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1.
“No fucking way.”
Tanaka watches with vested interest as Hinata shrugs off his shirt and drops it on the ground beside him, quickly changing into his regular clothes after practice. He grabs Nishinoya– who seems to be chatting with the seniors animatedly flailing his arms around to get his point across– and points to Hinata’s back urgently. Nishinoya stumbles on the spot and almost yells in confusion before his eyes widen and his mouth opens and closes like a fish.
He takes a step further to examine closely and mutters, “Holy shit.”
Between the hollow of Hinata’s neck on either side, there are at least seven giant, purplish marks. Hinata gets injured very often with millions of bruises all over his body to show for it, but these, Noya and Tanaka realize, are very different kinds of injuries. Before either of them can shut their gaping mouths or even process the fact that their junior is getting some, they get dragged away to a corner of the room.
“Suga-san!” Tanaka begins, his hand resting on his head in sheer shock, “Did you see that?”
Daichi clears his throat from a distance and all three of them flinch. Suga notices the wiggly eyes Daichi keeps making at them and nods seriously, facing the two juniors. “Shh!”
“Sorry, sorry!” Noya whispers hurriedly, “Should we ask him about the hickeys? It’s the third time already!”
“It’s none of our business!” Suga hisses, even though his eyes trail back to Hinata’s neck, the marks covered under the shirt he’s wearing now. It is absurd enough that Hinata thinks about things other than volleyball, but what’s even more baffling is that he’s managed to date a girl– and without letting anyone get a hint of it either, the loudmouth that he is. Suga knows Hinata has a lot of friends, has seen him with a concerning amount of them, but they’ve all been boys. And maybe Hinata swings that way; Suga is no one to judge. But if that were the case, the only person he’s ever seen Hinata spend that much time with is Kageyama.
“Who do you think it is?” Suga can’t help himself from asking. Daichi, who has now walked over to the huddled group in mild curiosity raises an eyebrow in disbelief as a response, “Seriously, Suga? You too?”
Suga’s protests die on his lips as Hinata turns around and peers at them, beaming. “What are you guys talking about?” Behind him, a drowsy Kageyama stumbles into view, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
“Nothing important,” Suga replies quickly, forcing a smile. “Just volleyball stuff, you know.”
Kageyama narrows his eyes suspiciously but says nothing, too tired to press further. Hinata, on the other hand, seems oblivious to the tension. He bounces on his toes, the energy radiating off him as usual.
“Are you talking about the practice match tomorrow? I can’t wait to finally beat Kenma! He keeps talking about how everyone’s been practicing harder than–”
“Oi dumbass, didn’t you miss four tosses today? Are you going to beat Nekoma by spiking air?”
“Hah? Isn’t it because your spikes are shitty? Shitty-yama!”
The rest of the group, sensing the situation spiraling into something far worse, exchange knowing glances and quietly excuse themselves, slipping away to give them space. When they’re at a respectable distance, Daichi lets out a sigh and shakes his head.
“Not a peep of this to anyone”, he glares particularly at the two second years, who look away in burning shame, their cheeks aflame, “and no one asks Hinata anything.” He glances at Suga this time, immediately cutting off any disagreements, “It is his business and his alone.”
It is diabolical how curious he himself is, the questions bubbling just beneath the surface. But as captain, he knows better than to pry. Their focus needs to stay on the game, and Hinata’s personal life should remain personal, especially considering the nosy Karasuno team. Responsibility is a heavy thing.
He ignores the dramatic cries of his friends and begins to walk in the direction of his house, draining his face of all emotions like a melodramatic soap opera character. As he marches home, his mind races with absurd scenarios of who could be dating his precious junior. Jesus, he needs to get a grip.
2.
“Iwa-chan? What are you doing here?”
Iwaizumi glares at him in response, “You tell me, Shitty-kawa.”
Oikawa shifts uncomfortably, the tension between them palpable. “I came to watch the match,” he says defensively. “I wanted to see how Karasuno was doing. It’s not like I’m skipping practice on purpose.”
Iwaizumi’s eyes narrow suspiciously.
