Archive of Our Own ^beta

The rhythm of the music was often enough to keep Shouyou moving - the flashing lights, melody moving, and screams of his adoring fans fueled him to move forward.

He was nothing without the elements that made him an idol.

Dancing was as easy as stepping beneath the weight of gravity, effortless, though without choice. Dancing was Shouyou's life, it was all that he had since he was young. He struggled with singing, and despite his best efforts, he had always come up short. With practice, he had reached a passable level but damn, did he hate being average.

Sweat glistened off of his body in rivers, but he didn't care. His voice carried over the crowd, wavering for a moment as he posed to hold out the note. Would it be enough? He teetered on the edge, pushing his vocals to their limit. 

A quick ball change to the left, right, and he could feel all eyes on him, even if just for a moment.

"Tooru, I love you!"

"Tooru, I'm your number one fan!"

"Marry me, Tooru-chan!"

"Thanks for the show, Oikawa-san!"

At this time, Hinata Shouyou was not at the center of the galaxy.

Oikawa Tooru smiled out to his adoring fans as they waved their penlights to support their idol, the center of their universe. 

"Everyone, thank you! Let's give a round of applause to everyone who made this happen!" Tooru smiled brightly, a radiance that shone so brightly Hinata was unsure if it were just the stage that made him glow in such a way.

"To the ensemble, I couldn't have done it without you!" Hinata grit his teeth, smiled, and soaked in the light for as long as he could, reaching out to touch it. Just for a moment, if he listened closely enough, he could hear them.

"Sho-chan! Do your best!"

He clenched his fist, grinning as he clasped that cheer into his hand and pulled it close to his heart. 

"Thanks for the show!"

The truth of the matter was that Hinata Shouyou had been performing his entire life. He had been aspiring to be an idol since his youth, always chasing after the idol known as "The Little Giant." 

But just because one had aspirations did not mean that he would necessarily succeed. Audition after audition, lesson after lesson. It wasn't the drive that Shouyou lacked...it was effortless skill. 

His dancing was impressive, often landing him jobs with top idols like Oikawa Tooru.

Shouyou stared in the mirror, his steps light and easy as he listened to the music once more. There was no hesitation in his movements. Learning to dance was simple. Refining his talent was hard work. It wasn't enough to simply be good in this industry. He had to stand above the rest with charisma, talent, skill, and the ability to lie. 

To understand how he ended up cast in this shadow, it was easier to explain from the beginning.

“Wow, Hinata-kun is amazing!”

“He really dances like those celebrities on TV!” 

“I wish I could dance like him…”

Young Shouyou Hinata soaked in the praise, stretching to stand like a plant reaching for the rays of the sun. He was at the age of 10 when he felt his first taste of validation from people other than his parents. He had been training for this for some time, dancing in front of his mirror, and finding the moves came easy. 

Flashing a megawatt smile, he gave them a thumbs up. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you!”

And teach them he did. Shouyou was a star student in his dance classes, constantly leading the others when they fell behind. His teacher hardly had to ask him to do so, helping others made the tiny carrot top happy. He uplifted those who struggled. From those who struggled with timing or rhythm or the boys who shied away from expressing themselves out of fear of “embarrassment,” Shouyou showed them how to shine in a way they didn’t know how. 

But he simply couldn’t shine everywhere. There were places that his glow could not reach.

“No Hinata-kun, you have to open your mouth wider. Drop your jaw. Stand up straighter!”

He was trying. God, was he trying. His parents had been paying for his vocal lessons for the last 3 years, and at the sensitive age of thirteen, his ego was starting to bruise. There was no way his form was just bad, he decided.

There just… had to be something wrong with him. 

And the more and more that he came to terms with the fact, the more his dreams of being an idol like the Little Giant seemed to fade away. He couldn’t be an idol if he sang like a “crow” as Utagawa-sensei told him.

“You’re a fine dancer, I don’t know why you don’t just stick with that! There are plenty of dancers who make a respectable living.”

He didn’t want a respectable living.

He wanted the spark and undeniable “bwah” of being an idol. Singing on a stage, dancing in front of a crowd, and charming them with his talent. There was no way he’d ever do that if he couldn’t sing. If he was mediocre.

“I don’t...I don’t care about any of that!” He snapped at her. “I don’t care if the job is easy, I care about being able to do what I want to do! Maybe you just aren’t teaching me right!”

The fight had been bubbling over for a long time. Shouyou had slowly been beaten down about his vocals, and Utagawa-sensei had long-lost hope in her pupil.

“Maybe you just don’t have the talent that you want! You have to get this through your head, Shouyou. There are people in this world with talent, and those without!”

Was he really among those without?

“You might be without talent, but I have talent! I know it!” His voice cracked with unsureness. It wasn’t the first time that day.

“Get out.”

I want to see you out that door, baby bye, bye, bye!”

Several loud knocks came at the door.

“Hurry up! I need to shower too, you know. Keep your day job, Shouyou.” A tired voice spoke from the other side of the bathroom door, and Hinata instantly scrambled to pause his music, apologizing for a moment before sighing.

Right, his day job.

A full-time backup dancer at the esteemed Karasuno agency. It was nothing to look down on. Most dancers could only dream of being hired at the agency, and Hinata was grateful.

It’s just, he wished he had a bit more. 

But now wasn’t the time to be worried about that.

Shouyou stepped out of the shower, shaking out his fluffy orange hair and running his fingers through it before looking at himself in the mirror. He had grown a few inches since his early days. His face had sharpened, though his eyes had grown tired. A slightly forced smile and a clutch of his fist appeared in the reflection, and he nodded to himself.

Today would be another day closer to his dream.

He quickly brushed his teeth and splashed his face with a wave of water that seemed to wash the tenseness from his body - even for a moment. 

He opened the door to reveal his shorter companion, a dark rooted blonde that had a deep-set face of apathy.

“Sorry...morning concert ran long,” Shouyou laughed, rubbing his head as he tightened the towel around his waist.

“You’re lucky you’re nice to look at,” Kenma sighed, pushing past the other ginger-haired dancer. “I’ll be out in 5. Your turn to make breakfast.”

It had been a few years since the duo had lived together. They had met in an audition, and after getting paired off a few times, Kenma found Shouyou to be less unbearable than everyone else. Though Hinata was somewhat concerned that Kenma disliked him constantly, he was once in a while reassured by a snack left in his backpack by a mysterious person who could be no one but the other dancer.

“How did you know I really like rice balls with the egg in the middle?” Shouyou had asked him one day. “Because,” Kenma started, his usual bored expression on his face.

“You mentioned it in that stupid icebreaker we did at the beginning of the camp.”

“You remember things like that about people?”

“Not people. Just...you.”

And that was as much as Hinata needed to know that Kenma was definitely someone he wanted to keep around. 

The young dancer prepared a bowl of rice and miso soup for the two of them, even frying up a spare piece of salmon that they had leftover from the day prior. Finishing off the rest of it felt a bit sad, but Hinata was sure they’d be able to hold up until payday...probably.

Kenma had a pretty small appetite, but Shouyou...well, they’d figure something out.

The blonde shuffled into the kitchen, sliding into his seat as Hinata placed a cheap apple tart next to his tray. 

“Oh...when’d you get this?”

Hinata beamed, turning on their small counter TV. “Yesterday. Thought it would make a good start to your Monday!”

“It’s not as good as the real thing but...yeah these are pretty good. Thanks.” He reached for the tart before receiving a ‘look’ from Shouyou, which resulted in Kenma putting his hand over his chopsticks for his rice instead.

“Jeez, didn’t know I was living with my parents again…”

“It's better for your digestion!” Hinata grinned before his ears quirked at a certain name on the TV. He took a seat at the table, slurping his soup loudly before Kenma could notice the face.

“Oh look, it’s your boyfriend.”

“He’s NOT my boyfriend! C-come on Kenma, what are you, like 12? It’s not like he’s some celebrity crush or something? He’s just some arrogant一”

“Prick who thinks he’s better than you and sabotaged your chances for fame and fortune, and now you’re stuck in this one-bedroom apartment with me in the least convenient spot in Tokyo. Right?”

“I...You added a bunch of stuff!”

“You don’t always have to say it.” 

“I don’t regret living with you, Kenma. We’re friends. I don’t regret that at all...it’s just…”

“You’re gonna make that guy pay, I know.”

Hinata Shouyou was a man with a grudge. One that had lasted for 2 years. 

“Next!”

Shouyou heard the sound of the crew member calling for the next candidate. He was fine, there were still 10 people in front of him. Plenty of time to get the stomach situation settled, splash some cold water on his face, breathe, maybe warm-up for the 7th time. Was that overkill?

“Kiss me like you wanna be loved一” 

“You know, the bathroom's acoustics aren’t really all that good for being able to tell if you’re on pitch or not… you’re ...not, by the way.” 

Hinata whipped his head around to see a stoic-looking guy, taller than him by a significant amount, with raven hair and navy eyes. He had a familiar face, but Shouyou couldn’t quite place it. 

“I don’t remember asking for anyone’s opinion, okay?” He scowled before his features softened slightly at the sight of the much more intimidating man. “And I think it’s in pretty bad taste to critique your competition.”

“You think everyone here isn’t doing that? Sizing up the competition? Listening to everyone sing the same shitty love songs in the hallways like they’re unique or something?”

“What’s wrong with singing shitty love songs? They’re...not shitty by the way!”

“Feeling guilty, aren’t you?” The other idol rolled his eyes, moving in closer to Hinata, who realized he had backed himself into a corner. “Everyone’s auditioning with that song. And besides, it sounds so empty. You don’t look like you’ve ever even kissed someone.”

Hinata balked at that, spluttering up at the other boy, who only seemed to close in on him. “I’ve...I’ve definitely, totally kissed someone. How would you know? You look like...like you cut your own hair!”

“I do. But at least I’ve kissed someone before. And, when was the last time you’ve gotten a haircut, idiot?” He reached his hand into Hinata’s hair, ruffling it to make a point. “You look like a kid singing in a talent show for the first time. This place is for professionals. If you’re not serious, then why are you here?”

Their faces were close, closer than Hinata was anticipating. How did he end up in this situation? Nose to nose with an opponent who was definitely just trying to psyche him out. His mom definitely would’ve told him to get out of here...

“I’m here because it’s my dream to be here.”

Why was he bothering to tell this guy?

“You think just a dream is enough?”

Hinata didn’t need to hear this.

“I know it’s not enough. But that’s not going to stop me from trying.” 

Hinata licked his chapped lips, pushing his hands to the taller boy’s chest. 

“Who are you anyway? Who the hell do you think you are?” 

“Kageyama Tobio.” The now identified man stepped backward and Hinata suddenly realized why he was familiar. He had seen some of his covers on TikTok. He wasn’t famous by any means, but recognizable to the point that most aspiring cover artists knew who he was.

And somehow, realizing the hot guy that cornered him in a bathroom had 10k more followers than him made him even angrier. 

“You think you’re such hot shit, don’t you? Just because people know your name and like your voice doesn’t mean you have the right一!” he gripped the front of Kageyama’s shirt, wrinkling the already poorly ironed button up.

