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It never mattered what they were doing, Tobio and Shouyou would always make time for each other. This was their routine, because even around 17,365 km apart, they maintained one. Their relationship was not a complex one, even when lines were blurred all over, even when there were no secrets in the sometimes vast silence. So as 8pm rolled around in Rio and Shouyou made sure he looked nice before he dialed Tobio, things fell in together like they always did.
“Bakageyama!” This was part of it, the confused look on the other’s face as he waited for the video to load (Tobio’s service was shit) and Hinata’s voice always booming before the setter was able to see his image. This was their routine and it has been this way for over 12 months and it was good that way. They always fell into an awkward initial convo, where Tobio was as inept at socializing as he had always been while Shouyou picked up on his clumsy rudeness until they turned their word exchange into a flowing debate about volleyball (usually).
“You better make me sweat at least a bit. I’m going to kick your ass no matter the court we stand on dumbass… Bet I could go there, play against you and beat you on my first try” Shouyou feigned indignation, palm spread over his chest as he dropped his jaw open.
“Kageyama!” He fake whined, making a dramatic face.
“I’m not joking asshole… You’re still a clumsy runt” Kageyama crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head.
“Just FYI I’m taller now!” The ginger huffed out a breath and closed his eyes, tilting his head back to look at his phone’s camera from under his nose like a snob.
“Doubt you’re not still a runt”
“Am not… Bet I can beat you in an arm wrestling match…” The ginger flexed his significantly larger arm, earning a disinterested? look from Tobio. Shouyou’s arms had grown dramatically in the past year, his eating habits, work-out regime and strength training molding his body to shapes he had never even dreamed of ever achieving. Kageyama raised both brows.
“Oh… Really?” His face was filled with an all too familiar look, it had been haunting him since their early years in high school.
“I’ll get there and kick your ass both in volleyball and arm wrestling, runt” Shouyou narrowed his eyes at the setter. The idea of Tobio being here in Brazil with him was dizzying. He had spent an unhealthy amount of time imaging Tobio there, playing with him, hanging around, showing him the best places and sometimes… they’d be alone in his apartment, sharing his not so big bed.
“Oh yeah...I dare you to” Shouyou blurted when Tobio narrowed his eyes at him through the camera of his phone. They had been engaged in a video call for over an hour now, and Shouyou knew he had to go to bed soon. The raven-haired setter was currently using his computer, fingers strumming across the keyboards smoothly as he typed something.
“Whatcha typing ‘Yama??” He pouted, finding the lack of attention annoying now.
“I’m getting a ticket…” He stated, expression serious.
“Wait… I… I was joking… I… you… Kageyama!” Shouyou’s heart sped up inside his chest, hands tightening around his phone. Kageyama continued to type into his computer and after a rather loud and dramatic click, the smug look in his impassive face made Shouyou break into a warm, nervous sweat.
“I don’t take challenges lightly dumbass” He said with a smirk. Shouyuo felt his face heat up, able to recognize every symptom of an incoming sobbing fest. His heart felt too large, too swollen with warmth and surprise and… and the endless, unconditional love he’d always have for Tobio.
“Why are you crying…” His smirk faded and his eyes softened. Tobio moved the phone closer, as if this made any difference in the distance between them. He wanted to squeeze that handsome, sharp face, press his forehead to his and just be able to breathe him in.
“M’not crying” The ginger rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes.
Shouyou and Tobio had never verbalized their feelings for each other, but there was this silent “agreement” between them where they still acted affectionately towards one another. They had never kissed, they had never been intimate, they had never done anything… couply. They were just them, two people connected through their passion, pushing one another to become better, fighting, motivating and overall just being pillars of inspiration for one another.
“I’m… I just miss you…” This was not a thing they said to each other. Having crossed that line left Shouyou feeling oddly full and empty at the same time. He didn’t even dare meet Tobio’s eyes through the lens of his phone, no shame but nagging butterflies fluttering inside his stomach and chest.
“I miss you too…” He snapped his eyes to the phone, Tobio looking away, mirroring his previous reaction. He smiled, the fear fading from where it had been birthed with as much speed as it had used to conjure itself.
