After that evening, it had continued to rain for over a week, the low clouds dark and grey as they moved slowly across the sky. It wasn't necessarily unusual for the area to have a lot of rain, but to have it for this long was draining on everyone. He and Kageyama hadn't gone running, and he'd been holed up in the dorms almost all day, every day, attempting to at least be productive with his schoolwork.
Hinata sighed, head resting in his hands as he stared out of the common area's large window, willing the clouds to go away so the sun could shine once more. He sat on a patch sofa, trying his hardest to focus on the schoolwork in front of him, but he'd read the same page almost a dozen times now and still- none of the words were registering in his brain.
"That's the 6th time you've sighed now, what's up with you?" Tsukishima's irritated voice came from beside him, his eyes still trained on the book he was reading. Hinata's eyebrows raised as he turned to look towards the other male, taking a second to think about his words.
"Tsukishima's right, everything okay?" Suga interjected from across the room, head resting on the arm of the couch he was laid out on, legs hung across Daichi's as the other male worked on his computer on the other side. Hinata flushed lightly in embarrassment as he removed his head from his hands, laying to rest his chin on the table in front of him instead.
"I'm sorry! It's just this rain-" he sighed again, before glaring pointedly at Tsukishima's quiet "oh my god" from beside him. "I like rain, but when it lasts for this long my brain goes all fuzzy and everything's just grey. I miss the sun." He finished with a little pout, staring longingly again out the window. He heard Suga chuckling lightly from across the room.
"You really are a sunshine child." Suga responded lightly after he finished laughing, eyes sparkling as he watched Hinata. "But I get it, it's getting to me, too. Hopefully it clears up soon!" He finished, flashing Hinata a thumbs-up and a small grin. Daichi just nodded in agreement, not looking up from his computer.
Yeah… Hopefully. Hinata thought to himself, raising his chin and trying for the thirteenth time to read the paper in front of him. After only a few more minutes he gave up, shutting his notebook dramatically as he pulled out his phone.
He and Kenma had made plans to hang out the next day, and it was really the only thing keeping his motivation up. It had been weeks since they'd seen each other, so wrapped up in school and getting used to their new lives- he felt like there was so much they needed to catch up on.
The rest of the day passed slowly like that, minutes feeling like hours before Hinata threw himself on the bed, curling up in his blankets and letting himself be taken by the grips of sleep.
"-nata…"
What?
"Dumbass."
Is someone speaking to me? Hinata thought to himself, the edges of his dream disappearing from his brain as his body started to register the voice he was hearing.
"Hinata!" It yelled, and the sound was close enough to his face that Hinata's eyes shot open quickly, sleep-blurred vision meeting a tall, black mass that stood over him menacingly.
"Ahh! What the hell?" He squealed, scrambling to a sitting position and shooting his hands out in front of him in a feeble attempt to stop the intruder, scrunching his eyes shut. It was silent for a few moments before Hinata dropped his hands and slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze was met with Kageyama standing near his bed, irritation written all over his face as he glared down at Hinata, hands on his hips. "What are you doing? You scared the shit out of me!" He finished frustratedly, sighing as he rubbed a hand against his tired eyes.
"It's not my fault you sleep like a fucking rock." Kageyama's responded curtly, exhaling shortly as he continued to watch Hinata.
"Have you ever tried waking someone up nicely?" He questioned, eyebrows scrunching as Kageyama just stared back at him dumbly.
"That was nice, I was just calling your name." Kageyama responded, brows furrowing like he didn't understand Hinata's question. Hinata just sighed and rolled his eyes, pointing up towards the other male.
"Standing over someone menacingly while they sleep and yelling at them isn't nice!" He screeched, before snorting lightly as he saw a light flush dusting Kageyama's cheeks as he turned to look away from Hinata, evidently understanding his mistake.
"Whatever, dumbass. Look." He said softly, pointing towards the window. Hinata followed his hand, eyes widening as he stared out, the twilight morning sky staring back at him clearly. Hinata felt his heart start to race as he looked back to Kageyama, the latter's eyes shining as he smirked.
"It stopped raining!" He said happily, a bright grin on his face.
"Yeah, so get dressed already, let's go." Kageyama said curtly, turning back to look at Hinata, suddenly impatient. Hinata just raised his eyebrows in question.
Go? Go where?
Oh. Hinata thought to himself as he felt his excitement rise. Did he mean running?
