There wasn't a time that Asahi could ever remember not having at least one bruise coloring his skin. Even as a child, he'd realized quickly that many of the marks were in places he'd never done anything to. When a large bruise blossomed across his face one day, he knew for sure that it wasn't his doing. He'd quickly run to his parents, begging them to explain what was happening to him. He was seven at the time.
When his parents had seen the bruise covering over half of his face, they'd had to take a moment to recover from the surprise. Soon, however, his mother knelt down. Her cool fingers danced across his smarting cheek, and she smiled as she explained it to him.
"Your soulmate is somewhere out there, and they've been hurt. We all have soulmates, and we're connect to one another through our pain. When you've been hurt, those bruises or scrapes will show on your soulmate's skin – and the same goes for when your soulmate is in pain." She'd paused, looking at his father with a knowing smile on her lips. "They must be fairly close for him to have such a dark mark."
He hadn't understood what she meant by that at the time, but he grasped the basic concept of soulmates just fine. The following day, he got a paper cut and had come home crying. When his father had asked him what was wrong, the boy wailed about not wanting to hurt his soulmate. He can distinctly remember them both laughing for a moment before he was pulled into a hug.
This time, his parents laid out a bit more foundation for him. While he'd been injured the cut would only be reflected in a tiny mark on his soulmate's skin, because of the distance between the two. The greater the distance between the two, the less they felt of one another's pain. It was only when you were in the same room did injuries manifest completely on one another's skin.
Over time, Asahi began worrying less and less about the marks on his skin. He continued to studiously check over them every night, but the surprise at finding a new one dwindled each day. Before long, he started playing volleyball and was covered in bruises of his own making. Through the years, the thought of his soulmate has always stayed in the back of his mind. He knew they were close, but it felt like they were light years away at times. Yet he remained hopeful of their meeting soon.
By the time he'd entered high school, it was impossible to tell which bruises were his, and which ones were 'gifts' from the bond. At one point during their first year, Sugawara had made the observation that given the consistency of bruises, it was likely that Asahi's soulmate played a sport as well. For some reason, that had made him happy.
Kobayashi Niko had never been a fan of staying still. Even as a child, she was constantly running and jumping around. It'd caused quite a few tumbles and spills, and more than one injury – usually nothing more than a smarting bruise or miniscule cut, but it was enough to make her parents worry incessantly. When she started showing interest in sports when she was six, her parents decided it was time to explain the basic concept soulmates to her. Unfortunately, it didn't have the effect that they wanted.
Rather than deter her from physical activities, the thought of someone else sharing her injuries – even just on a smaller scale – fascinated her. It had stalled her for a couple of days, but she quickly concluded that she was happy and that it was okay if she hurt sometimes because none of it was permanent. A bruise only last a few days or a week, and cuts healed quickly so there was no need to worry. And so she continued, much to her parent's dismay.
She joined her elementary school's girls' volleyball club when she was seven. Shortly after joining, she was hit in the face by a stray ball, leaving her with a bloody nose and a dark bruise that lasted weeks. When she'd arrived home, her parents had worried over her and told her it would happen again as she continued to play. She refused to allow this to discourage her. In her childish mind, a little pain was okay because volleyball made her happier than anything else did.
When she was eight, she met Oikawa Tōru and Iwaizume Hajime, who were members of the boys' volleyball club. They became friends quickly, mostly due to her insistence on practicing with them and Oikawa's fascination with her. Within the span of a few short months, most of their days were spent together. After club practice, they'd often be found practicing on their own.
A few months after meeting them, Niko discovered something that set her heart on fire. They'd watched the nationals together, and while Oikawa had been gripped by the setter, and Iwaizumi by the ace, she found herself drawn to the player on the back of the line. The one constantly moving on and off the court, defending the players from behind. Libero. The protector on the back line, the one who made sure the ball didn't drop.
She'd garnered some disdain from other girls in her club at the time when she voiced her desire to become a libero – especially when their teacher explained the position a bit more. Many of the other girls didn't understand why she'd want to play in a position where she'd never be able to spike or attack from. She paid them no mind. Her heart was set, and she refused to budge on the subject.
Over the years, she developed alongside Oikawa and Iwaizumi. The three were always together, even as they entered the same junior high, and later on, the same high school. They never stopped practicing side by side, however it became more sporadic as they became more and more involved with their teams. Honing their skills, each of them continued to grow and better themselves and their reflexes.
Oikawa would go on to become captain of the boys' team, Iwaizumi the ace, and she became an unofficial co-captain of the girls'. Throughout this time, she still marveled at new bruises that manifested randomly – and wondered what kind of person her soulmate was. She had an inkling that he was an athlete, and that thought made her soar.
A/N - Hello everyone! Thank you for tuning in to the first chapter of Marks of Life! I hope you all enjoy it! It's my first published story, so I appreciate any constructive criticism that you all may offer. I intend to update once a week - Mondays will probably be when I do, but there may be some variation. Thank you, again!