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, Shimizu x Atsumu, Shimizu x Osamu, Atsumu x Shimizu x Osamu, Kageyama x Atsumu, Kageyama x Osamu, Kageyama x Atsumu x Osamu, Atsumu x Kageyama x Shimizu x Osamu, Kageyama x Shimizu
Plot: Hinata meets Shimizu and Kageyama.
Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics
Ch 19: Anthomania
The bell above the door chimed as Hinata entered the shoppe, the omega reaching up and pushing his sunglasses up to rest atop his crown, perking his ears towards the dainty counter nearby and glancing around the interior breathlessly. The flower shoppe was beautifully vintage, from the hand-painted signs in the windows to the pastel trim of the checkered wallpaper and eloquent floral décor. The omega smiled while laughing to himself merrily, completely in awe of his surroundings, stepping gingerly closer to a display of freshly cut blossoms and leaning in to sniff at the soft white petals, humming happily at their sweet, light scent.
He glanced up as he heard footsteps approaching, a pretty, slender beta folding her hands over her apron and ducking her ears back politely in greeting, offering him a friendly smile before introducing herself. "Welcome to our shoppe, my name is Shimizu Kiyoko. It will be a pleasure to serve you. What might I help you with today?"
Hinata smiled and stepped closer to her, quickly introducing himself. "I'm Hinata Shouyou! It's nice to meet you, Shimizu." He glanced down for a moment, reaching for his satchel and pulling out a folded brochure he'd considered for several days before, opening it and gesturing towards one of the packages available, asking, "I know this brochure is from several seasons ago, but I was wondering if you might be able to provide arrangements similar to these for a bonding ceremony?"
Shimizu took the brochure from Hinata, examining the lavish floral arrangements while nodding her head, glancing around the shoppe for a few moments to ensure the appropriate flowers were in stock. "Yes, we would be able to arrange pieces quite similar to these. Though I will say, these specific orange blossoms in particular are seasonal, and we do not have many in stock this early into the season." She considered for a moment before stepping closer to the wall beside the counter, walking behind the wicker divider and selecting a few flowers from the display there before offering them to Hinata. "These are comparable in color and size, though they do have a vastly different shape overall."
"These are lovely." Hinata smiled, perking his ears up while adding, "To be honest, I do not know much about floral arrangements, and I was hoping you might be able to put something together as you felt would be appropriate. It's alright if the blossoms do not match exactly, I'm not that concerned about particulars, so long as it looks well all together." He hummed cheerily, leaning a little closer while asking, "If I could give you a theme as a guideline, could you come up with the rest on your own?"
"Certainly." Shimizu smiled, handing Hinata back the brochure, gathering the flowers she had offered him before while saying, "I'll make you a small arrangement, if you would care to share with me your chosen theme? If you're interested in commissioning a large package for a bonding ceremony, I would be happy to provide you with a sample to take home to your intended."
"Oh that would be wonderful!" Hinata sighed happily, his face lighting up as he smiled. "I would love to take home a bouquet!"
Shimizu returned Hinata's smile while nodding her head, perking her ears up and listening closely as the omega described the theme he had chosen. Pastels on a backdrop of white, with sunset hues to compliment the overall aesthetic. Shimizu nodded her understanding of his intended vision, turning on her heels and disappeared out of sight. Hinata smiled excitedly and let out a happy sigh while turning around to continue exploring the flower shoppe, pausing now and then to sniff at a blossom here and there that caught his eye, tracing his fingertips lightly over the fluffy, delicate petals.
Shimizu returned to him after a short while, carrying a bouquet of beautiful flowers, the blooms a myriad of pastel yellows and blues mixed with brighter oranges, all on a backdrop of soft, ethereal whites. Hinata smiled happily and reached out to accept the arrangement from her, tracing over the creamy ribbon tying the bouquet together, sighing and nodding his approval. "Oh goodness, this is beautiful! And you did that so quickly!"
Shimizu smiled and ducked her ears back a bit, folding her hands over her apron once more. "I am glad that you are pleased. Larger arrangements of course will take more time." She tilted her head slightly, asking gingerly, "When are you planning your ceremony? Have you already chosen a venue?"
"We have!" Hinata smiled, meeting her soft grey eyes. "We've already booked a pavilion at the hanging gardens downtown. The ceremony will take place three weeks from now."
Shimizu glanced away thoughtfully at that, considering Hinata's timeline. "With such a venue already housing a great deal of flowers, the arrangements required would likely be solely for the direct interior of the pavilion, and perhaps the entryway and surrounding columns. Still, three weeks is not much time to arrange such a package…" She took a step towards the counter, lifting her hand and asking Hinata to wait a moment before stepping out of sight again, Hinata dipping back his ears a bit and sighing softly. He knew he should have come sooner, he realized it took quite some time for large arrangements to be handled appropriately, but he had been distracted with other things.
