Friskie Kitties and Overbearing Owls

The Sand Beneath My Feet

Despite Nana's protest and Kenma's slow but sure retreat, both were dragged onto a train to the country side. Nana hadn't been out there very often, but she knew it was where Honoka's parent's resided. She was a country girl although you wouldn't know just looking at her. They walked the country side and went shopping in the shops in Honoka's hometown. 

She bought a bunch of candy Nana hadn't heard of and reminisced about her childhood for hours before she let them drag her back to the train. It was late afternoon by the time they got back to the city and Nana was done with everybody. 

"Well, that was a load of fun and good times," she said as she stretched her arms high. "Now I need a nap."

Honoka hooked her arm in hers. "No way! This is the perfect time to go to the beach. Come on, I'll buy you a swimsuit."

"Wait a second," Nana whined as she was dragged off towards the beach. Well, I did tell my  family I might be kidnapped...

Honoka was showing her only the bikinis, which she tried to sell real hard. Nana wasn't buying into it one bit. She grabbed a one piece swimsuit and a hoodie and shorts. It didn't make her feel any better that she essentially looked like a female version of Kenma in identical beach attire. They were obviously not planning on getting in the water. Kuroo and Honoka were like children splashing around in the water. 

Nana sat beside Kenma on the beach, watching with some amusement as Kuroo tossed Honoka into an oncoming wave. "I thought he was supposed to be on punishment or something," she said. 

"I didn't expect her to keep to that," Kenma replied. "I've seen her try."

Nana smiled at the implications. "Well, they are a couple. They should be having fun, not fighting."

Kenma looked at her and tilted his head. "Why aren't you going out there?"

"I don't feel like getting soaking wet right now. All the sand is bad enough."

After about an hour Kuroo and Honoka came running up the beach laughing and breathing hard. "Why are you two sitting up here like a pair of strays? Afraid of the water?" Kuroo teased. 

"I don't feel like wearing soggy clothes," Nana replied. "Are you guys ready to go home yet?"

"No way!" Honoka shouted. "We wanted to hang out with our favorite little hamster. Wanna walk down the beach?"

Nana shrugged and got the her feet. Kuroo scooped her up and ran for the water.

"No! No! Honoka-chan!"

"Kuroo, put her down!" 

He stopped and released her with a sheepish grin. "It was worth a shot." Nana punched him in the arm and ran back to Honoka. Kuroo put on a tee and Honoka wrapped a towel around her body. They walked down the beach picking up shells and kicking waves as they washed up on shore. Kuroo walked closest to Nana. She tried to ignore him but he just had to speak.

"We finally got you out here," he said. "How does it feel?"

She shot him a glare then looked back at her feet. Pieces of shells peppered the shore at the water's edge. 

"I'm sorry about trying to throw you in the water," he said. "I just can't help myself sometimes. I get the urge to do something and I can't not do it, you know?"

"No, I don't," she replied. "I'm..."

"Something on your mind?" He gave her that smirk and she rolled her eyes.

"I was just thinking... It's a little weird being here with everyone but Bokuto. Saying that is probably going to be a the start to a downward spiral to this conditional relationship we have going on, but it's kinda weird."

"I won't tell him if you don't want me to," Kuroo said. "Just tell me not to and I won't."

"Do not tell Bokuto I said that," she said. "I wouldn't hear the end of it."

Kuroo gave a full smile at that. "I guess that means you've gotten used to the owl head. And I guess that means I should give up on you and Kenma even thought you dress alike."

Nana shook her head. "It was an accident! I didn't know he was gonna wear something like this to the beach. It's weird."

"So you're weird."

"Stop, please."

Kuroo had too much fun teasing the shorter woman. She was so easy to rile up since her defenses were always up. "Oh, look who it is!" he shouted suddenly. 

Nana looked over her shoulder then took off running. "B-Bokuto!"

"Kuroo! You were supposed to keep her distracted for me," he said as he ran up to him. 

He chuckled. "It's not like you can't catch up to her. Go get her!" 

Bokuto took chase after Nana and she was trying her hardest, but alas, the sand was her enemy. She fell into the sand just as Bokuto caught up to her. He let out a victorious shout as he pulled her back up onto her feet then picked her up. I should have kept my big mouth shut, she thought as she covered her face from all the eyes they were attracting. "Put me down! People are staring, Bokuto!"

He put her down and helped know some of the dirt from her clothes. "That's never coming out," he laughed. 

"It's your fault for chasing me," she mumbled as she continued to try anyhow. 

"Wanna go wash it off?"

"No."

"It should be more fun now that he's here, right?" Kuroo said as he walked up behind her. 

She looked back at him then forward again where Bokuto offered his hand. "If you're scared of getting swept away by the waves then you can sit on my shoulders."

"Maybe if you were still playing volleyball I'd trust your body to stay upright, but I don't," she replied.

"Ouch, Nana-chan."

She took off her hoodie and shook it off before sticking it in the back where everyone else's clothes were. Honoka put her towel away and Kuroo shed his shirt. Everyone's eyes fell on Kenma. "Do I have to?"

"If Nana's doing it, you can do," Honoka said. "Come on, let's go!"

He reluctantly shed his hoodie and put it away before being pulled along to the rushing waves. The water was freezing and Nana kept freaking out about things touching her, but Bokuto made her forget about it. Mostly by tossing her in the water and making her chase him into the higher waves. He never went too far though and always tried to stay within a distance if anything happened to her. She was his little hamster after all.

Nana was on edge practically the whole time, but she couldn't say it wasn't fun. She also couldn't say it wasn't because Bokuto was there. He brought the energy to any situation. Kuroo was willing to let her be a little whinny, Bokuto, on the other hand, made her get over herself and have fun. Kenma was lazy whenever she wanted to be lazy: he was the best. Honoka was her support no matter what happened. Good or bad. 

These were the friends she'd made and she was glad to have made them. They could take things overboard at times, but sometimes that's what she needed to get out of her shell. In those moments she could never say it wasn't a relief to have have strong arms lifting her back up after tossing her into the madness.

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A/N: I will be finishing this story with the next two chapters. It's been sitting for way too long and I need to do better about finishing stories- I don't like to leave things undone. From where I'm sitting two chapters will finish this off. I will say now that the last one will not be the recommended 2,000 max words. Everything will be finalized in that chapter. Thank you to whoever was voting and reading this story. I really appreciate y'all and I'm back if only to give you the ending you deserve with Friday updates.