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1.Yachi & Kageyama
Yachi liked Kageyama well enough. Initially, he was downright terrifying and Yachi wasn’t known for her confidence or courage. So for the first few weeks of their acquaintanceship, they had little interaction. Yachi avoided him and Kageyama made no effort to actively seek her out. It worked well, their mutual decision to stay as far away from each other as possible.
It wasn’t until the training camp, the fight between him and Hinata, that Yachi felt something more than nervous when she thought about Kageyama. It wasn’t quite pity, nothing that patronising, more an understanding.
She could relate to being socially obtuse even if their issues presented themselves in different ways, Yachi’s in nervous giggles and crimson cheeks, Kageyama in glares and angry words.
If she sat a little it closer to him on the bus, or smiled in his direction slightly more, that was no-one’s business but her own. What was surprising, however, was once shown an inch of kindness, Kageyama seemed to open up.
His glares would soften from anger to confusion and whilst his words certainly didn’t come easily, still pulled tight as a drum and not quite as soft or bubbly as Hinata’s, they did come.
Despite these adjustments, they certainly weren’t friends. So it surprised Yachi when Kageyama ended up asking her about dating.
They were at the vending machine together, having bumped into each other on the way to afternoon practice and Yachi had offered to wait whilst Kageyama got a carton of milk. He had hesitantly taken the offer, but a week ago he would have told her to go on ahead without him, so there was a marked improvement.
He punched in the code with a rhythm that suggested intense familiarity, it wouldn’t surprise Yachi if he got the same thing every day. As the old vending machine hummed with the effort to push out the drink, Kageyama’s eyes kept flitting to her.
He looked like he wanted to ask something but didn’t know how to begin. Then he coughed, a forced, fake noise, and reached down for his milk. Once he stood up again, already peeling back the sleeve over the straw and puncturing the foil on the top of the carton, Yachi felt a smile come to her lips, not a forced one but a genuine scrap of joy.
He took a drink and then he seemed to make his mind up on what he wanted to ask her.
“Are you Hinata dating?” That… wasn’t what Yachi expected. It was so out of left field it took her a second to process.
“What??” She could feel her own cheeks heat, felt her voice raise an octave, but there was a strange sense of dissociation from the absurd situation “No! We’re just friends.”
Kageyama nodded as if in deep thought, as if high school relationships held some deep truth about the universe.
“Okay, good.” He said, as if it was the most simple thing in the world before realising the implications “Not that I want to date you!”
His cheeks were lightly dusted with pink, only noticeable because Yachi was actively looking for any sign of embarrassment.
“I just figured you two were pretty close and you’re pretty similar.” He shrugged.
“Me and Hinata? Similar?” It was an attractive notion, being anywhere near as extroverted as Hinata “He’s way more confident and sociable than I could ever be.”
Kageyama doesn’t seem convinced “I guess but you’re both pretty excitable and happy. You’re both short and cute.”
The last word seems to slip out, like he forgot he was talking out loud, if the widening of his eyes were anything to go by. Yachi began to face the possibility she was going to have to reject The Kageyama Tobio.
“Look, Kageyama I’m really flattered but I’m actually a lesbian and whilst I think you’re a great guy-”
“I like Hinata.” He interrupts. His face was scrunched and milk dripped from the straw as he held the carton with a clenched fist.
“Oh.” Was her immediate reaction. It made sense in retrospect but in that moment of panic fueled stupidity no words came to mind that could offer reassurance. “Nice.”
His eyebrows furrowed at her reaction, looking entirely lost. Maybe he had expected something more, some element of shock but as she processed it became more and more clear just how stupid you have to miss how obvious those two were.
She had watched Kageyama ruffle Hinata’s hair countless times, maybe it wasn’t a gentle touch but it certainly was affectionate. She had watched Hinata actively search for praise from Kageyama, eyes wide and expecting, hands clenched in excitement.
She had watched them become something a hell of a lot closer than friends and it was only then, faced with the truth so blatantly, that she even realised it. Laughter bubbled in her throat, it tasted like honey on her tongue, all sweet and sugary.
She relished the feeling of joy like a luxury. Kaheyama’s face seemed to contort more, eyebrows furrowed and lips curved in something that was neither a frown or a smile.
