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I. spring
They first met during summer, that unforgettable practice match - the Battle of the Trash Heap. They met again on the break of fall, at the training camp where Hinata could only remember losing and losing, over and over again. They met during winter at a party Nekoma and Fukurodani organized for their volleyball circle, which then - as always - ended with a friendly volleyball tournament with mixed up teams. And after came spring, the time of beginnings and endings is what people call it, and weirdly enough for them it was both.
Kuroo graduated high school and left the club. Hinata became a second year and the official ace-in-training. Their paths were never meant to cross again. Yet somehow, by a twist of the red string of fate or mere coincidence, no one will ever know - they did.
Apart from volleyball they knew nothing about each other. Kuroo knew the shorty was bad at studying, Hinata knew Kuroo was really concerned about his bed head. That was literally it. So when the two of them got stuck together inside Kenma's room when Hinata was visiting during spring break, they had absolutely nothing to talk about.
Except volleyball.
"S-so..." Hinata faltered a little when Kuroo's attention snapped to him from the bookshelf full of games he had been sorting through. "Will you continue playing in college?" Hinata questioned, shifting uncertainly as if unsure he should be asking.
It was none of his business, really, but thinking that someone as good as Kuroo could just drop the sport he used to play with such passion brought a bitter feeling to Hinata's heart, he wasn't sure why.
"Probably not," the other responded, a slight frown forming around his brows. "I won't have much time to play in a team anymore, but maybe every now and then I'll crash Nekoma's practice to bully the new first years."
A grin split Kuroo's face and Hinata couldn't decipher if he was honest about the bullying part or not. That was always the problem with Kuroo - Hinata could never tell if he was being serious or joking. The grin suggested the latter, but that strange glint in the bright, but somehow incredibly dark eyes... It was promising a wholly different story. A story that Hinata was most certainly not comfortable with hearing.
"You're an amazing player," he found himself saying instead on dwelling on it, looking straight at Kuroo with a little smile. "It would be a shame to never be able to play against you. So... don't give up?"
Hinata meant it as encouragement, yet it sounded more like a plea, which made him quickly turn his eyes away. He didn't know Kuroo, didn't know the circumstances or his reasons for leaving volleyball. Frankly, it wasn't his place to say anything at all. But still... If Kuroo loved volleyball, if he truly loved it, then he would find a way.
Kuroo laughed light-heartedly and ruffled Hinata's hair to which the younger pouted, swatting at his hand. "We'll see, shorty, we'll see," was his only reply at that time.
It was a week or so later when Hinata got a text from Kenma, one of many they exchanged throughout the day, saying in not so many words that Kuroo got into the team at his university.
That day even Tsukishima's insults couldn't wipe the smile off Hinata's face.
II. summer
After another loss in the spring tournament, summer break meant a long and painfully hard training camp. Even if they won it would still probably mean another training camp, that was simply how it worked in sport clubs, and just as he was last year, Hinata was as excited for it now. Training meant volleyball and volleyball was his life, so as long as he had teammates ready to play with him, he was happy no matter how gruelling the practice became.
It was a little lonely without the former third years around. Asahi's nervous jittering, Suga's warm smiles and easily given praise, Daichi's commanding voice and somehow calming presence - all of it seemed incredibly nostalgic. Compared to that, Tanaka and Noya got even louder, as if trying to fill in the void, Ennoshita stepped into Daichi's shoes to take control of the mayhem they created and Hinata... Hinata, together with Yamaguchi, took over Suga's role of grooming and protecting the first years.
They had two new promising spikers and a setter (not quite as impressive as Kageyama, but a hard worker who, Hinata knew, would always do his best), and there was also a huge middle blocker whom Hinata personally feared a little - the guy was close to two meters, that had got to be dangerous for his health. Especially when his favourite pastime was sneaking up on unsuspecting Hinata, giving him mini heart attacks at every turn. No wondered why it continued happening, since Tsukishima took immense pleasure in teaching stuff to the new first years. What stuff, Hinata didn't even want to know, but it surely didn't stop him from glaring at the blond.
That notorious behaviour was also why he wasn't really surprised when a tall shadow fell over him from behind during a break in running around Nekoma's gym, even though his heart skipped a bit against his better judgement. He turned around to scold his kouhai, but instead was met with that cryptic smile and brightly dark eyes, so much darker in the slowly setting sun of the afternoon than they usually were.
