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RIVAL OF KAGEYAMA TOBIO REVEALED! Sparks Fly Between Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shouyou at Pro Volleyball Match!

If you are familiar with the world of D-1 volleyball, chances are you’ve heard the names Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama Tobio. Both twenty-four-year-old athletes are famous for their skill and athletic prowess, but they’ve recently become household names for their intense rivalry. 

Kageyama, starting setter for the Schweiden Adlers, has been in the V-League since 2015 and is well-known for his stoic attitude and cold anger, both on and off the court. Interviews and accounts from teammates and gym staff all paint a picture of an almost emotionless robot. 

When asked in a team interview in 2017 if anyone could get Kageyama fired up, however, his teammates all shared a knowing look. Ushijima, wing spiker, simply replied, “I only know of one person who can get [Kageyama] really worked up.” 

When asked for further explanation, teammate Hoshiumi stated vaguely, “He’ll be here soon.”

This statement sparked confusion for many fans of Kageyama, the Adlers, and professional volleyball as a whole. The vague allusion to some hidden rival was a point of intrigue for many, though this rival’s identity remained unknown for the better part of a year. Many speculated that it was Oikawa Tooru, setter for the Club Atletico San Juan in Argentina, who was Kageyama’s mentor-turned-rival setter in his high school days. 

Early this year, Hinata Shouyou signed onto the MSBY Black Jackals as a wing spiker after a two-year stint in Brazil, playing beach volleyball. He was an unknown in the V-League, but he quickly proved himself with his defensive skill and incredible jumping height and speed. 

It wasn’t until the fateful Schweiden Adlers vs. MSBY Black Jackals match just yesterday that viewers came to the realization that Hinata Shouyou was the long-awaited rival of Kageyama Tobio.

The tension was palpable on the court as they stared each other down from opposing sides of the net before the match even began. Both Hinata and Kageyama’s teammates seemed to be not only aware but, in fact, expectant of the rising tensions between the two players. 

According to a source who was working in the stadium the day of the match, Hinata Shouyou, as well as MSBY Black Jackals setter, Miya Atsumu, went as far as to mock Kageyama before the game with insults and taunts. Though this statement is yet to be confirmed by any of the players, the story seems likely based on the palpable hostility between the two athletes, as well as Miya’s on-court taunts that could be heard from the sidelines.

The animosity between the two carried onto the court, as well. After Hinata received one of Kageyama’s killer serves with apparent ease, the crowds went wild, cheering and screaming the wing spiker’s name. Hinata looked smug, while Kageyama seemed to be barely keeping a hold of his anger. 

Later in the match, when Hinata and Miya debuted their first insane quick attack of the game, Miya made a comment from across the net to Kageyama, who reacted so intensely that the Adlers had to call a timeout. 

The two rivals shared many looks across the court, both with each other, and when the other wasn’t looking. While it doesn’t seem that Hinata and Kageyama would go so far as to sabotage each other’s performance, neither seems to have any qualms about verbal attacks or mental games. 

Volleyball fans eagerly await the next game between the Adlers and the Jackals, but we have to wonder; how will these rivals compete together at the Olympics on Team Japan?

[Image: Kageyama in an Olympic photoshoot, dressed in his Team Japan uniform and holding a volleyball out to the camera with one hand.]

[Image: Hinata in his debut match for the MSBY Black Jackals, midair as he hits a cross-court shot.]

[Image: Hinata and Kageyama standing on opposite sides of the net, staring intensely at each other; Hinata is smirking.]

Kageyama sighed heavily and tossed his phone to the foot of the bed, rolling over and wrapping an arm around the waist of the man still sleeping next to him, tugging him closer. 

Hinata gave a sleepy groan and rolled over as well, burying his face into Kageyama’s chest. Kageyama smiled despite himself and began to run his fingers through the orange hair tickling his nose. 

Blinking slowly, Hinata looked up at him blearily, still half-asleep. 

“Did I wake you?” Kageyama asked softly, still brushing through Hinata’s hair. Hinata shook his head. 

“No. I was already waking up,” he mumbled leaning his head to one side to stretch his neck. “What time is it?” 

“Just past eight. You slept later than you usually do,” Kageyama remarked. Hinata closed his eyes and readjusted, snuggling closer to Kageyama’s warmth. 

“M’tired. Big day yesterday,” he replied, almost teasingly. Kageyama couldn’t help but sigh discontentedly, thinking of the article he’d been reading just moments prior. 

