Chapter Text
How did it end up like this?
There were probably a lot of answers to that question. A coincidence, a twist of fate, or (perhaps more likely) just the consequences of their actions. At that moment, though, Hinata didn’t care. He only stared in awe into the two blue eyes above him, the gaze that, despite being achingly familiar, had never been quite so close. Features he had previously labelled sharp and often downright terrifying seemed softer now. The stark set of his jaw, the angle of his eyes, the way his dark hair shrouded his face with something mystifying, and…
Hinata found himself briefly compelled to glance at the boy’s lips. They were slightly agape, in what Hinata could only assume was surprise or anticipation, letting out sparse yet shallow breaths. Indeed, he appeared much more vulnerable than he usually did—but only a single thought leaped to Hinata’s mind.
Pretty.
It felt wrong. Tobio Kageyama couldn’t be pretty. He was scary and intense and mean. Someone like him couldn’t bear any semblance to such a simple, gentle description. And yet, as Hinata searched the expression of the boy above him, he couldn’t find a trace of any of that callousness. He only saw the flicker of tenderness in the depths of blue eyes, and the reddish color that had spread from ear to ear. He only thought, He’s pretty.
Unconsciously, Hinata’s mouth moved to form the word. Pretty. Kageyama, you’re…
But his voice was quickly stifled in his throat as Kageyama suddenly drew himself closer, and the lips Hinata had been admiring a second ago were pressed firmly against his own.
***
The day had been completely normal up till that point. Kageyama had raced Hinata to the gym for before-school volleyball practice, struggled to stay awake through his classes, then, as if a switch were flipped, felt completely alert once he’d come back to the gym for after-school practice. The team had played four sets until Coach Ukai put his foot down, saying it was important to get good rest before the Interhigh preliminaries that weekend. But as usual, there was no stopping Hinata from marching up to Kageyama immediately after practice and saying his well-worn line: “Give me a toss!”
Ennoshita simply sighed and told them to go home at a reasonable hour.
Within ten minutes, everyone had cleared out of the gym, leaving only the “freak duo,” who set and spiked ball after ball like ravenous crows.
Kageyama watched the ball fly into the air for the thousandth time, listening to the distinctive squeak of shoes on linoleum as Hinata dashed toward the net. Hinata sprung himself into the air just as Kageyama set the ball with the precise amount of force and spin to stop directly in front of Hinata’s right hand. Almost instantly, the ball was slammed down on the other side of the court, and Hinata wore a brilliant grin, evidently pleased but not yet satisfied. “Another one!” he demanded, grabbing another ball and throwing it up in the air towards Kageyama.
Instead of setting it, though, Kageyama caught the ball and looked down at Hinata with a scowl. “It’s almost ten p.m., you dumbass. Coach—and Ennoshita—will kill us if we’re tired tomorrow.”
“I’m not tired yet,” Hinata argued, pouting.
Kageyama tossed the ball back into the cart and grasped the top of Hinata’s head by his hair, his expression growing more and more intimidating. “Don’t be such a brat. We’re not first-years anymore.”
“Ow! A brat?” Hinata repeated indignantly, meeting Kageyama’s gaze fiercely as he struggled against his firm grip. “I’m not—oh, come on, Kageyama, just one more!”
So childish, Kageyama thought, though it did spark the tiniest bit of fondness. “You say that, and then you’ll want ten more.” Kageyama released the orange tufts between his fingers and turned around. “Stop pouting and help me clean up.”
Hinata frowned but said nothing as he went to pick up the balls that had been strewn across the court. Once they’d put everything away, turned off the lights, and locked the gym, they headed towards the club room.
Kageyama would never admit it, but he did genuinely enjoy Hinata’s company, even when he was being childish or annoying. In fact, he considered Hinata to be his best friend—well, his only friend, really. Kageyama didn’t really talk to anybody else, but Hinata was the exact opposite. Hinata was a ball of sunshine who could make friends with anyone instantly. There was no way he would think of Kageyama, with his standoffish, overly intense yet socially awkward demeanor, as a best friend. And if Kageyama was being honest, the thought hurt a little. But his feelings didn’t matter; he was Hinata’s volleyball partner. That, at least, was special.
They entered the club room and, after closing the door behind them, reached for their respective bags.
“Hey, Hinata.” Kageyama pulled his shirt over his head, reaching for the other one in his bag as he glanced over at the shorter boy. “Think Daichi and the others are gonna come see the prelims this weekend?”
