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Kageyama blinks at the box, tongue tied.
“Please accept my feelings,” the girl still hadn’t come out of her bow, eyes downcast and arms presenting the neatly wrapped gift with a slight tremble to her frame. She seems nice, Kageyama thinks they share English together, but her name escapes him.
“I can’t. I don’t feel the same way.” He says, and the nameless girl steps back as if she was burned by his words.
“Oh,” she chokes out. A heavy silence falls between them, but she still didn’t leave. “Is there someone else?”
Bright smiles and warm lips cloud Kageyama’s mind. “Yes.” She wilts even more. Hinata had always said he needed to be more compassionate with others, and for once, Kageyama agrees with him.
“I’m-- uh, I’m sorry.” He adds, and he genuinely is. Confessions are nerve wracking moments of vulnerability, and Kageyma is really trying to let her down easy, well as easily as he can.
“It’s okay,” she sniffs, straightening her posture. “At least I got closure. Do-- do you still want these?” The box of chocolates feel like a peace offering.
“Are you sure?”
“They were for you after all.” Something close to a smile edges at her lips.
Her name was Aki. It was printed neatly on the label, the strong whisps of her writing matching the confident stride in her step as she walked away. Kageyama stares at the gift, as if touching the box would grant him some of her courage.
He was so focused on his thoughts, he misses the figure that scurried away from the courtyard, their red hair ablaze in the afternoon sun.
oOo
Fact: Tsukishima is a bastard.
“Who’s the gift from King?” The blonde taunts in a tone that sets Kageyama’s teeth on edge. Out of all their teammates that had to attend the same university, of course, Tsukishima had to share the same premises as Kageyama. Well him and Hinata, but it was practically a given that the star setter and ace of Karasuno were glued at the hip.
“None of your damn business!” Kageyama growls, “Now give me back my present!” The blonde lifts the present higher, eyes shining in twisted delight. The second-years perk at the mention of a crush, no doubt eager to bestow their advice on their kouhai. Their new captain smiles, like he’s in on some universal secret, and Hinata, well the aspiring Tiny Giant remains uncharacteristically quiet taking in the scene, an unreadable expression etched on his face.
“I think we all should know who had the misfortune of crushing on Kageyama.”
Kageyama thinks of those sad eyes glinting in determination. The tilt of her chin as she walked away, a paradox of sad resignation and new beginnings. Kageyama feared to be her, yet a quieter part of his mind yearned to follow in her footsteps.
“Don’t make fun of her.” Kageyama’s voice is hard. Aki didn’t deserve that. Tsukishima blinks, lowering the gift back down. Kageyama snatches it away and safely tucks it in his bag.
Their coach calls for the first drills and the rest of the team reluctantly filing out of the lockerroom.
“It was just getting good,” one of them pouts.
Hinata lingers, opens his mouth like he’s going to say something, and then thinks better of it. He follows the rest out the door. Kageyama was the last to leave, he looks at the present as if it would reveal some universal shard of wisdom.
It shares nothing.
oOo
There’s something different in the way they slide their lips against one another. Hinata alternates between a fervent, territorial claim of Kageyama’s mouth to retreat to a more shy, hesitant brush of their lips. They were halfway home when the middle blocker decided to seize Kageyama’s shirt and crash their lips together.
They have been kind of together for two months now. The stolen glances and longing nights of Karasuno bled into something deeper, more mature as they entered their first year at their shared university. And once they decided to live together, the once friendly touches became more frequent and needier and definitely bordering the “more than friends” realm.
Kageyama made a surprised sound before melting into the kiss. One that was over way too soon for his tastes. Kageyama feels a sense of loss as they break apart.
“Is this okay?” Hinata asks, breathless.
Yes. God yes. “I told you it was fine.” He leans down ready to continue, but Hinata didn’t look convinced.
“Are you sure this is okay?” He repeats, and Kageyama knows this is one of those deeper meaning situations, but he couldn’t transcribe the underlying message. Doubt seeds its way into Kageyama’s guts. As he said before, they were “kind of” together, that fact alone has his heart slamming in his ribcage.
Hinata’s face changes at Kageyama’s silence. “Do you not want to kiss anymore?” The middle blocker blurts out, and Kageyama almost laughed at the irony.
“What made you think that?”
Hinata’s eyes widen, backtracking at the genuine surprise in Kageyama’s statement. “I just thought- the confession- and he present- and, nevermind. Forget I said anything.” Hinata tries to pull Kageyama along their path home, trying to avoid the subject. The tips of his ears are stained with a delicate pink blush and Hinata’s silence from earlier was beginning to make more sense. If Kageyama didn’t know any better, he’d think Hinata was--
Oh.
A thrill of pleasure and surprise flares in his chest at the thought of Hinata being jealous. The speculation only added more questions than answers to Kageyama’s deduction of what this thing was between the two of them. But he didn’t want to cling to a sense of false hope. He would much rather prefer hard truths than honeyed lies.
Hinata takes in Kageyama’s silence and looks like he’s about to run, but Kageyama still needs answers. He catches the middle blocker’s wrist in a gentle but firm hold.
Hinata looks at their linked hands and sighs. “I thought you turned that girl down because you felt, I don’t know, obligated to me? If you like her, you- you shouldn’t let me hold you back.” He still hasn’t met Kageyama’s eyes.
“You’re an idiot.” Hinata looks at him now, but Kageyama refuses to be interrupted. “When have I ever done anything because you told me to?” He steps close enough to feel the stuttered puffs of Hinata’s breath on his cheeks.
“Then what do you want?” Hinata’s words are whispered like a broken prayer.
Kageyama seals the distance with his lips, swallowing Hinata’s sound of surprise. He moves with a surety that surprises himself. Focusing on the low hum of his partner’s throat, wanting to pull more of those breathy sounds out of the middle blocker. He succeeds with another flick of his tongue along the seam of those pouty lips. The same lips that grant him access to explore, conquer, and claim the inside of Hinata’s mouth.
Kageyama knows exactly what he wants. It’s been the same thing for many years, only sharpened by every passing moment and stupid competition. Heat sears through him as the object of his desire presses him closer.