Chapter Text
Training camp.
The halls were filled with the scent of sweat, rubber and deodorant, with the sound of balls hitting the floorboards and the smacks of hands. Teams cheered, and teams clapped for loss. Karasuno clapped congratulating Nekoma for a practice game, showing persistence and perseverance throughout the game, losing 2:1.
The murder of crows, soured face, courageously took the loss and added it to their belt of improvement. It was just a training camp after all, but the competitiveness of the crows would not blow over.
They were packing up and cleaning, both Nekoma and Karasuno after a well-played match. Working with another after defeat, showing gratitude and affection in the end. His cat-like eyes and pudding coloured hair, Kenma Kozume, reaches into his pocket to hold a small piece of candy. It was wrapped in a golden foil with intricate detailing of white ribbon surround the treat, tied and held together with a white string. Attached is a small label that reads, “Bundle of Joy”. He passes it off as a treat describing itself as a joyful experience, heavenly on the taste buds.
He stares down the opposition, and eyes piercing through the group, looking upon one fiery redhead. He shoves the small delight back into his pocket and heads towards him.
“Shouyou,” he speaks, nothing but more than a whisper, trailing through the loud enthusiastic gawks the redhead yells. He sighs, knowing that he is unable to catch the attention of him. “Shouyou!” He spoke up, abling for him to be heard through the chatter. His attention caught, he locks eyes with Kenma waving and smiling so brightly.
Hinata Shouyou approaches Kenma with glee after dropping the broom, only to ignore the yells of a bald teen.
“Kenma!!! You were so awesome out there! It was like BWAAHH AND WAHHH” Hinata spouts, jumping around seeming to bounce off the walls. Kenma sighed, trying to make the energetic team stay still. He brings both his hands and firmly grips Hinata's shoulders appeasing him, slightly calming him down.
“Shouyou,” he starts, “have you not been seeing my texts these days?” He questions fully knowing Hinata forgets he owns a phone. “Ohh” is all that leaves his mouth. Shaking his head in disagreement, protesting he reads them but forgets to reply only to leave Kenma reply in a disappointed sigh.
“Oh that's okay” he reprimanded, knowing he can't do anything about Hinata. “Shou… Do you like candy?” He asks, wondering if he does or not. “Yes! I love it! Natsu and I will always eat a lot, but then mum would just scold us for eating too much!” He laughs and scratches his head.
Kenma reaches into his pocket to grab the sweet he was looking at earlier. “Do you want this?” He offers. “I got it from my dad before I left. He said it was from my grandmother.” He looks off into the distance and trails off, “I don't mind sweets, but I don't want it.”
His eyes return back to Hinata's glaze, as he notices his warm honey chestnut coloured eyes, lit up with excitement. He takes the candy from Kenma and reads the tag, “Bundle of Joy, must be delicious!”, he exclaimed, gladly accepting the gift. “Thanks, Kenma!” Kenma raises his hands, signalling a 'Don't worry, it's okay’.
Both boys see the halls cleaned and both teams starting to head out. Both boys shuffle over to their bags, throwing what they can hope to not be left behind. Hinata pockets the golden treat before heading towards the team.
( + + )
He spoke nothing but of volleyball to his team, making a certain tall blond boy to scowl and sigh upon hearing the noise escaping from his mouth. “Hinata,” he calls, only to sound as disappointed as he looks, “ We just practised for several hours. Do you have ANYTHING ELSE to do talk about?” As he emphasised certain words, Hinata flinched.
“Tsukishima…” hurtful sounding, “Yes? No?” Eyes looking that of a dejected puppy peering up towards his owner, making the blood of the blonde boil even more. “Just shut it for now” silencing the redhead as they continued to the dorms.
The walk was silent yet long, with a few laughs and giggles here and there. It had been a long first day for the team. Upon entering their dorms each group split up into their respective years, preparing for the night.