“I’m telling you this for your own good. Go in there and sing the same song as everyone else, stumble, and fall. Don’t blame me when it happens, Hinata Shouyou.” 

“How do you一?”

“Number 10010. Number 10010.” The sound of a number being called echoed through the hall outside the bathroom. 

“That’s my number.” He released Kageyama, looking down at the ground, before casting a glance back at the other singer, who stared quietly back at him.

“I know.” he pointed down at the number on Hinata’s chest. 

And with that, Hinata ran out to his audition, an uneasy and twisting feeling in his stomach.

Somehow, he had a feeling he had just been sabotaged.

Hinata’s phone rang, breaking him out of that embarrassing memory and he scrambled to pick up the phone while red in the face. 

“Hello? Oh, yes, of course!” He looked at Kenma, who returned the look with a curious expression. “We’ll be in as soon as we can, yes, thanks for the call!” 

“They asked us to come in early?”

“Both of us?”

“Yeah…kind of weird right? Maybe we’ve got a new gig?” Shouyou was already sprinting towards the other room, throwing on a comfortable shirt and joggers. Kenma, already dressed, grabbed his train pass and keys. He stood at the door as he watched the flash of an orange whirlwind around their apartment. The TV continued to play in the background, a dull humming as Kenma walked over to turn it off.

The idol’s failing agency has been a hot topic of discussion in the entertainment industry. How will this shake up the scene? Will一

“Done!”

Kenma squinted at the TV for a moment before he shook his head and turned it off, turning back to his red-headed companion.

“Got everything?”

“Probably not,” Shouyou answered, pulling on his mismatched socks and (thankfully matching) sneakers. “But we gotta go, right?” 

“If we don’t want to look like we were taking our sweet time, probably.”

The packed train and foreboding summon would wait for no one.

“What are all of these bruises on you? Hinata-kun, did you take up another stunt double job over the weekend?” A blonde-haired woman gripped onto Hinata’s arm with tenacity, glaring at him before looking over at Kenma, who avoided her eyes. That wasn’t his problem to handle. 

“Ah...Yachi-san...it was just a small gig, you know? A quick student project一”

“A student project? Hinata-kun, you know idols need to have a certain image. You can’t just have bruises all over you! What do you think that looks like?” She pauses for a moment but does not give him enough time to respond as he opens his mouth.

“Like you get into a lot of fights. Or you’re being abused! What would you do if some rumors like that started? It could ruin your career before it even gets started一!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Hinata looked at her sheepishly, hanging his head. “I just really needed the extra money, you know? I’ll try to...take less of those kinds of gigs, okay?”

The extra pocket change was nice, and after performing with the less than tolerable Oikawa Tooru, he needed a nice way to burn off some steam. 

And just as his mind wandered from one obnoxious individual, Shouyou’s eyes landed on another a few seconds too late, as they bumped shoulders and the taller blonde sneered down at him.

“Looks like you can’t see any better than you can’t dance.”

“Haha, nice one Tsukki.” A shorter, freckled man bumped elbows with the blonde who simply smirked back at Shouyou. 

Hinata really didn’t have time for this.

“You know Yamaguchi-san, you don’t have to be in the shadow of this guy. You’re a completely competent and talented performer on your own!” Hinata commented as Yachi dragged him towards the elevator, tapping the button several times in hopes it would hurry up. Yamaguchi’s expression was surprised for a moment at the compliment, and quickly opened his mouth to say, “You really think so?”

“Of course. And if a guy like that isn’t reminding you of your talents, then is that really a friend you want to hang around?” 

“Obviously Yamaguchi is talented.” the blonde stared back at Hinata with a deadpan expression.

“Tsukki?” 

“I don’t need to tell him every day for him to know that. Maybe some idiots like you need external validation daily, but I think he’s well aware of what he’s capable of.”

Yamaguchi nodded with a tight-lipped expression. The two idols were pretty close-knit, but they came from pretty wildly different backgrounds. Tsukishima Kei was an industry brat. His parents were both actors, and his older brother was a star that was rumored to have exploded on the scene a few years back despite his wane in popularity now. Kei had a lot to prove, and it was obvious he wore it on his shoulders with little grace. Though his family had massive expectations, the sight of his enthusiasm was few and far in between. 

Yamaguchi Tadashi was pretty opposite. He was an only child whose parents had little money to provide him lessons or training with. Much of his training costs were paid for by the part-time job he took up in high school, and as a result, he was a pretty late bloomer in the eyes of the industry. Thankfully, what he lacked in refined training, he made up for with charm. Though he was naturally shy, many found his mellow aura appealing compared to the gaudiness of many idols that appeared young on the scene. 

“Yeah,” Yamaguchi turned to Tsukishima, who was still frowning as Hinata continued his antics.

As Shouyou stepped into the elevator, he shrugged his shoulders as he waved to Kenma who was meeting with his agent in the lobby.

“Hey Kenma, if you didn’t know, you’re an amazing dancer!”

Annoyed, confused, and mildly embarrassed by Shouyou’s outburst, Kenma gave an unimpressed thumbs up without making eye contact with him.

“Do you really have to be so loud?” Yachi sighed as she rested her back against the metal wall of the elevator.

“I had to make sure he knew!”

“I think all of Karasuno Production knows now...if they didn’t before.”

“Good!”

“You didn’t do anything weird right?” Yachi walked down the hall, her heels clicking against the floor in a rhythmic beat that matched Shouyou’s quickening heart. To be summoned by the company president… was a pretty uncommon occurrence. “Am I about to lose my job?”

“I don’t know... I don’t think I did? But what if I did?” Hinata wasn’t worried before, but the expression on Yachi’s face made him feel worried too. “This can’t be about the break room incident, right?”

“What break room一”

“Sh..!” Hinata stood straight as they rounded the corner, seeing the tall and sturdy Sawamura Daichi. He was smiling, straightening his tie as he saw the two round the corner. “Hinata, Yachi-san. Good to see you both.” Yachi quickly bowed, her face going red from how she nearly ran face-first into his chest. 

“Sawamura-san!” They both chimed, and Hinata was close behind, bowing immediately to avoid the off chance he’d offend him. Sawamura was a well-respected figure at Karasuno Productions. He had a series of awards, accolades, and was well respected in the industry. He was one of the last people that Hinata wanted to piss off. 

"Ah you don't have to be so formal around me you know. Heads up!" He smiled as Yachi and Hinata slowly rose, slow, yet uncomfortable smiles on their faces. They were careful around the intimidating man, who commanded respect wherever he went despite never really asking for it. A few intermingled voices could be heard from around the corner.

“Leave it to Mr. Refreshing, for the brilliant ideas!”

As another set of voices & footsteps rounded the corner, the duo bowed again, and Daichi laughed.

"Well if it isn't the illustrious company president himself? How wonderful for you to make an appearance!"

"Is this because I turned down your coffee date this morning Daichi-san?" A friendly smile appeared on the silver-haired man's face, and Hinata continued to bow, yelling at his feet.

"Good morning President!" 

"Good morning Hinata, Yachi.”

“Well isn’t it everyone’s favorite cute manager and Shrimpy?” 

“Shrimpy?!” Hinata stood to glare at the voice that spoke, seeing the smug face of Oikawa Tooru and…

“Kageyama Tobio? What are you doing on my turf?”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. A guy like you works in a top agency like this?” 

Sugawara grips both of their shoulders, a tight-lipped smile on his face. “Why don’t we step into my office?”

With the two being swept into the office as quickly as they appeared in front of one another, Hinata found himself sitting parallel to one of his greatest rivals - the one who refused to look at him. 

"I will now be both of your company presidents."

"What?" Hinata's voice goes several octaves higher than he's ever been able to sing, and Yachi hurries over and puts a hand on his shoulder, asking him to calm down.

"With all due respect president-sir, why did we have to take on this guy?! I mean, since when was he a part of Karasuno Production? The thing is president, sir, I've been working my... hardest to be someone worthy enough to debut. And it's been hard enough with Saltyshima constantly taking all of the gigs…"

"Hinata, you really shouldn't question the company president's decisions…" Yachi said quietly, though Sugawara raised his hand, allowing Hinata to continue to voice his concerns.

"You'll have plenty of opportunities with this new arrangement," Sugawara stated simply, moving two portfolios to the center of his desk. "I've done a lot of thinking about this."

"But I can't, I CAN'T have another setback like this...I've been working so hard - with another guy like him around my debut is going to be set back years."

"You make that sound like it's my fault you've been incapable of debuting." Kageyama finally chimed in, annoyed that Hinata was talking about him as if he wasn't there. "You have no one to blame for your inadequacy besides yourself. Improve yourself instead of blaming others."

"What the hell did you say to me? Did you know Karasuno Pro is known for its amazing dancers? I want to know how you even ended up here. What kind of strings did you have to pull? " Hinata realized how cruel it sounded as soon as he spoke it, but he was seeing crimson too brightly to care. 

That seemed to strike a nerve with the dark-haired idol.

"I could be asking you the same question, idiot. I agreed to join the production company with the agreement that I would be working with high-quality talent - "

"Are you saying I'm not a high-quality talent?!" 

"I'm saying you've never proven that you are, no." 

"I'll kick your ass一!"

"Excuse me." The stern voice spoke once.

"Not sure if your talent in that department will be much better there, considering your stature一"

"The hell did you say?"

"Oh pipe down, dumbass一"

"I said EXCUSE ME!" Sugawara's voice boomed loudly in the room, and Yachi retreated behind her clipboard as Hinata lowered himself in his chair. He was out of line.

"Take a walk, Hinata."

"It's fine we can continue, I'm sorry一"

"I said. Take. A. Walk." Sugawara stood, and the room fell silent as Hinata rose from his chair.

"Fine."

Hinata found himself on the rooftop of the building, quietly seething as he stared out over the city beneath him. He got way too heated in there. Hinata slid down the pavement, looking over to the usual spot where he rehearsed before tucking his head back between his knees. This place was comforting - but it couldn't calm his nerves of what he had done wrong. It's just... the sight of that smug asshole was way too much 一

"Shouyou?" There was a strong hand on Hinata's shoulder and he lifted his head to see a familiar blonde streak. He was an idol he respected, his senior, Nishinoya Yuu. Hinata looked up and tried to force a smile, but it fell flat. 

"Hey, Shouyou."

"So who sent you to give me my letter of separation?"

"You're not being fired, dude. Also, you know I'd never bring you that kinda news. I'd totally make someone else do it."

"That is true…" Hinata sighed, his stomach still in knots from the previous interaction. "I really messed up. Like...big time."

"Yeah, you did." He laughed quietly, patting Hinata on the back. "But it's alright. You should just hear the president out. I think you've got a bit of misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?"

"Yeah, see... this place is constantly changing. We're moving up in the world as a company! So… don't worry about it. Just go with the flow, ya know?"

"Go with the flow? I mean...I haven't been able to show the president I'm worth a debut, and now I have to compete with this other guy who's way more amazing than me…"

The hand moved from Hinata's shoulder to rub his head.

