Work Text:
“What color are waves, white as snow when they break.”
-RM, Don't
Kageyama’s favorite color was blue.
He had known that ever since he was 4; he remembered staring into Miwa’s dark blue eyes and comparing them with the much lighter undertone of the sea on the beach, he decided he liked all shades of blue. And so he bought blue shirts, blue hoodies, blue toothbrushes. He loved the comfort he felt surrounded by the muted color. He grew up, maybe even outgrew the crazed love for the color, but wearing blue had become a habit by then.
He had begun playing volleyball well before he could even read the alphabet properly, and it wasn’t long before everyone around him knew he was an absolute genius. He had found a team in middle school, he was the headliner amongst them all, he knew that. But he felt comfortable only around the ball, much like the color, he felt as though he would be alright even though he felt so alone.
Tobio loved the color blue, but he did not like his own eyes. The cold, hard, arrogant glint flashed in his eyes whenever he stared at himself in the mirror. People noticed it and had let him know that they did not like it, but what was he to do? All he tried to do was bring out the best in everyone as the captain of the volleyball team, and for that he was rewarded with cold shoulders and eating snacks alone after practice. So if they hated him that much, he would not give a single care in the world (Of course he cared, contrary to popular belief tiny Kageyama had a soft toy he would cling to every night before falling asleep).
Until the one middle school match where he met a super short but extremely enthusiastic boy with comically bright orange hair.
The boy who could fly.
The boy who did not shy away from looking Kageyama directly in the eyes with no malice and fear, glaring as if Tobio was the reason he had lost his first match so astoundingly. The boy who had strongly proclaimed, “If you’re the King that rules the court, then I will be the last one standing!” The boy who made the title King of the Court a little more challenging, a little more bearable.
He had thought that was the last of the odd boy he would ever see, when he found that the boy (his name is actually Hinata, not shrimp, Kageyama reminds himself) wanted to join Karasuno, much like him. It was ridiculous, completely unacceptable and perhaps a little intriguing. They did not get along well. In Tobio’s defense, Hinata had no practiced skills he could put to use properly, he was hyperactive with no direction to utilize all the energy, could jump well but he had more potential, but there was one thing that ticked Kageyama the most; Hinata had no sense of others’ and his own personal space.
For someone who had spent his entire life maintaining at least 5 feet of distance between himself and others, it was surprising and sometimes discomforting to have a 5 foot something inches boy bounce around you all the time. They bickered, so much that everyone around them was so annoyed.
But Kageyama was not alone anymore. He had a partner he could rely on, a team that understood him more than anyone had bothered to and a game that he could give everything to.
“Hey Kageyama! Look at this cool stunt I can do!” Hinata yelled.
It took Tobio everything to not scrunch up his face into a frown and smack the latter. “Dumbass, if you fall on your face again-”
Hinata frowned, ignoring Tobio’s statement. His eyes lost all hints of mischief as he began focusing on the ball and managed to spin it on his nose for exactly 7 seconds before it whirled off course and hit an unsuspecting passerby. In between Hinata’s tirade of sorrys, Kageyama rolled his eyes to hide his smile and turned around, preparing to walk off.
“Oi, Bakeyama! You have no shame! At least tell me I’m cool!”
This habit of being so unabashedly himself tickled Tobio in ways he could barely understand. It would be years before he understood that it was what he wanted for himself as well, that it was awe and a little envy.
“That was not cool. You are literally so embarrassing, stupid.”
Hinata gasped dramatically, and Kageyama braced himself for what he knew was coming. “You’re just jealous aren’t you? Stupidyama! Go rot somewhere alone!”
For someone so incredibly loud, Hinata was equally as roaring when taking care of other people, especially Tobio. It was a strange feeling, one that Kageyama soon grew fond of.
Kageyama sat in the rain, wrapping his hands around himself and gripping his blue hoodie tighter to give as much protection to his body as he could. His parents were out and had forgotten to leave the key under the plant right next to the door, and Tobio wasn’t sure if it was just his bad luck or if the universe had planned a bad day out for him. He shivered on the pavement, whisking a hand through his hair so it wouldn’t stick to his forehead. He stared at the dull gray sky for a short while before the raindrops plummeted into his eyes. He did not know why, but the first person he called was Hinata.
“Kageyama? Miss me already? It’s barely been 30 minutes!”
Tobio could feel his lips quiver due to the cold, “Dumbass.”
“Are you out in the rain? Gwaaah are you stupid it’s so cold I can practically hear you freezing!”
“No need to be so dramatic”, Kageyama said, but he could only let out an oof at how cold his hands felt on his arms.
“Did you forget your key again? I told you to double check in the morning! It’s okay though I’ll be there in less than 10 minutes so wait!”
Kageyama could hear a shuffle at the other before Hinata yelled, slightly distant from the phone, “Mom, could you make some hot chocolate? Kageyama forgot his keys and now he’s all wet and he’s freezing!” On hearing an affirmative response, he stuck the phone to his ear again.
“How will you get here in 10 minutes? It takes 20 minutes from your house to mine on a cycle?”
“This is an emergency, Stupidyama. You’ve never seen speed before. Watch me take 10 minutes. Go stand under some shade until then!”
He disconnected the call immediately, Kageyama’s ‘be careful’ stuck in his throat.
