#PETRA MÜLLER. / threads

[soulsballad]

( sc. )

today's mission was supposed to be different, petra wasn't to pair up with a fellow classmate, but someone 'special', according to gojo. so while everyone else filtered off to do their own thing, petra waited patiently by the gates of the school, clad in her uniform, fiddling with her thumbs. that was until she felt someone approach her from behind, and when she turns, she sees @wistrea. ❝ kira-san! ❞ the ravenette greets with a warm smile. ❝ what are you doing here? are you visiting yuu? ❞

[moonsmourning]

even though petra has already told him that she was enjoying herself, osamu still worried. he was that kind of person, he was that twin. yes, atsumu worried too, just not about the same things osamu did. it was endearing, really, seeing how much he cared about a simple visit to a restaurant and whether or not petra was enjoying herself. even if he was having fun eating and taking apart the dish ingredient by ingredient with his mind, that didn't bother petra one bit. food wasn't her calling either, much like his twin, her calling was a sport. but even petra didn't enjoy her respective sport as much as atsumu seemed to enjoy his. her life was a bit different from theirs, so she didn't have the time to throw herself into it the way atsumu did with volleyball or the way osamu did with the shop. it wasn't their fault at all, but petra did envy the both of them. she'd never admit as much though, only able to imagine both of their reactions. sometimes petra wondered if roller derby was even her calling, if it was what she was meant for. to this day she remained unsure but gave herself some leeway seeing as she'd gone through a lot recently. when she had her head screwed back on tightly she'd think more about it.

he agrees and seems to get even more excited about the idea, and the next thing petra knows he's standing and reaching for her hand. without hesitation she takes it and rises to her feet, grabbing her phone and purse with her free hand before following him out of the building. ❝ i told you before, i am enjoying myself, you goof! ❞ whether they were just taste-testing foods in some restaurant or doing something else, petra just enjoyed his company. he brought a snippet of fun and joy to her life like other people did, and she clutched that, held onto it dearly. hand in hand, petra lets osamu guide her towards the train station, her feet trying to match his pace as they rushed to get to the subway. ❝ if you make a bunch and i don't eat it all i'm taking some home for leftovers. that's the only rule. ❞ 

osamu's eyes carefully watch her own, waiting to see the moment that the flavors hit her tongue.  he knows not everyone thinks like he does; through flavors and spices, and more importantly, what he could've improved on.  his mind works with recipes like atsumu's works with volleyball; instead of velocity and height, he works in the sense of aromatics and flavor pairings.  atsumu's never understood it, not completely; he doesn't blame his twin though because volleyball is his world, narrowed down into that solidarity focus.  osamu just couldn't find that focus in it  ––  it was fun while he played and there was the immense things that he could do with that twin connection on the court, but it just wasn't his calling.  cooking has called to him since he was little; at the time he had presumed it was about nutrition and trying to gain muscle so that he could play better, but in reality it had been a love that was starting to bloom.  so taking someone out and having them find the same love of flavors that he has is something that's deeply personal.  it's sharing in a way that only he knows how to share.

relief blossoms across his face when she pinpoints the same flavor profile that he does.  it would go perfectly on top of his new seaweed specialty  ––  mixed with the right amount of salt would bring out the nutty flavor of it, but would round out the bitterness that follows.  his fingers itch to be in the kitchen, to see if the newest concoction could be something that would actively be good on the menu.   her words bring him back to the table and a light flush settles on his cheeks at being caught.  he almost looks sheepish when he answers her.  ❝ that would be great, actually.  i really think that it could be a promising recipe.  all you can eat taste testing?  will that make up for this whole thing? ❞   for a ruined time out by him.  he's already rising up from the table though, reaching out for her hand.  ❝ c'mon, the subway leaves in ten if i remember right. ❞ 

[feelsofhiraeth]

SHIPPING  INFO !! ANSWER  THE  FOLLOWING  FOR  YOUR  MUSE  SO  PEOPLE  KNOW  HOW  SHIPPING  WORKS  ON  YOUR  BLOG.

WHAT  IS  YOUR  OTP  FOR  YOUR  CHARACTER ?

at the moment i have sooo many characters, but i’ll pick a few of my primary muses and give their otps!

KANROJI MITSURI        ━        one of my otps for mitsuri is of course obamitsu.

IORI UTAHIME        ━        truthfully i don’t have a lot of ships for utahime, but i do really like gojohime as long as there’s a lot of plotting beforehand.  it’s definitely one of my favourite slowburn otps.  ( i guess i’m really fussy with this one. )

TEMARI        ━        for temari i totally love temahina.

ANGELA ZIEGLER        ━        and for miss mercy i am a sucker for gency.

WHAT  ARE  YOU  WILLING  TO  WRITE  WHEN  IT  COMES  TO  SHIPPING ?

i am more than willing to write different genres, such as fluff, angst, action, and sometimes nsfw content!  when it comes to darker themes i would prefer to plot it through first, or if you have certain ideas in mind and want to write it i’d love to plot about it beforehand so i can understand the vibe of the idea!  i am also the type of role-player and shipper who likes to time-hop around in the ships timeline.  one thread could be something as new as a first meeting, and the second thread could be their literal wedding, i love moving around with ships and their dynamic - but that of course requires plotting.

HOW  LARGE  DOES  THE  AGE  GAP  HAVE  TO  BE  TO  MAKE  IT  UNCOMFORTABLE ?

i’m alright with age gaps as long as it’s within the ten year range, and the characters are above the age of 20.  for any characters that are 18 or 19 i prefer to keep the gap only a couple of years.  for any ships younger than 18 i prefer to have the ships gap be only 1 or 2 years old.  i won’t ship muses under the age of fifteen with anyone that isn’t the same age as them.  and i won’t ship any muses younger than 12 romantically at all, unless i’m close with a mutual and it’s very carefully plotted.

ARE  YOU  SELECTIVE  WHEN  SHIPPING ?

yes and no.  i, of course, have ships i like and dislike, and certain ships i could only write under certain circumstances.  but i am usually very open about the concept of shipping with people!  but i by no means won’t hesitate to tell you if a certain ship wouldn’t work out or anything along those lines!

HOW  FAR  DO  STEAMY  MOMENTS  HAVE  TO  GO  BEFORE  THEY  ARE  CONSIDERED  N.SFW ?

uhhhh, well nsfw is an umbrella term for a lot of content tbh.  for me personally nsfw includes smut, and maybe explicit foreplay.  anything from steamy kissing, groping and removal of clothes will be tagged under suggestive.  but i usually only tag smut or other sexual acts under nsfw.

WHO  ARE  OTHER  CHARACTERS  YOU  SHIP  YOUR  CHARACTER  WITH ?

for this section i think i’ll try and include some ocs, seeing as i don’t have a lot ships for my other canon muses, and my current fandom focuses are both jjk and kny.