“Hey, what’s wrong, Grouchy-yama?” Hinata asked, looking up at him from under his eyelashes questioningly. Kageyama tried to wave him off, but Hinata grabbed his wrist, wordlessly urging him to tell him what was on his mind. 

“It’s just… some stupid tabloid. They seem to be under the impression that we… hate each other.”

Hinata frowned, his brows furrowing. “Why?”

“Apparently, our ‘hostility was palpable’ or some shit and a stadium worker heard us and Miya-san before the game and blabbed.” Kageyama sighed heavily. “Those bullshit reporters are going to be all over us, now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up at practice tomorrow.”

Hinata’s frown deepened. “Hostility? Do they not understand what friendly competition is?” 

“Guess not.”

The two of them fell into a stewing, contemplative silence. 

It wasn’t that they wanted to hide the fact that they were together, they’d both just… mutually agreed that they wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. There was, of course, the fear of the backlash they might get, but mostly, it was the fact that people might focus more on their relationship than their playing skills. 

If they were asked directly, of course, they would be honest, they wouldn’t outright lie. But really, who would think to ask? It wasn’t exactly the first conclusion that most fans of men’s Japanese volleyball would come to. 

But it certainly wasn’t a secret. Both of their teams knew and were very supportive of them. Their coaches knew. All of their Karasuno teammates from over the years were well aware, seeing as they’d gotten together their third year, the day Hinata announced that he was moving to Brazil. In a panic, Kageyama had just blurted it out in front of the whole team. 

Not one of his finer moments, but everything worked out in the end, didn’t it?

Long-distance had been… hard. Very hard. Those years had been some of the toughest of Kageyama’s life, and that included his years at Kitagawa Daiichi. A thousand skype calls, voicemails, and text messages, dealing with time zones, and beach volleyball fangirls, and achingly long practice hours. 

It was all absolutely worth it, in the end. 

For mornings like these, stupid tabloids aside. Waking up with the sun in his arms, happy, content, warm. It was something that the Kageyama of years past had never even allowed himself to dream of wanting. 

And now, he had it. 

And he sure as hell wasn’t going to let some stupid article get the better of their rest day off. 

With renewed vigour, Kageyama rolled upright, his back cracking satisfactorily. Hinata blinked at him from where he laid against the pillows. 

“You stay. I’m making breakfast today,” Kageyama ordered. Hinata smiled sleepily, making Kageyama’s heart do a little backflip in his chest. 

Clearing his head with a slight shake, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and padded into the kitchen, still dressed only in his boxers. Humming quietly to himself, he bustled around the small counter space, flipping on the rice cooker and getting started on the fish. 

He lost himself in the act of cooking for a while, his mind wandering as he worked through the familiar motions. He’d cooked breakfast for himself every morning for as long as he could remember. His childhood home had always felt very cold in the mornings, even in the height of summer. He vividly remembered holding his hands out to the stove stop on frigid winter mornings, warming himself up.

It wasn’t until he moved in with Hinata that he’d realized that it hadn’t been cold. It had been lonely. 

A pair of arms snaked around his waist as he stirred the miso soup absentmindedly. Blinking in surprise, he craned his neck to look behind him, heart stirring at the sight of Hinata pressing his face into Kageyama’s bare back, eyes closed and smiling. 

“I thought I told you to stay in bed, dumbass,” Kageyama remarked softly. Hinata just made a noise of protest in the back of his throat. 

“Bed’s too cold without you,” he mumbled, voice muffled. Kageyama grinned. 

“Well then, make yourself useful, at least. Rice should be almost done, go finish that off,” Kageyama suggested, turning back to the fish on the pan in front of him. Hinata grumbled something unintelligible and merely adjusted his arms so that his hands rested directly on Kageyama’s. 

Together, they flipped the fish over, then stirred the soup, then awkwardly wandered to the rice maker to plate it all, Hinata never letting their hands stop touching for more than a second at a time. 

Kageyama just smiled to himself. 

“You know you’re going to have to detach yourself in order to eat, right?” Kageyama asked softly as they carried both plates over to the small table by the window.

Hinata huffed. “But you’re warm, Tobio!” 

Kageyama chuckled. “I’ll still be warm after breakfast is over. We can stay in bed all day. But you worked hard yesterday, so you have to eat,” he chastised lightly. With a hefty sigh, Hinata untangled their limbs and took his seat across the table. 

