Chapter 9- Learning To Focus
"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you." - A.A Milne
The quiet between him and Kageyama was more than a little awkward for the god of love. He was happy that the setter had been willing to come with him to the pet store in order to question Tanaka. If he didn't look too far into it, he could say that Kageyama had a change of heart. But the only thing that had changed was the awkward tension that had accumulated in their apartment. After Oikawa had declared himself a rival in Hinata's quest for fixing Asahi and Noya's soulmate string, the cocky god had decided to camp out on their couch. There was no need for it; Oikawa visited earth so much, he had places he could spend the night. It was merely a tactic to annoy the younger god, and Hinata hated to admit that it was working.
The problem came with how the god of lust decided to bug him. If it had just been his normal teasing and annoying jabs, maybe Hinata could deal. Instead, Tooru set his pretty brown eyes on a target much more human. Kageyama, despite his best attempts to ignore it, was a mortal man. Since he didn't have a soul mate, nevermind a love connection, he was weak to Tooru's powers. Which meant that when Oikawa walked around the house naked after his shower, Hinata could see how flustered and affected his housemate was. And when the god of lust practically trapped the setter against the fridge while "reaching for the cereal", the artist looked ready to combust. The situation shouldn't have concerned Hinata; it wasn't like Oikawa's powers were causing the man any real harm. It was just...irritating. Like a scratch that Hinata couldn't itch, the situation made him feel restless and ready to bolt out the door to go to class. The only reason he stayed was how little he trusted leaving Oikawa alone with Kageyama.
Luckily, they had classes early on Wednesdays, which meant a quick escape from the lusty god. Both were cautious when coming back to the apartment that afternoon, the tension evaporating when the god of lust was nowhere to be seen. Too tired from the previous day, Hinata took the free time to sneak in a nap before announcing his plan to talk to Tanaka at his job. Yamaguchi had informed him earlier in statistics that Noya had Wednesdays off, meaning only he and the bald senpai would be in the store at closing. It was the best time to try and get the older man alone. Kageyama was quick to join in on Hinata's trip to visit the pet store, not seeming to want to stay in the apartment. Why that had made Hinata grin more than he had all day, the god wasn't sure. Even with the lack of conversation between them, just knowing that Kageyama would rather be helping Hinata with his mission than alone with Tooru made his stomach relax.
The chime above the automatic doors lifted Yamaguchi's head from the spot he was currently sweeping, the freckled man's face filling with a smile as he waved.
"Ah, so you did come to visit."
"Of course I would; who said I wouldn't?" At Hinata's question, Yamaguchi shrugged his shoulders, his downcast eyes proving he wasn't willing to rat out the disbeliever. Instantly, the god knew who Yamaguchi was referring to. "Stingysama."
"Tsukki's pessimistic on most days," Yamaguchi countered, lifting the broom to point toward the back of the store. "Tanaka's just finishing feeding the lizards so we can close up."
"Thanks, Yamaguchi!" Hinata put a pep in his step as he rushed through the aisle of catfood, careful not to knock over the tiny cans when taking a sharp turn. His eyes were distracted by the colorful fishes to his left, which left him defenseless to the tug on the back of his shirt.
"Focus." Kageyama's direct command made the god huff, though he followed the command by wandering behind the taller roommate. After passing more fish and furry rodents ("They're hamsters, idiot"), Hinata was able to catch a glimpse of the man they were searching for. True to Yamaguchi's word, the wing spiker was in front of a cage which held a giant reptile, the man showing no fear while flicking a few dead insects into the exhibit and shutting the cage's door. The pink glow that was surrounding the once damaged thread on Tanaka's wrist was a relieving sight. Even if he failed in his mission, Hinata knew that he had salvaged one relationship. But he wasn't about to throw in the towel; he could only hope that with the wing spiker's own relationship settled, he'd be able to help answer some lingering questions. Tanaka hummed a tune the spiker had never heard while turning to face them, his grin baring his sharp teeth upon recognizing the two.
"Yo! What are you two doing here? Trying to get a pet for the apartment or something?"
"If we did, Hinata would kill it." The blunt tone that Kageyama used made the god glare over at him, making sure to jab his elbow into the other's hip. He snickered at the pained grunt the art student let out, faking a look of innocence once Kageyama shot a glare at him.
"We actually came here to talk to you," Hinata supplied, ignoring his fuming roommate to focus on Tanaka's furrowed eyebrows.
"If it's about another flirting training-" A shake of Hinata's head paused the lizard caretaker, leaning back on the wall next to the cage. "Alright, then shoot."
"We actually came to talk about the night after you and Ennoshita got into your fight." Hinata's words dropped the happy smile from Tanaka's face, a look of unconscious guilt reflecting in his grey eyes before he groaned.
"Man, why'd you have to bring that up? Me and Chikara are going strong now. The last thing I want to do is relive that."
"We're more focused on a conversation that Noya had when you went to his house," Kageyama edited, the god of love happy to see his roommate actively engaging in the conversation. If he had no desire to help out Hinata, then he could have remained silent. Instead, he lent a helping hand, keeping his tone casual. "One he had with Asahi-san."