"I-it's okay?" He questioned dumbly, staring up at Kageyama from his bed. Kageyama just tilted his head in confusion, brows pinching again with irritation. It was amazing that he didn't have wrinkles from how often he frowned.
"What? You're the one that said it. Of course it's okay." Kageyama responded, before resigning himself to the fact Hinata was obviously going to take at least a few minutes to get ready, flopping down on his bed with a sigh as he pulled out his phone.
I said it? Said what? Hinata thought to himself stupidly, before his brain kicked into gear, his face flushing as he remembered the confidence he had held in his voice when he had told Kageyama "next time".
He felt a smile rise on his lips as he slowly got out of bed, hastily pulling out some clothes to wear and heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth.
He was happy at the fact that Kageyama was fine with this becoming a regular thing, in fact, apparently he had simply expected it. He shook his head to get rid of the giddiness he felt in his body, embarrassed that such a small thing was making him this happy. He hadn't at all expected to join Kageyama on his runs again, let alone have Kageyama genuinely want him to.
Just as he finished changing and left the bathroom, though, a thought occurred to him that pulled him immediately from his happy thoughts.
"Wait…" He said quietly, taking a second to gather himself before he finished, fiddling at the wrists of his jacket. Kageyama just stared at him with a questioning look from his bed, having sat up as he saw Hinata come out. "Your injury… Why do you run so much if you're still recovering from it?" He questioned honestly, wringing his jacket in his hands nervously as he watched Kageyama tense. The silence in the air felt heavy, and Hinata shifted from foot to foot to distract himself.
"I can still run." Kageyama responded afterwards, before rolling his eyes at Hinata's confused stare. "The doctors told me I just needed to stay away from regular sports. I can't play volleyball on a team anymore because the amount of practice it takes would be too much on my body. It's fine if I run in the mornings… as long as I wear my brace." He finished; the last part almost too quiet for Hinata to hear.
"Your… brace?" He asked stupidly, eyeing Kageyama warily. He'd never seen Kageyama wear a brace before.
Kageyama just sighed in frustration, getting up and shoving his drawer open, pulling a black knee brace out.
He tossed it on the bed, glaring at it with a great deal of disdain.
"Why don't you wear it?" Hinata questioned, eyes following Kageyama's movements as he stared at the brace laying on the bed. If the doctors had told him to wear it, it must be pretty important, right?
"I don't like the way it feels. It makes me feel like I have a weighted ball around my ankle. It's a constant reminder of my failure." Kageyama responded curtly, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly as if he hadn't said something serious at all.
Hinata just stared at him with a dumbfounded look, before he sighed exasperatedly, stalking over to Kageyama's bed and picking up the brace, holding it out in front of the other male as he stared up at Kageyama defiantly.
Hinata felt his frustration rising as he looked at Kageyama, the nonchalant look in the latter's eyes making him feel even more frustrated. Kageyama could be so unbelievably dense sometimes that it really pissed Hinata off. He felt himself sigh before he responded, trying to calm himself down.
"I can't believe you. You didn't fail anything. You're still you, you can still do everything you did before, you great idiot." Hinata started, rolling his eyes as Kageyama glared at him, the corners of his lips turning downward. "If you don't wear this, your injury will get worse and then you really will be a failure. You won't be able to stay active, you won't be able to run anymore… and you won't be able to toss to me. Don't just say stuff like that so nonchalantly!" Hinata finished, trailing off at the last sentence as he stared up at Kageyama pleadingly.
He didn't want to piss Kageyama off more than he evidently already was, but he had to get the point across somehow.
Kageyama stayed silent for a few moments, blue eyes staring so intensely into his own that Hinata almost started to feel uncomfortable, before he grunted and grabbed the brace out of Hinata's waiting hands roughly, sitting down on his bed and putting it on.
It gave Hinata a small sense of satisfaction to know that his words had impacted Kageyama enough to encourage him to wear the brace, but even more than that he felt relief- knowing now that Kageyama would be safe.
"Let's go." Kageyama said shortly, ignoring the bright grin Hinata sent his way as they left their room together.
The cool morning air felt like heaven on his skin, the twilight sky casting gentle blue rays across his body as he shot his arms out beside him, inhaling deeply. Kageyama only watched from beside him, exhaling contentedly as they started to run.
It felt so good to be back.
