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Teruki was so glad at times like these, that he and Kageyama had gotten into the same high school. If they hadn’t, Teruki shuddered to think of the things they’d be missing out on: the walks to and from school, the shared commiserating over the awful science teacher, and the lunch breaks where they could eat together uninterrupted.
Or well, that’s what Teruki had been imagining when Kageyama had told him the news.
In actuality, Kageyama often had early and late club things, and their science teacher wasn’t bad. And, well, they still ate lunch together, but Kageyama was more popular than Teruki had (uncharitably) expected him to be. He had a few members of his old Middle school club(s?) still at this school: Tome and Mezato, and old Body Improvement club members who stopped by to ruffle Kageyama’s hair. But, he’d also picked up more friends as well, new ones who clustered around Mob for his blunt charm and burgeoning good looks as he’d shot up and filled out since they met at fourteen.
It was for this reason, that Teruki had to hear, through the grapevine that Kageyama had been confessed to. Twice. Today. It wasn’t even close to Valentine’s day, so Teruki could only imagine the coincidence, but the fact that someone else other than Kageyama told him was maddening. He had to find Kageyama right away.
It was after school, and people were heading to their various clubs. Teruki was in the going-home club most days, which really meant hanging around for Kageyama or going over to the Awakening Lab, where he still helped out three times a week. Today was one of those days, so he didn’t have a lot of time, but he really needed to know what Kageyama had said. What was he feeling? Flustered? Flattered? Had he rejected them soundly? Or were things up in the air, and if they were… where did that leave Teruki?
Because, oh yes, Teruki was harboring a smidgeon of feelings for the other boy. Nothing major, he was sure, but the squeeze in his heart when he thought of Kageyama getting into a relationship with someone else… well, it wasn’t acceptable, at least not until Teruki had given whomever it was a thorough vetting.
He found Kageyama in the hall near his club room, already wearing his work out clothes (he was in a new Body Improvement club that he’d helped start, which filled Teruki with pride), and sitting against the wall staring off into space. Uh oh.
“Kageyama-kun,” Teruki said, stepping into view. He left a longer than usual pause while Kageyama’s thoughts came back from where he’d been, and Teruki took the chance to take in his still flushed cheeks (though he didn’t appear to have started exercising yet) and far away eyes under his shorter fringe. Though his arms were loosely folded on his knees, so it couldn’t be too bad.
Kageyama blinked, and looked up at him, eyes widening a tiny bit.
“Oh, Hanazawa-kun, hi,” he said, and Teruki smiled in greeting, crouching down next to him.
“What are you doing out here?” Teruki knew there were still a few minutes before his club started, but usually Kageyama would be already started in his warm ups.
“Just thinking…”
Teruki smiled a little mischievously. Might as well dive right in. Beating around the bush wouldn’t work with this one. “Someone told me you got confessed to. Twice!”
Kageyama blushed, scratching his nose. “Ah, yes. I thought it was a joke at first, but Miki-chan asked me at lunch, and Akiyama-kun in between classes.”
Teruki felt that tightness in his chest twist at the confirmations, and he even knew them both. They were in the group that hung around with them at lunch, (which today he’d had to skip because of a group study project, today of all days!) and Akiyama-kun was in Kageyama’s club. In fact, he was probably in there right now, and was why Kageyama wasn’t inside working through his thoughts more physically. Still, Teruki pasted his grin higher, ever the supportive best friend.
“What did you say? Do you like either of them back?”
Kageyama’s brow furrowed ever so slightly. “I don’t know. It doesn’t feel the same as with Tsubomi-chan, but I don’t dislike either of them. We’re friends.”
“What did you say?” Teruki asked, and Kageyama sighed.
“Just that I needed some more time. It seemed unfair to reject their feelings until I had thought about it. Then, getting two in one day…”
“It’s a lot to take in?” Teruki offered, and Kageyama nodded. “Well, there’s no need to rush. If their feelings are genuine, they’ll wait for you to understand yours.”
Kageyama was looking less overwhelmed now, and more pensive. Teruki waited, almost watching the thoughts play out across his face. He was getting close to the starting time of his club activity, but Kageyama was working towards a goal in his mind. Sure enough, the question came out after Teruki’s careful patience.
“How do you know if you like someone like that? Properly, I mean.”
“You liked Tsubomi-chan,” Teruki prompted. Kageyama sighed.
“I don’t know... I think I liked the idea of her, holding her hand and walking home. There’s more to it than that.”
Teruki nodded. “That’s true.” Teruki shifted around so he was sitting next to Kageyama on the floor, since Kageyama didn’t seem in a rush to go to his club, and Teruki’s tutoring at the lab could wait a bit. Kageyama was still looking at Teruki curiously, like he held all the answers, so Teruki took a breath and resolved to do his best.
“Well, it’s like this. Of course, you want to date someone you know, and are comfortable with, and that can grow as you spend time together. Friendship can be a great foundation, especially if you’ve gone through a lot together.” For some unknown reason, Teruki felt his own cheeks warming up, and he waved his hand around as a distraction from the weight of Kageyama’s eyes on him. “And then, of course, you would want to be with someone you’re attracted to, physically. If you like their face, or their hair…”
Why was Kageyama looking at him like that? Had he leaned closer? Teruki gulped and caught himself looking at Kageyama’s face, and then his gaze sliding down to his mouth.
“Someone you could imagine... kissing.”
As the word escaped his lips, halting because of the nearing proximity of a certain other pair of lips, Teruki had the fleeting thought of oh.
And then Kageyama was kissing him. Brief, soft, inexperienced, but it was nice. And it was short.
Kageyama pulled away, opening his eyes again, and Teruki looked at him with all his insides fluttering, face aflame, smile on trembling lips. Kageyama blinked and then hummed.
“Hm.”
And that, dear friends, seemed to be that! Teruki coughed a little bit in surprise, as Kageyama moved back.
“Well, uh… that was surprising…” Teruki managed, and Kageyama blinked again, and oh there was his typical blush. Sweat broke out on his forehead. It was like he’d only just realized what he’d done.
“Ah! Well, w-while you were talking, I.. I just-”
Teruki put his hand out, clasping Kageyama’s hand in a sudden flash of terrified, elated, panic.
“I felt like I was describing us!” Teruki said, and Kageyama nodded, wide eyed.
“Yes, and I, I just thought.”
“No, no, I thought it too!” Teruki exclaimed, squeezing Kageyama’s hand between his, his whole body alight with sudden, unthinkable hope. Kageyama continued looking at him, features writ with shock, before the door behind them slid open.
“Ah, there you are Kageyama-kun- ah?” It was Akiyama, leaning around the door. Kageyama shot upright and to his feet, spinning to face Akiyama before dropping into a bow.
“I’m very sorry, Akiyama-kun, I can’t return your feelings,” Kageyama said without preamble. Akiyama looked surprised but not too disappointed as he looked between Kageyama and Teruki, still blushing on the floor. “I have someone else I like.”
Teruki clutched his cheeks, sure they were on fire, his heart squeezing tightly at Kageyama’s words. Has this been how he was feeling this whole time, just hidden under denial, respect, and friendship? God, he was such an idiot.
Akiyama laughed a little. “That’s alright, Kageyama-kun, I don’t mind. I hope you’re both happy together!”
Kageyama was so red when he turned and looked back at Teruki that he was reminiscent of a pile of MobDonalds ketchup, but his smile was blinding.
“I hope so too.”