Oikawa was still thoroughly convinced that Hogwarts was the most interesting place to ever exist. Case in point, he was getting interviewed by a newspaper so, basically, he was already famous and it was only his first week.

He was trying not to squirm as he waited with Professor Irihata in his office. He really wished he'd brought a mirror or a brush or….well, something, because what if his hair was crazy or he had something gross on his face! That would be the worst thing ever and, then, Oikawa would probably have to change his name or burn every copy of the Prophet or something equally drastic.

He'd never been interviewed before.

And, now, the Daily Prophet-the wizarding newspaper that was so big that even the Iwaizumis had a weekly subscription- was asking to interview him-him!, even though he was just a first year.

Which meant this was important. Important enough that the Iwaizumis would probably see it, enough that Tobio and his dad would probably see it, enough that everyone would see it.

So, essentially, the most exciting thing ever and Oikawa really hoped he didn't have anything stuck in his teeth.

Professor Irihata glanced up from his grading. "They should be here soon."

Oikawa nodded quickly, trying to compose his expression into something cool and aloof like he'd seen the older Slytherins do.

Irihata smiled at him. "It's okay to be nervous, you know? I promise I won't tell."

Oikawa let his breath go in a giant puff of air, rolling his shoulders from where he held them too tight. "I think I'm more excited than nervous, sir."

Irihata nodded, considering his next words. "If it helps, I believe a lot of people were excited when they heard about your Sorting."

"Yeah," Oikawa agreed readily before hesitating, tugging at a question that he'd been mulling around since the very first day. "Is it….is it really that big of a deal, though? I mean," he rushed out the next words, "I love being in Slytherin and I know that muggleborns normally don't get Sorted here; but, um," Oikawa fought back the burn wanting to rise on the back of his neck, "I just mean….why does everyone else care?"

Irihata sighed. "That's not a particularly easy question to answer." He frowned. "This isn't the start of the story, by any means, but….about a decade ago a war ended, a terrible war, across all of magical Britain-"

"The Giant's War," Oikawa interrupted.

"...correct," Irihata blinked. "Who told you about the war?"

"Oh, um, the Iwaizumis did," Oikawa said, unsure what to do with the intense look Irihata was giving him.

"And what do you know about it?

Oikawa fiddled with his collar, suddenly feeling a lot less sure with his answer. "Just that there was a really bad wizard called the Giant that tried to kill a lot of people; so, a lot of the muggleborn families left. That's why the Iwaizumis moved to my neighborhood. But…," Oikawa dared to glance back up, "then the Giant died, right? And the war ended a while ago so, now, everything's fine, right?"

Irihata gave a small smile. "For us older ones, eight years isn't exactly 'a while'; but, yes, that's the basics of it." He sat aside his grading. "To answer your question, Mr. Oikawa, there's been a lot of discussion since the war on how much the country has really changed. With Slytherin, we have a history of being the most….traditional of the Houses when it comes to blood purity. Even now." He looked up at Oikawa. "To have our first muggleborn Sorted into the House, I believe many people are keen to look at this as a sign that we really are moving past the war, becoming better-not just as our House, but for the country."

Oikawa sat back, unsure of what to say.

"I….," his voice faltered, feeling uncharacteristically shy as his voice dropped lower, "I don't think I know how to do all that, sir?"

Irihata's look dipped down into a frown and Oikawa's heart beat faster in his chest as, for a horrible second, he thought he'd be yelled at.

"But, I can try!" he insisted, plastering on a grin, "I'll-"

"It's alright, Mr. Oikawa," Irihata cut him off, looking wary but thankfully not at all mad, "I don't think anyone does. Not alone."

A knock on the door cut through the silence and Professor Irihata stood, offering Oikawa a small smile. "Remember what I said, Mr. Oikawa." He winked. "It's okay to be excited."

Oikawa gave a wobbly smile back that he put an effort into looking more real.

The woman on the other side of the door had perfectly styled hair and the most colorful robes Oikawa had ever seen.

"Miura," Irihata nodded. "Mr. Oikawa, this is Kaori Miura of the Daily Prophet's social section."

The woman immediately focused on Oikawa with a large grin. "And you must be Tooru Oikawa, aren't you, sweetie?"

Something in Oikawa immediately relaxed, recognizing the tone, the posture, even the pet name as familiar signs he'd seen a dozen times from other school teachers and parents from his life before Hogwarts.

He reacted on impulse, ducking his head slightly and smiling from under his lashes in a way that was just a mix of sweet but innocent enough that he could see her smile widen. "Nice to meet you."

"Awww, oh, my readers are just going to love you." She pulled out a notepad, smile going sharp. "I'll make sure of it. So, let's start with an easy one: how are you enjoying Hogwarts?"

"I love it," Oikawa answered honestly.

"Favorite class?"

"Um," Oikawa didn't think he had one yet, "Potions."

Miura gave a look at Irihata, still by his desk. "I guess that one's cheating. Okay, let's get some more details…."

The next half an hour passed in a quick blur with question after question about how he liked Hogwarts, what professor he liked best, how well his House was treating him. Oikawa tried to answer as best as he could, taking the honeyed words of the inquiries and turning them into something that expressed his general enthusiasm.