Namingly the newly forged pack he had established with his closest friends, and exploring their new dynamics as they settled into pack life together.
Hinata perked his ears up as he heard footsteps approaching again, realizing this time Shimizu was speaking with someone, the tall, slender beta at her side nodding and glancing down at the tablet he was holding, typing one-handed for a moment before nodding again and offering her a small smile, Shimizu smiling as well and stepping over to Hinata.
"This is my younger half-brother, Kageyama Tobio." She gestured for Hinata to approach the counter, the omega perking his ears towards the other beta who had yet to look up from his tablet. Kageyama didn't speak at first, merely glancing towards his older sister and gesturing to a few things Hinata couldn't see before he finally directed his attention to the omega watching them.
"This is one of the pavilions at the hanging gardens, typically used for larger venues." He gestured to the enlarged photograph displayed on the tablet, Hinata smiling and nodding eagerly.
"Yes! That's exactly right, that's where we'll be holding our ceremony!" He smiled and shifted the bouquet he was holding lightly, glancing between Kageyama and Shimizu curiously, asking hesitantly, "Is it too late to ask for arrangements? Did I wait too long?"
"It's doable, but it's honest to say it isn't a lot of time. We would usually request at least a month in advance, if not two, to arrange an elaborate package like this." He frowned a little, glancing towards his tablet thoughtfully. "It doesn't give us much room for error, which means we'll need to get everything right the first time." He met Hinata's eyes again, asking, "You're certain you're pleased with the selections Shimizu has provided? Pastel yellows, baby blues, vivid oranges for accents, and variations of white?"
Hinata nodded, glancing down at the arrangement he was holding again. "It's beautiful, really. It all goes together so nicely." He looked to Shimizu, smiling as he added, "I love that you added the little bits of darker blue here and there as well. It really brings depth and contrast to the entire arrangement." He glanced up to meet Kageyama's eyes again, the beta watching him for a long moment before humming and nodding his head, making a few notes on his tablet before beginning to calculate the estimated cost.
It took some time, but eventually Kageyama turned the tablet to where Hinata could see the breakdown of the costs; time, labor, the various flowers that had been chosen, along with a discount on the arrangement services, Hinata perking his ears up and asking curiously, "Oh! I didn't realize there would be a discount involved for a bonding ceremony!" He looked over the breakdown again, realizing it was much less than what he had been expecting. "Are you sure? That offer is very generous, especially considering what I've asked for, and on such short notice..."
Shimizu smiled, and Kageyama nodded lightly, the indiscernible expression across his face fading into something a bit softer as he replied, "We are here to help you with your ceremony, not cause you unnecessary distress or hardship."
"We strive to work with our clientele, all we ask in exchange is that you spread word of our services if you are satisfied with the arrangements you are provided." Shimizu tilted her ears back slightly, offering gingerly, "We would rather see your happiness more than anything else you could offer. Sharing in your joy on your special day is priceless." She gestured to the tablet, adding, "If you believe this to be a fair price, then we will proceed with writing up a contract for you. We hope you will accept."
Hinata smiled and nodded happily, Kageyama pulling up a fresh contract, adding in the specified details of Hinata's package before offering Hinata a stylus to use to sign. Kageyama and Shimizu spoke with him a little longer before bidding him farewell, Hinata stepping back out into the sunshine happily, adjusting his sunglasses over his eyes, humming and venturing along the boulevard towards the café nearby. He stood before the entrance, checking his phone briefly before heading inside, waving to the hostess with a bright smile before continuing towards the terrace, stepping out onto the upstairs balcony and back into the warm sunlight.
He located the pair of omegas he was looking for almost instantly, stepping over to them and greeting them with cheery laughter and light hugs before settling down beside them, Akaashi and Sugawara perking up their ears and fawning over the arrangement Hinata was holding. The younger omega laughed cheerily, offering them the bundle of blossoms so they could examine the colors and textures in detail, Sugawara visibly delighted at Hinata's choices.
"I'm not sure if I could have arranged this bouquet any better myself! These flowers are exceptionally healthy, undoubtedly meticulously taken care of to guarantee such exceptional beauty. Gorgeous!" He set the flowers aside on the table between them, returning his attention to Hinata, "An arrangement as detailed as this was from just up the block? Really? Such a small shoppe, and yet the florists there hold such talent! I'll have to visit them myself sometime!"
Akaashi hummed his agreement, smiling to himself while asking teasingly, "Do you think they would be alright with arranging for a winter ceremony?"
Sugawara laughed brightly, sighing fondly at his companion's teasing while leaning over to nuzzle him affectionately. He pressed close to Akaashi's side, kissing his cheek and purring softly while squeezing his forearm lightly, Hinata watching their exchange with a light blush. "Silly bunny, so obsessed with the idea of snow…"
Akaashi smiled and laughed softly, reaching over to take Sugawara's hand, nuzzling him back while replying playfully, "Much rather a snow bunny than a seagull! Tetsu still hasn't stopped talking about the beach!"
