"Hinata watch out!"

Hinata stopped dead in his tracks and flattened himself against the brick wall behind him; he stared wide-eyed at Kageyama in front of him. The setters eyes were wide, focused at a point above his head, he was too afraid to look up and see what was there. Kageyama raised his arms, palms open and fingers splayed, signalling Hinata to stay still.

"What, what!? What is it? What's wrong?" Hinata spluttered, shifting from foot to foot nervously and rubbing the backs of his shaking hands.

"Don't move." Kageyama warned, as serious as he'd ever been, his eyes burning into Hinata's as he slowly began to approach. Hinata froze, fear beginning to bloom in his chest.

"Kageyama." Hinata said his voice shaky and faint. "What is it?"

Kageyama's eyes flickered to a place not far above his head as he approached, slowly, cautiously. He didn't respond.

"Kage-" "Shhh!" Hinata's mouth clopped closed as a little whine escaped him, his eyes shut. He couldn't find out what had Kageyama, of all people, so cautious.

Kageyama's steps stopped right in front of him, Hinata could feel the heat radiating off his body as his own began to shake in fear.

Pak!

Hinata jumped at the sound of skin hitting brick above his head and bowed his head in reflex, crushing his eyes closed. He felt Kageyama's sigh of breath ruffle his hair and listened as the setters hand detached from the wall and plonked onto his head to muss his crazy hair.

"Hinata." Kageyama said, voice soft, deep and even making Hinata feel unbelievably safe with Kageyama's broad body protecting his own smaller form from the world and Tobio's large warm hand ruffling his hair.

"Just kidding." Kageyama's hand vanished from his hair as his footsteps rushed away, pounding against the ground faster than Hinata could remember them ever sounding before.

'Just kidding' ... Realisation struck him like a lightning bolt, 'Just kidding!' His eyes flew open in shock, his lips slightly parting. Kageyama had tricked him! 'Just kidding', he'd sounded so playful, so happy, so freaking amused that Hinata had fallen for his ploy! The safe feeling had disappeared, replaced by irritation as Kageyama's laugh floated back to him and jerked him into action.

"Kageyama! I'm going to kill you!" Hinata screeched shooting off after the laughing setter.

"You have to catch me first!" Kageyama's voice trickled back between laughs.

That day Hinata came to realize how much Kageyama held back in their races. His stamina and speed was something Hinata couldn't catch up to no matter how hard he pushed, the setters reserves were far deeper than his own.

It may have only been a situational consequence though.