Archive of Our Own

“IKEDA-SAN?!” 

Ikeda had been washing his hands when the bathroom stall behind him burst open and a familiar head of red hair jumped out, whistling a tune. Or he had whistled a tune. The boy froze when he saw him. 

No, it can’t be. But as Ikeda stood before the mirror, both their shocked faces reflecting back at him, he realised it CAN be. 

Ikeda smiled.

The boy’s eyes - Hinata, he remembered - went wide with recognition. “Ikeda-san!” He exclaimed again, and god, the kid still hasn’t learned to use his indoor voice. Not that Ikeda was expecting some grand evolution from him over the span of a single week but- Scratch that. Ikeda hadn’t expected ANYTHING from him. He didn’t think he’d see Hinata again, Hinata who was now pointing at him with an excitement you’d expect him to have for meeting a famous idol, not some middle-aged sales agent he’d met on the flight from Japan last week. 

“Holy crap, I didn’t think I’d see you again! What are you doing here!?” Hinata asked, facing nearly splitting from his grin as he bounced towards the sink next to Ikeda to wash his hands.

“Take a guess. What could I be doing in an airport bathroom?” 

 “This is like fate!” He began to wash his hands, sarcasm lost on him. 

“Probably a coincidence more like.” 

“Coincidence, shmincidence!” The boy brushed him off and Ikeda couldn’t deny that the odds were indeed astronomical. “Seriously, what are the chances we’d run into each other like this?”

Seriously, what was the chance?

It was 6:21 pm on February 18th - a complete random time and date. They were at Galeão International Airport, a place filled with thousands of people running to and fro, trying to catch their flight, waiting on relatives and milling about the airport shops trying while to decide if  sticking their finger to greedy corporates and refusing to buy overpriced water was really worth dying of dehydration before reaching their destination. How was it that he and Hinata managed to go to the exact same bathroom at the exact same time? 

“Very low.” Ikeda concluded, as he began drying his hands. “I suppose we’ll also be on the same flight, assuming you’re going back to Japa-”

“Yup! Flight departs at 7:15 on the dot.”

Ikeda cringed. That’s what I was afraid of.

 While it was nice enough, having Hinata keep him company on the flight here, well, Ikeda didn’t want to seem rude but- oh hell, it’s his internal monologue, he can be as rude as he liked - it was exhausting. The kid, god bless him, was nice the same way pop rocks or roller-coasters or fireworks or cockatiels were. Fun, but you wouldn’t want to sit next to a screeching cockatiel on a twenty-one hour flight. The last one nearly killed him. 

Maybe you can convince him to stay! Ikeda didn’t want to know what dark pit of desperation that thought came from. 

“Leaving the country so soon? I’m disappointed, Hinata-kun. You’re the one who told me Brazil has too many things to see in just one week.” 

“I know, that’s what I told Tobio but he was like,” his hands reached into his bright orange hair, flattening it down as the redhead pulled his face into a horrifying grimace, “ Dumbass Shouyou, the FIVB is coming up in a few months! We can’t afford to waste time, we have to train hard if we want to win despite your shitty… ” As Hinata rambled on, passionately imitating a colleague? Trainer? Friend?, Ikeda was distracted by the wet glint of gold in the boy’s hair. Well , “boy” was an inaccurate term to describe him. He was only a boy to Ikeda’s forty-nine year old eyes. At nearly thirty, Hinata was truly more man, with a short stature that more than filled out his white tank top and olive cargo shorts. It was a similar outfit to the one he’d worn when they first met - except that gold band definitely hadn’t been on his finger. 

And then, Ikeda was promptly reminded of just why the boy was here. It wasn’t for leisure or business. 

“I’m getting married tomorrow.” He had said on the flight here. The flight that was seven days ago. 

 “...And then I beat him by a good five seconds. The receptionist looked a bit scared but I reached the top floor of the embassy first so that’s all that matters. I proved what he said was utter crap!” Then the light in his eyes dulled and he shrugged. “He was right though, duty calls. Besides, I’m eager to get back to training. The Olympics are-” 

“Oh congratulations! I completely forgot to ask about it!”

The confused tilt of his head was Hinata’s reply. “About the olympics? No biggie, Ikeda-san. You told me you weren’t big on sports-”

“I meant about your marriage.” The salesman clasped Hinata’s wet hands firmly in his. Well then, it really was such a shame they weren’t staying longer, Ikeda thought to himself, to enjoy what he supposed would be their honeymoon. It almost made him angry, imagining poor Hinata driven back to work by an inconsiderate teammate. That boy deserved to have some time off with his beloved. 

It should’ve been impossible for Hinata to burn brighter than he already does but when his marriage was mentioned, he turned into a million watt lightbulb. “It was amazing! Nothing big, we didn’t want to make a big deal out of it-.” 

“You should’ve! Young love is beautiful, Hinata-kun. When I got married there was not a single acquaintance of ours who was not invited.” 

“A few of our friends were there, a lot of them from highschool.”

“And wasn’t it amazing?”

“Well, one of them gave us the number of a divorce attorney as a wedding gift. Then again, Tsukishima always had a weird sense of humour. Honestly, no clue why we invited him.” He chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “But the rest of them was so awesome, they even pitched in and got us a volleyball cake. A volleyball wedding cake! Chocolate flavoured, because Yacchan knows it’s my favourite! I’d show you pictures but it kinda got ruined after I rubbed a bit into Tobio’s face at the cake feeding and you know how that goes. One second you’re ready to cut the cake with the love of your life, the next they dunk your face in it. Then before anyone could snap photos, the two of you are wrestling on the floor throwing cake at each other. Let me tell you, Suga and Daichi-san were not impressed and oh! Speaking of photos, my sister was my best man- woman? Best woman? Whatever, look how sweet she looks in this tux!” In no time at all, Hinata was whipping out his phone and shoving a picture in Ikeda’s face. “I know, I know, she’s twenty-two now, no need to baby her but she’ll always be my little-”

“Slow down, Hinata-kun. I didn’t catch a word of what you’ve said.” 

“It was one of the bestest days of my life, you were right Ikeda-san! I shouldn’t have been so nervous. My stomach was all grgrgrg and it felt like waaaah in there but it was a good waah! The kind I get when I play on court and I hit one of Tobio’s tosses!” And the sheer, unbridled happiness that illuminated off his face in that rinky-dink bathroom was truly unparalleled in intensity to anything Ikeda had ever seen. Even the sun seemed dim compared to his eyes, sparkling with happiness and love and all those other things newlyweds are supposed to feel. In fact, the endorphins were practically secreting from his every pore, wafting in the air around the boy buzzing with joyous energy. Ikeda was half afraid he’ll overheat and explode on the spot! 

Still, Ikeda was slightly worried if his wife would ever manage to keep up with this wildfire of a man. She knows what she signed up for… probably.

They made their way out of the bathroom, the salesman left a bit dazed by their conversation like he’d been last time. Hinata was still chattering on when Ikeda asked-

“So where is she then?”

“Huh?” Came the confused noise out of Hinata’s throat.

“Your lady friend?” The playful arch of Ikeda’s brows punctuated his question.

“Yacchan? She had to go home early.”  

“Oh.” It wasn’t a surprise. The flight from Tokyo to Rio was long, long enough to divulge and lament and explain that Hinata and his fiance didn't get a lot of time to plan the wedding… or do the wedding… or even enjoy their honeymoon. Work kept them too busy, his wife apparently something of an athlete too which didn’t surprise Ikeda all that much. After all, Hinata lived, breathed, and bled volleyball. It would make sense the person he’d want to share his life with would also share his passion. Still, this left little time for wedding planning. It was a sudden affair borne from a sudden decision because apparently they just “couldn’t wait any longer”. (Ikeda was placing his bet on an unplanned pregnancy) 

“That’s too bad, I’m sorry, Hinata-kun.”

“It’s alright, now I’ll see her again soon.” 

“That you will.” Ikeda gave him a playful nudge, watching as Hinata’s face momentarily scrunched in confusion. He looked like he was about to ask something when -

Beethoven’s 5th symphony boomed from Hinata’s shorts. 

The pair jumped at least a mile high, Ikeda’s heart racing as the redhead reached into his pockets and pulled out his phone. 

“Sorry about that.” Hinata apologised, tinged red from embarrassment as he fumbled with his phone. “Shit- shit- come on!” From his wet clutches it kept slipping, it was like watching a bear cub try to catch their first fish. The ominous music kept playing, drawing everyone’s attention in a ten metre radius. Seriously, who has their volume set so deafeningly lou-

Who was he kidding, this was Hinata Shouyou. This was probably quiet by his standard. 

Finally, Beethoven was cut short when at last he swiped right and accepted the call. “Yep, hello?”  Ikeda couldn’t hear the voice on the other end and instead watched as Hinata listened tentatively. “The line was sooo long, I didn’t get a chance to yet… I had to go to the bathroom… no, I didn’t… I said no, I didn’t get food yet…” There was a smile in his voice, sounding as fond as he was playful. Whoever he was speaking to, he clearly held much love for them. “BECAUSE I NEEDED TO PEE!” Okay, never mind. Ikeda (and admittedly a few passersby) gawked awkwardly at the turn this conversation took.  “Because I get nervous during travelli- you know what? Why don’t you go, jerk? Why do I have to stand in line?....” 