KANROJI MITSURI        ━        shinazugawa sanemi, kocho shinobu, tomioka giyu, & uzui tengen.  mitsuri and shinobu is a more common one, but i’d definitely like to explore a ship between mitsuri and giyu!  i’m very lucky to already have ships with a sanemi and tengen for mitsuri.  and i would love some ships with ocs for mitsuri!

PETRA MÜLLER( JJK OC )        ━        inumaki toge, zenin maki, kamo noritoshi, okkotsu yuta, and maybe even fushiguro megumi!  and since petra is an oc i am leaping at the opportunity to ship her with other ocs!

ASHITOMI TAMASHINI( KNY OC )        ━        rengoku kyojuro, tomioka giyu, & ocs!  i could also see her with kokushibo in her demon verse!

NANAMI KENTO        ━        when it comes to nanami, i don’t have many canon ships for him.  the only one i remotely ship is nanahime ( nanami x utahime ), but other than that i typically ship nanami with ocs.

DOES  ONE  HAVE  TO  ASK  TO  SHIP  WITH  YOU ?

well, yeah, i don’t like to assume ship.  if we’ve got threads that are naturally leading towards a kind of romantic dynamic i will message!  otherwise, feel free to ask!

ARE  YOU  SHIP  OBSESSED  OR  SHIP  MORE-OR-LESS ?

i love a good ship.  that’s all i can say about the matter.  i am a simple being, i see ship, i love ship, i cuddle ship, i hold ship in my hands.

ARE  YOU  MULTISHIP ?

yes!  

WHAT  IS  YOUR  FAVOURITE  SHIP  IN  YOUR  CURRENT  FANDOM ?

i’ll list three from three different fandoms!

KANROJI MITSURI        ━        at the moment it’s a ship i’m doing with a friends tengen where mitsuri is his fourth wife.  it’s so cute and it’s so fun to write.

NAKADA REINA( JJK VERSE )        ━        for reina’s jjk verse my favourite ship for her currently is with the same friend as above, only with their oc ahmya.  gay queens.

AHANE AIMI( OC )        ━        and in tokyo revengers my favourite ship is with my friends hanma, they’re so silly.

FINALLY,  HOW  DOES  ONE  SHIP  WITH  YOU ?

pls... just... message... me... like, literally just drop me a message and be like “ hey so what would you think about shipping ( name ) & ( name )” or “i wanna ship!” chances are i am 100% all for it!

tagged  by:  i snatched it...

tagging:  anyone who wants to do it!

[soulsballad]

tag drop; original characters. ( p. 4 )

[soulsballad]

petra didn't think it was something nagi would think much about, or really consider. sure, she wanted to be on his mind and be one of his priorities, all girlfriends want that. but she also knows that blue lock is far more important than her, him building himself a future was way more important than she was. it's why she's left staring in a daze when he mentions it again, blinking dumbly when he assures her it would happen. there's a small period of silence after he speaks, petra takes the time to think about what to say. she doesn't want him to divert from his goal, but she also does want some free time with him. is she allowed to be this selfish? eventually, her lips pull into a tiny smile. " i don't want you to distract yourself from the main goal. just try your best like you always do! " she's not too sure he even does try his best, considering it is nagi. or, maybe he does now. she's unsure of that. reaching up to snatch up the hand that squishes her cheeks, petra laces their fingers together. " but beating you at arcade games is something i want to do. you can't be good at everything, you know. and i'm a monster at the claw machines. "

they  met  here,  and  therefore,  he  supposes,  he  hadn't  paid  much  thought  to  what  things  would  be  like  for  them  outside  the  blue  lock  compound. he  knows  he  wants  her  to  visit  his  home  and  meet  choki,  he's  told  her  as  much  in  the  past,  however,  what  after  that?  his  future  currently  depends  on  his  potential  here;  if  he  were  to  succeed  and  become  the number  one striker,  would  petra  travel  the  world  with  him  or  would  she  want  something  else?  it's  only  another  dilemma  to  make  his  brain  hurt. nagi  considers  her,  curious  as  she  drops  the  subject  and  offers  to  walk  him  back. “   maybe,   ”   he  idly  fiddles  with  the  hem  of  her  shirt,  rolling  the  corner  between  his  thumb  and  forefinger  as  he  mulls  over  the  possibilities. nagi  doesn't  move  from  their  seat,  despite  her  offer,  side - tracked. he  could  win  a  few  days  off . . . his  free  hand  travels  up  to  squish  at  her  cheeks,   “   you  want  to  go  outside  together?   ”   he  locks  the  thought  in  place. he  would  make  it  happen;  like  tunnel  vision,  if  he  had  a  set  goal  in  mind,  he  would  achieve  it  no  matter  what. “   i  can  make  it  happen. ”

[moonsmourning]

a powerful thing, he calls it, but petra had never really seen her returning to roller derby as powerful. pathetic, she saw it as. easily bending and making her life more difficult for people she didn't even know, just because they wanted her to return and play. but if people looked at her situation and saw it as powerful, then that was something to be happy about. her circumstances were tricky, and the situation itself wasn't as it was perceived to be. people would look at it as a whole and think that petra had returned to a sport she loved so much after all of her hardships just because she loved it so much. that wasn't the truth. the truth was, the reality was, petra was suffering. her mother was dead, her father in a coma, her body mended but not yet the way it was, and the world still wanted things from her. she still had to work, had to find money to pay rent for a place she lived in that wasn't even suitable to live in, she was dealing with hospital visit upon hospital visit, for herself and her father. and, to top it all off, now she was dealing with roller derby on the back of it, because the people-pleaser in her won when she saw all the love and support she was receiving, all the begging and pleading for her to return to the rink. she was weak, that's all there was to it.

before she knows it there's no one talking, kuroo has finished his speech and petra has dissociated while listening to it, something she does whenever someone begins some spiel about her tragedy. she doesn't like the sympathy, not at all, and doesn't particularly enjoy people bringing up her injuries, especially because she always takes it as her being less than them. but she snaps out of her thoughts easily enough and offers the man a smile. ❝ sounds like you really did your research, ❞ she points out, noting how much detail about her injuries and backstory he actually knew, ❝ you're the real deal, huh? ❞ she thinks back to her high school years, vaguely remembers him when he played on the volleyball for nekoma. he was the captain, if she remembered correctly, and always looked a little intimidating. but he wasn't really all that intimidating. the few people she knew who knew him called him anything but intimidating. while she said she wasn't interested, she needed the money. and the way he presented it to her made it... unfortunately quite interesting. it shows on her face too, the way she contemplates, the way her face scrunches as she finds herself leaning one way and eventually coming to a conclusion. ❝ if i say yes, what happens next? ❞

❝ i'm aware that roller derby isn't as big as volleyball, at least not here.  in the states there's a good amount of leagues out there, including one in southern california. ❞  eyebrow raises a little bit at her, almost testing to see where her intrigue will peak.  it's not easy  ––  her story has been everywhere and the fanbase that she's gained from it is what has put her on his company's radar.  as much as he doesn't want to take her on simply because of a story, he understands the power of words and the power of social connections and outreach.  it's a frustrating thing and he cannot image the amount of hell that it brings to her.  still, he knows that money is a powerful motivator.   ❝ you have a powerful outreach.  your story has touched a lot of people.  that means that there's a space for your platform to gain some money.  not that i'm telling you to sell yourself out for money or your tragedy but.  i'm putting it plainly, if you'll forgive me for that. ❞   a shrug of his shoulders but he leans against the wall behind him.  it's not his favorite thing, learning how to exploit people, but it's also something that he suspects that she needs it.  

