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svnarintaro · 4 years

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hey hey! great to see you aren't shadowbanned now, bub! and to celebrate, i wanted to get your take on a topic a friend and i were talking about. if some haikyuu boyos of your choice were in bnha, what quirks do you think they would have? same for bnha, what positions do you think some boys would be in? love you lots! ❤️❤️

okay so i'm gonna be real here i have thought about this many times but like it is something that is kinda cursed cause i really stand by my opinion

also the bnha ones will be further down

~~~

haikyuu boys’ quirks:

hinata

- he has an emotional aura quirk

- i feel like it would only be good vibes

- but all quirks have their draw backs

- his quirk is most likely something that motivates people to do their desires

- his quirk could actually lead to more crime so he really needs to control it but he means well

kageyama

- i feel like he would have an air related quirk

- like he would be a person who barely uses his quirk

- he would just act like a normal citizen but with an overpowered quirk

- other than that i feel like he uses it to be the laziest person alive

tsukkishima

- better call him lightning maqueen cause he has a need for speed

- i just get the vibe he has some sort of speed quirk

- he hates using it because he gets nausea from using it too much

- so he acts as if he was quirkless and it kinda works

- but he really has a good amount of control with his quirk

akaashi

- has mind manipulation but the one thing is that he uses it all the time jdsklf

- i see that he uses it when he drops his pencil and he can’t reach it so he forces people to grab it for him

- he never uses it for stupid and selfish things

- if he can’t do it he usually just makes other people do it for him

- he used it once on bokuto so he knows what is going on in his mind

- but he honestly would never do it again with the amount of chaos he heard

- he never really reads into minds even if he has speculations that they’re lying to him

kuroo

- he can talk to animals-

- but the thing is that he actually talks like the animal

- he can make any animal noise and start having conversations with animals

- he likes talking with elephants at the zoo but everyone thinks that he’s a weirdo

- but he’s hot so he is let off the hook

- it is hot when he talks to lions but the thing is that it hurts his throat

_______________________________________________________________________

bnha is under the cut

bnha boys positions in volleyball

midoriya

- MIDDLE BLOCKER VIBES

- i can see this boy analyzing every single player so he can block them way more easily

- he has a high vertical and you can’t tell me otherwise-

- he learned how to guess block within three days of playing and it was really impressive

- i feel like he would know how to set but like he misses sometimes

bakugou

- ｗｉｎｇ　ｓｐｉｋｅｒ

- i refuse to see him in any other position in volleyball

- he likes spiking the ball down in every way that he can to assert dominance and it shows

- he is also a person that would hate falling for feints

- he sucks at serving normally, he needs to do a jump serve no matter what anyone says

- he will want the jersey number 1 one he becomes a third year and i know that

todoroki

- add him to the list of pretty setters nOW

- i want you all to know the pOWER that this man weilds

- the snarkiest person to do dumps

- i feel like he would hate to set backwards cause he thinks it will break his back

- yeah his dad would probably be mad if he wasn’t the captain but he would opt not to be just to piss him off

- SERVES LIKE A LEGEND

- he almost never receives but if he does it low key means a really slow play but its okay :”)

tamaki

- little baby is a wing spiker but he is usually for defence

- he likes being in the back row all the time and will beg and cry to the coach if he was put anywhere in the front row

- he would be a beast with back attacks

- he would avoid being a part of a block whenever he can cause he doesn’t want to be hit in the face

- probably can’t jump serve cause his normal serve is actually unpredictable

kirishima

- ladies and gentlemen i present to you the only libero i could think of-

- he is a defence beast

- and everyone knows it

- he has really good reflexes and it comes in handy

- he always practices with tamaki and bakugou so he can get advice on advice and how to dig the ball up (save the ball when it’s about to fall really close to the ground)

- he needs to learn how to avoid floor burns cause this boy is covered from head to toe

- but he is a pretty decent libero

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tetsookie · 6 years

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Merry Christmas @cawnvictofmurder!! I’m your secret santa for the @haikyuuwriters exchange! >u</

Title: Try your Luck Rating: Teen and Up (just for mild swearing) Pairing: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei, Bokuto Koutarou/Akaashi Keiji Chapter: 1/3 Summary: Kuroo didn't think of himself as an unlucky person, but the universe had to prove him wrong. Thankfully, a little bird came to tell him that was all about to change. (Also on Ao3!)

Kuroo was screwed.

The man sighed, letting the book’s thick binding flutter shut as he lay his head on the desk in defeat. This was it. His entire academic career was in shambles.

Kuroo figured he really should’ve studied harder. Maybe, done a bit more work or met with the teacher a smidgen more than a grand total of two times. He felt confident that his charm could’ve won that old hag over even if everything else had failed. Not that it mattered now that all his classes were over, and yet, he couldn’t help worrying anyways.

Because he honestly never would have imagined—heck, nobody could have imagined that Kuroo Tetsurou, valedictorian, ladies’ man, university spokesperson, and all around accomplished third year student would be failing a class.

