Work Text:
Five years ago, if someone had told Hinata that he would be texting buddies with the infamous "Grand King" Oikawa Tooru, he would have cowered, considered the idea, then shrugged it off while cackling nervously.
Yet here he was now, twenty years old and good friends with the exceptional setter for three months. Ever since their unexpected encounter in Rio de Janeiro back in June 2016, the pair forged an endearing friendship via text messages and occasional phone calls. Their conversations were mostly—if not only—about volleyball and how their respective training affected their playing. Hinata was always eager to hear how the Argentinian team would practice, while Oikawa would ask how beach volleyball impacted the young man's abilities. They would also talk about how living on their own in a foreign country was sometimes difficult, and they would cheer each other up when their respective best friends were either still asleep or too busy with university to pay attention to them. Their best friends were also recurrent topics between the two athletes, seeing that both dark-haired men loved to unknowingly torment their friend, even from a long distance.
Hinata placed his phone horizontally on his desk so that the headphone jack would be out of the way. He turned on his desk lamp which soaked his quaint little room in a pleasant light against the darkness seeping in from the night. Pushing away the stationary mess, he opened his training journal to take down some notes.
"You said you ran before or after the workout?" he asked Oikawa.
The man's face occupied Hinata's screen. He was looking away while readjusting the clips in his hair so that stray strands would not stick to the green mask spread across his face.
"Before," he replied absentmindedly. "Since you want to gain muscle. Otherwise after, if you want endurance."
The information was promptly jotted down onto the paper.
"But I thought you already knew all that. Didn't your Ukai guy teach you all this?"
"Yes, but it can't hurt to write it down again, just in case. And, and what did the coach say about uh– what's it called?– nutrition?"
"Ugh, Shoyo, you're really exploiting me, you know?"
The younger man leaned back against his chair with a smirk.
"Hey, these are things you should know since he said them just this morning," quipped Hinata. "Besides, I'm helping you remember by asking you to tell me."
"I don't need you to help me remember, I actually have an excellent memory. But, um... let's see... he said– oh, right! He said we should try to eat citrus fruits in the morning more often. That and... and to try making omelettes from only the egg whites."
Hinata's pen scribbled across the paper furiously. Oikawa watched his friend take diligent notes and sighed. His image began shaking as he was walking around his apartment.
"And he also mentioned eating grilled fish with vegetables at night," added the setter as he plopped onto his bed. He angled his phone so that his entire bust was in the frame.
"Perfect! Thank you Oikawa, you're the best!"
"Ah, well, I knew that much," he said as he drank from his water bottle.
Once he closed his journal and put it away, Hinata picked up his phone so that he could lie in bed as well. He stuffed his pillow under his chest and held the phone out in front of him. Oikawa was obviously looking at himself in the screen as he wiped some paste off his eyebrows with a concentrated expression.
"Have you heard from Tobio-chan today yet?" asked Oikawa while arranging his hair.
"Huh? Uh... well it's nine a.m. in Japan, so he's probably at practice... I guess he didn't have time this morning, but maybe tomorrow when I wake up, he'll have written something. Why?"
"Oh, no reason. Was just wondering if our little monarch was any better than that jerk back in California."
"Iwaizumi-san?"
"Yeah. Do you realize he's just four hours behind but still can't be bothered to reply to my messages within the hour? I mean, it's not like he's twelve hours behind like Tobio-chan," complained Oikawa.
Hinata rested his chin on his pillow.
"Well maybe he's just really busy with university. It can't be easy in English," he said in an attempt to comfort his friend.
"Pfft, yeah, right, as if Iwa-chan struggles with English. He's always loved the language and used to listen to western music and watch many American shows. English definitely isn't the problem."
Suddenly, Hinata remembered something that he had wanted to bring up for a while.
"Oh, Oikawa, I was thinking of going to Carnaval this year, and I remember you mentioning that you were interested in going too. So, uh, do you– would you like to come? It's in February."
Oikawa bolted into a sitting position and dropped his jaw as he held his phone close to his face.
"Are you serious– oh my gosh, obviously! Yes, Shoyo, duh! Of– of course, I– I want to come so bad!" he exclaimed, tripping over his words in excitement. "This is the event I've been looking forward to the most next year– aside from the South American Club Championship Tournament, of course."
Hinata laughed and rolled over to the side. He folded his arm under his head then gazed over to a picture on his desk. It was the one where him and his friends were third years at Karasuno, their last year together as a team. A breeze of nostalgia blew over him, making him smile at the memories as they swayed across his mind.
"I want to invite Kageyama too," he said dreamily as he stared at the picture.
Oikawa squinted his eyes at his friend. He observed the latter's distracted features and pondered over what Hinata had just said. His eyebrows then raised in delight.
"Good idea, then I'll try to convince Iwa-chan to join us too!"
Hinata gasped with excitement, raising his head up from his arm.
"We could play a match of beach volleyball all together!" he shouted gleefully.
"Oh yes! We'll obliterate those two toads with our amazing beach volleyball abilities and they will have no choice but to acknowledge us as the better setter," added Oikawa.
"I can't wait to see Kageyama's face when I make him bite the sand. He will definitely come to me for volleyball tips after that. Ha ha– the King of the Court will bow down to the King of the Beach."
"But we're not set yet, Shortiepie, they have to say yes first."
Both men fell silent. They stared blankly at their walls as they imagined asking their unsociable friends to join them across the globe for at least three days to party until their brains melted.
"We're not out of the woods yet, huh?" asked Oikawa.
"Nope," sighed Hinata.
*
The sun had set many hours ago, but the sky was still brightly lit by all the city lights. Despite it being midnight, the beach was crowded with people of all ages on strolls, playing volleyball, or just relaxing in the early spring breeze September had to offer. Some people even soaked in the cool water under the dazzling night sky.
Amongst the volleyball players was an energetic Japanese man jumping around to try and bump the ball. Hinata had been playing beach volleyball for already five months and was finally starting to get the hang of it. He was much better at receiving the ball, and he begun setting decently. His endurance had spiked over the course of the semester, and his legs were allowing him to perform much better jumps. One of the things he still had trouble with were his jump serves, especially when he was going against the wind. But Hinata was proud of his progress so far, and was determined to get even better.
The volleyball landed in the sand with a loud smack. Hinata was laying on his chest just a few centimeters short from the ball. He dropped his head in frustration, but quickly pulled himself together.
"Good game! Good game!" he cried out in English as he raised himself up.
His teammate was a French tourist who he had just met on the beach. On the other side of the net were two Guatemalans who were celebrating their victory. Both teams shook hands then cleared the net for other players to enjoy. Hinata grabbed his belongings, said goodbye to the French tourist, then made his way over to his bike.
As he was walking, he pulled his phone out of his bag. Once the screen was lit, it displayed many notifications, all of which came from Kageyama. There were five missed calls and multiple text messages including some that said, 'Pick up you idiot,' and 'I swear if you ignore me any longer I will...‘ although Hinata could not read the rest of that one. He pressed the missed call notification and it dialed Kageyama's number for him. As the phone rang, the short man rummaged through his bag in search for his earphones.
"Well finally, dumbass," shouted the voice on the other side of the call. "Don't you know I'm busy? I can't wait for you all day– I'm putting aside time on my lunch break to talk to you since you asked me, but you're not even capable of answering."
It always took Hinata aback whenever Kageyama would pick up his calls with long, angry monologues, considering the man was usually very stingy with his words, especially when they texted. But sometimes, on certain calls, he would have a fit of passion and ramble on to Hinata—not always in anger, but in excitement as well. Their dynamic had not changed much since high school; there was still as much bickering, teasing, and mutual support as there had been before, all of which Hinata was glad had remained between them so as to leave him with at least one unaltered aspect of his life since his departure from Japan. The only difference now was that they had to do all of it by call, and not in person.
"Hey quiet down for a second, I have to put on my earphones."
Kageyama remained silent as Hinata plugged in his earphones. The latter slipped the phone in his jacket's pocket and zipped it.
"Alright you can continue."
The setter's voice resonated softly into Hinata's ears as the former grumbled a reluctant response.
"Anyway, I know you're on break, so I'll make it quick," said Hinata as he unlocked the padlock on his bicycle.
He mounted the vehicle and began pedaling through the quiet streets of Rio.
"I want you to come to Carnaval in February."
"Huh? No thanks."
Hinata shook his head expecting as much. Since he knew his best friend so well, he had prepared the best arguments to convince—trick—him to come.
"Why not? It will be fun."
"I don't have time for fun. Don't forget my job is to play volleyball, I can't slack off at the beach."
"Everyone needs a vacation once in a while. If you come, you would be able to play volleyball in the sand with good players."
The other line fell silent. Hinata knew he had hit a sensitive nerve.
"There's sand– there are beaches in Japan too, that's not special," replied Kageyama, although with a hint of reluctance.
"Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san will be there. You'll be able to play against them in a volleyball match."
Again, Kageyama mulled over the suggestion as Hinata dashed through the dark streets, heart beating faster than his wheels were spinning.
"And I miss the King's tosses," admitted Hinata. "I haven't had a toss that comes close to having your precision– well, except that one time Oikawa-san was here."
Flustered sounds crackled through the Hinata's earphones. He also felt embarrassment prickling at his cheeks. He gripped his bicycle handles tightly.
"Well, and um... you know, there's– uh," he stammered feeling helpless.
"Yeah you're right," interrupted Kageyama.
"Oh?"
"I also miss being able to do our freak quick. And also, um, it's been a while... I mean, it could be nice, uh, seeing each other... again..."
A bashful smile covered Hinata's warm cheeks.
"But just because I want to see if you've really gotten better like you said you did," added Kageyama in a hurry.
"Ha! I bet I can run way faster than you now," said Hinata as he reached his apartment building.
"Like hell you can, dumbass."
Hinata unlocked the building entrance and pushed his bike to the bicycle room where he secured it against a rail. He quietly walked up the stairs.
"Well, just come in February and we'll be able to say for sure," he stated in a low voice.
"Alright, fine. I'll see what I can do."
"Great, I can't wait," whispered Hinata, mostly to himself.
"Ah, well, text me the details later alright? I have to go. Practice is going to start again soon."
"Yup, no problem. Thanks for giving me some of your time."
The old door of Hinata's and Pedro's apartment creaked as the delighted man pushed it open. He frowned at the noisy hinges. Thankfully, Pedro was a heavy sleeper and he never minded when Hinata came home late from volleyball practice.
A gentle sigh breezed through Hinata's ears. He listened carefully, wondering what was troubling friend's mind.
"It's not like time spent talking to you is a waste or anything, it– it's always nice talking to you," confessed Kageyama. "And– and I'm the one who should be thanking you. For the– uh, the invitation."
Warm feelings of happiness nested in Hinata's ribcage, taking cover in his heart and spreading out to his lungs. His breaths became shaky from excitement, his lips stretched across his face until his cheeks hurt. He fell onto his bed face first.
"Yeah... don't worry about it," he mumbled through his pillow. "Have a good afternoon Kageyama."
"Good night Hinata, get some rest if you want to beat me one day."
The call ended, leaving Hinata alone in his bedroom with the plethora of thoughts spiraling in his head. Now that Kageyama had said yes, they needed to plan his stay. They would need to get tickets for the Sambadrome, organize excursions, and prepare for the few days the other two would be visiting.
All these thoughts stuck to Hinata's brain as he showered and brushed his teeth. Even laying in bed, he was still fidgeting with anticipation. He was really looking forward to spending time with his best friend and old high school rivals, especially since they could enjoy their time much more freely than when they were still teenagers. Several amusing scenarios of the future encounter began playing out in Hinata's mind as he gradually fell asleep, fueling his dreams with joyful adventures.
In the morning, the determined volleyball player wasted no time, immediately sending Kageyama the dates of the event.
Carnaval 2017 is from Thursday the 23rd to Tuesday the 28th of February. You can come on the weekend, maybe for 3 or 4 days. Up to you :)
The latter replied as Hinata was preparing his breakfast.
Great. Thanks. I'll check with Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san to coordinate our flights.
As Hinata read the message, he remembered that he should call Oikawa to see if he had also managed to convince Iwaizumi. After all, he had promised Kageyama that they would be coming, but he did not even have a confirmation of that fact. He searched for Oikawa's number in his recent calls and pressed on his contact. While the phone rang, Hinata's roommate entered the kitchenette.
"Good morning," greeted Pedro in Portuguese.
"Oh hi," replied Hinata. "Fried eggs, you uh... want some?"
His Portuguese was still a bit clumsy, but Pedro had gotten used to their way of communicating. The timid man nodded in agreement.
"Hello? Shoyo?" came a muffled voice from the phone.
Shit, my earphones are in my room, thought Hinata as he added two eggs into the frying pan. He glanced around to Pedro and pointed to his phone on the countertop.
"Is speaker okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine."
As soon as Hinata put Oikawa on speaker, his boisterous voice filled the kitchenette with Japanese.
"Hey, what's up Small Fry? You know I love chatting with you, but I'm having breakfast right now and I'll be leaving soon, so we don't have that much time."
"Hey. You're on speaker," announced Hinata as he lowered the volume.
"Oh, alright. Well, it's not like anyone can understand us anyway."
Some burning oil splattered on Hinata's forearm, making him jump back as he held the spatula up in defense. He lowered the heat and shuffled the pan back and forth to unstick the egg from its surface. What Oikawa said was not exactly true, Pedro could understand a few rudimentary words and sentences in Japanese, but Hinata did not have the time to start explaining that to him.
"Kageyama agreed to come in February! What did Iwaizumi-san say?"
"Tobio-chan agreed? For real?"
"Yeah, it took some convincing, but he's in."
Hinata flipped the eggs over then sprinkled salt, pepper, and spices over them. While he did that, Pedro set the table for the both of them.
"Wow, well isn't that a nice surprise."
"So, how about Iwaizumi-san?"
"You won't believe what that dumbass said," exclaimed Oikawa as the clattering of utensils covered his voice from his end of the call. "So, I made a list of reasons for why– as to why Iwa-chan should come to Carnaval, right?"
"Yeah, same with Kageyama."
"Exactly. So I have my list, and I call him. I mention that I am going to Brazil in February for Carnaval, and I ask him to join me. And that bastard says yes. Right away."
"Oh that's awesome!" smiled Hinata as he flipped the eggs once more.
"I mean yeah, of course, but, he didn't even let me the chance to explain why he should come. I didn't even have to say that Kageyama was coming so that he had no excuse not to come."
"Well... he probably was just happy you asked him. Hasn't it been like... more than a year since you've seen each other? Two years? Maybe being with you a few days was reason enough to say yes, I guess."
The contemplative tapping of a finger on wood replaced Oikawa's voice.
"Who would have thought... our little Shoyo might have actually gained some emotional intelligence."
"What?" said Hinata in a sceptic tone.
"No, you're probably right... I just assumed he'd be glad to have a break from me for all this time."
"I mean, you're probably not wrong about that either," mumbled Hinata before he could stop himself.
"Hey! Come on, that's not fair. Damn, Shortie, there goes that intelligence of yours– out the window!" complained the setter. He exhaled sharply, then his usual pep laced his voice. "Anyway, I have to go. We'll talk about the organization stuff another time, okay? Bye bye Shoyo."
"Yeah, no problem. See ya."
Oikawa hung up and Hinata's phone went back to displaying all his recent calls. Hinata put the device in his pocket then turned off the stove and ventilation. He picked up the pan with one hand, holding the spatula in the other, and scraped half of the fried eggs into Pedro's plate before serving the rest to himself. He set the pan on a cold stovetop then seated himself across his roommate. They ate while engaging in a casual conversation, even bringing up Carnaval and Hinata's plans for the event. Time dashed by without either of them noticing, and they were almost late to begin their day.
*
It was a scorching hot morning in Rio de Janeiro when Hinata went to the airport to pick up his friends on Friday. He laid sprawled across a waiting seat at the terminal's arrival gate, fanning his face with a cardboard sign he had made the night before. The airport was loud and busy—it was Carnaval week, after all. Crowds of people flooded out the arrival, one after the other, sweeping away their awaiting acquaintances as they went, only for the latter to be replaced by other people immediately after. The air conditioning was on but it could not make less of a difference due to the outside temperature and the number of people scuttling around. Despite only wearing a thin tank top and beach shorts, sweat trickled down Hinata's forehead and spine. It really was a typical summer day in Rio.
Hinata checked the time on his phone. He adjusted the cap on his head then held up his sign and stood on top of the seat so he was sure he would be seen. The cardboard sign hovered proudly over the sea of people, calling out to his Japanese friends. The first to arrive was supposed to be Oikawa whose plane landed a few minutes prior, so Hinata scavenged through the forest of heads for the brunet. He managed to spot the man right out of the opening.
"Hey Oikawa! Welcome back to Brazil!" shouted Hinata as he waved around.
The setter smiled at his friend. He pushed past the large crowd and went to greet the joyful man. Oikawa was wearing a flowery linen shirt with dark blue shorts, topping the look off with a fancy straw hat. The way he walked and wore a cream-colored cardigan over his shoulders made him look older than he truly was. It was obvious from his looks and attitude that the brunet had come to Rio with the intention to fully enjoy himself as a tourist this time, and not just as a volleyball player in town for tourneys.
"Glad to see you again," said Hinata, holding his hand out.
Oikawa gripped it tightly and shook it with eagerness. "Glad to be here, Shoyo! But tell me, why did you write 'happiness' on your sign?" he asked pointing to the cardboard in Hinata's hand.
"Huh? What– you mean it's not written 'welcome'?" He flipped the sign over and frowned as he tried to decipher the kanji he had scribbled on it.
Oikawa burst into a fit of laughter, much to his friend's embarrassment.
"What? Have you already forgotten all your Japanese after only one year? Don't tell me your brain only has space for one language at a time– has Portuguese completely replaced your native language?" he joked with a trembling smile.
"Wha– no! I–" Hinata cringed in shame. Truth be told, he did not know Portuguese well enough to back up Oikawa's claim even if he wanted to—and he did not—so all he had were feelings of humiliation and defeat.
The setter gave his friend a compassionate look and a comforting pat on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, it took me some time to get used to Spanish too," he said.
This made Hinata feel better. A smile poked at the corner of his lips and he stood upright again.
"Although, in my case, I never forgot how to spell 'welcome' so..."
"Oh back off," cried out Hinata with a laugh. He nudged Oikawa with his elbow then sighed in defeat. "I was never good at kanji to begin with. But–! What I lack in language skills, I make up for in volleyball!"
He started bouncing in place to prove his point. Oikawa snickered while shaking his head.
To help pass the time as they waited for the other two men to arrive, they decided to sit down and take a drink in a café near the terminal. Hinata helped Oikawa with his luggage and set his own backpack on top of the latter's suitcase once they were seated. As is expected from airport food services, the products were overpriced and rather bland, but Oikawa was glad to have a latte with a small snack, so he did not mind.
"Oh look," said Oikawa as he pointed to the flat screen displaying the plane arrivals, "Iwa-chan's plane has been delayed."
Hinata turned to look. Indeed, the plane coming from LAX was marked in yellow with a twenty minute delay stamp.
"Ah well, in that case, he might land at the same time as Kageyama's flight then."
"When does Tobio-chan arrive?"
"Uh... at eleven twenty, I think."
"Hm, then they might bump into each other at the baggage claim. Assuming they do, that means we still have to wait what? Another forty minutes or so?"
"Yup," replied Hinata as he slouched against the back of his chair.
"Well that's fine, that gives us time to catch up. Tell me, have you been paying better attention to your opponents' perspective?" Oikawa slyly smirked with his latte between his hands.
They conversed about volleyball and their previous encounter as the people near the waiting area constantly moved around. The clamor was getting progressively quieter as there seemed to be less planes arriving at the same time. Finally, it was about time both Kageyama and Iwaizumi should arrive. Taking advantage of the decrease in people, Hinata and Oikawa moved forward to the railing that separated the arrival gate from the waiting lobby. From there, they casually looked on to the oncoming flux of people all the while maintaining a pleasant conversation.
A group of young women waiting next to Hinata and Oikawa began murmuring to each other in Portuguese, some of which Hinata was able to understand.
"They look handsome," said one girl.
"Are they K-pop stars?" asked another.
"So tall!"
Hinata peaked over their shoulders, curious to see who they were talking about. His face scrunched into an irritated frown.
The people the women were referring to were none other than Kageyama and Iwaizumi who were sauntering out of the arrival gates while chatting. Kageyama's face was mostly covered, firstly by a black mask over his nose and mouth, then by his long bangs falling over his narrow eyes. He wore an oversized black hoodie over a pair of light-washed ripped jeans, creating an appealing contrast. Next to him was Iwaizumi who sported a pastel blue button-up shirt with beige shorts. Sunglasses rested on top of his wild hair and he also had a mask covering his face. He was much more tan than when he was in Japan, something which suited him well.
"How can you say they're handsome? You can't even see their faces!" grumbled Hinata as he gripped the rail.
"Huh? Oh, so they were talking about Iwa-chan and Tobio-chan," said Oikawa, waving at their friends. "I thought I had recognized the word 'beautiful'– Hey Iwa-chan! Tobio-chan!" he cried out.
The two men nodded when they noticed their friends in the crowd.
"I can't believe no girls acclaimed my arrival," whined the brunet as he grabbed the handle of his suitcase.
Both Hinata and Oikawa left the railing to meet up with their friends on the other side of the sweating crowd. All four men managed to reach one another further down the barrier of people. Once Kageyama and Iwaizumi walked over to their friends, the setter pulled down his mask.
"H-happiness?" he read from the sign Hinata was holding under his arm. "What's that supposed to me–?"
Hinata scrambled to flip the cardboard around. "Nothing! It's nothing! You saw nothing!" he shouted defensively while folding the sign into two.
"He's just trying to welcome you," smiled Oikawa. He turned to look at Iwaizumi.
They locked their gaze on one another amidst the bustling surroundings, pausing the world between them while the one around them spun wildly.
In that lapse of time, Iwaizumi noticed how Oikawa's skin was delicately sun-kissed. He saw how in two years, the man had grown and changed. His shoulders were wider, his thighs sturdier, and his face was more mature. A new earring hung from his earlobe since the last time Iwaizumi had seen him on a video call, making it now three in total. There were even new freckles spotting his nose, a beautiful detail that never appeared on their video calls. His light brown eyes were fighting back tears that threatened to spill out of joy. Seeing the emotion painted on Oikawa's face made Iwaizumi's own well up in the corner of his eyes, which blinked rapidly in an effort to dispel them.
Then there it was, the highlight of the man's face: his large, genuine grin, which Iwaizumi had not seen in person in such a long time. It stretched across his cheeks, pushing them up against his sparkling eyes, and it was the handsomest accessory Oikawa was donning that day. And as he was bathing in the comforting warmth of the smile, Iwaizumi was glad to see the beautiful changes in his best friend.
Oikawa held his fist up.
"It's been a while, partner," said Iwaizumi as he bumped his friend's fist.
"It has indeed."
They smirked as an old flame of friendship and competition reignited in their chests. Just seeing their best friend standing in front of them after being separated for so long brought up giddy emotions from the depths of their being. There was an indescribable feeling of relief to be together again with the person they cared for so dearly during all those years. Seeing one another was like opening an old book they had cherished as children, diving into the familiar scenery, accompanying the befriended characters, and reliving the joyful adventures all over again; no matter how much time had passed since they had last turned the pages, it felt the same—it was a haven that always welcomed them despite everything going on throughout the years.
"Huh, you grew taller," Kageyama said to Hinata in a monotone voice.
"Don't sound so disappointed when you say that!" retorted Hinata with a scowl.
Oikawa and Iwaizumi finally turned their attention to the two bickering men by their side. The two were shoving each other with increasing force until Hinata almost tripped over Kageyama's suitcase, but Kageyama managed to catch him before he fell. Once back on his two feet, Hinata dusted himself off while glaring at his friend.
"Well anyway, we'd better catch the bus for Copacabana beach as fast as we can," he mumbled. "The ride is at least an hour and a half, so... let's go so we can get lunch when we arrive."
The rest of the group agreed and hauled their luggage behind them. They paid the bus driver the fare then stuffed their suitcases in the storage compartment. As soon as they entered the bus, they were hit by a blast of cold air, contrasting greatly with the boiling temperatures outside. Hinata shivered as he sat in a seat. The air conditioning plastered itself against his sweat, making each of his hairs spike up. Kageyama sat next to him and reclined in his seat.
"The air is so nice and fresh in here, I was starting to get really hot outside," he said, wiping sweat off his upper lip.
"Well yeah, what kind of idiot are you to come here wearing such a thick sweater?" scoffed Hinata as he cradled himself in his arms.
"What do you mean? It is February after all," replied Kageyama in total seriousness. "And we're by the sea. The ocean wind is very dangerous."
Oikawa, who was sitting in the seat across the aisle, leaned over to Kageyama with a concerned and curious look. "You do know it's summer here in Rio, right?"
Iwaizumi poked his head out from behind Oikawa, staring at the younger setter in wait of a response. Kageyama just frowned while staring back.
"It... it is February though..."
"Yes, but we're in the Southern Hemisphere, so– so it's summer here. February is one of the hottest months in Brazil," said Hinata. "Did–" he scoffed, "did you... not take summer clothes?"
Now Kageyama got frustrated. He turned around to face his old teammate with a glower. "Why would I? We're in February! It gets cold in February!"
"But not in Brazil!" Hinata shouted back.
"Tobio-chan, did you really not take summer clothes? Not even a swimsuit?" asked Oikawa while trying to suppress a guffaw.