“Tell me about the article that upset you, Tobio,” Hinata said around a bite of fish. Kageyama’s hand stilled, rice dangling from his chopsticks. 

“It was stupid. Not a big deal, really,” he declared, waving his free hand dismissively. Hinata just frowned. 

“It upset you. That’s a big deal to me, at least,” he insisted, leaning forward to emphasize his point. Kageyama knew he’d lose this battle if he argued, so he forfeited without a fight. 

“It’s just… those tabloids. They always talk about me like I have no feelings. They called me a robot. A cold, emotionless robot, and-” Kageyama stopped himself short, unable to enunciate that point any further. “I’m not. I’m not a robot. I love you,” he managed to mumble, staring fixedly into his lap. “I love you and I know that, so why don’t they realize it?” 

He hadn’t meant for that last part to come out as a whisper, but his throat was tightening quite intensely. He felt a brush of Hinata’s foot against his own, grounding him in the moment, keeping his mind from wandering off somewhere cold and grey; somewhere he hadn’t been in a while. 

“You’re not a robot. I know that, your team knows that, your friends know that. You just don’t express yourself the way other people do- and that’s why I love you so much. How many other people can tell you what they’re feeling with a toss?” 

Kageyama hummed noncommittally, the sound coming out choked thanks to the tightness of his throat.

Hinata paused. “Hey. Look at me, Tobio.”

Kageyama looked. Hinata’s eyes were wide and vulnerable, swimming with emotion. 

“I love you, ‘kay? I loved you at Karasuno, I loved you in Brazil, I love you in the V-League. I’ll love you at the Olympics. I’ll love you when we’re both old and wrinkly and we’re wearing diapers. I love you, you big, stupid idiot.”

Kageyama grumbled and averted his gaze. “You’re such a sappy dumbass.”

Hinata squawked in protest. “I was consoling you, you jerk!” He yelled indignantly, gesturing wildly with his chopstick. “Don’t make fun of me when I’m trying to make you feel better!”

Kageyama chuckled at the pouty face Hinata pulled, pushing his chair back and walking around the table to drape himself over Hinata’s back, his lips brushing the shell of his ear. 

“I’m just joking around, Shou.” Hinata shivered beneath him. “Now, didn’t I promise a day in bed?”

Hinata stood up so fast he knocked the silverware off of the table. 

Neither of them bothered to pick it up. 

—————

Hinata came to a stop in front of the familiar gym, skidding slightly to keep himself from launching into the bike rack. The moment his momentum jerked to a stop, he folded over, panting hard with his hands on his knees. Blocking the sun with one hand once he’d regained some semblance of a normal breathing pattern, he started the climb up the mountain of stairs before the front doors. 

“Hinata-san! Hinata-san!” 

Hinata jolted, glancing around for the source of the unfamiliar voice. A short, balding man in a terribly ugly tweed jacket was walking up to him at a startling speed, already up in his face before Hinata could fully register what was happening. 

“Hinata-san! Do you believe you’re a better player than Kageyama Tobio?” The man barked out, gracelessly pushing a microphone into Hinata’s face. Hinata balked at his upfront behavior. 

“I- What?” 

“Your rival, Kageyama Tobio! Do you believe that you’re better than the King of the Court?!”

Hinata stilled. Suddenly deathly calm, he grabbed the microphone and shoved it out of his face, attempting to look as intimidating as possible while still being three inches shorter than the man in front of him. 

“Don’t call him that.”

The man was taken aback, but not for long. 

“Are you referring to King of the-”

“Don’t,” Hinata spat out. “Don’t call him King. No more questions.”

Trembling with anger, he stormed away from the reporter, who looked positively shocked. Hinata didn’t care. 

No one called Kageyama the King anymore. Not even Tsukishima. It was off limits to even his closest of friends. Kageyama himself was fine with it, sure, he’d made his peace with the title—but there was no way in hell Hinata was going to let some disrespectful, half-assed vulture of a reporter bring it up. How did he even know about that? Were people that invested in Kageyama’s life that they had to bring up past trauma from junior high? What kind of sick, twisted-

“Whoa, Shou-kun, what’s got your panties in a twist?”

Hinata quite literally jumped a foot in the air at the hand on his shoulder. Miya Atsumu stared at him questioningly, eyebrows nearing his hairline. 

“Just- stupid reporters. They think me and Tobio hate each other and that we’re ‘fated rivals’ or some bullshit. Bringing up bad memories from school. It’s pissing me off,” Hinata grumbled. Atsumu sighed sympathetically.

