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They lowered Hinata’s unconscious body onto the pillows with care, the countless candles in the room painting soft, dancing shadows across his peaceful face and the tense expressions of the priests around him.
Kageyama was only one amongst the crowd, hood drawn over his face to hide his own expression. No doubt anyone would call it murderous, when really, he did not feel anger at all. It was more helpless frustration, restless longing. An ache in his heart, deep and merciless. A hole in his chest ripped open by this stubborn, careless idiot sleeping so peacefully on the fluffy pillows.
The delicate swirls of gold painted on Hinata’s skin shimmered in the light, giving him an unearthly look, even more removed from Kageyama’s reach than usual. Kageyama’s fingers clenched tightly at the intense need to smudge over the paint and rub it away, revealing only the face of his friend.
No ceremony. No Fated One. Only this, him, them.
But it had never meant to be so simple, if you made the mistake of falling for the Voice.
The goddess of the sun herself had chosen him to speak her words amongst the mortals. Hinata’s unconscious mind was cradled in her embrace now, as she would choose the one fated to be at his side.
Certainly the goddess would not pick the rogue priest with the murderous frown for her treasured mortal companion. A person who treated the Voice himself as his equal more often than not. Any time Kageyama so much as tried to bid Hinata the respect and worship expected of those serving him, Hinata would protest and provoke him until Kageyama got so caught up in their competitive nature and bickering, he would simply forget the hierarchy supposed to dominate their relationship.
But it was hard to, as Kageyama clumsily joined in the soft murmur of chants.
What a joke, to ask for the right person to be chosen to strengthen the Voice’s back while every fiber of Kageyama’s being prayed for it to be him instead. Could the goddess see his ill intentions? Certainly they were not suited for this atmosphere. How selfish, to be unable to put aside these useless feelings even now.
But wouldn’t it be the intention of the goddess to find an equal? Didn’t Hinata have enough people worshipping the ground he walked on?
Kageyama remembered the first time he had met him, caked in mud and expensive robes ripped, a wiry boy with wild, flaming hair in the middle of a clearing screaming his lungs out without apparent reason. They had gotten into a fight, Kageyama yet to realise who it was standing before him when he demanded the boy shut his mouth and got bristling fury in turn. In the end, they had fought, raced each other, kept fighting after falling/dragging the other into a pond, and shared the soaked pound cake Kageyama’s mother had given him on his way.
Only after following Hinata to the temple and taking up training as a priest Kageyama had realised why exactly Hinata had spent an afternoon screaming his lungs out on his own as far away from the temple as his feet could take him.
In such a stuffy, dedicated atmosphere Kageyama finally understood why Hinata had felt like he was choking
Ever since, he’d done his best to keep the Voice grounded. But, frankly, for Kageyama it had never been about the goddess of the sun or the priests or the pomp and glory surrounding all of it. He’d always just wanted to butt heads with Hinata Shouyou.
Certainly the goddess could feel this, too. How little care Kageyama put in his faith.
No, he would never be chosen.
Perhaps it would be someone in this room. Or a gentle, sweet girl in the village would gasp as the golden glow marked her wrist. Kageyama bowed his head, pressing his lips together. No, he could not pray for this.
Someone elbowed him in the side, and Kageyama tried to get back to the syllables, voice cracking at the sudden feeling of gentle breath on his neck. Every hair of him stood on end because he had made sure to stand with his back to the wall, at the very edge of the round tower so nobody would pay too much mind to him. There was a wall painted white behind him and nothing else.
I do not care for your faith, a voice whispered, charged with power the same way Kageyama imagined lightning to be. After all, I am searching someone devoted to my companion, am I not?
Shaken to the bone, Kageyama’s eyes darted around wildly at the undisturbed priests who kept chanting as if they’d never heard the actual voice of the goddess herself. It must have been, the sheer might in it was still prickling all over his skin, intensifying at his left wrist.
And this time those closest to him did gasp and turn their heads, hungry eyes boring into the same spot of skin Kageyama was staring at now, mouth hanging open.
A deep, hot glow of gold etched a sun into his wrist, the very same glow the other half of the room was witnessing appear on Hinata’s wrist.
Kageyama looked up at the shocked expressions around him, and somehow, all he managed to mumble was: “Shit.” before he turned and ran.
---
“You should talk to him.”
Huffing, Hinata tore his fingers from the sun on his wrist. Stupid subconscious, making him trace it over and over as if that would change anything. “He doesn’t want me, or else he wouldn’t have been avoiding me.”
Suga opened his mouth to give him advice which would probably super wise and smart, but something snapped inside Hinata before Suga could even begin his thought. “You know what!” he called, pushing himself up. “Enough of this. I don’t care! Yacchan apparently made a mistake and if Kageyama is unhappy he can tell me to my face! ”
Suga chuckled, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you’ve given the goddess herself a nickname. Don’t let the head priests hear, or they might faint.”
