kagehina: jackets

Part XI

     "Hey, Kageyama! Why are there so many bruises on Hinata's neck?" Tanaka ruffled the middle blocker's hair. Hinata had just taken off Kageyama's volleyball jacket for morning practice, revealing a pattern of rough red and purple marks.

     Everyone looked at Kageyama. Most of the club was grinning. Noya'a smile was a little maniacal. Yachi looked like she was going to faint.

     Kageyama shrugged. Hinata's neck was flushed and he knew he was blushing way too much to be innocent. The standoff lasted a minute and then Tsukki broke it with a laugh.

     "So if it's not THAT, what happened?" Tsukishima glanced at Hinata levelly. Hinata didn't know what to say.

     "Mosquito bites? You fell on the stairs?" Noya suggested, laughing. "Hmm?"

     Tsukishima laughed. "The King isn't a mosquito."

     Hinata blushed and glanced at Kageyama weakly. Even though he wasn't a mosquito he certainly left marks. There had been on way he could cover all these up. The setter turned around, pulling off his own jacket. Hinata spazzed for a second and coughed. There were a few red marks on Kageyama's neck too, only a little smaller. And too noticeable against his white tee-shirt uniform.

     "Looks like you've got a lot of mosquitos too." Noya slapped Kageyama on the back. Kageyama glanced at Hinata, and then his own neck.

     "Yeah," he grinned faintly. "I guess I do."

Yachi's POV

     "HINATA'S NECK!" Noya argued, pointing directly at the unmistakable patch of hickeys. Hinata jumped from across the gym at his name, rubbing his neck while blushing. Noya claimed that was enough proof that had obviously kissed but Tanaka refused to give in. Yachi was watching them argue back and forth, like a ping pong match.

     "But that wasn't here. They wouldn't do that here," Tanaka said avidly. He was sitting on the bench and Noya was stretching on the floor. "No way."

     "I highly doubt that. You've seen the way they look at each other. You owe me ten pork buns." Noya declared triumphantly. Even Yachi had to admit the way Hinata and Kageyama looked at each other, well, it was a little more than staggeringly intense for an innocent bystander.

     "Why don't we ask them?" Tanaka suggested boldly.

     "Okay," Noya said, equally as confident.

     "HINATA! KAGEYAMA! HAVE YOU GUYS KISSED AT PRACTICE?" Tanaka yelled across the gym. Yachi felt the second-hand embarrassment.

     "What?" Kageyama poked his head out of the club storage room.

     Hinata lifted his head from a conversation with Suga about plays. Suga looked deeply annoyed with Tanaka.

     "Hinata, hey!" Noya jumped up. "If you kiss Kageyama right now I'll give you five pork buns!"

Hinata's POV

     Hinata's eyes widened. In front of everyone? "Why?"

     "I'm trying to prove something to Tanaka," Noya explained. He gestured towards Kageyama.

     "Just kiss your boyfriend like once." He said flippantly like it wasn't a big deal. Suga pressed his lips together but remained silent.

     Uncertain, Hinata walked towards Kageyama. The setter watched him levely. The rest of the gym had gone quiet, besides a small laugh from Yamaguchi. Hinata was suddenly aware of everyone watching him. Although Kageyama and him had been a little more than innocent yesterday, Hinata wasn't sure if Kageyama was okay with kissing in public.

     "Um, can I kiss you?" Hinata asked, nervous. He winced internally at how meek and hopeful he sounded. His heart was pounding faster than when he just finished wind sprints. And then Kageyama's ears and cheeks turned red and Hinata realized they were in the same boat.

     "Sure," Kageyama surprisingly agreed.

     It was a soft kiss, barely held for more than a few seconds. But Hinata was left breathless and wishing everyone could disappear for a second so he could kiss Kageyama again.

     Kageyama held him closely for a second after they broke apart, speaking quietly. "I already told you I won't be able to say no." He said it so simply, like a fact. Hinata pushed himself to the top of his toes and kissed Kageyama a little more roughly.

     Noya whistled.

     "Alright, alright. Get a room," Tsukki muttered.

     "KAGEYAMA! You traitor!" Tanaka grabbed at his nonexistent hair.

     "Mwahahahaahahahahah!" Noya laughed evilly. The second years went back to their chores and volleyballs started echoing around the gym again. Tanaka grumbled about cheating and Noya gave Hinata an enthusiastic thumbs up.

     "What was that about?" Kageyama asked.

     "I think there was a bet or something with pork buns," Hinata guessed. Food was the motivation behind Noya's actions a lot.

     "So they bribed you to kiss me?" Kageyama rolled his eyes.

     "Don't worry about that." Hinata took Kageyama's hand. "I'd still kiss you, Kageyama, pork buns or no pork buns."

     "How loyal," Kageyama said dryly.

     Hinata laughed.

     "I'm going to hold you to what you said earlier." Kageyama stopped walking. It was just them, going through the same small park from a few days ago. Hinata noticed they had stopped near the bench they had been on. Only today it had frost on it and the street light was off.

     "What?" He scrambled to remember what he had said.

     "That you'd kiss me even without pork buns." Hinata had scarfed down the buns straight after school.

     "Oh, okay!" Hinata leaped onto the bench. He felt Kageyama cup his cheek and then their lips collided. Hinata's heart hummed joyfully. He would never get enough of these kisses.

     "Boke." Kageyama helped him down like yesterday, by extending his hand for Hinata.

     "Anytime." Hinata grinned. Kageyama's neck was flushed pink and Hinata was sure blood was rushing to his own cheeks.

     "I'll hold you to that too," Kageyama warned.

     "I'm counting on it." Hinata smiled even more.

     And so, the couple always went back to the park every few days. And Hinata would jump onto the bench and kiss Kageyama on the lips lightly. After a few seconds, Kageyama would extend his hand to Hinata and they kept walking without letting go. Even when they fought, or wanted to scream at each other, even when they had kissed for hours already, they always ended up there.

     Kageyama holding Hinata close to him, Hinata wearing Kageyama's jacket. But most importantly, just being with each other. Hinata had never thought he would be able to call himself Kageyama's, and call Kageyama his. And yet, against all odds, he could. Against all odds, the setter called Hinata's his. And against even more odds, Kageyama really was his.