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The first day of college, always dreamy right? Starting a new chapter of your life, it’s important and memorable, right?
Perhaps for some people.
“Hey! I’m Hinata Shouyou, your roommate, obviously,” a short orange-haired man stated excitedly as Kageyama entered his new dorm room. He’s probably someone who comes to college for exactly that: memorabilia and exaggerated amounts of fun.
Kageyama looked down at him, saying: Kageyama Tobio, instead of how tall are you, four feet?
He kept a straight face as he walked to his side of the room, which was very clearly predetermined by Hinata Shouyou. Not that he minded, of course. It was all the same to him, left or right side of the room. Though, what wasn’t too great was eyes being glued to his back as he unpacked.
“Is there something you need to say?” Kageyama asked without turning around. He smiled slightly when he heard an ‘eep!’ come out of his roommate.
“Oh, no, no. You’re just quiet, is all,” Hinata admitted, pausing for a few seconds before asking, “should we get to know each other?”
“No need,” Kageyama stated bluntly without hesitation, “you mind your business and I’ll mind mine,” which put an end to any conversation.
The day moved forward. They unpacked, only ever talking to ask a question about object placement or saying a quick ‘scuse me. When night rolled around, it was silent. Hinata had never been in a room this quiet, and frankly, he was getting uncomfortable. He knew sleeping in a room with a stranger wouldn’t be exactly easy to get used to, but he thought he would at least be able to get to know the person he would be living with. He thought he would be able to ask questions like pancakes or waffles, or, what classes are you in? Yet he didn’t — he couldn’t. Hinata moved onto his side, facing the wall. Then onto his back, and then onto his other side, looking at Kageyama, who was seemingly sound asleep. This cycle repeated every two minutes or so. After about five cycles, Kageyama shot up, turning on the lamp he had placed on his bedside table.
“Is it really that hard to find a position to lay in and fall asleep? ” Kageyama asked Hinata, his anger prominent on his face, even in the dim light.
“Well,” Hinata propped himself on his elbow, “kind of, yeah.”
Kageyama squinted at him, “ How? ”
Hinata’s eyes glowed, and Kageyama could see it. He could see the look of excitement develop on his face — in his eyes — long before his body language showed it, and he would never admit this, but it was beautiful; the way his eyes could just glimmer with pure emotion.
He didn’t realize that Hinata was excited because he had finally gotten the chance to talk to him, though.
“Okay, so back home I had this big pillow, right?” Kageyama raised his eyebrow to show he was, unfortunately, listening, “It was like, super big! All, gwahhh! ” Hinata expanded his arms to show the length, “and I’ve had it since I was young, therefore, I got used to sleeping with it, so I can’t sleep without it now,” he sat up completely, his legs now swinging back and forth off the edge of his bed, “but when I was packing to leave, my mom threw it out, and I didn’t know until it was too late.”
Kageyama stayed silent, his mouth gaped open slightly and his eyebrows furrowed. He was waiting for Hinata to tell him why any of that could possibly matter to him, but Hinata didn’t. He sat on his bed, kicking his legs back and forth with a smile on his face, as if he was waiting for a pat on the back and a, wow, how interesting!
“And?” Kageyama asked impatiently.
“ And, ” Hinata started, “since I don’t have it, or something like it, I can’t fall asleep. But don’t tell me to buy a new one, because I’ve tried to! They’re expensive!”
Kageyama stared back at him blankly, “Is this something you want me to solve?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” Hinata answered immediately.
“Alright, goodnight then,” Kageyama turned off his lamp, getting comfortable in his bed once again. He could hear Hinata doing the same, or at least trying to.
Five minutes of Hinata tossing and turning later, Kageyama shot up once again, turning on his lamp and facing Hinata with a tight jaw and narrowed eyes. Hinata sat up as well, only he was smiling as if he had planned this all along; as if he made a perfect plan on how to keep Kageyama Tobio awake.
“You know,” Hinata started, pursing his lips, “I think you’re just as tall as the pillow! What a coincidence.”
Everything went silent once again. The two stared at each other, waiting. Except Hinata wasn’t going to talk, and Kageyama believed he wasn’t either, so they were both waiting for the other to speak first.
Kageyama gave in.
