Chapter Text
As spring came to Tokyo with cherry blossoms and warmer days, the WDSF Open Tokyo event was getting closer and closer.
While dancers all around Japan were practising their choreographies-
Hinata, Hoshiumi, and Kageyama still haven't chosen who would be Tobio’s partner.
Because even though Kageyama was one of the best Latino dancers in the nation,
Two idiots have kept him undecided for months now.
“Okay, okay, break!”
He called after Hinata messed up the turn for the fourth time today.
“We should add another step to it, it’ll be easier to keep balance.”
Hoshiumi demonstrated the version with an extra step.
“But it won’t be as complex, and that equals less points.”
Kageyama stated, already grabbing his water bottle.
“But we’re not you!”
Hinata shouted way too energetic for a man who just danced for four hours.
“Then you have to adjust! I remind you that I’m the leader here!”
That shut both of them up for a second
“Geez, no need to be so harsh, Kags.”
“Don’t call me that.”
The answer came fast, too fast.
But in reality, he liked that nickname.
Maybe a little too much
“Okay, back to practice!”
He called, annoyed at his own thoughts.
“But we just started the break.”
Hinata muffled, swallowing his water.
Then Hoshiumi looked at the clock.
“Yeah, no. End of practice for today.”
“What?! We need to practice!”
“And I need to get on the last train.”
He started gathering his things.
“Unless you want to give me a ride home.”
Kageyama looked away, while Hinata found the floor very interesting
“Thought so.”
“Why didn’t you get a license?”
Kageyama asked
“It costs money? And I don’t really have much of that green stuff?”
Hoshiumi answered mockingly
“That sounded…”
Hinata didn’t even have time to finish before Hoshiumi cut in
Maybe it was the better decision.
It probably was
“Shut up. I already know that you’re gonna say something.”
“Yeah, never mind.”
Hoshiumi swung his bag over his shoulder, already in motion.
“See ya tomorrow.”
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
The other two stood on the floor looking at the exit for longer than necessary.
“So are we continuing practice or…?”
Hinata spoke first, breaking the silence.
“No, we’re done for today.”
“But if I were the one who went, you would’ve continued, am I right? You like him more.”
Hinata turned his head away.
“First. It’s 1 am, so we have to go anyway. Second, no, I don’t like him more. What made you even think about it?”
Kageyama asked, clearly annoyed by the shorter’s behaviour.
“I don't know, you don’t correct him as much, you don’t tell him to shut up. And I think you wanted to choose him from the start.”
“What?”
Kageyama shook his head.
“That’s not- you know what? I don’t have the strength.”
He grabbed his water bottle and went to the bathroom to change, because, unlike Hoshiumi, he had time to.
Hinata just stood in the middle of the dance floor.
He wasn’t even surprised anymore.
Nor angry
Just…
He didn’t even know how to describe it.
For quite some time now, he felt something towards Kageyama.
It wasn’t hate, nor was it friendship.
He knew he liked Kageyama.
As something more
And that wasn’t the worst part.
What terrified him was that he felt the same way towards Hoshiumi.
And he couldn’t decide.
But deep inside,
He wanted both of them at the same time.
But being with more than one person felt like some kind of imaginary concept.
Even though it was possible.
But not in this situation
Or at least that’s what Hinata told himself.
Because sooner or later-
One of them would get chosen,
But the other wouldn’t
And that part made it terrifying.
Because he and Hoshiumi were still rivals
And he couldn’t let feelings get in the way.
As much as he wanted to.
He walked up to a wall and slid down to the floor, hiding his face in his knees.
First, there came hours of training.
That was what exhausted his body.
With that came pressure
Every comment from Kageyama made something painfully twist inside Hinata's chest.
And he didn’t even know why-
At least at the beginning
When he realised it, what revealed itself was the part that exhausted his soul the most.
Feelings
Quiet, unresolved feelings that he couldn’t tell anyone about
Because if he did, he already knew the answer
“It’s not possible.”