"Excellent," Miura said smoothly after a particularly long response. "Now, I suppose it's the question all my readers are curious about. Do you think your status as the first known Slytherin muggleborn can be seen as a promising sign for the future?"

Oikawa hesitated. He could feel the weight of Miura's eyes on him, waiting. Could see how Professor Irihata had stood, ready to step in if Oikawa asked for it.

Oikawa….had the sudden feeling that there was a lot more being asked than he knew what to do with.

He didn't want to admit not knowing.

"Of course," he said quickly before Irihata could motion for the next question, "I think…," he tucked a piece of hair behind his ear. "I think Hogwarts is amazing. I love it. It's even...it's even more than I ever expected." He shrugged. "I know people have told me that there used to be a war and I know that had to be really terrible for a lot of people. But, I think that can just be in the past. It doesn't have to affect me now."

"I love Hogwarts," he repeated. "I can't imagine being anywhere else. So, I guess the rest of the Wizarding World has to be the same."

Miura's smile was wide and almost hungry, not even bothering to reach for her quill as it scribbled her quotations for her.

"Perfect," she said. "Absolutely perfect."

Oikawa glanced quickly at Irihata and saw that he hadn't sat down, still wary.

Miura waved her wand and her camera suddenly landed in her hands. "Before I forget, can't leave without a picture, right? Smile for me, would you, sweetie?"

Oikawa smiled without thought and saw the flash of the bulb less than a second later.

Miura's eyes were still sharp.

"Well, look at that. You're a natural."

ooooooo

Kageyama had a weird ringing in his ears, almost an echo.

can't keep. can't keep. can't keep.

He sucked in a deep breath and tried to make the world focus, only to fail

with you. with you. with you.

Kageyama wasn't good with people and, even worse, he knew it. He'd always wondered if maybe it would be better if he didnt know; then, he wouldn't have been so keenly aware of how much he'd fallen short too many times in his life.

He could never find the words to make his father happy again-to remind him that even with his mother gone, Kageyama was still here, that he could be enough. Or maybe he just wasn't. He had never been someone like Oikawa, who always knew how to make people smile and listen to him, who knew how to draw people's attention and keep it there, who was enough that even Kageyama's father had looked up to read the news of his first year. Kageyama had never known how to be that, didn't even know how to ask Oikawa how.

And, then, he had found all the wrong words and screwed up ever asking Oikawa anything, had never found the words to apologize either so he just let the weight sit there, tugging at his chest until it was so normal that he could live with it.

But, now….Kageyama thought he didn't need the words. Yachi was smart, was really smart, so she normally figured out better words for him anyway. And Hinata….

Kageyama had never needed words for Hinata to understand him.

Why would he?

He'd finally found friends that needed him. Something he couldn't screw up.

I can't keep playing with you.

Kageyama's blood was a slow thump in his ears and he felt something awful, cold and slimy like oil sliding through his veins.

Hinata had tilted his head, blinking up at him like Hinata was the one confused. "Kageyama?"

Oh, he thought for the second time in just a few minutes; but, this time felt so much different than the first. Oh.

Kageyama thought he knew what that feeling was.

He thought it might be rage.

"What does that mean?" Kageyama's voice was low, so achingly different from what it was in a thousand of his and Hinata's arguments that really didn't matter. This mattered. "Hinata, what does that mean you're not playing with me?"

"I can't improve like this," Hinata said like it was simple, like he was just expecting Kageyama to understand.

Kageyama didn't understand anything. He felt like his ribs had just been cracked open and left to burn on a hot pavement. All he could understand was that Hinata didn't want him anymore and Kageyama couldn't even figure out what happened. He didn't know what he'd done wrong.

And he was angry. Anger that was blistering across his skin, too hard and ugly.

"What are you talking about?" Kageyama stepped forward, getting in Hinata's space like they always did and it felt wrong, wrong, why was everything so wrong. "What does that bloody mean, Hinata! We always improve! We've been improving! Are you kidding? What does that even mean? What"s wrong with you? WE JUST PLAYED THE BEST GAME OF OUR LIVES AND YOU'RE-"

"You played the best game," Hinata finally yelled back, hands fisting in Kageyama's robes and pulling him down to meet Hinata's eye level. "Kageyama, you played the best game! You did everything! All I had to do was catch the Quaffle!"

Kageyama huffed. "So what? That's what you do!"

"That's not what I want to do," Hinata shouted, shaking his hands in Kageyama's shirt. "Don't you get it? Kageyama, that's just you! I can't do that anymore! Not if I want to improve!" Hinata sucked a deep breath, looking up at Kageyama's eyes and piercing through them. "Kageyama, listen to me, I need to learn how to stand with my own will."

"But, we don't need that," Kageyama yelled, pointing angrily at the field. "That was our best game! OUR BEST GAME! We didn't need you to do anything else but catch it! We never have!"

Hinata flinched back. "I know. That's what I wanted to see!"

"So see it, then," Kageyama shoved at his shoulders. "You're really throwing this all away! You're really throwing away our strategy, the one that's worked for years, just so you can what? Try something new?"

"Yes," Hinata said immediately. "I need to."

