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After the third tree assaulted him, he scrunched up his nose, letting out a rather startling growl. His expression was fierce, enough so that Kindaichi edged away from him and just a little closer to Kunimi, the other first year watching on blankly.
Watari sighed. “Yahaba—“
“I hate nature! Why are we camping? Of all things?! A bonding experience?! With what?! The squirrels?!” Their setter seethed, hands curled into fists and eyes flashing. Leading them on the trail, Matsukawa and Hanamaki glanced back at their angry kouhai.
“Yahaba’s losing it,” Mattsun mused, facing forward and ducking under a branch. “Watch your head,” he drawled back to the four.
“I’d said it’s been lost for a while now, probably,” Makki followed along casually, hands clasped behind his back.
“Does Oikawa-san want us to make friends with the wildlife?! Does he—Ow! Damnit!”
Yahaba ran into yet another branch. The same one they had just called a warning about.
Watari calmly herded the first-years away from the pretty boy now stomping down the path, angrily moving past their upperclassmen and making his way—loudly—down the hill. They all watched in silent wonder as there was a yelp and then said setter was tumbling head over heels.
“I suppose,” Makki watched as Yahaba finally rolled to a stop, leaves and twigs decorating his hair, “that he didn’t see that root we were just about to point out.”
Kindaichi stared down at their fallen setter in horror. “Ya-yahaba-san?! Are you alright?!”
“I HATE nature!”
Oikawa kept his smile light and held back his laughter with some difficulty. “I am sorry you didn’t have fun on the hike, Yahaba-chan,” their Captain attempted, very calmly. Yahaba narrowed his eyes, a decidedly unamused expression on his face. Watari leaned over, plucking a fern from his hair. Oikawa held back his snort, disguising it as a clearing of his throat. “No more hikes, I promise.” Yahaba’s glare was chilling.
“Wasn’t Kyoutani coming?” Mattsun looked up from the magazine in his hands, expression sleepy. Yahaba glanced over and he looked back down, seemingly engrossed in the article.
“He said he’d be a little late,” Iwaizumi didn’t look up from where he was figuring out how the tent was supposed to work. The instructions were fairly easy and it wasn’t one of those old ones that were a pain to put up, it was newer, but he still wasn’t sure what he was doing wrong. “Apparently, his family has a cabin up here and they were planning on coming out this weekend. Said he might make dinner, might not.” He gazed at the mess of mesh and pipes, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. “Maybe… if I…?” he stepped back, tilting his head and crossing his arms. “Oi, Trashykawa, you wanted this trip, so you come figure it out.”
Apparently, their indomitable Ace was giving up the fight.
“But Iwa-chaaan!”
“Don’t make me throw something at you,” was his only warning before the instruction packet was dropped on his head. Their Captain pouted, groaning under the pages.
Five minutes later found a triumphant Oikawa and the two assembled tents. The brunet was smirking triumphantly, declaring his greatness, until Iwaizumi snarled at him and the Captain fled, shrieking, and their Ace followed after him.
There was a muffled bark from the direction of the main road and then a Shiba trotted into view, tail high and curly, coat a yellowy-gold with black and white around its face. Watari blinked before pouncing, cupping the dog’s face and pressing his nose against the Shiba’s, a quick tongue his reward for the show of affection.
“W-watari, you can’t just—“ The dog gave another bark, snuggling against the hands now petting it, the third-years joining in with Kindaichi hovering behind them. “Guys.” Yahaba was ignored and Kunimi slipped forward, blank eyes watching the dog curiously.
“Kita!” The Shiba pulled away, trotting back down the path. There were audible groans as it pranced away. A familiar blond head poked around the curve of the road, apparently surprised. “Oh. This is where you were.” The dog hopped back out, trotting smartly back up. Watari pounced once it was close enough, booping noses once more.
Yahaba watched as their spiker made his own way up the path, hands in the pockets of his shorts, the tanktop showing off his arms. If there was a moment were Yahaba appreciated the view, no one needed to know. “Thought you weren’t coming til dinner?” he managed, the box blond glancing over at him. He didn’t respond, but the way his brows were pulled together, obviously trying to figure out why he looked so terrible, made something snap.