"Oh, that." Snapping after his statement, Tanaka seemed to understand what the two were fishing for with little prompting. "Yeah, I remember that. I had gone over there after the argument because I couldn't go back home. Noya's my bro, so he was cool with it. But he had a...thing with Asahi, so he had to call and cancel. I kind of overheard the conversation."
"Well what did Noya say?" Hinata asked, Tanaka's look of discomfort apparent to both of them.
"I'm only telling you two this because of what you did for me and Ennoshita." Waiting for Hinata and Kageyama to nod, Tanaka let out a long sigh before glancing out at the darkened night. "Yuu was really shaken up by our break-up...it was like he didn't think it was possible, ya know? It was probably his nerves that made him say that to Asahi-"
"Say what?" Hinata piped up, receiving a smack to the back of his head from Kageyama.
"Give him a second to finish."
"I'm sorta paraphrasing, but after he told Asahi he had to cancel their dinner plans, he said 'Relationships suck. If Tanaka and Ennoshita can't make it, there's no hope for guys like me. Sex buddies is the only way to go'." Tanaka's face was pulled into a displeased look after his recall on the event, his arms quick to cross over his chest. "After that, they said goodbye and hung up."
"Well that explains it," Kageyama said, Hinata's hand coming to the side of his head to tug on his hair.
"Why did Noya-senpai say that to him? How the heck was Asahi supposed to confess to him after hearing something like that?! You humans-"
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Tanaka asked, Hinata giving another tug to his orange strands before looking to his teammate.
"Asahi asked Noya-senpai to dinner so he could ask him out." The look that fell over the wing spiker's face implied that Hinata's explanation didn't fit well with whatever information he had. Quick to jump on the hint, the spiker practically leapt onto his older teammate while his hands flailed in the air. "Do you know something else? You look like you were going to say something."
"Yuu's my best buddy, and he'd probably crush my head between his freakishly strong thighs if he finds out I told you this. But...if you can work your weird duo magic with Noya and Asahi, then I'll consider the risk worth it. If he asks me how you two found this out, I'm not admitting to anything."
"We're going to fix them. I promise." Hinata's voice didn't shake with the insecurity or worry that had plagued him throughout the night. Even if he was struggling with the troublesome pair, that didn't mean he was going to give up. The look that Tanaka was giving to him proved that deep down, they weren't a lost cause. The second Hinata wavered in his belief in the true love soulmate thread would be the day he stepped down from his position. For now, he needed to believe that Takeda had wanted Hinata to fix these two's relationship for a reason only the god of fate could understand.
"If you want to see Noya-san happy, then you should tell Hinata everything you know." The serious voice that resounded from Kageyama made Hinata glance up to him, the setter's blue stare not wavering as he bowed slightly to Tanaka. "Please allow us to help."
"When my kouhai ask like that, how am I supposed to say no?" Holding back dramatic tears, the bald man pretended to wipe the water from his eyelids before he returned to the most serious tone the joker of the team could muster. "What the hell? I can take that ankle biter if I have to."
"I'll be sure to tell him that tomorrow." Yamaguchi's teasing tone made the group glance down the aisle adjacent to them, seeing the brunet sweeping up a pile of dirt and depositing it into a trash bag.
"You've got to get new friends; that blonde salt machine is rubbing off on you too much." At Tanaka's grumble, the freckled server hide his snicker before he pointed to the back door.
"I'm going to take all the trash out and lock up the back. Hinata, I'll meet you and Kageyama out front in about ten minutes. We can walk home together, okay?"
"Right!" Waiting until the other employee was out of hearing range, Hinata turned back toward the scowling wing spiker. "So what do you know, senpai?"
"Asahi wasn't the one who asked Yuu on the dinner date; it was the other way around." The god could feel his eyes widen at the news, though it was clear that Tanaka wasn't done. "And he did it because he was going to ask the big nerd out."
"How do you know that?" Hinata asked, Tanaka smirking as he bumped his thumb into his chest.
"A bro always knows what his bro is about to do. It's bro code!"
"That doesn't sound very convincing," Kageyama replied skeptically, the older teammate rolling his eyes.
"Well I realized it after Yuu started to ask a bunch of questions about me and Chikara. Like when we knew we should start dating and how I would have done it if I could re-do it and shit like that. Finally I confronted him with the true bro battle; a wrestling match. And once I pinned him down, he admitted that he thought he was in love with Asahi. So I sort of helped him plot the whole thing out, but then the movie night happened...After seeing what happened with Chikara, he couldn't go through with it. He said he'd rather keep Asahi as a fuck buddy then lose him completely. I think that's why he made that comment to Asahi."
"But that…" Hinata's words failed him as he glanced down to his feet, his nose scrunching in obvious frustration. Though he was thankful for the truth, it didn't make the situation any easier. Noya seemed quite devoted to pretending that he enjoyed the simplistic relationship with Asahi, even though he knew he was in love. Asahi was too quiet and mindful of making problems to ever push the envelope. If he thought Noya didn't want more, he was going to respect that until the day he died. Noya's fear, one that Hinata couldn't fully grasp, was keeping him from taking the final step. Why did he take the break-up so seriously when the two were able to reconcile soon after? What made him and Asahi different?