“I guess that makes sense.” She said, through laughs and gasps for air. Kageyama’s face flattened at that, maybe he thought she was making fun of him. “You two are practically built for each other.”
It was said to sooth him, comfort him but it seemed to have the opposite effect. The milk carton fell to the floor and his eyebrows twisted in anger. There was a dimple between his brows, a small crinkle he only got when frustrated or an intense state of focus.
“You think so?” It was small, muttered like he wasn’t sure he actually wanted to ask it.
“Yeah, you’re practically soulmates.” Yachi hadn't ever really thought about soulmates before. She paid little mind to things such as fate but if it all did exist, star crossed lovers and destined partners, then Hinata and Kageyama definitely were.
They fit each other perfectly, like the moon and the tides, yin and yang. They were interlocking parts.
Kageyama seemed slightly relaxed by her reassurances, his shoulders relaxed and he stared at the dropped milk with a dismayed expression. After a while had passed, Yachi considered the conversation over until,
“Do- Do you think I could ask him out?”
Yachi blinked, once, twice. Relationship advice wasn’t something she was really qualified to give out.
“If that’s what you want then sure!” she said “You need to be certain that you definitely want to date though. Highschool romance is weird.”
Kageyama doesn’t respond but not long after they reached the gym where Tanaka was already waiting.
2.Kenma & Hinata
Kenma didn’t have many close friends. He wasn’t a social person and that was fine. He was content with his self-made isolation. There was a comfort in the predictability of being byself, there was no worries about others’ opinions or thoughts- it was just him and Kuroo.
Kuroo was a constant and that was enough. Well, it had been enough until Hinata Shouyou turned up. An unexpected element, something Kenma was ill-prepared to deal with and entirely inexperienced in.
All open smiles and wide eyes. He was someone Kenma would have thought annoying; he was too optimistic, too extroverted, too bright but ultimately he became one of Kenma’s closest friends (not a difficult given Lev was in the top five and Lev was the most annoying person Kenma had ever met).
Hinata was an overwhelmingly pleasant person. He was hardworking and charming in a way Kenma found oddly endearing, despite only being a year older. He was someone Kenma found himself wanting to remain close to. So when Hinata messaged him all else was dropped.
Hinata
Do you think Kuroo is cute??
Kenma stopped. His muscles tightened and for a terrifying second everything around him was melting. There were two possible reasons to explain why Hinata was asking that, both undesirable.
Either, he had figured out Kenma liked Kuroo (which was improbable given Hinata’s piss poor observational skills) or Hinata liked Kuroo and was only just figuring it out. A shudder went up Kenma’s spine as his fingers hovered over the keypad of his phone.
Words weren’t his speciality. He was blunt and to the point but with Hinata they usually came easier, like just by being around someone so happy made him more amicable, but faced with this message all words dried up in his throat.
Another message flashed on his screen.
Hinata
Not that I do!!
Just trying to figure if friends think friends are cute!
A prolonged pause then Kenma’s phone began to vibrate under his hand as it lit up with ‘Hinata Shouyou is Calling’. Kenma let it ring for a second. The whole situation was confusing, uncharted territory even for them.
They had never talked about crushes before. Not even celebrity ones. Romantic feelings were not Kenma’s expertise, being in the same presumably unrequited crush since he was 8. Kenma swallowed the lump in his throat and pushed the accept button.
“Kenma!” Hinata’s voice rang out instantly “I need to talk to you!” He was as loud as usual but there was tightness to his tone which made Kenma tense.
“Okay,” Kenma found himself unwilling to match Hinata’s enthusiasm, not when he was this on edge.
“It’s about Kageyama.” Oh. That wasn’t what Kenma expected. It made sense in hindsight, Hinata talked about Kageyama almost obsessively. Kenma silently rescinded any statement about never talking about crushes. “He did this thing and now my tummy’s funny and, and I don’t know what’s happening.”
Hinata’s voice rose an octave. Kenma huffed a laugh. Hinata was extroverted but not that socially aware. He effortlessly cheered people up but purely by accident, simply by being himself. There was no intention behind Hinata’s likeability- he was naive and obtuse so it made sense that he couldn’t figure out this on his own.
“What did he do, Shouyou?” The first name slipped off his tongue easily, like an exhale of air. It occurred without thought or purpose.
“He laughed!” Hinata’s voice rose again “And it was CUTE! He did this thing with his nose and he has dimples! Dimples!”