"You're plenty amazing, Sho. You just need a bit more confidence. Believe in yourself."

"How can I, when I'm definitely being replaced?"

"That's what you think?" 

Hinata glanced over to where the voice came from and scowled. 

"I'll leave you two to it. Just think about what I said. Go with the flow!" And off Nishinoya went, leaving Hinata alone on the rooftop with his worst enemy. 

“You think that? That… I’m here to replace you?” Kageyama continued, awkwardly standing in front of him.

“Well, what else would you be here for? I mean, you’ve already got the whole package. You can sing, you’ve acted, you’re popular on TikTok, people find you charming or whatever…” Hinata trailed off, stuffing his head back between his knees. 

“I’m just a backup dancer. I’m probably going to be your backup dancer if I’m not fired.”

“You’re not just a backup dancer. The president sees talent in you…or something. At least…that’s what he said to me when he made the proposition.”

“The…proposition?”

“You’re really going to make me tell you instead of hearing from him first? Ugh…you’re such a pain,” Kageyama ran his hand through his hair, and Hinata slowly stood. 

“Look, I’m sorry for what I said. You’re… a talented performer. I just have a lot of my own insecurities to deal with.”

“At least you can admit it.”

“You’re not going to at least apologize too?!” 

Kageyama continued without pause. “The president wants us to be an idol duo. You and I. He thinks…you’ll be able to teach me something.”

“Do you believe that?”

“I don’t know yet. Give me a reason to.”

“I don’t know if I have that reason yet…but I’ll try to find it.” Hinata looked up at him. “If the president believes in… us, then I’m going to at least try, I guess…”

Kageyama nodded. 

“As I’ve signed on to this agency and I’m in my probationary period, I have no choice,” Kageyama said offhandedly, which only made Hinata grimace even more. “But, I’m interested in seeing where this goes.”

“I’ll show you!”

"So - can you recap that real quick, president-sir?" Hinata quickly added the extra formality to soften the rudeness behind his question. His expression was sheepish as he relaxed into the chair once again, though Sugawara’s face had returned to it’s normally kind and refreshing expression.

"You two will be working together. As a duo. You'll be the new face of Karasuno Production until Tsukishima ends his tour."

Hinata nodded. This was a big deal. The company president was putting faith in him to be the face of the company. Even if it wasn’t the solo debut he had dreamed of, this was an amazing opportunity. He felt embarrassed that he had acted so rashly. 

"I respect your decision, president,” Hinata said, though he still looked like his ego had been bruised by the prospect of being paired with a top idol from another agency. The silver-haired president could read his face with ease. 

"You shine brightly on your own, but just think about how much brighter you could shine with someone who can complement your strengths."

“I’m looking forward to it.” Kageyama nodded, gathering his satchel.

“Not as much as I am!” Hinata sat straight up with a smile.

“It’s…not a competition?” Kageyama squinted at him, “Are you…stupid?”

“Could you quit calling me stupid?!”

Sugawara couldn’t help but smile tightly as he looked between the two of them.

These two…they were going to be a handful. But when he had a feeling about someone, he was seldom wrong.

The gig was a small one, a tiny stage in a side mall in Shibuya. Though, that didn’t make Hinata any less nervous. He could feel the familiar stirring in his stomach. Nerves. What if he choked up on stage? Kageyama would never forgive him if he messed up their first gig.

“Hey, idiot. You look like you’re in your own head.” he saw Hinata pacing back and forth and put his hands on his shoulders, squeezing them. “Get it together.”

“I’m…together! What are you talking about?”

Kageyama squeezed them tighter, shaking him back and forth. “You. Are. Not. Together.” 

“Give me something to get myself together, then!”

“What?”

“I need…something to ground me with. Usually, I’ll stand in the bathroom mirror or the dressing room, and I’ll say some encouraging words to myself. But like…I can’t do that right now. So…I need something like that.” Hinata looked away, his embarrassment growing as he said it.

“You want me to praise you?”

“No, I need you to like, hype me up! Be my hype man! We’re a duo, right?” 

Kageyama sighed, pushing his fingers against his temple for a moment before releasing his other hand from gripping Hinata’s shoulder.

“Alright, fine. Look, today’s performance is just a cover performance. Even if your vocals aren’t the strongest, you’ve grown a lot since we started practicing together.” 

Hinata swallowed. Kageyama wasn’t doing a great job of reassuring him.

“Your dance moves, if anything, will outshine any mistakes you make. Just smile the way you do, dance the way you dance, and the crowds will have no choice but to ignore anything wrong you do.”

That made him feel a little better, and he gave a small smile to the taller boy.

“You think that’ll do it?”

“Probably. Now come on, we’ve got a show to put on!”

The two idols stood on the stage, the lights cascading down into their eyes and over the small crowd that gathered there. Of course, any performance by Karasuno Pro was sure to garner some kind of audience, but with word that Kageyama Tobio was joining the company - they had gathered quite the crowd. Hinata was grateful that the other idol already had some kind of audience, otherwise, it’d be pretty depressing to perform to a crowd of five. 

“Hello everyone, we are…” 

The duo looked at one another with a small smile. “ECLiPSE!” 

As they said their name a burst of confetti rained down from the sky, glittering and covering the stage as the two peeled off towards their respective sides of the stage. 

The song they performed was a familiar one, the crowd singing along as they continued to dance and entertain. Just like that, Hinata’s concerns melted away. The feeling of being on stage, being alive in front of a crowd… was enough to make him forget that he was worried about anything at all.

He glanced over to see Kageyama stumble for a moment. They tried to keep the choreography relatively simple but it was pretty difficult to avoid having “too much singing” or “too much dancing.” In the end, they ended up with a happy balance, but this was more than the usual “stand in place ballad singer” was used to. Hinata hopped over after the dance break, wrapping his arm around Kageyama and squeezing his shoulder, singing a line into the mic together as the crowd went wild. They were still finding their way, finding their vibes, and right now Hinata wanted to keep it easy and casual. There was no need to make their strength something neither of them could achieve just yet. For them, Hinata just wanted to entertain. 

And entertain they would.

It came to the talk section of the performance, and Hinata and Kageyama chatted about their excitement as a new group. They kept it light and easy. 

“And that’s why I don’t drink soda before performances anymore!”

“That is beyond stupid. Why would you think drinking 3 bottles of anything was a good idea at all?” 

“I don’t know, I was thirsty!”

The crowd roared with laughter, and Hinata beamed. He had never had the opportunity at shows to have his own spotlight. To talk, to be heard, and to be known by his fans. He noticed a few of his regulars there, front and center with orange penlights. They were the reason he continued to dance.

“Maybe you need to keep your thirst under control.”

“Maybe you should keep your face under control!” Hinata quipped back, despite knowing it was quite childish of him. Kageyama remained deadpan, and the crowd fell quiet. 

“I’m good. People say that’s one of my 3 charm points.” His face didn’t change at that moment, though as he turned his side to Hinata and looked to the crowd, a small smile appeared on his face - and was that… A wink?

Hinata could hear several girls squealing and he glanced over to see Kageyama’s antics. “You think you’re so special? Cause you can wink?” 

“What do you all think? Isn’t my wink something special?” Several cheers and wails could be heard from the audience, and Hinata gritted his teeth. Kageyama might be suave, but Hinata still had the moves. 

He ran and did an aerial cartwheel, wowing the audience and garnering “oohs and aahs” as he showed off his trick on stage. Kageyama could only glare. 

“I thought this was an idol group, not a circus.”

Despite the twitch of irritation in his brow, Hinata smirked.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

Social media was buzzing. The people were talking. Hinata was proud - at one point they had their own Twitter trend. Though - he wasn’t sure about their popularity. They had a couple thousand followers on their joint TikTok, though admittedly Hinata hadn’t been posting as much as he probably should’ve been. It was so nerve-wracking to have the eyes of so many people. For as long as he had dreamed of the day when he’d have an audience, when the day finally came, he found himself nervous. He was standing in a dance practice room, his phone propped on a tripod as he looked at himself in several mirrors. 

Dancing was easy. He hit record, doing a few moves to test the angle. If he could just find the best lighting, maybe he’d be okay with this 12th take…or was it the 15th? 

As he spun, he stumbled - hearing the familiar sound of someone scanning in. He was annoyed - he had reserved this 一 

“What’s with that angle?” Kageyama commented, pulling the bag off of his neck and tossing it to the side. Hinata puffed his cheeks out, frowning at Kageyama’s commentary. 

“What do you mean? The angle is fine.” It wasn’t fine. He knew it wasn’t fine. 

“Here,” Kageyama stepped over and lowered the tripod. He pushed Hinata backward and ruffled his hair. “Hey, what are you doing?!”

“Dance videos look best when they’re filmed from a lower angle. It…makes you look taller. No offense.”

“None…taken,” Hinata said through gritted teeth, though he couldn’t help but lean into the head ruffle. It felt a little nice. “And…the hair thing?”

Kageyama’s face remained deadpan. “Sex appeal.”

“What?!”

“Sex appeal. You can’t look so clean-cut. You have to look like you’ve been dancing in their beds all night… or something.” 

Hinata flustered, his freckled cheeks turning red with embarrassment. “You can’t just say that with a straight face!”

Once again, Kageyama stared with a deadpan face, showing that yes, yes he could. 

“Do you want the masses to like you or do you want to keep your dignity?”

He said it with a straight face, but there was a hint of a smile in his expression.

Hinata sighs, hanging his head in shame. “Make me TikTok famous, oh shallow one…”

“Oh, I’m famous based on talent alone. You on the other hand will need underhanded tactics一”

“Oh shut up!” Hinata shoves him, scowling. “I’ll show you talent.” 

Hinata walked over to the laptop that rested on the floor, pressing play and moving back to his position. Kageyama moved back, leaving the floor to his dancing partner. The redhead breathed and turned his eyes to the mirror. 3-2-1…

Smooth like butter, like a criminal undercover…

Hinata’s body snapped into various positions, his angles sharp and defined. At that moment, his entire body lit up the room with movement - a momentary starburst reflecting on every mirror’s surface. 

Kageyama watched on with interest - oh, how the dancer could feel his eyes locked onto him. 

“Watch me! Don’t look away from me!” Hinata wanted to scream.

As he followed the counts in his head, he let go, taking the choreography and melding it with his freestyle. And by the end, he had completely drifted away in it, only realizing he was done when the music stopped. 

And Kageyama’s staring.

“What?”

“You’re just.” Kageyama shakes his head, his expression still dumbfounded. “You never dance like that on stage. I’ve never seen you go all out like that.”

“Eh, it would kind of look bad if I were to go all out一”

Without another beat, Kageyama gripped Hinata’s shoulders and shook them sternly.

“I never hold back singing to my best一”

“Oh trust me, I know一”

“I’m holding you back from your highest potential. That’s unacceptable.”

Hinata huffed for a moment, not wanting to make eye contact with Kageyama at that moment. Of course, he hadn’t explicitly been told that he had to dim his talent to not make Kageyama look bad, but…that’d be in bad taste, right? 