“Ah. Omi-kun showed me that last night. Don’t worry, Shou-kun, we all know the truth!” Atsumu declared. Hinata continued to glower at the floor. “That journalist who wrote it was stupid, too. If they couldn’t see how obviously you two were eye-fucking each other during the match, they can’t be very smart.”

Hinata shoved him half-heartedly. “We weren’t eye-fucking! I was completely focused on the plays!” 

Atsumu laughed loudly as Hinata crossed his arms sulkily. “You practically drooled whenever Tobio-kun was up to serve, don't deny it!”

“Like you’re any better with Sakusa-san! You and your weird wrist kink can’t make fun of me!” Hinata shot back defensively. Atsumu lifted his hands in mock surrender. 

“Alright, alright, I concede, Shou-kun. Bottom line, it’s obvious that you guys are super grossly in love, so try not to worry about it. One tabloid and one reporter don't represent the majority, here. I’m sure that most people don’t believe that garbage,” Atsumu said placatingly. 

Hinata huffed, still reasonably upset. “I know you’re right, but I’m not done being mad.” 

Atsumu laughed again. 

“Tsum-Tsum!” A voice cried out from down the hall, making both Hinata and Atsumu grin at each other. Bokuto was bounding towards them a second later, grabbing Hinata by the shoulders and ruffling his hair as he let out a boisterous laugh. 

Hinata felt some of the tension in his shoulders relax as Bokuto jostled him around, recounting his date night with Akaashi in great detail as he steered them down the hall to the gym. 

This was familiar. This was practice with his team. Everyone here knew about him and Kageyama, and none of them judged them for it. No one on either of their teams would ever say anything cruel about their relationship. Hinata took a breath and shot a grin up to Bokuto, who was still chattering away. 

He could forget about stupid tabloids for now. 

—————

HINATA/KAGEYAMA RIVALRY DEEPENS! A Real Hatred Brewing Beneath the Surface?

On his way to team practice with the MSBY Black Jackals a few days ago, a reporter from our agency caught wing spiker Hinata Shouyou to ask him a few questions, but things were quickly derailed. 

When the reporter, who has requested to remain anonymous, asked Hinata if he believed he was a more skilled player than his rival, Kageyama Tobio, Hinata seemed taken aback that someone would even bring that up. In an attempt to clarify, the reporter asked specifically if Hinata believed he was more skilled than the King of the Court, a nickname bestowed on Kageyama when he was in junior high at Kitagawa Daiichi in the Miyagi prefecture. 

Hinata was immediately on the defensive, yelling at the reporter things like, “Don’t call him that.” With a downright livid expression on his face, Hinata seemed offended that someone would bring up such a prestigious nickname for his esteemed rival. 

After his outburst, Hinata refused to take any more questions, storming inside the gym, where he could be seen being comforted by teammate and setter, Miya Atsumu. 

The nickname ‘King of the Court’ fell out of use in Kageyama’s high school years - the same years that he and Hinata were teammates at the local school in Miyagi. Did jealousy spur Hinata’s insistence to keep the name from spreading? Could Hinata Shouyou simply be upset that such an illustrious name was bestowed on his rival? Or is there more to this story?

“This is fucking bullshit!” Hinata cried out, hurling his phone onto the bed, not caring when it bounced off and clattered to the floor. He crumpled into the desk chair, glaring daggers at his phone as if he could somehow delete the article from existence by thinking about it hard enough.

Kageyama poked his head into the room, glancing between the phone on the floor and Hinata, fists clenched against his thighs in anger. 

“What… happened?” He asked slowly, and Hinata could see that little furrow of concern starting between his brows. With a hefty sigh, Hinata stood, crossing the room to drop his head against his husband’s chest tiredly, letting out a breath when Kageyama’s strong arms wrapped around him in return. 

“Stupid dumb tabloids,” Hinata muttered into Kageyama’s shirt, scowling heartily. He felt Kageyama tense under him and winced; his husband had never handled the press well, and Hinata knew he was still getting over the whole ‘emotionless robot’ spiel from a few days before. 

“What are they saying now?” Kageyama said quietly, bringing a hand up to brush through Hinata’s hair reassuringly. 

“Just… This guy cornered me before practice a few days ago and started calling you the- the King. So I snapped at him and told him not to call you that, and he… took it the wrong way.” 

