Notes: In this verse, this is how I imagine things might turn out if Kageyama and Hinata never played against each other in middle school. Hinata never gets a super setter to make him explode as a player, and Kageyama doesn't see Hinata's potential and manages to finish that final game in middle school. He goes to Aobajousai but washes out because he doesn't change the way he did at Karasuno.

It's pouring rain as Kageyama Tobio shows up for his first day of work, his uniform splattered with wetness that his umbrella couldn't fend off. He politely bows to the receptionist, badly wanting to make a good impression. He knows he isn't the easiest person to get along with, but he can manage unfailing politeness, even if a winning personality is out of the question.

The receptionist in the Karasuno Realty Company — a tall, cranky-looking blond guy — raises his eyes from his laptop, nudges his glasses just a little further up his nose with a bored finger, and without bothering to take off his headphones asks, "Can I help you?"

Something about this guy makes Kageyama want to smack his forehead on the desk and strangle him with his headphone wire, but he fights off the urge by balling his hands up into fists until his nails slice into flesh.

"I'm supposed to check in for assignment —" He glances at the blond guy's name plate on his desk. "— Tsukishima-san. I am the new building maintenance worker."

Tsukishima smiles, and Kageyama instinctively takes a step backwards. "Perfect," he says. "We just got a call from Sunstar Suites. Apartment 3C. The tenant will be waiting."

Kageyama nods and heads for the door, but he stops when Tsukishima clears his throat. "The address, Kageyama-kun." He holds out a business card with the complex's address on it and gives a cheery wave that Kageyama doesn't think is cheery at all. "Good luck. This should be a good first job for you."

A shiver works its way down Kageyama's spine. With a gulp, he asks, "What is the problem, then?"

"Oh, you'll see." Tsukishima steeples his fingers and gives a throaty chuckle. "You'll probably be seeing this guy a lot. He's like a walking infomercial."

Face twisting in confusion over that last remark, Kageyama opts to edge out of the office rather than ask and head to his first assignment. He turns the card over in his hands. On the front is a standard business card for the Sunstar Suites, complete with the realtor's and the building superintendent's names, a phone number, and address. On the back is a hand-written name and apartment number.

Hinata Shouyou
3C

Absently, Kageyama wonders about Tsukishima's comment about this Hinata guy as he climbs into the maintenance truck and punches in the address on the GPS.

He arrives at the building and is greeted by a harassed-looking super who just points at the stairwell.

"Ennoshita-san," he says, recalling the name from the card, "what can I help you with today?"

Ennoshita looks wearily at Kageyama and sighs. "Didn't Tsukishima tell you?"

Kageyama shrugs. "Just that I'll be seeing a lot of the guy in 3C."

"Ha!" Rubbing his temples, Ennoshita raises a brow. "Do you know anything about fire suppression systems?"

Shaking his head, Kageyama wants to hide his face for failing in the first thing asked of him on the job. "I'm sorry, Ennoshita-san. But I can learn, I promise."

"I'm sure you can, Kageyama-kun," Ennoshita answers, offering a half-assed smile before glaring at the door to the stairwell again. "For this one, though, as long as you can work a mop, you should be okay."

Nodding emphatically, Kageyama asks, "Where is the maintenance closet?"

Ennoshita tells him what he needs to know, and Kageyama dashes up the stairs until he reaches the third floor. It doesn't take him long to find 3C; it's the one with water oozing under the door.

Eyes bulging, Kageyama frantically knocks on the door to survey the rest of the damage. A bleary-eyed guy around his own age, who he assumes is the occupant in question, answers the door wearing nothing but boxer shorts and a plain white t-shirt splattered in something brown. He is also soaked from head to toe.

"Oh, hey!" says the guy with the most extraordinarily red hair Kageyama has ever seen, his tone bizarrely upbeat for somebody who looks like a drowned rat. "I'm Hinata Shouyou. Are you here to fix the sprinkler?"

It's then that Kageyama notices the heavy sheet of moisture over every visible surface of the apartment. He glances dubiously back and forth between the small tiled genkan and the soggy tatami mats and frowns. "Do you mind if I don't take off my shoes?"

Laughing, Hinata claps Kageyama on the shoulder. "Don't mind at all." He gestures to the room. "It's not like it can get any worse, but we can fix it right up!"

Kageyama scratches his head and examines the room. He can see the result, and he can make a good guess as to where the water came from. "How did this happen?"

A freak accident, defective wiring — Kageyama prepares himself for literally any explanation than the ones he receives. Hinata looks solidly at his shoes and fidgets nervously before giving Kageyama a queasy smile. "I, um, messed up my ramen."

"Eh?" Kageyama's head tilts in confusion. "The manual for the sprinkler system says the air temperature has to be over a hundred degrees for them to go off. How did you do that making ramen? And why were you making ramen at this hour, anyway?"

Hinata launches into a long, convoluted explanation that Kageyama can barely process, involving cooking oil, a roll of paper towels, and a highly flammable brick of instant noodles. When Hinata finally finishes his meandering story with the information that he works the night shift at the nearby Sakanoshita Market, hence the typical lunch or supper dish, Kageyama is already tired of this day and of this guy.

Curling his hands around the mop and broom to keep from choking the life out of this trouble tenant, Kageyama grumbles, "C'mon, dumbass. Let's get to work."

"OI!" Hinata cries as he stomps after Kageyama, feet splashing across the water-logged floor. "You can't say that to me!"

Kageyama scowls at Hinata before he begins sopping up water with the mop. "You set noodles on fire. That takes a special kind of stupid."

But the day, despite being full of bickering, passes quickly in Hinata's company. It's nearly five before Kageyama goes back downstairs and checks in with Ennoshita before heading home.

