13. Little Sister

"Sorry I'm late," Hinata wailed as he bounded into the gymnasium, bag bouncing against his hip with every hurried step. Tucked against his side in his other arm was a tiny redheaded bundle, and practice came to a screeching halt, culminating with Tanaka getting hit in the side of the head with a volleyball.

The tiny bundle laughed.

"I had to bring my little sister with me, mum's got a doctor's appointment!" Hinata explained breathlessly. "And we nearly missed the train! Say hello, Nat-chan!"

Natsu wriggled her way out of Hinata's arms, standing on steady feet and said, loudly and enthusiastically, "Hello everybody! I'm Natsu, and I'm five years old!" She held a tiny, pudgy hand out and spread her fingers to properly indicate her age.

Hinata let his bag drop from his shoulder and dove in to tickle his little sister.

"Don't be distracted by the cuteness, she's a little monster!"

"Shou-nii!" Natsu laughed, trying to squirm away.

Unbidden, while watching the spectacle unfold, Yamaguchi lifted a hand to his heart at the cuteness of it all. Across the room, Yachi was doing exactly the same.

"Is it going to be safe for her to be here? I mean, if someone misses the ball and it risks hitting her…" Takeda asked hesitantly and Hinata lifted his head from where he'd been blowing raspberries against Natsu's cheeks and neck.

"She will sit with us," Kiyoko suddenly interjected. "And I will make sure she doesn't come to any harm."

Natsu stared wide eyed up at Kiyoko and waved a hand to try and catch her attention. Kiyoko offered a small smile and crouched down, hands on her knees so Natsu would have her entire attention.

"You're very pretty," Natsu said in a confidential whisper, and Kiyoko smiled wider, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she replied, "As are you, Natsu-chan."

Natsu's mouth dropped in amazement before she went nearly as red as her hair, hurriedly burying herself into Hinata's side, cheek pressed to the side of his neck, his chin resting on her head as the little girl stared up in wonder at Kiyoko.

"She's shy when she's complimented," Hinata explained, giving a quiet grunt as he was elbowed in the chest as Natsu tried to fit herself into the small gap between his knees and head where he was crouched from before.

Yamaguchi audibly said 'oh no that's cute'.

"That's quite alright. Natsu-chan, would you like to sit with Yachi-chan and I so we can watch the boys play volleyball?"

"We can watch Shou-nii play?" Natsu asked, almost suspiciously but excitement clear in her eyes, even as she tried to worm herself further into Hinata's embrace.

"Daichi," Sugawara suddenly said warningly. "Put your phone away."

Kiyoko glanced over to see Daichi start a hushed argument with Sugawara, Daichi's phone pointed towards Hinata and his precious bundle. Surreptitiously, she leaned her body slightly to the side, out of the way of any prospective pictures to show her silent support. While Sugawara's mouth pinched slightly in disapproval, he ended up leaning over to start critiquing Daichi's photography skills and at one point even grabbed the phone to start taking photos himself.

"Why, your brother is the star of the show, Natsu-chan. Of course you can watch him play."

Natsu eyed Kiyoko warily before scrambling away from Hinata and taking Kiyoko's outstretched hand, letting the manager lead her across the gym towards the benches.

("Daichi," Asahi whispered after practice, his own phone clutched in his hands. "Could I get some of those photos?"

Nishinoya was hovering hopefully by his elbow, Tanaka not far behind.)

14. Text Message

17:37 Aoba Johsai ACE!: Congratulations on winning your match this afternoon. How did it go?

17:38 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): !

17:38 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): Iwa! The opponent was two metres tall! TWO METRES! We WON!

17:39 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): He didn't know many of the basics tho so it kinda felt like cheating. The rest of the team was good!

17:41 Aoba Johsai ACE!: You won. That's all that matters. I hope to see you in the finals.

17:43 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): ! You won too? Cool! We get to see u soon Iwa! We're gonna beat u and ur team this time!

17:44 Aoba Johsai ACE!: I'll believe that when I see it. Who is your next match?

17:45 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): Joh-something. The capt tried to hit on Kiyoko-san and nearly pushed me over!

17:52 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): Iwa? U still there?

18:02: Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): Should we talk more tomorrow instead if ur busy?

