Work Text:
“Hey,” Komaeda says, still looking up at the night sky with that strange look in his eyes. His voice is soft, as if he were hesitant to speak and break the fragile atmosphere between them. “Hinata-kun?”
It’s just a few words, but Hinata still finds himself swallowing past a small knot in his throat. “Yeah?” He tries not to make it obvious how nervous he is. The word comes out shaky anyway.
Bathed in the night’s cool light, Komaeda seems to glow. He’s just ghostly enough that you could fool yourself into thinking he was nothing but a dream that would escape your memory in the morning. Yet when he turns to face Hinata fully, something in his expression compels Hinata to not look away.
He isn’t sure if he’s breathless from anticipation, or from the fond look in Komaeda’s eyes that makes his stomach do flips in his belly.
Komaeda holds out a hand, a silent gesture that Hinata accepts without a second thought. His hold is gentle at first, once again reminding Hinata of a ghost. Brushing the mortal world for just a moment, then letting go far too soon.
Except, he doesn’t. Instead, he squeezes Hinata’s hand. “Please,” he says, with an expression Hinata isn’t sure what to make of. “Don’t forget.”
Komaeda places their hands on his chest, and Hinata can feel his heartbeat against his palm. He wonders if it’s just his imagination making it seem like it’s in sync with his own.
Stepping closer, Komaeda smiles. His other hand comes to rest over the first, holding Hinata’s tightly.
With a quiet, almost reverent tone, Komaeda whispers, “from the bottom of my heart, I truly love…”
In the split-second, year-long pause, his eyes flicker with something indecipherable. Hinata holds his breath, but for what, he’s not sure.
“…I truly love the hope inside your heart.”
Komaeda squeezes his hand once more before letting go, and Hinata’s arm falls limply to his side. The air is cold compared to Komaeda’s gentle hold, and Hinata finds himself inexplicably missing the warmth.
Komaeda puts his hands inside his pockets, and with his usual smile, says, “goodnight, Hinata-kun.”
He walks away, and Hinata can’t help but think about how that smile was more resigned than happy the second time around.
A strange feeling settles in his throat. Was it always like that?
Hinata lifts the hand Komaeda held and presses it against his chest. His heart is still pounding from the moment. Belatedly, he realizes he didn’t return Komaeda’s goodnight, but that’s not really important compared to what just happened.
In love with his hope…what does that mean? Knowing Komaeda’s roundabout personality, does it mean anything at all?
Just like every time they talk, Komaeda leaves Hinata even more confused than when they started. But perhaps this is the first time that Hinata wakes in the morning and remembers, as the sun shines on him, the warmth of a smile and two hands holding his own.