“You can’t be with two people at once, especially guys.”
He hated that people treated same sex couples like aliens,
Some even worse.
But it was half of the world that thought that.
And he couldn’t do much about it.
Kageyama walked back so quietly that Hinata didn’t even realise it until he crouched in front of him and spoke.
“You cryin' or somethin'?”
He asked, making Hinata jump up in shock as he looked up at him.
“Did this man win emotions in a bag of chips?”
That was the first thought that came to Hinata’s mind after he processed Kageyama’s words.
“N-no”
He put a hand up to his mouth, hearing himself.
He hasn’t realised when his cheeks started warming up, and when the floor became so fascinating. The design was truly interesting.
“Okay”
Kageyama answered, standing up and walking to grab his bag.
“Practice is tomorrow at ten. Don’t be late.”
This man really has no mercy.
“Sure”
Hinata answered, not even looking up.
When Kageyama reached the door, he just reminded him to close up, and with that, he was gone.
Hinata sat on the floor for a few more minutes before deciding to practice some more.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when he collapsed on the floor.
But he definitely knew it was too much since the light started slipping in through the windows in the corridor.
“Shit”
He whispered, dragging a hand down his face.
He stood up and grabbed his phone from the floor.
“It’s 5 am?!”
He sighed, grabbing his bag.
“I’ll maybe get three hours of sleep.”
He moaned to the ceiling.
He locked the door behind him and headed toward the exit.
Before leaving, he placed the key on the empty reception counter and shut the lights off.
When he opened the door, there was no car in sight.
“What?”
He glanced to his right and saw a bike.
“Oh, right, I gave it to my sis”.
He sighed and looked up to the sky.
“And my 3 hours of sleep went to hell. Now I’ll maybe get two, and that’s only if she gives the car back by morning.”
He took the lock off his bike and got on.
“The next two hours will be fun.”
And it was as he said
Since he lived in Musashino
On the outskirts of Tokyo
And the training room was in Kōtō.
It took around forty minutes to drive to his place in a car.
And two hours by bike.
Well, it was his only option now since the last train left four hours ago, and a walk would take 5 hours.
When he got home, the only thing he managed to do was take off his shoes and move to his bed on autopilot.
He fell asleep almost immediately when his body touched the mattress.
He didn’t even know if the alarm was on
Now he could just pray it was
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city
Hoshiumi woke up around half an hour ago.
And was now questioning his life decisions.
Especially the love ones
“I like him. No, I don’t. But I feel something towards him, but Kageyama tho-”
He leaned back into his pillow.
“Who the fuck invented feelings?!”
A pause
“Probably a girl during her period.”
He laughed at that
“Geez, seriously, what is wrong with me?”
The next day came as quickly as the night had begun.
At least for Hinata
And to his misfortune-
The alarm was on.
The loud sound woke him up painfully.
As he tried to reach his phone, he knocked something down from the nightstand.
And it was probably a glass.
Because it shattered on the floor.
A loud groan left his mouth, then.
“Why meeee”
When he found his phone and checked the time, he was even more disappointed.
It was 8:30
He normally woke up at this hour, no problem.
But today he fell asleep at 7 am.
So he got barely one and a half hours of sleep.
“I’m never staying late again.”
He murmured, but deep down, he knew he would anyway.
When he arrived at the training room, both Hoshiumi and Kageyama were already warming up.
“You barely made it.”
Kageyama spoke first
“I know"
Hinata sighed, already walking to change.
Hoshiumi followed him
“You stayed long after practice?”
He asked, trying to sound casual.
“Five”
“Five what? Minutes? Hours?”
“Am”
“You stayed till 5 am?! Are you crazy?”
Hinata laughed humorlessly
“Like you’d care.”
“I-”
Korai stopped himself before he could say anything.
“You what?”
“Nothing”
Hinata looked at him for a few more seconds but decided not to push.
