Level Pair (Haikyuu!! Winged AU)

Level Pair; Restless 1/1

Restlessness is discontent—and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man—and I will show you a failure. ~Thomas Edison

Kageyama grabs a skin with water as he takes a break away from the makeshift net they've set up on the sand. Dropping down on a driftwood log, he lets out a long breath in content.

In a matter of ten short days, Hinata had been grounded, Kageyama'd discoved the redhead was his leveler, they'd trekked back to a hostile home and narrowly escaped 'death by Kuroo', their unit had been dissolved, he'd lost a Volley match against his father, Hinata'd faced banishment from said home, he'd fled what couldn't be called home anymore with Shouyou, and they'd been saved by Kuroo and Kenma instead of offed. In ten days, their entire lives had been altered so far from what they had been, that he could hardly draw any similarities between them.

It's been six months. Six months of difficult trials and challenges. Six months of frustration and aggravated tension. Six months of figuring out their new and totally unstructured lives. Six months of awkward limbo. And Kageyama doesn't regret it in the least.

They've both changed a bit, Kageyama thinks as he watches the redhead happily pop the ball back and forth with the others in the chill morning ocean breeze that blows in lightly off the water. The seasons are changing, the nights growing longer and the days cooler. Just this morning, Hinata had been completely glued to his side for warmth... not that he minded. And just like time initiates a turn of seasons in the world around them, he can tell they are changing, too. He's definitely more aware of the differences in Shouyou, but he knows he's also weathered his own.

But where most of his are probably more internal, a lot of Hinata's are visible. He's definitely gotten tan from all the time spent in the sun on the sandy beach playing Volley. There are a few newer scars that glow white against the bronze of his skin now, particularly a long line across one calf and a silvery one on his shoulder. And his feather base has healed over completely and is now nothing more than a thick twisted scar, as well. Their hair has also gotten longer— definitely too long for his father's militant standards, but it's become one of Kageyama's favorite things about Hinata.

There are more subtle things that most people wouldn't realize... like how all of Hinata's muscles seem more defined without the aid of his wings in movement to smooth them out, and the bottoms of his feet are tougher than they used to be. He moves now as if he'd never had wings, no hesitation in his leaps or when he swings at the ball. He's gotten good at hitting it square now almost every time, the ball snapping off his palm like lightning.

Ground Volley had actually proved to be quite a bit harder than what they'd played back home. Kageyama had definitely struggled at not using his wings at first. They were such an integral part of him that he never even thought about them; they just moved on their own. And since Ground Volley was played on a smaller field, it was also much faster. Being able to play without using one's wings was a necessity in order to keep up. Hinata's attacking limb was considerably smaller than a wing, and it required far more precision to set the ball in the correct spot.

Hinata had excelled with his sharp reflexes and constantly made progress while Kageyama felt like he'd had to earn every bit he'd gained. He'd mastered it just the same, but damn, had it been taxing... both physically and mentally. It had been a sobering reminder that while he'd faced the 'flightless' challenge only in Volley, Hinata was facing it in nearly every facet of life.

The redhead had settled into it, though, and for the most part you wouldn't see the lack of wings bother him... but there were moments. Usually it was a nightmare and he'd wake from a dead sleep against Kageyama in a frenzy before at least one other hand would find him through the dark for support in addition to what comfort he himself could provide. But sometimes it would be something completely random and without warning. Maybe it was an object he couldn't reach without help where he'd have had no issue before, or perhaps it was one of the tart berries that Noya's mom could turn into amazing desserts. It could be something minor and momentary or something that could depress him for a whole day.