They had only ran together once before, but it felt so different now, like they were friends.
When Hinata had ran back in highschool, he had always been alone. Different to most of his friends and teammates- he not only needed to keep in shape for his sports, but he also was a major help to his family by being the errand runner, which meant he needed to be fast to complete his errands quickly and also strong to be able to carry the things he needed all the way back to their house. Though, while running helped him physically, it was also great help to him mentally as well.
Feeling the cool air in his lungs, the pressure of his feet as they hit the ground with every step, the adrenaline rushes of hitting a good pace or setting a new personal best. It all helped him to relax, helped to take the chaotic energy he was always so full of and tone it down, like he was releasing it through his actions.
To be able to share it with someone else, someone who seemed to enjoy the action just as much as he did, felt like the best feeling in the world.
This time, they raced each other to the river, Hinata groaning loudly in frustration as Kageyama hit the wooden railing only milliseconds before he did, the sound of his hands slapping against the surface like a taunt of defeat.
"That was no fair! You got a false start!" He accused loudly, pointing a finger at the taller male. Kageyama just wiped his brow as he took a second to catch his breath.
"Did not… idiot," Kageyama said between breaths, standing up tall and looking down at Hinata with a proud grin. Hinata shuddered as his eyes met Kageyama's, wiping his hands on his thighs. Kageyama loomed over him, eyes shadowed by his dampened hair as he bared his teeth.
God, his smile was scary.
No, wait, I've also seen him smile all sweet like! He thought to himself, thinking back to the night they had gone for dinner and the small, vulnerable smile Kageyama had shared with him. He flushed, shaking his head and groaning lightly as Kageyama just stared at him like he was losing his mind, one eyebrow raised.
"That makes us 1-1." Kageyama added after a few moments, smirking as he stretched a little before starting to jog again, Hinata rolling his eyes and following quickly.
The sun shone brightly as it rose, the dew drops on the trees and grass surrounding the path reflecting its rays as they ran, and Hinata smiled to himself as he glanced at Kageyama running beside him, his face relaxed and seemingly at ease for once in his life.
It felt good to see him so content.
They finished their run without saying much else, both content to enjoy the silence.
When it hit lunch time, Hinata had booked it to a hill just on the edge of campus, tossing his bag down and flopping backwards onto his back, eyes closed as he listened to music through his headphones. He could sit for ages here, watching the students passing below, and it had a great view of the river and the city behind it.
He'd made a habit of coming here regularly since the beginning of the year, but the rain had stopped him from being outside, so finally being able to be back and enjoy his spot again made him ecstatic.
The bottom of his jeans were starting to get damp from laying on the wet grass, but he didn't mind. He felt the sun's warm ways on his skin, sighing happily to himself, before his peaceful moment was abruptly interrupted by someone kicking him lightly in the ankle.
He opened his eyes suddenly, sitting up in surprise. The glare from the sun was bright, so it took him a moment to register Kenma's smirking face looking down at him. Immediately a bright smile appeared on his lips as he stood up, though, tackling Kenma to the ground in a hug.
"Kenmaaaaa! Oh my god, I feel like it's been years since I've seen you!" Hinata said through a laugh as he removed his limbs, Kenma re-adjusting the two of them so they were sitting beside one another, setting his bag down beside Hinata's as he did so.
"It's only been a few weeks, Shouyou." Kenma responded quietly, but Hinata could see the small smile that was on his lips as well. "Do you want to come study tonight with Kuroo, me, Bokuto, and Akaashi?" Kenma questioned afterwards, head tilting as he turned to look at Hinata.
Hinata just flashed him a bright smile, nodding earnestly. He was itching to get out and about again, to be out of the dormitory building after being so cooped up during the rain.
"Please! I barely left the dorms when it was raining, I want to be outside as much as possible." He responded sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he flopped down on his back again, eyes re-adjusting to the bright sky as he stared up at the clouds.
"Speaking of your dorms, how are things with your roommate?" Kenma asked from beside him.
Hinata immediately perked up at the curiosity evident in Kenma's voice, a smile stretching on his face as he thought about his roommate.
"Kageyama? Well…" He started, before trailing off and taking a moment. He thought about Kageyama's brooding looks and his back as he studied, his curt responses and his pinched brows, his ever-present irritation and lack of patience.