"Kuroo-san!" he exclaimed, jumping back a little, startled. "What are you doing here?"
"Kenma forgot his keys so his mom asked me to play delivery boy," Kuroo answered, swinging a set of keys on his index finger. "He's in the gym, right?"
Hinata bristled a little, sensing a teasing note in the other's voice. "Yes, we lost again," he pouted, but quickly recovered his usual enthusiasm. "But don't gloat too much, we're going to win next time!"
Kuroo looked at him for a second and then laughed, surprising Shouyou out of his battle frown.
"Sure you are, shorty," Kuroo agreed.
He then passed him, heading towards the gym. Hinata looked after him and something, he didn't know what or why, made him rush after Kuroo with a short "I'll be right back" to his teammates. He caught up with Nekoma's former captain and fell into step with him, earning a curious glance and raised eyebrow in question.
"I heard you joined the volleyball team," Hinata said with a smile. "How's that going?"
"Good, actually," Kuroo replied with a little quirk to his lips. "I'm not a starter, but I guess that's fine. As long as I can play it's good enough." He paused for a second and glanced down at Hinata. "Thanks for making me realize that, by the way."
Hinata shook his head, smile brightening. "I'm happy you didn't quit. That's all the thanks I really need." He turned to Kuroo suddenly, startling him mid-step. "That and a promise to play against me one day," Hinata added, eyes gleaming with a challenge to which Kuroo has found himself eagerly responding:
"Sure, shorty. We'll play."
"It's Hinata. Learn to say my name properly," the younger pouted, but then smiled brightly and skidded off to rejoin his teammates.
III. autumn
Hinata was still surprised every time his phone chimed with the ring of a new text message. When a few weeks earlier Kenma asked if it was okay to give his number to Kuroo, Hinata didn't think much of it. He himself had lots of numbers in his phone, three fourths of which he didn't even use - acquaintances he met in passing, but didn't really keep active contact with. Hinata expected Kuroo to be one of those.
He wasn't.
It was awkward at first, they didn't have much to talk about, only volleyball. With time though, they grew comfortable enough to share more than that. While doing homework, Hinata would find himself typing "maths is so boring, y do i even need it? your major credits maths?" and getting "it does, but lbr I can't see you taking up law" to which he gaped in shock because wow, he had no idea Kuroo was that smart.
Other times it was Kuroo texting him first with how much bullshit most of his lectures were, or that one time in the middle of the night: "bokutos a hyper drunk, dont EVER get wasted with him, a kind advice from senpai" which naturally made Hinata curious, but he was too tired to think, so he only replied with "u ok?" and dozed off for a few minutes until "not sure, ask again in the mrning" woke him. Before he could think to answer that though, he fell asleep again.
In the morning, when he asked again, he learned that apparently Kuroo and Bokuto broke into a zoo and slept in the owl cage. How did they get inside, Hinata had no idea, but he laughed like mad just imagining them waking behind bars. That was when he decided to take Kuroo's advice to heart and never ever get drunk with Bokuto around.
After that, things went their own way and before he knew it, Hinata and Kuroo were texting almost non-stop throughout the day, growing closer and closer. So then when Kuroo proposed a meetup, Hinata had no reason not to go and eagerly agreed to come to Tokyo.
The wind slashing at his clothes bore a chilly hand of winter and he huddled into his jacket as he got off the early morning train. Kuroo promised to wait for him and give him a tour of the city, since Hinata had never actually seen much of it apart from the way to Nekoma and more or less to Kenma's house. The train came in early and Hinata still had around 10 minutes before the agreed time, so he was about to look around for a place to sit and wait for his... friend (?) he supposed, when his phone vibrated in his hand, safely tucked in a pocket.
Another text read: "bokuto's being a fucking asshole and clogging the bathroom, gonna be late, u ok?" and Hinata smiled a little, fingers flashing across the screen "u kno u love him. i'm cool" and almost snorted at the pun. It was actually stating to get really cold, so he headed for the station building, hoping for some warmth. "touché" was Kuroo's reply and Hinata sighed, pocketing his phone without responding.
