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It was a bleak day, the kind that makes you want to stay home, but isn’t bad enough that you can form a plausible excuse not to go out. The sky was covered with a light gray, blocking the sun without the promise of rain as a breeze just cold enough to be uncomfortable blew around anyone unfortunate enough to be on the streets. Perhaps it was this dreary atmosphere that brought out the request from Tobio’s mother.
“Tobio, I need you to go to the flower shop today.”
He had stared at her as if she was crazy. They had finally finished moving into the new house, and he was enjoying a much needed day of relaxation. Nothing was supposed to pull him from the warm comfort of his bed.
“I’ll do it tomorrow,” he said, hoping a guarantee would deter her from an immediate command.
Instead, she turned her fiercest smile on him and said in a terse voice, “It wasn’t a request, dear.”
He sighed, still not wanting to give in, despite the clear tone of warning, “Why do we suddenly need flowers anyway?”
“Oh, just to spruce up the house a bit. It’s so dull in here, don’t you think? Some nice artfully placed vases would do good to liven it up a bit.” she said in a wistful voice.
He could tell at this point that she had gotten into one of those moods where she wanted something and wouldn’t listen to reason about why she didn’t need it. He had learned in the past that all argument was futile. It could lead to ridiculous consequences that he had no patience for. So, he gave a sad farewell to his bed and trudged out of the house, pausing only briefly to gather the money from his mother’s outstretched hand and pull a hoodie over his head.
Once he hit the sidewalk, though, he realized he had absolutely no clue where to find a flower shop. He should have thought this trip through more carefully, but he had just wanted to get it done. He decided to head in the general direction of the shops. It was mostly a gamble, since he only vaguely remembered driving through at 1 am a few days before, but he figured he could use the gps on his phone if he got lost…Actually, that wasn’t such a bad idea. He pulled out his phone to search for nearby flower shops, only to find that the battery had died recently. Crappy technology. It always had a full battery when he wasn’t using it.
He continued on with his initial path, but after a while he began to doubt himself. He had taken a turn at a fork in the road and hadn’t seen another house since. He just felt like he was walking into the barren mountains. He was clearly lost, but would not admit that easily. Instead, he trudged forward with a decision to ask the first person he met how to get back to town. Just to double check.
He ended up not needing to ask. A few more meters down the road he came across what must have been a miracle. A small, unassuming building stood on the side of the road. Tobio would have thought it to be just another house were it not for the flowers scattered strategically around the front. It was a homey little place, with simple wood panelling and square windows. A hand painted sign hung above the door reading “A Place in the Sun (specialty flowers).” He had found his flower shop.
He pushed his way through the door and was somewhat surprised to see a young boy behind the counter. Sure, it was summer and some high schoolers would have jobs, but this kid was probably in middle school.
“Welcome! Is there something I can help you with?” The boy asked with a giant grin.
Tobio sighed. While he was sure some people would find a child playing shop keeper cute, he didn’t have the patience or time to play along. “Yeah, where’s a real worker? I need some flowers.”
The grin immediately fell off of the boy’s face, “I am a real worker!”
That drew a snort out of Tobio, “Sure you are. Look, I don’t have times to play around with some middle schooler. Just get me someone who knows what they’re doing.”
Now the boy looked furious, “I’m not a middle schooler you dumbass! I happen to be about to enter high school! Now you can either buy flowers from me or leave because my parents aren’t here.” he yelled, then added a mumbled, “Not that I feel right sending them with a jerk like you anyway…”
“What was that?” Tobio asked, unsure if he had heard right.
The boy jumped, “Nothing! Do you want flowers or not?”
Tobio glared, but decided not to argue anymore. It was turning into a hassle, “Fine, yes…My mom sent me to get something to make the house less dull or something. What do you have.”
There was a really drastic change in the boy’s demeanor then. His face took on a lively look, and his eyes sparkled despite the fact that his mouth remained an almost neutral line, “Great! I love the whole domestic thing. What’s your budget?”
Tobio hadn’t bothered to look, but now he dug in his pocket and looked at the notes, “A little more than 5000 yen.”
The boy nodded in a determined way, “I can work with that. I’m Hinata by the way. Hinata Shouyou.”
Tobio hadn’t asked, nor did he particularly care, but it was rude not to introduce yourself after being told someone else’s name, “I’m Kageyama.”