Shouting could be heard, and Hinata rolled his eyes before covering the microphone. “Duty calls.” He announced to Ikeda, smiling as he said his goodbyes. “It was nice talking to you! See you on the plane, Ikeda-san!” 

“Y- you too! Goodbye, Hinata-kun.” Ikeda honestly had trouble collecting himself from the abrupt shift in tone as he watched the man weave through the crowd shouting down the phone.

“Look at me, coming to your rescue like a knight in shining armour.” He laughed into the phone. “What?… You bought a carton twenty minutes ago, why do you need-... HOW DID YOU DRINK A GALLON OF MILK IN TWENTY MINUTES?” 

The first time they’d met had been on February 10th - an entire week ago. To Ikeda it feels exactly like that. A week. However, to Hinata Shouyou and that ring on his finger, it must’ve felt like a lifetime ago. Still, he didn’t seem so different from the loud boy who’d shuffled over him to the window seat and stared out of it like a child on Christmas eve, waiting to catch Santa slide down the chimney with a sack full of presents. Never had Ikeda seen a grown man so excited by the prospect of clouds before. Never had Ikeda heard someone talk so much.

“So if you’re in Urca, you should definitely check out Sugarloaf Mountain. I know you said you’re not the sporty sort but you could use a cable car if you'd like! Sure the wires are a bit rusty, I guess maintenance could up their game a bit, but it’s no biggie. The creaking really helps distract you from the fact you’re four hundred metres up in the air. Give your mind something to focus on.” Miraculously, that didn’t convince Ikeda to give it a try. “Or again, you can walk the trail, it’s only a little over two hours and definitely worth it. The view is amazing up there, it’s like you can see the entire country. No, scratch that, the world! Remember that scene in Titanic, where the dead dude who hasn’t died yet - oh, if you haven't seen it yet sorry for the spoiler - goes to the very front of the ship and screams ‘I’m the king of the world!’ That’s how being up there feels like. I for sure recommend going before sunrise though, definitely. You wake up at 4 am and start the hike or you better not go at all, trust me… erm… what was your name again?”

“Ikeda Souichirou.” He grumbled, pulling his book higher up to hide his face. The hint was not taken. 

“Trust me, Ikeda-san! If you didn’t seem so old and frail-” Ikeda wasn’t a violent man but athlete or not, he was five seconds away from decking the kid. “I’d probably suggest you scale the mountain yourself. I mean, you could if you still have time to fit it in with those other places I recommended, I did it in three days! I mean,” He suddenly turned sheepish, trailing off as bit his lip, and wonder of all wonders, did Hinata actually stop talking to breathe? Ikeda half expected his water to turn to wine and the sea to part below them. Unfortunately, all miracles last three days. Or in this case, three seconds. “They technically say you shouldn’t attempt to scale Sugarloaf because technically you need proper technical gear and technically the fall would definitely most likely be fatal but I mean, I did it with, like, some rope and a bicycle helmet so it can’t be that hard. Oh, this reminds me! Visit Parque Lage, there’s this trail there that’s really-”

“I won’t have time for all that.” 

“But it’s only 5 hours. Well, it was only two and a half for me but-”

“How about you go do that yourself huh? You could write a blog about it.” It was meant to be an insult but it went right over his head. Good. Ikeda felt incredibly guilty as soon as he’d said it. 

Suddenly, that perky quality about the man sizzled out. His face turned oddly white as he looked at headrest in front of him and muttered: “I don’t think I’ll have time.”

“Oh, how come?” Ikeda asked, taking joy in the irony. He was already turning back to A Walk To Remember, eager to start this book despite reading it for the past two hours. 

“Well, I’m getting married tomorrow.” Alright, maybe Landon Carter’s terrible life choices can wait.

The book hit his lap with a thud that was all but deafening on the suddenly much too quiet plane. Ikeda stared, shocked. He never wanted to hear random incels crying on the internet about not being able to find a girlfriend if this human personification of a chihuahua on speed managed to land a whole wife. 

“Excuse me, I thought you said you were getting married.” He chuckled, certain he must’ve misheard.

“That’s what I said.” Hinata turned to him, a timid look in his eyes. Or perhaps not timid but nervous. Very nervous, in fact. His hands were shaking . The poor zip was about to be ripped off his clothes any minute. 

“Oh. Congratulations?”

“Why does that sound like a question?”

Maybe because you look like your head’s gonna be blown off at the altar if you say no. “It’s just that, well, forgive me but you look a bit-”

“Nervous huh?”

“Terrified.” 

Hinata sighed, and all of a sudden Ikeda felt way too sorry for this man who was intruding on his reading time. How was Landon and Jamie's relationship ever supposed to take off if Hinata was unloading his relationship problems? Because that’s what he was about to do, Ikeda could tell. He had that same look about him every protagonist does in their hour of need before the wise sage appears to give them the obligatory pep talk. Unfortunately for Ikeda, he was the safe. 

“I know I'm making the right choice, I'm certain. In fact, I've never been more certain of anything in my entire life. When I proposed, there was that same wave of anxious energy in my stomach that I used to feel before I stepped onto court back in highschool - you know, the good type. The one with the butterflies. The one that’s like: ‘I can’t wait to do this!’ because I’m so excited.  So I’m not getting cold feet or anything. But I can't help but worry that I’ll mess up somehow.”

Ikeda really shouldn't have been surprised that this man of all people would be the one to unload something as heavy as this on a stranger. And yet, the earnestness of his speech, the vulnerability of it, the willingness to be so emotionally naked before a man he’d just met- Ikeda couldn’t help not wanting to betray that trust. 

He sighed, and put away A Walk to Remember. “Look, as a man who's been married for over two decades, I can honestly tell you not messing up is impossible. You'll mess up. She’ll mess up. You’ll both mess up. The important part is to love each other. You can get through anything with that. It just requires effort.”

Based on the fact that he was apparently a professional volleyball player despite his small stature, Ikeda concluded Hinata at least knew the importance of effort. Still, it seemed his guidance wasn’t really doing a whole lot of guiding if the troubled expression was anything to go by. “Try to think of it this way. You play volleyball right? It’s a team sport. Sometimes you go on court and you make mistakes like missing a jump or a mistimed tackle or there’s an indirect kick-”

“Erm, that’s not really how it wor-”

“I don’t care. Point is you mess up. Does that mean the rest of the team quits on you? No, otherwise they’re a bad team. If you make a mistake they’ll pull you aside in the half-time, have a talk with you, explain what you did wrong, and you try to do better. That's what marriage is like.” 

Hinata seemed to consider this. Pursing his lips this way and that way, Ikeda could practically see the gears spin in his head - and click into place. “That's actually very wise. Your wife is very lucky.” 

The sales agent couldn't quite suppress the blush that crawled across his cheeks. No one ever told him his wife was lucky to be married to him. Rather, it’s always the other way round. But Hinata sounded so sincere. “Well, when you've been married for as long as I, you know a thing or two. Being married is practically second nature to me at this point.”

A glint of pure admiration shined in the redhead’s eyes, he was staring at Ikeda like how Ikeda imagined teenage boys stared at posters of rock stars plastered on their bedroom walls. “I can't wait until I can say things like that! Things like ‘ I've been married for 20 years ’ and ‘It's practically second nature to me.’”

“You'll get there, son.” A twinge of guilt pinched his insides at not 100% believing his own words because marriage was also about tolerating each other's very annoying habits and while the kid seemed nice, truly, he talked. A lot. And unfortunately, since Ikeda wanted to for some unexplainable reason keep the man’s anxiety at bay, he was going to have to get him to keep on talking. “I can't help but ask why get married in Brazil?” It seemed more expensive, more time consuming, more complicated, more everything. 

“I used to live in Brazil for a while and well, we were looking at all the places we could get married in and figured why not Rio? I know my way around and I have friends there I’d want to invite. Plus we’d need to get a bunch of paperwork sorted anyway, and it’ll be easier this way since I speak Portuguese...”

“What about the guests? What about the family?” Ikeda’s head rose above the seats, scanning to see if he could spot anyone who could possibly be with Hinata.

“My family is here, but the whole idea was so last minute we couldn’t book tickets next to each other.”

“And your fiance?”

“Already in Brazil.”

“With the in-laws, I presume?” A.K.A the mortal enemy of any married person, the thorn that comes attached to every rose that is one’s life partner. Poor boy, he thought because Hinata was trusting and naive, eyes filled with a hope not yet sucked out by the father-in-law who believed with every fibre of his being you couldn’t fight off a poodle to save his daughter let alone another man. They’re going to eat you alive. Ikeda was ready to unload an arsenal full of suggestions on how to get them to back off to prevent this fate, however the very mention of his fiance’s parents seemed to have shattered the easy-going atmosphere. 