"Didn't you look at the weather before packing?" added Iwaizumi in total incredulity. "Or ask someone?"
"I– I didn't think of that, and I didn't have the time to ask for a second opinion... But I did take a swimsuit and I do have some t-shirts and shorts, but I mostly have warm clothes..."
Oikawa could not hold his laughter in any longer and let it all burst out. Hinata immediately joined in, clutching his stomach in hysteria. Even Iwaizumi let out a chortle before biting his lip in an effort to calm down.
"Well how was I supposed to know?" cried out the young setter. "I've never traveled out of Japan before!"
"But we're in Rio," whimpered Oikawa. "Everyone knows Rio is warm all year 'round."
The sputter of the bus's engine covered the group's laughter. The vehicle gently rolled forward then turned to the left heading toward the highway. As they drove away from the airport, Kageyama was still the victim of his friends' relentless mockery. He remained arms crossed as they each took turns roasting him until Iwaizumi called it off.
"I can't believe you're the genius setter of Schweiden Adlers," laughed Oikawa as he slouched back against his seat. "Not so genius now are we?"
From the corner of his eyes, Iwaizumi observed the brunet before lowering his gaze to his feet. He caught a hold of the silver bracelet gripping his wrist—the one Oikawa had given him for his nineteenth birthday—and he sighed. He clenched his fists then leaned against the window, staring out to the luxurious landscape as it flashed by.
At some point during the trip, Hinata remembered he had brought water bottles for everyone and handed them out. He insisted everyone stay hydrated while enjoying Rio de Janeiro, warning them about the dangers if they did not. His speech was particularly directed toward Kageyama which made the latter feel patronized. The two got into a quarrel that somehow ended up with the setter giving his sweater to Hinata after Kageyama had bet that he would not stand wearing the warm sweater for more than ten minutes. Naturally, Hinata was more than willing to prove his friend wrong, especially since he was in fact cold because of the air conditioning—all of which Kageyama was well aware.
The rest of the trip continued in total stillness, each man using the ride as an opportunity to relax and admire the scenery. They arrived at Copacabana beach around one o'clock and decided they would meet up for lunch after setting their bags at their respective lodgings. Both Iwaizumi and Oikawa had booked three nights at the Hotel Atlantico Rio which was right by the beach, since Hinata's apartment could not accommodate for all three of the visitors. The group set the rendezvous time at a quarter to two, leaving Kageyama and Hinata enough time to quickly take the bus to and fro the latter's place.
*
When Hinata had planned his friends' visit to Rio, he had put together the best schedule of fun and excitement for them to enjoy together. However, nothing on that schedule seemed more fun or exciting to the energetic man than the fact that Kageyama was going to live with him for a few days.
Even though him and the setter were not constantly on the best of terms, he was always glad to be around the prodigious player. They had spent three years of their lives sweating and bleeding on the court together, fighting and training in between classes together, growing and learning by each other's side. Their friendship was rich in rivalry and was mostly fueled by it, but there was a deeper understanding of one another rooted in that rivalry. It was because they were so similar in most ways and yet different in some that it made their connection such a strong and reactive one. Hinata cared deeply for the person who helped him evolve as an athlete but also as a person, and he knew Kageyama was grateful to have him in his life as well, even if both men did not express it often. Being separated from the people he had close ties with for almost a year made Hinata yearn for that familiar spark he was accustomed to, so he was thrilled to finally reconnect with his partner.
"Welcome to your apartment for the next four days," exclaimed Hinata as he swung his front door open.
He marched in, kicked off his sandals, then spun around to observe Kageyama's face. The latter excused himself and entered the living room with his luggage trailing behind. He took off his shoes and set them by the door before following Hinata to his room. On the bedroom floor was set a thin mattress covered with a light sheet and a pillow. It took up most of the space in Hinata's room, leaving just a gap between the mattress and desk. At the foot of the bed was a corner that Hinata had cleared for Kageyama to set his belongings. He had even thoroughly cleaned his entire room as well as a large part of the apartment just to impress the setter.
"Pedro is still at school right now, but you'll get to meet him tonight. He's really nice once you get to know him. He's really shy. Oh! And here. Thanks again," said Hinata as he untied Kageyama's hoodie from his waist. He handed it to his guest who set it on the mattress.
"No problem. So, I should take my beach stuff now, right?"
"Yeah, since we said we'd directly go to the beach after lunch."
Kageyama laid his suitcase on the floor then zipped it open. While he looked through his belongings, Hinata sat at the edge the bed and observed him patiently. The setter pulled out a pair of light blue swim shorts and a white sports t-shirt. He laid them on the mattress then continued to rummage through the piles of clothes. Finally, with a flash of satisfaction gleaming in his eyes, Kageyama pulled out an old plastic bag from under his sweaters. He dropped it onto Hinata's lap while the latter looked confused.
"For you," Kageyama tried to explain. "As a thank you gift. For inviting me, and letting me stay here."
Hinata untied the bag's handles and peeked inside. There was an assortiment of Japanese snacks along with one New Years good luck charm. Among the snacks were a few GunGun bars which had accompanied Hinata throughout his high school years. He picked one up with a large grin. It had been so long since he had eaten one, but he could still remember its exact taste—sweet caramel, flavorful chocolate, and the fun times he and his friends would share during or after practice while munching on the candy bars.
"Since– uh... since you couldn't come back home for the New Year, I uh, thought I'd bring you an omamori from the temple," said Kageyama, absentmindedly rearranging the contents of his suitcase.
Hinata held the pouch in his palm. It was small and black with gold and orange embroidery decorating it, intertwining into fancy geometric patterns. The silk was soft and smelled of the steps of a temple on a cold winter morning where pine and jasmine filled the air.
"It's a Katsumori," continued Kageyama. "For success. I know normally the person is supposed to chose the omamori for themselves, but I prayed the gods to help me find one for... for you, and that is the one that uh– that caught my eye. I hope the success charm will be useful to you."
It was difficult for Hinata to concentrate on what Kageyama was saying because of how his body was acting. His chest prickled with joy, his cheeks warmed up, his lips quivered into a grateful smile, and his throat wanted to let out embarrassing sounds of excitement. Hinata had missed those giddy feelings he often experienced around Kageyama, and was glad to see that the setter still made him feel them all like before. It was such a simple gesture but it made him feel truly appreciated after feeling so alone for many months. Looking at the omamori, Hinata was certain the charm would protect him for the rest of his volleyball career, and he vowed he would keep it for as long as he could.
Hinata broke away from his thoughts and looked over to Kageyama who was sitting on the floor. He pulled out his key ring from his pocket to clip the omamori to it, letting it dangle proudly among his keys.
"Thanks Kageyama," he beamed.
The timid man nodded while pressing his lips together into a straight line, making that expression of universal uneasiness when you do not know how to act, but you want to express that you are trying to find a way to say something useful.
"I still can't believe you went to a temple for the New Year though," laughed Hinata as he stood up to put the bag of food on his desk.
"I was forced by Yachi and Yamaguchi," mumbled the setter. "They even forced Glasses to come. It was okay. Could have been better." He did not give any explanation as to why it could have been better, instead picking at his fingernails. "But at least I was able to find you something."
Hinata gazed up to the picture on his desk. He stared at everyone's faces, each looking back at him with various emotions painted on them. The Kageyama in the photo had an annoyed glare piercing through the frame; it was nothing like the soft, quiet expression plastered on the Kageyama sitting on Hinata's bedroom floor. Hinata preferred seeing the latter, and wished he could snap a picture of it before it faded into a simple memory amongst many.
*
The view from the small hotel balcony was unimpressive. It was perched over a street in between tall buildings, displaying the liveliness of the neighborhood, but not much else. Although, if Oikawa stretched over the rail, he could see Corcovado mountain in the distance, peaking through the buildings of the city.
"Stop leaning out the balcony like that, you'll fall and I don't want to spend my vacation being interrogated for murder," scolded Iwaizumi as he stepped out of the bathroom.
The brunet spun around like a child being caught in the middle of doing something they were not supposed to. He entered their shared room and closed the glass doors behind him.
"Murder? Are you planning something I don't know about?" asked Oikawa, sitting on his bed which was the one by the window.
"Not yet, but I know how those types of things go down. A guy mysteriously falls down a balcony– it must be his roommate who pushed him out."
"'Not yet'? Now you're really starting to scare me Iwa-chan," laughed Oikawa as he watched Iwaizumi open his suitcase.
"Just don't do anything stupid this vacation and I won't have a reason to," Iwaizumi smiled, looking for his swimsuit.
"Hmm, I'll have to see about that," Oikawa teased as he walked over to ruffle Iwaizumi's hair. As he stood behind his friend, he noticed his own reflection in the mirror on the closet door facing them, then tilted his head. "Should I change?"
"Your attitude? Yes."
"No! I meant clothes and you know it."
Iwaizumi turned around. His eyes glanced over Oikawa from his head to his toes.
"You look like a middle-aged white man going to golf," he said.
"Hey! It's called preppy summer fashion, and it fits all ethnicities and ages, especially young adults. I can't help it if you're uncultured."
"Yeah, right."
Oikawa stared at the mirror. He turned around to look at his entire outfit.
"Is it really that ugly?" he asked, quietly this time.
Iwaizumi looked at his friend through the mirror. He placed his folded bathing suit on his bed then dug through the suitcase for his sunscreen.
"I never said it was ugly," replied Iwaizumi. "It suits you, for real. Fits your personality."
"What's that supposed to mean?" inquired Oikawa with suspicion.
Handsome, elegant, eccentric but in a good way, Iwaizumi wanted to say.
"Nothing, it's just that... wearing that, you look like... like you. I don't know how to explain it, it just– in my head it makes sense, okay?" Iwaizumi shot up and grabbed his swimsuit. He marched to the bathroom then shut the door rapidly. From the other side of the door he said, "Just drop the cardigan. And put on your swim shorts."
Oikawa dragged his suitcase to an open space in the room. He was smiling as he picked out a swimsuit for that afternoon, replaying Iwaizumi's stuttered words in his mind until they lost themselves among all his wandering thoughts. Shortly after, Iwaizumi came out of the bathroom wearing a black and white bathing suit and his blue shirt. It being his turn to change, Oikawa got up and headed toward the bathroom.
As he passed by his friend, he said, "I'm surprised you didn't say anything about the hat."
"You're on thin ice with that fucking hat," replied Iwaizumi. "But it's hot outside and you need to cover your head, so I'm letting it slide."
Oikawa laughed as he closed the door after himself. He changed into his orange swimming trunks, brushed his hair with some water, then unbuttoned his shirt halfway to make his outfit more beach-like. He pulled off his rings and took out the two dangling earrings from his left ear and the one stud from his right, so they would not get lost at the beach. Unlike Iwaizumi who kept his helix ring and bracelet no matter where he went, Oikawa preferred to be safe with his jewelry knowing how rowdy the beach can be.
When Oikawa stepped out of the bathroom, Iwaizumi threw him a sunscreen bottle which he barely managed to catch. He was instructed to put some on his face and arms before they left, so he obeyed and did just that. Once he was done, he gave the bottle back to Iwaizumi who put it in his backpack. He also stuffed two beach towels and two water bottles into the black bag before swinging it over his shoulders. Both men took their hotel keycards and left the room to go meet up with their friends. They waited down the street near a local supermarket where Hinata had said him and Kageyama would join them.
About five minutes after Oikawa and Iwaizumi had arrived at the rendezvous spot, the younger men were seen arriving. Hinata was running toward them with Kageyama chasing behind, his face twisted into a scowl.
"Oikawa! Iwaizumi-san!" shouted Hinata as he neared his friends. "You'll never believe what–"
"Shut up!" howled Kageyama, picking up speed as he tried to grab the enthusiastic man by his shirt.
Hinata slammed into Oikawa then hid behind Iwaizumi. Oikawa coughed the air out of his lungs after Hinata's impact and had to grab the wall to keep himself upright. Seeing that Iwaizumi was standing between Hinata and him, Kageyama did not dare try reaching for the shorter man's throat, and just gripped at the small duffle bag hanging from his shoulder.
"Kageyama... he," Hinata was laughing, wheezing and talking all at the same time, "he didn't bring– has no summer clothes! But–!" his voice became high-pitched as he squeaked out the remainder of his sentence, "he took a freaking volleyball with him."
Hinata collapsed on the floor, clutching his pounding head as he gasped for air. As soon as he had finished his sentence, Kageyama went over to crush his skull in revenge. Oikawa and Iwaizumi watched from the side, mischievous grins crawling on their faces. The brunet leaned in with a huge smile, hands clasped together in delight against his chest.
"Tobio-chan? Did you– is this... true?" he asked.
The younger setter did not look up. He was lifting Hinata by his backpack as he laughed uncontrollably on the floor. In a very meek voice he replied, "Yes."
Once again, the group roared with laughter. They were being so loud and absurd that a few passersby gave them concerned looks on their way.
"You are killing me today," howled Oikawa. "I don't even know what to say..."
"There's always something crazy with you guys," laughed Iwaizumi. "Never disappoint."
"I wanted to make sure we'd have a volleyball to play with," Kageyama said in his defense.
"I play volleyball here– I have a volleyball! And even if I didn't, there would always be a way to find one somewhere!" cried Hinata as he held his hand up, beckoning Kageyama to pull him to his feet. The setter frowned but grabbed Hinata's hand and helped him stand up.
"I just wanted to be sure."
Oikawa swung his arms over both Hinata's and Kageyama's shoulders, guiding them away from the supermarket while Iwaizumi followed behind.
"Come on, now, as fun as this all is, I am starving and I will die if no one finds me food soon. So Shoyo, work your Brazilian magic and bring us to the food," said Oikawa.
The redhead caught his breath then agreed, guiding the group through the streets in search of a small restaurant. He brought them to a local grill not too far from Copacabana beach, but just far enough so that it was not too expensive. They all sat down at the plastic table set in the alley and placed a huge order consisting of beef skewers, chicken breast, fried fish, and some roasted vegetables. The sizzle of the grill, the crackling radio, and the lively voices of the nearby tables made the place very charming despite its unconventional allure. The meat was also perfect, tender and tasteful, reinvigorating their tired bodies after such long flights. Even Hinata who had not travelled was eating with a huge appetite, although that was rather common for him.
In between bites, Hinata continued their conversation. "So how's the hotel?" he asked.
"It's fine," replied Oikawa as he reached for a slice of bread. "The room is nice and clean. It has no nice view though."
Iwaizumi scowled at his friend. "Hey, I can't help it if I'm still just a student! I can't afford a suite at a five star hotel– I had to find two extra jobs just to be able to come on this trip."
"Same," Hinata chimed in. "I mean– I had to work extra shifts at my job just to buy the Sambadrome ticket and extra groceries for two active athletes."
"You guys don't make money?" asked Kageyama in a much too direct way.
"We do," retorted Hinata. "Just not as much as a volleyball player on the national team does."
"Especially not one who went to the Olympics last year," stated Iwazumi, peeling the bones off his sardine.
Oikawa bit a piece of beef off its skewer then twirled the bare stick at both Iwaizumi and Hinata.
"In that case," he said grinning, "we'll be the ones treating you this holiday. Right, Tobio-chan?"
Kageyama raised his head up from his plate and looked from Oikawa to the other two men sitting opposite to him.
"Hmm? Yeah, sure."
"Hey! We don't want your charity," rebuffed Iwaizumi.
"Yeah!" echoed Hinata.
"We'll do just fine if everyone just pays their part."
Oikawa reclined in his chair as he picked up a vegetable skewer from the dish in the center of the table. He shrugged his shoulders in acquiescence.
"As you wish."
The brunet watched with amusement as his friend grumpily ate his fried sardines. It was cute to see him put on a strong face while peeling bits of fish with his fingers before he stuffed them into his mouth. A piece of the sardine stuck to Iwaizumi's chin, so Oikawa took his napkin and wiped it off for him. Iwaizumi glanced up to Oikawa with confusion at first, then bashful gratitude. He grabbed his own napkin and rubbed it over his face to make sure there was nothing left.
Keeping his eyes on the setter, Iwaizumi leaned in over the table so that Oikawa would better hear him over Kageyama's and Hinata's voices as the two chatted.
"Hey, um, as I was making the reservations, I saw that there's supposedly a nice view from the pool, on the rooftop. If you want, we can go check it out tonight."
Oikawa rested his chin on the back of his hand, tilting his head with a smile. "That sounds great Iwa-chan," he whispered.
Once everyone had finished their dish and had full stomachs, the group moved on to finally enjoy the beach. Since it was Carnaval, the entire strip of sand was packed with tourists and locals savoring the sun before the evening festivities. People were on towels, on lounge chairs, under parasols, or on the beach volleyball fields. It was very difficult for the group to find a spot on the beach, but they managed to squeeze in between the masses. They decided to wallow in the waves and swim before playing a match of volleyball, especially since the sun was still quite hot. Due to the high chances of theft at Copacabana, the men stored their valuables in a waterproof sack which Iwaizumi volunteered to keep on himself so that all four of them could enjoy the water at the same time.
The ocean was tame with a few occasional big waves, otherwise soft, swaying ripples reached for the shore. Multitudes of tourists floated at the water's surface to avoid the blistering heat radiating from the clear sky. Their loud chatter mingled with the rush of the waves which together produced a lively background sound characteristic of busy beaches.
Drifting around in the cool water released all the tension packed in the men's muscles and dissolved it like the foam crashing into the sand. Time hung in the air for as long as Hinata was staring up to the clear sky, pausing everything in the world except the rocking currents cradling his body. The salt from the water stung his eyes and parched his lips, yet he had no desire to leave the small harbor he had found in the ocean. The group had swam inwards to avoid the crowd and revel in the calm depths of the water, now bobbing at its gentle surface in heavenly tranquility. Sometimes Hinata would bump into Kageyama who was also floating next to him, eyes closed and body stretched out like a sea star. There was an overwhelming feeling of peace expanding in Hinata's body as he enjoyed the simple moment with his friend. By their side was Oikawa who was justifying buying an inflatable pineapple floatie while Iwaizumi dissented with the logical argument that they would only be able to use it four days at most, therefore, it was not a reasonable purchase. The brunet's main argument was, "But, effortless floating."
Without warning, Kageyama flipped upright which startled the rest of the group. He asked when they would play a match of volleyball, earning a laugh from Oikawa and Iwaizumi, who commented on his dedication to the sport. They all agreed to rest a few minutes at their towels before looking for a free net. As Oikawa and Iwaizumi tanned in peace, Hinata and Kageyama discussed wind and atmosphere effects on volleyball with great passion. Tired of hearing the duo ramble on, Oikawa and Iwaizumi cut their nap short to scout for an opening on the fields. They waited by the nets as a team of tourists finished their friendly match. Once it was their turn to play, Hinata and Oikawa imposed the teams.
"Shoyo-chan and I are going to be a team, you two can be the losing team," stated Oikawa as he laced his arm around Hinata's shoulders.
"Huh– but– Hinata! You told me we'd play on the same team again if I came to Brazil," said Kageyama.
The lively man stuck his tongue out and smirked, "Well I lied."
"I see Oikawa is rubbing off on you," muttered Iwaizumi while handing Kageyama's volleyball back to him.
"At least for now. We can always switch teams in another match," added Hinata.
Kageyama grumbled to himself as he twirled the ball in his hand. He pointed his finger to Hinata who was standing on the other side of the net. "Doesn't matter. Now I have the chance to beat you again."
"Why don't you just try."
Everyone got into their positions and Kageyama was first to serve. His team started with the wind at their backs, creating an advantage for them for the first few rallies. He tossed the ball into the air, jumped, and smacked it down on the other side of the net. Oikawa and Hinata watched as it zoomed past their heads and into the sand, landing out of bounds.
"The courts are smaller in beach volleyball," explained Iwaizumi while waving his hand in dismissal.
"I see that," grumbled Kageyama as he widened his stance for a receive.
Hinata performed an average jump serve which landed right into Iwaizumi's arms, propelling the ball back into the air. Not quite close enough to the net, Kageyama moved forward, but his foot sunk into the sand instead of launching him upward, delaying his set of a few seconds. The ball touched his fingers in a clumsy way, but he still managed to set it into an admirable arc. However, the wind blew the volleyball just a little too close to the net, forcing Iwaizumi to hit it lower than he normally would. With such an easy spike, Hinata was quick to block it, sending it right back over to the other court. He cheered and high-fived his teammate.
"And that's why he's a genius setter," said Oikawa as he picked up the ball to serve. "Even with bad footwork, the ball is set perfectly."
"And Iwaizumi-san was great too," interjected Hinata. "Even though the ball was too close to the net, he arched his back and BAM! He hit it with all his strength! That's an ace's spike alright! I still feel the sting." He looked at his prickling hands with pride.
Iwaizumi glared at Oikawa, who avoided his eyes so as to not directly look at the threat. The brunet shook the sand off the volleyball then executed a perfect jump serve which the opposing team missed by a few seconds, letting the ball hit the sand at the center back of the field. His next serve was a jump floater, although his palm hit the ball in an awkward position, therefore the spin was not completely eliminated, and the volleyball landed right in Kageyama's arms who then bumped it nicely. Iwaizumi ran to the net, set the ball in a large arc far from the net so that the wind would push it closer for Kageyama. The setter spiked the ball with impressive strength, sending it flying once it hit Hinata on his arms. Oikawa ran after it, set the ball over to his teammate who scored with a feint.
Their match lasted well over three quarters of an hour, even catching the eye of onlookers who ended up being very invested in the game. The score was tight throughout the entire game, but Oikawa and Hinata won the last set, thus seizing two sets and a victory for their team. Kageyama and Hinata demanded a rematch, whether they be on the same team or not, but their seniors refused, pointing out that other players also wanted the net, and that they were already exhausted from playing under the blazing sun for so long. The two younger men managed to find a group of people playing six-on-six volleyball and joined them for few rallies while Oikawa and Iwaizumi went to buy themselves some drinks at a beach shack.
From their bar stools, they observed the thousands of people on the beach, occasionally glancing at their friends who were bickering from different sides of the net. Everything was loud, agitated, and colorful, vibrating with life and happiness. The soft breeze of the ocean caressing Oikawa's damp skin while he sipped a homemade lemonade with his best friend was what he considered one of the best moments of the day so far. It was just so simple and natural, demanding no effort nor reflection, just being there in silence was enough to enjoy every passing second. He had missed the silent support of Iwaizumi by his side. It always made him feel more relaxed, and reassured.
And the fact that Iwaizumi's chiseled upper-body was so generously exposed, glistening with a coat of sweat that accentuated his physique, was certainly not unappreciated by Oikawa, who not-so-secretly loved admiring those arms which had the undoubtable strength to crush him. He was brought back to his high school days when respectfully ogling his best friend in bisexual yearning was a daily activity, and the nostalgia comforted him.
After their game, Hinata and Kageyama raced to the shack, sweat pouring down their faces and bare chests. The younger setter was red on his shoulders and chest, contrasting greatly with the rest of his pale skin. The pair said they would go back into the water and asked Iwaizumi to keep holding on to their belongings as he had been all afternoon. They promptly sprinted in between the tanning tourists and over the laid out towels until they crashed into the waves. They resurfaced a few seconds later, wasting no time before continuing their competitive games. Plastered on their faces were the widest smiles, just as blinding as the hundreds of rays of sunshine refracting from the surface of the ocean. Whether it be from the heat, or a sunburn, or an abundance of emotions, both their faces were bright red as they wrestled in an attempt to submerge one another. Hinata crawled onto Kageyama's back and kicked the back of his knees so that he would fall backward into the water. The setter failed to keep himself up and tumbled over, Hinata still on his back. From under the water, Kageyama pulled on the redhead's leg, grabbed his waist, then heaved him over his shoulder as he emerged from the waves. He spun around to throw his kicking friend back into the water.
From in between the parasols, Iwaizumi and Oikawa enjoyed the wrestling match with their refreshments in hand.
"They sure have a lot of energy," smiled the brunet as he contemplated the younger men.
Iwaizumi agreed, shifting his gaze from the horizon to the man sitting opposite to him. The latter was looking over to the ocean with nostalgia and almost some defeat in his eyes. His face was relaxed, displaying a hallow smile, which irritated Iwaizumi. He gently placed his hand over his bracelet before he reached out to grab his drink. He chugged the rest of his tonic water then slammed the glass on the table. Oikawa jumped in surprise at the sudden sound. He watched his best friend stand up from his chair as others around them also turned to look in confusion.
"Stop acting like you've accepted your fate of 'being less good' than them or something."
"What?"
"Don't you dare settle for less than what you truly are capable of. I thought you had stopped setting barriers for yourself and you were going to reach new heights. That's what you told me before you left."
"Wha– I am! I didn't– right now, I wasn't– Iwa-chan!" muttered Oikawa.
Iwaizumi pointed to his friend with a stern look. "You. Me. In the water. Come prove me wrong. I'm going." He spun on his heels and marched through the sand without giving his friend a chance to respond.
Oikawa's jaw dropped in disbelief, not certain of what had just happened between them. He called after the grouchy man in vain. In disgruntled acquiescence, he finished his lemonade, grabbed his hat from the table, then chased after his friend. As soon as Iwaizumi had noticed him approaching, he picked up speed, threw his sunglasses somewhere near their towels, and sprinted toward the water. Oikawa smirked and did the same with his hat, catching up to Iwaizumi as he wadded through the waves. He tackled him and sent both of them into the water head first.
