Chapter Text
Keishin didn't like kids. He would always remain adamant about that.
This particular set of kids however, they were the exception. And one certain black haired setter had without a doubt managed to worm his way into in Ukai's heart.
"You all set? Got everything you need?"
It was Tobio's first official match since his injury. And needless to say, they were all buzzing with excitement.
Though, none of them were even close to being as excited as Tobio.
It had been nearly four months since he was forced off the court, quite literally kicking and screaming (albeit they were screams of agony, but nevertheless), and it had been a long journey to where they were today.
He'd gained friends, a new family, and to no one's surprise, a boyfriend by the name of Shouyou Hinata.
He'd healed. In more ways than one.
And now, at seven in the morning, they were rushing around to finally get out the door, praying that there wouldn't be any traffic on their route to school.
The ravenette was filing through his bag for the fourth time now, checking again to make sure he had everything he'd need for the day, his trembling hands the picture of nervous excitement.
"I'm pretty sure. I just need to find my- Shouyou! Could you look upstairs for my gym shoes?" Tobio's voice echoed up the stairs, a muffled, "yep," being the response, presumably from the boy's bedroom.
Ukai flinched at the excessive volume, "oi, don't shout so loud, it's too early for that. Jeez."
Tobio turned away, hiding his face and mumbling a quick, "sorry." For a moment, Keishin thought he had somehow managed to upset him, reaching out with a concerned hand as the boy's shoulders shook. His worry ceased in an instant when he heard the ravenette's stifled giggles.
The blonde frowned, the relief he felt finding that the boy was, in fact, not crying, quickly drowned out by his displeasure at being laughed at.
"Hey, what's so funny? I'm being completely serious here!"
"He's laughing 'cause you sound like an old man," the woman wandered into the room, leaning over the teenager's shoulder where he was crouched, and placing his lunch box atop his bag. His eyes widened as he mumbled a quick thanks, pulling the zipper open and shoving it inside.
Keishin's frown deepened, "wha- Mother, I am twenty-six years of age. I am not old."
She leant back up, ruffling Tobio's hair with a teasing smirk on her lips, "why're you getting so defensive then, oh dear sweet son of mine?"
"I swear, everyone in this household is only out to antagonise me," he grumbled, stepping towards the door as Hinata's hurried footsteps barrelled down the stairs.
Her smirk remained, "only 'cause you make it so easy."
A resolute stomp sounded as the red head reached the final step, his school bag hung over his shoulder. Tobio stood, turning to the shorter boy, "ah, Shou, did you get my shoes?"
The spiker beamed, holding up the footwear, "yep, right here! Have you got everything else you need?"
The ravenette quickly pushed the shoes into his already fairly overstuffed gym bag, struggling with the zipper. Shouyou quickly joined his side, helping him fight to pull it closed.
"Yeah, I should do," the taller boy replied, his response slightly delayed as he strained with the bag.
"Good, because we're leaving," the blonde stated, pulling the door open and stepping back to let the boys out.
His ma scoffed, "aw, you never used to run away from a fight. What happened, sweetheart? Maybe you really are getting old."
Hinata giggled as he stepped outside.
Keishin sighed. It was far too early to be dealing with two teenagers and a teasing old woman.
"Take note, not old, just fed up of being bullied every single morning of my life."
"I don't bully you."
Okay, one of those teenagers he was willing to put up with.
"I know, Tobio," he ruffled the boy's hair mussing it up more than his mother already had. He turned back to the older woman, "at least someone appreciates me."
She chuckled, "Good god, at this rate you're gonna miss the match."
Keishin trudged through the doorway, "this isn't over."
"Oh, I never said it was."
Ukai marched to the car at the edge of the road, Hinata bounding in tow.
Tobio remained by the doorway for a moment, smiling softly at the older woman, "bye, Grandma."
Standing on her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into an embrace. He'd had more practice with hugging over the past four months, and he returned the gesture with ease.
Swaying them back and forth as she hugged him tight, she kissed his cheek, making an exaggerated sound. Tobio chuckled.
Ukai smiled at the exchange as he and Hinata climbed in the car, waiting for the ravenette to join them.
"I'll see you later, honey," the older woman said, pulling away, a proud smile painting her features, "go kick Seijoh's ass for me."
He nodded, returning her smile, "I will."
And with that, he wandered off to the car, and clambered inside.
The journey was short, though for Keishin it felt like hours.
Tobio was nervously shifting in the backseat the entire journey, Hinata attempting to sooth him with gentle words and handholding. Ukai felt for the kid.
Aoba Johsai were their opponents today, and of course whenever they played against them, Tobio would get like this.
It was the only team he would ever truly become worried about playing against, purely because he'd have to face the possibility of running into Kunimi and Kindaichi off the court.
While he'd made up with Oikawa, the two first years were still possible antagonists. And Tobio was worried.
This time though, Ukai would be damned if they got anywhere near his kid without good reason.
He said as much to Tobio, on the way. Well, perhaps with slightly less... parental phrasing.
"Kid, if you need help at any point, just remember me or Hinata are always a call away. Just make sure you take your phone with you when you're off the court."
Of course, the ravenette would deny these fears' existence anyway, "I don't need protection. I'll be fine."
"I'm not saying you need protection, kid. I'm just saying if you need help, you know where to find me."
"Not a joke, I will gladly smash Kindaichi or Kunimi's faces in for you," Hinata added, his expression proving that it was most certainly not a joke.
Either way, the coach let out a breathy chuckle, "maybe don't do that, kid."
The redhead grumbled, but complied, muttering words Keishin couldn't quite hear under his breath. He assumed they were threats.
The taller boy smiled, holding back a laugh. Ukai smirked as he glanced in the rear view mirror, seeing that Tobio's tense posture had evened out a little more. At least he was now slightly more at ease.
Minutes later, they pulled up at the school gate.
"Alright, out, I need to park the car. You guys get to the gym, and I'll meet you all there in a few minutes."
The pair climbed out of the back seats, grabbing their things and closing (slamming in Hinata instance) the doors behind them.
Keishin watched as they began to wander away, ready to continue driving, when he noticed something on the backseat. His eyes widened as he quickly rolled down his window.
"Oi, Tobio! Your gym bag!"
The ravenette fumbled for a moment, realising that he had, indeed, left his gym bag on the back seat. Ukai stretched, grabbing the bag by the strap and dragging it into his lap, before passing it to Tobio through the window.
"Try and not forget this next time, huh?" He smirked.
Tobio nodded, an slight redness to his cheeks, "thanks, Dad."
They froze.
If it was possible, Tobio's face somehow managed to resemble a tomato even more now, as his eyes widened almost comically.
Ukai imagined his expression was much the same.
The blonde struggled for words as he tried to process what the boy had just called him. But before he could think of an adequate response, the setter turned on his heels and sprinted, Hinata chasing after him, assuming this was simply one of the races the pair used to have.
He stared after them for a few moments longer, the word replaying in his head.
Dad.
Tobio had called him Dad.
Ukai was only twenty-six. This was a fact he had to remind many people of over the past year, and especially in the past few months. He was no where near having biological kids, if he had any at all.
Yet even still, Keishin felt a joy that almost burst his heart at the seams, at knowing that Tobio saw him as a father figure. That Tobio trusted him enough to see him in that way.
The smile he wore on his face as he parked up his car probably made him look like some sort of manic to anyone else in the parking lot, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.
Dad.
Maybe he could get used to that.