Hinata watched the volleyball tumble across and outside the boundary line— from the bench.
He felt useless, constantly condemned by Kageyama and the very fact his own offender wasn't even talking to him. Not a glance, or even a grumble of how much a dumbass he was. It was all ironic; the patronizing was something of Hinata's comfort zone, almost like a praise to any normal person.
"Don't mind." Kageyama had said on the court as Yamaguchi hotfooted after the ball. Tobio darted a quick look at the un-exuberant boy on the bench.
There it was. A deft look that Hinata longed for— but it only lasted a second. Yet, it almost looked like one of defiant concern. His face was flushed as if ashamed Hinata had caught the gesture.
Lately, Hinata had been feeling a bit nostalgic, so lost in his thoughts during practice until eventually Coach Ukai insisted he'd be benched until he gathered himself, "Watching your team excel as a bystander is as good as being on the court; you learn both ways."
It really wasn't his fault that his focus was weaker than his game sense lately.
But he had a reason: Kageyama.
Hinata didn't want to watch. He wanted to be hitting Kageyama's tosses, receiving the ball, maybe get tangled in the net from an awkward contingency of spiking the ball how Bokuto had taught him every now and then.
It was when he realized how agonizing it was that Kageyama wouldn't talk to him lately. And he guessed that that meant if he wasn't within the lines playing volleyball, then Kageyama didn't feel entitled to talking to him. But even outside of school, Kageyama remained noticeably distant.
So Hinata requited back. After practice, they would usually walk together. But Hinata went home in solitude, the silence and absence of another entity to talk to was more onerous than his retribution.
The promise they made before, about being invincible as long as they were together... Hinata could feel the bond breaking— he didn't feel so invincible anymore.
Hopefully he had left Kageyama as deserted at the gym as Hinata felt emotionally, but a buzz from his phone made the boy jolt. Perhaps the recipient being Kageyama Tobio had gotten him a little excited, but immediately after reading the abridged text,
>> Where are you? I need my jacket.
he shut his phone.
Never did the two text outside of school, but from days ago the small boy realized Kageyama had left his jacket at his house; Hinata thought it would've been funny to slap Kageyama's cup while he was drinking milk, and after getting lobbed against the head, promised to wash it. Hinata had spent all day clinging onto the other boy apologizing, refusing to let Kageyama leave before he accepted the apology. And Kageyama never did, so Hinata never let go and Kageyama had to stay the night tangled in Hinata's cosseting hold.
It was all an obdurate but good-intentioned event, all because of a jacket. But now, the jacket just sat abandoned, neatly folded on Hinata's nightstand— despite the some nights Hinata would just hold onto it to fill the absence of Kageyama.
His shenanigans were probably the best and worst thing for him. Because after that night was when Kageyama started to cut him off. If he ever tried to talk to him, Kageyama would advert his eyes, mumbling an, "I'm busy." But his ears were always profusely red, in which Hinata thought he was angry but his dubious tone didn't quite match his visage. So Hinata stopped trying, because it seemed Kageyama did, too.
Hinata sat on his bed, chewing on his inner cheek; he was sick of Kageyama being indifferent.
He childishly looked at the jacket, curling his arms at a slight breeze in his room-- maybe even a thought that Kageyama would have to suffer just like he was. After all, it was getting cold, but perhaps Hinata never noticed the change in his familiar warmth with Kageyama; despite the fact it dissipated, he didn't favor Tobio's precedences right now.
