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a is for alive
"Do you like him?"
Sugawara asks him this during practice, right after he catches him staring at Kageyama for far too long.
Hinata blushes, and he almost denies it, but the look that Sugawara's giving him makes the "W-what? No of course not, why would you think that, Sugawara-san hahaha!" die on his lips.
"...I think so." Hinata replies, looking away and trying very hard not to just run away due to embarrassment.
"You're not really sure, eh?"
Hinata shakes his head. "I-I'm... not sure. I've never really thought about it much and... this whole... 'l-like' thing is kinda new to me."
He hears Sugawara hum, and he turns to face him again.
"Well, what do you feel when you see Kageyama?" Sugawara asks with a fond expression.
'A lot of things,' is what Hinata wants to say. He feels annoyed and irritated whenever Kageyama does something better than him (which is almost all of the time), he feels hurt when he's reminded of how much practice he still has to do in order to become better. However, he also feels all pumped up when they're together, he feels happiness and pride whenever he receives compliments (it doesn't matter that they suck, because really, Kageyama doesn't know how to) and reassurances ("I'm here."), he feels all of those together whenever they fire insults at each other (He doesn't really think of them as 'insults' anymore, they do more good than harm, after all).
'A lot of things,' is what Hinata wants to say.
But when the coach signals to him that he'll be subbed in after Asahi's serve, and he sees Kageyama look at him, and sees the challenge (and is that excitement?) in his eyes, 'A lot of things,' manages to form a single word.
And Hinata says this to Sugawara just as the whistle is blown, and he thinks that he's got that one right, because his reply causes a bright smile to spread across Sugawara's face.
And Hinata thinks that he really got that one right, because that is all that he feels while he's on the court, while he's with Kageyama.
"Alive. He makes me feel alive."
b is for breathless
Volleyball, with all the jumping, serving, receiving, spiking, and blocking, can leave you out of breath in a matter of minutes. Their oddball quick strike is no joke as well. It requires both Hinata's and Kageyama's concentration and skills.
(And trust. Lots and lots of it. It's a good thing that this is one thing they never ever run out of.)
"Amazing!" is what everyone in the gym says.
('Amazing', is what the two think, as their stares travel from their hands to each other.)
"Amazing." is what Hinata whispers while they're alone in the locker room, his head leaning on Kageyama's shoulder after a couple of kisses here and there.
Kageyama doesn't say anything (As always, as always. But it's okay, because he's with Hinata and Hinata knows what he wants to say. Most of the time, Hinata knows about them before he does.). He only tightens his hold on Hinata's legs which are wrapped around his waist, making Hinata look at him again. And Kageyama leans in to recapture his lips.
The same lips where countless utterances of 'Kageyama' spill out of later that night. Kageyama doesn't say anything (As always, as always. But it's okay, because Hinata gets what he wants to say through his kisses, touches and caresses. ). He does say something before they go to sleep though. Just one word, to be exact. And Hinata feels that the way he says it makes it seem more valuable than any of his many many words and sentences.
"Hinata."
(As always, as always.)
It's morning and Kageyama is almost always the one who wakes up first, like today. The sunlight is the one that wakes him up, as they've forgotten to shut the curtains the other day. There are no birds singing, and the cold air that hits his skin tells him that his share of the blanket has been stolen (As always, as always.) yet again.
Kageyama looks down, and another form of sunlight does his job of completely waking him up. Hinata is still dead to the world, his head on Kageyama's chest while his arms are around his waist. His light snores fill Kageyama's ears, just like how his whole being fills up Kageyama's heart.
(For always, for always.)
Hinata Shouyou, with all his jumping, squeaking, smiling, laughing, loving, and existing, leaves Kageyama out of breath in the simplest possible way.
(As always, for always.)
c is for canvas
Kageyama Tobio wonders about how his life would've turned out if he never met Hinata Shouyou.
(Never is an awfully scary word.)
Kageyama Tobio wonders about the 'what if's.
What if there weren't any first years that joined Hinata's club back in middle school?
