Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

A sea of all kinds of different colours opened up to Tobio as soon as he stepped out of the sports store and onto the busy boulevard of the shopping district.

Banners – blindingly bright and flapping in the wind – and scents, that ranged from the nearby Takoyaki seller distributing its smoky fragrance to the samples of freshly cut fruits of the neighbouring corner store, irritated Tobio’s senses and made him scrunch his nose. Large advertising posters covered most of the front of the department store in front of which several people were crowded together, seemingly to take part in a seasonal sale.

Tobio ignored them and as he moved further and further away from the store he had just left, his eyes noticed the lights in the showcases illuminating sparkling collections of books or fashion brands, the changing of the traffic lights, the hustle and bustle of people trying to get to the other side of the street, and most of all the constant flow of people to all sides.

There was nothing fluid in their movement, it was hectic and disrupted – hideous in a way, and Tobio wished he wasn’t nudged, boxed or pushed to the side whenever someone else ignored the definition of ‘personal space’. There were many of them, too many, and Tobio could feel the stress each of them carried with them as they pressed mobile phones to their ears or moved their mouths large and vividly while talking animatedly with friends or colleagues.

Tobio could literally feel the busyness surrounding him like a swarm of angry wasps trying to scare off that one bee that didn’t belong there. He was used to being exposed like this, but it didn’t mean that he had ever gotten used to it. The constant presence of strangers around him created an unpleasant tingle on his skin, as if a thousand angry ants were racing down his arms, legs and spine. A sharp prickle shot down his back and he hurried to get back to the station and take the train back home.

Absendmindedly, he felt for the front of his messenger bag where he kept his commuter pass he used to get to university. But as he patted his bag, he noticed how unusually light it felt compared to when he had left his flat two hours ago. With an uneasy foreboding in his stomach, Tobio stopped and hastily stepped aside so as not to incur the wrath of a random passer-by, and opened his bag with trembling fingers.

At first he noticed the lack of the new sport shoes for practice he had initially wanted to buy – which is why he had taken it upon himself to come here today in the first place – but after he had gone through the other few items in his bag, ranging from his notebook, pencils and a handkerchief, Tobio realised that the most important item was missing.

The tablet.

His tablet wasn’t there.

Ice cold panic ran down his back as he stared bewildered into the gaping hole of his messenger bag, devoid of any electronic device that didn’t fit into the pockets of his coat.

Tobio frantically searched his bag multiple times, patted the pockets of his coat and even his pants before he had to concede to himself that the table was no longer there.

What should he do? He needed the tablet to communicate. He wouldn’t be able to do so without it. He really needed it. Who else would be able to understand him aside from his team members? Aside from a few other people, there was no one he knew he could talk to.

With wide eyes, he stared at the opening of his messenger bag, before he slowly pulled the zipper shut and clenched his hands into fists to suppress the rising trembling. A cold shock shook his spine, his palms felt clammy, and a tingle shot through his wrists and chest.

Where?

Where could he have lost it?

And more importantly: How? He never lost his tablet!

He even had a second one at home in case the other one got damaged and to make sure he always had a device to communicate with others. Frankly, the second one was old and slow, and it was all the way home in his flat and not with him right now.

Tobio turned around and looked back all the way he had come from. Pushing logic aside, maybe he had lost it somewhere along the way? On the pavement, in front of a large store, or behind one of these flower pots that smelled extremely artificial? Maybe he had–

The sports store!

Tobio’s eyes widened further. He had used the tablet to ask for the shoe model he was interested in. He couldn’t explain how he could've possibly forgotten to pack the tablet back into his messenger, but that was where it had started. He still had had his tablet with him when he had been in the store after all.

With renewed energy he started walking. His legs moved faster and faster and eventually he was running. Ignoring the people around him, who opened their mouths with angry folds around their eyes and noses, probably insulting him, he dashed back.

Once he reached the familiar front of the store, Tobio tripped on the spot to wait until the automatic door opened and he could rush inside. He ignored the friendly greeting of the clerk at the check-out and walked straight towards the shoe section, soon reaching the bench he had sat on mere 20 minutes ago. He checked it, looked behind and below it, searched the aisle where he had taken the shoes out of the shelf, and the other one with the previous models he didn’t like that much.

Unsuccessfully, Tobio scowled and paced through the aisles, even through the ones where he had not set a single toe into; he wanted to be sure that his tablet hadn’t slid under the shelves or had been accidentally carried on by someone else.

Yet… he couldn’t find his tablet anywhere.

Standing next to the bench again, Tobio stared at his feet and tried to desperately find a solution for the loss of his communication device. He contemplated asking a staff member; but without the tablet, he didn’t know how. His mind was blank, bare of any useful thought, he didn’t even know how to approach them without being ridiculed or being looked at weirdly.

Giving it another shot, Tobio turned to scurry once more through the aisles, check the other benches, searched through the box of toys the store offered for children, and even got down on his knees to look underneath the shelves.

When Tobio caught the weird look of another customer, he froze on spot and slowly got back into a standing position. He didn’t want anyone, especially not the staff, to be suspicious about his intentions.

With drooping shoulders, Tobio left the shop and walked down the street with heavy steps. Nervousness made his shoulders draw close together and his mind frayed a bit. When his glance fell on a bin, he hesitated. What if the tablet had fallen out of his bag? What if it had hit the pavement, broke and someone had simply discarded it?

With new fervour, Tobio accelerated his steps and checked every bin left and right off the shop. But to no avail, none of them contained any electronic items and the closest he found was a rusty cable with loose ends. Not a single tablet in sight, wherever Tobio was looking.

Fiddling with the strap of his bag, Tobio gave the sky a quick glance. It was already late, the sun was sinking towards the horizon and the shop windows on the other side of the street were covered with warm rays of light.

How long had he been searching already?

Tobio walked back and forth between a bench on one side of the store and the bunch of weirdly smelling flowers on the other before turning around and repeating this cycle.

Maybe he should do ask the staff after all. They would’ve noticed if something had been forgotten and would keep it safe and sound somewhere. But what if someone had stolen it after all?

Tobio’s shoulders slumped and his lips distorted. He at least had the second tablet at home. It was a fairly old model, but still useful, and better than nothing. He would buy a new one though, so that he could install more apps and the drawing pad he really needed to–

Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder and Tobio flinched. Utterly startled, he jerked his head around before the rest of his body had the chance to follow.

Bewildered, he stared at the other person, who seemed to be just as surprised as Tobio himself. He even took a step back, which made Tobio wonder if the panic had made him appear this unapproachable already. But apparently it wasn’t enough as this man – or boy rather, considering his size – had nonetheless reached out for him.

Tobio hesitated and looked over the other, who stared back just the same way. Maybe it had been a misunderstanding and he had mistaken Tobio for someone else? But the boy didn’t move and just kept looking at Tobio with large brown eyes that resembled molten caramel. There were freckles scattered around his nose and his lips were parted as if in awe. But what attracted Tobio the most was the short and bright red hair that seemed as if it was glowing in the setting sunlight.

Now that he had a chance to take in the other closely since neither of them did anything at all, Tobio realised that there was a solid presence residing within this boy. He noticed a defined jawline, broad shoulders, and a compact chest. He wasn’t as tall as Tobio, but he wasn’t that small either. There was strength in his arms, its muscles jumping when he raised a hand to show a flat palm – as if in apology – and Tobio followed slowly the flex of his biceps with a feeling that resembled fascination.

This was no boy, and as Tobio stared into the large brown eyes shining softly and fixating on him, Tobio swallowed as his throat suddenly felt very, very dry.

Soon, the real issue returned and Tobio scowled. What did this man want from him? He had other problems to tend to right now. He had to find his tablet and go home and study and do his homework and prepare for the next day and eat.

Out of habit, Tobio parted his lips and this alone seemed to set the other man free. Released from the previous stupor, he opened his mouth and began to babble something; or that was at least how it appeared to Tobio. Rapid words were formed with pink lips, tumbling over each other and giving shape to vowels and consonants.

It was lively in a way, and yet it represented a completely useless way of communication for Tobio. There were many words spilling from the other’s mouth – a lot – and sadly Tobio did not understand a single sound. He could only watch in confusion how those lips parted and closed again, formed valleys and mountains while his mouth repeatedly opened and closed, opened and closed, to give a quick hint of the blink of white teeth.

There was so much excitement and enthusiasm in the atmosphere the red head created simply by moving his lips that Tobio regretted not being able to read lips any better.

Tobio couldn’t relate to being so open and friendly towards a total stranger he had met on a street in front of a sports store on a random Sunday evening, and he started to wonder what he would hear if the words would be able to reach his brain.

Brown eyes, large and wide, were gleaming and while talking, the red head smiled. How did he manage to be so full of energy? He talked and talked and talked, and even for Tobio it was too much. Unable to intercept a good moment, Tobio raised his hands flat in the air, which made the other blink in confusion.

Now where he had his attention, Tobio fixed brown orbs, lowered his arms and pointed at his ears before crossing his arms to symbolise that no matter how many more words the other would say, he wouldn’t be able to hear them.

For a few seconds during which Tobio’s palms became even colder and clammier, the other man stared up at him, thoughts visibly running behind his eyes. His lips parted again but this time they only formed a perfect O. Tobio nodded and decided that this was probably the moment they would part ways again. He still needed to find his tablet or he wouldn’t be able to understand anything the other man had tried to convey to him at all.

But apparently this wasn’t the end of their encounter.

With renewed energy, the red head raised his arms and formed in fluent gestures:

「Are you deaf?」

And everything shifted.

It was as if someone had adjusted the frequency of a radio so that a clear sound trickled out of the speakers, as if the final piece of the puzzle had been laid, as if, after eternal back and forth, the plug had finally been inserted into the socket.