Given, he really should not have taken a class outside of his chemistry major, but he honestly believed he could handle whatever ‘Advanced Theoretical Physics’ had to dish out. It seemed easy enough—just a tad more difficult math than he was used to, and the professor was a little wonky, but he had confidence he would be able to pass with flying colors.

Obviously, he was wrong.

Kuroo traced a line with his finger under the book’s title, “Common Unlucky Symbols” that was etched across the cover. He had studied all he could and crammed the rest, and now that all hope was lost and he didn’t have anyone to blame but himself, he felt desperate enough to search for other godforsaken reasons the universe hated him. No matter the excuse, he was going to have a big fat ‘FAIL’ on his transcript and he would have to deal with the consequences of explaining the whole ordeal to his parents, and worse yet—risk losing his scholarship.

He groaned again as his head connected with the desk and the man with poorly bleached hair behind him gave him a glance.

“Is that really the best way to feel better?”

Kuroo grumbled in response, refusing to lift his head from the desk, but clutching the book in front of him with clenched fists. “No, but I’ve reached a new low asking for academic advice from Bokuto of all people. He told me that maybe I was cursed or ran into more black cats than I was supposed to or broke a mirror in a past life and it’s led me to—” he gestured wildly in the directions of the book’s contents. “This.”

“Hm,” the man turned his attention to the shelves, resuming his task. “Maybe you should’ve asked Akaashi to help instead.”

“He’d never let me live it down, you know that, Kenma,” Kuroo moaned.

“And, you don’t think Bokuto won’t tell Akaashi anyways?”

Kuroo paused, bolting upright, his hair even more of a mess than usual. “Fuck.”

“You really didn’t think this through, did you, Kuroo?”

“Cut me some slack, I’m trying here!”

“Then can you try to help me with these books? If you didn’t know, we’re supposed to be working, not researching wild superstitions.”

Kuroo sighed, running a hand through his hair once before getting up to organize books with his co-worker. He had only started volunteering at the public library since last semester and although the work was tedious at times, Kuroo tended to enjoy the labor more than he abhorred it. He had honestly applied for the position to fill up his resume at first, but overall, it wasn’t too bad. It gave him some down time between classes and he got to talk to all types of people whenever he manned the reference desk. It beat his last job as a waiter by a landslide, and he was paid for that job.

Still… it didn’t stop him from feeling antsy about ending his shift as soon as he could so he could tackle the twisting in his gut. Kuroo’s eyes seemed locked on the clock on the wall, ticking away ten minutes from 4pm. Sensing his unease, Kenma sighed next to him.

“Kuroo.”

“I know, sorry, sorry,” Kuroo stammered, fumbling with some magazines. “I just feel like I’m wasting time here when I could be doing something.”

“It’s the last day of the semester, there isn’t anything else to do.”

Kuroo knew it, but it didn’t stop the sting. He sighed, trying to keep his nerves at bay as he arranged the last of the issues in his hands onto the displays.

“We’ll have a few days off work too, so you can relax.”

“Right…” he murmured, slipping the last magazine in its place.

“Kenma!”

Kuroo turned to see a familiar redheaded boy leap through the entrance and head towards his co-worker, a smile like sunshine on his face. Kenma smiled softly.

“Shouyou.”

Kuroo watched as the two friends greeted each other and discussed plans about playing video games now that they had more free time. Kenma quickly gathered his things and the two of them made for the door together.

Kuroo sent Kenma off, giving a final comment about ‘kids having fun’ which earned him an eye roll from Kenma. After their footsteps receded, Kuroo felt his shoulders slump, and he retreated into the backroom to stack some of the remaining books onto the rolling carts.

Damn. It was summer break now, he should be out having fun like Kenma and his friend. It wasn’t as if the two were too far apart in age and yet, Kuroo himself felt a bit worse for wear. How far was retirement again? Even though he applied to continue volunteering over the summer as well, he wondered if that was the wisest choice given his current academic circumstances.

Kuroo suppressed another sigh as he took off his employee tag and dropped it into the cup at the front desk. The receptionist at the computer gave him a look, and without saying anything, pushed a book across the table towards Kuroo.

“Yaku, what’s—”

“Take it,” Yaku said, fingers already typing away at the keyboard in front of him. “For the summer. You were looking at it before.”

Kuroo looked more closely at the book to verify and sure enough, the words “Common Unlucky Symbols” stared back at him. He nearly erupted in laughter, but the surprise kept his thoughts steeled.

“No, I really don’t nee—”

Yaku waved him away with a free hand. “Already checked out under your name.”

Kuroo stopped, as if to argue the point, but didn’t seem to find the strength in him to do so. He sighed, tucking the book under his arm. “Thanks. I’ll see you. Let me know if the new intern gives you trouble.”

Yaku made a face, pausing his work momentarily. “If Lev hasn’t alphabetized those folders by the time I finish up here…”

Kuroo chuckled, heading towards the automatic doors at the entrance. “Good luck.”

