Level Pair; Restless 1/1
Restlessness is discontent—and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man—and I will show you a failure. ~Thomas Edison
Kageyama grabs a skin with water as he takes a break away from the makeshift net they've set up on the sand. Dropping down on a driftwood log, he lets out a long breath in content.
In a matter of ten short days, Hinata had been grounded, Kageyama'd discovered the redhead was his leveler, they'd trekked back to a hostile home and narrowly escaped 'death by Kuroo', their unit had been dissolved, he'd lost a Volley match against his father, Hinata'd faced banishment from said home, he'd fled what couldn't be called home anymore with Shouyou, and they'd been saved by Kuroo and Kenma instead of offed. In ten days, their entire lives had been altered so far from what they had been, that he could hardly draw any similarities between them.
It's been six months. Six months of difficult trials and challenges. Six months of frustration and aggravated tension. Six months of figuring out their new and totally unstructured lives. Six months of awkward limbo. And Kageyama doesn't regret it in the least.
They've both changed a bit, Kageyama thinks as he watches the redhead happily pop the ball back and forth with the others in the chill morning ocean breeze that blows in lightly off the water. The seasons are changing, the nights growing longer and the days cooler. Just this morning, Hinata had been completely glued to his side for warmth… not that he minded. And just like time initiates a turn of seasons in the world around them, he can tell they are changing, too. He's definitely more aware of the differences in Shouyou, but he knows he's also weathered his own.
But where most of his are probably more internal, a lot of Hinata's are visible. He's definitely gotten tan from all the time spent in the sun on the sandy beach playing Volley. There are a few newer scars that glow white against the bronze of his skin now, particularly a long line across one calf and a silvery one on his shoulder. And his feather base has healed over completely and is now nothing more than a thick twisted scar, as well. Their hair has also gotten longer— definitely too long for his father's militant standards, but it's become one of Kageyama's favorite things about Hinata.
There are more subtle things that most people wouldn't realize... like how all of Hinata's muscles seem more defined without the aid of his wings in movement to smooth them out, and the bottoms of his feet are tougher than they used to be. He moves now as if he'd never had wings, no hesitation in his leaps or when he swings at the ball. He's gotten good at hitting it square now almost every time, the ball snapping off his palm like lightning.
Ground Volley had actually proved to be quite a bit harder than what they'd played back home. Kageyama had definitely struggled at not using his wings at first. They were such an integral part of him that he never even thought about them; they just moved on their own. And since Ground Volley was played on a smaller field, it was also much faster. Being able to play without using one's wings was a necessity in order to keep up. Hinata's attacking limb was considerably smaller than a wing, and it required far more precision to set the ball in the correct spot.
Hinata had excelled with his sharp reflexes and constantly made progress while Kageyama felt like he'd had to earn every bit he'd gained. He'd mastered it just the same, but damn, had it been taxing… both physically and mentally. It had been a sobering reminder that while he'd faced the 'flightless' challenge only in Volley, Hinata was facing it in nearly every facet of life.
The redhead had settled into it, though, and for the most part you wouldn't see the lack of wings bother him… but there were moments. Usually it was a nightmare and he'd wake from a dead sleep against Kageyama in a frenzy before at least one other hand would find him through the dark for support in addition to what comfort he himself could provide. But sometimes it would be something completely random and without warning. Maybe it was an object he couldn't reach without help where he'd have had no issue before, or perhaps it was one of the tart berries that Noya's mom could turn into amazing desserts. It could be something minor and momentary or something that could depress him for a whole day.
Just last week, he'd chased a ball out into the waves and gone still when he'd straightened up. Kageyama had almost immediately noticed the change and started toward him, but it hadn't mattered. By the time he'd reached him, a tear had already found its way down his face as he'd stared out over the water with a lost longing gaze. Kageyama hadn't been able to initially determine what had done it and Hinata'd shrugged it off and come back to play, but he'd been more pale the whole afternoon. They'd been settling in for the night when Hinata'd finally told him… and it had been nothing more than a strong breeze striking his face and tossing his hair. Something as simple as the sensation of wind across his skin had been enough to trigger a bout of soul fracturing sorrow.
It made Kageyama's occasional starts in the morning seem paltry at best, but Hinata had never once viewed them as insignificant. Kageyama couldn't decide whether to feel grateful for that or ashamed. Kuroo and the others had told him to just let it be, that the shrimp was probably happy to provide him comfort for a change in those rare moments.
And through it all, Hinata had never spoken about the attack, not even once. The only details Kageyama had were those few half-complete and inherently broken thoughts uttered when they'd first spoken after it happened. Hinata would sometimes tell him about what he was feeling or about something he missed that would spur a bout of apathy… but he never said anything about that day.