Kenma muffled a laugh behind his hand “And how did that make you feel?”
“Weird…” Hinata’s voice dipped to a whisper “I think it’s made me sick. My tummy’s all funny and my throat is tight. It’s awful!”
“Have you never…” Kenma halted, suddenly aware that this might be Hinata’s first time liking someone “Have you never had a crush before?”
Hinata was silent for several awful seconds. “No.” It was breathy and clipped but it said everything Kenma needed to know.
“Do you think that’s what this is?” Hinata had to come to the conclusion himself. He had to realise thinking someone’s dimples were cute wasn’t a normal, platonic experience.
“Oh god…” Kenma could practically hear Hinata’s face turn red. “I like Bakayama?”
It was a disturbing revelation to be fair. Kenma rarely interacted with Kageyama but when he had it was awkward and tense. Kageyama seemed even less socially capable then Kenma and what Kenma had seen of him certainly wasn’t cute. Scary, maybe.
The idea of having a crush on someone that looming was terrifying enough and Hinata was actually living through it. A kind of amused sympathy bloomed in kenma’s chest.
“I think I’ve got to go, Kenma.” Hinata said and then to himself a little “Oh god.”
“Sure thing.” Kenma took a breath and steeled himself “I know a thing or two about having a crush on best friends so ring me if you need any advice. “
And then he hung up, interrupting Hinata’s cry of realisation. That was a problem for another day.
3.Kyouhaba & Hinata
Kyoutani liked walking his dog. He liked routine. The steady footfall and familiar path of a dog walk provided that comforting familiarity. He liked it when Yahaba came even more. Silence died at the hand of Yahaba’s meaningless chatter.
He would talk about school and volleyball and his family. Koutani would listen and hum in agreement where appropriate. It was comfortable the understanding they had, hands interlocked and one sided conversation.
Undisturbed peace was sparse in Kyoutani’s life but these treasured moments provided just that. There was no stress or conflict, nothing unexpected or sudden. Until...
“It’s you!” That was new. Kyoutani spun round and was faced with the first year his team had lost to at the Spring Interhigh Tournament. The loss was fresh and the orange haired abomination wasn’t helping the wound heal.
Yahaba’s hand slipped out of his quickly but the middle blocker's eyes seemed to track the movement, brown flashing with recognition. He didn’t say anything just smiled at Kyoutani with a “I’m Hinata Shouyou! I wish we could have played you at nationals! It would have been more exciting in front of a big crowd.” His voice wasn’t teasing, it held no sarcasm or malice. Still, Kyoutani wasn’t sure how to proceed.
The newcomer seemed undeterred by any of that as he launched into unwanted conversation.
“You had super powerful spikes when we were playing against you! It was super cool all kaboom and k’plow” The shrimp slapped the air in mime and Kyoutani’s grip tightened on the dog lead.
“Yeah. That’s me.”
“I’m Hinata Shouyou! I wish we could have played you at nationals! It would have been more exciting in front of a big crowd.” His voice wasn’t teasing, it held no sarcasm or malice. Still, Kyoutani wasn’t sure how to proceed.
“I remember you,” Yahaba says, fondness laces the words, not quite reaching Hinata’s level of excitement but seemingly not as bored with the interaction as Kyoutani was “You could hit Kageyama’s super high sets.”
Hinata’s smiles somehow widened as he nodded fervently “Yeah! That’s me! Where are you guys going?”
Kyoutani was quiet for a second. Silenced by this shorty who presumed after one match and a short conversation they were somehow friends?
“Dog walk.” He answered tersely. It was only then that Hinata seemed to notice the dog.
“Ah!” He was immediately on his knees, rubbing behind the mutt’s ears and scratching its belly as it rolled “I always wanted a dog but my sister’s allergic!”
It was stupid. This whole thing. Why would Kyoutani want to know that? Why would he care about a stranger’s little sister?
“I don’t like dogs- apart from this mangey thing, of course!” Yahaba joined in the idle chatter. He was always better at pretending to be friendly than Kyoutani, despite being the worst of the two. Sometimes it made him jealous, how people so quickly accepted Yahaba because he had a pretty face and at the same time scorned Kyoutani.
