Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

            Online chat forums had crossed his mind many times. They often slipped away before he could truly look into them, however. Between the bullies at school, practicing for volleyball despite no team, attending his gymnastics classes on his mother’s insistence and caring for his younger sister, he found he had no time. He would be starting high school in a week however and he had made a deal with his mother. If by the time he reached high school he still didn’t want to pursue gymnastics she would diminish his practices to twice a week, on Saturday and Sunday. Natsu was also starting elementary this year, he wouldn’t have to worry about her as much and with the availability of a volleyball club, maybe he could actually make his time worthwhile. He looked at his computer screen and took a deep breath before hitting submit and watching the loading screen in anticipation as his account registered and he was thrust into a chat room. When it finally loaded, he could only sit for a few moments and watch as his screen flooded with messages.

Chat Name: Japans Outcasts

Member Count: 10

SunshineB0i10 has joined the server, please welcome him!

Kodzuken: Hey newbie.

BedHead: Yay~!!! New minion!!!

_lw00wl_: Bro! Be nice Bro!

N0cturnal: Welcome to the chat. Please refrain from derogatory or rude comments intended to cause emotional, mental, or physical harm to participating chat members. We look forward to getting to know you.

_lw00wl_: OyaOyaOya! Welcome Sun-Chan!

PrettySetter: ooh~ possible kouhai~?

DeadInside: No

N0cturnal: No

Kodzuken: No

D1g1ts_p1z: f or m?

            It seemed like only moments had passed yet the clock showed it had been nearly four minutes since the screen loaded. My fingers hesitated over the keys as I tried to decide what to write.

SunshineB0i10: Hello! It is a pleasure to meet you all! Please take care of me!

            My breath seemed to rush out of me in one go as the message sent. I jumped as Natsu’s loud feet went running by my door as she headed back to bed from her middle-of-the-night bathroom break. It was nearly one in the morning. My eyes flickered back to my screen.

BedHead: It’s precious. Dibs.

N0cturnal: No, they are their own person. You cannot claim ownership without consent.

D1g1ts_p1z: ~ooh~

PrettySetter: Kinky~

Kodzuken: So formal… @SunshineB0i10, tell us about yourself. Favorite color, food, siblings,

age, height, hobbies, gender and designation, etc. I like the color green, apple pie, and I am an only child. I am 16, 169cm, I like video games and play volleyball. I am a male Alpha.

_lw00wl_: Ooh! Good idea Kodzu! Yellow, yakiniku, one sister and one brother, both younger. 17, 185cm, and I also like Volleyball! I’m my teams Ace! Male Beta!

Sunshineb0i10: Uwah! You’re the ACE!? SO COOL!!! Orange, Meat buns (They’re THE BEST). I have one younger sister, she’s seven, I am 15, 162cm and I spent the last 12 years doing gymnastics, but I LOVE volleyball! Male Omega!

PrettySetter: Aww~ So small chibi-chan~

PrettySetter: Teal, milk bread, older sister, 17, 184cm, I also play volleyball, in fact I think everyone in the chat does. Coincidence or fate~? Male Beta.

DeadInside: Shut up

DeadInside: It is nice to meet you @SunshineB0i10. I like purple. My favorite food is salted caramel. I have two younger brothers; they are twins and only 2 years old. I am 15 as well and am 183cm. I play volleyball too. I am an opposite hitter. Male Alpha.

D1g1ts_p1z: Disgusting, stay quiet

D1g1tz_p1z: Yellow! Wiener Pan! Only child! 17! 177! Volleyball! Male Beta!

N0cturnal: Go away

BedHead: Ew~ I’ll protect you Sunshine ;)

BedHead: Red, mackerel, only child, 17, 188cm, I’m a middle blocker. Male Alpha.

RollingThunder: New People! So Rare! Welcome!

RollingThunder: Go away Trash!

RollingThunder: I like green too! Soda flavored popsicles are my go-to, I am an only child and am 16. I fall at an even 160cm and play Libero! The best position! Male Omega as well!

SunshieB0i10: GWAH!! YOU ALL SOUND SO COOOL~!!!! I DON’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS SO I HOPE WE GET ALONG!!!!

BedHead: …It’s so pure…

BedHead: How…

Bed Head: Must…Protect…

_lw00wl_: AHHHH!!!! HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE FRIENDS!!!?!?!?? YOU SOUND SO SWEEET!!?!?! I AM ADOPTING YOU; YOU ARE NOW MY CHILD. YOU CAN’T SAY ANYTHING AGAINST IT BABE!!! JUST ACCEPT AND NURTURE THE BEAN!!!!