Tobio’s world turned bright again, and he was able to understand.

Too surprised to respond right away, Tobio stared at those short fingers and the familiar gestures that instantly enlightened his world and gave answers to unworded questions.

He knew how to talk?

Realising that he owed the other a response, Tobio slowly nodded.

「I see. I’m Hinata! Hinata Shouyou. That’s what I tried to tell you before but you just kept staring at me like a lamp pole or something.」

Tobio scowled.

「Man, I said lots. Why didn’t you stop me sooner? People were looking at us already.」

At this, Tobio froze and gave his surroundings a quick look.

「I’m sorry」 Tobio signed, eliciting a bashful smile from the other.

「It’s okay. Anyway, that’s how you write it.」

「What?」

「My name, dummy. Here.」

As if it were quite normal to insult a complete stranger, Hinata went on and wrote four single characters into the air before repeating the kanji on the back of his hand for Tobio to see.

Sunshine and soaring.

Tobio repeated the kanji on his own palm multiple times and stared at his skin for a few seconds, trying to remember those signs. He had to admit to himself that it was a beautiful name, albeit unusual.

When he looked up again, he saw red blotches spreading around Hinata’s nose.

「What?」

Hinata blinked and shook his head. 「Nothing. What’s your name?」

Tobio still felt a little weird to introduce himself to a stranger, who had tapped his shoulder on a busy street when he had better things to do. But Hinata had done so and who knows, maybe he actually sought help or asked for the way or something. Tobio was polite enough to at least return the favour and introduce himself as well.

Thus, he raised his hands in a similar manner and signed, 「Kageyama Tobio.」

Brown eyes flared up and he nodded as in acknowledgement. Then he turned his head and nearly hit a pedestrian when he pointed at the sports store; the appearance of which all too familiar to Tobio by now.

「I saw you come out of the store. Are you looking for something?」

A cold shudder ran down Tobio’s skin and the memory of the loss of his tablet dragged down the corners of his lips. He nodded, deflated. Wondering why Hinata had asked him that, he raised his hands to start a question, but Hinata had already shifted his attention towards the brown bag slung around his shoulder. He fumbled with the fastener and once the lid flapped open, he pulled a very familiar black and flat rectangle out of it. A tablet. His tablet.

「Is this yours?」

Tobio stared, dumbfounded, at his property and nodded slowly.「Yes. How do you–」

Hinata carefully tucked the tablet under his arm to have his hands free. 「I was in the store a few minutes ago and found it under a bench!」

Hinata flapped the case open, fixated something on the inside and grinned before he opened his mouth and said something aloud.

Tobio didn’t need to ask what he had said, and he didn’t need Hinata to turn the tablet over for him to see either; he already knew that his name was written on the inside of the cover. With a wide grin Hinata handed him the tablet that Tobio took with a nod.

「Thank you」he signed once he had secured the device in his bag and closed the zipper properly.

「You’re welcome!」

Hinata sorted his bag and strap again, then he smiled up at Tobio. It was still genuine, still bright and cheerful, but there was hesitance in it that made Tobio’s insides feel funny. Given that all necessary social rules had been followed, he wasn’t sure how to end their encounter so that each of them could once more follow their own path to never meet again.

Yet he found himself hesitating as well.

Tobio lowered his eyes and by chance he caught a glimpse of something familiar peeking out of the other's bag, causing the neatly stitched seams to almost burst. They were the tips of volleyball shoes, white and quite worn, with red streaks down the side.

Tobio couldn’t tear his eyes away, knowing well that he had been looking at new shoes this afternoon as well.

Curious eyes followed his gaze and once Hinata knew what he was looking at, his smile grew wider; if that was even possible.

「Do you play?」

Tobio’s eyes widened and he nodded eagerly.

「Amazing! Me too. How long? Which position? We should play together! Do you want to?」

The row of rapid exclamations and questions, that even sounded noisy to Tobio, made him blink, and for a moment he stared at Hinata’s opened mouth, his large eyes, his waiting look and the sparkling aura around him, before taking a deep breath.

He no longer had to search in the evening hours in the busy shopping district for his tablet. He didn’t have to fear to run into a stranger and try to talk to them without any mean of communication device at hand. He finally had his tablet back, that had come to him through the hands of another volleyball player with the softest eyes he had ever seen in someone’s face and a happy smile that soothed his fraying soul. They could talk without using that tablet. And there was a topic brought up between them he was more than comfortable with.

There was nothing to worry about.

「I’m a setter. You?」

Hinata literally beamed at him.「Wing spiker! I play in my university team. You?」

Tobio nodded.「Me too.」

「We should play together」the red head signed again, with the same enthusiasm he had possessed before.

Cautiously, Tobio nodded. Was it weird to play volleyball with another university student he had just met on the street? Hinata seemed pretty eager, too, but there was a part of Tobio that was curious about the other’s ability. Hinata wasn’t very tall, yet he had the body of an athlete and claimed the title of a wing spiker.

He frowned thoughtfully and the pause made Hinata shuffle from one foot to the other. His joyful expression changed and although the smile still formed his lips, there was insecurity in his face that didn’t fit him at all.

「We don’t have to」Hinata wrote slowly but looked a little deflated at his own words, as if he had disappointed himself by drawing into the air between them.

Tobio blinked.「It’s okay」 he hastily signed, belatedly realising that he was slow with yet another reply.

The result came immediately. Hinata grinned widely and fumbled for his pockets before signing,「Great! Let’s exchange numbers. Wait.」

Fetching a tiny notepad from his coat, Hinata started to scribble a row of numbers, then he gave it to Tobio, who looked down at a phone number and nodded in confirmation. A movement caught his eyes and when he looked up, he saw how Hinata had pushed up his sleeve to check the time on a bright green watch around his wrist. Brown eyes widened for a bit and when he turned to Tobio, he bowed quickly.

「I need to go now. I promised my sister to video call today. Bye!」

Surprised, Tobio only had the chance for a quick nod to react to that statement. As Hinata scurried away – not without turning around once more to raise both arms and wave at him – Tobio did the same with the hand holding the piece of paper while the other clutched to his messenger bag.

What a weird man.

* * *

The bright light of the mid-morning sun shone through the window onto the edge of Tobio’s bed, warming the tips of his toes and providing a gentle contrast to the rest of his body in the shadow.

Lying with his back on his mattress, Tobio fixated on the volleyball that was up in the air above him, about to return its path he had set to himself. Once it reached the tips of his fingers, he angled his arms, pushed the elbows softly into the mattress and pushed them forward again to set the ball back into the room above his bed with precision and calculated strength.

Tobio repeated this movement for a while as he tried to not look at the bunch of homework that was waiting on his desk and the online class he had wanted to watch again. The video was already opened on his laptop, but he had made a good attempt of ignoring that so far. With no practise today, Tobio had found himself reaching out for the familiar texture and smell of the volleyball and before he knew it, half an hour had passed, which many teachers probably considered a ‘waste’.

As the ball was set back into the air, Tobio shot a quick shot to the bedside table where his tablet was lying. A thoughtful frown creased his brow and as he sent the ball up again, he thought about the previous evening when he had met Hinata Shouyou.

He had quickly discarded the thought that it might be unusual or dangerous of sorts to get to know a complete stranger like this odd man. Hinata had been the one who had given him his phone number after all, and where Tobio had been surprised at first, he was still rather stunned about the complete trust the other put into him despite them not knowing each other for more than ten minutes.

Once Tobio had returned home, he had stared at the row of numbers for a long time before remembering that he had to eat and gather his notes for his homework. It was only the next morning when Tobio had saved the number into his contact list and wrote a quick message saying that it was him; just to be fair of course.

After he had eaten breakfast, washed up and his eyes had travelled back and forth between his studies and his phone, once he had touched the volleyball, he had found himself on his bed. Whenever he gazed to the side where his tablet was lying, a funny tickling feeling spread in his stomach, but before it had time to settle, he pushed it away – just like the volleyball above him.

Suddenly, a vibration underneath his shoulder startled him and he missed the moment the ball came back to catch it in time. His mouth crunched when the ball hit his sternum, and he cursed while fumbling for his phone he had put close in case someone would message him. Expecting a notification from his team, a cheerful text of his former senpais or encouraging words from his sister, Tobio switched on the screen and was surprised to see that it was neither.

For a few seconds he stared at the message, then he unlocked the screen and opened the chat he had started just this morning.

Kageyama Tobio [09:01]: I’m Kageyama Tobio.

Hinata Shouyou [10:09]: HEY!!!!

Hinata Shouyou [10:09]: how are yu??

Hinata Shouyou [10:09]: I hope yur tablet still works, I didn’t drop it or anthin’!

Hinata Shouyou [10:09]: if it’s damahged I can buy yu a new one!

Hinata Shouyou [10:09]: but I need to save money for that first so it might be some time, hm...

Unused to such a flood of messages despite the phone and tablet being his main source of interaction at times, Tobio couldn’t help but smile. Hinata’s texting was probably as noisy as his regular talking in the hearing world.

The memory of smooth wrinkles tugging at soft-looking lips, the gentle glow of brown orbs and a cheerful smile beaming at Tobio from below filled his mind, and Tobio hastily typed back before he could think more about unnecessary things.

Putting the ball aside, he tapped the window and typed.

Kageyama Tobio [10:11]: my tablet is fine

Kageyama Tobio [10:11]: thanks for returning it

Hinata Shouyou [10:11]: I’m glad!!!

Kageyama Tobio [10:12]: you said you were in the shop as well

Tobio didn’t know what else to write and realised that his own words felt a little clumsy; but he knew for sure that he didn’t want to let the conversation die down so soon yet.