What if their school wasn't matched up against theirs in the first round? Would Hinata's team have won? Or would they still lose? Will he not be able to play against him, and maybe only hear about the 'shorty with amazing jumps' in the hallways?
(Never is an awfully scary word,)
What if he never met Hinata?
(but a world without Hinata Shouyou is downright frightening.)
d is for direction
"We're lost."
"No, we're not."
"We've passed that tree three times already, dumbass."
"What? No, we haven't. Besides, all trees look the same. You're just confusing them with each other."
"Hinata. We've been walking in circles for the past hour. Let's just ask for directions."
"No, no. I know exactly where we are and where we need to go! Just follow me!"
"..."
"Hinata?"
"Alright. Alright. We're lost. It's been two hours! I'm sorry! I wanted this to be perfect, okay? Ugh! I even did research on the place and everything... Some date this turned out to be."
"...I think it went quite well."
"What?"
"Let's just go play some volleyball. You did bring a ball, right?"
"Hahaha... How did you know?"
"What else would be in your bag, idiot."
(And as they run to the park, they still don't notice that they've held hands for the past two hours.)
(Until Hinata reaches inside his bag for the ball, and both of them are too embarrassed to even play properly.)
e is for ephemeral
It's the little moments when Hinata is quiet and still.
It's the little moments when Kageyama tries.
It's the little moments when they fall asleep while holding each other's hands.
It's the little moments when they wake up and see that they still haven't let go.
It's the little moments when Kageyama wakes up late, and he sees Hinata cooking pancakes while wearing one of his shirts.
It's the little moments when they both go too far and they don't talk for a few hours.
It's the little moments when Kageyama picks Hinata up and carries him to their sofa. When he puts him on his lap and rests his chin on his shoulder.
It's the little moments when Hinata finally breaks down and cries, leaving Kageyama to nuzzle his wild orange hair as he wipes away the tears.
It's the little moments when no one is looking, their little moments, both the good and the bad, that add up and make up their forever and their always.
f is for fall
"Will you catch me if I fall?"
"Who says you're going to while I'm here?"
"Will you catch me if I fall?"
"I'd rather pull you up."
"...Will you catch me if I fall?"
"Why else would I be here, dumbass."
g is for gamble
"C-Can I ask you something, Kageyama?"
Is the last thing that comes out of Hinata's mouth before Kageyama grabs his collar, pulls him up, and kisses him.
(He thinks that their noses bumped and their teeth and his lips may hurt a bit and his back hurts he should've leaned down a bit more he's sure Hinata's having a hard time reaching him too and was that his tongue-)
And then it's over and he sees how bright red Hinata's face is (he's sure that his is the face) before he buries it in Kageyama's shirt.
"W-what is it?" Kageyama asks, still a bit out of air.
Hinata buries his face even further as he chuckles.
"I think I already know your answer."
h is for hiatus
In the doorway of their room.
Hinata halfway out.
Kageyama holding on to his wrist.
"I love you."
"I know, that's why it hurts."
Hinata in the living room.
Kageyama in the doorway of their room.
Not together.
(but they still are)
i is for incomplete
When Kageyama wakes up and sees the empty space next to him, he's out of their bed in a second and immediately makes his way to their living room.
Hinata is sitting on the couch, a blanket around his form, awake. He hears Kageyama's footsteps and looks up.
They stare at each other for a minute.
(Too long, too long, Kageyama thinks.)
And then he scoops Hinata into his arms, takes his place on the couch, and immediately, the trembling little boy on his lap turns and puts his arms around his neck.
Kageyama feels the tears hit his neck.
"I-I," Hinata tries to talk as he hiccups. "I love you too, you know?"
"I know," Kageyama replies, his voice a bit muffled by Hinata's hair. "I know, that's why we're here."
j is for jaw-dropping
The first time that Hinata stays over after they've both realized their feelings towards each other ("I knew you two were idiots, but I didn't think that you were this stupid." "WHAT WAS THAT, TSUKISHIMA???") is because of a terrible terrible storm.
