tangerine boy - kagehina

things have hurt more

a/n: KAGEYAMA GETS BEATEN UP IN THIS CHAPTER read with caution

Kindaichi was on Kageyama's middle school team, and it was fair to say he hated the setter. They were fine at first, borderline friendly to each other, until the latter became the worst version of himself. Seeing Kageyama beat his team on more than one occasion pissed Kindaichi off to no end, and seeing the love Kageyama had for his new team made that anger progress even further. Kindaichi blamed Kageyama for his being so far behind the other first years on the Aoba Johsai team, even though he was still an incredible volleyball player. He knew he could be better, and would have if Kageyama wasn't such a "Self-obsessed prick."

At the Seijoh practice that day, Oikawa made a comment about Kageyama and how the black haired setter was so much better than him, and it pushed Kindaichi over the edge. He ran, after practice ended, in the general direction of Karasuno, his rage fuelling an incredible pace. He heard the sounds of volleyballs bouncing against wood flooring and saw one Kageyama Tobio walking to a secondary location. He watched as the other walked into a small room, tapping his fingers against his thigh to the tune of some song as he walked.

Kindaichi sprinted quietly up the same stairs and peaked into the club room window, seeing Kageyama... Dance? Was this asshole dancing?

He opened the door, balled up his fist, and went to hit the other boy. He beat Kageyama to a degree he never thought he could, and promptly ran away after seeing the other boy unconscious on the floor. Something deep within him didn't feel any remorse.

"Kageyama!" Hinata was down on his knees, holding tightly on the other boy's shoulder.

Kageyama grunted, "Damn. What happened?"

"We don't know yet, Takeda is checking the cameras now." Daichi leaned down over Hinata, his head balancing on the other's orange hair from Kageyama's point of view.

My chest ached

But not in a good way

My head pounded

And I only wanted you to stay

Kageyama passed out again and the rest of the group, namely Tsukishima, Sugawara, and Daichi carried him to Daichi's car. Hinata followed them all closely, getting into the car with Kageyama and Daichi just as they drove away.

Did I deserve it?

I may never know

Maybe I'll do something in the future

Something deserving of this show

Everyone was anxious, but tried their hardest to keep some sort of composure. Kageyama was the one laying half dead in Hinata's lap, it wasn't a time to feel any sort of selfishness.

This couldn't be that bad

Things have hurt more

Physical pain isn't a horrible

As seeing you walk out the door

Kageyama woke up in a hospital bed three hours later, this time keeping his wits about him for a much larger period of time. Hinata sat in a chair outside the room; Kageyama could see the ball of orange peeking through the blinds. His mom was sitting on a loveseat in the room, anxiously scrolling through something on her phone. Her hands shook.

"Hey" Kageyama's voice was far more gravely than usual.

"Oh my gosh, Tobio! How did this happen?" His mother spoke softly and with compassion, but her words were also laced with slight anger.

"I don't know." Kageyama started feeling the condition he was in right then. His ribs felt bruised and he figured something could've been broken. Speaking made his face get overwhelmed with pain, and his hands were covered in blood. Kageyama's skin was broken all over his arms and hands and legs, but everything mainly felt sore. Based on a lack of casts and bandages, though, he assumed he was pretty okay. He supposed his being strong worked at some sort of armor.

His mother checked her watch, eyebrows raising as she saw the time. "I'm so sorry, Tobio, but I have to get to work now. I'll be back later to bring you home, you were supposed to stay here longer anyway. Love you." And with that, the older, black haired woman walked out, and the orange haired kid came in.

Hinata's face was stained with tears, and there were marks in the palms of his hands, shaped like his fingernails. "How ya feelin?" Hinata couldn't look at Kageyama in the eyes--the shorter boy continued to stare at his shoes. His hands balled up again.

"Come here, dumbass."