Holding my mask between my hands, the once white fabric had stained dark red. Even my cream dress was littered with splotches that wrecked of dandelion wine. Sucking in my lower lip, I held back a sudden wave of sadness. It settled into my bones and swept through my limbs in a jitter. Why was I so sad? I avenged the maid and did the right thing… but my chest ached.   Curling around myself, I tucked my head between my lap. There was a time and place for crying, and a party wasn't one. Yet, there I was, sobbing into the fancy gown Diluc had hand made for me. Of course, he wouldn't be mad at me for what happened, but the guilt was eating me alive. I had ruined the evening for myself and made things harder on my friend. "There you are. I've been looking all over-. Hey, Elzer told me what happened, but he didn't mention a welt. How badly are you hurt?" Diluc pushed through the vines faster and hopped over the last row. He knelt beside me and carefully lifted my chin so he could see my face. "I'm just being a baby." I leaned back, the moonlight catching my skin. He ran his thumb over the knot on my forehead, and he clenched his teeth. "Damn bastard." He looked back at the mansion. "He might be wearing a mask, but there's only one person in Mondstat with monogram shoe buckles." "What?" I laughed; he was so serious, but the idea of a monogram shoe buckle had me drying up my tears. "Who pays for that kind of thing?" "Mr. Barker." Diluc wiped under my eyes. "Are you hurt anywhere besides your head?" "Besides the guilt of running the dress you got me and making the party harder for you to manage, I'm fine." I let it out. There was no use in pretending it wasn't bothering me. I had learned a lot about Diluc in our years of being together. While he was a very perceptive man when it came to solving crimes and putting things together, he didn't have the same skill for guessing how I felt. He's known something was wrong before, but he'd just find ways to blame himself if I didn't tell him. "I'll have you another dress made, and those Barkers aren't your fault. Ms. Barker started it, and I ended it. There's always a little drama at these events." He twirled my hair around his finger. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop it entirely." "Don't go blaming yourself now." I scooted so close; I was almost in his lap. "Let's just focus on the music or the sky. I know you'll have to go back in soon, so let's just relax for a moment." "Hmm, I can hear it from here. It's nice." A soft number started to play, and people passing by the window cast shadows into the courtyard. He leaned his head against mine. Minutes passed by, and the song changed, both of us just settling our nerves. "So, I guess we won't have the last dance together this year." I hummed, the thought burning at the back of my mind. "I can't go back in there like this." I forced myself to laugh, trying to get it off my chest without sounding too sad. "We don't have to go back in. Elzer can handle the end of the night speech for me, like every year." Diluc stood, reaching his hand out to me. "Milady, may I have this dance?" "Diluc…of course, you may." I pushed my insecurities down and gripped his rough hand. Being wealthy, Diluc had been trained in many different types of formal ballroom dances. When he was in the zone, there was no one but Kaeya who could match his prowess and aura. But I wasn't blessed with the same background. I was just the daughter of the maid, and while my mother was paid well, there wasn't enough money to pay for a dance instructor. However, Diluc taught me everything he knew. We use to spend hours after his class, practicing and gliding around the living room. After some time, I even got to join the classes as Diluc and Kaeya's partner. Creepus convinced my mother it was just good practice for the boys, but looking back, he just wanted me to get that experience as well. "You okay?" Diluc gently gripped my waist as I spun back into his arms. "Yes, I was just thinking about when you taught me how to dance." I closed the gap between us and started moving with the song. Diluc took charge after a few more movements, and I gave up trying to lead. It was always a fun game for us to try to take charge, but I normally gave in fairly fast. Every now and then, he'd let me lead, but I often stepped on his toes when I did.   The ground wasn't level as a dance floor, so it was easier to just follow Diluc. Since he took the first step, he was able to find the best footholds. When we did hit a small hump, we'd steady each other and share a small smile. It wasn't a seamless performance like when we were on solid ground, but it was fun. It also gave us a reason to cling tighter to each other. His broad chest was always so warm; there was nothing more pleasant than laying my head there and closing my eyes as we swayed under the moon. "That was always so much fun." Diluc spun me out, then back into his arms. "Father use to watch us practice, he never told me directly, but Elzer said it was one of his favorite memories." Diluc pressed his lips into a line, eyes turning back to the manor. "He always loved this event, but I can't help but hate it." "I'm not a fan of the crowds or the entitled guests. But I do enjoy dancing with you." I laid my head on his shoulder, bringing him back to the present. "It seems we only dance when this event rolls around. And I can't help but wish for more moments like this. So, while I understand your distaste, I do think Creepus had the right idea. This is a chance for all of us to come together do something we all loved…it just is hard to enjoy when other people are so entitled." "I feel the same way. Dancing with you, it's always my favorite part of the ball." We swayed back and forth in a tight embrace, the music fading out and our footwork growing sloppy. "There's been so much to do recently. I'm afraid I've neglected you." "Mother told me that as friends get older, drifting apart is normal… I'm just glad you're still here with me. No matter how short that time is." He hugged me tighter, inhaling a sharp breath. "Maybe friends do, but my feelings for you are much stronger than just friends." I gasped before I could stop myself. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the lighting bugs emerged just as the party started to close. This moment was very much real…but did he really just confess? "You want to be with me?" I slowly looked up, grabbing the sides of his suit. "As more than friends?" "I do." He pulled back a little, glancing at the ground. "How do you feel? Could you ever love me as more than a friend? I know it's selfish to ask that of you, given the dangers that follow my line of duty. But I can't deny myself any longer." "My heart is going to jump out of my chest, Luc." Grasping his hand, I pressed it to my wrist. He smiled, rubbing his thumb over my pulse. "I want to be yours, and you mine. To be honest, I've had feelings for you for a while now. I just thought you didn't return them." Heat climbed up my face, and I looked away to hide it. While his confession was so smooth, mine was energetic and messy. Why couldn't I keep it calm? "That settles it then." He stepped closer, our eyes locking and fingers lacing. "We'll be together from here on out." A warm breeze went by, picking up the bottom of my ruined skirt. "Next time there's a dance, you won't have to leave my side, nor I yours. There will be no flying wine glasses or uncouth guests. We can dance the night away without worry or interruption." "I don't know if a party could ever go that smoothly." I pushed his hair back and cupped his face. "Unless we barred over half the guest list." "If you don't think I'd do that, then you underestimate how far I'll go to make you happy." His checks tined red, barely illuminated by the moon. "Oh, I don't doubt you, Master Diluc. But I'm not hard to please, we could dance in the living room like we use to, and I'd be the happiest person alive." I tugged him closer, wrapping my arms around his hips, and swaying to an imaginary beat. "It's not often you add my title before my name." He hummed, letting me lead us to the song in my head. "Master Diluc, whatever do you mean?" I batted my eyelashes and snickered. "I didn't realize I added it. Maybe it's where I've spent most of the night talking about you, and not to you that I've forgotten how to be relaxed. There was many a guest who wanted to pry about your love life." "Well, you have a definitive answer now, Lady Amber." He kissed the top of my head, stopping for a moment. His body radiated a wave of heat, and he nodded to himself. "It's starting to get cold. We should head inside before you catch a cold. I'm sure everyone's left by now." "I don't want this moment to end." I clung to his shirt, the warmth he emitted making my eyelids grow heavy. Whenever he allowed me to use him as a personal heater, I took the chance. But this was the first time I didn't worry about it being the last.   "We have many more moments like this ahead of us." He supported me as we walked towards the mansion, looping his arm around my waist. "Let's go clean up, and turn in for the night. Tomorrow we can have breakfast and go for a ride along the river. How does that sound?" "It sounds so nice." Once we were back in the house, Elzer met us in the doorway. "Where have you been, Master Diluc?" He rubbed the bridge of his nose and glanced at me. "And you, Ms. Amber, what were you thinking tossing your drink? You completely ruined the night. I could hardly contain the guests" Diluc wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and Elzer's tone sifted from miffed to muted. "Elzer, the issue was with the guests, not Amber." He steered me towards the stairs, nudging me along. "Go on to bed. I'll be up there in a moment. I have some business to finish up." Diluc walked towards his office, motioning for Elzer to follow him. Elzer shot me a perplexed look and tried to mouth out, 'be more careful' before hurrying after Diluc. I whisper back, "okay," before taking the stairs two at a time before stopping. I wasn't going to get in trouble, so I might as well show I'm not ashamed. "Goodnight Elzer," I called after the older man, with as "pleasant" of a tone as I could muster. Parties almost always stressed him more than Diluc, but since Elzer was an employee, he couldn't run and hide like Luc. Truth be known, if Diluc hadn't been there, I would have gotten a long lecture on the importance of keeping good relations with potential business partners. But that's only because Elzer couldn't let his frustrations out on anyone else. I was always there to listen and receive his distain when things went wrong. It wasn't my favorite pastime, but it did help him feel better. It was surprising he was so stressed, he actually chastised me in front of Diluc. It must have been a tough night even after I left. I usually was lectured in private, but he really was ready to let me have it.   Once in the guest room, I disrobed. The heavy gown took several minutes to untie and loosen the laces, but once it was done, my lungs could fully expand. My ribs ached, so I rubbed circles on my sides till the initial throb dulled. The night had gone better than I ever planned, and now it was over. Yet, there was a worse throb in my chest than the pain of a corset. Diluc and I were finally together. We removed the ever-lingering question and just confessed. Why did it hurt inside? Was it that the party was hard on everyone else and I was so happy? Or was it something else? Tilling the blue pitcher on the nightstand, water rushed into the ornate basin below. Dipping a rag into the cool water, I began to wash the wine from my face. It had been such a stressful night. Perhaps the empty feeling inside was fear of the unknown. Or fear that Diluc would wake up and change his mind. That he'd send me away for good once he realized he could never be with someone of such low status. Someone who didn't couldn't even keep up public appearance at a ball. Maybe, it would just take me slipping up once when I was wearing a mask? Then he'd send me away from the manor. I finished cleaning up, then tossed the water out the window. Fixing the pitcher and basin back in place, I reached below the nightstand and pulled out my nightgown. Slipping on the flowy gown, I turned down my sheets and got comfortable. This guest room had been mine for as long as I could remember. While I still lived in the cottage by the river with my mother, I spent more nights at the mansion than at home. Diluc and I would rush through his paperwork every night, and I'd help get his gear ready to go protect Mondstat. I was his sidekick in many ways. Spending so much time there at night, it just made sense for me to sleep here too. We were a great team. Plus, the close proximity made things easier and less suspicious… But that wasn't the whole truth. It was more so that my mother had met someone new, and he had moved into our shared home. He was a nice man, a retired Knight of Favonius, but I just couldn't relax around him. He was stern about me not going out after dark, so staying over at the mansion became more and more frequent. Which was better for mom and Mr.Godfrey's partnership. But while I spent more nights away, mom started to believe there was something between Diluc and me, so she was happy to see me leave home. She was going to be overjoyed to hear the news that we confessed. Though, I'm sure she'll say kicking me out was the reason we finally admitted our feelings, which was not the whole truth. Still, I did miss my own bed sometimes. Pressing my back to the headboard, I curled my knees up and rested my head between them. Sucking in a deep breath, small tears slipped past again. There was too much happening. I couldn't think about one thing for too long. So much good just happened. Why? Why was I thinking about the bad? A familiar rasp at the door rang through the room. "Come in." Wiping my eyes, I sat up and pulled the covers up to my neck. "You're crying again." He walked into the candlelight. I could tell he had cleaned up before coming to see me. He was wearing one of his loose puffy shirts and some cotton pants; his hair had been smoothed and pulled into a low ponytail, water dripping from the ends. It didn't matter what he wore. He always looked unbelievably handsome. "Was it Elzer? He knows it's not your fault. He was just worried about our trade deal." "There's just so much to think about. I can't let myself be happy." I rubbed my eyes again. "What if you realize I'm not good enough for you? Or what if my mother's partner treats you poorly because you quit the Knights? Then that couple, what if they stop working with you and it hurts the business because of me? No one is ever going to see me as anything more than a gold digger." My brain let loose, new concerns and problems being added to my mix. "I'm so negative right now, and I know you probably just want to be happy that we feel the same way…but- I'm so sorry. "He pulled back the covers and crawled in with me. Wrapping me in his arms, the blanket went over our heads, and Diluc settled down. "There you go, having to comfort me like a child." I rested my hand on his shoulder. "You sure you could learn to love a mess like me?" "I already love you." He rubbed patterns on my back, pressing a kiss to the lump on my forehead. "You've been like this since we were children, plagued with worries beyond your control. I know that after you let it out, you always feel better. And that the minute you go silent, that's when I really need to do some digging." He paused drawing on my back and instead moved to play with my hair. "We'll figure it all out as we go, all the what's and if's. We'll take them one at a time, starting with the one I have control over." "Woah." He flipped me over, hovering inches from my face. He pinned me between his legs, the v neck of his shirt hanging open so I could see the red hairs on his chest. "You could be from the richest family in Mondstat or poorest, and I'd still want to be with you." He kissed me, pressing down just until our bodies touched. "I'd go as far as to say, if you were a member of the Fatui, I'd still be smitten. I would certainly find a way to break your ties with them, but I couldn't stop loving you. So, you are more than enough for me, and if anyone makes you feel differently, then I will handle it." "That's a bold statement coming from you." I ran my fingers through his ponytail as it hung over his shoulder. "I can't argue with that logic, but I promise I'm not a member of the Fatui." I wrapped my arms around his waist, encouraging him to squish me with his full weight. "I'm going to crush you." He fought against me, but I only nuzzled his neck, blowing raspberries. "Amber, hey." "I know. But I'd also like to point out how improper it is for you to be in my room at this hour. So, I'd like to be crushed as repayment… please." I let go of one side of his hip and wiped my eyes. "You are right. It is improper." He lowered himself a little more but didn't fully lay on me. "A true gentlemen would never stay this late with a proper young lady. However, there is something else I want that's a little scandalous." "What could that be?" I gasped, my lungs not fully expanding as his weight sunk down on my chest. He noticed as he sat up to his previous position. "A kiss?" He moved his elbow up and cupped my face. His eyes glimmered with the flame that was lighting up the room. His touch was gentle but so firm I couldn't imagine being in another person's embrace. At that moment, there were only two people in the world, and I was madly in love with one of them.   "That sounds quite proper to me. You should always kiss your lover goodnight." I stuttered a little, unable to keep up the playful banter as I looked at his lips. The smile that spread on his face made the butterflies in my stomach flutter. Archons, I was smitten.   His thumb brushed my lower lip before he brought his mouth down for a chaste kiss. Testing the waters, he hovered millimeters above me, and I stole his lips in a deeper kiss. Having a lack of experience in the field, I matched the pattern he set. Just like dancing, I tried to take the lead and failed miserably. So I did was I was best at, adding the fun flourishes. I curled my fingers into his hair and snaked my hand up his shirt and across his chest. He matched my movements, caressing my face and tilting my head up to deepen the kiss. Every star in the sky dulled in comparison to the explosion of light that spread over my body. He shifted back, catching his breath. he smoothed my hair and peppered, kissing around my face before setting back. "Thank you." He laced our fingers together, pulling my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles.     "Will you stay tonight?" I took our intertwined hands and kissed his knuckles in return. "I don't want you to leave just yet." "As you wish." He got behind me, adjusting the covers we had tossed around earlier. "Now, let's get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." I laid my head on my pillow and scooted back until we were slotted against each other. His hand wrapped around my shoulders in a reassuring squeeze. "I love you." "I love you more." It took a while for all the blood pumping through my body to relax again, but once it did, I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep. Dreams of dancing through the clouds with Diluc filled my head, and I had the best rest of my entire life. Next to the man I dearly loved.   

