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~Hinata POV~
Hinata Shouyou had been plagued by frequent nightmares ever since he was young. Every time he woke up in the middle of the night, sweating buckets, he would tremble out of bed and dash through his darkened house to the safety of his parents’ room. But, he wasn’t at home this time. When Hinata woke up with a gasp, heart hammering, he sat up and momentarily forgot where he was.
Oh yeah, he thought, watching the rise and fall of his teammates’ chests around him, I’m at training camp. First night, too, what a great way to start the week.
It was the welcoming embrace of his mother that lulled Hinata back to sleep; the safety and warmth seemed to ward off bad dreams. With his mother being miles away, Hinata had to come up with something else.
Hinata tried to calm himself by breathing slowly. Looking around the dark room, his gaze stopped at the sleeping form of Kageyama, his friend and reliable setter, just next to him. He could always… no, he shouldn’t. Kageyama Tobio was a hard book to read. Hinata didn’t really see or hang out with Kageyama outside of volleyball practices so he didn’t know what his teammate was like when he wasn’t playing volleyball. What Hinata did know about Kageyama was that he wasn’t well-liked among his middle school teammates for setting impossible tosses to spike, but that wasn’t a problem anymore because Hinata was fast enough to hit them and he trusted the setter enough to hit with his eyes closed. He also knew that Kageyama couldn’t really communicate well and was emotionally distant from his teammates, rarely smiling or showing any emotion at all besides general discontent.
While Hinata and Kageyama were perfecting their freak quick attack, they became close. Racing each other to practice, having friendly banters, and teasing each other. When the threat of exams loomed overhead just before the training camp, he and Kageyama studied together during lunch and after school. Hinata recalled a rumor that hopped from Kitagawa First to Karasuno, that Kageyama “sets for the other team;” he had never shown even remote interest in girls. Ever. Not even the volleyball team’s pretty manager, Shimizu Kiyoko, whom many players on the volleyball team frequently fawn over, seemed to sway him in the slightest.
Hinata couldn’t judge his setter if the rumor was true, because he too swings the other way. He came to this realization when he was in junior high, when his friends would talk about the girls in their class his mind would wander and he’d realize he’d been staring at the boy with brown hair and long eyelashes who sat by the window across the room. Luckily, the boy had been engrossed in a book, but Hinata’s cheeks burned with embarrassment nonetheless.
Hinata folded his legs to his chest and hugged himself close, watching Kageyama shift comfortably in his sleep. It would be so easy to... Hinata shook his head and closed his eyes. He should stop creepily watching his friend sleep and try to get some rest before the gruelling, volleyball-filled day ahead of him. His mind raced. Was Kageyama just a friend? Or could they become something more? Hinata would admit, after lots of poking and prodding, that he did feel a certain way when he thought about his setter, often daydreaming during class or lying wide awake at night. At first he was ashamed, why did he feel this way towards someone who was strictly a teammate? They don’t even hang out that much outside practice, so why does this boy take up so much space in Hinata’s head? But, once Hinata went to after school practice and saw Kageyama already inside warming up, or parked his bike outside the school before morning practice and saw Kageyama’s figure illuminated by the rising sun with ‘I bet I can beat you to the gym’ written all over his face, his heart took the wings of a flock of startled birds and Hinata forgot everything he thought the hours hitherto.
Hinata lay back down and let familiar thoughts flow through his mind. It was just a rumor, after all. Kageyama probably didn’t think of Hinata as anything more than just a teammate. He was probably overanalyzing everything his friend did or said to him. They were teammates. The freak duo of Karasuno. That was all.
Minutes passed. Or was it hours? Hinata couldn’t tell. As quietly as he could, Hinata fumbled through his bag and found his phone to check the time. 2:12am. He had about 5 hours before everyone had to wake up and get ready for the first day of training. Hinata didn’t want to stay awake the rest of the night and be exhausted for an entire day of valuable practice. Fidgeting with his phone, Hinata’s mind raced. He had this idea all night, but thought it would be too weird of him to execute. But now, he had to take a leap of faith. He had to try it. Hinata stealthily crawled back to his futon and reached his hand outwards to wake Kageyama. There was something about the setter’s peaceful figure, his black hair swept across his tranquil face, that made Hinata’s heart quicken and his hands precipitate. His hand reached slowly forward, but he pulled it away mere inches from Kageyama’s sleeping figure.
No. He couldn’t do it.