Hinata Shouyou [10:12]: the shop??

Kageyama Tobio [10:12]: the sport shop.

Kageyama Tobio [10:12]: Yesterday.

Kageyama Tobio [10:12]: When we met

Hinata Shouyou [10:12]: ohhhh

Hinata Shouyou [10:12]: yes!

Hinata Shouyou [10:12]: I wanted to look for new shoes but they are so expensive, haha

Hinata Shouyou [10:12]: what abut yu??

Kageyama Tobio [10:12]: I went to check out some shoes as well, but I didn’t get any

Hinata Shouyou [10:12]: I see

Hinata Shouyou [10:12]: yu were jus looking as well?

Kageyama Tobio [10:13]: no, I wanted to buy some

Why else would he go to a shop, Tobio thought, although he had to admit that he in fact hadn’t actually bought anything. Apparently, Hinata noticed the same.

Hinata Shouyou [10:13]: but you didn’t :D

Kageyama Tobio [10:13]: well, yes..

Hinata Shouyou [10:13]: let’s go again then! i know another store close to the station

Hinata Shouyou [10:13]: they have lots of shoes

Tobio blinked a few times, surprised about being invited.

Kageyama Tobio [10:13]: together?

Hinata Shouyou [10:14]: of course!

For a few seconds Tobio scowled at the screen, unsure what to reply. Did Hinata think that he needed help?

Hinata Shouyou [10:14]: don’t get me wrong pls

Hinata Shouyou [10:14]: i want to go together with you because i want to, not because of anythin else!

Kageyama Tobio [10:14]: oh okay

Hinata Shouyou [10:15]: yeah? lets go then! when do yu hav time??

The surprise about being invited still held his thoughts captured, but Tobio was grateful. For whatever reason, Hinata was able to use sign language, and it didn't faze him at all that Tobio was deaf and in this sense limited. In general, it didn't seem to be a problem for him, which made Tobio feel… normal. Hinata’s consideration created a weird feeling within his chest and he swallowed to get it away; to no avail.

Kageyama Tobio [10:15]: how about sunday? I don’t have club then

Hinata Shouyou [10:15]: me neither! lets go then!

Hinata Shouyou [10:15]: i usually get up pretty early but we can meet whenever you like!

Hinata Shouyou [10:15]: when do you normally get up??

Kageyama Tobio [10:16]: on weekends? Between 8 and 9

Kageyama Tobio [10:16]: maybe mid-morning?

Kageyama Tobio [10:16]: wait, when do you normally get up then?

Hinata Shouyou [10:16]: mid-morning sounds good!!

Hinata Shouyou [10:16]: 6 latest

Kageyama Tobio [10:16]: at 6???

Kageyama Tobio [10:16]: what are you even doing then?

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: yu’re interested (￢‿￢)

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: …

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: nothing weird, right?

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: who do you think i am??

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: well, tbh, I just met you yesterday, so…

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: oh, didn’t know you could be fun

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: oi!

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: that was a compliment!

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: THAT was a compliment?

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: you suck at that

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: just say thanks and live on, okay?

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: anyway, i just do my routine

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: routine? What kind?

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: like meditating and cooking breakfast and getting things ready

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: i like doing that in the morning rather than evening

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: I see

Kageyama Tobio [10:17]: sounds good

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: thanks!

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: see, that’s how you do it

Hinata Shouyou [10:17]: t.h.a.n.k.s

Kageyama Tobio [10:18]: so mid-morning?

Hinata Shouyou [10:18]: don’t ignore me!

Kageyama Tobio [10:18]: I don’t. I just asked you a question.

Hinata Shouyou [10:18]: you totally ignored my comment

Kageyama Tobio [10:18]: you didn’t put a ‘?’

Hinata Shouyou [10:18]: seriously?? :D

Hinata Shouyou [10:18]: but yeah, mid-morning sounds good!

Hinata Shouyou [10:18]: 11? in front of the station??

Kageyama Tobio [10:19]: Jinbocho?

Hinata Shouyou [10:19]: yep!

Kageyama Tobio [10:19]: okay

Hinata Shouyou [10:19]: great! (～￣▽￣)～

Hinata Shouyou [10:19]: please don’t ignore me when you see me, yeah? :P

Kageyama Tobio [10:19]: I’ll try

Kageyama Tobio [10:19]: :D

Hinata Shouyou [10:20]: yet another very funny pun

Hinata Shouyou [10:20]: Bakageyama!

Kageyama Tobio [10:20]: that was a compliment

Hinata Shouyou [10:21]: excuse me, i know a compliment when i see one

Kageyama Tobio [10:21]: you sure it’s not only when you try to make them?

Hinata Shouyou [10:21]: noooooo

Kageyama Tobio [10:21]: then I’ll wait for the next time

Hinata Shouyou [10:21]: yu sure like to be complimented huh?

Kageyama Tobio [10:21]: no

Hinata Shouyou [10:21]: liar! :D

Kageyama Tobio [10:21]: anyway, Sunday

Hinata Shouyou [10:22]: yep!

Hinata Shouyou [10:22]: don’t be late :)

Kageyama Tobio [10:22]: I won’t

Tobio’s lips twitched and he scrolled once more through their chat to read through their conversation that had gotten longer than expected. Now they would even meet up next week. He hadn’t thought that Hinata would be that interested in meeting him at all, maybe playing volleyball together once or twice, that was as far as his imagination could go, but going to a sport store together on a Sunday?

Tobio put the phone back under his shoulder and reached for the volleyball. With both hands he held it up in to the air above him and stared at it for a very long time. He felt the familiar worn leather under his fingertips, the radiating smell, and watched the soft gleam of the sunlight shining onto the rounding.

Sunday…

In one week.

Very slowly, a wobbly smile curled his lips and excitement flooded his chest, which he had rarely felt before. He squeezed his eyes shut, pressed the ball to his chest and put his chin on it, poking the hard material, and felt warm sunlight wandering over his legs until it reached his chest.

* * *

One week passed more or less slowly and Tobio found himself texting with Hinata once in a while between classes or when he tried to do his homework. They mainly wrote about volleyball, which teams they liked, what strategies they thought were best, and nasty blockers they had fought against during high school times.

When Tobio got off the train on Sunday morning and exited Jinbocho through the ticket gates, he walked a little further until he stood in the bright light of a promising sunny day. The nearby shopping district where they had first met about a week ago was only a few minutes’ walk away. Tobio was already living in Tokyo for over a year, but the city was so big he would probably need several decades to see most of them anyway. Since Hinata had suggested to go somewhere else this time, Tobio was curious where they would end up.

As he repeatedly looked left and right down the busy street, he fiddled with the strap of his messenger bag and tugged at it to make sure that the familiar weight of his tablet was resting on his shoulder. He turned around to check the time of the giant clock inside the station and aside from leaving his flat a little earlier to not be too late – which ended up with him being indeed too early – Tobio still couldn’t get rid of that nervous feeling as he waited for Hinata.

He didn’t have to wait much longer though, since only one minute later he saw familiar red hair dancing in the distance, and as soon as Hinata was released from the mass he had mistakenly become part of, a huge grin pulled his lips apart and his eyes almost squeezed shut.

「Morning, Kageyama!」 he greeted with his hands and a wide smile all across his face. His hair was glowing just the same way they had the last time, but now it was shining in the fresh morning sun instead of the soft hues of sunset over Tokyo.

「Morning」 Tobio replied and added a small nod, trying to look into Hinata’s eyes instead of staring down the short locks twirling around his head.

「This way!」 Hinata pointed down the street to the other side and without further small talk or ado, Tobio followed the lead of the other.

Together, they walked down the streets around Jinbocho and despite seeing many different book stores in various appearances and sizes, Tobio didn’t know of any popular sports store around this area. He glanced at Hinata from the side, but the other was chirpy and swayed a little to the left and right, eyes directed up front. He had his brown bag slung around his back, the same Tobio had seen him carrying those old volleyball shoes inside, and now he noticed that Hinata had attached some kind of pins to the outside, one of them the mascot of the Haruko games for high school students.

Tobio smiled quietly and wondered how far Hinata’s team had made it, well, if they had participated in Nationals that was.

For the most part of the way they didn’t communicate. Tobio didn’t feel the need for it – they had texted via phone quite a bit already; a lot, given that they had only met last Sunday – and he didn’t want to interrupt the happy expression on the other’s face, who was curiously looking around, as if it was the very first time he had come to Tokyo.

A few minutes later Hinata stopped and pointed at a store that was built-in between a 7-Eleven and yet another second-hand book shop. Tobio came to a halt next to him and took in the unfamiliar front of the store, that bore no name Tobio knew, but looked promising, professional.

And here Hinata looked at him and fixed his eyes before raising his hands to sign, 「What do you think?」 His eyes were large and filled with excitement.

Tobio inspected the front door and the showcases displaying a range of steady-looking sport shoes. He nodded.

「Looks good.」

Hinata grinned and grabbed his arm to pull him to the shop. The automatic doors opened and they walked inside together.

They took a moment to stand in the entrance area right next to the check-out from where the staff greeted them, and although Tobio didn’t hear it, he could see Hinata’s lips move and happily return something.

The comforting scent of new shoes, rubber and leather filled his nostrils and Tobio let his eyes wander around to take in his new surroundings. A couple of heads of other customers peeked out above the shelves, a staff member was helping a child with a variety of shoes scattered around the bench they were sitting on, a young athletic woman tapped the boxes stacked in the shelves at the wall, forehead wrinkled in thoughtful frowns, and two other customers discussed a pair of bright pink shoes in the corner.

Tobio clutched the strap of his bag tightly and glanced at Hinata, who now walked a few steps further, paused, and turned around to beckon Tobio to follow him.