Hinata bit his lip, watching his companions fondly while reclining back in his chair, unbridled affection for his packmates fluttering warmly in his heart. He glanced up as a diminutive omega approached their table, perking his ears towards the tiny waitress and ordering a raspberry lemonade and a fruit tart, along with a tall glass of water to set the flowers in while they enjoyed their brunch together. Akaashi ordered a fruit tart as well, along with a bottle of champagne to share with Hinata and Sugawara, the pale omega sighing to himself and thinking for a moment before deciding on an assortment of macaroons and ladyfinger eclairs.
"We might as well try a few things since we're here!" Sugawara smiled, perking his ears towards the waitress as she returned with a bottle of champagne and a corkscrew, carefully uncorking the bottle and pouring them each a glass, setting the bottle to the side and disappearing inside once more, leaving the omegas to enjoy their brunch together.
"I do think macaroons would be a lovely idea at the afterparty," Akaashi sighed, lifting his glass and sipping at the bubbly champagne slowly, its effervescence fizzing minutely against the crystal glass, Hinata marveling at the way it reflected prisms of sunlight against Akaashi's dark irises. "What do you think, Shouyou? It's your ceremony, after all."
Hinata smiled and laughed softly, shrugging and tilting his ears back a bit. "Oh gosh, I don't know. This whole thing is becoming increasingly overwhelming. There's the flowers, and the photography, and the music!" He sighed and reached for his glass, tracing his fingertips against the stem. "I never realized how much work putting together a bonding ceremony would be!"
Akaashi hummed quietly, tapping his fingers against his glass and meeting Sugawara's eyes, the pale omega smiling and turning to Hinata, offering gently, "Keiji and I would be more than happy to help you plan everything, Shouyou! It really isn't any trouble for us, we would be happy to help out!"
Akaashi nodded his agreement, adding cheerily, "Now that the flower arrangements have been taken care of, why don't you allow us to assist with sorting out the afterparty? We could put together a menu at least," He gasped excitedly, pawing at Sugawara's arm, "Oh and of course we'll have to try out all sorts of samples of cakes!"
Hinata smiled and laughed happily, "We were thinking about having a tiered cake, with a layer for each of us; vanilla, strawberry, and lemon?"
Akaashi smiled brightly at the idea, Sugawara laughing excitedly and leaning a little closer while exclaiming softly, "Oh Shouyou I absolutely adore that idea, how lovely!"
Akaashi nodded his approval, adding, "There's a patisserie I've looked into for my own ceremony, I'd be happy to sort out all the details for your cake if you would allow us to make the arrangements?"
"We could handle decorations too!" Sugawara trilled eagerly, clasping his hands together, his eyes glimmering in the sunlight. "Oh I absolutely loved planning out our bonding ceremony with Hajime and Toru! Your venue at the hanging gardens is an enchanting locale!" He perked his ears towards Hinata after a moment, asking curiously, "What were you thinking to do for music? Should we look up local bands as well?"
Hinata tilted his head slightly, thinking for a few moments, the waitress stepping over and quietly placing their sweets before them during the lull of their conversation, dipping her ears back a bit before offering Hinata his drink. They gave the waitress their thanks, the tiny omega offering them a small smile in return and stepping away, the omegas returning to their conversation after a few lingering moments.
"Honestly, I was thinking about having one of Toru's playlists in the background of the ceremony, but I wasn't certain how hard it would be to make arrangements for a temporary speaker system, or a DJ…" He bit his lip, sighing quietly, Akaashi and Sugawara watching him with soft smiles, the pale omega reaching over and taking Hinata's hand, squeezing lightly.
"Toru always had such an excellent taste in music." Sugawara purred, smiling fondly at the memory of his partner.
"If that's truly what you want, I'm sure we can arrange it somehow." Akaashi took another sip of his champagne before picking one of the blackberries from atop his tart and popping it into his mouth, smiling while settling back into his seat, Sugawara cuddling up beside him and biting into a macaroon happily. Hinata smiled and nodded, thinking of Oikawa fondly, perking his ears towards the sound of laughter on the sunny streets below, falling into a comfortable silence and watching the people as they drifted in and out of the shops nearby.
They shared their sweets between them, offering one another little spoonfuls of creamy custard and sugared fruits along with sips of champagne between hand-fed bites of macaroons and eclairs. Once they had nearly finished their bottle they called out to their waitress gleefully, waiting patiently for their checks while trying to stifle their tipsy laughter, giggling merrily as they left the café and walked hand-in-hand down the cobbled streets, venturing past the vintage dress shop and hattery.
They took their time admiring the displays in the windows, then gradually wandered down the adjacent street where Hinata had visited the flower shoppe before. The omegas paused their chatter as they drew closer to the flower shoppe, perking their ears up at the sound of music, Hinata pausing before the front door for a moment and realizing the sound was coming from the large garden behind the flower shoppe, stepping towards the tall picket fence curiously. The gate was open, and so he pushed through the small gap to peer inside, marveling at the lavish garden filled with countless variations of flowers, a large greenhouse resting in the center of the lot.
