Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1.
“Run faster!”
“I can’t go any faster than this!” Kenma huffed, willing his limbs to run even faster. He was not ready to become some… thing’s meal! He knew something felt weird! He should have listened to his dad… “I hate running!”
He should probably apologize to his dad for taking things so lightly.
“You have to run, or do you want to get eaten?”
He looked ahead, not turning back as the creature behind them beckoned their attention. “Come back, little boy! We’ll have so much fun!” No thanks. I’m not that stupid.
How did this happen again?
Ah, right. It all started about four hours ago…
- Eight Years Old -
The start of his day couldn’t have been more normal. Just like every other day before it, Kenma woke up to the bright sunlight seeping through his curtains. He rose drearily and stared at his bare wall, still feeling drowsy.
He probably shouldn’t have stayed up playing games like the night before. Then again, he did get a ton of progress done.
“Kenma! Time for breakfast!” He already felt like he wanted to sleep in instead.
Despite his initial reluctance, he called out, “Okay, dad.”
He sluggishly made his way to the bathroom and as fast as he could, went through his morning routine. In the next ten minutes, Kenma was sitting in front of his father, chewing on his own piece of toast. “So, any plans today?”
Shrugging, he took a sip of his orange juice, “Probably just go hang out by myself somewhere.”
“Eh? I thought you and Kuroo-kun from next door were hitting it off pretty well! Why not go and ask him to play?”
He could, but he also could just spend a day in relative silence with his new game. If he wanted to understand anything, he was going to need to concentrate.
Still, Kenma nodded, “I might.”
Satisfied with his answer, his dad got up from his seat and took his plate, “Well, I’m off to work. You can handle things around here, Kenma?”
“Yes, dad.” His dad ruffled his hair, “Stay safe. If anything feels weird when you’re outside, just head straight home.”
“I know, dad. You tell me every time.”
He nodded, “Good. Don’t play too much of your game! You might hurt your eyes. Only use the cellphone I left for you for emergencies, alright? Emergencies!”
“Hot,” he muttered under his breath as he laid sprawled on the grass, staring at the river. It was so hot that he was actually considering throwing himself into the water. His long hair was sticking to his nape, and it was starting to get irritating.
It’s been three hours since he had been out of the house and his PSP died. Thankfully he had managed to save his progress before it shut down, but now he had been left with nothing to do.
He sighed and fidgeted around, “Now what?”
It was too hot to walk back all the way home. Like it’s not just a five-minute walk , he thought grimly. Call him lazy but he was being logical. That’s what he thought, at least.
“Oh yeah… Dad didn’t tell me what time he’d be home,” Kenma thought aloud. Oh well, it’s not like he can do anything about it.
No, wait. He can.
He slipped his hand into his hoodie’s pocket and took out the cellphone his dad gave him for emergency use. Surely a call or a text couldn’t hurt?
“Only use the cellphone I left for you for emergencies, alright? Emergencies!”
Kenma shrugged and opened the phone. Despite not having used one before, Kenma managed to find the contact book and his dad’s number, dialing it. He waited for him to pick up. One, two, three rings…
“Hello, little boy.”
Kenma felt the bright sun got blocked as a person loomed over him. He looked up from where he sat. The hulking, yet strangely slim, figure - definitely not human - gave him a sneer, “What are you doing?”
Kenma froze in shock.
His legs suddenly wouldn’t move and his body trembled in fear. The thing reared its head at him, showing him its sharp fangs and a knowing smirk, “Scared? Oh, don’t be! I just wanted to play with you, is all!”
Kenma obviously didn’t want anything to do with this thing.
The monster looked feminine, its body a slim built and her face, despite looking monstrous, possessed its own brand of beauty. Her eyes were glowing bright red. But, what caught Kenma’s attention was her limbs… one was a prosthetic leg and the other looked like some kind of fauna’s leg. A goat or a donkey’s?
He didn’t know, and that’s what bothered him the most.
Kenma fought the urge to run and forced himself to remain calm. Remember all the things you saw in video games. You’re smaller and you’re at an obvious disadvantage. Act normal - keep your poker face on!