"What if it doesn't work," Kageyama yelled. "What if you throw this away and you don't find anything? What are we going to do to score then? What about the team? What if this doesn't work?"

Hinata winced before his mouth firmed, tilting up to meet Kageyama. "I need to try anyway."

Kageyama stopped, looking down at Hinata and feeling the rage dig down into something even meaner.

"HOW COULD YOU BE SO SELFISH," he spat out.

Hinata's jaw dropped, the first flicker of answering anger finally springing up. "ME?!"

"G-guys? Why are you still-"

Kageyama heard Yachi's voice; but didn't look back.

"YES!" Kageyama shoved his chest. "YOU'RE SO SELFISH! YOU WANT TO DO SO MUCH ON YOUR OWN, YOU'RE NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT ANYONE BUT YOURSELF!"

You're not thinking about me. You're leaving me.

Kageyama felt his throat go tight but shoved it down. "And for what? Just so you can do whatever by yourself that probably won't even-"

"WHAT IF IT'S BETTER," Hinata challenged and he was shaking now, tense with fire and hands fisted at his side. "What if I'm better?"

Without you.

Hinata didn't have to say it for Kageyama to hear it.

At once, everything seemed to narrow to a pinpoint. Kageyama couldn't see the rest of the field, couldn't hear anything, not even Yachi trying to call them at the end of the field. All he could see was Hinata, a single source of light and everything around him swallowing it like a black hole.

What if Hinata was better without him?

"It won't be," Kageyama said and his voice was too harsh, even as he tried to get himself to believe the words. "You won't be."

They words had never been true before; but, maybe now. Maybe here. Because this was Hinata and….he'd always thought Hinata needed him. Kageyama needed at least someone to need him. He needed someone to keep him around, something that he couldn't screw up.

So, he needed Hinata to say he needed him, too.

"Hinata," Kageyama tired again, struggling to keep his words at least flat if not calm. "Hinata, this is the best we've ever been! Why can't you see that?"

"It's not!" Hinata was shaking his head. "It's not the best! Not for me! Not while I still need you to play."

Kageyama finally burst. "WHAT'S SO WRONG WITH NEEDING ME?"

Hinata exploded back, finally pushed to his limit. "I CAN'T NEED YOU! KAGEYAMA, WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, I CAN'T! NOT ANYMORE!"

Kageyama saw red.

He didn't even know who moved first, probably both of them, moving together like they always did, always had, until now and-

Hinata's fist slammed into his face the same time his body impacted Kageyama's and Kageyama threw him off hard. Both of them tumbling to the ground and, then, it wasn't even anything clear just shoving and pushing and hands slamming at each other's shoulders, pulling closer and pushing away, and Kageyama hated it, he hated it so much.

Rough hands pulled them away and shoved in between them.

"HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!"

Kageyama blinked, vision finally pulling enough that he could recognize Tanaka, looking between them with worry. The buzz in his ears receded enough that he could hear Yachi crying in the background and even through the anger still pulsing in his veins, he felt the first stirrings of guilt.

"Hey!" Tanaka shook them both. "I'm serious! What happened with you two?"

Kageyama glared at Hinata and Hinata glared right back. He had a cut by his jaw and Kageyama could feel the way his own nose was starting to swell.

Neither of them answered.

Kageyama couldn't even if he wanted to.

Kageyama wasn't good with people. He thought with Hinata, he didn't have to be.

Apparently, he'd been wrong again.

ooooooo

"Wait! What do you mean by a fight?" Lev sat back, dumbfounded. "But, they're always fighting!"

They all sat back in the entirely empty library they'd converged in as an emergency meeting place. Yachi was still trying to wipe her eyes, Shimizu wrapping an arm around her and handing her a handkerchief.

"Not like this!" Yachi sniffled, breath hitching. "It was horrible, terrible! I don't even know what would have happened if I didn't find Tanaka!"

There was a long pause.

"I think….I they actually meant it this time," she whispered, looking miserably down at her hands. "What if they did mean it? What if they're not going to be friends anymore? What do we even do, then?"

Shimizu squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure it's not that bad yet."

"Yeah," Lev broke in. "I mean it's Hinata and Kageyama! They forget stuff all the time!"

"Like you're one to talk," Yaku rolled his eyes before sighing. "Lev's right, though. It'll probably blow over by tomorrow. Next weekend by the latest. As soon as they're at a Quidditch game again, I'm sure they'll forget about everything else. Just like normal."

Yachi was still wiping at her eyes.

"Where are they now," Kenma asked.

"I don't know," Yachi said softly. "After Tanaka got between them, he said they both should try to cool off. Kageyama's still on the Quidditch field. Hinata….I'm not really sure where he went." She twisted the handkerchief in her hands. "Hinata's been so quiet lately; I don't know what's wrong. I thought after a game, especially that game, they'd be fine; but….I don't know what's going on."

"It was a good game." Yaku paused. "A really good game. I don't get why they'd fight after that."

"Maybe it was the good game, yes?" Alisa spoke up, drawing their attention. "Headmaster Washijo always has a different training program for the duelist that won compared to the duelist that lost. A harder one, generally, so they can focus on all the moments they still need to work on." She shrugged. "He says it's because when everything is going well, it's easier to become complacent. Maybe it's the same for them-the game didn't show them what went wrong, it showed them their patterns."