Stepping outside, Kuroo started walking back to his apartment complex, flipping open the book to pass the time. He skimmed through several pages he had seen before: number 1, black cats, number 7, broken mirrors, number 11, salt spilling, and ironically numbered 14, the number 13. The list went on and on, reaching all the way to one hundred. Despite the ridiculous attributions to bad luck these symbols seemed to point to, and the complete lack of scientific basis most of these superstitions had, it was no doubt somewhat entertaining to see the many things people blamed for their misfortunes. Kuroo had to admit, some of these unlucky symbols he had never even thought of before like number 26: passing a cemetery. Bad luck could be avoided if you hold your breath while passing the cemetery. However, you could avoid the unlucky consequences if you run into a black or brown dog.

Kuroo couldn’t help feeling the entire ordeal was ridiculous. What if that unlucky person never encountered another black or brown dog? Would he need to hold his breath until he himself ended up in the cemetery?

As if to stop that thought process, the book flew out of his hands as Kuroo walked right into a collection of trash cans and onto the floor. “Common Unlucky Symbols” skid across the concrete a few feet in front of him, pages splaying out on the ground.

“Sh—” Kuroo swore, awkwardly adjusting himself on one of the trash cans while watching the rest of them clang across the neighborhood, the contents of some emptying all over the place.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair and reaching for the book when something caught his eye. At first sight, it looked to be a black garbage bag, but upon closer inspection, it was some kind of… cat? Kuroo rushed forward to see the animal that had popped out of the trash can and turned it over to reveal a fairly large crow.

Kuroo nearly doubled back in shock. It wasn’t uncommon to see crows around the city from time to time, but one this big and close to him was definitely something he wasn’t used to. Kuroo figured it had probably hopped into the trash can to search for food when he had coincidentally disrupted its dinner.

Kuroo straightened up and was about to fix the mess he had made when he realized the crow wasn’t exactly moving. He paused, wondering if the bird was even alive.

Curiosity got the better of him and he found himself stooping in front of the animal once more. With unsure fingers, he reached forward to brush the feathers back. The black wings were softer than he expected, and he found himself drawn closer and closer to the bird.

Suddenly, the crow twitched, as if awakened from a deep slumber. It shook its wings deftly, and Kuroo’s hands yanked back, anticipating the bird’s flight.

The bird stood up on its two feet, gave Kuroo a good look once over and then hobbled away before falling over once more.

Kuroo felt his heart twinge. Its leg.

Don’t do it, a voice in the back of his head reminded. You’ve more than likely lost your scholarship, you can’t afford to take care of it.

It’s just a measly little bird.

Kuroo watched the crow seem to angrily look down at its bad leg before getting up again and tripping over its own beak. It made several more attempts before resting on the ground for a bit, giving Kuroo a look as if asking the human to leave.

As if he could.

Kuroo clenched his fists, cursed his own good nature and walked the few steps over to pick up the bird with both his hands. The crow seemed to protest this, fidgeting and squawking, seemingly sending glares the college boy’s way. Yet, after a moment of fighting, the crow seemed to give up the physical struggle, opting to shoot Kuroo daggers instead.

Hastily, Kuroo stood the rest of the trash cans upright before hurrying back home, the crow cradled into the crooks of his arms. He must be crazy, bringing a wild animal into his apartment. Not to mention a crow of all things.

The crow watched as he fumbled with his keys, jamming them into the keyhole with more force than was probably necessary. Kuroo probably didn’t need to rush—after all, the crow had shown quite a bit of attitude. It was with no doubt doing fine, minus its slight physical defect. Yet, Kuroo couldn’t stop himself from caring. That had always been his strength, but probably his greatest weakness as well.

After all, there were a number of things he really should’ve considered. What if the crow had rabies? What if it was sick to the point beyond recovery? What if taking the time to save it was foolish on his part?

Moments before he stumbled through the entrance to his apartment complex, one final thought flashed a warning through his mind.

“Common Unlucky Symbols”: Number 13, Crows.

#secret santa #kurotsuki #bokuaka #haikyuu #my writing #i always dont know how to format things on tumblr lol #hope you enjoy kal!#i will have the next two chapters up very soon ^^

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bokuaka-4510 · 4 years

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Bokuaka: Weakness

hi guys!! I thought I would start posting my Bokuaka dabbles on here. I just started writing, so any feedback/support would be much appreciated :) also most of my stories are multi-chapter (just a heads up!!)

Chapter 1: Flashing Lights

(Here’s the image that inspired the first chapter! Obviously all credits to the crazy talented artist @songrnim on Twitter)

The flashing lights were like a second home to Bokuto- the way they would always blind him when he was at the apex of his spike before slamming down on the ball and being rewarded with that satisfying crunch and throbbing in his hand.

Okay, so maybe he was a little bit of a masochist, but then again weren't all spikers?

"Bokuto-san!" a low voice shouts to him.

He knows that voice better than his own. How many times had he heard it, calling his name with the same pitch, same urgency, same tone, over the last few years?

Akaashi.

As long as it feels good. We'll be sure to clear a path for you.

Sure enough, even Bokuto could see the path in front of him, clear as light. Akaashi's perfect toss, spiraling higher and higher. His legs move on instinct now, tensing before catapulting him into a flying jump, powerful and natural.

The blinding lights.

He squints against them, golden eyes stalking the ball as if there's nothing else important in this world. For a split second it's just him and the volley, his oldest companion.

Then the towering wall appears- three giant blockers seeking to return his spike.

As if.