Together, they walked through the aisles of the shop and Tobio was grateful that he acquired the layout of the shop before he started looking for what he had come for; it always put him at ease to know his surroundings.

The two men looked left and right, took in new models and read the descriptions of all kinds of shoes, and whenever Hinata wanted to show him something, he would tug at Tobio’s sleeve or touch his hand to make sure that he would notice him. There was always a smile around Hinata’s lips, excited or happy, and sometimes he even took jumping strides through the aisles, which made Tobio sign a warning when a staff member was close by. He didn’t want to be chased out of a store he had already come to like just because of the shenanigans Hinata caused.

But whenever he saw Hinata’s wide smile and the glint in his eyes, a warm sensation spread in his chest and he couldn’t help but follow where Hinata’s invisible thread was pulling him.

Since Hinata was with him, there was no initial need for the tablet and Tobio was sure that he wouldn’t loose it either. He felt that as long as Hinata was here, he would have someone else with him to look out for lost items. It was nice to not be out alone for once.

The two just left the section of slippers and flip-flops, and just when Tobio started to think about advancing to the sport section, Hinata jumped a few steps ahead – which had his bag swing wildly around his back – until he stopped in front of a shelf, picked a pair of shoes and before Tobio knew it, Hinata was standing in front of him again.

Confused, Tobio stared down at the bright pink that stretched across a pair of adventurous loafers that had huge clasps on the sides. It was apparently the same model the other two customers had discussed when they had entered the store and honestly, Tobio couldn’t blame them.

Hinata pushed them in his arms and Tobio had no other option than catching and scowling at them.

「Try them on」 Hinata signed, now, that his hands were free.

Tobio shook vehemently his head.

「Come on, Yamayama. They’ll suit you!」

Tobio, who had no other option than glare the other down, scowled deeper.

The corners of Hinata’s mouth wrinkled, he pressed his lips together, and his cheeks puffed, but then it was done. Whatever it was, Hinata couldn’t keep it inside any longer. He opened his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut, and as stunned as Tobio initially was, he realised belatedly that Hinata was probably laughing – aloud. A loud laugh that most likely fit Hinata’s chirpy smile and the glistening eyes and the happy wrinkles around his mouth and white teeth and closed eyes and the swing of his torso. It was a sound Tobio wouldn’t be able to hear; ever.

His throat felt suddenly tight and Tobio tried to swallow, heavily, and blinked a few times while staring down at the bright pink glob he still held on to.

Slowly, Hinata’s laughing subsided and when he noticed Tobio’s scowl, he stopped abruptly and stared at him with large worried eyes.

「What’s wrong?」 he signed.

Tobio shook his head, unable to say anything when he still had to carry around this leather accident that made him feel sorry for the life of the cow that had to give up its life for something like this. Hinata tilted his head to the side and leaned forward to study Tobio from below. He even came closer and reached for his arm to tug at his sleeve, but he didn’t do anything else. He just stood there and touched him for a while, his thumb brushing slowly over his arm and his brown eyes gazing at Tobio, who wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Should he stare right back into the soft brown orbs that looked like they had swallowed caramel or pudding right from the fridge, or should he keep his gaze somewhere between his arm, the shoes and Hinata’s throat? He didn’t even know how to sort his thoughts, how to put into words what he felt. Maybe, just like this, what Hinata was doing, is what he needed; knowing that someone was simply therewhen he felt weird in public.

After a few more seconds, Hinata patted his arm and let go of him before he took the shoes out of Tobio’s hands, put them back on a shelf and pointed down another aisle.

「Let’s go to the sport section.」

Tobio shot him a quick look and nodded.

When they entered the sport aisle that offered all kinds of different shoes for different sports, Tobio relaxed again at the familiar sight and let his gaze wander around until he could see a few volleyball shoes. It didn’t take long for him to discover the black pair of the manufacturer he had checked out before on their website and which hadn’t been available in the previous store.

With excitement rising in his chest, Tobio knelt down in front of the small stack of cardboard boxes to find the right size. Once he pulled it out and got back into a standing position, happily staring down at the box, he noticed something beside him and was a little surprised to see Hinata lean down to inspect the presented shoes on the shelf.

「Neat」 he signed and nodded as if in acknowledgement. With a little frown, he considered the shoes for a few seconds before looking at Tobio, glancing up and down at him before finally raising his hands again.

「What?」 Tobio signed using one hand and scowled.

Hinata just shrugged. 「They would suit you.」

「What do you mean?」

A smile played around Hinata’s lips, softening his expression. 「They would suit you. Your hair at least. And your eyes.」 He looked nearly tender as he let his gaze roam over silky black strands before fixating blue orbs.

Tobio swallowed, then nodded, hoping the other would take this as his thanks, and pointed to a nearby bench to indicate that he would now try on the shoes. Hinata gave him a determined thumbs-up and gestured to the aisle to show that he would continue looking.

Once Tobio had settled down on the bench, he got out of his current pair of shoes and opened the box. The familiar scent of new shoes – leather and rubber – wafted in his face and he could already tell that these felt right. Carefully, he slid into the black pair and walked a little around the bench, smiling at how perfectly they fit. Just like he had imagined them to be.

Satisfied, he put them back into the cardboard box, and while he slid into his shoes, he raised his head to watch Hinata, who was standing a few metres away and contemplating between grey shoes with a green streak and white ones that bore red crosses on the side.

Amused, Tobio observed how Hinata tipped the displayed shoes, again and again, let his fingers glide over the material and even play with the shoelaces that were loosely tied, before he nodded to himself – his red hair bobbed up and down – and crawled on the floor until he found the right box. With a wide grin and the desired size, Hinata turned around, walked towards Tobio and once he had flopped down on the bench right next to him, he flashed him a big grin.

His feet were smaller than Tobio’s and now where he got out of his trainers, Tobio pressed his lips together at the sight of bright yellow socks with miniature onigiri and rice bowls scattered all over the fabric. One of them even had a hole at the toe.

Hinata caught his glance and opened his mouth like a fish.

「They were a present from my sister, okay?」

Tobio smirked. 「Of course」 he signed and tried to look as smug as possible.

Hinata nudged his arm but grinned bashfully. As his focus shifted back on the shoes, he got up and walked a few metres up and down the abandoned aisle, all while gazing down at the clear white and fancy red colour. He even made a few small jumps.

Finally, he came to a stop right in front of Tobio and turned each foot left and right so that he could inspect them from all sides.

Tobio slowly nodded and had to admit that those shoes suited Hinata quite well. But when he looked up at Hinata, the red head didn’t seem too convinced. A deep thoughtful frown was directed downwards, and finally Hinata sat back down to take the shoes off again to put them back in the cardboard box.

「You don’t want to buy them?」 Tobio asked once Hinata returned from where he had pushed the box back into the shelf with a wistful expression.

Hinata shook his head. 「I don’t have the money, and I still have my old shoes.」 He looked back over his shoulder at the shelf, but then turned with a refreshed smile and pointed to Tobio's lap where the freshly chosen volleyball shoes lay. 「You found something, though.」

Tobio smiled and nodded. He felt for his bag and the box and glanced to the entrance area.

「Shall we go?」 Hinata asked and Tobio nodded again.

They went to the check-out and luckily no words were needed, except when the staff asked if he needed a bag and Hinata had to translate. It left the staff a little perplexed – as if Tobio was a foreigner and totally unaware of every bit of Japanese around him – but finally he carried a big paper bag with the shop’s logo printed on it and could honestly say that he was satisfied with his purchase.

On their way out, something bright caught Tobio’s attention and when he paused, Hinata walked a few steps ahead before realising that he had reached the door by himself and quickly came back to see what Tobio was staring at.

It was the other side of the showcase Tobio hadn’t paid that much attention to at first as he had been mostly focused on shoes, but now he saw the recent release of volleyballs that came in all different kinds of colours with distinct patterns. Right in the middle was a familiar blue and yellow ball with a big sign that said: Mikasa Low-Friction, a new generation.

The ball resembled a regular volleyball, but there was a certain gleam to it that was certainly different than how other new balls looked, and as Tobio leaned closer, he saw that the smooth texture of the leather was interrupted by tiny dots scattered across the surface.

Noticing the price, he realised that there must be something fancy behind the different surface as this ball was more expensive than a regular one. Just a few weeks ago Tobio had read about those low-friction balls, which weren’t allowed in official matches yet due to the lack of data, and he wondered for how much longer this rule would hold.

How would it be to play with this ball? Would he be able to increase the speed of his serve? Would the ball be harder to handle by the liberos? Tobio itched to find out, but he already had bought the shoes, he couldn’t buy too much, and definitely not a ball just because he wanted to try it out. This must be special.

Realising that he hadn’t come to the store alone, he turned to look out for Hinata, but then noticed that the other man was already next to him and staring at the ball in fascination. He even leaned left and right to watch the ball from all sides.

「I bet this flies super fast」 he finally signed and beamed at Tobio. 「I wanna play with it.」

「Me too.」

Hinata grinned, then looked back at the ball and hesitated. 「Wow, no, look at that price. I won’t buy that.」 He put his head back in the neck. 「Man, being a student sucks at times, right?」

Tobio smiled. 「Yes」 he simply answered and Hinata’s expression shifted to a weak sarcastic smile.

「I still have balls at home, so I’m fine」 Tobio added.

Brown eyes studied him for a few seconds, then he smirked. 「But you wanna try it out anyway?」

Tobio nodded seriously. 「Of course. Who do you think I am?」

「Well, to be honest, I don’t know that much about you.」 Hinata scratched the back of his neck and Tobio, realising that they had indeed only met twice so far, blushed at that.

They held the other’s gaze for a moment. Hinata opened his mouth and it seemed like he laughed, although quieter than before – if Tobio had any chance to tell the difference – and motioned to the door.