"But, they played well."Lev frowned. "Like stupidly good, how's that as a pattern a bad thing?"

Alisa smiled, Durmstrang robes hung crisp and straight around her. "It's like the Headmaster says. Having a pattern tells your enemies where to aim." She smiled. "Pure strength is always better than any other plan."

The table went quiet once again.

"Well, whatever it is, it probably is a good idea that they're cooling off now," Yaku said. "I still think it'll be fine by the next game."

Lev nodded. "Definitely! Quidditch can overcome anything!"

Kenma rolled his eyes, but let out a small sigh that said he didn't necessarily disagree. "Neither of them are the type to hold grudges. Shouyou," he frowned, "...Shouyou's always been able to get over anything quickly. This will probably be the same."

Yachi let out a wet laugh, dabbing at her eyes again. "I don't even know why I'm crying. It's not like I'm the one they're fighting with."

Shimizu hugged her tighter. "Sometimes watching friends fight can be even worse."

Yachi smiled up at her like she'd personally hung the moon in the sky.

"...I'll try to talk to them tomorrow," Yachi decided firmly, looking up at the table. "You're right. It'll probably be better by then anyway."

ooooooo

"Eh?" Noya looked utterly confused, sitting heavily on his bed and with bits of ash and confetti still hung in his hair from the Gryffindor House party the night before. "A fight? What do you mean they got in a fight?"

"Like a fight kind of fight. That's why I was trying to find you last night, bro," Tanaka said, rummaging in his trunk for their spare Pepperup Potion. He handed it to Noya. "Where were you?"

"Oh," Noya scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, got really, really distracted."

Asahi blushed bright red.

"Anyway," Daichi broke in before either of them could try to come up with an excuse he was sure would scar the group more. "What exactly do you mean 'a fight'? Like….like their usual arguments?"

"They're both idiots," Tsukishima grumbled, not looking at all pleased to be up this early just so they could decide on the weekly Flumpy babysitting schedule. "Idiots that are loud and argue with annoying frequency. I don't see why we should care now."

"Says you," Ennoshita rubbed at his temples. "You're not the one who's been dealing with a hysterical Nao all night. Kid's practically inconsolable, keeps talking about how this is the worst thing that ever happened in the history of the entire world." He glared at Tanaka and Noya. "I blame you two for his new sense of dramatics, by the way."

"What? Why us?" Noya gasped, a hand held to his chest as if he'd just been shot.

Ennoshita didn't bother with a response.

Yamaguchi frowned. "They'll be fine by the weekend." He considered. "Honestly, with them, they might already be fine now."

Ennoshita sighed, long and drawn out. "Which is what I told him. Hinata and Kageyama argue, it's not the end of the world because one was a bit worse than the others."

"I don't know." Tanaka leaned back on his desk. "You didn't see them. They looked seriously pissed off this time. It was bad."

"I still don't see why we should care," Tsukishima muttered, throwing a hand out. "Look, we have Flumpy. There, that's enough for me to care about in one semester, thank you."

"Because Flumpy's the best boy ever." Noya beamed, cuddling the flobberlump a little bit closer as he pet him. "Yeah, you are, aren't you, Flumpy? Who's the bestest best boy? Who's the greatest flubberlump ever! The most interesting creature alive? You are!"

Flumpy snored.

And, with that, most of the room exchanged a glance, a sudden apprehension that they couldn't even name gripping tighter.

"Um, Noya," Asahi said cautiously. "Not that….not that I don't agree that Flumpy's, ah, very interesting. But….," he winced under the sudden warning looks he was getting from the others, "I was just curious why you thought so?"

Noya blinked. "What do you mean?"

"It's just….," Asahi fumbled for words, "I just mean that….well, there was the dragon egg and, then, the map and the basilisk, and, um, last year was the boggarts. Flumpy….he just seems different than those, I mean." Asahi really hoped this wasn't the final straw for Noya to realize. "He doesn't quite seem like the same….type, I guess?"

The smile on Noya's face suddenly dropped. Tanaka and Noya exchanged a heavy look and the room as a whole held their breath.

Merlin, nevermind, they shouldn't have said anything.

And, then, Noya smiled, laying a hand on Asahi's shoulder and speaking very seriously. "Don't worry, Asahi. Flumpy's definitely our type of creature, I promise."

Tanaka nodded fervently. "You guys should just keep looking. Hidden depths, you remember?"

"Hidden depths," Noya repeated.

The rest of the room's held breath suddenly died and ignoble death.

That was…..

For some reason, that seemed like such a worse answer than they possibly could have expected.

Flumpy snored again.

The sound suddenly seemed a lot less innocent.

Noya beamed. "Trust us. Exactly our type of creature."

ooooooo

Oikawa didn't bother looking up from his book, sounding bored. "They're always fighting."

"No, like a real fight this time," Kuroo clarified, filling his plate. "As in they're still not talking to each other."

Iwaizumi frowned. "How do you know?"

"Kenma." Kuroo shrugged. "Not like it matters, the whole school's been talking about it. Everyone knows."

Oikawa glanced up. "Wait?! I didn't know! How come I haven't heard?"

