Chapter Text
It was the first day of summer break, and the clock read seven-thirty in the morning. Hinata Shoyo was supposed to be in his bed, drooling onto his pillow in a state of sweet slumber, only to wake up at two in the afternoon and forget about mathematics for nine whole weeks. Instead, he stood in the crisp morning air, 260 kilometers away from his bed, dragging a suitcase behind him and bracing himself for six weeks of absolute agony.
His mother looked far less worried than he was. She wrapped an affectionate arm around his shoulder. "Don’t do anything stupid, okay?"
"Okay, Mom."
"It’s only six weeks."
Hinata scowled. Easy for you to say.
As if reading his mind, she smiled and ruffled his bright orange hair. "We’ll miss you at home."
"I’ll miss you too!" he said earnestly. "Even Natsu."
His mother rolled her eyes and gave him one last hug before heading back to the car. She blew him a final kiss from the window before starting the engine and pulling out of the parking lot. Hinata listened to the sound of her driving away as he entered the school, having shown his entry permit to the kindly guard at the gate. Even she looked like she felt sorry for him - and she had been sitting there all night.
Okay, this was it. Hinata looked around at a vast lawn bathed in early sunlight that stung his tired eyes, noting that while this place was nothing short of a brutal prison, it at least didn't look terrible. There was even a rather grand stone fountain, with particularly large orange fish darting back and forth inside it. Surrounding the lawn were the various school buildings, silent and still, reminding him that every other person his age was currently asleep on the first morning of summer vacation. Except for him.
Hinata crossed the grass toward the lowest building, located the door with the silver Administration sign on it, and knocked.
"Come in."
Hinata opened the door hesitantly. The office was fairly ordinary. Behind the desk facing him sat a woman about his mother’s age. She was wearing a lilac-purple button-down shirt, and her straight dark hair was tucked behind her ears, spilling over her shoulders. On the wall beside her hung a large corkboard covered in loud, vibrant drawings that Hinata guessed were made by children no older than four. The woman looked directly at Hinata and gave him a polite smile.
"Good morning," she said pleasantly. "Hinata Shoyo, right?"
Hinata nodded.
"Wonderful. Good to see you, Hinata. You can take a seat." She gestured toward a black chair in front of her desk, and Hinata obeyed.
"I am Mai Ayumi, the school principal," she explained efficiently. "As you probably know, our school is also a boarding school, and during the summer break, we hold a summer school program for outstanding students or for those who wish to improve their grades from the past year. The program is also open to students from outside the school who want to boost their academic achievements, and that is how you’ve come to join us."
Hinata’s gaze drifted to a framed photograph sitting on the desk. In the photo, Ms. Ayumi and a silver-haired boy, who looked a year or two older than Hinata, were shown together. Both had red ribbons in their hair and were proudly flexing their biceps for the camera with dramatic expressions. At the bottom of the photo, a sparkling caption had been added: We Can Do It! Hinata stared at the picture for a long moment before blinking and returning his attention to Ms. Ayumi.
"I realize you really don’t want to be here, Hinata," Ms. Ayumi continued sympathetically. "But I’m sure that if you make good use of this time, you’ll be grateful for it in the near future."
Hinata thought about the fact that he hadn't peed since five in the morning and shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"And while you’re here, you’ll be able to enrich yourself not only with academic knowledge, but with other activities as well. I understand you know how to sing."
Hinata sat up straight in his chair and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."
"Excellent. We have a wonderful band here that would be happy to welcome you to rehearsals, even if it's just for the summer. Is that something you'd like to try?"
"Yes!" Hinata croaked, feeling his cheeks flush. "Yes, I’d love to." Even though his mother had already told him about the orchestra - it was the only way she’d managed to convince him to go - a thrill of excitement shot through him.
Ms. Ayumi’s lips curled into a small smile. "Wonderful. I’ll ask the seniors in charge of the orchestra to speak with you. Throughout the school year, we encourage student involvement and responsibility in our school activities. We have a lovely teacher overseeing the orchestra, of course, but much of the management is in the hands of the seniors who are members - and they do a superb job, if I may brag a little." She nodded with a hint of satisfaction before clearing her throat and interlacing her fingers on the desk. "Well, beyond that, I think we’re done."