When he worked as a backup dancer, it wasn’t to be the most fantastic or the most stand out. It was to compliment the main performer. Hinata had been trained too long to take the secondary role, and maybe that habit still hadn’t been broken.

“Are you listening to me? Your strength is dance . If you aren’t showing the best of what you can do, what’s the point? My strength is singing, yours is dancing. If we don’t bring the best of what we both do to the table, you’ll end up as nothing more than my backup dancer.” Kageyama released Hinata, frustrated that he hadn’t noticed, even after two months of working together.

“You’re not giving our fans all that they can receive. That’s unacceptable.”

“Look I’m sorry一”

“You’re not giving me your best.” Kageyama’s expression looked genuinely troubled. “If you’re worried about showing me up, don’t.” He gripped Hinata by the front of his shirt, pulling their faces closer.

“I’ll teach you to reach my heights with singing if you do the same for dance.” 

Ha, Shouyou? Reach Tobio’s skill level of singing? The thought was nearly impossible, and he couldn’t help but scoff, only making Kageyama angrier.

“If you’re not taking this seriously…!”

“I am!” Hinata shoved Kageyama backward, growling as he crossed his arms over his chest defensively. “I just don’t think it’s as easy as you’re saying it is! I’ve been trying to get on your level for years.”

“That’s your problem, dumbass! You worry too much about comparing yourself to others, and not enough on how to reach your sound of skill!”

“It’s hard not to compare myself when you’re always ten steps ahead of me!”

Kageyama fell silent, turning to leave, before Hinata gripped his shoulder, despite his mind screaming to just give up. He had been in this hole for too long. Always felt like “Kageyama Tobio” was just out of reach.

“I’ll try. I don’t know how much it’ll help, but I’ll really, really, try. Both to teach you, and to learn.”

“It’s about time you stop sulking, idiot.” Though Kageyama ruffled Hinata’s head anyway, offering him a small but rare genuine smile. “Stop doubting yourself.”

It was so hard to stop the cycle he had been perpetuating for years. But here the golden boy was, asking him to teach him to dance and offering to help the little orange songbird find his voice again.

But for now, they’d work on that awkward movement Kageyama called a “body roll.” 

“Come on, we’ve gotta do a live. You’ve made such an improvement!” Hinata giggled, angling the phone to capture Kageyama’s new and improved dance moves. 

“Seriously, we’re going to livestream me learning how to body roll?” Kageyama rolled his eyes, though the way he adjusted his hair and reapplied lip balm implied he wasn’t that against the idea.

“It’ll be fun! Come on, didn’t you say we needed sex appeal or something?” He laughed, giggling as he mocked Kageyama’s hair ruffle. 

“Ugh, you’re insufferable.” But it’s obvious he didn’t really mean it, grumbling and looking off to the side.

“Just a little impromptu livestream.” With that, Hinata instantly clicked “GO LIVE” on their joint Instagram account.

“Hi everyone!!” He grinned, waving with two hands. “How’s everyone doing today? Guess who I’m here with?” He moved out of the view of the camera, to reveal Kageyama relaxing and stretching behind him.

“Yo.” Kageyama stood and walked towards the camera, dwarfing Hinata’s tiny frame. He rested his arm on Hinata’s head. “What’s up ECLiPSES? How is everyone?” 

Hinata grimaced at being used as an armrest and shrugged out of the way, glaring at him. 

“I already asked them that, Bakageyama.” The offensive nickname rolled off the tongue, and immediately the flood of chatters picked up on the nickname.

[ECLiPSELVR10]: LOL bakageyama? cute

[shouyousmile]: awwwww they're getting along ww

[kageyama__the world]: www new one for the books

[ECLPS_NEWS]: OMG suhc a cute NICKNAME SBDSJSM

“Shut up, dumbass Hinata.” It didn’t quite roll off the tongue the same. “Are we going to show what your meager teaching has done so far, or are we going to stand here all day.”

“Alright, you want to show off! I get it, grasshopper.” Hinata bowed slightly, running backward and standing, so everyone could see them both in the shot.

“Today, Bakageyama is learning how to body roll. ” He grinned, dragging Kageyama closer in the shot. “Now, long time fans of his know just how painful it is to see him attempt一”

“Shut up!”

“But today we’ve refined his hips.” Hinata reached over and grabbed onto Kageyama’s hips, wiggling them side to side for emphasis, which only served to embarrass the raven-haired idol, who swatted at him and glared between Hinata and the camera. 

“Can we just get on with it?!” 

“Ha, looks like he’s a little embarrassed, don’t you guys think?”

Maybe Hinata was laying the teasing on a little thick, but he couldn’t help but laugh at the reddened cheeks of his partner. Meanwhile, the chatroom was wild with inappropriate commentary that Hinata couldn’t entirely say he wasn’t at fault for.

Over the hour, Hinata teased Kageyama less and less, giving helpful pointers as they worked on Kageyama’s movement. It was an intimate and vulnerable moment with fans, not often showing the unpolished side of the work that they did. But Karasuno Pro was pretty relaxed and encouraged them to connect with fans in the best ways they could. 

“That’s gonna be it for today, my little grasshoppers.”

[SunMoon910]: BYE IM A GRASSHOPPER NOW

[kagslegs2222221]: brb changing my username

[eclipseonfire]: crying kags worked so hard guys

[hinatasgrasshopper]: already there bye

“They’re eclipses, not grasshoppers, idiot.” Though Kageyama said it through winded breaths, drinking a swig of water. 

“You’ll always be my little grasshoppers,” Hinata whispered, and Kageyama squirted him with his bottle of water, dousing his white shirt and leaving a bit too little to the imagination. 

Now it was Hinata’s turn to be embarrassed. “OKAY, WE HAVE TO GO NOW, BYE!” Hinata dragged out the last syllable as he covered the camera with his hand and ended the livestream, his red face of embarrassment and the peak of a nipple beneath his thin shirt the last thing the fans saw of the duo. 

Hinata turned around, scowling as Kageyama burst into laughter, struggling to keep up his smooth and stoic act for much longer. 

“I’m gonna kill you!” Hinata proceeded to grab his bottle of water, spraying Kageyama in the face who rushed into him and gripped him in a headlock. 

“Can’t kill me from down there!”

Knock.

“You’d be surprised how many internal organs I could reach right now!”

Knockknockknock.

“As if you’re smart enough to find any of them!”

Creeeeak.

“Kageyama-kun? Hinata-kun?” 

The duo turned and saw themselves in the mirror, before grimacing at the sight of their blonde-haired manager in the doorway.  Hinata hadn’t realized how close they were, practically wrapped in a tight embrace while…wet. He unraveled Kageyama’s loosened arm from around his head.

“Uh, hey, Yachi-san! 

She had a slight blush on her face, and turned to leave as she said, “The president wants to see you both, so could you clean up and head over? I’ll just, meet you there, okay?” And as fast as she appeared, she was gone.

Kageyama and Hinata looked at each other with a similar grimaced expression. Well, that was ominous.

“You two have gotten pretty close over the last month or two, haven’t you?” Sugawara spread the duo’s files over his desk, a few drafted songs, press interviews, and notes he had taken among them.

Hinata shrugged. “I guess so,” he glanced at Kageyama, who had shrugged similarly.

“It makes working together less insufferable,” Kageyama commented, swiping away the hundreds of notifications that were flooding his Twitter. He wasn’t reading any of them, but he did get a glimpse of an interesting hashtag. 

#KAGEHINA?

“What…”

“Fans are liking your dynamic a lot. A bit more than average, I’d say,” Sugawara said with a mirthful expression. He glanced over at Yachi, whose face was turning redder and redder by the moment. 

“Well, that’s good, right? They like us together?” Hinata asked, not quite sure where the conversation was going. Sugawara nodded. “Oh, it’s very good. We sold out of that last supply of introductory merch we stocked a few moments ago. Right after your livestream, actually.”

Hinata stared, slowly turning his head to look at Kageyama, who had his head in his hands.

“Please tell me you weren’t watching that.” 

“Of course I was. I have to keep an eye on company activities!” He laughed, leaning his chin on his hand as he watched Hinata and Kageyama’s embarrassed expressions. 

“It’s my job to watch over everyone, especially new talent and their relationships with one another.” he hums, and gestures between the two of them.

“From now on, you’ll continue to play up your relationship. People seem to like you as a couple, so that’s what you’ll let them think.”

Wait. Waitwaitwait.

“What?!”

“Just go on Twitter.” 

“People say all sorts of stuff on Twitter, that doesn’t mean we have to listen to them!”

“That hashtag…kage…hina. Is that what this is all about?” Kageyama opens his phone with pained curiosity, seeing screenshots of Hinata grabbing his hips and the two smiling at one another throughout their dance rehearsal. 

“We’re hardly friends, let alone a couple! This is ridiculous!”

“Sales are sales. If it keeps people talking about you, then is it a problem? Fake relationships for celebrities are common in the west. I don’t know why we can’t try to implement the same here.” The idea of having a public relationship was somewhat unheard of in the industry. But Sugawara Koushi wasn’t one to stick with the norm. He was known for being unconventional, creative, and he ruled with an iron fist. 

“Won’t people be able to tell? If we go from being friendly to being lovey-dovey within a day? That seems a bit rushed and unrealistic.”

“Oh, they like the dynamic you two have now so just…amplify that by a little bit with every performance. It doesn’t have to be all at once. Let’s consider this an experiment. And if we find it too distracting or useless, we brush them off as no more than rumors.” 

“So if people ask us about it directly?” Hinata didn’t consider himself to be a very good liar.

“Well, you’re idols. You know how to not answer unfavorable questions, don’t you?” 

Kageyama nodded solemnly, though it didn’t seem like he was sold on the idea completely. 

“For your troubles, I’ll be boosting your pay by 20% starting from this week. You’ve already brought in a decent amount of pre-debut sales. You’ve earned it.”

At that, Hinata perked up. “Yes! I’m in!” He could definitely afford the nice meat with that pay bump! He’d hold hands with Kageyama if it meant he could eat a better bento.

OhgodhewasgoingtohavetoholdhandswithKageyama一

Kageyama looked at his enthusiasm and sighed, though his face still had a dusting of red on his cheeks. “I guess… I’m in too.” This wasn’t the kind of sex appeal he was thinking about…

The stage for today was surrounded by balloons, confetti, cartoon animals in all shapes and sizes, and lots and lots of delicious and heart-stopping amusement park food. The weather was pleasant, cool, with quite a few fluffy clouds in the sky. Hinata had already splurged on a churro, and fed a piece to Kageyama, who was perched on a crate backstage with him. It wasn’t the best practice to eat before a performance, but for some reason it calmed Hinata’s stomach more than anything. 

“Ready for today?” Hinata said between bites, and Kageyama frowned, though took a bite of Hinata’s churro once again. 

“Of course. I’m always ready.”

“Are you?” Hinata asked, gesturing to Kageyama’s bouncing leg and rapid tapping of his fingers on his water bottle. “You don’t usually do that.” 

