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Pebbles crunch under Tobio's sneakers as he takes another ascending step. He times his breathing as he climbs uphill, inhaling the sharp, fresh scent of moist grass drifting on the lazy summer breeze. This is actually a good workout, plus, the scenery isn't bad either. The hill gently undulates with springy turf of moss and grass, covering the rocky slope like a carpet, the panoramic view of surrounding countryside peeking as he reaches the top.
But the sight ahead is what really captivates him.
Hinata hikes ahead; he's almost at the crest of the hill, when he suddenly turns back to wave at Tobio. His hair is like a fiery halo, the light behind him casting almost an aureate glow. But the radiant smile on his face outshines everything, emitting pure joy and delight and it's directed at Tobio.
It's glaring and burning and, frankly, dangerous to stare directly at, but he can't will himself to look away.
As if he ever could.
"Hurry up, Tiredyama-kun!" Hinata shouts between his cupped hands before waving his arms up and down frantically. "Hurry up! Hurry up!"
Easy for him to say, he's not lugging a large and ridiculously heavy basket with him. "Come back down and help me, dumbass!" Tobio yells back, lifting the basket to stress his point and with a laugh, Hinata treks back down. He gives another toothy grin before he reaches down to hold his side of the basket's handle.
"Sorry," Hinata says as they resume their ascent. "I'm just waaaaay too excited!"
"Tsk. You're always excited."
"Yeah, well. Anything with you is exciting."
"That was cheesy as fuck." Tobio scoffs but he couldn't help the way his heart staggers helplessly at the remark. Nor the more noticeable response spreading across his cheeks, warm and undoubtedly red.
And Hinata definitely notices. "Awwwww! You're blushing! Did I make your heart skip a beat, Kageyama-kun?"
The rest of their uphill climb turns into a race of sorts, Tobio furiously running after a cackling, cheeky dumbass, the basket they were both carrying abandoned askew on the grass.
They both trudge back down to retrieve it, arguing the entire hike up who's at fault for making them both take the trip over the hill twice.
"Do you remember the first time we went here?"
"Of course, I do, dumbass."
"Hmm. I remember it like it was yesterday."
It does feel like it was just yesterday, and almost instantly, the memory overlays into the present. They were laying down on the grass just like this, side by side, staring up into the blue sky, the clouds billowing and almost within reach.
It was sometime in summer, too, during their sophomore year. Hinata dragged him here, literally , saying he found a really awesome place and he just had to show Tobio because they’re best friends and best friends tell each other everything. And Tobio admits, the scenery is indeed awesome and he was rendered speechless the first time he laid his eyes on it, how serene and calming the place is. It's as if he was taken into another realm, any worries about upcoming exams and tournaments momentarily forgotten.
But as beautiful as the landscape is, that particular memory is mostly reserved for another more breathtaking sight.
Hinata had looked genuinely happy that day, all childish wonder in those bright, golden eyes. It was a powerful, overwhelming sight, enough to urge Tobio to finally blurt out the bursting feelings he had for his partner, the ones he tended in secret for as long as he could remember. But Hinata had other plans. With rosy cheeks and the softest smile he had ever seen from the ever-exuberant boy, the first out of the hundreds he'll come to experience after, Hinata confessed to him.
(He kissed him first, actually, and they spent a copious amount of time familiarizing and mapping each other’s lips. The actual confession came much later, with Hinata shouting at his face, to which Tobio shouts back.)
They came up this hill as best friends and came down, hands linked for the very first time, as lovers.
Presently, he turns to face Hinata, who's staring up at the sky, hands stretched as the sunbeam tangles around his arm, the light making his features glow. Tobio’s hand reaches out and he pinches Hinata's cheek, startling a squeak from his boyfriend.
"O-ow! What gives, Bakageyama!"
He doesn’t answer; he just gives him another squeeze before he releases Hinata's cheek, but his palm remains rested, thumb caressing soft skin. He's warm, familiar and comforting, and with those amber eyes looking at him expectantly, Tobio leans in to close the remaining gap between them.
