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The first time it happened, Shoyo found himself sputtering as the water he drank went down the wrong way. The sudden choking fit startled him, and he coughed violently, his body hunched over in an attempt to catch his breath.
"Shoyo! Slow down!" Lucas, his teammate who happened to sat beside him on the locker room, immediately leaned over, a hand landing on Shoyo’s back to rub in comforting circles. Concern was etched across Lucas’ face as he tried to help.
Shoyo waved a hand dismissively, then he rubbed at his mouth while the coughing gradually subsided. "S-Sorry," he managed to croak between coughs. "And thank you, Lucas."
Lucas’ frown deepened as his eyes drifted to Shoyo’s phone, which the redhead still clutched in one hand. His brow furrowed suspiciously. "What were you looking at that made you choke like that?" Lucas asked curiously, one eyebrow arching upward.
Shoyo’s face reddened, the blush creeping up from his neck to his cheeks. He opened his mouth to respond but hesitated, all while the color on his face deepening.
It didn’t take Lucas long to connect the dots. His expression shifted from concern to amusement, a grin spreading across his lips. "Ah, I see," he teased, leaning a little closer. "Your boyfriend, huh? The Italian setter?"
Shoyo’s flush turned scarlet as he floundered for words, earning a laugh from Lucas that echoed warmly through the room.
He didn’t need to say anything, his face said it all. The redness creeping up his neck to his ears had already betrayed him.
And yes, as much as he hated to admit it, it was because of his boyfriend, Kageyama Tobio.
Shoyo swore everything had been perfectly normal. That, of course, until he opened Instagram. As usual, the first post on his timeline was Kageyama’s. He suspected it was just how the algorithm worked—though, to be fair, Shoyo did spend a questionable amount of his free time stalking Kageyama’s account. Not that there was much to see. His dumb, hot, and chronically offline boyfriend wasn’t exactly active on social media, especially not on Instagram.
But today was different. On this perfectly uneventful day, Kageyama had decided to bless—or curse—the world with new pictures. And a video, too.
At first, Shoyo had thought nothing of it. A new post from Kageyama? Great! Maybe it was something mundane, like a picture of a volleyball or his usual awkward team selfies. But no. This was not that.
The pictures weren’t normal. Not at all.
In those pictures, Kageyama was shirtless. Bold, italic, underlined, shirtless.
Shoyo stared at the screen in disbelief, his brain short-circuiting. This wasn’t like Kageyama, not at all.
Unlike someone like Atsumu, who practically lived for attention, Kageyama had never been the type to flaunt his body. Shoyo still vividly remembered how much Kageyama had pouted during his photoshoot when they asked him to show even a hint of skin a couple of months ago.
And yet here he was, voluntarily posting a damn thirst trap? Something must be wrong.
"Bakageyama," Shoyo muttered under his breath, scrolling through the post while his heart raced in his chest.
The pictures weren’t bad to be honest—of course they weren’t. Kageyama was ridiculously good-looking, a fact Shoyo was very aware of.
They were probably from his recent photoshoot for that mineral water commercial, considering he was holding a bottle in one of them.
But it was the short clip attached to the post that sent Shoyo spiraling.
In the video, Kageyama was pouring water over his head from the bottle, letting it cascade down his hair, face, and bare chest in slow motion. Then, as if that weren’t enough, he shook his head slightly, droplets flying everywhere, while the water trailed tantalizingly down his toned torso.
And the caption? The audacity of it all, said: "Stay hydrated."
Shoyo groaned, dragging a hand over his flushed face. He didn’t even dare open the comment section. He knew without looking that there were now hundreds—maybe thousands, at this point—of people thirsting over Kageyama. His boyfriend.
Why did I have to share him with the whole internet?
This time, Shoyo’s pout deepened, his lips jutting out in frustration as he glared at his screen. Unable to hold back, he quickly exited Instagram and opened his messaging app. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he typed out a message for his boyfriend.
Me:
You’re wasting water, Bakageyama!!!!!
He hit send with more force than necessary, leaning back against his chair with a huff. Shoyo couldn’t decide what irritated him more: the post itself or the fact that he couldn’t stop replaying the video in his mind.
Shoyo wasn’t really the jealous type. He swore he wasn’t.
First of all, his boyfriend, Kageyama, was terrible at socializing. So bad that Shoyo often found himself pushing Kageyama to make an effort to interact with others and build friendships outside volleyball. Kageyama’s limited social circle meant there wasn’t much for Shoyo to worry about in that department.
Second, Kageyama was far too obsessed with volleyball to even consider cheating. Shoyo had no doubt that if there was ever a competition between him and volleyball, volleyball might actually win.
Not that Shoyo minded. Volleyball had always been the center of their lives, even back in high school. They had made a mutual agreement to prioritize their careers above all else, including their relationship. And so far, that arrangement had worked out perfectly for both of them.
That didn’t mean their relationship was lacking, though. Quite the opposite, actually. Shoyo was genuinely happy with what they had. They loved each other deeply, and to him, that was what mattered most.
Despite Kageyama’s struggles with socializing, he made an effort when it came to Shoyo. Over time, he had improved his communication skills significantly, something Shoyo truly appreciated. Their relationship felt balanced and healthy as a result.
Shoyo still remembered the time he asked Kageyama to share his schedule with him. Kageyama had frowned, clearly puzzled by the request. "Why would I do that? Isn’t that just… I don’t know, troublesome?" he had asked, genuinely confused if Shoyo may added.
Shoyo had explained with a patient smile, said, "It’s not about controlling your time or anything like that. I just want to know what you’re up to when we’re too busy to talk. That way, I don’t have to worry or feel like I’m bothering you when you’re busy."
