Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Doesn’t it sound so wonderful to call your dreams castles in the sky?”

― Miranda Atchley, A Castle in the Sky

Shouyou was familiar with the sand. 

He was familiar with the beach, the sun soaked grains of gold and white as far as the eyes could see, the salty brine from the ocean breeze, the sound of waves crashing on the shoreline, the cry of the seagulls. Shouyou spent two years with his arms and legs buried in the sand, tasting it in his mouth, the coarse earthy flavor. 

The beach sticks to you, Shouyou later realized. It clings to your body, it goes in between your toes, gets stuck inside your shoes, it dries your hair into sun-damaged and thread-rough strands, it beats upon your skin and colors your paleness despite the sunscreen you painstakingly rubbed on your body. 

When he was younger, he could remember his mother taking them to Tsukihama Beach—maybe his father too, this detail Shouyou wasn’t sure. Natsu was barely in kindergarten, and Shoyou was just about to go to middle school. He remembered that day, seeing the ocean for the first time, feeling the waters lap on his toes. He liked what he saw, and he promised himself he would take all of it to heart, everything to memory. Everything.

It was the little things like these, the things that you remember even after all those years, that made them matter. They must be, otherwise you would’ve forgotten about them if they weren’t. Or maybe the beach simply had a way of making itself be remembered.

They built sandcastles, him and Natsu, who was more than happy to let the golden grains stick on her tiny fingers. Shouyou wanted to make it big, and promised Natsu the bestest, biggest sandcastle on the beach. Shouyou had a habit of making promises, even when he wasn’t sure how to fulfill them. They leave his mouth too naturally. 

But they’ve never built a sandcastle before, and it had toppled over within ten seconds of standing upright, a sad lump on the ground. The waves swallowed it back, and then it returned everything back to its place, right back to the beginning. 

If the waves swallowed his sandcastles, then he would just have to build them some place the waters cannot touch them, some place far enough. If the ocean wanted to topple his towers of sand, his walls of shells and pebbles, his arches built from dunes, then all he needed to do was build them midair where the seawater couldn’t touch it. He was going to erect them in the air.

Sandcastles in the sky.

And sandcastles were like promises. Promises felt like sand, all in its grainy, coarse, granulous texture, scattered all over the seashore, strewn all over the beach.

The beach was an enemy, a teacher, a student, a friend, a lover, a rival. It wears you down, breaks you apart. The waves wash over you and smother you back to the basics, to the very beginning, forcing you back to the start. It renews you, cleanses you, marks you. It sticks with you, smoothens you, builds you up.

Shouyou was familiar with the beach. 

Two years of it could do so much to one person.

“Birthday wishes won’t do much, because I kept wishing I’d get a big sister soon, but it’s been seven years now and it’s probably never going to happen with the rate you’re headed.” Natsu, Shouyou’s sweet little sister whom he loved with all his heart when she wasn’t being a pain in the ass, told him this while she sat in front of a mirror, in the middle of getting her hair done. She faced the camera on her reflection so Shouyou could see her even when she couldn’t see him.

She puffed her cheeks out and stuck out her tongue—and wasn’t it so unnerving to see a near split image of himself on his laptop screen, demanding in her high pitched voice that the laptop speakers somehow turn into something more static. He should really get used to that effect by now, and yet here they were.

“What do you want me to do? I’m a man.” Shouyou muttered under his breath. With twelve hours between Brazil and Japan, calling each was a little difficult to manage, but Shouyou cleared his schedule, pushed through despite the jet-lag to call Natsu for her birthday in between unpacking his stuff in his apartment in Sao Paulo. 

Both Hinata children were born in the summer, certainly fitting for the two energetic kids. 

“For one, you could actually settle with someone!” Natsu exclaimed. Jesus Christ. Shouyou murmured under his breath. One day your little sister hits puberty, and suddenly she’s already telling you to get a lover like some nosy aunt. What was Tokyo doing to her? 

There were 172 days between the beginning of the year and Shouyou’s own birthday. He had always been counting since the day he had learned to count. That was six months and twenty days in total. He used to count down all the days until his birthday came, mark his calendar one numbered box at a time, excited. In some way, he was pumped to grow older, but for the most part, Shouyou was looking forward to the celebration that came with it.

Kids only ever did care about fun things. It was a good life—a simple life back then.

Birthdays needed cake. It wasn’t a birthday without one, and a birthday candle was important too. Birthday wishes, things you wanted to happen, things that you dream for so long. It was easy to dream as a kid. It was easy to believe that blowing a candle on a cake would immediately grant you your wish just because you were born that day, as if the universe would give you what you want because of it. 

Please give me a bike; I want a baby sister; I wanna be tall when I grow up; can my dad make it for my next birthday; please, please, please let someone join the volleyball club next year so I can play volleyball.

Different wishes. Different birthdays. Some of them somehow answered while some, not so much. 

Of course, Shouyou knew twenty-six years later that the world didn’t function that way. 

The world wouldn’t give you everything you want just because of some date. At a young age, Shouyou learned that the universe could be quite uncaring about things like that. It was both unfair and fair that way, its cold and abject neutrality. 

The universe was a large blue room with water refractions dancing on the slopes of his cheeks, light and shadow creating a mesmerizing picture. It was humming, it was cold. It rattled in your chest with its hollowess, it crept in your skin before you knew it. 

It doesn’t matter. You don’t need to do anything about it.

It said to you in that familiar annoyed tone it wore, the same familiar scowl it often wore when pushed to a corner.

The universe was like Kageyama, both of them cold, aloof, and sometimes stingy.

Even so, despite the current state of the universe, it didn’t stop anyone from dreaming. It certainly didn’t stop Shouyou, 172.2cm in a world full of 182.88cms above, the greatest decoy in the pro volleyball leagues, ASAS Sao Paulo’s Opposite Hitter and Japanese National Team representative.

When Shouyou dreamed, he dreamed big. It didn’t make sense to settle for less after all. 

Anyway, Shouyou thought birthday candles should still be blown with absolute ambition. So what if the universe was aloof, and cold, and uncaring? This was exactly what he told Natsu, and the current reason for their little argument.

Well, at least until she started talking about that.

“I want a big sister!” Natsu exclaimed. “Nii-chan, I want one so bad! I can’t talk to you about girly stuff! And you’re too busy playing volleyball and partying in Brazil to spend time with me! A big sister is going to solve all of that!” She whined like she was nine years old again, coaxing Shouyou to play with her. 

“I don’t party a lot!” Shoyou sighed. It was in times like these that he had to wonder if he spoiled her too much. He didn't remember being so precocious at that age.

He felt like there were several people ready to refute his statement, even though it was said privately in his own mind. 

“Besides,” Natsu huffed. How she was able to say so much with hands constantly pulling at her hair was something Shouyou would never understand. “Don’t you feel lonely? You’re already twenty-six. Don’t you want to be with someone? Don’t you want to fall in love, get married, and have someone to spend the rest of your life with?” 

Shouyou stopped midway, folding his clothes and sorting out the ones he needed for laundry, Natsu’s question rooting him in place. 

“Now, now.” Another voice joined in. The hands on Nastu’s hair had stopped their delicate work for a moment. “I don’t think it’s fair to push Shouyou-kun into something he’s not ready for. Romance isn’t something you can force on people, let alone marriage.”

Natsu pouted some more. The words came from the new face that appeared in the reflection: cool black chin length curls, storm blue eyes that would nearly give Shouyou a heart attack if it wasn’t for the shine of mischief in them, so different from the eyes Shouyou knew of. Her lips curled into a constant smirk instead of a frown, but the resemblance was uncanny, and it made his face heat up sometimes.

“But, Miwa-ne!” Natsu whined. “Tobio-chan’s probably getting lots of dates by now.”

“Tobio is definitely not getting lots of dates.” Miwa, Kageyama’s older sister, chuckled. She often spoke like she knew about something interesting, yet was too unimpressed with the act of gossiping. She was calm, cool, collected, smooth. She had an air of deviousness, and yet so reliable as well, a very good combination for an older sister. 

It burned some feelings of jealousy in Shouyou. He always wanted an older sibling before. 

“But Tobio-chan is handsome and cool!” Natsu exclaimed. “There’ll be people lining up to be his lover, and then he’ll marry before my brother ever starts dating.”

“Hey,” Shouyou scoffed. “I’m handsome and cool too!” 

“Don’t lose to Tobio-chan!” Natsu cried, pretty much ignoring Shouyou. “If you’re not going to move quickly, then I’ll marry Tobio-chan instead, that way I’ll have Miwa-ne as my older sister. You don’t want to lose Tobio-chan, do you? And I want Miwa-ne as my older sister!” 

With this, Shouyou started sputtering exasperated outbursts while Miwa let out loud, uncontrollable wheezes. At this point, he wasn’t sure if Natsu wanted him to start dating in general, start dating Kageyama’s older sister, or date Kageyama himself. He had a creeping feeling that Natsu was fine with either way. She was too enthusiastic about this. Even their own mother didn’t ask him about marriage.

“Kageyama isn’t going to date anytime soon.” Shouyou grumbled to Natsu. “That guy would only ever go on a date if you promise him the food is free. He’s too focused playing volleyball in Italy rather than dwelling on things like dating. Just like what I should be doing.” Perhaps he said these words a little too bitterly than what’s comfortable. But it was what it was, Shouyou and Kageyama were both busy training in their foreign leagues, and this was his first official season in ASAS as a starter; he was looking forward to showing everyone what he could do, standing on the world stage.

“Sounds like my idiot brother.” Miwa snickered. 

“All brothers are idiots.” Natsu harrumphed, crossing her arms across her chest. 

“That’s what sisters are for. Putting wayward brothers into the proper direction.” Miwa nudged her face back into staring directly at the mirror, still styling her orange locks into a neat plaited bun which went well with her dress. Shouyou admitted that she did a really good job in making Natsu look pretty. “How’s that?”

Natsu beamed at the result. “It’s wonderful! You’re the best!”

“We still need to put on makeup.” Miwa said as she craned her neck to call someone from outside the camera frame. “Sora! Get me the makeup kit will you? The one in the purple bag.” 

There was a faint response and some footsteps thudding along what sounded like the floor. A cheerful kid between ages six to seven passed by the camera in a quick blur, cool black hair exactly the same shade as his mother’s flashed. The excitable child peered over the camera, striking storm blue looking at Shouyou with wonder.

“Sora, say hi to your uncle Shouyou.” Miwa said.

“Hi uncle Shouyou!” The child piped up. She was a tiny version of Miwa, her only child. With that short cropped hair, he looked just a little bit like Kageyama, if the man ever learned to smile without looking creepy. “I just wanna say that you looked so cool on TV while paying for the VNL last week! I really really like how you go guwaahh when you receive those bam spikes! And your emergency toss to uncle Tobio in the game against France makes me—” She shook her hands with excitement, eyes sparkling and her whole body vibrating. “It’s so cool!” 

“Sora!” Shouyou liked meeting the youngest Kageyama when he could. She was a tiny girl overflowing with energy whose enthusiasm for volleyball may be equal to Shouyou and Kageyama’s own. He met her when she was just a baby, trying to grab his volleyball with her tiny hands. “How’s my favorite Kageyama? Have you been practicing well?”

There was a soft I thought I was the favorite Kageyama coming faintly from Miwa which made Shouyou laugh.

“I have! Natsu-ne plays with me when she’s free, and she taught me how to receive the ball properly! I’m going to join the volleyball club in my school too.” She grinned with her crooked, gap-filled baby teeth. “I want to learn how to block properly, but I’m having a hard time trying to jump higher. I want to jump as high as you, uncle Shouyou! But mom doesn’t let me practice later than four cause I hafta rest, and I hate it. I’ll never improve at this rate, it’s a travesty. ”

Miwa laughed at the pouting girl—the pout was eerily similar to Kageyama’s pout. Natsu asked with an amused grin on her face. “Where did you learn that word?”

Sora huffed. “I heard mom say it to uncle Tobio in a call the other time. She said his smile on the magazine was a travesty. And yeah, I think uncle Tobio’s smile does need a makeover.”

Maniacal laughter escaped from Shouyou’s lips as he covered his face at the utter seriousness Kageyama’s own niece said these words, his own flesh and blood, and from a kid and his mom. Kids were ruthless. They say the wildest things; fearless little creatures who aren't afraid of anything. Gutsy. It was something admirable sometimes.

“Yeah, you’re right. Uncle Tobio’s smile is a travesty.” Shouyou sighed, a mischievous smile on his face. “But! It’s also a travesty if you can’t play volleyball because you get sick or injured, so you should take breaks. Your mom is right.”

“I hate that.” Sora mumbled. “Uncle Tobio said that to me too. Personal maintenance. Volleyball is more than just playing, it’s in the habits we do everyday too! It’s in eating, and sleeping, and clipping my nails, and taking good care of myself and my health. That if I love volleyball, I should live it everyday.”

Yeah. Shouyou thought. It was Kageyama who taught him that from the very beginning, the lesson he had been trying to tell him from the very first time they met. That was years ago. There was something oddly sentimental in the thought of helping teach it to this tiny kid who also wore Kageyama’s name. 

“That’s right. Volleyball is a constant habit.” Shouyou proudly said. 

“Right! Cause when you love something, you spend everyday thinking about it!” Sora giggled. “And I love volleyball!” 

“Okay, that’s enough for now.” Miwa ruffled the child’s hair with affection. “I need to work on Natsu’s makeup and you need to do homework.” 

Sora whined. “But I don’t want to do homework.” But she followed her mother’s orders and left the frame with a signature pout. 

“Bye Sora! We’ll play when I get back to Japan!” Shouyou called out. A faint bye called back from the child. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “She’s so energetic, isn’t she? I like her enthusiasm.”

“I swear she’s taking more after you two than me, her own mother.” Shouyou couldn’t see her face, but she sounded amused while also exasperated. Her manicured hand continued to apply lipstick and powder on Natsu’s face, a process that was mostly lost to Shouyou, but he found oddly fascinating. “But why am I surprised? This family is full of volleyball idiots.”

“I’m not a volleyball idiot.” Natsu protested. “I love volleyball, but I have a life outside of it too. I have friends and stuff, and I don’t make it my whole personality.” She stuck her tongue out. “I certainly won’t pick my lover because of volleyball.”

Shouyou spluttered. “I don’t make it my whole personality! I have friends—” 

“From volleyball, or people you pulled into playing volleyball with you.”

“—And what’s so bad about being a volleyball idiot, anyway?”

Natsu pointed at him while Miwa firmly adjusted her head properly to the right angle. “So you don’t deny that you would pick your lover because of volleyball?” 

Shouyou choked back his retort, face heating up. He knew Natsu was as demanding as him, if not more, but suddenly his sister was nagging him about romance. It was probably one of her temporary fads, some kind of impulsive desire she wanted to pull Shouyou into joining as well. She was prone to different flights of fancy, and while Shouyou often indulged her, he wondered if he was humoring her too much.

His thoughts turned back to Kageyama, running forward on the dunes with his back against him, to dim blue rooms and refracted light from the water, to late talks at midnight, to unsent messages. Kageyama, who never showed any interest in romance.

“Oh Natsu. Leave them alone, they’ll figure it out.” Miwa’s distant voice chided. “Tobio’s a dumbass too. They’ll get to it when they get to it. Now, I want you to look at the mirror and take a look at your face, because you look stunning.” She leaned over and directed Natsu’s gaze to the mirror, and Shouyou witnessed first hand how his sister gasped with absolute delight. It made Shouyou chuckle, even though she was definitely grown up now, Natsu was still his Natsu.

“I love it so much!” Natsu squealed, wrapping her arms around Miwa but careful not to mess up her hair and makeup. “Thank you thank you thank you! You’re the best!” 

“You look good!” Shouyou said as well, and Natsu’s expression brightened more. “Blow them all away, Natsu!”

“Yeah!” Natsu exclaimed as she got up and dusted her skirt. “I’m going to have to go now, or I’m going to be late. Miwa-ne, the bill is going to—”

“Tobio’s going to deal with it. I know.” She laughed. “Go drain his wallet more for me.” 

“Wait, when did this happen?” Shouyou spluttered. “What’s this about Kageyama paying your bill?”

“Oh!” Natsu said between her frantic shoving in her bag with her belongings. “He said he’ll do it in exchange for my silence about that time I caught him eating your leftovers from Onigiri Miya that one time he came to our house last year after the Olympics.”

“He what?!”

“Oops.” Natsu said, not apologetic at all. “Anyway, gotta go. Bye!” She took her phone and cut off the video call before Shouyou could even ask about it. Shouyou, midway folding his clothes and putting away the contents of his suitcase, stood there in shock.

So that’s where his tuna mayo went that day, that selfish bastard.

“Shouyou, not like that. Like this.”

Laughter, carefree, though a little stern. The sound was very faint and at the same time vivid, like it didn’t come from one person’s mouth but from the backdrop where everything passed too easily, like it was the verbal equivalent of water cascading through his fingers. Still, it was too cozy for something as frustrating as this. 

“I can’t form it properly.” Shouyou said through gritted teeth. The place was too cozy, too comfortable, and Shouyou’s fingers were losing dexterity, losing the deftness of his body which he so took pride in. The whites grains stuck on his skin. It was a little uncomfortable and messy. 

“Nii-chan! You’re bad at this!” Natsu’s giggles were airy to the ears. This too, flowed like water. Ungraspable, but pleasant. “You didn’t practice enough!”

“Hrk,” Shouyou groaned even as warm, gentle hands guided him through the process. The onigiri in his hands easily fell apart, feeble, misshapen. The nori seaweed wasn’t doing much good either, crumbling into a sad square on the plate without even sticking properly to his rice ball. He hadn’t made onigiri in awhile, nor had he been in his childhood kitchen in so long, but everything was slow, and calm, and golden. 

It was nice. This was really nice. 

Wet hands, rub salt on palms, take just enough rice on your hands and flatten them. Stuff it with pickled plum filling and tuck it. Mold it. Form them into a triangle shape. A triangle shape for safety passage through the mountains, triangle shaped for the gods. Ask the gods for guidance. Ask the gods for direction. You’re always running, always climbing that mountain. Slowly, surely, it’ll take proper shape. Somehow, no matter what Shouyou did, they just never took form.

“Mhm.”

Shouyou turned around and suddenly Kageyama was next to him, creating onigiris as well, lining them up on the plate in front of him. Kageyama, casually sitting in his childhood kitchen with a rickety old stool with fading green paint, fingers pressing down on rice and creating perfectly shaped onigiris. Shouyou looked around for his mom and Natsu but they had vanished from his sight. All that was left was him and Kageyama in this old room. 

Kageyama picked up Shouyou’s creations and started eating them, one by one despite how misshapen it was, despite Shouyou trying to stop him. Kageyama, in his old home’s kitchen, eating onigiri like no one’s business. What a strange sight. Kageyama dragged his gaze towards Shouyou mid bite, mouth turning into a smirk.

“And then I woke up.” Shouyou explained as he closed his locker, ready to start training again. 

“And then you woke up.” The man repeated with an amused quirk up his lips. He was long done changing but opted to lean on the wall and wait for Shouyou to finish. “And then you decided to tell me.”

“Because it’s such a ridiculous dream, Juan!” Shouyou exclaimed. “Why onigiri? And his smirk? It was so annoying, I swore it felt so real.” He had more to say, but Portuguese was still tricky despite speaking it for years. He was severely out of practice during his two years back in Japan. What he gained instead was a weird influence of Kansai-ben in his Japanese accent that most people pointed out, the mix of Japanese, English, Portuguese, and Kansai dialect made him speak funny now. It was a growing concern.

“Shake it off, man. It’s the jetlag getting to you.” Juan offered with a laugh, patting him on the shoulder. “You should sleep properly, Shoyo.”

“I sleep properly!” Shouyou cried out. “The jet lag isn’t a problem now . Out of everyone in the team, I think I’m lucky enough to only have to adjust to three hours. When we first touched down in Chicago from Tokyo though, we just passed out in the hotel.” He recalled the first few days of training for the VNL. The meeting point was Japan where the JNT had to train before flying off to America for the matches. Being a pro athlete was pretty hectic. “When I flew from Brazil to Tokyo, I think I slept through the entire day too, just straight up snoozing like a baby. But, thankfully I could deal with anything so long as I soak in the sun. Still, I wish there was something we can do against jet lag.” 

“Now, I’m half sure you’re just trying to brag about being in the national team.” Juan chuckled with a wistful twinkle in his eyes on their way to the court for their morning stretches. “Though, I don’t think I'd know what to feel if I met you on the other side of the court. You played against Esteves and Silva at the VNL last week, didn't you?”

“And Romero too!” Shouyou pumped his fist. “Actually I played against him a lot back in Japan. He was crazy good!” Especially when he was the setter. They suddenly became extra strong and it sent shivers down Shouyou’s spine at the thought of it. 

“What are you young ones talking about huh?” A new voice joined them while they were stretching. His grin was bright, and his green eyes sparkled with mischief. “Are you gossiping about me?”

“No one’s gonna gossip about you, Carriedo. Nothing interesting ever happens to you.” 

“Someone wasn’t able to take their morning shower today.” He huffed at the sandy haired middle blocker, busy taping his fingers from the bench. “Oh, my bad. It’s how you usually look. I could never tell with how gaunt you look everyday, Davi.” The man didn't say anything and gave him his taped middle finger.

“You shouldn’t rile David, Fernando.” Juan chuckled as he shot the Spanish libero with his signature exhausted look. “Ever heard of how the brighter a reptile, the more venomous they are? He’s basically a big neon warning brighter and more colorful than a carnival dancer shaking their hips in front of you.” 

Fernando laughed. “I would pay good money if you actually get Davi to shake his hips in a carnival costume, and just in time before Cuaresma. At least we could confess that to the holy father. I’m sure seeing him like that would be some kind of unholy thing. ”  

A scoff from the side. “I fucking heard that.”  And Fernando simply beamed. 

“Anyway,” Fernando rubbed his hands together. “What are we talking about?”

“Shoyo was talking about playing against Brazil’s big cannons in the olympics.” Juan explained. “More like bragging, if you ask me.”

"Ah yes. The big boys." Fernando whistled. “Fate’s cruel like that, the people you used to play with are the people you fight against, and the people you once were enemies with become your partners. Such is the fate of someone who plays pro volleyball.” He struck his chest dramatically, shooting them with a theatrical side eye. Fernando would know the feeling, having played for Spain a few years back.

“I think it’s exciting.” Shouyou exclaimed with a grin on his face. “It’s more fun this way.”

“You’re playing against actual volleyball gods! I grew up watching Romero on TV.” Juan bemoaned. 

“Me too!” Shouyou giggled, remembering the countless nights he spent watching the World Championships on his TV with Natsu, and occasionally with his previous teammates. “When I got to play against him the first time, I was trembling with excitement! And then I actually got to play with him in my team. I was so excited I could die!”

“Oh, only Shoyo of course.” Fernando shook his head. “His son idolizes you too. What else can you do?” 

