know? ] Wha-- [ focus!! ] oh. Oh! I mean... I just wish... that you two could get along and be friends...

[ Because it's better to be friends in a strange world like this than enemies, because one never knows when they'll need assistance. That's how she sees things, at least, even though she has a terrible feeling that Iwa and Seto are never going to be friends, period, no matter how much wishing she does. ]

Oh, yeah, I'll definitely be here! [ She brightens again, and then looks up at Seto again to confirm his worst nightmare. ] Usually we practice one on one! It's a lot easier that way.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Oh, Kaiba knew what he was doing, and it wasn't difficult to surmise that it was garnering the desired results. He just wanted to needle, Iwaizumi, just a bit in the most difficult to prove way possible. The thought of ruining the other guy's hobby would have just been an additional bonus. When Ann averted her gaze, he thought that maybe he had pushed it a little too far. Probably should have left off that whole 'trying to make amends' thing.] ... [He didn't say no to her offer, but he did pause a moment before adding the following:] They did include some volleyball in the curriculum at Domino High. [Unsure if he ever mentioned that school or not. Oh well] I won't be starting from scratch.

[As soon as that phrase left Iwa's lips, Kaiba instinctively directed his attention to Ann to see how she took it. Honestly, it was about what he expected, he nearly smiled but stopped himself keeping his expression controlled and more unreadable, as he looked back up. It took so little to fluster her, but he'd rather not let this jerk in on the true nature of their association.] Guess I know where I stand. [In response to Iwa's professed dislike. Kaiba didn't sound like he cared, he was just amused]

[Ann had her work cut out for her if she still held on to some hope that these two hardheads could ever become friends]

Definitely? [Crinkling his nose at that not even trying to conceal it this time.] Just how many sessions have you attended? [Looking to her for answers because, he was so done listening to Iwa]