Lupine

Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu!.

Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Drama

Pairings: Hinata x Bokuto, Bokuto x Akaashi, Akaashi x Kuroo, Hinata x Kozume, Hinata x Miya Atsumu, Hinata x Miya Osamu, Hinata x Miya Atsumu x Miya Osamu, Haiba x Yaku, Kozume x Kuroo, Kuroo x Tsukishima, Kuroo x Bokuto, Kuroo x Akaashi x Bokuto, Sugawara x Sawamura, Iwaizumi x Oikawa, Sugawara x Sawamura x Iwaizumi x Oikawa, Oikawa x Hinata

Plot: Hinata and Akaashi plan their bonding ceremonies.

Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics


Ch 17: Abask

Akaashi sighed as he settled down on the couch beside Hinata, opening his laptop and flicking through the files on his flash drive for a few moments before opening one of the folders near the bottom.

"This is what I wanted to show you, the day that Skye was born."

Hinata perked up his ears, leaning a little closer, patting Skye's back gently as he babbled against Hinata's shoulder, his eyes widening as he smiled down at the multitude of images across the screen. "Oh! Oh wow, Keiji! That's beautiful!" He marveled at the elaborate scenes that Akaashi scrolled through slowly, various depictions of bonding ceremonies, some indoors, some outside, in all sorts of different arrangements, colors, and themes. He kept scrolling until he found a certain set in particular, enlarging the images and tilting the laptop towards Hinata, a soft smile across his lips.

"When you said you wanted to hold a ceremony at the hanging gardens, I knew I just had to show you these. I'm not sure exactly how long ago this was, but these photographs were likely taken just after Toru and Hajime moved into the city. He took a lot of photographs back then, of things like birthday parties and various ceremonies. It's what prompted him to start selling prints and create a business for himself out of the things he loved most; customized clothing, photoshoots, commissioned oil paintings…" He sighed fondly, holding the laptop steady while Hinata flicked through the images with one hand, still holding Skye against his shoulder with the other, smiling as he pointed to a few arrangements that he liked out of the set Akaashi had shown him.

"Those flowers are gorgeous." He sighed, smiling and drawing back his hand to hold Skye with both arms, ensuring the pup wouldn't slip as he kicked lightly and clung to Hinata's shoulder. "I've never seen them before, I wonder what kind they are. Some sort of hybrid?"

"I'm not sure either. Koushi might know." Akaashi mused, smiling as he set the laptop aside, opening his arms and taking his son from Hinata, the younger omega sighing contentedly as he settled back against the multitude of pillows on the couch, reaching for the warm bottle nearby and offering it to Akaashi. The dark-haired omega thanked him softly before offering Skye the bottle again, cooing softly while coaxing him to accept the nipple, the pup reaching out and grasping at Akaashi's fingers while latching on and starting to suck. Akaashi held the bottle at a slight angle, watching closely to ensure Skye was drinking properly before returning his eyes to Hinata. "I've been considering an outside ceremony as well, though if I'm perfectly honest my favorite season is winter. I keep thinking about how pretty it would be to wear all white against a backdrop of snow, with our little ones bundled up in fluffy coats and scarves. We'd have to wait until they're a bit older, of course. Maybe next year? I want Koushi to be my maid of honor."

Hinata hummed softly, his eyes shining as he replied, "I've never thought about having a ceremony in the snow! That sounds unique and very beautiful! What colors would you like to use? Silver and white?"

"Yes, and perhaps some blues as well." Akaashi smiled, perking his ears up at Skye and cooing to him softly again, the baby blinking up at him with brilliant blue eyes, his irises a shade brighter than Akaashi's deep, rich blue. "Tetsu wants to have the ceremony sometime in the summer, on the beach somewhere. Typical Alpha."

Hinata laughed brightly, nodding as he sighed, thinking of his own partners. "That was Koutarou's first idea as well. Something about sunshine and sand just screams bonding ceremony to Alphas for some reason, but what they fail to consider is all the sand!"

"I know!" Akaashi laughed, Hinata laughing cheerily as well, perking his ears up when he heard voices from upstairs, watching as Kuroo and Bokuto descended the staircase and returned to the living room, the Alphas chuckling softly before turning their attention to their partners. Bokuto smiled fondly at his intended, stepping over to sit beside Hinata while Kuroo leaned down to give Akaashi a kiss, grinning impishly against his lips.

"What were you two giggling about, hmm?" Kuroo asked playfully, Akaashi grinning as well and giving Kuroo another light kiss before returning his attention to their son, Kuroo letting out a soft snort and perking his ears towards Hinata, the omega biting his lip and shaking his head, perking his ears towards Bokuto.

"Nothing, really! Just talking about plans for our ceremonies." He leaned closer to nuzzle under Bokuto's jaw, smiling against his sun-kissed skin, thinking for a moment before asking curiously, "I know we settled on having the bonding ceremony at the hanging gardens, but I haven't really thought about where to go afterwards for our retreat. Did you want to go to the beach together?"

"Now we're talking!" Kuroo crooned, grinning and leaning over the back of the couch, nipping at one of Akaashi's ears teasingly as he said, "See? Even Shouyou wants to go to the beach! It would be perfect for us! Don't you think?"

"A week at the beach after our bonding ceremony? Absolutely. But I'm not bonding with you while my shoes are full of sand, silly Alpha."

"Oh, and snow is so much better!" Kuroo sighed teasingly, Akaashi shooing him off so he could focus on feeding Skye, the Alpha wandering into the kitchen and humming to himself happily, fetching drinks for all of them before returning to the couch. He paused by Bokuto's shoulder, leaning down to give him a kiss while handing him and Hinata their drinks, Bokuto purring happily as he kissed the other Alpha back gently, gingerly tightened his hold on Hinata's waist.

Hinata smiled as he watched them, glancing down for a moment to open his drink and sipping at it tentatively, the carbonation tingling mildly as he swallowed, the sweet aftertaste of orange lingering on his tongue. Kuroo kissed Bokuto for a few moments longer before pulling away, nipping at his nose and sighing contentedly, taking a seat beside Akaashi opposite of Hinata, waiting until Akaashi was finished feeding Skye before trading hands with him. He offered Akaashi their drinks while reaching out to take their son, putting him over his shoulder and patting his back lightly, waiting patiently for him to burp.

"Hungry little beasty." Kuroo growled, rubbing small circles against Skye's back before patting again lightly, Akaashi watching them both fondly while opening his drink, taking a slow sip and sighing happily, reclining back a bit so his shoulder was resting against Hinata's.