Before the greenhouse there was a small platform, an arrangement of instruments and a group of people, chatting back and forth and laughing happily while tuning their respective instruments. Sugawara and Akaashi were giggling excitedly, shushing one another as they followed Hinata past the parted gate and further inside, the trio of omegas clustering together in the shadows at the side entrance to the garden to remain unseen, not entirely certain if they should be trespassing there.
Hinata's eyes were wide as he perked his ears towards the band, barely breathing, his heart fluttering as Kageyama turned towards the sunlight, a guitar in his hand. The beta was looking off to the side absently, strumming his guitar for a few moments before starting to play for real, his bandmates quickly joining in with him, filling the garden with resonating music.
It was strange, and Hinata wasn't certain exactly why, but somehow it felt like he had heard Kageyama's voice before.
"Fumbling his confidence,
And wondering why the world has passed him by.
Hoping that he's bent for more than
Arguments and failed attempts to fly~
Fly~"
Hinata stood in disbelief, stepping a little closer as he listened to the music swell, the familiarity of it unquestionable. Hinata blinked twice, shaking his head lightly, trying to understand why it twisted at his emotions, reaching up to clutch at the fabric covering his chest. He'd never heard this song before, had no idea who Kageyama was before today, but somehow he was certain they'd met before. He was certain they had.
"We were meant to live for so much more,
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside,
Somewhere we live inside~
We were meant to live for so much more,
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside~"
The petite guitarist beside him stepped closer to Kageyama's side, strumming along with him and nodding along with the beat, the large bassist behind them smiling and nodding along as well, glancing towards the drummer and guitarist on the opposite side of the platform, the keyboardist beside them smiling happily as she followed Kageyama's lead.
"Dreaming about Providence,
And whether mice or men have second tries."
Hinata gasped and looked down, grabbing at his satchel, careful not to drop his bouquet as he grabbed his phone and opened his playlists from Oikawa, scrolling until he found the song he was looking for.
"Maybe we've been living with our eyes half open,
Maybe we're bent and broken~
Broken~ Oh!"
Hinata looked towards Kageyama again, staring at the singer as he tossed his dark hair from his eyes and smiled to himself, leaning into the microphone so his chest almost brushed against the stand as he belted out the chorus again.
"We were meant to live for so much more,
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside,
Somewhere we live inside~
We were meant to live for so much more,
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside!"
Kageyama turned away from the microphone, the guitarists on either side of the platform switching off with him and taking the lead, exchanging playful laughter back and forth while their singer took a moment to breathe.
The bassist was still nodding along with the beat, grinning sheepishly as he caught Kageyama's eyes, their drummer going through a complex kickroll while their keyboardist laughed merrily, tossing her hair lightly as she closed her eyes and turned her face up towards the sun.
Kageyama listened to his bandmates as he let his guitar rest against his waist, reaching out and grasping the mic stand as he breathed in slowly, then began to sing.
"We want more than this world's got to offer~
We want more than this world's got to offer~
We want more than the wars of our fathers,
And everything inside screams for second life!
Yeah yeah yeah ah!
We were meant to live for so much more,
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more,
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more!
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live!
We were meant to live~"
The band played together for a few more moments, completely in sync, then they let the momentum fall as the song ended, Kageyama releasing the microphone once more. He reached up and carded his fingers through his hair, the guitarists on either side of him chatting back and forth eagerly while clapping their singer on the back.
Hinata was still staring at Kageyama in utter amazement, standing breathlessly in place at the edge of the shoppe. He held perfectly still for a few lingering moments before gasping softly as Sugawara and Akaashi started whooping and cheering, clapping excitedly from their hiding spot behind him. Kageyama and his bandmates turned towards the sudden disturbance, glancing over towards the gate and realizing they were being watched, a light frown turning down Kageyama's lips.
At seeing Kageyama didn't seem particularly pleased at being watched, Hinata quickly turned to shush his friends, his steps a little clumsy as he bit his lip and giggled, perking his ears towards the sound of approaching footsteps, Shimizu appearing around the corner a heartbeat later.
"Hinata!" She greeted in surprise, noticing the bouquet still cradled in his arms, glancing back at her brother briefly before asking worriedly, "Was there something you needed? I'm sorry if you called for us before and we didn't hear you. If you'd like to come around to the front of the shoppe, I'd be happy to assist you."
