Karasuno claiming the title took everyone by surprise. There was a moment of silence on the court as the volleyball bounced once, twice... and a roar consumed the gym, scrambling together in the noise of "ohmygod we won, we won it all, we made it back, I can't belie-"as Nekoma raced to meet Karasuno and they laughed and laughed. The team was everywhere, clinging to each other and people didn't know why Nekoma was celebrating too and- was that Ukitake getting kissed by Takeda?
The hype didn't die down the entire bus ride home, even as some of them took catnaps that refused to be awoken by the noise for at least a fifteen minute interval. Hinata even had Kenma on Line the entire ride back, sending him updates and pictures of the mess that was the afterparty.
Hinata stumbled off that bus with the lingering hum of adrenaline in his veins into his mom and Natsu. For a while, he forgot all about Ushijima Wakatoshi. He fell asleep on the way home to a pleasant black absence, unaware of his mother effortlessly carrying him all the way to his bed. Natsu had left a drawing of congratulation on his bedside table, and a few washable whiskers on his face. (She also sent Kenma a picture, and a :3c because hey, she's still Natsu.)
The next morning was a late one with his favorite breakfast of raw egg, just the right amount of soy sauce, and rice. Oh, and the news they needed to go to the town square for some reason Hinata didn't quite catch between drowsiness and mouthfuls of rice. That was okay though, he could work with that. Well. As long as he didn't have to bike all the way there. His calves throbbed at the thought, still sore from the rapidfire matches he'd played.
The car ride over seemed a lot longer than it probably was, mostly because he let his mom and Natsu know about Ushijima.
"I stand by what I've said before, Hinata." Mom replied neutrally, catching his eyes in the rearview mirror. "It's gonna be hard, but you'll be fine. Don't be afraid." To let go?
When they get there his mom hands him a modest wad of bills and tells him to meet her at J&J's Pizza for an early lunch by 11:30. Natsu's already dragging her towards the candy store before the words are even completely out of her mouth and there's a small amount of mirth in her goodbyes.
It's only just ten o'clock when he finds himself wandering out of the sports goods shop and almost crashing into the very man he'd been so torn about. Ushijima stared down at him with an annoyingly neutral face as his own face reddened in a churning mixture of emotions he couldn't bother identifying. Opening his mouth, he almost got to say something before-
"Oh my god!" Both boys turned to look at the girl who had yelped. Her gaze flitted between them and the phone in her friend's hands. "It's the volleyball soulgem couple, Hinata and Ushiwaka!"
Now, usually there wouldn't be a problem in this part of Miyagi, especially on a sunday. It was just plain bad luck that A) They'd been recognized B) There happened to be a special sale going on at almost every store on the Square today and C) The girl had said that loud enough everyone in their proximity turned to look and start exclaiming about it. Not to mention since soulgems in celebrities (even highschool children, if they were good enough at a sport) were a Hot Topic on every form of social media and news.
Which was how Hinata and Ushijima, without being able to say a word to each other, were forced to flee the Square together from the sudden influx of people wanted to talk, shake hands, hug, or otherwise make them uncomfortable in public.
Ushijima and Hinata lost them fairly quickly being, you know, athletes who ran everyday. Either of them would be easily qualified for either school's track and field team- and in Hinata's case, had already been suggested to do so instead of starting a volleyball team. They were hardly breathing any harder by the time Ushijima realized they'd lost the crowd. Hinata made a hairpin turn into a basketball court at top speed, still unaware they weren't being chased, until he realized Ushijima wasn't running with him anymore.
Turning around, he swallowed at the contemplating look Ushijima had on his face. Eyes darting around, he realized in a way he'd been cornered- Ushijima was standing in front of the only entrance, and high chain link fence surrounded the rest of the court. Not to say he couldn't climb the fence, but if Ushijima really wanted to talk, he had more than enough arm length to just yank him back down. Uh... Was there a bathroom around here?
"Hinata Shouyou." Ushijima approached him, and Hinata tried to stare at him in defiance even as his hands shook. If he was stuck here, he was going to damn well figure out what the hell was going on with Ushijima.
"U-Ushijwaka!" When Ushijima didn't say anything more, Hinata plowed on. "Your soulgem matches mine, I think. I mean, yeah! So why did you hide it?"
"I did not know we matched." ...What?
"How could you not? You've seen mine clearly ever since we first met!" It was true. From the moment Hinata had looked at him and for some reason declared Japan, he'd seen the glint of orange and black in his eye.
"I had forgotten what it looked like after so many years of not looking at it."
"Why? Do you not believe it works or something?" He furiously asked, looking like fire and confusion and teetering on the edge of fear-sadness. His eyes said all of these things and more, but Ushijima had no idea what to name the others.
"I don't believe it leads to soulmates."
Hinata tried to swallow as his throat dried up. It was as he'd feared, all he'd hoped wouldn't be true in a handful of words. Ushijima would not love him. Worse, he would not even try. Eyes darting to the exit behind Ushjima's back, he hissed angrily and tried to push past him. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes, and he couldn't- wouldn't let Ushijima see them. He didn't matter to him, why should he let Ushijima see him cry?
Ushijima firmly pressed him back, face still unnaturally neutral. "I don't believe in the supposed power of soulgems. I don't believe that these," and here he brushed a thumb over Hinata's eyelid and almost over where the soulgem was, wiping away the tear that was forming in the same deft stroke, "hold people together. They just show that we'll be mutually important for even a brief second, and then we're free to go. The rest is up to us, just like every other relationship we'll ever have. And I... I'd like to try with you. Because of who you've been before you knew, not because of 'fate'."
Hinata stood stock still as he turned the words over in his head. That was almost a speech coming from Ushijima. And his face... There was a small glint of hope in his eyes, and his mouth was forming a small smile the longer he looked.
"Okay." Hiccuping, he watched as Ushijima started to smile back. "But you're going with me to lunch!" Ushijima nodded. "My mom and Natsu will be there, so you'll have to deal with them!" Another easy nod. "You're going to tell me about your parents, and what you're going to do once you graduate!" A slower nod. "A-and you owe me!"
"That I do."