A loud ring from Tanaka's pocket had distracted the man, who announced that Ennoshita was waiting for him outside. It made their exchange of goodbyes quick, Hinata unable to force his normally energetic wave when Tanaka jogged from the front of the store. The biting of the cold air felt sharp against the small man's cheeks, the god quick to shove his hands into his jacket's pockets. The darkness of the night didn't lift his mood, which felt dismal from the information his friend had given to him. This wasn't the breakthrough he had been expecting. And though it was more than he knew before, his plan looked just as murky as it had that morning.
"So now what?" Kageyama's voice sounded far away despite how his arm brushed against Hinata's. Not wanting to look up at his roommate, the amber gaze stayed forward and unfocused on the darkness of the parking lot. After a few moments of quiet, Hinata released a white puff of smoke from his lips.
"There's only one thing to do; we face Noya-senpai head on."
"But you've done that already," Kageyama pointed out, Hinata's teeth hurting from the cold and how tightly he clenched them.
"So I do it again."
"Nothing's changed."
"Now I've got a time limit."
"You want to rush in without a plan because Oikawa's here? What difference does that make?"
"If I don't do something, he's going to win!" Hinata's voice echoed in the spacious area, his eyes blazing with anger and guilt while he lashed out at his scowling roommate. "This is how it always works with him; Oikawa will choose a target and no matter what I do, he wins. He always wins. Unless I have the upper hand of a fully pink soulmate thread, he's just going to come in and destroy them. And I don't want that!"
"So take tonight to think about what to do next. Your head is for thinking, not using as a battering ram! We have time, idiot," Kageyama snapped back, Hinata's eyes narrowing as he clenched his fists by his side.
"Not enough. Not against him." The tension between the two rose as their unwavering stares clashed, neither seeming willing to back down from their point of view. Hinata, in the deepest part of his heart, knew that what Kageyama was saying was true. Rushing them could scare off Asahi or shut Noya down. Either situation would spell disaster for their relationship and give Oikawa an even bigger playing field. But despite this logic, Hinata wanted to do something. The slow method that Kageyama was suggesting felt suffocating. How could the setter understand how he was feeling? The pressure of fixing everything he screwed up continued to pile onto his shoulders, and he felt his knees start to quiver from the weight once Oikawa appeared. It made him restless to remove some of the burden, yet Kageyama wanted to drag his feet. Why couldn't he see where Hinata was coming from?
"Is everything okay?" The hesitant voice from Yamaguchi tried to ease the uncomfortable air between the feuding roommates, though Hinata refused to answer. It came as a surprise to him when Kageyama scoffed, finally breaking their eye contact to look at the third man.
"Hinata's too stuck in his empty head to listen to reason." It gave little insight into the specifics of the conversation, though got Kageyama's point across efficiently. Hinata's urge to reply was strong, but his tongue remained frozen in his mouth. Yamaguchi's eyes rounded with sympathy before lighting with an idea, the freckled student moving forward to engage the two.
"Whenever I get kind of down, I like to do something that takes my mind off of if. And I know there's a bowling alley a block away that does mystic bowling after 8pm."
"Mystic bowling?" The question left Hinata's mouth as soon as it came to mind, Yamaguchi eagerly nodding while he dug his phone out of his pocket.
"Tsukki and I go there sometimes after work or finals week. It's a really fun time!" Pausing before he finished dialing Tsukishima's number, the brunet gave a hesitant look to the spiker and meekly smiled. "Ah, that is, if you like bowling."
"I wanna go!" The loud yell from the shortest member of the conversation was instant, his fondness for new experiences chasing some of his previous frustration away.
"Do we have to invite your roommate?" Kageyama's sour look made Yamaguchi laugh, waving the artist's worry away while pushing the phone to his ear.
"You know Tsukki loves bowling, and I really like seeing him happy." The arch in the setter's eyebrow matched with Hinata's perked interest in Yamaguchi's statement. Seeming to realize his slip, the cheeks of the pinch server pinkened while he turned away from his teammates to focus on the voice on the other side of the phone. The two remaining men glanced to each other, the taller scowling.
"Do you even know how to bowl?"
"Not a clue." Hinata blinked when Kageyama smacked himself, wondering why his roommate was reacting so poorly. He hadn't know how to play volleyball either, yet he was a great help to the team in the recent weeks. If bowling was anything like that sport, then the god would be fine.
By the end of the night, Hinata would be a bowling champion.
Champion was a subjective word.
"How are you this bad?" The tone Tsukishima used bordered on disgusted as yet another of Hinata's bowling balls rolled into the gutter. Yamaguchi's laugh was light hearted, though the god could hear him attempting to 'scold' his blond teammate throughout his giggles. Looking up to the screen above the alley, Hinata's cheeks roared with red as the animated scene replayed his pathetic attempt to hit the pins down.