The End

"Shh, I'm going to shower. Go back to sleep." I motioned for him to lay back.

"Hold on." He got up, guiding me to stand behind him. He stepped outside like he was on a mission, which was odd.

"What's up, Hinata?" I slipped my flip flops on, clutching my clothes. He looked at the ground then around the campsite, his usual energy already active this early in the morning. Then I saw it.

On one of the high branches of a tree, my white granny panties hung like a flag. All the blood rushed to my head, a scream erupting. "Who did this?" I tossed my clothes onto the table. Lining myself under the tree, I jumped, falling an inch short of reaching them. The nightmare got worse as the wind picked up, rippling the cloth to its full width.  

Laughter broke out from behind me. Tsuki and Yama fell from the tent, having a little chuckle. "I thought your undies were a perfect marker to make camp visible through the night." Tuski pushed up his glasses, sneering.

"Why would? I-" I stomped my foot and let out another cry of frustration.

"It was funnier when we were drunk." Kuroo frowned, looking at the earth as he slipped from the tent.

"I think it's still funny." Tsuki grinned, knowing he got me this time.

"Enough," Hinata yelled, jumping and yanking them from the tree with ease. He balled them in his hand, and my face got hotter. "I'm sorry (Y/n)." Hinata placed them in my hand. "They are very practical and-uh cute."

"Bro, you can't say that." Kuroo slapped his head, then grabbed Yamaguchi and Tsuki, pulling them back in the tent. "We're going to sleep in a little longer. Hinata, hurry back to bed." They shut the flap, and I could hear their whispers until Kenma growled, and they quietened down.

"Wait." The air grew hotter as the sun came up. It was just Hinata and me in the middle of camp... "That's not the wake-up call I wanted." My shoulders relaxed, taking a deep breath. Standing there, I played with my fingers. "You should get some more sleep. I'm sure you consumed more than your fair share of saki." Bouncing on my heels, I tried to kill the silence.

"No." He shook his head. "I need to go with you! For safety reasons."

"Why? It's not that far of a walk. You've already done me a favor by getting these down." I swung my undergarments around my finger; there was no reason to be shy now. They were just my undies. It only felt like a big deal because of the shock.

"Uh-I need to check for bears." He buzzed around, looking between the trees. Twigs crunched under his feet as he looked high and low, walking towards our shower house. "Yea, we need to be careful."

"What would you do if we find one?" I pushed my hair back, clutching my towel to my chest. It was rare that I spent alone time with Hinata. During training camps, he always played with Kuroo, Tsuki, Akaashi, and Bo. That's actually how we were introduced. A stray ball almost hit the ginger, and I swooped in, just in time. Still, we were always in a group, playing ball or going for ice cream or beers.  

He stopped, holding his chin in thought, tapping his foot. "I'd fight it so you could run away."

"You'd be better off letting it have me." I teased, but I knew in my chest that I'd be too slow to outrun a bear, even if Hinata sacrificed himself. It'd be better if I were the one fighting the bear. Great, thinking about bears when in the woods isn't the most comforting thought. "Would you really fight a bear for me?" I tried to shake off the anxiety; there weren't any bears near us. We'd never seen so much as a paw print.

"I like you." He stiffened up, "I mean, I would fight a bear for my friends. Not that you're just a friend!" He almost kept going before Tsuki popped out of nowhere. As if he had been hiding in the trees like Slenderman...he did look like Slenderman. That was a worse thought than a bear lurking.

"You can't just sneak around." I nearly dropped my clothes, spinning on my heels. "Haven't you done enough damage this morning?"

"This dumbass gets cranky without a nap." Tsuki grabbed Hinata's shoulder and dragged him back towards the tent. "He's always a mess when he wakes up. Ignore him (Y/n)." Tsuki kept a hand over Hinata's mouth, muttering. "Trust me when I say I'm running damage control."

"Okay." I blinked, seeing more shapes in the dimly lit shrubs, as they hurried back towards camp. Something was slightly amiss. Plus, they left me alone after talking about bears; this wasn't panning out in my favor.  

Walking to the shower area, we set up yesterday; I was ready for a cold rinse to remove any leftover lake scum. Kicking a painted rock in the path, I made sure no one would walk over where while I got cleaned up. Water rained from the nozzle on the bag, and I flinched at just how cold it had got last night.

"Cold, cold, cold," I muttered, easing into the stream. Settling into the flow, I washed up, rubbing my muscles as I went. My forearms were so sore from nonstop volleyball, but it wasn't the end of the world. I was just glad to be spending time with my friends. Plus, it was nice getting to know Hinata more.

Scrubbing my chest fast as possible, I could feel my heart skip a beat. Hinata was a nice boy. It was easy to say that about a few people, but he really knew how to make friends. While we had been on several trips together, this was the first one overnight in the same room. It might have been frowned upon, but I couldn't help but watch him sleep over Kenma's shoulder. I'd never put much thought into his features, but he was handsome. Maybe it was because of his height that I hadn't noticed before, but his smile was breathtaking. Plus, he was willing to fight a bear for me and save me from further embarrassment…

Banging my head against the tree holding up the shower bag, I chewed my bottom lip. He and I were base level; there was no reason I'd ever want to consider him as a soulmate. We all used to ask who'd we pick to be our soulmate at sleepovers as children, and it was just fun and games. I hadn't played in years, but I know that Hinata would have never crossed my mind before this trip. There was a reason for that. I just didn't understand why it had changed so suddenly.

