Chapter Text
Serve after serve, Kageyama’s hits get more precise and crisp. Aiming at the bottles he had placed earlier almost perfectly, knocking them over with a satisfying grin plastered on his face. Evening fell upon the small town of Yukigaoka quickly, and Tobio couldn’t be happier.
He wanted to work on his service aces, though already deadly, it’s not exactly perfect and Kageyama will continue to work towards that. The gym was quiet — only filled with the sounds of his shoes shuffling on the used court floor, his palm striking the ball, and the bottles falling after a successful serve.
Just because his classmates no longer think he’s capable of joining the V.League, doesn’t mean he can’t show them what he’s made of.
Professional players shouldn’t choose based on gender, and instead focus on the skill level of the individual. At least, that is what Tobio hopes them to be.
In all honesty, Kageyama did not have any plans for the future besides volleyball. Hoping to earn a place in the League after he graduates, not only because he’ll be a great addition but it would do him wonders rather than whatever his results would be years from now. Despite being a practical genius in volleyball, he can’t say the same when it comes to actual mathematics.
However, there is this thought lingering at the back of his thoughts, eating away his confidence slowly. It might seem a little ridiculous to himself a day ago, but within a few hours it has become a genuine issue he has been considering.
What if the League doesn’t accept him? Sure, he had other options he was looking at, but to land a spot in the professional leagues is something he had set his mind on from the start.
Even thinking about not getting in has Kageyama’s stomach churning in anxiety, flopping the next serve he attempted. The ball bounced a few inches away from the bottle he was previously aiming for, Tobio grumbled a little in frustration that he allowed his overthinking to get in the way.
Tobio prepares for another serve, this time he was much more prepared. Closing his eyes, letting concentration flow back to him. Spinning the ball in his hands, breathing in that court air the moment he lifted his eyelids. He ran forward, his feet gliding like on ice, then lifted up gracefully. The pose he struck was almost perfect, arching his back into a beautiful bend, his arm outstretched and ready for impact.
His palm met the ball, colliding it with his strength before it was sent flying to the target. It was a success before it even hit the bottle, mainly due to the fact all of Tobio’s calculations showed to be correct as it flew strongly in one direction.
However, just as it was about to hit the final bottle, someone swooped in through the entrance. The stranger bent down, snapping his arms together to receive the ball. It was done extremely pastily, so the ball barely bounced off his arms, landing pathetically to the side of the gym. Anti-climactic, to say the least, but Kageyama couldn’t stay mad for too long after realising who exactly it was standing before him.
Itching his bright orange hair, Hinata looked at the ball he failed to receive in embarrassment. “I thought I was making a pretty cool entrance…” His eyes still refused to meet the wrath of the other, who was slowly making his way towards Hinata. “Guess I still can’t receive your serv—“
Tobio’s hands gripped tightly around Hinata’s face, wriggling him around angrily, all while muttering cuss words under his breath. “If you couldn’t receive that, then why did you have to disrupt my perfectly good serve?!” Shaking the other boy harder, steam basically forming at the top of his head.
“Ow— I’m sorry!! I wanted to look cool!” Shoyou exclaimed, his hands wrapped around the other’s wrists in an attempt to free himself, but he only felt the grip become tighter. “I already said sorry!”
Grunting in frustration, Tobio finally freed the other from his deathgrip, rolling his eyes as Hinata chose to strike the most dramatic pose ever. “I didn’t even grip you that hard, you’re overreacting.”
“You wound me, Kageyama Tobio.” Hinata said as he soothes his cheeks, both of which are red with pain. “Won’t even let this poor peasant go after many pleas, now I'm forced to live with this aching pain forever till I die…”
Kageyam’s eyes twitched a little, “I’ll show you what’s it like to die.”
Before he knew it, they were chasing each other in the empty gym. Hinata hopped over the gym equipment Tobio hadn't properly kept, making annoying faces when the other failed to catch up. All while he simultaneously teased Tobio, using whatever was in his way to protect him from being caught. Flashbacks of first year ran through their minds, on the day when they lost the Inter-high competition to Aoba Johsai.
Though that day was filled with grief and frustration, it was an important moment for the both of them. Not every game can be won, especially without hard work and improvement. So they run, they scream, they break the chains binding them to mourn something that had already passed.
And they strive, they set higher expectations and goals to accomplish. A small insignificant moment, compared to their other achievements, but an important one nonetheless.
Eventually at one point, Kageyama deduces that he won’t be able to catch the bright haired boy in this game of tag. Slowing down to catch a breath, shaking away the nausea that came with stopping so suddenly.
Hinata also stopped, his chest heaving to garner as much air into his lungs. He was exhausted from all the running, and laughing too. Looking over at Kageyama’s face, one riddled with cute smile lines. It’s been a while since he smiled, Hinata was slightly glad he missed that receive. In fact, he’d miss thousands of receives if he was able to see that toothy grin anytime.
“Glad you’re no longer Mr. Grumpy.” Shoyou straightened his back, his gaze still situated at the other. Kageyama rolled his eyes, but kept a slight smile on his lips as he looked around for a ball. “Hey, toss to me.”