('Not so terrible,' Kageyama thinks as he watches Hinata calling his mother.)
"Not so terrible." Kageyama says as he watches Hinata come out of the bathroom, wearing only a pair of boxers and his smallest t-shirt.
(Which was still far too big on him.)
k is for kill
And you give him your heart,
and you give him the permission to do that to you every day,
and you don't regret it,
because you know he never will.
l is for lose
It's funny, Hinata thinks, how many people think that being in love means that you've lost.
Admitting that you're in love, Hinata thinks, is just the start of the battle.
(Maybe this is why everyone says that he shouldn't think too much.)
And then it's up to you whether you fall or not.
"Will you catch me if I fall?"
And it's up to you whether you will choose to soar instead.
"Why else would I be here, dumbass?"
m is for misgivings
"Are you sure this how to do it?"
"Yes, dumbass. I went online and Googled it."
"Uh-huh..."
"What?"
"Are you really sure? I mean, we can always check aga— OUCH!"
"What? What?"
"THAT HURTS, YOU IDIOT!"
"Well, it shouldn't—"
"WELL IT DOES!"
"W-well what do you want me to do?!"
"IT HURTS CALL SOMEONE CALL ANYONE!"
"IT'S ELEVEN PM PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING—"
"YEAH AND THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU AND YOUR CRAZY IDEAS!"
"FINE! I'LL CALL SUGAWARA-SAN!"
"HURRY UP!"
"...What do you mean you tried to give him a massage with your feet?"
n is for nobody
Sometimes Kageyama Tobio wonders about how his life would've turned out if he never met Hinata Shouyou.
Kageyama Tobio wonders about the 'what if's.
What if he didn't go to Karasuno? (He doesn't bother thinking about Hinata's choice, he's sure he'll choose Karasuno over any school.)
Would he still be the King?
(And deep inside, he hears the question his heart wants to ask. Would there still be someone who's willing to spike his tosses?)
o is for only
How Hinata is to Kageyama, and vice versa.
p is for promise
"As long as I'm here, you're invincible."
q is for question
Kageyama hears the unspoken words when he feels two shaking arms wrap around his torso. He immediately turns around in the embrace and envelops the smaller boy in whatever warmth he can offer.
r is for rest
'I'm here, Hinata.'
Is what Hinata hears as he feels strong arms reciprocate his 'hug'.
He sleeps soundly that night.
s is for snow
And people say they won't work out.
They will never work out.
For that is what he is,
and he is the sunlight.
t is for tact
This is something they both lack, and now everyone is surprised at how well their relationship works even without it.
(Well, that's just how they are. He's Hinata, He's Kageyama, each with their own good and bad points. But together...)
u is for universe
He loves Hinata, for all that he is and for all that he's not, and this scares Kageyama.
Because according to Hinata, Kageyama is his world.
But to Kageyama, he is his whole universe.
v is for victory
After much talking and help from their friends, they adopt a beautiful baby boy.
They spend the first night competing over who makes their baby stop crying first.
Kageyama wins, surprisingly, and even Hinata laughs out loud. As Kageyama puts their baby back in his crib, Hinata hums and asks him what he wants as his prize.
And Kageyama just looks at Hinata, who’s wiping away the tears he shed due to happiness, before he shakes his head and replies, “I already got it.”
w is for walk
"I'm here."
"You can't always be here, Kageyama."
"But I am."
"There's... there's going to be a day, when I can't fly, when I can't run anymore."
"Yeah, but that's going to happen to me too."
"But you're Kageyama Tobio, that's not going to bring you down."
"And you're Hinata Shouyou."
"..."
"...When that day comes, I'll continue walking beside you."
x is for x marks the spot
Kageyama wonders if Hinata has some sort of gift, since every word he says goes straight to Kageyama's heart.
y is for yet
And people say they won't work out.
They will never work out.
For he's like winter,
and he is the sunlight.
And yet here they are.
z is for zenith
And somewhere along the way, amidst all the shouting and laughing and crying and words and sentences and hurting and loving, 'to the top of the world' simply means 'together'.