Chapter Text
A soft hazy glow had spread across Kageyama’s room and shone onto his face. He tried to reach over to wipe away the grit from his eyes, but his arms were firmly held in place by the smaller boy that was wrapped around him still blissfully asleep and unaware of his vice grip.
Of course, he looks adorable when he sleeps, but how the fuck is he so strong?
He was already cuddled up to him like he was his lifeline, but the way his usually animated features were so much more vulnerable and compelling had him floored. Kageyama finally wrangled a single arm free from the other’s tight grasp and began to softly run his finger through his bright orange hair. Not a single sound could be heard in the room besides the slight snoring of the decoy.
As much as Kageyama wished that they could stay like this, they had morning practice to attend and he had his other mission of course.
The mission was simple really. Number one? Find Suga. Number two? Ask him what the fuck are emotions, because he has no idea what he’s doing. The only problem was finding the right time to ask him without other people butting into the conversation. And by other people, he only really meant Tsukishima. That blonde asshole always had something to say about everything.
A sharp ring chirped throughout the room much to Hinata’s disapproval. He had been sleeping so well, and he’d be lying if he didn’t admit that that was the best sleep that he’s had in awhile. As he tried to stretch out his fatigued limbs, he noticed another pair of legs entangled in his own that were much longer. He had completely forgotten that he had spent the night at Kageyama’s house but being wrapped around the brooding setter made him feel like a million dollars.
“Good morning.”, Hinata yawned before burying his head further into Kageyama’s chest. He wanted nothing more than to fall back asleep, but a sudden jab to his stomach made him yelp.
“Morning.”, Kageyama rasped. His voice still groggy from waking up, “We have to get ready for practice.”
A low groan could be felt against his chest as Hinata pulled him impossibly closer, “Boo hiss.”
“Idiot, don’t boo me!”, Kageyama began to grumble, “Or do you not want any of my sets during practice.”
At this Hinata whipped his face out from his chest with a sudden burst of energy, “You wouldn’t dare!”
“I would.”, Kageyama quipped as a small smirk began to form on his lips. As much as Hinata hated how cocky he looked there was something a bit enticing about it, but he promised that he would wait for the setter. Maybe next time.
A small huff escaped past his lips as he tried to untangle himself from Kageyama’s grasp. It almost felt like the other didn’t intend on letting go, despite his threat. A small shiver ran down his spine as he felt the chill of the air outside of the blanket.
The two had gotten ready without any hitches by some miracle and began their walk to practice. Despite it being way too early for conversation, Hinata had found a way to fill the fresh morning air with endless babbling about anything and everything.
Usually Kageyama found unnecessary small talk to be a nuisance, but for Hinata he’d make an exception. It was something about the way he could find interest in everything and also nothing that amazed him.
“…And that’s why I’m no longer allowed to go on a train by myself!”, Hinata giggled as he finished his story. After securing his bike to the rack he exchanged an unspoken look of a challenge with Kageyama.
A small nod from the setter and then they were off. Hinata knew that there was no way he could win this one since Kageyama seemed more motivated than usual to win since he lost the last time.
“Why the frick do you have to be so tall!”, Hinata screamed as he burst through the gym doors. He was only three steps behind him, but it felt more like fifty.
“Why are you so short?”, Kageyama teased as he ruffled his hands in Hinata’s hair.
Before he could come up with a retort Kageyama was distracted by Suga’s sudden entrance, “Ah, glad to see that you two are full of energy.”, Suga laughed.
Kageyama quickly pulled his hands out of Hinata’s hair and approached the other setter, “Can I talk to you for a bit?”, He whispered.
Suga shot him an inquisitive glance before giving him a small nod in agreeance and gestured for him to follow.
“Is something wrong?”, Suga finally asked once they settled on a nearby bench.
Kageyama kept his gaze on the ground as he tried to come up with the right words to say, “I think I have feelings for someone, but I don’t know what to do…”, He mumbled as he somehow found more interest in his nails.
Shock would be an understatement to how Suga felt about this, but the fact that he had felt the need to ask him what to do was the cherry on top, “Well, do you like being with this person?”
“I do.”, Kageyama started, “He’s always able to be so positive when I’m not and he knows just what to say when I’m upset—.”
“Pause!”, Suga exclaimed, “So the person you like is a guy?”
He remained silent for a bit before looking back at the other setter, “Yeah…It’s actually Hinata.”, He said softly.
“Hmm, I figured as much.”, Suga sighed, “Do you feel comfortable with this crush of yours, or is there something holding you back?”
Kageyama leaned against the bench and stared at the sky as if it would give him his answer, but eventually he drew a blank, “I don’t know…I’ve never liked anyone before, so I think I’m just a bit lost.”
Suga gave him a small smile, “Well, let me give you an example. Just don’t spread it around, okay?”
Kageyama gave him an eager nod before giving him his undivided attention. It was almost as if Suga had told him that practice had been extended to work on their sets.