Oikawa barks out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his head under the glare, “You know how it is, Iwa-chan. Sometimes I just get curious about how the competition’s shaping up. It’s not like I’m doing this every day.”
Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow. “Curious, huh? And what’s the excuse for the last time?”
Oikawa winces slightly, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. “Well, you see, I thought it’d be good to keep an eye on our rivals. And maybe I wanted to see how things were going with a certain someone.”
The latter turns to watch the spectators pour into the gym, wearing different jerseys to show support. He can’t tell if Oikawa means Tobio or the short #10. Either way, the thought of his friend’s interest in Karasuno’s players stirs up a mix of irritation and concern, especially after their loss.
“Anyway, I think I’ll take a quick bathroom break. Don’t want to be a distraction.”
As Oikawa makes his way towards the restroom, he notices Hinata coming out, looking surprisingly cheerful. Hinata’s face lights up when he sees Oikawa. “Oh! The Great King, what are you doing here?”
Oikawa’s lips twitch at the nickname. He puts on a shit eating grin and stares down at the shorter man. “I happened to notice something, chibi-chan. What’s that on your thighs?”
Hinata’s face goes pale, and he instinctively tries to cover the marks with his hands, pulling down at his shorts, although it’s too late. His cheeks flush a deep crimson as he stammers, “Uh, it’s nothing. Just… stuff.”
Oikawa’s curiosity is piqued, and he raises an eyebrow. He’s not very good friends with the Karasuno players, but he hears enough about them– enough to know that Hinata spends almost all of his time with Tobio.
He’s just about to probe into the stuff Hinata’s talking about, when Iwaizumi looms over them, his face reeking of disappointment. Without a word, Iwaizumi nods at Hinata, a silent apology for Oikawa’s intrusive behavior. He then grabs Oikawa by the collar, yanking him away from Hinata. “Come on, Shitty-kawa. Let’s get you back to your seat.”
Oikawa, caught off guard, stumbles a bit before regaining his balance. He looks back at Hinata, who is now visibly relieved by the intervention. “Hey, Iwa-chan! What’s the rush?”
Iwaizumi’s expression is stern as he drags Oikawa away. “You’re making a scene. Let’s go. I don’t want you annoying the players.”
Oikawa, still a bit dazed, tries to protest but ultimately lets himself be pulled away. “Alright, alright! I’m going. No need to drag me like that.”
When they’re seated again, Oikawa glances at Iwaizumi with a mischievous grin. “Did you see the hickeys on chibi-chan’s thighs? I can’t believe he got some before me!”
Iwaizumi rolls his eyes in response, his tone dry. “That’s because of your trash personality.”
Oikawa huffs dramatically. “That’s not fair. But seriously, who do you think it is?”
Iwaizumi shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. “How should I know? You’re the one who was practically stalking him.”
The latter squints his eyes at the freak duo, who seem to be bickering next to an exasperated Daichi. He chuckles to himself and lets his mind wander. He watches Hinata take a swipe at Kageyama before he turns around and whispers something to one of his team members. It’s almost invisible, and Oikawa has to get up from his seat to try and see it properly, but it’s there– Tobio seems to be looking at Hinata fondly, a soft smile on his face. Oikawa almost gags.
“Iwa-chan! You don’t think–?!”
“Huh?”
“You don’t think it’s him, do you?”
3.
Yuki watches as Hinata smiles at the small dog, his face lighting up with pure joy. The dog wags its tail furiously, clearly delighted by the attention. Hinata’s orange hair sticks up from behind the ear muffs where some of his hair has gathered, and he quickly reaches up to pat it down, only for it to spring back up again.
“Oh my God, you are the cutest dog I’ve ever seen!” He picks the dog up gently and plants a kiss on the tiny nose, oblivious to the audience.
She doesn’t know when or how it happened, but she has had a massive crush on Hinata for months now. Maybe it was the time he helped her carry a stack of books without being asked, or perhaps it was the way he always smiled so genuinely, unrestrained and glowing. It could even be his way his orange hair always remained wild and fluffy, sticking in all directions until he ran a quick hand over it to tame it every time.