He sat to himself quietly for a moment before glancing around for his phone, checking the time, perking his ears towards Kuroo and asking curiously, "What time did you say game night was starting?"

"Not until six." Kuroo replied easily, smiling triumphantly as Skye let out a few small burps, rubbing his tiny back soothingly and pulling him away from his shoulder to nuzzle into his tummy. The pup babbled noisily while reaching out and clenching down on two handfuls of Kuroo's dark hair, tugging insistently while the Alpha crooned and chuckled affectionately at his son's already impressive strength.

"Tetsurou. It's past six." Akaashi sighed, the Alpha glancing over at him, his face half-hidden by the baby clinging to his hair. "I realize they live close by, but you should probably call them and tell them you're running late so they know that you're still coming."

Bokuto and Hinata checked the time as well, getting to their feet quickly and gathering up their things, Akaashi standing as well and meticulously prying Skye's fingers from his father's hair, Kuroo giving Akaashi a quick kiss once he was free and hurriedly trotting towards the front door.

"You're sure you're alright with being alone for tonight? I don't have to go-"

"Go have fun with your friends!" Akaashi smiled, swaying back and forth as he held Skye against his middle, smiling affectionately at Hinata as the petite omega ran back over and gave Akaashi and Skye a hug before bounding out the front door. Bokuto watched his boyfriend fondly, giving Akaashi a little wave goodbye before following after Hinata, Kuroo hopping on one foot while tugging on his shoes, frowning a little as he searched Akaashi's eyes.

"You'll call me if you need anything? You promise?"

"Tetsurou." Akaashi sighed, padding over to the stubborn Alpha. "Koushi, Daichi, and Hajime are right next door. You don't have to worry about me." He reached out and pet his Alpha's strong jaw, searching his eyes as Kuroo kissed at his palm. "I promise I'll call if I need you. Go enjoy your game night."

"I love you." Kuroo crooned gently, kissing Akaashi once more before dipping down and kissing Skye between his ears. "I love you too, little buddy. Daddy's gotta go!"

He turned and ran outside, chasing after Bokuto and Hinata, Akaashi laughing and waving to them as they piled into Bokuto's car and drove off, sighing and lingering in the doorway for a moment to watch the sunset. Skye was babbling excitedly, patting against Akaashi's chest and clinging to his shirt while looking up at him, wanting his attention, Akaashi looking down at him with a sweet smile.

"Just you and me tonight, sweet pea. Want to help me pick out a movie? Hmm?"

Kuroo sighed as he finished texting Tsukishima, Hinata swinging his feet lightly in the back seat as Bokuto navigated their way across the nearby neighborhood, pulling out onto the main road and starting across the city. The radio was playing a song Hinata faintly recognized, and he hummed along to the melody while staring out the window, smiling to himself and thinking of the friends they were about to meet. Atsumu and Osamu were likely already there, as well as Kozume, Haiba, and Lev. He was excited to see Tsukishima and Yamaguchi again. It had been months since he'd first met Kuroo's friends, and he was eager to spend more time with them.

Kuroo cursed lightly, sighing and perking his ears towards Hinata, asking curiously, "You don't see a stack of board games back there do you? I could have sworn I put them in the car already when you two first arrived, so I wouldn't forget to bring them. I forgot to double-check before we left."

"I'll check!" Hinata beamed, unfastening his seat belt and humming softly while ducking his head under the passenger's seat first, then crawling forward slightly to search under the driver's seat, frowning a little upon not finding anything, tilting his head to look under the back seats as well.

Bokuto gasped, and Kuroo's breath hitched as he shouted, "Watch out-!"

Hinata's stomach was suddenly in his throat as their momentum changed, the car jerking violently to the side as it hit the guardrail along the median, rolling sideways over and over as it tumbled across parallel lanes of traffic before coming to a rest upside down, nose-first in a shallow ditch at the front of a restaurant.

Hinata's ears were ringing, blood hot against his neck and pouring down his forehead and cheek, the omega whimpering softly and flexing his fingers against broken glass, trying to push himself up, not understanding what had happened so suddenly.

He wasn't in the car, he was staring at it from a short distance. He was lying alone in the middle of the street. There were cars honking, people shouting, footsteps all around him. He felt hands on his shoulders, a stranger hovering over him, urging him to be still. He blinked up at them, and in that moment he realized it wasn't a stranger at all. It was Oikawa, looking down at him worriedly, urging him gently to relax and keep breathing, crooning softly and asking him to stay very still. Hinata inhaled shakily, reaching out and taking his hand, squeezing his fingers weakly. He couldn't hear exactly what he was saying, but it cast a wave of calm over him, seeing the familiar beta there. He lay still, blinking slowly, his eyes drifting from Oikawa towards the police sirens quickly approaching, the sound deafening in his ears, drowning out all other thoughts.

Oikawa squeezed his fingers tightly, leaning closer and speaking to Hinata worriedly, trying to keep him awake.

"Stay with me. Stay with me."

Hinata nodded weakly, his fingers trembling as tears trailed slowly town his bloody cheeks, swallowing thickly as his gaze drifted towards the ambulances that had just arrived, realizing they were parking across the street, another ambulance appearing a moment later and parking next to Bokuto's crumpled car.

Oh. It made sense now, what must have happened. Bokuto had been trying to avoid a wreck that had already taken place, and when he had jerked into the other lane he had overcorrected and sent them spiraling across the median out of control.

Bokuto. Kuroo. They were still in the car.

Hinata tried to push himself up again when he realized they might be hurt, whimpering while reaching out towards the car, Oikawa shushing him gently and taking his hand, gently coaxing him to relax again.

"You're okay. Everything's going to be okay. Just stay with me." He reached down and carefully rested a hand between Hinata's ears, petting his matted hair gently. "It's okay now. It's okay. Help is here."

The paramedics were there moments later, kneeling beside Hinata while talking hurriedly back and forth with witnesses, the stranger sitting beside him tilting their face up into the fading sunset briefly, the image of Oikawa that had been there before suddenly transitioning to an unfamiliar face.

"Alright, we'll take it from here."

"You did a good job, keeping him still. You might have just saved his life."

The stranger nodded, squeezing Hinata's fingers tightly for a heartbeat longer before gently withdrawing, lingering only for a moment before stepping away, fading into a backdrop of golden light.

Hinata blinked up at the beam of light that passed before his eyes, the paramedics talking to him calmly, beckoning for him to respond as they repeated their previous questions.

"S-Shouyou." He whispered hoarsely, coughing and brushing his fingertips against the rough asphalt beneath him. "My n-name is H-Hinata Shouyou. I'm twenty-three. It's S-Saturday."