“Rubens? Ah yeah! The last thing I heard from him is that he’s started training for beach! He’s so eager, it’s making me nostalgic.” Shouyou nodded to himself. Little Reubens occasionally sent him messages on his progress, and sometimes asking him for advice, and when that happened, Shouyou made sure to answer. He knew the importance of a good support system—he wouldn’t be here without Karasuno and his senpais, without Coach Ukai, both junior and senior, without Takeda-sensei, and even Washijo-sensei. That wasn’t even half of it. Shouyou knew he had a lot of people to be thankful to.

He felt honored to have the chance to do that to the younger players as well. 

“Good, most of you are already here. Lucas? Juan? Fernando? David?” A new voice called out from behind them. “Shoyo, you’re not too jet lagged? You just arrived yesterday.” 

“Good morning!” They all greeted the captain while Shouyou followed up. “No, I’m good to go, Gomes sir! I had plenty of rest last night and I woke up just in time.” He raised his hand with a tiny salute. 

Gomes patted his shoulder heartily. “ Good. We’re only missing Taylor and Petrov.” 

“Evgenii said his flight is tomorrow night, while Martin asked the coach for an extended vacation to visit his family for a day before he heads back. To you lot who came in today, we’ll be playing two-vs-two the whole day just to warm ourselves up from the break.” Esteves scratched his chin from behind Gomes, looking at all of them with a twinkle in his eye as the team started to look dismayed. “Ay, don’t look like you all missed me already. It’s not like I didn’t see some of you last week, no need to look so sad.” He puffed his chest out with laughter.

“That’s not what we’re sad about, old man.” Lucas snickered. There was a suspicious murmur from David that sounded like agreement. 

It was funny, all things considered, now that Shouyou thought about it. Most of these faces were national team representatives from their own countries. Somehow, the same people meet again in world staged matches. It was like they never left at all. Shouyou trembled in his shoes, clenching his fists tight enough to shake. Yeah, all his teammates were amazing. He was playing alongside first class players. The thought alone was enough to make him shiver in anticipation.

“Alright, but before that,” Gomes looked at them exasperatedly. “SAVC is coming close. That means we’ll be pushing a little extra oomf on the training. I know some of you just arrived, but coach arranged some away matches against Corinthians this weekend and then Santos for next week. There’ll be more scrimmages coming up so I need you all ready. If you think you’re not feeling well for it, speak up now.”

Shouyou perked up. An excursion to the beach sounded good. It wasn’t Copacabana, but Santos offered a good shore for runs in the morning. He added more distance on his runs, but it felt different running on sand. It added stability in his steps.

“We’ll be announcing the team line up for this weekend as well.” Captain Gomes continued, tapping the piece of paper on his hand. “I know it’s sudden to do this mid season, and we know the risks, but we’ve talked about this with coach and some guys here. It would benefit the team to adjust it this early, I know lots of you have only been in the team recently and haven’t really adjusted well just yet so the rigorous set of training camps and scrimmages will help us polish our new set up. The best time to do it would be now.” 

Juan looked at them with a furrow on his brow. “What?” 

Gomes simply shot him a smile. 

“So,” Esteves peeked at the list. “Here’s the line up for this practice match. David Thompson and Evgenii Petrov: middle blockers, Fernando Santos: Libero, Shoyo Hinata: opposite hitter, captain Ronaldo, me, and Lucas Silva: wing spikers.”

There was a collective murmur at the decision to put Lucas as a wing spiker when he was their starting setter. ASAS prided on versatile players that were proficient with more than one position, a feature that made Shouyou fit right in without problem, but Lucas’ plays were very systemic as the control tower, changing that now could only mean one thing.

“I think we know where this is going. I’m sure you guys have already heard about Lucas planning to retire next season.” Gomes chuckled. “Juan Pacheco, you’re going to be our starting setter this practice match.” 

Shouyou turned to Juan with wide eyes and a grin, clapping his hands for the achievement. “Ey! Congratulations!” He exclaimed, while the other guys patted him for the good work, some of them ruffling his hair, cheers mixing together into something indistinguishable. All while Juan stood there, blue eyes wide with surprise. 

“Oh.” There was something indescribable in his expression, one that Shouyou wasn’t sure of. A mixture of elation, pride, fear, anxiety, happiness, doubt everything, neither. All of it too fast to pick apart one by one. It was a peculiar reaction, Shouyou thought. He looked less doubtful when he got his starting position, but perhaps Juan was simply too shocked to say anything. 

“Fuck, we’re really gonna have to win this.” Juan finally grappled through his emotions. 

“Attaboy.” Gomes laughed. “Now all that’s out of the way, time to proceed to that two on two drill.” 

The cheering crowd suddenly fell silent with a groan.  Nobody really liked two vs two. Shouyou couldn’t help but splutter out a laugh that echoed contrastingly stark against the overall unenthusiasm. 

As far as childhoods went, he’d like to think that he had a good one. 

Shouyou spent his early days running around and playing with friends. He made lots of friends, and he played many games, different sports, racing through town with his bike, laughing carefree and untroubled. He had many passing playmates, some people he could barely remember the names of but could somewhat recall a familiar hazy picture of their faces in his memory. They had grown up now, but Shouyou’s memory of them was frozen at that moment in time. 

Shouyou had a knack for making friends, his mother always said. He was often found in the playground with a different face, a different kid. There were many people in his life who came just to pass by, people who stayed in his life briefly, people like playmates, a few of his classmates, and then there were childhood friends like Izumi and Kouji, who were in Shouyou’s life his whole childhood. 

People come and go. 

Some choose to stay longer than others. Some don’t spare you another glance.

Shouyou learned this early, and he didn’t mind.

The streets of Yukigaoka were familiar to him, something like home, but not quite. The cusp of intimacy, just the left side of strange. The lady boss from the fruits and vegetable stand, the granny from the salon and her Shiba Inu, named Lucky, the uncle from the meat stall, all familiar strangers he encountered everyday. He was such a lively child, a happy ray of sunshine in the form of a boy, the neighborhood grannies and aunties would tell him while they pinch his cheeks and offer him snacks.

As far as childhoods went, Shouyou had spent his days laughing away, playing with friends, biking across town with Izumi, Koji, and others, changing games every day. Baseball, soccer, basketball, tag, catching cicadas, drinking Ramune in the summer, sticky sweet, its cool condensation dripping down their fingers between shared laughter. Simple times.

“Shouyou, come play soccer with us.” One of the neighborhood kids used to insist. “Shouyou, play Keidoro with us!” or “Let’s race, Shouyou!”. They liked it when Shouyou was on their team, and Shouyou liked playing games. Quick on his feet, nimble, athletic. It was easy getting picked for these things, and he’d go through several sports as well. It was nice. It was fun. It felt good to be wanted for these games, to be picked for a team, to be wanted somewhere. It felt good to be wanted in general.

At the end of the day, their mothers would call them back home, and the kids would wave at each other, promising to see each other again the next day, not really knowing that it would be the last time they’d ever see each other. 

It was interesting how people moved on like that, growing apart, friends on the road towards being strangers, just a face of someone you used to know.

Some people grew distant with the distance. Some people changed with the time. Others move forward. Others got left behind.

“David! Jump!” 

The ball slipped through David’s fingers after an intense spike from Juan, and Shouyou just barely managed to keep the ball from hitting the ground, body dragging through the rubberized floor. Up fast, up fast. He repeated the chant in his mind, immediately springing back into position, eyes on the ball, eyes on the prize. Shouyou licked his lips and observed the game in near slow motion.

The ball was high up in the air after Fernando’s receive. Second, Juan was in position for a set. His high intuition was always a trouble to play against. A setter dump? A feint? A toss to Fernando? Overall proficiency was ASAS’ main strength; it allowed freedom to do different plays when coupled with a good team foundation. Even so, Fernando was a libero his whole life, and there were tells that came with it, habits one couldn’t shake off after focusing on one position. His spikes weren’t as strong or skilled as the rest. Juan was intuitive, but when one was observant enough, it was easy to read which direction he was setting. (Shouyou saw worse after all, training with another volleyball idiot throughout the foundation of his volleyball career.)

The ball flew from Juan’s fingers, Shouyou moved his feet to Fernando already in the air, meeting David’s block to successfully seal off Fernando’s attack. 

A resounding smack on palms echoed against the gym. The pain was sharp against his bright red palms, but they managed to kill the ball in the nick of time. It fell on the gym floor with a loud boom for everyone to hear. It was absolutely satisfying. Shouyou pumped his fist in the air with a whoop.

“Warn a person, next time.” David grunted, wiping his hands on his shirt with his usual gloomy face. “Well, we won anyway so can I really say anything?”

Across the net, Fernando was glaring at them as the set ended. “Argh! I hate it when you do that.” Fernando wiped his sweat with the collar of his shirt, hands on his knees as he panted. He had a frustrated grin on his lips which Shouyou reveled in with delight.

“Hate what?” Juan was also covered in sweat, panting heavily. “Shoyo fucking running from one side of the court to the next corner? You and me, bud. You and me.”

“That too. And when he jumps like that out of nowhere, like a bug.” Fernando explained. “Shoyo is the worst opponent in two on two’s. Really riles you up.”

“What can I say?” Shouyou tapped his chest with a smirk. “I am Ninja Shouyou for a reason.” 

“Alright, Naruto. Time to move.” David grumbled. “Esteves and Gomes are up next, and they need to clean the court.”

“Did I just hear Davi make a joke?” Fernando perked up on their way to the bleachers. “That was a joke right? You all heard that right?”

David kicked in the shin before moving on. Fernando gasped and shoved David on his ribs before they began their usual tirade of bickering. Shouyou was used to it at this point, just like the team was used to it. There were different personalities in different teams. Shouyou hasn’t been in many, and at the same time, it felt like he had been with everyone too. The definition of a team changed per person anyway. Shouyou was just happy to be in a good one.

Memories of the corner of a court, him alone with his lonely serves resurfaced. Him, looking in his tiny corner while other teams in other sports trained. Three years of all that, lonely spikes after lonely spikes, not even enough to practice serving. He didn’t have a court to play on after all. 

If he could go back in time, he had a lot of things he could change. Now that he had hindsight, he could see a hundred different things he did wrong, and twice that number on what he could do right. Mistakes were important to improvement, and Shouyou had enough to his name.

"But really Shoyo, how are you so full of energy?" Fernando sighed as he plopped on the bench next to him, towel on his hand and drink on the other. “You run in the morning too, don’t you?"

"Yeah. Shoyo always arrives first." Juan slid next to him, joining in the conversation. David was next to him, looking uninterested but was certainly listening.

Shouyou laughed just as the next group started their match. He rolled off his arm sleeves as he replied. "My house was very far from my school and we didn't have money for a proper mountain bike, so I rode my mother's old one up a mountain on my way to school since I was a kid, the one she used for shopping." 

"Up a mountain?!" Fernando exclaimed, spilling some of his drink on his lap.

"Right. Everyday. It takes forty minutes but I try to do it in less than thirty." Otherwise he wouldn't arrive first in the clubroom, and it would count as his loss. 

"And you practice in the morning too?"

"Club starts early!" Shouyou beamed. "Then when I was training for beach volleyball in Rio, I delivered food on a bike too part time." 

"You're crazy." Fernando started laughing in disbelief. 

"I think everyone needs to be a little fucking crazy to reach the pros." Juan chuckled, nudging Shouyou on the shoulder. “No sane bastard’s gonna want to spend the whole day training to hit a ball in three  sets of twenty four.”

"I agree." Fernando snapped his fingers. "Example, my parents thought I was crazy for not going to college."

"Not a lot of athletes go to college. Must be nice though." Juan said. “They gave me recommendations, but my family wanted me to go pro ASAP.”

Shouyou nodded as someone who opted to train instead. There were only a few of them even way back in Japan. Though, Omi-san did go to college before joining MSBY. He wasn't so sure about everyone else. “I had some recommendations too.” Everyone thought he was going to the collegiate leagues as well. 

“But Shoyo, you trained in Rio, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.” Shouyou said. “Still the best decision I made.” And he meant this regardless of all the troubles it initially caused. Moving halfway across the world was life changing.

"I went to college." David finally murmured while filing his nails. 

"Oh?" Fernando raised a brow. "What’cha take?" 

David didn't look up or pause from his handiwork, considering the merits of answering properly. "...Sociology."

"And how are the student loans?"

This time, David looked up with a glare. "We don't mention it." 

"That bad huh?" Fernando snickered. “I think I understand now why you’re such a sourpuss, Davi.” 

Shouyou filtered out the noise as the two started to bicker once again. Instead, his thoughts wandered off to the idea of going to college. Once upon a time, everyone had expected this of him. It was a solid plan, join a collegiate team, hone his skills there, learn better techniques, play more volleyball.  Once upon a time, Shouyou thought that was what he was going to do as well. 

He didn’t exactly write down his future like Yachi did with all her planners and step by step masterplan down to the letter, nor Tsukishima’s calculated choices and decisions. No, Shouyou only had desire. As a kid he knew he wanted to play volleyball since the very second he saw the Little Giant on screen. Any road that made him play more volleyball was the most ideal path. His mother probably expected him to, just like what Natsu was doing now. He could have probably gotten an invitation to play in a collegiate team. He could have applied to a university and tried out for a team—he was confident that if he tried out, he would be a starter. 

And yet, no. 

Shouyou did something nobody expected, not even his past self. If you told him when he was younger that he would fly halfway across the world, he wouldn’t really be surprised, but he would be confused. Being a Hinata meant being prone to following their flights of fancy, dreaming for bigger things, bigger than what their tiny hands could handle, at least that was what his mom told him. He and Natsu often did as they pleased, both a good and a bad thing, this trait of just packing up and leaving on a whim to follow their ambitions.

Shouyou didn’t know a lot about genetics, and if being ambitious was something you could pass to your kids, Shouyou didn’t know a lot about the other Hinatas in his family, he didn’t know about a lot of things. 

But he was the type to do what was necessary to achieve his dreams, so it didn't really matter if people were surprised, nor did it matter if there were others opposed or angry to it. 

It didn't matter if he had to do it on his own. Of course, he was lucky enough to have people support him. 

"Shou, you alright?" Juan patted his lap and shook him out of his reverie.

"Yup! All good, don't worry." He beamed. The match before them continued, the scores from both teams close, and the outcome unpredictable. It made Shouyou perk up. "Hey, Juan, wanna make a bet?"

>>> Today, 23:21 

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

SUBJECT: Check in!

[INBOX] Hinata-senshu! Good morning! I know you’ve already touched down last night, but I want to ask how you’ve adjusted….<see more>

>>> 07/21/2022, 04:21 

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected], [email protected]

SUBJECT: 

[INBOX] [IMAGE FILES ATTACHED] You guys might want a more HD version of the pics. Didn’t want the quality to downgrade. Sorry for the late….<see more>

>>> 07/14/2022, 10:09 

From: [email protected] 

To: [email protected]

Subject: Olá Ninja Shouyou!

[INBOX] Hello ninja shoyo. Sorry for my bad english but papai said practice my english is good for me. You can speak in my language and i thought it….<see more>

>>> 07/16/2022, 02:01 

From: [email protected]

To:[email protected]

[INBOX] Quora Digest

Who is currently the best volleyball player after Romero retired? - Usually I wouldn’t think too much about the answer cause I’d answer Esteves or Russo no doubt, but Japan has some promising people. Wakatos…<read more>

>>> 07/16/2022, 03:51 

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], estev…

Subject: TRAINING CAMP

[INBOX] Olá, equipe! Estaremos realizando nosso campo de treinamento na próxima semana. Aqui estão alguns lembretes….<see more>

"One more order of galinhada please!" Shouyou raised his hand to the waitress, plate already clean and empty. The woman responded with a wave and a smile, already on her way to the kitchen.

"Damn, Shoyo can you eat a lot. Put some mercy on Juanito's wallet." Fernando marveled while drinking his glass of water, shooting him a look of amusement. 

"Ah, leave him be." Juan waved off. "I lost the bet after all, so I need to buy him dinner as promised. I may be a bastard, but I am an honorable one."

"That's his third plate."

"You're going to overeat.” David warned with a push of the vegetables on his plate with his fork. “Don’t bite off more than you can chew—or in this case, digest at a time.”

“It’s okay.” Shouyou murmured after chewing. “I can take at least one plate more.”  

“Shoyo has a very big appetite.” 

He nodded. “I have a very big appetite. And if I lose next time, I’ll pay for Juan’s dinner.”

There was a tiny murmur from David about the size of Juan's food intake and how it was hardly a fair fight with how much Shouyou ate per meal. 

“Hey, this is a lot already.” Juan scoffed, immediately changing the topic. "Anyway, Shoyo, don't you want to order beer? We got the weekend off. It won't hurt to drink a little. I’ll order us both."

"Sounds tempting, but I'm good." He shook his head vehemently, being the only one in the table not drinking something alcoholic and sticking with plain water instead. "I only drink on special occasions. Come back to me once we win SAVC, and then we'll talk."

"I love the confidence." Fernando tipped his chin up with a chuckle. “That’s right, never settle for less!”

“That’s because my team is good.” Shouyou grinned, and everyone in the table toasted to that with a cheer, even David raised a reluctant glass and clinked it with Fernando’s, a roll in his eyes though a little pleased twinkled in his stare. The way David looked at all of them was laced with exasperated resignation and tolerance, but he probably didn’t hate them, otherwise he wouldn’t hang out with them. 

The dinner continued with their usual loud chatter. Shouyou was happy to practice his Portuguese which he wasn’t able to brush up on since playing two years for Japan, save for when he called Heitor, Nice, and Pedro. It used to hang heavy on Shouyou’s mouth, each syllable elusive and too slippery for his rigid Japanese. (Briefly, it made him think about Kageyama and how he was faring with his Italian.)

After two years of playing in Division one, Shouyou had tried out for ASAS just before the start of the Olympic season. His agent had submitted his application and had done the necessary paperwork for the transfer. One season later, Shouyou folded his MSBY jersey and packed his things in suitcases, flying all the way to Sao Paulo, playing volleyball, ready to challenge the world.

Shouyou was happy, and supposedly, he should be content. 

“Alright,” Juan pressed his palm flat on the table, an order of dessert shared among them. “The world championship is in Rome. Any plans to sightsee? I haven’t been to Rome before. Have you been, Shoyo?”

“Oh yeah, it’s in Rome!” Shouyou thought to himself. “No, I’ve never been.” 

“I’ve been to Roma before.” Fernando shared. “I was freshly eighteen. Rode a train with a friend out in a whim without solid plans, made our way across Europe. I had major burn out, doubted my future with volleyball, but as we winded up in Italy, I went to watch the Serie A championship at that time. Trentino vs Roma, the score 24-25 in the fourth set. 2-1.” He glanced at them with a smirk on his lips, the dregs of a story slowly dripping out of them. “So Trentino was one point away from the win. Roma was in a big pressure to stop the momentum. The ball goes up the air, flies through the blocks from a good set up and there. I saw it.”

“Saw what?”

“As if in slow motion, the ball whizzes to the ground—and for a moment, everyone thought it was game over! But there’s two inches separating victory and defeat. The ball goes up in the air—”

“And you get inspired to continue being a libero, yes? The crowd goes wildest in those super saves!” Shouyou pumped his fists with enthusiastic energy. 

“What—no!” Fernando scoffed. “Libero saves are always a crowd favorite. A banger. Always gets people cheering. It’s why I played volleyball in the first place.” He nodded with pride. “But no! The save was good, but I needed a new perspective. The ball goes up in the air perfectly to the setter, quick set up and a brutal rally to keep you at the edge of your seat. Then it happened—”

“Just cut to the chase.” David sneered.

“How about stop interrupting me?!” Fernando clicked his tongue. “Anyway! Roma sends the ball to their spiker. He flew midair with conviction, body in a standstill. For a few seconds, I swore he was floating. Then he slammed through the blocks without even a single doubt that he couldn’t do it from the lines of his body, muscles taught like a bowstring before release! It won them enough time, which they used to turn the tables. There were amazing plays that day, and it wasn’t the winning shot. But that shot had turned the tide of the game.” He grinned, pointing at them. “He’s Ali Roma’s captain now. It was at that time that I knew I wanted to crush shots like that. I wanted to deny them this glory.”

There was a brief pause among the people in the table before David broke it with a “Wow you’re such an asshole, do you know that?”

“Says the person who only ever smiles after shutting down a spiker, and you look evil doing it too.” Fernando jabbed. “I can see you as someone who would be mischaracterized in a show as a villain.”

David rolled his eyes.

“And how did you get into volleyball, David?” Juan asked with a sip of his beer. 

David gave him a displeased side eye, but he didn’t protest or say anything mean. He simply sighed with resignation. “My parents asked me to try it because being in a club is good and they’re too busy to take care of me. I was good at it and I continued. Here I am today.”

“Ah.” Juan remarked. “That’s some fucking serious abandonment issues there.”

David glared at him.

“What about you, Juan? What got you into it?” Shouyou piped up.

“My parents were both in the Superlega. Makes sense that I’d follow them too. I’ve known volleyball all my life.” He said casually with a shrug. “And you, Shoyo?”

Shouyou giggled at the memory. “I saw someone jump on TV by chance. He was playing volleyball in Nationals. When the team was pushed to a corner, he blasted through the high blocks and won the point for the team.” He sighed wistfully. “He was about my height too. I knew then that I wanted to be him.”

“Ah, I see.” Fernando gave a long thoughtful hum. “Was it because he’s short?”

“Hey!” Shouyou exclaimed. 

“It’s definitely because he’s short.” David agreed. 

“Does everyone in this team have a shitty personality?” Juan rubbed his temples with a soft laugh. 

“And you thought you of all people could say that?” David snarked.

Juan laughed. “Right, my bad. It was right there in the requirements. It said: ASAS Sao Paulo is looking for awesome volleyball players. Must be good at volleyball, handsome, hot, and most of all a bastard.” 

“I’m no bastard.” Shouyou snorted. It was a rather peculiar team, like a hotpot of misfits in a single court, not too different from Karasuno, if Shouyou had to say for himself. Not exactly the same, never the same, but similar, just a little closer to familiar than strange. No team was the same, and while Shouyou was used to working with different people, there was something great about familiarity, comforting. “I am a very good person." 

"Says the guy who was scolded last week for destroying the gym equipment from overuse." Fernando said.

"That wasn't intentional!"

"Anyway." Juan cut in, snapping his fingers for them to focus. "Rome. Where do you want to go if we win."

" After we win." Fernando corrected. 

"The Capuchin Crypt." David spoke up with a sip of his wine, surprising everyone around the table, not as much as what he said surprised them. “They’re offering a tour that passes by the Christian catacombs. There are lots of royalty buried there. A couple of martyrs too. That would be fun.”

The rest of them were silent, blinking at what he said.

“What?”

“Okay. Let’s never let Davi plan a vacation.” Fernando declared. “Let’s go to el Coliseo .”

“Too touristy.” David complained.

