happy new year (again)!

The boys had just finished laying out their futons, belongings strewn across the room like they had lived there for a few years instead of hours, when someone knocked on the door. Kageyama blinked, confused – the coaches had promised them some time to unpack, so he didn't think it was them – but it was Yamaguchi who answered. "Oh, Hinata?"

"Hey!" Yamaguchi stepped aside so she could peer into the room, her smile bright but tinged with embarrassment. "…Does anyone have a spare shirt?"

"What do you need a shirt for?" Sugawara asked.

Hinata flushed, rubbing her head sheepishly. "Um, I can't use the pyjamas I brought," she mumbled. "I just need to borrow something to wear for tonight, that's it! I'll wash it too," she promised.

"I'll have a look," Sugawara said amusedly, beginning to rummage in his bag.

There was movement out of the corner of Kageyama's eye as Tsukishima stood, clutching something in his hands. Kageyama acted instinctively, snatching a shirt out of his bag and launching it towards Hinata before Tsukishima could say anything. Hinata yelped as the shirt hit her face before landing in her outstretched hands.

"Kageyama!" Daichi scolded.

"You can use mine, dumbass," Kageyama said hastily.

"You didn't have to throw it at me," Hinata complained.

"But you caught it."

"With my face!"

"If you don't want it, then give it back!"

"No, I'm keeping it!" Hinata clutched the shirt to her chest and stormed from the room, too annoyed to notice how red Kageyama's face was.

It was quiet when Kageyama woke up. The room was filled with soft breathing and the occasional snore from the other boys – unusual but not unwelcome. And now that he was awake, jolted into consciousness by his own excitement, Kageyama knew he couldn't fall back asleep.

As quietly as he could, he pulled on a hoodie and slipped out of his futon, stepping carefully over the others to leave the room. Inside the school, it was still dark but there was just enough light coming from the early morning sun for him to make his way down the corridor.

It wasn't enough to stop him from bumping into someone.

Hinata's yelp was instantly recognisable, and in the morning stillness, it felt as if she'd yelled to him across the gym.

"Shh!"

"Kageyama? What are you–"

"Be quiet, you'll wake everyone up," he hissed, taking several blind swipes before he grabbed her hand and tugged her down the corridor before she could protest any further and wake everyone up. It wasn't too hard to find his way outside with the light to guide him – the sun was peeking well above the horizon, its orange glare unfiltered by curtains.

Hinata yanked her hand away to rub at her eyes, the other clutching her hoodie because all she was wearing were shorts and a shirt that fell halfway past her thighs. It took him a moment to realise to realise that the shirt was so long because it was his shirt. As he processed the idea, Kageyama couldn't help but stare as she yawned and stretched her arms, the hem of the shirt riding up slightly.

It wasn't just that she was wearing his shirt, though the implications of that in any other context made his cheeks warm – there was a strange intimacy in seeing Hinata after she had just woken up. She had always been an open book but there was a certain vulnerability to her in the early morning, with her hair down and expression unguarded. It made her seem younger, and the way she squinted into the sunlight, still bleary and confused, only added to that effect.

It was a sight that few had ever seen, and Kageyama was struck by the fact that she trusted him – she'd followed him outside willingly, she had no qualms of showing this side of herself.

"Why are you awake so early?" Hinata asked.

Kageyama made a noncommittal noise, tearing his gaze away from her hastily. His face, already warm, was now burning with the embarrassment of nearly being caught staring. "I don't know, I just woke up," he mumbled.

Hinata hummed with agreement. "I normally wake up around this time," she said. "But it's different, waking up at camp. I've never been to a training camp before."

He was reminded of the first time they'd met, of the difference between their teams – the boys from Kitagawa Daiichi spanning the width of the court, the six small figures on the other side of the net. Hinata had worked hard to make it even to that point, and she had worked harder even still to make it here. Her tenacity was impressive, to say the least, and that, in combination with her raw potential, meant that she was well on her way to becoming his equal, or even to surpassing him.

There was a flurry of movement at the corner of his eye as Hinata shook out her hoodie and pulled it on. Kageyama couldn't help but snort as she poked her head through the opening. Her hair was notoriously wild, even when pulled back in her usual ponytail, and when combined with whatever she did while sleeping and the static from her hoodie, her hair was flying everywhere. The tangled curls were floating in every direction, forming an eerie halo. Between Hinata's own brightly coloured hair and the vibrant sunlight, she was nearly glowing.

It was a ridiculous sight, but Kageyama couldn't stop staring.

"What?" she demanded, still shoving her hands through her sleeves.

"Your hair is a mess," he said quickly.

Her hands flew to her head, fingers tangling immediately in the knots, and Hinata scowled., shaking the rest of her hair free from her hoodie and patting down whatever she could. "Yours isn't much better," she said indignantly.

"Yours is still worse," Kageyama retorted, fingers twitching as he resisted the instinctive urge to check. Instead, he lifted his hand slowly, deliberately, to smooth his hair down. He was prone to rolling in his sleep, and even the most put-together of people couldn't avoid mussing their hair while unconscious. Meanwhile, Hinata seemed the type to toss and turn, and her hair was a testament to that.

"Shut up," she grumbled. Her efforts to fix her hair were now half-hearted, and she began to pull it back into a ponytail, swiping the strands away from her face impatiently. "Hey, do you think the gym is open?"

Kageyama caught her gist instantly. "Let's check it out," he agreed, all thoughts of loaned shirts and messy hair forgotten. "I bet I'll get there before you!"

thank you to everyone who has waited so patiently, and especially to those who left reviews during this (unintentional) hiatus! updates will continue to be slow but I promise this fic will not be abandoned. hoping you all enjoyed your holidays, and continue to stay safe!