They never really said it.

Not in as many words, anyway. Not in those exact words. But they did say it. They saw it. Felt it. Showed it.

(As best they could, anyway.)

"You shouldn't drink that."

"Shut up, it smells fine!"

"Kageyama…"

Hinata watched his friend drink the contents of the milk carton (previously shoved to the back of his fridge and four days past its expiration date). Kageyama side-eyed him and wiped his mouth.

"You're going to die, Kageyama."

"I am not, you dumbass. It was only a few days."

"I'll see you on the other side, Kageyama."

"H-Hinata, stop that giving me that pitying look!"

"What flowers would you like on your gr-"

Hinata watched as the taller of the two slammed the empty carton on the kitchen counter and marched towards the living room.

Chuckling, he plucked the carton back up and aimed it towards the trashcan, eyes catching on the expiration date one last time before-

Wait.

Did that say the fourth? Today was the twenty first.

How on this mother loving earth had it smelled fine?

Kageyama's voice drifted to him from the hallway. "Uh...Hinata...my stomach feels kind of...weird…"

"Kageyama. I'm going to need you to write me into your will so I get all your volleyballs."

-O-

"Hinata."

"What?"

"You need to eat."

They sat next to each other at the small table in Kageyama's room. The plates of food in front of them steamed.

"One point. We were one point away."

"I know."

Hinata's chin lowered until it was almost to his chest. The set of his shoulders made Kageyama want to grab them and shake until some kind of tension came back.

"You need to eat, Hinata."

"Not hungry."

"I don't care."

The smaller pushed a small hhmph from his lips before glancing at his setter. "You aren't eating."

"I will when you do."

The same small sound again. "You almost sound concerned, Kageyama."

"O-oi! Shut up and eat, idiot. How do you expect to win the next game with that attitude?"

His shoulders pulled back. Chin lifted and amber eyes met blue, but his voice was still quiet. "You eat first. What if it's poisoned?"

Kageyama ignored the implication that his mother would poison them and takes the largest bite of food he possibly can, glaring at the decoy beside him and chewing as aggressively as possible.

Almost dazedly, Kageyama watches Hinata crack a smile. It tugged just at the corner of his lips and the corners of his eyes, but it was there. His aggressive chewing slowed and stopped as Hinata let out another sigh and picked up his chopsticks.

He starts eating, that small, hopeful smile picking up speed and becoming a real, earth-shattering grin. And Kageyama has a wild thought.

I want to kiss him.

(He doesn't kiss him, of course, because they've both got food in their mouths and that'd be gross.)