Kei stood, taking in said destination.

The hotel billed itself as a luxury ryokan, the emphasis on 'luxury' apparent from the size and style of the entrance to the fact that Kei could hear the ocean. He couldn't see the shoreline from where he stood but he assumed it would be prominently on display when they checked in. Proximity to the ocean was the type of thing hotels loved to feature and upcharge for.

He glanced over his shoulder when he heard the others getting out of the van, first Tadashi, then Ennoshita, and lastly Ushijima. The driver made it to the passenger side just in time to meet him and offer official greetings as Ushijima unfolded his large body from the small space.

Another hotel employee approached in a suit from the entrance, walking up to Tadashi when Kei waved them off.

"Tsukishima-san?"

"Oh, yes! That's me," Tadashi said, bowing when the employee bowed deeply to him.

"We're so excited to have you and your guests staying here with us," the employee said, smiling and nodding at each of them individually. "If you'll follow me inside, we can get you checked in so you can relax from your travels. Please leave your luggage, our staff will take care of it for you."

"Thank you," Ennoshita said to two porters who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Tadashi also watched the sudden flurry of activity until the suited employee prompted him again.

"Right this way, Tsukishima-san."

"Yes, of course!" Tadashi said, following the employee towards the entrance with Ennoshita at his side.

Kei lingered for a moment to watch the porters unload their suitcases from the van. He didn't doubt their ability to complete the job, especially employees of such a high-end establishment, but Tadashi had packed more than Kei thought was necessary and it would be troublesome to track something down later if it was misplaced. He counted the luggage as it went onto the cart, satisfied that everything was accounted for as the porters pushed the luggage up a ramp to a side entrance of the hotel.

He was ready to follow Tadashi and the hotel employee when a different movement caught his eye.

Kei turned to see Ushijima still standing at the curb where the van had been parked, the latter now gone, likely driven away once the luggage was unloaded. Ushijima was bent low in the knees, practically a squat, the movement that Kei had spotted in the corner of his eye. He repeated the bend two more times before shifting into a lunge position.

They were both about the same height. Kei and Ushijima were more similar in height than either of them were to Tadashi or Ennoshita. It made sense that out of the four of them, it would be Ushijima who was similarly affected by the long car ride.

Ushijima wasn't one for conspiratorial glances but Kei felt right in assuming a sense of camaraderie from the quiet grunts Ushijima gave off as he stretched.

Kei righted the strap of his bag on his shoulder and proceeded to the hotel entrance.

He didn't have to go far before he caught up to Tadashi.

The grand hotel entrance opened up to a lush garden, one that Kei had seen in many pictures during the trip planning process. It was a signature feature of the hotel and the suited hotel employee seemed to know to give Tadashi and Ennoshita space to take it in. They remained on the stone path as Ennoshita walked towards the large pond.

"Tadashi," Ennoshita said, looking back with his hands on the bridge railing, "it's just like the pictures."

Tadashi approached the edge of the pond to peer over the railing, following the point of Ennoshita's hand to something that made him smile.

"They look happy."

Kei turned to see Ushijima standing next to him. He shouldn't have been surprised, it made sense that Ushijima would also come this way, but he was still caught off guard by the sudden conversation.

He nodded. It was a simple statement, factual to agree with.

"They do."

Ushijima wasn't an overly expressive person. Kei liked that about him; no mindless chatter at unnecessary volumes. It made the things he did say or do stand out that much more. Kei could see emotion furrow his already hardened brow.

"Chikara has been under a lot of stress working at the new clinic," Ushijima said, his eyes cast towards the pond.

Kei followed the line of sight, watching Ennoshita hold Tadashi steady as he stretched his arms out to take a photo.

"Tadashi's been stressed out too," he said, sliding his hands into his pockets. "His last project faced one problem after another."

Movement stirred in the pond, perhaps awakened by the presence of an audience. A fish jumped up which startled a duck which almost caused Tadashi to drop his phone into the water. Thankfully, four hands were better than two and Tadashi managed to grab it, with Ennoshita making the assist. They burst into laughter when the phone was safely back in Tadashi's pocket.

Ushijima turned to Kei, an action Kei mirrored on instinct.

"It's nice to see them happy," Ushijima said.

Kei nodded, sharing the sentiment. "It is."

Ushijima nodded in turn before his attention was pulled away.