“Okay”
“Okay, switch.”
Kageyama called, and Hinata immediately stepped off the floor, nearly collapsing.
“I refilled your water.”
Hoshiumi called, stepping into position.
He didn’t see Hinata’s reaction, but he imagined what his face looked like now.
As the music started, he focused entirely on the movement.
His mind was already projecting steps and places where Tobio would be.
That was his little superpower.
He could make visions based on observations.
His mind could recreate patterns and project them.
That’s why he liked consistent partners like Kageyama.
They were easier to read.
The fact that he wasn’t really practicing with Hinata that much didn’t help
He needed more time to adjust to the orange-haired man every time they stayed after practice.
But he liked challenges.
“Go sharper on that turn.”
Kageyama’s voice got him out of his head as he followed the instructions.
He didn’t even realise when they reached the last sequence.
He was too distracted by his own head.
Two steps,
Turn
Kageyama behind his back
He raised his arm to his neck, a little too far.
The arch caused his shirt to lift a little too much-
Then
Kageyama’s hand,
Warmth.
The second Kageyama steadied himself-
The grip on his ribs tightened hard enough to make him inhale sharply.
The music finished, and deep breaths followed.
Kageyama didn’t move.
If anything, his grip tightened even more.
Hoshiumi felt a sharp pain in his ribs.
“You can take your hand now, you know?”
Kageyama slowly loosened his hold, but his hand lingered on the other’s skin for a bit too long.
“Break”
He called, stepping away, avoiding their eyes.
Hinata looked between them with a mixed expression, while Hoshiumi was just trying not to combust on the spot.
Did this man even realise what he was doing to him?!
But it was just a dance, though.
They’ve been practicing this for months.
But then why did his hand linger for so long?
Why was his grip so tight?
How was he supposed to not let feelings get in the way,
When the feelings were touching him like that?
“Hey, you dead or somethin'?”
Hinata’s voice got him out of his head.
“U-h no I’m okay.”
Hinata looked him up and down, but let it go.
Another month has passed, and the atmosphere got even more tense than it already was
Kageyama left an hour ago.
But the other two were now practicing alone.
They danced well, even though they rarely had time to practice together.
Hinata messed up a few steps somewhere in the middle and at the end.
Hoshiumi didn’t let it go.
“You suck.”
He said after the music cut.
“What?!”
“You messed up a good few times.”
“That doesn’t mean I suck!”
“It absolutely does.”
“It absolutely doesn’t!”
Hoshiumi sighed
“I don’t have the strength.”
A beat.
Then Hoshiumi glanced at him again.
“You still suck though.”
Hinata’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re seriously asking to get punched.”
“Do I?”
He teased, stepping closer.
“Don’t try me.”
Hinata warned
“Or what? What can you do with those little hands of yours?”
That finally crossed the line
Hinata closed the distance between them
“Say that again.”
The exact reaction Hoshiumi was expecting.
A smug smile tugged at his lips before he answered.
“What will you do to me with your small hands?”
He grabbed the other man’s shirt.
“Trust me, I can do a lot of things with them.”
Hoshiumi looked at him for a second.
Then he laughed once under his breath.
“Like what? Fist me?”
Hoshiumi teased.
Hinata froze.
For a second, his mind went completely blank.
Then his cheeks turned the color of a fresh tomato.
“W-what?”
“You heard me right.”
Hoshiumi held his stare for a second longer than necessary.
The smugness on his face slipped just slightly.
Then he lifted Hinata’s chin.
“I like you.”
Hinata just stared at him, his ability to speak completely gone.
That was both the worst and first confession he’s ever heard.
But how was he supposed to respond to that?!
Who the hell just randomly confesses in the middle of a fight?!
Hoshiumi laughed again, this time more out of disbelief than amusement.
He dragged his free hand down his face with a sigh.
“What the fuck was that?”
“You tell me.”
Shoyo managed to mutter.
The silence stretched through the room after that.