"Hey there, Shouyou. We're going to slide this board under you now so we can get you onto a stretcher and get you out of here, okay?"

"You're doing amazing, sweetheart. Can you squeeze my hand?" The paramedic hovering over him gave him a calm, reassuring smile, speaking back and forth with her partner before returning her attention to Hinata. "This is going to hurt a little while we get this backboard in place. You just hold onto my hand, alright? You squeeze just as tightly as you want. We've got you now."

"M-My boyfriend-" Hinata started, coughing and clinging to the paramedic's gloved hands, tears still dripping down his cheeks. "Koutarou, and T-Tetsurou, are they alive?"

"We'll let you know as soon as we know more, sweetheart. We promise."

"Just focus on squeezing my fingers, okay? You take a deep breath now, on a count of three. Here we go!"

Hinata lost time as pain overwhelmed his senses, his ears ringing, fading in and out of consciousness for several moments, flashes of red and blue lights blinding him as he was hoisted into an ambulance.

He cried softly, the paramedics soothing him while they started an IV, giving him a few quick injections to take the edge off his pain and coaxing him to try to breathe normally as they waited for the drugs to take effect.

They closed the doors once they were finished strapping Hinata in fully, one of the paramedics moving to the driver's seat while the other stayed with Hinata, squeezing his hand and speaking to him softly. The omega's breath kept hitching quietly with his sobs as he tried to focus on breathing in and out, unable to think straight, still uncertain if either of the Alphas had survived. He closed his eyes, swallowing thickly and holding onto the paramedic's gloved fingers, listening to the siren wail as they wove through traffic towards the closest hospital.

-x-x-x-

"I told you we were going to be late." Osamu sighed affectionately, kissing at Atsumu's shoulder, perking his ears towards his brother while the golden Alpha grumbled quietly.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll be there in five minutes." He checked his mirrors before turning onto the main street, his turn signal clicking rhythmically for a few moments before clicking off, the sound of the radio playing softly over the hum of the engine and crunch of asphalt beneath the car.

Osamu hummed and returned to watching the traffic before them, perking his ears up and frowning a little as they approached the scene of a wreck, leaning towards his window a little bit so he could peer at the two cars as they slowly approached, frowning a little as he pinched his brow.

"Oh wow. Looks like they ran into one another pretty roughly there. That's unfortunate. I couldn't imagine being rear-ended in the middle of rush hour traffic. Such an inconvenience for everyone." He hummed thoughtfully, glancing towards his brother as he added, "At least it looks like no one got hurt-"

Atsumu wasn't paying attention to what his brother was saying, transfixed on the wreck further ahead on the opposite side of the median. There were several lanes of traffic that had been blocked completely by a pair of police cars, an ambulance pulling up to the scene just as traffic allowed the twins to slowly creep forward, Osamu sighing and ducking his ears back a bit.

"Oh my goodness. That one looks much worse." He bit his lip, looking to Atsumu while asking, "Do you think they rolled like that trying to avoid crashing into this one?"

Atsumu turned the steering wheel and drove into the median dividing the east-bound and west-bound traffic, Osamu gasping at the sudden rush of momentum and watching with wide eyes as Atsumu threw off his seat belt and jumped out of the car, the confused Alpha calling after him hurriedly.

"Atsu! What are you-?"

"That's Koutarou's car!" His twin shouted before jumping over the twisted guardrail, running across the empty streets towards the wreck, everything inside of Osamu tensing sickeningly as he scrambled out of his seat belt and chased after his twin. His pulse was ringing in his ears as he ran towards the police barricade, Atsumu already shouting back and forth with an officer who had rushed over to stop them from approaching the wreck.

"We know them! They're our roommates!" Atsumu instilled, jerking past the officer and racing to the side of the upside-down car, Osamu panting softly as his steps slowed, the officer talking back and forth on his radio for a moment before directing his gaze to the silver Alpha.

"Stay out of the paramedics' way." He insisted, allowing Osamu to pass as well, glass crunching beneath his boots as he returned to redirecting traffic as he had been with his fellow officers before.

Atsumu was already on his hands and knees beside the upturned vehicle, speaking back and forth with a few witnesses who saw the incident occur. He reached through the driver's side window, calling out to the Alphas within worriedly, "We'll get you out, Koutarou! Both of you! Just hang in there a little longer!"

Osamu ducked down to peer into the interior of the back seat, frowning and tucking his ears back, quickly running around to the other side of the vehicle and dropping to his knees. Kuroo blinked over at him blearily, bright red blood dripping from the tips of his fingers as he tried to push himself up once again. The dark Alpha was pinned between the dashboard and the console, his cheek pressed against his inflated airbag as he let out a pained, broken sob.

"It's okay! You're okay, just try to stay calm Kuroo-"

"Shouyou." Kuroo managed through grit teeth, smearing blood against the roof of the car as he reached out again, trying to twist himself enough that he could glance into the back seat. "Shouyou was with us, I can't hear him-"

Osamu's breath hitched as a paramedic tugged at his shoulder, urging him out of the way, the silver Alpha pushing himself up and glancing around one last time before running towards the officer that had stopped Atsumu before, gesturing back towards Bokuto's car while asking worriedly, "Have any of you seen an omega? Petite, fair skin, bright orange hair? He was in the back seat of that vehicle, he isn't-" Osamu let out a heart-rending, high-pitched whimper, tears already starting to fall as he gasped out, "-he isn't inside!"

Atsumu pushed against the airbag to get it away from Bokuto's face, crooning while cupping one of Bokuto's cheeks, laying down on his side so he could reach up to him with both hands, trying to coax him awake. "Koutarou? Koutarou answer me! C'mon Kou I know you can hear me! Wake up!"

A paramedic was suddenly at his side, laying down beside him and reaching into the vehicle as well, immediately checking Bokuto's pulse and nodding while pushing himself further into the vehicle, Atsumu watching him and perking his ears towards the second paramedic nearby.

"I want to help! What can I do to help?"

The other paramedic caught his eyes, her ears perking towards him as she asked, "You know the passengers?"

"My roommates, and our friend!"

She frowned a little at that, rechecking the interior of the vehicle and glancing back towards Atsumu, asking hesitantly, "There were more than two passengers?"

Atsumu's heart stopped as he realized he hadn't heard Hinata's voice, scrambling to the side and peering into the car once more, pushing himself up and pressing his face against the back seat, inhaling deeply to catch the omega's scent. He withdrew from the vehicle, pushing himself onto his feet and running across the road, the paramedic standing and following him, looking around worriedly as she ran after the trembling Alpha, Atsumu dropping to his knees beside a small pool of fresh blood.

