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Hinata's hand shook as he took the handmade card and chocolates out of his bag. He he'd spent a lot of time making these chocolates (he burned them the first time around) and had to skip extra practice with Kageyama.
"What's the point?" said Kageyama, "of giving chocolate to someone who's not going to return your feelings?" Kageyama just didn't understand anything about romance, it seemed a big waste of time to him.
Hinata had to do it, or else he would regret not trying. Oikawa was graduating soon and he wouldn't have another chance to confess his feelings to the Seijoh team captain and if he didn't do it he'd be wondering his whole life what if? and what could have been?
If there was a chance, no matter how small, Hinata would have to try. Hinata took a deep breath and entered the clubroom.
*
"Hey, Crappykawa. Look at what your fans gave me for you." Iwaizumi said, dumping the goods down on an already large heap: cards and letters of all shapes and sizes, chocolates both homemade and storebought, and assorted gifts wrapped in frilly paper.
"Looks like someone's popular," said Matsukawa.
"I swear I get more and more junk every year," Oikawa said, staring at the enormous pile in disgust. He picked up on one the cards and opened it up. "This girl gave me her hair. Her hair? What am I supposed to do with this, black magic?" He sighed and slid down in his chair.
Hinata entered the room. Oikawa perked up immediately, his heart skipping a beat. "Shouyo."
Hinata shuffled his feet. "Uh--um, this is for you," he held out a card and a bag of chocolates, looking oddly flushed.
"Another one?" Oikawa didn't even look. "Just throw it in the pile."
Hinata opened his mouth, about to say something, and seemed to think better of it. He closed his mouth and gulped, stepping away from the table.
"So what do you want to do with this?" said Hanamaki.
"Throw it out. It's all trash anyway."
"But...the chocolate."
"Okay, you guys can keep the chocolate. But the rest, I don't want it."
"So you're not even going to read the cards? Talk about heartless."
Oikawa rolled his eyes. "What, like any of these people even care? I mean it's fun to flirt with girls and all but they're just dumb fans." Oikawa said. He stood up. "No offense, but I'm a busy person."
Oikawa was watching Hinata out of the corner of his eye. He seemed down today, Oikawa couldn't help but feel conscious that something was weird about him. That wasn't good, he didn't like it when one of his team members was feeling off. Especially Hinata.
"Shouyou, are you okay?" Oikawa said, peering closely at him.
Hinata jumped. "Haha. Yeah. Of course. Umm--I'm going to go change in the locker room," he said, and rushed off, tripping over someone's backpack before making his way to the door.
Oikawa watched him go. "Okay, now we better get to practice soon--"
The team was rifling through his pile of Valentine's loot, discarding what they didn't want and keeping what they could use.
"Oikawa," said Iwaizumi suddenly. "You're going to want to read this one."
Suppressing a sigh, Oikawa took the card from him. It was handmade, a red piece of cardstock and an origami heart that seemed kind of crooked but seemed carefully done so points for creativity, he guessed.
He opened the card.
As he read, his stomach dropped lower and lower. Fuck. "Hinata...as in, our Hinata?" he said aloud. Dumb question. He knew that scrawly handwriting, the same handwriting of the boy whose handwriting was always on the sign up sheet for cleaning up after practice. (Which he always did, enthusiastic and energetic despite it being the end of the day.)
"Is this a joke?"
Kageyama glared. "You think Hinata would joke about something like that?"
"Well, no..."
"He's not a liar." Kageyama growled. "He's not a jerk." Unlike you, were the unspoken words.
Oikawa looked at his teammates. "Did you know?"
"It's kind of obvious," said Kunimi. The others nodded in agreement.
Oikawa thought of the way Hinata looked at him, eyes shining, and the way he sometimes seeked him out outside of practice to do extra training together, and the way he smiled at him, bright and genuine, while asking him about his day. But he was friendly to everyone, how was Oikawa supposed to know that there was something more to it?
His stomach was aflutter, his heart racing. "I have to go talk to him," Oikawa said, dropping the card.
"Yeah, you better."
"You done fucked up, Oikawa."
"And Tooru?" Iwaizumi called over his shoulder. Oikawa turned around. "Let him down nicely, okay?"
"Excuse me? When have I ever not been nice?"
"You made that girl cry once."
"That was her own fault, she--oh, never mind." He stalked out of the room.
*
Hinata stood in the locker room, slowly peeling off his jersey. He wasn't sulking, but he was angry at himself--Kageyama was right, he'd never had a chance with someone like Oikawa and he was dumb to even consider it.
Someone barged in. Hinata heard footsteps approaching. He looked up. And quickly looked back down.