They had the same pissy attitude. Yahaba was the one that had held up against the wall, yelled in his face with his hand fisted in the front of his shirt. Don’t get him wrong, it was fucking hot but still… aggressive enough that if Kyoutani had done it he would have been benched for the match.
Hinata’s hands stilled, still knotted in the dog’s underbelly. He looked up, eyes painfully honest.
“Are you two-” he stopped for a millisecond “dating?”
Yahaba flinched violently, hand wrenched away from the top of the dog’s head. Kyoutani felt his cheeks heat and his heart begin to race.
“Oops! Sorry, that was way too invasive!” Hinata chuckled self deprecatingly and rubbed a hand across the back of his head. He focused his gaze back on the dog.
Kyoutani felt Yahaba’s hand clasp onto his, tighter than normally and there was a trembling to his muscles that made Kyoutani glance across at his face. His lips were pulled into a tight line and his cheeks were crimson.
“We are.” Yahaba said, voice steady and calm. Hinata’s head shot up again.
“You’re really cute together!” He laughed and finally stood, brushing the dirt off his knees with his hands. His eyes shine with something indescribable, an emotion between longing and genuine happiness.
“Yeah well whatever,” Kyoutani takes in Hinata’s almost face and “You have your stupid setter, don’t you?”
Wrong thing to say. Hinata’s face immediately reddens and his lips move around nonsensical, spilling words. Yahaba, beside him, cackles.
“Me and Kageyama aren’t dating!” He finally manages to choke out.
“Oh.” Kyoutani hadn’t thought they were, just that they were close. The reaction led to the opposite of his intended effect. “Okay.”
Hinata’s hands were clenched in fists and his bottom lip was sucked. He looked nervous and embarrassed.
“It’s okay if you are, you know?” Yahaba said. His voice was practically dripping with concern, future captain instincts kicking in.
“I know that!” Hinata cried, face scrunching with the force of his volume before it drops again to a whispered confession “We aren’t dating but... I like him.”
There is silence. Kyoutani and Yahaba don’t know Hinata, they don’t know Kageyama. All they know is Oikawa and his skewed view of the setter.
“Um… good for you? We have to get going.” Kyoutani begins.
“Wait! How did you two start going out?” The question is said innocently, voice full of curiosity, but his face looked more desperate than that.
Kyoutani feels a headache begin to pulse and his muscles ache with the constant tightening. Yahaba apparently doesn’t have the same problem, he giggles.
“He left a letter in my locker! It would have been super romantic if I could read his writing. Had to get Iwaizumi-san to read it to me!” Yahaba crows.
Kyoutani tips his head up to the sky and tries to bathe in the sunlight, tuning out of the dreaded conversation. Romance wasn’t his strong suit but here he was, holding hands with a cute boy, giving out love advice. The whole situation felt like a fever dream.
“Look,” Kyoutani starts. “From what I know of Kageyama, he is a pretty direct person, right?” Hinata nods. “So just be direct. Tell him to his face. No need for soppy bullshit.”
“So unromantic!” Yahaba complains but Hinata seems to mull over the words.
“Thank you, Kyoutani-san, Yahaba-san!” He drops into a bow “Sorry for intruding on your walk!”
Kyoutani watches him go with rising trepidation.
“Annoying shrimp.” He says once out of sight.
“I think it’s sweet.” Yahaba muses, he smiles gently and reconnects his hand to Kyoutani’s.
4.Kageyama & Aakashi
People give Akaashi too much credit. He isn’t as collected or controlled as others seem to assume. They see Bokuto, with all his meltdowns and impulsivity, and then look at him. Anyone would look managed when compared to Bokuto.
Setters were often associated with an element of control, the head of the team. They often act as a central, focus point of action, like the pivot in the middle of a clock face. Despite this, most setters off the court were the least put together people Akaashi had ever met.
He had been to nationals several times and with that came the opportunity to meet an abundance of unusual setters. Atsumu Miya, Kozume Kenma and in particular Tobio Kageyama were all entirely different breeds.
Kageyama was often called a genius and not without good reason. His eyes were endless pools of strategies and experience despite his young age. But what time Akaashi had spent with Kageyama off the court, with no volleyballs or fancy finger work to hide behind revealed Kageyama was painfully awkward.