Kageyama had wondered about it— quite frequently, if he was honest— but he had assumed it was because it had been something far worse than a nightmare, and that Hinata had no desire to relive it. So Kageyama had never pushed. It didn't stop him from wishing he knew, but he took solace in the fact that he was confident that Hinata had never confided it to any of the others either. He didn't really speak to any of them about any of it, actually. Just Kageyama. And he was somehow satisfied with that, even if he sometimes hated the easy relationships he'd built with the others.
Heh. Others.
He watches everyone bouncing the ball back and forth over the net and wonders how they'd gained so many additions since it's no longer just him and Hinata and the two felines.
They'd picked up another stray on their trek to the coast, a long and lanky grey cat named Lev who was even taller than Kuroo. He'd initially proven to be as uncoordinated as he looked, and was remarkably childish. It hadn't taken long before he and Hinata got into bickering matches about who could defeat the other in their Ground Volley games. So far, Kageyama was sure the short redhead had the edge simply because Lev was still learning the game. But the cat had been an easygoing addition who hadn't been remotely fazed or even interested to learn that they were a level pair, which somehow made him alright in Kageyama's head.
And so they were five.
They'd come across Tsukishima and Yamaguchi after a storm had rolled in and blown the two into their path. A pale ibis and a crow, they were as odd a pair as Suga and Daichi had been. Yamaguchi had ended up with, of all things, a sprained wing, and since he and Hinata had significant knowledge on that, they had stopped a day or so to help. It had ended up with the pair tagging along, much to Kageyama's severe irritation.
Hinata had remarked on his dour moods as being the result of no longer being the only winged individual in the group, but he couldn't have been more off. Yamaguchi was fine, but Tsukishima… that sullen sack of feathers totally rubbed him wrong and out here, his name didn't carry weight like it had back at the rookery. Not that Kageyama wanted his name broadcasted around them and have his father's sentries come running, but without any of that pull, the jerk's primary target had somehow ended up being him. The ibis was frequently moody and hostile and perhaps most aggravating of all— actually not that unlike himself. He was better at throwing insults and jabs and much quicker with a snarky comeback, but Kageyama couldn't help but see a little of himself in the other angry avian even if it stemmed from different reasons. And that, he couldn't stand.
The only one who could really make him mind was Kuroo when the cat got tired of his crap. The fact that these two birds both also ended up finding out he and Hinata were a level pair just drove him to want to pull out his own feathers in fury. It had come to a head about a week in when Tsukishima made one comment a little too close to home on that particular subject within direct earshot of Hinata even as Yamaguchi asked him not to.
Kuroo had already been moving before he'd even turned on the other bird himself, but they'd all come to a pause when Hinata had popped up out of nowhere in front of the taller blond avian. The ibis had backed up a step and Kageyama had held his breath uncertainly, feeling his world precariously balancing on the next few moments.
"If you have some type of issue, nothing is stopping you from going somewhere else. Everything was easy before you joined us, so if you can't figure out how to get along, you are welcome to get lost." He'd said bluntly, his voice actually unnerving with its weight. Kageyama had rarely heard that tone in the centuries since they'd met, but it was a pretty good indication that Hinata was pissed and all patience and civility was pretty much gone. It had a peculiar 'loose cannon' feel to it that definitely made everyone sit up and take notice… even the arrogant asshole ibis.
And that had been the end of it. Tsukishima still made regular cheeky comments and retorts and Yamaguchi still meekly chastised him for it, but the pale haired bird didn't bring up the level pair issue again. He still irked Kageyama day in and day out, but if Hinata didn't care, he'd resolved not to as well.
And so they were— grudgingly— seven.
He wasn't quite sure how they'd picked up the two females. He'd have thought that traveling with a bunch of guys would make them uneasy, but Kiyoko and Yachi had approached them for the safety numbers offered in one of the little coastal towns they'd stumbled across. Kiyoko, a crow like himself, had kept careful and steady watch over the nervous little bunting that was Yachi. It had taken a couple days for them to really integrate into their all male group, but Kiyoko's easy composure and control quickly melded them into a more organized unit while Yachi, desperate to be helpful, proved to be an extraordinary cook.
And so they were nine.
They'd found Sheru Bay just like Suga had said it would be. The cats had scoped out a suitable living place for their group that had more than doubled in number over the course of a few weeks, conveniently located on the beach a half a league out of town next to a pretty little stream. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had even procured a bit of used netting from a fishing shop in a rare contributing gesture and though Kageyama wasn't sure where they'd found them, Yachi and Kiyoko had come back with a couple more balls one day for Volley.
They'd been there perhaps a couple weeks when they met their first real brush with trouble when they attracted the attention of a pair of owls. They'd landed on the beach on a hot day when only Hinata and Kenma were outside and the redhead's piercing cry had alerted the rest of them that something wasn't right. Kageyama had almost tackled a disoriented Lev still waking from a nap on his way out the door, Kuroo hot on his heels. Tsukishima had sworn at him when he'd nearly clipped him, too, but he couldn't have cared less. Hinata hadn't screeched a warning sound like that since the days after he'd been attacked and the black cat must have felt the urgency, too, because Kageyama could hear him right over his shoulder.