「Let’s go outside before we make any bad decision.」

Tobio smiled and nodded.

They stepped back onto the outside pavement and just to make sure that it was still there, Tobio glanced down at the paper bag and weighed his new property that he could call his own. He caught big brown eyes staring at him and turned to face Hinata, raising an eyebrow as in question.

「Where do we go next?」 Hinata signed and shot a quick glance down the street leading towards Jinbocho station.

Tobio blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected any follow-up plan and had assumed that going to the sports shop to maybe buy a pair of shoes – which he had now actually done – would be the only thing on the agenda. So far he had rarely spent so much time with anyone else, except for his family, his classmates from high school or his teammates, but for some reason Hinata’s question didn’t make him scowl or irritated. That is why he honestly started to think of something they could do.

If it wasn’t for the absolute lack of ideas his brain provided.

「Are you hungry?」

Tobio stared at the other’s hands, contemplated, and nodded.

「Let’s go then! I know a café close-by.」 Shorter fingers tugged at his sleeve and dragged him a few metres until Tobio fell into step and once more followed the other’s lead.

Two streets further on, they came to a stop in front of a small but cosy-looking café, with its entrance and window fronts overgrown with ivy. A chalkboard next to the entrance described today's menu, which looked indeed promising.

Hinata beamed at him and Tobio nodded exactly once before warm fingers found his wrist again and he was pulled inside. The mild scent of coffee, something sweet and savoury wafting from the little kitchen, and the soft colours of the tiny groups of chairs and tables scattered around the area welcomed them and Tobio had to agree that Hinata had made a good decision to suggest going here; although he would never be able to admit that.

Hinata talked to a staff and as soon as they were seated in the corner next to the window, Hinata grabbed the menu and shoved it right under Tobio’s nose, who had no other choice but to take it.

「You can chose and I’ll order, okay?」

Tobio secured his new purchase under the bench while following the swift movements of the other’s hands. He nodded slowly and suddenly realised that Hinata was indeed able to actually talk to other people and would be understood if he opened his mouth to form words. It wasn’t that Tobio wasn’t able to talk, but he hadn’t been able to hear his own voice for such a long time already, that he didn’t trust himself most of the time.

Knowing that Hinata was able to talk felt a little weird. After the short amount of time they had spent together so far, Tobio had forgotten that already. He had got used to staying in silence in his life, to have nothing loud and boisterous except when the familiar excitement rushed through his veins every time he stepped on the court. Even though he wasn’t able to hear Hinata’s voice, to hear him laugh or make other noises, the red head seemed to have the power to change the silent constant Tobio’s life had become seven years ago.

Lost in thoughts, Tobio picked up the menu and it took a few seconds before he focused on the characters written on the laminated pages and decide on an onigiri and a coffee. He put the menu flat on the table to catch Hinata’s attention and once acquired, he pointed at the items he had decided on. Hinata nodded, waved for a staff member and ordered.

While they waited for their food and drinks, Hinata opened his coat and shugged it off, before facing Tobio.

「What do you do?」

Tobio frowned in confusion. 「What?」

「You’re a student, right? What do you study? Where?」

「Is this an interrogation?」

Hinata frowned. 「I just want to get to know you.」

Right, they had just met after all. And although Tobio first had to process so many questions at once, he was curious about Hinata as well.

「I study at Seikyou Dai and I’m in the volleyball club.」 He was sure that there was no need to mention the second part as he had mentioned it before, but otherwise his introduction would feel very empty.

The effect was immediate. Hinata’s eyes widened and his mouth formed a big O. 「Wow!」 he signed with quick movements. 「It’s a pretty old school, right? I bet you have a scholarship!」 For one moment they stared at each other, but then Hinata scratched the back of his neck.

「Sorry. I shouldn’t ask you about money.」

Tobio shook his head. 「It’s okay」 he signed so that Hinata wouldn’t feel bad about it. 「I don’t have a scholarship.」

「I see.」 Hinata smiled. 「I got one!」

「That’s great. Where do you study?」

「Totai Dai! And I’m in the volleyball club, too!」 Hinata beamed at him and shifted forward so that his arms rested on the table; as if he had too much energy by simply stating that and needed to bounce his body a little.

It was a relatively simple fact to mention – moreover was it something Tobio already knew – but what surprised him the most was the university itself. Totai Dai – or Tokyo University of Physical Education – was one of the oldest sport universities in Japan and pretty prestigious on top of that, which is why Tobio was impressed by how Hinata had managed to get into that. Did he get into Totai due to good grades or physical ability that allowed him to play volleyball in Tokyo?

「We should play together」Hinata signed now, grinning excitedly.

Scowling, Tobio raised his hands. 「We’re at different universities.」 Okay, so maybe not because of his good grades, he thought to himself.

「I mean in our free time, dummy. We can go to the fields outside and play.」 There was expectation and so much curiosity in those sparkling brown eyes, which held Tobio captured for a moment. Ignoring the insult, Tobio felt the same curiosity seize him; he wanted to know what Hinata was made of, what he was capable of and how he had managed to earn a place on Totai’s volleyball team.

「Okay」 he signed back and hands didn’t seem to be enough as Hinata grinned, opened his mouth and formed a word that Tobio read as Great from his lips. His hope that Hinata had at least said it quietly evaporated when he noticed how some other customers in the café turned to them, puzzled. Carrying a deep red on his cheeks, Hinata stared at Tobio before he turned around and bowed a few times, flustered and utterly embarrassed, while apologising profusely. Once he looked at Tobio again, his face was still flushed and he scratched the back of his neck while showing a shy grin.

Luckily, their orders arrived a few seconds later, giving them the chance to focus on something else. Hungrily, they dove into the plates of onigiris and for a minute Tobio was happily munching on rice and egg.

「When we met last week」 Hinata signed now, a thoughtful frown between his eyes, 「I just came from practice.」

Tobio nodded along with his words, clearly remembering the volleyball shoes in the other’s bag.

「We just got a new setter and we try to fit him in our team, trying to match him with the spikers and find his strengths and so on, you know?」

Tobio nodded again, fully understanding what Hinata meant.

「There will be a friendly match in a few weeks and we want to see how he’ll do in something more official than internal practises. I’m really excited.」

Tobio put down his onigiri and signed, 「Who are you playing against?」

「Kikui Dai.」 Hinata still looked thoughtful, an unusual calm expression compared to the raw energy that had leaked before.

Tobio nodded to show that he knew that team. Not that he had played against them anyway, but he enjoyed going to other team’s matches once in a while. Deaf volleyball wasn’t that much different from regular volleyball after all.

「Our setter…」 Hinata started anew but let his hands sink again and considered his plate for a while before continuing. 「The new member, he’s a setter, is really great, I think. But sometimes I miss his tosses.」

An unsatisfied expression tugged at Hinata’s corners.

「I guess we need to work on it more. He just transferred from another university from Kyuushuu, so he has to get used to the new team and me. His tosses are… They’re sometimes too high or too far away from the net or me.」

Hinata tilted his head to the side before looking up at Tobio.

「But then, when it’s just the right place, it’s like… like…」Hinata made a spiking movement above their food and drinks and moved his lips. 「Like gwaaahhh and whooosh, you know?」

Tobio stared at the long vowels Hinata had just signed into the air between them, which were probably the same words he had said aloud before.

「Not really」 Tobio signed honestly.

Hinata pressed his lips together and nodded slowly. 「Right, maybe you experience that differently since you’re a setter. I wonder how your tosses would be.」

Tobio picked up his onigiri, took a bite and munched on it for a while, thinking about those words. When he put it back down to have his hands free, Hinata’s eyes caught his steady gaze.

「Next weekend.」

Confused, Hinata tilted his head to the side, frowning. 「Next weekend?」 he repeated as in question.

「Volleyball. Let’s play.」

For ten solid seconds Hinata stared at him with eyes that widened further and further. His jaw fell apart and finally – when Tobio almost regretted suggesting this to not risk any direct physical damage of the other – Hinata nodded eagerly.

They grinned at each other, curiosity and excitement buzzing in the small space between them, onigiris almost forgotten.

When Tobio’s hand brushed against something cold, he was reminded of his coffee and picked up his mug to drink from it as he tried to contain the unusual bright feeling flooding through his guts. There was a pause during which Hinata finished his onigiri and grinned so wide that Tobio was surprised the rice didn’t squelch out from the sides of his mouth.

「That tablet…」 Hinata signed once he had wiped his mouth clean. He pointed at Tobio’s bag on the seat next to him to which Tobio’s gaze followed quickly. 「It’s a really good idea! I should remember that for the future.」

Tobio nodded. He didn’t quite understand what Hinata had meant, but he didn’t feel like prying too deeply into someone’s future intentions for… something. But now that he had opened up a new topic, he had a question himself.

「How did you come to know sign language?」 Tobio asked.

Hinata blinked in surprise, then he smiled warmly. 「Right, it must be weird to meet someone who understands your way of communication.」

Tobio nodded warily.

「Actually, my sister is deaf, too! She was born like that and since there weren’t many schools around when we grew up, we helped her study JSL. My Mom and me talk to her like that all the time」 Hinata explained and glanced back at Tobio’s messenger. 「A tablet is a good idea for everyday life, especially with characters you don’t know, right?」

Tobio simply nodded as he didn’t want to add any more since the obvious was already stated.

「Wait, so how does Seikyou organise classes? Since you can’t hear the lecturer talking and all. And why did you come to Tokyo?」

Those questions were fairly blunt. Though, Tobio wasn’t exactly sure how to sugarcoat the matter of university. It had been an obvious organisational problem at first and if he was honest, if he hadn’t had help from his sister when he had thought about going to Tokyo to join a team, he wouldn’t have managed to get into Seikyou in the first place.