After some thought—and more frowning—Kageyama had agreed. His schedule was notoriously packed, after all, even more hectic than Shoyo’s.
And Shoyo knew it wasn’t a small favor to ask. But as always, Kageyama found a way to meet Shoyo halfway.
Though Kageyama occasionally forgot their agreement to share schedules, Shoyo didn’t mind too much. Everyone made mistakes, after all.
But today? Today was an entirely different kind of mistake.
Shoyo was once again startled by a notification on his phone. This time though, it wasn’t from Instagram but YouTube. Specifically, it was from Ifviga Torino’s official channel.
He’d subscribed to the channel months ago, right after Kageyama joined the team in February. However, Ifviga Torino wasn’t exactly known for posting anything other than match recaps.
So, imagine Shoyo’s surprise when the notification read:
“[VLOG] Kageyama Tobio e il suo segreto per diventare un grande palleggiatore! 🏋🏻♂️🏐” popped up on his notifications.
Luckily, he wasn’t drinking water this time, sparing him from another near-death choking experience.
His initial shock quickly morphed into excitement. A vlog? Featuring Kageyama? This was practically unheard of. Back when Kageyama played for the Adlers, Shoyo remembered how Hoshiumi constantly complained about being left to handle the PR vlogs alone. Apparently, both Kageyama and Ushijima had repeatedly refused to participate, leaving Hoshiumi to carry the burden of being camera-friendly.
When Shoyo had asked Kageyama why he avoided vlogging, Kageyama had pouted and mumbled something about it being too much trouble. "I’m also awkward in front of the camera," he’d admitted begrudgingly.
That memory resurfaced as Shoyo eagerly clicked on the video. He couldn’t help but laugh when the vlog started with Kageyama awkwardly greeting the camera, his stiff expression and monotone voice making it clear just how uncomfortable he was. It was only a minute into the video, and Shoyo was already grinning from ear to ear.
I’m so going to tease him about this later, Shoyo thought mischievously.
The vlog, as explained by the subtitles, was about Kageyama’s daily routine. True to form, Kageyama didn’t talk much throughout the video, but when he did, he spoke in Italian.
And that’s when Shoyo’s composure started to falter.
Hearing Kageyama speak Italian—his deep, focused tone combined with the melodic rhythm of the language—made Shoyo’s cheeks heat up. He blushed furiously, clutching his phone as his heart raced.
Why does he sound so much sexier in Italian? Shoyo groaned internally while having his face buried in his hands.
Kageyama had no idea what kind of power he had, and Shoyo intended to kept him that way.
"I'm sorry if this vlog feels a bit awkward," Kageyama finally muttered after a solid three minutes of silent chewing, his attention mostly on his breakfast. His words came out in a tone that was both apologetic and slightly stiff, as though he wasn’t used to addressing an audience directly.
Shoyo burst into laughter again. Of course it was awkward—this was Kageyama, after all. What else could anyone expect? Though, Shoyo had to admit that it was kind of endearing.
"I'm heading to the gym after this," Kageyama declared abruptly, a little louder now as he stood by the sink, diligently rinsing his plate.
Shoyo's eyebrows arched in mild surprise. Oh?
It seemed like this was about to become the main event of the vlog.
Shoyo watched as Kageyama dashed around his apartment, grabbing a few items and stuffing them into his gym bag. He moved quickly, though slightly chaotic, like he was half thinking about what he needed.
"I usually don't bring much, just some necessities like a water bottle, headphones, and a towel," Kageyama explained, pausing briefly to hold up each item as he packed.
Soon after, Kageyama slung the gym bag over his shoulder, grabbed the camera, and headed out the door.
Apparently, the gym wasn’t far from his apartment because he made it there in just a few minutes of walking briskly. Along the way, he greeted a few familiar faces—neighbors or teammates, perhaps—though his conversations were brief and polite.
"The gym is near our training grounds in case you’re wondering," Kageyama explained as he reached his locker, setting his bag inside.
Shoyo nodded at the screen, feeling vaguely satisfied with his boyfriend's explanation. However, the calm didn’t last long. His eyes widened in disbelief as Kageyama casually pulled off his sweatshirt in one swift motion, revealing a snug black tank top underneath.
A tank top that Shoyo immediately recognized.
Isn’t that my fucking tank top?!
For a moment, Shoyo's brain short-circuited. The tank top clung to Kageyama’s broader frame in a way that was... undeniably different. While Shoyo was by no means small, Kageyama’s build was bigger and more solid, making the shirt look tighter than it ever had on him.
Kageyama continued talking, seemingly oblivious to the storm brewing in Shoyo’s head. Shoyo, however, couldn’t hear a word after that. His ears were ringing, his mind was, once again, spiraling.
Of all the clothes he could’ve worn, he had to pick that?
Not that Shoyo actually minded Kageyama borrowing his clothes that he left in Kageyama’s apartment—it was kind of cute, really—but in a vlog? A video that thousands, maybe even millions, of people would watch? The thought alone made Shoyo’s stomach twist. And to make matters worse, that tank top clung to his chest and shoulders like it had a personal vendetta against Shoyo’s sanity.
Kageyama looked like an absolute feast, his toned biceps flexing with every casual movement as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Shoyo had to physically tear his eyes away from the screen and clamp them shut. He groaned, trying to think about anything else.
Like how Kageyama drooled on his pillow when he slept. Yeah. That was clearly going to work. The real Kageyama—not this godly, jaw-dropping version flaunting Shoyo’s tank top for the internet. Shoyo repeated the image of drooling Kageyama like a mantra, willing his brain to stop admiring just how good those arms looked.
After regain his composure and finally snapping out of his daze, Shoyo went straight to the comment section, desperate to see if anyone else had noticed. Unsurprisingly, the fans were already losing their minds too.
