Level Pair (Haikyuu!! Winged AU)

Level Pair; Day Seven 1/3

True love means you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be. ~Nicholas Sparks

Shouyou follows Kageyama through the underbrush, his attention locked on the taller crow. Kageyama's definitely dragging as the sun hits its high point in the sky. His pace hasn't eased in the slightest over yesterday's but he's tripped twice and has barely spoken. He looks nearly as fatigued as that time after that Gamut Run exercise they'd done right before the Grand King started giving them these scouting missions. They'd barely slept for seven days straight and had all been virtual walking corpses by the time they were done.

That jerk didn't wake me till the last couple hours before sunrise, Shouyou mentally grumbles. He can definitely see how his focus would be slipping. He also doubts that Kageyama realizes only one of the cats was still around again when they left. He'd made no mention of it and Shouyou almost wonders if he's forgotten about them. The black one is still following them, but it's been a little while since Shouyou last caught a glimpse of it so maybe it's gone, too.

But even if Kageyama is damn near spent, Shouyou can tell the other boy is growing antsy. The black head of hair that bobs ahead of him is basically in a full on charge without so much as a single deviation in direction, so they must be getting close. And Shouyou's gut is slowly twisting with tension with every step closer to the rookery. When they'd first started this hike back home, he'd have given just about anything to see them all again.

He'd wanted to hear Daichi rebuke them for being distracted on their scouting run. He'd longed to see the outrage on Tanaka's face and his homicidal grimaces as he planned the white winged bastard's annihilation. He'd wanted to feel the comfortable and familiar presence of Noya as he helped with preparations for said assassination. He'd wished for Asahi's rare burst of motivation and drive that could only be brought out by the distress of someone else in their unit. And he'd have welcomed Suga's calm and steady guidance that complimented Daichi's leadership so well.

But now that it's almost upon them... he's not so sure. Shouyou tries not to think how this reunion will go down. He doesn't want to see the horror and pity on the others' faces. He doesn't want to have them cater to him as if he were dying. He doesn't want to see the pain in their faces as they realize he will never be able to fly with them again, never truly be 'part' of their unit again. The thoughts make him cringe and he subconsciously crowds closer to Kageyama.

Kageyama might feel guilty and Shouyou may have seen a moment or two where it bleeds through, but he hasn't looked at him with sorrow or torment. He hasn't treated him like an invalid, and he has only been looking forward and expecting him to do the same. He doesn't act like Shouyou is broken; it is simply something new that they have to figure out. Disposition wise, Kageyama hasn't been much different from normal. In truth, Kageyama's reaction has made it more bearable and there are moments where he can almost forget he's grounded. He can't help but feel that if he stays with Kageyama, other people will follow the Grand King's son's lead. If people treat him normal, even if flightless, he thinks that maybe... maybe he can do this. Maybe he can still be a crow even though he doesn't have wings.

Still, Shouyou can't help the way his thoughts drop cynically. They still have to get this by the Grand King before anything else can get off the ground. Shouyou's seen how Tooru handles someone who becomes too injured to fly. They're set up with a permanent dwelling on the ground, more or less banished from the rookery itself. They don't usually last very long down there, though- a few years at best, and it is a rare sight to see a grounded avian in the trees of the rookery even on a short visit.

The thought of being separated from everyone he cares about... being separated from Kageyama... makes his chest tighten. He will be able to figure out how to survive without wings, as hard as that will be. Life will never be the same and he doubts there will ever be a day where he won't miss them, but he can survive this. Others have gone through this before, he should be able to, as well. He can deal with being banned from the rookery, too, he thinks. It would just be living on the ground instead of in the trees, which will probably make more sense anyway. But to be cut off from his unit is something he can't even fathom. He's been surrounded by them for the last seven centuries; he doesn't really have much for memories from before all of them. His real mother... even she's more a happy impression of warmth and love than she is a memory, and Momma Yu is really the only face that rises in his head when he thinks 'mom'. He's spent ninety-eight percent of his time around his unit since he was less than five-hundred years old. He knows them all like the back of his own hand. To suddenly be without them forever? The feeling building in his lungs is nothing but desolate loneliness when he thinks about that.

Kageyama is adamant, though, and Shouyou can't help but think that if there is someone who could get his father to bend the rules, it's him.

Hinata catches movement in the sky through a break in the trees and pauses. Black wings— a sentry. Sucking in a breath, he looks to Kageyama.

But Kageyama hasn't seen it; he continues forward with even steps.

And for a long moment, Shouyou is utterly torn. He would like nothing more than to turn and head back the other way, river and cats and all. He wants to prolong this moment, make it stretch as far as he can, because right now, he still has the pieces of the life he'd had only last week. He still has Kageyama. He still has his unit and his friends, his sense of belonging. He still has Momma Yu and his family. He hasn't lost any of those things yet. The moment he sets foot back in the rookery, the chance to try and make all those pieces fit together once more— even if they don't ever fit quite right and are always a little fractured— that chance will likely be gone forever, his fate resting in the hands of another.

He is terrified of the coming encounter and the faces he will see. He's even more frightened of the final conclusion of what will become of him and the very real possibility of losing everything. But he knows Kageyama has had this one goal in mind with resolute ferocity since they'd left the fallen log they'd first sheltered under by the river what seems like ages ago. Kageyama is the heir to lead their murder of three thousand crows and other sheltering avians. No matter how selfish Shouyou wants to be and keep him for himself, Kageyama needs to go home.

Besides... it's the safest place that Kageyama could possibly be.

Shouyou squeezes his eyes shut, hating his own indecision. A tear escapes down his cheek and the redhead takes a deep breath... and screeches.

For as tired as he is, Kageyama nearly jumps out of his skin. He's back beside him before his cry ends, but Shouyou won't look at Kageyama. He's focused on the blurring image of wings in the sky, and lets loose another shriek. Kageyama is trying to talk to him, to get his attention, but Shouyou won't let this sentry escape.

He can tell he's lost control of his emotions; the stupid shape in the sky keeps falling out of focus as his eyes keep watering over. But the next time he sees it clearly, it's changed directions. His voice carried this time, he succeeded. Shouyou emits one more piercing trill before he's out of breath and collapses to the ground, Kageyama following his movement like a shadow.

"Shouyou, what's the matter? Are you alright?" Kageyama is talking to him, trying to get him to talk back. Shouyou can only look back with leaking eyes and a small smile.

"You're going to make it back home, Kageyama."

The other boy stares at him uncomprehendingly.

"...What? What do you mean? Of course, we--" Kageyama breaks off as he hears the wing beats and turns to see the closing sentry. The tension eases in his frame and he turns back and grabs Shouyou's shoulders, a tired grin tugging at his mouth.

"We're going to make it back home." He corrects.

It's all Shouyou can do to keep his smile on his face. If they are going back home, why is his gut twisting with so much dread?