First there was this bird that decided his shoulder was a perfect target. Then the trees. Then the root. Then the creek he stumbled into. Then Oikawa. Now this. All in all, he brought three changes of clothes for this weekend. He was now down to one.
“What?” Though, he may have snapped that out a little harsher than he meant to.
Kyoutani shrugged, keeping eye-contact boredly. “Not really an outdoorsy-type, are ya?” Yahaba’s eye twitched. “It’s supposed to storm tonight. I don’t think your tents’ll hold.” The others began murmuring, wondering why Oikawa hadn’t mentioned that (their Captain also failed to check the weather at-all). “Where’s Iwaizumi-san?”
“Ah, so you’re here early, Kyoutani!” Cue their senpai strolling back into their camp, a grin on his lips.
“Iwaizumi-san. It’s supposed to storm tonight.” Their Ace halted, taking a single breath before rolling his head, glancing over his shoulder at their rumpled Captain, leaves in his hair.
“Iwa-chan’s so mean~ Chasing me and tripping me and—what?”
“Oikawa… Didn’t you say you checked the weather?” Iwaizumi’s voice was awfully low and Yahaba couldn’t help his smile as Oikawa glanced away, obviously guilty. “Oikawa.”
Oikawa took to the trees once more, shrieking bloody murder as Iwaizumi began his chase anew, bellowing out that he would strangle him when he caught him.
Kita barked happily, Watari rubbing fondly at her ears, ignoring the screams they could hear from the trees.
“My my…” Oikawa looked at the cabin up ahead, impressed. “When you said cabin, this was not what I thought.” Kyoutani glanced over his shoulder, the question obvious on his face. “Mad Dog-chan, are you secretly rich?”
“No.” Kita barked, trotting alongside him. “S’a family thing.”
“Ohh. So your family’s secretly rich. I see.” Iwaizumi smacked the back of his head. “Um, ow. Iwa-chan, there is no need to be violent!” That got him another smack. “Cruel!”
“It’s really something,” Mattsun hummed, hands in his pockets.
And truly, the thing looked like it belonged to a ski lodge, three storeys, large windows, huge porch, and, of-course, a wood exterior.
Yahaba raised a brow when Kyoutani glanced back at him. The spiker pressed his lips flat, but if Yahaba didn’t know any better, he’d say the teen was trying and failing) to not smirk. “What.”
“You can have first go at the bath.”
Yahaba bared his teeth in a smile.
“Comin’ in,” Yahaba had a moment to turn in alarm, but by then the door was open. “Ma wants your clothes.”
“Excuse me?”
The rain started barely three minutes after they had all made it up to the Kyoutanis’ cabin and set their stuff down. His mother, a pretty woman with soft black hair pulled back in a low ponytail, had seemed surprised at their appearance, but was welcoming. His father, baring the same dark rings as his son, appeared shortly afterwards, glasses perched on his nose and newspaper in hand, welcoming them quietly before disappearing once more.
The little sister was a surprise. As were the older twin brothers. And the two more dogs, who, like Kita, were greeted by Watari via nose boops. He was then bowled over and laid on the floor laughing for a solid minute while they licked him and Kindaichi panicked.
“I’m in the bath?” Yahaba was seated in the tub, arms crossed on the edge as he watched the blond step carefully through the bathroom and collect his dropped clothes.
“So I see.” Kyoutani resolutely refused eye-contact. But, Yahaba supposed, it was different than when they were all showering after practice. “Ma wants to wash your clothes.” There was an about-face once they were gathered in his arms, striding back towards the door.
“Question!” Kyoutani pulled to a stop. “If you take those, what am I supposed to change into?” He could have imagined it, he thinks as the door is quickly pulled open and slammed shut, but he’s pretty sure there was red inching across the back of Kyoutani’s neck.
But there’s not near enough steam in the bathroom right now for his eyes to have played tricks on him. Now, his only question is whether or not he’ll be receiving his last change of clothes in a timely manner.
He wonders what Kyoutani looks like blushing.
“H-here!” The door opened almost two minutes later and a bundle arcs through, landing awkwardly on the sink. Yahaba stared at the mess before tilting his head to look at the door, now closed.
A grin grew on his lips.
So Kyoutani was embarrassed, was he? Interesting.