"I was getting worried about you, Kageyama-kun." Ennoshita gives him a tight smile. "Hinata is a bit, um, accident prone, if you can't tell."

"Ha!" Kageyama's face wrinkles in disgust. "Hinata is a dumbass, and it's a miracle he's still alive."

Ennoshita chortles. "Indeed so. You seem to be in relatively good spirits, which is good. Hinata has been the end of our last three maintenance people."

Kageyama's gaze whips towards Ennoshita. "What?"

However, Ennoshita gives him a dismissive wave. "I have a feeling you're going to be fine, if the yelling coming from the room is any indication."

"You heard that?" Kageyama colors as he bites his lip.

Shaking his head, Ennoshita points at his phone. "I didn't, but 3B and 2C got an earful. 'Dumbass Hinata' seems to be the complaint of the day in this building."

Bowing sharply, Kageyama barks, "Sorry for the trouble, Ennoshita-san!"

This time, Ennoshita laughs out loud. "No need to worry, Kageyama-kun. Maybe you'll keep our young Hinata-kun from falling prey to natural selection."

"Maybe I should quit," Kageyama grumbles, and Ennoshita's smile only widens.

"Have a good rest of your day, Kageyama-kun. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon."

As he makes his way to the door, Kageyama grumbles, "Can't wait."

.

.

A few days pass since his frustrating first day on the job, which find him doing more mundane things like fixing garbage disposals and cleaning gutters after the rain. However, when Tsukishima smirks at him early on Friday, Kageyama has a sinking feeling he isn't going to enjoy the last day of his week.

"Oh, Kageyama-kun," Tsukishima sing-songs with an oily smile.

Kageyama feels cold all over at the tone. He doesn't answer; instead, he just glares at Tsukishima. It has become their primary mode of interaction, and neither seems inclined to change it.

"I need you over at Sunstar today."

Rubbing his eyes, Kageyama grumbles, "What has he done this time?"

"Oh, it's not Hinata-san," Tsukishima says with a flip of the hand. "Yet." When Kageyama raises a brow in askance, he continues, "The rain left the windows in sad shape. The owner would like them cleaned."

Something in the pit of Kageyama's stomach drops. "O-okay."

Tsukishima's smile only widens. "You're not afraid of heights, are you, Kageyama-kun?"

"No!" Yes. Forever yes. But Kageyama holds back his shiver of distaste and decides to flee Tsukishima's presence. "Anything else for the day?"

"No, that will be all."

Kageyama leaves the offices, wondering how much more he can hate Tsukishima before they actually come to blows.

He arrives at Sunstar and informs Ennoshita of his task, who gives him a look of askance. "Are you going to be okay? You look a little green."

"F-fine, Ennoshita-san." He looks around hoping his hands will stop being shaky little traitors once he's hanging by a thread for his life. "I didn't see a rig for it in the maintenance closet."

Ennoshita gets up and gestures towards the stairs. "The suspension rig is in the rooftop shed, where we keep extra shingles and stuff like that. Come on, I'll help you set it up."

Once Ennoshita shows him how to set up the window washing rig, Kageyama is only slightly less worried about plummeting to his death. But Ennoshita assures him that the company has never lost an employee in such a gruesome manner and Kageyama is not likely to become the first.

With the promise that someone will come and check on him every hour or so until he gets the hang of the apparatus, Kageyama lowers himself from the roof of the four-story building to the first row of windows. He manages to clean the first level without incident, and after an hour of being suspended mid-air, it starts to lose its fear factor and he breathes a bit easier. Just as he finishes the fourth floor south-facing windows, he spots Ennoshita and gives quick wave.

Next comes the third floor, and this proceeds far quicker now that Kageyama and the harness holding him up have come to a grudging understanding. In fifteen minutes, he is already done with the first three sets of windows on this level and is about to start on the next half when he sees it. Him again.

There is Hinata Shouyou, standing in the middle of his common area without a stitch of clothing, loudly singing some airhead pop song into a hairbrush microphone.

Kageyama gapes at Hinata, mildly horrified to catch him in such a state of undress but finding it hard to look away. Even if the guy is incredibly tone deaf, an odd sort of energy radiates from his small but well-built body, demanding to be watched.

It isn't until Hinata notices that he has an audience that Kageyama realizes he had been staring with his mouth hanging open. Hinata's gaze locks with his before a shout of fright pours out of his mouth.

Desperate to cover his eyes but prevented by the cleaner and squeegee in his hands, Kageyama tries to propel himself with his feet to the next window over. In his haste, however, he misplaces a step and finds himself hazily watching the spray bottle and squeegee plummet to the ground as he hangs upside-down from the harness.

The impact of his supplies hitting the ground brings his situation into sharp focus, and he can't stop the ragged scream that he lets out. Terror takes over his senses as his limbs thrash uselessly for some sort of purchase. However, none can be found because he is firmly between two sets of windows.

He doesn't hear Hinata's window fly open, but somewhere in the far reaches of his consciousness, Kageyama latches onto the distant sound of his name.

"Kageyama, grab on!"

It's Hinata, holding out a broom, a lifeline. Kageyama's fingers desperately scrabble for the dirty bristles until he catches hold and clutches the broom to his chest. Slowly, Hinata draws Kageyama's suspended bulk back to his window, the casters of the rig rolling easily without jerking, panicked movement.

Callused hands grab Kageyama's exposed ankles and heave him into the room after unhooking the suspension harness. They both land gracelessly in a sprawl of limbs, with Kageyama getting a face full of Hinata's exposed groin.

Eyes flying open, Kageyama spiders back on his hands and feet, face burning as he shouts, "Put p-pants on, d-dumbass!"