Mentally beating himself up, Hinata pulled the covers over his head and closed his eyes. He had to get back to sleep. He had to.
He had to.
He had to.
He had to…
He… had…
“Gah!” Hinata’s eyes snapped open, his mouth gasping for breath. His breathing was rapid and shallow, his head dripped with sweat. He groped for his phone. 2:58am. He wasn’t even asleep for an hour. This nightmare had been worse than the one before. Scarier, more real. Hinata blocked out any recollection of the dream, he didn’t even want to think about it. Trembling and blinking back tears, Hinata didn’t care what his friend would think of him. He was scared and needed comfort.
“‘Yama,” Hinata whispered, placing a shaking hand on his friend’s shoulder and shaking Kageyama gently. “Hey, ‘Yama, wake up.” Kageyama stirred and his eyes blinked open.
“Hinata?” he asked groggily. His voice was thick with sleep. “What’s wrong, boke?”
“I had a nightmare,” Hinata explained in an unsteady, quiet voice. “I can’t sleep.” Kageyama didn’t say anything for a moment. He blinked. Hinata felt regret welling up inside of him. This was a stupid idea. He woke Kageyama for nothing, and he would tell the whole team Hinata gets nightmares like the child that he is, and he would be embarrassed for the rest of his life, and he would be forced to quit the team, and run away, and--
“You can sleep with me, if that’ll help.”
Kageyama lifted up his blanket with his left arm.
Hinata froze in surprise. He didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t this. His thoughts were drowned in doubt, so this sudden positive action was like a lifeboat come to rescue him. Hinata swallowed his anxiety and awkwardly scooted under Kageyama’s blanket. The setter’s arm gently lowered the blanket over Hinata’s still trembling self and his arm wrapped around Hinata’s shoulders. Hinata’s head was just over Kageyama’s chest. He could hear his teammate’s heartbeat, which he thought was slightly faster than the average sleepy person, but it was calming all the same. (Hinata prayed Kageyama wouldn’t feel his own wildly beating heart.) The blanket was warm and Kageyama’s arm now enveloped Hinata in a comfortably tight hug as their legs entangled almost naturally. Hinata’s arms were awkwardly scrunched together like a t-rex, but he slowly relaxed and put his right arm over Kageyama’s surprisingly slender waist and placed his hand flat against the setter’s muscled back.
“Thank you,” Hinata found himself saying in a breathy whisper, doubting Kageyama would hear. Kageyama mumbled in affirmation, the sound creating vibrations where Hinata’s head lay. Smiling slightly and listening to the sound of the bigger boy’s breathing and steadying heartbeat, Hinata quickly drifted into a dreamless slumber.
~Kageyama POV~
Kageyama Tobio was having a great dream. He was tossing to a team made up of only Hinatas. Hold on, was this a dream or a nightmare? Kageyama didn’t have time to dwindle on the concept because he was being jostled awake, the Hinatas fading away from his mind.
“Hey ‘Yama, wake up.” A familiar voice greeted him to reality. His eyes still heavy with sleep, Kageyama couldn’t make out much in the dark room, but the distinct messy orange hair in front of him was evidence enough that Hinata was the one who woke him.
What could he want in the middle of the night? A bathroom buddy? The small boy was always coming across scary people in the bathroom and there were four other scary-looking teams sharing the building. He couldn’t bring himself to be mad, Hinata used the nickname he had for Kageyama that was said only when they were alone, so it must be serious. Kageyama was slightly worried. Hinata was breathing heavily and his hand gripped his blankets in a tight fist. Something was definitely wrong.
“Hinata?” Kageyama asked. His voice was raspy and deep from just being woken.
Whatever Hinata wanted, Kageyama would do with no hesitation. He admired the boy, so bright and radiant like the sun. Sometimes too bright, driving Kageyama to lash out in confusion, not knowing how to handle the feelings Hinata stirred inside him. He may have hurt Hinata in the past with his internal frustrations made external, and he regrets every bad thing he ever said towards Hinata.
“What’s wrong, boke?”
Hinata seemed to hesitate before speaking in a whisper-quiet voice. “I had a nightmare, I can’t sleep.”
Nightmares. Kageyama didn’t know Hinata got nightmares. He himself had quite a few as part of the aftermath of being abandoned by his team in junior high, so he knew what it was like. He wondered if Hinata had nightmares often. When Kageyama woke up with a start in the middle of the night, frightened by his own thoughts, he would walk to his kitchen and drink a tall glass of water to clear his mind, but he couldn’t really do that here. Hinata started to fidget and look nervous, making Kageyama realize he hadn’t said anything, so he did the first thing that came to his mind.