Suga rolled his eyes, pointing at the small stacks of disguised dueling books that were slowly surrounding Oikawa like a wall. "Gee, I wonder."

Oikawa huffed, finally sitting down his book and rubbing at his eyes-not unlike a cave creature emerging into the sunlight. "See, this is what O.O.P.S. is supposed to be about. Keeping me up on all the good gossip. What else are friends for?"

"Maybe making sure you don't get hexed into the next century," Kuroo teased. "Also, so now, the fight's 'good gossip', huh?"

Oikawa shrugged. "Good enough."

"What do you think they're talking about," Suga asked quietly.

As one, the table all looked to the corner of the Hall to where Kageyama and Hinata seemed to be having a tense conversation with Bokuto, the later shaking his head and making wild gestures while the other two both seemed stiff and quiet.

"From what Kenma told me…," Kuroo shifted, looking uncomfortably, "I think Hinata said he wasn't playing with Kageyama anymore."

Suga's frown grew heavier. "He wouldn't. Hinata loves Quidditch. Why would he ever want to play less of it?"

"Not less," Oikawa corrected idly, "just not with Tobio. Interesting."

"What's that supposed to mean," Iwaizumi asked.

Oikawa hummed, opening his book again. "Just interesting."

"I hope they change their minds," Suga chewed on his lip. "I can't imagine this is going to go well."

"Oh, you never know," Oikawa said, sounding aggressively cheerful in a way that really should be a warning all on its own. "Sounds amazing to me, maybe Hinata decided to drop the dead weight."

Kuroo and Suga both stared at him, surprised at the sudden venom.

Iwaizumi reached over to punch his shoulder. "Don't be a dick."

Oikawa considered. "Oh, no, I think I have a point. Seems like Hinata wants to get better and he thinks Tobio's going to hold him back." His smile brightened, showing even sharper. "Or, say, maybe Tobio-chan thinks Hinata's getting too good. He's never liked that, now, has he? What do you bet he's falling back on bad habits?"

"Oikawa," Iwaizumi warned.

Oikawa's smile dropped, expression going bland

"What," he grumbled. "It's not like it's not true."

"He was nine."

"I. Don't. Care," Oikawa singsonged, trying to go back to his book before Iwaizumi stopped him.

Iwaizumi glared at him. "Quit it; you're always like this when we talk about him."

"Then, let's not talk about him." Oikawa finally returned the glare. "Personally, I think that plan's had a pretty solid track record so far."

"Yeah, going great," Iwaizumi said sarcastically. "You haven't even had a conversation with him in six years. At least give him the chance he could have changed."

"You're right," Oikawa agreed coolly, "I haven't talked with him and he clearly hasn't wanted to change that fact so, obviously, the situation's working fine for both of us."

Oikawa closed his eyes, taking a breath and, when he next spoke, his voice was back to mild indifference. "Actually, considering we helped him that time with Sora, oh, and also from being torn to pieces by a werewolf like last year. I really think the kid owes me a fruit basket or something."

Iwaizumi scrubbed a hand through his hair and tried again. "Maybe if you talked to him now. Look, I know when it happened, it wasn't-

"Iwaizumi, drop it," Oikawa ordered through clenched teeth and so clearly at the end of his rope. "I get it. I'll stop being a dick, alright? So, drop it." He looked back down at his book, ending the conversation. "I'm not bothering little Tobio-chan and he's not bothering me. That's the best you're going to get."

A tense quiet passed between the two of them

Finally, Iwaizumi sighed hard enough that his shoulders dropped, giving a nod. "Okay, just quit being an ass."

Oikawa gave a slight smile, still looking down. "For now….and only about this."

"Like I was expecting anything more."

Suga and Kuroo were still quiet, looking between the two of them and waiting.

"So," Kuroo cleared his throat, "something tells me we might have missed something."

Iwaizumi waved a hand, deferring the answer to Oikawa.

"Eh, it's nothing important." Oikawa's lip pulled up into a smirk. "Guess you could say Kageyama and I are really bad neighbors."

"...okay?" Suga hesitated, trying to find where to ask more but not really wanting to restart the argument. "What-"

"This is the worst day ever" Bokuto collapsed down at the table, folding his head in his hands. "It's awful!"

"Hinata and Kageyama aren't playing together," Kuroo guessed.

"Yeah." Bokuto pouted, drawing sad patterns along the table. "Hinata asked me to change the sign ups so he and Kageyama never have to play on the same team. I tried to talk them out of it; but, Hinata's not budging and Kageyama's barely even saying anything." He looked up with wide eyes. "You guys would tell me the truth, right? Am I a bad captain?"

Kuroo sighed. "Nah, you're a great captain, Bo. Don't think this one's on you."

"Ugh," Bokuto moaned again, "then, why aren't my two Chasers even talking to each other anymore!" He paused. "Hey, wait, do you think Hinata might have a concussion? He does get hit in the head a lot."

Suga frowned. "Wait? What do you mean 'a lot'?"

"Like….like all the time? Why?" Bokuto's face went pale. "Merlin, I am a terrible captain! Hinata has a concussion! He probably has like ten concussions by now, honestly!"