He shrugged indifferently and closed the phone in his hand, tucking it back into his hoodie’s pocket, “I’m tired, sorry. I don’t really like playing when it’s this hot.”
The thing looked amused, its nefarious smile widening, “Oh? Is that so? But I’m sure we’d have a good time playing hide-and-seek! Why not, eh?”
Hide-and-seek? With this… thing? Kenma inwardly shuddered. No way. But how the hell is he going to get away unscathed?
He coughed, “No thanks. I’m feeling kind of under the weather.”
“Sick?” The monster inched closer to him, “That won’t do now! Want me to hang out with you instead?”
No, Kenma thought grimly, please go away.
But he knew that he couldn’t. Not like this, with no knowledge of what she could do and what he could do to get away from her.
Kenma only sat back down on the grass, “Okay.”
The monster moved to sit next to him and he felt goosebumps going up his arm where it brushed her’s. He discreetly turned to look around as people walked to and fro around the area of the riverbank. No one was paying them any attention.
Not one person.
Kenma wanted to scream at them. Why the hell weren’t they doing anything to help him? Can’t they see the thing beside him?
“Don’t worry,” the monster whispered, “No one will bother us.”
“What?”
She shrugged, her smirk bigger, “They can’t see what’s wrong.”
Now, Kenma understood. It’s not that they wouldn’t do anything, they couldn’t because they couldn’t see what was wrong . He tried to remain indifferent as she continued nonchalantly, “It’s the Mist, you see. It prevents normal people from seeing us for what we really are.”
He inwardly cursed. Now what? He’s alone and only he can see this thing.
I should have ran as soon as she approached me , he thought then he shook his head. No, that couldn’t have saved me.
She would have caught up to me easily.
“Kenma!” The next thing he heard was a loud, painful screech coming from the monster and a hand grabbing his in a hurry.
He looked up in surprise to see a familiar mess of black locks. Kuro.
“What were you doing, alone like that?” Kuroo fixed him with a disapproving look, “Didn’t your dad tell you to go straight home when something feels off?”
“What? Kuro, you can see that thing?”
Kuroo gave him an incredulous look, “Are you kidding me? That thing was huge! Who could miss that? Her eyes were huge and red!”
Kenma was about to answer him, only to almost trip at the booming voice from behind them, “You shouldn’t have done that, stupid little demigods!”
Kuroo only tightened his grip on him and resolutely muttered, “Don’t look back. Just follow my lead.”
Kenma did.
After spending more than an hour running around town, hiding in alleyways and among crowds of people, they finally lost the monster chasing them. Kenma figured it was because of their smaller stature.
Kuroo led him inside his house, lightly berating him, “It’s a good thing I saw you! What were you doing, sitting beside that thing? I know you’re smart, but this isn’t some video game, alright?!”
Huffing in exhaustion, Kenma collapsed to his knees in the living room and shook his head, “I just… I thought I had it handled, okay?”
I didn’t want this to happen to me either.
Kenma curled up into a ball, burying his head in the grooves of his knees, sniffling silently. Kuroo’s eyes softened and he sat next to him, ruffling his hair, “Sorry… Well, you’re safe now. We both are.”
They stayed like that, Kuroo combing his hand through his medium-length, black locks as Kenma silently sobbed to himself.
That was the first time he let himself go.
“I guess I better go tell Mom to go and buy dinner for us,” Kuroo muttered.
“You threw a dinner’s worth of groceries?”
“It was the only thing I had, okay?”
“Eh, so you’re saying… I’m not normal?” Kuroo exclaimed, eyebrows furrowed and sitting on his desk chair, his manga laying open atop his desk. Kenma shrugged, eyes unmoving from his PSP screen, “Probably.”
“What does that even mean?” Kuroo stretched his back out groaning, “You better play volleyball with me after this.”
“That… thing,” Kenma started, “She basically told me that if a person’s able to see through this Mist , then you’re not like other people.”
“So, we’re both weird?”
“Yes?” Kenma clicked his tongue as his character died. “And for the record, I’m not going to play volleyball with you today.”