“Mm? Oh.” he stops. “Maybe I am nervous.”

“Alright, well it’s my turn.” He slaps his hands on either side of Kageyama’s cheeks. The other idol grimaced, though he held eye contact as Hinata prepared his pep talk.

“You’re so talented, and skilled, and you’re gonna dance so well that everyone’s going to be blown away! They’re gonna be like, who is that guy? Except not, because you’re Kageyama Tobio and everyone knows who you are一”

“Okay, I get it,” Tobio shook his head out of Shouyou's hands, and rested his open palm on his fluffy orange head. “Thanks.”

“And now, live from Starlight Park, ECLiPSE!” 

The duo high-fived, a small smile shared just between the two of them, and on stage, they went.

Showtime.

“We killed it out there!” 

Hinata did a twirl, looking at his own reflection in the shininess of the amusement park ride. The sprayed flecks of gold and glitter in his hair were a nice touch, and Kageyama kept glancing over at him without saying anything. He decided to interrupt whatever that was about.

“So Bakageyama, you really liked my sparkly hair, huh? I know, it’s hard not to be impressed.” Hinata grinned, pulling out his phone to snap a post performance selfie of them both. Kageyama pouted, though softened his expression for their selfie. He tried to avoid his visible annoyance with his red-headed partner, but the other man was just so insufferable. 

“It’s…nice. You look like the decorations on a Christmas tree.” Kageyama commented, though he wasn’t looking at him and thus missed the confused expression on Hinata’s face. 

“That was supposed to be a compliment, right?” Hinata laughed, covering his mouth as Kageyama’s embarrassment grew more obvious on his face that he had given what Hinata considered an amusing “compliment.”

“Nevermind一”

“No! Thank you!” he laughed, gripping onto the lapels of Kageyama’s jacket. “You look charming, too. Like a real, authentic prince.” He touches the flowers on the jacket, and glances over as he sees a few girls passing by, making not so obvious glances in their direction, giggling.

“Looks like we’ve got fans,” Hinata continued, though Kageyama was too busy being distracted by Hinata’s comments, looking down at his own outfit. He never really paid much attention to what they dressed him in. “A prince, hm? I think that works with my image.”

Though, he too noticed the girls standing nearby, and gently gripped his hands on either side of Hinata’s face, who became flustered with the intimate touch. “Stupid…what are you doing?”

“Being a prince. I’m rescuing you, obviously.” Kageyama said seriously, leaning in and making Hinata’s face grow hotter than before. What was Kageyama doing? In the moment, he could feel his cheeks warming and his heart racing. This was idiotic, Kageyama and his stupid handsome face and his stupid focused and furrowed brow.

“And just…just what the hell are you saving me from? Because right now I need to be saved from your way too closeness一” He needed to put a stop to this. There was the feeling of waves crashing up on the shores inside of him, an overwhelming pull that was threatening to drag him under一

FLASH! Looks like someone didn’t know how to take discreet photos… 

“I have to change you back from being a frog.”

With that, Hinata immediately headbutt Kageyama, who stumbled backward and growled at the shorter idol, wrapping him once again in a headlock and ruffling his hair with his fist. The two could be heard laughing from a distance, and the girls squealed in delight as they watched the duo interact after the show. 

After finally exhaling and cleaning up their act, Hinata rested his hands on his hips and looked at Kageyama head to toe. 

“Well, Mr. Prince, I think you owe me the most princely thing you could do in an amusement park.”

“What’s that? Win you a prize? You’ve already got the one in your arms from a fan tossing it on stage!”

“Whoa, are you a mind reader or something?” 

“No, you’re just really simple minded and easy to read一”

“Shut up!”

In a completely expected turn of events, Hinata was excellent at all amusement park games, and Kageyama struggled in the most basic of games, such as the classic whack a mole. But somehow, he managed to win something for the shorter idol that was worthy of being considered a “keeper.”

Hinata toted it around the park, bumping shoulders with Kageyama every so often. There were quite a few whispers, pointed looks, and giggling girls that passed by them. It…seemed like the “plan” was working. Kageyama wrapped his arm around Hinata and pulled him closer, leaning down to whisper in his ear. 

“Quite the crowd. These people just don’t know how to mind their own business, huh?” His breath was warm on his face, and it only caused Hinata to blush more under the fluorescent lights of the amusement park. 

“Hard for them to mind their business when we’re right in their faces giving them something to talk about, huh?” Hinata whispered back, and Kageyama chuckled in his ear. “This is hardly anything. I bet we could give them way more to talk about.”

That made the hair on the back of Hinata’s neck stand on end, and he turned to stare up at him as they walked, and he whispered more harshly. “Just what are you thinking?”

“I dunno.” Kageyama admitted, suddenly becoming less intimidating than Hinata had originally perceived. “I’ve never actually been in a relationship, you know.”

“Really?! Not even a high school girlfriend or something?” 

“Nope. Too busy with sports and idol training.”

“Wow…so you really need me to lead here.” Hinata admittedly didn’t have much more experience, just a quick fling with an older senpai and the brief week he and Kenma tried to have something. 

“I doubt you could lead us out of a wet paper bag.” 

“Shut up,” Hinata pushed him gently, though Kageyama didn’t loosen his arm around him. 

“Something like ‘make me,’ seems appropriate in this situation, but I don’t know. What do you think?” Kageyama awkwardly mumbled, and Hinata couldn’t help but laugh.

“You…you can’t just ask something like that!” His face was hurting from smiling so much, and the cameras had caught it all. It wasn’t hard to look happy around Kageyama. It turns out he was a little less intolerable than Hinata originally believed.

Maybe the company president was on to something. About them making a good duo. Not…the couple thing. That part was still ridiculous, Hinata thought - feeling Kageyama squeeze him in strong arms 一

Totally ridiculous.

“So Hinata-san, tell us all about your excitement! You’re debuting after being back up for so long right? How does that feel?” The question stings a little but Hinata’s idol smile doesn’t falter, a bit of determination straightening his back. Kageyama’s hand that taps his leg keeps him strong, too.

“It’s always been my dream to perform and stand on my own stage. Being able to perform, sing, dance, and just…get to do what I’ve always wanted to do has been really amazing!” he grinned, turning to look at Kageyama who nodded and smiled at him to continue.

“And I wouldn’t be here without Kageyama, that’s for sure!” The crowd cooed in response to the sweet comment, and Kageyama rolled his eyes, brushing the comment off as he spoke.

“This guy is giving me way too much credit. He spends hours a day, even when we’re off, teaching me how to be a better dancer, and strengthening his voice. He’s an incredibly hard worker.”

“Ahhhh, Kageyama you’re embarrassing…” Hinata covered his face, before turning back to the interviewer. “Tell him to stop! I’ll be honest, I swear! Anything but this!”

The crowd roared with laughter, and she quieted them and gestured for Hinata to continue. 

“Getting here has been a lot of hard work. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears.” He clenched his fist and nodded. “But I’ve earned it. And I’m so thankful for all of the fans and people who believed in me. I hope our debut is as much as you’ve dreamed it’ll be. ECLiPSE is here to bring you all the stars in the sky!” He grinned at the new catchphrase he’d been trying out, and a squealing from girls in the crowd gave him the confidence he needed to know it was working out in his favor.

“That’s wonderful, Hinata-san,” she smiled, and turned to Kageyama once again. “So Kageyama-san, has it been difficult making the transition from being a solo idol to now being in a duo? And you’ve been doing so much dancing!” A clip rolled on screen of Kageyama dancing on stage, which received an impressive amount of cheers from the crowd. 

“It’s been…” Kageyama started, before looking at Hinata who looked on with a nervous expression, seemingly also wanting to know the answer to the question. He shrugged. “It’s been a no-brainer, really. Being in a duo is much more fulfilling than being alone. Having someone who understands what you’re going through and really shares your creative vision…it’s way better than standing in that spotlight alone.” 

With every word, Hinata could feel his heart warming and stirring. He wasn’t used to hearing Kageyama be so honest about them and…being partners. It made him feel fulfilled. More than he could express. He could feel the tears welling up and he quickly rubbed them away, though hiding them to no avail. 

“Aw…Hinata-san, does it really make you that emotional?” The interviewer turned her attention back to him, and he spluttered, holding out his hands to deflect. 

“Oh uh, it’s just, it’s really cool to hear him say it out loud! I mean, have you seen this guy? He’ll hardly tell you what he wants for breakfast.”

“That’s because I always get the same thing, and you find it boring.” 

“That’s because it is!”

The rest of the interview went off without a hitch, and the duo ended the interview with a performance of their debut single, Starlight.

As cheesy as it sounded, Hinata really felt like all the stars were aligning. And with Kageyama by his side, he really believed they could do anything.

“Give it up for ECLiPSE!”

"Here's to us! To you! " Hinata raised his beer, the glass overflowing with light and fluffy foam that peeked over the lip of the cup. Though his body was exhausted, the adrenaline was pumping through his veins, making him as lively as ever. As he turned his head to toast to his "partner," he saw Kageyama looking at him with an intense gaze that made his blood feel hot. 

No, he wasn't drunk enough for this. 

Down the hatch it went, Shouyou chugging the beer down with an obvious motive. When he looked at Kageyama again, he was awkwardly nursing the beer he was given. There was an obvious avoidance of eye contact. Shouyou didn't have time for awkwardness, not when they had been absolutely dynamite on stage tonight. The rest of the crew cheered as they clinked their glasses together.

"Cheers!"

He could see the way the other members of the crew were looking at them. An expectancy of touch and playfulness they left for off the stage. Now finished with his first drink, Shouyou boldly wrapped an arm around Tobio, the taller idol leaning away as he finished his drink.

"You're drunk so quickly?" Tobio asked, obvious disapproval on his face. 

"Drunk? No way. It's the adrenaline. You're telling me it doesn't just make you wanna get WAH like you're on top of the world?" He flexed his fingers in front of Tobio's face in a wave, the emphasis of the rush he felt on top of the world.

"Nothing like that. Just...annoyance. And besides, you're way too close." He wrinkled his nose, sipping his drink to put distance between him and Hinata. The ginger frowned, leaning back and reaching for another beer that had slid across the table for him.

"You're no fun. And besides, I don't think they think we're close enough." He gestures slyly across the room, a gaggle of obvious fans peeking over their booth to catch a glance of the idols.

Kageyama quirked his eyebrow, before glancing over and nodding. "So you're doing this for them, then? All your wah and bwah is just for show?" He kept his expression cool, though now aware of the situation, relaxed into Shouyou's arm. 

"Hm?" He scanned Tobio's face, looking for the disappointed expression but being completely unable to read him as usual. "Oh, no this... I was just, you know. Getting comfortable. Is that a problem?"

"It doesn't matter either way for me. But I'd prefer to know when you're planning to do something, so I can control my expression." Tobio glanced down at his partner, who suddenly looked devious, his smile curling as he sipped his beer again and placed it down on the table, freeing his hand.