「There are a few deaf volleyball teams in Tokyo」 Tobio started to explain by slowly moving his hands as he thought about how to answer. 「That’s why I decided to come here, because it was easier to travel to matches and join… bigger teams.」

Hinata nodded. 「Like the national team?」

Tobio swallowed. 「Well… I don’t know that yet.」

「Right, sorry. Continue.」

「It’s not that I would be offended if I would be offered a place or something.」

「Me neither.」 Brown eyes beamed at him with eagerness.

「It’s just…」 Tobio scowled and looked down at the condensational drops running down his mug. 「It’s not… easy. For deaf people」 he added since he noticed how Hinata opened his mouth. 「I don’t say it’s easy for… for normal people either, hearing people I mean. But they don’t have to think about this aspect, right? The deaf community is smaller, the teams aren’t big to begin with, most of them are in Tokyo anyway and you have to find a university accepting you.」

Hinata nodded slowly. 「So you study at Seikyou and you’re also on a deaf volleyball team?」

Now it was Tobio who nodded. 「The team is connected to Seikyou, but it’s not only Seikyou students being on the team, but most of them.」

「And classes?」

Tobio blinked.

「Classes」 Hinata repeated with his hands. 「How do you do that?」

Oh, right. 「Most of my classes are online classes, so I can watch a video of the lecturer, which has subtitles.」

Hinata stared at him in awe. 「I didn’t know that!」

「It’s only Seikyou though who offers that.」 The biggest reason why Tobio had chosen that university to attend to; apart from the volleyball connection. 「And I could request translators for classes that aren’t recorded.」

「That’s pretty helpful to know. Do they offer scholarships? So my sister can go there as well if she wants to study in the future?」

Tobio shook his head. 「It’s a private university, too.」

Deflated, Hinata shoulders slumped and he leaned back in his chair, nodding with a slightly distorted expression. Seeing him so sad and disappointed made Tobio’s lips curl.

「We don’t know yet」 he helplessly signed with his hands and the movement caught the attention of dark brown eyes. 「Maybe things will change in the future. Your sister won’t be in university next year, right? So that gives us at least another year.」

Hinata stared at Tobio, so long that Tobio wriggled uncomfortably on his chair and grabbed for his empty mug so that his hands were busy with something.

「We?」 Hinata finally signed, eyes wide and mouth agape.

「Well… I don’t really know why I signed that」 Tobio admitted and shrugged.

A few more seconds passed, and then Hinata grinned widely, raised his own empty mug and nudged it gently against Tobio’s before emptying the last few droplets of his own.

「You’re weird」 Hinata signed then.

Scowling, Tobio replied 「You’re a dumbass.」

「I’m not dumb!」

「So what’s left?」

Hinata stared at him for a second before reaching over the table to box his arm, but Tobio dodged with a smug grin on his lips. Hinata beamed and it looked like he laughed, the wrinkles around his mouth deepened and his eyes closed for a little moment during which Tobio watched him doing these happy expressions.

When Hinata reached out for the menu and shot him a questioning look, Tobio understood and pointed once more on the iced coffee.

「Got it」 Hinata signed and turned around to ask for a waiter.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with conversations about volleyball, their favourite matches, the teams scattered all around Tokyo, different complains about classes, lecturers and the never-ending stream of homework in which Tobio found a companion of sorts, and playful teasing that Tobio could only enjoy.

After they had walked back to the station in front of which they parted and Tobio turned to the ticket gates that already buzzed with people to go home, he glanced over his shoulder and was surprised to meet soft brown eyes doing just the same. Hinata beamed at him and Tobio raised awkwardly a hand to wave goodbye.

Once he was sitting in the train, clutching the paper bag containing his new shoes between his legs and staring outside to watch the cityscape of Tokyo being covered with the last warm rays of sunlight, Tobio thought that Hinata was still a pretty weird man, but he was friendly and thoughtful. He didn’t pity him in the slightest and every time he had smiled, a warm fuzzy feeling had gathered in Tobio’s belly he didn’t quite understand yet.

Next weekend they would go and play volleyball together and Tobio would finally see what Hinata was made of; he couldn’t wait for it to be Sunday again.

* * *

On Sunday morning, the large grass field of Seikyou University was – just as expected – abandoned and only a few birds were scattered in the surrounding bushes and trees, flapping their birds and chasing each other through the branches. The sun was partly hidden by a few clouds hanging in the sky and there was no wind; perfect weather to use the outdoor fields for volleyball.

When Tobio reached the sports grounds, he put his bag and the volleyball, which he had carried in a net, down on a metal bench before he opened his messenger to rummage for the long rope he had packed. There was no volleyball net strung up, so Tobio stretched a straight line between two beeches with the rope, chasing away a flock of sparrows, which he looked apologetically after.

Once satisfied, he returned to his bag and as he settled down on the bench, he fetched his phone from the pockets of his jersey and fiddled with it while waiting for Hinata.

For a few minutes he observed a few sparrows returning to their previous spot, the wind tussling the grass and ferns, and the clouds being pushed southwards. He checked his phone again, but there was no new message, and when Tobio thought about browsing through the latest news, he noticed a movement out of the corners of his eyes. He looked up and saw familiar bright red hair dancing to and fro while Hinata made his way across the path towards the grounds. He wore similar sport clothes as Tobio, thin running pants, shorts above that and a bright green coat with a hoodie. Tobio had opted out for a dark blue sweater.

Hinata greeted him as he came closer and raised his hands to sign a quick 「Morning, Kageyama-kun!」

Tobio scowled.

「What?」

「We’re in the same grade, aren’t we?」

Hinata stopped in front of the bench and dropped his bag. He shrugged and grinned widely. 「I don’t really mind.」

「Well, don’t treat me like a kid or something.」

「I won’t!」 Hinata stared at him with wide eyes. 「Besides, I’m surprised you didn’t say anything about it yet.」

「About what?」 Tobio signed before stuffing his phone back into the pockets and fiddling with the net of the ball, not loosing sight of the other’s hands.

「My size.」

Tobio grasped the ball and raised an eyebrow as in question.

「My size, dummy. You’re like super tall! And I’m… not.」

「So?」 Tobio signed one-handedly.

「You’re… not saying stuff like… I can’t do volleyball or I’m too small or… a shrimp. Or something.」 Hinata’s eyes trailed off and gazed on his own feet.

Tobio hesitated as he observed the apparent shift in emotions. He could feel how suddenly all of the energy that Hinata had been made of before was leaking out of him and he wondered what kind of history there was that it made Hinata look so sad now. Tobio squeezed the ball under his arm, the movement catching the other’s eyes.

「I don’t know that」 Tobio signed.

Hinata looked at him in confusion.

「I haven’t seen you play yet. I don’t know what you’re able to do. Is someone saying these things to you?」 He hadn’t intended to sound angry, but now Tobio stared at his hands, wondering what had possessed them to say that last bit as well.

「No one is saying that.」 The movement of Hinata’s hands caught his attention. 「At least… not anymore.」

Tobio slowly nodded. He waited a few more seconds, but when Hinata didn’t add anything else, he raised the ball and pointed at the make-do field he had created before.

Hinata blinked, followed his outstretched arm and once he had gazed over the outline of the court, he smiled.

「Let’s play」 Tobio signed and when Hinata nodded, he was relieved to see that the little tension had eased.

Together they walked onto the field and Tobio handed the ball over so that he could go into the setter position.

「You throw, I set, you spike」 Tobio signed as soon as his hands were free and turned around for the other to see.

Hinata gave a thumbs-up and waited until Tobio was near the rope, then angled his hands and threw the yellow-blue ball up into the air, drawing a perfect semicircle. Tobio stretched his hands skywards, stood up straight and looked up to where the ball appeared. It approached his palms and Tobio felt the familiar breeze as the ball touched his fingertips.

While he focused on the ball, he was acutely aware of his surroundings. There was the small movement right after Hinata had thrown the ball – ready to sprint off – the dancing of the rope in the soft breeze, the slight movement of the leaves of the trees, and the swaying of the grass beneath him.

And then there was a shift in the atmosphere.

There was a presence that echoed in his mind, drawing attention to itself and neither distracting nor merely drawing Tobio's pure focus. It was there, in the back of his mind, taking up most of the space there and yet leaving enough room for Tobio to react, to calculate his toss. The presence almost drew him in, took him over, and told him ‘I am here, here I am!!’, over and over in his head. It was a familiar voice, a voice Tobio had never heard before, but it was there, warm and soft and filled with sheer determination.

He could only set to that presence.

Hinata was there, right where he wanted him to have.

Tobio angled his back, tilted his head back and set the ball to a spot behind him. It was sent in a sharp pinpointing motion right in front of Hinata’s eyes, who swung his arms and spiked it to the ground. Pieces of grass flew to the side and some soil stuck to the ball as it rolled away on the other side of the court.

For a moment, both men paused and looked after the ball that came to a slow halt. Tobio’s hands were still in the air and Hinata’s wide eyes were directed on the ball before he looked down to stare at his hands, as if he just realised that they were attached to his wrists. Slowly, he raised his head and looked just as amazed as Tobio felt. Hinata opened his mouth and Tobio realised belatedly that he must be screaming something as his Adam’s Apple bopped and the muscles of his throat had tightened.

Tobio had no means to match that, but he smiled grimly and satisfied, and was immensely amused when Hinata formed 「Uwaaaahhhhhhh」 with his hands, mimicking the sound that had just left his mouth.

「That was amazing, Kageyama!」

「It felt good.」

「Again! I wanna feel that again!」 Hinata beamed at him, then he ran off to get the ball.