“Aww.”
Kuroo hummed, contemplating by himself. They both sat in silence, opting to say nothing, until Kuroo turned to look at where Kenma sat sprawled on his bed, “So, what are we?”
“Huh?”
“Well, if we’re not normal, we must be something else, right? We’re not crazy, are we?”
Kenma frowned, still looking at his PSP, his fingers flurrying over its keys, “I… don’t know…”
“You could be a little more concerned, you know.”
“I don’t really care.”
Turns out it was in his best interest to care.
Kenma’s dad embraced him in relief, “I told you to use the cellphone only for emergencies!”
“I’m sorry…”
“I’m glad Tetsurou was around and nothing happened to Kenma-kun,” Kuroo’s mother came in with a tray of tea, smiling, “Then, I guess it’s really time we tell you?”
Kuroo’s head shot up from where he lay on the couch, “Huh? Tell us what, mom?”
His mother placed the tray of tea on the coffee table, moving to pour them all cups, “The truth, honey.”
“Truth..?” Kenma muttered before his dad took him by the shoulders and stared into his eyes, “Kenma, will you listen to my story?”
Kenma saw the desperation in his father’s eyes and without hesitation, nodded. His dad’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “You know how I said your mother had to leave us?”
Kenma only nodded, listening patiently.
“Your mother…” His father laughed, “She was an intelligent woman. We met-”
“At work,” Kenma finished, “When Dad was at a conference.”
“Yes,” He took hold of his son’s hands and sighed, “Your mother was a brilliant young woman who loved learning everything there is to learn about the world. She especially loved learning about history. We always used to go on museum dates.”
“Your intelligence,” He chuckled, “You definitely got that from your mother. She would spend hours in libraries, reading about the wars of the old, criticizing the strategies they executed...”
Kenma didn’t know why his dad was talking so much about his mother now. Did his mom have something to do with everything that just happened? Was she like him?
Was she not normal, too?
“Dad, was it because of Mom that this happened?” His father smiled wryly and ruffled his hair, “Seems so. Your mother wasn’t… she wasn’t normal. She wasn’t even mortal.”
Kenma blinked. “What?”
His father continued, “I know it’s hard to believe, but Kenma…”
“Your mother is a goddess.”
Kenma sat there, trying his best to process everything. As an eight-year old who had to go through a lot that day, then hearing he’s actually a god’s kid, well…
“So, Kuro’s like me, too?” Kenma raised a brow and his father looked taken aback.
Kuroo turned to his mother who started giggling, “Mom?”
“Kenma-kun’s certainly smart for his age,” She smiled and beckoned Kuroo to come closer. Kuroo came to his mother and sat in front of her as she caressed his cheek, “Well, yes.”
Kuroo turned to Kenma in surprise, “Did you know that Kenma was-?”
“No,” she shook her head softly, “it’s rather fortunate you two found each other.”
Kenma’s father laughed, “Talk about coincidences!”
Kenma silently watched as Kuroo’s mom regaled her son with stories of his father, a god who was - despite his cunning and mischievous nature- a responsible and down-to-earth man (well, god ). Kuroo eagerly listened to every word that came out of her lips, taking minute sips of his tea.
There was one fleeting thought that came to the eight-year old’s mind: he doubted meeting Kuroo was a coincidence. It must have been fate, he added, if there was such a thing.
- Twelve Years Old -
Kenma groaned, brushing out the knots in his bleached blonde hair. He was starting to regret doing it… Why hadn’t he let Kuroo talk him out of doing it, anyway? It hadn’t even solved any of his problems!
The kids at school just made it another reason to bother him.
“Kenma!” His dad called out from downstairs, “Kuroo-kun’s here!”
“I’ll be down!” He replied, agitated. Kenma sat on his bed, pulling a sock onto his feet and just when he got his socks on, the door to his room burst open with a loud bam, “Yo!”
“Kuro, shut up.”
Kuroo frowned, “It’s so early and you look like you’re already out to kill someone. It’s our last day of school, geez...”