He glances at his destination- the spot tethering on the sideline, between in and out, on the opposite side of him and the blockers. Arm slinging back, building power and momentum, he waits until the ball is at its peak before smashing it down. Time frozen, Akaashi finds himself captivated once again at the sight known as Bokuto Koutarou in front of him: toned arms, lean body defying physics, attractive face set in determination.

Magnetic.

Tempting.

Enthralling.

Bokuto looks otherworldly, and Akaashi loves the view that leaves him feeling like he's stolen a glimpse of something belonging to paradise, something not meant for human eyes.

Crack.

The ball hurls towards the exact spot Bokuto wanted. A perfect cross-court shot.

Bokuto thinks it should be illegal for something to be so beautiful.

He falls back toward the hard wooden floors, back to reality, where complete and utter silence greet him.

Then, the room erupts into cheers, so loud, so deafening he can't even hear his own heartbeat, but fuck if this isn't what he lives for. Yes, yes, yes!

The crowd is chanting his name, as if he's some divine savior, " Bokuto. Bokuto. Bokuto," and he can hear the reporters struggling to grab his attention from the sidelines.

Cameras on him, fans chanting his name, the dull throbbing in his right hand, well, he's never felt happier.

"Bokuto-san!" he hears the familiar voice boom at him, and Bokuto spins around searching for Akaashi's eyes, always stormy green like an angry sea after a victory.

Instead, he's greeted by tackling hugs from his team mates, who jump up and down with the joy from the victory, riding out the high from their win. He glances up from their hurdle, only to find Akaashi's startling eyes, sure enough sea green, locked on his own. The pretty setter smiles softly at Bokuto, and the spiker finds himself reinvigorated. Untangling his body from the embrace of his team and offering them a light pat on the back as he passes them, Bokuto strides to his best friend.

No, not best friend. They were...?

He didn't know, only knew that best friend was too insignificant a term to describe what they had built the last 5 years together.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Bokuto exclaims as he draws near the other boy, a grin splitting his face.

Akaashi holds up a hand for him to high-five, but the spiker just grabs it before engulfing the shorter boy into a bone-crushing hug. Immediately, Akaashi is enveloped in Bokuto's familiar scent- mandarin, pine, and citrus.

Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

Akaashi sends a silent prayer to the Gods, please don't let Bokuto-san notice.

"Akaashi," Bokuto whooped in that typical, loud voice of his, "we won! We won! That toss was fucking awesome! You're awesome, wow!"

Akaashi carefully detracts himself away from the embrace. Smiling at Bokuto with a light blush dusting his fair cheeks, Akaashi congratulates him, "Bokuto-san, you're the ace. You gave us that winning shot,".

Well, Bokuto didn't think so. He sucked at tossing and his receives were decent at best, but if Akaashi, who was the smartest guy on the whole wide world- no scratch that- galaxy, was saying that, then it had to be true. Right?

Roaring with laughter, Bokuto smugly grins at him before pointing to chest, which proudly bore the number 1 in a light blue color, " Aha! I guess you're right, Akaashi. I'm the best ace, aren't I?"

Akaashi nods solemnly, now ignoring their ace's words as he focuses more on catching his breath.

"... best setter," Bokuto finishes.

Akaashi eyeballs the spiker, unsure if he heard him correctly.

"What," he pants out, hands resting on his knees, "did you say Bokuto-san?"

"I said if I'm the best ace, then you have to be the best setter, right? Right? Because a good spiker is only as good as his setter?" the star beams at him as he tilts his head side to side, reminding Akaashi of an owl. He almost wants to shield his eyes from the brightness.

Except Bokuto's smile and praise speed up Akaashi's already racing heart. Akaashi tells himself it's from the intense match they just played, but even he scoffs at the blatant lie.

Akaashi can't help the genuine smile, the one only Bokuto can only lure out, that graces his face, "Huh, I guess so Bokuto. Maybe we're just a good team in general,"

Before Bokuto can even respond, the coach calls their names. Bokuto and Akaashi. They're the only ones left standing on the court. They head over to the sidelines where the coach and the rest of the team sit before coach congratulates them for winning the first game of the season.

Which is followed right by Coach ordering them to go do 5 minutes of suicides and 3 laps of dives for every mistake they made, which was, according to Akaashi's calculations, a lot. He stopped counting at 16. Of course, most of them were made by Bokuto, but as Akaashi steals a glance at the star ace congratulating the rest of the team, arguing with Kuroo on who stole the spotlight, ruffling the freshmen's heads in genuine affection, he discovered he didn't care the slightest about Bokuto's contribution to their punishments.

They won.

Bokuto was happy.

To Akaashi, those were the only two things that really ever mattered, though not in that particular order.

"Ah, Bokuto-chan," the Coach cuts in his gruff voice, "I think the reporters wanted to talk to you. Go head over to where Hoshiumi-chan and Ushijima-chan are. They should be almost done,".

Bokuto suddenly stands erect and offers the coach a mock salute, a crazy grin on his face. With a roll of his eyes, Coach pushes his player away, but Akaashi catches the ghost of a smile on Coach's face as he turns around.

"Try not to embarrass us too much, ok horned bastard?" Kuroo calls out behind Bokuto with his signature shit-eating grin that typically put anyone on edge.