N0cturnal: I have nothing to say against it. But you get to deal with broken things. I like dark blue, crab, only child, 17, 183cm, I set for @_lw00wl_, male Alpha.

SunshineB0i10: What do you mean by pure?

D1g1ts_p1z: I’m going to tell him

Kodzuken: Don’t. You. Dare.

PrettySetter: Oooh~ Little hot under the collar there kod-zu-ken~??

BedHead: Disgusting

_lw00wl_: UNHAND MY SON YOU DEVILISH FIEND!!!! BABE!!!! FIGHT HIM!!!

N0cturnal: I will do no such thing, but do refrain @PrettySetter

RollingThunder: ITS AN ALIEN SUNSHINE, JUST IGNORE IT NO MATTER WHAT

D1g1ts_p1z: I forgot how disgusting it was when it spoke…

PrettySetter: N0cccc~ you tell new people not to be mean and then let this happen…Participate even… how dare…

SunshineB0i10: Why are you being mean to @PrettySetter? That’s kind of rude… bedside’s, I’m not sure what he meant but it doesn’t sound mean…If you’re hot why not take off your shirt/jacket?

PrettySetter: …

PrettySetter: Okay, I will refrain.

BedHead: He’s so sweet…

Kodzuken: @BedHead

RollingThunder: YOU’RE SO PURE MY KOUHAI!!!! FALL UNDER MY WINGS AND I WILL RAISE YOU WELL!!!!

_lw00wl_: BACK OFF PIPSQUEAK THAT IS MY SON YOU ARE SPEAKING TO!!!!

BedHead: @Kodzuken, Roger

SunshineB0i10: Do some of you know each other IRL? Your familiarity is astounding…

PrettySetter: How astute chibi-chan! Some do, but we don’t all know each other so we refrain from using names. It can be confusing at first but just ask and we’ll help you clear things up.

Sunshineb0i10: UWAH!!! SO, KIND!!! THANK YOU SENPAI!!!

PrettySetter: (///O.O///) chibi-chan… you fluster me…

SunshineB0i10: AHHH!!! I’M SORRY SENPAI!!!

BedHead: Back off pretty boy…

Kodzuken: Oi…

_lw00wl_: UNHAND MY CHILD YOU HEATHEN!!!! IT IS OKAY SUNSHINE; I WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THE UNCLEAN HANDS OF THOSE AROUND YOU!!!!

N0cturnal: @_lw00wl_ calm down

N0cturnal: Everyone, it is 0230, time to sleep.

            My eyes traveled to the clock resting on my dresser. It really was 0230. I sighed softly before closing my laptop and snuggling under my covers. I had gymnastics at 0700… It would be a long day. Despite the dread for the coming hours hanging over me, I was glad to have met these new people…

Chapter Text

            I was panting as I was finally allowed off the barre at the end of practice. Practice had started at 0700, it was now 1500. Eight hours later. A full workday. Despite my unending insistence that I did not wish to pursue it as a career. I sighed as I pulled my water bottle from my lips and turned on my phone. My eyes bugged as I saw the notifications pop up all at once.

47 unread messages from: Japans Outcasts

            I swiped to open the chat room app. I didn’t bother to read more than the past ten messages.

_lw00wl_: OYAOYAOYA GUESS WHO GOT A SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP!??!?!?!!!?

_lw00wl_: THAT’S RIGHT!!!! THIS OWL RIGHT HERE!! HOOT HOOT BITCHES!!!!

N0cturnal: You’re too loud

BedHead: BRO!

RollingThunder: Congrats man!

BedHead: WHERE TO BRO!!?!?!?

_lw00wl_: MSBY BRO!!!

DeadInside: At last. I can die in peace on the court.

Starved_of_Affection: WOOOOWOWOWWO!!!!! IM SO EXCITED FOR YOU SENPAI!!!!!

Starved_of_Affection: WHO IS SUNSHINEB0I10!!?!?!?

Starved_of_Affection: KEN-SAN! YOU’RE INTRIDUCTION IDEA IS BRILLIANT!!!!!! I LIKE WHITE!!!! I LIKE BOILED FLOUNDER!!!! I AM AN ONLY CHILD AND I AM 16!!!!! I AM 182CM!!!!! I AM ALSO AN OUTSIDE HITTER!!! I AM A MALE APLPHA!!!!!