After that Hinata was in a flurry of movement and talking. “You definitely gotta have buttercups. They’re a staple for a cheerful settings. Don’t keep them inside too long, though, they grow best outdoors. Oh, but these crocuses make lovely houseplants. I’ll give you two colors of those…Hmmm…And…let’s see…” He was dashing around the shop now after placing the first three pots on the counter. It was almost making Tobio dizzy. How did he have so much energy?
“Oh! These! Cyclamen are also happy flowers, and they’re really pretty too. Do you think you mom will like them?”
Tobio eyed the flowers in front of him, but he had no opinion on the flowers. If his mother didn’t like them there wasn’t much he could do about it. Instead, his mind wandered to the boy in front of him. It wasn’t as if he wanted to be interested, but something in him couldn’t just hand over the money and leave.
“I guess…” He took a deep breathe, “So you know a lot about flowers, huh?” While he wasn’t entirely sure where the question came from, he felt it was imperative that he ask.
He wasn’t disappointed. The amber eyes lit up even further and Hinata began on a completely new rambling spree.
“I sure do! They’re just so amazing. All of them are so pretty and unique. And some of them are so cool too! Did you know there’s a flower that grows in snow??? It’s called the glacier crowfoot, which is a freaking awesome name too, but like that is one tough flower. It’s actually a type of buttercup. I used to use it as a source of inspiration. Like, if that flower can grow then I can do anything, y’know? But anyway, I also love flower language. Like flowers all mean something and that’s just great. I studied really hard to know what all the ones we have in our shop mean. I always wanted to grow my own, too, but since we live in the mountains the soil just isn’t right for a flower garden, you know?”
Tobio had to blink and let his brain catch up with everything he had just heard. It was so much. Hinata really was passionate about this, and somehow that feeling was affecting him in a way that made him want to hear more.
“Where do the flowers in the shop come from then?”
“We get them delivered from a big farm somewhere else.” he shrugged, “Secondhand flowers are better than none, though, you know?”
Tobio nodded, though he was still struggling to see the appeal, “Why not just buy some soil and put it in a box?”
This made Hinata look uncomfortable and Tobio worried he had crossed a line. He was about to attempt to retract his question when the other boy spoke again, “We…don’t have very much money. The shop isn’t really in the best place so it’s all we can do to keep it open, pay bills, and buy necessities. But one day I’m gonna go to college, get a good job, and save up for a new building! I have to! I just can’t let my flowers go, you know?”
Now Tobio saw what he had meant about drawing inspiration from the crowfoot or whatever. It amazed him that someone could have so much drive. Sure, he had things that were important to him and that he didn’t want to give up, but he didn’t think he could face something that impossible sounding and stay this cheerful throughout it.
He was about to further the conversation when a giant crack of thunder sounded outside and he heard the beginning patter of rain on the roof. “Shit!” He cursed loudly. He hadn’t expected it to actually rain. Just kind of be annoyingly cloudy.
“Oh, man, that looks nasty.” Hinata commented, almost sounding as if he was speaking to himself.”
“Yeah, and I forgot my damn umbrella at home.” Tobio said. he was aware of how angry he sounded, but that was because he was angry.
Hinata looked surprised to hear that, despite the fact that Tobio was clearly not holding a three foot long umbrella, “Oh no! You probably need to get home too! I’m so sorry I rambled so much. Let me get a plastic bag for your flowers um…the total is…” He frantically pressed some buttons on the register while he dug under the counter, “4550 yen.”
Tobio handed over the money, which Hinata fumbled with before taking out the correct amount of change. “There you go. And, um, if you’re willing to wait a second I can let you borrow my umbrella…?”
Suddenly Tobio was not finding Hinata’s personality so captivating, “Huh?! What kind of idiot lets a complete stranger borrow their umbrella?!”
A slight red tinted Hinata’s cheeks, “Y-you’re not a complete stranger! We’ve been talking for a while, and your name is Kageyama!”
“Kageyama what?! You can’t expect to be able to find me with only a common surname to go off of!”
“Well it doesn’t matter! It’s just a dumb umbrella anyway! If you don’t bring it back I’ll just get a new one! But if you’re that worried you can just be the person who does bring it back!”
