Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hinata woke up alone, the sunlight filtering through the shoji doors. He lay there for a moment, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face, his mind slowly waking up. As the events of the previous night came rushing back, a surge of giddiness bubbled up inside him. He rolled over on the bed, clutching the pillow to his chest, and punched the air with excitement.

"Oh my God, we kissed!" he whispered to himself, feeling his heart race all over again. He could still feel the warmth of Kenma's lips on his, the softness of the moment. He buried his face in the pillow, embarrassed by how giddy he felt. Every thought about Kenma made his heart skip a beat, and he couldn’t help but smile into the pillow. Finally, he forced himself out of bed, eager to start his day.

Dragging himself to the kitchen, he noticed a note on the counter next to a warm bowl of chicken soup. The note was written in Kenma's neat handwriting, and it read:

"Sorry couldn't join you today, I have an early meeting. Bought this for your breakfast. Remember to hydrate yourself. Hopefully your headache is not too bad after all those beers ;)"

Hinata felt warm all over. He wondered if this meant they were officially a couple now. Kenma's actions certainly felt like "couple" behavior. Smiling to himself, he set out for his usual morning jog to quickly come back and enjoy the soup before it went cold.

At practice, it was hard for MSBY members to not notice Hinata’s heightened energy, especially during drills and practice matches. As they headed to the canteen for lunch after the morning training session, Hinata couldn't help but feel on top of the world. He chatted animatedly with Bokuto, Miya, and Sakusa (though the latter only grunted at his attempts at making conversation), his happiness evident in his every word and movement.

As they sat down to eat, Hinata remembered something he wanted to do. "Hey, guys," he began, looking around the table. "Does anyone know a good place to get ears pierced?"

“Really? That sounds so unsanitary…” Sakusa mumbled.

Unaffected by Sakusa's dejected comment, Bokuto’s eyes lit up. "You’re thinking of getting your ears pierced, Hinata? That’s awesome! I got mine done at a place near Shibuya. It's pretty lowkey but has lots of badass designs."

Miya nodded. "Yeah, I know a spot too. It’s in Harajuku. They do a great job, and it’s pretty popular with athletes. You can scroll through their Instagram and get some ideas." He took out his phone and typed a quick direct message to Hinata’s account. Then he questioned, curious, “Why the sudden interest though?”

Hinata beamed. "Kenma wants to buy me earrings!”

“Pfft. Totally legit reason.” Miya chuckled, amused, while Bokuto gasped. “That’s SO COOL! I wonder if I should buy Akaashi a pair as well, hmmmm.”

As Bokuto went into his ‘thinking hard’ mode, having nothing to do, Hinata glanced around the bustling canteen. Weirdly, people were looking at him more than usual. Miya, scrolling through his newsfeed, suddenly looked up at Hinata with a concerned expression.

"Hey… have you read the news today?" Miya asked after a few seconds of hesitation, sliding his phone over to Hinata.

Hinata took the phone, his eyes widening as he saw the headline: "Popular Actress Yumi Nakamura - Bouncing Ball’s CEO New Love Interest?"

The photos showed Kenma at a fundraising event, the angle making it look like his hand was on the actress’s hip. She was stunning, her slim figure accentuated by a glamorous dress. Her small waist looked as if it could be easily encircled by Kenma’s hand. She gazed up at Kenma with big doe eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering. Although the photo didn’t capture Kenma’s face, the glimpse of his jawline was unmistakable to Hinata. He had memorized that jawline, having stared at it whenever he had the chance while sitting next to Kenma during their gaming sessions in the living room. Hinata blinked at the images, hard, his mind going completely blank.

Bokuto leaned over. "Hey, this is totally a PR thing. We can’t even see Kenma’s face. He may be scowling. He absolutely is. 100%. No doubt."

Miya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, these things happen all the time. You see they wrote ‘new love interest’? Means it happened a ton before."

“Is that supposed to make him feel better, you airhead?” Sakusa cut in, scowling hard.