Once Iwaizumi resurfaced, Oikawa clinging to his back, he challenged Hinata and Kageyama to a battle, every man for himself. They agreed without hesitation, immediately jumping onto Iwaizumi. The "every man for himself" wrestle quickly became an "everyone against Iwaizumi" wrestle, the goal being to get his head under water. Despite being at a huge disadvantage, the buff man stood his ground very well, even sinking his opponents a few times. The group's friendly wrestling lasted until saltwater had entered every one of the men's facial orifices, either blinding them, choking them, or doing both at the same time. Sand had gotten in their swim shorts, in their hair, and in their mouths as well. Bits of algae were also found tangled in their hair or fingers. They looked like worn out warriors after a taxing aquatic battle, dirtied and drained after having given it their all during the tussle. They dragged each other out of the water, pruney hands laced over and under one another's shoulders as support, since their muscles ached for respite. The warm fuzz of their towels had never seemed so inviting, and as soon as they had hit the ground, they all dozed off for a couple hours.
*
The city bathed in orange and yellow, sinking into the beautiful colors of the sunset until darkness overwhelmed its features. By the time the Japanese men had awoken from their naps, gotten to their rooms, showered, and took the subway to Ipanema, it was already nine in the evening and the night had taken over the ocean and land, draping it with its coolness. The streets in Ipanema were packed with people to the point where it was difficult to stand let alone walk. Hinata suggested they get some street food in a less crowded block then go to see the smaller Carnaval parades happening that night, so they all clung onto each other to slither through the sea of partiers. Iwaizumi was the one leading the group since he had found a cheap kebab on his phone and had the directions displayed on the screen. Oikawa gripped onto Iwaizumi's free wrist while Hinata held onto the brunet's upper arm. At the end of the line was Kageyama who was being pulled by the hand by the energetic man in front of him. As they pressed against the fluttering people, Oikawa joked saying they were just like kindergarteners again, to which the others smiled and agreed, shouting funny anecdotes they had experienced as children.
With their steaming wraps in hand, the group sat down on a park bench surrounded by tall residence buildings. From over the buildings, they could hear the rhythmic beats of drums, the cheerful chants of singers, and the rumbling of the dancer's stomps. It was exciting to see the colorful beams from every corner of a street, lanterns and LED signs flashing a kaleidoscope of lights onto the streams of visitors. The Japanese men conversed as they ate, all looking forward to the party in the avenue nearby.
"By the way Kageyama, I like your outfit tonight," commented Iwaizumi. "I never would have thought you'd be the type to wear your shirt completely open. Or one to wear such bright colors."
"I was thinking the same thing," exclaimed Oikawa with a huge grin.
"Right?" laughed Iwaizumi.
They shared a soft smile and a gaze of understanding before looking away bashfully. Meanwhile, Kageyama looked down at his chest which was exposed due to the shirt he was wearing being entirely unbuttoned. His sunburn was clearly visible and covered his entire chest since he had fallen asleep on his back without flipping around at some point. The short-sleeved shirt he wore was yellow with green tropical leaves and a few white parakeets as a pattern, definitely not his style. He stared at his friends with a blank expression.
"It's because if I close it, I can't move my shoulders," he stated, moving around as if to prove his point.
Oikawa and Iwaizumi laughed some more as Hinata scowled.
"Hey, if you're unhappy with it, you can just go out wearing your wool sweaters," grumbled Hinata.
"I'm not complaining," said Kageyama, looking at his friend. "I'm just explaining why I'm wearing it like this. Thanks, by the way."
Hinata rolled his eyes then stuffed his kebab in his mouth. "You're welcome," he mumbled with his mouth full.
"At least you're in Rio during Carnaval, that type of outfit would not fly back in Miyagi," pointed out Oikawa.
"That's true," agreed the younger setter. "Although I would normally never wear this type of shirt—" Hinata squinted his eyes defensively, "—I don't mind the look. It's very... touristy," concluded Kageyama as he pulled on the collar to fix it.
"Yeah, right, you're just happy you can show off your abs to the world," quipped Oikawa.
"Except all people can see is how roasted his abs are," added Hinata with a snicker.
"Hey, at least I don't have an ugly tan line on my face," retorted Kageyama, looking over to Oikawa.
"Don't fucking remind me," groaned the brunet as he hid his face in his hands. He had fallen asleep with his sunglasses on at the beach. Thanks to Iwaizumi's insisting he wear sunblock, he ended up with a tan instead of a bad sunburn, so the worst was avoided, nevertheless, the outline of his shades was still noticeable on his face. "I can't believe I'm going to look like this in all the vacation pictures."
"Just never take off your sunglasses," suggested Iwaizumi, munching on his pita sandwich.
For some reason that blunt comment made everyone lose it, even Oikawa laughed at his own fate.
The convivial atmosphere accompanied them throughout the rest of their meal. Soon, they finished their kebabs and threw their trash in a bin before running off to finally party.
Every passing face was lit with bright smiles and the warm shine of the street lights. Singing and dancing crowds mingled together, creating a beautiful show of happiness. The samba dancers had mesmerizing outfits with huge feather crowns, reaching high into the sky as if trying to join the element in which they belonged. Each costume was sparkling and colored with rhinestones, glitter, lace, ribbons, and feathers. Some dancers had paint on their bodies and faces, either to embellish their features or to tell a story along with the dance they were interpretating. Around the dancing troupes were hordes of tourists cheering, filming, tapping along to the impressive movements. Even though it was not an official parade, the whole experience was breathtaking and unlike anything the young Japanese men had ever seen.
The group spent a whole hour going from samba block to samba block, dancing with the people around them—well, Oikawa and Hinata did most of the dancing, the other two kept an eye on them to make sure they would not be targeted by pickpockets, and even then, Iwaizumi was the one doing much of the work. The lively duo compelled their friends to join them, grabbing them by the hand and leading them into a dance. Their collective movements were clumsy and uncoordinated since everyone was doing their own thing, but it fit well with the chaotic mood of the neighborhood, so even when bumping into one another and laughing more than actually dancing, their performance was admirable.
They drank a couple beers with some young European tourists at a packed bar, danced and sung some more in the busy streets, then Iwaizumi joined a dance battle against some Brazilian street performers. While Iwaizumi stole the spotlight on the dance floor, his friends watched from the sidelines, mouths agape. They still had not processed the fact that Iwaizumi had agreed to the friendly provocation and that he was actually in front of them, spinning and contorting to the music—with undeniable skill to top it off. They were so dumbfounded they just barely had enough functioning brain cells to think of recording the whole thing.
The audience cheered so loud at each body roll, hip thrust, and quick footwork, drowning the music the competitors were dancing to. Surprisingly, Iwaizumi had great control over his movements and twisted his body along to the rhythm all the while delivering dance moves that were the equivalent of mic drops. His opponent was much more into body contortions which were just as impressive, reeling the crowd in with the seemingly unnatural gestures. In the end, the Brazilian man won, but by a thin margin. The contestants congratulated each other while shaking hands, then Iwaizumi returned to his friend group who all were in varying states of shock. Hinata was ecstatic, clapping and cheering his senior on. Next to him was Kageyama who was impressed although nothing on his face expressed that. Then there was Oikawa who was fumbling with his emotions—he was confused, surprised, proud, and also angry.
"Wow Iwaizumi-san! I didn't know you could dance like that!" applauded Hinata as Iwaizumi approached.
"Yeah, I've been uh... taking dance classes at university. Hip hop, mostly. You know, as a way to externalize stress and such. It's actually really fun, I never– I never would have thought I'd continue for so long though."
Oikawa choked on his words before he could even start to form a sentence. "Since– why? But you– How could you not tell me you knew how to dance?" he cried out, throwing consecutive punches against his friend's shoulder. "I feel so betrayed!"
Iwaizumi laughed while blocking Oikawa's punches. His face was red and dripping with sweat, making him shine in the glowing lights. He breathed heavily but his smile never left his lips, which made it hard for the brunet to be mad at him at that particular moment, despite how much he really wanted to.
"Sorry, I wanted to find the right time to bring it up, and also– well... But you were impressed, right?"
Oikawa stared down into his friend's eyes, hand slowly slipping down his shirt. "Yeah..."
"Then I succeeded," he smirked.
That statement earned a perplexed frown and a discreet blush from the setter. Oikawa tried to understand what Iwaizumi meant by it, but he stopped his thoughts as they were venturing over to explanations he had marked as "off-limits" many years ago. Regardless of Iwaizumi's intention, the comment caused Oikawa's heart to flutter in childish happiness, so he accepted it as it was.
Kageyama interrupted everyone's thoughts by saying that he was getting tired and wanted to head back to the apartment. After all, the young setter had traveled for more than twenty-four hours that same day, and was still functioning despite a huge lack of sleep and several hours of jet lag. It was about time he got some rest, especially since the group planned on visiting several places starting early the next morning.
Everyone agreed that they should start walking back to the metro station for Copacabana. They made their way through the crowds again, passing down the animated avenues. On their way to the station, Oikawa spotted a street merchant selling beautiful feather crowns along with samba costumes. He tugged at Hinata's t-shirt to show him the stall.
"Remember we said–"
"Those are exactly what we need," cut off Hinata as he slammed his palm on Oikawa's chest. "Let's go!"
"Iwa-chan, Tobio-chan, wait just a minute, we're going to buy something," said the brunet, running off with his younger friend.
The two dumbfounded men watched them scurry off, incapable of saying a word, having lost the energy to even go against their friends' ridiculous ideas. They found a spot out of the way of the currents of people and waited there, watching the merchant and the two men from a distance. Hinata and Oikawa were laughing and speaking a mixture of English, Portuguese, and Spanish, trying to get a good deal off whatever it was they wanted. Their eyes sparkled as they tried on some different feather crowns, making fun of one another all the while giving genuine compliments when deserved. While he observed them, Kageyama leaned against a lamppost and yawned.
Iwaizumi shot a quick glance to the younger setter. "How are you holding up?" he asked.
"Hmm, fine," shrugged Kageyama.
"You're damn crazy and brave for coming here from Japan, especially now that you're on the Schweiden team."
"I guess."
"Why did you come, by the way? I know you prioritize volleyball over anything else, and this definitely comes between you and volleyball. Right?"
Kageyama remained silent as he stared at Iwaizumi. He dropped his gaze to his feet then glanced over to the merchant stall across from them. Iwaizumi followed his eyes and leaned against the wall next to him.
"I came because I wanted a break from university," began Iwaizumi, breaking the ice for Kageyama, "and I needed to be around people that reminded me of home. That person was Oikawa, initially, but you guys too, in a way." He nodded his head over to Hinata, compelling Kageyama to look over to him.
A sigh pushed through Kageyama's lips. His face contorted into a frustrated frown, displaying his annoyance at his inability to understand and express his feelings. It was hard enough for him to make out the different emotions and thoughts he had, but having to find a way to make it make sense to someone else was difficult, especially since he himself still had no concrete explanation for his actions. Still unable to find the words he needed to express himself, Kageyama simply strung some together hoping they would make sense along the way.
"I don't really know... I– well, before I didn't used to– I guess still now, but uh, I didn't used to have friends, or a partner, so um, well Hinata was the first person to become those things to me. Maybe... I guess I came because, even though volleyball means everything to me, I would never have made it to where I am now if it wasn't for him, so, I owe it to him to fulfill my role as a friend as best I can, especially since our partnership is... on hold, for now."
Iwaizumi nodded in understanding.
"But," pursued Kageyama, feeling dishonest in his previous statement, "I'm not just doing it for him either, or just out of loyalty or– or obligation. I want to be here." He looked up to stare Iwaizumi in the eyes. "I wanted to see him again because I feel happiest when I am with him– well, actually when I'm playing volleyball, but also when I'm with him. My mind is less 'brouah' and more 'whoosh' when we play volleyball, and when we talk, and stuff. Yeah... I wanted to experience that again."
Not once while starting their conversation had Iwaizumi expected such a thorough response, and he gaped at the younger setter with wide eyes and thoughts in disarray. The honesty woven into that explanation compelled him to confront the motives he had stitched into his own reasoning, forcing him to reevaluate the veracity of his claims. Sure, he had wanted a break from university, sure, he missed his home, but he did not agree to go to Rio because of those reasons. He could have taken a break and actually gone home for a few days if that was what he really wanted, but it was not. He came to Brazil because of one specific reason, for one specific person, and he it was about time he admitted it to himself.
Iwaizumi finally got a hold of himself and closed his jaw, clearing his throat while glancing over to Oikawa and Hinata.
"I– uh, I see, that's, um, that's really nice, I think. I mean, it's good that you're doing this for those uh– reasons, that means you can only enjoy this to the fullest and not have any regrets, no matter what happens when you get back home," he said with a kind and considerate smile.
"Why would I regret it?" asked Kageyama with genuine confusion. "Did I do something I might regret later?"
"Huh? Oh no! I didn't mean– no, don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine, no actually, you are going to be fine. Just... just forget what I said," Iwaizumi chuckled nervously as he patted Kageyama's shoulder. "Oh hey, look, the other two are coming back," he said hurriedly to change the subject.
"Okay, we can get going now!" shouted Hinata with a reusable shopping bag in his hand.
"What did you two get that couldn't wait until tomorrow?" inquired Iwaizumi.
"You'll see on Sunday," Oikawa winked as he shared a knowing look with Hinata.
They laughed at their own secret then started walking toward the station as they exchanged amusing remarks. Iwaizumi and Kageyama glanced at each other and shrugged it off, following their friends back to their neighborhood so they could all finally rest before their promising next day.
*
It was true that the view from the rooftop was much more impressive than the one from their balcony, especially so at nightfall with all the twinkling lights spotting the stretch of land. Since the hotel was so high, it towered over the other buildings and looked over the entire neighborhood. In the distance, there was Corcovado mountain with large white beams illuminating Christ the Redeemer. What was most impressive was the glistening ocean stretching out in front of the thousand dots of orange lights coming from the city. Despite the relatively dark sky, the peculiar mountain shapes native to the Rio de Janeiro region were visible, and decorated the horizon with their outline. Even though it was summer, the chilly ocean breeze had no mercy when it came to rooftops. It howled through the city like a beast on the lamb, running through Oikawa's hair and brushing against his bare arms without a second thought.
A few hotel guests were still using the lit up pool, swimming across the glowing body of water or simply dipping their feet in its coolness. The rooftop bar was still open and had some customers sharing drinks and laughs. Most people were out partying in the streets, therefore not that many were hanging out at the hotel, making it a pleasant place for Oikawa and Iwaizumi to spend a few moments together without worrying about a large crowd. They walked over to the side of the rooftop that looked over the beach, and rested their arms over the cold, metal railing.
"You were right, Iwa-chan," said Oikawa softly. "This is pretty nice."
"Right? I thought it was pretty cool on the pictures," Iwaizumi agreed proudly.
"Yeah, thanks." The brunet laid his chin over his crossed arms, tilting his head to look at his friend. Iwaizumi had his forearms on the railing with his hands clasped together over the edge, staring off into the distance as if he were posing for a picture. The embodiment of effortless charm, thought Oikawa. He buried his nose in the crook of his elbow. "And thanks for coming."
Iwaizumi smiled as he breathed out. "I'm glad I'm here," he said, lowering himself so that he was in the same position as Oikawa, head burrowed in his arms and eyes fixed on his friend. Their elbows pressed against each other ever so slightly, fighting against the pull but longing to close the distance. The battle of opposing forces resulted in the softest of touches, a humble compromise of sorts.
"Yeah, I'm glad you came too."
"Oh? What? Are you saying you missed my insults and my head-straightening?"
Oikawa laughed. "Yeah, you could say that. But not only, of course."
Iwaizumi grew silent. His mind kept flashing words which he knew he had to say, but his heart was too afraid to let the air escape his lungs. The gifted charm he kept on his wrist caught the glimmer of a nearby lamp, reflecting its glow in Iwaizumi's eyes, and making him incapable of ignoring it. He gripped his arms in an effort to gain control on his nerves; he had put it off long enough to not say anything now. His nails dug into his skin.
"I'm sorry," he finally managed to say. "I'm sorry for all those times I insulted you and was violent with you during high school– and junior high. It wasn't fair of me to do that."
"Hey, Iwa-chan," said Oikawa with a comforting gaze. He reached over to place his hand over Iwaizumi's shoulder. "It's okay, I never minded it, I always knew it was your way of showing affection," he winked.
Iwaizumi smiled but shook his head. "That doesn't make it okay. You didn't deserve that."
"Well, maybe I deserved it a little– but only sometimes!" added Oikawa with a playful grin.
"Maybe you kinda did," agreed Iwaizumi, smiling. He looked down to the street below them. "Back then, I was... I was struggling with some– a lot of emotions and how to, uh, externalize them, so it came out in– well, in unkind ways. But I finally managed to deal with all that, I think, so I won't do it again. I'll try– I'll try to be kinder to you."
Oikawa had many things he wanted to say, but felt the moment was not quite right. He was thankful for Iwaizumi's candor, and what he was willing to share at that instant would have to be enough.
The brunet removed his hand from Iwaizumi's shoulder and brought it up to his face to cover his yawn. "That's good for me then. Does that mean you won't call me 'Shittykawa' anymore?"
"What? You want me to? 'Cause I don't mind if you don't," joked Iwaizumi.
"Well let's not get ahead of ourselves," laughed Oikawa. "But you know, maybe in a year or so, it couldn't hurt to put me back in my place once in a while– in a kind way– if I ever need it of course."
"You will, I can feel it already. Starting setter on the Argentinian team, international courts, Olympic medals, thousands of fans, a great career– all that is bound to inflate your ego to the size of the moon."
"And you'll be there to keep me in line," chuckled Oikawa with a head shake.
"And I'll be there to keep you in line," repeated Iwaizumi, almost like making a promise.
They stared off to the sky in silence as the people behind them chattered in the background. The white and red head- and taillights of cars lined the broad avenue in between the rising buildings. The scene below them was bustling with life, never sitting still or taking a moment to breathe. It felt like they were in a whole other world, perched up far away from all that craziness. Just the two of them, hidden away in the peace they created.
"You really think I'll have thousands of fans?" Oikawa interrupted the silence.
"Ugh, I knew I would regret saying all that."
"Will you be one of them?"
Iwaizumi gently nudged Oikawa away in embarrassment then crossed his arms back together. "Of course I will," he murmured. "That is, until we go toe to toe on the court. Then I'll be your worst nightmare."
Oikawa snickered in his sleeve then closed his eyes. He let the wind blow in his hair and enjoyed the pleasant moment.
"Are you mad I didn't tell you about the hip hop thing?" asked Iwaizumi.
Oikawa pondered over the earlier situation and the feelings which had overcome him. There was no use feeling resentful toward his friend now—especially over something so trivial—so the brunet shrugged it off. He turned himself around and leaned against the railing, arms supporting him as he had his back to the ocean. "No, not really. I was just afraid... I felt like you might not be sharing things with me anymore, so maybe I was a little upset, but... but I don't think I need to worry about anything like that. Even if we don't share everything, as long as we can share the important things, then I'm fine."
Iwaizumi nodded and stood upright. "Exactly. From now on, you'll be the first to know about all the different dogs I'll see on campus."
"Hey, I said important things!"
"Well that's important to me!"
Both exploded in laughter and playfully shoved each other. Their hands lingered around another's arms as their laughs died down. Once again, the world stood still between them and any outside occurrences were rendered insignificant. It was just the two of them, like it had often been before, and like it would often be several times more.
Oikawa took a step back and broke the spell he felt he was under. He walked away from the edge then turned his head over his shoulder. "Well, I haven't been totally honest either," he admitted sheepishly. "I also picked up some dancing three months ago."
"No way! Really? And didn't you tell me? You who usually loves bragging about stuff like that," said Iwaizumi, taking a step closer to his friend.
"I... well, I've only been doing it for a few months, and only because the college girls in my apartment complex dragged me with them to a rehearsal. And well, I'm not really good," laughed the brunet.
"What kind of dance?"
"Uh, well, it's tango, actually."
"Show me."
"Ha! Not a chance."
"You saw me dance. It's only fair you show me now."
There were two ways Oikawa could handle this situation. He could refuse to dance, giving Iwaizumi no choice but to pester him for the rest of their stay in Rio de Janeiro; or he could dance, make a fool of himself, and have Iwaizumi make fun of him for the rest of their stay in Rio de Janeiro. Either way, his best friend would not let him off the hook. Iwaizumi patiently waited with his arms crossed over his chest, a smug and expectant look draped on his face.
Taking a deep breath in, the brunet decided to put himself in the spotlight so he could get it over with as fast as possible. He arced his right arm in front of himself as if embracing an invisible partner, and held his left arm out. His right foot circled around from the front to the back, then he spun around, and lunged to the left while leaning his chest forward. Oikawa stood back up, dragging his right foot behind him, then sashayed to the side while crossing his legs in front of another at each step. Just as he was about to start a spin, he dropped his arms in defeat and walked away from his friend, laughing at his own embarrassment.
"No no no, I can't do this, it's way too awkward without a dance partner, I give up," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. He felt exposed and could not even turn back around to look Iwaizumi in the eyes, so he shuffled near the pool while staring at his feet.
"Then I'll be your partner," stated Iwaizumi.
Oikawa's eyes widened in panic. He glanced over his shoulder to see his friend standing with open arms.
"I won't know the steps, but you can guide me. Come on, show me what you've learned so far."
"You have way too much faith in me," said Oikawa with a weak smile.
"Of course I do, dumbass. And you should too."
Oikawa scoffed as he approached his friend. He crossed his arms and bent forward with a smirk. "I thought we were over the insults."
"Only when you don't deserve it," Iwaizumi smirked back. "And dumbass doesn't count, it's basically an affectionate nickname at this point."
Catching the shorter man off guard, Oikawa snaked his arm behind Iwaizumi's lower back and pushed him forward so that their bodies collided forcefully. A gasp escaped Iwaizumi's lips before he could understand what his friend was doing.
"Fine, but do as I say, and don't step on my new moccasins."
Oikawa held his partner's right hand in his left, pulling their arms up to the side. He guided Iwaizumi's left hand to his right shoulder, then rested his own hand against the dark-haired man's upper back. The space between their faces narrowed, and their breaths bounced off one another's cheeks. They were so close that all Oikawa could see was the dark brown of Iwaizumi's eyes, which withheld his own reflection: timid, unsure, and overjoyed. He took a step forward, forcing Iwaizumi to take a step back, and they continued for two more steps until Oikawa turned them around. He spread his legs and leaned forward, letting his partner fall back in his arms while stretching one leg to the side. Both men simultaneously dragged their extended feet back to the center, Oikawa standing straight as he guided Iwaizumi's leg up to hook behind his hip. Their burning cheeks were pressed against each other, adding to the heat radiating from their skins.
Overall, Iwaizumi's movements were a bit uncoordinated since he did not know what to move or when, but the control over his gestures was impeccable, allowing the dance to retain its fluidity. Oikawa was not the best tango dancer out there either, but he held himself with grace and sensuality, which was the most enthralling part of their tango. Together, they created an intimate and improvised performance of which any true tango enthusiast would be proud.
The graceful man instructed his partner to spin out then extend his arm, and once he did so, Oikawa pulled him back in as he slid to the side. Their chests thumped together as they reconnected their hands, and their gaze never broke off from one another. They pressed their foreheads together while exploring the infinite space contained in each other's eyes, losing themselves in the soothing void.
The hammering of Oikawa's heart got out of hand, and his breath grew short. He blinked several times then shakily pushed Iwaizumi away. The latter let go of his friend's hand and shoulder with a worried frown. Oikawa avoided his gaze, instead scanning the rooftop to see if people had noticed their dance. No one was looking in their direction or giving them any attention; or if they had noticed the dancing, they simply did not care enough to stare.
"It's late," stated the setter. "We should sleep. Tomorrow..." He was lost in his thoughts and was speaking without knowing what he was saying, but he just had to say something otherwise he was sure he would die. "Tomorrow we have a busy day, so, you know. Bedtime."
Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow, wholly unconvinced, but exhaled in acceptance. He nodded and headed toward the elevator doors. "Alright. Let's go then," he said when Oikawa had not budged.
"You go ahead. Change and get in bed, and– and go to sleep, and I'll be right down. You must be tired, after all, you just travelled fifteen hours. Don't worry, I won't be far behind," blabbered Oikawa as he waved his hand in front of his face.
"Are... are you sure? Are you okay?"
"Yeah yeah! I'm fine, just go, go down and I won't be long, promise. I just want a bit of fresh air– some more. Some more air. Just go."
"But... alright... um, good night then," surrendered Iwaizumi. He went to call the elevator.
"Good night."
"You have your key card?"
The elevator doors opened after a ding. Iwaizumi stepped in.
"Yup, right here. See you tomorrow."
Oikawa waved as the doors shut in front of his friend's troubled face. As soon as the doors were completely sealed together, the brunet let out a groan as he slammed his hands over his face. He stomped over to the edge of the rooftop where they had been earlier. His chest folded over the railing and he let his arms miserably dangle in the breeze. He quickly shot up again and buried his face in his hands, setting his elbows against the railing.
"Shit. That was so fucking gay," he whined to the wind.
The brisk breeze gusted through his hair, brushing his warm cheeks as if trying to cool them down with its caresses. His nostrils filled with the scent of the ocean and his ears rang with the sound of the rushing waves and car horns. Soon, his heart calmed down, unwinding the muscles that were tightly taut and allowing air to completely fill his lungs. Oikawa regained a little control over his spiraling thoughts and let out a long exhale to further concentrate. He stared off into the distance which was dark blue with smudges of light gray gathered along the horizon. The brunet intended to wait a few minutes for Iwaizumi to get into bed and hopefully fall asleep before he would go down. There was no way he would survive if his friend was still awake and asked questions, so waiting alone on the rooftop was his only viable option. As he watched time tick by, he kept repeating to himself, "It was the alcohol, it was the alcohol, it was the alcohol," until the words lost their meaning, and he was almost lulled to sleep by the foreign chant.
