Chapter Text
Hinata rubs at his eyes, yawning as he crawls out of bed, blanket still draped around his shoulders. He can hear his mom scolding Natsu, probably for spilling her juice. Hinata yawns again as he steps into the shower, jumping when the water is colder than he anticipated.
Now a little more awake, Hinata's mind was of full of thoughts. Most of them concern Kageyama or volleyball, primarily the former. Kageyama, whose tosses never failed to sail to the peak where Hinata’s hand waited, whose eyes were the darkest blue Hinata has ever seen, whose fingernails were somehow always filed perfectly, whose shoulder had bruises, whose arm had scratches--
Hinata shakes his head, sighing as he turns off the water. Today, he told himself, he would definitely ask Kageyama about it.
///
"Good morning, Kageyama-kun." Hinata smiles up at the tall boy, who has the same frown that he has every day on his face.
"Morning," Kageyama yawns, "You're more awake than usual."
"Hmm, maybe." Hinata doesn't mention it's because his mind is racing with thoughts about Kageyama. "Oh! Do you wanna come over after practice to play video games??"
Kageyama shrugs, "Sure."
"Natsu finally gave me them back. Mom had to make her though. I told her she could play with me and she stopped crying." Hinata grins while talking about his sister. "She whines so much but she's so cute I can't say no."
Kageyama can relate to that feeling; what with Hinata's small face and button nose and gosh, sometimes he looked like a hamster, and it was so endearing, even when he had three rice balls stuffed in his mouth. Kageyama felt like if Hinata asked him to rob a bank, he might just do it.
"I'm going to cream you in Mario Kart!!" Hinata grins, proudly pointing a thumb to his chest.
Kageyama shrugs again, "If you say so." Even though Hinata had not once beaten Kageyama.
When they stop to get meat buns, Coach Ukai's mother tells them that her son had already left for early practice. Hinata had almost forgotten that they were doubling up on practices since the winter tournament was approaching.
"RACE YOU!" Hinata shouted as soon as they left Ukai's store, meat bun already swallowed. Kageyama didn't know how Hinata was so small but ate so goddamn much. He was afraid that someday Hinata would just combust.
"SLOW DOWN IDIOT!" Kageyama starts chasing after him, a meat bun hanging out of his mouth.
They arrive to practice right as Coach Ukai is unlocking the gym, Daichi and Sugawara both there with him. "Looks like you two got here early," Sugawara smiles, one of those smiles that made Daichi (and surely the two first years) think that the heavens themselves had sent an angel to be Karsuno's vice captain.
"I beat Kageyama-kun!" Hinata blurts out, breathing quickly.
"No! I got here first!" Kageyama states, standing up straight as he catches his own breath.
"Either way, you're both here now, so why don't you help set up the nets?" Daichi suggests, heading towards the supply closet.
"Okay, Captain!" Hinata follows along willingly and Kageyama trails behind.
Before long, the rest of the team has shown up, save for Tsukishima. According to Yamaguchi, "Tsukki isn't a morning person!", but he promised Daichi he'd try and get the blonde to wake up tomorrow morning.
Practice goes by easily, both Kageyama and Hinata seem to be on the top of their game. Sugawara teaches Kageyama the last few hand signs, and they begin to practice with them, as well as with the verbal calls.
By the time classes come along, Hinata is no longer chipper. Then again, Hinata didn't care to put in effort for much other than volleyball. Math class is a drag, but the duo get through English without the teacher calling on them. Once afternoon practice rolls around, Hinaga seems to be back on his feet. He buys a juice box for himself, and after some consideration, buys a milk carton for Kageyama. The tall boy always seemed to drink milk, which Hinata realizes is probably how he had grown.
When he tosses Kageyama the milk, a look of utter confusion passes his face. Hinata almost snorts his juice at the way his eyebrows furrow. Kageyama seems to be looking for words but all he gets out is “Why?”
"I thought you liked milk!" Hinata says, laughing, "Why are you making that face?"
Kageyama glares at the milk accusingly, like it had just attacked him and his family.
"Besides, you buy me meat buns all the time. That's what friends do, stupid!" Hinata sticks out his tongue before downing the rest of the juice and throwing the box away. "Come on, we gotta hurry!" He says, before skipping out of the club room and towards the gym.
friends?
Oh right, Kageyama always forget that he had those now.
He supposes Hinata is his friend. They hang out outside of school and eat food together. The team does that too, so he guesses that means they're all friends. He thinks once Sugawara had said something about being a family, but he can't be certain.
friends and a family?
Kageyama smiles to himself.
He had come a long way.
///
"Hey, Kageyama?" Hinata asks, after losing for the seventh time that evening. He insisted it was because he was out of practice but Kageyama had just snickered at him.
"What?" Kageyama yawns, leaning against the foot of Hinata's bed.