Tobio glared a little more before finally giving up. He grabbed the bag the flowers were now safely tucked away in and turned around, “Fine. Bring me the stupid umbrella. Mom probably wants me home soon anyway.”
He heard feet scuttle away behind him, then return before a simple clear umbrella was shoved into his hand, “Come again…” Hinata said in a sulky voice as Kageyama walked out the door and down the now muddy road.
“Come again…come again…come again…” The words repeated endlessly in his head on the way back, and even after he was laying on his bed in dry clothes, aimlessly tossing a volleyball at the ceiling. He cursed himself, because as much as he wished he could, he didn’t think he’d be able to get that sunny guy out of his head.
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Shouyou waited almost impatiently for the day he would get his umbrella back. Ok, so he wasn’t exactly waiting for the umbrella. He was waiting for stormy blue eyes, perfectly combed black hair, an arrogant sneer which sent his heart thundering. He was waiting for Kageyama.
He wasn’t quite sure what had caused him to become so enraptured by the other boy. After all, there hadn’t been much of an exchange between them. Shouyou had done most of the talking himself, and he hadn’t even bothered to get Kageyama’s given name. Plus, the little bit of talking Kageyama had done was either angered or distant. In short, nothing about him should have attracted Shouyou. And yet it did.
Kageyama was all he could think about as he made his rounds to check on the flowers and give them water where needed. He hoped he hadn’t scared the other boy away with his passion. It wasn’t really that he was ashamed of his love of flowers, but he knew from experience that it tended to keep people mostly at bay. He only had a few close friends in middle school who were willing to even come near the flower shop. Kageyama hadn’t seemed to mind, though. In fact he had asked questions which kept Shouyou talking. He couldn’t help but have a little hope in his heart.
It was another week before the bell on the door signaled the arrival of Kageyama once more. Shouyou couldn’t help but grin as soon as he saw who the customer was, especially since there was an umbrella clenched tightly in his fist.
Kageyama held it out stiffly with a muttered, “Thanks again.”
“Y-yeah, no problem.” Shouyou said back. His bright mood was suddenly squashed, and he couldn’t quite figure out why. Something in the air between them felt awkward somehow. “Um..How’ve you been?” he asked in an attempt to clear it up.
“I’ve been…well. I, um, need more flowers. for a friend in the hospital.”
That darkened Shouyou’s mood further. Kageyama hadn’t come to return the umbrella, or because he had enjoyed talking to Shouyou. He just came to get more flowers and happened to remember that he had borrowed something. He couldn’t complain, though. They were in a shop, after all.
“Oh, ok!” He said brightly instead of letting his disappointment show. “I suppose you want a bouquet this time?”
After a nod from Kageyama he went to work grabbing flowers. He went with a pretty standard health bouquet with well wishes and protection woven into the meaning. He was going to leave it at that, but as he was making his way back to the counter a small stand of blue salvia caught his eye. “I think about you,” it screamed at him, and he slipped it in without thinking too hard about it. It technically fit the theme, so what should it matter if it was really Shouyou sending a message to Kageyama?
He rang up the total in silence. Surely Kageyama didn’t want his ear chatted up again. At least, that’s what Shouyou thought, but when he lifted his head to state the total the other boy spoke.
“Um…what do these flowers mean?”
Shouyou’s head whipped up so he could stare across the counter. Surely he was just asking to be nice, right? He cleared his throat, “W-well…mostly it’s just wishes for good health and the like…Like, this Yarrow here,” he pointed at the little blossoms, “Is for good health and…the basil leaves can be interpreted as best wishes.” It was comforting to let the knowledge pour out of him, until he glanced at the blue salvia and felt his cheeks dust over with pink.
“So…you really picked them all for their meaning?”
Shouyou nodded, “They won’t really help someone in the hospital if they’re about something unrelated like true love, now will they?”
Kageyama shrugged, “I mean, I don’t think they really care. They won’t know what the flowers mean….Not that it isn’t still thoughtful!” he hurriedly added the end as Shouyou’s expression started to droop again, “I just feel bad that you put so much thought into the flowers you sell when most people will only pay attention to how they look.”
“Well I worry about what they look like, too!” Shouyou blurted at that, “Like I would never put two completely unmatching flowers together even if they support the theme!”
