"It won't hurt... I'll make sure it won't hurt... So c'mon... Relax..."
Kageyama blinked open his eyes, clenching his bedsheets. The previous day's events flooded back into his mind, and he cringed.
After finding a way to separate from each other, awkwardly, the two parted and went home without another word.
But Kageyama's head had been spinning. Of all people, of everyone in the world, Hinata had a crush on Oikawa Toru.
To be true, the rival team's setter was quite a catch-handsome, talented, hardworking, and tall. But underneath that high ego was a dark personality that only Kageyama had ever seen.
Kageyama got out of his bed, frowning.
…
"Focus, Kageyama!" Tanaka yelled at him at the morning practice, scratching his head with a perplexed expression. "Is everything alright? You're a bit off today."
Kageyama snuck a glance at Hinata, but the curly-top was practicing receives with Daichi and Noya senpai.
When he had arrived that morning, Hinata had avoided his eyes. From then on, Kageyama's day just became worse. Tanaka followed his gaze and smiled sympathetically.
"You know you're not gonna get anywhere with that if you don't say anything to him?" Tanaka patted his back.
Kageyama shrugged off his hand. "I'm gonna get some air. Sorry." he gruffly spoke. Tanaka sighed.
Kageyama stepped out, listening to the volleyball captain's voice behind him call for everyone to start cleaning up. Turning the corner, the setter angrily fed the soda machine a few coins.
"Senpai… Do you ever think of stuff besides volleyball?"
The memory resurfaced, and Kageyama aggressively pressed two buttons on the machine to banish it away. A clanking at his feet alerted him of a grape-flavored juice.
"What, you mean like school? Friends? That's kinda a vague question, Tobio-Chyan."
Kageyama poked the straw into the box, slurping quickly. A cat pressed against his leg. Looking down, Kageyama noticed the color of its coat to be the same at Hinata's hair. Pushing the animal away with his ankle, the setter sighed.
After reentering the gym, Kageyama went to the supply closet to retrieve a broom. Inside, Hinata was putting away the net.
"I mean like love, Senpai."
"Hey." the taller boy called to him, resting his hands on his hips. "Need help?"
"No, I'm fine." Hinata responded almost instantly.
Kageyama frowned. "Look… Hinata…" He moved closer to him, placing a hand on the wall and cornering Hinata against the shelf where the middle blocker was rolling up the net. Hinata turned, pressing his back to the shelf.
"Just forget about it, okay?" the curly-top spoke quickly, avoiding Kageyama's eyes. "If it makes you uncomfortable, we don't need to talk about it, alright? I'll be me and you'll be you. Just..."
Hinata's voice trailed. Kageyama clenched his free fist, leaning closer to the shorter boy.
"Out of all people, why him?" he tried to maintain his voice.
Hinata's face became a bright red instantly. "I, um, well… I don't know how to answer that…"
"Like, what kind of qualities does he have that you like?" Kageyama pressed on, moving even closer. If Hinata were to move, their foreheads would brush.
Hinata thought for a minute, pursing his lips together, shifting his caramel eyes away from Kageyama. "He's strong and tall. Excellent skills with the ball. Volleyball-wise, I mean. Also… he...um…"
Kageyama watched Hinata's cheeks grow a tomato color. "Well… After that game with Aoba Josai… I went to congratulate him… And I, um, started crying…"
The setter bit his lip. Hinata cried in front of Oikawa?
"Then… he hugged me… and he told me that I'll get stronger... that he admires my resolve… and that he wanted to practice with me sometimes…"
"And do you?" Kageyama gripped Hinata's shoulders. "Do you practice with him?"
"I see him on Thursdays after practice." Hinata answered.
"Thursday? You mean today?" Kageyama questioned him. Hinata nodded, almost shamefully.
Kageyama let the middle blocker go, trying to grope the air for words. "Can I… Can I come?"
Hinata stared at him, then moved into a defensive pose, making Kageyama back up. "You're not gonna, like, steal him from me, right?"
"My, my… Tobio-chyan, do you have a crush on me?"
"Of course not." Kageyama scoffed a little too quickly. "I just want to see his techniques a bit, that's all. Nothing like that."
Hinata frowned at him."I guess it's fine…" he let his voice trail, staring into space. No doubt Hinata had wished to have a bit of alone time with Oikawa. And of course, Kageyama would never let that happen.
Opening the door, the two watched the rest of the team disperse from a circle.