Still, he said he'd fight a bear for any of his friends. But we aren't just friends? It was just him being sweet, and it only took a little speck of interest to light a fire in my chest. Like always, I made it harder on myself. It was just a groggy morning encounter, nothing else.  

Getting dressed, I couldn't push the exchange from my mind. Letting out a long, deep sigh, I commenced the walk back to camp. It didn't matter what happened after this trip; I'd only see him every now and again. He was a pro volleyball player. He didn't have time to worry about playing around with me. His slip of tongue earlier was just that—a slip. Tsuki affirmed as much.

"How's the shower?" Bo meet me halfway, a piece of bacon dangling from his lips. "You know, Hinata and I put it together. I think it's pretty nice. Right?"

"It was great, a little cold, but it got the job done." I yawned, yearning to go back to bed. Bo puffed his chest and went to tell Hinata the great news of their successful project. Looking around, I saw Tadashi and Kuroo were cooking up breakfast. I was going to pester the two but was caught by someone else.

"You ready for the game today?" Akaashi stepped back from the fire pit with a plate. "I know it's been hard on you getting all those stray balls from the river." He grabbed a water from the cooler and brought it to me.

"I'm tired. I honestly might just play awhile and come back for a nap. Waking up early doesn't work in my favor very often." I wiped the gunk from my eyes, noticing the circles under Akaashi's orbs.

"That's fair. You do need a little break if you can get one." He needed some rest too, but telling him, that would be futile.

"Maybe I'll bring my hammock and stretch out while you play." If I brought my hammock, I could coax him into it for a nap.

"That would be fun. You could get some reading done as well." Akaashi nodded. How was he still thinking about school?

I stretched, fixing myself a plate and sitting by Kenma. Hinata was on the other side of the bottle blonde, and I held my breath before I asked him something stupid. There was no reason to freak out; just eat. Like any other day or encounter, I just need to be polite and let him approach me. My jaw tightened, and I couldn't help but glance at him from the corner of my eye. He was looking back. Dropping my fork, I dove my head into Kenma's shoulder.

"(Y/n). I’m trying to catch a fish." Kenma sighed, adjusting to focus on playing animal crossing.

"Can't we go catch some real fish?" I sat up, gluing my eyes forward. So Kenma could cuddle me all night but didn't care about my cuddles during the day.

"We can if you want to." Kuroo joined our circle, adding some toast to my plate. "Kenma, put that damn game away and eat. You can play later."

"My grandpa taught me how to fish. I'm going to catch the biggest one! Just wait and see!" Hinata vibrated as he declared his future victory. So he was listening to our conversation...I was catching something...and it wasn't fish.

"I'd like to see you reel in a monster short stack." Kuroo ruffled wild his hair before sitting beside me. "Oi, what's your game plan for tonight, (Y/n)?"

"What do you mean?" I faced Kuroo, batting my lashes at him. Looking at Kuroo was easier than making eye contact with Hinata. The shortie was boring holes in the side of my head. I nearly forgot how to breathe.

"It's boys night." Kuroo sighed, jaw tense, "you forgot already."

"No," I sat back, facing the fire. "I just didn't know what you were talking about." My lips trembled, all my thoughts went radio silent. Knots formed in my chest, tethering me to the moment as it passed slowly.  

"I guess I'll just walk around the lake or something." They had a boy's night yesterday as well, but I didn't realize excluding me was part of the trip. It was fine. "I know it's important to hang with the boys. It's so rare you all get together anymore." Even rarer that I got to join.

"I hate to do that to you two nights in a row," Kuroo focused on his feet. Looking around, Bo, Akaashi, and Tadashi were frozen to their seats, waiting for me to respond. Even Kenma tensed against me.

"Hey, it was my job to convince my friend to come, and they backed out. I know you all need some bonding time to talk about all that gross boy shit." I laughed it off, forcing the sides of my lips to stay up.

"It's not your job. I promise tonight is the last one." Kuroo held my hand, but it was colder than usual. "If it would be fun for you, we'd let you come."  

"I know." I pushed my plate aside, standing up. "Well, I'm going to the restroom."

"(Y/n)." Tadashi shot up. "You can come if you want. We can wait for another trip."

"No, it's okay. I mean, we're about to spend all day together. It's just a few hours for the bros. I promise I just need to tinkle." I assured him, his worried features blurred by the smoke.  

Without putting much thought into it, I walked opposite the designated potty area, towards the lake. I could make the argument I was watering the fish, but I just wanted to breathe. If they wanted to determine what was or wasn't fun for me, that was fine...

Perhaps I was just thinking about Hinata this morning, to ignore the real reason I woke up before them. They stayed up drinking and howling at the moon. Boys' night was something they had planned since Bo and Akaashi joined our trip roster. It wasn't even really about being boys, but more so volleyball players. I knew they talked about their old games, current teams, and who would be chosen for the Olympics. Then, I was sure the conversation would take a turn into topics that would make it hard for me to look at my childhood friends.

No one said it in front of me. But I knew that Kenma had a fling with someone that wasn't his soulmate. The notion had never crossed my mind; he was so into his games most of the time. I never imagined him having pre soulmate sex. It happened at a gaming convention in the states. One of his favorite YouTubers had taken an interest in him and tracked down his booth. Flings weren't unheard of, and they were becoming less taboo. Some people had to wait until they were forty to find their soulmates, and that made it hard to stay "pure." But Kenma just never seemed to be interested in that sort of thing.

Gripping my wrist, I squatted in some bushes and let a few tears slip. It was fair to give them time alone. I would have girl time if I had my friend. It just hurt for them to do it again tonight. Maybe they'd sleep in and be too sick to play ball. Then we could all snuggle up and watch the clouds or the stars. It's not that I didn't like volleyball. I just wanted to spice it up as a group. To feel closer.

Kicking a rock, I wiped my eyes and crumbled back to the ground. I wasn't ready to be strong and put on a brave face. Pretending to be unbothered was hard work that I didn't plan to do this weekend. It was supposed to be Kuroo, Kenma, and me. It just grew into a volleyball camp when we invited Bo. And just like back at our training camps, I felt left out.

"It's too early to cry." I kept wiping my eyes until the tears stopped. With my irritated skin, I knew I had spent too long away from the others. I wanted to get a grip. Plus, it wasn't a big deal. I didn't need to communicate my needs or accept their compromises. No, everything was peachy...only babies cry over this kind of thing.

After returning to the group, we acted as if nothing had happened. Picking up my plate, I pushed the food around and listened to the boys whisper amongst themselves. It was more isolating now that no one was talking to me. Not even Kuroo would meet my gaze. My oldest friend was afraid of upsetting me, great.

___

Once breakfast was finished, we walked to the river and set up the net for the day. I worked on spreading out our seats, and Hinata rushed to help me.

"Let me," he took the pile of folding chairs and let me unfurl them one at a time.

"Thanks," my heart fluttered, and I wanted nothing more than to rip it from my chest. Deep down, it was just a distraction. It was just a coping skill.  

"I think you look gorgeous." He dropped a chair, hitting his toe. "Ow ow ow," he flinched, holding his foot, dropping the rest of the stack.

"Idiot!" Tsuki picked him up by the scruff of his shirt and shook him a bit. "Did you learn anything from yesterday?"

"I did!" Hinata thrashed around. "I learned a lot!"

"That's not how you hold the chairs." Tadashi joined, then picked up the stack. "You pinched your finger, didn't you, Hinata?"

"No, I." Tuski shook him again. "Yea, I pinched my finger. See how red it is." He was set down. "Hey, (Y/n), will you kiss my finger better?"

Tsuki slapped the back of his head, dragging Hinata towards Kuroo, who was tying up the net. Hinata was really slipping today, he was accident-prone, but he rarely got hurt. It was even more strange for Tsuki to be up his ass.  

"So, how you feeling about tonight?" Tadashi took over, helping me with the chairs. He changed the topic so fast; I nearly forgot what happened.

"I'm not feeling great," I paused my work, "but it's not the end of the world." Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I frowned.

"This weekend was supposed just to be you, Kuroo, and Kenma, but we kind of flipped it upside down." Tadashi sighed, scratching his scalp. "I hate you feel left out."

"Don't sweat it, Tadashi." I set out the last chair, getting ready for another grueling day of volleyball. "I'm not fragile. You can make it up to me tomorrow and go kayaking with me."

"You can count on it." He grabbed my hand, gently squeezing.

"Let's get started!" Bo yelled, grabbing the ball. And the infinite sets began.

___

We were in the middle of the last set. As much as I enjoyed volleyball, it was hard to appreciate when Kenma kept sending the ball to Hinata. Sure the two didn't get to spend a lot of time together, but I wanted my turn at some point.

"Stop pouting, Kitty." Kuroo reached under the net and poked my cheek. "You'll get one soon."

"It's illegal to touch the wildlife." Tsuki snickered, covering his mouth like it made it any less snide.

"Hush up, Tsuki," I shot back, trying to get ready for the next round.

"Serve." Tadashi sent the ball over with a jump float. Tsuki caught it with ease, sending it to us. As every game had gone so far, Tsuki directed it to my side, and I received, barely. Regardless of the pattern, I still couldn't shake the anxiety of where the ball would go. It was more fun for me to spike and serve.

Without looking, I heard Hinata cheer, scoring our winning point. The win didn't belong to me in the way I wanted it to. Kenma was usually more in tune with my feelings, but the past two day's he'd focused on spending time with Hinata. Was I so out of touch with my friends they didn't want to spend time with me? Yesterday, I couldn't get any time with Kuroo or Kenma in less a ball or video game was involved. Today was even worse.

It was fine. Usually, I'd hang with Kuroo and Bokuto when Kenma was busy. However, they were too busy pranking Akaashi whenever he tried to do homework. Or they all three spent time prepping the drinks for their "boys night."

I could have tried to hang with Tsuki and Yamaguchi, but they were too busy trying to get some alone time, not just for the boys, but for each other. Sure they were entitled to that, but I wish they'd save it for when they were at home. So that left me alone most of the time.