"N-No! No, I-" He offered Shimizu an apologetic look, Sugawara laughing gleefully behind him, the pale omega snorting a little as he cupped his hand over his smile, while Akaashi busied himself with pawing teasingly at Hinata's shoulder. The younger omega tucked back his ears a bit, blushing hotly while offering his apologies to the pretty beta still watching them. "I'm sorry, Shimizu! We didn't mean to...to trespass, we were just walking along the street after brunch, and we heard the music!" He perked his ears towards the stage, catching Kageyama's eyes for only a moment before dipping back his ears a bit further, returning his gaze to Shimizu and stammering out anxiously, "T-The gate was open, so we...we just thought we might take a quick peek-"
"We're very sorry to have disturbed your practice!" Akaashi managed cheerily, offering the florist a friendly smile while tugging Hinata and Sugawara back towards the street once more. "Don't mind us! We were just leaving!"
"Oh goodness no!" The other omega protested, pouting a little as he looked to Akaashi, his cheeks rosy with both champagne and glee. "Let's stay and listen to them play again!" Sugawara giggled brightly, tugging at Akaashi's shoulder while whining insistently, "Oh Keiji, let's listen to them some more! They're quite good, aren't they? And besides, Shouyou still needs to find a band for his ceremony!"
Shimizu perked her ears up at that, turning to meet eyes with her brother before beckoning him closer, Kageyama setting his guitar aside and walking away from the small stage, the drummer behind him getting up as well and following after him.
Hinata perked his ears towards the tall blonde as she approached, Shimizu explaining the situation quietly before a wide smile cracked her face. She reached out and clasped Hinata's hand, introducing herself candidly, "It's nice to meet you Hinata! Congratulations on your engagement! My name is Tanaka Saeko." She crossed her arms over her bosom, perking her ears up while adding energetically, "I understand you've already established a contract with Shimizu for your flower arrangements, but if you're also interested in hiring a band to entertain the venue we would be happy to offer our services!"
Kageyama listened quietly, ducking his ears back a bit and meeting his sister's eyes, hesitating for a moment before murmuring to the drummer beside him softly, "Are you certain that's something we should be offering? We've never performed live at such a large venue before…"
"That all depends on Hinata!" She beamed, leaning a little closer and searching the omega's honey-brown eyes. "Well? What did you think? It isn't often we get to perform for such a niche, private audience! Did you and your friends enjoy the song you heard?"
Hinata perked his ears up at that, a soft blush dusting his cheeks as he met Kageyama's eyes, holding his gaze for a moment before looking down at his phone, asking hesitantly, "This is you, isn't it?"
He tapped his fingers against the small screen lightly, Kageyama perking his ears up in surprise at the song that began to play, Saeko and Shimizu exchanging a glance while the blonde laughed cheerily, turning her attention to Kageyama to watch the singer's reaction as his voice softly echoed from the device.
"Welcome to the planet,
Welcome to existence…"
"How did you even get that?" Kageyama asked in a hushed tone, Hinata blinking and ducking his ears back a bit, shaking his head lightly.
"It was on a playlist that a friend gave me." Hinata replied gingerly, glancing down at the song title and the name of the band again. "It is you, isn't it? You're Flightless?"
"Indeed we are!" Saeko cheered, grinning as she turned around and pointed over her shoulder, gesturing to her monogrammed letter jacket, Hinata turning his attention to the details of the hand-sewn stitches and embellished writing.
The sleeves of the jacket were white with black stripes around the cuffs, the body of the jacket jet-black. She tossed her hair out of the way and flexed her shoulders as Hinata leaned closer, revealing a pair of golden wings sewn over the shoulder blades and stretching across her shoulders and upper arms, the feathers fanning out beautifully just above a flourished inscription in the dark fabric.
Though we are Flightless, we soar to great heights.
The inscription was sewn in white to match the jacket's sleeves, all except for the name of their band, which was written in that same brilliant gold as the pair of wings stitched across her shoulders.
Hinata shivered a bit, trying to understand, trying to comprehend how it was possible that this was all tied together. What were the odds that Oikawa would have introduced him to an obscure local band that would one day appear in the backyard of a small flower shoppe, and even more improbable than that - what were the odds that they would be willing to play at Hinata's bonding ceremony.
It was as if Oikawa had somehow known that one day Hinata would meet Kageyama.
Hinata was overwhelmed, reaching up and covering his mouth lightly while the song he had grown to love most out of Oikawa's playlists drifted through the warm, sunny air. Akaashi crooned to him soothingly, wrapping his arms around Hinata lightly while Sugawara leaned closer and rubbed his upper arm gently, taking Hinata's hand and lacing their fingers together sweetly.
"I love this song. I love your music." Hinata breathed out shakily, laughing brilliantly and blinking back tears, meeting Kageyama's eyes once again. "If you would be willing to play for us, I would gladly have you perform at my ceremony." He squeezed Sugawara's fingers, leaning back into Akaashi's touch, adding gingerly, "Though if it's alright, I have a few song requests from a playlist in mind. Would it be okay to ask if you would play a few of them for us during our ceremony?"