Hinata took 12 minutes in total (which was very impressive, but Hinata made it a point to never bring up the time out of sheer embarrassment) but Kageyama was not one to complain. Hinata had brought with himself a raincoat that barely fit, an umbrella that would have no use on a cycle, but most importantly, the sun itself. Kageyama only had to look up once to know that he would have to close his eyes, Hinata was so absurdly full of life that he almost always managed to blind Tobio. But how could Tobio even begin to say what all he felt immensely? So he muttered a quiet thank you and sat on the bicycle, wrapping the stupid, Hinata-like bright orange raincoat around him.
When they would go for matches, they would often have to sleep together. This was not a big deal, and surprisingly not a problem either. Kageyama had figured it out in one of the prefectural matches that they somehow made great roommates, bickering aside. It started with waking up to them tangled together on the floor, meters away from their respective mattresses and the consequent fights that would ensue, to willingly sharing a bed and not minding soft touches.
Kageyama tousled his hand through Hinata’s warm hair, making sure that he didn't end up prickling Hinata’s scalp. Shoyo had his face down, snuggled in the burly blanket. He wiggled his toes, “Your hands and feet are too cold, are you a cold blooded mammal?” He laughed as it was the best joke he had ever made, and Kageyama frowned.
On seeing the dull response, Hinata shifted closer and grabbed both of Kageyama’s hands to tuck in between his warm armpits. He then managed to tuck both of Tobio’s feet between his thighs, and Kageyama sighed in relief. It was an awkward position, but it felt so naturally comfortable to the both of them, that they didn’t mind.
They were barely inches apart, so close that Kageyama could feel Hinata’s mint breath on his face. “Shoyo?”
“Mm?”
“Sleep well.”
Hinata opened one of his eyes to peek at the other and grinned, “You too, stupid.”
The first time they kissed, it was purely experimental. Neither of them had any idea how it started or ended, they were both the same after all. After they had both made out for a few intense minutes, they broke apart and averted their gazes, breathing heavily. It was not awkward, not one bit. What scared Kageyama was this burning desire that demanded more, so much more.
Hinata booped his nose to Kageyama’s and smiled, one reserved especially for him. “Did you like that, Tobio?”
Kageyama looked out the window through the grim blue sky and thought a lot in the 30 seconds he took, how he loved taking Hinata’s soft lips between his teeth and the constant huffs and gruffs Hinata would let loose during this process- yes, oh God did he love doing whatever this was supposed to be. He nodded vigorously, as if to let Hinata know urgently that he wanted more.
Shoyo laughed softly, as opposed to his boisterous nature and shifted to the other side of the bench, letting go of Kageyama’s sweater he was gripping so tightly. Only for a few bare seconds, Kageyama saw an expression flit across his face that he couldn’t quite catch- relief? And then there was the usual mischievous glint that made Hinata look like a brat in need of punishment. “Then when I beat you, we can do this again.”
Who was Kageyama to back down from a challenge?
He continued, as if he hadn’t just given Tobio his most exciting deal, “What color are your eyes?”
Tobio was taken aback, “Dark blue.”
“Huuuuh ? How come you never told me? I thought they were black!”
“You never asked,'' Kageyama shrugged.
Hinata puffed his cheeks, “Either way, they’re really nice.” He mumbled, unaware of Kageyama’s hammering heart and befuddled mind, “So warm and expressive.”
Hinata was a star, no one could deny that. On court he was a wild untamed beast, commanding everyone’s attention. He was thirsty for more, until he could no longer be cast aside, until he could be acknowledged as a formidable opponent. Not one person was surprised when he announced that he would be training for volleyball in Brazil for two years, especially not Kageyama. He knew he had to do the same for himself, be worthy enough to beat Hinata when they met next.
But even through the busy schedules and the gloomy skies he hardly had any time to look at, he could feel the absence of something bright and loud by his side. Someone that would fit right on his chest, so warm and alive. They called and texted, yes, but how could the tiny phone compare to the chirpy Hinata? The latter kept sending pictures of things or people he found in Brazil, but never of himself, as if taunting Kageyama to come take a look for himself.
A lot of things had been left unsaid, but their only language was one sport they knew best, volleyball.
And so when the Black Jackals won against the Schweiden Adlers in the much anticipated match, Kageyama felt nothing but immense pride and love for his rival. He took a much tanner and buff Hinata aside with difficulty, gripping his arm with his own. “You’re taller.”
Hinata had sweat pouring down his face, his entire shirt clinging onto his toned body. The glow on his face was earth shattering, or maybe that was just Kageyama staring too intensely. Hinata smiled, taking a step towards the taller, “I am. And I won against you.”
Kageyama had no response to that, except his open arms that waited for Hinata to settle in, to reminisce in the warmth he hadn’t felt in a while. Hinata could only nuzzle against the crook of Kageyama’s neck, but that worked perfectly fine too. After a few minutes, when the cheers had yet to die, Hinata whispered, “Hey Tobio?”
“Mm?”
“Remember our deal?”
Tobio laughed. “Of course, dumbass. I’ve been waiting.” And so when Hinata grabbed his hand to take him away to watch the sunset together, how could Tobio resist?
Kageyama’s favorite color was orange.