We broke down the net for the evening. My heart already trying to prepare for night two of making flower crowns or playing in the lake-alone. There was enough sun left out I could try to soak up some vitamin D and maybe photosynthesizes some serotonin. But my prospects were looking bleak.  

"Time for the Boys." Kuroo wrapped his arm around Kenma and pulled him over to Bokuto. They began to follow Akaashi, who was headed towards one of the nearby trails.

"Be safe," I called after them, almost hoping they'd invite me to join them. "Reapply bug spray!" I added, cupping my mouth to be louder. "Uh, drink some water."

"You too." Bo hollered back, almost tripping over his feet. Tsuki grabbed him and tugged him along without a word. Tadashi took our cooler and was toting it up the trail. He looked at me once more before the brush got too thick, his pity palpable.  

"Bye." My arms dropped to my side. In a few moments, everyone has disappeared. Dread set up shop in my stomach, and I decided to make the most of it. Settling into the sand by the shore, I rested my feet in the water. I tried to smile. It's not that I had bad friends. They included me in almost everything they did, and we spent all morning and afternoon playing volleyball. Still, it didn't feel right. Being left alone by the lake just seemed like a bad idea. It was great that they trusted me, but I wanted to be part of the action. Or at least not alone.  

Grasping at a fist full of sand, I squeezed it as tight as I could. Letting the grains slip through my fingers, I thought about the happy moments. Like when Kuroo and Kenma and I were on a team, I got lots of balls. While the last team I was on was okay, I didn't get a single spike. It was partly because Kenma was fed up with Kuroo gloating about winning, and partly because Hinata' kept calling for them.  

Resting my head against my arms, I realized how tired I was getting. Maybe I'd just turn in early and forget about it, I didn't get the nap I planned for earlier. Mybe now was the best time. It was peaceful enough with most of the boys off in the woods. I could have the bed to myself before they all piled in, smelling like booze again.

"Hey, (Y/n)." I winced, before I realized that Hinata had sat beside me. "You look like you could use some company." He sat down with two fishing poles and a small bucket of bait in his hands.

"I would love some company." Setting back into the sand, I stretched my back, rubbing the water droplets from my eyes. He was so sweet. "Great game today." I pushed my hair in front of my face and closed my eyes. The fluttery sensation returned to my stomach, and I wondered why he didn't go after the boys? But I didn't dare mention it in case he just forgot.    

"Your receives were amazing." He slapped my back a few times before leaving his hand between my shoulder blades. "The way you dig is impressive too. I would have thought you played your whole life." He smiled brightly, removing his hand to hold his neck. Maybe my shirt was clinging to my sweaty back, and it soaked his hand?

"Not quite. It does mean a lot that a pro thinks I have some skill." Baiting my line, I tried not to think about the worm slime wrapping around my fingers.

"Let me," Hinata waited for me to agree before he set up my pole. "Do you want me to cast it too?"

"Oh, I haven't' done it in a long time. So I'll let you get the first one." The pink sky reflected on Hinata's form, casting him in a beautiful glow. Rearing back, he cast the line towards some fallen trees and handed me the pole. "Thank you."

"You got it gorgeous!" His voice rang over the water and carried through the trees.

Tugging at my shirt, I gripped the fabric tight as I could. My looks weren't bad, I was harder on myself than anyone else. Being plus size came with a lot of anxiety and judgment. There wasn't much I could do to change the stigma or my looks. But it wasn't helping that it was harder to buy clothes that made me feel good. Maybe my underwear was old fashioned, but they fit without crawling into places they didn't belong. And my t-shirts were plain, but they were just baggy enough to hide the parts I wasn't confident in. If I could dress better, I'd feel more worthy of such a compliment.

Plus, sweating like a stuck hog wasn't helping me either. The few cute clothes I had, were now at the bottom of my suitcase and in need of a wash. It didn't matter how much my stomach erupted in butterflies looking at Hinata, I felt like a potato sack. Plus, there was no way he was being anything more than friendly with me. Even if I wanted to believe him and flatter myself.    

"You okay, (Y/n)?" He cast his line, sitting closer to me, laying his pole to the side. "Was it something I said?"

"I'm just- being hard on myself, that's all." I pulled at my shirt, trying to make it lay like a tent.

"Why?" His innocent voice carried like a song over the lake, ringing in my ear.

"Well, I know I'm beautiful and wortyh of love and compliments. But some days, I don't feel like that's true." Something came over me; how was I suppose to make him understand what it was like to be plus-size? "Maybe I've had more days like that recently, where I'm just feeling down about my looks and fashion. It feels like I'm not worthy of the extra space I take up. Not to mention boys' night makes me feel like I don't belong at all." My face grew hot. "But, that's not fair to unload on you. I’m sorry."

"That sounds hard. I'm glad you can share that with me." He held his chin before grabbing my hand. "So does it make you feel worse when I compliment you? Because I want to do it more, but only if you like it."

"Ahsd," I sputtered, my throat closing up as he shoved his head in my personal bubble. "Ugh, Hinata."

"Shoyo." He corrected me, peering into my eyes. "Call me Shoyo, if you want to, that is. It's not fair we all use your first name, and you don't get to use ours."

"This is out of the blue." His line went tight, and he grasped it before it was dragged into the lake. I was saved by a fish.

"Stand up." We both got up, I helped him balance on the sand as he began to fight the fish and set the hook. "Here." He turned to me.

"No it's your- oh." He handed me his pole, and I could feel the weight drag me forward. His hands steadied me as I had done for him. My body rocked with adrenaline, the rush overcoming me. I’d never felt so much raw power.

"You got this, (Y/n)!" He reeled in my pole, so slackline wouldn’t tangle with the fish.  My hormones were doing a summersault, dejection, joy, self-doubt, then pure bliss .

"I've never had one this big," I grunted, reeling in the slack, the tip of the pole snapped back and forth as the fish got closer to shore. "Are you sure you don't wanna reel this one in?" I lost my footing in the sand. Hinata grabbed my waist, steadying me.

"I'm sure." He let go and started to take pictures of me in the sunset, reeling in a monster. "You're a natural (Y/n)."

"You know, what, you can keep complimenting me Sho." I was losing my breath, walking the fish away from the fallen trees. "I want to believe that you really think that about me."

"Of course I do." His eyes glowed with the first stars that were starting to be visible. "I won't distract you right now, though."

"Good call." I gritted, knowing the fish was close to the surface. My arms were burning, and my knees locked; this was the fish of a lifetime.

"I can see it! It's a catfish." Hinata set his phone aside and jumped into the water. "I'll get it for you." He slid his hand in its mouth, the fish thrashing around. I held it up high with the pole, but i noticed Hinata's arms. They were muscular, not in the same way as a bodybuilder, yet toned and defined. The moon was shining on the droplets on his skin, and like an ethereal being he emerged from the water. "Come on, stupid fish, let me take a picture of you with my soulmate."

"What?" I came out of my arm candy haze, Hinata dragging the fish to land and holding up, at least a thirty-pound catfish

"Come on and hold him (Y/n), his mouth feels like sandpaper, so be careful.” I switched positions with him, the snadpaper bar on the fish clamping on my fingers. I shivered, but held him up with a huff. “We have to use the flash to get a good pic, so be ready. I don’t want to blind you." He wiped off his hands and pulled his phone out. His skin was tore from the fish’s mouth where he had brought it in. My head ached for him; he was so kind and selfless.

The fish gnawed on my hands, the rough texture sending a shiver down my spine. "This would be a feast for a bear." I laughed, posing with the fish in a few ways.

"No doubt about that. You're a true fisherman (Y/n); I’m impressed with your skills," he turned and took a selfie.

The moon was fully visible through the trees, and my back began to itch. I tried not to pay too much attention to it, but Hinata noticed. "Do you feel it?"

"Feel what?" I handed him the fish and took his picture and another selfie. We both got into the water and held it until it got it's strength back. Shoyo was quiet for a few moments, waiting for me to say something else. “Should I feel something?”

"Your mark." His eyes glowed as he reached his hand forward, cupping my face.

"My soulmark, or a beauty mark??" The fish took off, back into the depths of the lake, splashing us with the flick of it’s tail.

"So you haven't noticed yet," he lit up, yanking off his shirt and twirling around. “So you didn’t outright reject me.” He flashed me his back. My name was scrolled across his shoulder, and it wasn’t washing off the water. "I'm your soulmate." He bounced back around. "I thought you noticed last full moon and rejected me. It's not the normal spot for one to show up, but it's true. We’re soulmates." He pulled his shirt back down, bouncing on his heels.

"Really?" I reached in my bra and handed him my phone. "Take a picture for me." Instead of lifting up my shirt, I pulled my collar down so he could snap a photo.

"See." Indeed, his name was on my shoulder, in a messy font. He held his neck again, "so do you accept me?" He tossed my phone to shore gently.

"I was getting a crush on you during this trip. I thought something was different between us this time, and I guess this was it. You and I never get any alone time, so it was weird. But I liked it, and I'm excited to spend more time with you." He took my hands. "So you're not rejecting me either? Even though I don't have half the confidence, you have?"

"Reject the most beautiful person on this planet? Sounds like a mistake to me." He pulled me closer in the water, squeezing my hands tighter. "Anytime you need a little boost, I'll be there to support you! That's my privilege as your soulmate, and I want to make sure you see yourself, how I do." He let go of one hand and cupped my face, wiping away a tear. "You're even a pretty crier."

"Shoyo." My throat closed up, and my knees dipped a little. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything you don't want to." He wrapped his arm around my waist slowly. "Can I kiss you?"

"I'd-, I’d like that." Leaning down, our lips met in a quick peck before crashing in a deeper kiss. His hands played with my hair, and I traced the muscles on his arms. Our bodies exploring all the ways we could melt together into one.  

When he pulled back, a whine slipped past my lips. I covered my mouth in horror, but he didn't seem to notice. His pupils were huge, and his body was shaking with elation. Bouncing up, he placed kisses all over my face, working his way around like a clock hand.  

"Just wait, we're going to have so much fun." he towed me out of the water, his feet sliding on the sand. "When you have bad days where you don't feel like you belong or you don't feel pretty. Let me know. I'll try to squish them for you. If not, we can play volleyball or fish or whatever you want to do, to feel better. I promise to be the best soulmate ever." When I got to slipper sand, he was the perfect anchor helping me to shore.