When Yamaguchi had explained the game to him, it had seemed quite simple. The ball just needed to slam into the weird looking pieces of wood in order for the person bowling to get points. The more pins that the person got down, the more point they received. The kind man had also made mention of things called 'spares' and 'strikes', but from how he was tossing the heavy slab of marble, he didn't need to worry about those. He wanted to blame his lack of points on the loud music or the flashing lights in the darkened bowling alley, but Hinata could clearly see it didn't affect the other players. Tsukishima was as proficient in the game as Yamaguchi had boasted, though the freckled man wasn't horrible either. Kageyama's skill settled between the two, though he seemed determined to beat the blocker.
And Hinata…
He had gotten pretty acquainted to the word 'gutter'.
"Do you think we should put the bumpers up for Hinata?" Yamaguchi suggested as Kageyama moved to take his turn, the man with glasses showing his disapproval with a snort.
"So you guys can try to get extra points with pathetic trick shots?"
"Are you nervous that I'll win that way?" Yamaguchi said, biting his lip to hide his smile as Tsukishima rolled his eyes.
"You're speaking as if you've ever outscored me in our history of bowling."
"Well that's because you won't let me use bumpers-"
"I won't let you cheat," Tsukishima amended, Yamaguchi's eyes showing he didn't take the other man's words to heart.
"It's not cheating if it's an offered option."
"Is that so?" There was a coy tone to Tsukishima's voice that Hinata had never heard the normally stoic man use. It paired well with the side glance he gave his now laughing roommate, Yamaguchi's humor seeming to double when Tsukishima rose from his seat.
"Wait, Tsukki, it's my turn!" The brunet was quick to chase after his friend, the blond snatching a blue ball that Yamaguchi had been using throughout the night. Hinata leaned against the side of the wobbly chair as he watched the two play fight, the taller man raising the bowling ball just out of Yamaguchi's reach. It was strange to see Tsukishima so relaxed when Yamaguchi pressed into his chest to try and reach the ball. From his own observations of the blocker in class, Tsukishima despised people intruding on his personal space. It had nothing to do with germs or being nervous; Tsukishima just didn't like people. But here, as his friend continued to lean into him for support, the archeology student stayed quiet. In fact, if Hinata squinted and cocked his head, he could almost swear the other man was smirking over Yamaguchi's feeble attempts.
"They're wasting our bowling time." Kageyama's dry comment on the scene in front of them came after he plopped himself in the seat next to Hinata, making the god's own connected chair shake.
"Probably," Hinata mumbled, eyes following the swaying thread between them. No improvements had been made in the color struggle, but he couldn't see any more breaks. After the frustration over Asahi and Noya, the god of love was going to take any bright side he could.
"You regretting coming here yet?" At Kageyama's question, Hinata shook his head.
"Yamaguchi was right; I feel a little better." Hinata's words were followed by a loud crashing of the pins, the aforementioned man managing to knock most of his pins down with his second ball. Instantly the brown eyes were turning to his best friend, seeking the approval despite his lack of asking for it. In return Tsukishima shrugged, though the slight upturn of his lip did not slip past Hinata. "I just want to see everyone happy."
"I know that." There was no judgement in Kageyama's tone, the two falling silent as Tsukishima started his turn. Yamaguchi lingered on the side of the lane, his smile wide as he cheered his roommate's name. The response of 'shut up, Yamaguchi' was clear, though it lacked conviction while he bowled a well placed strike. Knowing that the end of Tsukishima's turn meant he was up, Hinata let out a soft sigh before pushing out of his seat. Before he could move, Kageyama was in front of him, a firm grip wrapped around his wrist.
"Kageyama?"
"Your problem is you don't think about what you're doing." Nearly tripping on the ledge of the alley, Hinata managed to keep his balance as his teammate pulled him to stand in front of the bowling lane. Kageyama only let go of his wrist to grab the bright orange ball Hinata had been using, placing the polyester ball into the spiker's hands. Then with a firm nod, Kageyama stepped behind him, his hand sliding down the pale skin of Hinata's arm to extend it backwards. "You always toss the ball at your hip, and you're only focusing on the pins. You see the arrows on the boards?"
"Uh...y-yeah," Hinata forced out, trying not to focus on the goosebumps that were rising on the skin Kageyama had previously touched. It was very hot in the crowded bowling alley, yet Hinata's skin refused to listen to reason. He tried to focus his stare on the wood in front of him, though he nearly jumped out of his shoes when the setter's palm rested on the back of his hand.
"Those are what you need to look at. Not the pins."
"What? That makes no sense. Are you trying to make me lose?"
"Just trust me, idiot."
"I do!" His eyes were filled with conviction as he yanked his head to look back at his roommate, the smaller man's back brushing the setter's chest as he continued. "You're the one I trust the most, Bakayama!"
"The believe me when I say I won't let you fail."