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” he exclaimed, “What do you want? To use me as your personal body pillow, because I’m tall and accessible?!”
“Can I really?” Hinata gasped innocently, throwing his blanket off as if the only answer he could receive was yes, of course.
“Can yo- no! No, of course not!” Kageyama exclaimed.
After that, the silence came back. It seemed like the discussion had ended, so why is Kageyama’s lamp still on? Why is he still propped up on his elbow, and why is he still looking directly at Hinata? Most importantly, why is he starting to think that he should let Hinata use him as a pillow, or that Hinata looks extremely attractive in dim lighting?
The silence continued for about three more seconds but then, Kageyama rubbed his eyes and let out a quiet fine, and Hinata asked him what he had said since he was so quiet.
“Fine! Fuck, fine. Just,” Kageyama looked around as he took in a deep breath, “come over here, do as you like. As long as you stop fucking moving so damn much, and I can go to sleep,” he sighed, and Hinata was glowing, again, as he jumped out of his bed and into Kageyama’s, slipping under his blankets and onto his body as if they had known each other for years. Kageyama laid on his back and Hinata had his head laid snugly on his chest, along with one leg on top of Kageyama’s body. Kageyama was hesitant to do so, but he put his arm around Hinata, and Hinata shuffled closer to him as if they were lovers.
Kageyama didn’t hate this, unfortunately. He didn’t hate it, so he couldn’t complain about it. He could only think about how warm he was and how he actually felt a little less lonely. Hinata wasn’t moving a lot, he was hardly moving at all. The only movement was the soft rise and fall of his chest. Kageyama hoped Hinata couldn’t hear his heartbeat increase, and he hoped that Hinata didn’t realize Kageyama wasn’t asleep; that Kageyama was slowly starting to wonder if something like this has been what he has always aimlessly searched for in his admittedly dull life.
When Kageyama woke up, Hinata was gone.
This continued for a little over a month. They got ready to go to sleep, Kageyama got into his bed, and Hinata got in right after him. Then when it was morning, Hinata was out of the bed as if them cuddling throughout the night was only a dream.
After the first week, though, Hinata got creative. Instead of doing what he usually did, which was laying his head on Kageyama’s chest and bringing his leg up to rest on Kageyama’s body, he found ways to make it so Kageyama was spooning him. Or, so that Hinata was spooning him, along with slithering a hand through his shirt — when Kageyama wore a shirt to bed — and holding his bare chest. One time, he even figured out how to make Kageyama lay on his side, and hug him as they slept facing each other, holding each other. Kageyama didn’t know how he did it — how he did any of it, that is — but he didn’t care. He loved the newfound warmth in his bed. He loved being able to come back to his dorm after a long day and having someone in his bed with him, and he loved the feeling of having someone to himself. The problem, though? Kageyama was too dense to realize that it wasn’t because there was someone with him, it was because it was Hinata with him. Hinata and his fluffy hair, Hinata and his soft snoring. Even the way Hinata completely disregarded Kageyama’s rules sometimes and decided to talk until he fell asleep, or move multiple times throughout the night, just so he could get comfortable enough to drift off to sleep. Kageyama never lectured him about it, either, and he knew that the lack of lecturing meant the more Hinata would do it — disregard his rules — but it still just didn't matter to him.
To Kageyama, his biggest worry was Hinata finding a pillow that worked for him, because then Kageyama would be without the warmth in his bed.
Since that’s all that he wanted; the warmth in his bed. Not Hinata, never Hinata. It wasn’t about Hinata.
Until it was.
There was one night where Kageyama woke up to Hinata crying. He was confused, so much so that he sat up completely and forced Hinata to flip over and face him. The pale moonlight shone through the window in their room and onto Hinata's face; making it so Kageyama could very clearly see tears roll down Hinata's cheeks as he sobbed, which hurt Kageyama. Kageyama felt his heart ache and his stomach turn when he looked down at Hinata cry, and he knew then he never wanted to see him cry again; that if someone were to ever make Hinata Shouyou cry, Kageyama wanted to be the first to get his hands on them.
He figured it was because Hinata was an ugly crier.