Kageyama hissed a breath out from between his teeth and Hinata sympathized. It had been a while since either of them had heard the words ‘King of the Court’ and the memories they dredged up weren’t exactly pleasant - though it certainly had to be worse for Kageyama. It was one thing when he was doing it for himself—when he was putting the crown on and reclaiming the title. It was another thing entirely when some vulture was dredging up his trauma for a catchy tabloid headline.

“It’s not-” Hinata sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. “I know I shouldn’t let it get to me. But they just make me so frustrated! What gives them the right to dig up your past like that? That kind of shit should have died at Kitagawa Daiichi, it’s bad enough that it kept getting brought up at Karasuno, and now-”

“It’s alright, Shou,” Kageyama interrupted, the hand in his hair stalling for a second before resuming its ministrations. “I’ve… I’ve made my peace with it, I guess. I did in first year, when you gave me that stupid towel crown.” 

Hinata huffed out a laugh, his eyes still screwed shut. “I-I know. And it’s stupid, if it doesn’t bother you anymore, then it shouldn’t bother me, but…”

Kageyama dropped his chin onto the top of Hinata's head, letting out a breath. 

“I just hate that they think they have the right to bring up the past like that. It’s one thing if it’s you saying it, but they’re just—they’re idiots. They don’t deserve to.”

Kageyama hummed noncommittally from above and Hinata could feel the vibrations in his skull. “It sucked. It was shitty. Then, I met you. And it wasn’t as shitty. Now, we’re together. And it’s not shitty at all,” Kageyama explained bluntly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “No dumbass reporters have the power over me to make it shitty again.”

“This isn’t the attitude you had when the first article came out,” Hinata grumbled, but there was no bite in his tone. 

“This is different,” Kageyama insisted, bringing his chin off of Hinata’s head to look him in the eye. 

Hinata cocked an eyebrow. “How so?” 

Kageyama frowned. “This time, you’re upset.”

Hinata’s breath caught in his chest, drinking in the earnest, determined look on Kageyama’s face before burying himself back into his husband’s chest. 

“You’re such a goddamn sap,” Hinata mumbled lovingly. 

“Yeah,” Kageyama agreed, a rare smile in his voice.

Hinata thumped his head against Kageyama’s chest a few times, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth in thought. “We should just let it go, shouldn’t we? Let the press run its course. I mean, we live together, they’re gonna find out eventually.”

“I’d rather the tabloids not know our home address,” Kageyama replied dryly, making Hinata snort in amusement and agreement. “But I agree. Unless something changes, we should just… leave it alone.” 

“Right.” Hinata squeezed his eyes shut, watching the patterns of lights dance across his eyelids. “It’s still annoying, though.”

Kageyama chuckled wryly. “I think it’ll always be annoying. Oh - speaking of annoying - Oikawa-san is coming to town next week, he wants to know if you’d like to catch up.”

Hinata poked his head up from Kageyama’s chest, his lips tugging up into a beaming grin. “Really? How long is he here?”

“Few days, I think. You should go on your free day - you can get lunch or something,” Kageyama suggested.

“But your practice doesn’t end ‘till super late on my free days!” Hinata pouted, punching his husband in the arm. “Dummy, I don’t want to go without you.” 

Kageyama slugged him back, rocking him back and forth lightly. “It’s fine. You two catch up on Thursday, I’ll see him when he comes to the game. You guys probably have more to talk about than I would, anyway.” 

Hinata huffed. “Fine,” he hedged. “But only because he’s coming to the game.” 

—————

IS HINATA SHOUYOU DATING KAGEYAMA TOBIO’S EX?  Can Love Blossom Amongst the Hatred? 

Has the plot thickened once more between volleyball athletes Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shouyou? It might have! 

Yesterday, Hinata Shouyou was seen enjoying a lunch of onigiri at Miya Atsumu’s family restaurant, owned by his twin brother Miya Osamu. 

The catch? Hinata was dining with Argentina’s setter at the Club Atletico San Juan, Japanese native Oikawa Tooru! They seemed quite cozy, and sources have revealed that the two spent quite a bit of time together when Hinata played beach volleyball in Brazil after graduating from high school.

In an interview last year with Iwaizumi Hajime, athletic trainer for the Japan Men’s Volleyball Team, during a time when fans were still under the impression that Oikawa Tooru could be Kageyama Tobio’s fated rival, a reporter asked Iwaizumi, who attended middle school with Kageyama and Oikawa, and was Oikawa’s teammate throughout high school, what he thought of their relationship. 