She glanced briefly at her silver wristwatch. "You have just over half an hour until your first class of the day. You can go to your room now, drop off your things, and rest for a bit. You’re in Room 19 on the second floor of the residence hall - that’s the large building to the left of the lawn. The other students are here year-round and can help you find your way. And I’m here as well, of course, for any questions." She gave him a kind smile, and Hinata couldn't help but return a tired one of his own.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.
The printer beside the desk whirred and spat out a single sheet of paper, which Ms. Ayumi placed on the desk in front of Hinata. "Your schedule," she explained.
Hinata looked at the page and wanted to die. He snatched it up quickly, thanked Ms. Ayumi, and hurried out of the room.
𝄞
Hinata’s suitcase rattled behind him as he paced the second floor in search of Room 19. Navigation definitely wasn’t one of his strong suits, and after a few minutes of circling, a slight panic began to set in. He really had to pee. He considered just popping into a random room to ask to use the bathroom, but then he finally spotted the elusive door with the silver number 19 stuck to it.
"Thank God!" he groaned. He knocked on the door vigorously, but not too vigorously - he didn't want to scare his new roommate. For several long seconds, there was no answer. Hinata truly, desperately had to pee, so he tried opening the door gently. It wasn’t locked. Hinata stepped inside, barely glancing at his new room before bolting toward the other door - the one he assumed led to the bathroom. He burst inside, ready for that glorious relief... and froze.
To his utter misfortune, he wasn't the only one who froze. Standing before him was a rather tall guy who looked like he’d just stepped out of the shower; he was dripping wet and completely naked.
Oh. Hinata thought.
They stared at each other for two solid seconds before reacting simultaneously: Hinata spun around, covering his eyes and squeaking out a stammered apology, while the other guy snatched a towel and scrambled to wrap it around his waist.
"What the hell is wrong with you, you absolute idiot?!" the guy barked.
"Sorry!" Hinata cried, his back still turned, his entire face flushing crimson. "I didn't know you’d be here!"
"Why the hell wouldn't I be here? This is my room."
Good point. Hinata didn’t have an answer, so he stayed silent.
"Get out before I kick you out, dumnass."
Hinata didn't want to aggravate the guy any further - to be honest, he was a little terrified of him - but he had one tiny problem. Gathering his courage, he turned around and looked at the wet (and, thankfully, now covered) guy again.
"I really have to pee," he blurted out.
The guy stared at him and blinked, momentarily confused. Hinata forced himself to focus on the guy’s eyes (dark blue?), mostly because it was a distraction from the fact that his bladder was about to explode. And also from the fact that the guy in front of him was, enviably, at least six feet tall and had a six-pack.
The guy scowled.
"Make it fast," he said gruffly and walked out, grabbing a shirt and boxers on his way.
The moment the door slammed shut behind him, Hinata pounced on the toilet like an animal in heat. He caught himself before he could let out a groan as the relief finally washed over him. Amidst the intense trickling sound, his brain finally processed what had just happened.
Oh.
He felt his face heat up again and smacked his forehead hard. Idiot, idiot, idiot. That scary guy was his new roommate! And okay, he didn't look like the kind of person Hinata would want to meet in a dark alley, but Hinata could usually get along with anyone. He was a social person. But now, the scary guy’s first impression of Hinata was this.
Just wonderful.
He finished his business, gathered himself and whatever was left of his dignity, and stepped out of the bathroom. This time, he actually took in his new bedroom. It was simple and solid, but perfectly fine: a large wooden wardrobe, a spacious desk under the window overlooking the back lawn, and two beds, one on each side, with bedside tables. One of the beds -the one Hinata assumed was his - was unmade. The other was covered in soft-looking white linens, making it look incredibly comfortable and inviting. Hinata would have been tempted to test that softness (he did wake up at five in the morning!) if that same scary guy wasn't sitting at the edge of the bed with wet black bangs and hostile eyes. Their gazes met.