"Hinata-kun," Oikawa started.
Hinata's fist clenched around his jersey.
"I read your card," said Oikawa.
Hinata's heart plummeted. There was no hiding it anymore. "Oh. Well. Great." Hinata turned his back, cheeks burning in shame.
"Hinata, I'm..I...I'm sorry."
"It's fine, you don't have to say anything." Hinata reached down and put on his sneaker, concentrating on tying the knot with his trembling fingers.
"Look, I didn't mean you," Oikawa approached, keeping a distance. He was being careful, diplomatic. Hinata hated it. He didn't want to be pitied.
"Just forget it, okay?" he mumbled.
"If I had known you were going to confess..." Oikawa took a deep breath. "I'm flattered, I really am, but--"
"I said, forget it," Hinata said, louder this time.
Silence. The rejection speech Oikawa had planned died in his throat. Standard speech, your application has been reviewed but here are no positions open at the time. Thanks, but no thanks.
Hinata looked miserable, sitting there hunched over, his shirtless body exposed to the locker room cold. Oikawa didn't want to be the cause of his pain.
Hinata continued putting on his uniform, hurrying to get his shirt over his head. He remained on the bench, unsure what to do as Oikawa was blocking the doorway and he really didn't want to look at him right now. So he stared at the locker in front of him. "Sorry for wasting your time," Hinata said. There was a lump in his throat.
"No," Oikawa came over and took a seat next to Hinata. "I'm glad you told me." Hinata's words were inscribed in his mind, as clear as if Hinata had said them aloud.
Oikawa-san, I think you are amazing.
Oikawa leaned forward, placing his hand on Hinata's. He flinched away to Oikawa's disappoinment.
Your serves are the BEST, you're hot and gorgeus gorgus gorjeous.
"That takes guts," he said, eyes soft, focused on him. "Confessing to someone."
You make my heart beat really fast. Dont tell Kageyama but I think you're the better setter and
"Especially someone as popular and good looking as me," Oikawa added.
I like it when you teach me stuff and when we practice together and go for ice cream after
Hinata shrugged, still staring at the locker.
I'll miss you when you're gone and
Oikawa dug his fingers into the metal grate holes of the bench, his heart thumping.
I know it's silly because you probably get lots of letters and I'm short and a first year and idk if u like boys but
Oikawa inched closer. "I'm very glad you told me," Oikawa repeated.
I guess what I'm trying to say is,
Hinata looked at him at last. "Huh?"
You make me happy and
It dawned on him. "...you mean...?"
if you let me
Oikawa nodded.
I could make you happy too.
"Shoyou," he said. "You can kiss me now."
So he did. Hinata felt shivers down his spine. His insides bursting with joy. His tongue entered Oikawa's mouth eagerly. This was really happening, Oikawa was really putting his arms around him. Hinata fumbled, he reached up to touch Oikawa's hair. It was soft, just as he thought it would be.
He broke away, dropping his hands from Oikawa's head to hide his own blushing face. "So...you really...does this mean you...accept my feelings?" He needed to be sure.
"Obviously." Oikawa said. He squirmed. "I mean, I can't make any promises but..."
Hinata peeked out from between his fingers. They locked eyes, Hinata searching for signs of dishonesty in the older boy's caramel-brown eyes and finding none.
He nodded. He leaned back in, preparing to kiss him on the neck. He suddenly felt bold-- maybe it was the fireworks in his chest or the blood quickly rushing downwards or the way their bare thighs were touching skin against skin. Hinata scooted closer and wrapped his legs around Oikawa. Oikawa's eyes widened, and for a second Hinata thought he went too far. But then Oikawa smirked, his hands traveling down to his waist and drawing him closer...
*
Neither of them registered their teammates' voices in the background till it was too late.
The door slammed open.
"What the hell--?"
Everyone gaped at the both of them as Oikawa and Hinata untangled themselves. Oikawa cleared his throat. "Well," said Oikawa, crossing his arms and giving them his best captain stare. "Aren't you going to get ready for practice?"
They all started talking at once.
"...Wow..."
"So that's what you were up to."
"Hinata, high five!"
"I should've seen this coming."
Oikawa rolled his eyes and looked over at Hinata, who looked rather pink but satisfied with himself. He marched up to Kageyama, grinning widely. "Told you it was worth a try," Hinata said. Kageyama shrugged; he still didn't understand romance.
Hinata watched as the others continued yammering, teasing Oikawa as they got into uniforms. He decided to go to the gym early since he was changed already. He glanced backwards at Oikawa-- flushed face, hair messed up, bite marks on his neck-- and felt lightweight, giddy almost, and he skipped out of the room grinning to himself.