Hinata regards Kageyama, expression vacant as his head tilts to the side. A second later, laughter bubbles out of him until he lies back on the floor mats, wiping tears of amusement from his eyes. "Y-your f-face," he wheezes. "You are so r-red."

Kageyama stares up at the ceiling as his heart hammers in his chest, listening to Hinata howl with laughter with only the bare perimeter of his senses. All in one day, he has nearly died, saw another guy naked, and he may or may not have a stray pube itching on his cheek. The last thought makes him snort, and soon he can't stop the soft rumble of mirth from his own mouth.

After a few minutes, their laughter dwindles down to an occasional chortle as they both lie on the floor. Hinata doesn't make a move to cover his exposed netherparts, but Kageyama doesn't bother to press the issue. He is alive, and for now, he thinks that is enough motivation to avert his gaze.

"You okay?" Hinata finally asks.

Blinking as he considers the question, Kageyama finds himself too mentally tired to offer the expected token response. Instead, he lolls his head to the side to meet Hinata's gaze and admits, "I think I peed myself."

It isn't long before they are both panting with laughter again. However, Kageyama's guffaws are edged with something he might admit is closer to hysteria.

The moment is broken by the tiny sound of Kageyama's ancient company-issued phone ringing from its clip on his belt. Without looking at the caller ID, he absently answers, "Maintenance. Kageyama speaking."

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Ennoshita blurts. "I went out to check on you. Your stuff was on the ground and the harness was just hanging there and I couldn't find you anywhere!"

The concern in Ennoshita's voice makes Kageyama glad that Tsukishima isn't the super for this complex, or he might not have been found, let alone had anyone bother to look for him at all. "I'm in 3C. I'll be down in a minute."

Slowly, Kageyama peels himself off of Hinata's floor and heads for the door. But before he exits, he looks back as Hinata is jamming his legs into a pair of underwear and says, "Thank you." His eyes narrow when he adds, "Of course, it's your dumbass fault for swinging your junk around like a dumb shit, but thank you."

As Kageyama closes the door behind him, he swears he hears Hinata murmur after him, "Anytime."

After he relates a more or less detailed account of the incident, leaving out the part where he gets a face full of junk, a slack-jawed Ennoshita gaped at Kageyama as he shakes his head. "Just . . . you're done for today. You can finish on Monday. I think you've had quite enough of Hinata-kun for one week."

As Kageyama bows to Ennoshita in both relief and gratitude, he wonders what else that red-haired menace has in store for the remainder of his sanity.

.

.

It's early on Sunday, two days after his brush with death, before Kageyama manages to shrug off the urge to stay away from anything resembling heights. He's eaten instant noodles for the past day and a half because the only decent things left in the cabinets are on the top shelf and step stools are a tall order for his bruised psyche.

He's just about to climb up on a chair to fetch the ingredients for a proper meal when he hears his phone ring. Not his personal phone, but his work one. At first, Kageyama considers not answering it; however, since he is being paid for a full day's work that he didn't finish on Friday, he can't very well say no to a small task or two to make up for it.

The number for the Sunstar Suites pops up on the screen, and Kageyama just knows. 3C. It has to be Hinata Shouyou again. Letting out a weary sigh, he answers the phone with a tired, "Maintenance. Kageyama speaking."

"Oy, Bakayama!" comes a tinny, loud voice that certainly does not belong to Ennoshita. Kageyama nearly drops the phone in surprise, but he's fairly certain he would still hear Hinata's voice even if the phone were on the floor as he adds, "Come have lunch with me!"

This time, Kageyama does drop the phone.

He hears the sound of his name blasting through the speaker as he blinks at the phone. A shaky hand reaches down to pick it up, as if it will explode when he touches it. Finally, he holds it a ways away from his ear and shouts, "Stop yelling, you moron!"

"You're yelling, too!" Hinata cries, with no change in his volume whatsoever.

Kageyama hears laughing in the background, and he thinks it belongs to Ennoshita. "Did Ennoshita-san give you my number?"

There are a few grunts and a sharp give me that! on the other side of the line before Ennoshita's calmer and much quieter voice takes over. "Sorry, Kageyama-kun. Hinata-kun said he wanted to apologize for the incident on Friday. I wouldn't give him your personal number or your business mobile, but I called you for him on my work phone. I didn't know he'd ask you on a date."

The last sentence is accompanied by a series of guffaws, which makes Kageyama pinch the bridge of his nose in resignation. Finally, Ennoshita says, "If you want me to hang up, I will."

A dull ache forms behind Kageyama's eyelids. While he wants to take Ennoshita on his offer to ditch this unwanted attention, Kageyama can almost hear his mother's voice as she commands him to be gracious and accept Hinata's request, which is likely in earnest.

"No, Ennoshita-san," he says with a sigh. "It's okay."

"Okay," Ennoshita answers. "I'm giving the phone back to Hinata-kun."

"Kageyamaaaaaaa!" Hinata bellows, getting louder as the phone likely gets nearer to his face. "I'm sorry you almost died, so I wanted to take you to this great curry place down the street and buy you lunch to make up for it."

At the word 'curry,' Kageyama's senses spike to attention. He hasn't had good curry since the last time he visited his mother a month before. He can't afford to eat out often, and when he does it tends to be little better than what he can make himself for half the price.

As he considers the offer, Kageyama opens his small under-the-counter refrigerator, bereft of anything substantial not in the condiment family, and then scans the meager contents of his pantry. Nori, dry rice, more instant noodles, fish sauce, some freeze-dried vegetables, and a packet of instant miso soup.

"Okay," he says after his stomach grumbles and makes his decision for him. "I can be there in twenty minutes."