"You don't want to be caught off guard, Tobio-chan?" Hinata's hand quickly dipped beneath the table, suddenly lacing their fingers together and squeezing tight. Kageyama looked at him with an unamused expression, though he could feel his ears heating up from the touch. Though Shouyou was older, he always looked so childish like this when he was causing mischief between them. 

"Don't call me that. You sound like Oikawa-san." Kageyama grit his teeth, glancing over and seeing the girls giggling in his direction. He turned back to Hinata and gripped his chin, tilting it up to force him to look at him.

"Comfortable?"

Hinata could feel himself squirming, his own face getting hot from their close proximity. Maybe pulling something like this while tipsy wasn't the best idea…He swallowed and nodded, feeling the lump in his throat refusing to go away. He watched as Kageyama idly reached over for a meat skewer, releasing Hinata's chin and gesturing for him to open his mouth.

"Say aah…" The act was cute, but Kageyama's deadpan voice made it nearly impossible to stay serious. The shorter idol burst into laughter, covering his face at Kageyama's attempt to be sweet. The raven-haired man frowned. 

Shit, he's really gonna be pissed now!

"Something funny? Maybe I'll just kill you with this instead一"

"No, no! I'll eat it…!" Hinata said between laughter, pulling his arm closer to hug Kageyama from the side. "It's just...your face was so serious, I thought I might die from that sight alone…" 

Kageyama was a real pain in the ass most of the time, but he was honest and straightforward. Hinata struggled with his blunt attitude most of the time, but he had learned to appreciate it. It was just one of the many things he had come to like about him. Being paired up with him...perhaps it wasn't so bad. 

"I have to play my part too, don't I?"

The words hit Shouyou cold in this pit of his stomach, and he forced a smile, nodding as he took a bite of the meat on the skewer. 

Right, how could he forget that this was all just for show? He needed another drink. Fast. 

Another wave to the bartender and it was another round for all, much to Kageyama’s chagrin. Hinata wasn’t the kind of drunk you wanted to be around if you disliked loud noises.

“Shhh, Tobiowo… you’re too loud. The people. They’re totally gonna hear you!” Hinata swayed as he stood with his mug of beer, spilling it over his fist and licking the foam from his knuckles. It was clear that the alcohol had taken its toll on Shouyou, and much less on Tobio.

“Gross,” Kageyama frowned, though his flushed cheeks and glitter in his eyes said otherwise. “And don’t call me that. You’re spilling your beer everywhere. This is why they shouldn’t let stupid 20-year-old redheads drink.” The raven-haired idol pulled Hinata down into his seat, who only swayed and leaned his head on Kageyama’s shoulder.

“A great final show, boys!” A member of the stage crew yelled across the table, and the others raised a glass. “A fitting end to your debut tour! You worked hard!”  

“I can’t believe it’s oooover!” Hinata wailed, turning his face to look up at Kageyama. He couldn’t feel embarrassed, not now, with the liquid courage making him feel braver than before. He snuggled his face into Kageyama’s neck, who froze instantly, though lowered his arm to wrap around the other’s waist, not glancing around to see the eyes on them.

“It’s not over, stupid.” Kageyama lifted his own mug to his lips, sipping it and putting it back down. “This is just the beginning for us.”

Despite being drunk, it struck a chord in Hinata, whose eyes quickly began welling up with tears. “You, you really mean that? You and me against the world?” Of course in any normal setting, Hinata wouldn’t have asked, but he really feared what he considered to be inevitable. Kageyama would realize he didn’t need him anymore, he’d move on, find another partner, and Hinata would once again be left in the dust as a backup dancer.

He couldn’t go back to that.

“I一”

“Don’t leave me.” Hinata whispered, his fists clutched tight in the black shirt that clung with sweat to Kageyama’s skin. “I mean it.”

“I,” Kageyama swallowed, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t ever do that. Why would I leave,  unless you did something idiotic?”

“I don’t know…” Hinata’s breath was hot on Kageyama’s neck, and whether it was the alcohol or if it was their proximity growing closer. “I have trust issues.” 

Kageyama couldn’t help but laugh, and Hinata heard the rumble in his chest as he laid his head there. “I know,” he said quietly, speaking only for Hinata to hear.

“You still don’t trust me.”

“I trust you!” Hinata looked offended, pulling away and staring at Kageyama, who only looked the tiniest bit amused. “I trust you, Tobio.” It was genuine, and from the heart - despite the hammering in his chest and the blurriness of the fringe of his vision. He meant it. Deeper than he could speak in words. If words wouldn’t work…

“Hinata. What are you doing?” 

What was he doing?

His lips were pursed, and from Kageyama’s shocked expression, he imagined he was treading into unspoken territory. It was as if a waterfall of ice had hit his back, sobering him for a moment of clarity.

“Haha, come on, Kageyama.” He laughed, pulling away and running a nervous hand through his hair. “It was just a bit, you know?”

“Right. Just… a bit.” 

How many times could Hinata disappoint himself in one night? 

Several, apparently. 

After throwing up and having a glass of water, Hinata and his last remaining brain cells decided it was time to go home, dragging his partner along the way. Kageyama rode the train home with Hinata leaning against his chest, a few onlookers glancing at them along the way. Kageyama was pressed against the wall, shakily holding Hinata in place as the tracks pushed and pulled their bodies under the starry sky. 

“M’gonna fall…” Hinata would complain every so often, and Kageyama only grumbled back at him, wrapping an arm tighter around his waist to hold him there. He couldn’t let Hinata embarrass himself in public more than he already had today.

Despite the crew’s offers, Hinata had insisted on riding the train home. And finally, once they reached their stop that Hinata had sloppily written in ink across the top of his hand, he pushed back against Kageyama and stretched, sleepily leaning against him once more for good measure before trudging towards the door. It wasn’t anything personal. It’s just, Kageyama had a good, solid foundation. He had much more mass than Hinata, so it just made sense for him to be an anchor for the two of them.

Right. Hinata almost believed that.

Stumbling home, talking to Kageyama about everything on his mind, and more felt natural. Lacing their fingers together was easy, comfortable. When they first started doing it in public, Hinata had felt stilted. So unnatural. And now…

He looked up at Kageyama who was rattling off about some nerdy, music-related thing, and felt the taller man tighten his fingers around Hinata’s as he began to slip away. What was this steadfast, hypnotic beating in his chest?

The metronome was ticking away, stuttering for a moment as Hinata’s mind struggled to rationalize it.

As Kageyama paused at Hinata’s door, he looked up and over Kageyama’s shoulder, jokingly speaking, “So no goodnight kiss?” Into the air.

“There are no cameras around, idiot…”

“So?” Hinata’s pouting face was way cuter than Kageyama was anticipating, though Hinata really didn’t mean for it to have such an effect. The raven-haired man slowly backed away, pulling Hinata’s card key from his pocket and swiping it in the door, begging for it to open after 3 failed swipes.

“And it’s um… time for your bedtime.” Kageyama sputtered, stepping into the foyer and seeing a pudding-haired man perched on the living room couch, slowly creeping over to procure his drunk friend from the other idol. 

“Is he drunk?”

“Very,” Kageyama tried to hide his flustered face to no avail as Hinata clung to his body like a koala. “Very drunk.”

Kenma knew what kind of drunk Hinata was, and ushered him off towards the shower with a gentle shove. “Did he puke?” Kenma called out as Hinata outstretched his fingers towards his partner. Kageyamaaaa… 

Hinata wondered if he would stay, just for a little while.

“He did.” 

“Neat. Thanks. I’ll take it from here.” The blonde dancer followed Hinata to the bathroom, before peeking his head back around the corner. “You’re welcome to the couch if you want.”

“Or my bed!” Hinata yelled, and there was a small ‘ ow!’ that could be heard from the living room. Kenma stared at Hinata, unimpressed. 

“I deserve a discount on rent this month…” 

A throbbing headache and a sensitivity to light were the first painful hints Hinata had towards what occurred last night. Kenma pushed behind him, keeping the idol from dragging too far behind as they went in to the office despite Hinata originally having the day off. A summons from the company president meant that his day off was null and void until he figured out just what he had done. He couldn’t have done something that stupid, right?

There were whispers, hushed looks, and excited to see him faces in the lobby of the familiar halls of Karasuno Productions.  Once again, standing between Hinata and the elevator…

Tsukishima Kei. 

“Yo, Saltyshima!” Hinata waved, his confidence obvious as a medal that shone on his chest. He was coming off the high of a debut tour, and on top of the world, he couldn’t be knocked down by the condescending words of one of his rivals at the company. “How’d the rest of the world treat you?”

“It was an Asia tour, moron.” Tsukishima glanced towards the elevator, deciding that he’d be taking the stairs instead of being stuck with Hinata. “You lucked out, I left that space just for you.”

“Didn’t need luck. Just talent.” Hinata grinned. 

“And riding Kageyama Tobio’s coattails, right?”

No, no, Tsukishima wouldn’t get to him. They were equals, they were on top of the world together. 

“Huh, or maybe I should say you’re riding his dick instead?”

“What the hell did you just say?” Hinata surged forward, gripping Tsukishima by his shirt. It was almost as if his manager senses tingled, and he could feel a small but strong hand tugging on the back of his neck, breaking him away from the idol that dwarfed him in comparison.

“Hinata-kun!” Yachi frowned, pushing him towards the elevator. “The president was expecting you 5 minutes ago!”

“Say hello to the boyfriend for me,” Tsukishima sneered, waving at Hinata as the doors began to close. 

“Oh yeah, and where’s yours?” 

Tsukishima opened his mouth to say something, but closed it as he couldn’t find the words.

Checkmate, asshole.

Hinata walked into the room, expecting to see Kageyama sitting on the familiar couch that they typically had migrated over to sitting on now that they were more comfortable with one another. But as he scanned the room, he found the other idol sitting in the same chair he had first been sitting in when they first were paired.

“Why are you sitting in the timeout chair? Are we in timeout?” Hinata looked between Kageyama and the company president, who laughed and shook his head, gesturing to Hinata to sit wherever he liked. The redhead chose the couch, spreading his legs out, though it was still much too big to fill out on his own.

“Guess I’ll sit by myself,” he sighed, stretching out as he kept an eye on Kageyama’s expression. “Without my dear, sweet, sweet Kageyama!” he teased, though the usual jeering wasn’t seeming to get a reaction out of him. What was his problem? It was the day after their debut tour had ended. Today should be a joyous one! So why…?

“Let’s cut to the chase, boys.” Sugawara smiled between the two of them. “Your debut tour was fantastic. It was exactly what I dreamed it’d be. What do you two think?” 

“It was amazing! Like, crazy insane! I hit notes I never thought I’d hit thanks to Kageyama!” He praised him, hoping to even see a glimpse of a spark from the other man, but it seemed he was still occupied with his phone.

“Kageyama?” Sugawara prompted, motioning for Kageyama to put away his phone, which he did without another ask. “What did you think of the tour.”

“It was good,” He said quietly, before clearing his throat and continuing. “I enjoyed it. I think it was a good learning experience.”