Kageyama tipped his head to the side, “Then why are these blue ones in the middle of all the bright colors?”
Crap crap crap! Shouyou didn’t think this true, “They’re, um…An accent! They bring out the brightness by contrasting it.” He was honestly proud of himself for that quick thinking.
Kageyama nodded as if he was willing to believe it, but didn’t really see it. That was fine, as long as he didn’t call Shouyou’s bluff. They stood there in silence for a little bit more before Shouyou remembered that he had a job to do.
“U-um your total is 1500 yen…”
“Oh! Right.” He counted out the money before grabbing the bouquet and turning to leave, “I’ll, um, see you around then.” Shouyou must have imagined the hint of hopefulness in Kageyama’s voice.
“Yeah, see you…Oh, wait!” He called right before Kageyama reached the door. He turned back with a questioning look, “Wh-what’s your name? Your first one.”
Kageyama blinked, clearly caught off guard, “It’s…Tobio. But don’t you dare call me that!”
Shouyou laughed, then nodded with a grin, “Sure thing, Mr. Kageyama.”
Kageyama scoffed at that, shaking his head as he exited the shop for the second time.
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Kageyama was back again but something was different this time. Shouyou couldn’t tell for sure, but he felt like his customer was a little more fidgety, anxious almost. But anxious about what? He had no clue.
“Welcome!” he called with a grin anyway. Whether he knew Kageyama or not, proper customer service was in order.
“Hi…” Kageyama said in a small voice, “I…um…need more flowers.”
Shouyou tilted his head to the side, “Oh, really? What for this time?”
Kageyama shrugged, “Nothing in particular…You choose.”
Shouyou beamed at that. he had never been given a free choice before. Even if he did get to choose it was usually theme based. This time he tried to focus on what he thought would suit Kageyama most. Something that would reflect the haughty way in which he held himself, the sense of fas maturity he seemed to exude. Finally he nodded and went into the back where his mother kept some of the rarer flora. His choice, right?
Kageyama squinted when Shouyou returned, “What are those?”
Shouyou sat them on the counter and began the checkout process as he spoke, “Birds of Paradise. They stand for magnificence, so I…figured they’d suit you. You have a King’s stature after all…”
For some reason, those words made Kageyama go slightly stiff, but a moment later he was back to the half scowl he had worn every time he came. “Don’t they suit you more, though? That spiky orange matches your ridiculous hair perfectly.”
Shouyou was not expecting that, and he felt his face fall into a full scowl, “It was supposed to be a compliment, idiot! You didn’t have to go and insult my hair!”
“Well maybe if you brushed it once in a while I wouldn’t be able to.”
Shouyou had to refrain from retorting again when another customer entered behind Kageyama. He forced a smile back onto his face and said, “Your total is 2500 Yen.”
Kageyama tossed some money on the counter and grabbed the flowers, “Thanks. See ya,”
“Have a nice day!” Shouyou called, refusing to acknowledge the flutter of his heart at the lack of a finalizing goodbye. Then he turned to the sweet looking old lady who was waiting by the door, “Welcome! How may I assist you?”
She was staring out the door after Kageyama, “Such a handsome young boy,” She said almost to herself before turning to Shouyou, “Do you suppose he was buying flowers for his girlfriend?”
Shouyou’s previously active heart stalled at those words. That wasn’t right…was it? Except that it would make sense. Kageyama’s awkwardness, his tensing at the fact that the flowers ere pointed at him. And they weren’t romantic flowers at all! Pretty, sure, but a girl would probably have roses or posies or anything else cheesy and cliche. God, he had messed up.
Worse than messing up, though, was the clenching he was feeling in his chest. How dare Kageyama have a girlfriend. It just didn’t feel right. It felt…wrong. And it hurt. It hurt worse than if Kageyama had punched Shouyou in the gut. Why was that? He couldn’t be…jealous, right? He didn’t care about getting his own girlfriend since he knew any girl he met would find his flower obsession odd. Heck, any person would be turned off by it…Except, for some reason, Kageyama….
Shouyou shook his head and turned back to the customer, determined to put these thoughts aside until after work.
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The next time Kageyama came in the order was the same, and he looked even more nervous. Shouyou had been contemplating the entire time in between meetings, so now he was ready to all but torture the information out. Nobody buys that many flowers for no reason. He had to go about it stealthily, though. Clearly Kageyama didn’t want to talk about it, or he’d tell him to start with.