Hinata coughed.
"Who are you?" the guy fired.
Hinata cleared his throat and straightened his chin, trying to look important. "Hinata Shoyo," he said, attempting to sound confident. "I'm, uh, studying here for the summer and I'm supposed to be your roommate."
He expected another hostile outburst, but the guy’s eyes widened in nothing less than sheer horror. "What."
"What 'what'?"
The guy shook it off and narrowed his eyes irritably. "No one told me you were coming. This isn't the right room."
"Really?!" Hinata tried not to sound too happy. "But Ms. Ayumi told me Room 19. Is there another Room 19?"
The guy knit his brows in concentration. "That’s what she said?"
"Uh... yeah." Hinata’s hope deflated like a punctured balloon.
The guy didn’t answer. He just let out a sound that was something like an annoyed "Hmph," and laced up his white Nikes. Without another word, he grabbed his black backpack and headed out, the door slamming unkindly behind him. Hinata glanced at the round wall clock above the door: 08:29. Which meant his first class - of which he had no name and no location - started in exactly one minute.
"Oh no," he said to the empty room.
He lunged for his suitcase, snatched a few notebooks and a pencil, and shoved them into his blue Kanken bag. He glanced at the schedule Ms. Ayumi had given him. Math. Where the hell was he supposed to study math? He couldn’t be late for math - his weakest subject - on his first day! He flew toward the door, letting it slam behind him as he bolted out of the residence hall, looking left and right in confusion at the empty surroundings. Then he spotted his last hope about fifteen meters away, walking alone across the lawn.
"Heyyyyyyyyy!!" he called out, running toward him.
His roommate turned around. "What do you want?" he said gruffly.
Hinata skidded to a halt beside him, panting. "I - what's your name?"
A flicker of confusion crossed those blue eyes. "Kageyama Tobio," he said. He was about to keep walking, but Hinata grabbed his sleeve.
"What?" Kageyama asked angrily.
"Could you show me where Math Class 3 is?" Hinata knew he didn't sound very tempting, but he tried.
Kageyama narrowed his eyes in disapproval.
"Pleaseeee!" Hinata pleaded.
"No."
"Why!"
"Because, dumbass!" Kageyama looked away, letting out another impatient "Hmph."
Hinata looked at him, and a smug grin suddenly spread across his face. "I know!" he said triumphantly. "You're probably late to class all the time, and if you're late again, the teacher will punish you."
"Shut up, moron."
"I'm right, aren't I?" Hinata continued with that same toothy grin. "But you're late anyway. Why did you leave the room at 08:29?"
"Shut up, you're not my mom," Kageyama snapped, but there was a hint of a reddish blush on his cheeks.
"Come on, just tell your teacher you were helping the new student," Hinata urged. "I'll back you up."
"No," Kageyama stated flatly, and started walking again.
Arghhhhh - "I'll do your homework for you today!" a desperate Hinata blurted out to his retreating back.
Kageyama stopped dead in his tracks, then slowly turned around.
No, not really - !
"Deal," Kageyama said with a rather wicked smile. Hinata wasn't sure if he preferred this smile to the scowl. But Kageyama was already on his way again without waiting for an answer.
Hinata swallowed hard and followed him.
Just wonderful.
Kageyama led him toward one of the academic buildings. Hinata had already heard that the discipline at this school was relatively strict, yet he still felt uneasy as his footsteps echoed through the nearly silent corridors. The classroom doors were shut, and from the other side, only the muffled voices of teachers could be heard.
"Why was your math class in the other direction?" Hinata asked. His question echoed in the quiet hallway, making him flinch and lower his voice. "Are you in the honors class or something? I heard they have a separate building."
Kageyama scowled. "What's it to you?"
"I just want to get to know my roommate," Hinata grumbled. "You don't have to be so mean."
Kageyama simply ignored him.