"HELLO??? WHY IS THIS ILLEGAL LEVEL OF HOTNESS ALLOWED?!"
"Tobio in a tank top has officially ruined my life. I’m not okay."
"The way it fits him so perfectly... how do we survive this vlog???"
"Sir, how dare you casually drop this thirst trap without a warning?"
"Why is no one talking about how massive his shoulders are?!"
"You don’t need that damn towel for your sweats, I can lick them clean."
Shoyo stared at the comments, his mouth slightly agape. Sure, he was used to fans thirsting over Kageyama—it happened all the time—but this? This was next level.
Shoyo grimaced and scrolled faster, trying to purge the mental image of strangers openly objectifying his boyfriend. The audacity! When one particularly graphic comment about Kageyama’s arms caught his eye, Shoyo’s fingers twitched over the Report button.
Nope. This one’s not staying.
Just as he was about to report it, his phone buzzed, interrupting his mission. A familiar name popped up on the screen:
Bakageyama:
Shou.
Shoyo blinked. Another message came through almost immediately:
Bakageyama:
Sorry, I forgot to tell you, there was a mini vlog of me that came out today.
Shoyo narrowed his eyes at the screen, his earlier irritation bubbling to the surface.
"Oh, you forgot, huh?" he muttered under his breath, glaring at the message like Kageyama could somehow feel his frustration through the phone.
With a sharp tap, he typed back a quick response:
Me:
Oh, really? You mean the vlog where you casually wore MY tank top to the gym and let the internet lose its collective mind? That vlog?
The three little dots indicating Kageyama was typing appeared, then stopped, then started again. It was almost comical how Shoyo could practically sense Kageyama panicking on the other end.
Finally, the reply came through:
Bakageyama:
Are you mad?
Shoyo stared at the screen, the question hanging in the air. Am I mad? he asked to himself, repeating Kageyama’s question internally.
The answer came almost immediately: yes, he was mad. But not at Kageyama. No, he was mad at the strangers who had the audacity to openly thirst over and objectify his boyfriend in the comments.
That’s called jealousy, genius. A smug little voice in his head chimed in, making him scowl.
Shoyo pouted, his bottom lip jutting out as he sank deeper into his thoughts. He knew he was jealous—painfully, undeniably jealous. But he didn’t want to admit it, even to himself. He’d always prided himself on not being the jealous type, the kind of person who could rise above petty emotions.
And yet, here he was, fuming over strangers on the internet.
Great. Looks like Kageyama has officially unlocked a whole new layer of me, Shoyo thought grimly, glaring at the screen as though it were Kageyama’s fault.
Before he could even type a response, his phone buzzed again. Another message popped up.
Bakageyama:
I was sleeping with your tops and too lazy to change it when I went to the gym.
Shoyo blinked, rereading the message twice to make sure he hadn’t misunderstood. He was what?
Me:
You’re sleeping with it? I thought you hate feeling cold.
Bakageyama:
I do, but that’s the only piece of your clothing here that still smells like you.
Shoyo’s heart skipped a beat, and before he could fully process the words, another message appeared.
Bakageyama:
I missed you.
Shoyo froze, staring at the screen as the words sank in. His breath hitched, and his chest tightened in a way that was both maddening and overwhelming.
Well, fuck.
He could practically feel his cheeks heating up, the blush creeping all the way to the tips of his ears. Kageyama was completely unaware of the effect he had on him—dropping something so casually affectionate and yet so devastatingly soft at the same time.
This man is probably going to be the death of me, Shoyo thought, burying his face in his hands. His heart was pounding so hard it was almost embarrassing.
The next couple of weeks had been relatively quiet and peaceful—or at least, that’s what Shoyo had convinced himself.
In truth, he’d been so busy with matches and training that he barely had time to keep an eye on Kageyama’s antics. His schedule was packed, especially since he had used up some of his leave days to accept Kuroo's invitation to the All-Star match back in Japan.
Kageyama had accepted the invitation too, he’d told Shoyo himself. And given their long-standing, well-known rivalry, especially among friends like Kuroo and Kenma (the masterminds behind the event), there was no question they would end up on opposing teams.
The thought of it made Shoyo’s heart race with excitement. It had been ages since he’d faced off against Kageyama on the court, and he couldn’t wait to beat him again. The last time they played against each other, Kageyama’s team had come out on top. Shoyo still hadn’t fully recovered from that bruised ego.
Not this time, though. He’d make sure Kageyama didn’t get the upper hand again.
As he sat at the restaurant with his teammates, fresh off a victory from today’s match, Shoyo couldn’t help but grin to himself. He was in a good mood, his team had just won, and in a few days, he’d get to play against Kageyama in front of a packed arena. What could possibly go wrong?
Apparently, something could.
Because the next thing he knew, one of his teammates leaned closer to him. "Isn’t your boyfriend breaking the internet a bit too often these days?" Felippe said casually as they waited for their food to arrive.
Shoyo tilted his head, confused. "What do you mean? Are you talking about his vlog from last week?"
Felippe shrugged. "That too," he replied. "But no, he’s trending on Twitter again. Right now, actually."
Shoyo blinked in surprise. Again?
"What did he do this time?" Shoyo asked, a sinking feeling creeping into his chest.
Felippe laughed and slid his phone across the table. "Something about the ‘hot setter’ things, apparently," he said while glancing at his own phone. "Ah, makes me miss my younger self."
Shoyo frowned as he grabbed the phone, already feeling a mix of irritation and curiosity. "He’s 28. He’s not that young anymore," he grumbled under his breath.
Felippe just chuckled in response. Meanwhile, Shoyo focused on the phone screen, scrolling to see what the fuss was about.