“Yama….” The setter did raise his eyes to look at Shouyou, cheeks slightly flushed, embarrassment and endearment both reflected there. Somehow, seeing this new expression on his face, having broken the routine, taking a step forward into changing their dynamics just enough to feel a bit fuller, less lonely…
“Hinata… I…” Shouyou found himself swallowing hard, ears perked, wanting more than anything to hear whatever it was Tobio had to say to him… He could see the conflict, the torrent of emotions passing by that usually stoic face. Kageyama’s mouth opened and closed as if he was struggling with words, as if he had forgotten speech altogether.
“Yes…” He egged him on. His palms were sweaty, so and so that his phone slipped from his hand and landed on the floor. He yelped and fumbled with his sheets in an awful attempt at retrieving it, falling on his face when the cottoned sheets became demonic ropes that tangled his legs and didn’t let him move in time to catch himself.
“Hinata????” Tobio’s muffled voice was coming from somewhere under the bed, he peered but could not see anything, sharp pain shooting up his nose and eyes to his forehead. He reached for the phone and sat back up, hoping Tobio’s train of thought hadn’t left him.
“You were saying Yama…. Sorry, dropped my phone!” He grinned and scratched the back of his neck, little stars dancing before his eyes as his sight blurred slightly.
“You’re bleeding! What happened!? Who… What the hell Hinata!?” And the train was gone. He groaned and moved his hand to his aching nose, warmth gushing out. He was bleeding,he had busted his nose when he landed on his face.
“I’m okay… What were you about to say???” His attempts at not sounding desperate thrown out the window.
“I don’t remember… Hinata for the love of god stop the bleeding” Concern dripped from that voice and the moment was ruined because Shouyou was a clumsy dork (Kageyama did call it… foreshadowed it even). He nodded and moved to his bathroom, cleaning his face and treating his nose bleed. After some minutes, their conversation shifted from Tobio insulting him for being a klutz, to volleyball until finally they bid their goodbyes.
Shouyou was not entirely displeased with how things went between them tonight, he had crossed a line, their relationship status sharpening a little more. Boundaries seemed clearer and the ginger was content with that.
--
Not that he had forgotten about the conversation he had with Tobio last night, but when he looked at his phone.
No way no way no way no way!!
This had to be a joke. He had seen Tobio doing some things, they had briefly joked about him going there, and sure that would not have seemed so far-fetched, but Tobio was not a person that did things on a whim, he was collected, he was calm and organized. Not impulsive, not… not random. He looked around him, wondering who the hell would give him a sudden lift to the airport to pick up this suddenly impulsive bastard of a friend.
“Heitor!!!!” Kageyama was here! He really was here!
--
The moment he spotted the tall figure looming over by a pillar his heart came to a stop. Sure, he did see Tobio through a camera everyday, but it didn’t compare to what he was seeing now, no way such a tiny screen could fit everything that was his setter. Tobio… When Heitor stopped the car, Shouyou’s legs were trembling, his whole body shook with nerves.
“seu amigo é enorme! (your friend is huge!)” his roommate’s voice broke him out of his daze, his body bolting out of the car to leap right into Tobio, who confusedly dropped his bag and phone to pull open his arms and catch a leaping Shouyou.
“Kageyama!!!” This time he was unashamedly crying, the sting of tears barely noticeable with all the other emotions coursing through him as he was wrapped in those strong arms. This was another line he had crossed, unable to keep his hands to himself, his touch starved mind to reign the horse of self-control. He buried his face on the space between Tobio’s shoulder and neck, burying his nose and breathing in his scent. Tobio smelled the same, clean, soft and like home.
“Dumbass…” Tobio mumbled to his hair, squeezing harder.
“Shouyou nós temos que mover” Heitor had moved to pick up Tobio’s stuff and tossed it inside his car, horns blaring from all directions. Tobio read the room and moved to get inside the car, not bothering to get the human koala off him and maneuvering as best as he could to get them both in the back seat. He was not ready to let go, not now, not when he was so vulnerable, so close to breaking down, so close to exposing the truths concealed in silence.
“You came…” He opted for instead. Tobio hummed, one hand running along the length of his back to cup the back of his neck, the other squeezing his hip.
“You dared me… I don’t back down…” Straddling Tobio in the most uncomfortable place ever and with his heart in his sleeve, the ginger pressed himself closer to the setter, thanking whatever deity out there that had made Tobio the most competitive, stubborn bastard in the world.
End