Hi, another update kinda. Unedited, enjoy.

"It's good to hear from you."

"Yeah." Hinata's sitting by the balcony, the door to the fire escape slightly ajar. There's a dim glint to his eyes, body leaning over the banister by the flat of his chest, and arms swaying past the metal railing. His cell is perched right between his ear and shoulder. His wig dances in the autumn breeze.

It almost seems like a dream, that he'd be basking in the glow of the street lamps on such a night. That he'd be this strung over someone he barely even knows. And a guy, no less. Hinata feels the smooth cave of his throat with his tongue, and it tastes bitter, sharp even.

A soft choke from the other side, and then: "Where were you?"

Scrambling for words: "In Alaska." The moon is finally out, and Hinata can just make out the cracked sidewalk and empty lot below, little weeds springing from the asphalt. His cheeks are swirling with warmth and he kicks himself. God, this isn't normal. He digs his fingernails into the chipping paint, scratching, flicking.

"You really...?"

"Not eloping with an Eskimo." He could already see the smug smile on Kuroo's face.

"But your coworker-"

"Is an asshole. And likes to tell stories. I was just visiting my grandma abroad, ya know? She..." Hinata struggles to finish his sentence, "won the lottery?" He wants to bang his head into a wall for his stupidity.

"I see." A shuffle. Just a hint of what seems like a breath of relief... "After that day, you didn't respond to my messages. I thought I did something wrong. Or you were hurt or..." Kageyama's voice comes out a bit rough, like sandpaper.

"I, uh, had no signal. It's all trees there. And snow and, uh, trees. Anyway I'm here now, aren't I?" He checks his cell, and sees that he's still got five minutes to his break. Hinata's heart is beating like a drum, and he feels his pulse in his ears.

"You're back in Japan?"

"Yup, sugar. Supposed to be a surprise, but eh." The boy flips his palms, picking out the clumps of black paint from his fingernails. The heat's still on his face, so Hinata smacks his cheeks and yelps when he realizes he probably rubbed off some foundation.

"That's," a soft breath, "great." Hinata can practically hear the smile through the phone. "Really, really great." Oh god, don't do this -

"So when can I see you again?"

"Whoa, a little eager aren't ya?" Suddenly, there's a fog in his head. Hinata's getting ready to head back now, back into the musky halls and dim yellow lighting. He eyes the silhouette of the receptionist booth, and sees that it is of course empty. Tch, lazy bastard. "I'll contact you again when my shift ends," he says, smoothing out the wig and scratching his neck nervously.

"Okay." With a click, the most unlikely of connections is cut short, and Hinata curses the thumping of his chest.

Boy, is Kuroo getting a field day out of this.

When Hinata Shouyou finally musters enough courage to message back Kageyama, he doesn't expect to agree to meet by an aquarium. Yet there the ginger is, fitted in a blue dress, with an equally blue choker strategically wrapping over his Adam's apple.

He's there early, waking up a good two hours before the trains run, after tossing and turning in his futon the whole night. In all eighteen years of his life, this is his first real date. And it's not even his.

Hinata catches a familiar tall figure by the aquarium's entrance, towering over girls in skimpy mermaid costumes handing out flyers. Scaring little children into hiding behind their mothers' skirts. From the look of things, Kageyama must have gotten here even earlier than he did. The young man's standing straight like a pole, eyes intent on burning a hole through whatever he's staring at, an unmistakable scowl crawling on his face.

Hinata has half a mind to go over and greet the sullen boy, but stops himself. Questions like 'should I be doing this?' keep permeating his mind, the 'should' crossed out into a 'could,' and finally transforming into a blob of red ink. His mind's a fucking edited paper.

Before he gets the chance to bail, he takes a stride just a bit too wide and slips on air.

"Ow ow ow..."

"Erika-san!"

In a matter of seconds Hinata is surrounded, picked up, and checked over, a nervous Kageyama apologizing profusely afterwards for being too familiar.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. This happens a lot," says Hinata, waving the fall off as nothing.

"Yeah, I'm sure it does." Then, softer: "Idiot."