❝ i think that you've got a good comeback story.  i mean, playing when you've been told not to?  still having the will to even look at a roller derby rink?  it's a powerful thing. ❞  kuroo idly counts his teeth with his tongue as he speaks; he's had the pitch memorized for a few weeks now, ever since he had started to call her.  roller derby might be a lost cause in the terms of money for the company he works for  ––  but there is a possibility that a good story will bring it to the light and will gain her more sponsors and in turn, more money.  not to mention the fact that it might inflate the sport to a good amount  ––  every single sport needs a starting interest in it, and from what he's seen of petra, she has a solid following behind her.  ❝ it might even give you some leeway if there are times when your back acts up and you know, you shouldn't actually be skating. ❞   he's an athlete and he gets it  ––  sometimes you do stupid things, and sometimes you play through injuries when you know you shouldn't because it's all you know.  but he hopes he's giving her an out  ––  or at least a different direction from just destroying herself for the sake of a sport. 

[moonsmourning]

with each lap, petra swears the rink is growing smaller. that, or her speed grows quicker, she's not present enough in the moment to be able to tell. skating is second nature to her now, she doesn't need to think about the way her legs move, the way her body sways as she rounds a corner, everything comes so naturally when she's on this rink. that, and because her mind is preoccupied, she doesn't count how many she's done, she only snaps out of her thoughts when she comes around near the railings and hears atsumu speak. she slows down but doesn't stop, face scrunching as she replays his apology in her head, brows furrowing as she proceeds to do another lap of the rink, sitting on her response for at least twenty seconds before she comes back around. petra slows down once more, gaze landing on the man as she speaks. ❝ who said i was flirting with you? ❞ she asks, drive-by style, doing another slow lap of the rink to let her question sit with him for a moment. she wasn't flirting with him, she was teasing him. there was a difference. the difference being... that if she were flirting with him she'd be a beet-red mess, cheeks flushed, probably messing it up in the process. she doesn't think her face was red back then, surely?

as she comes back around, she makes a right, cutting off from her route to skate over to the guard rail, coming to a stop just before it, hands moving to grip it to stop herself from colliding with it, and in extension, from tumbling over it and onto him. ❝ i don't understand, ❞ she begins, shaking her head, almost as if it would realign all her thoughts. ❝ if you don't like roller derby, why do you come? do you like someone here on the team or something? ❞ turning her head, her attention flickers over some of the other girls, but none come to mind. atsumu never talks to anyone else here, not unless they approach him. he comes alone or sometimes he brings his twin brother, who seems ten times less complicated than this miya. nothing makes sense. ❝ do you even like me? most of the time i think you don't. then you have moments where you're really nice and charming. i can't tell with you. ❞

for what it's worth, he does feel bad when he watches the hurt come across her face.  his lips purse in a tight line; osamu yells at him about this all the time, the way that he doesn't bother to think before he speaks.  he's too used to being around the guys, around fans that think that they're going to mean something when they never will.  but he's also just never fully understood petra and her ways; or the way that she feels the need to destroy her body in a sport that she makes little to no money on.  because how in the world does anyone play a sport at their age and not make money from it?  he can't imagine that she's doing well  ––  hell, he's lucky that his sponsors in division 1 pay him well.  at least then he can afford to keep throwing himself on the court and bending his body into positions that make him ache in the morning.  as he signs every single piece of paper that's thrust his way, he smiles for the cameras and doesn't bother to give it an honesty in his eyes.  there's a hollowness in the motion like there always is  ––  all he cares about is the court, the ball in his hands, and the way that he's a winner at the end of the night. 

but when the group finally dissipates, he finds his way closer to the rink.  his eyes settle on her form moving around so effortlessly, but he can see the telltale signs of injuries that have plagued her since the accident.  there's the moment when she takes the corner a little too slow, can see the tense lines of her back, the way that her leg drags ever so slightly.  it's things that only another athlete can recognize; trained to notice the little weaknesses to exploit when they're going to against them.  he's never grown out of it, even if volleyball isn't the most physical sport in that sense.  he leans his elbows on the guard rail and watches her do another lap before he speaks up, his voice carrying in the empty space.  ❝ i'm sorry i hurt your feelings.  you gotta work on your flirting game though. ❞

[moonsmourning]

dating since high school had been scarce, especially after the accident. sure, petra has had one or two boyfriends, but neither of which lasted very long. something had always felt off, wrong, even. and after the accident, the last thing she really wanted was to put herself out there, her confidence in her appearance had plummeted due to the scar on her lower back and thigh from her surgeries. she recalled the way one guy she was seeing looked at her when she saw a glimpse of one of her scars while they were intimate. it made her stomach churn and her heart ache. the look was, in her own opinion, one of disgust. was she disgusting now? absolutely not. did she feel like it? yes. there were two pleasant memories for every negative one, however, such as the times her friends rallied to her hospital room and had a small party for her after she learned to walk again. there was the time the gang from karasuno met up, and they all went to pay their respects to her mother and then gone out for some dinner and drinks. that's why when atsumu makes his harsh dig towards her former volleyball team, her brows furrow at him, and her eyes somewhat squint.