It was their first time ever meeting alone, the first time meeting when they set it up themselves, and the first time meeting as friends. Hinata was a little nervous. What was he even doing? Meeting a college student older by two years, a guy he didn't really know that well at a town he didn't really know at all. What did he even want to accomplish by coming here?
For the next 20 minutes Hinata tried to figure out his motives but all he came up with was that Kuroo was really good at volleyball and he wanted to play against him again, but that made absolutely no sense, so when the man in question finally showed up a little winded, with reddened from the harsh wind cheeks, Hinata had to take a moment to get back to himself.
Kuroo smiled and Hinata looked away, blushing when he realized he was staring.
"Oh~" Kuroo's voice sing-songed, the teasing lilt to it. "Did you gain a few inches since we've last seen each other, shorty? You seem taller."
Hinata wanted to scoff, but the pride he felt at those three and a half inches he gained in the last sprout really made his day (more like every day since it started happening), no matter how teasing everyone's comments were. Finally he wasn't a midget, it was worth it. He smiled smugly at Kuroo, puffing up his chest.
"I'm almost 170cm," he announced with unhidden pleasure, earning a short laugh from Kuroo and a pat on the head.
"Good job, shorty," Kuroo praised and somehow Hinata could feel that there was no malice or teasing behind his words, which made him smile brightly up at him.
"Weren't you calling me Hinata just fine over text? What happened to that?" he asked, but only got a shrug in return.
The no-teasing deal apparently has ended because then Kuroo smirked down at him, completely taking advantage of the almost seven inches he had on him.
"Shorty suits you, I think I'm gonna stick with that."
Hinata bristled and pointed his finger at Kuroo's smirking face, anger meshed with the challenge burning in amber eyes.
"Just you wait another year, I'll be as tall as you!"
He stomped off huffing. He'll show him. He will.
Kuroo laughed and caught up to him, nudging him in the right direction. Soon Hinata forgot about his anger as Kuroo showed him the wonders of Tokyo - one at a time, each of them tearing shouts of excitement from Hinata's mouth and making his eyes glisten in the autumn sun.
And whenever he'd turn to Kuroo, he would find him staring back, eyes soft and lips quirked in a small smile.
IV. winter
It was usually Hinata who came to hang out with Kuroo during weekends, but there have been times when it was Kuroo's turn to be toured all over Hinata's hometown. They have never stayed the night at each other's places though, which was why Hinata was a little reluctant to invite Kuroo over this time. His parents and Natsu had a two week long holiday planned and he was supposed to be going with them, everything had already been settled - tickets, hotel reservations, meals. And at the last time it fell through when Hinata flunked the final maths exam, which meant three things: 1) he won't be going on the trip, 2) he'd be having make up lessons for a good part of the winter break, and 3) he'd be home alone for Christmas.
Honestly, Hinata didn't know which one of the three was the worst. But even though he couldn't do anything about numbers 1 and 2, he could most definitely do something about number 3, so he called Kuroo one day and asked him over for the break. He didn't really expect him to agree, after all Christmas was supposed to be spent with family, but when Kuroo accepted his invitation, the joy in Hinata's heart surprised even him.
Actually, it did that for a while already, but somehow - as always - Hinata managed to ignore it, until the break finally came and Kuroo was really there, in his house, grinning and shaking off lumps of fluffy snow off his clothes. Hinata felt warm - cheeks blazing and chest tight with something that scarily reminded him of the excitement of volleyball - much too warm for a winter morning, so without letting Kuroo rest, he dragged him outside again.
"Where are we going?" Kuroo asked, voice curious, as they passed the bus stop and continued walking up the road.
"You've already seen the city, so now I'm gonna show you something else." Hinata grinned up at him.
They continued on in silence, neither sure what to talk about, the only thing breaking the peace of the morning was snow crunching under their feet. Flakes were still raining down from the sky, lazily catching in their hair and clothes, some melting, others staying there and adoring their heads like white confetti. Every time Hinata chanced a glance at Kuroo, he couldn't help the smile, which he was glad was hidden behind his scarf. Kuroo's nose was red, even redder than his cheeks and Hinata couldn't help but think it was cute. And then he always blushed, thankful to the cold wind that quickly drained the colour back to normal.
"There." Maybe 15 minutes later Hinata pointed to a small clearing downhill of the road.