Regardless of the moment, her feelings had grown stronger each day, and now she finds herself unable to look at him without her heart racing. She ogles at him fondly and chuckles at the way Hinata looks like a puppy himself, playfully tussling with the dog.
Winters are just about to settle, yet the air is crisp with a slight chill. Maybe that’s why the school ground is so empty, Yuki thinks, tightening the muffler around her neck. She should go now, she has overused this opportunity to stare at her unrequited crush, and someone might just notice her creepy behavior. She picks her bag up and is about to leave when Hinata turns to look at her, his smile beaming.
“Yuki-san! Good morning!”
Ah, perhaps this is why.
Yuki hurries to wave at him and smiles, trying to mask her surprise with a casual tone. “Hinata-kun! You’re early today!”
He grins and walks towards her, his breath forming little clouds in the air. “Yeah, I wanted to get a head start on practice. It’s so quiet and peaceful out here, isn’t it?”
Yuki nods, her heart fluttering at his cheerful demeanor. “It really is. I–”
“Oi. When did you get here?” A tall, scowling man stands next to Hinata, his indigo eyes narrowing at Hinata. It's Kageyama, looking as annoyed as ever.
Hinata brightens at the intrusion, “Oh, Kageyama! I’ve been here for a while. Just talking to Yuki-san.”
Kageyama crosses his arms, his scowl deepening. “Did you unlock the gym yet? Tanaka-san’s waiting. ”
Yuki feels a bit flustered under Kageyama’s intense gaze but manages to muster a polite smile. “I was just about to leave. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Hinata shakes his head, still smiling. “You’re not interrupting anything. Besides, it’s nice to have some company before practice.” He turns to glower at the taller man instead, his neck stretching to compensate for the height difference, “Can you at least be nice?”
Under normal circumstances, Yuki would have been floored by Hinata saying that to Kageyama, her heart pounding in temporary glee. But instead, she freezes at the red mark on Hinata’s neck, now hidden under the scarf.
A wave of confusion and disappointment washes over her as she realizes what the mark signifies. Her heart sinks, and she struggles to maintain her composure. She was absolutely positive Hinata was single– her friends that spied on him for her had confirmed it as well– Hinata only hung out with his boy friends. Unless…
Her eyes flit back to Kageyama, who is still glaring at Hinata with his usual intensity. She’d seen them together all the time, baffled at why someone like Hinata would want to hang out with the likes of Kageyama– always brooding, unfriendly and seemingly impossible to get along with. Sure he was handsome and a renowned genius at volleyball, with a myriad of girls who had a secret crush on him, but his demeanor was anything but inviting.
She watches the two of them bicker in their usual stead, feeling out of place. When Hinata finally notices her, he breaks out another smile. “Sorry, Yuki-san! Kageyama doesn’t mean to be rude!”
Yuki flails her arms around in equal embarrassment, pink tinging her cheeks, “No, no! It’s no problem, I’ll let you two catch up now… School is about to start anyway.”
Hinata laughs and nods, dodging Kageyama’s swipe at his head. “See you soon then!”
She narrows her eyes as she walks away, promising to get into the bottom of the situation.
4.
Tsukishima hates this.
He hates the fact that the only conversations before and after volleyball practice have reduced to the hickeys on Hinata’s body, and he hates it even more that he knows who put them there. He wishes he could say he found out because he’s smart and definitely not because he walked in on the two absolutely devouring each other in the locker room– he vows to never take the responsibility of locking up the gym again.
The image is burned into his mind, and no amount of eye-bleach could ever erase it. He glares at his teammates, who are blissfully unaware of the true nature of Hinata’s marks, and he bites his tongue to keep from spilling the truth.
Every time someone makes a joke or a comment, he feels a pang of annoyance. Why couldn’t they focus on volleyball or literally anything else? It’s not like he cares about Hinata’s love life—except that now he’s been unwillingly dragged into it, and he can’t unsee what he saw.
“Tsukki, you okay?” Yamaguchi asks, crouching next to him.
“Fine,” Tsukishima grunts, pushing up his glasses. “Can they talk about anything else? I’m sick of hearing about Hinata.”
“Well”, Yamaguchi begins rather sheepishly, “It is kinda interesting. Who do you think it could be, Tsukki?”