DeadInside: Ah yes, when my sarcasm is ignored… I live for this feeling…

BedHead: Shush small child. HES A NEW MEMBER!!!! HE LOVES VOLLEYBALL JUST AS MUCH AS

YOU!!!!

_lw00wl_: HE IS MY NEW SON!!!

N0cturnal: I too, lay claim to the small flower.

_lw00wl_: BABE!!!!

BedHead: You two are disgustingly cute.

Kodzuken: Shush, you can’t say anything hypocrite.

Kodzuken: Even if I’m a part of it, you are disgustingly affectionate.

BedHead: You know you love me ;3c~~

Kodzuken: Move. That. Fucking. Paw.

BedHead: :3     c.

            I tilted my head in confusion before shrugging. If I didn’t immediately understand it, I’m sure someone would explain later.

Sunshineb0i10: CONGRATS @_lw00wl_!!!! I START HIGHSCHOOL IN A WEEK!!! BUT I HOPE WE GET TO PLAY AGAINST OR WITH EACHOTHER IN THE NEXT YEAR!!!!

BedHead: It is so pure and sweet…@Kodzuken, take notes…

_lw00wl_: MY SON!!!! I THANK YOU AND HOPE SO TOO!!! YOU ARE SO KIND!!! BABE, WE RAISED HIM WELL!!!

Kodzuken: Shut. Up. I will do as I please… I don’t disagree though. I want it.

D1g1ts_p1z: Ooh~ Feisty~

PrettySetter: Wonder what that could possibly mean for chibi-chan~

Kodzuken: I will fucking fight, both of you.

Kodzuken: Leave him alone.

N0cturnal: We’ve known him for less than a day babe. Calm down.

Starved_of_Affection: SO, THIS IS SUNSHINEB0I10!!!!! I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU!!!

Starved_of_Affection: MY HIGHSCHOOLS VOLLEYBALL TRYOUTS START TODAY AND DESPITE BEING RECRUITED MY ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!!! GOOD EVENING FRIENDS!!!

DeadInside: It’s barely evening…

PrettySetter: Hush my child. Just let him.

SunshineB0i10: @Kodzuken, you should refrain from mean vulgarities! It is not nice! Also, what does this (;3c) mean?? And this (:3     c)??

BedHead: Oh my god…

DeadInside: It is so pure… how did it find this chat?

PrettySetter: chibi-chan~

Kodzuken: I make no apologies for my actions @SunshineB0i10, they deserve it all.

Kodzuken: Google ‘emoticons’.

            I closed out of the app to open my browser engine. I rarely used it. My mother insisted if I intended to gain knowledge, it needed to be from books. A quick search yielded many results.

SunshineB0i10: So, it is a pictorial representation of @BedHead’s facial expressions using characters? I believe I could use this one then. :-/

Kodzuken: Very good. BedHead was using ;3c to represent a sexually interested cat, cat because that is our school mascot. The c represents a paw he was lifting to his mouth in a ‘coy’ or ‘flirtatious’ manner.

SunshineB0i10: Oh… ://)

SunshineB0i10: Cat…? Are you two from Tokyo’s Nekoma???

BedHead: So smart~!!!!

Kodzuken: Yes, we are.

PM from @Kodzuken: Oi, texting is easier than this chat. 080-1234-5678 is mine and 080-8765-4321 is @BedHead’s.

            My breath hitched and I froze. I had just placed my gymnastics bag down and was headed to shower but Kodzuken’s message caught me off guard. I contemplated silently before copying the first number and pasting it into my contacts to send a message.

Messaging with 080-1234-5678 (You have yet to make a contact for this number)

Hi! This is SunshineB0i10!!! I guess since we are now private messaging, I can give you my name! I am Hinata Shōyō! Please call me Shōyō! I live in Miyagi.

Hey. I’m Kozume Kenma. Call me Kenma. Tokyo, obviously. The other number is for my best friend and boyfriend, Tetsurō Kuroo.

It is a pleasure Kenma-san! Not to be rude, but I thought you were both Alphas? My mother has always told me that secondary genders can’t be together without a buffer?

Drop the honorifics, just Kenma is fine. She is wrong. Kuroo and I have been dating since second year of junior high. That isn’t to say we would be unwilling to accept a Beta or Omega into our relationship though. In fact, we’ve been hoping to.