“Hinata, I mean, Shoyo. I’m so happy to have you.” He hugged me close, peaking a kiss to my lips.

“Not as happy as I am, after a month of waiting, I was about to explode all day.” He handed me my phone and gathered our supplies. “Let’s go back to camp and warm-up.”

“Yea, I like that idea. I don’t think we’ll catch anything better than that tonight.” I grabbed his scuffed up hand. “Thank you for letting me catch him and for bringing him in.”

“It was worth it to see you smile.” He held his head high. “You look so cute when you smile.”

“Sho, you’re making me blush.” I bumped his shoulder, and we shared a laugh.

I was sure of one thing, and that I wouldn’t have a dull moment with Sho. Nor a moment where he didn’t make me feel like the light of his life.

Bonus:

"Wait a minute." We were drying off by the campfire, waiting for the others to return. "If you knew I was your soulmate for over a month, why did you wait so long? And who else knew."

"Well, I told Tsuki and Yamaguchi first, and they knew about this trip. So when we got together last night, I told them all." Hinata wrung out of his shirt, my name clear as day on his back. "They decided to help me tell you."

"So you all weren't excluding me, but plotting a way to tell me that we were soulmates?" I raised my brow, thinking back to how strange everyone had been acting. "Next time, don't beat around the bush." I curled into my knees.

"No, no, no," he wrapped his arms around my upper body. "Listen, I tried to tell you right away, but Tsuki and Kuroo said you would think it was a prank or something. So I needed to get closer first." He lifted my face with both hands. "I'm so sorry I made you feel left out."

"I wouldn't have believed you; they were right." I sunk into my knees. "Still, I'm going to have a word with them."

"A word with who?" Kuroo popped out of the brush, alcohol on his breath.        

"With you Rooster Head." I untangled myself from Hinata and chased Kuroo around the fire pit.

"Oh, you figured it out. I'm sorry, ahh" I tossed a stick at him playfully, my angry washing away. "I'm so sorry, my baby." He slowed down and opened his arms. "Forgive me?"

Thumping his chest with my palm, I sunk into his embrace. "Don't do that ever again."

"I won't." He squeezed the air from my lungs. "Hey, now you have your soulmate, you can rub it in as payback."

"No, that's no fun for anyone....well maybe I'll tease Tsuki about it." I laughed, sitting by Hinata. The others emerged from the trail, and cheers broke out.  

"Hey hey hey, he did it!" Bokuto howled at the moon.

"(Y/n). I’m sorry for not setting for you earlier." Kenma sat beside me, laying his head on my shoulder. Hinata cuddled up on my other side. "I wanted to let Shoyo show off. Tomorrow I'll set for every time."

"We all owe you an apology," Tadashi held out a beer, and I took it. "Are you in the mood to party with us?"

"Um," they all looked at me with puppy eyes, spare for Tsuki, who was looking at Sho with the proudest smirk I've ever seen. "Sure, let's celebrate tonight! Not only did I find my soulmate, but I caught the biggest fish I've ever seen."

"We took pictures too?" Hinata pulled out his phone and began to flip through. "Oh, no."

"Oh, no, what?" I looked at his screen, seeing the photos were all black. "Noo, it was the biggest fish I'd ever seen."

"Wait, there's one." Hinata showed me the selfie we took with the front-facing camera. Only part of the fish was visible, but it was something.  

"We're so cute." I gushed, focusing more on Sho, his wide grin and eyes focused on me.

"We are." Sho pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"Eww, no kissing my best friend in front of me." Kenma pulled me towards his side.

"Hey, shes' my soulmate; it’s not like we were making out again."

"You made out?" Kuroo pulled his hair.

"Woah, nice one." Bokuto cheered, and Akaashi intercepted before Bo and Kuroo started to wrestle.

"Don't encourage them." Kuroo pawed at Bo through Akaashi's block.

"Y'all are so drunk." I sighed, downing my beer in one swig. "New plan, we're all going to lay down and look at the stars. To make the past two days up to me, we're going to play two games max and spend the rest of the day together just catching up, making flower crowns, fishing, or whatever comes to mind."

"Sounds good to me." Bo laid on his back and looked at the sky.

"Over here, you can use me as a pillow." Shoyo laid by Bo and held his out arm. I laid in his arms, and he pulled me, so my head rested on his chest.

"I have a feeling the rest of this trip is going to be amazing," I mumbled so he could hear me, his fingers scratching my back.

"Of course, it's our first trip together."He looked at the others laying down in a row. In the dark, he kissed my forehead and pretended like he didn't just move.

   “If you are proposing a rematch, I’ll win this time.” Tsuki crossed his arms and was enjoying the banter. While they did that, I was mentally going over everything I packed. Of course, I remembered the bug spray, sunscreen, medicine, and extra batteries….my power box for my phone.

   “Just apologize, and I’ll school you after dinner.” Kuroo purred, squeezing my arm, resting his head on my shoulder.

   “I’m sorry, your Highness.” My eyes widened, sweat reappearing on my forehead. Tsuki conceded, but I didn’t care at that point.

   “Thank you, but I did forget something,” I admitted, biting my lip, looking at the dirt. “I need to check my bags.”

   “What was it?” Tadashi asked, following me to the pile.

   “I brought extra sunscreen, that’s the most important thing,” Kuroo assured me, helping me dig through my bags.

   “I forgot my charging bank. But I remembered all the stuff on the list.” My clothes were strewn all over the tarp we laid out for the bags. “Shit, I’m so fucking stupid,” I growled at myself undoing my nightgown, my undies rolling out.

   “Granny panties uh.  So you already gave up on finding your soulmate.” Tsuki loved to get under my skin, while Kuroo, Akaashi and Bokuto schooled Tsuki in my honor, I was his favorite target. Tadashi hit his chest, folding my clothes back as I rummaged deeper.

   “If my soulmate wants to buy me lacey panties, I’d still wear these. I’m Top enough to be proud of my undies. We all know Tadashi tops you when the doors are closed, so that doesn’t give you a right to judge.”  I smirked, twirling my panties around my finger before shoving them back in my bag.

   “Roasted,” Kuroo backed me up, shifting through the cans of bug spray, hoping to find my box.

   “At least I’m getting some,” Tsuki huffed, not letting it go.    

   “I could get it if I wanted,” I lied. Not only was I plus size, but I was awkward around strangers. This didn’t mean I couldn’t get some, it just was hard enough when I had to find a chubby chaser, someone willing to date before finding their soulmate and not be a shy mess. Being around Kenma and Kuroo brought my confidence as a child, and it opened the doors for me to have so many friends. Yet, I wanted affection and attention in that romantic way.

   “It’s fine, we are supposed to be disconnecting from tech. I’ll turn my phone off to use for emergencies.” Tadashi reasoned, changing the subject.

   “I’ll do the same,” Kuroo set up the cans of spray and sunblock on the little table we brought to make things easier. Before Tsuki started annoying me, he was setting it up in front of the tent. “(Y/n), do you want to go check on Kenma and Hinata?”

   Silently I thanked Kuroo for an out. “Yea, those two are probably halfway down the river right now.” Dusting off my knees, I adjusted my shorts and held my head high, walking into the woods.

   “Other way,” Kuroo giggled, knowing I was beyond hopeless.

   “I was just testing you two.” I fired back, keeping my hands to my side. “Ah, forget it.”

   The best part of camping in this spot was that it was secluded. Most people didn’t bother trekking up the mountain when there was a road a few miles down. That was the plus of having athletic friends, they were able to be workhorses and carry our stuff. While we hadn’t been camping together before, I knew that if Kenma and Kuroo could do it, the others could too.

   We were on the flat part of the mountain top, but down the other side of the mountain was a river. Kenma and Hinata were sent to get us some water for washing up and doing dishes. When I finally skid down the hill, I saw Hinata swimming and Kenma on his game station, the buckets filled with water on the side.

   “It’s not time to goof,” I caught their attention, giggling as Hinata jumped on the dock, his clothes swallowing him like a drowned rat.  

   “Hey, (Y/n),” Kenma motioned for me to look over his shoulder. He was playing Animal Crossing. “Where should I put this bed?”

   “I like the bed in the center of the room, it makes me feel rich.” I put in my two sense, squatting down and resting my head on his shoulder. He put the bed down, then went to another empty room.

   “That won’t go with the flow of the bedroom. But that gives ideas me an idea for your room.” He explained, opening the design tool going to the side room. He pulled out an elegant bed and sat in the middle then put down some pastel wallpaper and flooring.

   “Now look who’s slacking.” Hinata wrung out his shirt and joined me in watching Kenma decorate.

   “It’s not slacking, it’s interior design,” I giggled, loving how Kenma was adding my favorite in-game animals to the table. “Besides, what the other’s don’t know won’t hurt them.”

   “Don’t know what?” Someone leaned their head on my shoulder, and I bounced up and around, knocking into them.

   “Bokuto, eh we were,” I covered Kenma with my body so he could save and hide his game. Hinata scurried over to the buckets.

   “You three were playing video games while we were gathering supplies.” Akaashi clicked his tongue, but I could see the slight smirk on his lips. He was standing up on the incline and definitely had the high ground.

   “We got water,” Hinata shot back, pointing to the pails. “We were just helping Kenma design.”

   “It’s going to evaporate if you don’t get it back to camp, the sun is almost at its highest point.” Akaashi had a bundle of wood under his arm, and Bokuto had the ax leaned up against a tree not too far from us.

   “Not to mention you’re drenched.” Bokuto laughed, hands on his hips. There was a thick layer of perspiration all over his body. He was one to talk about being wet.

   “I was supposed to keep them in line, but I got distracted,” I admitted, helping Kenma to his feet. “Let’s all go back together, yea?”

   “Yea,” Akaashi agreed, eyes lingering on me for some reason.

   “Oh yea, yea.” Bokuto grabbed the ax and a bucket of water. The focus shifts from me to finish the trio of yea’s.

   “Oh yea, yea, yea.” I sighed, resting a hand on my hip. “I’m not Kuroo, but I tried.”

   “Let’s hurry back,” Hinata changed the subject, grabbing two buckets. Kenma took one, and I grabbed the last pail. They were three-gallon buckets and not easy to manage.  Still, we had to get it back to camp.

   As we commenced going back uphill, I began to fall to the rear, as usual, it was either that or start to pant like a dog. I wasn’t the only one struggling, but I was the slowest and most unsure of where I was stepping and what I was stepping on.