*
The soft rays of dawn plastered themselves in rectangular strips on Hinata's ceiling. From outside the closed blinds was a city still under the spell of sleep, its inhabitants mostly in bed savoring the last minutes of their dreams. Inside was just as quiet, with only the soft breaths coming out of Hinata's mouth to brush against Kageyama's ears. The setter laid on the mattress set on the ground, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling for an hour now. Due to his jet lag, he had awoken around five in the morning and was unable to fall back asleep. They had set their alarm clocks at six thirty, therefore, he decided to wait in bed until Hinata would wake up—but it was not without trouble. His friend would roll around in his sleep, dangling his arm over the edge of his bed and onto Kageyama's face. He would also mumble in his sleep, sending shots of palpitations through the awakened man's heart at each somnolent sound. At one point, he had said something along the lines of, "Bow down... Samba king... no, give me mango crab," which took every ounce of self control Kageyama had in his body to not burst out laughing.
As much fun as it was to lay in bed listening to his friend blabber nonsense and hit him in the face, Kageyama was starving by six o'clock which quickly made him restless. However, he did not dare step out to rummage through the kitchen out of fear of waking up Hinata's roommate. He had met Pedro the night before when they had come back from the beach, and the guy seemed nice even though he had not said much to Kageyama. Nonetheless, there was a bizarre tension between both men which led Kageyama to believe that Pedro would not mind his presence as long as he did not disturb him, therefore the setter remained still so as to not give any reason for the Brazilian man to hate him.
Kageyama's eyes randomly landed on the bag filled with snacks he had brought for Hinata. He stared with yearning at the GunGun bar peeking from the rim of its plastic prison. It was tempting, but he had brought those for Hinata, so he flipped around on the mattress to face the other way. His phone was charging under the bed within arm's reach. He unplugged it and scrolled through his social media for one minute before getting bored.
Thirteen minutes left until their alarms would go off.
Kageyama sighed and sat up, looking for his shirt. He had slept in his underwear and a t-shirt, but along the night, he had discarded the shirt due to it being much too warm in the room. The thin sheet Hinata had provided for him was scrunched up at the end of the mattress, but his t-shirt was no where on the floor. He rubbed his eyes and looked over to his friend sleeping soundly next to him.
Then he saw it, his t-shirt.
He must have thrown it to the side while half-asleep, not thinking where he was dropping it, and now it was tangled up in Hinata's hair and face. Kageyama pursed his lips while trying to figure out a way to extract the garment without waking his friend. With growing impatience, he simply recovered his t-shirt by swiftly and rapidly pulling it off Hinata's face. Kageyama slipped it over his head and pulled it over his back.
Next to him, Hinata let out a groggy moan as he twisted over, chest on the mattress and limbs spread out. The unexpected movement startled Kageyama who thought he had awoken the man. He froze as a few seconds ticked by, breath held in and eyes fixed on the sleeping man. Once he was sure Hinata was still fast asleep, he exhaled while shaking his head. He had no reason to be so tense over Hinata waking up. A valid reason to be tense at that happening would be if he was staring creepily at the man while he slept, or if he tried brushing his hair out of his eyes. But since he was not doing any of those things, there was no need to be taut.
Except now that he had gotten the idea in his head, he was actually curious to see what would happen if he were to do those things. His reason would normally not let him act upon such a stupid impulse, yet his voice of reason was suddenly muted by a part of his mind. As much as it tried to warn him that those sort of stolen actions always ended up being found out like in many Shojo manga, it was promptly drowned by the loud heartbeats rattling the setter's entire body. Besides, he was getting bored and quite frankly did not care that much if he woke Hinata up, even if it meant combusting from embarrassment in the case he did get caught. He just wanted to try.
Kageyama reached over Hinata's arm, and hovered over his face. He was not sure what to do. Should he raise the curly locks out of his face? Should he pat his hair like he was sometimes tempted to do? Should he twirl a strand around a finger? Either way it was going to be ridiculous—he had better not do anything after all...
Kageyama's finger poked Hinata's cheek.
He waited.
Nothing happened.
A breath of relief swept out the Kageyama's lips. He retrieved his arm, shaking his head at his own stupidity. Now that was done. He did not need to go any further.
But his hand was once again hovering over Hinata's head. This time, Kageyama poked his friend's freckled nose. Nothing. He pushed aside a lock of hair from Hinata's forehead. Still not a stir. He tucked the hair behind his ear; it was red and warm from having been slept on, and Kageyama noticed a hole in the lobe. That was when he remembered that Hinata had gotten his ear pierced a couple months ago, and had sent him a picture of the swollen ear right after the act, therefore it had been impossible to tell if it looked good or not. Kageyama was slightly disappointed that he was not wearing an earring, now that the ear was back to normal. His eyes then shifted down to stare at Hinata's parted lips blowing warm air out. That was risky, however tempting it was. Aware of that, he stuffed his hands under his armpits as if trying to trap them. His eyes remained glued to the peaceful face of his friend, admiring every detail he had forgotten over the past year. Kageyama hated himself for having given in so easily to his ridiculous impulses, but a giddiness overcame him as he replayed the soft touches in his mind.
Two different alarms sounded at the same time, filling the room with a cacophony of rings.
Kageyama's heart stopped. He threw himself backward to pretend he was asleep all along.
His head hit the wall with a loud bang.
He gritted his teeth and held his throbbing skull while slithering down onto the pillow.
Over on the bed, Hinata groaned. He patted around for his phone which was under his pillow. He pressed the screen to turn the alarm off. Eyes still closed, he dragged himself over the edge of his mattress to search for Kageyama.
"Wake up, Yamemama," he mumbled, dropping his head over the edge.
Kageyama frowned, hands still clasped over his head. I am awake dumbass, he thought, you're the one who can't even open his eyes.
The disgruntled man picked up his phone to stop the ringing. He sat up, rubbing his sore skull. He glanced over to Hinata who was sprawled over his mattress, slowly falling off the edge. Without any hesitation, Kageyama tapped the drowsy man on the top of his head.
"Hey, what's for breakfast? I'm hungry."
Hinata heaved himself up with a guttural groan. He rubbed his eyes then looked around the room suspiciously. "Did something fall?"
"No," answered Kageyama.
"I heard a loud noise, didn't you?"
"No," lied Kageyama.
Not giving it a second thought, Hinata pushed his cover to the side and stepped over Kageyama to reach the door. He went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the both of them. Kageyama followed in silence. They ate while whispering, although Hinata said Pedro was a heavy sleeper and was unlikely to wake up. This new information irked Kageyama since he wished he had known earlier. They finished their fruit muesli and Hinata told Kageyama to get ready while he prepared sandwiches for the whole group. The setter packed his backpack with his beach stuff and with sun protection, since the day before had been a rough introduction to the Brazilian climate. Hinata handed him his lunch then started getting ready himself.
They met with Oikawa and Iwaizumi at the metro station at seven fifteen so they could all go to the foot of Corcovado mountain, where they would take the cog train up to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Hinata had booked their tickets the week before so that they would be certain to be on the ride, which was packed with early risers like them. The train climbed up the mountain, rolling through the beautiful, dense forest. Despite it being early in the morning, the sun shone brightly, making the time spent traveling through the jungle and under its shade very refreshing. As they slowly inched up the mountain, Oikawa was lucky enough to catch a group of monkeys on video as they chanted between the tree branches. Next to him was Iwaizumi, who had brought a digital camera along, and during the ride, he got good shots of nesting parrots as well as the exotic beauty of the subtropical forest under every angle and lighting.
Seeing that their train was the first to make the trip up Corcovado, the grounds were fairly empty. It was a pleasant walk to the foot of the statue, but seeing Christ the Redeemer from up close was mind blowing. It hovered over everything, imposing its majestic self upon the world. The Japanese men each took turns posing on the stairs under the statue, first alone, then everyone paired with someone else, until they asked another tourist to take a few pictures of them all together. Here, they tried taking a couple serious photos, but it quickly turned into a hysteric modeling session. They pulled silly faces, twisted their bodies in ridiculous poses, and took some shots of them holding each other on their backs. Hinata and Oikawa had each jumped on Kageyama's and Iwaizumi's backs respectively, cheering wildly with the happiest expressions spread across their blushing faces. Hinata was like the sand under the midday sky, vibrant, joyful, and clinging onto Kageyama as if he were the quiet, sombre ocean waves as they swayed along the shore. Oikawa laced his arms around Iwaizumi's chest like the lush, tropical vegetation embraced the strong, grounded mountains of its landscape, entangling a sturdy softness with a robust benevolence to form a tender scenery.
Oikawa, of course, was wearing his sunglasses in every photo.
After fifteen more minutes of admiring the breathtaking view from the top, and cooing over the several monkeys hanging out on the terraces, the group began their descent of Corcovado as more and more people piled around Christ the Redeemer. They hiked down a trail leading to Parque Lage where they took a short break. The impressive Italian architecture of the mansion stood out against the lively green of the forest. It was a gorgeous sight to behold.
Oikawa traced his fingers over the white stone pillars upholding the balconies as he admired the arched ceilings. Walking through those arches made the brunet feel like a prince strolling in his palace's outdoor garden, footsteps echoing against the walls as his heels would hit the marble floor. Following him was Iwaizumi who took pictures of the building but also snapped candid photos of his best friend as the latter contemplated the mansion with a sparkle in his eyes. Perched over the still, turquoise pool framed by the Italian arches, Hinata and Kageyama took pictures of their reflections as they struck several funny poses. Because of his excited gesticulations, Hinata lost his balance at the edge of the pool. Thankfully, Kageyama reacted rapidly, catching his friend by the chest and pulling him back. From the other side of the water, Oikawa was secretly recording their foolishness, and caught Hinata's slip-up on tape. The footage was shaky because the brunet had been laughing all along, his snickers turning into guffaws once Hinata almost fell into the pool. He kept it with pride despite how much the shorter man begged for him to delete it.
Their next stop was at the botanical garden not too far from the park. They took the metro to get there then strolled through the tall rows of palm trees. The garden exuded an ancient energy which overlapped with the feeling that each of its plants were sentient and magical. Intricate stone fountains gushed water out in spurts in the center of large, green ponds. The sculptures dancing on their surfaces looked at you as if they were about to spring to life at any given moment. Over their heads were the bold calls of birds resounding through the sky. As they ambled along the dirt paths, Iwaizumi was ecstatic at the sight of such a tasteful blend of nature with mankind's creations. He photographed the smallest of orchids as well as the tallest of the Pau-brasil trees, leaving none of the marvelous specimens unappreciated. Oikawa and Hinata took a few selfies with Christ the Redeemer all small and perched on the mountaintop in the background, and a couple near the vine-covered gazebo where hummingbirds buzzed by. Meanwhile, Kageyama was going through the sensory garden smelling each and every plant on his way.
The group found a nice bench in the shade and sat down to eat lunch since it was already one in the afternoon and they were starving. They devoured the sandwiches Hinata had prepared all the while observing the bustling nature around them. A toucan flew over their heads and landed on a tree branch not far from their bench. The men watched it with huge eyes, holding their breaths as it clapped its beak together. Determined to take a picture of the tropical bird, Oikawa took out his phone, but knocked Hinata's aluminum flask with his elbow as he extracted the device from his pocket. The clattering frightened the toucan, which promptly fluttered away. Utterly disappointed, Oikawa slouched on the bench while lamenting his fate. Hinata consoled his friend by saying that toucans were usually easy to find in the botanical garden, and that they might run into another one on their way out. So, as they trekked toward the exit, everyone's eyes were fixed on the trees and the sky in search for the large-beaked bird. Instead of a toucan, however, they spotted a yellow-faced parrot, a family of Jandaya parakeets, and two scarlet macaws. In the end, Oikawa was able to get his picture with the macaws perched in a tree behind him, standing elegantly as if they knew they were being photographed.
The group's last stop of the day was Ipanema beach where they would enjoy the nautical activities as well as a friendly rematch. They rented bodyboards for an hour so that cruising through the waves would be more fun. Kageyama and Oikawa had never been on bodyboards before, therefore Hinata and Iwaizumi had to help them catch the first few waves and even had to jump in front of them so they would not run over waddling children. Needless to say, steering was not their strong suit. However, after getting the hang of it, all four men were able to surf on the waves, riding them all the way to the shore. The hour went by too quickly which left Hinata and Iwaizumi with the need for more, but on the other hand, Oikawa and Kageyama were relieved that it was over. As much fun as it was, it was tiring to trudge against the crashing waves to reach the right spot to catch a ride, it was uncomfortable getting splashed in the eyes with salty water, and it was annoying to see their friends glide on the water with ease while they could barely find the right timing to get a small boost. Moreover, the friction between the board and the skin caused the latter to burn from a saltwater rash, so it was for the better.
Once they returned the bodyboards, the men went over to the volleyball nets to wait for an opening. Kageyama held his volleyball under his arm, scouting for an empty field as Hinata did throwing tricks with his cap. After ten minutes, Oikawa and Iwaizumi came back from asking people when the nets would be free.
"A group of college students said they were going to take a break soon," announced Oikawa. "We can play on that court before they return."
"Awesome!" shouted Hinata as he bounced to his feet.
"We'll have to make it quick, so a set will be up to fifteen points," instructed Iwaizumi. He reapplied sunscreen to his face while he led his friends to the field.
The group of students were still in the middle of a rally when they arrived, so they waited a few more minutes until they finished their game. The match ended and they cleared the court while high-fiving Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They said a few words in English to which Iwaizumi replied with a nod and an expression of gratitude.
"Alright," he said, clapping his hands together, "let's get this party started."
As soon as he said that, Hinata and Kageyama spun their heads around to look at each other. They shared a look then nodded at the same time.
"We'll be playing together this time," they stated in unison.
Oikawa and Iwaizumi glanced at one another then at their friends. They shrugged and nodded, walking to the same side of the net as the other two skipped opposite to them. Kageyama tossed the ball under the net to the other team since they had the wind at their face. He pulled on the collar of his t-shirt—he had learned from his earlier mistake and covered as much skin as he could when he was in the sun—to let some air breathe through as he positioned himself on Hinata's left.
The game began and Oikawa served a killer ball right into Kageyama's arms. He was forced to take a knee, slipping in the unstable sand to send the volleyball flying back into the air nicely. His teammate sprinted across the court to stand under the incoming ball. He was glad to have sunglasses because of how blinding the sun was, making it uncomfortable to follow the ball as it soared through the air without them. He set it in a wide arc, giving Kageyama the time he needed to get up and jump for a spike. The setter flung himself in the air and smacked the ball at a perfect angle. It zoomed in between the two opponents.
Oikawa was quick to react, throwing himself onto the ground as he caught the volleyball with one fist. He scrambled to his feet, sand raining down from his chest and arms like a veil crumbling to his feet. Iwaizumi set the ball for his friend. The brunet ran forward, leaped into the air with his back bent, then he snapped forward, sending his arm against the volleyball with terrifying force. It plummeted into the burning sand.
First point went to Oikawa and Iwaizumi.
The scoring team shared a proud look before getting ready to serve again.
All morning, Oikawa had been feeling uneasy around his friend because of what had happened the night before. He was glad Iwaizumi had not brought it up during breakfast or any time after that, otherwise he would have felt the cumbersome weight of embarrassment squeeze the life out of him. They had gone about with their morning as if nothing had happened, pretending the awkwardness was not there; like they had often done in high school when something they could not and did not want to explain occurred between each other. It was easier, and safer that way. Besides, Oikawa had long convinced himself that most of his agitations were the result of his overactive imagination and that he was overanalyzing the simples gestures of friendship Iwaizumi awarded him; hence it was not pretending nothing happened if nothing really did happen. It was all in his mind after all.
Regardless, whenever they were on the court together, all that confusion and uneasiness dissipated into nothingness. Their thoughts and actions became clear to one another as they shared one side of the net; there were no secrets, no ambiguities, only complete understanding and support. Playing volleyball together had always felt different than any other activity they partook in. While setting, spiking, receiving, and blocking the ball, they were the most honest with each other to the point where both Oikawa and Iwaizumi understood that they would never find anyone who would ever truly know them like they did one another. And because of that honesty and trust, it was impossible for their feelings to waver while playing their favorite sport together. All that mattered was that they were there, side by side, free from the chaos beyond the court, and simply fighting for a common goal.
The volleyball skidded through the sand, slipping out of Kageyama's reach.
Second point went to Oikawa and Iwaizumi.
"Shit," cursed the younger setter as he picked himself up. "They've gotten in sync already." He gripped the ball with one hand then passed it under the net to his opponents. "Are you sure you haven't seen each other over these past years? You're playing exactly like in high school!"
Oikawa pushed his sweaty hair back before readjusting his sports cap. He caught the volleyball then dropped it into Iwaizumi's hands. "What is it Tobio-chan? Is my perfect friendship with Iwa-chan making yours look bad?" The brunet shared a fond look with his friend before the latter rolled his eyes with a smirk. Oikawa grinned proudly.
"Don't worry Kageyama!" interjected Hinata. He gave his friend a powerful pat on the back as comfort—perhaps too powerful because it earned him a deadly glare. He held both his hands up in defense while slowly backing away. "Ha ha...They– even though we've only been playing together since high school, we are still the best partners in the whole world! Let's show them that their prehistoric friendship doesn't come close to being as amazing as ours is!"
"Hey–!"
Kageyama clicked his tongue and gripped Hinata's head in a death claw, although it ended up being more like a soft pat than anything else. He ruffled the short man's hair then pushed his head back as he walked to his position on the field. "Let's show them what the freak duo can do."
"Yes!" shouted Hinata with way too much passion. He bounced to his side of the court while yelling in excitement.
Iwaizumi watched them interact with beaming smiles and gleaming eyes. He wanted to make a joking remark to Oikawa about the chemistry between their younger friends, but he concluded it was wiser not to, otherwise he might have to acknowledge the elephant in the room, which was his and Oikawa's own unresolved sexual tension since at least high school. Ever since the night before, when Oikawa had reacted so strangely after their dancing together, he felt his friend behaving more reserved whenever they were just the two of them. As a group, he seemed to have no issues clinging onto him for pictures, however, as a pair, Oikawa avoided his eyes and usual nonchalant touches.
It hurt Iwaizumi to think that he might have gone too far and offended his friend, but it hurt him more to think that the reason for such a rough repulsion was because of the complete misunderstanding of Oikawa's feelings for him. Throughout the years, Iwaizumi had never been sure, neither of his nor Oikawa's feelings, but he had never imagined the latter to be so far from his own. But just like when something like this happened when they were teenagers, Iwaizumi stored the moment and its confusing emotions into a secluded part of his mind, forgetting about it and continuing his role as best friend; it was the one role with Oikawa he hoped to never change, so he did everything he could to preserve it.
"Hey, Iwa-chan, you there?" Oikawa waved his hand to catch his friend's attention. "Now's not the time to be contemplating your existence, I fear we've helped unlock a nasty weapon again– we'll be in trouble if we don't concentrate."
Iwaizumi squeezed the volleyball between his hands, pressing all of his distracting and tumultuous thoughts into the ball. He tossed the ball into the air then slammed his hand in it with all his strength, sending all those worries as far from himself as he could. After all, as long as he was playing by Oikawa's side, nothing could come in between them.
The ball bounced off Hinata's arm. It soared over to Kageyama who was waiting near the net. In a flash, the swift man was leaping in the air. He smashed the ball on the other side of the court before their opponents could start their block. A perfect line shot done with lightening speed; Hinata's and Kageyama's freak quick.
Kageyama cheered and held his hands up. Hinata's jaw dropped in surprise, but he quickly got a grip of himself, running up to his friend for a high-five. Their palms slapped together with the most satisfying sound resonating in their ears.
"Tch, see, I told you," said Oikawa, resting his hands on his hips. "Ah, still as impressive as ever."
"Yeah."
"You know what that means?"
Iwaizumi dug his feet into the sand, leaning his chest forward in anticipation. "Yeah, time for us to kick their asses."
"Exactly," smirked Oikawa as he mimicked his friend.
The four men gave it their all as they continued their friendly match, sweating and sweltering under the sizzling sun. Their mouths were parched and their bodies begged for respite as the last few rallies dragged out. With one last display of flawless synchronization and unbreakable trust, Iwaizumi and Oikawa scored the last point, stealing away the victory by two points. The victors celebrated with a fist bump while the defeated team consoled themselves with uplifting pats on the back.
The group of college students arrived just as they finished their game. They thanked them for letting them play then picked up their belongings to look for a new place to settle. As they spread their stuff on the sand, Hinata noticed he had finished the water in his flask. Him and the others were longing for refreshing drinks after spending most of their energy jumping around in the oppressing heat, so they each took their valuables from Iwaizumi's bag and searched for a place selling refreshments. They spotted a smoothie bar across the beach near the boardwalk, not too far from where they were.
"I'll show you how much faster I am now," cried out Hinata, challenging Kageyama to a race.
"Oh really? I doubt that, dumbass!"
The two took off with dust clinging at their heels, sending it flying on the people resting on the sand. Oikawa and Iwaizumi simply continued their peaceful walk through the sand, taking their time to reach the vendor by walking around the annoyed tourists so as to not be associated with the brainless men.
"Ha! That makes 1023 wins for me!" wheezed Hinata as he bent over his knees in need of air.
Kageyama sighed in irritation, cursing his legs and the sand for not cooperating. He arced over backwards, face to the sky and arms dangling by his side. After stretching his back, he walked over to the smoothie bar where an old man was cleaning knives behind the counter. His friend followed closely behind. Baskets of fruits hung from the thatch roof and a blackboard with the available drinks was nailed to the side of the bar. Everything displayed on the counter and drawn on the blackboard looked delicious, especially considering the condition both men were in.
Not needing any longer to decide, Hinata leaned against the counter, just about to order something, when Kageyama cut him off before he could say a syllable.
"Hey Hinata, can I buy you something?" he asked in total casualness. "Please?"
Hinata, on the other hand, was unsettled by the setter's straightforwardness. He fidgeted in the sand while trying to hide his surprise.
"Well, I mean... you– um, well, I can't say no when you ask so nicely," sputtered Hinata with a nervous laugh. He suddenly got a grip on his emotions. "But, uh, sure, of course, I'd appreciate that," he said with more confidence.
"Great," nodded Kageyama.
"Although, I'm the one who lost, shouldn't I be paying?"
"I want to spare you this time. And I just feel like treating you." He turned around to face the vendor. With all the high school English he could remember, he placed his clumsy order, "One uh, strawberry banana smoothie, and um..." He glanced at his companion for a second. "One mango smoothie. Large. Please."
The old man nodded and began peeling the fresh fruit. Meanwhile, Kageyama took out his wallet to pay.
"How did you know?" asked Hinata, bouncing up in his friend's face.
"Know what?" Kageyama pushed the energetic man away from his face while playing dumb.
"That I wanted a mango smoothie! I've been craving mango all day! Are you psychic? Is that why you're so good at volleyball? But then why are you so bad at school or with people?"
"I–! I am not! I just–" The setter stopped himself before he slipped up. There was no way he was admitting to his friend that he had overheard him in his sleep, in fear that it would bring up other embarrassing activities of the early morning. But there was no plausible explanation as to why Kageyama would correctly choose what Hinata wanted at that moment—after all, it was partly a shot in the dark since he could have wanted something entirely different from his subconscious self. He did have another explanation, although it was still a little awkward to admit, he decided to go for it. "You once told me the mangoes here were your favorite, so I assumed– but if you don't want it, you can have mine instead."
Hinata shook his head. "No, no! I want it! I do! It's perfect, thank you. Besides, I wouldn't want your basic smoothie. How are you choosing strawberry banana when you can have pineapple, passion fruit, papaya!"
"Do you only know fruits that start with 'p'?"
"Shut up, they're the best ones– aside from mangoes."
"Well it's the one I know I like. That way I won't be disappointed if I try something I don't know."
The blender whirred behind the counter. The two men leaned under the little shade the shack could offer. Hinata watched the fruit and ice whirl in the mixer, creating a nice yellowish color. Kageyama was looking off to the distance from where Iwaizumi and Oikawa were slowly coming.
"But if you don't take the risk and try," continued Hinata, "then you will never get to taste these amazing flavors, you'll never know if you might like something better, and get a new favorite."
Kageyama glanced at his friend. He watched him stare at their drinks being prepared. "Take a risk and like something better, huh?" he repeated, deep in thought.
"Yeah, you never know."
Kageyama hummed in response. The first smoothie was ready; it was Hinata's. The setter slid it over to his friend as the old man placed a clean pitcher on the jar base then filled it with bananas and strawberries. Soon, the crushing of ice crackled through the air.
"Here," said Hinata, holding out his smoothie. "Taste it."
"No, it's fine."
"I said taste it," insisted Hinata as he waved it under Kageyama's nose.
The setter rolled his eyes and leaned forward, taking a sip from the paper straw. His eyes widened as the sweet taste of mango invaded his mouth, enrapturing each of his taste buds. The aroma was nothing like the one he was used to in Japan, it was much more flavorful and fresh. He swallowed the smoothie then backed away with an unbothered expression, however Hinata clearly saw through his facade, spotting the sparkling delight in his eyes. He grinned, placing the straw against his lips.