Hinata was tugging his own shirt on as he hummed thoughtfully. “All three of them are in university, aren’t they? They’re probably busy. Oh!” He met Kageyama’s eyes excitedly. “Maybe Suga, since he’s still in Miyagi?”
Kageyama was about to respond when they heard voices from outside the door.
“Ennoshita, how did you know they’d forget to lock up the club room?”
There was a laugh, then the sound of a key turning in the lock as the captain replied, “Just a hunch. They’ve been so focused ’cause of the tournament coming up, but that sort of thing gives them tunnel vision. They forget basic stuff.”
The voices were starting to fade away. Kageyama met Hinata’s eyes in alarm. Did they seriously just get locked inside?
“Right! They’ve got volleyball-heads. Nothing but air inside.”
“You’re one to talk, Tanaka.”
“What the hell does that mean?!”
Hinata rushed toward the door, jiggling the doorknob until he confirmed that it was, indeed, locked from the outside. He banged on the door furiously. “Ennoshita! Tanaka! Wait! We’re in here!!”
Kageyama snapped to his senses and joined him, shouting, “Come back!”
To their despair, the third-years gave no sign of hearing their poor trapped underclassmen, their banter fading further and further away.
“Shit.” Kageyama kicked the door, unable to believe their predicament. He glared at Hinata. “Oi, dumbass! Why didn’t you say anything while they were still in front of the door?!”
“Why didn’t you?!” Hinata fired back. “What are we gonna do?”
Kageyama groaned, rubbing the knot of tension between his eyebrows. Then his head snapped up as something occurred to him. “Wait! Ennoshita gave us the spare key!”
Hinata rolled his eyes. “Yes, for locking the door from the outside! There’s no lock on the inside, you idiot!” he snapped.
“Oh,” Kageyama mumbled, feeling foolish as he cast a sideways glance at the doorknob. “Right.”
Hinata’s shoulders slumped as he walked back over to his bag. “I guess I’ll call Ennoshita.” He dug through its contents, then pulled out his cell phone. But when he pressed the power button, he was struck with a look of anguish. “It’s out of battery!”
“Oh, my God, you are so annoying.” Kageyama stalked over to his own bag. He rifled through it for a moment before fishing out his own phone, but when he went to dial, he came to an embarrassing realization. “Uh,” he started awkwardly, “what’s Ennoshita’s phone number?”
“You don’t have his number?! Give me,” Hinata said exasperatedly, sticking out his hand.
Kageyama tossed the phone to him, annoyed that he didn’t have a proper excuse for this. “Besides my family, I… only have your number saved,” he muttered, self-conscious. He glanced hesitantly at Hinata, who seemed surprised by this information but didn’t say anything as he turned his attention back to the phone.
A suspiciously long minute passed before Kageyama said, “Hinata. Don’t tell me you don’t know it.”
“Um…”
“You moron!” Kageyama growled. “What about the other teammates? Or Coach??”
“I have their contacts, but I didn’t memorize anyone’s number!” Hinata defended himself, looking distressed. “It’s 0229… um… 0229… argh! There’s a 5 and an 8… somewhere…”
Kageyama covered his face in his hands. “We are so screwed.”
“No, no, I can remember it!” Hinata said desperately. “Just give me a second—0229…”
As Hinata muttered random numbers to himself, Kageyama took another look around the room, trying to find something, anything, that could help them out of this. His gaze fell upon the window above the door and his eyes lit up. “Hinata!” he exclaimed.
The orange-haired boy looked up from the phone screen. “What?”
“The window!” Kageyama said, pointing. “Ennoshita and Tanaka can’t have gone far in the last few minutes. Climb up on my shoulders, open the window, and yell for help!”
Hinata’s eyes widened. “Ohh, that’s actually not a bad idea!” He set down the phone.
Kageyama scowled as he bent down, beckoning Hinata over. “I never have bad ideas.”
“That’s completely untrue.” Hinata swiftly clambered atop Kageyama’s back, steadying his footing on his shoulders as Kageyama held onto his ankles.
Slowly, Kageyama straightened his back to get Hinata up to the right height. “Don’t fall off, now, dumbass,” he warned.
“I won’t,” Hinata said, sounding miffed.
Kageyama felt Hinata wobbling a bit above him and the sound of the latch being flipped several times, as well as several grunts as he tried to pull the window open. “Kageyama! I can’t get it open!” Hinata said. He shifted a little bit, clearly struggling with the latch, but one of his feet slipped from Kageyama’s shoulder.
Immediately Kageyama tightened his grip around it as he tried to push it back upward, but Hinata couldn’t seem to regain his stability. Irritated, Kageyama barked, “Calm down! Stop moving around so much—shit!”