“That’s because someone just had to come into my room yelling so early in the morning.”
At that, Kuroo looked slightly apologetic, “Heh, sorry.”
Kenma only sighed in reply and took his backpack, “Let’s just get this done with.”
Kenma pushed him out of his room and herded him down the stairs and out the door. His father stopped him to hand over his lunch, which Kenma accepted gratefully. “Enjoy yourself and take care, okay? No cell phones.”
He was done with cell phones, thank you very much. Both boys bade him goodbye and they were off to school.
Kuroo held onto the straps of his backpack as they walked down the sidewalk and raised a brow at the blonde, “You talk about school as if it’s some kind of quest from one of your games.”
“You’re telling me, that everyday you walk those halls and you don’t see monsters?”
“... We are talking about middle schoolers like us and not actual monsters, right?”
“Yes, Kuro.”
“Then, no? Yes? I don’t know! I don’t like school even more than you do,” Kuroo shrugged, “Some kids look at me like I’m a weirdo, and I can’t even read what’s on the board most of the time.”
“Dyslexia sucks.” Kenma felt sympathetic. Even playing the games he wanted to play was starting to get difficult, and it wasn’t getting any easier the older he gets. If he wasn’t so used to it, Kenma would have already quit gaming by now.
“It makes school even worse,” Kuroo agreed. He sighed and slung an arm around the younger boy’s shoulders and grinned, “But I’m glad I got to suffer alongside you! It’s been a great year, heh.”
“Great.”
“Hey, what do you have for lunch?”
“I don’t know, a sandwich?”
“What? Me too!”
Kenma warily made his way through the crowded cafeteria, shrinking at the obnoxious noise from the table of jocks he just passed by. He began desperately looking for that familiar bedhead and made his steps a little faster.
“Kenma! Over here!”
He let out a relieved sigh as soon as he sighted his best friend already sitting. He hurriedly made his way towards him and dropped his lunch on the table. Kuroo scooched closer to him and raised a brow, “What? Math that bad?”
“You know it’s not that.”
“Classmates?” Kenma answered with a noncommittal groan. “I’m guessing that’s it then.”
“How’s your last day of school so far?” Kuroo shrugged, taking a bite of his sandwich, “Fine. Could be better, but honestly? I can’t stop thinking about summer break!”
“Of course, you can’t.”
“Oh come on!” Kuroo frowned, pressing his face closer to his, peering up at him, “We should do something, Kenma!”
“Have you forgotten that one summer I actually planned to do something?”
The older boy rolled his eyes, “That was a one time thing! I swear we’re going to have fun, you and me! Please?”
Kenma was certain it wasn’t just a ‘one time thing’. Not with how his father had gotten so much more protective of him ever since it happened, and how he’d steer clear of cell phones since.
But he did want to have fun with Kuro. (Nobody better tell him that).
“Okay, fine,” he sighed before biting into his own sandwich.
“Whoa,” Kuroo whispered in awe as he stepped out of the car. Kenma wasn’t sure if he agreed with the sentiment. “Are we going camping after all?”
He pulled on the strap of his backpack, “Where are we, and why are we so far away from home?”
His father placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, “This is summer camp,” he winked. Kenma knew that was their cover, but he hadn’t known it was going to be actual camping. He looked around hesitantly at the fields of strawberries surrounding them.
It was strangely comforting. Then, he realized his vision slowly wavering. Everything was blurry. It was like something was unveiling to him…
Suddenly, he wasn’t looking at a field of strawberries anymore. He stared up at a hill in shock.
Kuroo’s mother gave them a small push, making both of the boys lose their balance. Kuroo turned to her in surprise, “Mom?”
“Go,” she smiled, “We can’t go beyond here.”
“What do you mean?” She only shook her head.
She approached Kenma and brought a hand to his cheek and whispered, “Take care of him for me, will you, Kenma-kun?”
Smiling, she waved, “Have fun!”
They trudged up the hill, grunting with effort. Kuroo was carrying Kenma’s duffel with his other bags and groaned, “Kenma, you really need to start working out.”