𝄞
By the time Hinata reached the cafeteria at one in the afternoon, his brain had turned into a sticky, disgusting mess. Apparently, giving a math pop quiz on the very first day of summer school was considered perfectly acceptable at Karasuno High. "Just so we know where we stand," his math teacher had said in a stern voice as he placed the blank sheet on Hinata's desk. He was about thirty, tall and thin, bespectacled and solemn, and it seemed Hinata had been in his crosshairs from the very first second thanks to a grand entrance that was "six precious minutes" late. Seriously, what was it with this place and tall, scary guys?
Hinata navigated the cafeteria with his full food tray. At least the food looked delicious. He scanned the bustling hall, looking for a nice place to sit, maybe even meet some new people. He spotted Kageyama sitting at one of the tables, staring into space with intense concentration while drinking milk from a carton with utter seriousness. With a straw. Hinata snorted. He wasn't surprised when Kageyama didn't even bat an eye in his direction, though he couldn't tell if he was being ignored on purpose or if the guy just hadn't noticed him. He still hadn't figured out what his deal was.
Just as he was wondering if he’d grow that tall if he started drinking milk from a carton with a straw, his attention was caught by a conversation at a table just a few meters away.
"...I heard he got an offer to join a very high-level youth music competition in France, so he won't be participating in the regionals."
Hinata straightened up and spun around toward the voice. The speaker was a boy with a pleasant face and silver hair who looked hauntingly familiar to Hinata for some reason. He was sitting at a table with three other guys. Hinata noticed that one of them had a head that was almost completely shaved.
He rushed over with sparkling eyes and slammed his tray onto the table with enthusiasm. Four pairs of eyes looked up at him in surprise.
"Are you guys in the band??" he asked excitedly.
For two seconds, they just stared at him in confusion. Then one of them, a guy with dark hair and tanned skin, smiled knowingly.
"So, you’re Hinata," he said. His voice was deep and authoritative, and his brown eyes glinted with amusement.
This time, it was Hinata’s turn to stare in confusion.
"Ms. Ayumi told us a new student was arriving today," he explained. "I’m Daichi Sawamura. I’m a senior and I’m in charge of the band."
"And our acoustic player," the silver-haired boy added kindly, causing Daichi to roll his eyes. Hinata suddenly remembered seeing the silver-haired boy in the photo in Ms. Ayumi’s office, and he stared at him for a long moment, eyes wide. The mysterious boy raised an eyebrow. He had a small mole under his right eye.
"Is everything okay?" the boy asked.
"What? Yes," Hinata mumbled, shaking his head.
"Well, then... welcome, Hinata," Daichi said, extending a tanned hand for a shake. His grip was firm and steady, and his arm muscles were prominent thanks to his short-sleeved shirt. Hinata took an empty seat beside them, and Daichi introduced the three other boys, all of whom were also members of the band. Suga, the silver-haired boy and Ms. Ayumi’s mysterious friend, waved at Hinata with long fingers and a friendly smile as Daichi introduced him. He was the conductor and pianist, and to Hinata's amazement, he even wrote original pieces for the band. The boy with the shaved head was Tanaka, the band’s drummer. He also reached out to Hinata and shook his hand with such fervor that Hinata felt his whole body rattle (which made Tanaka laugh heartily). Beside Tanaka sat Nishinoya, a short, lean boy with large brown eyes and a bleached tuft of hair, who looked like he couldn't sit still for more than five seconds at a time. He was the electric guitarist. ("You'll get used to them," Daichi promised Hinata after finishing the introductions, though he didn't sound particularly convincing.)
Lunch passed pleasantly for Hinata. He watched as Nishinoya dipped onion rings into his cup of cola and tasted them ("Tasty!" Nishinoya declared with his mouth full, while Daichi made a face of utter disgust), ate his own onion rings with gusto (with no cola), and listened eagerly to his tablemates as they happily explained the band, which sounded like it was at a very high level. Suga and Daichi, who were seniors and responsible for managing the band, invited him to the rehearsal room that evening to hear him sing and figure out how to integrate him into the lineup.
