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Soulmate strings are wrapped around a person's wrist, hidden from them until they are in close proximity. Depending on the distance, the colours change, starting from an incredibly translucent shade, darkening as soon as step closer that the soulmate pair takes towards each other. Soulmates are always within the five year age gap. Usually only family members and close friends can see the string.
Shouyou Hinata grew up with a jealousy for his family. His parents were so in love with each other that it was slightly sickening, and his own little sister met hers when she was just 5 because they went to the same school. Hinata was now 16 and he has not seen a seen a shadow of the strand that was supposed to be wrapped around his wrist.
The first time Hinata ever noticed the transparent string when their bus passed the 'Welcome to Tokyo!' sign. Their team was off to Nekoma for a practice match and for once, he had seen a glimpse of the translucent string.
The only person he mentioned the string to was Kenma Kozume, the quiet Nekoma setter that became Hinata's close friend over the course of the week that the Karasuno team stayed in Tokyo.
"Does that mean he's in Tokyo?" Hinata asked Kenma while they were laying down on their futons after washing up.
"Most likely. It's what happened to my parents." Kenma said, putting his game down to pat Hinata's ginger hair.
"Ugh. This is so frustrating. I have no time to spend going all over Tokyo to find them." The ginger said, mushing his head onto the pillow he was hugging.
"You'll meet when it's meant to be, Shouyou. Don't fret for now." Kenma said, giving his friend a reassuring hug. Taking a deep breath, Hinata laid down on the futon. Kenma was right, honestly. He has to focus on practice at the moment, not his lack of relationship dilemma. It will all be fine.
3 months later and the Karasuno team found themselves back in Tokyo for a summer training camp. Hinata and Tobio Kageyama came a day later due to to a failed exam. "Hey, Saeko-san, have you found your soulmate yet?" Hinata asked, making Saeko Tanaka laugh. "I have, yes. He's overseas at the moment. Why you ask?"
"I'm just.... Anxious I guess? Even Mr. Lazy at the back over there found his soulmate. I'm the only one in the team that hasn't. How does it feel when you fin your soulmate?"
"Hmm well for me it felt like all the burden that was weighing me down was lifted somewhat. I was your age when I found mine, but the strain hasn't begun yet. How about you? How's the strain?"
"It tugs on me every now and then, but it happened more the past week or so than it has before. Sometimes my chest hurts badly, sometime it's just a pinch. I hope I see him in Tokyo, so I could at least meat them." Hinata said, fidgeting with his wrist. The string started to become darker in colour and brighter in shade the closer they get to the school and honestly he could feel the hope building in him at the idea that he will be meeting his soulmate soon.
"My..my string! They're close! It's leading towards the school!" Hinata excitedly said, his hazel eyes lightening up in joy.
Saeko got off the car with them and opened the doors to the gym herself, her eyes gazing around at who Hinata's soulmate could be.
Hinata kept staring at the string on his wrist before following it with his eyes, and met the prettiest face and the most gorgeous ocean blue eyes in all his life.
Hinata looked at the boy and felt his entire world shift. The next he knew, his sight was clouded with darkness and he felt a pair of strong arms around him as he fell.
The teams watched in silence as the setter of Fukurodani allowed the ball to fall instead of tossing it. "Akaashi? Akaashi!" The Fukurodani captain said, trying to snap his friend out of whatever trance he was in. Nothing worked as Keiji Akaashi's focus was still on the closed doors. How mouth was dry and he could feel his heart trying to beat out of his chest. He didn't know why, but he needed to see who walks in that door with a red string, his red string ln their wrist.
He could practically see his red string vibrate in anxiety and excitement as it grew brighter and brighter from the corner of his eye. He could hear his team trying to make sense of what was going on but he couldn't find his voice nor the will to explain. Ignoring the blonde that opened the doors, Akaashi's eyes were on the beautiful ginger haired boy that was staring at the string wrapped around his own wrist.
"I finally found you." He whispered into the quiet room, causing gasps to come from his team, coach and managers. His eyes locked on the hazel eyes of the ginger haired boy. Before anything else can happen, Akaashi was running faster than he ever had in his life, just in time to catch the fainting boy.
When they touched, everyone saw the red string connecting the two became visible and started to elongate and wrap around them before vanishing away as red feathers floating down softly.
Akaashi sat in silence with his eyes blinking rapidly, his mind trying to take in the overwhelming images that he was being bombarded with. Shaking his head, he carried the ginger in his arms and ran towards the small medical area that was set up for injuries received in the practice games.
"Please, take care of him." Akaashi practically begged the managers when Hinata started sweating profusely.
