Chapter Text
Spring Nationals, first year
First year flew by like a runaway train. Wins and losses, victory and tears, Hinata and Kageyama: all jumbled together into one big mess easily compared to a tangle of yarn, with a single crimson thread wound tightly through it all. Their rivalry flourished into something more than a challenge, it became a promise. Tsukishima would make a snide off-handed remark about it being a promise to stay together forever, but neither boy would admit that they wouldn't mind that. Spring nationals came faster than anyone could have imagined. It never seemed like the training they managed to squeeze in was enough. Hours upon hours they wasted away in the gym, pushing themselves harder. Hinata pushing himself too hard.
Kageyama's face contorted in horror was the last thing Hinata saw. The room blurred across his vision, the ball shifting into a weird blob with nothingness beyond it. Light burned his eyes with everything seemingly too bright, and Kageyama too far for comfort. Walking across the court at this point to tell his setter than something felt a little off felt like running a marathon in high heels. One step. Then another. And as he placed another foot out before him, Hinata crumpled. The polished floor seemed to grow closer and closer, faster than one of Kageyama's sets, as his head spun. Darkness crept from the corners of his vision and his eyes fluttered shut as Kageyama lunged towards him. They would later joke that sprinting cross court to catch Hinata was one of Kageyama's best receives, but at that moment, all he could think about was Hinata. He couldn't let him hurt, he couldn't risk losing him.
The first time Kageyama cried in front of his team was on that orange court, holding the small middle blocker in his arms.
The next time he cried was shortly after. Hinata had been whisked away to lay on a cot in the infirmary and rest, much to his displeasure. When he came about a little later, they had to call Takeda in to calm him. Hinata raged and fought like a feral animal, doing anything to get back out on the court. Before long, exhaustion prevailed, and he resolved to retiring face-up on his cot alone, clueless to what was happening with his team.
Kageyama was the first to see him after. The taller boy hesitantly stepped toward the dim room, knocking gently on the half-opened door. Hinata wearily murmured something unintelligible, and Kageyama took that as a sign to enter, softly shutting the door behind him. The taller boy lowered himself onto the fragile cot that was most definitely not made to hold the weight of two teenage boys. A small pale hand shot out from under a sheet, searching for the intruder.
"It's just me," Kageyama whispered, gingerly encasing the other's hand with his own. He squeezed the ginger tenderly, palm flat against his knuckles and elongated fingers caressing his wrist.
"The last set..." Hinata trailed off as he sat upright.
"Twenty-three to twenty-five."
Shaky inhales, broken eye contact, broken hearts twisting in their chests: both boys remained silent.
"Tobio," his voice cracked. That was the first of many times Hinata would use his first name. With that, he lost it. Burning tears streamed from bloodshot royal blue eyes as Kageyama burred his empty blotchy face into Hinata's lap. Hinata carded short thick fingers through his silky black locks. "'M sorry, oh shit-so, so-orry, I wasn't there and-"
"Shut up!" Kageyama roared in disdain, jerking upward to clasp Hinata's chin between his long fingers. "I don't give a fuck about the score!"
Realization dawned in Hinata's honey gold eyes. Kageyama was upset about him. The taller boy relinquished his clutch on Hinata's face, choosing instead to caress his wet rosy cheek. All of the worry and apprehension over his partner that weighted his shoulders washed away with fresh tears from sapphire eyes, and Hinata, watching sobs wrack Kageyama's lanky frame, knew that he messed up.
"I'm okay, Bakageyama," he whispered. "Just a little tired, but that's alright 'cause I'll get better and there's no way I'm quitting. Not now, I still gotta beat you!" Hinata's voice remained hushed with his lips pressed to the crown of Kageyama's head.
Kageyama sullenly lifted his head to meet Hinata's inquisitive gaze. With one hand still cupping his jaw and the other resting on his knee, Kageyama tilted Hinata's face upward to meet his, slowly edging towards his lips.
"Shouyou-kun?" With a small click, Sugawara pushed open the door with Daichi right behind him, allowing fluorescent light from the hallway to stream in. Kageyama inched back, his hand dropping from the other boy's face. "Oh. Kageyama-kun."
"It's time to go. Are you okay to walk?" Daichi's voice was uncharacteristically soothing, and Hinata nodded in response. Kageyama stood to get out of the way, offering a sweaty hand to Hinata as the other boy crawled up from the cot.
So close. He was so goddamn close. What was Kageyama doing anyways? Hinata was just a teammate: a teammate with untameable orange hair that was almost too easy to ruffle, a smile that was so warm and bright it very well might be the cause of climate change, and irrefutable unprecedented chemistry that left both boys' heads spinning.