The strength of his words were clear as day in Kageyama's stare, as if to remind Hinata he wasn't alone in this. Despite their rocky start, Hinata knew that his setter wasn't the type to run away from a fight. Whether it was an opponent, Oikawa, or fate itself, Kageyama tried to keep a cool head and focus Hinata. And in return, Hinata was there for the moments when the setter's composure crumbled. Emotions were Kageyama's downfall, whereas they only fueled Hinata's strength. It was how their bond worked. The revelation made Hinata nearly rear back in surprise. How had the two managed to rely on one another like this? This wasn't part of the plan. Yet without resistance, the two's friendship weaved together like magic. No, not magic; like a soulmate-
"If you hit it head on, you risk only hitting the two center pins. So aim for the arrow that lines up with that space next to them." Kageyama's instructions came without Hinata's preparation, but the god was able to catch the information while the setter continued. "You want to get the ball between the center pin and the pin to the right. In order to do this, you need to keep your arm straight, and make sure you release the ball after you pass your hip. Got it?"
"Y-yeah," Hinata mumbled, ducking his head down when Kageyama released his hand and took a step back. Taking a long breath, the smaller man allowed his body to follow the other man's key points, his fingers only letting go of the bowling ball once in the right position. Both men watched as Hinata's ball flew down the alleyway, smashing into the pins. Only seven were knocked down, but it was enough for the smaller god to jump in his spot and cheer. "Kageyama did you see that?! Did you see how many went down?"
"Obviously I saw-whoa!" The force of Hinata's body hitting into his own nearly knocked the taller man over, but Hinata didn't care. Instead he let out a cheerful laugh, securing his arms around Kageyama's neck and burying his face into the tense shoulder under him. He didn't mind that his feet weren't touching the ground or that he probably looked like a baby animal wrapping his legs around Kageyama's hips. The motion made his roommate toss an arm around his small back to keep him from falling. The music and loud chatter of other people faded out from Hinata's ears, the warmth of the body in front of him making him smile.
"That was so cool," he mumbled, the only response received being the tightening of Kageyama's arm around him. But that was enough for the god of love, and he hummed in excitement. The feeling rumbling in his chest was warm, and Hinata didn't want to lose it.
"Can you two be lovey dovey on your own time?" But like a splash of cold water, Tsukishima's bored voice dropped down on the two and doused the feeling away. In seconds the two were separated, Kageyama giving a slight push to Hinata in order to move him off the bowling lane. Ears still fuzzy from the moment, the spiker couldn't hear the argument going on between the setter and the blocker, though he did feel the slight nudge in his side. Looking over to Yamaguchi, he was surprised to see that the brunet was looking away awkwardly.
"Ah, you may want to go get some fresh air. You're face is really red." Slow to get Yamaguchi's implication, Hinata raised his hands to press the palms into his cheeks. Sure enough, he could feel the skin radiating heat. He was blushing? Over what Tsukishima said? Or was it the fact that Kageyama hadn't refused his hug like every time before? His eyes moved back to the setter now growling at Tsukishima's smirk, Hinata's eyes widening at the sudden uptake in his heartbeat. The action felt confusing and comforting at the same time. He wasn't sure what to make of it. It wasn't like he liked Kageyama or anything! He was a human. A human without a soulmate string, at that.
"So then the possibility is still there?" Kageyama's question rung in Hinata's mind, making Hinata's stomach cramp up. He wasn't sure what the response meant, but he couldn't shake the feeling it was not going away. And for the rest of the night, Hinata struggled to keep his eyes from lingering on Kageyama.
It was Thursday that Hinata decided he was going to confront Noya about his feelings for Asahi. He had stayed up all night devising a plan, picking out what words he wanted to say, and not thinking about the weird warmth he got in his body whenever he looked at Kageyama too long. Even as his teachers droned on about some dead poet and the boring equations for math, Hinata continued to run his plan through his mind. Getting the libero alone was going to be the hardest part, and he had yet to fully flesh out how he was going to do it. So he went to the coffee shop to stuff his face with food (as Suga had finally given him some money to 'use wisely') and think. And he did both, which resulted in him passing out in the booth.
Being late to practice was not part of the plan.
"Ah Daichi I'm sorry I'm late!"
Hinata's loud cry in the gym would normally receive several looks and laughs from his teammates, and a long string of bereavements from a particular roommate. But the declaration of his arrival didn't pull the team's eyes from the court. It only took Hinata a second to realize why. There, a familiar god was serving a pass with expert precision for Asahi to spike. Hinata felt his spirits drop. The god of lust looked like a professional as he casually turned to the team, his tongue poking out from the side of his mouth while holding up a peace sign. Unsure of what to make of the scene, Hinata stumbled over to Suga and Kageyama, the only two not currently crowding Oikawa on the floor.
"What is he doing here?" Hinata asked, Suga giving a shrug while his wary stare stayed on the other god.
"Apparently, Oikawa was the star setter on his high school team." Suga's explanation received a scowl from Hinata, who was well aware that the man never participated in human school. Suga was quick to lean down closer to his fellow god, making sure only the two next to him could hear. "I think Oikawa spent the whole day watching videos in order to copy some of the professional's techniques."