“Whaddya mean, ‘good?’ It was off the charts! We did everything everyone said we wouldn’t! You danced! I sang! The people were cheering like waaaaaa一”

“Yeah, we get it.” 

“What’s up with you?” Hinata narrowed his eyes, frowning at Kageyama’s sour attitude. 

Sugawara held up his hands between the two. “I think it’s time we refocused our efforts.” He stacked the papers into their file, looking at the top page with interest. 

“I think the couple rumors have run their course. I don’t think they’re providing the attention you two need at this stage of your career. You’re still early on.” 

Hinata watched as Kageyama nodded, unfazed.

Why could he feel the freezing staccato in his ears with every word Sugawara spoke? 

“You’ll publicly break up to get a little more from it, but otherwise, I don’t think it’s necessary to drag this out.”

Splintering, fragmenting, Hinata could feel the icy shards in his chest piercing him with each accented word. Why did it matter? Why did he care?

This was all an elaborate act.

He knew it wouldn’t last forever. 

So why?

“Hinata-kun?” Yachi gently shook him, breaking him from his thoughts.

“Oh yeah, that sounds great! Totally,” Hinata laughed nervously, forced and louder than was natural. Kageyama visibly cringed but didn’t turn to look at him, and Sugawara nodded.

“I’m glad you two agree. I believe with this, you two will really be able to take your music to new heights. Interviewers will ask more about the music and less about your relationship. I’m sure you’re tired of being hounded by the press and fans about all of this. You’ve earned it.” He smiled, and Hinata mirrored his smile back - despite the cracks in the reflective glass.

Why wasn’t Kageyama saying anything?

Because to him, it was fine.

It wasn’t real. 

“Congratulations you two. You’re free! We’ll arrange the details of this breakup sometime this week. 3 days from now seems about right. Stress from the tour, spending a bit too much time together, that would put a strain on any relationship. You two won’t have to worry.” He stood as he slid the file on his desk.

“We’ll make sure this transition goes smoothly. The coverage will be favorable for the tone of the next single.”

Hinata nodded almost robotically, hardly processing anything the president said at this point. 

“Makes sense.” 

None of this made sense.

Why was he so upset about this stupid fake relationship they’d been parading in?

Was he upset it was ending, or was he upset that Kageyama wasn’t upset.

“For now, you two relax for the day. We’ll regroup tomorrow. I just didn’t want to do this over text!” Sugawara joked, though Hinata found that it left a sour taste in his mouth. 

Respectfully, Hinata excused himself and his manager followed. She could tell something was wrong, and Hinata knew she knew by the way she continuously opened her mouth and shut it as they walked down the hall. Hinata wouldn’t ask her what she wanted to say. He was afraid of what she’d ask.

“Are you really okay with this Hinata-kun? You look…” She paused in the hallway, stopping in place as Hinata continued to move forward on autopilot. 

“Hmm?” Hinata stopped, not turning to look at her. Couldn’t. He knew what he looked like. Not only that, but he didn’t need her to point it out. “What is it, Yacchan?” That fake idol voice and smile wouldn’t work on her. Hinata knew it, and yet that didn’t stop him from trying.

“Like you just got dumped…” 

How strange. His fingertips were wet with tears as he pulled them from his face.

He could’ve sworn he was smiling.

Hinata doesn’t know what Yachi is comforting him for, but he appreciates her hug and emergency meat bun anyway. He’s walking to the train station, and looks up at the familiar café that he and Kageyama had been frequenting. There were a few photographers that seemed to be stalking around, and Hinata pulled up his hood, covering his head and pushing his sunglasses onto his face. It hardly did much to mask his identity, but it did enough. 

He wavered for a moment, the familiar tree usually being where he and Kageyama would meet up after work to head to the café. The two hadn’t actually broken up, they couldn’t have, since they weren’t really together. There was no reason Kageyama wouldn’t show up for their usual ritual. But as he spotted a familiar blue hoodie speeding past him, he scowled, stalking behind him.

Though, there was no reason Hinata should’ve been in such a poor mood. This was supposed to be something to celebrate. He cleared his throat, straightening his back.

“Yo, Kageyama!”

The figure didn’t respond to his call, so Hinata tried once more, yelling out and drawing more attention to the two. 

“What?!” Kageyama snapped, turning so quickly his sunglasses lowered from his eyes. “What, could you possibly want?” 

Well, that was weird. The watery red rim around those familiar deep blues had to be a figment of Hinata’s skewed imagination. Could he really trust anything he saw right now?

“Whoa, okay.” Hinata held out his hands, looking around. “Pretty sure you’re not supposed to break up with me until 3 days from now. No need to be so aggressive, Bakageyama.” Hinata tried to tease, but it came out shallow. 

“What do you want?”

“I’m just wondering what you think about everything? You know, what the company president said?” 

“What he says, goes. I don’t really have much to say about it.”

“You just seem upset about it,” Hinata commented, though maybe he was projecting a bit. He was upset about it, but he couldn’t possibly say that out loud, considering he couldn’t even explain to himself why he was so upset about it. 

“I’m NOT upset!” Kageyama raised his voice, and Hinata backed away slightly, not used to being on the receiving end of Kageyama’s aggression. It had been some time since they had friction like this. “I’m not upset,” he clarified, his voice quieter this time. “I’m just… tired.” 

“Tired? Was last night really that bad?” Hinata asked, though he couldn’t completely remember everything that happened, so it was difficult to say if he had done something to seriously piss Kageyama off.

“No. No. It has absolutely n-nothing to do with last night.” The way he stumbles through his words and continues walking forward almost says otherwise.

“If you have a problem with something I did or said, then you can just tell me, you know? I’ll apologize. I know I can be kind of stupid when I’m drunk.”

“There’s nothing to tell you!” 

“Seriously Kageyama, if you don’t want to work with me anymore, or you’re holding a grudge about something, just tell me! Tell me, what is your problem?!” Hinata couldn’t help but raise his voice back, becoming more desperate with the moment. “Just tell me!”

“YOU’RE my problem!” Kageyama snapped finally, which made Hinata shrink further into his hoodie. They were both quiet for several moments, only the sound of the train screeching between them. 

“It’s…that’s my train.” It wasn’t. 

Kageyama knew it wasn’t.

Hinata stepped into the doors of the train, exiting the situation as quickly as he could. He wouldn’t let Kageyama see him upset about something as stupid as this. Blaming him for whatever he did while drunk or whatever other idiotic and petty thing he was upset at him for. If he wanted to be a lonely asshole, then so be it. He turned his back to the window, and let the moon pass behind in his shadow.

An eclipse.

“I just don’t get it,” Hinata blew his nose into a tissue loudly, strewn across his favorite spot on the couch on his favorite person. Kenma pet his head, flipping idly between things on the TV that didn’t seem inappropriate for the moment. Hinata refused to have it completely off, citing the fact that the silence would make it too obvious he was having a mental breakdown to the neighbors. Kenma didn’t think it mattered much, but that wasn’t for him to decide.

It was Hinata who was getting broken up with, after all.

“If he was really upset about something I did, I mean, usually he’d just tell me, you know? He sniffled, the sound visibly disgusting him but the fellow dancer rubbed his back anyway.

“You were pretty drunk yesterday, though. And you know how you are.” Kenma wasn’t one to mince words, and while he wanted to console Hinata, he knew Hinata had puked at least once, and Kageyama hadn’t stated whether that was on his shoes or not. 

Maybe that was only Kenma who had been so unlucky. 

“I know!” Hinata became shrill and Kenma glared at him, defensive of his sensitive ears. “I know.” He quieted his voice for his cat-like friend and sighed. “It’s just, I feel like we’re usually honest with one another. So why now? Why is he deciding that now he doesn’t want to talk to me?”

“Are you really always honest with one another? Like…actually?” Kenma reached over and bit into the 2nd apple tart Hinata had brought him as an offering to listen to his ‘Kageyama’ problems. He chewed for a moment before continuing.

“You two seem like the kind of people who don’t communicate well. Because you’re all… ‘ ahhhhh ,’” Kenma imitated Hinata’s over-excited noises and hand gestures on a small scale, which made Hinata shrink in embarrassment. “And he’s all…” Kenma’s face immediately turned stoic and unblinking.

“You know?”

Hinata couldn’t help his explosion of laughter, covering his mouth until his face leaked with tears once again. He wasn’t sure if this was leftover from his uncontrollable tears from earlier, or genuine joy that he had a friend like Kenma, but it felt good to have some sort of release. This feeling of emotional build-up had felt like it had been brewing forever. 

“Thanks, um… for listening to my stupid boy band problems.”

Kenma smiled at that, running his fingers through Hinata’s hair and leaving it there. “Come on, are you really that stupid? Boy band problems? Just leave it at boy problems. It’s okay Sho.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Are you really that dense? Is your skull that thick?” Kenma’s expression was still mostly deadpan, but his eyebrow arched with confusion. “You really, really, haven’t figured it out?” 

Hinata stared at him, shaking his head. “I…don’t get what you’re getting at.” 

“The reason why you’re upset. The reason why Kageyama is upset.”

“Because… I did something stupid while I was drunk? And… I’m upset because he won’t tell me what that stupid thing was?”

Kenma squinted at him, really wondering if he was going to have to hold Hinata’s hand through this. “You… have you considered why you feel so upset about the whole fake breakup thing?”

No, Hinata hadn’t considered anything about it because he was refusing to think about it. Bringing it up made his chest hurt, and he raised his hand to his chest.

“Thinking about it makes me feel like I’m having a heart attack.” Hinata grimaced, clutching his own shirt. “Let’s stop talking about it.”

“Oh, we’re going to talk about it. Because if I have to hear this for the rest of eternity, I’m moving out.”

“You can’t!” Hinata yelled, and Kenma nearly hissed at him in retaliation for his volume. “You can’t…” The redhead lowered his voice. 

“Please, don’t leave…” With those words, Hinata was transported for a moment back to that izakaya - his ear pressed against Tobio’s chest and listening to the way it sped up when he asked him not to leave.

“Ugh, I’m not going anywhere. But if you don’t confront this, you’re going to be stuck on this for the rest of your career. And you two will have a miserable working relationship, and you’ll burn out faster than any other idol in our generation. Guaranteed. Is that what you want?” Kenma asked, his stern voice making Hinata feel that sobering sensation once again.

“You’ll burn like the biggest and brightest star in the sky, and in an instant 一 you’ll be snuffed out. Poof.” He snapped his fingers in front of Hinata’s face. “Just like that. A blip in history. A potential legend. Forgotten. All because you two won’t admit that you actually have feelings for each other.”

What? 

What?

That was impossible. A thought that hadn’t even crossed Hinata’s mind or stumbled into even a corner of his psyche. Looking at Kageyama’s strong, toned body, thinking of those flexible, capable hands, or the familiar and warm scent of his partner was never something that crossed his mind, so why would Kenma even suggest something like that?