Iwaizumi shoved his arm before Bokuto could spiral any further. "I think you would have noticed if Hinata had ten concussions."

Bokuto still looked panicked.

"Akaashi would have noticed ten concussions," Kuroo corrected.

Bokuto blinked, the color returning to his cheeks. "Oh. Yeah, that's fair. Akaashi would've known what to do."

Suga shook his head, making a note in his planner to ask Nekomata about covering mild medical treatments with all the Quidditch teams.

"Just give it time," he suggested to Bokuto. "Maybe Hinata has something he's trying to work out. It could all blow over on its own soon."

"You think so," Bokuto asked.

Kuroo shrugged. "It is Hinata. Kid's pretty easy going."

"Yeah." Bokuto breathed out, sounding like he was trying to reassure himself more than the table. "Yeah, it'll probably be back to normal soon."

Oikawa stayed absolutely quiet.

ooooooo

"I told you, Yachi, I did talk to him. He's the one that's not listening to me."

Yachi bit her lip, walking faster to keep up with him as they walked down the hall. "Well, what if we…"

There was more, there was always more, and Hinata felt bad for tuning it all out. The thing was he'd heard it. It had barely been four days and Hinata had already heard the exact thing from Yachi, Kenma, Lev, Bokuto, even Aone and Futakuchi. Merlin, he'd been fending back questions from practically the entire school by now. It seemed like everyone wanted to talk to him.

Everyone except Kageyama, of course

Hinata felt tired.

He'd burned through the anger, past the indignation, and even the fear. Now, all he felt was tired and aching.

He really didn't want to explain it anymore.

There wasn't any point. He couldn't do what any of them wanted.

He wouldn't change his mind.

"Hinata?" Yachi's voice was hesitant, a smaller hand pulling at his robes in a silent request to slow down. "Hinata, are you listening? Are you...are you alright?"

No. Hinata didn't really think he was. The thing was he didn't think his problem was the same as what everyone else thought it was.

He felt fractured, fire eating away at the surface while everyone else wanted to fix it with glue. Hinata wanted to hit it until it broke entirely.

He just wished it didn't hurt quite so bad to be stuck between the splintered pieces.

"I'm sorry, Yachi," he said quietly.

Yachi blinked. "What?"

"For the fight," Hinata explained. "You shouldn't have had to see that. I'm sorry." Hinata swallowed, throat feeling numb. "And...I'm sorry, I don't think the thing with me and Kageyama's going to get better anytime soon."

"Hinata," Yachi kept her grip on his robe, guiding him to sit down on the bench. "What happened? Why don't you want to play with Kageyama anymore? Kageyama says he doesn't think he did anything-"

"It's not about Kageyama," Hinata interrupted. "It's not about anyone; it's just about me. I can't get better if I'm depending on Kageyama to do everything. And, Yachi, I need to get better."

Yachi still looked hopelessly confused. "In Quidditch?"

Hinata didn't know what else to say. "No. It's not just Quidditch. That's where I wanted to start; but….Yachi, it's everything. I have to learn how to fight on my own."

"What's wrong with letting your friends fight with you," Yachi asked.

"Nothing," Hinata insisted. "But, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm not asking to be protected; I just want to learn how to stand."

Hinata wanted to climb to the top, to see the greatest view in the world and know he had made it on his own power. He couldn't do that with his friends hiding him back. He loved them; but….

Hinata was so tired of being something to be protected.

He wanted to fight, too.

But, Yachi's face was crumpled in hurt and Hinata's heart ached with her.

All he wanted was a chance to get better; he didn't understand why everything he tried seemed to hurt another friend.

Hinata took her hands, squeezing them tight and Yachi gave him a watery smile in return.

"I'm sorry, Yachi," Hinata said again. "But, I have to do this, okay?"

"...okay," she took one of her hands back to wipe at her eyes, "I just wish I knew how to help you."

"Trust me," Hinata asked. "Just give me time to try."

Yachi sniffled, giving a half laugh as she leaned on his shoulder. "I think I can do that and I always trust you, Hinata…..Do you think that's all I need to do for Kageyama, too."

"I don't know."

The fight with Kageyama and the continuing silence still felt like acid in Hinata's stomach and it hurt, it hurt so much because of all the people he thought would understand, Kageyama's the one he wanted the most.

"Hey," he leaned his head back against head, "did I ever tell you how I met Kageyama?"

Yachi shook her head under his. "I always assumed it was on the train."

"Close, it was a bit before that, though. We met at the robe shop in Diagon Alley." Hinata scrunched up his nose. "I thought he was an asshole. All he was doing is scowling and pretending like he knew everything and he called me dumb in like….probably the first two minutes. We almost got kicked out for yelling."

Yachi smiled. "That sounds like the two of you."

"Yeah," he admitted. "I kinda hated him. Then, we got into the same House and, then, the team and he was still a great big jerk." Hinata blew out a breath, letting his voice bleed with a bit of the wonder that he always felt even years of catches later. "And, then, he threw to me and it was the best feeling ever. It felt like we could do anything. Like we could stand on the top of the world." He gave a small grin. "I figured he might not be completely terrible if he could throw like that."

"And now," Yachi asked.