A dark cloud passed over Hinata’s face, the thunder and lightning of it striking Ikeda with instant regret.. He didn’t know this man very well, their acquaintanceship was short, but even he could tell the waves of anger rolling off Hinata were very uncharacteristic.  “They’re not coming.” He ground out. 

“What’s the tea?” 

“Huh?”

“I meant oh, that’s regrettable.” Ikeda wanted to facepalm himself. This is the last time he’s ever letting his daughter teach him those stupid TockTick slangs. They were addictive and made him quite rude. After all, he didn’t want to pry, even if curiosity was eating him alive on the inside. Still, he couldn’t stop entire seasons worth of his wife’s K-dramas flooding his mind. Why aren’t they coming? He couldn’t help but ponder. There must be a reason, if they’re eloping like this. Maybe the girl comes from a prestigious family, that’d make sense. Hinata is nice but I can’t imagine him fitting into the stuffy standards of an aristocratic family. Or what if there’s a more pressing reason they don’t approve? But what? What? What? What? What would make ME disapprove of my daughter’s boyf- wait! Is he a convict!? Ikeda spared a scrutinising glance at the man before immediately burying the idea. No, look at this guy, he’s like a puppy. Most I could see on his criminal record is self-endangerment via unfit mountain gear. Hm… oh my god she’s not… pregnant is she? Is that what this is about? A secret love child? That’d explain everything! The disapproving parents, the desire to elope, Hinata’s nervousness! 

Turns out, Ikeda didn’t need to keep guessing. Hinata volunteered the information willingly. 

“They're not exactly present in my fiance's life, never have been. Ever since he was a kid, they've mostly been absent.”

Oh. Well that was less exciting. This wasn’t tea, this was just… water. Stale, depressing water. 

“Are they the… erm… constantly working type?”

“ No, they're the ‘pass the childrearing to the grandparents’ type.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t know why I’m surprised. It’s not like they were ever there for any of his milestones - not birthdays, games, school events. Hell not even graduation! Their kid’s first time on a national team and they couldn’t even be bothered to turn the TV on. Let's just say when we didn’t get an RSVP, we weren’t too surprised.” He was joking, but it sounded so bitter and wrong when his usual voice was so cheerful.

“I'm sorry.”

“No, it's fine. Hardly your fault.” His shoulders shrugged. “Besides, I'm not the one you should feel sorry for.” The words trailed off into fierce silence. Ikeda didn’t know silence could be fierce before meeting this man. But he recognised that irate gleam in his eyes, sympathised with him for it. It was infuriating, to watch someone who is supposed to love and care for your partner just as much as you do trample all over their heart.

 Another wretched sigh heaved in Hinata’s chest, then he shook his head as if to dispel the anger. “But anyway, it's a wedding. I'm supposed to be happy. So let's talk about happy things.”

Oh thank god. He never thought he’d be happy at the prospect of Hinata wanting to talk more but right now Ikeda would’ve cut off his left arm just to venture away from this rather awkward topic. He racked his brain trying to think of something he could say to steer the atmosphere in a lighter direction. “You said you met in middle school, did you? It’s how me and my wife met, too. Was it love at first sight?”

It was a fairly simple question, one Ikeda never had to think too hard on to answer, but Hinata pursed his lip to ponder on it for quite a bit. “Erm, maybe? I think it might’ve been for me.” But how could anyone truly have a doubt about it when the embarrassment on Hinata’s face began to melt away into something soft and warm, the shoujo sparkles in his eyes all but blinding Ikeda as he looked into them. “I never told anyone this, okay? So you’re the first to know… well Kenma is. But I haven’t told anyone except Kenma… and Atsumu… and Bokuto now that I think about it. Plus I think Sakusa was there so he knows. Oh and Lev, Natsu, and Akaashi… and Oikawa that one time I was drunk. But no one else.” He said. “When I first saw him, it was like those scenes in the manga my friends used to read. You know, the one with the heart and the flowers and the weird amount of fangirls screaming in the corner of the page. Except the only fan girl was me and I was also pretty terrified. My stomach was going all funny.”

As Ikeda was trying to bite down his smile, he found he couldn’t. Call him a sap but he was always a sucker for love stories like this and if he couldn’t read Nicholas Sparks, well, this was the eighteenth best thing. 

“But I don’t think it was mutual.” Hinata just shrugged. “When we started high school we were constantly fighting, and I started to hate that stupid beautiful face. Well, not hate hate but dislike in a You’re so hot and awesome and talented but have such a sucky personality why do I even put up with you oh that’s right you’re so talented please notice me kind of way. It’s hard to explain.” 

It was hard to understand too. Ikeda was getting whiplash from this conversation. “Well, Hinata-kun, your fiance sounds… interesting” 

“I prefer oddball or eccentric. It sounds better."

“Must be a pretty oddball if you stuck through all that fighting.” Ikeda chuckled, and if they knew each other just a little better he’d know that for Hinata Shouyou, the fighting was the best part. 

“Oh, very pretty.” 

“Loyal?"

“Super loyal.”

“Amazing?

“The most amazing in the whole wide world!” He nodded fervently, enthusiasm awakening with every word. 

“Smart?”

“Well…” Only for that enthusiasm to sputter and die. “Not exactly.” Hinata admitted, seemingly at a loss for what was appropriate to say about his future bride while remaining truthful. Okay, never the matter, intelligence wasn’t everything in a person.

“Kind?”

“Sometimes, I guess.”

“Sometimes?”

“We’re still working on the politeness thing.” 

“Okay, well what about patience?”

“Nu-uh.” 

“Humility?”

“Not really.”

"Funny?”

“Erm… more of a laugh at rather than a laugh with sort of way.”

“Good with children?” Ikeda was getting desperate. 

“We once took a stroll in a park, you know, to stretch our legs a bit, play volleyball. Every single kid that made eye contact on the way burst out crying.”

“Oh dear.” Let’s just get back to the looks before I find out how truly shallow this guy is. 

“Cute?”

“Well… have you ever seen a jumping spider?” Where was he going with this? “Most people are afraid of spiders because they’re creepy. However, jumping spiders with their big eyes are kind of cute even if they are creepy. So I guess he’s scary in a cute kind of way? I find him cute, I think everyone else finds him a bit intimidating when they first meet him though. Hell, I still find him intimidating sometimes.” 

A laugh broke out of Ikeda, a mixture of camaraderie and sympathy. “Oh they’re all intimidating, the fear doesn’t go away. You just gotta suck it up and apologise when you're wrong. Buy some flowers too, hope they’ll forgive you.” 

“But what if I'm right?”

“You see that? That question right there is how I know you’ve never been married.”

Hinata hoofed in indignation, crossing his arms like a petulant child. “Well I will be soon.” He proclaimed, like he was making a vow before it was even time to.

“Yeah,” Ikeda found himself smiling. “You will.” 

5:45. It’ll be time for departure soon. 

Ikeda sighed, tightened his hold on his suitcase, and began marching to the boarding gate. Or would’ve, had someone not crashed into him, height and muscle sending him wheeling backwards. His suitcase flew through the air in an impressive arch only to land a good five metres from him, cracked open and his underwear exposed for the whole world to see. “Sorry!” A winded voice said his way but by the time he got his bearings, Ikeda only saw the back of a tall figure dashing away. 

The salesman glowered, reaching for his suitcase as he glared daggers at the dark-haired man. “Watch where you’re going next ti-”

“Sorry!” This time, the person had the decency to apologise before crashing into him, tripping Ikeda up yet again. 

“OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD-” The words died in his throat as he registered none other than Hinata Shouyou rushing after the first offender, chucks squeaking across the linoleum floors of the airport. “Hinata-kun?” He asked after him, confused. But the man was long gone.

In the distance, Ikeda could see him launch himself at the tall figure. 

“That’s cheating!” The tall man barked, having been pulled to the ground at the waist by Hinata, who laughed victoriously before jumping ahead, gaining vantage in whatever game they were playing.

“It’s not cheating if I’m faster and stronger than you!”

“Like hell you are!”

The people in the airport blinked just as confused as Ikeda, watching the pair race to Gate 12B. 

“Hey! Come back here, dumbass! Play fair!”

“Or what?”

“I’ll kick you!”

“You’ll have to catch me first!”

At the sound of violent cursing and playful giggles, Ikeda reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of blood pressure medication. He considered just how much he could take without sending himself to the hospital. 

“40, 41, 42…” Walking down the aisle with a ticket in hand, Ikeda was counting until at last- “Bingo!” It really was funny, this choice of word. Bingo implied there was any luck to where he sat. There wasn’t. 

Three seats donned in beige leather stared back at Ikeda. He frowned. His ticket was for 41. 

The middle seat. The seat of the long-suffering. The throne for those poor and claustrophobic souls who were left to the mercy of their seatmates. Ikeda had, due to his job, travelled enough to know that now his comfort was in the hands of whoever would sit beside him and their awareness of travel etiquette. Most people were assholes, therefore they didn’t have said awareness. Still, resigned, he plopped himself into his seat.

