❝Those Blueberry Eyes❞ ➵ {♔Oikage♔}

Chapter 14

     Kageyama didn't bring up what happened after Oikawa came back up with the snacks. He had sneaked a few glances every five minutes, hoping Tooru would say something but he stayed silent too. He was confused about it all. He hadn't felt like this in a long time. For three years. That was the last time they had been teammates before Oikawa went off to Aoba Johsai. He had told Hinata his senpai had a terrible attitude because that's all he had ever seen of Oikawa so this other side of him left him with conflicting feelings.

     He liked it when Tooru touched him, he liked being close to him, he liked it when he playfully teased him. He didn't do it to be mean now, it felt more like a friendly jab. Being so close to him for almost a week seemed to send him back three years ago. His feelings towards Oikawa had faded away when they parted ways but now they came crashing back every time Tooru came close to him. Even looking at his senpai left him blushing. He didn't understand these feelings. Even though Tobio respected him as a brilliant setter and his upperclassman, he was fully sure Oikawa looked at him as a rival. He had always treated Kageyama differently, all through junior high. Tobio had only realised Tooru's feelings towards him a long time after that. They couldn't stand each other. So why was Oikawa behaving as if they were friends? And why did he keep hoping to get closer to him?

     Kageyama was spaced out, tapping on the carton of milk he held in his hands. He sipped it empty and crushed it, tossing it into the trash can inside the room without turning back.

     "You don't need to practice your sets here, Tobio." Oikawa's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

     Tooru was leaning against the frame of the glass doors with a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. He came up beside Tobio and leaned forward, resting his arms on the railing. He exhaled, blowing white ghosts into the wind as Kageyama traced his lips with his eyes. He lifted them to lock eyes with Oikawa who was looking at him from the corner of his eyes, and quickly turned his head away, embarrassed. He hugged himself as a breeze blew by and rubbed his arms.

     "Are you cold, Tobio?"

     Kageyama turned towards his senpai and stared at him for a while. This was the second time Tooru had called him by his name without adding anything.

     Not receiving a response, Oikawa waved his hand in from of Kageyama's face. "Hello, Earth to Tobio, Earth to Tobio, are you listening?"

     His kouhai blinked, composing himself. "Uh... Sorry. I'm not that cold, just a bit. I guess it's going to snow soon, that's why it's so cold out."

     Kageyama looked up at the sky. It was purplish blue now, the moon peeking out from behind clouds, waiting to make it's appearance for the night. A few stars accompanied it, spreading out all over the canvas.

     "Oikawa-san?"

     "Hmm?"

     "Why don't you wear your glasses more often?"

     "I prefer wearing contacts. The last ones I was wearing expired and I feel too lazy to break out new ones. I don't really need them either because I have negative power in both eyes."

     "You could try wearing them more."

     Silence.

     Feeling nervous, Kageyama turned to his right to see Oikawa looking at him and quickly said, "I mean, they look good on you."

     Oikawa stared at him. He didn't say anything for a while, then let out a soft laugh. "You suck at complimenting people, Tobio."

     Kageyama sighed internally, relieved. He looked down at his feet. "Yes... I have been told I suck at communicating."

     "Really? Because you seem much better at it now."

     "I...almost had a falling out with my team. But they stuck by me, and gave me time. Now that I think about it, it was because of Hinata."

     Tobio waited for Tooru to say something. After a few seconds of silence, he glanced at his senpai. He was holding the cup to his mouth. His glasses were fogged up from the steam of the drink so Kageyama couldn't see his eyes. Oikawa put it down after taking a sip and stared inside the cup.

     "Chibi-chan really pushes you towards your best I guess." He turned on his heel and went inside the room and out of the door before his kouhai could say anything.

     Tobio stood there, confused. He didn't get why whenever he mentioned Hinata, Oikawa would make a blunt remark of how he helped him to improve and walk away. As far as he knew, Tooru had no reason for a bitter rivalry against his teammate. He stumbled into the room slowly, shutting the glass doors behind him and lay down on the bed.

     Kageyama didn't see Oikawa after that until his senpai called him downstairs for dinner. They ate in silence, Tobio taking small glimpses at Tooru, hoping he would say something but nothing happened.

...

     "How's your leg now?" Oikawa asked, switching off the lights and making his way to the bed.

     "It's better now." Kageyama's voice came muffled from under the blanket.

     "Good." He lay down, turning his back to his kouhai.

     Tobio felt uncomfortable. Tooru was being cold. He didn't say anything mean but he had been avoiding looking at Kageyama.

     "Oikawa-san?"

     "What?"

     Kageyama winced at the tone. The simple question felt harsh. He shook it off. "Is something bothering you?"

     "No, why do you ask?"

     Silence.

     "Nothing, nevermind." It's not what Kageyama wanted to say. He wanted to ask why he was acting so different from earlier. He wanted to know if it was because of something he said. He wanted to ask about what happened in the afternoon. He wanted to be close to Tooru, he missed his warm voice, he missed his touch.

     "Okay." Oikawa stayed quiet for a while after the blunt reply, then rolled over to his left, surprising Tobio.

     "Why didn't you say what you wanted to say?" Tooru crossed his arms over his chest.

     "It was nothing, really. I was just wondering if something was troubling you because..." Kageyama paused. "You called me by my name." He bit his lip, cursing himself internally for not being able to ask what he actually wanted to.

     "Do you not like that? I will stop if you don't-"

     "No, it's not that. I just thought it was unusual, that's all..." Tobio trailed off, his throat getting dry.

     "Are you sure?"

     "Hmm." Kageyama nodded.

     "Okay. Goodnight." Oikawa rolled back to the other side.

     "Goodnight", Kageyama mumbled, choking on the words he couldn't say. He turned his back to the figure beside him, afraid of spilling them and shut his eyes.

     The blanket was stuck to the bed in the gap between them. He hated it. He wanted the gap to vanish, he wanted the feeling of being in Oikawa's arms again.

     Why do I want to close the gap so bad? Why do I want to hug you? Why do I want you to look at me and smile? Why do I want something more than that?

     The thoughts raced in his mind as he clenched the blanket. Suddenly they came to a halt and he let go of it, opening his eyes to the silver sphere outside the glass panes. As the moonlight poured over them, he took a deep breath, finally realising the answer.

     Because I love you.

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