   “We don’t need to rush,” Kenma slowed down to be beside me and nodded in solidarity. Bokuto and Hinata were racing to the top, spilling water as they went.

   “You are wasting it.” Akaashi reduced his pace to walk with us. “Those two have one brain cell between them.”

   “That’s a fair assessment,” Kenma shifted his bucket the other hand, and I did the same. The plastic around the wire handle not doing much in terms of ergonomics.

   “How was the advanced lit class?” Akaashi and I were in a similar field of study in school, and we had classes together often. So we were regular study buddies, but not this past semester.

   “It’s was challenging but not as hard as 396.” I could see the camp just ahead of us. Taking a deep breath, I pushed harder.

   “So less papers about unrequited love.” Akaashi determined, pushing his hair back. A bead of sweat sliding down his chin.

   “In essence, but to be fair, the 396 professor was just bitter, their soulmate rejected them.” I sat the bucket down with the others by the table.

   “Who rejected their soulmate?” Hinata piped up, handing me one of the bottles of drinking water.

   “Our professor.” Akaashi also got a bottle and downed it with one long swig.

   “What a nightmare,” Tadashi chimed in, holding Tsuki closer on his lap. They both were cuddling by the fire pit.

   “Was he mean or something?” Hinata pushed it further.

   “From the rumors, it was a petty reason like he was already balding or she was in love with a model.” I summarized, applying more sunscreen to my shoulders. “It made him a bitter man, who had an affinity for assigning tragic readings. In one semester, we read more books about soulmates never meeting or breaking up, to make up for a lifetime.”

   “Hamlet was a hard one,” Akaashi added, stretching his back.

   “Ophelia deserved better,” I sighed, remembering Hamlet being too preoccupied with other things to love her. “To be or not to be my ass.”

   “Let’s have happier thoughts.” Tadashi clapped his hands, going over to grab the fire starting kit.  “How about we celebrate setting up camp by lighting the fire and cooking up some lunch?”

   “Sounds like a plan,” Kuroo grabbed the hot dogs from the cooler.

   “Let’s get a seat.” Kenma tugged me to the logs that had been left by other campers, and we took our seat. Kuroo sat by Kenma, both of us leaning over his shoulder to watch him fish in animal crossing.

   “So when are we setting up the net?” Hinata picked up the volleyball and swirled it between his hands.

   “After we eat, we can go to the river and work on that.” Kuroo was always worried about us, making sure we were eating and staying hydrated. Even as a child, he’d often split his lunch with me when my mom would ‘forget’ to pack one for me. Later on, he just started to bring another bento for me. He always had my best interests at heart. He also worried over Kenma, that’s why I hoped he’d be my soulmate. Kuroo cared about everyone and took excellent care of me. While I wasn’t stereotypically beautiful, he always made me feel that way.  

   If my soulmate wasn’t Kuroo, I’d want them to be someone like him. I’d be okay if my soulmate was Kenma too, we’d get along just fine and play games all day. Or Akaashi, he was a little shy like me, but I could learn to be the outgoing one. Bokuto would be an okay spouse, he had a lot of energy, and definitely made for an excellent dance partner, he was just passionate. Hinata, well he was the one I knew the least, but he reminded me of Bokuto, but stable. Why did this turn into me thinking about my soulmate among my single friends? It didn’t matter; my soulmate was probably miles away, dating a pretty girl and living their best solo life.

   "Need something, baby?" Momo was leaning against the archway, towel wrapped around her damp hair.

   "Do you have any more hairbands?" I sighed, letting my matted hair fall around my face. While I had been waiting on Momo hand and foot, I had forgotten to care for myself. Sitting in front of the door all day and watching over her while she slept, I was running out of steam.

   "What color do you want?" she pushed the sleeve up on her shirt.

   "No, you're already used your quirk all day. You should take it easy, I can find a string somewhere."

   "Shh, I haven't been able to spoil you like I want too." Her gaze fell to the floor. "I want to take care of you too. Sure, I'm able to do a lot of good with my quirk, but you are important too."

   "Red, so I match your hero uniform." I conceded, hating the dejected glint her eye. That's part of why she loved me, I gave in quickly. There was no reason to go back and forth and tire her out more. "You are working so hard to make a difference, but I do miss you."

   "I miss you." She pulled my hair into a ponytail, than did it up. "This meal looks exquisite. Let's break the rules just this once and eat side by side. Does that sound nice?" Her arms wrapped around my middle, resting her head on my shoulder. We swayed back and forth in the kitchen, a light hum in my ear.  

   "It sounds amazing." We took our seats and pushed them together. Enjoying our meal with stories of older times.

   "Remember when you did a nose dive into the pond, chasing our ball." Momo sipped on her water, than working on her noodles. Before all the chaos, she would slowly savor every bite, but now she couldn't eat fast enough.

   "Yea, I had a soggy leaf on my face, and I thought it was a snake and panicked. Those were better times." I pushed my food around, taking a few bites. It went quiet after that. Our utensils scraping along the bowls. Water cups growing less full.

   At that moment, I just wanted it to last forever. To be close to her, to smell her shampoo, and know she was safe with me. I couldn't control a thing in the outside world, but here I could make a difference.

   "I'm doing my best." Momo slurped down her last noodle and rested her hand on the back of my neck. "I'll do my best to make you smile again."

   "What I've been smiling. I'm so happy you're home, and you made me this hairband, even though you're exhausted. You work so hard, reminding me I'm loved, plus you're saving a life. You don't have to try to make me happy."

   "No (Y/n), I want you to smile when I'm not here." She began to cry, wiping away the tears. "I don't think the world will ever be to same, but I will make it so we can be together again without all this fear. You've been right behind me this entire time, and I just want to give you your life back. I promised you the world all those years ago, and I meant it." She embraced me, letting out all the emotions she'd been building up.

   "Momo," I ran my finger's through her hair, humming her favorite tune, "you are my world." I pulled her back and smiled, "as long as you come home to me every day, it'll be okay."

   "(Y/n)," her lips turned up weakly, her hand gripping the back of my shirt, "how did I end up with such a caring partner?"

   "I'd say it was all the study sessions, but it really was how thoughtful you were, not to mention how easy you are on the eyes. Now that's enough crying, let's get you to bed and turn on the white noise machine, hm? You've had a long day, love." I tugged her up, her body swaying with how tuckered out she was.

   "I love you." She looped her arm around my shoulder and let me lead her upstairs. Whispers of how much she loved me falling from her lips.

“I don’t think arguing with you is going to work.” Leaning against the tree, I tucked my head deeper into my hood. “Just be safe.”

“You got it.” He hung up, and I knew he’d be here in just a few moments. He’d always be my personal hero, no matter how large or small the task was. There he’d be, chasing away the crowds or opening pickle jars for me. It was the small gestures that assured me I was loved. He did grand acts for the public almost daily, but I was the only person he sang to sleep at night.

The cold was less bitter as my heart raced. He was a simple man, easy to please, even easier to make laugh. There was no one else I wanted to see at this very moment. Closing my eyes, I thought back to meeting at the grocery store. He had the goofiest smile as he asked for my number. If he hadn’t been so charming, I would have turned him away, but he was a cutie. I’m so glad I did give him a chance; while the life of a pro hero was hard to deal with, we made it work.

A honk caught my attention, and the blonde jumped out of his car, carrying a blanket. “There you are.” He wrapped me uptight and kissed my forehead, his lips like fire on my icy skin.

“On second thought, I’m glad you came to get me.” He took my school bag, and we piled into the car. The heater was going full blast and was still warm from when he had run out earlier. “Thank you, baby.”

“Of course,” he tapped my leg, pulling onto the road and taking it nice and slow.

“I’m glad to be out of the storm.” I checked my phone now that snow wasn’t in my eyes. “Oh, I missed your text earlier. So you have a surprise waiting for me?” I hummed along to the song on the radio.

“Yea, it was my first day off in a while, and I wanted to do something special. Though it was more difficult than I imagined it’d be.” He pulled into our driveway and walked around to get my door.

“Thank you, baby.” We entered the house and began to remove all the winter layers.

Denki reached forward and undid my scarf. “This is the one I got you, right?”

“It is. I wear it almost every day.” I bopped his forehead, sliding off my boots. “Did you just notice?”

“No, I just. I’ve been thinking about how terrible my gift was last year.” He kept smiling, but I could see the sorrow in his eyes.

“I love my scarf.” I squished his face between my cold hands, his blush dissipating.

“You went all out for my gift. Scarf pails next to a nice electric guitar.” He shuffled to the kitchen, working on some tea for the both of us.

“Well, that was a gift for me too. I love to hear you play.” I perked on the kitchen counter, sucking in my lower lip. “Besides, the first year a couple is together, their gifts are normally a little underwhelming.”

“But yours wasn’t.” He set out the cups, focusing on the stirring spoons.  

“Well, I’m sure you’re going to blow me away this time.” I took his hand and ran my fingers over his knuckles. He perked up at the mention of this year.

“Yea, I’ve made up for it this time. I know it’s early, but I’m so excited to show you.” The teapot was ready, so I poured it while Denki got the bag ready to be steeped.

“Well, now, I’m curious.” I humored the blonde from time to time, but I had a feeling this was about to be impressive. “We can look after we warm up a bit, okay?”

“I don’t think I can wait that long.” He hugged me from behind, his body radiating heat. “So I’ll have to warm you up faster than the tea.”

“That’s one way to do it.” I hugged his arms, both of us swaying back and forth. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to go ahead and see the surprise. “Okay, let’s see it.”

“Yay,” he held my hand, guiding me to our bedroom. “You’re going to love this. Close your eyes.”

I did as asked, the soft hum of old music began to pour from the room. Stepping into our bedroom, I could sense the plush carpet under my bare feet, and I wondered why there were little hard pieces under my toes.

“Open.” It took a moment for my eyes to adjust. The whole room was blacked out, our drapes tapes down, and the little red light from the tv is gone.

“What’s going on?” I reached out, trying to find out where my boyfriend was, but I couldn’t find him. Lights suddenly came on, the ceiling full of Christmas lights.

“It’s the constellations!” he beamed, coming from the power strip I could barely see on the floor. “We live in the city, so I know it’s hard for you to see the stars. I wanted to bring them to us.”

“Denki.” His name fell from my lips, a smile growing the longer I looked at the detail. There weren’t just Christmas lights but glow in the dark stickers, fairy lights, and a galaxy projector in the corner. He flipped a switch, and the whole room looked like the milky way. “I’m speechless.”