Hinata shrugged. "Now, I know I was right. Kageyama's always been amazing, he'll always be amazing. He doesn't need me for that. But, I want to see if I can be amazing, too."

There was a long pause.

"Okay, I think I can understand that." Yachi paused. "I'm not….I don't think I understand it all, I think I can at least understand a bit of the why."

"Time," Hinata repeated. "I just need time."

"Okay," Yachi said. "I'll...I'll try to explain it to the rest of them." She winced. "I don't know if Kageyama's going to listen."

Hinata's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, I know."

And that's the thing that hurt. Because before Kageyama had even been a friend, he'd always been Hinata's partner.

"Hey, Yachi," Hinata said quietly. "Do you mind if I just have some time to think? This week's just been a lot."

Yachi paused, moving down to smooth his hair. "Do you want me to save you dinner?"

"I already had some," Hinata promised. "I think I'm going to go fly."

Yachi nodded, standing up and beginning to walk away.

Hinata called after her before she could. "Yachi."

She turned back.

"Kageyama said I was being selfish," Hinata said, voice raising at the end and caught between question and statement.

Yachi blinked, hesitating.

Hinata waited.

"He probably didn't mean it like that," Yachi eventually settled on and, for once, Hinata thought they both knew it was a lie.

Hinata pretended to believe it for her anyway. "Thanks, Yachi."

"I'm always here if you need me." She smiled.

"I know." He watched as she continued down the hall and out of sight.

Hinata burrowed down with his heads propped up in his arms, thinking to himself when would be the best possible time he could sneak back up to his room to grab his broom without fielding his roommates' millions of questions. Or worse, running into Kageyama.

He really needed to grab his Invisibility Cloak back from Suga.

Furtive steps caught his attention and he glanced up to see a figure sneaking along the walls, hood pulled up in a half-hearted disguise.

….It wasn't a very good disguise.

Not with hair like that.

"Hoshiumi!" Hinata shouted and the figure went stiff, dropping the hood and holding out his wand before he focused on who called him.

Hoshiumi stared, brows drawing together and mouth dropping slightly.

"Shouyou Hinata," Hinata reminded him.

Hoshiumi blinked, titling his head like a startled bird. "...Shouyou?"

"From the Quidditch field a few weeks ago," Hinata explained. "Remember?"

"Oh." Hoshiumi's expression cleared before his normal wide grin reappeared. "Yeah, of course, I remember you!"

Hinata pressed down on a half smile, not really sure if he believed him if the way Hoshiumi was still squinting at him was any indication.

He guessed it didn't really matter as Hoshiumi fell down to sit across from him. "Right, duh, Hinata-guy who was practicing Quidditch." Hoshiumi waved away his earlier gaff. "Yeah, yeah, I remember. We talked. Sorry, it's been a crazy few weeks. Took me a second."

"Crazy with the Champion stuff?"

Hoshiumi gave a low theatrical moan, nodding as he made a show of burying his face in his hands. "People are insane! I knew it; but, seriously, everyone here's insane."

"Congrats?" Hinata offered.

Hoshiumi snorted, leaning back on the wall.

"Also….thanks," Hinata said more quietly. "Talking to you….I think it really helped me figure out what I needed to do."

Hoshiumi beamed, looking genuinely pleased. "I'm glad I could help." He cocked his head again, scanning Hinata up and down. "So, what are you doing in an empty hall?"

"Thinking, I guess," Hinata said.

Hoshiumi nodded like that made complete sense. "Yeah, this castle seems like a good place for thinking. Especially when you get a moment alone."

"I don't normally like to be alone," Hinata admitted softly, shifting on the bench.

Hoshiumi spread his arms. "Great! Which is why now you've got me!"

"Wait, why are you in the hall then?"

Hoshiumi's grin became an interesting cross between sheepish and sly, bringing out a small bag at the same time he brought a finger to his lips in the classic keep quiet gesture.

"Don't tell," Hoshiumi shook out the bag and a persevered sandwich, a thermos, and several sealed containers all fell out, much larger than the bag itself. "The Great Hall's been crazy since I got chosen." He shrugged. "I don't mind being Beauxbatons' Champion, of course. But, sometimes I just want to eat." He gestured to the food display. "I asked the house elves to seal some extras for me."

"Oh…." Hinata frowned. "Won't people ask where you are, though?"

"Eh, apparently I'm weird enough, no one really wonders about it." Hoshiumi shrugs. "Lesson learned, you know, seems like everyone's more worried about what I'll do as Champion than where I sneak off to eat dinner."

Hinata didn't know how he felt about that. He's pretty sure if he missed anything, his friends would call a small search battalion. Actually, scratch that, Hinata had been subject to emergency meetings on his general health and well being. He knew they would.

"Here." Hoshiumi shoved a piece of bread at him before he could ask. "Looks like you're missing dinner, too."

"I ate earlier," Hinata said.

His stomach growling at exactly the wrong time didn't exactly help his point.

Hoshiumi's grin grew. "Take it. The elves packed me plenty."

"Thanks." Hinata took the bread.

"No problem." Hoshiumi finished off the last of his sandwich with a large gulp from his drink to wash it down. Then, Hinata was subject to the full intensity of strange yellow eyes. "So, your thoughts the ones that want company?"