“You can sleep with me, if that’ll help.” Kageyama lifted his blanket with his arm, inviting Hinata on his futon. In his head, alarms were blaring. Damn my hands. What am I doing??? Inviting a teammate to sleep in the same bed as me?? Is this too weird?? Will Hinata lift his nose in disgust and turn away?? Will our quick attack never be perfected because of the awkwardness between us?? Kageyama’s heart started to beat faster in nervous anticipation but he forced himself to calm down as Hinata crawled under the blanket and squished himself next to Kageyama. Oh so carefully, as if balancing a 2-ton weight on top of a carton of eggs, Kageyama slowly relaxed his arm and pulled Hinata closer to him. He could feel Hinata’s racing heart, and his heart lurched. He was probably terrified from his nightmare. Should he ask Hinata what he dreamed about, or would that be too personal a topic to discuss? Seeing Hinata, a usually bright and bubbly person, in such a scared and vulnerable state made Kageyama’s throat close up.
After a moment of stillness, Hinata’s uneasy arm reached out and over Kageyama’s waist and rested on his back, like a koala hugging a tree. Where Hinata’s hand brushed Kageyama’s back, his skin shivered. Kageyama didn’t know what to do next. Should I just let Hinata sleep? I should do that. Just relax, and- what if Hinata is expecting something from me?? Does he want to talk about anything?? Umm… what can I say…
“Thank you.” He could hardly hear it, barely more than a breath muffled by Kageyama’s shirt, but he was sure Hinata said “thank you” to him. Not knowing what to say, his mind still racing, Kageyama mumbled “I’m here,” but he was sure Hinata couldn’t hear him, let alone decipher his speech though his parched throat. Some water would do him good, but Kageyama didn’t dare move a muscle. Not right now.
Hinata’s breath became even and Kageyama felt his heart slow and his figure relax. In a few minutes, he was sure the boy was asleep. Kageyama, however, was wide awake. Not knowing what time it was, dead in the night based on the darkness of the room, Kageyama tried to go back to sleep, which was easier said then done when your crush (he escaped the denial phase long ago) was cuddled up beside you.
With the hand wrapped around Hinata’s shoulders, Kageyama felt Hinata’s hair. The boy’s bright orange hair was the first thing Kageyama noticed about Hinata the first time they met some months ago, and it looked so soft under the glowing sun. Kageyama was right. His hand gently caressed Hinata’s hair, soft as a cloud, as Kageyama thought about his brief past with Hinata. In such a short time, he had fallen head over heels for this boy. He was so small, but brightened up the room wherever he went as if he was born to do it. The best part of Kageyama’s day was when he saw Hinata walking his bike through the school campus every morning to the gym for morning practice, and challenging him to a race to give his heart a different reason to beat as fast as it does.
Hinata had helped Kageyama grow so much as a person, and Kageyama will forever be in debt to him for all he has done, whether he realizes it or not, the dumbass that he is. So oblivious.
Kageyama brushed back the hair covering Hinata’s forehead and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.
“Sweet dreams, Hinata,” Kageyama whispered, “When I’m here, you’re invincible.”
With that, Kageyama let his hand fall back behind Hinata’s shoulders and hugged him tight to his chest, like a teddy bear, and fell fast asleep.
~In the morning~
Sunlight streamed through the windows and lit up the room of sleeping high schoolers. Well, only two were still asleep.
The Karasuno boy’s volleyball team was curiously circled around Hinata and Kageyama, sleeping soundly and still entwined with each other, slightly askew from the natural motions of sleep. Kageyama’s face was engulfed by Hinata’s wild orange hair, and Hinata was drooling on Kageyama’s shirt, his limbs still attached to Kageyama like a redheaded vine.
“Should we wake them?” Tsukishima asked. “We’ve cleared the entire room except for their, uhh, area.” He waved his hand in circles, motioning to the two sleeping teenagers.
Daichi smiled, eyes still on Hinata and Kageyama. “We should,” he said, almost to himself. “Breakfast starts in 20 minutes, let’s let them be until then.” The team nodded in agreement. They knew there were some sparks between the spiker and the setter since the quick attack was created, and they were glad to see the two were... getting along, to say the least. Surely their youngest and most ambitious players needed all the rest they could get.