“There was a time during my first year where I also liked someone on the team. I didn’t know what to do with my feelings, but I knew that I had to befriend him as much as possible.”, Suga sighed with a smile still on his face, but his eyes said otherwise.
“However, by the time that we became best friends, I realized that I wanted something more. I wanted him to see me as so much more.”, Suga stated as he turned to face Kageyama. The other setter seemed to be more invested than ever.
“Is this Daichi that we’re talking about?”, Kageyama asked. Suga practically jumped out of his skin at the mention of the captain.
“I never said it was!”, He stammered. He balled his pale hands in a fist and began to protest, “Even if it were him it doesn’t matter, because this is about you!”
“Suga…I think I get what you’re telling me, but doesn’t it hurt to not ask him what he thinks?”
Suga looked at the ground as if he had been kicked in the stomach, “It hurts like hell to be honest. I just want him to be happy…Even if it means that I’m not.”, He whispered the last part, but Kageyama could hear it loud and clear.
“No!”, Kageyama all but shouted, “You can’t just be miserable, you have to see how he feels otherwise you'll just end up regretting it.”
Suga rattled the thought around his head. It was true that the two years of heartache had been wearing him thin, but the idea of losing his best friend seemed like the end of the world, “I’ll think about, okay?”, He sighed.
“Okay, and I think I know how to answer Hinata now.”, He said with a small smile.
It was totally a good idea to ask Suga what the fuck was going on with his emotions…
“Hey, Hinata you seem a bit down…”, Yachi asked with a voice laced with concern. He had been staring at the gym's entrance for the past half hour now.
Hinata quickly jumped out of his daze and turned to face the concerned voice, “Yeah, Kageyama just suddenly left is all…”
“I’m sure it’s nothing!”, She began to reassure him, “Maybe he’s just asking for pointers?”
Hinata gave her a small laugh, “He would never ask for pointers. It’s probably because I came out to him…”
“You did what now?”, Yachi gasped.
“Yeah, I came out to him after Tsukishima made fun of us and he took it better than I thought he would…”, He mumbled as he found more interest with the volleyball he picked up from the cart in front of him.
Yachi began to push the cart further onto the court as she continued her questions, “So, are you two dating now?”
Hinata almost the ball in his hands as he stammered for an answer, “Well, No!”, He exclaimed as he started to spin the ball in his hands, “He asked for more time…”
All of the concern that was originally in Yachi's eyes had disappeared at the sudden news, “Oh, well you’re definitely doing way better than me!”, Yachi laughed as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt.
Hinata shot her an inquisitive look before she figured that she should continue, “I may be attracted to Kiyoko, but there’s no way that I have the guts to tell her how I feel.”, She mumbled almost to herself.
A small frown appears on Hinata’s face, “You should tell her!”
“It’s not really that easy…”, She sighed, “I don’t even know if she’s even into girls!”
A look of understanding flashed across his face, but before he could encourage her his brooding setter had returned from whatever conversation he had with the vice-captain. Kageyama gazed into his eyes with more conviction than he had ever seen him hold when off the court. A small shiver ran down his spine with anticipation. Whatever it was that they were talking about, had to do with him…
Despite the sudden increase in tension on the court, they played as if the world was going to end and they could never step foot on the court again. Every spike had an intense smack to the ground, any ball destined to hit the ground was lunged after with ferocity, and if it weren’t for the fact that Tsukishima feigned indifference most of the time, it was obvious that he had upped his blocks.
They were on fire.
Yamaguchi could feel his friend’s gaze pierce the back of his neck as they took their first water break for the morning practice. He hadn’t mentioned the recent episode that happened between them that morning, but he could tell that beyond his passive exterior that something had been eating away at him all throughout practice. Now probably wasn’t the best time to ask since the team was so close, but he couldn’t help but pry.
“Has something been bothering you Tsukki?”, He questioned as rolled his water bottle around in his hands.
A slight “tch” of annoyance could be heard before Tsukishima exhaled a deep sigh, “Everything’s peachy, so don’t worry about it.”
“Hmm, okay.”, Yamaguchi mumbled.
If there was one thing that he had learned the most when it came to English phrases, it's that anyone who says that they’re “peachy” is actually miserable, and if they claimed that they were “Living the dream” it meant that they would rather be hit by a fucking bus. Therefore, his best friend was anything but okay.
They continued to sit in a semi-comfortable silence as they continued to cool off before they were forced back onto the court.
Kageyama had been eerily quiet throughout the entirety of practice. His tosses weren’t affected, thankfully, but he had been deep in thought at what Suga had told him. He had probably been hurting Hinata for almost a year now with his buried feelings, and he even had the guts to tell him how he felt. He never felt the pain that Hinata or Suga felt when their feelings were unrequited, and he was almost remorseful to not know how much he had been truly hurting his decoy. Come hell or high water he had to tell Hinata how he felt. There was no telling how long he would wait for him anyways…
“Meanie-yama!”, Hinata huffed as he slammed his water down onto the ground, “Stop looking at me like you’re about to murder me!”