But, he also thought about his small smile and quiet words; the way he'd opened up to Hinata and been so vulnerable with him even though they barely knew each other. He thought about the way he felt when he spent time with Kageyama, how happy he felt when Kageyama spoke with him or invited him out to run, like the stress of the world around him and all of his responsibilities were fading into the background- if only for a few moments.
"He's… he's weird." Hinata started again, staring at the sky as he felt Kenma's eyes on him. "It's like he's so irritated, all the time. Sometimes I push him and he shuts down, but then it's like he opens up and there's a whole other side to him. He's actually… he's actually a really nice person. We've gone running a couple of times and he's starting to open up to me more, I think. I like spending time with him." He finished quietly, picking at the grass beside him as he let himself enjoy the warm feeling in his chest, unwilling to pry too deep into it.
"That's… good," Kenma started, and Hinata frowned slightly as he turned his head to look at the other male in slight confusion. He rarely saw Kenma unsure of what to say, and he wondered what caused it. Kenma took a few moments to respond, deep in thought. "It sounds like you guys are getting really close. I remember how stressed you were about it on your first day." He finished calmly, flashing Hinata a small smile and a thumbs-up.
He could tell that Kenma was holding back on something he wanted to say- but after knowing him for so long, Hinata knew that he wouldn't get it out of him until Kenma was ready to talk, so as much as his curiosity piqued, he ignored it.
Hinata chuckled softly at Kenma's words as he thought back to the day of the entrance ceremony, his stress and exhaustion paired with his and Kageyama's messy introduction.
"Yeah, that day was a total mess. I honestly don't know where we'd be right now if I hadn't confronted him later that week. We'd probably have killed each other honestly." Hinata responded with a smile, laughing to himself at the thought. Kenma just smirked beside him. "One of the other students on our floor, her name is Yachi, she was actually a big help. Gave me some good advice! Actually, almost everyone on our floor is really great- it's been nice." He added as an afterthought, smiling to himself.
Kenma inhaled, starting a reply before he checked his phone, sighing slightly in annoyance as he started to stand up, dusting himself off.
"Sorry, I have to get to class. We're going to be meeting at the upper-year dorms, text me when you get there and I'll come let you in. We can talk more then, if you want." Kenma said quickly, Hinata nodding in reply as he watched his friend leave.
Later that evening, Hinata found himself standing outside the upper-year dormitory building, amazement shining in his eyes as he stared up at the large glass windows of the entrance. The first-year dorms were nothing in comparison to this building, with their worn brick walls and shitty unwashed carpets.
It only got better the farther they went in, and Hinata's breath was literally taken away at Kuroo and Bokuto's apartment. They didn't just have a room; they had a whole suite with a kitchen and loft with two bedrooms.
Hinata let out an amazed breath as he flopped down on their couch, Kuroo laughing as he sat down on a beanbag chair beside the table.
"Don't be so amazed little dude, this building has a bug problem at least once a year." He said through his laughs, and Bokuto just grunted from the kitchen in agreement.
"Gross," Hinata started, grimacing at the thought. "But I can't imagine what sort of nasty stuff is in the first-year dorms that nobody talks about." He finished, laughing as he caught Kuroo's disgusted, knowing stare.
"Yeah. When I lived there we took a UV light to one of the rooms just for shits and giggles, it was disgusting- you have no idea the stuff we saw-" Kuroo started, before Hinata waved his arms dramatically, plugging his ears as he yelled "STOP!" from beside him.
He did not want to hear about the nasty, awful stuff they found- well, not while he was still living there and had to walk on those carpets and use those mattresses, at least.
Kenma just chuckled as he sat down beside Hinata, a cup of hot chocolate in his hand as he slid another towards Hinata. Bokuto and Akaashi followed quickly afterwards, sitting on the floor on the other side of the living room table. They sat like that for a while, notebooks and textbooks filling the table and comfortable silence in the room as they worked on their schoolwork.
Eventually, Hinata sat back in his seat, tucking his pen behind his ear as he pulled out his phone. He could only work so long without getting bored, at which point (he had realized) there was no hope for the words he was trying to write or read to register in his brain.
He sighed to himself, staring at his phone in contemplation. He opened a private conversation with Kageyama from their group chat, his hand hovering over the 'send' button as he stared at the message he just wrote.