A lone tree stood in the middle of a roadside forest, as if an outsider shunned by all the others. Hinata led Kuroo down a rather steep path between the trees who stood guard all around the clearing. The lone tree, Kuroo could see when they got closer, was a pine tree. It was huge and with all its needles intact it bore winter with the grace of the beautifully white, snow-covered branches, silent and exotic in a sea of dead boles.
They got close enough to the trunk that Kuroo could see writings and symbols engraved in the bark. Some were cliché names within hearts, some wishes for people to get better, others: to pass exams.
"That one," Hinata said, pointing up and when Kuroo followed his gaze he found "I'll be the next small giant" carved there messily, probably by a child's hand. "It's mine."
Kuroo didn't say anything, there was nothing he could. He just glanced back at Hinata, noticing the tiny nostalgic smile on his lips and the glint of longing in his eyes. He looked nice like this, older, calmer, not himself, but at the same time so very himself Kuroo was a little disturbed.
Before Kuroo could decide what to do or say, branches over their heads suddenly groaned and gave way to a huge heap of snow, which fell over them with a loud thump. Shaking his head off the snow, Kuroo grimaced. He stopped immediately when he heard the giggle from the side, and turned to face Hinata with snow completely covering his head white.
"You look ridiculous," Kuroo said with a grin of his own. "Like half-snowman, half-human."
Hinata laughed openly, shaking his head to get rid of the snow, and Kuroo couldn't help but stare. Hinata's cheeks were red from the cold, eyelashes glistening with melted snowflakes, hair still powdered with snow, yet eyes warm like amber in the summer sun, and suddenly Kuroo had an urge to reach out a hand and touch him, just to see if Hinata's skin was as warm as his eyes.
But then those eyes widened frantically, a gasp leaving Hinata's open mouth along with a puff of hot air.
"What?" Kuroo asked, shocked by the sudden change.
"Snow," Hinata almost sobbed, reaching behind him, his face scrunching funnily. "Under my shirt."
He couldn't stop it - Kuroo laughed. "Come here," he said when he finally got down his chuckles.
Hinata shivered and pouted, but obediently shifted closer, his face almost touching Kuroo's jacket. Kuroo pulled off his glove and reached to scoop out the snow. The back of Hinata's neck was hot against his fingers, and for a short moment it took to locate the quickly melting lump Kuroo wanted to keep his hand there, inside Hinata's shirt. The thought made him blush a little when he realized what it was, and he quickly pulled his hand back, throwing the snow away.
"Thanks," Hinata mumbled, glancing somewhat shyly up at him, his cheeks as red as Kuroo supposed his own looked.
They stood awkwardly under the big pine tree for a while more, until Hinata's normal enthusiastic behaviour returned and he jumped in place, shouting a loud "Yosh!" which echoed around the clearing.
"Your hand is pretty cold, so let's head back for now," Hinata offered with a usual smile. "How does hot chocolate sound?"
"Real chocolate?" Kuroo asked, eyes gleaming with interest in winter sun. "Not that powdered mess from the store?"
"Who do you think I am?" Hinata puffed up his chest, grinning. "A proud brother of a nine year old girl! I can make hot chocolate alright!"
Kuroo laughed delightedly, following after Shouyou and leaving the wishing tree behind.
Later that day when they were drinking up the leftover chocolate and watching a movie comfortably seated under the blankets, Hinata was far more focused on the way Kuroo's cologne spun his head with images that had nothing to do with the movie flashing on the TV, and Kuroo was very busy with keeping himself from shifting closer and closer, drawn by the warmth Hinata's small body radiated. As the movie progressed they moved around the couch, talking about how ridiculous the characters were for doing this and that, until somewhere in the middle of the story Hinata's eyes started feeling heavy and he yawned once, then twice, and then just gave up, leaning his head against Kuroo's shoulder and closing his eyes. Kuroo froze in surprise, but relaxed soon, as Hinata's breathing evened out.
He stayed like that until ending credits rolled onto the screen, but left the soft music playing in the background, looking down at Hinata whom he thought to be deeply asleep. Orange hair was fluffy and smelled subtly of bubblegum. It was difficult to hold in the laughter, but Kuroo managed to contain it to a wide grin.