Taking out his travel pillow and book, he tried to make the most of his situation. 

“A Walk To Remember, Nicholas Sparks . Is that any good?” 

Ikeda almost jumped out of his seat.  

There stood Hinata, head tilted to read the title of his novel, that dumb puppy-dog look on his face. What’s worse, there was a man behind him now - one that scared Ikeda in a completely different way. 

“Erm… I’m only on the third chapter.” He managed to reply, unable to take his eyes off the tall and imposing figure behind Hinata. His eyes were dark, so dark one could barely tell they were blue, and if the girl from the ring had a long lost twin brother… well… Ikeda just found him on flight 88. 

“You must be a really slow reader, Ikeda-san. You were just starting that on the plane.” 

Wonder why I hadn’t finished it. He grumbled internally.

“You know him?” Mr Doom and Gloom asked his companion, not frowning but not particularly smiling either. And the voice immediately hits a cord of recognition with him as the bastard who tripped him up! 

“Ikeda-san and I were seatmates on the flight here, isn’t that right?” 

Ikeda could only nod, willing himself not to glare at the rude man who was now staring at him with… sympathy? 

“And you survived?” He was asking him now, slightly monotone. “Kudos to you.” 

“Well-”

“HEY!” Hinata huffed indignantly before Ikeda could get a word in, a common occurrence. “I was keeping him company, better than being in silence for 21 hours. Can’t imagine the poor soul that got stuck with you of all people.”

The fire was back in Doom and Gloom’s eyes, he snapped his head and yelled- “For your information I was sitting alone!” 

“Wonder why.” 

“You little shit-” Before Kageyama’s claws of death could descend onto Hinata’s innocent and unsuspecting tendrils of orange, an unlikely hero came to their rescue, saving the spiker from premature balding. 

“Excuse me, would you mind taking a seat? We’ll be taking off soon and you’re kind of holding everyone up.” The deceptively patient voice of a definitely underpaid stewardess cut through their bickering, and both boys turned around to see an entire line of impatient passengers trying to pass through the narrow aisle. 

“Sure. Sorry.” Doom and Gloom mumbled, his embarrassed voice mixing with the angry sighs of passangers waiting behind him. Cheeks blooming with red, he quickly squeezed himself over to the window seat, muttering apologies to Ikeda. Hinata snickered evilly as he sat down too, much to Ikeda’s absolute, sheer, unbridled, and unadulterated horror. 

If there was such a thing as karma, it hated him. 

“Still think it’s a coincidence?” Hinata sounded honest to God happy as he turned to Ikeda. “I can’t believe we get to sit next to each other again! Seriously, this’ll be such a neat story to tell my grandkids! The time I met Ikeda-san, the sales agent, TWICE on different flights.” He moved his hands in the air as if he was unveiling a movie title, not the world’s most boring happenstance. “Of course I’ll be sure to include the part where Tobio got scolded by the flight attendant lady.” He sniggered evilly.

“You were also included in that scolding so shut it!” The black-haired man snapped and Hinata did… for all of five seconds. Just as he strapped his seatbelt in, he suddenly went rigid as if remembering something, and whipped his head to Doom and Gloom.

 “Hey, why do you get the cool window seat?” 

“Because I took it first?” 

“But that’s my seat. Seat 42!” 

Doom and Gloom's reply was very mature. “Deal with it.” 

Hinata opened his mouth to argue further, but really, Ikeda didn’t think 25 years in customer service had steeled his nerves enough to deal with these two, so he interfered. “Do you two know each other?” He asked, hoping to diffuse the situation.

“Oh, how rude of me!” Hinata’s eyes suddenly sparkled, actually sparkled, and he gestured to Doom and Gloom proudly. “Ikeda-san, Kageyama Tobio. Kageyama Tobio, Ikeda-san.” 

So this was that rude co-worker who cut Hinata’s honeymoon short. Ikeda gave him an appraising stare as Kageyama smiled at him. Well, tried to. It looked horrifying, the corners stretched too wide over thin lips, and those pinpoint eyes remaining fixed in their dour. 

A shiver ran up Ikeda’s back. 

“You’re scaring him.” Hinata laughed, patting Ikeda’s back in reassurance or to keep him from bolting from his seat. Either which.

The grimace-smile immediately vanished. The man looked sheepish, and even if he ruined a honeymoon and crashed into him, Ikeda felt sorry for the guy.

“He’s not.” Ikeda said quickly because while 25 years in customer service did not steel his nerves enough to deal with these two, it did teach him how to lie to them. “My son isn’t the most social of people, I get it.”

Kageyama looked grateful for the understanding.

Soon enough they were settled in their seats, Ikeda feeling a tad guilty for planting himself right in between them. He considered offering to swap but then the flight attendant came to perform her demonstration on what they should all do in case of emergencies - and it seemed if this plane ever crashed Kageyama and Hinata were definitely dying because neither were listening. The latter seemed to content himself with a brand new Nintendo switch, pressing happily away at the buttons with a tongue peeking out from his mouth. It still had that distinct plastic smell of newness all these technologies Ikeda had no idea how to operate had, the sheen of it showing it had barely been touched before today. On his right, the former seemed content to glance at the darkness of the early morning outside, a bored and almost lamenting look cast over his face. It honestly took Ikeda by surprise because why was he so miserable? Hinata was the one who had his honeymoon cut short. 

It was reasonable to assume he had been a guest at the wedding - he knew the groom after all, they were colleagues, and they were travelling back to their home country together. Question was, why would Hinata even invite someone like him? No offence to Kageyama Tobio but he doesn’t seem to be very… erm… how should I put it? Wedding guest material. Ikeda cringed, imagining him fitted into a tux, smiling that soul-sucking, blood-curdling, kitten-killing, little-kid’s-balloon-popping smile, standing awkwardly in one of those pews at those small Vegas style chapels. Did he even clap? Or did he just stare with that same monotone expression all throughout the ceremony? What did THE Mrs Hinata Shouyou think? 

“Oi.” Kageyama spoke up beside him and Ikeda’s soul nearly departed from his body. An irrational fear gripped him: does he know what I’ve been thinking? but then Hinata raises his head like a puppy, orange curls bouncing with excitement, and the salesman realises he isn’t the one being addressed.  “You said you wanted the window seat right?” He asked in a nonchalant voice but something told Ikeda he was anything but as he offered up his place. 

Hinata’s grin in response, as usual, was bright enough to melt the sun. “Really?”

“Are you giving me a chance to rethink?” 

“Nope!” Without a word, Hinata jumped out of his seat and once they awkwardly shuffled over Ikeda, the man watched as Hinata plopped down to his right with a satisfied smile. Just in time for the pilot to announce their take off over the intercom. 

The plane gave a lurch as the wheels began to spin, slowly rolling across the runway and into the nearing daybreak. The asphalt whooshed beneath them and though their vision was still limited through the twilight of February, Ikeda watched from beside the redhead as they started accelerating. The lights bounced off their window, catching colour in Hinata’s brown eyes like a fireworks show. They were so round and filled to the brim with child-like excitement. A strong wave of deja vu washed over Ikeda because Hinata looked just as excited as when they first met. 

Ikeda couldn’t relate. He hated flying - the seats were uncomfortable, the food was tasteless, and the feeling of claustrophobia never subsided. None of this bothered his seatmate though because Hinata’s fingers were plastered to the window, face squished against the glass as the plane finally, FINALLY, lifted off the ground. 

Now comes the worst part. That nauseating lurch in your stomach as you feel like intestines slosh around in the pit of your stomach. Ikeda sunk his nails into the armrest to bear it… and there was Hinata, giggling through the entire thing while everyone else was trying desperately not to lose their lunch. 

From his periphery, he saw Kageyama. Except, instead of reading a book or putting in his headphones or gripping his armrests for his dear life like Ikeda expected, he was simply staring at his friend. And of course his dark blue eyes were still the same dark blue, and yet they seemed less cold and grim, more soft? It was like they weren’t even the same colour anymore. Or maybe it was the way his lips quirked, or the way his eyes hooded, or the gentle arch of his brows, that made him look so... gentle. Either way, it was a look of something. Ikeda just couldn’t tell what emotion and of course, by the time Hinata turned around, the stoic expression was back.

“You’re welcome, dumbass.” He harrumphed, and reached into his small bag to take out a sports magazine. 

They hadn’t even been in the air for ten minutes, and trouble already arose.

“Erm, Tobio?” Such a small sound yet it carried such ominous weight.

“Hm?” Kageyama didn’t bother to look up from his magazine.

Hinata sounded uncharacteristically shy as he uttered the following words: “I, erm, I may have made a mistake letting us swap…"

The slow turn of his head revealed a glare that could’ve levelled all of Tokyo. “Sho, you better not say what I think you’re saying.” 

“I need to use the bathroom.” 