" did the losers in karasuno bring you down? "

no. never. in fact, every single member in karasuno had been there for her since the moment she joined as a manager until the moment she retired and graduated. in fact, even now they remained by her side. hinata was a close friend; she remained in contact with kageyama, and they facetimed and met up now and again. kiyoko, hitoka, daichi, nishinoya, yamaguchi -- they all remained in her contact list, people she saw when she could. and koushi; she couldn't live without that man. lord knows if he hadn't been there after the accident petra would most likely not be here. whenever she needed someone, he was that someone. it reminds her of atsumu's initial question, and her gaze drops upon hearing his bitter laugh. she can hear hinata shift uncomfortably by her side, feeling his energy shift also, no doubt angry at his teammate for his reaction. but before hinata his the time to react, she reaches across and takes his hand, giving it a soft squeeze under the table. it was okay. ready to answer, he has her stumped once again, this time leaving her staring at him in complete and utter bewilderment and shock, almost as if he had grown wings and started flying around the restaurant.

it's spoken with a certain bitterness petra didn't expect. she can sense the sadness that laces his tone, like a quiet melody. she knew atsumu once upon a time ago, knew him well enough to pick up his behavioural habits. even after these years, she could read him well. he's hurt, hurt over something she hadn't even done! left in a daze, it's hinata releasing her hand from under the table that reels her back into reality, the alcohol lurking inside her system making her react perhaps a bit too directly than she normally would. ❝ i think you might have had too much to drink, because that's definitely not what happened. ❞ petra recalls the situation perfectly, her attention fixated solely on the boy she had once declared to be in love with, even if it was a fleeting high school romance. ❝ you didn't text me. i sent you my new number and didn't hear anything from you! if i were the one to delete you from my life, why would i still speak to osamu? or even rintarou? ❞ with osamu, she visits his onigiri shop whenever she pops by, and with rintarou they normally chat through socials. the penny seems to drop and realisation kicks in. she can feel eyes flickering from her to atsumu, as if everyone else around had realised it as well.

it was one big, massive misunderstanding.

she feels sick just thinking about it, even if he hadn't confirmed her ( and everyone else's, ) theory. an already flushed face heats even more, this time with emotion, though she doesn't tear up. she's absolutely stunned, and perhaps even sickened to her stomach. ❝ i did... i know i did, ❞ petra mutters quietly to herself for a moment, her head shooting around to hinata, ❝ you know too! i showed you, tobio, tsuki, yamaguchi, and hitoka the message i sent him! ❞ in response, she receives a nod as hinata confirms she had indeed done as much, so she turns back to atsumu. ❝ i text you my new number. in fact, i think you were the first person i text... ❞ a little embarrassing to admit now, seeing as any normal person would give their parents their new number first. there's a massive weight in her chest, her heart sinks into the deepest pit of her stomach, dragging her down. after a moment to let herself think, she nervously speaks up. ❝ did you... did you not receive it? ❞

he remembers the way that he had felt betrayed and hurt when the text had come back his way; who's this?  he had found out the hard way that his number had been lost, that petra's number had gone to the wind, and while he could've asked hinata or sugawara for her new number  ––  it hadn't felt right.  if she had wanted him to have it, she would've text him it.  so he had quietly shoved his phone into his pocket and pulled his pillow over his head and allowed himself a scream, a moment of his composure falling apart all around him, and then picked it back up again.  at the end of the day he was a volleyball player and he had a career to focus on, one that was already blooming with offers coming in the mail of where he could go once high school was finished, and that was more important.  it was more important because if he didn't focus on that, he would drive himself crazy.  that wasn't something he could afford  ––  not when he was so close to everything that he had ever wanted.  not when he had already felt the sting of knowing that he wouldn't have osamu by his side.  his twin was free to have his own life  ––  it was just bad timing all the way around and atsumu had fallen into the fact that volleyball would always be his only constant.

that doesn't mean that he had forgotten her or that he didn't occasionally think about her and the whirlwind of a romance that they had had.  it wasn't even something productive or particularly long  ––  it's just something that had been good.  neither of them had that thought that it would be something lasting because things never did in high school and personally, he thought it was crazy to count on that when he had a career he was focusing on.  petra had her own things she focused on too; her life wasn't just managing karasuno and he hoped against everything that she managed to find some place that would let her skate and be free.  occasionally he checked out the roller derby clubs around miyagi, but he had never found her name.  tongue presses against his bottom lip a little in thought, and even as he glares at bokuto again who looks far too smug for his own good, he catches her words.

brows furrow slightly and he shifts in his seat.  sure, professional athlete is something that probably didn't go with roller derby, but surely she must've found something by now?  something that would've been welcoming and paid out well enough?  hinata talked about her enough but never seemed to exactly say anything  ––  and now he's left floundering, feeling a tad defensive but he pushes it down.  he hadn't walked out of her life, after all.  it had been the other way around. 

his fingers wrap around his cup of saki and he observes her quietly for a moment before he decides to ask the question.  he can almost see the way that hinata pleads with him not to  ––  for all the bravado he had put up before with the teasing, there's something almost sad in his eyes now.  atsumu's never been good at listening to him especially though, so he takes a sip and powers forward.  ❝ why aren't you professional?  i thought you were doing roller derby.  did the losers in karasuno bring you down? ❞  it's a little harsh off of his tongue  ––  he can never fully hold his liquor well and he's feeling a little petty, a little on the edge at her comment.  it's enough to make fox eyes sharpen a little bit as he laughs, the sound barked and unsteady.  the kind that makes one of his teammates reach over and pluck the cup from his hands to cut him off.  ❝ you could've seen me before, had you not deleted me from your life. ❞

as harsh as the words are, there's an uncurrent of hurt, of that need to understand.  he knows he hadn't been as present as he should've been, but there was too much pressure between the nationals coming up again and then the exams that he was on a fast train to failing.  but he had tried to be there for her, had tried to make time in a schedule that didn't allow a lot of holes for it.  so why hadn't she wanted him?

[moonsmourning]

sugawara was a gentle soul, petra knew from their first conversation that the boy wouldn't be any trouble whatsoever. he was always so patient, so kind, and understanding. even now, as he offers to give her the money for a ticket and book her a hotel just to go visit the dumb fox who wasn't returning her texts. it has her pausing, has her mind drawing a blank. eventually, however, her gaze travels back to him, hazel hues locked onto his pale countenance as he awaits her answer. there's a gentle pause before she speaks, genuinely confused. ❝ permission in front of you? what makes you a more responsible adult than me? you're only one year older... and i help manage the team! ❞ if anything, petra would argue she was more responsible, but he was offering to pay not only for her train ticket, but also for a hotel. so if indulging him a little meant getting to go see atsumu then she would.

perking up, the ravenette nods, thinking about it a little more, suddenly not drawn to look at her cell phone every other second. ❝ i mean, i think if i had a friend to go with, my parents would let me! my dad has been to a few of karasuno's matches, so he sort of knows who you are! ❞ after matches, petra would give him the rundown of who was who and what their positions were and what they did differently from the others. her father, bless him, was not big on volleyball, so he had to be spoon-fed the information like a baby. but he went to the games regardless, just because petra was a manager there and had made new friends. regardless, she thinks this may work. her parents know sugawara wasn't one of the troublemakers, and know he had graduated.

shifting, she moves to stand, shoving her phone in her pocket and turning to face her senior, both hands outstretching and resting on his biceps. ❝ i promise i will pay you back. like... next month, maybe even before then. if i pass my next test within the top five of the class, my dad said he'd give me money. ❞ and, she wasn't one to toot her own horn, but she was quite intelligent. so, really, this plan was already set in motion.