They did it again – set, toss, spike – and Hinata shouted every time the ball came to a perfect halt where he needed to take action up in the air. Tobio experimented with his angle and position and as soon as he could see Hinata jump up right in front of him, he gaped at the other man, because Hinata could jump.

Countless tosses were accomplished, the ground bore a few holes and both were slowly getting out of breath; but it felt too good to stop.

After a small break they practiced some receives and serves and Tobio was amazed by Hinata’s movements. Each flex of his arms, the tightening of his thigh muscles, the precise bounce of the ball that was set back after a soft receive, the concentrated expression, the happy smile and the glint in brown eyes attracted Tobio every time Hinata moved across the field. Tobio could see that Hinata was a hard-working player, who desired more and aimed high, and it had probably taken him years to reach the current level.

Finally spent, they slumped down on the grass and caught their breaths. Tobio closed his eyes for a few seconds, felt for the grass between his fingers and the sweaty pants sticking to his skin. He focused on his breathing and the rapid beat of his heart thrumming behind his ribcage, beating out of joy and ecstasy. When he opened his eyes again, he looked up into the sky, the white dotted clouds and the sparrows circling above the rope between the trees, some of the birds had already settled on it.

Tobio tilted his head to the side and glanced at Hinata, who wore a soft smile on his lips while his eyes were shut, bright lashes shimmering in the sunlight and red hair glowing. A drop of sweat ran down his temple and disappeared between the grass, followed by another one.

Tobio observed him in fascination, but as if Hinata had felt it, he opened his eyes and turned so that they looked at each other.

"Good?"

For a moment Tobio was confused that Hinata had opened his mouth but he had not heard a sound. When he realised that Hinata had spoken aloud, the other already repeated it, his smile not wavering.

"Good?"

Tobio nodded and smiled back while raising his hands to give the other a thumbs-up. Hinata beamed at him and reached out to nudge the back of Tobio’s hand with his sweaty fingertips. He grinned even wider, let his hand rest for a few seconds against Tobio’s before pulling away.

A pleasant tingle spread from the spot of sweaty skin where Hinata had touched him and for a moment Tobio raised his hand to stare at it, amazed. He couldn’t tell whether this funny feeling in his stomach arose from the little touch, the previous practice or a serious problem he should get checked out.

With a swift movement, Hinata sat up, crossed his legs and let his eyes wander over the makeshift field before he looked at Tobio, who returned the calm expression with wide eyes.

「What do we do now?」

Tobio followed the fluid motions of Hinata’s hands cutting through the air, noticed the few bruises along his arm from when he had dove for receives or the many freckles running underneath fine red hair glistening in the sun. He also sat up until their knees were touching, but neither of them made any move to do anything about it.

「What do you want to do?」

Hinata tilted his head to the side. 「I asked first.」

「Is this a competition?」

「Do you want to make it one?」

Tobio thought about it and gazed over the field, the visible wind in the trees, and the rope he had brought.

「Wanna do some overhead receives?」 he finally asked.

Hinata smirked. 「Bring it」 he signed and soon jumped up, not without taking Tobio’s hand to pull him along and back on the court.

* * *

There were more Sundays like these, when they met at Seikyou – knowing that it was vacant most of the times in the morning – to a park around the corner where Hinata lived or borrowed a gym for a few hours, one station away from Tobio’s flat.

Tobio found it easy to communicate with Hinata; not only because he could literally freely communicate with him using sign language, but since there was always a topic they could discuss. Frankly, it was the same topic most of the time, but there were so many aspects in volleyball to consider and think about and so many questions Hinata had about deaf volleyball despite it being not that different from regular volleyball, that Tobio purely enjoyed every time they met.

They exchanged ideas and strategies, which they wanted to try out on their respective teams or somewhere along their future paths Seikyou or Totai offered their athletes. Being scouted was a major goal for most sport students and, apart from the possibilities of try-outs, there were also invitations for the Japanese Youth or different Volleyball associations that centred in Tokyo. However, neither Hinata nor Tobio were yet recognised, but Tobio was determined and felt relieved when he saw that his new friend pursued an active part in the volleyball world as well.

Most of the times they met up, they wandered to one of the known locations and played until it was too late, too dark to see, or raining. In case ‘free time’ meant a rest day for them, they would go to a cafe or – as going out was expensive for students – meet in either Tobio’s flat or Hinata’s room in a shared apartment. Most of the time they ended up at Tobio’s since Hinata’s flatmates were nosy and the few times Tobio had gone there Hinata had ended up mostly translating, which had been tiring to see. Having the privacy and security of his own flat and seeing that Hinata apparently didn’t mind where they would end up – he seemed to feel comfortable in any surrounding, really – Tobio welcomed his friend many times at his own doorstep.

Tobio had feared that it would become awkward when it was just the two of them in his small living room – he rarely had guests over since most of his friends from high school or his sister were living outside of Tokyo – but there was no reason to. As soon as Hinata stepped inside, shuffled out of his shoes and coat to discover the new environment with big curious eyes despite there not being that much to take in, Tobio’s tight chest had eased and he had followed with an amused expression how Hinata studied every nook and cranny of the living room, the small kitchen, his bath and had even peeked inside the bedroom.

Naturally, the topic always came back to volleyball. They watched matches on Tobio’s laptop, discussed the latest results of the National Teams and drew line-ups on Tobio’s tablet while thinking about using their own players with it.

Sometimes, Tobio wished they would go to the same university so that they could meet up between classes, even if it was for a short amount of time. Tokyo was already big enough and it still amazed him that he had managed to meet Hinata in a shopping district in front of a sports store where he had lost his tablet.

And so Tobio saw in Hinata a friend and every time his phone lit up with a new message during his online class, Tobio smiled and looked forward to the next meeting with Hinata.

* * *

On a rainy afternoon, when the weather and the closed gym made it difficult to set a few tosses, Hinata had once again found his way to Tobio's flat. The outside world turned grey and wet and the view through the windows was obstructed; but luckily Tobio had saved his laundry before the masses breached the floodgates of heaven. Shortly after he welcomed a mostly dry Hinata in front of his door, shoes dripping water on the floor and folding an umbrella he left next to his shoes while he shook his darkened red hair like a dog and bore a wide grin on his lips.

After a series of apologies on Tobio's part, the provision of towels and tissues, and it looking like Hinata had a fluffy orange cloud on his head that was rubbed dry, the two men had settled down on Tobio's bed. Easily agreeing on what to watch – namely 2021’s France vs. Argentine – both men stared at the laptop screen Tobio had put on his bedside table.

Tobio rested his back against the wall, pillow in-between his spine and the cold concrete, and his legs were loosely angled to give Hinata enough room to sit comfortably and cross-legged next to him, clutching a pillow to his chest.

His thigh and Tobio's knee touched whenever either of them changed position slightly, but in the last weeks and months Tobio had become so used to Hinata being close and always there and warm that he didn't mind. Rather the opposite. Thus it was nothing new when Hinata pressed against his side or reached out to tug at his arm, wrist or hand, or pushed into his side, pulling him forward, closer or farther.

Today, however, he wasn’t. The touch was barely there, but since Tobio was focused on the match, the steady back and forth of blue and yellow from one side to the other, he paid little attention to the amount of seconds his friend brushed his leg.

When France won the second set, Tobio shuffled forward to get off the bed and turned to Hinata, who seemed startled.

「What’s wrong?」 Tobio signed.

Only now did he notice Hinata twisting his fingers and fiddling with the hem of his shirt as he blinked up at him in confusion. Tobio raised an eyebrow; he was used to seeing Hinata nervous, as he often was for various reasons, most of which were straight up stupid or just plain ridiculous. But his reactions were too adorable not to watch him every time he freaked out a little.

Hinata shook his head and forced a grin that Tobio didn’t buy but did Hinata the favour anyway. He shrugged and raised his hands again.

「I want to get something to drink. You want something, too?」

Hinata nodded and after a last glance at him, Tobio left him where he was to walk to his small kitchen to fetch two glasses of water. Once he came back, Hinata hadn’t moved a single centimetre and stared at the screen where the players talked to their coaches.

Tobio held out the glass of water, but Hinata didn’t react so Tobio came close and pushed the glass literally into the other’s face.

Startled, Hinata jerked to the side and stared indignantly at Tobio, who smirked and shook the glass a little until Hinata grabbed it with both hands, still looking a little disgruntled.

Tobio sat down again and took a few sips before putting the glass on the bedside table.

There was still some time left until the next set was about to start and so Tobio glanced to the side to study his friend out of the corners of his eyes. Not that he was worried, definitely not! Just… concerned, yes.

Brown orbs were directed at the fresh water glistening in the artificial light of the ceiling lamp and it quivered a little bit as Hinata constantly fiddled with the glass. This was definitely weird, even for Hinata.

Gently, Tobio nudged his knee against the other’s thigh to get his attention, which he received immediately.

「What’s wrong? You’re quiet」 Tobio signed and frowned about his choice of words.

For a few seconds Hinata looked at him out of large brown orbs behind which thoughts were running Tobio wasn’t able to read. Finally, the fiddling stopped and Hinata put his glass next to Tobio’s on the table, before he sought Tobio’s eyes again. A crooked smile hung over his lips, but there was determination in his eyes, and then he raised his hands.

「I…」 he started, let his fingers sink again, and started anew. 「I want to tell you something.」

Tobio nodded. He waited for his friend to continue, but all Hinata did was frowning, opening and closing his mouth like a fish on dry soil, looking back and forth between his hands that were still hovering in the air, and drawing on the back of them; nothing Tobio was able to read though.

Exasperated, Tobio grabbed his tablet and shoved it in Hinata’s chest, who caught it and looked at him, puzzled.