"Shouyou." He panted, swiping his fingers through the darkening blood. "He was here, he was just here-"

"Atsumu!"

The tawny Alpha jerked up his head, perking his ears towards his twin as Osamu ran towards them, the silver Alpha reaching out for him and slamming into him as his knees gave out, wrapping his arms tightly around his brother's neck while Atsumu picked him up, smearing Hinata's blood against his side.

"I've got you, Osu. Easy-"

"He's hurt, he's hurt-"

The paramedic beside them perked her ears up, reaching for her radio while offering worriedly, "Give me a description, I'll find out which hospital they're transporting him to."

Atsumu turned and met her eyes, Osamu still crumpled against his chest, his eyes burning as he nodded and quickly began describing Hinata to her, the paramedic relaying the information and waiting to hear back from her dispatch.

Atsumu wasn't certain how long it took before the dispatcher radioed back their reply, the paramedic giving the twins instructions before heading back towards the car nearby to help her partner, saying over her shoulder as she went, "We'll make sure they're all taken to the same emergency room, but I'm going to ask you both to stay back now and allow us to work."

Atsumu nodded his understanding, watching her go for a few moments before turning and heading towards his car. He helped Osamu inside, the silver Alpha whimpering and clinging to him for a few moments before letting him go, Atsumu looking between the two wrecks on either side of them with a shudder before climbing into the driver's seat once more.

The hospital wasn't far, and as they reached the emergency room entrance they found a quick place to park, Osamu already out of the vehicle as soon as it came to a stop, racing towards the double-doors and searching for their partner.

Atsumu took his brother's hand as he caught up with him quickly, tugging him towards the nurses' station and asking about recent new arrivals, the nurse checking her intake records and nodding, gesturing down the hall. The twins took off running, the nurse calling after them loudly, the twins still running despite her protests as they burst into the emergency wing.

They quickly tracked down the omega they were looking for by tracing their partner's scent, and as soon as they found the appropriate door they entered without waiting for any of the staff to greet them, a couple of nurses following after them quickly, trying to calm the Alphas while pleading for peace and quiet.

Hinata was half-awake, a nurse already sitting at his side watching over him, lifting her hands to keep both of the concerned Alphas away, explaining hurriedly, "You mustn't touch him! He's stable now, but he most certainly has a concussion and whiplash, and we won't know the extent of his other injuries until his scans come back from radiology."

Osamu whimpered and calmly approached, still trying to catch his breath while reaching out to Hinata tentatively, the omega blinking up at him and inhaling softly while reaching out for him as well. The nurses stood back, watching their interaction carefully, the nurse sitting at his bedside taking care to make sure Hinata kept his neck and shoulders as still as he possibly could.

"Can you give us his medical details?" One of the other nurses asked, taking Hinata's chart in hand and flipping through several empty pages. "When he came to us, he couldn't focus enough to relay any of the information we needed. Are you family? Friends?"

"We're his partners." Atsumu clarified, perking his ears towards his brother, Osamu crying softly and nuzzling Hinata's hand, the first nurse who had spoken coaxing the distraught Alpha to sit beside Hinata calmly. One of the other nurses was speaking with security who had arrived upon hearing about the Alphas' disruptions, the nurse offering her thanks and dismissing the officers, letting out a sigh while crossing her arms over her chest.

"We haven't called anyone yet." The first nurse said, glancing between the two Alphas. "How did you know he was here?"

"We saw the wreck." Atsumu clarified, the other two nurses letting out soft sounds of understanding while accepting the details he provided them, the Alpha adding quickly as they began to step away, "There were two others in the wreck with him. The paramedics on scene said they would be sure to bring them here too."

One of the nurses nodded, pausing to make another note. "Give us their names, and we'll keep you updated."

Atsumu let out a soft sigh, giving them as much information about Bokuto and Kuroo as he could, and once the nurses had returned to their posts Atsumu stepped closer to the bed, leaning down to brush his fingertips against the IV in the back of Hinata's hand. The nurse sitting near the omega's shoulder watched the twins quietly, glancing between them and the nearby monitors dutifully, ensuring her patient didn't move too much while the Alphas carefully interacted with him, the nurse speaking to Hinata soothingly while ensuring that he wasn't in any distress or pain.

"He's very brave." She said gently, Atsumu and Osamu looking towards her as she spoke to them quietly. "He was crying at first when he arrived, he was in so much pain, but since then he's calmed down and hasn't made a fuss at all. He was talking to himself a little earlier. We thought that perhaps one of you might be Toru."

Osamu's breath hitched and he ducked his head again, squeezing Hinata's fingers tightly while Atsumu let out a soft breath, clarifying hesitantly, "He was talking with Toru? What…" He shook his head, looking down at the omega worriedly, anxiety twisting tightly within his chest. "What was he saying?"

"Just talking, really. Like he was having a conversation with a close friend." She perked up her ears a bit, reaching over to adjust the omega's IV drip while making note of his current readings, tilting one of her ears towards the tawny Alpha as she added, "It seemed to keep him calm, talking aloud like that, so we just let him be. He mentioned that he was going to be bonding soon, he was talking with Toru about a ceremony in the spring?"

"Yeah." Atsumu smiled, laughing softly and wiping at his eyes, smiling fondly down at the half-conscious omega. "One of his intended partners was in the car with him, along with their close friend." He frowned a little, ducking his ears back a bit. "Oh shit, I have to call Kenma…"

Osamu had calmed down a bit, sniffing and perking his ears towards his brother, "I'll stay with him, let everyone know what's happening."

Atsumu nodded, stepping out into the hall, exhaling shakily as he dialed Kozume's number, glancing down the long corridor of the emergency wing while he waited for the beta to pick up.

-x-x-x-

"I should have known Tetsu would be late." Tsukishima sighed, glancing towards his phone once again, Yamaguchi laughing and patting his leg apologetically, perking his ears towards Haiba and watching his next move with interest. The tall beta rolled his dice across the table, cheering victoriously and drawing a few new cards before putting them into play, discarding his hand at the end of his turn and offering the dice to Kozume next, the tawny beta thanking him quietly and perking his ears towards Yaku, the vulpine nodding and pointing towards the board.

"So here you want to get anything other than a seven, and you should be safe for this turn."