“It’s not a proper Roman holiday without it. Just like the movie.” 

Juan perked up. “The fucking Aubrey Hepburn one?”

Fernando snapped his fingers. “Exactly.”

Shouyou tilted his head. “Movie? What movie?”

David huffed. “Oh, it’s a Roman Holiday alright. I’m going to suffer while you go off galavanting around crowds.” 

Fernando raised a brow. “And you think looking at bones and dead people isn’t suffering?”

“Oh there you go again. You just never fucking got along since the first day, huh?” Juan sighed as the two of them got into another argument. They always did since Shouyou had joined the team, probably already did since way before. Something about it was endearing the same way it was tedious, probably it was the familiarity of it too. “Anyway, what about you Shou? What do you want to do?”

Shouyou tapped his feet as he thought about his plans. He did enjoy sightseeing. He did a lot when he was new in Rio, and if he had the time, he tried to go in every away game he was in. Perhaps spontaneity was better for things like this; going with the flow of what felt right at the moment. 

Tentative plans and a flexible schedule would be good, but he couldn’t help thinking about the match instead. Of course it was the world championship, and there would be lots of crazy players. ASAS had won enough games to qualify for it and Brazil was automatically given a slot due to its world rankings. Poland, Russia, Japan, Argentina, the host countries too…

Shouyou’s throat was a little tight as he swallowed down his dessert at that moment. Italy was the host country, but even without it, Shouyou was certain that man would be there. He was always there.

Sharp blue eyes not unlike the color of a storm, fingertips crackling with lightning. In the image in his mind, Shouyou could see him clearly, waiting as he always did, lips in a constant downturn. What are you doing now, dumbass?  

It made his stomach squirm and his neck heat up.

Of course Kageyama would be there. He was Kageyama after all. 

They were always going to meet at some point. They had the same goal and they were headed in the same direction. Even more so with the FIVB championship in Rome, almost like coincidence, almost like fate, perhaps an accumulation of different choices and this was the end result. Regardless, they were going to meet.

And then, after the games, Shouyou was flying out of Rome and back to Sao Paulo. They meet just barely, just briefly, like intersecting lines—a blink and you’ll miss it, kind of thing. It had been roughly a week after VNL, and it hadn’t been long since they’ve last seen each other, and yet—

Shouyou thought of the upcoming months. He thought of half finished conversations, late night phone calls, two years of distance, months of non-contact, the days that would be spent waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

“Shoyo, here’s the glass of water you wanted.” The waitress came over to their table and broke Shouyou of his reverie. She smiled down at him as she set the glass and pitcher down.

“Thank you Elena.” 

“Anything for you, Shoyo.” She winked before going back to the kitchen. 

“She’s totally into you.” Fernando jerked his head to where Elena went. “Why not ask her out. She seems nice.”

“Someone already asked him out last month.” David said. “He refused. It’ll be the same here.”

“Ah, what a heartbreaker.” Fernando mused. “You refused all the team’s attempts to set you up with someone too. Got a lady waiting for you at home?”

Shouyou laughed. The only ladies waiting for him were his mom, Natsu, Miwa, and Sora. Yachi too, if he was being generous. “No lady.” 

“A gentleman, then?” Fernando raised his eyebrows suggestively. “That’s okay, I don’t judge. I like all of them too. More chances of winning.” Juan and David murmured something that sounded like agreement. Well, Juan flat out agreed and David looked more reluctant with his acknowledgement. He had a weird scowl on his face. 

This time, Shouyou blushed. “No gentleman either.” 

Though, Shouyou had to admit, someone was waiting for him. Or maybe, he was waiting for someone. Their relationship was built upon that.

Waiting, always waiting.

“Oh, leave it. I don’t see you flourishing in that department either.” David rolled his eyes. 

“You don't have anyone either Davi.” Fernando scoffed. “Juan’s got someone though.”

“No, I broke up with her last month.” Juan said. “Too clingy. Not my style.”

“Oh.” Fernando balked. “Sorry.”

He smiled pleasantly, somehow unfazed by the whole thing. “Forget about that bullshit. Relationships are dull. Anyway, Shoyo, You didn’t answer my question. You got plans in Rome?”

“Well,” The tapping on Shouyou’s feet slowed down in a much more mellow rhythm as he made up his mind. He looked at Juan with a grin. “I think I’m going to go see a friend.” 

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The place was dark, faint, and gloomy. The streetlights were of little help, barely providing light on the pavement, and everything else was gray beyond the eye could see. The cold was biting, and the wind nipped at his neck, at the tip of his ears and his nose, faint impressions of trees whizzing past him behind street rails, a black road frozen from the snow, slippery and difficult to climb. It was easy to get in an accident with them, one wrong step and he would go crashing down.

The wheels crunched on fallen snow, the howl of the wind harsh and brutal, but he couldn’t stop.

Climbing the mountain was all he knew to do, one peak, then the next, occasionally resting but never stopping. Climbing up his mountains covered in shadow and snow, with only one source of light as his guide and the tracks of wheels steadily fading away if he didn’t go faster. 

The figure of a man pedaling on his own bike  appeared up ahead as the mist cleared just a little to show his impression. The light Shoyou chased all this time had come from his bike’s tail lights.

Yes, Shouyou remembered that figure. He remembered the broadness of that back, always looking ahead and never stopping. “Oi Kageyama!” He yelled with all the power he could muster from his lungs. “Kageyama!” Shouyou pedaled harder on his old rickety bike as the name slipped the tip of his tongue, letting the sound carry itself across the wailing winds. Even so, it was not enough. 

“Goddamnit, Kageyama! I’m coming!”

It was gray overcast, mist in the mountains were too dense, and only the tail lights from Kageyama's bike were keeping him from getting lost. No matter how much he pedaled, he was not moving any faster, and the light slowly faded away. Snow clumped on Shouyou’s eyelashes and the snow storm had only gotten stronger, blurring all of Shouyou’s vision.

He kept his hand outstretched forward, teeth gritted together, hand desperate to grasp the fading figure. He needed to go faster. He needed to get stronger, he needed—he needed—

"Kageyama!"

Shouyou shot up from his bed and immediately hit his head on the ceiling with a resounding thunk. “Puta!” He exclaimed, rolling back in his bed, hands clutching at the sore spot. “Ah shit, shit, shit, shit.” 

It was a bad idea to claim the top bunk bed.

“Yo, Shoyo what happened?” A groggy voice from below murmured. It was obviously still dark out, the sun barely out in the sky. When Shouyou didn't respond, the bedside lamp was lit, washing the previously dark room with gold.

He had that dream before. Long ago. 

Shouyou dragged a hand through his face and hair, groaning as he buried it in his palm. "I'm fine, Martin." His muffled voice was loud in the death silent room. "Just a dream." He pulled the words out of his mouth, thick from the haze of sleep, first in Japanese, then correcting it in English. 

"Must be some kind of dream." Martin replied with his equally hoarse voice and Shouyou could tell there was a bemused expression on his face even without seeing it. “I could hear you groaning from down here.”

“My bad.” Shouyou laughed. He stretched out of the bed and peeked at his phone. The large 5:01 AM flashed him through the glaring white light. Well.

“Where you going?” Martin mumbled through his pillow. “We don’t assemble until 7:30.” 

“Going for a run.” Shouyou said while shrugging on a jacket and putting on socks.

“Alright. Be back before 7:30.” 

Shouyou was tying his shoelaces when he waved a hand of acknowledgement at Martin, already halfway out of the room, and a lot of nervous energy jumbling in his limbs he wished to release before the start of the day. He left the small hostel after a small breakfast and greeted the municipality of Santos’ breezy morning, the familiar ocean smell of brine and fish strong in Shoyou’s nose, the scent of sea soaked moss and sun dried sand, the smell of fish and water that reminded him of several memories at once.

“Seems a bit drastic to come to Tokyo for a haircut.” 

There he was, tall and brooding after all these months. His hair had grown longer, parting nicely beside his temples like a curtain of hair, a pout on his mouth. Shouyou thought he had started to adjust nicely to Tokyo after nearly a year of residence here, even though Shouyou was certain he would look out of place no matter where he was—anywhere that wasn’t in a volleyball court, at least.

Kageyama Tobio, nineteen years old and a starter for a top division one team. Kageyama Tobio, Shoyou’s partner, rival, and friend, once again grumbling beside him like their daily morning practices in Karasuno’s gym was yesterday.

“I’m actually visiting Kenma later, and you just happened to be in Tokyo,” Shouyou beamed. His freshly cut hair had let air brush against his neck with a slight tickle. “So really, you’re more of a layover.” 

He said this, but Shouyou was still happy to see him of course. 

There’s that usual scoff in his voice, the unimpressed way Kageyama talked that sounded as if he was constantly scolding Shouyou. “And so you decided to bother me with your chores instead.” 

“Hey, you said you know a good place. What I didn’t expect was to meet your sister. Seriously, you have a sister? You really don't bother saying the important stuff, do you? This is like that V-League thing all over again.” 

“And I’m bringing you someplace fun, too. For free! So don’t complain.”

“Fine.” Kageyama slid his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he looked around. “But why here?” 

“Kenma and I were supposed to go together but he was held up due to some meeting or another. He’s starting a company, you know?” Hinata shrugged. “So we decided to meet for dinner instead but Kenma already bought the tickets. Good thing too because now I have time for you, and since you won’t be there to see me off to Rio, think of this as your personal send-off. Not that you’re sentimental like that.” 

“Thanks.” Kageyama scoffed. See? unimpressed.

“You’re welcome.” Shouyou brushed it off with a grin. It was Kageyama being Kageyama after all, clicking his tongue at him. “Hey, don’t you click your tongue at me, Frowny-yama! I know you’re going to miss this cheeky dumbass when I leave.”

Kageyama didn’t say anything, nor did he comment on that. Instead, he pushed a paper bag in Shouyou’s hands. “Here.”

“What is this?” Shouyou peered at the paper bag with curiosity. 

A phone case?

Not just any phone case.

It has a milk box design.

“You’ve been going on about how everyone got you a gift.” Kageyama smirked. “So there, I bought you something. I win.”

“How exactly did you win?!” Shouyou exclaimed. “And it has a milk box design. What the hell? You didn’t take into account what I like. You just took the design you like the most!”

“Give it back if you don’t want it then.” 

“Fuck off. You already gave it!" Shouyou clutched the phone case protectively to his chest. “No take backs. It’s mine now.” Shouyou stared at the item with disbelief, caught between wanting to laugh and get annoyed. “But hmm…Tsukishima gave me a more stylish sunglasses for beach volleyball though.”

“....Give me the damn phone case back right now.”

“No—”

The memory was all blue and luminous, a little cold and unfeeling. It made Shouyou feel discomfited. He hadn’t thought about it in years. He wasn’t sure why he was thinking about it now. Shouyou had long figured out that aquariums and the beach had absolutely different feelings to them, and yet he couldn’t help but make that connection.  (Even though the ocean was always the wrong shade of blue. Too bright, too clear, too vibrant.)

Sunshine Mori Aquarium, 2016.

That was the last time they saw each other before Shouyou flew to Rio where they hadn’t exchanged a single word for approximately two years until Shouyou had decided to swallow his pride and call, feeling like he lost in an unofficial competition. (It was always a competition between the two of them, but somehow Shouyou felt like it was something more than loss throbbing at his chest back then.) 

He paused his run on the beach side, letting the wind blow against his face, whipping his hair in wild directions, toeing the sand which crunched beneath his shoes. It left footprints, impressions of his trail, pressed against the white gold of the coast. He wasn’t sure why he stopped—sweat slicked face dripping with precipitation, pants quicker but not harsh, heartbeat pumping fast but not to the point of palpitation—but it got him thinking. 

Tsukishima once said nothing good ever came up with Shouyou thinking. 

It wasn’t like they hadn't just met recently. Shouyou had just seen Kageyama a couple of weeks ago. They even spent the evening before their respective flights together, but Shouyou was already dialing his contact before he could ponder too much on it. The sun was rising from the east, stroking Shouyou’s skin with its light beams as he waited for the other side to pick up. 

(He tried not to look at his phone case and it’s battered, fraying edges.)

“ Ciao.” Shouyou grinned.

It was seven in the morning here. In Rome, it would be noon.

“What?”

The call finally picked up after five rings. Gruffy, constantly annoyed—Shouyou chuckled at the lack of a proper greeting that was in character from the man. It instantly comforted him to hear his grumbling.

“A good morning would be nice.” Shouyou snickered. “I’m telling Miwa-ne that you’re forgetting your manners.” He should start his trek to the gym they were going to practice in. Thankfully, it wasn’t too far away. He ran faster.

“You talked to her?” Came Kageyama’s terse response. 

“Yeah, last week. You should call her more.” Shouyou said. Seriously, Kageyama could be so absorbed in volleyball, he forgets about other people. It had been a shock learning he had a sister on the day Shouyou met the older woman. It certainly threw him off the loop. Would it hurt to warn a person a little? “Anyway! I bet you’re wondering why I called. Sometimes I worry if you’re actually making friends there, so I have decided to be a good friend and stay over after the World Cup Championship, how does that sound? Rome is hosting, isn’t it? I bet you’re getting lonely there without me.” He laughed. Kageyama’s Italian may have steadily improved over the years, but figured he still had trouble conversing with his teammates. Kageyama was Kageyama after all. 

Silence. Shouyou raised a brow. 

“Kageyama? Hey Kageyama? Kageyamaaaaa-kun, you still there?”

Was he ignoring him? He better not be ignoring him after Shouyou took the time to call him.

“Kageyama, don’t space out while I’m talking.” Shouyou huffed. 

“I didn’t.” The denial was instant the moment Shouyou called him out of it. Kageyama had a blank spaced out expression, something that spelled ‘dumbass’ in bold letters for everyone to see. Shouyou was certain of this. He was an expert on all things Kageyama after all. It was something he could say with confidence. More than anyone, Shouyou knew Kageyama best.

Kageyama was an interesting case study of truths and constants, exactly like how volleyball was non-ending and unchanging to both him and Shouyou, like a permanent fixture in his life. To Shouyou, Kageyama was as constant as the ocean with its vastness, its ancient secrets and all of the earth’s memories swallowed by the waves, buried in the seabed. Kageyama was Kageyama that way.

He wouldn’t quite call them friends at first—perhaps now, they’ve mellowed enough to earn the right to call each other that. Shouyou made lots of friends, he had a knack for making them, but to label what he and Kageyama had with friendship often tripped him. It was always something more than that and less at the same time.

“Liar.” Shouyou’s eyes rolled, clicking his tongue as he stuck it out. There was a little huffy sound from the phone, and Shouyou knew that Kageyama was pouting and frowning just like a kid trying to hide his misdeeds from his parents. It was a little amusing. “I said, the next FIVB World Cup Championship is going to be held in Rome, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” There was shuffling from Kageyama’s side. “In Palalottomatica.” The words curled with its foreign melody against Kageyama’s mouth, better than it used to be, yet still charmingly detached from its original sound, something not quite there yet.

Kageyama Tobio, aged 25, currently Ali Roma’s setter, previously Schewiden Adler’s, two time Olympian, Karasuno’s previous vice captain, and Shouyou’s rival; the same man who boasted of his measured daily habits and meticulous control. He was also the same man who flew all the way to Italy without learning an ounce of Italian except for basic questions like ‘where is the bathroom?’, ‘how much is this?’, ‘help, I am lost. Where can I find this?’, ‘I do not speak Italian’, and the rest of it being necessary phrases needed to play volleyball. 

It never failed to make him laugh. It was free ammunition to tease Kageyama with, and Shouyou couldn’t help himself. That’s what friends did after all.

Kageyama wasn’t his first friend, nor would he be his last. People came and went after all. People left and got left behind. Not Kageyama though, Kageyama was someone Shouyou would race till the end of times if it was the last thing they did out of sheer stubbornness. Kageyama was Kageyama, immovable, unchangeable, stubborn, a vision in front of Shouyou that he needed to chase, a point of inevitability, something he had to confront sooner or later.

And so Shouyou grinned with mischief even though Kageyama couldn’t see him.

“How about I come and drop by for a visit?”

FITNESS APP:

July 28, 2022

Activity:

Steps: 20, 321

BPM: 32 bpm

Sleep: 7.8 hours

Plan:

Daily Exercise >>

Diet >>

Medication >>

Note: 

Was able to run in the sand again after a while. I just don’t have as good access to beaches in Sao Paulo than I have in Rio. Called Kageyama he said I can stay in Rome. Reminder to adjust diet and exercise reps for that day.

Ninja shouyou next official game countdown acc @dailyninjashouyoupics. July, 29 2022

35 days until SAVC!!!

🖼️

109 🗨️ reply 260 🔄 retweet 9,009 ❤️ likes

       ↳ Ami @mitsurilovepillar July, 29 2022

          35 more days until next ninja shouyou appearance!!!

          🗨️ reply 1 🔄 retweet 3 ❤️ likes

Shouyou's life was often divided in increments of three years. 

It had been fourteen years since he decided to start on his volleyball journey. The three years after that, he was training all by himself throughout middle school until his fateful first volleyball match, three years after that was Karasuno and officially being part of a team, three years of Rio—one to pack, and two for training, approximately three years of playing in division one, and now the start of his career in ASAS. It was the start of something new. 

It was a little surreal being able to stand exactly where he had aimed for after years of hard work finally paying off. 

He didn't doubt that he could achieve it, save maybe during extreme points of vulnerability, those days where even someone as persistent as he was, got disheartened; because he could never imagine himself not playing the best volleyball the world could offer. There were days where he admittedly felt frustrated, stuck, stagnant. Of course slowing down was good, but Shouyou wasn't the type to slow down when he was passionate about something. 

His mother said he was born ready to run. She said Shouyou was born trying to get away from the doctor's arms, impatient to see what the world could offer, ready to crawl to her arms. Babies instinctively crawl towards their mother’s breasts—or so Shouyou heard from Natsu while they talked about his birth. Humans were designed to fill their grumbling stomachs, and Shouyou was born hungry. 

"You don't mind me cooking while we talk, right?" Shouyou tied his apron, the clank of pots and pans loud on the counter. He beamed at the video on his laptop.

"I don't care about that stuff, Shouyou." The image in the video replied, eyes deeply engrossed on his own Switch, little tapping noises clicking on the speaker.

"Cool." Shouyou turned on the stove and quickly prepared for a simple dinner approved by their nutritionist. Lots of protein, a balanced amount of fat and carbohydrates. They were telling him to add more carbs to his diet. 

"It’s good to see you settled again from last week’s scrimmage.” The monotone voice droned from the speaker, but Kenma’s cat-like eyes crinkled with its distinct sign of delight even when he was comp. “I already texted you last time, but you did well in the VNL.” 

“I thought so too!” Shouyou propped up his phone on the kitchen counter while he cooked dinner. The aroma of spices hit his nose, smoke and steam wafted up the air. He wasn’t good at cooking when he first went overseas, but he was slowly learning. “We didn’t win first place, but we played just as many games as second runner-ups. France was intense.”

“Mhm.” Kenma nodded with a non committed hum. His eyes strayed from the screen, probably to the game he was playing at the same time. Shouyou didn’t mind. He was used to Kenma being Kenma. “I saw some of the after party pics. You guys trended a little.”

“It was rowdy.” Shouyou wiped his hands on his apron. "I think Oikawa-san challenged the JNT into a dance off for Iwaizumi-san's hand. Apparently the Argentina team has grown attached to him after Oikawa-san talked their ears off about him. Iwaizumi-san was not happy about it though." Then there was that exhibition game they did last year in August. Iwaizumi was the only one holding those two from tearing each other apart.

"That explains stuff." Kenma shrugged. "Atsumu and Oikawa don't get along. Kuroo said they have been at each other's throats since the Olympics. He says it’s a rivalry."

"I don't get it either." Shouyou scratched his chin. "You'd think both of them have a lot more in common, like being setters and their rivalry with Kageyama!" Atsumu and Oikawa were nearly identical on surface, and yet hilariously different in fundamentals. The first time they met each other was versus the Argentina game. Shouyou believed the last dump on the third set’s match point did it for Atsumu, but it has eluded Shouyou why Oikawa disliked Atsumu.

"Kuroo said it's Atsumu's dislike for goody two shoes and  Oikawa's dislike for prodigies." Kenma explained when Shouyou voiced it out. 

"Where did he learn that?"

"Bokuto.” Kenma explained with a scrunch on his nose, a thoughtful hum escaping his lips. “And Mad dog." He added.

"Right! From Sendai frogs." Shouyou recalled. It was that hard hitter from Tsukishima’s team, the one with the permanent scowl and a troublesome cross. They first met in the Spring interhigh against Seijoh back when Shouyou was a first year.  “It's nice that Kuroo-san talks to the players." Even though they never interacted before. It doesn’t seem unlikely that Kuroo would.

"No Tsukkishima told Kuroo. His teammate was gracious enough to share the story."

"They talk?!" Voluntarily? Tsukishima rarely even replied in their group chat except to drop a sarcastic retort, but that was just Tsukishima being Tsukishima. Yamaguchi probably relays all the news to him anyway.

"If they have a match in Tokyo." Kenma said. "He likes gossip like that, Kuroo. He's regretful that he wasn't able to fly to the VNL because of it. He'll probably be there for the World championship though, to make up for it." 

Shouyou supposed being in the JVA was hard work. He was glad there were a lot of people supporting him so he could play volleyball for a living. 

"Where's Kuroo-san anyway?"

"Meeting." Kenma said with a pout and a deeper furrow between his brows. "He left early. The highschool associations are getting more applications last year, but he said he wanted to push it some more. Kuroo’s always busy these days trying to get more applicants from highschool. He shows up in every highschool match too."

“Ohhh.” Shouyou turned off the stove and transferred his meal to a plate. "That's great." 

"Mhm." Kenma shrugged. "What's the matter?"

He was tempted to say ‘it’s nothing’ was at the tip of his tongue, the compulsion to shrug it off was great, but Kenma never let anything past him. Shouyou shuddered, Kenma never pumped the brakes on calling him out sometimes.

"You still call him Kuroo?" 

Kenma raised a brow, looking up from his Switch. "Meaning?"

It sounded silly now that it left Shouyou’s mouth. He felt just a little silly, heat painted his face and the back of his neck. It made him want to rub at his nape, soothing the tingly sensations away. "I mean you're both in a relationship." He thought they would be more intimate, more open to calling each other by their first names.

Come to think of it, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi weren’t like that., Oikawa and Iwaizumi too. 

Kenma shrugged. "It's weird calling him anything else." Huh. Shouyou thought. It was weird how he was more on a first name basis with his friends abroad than those closer at home. Sure, it was because of the cultural differences, but it was a funny detail he noticed. A little ironic, as they said.

Kenma continued with a question of his own, changing the topic entirely. "How's Kageyama." 

"Kageyama?" Shouyou tilted his head. What did he have to do with this?

"You talk regularly, don't you?" Kenma explained.

It wasn’t that he was wrong, it was just something outside of what they were talking about. He didn’t understand why they needed to bring him up. "How'd you know?" 

