On a Monday they met up to practice over lunch. Hinata came hopping, but his face fell when he saw Kageyama. He rolled his eyes and groaned.
"Kageyama, you're still mad? Why?"
Kageyama turned to scowl, then made his way to the open grass area.
"Kageyamaaaa the practice match was two days ago, and, it was one mistake, out of a hundred times that you were perfect."
His death glare made Hinata tense up, and a shiver forced its way between his tight shoulder blades.
"Fine, I'll just let you be broody and mad all alone and not talk about it like always, you dummy."
"Hey, gimme that ball and get ready."
Kageyama's hits were hard, and wilder than usual. Hinata endured, but they got wilder. When the next came at his face, Hinata sidestepped and let it dart past. Kageyama stomped.
"Hey dumbass, you"
"I'm not touching that when you're being so out of control and pissy!"
"Fine, waste your time talking everybody up at lunch, and don't come crying to me after the next match when you shank five balls into the wall again!"
He attempted to pass Hinata and leave, but the boy grabbed his arm and a fistful of his shirttail.
"No Kageyama, I don't want to stop practicing I want you stop being mad. The team's annoyed by it, I'm annoyed by it, and I know you're annoyed 'cause you'd rather be focusing."
He tugged at his sleeve, trying to get him to look.
"Pleasssse Kageyama, just let this one go okay okay?"
"Why should I let that go? That's a mistake people make in junior high, which I never did that in junior high so why the hell should I be doing it in high school?" He jerked his arm, hard enough to make Hinata let go. "If I have to forgive myself for a mistake like that, how am I gonna keep up any standards for myself?"
"Shut up, Kageyama, you don't have to worry at all about your standards that's something that'll never change about you"
"Shut up! You can just go out there and skip around and swing at whatever comes your way, and people will let you have a bad day and just say you're not on. The setter can't do that, the setter has to give the hitters a chance. The mistake—can't be mine."
He started to walk again. A hot lump had swelled in Hinata's throat so that he could not speak. He ran and leapt at Kageyama, attaching himself to his arm and reaching around to hook his neck so that he wouldn't fall. Kageyama staggered around the yard, trying to wrestle him off.
"You take that back, Bakageyama, that's so selfish! You don't give us the tosses so that we can make the mistake, you're not a coward you're not running away"
"I'm not! I didn't say that, I said to be the best setter I have to do that, it's my job to make sure it's up—to you—Get off!"
"No! We're gonna lose points. Someone's gonna make a mistake. And we're a team, so we all—have to make one—and take the blame, so you do it and make your share of the mistakes!"
Hinata had managed to crawl around to the front of Kageyama, and was hanging off his shoulders, gripping the side of him with his knees. Kageyama was pushes at his ribs to force him off. He gnashed his teeth.
"You don't understand my position, so just shut up about things you don't know and believe what I'm telling you, because I know!"
Hinata's laser eyes were aimed at him. But his mouth didn't move in response. Instead he pulled himself closer, turned and kissed Kageyama's cheek, forcing it hard in his anger. The fever behind the lips melted them onto Kageyama's skin, soft but burning.
Hinata pulled away. Without a look he dropped off him and turned his back. He swallowed.
"If you don't stop being so crabby and mean, I'll be the only one who ever kisses you."
Hinata walked forward to get the ball, then continued on, leaving him alone.