"Either way, it's impressive." Kageyama's reply irritated the young spiker, the god pushing closer to his teammates talking with the god of lust.
"Ah, chibi-chan! You didn't tell me you play on the town's volleyball team. You know how much I love the game." Oikawa's sweet voice didn't fool Hinata, who watched a hint of a smirk tease the brunet's lips. "When I got word about this little practice, I knew I had to come and lend my assistance."
"But you can't join the team since you're just visiting," Hinata argued, Daichi shrugging while glancing at the clock.
"With Oikawa-san's skill, we could utilize him for the time being. I'm sure Kageyama would like to get some tips from someone who was scouted for the national team."
"It'd be my honor to help Tobio-kun out." The casual way Oikawa said the setter's first name was immediately aggravating to Hinata, though he knew he couldn't make a scene in front of the other players. Oikawa seemed to know this as well, the older god enjoying the flustered spiker more than he should.
"Rolling thunder attack!" The team's attention was pulled away from the two cousins when Noya's battle cry echoed through the gym, Asahi yelping when the libero slammed into his back. Tanaka's burst of laughter was caused when the giant nearly stumbled over from the move. Noya didn't seem worried about the ace dropping him, casually pressing his forehead into Asahi's temple and humming. "You're all sweaty, and we haven't even started practice yet!"
"I was warming up with Oikawa-san," Asahi explained, finally planting both feet firmly onto the floor and letting out a relieved sigh. Noya was hoisted up higher on the tall man's back when Asahi secured his hands under the smaller man's thighs. Noya made sure to show his appreciation when he rubbed his cheek against Asahi's, his grin wide with pride.
"I saw. You hit those spikes really hard! Even I might have had some issues receiving them."
"I doubt that." There was a slight embarrassment in Asahi's voice that mirrored the blush over the complement, Noya laughing in response. But before he could reply, Oikawa butted in.
"You two aren't dating, right?" The blunt way he put the question made the room tense, though the newcomer didn't seem phased by it. Instead, he let out a laugh that was filled with more sarcastic amusement than joy. "That'd be super weird if you were!"
"Tooru," Suga warned, finally moving to join the group. "That subject has nothing to do with you."
"I'm just making a statement, Koushi. No need to get your feathers in a bunch. If they're dating, then I'm mistaken, but I was just commenting about their clashing personalities." To add fuel to the fire, Oikawa waved his hand and turned his gaze back to the silent pair. "I fell in love with a guy who was my polar opposite once. Biggest mistake of my life. I'm sure it would have ruined everything we had together if I had made a romantic move on him."
"We're not dating." The odd tone that Noya used boarded on forceful, though the libero was quick to cover it up with his signature laugh and cocky grin. "We're two peas in a pod, but there's no love loss between us."
"Ah, right." Asahi's soft tone was overshadowed to the god of love by the sound of snapping string. The panic that swelled in Hinata's chest was sudden as he watched another piece of their soulmate thread fall apart. The tug of war between feelings of love and lust were going to snap the two's thread right in half!
"Alright, enough chit chat. We've got to start practice now." Daichi cut off the conversation between the group, each of the teammates moving to drop their stuff on the side of the gym. Quickly Hinata glanced to Oikawa, who seemed quite happy with the change as he moved to walk past him.
"You might want to give up this fight, chibi-chan. You don't want to be the reason their thread breaks, right?"
"You would get in trouble with Takeda and Ukai if that happened," Hinata snapped back, Oikawa showing his lack of care with a shrug.
"A slap on the wrist and maybe a lecture. But it'll be nothing compared to the guilt you'd feel knowing you helped cause this." Their stare off only lasted a moment before Oikawa was moving toward the group of players, leaving Hinata to clench his fist in pain. Even if he wanted to deny it, he knew the older god was right. He wanted Noya and Asahi to be happy together, but having their string break because of Hinata and Oikawa's fight-
"You're doing it again." A soft thump to the back of Hinata's head made the god blink, glancing behind him to see Kageyama scowling. "You're focusing on the wrong thing."
"I'm not-"
"Don't worry about Oikawa. Just focus on Noya and Asahi just like you would with any other couple. They're not going to break that easily."
"Yeah…" The setter wasn't saying this just to bring up his spirits. He knew the two in question better than either of the gods. If he was telling Hinata to keep going, it was because he trusted in his teammate's wills to fight for what they wanted. It was the setter's job to be observant of everyone on the court in order to make the right decisions. This was the same type of situation; Kageyama was assessing each of the players in the predicament to determine just how hard Hinata could push. If the god truly trusted his roommate, he needed to listen to his cues. "Okay, then I'm gonna talk to Noya tonight."
"He tends to take a breather outside right before we start putting our supplies away," Kageyama explained, shrugging before he stretched his arms over his head. "If you want a good time to talk to him, that'd be it."
