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Kageyama usually just took whatever seat he could get. It was stressful finding someone to sit next to on the bus, for some reason, and a lot of them chose to be with friends they already had. Kageyama sometimes just sat with other first years that had an open seat.
He climbed the steps inside and slowly walked down the aisle. A lot of seats in the back were taken, since they could be noisier the further they were from the bus driver, but he knew that Iwaizumi liked to sit in the front. Kageyama noticed him pick the same seat every time, and if he sat close by, he could stare at Iwaizumi's head.
Kageyama came to Iwaizumi's seat and stopped. Oikawa wasn't here, so Iwaizumi was sitting by himself. He stood there in surprise for too long, and Iwaizumi tilted his head to raise an eyebrow at him.
"Is something wrong, Kageyama?"
Kageyama straightened and tightened his hold on his sports bag. "No. I'm just… Where's Oikawa?"
"He's not here yet. He went to the bathroom."
Kageyama eyed the empty seat owlishly. Oikawa was usually with Iwaizumi; Kageyama couldn't look at Iwaizumi without finding Oikawa there, sometimes staring back with narrowed eyes.
Iwaizumi waved a hand in front of him. "Kageyama? Are you listening?"
"What? Yes. I'm listening." Kageyama ducked his head and nodded.
Iwaizumi's lips pinched together, and Kageyama thought he was trying not to laugh.
Kageyama watched his mouth quirk and hand scratch the back of his neck. Kageyama sometimes didn't feel comfortable enough to stand and just talk with Iwaizumi, sometimes he was more intimidated by Iwaizumi than Oikawa, but Iwaizumi was too encouraging and friendly for him to keep away. He was afraid to say something, afraid to embarrass himself in front of someone so important to the team, but he also wanted to know more about Iwaizumi. Sometimes he just felt too confused and curious to think about what he should and shouldn't say, asking something such as--
"Can I sit here, Iwaizumi?"
Kageyama's ears burned as the question rang through his head, and he realized how rude it might've been, he can't just sit with a third year. Or demand to sit with one.
Iwaizumi scooted closer to the window. "Sure, why not? Oikawa can sit somewhere else for a change."
Kageyama stiffened. "Wait. I didn't mean…"
Iwaizumi was looking at him, though, Iwaizumi said yes, and Kageyama slid onto the seat in a beat before either of them changed their minds. He fiddled with the straps of his bag and swallowed, twitching with hopeful thoughts but not actually knowing what he was hoping for.
He sat still, not even daring to glance at Iwaizumi. He heard Iwaizumi sigh and lean against the window, and Kageyama really wanted to see, but he also didn't. Sitting next to him was enough, probably. He could live without knowing how Iwaizumi looked with his head on the window, hair flattening where it met the glass, head tilted with light shining on him, mouth set in a thoughtful line.
Kageyama looked away. He gulped and brought his bag tighter to his chest, wishing they were at their match already. He could only watch from the sideline, and even if it was stressful for his heartbeat to hinge on every receive and serve, it was safer than this. Safe is what he should be doing, he should just watch Iwaizumi instead of drawing his attention.
Oikawa stepped into the bus, and Kageyama found out as Oikawa's head popped up from climbing the steps. Oikwa's eyes were wide, and Kageyama tensed in alarm.
"What are you doing in my seat?" Oikawa pressed. He walked around to the side, and Kageyama's bottom lip quivered at the approach. Oikawa didn't have to say anything for Kageyama to know that it was wrong, out of place, stepping all over Oikawa's territory.
Oikawa was intimidating, but it invoked a different kind of shyness from Kageyama. The confident shift of Oikawa's hips as he crossed his arms and stared at Kageyama demanded attention, and Kageyama knew he'd rather have Oikawa's charity in avoiding the word no than have Iwaizumi say yes.
"Oikawa, just find another seat. I told him he could sit here."