Sakusa and Miya's bickering faded into the background, becoming a distant hum in Hinata’s mind. His thoughts began to spiral, torn between jealousy and confusion. Did he even have the right to feel jealous? After all, he and Kenma hadn’t defined their relationship. The kiss from last night, while thrilling and intimate, might have been one-sided from his end. Perhaps that was the reason Kenma left early for work—to avoid having a conversation. He was too gentle to straight up reject Hinata. All the giddy excitement from the morning was quickly replaced with a sinking feeling in Hinata’s stomach, like a balloon being deflated.

The phone in his pocket started buzzing nonstop. Yamaguchi sent a “hey, are you okay? call me if you want to talk, yeah?”, while Yachi sent a much more authoritative “call me!!!”. Even Kageyama sent a “want extra spiking practice tonight?”. Their concern made Hinata smile bitterly. His feelings seemed so obvious to everyone, except perhaps to Kenma, or maybe Kenma knew but was too polite to confront him about it.

He started keying in “Kozume Kenma” into the search bar, filtering for news in the last twenty-four hours. A few hundred results popped up. All of them were photos of the actress and Kenma, some from slightly different angles, or with their separate photos placed together. They looked good together, actually. A stunning couple. Hm.

He then typed in “Kozume Kenma and Hinata Shoyo.” Nothing came up. He removed the filter. A few tweets appeared, mostly from Kodzuken channel fans capturing their interactions when Hinata accidentally appeared in the background of Kenma’s streams, with comments like “Who’s this guy???” and “Wow, Kodzuken’s friend has nice muscles.” But nothing remotely close to indicating a relationship. Well, that was correct. They were not in a relationship. And probably never would be.

A drop of water fell onto his phone screen. He belatedly realized it was his own tears. They kept coming.

Hinata wiped his eyes quickly, glancing around to make sure no one noticed as his three friends were still in a heated argument. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but the hurt gnawed at his chest. He put his phone away and tried to focus on finishing his lunch, though his appetite had vanished. 

Kenma sat in his office, his long hair tied back neatly. The suit jacket was draped over the back of his chair, and the sleeves of his crisp white button-up shirt were rolled up to his elbows. He wore a serious expression as he addressed the people in his office.

“Please don't do anything risky, okay?” Bouncing Ball’s publicist, an experienced, talented middle-aged woman, pleaded. “Let us handle this. We will get all those tabloids to remove the news within today.”

“Even if you can do that, it has already been circulated,” Kenma scowled. “Any news from, uh, what’s her name?”

“Yumi,” a young member of the external relations team raised her voice. “No response. They probably want to keep this on as long as possible. A few beauty commercials are coming her way after the scandal, actually.”

“How’s the market?” Kenma turned to the investment team.

One of the guys straightened up before saying, “Our stock prices are actually going up. Lots of conversations about us. Keyword searches about our company have rocketed in the last two hours. A few good articles have come out about our businesses.”

“It’s actually a good thing to keep the rumors around, not gonna lie,” the publicist shrugged.

Kenma scowled harder, clearly annoyed. He looked at the only person in the room who had not said a thing. “Kuroo.”

Kuroo, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed, met Kenma’s gaze with a serious look. “You don’t need this kind of popularity.”

Kenma nodded, his expression softening just a little. “Finally, someone sane.”

Bouncing Ball’s publicist shifted uncomfortably, wanting to oppose. “Kozume, I know these are not your style, but—”

“I won’t let anyone use me or Bouncing Ball for their gain,” Kenma interrupted her. “Draft a statement that’s harsh enough but remains professional. Make it clear that we won’t tolerate this kind of behavior.”

After a long pause, the publicist sighed, then nodded reluctantly. “Alright. I’ll get to work on it.”

“Keep an eye on our competitors’ performance as well. I don’t think you have handed me back this week's report yet,” Kenma noted to the investment team, before addressing the external relations department, “Keep pushing that actress for an official response. Say that we are having dealings with a few luxury cosmetics brands that can be organized for her if she can behave appropriately before 9 pm today.”

As the meeting wrapped up, Kenma stayed seated, deep in thought. He needed to make things right, not just for the company but for Hinata too. He couldn't stand the idea of Hinata doubting his feelings or their future because of a manufactured scandal.

Kuroo lingered after the others had left. “You okay?”

Kenma sighed, rubbing his temples. “I will be. This thing really came out of nowhere, like we’re not busy enough.”