Kageyama can almost see Hinata's grin through the phone, and it makes his own lips to come dangerously close to a smile. "I'll be outside waiting." With that, Kageyama ends the call and throws on his cleanest non-work clothes and speeds out of his apartment. The prospect of real food is too good to ignore or put off.

Sunstar is not very far from where he lives, so Kageyama can walk there more quickly than it would take to wait for a bus. He arrives two minutes ahead of schedule to see Hinata leaning against the gates, wearing jeans and a t-shirt that match Kageyama's relaxed attire. It's only when he gets closer that he notices that their shirts are far more alike than he thought. Hinata's tee brands him as an alumnus of the Karasuno High School volleyball program; Kageyama's is from Aobajousai, which is not all that far away from the other school.

"You played volleyball?" Kageyama asks, his tone reflecting his genuine surprise. "Aren't you a little short for that?"

Hinata bristles at this, jabbing his finger at Kageyama's face. "Height has nothing to do with effort!"

A smirk twitching on his lips, Kageyama snorts. "What did you do, clap your hands and hope your fairy godmother made you grow twenty centimeters?"

Hinata's small body launches itself at Kageyama, and they land in the grass with an oomph. "Why are you so mean?"

Kageyama shrugs as he pushes Hinata off of his chest. "It just slipped out," he grunts as he climbs to his feet, dusting the stray bits of grass off of him. He holds out a hand to help Hinata up, which is refused in favor of an extraordinary leap to regain his feet. Amazed at the smaller guy's athleticism, Kageyama asks, "How the hell did you do that?"

Clapping his palm on his chest, Hinata declares, "I can jump." With a wicked grin, he adds, "And you're tall and afraid of heights."

"Shut up," Kageyama grumbles as he crosses his arms, unable to meet Hinata's gaze.

They depart for the restaurant, and while they walk, Hinata asks, "So, do you play at all?"

"I used to," Kageyama says as a familiar pang of regret twists in his belly. "I had problems with some of my teammates. We stuck it out through middle school, but when we got to high school and saw how much better of a teammate our captain was in the same position as me, they wouldn't put up with me anymore. So I quit because I didn't want to ruin it for everyone else. I haven't played since."

Hinata stares at him, eyes wide. "What position did you play?"

"Setter," Kageyama answers gruffly, hoping the subject will soon change.

"Ohhhhhh!" Hinata leaps in the air and spikes an invisible ball. "Setters are amazing! I mean, it looks super hard, but they're my favorite people because they toss to me." He sighs as they walk on. "I always wanted to be an ace, but no matter how hard I tried, I was just missing that last something to make me the ace. I got pretty good, but that was it."

And that, Kageyama thinks, is a feeling he knows painfully well.

At the restaurant, they chatter about volleyball until the food arrives, after which all conversation ceases as they eat more than two people should rightly be capable of. Hinata picks up the tab, and they lazily stroll back towards Sunstar, too full to walk any faster than a crawl.

When the gates are in sight, Hinata suddenly blurts, "What are you doing today?"

Kageyama shrugs. "Nothing."

"You wanna play?"

Brow raised, Kageyama scoffs. "What, now? I can barely move."

Hinata clasps his hands in front of him and looks at his feet. "Well, you could, um, come and hang out with me for a while until our stomachs settle."

As he considers Hinata's offer, Kageyama feels an itch under his skin that he hasn't experienced in a long time. Long enough that it takes a solid minute of thought before he can rightfully identify it.

Excitement. His nerves buzz with anticipation at the thought of the soft, supple leather of a volleyball in his hands. Of the high derived from the sound of the ball slapping hardwood. The surge of adrenaline that accompanies a perfectly executed attack or a thrilling receive that everyone else rules a lost cause.

"Yes," Kageyama breathes, practically vibrating with anticipation.

Hinata whoops as he jumps and pumps his fists, yet promptly pales when he lands before turning slightly green.

"Dumbass," Kageyama hums as they head back to Hinata's apartment.

.

.

For the next week, Kageyama doesn't see Hinata. While he can't complain about the lack of disasters to mop up after, it doesn't take long to realize that he associates Hinata with his job as much as mopping or pulling weeds.

That's why, before he leaves Sunstar on Friday for his weekend, Kageyama writes his phone number (his phone, not his work phone) on the back of a convenience store receipt and slips it underneath the door of 3C.

And then he spends all of Saturday at home, staring at his phone waiting for Hinata to call and break his eardrum, or explode his stagnant inbox with a flurry of inane messages. Yet nothing comes.

It isn't until early Sunday morning that the Kageyama's factory-installed ringtone rattles him out of a sound sleep.

"Whazzat?" he yawns into the phone, too bleary-eyed to interrupt the darkness of the room to look at the caller ID.

"Oy!" Hinata booms. "Why didn't you tell me you left me your number? I found it on my shoe."

His brain too tired to process anything more difficult than his own name, Kageyama grumbles, "What time izzit?"

There is a gasp before Hinata responds in a much softer tone. "Um, six-thirty."

"Idiot," Kageyama murmurs as he buries his face in his pillow, the phone lying on his ear.

Hinata chuckles. "Sorry for waking you up. I just got excited."

"S'okay."

"You want to hang out today again? Maybe play some more?"

This stirs Kageyama from his sleepy haze. Slowly, his burning eyelids drift open and he scratches his head. "You . . . want to hang out with me?"

He can almost hear the gears in Hinata's head clunking and squeaking into action. Then again, Kageyama doubts Hinata has ever been short on friends with his magnetic personality, which is only confirmed with his hesitant, "Yeah?"

Sitting up, Kageyama rubs his eyes as he considers what's happening with a slightly less sluggish mind. Hinata, the walking disaster of 3C, wants to be Kageyama's friend. Desires his company. Willingly contacted him for something other than, "Can you fix my toilet?"

