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"So do you sometimes…" Kageyama Tobio hesitated, but couldn’t say it. "No. Never mind."
Maybe it was the silence of his apartment, the grey light filtering in from the rainy day, or the coziness of Hinata’s setup on the other side of the world, already tucked in bed, the soft glow of a lamp illuminating his face. Whatever it was, there was something particularly comforting about this peculiar call.
Fuck it.
"Do you ever get homesick at all?"
Kageyama held his breath, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. He and Hinata had been calling for weeks, but he’d never dared to ask the question that had been sitting on the tip of his tongue for what felt like forever now.
"Mmm," Hinata pondered for a moment, his tongue sticking out, a telltale sign that he was really thinking about it.
Kageyama was grateful Hinata didn’t try to dig any further. His friend’s quiet pondering gave him a moment to notice how much darker his skin had gotten, almost bronze now. Months in Brazil had subtly transformed him: he looked bulkier now, older maybe, but prettier too.
Really pretty.
"I think I was at first, but I’m okay now," Hinata finally confessed with his ever-beaming smile.
He’d been on the other side of the world for a year and a half, but he didn’t seem to mind it at all. Each video call, Hinata still shone brighter than the Brazilian sun itself. Kageyama was starting to dread that he liked it a little too much, and unbeknownst to him, the news of a longer trip might be hanging over his head.
"Why did you ask?" Hinata inquired, his big brown eyes widening as he brought his phone closer to his face, as if trying to see him better.
The gesture made Kageyama scoff, the knot in his stomach slowly loosening. Hinata cared. He always did.
"Nothing, dumbass. Just curious."
Clearly, Hinata didn’t believe him, but he stayed quiet. These calls were still fairly new, and neither of them dared cross some invisible lines they had drawn over the years.
During the first year Hinata was away, they had barely talked, just exchanged a few pictures and congratulations in some common group chats. But Kageyama’s stupid brain—or, well, genius, he still debated—had accidentally hit the call button one night while scrolling through his contacts. So in a way, he had made the first move. Still, embarrassed, he hung up almost immediately.
Yet that accidental call led to an hour-long conversation the next day, with Hinata pressing him for an explanation for the sudden reaching out. Then came the weekly chats. Now, they were creeping closer to the three-day mark. Not that Kageyama minded.
"Were you homesick when you were away at the last World Championship?" Hinata asked quietly, studying him.
His voice was so much softer than usual, almost as if he were trying to lull Kageyama to sleep. Kageyama didn’t look at the screen as he shrugged.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to admit to someone who’d spent almost two years on another continent—and was clearly fine with it—that three weeks away from home had thrown him off his axis. And if he was really honest, the feeling had haunted him for so long he’d stopped keeping track.
Kageyama's silence seemed to be enough of an answer for Hinata.
"You know what? I think I’ll always be a little homesick," his friend finally confessed with a soft chuckle, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Part of me will, at least. I miss Japan. I miss the food. Oh, and I miss Mom and Natsu. I miss you… GUYS! You guys!”
While his face flushing a deeper shade of red, Hinata spat out the last words like they burned his tongue. Kageyama nodded, letting a small smirk curl his lips, clearly amused by his friend’s antics.
"So it’s okay if you ever feel like this too," Hinata added with a genuine smile. "Maybe you’re not as far from home, but you’re away a lot, too."
He was right. Maybe that was it. Kageyama hated how the years in Brazil had made Hinata so wise. It irked him, and well, even made him a little jealous.
"Well, I’m not," Kageyama lied.
He could bet that Hinata didn’t believe him one bit. And just from the way the redhead looked at him through the screen, Kageyama was sure Yamaguchi or Suga would be calling within the hour after this call ended. Even from miles away, he would do anything he could to take care of him, just like the great vice-captain he once was.
"Don’t send the others after me," Kageyama warned him, though there was no bite to his words.
Hinata cackled, not even trying to deny it.
"I need to go," Kageyama said, glancing at the time. They’d been talking for over an hour now, and it was obvious his friend was getting tired.
"Okay. Let’s talk soon, Yama-yama," Hinata cheered, rubbing his eyes, already drooping with sleep.
As Kageyama hit the end call button, his stomach fluttering with feelings he no longer tried to hide.