Kuroo gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “You’ve got this, Kenma.” After a quiet moment, he continued, “You want to give Chibi-chan a call?”

“I…” Kenma hesitated, then sighed. “There’s… this happened last night, and we haven't even had the chance to talk about it yet.”

“What?!” Kuroo shouted, “You two fucked? Oh my god, I have to tell that owl…”

“No, for god’s sake, Kuroo. And keep your voice down before I have another headline flying around all the possible gossiping tabloids.” Kenma scowled. “Not like that.”

“Then like what?!”

Kenma hesitated, his expression conflicted. “We kissed. But firstly, he was drunk. Intoxicated. I’m not sure if he knew what he was doing. He seemed pretty out of it last night.” He recalled the dazedness, the delayed responses, and a few weird slips from Hinata. “Secondly, I… I’m afraid that he might be confused. I’ve given him a lot of financial support, and what if he thought it was obligatory, that I was expecting something back, and that was why he did that? What if he’s not experienced enough? What if I’m preventing him from having a real, healthy, wholesome relationship without any conflict of interest, no publicity, none of this bullshit he has to face right now? And I…”

“Now let’s stop right there,” Kuroo interrupted, his voice firm but gentle.

Kenma looked up, his thoughts racing. Kuroo sighed, stepping closer and placing a hand on Kenma’s shoulder.

“You’re overthinking this, Kenma. I know you care about him, but you have to trust that Hinata can make his own decisions. He’s not a kid. If he kissed you, it’s because he wanted to. You really think someone can be so drunk they randomly go kiss people? Please, that only happens in the movies. Bad ones, that is.”

Kenma nodded slowly, absorbing Kuroo’s words. “But what if—”

“No more what-ifs,” Kuroo cut him off. “Why are you phrasing his own words for him? Talk to him. Give him the chance to express himself. You owe it to both of you to be honest.”

Kenma took a deep breath, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. “Yeah. I will, when I come back tonight.”

Kuroo smiled, and his voice returned to the teasing note as usual. “If I’m being honest with you, he has had a HUGE crush on you since high school, which is the size of a planet that can be seen from space.”

“I’m not sure if that…”

“Yep, 100%. We volleyball team captains have weekly meetings, and Daichi told me that, word-for-word, way back.”

“Did you captains have nothing better to do?”

Kuroo huffed, ignoring Kenma’s complaint. “Wait, why are you not getting Chibi-chan off practices yet?”

“Ah, he texted me that he will go eat out with friends.” Kenma’s brows furrowed. “Again. Two days in a row.”

Kuroo raised an eyebrow. “So, he’s avoiding coming home? That’s not good, Kenma. You need to clear this up with him as soon as possible. He might be feeling really hurt.”

Kenma nodded, slowly. His phone buzzed. Then Kuroo’s. 

“That does not sound good.” Kuroo muttered, took a look at his phone’s notification. 

Hinata was out once again with the same companions as the night before, with a few additions. Yachi, Kageyama, Tsukishima, who was dragged along by Yamaguchi, and then Bokuto and Miya. Sakusa was not a fan of gatherings, so he went back right after practice. They chose a cozy café, busy enough to have conversations without either having to whisper into each other’s ears or shouting over each other.

Everyone brought in different topics, and the conversation flowed normally, but Hinata could tell that they were tiptoeing around him. Even Tsukishima, who normally teased him about his relationship with Kenma, didn’t say anything at all although seemingly like it pained him physically. He even passed Hinata water when his drink hadn’t come yet. All of this made Hinata a little uncomfortable, like he was being handled with kid gloves, but he forced himself through the feeling anyway.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. Then again. Then again.

All eyes were on Hinata. 

Then Tsukishima took out his phone, keyed in something, then scowled in disgust. He looked hesitant, as if he wanted to say something, but then thought better of it and left it alone. Hinata couldn’t take it anymore.

“What? What is it?” Hinata asked, his voice more strained than he intended.

“Nothing important,” Tsukishima replied, but his expression said otherwise.

“Show me,” Hinata demanded.