His hands are shaking as he replies, "Do you want to go out to eat again?"

"Sure!" Hinata yawns, and Kageyama does the same on reflex. "Sorry about the time. I just got home from work and I found your number. My brain forgot you wouldn't be up yet."

Kageyama smiles softly at the phone. "You should get some sleep first. I can come by around three."

"It's a date!" Hinata declares. Kageyama sputters in protest, and Hinata laughs. "Sorry. Ennoshita-san is so going to make fun of you for this, though."

Shrugging to no one in particular, Kageyama grumbles, "Meh." He settles back down into his bedding and yawns once again. "Go to sleep, dumbass. I'll see you later."

"See you, Kageyama."

Kageyama awakens fully a few hours later, not entirely sure his brain hasn't fabricated the conversation with Hinata. It takes checking his call log twice for good measure to assure himself that it did, indeed, happen and that he is going to see Hinata again.

He arrives fifteen minutes early to their scheduled meet-up to find Hinata pacing across the gates furiously. When he spots Kageyama, he runs over and bounces with childish glee. "I thought you might forget. You were pretty tired."

"So were you, idiot," Kageyama snaps, but it carries no malice. "Do you want curry again?"

Hinata raises a brow. "But we just had it last week."

"So?" Kageyama tilts his head to the side. "It's curry."

Grinning, Hinata waggles his eyebrows. "Now I know what your favorite food is."

"I wasn't keeping it a secret!" Kageyama finds his voice steadily rising as Hinata needles him, but it only carries slight frustration and resignation, without the anger that might have accompanied Hinata's presence eight years ago when Kageyama's attitude had lost him his teammates and his favorite sport.

And with that, they head on to the same curry place and both eat like starving men, despite their mutual pledge to slow down a little. They stagger back to Hinata's place in silence, as Kageyama thinks he might throw up if he talks too much, and much of the afternoon is spent sprawled out on the floor, waiting for their meals to settle.

It's nearly dusk when they head down the street to the public park, which is deserted at this hour, and deem it an adequate arena for some light volleyball.

Kageyama is still amazed by Hinata's agility and jumping capability. Even on the cracked pavement of the tennis court, Hinata changes direction in a split second and is always there to meet the ball whether he completes the hit or not.

It's more than a little frustrating.

They finish up when Hinata misses more than he hits due to the lack of light and stroll back to Hinata's place with their shoulders brushing together just enough to make Kageyama's cheeks redden with the knowledge, thankful for the darkness.

When they stop at the door to the building, Hinata smiles at Kageyama. This is not the smile he usually sees — the dazzling one with lots of teeth and more wattage than any one person should be able to put out. Instead, Hinata's entire air has changed around it. Instead of someone commanding to be seen, Kageyama almost believes he's asking instead.

"It was nice," Kageyama blurts, his mouth not willing to shut itself yet unhelpful in proving any more meaningful content.

"Yeah," Hinata agrees, a hint of a laugh trickling into the word. "We should do this every week. If we both shake off the rust enough, we might be able to join a rec league and play with some other people."

Part of Kageyama wants to scream no to this proposition because the two days he has spent with Hinata have been the closest he's come to having fun in so long that he barely remembers what it feels like. But the more reasonable lobe of his brain reminds him that, if they join a league, they will not only see each other for practices, they can still keep Sundays to themselves. "Yeah," he finally answers. "That would be cool."

They part ways, and Kageyama heads back to his own place. Every park bench on the way manages to jam into his kneecaps as he finds himself preoccupied to the point where a fifteen minute walk turns into nearly an hour. And the heaviest thoughts in his head are all about Hinata.

.

.

Almost all of the next week is spent at other properties managed by Karasuno Realty, and Kageyama wants to shout at Tsukishima that Sunstar ishis place and that the other maintenance guy for the company can do other stuff. It isn't until late in the day on Thursday that Kageyama finally gets the call from Ennoshita.

"Sorry that it's only an hour before quitting time, Kageyama," Ennoshita says, and Kageyama believes that he genuinely regrets the inconvenience, "but it's 3C again."

Kageyama's mind races with a litany of things that Hinata might have done to destroy his unit again, but instead of annoyance, he huffs and smiles to himself. "What's that dumbass done this time?"

Ennoshita sighs heavily. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm not the only one whose night will probably be preempted by this, but he did something to one of the washers in the basement while doing his laundry. It's pretty much flooded."

"I'll be right there," Kageyama chirps, probably too enthusiastic-sounding for this level of disaster, but it's only Thursday and he gets to see Hinata again. Because there is no way he's allowing that height deficient idiot to get away with not helping.

He all but runs to Sunstar and heads straight to the basement. There he finds a sweating Ennoshita and a red-faced Hinata, who is on his hands and knees in front of his ever-patient building super, pleading for mercy. "Oh please, Enno-san, don't kick me out. I really don't mean to —"

His pathetic groveling stops when Hinata spots Kageyama. Pointing, he squeaks, "Kageyamaaaaaaa! Tell him not to kick me out!"

Whirling a brow, Kageyama harrumphs and opts to pick up the driest mop he can find. "How the hell are you still alive?" he growls as he feels the sudsy water that seems to be everywhere soak into his shoes.

At this, Ennoshita laughs and claps Kageyama on the shoulder. "You two are a riot." He turns to Hinata and adds, "I'm not throwing you out. I promised your mother I would look after you, and I will. I don't plan on reporting this to the company unless something is damaged. I called Kageyama-kun because you two seem to get along all right, and if I call Asahi-san, he will so crumble if Tsukishima grills him about it."