His face would harden into a glare and his eyes would darken but all the harshness in the world couldn’t hide his blatant uncertainty on how to give or receive kindness. His fingers would twitch to pat Hinata’s head and at the last second he would clench his hand into a fist, his lips would move around soft words but what would come out was insults and jabs.
At nationals Akaashi learnt more about Kageyama than he ever wanted. Him and Bokuto we’re visiting Karasuno’s accommodation upon the invitation of Hinata. They walked side by side, exhales turning to mist in the cold air. Bokuto was a talkative guy but there was a surprising amount of comfortable silence when they were together.
As they arrived, Akaashi noted Kageyama stood pacing outside, his face contorted into a look of extreme concentration, he was mouthing something to himself. Bokuto opened his mouth in greeting, hand halfway through a wave but Akaashi stopped him with a nudge of the shoulder- something about the set of Kageyama’s face suggested he didn’t want to be interrupted.
Bokuto turned, questions clear in his eyes, but he accepted it easily when Akaashi tightly shook his head. Kageyama didn’t look up as they passed by him. Inside it was considerably warmer and louder. Tanaka was screaming something, shirt off and hands gesturing wildly as Nishinoya cackled.
Akaashi was instantly overwhelmed. Bokuto thrived on situations like this but Akaashi found them draining. He liked Karasuno, they were a fun team but he could only handle them in short bursts.
“Hi Bokuto-San!” Hinata greeted, hopping down the stairs. “Hi, Akaashi-San!”
Karasuno had beat Inarizaki earlier in the day and Hinata was clearly exhausted, bags lay thick and dark under his eyes and his smile didn’t quite hold the same energy.
“Is Kageyama still outside?” Hinata sounded concerned, his eyes fluttering to the door. Akaashi nodded in response. “Was he alright? He seemed kind of… off”
Akaashi struggled with how to answer. On one hand, Kageyama decidedly did not look alright but he also looked like he didn’t exactly want company.
“I think he wants to be alone.” Akaashi settled, not really an answer to the question but enough for Hinata to seem satisfied. The ginger nodded tightly, eyes flickering to the door before he decided to move on.
“Bokuto-san, come watch Daichi’s interview!” HInata’s joy seemed slightly forced but if Bokuto noticed he didn’t show it and followed Hinata to the TV where the interview was already being played. Daichi sat on the sofa, arms crossed and red face tucked into his chest.
Akaashi lasted approximately 10 minutes before it all became too much. Tanaka’s laugh, Nishinoya’s yelling, Hinata’s attempts to make conversation- it was a miracle he even made it a minute before his mind fuzzed with overstimulation.
He tried to stand up casually but Bokuto’s eyes still followed him, rife with concern. Aakashi trusted in their friendship enough to know Bokuto understood not to follow him. He hoped his legs didn’t tremble as much as he felt like they did as he made it to the front door.
His blood felt cold as it pumped through his veins, it prickled and stung his skin. The world was slightly distorted, shifted just enough to be manageable but still sickening. As the door opened and cool air hit his face it was a relief.
“-And Yachi said we were practically made for each other so- you know, date me you dumbass.” Kageyama’s voice was a hushed whisper but in his sensitive state every word imprinted itself on Akaashi’s brain.
“Kageyama?” He asked cautiously, testing the waters. Kageyama spun around to face him and for an instant he looked like a cat, hackles raised and pupils pinpricks of black. Then his shock turned to embarrassment.
“Hello, Akaashi-san.” His gaze was averted to the ground.
“What were you talking about, Kageyama?” Akaashi asked, unwilling to pick up the hint that Kageyama wanted to avoid that topic. Kageyama’s face twisted.
“Planning a confession.” He whispered, voice unexpectedly soft. Akaashi was unsure what to say for a moment.
“To whom?” Akaashi asked but he sort of already knew. He couldn’t imagine it being anyone other than Hinata. He had enough experience with being in love with his spiker to recognize the same yearning in a fellow setter.
“Who d’ya think?” His voice was muffled as he turned away from Akaashi.
“Hinata?” He offered and the tensing to Kageyama’s shoulders was enough to confirm that Akaashi had been right. Kageyama didn’t nod, he didn’t hum in affirmation, he certainly didn’t confirm verbally but it was enough for Akaashi to understand.
“You want to run through it with me?” Maybe the offer was purely selfish, Akaashi couldn’t provide any advice- he too was stuck in love with his own spiker to possibly be qualified with such trust. Maybe he just offered to distract himself from his headache, from the fuzz around his eyes.