Kozume nodded, shaking the dice in his hand for a moment longer before rolling them across the table, Yaku and Haiba leaning a little closer to tally up his score, the younger beta nodding and smiling while pointing towards the cards sitting nearby. "Yeah, that's really good actually! So you can draw this value of cards. Pick whichever ones you like!"

"So long as they add up to the cumulative total or less." Kozume clarified, Haiba and Yaku both nodding their approval.

"Yeah, you've got it."

"You're picking this up really quickly! It's fun, right?"

Yamaguchi grinned from ear to ear, watching and waiting for his next turn, the blonde at his side sighing quietly and setting his phone aside, reaching for another chip and biting into it loudly, trying to hide his mild irritation.

Kozume handed Yaku the dice once he was done with his turn, perking his ears towards his phone and checking the time as well, realizing almost an hour had already gone by. "It's strange that they haven't at least called." Kozume mused, thinking aloud. "I can understand if Atsumu and Osamu decided not to come after all, but typically one of them would text and relay that decision. For Shouyou and the others to be this late though, it just doesn't seem right."

No sooner had he finished his sentence, his phone began to buzz rhythmically, vibrating against the surface of the table in little pulses until Kozume answered the call, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Atsumu, did you decide to come after all? Do you need the address again?"

Yaku watched Kozume for a moment before ending his turn and gathering up the dice, offering them to Yamaguchi next, the freckled beta grinning and glancing towards Kozume as well, wondering what was being said. He had been excited to see Hinata and Bokuto again, still wondering what was taking Kuroo so long to show up, refocusing on his roll again and tossing the dice lightly across the board. He was distracted with counting for a moment before drawing a few cards from the closest pile, perking his ears towards sudden movement as Kozume stood from the table and ran towards the front door.

Tsukishima's eyes were wide, and he stood quickly from the table as well, Yamaguchi waving to get his attention, signing to his roommate hurriedly, [What's happening?]

[Tetsu was in a car wreck!] Tsukishima signed quickly, Yamaguchi's breath hitching as he immediately got up and followed Tsukishima to the door. Kozume was talking back and forth with his roommates in the open doorway, gesturing towards the car quickly while Yaku nodded his head, scrambling for his shoes and keys before running after Kozume out the door.

They all piled into the car together, Yaku driving to the hospital nearby, dropping Kozume, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi off at the entrance before driving away, heading across the city. Akaashi didn't know what was happening. Kozume had insisted someone be there to stay with him once he found out what had happened. Yaku and Haiba were the only ones available who possibly could.

Atsumu found Kozume quickly once they entered the emergency wing, embracing the shivering beta and taking him to Hinata's side, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi standing in the hallway, signing back and forth quickly, ignoring the rest of the world as they tried to make sense of what had happened. Once Kozume was finished talking with Atsumu and Osamu, he returned to the hall and relayed what had happened, Tsukishima standing perfectly still for a few long moments before taking off down the corridor, returning to the nurses' station, Yamaguchi following right behind him.

"Kuroo Tetsurou." Tsukishima said carefully, the nurse perking her ears towards him and offering him a little smile, checking her recent updates and glancing up to meet his eyes, Tsukishima adding quickly, "He's my boyfriend. I need to see him. Anything you can tell me would mean a lot to me. Please?"

The nurse was quiet for a moment, glancing between Tsukishima and Yamaguchi before nodding and pointing down the hall. "Take the elevator, head to the orthopedics wing. The nurses will help you there. I'll let them know you're coming."

"Thank you." Tsukishima breathed, taking Yamaguchi's hand and holding onto his fingers tightly while stepping towards the elevators, following the nurse's instructions to reach the orthopedic wing. They stepped out of the elevator hurriedly once they reached the right floor and raced down the hall to find the closest nurse, waiting impatiently nearby for her to locate Kuroo's exam room. The nurse came to fetch them a few moments later, walking half-way down the corridor before turning to them with a smile and standing back to allow the betas to enter the appropriate exam room, urging them to stay out of the doctor's way while they observed.

Kuroo glanced up at their approach, his eyes widening as he tried to get up from the table, the doctors holding him in place quickly urging him not to move while continuing to rotate his shoulder back into the proper alignment. Kuroo growled deeply, clenching his jaw in pain, baring his fangs and letting out a sharp yelp as his shoulder slipped back into socket with an audible pop, visible relief washing over him as the pain coursing through him suddenly shrunk tenfold.

As soon as they were finished he shrugged the doctors off and reached out for Tsukishima, the blonde stepping closer and wrapping his arms around Kuroo's neck, holding onto him tightly. The Alpha sighed shakily, crooning softly and nuzzling into his hair, huffing irritably when the doctors coaxed him to sit back so they could bind his arm properly and allow it to rest comfortably against his chest while it started to heal.

"Koutarou? Shouyou? Have you seen them?" Kuroo started, glancing between Tsukishima and Yamaguchi worriedly. "They've kept me cooped up in here, they won't tell me anything-"

"We just saw Hinata." Tsukishima interrupted, holding the anxious Alpha's hazel eyes. "He's doing alright, he's resting. They're still waiting on the results from his scans. Kozume and the twins are with him."

Kuroo let out a sigh of relief, relaxing enough that the doctors were finally able to manipulate him in the way they needed to, working together to quickly bind his arm against his chest, the Alpha's growls rumbling softly in the back of his throat, gritting his teeth through the lingering pain.

The first doctor pulled back to examine their work, perking his ears towards Kuroo while saying, "We'll give you something to take for your pain, but right now you need to rest. You have a mild concussion and hairline fractures in both your sternum and scapula, along with extensive bruising. You're lucky it wasn't much worse than that."

The second doctor sighed, looking through Kuroo's chart while adding, "Now that your shoulder is no longer dislocated, the fracture in your scapula should heal properly, but only if you do not exacerbate your injury."

"Yeah, yeah I've got it. No heavy lifting. Rest and take it easy for a few days-"

"A few weeks." The first doctor corrected, frowning and shaking his head while writing a prescription for the Alpha to take with him. "You may heal quickly as an Alpha, but do not stress yourself unnecessarily. If you do not handle your injuries carefully, those hairline fractures will turn into serious breaks! Do you understand?"

The second doctor continued to notate his chart while Kuroo snorted irritably and nodded succinctly, accepting the written prescription from the first doctor and pushing himself up from the exam table, already on his feet and starting to step away. The second doctor glanced up from Kuroo's chart, surprised at how quickly he was leaving, frowning while calling out to the stubborn Alpha hurriedly, "You cannot see your partner right now, we've already told you he's still in surgery!"