“[Kageyama and Oikawa’s] relationship has always been… interesting,” Iwaizumi said in his interview. “Tumultuous would be a good word to describe it. Unpredictable, to say the least. Very up and down.”

Now, while this isn’t outright proof, we can easily come to the conclusion that something intimate happened between these setters during their younger years. 

Is this love triangle perhaps what has sparked the rivalry and hatred between Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama Tobio? Are Hinata and Oikawa committed to one another? You’ll find out when we do!

Kageyama let out a groan, running a hand through his hair. 

This was honestly getting out of hand. 

Hinata and Oikawa? Really? These reporters were honestly scraping the bottom of the barrel at this point, desperate for something to add fuel to the flames. They’d gotten close in South America, sure, Kageyama could admit that much; but they certainly weren’t dating now. 

Kageyama shot a glance at the ring attached to a chain, hanging from a hook on his locker. 

A smug smile tugged at his lips. 

Hinata had chosen him, over everyone else. 

And there had been quite a few options. 

A large hand clapped him on the shoulder, starling Kageyama enough for the phone in his hands to clatter noisily to the floor. Ushijima shot him an apologetic look, bending over to pick it up for him.

“Apologies, Kageyama-kun. I didn't mean to startle you. I merely wanted to ask if you were doing alright in light of recent… press,” Ushijima said, handing the phone over. Kageyama took it with a nod of gratitude. 

“It’s… fine. They think he’s dating Oikawa-san now. And they think I dated Oikawa-san first,” he replied, his tone bitter. Ushijima nodded in understanding.

“The tabloids once did the same to me. With the same man, actually. I believe I made a comment about our high school years during an interview that was taken out of context - I assume something similar happened to you?” Ushijima asked as Kageyama nodded, shutting his locker- but not before slipping the ring’s chain over his neck. They walked together out of the locker room, paying little mind to Hoshiumi scrambling around in the showers. 

“What did you do?” Kageyama asked, nodding once to the team’s manager scurrying down the hall past them. 

Ushijima sighed, pushing the doors to the gym open. “I just let it die down, I suppose. Oikawa-san was in Argentina, and I was here. Both of us declined to comment when we were asked about it. There was nothing to fuel the rumors, so they faded on their own.” 

Kageyama humphed, catching a stray volleyball instinctively before it could whammy him in the face. Romero called out an apology, giving Kageyama a grateful nod when he tossed the ball back over to him. 

“Though…” Ushijima continued after a moment. “I’m not entirely sure if that would work for you two. Perhaps radio silence would not be the cure-all for you that it was for me.”

“Right,” Kageyama agreed. That’s what he and Hinata had said the other day, deciding that letting it be would be the best course of action.

But that was before the press had started throwing around accusations of Kageyama and Oikawa having some sort of middle school fling. 

The question was - what could he do?

He’d never been the best at maneuvering the press, usually just leaving that to their PR team and trusting their judgement. But he had a feeling that being too angry about it would paint him as the jealous, grieving third wheel - which wasn’t exactly an appealing position. But be too complacent, especially while Oikawa was still in town, and risk being left in the dust of their entirely nonexistent relationship.  

The answer came to him a day later, over a text conversation with Yachi. 

Yachi: Do something big! 

Yachi: Something that doesn’t leave your relationship up for interpretation.

Yachi: Like skywriting!

Well - Kageyama didn’t exactly know how to go about hiring a skywriter (is that a profession? Or do you just contact a pilot and hope they’re willing?) and he didn’t really want to do something that cheesy and cliche.

It wasn’t like he could propose. He’d already done that, back in the gym at Karasuno a week after Hinata had come home. 

They couldn’t get married again - that was more of a one-and-done type deal, and he wasn’t sure Miwa could deal with having to reteach Kageyama color theory again if they had to plan it all over again. 

But - there was something he could do.

Something uniquely them, that wouldn’t leave anything about their relationship with each other up to anyone’s imagination. 

As long as Hinata was okay with it, then…

—————

jess @plotiv

i’m literally so excited for the black jackals / schweiden adlers rematch i can’t even express it

sakusa’s gf (real) @slayerbase

@ploitv i’m waiting to see the sexual tension between hinata and kageyama asjkdaks ( ◡‿◡ *)

daveed @lawnt

@slayerbase they literally hate each other…?

lin is suffering @affinia

@lawnt Enemies to lovers type beat

ajai | finals arc @kingrans 

am i the only one excited for the actual game? 

sakusa’s gf (real) @slayerbase

@kingrans yeah lol

—————

Hinata wiped a stray bead of sweat from his brow, keeping his gaze locked with Kageyama’s as he did so. Kageyama cocked a eyebrow, sending a silent message of you damn tease. 