"See? Pretty damn good."
"Yeah..."
At last, Oikawa and Iwaizumi made it to the smoothie bar. They were grinning goofily as they reached their friends.
"Well finally," said Kageyama. "Took you long enough to get here."
"Sorry," chuckled Oikawa. "Iwa-chan got hit in the head by a soccer ball."
"Oh my god are you okay?" asked Hinata, eyes wide with worry and wonder as to why that was something deserving of laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Iwaizumi dismissed with a smile. "Then Oikawa wanted to kick the ball back to the group, but he has terrible control over his legs–"
"Um, no. I lost my balance in the sand. I'm not that bad, usually."
"Yeah whatever– so he kicked the ball and it flew in the complete opposite direction, hitting a tanning group of teens on their backs."
Both men started laughing again, Oikawa hiding his face in his hands.
"You should have seen their faces," he wheezed. "I've never felt so bad for wanting to laugh so hard."
"Looks like you don't feel that bad," commented Hinata with a stifled snicker.
"Yeah, so we had to apologize and shit, that's what took so long," concluded Iwaizumi, huge grin still glued on his face.
Meanwhile, the old man handed Kageyama his smoothie as the latter shook his head to himself with a small smile. He paid the vendor while Oikawa and Iwaizumi picked which smoothie they were in the mood for. Once the pair finally got their refreshments, the group headed back to their towels. They savored the delicious smoothies under the softening rays of sunlight, bantering without a worry in their little paradise. They enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, switching between swimming, tanning, and playing casual footvolley in the wet sand as the tide gradually retired.
Later in the evening, the group decided to stay and eat dinner on the beach. They ate on a sandy terrace under a palm roof. A spirited music played on large speakers, serving as a pleasant background noise to the boisterous conversations rising from each table. The steaming food exuded an intoxicating odor which was equaled by its taste. The fried calamari was fresh, crunching at each gluttonous bite the men took, and the grilled shrimp was unlike any they had ever eaten in Japan.
As the sun set, Oikawa stood up from the table to take a few pictures of the crimson sky. A bubbly middle-aged woman slid by his side, taking him by the hand and leading him to the small space in the center of the terrace. There was a wooden square placed on the sand to make dancing easier, on which he was promptly nudged. He barely had the time to give Iwaizumi his phone as he was dragged onto the dance floor. The entire restaurant cheered them on as salsa music blasted through the overhead speakers. With a pink face, the brunet tried to follow the rapid footsteps of his dancing partner. Salsa was a bit more focused on footwork and swaying hips than tango was, therefore Oikawa as not very familiar with the movements. In spite of that, he pulled it off without looking too much like a total idiot.
Sitting at their table, Hinata and Kageyama were holding their phones in front of them, filming the whole thing while Iwaizumi leaned back against his chair with a fond smile. They laughed and joked, pointing out when their friend would bump into his partner or giving credit when he managed to successfully spin her into his arms. Once the song ended, everyone applauded the brave man for performing in front of them, and Oikawa walked back to his seat with rosy cheeks and a wide smile. A new audience member was then picked out to dance to the next song with the woman.
As Oikawa sat down, Hinata shook him by the shoulders to show his amazement. They laughed and watched the video of him dancing, making Oikawa cringe and smile at the same time. Iwaizumi made a taunting comment about his friend's dancing, and Hinata pulled up the footage of smug man dancing the day before. Now it was his turn to cringe, hiding his face in his hands as the three men rewatched the video with much passion.
The group left Ipanema beach shortly after dinner, going their separate ways once in Copacabana. They were exhausted and wanted to get a good night's sleep before Sunday night, so they bade each other good night to go to bed early.
*
The rushing water of the shower pattered behind the bathroom door. From his bed, Iwaizumi could hear his friend hum the melody of "Side to Side" by Ariana Grande, accompanied by a chorus of water and air ventilation. He himself had just finished showering after having gone on a silent evening jog with Oikawa, and was drying his hair with a towel while sitting on his bed. As he brushed his fingers through his hair, a sharp sting made him retract his hand in haste. There was a thin but long gash on his index finger with dots of blood growing at the corners of the cut. He looked at the wound wondering how he could have gotten it, and how he had not noticed it until that moment. Iwaizumi passed his tongue over his finger to clean up the blood, but that made the stinging worse, and the blood now seeped out of the cut in uneven streams. He threw his head back groaning. Shaking his head, he stood up and walked to the bathroom.
"Hey Oikawa," he said, knocking on the door. The water stream weakened so that Oikawa could listen to his friend. "I need something from bathroom, can I come in?"
"Yeah of course."
"Great, thanks. I'm coming in."
The room was steamed up despite the ventilation whirring at full speed. The heat plastered itself against Iwaizumi's bare chest, making him feel like he was outdoors again. He turned to face the blurry mirror and began fumbling through his toiletries in search for a band-aid.
The shower turned off and the frosted door creaked open.
"Iwa-chan, would you mind handing me my towel please?" asked Oikawa, head peaking between the narrow opening.
Iwaizumi looked at the mirror in front of him, saw his friend's timid smile in the reflection, then shot his eyes down to the sink. He scuffled over to the rack where Oikawa's towel was hanging. His sleeping shorts and underwear were also hanging by the towel, so Iwaizumi had to carefully pull the cloth away without making the rest fall off. He held the towel with his injured index finger poking out then handed it over to Oikawa.
"Thanks!"
"No worries," replied Iwaizumi, eyes never leaving the floor.
"So did you find what you were looking for?" Oikawa wondered out loud as he stirred behind the opaque shower doors.
"Huh? Uh, no, not yet," answered Iwaizumi, resuming his search by the sink.
The shower doors slid open, and this time Oikawa stepped out entirely. His towel was tightly wrapped around his waist and he was mostly dry except for his hair which dripped water onto his shoulders. He approached Iwaizumi and peered over his shoulder to see what he was doing.
"What are you looking for?"
"A band-aid."
"Are you hurt?" exclaimed Oikawa, leaning against the counter to scan his friend from his head to his hips, not having the time to look past the rim of Iwaizumi's boxers.
"Just a cut, don't worry," said Iwaizumi as he held his hand up to prove his point.
"Wait, I have some band-aids." Oikawa reached across the sink to pick up his toiletries bag. He unzipped it and immediately pulled out a thin box filled with band-aids of various sizes. "Here, put this on, but first, disinfect the wound with this." He set a small bottle of disinfectant on the sink along with the band-aid.
"Thanks."
Both men stood side by side, facing the mirror to do their own thing. Iwaizumi treated his cut as Oikawa massaged moisturizer onto his skin. The latter fixed his eyes on his reflection, scrutinizing every part of his face.
"Don't forget to put aloe vera on your face and shoulders," instructed Iwaizumi. He threw away the remaining plastic strips into the trash can.
"Hmm, yeah, I know. But I feel it's gotten better already, don't you?" said Oikawa while pulling the skin on his cheeks toward the back of his head with long strokes—it helped the lotion be better absorbed and provided a soothing massage for his face.
Iwaizumi turned around to look at his friend who was still staring in the mirror. He did not think twice before reaching for Oikawa's face to pull him closer. His fingers pressed against the latter's cheeks as his palm cupped his chin, titling his head to the side as he observed the soft, tanned skin. The difference in color around the eyes was less drastic than the day before since Oikawa had applied a lot of sunscreen and had worn his hat instead of sunglasses. Now his face had a much more even tan, and some more freckles too. Iwaizumi wondered how many more he could get, and if there were already too many for him to count. Iwaizumi's gaze roamed across Oikawa's face in casual observation until he met the man's wide eyes which watched him with timid confusion. He then realized what he was doing and how small the space separating them was, and let go with more speed than he would have wanted.
Fuck, I did it again, he cursed to himself, nudging away from his friend.
"Um, yeah, it's better. Just don't fall asleep with your glasses on again, and you'll– should be fine," he muttered. He headed to the door and exited the bathroom without looking back.
"Right, of course," responded Oikawa in a small voice.
Iwaizumi slid under the thin sheet on his bed and rolled to face the wall after he had turned off the light over his head. Several minutes later, the lights in the bathroom were turned off and Oikawa shuffled out. He bade Iwaizumi good night, but the latter did not reply, pretending to be asleep already. Soon, Oikawa was also in his bed, back to his friend, and praying things would go back to normal for real the next day.
*
Since they had planned a tranquil schedule for Sunday, Hinata and Kageyama decided to have a lazy morning before beginning the day's sightseeing. It was ten in the morning and they were back in their pajamas, perched on their chairs around the dining table. They had gone out for a morning run and had showered, and now they were relaxing before having to get ready for the day. The recent remains of breakfast were still spread across the table as the two bantered breathlessly. Their conversation flowed without effort, words tumbling off their tongues with no sign of stopping soon. It was like there would never be a moment of respite between each other; no matter the topic, they would find something to talk about, something to keep the other's whole attention directed at them forever.
It is an amazing feeling when it seems like every cell in your body is connected to another person, and that even words are not needed to make your thoughts come across to the other because there is a profound understanding beyond any worldly language. Those types of moments always made both men feel tethered to something greatly fulfilling, so they sought them out as much as they could.
Kageyama reached for his glass of milk while explaining to his friend why penguins should be given the right to fly, but he was disappointed to find that it was empty. He picked up the carton of milk they had bought the night before only to notice that it was also empty. Hinata chuckled while shaking his head. He took the carton from his friend's hand and stood up.
"Good, it's empty. Any more of that and you'd– you'd have milk in your veins instead of blood," he said as he piled the crumb-filled plates on one another. He walked over to the kitchen and placed the dishes in the sink.
Kageyama also began gathering the jam jars and fruit rinds from the table. "Maybe if you'd drink more milk, like me, you'd be taller," he quipped.
Hinata hurled a kitchen cloth at his friend's face with all his strength. He grinned mischievously as it landed with a dampened "plop" on Kageyama's neck, making the man juggle with what he was holding in his hands.
"Hey–!"
"I don't need milk to grow taller! I'm growing just fine! And even at my– this height, I can kick your ass on the court," asserted Hinata.
Kageyama walked up to the shorter man. He set the jams on the counter and stood over his friend, gazing softly into his eyes with the shadow of a smile. Hinata stared back with a defying look, tilting his head to the side with a raised eyebrow. He puffed his chest up and shoved it forward, bumping into the setter. This elicited a good laugh from the latter, who gently patted Hinata's shoulders.
"You– ha... that's for sure."
"Hey, wanna help me make the sandwiches for today while I do the dishes?" asked Hinata.
"Sure, of course."
"Great," Hinata turned the sink on and grabbed the sponge from a basket, "but could you first get me the glasses and uh... the rest of what's on the table?"
"Whatever you need."
Kageyama did as he was asked and placed everything next to Hinata. He then took the kitchen cloth the latter had thrown to his face and cleaned the surface of the table. Once he was done, he took out cheese and slices of turkey from the fridge. The bread was one day old but it was still soft inside and crunchy outside, so they decided to go with that loaf. Hinata left the dishes to dry next to the sink and went by his friend's side to help with the sandwiches. Kageyama sliced the bread while Hinata layered the meat and cheese on top. He spread some mustard on the top slices before closing the sandwich, humming to a song he hand stuck in his head. They were done rather quickly, wrapping their lunches in cellophane in no time.
It was almost eleven o'clock so the men had to start getting ready for their excursion of the day. As they brushed their teeth, they began a friendly competition of "Who Can Make the Other Spit Out Their Toothpaste First," which deep down was an excuse they had come up with years ago at a training camp in order to casually touch the other while making him laugh. Inappropriate groping and hard blows were off limits, but any other kind of physical contact was on the table. Hinata's weakness was his face, which Kageyama readily made use of. The setter started by pulling his friend's freckled cheeks, as per usual, then moved on to push his eyebrows together, or in any funny position he could think of. This was actually a risky thing to do since Kageyama was vulnerable to Hinata's amusing facial expressions, finding anything the man did disproportionately hilarious. Therefore, he usually did not spend too much time on the eyebrows. While he did all this, Hinata put up his own fight, tickling the taller man's ribs and underarms. This made the latter squirm as he poked at Hinata's face. They did all this all the while occasionally passing their toothbrushes over their teeth. Kageyama's final blow, which often got him a win, was pinching his friend's nose until he burst into laughter from the previous build-up and the lack of air, of course. This instantly made Kageyama lose his composure as well, sending foaming spit flying out of his mouth. The fact that the both of them were at the receiving end of such a minty shower only made them cackle even more. And as always, the bathroom ended up covered in splatters of spit and toothpaste, spotting the mirror with icy freckles.
In their fit of laughter, both men did not notice Hinata's roommate standing in the doorway with half-lidded eyes, drowsily watching the childish game being played out in front of him. Only when the latter cleared his throat did the pair see him. Kageyama straightened his back and wiped the toothpaste drool from his chin. Hinata cupped his hand over his mouth to stop anything from dripping out. The two of them stared at Pedro with a mixture of embarrassment and fear.
It was obvious, however, that Pedro had no intention to ask what they were doing nor care why they were doing it. He just motioned to the toilet and muttered in Portugese, "I just... I want to use the bathroom so could you please... finish up?"
Hinata spit what was left of his toothpaste into the sink. "Yes, yes, of course! Right, we were just– we're done now, just wait two seconds," he stammered while running water over his face. He looked over to Kageyama and spoke in Japanese, "We– uh, we gotta– I mean he wants to, so let's just..."
"Yeah, right," replied the setter, completely understanding Hinata despite his clumsy string of words. He pushed his friend to the side to use the water as well, which only made Hinata push him back. They picked up a new fight, now trying to rinse their mouths in the sink before the other. Pedro rubbed his eyes while leaning against the door frame, waiting for his turn as the two men splashed water on their faces then around the sink to clean up the mess they had made.
*
A lot of people buzzed in the streets of the old town, livening the neighborhood with playful chatter and energetic cries, as a parade ambled down the avenues nearby. The Japanese men weaved their way through the crowd while admiring the upbeat lifestyle of the locals. They went in several shops to buy souvenirs since everyone, except Hinata, was leaving on Monday. Some of their purchases were questionable such as Oikawa's newly acquired beaded bracelet which he insisted was very fashionable, when, clearly, it was not. Kageyama also had particular tastes when it came to buying souvenirs, seeing that he bought a bedazzled blue shirt with a drawing of Christ the Redeemer in the center. There were other much classier, or funnier t-shirts available, but no, the young setter had his mind set on that one. He nearly persuaded Hinata to buy a matching one, but Oikawa stepped in saying the latter did not need a souvenir yet since he was still going to live in Rio de Janeiro for a while longer. Speaking of matching souvenirs, Oikawa and Iwaizumi both agreed on buying a pair of refrigerator magnets depicting Copacabana beach with Christ the Redeemer in the background. It was a sweet idea and their choice was actually charming.
Their shopping route led them to the Escadaria Salarón which was swamped with tourists taking pictures on the brightly colored steps. As tourists themselves, the group also snapped a few pictures posing on the stairs so as to keep a memory of the moment stored away somewhere. From there, they walked to Parque das Ruínas and visited the different ruins and galleries. They set their bags down on an empty lawn and began tossing Kageyama's volleyball back and forth to each other, eventually adding knee kicks, chest bumps, and forehead passes to their game. The men stayed at the park the rest of the afternoon, playing different games and talking about nonsense until it was time to get ready for dinner.
Since it was their last evening together, the group decided to eat out at a nice restaurant before heading to the Sambadrome. Everyone first stopped by their rooms to shower and change into their fancy clothes for the restaurant and the party later.
The restaurant was on the other side of the beach boulevard, looking over the ocean through thin curtains. Inside, the walls were a classy white and beige marble with dark, wooden furniture lined against them. There were several self-service appetizer buffets with impressive assortments of shellfish, fresh vegetables, and salads, as well as a few dessert buffets. The dining tables were set on one side of the large room, near the large windows which were covered with white curtains. In the corner of the Italian restaurant, by the window, a reserved table awaited the group of Japanese men. They were seated as soon as they arrived, ordered a bottle of wine to share between the four of them, then began discussing what they were in the mood for. This took a while since everything on the menu looked absolutely delicious and they wanted to taste every dish available. Finally, they each settled for a different dish, promising they would let one another have a taste of their choice. While they waited for their dinner to be prepared, they drowned the background music with their lighthearted laughs, creating a symphony of their own.
After their empty plates were cleared, the group relaxed with full stomachs and high spirits. Iwaizumi rested against his chair with his wine glass between his fingers, moving the base around to make the remaining wine spiral. Hinata and Kageyama had already finished their glasses and Oikawa kept his near his lips, taking sips in between his amusing anecdotes. Their waiter passed by and set the bill on the table, nodding then returning to his other customers. Oikawa reached out and pulled the bill near him. Iwaizumi began fumbling through his pockets to retrieve his wallet, but the brunet laid a hand on his arm.
"No need Iwa-chan, I'm paying tonight," asserted Oikawa with a playful wink.
"Huh? You must be out of your mind if you think I'm letting you pay this bill on your own. Is this because I'm a student? I told you, I don't need your patronizing condescension," rebuffed Iwaizumi, struggling to pull his wallet out from his shorts' pocket.
"No, no, not at all," laughed Oikawa, cheeks pink from the wine and heat. His hand was still softly set over Iwaizumi's wrist. The latter settled momentarily. "I want to do this. Besides, Tobio-chan also wanted pay for tonight's dinner, isn't that right Tobio-chan?"
Kageyama nodded solemnly while setting three hundred reais on the tab. "Yes, we talked about it yesterday."
"Oh you conniving little–"
"Hey, Iwa-chan, just let yourself be pampered a bit, okay?" Oikawa turned to look at Hinata. "It would make us both very happy to do this, so please, don't try to resist, because this is happening."
Hinata glanced from Oikawa to Kageyama with an uncertain gaze. His eyes then met Iwaizumi's glare, which was basically shouting at him to refuse. He looked down while scratching his head in thought. "Uh... well... I mean, it's too much, I can't accept this."
"Don't worry Shortiepie, this was part of the holiday budget from the start. And see it as a thank you, for the lunches and for being our very own tour guide."
"Oh, well, um..." Hinata peered over to Kageyama. He asked, barely over a whisper, "Are you sure this is okay?"
Kageyama's face softened and he looked into Hinata's eyes with tender sincerity. "Of course, if I'm suggesting it," he replied.
"Ah, then... I guess... I– I don't mind," accepted Hinata, grinning timidly.
Iwaizumi clicked his tongue and scowled at Oikawa. "You better not be doing this to make yourself look good in front of your juniors," he said to his friend in a warning tone.
Oikawa patted his bare arm while rolling his eyes, smile never fading from his lips.
"Me? Why would I– oh Iwa-chan, this is a gift– for you, to make you happy, just accept it for goodness sake. Besides, while I made the reservations yesterday, I informed the waiter to refuse any money from an angry dark-haired Asian man. So this is a futile battle you're fighting."
Everyone at the table snickered except Iwaizumi, who was drumming his fingers against the white tablecloth. He downed the rest of his wine then reclined in his seat, arms crossed over his button-up shirt. "Just this one time then. But don't pull anything like this again."
His friends cheered and laughed as Oikawa finally set his money on the tab as well, settling the remaining half the bill. Hinata added some spare centavos as a tip even though it was not required, just to feel like he contributed.
The waiter came back shortly after, picked up the money, and counted it quickly. He looked at Iwaizumi who was slouched in his chair with a frown then turned to ask Oikawa in English, "Did the angry man pay?"
It took a lot of effort for Oikawa to suppress his laugh into a mere giddy grin, but in front of him, Hinata guffawed while burrowing his face in his napkin. Kageyama stared and chuckled uneasily at his friend, nudging him in the side to ask him what the waiter had said. Iwaizumi covered his face with his hand in an attempt to hide, looking away from the waiter with an exasperated groan.
Oikawa smiled pleasantly, "No, it's alright. Thank you very much for everything."
The waiter smiled with a nod, thanked them for their visit, and left to continue his business. Oikawa checked the time on his phone then said they should leave once he was done with his wine, which would be in a couple minutes. The conversation steered toward the excitement of seeing the Carnaval parades in all their splendor. They were looking forward to the festive ambiance of the Sambadrome, talking about how crazy it was that they were actually going to be a part of the Rio de Janeiro Carnaval.
Setting his glass on the table, Oikawa announced they were now ready to go. The younger men jumped up from their seats with eagerness, stalking to the hotel exit in synchronized steps. Their seniors followed them out at a more relaxed pace, bidding a last good night to their waiter as he waved by the door. As soon as the fresh ocean air breezed through their hair, Iwaizumi grabbed his friend's arm and held him back, letting the other two men start walking on the boardwalk. Oikawa turned around and looked down into the man's eyes.
"You really didn't have to do that for me," said Iwaizumi. His thumb grazed over the skin on Oikawa's arm as he stared up to him. "But thank you, Oikawa. I mean it."
The setter smiled and placed his hand over Iwaizumi's. "You're welcome, Iwa-chan."
"Hey guys come on! It's already eight o'clock, we have to get going if we want to get in by nine," hollered Hinata from a few meters away. He was being used as an arm- and headrest by Kageyama, who was bent over his friend's head as they waited for Oikawa and Iwaizumi.
Oikawa let go of his friend and jogged up to the younger men. "Yep, you're right! But before we leave, I just need to get something from the hotel room. Hinata, I need you to come with me," he said stealing the short man away from Kageyama.
"Oh right, yes, of course, I'll come with you," sputtered Hinata.
"Aw come on Oikawa, don't make us late," groaned Iwaizumi as he caught up to the group.
"Don't worry, don't worry. We won't be long. Just wait for us at the hotel– wait in the lobby. See ya!"
With that, Oikawa and Hinata ran off leaving Kageyama and Iwaizumi standing dumbfounded on the boardwalk. They shared a look of exasperation then shrugged their shoulders. They took their time to arrive at the hotel, sat in the lobby couches, and waited in stillness as jazz music played in the background.
After ten minutes, a voice called out to the two men from behind them. They stood up and turned around only to trip over their own feet immediately after seeing their friends. Kageyama fell back onto the couch, leaning over the backrest to stare while Iwaizumi caught himself on the younger man's back, eyes also fixed on the men in front of them.
Standing proudly in the center of the hotel lobby, Oikawa and Hinata flaunted their flamboyant festival outfits, which showcased their fit bodies with elegance. They both had large feather crowns placed on their heads, along with multicolored beads hanging over their bare chests and defined abs. Oikawa's feathers were blue and green, and his swimsuit was a light turquoise. He had blue paint around his eyes—probably to hide his unfortunate tan—with some silver rhinestones glued along his cheekbones. Sparkling at his ears were two gorgeous turquoise teardrop earrings hanging from his lobes. His third earring was a a small hoop with a star passing through it and on his wrist he wore a matching bracelet with a moon crescent. Two straps with multiple dangling feathers were wrapped around the brunet's biceps, and a similar strap was around his hips, falling in front of his bathing suit. Hinata was wearing a similar outfit except his feathers were yellow and red, and his swim shorts were a sober maroon. His chest had a yellow sun painted on one breast and golden rhinestones were glued in a line on his forehead. He had even put an earring with thin, silver chains and a single white feather which almost fell down to his shoulder. It gave him a very mellow appearance which suited him well. Both their costumes shimmered with small white dots of glitter from the feathers, glistening brightly under the lobby lights. They looked very handsome, and their friends knew that all too well.
"Helloooo," chanted Oikawa, waving his hand around. "Hey, I know you guys are surprised or whatever, and you have every right to be– I mean this is very out there, I'll admit– but it's been two minutes. Please. Just say something, do something, anything really."
This reconnected the neurons in Iwaizumi's brain with an electrifying jolt. He pushed himself off Kageyama while softly slapping the latter on the shoulder to wake him up from his trance. Blinking and shaking his head, the younger setter rose and followed Iwaizumi around the couch.
"Right, no, of course. Yeah, you guys, I mean–"
"Hinata, you– this looks really..."
"You look incredible," Iwaizumi and Kageyama breathed out in unison, each of them locking eyes with one man in particular while saying this.
"Awn, thank you," responded Oikawa with a coy smile.
"Thanks," grinned Hinata, hands on his hips, showing off his outfit in all confidence.
"How did you– where did you guys–?" Kageyama tried to ask.
"Friday night, probably," answered Iwaizumi, just then connecting the dots himself.
"Yup! We wanted to experience the whole Carnaval thrill, therefore we had decided to dress up for the occasion," explained Oikawa, spinning around to show his costume in all its glory.
"Yeah, now that we're ready, we can finally go party!" cheered Hinata, impatiently bouncing in place.
Iwaizumi checked the time and cleared his throat. He tried to keep his eyes off of Oikawa's sparkling body, but they resisted his efforts to occasionally steal a few timid glances as he talked. "Let's go then, um– otherwise we'll be uh– uh late."
"Oh! Iwa-chan, could you please put this in your fanny pack?" Oikawa asked as he held out his phone and wallet in his hands.
"Oh yeah, me too, Kageyama, please?" added Hinata, pulling out his keys, phone and wallet from his swimsuit pocket.
Kageyama had a small bag strapped on one shoulder, which he kept shortened so that it would stay close to his chest where he could see it. He had just enough space to add Hinata's stuff inside, squeezing them in so that he could zip it up again. Hinata thanked him and they headed toward the exit.
At the same time, Iwaizumi fumbled to the black fanny pack slung across his chest, unzipping it with a distracted hand. He picked up Oikawa's belongings and clumsily stuffed them with his own before closing the bag.
