Chapter Text
I.
Of all the ways the day could have ended, Hinata never imagined it would end like this: lying down alone, the futon already molded to the shape of his body. It would hurt less if he couldn’t hear his friends’ laughter, knowing he couldn’t reach them now – and the worst part: he was the one who spent the least amount of time on the court.
Couldn't the fever have been a little kinder? It could knock him out enough not to listen through the closed door to Noya’s jokes, Tanaka’s excitement, and even Tsukishima’s complaint about how loud they are. But nothing is more striking than Kageyama’s silence. Not that he's a big talker, but now this seems too much. Kageyama had always been ahead of him, and Hinata is not stupid enough not to recognize that, but he still hoped he could win the Spring National Tournament and feel a little more on equal footing with Kageyama. At least they would be playing together until –
"And I'll be the one who stays on the court the longest. I won again."
After the game, he ate properly, cried more than he wanted, drank enough water, and the only thing he could do now was rest, at least if his body let him.
The pain of losing something through his own carelessness, and of being ill, had disrupted his sense of time. It was probably around 11 p.m. when Kageyama opened the door a crack. Hinata stared at him for some seconds until he asked: “What are you doing, Bakageyama?” He wanted to sound a little lighter, but he thinks Kageyama noticed the flaw in his voice and his swollen eyes even through the dim light coming from the room. For Kageyama’s face, he didn’t know why he came either. Still, he put on a mask and sat leaning against the door while seemingly choosing his words carefully.
Gazing at the ground, as it was the cause of his problems, Kageyama asks, almost reluctantly, "How are you?" Hinata thinks for a while about what to say, but he doesn't have enough energy to put into words what he really feels. He gives up and simply says: "Feverish."
“No kidding, idiot?” Kageyama says ironically, and Hinata smirks. The room is filled with silence once more. Without him taking the reins of the conversation, Kageyama seems even more lost about what to say. Almost as if coming here had been instinct, but he didn't quite know what to do once he'd arrived.
"I wish I could have stayed on the court longer." Kageyama confesses.
That hurt. “Yeah, me too.”
"I wish I hadn't won against you this time." Kageyama murmurs, and both of them widen their eyes, surprised by what he just said. It sounds like a confession bigger than they can handle, with the night, sleep, and emotions of an intense day leaving their tongues looser and their hearts softer.
”Well, you shouldn’t feel like this, Yamayama.” Kageyama finally looks into Hinata’s eyes. This was not just his usual grumpy face. Judging by the furrowing of his brow and the tense jaw, Hinata realizes he said something wrong. “I didn’t mean… It’s just… the semi-final was right around the corner, and I don't think I've ever been so frustrated before.” Hinata’s voice is now almost a whisper. He slaps his hands on the top of the futon and then squeezes the blanket in an attempt to relieve the stress of picking at this recent wound. Kageyama still seems out of place in the conversation, but nods because he knows exactly what Hinata means. They understand this frustration better than anyone.
Hinata takes a deep breath. “If you tell what I’m about to say to someone, I'll throw a ball at your face."
"You don't have such good aim."
“Shut up, liar-yama”. They know how much Hinata has improved since arriving at Karasuno – but that doesn't mean Kageyama will admit it. This makes today's loss even more bitter. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so frustrated in my life. I like Takeda-sensei, but it was so hard to hear that I couldn’t… I just…” Hinata swallows hard and then says all at once, “I was so frustrated with everything, but it was you who got my head straight.”
"You're not making any sense, idiot."
“It’s good to have our teammate’s support saying that I should rest and… you know, you see it… But it was you that reminded me of the reason I was there. Play one more time, compete one more time, and win. I wanted it all one more time. I'll catch up to you someday, Kageyama-kun, you better get ready.” Hinata smiles brighter now at last. Smaller than usual, but the most genuine smile since he was substituted in the match against Kamomedai. Kageyama isn't good at comforting, and Hinata hadn't expected this from him, but somehow he found the right words in a moment full of distress. "Good luck, dumbass." Finally, Kageyama's eyebrows loosen, and he assumes a relaxed expression (as relaxed as Kageyama can be).
He remains seated there, but the silence is no longer strange. His shoulders relax, and the tension dissipates, the promise still alive despite today's loss. Kageyama fiddles with the hem of his pants as he gathers the courage to say: "I'll be waiting for you, Hinata."
But when he looks directly at the futon, he realizes that Hinata has finally fallen asleep. With a sigh, Kageyama lightly bumps his head against the door behind him, gets up, and lets him rest. There's still time to say that to Hinata. But for now, they must sleep and prepare themselves for the long journey back home.