Tobio shook his head, holding a ball tightly within his palms. “I’m practicing my serves today, before you rudely interrupted.” Hinata slumped down in sadness, slamming his hands together to plead. “Oh c’mon!! Just one time!”
Annoyed, but it was a habit. Almost anytime Hinata yelled for a toss before practice, Tobio would do exactly that, claiming it was just a warm-up. It was basically engraved into their lives, though Kageyama would rather die than admit he enjoyed it as much as the others did.
“Fine,” Kageyama threw the ball at the other, which he caught perfectly. “But after this we’re focusing on my serves… And your receives.”
Hinata could not be more excited, since he didn’t really have much of an opportunity to hit any spikes during practice, he had a lot of fuel to burn. Thoughts of the future dissipate into the air, leaving no room to think about their differences in sub-genders. For now, it’s just like last time, unknowing of any other challenges besides volleyball.
One toss turned into two, and two turned into four. It was endless, but the fun was simply addictive. Each set was perfect, and Hinata’s ability to adjust himself well to spike it. Truly, without a doubt, the best feeling in the world. A smile plastered on each of their faces, one as bright as the moonlit sky the gym stood under.
Tobio flopped onto the floor, his back against the cold walls. They had been playing for about an hour now, also making sure to practice what they had intended to while sneaking in a toss or two.
It was close to dinnertime and the two of them needed to get home, but they found themselves just reminiscing the view of the used court. To the normal crowd, it looked like a messy gym. Volleyballs strewn everywhere, sweat and muck dirtied the once shiny floor. However, to these two, it was a rather beautiful sight. Knowing one day they’ll never get to feel this again, one day they would also have to part from this very gym they rested in.
Both Kageyama and Hinata wanted to keep playing, play until their limbs give out, play until they grow old and senile. They want to cherish this very moment they were in, away from the eyes of the world, one special only to them.
“Hey, Kageyama.” Hinata spoke up, staring at the unmoving net. “You… Never got to tell me your orientation.”
Tobio pauses, of course every good thing comes to an end. Shoyou would grow curious eventually, and Kageyama tried his hardest to avoid the bright ball of sunshine before. Either by ignoring him, or simply just playing a few rounds of volleyball. Evidently, it didn’t work.
“Can we…” Tobio stuttered, something he doesn’t normally do. “Just talk about volleyball?”
A deafening silence filled the air, alongside a sense of dread filling Kageyama’s lungs. It was suffocating, knowing that he was trying everything in his power to keep this secret sealed tight. ‘Not now.' Kageyama thought to himself, gripping his bottle tighter.
To his surprise, Shoyou just nodded with a smile on his face. “Okay, we’ll just talk about volleyball.”
Relief washed over Tobio in waves, feeling slightly emotional. He always knew Hinata was considerate, but it was nice to experience it first-hand. His fingers around the bottle loosened, finally locking gazes with the shorter boy next to him. Their bodies close enough to touch, heat radiating off each other from practice earlier.
“Only volleyball.”
—
Yamaguchi presented.
It has been about two weeks since they had gotten their results, so this wasn’t a huge surprise to anyone. Tadashi had mentioned having an imbalance in his hormones the days before, and experiencing sudden awareness in scents. However, thanks to the speed at which the school had given him his results and its accuracy, Yamaguchi had taken a few days off school to rest at home. Looking at the rest, he would be the first to have presented.
Tsukishima had already known about Yamaguchi’s absence that day, considering the two were childhood friends for the longest time. Anything that shorter boy did, Tsukishima would automatically be the first to know, and this was no surprise. Hinata was excited for Tadashi, and he had a lot of questions, like does feel any… different?
The gym’s atmosphere was as normal as ever, lively and relaxed. Hinata tried his best to strike a conversation with the ever-so cold Tsukishima Kei, who barely even grumbled as a response to the bright haired boy.
“Any plans on visiting Yamaguchi after school?” Hinata squats down to tie his shoe laces, eyes full of curiosity despite not looking at the other.
Tsukishima scoffed, “Why would I do that?”
That was just like him, always acting like he never cared when it came to Yamaguchi. Kei would think if he stayed vague about his words that no one could catch on, but half of the gym probably knows about his little crush anyway. Especially Hinata Shoyou.
“Dude,” Shoyou rolled his eyes, straightening back up. “I know you’re gonna go see him immediately after practice.”
Tsukishima squinted his eyes at the other, but looked away with a smirk on his face. “Don’t try to be intimidating, you’re making me laugh at how short you are.” A slight blush tinted his cheeks, covering it with his hands.
“Shut up!!!” Hinata grunted, “I’m following you today to see him, whether you like it or not!”
“I already told you I’m not seeing him.”
“Then I’ll just follow you back home.” Hinata teased.
Tsukishima shivered at the thought of the other following him back home, “Stay away from me.”
The two continued to bicker loudly, completely unaware of the fact Kageyama had passed by them to start on his warm-ups. He had been quite distant that day, which was one of the few reasons why he was awfully quiet.