"Thank you Iwa-chan, you are so reliable."
Iwaizumi regained his composure. He grinned and bumped his shoulder against Oikawa's. "What am I? Your mom?" he asked, playing on the words his friend had told him five years ago. This made Oikawa beam brighter than the glitter on his face. He nudged Iwaizumi back and they walked out the hotel, shoulder to shoulder.
Once at the Sambadrome, there was a huge crowd waiting to get inside. The Japanese men had bought a pack of eight beers to share while waiting in line, so once they got in the queue, they snapped the bottles open and began their own little party. Next to them was a group of Germans who had also brought their own alcohol. Both groups ended up sharing their drinks, exchanging beers with shots of vodka. Iwaizumi participated in the first round of shots then let the others continue drinking while he tranquilly finished his beer. A lot of people who crossed paths with the group complimented Oikawa and Hinata on their costumes, some drunk tourists even asking for pictures with the two Japanese men, equally intoxicated.
Kageyama watched Hinata with a warm gaze as the latter posed for the photos. His muddled brain only saw the radiating smile on Hinata's face as the rest of the world was draped in darkness. He wanted to reach out and hold the cheerful man's hand so that he could show off his light to the dim world around them, but through the haziness of the alcohol, one specific thought flashed in his mind, reminding him that he did not have the luxury to do such a thing. Nevertheless, his hand wandered through the air, and he watched it inch forward, looking at his own body move as if it were somebody else's. His fingers brushed against Hinata's bare arm, wanting more than just graze it, but not daring to go further.
The shorter man turned to look at him, a huge grin plastered on his rosy cheeks. He took Kageyama's hand in his both of his and shook them enthusiastically.
"Kageyama!" he cried out with a heartfelt thrill that shot right through the setter's heart. "This is so much fun, and we haven't even gone inside yet! Can you imagine what it's like inside?"
From inside the arena, drums, trumpets, shouts, maracas, and horns all mixed in with the noise rising from the streets around it, accompanying Rio de Janeiro's chants as it roared to life. The people surrounding them in the queue were all dancing, scuffling, and hopping around in expectation. The spirit of Carnaval overwhelmed the hearts of every person in Rio that night, inciting everyone to revel in their unrestrained passions until all their worries became as inconsequential as the dust on their soles. But all the dancing, singing, and partying did not interest Kageyama so long as he had Hinata's happy face to keep him content.
I don't need to imagine what it's like inside, he thought, I don't care about Carnaval, I just care about you. Those words echoed in his brain, swarmed in his mouth, and tried to push their way out his lips. But he kept them locked inside of him, waiting for the right moment.
Oikawa poked his head next to Hinata's. "I can already hear the music from inside, it's already started and we've missed the beginning!"
"Calm down, Oikawa," said Iwaizumi in a comforting tone of voice. He pushed the brunet's feather crown back since it was sliding down his forehead. "The parade lasts from nine p.m. to six a.m. so it's not like you're missing much."
"Mmh, you're right."
"Besides, we have you two as our own private paraders," announced Iwaizumi, smiling at Oikawa and Hinata. The two men agreed with a laugh then proceeded to sway their hips and clap their hands over their heads, putting on a show for their friends.
The group waited several more minutes before finally arriving at the entrance gate of their sector. They each presented their tickets and were given paper bracelets indicating their seats as well as the instructions to find them. They had opted for the allocated chairs at the end of the runway so that they were sure to be together. Luckily for them, their seats were at the very front on the ground level, meaning that they were the closest people to the dancers. As they arrived, they saw the other spectators in brightly colored clothes with feathers, necklaces, and lit-up jewelry clapping and cheering in the seating area.
And then they saw the parade.
Huge floats cruised down the runway as men and women sashayed around them. The intricate designs of each float was mesmerizing. One was a huge tiger made of tropical flowers, seemingly pouncing out of a jungle of gigantic, animated leaves. Protruding from the sides of the the jungle were some platforms covered in vines where women with feline costumes shook their hips fervently. In front of the float was a group of dancers, stomping their feet then moving their arms forward after each step, repeating the movements on each side. In the center were men in tight-fitting shorts with long tails trailing from their hips who jumped backwards into the air, landing on their feet or hands, then spinning around and lifting a female dancer over on their shoulders. The women then stood on their hands, balancing on the men's shoulders, before spreading their legs in a perfect split, then snapping their legs back together and landing gracefully in front of their partners. Other couples around them spun each other around before catching themselves in one another's arms, swaying their hips in unison and moving their legs back and forth in a perfect rhythm. All along there was loud music and animal roars resonating from the giant jungle, accompanying the dancers as they performed their show.
Before they knew it, a new samba school waltzed in front of them, staging their own dance and story. Each school had its own beautiful float, and each performance told its own story. A deep, enchanting voice sang over the rapid and rhythmic beatings of the drums along with the speedy strumming of guitars. Strident whistles sounded from the crowds, piercing their cheers and merry commotion. The Japanese men watched for hours as new dancers twirled and marched along the runway. They took pictures and videos of the fantastic artists and their magical costumes. At some point, there was a woman wearing a huge white ballgown with the gown being as wide as a car. It sparkled at each step with the intensity to blind, swaying gracefully as she waved to the audience, grinning and blowing them kisses. Her dress was one of the most impressive outfits that the group had seen, and that was quite a feat considering the amount of extraordinary costumes being paraded that night.
Carnaval was truly unlike anything they had ever seen. Neither the mind-blowing spectacles nor the electrifying atmosphere in the crowd matched anything the men had ever experienced. They were overwhelmed by the sounds, by the sights, by the strange sensations streaming in their bodies. It was a night they would never experience again, but one they would never forget. And the whole thing was so much better since they were chanting, laughing, dancing, and enjoying themselves with their best friends, the people they felt the happiest around.
All of a sudden, Hinata clung onto Kageyama's arm, pulling him down a little. His eyes were shining with excitement and his smile made the setter's stomach perform flips just as impressive as the ones being performed on the runway. The bubbly man stood on his toes and shouted to be heard over the loud festivities, "I am so happy you came, Kageyama! This is the happiest I've felt in so long!"
Kageyama's heart thrummed to the beat of the drums, fast and loud, shaking the space around him. His legs quaked to the rumbling of the dancers' march, losing all the strength they might have had earlier. He wanted to fall back into his seat but he could not just collapse, so he laced his arm around Hinata's shoulders and hung onto him tightly. "Yes, me too," he shouted back.
Hinata beamed then reached over to grab Oikawa by the arm, pulling him down as well. "And you guys too! Thank you for coming to see me!"
"Sho-chan," cried out Oikawa, visibly emotional and clearly drunk as a lord. He dragged Iwaizumi down so that all four men were huddled together, arms around their shoulders. "You are the best for making this happen. We're all here thanks to you, and this is the best night of my life," he hollered, hugging the two men around him tightly. The whole group whooped and embraced each other, laughing as they stumbled over their own feet.
Waves of performers continued to pass in front of the Japanese men, some even walking up to them since they were right up front. Because their sector was at the end of the runway, the dancers generally gave it their all before their time under the spotlight ended, therefore, the men witnessed some of the most energetic prestations of the entire Sambadrome. Oikawa was able to get a nice selfie with a couple dressed as beautiful macaw parrots, and someone gave their gorgeous glittery fan to Kageyama, who accepted it without really knowing what to do with the gift. Shortly after, a woman dressed in traditional clothes from the Tamoio tribe came close to the barrier separating the audience from the artists. She danced in front of the group with a huge grin on her face, then she took off her long necklace made of wooden beads and some short feathers, and she placed it around Iwaizumi's neck, pulling on the jewelry so that the man would bend over, giving her the opportunity to place a passionate lipsticked kiss on his cheek. The other three men whooped and smacked Iwaizumi on his back as he ruffled his hair timidly. The woman walked away with a wink and a wave, making Iwaizumi look away while his friends howled with laughter.
At some point during the night, Kageyama could not hold in what was in his bladder any longer. The men had done a few bathroom runs throughout the night as a group or as pairs, due to the amount of liquor they had ingested before the parade, but this time none of the other three men needed to, or were willing to go with Kageyama. There was a pretty impressive float with a mechanical eagle moving its wings that was about to come their way, and none of them wanted to miss it. So Kageyama left to find the restrooms by himself.
About fifteen minutes later, while Hinata was filming the great white bird as it soared by, his phone screen displayed an incoming call from his friend. He answered the call, stuck his phone to his ear and plugged his other ear with a finger.
"Hey– what? I can't– ... You what?" Hinata shouted into the phone, trying his best to make out Kageyama's voice from the commotion on both ends of the phone call. "Uh-huh... but–"
"What's going on," asked Oikawa, stumbling to his shorter friend. "You're missing the bird! Stupid bird reminds me of that idiot from Sh– ha! Nah, I'm not even gonna say it. Not worth bringing him up tonight."
Hinata kept his ears plugged and looked up to Oikawa, swaying backwards as he did so. "He says he's lost. I can't hear him though, he's getting angry at me and that makes me want to stop listening."
Iwaizumi stepped forward and placed his hand on Hinata's shoulder, staring into the younger man's eyes. "Ask him where he went," he said sternly.
Hinata blankly stared back, then turned around to shout into the phone again. "Where did you go? ... No, I know you went to the bathroom! How did you get lost, we went there like ten times– what? ... Why?"
"What is it?" asked Iwaizumi, his words drowning in the tsunami of sounds surrounding them.
"Uh... he said there were too many people waiting for the bathroom, so he went looking for another one," hollered Hinata with a raspy voice. His vocal cords were starting to give out on him.
"What direction did he go in?"
"What direction did you go in? ... Well I don't know, Iwaizumi-san asked! Stop calling me that, I'm trying to help you, idiot."
"Hinata!" Iwaizumi snapped his fingers to get the man to concentrate. "Just ask him what he sees around him– something significant, like a sign, or something."
"What do you see? A sign?" repeated Hinata. "Huh? Seyd-ah? Oh– do you mean saída?"
"Saída? Like in exit?" chimed in Oikawa, arranging the strap on his hips.
"God, that doesn't narrow it down at all," groaned Iwaizumi. He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. It was difficult for him to think clearly between the loud music, the boisterous cheers, and the slurred quips Hinata and Oikawa exchanged with one another, snickering right into his ears over how Kageyama must look like a lost puppy in the middle of the arena. "Alright," he announced, mostly saying this to himself. "We'll go look for him. Kageyama–" he took the phone from Hinata, "Kageyama, don't move we're coming, alright? Good."
"We're leaving?" cried out Oikawa in a heartbroken and heartbreaking tone.
Iwaizumi hung up and gave Hinata his phone back. He grabbed Oikawa's sweaty face in his hands, staring into the pouting man's eyes. "We're not leaving, we're just going to find Kageyama. Now I need you to stay close to me so I don't lose you too. Got it?"
"Mmh, aye aye captain," grinned Oikawa, cupping Iwaizumi's hands. He then shot up as he realized something, laughing hysterically at his own discovery. "Now you're the captain! I used to be the captain! Get it?"
Iwaizumi sighed but could not help the smile tugging at his lips. He nodded, letting go of the brunet's face. "Yeah... I get it." He turned over to Hinata who was waiting idly on his seat. He bent over so that he could look Hinata squarely in the eyes, both his hands on the latter's shoulders. "Hinata, you stay here in case he decides to move around and find his way back. We'll be right back, just stay here."
Hinata gazed up at the two men standing over him. A weight of sadness crashed onto him as he watched them disappear in the dense forest of people. He sat alone next to three empty seats as the entire world acclaimed the sensational spectacle passing in front of him. His eyes watched the leaping dancers parade down the runway, but his mind drifted off to the first memories he had of Brazil—of when he felt so lonely and lost. Then he thought of Kageyama, who must be feeling the same way at that moment. Separated from his friends in a busy, unfamiliar place where he could not understand the language. The haziness in Hinata's mind slowly cleared as he kept focusing on Kageyama, and on how much he wanted to find him, be there for him, and promise him he would never feel so alone ever again.
With a newfound objective, Hinata pounced from his seat, tripped over an empty beer can on the ground, and stumbled onto the spectators next to him. He clumsily apologized while pushing his way to the back of the sector, making his way behind the tribunes. There were a lot of people buzzing in between the food vendors and the staircases, buying food and drinks, or just breathing some fresh air away from the carnaval commotion. Hinata's head was spinning, making each of his steps unsteady as he stomped through the crowds, unsure of where he was going but resolute on finding his friend. At some point, he spotted a wooden crate set against a wall. He staggered over to it, set it straight, then stood up on it as his legs shook dangerously.
And then he started shouting. Shouting as loud as he could—louder than he had been shouting all night at the paraders. He poured his entire heart into every one of his screams, destroying his vocal cords with each explosion of emotion.
"KAGEYAMA!" he hollered in the arcades. Things were loud and blurry. His head hurt, his throat burned, his chest ached. People turned around to gape at him. He did not care. Not about any of it. He cupped his hands around his mouth and took a deep breath. "Kageyama! Kageyama Tobio, I'm here! I'm right here, Kageyama, I'm here!"
Two security guards approached the wailing man, asking him to settle down in Portuguese, then in English when Hinata started blabbering to them in Japanese. Hinata insisted they give him two more seconds, holding out his finger as if to pause them.
"Kageyama," he continued to shout. "Kage–"
"Hinata!" a voice screamed back.
Hinata's heart began racing faster than ever. Bursts of thrill rushed through his veins, making his entire body tremble on the wobbly crate. He watched the vast ocean of people drift in all directions, desperately searching for his lifeline as the guards tried to pull him down.
"Kageyama! I'm here!"
Then he saw it. The gaudy fan waving over the heads of people. Hinata did not really need the fan to see Kageyama since he was so tall compared to most of the people in the crowd, but it certainly made things easier for him, and he was so glad Kageyama had taken that fan with him to go to the bathroom, even if it was weird he had.
"Here! I'm here!"
Now Kageyama was trotting toward the crazy, screaming, gesticulating man on a crate, pushing people to get past them. Hinata's chest erupted with glee as he saw the setter's face just two meters away from him. He leaped from the crate with extended arms, breaking free from the guards' grasp. Kageyama opened his arms to receive Hinata in a tight embrace, catching him midair.
Unfortunately for the both of them, Kageyama was still drunk, and not totally balanced on his two feet. The weight of Hinata pushed him down, making him land on his butt then on his back, arms still laced around his friend's torso. The impact hurt him pretty badly, but it was a pain he would feel the next day.
At first, the security guards wanted to pull Hinata off Kageyama since they thought the insane man was attacking him, but when they saw how tightly Kageyama held onto his supposed offender, they realized they had nothing to do, so they left the two clutching onto another on the floor.
Finally, Hinata pushed himself up. His body paint was smeared into an ugly blotch, which Kageyama noticed had stained his t-shirt as they had hugged. The feather crown had fallen next to them, and Kageyama picked it up as he got to his feet. He gave it back to Hinata then retrieved his fan before it got trampled on by passersby. Hinata slammed his arms on Kageyama's shoulders, headpiece still in his hand, and looked up to his friend with a stern expression, although it was undermined by the glistening rhinestones and colorful makeup on his face.
"Are you alright? How did you find your way back?" asked the shorter man.
"Yeah, I'm fine now. I uh... well after our call, I showed my ticket– my bracelet to a guy at a hot dog stand, and he pointed into this direction, so I started walking there. Then, well, then I heard you– but first I thought it was just some weird music, but it wasn't. You were calling my name, and I followed your voice."
"Woah, you're so smart for thinking of the bracelet," exclaimed Hinata, focused on the wrong thing.
"Of course I'm smart," retorted Kageyama, looking away as his alcoholic blush deepened.
Hinata cackled while clinging onto the setter for balance. "Well that's good, now we can go back to the parade!"
He began marching toward their sector, dragging Kageyama by the arm, when the latter stood his ground and unraveled his arm from Hinata's hand to instead grab the man by his wrist. Hinata turned around to see his friend with lowered shoulders and a somber look on his face. Kageyama stared at the ground in silence as their surroundings bustled beside them.
"Actually," he finally said, "that... uh... being alone around so many people, and so much noise– so loud, it was so much– and the lights, and the heat– I– I couldn't..." He squeezed Hinata's arm. "It was a lot, and, well I'm... I feel tired... I'd like to go somewhere quiet... –er..." he added, realizing somewhere quiet in Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval would be quite impossible to find.
He felt Hinata's hand rest over his, raising it so that he could hold it. Kageyama looked at their interlaced hands then at Hinata. His heart stilled and the pounding in his head quieted. The look on Hinata's face made his anxiety dissipate until it was just a bad memory.
"Whatever you need. How about we go by the shore?" suggested Hinata, golden eyes trapping Kageyama in their gaze. "Would that help you?"
"Uh... I... yes... that sounds nice."
"Awesome, let's do that then."
Hinata stood on his toes to place his feather crown on Kageyama's head. He looked at his friend with a comforting grin, grabbed him by the arm, and led them out of the unforgettable Sambadrome to head into the unpredictable night.
*
"Yeah... uh-huh... yeah that's fine, just be careful okay? ... Yeah, good, see you tomorrow." Iwaizumi hung up and returned Oikawa's phone to him. The brunet was slumped in his seat, admiring the samba dancers saunter down the runway with a relaxed expression on his face. He took his phone and set in on his lap as he continued watching the show. Iwaizumi explained the situation, "Hinata found Kageyama and they're going to the beach for the rest of the night. They were just about to get in the metro right now. What do you want to do?"
"Stay here of course!" replied Oikawa, leaning forward and resting his chin on his propped up hands. His body was gradually getting down its alcoholic high, making him feel unenergized, but his mind refused to give into exhaustion.
Facing him was Iwaizumi who noticed this internal fight between willpower and biology. It was two in the morning after all, and they had been partying since nine p.m. so it was understandable that they would start feeling weary—even Iwaizumi's legs started to stiffen and tire. He sat down next to his friend, staring off to the huge volcano that erupted beautiful dancing women from its crater. Carnaval was so enthralling that it seemed impossible to break free from the grasp it had on any visitor. Even just sitting in the midst of all of it, eyes closed, and mind wandering is an ethereal experience in of itself. Leaving just a minute before its end would be a shame, but the evening had to end at some point.
"Okay, we'll stay thirty more minutes then we'll head to the hotel. Is that alright?"
"Iwa!" whined Oikawa. He stared at Iwaizumi through squinted eyes, apparently engaging in a staring contest for authority. Needless to say, he had none in that moment. He sighed while nodding his head. "Okay."
"Great. Now come on, let's live these last minutes at Carnaval to the fullest," said Iwaizumi, holding his hand out as he stood over his friend.
Oikawa stared at the grinning man then at his extended hand. He smiled, feeling his festive energy come back to him. He took Iwaizumi's hand and was pulled to his feet. The two men went over to the fence separating the audience from the runway. They clapped their hands to the rhythm of the overhead music, watching the talented performers convey their passionate emotions to the spectators. Everything from the top of their crowns down to the sparkle on their shoes was captivating. The way their bodies swayed, the way the costumes accompanied their movements, the way their whoops of excitement filled the arena with invigorating gusto; all of it plastered itself on Oikawa and Iwaizumi, forging a space for itself in their minds as they themselves engaged in a cheerful dance of their own.
After about ten minutes of dancing and cheering, the men leaned against the fence to continue watching the amazing show. Oikawa heaved a long sigh out from deep inside his chest. This made his friend look at him with concern. The former simply contemplated the parade with a look of envy.
"Must be fun to be able to show off your passion to the entire world as it holds its breath for you," he said, waving at a passing samba dancer. She waved back then strutted down the runway with her partner who twirled her on her feet.
"I'm sure it is," replied Iwaizumi. He was unsure of what do say, but he knew he did not like where their conversation was going.
"Yeah... must be..." Oikawa remained silent as a pained smile dawned on his face.
"You know, out of all of us, you are the most likely to get the opportunity to do that, right?"
"Sure." The setter's brain was numb from the alcohol and could not tell which words were in his mind and which were on his tongue. His true feelings poured out of his mouth despite the hard work he had put in over the years to get over them. "But who knows, ha– maybe a regional stage is the best I'm gonna get."
"Oikawa," said Iwaizumi in a warning tone.
"I'm just saying– I mean, I'm going to try, of course, but who knows, really? But it doesn't matter, I'm going to give it my all anyway– Oh look! That guy has a real parrot on his arm!"
"How are you still doubting yourself? After all you've done to prove that you're good, you still don't think you are? What the hell?" said Iwaizumi as his frustration grew. He held his wrist up, displaying the silver bracelet hugging it so tightly. "Have you forgotten what you told me? Before you left me?"
"I–"
"When you gave this to me," Iwaizumi pulled on the chain, "I told you I couldn't accept it. You– you insisted I keep it, and in exchange, you were going to stop comparing yourself to others and– and accomplish amazing things. You promised we'd be better people to ourselves– both of us. Was that just bullshit?"
"No, I–"
"Then why can't you accept that you're good–"
"Maybe I'm not!" exploded Oikawa while waving his hands in sarcastic surprise. His smile was fake and his wide eyes showed years worth of exasperation. His voice trembled as his heart pounded harshly against his lungs. "And it's not that easy, I can't just press a button and make all my feelings go away– otherwise– otherwise, trust me, I'd have done it already. I don't choose to have a part of me that thinks I'll never be good enough to meet the expectations I put for myself. I don't choose when I feel helpless, or less-than, or uncertain of my abilities. No matter how hard I work, how far I push myself, some part likes to think it's not possible, not worth it. It– it takes time to battle that voice that nags and– and pesters. It's hard to believe you can actually do it when– when everyone seems to be better than you, and the chances are slim, and you're just tired of having to fight yourself and the odds that are against you. I know, deep down, I may have a chance, that– that I am good, but what if I still fail? Sometimes it's easier to keep my hopes down so it hurts less."
Iwaizumi stared at Oikawa with wide eyes, scanning his entire face. Oikawa looked back at him with sadness and disquietude.
"It's not just with volleyball either... But regardless, forget I said anything."
"No, I can't just ignore–"
"Yes, yes, you can just ignore it– why do you care anyway? Let's just– just drop this and enjoy Carnaval. This topic is ruining my amazing evening. I'm sorry I brought it up."
"Of course I care!" Iwaizumi shouted back. This startled Oikawa, who flinched at the sudden outburst. He inched away from his friend in wariness. "It hurts me to see you degrade yourself because– because to me... to me you're perfect. And I'm not just saying this to make you feel better, I really believe it."
Oikawa got a hold of his apprehension and scoffed, shaking his head as he looked over to the runway. "Iwa-can, you're drunk."
"I've only had one beer and one shot all night, I'm perfectly fine."
"Well I'm drunk, and I'm hearing things wrong." Oikawa's heart was wringing itself in torturous twists, taking his stomach along with it. He could not look at his friend in fear of seeing something he could not handle. Those words could not mean what he wanted them to, therefore it was no use seeking confirmation in a mere gaze.
"It's the truth, Oikawa," said Iwaizumi, forcing Oikawa to throw a glance in his direction. Iwaizumi tilted his head back as he gathered his breath and thoughts. "Oikawa, you are the most amazing volleyball player I've ever seen, you are the most thoughtful and caring person I've ever met, and you are the– the bestest friend I've ever had. You– you are so strong. Even with that stupid, annoying bitch of a voice that tells you you can't do it, you still work so hard and prove it wrong. That's incredible. You are incredible." Iwaizumi pinched the collar of his shirt out of nervousness. His eyes wandered around until they found Oikawa's, and he locked his gaze with the man. "But all– you've– you already knew all this because I've never stopped telling it to you. But there– but one thing I haven't been telling you is... is that I like you. I really, really like you. And I– I've liked you for so long now, that I– that I probably actually love you. So much so, that no one I've ever met compares to you, and for all these years, you've been the only one constantly on my mind."
The oppressing heat of the night disappeared as Oikawa was hit by a violent wave of shock. It froze the blood in his veins and chilled the nerves down his spine. Suddenly, his mind was no longer spinning from of the alcohol but instead from the impact of Iwaizumi's words which ran into him at full strength and ripped the air right out of his lungs.
Right at that moment, a mesmerizing float was approaching their sector and many of the spectators rushed to the fence to get a better look. Oikawa was shoved and squeezed between sweaty masses. His head was ringing, his heart was confused—he just wanted the world to be silent, to be still. The floor underneath his feet swayed like a ship on a turbulent sea, and his body was a small, untethered barrel on the verge of rolling off the deck to be swallowed by the frightening waves.
Reaching out from the blur of spectators was Iwaizumi's hand. It latched onto Oikawa's arm and pulled him away from the fence. Oikawa held onto his lifeline with two desperate hands. Both men were now a bit farther away from the dense crowd where they could at least be next to one another without suffocating. Iwaizumi took Oikawa's hand in his and placed it over his heart. The taller man could feel it beating loudly, and maybe just a little faster than usual, but it remained at a steady, comforting pace.
"I meant every word," whispered Iwaizumi, making it hard to hear his words over the clamor around them.
Oikawa finally raised his eyes to meet Iwaizumi's gaze. He had that stern frown he often wore when he was being serious; his cheeks reddened in the way they usually did when he was feeling vulnerable or excited; the gleam in his eyes was the one he had whenever he would spike a killer ball right through the opposing team's defense—and whenever he would score a point with one of Oikawa's sets. Oikawa reached over to hold Iwaizumi's face, staring at it in disbelief.
Iwaizumi was not finished though.