Iwaizumi's grumble made Oikawa's eyes flicker to him, but they gravitated back to Kageyama, returning the stare with a clear gaze. "I don't remember saying yes." Oikawa then stepped aside, an eyebrow arching expectantly. "Move."
"Oikawa, god, leave him alone. You can survive a couple hours with someone else."
Kageyama sat trapped between them, and Oikawa stepped back in the way.
Oikawa fixed Iwaizumi with a deep look that Kageyama couldn't read. Oikawa bent his knees and moved, and Kageyama bristled as Oikawa bumped into him to join them. The seat was obviously made for two people, and someone else on the team was going to sit alone, but Oikawa's frown was determined and persuasive. Kageyama didn't want to protest.
He was squeezed tightly between them, sitting up straighter when Oikawa tried to scoot in more to keep himself out of the aisle. Kageyama pulled his hands into his lap to avoid touching either of them, but Oikawa shifted and brushed their arms together.
Oikawa sunk into his seat and slid his feet along the floor, then squirmed back up to sit properly. Kageyama didn't know if he could even breathe, if he was allowed to or if he was physically capable, after feeling Oikawa's shoulders rub against his from moving so much. Kageyama was pressed into Iwaizumi's side, too, but Iwaizumi seemed resigned to just sit in peace.
The bus started moving, and that cemented away Kageyama's escape. He glanced to the side to check, his head turning slightly, and he was met with Oikawa staring at him.
"Don't like your seat now? Too bad." Oikawa jerked his head away, and he wriggled further in his seat. Kageyama didn't know if he was imagining it, but that time, the extra shifting seemed purposeful. Pointless, maybe, but the petulant glimmer in Oikawa's eyes didn't agree.
Since they were taller than him, they had a harder time staying neatly in their seat. Their knees rose higher than his, and Kageyama felt like shrinking and burning into a crisp as he was reminded of how much smaller he was than them. Oikawa's elbows jabbed his side, although Oikawa was exaggerating the problem and stretching his arms out. Kageyama hiked his shoulders and tipped his chin down, trying to curl in a ball to distract himself from the fact that that was Oikawa's arm there, staying there willingly.
Kageyama didn't look at either of them, but when he felt something warm thud on his shoulder, he jolted, and the jolt echoed in Oikawa.
Oikawa's head bent over Kageyama's to look. Kageyama backed away, and he felt Iwaizumi's arm and head in response.
"Iwa-chan's an idiot," Oikawa said. "Sleeping on the bus. He can't even stay awake."
Kageyama peered up at Oikawa. Oikawa was staring ahead, frowning and crossing his arms. He kept moving and jostling Kageyama's arm, and when he flipped his head to look down, Kageyama swiveled his head away.
He could see Iwaizumi from this angle. Iwaizumi was definitely asleep; his eyes were closed, and he was breathing deeply. His head hung to the side, and if Kageyama turned any closer, their heads would touch. It didn't help that Iwaizumi was already slouched and leaning to the side, his weight resting on Kageyama's shoulder with his own.
Oikawa stopped grumbling and squirming, but Kageyama thought it was because Oikawa finally got comfortable, or he gave up. He didn't realize that Oikawa had fallen asleep too until he heard a bleary incoherent mumble. It startled Kageyama in another jolt, and he craned his head to see what Oikawa was mumbling. Oikawa's eyes were shut, and his arms were still crossed, but his frown was gone. His mouth was smoothed in a neutral line, parting to breathe or murmur more in his sleep.
Now that they were both asleep, Kageyama didn't know if he should be relieved or not. If he stared at them, they wouldn't notice, but that sounded like it could end terribly if they woke up. Kageyama also felt guilty for thinking about it, so he ended up just sitting and playing with his thumbs.
It was an unspoken rule that you had to sit in the same seat you rode in on for the trip back home. It was just easier since they wouldn't waste time fighting for seats again, and they were usually too tired for arguing.