Tsukishima sighed and handed his phone over. The screen showed a live stream of Yumi just outside the office of her entertainment company, being cornered by paparazzi and reporters. The crowd buzzed with questions about her relationship with Kenma.

"Is it true you’re dating Kenma Kozume?” one reporter shouted.

Yumi appeared shy, almost wanting to admit something but then looking too embarrassed. She blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, he's a very gentle, outstanding person... We've spent some time together, and I have a lot of respect for him."

Hinata's heart sank as he watched the video. The group grew silent, and everyone at the table glanced at each other, unsure of what to say or do. Bokuto tried to lighten the mood.

"Well, she didn’t exactly say that they are dating, yeah? So maybe it’s just—"

"It's okay.” Hinata forced a smile, his eyes betraying his true feelings. “Really, I'm fine. We’re just friends. I should be happy for him."

Yachi grabbed his hand, dead serious. "Hinata, if you need me to punch Kenma, just tell me, okay?!" Leave it to Yachi to say the most shocking thing once in a while.

Hinata chuckled, but his eyes started getting teary. He tried desperately to hold them back, trying to keep himself from blinking.

“Uhhhhh hey guys, I think there are new developments.” Kageyama suddenly piped in.

“Well, I think that’s enough news for today, isn’t it?” Yamaguchi gently, but very firmly, used the voice of a captain to intervene.

Kageyama flinched a little, like he remembered something traumatizing during their third year, then pushed on, “N-No, this time it’s not that!”

Everyone started chiming in to see Kageyama’s phone screen. The first thing they saw was a tweet from Bouncing Ball Corp.'s official company account.

As Kageyama scrolled down, another tweet appeared from Kodzuken's streaming channel account.

Finally, Kenma’s personal account also tweeted something.

Everyone at the table was silent as they processed the tweets. They looked at Hinata, who was staring at the screen in shock, his face full of disbelief.

Tsukishima was the first to break the silence, his tone amused. "Wow, someone sure is frustrated."

“He is SO COOL!” Bokuto practically screamed, his eyes wide with excitement.

Yamaguchi patted Hinata on the back, a reassuring smile on his face. “Seems like you’ve got a pretty solid supporter there.”

Yachi, looking somewhat disappointed, sighed. “Guess I don’t have to punch him anymore.”

Hinata, still in a state of shock and joy, managed to laugh along with her. “Yeah, please don’t punch anyone. At all.”

As they walked out of the café, preparing to head home, Miya pointed out a car parked in front. “Hey, that car looks familiar. Isn’t that Kenma’s?”

Hinata squinted at the car, his heart skipping a beat. Looking closer, he noticed Kenma leaning against it, smoking a cigarette. The usually composed Kenma looked disheveled, his normally neat hair slightly tousled. His sharp, cat-like eyes appeared distant and lost in thought. The cigarette dangled loosely between his slender fingers, and his posture was more slouched than usual, as if he was carrying an unseen weight on his shoulders.

Upon seeing Hinata, Kenma’s eyes widened in surprise, the familiar golden hue brightening momentarily. He immediately stubbed out the cigarette, fumbling in his pocket to find something. After a moment, he pulled out a pack of mint gum and popped a piece into his mouth, clearly trying to rid himself of the cigarette smell.

Hinata felt a surge of affection and nervousness as he approached Kenma. “Hey, Kenma.”

Kenma straightened up, looking slightly embarrassed but relieved to see Hinata. “Hey, Shoyo. Can we talk?”

Hinata nodded, his voice trembling. “Yeah, let’s… talk.”

The friends group looked at each other, then Kageyama, surprisingly, spoke first, "Kozume-san, we will be going first. Please," he hesitated, "be nice to him. This moron can't function once his mind gets tangled."

Kenma nodded, assuring him with a firm gaze, "I promise. Thank you."

Looking at the group getting further and further, Kenma took a deep breath, steadying himself. He looked at Hinata, who was watching him intently, his expression a mix of hope and uncertainty. He seemed like he wanted to believe that things were getting better but did not dare to, as he had experienced disappointment a few times within just a day. Kenma's heart ached at the thought of causing Hinata any discomfort.