Since Yamaguchi had expressed feeling significant hormone changes, Tobio has been in a downward spiral of anxiety. He hasn’t touched his result paper since he got it, which was about more than two weeks ago. He deduced that he had always been a late bloomer, so maybe his presentation would be delayed too. Tobio was the last of the few to grow his first adult tooth, and other various things besides height. (He had always been quite tall for his age.)
Yet, the thought of his little secret having a time limit ate away at him inside. Tobio swore he could see how his team members would react, the disappointment to find out their setter was a good-for-nothing-omega. His breath hitched, biting the inside of his cheek. Kageyama hasn’t felt this nervous in a long while, the last time he could ever recall feeling like this was his first ever volleyball tryouts.
It was a little pathetic, Kageyama thought. He had never doubted himself to this extent, because he knew his worth. Tobio is more than aware how powerful of a player he is, so why is it now that he feels like this.
His fingers fumbled when he tried to tie his laces, cursing under his breath when he struggled more. Ever since he got into volleyball, his hand coordination has never failed him, concentration was his biggest strength. However before that, he would always rely on someone to help him tie his shoe laces. Sitting by the edge of the elevated floor, his feet dangling off it. The person tying his laces was his grandfather — Kazuyo — shuffling slightly so that the pressure on his knee doesn’t pain him. Looping his wrinkly fingers through the hole, making soft sound effects with his mouth. Tobio’s eyes watched attentively, learning and absorbing all that was happening in front of him. Once he was done, his grandfather looked up at Tobio with a smile, the brightest one he’d ever remember.
A smile filled with so much warmth, as if you’re being hugged and tucked into bed. Kageyama blinked away the tears, gritting his teeth in frustration as he failed again at tying his laces.
Just as he was about to give up, a pair of hands came into view, snatching the shoe laces away from him. “Oi, Bakayama.” Tobio shifted his gaze upwards, a pout forming on his lips. “How old are you? Still can’t tie your laces on your own?”
A cheeky childish smile plastered on Hinata’s lips, bright and … warm. Kageyama swore they stayed like that forever, a moment he never left.
“I’m just tired.” Tobio replied, “Didn’t need your help.”
Hinata’s smile disappeared into an unamused face, “You could’ve just said thank you.”
“You insulted me first.”
Hinata looked visibly offended, “Insult you?! I am simply asking a question!!” Tobio rolled his eyes and got up to his two feet, looking away to hide the blush forming.
“Whatever, thanks.”
Hinata couldn’t help but feel that Kageyama was acting off. The team was focusing on defense practice that day, so it wasn’t that crazy that the other didn’t toss to him. Yet, the energy was off again, similar to the day when they got their results.
Their bickers lessened, small talk basically non-existent, just what the hell is going on with this guy?!
Hinata mumbled to himself as he thought of possible justifications. Could it be because Kageyama hadn’t been taking care of himself, or did Hinata stink really bad after every practice?
…Could it be something related to his orientation?
A spike from the other end of the court came flying down, to which Hinata reacted by diving for a receive. He had improved a lot since first-year, launching the ball up high to the setter’s position. After getting himself back on his feet, he started pondering again when he busied himself back into position.
Weeks ago Hinata had asked about it, but Tobio refused to answer him. Shoyou guessed that maybe he genuinely only wanted to talk about focusing on volleyball strategies, and nothing more. However now, he has finally grown curious.
The Alphas had never been too shy about flexing their orientation, besides Tsukishima who took a long time convincing him to open his mouth. Betas weren’t exactly secretive about their identity either, just like when Tanaka presented back when he was a second year, he had casually told everyone about his sub-gender and went on with his day.
Omegas, however, don’t normally tell people about it straight away. Yamaguchi only told Hinata when they went to a more secluded area on the school grounds, even though eventually his orientation was made known.
Could it be that Kageyama was…?
‘No, it can’t be.' Hinata thought, bending down to receive a flying ball from the opposite court. ‘He’d… tell me.’
Shoyou considered asking Tobio’s classmates before, but he’d rather hear it from the actual source, and if he’s not ready then Shoyou can only wait. He fumbled his next receive, watching it bounce off to the side. “Sorry!” Hinata exclaimed, smiling awkwardly when Ennoshita mouthed ‘don’t mind.’
Returning to his position, he locked his gaze at the familiar blue haired fiend spinning a ball in his hands, getting ready for a jump serve. Hinata stared at the other to get into position, finally returning his gaze.
Kageyama’s eyes held a fire that shone so bright it could burn anyone’s skin, but Hinata was the sun itself. Keeping his stare steady, holding his breath as he watched the other jump.
Elegant, as always. Shoyou has seen this view many times, but it never failed to impress him. The ball came flying down faster than the speed of light, breaking through the barriers of the wind. Hinata braced himself, hopping in front and slammed his arms together.
The serve bounced off his arms, flying over perfectly, a victorious glint sparkled in his eyes. Kageyama smiled, a sense of trust blooming once again between the both.
When their gazes broke apart, Hinata stood there staring at the net. ‘Yeah. He’d tell me.’