Boys, Bruises, and Babystting (kagehina)

Smooches, Serves, and Sleepovers

The typhoon left even the farthest inland towns devastated. The residents of Miyagi prefecture had scarcely been hit, but the Hinatas' relatives hadn't been so lucky. The storm resulted in the destruction of their great-aunt's waterside inn.

Without her husband, the woman had to rely on her children and nephews to help her consolidate the ordeal. Worriedly, Natsu's mother rushed off in her aunt's time of need. So for the time being, Natsu was in full custody of her beloved older brother. This posed a problem when it came time for Shouyo to head off to volleyball practice. Without any other option, he packed a few juice boxes and a little snack into his sports bag and led his younger sister to her own bike.

☆★☆

Natsu was a big girl, she was more than capable of riding a bike all on her own without training wheels. Her shiny purple bike was covered in miscellaneous animal stickers and sported a nifty little silver bell on the handlebars.

It took a bit longer than expected for the two of them to make it to the gym (mainly because Natsu was marveling over a cat by the entrance for five minuets). When the siblings had finally arrived, practice was already well on its way.

"Oi, you're late." A scary-looking man with hair the color of a lion had his arms crossed over a play clipboard. Before he could further reprimand the boy, he was rendered speechless by the tiny girl zipping her street shoes into her little backpack.

Gazing around the new scenery in bewilderment, Natsu didn't have time to be afraid of any of the big, scary men in the gym.  Her eyes skimmed over it all before she skidded across the room and shrilly cried out "Kageyama-nii-chan!"

He dropped his water bottle with a heavy thud and braced his legs instinctively, as if he were receiving a ball. Nastu launched herself gracelessly into his arms, the poor boy barely had time to ready himself for the impact.

Panic and discord settled haphazardly around the gymnasium. Daichi stood motionless and slack-jawed,  Sugawara had a run over with a towel to sop up the spilled water, Coach Ukai was too busy scolding Shouyo to care, and Yachi was flailing spastically without knowing what to do or say. Ennoshita and the other second-years were in awe, applauding their underclassman, while Tsukishima began to ring out into a roaring chord of laughter.

The small child clutched the front of the boy's shirt. She started carrying on a conversation with the young setter. This brought a beautifully natural smile onto Kageyama's lips and he replied with a beautiful melody of laughter brought tears to his teammates' eyes. It was the fist time they had witnessed his smile when it wasn't scary.

Shouyo found himself prostrating himself on the floor, the coach began to lay into him for bringing a child to practice. Apologizing fervently, he begged the coach to be lenient. Relenting, the adult sighed.  "Just for the time being, okay?"

"COACHHHH!" The first year exclaimed with tears in his eyes.

☆★☆

Contently, Natsu sat on the floor next to Kiyoko as she mixed sports drinks. Practice was nearly over and the sun was dipping beyond the horizon. Nastu was perfectly fine with sitting on the sidelines.

She liked the way the coach's hair spiked about his head, and the mild-mannered supervisor that praised her drawings during breaks, as well as the two pretty managers that let her help out in small ways like shaking the sports drink mix into the water bottles and keeping score during mock battles. She did her best to be helpful to the team and made the cutest little manager ever seen.

In return, Natsu got to watch her 'nii-chans' preform their specialty moves from close-up. It was almost magical and the way they pulled it off and enthralled her.

Natsu sat, mesmerized, waiting eagerly for the next action.  Every break she would run up to her brother and gush over how cool he looked out on the court. Then she would go visit all of the boys and ask them all sorts of questions.

She marched herself on over to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima with the most serious expression on her face. "Yama-san, how did you and Tukishi-san eat get so tall?" She inquired, planting her little fists on her hips. Sure, the beanpole first-year was generally rude, however, the child had been nothing but amusing; he kneeled down so that he was eye-level with Natsu and responded in a grave tone: "Miracle-gro." She nodded her head in understanding.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi shouted, the only time anyone had ever heard the boy speak out against his friend in protest.

"What a horrible attitude." Narita whispered to Kinoshina who dipped his head in agreement.

Suga was outraged, and he pulled out his best scolding tone. "Don't put ideas like that in her head!"

Daichi joined in, "Are you going to take responsibility if she actually tries it?"

"Natsu you can't!" Screeched Shouyo, running after the little girl as she changed 'miracle-gro' about the gymnasium.

The younger Hinata sibling was interrupted when she bumped her head into something. "Natsu...-chan...." A voice called out to her. She rubbed her head and looked up. "Do you want to be tall?" Kageyama questioned.

"Mhmm!" She hummed while vigorously bobbing her head. "Just like you and Tsukishima-san!" She beamed.

"Natsu you can't eat miracle-gro." He said emotionlessly, placing a hand on her small shoulder. They slumped.

"But... w-, but why?" Her bottom lip jutted out and wriggled. Tears danced on her lower eyelids.

"Because only monsters can eat miracle-gro." He lied smoothly to the young child.

"Monsters?" Natsu breathed in a hushed tone. Kageyama nodded his head in confirmation, Her head creakily turned to face the two 'monsters' and she let out a muffled shriek.

"That's what you get for making fun of him." Ennoshita sighed, clucking his tongue as the two first-years stood dumbfounded.

"Sorry, Tsukki."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

☆★☆

When practice had finally ended it was long past dark. Natsu walked her bike in between her brother and his boyfriend. Normally at this time she would be sleepy, but more than anything else, she was excited. She had learned a lot that day and she was on her way to 'Kageyama-nii-chan's house'. "Are you sure we can come over? Your folks won't be mad?"

"They aren't home." The younger of the pair said matter-of-factly. An unspoken tension second itself in the atmosphere between the boys and made itself at home.

"Oh" Shouyo said softly, his cheeks flushed, only noticeable when they passed under a street light. They walked along in silence for a few minuets before the awkward science was broken.

"Does this mean we having a slumber party at Kageyama-nii -chan's?"