Neither of them knew what to say or do
They just stood there, breathing still slightly heavy from practice.
Their faces were red, though Hinata’s was more so.
Hoshiumi stared at him.
Sweat dripping down his face and neck, his breathing deep.
The orange hair clung to his face as his eyes looked anywhere but at Korai.
“You look hot like that.”
It slipped out before he could stop himself.
Hinata’s eyes snapped to his face.
“What?”
“I’m just sayin' the truth?”
“Jesus Christ”
He shook his head, but he didn’t pull away.
This time, his eyes went from one of Hoshiumi's eyes to another, then to his lips.
Hinata swallowed, moving a bit closer.
Hoshiumi’s hand came up to the other’s cheek.
“Can I?”
Hinata just nodded.
The kiss was slow and gentle.
Like testing the waters for the first time.
When they pulled back, it was just for a second.
They let their foreheads rest against each other before connecting their lips again.
This time, it was deeper.
They parted after a few seconds, faces still lingering close.
“I really like you.”
Hoshiumi spoke first.
“Me too”
Hinata smiled.
He decided to keep the part about Kageyama for later-
And so did Hoshiumi.
Shoyo lifted his own hand and rested it on top of the other man’s palm, intertwining their fingers.
His eyes softened when he tilted his head more to the touch.
“I really do.”
He murmured.
As the two men stood in the middle of a dance floor, figuring out their feelings-
Somewhere across the city, an important decision was taking place.
And specifically, Kageyama’s decision
He sat in the gaming chair, with his computer open, replaying footage from practice and other competitions.
The clock was ticking.
And he needed to choose between the two dancers.
As much as he didn’t want to
“Ugh, I hate this.”
He dragged a hand down his face, replaying the same fragment for the 10th time already.
“Why can’t I choose both?”
It would’ve been easier.
They were both good.
And they matched each other’s energy.
Hinata, with his impulsiveness,
And Hoshiumi with abnormal imagination.
Well, technically, the rules didn’t say anything about the number of partners,
But if they did dance in a trio,
It would be extremely weird.
And they would need to change the whole choreo
But they didn’t have time for that now.
Not with 4 months left before the qualifiers
They would need a genius to make it work.
And as obvious as it was that Hoshiumi could do it-
Kageyama was too exhausted to realise it.
Instead, he just stared blankly at the screen, slowly sinking into his chair until he almost fell off.
He sat back up and paused the video.
“I’ll finish this tomorrow.”
He said, closing the computer.
Then his phone lit up.
It was a text from Hinata.
Hinata:
“Hey, can we cancel tomorrow’s morning practice?”
Kageyama frowned at the screen but opened it.
Kageyama:
“Why?”
The three dots appeared almost instantly.
Hinata:
“I have some stuff to do, Hoshiumi agreed, btw.”
Kageyama thought about it for a second
One practice wouldn’t change much.
And he would get more sleep.
Kageyama:
“Sure, but just this time.”
Hinata:
“Thanks, see ya at afternoon practice tomorrow then.”
Kegeyama:
“Yeah, see ya.”
He closed the phone without much thought and it back on the desk.
Meanwhile, Hinata and Hoshiumi had plans for tonight.
The second Kageyama agreed to skip morning practice, they decided to head to Hoshiumi's place.
It was closer, and neither of them felt like spending another hour in traffic.
While Hoshiumi stayed behind to close up, Hinata went to get his car.
When the white-haired man finally stepped outside, he found Hinata standing by the passenger door.
His back was straight.
His hand rested against the roof of the car.
And he was grinning like an idiot.
Hoshiumi immediately knew he was about to witness something embarrassing.
“What is this?”
Hinata opened the passenger door with a dramatic flourish.
“I'll be your driver today, sir. I will provide as much comfort as possible during the ride.”
For a moment, Hoshiumi just stared at him.
Then he looked at the car.
A Toyota MR2.
He looked back at Hinata.