Kageyama hugged Hinata as tightly as he could, making it so Hinata's face was buried in Kageyama's chest, and his hands were gripping onto his shirt. Kageyama later found out that Hinata had a nightmare, but he wasn’t told what it was about, and Hinata seemed determined that he didn’t find out.
Hinata had dreamt that Kageyama hated him, though, and the mere thought of Kageyama hating him — or of Kageyama leaving him — was now something that brought Hinata to tears; but he wouldn’t tell Kageyama that.
There are also habits that the two of them have seemed to pick up since the cuddling began. Like, for example, how when Hinata can’t sleep he’ll play with Kageyama’s hand, and when Kageyama can't sleep he’ll play with Hinata’s hair.
Everything was going fine. They’d go to sleep together, and wake up apart. Until one morning when Kageyama woke up and staring back at him was Hinata. Kageyama was on his back with his arm underneath his own head, and Hinata was laying on his stomach, partially on top of Kageyama. Their eyes were locked, and their breathing was shallow, neither of them knew what exactly was happening. Kageyama didn’t move, why is he still here? He figured he should probably say that out loud, because seriously, why is he? Why today, when he goes out of his way to be gone every other morning? He started to open his mouth, but then Hinata kissed him.
Hinata Shouyou kissed him.
And when Hinata Shouyou kisses you, you kiss back — you just have to! So he does, Kageyama Tobio leaned forward, taking the arm that was previously relaxed behind his head and adjusting it behind Hinata’s, pulling him closer. Hinata did get closer to him, too. His hands moved up to cup Kageyama’s face, and his legs even started to move to cover Kageyama's body completely, instead of partially. It felt like they were kissing for hours, days, months, years , but it was really only thirty seconds, and right when they broke apart to catch their breath, Hinata’s eyes widened. Not in excitement, though. Kageyama could tell it wasn’t his glow of excitement; it was fear; it was concern.
Hinata shot up, kicking the blankets off of him and Kageyama, and rushing to grab his bag and shoes.
“I am so sorry! I swear it’s because I just woke up, I didn’t mean to-” he tripped over his feet, trying to make his way to the door, “I’m sorry!” he opened the door, ran out, and slammed it shut.
Kageyama was stunned, mouth slightly opened and his hands reaching to touch the lips that were still wet from contact with his roommates. Then he realized that said roommate just ran out of the room, and Kageyama didn’t stop him.
Kageyama shot up, rushing to find sweatpants and shoes. Though once he made it out the door and into the hallway, Hinata Shouyou was nowhere in sight. So, he did the next best thing: he called him. He called once, then twice, then ten times, all left with no answer. Though, that might be for the best seeing as the only thing Kageyama could have said when Hinata answered the phone was hey, where’d you go? You good? Instead of, wait! I have feelings for you! Or, please come back, I really need to talk to you and it shouldn’t be done over the phone. This was because even after kissing Hinata Shouyou, Kageyama still had no idea that what he felt of him was more than friendship or appreciation for making his bed warm.
Kageyama was out of good ideas, so he collapsed onto his bed, deciding to call Suga, a work friend.
“Hello? Tobio?” Suga answered.
“Yeah, hey. So listen, hypothetically, what would you do if your,” Kageyama paused, trying to think of what to call Hinata, “ friend, kissed you and then ran away from you?”
“Well, how do you feel about them?” Suga asked with a monotonous voice because honestly, he already knew the answer. Why would Kageyama call about a kiss if it meant nothing to him? Or if the person kissing him meant nothing to him? The answer: he wouldn’t.
“Uh, shit I- wait! This is a hypothetical situation, it is not about me!” Kageyama exclaimed. The call went quiet. “But hypothetically , they do not know,” he answered.
Suga sighed on the other end of the phone, trying to think of what to say in order to get kageyama to realize on his own that he likes — or even loves — this person, and not as a friend.
“Okay, do you-” Suga didn’t want Kageyama to yell it’s hypothetical in his ear again, so he was quick to correct himself, “do they always think of the person who kissed them? Do they find themselves searching for this person?” Suga asked softly.
Kageyama had to think. He does think about Hinata a lot, he knows that, but does he search for Hinata?
Kageyama realized he does, actually. He will look around in coffee shops, on campus, in classrooms, and never know what, or who he was looking for. Apparently, he was looking for Hinata .