"Have you ever dated anyone?" Hinata's eyes look strange in the dimly lit room. Not so warm and amber as much cold and dreary.
"No." Kageyama quickly states, even if it is a lie.
"Really? 'Cause you're so tall and cool looking I wouldn't be surprised." Hinata mumbles, his cheeks slightly pink.
"Why do you care?" Kageyama asks, huffing.
"No reason," Hinata says in a sing song voice. "So if you're not dating anyone, than who’s that hickey on your shoulder from?"
Kageyama's eyes go wide and his hand flies up to where the bruise lies. "How did you---?"
Hinata looks away, "I'm sorry I asked you don't have to answer." Hinata looks embarrassed and Kageyama would probably make fun of him if it wasn't for a memory prodding at his mind--.
Kageyama knew he was running late, but practice ended thirty minutes past six, so his mother had already left for work. He didn't mind riding the train home, but the walk from the station to his house was long. Sometimes he wonders why he didn't choose to go to a school closer to his house, but then he remembers his neighbors talking with his mom about the volleyball team at their son's middle school, and within minutes Kageyama was convinced he had to go there.
As he walks past the red home next to his dark grey one, he notices someone leaving through the front door. Kageyama recalls Kindaichi's absence from practice, but Iwaizumi had said the boy was sick.
"Kindaichi-kun?" Kageyama asks, taking a few steps towards the home.
"Oh, Kageyama," Kindaichi smiles, "Yo."
"Uh, can I ask something?" Kageyama asks, his eyes glued to the ground. There was something interesting about the way the pavement turned into a stone walkway, and the way Kindaichi's blue sneakers stood out against the grey rocks.
"Of course," When Kageyama looks up Kindaichi's smile is reaching his eyes, like it always does.
"Why do you want to...you know," Kageyama blushes and Kindaichi laughs, his hand coming to rest on Kageyama's wrist.
"Because you're so cute." Kindaichi grins, rubbing circles onto Kageyama's wrists, "And I want to make you mine."
Kageyama tries to pull his wrist away but Kindaichi's grip suddenly tightens, and Kageyama is being pulled into Kindaichi's chest, and arms are wrapped around Kageyama's back.
"Kindaichi-kun..?" Kageyama asks, surprised.
Kindaichi doesn't say anything, but Kageyama can feel his lips pressed against his neck. Kindaichi applies more pressure, and Kageyama flinches when he hears Kindaichi's mouth makes a popping sound.
"You taste like sugar." Kindaichi murmurs, allowing his tongue to run over the small hickey that was starting to form on Kageyama's neck.
"K-kindaichi-kun, please s-stop." Kageyama stutters, attempting to push off Kindaichi. The boy doesn't listen, moving to the other side of Kageyama's neck and slides off his volleyball jacket, placing a kiss against the skin the collar used to cover.
"That hurts," Kageyama grits his teeth when Kindaichi bites down again.
"You asked why I want to do it, right?" Kindaichi asks, moving down to Kageyama's upper arm, biting as he goes, sometimes gently, mostly not. "I love you, Kageyama. And I know you love me. Right?"
Kageyama grunts, "Y-yeah."
"So please stop complaining," Kindaichi states, "You're dating me."
Kageyama doesn't know what to say, and the pain in his neck and upper arm distract him from finding words. Kindaichi tsks when he hears a car approaching.
"Fix yourself," Kindaichi mutters, tossing Kageyama his volleyball jacket.
"Okay," Kageyama takes a few breaths as he puts on the jacket, flinching where the sleeves run over the arm.
Kindaichi is off then, saying he has a study group to get to. He gets into a yellow car and it drives away, leaving Kageyama alone in Kindaichi's yard. He wanders home, his house is just across the street, and takes a hot shower, trying to get rid off Kindaichi's scent.
But, no matter how he scrubbed---god, he scrubbed so much, it was still there---
"Kageyama-kun? Kageyama? Ka-ge-yama!" Hinata waves a hand in front of his face, "Geez, I said you don't have to answer."
Kageyama just blinks slowly and Hinata nearly stops breathing when he realizes there are tears in his eyes.
"Kageyama?? Why are you crying?? Did I say something?? I was probably just joking, you know!! Shoot, stop crying, please--" Hinata waves his arms around, and he runs around the room, looking for tissues. He finally finds some, but when he tries to hand them to Kageyama, the boy doesn't move.
"Fine! I'll do it myself!" Hinata takes a tissue and wipes away the tears that drip down Kageyama's face and wow were his eyes always that blue and how was his skin so soft--
Kageyama leans forward and before he knows it, Hinata has his arms wrapped around the boy, mumbling that it was okay, that everything was okay, and that he didn't have to tell Hinata anything. Of course, Hinata wanted to know who or what made Kageyama cry, so he could beat up them up. But, Hinata figures he could wait. The shaking boy in his arms mattered more to him in this moment than anything else.