"I can see it in your face." The cryptic response got Shouyou subconsciously touching his face.

"Huh?" 

"Both of you got September busy. The European champion is the same time as the South America Championship, isn't it?" That was right. September was busy for Shouyou, and though the SAVC was shorter than the European Championships, the games were still intense. Argentina was stronger than ever, but if they focused too much on them, the other teams were going to swallow them up from behind. Brazil was a top contender, but this was no time to slack off. No, there was no time to slow down after all. 

“Yeah. I guess he’s doing well. Kageyama is Kageyama. He plays volleyball, eats, sleeps, plays volleyball the next day.” Shouyou said. It wasn’t any different from what he did, really. It wasn’t any different from when they were in highschool. “My flight was earlier than his so I wasn’t able to see him off, but he still slept like the dead before I left him in our room. He always slept like the dead, I swear the world will be ending and he will sleep through it all.”

What else? 

“They broadcasted an exhibition game for some special event and got six service aces; he still doesn’t know how to use social media,” Shouyou finished recounting as he shoveled rice in his mouth. “Oh yeah, and I guess I’ll be seeing him this November.”

“For the World Championship.” Kenma clarified.

“Yeah, and I’m staying a week.” Kageyama didn’t sound so thrilled at first, but that was just Kageyama being Kageyama. He always acted so stuck up and annoyed, but deep down he was going to do what Shouyou said anyway. He could just cut to the chase and save time. Seriously, Shouyou didn’t understand him sometimes. 

“Ah.” Kenma said, unimpressed.

“What?”

Kenma held his stare for a significant amount of time. It was a little unnerving. “I just never thought you’d actually give time to do that. You’re always volleyball or nothing.”

“I mean, it’s Kageyama.” Shouyou furrowed his brow. “He’s…you know? He’s basically all of volleyball. Like the personification of it.” He couldn’t ever imagine Kageyama doing something else other than volleyball. Miwa showed him pictures of a baby Kageyama already grabbing at a volleyball like it was the world. The man was born for the sport, or the sport was made for him. Shouyou was almost certain the latter would still hold true. 

Kageyama was cute as a baby at least. 

Kenma’s cat eyes blinked at him in slow succession, brown eyes intense. The unnerving feeling was growing larger in the pit of Shouyou’s stomach. He couldn’t help but feel like Kenma was seeing through him and laying judgment on whatever he saw there. He also felt like the judgment was not so much as flattering as much as disapproving. It was not so different from a sensation as when Kenma stood across the net. 

It made Shouyou’s neck prickle.

“Sure.” Kenma finally said, and Shouyou felt himself exhale. “Anyway, initially I called you to talk about renewing your sponsorship contract.” He shifted the topic once again. 

“Oh? I thought it wouldn't end until December?”

Kenma somehow continued to sponsor Shouyou even after his beach volleyball career—well, his company was sponsoring him. Those were two completely separate things, apparently, the world-renowned youtuber Kenma, or Kodzuken, was entirely different from Mr. Kozume, CEO of a company. It sounded really awesome in Shouyou’s opinion, and he can’t help but feel a little jealous at Kenma’s coolness. 

If Shouyou got boring though, Kenma was going to stop. As much as that added pressure, Shouyou wasn’t too worried. He just needed to keep being unpredictable. So far, he thought he was successful.

“I just wanted to remind you. Your schedule seems packed.” 

“It is!” Shouyou exclaimed. “But I have that written down already as well. I even bought a journal the other day because of everything I needed to remember, but that didn’t really work out so I downloaded an app instead to remind me. I think it’s working out fine.”

“Hm. I did say initially. At this point, it’s just an excuse to call.” Kenma chuckled. “Tell me when you’re free so I can book your flight to Japan.” 

“Alright!” Shouyou checked his calendar and dialed in the tentative date of his flight. He had a feeling meeting face to face was also just an excuse for Shouyou to come back to Japan. Nevermind that, Kenma had a satisfied glint on his eyes and Shouyou didn’t really mind.

“Good. Now that we have that settled, how about a game of Minecraft?”

There was approximately 17,360 kilometers between Japan and Brazil. 

It wasn’t something people would often count, he doubted if people ever bothered counting the distance when they flew to another country, but it was something Shouyou couldn’t help but do—the counting. When you lack many things, you can’t help but count the things you have, the things you still need, the things you still owe. 

There was approximately 17,360 kilometers between Japan and Brazil. Shouyou never actually dreamed he was going to cross that distance, let alone to play volleyball. If someone told him at ten years old that fifteen years later, this was exactly the future he was going to live in, then he would have laughed and thought that someone was lying.

“You know, when I decided I wanted to play volleyball for a living, It never occurred to me that I  would be traveling  all over the place.” Fernando leaned on the bus’ chair with a huge sigh. “I’m no good with traveling too. Always makes me feel so lethargic after.” 

“You should be lucky you’re not like Petrov at the back.” Captain Gomes chided playfully from the front of the bus. “Oi, Evgenii! You good?”

There was a grunt from the middle blocker curled from the back of the bus near Shouyou’s seat. “Just carsick.” He said in his deep voice, accent thicker now that he was nauseous. “Will be okay later. Must sleep first.” The poor guy looked very pale and was so close to throwing up. There were beads of sweat rolling down his face and his hair was plastered on his forehead.

“We’re not that far anymore. We’re just two more kilometers from the venue.” The captain said.

“It’s okay Gen-san! I’ve been there before!” Shouyou gave his own encouragement, craning his neck from his seat to give the Russian man a thumbs up.

“Carsick?” Lucas from beside him raised a brow. “You never look carsick when we travel. Actually, you’re never sick.”

“No.” Shouyou explained. “I threw up on one of my senior’s lap while riding the bus once when I was in highschool while on the way to a scrimmage.” 

Fernando burst into fits of laughter while David scrunched his nose with visceral revulsion. He looked ready to spray Shouyou with hand sanitizer from that alone.

“And you said you had stomach problems when you were younger too! It’s just both holes from you, huh?” Fernando cackled.

“Please.” David hissed from beside Fernando. “Shut up. That’s disgusting. I don’t need that image in my head.” 

“Then don’t think about it then!” Fernando scoffed. 

“Isn’t it too late for that?!” 

The two of them continued to bicker, a common enough occurrence that the rest of the team continued to do what they were doing previously and left the two on their own world. 

“You actually threw up on the bus, Shoyo?” Juan leaned forward to ask from behind Shouyou, disbelief lacing his voice. “Like fucking spewed all over seats? LIke that?”

“Twice.” Shouyou nodded solemnly. “I get so nervous before matches that I upset my stomach a lot. It was horrible, I needed to run to the nearest restroom before every match and I ended up meeting all sorts of trouble there.” Somehow it still manages to happen despite playing for a professional team. His weird bathroom encounters were probably going to continue so long as he played in official matches.

Come to think of it, he first met Kageyama near the restroom too.

The first thing that came out of his mouth were reprimands. Kageyama was always scolding him about something. That didn’t really change nearly ten years later. Kageyama hardly ever changed. 

“So that's why you always go to the restroom before matches.” Lucas laughed, hands slapping the arm rest. “You never caught the jitters before the games. In fact, you always look 100% pumped up all the time. I think I even saw the captain and Ronaldo try to stop you from running head on into the court.”

“I think it’s funny how Esteves can just lift Shouyou without trouble.” Juan chuckled. He imitated his hold, as if lifting a cat by its arms. “Like that guy, Simba from the Lion King.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault he’s built like a tank!” Shouyou exclaimed, teeth gritted and fist clenched. “He’s so tall and so big, it’s frustrating.” 

“Oi, I heard my name! You kids better not be taking shit about me.” Esteves yelled from beside Gomes. 

“Now, now old man, no need to get so defensive.” Lucas quipped back. “Your blood pressure is going to rise.” 

“I’m only a year older than you, you know?” Esteves sighed dramatically, earning a couple of chuckles from the bus. 

“It’s a tragedy, really.” Lucas bumped Shouyou’s shoulder with a knowing twinkle in his eyes. Shouyou grinned back and let his bubbling laughter escape. “How will we ever blow through Russia’s blocks like this?”

“Figure out how to win against Argentina first, and then we’ll talk.” Esteves replied. “Tooru Oikawa’s a big problem next month, and I hope you’re all prepared for a rematch.” 

“And it’s not just Tooru Oikawa either,” Gomes joined in on the conversation. “The entire Argentina team is strong. Oikawa multiplies that strength as their setter. “Don’t just keep your focus on one guy, or someone is going to stab you in a place you least expect it. Now’s not the time to be complacent.” 

A chorus of agreement was exchanged in the bus. Gomes nodded his head with satisfaction.

“Well, it’s not just Argentina.” Lucas hummed. “Poland is also always such a troublesome team to play against with all its hard hitters. They just blow away all blocks with a single spike, and you always end up shanking it a lot in the first set.” 

Shouyou nodded. “Just when I thought Ushijima-san’s spikes were already difficult to return, they multiplied into six!”

“Right. You played against him back in Japan too.” Juan added. “Schweiden Adlers, right?”

“Yes. But he’s always been intense since highschool. He’s so damn cool.” Shouyou grumbled. “His school was cool too. They have horses! And their volleyball club had their own bus! The gyms were really huge and they also had their own washing machine. When I hang the vests on the rails above, I can see the whole expanse of the court and it’s the best spot to watch the match.” 

“Sounds like you spent a lot of time there.” Juan asked. “But you’re not schoolmates, are you?”

“Huh?” Shouyou tilted his head. “No, I snuck into their school. Twice.” 

“You broke into their fancy ass school with horses and a cool gym?” Lucas guffawed. “Why’s everything I learn about you is just plain crazy?”

“No, no, no, no, no, I didn’t break in!” Shouyou waved his hands and shook his head, quick to explain his excuse. “I followed Ushijima-san after we met each other on the street to his school the first time.”

“You stalked the man?!” Lucas gasped.

“No! We said we were going to scout their team because Shiratorizawa—that was the name of his school—was the top team in the prefecture, and if we wanted to go to nationals, we have to beat them in the regionals first, and then he said if we could keep up, we can go with him.” He spluttered his defense. It was just before the Interhigh, not too long after their loss against Seijoh. It was years ago, but Shouyou figured some memories simply stuck with you without reason. 

Admittedly, his first meeting with Ushijima was unconventional. Shouyou could remember the bizarre looks the rest of Karasuno exchanged after he told them what happened that afternoon, and maybe challenging the top ranked ace in all of Japan under nineteen was reckless and arrogant, but Shouyou didn’t care. In the end, the confidence wasn’t exactly baseless. Karasuno won and went to Nationals.

Those who grew from the concrete managed to thrive after all. 

“Ahhh, so you were invited?” Lucas scratched his chin and nodded with understanding. He looked satisfied and relieved that Shouyou didn’t commit a felony. “How about the second one? Did you get invited too?”

“Oh that?” Shouyou laughed. “No, Shiratorizawa was holding a training camp for all the players with the most potential in the prefecture. But I didn’t get invited so I snuck in on that one. Everyone got angry when they found out. I think I went through several lectures from different people when I got back.” Yes, he recalled. It was one lecture after another, and Takeda-sensei was the scariest one among them. Shouyou hadn’t seen him that upset.

Well, Shouyou remembered, there was that one time in nationals. 

“Why did you think that was a good idea?” Juan somehow couldn’t keep his comments to himself anymore and spoke up. 

“Because,” Shouyou explained. “I wasn’t going to improve if I didn’t do something and then I was going to get left behind!” Because stupid Kageyama was invited to the All Japan Youth Camp and Shouyou was desperately trying to chase the man, and just when he thought he was close enough to grab him by the back and run ahead, the bastard ran faster and further away from Shouyou’s grasp. 

“Surely a training camp isn’t worth going to jail for?!” Juan was torn between laughing and sighing from exasperation. “Oh my god.”

“Of course not!” Shouyou explained. “Otherwise, I would’ve snuck into the national youth camp in Tokyo instead. Tsukkishima said I was going to get arrested if I went, so…”

Both of them started to laugh uncontrollably.

“But the question is,” Lucas said between wheezes. “Did you actually get something out of  it? Or did they pick you up by the scruff of your neck and threw you out?” He snickered, clearly amused at Shouyou’s gutsy decisions at age fifteen. 

“I did!” 

Juan’s eyes widened. “You actually convinced them to let you in?”

“Sounds like Shouyou.” A gruff voice from behind them spoke. The three of them turned and saw Evgenii get up slowly. He made a feeble attempt to look more comfortable while also trying to see them. “Very wild. Spunky.” 

“Hey man, you doing better?” Lucas greeted the gloomy figure.

“Been worse.” Evgenii said in short and curt sentences, English heavily accented with his harsh Russian tongue. His English wasn’t the best, and Shouyou thought he sounded like a stereotypical Russian villain in the movies Pedro used to watch in their shared apartment, but Evgenii wasn’t anything like them. He also looked nothing like Lev who was half Russian, and yet there was some unnamable similarity that was bothering Shouyou. “The story made me forget just little. Do continue.”

“I got in alright.” Shouyou nodded as Evgenii settled on a more comfortable position. “But they didn’t let me in the regular practice.” 

“So what did you do?” 

Shouyou’s lips widened into a proud grin, shooting them a thumbs up. “I was a ball boy!”

Evgenii, Lucas, and Juan faced each other and let out a large mix of reactions ranging from an exasperated sigh to loud, boisterous laughter. Shouyou puffed his cheeks and was ready to retort back when captain Gomes yelled at them to shut up.

"Fuck!"

The concrete and the sand were very different. 

It was one of the first things Shouyou had to learn in his first week in Rio. It was difficult to unlearn the hesitation of falling on hard surfaces. 

"Oi, did you shit in the sea?" Oikawa's voice followed from behind him, laughing gleefully at the way Shouyou tripped and ate sand head first. "I didn't know you could curse. Has Tobio-chan finally rubbed off his bad influence on you?" The grand king had quite a mean streak in him, and Shoyou was here to witness it more closely first hand. It was weird. Oikawa wasn’t anything like he thought he was when he was younger, nearly three years ago.

"Kageyama can't even speak English." Shouyou groaned as he picked himself up from the ground, inspecting the stinging from his wrist. "I think something sharp scratched me."

He used to stumble on the rough and unforgiving ground while playing with his friends, his knees often scraped and skinned from the games they usually had from morning to afternoon, sweat trickling down his brows, and tears prickling from the corner of his eyes due to the pain. 

“ Are you okay, Shou-chan?” Izumi would run back to him with a worried look, and Koji wouldn’t be far behind him, a reprimand ready on his tongue. 

“ You really need to look at where you’re going, Shouyou. ” Koji would tell him in his disapproving tone. “It could have been a lot worse, seriously! Take care of yourself a little.”

The concrete was harsh but solid, the sand was just as rough, and yet it was also unpredictable. 

Shouyou saw red drip from his wrist, trickling to his arm in droplets. It was a little painful, enough to make him hiss. 

"Hmm. Looks like a broken shell did it." Oikawa peered over to where he was curled up. Shouyou looked up at the grand king who had his arms crossed, a stern expression sporting his face. "You should treat that up, shrimpy. It's going to sting when you receive the ball. 

“Right.” Shouyou dusted off the sand from his shirt. They stuck to every surface it could find, following him everywhere he went. His apartment was filled with its remains, the stubborn little things that always managed to cling to him despite everything he did. It was so different from the concrete, and yet nearly the same. 

“Oi, shrimpy what are you staring at the sand like that for? You didn’t hit your head too hard, did you? I’m not carrying you to the hospital if you end up having a concussion.” Oikawa huffed, arms still crossed over. 

“Can you even get a concussion from the sand?!” Shouyou exclaimed while scooping up a few grains and letting it fall back slowly on the ground, like an hourglass without its container. “The concrete and sand are very different.” 

That was right. If he hit his head on the concrete, then maybe he would have. Hinata Shouoyu from the concrete, it would be terribly ironic if he got concussed because he tripped head first into the hard ground. Shouyou snorted.

“Now, why are you laughing?”

“I just remembered how I met Ushijima-san.” Shouyou sighed as he stretched his legs as he sat on the beach.

Oikawa made a face. “Ugh. Why are you bringing that bastard up?”

Of course, Oikawa still disliked Ushijima even all these times. His distaste for Kageyama and Ushijima was a little funny to Shouyou now that he had spent more time with the man and had gotten used to his sudden mood swings. It wasn’t something he expected to deal with on the first night they had met, but even when it was admittedly bothersome, maybe the distance and the sudden reminder of home 17,360 kilometers made Shouyou welcome that trouble. 

“He’s on the same team as Kageyama. He’s in the national team too.” Shouyou said.

“Ugh, stupid national team. Stupid Ushiwaka. Stupid Tobio. Stupid prodigies.” Oikawa plopped ungracefully right next to him in a sprawl. “And? What did he say to you? Did he tell you his stupid speech about farming and fertile soil? Did he call you infertile too?” He rolled his eyes, speaking mostly to himself this time. “What is he on, anyway? It’s like he’s a gynecologist or something, calling people infertile.” 

Shouyou snickered, knowing well enough to leave Oikawa and his mutterings. “He called Karasuno ‘ concrete’ . Worse than barren land.” 

“Wow. What an ass.” Oikawa sniffed, though Shouyou guessed that even if that first encounter went differently, Oikawa would still find ways to complain about it. 

“Mhm.” Shouyou traced circles over the sand.  “We won though, and we proved him wrong.” Plants that grew from the concrete, even with little cracks it could push through. It was rough, and the conditions were harsh. He and Kageyama, along with Karasuno, proved that even those who weren’t prodigies could defeat the champions. 

But Kageyama was playing in division one, right alongside Ushijima too. Both of them were in the national team. In a few months, they would fly to Rio and play in the Olympics against the world. The thought made Shouyou press his lips tight against each other.

They won that match and proved Ushijima wrong.

But as Shouyou sat on the beach, 17,360 kilometers away from home, chasing after an afterimage running faster and faster away from his grasp, he wondered if that really was the case.

Chats          

[Search 🔎]

MSBY 4 + Akaashi & Osamu 🦊 (103)

Atsumu: WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY OMI??

[10:00 PM]

✨Karasuno batch 2013-2014 ✨🏐 (39)

Suga: Oi Tanaka, I know you’re the only one married here but…

[9:39 PM]

Karasuno (not anymore) First Years (10)

Yachi: It’s a shame Hinata and Kageyama won’t be able to see Tsukki’s…

[6:21 PM]

Grand King Oikawa 🇦🇷

You: Say hello to Iwaizumi-san for me!

[08/02/2022]

Annoying Little Orange

Sent an image

[08/02/2022]

Kenma 🐈🕹️

Nice talking to you shouyou :)

[08/01/2022]

JNT (+Iwaizumi and Kuroo) Chat 🇯🇵 🗾🥇 (108)

Komori: you’re telling me a shrimp fried this rice XD

[07/30/2022]

King Bakageyama 👑🏐

Goodnight dumbass. I’m going to sleep

[07/28/2022]

“They said running isn’t a good workout for volleyball.” Fernando said between pants and harsh breaths. “It conditions your brain to move at a rhythmic pace and hinders agility, cause volleyball is actually about short bursts of acceleration rather than long drawn out speed.” 

“Then why the fuck are we up at ass o’clock in the morning?” Juan yawned through their sprints. “Why are we even running together? Who’s stupid idea is this?” 

“It’s your stupid idea, nitwit.” David grumbled beside Fernando, unsurprisingly grumpy through their trek in the field. “You chose the penalty yesterday.”

“Oh shut up.” Juan scoffed, sweat rolling down his face. “You said you didn’t want to do suicides yesterday.”

David didn’t say anything to that. He simply rolled his eyes and continued to run at a faster pace instead, the distinct lack of a scathing remark raised a couple of eyebrows.

“It’s not so bad.” Shouyou chirped with a laugh in his step. “It’s good for cardio. Good for stamina.”

“Not everyone wakes up at four in the morning climbing mountains everyday.” Fernando said between huffs. “And we are not letting Shouyou set the pace of the run next time. I don’t know about you guys but I want to keep breathing.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault you guys are slow.” Shouyou exclaimed. 

“No, I’m perfectly normal. Thank you.” Fernando waved his hand in dismissal. “You, on the other hand, amigo , are a statistical outlier and shouldn’t be counted.”

“Agreed.” David sighed, begrudgingly agreeing with Fernando for once. “Though I’m surprised you know what a statistical outlier is.”

“Well,” Juan chimed in before Fernando could retort, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “I’m certainly fucking feeling the team spirit for once.” 

“You know, we wouldn’t be here if you guys didn’t fight all the time.” Shouyou turned to the bickering pair. “I mean, we all know the reason why we’re running penalties today is because you fought in front of the sponsors yesterday and blew the wig off one of them.” He pointed out. “Lucky we didn’t get any serious sanctions.”

Fernando’s face flushed pink. “Can we not talk about that?!”

“You’re talking big for someone who laughed because of what happened and got your ass handed by the coach.” David deadpanned. 

“I find it more surprising that Shoyo’s very calm about getting the penalty.” Juan looked at his watch and declared. “Last lap and we’re almost done. Let’s get this fucking over with you bastards.”

“Huh?” Shouyou perked up. “Oh, yeah. I knocked off the VP’s wig on my club’s first day. The captain got angry and threw us out of the gym.” Daichi’s scary face was scarred permanently behind his eyelids. Occasionally he would remember and it would give him the chills. They were reprimanded to learn teamwork back then too. “So long as I can still play volleyball, I’m willing to do the small things. It’s a little similar back then.”

David arched a brow. “What do you mean ‘little’? It’s literally the same thing.” 

Shouyou pouted. It was absolutely different. For one, it wasn’t actually his fault this time.

“I’m starting to fear you as a kid, Shoyo.” Juan wheezed with his hands on his knees, nearly keeling over. “Oh . We’re done! My god! We’re not doing that ever again. If I ever suggest an activity that needs waking up at five am, feel free to punch me in the face.”

“I don’t mind punching you in the face right now.” David smirked. 

“Aw look at you, the zest of life returning to your face.” Came Fernando’s sardonic reply. 

“Yes, I feel so zesty.” The retort equally saccharine. 

Juan shook his head. “Those two aren’t ever going to become friends.”

“You think so? I don’t.” Shouyou wiped his face with a towel. “A little fighting does good. If you don’t speak up, other people won’t know what you want.” Fighting and not being able to back down is normal. He scratched his chin in thought. “My other teams were just as noisy as this, but they still played really well!.” The JNT was pure chaos when they were all together. There wasn’t ever a quiet day in MSBY, don’t get Shouyou started on Karasuno. Bickering was normal, fighting wasn’t necessarily a problem. People can rub each other the wrong way. That was just how it was. 

“Is that so?”

“Mhm. Besides,” Shouyou stared at the two currently shoving each other. “On court, they’re pretty…quiet.” 

“I wish everyone is as easy going as you, Shoyo.” Juan laughed. “I think everyone bloody needs it.”