“So…These for your girlfriend or something?” Nailed it.
Kageyama looked taken aback. His eyes searched around the room frantically, “What? N-no. I don’t…” His gaze finally settled on his feet. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
It was such an obvious lie that Shouyou almost felt sorry for the guy. It didn’t add up, though. Why did Kageyama want to hide his girlfriend? Most kids their age would be bragging up a storm if they found a girl to date.
Worse than the confusion, however, was the burning sensation that ripped through his chest at the thought. It was the same feeling from last time, but stronger. Perhaps this was because last time it was just a thought, and this time it was confirmed. Or maybe it was just the close proximity to Kageyama? Who knows. The point was, Shouyou didn’t like the idea of making Kageyama a special bouquet for his girlfriend. Like, he really didn’t like it.
He marched into the back and grabbed a super simple bouquet of yellow roses. No way did Kageyama’s secret little girlfriend deserve red ones. She probably didn’t even care about what the flower was, as long as she got some. Girls were like that. They always wanted something nice handed to them in exchange for their affections. If it were Shouyou in her position…
Wait…
That wasn’t right. Why would Shouyou be…?
He suddenly dropped the bouquet and leaned against the table. His heart was quickly speeding up as he let himself explore this new thought. Him on Kageyama’s arm. Him being the reason Kageyama needed flowers, not because they were required, but because Kageyama understood Shouyou’s love for them. Him being with Kageyama as more than a friend.
It left a bittersweet taste in his mouth. The warmth in his chest was a much more bearable kind, almost pleasant, with this new development. But…he couldn’t date Kageyama. They were both guys, and besides Kageyama had a girlfriend. So yeah, now Shouyou understood these feelings, but what was the point? The answer was that there was no point. He’d just have to live with it. Having a friend who understood his passions was enough. He didn’t need to take it further.
Begrudgingly, he picked up the bouquet off the floor. It held and entirely new meaning now, he felt. He made sure it was still intact before carrying it out to Kageyama, who scoffed at the sight.
“I told you, it’s not for a girlfriend idiot.”
Shouyou shrugged, “They’re yellow, not red. They represent friendship.”
He doesn’t add the rest. The Jealousy for the girl he knows is going to receive them. The blush on Kageyama’s face really couldn’t be more obvious. He doesn’t say a word about the broken heart mixed in after finding someone he wants, but can’t have. And he keeps the apology for giving a bouquet for such selfish reasons to himself. There’s no need for Kageyama to know any of it.
“Oh…well thanks, I guess? Um…How much are they?”
“1300 yen.”
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After that, Shouyou was on a roll. He had gotten away with one hidden message, why not more? He had free range anyway since the airhead wasn’t making requests, or at least not coherent ones. He started out simple: maidenhair fern as an accent to symbolize a secret bond. It was something Kageyama was sure to never ask about, so he put it in several of the bouquets. Then he got a little bolder and added some white gardenias. Unassuming enough flowers, but they screamed a message Shouyou wished he could vocalize: you’re lovely.
One day Kageyama came in and gave a really odd request.
“I want a bouquet that looks like the sun.”
Shouyou really didn’t understand, but he did his best. Marigolds were the base, of course. They’re famous for their fiery colors after all. Then he threw in some red, orange, and yellow pansies. His final step was to line the border with acacia (secret love, not that that was the reason he used it) leaves still attached at the base. It looked pretty good when it was done.
Kageyama stared at it intensely when he received it. With his furrowed brow and the way he kept looking between Shouyou and the flowers, Shouyou was beginning to think he had failed. Clearly this was the wrong depiction of the sun and he was going to get yelled at.
But then Kageyama gave a strong nod and looked up, “What’s it mean?”
It was a very common question at this point, and Shouyou had mastered dancing around the ones he’d rather not mention. In this particular instance he felt heat in his cheeks as he looked down, “I, um, didn’t really think about it. I went by colors this time.”
“Really? You didn’t theme it around anything?”
Shouyou looked up. Kageyama was staring at him as if this was the craziest thing he could have said. It did make sense. He had been slipping even mundane messages like “have a nice day” into things the whole time. That combined with the intensity of his gaze just made Shouyou more embarrassed.