18:04 Aoba Johsai ACE!: Yuji Terushima, Johzenji Number One, captain and wing spiker. He was the one who pushed you?

18:05 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): Oh, ur back! I don't know his name but ye, he was capt. Tan-senpai and Noya-senpai went mental on him! Did u look him up just now?

18:07 Aoba Johsai ACE!: Do you need me to have a word with him about his manners?

18:07 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): ?

18:08 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): That's kinda scary Iwa. It's fine! We'll just beat him in the match!

18:10 Aoba Johsai ACE!: If you're sure. I will try and see you after your match if I'm not busy. If we don't have a match, I will come and watch yours.

18:11: Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): !

18:12 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): That sounds cool Iwa! Don't forget to fight hard in ur matches or we won't get to see each other in the finals! Anyway, talk to u later? Mum's calling for dinner now. We're having tamago kake gohan because we won the match today! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

18:13 Aoba Johsai ACE!: Enjoy your dinner, Hinata, and sleep well. I hope to talk with you again soon.

18:14 Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno): Bye bye!

"Iwaizumi," Oikawa said, almost nervously. "The look on your face is scary. Is everything okay?"

Iwaizumi looked up from his phone, a towel around his neck. The gymnasium was loud with a late evening practice, preparing for more matches

"Peachy keen," Iwaizumi deadpanned. Oikawa just smiled anxiously and stepped away.

15. Tokyo Tower

"Okay Shouyou, you can open your eyes now," Kenma said softly, letting go of Hinata's wrist now that he wasn't guiding him around the busy streets of the city.

Hinata squinted his eyes open against the bright light of the sun and almost immediately gasped, mouth hanging open and hands flapping uselessly at his sides.

For a long moment he couldn't speak. Then –

"Is that the Tokyo Tower?!"

"It is," Kenma confirmed calmly, and was nearly knocked off of his feet when Hinata barrelled into his side with a firm hug, a faint, high pitched noise of excitement escaping Hinata like air would escape a balloon.

"This is amazing!" Hinata finally let go, jogging on the spot as if to try and stop himself from bouncing up and down.

A hand fell on his shoulder, and Hinata glanced to the side to make eye contact with Yaku, the Nekoma's libero.

"Did you know," Yaku began, voice low in a conspirator's whisper, "That you can go up the Tower?"

Hinata was rendered speechless again, hands lifting to grasp desperately at Yaku's wrist and trembling excitedly, eyes wide in wonder as Yaku grinned wider and wider at the look on the middle blocker's face.

"We've got to be quick though!" Kuroo interrupted, slinging an arm around Hinata's shoulders, "Before that captain of yours realises we've whisked you away."

"I think an entire team missing from the training camp would draw a lot of suspicion," Kenma muttered and flinched in surprise when Hinata snatched his hand up and dragged him forwards, towards the tower.

"Quick, quick, Kenma-kun! We've got to beat the others to the top!"

"I'll beat you there!" Inuoka challenged, and was pushed back by an enthusiastic Lev who took a running start.

"I'll beat all of you!" he cackled over his shoulder.

"Don't you dare get a headstart!" Yamamoto roared as he took off after the tall, lanky first year, Inuoka just feet behind.

"Come on Kenma-kun!" Hinata tugged imploringly at his hand. "We've got to go or they'll get there before us!"

"We can't actually go up the tower today, Shouyou," Kenma said gently. "We don't have our bags or any money."

"B-But?" Hinata began.

"There're still three days let to the training camp. I'll take you here on the last day."

"Promise?" Hinata asked imploringly, staring longingly after the others as they ran towards the tower, his eyes gazing in wonder at the tip of the tower.

"I promise," Kenma replied quietly and was rewarded with a bright smile.

"Is there any room for one more on this little date?" Kuroo asked, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively, and was promptly punched in the side by Kenma, stumbling off with a quiet wheeze.

If it wasn't obvious, 'Aoba Johsai ACE!' is what Hinata has saved Iwaizumi's number as lmao. 'Hinata Shouyou (Karasuno)' is Iwaizumi's more refined way of saving a number.

Hope you enjoyed it!

And for those who watch Haikyuu...Episode 6 of Season 3 almost killed me, and I wonder if any of you lot feel the same way too lol