He'd felt nothing but anxious tension when he'd gotten his first look at them. The extra feathers that decorated their faces and necks was a dead giveaway for what they were and it only spurred him faster. The larger of the two owls with streaks through his hair had been crowding in close to the defensive cat and grounded bird with bright interest while the other held back with a bored look.
"Akaashi, this kid is missing his wings. And he's with a cat… hey Akaashi, do you suppose the cat ate them?"
Kageyama had never even realized the distance between the door and Hinata had disappeared. He'd blasted into the sand between them, the grains flying from the impact. His arm had splayed across their two smallest male members of their group and his wings sprawled wide with threat while a full bodied hiss rumbled out of his gut. The other owl had reacted almost instantly, grabbing the taller one and hauling him backward several feet.
"Bokuto! I told you we should have just gone home!" He'd muttered. "Shit." His eyes had gone wide, and Kageyama had known everyone was emerging from their dwelling.
"Akaashi, let go! They were playing Volley, just not in the…" The taller one had trailed away before taking another step back without needing any encouragement. "Stars, there's a lot of 'em." He'd said, clearly dumbfounded.
"You instigated this, you moron." The other had griped at him, still pulling at him.
"Wow, check out that one! That's one tall cat."
The shorter one, Akaashi, had latched onto his collar— though as far as that went, he was still dang tall.
"Yeah, well the black one ain't small either and neither are some of the birds. Let's go." He'd said, tugging at him once more. Bokuto had shrugged him off.
"No, they were playing Volley." He'd emphasized as if that made perfect sense.
The two continued to argue in front of them like fledglings and Kageyama was ready to advance with malice when Hinata grabbed his arm and gently but firmly pushed it away. He'd paused with a sharp intake.
"Hinata?"
The redhead had ignored him and instead picked up a ball and slipped around him. The owls had paused and turned to stare at him as he stepped into the gap between them. Kageyama couldn't help the way he'd itched to grab him and drag him back to the safety of their support. Hinata's head had tipped a bit to the side and then he'd held out the ball.
"Did you want to play?" He'd asked.
In the following days, Kageyama had searched his memory for a time where he'd been that completely and utterly speechless and had come up nil. Owls weren't friends with any other species, cats included. Everyone around them except the redhead had seemed to be having the same reaction… even the owl, Akaashi. But the surprise on Bokuto's face had morphed into a grin.
"Let's go!" He'd cheered.
Kageyama had barely been able wrap his head around it. This stupid owl had completely missed the homicidal mood a few moments ago— and was totally stoked and missing it still.
"Kageyama, can you toss for me?" Hinata had said, turning to him with one of his winning smiles, and Kageyama opened and closed his mouth.
He was torn between barking at him for showing his back to the owl and being mortified at having been asked because he knew he would cave regardless.
"You do know that's an owl, right idiot?" He'd asked heavily, resigned to his fate.
"Of course."
Oi. Freaking shrimp. He could make friends with a fencepost, I swear… or an irate sleep-deprived bear. Either one of those examples could probably have applied at that moment with how the one seemed dense enough to have been a fencepost and they were both probably as dangerous as bears.
"Fine, but they play by our rules." He'd grumbled.
"Eh? What rules?" Bokuto had asked. Hinata turned back to him with a grin.
"Ground Volley rules. You aren't allowed to fly; it's quite a bit tougher. You still want to play?" He'd asked with a devious glint.
"Hah. Bring it on!"
It had been tense, but they'd played with the owls through the heat. The shorter owl had somehow reminded him of Daichi, except perhaps a bit more serious and less confident, and Bokuto had been like some skewed meld of Noya and Tanaka. It had been both unsettling and nostalgic all at once. Akaashi and Bokuto had left at the end of the day and there had been talk of changing location because they were owls and dangerous and they were now aware that they were there… but they'd opted to decide in the morning. And the owls had been back by then, Akaashi apologizing with minor embarrassment and Bokuto demanding to play again.
And so they became eleven.
His and Hinata's flight from the rookery is common knowledge among their odd little group. Kageyama is positive that Akaashi and Bokuto also know about his and Hinata's level pair situation by this point— if nothing else, Tsukishima would have told them by now just to ruffle his feathers. They've all reached a level of comfort where they have no issue forming large sleep piles, and even the owls sometimes wind up in the mix… but Hinata is always curled up with him and glowing away, so he's confident everyone is totally aware of it. It annoys him that he had initially wanted no one to know, and now everyone they interact with on a daily basis does, but it doesn't terrify him like it used to. The openness between them all is actually quite freeing. He's pretty sure Hinata's ignorance is the only secret among them.