“Why should I, when I have you to carry my stuff for me?”
“Ha-ha, funny.”
Kuroo looked up as the sound of clanking metal and loud voices got closer, sweat on his brow, “I think… we’re almost there…”
Kenma followed the direction of his gaze and saw an enormous pine tree. Were they really going to camp? He really wasn’t made for any of these outdoor activities. Kenma just wanted to drop dead then and there. He heard a loud whoop and the flapping of large wings from above his head.
They both looked up just in time to see a kid riding a pegasus swoop above them. Kuroo looked dumbstruck, dropping everything he was carrying. “What-?”
“Oh, new campers?”
Kenma almost ran off. Standing by the tree was a bearded middle-aged man… from the waist-up. His legs were horse legs . He’d read about them in English Class. A centaur.
There was an actual centaur here! But, that wasn’t all.
Kuroo nudged him and whispered, “Is that a sleeping dragon..?”
Kenma swallowed a lump in his throat. Like Kuroo so kindly pointed out, there was a dragon lying asleep and wrapped around the large pine tree.
“Welcome to Camp Half-Blood,” The centaur smiled kindly down at them, “I’m Chiron, the activities director.” He descended the hill.
Chiron herded them up to the pine tree reassuringly, “Don’t worry. Peleus is rather fond of campers, he’s a very domesticated dragon. Just be careful, he’s awfully protective of the Golden Fleece.”
“Golden Fleece?” Kuroo blinked, “What’s that?”
Chiron pointed to something gold hanging off the tree, “It’s a magical artifact that helps keep this camp safe from monsters.”
Both boys gave the dragon a small pat each on the head as Chiron encouraged and after, looked around in awe as they walked from the hill to a large, sky-blue house. Kuroo grabbed onto Kenma’s arm excitedly, “They have a volleyball court, Kenma!”
“I can see that, Kuro.” Chiron chuckled, “We take volleyball serious around here. We hold leagues every week, and the campers get really competitive.”
“Hear that, Kenma?” Kuroo grinned, “Volleyball leagues every week!”
Kenma didn’t know what to feel about that. He could already see Kuroo dragging him to the court every chance he could get.
“This is the Big House,” Chiron walked ahead of them and his hooves going up the house’s porch steps, “You can find the camp infirmary here, and this is where we meet with the cabin counselors.”
“Cabin counselors?” Kenma diligently followed the centaur into the Big House, Kuroo following closely behind. Chiron led them into an office and started fiddling with a video player, “I’m sure you have a lot of questions, yes? This orientation film will answer it for you, don’t worry.”
Kenma blinked. Did he just say orientation film?
Halfway into the film, there was a silent knock coming from the doorway. Both Kenma and Kuroo looked away from where the film was playing as Chiron came to the door. A boy their age with piercing gunmetal blue eyes and messy dark locks stood outside, a serious look on his face, “Chiron, may I talk to you?”
“Akaashi,” Chiron blinked, “Is something the matter?”
The boy sighed, “There was a little… situation with the Ares and Athena kids. Daichi-san sent me here.”
The centaur instantly looked worn. “I see… I’ll head over to them. Can I entrust these two to you, then?”
Akaashi nodded. The centaur gave him a pat on the shoulder and gave them one last smile, “I’ll see you kids later.”
“Anyway, my name is Akaashi Keiji from Cabin 10, Aphrodite Cabin,” he introduced, “You guys are..?”
“Kozume Kenma,” Kenma answered, “this is Kuro.”
Kuroo offered a hand to shake, “Kuroo Tetsurou. Hi!”
Akaashi accepted his hand and briefly shook it, nodding, “Likewise. So, I assume I’ll have to show you guys around. Where have you been to?”
“Well,” Kuroo hummed, “we met Peleus, and just saw some things around. We don’t really know anything much yet.”
“Okay, I got it,” Akaashi nodded, “We’ll start from here, then.”
Akaashi led them out of the Big House and walked ahead. Pointing just a few steps away from where they stood, “There’s the camp’s armory and forge, where campers can get their weapons.” Kenma almost choked on his spit, “...weapons?”