"…What?"

"I said you're an idiot! How do you even trip on nothing!"

"T-there was something! A rock! You just didn't see it." Hinata puts on his most intense glare, puffing his chest up to seem bigger, but only comes out looking silly. Try as one might, but it's hella hard looking manly in a dress. Especially if they're as small as Hinata.

"Yeah, okay sure." Kageyama rolls his eyes. Suddenly the shorter boy feels indignant, like a kid caught in a tantrum. Why did he even come? It must have been a momentary weakness to have felt bad for the bastard. Probably like a male period. Do guys even get periods? I should have stayed home, who cares about that mopey ass!

"Let's go." Hinata looks up, about to rip him a new one, when he's struck speechless by the look on Kageyama's face. Sure, there's still that everlasting scowl, but hidden beneath the layers of heated blue and furrowed eyebrows is a glimmer of worry. It makes Hinata's stomach knot up.

Once surrounded by the gentle blues and cool of the exhibits, they talk more about themselves. Hinata learns that Kageyama also played volleyball in high school. At Shiratorizawa, no less. Somehow, the ace back there ( Ushiwaka) didn't seem to like him much. Hinata is surprised - who hasn't heard of the champion school? – and lets it slip that he used to play for Karasuno. Though he had to quit during his junior year – the ginger developed tendinitus on his calcaneal tendon from constantly jumping, and like an idiot refused to tell anyone or see a doctor until it was too late. By the time the tear had healed, he'd been warming the bench until graduation day.

"I've been meaning to try out for my uni's team, but things have gotten rocky back home. My dad's lost his job, ya see? So I've gotta work part time to cover my own expenses."

At the mention of his job, Kageyama is suddenly quiet. Gone are his fleeting glances to the shorter boy and pink flush on his cheeks. He doesn't tear his eyes from the jellyfish exhibit, and instead watches the puffy, translucent things circumnavigate the tank.

"Why does it have to be there?" asks Kageyama.

"What do you mean?" Ah. The dreaded conversation.

"You could have easily worked at a convenience store or something. There's no reason to be..." A pause. Hinata quirks an eyebrow.

"What? Spit it out, Kageyama."

"Touching people's skin. It's not something a good girl like you should be doing."

Hinata chokes on his spit, sounding like a cat throwing up a hairball. Excuse me? "Don't stick your nose in someone else's business." The shorter boy walks off, hands stuffing into his pockets and fists balled, huffing.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." He sticks his tongue at the tall bundle of limbs running after him. "I'm tired of this place." Then, as if to spite the other: "And I hate aquariums."

They end up invading a sports store, loudly washing ashore to the sneaker section, bright eyes scanning the walls for the newest hottest model. Hinata picks out a flashy orange and green thing from one of the higher shelves, tiptoeing to no avail until finally leaping, flying, towards the ceiling. His calloused hands grab on by the heel, snatching it in a single swipe. As he starts unlacing the shoe laces, Kageyama clears his throat, perhaps a bit too loudly.

"Um, Erika-san?"

"Hm?"

"This is the men's section."

A blink. "So?"

"And that's a men's shoe."

Hinata stares at the taller boy like the latter had sprouted an extra head. Or two. A sigh escapes from Kageyama's twitching mouth.

"So, you're saying you're going to wear these? Is that even your size?"

His cheeks suddenly feel warm with the sudden realization and Hinata's mouth flops, opening and closing and trying to say something, anything, to block off the embarrassment.

"It's for a friend!" He quickly brings a hand to his mouth, shocked that he'd actually shout out loud. The shoe drops to the ground, rolling a bit before stopping to a halt. Hinata reaches for the sneaker, lost in whatever B grade horror movie fantasy he's in, when he suddenly hears a muffled huff. Caramel eyes shoot up.

Kageyama's got his head hanging low, dark ebony bangs feathering his face, and his shoulders shake.

"Kageyama?" More shaking. Hinata feels a wave of anxiety crash into his form, and reaches out to the crying(?) boy.

