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Everything’s always been a match between the two of them.
Who can receive better, who can serve better, who can say “I love you” more without blushing, who can last longer eating the other’s cooking, who can go grocery shopping faster—
Everything’s always been a match between the two of them.
(But that’s okay, because in between losing and winning those little competitions, they made each other stronger. They found their own little perfection.)
So it doesn’t really surprise their friends when they overhear the two idiots talking about “Let’s see who gets to live longer.”
And then the game begins.
It starts off funny and light, with Hinata sniggering behind his hand whenever Kageyama eats junk food (“Ah ah ah, Kageyama. Better watch your weight~” “SAYS THE ONE WHO ATE TWO BARS OF CHOCOLATE LAST NIGHT.”), and Kageyama cooking nothing but vegetables for one straight week (“Gotta watch our weight~” “UGH YOU KNOW I HATE VEGGIES KAGEYAMA!”).
Then the teasing stops, years pass, and everyone thinks that the challenge is something old and forgotten.
That is, until Hinata gets rushed to the hospital.
When they get home, Kageyama changes their bedsheets, tucks Hinata into bed, gives him a peck on the forehead and proceeds to clean their entire apartment. He remembers what the doctor said and throws away anything that might make Hinata’s condition worse.
Kageyama is surprised when he feels two arms wrap around him when he slips into bed. He isn’t surprised when he feels tears soaking the back of his shirt, and he turns to scoop up the trembling ball that is Hinata into his arms.
And when he hears Hinata whisper, “I’m not gonna lose this one,” he’s no longer sure if it’s him or Hinata who’s shaking more.
It isn’t until Kageyama says “As long as I’m here, you’re invincible,” that Hinata finally manages to sleep.
Kageyama keeps his word. He’s there whenever Hinata needs him (as always), which means that he never leaves his side unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Kageyama’s there when they go to the hospital for check-ups (“Stop squirming, everything’s going to be alright.”), Kageyama’s there when Hinata has to vomit in the middle of the night (“Ssshh, it’s okay.”), Kageyama’s there when Hinata tries to push him away (“Don’t be an idiot!”), and Kageyama’s there when Hinata isn’t (“Hello? Daichi-san? Have you seen him? Yes, yes, I’m on my way.”).
They have their good days, when Hinata wakes up earlier than Kageyama and he cooks pancakes and Kageyama wakes up to the smell of coffee and Hinata’s singing. They even manage to toss around a volleyball in their living room. Then they have their bad days, when Kageyama has to force Hinata out of bed, and both of them don’t get any sleep that night because Hinata’s crying (“I don’t deserve you anymore.”) and Kageyama’s trying his best not to (“I didn’t deserve you right from the start, but here I am, here we are.”).
(It’s always been ‘they’, and Kageyama wants it to stay like that forever.)
(So he tries and he tries to make Hinata feel that nothing’s changed, even though he’s more of a dumbass right now and even though he’s killing Kageyama even more than before, nothing’s changed, nothing’s going to change, because—)
“I’m not going to leave you.”
“But I am.”
“Do you think that I’m going to let you do that?”
(—he’s stuck around for more than ten years already, if he wanted to leave him, then he would’ve done so ages ago.)
It takes time, a lot of time (and Kageyama’s thankful that at least, at least the stars granted them this) before Hinata’s back to his old cheerful self.
(It also takes a lot of kisses, hugs, and reassurances.)
The number of their good days increases, and now it’s Hinata who has to drag Kageyama out of bed. He accompanies Kageyama to work, and they both teach the little kids the basics of volleyball.
And one day, Hinata asks him for a toss.
Kageyama doesn’t need to be asked twice.
(Instead, he asks the stars, he asks whoever’s up there, he wishes, to “Please, please—)
Hinata’s palm meets the ball flawlessly, as always, and he runs up to Kageyama and smiles, as always, and he hugs him and as he buries his face in Kageyama’s shirt, he whispers, “One more time.”
(—please don’t take my sunshine away.”)
(Kageyama may or may not have sung that when he thinks Hinata is sleeping.)
(And he never notices that whenever he sings that, the following morning is always always the start of a good day.)
(Because contrary to popular belief, Hinata actually listens.)
Kageyama wonders if he’s used up all his wishes when he wished for Hinata Shouyou to love him back as much as he loved him when they were in high school.
He thinks that he has, because otherwise, they wouldn’t be here, in this dull quiet hospital room. Hinata wouldn’t be here, all pale and frail. Kageyama wouldn’t be here, gripping his hand like a lifeline.
“Heh…”
Kageyama looks up at the sound of Hinata’s weak laugh.
“"Looks like I lost this one, eh, Kageyama?" His voice is low.
“…”
“Kageyama?”
“That’s,” Kageyama stops to think. “1009 wins… and 910 losses for me.”
Hinata manages to shake his head, albeit rather slowly. “…No. You have… 1010 wins.”
“What?”
Hinata smiles at him before he looks up at the ceiling, as if he’s lost in his memories.
“I lost to you… around this time, back in middle school, right?”
Kageyama tsks and tightens his hold on Hinata’s hand.
“Yeah, I already counted that, dumbass. 1009 wins.”
“…?”
He sighs at Hinata’s obvious confusion.
“Did you really think that I’ll count this one as a ‘win’?”
And Kageyama sees Hinata’s beautiful smile for one more time before his heart monitor starts beeping like crazy.
He’s asked to leave the room but he stays right outside of the door.
He knows that Hinata can’t hear him but that doesn’t stop him from chanting “I’m here I’m here I’m here”.
Kageyama stays and he doesn’t move and he doesn’t leave because he promised him, he promised Hinata that—
“As long as I’m here, you’re invincible.”
When the doctor emerges from the room, Kageyama looks down and braces himself for the news.
He feels something clawing at his heart when it’s been a minute and the doctor still hasn’t said anything. He looks up and he sees him smiling.
And so he runs inside the room and when he sees Hinata, all pale and frail but most certainly alive and breathing and alive, and he hears him whisper “Looks like I’m still not going to lose this one, Kageyama.” and he sees Hinata smile before he drifts off to sleep, he doesn’t even try to hide his tears because Hinata’s alive and he’s here.
“I’m here, Hinata. I’m here.”
And then Fate amusedly shakes her head at him because what was he worrying about? Didn’t he wish for this? He’s never used up a single wish his entire life.
After all, Hinata Shouyou has loved him right from the start.