Led by some mysterious feeling, he leaned his cheek against Hinata's head, locks soft and tickling against his skin, and closed his eyes unaware of the amber that suddenly gleamed in the darkness of the room as Hinata's eyes snapped open at the touch. They closed again soon though, and lulled by the gently playing music, Kuroo and Hinata both thought in the quiet of their minds:
Maybe he didn't notice.
V. spring again
It was strange watching Tanaka and Noya graduate. Only him, Kageyama, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were left from the old Karasuno and Hinata felt like an era has just ended. He didn't really know what to do about the sudden growing loneliness in his heart. He was a third year now. The ace. Called senpai and admired by his kouhai. This was supposed to be his time to shine, but while he was still excited about volleyball, somehow every time he held the ball in his hands it was heavier, the nostalgia weighing him down.
The new team was coming well: Tsukishima was made the new captain, Yamaguchi vice to support him, and another flock of players joined their team - one better than the other and as passionate about the sport as Hinata and Kageyama always were, which brought more arguments, but just as many smiles. The time flew by while they were getting ready, and before they even noticed, there it was again - the tournament.
"Kuroo, Kenma!" Hinata waved to his friends, for whom he was waiting in front of the gym Karasuno's match was about to start at. "I'm glad you made it!"
"I had to drag Kenma away from a game, but yeah," Kuroo replied with a grin at his childhood friend who shot him a dirty look in return.
"You could have at least let me grab my DS." Kenma glared up at Kuroo.
"We would have been late for the train. Besides, aren't you here to support a friend?"
Hinata watched the exchange with a smile. They didn't change much, those two. Even though their ways parted and they were studying at different universities, they were still friends. Just as they were with Hinata.
"Come on, guys," Hinata interrupted. "The match is gonna start soon, I need to get in before Tsukishima gets snarky."
"Isn't he always though?" Kuroo smirked and Hinata snickered, shaking his head and leading them to the stands.
They wished him good luck, Kenma patting him on the shoulder, Kuroo ruffling his hair which made Hinata blush a little, but he smiled nonetheless, ignoring Kenma's emotionless, yet somehow piercing stare.
They were playing Seijou again. Aobajousai's new team was nothing in comparison with the old one, but the same could be said about Karasuno, so their chances were even. Kuroo watched from the stands as Hinata blew past Seijou's blockers, his hands spreading like wings, lifting up into air with well-trained ease, and smacking the ball on the other end of the court with a sound that Kuroo knew must have pleased him. This was it, the match point, Karasuno won.
Kuroo's eyes trailed over to Kageyama who almost jumped at Hinata, slinging an arm around his shoulders in a victorious hug. Something inside Kuroo screamed with rage and he frowned.
"When are you finally going to spill it?" Kenma's voice reached him, his long-time friend an expert at reading him, as always. "I know you've been pining for him for months."
Kuroo's frown deepened at that, but he said nothing, choosing to watch the players on the court. It might have been fate that he did, because in that moment Hinata turned their way, raising a clenched fist in a winner's gesture, his grin blinding even from so far away.
"Soon," Kuroo said quietly, almost as if to himself.
"Good." Kenma only nodded. "I'm going to the bathroom, go congratulate him first."
Hinata was beaming when they met outside, and Kuroo couldn't help an answering grin from sneaking onto his own face. The rest of Karasuno moved along to their bus, but Hinata lingered behind to meet with Kuroo and Kenma.
The grin didn't leave Hinata's face even for a second and Kuroo watched him smile, so bright and full of joy, shining eyes and reddened cheeks, and before he realized... he was reaching out a hand to grab the side of Hinata's head, pulling it up, as he leaned down at the same time, widened amber eyes staring in shock into narrowed brightly dark ones, when their lips met.
The kiss lingered, almost innocently only lips against lips, eyes still locked together, and hearts beating wildly against their ribcages. Kuroo was reluctant to pull back once he had already stepped into action, but when he finally did, he didn't expect Hinata to lounge after him, one of the small hands fisting in the material of Kuroo's shirt to bring him closer, the other holding his wrist in place. So instead of pulling back how he intended, Kuroo leaned further in, brining Hinata closer with an arm around his waist, and kissed him deeper, with all the feelings that have been bottling inside him for the past few months.
The sound of someone clearing their throat broke them apart with a start and Kenma's blank stare met them head-on, making Hinata blush profoundly and Kuroo smirk in victory. Kenma only rolled his eyes.
"Finally."