“Am I?” That was a surprise. “Everyone says the opposite though?” He patted Juan on the back with a laugh. If Tsukishima heard that, he was certainly going to scoff and laugh with his stupidly haughty face. Yachi said he was too energetic too, and he couldn’t count the number of times Yamaguchi scolded him when he was in third year. 

“Well, I think you’re fucking charming.” Juan chuckled while nudging his shoulder back. “Very cool too. Don’t anyone ever tell you otherwise.” 

Shouyou laughed.

“What are you guys dawdling for?” Fernando called them, hands on his hips, chin tipped up. Apparently they were done yelling at each other. “Come on, I’m hungry. We need to be back to the hostel before seven, or else we’re going to run out of breakfast.” 

“Alright. Race you all back!” Shouyou tightened his shoelaces and hopped on his foot. “Winner gets to eat everyone’s bacon! Okay, one two three go!” He booked for it before the others could disagree, laughter trailing away as he put a reasonable distance between him and the group.

“Wait!” 

“After him, he’s absolutely gonna fucking do it!”

“Shoyo, don’t you dare!”

“Shou-chan, wait up! We can’t run as fast as you!” 

“Shouyou, you’re running too fast!” 

Footsteps pounding on the dusty ground dried up from the summer heat, leaving footprints as they ran to the field. Cicadas buzzing awake from their sleep, disturbed by the sudden movement of kids running around in the forest. 

“You guys are just slow!” Shouyou yelled from the front, looking back at his two friends with an incredulous expression. “If you don’t run faster, Akio and his gang are gonna get there first, and they’re going to take the field!” 

“Just go ahead, I don’t think I can’t take it anymore!” Izumi coughed. “If I go any faster, my appendix is gonna burst!” 

Shouyou saw his friend keeled over from the side, Koji rubbing Izumi’s back to get better. He slowed into a near halt, wondering what to do next. If he stopped now, they would definitely miss their chance to play, but if he continued anyway, then his friends would definitely get upset. 

“Shouyou, just go!” Koji sighed. “Save a spot for us?”

Izumi gasped, face red and dripping sweat. “We’ll catch up, okay? Go, Shou-chan! Hurry!”

In the end, they didn’t get the field.  Akio and his entourage got there first and took the place for themselves. Generally, Shouyou easily made friends but it was also unavoidable to headbutts with people. It was impossible to befriend everyone after all. 

But it still left a bitter taste in Shouyou’s mouth. He got there just as they did, and he wondered if he had been faster, they would have gotten to play instead. It was one of those things that stuck to you as a kid, memories that were difficult to scrub off, and then stuck long enough to become your foundation, a grand piece where you build yourself from the ground up. 

He was born ready to run. The grown ups said that he was already chasing for something the moment he came to the world, reaching for something still unknown, looking for it all over the place, aimless and without direction. He had lots of practice, they would joke, that’s why he runs so fast so there was no use trying to stop Shouyou or chase after him. He always managed to get ahead anyway.

And Shouyou wasn’t introspective. He was a straightforward guy when all things were said and done. He meant everything he said, all compliments were sincere, all promises were things to be kept, and didn't make any that he didn’t think he’d be able to accomplish. Shouyou never held himself back on anything in the world, and maybe that was why his mother often scolded him to think before acting. Everything he does was based on instinct.

The point was, Shouyou rarely thought about things deeply. He wasn’t the smartest guy, nor was he really observant because he didn’t have the time to stop and think properly, not like Sugawara, or Kenma, or even Oikawa, who were constantly monitoring everything and everyone in neat little catalogs in their mind.

But these residual memories stuck in Shouyou’s mind ought to mean something, otherwise they wouldn’t bind themselves on him for this long. It should mean something, otherwise, he wouldn’t think about them every so often.

He still didn’t know what they meant though.

“I haven’t seen Juanito run that fast ever.” Fernando patted Juan’s shoulder as they made their way to one of the cafeteria’s tables. “Well done stopping Shouyou. He wasn’t kidding either when he said he would eat our share. That promise was pretty much a threat.” 

“Hey, we made it just in time for breakfast because of it.” Shouyou said, rice in his mouth. “A little motivation’s good for you guys. Let’s run faster next time too.” He laughed just as everyone’s expression turned pallid. 

“Scary.” Juan shook his head. “He’s really fucking scary.” 

Shouyou tipped his head back with laughter and considered it a compliment. 

“Oh? Are the trouble children finally done with their penalties?” Four pairs of eyes stared at the direction of the voice, Lucas approached them while dragging a chair to their table. “How was the early morning run? Nice way to start the day, no? You sure you’re gonna last the whole training camp? You already look worn out.”

“Oh come off it, man.” Fernando rolled his eyes. “I’m still fired up to my 120%.”

“You’re going to get tired easily.” David scoffed and ignored Fernando’s indignant squawking as he continued. “The São Paulo state’s training network is strong. ASAS’ connections make it that we play a scrimmage with another team nearly every other week. We hold training camps and pride ourselves on our camaraderie. There will be more games later, better, bigger players in prep for worlds, and they, for the Superliga.” He said each word with calm, analytic terseness. 

“Ohohoho, slacking off Davi, hmm?” Fernando smirked.

“We can’t all be airheaded like you, Carriedo.” David tipped his chin up. “Careful not to lag behind.” 

“ You better not lag behind.” Fernando’s affronted spurn was sharp with contempt. “And stop using my middle name, will you?”

“If you guys don’t pipe down, I’m sure Antonio would love to add more penalties.” Lucas chuckled. “Let me tell the captain, real quick.” 

“You’re evil.” Fernando hit his head on the table with a groan.

“Hey. Volleyball is a game that connects. You guys may be on top of the profession, and you may have played against the world, but you’re still technically new in the team’s system. Don’t get complacent just yet.” Lucas pointed out. “Be like Shoyo here who gives plenty to teamwork.”

“Shoyo’s got so much of himself to give.” Juan sighed with resignation, a hint of a smirk quirked up on the edge of his lips. “That’s just how Shoyo is.” 

“Funny, considering there’s not a lot of himself there in terms of size.” David snickered. 

Fernando grinned. “Probably compensating for something.”

“Stop calling me short!” Shouyou yelped, indignation in his voice. 

“It could also mean that your di—” 

“It’s not small!” Shouyou interrupted with a heated flush on his face, hands slammed on the top of the table while the rest of them laughed. Jeez, weren’t they way past the age of comparing that?

“It’s okay Shoyo.” Juan covered his giggling face. “I believe you.” But the man, himself, barely sounded believable, hardly keeping composed. What a wonderful time for the teamwork to shine through, Shouyou thought with a little bit of irritation. 

Ninja shouyou next official game countdown acc @dailyninjashouyoupics. Aug, 3 2022

29 days until SAVC!!!

🖼️

109 🗨️ reply 260 🔄 retweet 9,009 ❤️ likes

       ↳ Sena @Shinsenaes21. Aug, 3 2022

         replying to @dailyninjashouyoupics.

          I CAN’T WAIT!!!

          🗨️ reply 1 🔄 retweet 3 ❤️ likes

               ↳ charls @lamenymyexalted. Aug, 3 2022

                replying to @dailyninjashouyoupics. @Shinsenaes21

                Okay but can we talk about how CUTE he looks in the pic?!!

                🗨️ reply 1 🔄 retweet 34 ❤️ likes

Bisexual king @detectiveglumshoe.  Aug, 3 2022

Has any of you seen Kodzuken’s stream last night??? HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN that figure behind him??? WHOMST?? 

104 🗨️ reply 1,905🔄 retweet 109❤️ likes

       ↳ Riki //Greggory Lives AU pinned @updatedautopsyreport.  Aug, 3 2022

          replying to @detectiveglumshoe

          Idk who it was but he has really NICE hands

         14 🗨️ reply 195🔄 retweet 239❤️ likes

                ↳ carrot-chan @carokahnchecks. Aug, 3 2022

                replying to @detectiveglumshoe @updatedautopsyreport

                HOW did you even see that?? It was blurry as fuck??

                1 🗨️ reply 15🔄 retweet 93❤️ likes

"Nii-san! Let's make it higher! Higher!" Natsu's tiny hands tried to pat at the heap of sand on the ground, her tiny fingers carving out tiny little creases into the formless mound to create something out of it. The white and gold, slowly but surely turning into something solid. 

Take some sand, maybe some pebbles too. Take some water, some shovels and some pails, a bucketful of sand and a bucketful of the ocean. Build the foundation—the foundation was important for things like these, build the walls, the rooms and the passageways. This was a castle made of sand fit for a king to live. 

“Alright, I’m making it! I’m making it!” Shouyou grumbled. The place was humid and hot save for the occasional times the seabreeze visited them with its cool winds, and Shouyou’s fingers were still losing dexterity, losing the deftness of his body which he so took pride in. These whites grains also stuck on his skin, though less soft and more on the coarser side of things. It was uncomfortable and messy, the way it buried itself in his fingernails, the fine little pieces of it all. 

“Nii-san! You didn’t practice enough!” Natsu whined. “The sand should be dryer!”

“Why would you want it to be dry? It’ll crumble faster if you do that.” Shouyou patted the bucket full of sand to let out the air. It bubbled on the surface. “Trust me, I’ve lived on the beach for two years.”

Let it dry under the sun, build it in a place where the ocean cannot take it. Two years of living in Rio would teach him a thing or two about building sand castles. It taught him a lot about the beach.

But Natsu was a young child, and her squeaky toddler voice protested. “I’ve never seen it wet before!”

Shouyou snorted. “Yeah, that’s what he said.” 

But that gave him pause. Natsu was as tiny as the little child he once played with at the beach many years ago, but Shouyou had grown up finely into his twenties. He stopped molding the sand with his palms and looked back to look at his sister who was suddenly years younger than he remembered.

But she was gone. 

“Natsu?!”

He got up and looked further, searching further across the horizon for a hint of orange hair and tiny footsteps, but all that greeted him was the endless sand beyond the eyes could see and the ocean beyond the shore, the waves crashing against Shouyou’s feet as the tides suddenly rose.

“So,” A new voice joined him instead, the owner’s presence wriggling like water down his back, skin prickling with recognition. “Are you done already?”

Shouyou stared at the figure of one Kageyama Tobio, hair parted between his forehead and expression looking through him with boredom. He wore a large golden crown on his head bedecked with jewels that sparkled under the sun, and his cape draped down his shoulders to the ground. Its hem was damp from the waves, but he seemed unfazed. 

“I win again this time.” Kageyama crouched on the ground and started to pick up where Shouyou had left off, getting dirt and sand all over his fancy clothes. You're leaving for Brazil and I'm going to the V-league. Nothing needs to change. 

Remember this feeling.

I’m going ahead.

So, what are you even doing?

Without that setter, I don’t see any value in you.

What were you doing for the past three years?!  

I’ll be the one to stand the longest on court…

Kageyama’ eyes were always a haunting shade of blue. They always held too many words unspoken. 

…I win this time too.

“Are you going to stop now?”

Shouyou never took his eyes from the peculiar sight and committed the memory even as he woke up, words and all. Sometimes when he walked on the beach, he swore he could see a glint of gold and red from the corner of his eyes.

Nothing beats the smell of air salonpas in a gym on game day, but after years of living in Rio, the Copacabana beach near his residence, the smell of the ocean was pretty close. Sao Paulo city does not have any beaches however, so Shouyou thought the smell of a morning dew by early dawn was also a close third. It was an old and familiar scent even before he moved across the globe.

He used to smell the crisp morning ambience when he biked up the mountain to Karasuno, the hazy mist and shadows blurring some of the road, chilling him ever so slightly despite the season; summer, spring, or fall.

It was nice greeting the day while it was still barely light, the sun rising at the same time as him. The dew clinging on leaves, the fog and mist haunting the air and sticking to the window panes. There was little to disturb him in this small pocket of time, only the birds chirping awake and the few handful of people getting on their day, most still sleepy from the previous night. 

Lately, Shouyou had gotten into the routine of going outside to do his stretches and meditation. Today, Shouyou jogged to Ibirapuera park where several people were also doing their morning exercises. There were several kids biking along the lanes, the usual avó and tias on their way to start dancing Zumba. Shouyou occasionally joins them when he has the time. The old ladies adore him, Juan told him once, said it was easy for people to enjoy his company. And sure he had always been a person who liked to mingle with the crowd.

But for now he liked to relish in the quiet. 

It was a little difficult to come by, he had to admit. Not with how hectic his schedule was with the upcoming matches, the practices, the ads to shoot, the interviews, the obligations, the responsibilities. It was very different now that he was an adult. There were many things to consider too, things that one has to practice religiously until they become background actions you no longer need to think about, habits that are embedded into your muscles. 

He wouldn’t trade it for anything else, not when Shouyou spent more than half of his life trying to reach this point, not when Shouyou had to make several compromises for it, not when he was only barely getting started. 

He was finally on the world stage, a place where he could play lots and lots of volleyball everyday, where he could stand in the court longer than thirty minutes.

There was SAVC next month. Argentina was strong. Oikawa was waiting for a rematch, something Shouyou would like to reclaim after the Olympics. There were more training camps too, teams Shouyou wanted to play against. Then there was the World Championship, Superliga, more, more, more. Shouyou wanted them all. Just thinking about it made him shiver with excitement.

Shoyou took a deep breath and began to stretch. Stepping back was just as important as charging in, a good jump comes from a good run up, like a squat to a leap, the coil of muscles tensed as one awaited the perfect tempo, the perfect timing. There was a timing for everything, not too idle, not too impatient. 

It didn't help the beating in his heart. 

After the South American Championships, he'll be off to Rome. And then…

And then…

Shouyou stopped mid stretch. Stared at the lake reflecting the blues of the sky, slowly turning gold from the sunrise. 

He'd be there, Shouyou thought. Kageyama, in Italy, playing Italian volleyball with an Italian team, eating Italian food, and speaking Italian. 

Kageyama, standing in front of him with wild frantic eyes with a sweat slicked face, I win again this time , separated by a screen but surely, without a doubt screaming at him, d on’t you dare take your eyes away , and I’ll be going ahead, and I haven’t lost yet, and what have you been doing for the last three years, and—

Nothing needs to change.

Before he even knew it, Shouyou was already picking up his phone, dialing the familiar name on screen. There was still volleyball. There was still lots of volleyball to play. Of course Kageyama knew this. 

"What, he's not going to pick up?" Shouyou scoffed when the other line ended up with the dial tone instead of a grouchy setter picking up. He redialed one more time before checking his watch. It was nearly seven in the morning. It should be lunch on the other side of the world.

"What?" The voice that greeted him was raspy and thick, one that said he just rolled out of bed, rough, deep, and annoyed.

“Wow, you sound like shit.” Shouyou laughed, ignoring the heat creeping in his neck. All traces of getting annoyed melted away in an instant. "Rough night?"

Kageyama groaned. There was shuffling on the other side. “What do you want?”

“Grumpy.” Shouyou huffed even though he was already expecting it. He didn’t know what else to expect. This was Kageyama after all, the grumpiest of all the grumps. “I won’t be able to call you until later. The training schedule got changed with the South American volleyball championship coming close. EuroVolley starts the same date, yeah? September 1. And then there’s some interviews as well. Ads to shoot. You know them.”

It was strictly business with Kageyama more often than not, and while Shouyou would ever admit it out loud to him, Kageyama was the only person who was as obsessed with volleyball as he was. So he figured he would understand. It wasn’t like Kageyama was some sentimental guy anyway. Kageyama was the least sentimental guy Shouyou had ever known. 

Except maybe Sakusa. 

Ruthless and dedicated in cleaning up, he threw away things without even an ounce of sentimentality for them. Komori said he was planning to throw away his old high school jersey because it no longer fit him. And here Shouyou thought Atsumu’s team motto was the one who didn’t need memories. He thought those two fit each other in interesting ways.

“You called for that?”

“Cold.” Shouyou clicked his tongue. See? He was right. He wasn’t sure if it irritated him or pleased him though. “It's just until after the games I think. Don’t miss me too much.”

“I won’t.” A blunt answer right at the jugular. Kageyama never changed even after years, even while living in a foreign place. 

“Again, cold. What are you, in the middle of practice? Isn’t it lunch break yet?” Kageyama would only be as grumpy as this if he lacked sleep or hadn’t gotten lunch and was hungry. Sleep deprived Kageyama and low blood pressure Kageyama were more prissy than the usual Kageyama, so much more prone to scathing remarks. 

There was a  pause between Shouyou’s question, significant enough that three heartbeats had already thundered its beat against his chest. 

“I’m in bed.” Kageyama finally answered.

Shouyou made a curious noise at the back of his throat. “That’s rare. Day off? You sick?” Kageyama would never miss training unless he was. That sent a shiver of worry down his spine. 

“Hangover.” Kageyama said. Ah. Shouyou thought that explained a lot. “I think.”

“You think,” Shouyou repeated, trying to confirm he heard that right. “Never been drunk before?”

He wasn’t trying to snicker, but he was definitely trying to goad the man into some kind of reaction. Now that he considered it, he had never seen Kageyama drink before, not even in celebratory dinners or post match festivities. He thought it was one of his self maintenance things, maybe it was, but maybe he was also too prudish and proper to drink.

“Have you?”

There was obvious disbelief laced in his voice, an incredulous form of exasperation that bordered on threatening. It wasn’t like Shouyou was being careless again, and he was only really past his limits twice, everything else was just tipsy, not drunk. It wasn’t like inebriation made you a different man. It simply made you more truthful. 

Of course, Shouyou bit that statement down. His experience being drunk with Kageyama most often left a bittersweet aftertaste in his mouth that didn’t come from the liquor. Never mind Kageyama asking, Shouyou knew Kageyama knew about his limitations, but he wasn’t going to talk about that now. 

“Yeah. Brazilians love to drink. Caipirinha tastes pretty great. The one from Heitor and Nice’s wedding was good, and Pedro always bought cheap beer when he’s having exams. And then Coach Lucio—the beach volleyball coach, remember? He said it’s better to know what kind of drunk you are beforehand so he offered me some during my breaks and I got drunk the first time, not that I plan to drink a lot from then on. But it’s cool.” He chuckled. 

Pedro wasn’t anything Shouyou expected, but if anything, he was a gloomier version of Kenma. Shouyou thought it must have been the language barrier though. The first few months of their friendship was a little bit like walking around a delicate tightrope, but he was glad it worked out. 

Shouyou sighed, pushing those memories away. “I may have started crying a bit. Pedro said I’m an affectionate drunk. I started clinging to everyone, but hey Rio is friendly and they laughed it off.”

There was another pause from the other side, and Shouyou wondered if Kageyama had fallen asleep. 

“That's… you were underage, weren’t you?”

“Brazilian drinking age is eighteen, Kageyama.” Shouyou scoffed. “What made you get drunk anyway? That isn’t like you.” His voice was chiding, but part of it was also amused. Kageyama—self maintenance—Tobio would never let himself go. This was a rare occurrence. Was he finally making friends and socializing in Italy after all?

“The wine was… interesting,” Kageyama answered in slow and halting sentences, an underlying shade of embarrassment bleeding into his voice. If Shouyou had to guess, he was too distracted by his surroundings to notice what he was drinking. Kageyama was ice cold crisp and sharply accurate on court, but he was also an idiot outside of it, especially in social situations. 

Shouyou burst out laughing unapologetically. 

“I’m leaving.”

“Sorry, sorry. Don’t go.” Shouyou wheezed, slapping his knees and trembling, a flimsy apology on his mouth. “And?”

An annoyed click with his tongue. Kageyama was probably frowning and pouting. “What do you mean ‘and’?”

Shoyou hummed. Admittedly, he was curious. He had never seen Kageyama lose control before. The man was repressed and overly obsessed with control, except with yelling and hitting Shouyou. It was the only time the man ever let himself go. “What kind of drunk are you?”

It was quiet again. Kageyama was considering his next words carefully. For a moment, Shouyou wondered if he was going to change the subject and hang up.

“I think…” Kageyama murmured. “I passed out in the bistro.”

Shouyou’s eyes watered as he cackled loud enough to make the ongoing passers stare at him with confusion. He wasn’t even angry when Kageyama hung up on him.

The thundering sound of jumps and sprints on the court, the smell of air salonpas—not as strong as that in a match, but lingering still—the squeak of the shoes’ friction, the satisfying thwap of a ball successfully spiked to the enemy court, Shouyou would never tire of these. In this gym where sweat and adrenaline oozed out of everyone, he felt most comfortable, almost at home.

“Pardon the intrusion!” Shouyou announced as he customarily did despite being in a different country with different customs. It might have earned him a few weird looks from the start, but he was determined to keep this piece of home with him in Sao Paulo. He took a deep breath and inhaled the atmosphere.

“Ah, Shoyo’s being very chipper about the gym again.” Esteves patted him on the shoulder, the older bearded man’s eyes crinkled with amusement . “All's right with the world then.” 

“I’m always excited about the gym!” Shouyou beamed. Even when he was already a pro, even after nearly a decade of playing volleyball, he was still grateful to be in a gym.  

“Yeah! You tell him Shoyo! It’s the best place to play volleyball, after all!” Fernando smacked his back. 

Juan raised his brows. “Isn’t the court the only place to play volleyball, though?”

“You can play it anywhere you want as long as you have a ball,” Fernando said. “I used to hit spikes and practice tosses on the wall outside our school.” 

“I did that too!” Shouyou exclaimed, remembering his middle school experience. “I don’t know about playing though, nobody really played volleyball when I was in middle school, and I had to ask my friends to toss the ball for me. It was less playing and more solitary practice.”

“You didn’t get to play at all?” Juan asked. “At all?”

“I didn’t even have an official match until highschool.” Shouyou recalled the tiny corner he was given in the gym to practice, something that was given to him after his persistent requests. He thought about asking his friends for tosses, asking, always asking, just a little more longer, just a couple more, just give me a little bit more. 

“Sounds rough.” Juan commented while starting on his stretches. "Thought Japan was big on volleyball? You see it practically everywhere in Brazil. Not as much as football though."

“Not my school in middle school.” Shouyou shrugged as he bent his legs and extended his calf and thigh muscles with a satisfying burn. He twisted his waist and raised his arms. ”Hard to find people who love it as hard as you." 

“Yeah,” Fernando grunted, side-eyeing Shouyou with a disbelieving stare. “How are you so flexible? Anyway, my parents weren’t supportive of volleyball. Even when I had several invitations to play pro, they still look like I failed them? My parents think my sister, who's a doctor, thinks she’s so perfect.” He stuck out his tongue.

“Only child.” Juan raised his hand. “Lots of cousins though. My parents played volleyball well enough.” 

“You 'say well’ enough like they didn’t dominate whatever generation they play in.” Fernando grinned. “ La familia Pacheco and their sports dynasty. You’re like volleyball royalty in the world’s greatest volleyball country.” 

“Argh, that’s so cool!” Shouyou’s eyes widened. “That’s so lucky! I wish I had a family who played volleyball.”