“No…Just the sun. Like you said.” he said weakly.
“Well, you did a good job, then,” Kageyama replied with just the hint of a smile. That was all Shouyou ever got out of him, and he cherished every time it happened.
Unfortunately, that was the last time he saw it for a while. Kageyama, who had been coming at least once a week, didn’t come for about three.
It made sense. The year was drawing to an end and Kageyama was probably studying for and taking high school entrance exams. They had exchanged enough information to realize they were in the same grade at different middle schools. Still, it upset Shouyou who had to just study behind the counter when there weren’t customers. He liked the raise in allowance he got from working in the shop, but sometimes he wished he could go out and play like a normal kid.
Spring break was halfway over and Shouyou was preparing to enter high school when the door finally opened to reveal a familiar, grumpy face.
“Kageyama!” Shouyou shouted, and he might have jumped over the counter if he didn’t know his mom was in the back.
“Hi,” he replied, shuffling his feet.
“What can I get you today?” Shouyou asked excitedly.
“No flowers today,” Kageyama mumbled, looking at the floor. Shouyou cocked his head to the side. “I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out before school started up.”
Shouyou couldn’t believe his ears. He was actually being invited to hang out with someone. He had, dare he say it, a friend. He just stood there for a moment taking it in before running into the back.
“MOM MOM MOM!” He near-yelled, startling said woman as he approached her.
“Ah, Shou, what is it?”
“Kageyama wants to hang out sometime, can I??”
She gave him a quizzical look, “Who is Kageyama?”
That was when Shouyou realized he had never talked about Kageyama before. His presence had just become so commonplace that he felt no need. Which made his next statement just a little awkward.
“Uh…A boy who’s been coming into the shop to buy flowers and we kinda became friends I think.”
“Oh,” she said, still looking dumbfounded.
“So can I?????” Shouyou’s excitement was causing him to squirm.
“I…well, I suppose? I should probably meet him at some point, though, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, that’s fine! He’s here now, actually,” He grabbed her hand and began pulling her to the front of the shop.”
“Whoa! Show! Hold on, I…” she was barely able to set the watering can she was holding on a counter before going through the door.
“Kageyama, my mom said yes and she wanted to meet you!”
Kageyama’s face morphed to match Shouyou’s mother’s. He looked shocked beyond belief, but somehow managed to unfreeze enough to bow, “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am!”
A small blush rose to Mrs. Hinata’s cheeks. She wasn’t used to this level of politeness. “Nice to meet you, too, Kageyama-kun, was it?” she responded with a slight nod of her head.
Kageyama rose from his position, “Yes, that’s correct.”
“Shou tells me you’ve bought our flowers before?”
“Ah, yes. They’re very…beautiful. I couldn’t stop myself from buying them.” For some reason his eyes shifted to Shouyou when he said that.
“Thank you very much.”
“Can… I was wondering if Hi— Shouyou could come to my house sometime?”
A smile appeared on her lips, “Well, I don’t see why not. He could even go today if you’d like. BUT,” She interjected as Shouyou took a deep breath to speak, “Only if you come over here some time as well.”
“You really mean it?!?!” Shouyou shouted when it seemed she was done speaking. He simply couldn’t contain his excitement, “What about the shop, though?”
“I don’t think we really need two people watching over it. Go have fun. Call if you won’t be home for dinner, though, I’ll need to cook a lot less if not.”
Shouyou beamed and left into the air before quickly running around the counter and grabbing Kageyama’s arm, “Let’s go before she changes her mind!” he shouted as he dragged the other boy out of the shop.
He didn’t stop until he came to the fork in the road that could take them either into town or out into the residential district.
“Which way is your house?” He asked.
“Um, actually,” Kageyama fidgeted, “Could we go somewhere else first? Like…I dunno, somewhere where people hang out.”
“Hmmmm,” Shouyou thought for a bit, “I don’t really have any money…we could go to the park, I guess? It’s not too far.”
Kageyama looked thoughtful, “Yeah, the park should be fine. Let’s go there.”
And they did. It was pretty fun, all in all. Shouyou found an old tire swing strung from one of the trees, and they took turns pushing each other on it. Then they wrestled around in the grass for a bit before just laying next to each other and talking. At some point they dissolved into laughter for so long that Shouyou forgot what he was saying in the first place. He loved it. Everything felt so natural with Kageyama, like he really was meant to be by his side. He’d never had this sort of connection before, but he found himself wanting more of it.