"Like hell I can't." Kuroo growled out, snorting irritably again, Tsukishima following after him quickly and catching his wrist, Yamaguchi stepping forward to block his path while signing quickly.

[Do what the doctors are telling you.]

"You need to listen and take care of yourself, you were just in a serious wreck." Tsukishima growled out angrily, ducking back his ears a bit, Kuroo watching the concerned betas for a quiet moment before exhaling softly, perking his ears towards the nearby nurses' station, then towards the elevators beyond.

"Where's Shouyou? Can you take me to him?"

Yamaguchi continued on ahead of them while beckoning for Kuroo to follow, the Alpha gingerly trailing after him, limping slightly as he watched Yamaguchi press the call button beside the elevator, starting towards the first car that arrived. Tsukishima walked quietly at Kuroo's side while watching him closely, holding the elevator door as the Alpha stepped inside before letting it close behind them. Kuroo grunted softly as the car started to move, resting his good shoulder against the closest wall and flexing his fingers against his chest, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi exchanging glances now and then while watching over him worriedly, the elevator gradually returning them to the emergency room floor.

Tsukishima reached out and rubbed Kuroo's back gingerly, his eyes trailing over the butterfly stitches in his forehead and the various cuts and scrapes highlighting his features, noticing for the first time his navy shirt was darkened here and there with traces of blood. He shivered and swallowed thickly, tightening his hold on Kuroo's shirt and leaning a little closer, his face scrunching up a bit. Kuroo perked his ears towards him, watching him quietly for a few moments before turning and wrapping his arm about Tsukishima, hugging him gently while whispering, "It's alright, Tsukki. I'm okay now. Everything's going to be okay."

Tsukishima's breath hitched and he nodded, hiding his face against Kuroo's chest and fogging his glasses as tears dripped down his cheeks, Yamaguchi watching them silently before turning his ears towards the opening elevator doors, surprised to see Kozume was waiting on the other side.

"Were you coming to look for us?" Yamaguchi asked curiously, Kozume shaking his head and looking up at Kuroo, his expression relieved beyond words.

He glanced towards the hospital map on the left wall of the elevator as he stepped inside, holding the door open and waiting for the others to exit, explaining quickly, "I'm going to search for Koutarou."

"He's in surgery." Kuroo said hesitantly, Kozume ducking his ears back a bit while meeting the Alpha's eyes. "They wouldn't let me see him, even when I said he was my bondmate."

"I'll see what I can do." Kozume reassured, Kuroo reaching out to him for a moment to touch his cheek before nodding, leaning against Tsukishima lightly as he stepped off of the elevator, the trio slowly making their way back to Hinata's hospital room, the Alpha limping between them. Kozume watched them go for a few moments before finally allowing the doors to close, examining the map for a moment before finding what he was looking for, sighing as he reached for the numbered buttons beside the door and selected the floor for radiology. If Bokuto was indeed in surgery it was likely that nothing any of them could say would result in much more than the nurses telling them to patiently wait. In the meantime he would see if there were any updates on Hinata's scans.

He frowned a little, taking his phone from his pocket, seeing there were a few missed texts and calls from both Yaku and Haiba, as well as Akaashi. He bit his lip, exhaling through his nose and dialing the omega's number as he stepped out into the hall, glancing around for a few moments before locating the nurses' station and starting towards it, waiting for Akaashi to pick up.

-x-x-x-

Akaashi perked his ears towards a knock at the front door, laying Skye carefully down atop the cream colored baby blanket stretched across the plush carpet and handing him a small stuffed bear to hold onto before rising to his feet, glancing towards the kitchen briefly to check the timer on the stove before padding down the foyer, slowly opening the front door and cautiously peeking outside.

There were two strangers there, the smaller beta offering Akaashi a warm smile and perking his ears up while asking hesitantly, "Akaashi? My name is Yaku Morisuke, and this is my boyfriend, Haiba Lev. We're Kenma's roommates?"

Akaashi blinked in surprise, opening the door further and glancing between them, pausing for a moment before asking, "Is everything alright? Tetsurou left with Koutarou and Shouyou over an hour ago. Weren't you meeting them for game night?"

Yaku tucked his ears back a bit, perking his ears towards the sound of Akaashi's movie in the background, asking hesitantly, "Would it be alright if we talked inside?"

Akaashi frowned a little, still holding onto the door. "I'm...I'm sorry, I don't mean to seem rude I just…" He tilted one of his ears back, listening for Skye's soft babbles as he played by himself, his instincts telling him not to allow strangers into his home while he was alone. He couldn't risk anything happening to his son.

Haiba took a step closer, ducking his ears back a bit, "We're sorry, Akaashi. We don't mean to distress you. Kenma told us to come see you, so that…" He frowned a little, arching his brow, glancing down at Yaku for a moment before sighing worriedly, not sure what to say.

Yaku hummed softly, considering their approach as well, then he met Akaashi's eyes and took a few steps closer to breach the distance between them, reaching out and offering his hands to the omega tentatively. "Akaashi, there's been an accident. Kenma is already at the hospital, we dropped him off before coming here. That's why he isn't with us."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Akaashi asked, shaking his head, not comprehending the words that Yaku had just spoken.

Yaku took his hands carefully, searching Akaashi's eyes, Haiba stepping closer as well, watching the omega worriedly as Yaku repeated what he had said before. "There's been an accident. Atsumu and Osamu were running late, and on their way to meet us they drove past the accident. They're at the hospital now as well, Kenma said he would call us once he found them and had some more information. He wanted us to be with you when you found out, so you wouldn't be here alone."

Akaashi stood in disbelief, shaking his head lightly and blinking slowly, his balance wavering slightly. "An accident? They've been in an accident?" His words were soft, unsure, searching Yaku's eyes as he whispered breathlessly, "Are they...are they alive?"

"The twins were with Shouyou when they called. He's injured, but stable." He held Akaashi's hands tightly, ensuring he wouldn't fall. "Tetsu was alert at the scene, Osamu spoke with him before the paramedics arrived, so we're fairly confident he's okay." He traced his thumbs across the backs of Akaashi's hands, adding tentatively, "I'm sorry, we don't really know anything about Koutarou yet. He was unconscious when Atsumu tried to speak with him, and Kenma hasn't reached out to us again. We're still waiting to hear from him with an update."

"Oh god." Akaashi whimpered, and Yaku grasped his elbow as he started to fall, Haiba reaching out and steadying the trembling omega easily, both of the betas helping him back inside.