The next thing Kageyama knew, Hinata was tumbling down with a yelp, and Kageyama landed with a thump a moment after, cursing in frustration.
“What is wrong with you?! ‘I won’t fall off,’ my ass!” Kageyama grouched, but as soon as the words left his lips, he became acutely aware of what, exactly, he had landed on.
“Oww…” The mumble came from directly below him, much closer than he had expected.
Kageyama’s eyes shot open as he realized he was directly on top of Hinata. He had himself propped up with his arms on either side of Hinata’s head. Their lower bodies were pressed against one another while one of Kageyama’s knees was planted between Hinata’s legs.
Kageyama’s face suddenly felt hot, and his stomach was fluttering. Was the club room always this stuffy? Or was it…
No, no. It was only the abruptness of the whole situation that had Kageyama’s heart thudding against his ribcage. He was just caught off guard. Nothing else.
Kageyama was trying hard to convince himself of this, but then he met Hinata’s eyes.
Hinata, at the same moment, seemed to register the unexpected position they’d found themselves in. His eyes, the color of caramel, were wide, pupils dilated, his chest rising and falling quickly. He wore a strange expression, like he was noticing something different about Kageyama. He looked utterly transfixed—and as if that wasn’t enough, Kageyama watched as Hinata’s eyes lowered, just the slightest bit, to glance at his lips.
Kageyama’s mind was racing. Why was he looking there? With that look on his face? But his own gaze, as if on autopilot, traveled down to that same facial feature of the boy below him.
As if he’d noticed this, Hinata licked his lips, his mouth about to form a word. Maybe Kageyama knew Hinata was going to say something, but he couldn’t bring himself to focus on that. He was struck by a single, mind-consuming thought, something he never knew he would be thinking, especially not about Hinata.
His lips look soft.
And before his brain caught up to his actions, Kageyama was kissing Hinata.
For a split second, Kageyama felt lightheaded and giddy, like everything had melted away and he and Hinata were the only people left on Earth. Hinata’s lips were just as soft as they looked, and the kiss sent a rush of warmth through every vein in his body.
Hinata reacted with a jolt and a gasp in the back of his throat, and it was then that Kageyama’s stomach dropped, grounding him back in the cold reality of what he was doing. Furtively he pulled away, astonished at his own actions.
“Kageyama.”
Kageyama flinched, unable to meet Hinata’s eyes. He probably looked upset. Who wouldn’t be, after suddenly being kissed like that? Something unpleasant twisted in Kageyama’s gut.
“Kageyama—”
“I’m sorry,” Kageyama interrupted, turning his head away in embarrassment. He awkwardly moved off of Hinata’s body and sat a few paces away as he stuttered his way through an apology. “I didn’t mean—I just—shit. Just forget it, okay?”
In the silence, Kageyama’s heartbeat sounded even louder, but distantly he heard Hinata getting up from the ground.
“Forget it?” Hinata repeated after a moment. His voice was quiet. Sensitive. Kageyama had never heard him sound like that before. “Why?”
In truth, Kageyama wasn’t sure why, but he was sure that he was completely mortified at what he’d done. “It was—I-I don’t—I’m sorry—”
“Kageyama, stop apologizing and look at me, damn it!”
Every muscle in his body told him to stay still, to hide, to find a hole somewhere and crawl inside and never come out. But hearing Hinata raise his voice, Kageyama forced himself to look.
Hinata’s expression was… angry. No, that wasn’t right. Agitated? His face was flushed, his fists clenched, his brows drawn together in a furrow that reminded Kageyama of himself. But there was something else—a slight quiver of his lips, a glimmer of something raw in his eyes.
Kageyama waited helplessly to be berated. He waited to be told he’d permanently ruined their friendship and partnership in volleyball, and that Hinata would never speak to him again. Forget it, Kageyama had told him. How stupid. It was impossible to forget something like this.
Just as Hinata opened his mouth to speak, there was the distinct sound of a key being stuck into the doorknob, and then the creak of the door opening.
“Huh? What are you two still doing in here?”
Kageyama was barely able to react, his mind still reeling, but Hinata jumped up like a spring. “Noya! You saved us!” he exclaimed in relief to the team’s libero standing in the doorway.
“Saved you?” Noya’s eyes widened as they flicked back and forth between Hinata and Kageyama. “I just came back cause I forgot my water bottle—how the hell did you two lock yourselves in here?!”
“Hey, we didn’t lock ourselves,” Hinata argued. “We were about to leave, but then Ennoshita walked by and locked us in by accident.”