「If you can’t tell me, draw it.」

Hinata stared at the tablet, but then he shook vehemently his head and put the tablet back down. 「I want to… tell you.」 Unsatisfied with his words, he pouted adorably, but Tobio understood him anyway.

「Then tell me before the match resumes.」

「It’s a video, Bakageyama!」

「But I want to have the live-feeling.」

Luckily, Hinata was the only person who wouldn’t argue against that, but for some reason he still looked unsatisfied. He raised his hands, lowered them again and raised them once more, repeatedly. His mouth made seemingly arbitrary movements and Tobio wondered if he spoke under his breath.

If it wouldn’t be a little concerning, because Tobio started to wonder what his friend wanted to tell him he couldn’t draw on his tablet, it would be adorable to watch how a grown athlete like Hinata stuck his tongue between his teeth, opened his mouth, fisted his hands and relaxed them again and stared, unsatisfied, at his palms, as if they were the very reason for his hesitance.

Tobio reached out and flicked his forehead. 「Oi, dumbass, just sign it out already!」

Hinata glared at him, but the tension quickly bled away and he straightened his back to look Tobio seriously right into the eyes. A definite blush was sitting on his cheeks, his eyes were glistening and the amount of determination had increased once more.

Tobio swallowed and waited patiently.

Without letting go of Tobio’s eyes, Hinata raised his hands, flexed his arms and carefully signed the characters.

「I…」 was slowly drawn in the space between them. 「I really like you, Kageyama.」

Initially surprised, Tobio raised his hands to answer, but Hinata was faster.

「I really like you. Like… really really. So I wondered if… if…」

Tobio nudged Hinata’s knee again, trying to cheer him on or keep himself grounded or touch something that distracted him from the sudden tight sensation in his chest that strung his guts together with his brain and his heart… It was awful, Tobio had never felt that way before.

「What?」 Tobio signed with hard movements of his hands, rather aggressively, and he regretted it immediately. He was relieved when he saw that a smile tugged at Hinata’s mouth. It wasn’t the first time he had been a little gruff after all; not that Tobio was proud of that.

Hinata nodded and suddenly he leaned forward so that he was sitting on his heels and being close and bright and determined and there, right in front of Tobio and between his knees, leaving just enough room for his hands, fingertips touching each other repeatedly. His familiar scent wafted around Tobio and he stared right back into soft-looking orbs while inhaling a little of Hinata. With purposeful movements, swift and flexible – just the way Hinata jumped to spike a ball – he pulled his fingers apart and signed:

「Will you go out with me!?」

Tobio stared at bewildered brown eyes.

Oh.

Oh.

For a few seconds neither of them did anything.

Hinata stayed where he was, his hands hovering in the air and staring at Tobio, who felt the atmosphere shift. Only a few minutes ago they had simply been two friends sitting on his bed on a rainy weekend to watch a volleyball match he had recorded. Now there was this heavy anticipation hanging in the little space between them, thickly waiting for a reply to the signed question, and also a little stream of cold fear that increased the longer the space stayed empty.

Tobio didn't know the formalities that had to be followed, and the longer he thought desperately about how best to answer, anxiety crept into huge brown eyes. Tension eased out of Hinata’s posture and he flopped back on the bed, trembling hands wiping over his face and pressing together quivering lips.

Tobio stared in shock at his friends and without thinking, knowing now that he had waited too long already, he hastily reached out to take the other’s hands in his.

Two heartbeats passed during which they both looked at their connection, warm and firm. Tobio slowly let go to properly interlace their fingers, deliberately careful and slowly, gripped Hinata|s wrists and enjoyed the touch of callous palms against his, the sheer warmth pulsing underneath Hinata’s skin and the steady grip of shorter fingers, that grew more determined the longer they touched.

Finally, Hinata raised his head, a question in his eyes.

Without his main mean of communicate, Tobio opened his mouth.

"Yes," he thought to have said; and if not he hoped that Hinata was able to read his lips at least. For good measure he added a nod and attempted a smile when he watched how relief flooded the other’s face, washing away all remnants of fear and brightening his expression instantaneously.

Hinata grinned widely, so wide Tobio had never seen him grinning before and pulled away from Tobio’s grip, only to slung his arms around him and bury his face into the crook of Tobio’s neck.

Startled, Tobio's hands hovered in the air and he blinked in confusion at his laptop, on which the game had long since resumed. Warmth seeped into his skin and he inhaled deeply the fresh scent of rain and soil that still stuck to Hinata and felt red hair graze his cheek and temple. Tobio looped his arms around the other and dared to pull him closer to his chest where his heart was thrumming in his ribcage.

When Hinata’s hands sought purchase on Tobio’s shoulders and arms to push himself up, he still smiled and his eyes seemed watery, but no tear had fallen. He let go of Tobio to sign, 「Thank you.」

Tobio blinked and shook his head. 「Thank you」 he returned, making the other smile.

Hinata looked over to the laptop and looked regretful. 「At least we can rewind it」 he added and looked back at Tobio, who slowly nodded, still amazed that Hinata was between his legs, so close, so warm, and here.

「I’ll go back to where we left off.」

「Thanks.」

Tobio leaned back against his pillow, watched how Hinata crawled over to click the video, and once he turned around again, Tobio patted the spot right beside him. Brown eyes grew big and Hinata nodded eagerly. He moved closer, flopped down on the mattress, leg pressing against Tobio’s, and beamed up at the setter, who couldn’t help but smile back.

Together they sat on the mattress, continued to watch the volleyball match and several minutes of stolen glances, nervous heartbeats and licking lips later, Hinata slipped his hand in Tobio’s loose grip, who relished in the feeling and grasped firmly onto warm fingers.

* * *

Once Hinata had slid into his more or less dried shoes, pushed his arms through the sleeves of his coat and stuffed the dried umbrella in his bag he shouldered, he turned around to look at Tobio, who was standing idly on the step of the genkan.

For a moment they looked at each other, shyly smiling and dancing on their toes, before Hinata pulled his bag to his chest to wildly rummage in it. Tobio saw all kinds of items being brought to daylight and he wondered what had gotten into Hinata, when he finally fetched a slightly crumpled envelope. For a few seconds Hinata stared down at it and evened out the crooked corners before he looked up again and extended his hand.

「What is that?」 Tobio asked.

"A letter," Hinata simply answered, so slow that Tobio could read his lips at least, and waved the paper in front of his nose.

「I can see that.」

"Great."

Tobio stared at Hinata, who raised an eyebrow.

"Take it, dummy."

「It’s for me?」

Hinata gave him an exasperated look and waved again.

Tobio shrugged and once he had touched the paper, Hinata beamed at him.

「Read it when I’m gone.」

「That sounds like you’ll die or something.」

Hinata grinned, then he scratched the back of his head.

「I… I wasn’t sure how to do it. Maybe you want to read it rather than… see me making signs」 he explained and gazed down at the envelope. 「But I really wanted to tell you directly instead of you just reading my messy handwriting.」

Realisation dawned on Tobio; he meant the confession.

「I wanted the signs to come out perfectly, so I trained them a lot. Even though I knew them very well.」 Short fingers carded through the back of unruly red hair and as Tobio watched how soft strands tangled, the sudden urge to reach out and touch it overcame him.

Next time, he told himself. Maybe you can touch it next time.

「Dumbass」 Tobio signed and gave the letter a quick look. 「It doesn’t have to be perfect.」

A lopsided smile flitted across Hinata’s lips. 「Read it when I’m gone, okay?」

Tobio nodded, raised the letter and pressed it to his chest, which elicited a visible ripple going through Hinata’s throat.

「We’ll text?」

Tobio nodded again.

「Great. I’ll see you next week then. If you want to」 Hinata added with a shrug but his eyes were filled with glowing anticipation.

"Yes," Tobio formed with his lips.

"Great."

They looked at each other for a moment. Then Hinata grinned, his chest heaved and he turned to face the door.

「See you」 he signed once he was outside and Tobio simply nodded once more.

When the door closed, Tobio needed a few seconds before he locked it and then for a few more – not even seconds anymore, minutes maybe, he didn’t know – he stared at the familiar surface of the door before he looked down at the letter in his hand. With slow steps he went back into the living room, where he sank down on the couch and detached the letter from his chest.

A crackled Kageyama Tobio was written on it. Carefully, Tobio opened the narrow side and pulled out a thin piece of paper.

Kageyama Tobio,

I probably just told you that I wanted to make the signs perfect, and (given that you didn’t reject… oh the Gods I really hope not… well you wouldn’t read that if you did, so forget about that). Anyway, in case you said yes, you probably called me a dumbass like you always do and said that it doesn’t need to be perfect.

But you are.

So here once again (in case my hands failed me or my nervousness got the better of me or you were too intimidating for me to try… No, you’re too cute for that *^▽^* )

I really like you, please go out with me.

That’s… what I wanted to say. And since you said yes (you really did, right??) I’m super happy and hope that I won’t die on my way home because I stepped too early on the train when it wasn’t there yet, haha. No really, I’ll text you when I’m home! No, when I’m on the train, that’s better, right? I know how worried you can be, even though you never say that or you get really angry when I tell you.

Anyway, thank you.

Thank you, Kageyama.

Your friend boyfriend Shouyou ;)

It took a lot longer for Tobio to finally take his eyes from the words he had read again and again and look up. The weird sensation of a laughter rippled through his throat and he grinned dumbly while brushing his thumb over the last line.

Your boyfriend Shouyou. He liked the sound of it.

Smiling, Tobio tucked the letter carefully back into the envelope and went to his bedroom to fetch his phone from the bedside table. And just as anticipated, it vibrated a few seconds later.

Hinata Shouyou [20:21]: I’m on the train now!!! ;P