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“I’m sor-“
The apology was interrupted by a series of coughs followed by a sneeze into the receiver.
Hinata inhaled deeply trying to regain his bearings and wiped his nose with the sleeve of his hoodie.
“Sho? You still there?”
With wide eyes, Hinata fumbled with the phone and hurriedly pressed it to his ear again. “Yeah! Yeah. I’m here. I’m fine.” Clearly he wasn’t fine and he knew his boyfriend would be able to hear the truth in his voice.
“ Shouyou .” Kageyama said and Hinata could practically feel the concern radiating off of him through the phone.
Hinata sighed in reluctance and the next sniffle sounding less sickly and more of sadness. “I don’t. I don’t think I’ll make it to my flight today. I feel……terrible,” Hinata finished, his voice cracking slightly. He hated admitting it, hated letting Kageyama down when they’d both been looking forward to this. “I’m so sorry, ‘Yama. I wanted to see you so bad.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, long enough for Hinata to worry Kageyama might be upset. Instead, when his boyfriend spoke again, his voice was steady, warm, and reassuring.
“Shouyou, don’t apologize. You’re sick. You need to rest.”
“But we haven’t seen each other in months,” Hinata said, his words tumbling out in a mix of frustration and heartache. “I was counting down the days, Tobio. I—” He stopped, his throat tightening with emotion.
“I know,” Kageyama interrupted gently, cutting through Hinata’s spiral. “I was counting, too. But right now, I care more about you getting better. We’ll figure it out.”
“How? My next break isn’t for ages, it’s the holidays, and I don’t even know when I’ll have enough money to fly out there…” Hinata trailed off, burying his face into the crook of his arm to stifle another cough.
“Hey, dumbass,” Kageyama said firmly, sounding too much like his high school self. “Don’t worry about that right now. Just focus on feeling better. I’ll handle the rest.”
Hinata blinked, caught off guard by the calm certainty in Tobio’s voice. “Handle it? What does that mean?”
“You’ll see,” Kageyama said simply, a hint of something playful in his tone. “For now, promise me you’ll rest, drink water, and stop apologizing.”
“Tobio—”
“Promise me, Shouyou.”
Hinata huffed, a small pout forming despite himself. “Fine. I promise.”
“Good. Now get some sleep. I’ll call you later.”
As the call ended, Hinata stared at the phone in his hands, feeling a mixture of comfort and curiosity. Kageyama sounded so sure, but how could he possibly fix the distance between them?
Hinata didn’t know, but something about Tobio’s voice made him believe that maybe, just maybe, they’d see each other sooner than he thought.
The next few days were a haze of tissues, lukewarm tea, and restless naps on the couch. Hinata had never been great at staying still, but the fever made even sitting up feel like running drills during peak summer heat. His hoodie had practically become a second skin, and his blanket—a patchwork gift from his sister—rarely left his shoulders.
He kept his phone close, the small glow of notifications serving as a lifeline to the world outside his small apartment. Kageyama checked in regularly, their conversations brief but just what Hinata needed.
“Did you eat today?” Kageyama would ask.
“Yeah. I made soup.”
“Real soup or instant?”
Hinata groaned. “It counts, okay?”
Despite his boyfriend’s efforts to keep him entertained from a thousand miles away, loneliness wrapped around Hinata like his blanket. The ache in his chest wasn’t just from being sick—it was from missing him. Every time he drifted into an uneasy sleep, he dreamed of walking through the airport and seeing Tobio waiting for him, his expression as stoic as ever but his eyes lighting up the way they always did when they met.
When he wasn’t napping or talking to Kageyama, Hinata tried to distract himself. He scrolled through photos on his phone, lingering on the ones of them together: Kageyama smirking at the camera while Hinata grinned wide and goofy; their hands intertwined during a walk; a blurry shot of Kageyama mid-practice, taken without permission.
But the distraction didn’t last long. His throat hurt too much to laugh, and his energy dipped after even the smallest task.
By the third day, his fever finally started to break, but his energy remained low. He shuffled to the kitchen to make more tea, only to find himself slumping against the counter, staring blankly at the kettle. His heart ached almost as much as his body.
“ I should be with him right now ,” he thought miserably. “ We should be watching dumb movies or practicing serves or—anything but this.”
As he dragged himself back to the couch, his phone buzzed again. He grabbed it, expecting another check-in from Kageyama, but this time it was a video call request.
“Ugh,” Hinata muttered, glancing at his reflection in the dark screen. He looked like a wreck, but he answered anyway.
Tobio’s face appeared, his sharp blue eyes immediately scanning Hinata’s flushed cheeks and disheveled hair. “You look terrible,” he said bluntly, but there was a softness in his tone that made Hinata smile weakly.
“Thanks. You always know what to say to cheer me up.”
Kageyama rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. “I wanted to see how you’re really doing. Talking on the phone isn’t enough.”
“I’m alive,” Hinata said with a shrug. “Barely.”
Kageyama frowned at the screen. “Are you resting enough? Drinking water?”
“Yes, Mom .”
Kageyama glared, but his lips twitched in amusement. “Good. Keep it up.”
They talked for a little while longer, Kageyama recounting a story about a practice match that left Hinata chuckling softly despite his sore throat. When they finally hung up, Hinata felt a little lighter.
He still missed his boyfriend like crazy, but at least now, he didn’t feel quite so alone.
Hinata had been feeling almost like himself again—no fever, no cough, just a little leftover fatigue. He could move around without his legs wobbling, and for the first time in days, he managed to finish a full meal.
But something else gnawed at him.
Kageyama’s silence.