"Toshi," Ennoshita called from the pond.

Ushijima made his way over at once, his face taking on a rare smile when he reached Ennoshita.

"Tsukki!"

Tadashi rushed over to Kei, aglow with his recent laughter. It was only then that Kei realized how little he'd seen this expression from Tadashi in the last few months. He seemed lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Tsukki," Tadashi said again, reaching for Kei's hand. He pulled Kei in the direction of the pond. "You have to come see this!"

Kei put up no resistance as they walked across the grass.

"Slow down, Tadashi," he said. The path was worn down but not paved. He didn't want Tadashi to trip. "The koi aren't going anywhere."

Tadashi stopped when they reached the bridge railing. He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, his face a beam of joy as his smile grew to reach his freckles.

"Sorry, Tsukki."

Kei interlaced their fingers and looked out at whatever it was he just had to see.

He was humoring them a bit.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the luxury of the hotel, or the natural wonder of the ocean, or the garden.

Kei looked, taking in said wonder.

“Do you know why I’m disappointed in you?”  Keishin asked without hesitation.  “I’ll give you one guess.”

“Well if they would tell us stuff we wouldn’t have to eavesdrop,” Keiji muttered petulantly as he helped Tadashi to his feet.

“Zero remorse.  Gotcha.”  Keishin looked from Keiji to Tadashi.  “And you, Tadashi?”

“Sorry,” Tadashi muttered, eyes on the ground.  “But Keiji’s right.  They never tell us anything.  How’re we supposed to-”

“You need to learn the basics before you can grow.”  Keishin looked between them again and then sighed at whatever look was on Keiji’s face.  He reached out and tapped Tadashi’s forehead to get him to look up and when Tadashi did Keishin’s eyes were soft.  “Just.  Trust me would ya?”

—

They were twelve and thirteen years old, shoulders pressed together and foreheads pressed against the cold glass as they watched everyone scurry around in the rain far below them.

“At this point we have to assume that he is a willing participant in all of this.”

Tadashi wanted to turn around and tell them.  Tell them all how wrong they were.

“Yes.  No doubt strung along by that servant of his.”

The shoulder pressing into his pressed a little harder.  The glass was warming up under his forehead.  He wanted to turn around.

“No doubt at all.  They were seen together not far from a border post just a few weeks ago.”

The words sank in as Tadashi stared down at the people.  Seen together.  They were alive.  The world blurred beyond the window and his head pounded.  He wanted to bash it against the glass to straighten his thoughts out, to set them free.  Surely that was the best option, the only option he had right now.

Cool air swept into the room, washing over his heated skin and he froze at the sensation.  Keishin leaned in the open window and waved him to it.  The rest of the room ignored him, ignored the way Tadashi slunk to the window, ignored the way Keiji was a step behind him.  Ignored them leaving out the window and scurrying to the nearby scaffolding.

“One guess,” Keishin said as they hurried down the ladders, voice nearly hidden under their clanging descent.

“Even if I talk they won’t listen to me,” Tadashi grumbled when his feet hit the muddy ground.

“And you, Keiji?”  Keishin watched Keiji leap off the level above them and land at Tadashi’s side gracefully.

“If I speak they won’t even acknowledge it.  Which is why I simply listen.”

“You still trust me, right?”  They looked at each other and then back at Keishin before nodding.  “That’s good.  Just.  Remember to trust each other before you trust anyone else, okay?”

—

They were sixteen and seventeen years old, backs pressed together and wrists tied together tight no matter how much they struggled.  It was dark and damp and for a moment Tadashi wondered what would be worse: not being able to tell how many days had passed or watching the sun rise and set each day with the sinking realization that no one was coming for you and even if they were they wouldn’t get there in time.

There are no voices but their own.  No droning dignitaries and nobles.  No whispering guards.  It’s just them.  Just Tadashi and Keiji hoping for the best.

There are no shadows.  No light.  No rain.  No wind.

“I keep expecting a door to open or a panel to slide to the side and Keishin to step in wearing his disappointed face,” Keiji murmured, voice raspy and harsh from the countless hours spent down here.  “One guess,” he rasped out in his best imitation of Keishin’s voice.

“I wish that I could just be brave,” Tadashi whispered back automatically, as honest upon hearing that phrase as ever, even though it ached to think of Keishin; he’d been gone for three years already.  “But I’m terrified Keiji.”