It took some time, but eventually they all settled down beside one another on the living room floor, Akaashi watching over Skye quietly with his ears flattened against his skull, biting at his lips worriedly. Haiba was sitting cross-legged beside him, reaching out to play with the baby now and then, distracting him with toys and soft coos while Yaku sat quietly beside Akaashi, holding onto the omega's trembling hand reassuringly. Eventually the smaller beta sighed heavily and stood again, walking away slightly as he stepped into the kitchen, pacing back and forth while trying to call Kozume again.

They didn't hear anything until another hour had passed, and Akaashi's phone rang, the omega answering it immediately and putting the call on speakerphone, calling out to Kozume worriedly, "How are they? Is everything okay?"

"Shouyou's resting, we're waiting to hear back about his scans. He has a concussion, and whiplash from being thrown from the car as it rolled. Tetsurou is fine, I just spoke with him. He's with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. He hurt his arm, but he was walking around and speaking coherently. He should be fine, Keiji. I'm sure he'll reach out to you soon."

Akaashi let out a happy sob, covering his mouth with his hand, sniffing as he cried softly before asking hesitantly, "Koutarou? What about Koutarou?"

Kozume was quiet for a moment before replying. "We don't have any details yet. The doctors are working on him still, he's in surgery."

Akaashi whimpered softly, Yaku kneeling down beside him and resting his hand against Akaashi's shoulder lightly, rubbing along his upper back soothingly. "He hasn't woken up? No one has seen him?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry." Kozume replied gently, his voice trembling as he sniffed subtly and said, "I promise I'll let you know as soon as I have more information-"

Akaashi's phone beeped suddenly, and the omega wiped his eyes and reached for his phone, realizing another call was coming in. "Kenma, Tetsu is calling me!"

"Alright, I'll check back in with you later."

"We'll stay with him, Kenma. Don't worry." Yaku called, Haiba humming and nodding as well, perking his ears towards his boyfriend with a soft smile.

"Thank you for being there, I'll call you soon."

Akaashi said goodbye quickly then switched to the other call, calling out to his intended breathlessly, "Tetsurou? Tetsu are you okay?"

"I'm just fine, Keiji. I'm a little banged up, but out of all of us I was the luckiest."

Akaashi sobbed in relief, hunching over and cradling the phone against his chest, Kuroo's voice coming through a little muffled as he continued to speak.

"Shouyou was in the back seat, he didn't have his belt on. He got thrown from the car when it rolled across the median. It looks like he'll recover, but he's really hurting right now. We're hoping he doesn't have a spinal injury. We've just got to wait and see."

Akaashi nodded, perking his ears towards Skye and reaching out for him, smoothing his hand over his pudgy tummy, the baby giggling excitedly and clinging to Akaashi's fingers, bringing one to his mouth to suckle.

No one spoke for a moment, then Kuroo asked hesitantly, "You heard about Koutarou?"

"He's in surgery." Akaashi exhaled shakily, Kuroo making a soft sound of affirmation, pausing for a moment before asking timidly, "Tetsu what happened? How did you get into a wreck in the fifteen minutes it took you to drive downtown to Tsukishima's?"

Kuroo sighed heavily, then explained what had happened slowly. "There wasn't anything Kou could have done to avoid what happened. There was a wreck ahead of us, but we couldn't see it until it was too late. It must have just happened, there wasn't any indication that something was wrong until we were already coming around the corner, and then it was right in front of us. It happened in seconds, Koutarou did everything he could to keep us out of harm's way, but when he tried to get us back on the road he overcorrected and slammed us into the guardrail lining the median. Everything happened so fast. I don't even remember the car rolling."

Yaku waited for a moment, making sure neither of them were about to speak before he called out hesitantly, "Tetsurou, it's Morisuke. Lev and I are here with Akaashi. We'll stay with him for as long as you need us to. You just try to take it easy, and we'll wait to hear back from you and Kenma, okay?"

"Thank you, Morisuke." Kuroo sighed deeply, and Yaku could hear the relief in his voice. "Thank you so much for being there with Keiji. Would one of you do me a favor? Could you go next door and tell Sugawara Koushi what is happening? He'll want to be there with Keiji while we're all waiting to hear back about Koutarou and Shouyou."

Haiba nodded quickly, getting to his feet, padding towards the front door and stepping outside, heading over to the townhouse next door. Yaku continued petting over Akaashi's back gently, soothing the omega the best he could, Kuroo lingering on the other end of the phone for several long, quiet moments before speaking to Akaashi.

"I love you, baby. I'm coming home to you. Just wait for me a little longer, okay?"

"Okay." Akaashi sobbed quietly, stretching out against the carpet and laying beside his son, tugging Skye against his chest and crying while holding onto the phone, Yaku ducking his ears back a bit and watching, tears pinching at the corners of his eyes.

It didn't take long for Haiba to return, a pretty pale omega with a baby in his arms rushing to Akaashi's side, carefully laying down the other baby beside Akaashi's son and reaching out to his companion worriedly, Akaashi clinging to him while sobbing brokenly against his chest. Haiba was standing in the foyer speaking back and forth with a quiet beta and an Alpha who had accompanied the omega, still explaining everything they knew so far about what had happened with the wreck.

Yaku sighed and reclined back a bit, smoothing his fingers against the soft carpet slowly, waiting for his boyfriend to return while tilting his ears towards the pale omega, watching as he took the phone from Akaashi's hand to speak with Kuroo worriedly. "Tetsurou? How badly is Shouyou injured? Is he conscious?"

"Koushi. Yes, he's awake. Just barely, he's drugged pretty heavily."

"I'm so happy you're alive, I'm so happy you're both okay."

Kuroo spoke back and forth with someone in the background before saying quickly, "The doctor just arrived with his imaging results. I'll put you on speakerphone, hold on."

At the hospital, Kuroo stepped gingerly closer to the doctor as he snapped several scans into the backlit display against the wall, gesturing to the images of Hinata's neck and spine. Kozume sat with Osamu quietly, rubbing the Alpha's back soothingly while Atsumu stepped a little closer as well, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi sitting together quietly on the small couch nearby, waiting for the doctor to speak.

"As you can see, there is quite a bit of swelling here, but I am happy to say this is nothing more than whiplash, his symptoms and results are congruent with a severe neck sprain." He gestured to the image beside the first. "The ligaments here and here are torn, but they will begin to heal once swelling has been reduced. He'll need to wear a brace for the first week or so, but after that we will recommend some routine physical therapy. He should make a full and complete recovery within the next few months, so long as he has supportive friends beside him to take care of him while he heals." He turned and cast his eyes around the room, chuckling to himself softly. "From what I can see here, he most certainly has that."