They kiss, slow and tender, as his fingers find their way behind Hinata's ears, lightly tangling on the soft curls.
"Hmm, you do know how to be smooth,” Hinata says over his lips, smiling.
“As opposed to you just jumping on me whenever you feel like it?”
“I do not!” Hinata grouches, his whole face blossoming as red as the blanket they’re laying in. When Tobio grins, he huffs, “as if you can talk.”
“But you don’t hate it.”
“No, why would I? That’s just dumb.”
“You are dumb, so—”
“Oi, this is supposed to be a romantic date—ah—!”
Hinata yelps when Tobio suddenly grabs him, enveloping his squirming boyfriend in between his arms. Hinata has grown a lot by the time they’re third years, his lean body filling out nicely and no one is more appreciative of it than Tobio, both for volleyball and, uhh, personal reasons.
But Hinata will, and always will be, small to him. And he likes it this way, how he can easily gather him up in his arms, to tuck his face on soft, fluffy curls, inhaling his sweet yet musky scent. To feel his warmth seep into him, to have a tangible, breathing proof of love that he has the right to claim.
“Is this romantic now?” he whispers in Hinata's ear and he can feel him shiver under his touch.
“There you go again. You’re so unfair, Kageyama, so unfair,” Hinata grumbles, but he’s arms are circling around Tobio no less, holding him just as tight. “Would’ve been nice if we were able to go here during Valentine’s.”
“It’ll still be the same hill no matter what day we go, dumbass,” Tobio says. “That rock would still be there whether we go on Valentine’s or Christmas or whenever.”
“Dunno maybe the rock would move. Like because of the weather and stuff.”
“How should I know? I’m not a rock expert. And it’ll be all gross and wet here during February. And fucking freezing.”
Hinata laughs. “That’s true. Besides—” he shifts, easing his hold so he can stare up at Tobio “—anywhere and anytime with you is romantic.”
“Is that your attempt at being smooth?” Tobio teases, even as his face starts to effuse with heat, chest hammering fitfully. He just hopes Hinata won't notice.
“How was it? Did that sound cool? It sounded really cool.”
Tobio releases his hold, letting Hinata drape on his chest as he puts his hands behind his head, scoffing, all cool and shit. “I could’ve done better.”
“Nope! I can literally hear your heart go ‘boing-boing!’ I made you go gwaaah! ” Hinata says with a shit-eating grin, looking smug as all hell.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” Tobio rolls his eyes but he’s grinning just as dumbly.
Hinata just smiles at him as his hand glides over to his thumping heart, staying there. “It makes me happy, you know? You make me happy.”
Tobio wants to say it back, he really does, but even with all of Hinata’s rambles about him being smooth and romantic, he doesn’t consider himself as such; he doesn’t have the guts to blurt out the stuff Hinata would say with the same ease, even if they are true, the words lodging to his throat every time he tries. Maybe he’s still stuck in that place of fear that saying what he feels, all eager and honest like the way Hinata does, won’t translate correctly when said out loud. He’s been trying, gods know he is—he did find the courage to tell Hinata he loves him for the first time just a few months ago—but he’s not quite at the point where he can just declare sweet nothings and wax romantic poetry out of the blue.
Actually, no, no way is he ever going to do that even if he could. He’d rather eat rocks than die out of pure embarrassment.
So for now, he says simply, “Me, too.”
Hinata just hums in response, burying himself further in Tobio’s chest, his hand never leaving its place over his heart. He’s just thankful that Hinata understands him even without the need for much elaboration. Although it feels like losing somehow, to not be able to tell Hinata all these things that he deserves to hear.
But at the very least, he can say the most important ones.
“I love you.”
And maybe these are enough, because Hinata instantly flushes, cheeks glowing red, as he exclaims, “Okay, you win. That made my heart go guwaaah ten times!”
Tobio smirks. “Of course, it does.”
He doesn’t mention that his own heart has probably used up all the guwaaahs in the world when Hinata says them back.