It wasn’t like him. They had their routines, even in the off-season. A quick check-in, a call before bed—it was normal for them, especially when they were apart. But now it had been nearly 24 hours since Hinata had last heard from him, and every passing minute made the pit in his stomach grow deeper.
Is he mad? Did something happen? Hinata’s mind spun with worst-case scenarios as he paced his small apartment.
When his phone finally buzzed, he practically dove for it.
“Finally!” Hinata exclaimed, answering the call after seeing his boyfriend’s contact picture pop up.
On the other end, Kageyama face appeared, his expression calm but the background noise was chaotic. The sound of people talking, music playing, and occasional bursts of laughter filtered through.
“Tobio! Where are you?” Hinata asked, squinting at the screen.
Kageyama adjusted his camera, the angle awkward as though he were trying to keep his surroundings out of view. “I’m just out in the city to meet Miwa. It’s nothing.”
Hinata frowned, tilting his head. “It doesn’t sound like nothing. Are you sure-”
“Yes,” Tobio said quickly, his eyes shifting for a split second before meeting Hinata’s again. “Things are busier because of the holidays. Don’t worry about it.”
The explanation felt thin, but Hinata didn’t push. He was just happy to see Tobio’s face and hear his voice after the long silence.
“I missed you,” Hinata said, his voice softer now.
Kageyama’s expression softened, too. “I missed you, too. Feeling better?”
“Yeah,” Hinata said with a nod. “Still a little tired, but I’m okay now. You’d better be careful, though. If I got you sick, I’d never forgive myself.”
“I won’t get sick,” Kageyama said firmly, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Hinata rolled his eyes but couldn’t help grinning. For a moment, it felt like everything was back to normal. But then Kageyama’s tone shifted.
“Hey, Shouyou,” he said, glancing off-screen briefly before returning his focus.
“Yeah?”
“There’s a surprise coming for you later tonight. To make up for us missing Christmas together.”
Hinata blinked. “A surprise? What kind of surprise?”
“You’ll see,” Kageyama said cryptically, his smirk widening just enough to make Hinata’s heart race.
“Tobio! Don’t do that! You know I hate waiting!” Hinata whined, flopping dramatically onto his couch.
Kageyama chuckled, the sound making Hinata’s chest feel warm. “You’ll survive. Just wait. Trust me.”
Before Hinata could press him further, Kageyama said goodbye and ended the call, leaving Hinata staring at his phone with a mix of excitement and nerves.
Now all he could do was wait—and waiting was not his strong suit.
Hinata sat cross-legged on his couch, bouncing slightly as his restless energy refused to settle. His phone sat on the coffee table in front of him, the screen dark but still taunting him with the cryptic promise Kageyama had left him with earlier: “A surprise is coming later tonight.”
His mind raced with possibilities.
What could it be? he wondered, his fingers tugging at the hem of his hoodie. A package? Something he ordered online? The thought of Kageyama taking the time to arrange anything made Hinata’s heart flutter, but the mystery was driving him insane.
He glanced at the clock for the hundredth time. It was nearly 9 p.m., and the anticipation was starting to morph into anxiety. “What if it’s something I need to sign for?” he mumbled to himself, glancing down at his pajamas. He didn’t look anywhere close to presentable, but he couldn’t bring himself to change.
Just as he debated grabbing a snack to distract himself, there was a knock at the door.
Hinata froze, his heart skipping a beat. It’s here!
He scrambled off the couch, nearly tripping over the corner of the coffee table in his haste. His socked feet skidded slightly on the floor as he reached the door, his hand hovering over the doorknob.
What if it’s not the surprise? What if it’s just a neighbor or something?
Pushing the thought aside, he took a deep breath and opened the door.
What he saw made him stop in his tracks.
“Tobio?” Hinata’s asked a little breathlessly, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of his boyfriend standing in the doorway.
Kageyama looked worn from travel, his hair slightly messy, and his usual composed posture a little slouched. But there he was, alive and real and here.
“How are you feeling?” Kageyama asked, his voice low and steady, as if he hadn’t just turned Hinata’s entire world upside down.
“Better, why?” Hinata replied automatically, his brain struggling to keep up.
His boyfriend didn’t answer with words. Instead, he stepped forward, cupping Hinata’s cheek with one hand and kissing him—firm and passionate, as if every second they’d spent apart was poured into this single moment.
Hinata’s knees nearly gave out, but he leaned into the kiss, his hands clutching at the other’s jacket to anchor himself. The warmth, the familiarity, the sheer presence of Kageyama—it all hit him at once, and he felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes.
When they finally broke apart, Kageyama’s forehead rested against Hinata’s, his breath mingling with Hinata’s as they both tried to steady themselves.
“How?” Hinata managed to croak, his voice thick with emotion. “What? What are you doing here? You should be in—”
“Tokyo,” Kageyama finished for him, his lips quirking into a small, tired smile. “But I couldn’t stay there. Not while you were here, sick and alone.”
Hinata stared at him, his heart swelling as his chest tightened. “You… flew all the way to Brazil? For me?”
“Obviously,” Kageyama said like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Hinata felt a laugh bubble up in his throat, mixing with the tears that now spilled freely down his cheeks. “You’re… you’re so stupid,” he said, his voice trembling.
“Maybe,” Kageyama said with a shrug, his hands steadying Hinata. “But I missed you. And I wanted to be here.”
Hinata didn’t reply. Instead, he threw his arms around Kageyama, holding him so tightly that neither of them could breathe properly. But neither of them cared.
Tobio was here. Hinata wasn’t alone. And for the first time in days, the world felt whole again.