"I'm sorry about today," Kenma began, his voice soft. "It was completely unplanned and… frustrating. I should have talked it out with you first. There are no excuses. I’m sorry. And I would do everything I possibly can to make it up to you."

Hinata nodded. "It’s okay, Kenma. You don’t need to apologize!"

"No, let me do this properly." Kenma reached out, taking Hinata's hand in his. The touch was gentle, reassuring. "I want you to know that there's no one else. I'm… in love with you, Shoyo. Probably ever since high school. You are… a very, very charming person, and anyone you choose to be with would be the luckiest person. And, well, I have never been very optimistic, so I was sure that person couldn't be me." 

Kenma took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Hinata's. "I wanted to keep the connection, the friendship, any relationship with you, if you would have me, even after we graduated from high school and I stopped playing volleyball. That was the reason behind financing everything for you in Brazil, apart from nurturing your talents. Adding a 'sponsor' to my role in our friendship made me feel a little bit more special than your other friends. It was my way of staying close to you, even from a distance."

Hinata's eyes widened, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. He felt extremely loved. Tears started forming in his eyes. "Kenma…"

Kenma’s voice softened, a rare, vulnerable expression shown on his face, “After you came back from Rio, you seemed to be more… dependent on me. And that was the greatest feeling, ever. Winning the gaming tournament or getting million-dollar deals could not compare even remotely. But I really did not know what to do with your nearness. What if it was all because of the sponsorship? Was I… buying your affections with my monetary values? I was afraid. Afraid that you might not feel the same way."

Hinata squeezed Kenma's hand, teary eyes and all. "Kenma, I...I feel the same way. The only thing that kept me safe and got me to sleep when in Rio was your stream. Well, not the action gaming streams, those were brutal, but all the cute, relaxing games, the farming, cooking ones, you remember?”

Kenma nodded, looking like a spooked cat.

“I went to sleep with your voice beside me and woke up with it, and I started thinking, it would be the wildest dream of mine if I can wake up one day, with you by my side, and you saying ‘good morning’ to me, and kissing me on my forehead.”

Kenma’s eyes softened, a smile playing on his lips. “That sounds like a dream I’d want to come true too.”

Hinata laughed through his tears, his heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time. “Then… could we please, please, please make it happen, Kenma?”

Kenma pulled Hinata into a tight embrace, holding him close. As he felt Hinata's warmth against him, happiness washed over him in waves. This was the moment he had longed for, a moment where he could finally express his true feelings without fear. The weight of uncertainty and fear that had plagued him for so long finally seemed to lift.

“I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you happy, Shoyo,” Kenma whispered, his voice filled with sincerity. He could feel Hinata's heartbeat against his chest, a quick, strong rhythm that mirrored his own.

Hinata buried his face in the crook of Kenma's neck. His mind flashed back to the countless nights in Rio, falling asleep to the sound of Kenma's voice, the lifeline that had kept him grounded. Now, here he was, having the familiar scent of Kenma's cologne, feeling secured in Kenma’s solid embrace. “I’ll do the same for you,” Hinata murmured, his voice muffled.

After a few moments, Hinata pulled back slightly, looking up at Kenma with a beaming smile. “So, can I go get my ears pierced now? I’ve had some places recommended!”

Kenma chuckled at the sudden question, the tension easing from his shoulders. “I really don’t want you to get hurt just to please me.”

“I won’t get hurrrrrt,” Hinata whined, a pleading look from his puppy eyes. “Besides, I’m not doing this just to please you. Though I really, really want that as well.” He leaned in closer, suddenly feeling shy. “I want everyone to know that I’m yours.”

Kenma’s heart swelled at Hinata’s words. He gently brushed a thumb across Hinata’s cheek, his eyes soft with affection. “You’re something else, Shoyo. If it makes you happy, then let’s do it.”

Hinata’s face lit up with excitement, his eyes sparkling. “Really? Let’s go now!” He started listing off ideas rapidly. “I want a pair of earrings with your initials! Oh, or should it be a necklace? Or a choker? I think chokers would be more suitable. Unless you like other things. I could wear whatever you like.” Bubbling with excitement, he just couldn’t stop talking. “Oh, and what if we get matching ones? Like, a volleyball charm or a small birdcage!”