"And if you're free later," Suga said to Hinata a few minutes before the bell signaled the end of lunch, "you can join me, Tanaka, and Nishinoya in the rehearsal room. We're practicing a new piece."
Tanaka and Nishinoya went dead silent in the middle of eating their fries. Tanaka coughed.
"About that..." he said, avoiding Suga’s gaze.
"Yes?" Suga asked breezily, taking the opportunity to elegantly swipe a fry from Tanaka’s plate.
"We caught detention," Nishinoya announced miserably.
Suga chewed the fry with a thoughtful but unsurprised expression. "...Because of the window you broke in your room?"
"Because we burned Tsukishima's chair in chemistry class," Tanaka said in defeat. "It was completely by accident, why would we even consider doing something li - wait, how do you know about the window?"
"We heard you," Suga said shortly, then turned to Hinata. "Daichi and I are right next door to Tanaka and Nishinoya."
"A terrible decision, really," Daichi remarked dryly. "And stop screaming in the middle of the night!" he scolded the pair.
"Hey! The movie we were watching was really scary!" Nishinoya defended.
"Then maybe you should stop watching movies and start studying."
"Whatever, that's your problem since you're old men who go to bed at nine," Tanaka remarked dismissively. Then a smug grin spread across his face. "Though you sounded pretty busy last night, huh? Honestly, Suga, I already know Daichi, but I didn't know you were capable of shouting like that."
Suga looked at Daichi, appearing as though he were trying to remember something. "Remind me, what happened yesterday?"
"We had a fight," Daichi explained simply. "You threw a slipper at me."
"Ah, right," Suga remembered, wiping his greasy fingers on a napkin. Only a moment later did he look up and notice Tanaka and Nishinoya staring at him in awe. "What?"
Nishinoya blinked in reverence. "You threw a slipper... at Daichi."
"And stayed alive," Tanaka added in admiration.
Suga snorted. "He just pretends to be tough," he said, gently squeezing Daichi’s sturdy arm. "Underneath all those muscles, he’s as soft as a marshmallow."
Daichi raised an unimpressed eyebrow, but a smile seemed to flicker at the corner of his mouth.
𝄞
Hinata left lunch with renewed energy and a new song in his heart. After lunch came the noon break, followed by afternoon classes, which included classical literature. Oh well. Hinata planned to use the break to unpack his things in his new room and maybe even manage to see the band’s rehearsal room, a thought that made his heart leap with excitement. As for the math homework he’d been assigned, he chose to forget about it for now.
He hummed to himself on the way back to the room. Maybe Kageyama is just not a morning person. he thought, influenced by his optimistic mood. Maybe he’ll be a little less cranky now. Or less naked.
But when he reached the second floor, Hinata was surprised to find Kageyama waiting for him outside the room. He was still impatiently drinking his milk (or was it another one? What is he, a calf?) and looked less pleasant than ever.
"There you are," he growled at Hinata as a greeting. "Where’s the key?"
Hinata blinked. "What key?"
"The room key, idiot. You were the last one out this morning."
Hinata smacked his forehead. "Oh... shit. I was in a rush and forgot to lock it. Sorry."
"You don't have to lock it," Kageyama said impatiently. "The door locks automatically when you close it from the outside. You just need to take the key with - "
Kageyama stopped abruptly, eyeing Hinata with suspicion. He took a sip from his stupid straw as he did so, which only made him look even more intimidating.
Hinata swallowed hard.
"You didn't take the key with you," Kageyama said, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.
Hinata’s vision of the band room evaporated sadly. "Uh... no."
They just stared at each other for a long moment.
"Tell me," Kageyama broke the silence. "Are you stupid?"
Sometimes, Hinata thought. But what he said was: "Are you stupid?! How was I supposed to know the door locks automatically!"
"You weren't! But you're supposed to take the key with you if you're the last one out!"
"I forgot!"
"How the hell do you forget something like that?!"
"The same way you forgot to lock the bathroom door!"