“So you like it?” He pulled me close, swaying with the music that played. Listening closer, I suddenly realized it was the music they played to the rovers on Mars. Resting my head on his shoulder, I inhaled his cologne and tried to remember how it felt to be in this moment.

Being pressed against the person I loved most, dancing under the stars. His hands tapping against my lower back, his breath tickling my ear, the faint outline of his grin, all making my heart pound. I wanted to live in this exact moment forever.

“I love it.” I leaned back, spinning him. “This might just be the best gift of all time.” Hyping him up, he spun me this time, laughing.

“Hey, next year will be even better.” He assured me. “I’m going to take you to see the real stars, far away from the city lights.”

“That sounds magical too.” I gripped his chest.

“I have one more thing I want to do.” He suddenly stopped, squaring his shoulders and nodding. “May I have this kiss?”

“Oh,” if my heart wasn’t already soaring, it was now bouncing it’s way to my throat. “Of course.”

“Merry Christmas (Y/n), I love you.” He bent down, our lips meeting in a soft peck. I could taste the peppermint from our tree that he had been sneaking. “Why are you laughing?”

“I’m just thinking about how cute you are.” I gripped his cheeks, going in for a deeper kiss. When we pulled apart, he was putty in my hand. “That’s the spirit.” I pushed his hair back, the static giving me a familiar shock. “I love you, Denki.”

Bonus:

“Ahhh, the teas cold.” Denki was crestfallen coming back into the kitchen. After some debate about how much those lights would affect the electric bill, we decided to discuss it over our tea. More time had passed than we realized, and the water was, at best, tepid.

“It’s okay, we can make some more.” I chuckled, getting the kettle back on. “How about hot cocoa this time?”

“Sounds great.” He perked back up at the mention of cocoa, his eyes going to the tree. “I know I’ve already eaten half the candy canes, but can I have just one more for my cocoa?”

“Go for it, babe.”

   I washed my dishes and moseyed around the home. The window was patched up with garbage bags, and for the most part, that was all that was displaced in the main room.

Remembering my interview in the ER, I’m sure the police already on the trail to the bad guys. They questioned Shinso and Hizashi, too, and they even got the info from Sho. This just needed to end sooner than later. They even took my phone. Of course, it had been the root of a lot of my problems. An early warning system and a ''steal me" beacon. So I couldn't distract myself with music or pictures, or stress over pictures that would be sent to me, of me.

   Going back to bed, I just laid there. Everywhere I looked, I expected to be jumped, photographed, or tracked. The unease slowly turned to an anxiety attack, that turned to a panic attack when Hisoka pawed at my window. There was no way I was going to open it… I loved petting him, but I couldn't do it. It hurt so much.

   Grabbing my pillow and blanket, I slowly approached the hallway. Pacing the hall, I took shaky breaths and tried to get my courage. Trying Hizashi and Shota’s door, I turned the nob, but it was locked to my surprise. The first door in the hall caught my eye, the one I never dared to open. Maybe if I was super quiet, I could just sleep in there and not disturb Lint ball. Yea that'd be a good plan. We were almost friends now...it was okay.

   Tiptoeing, I very slowly turned the handle. It wasn’t locked thankfully, so I sauntered in holding my breath. Shinso’s back was to me, the blanket wrapped around him like a cocoon. The moonlight was shining through the window, lighting up his hair. He looked like he was out cold.

   My shoulder’s relaxed, and I laid my blanket at the foot of the bed, dropping my pillow down. Quietly lowering myself, I got comfy. The floor was hard and stressed my back, but it was easier than being anxious all night. Closing my eyes for the first time in two days, I started to drift off.

   “You want to explain why you’re in my room?” I jumped, sitting up and peering at him over the mattress. He was perched on one elbow, phone lazily in his hand, his light pointed on me.

   “Hu- I-. Good morning. You see, I was afraid. So, I just thought ,since Hizashi had the door locked, that I could just sneak in here and sleep without bothering you.” I played with my fingers and made small hand motions. Putting on a happy tone and trying not to be a creep.

   “You don’t have to sneak in.” He crawled out of bed, lazily yawning. “Hop up, Kitten. I’m not planning on sleeping for the rest of the night.” Hitoshi patted the mattress, and I didn’t even fight it.

   “Thank you. I would argue with you, but I’m too tired.” I rolled into the large bed, and my eyes went wide. Gasping, I grabbed a pillow and buried my head in the fabric. Inhaling the with deep breaths, a wave of joy washed over me.

   “What are you doing?” Hitoshi sat in his armchair and put his phone to the side. Leaning forward on his knees, he raised a brow.

   “Lemongrass and lavender… that was all you?” I sat up, and cocked my head to the side. "You were the one smelling like this the whole time?"

   “I use a pillow mist.” He held up a small bottle, and I blinked a few times, biting my lips.

   “This is going to be weird…but I have been sleeping so much better ever since Hizashi gave me a pillow that smelled like this. You have good taste.” I curled back down, closing my eyes and holding the pillow closer.  

   “It helps me too.” He mused, leaned back, scrolling through his phone again. “You were cool the other day. That cork move, you used in the blizzard biome. It was amazing.”

   “Thank you. It drained me, but it is a flashy move.” I popped my fingers, still filled with energy from being spoked.

   “It's a hero move. Why didn’t you pursue it?” I knew he was faking being interested in the phone at this point. The screen was dark, but his eyes were glued to the screen.

   “I got my license using only my coal quirk…but then I kind of got kidnapped, and then I just moved back in with my mother, didn’t leave the house for six months, and switched to an online university. Things just all changed after that. Just to do a painless summary.” I swallowed, trying to relax my shoulders. "Why'd you ask?"

   “I would have given anything for a heroic quirk when I was younger.” He sat the phone down, closing his eyes.

   “What, your quirk is so awesome. Like you literally saved my life multiple times. If younger you could see you now, he wouldn’t have any doubt that you are an amazing hero.” I got too loud, and I lowered my tone.

   “Aren’t you afraid I’ll use my quirk to hurt you?” He grabbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes. He did that way to often... has he just been nervous the whole time?

   “No. Why would you hurt me?” I blinked the sleep from my eyes and yawned. “Hitoshi Shinso, I am about to fall asleep in your bed, because I know you will protect me while I sleep. It’s very obvious to me that you are an amazing person.”

   “Tolerable to amazing so quickly?” He smiled, genuine, bright, and oh so handsome. “You really believe all that stuff.”    

   “Of course I do.” I got comfortable and inhaled the aroma. “Good night.”

   “Night.”

   Finally, at peace, I drifted off. There were no nightmares or underlining anxiety. It was just me in the middle of a prewarmed bed that made me want to sleep forever.

   I dreamed of Shota, Hizashi, Hitoshi, mom, and I at a picnic on the beach. Hizashi had brought a watermelon, and we all took turns smashing it open and enjoying all the juices. Then Hitoshi, Hizashi, and I went swimming and found lots of seashells I could use to decorate the house for summer.

   Hitoshi started to breathe jaggedly in my dreams and mumbled that he wasn’t a villain. I looked at his toned chest and felt my body being pulled up—mind swirling back to reality.

   The dream was disrupted, and I saw Hitoshi crying. He was slumped backward, struggling in a nightmare. I had been tucked into the covers at some point and struggled to free my arms. He pulled his hair and tenses his feet. Once I was out of the cocoon, I tumbled to the floor and then grabbed Hitoshi’s hands.

   “You’re safe. It’s okay.” I rubbed his knuckles, shaking him slightly. “Hitoshi, you are in your bedroom, and it’s a cold fall morning. There is an annoying girl in your room, and she wants you to relax.” He struggled against my grasp, but his eyes shot open, pushing forward and butting my forehead. Falling back on my ass, I rubbed my temple, mumbling.

   “Shit,” he breathed heavily, pressing his hands to his face. “I’m sorry.” Catching his breath, he wiped his eyes quickly.

   “Don’t be, it sounded like a rough nightmare.” Sighing, I knew what Dad would do in the situation. “Come on,” I tugged him from the chair and sat him on the bed. I got behind him and leaned him back, so he was resting on my chest. Running my fingers up and down his head, I hummed a gentle tune. “You can talk about it if you want.”

   “I was bullied for my quirk when I was younger…even now sometimes.” He sat up, pulling the cover over both of us. His lips quivering with each word, as he gave up laying back on me. “I think I’m over it, but then it just comes back..”    

   “Sounds traumatic. Of course, it would haunt you, it probably didn’t help I hyped you up before you passed out.” I massaged his forehead, and neck, then upper arms. The pressure on my chest hurt, but he needed this. I had several days to heal up, it was just a slight twinge, but I wanted to do this.

   “I just don’t know when I’ll be good enough for myself.” He growled, pulling his hair again. I grabbed his hands and laced our fingers, sliding him to the side so I could spoon him. “(Y/n).”

   “You are a hero. Hitoshi, you proved everyone wrong. You did it.” I reaffirmed, snuggling his back. “That was all with your power.”

   “Yea,” he swallowed, letting my hands go, and turning to face me. I wrapped arms back around him, clutching his shirt. “I never would have thought you’d be so clingy.”

   “Are you trying to change the subject, or are you trying to get me to leave?” I raised my brow, but when his hand wrapped around my hips, I knew.

   “Don’t go.” He looked so innocent, “I just never thought you'd do something like this for me."

   “So from tolerable to desired. What a drastic change.” I pressed my forehead to him, just to comfort him in his time of need. Someone owed me a BFF award for this...

   “It shocked me too, Kitten,” he yawned, eyes dropping, drifting off to sleep.

   The whole point of my coming here was to feel safe, but I was the protector now. If being close meant I could guard his dreams even for a moment, I wanted to do that. Surely I owed him more then a couple. Even if this looked wrong, it felt right. Running my fingers through his hair, I too slowly drifted back off.

   I heard a bunch of shutter sounds and feet bouncing around the room. Instead of getting up, I snuggled deeper into the bed, an arm wrapping tighter around my waist. More shutters and an ‘aww’ bounced off the walls.

   “Mic, can you please just let her sleep.” Hitoshi pulled the cover over my head. Sitting up, he rested his hand on my back getting me a gentle pat.

   “I’ve been caught. You two are just so cute.” Hizashi gushed, and I stirred up at his voice. Hitoshi’s hand kept me down, so I stayed put, yawning.