“It’s not that impressive. I’m just riding on my fucking family’s last name.” Juan chuckled. “Besides, doesn’t your sister play volleyball, Shoyo?” 

“Yes but,” Shouyou ruffled his hair. “It’s different! My school didn’t have a volleyball team, and we never had any new members until I was about to graduate middle school. I had to keep pestering my friends for tosses so I could practice spiking.” Shouyou waved his arm and mimicked a spiking motion. “I didn’t get to play an official volleyball match until my last year of junior high and I had to beg my friends to fill in the missing members. I told myself I was going to win and continue winning until the next match, all of them! But then within thirty minutes of that match, we got obliterated.”

“Obliterated?” 

“Obliterated!” He repeated. “Crushed. Bested. Defeated! It didn’t even last long enough for me to enjoy. So I can’t help but think it must be cool to have someone to play with! I might have even gotten better faster! I would have given anything to have someone play volleyball with me back then.” Shouyou thought about that match, the experience that started it all, his first taste of defeat. 

He thought of blue eyes, angry, dissatisfied, glaring intensely at him from across the net. What were you doing for the past three years?! The raw frustration yelled from his chest, the gutteral sound of despair and disappointment, harsh syllables falling from the lips of a boy barely in his teenage years; the sound still made Shouyou shudder to this day.  

“I swore I was going to stand longer on court. I was going to play more volleyball than anyone else.” Shouyou promised. This year, ten years, maybe twenty, he was going to defeat him and everyone that stood in his way. 

“Not win?” 

Shouyou blinked from his reverie. “Huh?”

“You didn’t promise to win next time?” Juan rolled out of his stretches and looked at him with this curious question lingering on his expression. “I thought you would swear never to lose again, or something like that. Sounds like your brand, know what I mean?”

“Hey! Get your guards up! They’re here.” The captain yelled before Shouyou could answer, but when he turned back to Juan, he was already shaking his head and gestured to him to line up and meet the opposing team walking into the gym.

“If it isn’t little Tonito.” The man in front of the group said with his arms wide, palms open and facing them as if to greet them with friendly reverence. “Still sporting that ridiculous beard, are you?”

“And you still look like a rooster, you bastard.” Gomes greeted the other team’s captain with his own grin. “Teodoro, get a haircut. I’m begging you.” The teasing banter continued as they clasped each other's hand and patted their backs. 

"Aye, Nando! You better be here you bitch." 

A voice called from the opponent crowd, and Fernando perked up at the call.

"Hey, Marco. Good to know you're still alive." He laughed at the approaching man with bronze skin and the brightest smile, and immediately got immersed into a heated discussion.

"Everybody knows someone in this team, huh." Juan turned to David with a playful nudge, but the latter had simply scoffed and walked away from the reunion happening between the two teams, something both he and Shouyou looked at each other with a questioning raise of their brows. Juan mouthed at him. “The fuck was that about?

“Oh my god, it is Shouyou Hinata.” 

Both of them turned to the enthusiastic voice that just piped up, excitement shaking from the rather tall man. Shouyou furrowed his brow. He didn’t easily forget people he met, and so he was certain he hadn’t met this particular person yet.

“Hey!” He greeted back, nonetheless. “I don’t know who you are though?” 

“We haven’t met.” He explained. “My name is Vicente and I used to play beach. I followed your career when you were still playing outdoors and continued to even as you shifted indoors. That’s when I got inspired to shift as well!” He gestured. “You’re insane! You go plaft! Plaft! Then pum and tum! You know? I’m a big fan!”

“Woah!” Shouyou exclaimed. “I have a fan!”

“You have lots of fans, Shoyo.” Juan chuckled. “Better get used to it. You’re a hot shot now. Have been for awhile in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Yes, but it’s so—you know? It’s so gwahhhhh!”

“Anyway, I look forward to playing against you, Shouy–um—H-hinata-san!” Vicente said bashfully, his face flushed and his body awkwardly bowing a full 90 degree bow, but before he could correct him, the boy had already dashed back to his team.

“I look forward to it too, Vicente!”

The sound of rubber soles squeaking on the floorboard alerted Shouyou of the approaching person, but even with his eyes closed, Shouyou knew exactly who it was that was coming. He knew those footsteps, knew that gait and stride. Three years of hearing it would make it familiar enough to Shouyou.

“Hey.” 

The voice called to him—more like bark than a call, really—and Shouyou slowly tried to crack his eyes open. Blue eyes dimmed from the shadows greeted him, looking at him intensely upside down. There was something unreadable in his expression, an interesting press of his lips together and his brows knitted into a furrow. 

“Hey.” Shouyou greeted back and slowly peeled himself from the floor. “What’s up? You done with your own training?” He craned his neck and searched for any other people that could be hanging around from the doorway. They were alone. 

“Yea.” Kageyama said. “Why are you on the floor, dumbass? It’s late. Dinner’s ready.” Then belatedly, he added. “You’re not slacking off on taking care of yourself again, are you?”

“Nah.” Shoyou peeled himself from the hardwood floor. His sweat slicked skin stuck to the floorboards and shrugged. “I want to savor every moment here. It’s our last training camp. Wanted to savor the gym. Soak up the atmosphere. I’m glad I got to go to training camps with this team. I have never been to one in the past, but you already know that.” It was the third gym in Fukurodani, the one where he first trained with Bokuto, Akaashi, Kuroo and Tsukishimai three years ago. He probably won’t be back here in a while. “Tsukishima was here too, practicing blocks with the first years. I think the Fukurodani kids have taken a liking to him. He left me alone to escape them.”

“Well get up. You’ll miss dinner.” Kageyama ordered.

“Aw, were you suddenly concerned? Creepy.” Shouyou laughed. He gathered all the balls and cleaned up the rest of the mess. Kageyama looked at him for a moment before picking up some of the balls as well.

“No.” He replied curtly. “Coach Ukai sent me.” 

“Of course. You’d never come here on your own.” Shouyou stuck out his tongue.

“Because you’re supposed to be old enough to think about this yourself, dumbass.” 

“I’m not hearing this from the guy who was late to camp because he got lost! You really need to read kanji better Bakageyama!” Shouyou taunted from across the room, to which Kageyama retaliated by throwing the mop at him. Seriously, the guy missed two hours of practice after getting lost on top of missing the whole morning’s practice for his university interview. How Kageyama even managed to here, Shouyou would never know. He did see a sleek black car drive away just before Kageyama entered the gym. 

Was he going to be okay at uni? 

It was only natural, Shouyou thought, that Kageyama would get multiple offers from the country’s top universities. Waseda, Tohoku, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka—all of them had been sending him offers to play for their teams even as early as before Haruko started, Shouyou had honestly lost track of them all. Kageyama was a National Youth representative. It only made sense. 

But it didn’t matter. While Kageyama went to play for university, Shouyou would train hard in Rio, and when all of it was said and done, he could finally catch up to Kageyama, and they would meet as equals. Shouyou will make sure a division one team would take him, and finally, that promise long ago would be fulfilled. 

“So, Waseda, huh?” Shouyou prompted. “What’s it like?” 

“Big.” Kageyama replied. “The court has rubber floors.”

“Woah.” 

“They won the All Japan Intercollegiate Championship three times in a row. It’s a nice university.” Kageyama continued. 

“You’re accepting it?” Shouyou asked. Waseda was a good university. It was expensive, and he heard that the classes were difficult, but it was probably Shouyou’s first choice if he was handed an offer and if he hadn’t decided to play beach for training. But the thing that bothered the back of Shouyou’s head was that he couldn’t picture Kageyama as a college student. He’d probably forget to attend his classes so he could train in the fancy volleyball court with the fancy rubber floors longer. 

Kageyama simply shrugged. “Dunno.”

“Why not?”

At this, the man frowned. “If you like it so much, then why don’t you go instead?” 

Shouyou did not expect that reaction. “Why are you suddenly pissed?”

“I’m not pissed!” Kageyama said with instant denial out of his mouth. 

“You absolutely are!” Shouyou scoffed. “Besides, it’s not going to happen anyway.”

Kageyama tilted his head, still glaring his usual Kageyama glare when he was trying to figure something out, like when he was analyzing the court thoroughly for different plays. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how to get it across, mouth closing and opening shut/ But before he could even speak a word, they were interrupted by the voices that called them out from the door.

“Seriously, I figured sending Kageyama would only result in them getting sidetracked anyway.” Yamaguchi crossed his arms with fond exasperation. 

“Simple brained idiots need to eat too.” Tsukishima said from beside him, displeased at having to go with him. “Hurry up, or both of you are eating nothing tonight.”

“Ugh, we were already on our way before you guys even got here.” Shouyou stuck his tongue out. “Kageyama was just being slow.”

“Ha?! You’re the one who’s slow!” Kageyama shoved him on the shoulder just as they left the gym, but even with that act of retaliation, Shouyou could feel there was too little force behind it, like a halfhearted attempt amidst his pensive expression.

Something was bothering him, and Shouyou didn’t know what to make sense of it. It started to bother him too, his tummy churning and his chest tightening at the thought of something wrong, of something bothering Kageyama. He wanted to know what Kageyama was thinking, and what he wanted to say before they were interrupted. 

It probably wasn’t anything. Shouyou reasoned. Kageyama was Kageyama, and he would tell him without hesitation when he wanted to. He wasn’t the man’s keeper, and the man didn’t want to be kept by anyone for sure.

Shouyou stared at his broad back walking in front of him, nonetheless.

Chats          

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[08/15/2022]

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[08/14/2022]

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[08/04/2022]

“Fucking hell, Carriedo. You shanked that last one.” David grumbled, shaking his arms from the latest impact of the ball on his arms. The score was 20-24 with several consecutive points awarded to the opponent. That Vicente kid really could pack a spike.

“Both of you boys, cool down. No sense fighting during a time out.” Gomes ordered.

“Are you seriously fucking fighting in here too?” Juan scoffed at them while tugging at Shouyou’s sleeve. “The fuck are we gonna do with them? They're never gonna get along.” He nodded at the pair’s direction.

“Mhm.” Shouyou stared at the two thoughtfully. It did seem like there was some faint tension between them. “Probably. But I trust them.” He patted Juan’s shoulder. “They are loud now, but they are quiet when it matters.”

“Sorry,” Fernando waved at them. “That’s my bad.” 

“See?” Shouyou laughed despite the doubt within Juan’s expression. “They’ll be fine.” 

It was only natural to argue as teammates. A good team was a team that could afford to be selfish, trusting that the others could carry the slack, but that wasn’t something you could achieve without disagreements. Shouyou had his fair share of fights, most of them with Kageyama, but the disagreements were natural. So he wasn’t really worried. 

If you don’t say what you want, you won’t get it. If you don’t ask then they won’t be able to give. Shouyou learned this early. To want something you were deprived of meant you had to fight for it, even if you had to go against the world, and Shouyou grabbed all of his desires with his tiny body, the disadvantaged thing that it was. This opportunity was something he had carved for himself, demanded for it until they could no longer deny it from him. 

Opportunities were no noble birthright to him. He was no king of the court born into the privilege and luck of a good environment. Shouyou was from the concrete, and he would continue clawing his way to the top if he needed to. 

“Oi, did your wings get nailed on the ground or something?” The captain across the net taunted. “How are you gonna beat Tooru Oikawa at this point?”

“Shut up Teodoro!” Captain Gomes exclaimed. “We’re fighting San Juan, not just Tooru Oikawa.”

“That’s infinitely fucking worse to think about, captain.” Juan murmured. "That's like six people doubled." 

“They’re very coordinated, aren’t they?” Lucas said. “It was a difficult match in the Olympics. Terrifying how that man could gather up the best of the nation and use them as he pleases.” 

“Tooru Oikawa is as good as his tools. The better they are, the stronger he is.” Esteves piped in. “He’s a very annoying opponent. Still amazes me that you personally know him, Shoyo.”

“Aren’t you close with Tooru Oikawa, Shoyo?” Lucas turned to him with curiosity. “I think I saw you buddy-buddy last Olympics. In the VNL too. You’re always hanging out together.”

“San Juan always won in Argentina since he entered the team.” Juan hummed. “You weren’t in the team last SAVC, but I bet you’d hangout that time too if you were.”  

“Yeah, Oikawa-san is so cool! Although, my friend knew him better because they were on the same team once.” Shouyou explained. “We met in Rio once though, and we only really became close friends there. It’s lonely away from home!”

“Ah, I see.” Lucas scratched his stubbled chin. “So it was a fling in Rio.”

“What?” Shouyou choked from his sip of water, pink in his face. 

“I wouldn’t blame ya.” Lucas slapped his back. “Tooru Oikawa is a looker. Handsome man, right Evgenii?” To which Evgenii looked over them and gave them a thumbs up and nothing more. “See? Hot. Totally would tap that 11/10, would go again.”

“Psh!” Shouyou spluttered. “Nah, that’s not it at all.”

“What, what? Are we rating the Japanese National Team now?” Esteves popped in. “Personally, I think Wakatoshi  is the hottest.” 

Lucas scoffed. “Oikawa is not in the JNT, how dare you?”

Esteves shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Your tastes are awful and. I’m right. Right, Shoyo?”

“Absolutely not!”

“You saw Oikawa once a few years ago and you’re all over him.” Esteves teased. “Starting to think you’re planning to run off to Argentina for the guy.”

Lucas stuck out his tongue. “Nothing, not even a cute guy, is ever gonna cause me to side with Argentina.”

“Even so, he’s already taken.” Shouyou laughed. “Both of them are.” Ushijima has Tendou, who was in Paris just next door to Poland and a train ride away. Oikawa has Iwaizumi who was in California, at least close to his timezone. Why were most of them separated away from Japan?

“Those who have eyes obviously know Atsumu Miya’s the best. Have you seen those thighs? Yeah, exactly.” Fernando slid to them and joined the discussion. “What about you, Evgenii?”

Evgenii turned to them and said. “Hoshiumi.” Before going back to his business. 

“You okay now, Fernando?” Esteves tapped his arm. “Think you can cut down number 5’s spikes over there?”

“Yeah.” Fernando looked over to David who immediately sensed him staring. The latter had simply raised a brow, waiting for him to say something. “Hey.” Fernando began. David said nothing even as Fernando walked towards him, murmuring something so that only they could hear the conversation. The rest of the team looked at each other for any hints, but nobody could tell what that was all about. 

The whistle blew and they all went back to the court. Teodoro tossed the ball for one of his hard hitting serves, Shouyou immediately dug the ball, legs spread and hips lowered for a stable platform. The impact on his arms was strong, stinging him with pinpricks of pain as it left his arms, but the ball had gone up nicely towards Lucas.

He tossed it to the left wing where David was already running to, while the blocks were occupied by Esteves, baiting them with his jump from the right. The blocks noticed in the last second, and switched their defense towards David’s quick. 

The ball had barely grazed the blocker’s fingers, but the other team managed to hussle for the save. The ball went to their setter, who passed it onto Vicente, spikes holding a unique spin that they were still unable to stop. 

“One, two—” David set the pace of the block, waiting for the right second before he managed to hit a cross, forcing him into a straight. Impressive how Vicente’s form never wavered despite the shift in direction.

“One touch.” David called. 

“Chance ball!” Shouyou cheered while Fernando was already under the ball.

It went to Juan for a toss while everyone backed away for the run up, a synchronized attack from Esteves, Lucas, David, and Shouyou clenched his fists as he observed the full length of the court. The blockers were spread across the court, two of them waiting for Esteves’ hard hitting spikes, one was specially commit blocking David for his quick, one from the back row waiting for a setter dump, the other waiting for a pipe. 

The ball went to Gomes for a pipe. His spike bounded perfectly to the enemy’s arms. The rally continued on. With every spike, David directed the sync of the blockers, with every spike Vicente made, he managed to get a hand on the ball. Fernando cleanly returned them even with the intensity, perfectly matching David’s every movement. 

The rally continued to drag on. 

“Fuck, it’s long!” Shouyou yelled, stumbling as he returned the attempt for a block out. “Sorry!”

“Free!” The other libero exclaimed, passing the ball to their setter. 

Was it going to the left? Was it going to Vicente again? The middle blocker ran for an A quick, but too soon. The setter was in a bad position for a dump, the other one hadn’t matched well with the setter so far—maybe he was new? There was a chance for a back row attack, but they haven’t been using their opposite hitter for spikes. Maybe that was a play too? Were they waiting to bring out the big guns this late in the set?

David and the rest of the vanguard was closing in for the cross as the ball zipped across the court. Shouyou readied for a back row attack and another block out just in case.

“Carriedo!” David yelled. 

“I got it!” Fernando yelled back. The ball stopped by the pin, and he was at the line, waiting for the straight shot to where David had allowed a tiny gap for a funnel. The straight hit Fernando and cleany just as he planned in those short milliseconds, and the loud boom of the ball’s impact on his palm was followed by the thud on Fernando’s platform, his arms killing the noise and momentum of the ball for a perfect rainbow of pass right to the setter. 

Shouyou was running before he even realized, already up front and calling for a toss. Too fast, goddamnit. It was first tempo with everyone else, but that perfect receive stirred some emotion in him. Nevermind that. The fact that he moved caught the blocks off guard—as if they feared Juan would be able to do a freak quick with Shouyou. 

Perhaps that could work to their advantage too. The threat of a possibility, even when it was unlikely was powerful enough. Shouyou would hit any toss from anywhere, no matter how bad and sucky it was. Maybe in some way, 

The ball did not go to Shouyou’s palm. Instead, it went all the way back to David, already midway his approach. Not too close to the net, just the right height. He slammed the ball past one and a half blocks from the middles, its boom loud in the echoey room. David stared at his palm, savoring the sting.

He looked at Fernando who was grinning at him, and the two of them were quiet, breathing slowly as the last seconds finally caught up to them. Shouyou knew that face, the expression of total bliss and excitement, that feeling of getting hooked into volleyball some more.

David caught his breath and smirked, a rare and precious thing.

“One more.”

“One more!” Shouyou exclaimed, picking up the volleyball from behind the bushes. “Please! I swear, this one’s the last one!” 

“You said that already, Shouyou.” Koji laughed. “Look, Izumi’s about to run away!” 

“Shou-chan, we’ve been doing this for hours. I’m late for cram school already.” Izumi whined. “This is absolutely the last one and I’m going to leave, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah! Absolutely the last one! I’ll buy both of you ice cream tomorrow.” Shouyou threw the ball to Izumi for a toss. The angle was wonky, and the height was a little too high, but Shouyou ran towards it and made it count, hitting the ball with his palm from a jump. It stung his hand with pinpricks of red. 

If he could keep that sensation forever, he would bottle it up and save it all the time.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Koji clapped his hands. 

“Aww.” Shouyou pouted, flexing his palm open and close. 

“Come on Shou-chan.” Izumi nudged him slightly. “It’ll be too dark to bike up the mountain if you stay too late.”

He sighed. “I know.” Shouyou picked up the ball anyway. He knew none of his friends really liked to play, and some of them were just humoring him. Majority of them were pestered long enough that they caved in, and the rest were people who ran away when they saw him walking towards them. 

The efforts to dissuade him from the sport were numerous. The offers to recruit him in other sports were just as numerous, if not more, but even with people obviously disinterested in volleyball, Shouyou wasn’t going to stop. 

But sometimes, he did wish there was someone who liked volleyball just as much as he did.

He wished someone could give him a proper toss.

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“One more!” Shouyou called, waving at Lucas for another toss. 

“Shoyo, we’ve been going at it non-stop for three hours. Let an old man rest.” Lucas fanned his face with the collar of his shirt. “I’d totally go further if I was a few years younger, but my old man knees are starting to get to me.” Hands on his thigh, he wheezed the words out between breaths.

“Come on, you’re only 33. Give the kid some tosses.” Gomes commented from the side. 

“Yeah!” Shouyou exclaimed. “Juan is too busy matching his tosses with the other guys!” Even for someone with high instincts, they still needed to practice their match ups. Shouyou couldn’t interfere with that for now. 

Lucas wiped his sweat with his jersey as well. “And you’re not training with him because…?”

“Shouyo has been roping the guy into tossing for him since he got in the team.” Gomes laughed. “How he wrangled that rascal into following him around like a baby bird, I would never know, but they’ve pretty much matched enough that Juan can probably close his eyes and set to Shouyou without problem.”

“Go easy on the kid, Shoyo.” Lucas teased. “You’re going to wear him down.”

“That’s absolutely not true.” Juan walked in the court, fresh out of his previous training, still red, sweaty and out of breath. “I can go a couple of rounds, if you catch my drift.” 

“Woah, you’re unusually motivated.” Lucas exclaimed. “Where was this motivation when I wanted to practice my crosses?”

“For Shoyo?” Juan chuckled with a wink. “Always.”

Shouyou cheered, giddily picking up the balls from the other side of the court and dropping them on the ball cart. Free practices were always the best. Shouyou had a hard time matching Lucas’ tosses at first because they were calculated and analytic and left very little for Shouyou to experiment on. He was often right though, but Shouyou was used to getting the ball no matter where he went, so it was a whiplash trying to match a setter after so long. Nothing he couldn’t handle.

He was spoiled by Atsumu and Kageyama, Shouyou feared. Oikawa’s sets were nearly similar to this one. 

Juan’s tosses were the opposite of it. Half of it was instinctual and unpolished, but lately he had been doing his best effort to operate with better calculations and tactics. Shouyou was the best partner for him because Shouyou was flexible and could accommodate new members easily before they fully integrate into the team. It was also because he was willing to chase any toss that went up, as the rest of the team said.

Shouyou knew that much was true, but they didn’t need to frame it like he was an excitable dog who wants to play fetch. (Even if a lot of them said it was a spot on description for him).

“Right, we’ll leave you boys to it. We’re gonna go hit the showers if you guys don’t mind. Don’t overwork yourselves.” Lucas called out. They continued the routine for a while, Juan’s tosses becoming sharper with every practice. It was easy for Shouyou to hit, just right, even better when Juan asked for feedback and actually managed to follow it through. His instincts in reading his opponents reminded Shouyou of Tendou’s scary guess blocking, but he still lacked the skills to make ballsy tosses.

(Maybe Shouyou’s standards for his favorite tosses were a little too demanding, but it wasn’t his fault he was spoiled to no end.)

“You’re getting better!” Shouyou exclaimed. “Yesterday it was more pyooooohh and now it’s more gyuuuuun! Tomorrow, it should float just right so I can hit it like fa-baaaaam!”

The setter tipped his head back, already sweaty and tired. “That’s because you’re a good teacher, Shou.” He all but collapsed on the bench and drank the rest of the water remaining in his bottle, content to just watch Shouyou spin the ball in his hands. Then after a few more moments, Juan began to go back to the court and spoke. “Shoyo, I’ve been meaning to ask…” He sent the ball flying towards the net. Shouyou jumped towards it without hesitation despite the wonky angle. “Why are you so addicted to volleyball, anyway?”