grinning widely, her hands drop from his arms to grasp his hands, her attention turning to yachi, who was watching over tsuki and yamaguchi. she calls out to the girl and tells her that she was leaving early, that she and sugawara had some business to attend to. surprisingly, little hitoka just nods, not having any questions for them. ❝ come, we can go ask them now! ❞ with that being said, she begins to restlessly drag suga from the gymnasium and towards the girls' changing rooms so she could collect her things. naturally, she lets go of him when she has to head inside, and she doesn't even bother changing clothes. she simply grabs her things and comes back out with her bags, once again grabbing hold of his hand and tugging him along. ❝ oh this will be so fun. i wonder if he'll be excited i surprised him... or maybe he'd be weird with it, some people don't like surprises. ❞ her mind is already way ahead of herself, but this was just so exciting. she wanted to see atsumu, and here suga was, giving her that opportunity.

he shouldn't be meddling in someone else's business; daichi has gotten on his case about it more than once, informing him that it wasn't his business, and he can't exactly prove him wrong about that.  being vice captain means that it was in the confines of the team and things that affected team members  ––  things like lack of confidence, help with fine tuning skills, things like that.   but what it didn't include is helping with a love life, especially given the fact that he was no longer vice captain in the least.  that mantle's been handed over and his presence is only tolerated because he's close to a few of the third years  ––  not to mention the fact that they can always use more coaches.  so he's been curled up in the bleachers, analyzing what he can help with, and instead of doing that he's been doodling in his notebook about possible ways to turn the frown on petra's face upside down.  he knows that it's traitorous, what she's doing; dating a miya twin from a rival team while she's the manager for karasuno.  he should forbid it, should claim that it's an allegiance sort of thing, but he can't bring himself to. 

koshi's a sucker for love, and that provides the most complicated part of this.  the reason why he can't just leave things like he should  ––  he can practically feel daichi's gaze burning into him even though he's not here.  admittedly he's been avoiding his phone for that reason  ––  because daichi has been going over this for a solid week, telling him how petra's relationship was none of his business.  and that might be true, but damn it, koshi's a sucker for love and he doesn't like seeing anyone upset.  would it be easy to just leave it alone and let the relationship run its course?  of course it would be.  but sugawara's never been very good at keeping his hands out of things like this.

so he pushes daichi's reprimands to the back of his mind and instead leans over a bit more, eyes slipping along the text messages that aren't exactly the most riveting.  they could be destined to be like this  ––  just a quick passing fling that wasn't going to go any further.  they're teenagers after all, and this is the sort of thing that happens.  but he also knows that atsumu miya is not the type to just blow off someone like petra.  she's foolish enough to believe in love and to pout over things like this, over text messages that aren't exciting in the least.  he's foolish enough to believe far too much in a twin connection and volleyball, but he remembers the way that he had almost turned bashful in her presence.

should he meddle?  no.  will he?  it sounds more and more like a good idea.

❝ i could lend you the money for the ticket and book a hotel, so long as you get your parents permission in front of me.  and so long as you agree to listen to me and not give me the slip; i'll give you some space so you two can hang out, but you've got to be good. ❞  there's a soft reprimand in his tone, an eyebrow easily lifting in her direction, but there is also an open fondness in his features.  he has some time before his classes start up and he's always up for some sight seeing away from miyagi.  plus, petra has never been a problem child on the team  ––  that belonged to hinata and kageyama and their ability to wander away without truly meaning to. 

[moonsmourning]

the sounds of momo fussing and being frightened breaks her heart, so there is absolutely no questioning what her next move is. still, she lingers in the air with knitted brows, glaring down at the man who retorts back so easily. crispy spider, that just sounded absolutely revolting. still, she huffs and makes her descent to the ground in one swift movement. when she's close enough to the ground her cursed angel wings break away into little light particles, leaving the woman to land on her feet skillfully. now back on land, and holding the man's dinner, she wanders over, eyes narrowed in his direction the entire time. ❝ this is low, salem. even for you. i'm very ashamed right now. ❞ obviously, she too is joking, but the tantrum poor momo throws in the mans arms is quite amusing, but also, quite sad. momo had done nothing wrong, he was simply a victim of his mother and this strange man's shenanigans.

after a sigh, she reaches out with salem's food, waiting until he shifts momo in his arms to collect it, then petra moves to pick up the spider curse, watching as it immediately settles and nuzzles in her arms, making little noises as if telling her how mean salem had been. a hand raises to brush over its disgusting little furry head, attention soon enough returning to the man before her. ❝ i hope you're happy, salem. you've terrified my child. ❞

personally, he adores watching petra climb into the skies with her wings. it's a technique he hadn't seen before and every time he does, it takes him by surprise. eyes are usually trained on her and there are times when he conjures his own technique in order to help her train, careful to keep the lightning bolts a good amount away so that she can weave and dodge. salem is careful as much as he can be –– sometimes his hands aren't steady enough, sometimes his own technique doesn't like to obey him, but he makes due. still, he does need to eat, even if he doesn't want to hurt the girl. so he raises the little spider curse in more defiance up higher, ignoring the screech from the curse as he does so. momo is not going to let him forget this for a while.

he watches the flare of her wings for a long moment before he hums low in his throat and calculates. he could maybe take out the tentacles with some strikes and they might not hurt petra, but he's never quite figured out how that actually works when it comes down to it. if they're part of her or if they're just extensions of cursed energy. eyes narrow and he gives the spider a gentle squeeze, sending out what he's positive are curse words in whatever language the little thing speaks. ❝ do it! i'll be having crispy spider for lunch! ❞ of course he doesn't mean it –– despite how much the curse is nipping at him and screeching, he wouldn't actually hurt it. he knows the importance of close familiars and pets –– his own little bird is a prime example of it. ❝ your move, hentai! ❞

[moonsmourning]

moving her hair out of the way, petra continues to watch tobio, now a little worried. he seemed to be burning himself out, clearly, signing his signature away on every form he sits and reads through. she wouldn't pretend to know what that was like on his scale of things, he was a professional at his sport, she wasn't. but that didn't mean that at the end of the day, stress wasn't stress. so she understands, a little, and feels bad for him. especially when he leans back and pinches the corners of his eyes. he takes a moment to recollect himself and she moves back, up and out of his space to let him do just that. then he moves to tuck away his paperwork, informing petra there wasn't much she could do for him in terms of helping him out. true, she couldn't exactly read a form and decide whether or not tobio wanted to do whatever they were offering and sign his name away. that, alone, was tiring work.

at the mention of a walk, however, petra smiles, nodding her head. ❝ a walk i can do, ❞ she responds, shifting to wait for him. a walk to clear your head was good for the soul, she thinks. whenever roller derby didn't help her she often went for walks or ran. running was once part of her rehabilitation so it had become part of her routine in a way. she was grateful to be able to walk and run again, so she did so whenever she could. when tobio finishes putting his things away and stands, petra wanders out of the room and stretches her arms above her head, fighting off the sleepiness. ❝ gosh, i wasn't the one reading and signing all those forms and just the sight of them has made me sleepy, ❞ laughing, she turns to shoot the boy a look, reaching over to nudge him, ❝ so i hope you aren't slaving away at it! ❞

he reaches up, gently batting her hair out of his face before it causes him to sneeze.  he leans his head back more so that it can rest against the couch, his hand coming up so that his fingers can massage at the point between his eyes.  a headache is already beginning to form from looking at fine print; he's signed more of these than he wants to admit, has sent out more of them than he wants to admit.  not that he regrets going for the professional leagues but it's a lot more work than he cares to do at one sitting  ––  and he's almost glad that there's a distraction, even in the form of petra and her annoying position.  but he knows that it's just the day getting the better of him and he lets out a slow breath. 