Hinata couldn't contain himself bouncing off everything, eyes sparkling glistening at everything in sight. The raven hair boy reaches out and grabs a hold of Hinata's head stopping him in his tracks. “Calm down dumbass!” Tightening the grip telling the redhead off leaving Tsukishima to smirk, “Finally, the King did something useful to help the peasants”, angering him some more.
“Kageyama,” Hinata pleas, “It hurts. Ow. Ow. Ow.” Being released him his grin a freckled brunette comes to his aid patting his head hoping to cheer up the boy. “Yamaguchi,” teary-eyed Hinata cries. “It's okay Hinata, don't mind them. It's been a long day for everyone” he explains trying to compromise with everyone.
Everyone found a bunk to share, making an obvious decision. One being Kageyama and Hinata, as the other being Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. Each being pleased by the arrangement. Hinata threw his belongings on the top bunk remembering the treat given to him by Kenma.
He grabs it out and stares at it noticing the detailing of the candy. He slowly unwraps it, revealing a small pastel pink sweet. “Hmm, must be strawberry,” he thinks aloud, speaking without noticing his environment. He pops it in his mouth and hums in delight. It's delicious, he thinks to savour every moment of it.
“Oi, what are you eating?” Kageyama announced catching the attention of everyone in the room. “Kenma gave it to me at the end of practice. It's so delicious. I only got one! So too bad you ain't getting one!” He teases sticking his tongue out at Kageyama. “Tch”.
A knock at the door, startling the group, “Who is it?” Yamaguchi yells hoping the other side hears, as he makes his way to open the door. There stands a silver hair teen, with a motherly aura. “It's time to grab dinner and then you guys need to wash up too!” He explains, waving his hand over his nose signalling the group smelled. Hinata sniffed his shirt, “Hey! I don't smell Sugawara-san!” leaving the teen to laugh. “I was joking Hinata. Come on, if you guys don't hurry up, Tanaka and Nishinoya are gonna eat everything… again” he warned, prompting the three to quickly rush out of the door to grab some food.
( + + )
As they make their way to the dining halls, Hinata spots his friend walking in the same direction, “Kenma!” He shouts only to rush up to the boy. “Hello,” he whispers, not extruding much energy. “The candy you gave me. It was delicious, it tasted like strawberries!” Hinata exclaimed. “You're welcome Shouyou.” Kenma replied continuing their way to the dining hall.
It was massive and full of people. Kitchen staff rushing to feed groups of teens tired and tense from the practice matches they've played before. The sound of metal clinking another and yells from workers to the kitchen to prepare more food. Each team sitting together in long rows of tables and chairs, chattering among another.
“Ha!?” Kageyama spotting someone he wishes he didn't see. “What is it now King?” Tsukishima questioned, raising an eyebrow. “Who invited them?” Pointing towards a group of white and blue uniforms, in particular, a brunette. “To-bi-o-chan” the teen in questioned sings, making his way towards Kageyama. Kageyama scowls, frowning in anger as he wraps his arms around his shoulder. “Does my little Kouhai miss me that much? Does he miss his Oikawa-senpai?” Oikawa-senpai sings.
Kageyama scoffs at the idea of him missing Oikawa. Like hell, he thinks, only voicing aloud “No”. Dejected Oikawa yells across the halls, “Iwa-chan!! Tobio-chan doesn't miss me!” He cries only for 'Iwa-chan’ to reply, “I wouldn't either”. Further deepening his depressed mood.
“Why are you here?” Kageyama questions. Oikawa quickly recollects himself and flips his hair as if he was in a shampoo commercial. “Training camp of course! Our school was the organiser this run. Nekoma and Fukurodani were just a random draw.” Poking his tongue out at the raven-haired boy, “I didn't want to invite YOU! But the coach was insistent. So blegh.” He teased only for a vein to pop in Kageyama's forehead.
“Don't mind Kageyama,” being pushed away by Yamaguchi, making their way to the table where Karasuno was seated. Kageyama calmed down a little now wondering the energetic idiot of his friend disappeared to.