Hinata just licked his lips. 

An elbow to the gut from Barnes made him stumble, sheepishly getting back into a defensive stance as Kageyama smirked from across the net. Hinata narrowed his eyes, wearily glancing over at Ushijima, up to serve. 

The whistle blew and the ball was sailing over the net before Hinata could blink, sheer instinct launching his body under the serve and getting it back in the air. A quick toss from Atsumu to Bokuto resounded against the floor on the Adler’s side of the net, urging cheers and groans from the crowds. 

Hinata grinned. Match point. 

He jumped in place a couple of times, hitting his hands with the tops of his knees as his team shuffled around, putting Hinata back on the front line, directly across from Kageyama. A wordless exchange passed seamlessly between them. 

The winner is the one who stays on the court the longest. 

Whistle blown. Sakusa sent the ball flying, his crazy wrist shot sending his serve to the edge of the court at an impossible angle, only to be scooped up by Hoshiumi in a terrifyingly athletic roll. A chance ball back in the Black Jackals’ court, received nice and high by Inunaki. In the blink of an eye, Atsumu was under the ball, snapping it directly to Hinata, who was already mid-jump.

Kageyama had already jumped his block in anticipation of Hinata’s quick attack, leaving the two of them in a mid-air battle for control over the ball. With a cheeky grin, Hinata flicked his wrist, shoving the ball out of his husband’s hands and down to the floor behind him. 

Not to be taken out so quickly, Heiwajima received the ball with a smooth slide, sending it to Hirugami for a toss to Hoshiumi. 

Hoshiumi sent the ball careening back, fast enough that Bokuto just barely managed to receive it with his forearm. 

An instinctive pull in his gut sent Hinata sprinting to the other end of the net, jumping high and arching his back in a curve, only to snap back, the ball fitting soundly in his palm as he spiked it down the line, just barely staying inbounds as the resounding thwack of match point resounded through the air. 

Cheers resonated throughout the stadium, only growing louder when Bokuto started whooping and hollering, running a victory lap around the edges of the court with Atsumu hot on his heels and Sakusa watching them with thinly veiled amusement. Hinata pumped a fist in the air, receiving a few claps on the back from various teammates as they passed by him to get to the benches for water. 

A throat cleared behind him. 

Pushing down the smirk tugging on his lips, Hinata turned, coming face to face with Kageyama in all his post-game glory. 

“You still okay with this?” Kageyama asked, voice gruff but eyes sincere. The stadium seemed to quiet down in anticipation - or maybe that was Hinata’s tunnel vision, all of his senses locking on firmly to the man in front of him, sweaty and severe and stunning.

Hinata nodded once, then suddenly a hand was on the back of his neck and Kageyama was pulling him up into a searing kiss. 

It wasn’t gratuitous or lewd, but it certainly wasn't chaste. Hinata let one hand rest on Kageyama’s hip and the other on his chest, relishing in the way Kageyama’s fingers slipped up and tangled into his hair. 

A few wolf whistles sounded; from both teams, no doubt, but Hinata paid them no mind, tugging his husband closer to deepen the kiss for a long moment. 

Pulling back after what seemed like an eternity, Hinata felt his cheeks flush under the weight of the stares from the crowds. It was as if every eye in the room was burning into him - and that was probably close to the truth. 

“Your PR team is going to hate you,” he murmured, making Kageyama let out his breathy little laugh. 

“They’re gonna hate you, too,” he replied wryly. 

Hinata grinned. “Your PR team loves me.” 

“Not after all the press they’re going to be dealing with after this,” Kageyama retorted, but he was smirking slightly. 

Hinata pulled back farther, knocking their shoulders together to guide his husband to the benches, where their teammates watched them amusedly. “Wasn’t that the whole point?” He teased, grabbing a water bottle from Meian’s outstretched hand. 

“Yeah, for us,” Kageyama said dryly. “Their job is supposed to be stopping us from doing shit like... this.”

Hinata laughed loudly, ignoring the stares and whispers from the crowd that had yet to fade. “We made out in public, Tobio. Call it as it is.” Kageyama shot him a glare before downing half of his water in one gulp. “Besides, the PR team’s job isn’t to keep us from doing shit. It’s to clean up after us when we inevitably do that shit.”