❝ nothing you can help with.  it's stuff i gotta fill out. ❞  neatly, tobio stacks all the forms up with one another, then settles them on the coffee table in front of him.  they're closed within a notebook where they won't crease  ––  part of him wonders if it'll reflect badly on him if they do.  so with them tucked out of sight, he brings his eyes toward petra once more.  it couldn't hurt to go for a walk and clear his mind for a bit, could it?  after all, the forms are still going to be there when he gets back.  there's no need to actually burn himself out before he even gets anywhere near the leagues.  ❝ you up for a walk? ❞

[moonsmourning]

it was an impulsive thought, one she unfortunately let win. having spotted him in the gym, looking all lost in his memories, holding the ball... how could she not? his reaction, however, wasn't one she'd anticipated. the scream he emits has her spiralling into laughter, tears forming in her eyes from it. however, it dies down easily enough as the boy questions her actions, leaving only a string of giggles escaping her by the time he finishes.

❝ sorry~! you looked so deep in thought, i let my impulsive thoughts win. ❞ which she does feel awful about, especially when he explains that he was a nice person and didn't deserve it. she knows he was a nice person, perhaps the nicest, so a soft smile settles on her lips as she walks over, moving to rest a hand on his back. ❝ sorry, sugawara-kun! i'll make it up to you, promise! ❞ she'd buy him an ice cream or maybe some street food! but for now, her attention drops to the ball in his hands, lips pulling into a smile.

reaching out, she takes the volleyball from him, turning it a few times in her hands before looking back over at the man. ❝ want to give it a go? ❞ petra muses, head gesturing to the net, ❝ i doubt i'll be any fun to play with, and setting for me might be... horrible. but! but, it might help scratch the itch you clearly have. ❞ nostalgia. it was a funny thing, she thinks, how it could feel both amazing and horrible at the same time. how it could make one happy and sad simultaneously. she leaves no room for an answer, tossing the man the ball back and moving onto the court, grinning widely. ❝ let's go! ❞

∗ 79﹕ sender  creeps  up  behind  receiver  to  scare  them . ( petra and sugawara! )

sometimes he does things like this, sneaking in for his own practice, warming up his muscles that he hasn't been using as much lately. he starts school soon; a degree in teaching coming his way, but there's part of him that is a sucker for nostalgia. that looks at all of this and thinks that maybe he's made the wrong decision, that maybe he should've tried a little bit harder instead of letting kageyama get the spotlight so often. but he had made his decision, and no matter how right the ball still feels in his hand, the weight of it something that he won't forget ––

petra is a demon in disguise making him scream like a banshee, scaring him out of his thoughts. the scream that he lets out is embarrassingly loud and shrill. he had been so sure he'd been alone in the gym –– the last he'd checked, it'd just been him and his sneakers. heart racing a mile a minute, he turns, swiveling on his heel, to level a glare at the woman who looks far too proud of herself. " why would you do that?! i'm a nice person, what did i do to deserve that?! "

[moonsmourning]

it overwhelms her. back when she was young she never anticipated her life ending up like this. back when she would finish her college work at the age of fourteen and then get her mother to drive her to the rink. now she's getting the bus to the rink, unable to afford a car, now she's visiting her mother's grave every other day and her father in the hospital the next, not to mention she also has to work in between. returning to roller derby was never in her cards after the accident, but what had happened had made the news and it spread like wildfire. her teammates had been there to support her through it all, and the fans she'd gotten from playing all sent her gifts and get well soon cards. but then the pressure started. when will you be back? are you still playing? are you still fit to continue? truthfully, no, she wasn't, the doctor advised her not to, and petra was ready to give the sport up. but if petra is nothing else in this world she is definitely a people pleaser, so when she saw all the fans, which seemingly grew in number since the accident had drawn more attention to her, she found herself riddled with guilt. it was shortly after that she returned to the sport, and her fanbase almost doubled, absolutely stunning her. even so, roller derby made her no money, but in fact, cost her money. yet she still did it to make others happy.

he amuses her, somewhat, then offers her a card, which she takes and looks over. ❝ campaign? ❞ petra asks curiously, quietly, glancing up at the man once again. whatever it was he had in mind, she didn't want to waste his time. ❝ it's a kind gesture, really. thanks for thinking of me, but... roller derby isn't volleyball. it's not a professional sport and doesn't make me money, so i can't imagine it making you any money, which i'm assuming is your goal here, ❞ a soft pause to glance at the card, reminding herself of his name, ❝ kuroo-san. there are definitely better options out there than me. ❞ petra offers him a polite smile and pockets his card. ❝ i'll still hear you out though. an apology for dodging your calls, i didn't do it on purpose. ❞

it isn't the first time that he's been brushed off, nor will it be the last.  kuroo is well aware that his status isn't exactly a given; he's still new and signing up with him and the agency isn't the easiest decision, especially when it comes to sports crossing one another.  roller derby is a more underground sport  ––  something gritty and dark with the edge of violence that some people crave.  kind of like ice skating mixed with mma, and he thinks that there's an actual market for it if people out there just knew.  having blended into the crowd the night prior, it's safe to say that there's at least some demand to it; he hasn't been pushed up against people like that since a concert.  the venues are small and the fans are dedicated  ––  that means there's somewhere to go, and judging by the jerseys that they wore and the numbers that were taped to their backs, petra is the one that they all come to see.  which is interesting; the girl doesn't at all seem like she does when she's skating.  if anything, she seems like a skittish little thing, ready to bolt at the first sign of being noticed.  it's interesting and could be a great selling point if he can get himself in there. 