Hinata: how's studying? i know you're studying (~˘▾˘)~
He'd never texted Kageyama privately before, and honestly, he didn't even know if Kageyama liked texting at all, because he always read the messages in the group chat without ever responding. But, their interactions had been good lately and he felt like pushing his luck. He wondered idly if the face was too much, before shrugging to himself and hitting 'send'.
He'd worry about that later.
A minute later his screen lit up, and Hinata felt his heart race.
He'd actually responded?
Kageyama: Who is this?
Hinata frowned at his phone for a second, before laughing to himself as he typed his reply.
Hinata: ಠ╭╮ಠ
Hinata: i know u can see my name, nice try, asshole
Almost immediately, Kageyama's response came in.
Kageyama: Studying was fine, but now you've distracted me.
Hinata chuckled again, smiling down at his phone as he responded quickly.
Hinata: good, you need to stop working so much anyway ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
"Soooo Hinata," Bokuto started, and Hinata jumped slightly as he was torn from his focus on the conversation, eyes widening a little as he looked up to see four pairs of eyes on him. "Who's your girlfriend?" He finished, wiggling his eyebrows and laughing at the flush that immediately spread across Hinata's cheeks.
"W-What?" He stuttered out, setting his phone down and shaking his head vehemently. "No girlfriend here!" He finished, waving his hands out in front of him.
"Come on, don't be like that! I know that look." Kuroo added from beside him, winking at Hinata which only made him flush deeper.
"What look?" He asked honestly, brows pinching as he stared down at his phone dumbly.
"Like you have heart eyes. Like you're completely in your own world when you're talking to them." Bokuto said wistfully, hand on his chest as he stared upwards in faux thought. Akaashi just nodded beside him, and for some reason Akaashi's added agreement made him feel significantly more embarrassed.
"Really- I don't have a girlfriend! I promise!" Hinata replied strongly, exhaling in relief as Bokuto deflated, looking down with a disappointed stare. Kuroo only laughed again from beside him.
"Alright, alright." Kuroo rescinded, smiling as he watched Hinata's body relax. "But feel free to bring whoever's making you smile like that next time." He finished honestly.
Hinata just flushed deeper and shook his head slightly, rubbing his eyes with his hands as he tried to shake the feeling of his embarrassment.
He was completely oblivious to Kenma's silent stare.
He'd left soon after, all five of them having used up all reserves for studying they had. The sun was sitting low in the sky, Hinata's favourite time of day.
He opened the door to his room, and was surprised to see Kageyama sitting cross-legged at his desk, drinking a carton of milk as he read something on his phone. Hinata smiled as he watched him, the golden rays of the evening sun casting flickers of light across of his body, making his dark hair shine.
Sure- it was his room, too, but it felt like he was witnessing a little private moment. It was rare to see Kageyama so relaxed and content.
"Hey." He said as he entered the room, quiet enough to not scare Kageyama as he'd done before when he'd gotten back. Kageyama glanced up from his phone, eyes meeting Hinata's brown ones. Hinata felt himself flush, his heart rate picking up as he stared at his roommate.
He looked so… normal. He forced himself to break their gaze, turning instead to start unpacking his things, exhaling as he tried to calm his thoughts.
What is happening?
"Hey," Kageyama said casually, setting his drink down and uncrossing his legs. "I was waiting for you." He finished, and Hinata almost choked on his own air at the words. He felt himself flush deeper as he whirled around again to look at Kageyama, who was just watching him calmly.
"W-What?" He asked stupidly, willing his heart to slow down. Kageyama just tilted his head, seeming confused at Hinata's weird state.
"I said I was waiting for you…" Kageyama repeated, brows pinching slightly as he watched Hinata. He was sure he was as red as a tomato by this point, so he turned his back to Kageyama again to hide his embarrassment.
"I-I heard that part… why?" He questioned towards the wall, internally grimacing as he stuttered a second time.
Why am I so flustered?
"Do you want to play volleyball tonight?" Kageyama's question echoed in the silent room, and Hinata's heart immediately soared. He whirled around to Kageyama again, his face now full of enthusiasm as he nodded earnestly.
"Yes! Oh my god, yes! I've been waiting for you to ask!" He said excitedly, before kicking himself internally at the admission. He sounded like a young schoolboy who just got told he was allowed to go home early.
"Waiting for me? Why?" Kageyama asked, watching him curiously.