It was a short clip apparently, posted only two hours ago, yet it had already racked up 6 million views, with over 200,000 likes, and 150,000 bookmarks. The numbers alone made Shoyo’s stomach twist.
What the hell did he do now?
Taking a deep breath, Shoyo prepared himself and hit the play button.
The clip appeared to be from Kageyama’s match earlier on that day. From the looks of it, he’d just delivered a perfect set, and the clip captured him high-fiving a teammate as part of the celebration.
It was harmless enough, until the camera lingered on Kageyama longer than it should.
Then, there he was, slightly bent over, hands resting on his knees, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His face was flushed from exertion, sweat dripping down his jawline. And then, as if orchestrated specifically to make a fuss, Kageyama grinned—a wide, smug grin—and licked his lips.
Shoyo’s eyes widened, and he immediately shut the phone off, whining loudly.
Felippe burst into laughter, practically doubling over. Meanwhile, the rest of their teammates looked over, concerned.
But Shoyo couldn’t say anything. The image of Kageyama, drenched in sweat, grinning like that while licking his lips, was now seared into his brain, rendering him completely incapable of speech.
Thankfully, Felippe stepped in, waving off the others with a playful grin. "He’s fine, he’s fine! Just thirsting over his boyfriend!"
Shoyo glared at Felippe with bright red face. "I am not thirsting!" he hissed, but his protests only made Felippe laugh harder.
Still, Shoyo couldn’t deny the truth. That damn clip would be haunting him for the rest of the night, it seemed.
The very first thing Shoyo did when he landed back in Japan was meet up with his best friend, Kenma.
Sure, part of it was because he’d missed Kenma dearly, but mostly? Shoyo needed someone to vent to before his head exploded from frustration.
And true to his nature, Kenma sat across from him in his own house, quietly playing his handheld console while listening to every single complaint Shoyo threw at him.
"You have no idea, Kenma! He’s been an absolute madman these past few weeks!" Shoyo groaned dramatically, his forehead now firmly pressed against the table.
Kenma hummed, his thumbs deftly maneuvering across the buttons. "You make it sound like he’s committed a crime," he murmured, barely looking up.
"He might as well have! Do you know how many times he’s trended lately?" Shoyo sat up, flailing his arms for emphasis. "Every time I blink, there’s a new clip of him doing something stupidly attractive—or worse, fans writing things about him that I cannot unread!"
Kenma’s lips twitched, the faintest hint of amusement breaking through his usually neutral expression. "Are you uncomfortable with that?" he asked, his eyes still glued to his console.
Shoyo huffed, crossing his arms. "It’s not that I’m uncomfortable, it’s just… ugh, how do I even put it?" He frowned, leaning back in his chair as he struggled to find the right words.
Kenma glanced at him from the corner of his eye before returning to his game. "You’re jealous," he stated.
"I’m not!" Shoyo shot back instantly, sitting up straight as though he’d been accused of a heinous crime. But the pink flush spreading across his cheeks betrayed him.
Kenma’s gaze flicked up briefly, unimpressed. "Yes, you are," he said flatly. "You’re jealous because the whole world is thirsting over your boyfriend. Admit it, Shoyo."
Shoyo sputtered, waving his hands in front of him like that would somehow erase the accusation. "I—no, I’m not—!"
But Kenma simply raised an eyebrow, and that was all it took for Shoyo to deflate like a balloon. His hands dropped into his lap, and he slumped forward again, letting out a pitiful groan.
"Okay, fine! Maybe I’m a little jealous," Shoyo admitted, his voice muffled as he buried his face in his arms. "But can you blame me? It’s so annoying seeing people drool over him—and they’re not even subtle about it! They’re just like, ‘Oh my god, Tobio, step on me!’ Who even says that?!"
Kenma snorted, finally pausing his game to give Shoyo his full attention. "Sounds like something you’d say."
"Kenma!" Shoyo groaned, his cheeks puffing out in indignation.
But instead of responding with his usual dry wit, Kenma did something unexpected—he smiled. Not his usual faint, almost unnoticeable smirk, but a small, genuine smile that softened his features.
Shoyo huffed, crossing his arms as his pout deepened. He wasn’t sure if Kenma was teasing him or actually amused by him, but either way, it was frustrating.
The conversation lulled after that. Kenma returned to his game, and Shoyo, feeling like he’d finally vented everything he needed to, left him to enjoy it in peace. In the meantime, Shoyo scrolled through his phone, occasionally glancing at the screen to see if Kageyama had texted him back.
The last message he’d received was hours ago, just before Kageyama boarded his flight. Shoyo had been expecting an update by now, but his inbox remained frustratingly empty.
Just as he was starting to feel antsy, Kenma placed his console down on the table, drawing Shoyo’s attention.
"Shoyo," Kenma called softly.
Shoyo immediately looked up, blinking at him. "Huh? Yeah?"
Kenma hesitated for a moment, as if trying to choose his words carefully. Finally, he said, "I feel like I should apologize to you. So… I’m sorry."
Shoyo frowned, tilting his head in confusion. "What are you talking about? Apologize for what?"
Kenma let out a small sigh, his fingers tapping lightly against the table. "It’s Kuroo," he admitted.
Shoyo’s frown deepened. "I still don’t understand."
Taking a deep breath, Kenma continued, "Kuroo’s the one who told Kageyama to… do all of that."
"All of what?" Shoyo asked, confused.
Kenma glanced at him, his expression somehow still unreadable. "The vlog. The Instagram posts. All the stuff that’s been making him go viral lately. Kuroo was the mastermind behind it."
For a moment, Shoyo just stared at him, blinking in confusion as he processed the words.