“Yes,” Kageyama admitted, “ they do.”
“Great, great,” Suga racked his brain, what to say next, “do they want this person to be happy? Do they want this person to be safe from any harm?”
“Yes,” Kageyama answered without hesitation.
Suga winced, “Tobio, did they like it when this person kissed them?”
Kageyama felt like he was hit upside the head, like someone came to him and slapped him with a hot pan, “Yes,” he whispered, “ I did.”
Suga sighed, “Do you have your answer now?”
“Yeah,” Kageyama answered softly, “thanks, Suga. Tell Daichi I said hey,” Kageyama hung up the phone and stood up, finally getting dressed and moving on with his day, even if he was in a daze, even if he just realized he’s in love with Hinata Shouyou.
Hinata was still running, though. He had made it out of the building a while ago, but now he was running to a friend’s apartment, instead of calling for a Uber or cab instead. It’s like his fear was carrying him — his fear of Kageyama Tobio being behind him, yelling out for him. He knew — he knew — that once he saw Kageyama again, or once Kageyama saw him again, everything would go horribly. Kageyama would yell at him, tell him you really crossed the line this time, Hinata, or, I said we could cuddle, not be makeout buddies! Once that happened, it was really over. Hinata would have to find a way to get over the feelings that have been developing ever since Kageyama walked through the door over a month ago. Hell, he might even have to file for a new dorm room.
Maybe Kageyama would file for a new dorm room.
He finally stopped running, and pulled out his phone, heaving as he did so.
Shouyou
outside of ur apartment building, unlock ur door
He received a reply immediately, as he always does since Kenma isn’t exactly known to be away from his phone for longer than five minutes.
Kenma
Okay, it’s unlocked. You better have a good explanation as to why you’re here without prior notice, though. You never come over unexpectedly.
Hinata ran up the steps of the apartment building until he reached Kenma’s floor, and then he walked down the hall to the correct apartment, letting himself in. Kenma sat on top of the counter which you could see right when you entered.
“Tetsurou, room,” Kenma said, causing the tall black-haired man to whine and walk to their bedroom, after ruffling Kenma’s hair. Kenma then looked at Hinata, who was flushed and dripping with sweat. “You, talk.”
“Listen, it's nothing too big!” Hinata exclaimed, falling onto the couch, but deciding to speak again when Kenma shot him a look that said fuck you, don’t make me ask again, “Remember Kageyama Tobio?” Kenma nodded, “Haha, I kissed him,” Hinata pushed his face into a pillow, “then I said sorry and ran all the way here.”
Kenma grimaced, “What’s your plan?”
Hinata let out a breathy laugh, “I don’t know, send Kuroo to go get some of my shit and hide out here?”
Kenma shook his head, “You can’t just hide out here. Especially when you haven’t given him a chance to talk to you,” Kenma stated, turning his head to the side when Kuroo exited his room, joining Kenma on the counter.
“Hey, I heard my name,” Kuroo defended himself when Kenma squinted at him, “what’s the problemo chibi-chan?” he asked, throwing an arm around Kenma’s shoulders.
“Kissed a guy then bolted,” Hinata stated quickly, waving his hand around as if it was already old news, “if I give you my dorm address and key can you go get some of my shit?”
Kuroo nodded, “Yeah I’m down, what do I do if I see your makeout bud?”
Hinata groaned, “Just tell him you’re my cousin and I caught a cold, or something.”
“A cold? In the summer?” Kuroo asked, smiling mockingly.
“I said ‘or something’!” Hinata exclaimed.
Kenma rolled his eyes, “Hinata, go take a shower and I’ll set up the guest room. I’ll give Kuroo the address and key, okay?”
Hinata nodded, walking off. A few minutes later, Kuroo was out the door.
When Kageyama got back from classes in the afternoon, there was a note on Hinata’s bed that read off: Staying at Kenma’s! Be back soon lol. Kageyama read the note over and over, asking himself, who the hell is Kenma?
That night, Kageyama couldn’t sleep. It was just like Hinata’s story; he got used to sleeping with something, and now that it’s gone he can’t sleep. Except instead of a pillow, it was a human tangerine who he accidentally fell in love with.