"W-Well, I didn't want to push you, so I figured I'd wait until you were ready…" He said honestly, laughing to himself at the irony of Kageyama now asking him why he'd waited. It was silent for a few moments, and Hinata raised his eyes to meet Kageyama's.
As usual, his face was unreadable, impassive. He wondered briefly if he'd overstepped his boundaries again, before Kageyama's response tore him out of his thoughts.
"Oh… well, thanks." Kageyama said quietly, getting up from his chair and putting on a dark blue jacket that he had been resting on. Hinata just nodded again, quickly pulling on an orange hoodie and shoving his hands into his pockets. Kageyama grabbed the volleyball that sat on his desk, exhaling slowly as his hands touched the familiar worn material.
They stood there for a few moments, neither of them moving.
"I don't know-" Kageyama started, lips pursing as he looked out the window. "I don't know where to go..." He finished, his cheeks colouring slightly in embarrassment as he rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. Hinata's heart softened at the sight, laughing lightly as he grabbed Kageyama's sleeve, pulling him towards the door.
"I know the perfect spot!" He said happily, excitement racing in his veins.
Soon enough they reached the hill that Hinata had spent lunch with Kenma on earlier that day. He tossed his bag down haphazardly as he rolled up his sleeves and gestured towards the space grandly, looking to Kageyama.
Students milled about below them, the sun reflecting off of the buildings of the inner-city and keeping the sky alight.
Kageyama just nodded, setting his bag down gently beside Hinata's and moving to stand across from him. Hinata was sure that Kageyama could feel the excitement exuding from him in waves, but he didn't care. He watched as Kageyama held the ball in his hands, staring at it deeply as if lost in thought.
Don't overthink it. You can do this. He thought to himself as he watched Kageyama, like he could feel his roommate's internal struggle.
"Toss to me!" He said excitedly, and that seemed to pull Kageyama out of his trance. He glanced down at the ball one more time before inhaling gently, lifting it up and sending a gentle toss Hinata's way.
At least, it looked gentle, until Hinata found the ball whirling towards him.
He had little time to react, shooting his hands out to receive, but his positioning was way off. The sound of the ball smacking Hinata's skin echoed between them, a small "ah" escaping from his lips as the ball veered off to the side and down the hill.
They both stared at the ball as it rolled down, silence hanging in the air before Hinata burst out laughing, hand on his stomach as he pointed at Kageyama through his giggles.
"What the hell was that? Take it easy on me! I haven't played for a few months either, you know!" He howled through his laughs, wiping some tears from his eyes that had formed. Kageyama just stood there dumbly, staring at Hinata with parted lips before his brows pinched and he stalked forward, pointing his finger towards the shorter male.
"That toss was perfectly fine! It's your fault for being a shitty receiver!" Kageyama yelled, glaring as he dropped his hand. Hinata just laughed harder as he waved Kageyama off and ran to pick up the forgotten ball.
"I didn't play on a team that made it to nationals, remember that!" He said as he continued down the hill.
As angry as Kageyama sounded, Hinata could see the shine of excitement in his eyes as he had stared down at his hands. He knew that feeling well.
They tossed back and forth like that for a while, until the evening sun started to dip below the horizon. The calm river water reflected the stark oranges and pinks of the clouds, casting soft light across the grass and trees. The students had dispersed, the paths below them now filled with other people doing exercise after work or going for a late dinner, but the two of them were completely in their own world.
Hinata sniffed as he quickly wiped some sweat from his brow while Kageyama set up to send him another toss, watching as the sweat on Kageyama's forehead glistened in the evening light. The cool breeze felt great on his hot skin, the sounds of them hitting the ball and their pants filling the empty air.
They were having fun, but Hinata could feel the tension. They wanted more, they needed more.
Kageyama's tosses were incredible, he'd never had someone toss to him with so much precision, this was what he had been missing while he was in highschool, what he had longed for.
He felt his heart race as he grabbed the ball out of the air, holding it beside his waist as he took a second to catch his breath. Kageyama just stopped and looked at him questioningly, face frowning at the loss of pace.
"Hey, I want to try something…" Hinata started, squeezing the ball nervously as he glanced up at Kageyama. The latter only raised his eyebrow, urging him to continue. "I want to spike your toss. Will you set for me?" He finished, biting his lip nervously as he watched Kageyama's face change.