"He'll be fine, Akaashi-kun. Please go drink some water and take a break." Their manager stated sternly. Akaashi only took a deep breath and sat on his team's bench which was just by the medical area, hands on his face. Having his memories returned to him was both a blessing and a curse. He remembered all the happy memories that him and Hinata had in that life, but he was also reminded how he had lost his sun so bitterly. He felt arms wrap around him and looked at the golden eyes of his captain.
"I'm so so happy for you, Akaashi! You finally found him! Your soulmate! And he's so cute too!" Koutarou Bokuto said, his face in a wide grin. It was true. Akaashi had longed to meet his soulmate since he knew what soulmates were. To have someone to love and care for was just absolutely perfect, and he couldn't wait. Now, with all those memories back in his mind, he couldn't wait to continue all the plans they had to put a pause to.
"I am...so happy, Bokuto-San." Akaashi said with a smile that they all had not seen before.
"You and Hinata are a...reincarnated soul pair?" The blonde Karasuno manager asked, causing the other teams to look at her in confusion. She looked at Akaashi who nodded before explaining it to the rest. "Reincarnation was a topic that almost everyone has heard of, but soul pairs were not due to how rare it is. Reincarnated soul pairs are soulmates that were reincarnated after dying before their time, and were rumoured to gain their memories back after the first skin to skin contact. Based on what happened earlier, it's exactly what happened."
Those that heard her explanation looked at Akaashi with shock. To know that such a thing can occur was amazing, and it was difficult to wrap their heads around it. Before they could bombard Akaashi with questions, they were startled when a scream ripped through the air.
"KEIJI!"
Akaashi felt his heart being gripped by fear that was not his own just before the scream was heard bouncing around the silent gym. Quickly getting up and running over, Akaashi held his sobbing soulmate in his arms, the ginger repeatedly saying his name like a mantra. "Shh, Shouyou. I'm here baby. I'm here. I'm here."
Hinata woke up groggily, his brain trying to catch up into the events leading his fainting. When his brain replayed the way he found ocean blue eyes, another set of memories pushed through involuntarily, making his chest hurt. Blinking the tears away, he looked around and found no Akaashi. And he feared. He feared that he was just dreaming. That it was all just in his head. Sobbing softly and clutching his chest, he screamed the only name that was on his mind.
Feeling Akaashi's arms around him made him feel so much relief that he could ever dream of. Hearing his voice made his heart skip a beat. The arms, the voice, the way Akaashi hugged him was still the same as it did from that life. The feelings were still there, and it filled the void that he didn't even know was there. Repeating Akaashi's name again and again, being in his arms just felt right. The missing piece of him.
The part of him that he had longed for, for so long.
Ignoring the people behind them, Akaashi lifted Hinata's head up through his chin and locked their lips, their tears mingling as it rolled down their faces. The kiss reinstated the bond that they held before their untimely deaths, thoughts, messages and emotions passing through an invisible string.
Hinata finally relaxed, falling back asleep in Akaashi's arms. Akaashi sighed as he kissed Hinata's forehead. "I'll take him outside. He prefers to wake up in an open space after crying. If you all would like to come, feel free to." The teen said, easily picking his short soulmate up.
The breeze was flowing softly around them. Akaashi was leaning on the tree and Hinata was asleep on his lap. His left hand arm was wrapped around Hinata's waist while his right arm was playing with the ginger hair. Silence was surrounding him as all the intrigued players, coaches and managers were sitting around him. They all wanted to ask questions, but no one really wanted to say something and wake the ginger up.
"Shoyou and I met in 1890, on my tenth birthday. He walked into the garden shyly and I knew that he was already the most beautiful boy I will ever get to see in my life. My father, being a general in the army, had already started to matchmake me, but they were all voided the moment I met his eyes. He still has the same eyes, the very same shade, and the very same passion behind them. His hair was the same shade of orange, the same softness, but is shorter. He loved having long hair. We got married when he turned 18. He would light up every room he would walk into with just one smile, and he could cower his rivals with just one look. He was the sweetest partner anyone could've asked for, and I was just absolutely a goner.
Living with him was paradise. We hardly got any problems because it was perfect. He is perfect. We were able to reach the maximum that our bond could and with the love we held for each other, there really was no problems. Caring, loving, kind, he was the only person I would put above me. We spent our years together until we got separated when the First World War hit. I don't remember what happened next because the next thing I know, I was sitting in the living room with mom and dad, playing with an orange bear that I refused to let go." Akaashi said as he closed his eyes, each and every memory from that life flittering though his eyes. From the day he first met Hinata, the First time a note was exchanged, to the First flower, and their First kiss. He then remembered their last kiss, their last night together, and the last message he has sent to his soulmate.