"Got it!" Having talked out a plan with Kageyama had helped clear Hinata's mind better than he had thought it would. Throughout practice, he didn't feel the itch to jump at any chance that Noya was alone to talk to him. He knew when he would bring up the conversation, and it allowed him to keep his mind on getting his quick set matched up with Kageyama. Daichi also helped the situation, his serious no-nonsense attitude making even Oikawa take the drills seriously. Practice was as smooth as it could be when having the diversity of personalities on their team. For the first time since the god of lust had barged into his apartment, Hinata was able to relax.
And when he managed to slip outside during the break before they cleaned up, the spiker found Noya just where Kageyama had suggested he'd be.
"Noya-senpai?" The libero tilted his head toward the younger player, his hand curling in front of his t-shirt to let the colder air under his collar.
"Need some fresh air? It gets way too hot in there for me sometimes."
"I actually came out here to apologize for my cousin." Making sure he had Noya's full attention, Hinata bowed his head once before continuing. "Before practice, when he was questioning you and Asahi...I'm sorry."
"Nah, don't worry about that. No harm done." The wave of Noya's hand seemed natural to the shorter man, as if brushing off offensive statements was a common thing. Taking a moment to think about what he wanted to say, Hinata pressed forward with the conversation.
"And I just wanted to say it wouldn't be weird if you and Asahi were an actual couple."
"It's not like we were planning on getting together anyways."
"But you were, once." Hinata's comment came out before the god could stop it, though he wasn't sure he would have if given a chance. His normally naive persona wouldn't work with someone like Noya; facts were the only thing the man wouldn't be able to avoid. So when his older teammate turned to him in confusion, Hinata took a steady breath and steeled his nerves before continuing. "I know that you were going to ask Asahi out the night Tanaka and Ennoshita broke up."
"Where did you hear that?" The laugh that came up through Noya's throat was lacking the hearty undertone it normally carried, showing Hinata he wasn't truly wishing to laugh.
"I think what's more important is finding out why you didn't ask him. From what Daichi said, Asahi is really head over heels for you."
"I doubt it."
"Why do you say that?"
"Asahi isn't in love with me." It was strange for the spiker to see the anger outlining the golden eyes of the libero now staring at the empty parking lot in front of them. His hands were fisted and shaking beside his hips, though his voice stayed steady and low. "The big lug would have told me by now."
"What if he's nervous?" Hinata questioned, Noya biting his lower lip and giving a rough shake of his head.
"We're just friends with benefits. There's no reason for us to get like that together. He's nervous when talking to all those women who flirt with him at the daycare center. With them he's a blubbering fool who gets tongue tied and red in the face. But he's...he's not like that with me." There was a flash of hurt in the libero's eyes as he wiped over his lips with the back of his hand, as if trying to push away his pained grimace. "And even if I did love him, he'd only say it back so he doesn't have to hurt me."
"Asahi wouldn't do that!" The protest was instant from Hinata, his heart clenching at the slump in Noya's shoulders. He never would have thought the confident senpai who had taken him under his wing would look so defeated. Was this why some humans treated love like a disease? Did their fear of being lied to keep them from expressing the truth? Not willing to give up, Hinata stepped closer to Noya and raised his voice. "He really cares about you. If you just told him the truth-"
"And what if he doesn't feel the same?" There was a challenge in Noya's question, but beneath it was a quiver that hit Hinata with a sudden realization.
"You're scared he'll turn you down?"
"Ruining our friendship isn't worth finding out. Maybe it was to Ryuu, but he was lucky. If Ennoshita didn't forgive him, Tanaka would have had to watch his most precious person vanish from his life. And those two are made for each other. If that could happen to them, then...I can't lose Asahi. Not over feelings that are probably unrequited anyways." The solemn stare from Noya spoke loud and clear, Hinata's eyes softening in sadness.
"Noya-"
"I'm going back to help clean up." It wasn't until Noya's back was turned to him that Hinata spoke.
"He loves you, Noya-senpai. I can't tell you how I know. But Asahi only wants to be with you; you've just got to give him the chance to prove it." The statement only paused the libero for a moment, the shorter man slowly shaking his head before returning to the gym. Hinata wanted to chase after him, to shake some sense into his defensive friend and show him the truth. He wanted to lock Asahi and Noya in the broom closet like the corny love movie Yachi had made him watch during her break. But if it worked that easily, then he would be out of a job. He knew that wasn't real. Noya and Asahi were true love, despite how much distance the smaller man now kept from the ace while cleaning up. Asahi's look of confusion at the strange behavior was apparent to the god, who felt lost at the new predicament. Neither man wanted to admit their feelings in fear of hurting the other. They would rather live in silent pain than take the chance of losing their bond.
It was true love, in every bitter sense of the word.
"Are you trying to drown yourself in hot chocolate?" At Kageyama's judgemental question, Hinata glared over his steaming beverage, licking the whipped cream from his upper lip before nodding.
"It's my life, I'll do what I want with it." Taking another gulp of his hot beverage, Hinata picked up on the airy giggle of the blonde barista now walking over to the only occupied table in the coffee shop.
"Nothing beats a nice cup of cocoa on a snowy night like this." True to the theatre student's observation, the night's flurries were piling up outside the coffeeshop. Hinata shivered at the sight before holding the drink tighter in his small hands. "I'm sorry you guys had to come here to finish our project."