   “Go get ready for work Mic,” Hitoshi mumbled, laying back down, tossing his arm around my shoulders. "We'll be there in a minute."

   “But my babies-“ Hizashi’s quirk activated booming in the room. Hitoshi quickly shoved a pillow over my head. Mic continued to cry and babble about how cute we were, there was no use trying to sleep any longer.

   “Hizashi, please calm down.” I freed myself from the pillows protecting me and yelled over him.

   “You-“ Hizashi started, but then he blushed. I looked at my shirt, in the night, the string on my slip has snapped.

   “We’ll be in there in five minutes,” Hitoshi promised and removed the pillow from his ears.

   “It was a weird night. We didn’t go anything, pinkie promise.” I assured him and rubbed my neck. Of course, this old slip would give out when I was cuddling a dude.

   “Okay, I’ll see you at the table.” He took a few more pictures and filed out of the room, shutting the door. Covering his eyes as he left.

   Hitoshi stood up, stretching to the point his shirt rose up to show his stomach. He was so handsome...but the bed was colder without him. Instinctively I reach to pull him back down, but I stopped short.

   He turned and quirked his brow, seeing my outstretched hand. I brought it back to my chest and looked at the window. “Thank you for last night.” He sat back on the bed and laid on top of the cover.

“Where did you learn to do that.” He hummed, stretching his limbs even again. We had been tangled like sardines.    

   “My boyfriend.” He stiffened, frozen to the spot. I twirled over and wrapped my finger’s in his hair. “I’m kidding, the look on your face, though." I giggled. "But I've been single since birth, which means I learned it all from my dad. He was a master cuddlier, he tended to me when I was a baby and never sat me down." I thought about stopping myself, but he has been open the night before. "I never knew what it meant to be touch starved till he died. Mom isn’t very big on being touched. So, I just take long showers and hug pillows and bears.” I let his hair go and held myself instinctively. “He was a lot like Hizashi, so bright and loud. The brightest soul in the room. If I could be half of that, I’d be the happiest person alive.” I grabbed a pillow and buried my head in the scent.

   “We said, five minutes.” He pulled the pillow from between us, wrapped his arm around me, and guided my head on his chest. If I thought his pillows were nice, his actual body smelled intoxicating. I had been so consumed with comforting him last night I didn't notice. He was so warm and gentle, and the way he hummed so soothing. "But, I don't think Mic set a timer."

   “This is so nice,” I purred, drifting off again. “Do you have to go to work, Hitoshi?” He ran his fingers under my dress and scratched my back in small circles. This was inappropriate. Maybe sexual. Indecent. and yet…. “A little lower, ahh, that’s the spot.”

   “I have to go." He gently tapped my skin while ghosting his nails up and down.

   “Can we do this again?” I propped myself up my chin, offering him puppy dog eyes.

   “Whenever you want,” he patted my back a few times and got up. “Let’s get ready.”

   “I don’t have anywhere to be?” I sat up and closed my eyes when he took his shirt off.

   “We don’t think anyone else knows this location, but we need to be cautious.” Shinso was fumbling with a belt, and I tried not to think of him pulling on his pants.

   “Is there a reason you’re changing in front of me?” I blurted, using a pillow to cover my face.

   “I’m running late, thanks to you.” He pulled the pillow away and hovered inches from my lips. The space between us was shrinking. Of course, he looked so handsome in his bright purple scrubs.....

   “What did you buckle?” Shinso pressed his forehead to mine and head-butted me gently.

   “You really wanna know pervert?” He towered over me and lifted his shirt. There was his scarf wrapped around his waist and a holster with a small recording device. “It’s intel. You never know what someone might slip that you can catch on recording later.”

   I poked his side, then curled my fingers around his scarf tugging. He didn't budge, and I nodded in thought. “Is that too tight? You might pass out if it’s constricting you, or bruise.” I tugged harder and he actually lost his balance. I took this opportunity to shove him to the floor. There I rested my knee on his chest and restricted his arms. “I did it.” Seeing him pinned fully was so satisfying. In an instant, he flipped me over and straddled my lap. “Aww, that’s so not cool.”

   “You didn’t balance your stance.” Shinso let my wrists go, and I tried aimlessly to toss him off.

   “I thought you were running late?” I gave up, out of breath and flushed.

   “This is worth it.” He stood and pulled me up with him, he dusted off my back, and I knew it was his subtle form of gloating.

   “So I can’t stay home today, what do I need to do?” We went into the kitchen and started to eat breakfast with Hizashi, who was on an important phone call with Shota.

   “It would be dangerous for you to hang around the day care. I assumed you’d go to the radio station with Mic.” Shinso nudged my foot, and nodded towards Hizashi, he was starting to use his heated voice. A fight was about to break out….

   “Hizashi, tell Shota I pinned Shinso this morning,” I hollered over the island separating the space. If they were about to fight, they needed to know we were in ear shot.

   “I had you pinned.” Shinso shot back, munching into an apple.

   “As if I let you.” I crossed my arms, and Shinso offered me a small thumbs-up under the table. Shota and Hizashi had been in turbulent water after Hisoka got sick. We had taken it upon ourselves to buy them enough time for Shota to return home and have a real conversation about their issues. So until then, we were staying around the phone and offering them distractions.

   “I got to go, the kids are fighting. No. No, I do love you.” Hizashi hung up and paced back to the table. "Both of you look me." We sat to face him, and he cupped both of our faces. “ You both know I'm not going to get in your business. But are you two using protection? I can get you whatever you need. How long has this been going on?“

   “Ahh, no nono-we ain’t. Not like that.” Blood rushed to my brain, and I ran my hands across the table to find a knife to cut out my ears. "That's so gross. The hokey pokey, no way." Shinso gripped my shoulder and looked a little hurt. Did he want me to play along? Would this help distract Hizashi from his fight with uncle Sho?

"Hizashi, nothing happened." Shinso keeps his gaze locked on me, the panic seeping out of me.

"I'm sorry I was so brash jus than. Hizashi, it's just not- not like that." I put my hand on Shinso's smiling.

   Snap. “So cute, I'm glad it's just you two bonding. I'd support you no matter what, but I'm just glad you're not fighting anymore.” Hizashi had his phone out again and cooed. “Anyway, So (Y/n)’s going to work with me?”

   “Actually, I want to go home.” I popped my fingers, going to the fridge. “Mom asked me to visit last week, and I haven’t had the time.”

   “I don’t think that’s a good idea today,” Hizashi smoothed his hair that was up in the air. “We’re all working and can’t go with you.”

   “I want to go alone. To be honest, I haven’t had a second alone outside in months, which I am thankful for, it’s been scary. But I just want to blend in today and be normal.” I looked at myself, reflected in my water. “I’ve gotten braver than ever before, I want to make this trip. Superman could hide his identity with glasses, then so can I.” They neither one looked super convinced, but Hizashi finally nodded.

   “We can’t stop you, so I’m going to encourage it.” Hizashi pushed his phone to me. “Take it and use it to call Shota if something happens.”

   “Yes sir,” I nodded. “I’ll go get ready. Can one of you drop me off at the station?”

   “Sure thing,” Hizashi offered a charming smile.

   “Thank you.” I rushed off to get ready.

   Filling a bag with my Shinso snack stash (he had made it a habit to bring me goodies when he came home from work), and a good book. Then I pulled on a grey hoodie and put my hair into a tight bun to mask all the curls. Once I looked as nondescript as I could, I rejoined the boys and hopped in the car with Hizashi.

   Rock blasted through the speakers, and we both jammed out. Singing along and dancing in our seats. Hizashi and I vibed, and that was the best thing about living with Uncle Sho. I never would have met this fantastic person without moving into their house and getting to live out their closeted daydream. I wished they could be open and share their love with the family.

   Hizashi turned the music off, and I nearly fainted. He never turned it down, let alone off. “Hey, (Y/n).”

   “Yes,” I turned to observe him. His brow creased, and his lips went lax. Slowing down as we took a curve.

   “Do you like Shinso? You two could hardly look at each other a month ago.” He gripped the wheel tighter and swallowed. "I mean, you like him, but is there something I should know?"

   “I like him as a person. Like I told him, I rarely judge someone incorrectly on the first meeting.” Hizashi snickered, holding his voice down. “He’s a fine gentleman, with a smug attitude.”

   “You were in bed with him.” Hizashi couldn't hold back, whacking the back of my seat.

   “Shut up. I was afraid, and your door was locked.” The car hit a bump, and I nearly knocked my head against the windshield.

   “I knew you two would be good for each other,” Hizashi patted my knee.

   “You didn’t know me,” I argued, twisting the seat belt over my chest. "I mean, I just showed up and boom. An extra person to feed."

   “From what Shota said, I knew you two would hit it off. I just didn’t see you hating his guts right off the bat.” Hizashi pulled into the station, turning the music back up.

   “Well, he didn’t like me either. He was so rough and rude.” I unbuckled and wrapped my bag across my body. "I didn't think he'd change at all."

   “You think so,” Hizashi smiled, patting my knee, “he’s been smitten from the start.”

   “You’re a hopeless romantic, Hizashi.” I rolled my eyes, getting out of the car. “He barely tolerates me now. There is nothing between us.”

   “(Y/n), you should reevaluate that statement.” Hizashi drove after me as I walked. “I love you, be safe and text me.”

Ideas of what I enjoy writing and feel I do well:

Soulmate Aus

Mermaid Aus

Hurt and Comfort

Action and Adventure

Fluff

Plus Size readers <3

Beach Au's

Au's in general

Foes to Friends to Lovers

Mental Health Comfort

Anything else, just ask!

So one more thing, I may change your request around to fit into my idea. So please know when you submit, I will use your request as the jumping-off point and run with it from there. Also submit a few characters, with your preferred one, so I have options! I write for Haikyuu and BNHA at the moment, but I also can write for others if you check with me. I might start to write for Fire Force, or get back into my Naruto Phase.  

Tags to Blacklist! If you don't want to see some sensitive topics, I tend to use the tags that are : Tw (than the word of the trigger). If I cover a heavy topic, I always put the warning above, but I try to put any super heavy stuff on my Ao3, as they have better tags. I also add, #shayde chats when I answer asks or #shayde update. Feel free to ask me any questions! I am very laid back and easy to get along with. I am in grad school, so keep that in mind when it comes to how fast I can work <3 .