Scratch what Ikeda said about Hinata being a twenty-eight year old grown man. This man was a child. Kageyama seemed to think so too. “Idiot, I told you to go before we boarded!”

"I did! How was I supposed to know I'd need to go again?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have drank an entire bottle of gatorade then!”

“You drank one too!”

“But I’m tall.” 

A gasp hissed out of Hinata’s mouth, and clearly this was some kind of low-blow in their relationship. “What does that have to do with anything?” He snapped defensively.

For a fraction of a second, the amused glint in Kageyama’s eyes, only dulled by his irritation, showed that he revelled in his friend’s reaction, and his next words. “Bigger body, bigger bladder. Should’ve planned ahead.” 

“You jerk!” Ikeda was sure that if it hadn’t been so difficult, Hinata would have launched himself at his friend with vengeance and, well, Ikeda wanted to say fists raised but that didn’t suit Hinata. He came across as more of a biter. Still, that hypothesis will have to wait to be proven because Hinata merely slumped down in his seat and pouted. 

“You can’t go now anyway, we’re still ascending.” Kageyama chided, like a long-suffering mother. Hinata, in an oh so mature manner, just repeated what he’d said in a mocking tone. “This is why I wanted to sit by the window, I knew you’d just be climbing all over me to the bathroom the entire trip.”

And me. Ikeda’s internal whining did not reach their ears. Instead, deaf to his seatmate’s suffering, Hinata leaned on Ikeda’s armrest and dropped his usual chipper voice by several octaves, staring intently into his companion’s eyes with such a playful yet tense glint that Ikeda had trouble deciphering its meaning.     

“I thought you liked it when I climbed all over you.” 

Kageyama must’ve been in some kind of mental sync with Ikeda, because him spraying water over the back of the seat in front of him was the exact kind of reaction Ikeda would’ve produced had he been the one drinking. 

Excuse Ikeda’s language but what the fuck did that mean, honestly?

Kageyama seemed to know. In a moment, his entire face had gone a hot and embarrassed red. He sputtered some kind of response that made even less sense. “D-d-dumbass, we’re in public. Don’t say things like that..”

Hinata’s smile grew sharper, almost shark-like, and Ikeda thought he was going to press the issue. But he must’ve noticed he was invading all fifty layers of his aura because the boy backed away. “Such a prude.” He laughed to himself before going back to his nintendo game. 

It’s only been three hours into the flight and already Ikeda was wishing for death. Who’s? He didn't know.

Just 17 hours. Just 17 ours and you’ll be home, you’ll be home in your nice bed and quite house-

“Did you know the Boeing 747 uses less fuel than your car?” 

Kageyama put his magazine down and stared. “No it does not.” He said simply, voice blank with disbelief.

Hinata, long back from his excursion from the toilet and now in Kageyama’s seat vice versa, simply nodded. “Yeah, unbelievable right? I saw it on TV once.”

“Source?”

“What do you mean source?”

“Show me proof.” Kageyama challenged.

“Erm, my brain?”

“That’s definitely not credible enough.” 

“Hey! You're awfully cocky for a guy who went to university on a sports scholarship!”

“At least I went to university!” 

“I once saw you get a 13 in Japanes. Japanese! How do you fail reading and writing?”

“It’s not just reading and writing and you know it! It’s like, analysis and stuff! And anyway, like your 14 in maths was something to fawn over!”

“I’ll have you know I-”

Katy Perry asking if you ever felt like a plastic bag drifting through the wind and wanting to start again blocked out the bickering as Ikeda put on his headphones. 

He hated this song. 

He turned it to maximum volume.

Katy Perry’s voice sputtered and died two hours later due to low battery. Thankfully, the silence of his musicless headphones was replaced by the silence of his surroundings as he took them off. They stopped. He thought to himself, relieved. On his right, Kageyama seemed to be mid-text, thumbs tapping swiftly across his keypad. On his left, Hinata was swiping through pictures, obviously enraptured. Ikeda couldn’t blame him. They looked so happy - all of them did. They were pictures full of smiles and sun and Kageyama and beaches and exotic food and Kageyama and fancy hotel rooms and Kageyama and clubs and architecture and wilderness and Kageyama and damn, there were a lot of Kageyamas. He was practically in every third photo, though the subject himself didn't seem privy to that knowledge. Most of them were candid, secretive. Kageyama didn't seem to be aware that Hinata had been taking them, except for a few where his obviously fake and stiff smile was there dead front and centre. The poor guy looked like he was being held at gunpoint

... but on those he wasn’t…

Hinata's eyes shifted to him in surprise, much to Ikeda’s mortification. 

“I-I’m so sorry, I didn't mean to pry.” He stammered out but as usual, Hinata was incapable of expressing any negative emotions.

 “I don't care Ikeda-san, you can look!” Apparently, to Hinata, “you can look” meant “I will now proceed to shove my phone in your face”. 

There it was, Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shoyou sitting at some corner booth in an exotic looking outdoor restaurant. The latter was taking a selfie, throwing a peace sign and capturing everything from the melting sundae on his plate to his friend sipping a mojito as he looked onto something out of shot. “This was the day after the wedding, a belated bachelor party if you will.” He swiped to another similar picture, except they were fork deep in some kind of expensive looking food. Then he swiped again, but the scenery changed entirely.

 The next image was of a beach party. The ocean sparkled gold in the backdrop of a group photo. There was Hinata and Kageyama dead front and centre. The former had his arms draped around a petite woman with braided blonde hair and a smile that could equal Hinata’s. Similarly, Kageyama’s arm was draped around Hinata’s little sister - Nami? Nao? Niina? Ikeda couldn’t remember for the life of him. A tall and wiry blonde man with glasses stood behind them beside a freckled brunet, who was having his hair ruffled by a menacing-looking bald man. Glasses was similarly in the middle of being dragged into a headlock by a short and spiky-haired boy, who a large and bearded fellow was trying to pull off. On the left of the picture, a burly dark-haired man stood next to a silver-haired one, looking equally exasperated as they were fond. 

“This was our old highschool volleyball team.” Hinata said, slightly misty-eyed but a fond smile fixed on his face nevertheless. It was a bit wobbly but it was there. “I honestly didn’t think that many of them would make the trip, given that it was such short notice.”

“But they did?”

“Most of them, yeah.” Hinata nodded vehemently, like their honour was on the line. “Nishinoya had to take four layovers to get to Brazil, he arrived twenty-minutes before the ceremony.” He chuckled. “It was the best wedding gift anyone could’ve asked for. He even brought Asahi-san with him. Oh! And Tsukishima-” His fingers pointed towards the spectacled man. “-said he was definitely not going to waste his free weekend attending a wedding that’s bound to crash and burn.”

“That’s harsh.”

“But he called back an hour later and told us he’d been thinking of visiting Brazil so he guessed he could drop in for a few minutes if his schedule allowed it.”

Hinata continued the powerpoint presentation of his honeymoon. There were pictures of Hinata, his sister, and the blonde girl building sandcastles. There was a selfie of Hinata and a guy apparently called “Bokuto” pulling silly faces at the camera. There was a snapshot of Kageyama talking to the freckled man from the group photo. There was another group shot, this time of Bokuto, a blond guy and a black-haired one holding Hinata horizontally above the water, pretending like they were going to drop him. The next picture revealed that they had dropped him - if Bokuto’s dejected face and a drenched Hinata were something to go by. Then another Kageyama picture, candid like all solo photos of him were, as melting ice cream dribbled down his fingers. He looked satisfied with the pistachio flavour, licking away merrily with not a care in the world.

Hinata swiped and there was an extremely tall man Ikeda immediately recognized as famous model Lev Haiba trying to do the limbo and failing miserably. There was another group photo of the bearded man, the burly man, and the silver-haired man posing for a selfie with coconut drinks and colourful straws. “That’s Asahi, Daichi, and Suga. They were our senpais in highschool and oh- here’s a picture of Suga-senpai with Tsukishima!” There were pictures of Suga and Tsukishima sitting in a deck chair, conversing, no doubt catching each other up about their life. The next destination on the slideshow was, unsurprisingly, Kageyama again. He was lathered in about five gallons of sunscreen with black sunglasses perched on his face, presumably sleeping on his deck chair. He wouldn’t stay that way for long.

 A video started playing, someone shakily recording as Hinata, Bokuto, Nishinoya and Tanaka snuck over to the setter and with discreet fingers attempted to wipe away the sunscreen on his torso in the shape of what could only be politely described by Ikeda as male genitalia. Then came the repercussions. Kageyama stirred slowly, so slowly Ikeda didn’t think he’d wake, before abruptly jolting and sending the screaming culprits bolting. Except Hinata didn’t bolt fast enough. In seconds, his friend had his arms around his waist before promptly throwing him over his shoulder. It didn’t matter how much Hinata begged, kicked, flailed and screeched, Kageyama with a wicked smirk sent him flying into the ocean. Even after being almost drowned, the redhead was cackling in the next photo, and the photo after that showed the blonde girl, sitting with her thighs on Hinata’s shoulder, arms extended like she was flying. They were laughing as he stood knee-deep in the water. 