Kageyama looked rightfully sceptical “Should I just read my script to you?” Kageyama shuffled on the balls of his feet, a nervous rocking that Akaashi found himself wanting to soothe.
“Yeah, go ahead.” Akaashi tried to keep his voice a steady hum.
Kageyama took a deep steadying breath, his chest rising and falling greatly with the effort of it.
“Hinata Shouyou, I really like you. I think you are a very good spiker and I am a good setter so we work well together. I didn’t really know volleyball could be like this before I met you. Yachi said we were practically built for each other so you would be a dumbass not to date me.” He said the whole confession in a single breath, by the end his words were rushed as he ran out of air.
“You called him a dumbass right after professing your god-given love for him?”
Kageyama shrugged “It's a pet name?”
Akaashi choked on a snort. “Kageyama, that’s not a pet name- it’s an insult.”
Kageyama looked devastated by this revelation and Akaashi very much feared for his sanity if he thought that ‘dumbass’ was a fond nickname.
“Okay, try being nicer. No insults. List things you like about him beyond volleyball.” Kageyama looked confused so Akaashi extrapolated “Do you like his smile? His hair? His laugh?”
Kageyama nods in understanding and begins to type furiously on his phone, presumably to correct his script. His face contorted in a deep concentration. He typed with such fervor and for such a long time that Akaashi worried for his fingers.
Then he looked up, eyes earnest and smile grateful “Thank you, Akaashi-San”
Akaashi didn’t deserve a thanks, no really. He had given the bare minimum of guidance so he waved the gratitude off. He took a breath and watched his breath, turnined to fog, vanish into the dark.
He hoped Kageyama had more luck than him, spikers were a hard headed bunch.
5.Hinata & Kageyama
In their third and final year of high school, Kageyama faced a new problem: Hinata’s hair. It had grown significantly and with that came ponytails, cute fiddling and soft waves. It was still atrociously orange but now instead of a bird's nest it looked more controlled, almost nice .
When Hinata pulled the fringe back in a half up half down thing , something uncomfortable happened in Kageyama’s chest. He knew he had a crush on Hinata but this was getting ridiculous, he could barely even start a conversation with him anymore- too distracted by the one curl that always hung above his left eyebrow, a perfect ringlet.
“You should cut your hair.” Kageyama tells him one day. “It looks dumb.” It doesn’t but the embarrassing truth that it looks good was much harder to say, so he settles for lies.
“What?” Hinata spins around, looking surprisingly offended “Yachi said it looks good! So did Yamaguchi and Natsu.” He squints his eyes in a way Kageyama definitely doesn’t think is cute “Maybe you’re the one who’s wrong here, Bakayama.”
Kageyama detested every single person who told Hinata his hair looked good (apart from Natsu, even Kageyama couldn’t find it in himself to hate Natsu).
“They’re lying to you. It looks stupid.”
“Oh yeah! What about your hair!” Hinata shouts and Kageyama reaches up for his fringe self-consciously.
“My sister cut it for me. She's a hairdresser.” Hinata already knew that of course, Miwa loved Hinata, just like everyone who met him.
Hinata sighed in defeat “Yeah you’re right, it looks fine. Does mine actually look bad?” He tugs on a stray strand and for a brief moment of weakness Kageyama wants to confess to his lies, he didn’t hate it, it was just too much for him to handle.
Instead he doesn’t answer, silence is better than whatever foolish jargon threatened to spill out of his lips. Hinata seems to take that for what it is, avoidance, and stays silent as well. They sit outside together like that for a while, bathing in golden light.
“Have you had a crush before?” Hinata broke the silence. His face was oddly still, none of the unnecessary flapping and excited twitches he usually had, and there was something serious in his voice.
Kageyama contemplates for a second, “Yeah, I have.” It was a stretch to call what he had with Hinata a crush, it felt like more than that.
“What did you do?” Hinata’s gaze was directed at some distant point on the horizon. He got like this sometimes, creepily calm and serious, usually when faced with a serious opponent but it had become more frequent that he would dip into this persona during conversation. It was almost scary.
Kageyama took in the glow of his hair in the slight, the dusting of freckles across his nose, the curve of his jaw.
