Courage - Tendou Satori
Summary: Tendou Satori has been turned down by every person he’s ever asked out. Now he’s hoping that’ll change when his eyes set on you.
Pairing: Tendou x GN!Reader
Rating: G
Word Count: 1.1k
HQWK Prompt: Favorite Character
Warnings: Slight angst (but with a happy ending!), Mentions of bullying
Notes: Haikyuu!! Week 2020 is finally here! This is my submission for day one! Feel free to check out @haikyuuweek2020 for other entries for today’s prompt!
Satori was used to rejection. He had faced it his entire life. His looks, his personality, his reputation all made him unlovable. Even some of his teammates thought he was a clown-looking weirdo and didn’t want anything to do with him outside of club activities. He supposed he couldn’t fault them for that, all his life he’d been called a monster. The name hung around him like a shadow, and he had been unable to shake it in his eighteen years of life.
For this reason, asking people out had never been very difficult for him. He knew going in that they’d say no. He didn’t even have to plan out any sort of actual date because he’d be stopped in his tracks on day one. If anyone were to witness, they’d see his same twisted grin and watch his shoulder shrug as if it were water off a duck’s back. Rejection came easy. Easier than acceptance now it seemed.
He would never admit how much it hurt him deep down. He’d never show how the tiny flame of hope that had been burning within him was snuffed out in a millisecond. At least now it was his final year of high school and soon enough he’d never have to face some of these people ever again. They’d go their separate ways, many probably never leaving Japan while his dreams lay in Paris. He’d be far away from all of them and the only person he’d truly miss was his lone best friend Ushijima Wakatoshi.
And then there was you. You had captivated his eye quite a lot recently. He noticed you looking his way on more than one occasion. At first he had assumed that you were looking at Ushi. I mean, most people that were staring at them were really looking at the future pro player. He was the star of Shiratoriwaza after all. Satori was just his guard dog on the court.
He couldn’t deny that he would miss running into you in the hallway, the deer-like look you’d give him as you accidentally ran into him. He thought it was cute how deep in thought you could get just from going from one class to the next. Secretly he wondered what was going on in that head of yours. What were you thinking about that had you so distracted that you missed the one student that stood out like a sore thumb compared to everyone else. It was almost nice to not be noticed for once.
When he first had the idea to ask you out, he quickly dismissed it. I mean, of course you’d say no. It wasn’t as if you treated him differently than everyone else. You were kind to everyone you came across. However, maybe that was different to him. No one outside the volleyball club really did that for him. Most people avoided him, muttering insults under their breath. They wanted nothing to do with a freak like him.
So while he was certain that you wouldn’t laugh in your face as some people had, he was certain that you’d still turn him down. He wasn’t entirely sure if he could handle that coming from you. Your kind eyes turned horrified at the very idea of going out with him. The scared expression on your face. No, he couldn’t handle that at all.
After explaining all this to Ushijima, the star ace told him that he should still try. That he should use the confidence he had on the court. Ushijima had only known you to be nice and caring, and the only time he had seen you be mean to another person was when you had overheard them making fun of Tendou. You had practically tore them apart with your words. Previously he had never told his friend about this incident, as he really thought nothing of it.
Of course, when Ushijima finally told Satori about this a new wave of admiration came over the redhead. He couldn’t believe that you had stood up for him like that. Ushijima normally kept to himself unless someone directly said something to him, he didn’t interfere. Satori was never offended by that, as it was just the way his friend was.
So to hear that you, his latest crush, was unleashing an unknown fury to protect him? That made him incredibly warm inside and his heart nearly thumped right out of his chest. It was then that he knew Ushi was right, he had to bolster up the courage to talk to you face to face. Because maybe, just maybe, this one time…someone would say yes to him.
He had cornered you outside of your last class, and while most people would have eyes wide with terror, you simply smiled warmly at his closeness. “Satori, what is it?” You asked, your tone showing just how comfortable you were with his body being only inches away from yours. No look of disgust or resentment. Already this was going much differently than any other time he had asked someone out.
“I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me on Friday after practice.” Though he was shaking with anxiety on the inside, on the outside his voice remained calm and lighthearted. If you took this as a joke then he’d just laugh along with you. If you hit him then he’d just roll with it. Literally every scenario except the one where you said yes had played through his head on repeat for the last three days.
But instead of a sneer or a grimace, your smile widened even more. “That sounds great, I can meet you outside the volleyball club room if you want? I think my club ends before yours typically.”
Tendou’s head spun. You were saying yes? To him? And you were still smiling while saying it? His life had always been one cosmic joke after another but this time…this time he was being given a chance to prove that he wasn’t a creep.
He took a step back, mouth agape in surprise. He hadn’t even planned anything, as he had simply expected the worst. “Y-yeah,” he finally stammered out, “That sounds great. I’ll see you then.”
You nodded your head, with the same gorgeous smile. “I can’t wait! See you then, Satori!” You passed by him with an extra bounce in your step, clearly on cloud nine after being asked out by your high school crush. The only thing on your mind was what you were going to wear on Friday night.
Tendou stood, dumbstruck for another few minutes before it hit him that you really had said yes. This wasn’t a dream. It was reality. And he had a lot of planning to do before Friday. He vowed to make it the best date you had ever had.
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