“That’s alright,” Keiji wiggled against his back a little and Tadashi tensed.  He had a bad feeling about where this was going.  “I can be brave for both of us.  Trust me.”

“Like I’ve never trusted anyone else.”

—

They were twenty-one and twenty-two years old, bodies tangled together in an uncomfortable press of limbs that only got worse each time one of them moved.  Tadashi winced when his elbow caught Keiji’s shoulder and Keiji grunted.  They had survived assassination attempts, kidnapping, being left in a hole underground and they got tripped up by a net trap in the forest less than a day from the border.  The ground spun and swirled under them and for a moment Tadashi was sure he was going to throw up.

“All that work and we net a couple of people?  Boring.”

The bright voice made Tadashi feel even more nauseous for a moment somehow.

“What are you talking about?  There shouldn’t be any people out here at all.”

Keiji tensed against him when the voices drew nearer.  The voice was right, though.  There shouldn’t be any people out here.  It was why he and Keiji had chosen this route to the border after all.  Tadashi squeezed his eyes closed against the nausea — did he hit his head without realizing it maybe? — only to snap them open when he heard a familiar voice.

“Do you know why I’m disappointed in you two?”

“Because we were stupid enough to get caught in a trap,” Keiji spit out bitterly just as the bright voice below them grumbled, “Because we left the camp alone?”

“Keishin?”  Tadashi sputtered out.  He couldn’t believe his eyes.  It was a trick, a cruel trick, it had to be.  He was still trapped in that damp, dark hole and was hallucinating.  That was the explanation.

“Tadashi?  Keiji?”  Keishin looked as shocked at Tadashi felt.  “You two sure do know how to make an entrance.  Cut em down,” he said to the two guys standing under the net.

Once they untangled themselves and Keiji rolled out his shoulder Keishin gestured for them to follow him, sending the other two guys ahead.

“You two are gonna want to see this,” Keishin promised.  “Trust me.”

—

They were twenty-one and twenty-two years old, shoulders bumping as they pushed through the undergrowth and stumbled into the middle of a camp.  The conversation quieted and everyone went tense until Keishin stepped up behind them and nudged them forward.  It was more unnerving than being caught under the table eavesdropping on the council, than being locked in a dungeon, than being snatched up in the dark of night to places unknown.  Tadashi reached out for Keiji’s hand and squeezed, shoulders relaxing a fraction when Keiji squeezed back just as hard.

“So what is all the ruckus about?”  Keiji gasped at the voice.  “Hinata is beside himself with excitement.”

His fingers were crushing Tadashi’s.  But that was okay because he crushed Keiji’s right back when he looked over at the source of the voice.

“Wakatoshi?”  

Tadashi had never heard Keiji sound so shaken, not even when they had been five and six and had stumbled into the other rooms connected to their suite in the mansion only to find the beds empty and Wakatoshi and Chikara gone.  But if Wakatoshi was here that meant Chikara had to be somewhere close.  Wakatoshi would never leave his side just like Keiji would never leave Tadashi.

His eyes darted around the camp, searching for the boy he had never lost faith in, and then darted around again looking for the man he had become over the last sixteen years.

“Looking for someone in particular?”

Tadashi whipped his head around.  Chikara was standing beside Wakatoshi grinning at them and Tadashi threw himself into Chikara’s arms without hesitation.

“You know they are saying some horrible things about you two in the capital,” Wakatoshi said conversationally to Keiji as they watched the other two.

“They’ve said much worse about the two of you.”  Keiji gave him a hard look.

Tadashi could hear them, could see them, but he didn’t care what they were talking about.  A friend he had thought had been lost for most of his life was back at his side and nothing would stop them now.  Chikara put his arm around Tadashi’s waist and tugged him over to Keiji and Wakatoshi.

“Well,” Chikara said with a grin, “shall we see what sort of horrible things we can get them to say now that the four of us are back together again?”

“I always told you four that one day you’d take over the world.  If you ever stopped being little shits.”  Keishin settled himself on a nearby stump and propped his chin in his hand.  Tadashi collapsed at Keishin’s feet, dragging Keiji down with him and laughing so hard his gut churned.  Chikara settled next to him with a fond smile and Wakatoshi followed suit.

“Okay then.  What’s our next move?”  He asked when he could finally breathe enough to talk.