Kageyama didn't expect that agreement from Oikawa. He walked by Oikawa's seat, heading for an empty seat he just scouted, when Oikawa's hand grabbed his wrist and wrenched it back.
"Are you stupid? What, do you take seats and then just give up on them?"
Oikawa stood up and shoved him in. Kageyama landed next to Iwaizumi, and he glanced between them, too confused to get up and run. Oikawa settled in last, grumbling to himself and grimacing.
Kageyama looked up at him. "If you don't like me here, then. Why?"
Oikawa pressed a hand on his head to push him down. "Just shut up."
Kageyama rubbed his hands on his head after Oikawa pulled away. Oikawa tucked his hands under his arms and sighed, shifting again and brushing their arms together.
Kageyama took a peek at Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi's face was pressed against the window, looking outside and not even showing acknowledgement of being uncomfortable. He drummed his fingers against the glass as they waited for the bus to pull out of the parking lot.
Kageyama thought about how they fell asleep leaning against him earlier. They probably didn't realize that, but it made him want to try that too. Or pretend to, anyway.
His eyes slipped shut, and he tried to even his breathing. It felt strange and wrong to do while sitting up, and with Iwaizumi and Oikawa next to him, but he stayed as still and quiet as possible. After the bus made a turn around the corner, Kageyama let his head drift to the side, nestling onto Oikawa's shoulder.
He expected Oikawa to push him away, but Oikawa didn't. Instead he let out a sigh, and his arm moved against Kageyama's side to slip a hand on Kageyama's head.
"This is all your fault, Iwa-chan."
Kageyama almost flinched in shock. Oikawa patted his head and ruffled it, his fingers combing through Kageyama's hair. Kageyama was so surprised that he let his head roll with Oikawa's hand a little, and his eyebrows creased as he tried to think about it. Tried, but it was unbelievable. Kageyama stopped breathing for a moment when Iwaizumi shifted in his seat and settled against Kageyama, his head falling on the side of Kageyama's.
"I think he's really asleep," Iwaizumi said.
"Ugh. Good." Oikawa didn't pull his hand away, and his fingers curled to scratch Kageyama's head.
"See? He's harmless."
Something rumbled from Oikawa's throat. "Don't bring it up again. Let's just forget it."
Kageyama strained to hear more, but Oikawa didn't continue. He slid down the seat and onto Kageyama's other side, his hand moving and falling on Kageyama's leg.
"You should be glad he's asleep."
"Iwa-chan, be quiet," Oikawa added softly.
Iwaizumi didn't say anything else, he just sighed. Oikawa scoffed and let his head become a dead weight, dropping it against Kageyama's head.
His head and neck felt really warm from having them shift so close. His breathing quickened, but neither of them noticed. They went quiet, and Kageyama could only hear them sigh, or run their feet over the floor, or snore once they fell asleep.
After the ride was over, Kageyama tugged on Iwaizumi's arm to wake him up. "We're here."
Kageyama's movements caught Oikawa's attention, rousing him from sleep too, and he sleepily rubbed his eyes and sat up.
He sat still for a second, and then his head snapped back to Kageyama. "You. Don't say anything about this to anyone." He gestured between their shoulders.
Kageyama stared up at him. "If… Can I…?"
"Can you what."
"Can I sit with you?"
"You mean keep sitting with us?" Oikawa asked. Oikawa tried to glare, but he ended up puffing one of his cheeks, and he waved a hand. "Fine. Whatever."
"Really?"
Oikawa stood up from the seat, and he hooked his sports bag over his shoulder. "Yeah, fine. Just stop talking about it. Hurry up."
Kageyama and Iwaizumi followed him off the bus. When Kageyama hopped off, Iwaizumi clapped him on the shoulder.
"See you later, Kageyama."
Kageyama watched him walk away, his eyes wide and shoulders tense. He couldn't believe that they were going to let him continue sitting with them. He trailed after them, clutching his bag and listening to them talk.