Noya blinked at him. “Why didn’t you just… tell him you were in here?”
“We tried,” Hinata mumbled, reddening. “He didn’t hear us.”
Conveniently left out the part where we stood there frozen before trying anything, Kageyama thought idly.
Noya laughed, twirling the key ring on his finger. “Well! You idiots sure are lucky I came, then.” He walked over to the shelf and grabbed his water bottle, then motioned at the two younger boys to hurry up. “Come on, you two, it’s late!”
“Thank you, Noya,” Hinata nearly sobbed, swinging his bag over his shoulder.
Kageyama did the same, bowing his head to Noya with a quiet “Thanks.”
They didn’t speak to each other as they walked home.
***
In the few nights leading up to a match—especially a tournament match—Hinata was never able to sleep well. The constant fluttering in his stomach, the restlessness of his limbs, the tingling on his palm as if he were about to spike a ball—it left him tossing and turning for hours. It used to be his nerves, but recently, it was much closer to excitement and anticipation. It was his pure, unbridled enthusiasm to play volleyball.
But tonight, Hinata couldn’t sleep for another reason entirely.
He laid uncommonly still in bed, eyelids heavy but mind spinning. Absentmindedly, he reached up and touched his index finger to his lips, lightly tracing the sensitive skin. The memory of Kageyama kissing him lingered so clearly, Hinata could almost feel it again. Those soft lips, pressing determinedly, were now ingrained in his senses despite the brevity of the moment. Hinata’s heartbeat sped up as he remembered that dizzying rush of heat at the moment their lips touched. He’d never known kissing could feel like that. Not that he had any prior experience with kissing, anyway.
Before the kiss, Hinata would be lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little captivated by the sight of Kageyama so vulnerable. In fact, he’d almost called him pretty. Which was ridiculous, and yet entirely true. Something about seeing him like that was undeniably attractive.
Hinata covered his face as it grew warm yet again, even though he was completely alone. In truth, he was still having trouble digesting the fact that his first kiss was with Kageyama, of all people. Kageyama, the King of the Court, the boy he’d sworn to defeat after his first and last official match in junior high, the setter he’d been forced to work with at his dream school, the partner that made him invincible in volleyball. Kageyama, his best friend. But that was it—best friends. At least as far as Hinata knew. But best friends didn’t kiss each other, did they?
And Hinata… didn’t want to kiss his best friend again, did he?
Maybe, Hinata reasoned, this slowly intensifying desire in his gut wasn’t for Kageyama himself. Maybe it was simply his urge to even things out. The kiss had been so quick and unsatisfying, Hinata didn’t even have the opportunity to kiss back. It was only natural to want to finish what Kageyama had started. Yes, maybe that was all it was.
Hinata uncovered his face and turned over to his side, squeezing his eyes shut. He’d sort all of this out tomorrow.
***
At 6:45 the following morning, Kageyama stood in front of the bike racks at Karasuno High School. The usual spot, from which he raced Hinata to the gym every morning before practice. Kageyama, for the first time since they began this competition, had actually fallen behind, their score standing at 193 to 195.
He looked around his empty surroundings, heart sinking. He should’ve known Hinata wouldn’t meet him after what he did yesterday. That sick feeling rose in his stomach yet again as he turned and walked alone towards the gym.
I wonder if he’ll even spike my sets anymore, Kageyama thought miserably.
“Kageyama!!”
Kageyama startled and whipped around to face a familiar carrot-topped boy sprinting towards him.
“Don’t try to get a head start, you cheater!” Hinata shouted as he sped past the taller boy.
Kageyama’s fists clenched as he yelled back, “Says you! Get back here, you moron!” He took off running after Hinata, but didn’t quite catch up. He came to a stop in front of the gym, panting as he pointed an accusatory finger toward the triumphant-looking Hinata. “That… didn’t count. You cheated.”
“You cheated first!” Hinata shot back. “It’s 196 to 193 now.”
Kageyama scowled, leaning against a pillar to catch his breath. In spite of Hinata’s usual annoying behavior, Kageyama felt relief washing over him. They were talking normally, as if yesterday had never happened. Maybe Hinata did decide to forget it. Maybe they’d still be friends.
“Hey, Kageyama.”
“What?” Kageyama glanced down casually, but immediately felt a chill as he took in the intense expression Hinata wore. There was fierce resolve burning in his eyes, the kind of look he got when it was down to the final points in a volleyball game.
And then, in the same way he always demanded a toss from Kageyama, in practice or in matches, Hinata said, “Kiss me again.”