It was completely normal to know the sleep schedule of someone you worked with so closely. He had to know his favorite breakfast foods lest he have a cranky dance partner in the morning. And if he didn’t know how he liked his tea, it’d be difficult to convince him to give him extra time on vocals. Hinata had kept his jacket because it was warm, and Kageyama had said it didn’t fit him anymore. There was no use in letting a completely good jacket go to waste - ohgodimactuallyinlovewithkageyama

And as Hinata realized he was speaking all of this aloud, Kenma slapped his hand on his forehead comically loud - which happened to coincide with a very loud knocking on the door.

“Please tell me you ordered take-out.” 

“I did not. And with the way this is going, I’d bet my 6-month Final Fantasy subscription that I know who’s at the door.”

“Hinata? It’s Kageyama.”

With devilishly catlike speed, Kenma rolled Hinata off of him and onto the couch, rushing over to the door. “Wow, it is such a coincidence that you’re here,” Kenma said with an unimpressed cadence. “I was just about to leave to pick up cat food.”

Kageyama tipped his head, brow furrowing. “I didn’t think the two of you had a cat.”

“Wow,” Kenma said, his unimpressed voice becoming even louder to ensure that Hinata had heard Kageyama’s arrival. “Kageyama, you are so observant. I truly, never knew.” 

A slam of the door, and in the room a red-faced Hinata was left with an equally embarrassed Kageyama awkwardly lingering in front of it. 

“Um.”

“Um.”

They both began, and Hinata decided to start, figuring his realization was probably more important than whatever stupid thing he was about to have to apologize for. 

“Hey so…”

“I’m quitting KarasunoPro after our upcoming single drops.”

There’s silence only for a moment before Hinata surged around the couch to face Kageyama directly, his face even more distressed than what he saw yesterday. The other idol’s hair was completely out of place, his eyebags poorly hidden, and his skin looked pale and sleepless. Just what the hell had been going on with him? 

“What?! Why!?”

“Because I’m unable to maintain a professional relationship with you, and I’m going to ruin both of our careers. I needed to tell you first. It’ll fit in with our narrative of breaking up, so you don’t have to worry about it affecting you - I’ll even take the blame 一” 

No. No. No. Kageyama wasn’t going to stand here and ruin everything they had built together without even explaining what the hell was wrong with him. He thought he had expelled the tears that had been building up over the last couple of days, but it was impossible to keep it in now, not when his fists were pounding against Kageyama’s chest.

“Why? Why? Why won’t you just tell me what I did to make you hate me so much?” His voice cracked, and he leaned his head on Kageyama’s chest, feeling everything fall apart around them. Just as he was starting to come to terms with what he had been feeling for so long… “Why did you say you’d try? If you really hated the idea of being in a group with me so much?”

“I did try.” Kageyama grit his teeth, his hands hovered around Hinata’s shoulders, the gesture an obvious desire to comfort him - but resisting.

“You didn’t try hard enough!” Hinata pulled away and stared him down. The pain and betrayal in his chest sent words bubbling out of his mouth before he could think them through. “Just tell me what you want me to do! I’ll do it. I’ll do anything, I can’t. I can’t lose this dream, I can’t lose this, I can’t lose you…! I’ll change, just tell me what to do! ”

“I would never ask you to change,” Kageyama said quietly, barely raising his voice above a whisper despite Hinata yelling loud enough that if Kenma was still standing outside the door, he’d definitely hear them.

“Then what is it that you want?” Hinata’s voice became quiet and weak, feeling the hopelessness flooding his chest like an unwelcome tempest. “What can I do to make you stay?”

“Tell me it’s okay to stay,” Kageyama says without thinking, blurting it out without a moment passing between them.

“Stay! I’m telling you to stay! What else does this sound like to you? Are you even hearing me?” The expression on Kageyama’s face seemed clouded, and in truth, no, it didn’t seem like Kageyama had heard him at all.

He looked defeated. Broken. 

“It’s not fair for you to say that when you don’t even know the truth.”

The way Kageyama was talking about this was sending him in circles. Whatever his truth was hardly mattered to Hinata. What mattered to him, right now, was making sure that Kageyama wouldn’t leave him. Not yet, not before he could get the last word.

“I don’t know what’s going on in your head. But please, just take some time to think about it?”

“I’ll…think about it.” 

He had come all this way - and yet, Hinata was confused how he understood even less than before. With an almost perfect and too coincidental arrival, Kenma opened the door as Kageyama approached it, shoving him out and locking it behind himself.

“I need a drink and a date with myself in the Floating City of Nym. You’re on your own, Shouyou.”

Shouyou always ended up on his own, though for a while he was glad that he was contractually obligated not to be. Here, he sat, waiting in the café alone for Kageyama to show up - his expression making him look like a man whose date is expected to be a no-show.

The strain on their relationship had continued for another few days until the day of the media event arrived. Kageyama hadn't contacted him since their fight in his apartment. He couldn't bring himself to reach out, either. There was this unseen barrier between them, and no matter how hard Hinata felt like he was pushing on the bubble Kageyama had surrounded himself with - he couldn’t pop it. 

The screeching sound of the chair being pulled out in front of him broke him from his thoughts.

“Yo.” Kageyama said simply, sitting down and hanging his bag on the back of his chair. He glanced over and saw the journalist sitting a few tables over, as well as a couple of bloggers and a photographer that idly pretended to mind their business in the café. Hinata hadn’t even noticed them until he saw them as the backdrop around Kageyama. 

Here he was, his Tobio, dressed in the denim button-up over a T-shirt Hinata had gifted him a few months into their partnership. He looked nervous, uncomfortable, and stiff as he tugged on the necklace that matched Hinata’s own. They had won them from a crane machine in Shibuya and began wearing them as a joke. Hinata squinted angrily at the tiny toast covered in jelly, the sparkly eyes taunting him across the table.

“Why are you wearing that?” Hinata pointed at the necklace, though he wouldn’t admit that he was also wearing his stupid, matching peanut butter one.

“Hm?” Kageyama looked down and saw the offending necklace dangling, and quickly tucked it into his shirt. “I don’t know. I always wear it. Why wouldn’t I wear it?” 

“Because,” Hinata started, but glancing over next to him, he stopped. There was no point in saying useless things now. He looked down and saw Yachi calling, and answered, knowing she just wanted to be there to coach him through in case things went awry. He moved his napkin over his phone to cover it. It’d be awkward if anyone saw that. 

“Okay, so.” Hinata’s eyes scanned the internal script in his mind. “Why are you doing this?”

“I just think…” Kageyama mumbled, though he cleared his throat to make it more obvious to hear. “I think it’s time for us to spend some time apart and really focus on the music.” He didn’t particularly sound like he believed the words himself.

“Focus on the music?” Hinata can’t help but laugh, covering his mouth as he looked at Kageyama - looking back at him with mild horror that he was laughing in this situation. 

“I’m sorry, that just sounds so stupid.” 

He could see his phone light up beneath the napkin. 

Stay on script

Hinata sipped his ice coffee, swirling the ice cubes in the tall cup with disinterest. It tasted bad now. “I mean, how am I supposed to focus on the music when all I can think about is how much my partner hates me?”

“Hates you?” Kageyama raised his voice, glancing over as he saw others in the shop visibly straighten at Hinata’s words. “Is that really what you think?”

Hinata’s phone was ringing again. Yachi had hung up and was calling once more. He didn’t blame her. Why couldn’t he just stick to the script and follow the plan written for them all along?

buzz 

             buzzbuzz

buzz

             buzzbuzz

He was never meant to actually fall in love with Kageyama.

“I think it’s obvious you don’t care about me,” Hinata blurted out, just wanting to see Kageyama’s reaction - which was twisted in genuine hurt. Maybe this is all he wanted. To see Kageyama feel something, anything besides that stoic neutrality and mild disinterest.

Why could he never express how he felt to him?

“How can you say that?” Kageyama hissed, his voice lowering as he stared at Hinata across the table. Those blue eyes were so beautiful, but god, did they freeze Hinata to the core. “After everything we’ve done together? You’re stupid enough to believe that?”

Haha, Hinata really wished he didn’t. But he didn’t have any other answer. Where would he find it? It’s not like Kageyama would ever say.

“Well, you don’t act like it.” He could see Yachi walking down the street from Karasuno Productions, and she’d be here any minute to correct this course. “All you’ve done is keep everything to yourself. You keep all your feelings trapped in your head, and I never know what you’re thinking. What you’re really thinking. So why don’t you just tell me instead of expecting me to be a mind reader! I’m not a mind reader, Tobio!” he shouted, his rising voice getting the attention of several unrelated patrons in the restaurant. 

“I don’t want you in my mind! That’s the absolute last thing I need right now!”

“Then instead of expecting me to just know what the hell’s your issue, why don’t you just tell me what your problem is!”

“The problem is that I can’t stand the way you smile, the way you dance on the stage, the way you gnash your teeth when you sleep, and the way you cling to me on the train! I hate how bright you are - how everything to you is an adventure, and you see the infinite possibilities in everyone but yourself!” Kageyama was standing now, this explosion of words tumbling out of his mouth moments too late as Yachi stumbled into the café, though she was unable to get the attention of Hinata whose eyes were locked on Kageyama’s with rapt attention.

What was he saying? Everything was fading away. He needed to hear these words. He couldn’t understand.

“You’re stupid and insufferable, and you make me want to try harder than I’ve ever had to try before. You make being an idol feel like a challenge, and finally, I’m actually grateful I’m not alone! Can you believe that? You drive me insane!”

For once, Hinata was silent - struck with the inability to say anything. He was used to Tobio’s quiet storm, not this whirlwind of emotions that was hardly coherent to even him. 

Hinata-san, Kageyama-san!

“I’m…sorry?” Hinata whispered, unsure how to respond before Kageyama interrupted him. 

“No, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I’m in love with you, and I’m ruining everything we have! I’m the one who should be sorry!” Kageyama’s voice cracked before the entire cafe turned to 一

Silence.

oh. oh.

Hinata couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, once again unable to tell if the tears were from joy or sorrow. How stupid had they been?

“Go on - laugh all you want!” Kageyama threw up his hands, before Hinata climbed on the table, lacing their fingers together and refusing to wait another moment for their lips to meet.

It was well overdue.

He could feel Tobio resist for a moment, and Shouyou held him there, refusing to let go until the raven-haired man relaxed and understood that he had been waiting for this moment too. Kageyama nervously squeezed his hands back and for a split second - Hinata truly felt like they were the only ones in the room 一

“Excuse me!” Hinata felt the back of his shirt being pulled from the table, and he stumbled backward, face flushed with embarrassment as he watched the furious usage of mobile devices in the café, along with his red-faced manager, who was forced to apologize profusely as the two idols sprinted from the establishment.

Winded, the duo continued to run with no place in particular in mind as they moved forward. The adrenaline rush of it all, his fingers easily slipping into Tobio’s as they made their great escape. Shouyou was laughing once again - maybe it was from the ridiculousness of it all, or maybe it was because Tobio was laughing too. 

“So… you’re not breaking up with me?”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   “No, idiot.”

“So… you’re asking me to be your boyfriend?”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  “Teach me to dance some more.” 

“Only if you promise you’ll keep teaching me how to sing.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                       "Deal.”