“She allowed me to,” Hinata replied, crossing his arms.
“Well, if you can be on nickname basis with the Sun Goddess, I guess you can talk to your best friend. Off you go, I’ll keep the priests off your back for a little, alright?”
“You’re the best,” Hinata sighed, and left after bidding Suga his thanks.
Truth was, he wasn’t exactly keen on the talk, either. The first moment he had woken and been told the news, Hinata had been overjoyed and giddy. It had been hard not to jump up and pump his fist into the air and start jumping all over the place, because he had dreaded this day so much and been praying for the past weeks Yacchan may grant him Kageyama as his Fated One. It would certainly shut up the priests who thought Kageyama was a bad influence on him.
And it would ease the burden of being promised to a stranger. And, perhaps, somehow, it would make Kageyama reciprocate his feelings … ?
Well, not that the latter had worked. But at least they could stay friends for life. Being the Fated One did not need to have romantic implications, it could as well be a platonic bond for life. As long as Hinata would know Kageyama at his side, he would be satisfied.
So this no-talking bullshit wouldn’t do.
Sneaking through the secret passages of the temple, Hinata reached Kageyama’s simple chamber soon enough. If the dumbass wouldn’t be so dead-set on refusing to acknowledge their new bond, he could move to the room next to Hinata, but no. Ugh.
Hinata raised his fist and hammered at the door. “Open up, I know you’re in there and I’ve had it!”
The door opened without any protest. Hinata deflated a little, he’d been kinda ready to kick the door in if he had to, not to be met with zero resistance and Kageyama’s deep pout.
“You look constipated,” Hinata informed him as he ducked his way past Kageyama’s blocking arm and plopped down on his bed uninvited, as he had done a thousand times before.
Kageyama closed the door, but did not turn away from it, back towards Hinata still.
He stayed silent for so long, Hinata was about ready to snap, when a single word fell from Kageyama’s lips: “Sorry.”
“Huh?” Hinata cocked his head. Of all the things he’d expected, this was …
“I am sorry, alright!” Kageyama gently knocked his fist against the wood of the door, tension in his shoulders and jaw. “I didn’t mean to -”
“Didn’t mean to what? Ignore me? Well, you did!”
This time, Kageyama did whirl around, heated fury in the blue of his eyes. “Didn’t mean to - !” He made a sharp, ruthless gesture at his wrist, covered in bandages as if hiding the mark away could undo it.
The words hit Hinata like a slap, stinging and quick. “Well, sorry you got stuck with such bullshit fate! I thought you were my best friend! Is it really so bad that the goddess decided you’d be good for me?!”
“What!” Kageyama stumbled a few steps closer, brows furrowed. “No, that’s not what I - what?”
“Don’t what me!” Hinata snapped, hands curled to fists.
“You don’t what me!” Kageyama snapped back without thinking, then blinked and shook his head like that could order his thoughts. “Ugh! I’m sorry I was so loud you didn’t get your village girl!”
What the. “Just what the hell are you talking about?!”
“Aren’t you listening?!” Kageyama was now standing before him, pawing away the bandages. “Obviously I’m talking about this. I was - shit, I prayed so loudly the goddess listened and it’s -”
“What?” Hinata asked, something inside him bursting into joy even when his head had not caught up yet. “You prayed for what?”
Kageyama only gestured at the exposed, golden mark again, head bowed.
Hinata blinked, and then he laughed. At the look of hurt and betrayal Kageyama shot him, Hinata only reached out and tugged him onto the bed next to him. Even when Kageyama was seated, Hinata did not let go of his hand, suddenly feeling bold and warm and alight. “Me too,” he told Kageyama, emphasis on each word. Holding his gaze.
It gave Hinata the honour of watching Kageyama’s eyes widen in confusion, quickly morphing to surprise, and then joy so warm it made Hinata squeezed his hand and reply in kind. “Me, too, okay?” he whispered.
Kageyama exhaled and leaned forward with too much force, knocking their foreheads together, his free hand curling at Hinata’s neck. “You want me as your Fated One?”
“I prayed every night,” Hinata breathed back, eyes closed. He could feel Kageyama’s fingers tense on his skin, and it felt so possessive it made Hinata’s heart stumble with exhilaration.
“I wanted you to be mine,” Kageyama said, voice harsh. Their noses squished together now, and lips so close Hinata could feel his breath on his lips.
“I’ve always been,” Hinata replied and he moved in for the kiss first, definitely - the two of them would forever fight over who took the first step but in his heart Hinata knew it had been him, no matter what Kageyama claimed.
What the both of them did agree on, though, was that despite awkward fumbling and neither of them knowing a thing about this, their first kiss tasted like fire and promises and those that followed with more finesse and a lot of practice each felt absolutely incredible.