"It's fine, I wanted to get out of the apartment anyways," Kageyama answered, his hand expertly drawing a straight line along the posterboard in front of him. Letting Yamaguchi and Yachi focus on the factual side of the project, the art student was left to create an eye catching visual for their presentation. Though the project wasn't due until Tuesday, Friday night was the only time the three could coordinate. Daichi had cancelled their normal practice because he was going to visit his parents for dinner, leaving the space open for Yamaguchi and Kageyama. Yachi was stuck at work closing the shop, so the trio improvised. Hinata had only come along when realizing he would be left in the apartment with a particularly annoying god.
"Are you hungry, Hinata?" At Yachi's question, Hinata nodded his head, the barista moving back behind the counter to make her friend some food. After calling his thanks to the blonde, Hinata's eyes focused on the phone in front of him. With a little help from Yamaguchi, the god had learned how to open his calendar, though he wondered if that was a good thing. Now staring down at the device, Hinata had counted seventeen days left of his trip. With so many relationships still up in the air, he couldn't help but feel defeated. It had been so easy to help fix Tanaka and Ennoshita. Why was everyone else digging their feet into the ground? It was enough for even the proudest of gods to sulk.
The chime of the front of the coffee shop lifted the god's head, his eyes stopping on a familiar dark haired woman.
"Kiyoko?" At the call of her name, the librarian tilted her head toward the occupied table before giving a soft nod.
"Good evening." Dark eyes shifted toward the freckled man, the slender woman shifting to show a messenger bag wrapped around her shoulder. "Tsukishima-san asked me to bring this notebook to you on my way back to my apartment."
"I forgot I left it in Tsukki's bag yesterday. Sorry for making you come here in such bad weather."
"My apartment's this way," Kiyoko replied, her voice calm as she placed the material in Yamaguchi's hand. Moving her free hand to push her hair behind her ear, the archeology graduate scanned the vacant coffee shop. "I enjoy the coffee from this establishment as well, though I've never been inside. It's normally quite crowded when I'm heading to work. It's...quaint."
"Their drinks are good, but Yachi's sandwiches are the best!" Hinata proudly proclaimed, his hand pressing to his stomach as he grinned.
"Hinata, please stop yelling." The shake of Yachi's head was stopped mid turn when the older woman turned toward her, light brown eyes wide above her bright blush. The theatre student went stiff in her spot, Hinata feeling a spark of hope in his spine when hearing the stutter in his friend's voice. "He-Hello!"
"Hello."
"Yachi, this is our manager for the team, Kiyoko. She was just telling us how much she loves your coffee," Hinata introduced the two quickly, though his eyes weren't focused on their faces. Instead, amber eyes flashed with light, watching the white thread to seek out any change of color.
"Ah, it's...it's the coffee brand! I just po-pour it into the cup." Nearly dropping the sandwich when placing it in front of Hinata, Yachi snapped back to look at Kiyoko while she rushed out a question. "Would you like some? Coffee I mean. On the house! F-for bringing Yamaguchi our notes."
"Yes please." Kiyoko's polite voice only seemed to increase the flush on Yachi's face, the barista scampering to the counter to grab a cup. Wanting to give her friend another boost of confidence, Hinata glanced to his own drink and grinned.
"The best part of Yachi's drinks are her cups." Showing the side of the styrofoam cup, Hinata presented the baby crow Yachi had decorated his drink with. "Even when it's busy, Yachi always draws something."
"Those are done by Yachi-san?" The interest in Kiyoko's voice froze the blonde, the woman peeking up from her coffee maker with an embarrassed smile. It was obvious she was in the middle of creating another doodle on the manager's cup, her pink marker just adding the tip to the bottom of her heart. Though hidden from the on-looking librarian, Hinata caught sight of Yachi's finger drawing a familiar circle into her free palm before lifting her head and giving a nod.
"I just like to try and make my customer's days a little brighter. They're kind of silly-"
"I find them cute," Kiyoko replied, her small smile making Yachi's eyes widen in surprise.
"Y-You do?"
"I enjoy them very much." Nearly dropping the coffee in her hands, the fumbling barista tried to look casual as she continued to draw on the styrofoam in front of her. From the table, Hinata's eyes glowed as they took in the flash of pink flooding the once white thread. By now Kiyoko had migrated closer to the counter, the ease of the two's conversation only brightening the newly created bond. To say Hinata was stunned by how simple the exchange had been would be an understatement. All he had done was promote Yachi's skill in the coffee shop. There was no planning or meticulous thinking. It had just been a natural thing.
"See what happens when you focus on the right thing?" Kageyama's words weren't cocky or meant to boast his knowledge; his teammate was trying to encourage Hinata. He didn't want the spiker to give up on their friends. Watching Kiyoko and Hinata giggle over the manager's attempt to draw her own doodle, a fire ignited deep inside Hinata. He was going to help everyone find the love they deserved.
And nobody, not even Oikawa, was going to make him lose focus again.