◇───────◇───────◇
The good thing about being in the same country—even if not in the same city—was that the time difference wasn’t an issue anymore, Kageyama thought as he rummaged through his bag. If he wanted to call Hinata right now, he could, and it would be a perfectly reasonable time for him to do so.
It had been a few weeks since Hinata settled in Osaka. Kageyama knew that as soon as Hinata landed in Japan, he had rushed straight there, too eager to wait even a second longer, determined to earn a spot on a V.League team. And of course, he had. Kageyama had expected nothing less from him.
One thing had always been true, he had always admired Hinata’s hunger to take the court and prove to anyone what he was made of. After all, it was the thread that had tied them together from the very start. So he would always deeply respect it, even when it became the very thing that pulled Hinata away from him.
Because yes, their paths still hadn’t crossed. And that alone was starting to make Kageyama bitter. Did he wish that Hinata had asked to see him now that they were back in the same country? Had he hoped, somehow, that Hinata would ask him to pick him up at the airport or something? Maybe. Not that he would ever tell a soul.
And truth be told, he’d been busy. His team had flown out for an international tournament almost the second Hinata set foot in the country again. With a heavy heart, Kageyama had to admit he couldn’t miss that opportunity, the Schweiden Adlers needed that time together before the season began.
As he returned to Japan today, Kageyama had a moment of hesitation—or maybe a surge of madness, he couldn’t say—as he briefly considered taking a small detour to Osaka. At that point, it felt like a need to witness with his own eyes that Hinata was really standing on the MSBY Black Jackals’ court, in Japan; to see for himself that the man haunting his dreams was truly back, that it wasn’t just a fantasy.
But in the end, Kageyama didn’t. If Hinata wanted to prioritize his growing career, that was his choice, and he wouldn’t get in the way.
And he had to remember that he wouldn’t be left out for long. In a week—almost to the day—he would meet Hinata on the court in a match so thrilling that Kageyama was nearly shaking just thinking about it. The Schweiden Adlers would face the MSBY Black Jackals here in Sendai, and Kageyama could hardly imagine how high the tension would run that night.
God. Only a week . He could wait, Kageyama thought, as he finally sat down in the silent kitchen of his family home, and waited. As soon as he got to his old place, the first thing he did was to go for a run, then hop in the shower. Now, he was considering calling Hinata.
Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Something held him back these days. Maybe because he still hadn’t seen him. A voice—a very nasty and intrusive voice from the back of his mind—kept telling him that maybe Hinata didn’t want to see him at all, that he had found someone else, that he…
His phone interrupted his rumination just in time. Noticing the name on the screen made his stomach do a somersault.
"Hey, ‘Nata," Kageyama answered just as fast as his heart was beating now.
"Hey Yamaaaa," Hinata sing-sang.
He looked so different now. His tan was still deep and the way he carried himself had changed too, as he stood straighter, maybe even prouder. But, at the same time, Hinata remained exactly the same: his mop of orange hair was always as unruly as ever, and the dimples on his cheeks were still noticeable whenever he beamed at the world. Both foreign and yet so familiar, the sight of him made Kageyama long to see him even more.
"Are you home now?" Hinata inquired, grinning from ear to ear.
Since he’d been back, Hinata looked like he’d stolen a pocket of Brazilian sunshine and was now carrying its light within him. Maybe that glow came from inside, from the fact that he was bursting with happiness, too ecstatic to finally be fulfilling his dream.
It suited him well.
With that thought, Kageyama began to realize just how hard it was becoming to ignore all those feelings nagging at him, especially when Hinata kept looking like that.
“Yeah, made it not too long ago,” Kageyama muttered, still lost in his thoughts.
Hinata suddenly let out a little gasp, picking up his phone to take a closer look at the screen. From this angle, Kageyama could only make out his blurred face, which was getting redder by the second.
"Yama, you’re…"
Kageyama glanced around and realized he was wearing only a towel tied at his hips, "Oh. Sorry."
He wasn’t sorry at all, but no one needed to know.
"No, it’s okay. I promise," Hinata whispered, but he still looked flustered. "You don’t have too. Don’t."
Kageyama had started to look around for a shirt, but hearing the urgency in Hinata’s tone, he stopped in his tracks. Yet, he didn’t hide his devilish smirk. Okay, he hadn’t done it on purpose, but now that he knew that was the kind of reaction he’d get, he wouldn’t change a thing.