Hinata fought back a wince. "I'm kinda tired of explaining things."

"Oh, the Quidditch thing, then." Hoshiumi nodded in understanding, reaching out for his soup.

Hinata frowned. "You heard about it?"

"I think the whole school has." Hoshiumi winked. "See, told you I hadn't forgotten you. I kept an ear out; just took me a second to connect everything." He looked at Hinata. "So, no further explanation necessary, want to talk about it, though? I'm good at listening."

Truthfully, Hinata didn't really want any more questions. He felt like his skin had been rubbed raw from them already, wearing a little deeper with each frown when he confirmed that the favorite Quidditch duo actually weren't playing together.

He really was tired of no one understanding the why.

It made his own why seem a lot less important. Less necessary.

He wanted-

"I took your advice," Hinata finally blurted out in a rush. "I'm not trying to hide from anything anymore. I'm trying to get stronger on my own so I don't have to stay weak. But," his sudden outburst died back down, "...but, it's a lot harder than I thought it would be. And….and I think doing it's really hurting my friend and-," Hinata's sighed, "-and I need it. I need it; but, also, it's really, really hard right now and I kinda hate it, too."

Hoshiumi looked at him, bright yellow eyes open fully.

"You know," Hoshiumi started softly and there was something far more serious underlying the words this time, "sometimes the harder tasks just mean they need doing more."

Hinata gave him a small smile. "That doesn't really help in doing them, though."

"No," Hoshiumi admitted. "No, it really doesn't. But, they still need to be done, so, someone has to do it."

Hinata propped a head on his hand. "Yeah, I guess that's really it. When I talked to one of my friends, they said it was about hope and I didn't really think that was right. Then, Oikawa said it was pride and that didn't seem like it either. Not for me." His voice dropped lower. "Kageyama told me I was being selfish."

Hoshiumi hummed. "I suppose it kind of is."

Hinata looked up, eyes widening.

"Well, I didn't say being selfish was bad," Hoshiumi continued before Hinata's expression could sink any further. "But, doing something for yourself. Working on making yourself better, whatever it takes." Hoshiumi met his eyes. "It is selfish. But, it's not wrong to put yourself first, especially when no one else can see what's needed."

Hoshiumi packed up the last of his dinner, easing it back in the too small bag.

He stood, stretching as he did and offering Hinata another smile.

"Being selfish about things you need doesn't have to be a bad thing, especially for guys like us." Hoshiumi paused. "But, if it helps, I agree with you. Doesn't sound like you're dealing with hope or pride to me. Sounds like something different."

"What," Hinata asked.

"Survival." Hoshiumi's smile widened. "It sounds like hunger."

The words settled in Hinata's chest, cutting through his thoughts and hurt like a cauterization.

And, finally, finally, Hinata felt like he'd been understood, like someone heard him.

"Oh," Hinata heard himself say.

Hoshiumi was still smiling. "Did I help again?"

"Yeah." The breath Hinata took still felt shuddering and unsure; but, he fought through the feeling to offer Hoshiumi a smile in return. "So, try not to forget this time."

Hoshiumi's smile became a pronounced eye roll. "Ack, it's been a busy week! I didn't forget you! It just took a second!"

Hinata just grinned, letting the warm feeling of being seen still seep through his bones.

"You know what-fine!" Hoshiumi stuck out his hand. "Shouyou Hinata, I promise that I will never forget you again."

Hinata took the hand. "Alright."

"So, you better never forget me, too," Hoshiumi challenged.

Hinata stuck out his tongue. "I never forget a friend."

Hoshiumi blinked, looking caught off guard for a long dizzying moment.

"Friends, huh?" Hoshiumi recovered, smile looking twice as bright. "Deal, friends it is, then."

ooooooo

The Saturday Quidditch game began with a highly tense feeling of anticipation that crept from the field to the audience in a way that was so very different from the buzzing energy of a week earlier.

They waited, breaths held.

On the field, Kageyama was dressed in the usual Chaser robes. Beside him, stood the two new Chasers-two unrecognizable faces from Beauxbatons.

On the stands, Hinata sat, sandwiched between Yachi and Kenma.

Hinata and Kageyama didn't even look at each other.

"Shouyou," Kenma asked quietly, "are you sure about this?"

"Yes," Hinata said firmly, a fierce smile fixed to his face. "Who knows? Maybe I can learn something by watching this time."

Hinata and Kageyama hadn't spoken in a week.

For the first time since they met, a Quidditch game began and Hinata and Kageyama were not on the field together.

Despite the school's expectations, things had not gone back to normal.

They couldn't. There wasn't a normal to go back towards.

Not anymore.

ooooooo

A/N: Hey, guys, thanks for reading and ya'll are the best. So, mini-announcement that I hate to make but I gotta: with school back, I'm swapping this story update to every two weeks rather than every week. Sorry, I hate to do this and I'm definitely going to be trying to write chapters in advance so I can go back to the weekly schedule; but, currently, I just don't have time to write multiple chapters in a week and be sure they're at the quality I want to have them , but please know I appreciate all of your support.

Next Chapter: Weighing of the Wands
Post Date: Sept. 26-27