“Is this Yachi, was it?”

“Aha.” Hinata nodded, already swiping.

“She’s very beautiful.” Ikeda praised and, truly, he meant it. He hadn’t put much thought behind what kind of woman occupied the happy but no doubt exhausting position of Hinata Shouyou’s wife but Yachi made sense. They matched. It was clear through the photo and the million watt smile they shared that the pair was probably exactly the type of lovey-dovey couple who exchanged eskimo kisses in public and celebrated five and a half day anniversaries and argued for hours over the phone about who should hang up first. “Congratulations.” 

Hinata sent him a strange look then, smile vanishing momentarily as he said: “Thanks? Sorry, Ikeda-san, she's taken.”

Ikeda couldn’t help it, a laugh broke out of him. “Ha! You're funny, Hinata-kun.” 

Hinata seemed even more confused then, but continued to swipe. 

“She was in that first photo you showed me, does that mean she was part of your volleyball club?”

“Yeah, she was our manager.” 

“That’s romantic.”

“I don’t think she’d agree, not when she had beat a horde of horny highschool boys off Kiyoko-san with a stick everyday.” 

The next photo only caught Ikeda’s attention because Hinata paused on it. It was Kageyama, standing with his back facing the sunset and his left arm around a tall woman in an affectionate side hug. He seemed different with her than the others… more familiar. His smile was muted but painfully sincere, directed at the girl besides him. Ikeda was about to ask if this was perhaps the future Mrs Kageyama Tobio before Hinata piped up.

“That’s Miwa, Kageyama’s sister.” 

Oh, nevermind then. As Ikeda observed them, he immediately wanted to facepalm himself for even assuming they were dating. It was obvious they were related, from the high cheekbones to the sleek black hair and even their sharp smirk. She looked beautiful and nothing like the ghost girl from Ring. Maybe the terrifying aura wasn’t a family trait after all/ 

The photo slide continued, more pictures of the group at the beach. There was Kageyama doing what looked like teaching Yachi how to float, holding her up gently by the waist and knees and wow- Hinata must not have been a jealous man. The familiarity was clear between the two, all easy smiles from Yachi and steady hands around her. 

 It then occurred to Ikeda, seeing the two in the same picture, that actually, there were more photos of Kageyama Tobio on Hinata's phone than of his own wife. 

Ikeda was about to comment on it, tongue starting to form words before his mind could, but then Hinata shoved the screen even closer to his face. “Oh my god, Tobio's first and last attempt at surfing, this had to be documented. Look, look! It's getting good! After this one, I'll show you the wedding pics.” 

A video was playing now, the volleyball player rowing out to sea with his surfing board before attempting to stand on it. It didn't look right.

“Does he know how to…?”

“No, that's what makes this hilarious..” 

He watched as he mounted his surfboard, confident and - and falling. A wave came seemingly out of nowhere and knocked both the board and him over in one swell swoop, sending the man careening into the sea. Hinata paused on a not-so-flattering frame of his friend emerging from the water, straight black hair plastered to his foreboding face, looking very much like a surfacing sea-monster.

Hinata’s laugh was so riotous it sent half the plane jumping, sparing them annoyed glances - Kageyama was no exception. 

“Oi, what are you laughing a…” His voice trailed off as he registered himself on the screen, and whether he went bright red from anger or embarrassment Ikeda couldn’t tell. “I TOLD YOU TO DELETE THAT!” 

“That you did.” Hinata’s voice was sandwiched between chokes of laughter. “I never said I would though.” 

“You little bastard, gimme that!” Kageyama was already reaching across to snatch the phone before anyone could stop him - not that there would’ve been any volunteers, given the malicious fire in his eyes that set them aflame. He looked positively terrifying, so terrifying in fact that Ikeda didn’t dare mention that the setter was currently elbowing him in the chest. The two men toddlers continued squabbling over the phone, hitting Ikeda accidentally not once, not twice, but thrice.

“Let go! It’s mine!” Hinata squawked indignantly. 

“That video is of me! That means it’s also mine!” Kageyama grunted.

As Ikeda tried to lean as far into his seat as possible to avoid the grappling hands warring before his eyes, he distantly noted that for such a small man, Hinata had an awfully strong grip. 

“You’re gonna break it!”

“Maybe you can get nekoma’s setter to buy you a new one!”

“For the last time, we’ve known him for fourteen years, his name is Kenma!” 

“Maybe Kenma can buy you a new one! He already bought you a brand new switch."

“It was part of my sponsorship!”

“What kind of sponsor buys you brand new nintendos?"

“Kenma!”

Alright, there’s only so much of this Ikeda could take. “WANT TO SWAP?!” He had to outshout the two buffoons, but it got their attention. Surprised, they blinked owlishly at him, phone and video long forgotten. “Seeing as the two of you can’t sit still, I’d rather not be sandwiched between you two. I’d like to make it off this flight in one piece.” 

At least Hinata had the audacity for an embarrassed flush. That’s more than what could be said for Kageyama. He just nodded. 

“Sweet.” 

They didn’t stop fighting, but at least now Ikeda was out of the firing line. Sitting beside the window, he could now almost tune them out… until it was time for lunch. They had all roughly ordered at the same time, or rather, Ikeda placed an order and this prompted Tweedledee and Tweedledum to also remember that the last time they had eaten was an entire timezone ago. 

“Two of number seven please.” Hinata beamed at the stewardess, who of course immediately beamed back because this was Hinata we’re talking about. The only people who wouldn’t return his smile were either blind or had a severe case of the empty chests. 

Honestly, it was easy to see why people liked him. He had such a powerfully radiant personality, something inside him that was warm and buzzing, ready to suck everyone into his rose-tinted world. People like this were rare, who were happy for no reason other than that the world existed and they got to be a part of it. They, unsurprisingly, made friends everywhere. 

So it really shouldn’t have surprised Ikeda that Hinata had been able to befriend someone as grim and ill-tempered as Kageyama. 

But it did. 

Why on earth are they friends? He couldn’t help but wonder for the fiftieth time in the last five hours. They both loved volleyball clearly, they wouldn’t shut up about it after all, but that was hardly a solid enough reason to invite someone to your overseas wedding or have an entire gallery’s worth of photos of them on your phone. 

They had nothing in common.  Grumpy. Happy. Cold. Warm. Reserved. Social. Rude. Kind. Winter. Summer. Tall. Short. The complete antonyms of each other in both appearance and nature. Their entire friendship was a juxtaposition of each other - a series of  constant bickering and trying to outdo each other, and what kind of friendship was that? It just didn’t make sense, even with Hinata’s good will, why he’d be friends with someone like Kageyama. 

Or more interestingly why Kageyama would be friends with someone like Hinata. Because that was really the heart of the matter wasn’t it? Hinata could even befriend a cockroach if he truly wanted to, he seemed like the type of person who would try and make friends with everyone and everything with a pulse in a typical extrovert manner. Kageyama though? The only plausible way Ikeda could see him cave into Hinata’s advances was if the boy held a gun to his head and forced him to braid them friendship bracelets. The sales agent met many people during his career - he knew Kageyama’s type very well. Social interaction to them was like sunlight to a vampire, and Ikeda had never met a brighter ray of sun than Hinata. What spell Hinata put on him to get Kageyama to tolerate him when even Ikeda, a seasoned veteran of customer service, doubted he could for longer than a day without ten espresso shots, he didn’t know. 

Regardless, their friendship was strange. They hadn’t said a kind word to each other all day. 

Well atleast, now that the food has arrived they’ll shut up…. What on earth?

Alright, Ikeda knew that reasonably the last time these two ate was probably around five to six hours ago, and he was familiar enough with the human anatomy to know athletes required much more calories than the average everyday mere mortal office worker. But this was just excessive.

His eyes crinkled in disgust as he watched the two shovel coxinha and rice into their mouths like it was their last meal before the electric chair. Half of it ended up on their trays, crumbs falling like rain everywhere. The pair practically inhaled the food, not even tasting it as down the gullet it went. 

“A won le u ven.” Hinata growled through the chewed remains of fried chicken in his mouth. 

“A won e er.” 

Apparently they could understand whatever garble they were shouting at each other because it only spurred them on, causing the food shovelling to increase tenfold. It was difficult to watch, but Ikeda couldn’t look away. Bafflement held his head in place, and in T-minus 0.38 seconds both Kageyama and Hinata cleared their plate. 

Hinata wasn’t even finished swallowing as he exclaimed: “I WON!”  

Ikeda’s jaw was on the floor. What did he mean he won? Was this a competition all along? 

“11,092 to me, 11,089 to you! Ha! Everyday I’m leaving you further and further in the dust.” He slammed the napkin onto his tray with a triumphant thwip! 

The people on the opposite row watched on, disgusted. Ikeda never related to a pair of strangers so hard in his life. 

