head over heels

50 ~ love and pain

[A/N - lets go team, fifty chapters, woo!]

Despite having the emotional stability of a hamster, Evan was playing well.

He was holding it together with flimsy tape and string, but it was working.

They won the first half easily, and the second was quickly going their way. The eagles had one single really good player. The rest were average. Their left spiker was the only player who managed to give them any sliver of a challenge.

He was fast as hell. He could see Oliver actually rising to the challenge. That in itself was impressive.

At the best of times, Evan wondered why Oliver even played; he was that unbothered.

Unfortunately for the other team, when Oliver got going, it apparently meant that exactly zero spikes got through his block. The other team's spiker looked like he wanted to tear his hair out as they approached the end of the game, the lakes firmly in the lead.

Oliver was menacing.

Evan had never played with him in an actual game until now.

He was deadly calm. He read the court better than Evan could ever hope too. He was always in exactly the best place.

Oliver alone would probably be enough to thwart this team.

The other team's setter wasn't very good either.

He was predictable, always setting to the good spiker, never anyone else.

Kei and Ethan easily had their defence in pieces, Oliver and Luke had the block locked down tight, and Hugo and Luis played so well that the ball barely even hit their side of the court.

They won two to zero.

It was somewhat expected, but it still seemed to captivate the rest of the gym. The other teams all gathered on the stands, watching with bated breath. From the sidelines, Theo hadn't moved a muscle, watching greedily.

Dan glowered with the rest of the substitutes at the edge of the court.

He felt like he was being picked apart at every angle.

Evan ignored them, or tried to anyway as the guys congratulated each other happily.

Kei grinned, "You played incredible Ev—"

He shrugged, "It was okay."

"You didn't miss a single toss, seriously, you were great, I can't believe you managed that as your first comp game in what—" Kei shrugged, "Four years?"

He felt a tiny flicker of warmth then.

"Yeah," Luke piped up, "Your sets are scary accurate Evan."

"Thanks," he managed, making a beeline for both his water bottle, and his third energy drink. He was running on fumes at this point. If he wasn't careful, he'd crash before they made it back to the hotel.

Coach looked pleased as he bounded over to them. "Boys, that was a great start. All of you, incredible work."

A series of whoops and hoorays sounded from the guys. Evan just sat on the bench, away from the team, trying not to space out too hard.

Immediately, Kei was next to him. He wedged his water bottle between his knees, and pushed his slightly damp hair back from his face.

"You good?"

Evan nodded, "Mhm."

Just like he feared, he could feel his energy seep from him. He could barely think straight.