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Soul marks were tricky. No one actually knew why they existed, or if they were to be believed. Researchers have poured hours into the subject, trying to find any answers. Because of this, they knew three things.
One. Only one other person had an identical soul mark in the same place on your body.
Two. The mark had something to do with how your relationship would develop.
Three. Relationships outside of soul mates would work, but what researchers call Soul Relationships held deeper connections.
Kageyama wouldn't like to have said that this was what had first drawn him to volleyball; even though it most definitely was. The little perfectly round mark on his chest, looking exactly like a blackened volleyball, sat just over his heart. It was pathetically romantic and he hated it. Volleyball, however, he loved. There was a period of time where he wondered if it was actually volleyball that was supposed to be his soul mate, but then he turned fourteen and realized how stupid that was.
Most of Kurasuno had these marks, granted, in different places than his own. Actually, he found it less than surprising that Noya and Asahi's matched. Even less so that Daichi and Sugawara's did as well. What did surprise him was the fact that he now stood face to face with a shirtless Hinata who sported his matching mark only this time it was also in the same place.
How he had never seen it before was a mystery to him. Maybe they had just never changed at the same time. He couldn't remember. The only thing he could see was the mark.
Hinata gave him a weird look, asking if he was okay. He thought he nodded his head. He must have because Hinata was walking away from him now, pulling on his shirt, followed by his practice jersey, for the match. Kageyama shook his head. He would have to deal with this after the match. He had to focus on the match.
Except that he couldn't. They lost to Shinzen and ended up doing free falls. Tsukishima mocked his distracted gaze and Sugawara kept shooting him worried looks. Kageyama's brow stayed furrowed throughout the day. Ironically, it was Hinata who asked him what was wrong, face screwed up in some mixed form of concern and anger.
Kageyama stared at the little ball of energy. This is the defining moment, or so it seems. Should he tell him? He wasn't completely sure he even believed in the stupid fate happenings. In middle school he was convinced it was all coincidence and people were trying too hard to find love. Now, after watching part of the team find their perfect matches he wasn't so sure. While Sugawara and Daichi fit perfectly, the recent discovery of Tsukishima's matching the captain from Nekoma was a wonder not only to him. So that must mean soul mate marks meant nothing. Right?
Apparently he had been staring at Hinata too long as the kid began to squirm. "Oi. Did ya hear me? What's up with you?"
Shaking the thoughts from his head, Kageyama let out a condescending snort. "Nothing." He turned to leave for his bed. Him and Hinata? Soul mates had to be totally non-existent. He just needed to sleep this off. That’s all.
However, Hinata would have none of it. Grabbing his wrist to stop him, he asked, “Is it something I did?”
Kageyama stared at him. Something he did? Hardly. “No.”
The screwed up face of confusion on Hinata was almost cute. In a weird sort of way. But Kageyama totally didn’t think that. Not at all. “If it’s not me then what is it? ‘Cause we can’t practice well if you’re all fuwa fuwa.”
“Oi! I am not!” He yanked his hand back. The farther he got from his partner, the farther back in his mind he could put this whole ordeal.
“Is it about the soul marks?”
He froze on his retreat out of the room. He couldn’t know, could he? Turning to look at Hinata, he hoped his face didn’t betray his fluttering heart. “What?”
Hinata was looking at his shoes. “I figured everyone is finding their soul mates… Did you find yours?” When he looked up, his face was a mixture of pain and worry.
Kageyama sucked in a breath. He didn’t know then. “N-no! I just… It isn’t…”
The pain smile nearly broke Kageyama’s heart. “You don’t have to tell me. It’s not like we’re friends or anything…”
That hurt more than he had expected. He winced. “Hinata, it’s…” Sighing, he made a hasty decision and pulled up his shirt to reveal the black volleyball over his heart.
Hinata’s eyes widened and he gaped at him in shock.
“Stupid Hinata.” He muttered, looking away with burning cheeks.
When Hinata came through his brief moment of shock and jumped to hug Kageyama, the setter realized he was stupid to ever have worried in the first place.