He seemed conflicted, like he wasn't sure he was ready, but Hinata could see and feel the tension in their tosses, and he felt the excitement and yearning for more in his own veins. He knew that Kageyama had to be feeling it too.
It was silent for a few moments, only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees filling the air as Hinata waited for a response.
"Okay." Kageyama said quietly, looking down at the palms of his hands before he closed them into fists. "Okay." He repeated, this time more confidently, a smirk on his face as he looked up. Hinata shivered at the glint in his fierce gaze, hand tightening on the ball he held at his waist. "But you better be ready, because I'm not going to hold back." He finished, snorting at the gawk that appeared on Hinata's face.
"Okay, then. I won't hold back either!" Hinata responded, his surprised demeanour quickly turning serious as he faced Kageyama fully, a smile crossing his lips as he met Kageyama's eyes. The wind blew between them, strands of hair falling across Kageyama's cheek as they stared at one another.
Adrenaline raced under Hinata's skin, he felt alive.
He exhaled once before tossing the ball up, sending it Kageyama's way. Kageyama responded immediately, giving Hinata one quick, calculating glance before he dug his feet into the ground, setting the ball upwards into a high arc. Hinata responded on instinct, kicking up the grass underneath his feet as he ran, feeling all the energy in the balls of his feet as he bent down and jumped, soaring into the air.
He felt more than saw his hand hitting the ball, a loud 'SMACK' echoing on the empty hill as Hinata shot the ball forward, watching it soar down the hill.
His blood rushed in his ears as he stared down at his reddening hand, heart racing as he shot his fist into the sky, yelling into the air. He stood there like that for a few moments, panting from the excitement before he turned to look at Kageyama, his heart almost stopping at the sight that met his eyes.
He was staring down in amazement at his own hands, and Hinata could swear he saw the glint of tears prickling at his eyes as another one of those sweet smiles crossed his lips.
Hinata felt something in his chest clench. He didn't take a second to think, only feeling his feet jerk from their spot as he ran towards the setter, jumping and wrapping his arms around Kageyama's neck in a hug, a grunt escaping Kageyama's lips as they fell backwards onto the grass from the force.
He gasped from the force of the fall, eyes shut tight and limbs grasping Kageyama tightly as they came to a stop.
He opened his eyes slowly, sitting backwards as he looked down. He was sitting on top of Kageyama's waist, Kageyama's hands gently grasping his hips as he leaned back against Kageyama's bent knees. Hinata felt time stop as he stared down, watching as Kageyama stared up at him, eyes wide.
Oh my god…
The sound of their phones ringing with a notification broke them both out of their trance, and Hinata was dragged back to reality. He felt his heart stutter as he realized their position, an embarrassed flush working its way onto his face as his mouth worked, trying to form words.
The gentle grip of Kageyama's hands on his waist felt like hot coals, the warmth of Kageyama's strong thighs holding up his weight from behind seeping into his skin like jolts of electricity.
His heart raced as he broke their gaze, fearful of seeing Kageyama's reaction. He used every ounce of willpower he had left to force himself to stand up, immediately missing the warm feeling of Kageyama's body against his own. He kicked himself internally at the notion, exhaling as he tried to calm his rampaging thoughts.
He coughed awkwardly as he fiddled with his bag, pulling his phone out and checking it as a distraction for his raging heart. Kageyama was still for a few moments before he himself slowly stood up, dusting himself off as he walked over to his own bag.
"U-Uh…" Hinata started, grimacing internally at his stutter. He could still feel the burning blush in his cheeks, so he stared pointedly at his bag so as not to face Kageyama. "They bought pizza, wanna go back and eat? I'm pretty hungry after all that exercise, I'm sure you are too!" He questioned, chuckling awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head.
He could hear his heart beating in his ears, and he exhaled slowly to try and calm down. Kageyama still hadn't responded, so he steeled himself and risked a glance up at the taller male. Kageyama was just staring down at him, face now impassive. He was about to start babbling nervously to break the awkward atmosphere, but just before he was about to open his mouth and embarrass himself more than he already had, Kageyama spoke.
"Yeah, I'm hungry too. Let's go." He said calmly, picking up his bag and looking back towards Hinata when he saw the smaller male hadn't moved yet.
Hinata used that as his chance, and he quickly tied his bag up, throwing it over his shoulder and catching up with Kageyama as they walked back together, Kageyama picking up the forgotten volleyball on the way.
Neither of them spoke.