Practice was less uncomfortable than one would expect after getting a half hour lecture on gay sex and relationships. Sure, Hinata struggled to look at his captains the whole time, both of whom seemed completely unfazed by this morning's events as though they hadn't even happened, but at least Kageyama was back to his normal name-calling self.

It took Hinata twenty minutes to connect the dots and realise how Sugawara knew so much about that stuff. It then took a further ten minutes of fierce blushing until their short break and under two seconds for Hinata to pull Kageyama aside and share his revelation.

"What is it?" Kageyama snapped, tearing his arm away.

"Kageyama," Hinata whined, "Sugawara senpai knows all that stuff because him and the captain have done it, right?"

Kageyama groaned and made a face. "Why'd you have to tell me that, I was doing just fine on my own forgetting about it."

"You're my boyfriend, we have to feel each other's pain it's basically textbook."

"Then we should rewrite that textbook." Kageyama grumbled, screwing the cap back onto his drink bottle. "C'mon, we're starting again." He tugged on Hinata's elbow once, walking back over to the small crowed the team made on the court.

Hinata ended up spiking balls into four different people's heads over the course of morning practice, including Kageyama's. He had gotten that scary look on his face and he glared at Hinata while the red head cowered behind Tanaka (who also copped one to the back of the head not long after).

He also managed to fall over a record number times, 24 so Nishinoya told him. And not just during receives either. Kageyama yelled at him, telling him to stop being so clumsy. Tsukishima seemed to be in full-fledged asshole mode, whispering behind his hand to Yamaguchi significantly more often than usual and sending Hinata supposedly innocent smiles every time he caught his eye.

For the first time ever, Hinata was glad practice was over.

Classes went surprisingly quick after that, Hinata managing to take down a few of his teachers notes. He caught Kageyama's eyes a few times throughout the day and every time he would look away. Sometimes it wasn't immediately, sometimes Hinata was able to shoot him a smile before the dark haired boy decided there was something else that desperately demanded his attention. It was sort of frustrating. He was still allowed to look at Kageyama wasn't he? He wanted Kageyama to give him one of his creepy-ass smiles, he wanted to see one his rare real smiles, he just wanted Kageyama to open up to him again and act like his boyfriend rather than jilted lover. Which was all he seemed to be doing for the past week. Even with the whole "giving Kageyama some space" thing, he could at least show some sort of interest.

When lunch came around Kageyama was nowhere to be seen. Hinata distinctly remembered him saying they would hang out, like they usually did before they got together. They had always eaten lunch with one another. Hinata frowned at the place where they would usually share lunch, before going to sit with Yamaguchi, who was quietly nibbling on his chopsticks by himself. Hinata had discovered that his fellow first year wasn't so bad after all, especially when Tsukishima wasn't around. Plus, he was kind of cute, Hinata really liked his freckles.

"Tsukki went home sick." Was all Yamaguchi said when Hinata sat down.

"Oh...Right." Hinata said, "Hopefully he gets better soon, wouldn't want to miss too much practice!" Not that Tsukishima put very much effort into training anyway, but it was almost uncomfortably quiet without his scattered insults. Of course Hinata would ever admit that, he was still an asshole.

"Yeah hopefully." Yamaguchi nodded.

Hinata pulled out his lunch and ate slowly, the food tasting wrong somehow - not because his mother's cooking was bad, of course.

"Hey Hinata?"

"Mmm?"

"Ahh... thank you for sitting with me."

Hinata was thrown off for a short second before he smiled widely, "Of course!" After all, his bad mood shouldn't be pushed onto the unassumingly cute Yamaguchi.

A small smile twitched at the burnets lips, "...where's Kageyama?"

A heat came with the anger that rushed through him. He swallowed the food in his mouth before replying, "Who knows, avoiding me wherever he is."

Yamaguchi seemed to sense the undesired direction the conversation was heading and swiftly change the topic to some movie he was thinking of seeing. Hinata nodded along politely, adding a comment or two when needed, but his mind was solely on Kageyama all throughout lunch.

Hinata struggled his way through his last two classes if the day, thinking about what he should say to Kageyama on their way home. Maybe he should just jump straight to the point, blunt and honest, that would translate well, right? Then there wouldn't be any miscommunication. But Kageyama was kind tetchy lately and Hinata didn't want to scare him off or push him away. Perhaps he should ease into it. Ask about his day or something.

Hinata shook his head, he didn't think he'd ever asked Kageyama how his day was. He frowned, that was actually kind of rude, and Kageyama always asked Hinata how his day had been. He made a mental note to make more small talk.

The crisp chime of the bell cut through his thoughts, his teacher drawling out a few instructions for homework before the flock of students erupted in activity, scooping their books and pens into their arms, eager to get home.

After collecting his bag, Hinata made his way towards the front gate, humming distractedly. He spotted Kageyama immediately, leaning against the gate as still as a statue. When he drew closer, Hinata could see his eyes flicking between the departing students, maybe looking for him?

"Hey!" Hinata beamed, placing himself right in front of Kageyama.

Kageyama seemed to snap out of a trance, flinching and staring at Hinata. With a quite greeting he twisted on the spot and walked away from the school, probably expecting Hinata to follow.

Hinata gaped at the other boys tall back for a moment before jogging to catch up. He wouldn't let it faze him.

"So..." He began, "how was your day?"

It sounded scripted falling from his lips, and the tilted dark eyebrow from Kageyama told him that he knew it too.

"Fine, I guess. Yours?"

Hinata plastered on his most intimidating face. "Could've been better."

Kageyama rolled his eyes, "Why? What is it?"

Hinata huffed, "Where were you at lunch?"

"Running some errands for a teacher?"

"For all of lunch?"

"All of lunch."

"What kind of errands?"

Kageyama faltered for half a second, it wasn't much but it's enough for Hinata to mentally call him out on his bullshit.

When Kageyama does speak, his voice is clipped and defensive. "Shit, Dumbass, I don't know! I was carrying stacks of paper around, alright?"

Hinata doesn't grace that with a reply, simply turning his head away and sticking his nose in the air like a petulant child.

The rest of the walk home passed in complete silence, and it's not the first time that has happened, but it's the first time it's felt even remotely uncomfortable.

When they finally made it to Hinata's house (a feat that felt substantially more strenuous than usual) Kageyama paused briefly to bid him a small goodbye before moving to head off to his own house.

Hinata grabbed his sleeve. "Wait."

Kageyama turned and stared at Hinata evenly.

"I want my kiss."

Kageyama frowned, "Huh? I—you—today doesn't count, you already had heaps earlier."

"Those were before we made the deal, today counts." Hinata said, entirely too smug.

Kageyama sighed, eyes defeated (as they should be, Hinata would get his way if it was the last thing he did), he leant down close and Hinata closed his eyes.

...And warm lips brushed against his check for the briefest of seconds. His eyes snapped open.

"What was that?!" He demanded.

"A kiss, Dumbass."

"B-but that doesn't count!" Hinata spluttered.

"Sure it does, you never specified where." Kageyama looked way too proud of himself.

Hinata couldn't believe he'd left that gaping hole in his grand plan. He hated that Kageyama decided to use it too. "That's so unfair." He whined.

Kageyama shrugged, turning on his heel. "Bye Hinata."

Hinata seethed as he watched Kageyama's retreating back. He thought about shouting something, but he couldn't think of anything clever. Instead he retreated into his house, cursing the world for making him like such an asshole.