But Akaashi has known the dark-haired boy for just as long as he's known Bokuto, so Kuroo scares him about as much as a kitten does. Bokuto must feel the same because he just sticks out his tongue at the seemingly menacing man. Akaashi's eyes trail Bokuto's disappearing figure, watching him high-five the two other celebrity spikers as they pass each other. Ushijima and Hoshiumi return to their team, taking a seat right behind Akaashi.

After a rather long (and bad, the Coach was not particularly adept at expressing positive emotions, Akaashi noted) inspiring speech by their sensei, the team heads out of the gym, talking and laughing amongst themselves, all of them in high spirits, especially after Ushijima quietly announces he would be attending post-game drinks with the team, courtesy of Heishi-san.

Apparently, miracles do happen.

In the middle of Hoshiumi's monologue (something along the lines of "Take that Hinata, you orange piece of crap! I scored 7 points in the second set. I hope you get sand between your ********* and spend all your ******* days getting **** by crabs. Akaashi started tuning him out after he learned four new expletives), Akaashi picks up on Bokuto's voice amongst the cacophony of noises in the auditorium.

It's not like he was diligently looking for the spiker. That would be ridiculous, right?

"-but my team rocks! Akaashi, he's my setter, and Kuroo and Ushijima-kun and Hoshiumi-kun and Heiwajima-kun and everyone else is crazy talented! They all make me want to be a better wing spiker," Bokuto raves. The reporter in front of him looks a bit star-dazed, pupils dilated and mouth parted open, as she continues her interview with the attractive rising star.

Akaashi briefly wonders if she's even paying attention to the conversation, but he honestly can't blame her. Akaashi spent five years accustoming himself to the glory of Bokuto, and he still has to remind himself not to drool when he sees him. Six feet of pure muscle, striking golden eyes, and sharp, handsome features make up the man known as Bokuto Koutarou. The elite spiker stands proudly as he converses with the pretty woman in front of him, completely oblivious to the effect he has on her. He's loved by all of Japan, and probably soon the whole world. Even the court adores him as it seems like the bright gym lights spotlight his lean, muscular figure, emphasizing the number 1 on his back.

Akaashi stares at his back, noticing the way the white jersey hugs his muscular frame a little too snugly, back muscles tensing and relaxing every time Bokuto moved or laughed.

Yeah, Akaashi thought, Bokuto definitely looks good in white.

It's the last he sees of Bokuto before they part ways.

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nyxysabyss · 7 years

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LEVEL HORIZON; YEAR TWO.50 1/1; Duplicate Amaurosis

CHAPTER 15!

The most important thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging. ~Warren Buffet

~Six Months Later, Early Autumn~

Kei Tsukishima eyes a high toss from the thrush, his muscles tensing to break at the precise moment to maximize the height of his jump in tandem with the strike.

A breeze preceding an impending mild storm off the water gives it a little extra lift and it’s slipping farther outside than he’d like, but it’s nothing that he can’t adjust to. His limbs move on reflex and he’s in the air, his hand connecting squarely with the ball. He sends it straight at Daichi where he waits on the other side alone, working on receives.

The thrush’s tosses don’t key him up the same way Kageyama’s do— the avian prince’s just piss Kei off with how freaking perfect they are. It’s totally unnatural—as if the ball were being forcibly subjugated and enslaved to the crow’s will. Next to that, Suga’s high, floating sets are relaxing and he breathes out as he comes down. It’s probably just his own inherent dislike for the crow setter bleeding through, but Kageyama’s flawless tosses still drive him up a tree.

Since Yaku’s arrival last year had unbalanced the teams, he’s been playing far more frequently with the former Karasuno unit instead of the cats and owls to mitigate the power shift, and it has exposed him all the more to the young king’s precision. And as far as he can tell, he’s the only one who gets irrationally annoyed by it. But then, he gets annoyed by Hinata’s baseless enthusiasm, too.

Seriously, the redhead had been running around without a shirt last week, and the bones growing in his back would pull his skin into creepy fleshy protrusions when he’d bend. When he’d found out it weirded Kei out, the shrimp had made a point to not wear a shirt the next three days with maniacal glee.

Freaking redheaded gremlin, he mentally grumbles at the memory. The last three days have been blissful without them.

Beside him, Tadashi and Bokuto also wait to hit at the large crow. Akaashi is working the docks alone today in a rare diverging separation from his leveler and the streaked owl has been far more moody than normal. Hitoka and Shimizu both went into Sheru Bay a while ago for supplies and Kenma is curled up on one of the chairs that have found a home on the porch for an afternoon nap while Kuroo hunts.

The lax afternoon practice is halted by the sudden onset of rain from the grey clouds overhead, cold and pervasive, an insistent herald of fall. When the sand starts sticking to the ball, the thrush apologetically begs off, not relishing the grains that drop into his face with each toss. Tsukishima moves to collect the net before a full downpour; it can use some mending before it gets cold enough that they move it back into the barn for the winter.

Their standby location when the world turns frosty has consistently been available since that first year, Takeda only too happy to offer it up after that first winter. Suga and Daichi had cultivated a mutual relationship by regularly bringing them goods from town in a show of gratitude, the owls pitching in now and then with a side of fish from the docks or once even a tool to replace one showing its age. They are on good enough terms with the guy that he and his family are aware of who Kageyama and the rest of the Karasuno group are, and they know who are levelers. Really, Takeda is amenable enough with them that Kei is pretty sure the man would readily offer up his own home if they somehow ended up losing theirs.