“Don’t get too cocky, ” Kageyama grouched, clearly sulking at having been defeated at whatever petty race against their oesophagus this was. But then, surprisingly, he turned to Hinata and smirked. “I’ll have you know we have the rest of our lives for me to beat you.” 

“Together.” Hinata added, a bit of rice still stuck to the corner of his mouth as the fire in his eyes dimmed into a warm glow. 

Ikeda was about to tell him: “Hinata-kun, it appears you have a little rice stuck to your-” but then, to Ikeda’s utter shock, Kageyama moved before he could finish. He watched, confused, as Kageyama leaned in and with a gentle (was this man even capable of gentleness before?) caress of the thumb wiped away the grain of rice. “Mouth…” 

“Together.” Kageyama reaffirmed. They looked at each other then, in a way that reminded the married man of something intensely familiar. Too familiar. Except what was it? Why was it so fond and intimate, in a way Ikeda certainly didn’t look at even his closest friend of twenty years?

Kageyama’s downright terrifying smile made an appearance again, and the people on the opposite aisle jolted back as if he was a terrorist with dynamites strapped to his chest… but not Hinata. Hinata returned the smile with one of his own. Beautiful as his friend’s was ugly, and he didn’t care one bit.

Well, until he suddenly went green in the face. “Oh oh.” 

Confusion marred Kageyama’s face as he registered the sudden drooping of Hinata’s eyes, the pursing of his dry lips, and the alarming way his Adam's apple bobbed. “What’s wrong?”

Slowly, Hinata’s suddenly pale hands reached to undo the seatbelt. The Brazilian tan was all but gone from him. “I need to go to the toilet.”

“You’ve just been twice-”

“Different reason.” He muttered, and he suddenly stood. Ikeda figured out what was wrong much faster than Kageyama.

And this is why you don’t speed eat on a plane. 

Just as the pieces finally clicked in Kageyama's admittedly slow brain, Hinata was dashing towards the toilet. 

Kageyama jolted up, just in time to see him almost crash into another passenger in his race against time. “Idiot, there’s a sick sack right here!” He held up a white paper bag, promptly managing to suck the last bit of discretion out of poor Hinata’s situation. And while everyone was once again busy ogling the spectacle the two had caused, Ikeda was busy eyeing something else completely. 

The obnoxious glint of something gold caught his eyes as Kageyama rested his hand on top of the seat. A perfectly simple but elegant gold band rested on his finger. 

He’s married too?!

Okay, Hinata Ikeda could see the appeal of. Sure he was mouthy and a bit too hyper for his liking but he gave off what his daughter often referred to as “golden retriever boyfriend” energy. It was hard to imagine feeling sad or stressed or unmotivated next to someone like Hinata, who would no doubt adore his partner the same way he adored life. What woman wouldn’t want someone so kind and friendly (not to mention a rich and famous athlete?) 

Kageyama may have had the height, and he was admittedly handsome, but it was the type of handsomeness no one really noticed, and took you about two hours after meeting him to even motice because you were mulling over every word before giving it access out of your mouth to make sure you didn’t piss him off. He was intimidating and scary but too stiff and awkward to have the bad boy appeal. 

Poor soul, whoever married this one. 

Ikeda couldn’t imagine he’d be a very emotive partner. Or maybe he was wrong to assume that. Very. Because right now Kageyama looked almost… concerned? Okay, that wasn’t an emotion Ikeda ever thought he’d associate with the nonchalant Kageyama. But he was. He was worried for his friend. 

“Better go check up on him.” Kageyama mumbled, and the fact that he didn’t even wait for a reply showed that the man was talking more to himself than Ikeda. In moments he was off, disappearing into the back of the plane like the rain-soaked hero of a romantic comedy dashing after his hurt girlfriend. 

Finally, some peace and quiet. The voice inside him whispered, the logical one. He should’ve been relieved. Instead, sighing, Ikeda reached into his bag. You see, he very much thought Hinata deserved his bout of illness. Who shoves food down their throat like that on a PLANE of all things?  Either way, Ikeda reconciled that he was going to let Hinata suffer the consequences of his own actions. Except, that pesky thing called a conscience nagged at him. Hinata was nice. Nice people didn’t deserve to be puking their guts out on a 21 hour flight. 

Pulling out the bottle of pepto-bismol and ginger ale he kept in his travel bag for emergencies just like this (well, not just like this, he could’ve never predicted anything even remotely close to this), Ikeda unbuckled his seatbelt and began his treacherous journey to the toilet, past screaming babies and busy aircrew and wandering passengers looking to stretch their legs. Eventually, he reached the door with a knock.

“Erm, occupied.” Kageyama’s awkward voice travelled through the toilet door.

“It’s me, I brought something.”  

Shuffling could be heard on the other side (and a lot of retching) before the door clicked open, and dark blue eyes met his. The tall man had a confused look on his face, clearly trying to figure out just why Ikeda was here, until he held out the medicine and ginger ale.

“It’s for nausea. Have him drink this, it’ll settle his stomach. Then have him take this.” 

“Thank you.” Kageyama breathed out, sounding the epitome of relief. He moved aside as he read the instructions on how to take the pepto, allowing Ikeda front-row seats to the sight of Hinata slumped before the toilet, knees red and looking sallow. Yet he still managed a smile when he saw him.

“Thanks.” He muttered weakly.

He was about to respond with a “no problem” however before he could, another wave of nausea rolled through Hinata and his head was already in the toilet and will you look at that, it was Ikeda’s cue to leave.

“I’ll leave you to it then.” He spared a glance at Kageyama, who was already kneeling down next to Hinata with one knee.

 Ikeda shouldn’t have stayed. He really wasn’t one who could stomach such scenes for too long. And yet… something stopped him in his tracks, and it had something to do with yet another entirely too uncharacteristicly tender display from Kageyama. His hands rubbed soothing circles along his friend’s spine albeit awkwardly, like he wasn’t quite sure what to do but was desperate to do something to help. The look in his eyes was one Ikeda couldn’t have imagined Kageyama would ever make, navy blue eyes softening even as he was muttering “Dumbass” and “Why didn’t you stop?” and “Stupid Sho, now we’re stuck in this bathroom.” Even those insults sounded like an aural balm of calm.

Hinata seemed to have recovered enough to raise his head out of the toilet and grin. “I wasn’t about to lose to you.” 

Kageyama rolled his eyes. “Here’s the reward for your awesome victory.” He held out the medicine sarcastically. 

Ikeda smiled and left them to it, wandering back to his seat. Nevermind, Ikeda could see exactly why they were friends…

It took them forty minutes to re-emerge from that bathroom. During that time, Kageyama received 6 notifications. How did Ikeda know? Because he’d left his phone on the edge of his food tray, and everytime some individual named Iwaizumi-San or Suga-senpai or Ushijima texted him, the screen of it would light up… along with Hinata Shouyou’s million watt smile. 

Ikeda felt the first bite of his sandwich fall from his mouth. 

Molten amber eyes stared at him through the screen. The picture seemed a bit young to be Hinata, like it was taken a good ten years ago. His hair, as it turns out, can be and was more unruly than it is now. It was a nest of orange curls, framing fair skin decorated with acne marks and covered in a thick sheen of sweat.  He was wearing a volleyball uniform, an orange and black one, a large number 10 plastered on the front. Was this a highschool photo? Should be, considering it was taken in front of what looked like a highschool gym, and the shoulders on either side of the photo proves that this was a group photo of some kind. Which means… Kageyama had cropped this out. 

Suga-senpai 11:19

How is it that you’re already worried about screwing up? Have more faith in yourself.  

The message pinged into existence at the top of the screen. It appeared to be a late reply to an earlier text Kageyama had sent, and judging by the constant buzz of his phone now, he must've sent a lot. 

Suga-senpai 11:22

What makes you think he was sad?

Suga-senpai 11:22

He just probably didn't want to leave so soon. Yachi said he sounded dejected on the phone. But before you start spiralling, he was just as eager to get back to training as you.

Ah, so they were talking about Hinata. Ikeda had a feeling. 

Suga-senpai 11:24

Plus, knowing Hinata, he’s probably happy being wherever you are. Brazil or Japan, it doesn't matter. 

Well, that was… odd.   Ikeda had a feeling Hinata’s wife wouldn’t take too kindly to that last statement. 

Then again, there comes a time when a wife must accept the sacred bond men have with their buddies. It’s really not a slight to them, it’s just that sometimes, they want to hang out with the bros instead. No harm in that - though maybe there is a little if you cut your honeymoon short for them. 

Iwaizumi 11:31 

Take your time though. 

The message at the top read. It, again, seemed to be a late reply to the last message Kageyama had sent.

Iwaizumi 11:31 

Shit like quality time is important, especially for newlyweds.

Ikeda felt that Iwaizumi’s advice was a little too late. 

Iwaizumi 11:32

Besides, Oikawa and I made a bet. I have an entire year’s worth of freedom from doing laundry riding on you NOT getting divorced. 

Iwaizumi 11:32

So, like, please.

Iwaizumi 11:32

Don’t get divorced.