“Nothing.” It was annoying that Kagyema could say that honestly. That he had indeed allowed time to pass by and his love to stay stationary.
Hinata turns to him, lips in a pout, “Why not?”
It’s a question he asks himself a lot. Hinata wouldn’t hold it against him; he wasn’t cruel and Kageyama had seen him kindly let down enough confessions to know he was gentle, painfully considerate.
“Not the right time.” That feels the closest to the truth, even if it doesn’t quite fit right “It will be soon.”
“You still like them?” Hinata’s voice perks up a bit in teasing.
“Yeah.” It is then, Kageyama’s eyes boring into him with a fiery intensity, that Hinata just how blue his irises were. They weren’t sky blue or even the colour of the sea, they were a blueberry shade, dark and deep. “I’m not great at relationship stuff though.”
“Well, luckily for you I’m an expert!” Hinata crows, he wasn’t by any stretch experienced with matters of love but it felt good to try to offer advice anyway.
Kageyama looks at him skeptically and hums in reluctant acceptance.
“How would you ask your crush out then?”
It was a tricky question to answer. Hinata had thought about asking Kageyamaa out many times, it was an almost nightly ritual thinking up countless possibilities and their outcomes.
“Something simple.” Hinata thought back to Kyoutani’s words, be direct “Probably a flower or something? A box of chocolates?”
Kageyama seems to mull on the idea, tasting it like a fine wine, before deciding his opinion on it. “Cheesy.”
Hinata lets out a gasp of mock offence, clutching his heart in jest. “Kageyama! I poured my heart into that! What would you do then, genius?”
“Buy them ice-cream.” He says immediately, no hesitation. The certainty was unwavering. Hinata would never shut up about his love for ice-cream, in summer he would get an ice lolly from Ukai’s shop every day after school and in winter he would wax poetry about it as if it was some long lost love.
When Yamaguchi had suggested just eating in winter Hinata had acted as if he had suggested some cardinal sin. So, ice-cream seemed like a good way to go.
“Ah!” Hinata exclaimed, face perking up impishly “That’s smart! How would you stop it from melting before you gave it to them?”
“Take them to the parlor with me.” He responded and Hinata nodded along as if Kageyama was an oracle offering some grand prophecy. “Let them pick the flavour and toppings.”
“Maybe you would be a good boyfriend,” Hinata elbowed Kageyama in the side in jest then stood and offered a hand to help Kageyama stand.
Kageyama pretended those words had no effect on him, pretended his heart wasn’t fighting to escape his chest, pretended his palms weren’t slick with sweat as he took Hinata’s offered hand.
Hinata pulled him up and Kageyama allowed himself to pretend for a second that they were holding hands like boyfriends do. Hinata’s hand was smaller than his but thicker and calloused, his fingers were short but his palm was broad.
Kageyama stood and reluctantly released his grasp on Hinata’s hand. Hinata smiled at him, it was toothy and his eyes wrinkled shut with the size of his grin. His nose crinkled and his head tipped back slightly to accomodate for the size difference.
“See you tomorrow, Kageyama!” Hinata gave a little wave then turned and he was gone. Kageyama stood for a while, watching the retreating figure, hand still open. A phantom warmth wrapped around his knuckles where Hinata had branded him with his touch.
+1 Kageyama figures it out (kind of)
Playing with Hinata again, even if they stood at opposite sides of the net, felt like home. With each point lost or gained Kageyama felt a piece of him he hadn’t realised he had lost being revived. Hinata still played the same volleyball, he had improved since high school exponentially but he was fundamentally the same; he played with a smile and a thirst to win that was almost unparalleled.
Even if the loss tasted sour, it wasn’t bitter like others had been. It was tinged with sweetness, like some citrus fruit. It was addictive and even as sweat lay thick on his forehead and his legs trembled with exhaustion all Kageyama wanted was to play again.
“How does it feel to lose, Kageyama?” Hinata asked, smiling as they sat side by side on a bench. He had bulked up considerably in the past years, he skin had gotten tanner and his hair cut shorter.
“New.” Kageyama responded, his smile didn’t quite reach his lips but it did lighten his words. Hinata laughed, it was deeper than his highschool giggles and did something funny to Kageyama’s chest.