Akaashi nodded, “All of the kids here are trained for their own protection. As demigods, we get targeted a lot by monsters,” He sighed, “All of us here had experienced getting attacked at least once.”
Kuroo nodded slowly, “Makes sense. Hey, Akaashi? What’s that over there?” Pointing to a foliage of greenery and tall trees, Kuroo strained his neck to look even more than he could and failed.
“That’s the Southern Woods. I highly advise you not to go in there,” Akaashi warned, “It’s very dangerous. Why don’t we get you guys settled in?”
Great. Not only was it dangerous outside camp, even inside there was something to be scared of. Why was Kenma even surprised? Akaashi led them to the direction of the camp cabins, which were, from a distance, all decorated rather ornately in their very own way.
“What’s in there?” Kuroo asked curiously, his eyes still fixated on the woods. Kenma rolled his eyes, “Why are you so interested about it?”
“I don’t know! Isn’t it kinda, mysterious in a way?”
“Just myrmekes,” Akaashi shrugged, “Some nymphs and well, satyrs. The Grove of Dodona...”
“Myr- what?”
“Myrmekes,” Akaashi clarified, “They’re like ants.”
Kuroo laughed, “You want me to be scared of a bunch of ants?”
A ghost of a smile appeared on Akaashi’s lips, “You should be because they’re as big as a full-grown German Shepherd, spray poison, have very dangerous mandibles and they attack in groups. I hear they’re very vicious creatures.”
Kuroo nervously swallowed a lump in his throat, “Huh. Interesting.”
Kenma scoffed, “Just don’t wander in there.”
“I won’t now!”
“So you were planning on going in there after all?”
"Anyone interested in reading?" Akaashi cut them both off and Kuroo looked at him bewildered, "You can read?"
"Our brains are hardwired to interpret Greek, so the books we have are all in Greek."
"That's a thing?"
“Here we are,” Akaashi announced, stepping in front of the door, “Cabin 11 - The Hermes Cabin.” He knocked twice and called out, “Anyone in there? We have new campers!”
They heard loud shuffling from inside the door and a squeaky voice, “New campers? Wai-” A loud thud came from inside and the three outside the door jumped in surprise. Akaashi sighed, “You okay in there, Lev?”
“I’m okay!” The door opened and an eager-looking boy greeted them at the door, a grin plastered on his face, “Hello! Welcome to Cabin 11!”
Kuroo walked in, lugging his bags with him and taking in the interior of the cabin. Inside, the brown walls were slightly worn and chipped off. Above the door, there was a large caduceus hanging.
“Where are the others?” Akaashi asked, directing it to Lev and he shrugged, “I think they’re out for archery practice.”
“Why aren’t you there?”
Lev looked sheepish, “I wasn’t really feeling well this morning, so Suga-san had me resting.”
“Ah, Sugawara-san’s your cabin counselor,” Akaashi turned to the two, “You can ask him anything you need help with.”
“Me too!” Lev chirped, “I’d be glad to help!”
Akaashi smiled, “Where can they stay, Lev?”
Lev perked up. “Right this way!”
After getting settled in, both boys sat in their respective bunk beds and sighed.
Kenma instantly reached into his bag and pulled out his PSP. Kuroo sat on his bed, behind him and peered from over his shoulder, “You’re really just going to spend the rest of your time here, playing?”
“Hm.”
“We’re finally on summer break! Let’s go and explore!”
“You go.” Kenma’s eyebrows were furrowed in focus as he grunted.
“Please?”
They both sat in silence as Kenma’s fingers continuously pressed on the buttons of his PSP, focus unwavering. Kuroo just sat there waiting. And waiting.
And still waiting.
Kenma sighed, putting down his game, “Fine, let’s go.”
Kuroo grinned, “Thought you’d never ask.”
The rest of their afternoon was spent on going around camp with Akaashi and little by little getting introduced to the rest of the campers. So far, everyone has been cool and nice. Kenma also met Hinata Shoyou, a son of Apollo that’s a year younger than him.