❝pretty sure it would combust if i was selling bibles.❞  eyebrow raises slightly  ––  it's the first time he's been mistaken for that, and his fingers subconsciously tug at the cuffs of his suit as he tries to fix it back into place.  as much as he would've loved to come here in just a hoodie and a pair of jeans, it wouldn't have screamed 'take me seriously as an agent'.  he feels both at ease and out of place in the suit still even if it's become like second nature to reach for it.  doesn't mean that he wants to wear it, though.  as she keeps talking though, his eyebrow raises a bit higher; being noticed is something he can work to his advantage.  even if it's a little bittersweet that it's not for being a professional volleyball player.  he'll deal with those feelings at a different time.  this though, this he can work with.   ❝if you wanted a selfie, you could've just said so.❞   it's easy to pull out the boyish grin and lean in a little closer; let his body language do the talking like he has so many times before.  ❝i think i can arrange that."  he reaches into his pocket and pulls forth the card with the agency information on it.  ❝i think you could be a good fit for our new campaign.❞

[moonsmourning]

it takes him a minute before he clicks, and when he does he feeds her some of the food he was analysing like a professional food critic. when he does feed her some, and the food dances along her tongue, petra pauses to savour the taste, separate the ingredients like osamu had done. instead of closing her eyes like any normal person would do to lose herself in the moment, she gazes at the man, allowing her attention to flicker over his features, humming at his question. ❝ the sesame seeds for sure, ❞ she agrees after swallowing, nodding her head. ❝ i think you could definitely make this better though. ❞ well, she knows he could. she didn't frequent his store almost every day just to see the cute owner, that was just a bonus. no, everything he made was delicious, even if he half-assed it, which petra knows the man would never do. food was his passion, and she admired that.

her gaze drifts from the boy to the others in the restaurant, a soft grin coiling onto her lips as she looks back, still leaning over the table. ❝ hey, ❞ she speaks up quietly, ushering him to lean in also, ❝ you wanna head back to the shop? you can try whatever recipe i can see circling in your mind and i can taste test? ❞ she had nothing else planned for the rest of the day anyway, and she was actively avoiding her landlord to avoid getting another warning about her not being able to pay her full rent for this month, which has been three months in a row now. she's just lucky the man seems to like her, for whatever reason. if he didn't she'd surely be living in a cardboard box at this point, or sleeping under her father's hospital bed.

things like this weren't the most optimal outings and he's aware of it; sometimes he gets too lost in the flavors, gets too caught up in the notes that he starts to jot down that flow over into napkins that are hastily stuffed in his pockets. sometimes his own ideas start to get the best of him no matter how hard he tries to just focus on who he's with and what they're doing. he wonders if that's how actual chefs feel, or if there's just something about him that reacts in this way. either way, he's glad that petra doesn't care much –– she seems delighted, actually, in the fact that she's being included in something like this. he tries to remember the last person that he tried to have tag along for something like this; it had been a date, and he's ashamed to admit that he can't even remember the girls name, just that she had been annoyed as all hell when he would space out and focus more on the flavors than what she had been saying. osamu hadn't been proud of how badly that had gone, but it had proven to be a breakthrough on a new recipe that he had been developing at the time.

❝oh,❞ the simple word escapes him, his eyes going a little wide as petra eagerly leans in. he swallows hard, then picks up a piece of food and feeds it to her; the dusting on his cheeks grows a bit and he clears his throat, setting them down as he fidgets with the corner of his napkin. his twin is better at dates like these –– is that what it is? or is it just two friends hanging out? honestly it bleeds into one another and he settles his chin on his palm, eyes lightly running along her face. ❝what do you think? does anything stick out to you?❞ perhaps he's missed something –– or maybe she'll just confirm the things that he's already said. either way, he's itching to get into his kitchen –– he has a feeling that the black sesame seeds are going to be a game changer.

[moonsmourning]

the immediate horror that washes over him has her laughing in amusement, shifting back ever so slightly to watch him almost rub the skin right off his lips. dramatic, and she decides against telling him she was joking, for now, at least. because the next thing he has to say has her laughter coming to an end and instead arching a brow at him. sexy? petra doesn't even get to say anything because he turns the tables, which makes her snort at the mention of a jockstrap. again, she goes to speak, only for her words to straight up die in her throat. disgusting behaviour? disgusting display of violence? she wouldn't have taken it this badly if it weren't atsumu, who already acts as if he hates her. ❝ i was joking, ❞ the woman mutters, looking absolutely crushed. hands nervously twitch by her sides so she clasps them by her front, fingers fidgeting with each other, something she only does to distract her mind. ❝ if you don't like me or the sport i play then i don't know why you even come then... ❞

it's then she looks at the girls, both her own team and a few from the enemy team, it appears, who all but rush over in fits of giggles, wanting to speak to atsumu. jealous? ❝ jealous... yeah, that's what it is... ❞ before she knows it she's gently nudged out of the way and left watching the girls as they swarm him. and, honestly? she's not at all mad. instead, she clears her throat, having felt a lump form there at his words. shaking her head, she gives an amused scoff, turning and skating away from the boy and the girls, leaving him to his own devices. her friend, and teammate, had been standing off by the side waiting on her. there are some things she wants to say to him, but she knows if she did she'd cry. petra wasn't good at handling her emotions, certainly not in these kinds of situations. life was already constantly handing her the short end of the stick and she made due. petra held that short little stick and rode it out, happy to be living a somewhat happy life. her roller blades bring her to the rink, where she immediately begins doing laps to try and distract herself and warm up, trying not to think of the hurtful things atsumu had just said, but it's hard to when she can hear the giggling and squealing of the other girls who demand pictures and autographs from him.

he doesn't pay much attention to the fanfare that's being made at his approach; normally he would play it up a little bit more, but today he has his hat pulled a little lower over his head, opting to take a step in his brother's shoes. truthfully, the screaming girls give him a headache –– not that he's not appreciative for the support, but they're idiots when it comes to it and they've almost cost him a game or two when he was still in high school. not that he has perfect games even now in the division league, but that's besides the point. but their voices do reach him and it makes him slump his shoulders a little bit more as he attempts to push himself into the mindset of his twin. if he can do it, why can't he? a quiet frown comes onto his face and he's about to turn toward them, to give them a charming wave and hope that his middle finger doesn't come up as the only one in the process, when petra speaks.

immediate disgust comes over his face and he makes an absolute show of wiping his mouth against his sleeve. there's a thinly veiled hatred that burns in his eyes as they connect with hers. ❝was that your attempt at being sexy? because that's the biggest turn off i've had in a while.❞ it could be worse –– thankfully, petra hasn't actually been practicing yet. still, it's a revolting concept. ❝how would you feel if i said something similar about adjusting my fucking jockstrap, huh?❞ arms cross against his chest and he blows the fringe away from his face as he huffs. ❝honestly, i have no idea how my brother puts up with you and your disgusting behavior. and this disgusting display of violence.❞ never mind the fact that atsumu is the one who's actively brought his twin to the matches when he would much rather not engage in violence. atsumu might get a little too into it, honestly. still, petra hasn't earned the right to know that. his nose scrunches and he looks away from her, winks at the fangirls that are rapidly beginning to approach. ❝maybe you're just jealous after all.❞