Yamaguchi releases the other end of the net and they quickly drag the net up onto the porch before they are soaked. One of Kenma’s gold eyes slips open as they clatter by him, but the small cat doesn’t move from his place in the chair. The ibis is positive that wouldn’t have been the case if Kageyama and Hinata had been here.

The golden cat has been quite sullen since they left, actually. It’s not that Kenma has said anything or made even a single remark… it’s exactly the opposite. His naps stretch most of the day and all conversation is virtually nonexistent unless he’s around Yachi. It’s put Kuroo in a stormy mood and even Kei has to admit that his silence is grating.

Dramatic moody feline. He has the outward emotion of a rock; it should stay that way.

It pains him, but the slim crowd this late summer week at the beach house, while peaceful, has left an utterly perplexing and bitter taste in his mouth— it’s almost eerily quiet without Kageyama and Hinata bickering away or the loud twins scheming some prank or Lev’s babbling chatter wearing on Yaku’s patience. It was probably Feathers’ and the shrimp’s last chance to take a trip before the cold started setting in… and Kei’s last opportunity for a stretch of peace and quiet before the next four or five months of restless chaos. Kei frowns slightly.

He’s even picked up that habit and started calling the avian prince by Kuroo’s pet name for him like almost everyone else.

Oi. Freaking cat.

But as Kei picks up a tie and turns to the net, he can’t fault him for the moronic nickname; whether Kageyama ever realized it or not, it’s as much a tactical move as it is an excuse to rib the perpetually salty crow. The rest of the former Karasuno unit members might have been vague enough profiles such that most non-sentries would hardly look twice at them, but Kageyama was heir to arguably the most prominent group in the area. While most people outside the rookery wouldn’t necessarily have known his face, his name was still something of a common bit of knowledge, and Kuroo’s moniker provided him an alias around ears that might not mean them the best. He doubts Feathers ever picked up on that, though, what with the way his one-track mind was totally stuck on his leveler.

And it’s gotten even worse since that run in with what Kageyama had called an ‘asshole white wing’. Feathers and his idiot shrimp have been tiptoeing around each other in uncertainty ever since; for the life of him, Kei can’t imagine what had to have happened, because while there has been this building tension, they’ve only increased their physical contact and stiltedly affectionate displays. They are always grabbing food for one another, they frequently get lost in intense staring contests, and skies, they cuddle… constantly. Just about every time they are together and not bickering or playing Volley, one of them has their arms wrapped around the other.

Because that makes perfect sense, his sarcastic monologue drawls at him.

And yet, it’s ongoing. They’ve gotten as bad as Lev and Yaku, and Kei could swear that whatever is making them so familiar is maddeningly contagious, because the owls and Suga and Daichi have all been doing similar things lately. Even Kei had caught himself adding a few soggy potatoes to his plate to offload onto Yamaguchi’s just last week.

“Tsukki, are you salty, today?” Yamaguchi had asked after a perfectly reasonable number of blistering remarks…okay, maybe a few more than normal. Either way, Kei had deadpanned, somehow mortified that the freckled crow had called him out. It had thrown him off badly enough that he’d had nothing to come back with and defaulted to his automatic response.

“Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

The door opens, breaking his thoughts before he has a chance to scoff at them. Kuroo walks out, his hair dripping wet, and one of Kenma’s ears twitches in his direction. The black cat must have just returned from his hunt, coming in through the back door to get out of the rain.

The large feline slips up behind the chair Kenma is curled in, and Kei isn’t foolish enough to believe that he’s still asleep as his closed eyes would suggest. The small cat’s tail flicks and Kei’s brow cocks, because he knows Kuroo didn’t miss that either. The black cat smirks and Kei blinks with flat assessment.

I know you aren’t that stupid, you idiot Furball.

Instead of heeding the slight movement for the warning it is, the black cat grins slightly and leans forward over the golden. His head tilts just so, and a drop of water from his sodden black locks hits one of Kenma’s ears.

I take it back; apparently, you are.

The ear twitches and the small cat’s golden eyes slide open to stare up at the black cat with apathy… and the slightest leap of a muscle at one of their corners that betrays his annoyance.

“I’m going to start a fire, want to come warm me up?” Kuroo solicits anyway. Without a word, the golden cat uncurls from the chair and slides out from beneath the wet feline.

“Aw, come on.” Kuroo complains at him as he slips around him and heads into the house. “Kenma—,” He scowls darkly, following the golden cat back inside.

The small cat’s almost recalcitrant cold fish impression nearly surprises the ibis. Nearly.

Kenma is normally completely uninvested emotionally in most things, choosing to hang back as a wallflower and avoid all forms of confrontation. If Kei had to describe the cat with one word, it would be ‘spectator’. Kenma is always watching everyone. Kei is sure the cat must truly find them all fascinating, because his eyes are always brightest when he can watch events unfold from a quiet corner undisturbed. Barring when he’s in the company of the shrimp or Yachi, he only offers input when he deems it important—which it usually is. The ibis himself has probably exchanged all of three words with the small feline since they’d met, but Kuroo never seemed to need to, the black cat automatically knowing what he was always thinking.