"Hey, are you okay? Don't tell me my yelling scared you? Well, I do got a manly voice-"

"Heh." The taller young man suddenly raises his head, shoulders still rumbling. "Heh heh heh." He's laughing. His mouth is twisted into a lopsided grin and Hinata just can't bring himself to look away. Kageyama takes a deep breath, and steadies himself. He gently places a hand on Hinata's shoulder.

"You're really something else." And then the hand is gone. Hinata almost misses the fleeting touch, the soft warmth.

It's at this moment that Hinata finally figures something out. All of his recent lack of immunity towards the vertically blessed sulking boy seems to stem from two terrifying little words: gap moe. That such a grouchy guy can make such a cute blushy face is a downright crime. A trap, thinks Hinata. He shakes his head, trying to shake off all the fuzzy thoughts in his mind, and of course failing. That's right, there really isn't anything more to that...

"So who're you buying sneakers for?"

"Tsukishima." The orange haired youth groans, wanting to kick himself for his slip of tongue. Really, Tsukishima of all people?

"I know that guy. He's the tall one with the glasses. And the shit face." Dark blue eyes narrow.

"He's in all my classes. Well, almost. How do you know him?" asks Hinata.

According to grumpy, Tsukishima and Kageyama go at it like cats and dogs. They both have the same Art History class and are on the university volleyball team. And both come up with one thing or another to fight about. Or rather, Kageyama would be scowling and Tsukkii would pierce him with his infamously sharp tongue. Speaking of classmates, Hinata asks if he knew anyone else from his courses. Kageyama shrugs, but mentions how he does have a few friends on the team and some senpai from high school and middle school scattered throughout campus.

"You should get back into it if you really love it. Volleyball, I mean."

"Yeah, that sounds nice. Now if only money grows on trees." He tries to make his voice seem as disinterested as possible, but this is volleyball they're talking about. The one sport, no lifestyle, that makes Hinata feel the most alive. After hearing from the doctor that he could no longer play for Karasuno, he's been crushed, lost even. The ginger places his hands in a lock, cradling his palms on the back of his head.

Kageyama mumbles something.

"Huh?"

"I said I'll pay you. Help you out with your rent. Anything." Hinata stares at the serious expression on the taller boy's face, and breaks into a laugh.

"What - no! I'm not looking for a sugar daddy. But tell you what - if I do play again, I want you to toss to me." The orange haired boy suddenly feels light, like when he's posing, aiming for a spike. Like when he's flying and sees the full view of the court.

"Sure, if you can even hit them."

"Of course I can! I'll send them flying so high, you'd beg me to be the ace!"

After a few more minutes of meaningless chatter, the atmosphere around the two is soft, floating. They sit on a bench together, one of those seatings for customers to try on shoes, and their shoulders are close, almost touching. Hinata angles his neck, trying to peer through his bangs at Kageyama. He doesn't want to admit that he finds the other's scent pleasant, exhilirating. With a hesitant finger, he pokes the taller boy's shoulder.

"Ne, Kageyama."

"Yea?" There's a slight flush on the brunet's face, but it could have just been the lighting.

"What if...what if I'm not what you think I am?"

He's greeted by perplexed azure eyes, dark blue pools sinking into his soul. Kageyama scowls, striking a thoughtful pose.

"I felt that way on our first date. You're thinking too much, dumbass."

Hinata feels butterflies in his chest skydiving into his gut and suddenly realizes he just wants to see Kageyama smile again. 'Date'...

"I-"

"You're a really special girl, Erika-san. That is to say, you're unique. I-it's not like I'm impressed or anything!" There goes the glowing ears once more, and Kageyama pushes down on Hinata's head, hand ruffling the other's hair in defense.

Plush pink lips part in mid rebuttal, then flatten, depress. There's a weight in Hinata's stomach now, and he wonders if it's crushing all those winged insects into mush.

"T-thanks."

And then there's that smile. It's so bright and luminous and breathtaking and so out of place, but this time, Hinata hardly feels a thing. He almost doesn't realize when Kageyama's hand finally grabs his own, and the brunet pumps a fist up in happiness.

'You're a really special girl.'

I'm really just a masochist, aren't I?