There was more of that now. Obvious stares. Soft admissions. Awkward attempts to flirt, on both sides. At first, Kageyama had been pretty sure he had started to imagine things, but it was happening so much lately that even he couldn’t deny something was slowly brewing between them in the intimacy of those calls.
"How was training?" Kageyama asked to change the subject, ruffling his wet hair with a second towel.
Hinata blinked a few times before hiding his reddening face in his hands.
"Very well. I cannot wait for us to crush your team next week," Hinata grinned, finally regaining his cool.
Kageyama flashed a competitive smirk too.
"Oh yeah? Let’s see about that."
Hinata shook his head, giggling. Then he asked about Kageyama’s trip back home and his recent tournament, jabbering about the games he’d watched and some plays he liked the most. Kageyama just smiled at him, adding some commentary whenever he could get a word in.
In the midst of this whirlwind of excitement, he strangely felt at peace.
"Ah, I cannot wait for our game next week," Hinata finally concluded with a sigh, resting his head on his crossed arms on the table, still peeking at the screen.
"Yeah. Me too," Kageyama admitted with a shy smile.
"Hey, Yama… I wanted to know. Did you feel homesick when you were away?" Hinata asked, his voice still soft, always so cautious whenever he brushed on that subject.
He’d brought it up a lot since Kageyama first mentioned it. It was easier to talk about it now.
"I don’t know. I guess I was. Are you?"
Hinata nodded, gazing at something Kageyama couldn’t see, before he returned his focus to the screen.
"Yeah. You’re so lucky to be back home. You have no idea. It wasn’t that bad before, but now? I’d give anything to be here too."
Hinata looked at him through the screen, really looking at him, showing he meant every word.
And Kageyama glanced around him, at the empty house he was in, lacking warmth, decor, or anything he truly felt attached to. His parents probably hadn’t set foot in it for weeks. He hadn’t either, not in months. Having Hinata here would clearly make a world of difference.
"I’d like that too… I’m not sure I feel better here," he confessed in a small voice.
Hinata straightened up, face tense as he fought to hide his worry. Still, Kageyama could read him like an open book and easily guess what Hinata was thinking. They’d talked before about how much he disliked his house, and Hinata’s reaction was always the same.
"Go to my house then! My mom and Natsu would be so happy to see you. With Natsu leaving soon, I’m sure my mom would love the company. I can call her!" he offered, talking a mile a minute.
Once again, with that idea, Hinata just proved how much he cared. He always did.
"It’s okay. I promise." And before Hinata could even add another word, Kageyama cut him off. "I don’t want to go without you. But… thank you."
Kageyama wasn’t sure that going to Hinata’s home would really make him feel better. Most likely, it would only make him miss him more and he wasn’t sure how much more of this he could handle right now.
"You’re sure? I’m sure you can call Suga or Yama or even Tsukishima. He’s got this new place, Yama sent me the pictures…"
Kageyama grunted.
"Hinata."
And Hinata gave him his ever-sunny smile.
"Okay, okay. But promise me you’ll come with me next week. Mom would be delighted to have you home." Then Hinata took a long breath and finished, "And I would be too."
For once, Kageyama’s smile might have rivaled Hinata’s own, as he muttered, "Yeah, me too."
◇───────◇───────◇
"So, where are you now?"
Kageyama could hear a hint of annoyance in Hinata’s voice on the other end of the call. He sounded a little breathless, and Kageyama could barely make out his words over the loud music and laughter around him.
"The rooftop," the setter conceded with a smile.
The view from up there was too pretty to ignore. City lights shimmered around him, the hum of life below drifting up through the air. That, and the steady ache in his bones after a long week, felt strangely comforting.
Hinata let out a shaky laugh.
"Oh, of course. I should have known. Is that even allowed?"
It was now common knowledge around the National team that Kageyama Tobio wasn’t one for partying. But ever since a certain redhead started tagging along—it took no time for Hinata to stand out to recruiters—it also became increasingly common to spot the quiet setter lingering in the background during the team’s nights out.
Not that he ever stayed out late. Kageyama was always the first to slip away into the shadows, and now, rarely without company.
"Guess you’ll have to come find out," Kageyama whispered, his voice turning a little huskier.
Hinata giggled.
"So you really did take a shot with Omi behind my back, didn’t you?"