He seemed to be the excitable type, but he was nice enough. He felt they would get along well, and it seemed Kuroo thought the same.
The guy wouldn’t stop grinning at him.
Kuroo, on the other hand, met a handful of volleyball idiots like him. He couldn’t help but ask them to play with him. Everyone in their vicinity readily agreed, and that’s how Kenma found himself being dragged to the volleyball court the first day he came to camp.
Hinata, seeing the slight reluctance on his face, matched his pace and asked, “You don’t like playing volleyball, Kenma?”
Frowning, Kenma looked down at the ball he held, “It’s not like I hate it… I don’t like it either.”
Tilting his head, Hinata blinked, “Why do you play, then?”
Kenma shrugged, “Kuro loves it.”
“You must really like Kuroo-san, then!” Hinata beamed innocently and Kenma stared at him like he grew two heads, “To go along with him this much, Kenma must really like Kuroo-san.”
There was a beat of silence before Kenma caught up to what he just said.
“I- It’s not like that!” Kenma sputtered, the tips of his ears red, “He’s just- when he moved, he just never had a friend to play with and I felt bad because he always played Virtua Fighter with me and-!”
Hinata laughed and slung an arm around him, “It’s okay, Kenma! I understand!”
No, you don’t! Kenma thought helplessly.
Kuroo looked back at them from where he was walking ahead and raised a brow, “You guys coming?” Hinata nodded enthusiastically and pulled Kenma along, “We are! Let’s go, Kenma!”
Kenma’s grip on the ball tightened. Don’t think about it.
The summer of Kenma's twelfth year living on Earth, he realized his feelings for his best friend may have been a little bit more than platonic, and he somehow found himself hoping this was nothing more than a mistake. Was fate playing a trick on him?
He sure hoped not.
“Daichi!" Kuroo roared, watching as Daichi received the ball from where Hinata spiked it. Kuroo ran to the right, ready to deliver the ball to Kenma who was waiting, “Kenma!”
Kenma got in position, only to falter, eyes wide in shock.
Everyone on court stopped in place. Kuroo blinked in confusion as the ball sailed over Kenma’s head and landed a few steps from him. “What? Why’d everyone stop?”
Kenma pointed just above his head. Kuroo raised a brow in question and stared as a glowing caduceus hovered over him. He turned to Lev, “Isn’t this..?”
“Hermes - the god of roads, travel, trade and thieves,” Sugawara finished, smiling, “Welcome, brother!”
“Hey! We have a new brother!” Lev yelled happily.
“No fair!” Hinata pouted, “It’s been years since we’ve had new Apollo kids!”
“We just had someone come in last month,” Kageyama interjected, looking smug. Daichi sighed, instantly looking exhausted, “Don’t make it a competition, you two.”
Sugawara grinned, “You say that, but one just came in yours just last week, right?”
“Iwaizumi is a nice kid,” Daichi agreed, “He’s good with tinkering.”
“We should probably head to the Dining Pavillion now,” Akaashi said, looking up at the setting sun, “It’s almost dinner time.”
“Huh, never thought my dad would be Hermes,” Kuroo muttered between chews, “But now that I think about it - some of what Mom said matched with what these guys told me about him.”
“Hm.”
“What about you, Kenma?” Kenma looked up from his food, “Aren’t you wondering about your godly parent at all?”
“I am.”
“Who do you think it is?” Shrugging, Kenma only took a sip of his grape juice. Lev joined in on their conversation, “Don’t worry, Kenma-san! I think you’ll find out sooner or later!”
“When I came here, it only took a day!” Sugawara explained, “There were days when some kids never got claimed, but because of a promise with the gods and a war, well…”
Then, a grin appeared on his face, “I don’t think we need to wait for much longer?”
Kenma stiffened as something settled on his shoulder. Kuroo gawked at him as he slowly turned to look at his shoulder where a silvery owl sat comfortably, its big glowing eyes staring at him.
“Athena - the goddess of wisdom and battle strategy,” Chiron said, his eyes kindly looking down at him, “She claims you, Kozume Kenma.”