Ikeda felt like he was losing the plot. No, he felt like the plot was non-existent at this point and the writer was doing coke in the backroom. An absurd idea popped into his head. Was it possible that maybe Hinata wasn’t married to Yachi but -

Ushijima 11:40

Dear Kageyama, I just had the pleasure of seeing the photographs posted on Hinata Shouyou’s social media. It was a very beautiful ceremony and I was pleased to see so many people show up even if I myself couldn’t attend. I’m glad to know you have such flourishing social circles. Was Oikawa there too by any chance? Congratulations, and good luck. Sincerely, Ushijima Wakatoshi.

Ushijima 11:45

Dear Kageyama, Tendou told me to tell you and I quote: “Congratulations. May all your ups and downs be only in the bedroom.” If you don’t know what this means, don’t ask, I also don't know. 

Sincerely, Ushijima Wakatoshi. 

Hinata’s face stopped flashing tauntingly in front of Ikeda’s face and now he could think. 

Except he couldn’t. His mind blanked, unable to put the pieces together as he stared at his own gormless expression reflected on the black screen. The shame at being so susceptible to curiosity, it was all gone. What was left behind was a swirl of confusion as slowly, slowly, slowly, it dawned on him.

They even pitched in and got us a volleyball cake. A volleyball wedding cake!

When we started high school we were constantly fighting

 I think everyone else finds him a bit intimidating when they first meet him  

I’ll have you know we have the rest of our lives to beat you.

I thought you liked it when I climbed all over you.

Oh.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

“I’m an idiot.” Ikeda mumbled. 

The soft looks beneath sharp insults, the art galleries' worth of secret photographs, the longing look on Kageyama’s face as he stared out one last time into the night as the plane took off - it all made sense now! Of course he was sad, it was his honeymoon that was ending. It was his wedding that he was reminiscing about. It was his husband he was dragging back to Japan. It was his husband he was currently nursing back to health in the plane’s bathroom (much to the obvious impatience of a woman who looked one minute away from throwing wind to international public decency laws and just urinating in an empty water bottle). Hinata Shouyou was Kageyama Tobio’s husband.

The realisation struck Ikeda as odd. His brain tried to refute this discovery.

They don’t share a surname. But obviously they don’t. Have you met them? They’d be way too proud to ever forfeit their family names. Ikeda could imagine long nights spent arguing - well, not arguing per se. Squabbling. That suited the duo more. They’d squabble over which sounded cooler, Hinata Tobio or Kageyama Shouyou, and that would be the intellectual extent of their points. It must’ve been days before the morons realised that since Japan doesn’t recognise same-sex marriage, they wouldn’t have to subscribe to the one surname rule anyway, and could just keep their own. It was probably better for their professional lives too. 

Ikeda heard them return before he saw them, the entire plane filled with their louder chatter. Or rather, Hinata’s chatter. Kageyama listened with a neutral expression as his frie- husband prattled on about Bokuto’s technique and by the time Tweeldedee and Tweedledum arrived back to their seats, Ikeda could see Hinata looked much better. The colour returned to his cheeks, a healthy flush as he talked a mile a minute. Kageyama’s face, too, was back to its stoic mein. 

“Feeling better?” Ikeda asked, just to make sure, still a bit dazed from his discovery. 

Hinata nodded. “Never better! Thanks for the medicine, Ikeda-san! You’re a hero.”

“Oi, don’t forget who nursed you back to health.” Kageyama pushed him, rolling his eyes, but there was no bite to his words. 

Ikeda was prepared for the duo to start another heated debate but to his surprise they seemed to have slipped into content quiet. Hinata plopped down next to him, humming some song or the other as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tangle of headphones.

Kageyama yawned beside him, reaching for hisown phone to read the text messages Ikeda pretended he totally hadn’t took a peek at. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a twinge of guilt at having invaded this stranger’s privacy but in Ikeda's defence he was bored. Plus, who leaves their phone faced up like that? 

“So…” Ikeda began, leaning in to whisper to Hinata. He wasn’t sure where to start. “You and Kageyama…?”

Hinata tilted his head. “Me and Tobio what?”

“You happy?” He supposed that’s all that mattered.

In typical Hinata Shouyou fashion, the man beamed and it was enough to blast the skin off your face from the sheer energy. “Never happier.” 

“Good.” 

Hinata managed to successfully untangle the mess that were his earbuds, plugging one into his ear and offering the other half to his husband who wordlessly took it. In little to no time at all, music was blasting so loudly from the earbuds Ikeda was surprised they didn’t go deaf on the spot. What managed to surprise him even more was that somehow the two managed to push back the armrest that separated them.

And just like that, all boundaries ceased to exist. 

Wordlessly, Hinata fell against his chest and the sight was not unlike an episode from a National Geographic show Ikeda had seen five months prior where a little joey snuggled into his mother’s pouch. Yes, the comparison was accurate, he decided, as he watched the redhead twist this way and that way so that he was halfway on Kageyama’s seat, one knee drawn to his chest. It looked like an awkward angle… until it wasn’t. Kageyama shifted to accommodate him, an arm wrapping around his waist to keep Hinata in place as his face planted in his hair. Eyes closed, he looked content. Happy, in fact, if his wobbly smile was anything to go by and Ikeda couldn’t blame him on that account. Hinata’s hair did looked fluffy enough to sleep on. 

And maybe they weren’t your average, everyday, ordinary married couple who fought over forgotten anniversary dates instead of stupid things like whether the boeing-77 uses less fuel than a car or who had what abysmal score on their highschool test. Maybe they didn’t call each other sweet things like “dear” and “honey” like Ikeda and his wife but “jerk” and “dumbass”. Maybe they didn’t have much in common aside from their shared obsession with volleyball and passion for food.

But despite that, Ikeda couldn’t help thinking that they were quite a cute couple if they weren’t fighting… or talking… or conscious. 

Maybe they didn’t make much sense, the warm with the cold, the extrovert with the introvert,  the nice with the rude. But looking at them, Ikeda was hard pressed to think if he’s ever seen two people who were more happy together. 

After what feels like eternity they finally land in Japan. Hinata was still sound asleep and snoring up a storm, chest rising and falling in the rhythm of his relaxed breath while Kageyama drooled into his hair in an unflattering display. Still, it seemed he was a much lighter sleeper. Roused by the commotion around him, he blinked his bleary eyes open and gave himself five more seconds of reprieve in the nest of Hinata’s hair before reluctantly rising out of his seat. 

Hinata’s head hit the seat as his husband stretched his arms above his head, let out a loud yawn he of course didn’t have the decency to stifle, and began packing their belongings in their small satchel. 

When he reached Hinata’s Nintendo, Ikeda recognised the brief look of contemplation on his face. It was the same one Ikeda donned whenever he came across odd knicknacks his wife’s totally single and handsome “work husband” has gifted her. Kageyama was thinking of tossing it. Ikeda was, as his son would put it, “bro enough” to look the other way. In the end he didn’t need to. With a grimace, he bagged the thing and made fast work of waking Hinata up.

“Sho, wake up.” He tapped him on the arm, face twisting with impatience as the redhead curled up into an immovable ball. “Oi, Shouyou, come on. We’re here.” 

Hinata’s response was a garbled sequence of sounds that made no sense to anyone in the waking world. Kageyama rolled his eyes. “I’ll leave you here, I swear to God.” He threatened, but there was no bite to his words and past all the annoyance and agitation there was that look Ikeda could now name: fondness.

Ikeda interfered before the impatience killed it. “Erm, it’s probably the dimenhydrinate.” He explained. “It can sure knock you out if you take it on an empty stomach. I don’t think he’ll be waking up for a while.” 

“Oh.” Came Kageyama’s oh-so-eloquent response. He looked down at Hinata, and pulled his lips into a frown Ikeda was familiar with enough to know by now did not necessarily mean displeasure. After a second of contemplating, he sighed, and lifted Hinata like he weighed nothing. Ikeda stared, slack-jawed. The redhead may have been short but he was a fun-sized bundle of pure muscle and here Kageyama was, reverse saddle carrying him like some greek hero, Hinata’s legs wrapped around his waist as his head rested limply on his shoulder. 

Athletes. He grumbled, unbuckling his own seatbelt and rising to stand in the long queue of impatient travellers who were just as eager to get out of this metal prison as he was. Ikeda checked his phone, bombarded by messages from his family, asking an entire survey of questions ranging from Have you crashed???? to How was the food?

He was just in the middle of typing to his wife when rousing motion caught in his periphery. 

Ikeda raised his head to see that Hinata’s eyes were open… and awake. Very awake. He was just hanging out, his head on Kageyama’s shoulder, looking snug as a bug as he let his husband do the tedious work of waiting for people to vacate off the plane. 

When he caught Ikeda’s eyes, a mischievous smile curled at his lips. A discrete index finger raised to his lips and the redhead let this secret settle between them. Ikeda nodded. 

Hinata winked, and nuzzled back into his husband’s shoulder.