"Yeah, of course. We have no problem covering other bands' songs." Kageyama replied gently, ducking his ears back a bit and watching the omegas, his expression caught between concern and confusion. Saeko laughed brightly, turning towards Hinata once more while reaching out to pat Kageyama's upper back, Shimizu watching their exchange quietly, tilting one of her ears towards the other bandmates nearby.
"Would you like to meet everyone?" Shimizu asked softly, and Hinata sniffed and dabbed at his eyes, nodding his head, Kageyama and Saeko calling out to their bandmates as they turned and started back towards the stage. Shimizu followed after them quietly, beckoning Hinata closer to walk beside her, the petite omega holding Akaashi and Sugawara's hands tightly as each of the musicians set their instruments aside and stepped forward to introduce themselves.
"Nishinoya Yuu! It's nice to meet you." The petite guitarist smiled and glanced towards the bassist at his side, the large beta watching the omegas with a nervous little smile and nodding his head lightly, his voice rumbling as he spoke.
"Azumane Asahi." He growled out quietly, Hinata's eyes widening at the shudder that passed through him at hearing his deep, resonating voice. He was impossibly tall, broad shoulders and chiseled musculature, his abs and pecs clearly visible even beneath his loose oversized shirt.
The other guitarist stepped closer next, nudging Saeko and grinning while perking his ears towards the omegas, snorting softly and gesturing towards himself as he spoke. "The name's Tanaka Ryuunosuke!" Saeko grinned and shoulder-checked him playfully, the Alpha growling teasingly and adding on with an impish grin, "I see my annoying elder sister has already propositioned our services without asking any of us about it first! That being said, it's an honor and privilege to have your approval." Saeko rubbed her shoulder against his, growling softly as her brother smirked teasingly and continued speaking with Hinata. "It's great to hear you like our music! If you wanna have us play at ya ceremony, you can count us in!"
"Elder, was it?" Saeko growled out softly, baring her fangs, her brother perking his ears up and smirking still while rising to accept her challenge, his growls deepening into a playful threat, Hinata realizing with a start that Saeko was also an Alpha. He had heard stories of course, but he'd never met a female Alpha before in person. Her scent was unlike anything he'd ever tasted before.
Eventually the siblings snorted and broke eye contact, shifting slightly away from one another, the younger Alpha tilting his ears towards Hinata and grinning while adding on to his previous introduction, "Since we share the same name, ya can call me Ryuu if ya like. Don't worry about being formal with Saeko. She says it makes her feel old or some such nonsense."
The other Alpha hummed and cocked an ear towards her brother before nodding and offering Hinata a warm smile. "You can call me Saeko! Otherwise we both respond to Tanaka, and it's an entire mess." She looked to the petite blonde standing beside her brother, nodding and gesturing for her to speak, the feline dipping back her ears a bit before clasping her hands together and introducing herself shyly.
"My name is Yachi Hitoka. It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having us." She gave Hinata a little smile before glancing away, Ryuu smiling reassuringly and giving her a thumbs-up, the feline perking up her ears a bit and blushing lightly as she smiled.
"It's very nice to meet all of you!" Hinata smiled in return, turning towards his companions, the omegas waving and exchanging friendly smiles with the bandmates watching them before introducing themselves as well.
"Sugawara Koushi. Thank you for agreeing to play for us."
"Akaashi Keiji." The dark omega offered, perking his ears towards Sugawara while nodding his agreement. "Yes, thank you for offering to perform at Shouyou's bonding ceremony. Your music is quite beautiful, I'm sure we are all excited to hear more."
"Oh yes!" Sugawara smiled, clapping his hands together. "Do you come here to practice regularly? We'll have to stop by and listen to you play more often! We have brunch at the café all the time, just up the street!"
Hinata smiled at his packmates before tilting his ears towards Kageyama, turning towards the beta's voice in quiet awe as he casually replied to Sugawara. "Ah, well...typically we practice at the bar or at home, but it was so nice out today, and Shimizu asked me to help out around the shoppe for a while, too." His eyes fell on the bouquet Hinata was holding, a small chuckle escaping him as he added softly, "It's so random, the fact that you've heard of us before, and especially that you actually know one of our songs." He shook his head in disbelief, adding, "We recorded that demo in our basement years ago. I didn't even realize it was something anyone listened to anymore." He held Hinata's eyes, asking hesitantly, "I'm not sure how it'll sound right now, since we haven't played it in a while, but if we practice in the upcoming weeks we could play that song at your ceremony if you'd like?"
Hinata's eyes widened and his entire face lit up, the omega smiling and nodding excitedly, his laughter ringing across the garden, "Oh, would you really? I'd really, really like that, if that's okay with everyone?"
Kageyama was taken back at his bright laughter and breathless, reverent tone, nodding and offering the omega a little smile before stepping back onto the platform. He kept his back to Hinata while speaking with his bandmates for a moment before nodding his head, turning around to catch Hinata's eyes.
"Would you like us to play it for you now then?"