Kageyama scoffed. There weren’t many things he could hide from his boyfriend when he knew him like the back of his hand.
"Mmm, it’s the only way to survive those nights with you guys. Where are you now?"
"Meanie-yama,” Hinata chuckled, before adding, “I’m on my way."
The call ended and still, a thrill of anticipation ran through Kageyama’s whole body. He really hoped this feeling would never die.
And he was pretty sure it wouldn’t. Not when hearing the door open sent a rush through him and seeing Hinata’s bright smile made his knees go weak.
Yeah, he was done for .
"There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you," Hinata sighed as he ran to him, glancing at the terrace where a few others were scattered about, quietly chatting. "Bokuto thought you left and got sad that the tournament’s over, and Atsumu was mad because he said we always go to bed first and…"
As soon as he was within reach, Kageyama cupped his face and silenced him with a tender kiss, swallowing the rest of his word. Hinata sighed happily against his lips.
"You see, how am I supposed to resist going to bed early when it means I get to have this?" Hinata mused as he started peppering kisses across Kageyama’s face.
Hinata’s hands carefully trailed over his body. After a year now, they now knew exactly what to brush to soothe, what to tease to ignite, and what to flick to draw out the most indecent sounds from him.
Now, at 23 years of age, Kageyama had finally realized that those light touches and the fluttering sound of Hinata’s giggles were all it took to ease his hardships. Nothing more. Nothing else.
They sat down in a quieter seating area on the ground, surrounded by some throw pillows. Despite a couple of people hanging out nearby, Hinata settled directly into his lap, almost like a cat, resting his head in the crook of his neck. Kageyama’s arms caged him in, holding him close, too happy to be able to.
This week, it had been the first time Hinata had officially joined the National Team on a trip, and certainly not the last. Kageyama knew he was biased, but he could confidently say that his boyfriend had made the biggest difference on the court, that his ever-beaming energy had infected everyone around him, pushing them to give it their all.
And maybe that was why—for once—loss didn’t taste as bitter on his tongue. Only the urge to grow stronger, to improve even more, remained as the aftertaste of this entire week. And Kageyama's heart was already racing at the thought of conquering the world with the love of his life by his side.
"Yama?" Hinata whispered against his neck. "You know, even if we’re far from home, I don’t feel homesick right now."
It brought a small chuckle from Kageyama.
"It doesn’t mean anything. You never are."
"That’s not true! It’s just that I feel like I have a lot of places that feel like home right now, like when I’m in Tokyo with you, or in Sendai with you, Mom, and Natsu, and then there’s Brazil. But you know this place is important to me," Hinata countered, crossing his arms over his chest.
Hinata’s little pout would be the death of him. So Kageyama dropped a kiss on it, just to tease him, and decided to be really, really honest.
"I know. And you know what? I don’t feel homesick right now either," Kageyama whispered as he delved into the warmth of Hinata’s eyes, ever so comforting.
Hinata chuckled.
"Really? You love it here that much?"
"No, dumbass!" Kageyama barked, and Hinata pouted again, so he softened, holding him a little tighter. "It’s because of you. I don’t need a place to feel like home. I think... it’s more about a person. You are. To me, you’re the closest thing that feels like home now."
Miles from his apartment, in a country he knew nothing about, Kageyama strangely felt at home. And it wasn’t because of the distinct aroma in the air, the unfamiliar faces he’d seen that day, or the whisper of a language he didn’t understand. No, it came only from the boy—the man—he now held in his arms.
"Yamaaaa! You cannot say things like that. You know what they do to me," Hinata wailed, as he buried himself even deeper in Kageyama’s arms, trying to hide the fact that he was full-on crying now.
"That’s another point for me," Kageyama admitted as Hinata’s head whipped up.
"That’s not fair," Hinata whined. "You know I’m emotional."
Hinata tried to attack him, but Kageyama knew his every move. He grabbed Hinata’s wrists to protect himself, but with Hinata’s strength, he ended up landing on his back. His boyfriend was definitely growing stronger now, towering over him with a winning smile.
The redhead beamed like the sun as he declared solemnly, “If I’m your home, then you’re stuck with me forever.”
Honestly, Kageyama thought that sounded quite nice.
"Promise me, then. I know you always keep your word. Prove it to me one more time," Kageyama challenged him.
Little did he know, Hinata had never been this happy to.