Oh shit…
Kageyama shook his head as he tried to shove down the blush that threatened to appear, “Bold of you to assume that I was staring you tangerine head!”
“You totally were!”, Hinata challenged now completely abandoning his water bottle.
Suga watched helplessly as Kageyama wormed his way into another argument with the ball of sunshine that was Hinata. How on earth could he have used his one brain cell so well during their conversation, and then have it utterly fail him an hour later? Can brain cell use peak?
Granted, this was Kageyama. The boy was already a bit socially awkward when it came to normal interactions, so it shouldn’t be surprising when this was his crush that he was dealing with. Of course, he would be a bit of a doofus.
Still, he wasn’t wrong when he told him to confess. It had been weighing him down a lot more than usual since this was their last year, but the idea of starting a relationship during the busiest time in their high school career seemed risky. What are the odds of them even going to the same university…?
A sharp ring of Ukai’s whistle signaled the end of their water break.
Needless to say, practice was extremely tense this time around, but it was more of a good thing. They were charged up and were ready to tackle what life had just thrown at them. Even if it meant that there would be shattered hearts everywhere, they went.
Well, that wasn’t any of their plans per say…
Once they were dismissed from practice, the brooding setter immediately approached Suga and gave him a deep bow, “Thank you for your advice!”, He all but shouted.
Hinata looked at Kageyama with a bit of confusion, but he figured it had to do with whatever they had talked about before practice. Maybe they were just talking about pointers for setting.
Suga began to panic at the sudden expression of gratitude, “No need to thank me!”, A smile began to spread across his lips, “Have a nice night you two.”
He waved goodbye to the pair before making his way to the captain. It was now or never that he started the conversation, so why not do it now while they were all alone.
Daichi began to lock up the clubroom just as Suga had approached him, but he was stopped by a smaller, pale hand, “Oh, did you leave something in there?”
“No, I was just wondering if we could talk for a bit.”, Suga stammered. Daichi began to gaze at the smaller hand that enveloped his own before it was quickly removed.
He gave him a small nod before reopening the clubroom. He could tell that whatever this conversation would be about, it would take a minute.
With a soft click of the door behind the two, Suga began to take a leap of faith...
Kageyama was more than grateful by how well Hinata could carry a conversation despite how awkward he could be. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was rambling on about at the moment but seeing him all animated over the topic was enough for him.
Taking in a deep breath Kageyama steeled himself for what he was about to do. He needed to rip the band-aid off as soon as possible, so here goes nothing. He casually bumped and intertwined his fingers with Hinata’s as they continued their walk. Hinata didn’t take a break from his rambling, but a faint blush could be seen on the tips of his ears.
“Hinata, can I tell you something?”, Kageyama asked while the other had started to swing their hands as they walked along. Kageyama had found it to be the most endearing thing he had ever seen.
Hinata hummed a small tune before facing him, “Sure! Is this about that conversation you had with Suga?”
Kageyama tensed a bit but settled his shoulders after a few deep breaths, “It is…”
Hinata stopped at the fork in the road where the two would usually split their ways and gave him his undivided attention. He firmly locked hands with setter as he waited expectantly.
“I took some time to think about it, and I think I have my answer now.”, Kageyama said with full confidence, “It’s unfair of me to make you wait and to expect you to be happy with it, and I’m sorry for whatever pain I may have caused you in the past few months.”
He could feel Hinata start to shake, but he pressed on and focused his gaze on their intertwined hands, “I want to be with you Hinata…”
Hinata let go of his bike and allowed it crash down onto the sidewalk in order to grab hold of his other hand, “Took you long enough, dummy.”, He cried.
Once Kageyama had finally looked him in the eyes, he could see the tears that threatened to fall down Hinata's usually cheery face. Unlike the last two or three times though, they were tears of pure joy. His eyes were no longer filled with fear as he realized that he no longer had to worry about ruining their relationship for the sake of his own selfish feelings. He could truly be at peace with himself.
His love was no longer unrequited...
Kagyeama didn’t even bother to wipe away the stray tears that casted down Hinata’s face as he captured his lips in a hasty kiss. Their teeth clashed from the impact, but neither of them cared to bother about the pain. It was an inexperienced and sloppy kiss, but Hinata wouldn't change the moment for anything the world had to offer.
The two were forced to come up for air when a sudden ping hit Hinata’s phone. He quickly rummaged around his volleyball bag in utter embarrassment at the mood being broken, but it was his mother asking him if he had planned on staying at Kageyama’s house again for the night.
Said person peered over Hinata’s shoulder and rested his head in the crook of his neck to read the message before giving out a small laugh, “Well…Do you want to spend the night again?”
“Maybe…”, Hinata mumbled as he typed away his answer.
It wouldn’t hurt to spend another night together…especially after that.