Kenma exhaled slowly, clearly anticipating this reaction. "Kuroo’s been working on boosting JVA’s popularity, especially internationally. He was using Miya before, he had been pulling in a lot of attention, and it was working great for a while. But lately, the numbers haven’t been as impressive. Fans are probably getting bored seeing him all over JVA’s account."
Shoyo blinked, still trying to piece everything together.
Kenma hesitated again, his voice lowering. "So, Kuroo decided to switch focus to another player. He tried Suna at first, but…" Kenma gave a small shrug. "Suna’s too… well, chronically online to create any real buzz. He’s good at snarky comments, but not exactly the face of a campaign."
Shoyo raised an eyebrow, still not fully following. "And Kageyama?"
Kenma grimaced slightly. "I… I might have accidentally suggested your boyfriend," he admitted, his tone sheepish.
"What?!" Shoyo exclaimed, leaning forward.
"I didn’t mean to!" Kenma said quickly, holding up his hands. "I just mentioned in passing that Kageyama’s got the perfect ‘cool and aloof’ vibe that fans seem to eat up. I didn’t think Kuroo would actually run with it!"
Shoyo groaned, burying his face in his hands. "So you’re telling me my boyfriend has been unintentionally roped into Kuroo-san’s social media schemes?"
Kenma nodded, looking almost apologetic. "Yeah. Except for that last clip—that wasn’t planned, I think. But the vlog and those carefully curated Instagram posts? That’s all Kuroo."
Shoyo groaned even louder, slumping back in his chair. "So this is all part of Kuroo-san’s evil marketing plan?"
Kenma shrugged. "Pretty much. But, to be fair, it’s working. Your boyfriend’s been trending like crazy."
Shoyo shot him a withering glare. "That doesn’t make me feel better, Kenma!"
Kenma tilted his head slightly, his lips twitching as though suppressing a smile. "Well, at least you know why it’s happening now."
"Great," Shoyo muttered sarcastically.
"Why don’t you check TikTok?" Kenma suggested nonchalantly, his eyes flicking back to his game. "Pretty sure Kuroo has something scheduled for today."
Shoyo froze. "Please not again," he groaned, already anticipating the worst.
But despite his complaints, he couldn’t resist reaching for his phone, opening the app with a resigned sigh.
The moment the feed loaded, he regretted it.
Right at the top of it, there was a video from JVA’s official account that nearly made him throw his phone across the room.
It was Kageyama. Doing pull-ups.
In his gym shirt this time.
Shoyo sat there, slack-jawed, as the video played on repeat. The shirt clung to Kageyama’s body like a second skin, highlighting every inch of muscle he’d worked so hard to build. The way his back flexed with each pull-up was almost hypnotic, and the sweat glistening on his skin wasn’t helping matters either.
And the caption? That damn caption.
"Setter Kageyama Tobio is preparing for the All-Star match!"
It was simple but clearly effective, judging by the millions of likes and comments flooding in.
"Are you kidding me?!" Shoyo groaned loudly, slapping his hand over his face.
Shoyo waved his phone at him in frustration, unable to form coherent words. "Look at this! Do you see what they’re doing to me?!"
Kenma took a slow sip of his tea before replying with the straightest face imaginable, "I see what they’re doing to Kageyama. And clearly, so does everyone else."
Shoyo groaned again, louder this time, slumping forward dramatically. He could already feel his face heating up.
"Don’t get a boner in my house, Shoyo," Kenma said flatly, not even bothering to look up from his game this time.
Shoyo jerked upright, his face turning an even deeper shade of red. "Kenma!" he shouted.
Kenma’s lips twitched slightly, though he managed to keep his poker face intact. "What? Just thought I’d remind you."
"You’re the worst," Shoyo muttered, burying his face in his hands as the video continued to loop on his phone.
Okay, Shoyo would admit it, he was a little jealous. But could anyone blame him? His boyfriend had been trending and catching the world’s attention far too often lately, and Shoyo figured it was only natural to feel at least slightly annoyed.
Because honestly, what kind of sane person wouldn’t get frustrated when half the internet was openly thirsting over your boyfriend? Yes, fine, Shoyo could admit Kageyama was ridiculously hot—but that didn’t matter because Kageyama had been off the market for years!
It wasn’t even like people didn’t know. They got caught once last year when Kageyama visited Shoyo in Brazil. A late-night date had somehow turned into a minor scandal when paparazzi snapped a shot of Kageyama walking with his arm wrapped very intimately around Shoyo’s waist. It had been chaotic, to say the least, when the pictures hit the internet.
Neither of them had commented on the incident when the news broke, choosing to stay silent and ride out the wave of speculation. But wasn’t it obvious? Like, wasn’t it a little too gay to hold a friend by the waist like that?
The hashtag #KageHina had even trended for days on Twitter, fueling debates, fan theories, and even fan art. And yet, somehow, the world seemed to have collectively forgotten about that whole ordeal. Now, they were acting like Kageyama Tobio was free real estate for everyone to drool over.
Shoyo huffed, crossing his arms. Forget a little jealous, this was clearly infuriating.
"What was infuriating?"
Shoyo nearly jumped out of his skin when Kageyama walked into the room, a towel draped around his neck. "You startled me, Bakageyama!" he hissed, clutching his chest for dramatic effect. Still, he scooted over on the bed to make space for his boyfriend.
Right, they were both staying in a hotel room booked by Kuroo for all the players participating in the All-Star match tomorrow. It was no surprise to anyone that Shoyo was paired with Kageyama, even though they’d be on opposing teams later.
"Not my fault you’re dozing off, dumbass," Kageyama grumbled. But still, though, he reached for Shoyo without hesitation, effortlessly pulling him onto his lap like Shoyo weighed nothing at all.