Kageyama almost pipes in where Tsukishima can go stuff himself but bites his tongue instead. He listens to Hinata's incessant peal of gratitude as he scrubs all the evidence of the mishap away. Quietly, he wonders what Ennoshita means about promising to take care of Hinata. Did something happen to Hinata's parents?

Ennoshita must have some sort of sixth sense, Kageyama thinks as Ennoshita answers the question Kageyama never asks out loud. "He's all alone," Ennoshita supplies when Hinata skips off to the bathroom, singing some ridiculous song about peeing. "His dad left when he was a kid, and his mom took his little sister to America for some medical treatment. They lost their house already because of the expense. Dai-san, who owns the company, he used to be our volleyball captain. He made sure Hinata-kun had a place to stay with whatever he can afford to pay. Our old coach gave him a job at the store his family owns.

"So," Ennoshita adds with a shrug, "I guess you could say he's the baby of our family. We all chip in to take care of him."

Reeling under the weight of the information he couldn't have begun to guess at, Kageyama slumps against one of the washers and exhaled heavily. "I didn't know," he says stupidly.

"There's no reason for you to, unless he tells you himself." Ennoshita crosses the room and sits on top of the washer. "You know, unless you two start hanging out and being friends. Or more. Then you might need to know why he takes up half of your job." He directs his attention directly on Kageyama, who shivers. "Might that be the case, Kageyama-kun?"

Shriveling under the attention, Kageyama mumbles, "It might."

Ennoshita's glare turns to a smile in a split second. "He seems happier when you're around. I just want to make sure you know a little more about him. Then you might forgive him if he messes up or makes you wonder if natural selection is on its way to get him. He was never ready for this, but he's doing his best."

Kageyama nods solemnly. "I understand, Ennoshita-san. I won't tell Tsukishima."

"Good." Ennoshita drops back to his feet and kicks some of the excess water from the cuffs of his jeans. "By the way, if you could come straight over here in the morning to fix this washer, I will see what I can do to get you off early for the day."

Hinata returns soon after, and the bulk of the mess is already swabbed from the concrete floor. It only takes another half an hour before the only evidence of the incident is a broken washer and a lot of soggy mops.

Tossing the used mop heads in the undamaged washer, Kageyama rubs his empty stomach, lamenting having missed dinner in favor of helping Ennoshita. Both Hinata and Ennoshita hear the noise, and Ennoshita gives him a wry smile. "Why don't you let Kageyama-kun take a break upstairs with you, Hinata? I'll order you guys a pizza."

Kageyama and Hinata look at each other and nod enthusiastically. There are a lot of things food can't solve, but Kageyama doesn't think this is one of those.

"Thank you, Ennoshita-san," Kageyama answers, bowing to the man he can't help but appreciate in a new light. He elbows Hinata and says, "C'mon, dumbass."

They bicker as they climb the stairs, but Kageyama feels like something between them has changed. Even if they have spent time together, this is the first time he can say he knows Hinata. However, the part that almost makes him trip on a step is that he wishes he knew more.

Hinata lets them in, and both of them make a beeline for the short, squashy couch once they kick off their shoes. Kageyama slouches to keep the soggy cuffs of his trousers off the upholstery.

"I probably don't have anything that will fit you," Hinata offers, "but it isn't really cold if you want to take that off."

Cheeks reddening, Kageyama crosses his arms over his chest. "That's just weird."

Scratching his head, Hinata's mouth pinches into a pensive frown as he asks, "Why?"

Kageyama can't put a name to his reasoning, but he's fairly certain it has something to do with what Ennoshita had told him. Or perhaps because he knows more about Hinata than vice versa and he's not sure he's ready to reciprocate.

"Thank you for helping me," Hinata says, disrupting Kageyama's muddled thoughts. "I know I'm pretty pathetic because I suck at taking care of myself."

Shaking his head, Kageyama sighs and leans back further on the couch. "Ennoshita-san cares about you very much."

Hinata stiffens. "I know he does, but I wish I didn't have to rely on my friends just to live."

"At least you have people who care about you," Kageyama hisses more sharply than he intends. "For that many people to want to make sure nothing bad happens to you, do you even know how lucky you are?"

Mouth hanging open, Hinata gapes at Kageyama. "What?"

Kageyama stands up and thrashes his way out of his jumpsuit, standing in front of Hinata in just his boxer shorts and plain t-shirt in a gesture the other can't hope to understand. "Do you want to know why I don't live with my parents?"

"Why?" Hinata asks as he blinks in surprise.

"Because they're the only people who actually give a shit about what happens to me, and I don't ever want them to change their minds. So I stay away."

Their eyes meet for a moment before Kageyama turns around, crossing his arms over his chest as he feels grossly exposed under Hinata's penetrating attention. Even as he tries in some grand gesture to make Hinata feel less alone and put them on even keel, Kageyama thinks he's the one between them who has no more secrets left.

A hand touches his shoulder, and Kageyama wheels around to see Hinata worrying his bottom lip before small, vice-like arms clench around his belly and wrench them together.

Every nerve in Kageyama's body cries out in alarm at this unexpected gesture, but he doesn't push away. Maybe because he actually is kind of cold and Hinata burns so warm; maybe because he can't actually recall the last time somebody hugged him.

"I care, dummy," Hinata says into Kageyama's shoulder, his voice crackly with snot.

Tentatively, Kageyama raises his arms and reciprocates the gesture the best he can, even if he isn't sure how to embrace someone shorter than him. "I know," he murmurs into Hinata's hair.

They stand there for a long time. It may be five minutes or thirty for all Kageyama knows, but he doesn't know how to separate himself from Hinata. Or if he even wants to.

