Chapter Text
Yaku and Lev stood in front of the information board in the Nekoma Guild Hall's common area, arguing.
"We are not going to Moonlit Shadows," Yaku insisted. "We need to check up on the ocean Guilds. Evening Tides and the others have been suspiciously quiet."
"But going to Moonlit Shadows would be cooler!" Lev protested. "And it's almost been a year, so someone should go over there, right?"
"We'll leave that to Kuroo to decide," Yaku replied. "He and Kenma are used to the terrain over there, anyway."
"Which is why we should go," Lev replied. "Neither of us has been over there."
"You'd think a hybrid with one of his magic types being water would want to go to the ocean," Yaku grumbled.
"Ocean water is too salty. Rain goes better with my lightning," Lev replied. "Besides, if we go near the ocean, you might get swept away since you're so tiny." Yaku aimed a kick at Lev's leg, which Lev dodged, aided by over a year of being kicked for similar remarks.
"Hey, you two, quit bickering. Shibayama and Inuoka were supposed to be back half an hour ago," Kuroo announced, walking up behind the two arguing mages. "Go find them." Yaku nodded and turned toward the door, grabbing Lev's arm and pulling the taller mage with him. Before they got to the exit, however, the door flew open and Shibayama stumbled inside.
"Shibayama?" Lev blinked down at his familiar. "What's wrong?"
"Where's Inuoka?" Yaku added. Shibayama took a deep breath.
"There's a pair I don't recognize in the market. Inuoka's bringing them here. He asked me to run ahead and tell you guys," the familiar explained. "He seemed really on edge, so I came as fast as I could."
"Describe them," Kuroo said, stepping forward.
"The mage had spiky hair, and I think his familiar is a forest spirit," Shibayama answered. Yaku tensed, glancing at Kuroo worriedly. Lev frowned.
"That sounds like..." Lev trailed off when Kuroo exhaled slowly. The Guild members all focused on him, waiting for his reaction. Kuroo smiled.
"They're back," he said. By the time Inuoka arrived, the visiting pair in tow, Kuroo and the others were situated on the couches littering the common area, waiting. Inuoka walked in and moved stiffly to sit beside Shibayama, expression tense and unhappy. The visitors hesitated in the doorway, studying the assembled Guild. After a few seconds of tense quite, Kuroo stood and walked over to them, Kenma following on his heels. Kuroo grinned and slung an arm around the mage's shoulders.
"Bokuto, it's been forever since I've seen you," Kuroo greeted him cheerfully. Kenma sidled up to Akaashi, who had been standing quietly beside Bokuto. The demon studied the forest spirit for a moment. Akaashi offered a hesitant smile, and Kenma returned it.
"Sorry we didn't come back sooner," Bokuto replied, grinning. Inuoka made a disgruntled sound, but Kuroo ignored it.
"It's all right. I know you two needed time to yourselves," the shadow mage said reassuringly. "Come on in, sit down." Kuroo returned to his previous spot and flopped down on the couch. Kenma waited until he was settled before taking the place beside him. There was one couch left open, and Bokuto took it, pulling Akaashi onto his lap when the forest spirit went to sit beside him. Bokuto grinned as Akaashi allowed himself to be situated on the mage's lap, and Kuroo watched the interaction carefully, noting that the tension in their movements is different from the stress that had plagued them a year before.
"First things first," Akaashi began, looking around to meet the eyes of each Nekoma member. Once he was sure he had their attention, he shifted his gaze to Bokuto.
"I'm sorry," Bokuto said quietly. "I know it's been a year, and I know you've all been grieving, so I don't want to bring anything up, but...I'm sorry."
"You should be," Inuoka muttered under his breath. Yaku frowned at his familiar.
"We all made an agreement a year ago," Yaku told the visitors. "No one is allowed to blame themselves. What happened, happened, and it sucks, but we aren't going to let it ruin the rest of our lives." He watched Inuoka as he said this, but the demon wouldn't look at him. Yaku sighed, and silence fell again.
"So did you two come back for the tournament?" Kuroo asked. Akaashi blinked.
"Tournament?" Bokuto repeated excitedly.
"Aoba Josei is hosting a magic tournament to celebrate a year since the war ended," Lev told them, grinning. Then he turned to Yaku. "That's another reason we shouldn't go to the ocean! It's too far to travel, and we'd miss the tournament!"
"Lev, for the last time, we are not going to-"
"No bickering," Kuroo interrupted. The two mages quieted, and Kuroo turned back to Bokuto and Akaashi.
"Guildmasters aren't allowed to participate, because apparently it would be unfair if we had to face our own Guild members. But Yaku and Lev are entering, and most of Karasuno. There are some interesting Aoba Josei pairs that'll be involved, too," Kuroo told them. "The tournament starts at Aoba Josei's Guild Hall in two weeks."
"And anyone is allowed to participate?" Bokuto's eyes gleamed.
"There will be some Moonlit Shadows and Windswept mages there, too," Kenma murmured. "The point is to have some friendly competition between all of the forest Guilds, let off some of the tension that's lingering from the war, and show off how everyone has changed."
"And you're happy you have the excuse of being a Guildmaster's familiar, so you don't have to participate," Akaashi guessed. Kenma shrugged and Kuroo sighed, which told the forest spirit he was right.
"So, are you going to join in?" Yaku asked, honestly curious. He'd seen Bokuto fight before, but after everything he'd hear from the reports during the war, the enchanter had spent quite a bit of time practicing how to deal with power like Bokuto's, and he wanted to know how well it would actually work against the fire mage.
"You should!" Lev exclaimed, also eager to test his abilities. Bokuto glanced at Akaashi, who smiled gently.
"We can at least attend the tournament," the forest spirit murmured. "We'll think about participating."
"Great!" Kuroo grinned. Inuoka huffed quietly, earning a worried look from Shibayama. "Would you two like to stay here? We're not leaving for a few days."
"Thanks. We'll only stay the night, though," Bokuto answered. "We have a few more stops to make before we go to Aoba Josei." Kuroo raised an eyebrow curiously, but neither Bokuto nor Akaashi elaborated.