Tsukishima clenches his jaw, trying to keep his irritation in check. He knows exactly who it is, but there’s no way he’s going to reveal that. “I don’t care,” he snaps. “It’s none of our business.”
You see, if it was anyone else in this world, he would have been fine. He would have joked around and teased Hinata about it, maybe. But because it is the bane of his existence, he grits his teeth and uses the wall as support as he stands up. He looks over at Yamaguchi, who seems slightly hurt by his harsh response. The familiar guilt gnaws at him, but he pushes it down. “Sorry, Yamaguchi,” he mutters, softening his tone. “I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
Yamaguchi nods in acknowledgement and lets himself be pulled by Tsukishima, grinning.
It’s not that he wants to keep this secret—he doesn’t care enough to be bothered by it. He just wants to go to sleep without the cursed image flashing in his mind. He overhears the entirety of Karasuno (minus the two freaks) speak in hushed tones, their conversation barely audible over the din of the gym.
“On his shoulder? Who gives a hickey on the shoulder?”
He doesn’t even get why none of them have figured it out yet– the very fact that they have excluded Kageyama from this constant discussion should be an indicator of something, no? It’s not strange to him at all though, the fact that the two most annoying creatures on the planet were attracted to each other. Their stark personalities certainly complimented each other.
He clicks his tongue in annoyance.
Maybe he is making a big deal out of it. Maybe he does care too much.
+1
They won.
Hinata’s brain has settled into a nice, post-victory haze, the thrill of the win making everything else seem distant. He’s exhausted, he knows, his shaking thighs presenting as enough proof. But he can’t wipe the smile off his face as he thinks about Karasuno’s win against Shiratorizawa, hard earned and sweet.
His first reaction is to allow his teammates to wrap their arms around him in a frenzy, their screams echoing across the entire court with his own.
His second is to spot Kageyama in the midst of chaos, and plant the biggest, sloppiest kiss he can manage on those pouty lips. Kageyama’s eyes widen in shock, and he freezes for a moment, his face flushing a bright red. He relaxes into the kiss pretty soon, resting his fingers in Hinata’s hair.
“What.”
“The.”
“Fuck.”
They break apart abruptly at the gasps surrounding them and pull away from each other, their breaths mingling, faces flushed. Both Hinata and Kageyama look at the rest of their teammates, bewildered and confused. The entirety of Karasuno, with the exception of Tsukishima, stands before them with their jaws touching the ground.
Hinata furrows his eyebrows in confusion. “What?”
Before anyone from Karasuno can say anything, Kenma walks over, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Congrats on the win, Shouyou,” he says, his tone casual and knowing.
Karasuno’s eyes widen even further, if that’s possible. Nishinoya is the first to find his voice. “Wait, Kenma knew?!”
Tanaka throws his hands up in disbelief. “How does Kenma know and we don’t?!”
Hinata scooches to Kageyama’s side, locking his arm with the taller man’s, “You’re telling me you don’t know? Everyone knows! We haven’t exactly been private about this!”
Sugawara narrows his eyes. “Everyone knows? We missed this?”
Asahi rubs his temples. “How did we not notice?”
Tsukishima pushes his glasses up and snorts, “They hold hands and walk back home?”
“We thought they were just really good friends! Also Tsukishima, you–?!” Yamaguchi screeches, still processing the shock.
Tsukishima rolls his eyes. “It was pretty obvious.” (Lies)
“So all the hickeys…” Daichi says, turning to face Hinata and Kageyama, a glint in his eyes. “You two really couldn’t keep it discreet, huh?”
Hinata blushes furiously, hiding his face in Kageyama’s shoulder. “Uh, yeah… sorry about that.”
Kageyama, looking equally embarrassed, mumbles, “It’s not like we were trying to flaunt it.”
The win and this new revelation bubbles thunderously in Hinata’s stomach. He stands on his tiptoes and pecks Kageyama’s cheek, the latter turning a bright shade of red at the action. Sugawara laughs, shaking his head. “Well, now we know. And honestly, it’s kind of adorable.”
Tsukishima gags.