The decision is made when Hinata drops his arms and smacks Kageyama roughly on the arm. "That's for thinking I don't care about you! We're friends, stupid Kageyama."

"W-we are?" Kageyama steps back and looks at Hinata from head to toe. Hands on hips, face twisted in annoyance, and glaring up at him like the twenty centimeters' difference in height between them doesn't exist.

The moment is broken when a knock comes at the door. Hinata answers it and grins as a pizza passes through the threshold, along with an order of cheese sticks. Without preamble, they both dive into the meal until there's nothing left but half of a crust that Hinata drops on the floor that Kageyama won't let him eat.

Well-fed and exhausted from the extra labor, Kageyama's eyelids droop shut as he dozes off. He doesn't realize he's fallen asleep until his eyes shoot open and he sits up, looking around the room. The only illumination is the dull haze of streetlights filtering through a gap in the curtains, but Kageyama can see enough to know that he is certainly still in Hinata's home.

As his vision adjusts to the darkness, he starts to notice more things: the blanket draped over him, a note on the kotatsu atop his folded uniform and his phone.

Went to work. Didn't want to wake you. Hope you slept well.

It's probably the worst handwriting he's ever seen, but Kageyama has no trouble understanding the words in front of him. His brain hadn't concocted the moment when Hinata had declared himself Kageyama's friend. It registers that this is what a friend does, what friends do. They take care of each other.

When Kageyama feels a tear slip down his cheek, he feels like kicking his own ass.

He settles back down to sleep after setting his phone's alarm, wondering what he's supposed to say to Hinata in the morning. But he brushes off the thought because, as everything between them tends to do, it tends to work itself out.

Kageyama wakes with the sun around six, feeling refreshed after having slept over nine hours total. With a yawn, he pads over to the kitchenette and looks through the refrigerator and cabinets, frowning when he sees nothing but microwave food and a takeaway graveyard.

Sighing, he tugs on his uniform and leaves the apartment for a nearby convenience store, leaving with the necessities for a decent breakfast. Kageyama is not a great cook by his own admission, but he can do better than instant miso soup when the mood arises.

And the mood is definitely wanting Hinata to know . . . whatever it is that Kageyama knows and isn't sure how to say.

It's nearly seven when Hinata wearily treads through his door, yawning, "Tadaima."

However, once he inhales the scent of cooking food, Kageyama smirks as Hinata's attention rapidly ascends on his own kitchen. "Gwah! You cooked!"

"Hope you like fish, because I didn't make anything else," Kageyama grunts as he gestures towards the meal he made. Pan-cooked fish, fried vegetables, and a pot of rice because Hinata is at least smart enough to own a rice cooker.

Stars dance in Hinata's eyes as he grabs a plate and shovels a huge portion and grins. "I love it!"

They settle at the kotatsu for their meal, Hinata downing his at an astronomical pace. Kageyama eats more sedately, watching in both disgust and awe as someone eagerly consumes a meal he cooked with both gratitude and gusto.

He won't even deny that he kind of likes it.

It isn't long after Hinata finishes eating that he yawns more than he speaks, so Kageyama takes away the remnants of their meal and lets Hinata sprawl out on the couch. By the time he's done washing up, Kageyama isn't surprised to find that Hinata is asleep.

With nothing better to do, Kageyama quietly leaves the apartment and heads straight down to Ennoshita's office to check in. As it's an hour earlier than the office usually opens, Ennoshita isn't there, Kageyama shrugs and opts to start working in the basement right away.

He makes short work of fixing the washer, making a mental note to remind Hinata what the capacity of a top-loading washer is. After that, he goes looking for Ennoshita again and finds him.

"Good morning, Kageyama-kun," Ennoshita says with a sleepy smile. "You're early."

Cheeks red, Kageyama averts his eyes as he admits, "I fell asleep at Hinata's, so I just stayed the night while he was at work. I was already here, so I fixed the washer."

Kageyama doesn't miss the flash of a smirk on Ennoshita's lips, and he's glad that the other doesn't say anything besides, "Make sure you call Tsukishima and let him know you're already here at my request. That way, he won't mark you as late." When Kageyama nods, Ennoshita adds, "After that, could you mow the grass and then patch the walls in 2D so the cleaners can go in?"

As he heads off to complete his list, Kageyama wonders when Hinata will wake up so they can make plans for their Sunday.

It's just before lunch when Kageyama finishes up Ennoshita's list. He fights off the slight surge of disappointment when Ennoshita says he can go home for the day

.

.

They spend every Sunday for a month together, as well as a handful of weekdays, at Hinata's place. Sometimes, they hit around a ball and wish they had played together before, and others, they crowd around Hinata's battered old laptop and watch movies on the internet sponged off of Ennoshita's wifi from the unit right above them.

Kageyama doesn't know when it happened, but seeing Hinata is his favorite part of every day.

It's what brings him to Sunstar on a Saturday, and what sends him into a panic when an imposing-looking man with short, dark hair stands in front of Hinata's door, arms crossed and mouth in a firm line.

"C-can I help you?" Kageyama stutters as he takes a step back.

But just like that, the frown cracks into a smile that Kageyama thinks might be more frightening, and the guy claps him on the upper arm. "Relax, Kageyama. I just wanted to catch up with you." Holding out his hand, the man says, "I'm Sawamura Daichi."

Kageyama's eyes bulge. This is the man who signs his paychecks. The man who offered Hinata a place to stay in his time of need and sees that he's looked after.

He takes the proffered hand and shakes it adamantly. "Good morning, Sawamura-san!"

Sawamura quirks a brow. "You do know it's afternoon, right?"

"Yes!" Kageyama wishes he had somewhere to hide his burning cheeks, but there is only the empty hallway and the intimidating man standing between him and his destination.