"I want to be there for you and remind you that you don't have to put so much pressure on yourself. Being you is enough, and you are good enough. I'm sorry if I don't realize what's going on in your head, or how hard it is for you, but if I can do anything to help you see what I see in you, then I will do my best to do so. I'll be there to have your back as you take on the world, as any good partner should, so– so when the weight of the world becomes too much, you can share the burden with me. Remember, you're not fighting alone."
Oikawa kept staring into Iwaizumi's eyes, witnessing the genuine emotions flash through them as he spoke. He recalled the speech Iwaizumi had given him in high school. It made his chest compress.
"It wasn't bullshit," murmured Oikawa in a meek voice. "I have been better– I have been–"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry, I was stupid for saying you haven't. You have– you really have grown, I've seen it. I have no right to say you haven't progressed just because you haven't reached a goal– it's not even my place to– to dictate what your goal should be– or how you should be. Only you can decide that. I just want you to be happy. Promise me you'll be happy. That you'll reach a place where you'll be proud of yourself no matter what."
Oikawa slid his hand from Iwaizumi's face to his wrist, holding it with both his hands and enclosing the silver bracelet.
"I– I will. No matter what, I will."
"And you'll come to me if you feel overwhelmed? Or– I mean, not necessarily me, but just– you won't be alone, and–"
"Yes, I'll come to you."
"And you... you forgive me? For– for being insensitive and inconsiderate and harsh?"
"Yeah... yeah I do." Oikawa could not stop looking into Iwaizumi's soft, worried eyes. "You– you were just... Thank you for looking out for me."
Iwaizumi breathed out as his face relaxed. He clasped his hand over Oikawa's. "I'll always look out for you. Always."
Oikawa smiled. His heart swelled with reassurance and newfound strength. He still had much he needed to work on, but it all seemed much less daunting now. A growing sense of courage spread through his body, guiding his hands to hold Iwaizumi's handsome face again. They shared a silent gaze brimming with anticipation.
Oikawa then bent over to kiss Iwaizumi, and he wanted to cry as soon as the latter kissed him back.
Loud acclamations resounded from the entire arena, and even though Oikawa knew they were applauding the passing samba school and their firecrackers, he liked to believe they were commending his decision to finally kiss his best friend.
The kiss was like everything Oikawa had imagined and like none of it at all. His heart was too overwhelmed for him to process what was happening, but all his brain could tell him at that moment was that he had never been so free.
They slowly backed away but kept their hands clinging onto one another. Iwaizumi brushed his thumb underneath Oikawa's eye to wipe a tear the latter did not know was falling. He got some blue paint smudged on his finger but he did not mind in the least.
When Oikawa looked into Iwaizumi's eyes, his body could not keep a hold of all the emotions he had piled up over the years, and they all came pouring out onto his face. He laced his arms around the man's shoulders to block the outside world from their universe, and he rested his forehead against Iwaizumi's, and they stayed like that until Oikawa was able to appease the hurricane raging in his chest. All the fatigue, frustration, and fear he was carrying in his body slowly lifted then dissolved into nothingness, leaving him light and lucid. Iwaizumi interlaced his hands behind Oikawa's back, holding him close and steady, and he waited with his own emotions churning inside him. They remained cradled in one another's embrace, gently swaying side to side in a sentimental slow dance, letting their thoughts dance with them as the latter assembled in a coherent choreography which neither Oikawa nor Iwaizumi had imagined would make it past rehearsals.
The firecrackers had died down and a new samba block sashayed near the end of the runway. With a long exhale, Oikawa lifted his head but stayed close to Iwaizumi. He scrutinized every part of his face, awaiting for an invitation, but the shorter man simply stared at him with soft eyes.
"Can I... can I kiss you again?" murmured Oikawa as he fumbled with Iwaizumi's shirt collar.
"Yes."
Oikawa trailed his fingers up Iwaizumi's neck and set them under his jaw and ears, holding the man's face in place. He pecked his lips, waited, then pressed their lips together until both their bodies melted into each other. Roaming up and down the brunet's bare back were Iwaizumi's warm hands, sending thrills all over his skin. It took a lot of willpower for Oikawa to not devour him right then and there in the middle of the Sambadrome arena.
"Let's go back to the hotel," said Oikawa in a breathless whisper. He kissed Iwaizumi twice more before the latter broke away to reply.
"But you said you wanted–"
Oikawa kissed Iwaizumi again, with more passion than before. "That's not what I want anymore."
Iwaizumi was stunned after the deep kiss and Oikawa's request. He blinked the haze away and fully opened his eyes. He saw the earnest look in Oikawa's large, caramel eyes. There is a very short list of things Iwaizumi can not say no to, and those eyes are at the top of the list.
"Oh– uh– okay," he stuttered, not fully realizing what he was agreeing to. A wide smile spread across Oikawa's painted face. "Okay," Iwaizumi repeated with more conviction. "Okay, let's go then. Do you have your phone? Your wallet?"
"I have my phone, you have my wallet."
"Right, yes, right. Um, water– you need water after all the alcohol you've ingested, otherwise the train ride back will be a bitch."
"They sell some behind the tribunes."
"Perfect. Then, we'll get that, take the metro, and go to the hotel. Yeah, okay–"
"Actually I have to go to the bathroom first," interrupted Oikawa.
"Oh, right, yeah, so do I actually. Um– okay, then we'll start with that, then do the rest," concluded Iwaizumi.
Oikawa grabbed Iwaizumi's hand and squeezed it. He smiled a timid, yet excited smile to which Iwaizumi responded with a soft peck on his knuckles. They silently agreed and took off as samba dancers continued to whirl for the whole world to see and the entire Sambadrome shook with wild energy. They left the unique atmosphere—which they had thought they would never get enough of—without so much as a second glance now that they had found something even more enthralling that would mark their memories for even longer.
*
A strong gust of fresh air ran through Hinata's hair as he approached the beach. It was refreshing and cleansing, its coolness spreading across his face and driving out the alcohol from his system. Kageyama was beside him, inhaling deeply with his eyes closed. The red and yellow feather crown was still on his head, swaying in the wind, so he had to keep a hand over it. The pair found a place in the sand by the oscillating waves, sat down, dug their bare feet in the cold sand, and talked about anything that crossed their minds.
The night was brought to life with the distant samba music dancing in the streets, the flashing lights hanging from every lamppost, and the convivial mood people were in as they ambled by the beach. It was a warm, sticky night, so the ocean breeze was a pleasant relief to feel against one's skin. A few clouds scattered along the sky as the wind stretched them out across the spotted canvas. Not many stars were visible due to the amount of light emitting from the city, but just enough were perceptible for Kageyama and Hinata to admire. It was one of those nights where time seemed unreal and the world so small yet immeasurable at the same time, and the only way to cope with that feeling of existential query was to talk it out with a person close to you.
At some point, their conversation steered to what Hinata had learned to cook since his arrival in Brazil. There were some interesting traditional dishes, but the young Japanese man had mostly learned how to cook the basics since cooking in of itself was new to him. This topic reminded Kageyama of something they had talked about the day before, and he used it as a segue to tackle the conversation he had wanted to have with Hinata from the beginning of his stay in Brazil.
The atmosphere was favorable and the moment felt right. Their words rolled off their tongues without effort and their minds clicked no matter the topic of discussion. There was an electrifying feeling each time their shoulders grazed against one another, and the two men shared several languorous stares with shy smiles spread on their features. It was definitely the time for him to speak.
"Remember when we bought those smoothies?" asked Kageyama. He curled his toes under the mound of sand covering his feet in the hopes that it would help him concentrate on the tangible things around him. His fingers brushed against the fan he had been gifted earlier, then he set it aside as he took a deep breath.
"Uh... yeah, yeah, of course. I had a mango smoothie and you had–"
"–strawberry banana."
"Yeah."
"Well, remember you said uh– that I would never know if I might like something new better if– if I never tried it?"
"Well, um... I guess I kinda remember saying something like that," pondered Hinata, titling his head to the side as he tried to recall the moment.
"Hinata, I think I would like to take a risk for... for something better," stated Kageyama.
The walls in his heart were constricting until no more oxygen was able to circulate to his brain or lungs, leaving him lightheaded and short of breath. His chest ached terribly as if every muscle was paralyzed. He was so afraid of what he was going to say that his entire body tried to stop him from speaking. But his mind was set, and not even his own body could come between him and what he truly desired.
Meanwhile, Hinata was completely unaware of the internal turmoil torturing his friend. He raked the sand by his legs into squiggly waves. "Uhhh... okay?" he replied, filling the silence Kageyama had left.
"Hinata, please look at me."
He raised his head with furrowed eyebrows. He looked at his friend with confusion carved on his face. Kageyama looked him in the eyes with a serious scowl.
"I think I like you," Kageyama announced.
In the end, the words had flowed out with surprising ease—probably because of the alcohol still pumping through his veins. However, the powerful poundings in his chest increased in intensity, drowning him in disrupting jolts at each blow. He gripped at his denim shorts in an effort to quiet down his trembling limbs.
Hinata stared at his friend as his eyebrows lowered and his eyes widened.
"More than a friend," clarified Kageyama while brushing his bangs behind his ears.
The clarification did not help Hinata absorb the information any better. It was easy to see the cogs whirring in his brain at full speed as he tried to decipher what Kageyama had said. Suddenly, something in him snapped and he sprung to his feet, standing a small distance away from Kageyama.
"What? You–! What? You? What?" he sputtered like a broken record, earning curious looks from people nearby. He shook his head and fell to his knees next to Kageyama. "Wuh–wuh–wait. What do you mean you think? You don't know? What are you saying? And why are you saying it with such a scary look on your face?"
"I don't have a scary look on my face!" Kageyama defended himself. "That's just my face... And well... um, I don't know what it's like to like someone, so I'm... I'm just guessing..."
"Huh?"
Kageyama groaned and pressed his face in his palms. He slumped over his bent knees, looking at the bubbly foam twinkling by his feet. "I... I've never really cared for love, relationships... or people like that. So I've never really felt– uh... well, an attraction, I guess? But, um, when I talked about you to uh, Nakamura– she's uh, she's one of our managers. Well, she said– she said what I described sounded like, uh, like I liked you. So, well, that's why I– why I think, that..."
"Wait, you talk about me?" asked Hinata.
"Yeah... Most of the team knows you already, but the others sometimes ask me about my 'agile high school partner'. But... but sometimes I talk about you even when they don't ask. Talking about you makes my chest go 'fwuu', and– and I feel less stressed."
Hinata felt a prickling sensation stir in his stomach. He blushed and gaped at his hands buried in the sand. A timid smile hung from his lips as he felt flattered by the confession.
"Have you ever had a uh– a crush before?" asked Kagayama.
Hinata looked up to Kageyama. The bashful man was holding the feather crown in his hands now and softly brushing the colorful feathers.
"Oh yeah, definitely. Like several, probably," answered Hinata.
"And uh... do you... do you have one on me?"
"Huh? Me? I– well I– you see, the thing is–" Hinata felt his face burn up as he fumbled for his words. He had no idea what he wanted to say, nor how to say it right. He dug a small hole in the damp sand to try and calm down. "I... yeah, I guess I do... But like, what are we? High schoolers again? I mean, a crush? I wouldn't really call it a crush–"
"Then an attraction?"
"Attraction?" Hinata repeated, completely flustered. "I'm not– I don't– it's not like– ...o–okay, yeah, it is like an attraction," he said, finally owning up to his feelings. He took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on Kageyama. "Yes, Kageyama, for... for a few years now, you've always made me feel like– like 'whoosh' and made my heart 'patah'– and, and right now my head is spinning, and my head is hurting, and I'm probably still too drunk to fully understand what is happening, but I... I like being with you, and you make me happy– is– is what I'm trying to say."
Kageyama nodded with a discreet smile forming on his lips. Hinata waited for the setter's response, but he gave him none, simply staring at the grains of sand sticking to his bare legs. Kageyama was content and was feeling an array of emotions he was not familiar with, but they all made his heart beat fast in a good way, and his cheeks were stiff from happiness. Finally, he reacted. He picked up the headpiece from his lap and gently set it back on Hinata's bouncy hair.
"You also make me happy," he said. "And I really– I really want to kiss you right now."
Hinata blushed furiously but managed to keep his composure. "So do I," he admitted, clenching his fists in the sand. He felt flustered at the fact that his life was basically playing out like a Japanese drama, but underneath that embarrassment, he was very pleased something so ridiculously cheesy was happening to him, and so he gladly continued in the fairytale role he was offered.
Kageyama shifted his leg underneath himself and twisted his chest so he was facing Hinata. He reached his hand out, pulled it back in to wipe the sand off of it, then stretched it out again to gently set it on Hinata's cheek.
"Can I?"
"Yes, please."
Before either men realized it, their lips were pressed against each other, testing different positions until they found one that felt right. Then it clicked, and their mouths hooked on one another like puzzle pieces perfectly falling into place. Their heads and hands moved naturally, occasionally bumping into the other, but never making it awkward. They let go of each other and sat back down, eyes wandering around the beach as their brains caught up with the events. Hinata's chest thumped loudly as a rush prickled from his spine down to his fingertips and toes. His ears were burning and he felt cold as the ocean air wrapped itself against his skin, sending goosebumps all over his arms and legs.
Next to him was Kageyama who was also overwhelmed by his feelings. The kiss had been so soft and so pleasant, and his mind as well as body thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Shots of jolting energy darted under his skin and he could not sit still. It was like he had just made the perfect set—the ball had landed in between his fingers at the perfect angle, and his wrists propelled it with the perfect strength, and it soared in a beautiful arc for the spiker to slam it down into the other court—only his heart felt a grander thrill when kissing Hinata than performing any set.
Still gazing at the dark ocean stretched in from of him, Kageyama inched his hand closer to Hinata's to gently lay over it. "Carnaval is a really fun holiday," he said just to fill the silence.
Hinata cackled at the random comment, making the setter blush. He flipped his hand over so that his palm fit inside of Kageyama's, and they intertwined their sandy fingers together in a tender grasp. Kageyama threw a glance at their hands then at Hinata, and spun around before the latter could notice he was looking.
"Yeah, it is. I'm glad you could see it," replied Hinata. His brain and words were disconnected as he spoke, seeing that his mind was soaring through the skies in bewilderment and jubilation, so he left his tongue on autopilot as he kept thinking about the kiss him and Kageyama had just shared. The emotions were still vividly imprinted on his entire being, and he made sure to take a mental note of all his feelings so he could relive the moment—the moment he had dreamed of since high school—whenever he would want to.
"I think you look very handsome in the Carnaval costume," added Kageyama. "I really like the earring."
"Oh? Oh, thank you," murmured Hinata as he tugged on the accessory.
"Hey Hinata?"
"Yeah?"
"Now that I– now that we, uh, both know we like each other, am I supposed to do something... in particular?" asked Kageyama. He was twirling a strand of dark hair between his fingers, staring at it intently to avoid Hinata's gaze.
"Huh, well, um... You see, um, well, my past– uh... relationships have always been different from each other, so... No, I don't think you have to do something in particular, just– just do what you feel feels right."
"Even if we're both guys?"
"Ah, well, I mean– being guys shouldn't change anything, right? I mean, I've only... went out with one guy, uh, briefly, so I guess I don't really know, but from what I experienced, it isn't much different than between a guy and a girl."
Kageyama nodded as he processed everything. It was all confusing information to him, but he was determined to understand as best he could so that he could make Hinata feel comfortable and content. He tucked his hair behind his ear again, then titled his head to admire the man sitting beside him. The moonlight and city lights defined Hinata's features against the dark blue of the night. A sparkle lit up his brown eyes as he observed the waves crawl up to his buried feet. The rhythmic motion of the waves crashed against the shore at the same cadence as Kageyama's steady heartbeat, slowly and calmly.
"Then I will do my best," said the setter. He turned around so that he was sitting on his knees in front of Hinata. He bowed his head and added, "Please take good care of me."
Hinata squirmed in sheepishness, holding his hands out in front of him. "Oh– uh– you don't have to be so formal," he responded. He set his hands on Kageyama's shoulders to lift his chest up. They locked eyes. "I– um, but I'll also do– uh, do my best..." His words trailed on without finishing his thought. The pull between their bodies became stronger, and they gave into its force to fall against one another's lips.
They kissed as the ocean tickled their feet, and they embraced one another under the starry sky. The pleasant wind blowing from the horizon draped itself over them like a blanket, and thin, gray clouds rolled in to cover the bright moonlight, turning away its brilliance to offer the men some privacy as their hearts were humbly laid bare on the beach.
Suddenly, Hinata swung his head back with an illumination. "A date!" he exclaimed, looking at the confused Kageyama facing him. "Normally we should go on a date after– after you know, saying we like each other," he explained.
"But, I'm leaving tomorrow, how are we going to go on dates in two separate countries?" asked Kageyama. His hands were still cupping Hinata's pink face and he was determined to never let go of those smooth, freckled cheeks.
"Oh... right," said the shorter man in a dejected tone.
A few firecrackers popped in the distance, mingling with the music that was coursing through the streets. The faint reminder of the festival firing up the city floated to their ears. Kageyama stared at Hinata as the latter looked down to the ground in thought.
"Let's go on a date now," Kageyama whispered as Hinata shouted. They gaped at each other then bent over in laughter until their foreheads pressed against one another.
"Yeah," agreed Hinata. "Let's do that."
The young men helped each other up then patted their clothes to get rid of the grains of sand sticking to them. Kageyama readjusted the feather crown on Hinata's head then held his hand out for him to grab, which he did.
"No more drinking though, I'm still dizzy from all the alcohol," said Hinata.
"Yeah, me too. I was thinking a smoothie, I want to taste one with a fruit that starts by 'p'." Hinata nudged Kageyama playfully. "But will there be an open stall at this hour?"
Hinata beamed and tightened his grip around the setter's hand. "Of course there will be one! It's Carnaval baby! You will find everything you could have ever dreamed of," he exclaimed, pulling on Kageyama's arm which made him stumble forward.
They laughed and ran off the beach with their shoes in their hands, scouting the boardwalk for a smoothie stall. They ambled through the night while discussing freely as they had done many times before; the only difference now being their accelerating heartbeat each time they remembered the person they cared for dearly, also dearly cared for them.
*
An elevator ding sounded through the quiet hallway, followed by the shuffle of sliding doors and the loud, uncoordinated steps of stumbling men. The steps quickened as they headed down the corridor, hushed exclamations and untamed laughs filling the silent space alongside them. Then the footsteps came to a stop as the fumbling of a zipper took over. After a few scratches and taps, a small beep emanated from a door.
As soon as Iwaizumi had pushed open the door to their room, Oikawa shoved the man inside and slammed him into the closet by the entrance to resume kissing him. The heavy door slowly closed itself, plunging the room into darkness. Oikawa unclipped the fanny pack around Iwaizumi's chest to let it drop to their feet along with his empty water bottle, all the while Iwaizumi held his face as he kissed him. Both men felt their way across the narrow hall until they reached the main space of their room. Eyes still closed and mouths still glued to another, they fumbled around for the nearest bed which was Iwaizumi's. The shorter man pushed Oikawa on the end of the bed so that he was sitting on the edge while he himself was still standing. He peeled off the Oikawa's feather crown and multiple necklaces, discarded his own necklace, then pressed his knee in between the latter's legs and kissed him fiercely. His face and fingers were smudged with blue paint that was rubbing off of Oikawa's face, but neither men took the time to notice nor care. Iwaizumi gently pushed the brunet on his back, pressing their chests together as they embraced each other tightly with overwhelming rushes of joy and incredulousness sparking through their nerves.
It was difficult for them to fully grasp that they were making out with each other—their childhood best friend—after so many years of silent yearning. Just a few moments before, they could barely look each other in the eyes as they had stood silently in the swaying metro train. As the screeching ride furthered along, they had begun to steal some timid caresses and share nervous laughs as a bubbling giddiness grew in their chests. By the time they were alone in the hotel elevator, the frenzy had reached a climax which unleashed their repressed desires out into the wild. They had shared a longing glance while talking distractedly, when without any warning, Oikawa had pounced on Iwaizumi, snatching away the breath of his words. They had regained some of their composure as they had tripped through the halls, laughing at nothing in particular but laughing with genuine passion. It just felt so good to be there with one another, fingers hooked together and hearts thrumming wildly.
Now both men laid on the bed with racing thoughts and hearts. Each time Iwaizumi kissed Oikawa's face and neck, the brunet breathed out long moans, and every caress he trailed over Oikawa's bare chest made him mewl desperately. The symphony of sensuous sounds gripped Iwaizumi by the guts, ripping the air out of his lungs and leaving his head in a euphoric haze. As their crotches rubbed against each other through their shorts, Iwaizumi saw his self-control dissolve and be replaced by the carnal emotions he had repressed for many years. The sudden image of his pent up desires being acted upon Oikawa without restraint frightened him, and he shot up, raising his chest and hips so that his body was no longer in contact with Oikawa's.
Oikawa opened his eyes and frowned at him in confusion. Through the darkness, he saw a conflicted face hovering over him, which worried him. He reached out to caress Iwaizumi's cheek. "Hey," he said softly, "is everything okay Iwa-chan?"
"I– I– we can't– we can't just do– I mean Oikawa, you're drunk and– and shouldn't we at least talk about what's going on? We barely found out we– that we both... really like each other, but– but first and foremost, you're my best friend, and I don't want to do something that we might regret... something that would ruin our friend–"
Oikawa pushed Iwaizumi to the side and straddled the man, his hands pressed on his large shoulders to keep him in place. "You listen to me now Iwa-chan," declared the setter in a stern voice. "I have waited for this moment for over ten years, trust me, I've known that I've wanted this for a while now. Am I slightly intoxicated? Yes. Am I more than certain that I want this– that I want you, and that I won't regret any of it? Yes again. So unless you don't feel comfortable going further, which is perfectly fine, nothing is going to stop me from fulfilling my overdue fantasy."
Iwaizumi blinked at Oikawa in stupefaction. He felt flustered and delighted, and did not know how to proceed.
"So, should we... continue?" asked Oikawa.
He took Iwaizumi's hand in his, caressed it gently as he brought it up to his lips. He kissed the knuckles then pecked the bandaid Iwaizumi had over the small cut on his finger. Both men stared at each other with nervous eagerness.
"Yes."
Iwaizumi pulled Oikawa's face down so that their lips and chests would connect. That kiss was long, and affectionate, saying a lot of what both men were thinking as well as feeling. That kiss alone made Iwaizumi's stomach flutter in excitement as he sensed Oikawa's own happiness through it.
Pulling away from the deep kiss, Oikawa brushed Iwaizumi's hair back as he got off the bed. Iwaizumi propped himself on his elbows and watched him walk toward the bathroom.
"Don't give me that look," chuckled Oikawa when he saw the confused and saddened expression on Iwaizumi's face. "I'm just getting some condoms. I usually keep some in my toiletries bag."
Iwaizumi scoffed. "Oh, 'cause you are that good a ladykiller, huh?"
"And a gentlemankiller," pointed out Oikawa as he stood in the door frame.
"Right," chuckled Iwaizumi.
"You just get comfortable and wait, I'll join you in a sec." Oikawa disappeared into the unlit bathroom and rummaged through his toiletries.
Meanwhile, Iwaizumi stripped to his underwear and sat at the edge of the bed, waiting with his warm hands clasped together. His right foot bounced spasmodically which shook his entire body as he stared at the carpeted floor in deep thought. His head was reeling, and his chest hurt from the excitement coupled with the nervousness bursting inside him. So many emotions sprung to his throat, wanting to be let out and be free, but he kept them inside in an effort to remain calm and composed. This did not help, only making him even more jittery. He was scared, but curious; confused, but thrilled. He did not know what to expect, but was eager for whatever was going to happen. After all, he had been picturing this moment for years, and its realization was stupefying.
"Iwa-chan?"
He looked up.
"You sure you're okay? You look pale."
Iwaizumi set his right heel down as Oikawa approached. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I just– I'm just... not really sure how to... act." He saw Oikawa's raised eyebrow and quickly added, "Not for that reason, dumbass. I don't– this is just–"
"I know," interrupted Oikawa. He hooked his left hand behind his right elbow, holding himself to soothe his nervous body. "For me too."
There was a short silence weighing over them.
"You didn't... you never really answered me– I mean– you still haven't told me how you feel," said Iwaizumi. "About me. Not– not about... this."
Oikawa bit his lower lip then walked to his best friend. He propped his knees over the bed on each side of Iwaizumi's hips to sit astride the latter's lap. He crossed his arms behind his head and looked Iwaizumi in the eyes with a shy, genuine smile. "I've also really, really liked you for a really, really long time. And I've liked you so much, that sometimes, I did tell myself that I was deeply, and irrevocably in love with you, Iwaizumi Hajime, especially since you were the one person who made my heart beat harder than any other on this planet. I still feel that way, and I still tell myself that."
The men shared a silent stare in the darkness. Iwaizumi could not see the details on Oikawa's face in the shadows, but the bright sparkle in the latter's eyes was impossible to miss. His hair shone in the little light seeping in from behind the curtains. Iwaizumi noticed it was clumped to the paint on his face, so he brushed his fingers through Oikawa's hair, raking his hand down to the brunet's nape where he settled comfortably. His second hand rested over Oikawa's heart, which was beating fast and loud. The setter mimicked the action and felt Iwaizumi's heartbeat as well. They slowly leaned in for a kiss, gradually closing their eyes as they approached one another's face.
Their lips then unhooked with a suppressed smack, and their breaths mixed in the space between them.
"This is a bit awkward, isn't it?" murmured Oikawa.
"Yeah, but I don't mind."
"Yeah, me neither."