“Yeah, I suppose the great Kageyama Tobio wouldn’t know much of defeat.” His voice was oddly fond, his eyes soft and Kageyama realised then that the warmth he associated with Hinata, the hopeless, teenage crush had never been as one-sided as he had thought.
He had convinced himself that Hinata was just a nice person, he smiled at and touched everyone. Hinata Shouyou loved indiscriminately but the flush to his cheek was not caused by exertion, it was the same pink Kageyama had felt heat his own cheeks when Hinata smiled at him.
They were older now. They weren’t foolish teens, high on hormones and emotions, but Kageyama was still the same person, impulsive.
“Do you want to kiss?” His voice doesn’t tremble but it’s a close thing. He was certain in the fact that Hinata viewed him as something special but there was still a lingering adolescent naivety.
Hinata blinks. Once. Twice. Then he burst to life, an explosion of colour and movement. His face scrunches as it reddens and his hands come up to squish his cheeks.
“Kiss?” His voice was choked like his airway had suddenly shrunk. “Do I want to kiss you?”
Kageyama nodded, something compelled him to believe that if he wasn’t direct now he would be stuck yearning forever.
“I would like to kiss you.” He keeps eye contact “Do you feel the same.”
Hinata buries his head between his knees, trying to hide the flush. Then he sits up, arrow straight, and face set in a determination usually reserved for the court. He brings his hand up to Kagyeama’s cheeks and with a quick, almost rough, movement pulls their lips together.
It was hot and desperate and messy. Hinata clearly had more experience with kissing than Kageyama, he led the interlocking movement with apparent ease. Kageyama allowed the kiss to happen, rather than being an active participant.
He was shocked into freezing. Then Hinata’s tongue slipped into his mouth and Kageyama bit down instinctively. It was only the tip of his tongue but Kageyama bit with enough force to draw blood and his mouth quickly filled with the taste of iron.
Hinata pulled back, blood dripping down his lips and eyes widened in shock more than pain.
“You bit me.” He said it calmly, still processing. Then he tipped his head back and laughed towards the gods. His shoulders shook, blood dripped down his chin. Kagyeama thought it was glorious.
“I’m guessing you’ve never kissed someone before?” He was still smiling, remnants of laughter shining in his eyes. Kageyama shakes his head, face flushed and shame burning hot under his skin.
“Sorry, I should have given you more of a warning.”
Kageyama feels his face darken. He doesn’t like being the inexperienced one, the one that needs guidance and teaching. If he was still in high school, he would have left by now. He would have fled in shame and anger but he was an adult now and with that came a tentative maturity.
“Is your tongue okay?” He asks.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Hinata opens his mouth wide as if to show off the tiny cut, but all it shows is blood stained teeth. “You want to do that again?”
Kageyama nods without thought or logic and Hinata brings their lips together again. It wasn’t as deep as the last one, Hinata’s tongue stays firmly in his mouth this time. It’s a touch of the lips more than anything but the weight that has followed Kageyama since first year lifts and the sense that his whole life had led up to this touch settled like snow.
“Shouyou, me and Aakashi we’re going to get ramen if you want to-” Bokuto’s voice is familiar, unwaveringly loud and deep. His words stop suddenly and then he is making an unintelligible stream of sounds.
Hinata pulls away and Kagyema immediately feels the ache of loss. His lips feel cold and his hands empty.
“Bokuto-san!” Hinata turns to his senior. His eyes were wide and his lips parted. His entire face, ear to ear was red. “We were just-”
He fumbles for an excuse but Bokuto interrupts him with a hand to the shoulder. “Shouyou, it’s alright. I don’t mind. Did you think me and Aakashi were just friends who had matching rings because of our powerful platonic bond?”
“That’s what you told me!” Hinata cried.
Bokuto rubs the back of his head “They were such obvious lies that I figured you knew but you placed dumb for my sake.” Hinata shook his head so hard that Kageyama was worried his brain might turn to mush.
Aakashi decided to arrive at that moment, one eyebrow raised and arms folded. He took in the tree blushing men and decided not to ask any questions.
“Me and Bokuto we’re going to get some dinner if you two would like to join us?” He offers, voice steady. Kageyama was painfully grateful for Aakashi’s ability to cool a situation.
Hinata’s hand suddenly rests atop Kageyama's. It was a lifeline to sanity and reason. His hand was like that of an angel’s, every place it touched turned to something holy.
“We’d love to come.”