"There they are," Asahi spoke, shaking a page in the air liberally. "We were just talking about-"
Noya thrust his hand upon Asahi's mouth, stealing the paper from his hands.
"Nothing. We weren't talking about anything." Noya gave Asahi a pointed look, then smiling mischievously.
"Wait, hey, what are you say-" Sugawara began to speak.
"Let's see how they take it without prior knowledge, huh? It'll be fun." Noya grinned. Sugawara glanced at Daichi, who shrugged.
"Wait, what is it? Senpai?" Hinata ran to Noya, trying to grab the page from his hands. Noya laughed and handed the paper to Tsukishima, who held it above Hinata's head.
"You're fault for making out with Kageyama in the closet." the blonde spoke.
"We weren't making out!" Hinata shouted back at him, jumping to reach the taller's height. Tsukishima mercilessly held the page higher. "Give it! C'mon!"
Kageyama sighed.
…
Kageyama leaned against the gate to the school, trying to appear cool for whenever Hinata showed up. They had agreed after practice to meet there, and then together walk to the lot where Hinata and Oikawa practiced together.
Kageyama crossed his arms, glancing away from the gazes of his peers as they left the school for the day. He looked down at his feet, trying to avoid smiling ridiculously.
"Kageyama!" the curly-top called, tapping his arm. "Sorry, I had to talk to a teacher. Did you wait long?"
The black haired boy grinned, fantasizing in his head.
"Sorry, did you wait long? I know we planned to meet five minutes ago, but I had to stop…" the orange-haired boy would speak, blushing as he pulled at the hem of a newly washed shirt, one he had specifically bought for their first date.
"No, no, it's nothing," Kageyama would speak, slipping his hand into Hinata's. "Why did you stop?" he would smile down at the shorter.
"See… I wanted to get you this… a present, just cause…" Hinata would speak, reaching into his pocket.
But then Kageyama would grip Hinata's face between his hands, saying, "Hinata, the best present you could ever give me is yourself."
And then Kageyama would tilt his own head to the side and move closer… closer…
"Are you… mad?" Hinata's voice interrupted Kagayama's thoughts. "I swear I didn't do it." Hinata took up a stupid-looking battle stance.
Kageyama dropped his smile. "Nah. Just not happy to see that guy.Let's get going."
Hinata frowned, then began leading the way. Nonchalantly putting his arms behind his head, he spoke, "You don't have to come, ya'know."
"I know that." Kageyama snapped.
"Why are you coming then?" Hinata asked, gazing further up the street. "Oh look! He's here already!"
Leaning against the fence of an empty lot stood Oikawa, waving back. Seeing Kageyama, Oikawa's wave momentarily stopped, however continued after a second.
"Yo, Tobio-chyan~!" he sang as the two approached. Kageyama found a frown growing on his face. "What brings you here?" Oikawa wrapped an arm around Kageyama.
"I wanted to practice too." Kageyama shrugged off Oikawa's grip.
"And practice we will," Oikawa said proudly. "So, Hina-chan, want to continue where we left off last time?"
The two faced off, ferociously serving and receiving. Kageyama stepped in a second later, increasing the competition. Together, the three had a contest to see who could keep the ball in the air the longest.
Hinata lost first.
"Damnnit!" he called out, throwing his arms in the air. Kageyama smiled lightly, watching his cute movements. Then he turned to face Oikawa.
"Shall we continue?" he questioned, a bite in his tone.
Oikawa nodded, a sneer forming on his face. "Only if you want to lose, Tobio-chyan."
"Please don't call me that."
"Sorry, Tobio-chyan."
Kageyama glared at the opposing setter, running quickly to serve the ball viciously. OIkawa received the serve perfectly, evoking a sound of awe from Hinata. Kageyama felt jealousy spike within him.
And then, it began to pour.
"Shit!" cursed Kageyama, catching the ball and covering his head. He ran to his bag, retrieving an umbrella.
Forcing it open, he walked to Hinata's cowering side to cover him. Oikawa came over as well, stepping underneath the protection of the umbrella.
Hinata looked up, sandwiched between the setters. His face became red. He slowly stood, chest touching the setters' arms.
"Nice to see you haven't grown an inch, Tobio-chyan." Oikawa looked down at him. Kageyama grunted, too engulfed in Hinata's presence beside him to care about Oikawa's words.
"Guess we can't practice anymore." Hinata voiced reluctantly.
Kageyama scoffed. "As if that could be considered practicing." Thrusting the umbrella into Oikawa's chest, he grabbed Hinata's hand.