Quietly, Kageyama follows Sawamura to Ennoshita's office. He takes the seat offered and fidgets as Sawamura eyes him from across the desk. Finally, he says, "So, Kageyama-kun, how is Hinata doing these days?"

"Still an idiot," Kageyama says automatically before his hand snaps over his mouth.

However, Sawamura laughs. "Sounds about right." He sobers before he questions again, "But how is he doing in here?" Sawamura taps his fingers on his chest, and now Kageyama understands what he's being asked.

"He's tired of being dependent on all his friends to make it," Kageyama admits. "And mad at himself because he can't do better."

Sawamura nods. "I see." He scratches his chin, lips pursed in thought as he looks at some spot on the wall over Kageyama's shoulder. "But Ennoshita thinks he's doing better these days, and that we have you to thank for that."

Kageyama harrumphs. "I just tell him he's stupid when he's being stupid, and we play volleyball here and there. I don't mind, though."

"So, you're friends."

The statement catches Kageyama off guard. It's one thing for Hinata to declare them friends, but another entire for others to notice and put that label on their relationship. He hasn't had a friend since middle school before Hinata, which is half a lifetime ago. And maybe, he thinks, he might have a name for that surge of excitement he gets when he sits next to Hinata on the couch or when they bump shoulders while walking to their favorite curry restaurant to eat too much.

"Yeah. He's my friend," Kageyama states with an odd sense of relief.

Sawamura grins. "I'm happy for both of you. Ennoshita says you also seem more at ease since your first day."

This makes Kageyama start. While he feels different since that day, he isn't aware of acting different. "Okay," he mumbles, not sure what else to say.

"Relax," Sawamura offers. "You're not in trouble. Far from it. I actually want to make you an offer."

Kageyama sits up straighter in his chair and meets Sawamura's heavy gaze and tries not to flinch. "Sir?"

"I don't know if you noticed, but the number of catastrophes following Hinata around here has dropped off in the past month or so. It used to happen twice a week; now it doesn't happen at all." Sawamura looks meaningfully at Kageyama. "It's because you're there."

"Wh-what?" Kageyama stammers, pushing back in the wheeled chair as if that extra space will explain what Sawamura is implying. "Me?"

"I think you know," Sawamura says flatly. "You make him want to do better, and he isn't lonely to the point of distraction anymore. That's why I wanted to offer you a unit in this building. Whatever your rent is for your other place, cut it in half and that's what it'll cost you. You'll spend your mornings here, and the second half of your day wherever you're needed.

"How does that sound, Kageyama-kun? Would you be interested?"

Kageyama's heart pounds in his chest. He'll see Hinata every day. They can spend every evening watching stupid TV together before Hinata heads off to work, and Kageyama can make them breakfast. No more Tsukishima in the morning. But even the latter is extraneous reason for him to say, "Yes, I would like that, Sawamura-san."

Sawamura nods. "Good. I'll see what I can do to help you deal with your current landlord so you can move out right away. Regardless, however, you don't have to pay a single yen of rent until your rent for your other place stops. Asahi will be in the main office on Monday with the other truck to help you move."

"Thank you," Kageyama says quietly as Sawamura stands.

"I just want to clarify," Sawamura adds, his tone flat and serious, "that I'm not doing this out of a sense of obligation to Hinata. You're not his babysitter. I'm doing this because Ennoshita is very happy with your work, and you're honestly the most reliable maintenance guy we've had since I started up this company. I want you to be happy, too, because I want to keep you."

Kageyama blushes at the praise. "Thank you, sir."

"And don't call me 'sir.'" Sawamura leans on the desk. "Daichi is fine."

"Yes, Daichi-san," Kageyama corrects. "I'd like to stay, too."

When Kageyama is dismissed, he walks back up to Hinata's door in a haze of awe. His boss likes him. He gets to move closer to Hinata and work more in one place, all while saving money on rent. But one thing is certain, he can't wait until he gets to share this news with Hinata.

.

.

The room looks cavernous against the small mound of Kageyama's meager belongings in the center of it, but it already feels like home because of the other person in the room, who is setting a bag of takeaway atop a box of dishes.

"Yuki-san says congratulations," Hinata mentions as they sit across from one another. "She threw in a free order of onigiri as a housewarming gift."

A ghost of a smile twitches at the corner of Kageyama's lips. They eat slowly today, enjoying the meal and each other's presence, as well as the knowledge that they'll have many more days like these together. Hinata is his best friend, and they live in the same building on the same floor.

"Kageyama," Hinata says softly, breaking the companionable silence. "I'm glad you're here."

"Shut up," Kageyama grumbles, pinkening. "Dumbass."

After they clean up dinner, they slump against each other atop Kageyama's futon, not worried about the passage of time because they have so much of it now. Hinata has the night off, courtesy of Ukai-san, to help Kageyama settle in, and Ennoshita has given Kageyama the morning off to unpack.

Kageyama is nearly asleep when he feels Hinata rustle beside him. Large golden eyes meet his in the rapidly darkening room, and something instinctual fires in Kageyama. He leans closer and closer until their lips brush together. It's a simple touch, but it brings with it something intense he can't describe or name.

"Wh-what was that for?" Kageyama asks, wondering what prompted Hinata to claim his first kiss.

"I've wanted to do that for hours. It just felt right."

Not able to deny that it does, indeed, feel right, Kageyama leans in for another round, this time for more than just glancing contact. They're both breathless when they pull away from the second one.

Having tried more than enough for one day, they both lie back down on the futon, Kageyama's arm slung over Hinata's middle, and fall asleep together. As he drifts off, Kageyama has a fleeting thought that the trouble in 3C is finally over.