Collective sighs of relief filled the hospital room, as well as happy laughter and chatter from Kuroo's phone, Akaashi's voice calling out worriedly, "What about Koutarou? Have they heard anything yet?"

The doctor perked his ears towards Kuroo's phone, meeting the Alpha's eyes. "Ah yes, I was informed there was someone else involved in the wreck, another Alpha?"

"Bokuto Koutarou." Kuroo replied, nodding quickly. "We haven't heard anything, only that he's in surgery. We don't know anything about the extent of his injuries, or even what he's having surgery for-"

"Doctor!" A nurse called, running into the room, "Come quickly, please!"

Kuroo perked his ears up as the doctor gave him an apologetic look then hurried after the nurse, the dark Alpha sighing in frustration and returning to his conversation with Akaashi, Kozume watching the doorway for a moment before stepping closer, peering out into the hall. There were several nurses clustered together, a loud clatter and a series of shouts echoing down the opposite hall, Kozume perking his ears up and starting to run towards the disturbance, grasping the side of the wall as he made a sharp turn, taking off running as he recognized Bokuto's barks and snarls.

"Kou! Kou, where are you!"

A nurse screamed sharply and ran out into the hallway from a room up ahead, barely dodging the chart that was thrown after her, papers scattering throughout the corridor, fluttering under the fluorescent lights. Kozume ran into the open room, shoving past the doctors and security trying to restrain the defensive Alpha, Bokuto growling and snapping his fangs at the beta who reached out to him, Kozume quickly wrapping his arms around his neck.

"It's okay, Koutarou! You're okay!"

Bokuto whimpered in pain, tears streaking down his flushed cheeks, his growls rumbling deeply against Kozume's chest where the beta pressed tightly against him, the Alpha whining and gradually going still when he finally recognized the beta's scent and voice. "Kenma?" He croaked out hoarsely, Kozume laughing and drawing back to hold his face, crying and nodding quickly, Bokuto grasping at his shoulders and barking out worriedly, "Tetsurou? Shouyou?"

"They're okay! They're okay, everyone's with them!" He pet over Bokuto's injured jaw and eye socket hesitantly, the heavy bruising and swelling there distorting the Alpha's handsome face. "It's you we've all been waiting for! You've been in surgery-"

"Easy, tough guy." One of the security officers said, reaching for Bokuto's arm and restraining him to the bed, Kozume reaching out quickly to stop him while another officer grabbed Bokuto's other arm and started strapping him down as well.

A pair of nurses took Kozume's shoulders and arm, coaxing him back gently, making room for the doctors to check on his injuries, the beta shivering and watching over Bokuto from close by. The Alpha continued growling and snapping at the officers on either side of him, whimpering and trying to break free from his restraints.

"Is that really necessary?!" Kozume growled out, starting forward again, the nurses holding onto him gently and coaxing him to relax, one of the doctors looking over his shoulder and tilting his ears back a bit. He paused briefly before beckoning for the nurses to allow Kozume closer, the beta snorting softly and returning to Bokuto's side, realizing after a moment what the Alpha had inadvertently done.

"We're going to have to take him back into surgery, he's already busted open his stitches." The doctor sighed, reaching down to touch the bloody bandaging wrapped around Bokuto's middle, the hints of crimson seeping into the thick padding already starting to grow. "He's lucky you came in to stop him before he managed to fully get out of bed. If he had bent the rods in his leg-" The doctor gestured to the cast covering Bokuto's entire right leg, Kozume's eyes widening at the screws holding the Alpha's bones carefully in place. "Well, let's just say the hours we've already put in would have been for nothing. We'd have to start all over again."

"Shouyou. I need to see Shouyou." Bokuto whimpered, the other doctor at his side shushing him gently, urging him to relax, already injecting his IV with something that would help him sleep. Kozume carefully took one of Bokuto's hands, the Alpha looking up at him and crying softly, his ears ducked back as he said, "He wasn't wearing his seatbelt, he wasn't-"

"Listen to me. Shouyou is fine. I was just with him, he's right down the hall. Everyone is okay, do you hear me?" He reached out and smoothed his palm over the Alpha's racing heart, trying to instill a sense of calm. "Everyone's alive. Just lie still. Let the doctors take care of you."

Bokuto sobbed softly, closing his eyes and clinging to Kozume's fingers, trembling as the nurses shifted to start wheeling the bed into the hallway, the security officers standing back but watching carefully to make sure they were no longer needed. Kozume walked at Bokuto's side, the doctors talking back and forth as they approached the doors separating the recovery wing from the surgery hall, one of the nurses pausing to ask Kozume to wait, the Alpha whimpering and clinging to his fingers, refusing to let go.

"I did this." Bokuto sobbed, his ears flat against his skull. "It's my fault, I didn't see-"

"No Koutarou. No, you're wrong. This was an accident." The beta frowned and searched the Alpha's teary eyes, squeezing his fingers tightly. "There was nothing you could have done differently. You did the right thing, you did everything you could to keep Shouyou and Tetsurou safe." He reached up, carding his fingers through the Alpha's hair, shushing him gently and searching his eyes. "We'll be right here waiting for you, we'll make sure you have a room next to Shouyou's okay? Don't worry about anything, I'm right here. I'm right by your side. We're all going to be okay."

"You'll wait with him? With Shouyou?" Bokuto whimpered, Kozume nodding quickly and leaning down to nuzzle his shoulder, purring softly and pressing a soft kiss to his swollen cheek.

"I promise, Kou. I promise you." He pulled back as one of the nurses took his arm again, holding Bokuto's eyes for as long as he could before calling out to him, "We'll be waiting for you when you wake up! All of us!"

The nurse petted along his arm gently, quieting Kozume's soft concerned whines as he stared after Bokuto's entourage, and when the Alpha was completely out of sight he turned and started back down the corridor, his entire body trembling.

They were all alive. They had made it.

They were going to be okay.

Kozume let out a soft peal of laughter, pausing beside a large hospital window, sighing long and deep as he looked up towards the rising full moon, tracing the stars glittering across the night sky.

"Thank you." Kozume whispered, unsure if anyone was there to hear, hugging himself tightly and watching the bright light of the moon for a while longer before returning to Hinata's room, exhausted beyond belief.

Kuroo stepped closer to greet the tired beta worriedly, Kozume smiling gently and hiding his face against the Alpha's strong chest, careful of his secured arm. He was quiet for a while, then he tilted his face up and met those warm hazel eyes, and began to calmly recount his interaction with Bokuto.


Thanks for reading! More to come!