“Where is volleyball idiot?” Tsukishima laughed, “That's rich coming from you” smirking at the reply. Making both teens butt heads in a heated argument.
Sugawara sighs knowing he has to calm the children down. “He's over there and sit down!” Pointing at the Nekoma table where Hinata was talking to his friend. It was going to be a long night.
( + + )
The next day, the coaches all agreed for teams to analyse a quick match between schools. 10 minutes for each match. Hoping each student would be able to spot something different else with various focuses on different views.
Each team sat on the pews with the coaches of each team standing before them.
“So, today we want you to analyse the game before you. Everyone will get a shot to view the matches. There will only be two matches.” Karasuno coach Ukai explains while grabbing four perfectly round sticks with the colours of each team towards the tip.
Orange and Black for Karasuno.
White and Blue for Aobajohsai.
Gold, white and black for Fukurodani.
Black and red for Nekoma.
“I will put each of the sticks into a bag and shuffle them around” he begins holding the attention of every team, “and I will pull out two sticks. Those two sticks will be the first match. Got it?” With an 'Hai’ unanimously replied throughout the gym.
As Coach Ukai was shuffling the sticks, Hinata stares blankly at the scene of picking team being picked, as he hopes it wasn't his team first up. He felt ill, something didn't feel right with him. “Karasuno and Seijoh, are first!” He heard being yelled. He cursed at it, trying to shake off the feeling of being sick.
Both teams took a side of a court, and each captain meeting in the middle to flip a coin. Oikawa picked heads, leaving tails for Daichi. They agreed and flipped the coin, as the coin was midair Hinata groaned slightly, growing concerns from his team. The tall blond next to him stares at him, “This is why you shouldn't eat so much.” Hinata glares at him protesting, “I'm a growing boy Tsuki-nii”, realising what he had said he covered his mouth.
“Gross. Do you have a brother complex now?” Disgusted with what Hinata had just said. Hinata coughed and blushed, “I didn't mean it, I swear!” Trying to argue back but then coughed into his arm. He groaned again and then squatted to try to suppress the pain.
His team rushed to his aid, forming a small circle around him. “Hinata are you okay?” Daichi questioned after returning from the coin flip, going to announce they were first to serve. Hinata waved it off suggesting it was a nervous bowel movement he had forgotten to take care of. He was patted on the back and helped up.
The coaches saw the commotion and raised concerns among the teams, “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is okay, don't worry.” Hinata stood up waving it off like it was nothing. Catlike eyes pierced through, eyeing him off, “Oh no.” Kenma whispered only to catch the attention of the Nekoma team captain. “What?” He asks. “Nothing Kuroo” he replied. Whispers among the teams silenced as the referee blew his whistle to begin the day.
The first few receives and serves Hinata felt good. Ignoring the growing pain, knowing he was in his element. Kageyama set himself up, ready for Hinata to do a quick. Hinata begins to run, quickly catching the attention of Oikawa, 'No you don't’ Oikawa thought, trying to see through their game. Hinata trips whilst getting airborne and falls right to the ground, the referee blew his whistle offering Hinata to be swapped out.
He knew he couldn't help it. He was defeated but the pains he was feeling grew more and more. He knew it was for the better. He dusted himself off, hoping nothing more would happen. Catching the glances of his own team. “Wow, shrimpy.” Tsukishima teases wanting a reaction from the boy. Hinata pokes his tongue out once more, “Shut up Tsuki-nii.”
POOF.
White smoke suddenly appeared. The same vicinity as Hinata was standing. The gym was silent, stunned at what magic happened. Everyone in awe and shock, staring at the courts. Karasuno rushed to the scene waving and blowing the smoke away, only to see a small child in front of them. “Is that?” Sugawara staring at the small ball, his fiery hair all of the place and a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts.
“Tsuki-nii!!”