Kenma laughed, nodding. “Yes, yes. Let’s go.” His thoughts suddenly stopped, and he looked at Hinata curiously. “Wait, what birdcage?”

Hinata crunched his nose in mock distaste as he remembered. “Uhhh, you totally caged me in the match between our two teams! Hated it so much to be on the other side of the net when you used that strategic head of yours.”

Kenma chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “I guess I did. Although it actually pained me when I had to see you dejected. But you bounced back right away, which will always be what I adore about you. Bringing new spirits each time you got to go to the match.”

Hinata’s playful pout softened into a warm smile. “Well, I couldn’t let you win that easily. Besides, I really wanted to give you a ‘fun’ match! Can’t believe you said it to MY FACE that you did not find volleyball fun!!!”

Kenma’s heart swelled with affection. He brushed a stray strand of hair from Hinata’s forehead, his touch lingering. “That’s what makes you incredible, Shoyo. Your passion… is infectious.”

Hinata flushed at the sincere compliment. He mumbled something incoherent, and Kenma laughed at him for that. As they got into the car, Hinata resumed his excited chatter about all the matching items they could get, his enthusiasm filling the comfortable atmosphere.

As the day wound down, Kenma and Hinata returned home, Hinata’s newly pierced ears still slightly tingling. They had enjoyed a light dinner at a quaint restaurant near the piercing studio, both of them relishing the time spent together. Hinata’s excitement about the earrings had been infectious, and Kenma found himself smiling more than he had in a long time.

When they arrived at Kenma’s house, Hinata’s energy began to wane. The day had been emotionally and physically exhausting, and his eyes started to droop as they walked inside. Kenma gently nudged him toward his room.

“Come on, Shoyo. You need to rest,” Kenma said softly, his hand resting on Hinata’s shoulder.

Hinata pouted, his eyes half-closed. “Can I… can I sleep with you tonight? I don’t want to be alone.”

Kenma’s heart melted at the request. He nodded, guiding Hinata towards his bedroom. “Sleep with me from now on, alright?”

Kenma’s bedroom was a harmonious blend of traditional and modern elements. The walls were a soft grey, adorned with sliding shoji doors that allowed natural light to filter in during the day. A large futon with crisp white sheets dominated the sleeping area, placed directly on the tatami. The bed was low and minimalist, echoing the sleek, modern aesthetics. A few shelves along one wall held neatly arranged books, a couple of gaming consoles, and a few carefully selected decorative items that added a personal touch without cluttering the space. Among these personal touches were a few framed photos that captured precious memories. The room was dimly lit, so Hinata had to lean in to squint at them.

In one photo, the Nekoma team posed together after a hard-fought match, their faces lit up with smiles and camaraderie, while Kenma’s usually reserved expression was softened by a rare, genuine smile. Another photo showed Kenma and Kuroo as kids, standing beside each other looking all dirty and tired after what seemed like volleyball practice. Hinata had to squeal at that.

The third photo, which had been taken quite a long time ago, was at the Nekoma vs. Karasuno match. Hinata had been beaming with excitement, his arm slung around Kenma’s shoulders, while Kenma had looked simply happy, his eyes full of affection at Hinata. Hinata looked at the photo for a long time, then sleepily blinked, “Now that I know it, you looked pretty smitten with me.”

Kenma chuckled, pulling back the covers on the futon. “Yeah, Kuroo saw that photo and teased me for months.”

Hinata climbed onto the futon, sinking into the soft mattress with a contented sigh. Kenma tugged him in, then lay down beside him. The room was serene, the soft glow from the lamp casting gentle shadows. As they settled in, Hinata snuggled closer to Kenma, his head resting on Kenma’s shoulder. He listened to the rhythm of Kenma’s heartbeat, the sound soothing and grounding him. Kenma wrapped an arm around him, holding him close. 

“Thank you for today,” Hinata murmured, his voice drowsy. “It was perfect.”

Kenma pressed a gentle kiss to Hinata’s forehead, his heart full. “Sleep tight, baby.”

Hinata smiled, his eyes closing as he drifted off to sleep, the steady heartbeat of Kenma echoing in his ears. He couldn’t wait to wake up next to Kenma hours later.