Sugawara cheered, Akaashi smiling and clapping again, Hinata beaming from ear to ear and nodding happily, Kageyama cracking a smile and strumming his guitar for a moment before starting to play.
Hinata stood before the stage enraptured, Sugawara's laughter ringing merrily in his ears and Akaashi's fingers warm and soft against his palm, his companions grounding him to the moment. He pressed his phone against his chest, smiling and perking his ears up, feeling the energy swelling within him as each of the bandmates played their part, synchronizing and echoing one another in perfect harmony, Kageyama reaching for the microphone as he started to sing.
Hinata wasn't sure if he had ever felt something so powerful before, something akin to the hand of destiny.
-x-x-x-
Iwaizumi perked his ears up when he heard the front door opening, Sawamura stepping towards the foyer and greeting his bonded, Sugawara giggling happily and claiming a quick kiss before padding into the kitchen, his arms full of bright flowers wrapped in pretty tissue paper and ribbons. Sawamura perked his ears up and fetched a few vases from the cabinet above the sink, turning and offering each of them to Sugawara, who smiled and arched up for another kiss before returning his attention to the flowers before him, already beginning to take a few of each kind and arrange them in clusters, creating unique bouquets for each of the vases.
Iwaizumi watched his partners with a soft smile, sighing quietly and tilting his ears towards the sound of his daughter's soft purring, glancing down at her and rubbing his fingertips over her rounded tummy gently. The pup was kicking and fussing lightly in her sleep, the beta's heart fluttering as he watched over her, smiling contentedly and enjoying simply sitting beside her quietly while she dreamed.
"How's our darling girl?" Sugawara whispered as he stepped closer to the bassinet, crooning softly and leaning down to pepper Rue's cheeks with gentle kisses, Iwaizumi reclining back a bit and watching the omega affectionately, Sawamura stepping closer and settling down at Iwaizumi's side with a tired sigh.
"She was demanding our attention earlier," The Alpha rumbled softly, reaching over and twining his fingers with Iwaizumi's, "but after expending so much energy, she seems to be resting peacefully now."
"She's dreaming." Iwaizumi said affectionately, perking his ears up at the soft vocalizations that she made as she clenched her fists against her blanket and kicked. "She's going to be such a handful once she starts walking. We'll never manage to keep her sitting still now that she knows how to crawl."
Sawamura chuckled and nodded his agreement, Sugawara backing away from the bassinet and returning to arranging the vases on the coffee table and mantle, padding quietly into the kitchen to pick up another vase. He walked past the couch, humming happily as he disappeared down the hall towards the bedroom, returning a few moments later and crawling onto the couch between his bondmates. He smiled as he settled down with them, purring happily as he rested across their laps, nuzzling into his Alpha's neck while Iwaizumi pet along his legs gently.
"I had the most splendid afternoon." The omega smiled, curling his fingers against Sawamura's chest. "We had brunch, and tried all sorts of yummy tidbits while talking about Shouyou's ceremony, then we walked along the square and enjoyed the sunshine a while. We even managed to find a band while we were out as well! Shouyou was ecstatic!"
Iwaizumi perked his ears up in interest, asking curiously, "How did you manage that? Was someone playing live at the café?"
"Down the street, actually!" Sugawara smiled, laughing sweetly and flexing his toes against Iwaizumi's gentle touch as the beta rubbed at his arches gently. "They have a great sound, and were willing to work with Shouyou on the playlist he originally had in mind." His voice softened a bit, his expression tender as he added gently, "They're a local band that Toru used to listen to, actually. One of their songs was on a playlist he made for Shouyou."
Sawamura let out a soft sigh, nuzzling Sugawara's cheek and kissing across his light blush affectionately, Iwaizumi humming and nodding his understanding, his eyes trailing towards the bassinet as he thought about his bondmate, his chest drawing tight.
It was still hard for all of them, thinking about Oikawa. It had been long enough now that they could talk about him without one of them immediately crying, but some days felt more raw than others, and today Iwaizumi was feeling vulnerable without the beta he loved at his side.
Sawamura noticed his disquiet, reaching over and petting along his shoulders and nape, crooning softly. Iwaizumi glanced up and met his eyes, offering him an affectionate smile and tilting his face up for a kiss.
Sugawara shifted once they parted, changing his position across their laps to sit between them, curling up under Iwaizumi's arm and petting over his chest gently, purring softly to soothe him.
Iwaizumi let out a soft, trembling breath and hugged Sugawara closer, hiding his face against the omega's cream-colored curls, inhaling his scent and allowing his partners to comfort him. They kept him grounded, they reminded him of what he was living for. Being with Sugawara, Sawamura, and Rue kept him sane when otherwise he would have found himself drowning in his grief, lost without Oikawa there to hold his hand and brighten up his bad days with his warm laughter and sweet, gentle smile.