"I. Was. Alone. In. My. Room," Kageyama snapped, a lingering flush creeping up his cheeks. "No one told me some orange midget would just burst in - "
"I’m not an orange mid - I’m not a midget!!" Hinata barked back.
"Shut the fuck up!" someone shouted from one of the nearby rooms.
They fell silent for a few seconds, glaring at each other with burning eyes. Hinata was the first to speak again.
"What do we do now?" he blurted out, still angry.
"You need to go to the administration and ask for a spare key."
"Why me?"
"Because it’s your fault."
"It’s your fault too!!"
"But it’s more your fault."
"Is not!"
"Is too."
"Ugh! Fine," Hinata yielded. Kageyama looked very pleased with himself.
And so, Hinata found himself on his way to Ms. Ayumi’s office for the second time that day, wondering what kind of first impression he was leaving on her. And it was all that stupid Kageyama’s fault! He knocked again on the door with the Administration sign, rehearsing a speech in his head that would make him sound as little like a fool as possible. But there was no answer. He knocked again, harder.
"Hey, kid!"
Hinata straightened up and turned around with a very bad feeling.
Standing before him was the scary math teacher, towering over him by at least two heads.
"Uh - um, hi," Hinata stammered, looking up like a frightened chick.
"Principal Ayumi isn't here right now," the teacher said, cold and rigid. "What do you need from her?"
Hinata swallowed. "Nothing, thanks!" he blurted out and bolted.
𝄞
Kageyama didn't look pleased.
"So you just bolted?" he snapped. "What are you, a chicken?"
"Hey!" Hinata said, insulted. "What else was I supposed to do?"
Kageyama twisted his face again in that annoying "Hmph" of his.
"So what do we do now?" Hinata asked nervously.
Kageyama let out a frustrated sigh. "No choice."
𝄞
"The window isn’t big enough for you to fit through," Kageyama said.
"Are you hinting I’m fat?" Hinata snapped, mostly because he was already in a combative mood.
They stood on the lawn behind the residential building, staring up at the small window of their room, which sat about three meters above them. Luckily, they had left it open that morning. Unluckily, their room was on the second floor, not the first.
"Shut up, dumbass." Kageyama shot back. "The window is too small for you, but the key is on the desk right underneath it. If we lift you up, you can reach inside and grab it."
"I am not climbing on your shoulders," Hinata stated firmly.
"Would you rather I climb on your shoulders and crush all your miniature bones?"
"My bones aren’t miniature. Your bones are just way too big," Hinata protested with a scowl, but he signaled for Kageyama to stoop down.
Kageyama dropped to his knees, his back to Hinata. He was wearing a tight t-shirt, and Hinata could see the contours of his muscular shoulders through the fabric. He was probably on the basketball team, like all the other gorillas. Hinata sat on his shoulders, his legs on either side of Kageyama’s neck. Kageyama stood up slowly, gripping Hinata’s calves to keep his balance.
"Now stand," Kageyama said. "One foot at a time onto my shoulders."
"If I fall, I’m breaking your neck, just so you know."
"Then don’t fall."
"Can't promise anything."
"Shut up and stand already," Kageyama growled. "Grab my head if you have to."
Hinata gripped Kageyama’s head and slowly rose to his feet. Kageyama's hair was surprisingly soft. Hinata made a mental note to steal some of his shampoo during his next shower.
Standing on Kageyama’s shoulders put him nearly three meters in the air. He felt completely off-balance, and it was clear they wouldn't last long like this. With his face pressed against the wall, he reached his hand up, slid it through the open window, and began to grope around.
"I feel the desk!" he reported. "There’s... some notebook. And this is probably your deodorant - stop moving! - and this is... Oh! Here!! I got - aaaaahhhh!!!"
Boom.
For a second, Hinata didn’t register what had happened. All he felt was the grass beneath him and every bone in his body screaming in pain.
"Nngghhhn," he groaned painfully at the blue sky above him. He tried to move his leg, but the movement sent a wave of stinging pain through his entire body. He felt his shoe resting on some kind of lump. When the lump mumbled "Hhhhrrrgggh," Hinata realized it was Kageyama.