“Well,” He slammed the ball on the other side of the net, before signaling for another which Juan graciously sent. He ran up for the hit and jumped. He laughed when the ball grazed the net and dropped instead of the hard spike Shouyou planned. “I like it. It’s fun. Don’t you have fun too?”

“Yes, I have fun.” Juan explained. “But it’s more like a job to me than a hobby.”

Shouyou turned to him, wondering where all of this could be coming from. "Hmm. I don't know. When I play it, I just feel so 'gwaaahhh ' and I don't want to stop. You know?"

Juan shook his head. 

"Oh, then maybe you're like Heitor." Shoyou patted his back. "He said I played like I was eating food. Something like that anyway, just doing it without thought, acting on pure instinct—or I think Pedro explained it to me once too. He said sharks can’t stop swimming or else they would die. That’s like me. I think I would die if I won't stop playing.” Shouyou scratched his chin. “—er but if it gets down to it, I'd still take food over playing." 

"So it's like eating for you." Juan picked up another ball from the cart and drummed his fingers on the ball while deep in thought. "Like breathing air. It's as natural as trying to survive." 

"I guess you can say that. It's like oxygen and it helps me breathe." Shouyou said. "Like sunlight."

"Only plants eat sunlight though." 

"Maybe I'm a plant too!" Shouyou snapped his fingers with glee. "I'm a plant that sprouted from the concrete against all odds, and volleyball is my sunlight. It's always there!" He proudly presented his metaphor. "Or—wait—the sun sets at night. That's not correct."

Juna snorted. "Sunlight shines on the moon. It’s why the damned thing glows."

"It does?"

"Yeah." 

“Then it is everywhere!” Shouyou giggled, absolutely pleased by his analogy. “Volleyball is constant. It can be played everywhere, anytime—from the court, to the beaches, in the parks, from Japan, all the over the other side of the world, in the corridors, even on the rooftops!” The values you learn from it follows you everywhere, ingrained in your muscles, in your daily habits, volleyball follows you everywhere, sticks to you everywhere.

“You played volleyball on the fucking rooftops?” 

“In hindsight it was a bad idea.” Shouyou recalled. “Everytime I missed, we had to run up and down five flights of stairs to get down and fetch the ball.” It was good stamina practice, and there was more running involved than actual playing. And more yelling. Definitely more yelling. Kageyama was yelling at him the whole time while they ran down flights of stairs. And the VP had to keep telling them to quiet down.

“Well, I'm glad you enjoy it a goddamned a lot, Shoyo.” Juan said. “It must be nice to be so passionate about something as much as you love volleyball.”

Shouyou tilted his head. “Don’t you?”

Juan smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes at all. 

“Why don’t we do another round?”

Matt // Ofmd lockdown @gaypiratesloml. Aug 21, 2022

Okay this is very random but there’s this japanese guy with bleached bangs (?) who hijacked this volleyball game we had in the beach. He’s very good right? And i didn’t care much until i saw him pass by kodzuken’s stream on his vacation in canada. Like wtf why am i seeing him everywhere?

[▶️ video]

14 🗨️ reply 18 🔄 retweet 19❤️ likes

     ↳ nita @fujisyuuske. Aug 21, 2022

       Replying to @gaypiratesloml

       No because I saw him last week too! He has a volleyball in his bag and speaks weird mix of english and japanese. He yells ROLLING THUNDERRRR when he receives and he’s so good but he’s also so weird

       4 🗨️ reply 15🔄 retweet 9❤️ likes

           ↳ Matt // Ofmd lockdown @gaypiratesloml. Aug 21, 2022

           Replying to @fujisyuuske

           Wait for real??? But you live in Singapore don’t you? I’m in freakin Barbados??

           1 🗨️ reply 5🔄 retweet 3❤️ likes

               ↳ Maria // check pinned  @sampaguitakoko Aug 21, 2022

               Replying to @gaypiratesloml @fujisyuuske

               I SAW HIM TOO THE OTHER DAY IM FROM THE PHILIPPINES WTF HE WAS TRYING TO HITCH A RIDE ON A JEEP. HE’S GONE LOWKEY VIRAL IN MY COUNTRY

               [▶️ video]

               1 🗨️ reply 🔄 retweet ❤️ likes

                   ↳ Matt // Ofmd lockdown @gaypiratesloml. Aug 21, 2022

                   Replying to @fujisyuuske @sampaguitakoko

                   WHY IS HE HANGING THERE? AND WHY IS HE SINGING??

                   1 🗨️ reply 5🔄 retweet 3❤️ likes

                      ↳ Maria // check pinned @sampaguitakoko Aug 21, 2022

                      Replying to @gaypiratesloml @fujisyuuske

                      Traffic babe. Commuting is shit here

                      1 🗨️ reply 🔄 retweet ❤️ likes

No. 1 izzy hands apologist @kiracassiopeia.  Aug 21, 2022

Okay but am i reading this right? Was Kageyama seen dating someone?? I saw pictures leak from the tokyo olympics. A woman was with him. A VERY PRETTY WOMAN WTF

34 🗨️ reply 98🔄 retweet 1k❤️ likes

KAGEYAMA NOOOOO @kageyamasmistress.  Aug 21, 2022

There are rumours of kageyama having a child with someone. I’ve seen him with a kid that looks exactly like him. Moots is this true??

104 🗨️ reply 1,235🔄 retweet 11k❤️ likes

       ↳ Wwdits viago my wife @viagoshusband.  Aug 21, 2022

        Replying to @kageyamasmistress.

        OMG WHAT??

        4 🗨️ reply 15🔄 retweet 10❤️ likes

            ↳ KAGEYAMA NOOOOO @kageyamasmistress.  Aug 21, 2022

               Replying to @viagoshusband

               BESTIE I SAW PICS OF HINATA WITH THE KID TOO MAYHAPS SHE IS KAGEYAMAS CHILD JDFHDFDKLFDFG

               1 🗨️ reply 🔄 retweet ❤️ likes

HOSHIUMI I’M FREE FRIDAY @hoshiumeme Aug 21, 2022

Okay but has anyone wondered if ninja shouyou is kodzuken’s boyfriend? No one in their right mind would fly casually all the way to brazil to see a friend

23 🗨️ reply 75🔄 retweet 186❤️ likes

[INCOMING CALL]

Miwa-neesan

 📞 Slide to answer >>>>

“What? They think I’m Tobio’s wife? Ew.” Miwa snorted when Shouyou explained the situation. “I’d rather eat my scissors.”

"Yeah, and they think Sora is both your kid." Shouyou took the phone with him to his bed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have posted a picture."

"No, you didn't mean for it to happen." Miwa waved it off. “I mean she does look like him."

"He's literally her uncle." The Kageyama genes run strong, much to Shouyou's amazement. Those blue eyes and raven hair were going to be a hit, high cheekbones and smooth skin, great body physique. Sora was going to grow up into a beautiful person just like her mother and uncle. "You can tell too. It's unfair how you guys could just pass around attractiveness to your kids, you and Kageyama." 

"You think Tobio is attractive? Miwa cooed. 

"I mean have you seen yourselves in the mirror?!"

"I sure hope so. I make my living looking at one." Miwa said with her good-hearted teasing. 

“You know what I mean.” Shouyou huffed. “Kageyama always got lots of women lining up for him, even waaaaay back when we were in highschool—men too! Valentines’ day is always a racket because Kageyama always gets lots of honmei choco .”

“You never got any chocolate?” 

“I mean, I got some.” Shouyou’s face prickled with warmth. “Mostly giri choco though—I’m not looking for chocolate if that’s what you’re asking! I’m just saying, you guys are very pretty. I bet you get lots of chocolate too, but Kageyama didn’t notice he’s hot until Sugawara-senpai sat him down one day and explained it to him. He didn’t even look remotely interested until Sugawara-senpai mentioned how he could use it to hook people into playing volleyball.”

“Ah, that explains the sudden activity in his twitter lately. I bet their team’s PR asked him to post that shirtless selfie in the gym for fanservice.” Miwa scratched her cheek with her manicured nail. Shouyou’s face temperature rose at the mention of the picture. He knew exactly what she was referring to, which wasn’t difficult to recall when there were only so many pictures in Kageyama’s social media accounts. “But, that’s just Tobio,” Miwa continued. “He’s denser than rocks, oblivious of his surroundings and his own feelings. Does he even know what the tabloids write about him?”

“Probably not.” Shouyou chuckled. Knowing Kageyama, he probably didn’t care, and it was probably best that he didn’t. “It’s just dating rumors as always, as if Kageyama is interested in dating.” Using his sex appeal to bait people into volleyball may have some kickbacks. 

“Like yours and Kozume’s dating rumors?” Miwa grinned. “Must be difficult being famous.” 

Shouyou made a face. That was some all new can of worms he did not want to deal with. “Where’s Sora, anyway?”

“Here!” The door slammed open from behind Miwa. Natsu and Sora bounded in with excited grins on their faces. “Uncle Shouyou!!”

“Sora!” Shouyou cheered at the little girl on screen. “Happy birthday!” 

“Nii-chan!” Natsu pressed her face beside Sora. “I’m here too.”

“Natsu! So you picked up Sora.” 

“Yeah!” Natsu giggled. “We’re going out.” 

“Girls’ day out.” Sora piped up. “We’re going to shop around the mall.”

“Alisa and Akane are going to catch up later.” Miwa explained. “Then we’re all getting dinner.” 

“Yay, Alisa-neechan!” Sora and Natsu clapped their hands together. “She always brings the best sweets and gifts.” Sora perked up. “Oh, and I got your gift too, Uncle Shouyou! Uncle Tobio’s too!” She ran out of the frame and left excitedly, presumably to show him what Shouyou sent them.

“You sent her a Kodzuken signed Nintendo switch?!” Natsu whistled, craning at the ruckus behind them. She whistled. “How did you get him to agree?”

“She could totally sell that and earn lots of money.” Miwa said. Thousands of people would bid for it—Shouyou was sure Pedro would be one of them. 

“I just asked.” Shouyou shrugged. He sent Kenma a text and he agreed. Then Kenma sent it to Miwa’s address which was thankfully just close to his own house. 

“You’re not dodging the secret relationship allegations from your fanbase.” Natsu teased. “Reading the wildest rumors about you guys is kind of fun. Did you know they think you eloped in Brazil and got married with the Kodzuken? You’re basically some kind of celebrity couple right now.”

“No, no,” Miwa laughed. “Nothing beats that time they thought Sora is his and Tobio’s love child.”

“Oh yeah, that!” Natsu giggled. “There’s a lot of people who ship Nii-chan and Tobio-chan. Lots of people think they’re crazy though. The normies usually just think you guys have the most intense rivalry in the world—enough to create that thick sexual tension you got going on court, constantly eye fucking each other, because you totally would check out your rival’s ass in the middle of a game.”

“Natsu!” Shouyou’s face flushed. Did they seriously look like that? Also, when did she become so foul-mouthed? That must be Kageyama’s influence. Definitely Kageyama’s influence. He should’ve separated those two when he had the chance. He never should have brought him to his house, or let those two meet. Kageyama often spoke like he wasn’t used to having people around his house, looked so out of place while doing some of the chores, and swore in front of his sister before remembering that he wasn’t supposed to. 

Natsu and Kageyama got along like wildfire spreading through the mountain on a summer morning. The brought unnecessary chaos in Shouyou’s life. 

“What? It’s fun seeing what convoluted rumors people make about you guys. Being a celebrity must be tiresome. Some are convinced Oikawa-san is Tobio-chan’s ex, others think it’s Ushijima-san. They also think Bokuto-san is married to a woman, and half are catching on to Sakusa-san and Atsumu-san’s weird passive-aggressive flirting on court. Takeru and I send the funniest ones to each other. We kept seeing articles about how Oikawa-san broke his knee in highschool when it didn't even happen, but boy, are fans persistent with their theories.” Natsu enumerated. Shouyou already knew though, he scanned a couple of social media sites to know enough about these things. They were just a little awkward to deal with at times.

“You’re not adding fuel to the fire, are you?” Miwa raised her brow.

“No. I made a burner account to lurk. Most of the fans are pretty polite and genuinely respectful, but some are also plain weird.” Natsu said. “I think people are just hungry for drama. People should mind their own business, but it’s not like I could fight all of those weirdos. I might as well make fun of how wrong they all are.”

Shouyou rubbed his face with his palms. Just hearing about all that out loud was going to give him a headache. Kenma did warn him about the troubles of being a famous celebrity—even though Shouyou was still reeling from the thought of being called a celebrity—that some people can be very nosy in exchange for the support they give you. Oikawa and Atsumu too—being people who had known the taste of fame early on. Being famous had some downsides too.

“Here!” Sora re-entered the screen’s frame, showing everything Shouyou asked Kenma to send and shifting the topic to something different, much to Shouyou’s relief. “Uncle Tobio sent me some games too, but I like your gift better, unce Shouyou!” Did you guys agree about it?” 

“Yep.” Shouyou agreed, even though he was sure Kageyama was too deep inside his own head to remember buying a gift. Besides, being able to rub this on Kageyama’s face and see him squirm with guilt would be a win for Shouyou. “My gift is obviously better. Does that make me your favorite uncle, Sora?” 

The kid looked at him for the longest time, hands on her cheek while thinking the answer deeply. “No.” She piped up when she finally decided. “I like you and uncle Tobio equally.”

Shouyou laughed. Well, as much as it was fun to steal the affection of Kageyama’s own niece for himself, he can’t blame her attachment to her uncle, even if he could be a forgetful airhead sometimes.

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[Yesterday]

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You: Yachi you really need to rest :(

[08/21/2022]

Kageyama once came to Shouyou’s house to study for their final exams, the final ones they’ll probably ever take their entire life especially with Shouyou planning to fly to Rio next year, and Kageyama immediately playing for division one after graduation—it’s still surreal, Shouyou couldn’t believe it even though they’ve already cleared things up. Kageyama was leaving for Tokyo in a few months, taking one more step towards their goal. 

Shouyou still didn’t know how to feel about it.

Jealous, yes. Obviously. The man was off another step further to their dreams, another step further away from Shouyou’s grasp, another step he had to take in order to catch up to him. Sometimes it felt like it was constantly one step forward, three steps back in his progress. Sometimes—though very rarely, it felt like he was never getting there at all.

And Shouyou was happy of course. He was happy for Kageyama, proud even, thrilled, excited. The further he was, the more satisfying it would feel to finally pry him away from the lead. Like building up castles, the more solid the foundation, the sturdier it was, the taller it can go, the better it would be. No need to get impatient, but not too complacent either. It should always be the perfect pace, steady, unfaltering, resolute.

“I’m home!” Shouyou greeted when they entered his house. Kageyama in tow, looking awkward and out of place. He murmured his own greeting, something that was too foreign from his own mouth. Footsteps thudded louder as it got closer. Fluffy orange hair bounded towards them, and Natsu immediately launched herself towards Shouyou.

“Nii-chaaaan!” Natsu clung at him with a giggle. “Dinner’s ready! Dinner’s ready!!” 

“Natsu!” Shouyou tried to pry the not-so-little-girl-anymore from his shoulders. “We have a guest! Don’t cling too much on me, you’re going to make me shorter!”

“You’re not gonna grow any taller anymore.” Kageyama scoffed. 

“Tobio-chan!” Natsu went to cling to him instead. Bless Kageyama and his confused panicked looks at having to catch a little kid with his arms. He absolutely does not know how to deal with kids.

“Shouyou! Don’t just stand there, let the boy in.” His mom’s voice called from the kitchen. “You didn’t say you were bringing someone.”

“It was kind of spontaneous. We need to finish studying for the exams.” Shouyou said.

“And you rode the bus? Where’s your bike?”

“We biked all the way here.” Shouyou explained, ushering Kageyama to the dining table. “Kageyama was heavy behind me.” 

“I did most of the pedaling, you dumbass.” Kageyama hissed. 

“No potty mouth in front of my sister!” Shouyou covered Natsu’s ears who mumbled something about already being grown up and not needing to be babied. Dinner went by in a flurry, Kageyama giving one worded answers to his mother’s incessant questioning, Natsu chattering up the gaps left by Kageyama’s befuddled silence who was likely out of depth on how to deal with kids, Shouyou just straight out bewildered at the fact that Kageyama was having dinner in his house, with his family. 

It wasn’t the most bizarre thing to happen to Shouyou, but sometimes reality did feel as strange as dreams. It was equally comforting and terrifying, knowing this. Some surreal ambition might just come true after all.

Ninja shouyou next official game countdown acc @dailyninjashouyoupics. Aug 23, 2022

9 days until SAVC!!! Here are some cute Shouyous as a treat

🖼️

192 🗨️ reply 542 🔄 retweet 10k ❤️ likes

       ↳ Amefuto 21 @HirumaYoichi. Aug 23, 2022

          WE’RE GETTING NEW CONTENT SOON LADS YAHA!

          🗨️ reply 1 🔄 retweet 3 ❤️ likes

          ↳ rhysand @nightcourthighlord. Aug 23, 2022

          Reply to @HirumaYoichi

          YASSSSSSSS

          🗨️ reply 🔄 retweet  ❤️ likes

OPERA CANON THEY/THEM @operasannonbinyanry. Aug 23, 2022

sorry for everyone who followed me here for anime I gotta shift to volleyball mode now. When i see kageyama and ushijima in EuroVolley imma scream Theyre my poor little meow meow My skrunkly blimblo, my beloved blorbos

14 🗨️ reply 15🔄 retweet 19❤️ likes

     ↳ Anna // she/her  @annasawayama.  Aug 23, 2022

       Replying to @operasannonbinyanry. 

       No offense but what the fuck are you talking about?

       1 🗨️ reply 105 🔄 retweet 391❤️ likes

“Ah, fuck. It’s a downpour.” 

Shouyou stood outside the gym, waiting for the rain and the wind to clear out. His umbrella immediately overturned from the storm. Sao Paulo’s weather was unpredictable, especially in its colder months. It took some time to adjust to getting used to it. The temperamental storm was moody, flooding the city on its whims. What a character, Shouyou sighed to himself. 

It could last minutes, or hours. It could last the entire day. Somehow, Shouyou had to find a way to go home. Good thing he packed himself some snacks just in case. Grabbing the protein bar in his bag, he unwrapped the foil and started to chew. This took him back. Daichi, Ennoshita, and then later, Yamaguchi used to scold them for staying too late too, warning them to go home before the snowstorm hit. Nights like those were always more difficult. He had to bike back home more carefully.

“Guess we’re stuck in this damned place.” Juan joined him a few minutes later. “Hope it clears up soon though. Maybe we shouldn’t have stayed too long..” 

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.” Shouyou bowed apologetically. “I couldn’t keep still. Now you’re trapped with me because I asked you to practice with me longer. You were warning me about the storm too.”

Juan chuckled. “It can't be helped. Let’s just leave earlier next time.”

“How did you know it was going to rain, anyway? It’s like you could read the weather. It’s so cool!” 

It was lucky that weather conditions usually didn’t interfere with indoor volleyball matches. The air, the lights, everything was constant, down to its hard floors and its rigid white lines, a game played in an 18 meters by 9 rectangle. Rain or sunshine, the game continued. Beach volleyball was often influenced by the weather, the rain an instant end of the match, the wind both an enemy and a friend, the sun constantly blinding you, the sand swallowing your feet and slowing you down.

It wasn’t for the impatient kind, and though Shouyou never had the patience for anything, it had beaten humility to him, like a rock washed by the waves of the ocean crashing on the shore, smoothened of its jagged lines and sharp corners, molded into something new. What was a man to go against the forces of nature? Man should dance to the tune of the wind and the sand, the very edict of the gods. 

The rain made plants grow, nourishment from the heavens, all the crops in the farm and even those that sprung to the concrete. The rain was fickle, just like the wind, the sun, the waves, and the sand. 

Juan grinned at him, a cheeky little quirk of his lips. “Instincts.”

He pouted. “Alright, keep your secrets then. I bet you used a weather app or something.”

Shouyou never learned to read the weather, nor was he ever the master of it, but he had learned to laugh at the face of it as he challenged its very roar.  

The rain showed no signs of stopping soon, and Shouyou was still hungry. A protein bar sure wasn’t a substitute for dinner. He could really use some meat buns right now. 

“So, you ready for the SAVC?” Juan began. 

“Ah! Now that you mentioned it, I haven’t packed.” Shouyou remembered. He probably needed to wash his clothes tonight and sort out the things he needed with him to Argentina. He remembered when packing used to be nerve wracking. His move to Rio was more chaotic than it was now. If you told him he would get used to constantly traveling in the past, he wouldn’t have believed you.

“No, I mean—” Juan looked at him, slightly amused. “It’s my first time. I can’t fucking stop thinking about it. Keeps me up at night. Gives me the jitters.”

“Oh I know!” Shouyou pumped his fists excitedly. “I heard Cuba and Chile also have some hard hitters in them. I also saw Paraguay have these high blockers that I’m sure would be challenging to blast through. I can’t wait. Is there anyone you want to face, then?”

Juan looked surprised. “Me? No, I haven’t got anyone. What about you Shoyo?”

Chile, Cuba, Peru, Paraguay, Argentina, all of South America, all of the other countries, the entire world. Shouyou wanted to face them all. He wanted to play volleyball with all of them. It was making him shiver with excitement. 

“I wanna face them all!”

“Of course,” Juan laughed. “But don’t you ever feel nervous? Like you feel discouraged for playing all those strong players?”

Some wires in Shouyou had finally started connecting and created a spark of enlightenment. It was Juan’s first time playing as a starter in a big game. He knew that stretched out smile, the bravado, the front, and he only properly saw it when he finally really looked at Juan’s face.

It tethered Shouyou back to the present.

“I don’t know. I’m just pumped.” Shouyou explained to him, sobriety inside him. Solemn. “I just feel happy to be given the opportunity to play. I’d take anything, anywhere. These chances come by hard for people like me.” Sometimes it was hard to believe that he made it exactly where he wanted to be. He wasn’t going to waste time, he wasn’t going to let any more opportunities slip from his hands.

“You’re a strange one, Shou.” Juan shook his head and looked at him with a confused yet amused expression, something that wanted to understand him yet found him too peculiar for reason. “You act like you won’t be able to play even though you’re already one of the best in the world and one of the most in demand players. Why?”

“Because I am weak.” Shouyou answered only what was true, and Juan stared at him, all traces of laughter gone from his face. Shouyou could only smile. “And only the strong can stay longer on the court.”

Memories of a distant court, one that was buried in the recesses of his memories as well. This too, was fighting for its existence against the inevitable forgetfulness. Sendai City Gymnasium, the one of Shouyou’s childhood, the first where he met him . There on its steps by the entrance, the sunset’s rays on the planes of their faces, Shouyou looking down at him, salt and wetness in his cheeks. 

Only the winners get to stay on the court. Only the best. If you want to win, get better. Get stronger!

The rain continued to pour, lightning struck the sky, a flash in the darkness, a thunderclap echoed against the city traffic’s noise. Juan took a step back, eyes wide at Shouyou. But Shouyou didn’t really care. He was only being sincere, hand stretched out his hand and greeted the shower with his open palm, nothing to hide from the world.