Shoyo’s face burned as Kageyama’s arms wrapped snugly around his waist. The warmth of Kageyama’s body seeped into his own, making it impossible to focus on his irritation.
"We haven’t seen each other in months, and yet you’re still pouting," Kageyama said, a slight frown creasing his brow. "Why’s that? Did I do something to piss you off?"
Shoyo swallowed hard, suddenly hyperaware of his expression. Was he even pouting? Now, what other choice did he have but to tell Kageyama the truth?
"How many posts does Kuroo-san have left for you to make?" Shoyo finally asked.
Kageyama blinked, then flushed a deep red that spread across his cheeks and down his neck. The sudden color against his pale skin was so unfairly attractive that Shoyo almost forgot why he was annoyed at the first place.
"You knew?" Kageyama asked with eyes widen in disbelief.
Shoyo rolled his eyes. "Duh, of course I knew! There’s no way you’d willingly do all that thirst-trap nonsense unless someone told you to!"
Kageyama didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he pulled Shoyo closer, resting his head against Shoyo’s chest. "You sound mad," he mumbled. "Are you mad?" he asked, tilting his head to look up at Shoyo.
Shoyo closed his eyes, mentally chanting stay strong, stay strong. For God’s sake, who would’ve thought the hot setter driving everyone insane lately could be so damn adorable?
Sucks to be all of you. This side of him is reserved for me only.
When Shoyo didn’t answer, Kageyama pouted. "You’re mad," he concluded, more to himself than to Shoyo.
It took everything Shoyo had not to give in right then and there. God, being Kageyama Tobio’s boyfriend was harder than anyone could imagine.
You never knew what kind of personality Kageyama was going to pull. One moment, he could be an absolute prick—hot and dominating, leaving Shoyo’s brain scrambled like an egg. On the flip side, he could turn into this clueless, sulky, and unfortunately adorable version of himself, the kind that made Shoyo want to bang his head against the nearest wall out of sheer frustration.
Right now, Kageyama was firmly in the latter category. And honestly, how was Shoyo supposed to stay mad when his boyfriend was sulking like a kicked puppy, arms wrapped tightly around him, looking so unfairly soft?
"Kuroo-san said you might like them," Kageyama muttered, pulling Shoyo even closer into his embrace. "He said it’s like killing two birds with one stone. I could attract more people to volleyball… and you."
Shoyo blinked once. Then twice. He stared, his brain short-circuiting as he tried to process what he’d just heard. "Wait, pause, hold on. You’re telling me you posted those thirst traps to attract fans… and me?"
Kageyama groaned, burying his face into Shoyo’s shoulder. "Yes," he admitted miserably. "But it’s obviously not working on you. You’re completely unfazed by them, I should’ve known." His pout deepened, and the sight of it nearly made Shoyo combust on the spot
"No, shit! I’ve been losing my mind these past few weeks because of you!" Shoyo cried in frustration, gently tugging at Kageyama’s hair.
"You have?" Kageyama asked, caught completely off guard by the sudden revelation. He leaned back slightly to get a better look at Shoyo’s face before adding, "But you sounded mad in your texts when the vlog came out, Shou."
Shoyo groaned, rubbing his face as if that would somehow ease his embarrassment. After a moment, he took a deep breath and stared back at Kageyama, who was now frowning, clearly waiting for an explanation
"I wasn’t mad, Yama," Shoyo said softly. "I was just… jealous? Yeah, that."
The answer didn’t seem to satisfy Kageyama’s curiosity, as his frown only deepened. "Jealous? Why would you be jealous?" he asked.
If Kageyama hadn’t sounded so genuinely confused, Shoyo might’ve been tempted to rip out a chunk of his hair. How could he not get it?
But Shoyo had to be patient. This was Kageyama he was dealing with. He could be hot as hell yet still dense as a fucking rock.
"You were wearing my tank top in that vlog," Shoyo began, trying to keep his tone gentle.
"Yeah, and I believe I already told you the reason?" Kageyama said, still clueless.
"Did you read the comments, though?" Shoyo asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.
Kageyama blinked, then shook his head. "I was busy with practice when the vlog came out, and then, I forgot to check them."
Shoyo stared at him, deadpan. Of course, Kageyama hadn’t checked. Of course, he thought, resisting the urge to scream. How this man managed to be both the hottest setter alive and the most oblivious person on Earth was beyond him.
It’s a good thing I love this guy, Shoyo thought.
He took a deep breath before continuing, "There were hundreds of people drooling over you and your arms, stupid," he explained, keeping it short and to the point.
Kageyama froze, blinking several times as though his brain was trying to catch up. Finally, he asked, "But, isn’t it normal to wear a tank top to the gym?"
Shoyo sighed, rolling his eyes fondly. He reached for the towel draped around Kageyama’s neck, gently brushing it over his boyfriend’s damp hair. "Sure, but your case is an exception, Yama. You’ve got a ton of fans, and considering how they were asking you to step on them or suffocate them with your arms, I’d say they’re definitely not normal either."
It was almost comical how fast Kageyama’s face turned crimson. The realization of just how much effect his post had clearly hit him like a truck.
"That would be attempted murder," Kageyama mumbled under his breath, closing his eyes as Shoyo continued drying his hair.
If I die being suffocated to death by those arms, then so be it, Shoyo thought to himself, a traitorous grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
"And you’re jealous because of that?" Kageyama asked hesitantly, as though still trying to process the whole situation.
Shoyo let out a frustrated sigh this time. "How would you feel if I posted a picture of me, half-naked, and people kept saying they wanted to fuck me?" he barked, glaring at his boyfriend.
Kageyama’s frown deepened instantly. His expression darkened, and the hands that had been resting innocently on Shoyo’s waist tightened into a possessive grip, pulling him closer without hesitation.