But with the new bond between Lev and Yaku, Kenma had withdrawn from Kuroo, opting to spend almost all his time with the either Yachi or the shrimp— and Kageyama by default. His patience with the black cat had grown so openly thin, that he’d even managed to sandwich himself between the three avians four out of five nights in their sleep piles just before the freak duo had left on this last trip.

It had effectively succeeded in preventing Kuroo from curling up around him like he always had, and at first, it was something that could be overlooked. But after three days, Kuroo had been sour enough that he’d declared that he wasn’t going on the planned trip. It had stopped everyone over their meal, the golden cat going rigid.

“Why not, Kuroo?” He’d asked with a frown.

“Because I don’t feel like babysitting right now.” His reply had been brittle at best and the silence had been palpable before the bald crow had awkwardly spoken up.

“Ah, that’s fine, me and Noya and Asahi can go.”

It wasn’t that Kageyama and Hinata couldn’t handle themselves just fine, it was simply that there was greater safety in numbers— and the trips provided them all with a dose of variety. Even Kei had to admit that the beach house could get outright boring when there was nothing to break the monotony of their days. Kuroo’s refusal to accompany them was unusual and had spurred something of a standoff between the two cats, but Kenma hadn’t gone without him.

That hadn’t meant he was happy about it.

The small cat was ridiculously attached to the redhead and he’d been in a sulk since they’d left, with the focus of his rebellion being Kuroo as it was because of him that he’d been separated from him. Which meant everything had been strained between them the entire week so far, which had led to the large cat gravitating more toward either Bokuto or himself and Yamaguchi for company.

Another idiot mistake.

Kei pauses only a moment when the door to the house bangs loudly and Kuroo walks out with a stiffness to his steps that means the cat is once again in a black mood.

“Swing and a miss yet again, I take it.” Kei murmurs dryly. The cat’s uneven gaze snaps to him with crackling irritation.

“Definitely not in the mood, Blondy.”

“Then you came to the wrong place.” Kei says flatly. The cat doesn’t have a comeback though and crossly drops beside him and picks up a net tie. He’s quiet for several moments and the ibis feels the mood around the feline nosedive.

“I have no idea what is going through his head.” He grudgingly admits and Kei has to consciously keep the surprise from his face.

The ibis almost huffs in amusement. Kuroo is sharp—disturbingly so, and armed with a frightening well of knowledge… but right now, Kei wonders if he’s just being dense or if he’s actually maintaining a willful ignorance to the situation. Really, he doesn’t think the cat has been this blind—heh, blind—since he’d met him. Kei has to think that the avian prince’s obliviousness has rubbed off on him.

“So, of all of us, the person you’ve been around far and away the longest, is the one you understand the least?”

“Shut up, moron. It’s only in the last few months that things have changed.” He says with annoyance before his face drops into contemplative melancholy. “Our thread has dimmed.”

The words are barely a murmur, but they catch Kei’s attention. The cat is genuinely distressed.

“Your thread.”

“Yeah… it hasn’t changed for over five centuries, but ever since Lev and Yaku became levelers, it’s been wavering. I have no idea why or how to fix it.”

He really is clueless.

Kei glances at him patronizingly.

“Would you like a hint?” He drawls.

Kuroo blinks at him and for a moment he looks like Bokuto with his wide eyes— if Bokuto were blind in one. But his brow drops down skeptically.

“Me, ever trust a hint from you. Fifty-fifty, you’d be just as likely to tell me something that will end up with me in some humiliatingly compromising position as you are to give me good advice.”

“Tsukki wouldn’t do that! If he gives it unsolicited, then you know he’s probably mocking you for some stupid remark, but he offered first, so—”

“Yamaguchi.” Kei cuts him off dourly.

“Right. Sorry, Tsukki.”

“So, trust the cynical asshole’s insight.” Kuroo murmurs, his clear golden eye creasing with mirth at the freckled crow before settling back on him expectantly. Kei shrugs.

“He’s envious.” He says bluntly, wondering how in hell he wound up giving the black cat of all people, relationship advice in the rain over a shabby Volley net. Kuroo frowns.

“Why would he have any reason to be jealous of Yaku? He never once so much as glanced Lev’s way before they became a pair.”

Wow. Talk about the blind leading the blind.

“You are legitimately challenging the crow prince for the title of asinine idiot at the moment.” He says with a light sigh.

“You cheeky brat.” Kuroo scowls at him and one of Kei’s eyebrows rises in challenge.

“Stupid cat.” Kuroo rolls his eyes impatiently.

“Alright, you feathered freak, speak straight.”

“Your insults lack originality. He isn’t envious of either Lev or Yaku. He’s envious of both. Which means I’m a threat, too.” Kuroo stares at him, his baffled expression almost comical.

“What?” Kei levels a flat look at the black cat.

Come one, moron. Rub a pair of your brain cells together; I shouldn’t have to spell this out.

“Who does your other thread run to, Kuroo?” He asks thickly. Kuroo blinks, his brow pulling down into a frown at the unexpected question.