“It’s a squall!” 

Droplets of water brushed against Shouyou’s cheeks and lashes as the rain dripped from the sky onto the innocent bystanders of the beach. Rain was peculiar. Sometimes it was a long anticipated build up, gray clouds floating overcast, days of a storm brewing in the sky and wind gushing against the windows, the signs all over the place. Then there were times like this where it suddenly erupts into a downpour, first slowly, then everything at once. 

The smell of damp sand and petrichor flooded Shouyou’s nose, a pungent smell of earth. People ran away to take cover as the rain wet the makeshift court. That was the end of it then, Shouyou thought. The game was over and he would have to run to his bike and back to his apartment for shelter.  The rain grew stronger into a storm, the damp humidity turning into a cold breeze. Hopefully Pedro was already home.

The Brazilian weather was moody, temperamental, unpredictable. It was calm in one second then furious in the next heartbeat. The winds blew in different directions, north first, then south, west the next. The storm crackled with lightning, roaring with thunder and the tides rose with the gale. Gone were the sea green and tropical blue shades from the waters of the shore, instead there was black and storm blue, like a mix of steel and a pool of the night sky. 

It should be scary. The waves that crashed against the beach threatened to swallow a person whole. The ocean was greedy like that, taking pieces of the shore one collision at a time, weathering it into something smooth and rounded. By all means, Shouyou should run back to the city instead of watching the surges of the sea and its attempts to devour the land, but the ocean was finally the right shade of blue, and though the forecast warned danger, Shouyou wanted to revel in the chaos of a storm.

Had it been Japan, getting soaked by the December rain would be a death wish, but here in Brazil it was summer, and the rainwater was drenching him from his hair to his toes. Shouyou closed his eyes, spread his arms, and with a tilt of his chin up to the violent weather, Shouyou embraced the storm with whooping laughter.

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[08/27/22]

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Good luck Shouyou! Nice, the kids and I are cheering for you!

[08/27/22]

“Alright, you guys better go home early after dinner. Rest your bodies and most of all—” Captain Gomes stared at Shouyou specifically. “No more training. No running. No tossing. No weight training. Go to sleep!”

Shouyou was in the middle of shoveling food into his mouth, too busy chewing the vegetables and meat to respond properly. I know when to pump the breaks! He wanted to say, but he figured it didn’t even sound remotely audible. 

“We meet in the gym at five in the morning and ride a bus to the airport. Our flight is at 8 AM. I want all of you to be on your best behavior, you all got that?” 

“What are you talking about, captain?” Juan laughed. “We’ve always been on our damn best behaviors.” The rest of the team murmured with their different opinions on the team’s conduct. 

“You know what I mean.” He eyed the four newest members, Shouyou, Juan, Fernando and David. The warning was obviously aimed at them. David wrinkled his nose until Fernando nudged him with an elbow. “And Lucas, stop enabling the problem children. You’re adding fuel to the fire.” 

“Lucas is very proud of his problem children.” Esteves smirked while swirling his spoon at his moqueca and pushing at the shrimp on the bowl. “Treats them like his own kids. Gets roasted like he’s their own dad too.”

"Our problem children.” Lucas pointed his fork at Esteves. “Raising kids is a team effort.” 

“Everyone, focus damnit.” The captain sighed, rubbing his face. "What am I gonna do with all of you?”

“Oh, come off it,” Esteves patted the captain’s shoulder. “We all know you’re the first one who believed in these kids’ abilities. You wouldn’t have agreed to changing the team set up this early on despite the risk. And with Lucas retiring next season too. ”

“To be fair, Lucas was the one to insist to coach.” Gomes revealed.

“Aw, come on.” Lucas chuckled. “I thought we weren’t gonna tell them that.”

“You told coach?” Juan’s brow furrowed. “Why’d you do that, man? You love playing setter. I could’ve waited for the damn next season.” 

“Don’t worry about it, kid.” Lucas wiped his hands together, reassuring him. “You’re good, maybe lacking experience but good, maybe even better than me. I did it because I believe you’ll make the team stronger.”

“Argh.” Juan groaned. “You’re gonna make me blush, damn it.” 

The rest of the team laughed in their own good nature, raising their glasses for a toast, but Shouyou spotted Juan sporting a stiffer smile than usual that did not even reach his eyes. That was interesting. Shouyou thought as it vanished with a blink of an eye, easy to miss. 

“Now,” Gomes said as he finished his own drink. “No team out there is weak. Only better and stronger—but not weak. None of them would be playing on this stage if they weren’t, and I want you all to remember that even if Brasil holds multiple world championship titles, and even if this team is currently ranked number one in the world.”

“Yes, of course we know that.” Fernando grinned. “Why else do we practice so hard?”

“Not you, of all people, saying that.” David sneered. “You have a tendency to slack off when we’re doing well. I’d even say you work better when we’re in trouble.” 

“Aw, Davi. Have you been keeping an eye on me?” Fernando burst out in chortles. “Can’t help it if I’m so damn irresistible though.”

“Ugh, shut up.” 

“Shut me up yourself, you coward.” 

David glared at him, and Fernando never backed down his proud goading smirk. They kept at it for some peculiarly stretched out couple of seconds.

“Anyway,” Shouyou spoke up before those two could drag it on any further. “It doesn’t matter if they’re strong.” He had set down his glass on the table as well. “It doesn’t matter because we’re strong too.” 

“I’ll drink to that.” Esteves raised his glass of Cachaça before drinking the last dregs of it.

“Aye.” Gomes agreed. “Here’s to winning SAVC.”

Juan added. “Here’s to beating Argentina and Tooru Oikawa.” 

“Saúde!” They all exclaimed as they knocked off their drinks from their glasses.

“Oh, gotta take this call real quick.” Shouyou eyed his ringing phone. He hurriedly finished his food before he excused himself. “ I’ll be back.” 

He scooted past his team to walk outside the restaurant, and in a hurry, picked up the call from the ringing device. “Hello?”

The other person in the line calmly called to him, a smooth sing-song voice familiar to him after years of hearing it. “Shouyou.” 

“Oikawa-san?” Shouyou thought with amusement. They were just toasting to his defeat seconds ago. And while it was certainly a pleasant surprise, it hadn’t been too long since they saw each other or spoke to each other. “Woah, that’s unexpected. I didn’t think you’d call.” 

“What? Were you expecting someone else?” Oikawa harrumphed with his signature huff of indignation. 

“I wasn’t expecting anyone at all.” Shouyou explained. “Not so close to the games at least.”

“Oh?” Oikawa hummed. “Did you impose some kind of communication ban on Tobio-chan? Now, now, Shouyou, you’re not purposely avoiding the guy again, are you? We all know how that ended last time. Surely you’re not that petty~”

Shouyou gritted his teeth. Yes, he knew exactly how it ended last time. “It’s nothing like last time, you know.” He ground his teeth. He should stop that. His dentist was already complaining about the state of his crowns. “This is just to focus on the matches. Kageyama doesn’t particularly care either way.” 

It wasn’t like Shouyou was just being petty in the past too. He needed that space to think properly, to grow on his own, to sort out his emotions. He didn’t do it just because he was envious. He didn’t do it out of pettiness.

They just don’t know Kageyama enough. Shouyou nodded himself, recalling an old conversation with Yachi back when they were nearly graduating. 

“He doesn’t look like the usual, I think. He looks really…frustrated. More than usual.”

“You just don’t know Kageyama well enough. He’ll snap out of it, I’m sure. It’s probably the exams.” Shouyou waved her concern away. “Seriously, Yachi-san! You don’t need to worry about it.”

“Hinata, it’s been a month since you last talked.”

“If you say so.” Oikawa chuckled, and there was that knowing melody in the tone of how he said it that had Shouyou biting the inside of his cheek, grounded back to the present. He was obviously holding back his thoughts—knowing Oikawa, he was going to let it loose when they met next week. “Anyway, I’m calling ahead because I know we won’t be able to talk in the next few days and someone said telling you in advance would be the polite thing to do.”

“Yeah.” Shouyou nodded. “But you don’t usually call. Did Iwaizumi-san make you?”

“Ugh, he’s not my mother.” Oikawa sniffed, which probably meant that Shouyou was right. “Not everything I do is because of him.” 

Shouyou figured it must be because Oikawa tried to ‘ kidnap’ him just to piss off team Japan during the VNL, which led to Iwaizumi and the rest of the JNT to look for him. Kidnap , of course, was being extreme. It had only been an impromptu trip to one of the pubs because they weren’t able to catch up with their packed schedules in the way. It just so happened that Shouyou’s phone died before he could text them where he was going.

That was his bad. He should have told them properly.

When he turned it on, there were more than 30 missed calls on his phone. Half of them were from Atsumu and Bokuto, the others were from Iwaizumi, and maybe a couple or so from Kageyama. They were pretty pissed, much to Oikawa’s mischievous delight. He was especially glad to see Atsumu’s irritated grimace. 

No more impromptu plans then, Shouyou surmised. 

There was some mumbling on the line, a different conversation that Shouyou could not keep up with, something one-sided. 

“Is Iwaizumi-san there?”

“No he isn’t!” Oikawa spoke too quickly to be truthful. It was actually easy to get a read on him when one got to know him. 

“After the games, we’re having dinner together. I found a good restaurant that isn’t too out of our usual diet plans. You’re paying this time, of course.” Oikawa said.  “Think of it as payback for Rio.” 

“Of course.” Shouyou chuckled. “Let’s go to the beach too.”

“Right.” Oikawa gave a satisfied hum. “I’ll see you in Buenos Aires, Shouyou. You better meet me in the championships.” 

“Of course I will. My team is strong.” Shouyou declared.

“Oh yeah? So is mine.” Oikawa spoke softly, fondly, reverently. There was care laced in his voice when he spoke of his team, the same care that’s reflected into the tosses that he sent his spikers. “Anyway, I’ll be seeing you on—yes I’m talking to him already. What are you, my mother? Wait no Iwa-chaaaaan! Hajime!”

And then the call ended with a click, leaving Hinata to wonder what just happened. It was good to know that those two got along, in their own way. Everyone had their own unique way of expressing their affections after all, no relationships ever the same as another, all peculiar and unorthodox. Shouyou should know. 

Iwaizumi and Oikawa somehow made it work despite the distance between them. It didn’t happen overnight, and it certainly wasn’t easy, but they did. Oikawa explained it before, how immediately after graduation, Oikawa had flown all the way to San Juan for a chance to polish himself more, nothing but his skills and his petty pride to keep him going. Meanwhile, Iwaizumi had flown all the way to California to study sports science and become an athletic trainer. 

“That didn’t get between your relationship?” Shouyou once asked while they kept themselves busy at the beach with a ball. 

“Of course it did.” Oikawa scoffed. “What kind of person am I if I don’t miss him? Iwa-chan is my childhood friend. We’ve known each other since birth. Maybe even before that. He’s always right there when I need him and now I’m seeing Tobio-chan’s face more than I see him! Stupid national team player.” He murmured the last bit with frustration, kicking the sand with petulance.

The mention of his name had Shouyou jolting from his seat just a little, slightly enough that it could’ve been easily ignored. Oikawa did not let it pass him, however, and his eyebrow raised into a perfect arch. Those observant eyes never missed, the same eyes that noticed their freak quick’s signals the first time they played. How eerily perceptive of him.

He was, of course, challenging him to say something. Shouyou hated that.

“So you made it work?” He blurted out before he could say anything. “You’re in a relationship with Iwaizumi-san, right?”

Oikawa’s brows furrowed together, and for a moment, Shouyou worried that he had said something wrong, but now it was his turn to pose a challenge, and Oikawa was someone who wouldn’t back down either. So Shouyou waited for him to talk.

“It’s complicated.” The Grand King finally settled on. 

“Complicated?” He didn’t deny that they were dating, but apparently it wasn’t just all smooth sailing either, at least, not something he could confidently flaunt off.

“Let’s just say,” Oikawa pointed out. “That I’m E.T and Iwa-chan is Eliott.” 

“What?” 

“What?!” Oikawa defensively scoffed. “You’ve never seen E.T. before?”

“No?”

“It’s—what the hell, Shouyou? Aliens are fascinating. How have you not seen this movie? You’re worse than Iwa-chan, and all he watches are Godzilla movies.”

Oh, the dinosaur one. “Tsukki likes Godzilla too.” 

“That’s not the point!” Oikawa spluttered. “Anyway, E.T and Eliott-chan, right? I need to go back home to live, but Iwa-chan doesn’t belong with me in Argentina so we need to separate. Even if we share a special link, it’s not enough for both of us to survive. We need to be in places that would help us grow, in places where we belong. Do you understand?”

In the end, Shouyou did not actually understand Oikawa’s analogy because he had never seen the movie before. But, he figured the two of them were in a long distance relationship. Oikawa could have been more direct about it instead of confusing Shouyou with pop culture references that he had never encountered before. Nonetheless, the two of them were in love and trying to deal with the separation, at least they admitted that much to each other.

See, Shouyou wasn’t exactly bitter about still being single at the age of twenty-six. It wasn’t about being in a relationship, or seeing other people in a relationship. This feeling churning in his gut was something else entirely. He made this decision, of course. Everything else had been a result of the choices they made and it was the right decision, anything that let Shouyou play more volleyball was the right choice.

Besides, the guy said it himself. It doesn’t matter. What you feel doesn’t matter at all. He declared this on the last day they met before Shouyou’s training in Rio. You're leaving for Brazil and I'm going to the V-league. Nothing needs to change. He said this, as if everything he blurted out that day hadn’t haunted Shouyou for the next two years. It was stupidly unfair of him. He had to say it when Shouyou was still confused about everything and would have no way of seeing him or confronting him afterwards.

Stupidly unfair. Stupidly selfish of him too. 

“Ugh.” Shouyou grabbed his hair in frustration. “Stupid. Stupid. Idiot. Bakageyama—what the holy fuck! Fucking fuck! Holy shit!”

There were eyes staring down at him, glittering in the dark behind the lamppost. Shouyou jumped back from surprise as the eyes moved forward towards him, heart on his throat and pulse beating wild. Brazil could be dangerous at night. Not always, but there was that slightest chance of tonight being his unlucky night. 

Shouyou was not taking any chances right now.

“Are you okay? Was that a friend on the phone?” 

The figure had stepped into the lamppost’s light, and revealed to only be Elena from the diner in her regular clothes. Shouyou could feel relief flood him. “Oh my god, don’t scare me like that!” She was taller than Shouyou by a good half a ten centimeters and towered over him so easily.

Honestly, good for her, if only she didn’t almost give Shouyou a heart attack.

“Sorry, sorry.” She said while not apologetic at all. She was chuckling to herself. 

“What are you doing here? I thought you were working?” He craned his neck at the building he had just come from where his teammates were still dining together.

“My shift’s over, then I saw you over here and thought I’d say hi.” 

“Oh. Okay then.” Shouyou said. “You’re going home already? Be careful. Sao Paulo can be dangerous at night! Lots of pickpockets and shady men.” He got his wallet stolen in Rio. Just the other day, he nearly got his phone stolen too. Good thing he chased the man five blocks down. He was not losing this phone. “I’d walk you, but I’d have to tell my team I’m going ahead first.”

“I will.” Elena smiled. “And it’s alright I can manage. I’ve lived in this city all my life, you know? I’ll manage.”

“If you say so.” Shouyou stuffed his hands in his pocket. “If that’s all, then maybe I shouldn’t keep you too long.”

“Well,” She said just before Shouyou turned to leave. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I just want to get it off my chest. Listen to me, okay?”

Shouyou could see that she was going to say something important, enough to make her nervous. He was bracing himself for what it might be. “Yeah, sure?”

She smiled and took a deep breath, looking down at him with this sincere, yet nervous expression.

“Shouyou Hinata, please go out on a date with me.”

Well. 

That was not what he was expecting.

But he didn’t really say he was too surprised.

“Wait, now?” He wasn’t sure why those were the first words that left his mouth, but it sure wasn’t happening now. Shouyou had to go home and finish packing.

“If you want to, sure. Why not?” Elena laughed. 

“I’m flying to Buenos Aires tomorrow!” Shouyou exclaimed. 

“Then I’ll wait for you to come back.” She said, still lighthearted but not an ounce of mockery or sarcasm visible. She was dead serious.  “Look, it doesn’t have to mean anything—just—I like you, and I know you’re busy and that you don’t have time to be in a relationship, and you don’t like me that way. You’re a world class athlete and you have big dreams. I get that. I just want that when I get over you, I can tell myself  that I did shoot my shot. I want to get over you with no regrets. It really really doesn’t need to mean anything. I support your ambitions—I just like you.” 

It was familiar how she phrased her confession. 

You don’t have to do anything about it.

Shouyou had heard it before, this way of speaking, so familiar like the feeling of the sting on his palm and the burn on his calves. If it wasn’t, he would’ve immediately declined. If it wasn’t familiar, Shouyou wouldn’t have stopped to think about it.

“What if I say no?”

“Then it’s a no.” She said firmly. “I don’t want regrets. If you reject me, I’ll understand and move on, but I don’t want to wake up late at night, constantly plagued by what could have been’s if I had been braver . ”

Something about her earnestness made Shouyou pause. The determination and fearlessness was something he respected. It was something he wished for himself, something he had hoped to have done instead. The regrets did come later, but most of it was on things that they failed to do than it was on things they did.

Maybe it was the hindsight, the years that had passed that let Shouyou properly reflect on what those words mean. You're leaving for Brazil and I'm going to the V-league. Nothing needs to change. Something about what she said made the memories in Shouyou’s brain click like pieces into place, like a perfect combination play, a perfect A pass to the setter, a toss to a quick right to his contact point, a slam to the otherside of the court for a point.

He was not in the right mind to think about it now.

“Okay.” Shouyou smiled, pushing that thought to the back of his mind for later. “Let’s go on a date when I get back.”

Ninja shouyou next official game countdown acc @dailyninjashouyoupics. Aug 31, 2022

1 day until SAVC!!! WE ARE GOING TO SEE OUR BOY SOON

🖼️

192 🗨️ reply 542 🔄 retweet 10k ❤️ likes

       ↳ gay scientist x military @XtenoSnyderwing.  Aug 31, 2022

        replying to @dailyninjashouyoupics

        SHOYO SHOYO SHOYO SHOYO SHOYO !!!!!!

        🗨️ reply 1 🔄 retweet 3 ❤️ likes

        ↳ kageyama secret love child era @amandapanda.  Aug 31, 2022

         Replying to @dailyninjashouyoupics @XtenoSnyderwing.

         YASSSSSSSS

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FUCK YOU MARCOS @pinkrevolutionisnow.  Aug 31, 2022

so anyone wanna explain why my whole ass highschool vb team is full of gay people?

14 🗨️ reply 15🔄 retweet 79❤️ likes

     ↳ Anna // she/her  @annasawayama.   Aug 31, 2022

      Replying to @pinkrevolutionisnow. 

      that's just vb in the PH mamser

      1 🗨️ reply 10 🔄 retweet 39❤️ likes

There was approximately 17,360 kilometers between Japan and Brazil.

Shouyou was on his way to cross that distance, seated on the plane by the window with a complete stranger next to him. 21 hours and 10 minutes, counting down the seconds till the time he lands on the next step to fulfilling his dream. Gazing outside the window, Shouyou could see the plane’s wings and engine, lifting the spacecraft into the air. He had never ridden a plane before, nevermind to a different country.

Before he left Miyagi, his mom and Natsu sent him to the bus towards the train station to Tokyo where he would ride a plane in Narita airport. Yachi, Yamaguchi, Tsukkishima, as well as Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei were there too, wishing him well on his journey. It was nice to meet up again after months of not being able to see them. The three of them went to university, while Shouyou trained and worked part-time to save money for his trip.

Kageyama, meanwhile, was already in Tokyo, playing in the V-League. 

It was just months ago when he got his invite to the National Team. Shouyou remembered the message the guy sent when he got the news. He said it like he was casually making dinner plans. I'm on the Olympic team. I’ll be going to Kagoshima this April.  

In his first year too.

It couldn’t be helped. The man was busy and his schedule for April was long booked ahead. If he was being honest, Shouyou would kill Kageyama if he missed that training camp—the opportunity that Shouyou was not yet strong enough to be in. Shouyou wasn’t worried of course. Kageyama would never miss volleyball for anything else—not even for him. 

It was just funny how Natsu was asking for him too. 

That guy chose the Olympics over me.

But of course he would. Of course. He was Kageyama after all, and it wouldn’t be Kageyama without his dedication for volleyball. Besides, they weren’t the best of friends. Kageyema never tells him anything. They barely even hang out beyond volleyball. Shouyou was still bitter about the countless invitations he declined to visit the shrine on new year. So much for watching the sakura petals. Getting the man to see him in that one aquarium in Tokyo was already a miracle. (His phone was heavy in his pocket, the edges were fraying, the pattern faded, barely keeping itself together in the seams. Shouyou still absolutely refused to change it.)

They weren’t together. They weren’t dating. They weren’t anything. He was just Shouyou, and Kageyama was just Kageyama, rivals, partners, friends, volleyball idiots. There was no obligation to anyone, no strings, no attachment, only trust that they were headed to the same direction after all, that Shouyou would not stop running, and Kageyama would not slow down or falter. There was a promise to fulfill, hunger in his body to feed, a future he needed to grab ahold.

This was a step to all that. Rio de Janeiro. 

The plane started to move and maybe Shouyou should’ve leaned back on his seat because the force had pushed him to the seat. The stranger beside Shouyou laughed, and he felt heat dusting his cheeks, but it was easily forgotten when it was replaced by the sudden swoop in his stomach as the wheels of the plane left the tarmac. 

It was an addicting sensation, the feeling of flying, the nerve wracking adrenaline coursing through your body towards some uncharted territory, both in place and in mind. This was a new beginning, a new chapter.

It doesn’t matter. What you feel doesn’t matter at all.

Shouyou blocked that memory away. There was no point in dwelling on it.

There was still volleyball.

Soon enough they were already midair, and he swore he could touch the clouds. So high in the sky, the world so tiny beneath him it felt powerful. It felt exhilarating. Because people don't have wings, we look for ways to fly. Humans really went off with airplanes. Humans have always found different ways to do things, different ways to create and adapt to disadvantages, for one, they managed to get humans to the sky. 

It must feel a lot like this, being able to grasp the heavens, being finally able to fly. Shouyou thought. Perhaps finally living his dreams would feel like this too, a swoop of uncertainty, nervousness, maybe uneasiness. But also excitement, also exhilaration, also eagerness, a buzz of adventure too.

He found that he liked this feeling.

Hinata Shouyou could not forget the sensation of crossing that distance whenever he flew. As he sat on the plane’s passenger seat to fly all the way to Argentina nearly seven years later, he still remembers the feeling of walking amongst the clouds, the sky within his reach.

He still remembered the powerful feeling of his dreams so within reach.