"Calm down, tiger," Shoyo whined, squirming as Kageyama’s grip on his waist grew firm.
"Don’t say shit like that ever again," Kageyama growled, low and dangerously quiet, before leaning in to bite the soft skin of Shoyo’s neck.
Shoyo’s breath hitched as he tried to keep himself grounded, his thighs twitching slightly as Kageyama’s lips moved from his neck to trail kisses down his shoulders. It was taking every ounce of self-control not to grind against Kageyama’s lap.
"Now imagine being me!" Shoyo snapped suddenly, tugging at Kageyama’s hair to pull him away before things spiraled out of control. His voice was high-pitched with frustration as he continued, "I had to deal with that for weeks!"
Kageyama blinked, his lips slightly parted as he stared at Shoyo’s flushed face. And then, to Shoyo’s utter annoyance, the pout returned.
Kageyama leaned in not long after, pressing a soft kiss to Shoyo’s pouty lips. "I’m sorry," he said gently. "I didn’t know about that. I just thought those posts would attract more fans to volleyball."
Shoyo sighed, wrapping his arms around Kageyama’s shoulders before pressing another kiss to his boyfriend’s lips. "Well, it’s working wonders, I suppose," he admitted begrudgingly.
Kageyama grinned, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction, before he closed them and caught Shoyo’s lips in a deeper kiss.
For Shoyo, this was exactly what he needed after weeks of stewing in jealousy. Nothing soothed his insecurities like being held and kissed passionately by the very person he’d been so possessive over.
Eventually, they pulled back after a while, both knowing they couldn’t take things further with tomorrow’s match looming over them. Still, Shoyo whined softly as Kageyama’s hands began to rub gentle circles on his thigh, his lips trailing over Shoyo’s face in soft, lingering kisses.
"Shoyo," Kageyama whispered breathlessly.
Shoyo, who was still trying to rein in his racing hormones, could only hum in response.
"Would you be mad again if I said Kuroo-san might have another post lined up for me?"
Shoyo’s eyes snapped open in an instant, locking onto Kageyama’s suddenly guilty expression. "Are you serious, Tobio?" he groaned. "What now?! Another vlog? Another Thirst-Tok?"
Kageyama hesitated, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously before he confessed, "It’s a TikTok video, yes. But it’s just a Christmas greeting, though."
Shoyo frowned for a moment. A Christmas greeting didn’t sound that bad. How bad could it be?
He didn’t respond to his boyfriend, simply grabbing his phone from the nightstand and opening the app to check it out.
Kageyama, on the other hand, buried his face in Shoyo’s shoulder, muttering, "Please don’t be mad" and "Blame Kuroo-san for the posts."
As Shoyo searched for the JVA official account, he couldn’t help but feel his heart race.
When he finally saw the video, a shot of Kageyama dressed in a Santa outfit that seemed to be tighter than his skin, a desperate groan automatically slipped from Shoyo’s tongue.
The caption—“Santa-yama is ready to bless your Christmas!”—made hundreds of people in the comments go insane, apparently.
Shoyo groaned loudly, dragging a hand down his face as if to physically hold back his rising frustration, while Kageyama peeked up at him with a guilty, sheepish smile.
Shoyo glared at him then, his voice sharp and incredulous as he barked, "What are you, a slut?!"
Despite his initial frustration, Shoyo played exceptionally well in the All-Star match—too well, even.
He decided to channel his annoyance toward Kageyama into the game. Every time it was his turn to serve, he deliberately targeted Kageyama’s position on the court. Sure, his serves weren’t as powerful as Kageyama’s, but they’d improved significantly. And judging by the way Kageyama struggled to return a few of them, Shoyo felt a small sense of satisfaction.
Of course, his petty antics didn’t go unnoticed.
Take Oikawa, for example, who kept giggling annoyingly whenever Shoyo targeted Kageyama. Though Oikawa didn’t complain about Shoyo’s plan to give Kageyama a hard time, Shoyo still had to put up with Oikawa’s obnoxious attitude.
And then there was Suna, who Shoyo thought would be calm and chill. But he was wrong, very wrong. He should’ve known better, considering Suna was good friends with Atsumu as well.
The middle blocker even had the audacity to tease him openly with a snarky "Couple fight, huh?", not to mention there was also an annoying grin etched across his face.
Still, despite the teasing and chaos, Shoyo couldn’t deny how much fun he was having. Volleyball had always been fun, but this was something more.
Maybe it was because he was playing alongside so many talented players he hadn’t seen in years. Or maybe it was because he got to play against Kageyama, which felt like a nostalgic feeling to their rivalries.
By the time the final rally came, Shoyo was practically glowing with adrenaline. His quick movements and sharp instincts managed to fool Bokuto, leaving an opening for Romero to land the decisive point on the opposite side of the net.
The commentator’s voice boomed across the gym: "A world-class decoy, Hinata Shoyo!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd, accompanied by praise for Oikawa’s flawless set and Romero’s thunderous spike that secured Team A’s victory
The entire gym buzzed with energy, celebrating Team A’s win. Romero quickly hoisted Oikawa into the air as the latter laughed in his usual annoying way.
Shoyo stood off to the side for a moment, wiping the sweat from his forehead, his chest heaving from exertion. When he turned his head, his eyes immediately locked with Kageyama’s across the court.
Kageyama, who was still catching his breath, tilted his head slightly and offered a small smile—probably his way of congratulating Shoyo for coming out on top this time.
But Shoyo, still feeling a little sulky over the lingering frustration, simply stuck out his tongue at him before turning away to join his team in celebrating their victory.
The grin on his face, however, betrayed just how much fun he’d really had.