After that, a week passed. Kageyama could never get more than five hours of sleep, and it always took a while for him to actually fall asleep. He knew the sleeping problems were a mix of stress and a lack of Hinata as his body pillow. Regardless, Kageyama had gotten nowhere. He didn’t know who Kenma was, and even if he did he had no way of contacting them or finding their address, so that was a dead lead. His next option would be to find Hinata on-campus, seeing as Hinata wasn’t one to skip his classes just to avoid Kageyama — though he was very good at that, avoiding Kageyama — but Kageyama didn’t know where to look on campus, so that was also a dead lead. Kageyama fell onto his bed, letting out a big breath of air. He was exhausted, classes were getting harder due to his exhaustion, and he missed Hinata. He racked his brain, trying to think of something— anything — that could place him a step forward in finding hinata. He thought so hard, he gave himself a headache.
He just wanted Hinata back. He wanted his small body next to him, under his blankets. He wanted their late-night conversations — or Hinata’s late-night rants — and he wanted his soft snores. He wanted it all back — he wanted Hinata back. Then, it suddenly hit him. One night, when Hinata was talking up a storm, he had mentioned his major — his major! His major could lead Kageyama right to him! Kageyama flew out of his bed, reaching for his laptop and pulling up his school map. Then, he looked for the building that held classes for Hinata’s major, and once he found it, he saw that the walk from Kageyama’s building to Hinata’s building was only around five minutes.
Kageyama decided he would run to his building after each of his classes and when he wasn’t busy in between classes, to try and catch him. He felt like he had finally won.
The next day, Kageyama had three classes scheduled. One at eight in the morning, one at eleven in the morning, and one at two in the afternoon. He didn’t catch Hinata until after his class at eleven, and when he finally saw him, Kageyama ran as fast as he could, fearing that if he wasn’t fast enough Hinata would spot him and run away again. When he was close enough to Hinata, he grabbed him by the shoulder, and when Hinata turned to face him, his eyes were wide with terror.
“I finally found you!” Kageyama exclaimed as he fought to catch his breath, “Where have you been? Why are you avoiding me?”
Hinata looked around, “Uh, let’s go talk somewhere else, okay?”
“No!” Kageyama yelled without hesitation, “Just tell me! I’ve been looking for you for a week, and you haven’t answered a single one of my calls or texts! You think a note on your bed will cut it?”
A look of confusion crossed Hinata’s face, “A note? Look, I’ve been staying at a friends’ place, no big deal! Don’t worry about me. I’m fine, you’re fine, we’re fine !”
“I am not fine, Shouyou!” Hinata flinched at the use of his first name, “You think it’s okay to kiss me and leave for a week, with not a single text or call? Not even a quick message that tells me you’re safe? If you hadn’t noticed, you’re not exactly the easiest to find!”
Hinata clenched his jaw, avoiding Kageyama’s eyes as he pushed his hand off of his shoulder.
“I am fine, and you will be fine. Don’t follow me,” Hinata stated, trying to suppress his quivering lip as he did. He then walked away as quickly as he could.
Kageyama didn’t follow, and he didn’t go to his next class. Hinata started crying as soon as he turned away from Kageyama.
And with that, another week of misery started. Except one week turned into two, and two turned into three. Kageyama had no idea what he was meant to do at this point. It’s obvious that showing up at his building unannounced again won’t do any good, and all of his messages and phone calls have remained unanswered, so what was there left for him to do? He still didn’t know who Kenma was, and he didn’t know anyone that might know who Kenma is, but isn’t that the only thing he has left? The only lead on Hinata? Maybe if Kageyama showed up at Kenma’s place, Hinata would actually talk to him, since they wouldn’t be in the open, surrounded by people. It was worth a shot.
Kageyama grabbed his phone, scrolling through his short list of contacts, trying to find a name that might know someone named Kenma. He scrolled past his parents’ contacts, and then past Hinata’s, and even past Suga’s because Suga would kill him if he found out Kageyama was on a hunt for Hinata instead of currently making up with him. Then he saw Tsukishima’s contact, who he hasn’t talked to since his last year of high school. Kageyama imagined Tsukishima’s mocking voice and kept scrolling.
He ended up calling Yamaguchi, who he also hasn’t talked to since high school, but he was way nicer than Tsukishima.