'I love you with everything that I am.'
Feeling warm hands wiping the tears that he didn't even know were falling, Akaashi opened his eyes with a smile.
"I was eight when I met Akaashi the first time and I knew immediately that I would spend the rest of my life my life with him, without having the need to see the string that connected us. He still has that same ocean blue eyes that was filled with warmth and wonder. His hair was long back then, and he had two dimples on his left cheek that would pop up when he's laughing. People always whispered about how cold and uninviting he was before I met him, but I knew it was a lie the moment I met him. His ocean blue eyes held so much warmth, it was impossible for him to be as cold as they said. It annoyed me, as I got to know him, that people were spreading that rumour around. He was quiet, observant, but he was not cold. Our marriage date was the happiest of my life, because honestly, I got to marry the man that I love, my soulmate. My parents were ecstatic, because I was the youngest of my siblings. I was so, so happy. The last thing I remember was waking up to a knife on my neck, and then waking up when dad came to get me because mom was about to give birth." Hinata said, his eyes closed as he listened to the beating of Akaashi's heart.
It has been too long since he heard the man's heart, and having it with him now again, he wasn't sure if he was ready to go back to Miyagi so soon. He thought back to the first time their eyes met, the First time they spent time together with no chaperones, the First time they spent the night together, and the First time Akaashi asked Hinata put. Tears spilled out of his eyes again as he remembered the last words he told Akaashi.
'You are the love of my life.'
"Wait so does that mean Hinata now has to stay in Fukurodani for a month until the bond settles?" Bokuto asked in excitement. To have the shorty in his school for a month would be amazing. He was cut off by the worried shouts of the Karasuno team. It was normal for the soulmate pairs to spend a month together and let their bond settle in the home of the more dominant one, but the fact their #10 will be gone for a month might just be the worst news they've heard. They were all silenced when Akaashi chuckled, a rare sound that not many ever had the chance to hear.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, Bokuto-san but I'm only a dominant in the bed-" Akaashi started to say until he got silenced by the glare directed his way by his soulmate. He gulped at the look he was sent and immediately apologised by giving the ginger a kiss on the forehead.
'I'm sorry, my love.'
'You're forgiven, love.'
"I love you Keiji, truly, but your lack of filter with friends to be changed. It followed you here too!" Hinata said with a sigh, ignoring the dropped jaws of the teams in front of them. Whether it was about his declarationof the lack of filter or the fact that Akaashi actually spoke about that topic, Hinata didn't know. "Anyway, we got our bond back, so we only need two weeks at most to let it settle rather than a month." The ginger huffed out, ignoring the shocked Bokuto and Tetsurou Kuroo of Nekoma. "I know love, I'm sorry." The second year replied.
"So Shouyou wears the pants in the relationship?" Kenma asked, giggling softly when the pair nodded. Kuroo, being himself, asked Hinata a question that left many flustered.
"Hey, so since Akaashi mentioned being dominant in bed, what do you call him then?"
Akaashi blinked and felt mischief coming from his bond with Hinata. The ginger left his lap with a devious grin, and Akaashi felt the need to gulp at the teasing look in Hinata's eyes. "Don't you dare, Shouyou."
The ginger skipped off slowly. "And what will you do if I do dare, Master?" Hinata laughed at the shocked faces he received before running, knowing full well that Akaashi would run after him, like he always did. Akaashi's face was painted red from the neck up, and it was such a sight to see the stoic teen blushing.
"That's it, come back here you brat!" Akaashi said as he ran after the ginger, a carefree look in his face.
"Be mine again?" Akaashi said as he wrapped his arms around the smaller teen's waist. They ran around for five minutes until Hinata relented and allowed his soulmate to catch him. Behind them, Hinata could see their friends watching them with joy, some having their phones up for blackmail. Not that he'll ever allow those to be blackmail, because he is not ashamed of his relationship with Akaashi. And he knows that Akaashi felt the same.
Hinata chuckled, meeting his soulmate's ocean blue eyes before speaking. "I was yours the moment I met your eyes at the flower garden over a hundred years ago, Keiji. I am still yours the moment I met your eyes in the court earlier today. I will always be yours no matter how many lives we pass through." Hinata could hear the girls and a few soft hearted boys tearing up and sniffling. Lifting Hinata's face up with his left hand, their lips met in a soft, passionate kiss.
"You are the love of my life, Keiji."
'I love you with everything that I am'
"I love you with everything that I am, Shouyou."
'You are the love of my life.'