[moonsmourning]

she knew who was on hinata's team, and she also harboured no hard feelings. she'd said as much a thousand times to hinata, even after she shot atsumu her new number all those years ago and got no response back, which did make her upset at the time, but she understood completely. for petra, the distance was the issue. not the fact that she was a manager for karasuno. because, to her, that sort of thing didn't matter. obviously it mattered to the boys; they were the ones participating in the sport, they were competing against each other to win. that was what she thought when she never got that text back, when their relationship had sizzled out. yes, it did hurt. back then her feelings for the boy were intense, everyone knew as much. it hurt for a while, but she understood why it had happened and never felt anger towards atsumu. he was a handsome boy who was striving for perfection; he was chasing his dream, and unfortunately, petra was nowhere near perfect or fit into that dream. it was as simple as that, and she chose to move on. or, she tried to for a while, even if she was known to let those thoughts come to light once in a while, especially around poor hinata and kageyama. but life went on.

even after graduating and carrying on with her own life, petra had kept tabs on all of her friends, even atsumu. he wasn't hard to keep up with, what with him easily making his way into the professional leagues. she often found herself sitting down with some snacks and a glass of wine and watching his games, wondering just how his life was going compared to her own, which had flipped upside down with the death of her mother and the injuries she and her father sustained from the accident. when hinata had messaged her and sent her a selfie of himself, bokuto, and atsumu all together and having all signed to the same team, there was no denying the pang she felt in her heart. when they all started playing for the jackals she often wondered if atsumu asked about her, or if hinata would have told him how much her life had spiralled. hopefully, he hadn't, because the last thing she wanted was to be sitting with him now and have him feeling pity for her.

of all the schemes hinata could pull, this had been the least expected. when he'd invited her out petra hadn't known atsumu would be there. the little orange-haired idiot had said he wasn't even training today, so when she met him and saw not only hinata, but bokuto, atsumu, and their other teammate, sakusa exit the building, her heart had nearly exploded in her chest. it wasn't hard to pick up the subtle hints around the table; they all knew something she didn't. and, with the way she noticed atsumu acting, he was left out of the loop also. hinata and bokuto were a mischievous duo, and she didn't know this sakusa guy very well so there was a lot of uncertainty. so when the drinks were ordered, she didn't take any time in downing them to help ease her nerves. it worked, to a degree, but now she was left sitting with a soft flush to her cheeks and a dizziness in her head.

so far hinata and bokuto had been the ones talking to her, with sakusa speaking up now and again to ask her some questions, which she answered somewhat awkwardly. atsumu had been quiet, downing drinks and glaring at both hinata and bokuto. the one he gives bokuto when the man rests his hand over her own catches her eye, and she pauses for a moment, blinking before slyly pulling her hand back to give bokuto a pat on the shoulder. luckily, atsumu speaks for the first time, and it opens up a pathway for them to finally interact. ❝ brazil? i wish, ❞ the ravenette laughs quietly, looking from atsumu to hinata before shaking her head and picking her drink back up, ignoring the way her heart pounds now she was getting to speak to speak to someone she had lost all those years ago. ❝ unlike you lot, i don't have the income of a professional athlete. ❞ which, although it was quite natural given the circumstances, was quite embarrassing to admit while sitting at a table with professional athletes. still, it doesn't dampen her mood, and she turns to shoot hinata a smile before turning to look over at bokuto, then, lastly, atsumu, whom she gazes at a little too boldly ( thanks to the alcohol coursing through her, ) before continuing. ❝ plus... it's nice getting to see you again. and not on a screen. ❞

he feels like his entire world has been tilted off of its axis, the earth no longer underneath his feet and his steps constantly struggling to find purchase.  he truly must be in some sort of other reality, because how else is any of this explainable?  he knew that hinata and petra were friends  ––  she had managed karasuno for years and had developed a close friendship.  but he had never even once thought that the friend that would be meeting him here would be her.  and he also didn't expect to suddenly…lose his ability to actively speak when being invited to drinks and dinner  ––  because if he hadn't been, he most certainly would've high tailed it out of there and chosen to digest this information in his apartment, nursing a beer between his hands and lamenting. but no, he hadn't opened his mouth, so now he's down at the other end of the table, his knees neatly folded underneath him and chopsticks uselessly between his fingers, watching while petra laughs with hinata and smacks his shoulder.  her eyes squint just the right amount at the edges as she laughs, smile on clear display  ––  it clenches his heart in a way that he hadn't been prepared for and he swallows hard, wrapping his hand around his cup of saki and downing it one go, relishing in the burn against his senses. 

they were just a wrong time sort of couple  ––  he had been too wrapped up in his career and she had been too far away, managing a rival team that was too close for comfort.  but he had tried to make it work, he had; until he had gotten a text back saying that he had the wrong number after a few weeks of silence and took the hint that petra had been done with him.  he hadn't blamed her at all; atsumu knew that this sort of life was a hard one to date in.  there was too much dedication to the sport, too much careful consideration of where he would go afterward, and there was the long distance that slowly dampened everything that they had wanted to have.  but there hadn't been hard feelings on his end  ––  it was just something that had fallen off, something that he hadn't stopped obsessing about since.  he had driven his twin crazy with it for a while, until he had eventually taken to sulking about it in silence because osamu threatened to kick his ass if he mentioned the girls' name again if he wasn't willing to do something about it. 

eyes glance up and watch the way that bokuto leans in more, wide grin on his face and hand covering hers on the table.  it sends an unwelcome wash of anger through him  ––  the kind that comes with missing a point in an important game, of having one of his sets go so wrong that they lose.  it's makes his skin crawl and he wants to bark at someone that's his friend to get his hands off of her.  but he keeps himself rooted to to the spot because it is not his place to enter, not anymore.  it doesn't stop him from looking away when hinata catches his eye though, something mischievous glinting in that asshole's grin.

he hears his name and it brings him back into the conversation, but not before he blinks owlishly, unsure of what had even been asked.  he bites at the inside of his cheek for a moment before he waves his chopsticks a little.  ❝ it was an okay serve.  it could be improved on if you people would just get where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be. ❞  truthfully, he has no idea if the question was even about volleyball, but it's a safety net to go through.  his cheeks do burn red though in shame at being caught, and he quickly reaches over to pour himself more saki.  ❝ surprised you wanted petra to visit us here, hinata.  was positive you would've taken her to brazil or something. ❞  and if there's absolute bitterness on his tongue, he doesn't bother to hide it  ––  but he does miss the way that the boy grins even more in favor of scowling to himself at how his shoulder touches petra's.

@moonsmourning