The Cat and the Crow

[We made it]
[THAT WAS… FASTER THAN USUAL]
[Yeah, Team Budget raised enough funds to use toll roads]
[Where are you staying?]
[Jaybird Inn]
[WHERE IS THAT?]
[About 10 minutes from the gym, I think]
[Doesn’t sound like it’s too far from where we are]
[Yeah same]
[LET’S HANG OUT!]
[I am not opposed to the idea]
[Same]
[Hate to be the downer, but I don’t think I can]
[WE CAN KIDNAP YOU]
[Seconded]
[You almost have to now, Tsuki. Kuroo sounds desperate]
[It’s only been a few days, Tetsu]
[That’s a few days too many]
[Good grief. Okay, I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise anything]
[LET US KNOW]
[Will do]
[Hey guys? I’m thinking we could go for a little exercise]
[I COULD USE A LITTLE STRETCH]
[Sure. Why not]
[omg… seriously?!]

Kei stuffed his phone back into his pocket and headed downstairs for a drink. They’d just finally settled into their room at the inn, and everyone was watching the video Coach Ukai’s friend had made for them. Well, everyone except Kageyama and Hinata, who were wanting to take a run. Ennoshita was trying to stop them, but apparently thought better of it. As soon as Kei took his drink from the vending machine, Ennoshita turned to him.

“Can you just go with them? Make sure they don’t get lost.”

“What makes you think I can even keep up with them?” Even as he said that, he remembered the squad wanting to meet up with him. Perhaps he could do this and meet them halfway.

Even while he thought that, Ennoshita had gone to the inn’s proprietress and managed to borrow the bike she had. Well, at least now he’d be able to keep up with the weirdo duo. Shrugging, he mounted the bike and looked at the two he was meant to babysit.

“I don’t think I have to tell you that we can’t be out here forever, right?”

“We won’t.” Kageyama grumbled.

“Yeah, only until we get tired enough to come back,” Hinata almost pleaded.

“Alright. But when I say we go back, we go back. No begging to go around one last time. It’s cold out here, and the flu is going around. We can’t take chances getting sick.”

“Understood,” both of them said.

“Fine. Give me a few minutes, and we can go.”

“Right.”

Kei took his phone out and brought up the group chat.

[Hinata and Kageyama are out for a run. I’m their guardian]
[Well that certainly makes things easier]
[BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIND THEM?]
[I mean, we’re going to end up back here, eventually, so…]
[We’ll just use gps to find the inn]
[Good idea, Akaashi]
[HEY! HOW ABOUT YAKU AND KAI COME WITH?]
[Oh, yeah! We could be like Chibi-chan and Kageyama… just out for a run]
[THAT WAY, WE COULD ALSO HANG OUT WITH EVERYONE]
[Bokuto, is that really you?]
[WHAT? OF COURSE IT IS!]
[Two good ideas in a row. I was beginning to think Akaashi had your phone]
[It happens sometimes]
[AKAASHI!!]
[So I’ll see you when you get here, I guess]
[Right. Two owls, three cats, and a murder of crows]
[IT’S A FAMILY REUNION!]
[Should we bring provisions?]
[FOOD IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA]
[You would say that. I gotta go. Ttyl]
[If we get there before you get back, I’ll text]
[Thanks, Tetsu]

“You guys ready?” Kei asked as soon as he tucked his phone in his jacket pocket.

“Yep!” both Hinata and Kageyama replied.

“Lead the way,” Kei gestured in front of him, and started pedaling behind them.

They found a decent route that took them about twenty minutes to complete, round trip. They had gone twice around, and were about halfway through the third, when Kei’s phone buzzed. It was fortuitous that they had to wait at a traffic light before starting again.

“Hey guys, can you wait a minute? Take a breather or something.”

“Do we need to head back?” Kageyama asked, looking like he was about to start complaining.

“Give me a minute, okay?”

“Fine.”

Kei glared at him as he took out his phone, but he said nothing, and tapped on the notification.

[We’re here]
[Okay. We’re about halfway through, so it’ll be about ten minutes]
[Sounds good. We had to promise your coaches we wouldn’t stay too long]
[Understandable. Kinda guessed that would happen]
[Yeah, we figured as much, as well. Either way, hurry up, will ya?]
[Ten minutes. You can wait that much longer]
[Do I detect a dare?]
[What? Daring you to wait ten minutes?]
[Daring me to find you]
[How about you just wait ten minutes?]
[What if I want to find you?]
[Tetsu?]
[Yeah?]
[Shut up]
[LOL! I love you. See ya when you get here]
[I love you, too]

“We’re going back,” he said unceremoniously, bracing for any arguments.

“Can we at least finish this circuit?” Hinata pleaded. “I mean, we are about halfway around.”

Kei acted like he was considering it. Then, “I suppose so. But could you pick up the pace?”

“Why?” Kageyama asked suspiciously. “Why are you in a hurry now?”

“I could tell you, but I won’t,” he replied sarcastically. He glanced at Hinata, who looked even more curious. “Come on. They’re waiting for us.”

And with that, he started without them. It wasn’t long before they caught up and passed him, neither of them asking questions. Kei smirked. They’d figure it out as soon as they got back to the inn. Odds were favorable that Tetsu would be outside waiting for them.

When they came back to the inn, they discovered not only Tetsu outside waiting, but also Bokuto and Akaashi. Hinata was over the moon, chattering away a mile a minute while Bokuto chattered back. Typical, really. Kageyama hung back a little, until Akaashi came over and started talking to him. Kei grinned at them before turning his eyes toward Tetsu.

Walking slowly, Tetsu came to a stop inches away from him on the right. If Kei didn’t know any better, he’d have thought his fiance’s eyes glowed a lot like a cat’s eyes did when backlit. However, rather than glow, they did have a predatory look in them.

“Took you long enough,” he said, his voice rough and deep, making Kei shiver. “I was about to start looking for you.”

Kei rolled his eyes. “Okay, first, we made it back before ten minutes was even up. Second, I have no doubts that you know exactly where you are. Finding me would not have taken long. Third… I missed you, too.” He reached up and placed his hand over Tetsu’s heart, which was beating fast. He also felt the hard outline of his ring, which was back on the silver chain around his neck. Kei had also done the same. Luckily, the chain was long enough that it wouldn’t come out during games, so they didn’t have to take them off.

Tetsu covered his hand with his own, and leaned in for a kiss. But, they were stopped just before making contact.

“Come on, lovebirds,” Bokuto called out to them. “We can’t stay out here forever.”

“Besides,” Akaashi added. “We don’t really have that much time before we have to go.”

“Damn,” Tetsu muttered as he eased away. “I don’t want to go.”

“We’ll see each other tomorrow,” Kei said, trying to be positive. “At least, I hope we will.”

“Yeah, same. There’s the opening ceremony to attend, and then the games start after. Guess we’ll find out if we can even watch each other’s games or not, too.”

“Don’t make me come over there,” Bokuto threatened playfully. “Come on, guys, let’s go inside. They’re waiting for us.”

Kei smiled at Tetsu. “We should make an appearance. I think we’re supposed to be the guests of honor, or something like that. Plus, I need to give this bike back to the proprietress.”

A smirk slowly appeared on Tetsu’s face. He leaned in and stole a kiss, and then backed up and away from Kei. “Don’t take too long.”

“Or what? You’ll come to find me?”

“Are you daring me?”

Kei thought about it for a moment, and then also smirked. “I just might be.”

But before Tetsu could do anything about it, Bokuto came up and grabbed his arm, half dragging him into the inn. Akaashi just stared at Kei, with a single brow lifted, and Kei laughed as he went to go give the bike back.