He huffs slightly in amusement. Those sleep piles are something that had become much more frequent as summer drew to a close and fall began its herald of winter. He can't deny that having the warmth of a cat against his back or feeling the brush of feathers in the early morning is nice. He's never had something like this before, and he's not sorry for the way things have turned out.
Still… he's anxious.
He watches the waves with an inward expression. Across this vast expanse of water lies their wintering grounds on the large patch of mainland a good couple day's solid flight. Every year they would make the trip north to their Karasuno Rookery in the spring and every year they would return in the fall for winter's few short months. It was a flight that demanded all their skills in flying.
It required them to utilize updrafts to stay airborne so they didn't expend too much energy. It required them to milk every bit of distance out of each stroke of their wings and maximize the effect of every glide. Hours at a time over a body of water where there was no stopping demanded calculated strategy and energy conservation.
It was a flight that was treacherous even with the stopover point on a small island just over halfway. The very old and those who'd been born too late in the year and weren't conditioned well enough yet as fledglings were always the most at risk. It seemed to Kageyama, that they lost a few more on the trip each year as their numbers had swelled.
And yet, his whole mind had soared with exhilaration at the thought of migration each year. For all its perils, the trip was a blast. He'd flown with his sentry unit for the last several centuries and they'd always come through without issue. He enjoyed the drift of the windbreak line, the extra effort he had to put in when he led the cut into a direct headwind before passing it off to the next person. He got an adrenaline kick out of correcting cleanly when they ran full bore into a warm patch or a bout of wind shear. He loved the discipline and single minded focus of keeping his wings beating in a constant rhythm for hours. He loved how everything else left his mind and it merely became him and everyone else around him just flying. It was a flight that filled him to the brim each year with anticipation.
And it was a flight they wouldn't be making this time.
Shouyou still has no wings. Their only other option is to charter a boat of some type; something none of them— especially the cats— are too keen on. So they will stay and weather the elements… but Kageyama hates it all the same. The rest of the rookery will be preparing to leave right about now before the snows set in in the north and Kageyama can't help but feel antsy.
And he misses the others.
He misses Daichi's calm control and Suga's easy companionship… all the more in light of having learned they were levelers. He has a number questions about the level pair situation he would really like to ask them. He misses Noya and Tanaka and all their boisterously loud energy. Hell, he'd even take the pranks right now. And he even misses Asahi's insecurities and complete surprise when he totally nails something. Really, it was like the crow was always flabbergasted that he could be good at something.
They haven't shown up yet in Sheru Bay so he has to surmise that things must still be pretty hectic back at Karasuno Rookery. He won't lie… he's thought about them pretty much every day and hopes they are all doing alright. He might even be up for a round in the race pits if he got a chance to see them all again. Kageyama lets out a light sigh.
He never really imagined he'd have grown so attached; he'd detested them all back at the very beginning, and he'd later taken those relationships for granted, never pausing to consider them and what it would be like to not have them. He feels selfish but he wishes he could see them now when they are pushing up against migration day.
He has a new and wonderfully fascinating and diverse family and he has nothing against them, but he can't help but also wish for the old as well.
A/N: So... the start of the end, you guys! This chapter begins my epilogue; wasn't quite my favorite but was one of the easiest ones to write. It's a very passive chapter with very little actually happening story-wise and I apologize, but I needed to set the stage for the next six chapters. or is it seven? Seven. I'm still working on two of them and hope that they will be ready in time; inspiration has been good today so it looks promising. Thanks to everyone for sticking with Level Pair this far, your support has been more than I ever expected.
Oh. Guys… GUYS. I played volleyball last night at open gym with a couple friends for the first time in the better part of a decade. I played 5 sets to 25. I now have 6 bruises on my palms and 4 more on my knees (b/c Nyx is an idiot and forgets kneepads and dives for balls anyway). My back, shoulders, and butt are sore, my legs were shot climbing the stairs into work this morning. My SO left at 430AM to catch a flight and I pretty much fell out of bed when I went to say goodbye. If you want a good indication of how out of shape I really am: I have bruises on the balls of my feet—and that was through shoes. I hurt all over.
But I played AWESOME. I can still snap a ball off a quick, I can still out jump most people out there, I can still block. The weird part? I was 95% on serves. (0.o) And receives. (wut) And even the sets I tried actually placed where they were supposed to… wtf, I have NEVER been able to set. The best part? One of the regulars comes up to me at the end and asks if he can poach me as a sub for one of the weeknight leagues. Guys. I CAN STILL PLAY. WELL ENOUGH TO BE RECRUITED ONTO A REGULAR TEAM. I AM SO JACKED. Ok, freakout accomplished. Have a great night ya'll! :)