"Just close your eyes, I'll close mine, and we'll find each other," Iwaizumi breathed, barely over a whisper. His words trailed on as he hugged Oikawa by the waist and kissed him again. He slowly reclined until he was on his back, his arms around Oikawa who was laying over him. Their chests remained connected as their hands roamed across their skins, searching for any place they might not yet know of.
It was frightening to expose themselves to the person they cherished. There always are facets of oneself which we wish could remain hidden from the world forever, features that we have never been able to love and that we try forget are a part of us. Defenselessly displaying oneself as such is daunting, but there are no words to describe how amazing it feels when all those concealed aspects are found and treasured by someone. It was much less frightening for Oikawa and Iwaizumi since there was a sense of protection and comfort in one another's arms, thus allowing them to welcome each other with ease. Even what was new felt familiar, and what was known was rediscovered with eager anticipation.
Iwaizumi brushed Oikawa's hair off his forehead and cupped his cheek. "You okay?" he whispered as he watched his partner with tenderness.
"Yeah," murmured Oikawa. "Just– just wait a bit."
"Of course."
"...Iwaizumi?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm happy."
Iwaizumi smiled. He bent down to kiss the gorgeous man on his forehead, then nose, then mouth, and stayed there a while. His lips were now blue from all the times he had kissed Oikawa's face, but he had gotten used to it at that point, the taste of the paint fading into the taste of Oikawa's lips. The rhinestones had fallen off a long time ago, so all Iwaizumi had to bother with were the paint and the glitter, which he actually liked—it made it easier for him to see Oikawa's flushed face in the dark, and it embellished his handsome features.
Oikawa broke off the kiss to say, "It's okay now."
Iwaizumi caught Oikawa's lips in a fervent kiss. Their skins fused together at each touch and their hearts danced wildly to the beat of their passion, floating on the notes of satisfaction. As they stroked the familiar yet foreign parts of the other man's body, they were drawn into an endless cosmos painted with images of their past years spent in yearning. They shot past each heart-fluttering moment to reach the one they were experiencing now—the one where their hearts were racing and their minds were spinning; the latter flipped over and rolled around in euphoria, thumping rapidly again, and again, and again, until it felt like they were going to shut down or explode. Even their lungs rasped and gasped for air as the overwhelming bolt of emotions piled in their chests.
Reaching an arm up to cup Oikawa's burning face, Iwaizumi muttered, "You mean the world to me, Tooru."
Oikawa remained still as his heart was thrashing in every extremity of his body. He leaned down and kissed Iwaizumi who promptly squeezed him in his buff arms. They rolled over until the brunet was nestled between the mattress and Iwaizumi's hot body. He laced his arms around the man's neck and let them hang lazily. "You are my world. Kiss me, Hajime, and never stop."
Fireworks exploded in the night sky as the men kissed passionately. The resounding bursts smeared the stars with colors and flashing lights, sparkling in ecstasy as they shot through the dark canvas. One after the other, rushes of frantic energy stretched out to cover the whole city with their electrifying vivacity.
Holding one another in their arms was enough to quiet the clamorous world bustling outside. They found a comforting calmness in the endless universe they had created between them. Nothing could ever harm them again as long as they existed in that perfect, intimate space of theirs. They remained still, sticking to each other's skin so as to retain as much of the other as they could. Only their elated hearts stirred in their ribcages, mingling their pulses to string together a soothing song to fall asleep to.
*
The door to Hinata's and Pedro's apartment creaked open as both Hinata and Kageyama tiptoed into the dark living room. Pedro was away with his family for the night, but the two Japanese men still had to be quiet so as to not disturb the neighbors at four a.m.—although most residents would be comprehensive considering the holiday festivities. Their footsteps were dripping with water because they had thought the best way to clean the sand off themselves was to stick their legs and behinds under a shower, while still strolling on the beach. Turned out that only made things worse since they were soaked and had clumps of wet sand sticking to their skins.
Hinata awkwardly crept to his bedroom to fetch a clean pair of underwear and some comfortable shorts. Upon entering his room, he flipped the switch of his desk lamp to light up the room without blinding them both. He took off his feather crown, hip and bicep straps, and multiple necklaces to toss them in a corner of his room. His phone was dropped onto his bed then he went to pick up his underwear and shorts from his closet. Kageyama followed close behind, trying to touch as little things as he could. He set his fan on Hinata's desk then took his pyjamas, holding them at arm's length so he would not get them dirty. He unhooked his satchel to place it by his mattress.
"I'll shower first," whispered Hinata as he slipped past Kageyama to the doorway. "But just wait on the toilet seat otherwise you'll get sand everywhere."
Kageyama nodded and followed Hinata to the bathroom. He sat on the lowered toilet seat as the shorter man entered the bathtub still wearing his maroon swimsuit. The latter pulled the shower curtain and began undressing. A rain of ricocheting rocks clattered against the ceramic tub as sand poured out of his shorts. He extended his arm past the curtain to set the soaked and sandy swim trunks on the floor, sending small grains across the tiles as it plopped onto the ground.
The soft then insistent patter of the shower filled the bathroom as the setter sat with his arms hugging his legs. The former created a pleasant background noise while Kageyama reminisced the events composing their night at the Rio de Janeiro Carnaval. There was so much to dwell on, such as the way Kageyama's mind was blown away at the incredible samba schools and their magical performances, or the way his cheeks had burned passionately when he first kissed Hinata, or even the way his abs constricted in pain after having laughed for fifteen minutes at his and Hinata's fall into the sand.
That had happened after they had found a small shack selling smoothies. The two men had shared their drinks with one another—pineapple-banana and mango-passionfruit—then had gone to sit on the swings of a playground by the beach. There were a few groups of people either celebrating Carnaval or gently ending their festivities, each perched on the different playground equipment. Hinata and Kageyama had sauntered to the swings and settled on the rubber straps. They tried to rock themselves as they casually chatted, but their stomachs and brains were still unsteady, giving them momentary nausea at each back and forth. Fumbling forward, they had decided they would walk in the sand barefoot to help their bodies relax and feel better. During their promenade, Hinata had suddenly gotten a surge of energy, and pulled Kageyama with him, bouncing in the sand and spinning each other around—much to their heads' dismay. Kageyama had dropped his shoes and fan in the twirl then tripped over his dancing partner's feet, sending both of them face first into the sand. Hinata had begun laughing and groaning as his head throbbed viciously. Kageyama had simply kept his head against the sand while his hand remained entwined with Hinata's. The timid kiss that had ensued sent the setter reeling since he had not expected Hinata to roll on top of his chest and grab his face with such excitement.
Because of their fall, sand had invaded their clothing, plastering itself against their chests, legs, and even groins. It was very uncomfortable when they walked, especially after they had run water over their shorts. Just thinking about it made Kageyama scratch an unpleasant itch that was crying for attention. He shifted on the toilet seat but that only made more of his skin burn at the rough friction.
Just as Kageyama was fidgeting, the shower turned off, and Hinata's arm reached out to unhook his towel from the wall next to the tub. There was some dampened patting then the shower curtain rapidly slid to the side with a snuffed screech. Hinata stepped out with the towel around his waist. His hair was soaked and drooping down—a stark contrast from when it was dry and spiky.
"Okay, your turn now," he whispered as he picked up his toothbrush from the sink.
Kageyama nodded. He also entered the bathtub fully clothed, then closed the curtain. He pulled his shirt off which led to a drizzle of sand to bounce around his feet. When he removed his shorts and underwear, a downpour of sand pelted the tub until it was covered with a murky sludge. Kageyama turned on the shower and rinsed the sand down the drain, hoping it would not clog up the pipes, but not having enough energy or sober neurons to do anything about it.
The lukewarm water was relieving. His sticky skin became smooth under the slim coat of water, which then soothed all his tired muscles. Strong streams slalomed in between his hair, snatching the sand and sweat off his scalp all the while massaging his skull. Nothing feels better than a good shower after a long day in hot and humid weather.
Beside him, Kageyama could hear Hinata brushing his teeth by the sink. The latter spat out the toothpaste then rinsed his mouth with water. He fumbled with his towel then an elastic snap sounded amidst the constant patter of the shower.
"Hey, uh Kageyama, I'm already going to my room, okay?" said Hinata. His voice was meek and raspy from all the shouting and singing, and the numerous shots he had downed. It would take a while until he could talk above a whisper again.
"Yeah, no problem."
"'Kay, cool. Uh, see ya in a bit."
The door opened then closed, leaving Kageyama alone in the bathroom. He smiled to himself as he poured shower gel in his palm.
His thoughts steered back to when Hinata and him were stumbling through the streets as sandy water trickled down their legs. They had filled the neighborhood with their lively laughs as they staggered through Rio de Janeiro, through the electric and mystical atmosphere which often roams the streets when it is not quite day yet, but it is not quite night anymore; that fresh fog of fantastical existence when time means nothing and feelings buzz with extra vigor in one's chest. There were still some people who had been prolonging the festivities as they each returned to their homes—locals and tourists alike. Despite those occasional wanderers, Kageyama had felt as if he and Hinata were the last remaining souls in the city. All he saw was the man's glimmering brown eyes, all he heard was the croaky laugh rasping out of his throat, all he felt was the tight grip of Hinata's hand in his, silently promising they would stay close even when separated.
As they had neared the apartment complex, rogue fireworks had popped up from behind the looming buildings, painting the sky and the men's wide eyes with sparkling colors. The short spectacle was eagerly consumed with hearty laughs and electrified cries. It was like a fantastic farewell to a night of wonders, finishing it off with one last fizzle, before the pair finally shuffled inside.
Kageyama turned the shower handle until cold water shot out of the nozzle. After letting the blood in his face cool down, he turned the water off and opened the shower curtains. He stepped out onto the bath mat as he unhooked his towel from the wall. After tying the towel to his waist, he picked up Hinata's swimsuit, which he had forgotten on the floor, and spread it on the edge of the bathtub along with his own clothes. He would have to wash them in the morning before packing them in his suitcase, but until then, it was better they did not remain scrunched up on the floor.
Once Kageyama was dry, dressed, and ready for bed, he exited the bathroom to join Hinata in the latter's room. Kageyama found him sprawled chest down on his bed, the linen cover underneath him. The desk lamp was still bathing the room in a soft orange light which made the remaining glitter on Hinata's face twinkle—even after a shower, the sparkling stuff stayed stuck on ones skin no matter how much scrubbing was done.
Treading lightly, Kageyama sneaked over to the desk to turn the light off. As darkness befell the room, Hinata stirred on his bed, sticking his hand over the edge.
"My legs hurt more than after Coach Ukai's penalty three minute wall sit," he mumbled with his eyes still closed. "You remember those?"
Kageyama fell onto his mattress with a loud sigh. He bent over to grab his phone from his satchel then rested his back against the wall. "Yeah, those were awful," he said in reminiscence. "Hey, I'm going to put an alarm for tomorrow, what time should I set it for?"
"Ugh, why must we get up tomorrow?" groaned Hinata. "Do you really want to go for your morning run?"
"Well... not really, I am pretty exhausted... but–"
"No buts, taking one day off won't kill you. Please, just put it at like ten o'clock or something. That'll leave us time to pack and– and spend some time at the beach– what time does your flight leave again?"
"Eleven p.m."
"Yeah, good, good. Let's just sleep in."
"Alright, ten o'clock it is."
Kageyama turned off his phone once he was done then put it to charge. He slid back onto the mattress until his body was completely spread out horizontally. His limbs sunk into the soft surface, welcoming his sore muscles in a warm and inviting embrace. Now that his body was completely still, his head whirled like a spinning top at the height of its momentum. The backs of his eyes projected an array of twirling flashes, flickering dots, and funky shapes, all of which pulled his head along in their tottering dance.
"Hey, 'geyama," Hinata murmured as he flipped onto his back.
"Mmh?"
"My head is spinning."
"So is mine."
"Can you take my hand to hold me still?"
Hinata's hand was dangling off the bed, snapping open and close in search of its pacifier. Kageyama extended his hand to meet Hinata's, and laced his fingers around his palm, gripping tightly.
"We should drink water though," said Kageyama as he yawned. "For our... our head."
Hinata draped his free arm over his eyes. "I might still have a water bottle in my backpack," he croaked. Whenever he raised his voice over a whisper, it deceived him and tripped over itself as if he were a teenager all over again.
That made Kageyama smile to himself. Still holding onto his redhead, he stretched his arm out to blindly pat the floor, seeking for the backpack. His fingers brushed against it and he pulled it in. He struggled with the zipper but managed to open it. The aluminum bottle was indeed inside and filled with some water. With one hand, Kageyama unscrewed the cap then nudged the cool bottle against Hinata's arm. The latter took it with his free hand and raised his head enough so that he would not choke as he drank. Once he had graced his throat with what seemed to be the most exquisite water he had ever tasted, Hinata gave Kageyama the bottle with a little water remaining. The setter finished it before placing it on the ground, then squirmed back into a comfortable position, still holding onto Hinata's hand.
"Let's get some sleep now," whispered Kageyama.
Hinata muttered in agreement, "Yeah. Good night Kageyama. Thanks for tonight."
"Good night. And thank you, I really had fun."
"Mmh."
It did not take long for Hinata's breaths to quiet down and set in a slow pace. Kageyama felt the man's grip on his hand loosen. He opened his eyes to gaze upon the darkened features of Hinata's figure. His heart swelled as it often did when he was near the cheerful man, and his lips clung onto his cheeks in a wide arc. He carefully raised his head to meet with their joined hands. He deposited a tender kiss on Hinata's rough fingers, barely setting his lips on the latter's skin in fear of waking him.
"This is nice," he whispered to the universe as a manifestation of his gratitude.
Kageyama gently let go of Hinata's hand to tuck it next to his face. He then laid on his side to face Hinata's direction. His eyes closed with ease and he was lured in by Morpheus' sweet songs playing through the night. The lulling lyrics painted Kageyama's mystical evening, and the young man fell asleep to the images of what he considered to be the best first date anyone could wish for.
*
The feeling of the scorching sun gradually grilling his skin was still not enough to make Hinata take a quick dive into the water or at least flip on his back to spare one half of his body. He was still exhausted from the night before, just like the many people around him were. Most of the beach's visitors were dealing with some form of hangover, which made it kind of nice knowing their suffering was a collective experience.
Hinata's throat was in worse shape than the night before, barely able to produce a whisper, and his body was covered in bruises from all the times he had fallen over whilst drunk. He had not noticed them until Kageyama had pointed out them out as they were packing his suitcase. They had pressed the blue skin to test how painful the bruises were, and although some hurt quite a bit, Hinata could not focus on the pain because of how preoccupied he was with Kageyama's upcoming departure. From the moment he had awoken, he was already imagining himself alone and separated from Kageyama, adding to his hangover despair.
Even the setter had been quiet the whole morning—quieter than usual. When they were having breakfast just before the clock struck noon, they had barely spoken to each other, although it could, in the most part, be due to their grogginess. Then as they had gathered all of Kageyama's belongings, he had brushed his thumb over Hinata's as he handed him his shirt, not saying a word, but offering a timid caress in the hopes that it would translate his feelings. It did. And as much as there was comfort in knowing that Kageyama was also saddened to have to leave, there was sorrow too, because of that very fact; because both of them shared that fear of losing the new feelings they had experienced, which meant that neither of them could serve as a robust support facing the other's worries, so all they could do was jointly hurt and hope in silence.
"Your back is getting red," said Kageyama. He was sitting at the edge of his towel, arms perched over his bent knees. His sunglasses were slowly slipping down the bridge of his nose due to all the sweat pearling on his face. From the corner of his eye he was watching Hinata gradually turn into a shellfish. It was painful just to watch. "Turn around dumbass."
"Nuh-uh," groaned Hinata, burying his face into his towel.
"Then at least protect your skin. If you get a sunburn, you can't play volleyball properly. And if you get cancer, then you die, and can't play volleyball at all."
"Okay, okay, I get it. Sheesh, way to get morbid real quick."
"I'm just saying."
"Yeah, yeah. Then can you do it? Sunscreen's in my bag."
Kageyama pushed himself up wincing—his body hurt all over from the time Hinata had slammed him onto the concrete floor—and walked over to Hinata's bag which was near his head. The bag was set on the sand beside him and covered with his t-shirt. It was supposed to keep the space near them free for their friends who had yet to come. Kageyama lifted the t-shirt and unzipped the bag. He found the yellow and white bottle then kneeled in the sand facing Hinata's upper body. He squeezed the sunscreen out so that it landed in thick, uneven blobs all over the man's back. Kageyama then dove right in and applied the lotion with rough circular motions.
"You're really bad at this," wheezed Hinata as his back was being rubbed like it was a dusty surface in need of a good wiping.
"Shut up."
Hinata smiled then pursed his lips. He stared out to the sand with unfocused eyes. Kageyama noticed this as he continued spreading the sunscreen in large white streaks. His hands paused along Hinata's spine.
"We'll figure something out," Kageyama finally said.
Hinata raised his head in shock. "How– how did you know what I was thinking?"
"I– it's written all over your face."
Hinata frowned and buried his face in his towel. As he tilted his head for a gasp of air, he asked, "Will we?"
Kageyama continued rubbing Hinata's back in soft, slow circles. He watched his hands as he thought. The background chatter grew louder as the silence between him and Hinata weighed on them.
"I don't know, but... but we were the ones who found a way to work together when we couldn't– well, couldn't stand each other, we– we managed to come up with a freak quick barely anyone can replicate, and we somehow graduated high school, despite devoting our lives to volleyball. So, I guess, well, what I'm trying to say is, that, uh– if we could do all those things, we can also do this, if– if we work together."
A warm flutter expanded through Hinata's chest as he heard Kageyama's words. It was embarrassing but also very satisfying. A sense of consolation now gradually replaced his previous distress. He raised his chest then turned around to sit so that he was facing the setter. He took both of Kageyama's hands in his, remaining silent as his thumbs brushed over the soft skin with tenderness. His eyes lingered on their joined hands, finding it easier to look at that rather than trying to catch the other's gaze.
"Yeah... but only if you don't ignore me before practice, and actually answer my calls," joked Hinata.
"Hey," Kageyama replied, slightly offended. "That didn't happen often," he defended himself.
They finally raised their eyes and met with the other's bashful look. Their faces were red and glistening from the Brazilian sun melting their very essence into steaming puddles. But as they held onto one another, it felt as if none of that affected them in the slightest, neither the oppressing heat nor the hammering headache from the night before. Their shared connection created a comfort for both men, appeasing their hearts and minds.
From the corner of his eye, Kageyama noticed someone waving in their direction. After actually looking, he recognized the person to be Oikawa, swinging one arm in the air as he hauled Iwaizumi with the other.
"They're here," he said to Hinata, retrieving his hands as he pushed himself up to leave them space for their towels.
"Hey finally!" Hinata exclaimed in a low voice, waving back to his friend.
"Yeah, sorry about that, packing took longer than expected," explained Iwaizumi while dropping his backpack to the ground.
"Woah Hinata! How much did you smoke last night," joked Oikawa.
"He didn't smoke. He just shouted a lot," Kageyama replied matter-of-factly.
"Oh I know Tobio-chan, I was just messing with him."
"Oh."
As Iwaizumi spread their towels on the sand, Oikawa rummaged through the backpack, looking for his sunglasses case. "So, how are you two doing?" he asked.
"Fine," Kageyama replied.
"Tired," sighed Hinata, laying back down on his towel. "You?"
"Surprisingly okay," admitted Oikawa. He set his sunglasses in the case then put it away in the backpack. He laid his hand on Iwaizumi's shoulder. "It's all thanks to Hajime, really. He made sure I stayed hydrated, and now I don't have a head-splitting migraine, so it's a win, isn't that right?"
Iwaizumi placed his hand over Oikawa's and shook his head with a discreet smile. "Yeah, if it means not dealing with your whining and nausea, then yes, I consider it a win. He becomes a real baby when hungover," he added to their two friends. Oikawa clicked his tongue at his partner who ignored him with a smirk. Iwaizumi pulled his tank top off to throw it on his backpack. He settled on his towel and laid back, placing his cap over his face to protect it.
Oikawa sat on his own towel which was between Iwaizumi and Hinata. "Okay, how about we tan for about ten, twenty minutes then go for a swim?" he suggested, taking off his t-shirt and setting it behind him.
"Works for me," murmured Iwaizumi as he crossed his arms behind his head. The oily sunscreen he had on made his flexed biceps shine in the sunlight, blinding Oikawa who had to look away for his own good.
"Yup," agreed Hinata, finally flipping on his back.
Kageyama also spread himself on his towel, covering his face with his t-shirt. Even with it over his sunglasses, the persistent rays of sun needled through the cloth to pinch at his skin. He silently prayed his sunscreen had not yet worn off and would protect him.
"Oh and by the way," Hinata said, reaching for his phone that was in his bag, "when do your flights take off? I have to know so we can take the bus on time. Many routes are blocked 'cause of the ongoing parades, so we have to take that into consideration."
"Ten twenty tonight." answered Iwaizumi.
"Okay. Oikawa? Didn't you say it was like... a quarter to eleven or something?"
"Well, actually, um... same as Hajime."
"Oh, did they change the time?"
"No, I changed my ticket."
Hinata sat upright and even Kageyama lifted his shirt off half of his face. Iwaizumi remained still.
"What? Really? You're going to Irvine too? That's so cool!"
"Don't you have volleyball practice?" Kageyama asked from behind Hinata.
"I had taken the rest of the week off before coming because I knew I would be too exhausted to go to practice," explained Oikawa. "But then I was like, why not just stop by California and see what's the big deal with that place, you know?"
"You say that as if it's on your itinerary," grinned Iwaizumi. He received a small pinch under his armpit. "Hey!"
"It's worth it– I'll be drinking water and eating ice cubes when I get back to Argentina, but worth it," Oikawa asserted. "And I'm sure Hajime-chan won't mind me hanging at his gym for some workouts and mini practice sessions."
"I thought you said you'd be too tired to practice," was Iwaizumi's response.
"Yeah, well, I have my very own health expert who will help me get back on the court in no time, right?"
"Right."
"That's amazing," said Hinata in awe. He leaned back resting on his elbows. "I wish I could travel like that." He shot a glance in Kageyama's direction. The latter was laying on his back, stiff as a board, and was clearly uninterested in the conversation. Hinata sighed as he fell back on his towel. "You better send me pictures while you're there," he said to Oikawa.
"Sure thing, Shortiepie," replied the brunet, also laying on his back.
As Oikawa did so, Iwaizumi curled up and perched his arms over his knees. "Well, I'm melting like ice cream. I'm going in the water."
He stood up then turned his head to look at Oikawa who was squinting at him through parted fingers. Iwaizumi nodded with a smirk and the setter slapped his hand over his eyes in performative annoyance, but he quickly sprung to his feet. He caught up to the shorter man in no time and swung his arm around his broad shoulders, feeling his own shoulder being draped as well. They exchanged a few words then pushed one another as they grabbed momentum, dashing toward the waves. After taking a few splashy steps, they both dove head first into a rising wave, disappearing in the green water for a moment before resurfacing further away.
Hinata had watched both men as they tottered to the ocean. He laid back down on his stomach and poked at Kageyama's arm.
"Hey, don't you think there's something different about Oikawa-san?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" replied Kageyama, face still covered with his shirt.
"Well, I can't, uh... more like... I don't know... I guess there's just something different... than usual?"
Kageyama groaned as he raised himself on his elbows. His shirt fell off his face and onto his abs. He looked at Hinata then to the horizon, probably searching for Oikawa.
"I don't know. Maybe."
The younger men kept quiet as the cogs in their brains whirred in deep thought.
"Maybe it's because his funny tan is almost gone," suggested Kageyama. He pushed himself into a sitting position and dropped his shirt on his bag.
"Yeah, I think that's it," agreed Hinata.
They nodded in accord, proud of themselves for figuring out what was different that day. As they thought it over, they realized a lot of things were different now. Both Kageyama and Hinata had expressed their feelings toward one another, and were expecting to build a new relationship in light of the recent revelation. Things would change: habits, routines, feelings. There was no way of knowing if the couple would truly make a long distance relationship work, and that thought terrified them. However, their excitement in regards to exploring new facets of their feelings, and discovering a unique type of joy stemming from a long awaited connection, outshined their fear, making the latter seem minuscule in comparison. Having no way of knowing how long their love would last, all they could do was dive in with only the trust in their own feelings and in their partner for guidance.
It did not take long for Kageyama and Hinata to also find themselves longing for the cool lapping of the ocean water to refresh their wearied bodies. After stuffing their and Oikawa and Iwaizumi's valuables into the waterproof bag, they raced to the water, abandoning their worries on the shore. They had a few more hours to enjoy each other's company, so they were going to focus solely on that, and not on the departure that would tear them from one another indefinitely.
The heavy waves smacked into their chests. The current pulled them to and fro the shore as they swam out to join their friends. With kicking legs and swaying arms that moved around underwater to keep them afloat, the group savored their last moments bathing in Rio de Janeiro's heavenly embrace. The city had welcomed them, pushed them apart then together, rose the tensions, and stripped them of their barriers just long enough for them to be vulnerable with one another—something which was long overdue. The discoveries all four men had made during Carnaval weekend were sure to stick with them like ink to paper. Their thoughts and feelings were sketched out in a messy and unfinished picture, which nonetheless created a unique masterpiece in each young man's heart. That blend of colors and strokes would follow them throughout their lives, incorporating beautiful and bitter additions as the months passed by, together depicting an incredible and singular narrative which solely belonged to them.