The aftermath of the match was equally enjoyable.
When Kuroo called for a group photo, both teams gathered together. Kageyama wasted no time securing a spot right next to Shoyo. Though their hands briefly intertwined as the photo was taken, it went unnoticed by the camera thanks to the rows of seated players in front and the taller ones standing behind them. Shoyo, momentarily forgetting his earlier frustration, smiled brightly as their fingers intertwined.
Once the photo session ended, they discreetly let go. While Kageyama headed straight to the locker room right after that, Shoyo lingered to catch up with Bokuto and Atsumu, his former teammates.
The three chatted as they walked back to the locker room, laughter echoing in the halls.
"But seriously, Hinata was so fired up today," Bokuto said enthusiastically. "Right, Tsum-tsum? I almost forgot he’s a world-class decoy! Was it because you got to play against Kageyama again?"
Atsumu grinned knowingly. "Pretty sure it wasn’t just that," he teased.
Shoyo rolled his eyes, waving off the comment. "Oh, stop it already."
Atsumu only chuckled, holding the locker room door open for Shoyo and Bokuto.
Inside, Bokuto immediately headed toward his old Fukurodani teammate, while Shoyo scanned the room for one particular raven-haired setter.
As if know what he was searching for, Atsumu tapped his shoulder and said, "Over there," while pointed to Kageyama, who was seated in the corner, scrolling through his phone with a towel draped over his neck.
"Thanks, Tsumu-san!" Shoyo chirped before making a beeline toward his boyfriend.
"Kageyama!" he called out cheerfully. Kageyama glanced up, only to have Shoyo throw himself at him without hesitation.
Kageyama reacted just in time though, letting out a startled squeak as he caught Shoyo in his arms. "Dumbass, Hinata, dumbass!" he yelled, glaring at his boyfriend, who only giggled innocently in return.
"Looks like our freak duo has finally made up, huh?" Yaku’s voice chimed in, accompanied by Yamamoto and Suna who was holding up his phone.
"We weren’t even figh— wait, Suna-san, are you taking a picture of us?!" Shoyo grumbled, glaring at the middle blocker.
"Yup. For my collection."
Shoyo huffed, about to retort when Kageyama, all of sudden, interjected. "Would you mind sharing that picture with me, Suna-san?"
Shoyo whipped his head around to glare at Kageyama who was practically still holding him in his arms in disbelief. "Yama?!"
Suna raised an eyebrow, ignoring Shoyo completely. "Oh? You want it?"
Kageyama nodded firmly. "Yes, please. Send it to me."
Shoyo groaned loudly, utterly exasperated. Meanwhile, Kageyama’s phone chimed with a notification, and Suna winked smugly.
Yaku and Yamamoto, on the other hand, burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying the chaos.
Shoyo was in the middle of drying his hair after a pleasant dinner with all the players.
He had left the dining hall early, unable to endure the uncomfortable feeling of being drenched in sweat any longer.
Kageyama, surprisingly, had chosen to stay behind, explaining that he wanted to chat with Hoshiumi, Ushijima and Romero, his former teammates, some more. Shoyo hadn’t minded at all—he loved seeing Kageyama socialize beyond volleyball. With a quick peck on Kageyama’s cheek, Shoyo had left for their room.
Now, back in the hotel room, Shoyo frowned as his phone buzzed incessantly with notifications. He was certain he’d muted his latest Instagram post about the match earlier. So, what was causing this chaos?
Still puzzled, he grabbed his phone from the nightstand. His frown melted into a smile when he noticed the notification on his lock screen: "kageyamatobio tagged you in a post."
Chuckling to himself, Shoyo assumed it was a group photo from earlier. That would explain the flood of notifications.
Settling onto the bed, he unlocked his phone and opened Instagram, expecting nothing out of the ordinary.
But what greeted him wasn’t exactly the group photo.
It was the picture of the two of them that Suna had taken earlier in the locker room.
The photo was slightly blurry but in the most aesthetic way possible. Shoyo’s laughing face was still clear, and Kageyama’s famous scowl made its appearance. But it was the way Kageyama’s arms were wrapped possessively around Shoyo that stole his breath. The picture radiated an intimacy that sent Shoyo’s heart racing, beating so fast it felt like it might burst from his chest.
The post was only a few minutes old but already had over 100,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
kageyamatobio with hinatashoyo
[Photo attached]
❤️💭
Liked by kourai and 129,910 others.
kageyamatobio: @hinatashoyo’s team won tonight, but I’d say I win in life since I have this little gremlin all to myself.
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Suna.rin: Everyone say ‘thank you Suna’ for taking that picture.
JVA_Volleyball: What a very lovely COUPLE! We wish you all the happiness this year can bring. 💙🧡
kodzuken: @JVA_Volleyball are you freaking out because kageyama was mad at you and your schemes lol
Shoyo groaned, covering his face with his hands. Leave it to Kageyama to post something so bold and sweet at the same time. But deep down, he couldn’t help but feel a warmth spreading through his chest.
The comment section was still buzzing, filled with their friends’ playful teasing. But it was the fans’ reactions that truly overwhelmed Shoyo.
Some were shocked. Others claimed they had always expected this. And, of course, there were those still clinging to denial, refusing to believe that Kageyama was actually gay.
Shoyo buried his face in his hands, his cheeks burning from the sheer embarrassment of it all. He was still processing the whirlwind of attention when his phone buzzed with a text from none other than Kageyama himself.
Bakageyama:
Now the whole world knows they’ve been thirsting over your boyfriend.
Shoyo blinked at the message before a smile crept across his face.
As flustered as he was, Shoyo couldn’t help but admit that he liked this side of Kageyama. Maybe this was his favorite, after all.