A/N: This sort of turned into another drabble. Whee!


Ch2

Hinata hated the way Kageyama spoke. It was too short, too flat… it made it seem like he didn't care. And Hinata Shouyou couldn't stand the thought that Kageyama Tobio might not care about him.

So he spoke extra quickly and extra loudly, as if to make up for the other boy's ominous silences that stretched on, punctuated by small, negative comments as the road dragged on and the blue bike squeaked between them.

He spoke about the weather, about the sky (he loved the color of the sky, but only at night – that was when it was most like Kageyama's eyes), about the failed tests he'd taken, watching, waiting, for a glimpse of a reaction from his stoic companion. He even spoke about one of his friends who had confessed to him, blushing and stuttering as Hinata couldn't reciprocate her feelings. This brought at least an eyebrow-slant from Kageyama, and Hinata had to tilt his head away to hide the grin that threatened to overtake his face.

"Kageyama?" They were nearing the fork in the road, and Hinata was suddenly struck with a daring notion.

"What, dumbass?"

The negative slurs were a normal part of their routine now, and Hinata refused to let it faze him. "Want to come over to my house for a bit? Toss me some more, maybe?"

The setter abruptly stopped. Hinata looked back, uncertain. Then, after an indeterminable pause, Kageyama shrugged and said, "Nah."

"Oh. But we can work more on our quick-attacks in my backyard?" Hinata was getting desperate, although he wasn't quite sure why. "Pleasepleaseplease!"

A baleful blue eye turned to stare at him, some strange emotion flickering through its depths, before Kageyama rolled his eyes exaggeratedly and conceded.

As they trudged the rest of the way to Hinata's house, the orange-haired boy leaping expressively and with a tad more excitement than usual, there was something uncertain in the taller boy's stride. It was as if the break in their routine had set him off-kilter, and his comments waxed with Hinata's energy.

This, at least, is new, thought Hinata. He's not like he always is – but I like it.