Oh! That makes much more sense…

            I sighed softly, oddly relieved I hadn’t offended him. I scrolled through my phone to set up contacts for both new numbers before sending a message to Kuroo-san.

Messaging with Tetsurō Kuroo

Hello Kuroo-san! My name is Hinata Shōyō! Kenma gave me your number. I am also SunshineB0i10! It is a pleasure to meet you!

Pleasure’s all mine Shōyō. Kenma calls me Tetsu, you should do the same. ;)

            I flushed from ears to halfway down my chest. I shut off my phone and quickly moved to shower before heading out to help Natsu with dinner. An odd feeling welled up in my stomach and followed me as long as my thoughts remained on the two new contacts in my phone.

Chapter Text

            I kept my shower short and set up an ice bath. I had been doing gymnastics since I was three and still I flubbed just as many tricks as I landed. My ribs were black and blue and I could still see the fading yellow bruise from where I had sprained my ankle last week. I had been keeping it wrapped but I still winced as I was forced to put weight on it. At this point I was beginning to think it was broken. I shivered as I settled into the ice bath before grabbing my phone. I set a timer for 15 minutes before opening the chat room app.

Japan’s Outcast’s

SunshineB0i10: Hello everybody! I hope you have all had a very good day!

Kodzuken: Hello sunshine, what have you been up to?

BedHead: Sunshine! Hi!

PrettySetter: Ooh~ Chibi-chan~!

PrettySetter: How goes it?

SunshineB0i10: I am in an ice bath!

Kodzuken: Why?

BedHead: :0

BedHead: What happened!?

_lw00wl_: MY SON!!! WHAT IS WRONG MY CHILD??!!!?!?!?! N0CCCC!!!

N0cturnal: Are you okay Sunshine?

N0cturnal: I am aware @_lw00wl_.

SunshineB0i10: Thank you for worrying! I am fine but I spent 8 hours at the gym today and I’m still flubbing at least half of all my tricks for this years routine! Although I am worried about my ankle…

Kodzuken: Please be careful Sunshine

Kodzuken: What’s wrong with your ankle?

BedHead: Why did you spend 8 hours at the gym? That’s excessive…

BedHead: What happened to your ankle?!?!?!?

_lw00wl_: NO!!!!! MY SON!!!!! YOU MUST BE OKAY!!!!

SunshineB0i10: I thought I sprained it last week but it still really hurts to put pressure on it and I’m worried it might actually be broken.

N0cturnal: Go to the hospital. Now.

Kodzuken: Hospital

BedHead: X-ray it please

BedHead: And keep us updated

PrettySetter: You’re worse than me chibi-chan!

DeadInside: Impossible

DeadInside: When is the MRI for your knee?

PrettySetter: Wednesday

PrettySetter: And Mean Sleepy-Chan~!

SunshineB0i10: Oh No! What’s wrong with your knee Pretty-Senpai!? Also, I can’t go to the hospital, my mom’s still at work and I have no one else to drive me.

PrettySetter: I tore my meniscus last summer, this is just a follow up appointment.

PrettySetter: Are there no cab services where you are?

Kodzuken: I’ve already called and paid for a cab for you @SunshineB0i10

SunshineB0i10: GWAH!!!! There was no need!! I’m fine really!!!!

Kodzuken: A broken ankle from last week that you are still putting pressure on is not fine

            I jumped as I heard a horn from outside. I glanced out the window, my eyes widening as I noticed it was a cab. I had spent a few hours last night texting Kenma and Tetsu, in that time we had shared our addresses. I flushed as I limped around my room with haste. I grabbed a jacket, my phone cord, my phone, my shoes, my wallet, and my keys before doing my best to hastily make my way out to the cab. As I shut the door behind me I opened up my messages, a pout present on my face.

Messaging with Kenma Kozume

Not fair Kenma! The cab is already here!

But I am in it

So thank you

But I will be paying you back!

No you won’t

Kenma~!

I won’t let you

Besides, I have more money than I know what to do with most days.

Text the chat

They will want to know you’re on your way to the hospital

Fine…

Thank you Kenma.

            I sighed as I informed the chat of my status. I leaned my head against the window and thought of Kenma and Tetsu. They were both very kind, and despite the persistent pain in my ankle, a smile unknowingly crept its way onto my face.