Then at the car again.
Most people trying to impress someone with a car showed up in a BMW. Or a Mercedes. Maybe something stupidly expensive.
Hinata had shown up in a twenty-year-old sports car and somehow looked proud of it.
Hoshiumi couldn't help laughing.
“You know, normal people use flowers when they're flirting, right?”
“I’m not normal!”
“True.”
Hoshuimi shook his head and got in.
When Hinata did the same and closed the door, Hoshiumi looked at him.
“So where are you taking me, shofer?”
“You tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
He teased.
“Your address, sir.”
Hoshiumi chuckled but told him the address anyway.
Hinata started the car and put his seatbelt on.
“Wait, you’re not using like Google Maps or something?”
“I may or may not know the whole topography of the city.”
“You what?!”
Hinata laughed at the reaction.
“That’s actually impressive, how’d you learn it?”
“Well, for starters, I had a lot of contracts and practices throughout Tokyo and the outskirts. So I drove a lot. And it’s pretty useful when you know how to drive around traffic.”
Hinata explained that when he started driving.
“And now I can drive you around.”
That made Hoshiumi pause for a second.
A few quiet moments passed before he finally spoke
“Nice car”
Hinata chuckled
“Thanks. I actually bought it from a friend. He’s all about cars. So when I told him I wanted something subtle and small to drive around, he showed me this.”
"I don't remember most of what he told me. Something about power-to-weight ratio?"
A pause.
"Anyway, apparently it's fast."
Hoshiumi laughed at that
“Wow”
That was all he managed to say.
Hoshiumi leaned back into the seat.
For the first time in months, there was no practice.
No competition.
No Kageyama.
Just the two of them.
And somehow, that was more terrifying than any dance floor.
When they got to Hoshiumi’s place, it was already past midnight.
The apartment wasn’t big.
It wasn’t small either.
“It’s nice here.”
Hinata said, checking out the kitchen.
“I know.”
Hoshiumi appeared behind him, what made Hinata flinch.
He slid one hand around the other's waist.
Hinata inhaled a sharp breath.
“So what do you wanna do?”
Hoshiumi whispered to his ear.
“I-I don’t know”
“We have the whole night, and no morning practice.”
His hand came up to Hinata’s cheek.
Then he placed a kiss on the back of his neck.
Hinata shut his eyes sharply.
Hoshiumi continued, his hand sliding under Hinata’s shirt.
Hinata curled his hands into fists as he swallowed deeply.
He wanted Korai.
He really did.
He didn’t realise when the first tear came out.
Then another,
When Hoshiumi’s fingers found his nipples, he stiffened and took a sharp breath.
He never really liked the idea.
He realised it at some point in high school when people started talking about sex.
When people were fantasizing about how it would feel in the bedroom,
He just simply wanted gentle kisses and cuddles.
At first, he thought it was weird,
But then he learned to accept that it was just who he was.
Although he still sometimes thought about how it would feel.
Now he realised he didn't want to find out.
“Stop.”
He managed to say.
Hoshiumi stilled.
“What?”
Hinata bit hard on his lip.
“Stop, please.”
His hands started shaking.
Hoshiumi noticed and immediately pulled back.
He turned Hinata around and saw the tears flowing freely down his cheeks now.
“I’m- sorry.”
Hoshiumi’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“I-I broke the moment, I-”
“You don’t have to be sorry.”
Hoshiumi didn’t let him finish.
“You did nothing wrong. I’m the one who should be apologising.”
“N-no, you-”
“Hey, look at me.”
He put one hand on Hinata’s arm.
When the other finally looked up, his eyes softened.
“You did nothing wrong. I should’ve asked. I understand if it’s to early or-”
“I just don’t like it, okay?”
Hoshiumi paused at that.
He was an absolute idiot.
How could he not consider it a possibility?!
He fucked up,
Badly.
But he couldn’t reverse time.
All he could do now was-
“Okay”
Accept it.