Strawberry Mentos

Chapter 23 - Explaining and Antics

"Of course you're togther, we already knew this," Hinata replied calmly.

"You-" Yamaguchi glanced at Tsukishima, who seemed puzzled, no doubt trying to figure out how they knew. "You already knew?"

Tsukishima shook his head, "It doesn't make any sense. Clearly we aren't talking about it in the same sense of terms."

"What are you guys talking about?" Hinata asked. "If that's the case, then Kageyama and I are together."

Kageyama's ears turned red, "We- What? Together? Us? Well, um, I didn't know you thought we were like that. Not that I object or anything, I just wasn't expecting that you actually felt that way, too. Should we talk about this or-"

Hinata cut Kageyama's rambling off, "What are you talking about? We've been here, together, for a while now. We're all together." Kageyama looked down at shoes, seemingly drowning in embarrassment as Hinata spoke.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi exchanged a glance and tried to stifle their laughs. "We didn't mean it like that," Yamaguchi told the clueless ginger. "We meant it in the way Kageyama meant it."

Hinata tilted his head in confusion, "How did Kageyama mean it?"

Kageyama snapped his head up, "You guys are actually together?  Congratulations on finally making a move. Happy for you."

Yamaguchi smiled shyly, "You guys are the first people we've actually told."

"Actually told?" Hinata repeated. "Wait! You guys are dating! That's what Kageyama meant!" Hinata's eyes were alight with realization, "Finally!" He turned to Kageyama with a bright grin, "Thanks for giving me an example of what they meant, Kageyama. Acting like we were dating helped."

Kageyama turned towards him, "Acting?" He echoed.

"Yeah, it was a nice example, thank you," Hinata replied, his eyes sliding from Tsukishima to Yamaguchi like he knew all along.

Kageyama clenched his hands. "Hinata, you idiot! You really made me think that you-" Kageyama cut himself off, slamming the door as he stormed out of the club room.

"What?" Hinata reopened the door, "I made you think what? Kageyama, wait!" He called after the setter, running out of the room to catch up with him, "Kageyama!"

Yamaguchi laughed, "How can someone be so oblivious? Kageyama has been hinting for weeks now."

"You were just as bad," Tsukishima replied as he finished changing. "You thought everything I did for you was either a joke or a lie."

"I was not that bad!" Yamaguchi protested. "I picked up on things, I just convinced myself that there was no way you meant it romantically. I mean, how could you have?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because I like you?" Tsukishima answered dully.

Yamaguchi shook his head, "How was I supposed to know that? You aren't exactly very up front in the romance department."

"Is that so?" Tsukishima walked towards Yamaguchi and leaned to whisper to him, placing a hand on his back, "I'll show you how romantic I can be."

The words, the tone, the feeling of Tsukishima's hand on his back, it all sent shivers through Yamaguchi. What had he done?

Tsukishima pressed a light kiss to Yamaguchi's forehead and took a few steps back, smiling innocently. "I'll meet you at practice," He said softly before leaving Yamaguchi there.

The second he was gone, Yamaguchi sank the floor, feeling heat creep up onto his face, hearing his heart threaten to beat out of his chest. He brought his knees towards him and rested his head on them, trying to reel in his thoughts.