The phone rang, and it was answered almost immediately.
“Kageyama? What’s up?” Yamaguchi asked, earning a why is he calling you, from a voice in the background of the call.
“Hey, Yamaguchi. Sorry for the random call, but do you know a ‘Kenma’?” Kageyama asked, not wasting any time.
Yamaguchi hummed, then he turned around, “Kei, you know a Kenma, right?”
Kageyama waited quietly, “Fuck, Tetsurou’s boyfriend? What about him?”
Yamaguchi told him Kageyama was asking, and in the end, Tsukishima texted Kageyama the information he was looking for. Kageyama ended the call by thanking them both and kindly saying goodbye.
Tsukishima
Attachment: 1 location
His name is Kozume Kenma, and he has a boyfriend who could probably kick your ass. Best of luck to you, send pictures if you get beat up.
Kageyama checked the time, 7:34 P.M.
He slipped his shoes on and rushed out of his room.
He ran to the location, not paying any mind to the people around him.
He arrived at the apartment building and kept running until he was inside and running up the stairs. He reached the correct floor and looked for the apartment number, then he knocked on the door, hearing a, I’ll get it, from inside.
Hinata opened the door and looked up at him, oh thank fuck, Kageyama breathed out.
Hinata’s eyes widened as he stepped out, closing the door behind him, “How did you-”
Kageyama grabbed Hinata by the shoulders and kissed him. He kissed him with more passion than he has ever kissed anyone with — he kissed him with the passion he wished he had given him the morning that they first kissed — and Hinata kissed back. He kissed him back, not letting himself worry about how Kageyama feels about him, or about what’s going to happen when he has to stop kissing him.
They finally broke apart, faces still inches apart. They were both working to catch their breath, and Kageyama whispered, you stole a kiss from me, I obviously had to steal it back.
Hinata bit the inside of his cheek, deciding to take a leap of faith, “I’m in love with you,” he whispered, his eyebrows furrowed as he waited for Kageyama to reply; he doesn’t think he’s ever been this worried.
Kageyama smiled, “Well it’d be awkward if you weren’t,” he moved his face away from Hinata’s, ruffling his hair as if he was a child, “I’m in love with you too.”
Hinata went home that night, and they both slept better than they have in weeks since they were once again wrapped in each other’s arms.
Bonus
One week later, Hinata laid horizontal across Kageyama’s stomach, playing a game on his phone, as Kageyama laid on his back, reading a textbook for a class. Suddenly, Kageyama closed his book and set it down.
“You know, this is nice,” Hinata hummed in response, “just the three of us hanging out,” Kageyama sat up a bit, now holding himself up on his elbows. Hinata turned his head in confusion.
“Three?” Hinata asked.
“Yeah! You, me, and the body pillow I found stuffed under your bed while cleaning this morning,” Kageyama answered, giving Hinata a sly smile as he jumped off of Kageyama’s stomach.
“Ah! A body pillow? What a- uh,” Hinata tried to think of something, backing up as Kageyama sat up fully, moving towards him, “look, you’re hot! It’s all I could think of to get in bed with you!” Kageyama moved closer, “Though to be fair I didn’t think we would just cuddle! The first night I didn’t plan on falling asleep, but you were just so warm! Like a fireplace!” he fell off the bed, “After that, I just kept cuddling with you because you were better than a body pillow!”
Hinata laid on the floor fully, his arms and legs sprawled out as if he was a starfish, “I accept my defeat, go on, kill me,” he sighed dramatically, putting his hand on his forehead. Kageyama stood over him, “Wait I take it back I forgot how tall you are.”
Kageyama began leaning down, “Wait, babe, wait! I- I love...you? You can’t kill me, I love you!” Hinata offered, making Kageyama laugh.
“I love you too,” Kageyama crouched over Hinata, “that’s not going to save you though,” he smiled manically, and then he began tickling Hinata all over; each time Hinata went to cover one spot Kageyama had his hands on, Kageyama moved onto the next uncovered place, leaving Hinata laughing loudly, begging for mercy.
It was never either of their plans to fall in love. For one of them, it was to get along with their short roommate, and for the other, it was to hook up with their hot roommate.
But obviously, things didn’t go according to plan.
They were both okay with that, though.