They lay in silence for several long moments under the ornamental trees rustling in the wind, until Hinata thought he should probably get up. He slowly propped himself up on his elbows, biting his lip in pain. As he sat up, something poked him in the ass. He reached down and pulled out a metallic key.
"Aha!" he cried excitedly. "I did it!"
Kageyama also sat up and turned toward him, his face contorted in pain.
"We did it," he remarked caustically.
"Ha! If you hadn't been moving the whole time, I wouldn't have fallen at all!"
"It’s not my fault you crushed my shoulders, dumbass. If I hadn't moved, we would've fallen even sooner."
"'Crushed your shoulders,'" Hinata mimicked mockingly. "Let me remind you whose idea was this!"
"Fine, fine," Kageyama said dismissively. "Don't give me a headache."
Hinata stared at him.
Kageyama raised an eyebrow. "What."
"I won."
"What."
"You admitted I was right. I won."
Silence.
"Dumbass," Kageyama finally said, and added nothing more.
Hinata grinned widely.
𝄞
They limped back to the room at a snail's pace. The moment he reached his bed, Hinata collapsed onto it, utterly exhausted.
"It’s only my first day!" he groaned. "How do I already have no energy to move?"
"If you don't use your head, you have to use your feet." Kageyama quoted wisely. Hinata made the effort to haul himself up just to hurl his pillow at Kageyama, but he missed, and the pillow landed pathetically on the floor in the center of the room. Kageyama ignored it. Whatever. Hinata collapsed back onto the mattress. His eyelids were heavy, and even though the afternoon sun was sending blinding rays into the room, he felt his eyes drifting shut.
"We have literature class in a bit, idiot," he heard Kageyama say. "You can sleep there."
"Are you worried about my sleep schedule, Kageyama?" Hinata drifted, his voice thick with sleep. "I never would’ve guessed you had a heart in there, behind all those chest muscles."
"Not what I said," Kageyama replied with zero sensitivity. "I just need you energized tonight."
"Mmm?" In the darkness behind his eyelids, Hinata briefly saw Kageyama with a red ribbon in his hair and a serious expression, flexing his bicep. We Can Do It!
Something was slammed onto Hinata’s nightstand with a loud thud. He snapped his eyes open, jumping into a sitting position, and then let out a whimper because his ass still ached.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he shrieked at Kageyama. What had been slammed onto his nightstand was a blue notebook. Hinata didn’t know what it was supposed to represent, but he had a very bad feeling about it. Nothing involving Kageyama could ever be innocent.
"My homework," Kageyama said. "You said you’d do it. And the teacher gave me double the amount because I was late. Graded and due by tomorrow."
Hinata didn’t breathe for a second. "I - "
"A deal’s a deal," Kageyama said smugly.
Arghhhhh. Hinata collapsed face-first into the mattress. "I hate you."
"Hate me or not, I hope you know math."
"I'm in Class 3, don't get your hopes up," Hinata said in despair. He reached for Kageyama's notebook and began flipping through it. "How do the teachers even understand your handwriting?" he wondered aloud.
"Shut up," Kageyama said, trying to snatch the notebook back.
"Wait - stop!" Hinata cried out like someone who had just found buried treasure, trying to read the notebook while fending off Kageyama’s attempts to grab it. "You’re in Class 4? I don’t believe it! You’re more stupid than me!"
Kageyama’s eyes narrowed with ominous hostility, but Hinata was too busy gloating to care.
"That's why your class was in the other direction!" he cheered. "And I actually thought you were in the honors class!"
Kageyama seized the moment and snatched the notebook back. "If you’re such a genius, I expect a hundred on this assignment."
"Don't you worry," Hinata said, placing a hand dramatically over his heart and trying to keep a straight face. "I won't let you down."
Kageyama snorted derisively. "You’d better not."
They stared at each other for a second.
"We're late for literature," Kageyama remarked after a moment.
"Yes, Captain!" Hinata declared, springing from the bed.
Kageyama rolled his eyes and turned around, and they headed out to literature class.