Kageyama scoffed. “Inevitably. You’ve been texting Tsukishima too much, I can tell.”

Hinata just stuck his tongue out, unwilling to admit that he had actually texted Tsuki the night before and been impressed by his easy use of the word.

“Finally coming out of the closet?” Atsumu strode up to them, slinging an easy arm around Kageyama’s shoulder and grinning lazily up at him. “Proud of you boys.”

Kageyama scowled. “I came out when I was seventeen.” 

“Yeah, we know,” Atsumu drawled. “We all saw those rainbow cupcakes your sister brought to nationals that year. I’m talking about the public eye.” 

In unison, the three of them glanced around at the crowds. Ninety percent of the people’s attention was on them, watching for their next move. Slowly and purposefully, Hinata pulled the ring on a chain from beneath his shirt, letting it settle back on his chest as he turned to face Atsumu and Kageyama once more. 

“They thought I was dating Oikawa-san,” Hinata said in lieu of a proper explanation. 

“Don’t listen to the tabloids,” Sakusa remarked wryly as he passed by. “They keep saying Miya and I are together.”

Atsumu spluttered, his arm falling off of Kageyama’s shoulder in his haste to follow his boyfriend out, protests and objections falling off of his tongue. Hinata watched them go, feeling almost fond. 

“You don’t… regret that, do you?”

Hinata blinked, turning back to see his husband looking almost nervous, staring down at the floor intently. 

Without a second thought, Hinata reached out, tangling their fingers together and squeezing gently. 

“I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t want to,” he replied. Kageyama still looked unconvinced. 

“I wanted to,” Hinata repeated, firmer this time. “Now, can we go home? I’m all for making out in the middle of the court, but the staring is getting a little unsettling.”

Kageyama let out an exhale of laughter, tugging on their joined hands and leading them back to the inner halls of the stadium. 

—————

A BURNING RIVALRY - OR A HEATED ROMANCE? Sparks fly Once More Between Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama Tobio!

At the most recent game between the Schweiden Alders and the MSBY Black Jackals, fans were shocked to see previously assumed rivals Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama Tobio meet in the middle of the court to share in a passionate kiss. 

After the Black Jackals’ close victory, the crowds awaited Kageyama’s response eagerly, but a swooning embrace was the last thing that anyone in the stands expected to see. 

Neither player’s teammates seemed particularly surprised by this shocking show of passion, but fans certainly were. The crowds were stunned into silence as two men previously assumed to be locked in a hatred-fueled battle of will exchanged such an intimate show of affection for the world to see. 

Later that night, after declining all offers for interviews and talk shows, Kageyama posted a picture to his official Twitter account. 

[Image: Hinata and Kageyama’s joined hands, showing off matching wedding rings. The caption reads I’ve been stuck with this dumbass since I was fifteen.]

The next day, when asked about the image during a live interview, Oikawa Tooru of the Club Atletico San Juan in Argentina stated, “[Hinata and Kageyama] met when they were fifteen. But it took those idiots three years to get together, and they didn’t get married ‘til this year.”

Fans were reasonably shocked by this development, with some claiming that they “knew it all along”, and others claiming that the relationship is a publicity scheme. Marriage certainly wasn’t the top theory for the connection between these two, though some diehard fans have combed through old photos of both men, finding evidence of their relationship that had been previously overlooked. 

The morning after Kageyama’s post, Hinata posted a similar photo to his Instagram.

[Image: Hinata’s hand, ring included, smushing Kageyama’s face. The picture has obviously been taken lying side by side in bed. The caption read just because i married this doofus doesn't mean we aren’t rivals!!! i will stay on the court the longest!!!!!!!]

Both Hinata and Kageyama have scheduled an appearance on a local talk show in a week’s time to discuss these not-so-recent developments, as well as what it’s been like to be a married couple on opposite sides of the net. 

So, it seems the question is now - Rivals or lovers?

Who says they can’t be both? 

“The tabloids seemed to take things well. Ah- no, wait, here’s one saying I slept with you to get on the Jackals. Wait… how does that even work?”

“New rule. No more saying the word ‘tabloid’ in bed.”

“...Tabloid.”

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t. You made out with me in front of a stadium full of people!”

“And I’m regretting it more every day.”

“...”

“Fine. I love you.”

“...!”

“Dumbass.”