There were days when he thought about joining him, but he had pushed that darkness down somewhere deep within him and locked it away. He was a father now. He couldn't do that to Sugawara or Sawamura. He couldn't do that to Rue. She had already lost one father, Iwaizumi had promised himself she wouldn't lose another.
Sugawara's fingertips trailed over his cheek, and the beta perked his ears towards his partner before leaning down to nuzzle him gently, the omega whispering softly, "Do you want to lie down and take a nap with me?"
Iwaizumi held Sugawara's coffee-colored irises for a long moment before glancing over to catch Sawamura's eyes, the Alpha nodding and offering him a gentle smile while crooning, "I'll watch over Rue while she's sleeping. Go rest with Koushi for a while."
Iwaizumi nodded lightly, Sugawara kissing his jaw before standing up and taking his hand, tugging him along behind him gently, Sawamura watching them go with a tender expression across his face. He sighed quietly, stretching out across the couch and closing his eyes, his ears perking towards the small sounds Rue made in her sleep, listening to his mate's voice as his partners walked together towards their bedroom, Iwaizumi's deeper tone audible just after.
He smiled and reached up to cover his eyes with his hand, his brow pinching as he whispered aloud, "Today was a good day, watching him laughing with little Rue while she crawled around, exploring everywhere." He inhaled softly, letting out a soft hum and adding gently, "He misses you. We all do. We miss you and love you very, very much."
Iwaizumi curled around Sugawara, hugging him tightly against his chest, the omega purring and nuzzling into the curve of his neck and shoulder, inhaling the beta's light, neutral scent. He rubbed along Iwaizumi's back, up his spine and over his shoulder blade before trailing back down again, kissing at his shoulder lovingly while whispering gently, "Thank you for being such a good father to our daughter. Thank you for being there for her, and for us. We couldn't do this without you."
Iwaizumi let out a shuddering breath, hugging Sugawara a bit tighter and hiding his face against the omega's curls, not responding for a few long moments before he whispered breathlessly, "I see him everywhere, in everything. When she smiles, when she's laughing at something. I hear his voice all the time. I've been listening to the playlists he left me all morning. Some days I don't know if it makes me feel better, or worse."
"I know." Sugawara whispered, pulling back a bit to meet his partner's eyes, petting his cheeks and shushing him gently as Iwaizumi ducked his head, letting out a shaky sob. "I know sweetheart, I know. I miss Toru too."
Iwaizumi sniffed and held Sugawara close, allowing the omega to comfort him, resting against him as Sugawara continued petting over his nape and shoulders, kissing his cheeks and brow. He whispered to him gently over and over again, reminding the beta that he was precious, irreplaceable, that he was loved by his partners and packmates, and especially his little girl.
Across the city, Hinata was pressed against Bokuto's side, nuzzling under the curve of his Alpha's jaw affectionately before perking his ears towards his phone, smiling down at the text messages he had just received. He had exchanged contact information with Shimizu and Kageyama before leaving the flower shoppe to head home for the day, and not only had Shimizu text him several pictures of arrangements to consider for the upcoming ceremony, but Kageyama had text him a few times as well.
They were chatting back and forth about music, about life in the city and their close friends. Hinata was talking about his upcoming ceremony, and his relationships with both of his intended, the beta showing surprise and interest to hear that Hinata was joining into a three-way bond.
/HS: What about you? Do you have a bondmate?
Kageyama took a while to respond, but eventually text Hinata back a short reply.
/KT: No, I don't.
Hinata rubbed his palm over Bokuto's chest gently for a few moments before texting again, wondering if he was asking too much of someone he had just met.
/HS: You're a year older than me, right?
/HS: There's never been anyone you've been interested in bonding with before?
/HS: Are you just not interested in sharing a bond with anyone?
He bit his lip, turning over slightly, Bokuto humming quietly and spooning his smaller frame, kissing at his shoulder and yawning sleepily, dozing off lightly in the warm afternoon sunlight beaming into the bedroom from the open window nearby.
It took some time for Kageyama to reply, and when he did Hinata had more questions than he knew what to do with.
/KT: I haven't felt that way about someone in a long time.
Hinata set the phone aside for a moment, thinking of how he wanted to respond, then picked the phone up once more and sent a simple question.
/HS: Is it okay if I ask what happened?
Kageyama replied after a few moments of silence, Hinata's ears perking up as his eyes flit across the screen.
/KT: It's a long story.
Hinata frowned a little, tilting one of his ears to the side, starting to text back a reply when another message came through, the omega's eyes widening a bit as he read the next line.
/KT: It might be better to talk about in person, if you wanted to meet up for coffee sometime?
Hinata smiled brightly, a light blush dusting his cheeks as he quickly texted a reply, his heart fluttering excitedly as he let his phone rest against the pillow beside his cheek, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth from the sun.
/HS: I know the perfect place!
/HS: There's a little café just down the street from your sister's shoppe!
Lyrics: Meant to Live by Switchfoot
Thanks for reading! More to come!