"You live furthest away. You take it. Hinata can stay at my place until the rain lets up."
"Wai- Kageya-" Hinata began to speak, then stopped as he was dragged away by his setter.
Kageyama glanced back at Oikawa as he grabbed his bag. "Just return that next time we meet." Pulling harder on Hinata's hand, the two left the field.
"That time might be closer than you think, Tobio-chyan." Oikawa muttered under his breath.
…
"Bath's open." Hinata sighed, a towel wrapped around his waist. Kageyama gazed leisurely up the middle-blocker's body, taking in his pale chest and arms. Hinata's orange hair was slightly darker after being within the water, droplets still clinging to the strands.
Kageyama clutched his hands in his lap to keep himself from reaching out. Hinata's cheeks and nose were pinkish, reddened by the warm water.
"You should dry your hair. You'll catch a cold."
"Idiot's don't catch colds." Hinata sang, placing his hands on his hips. The towel slipped down slightly, presenting Kageyama a deep v.
"At least you admit it." Kageyama spoke, his eyes still exploring Hinata's body. Hinata pouted, and Kageyama stood.
Taking slow steps, Kageyama placed his hand on Hinata's forehead. "No fever that I can tell." Kageyama brushed his fingers through the shorter's hair, ruffling the mess it already was.
"Dry your hair, dumbass. Or you will catch one." Kageyama spoke over his shoulder as he entered the bathroom.
As the door behind him clicked, Kageyama gazed into the mirror. His face was delving into a bright blush. One more second out there, and Kageyama would've lost it.
Hinata was just too shameless.
Or, Kageyama thought with a sigh, he didn't think anything of letting the setter see his naked body.
Kageyama sunk into the bathtub, frowning.
The way Oikawa still called him "Tobio-chyan" pissed him off. It was a stupid nickname from their junior high days, afterall. And now, in high school, it just seemed juvenile.
And maybe that's why Oikawa still used it. To show Kageyama he still was under him.
The black-haired setter tightened his hands into fists, fighting the urge to punch the water. Hinata would hear the splash and get scared. Not that a scared Hinata wasn't utterly adorable too though.
…
"The rain's still hard as ever." Hinata sighed. The two were sitting on the floor, watching some show neither of them were really paying attention to with blankets tossed over their shoulders. Kageyama was trying hard not to stare at the boy beside him, who was wearing his clothing. It fit Hinata terribly.
"Stay over then." Kageyama leaned back on the ground. "I live alone, after all. You aren't bothering anyone."
Hinata nodded, and laid down as well. Yawning, he used his arm as a pillow and cuddled under his blanket.
Kageyama turned off the light, sitting up as his eyes adjusted. Hinata was on his side, facing away from him.
"Hey, Kageyama…" Hinata spoke. The setter laid down, staring at Hinata's back.
"Yeah?"
"Who was your first crush? What were they like?"
Kageyama saw a flash of his past.
That locked door. Kageyama, stripped to his underwear, clothes lying in a pile on the ground. Fear and adrenaline mixing in his blood.
Oikawa, smiling at him like he were an object.
"Tobio-chyan, nothing you do will change my opinion."
Kageyama shuttered. Hinata heard the movement and turned to face him.
"You okay?" the curly-top asked, placing a hand on Kageyama's forehead. "Did you catch a cold?"
"No… No… It's just…" Kageyama couldn't find words. His mind was stirring, yet right there in front of him, with concern in his eyes, was Hinata.
Outlined by the moon, like Oikawa was that night.
But Hinata actually cared about him, unlike Oikawa. Hinata actually wanted to know if he was alright.
"Want to know why, my little genius?"
"I'm fine." Kageyama sighed, still staring into the caramel of the middleblocker's eyes. "My first crush... just didn't end well."
"You get rejected?" Hinata smiled, removing his hand from Kageyama's forehead to cover his mouth. "You don't seem like the type to give up, though."
"Fuck off." Kageyama grunted. Hinata was right. He didn't give up. Not until, at least, Oikawa made his own move.
Shivers ran down Kageyama's back, and he closed his eyes.
Hinata snickered, perhaps thinking he was right.
"Go to bed, dumbass." Kageyama spoke. Hinata turned away from the setter, still laughing quietly.
Several minutes pass, and Kageyama hears Hinata's breathing slow to a gentle rhythm. Leaning over the boy, Kageyama whispered in his ear,
"My first crush assaulted me."