That was a dangerous, selfish thought, though. He couldn’t entertain it for too long. So instead he decided to lose himself in the moment and enjoy one of the few friends he’d ever had, even if there was a possibility they’d forget each other when school started.
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Tobio found himself feeling very nervous as they approached his house. He had been preparing for this moment since his third visit to the flower shop, but he still didn’t feel quite ready. What if Hinata didn’t like it? What if he thought it was disgusting that Tobio went through all that trouble for him? There were too many what ifs for him. He liked to be in complete control of the situation.
Somehow he found the courage to speak when they got inside, though, “I have something to show you.”
Hinata cocked his head to the side, “What is it?”
Cute, Tobio thought. It was a thought he’d had frequently as of late. Hinata was just…cute. The way he got overly excited, always wearing his emotions on his sleeves. that was probably what had drawn Tobio to him in the first place, what kept him coming back and blowing his allowance on flowers.
“You’ll see. Just follow me.”
This time, it was Tobio’d turn to grab Hinata’s arm, “Actually, close your eyes.”
Hinata looked skeptical, but obeyed nonetheless. Tobio lead him gently through the house, only speaking once to warn Hinata to watch his step on the way out the door. He stopped in the middle of the back deck and took a deep breath.
“Ok, you can look.”
Hinata’s eyes blinked open slowly. He looked out in front of them, seeming confused at first. But then realization dawned on his face as his mouth formed a delicate “o”. More of those emotions that Tobio loved so much.
When Hinata turned to look at him, his eyes were sparkling with wonder, “Kageyama, did you…do all this?”
Tobio shrugged and looked away, “Yeah…I felt bad that you couldn’t have flowers of your own so…you can use my yard if you want.”
“But…But…This is incredible.” He ran out to the edge of the little flower bed, kneeling down to get a closer look. Kageyama had tried to arrange it carefully. There was an array of red and purple in the center, which faded into orange and then yellow and finally white at the edges. It was awkward and lopsided, though, clearly an amateur’s work.
“Not…really,” he protested weakly.
“What do you mean not really!?” Hinata demanded, “It must have taken so much time to do! Not to mention the money!”
Tobio shrugged, “Actually, when I told my mom my idea she thought it was so neat that she paid for everything. It’s not a big deal…I just…wanted to do something for you.”
He wasn’t expecting the small body that flung itself at him, nor the surprisingly long arms that wrapped around his waist. And it was only when his shirt began feeling slightly wet that he realized that he was being hugged by a crying boy. He awkwardly patted Hinata’s back.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked.
Hinata shook his head, “Nothing. It’s just that nobody’s ever done something this nice for me before. Gosh, do you even realize how much I like you right now?”
A slight heat began to form in Tobio’s cheeks, “I…like you too, Hinata. I actually…tried to make the flowers about you. Not the meanings, since I don’t know those, but just the bright colors and how….how cute they are.” He blurted it out before he could stop himself.
Hinata looked up with a furrowed brow, “Wait, when you say “like” what do you mean?”
Crap. He hadn’t thought that maybe Hinata meant it a different way! Of course he did, though. Of course he did. Still, just to be sure… “What do you mean?”
Hinata’s face turned redder than hs hair, which would have been answer enough, but of course he added words as well, “I…uh…well…let’s just say I’m really jealous of your girlfriend.”
Kageyama could have killed the idiot in front of him, “HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU I DON’T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND DUMBASS?!” He yelled, causing hinata to cringe back.
“You…don’t?” he asked softly.
“No! I…God, here,” he leaned down and swiftly kissed Hinata’s cheek, “That’s what I mean when I say I like you.”
Hinata looked stunned, but then he brought a hand to his cheek with a smile, “Yeah…that’s what I mean, too.”
They stood there in silence for a while, neither one quite sure what is supposed to come next in this strange new territory.
After abut five minutes, Hinata spoke up, “Thanks for the flowers, Tobio.”
Tobio couldn’t bring himself to look over, “You’re welcome,” he said into the yard.
“But did you know the chrysanthemums are usually funeral flowers?”
Tobio punched him.