“It goes to…” The cat’s uneven golden gaze darts away, “you know it doesn’t matter.” He mumbles and Kei’s head tilts.

“It doesn’t? Who are you talking to, Cat?” He asks pointedly and Kuroo’s gaze snaps up at him with dawning comprehension.

“Eh… how do you know about that?” He asks thickly.

Kei gets why he’s surprised; Yaku’d given them the most basic breakdown of feline level pair bonds when they’d become one. None of the cats had really been forthcoming with anything outside that limited explanation… but one of them was easily pliable.

“Your gray cat has a mouth to match his size, and you’d be amazed what you learn when you distract his leveler muzzle.” He drawls and Kuroo’s jaw drops.

“Oh my— how much did he tell you?”

“More than we wanted or needed to know.” He says flatly and Kuroo runs a hand through his hair before it finds its place on the back of his neck with exasperation. He looks up at the porch ceiling and blows out a sigh.

“Is everyone aware of this?” He asks, his expression pinching with annoyance.

“That depends. Which part of ‘this’ are you wondering about exactly? The part about whose threads go to who or the part about how those threads become wires?” Kuroo’s eyes find him with large pupils yet again.

“He told you that?” He manages with strangled horror.

“In impeccable detail.” Kei says flatly and the black cat’s face smooths into a mask of incredulity.

“I’m going to skin that idiot.”

“That won’t solve your problem.”

“Would ease my current embarrassment.” He grouses darkly.

“No matter how entertaining that would be, patience is a virtue, and something your small cat is losing with you. Your connection has been stressed since they bonded.” Kuroo cocks a brow at him warily.

“And?”

“You should fix that.” A flash of annoyance slides through Kuroo’s features.

“Because that’s going so well. ‘Giving him space’ got me absolutely nowhere, but it doesn’t matter because I can’t even get him to talk to me when Yachi or the shrimp and Feathers aren’t around. Taking him on a trip just the two of us would be a bust, too. Assuming he’d agree and I wouldn’t be forced to kidnap him to get him to come along, where would I take him? The rookery isn’t exactly a vacationing option for us, you know.”

“You don’t say.” Kei drawls, but the cat doesn’t even seem to hear him.

“That Iwa crow wouldn’t appreciate it either— he was actually more peeved the second time I showed up. Can you believe that? And he was the one that sent the damn raven asking for advice on dealing with their blasted snake infestation in the first place.”

“Are we still having the same conversation?” Kei asks, thoroughly entertained by the cat’s frustrations.

But as amusing as his problems are, the ibis finds it irritating that he’s become the conduit for them. He only volunteered his advice on the issue regarding the small cat, not the host of Kuroo’s concerns in its entirety. He’s most definitely not a psychiatrist. The cat blinks at him.

“I don’t know how to fix this.” He grumbles and Kei sighs slightly.

“Sounds about right. And they say cats are more intelligent than dogs. I’d almost say you are thinking on level with one of the crows.” He says with amused fatigue, knowing Yamaguchi won’t even be phased by the barb. The cat levels a flat look at him.

“Would you like to look like Feathers after a fight with the shrimp?” One of Kei’s brows arches.

“Now you are sounding like an idiot crow, too.” He says before waving off the cats impending scathing remark and turning a serious glance back on him.

“Your golden cat was probably put out that your thread has gone nowhere in centuries while Lev and Yaku managed to complete a full bond from nothing in a year. And you, the only one of us who really gets that apathetic golden furball, missed that. He and the redhead are so close because they share a common grievance… the person they want to connect with is failing to pick up the cues.

“And then you hang around me with whom you share a thread like Lev and Yaku’s used to be, and he’s already seen that turn into a wire when it’s supposed to be highly unlikely. It’s no wonder he’s frustrated with you. Unless I’m misreading your position in all this, the number of colossal mistakes you are making is quite remarkable. Like I said, you clearly aren’t doing your species any favors in the intelligence area.”

Kuroo’s jaw hangs loose. He looks as if all thought has been sucked from his mind, his uneven golden gaze empty.

Huh. So that’s what a broken cat looks like. Amusing.

“That’s…” His voice dies in his throat.

“You seem surprised.” Kei remarks blandly and the cat blinks.

“Why are you implying I shouldn’t be?” He says in a scratchy voice that sounds exhausted. Kei huffs through his nose, a condescending smirk tugging at his mouth.

“Because the young king isn’t the only slow idiot and the shrimp isn’t the only one waiting.”

Level Pair ; Chapter 1; Chapter 14; Chapter 16

A/N: So, if anyone has ever tried playing sand VB with a wet ball, the setter struggle is real. Sand in the eyes is a bitch. Also, I'm pretty sure the quote at the beginning ACTUALLY pertains to money/debt, but I'm abusing it to fit my feeling on this chapter. But hey, who even reads those, lol

It felt like Tsukki departed a little from his cynical side in this one, but eh, oh well.I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend. Nyx had a blast snowboarding in like 12 degree weather and a steady 15mph wind and Nyx's fingers and toes are STILL froze, so please excuse any typo fails, lol. Have a great night, guys!

#level pair #level horizon #haikyuu!!#kei tsukishima #kuroo tetsurou #fanfiction #long post #My hands are still freaking freezing -_-

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