He didn't mean for it to happen when it did, the way it did, but… it happened. And now it's too late to take it back. He knows he shouldn't have done it- god, why did he? What the hell was he thinking?

Clearly, Hinata must not have been thinking at all. Not when he - full of excitement and passion, with adrenaline coursing through him - grabbed a fistful of Kageyama's shirt and yanked him down to press their lips together. In front of the whole court.

That includes their friends and teammates, their opponents, everyone who was watching the game, and even the cameras recording the now finished match between them and Shiratorizawa. The match they'd just won, even though it'd seemed impossible.

Now Hinata just sits alone in his room, thinking about it with an arm slung over his face to block out the light that keeps giving him a headache. He doesn't really know why he did it, why he acted so stupidly in front of everyone, but what he does know is that he hasn't seen or talked to Kageyama since.

He actually hasn't really talked much with anyone from the team since then besides Sugawara and Nishinoya. Nishinoya, who tracked him down in the bathroom and told him that what he did was actually insane before the boy asked if that meant Hinata was Kageyama's boyfriend now.

Hinata had blushed furiously and insisted that no, that's not what the kiss meant at all before he told his friend that he didn't even mean to do it. Before Nishinoya could press the matter further, Sugawara had stepped in to make him shut up and leave Hinata alone.

Sugawara had lingered in the bathroom for longer than he needed to be in there, and once everyone else was gone he'd turned to Hinata and asked, "So why did you do it, anyway?"

Hinata stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, his face turning a bright red color. "Heat of the moment?" he offered weakly as he washed his hands. When his eyes met Sugawara's in the mirror and he saw the skeptical look he was being given, Hinata had sighed and turned around. "Look, I don't know why I did it, but I did and I now know that I shouldn't have. Something just… came over me, I guess, and I couldn't stop myself."

Sugawara didn't speak for a bit, just stared at Hinata like he was thinking about something. Then, he'd finally opened his mouth and Hinata hadn't been expecting what came out; the words felt like a volleyball to the face.

"Do you have feelings for Kageyama?"

And now, as Hinata continues to lie on his bed and stare up at the ceiling, he thinks back to the question. At the time, his answer was a quick, "No, of course not! Are you crazy?", but now, a whole week of being alone and thinking later, he doesn't know. He honestly doesn't know.

Does he like Kageyama? Hinata had never thought much about it before he kissed the dark haired boy, but he guesses that he must like him, even if it's a little, if he was so willing to, for a lack of better words, throw himself at Kageyama that easily when he was excited.

And he guesses, with a huff, that Kageyama is a little attractive. He's tall, for one, and his eyes are a pretty shade of blue. But does Hinata want to date him? Does he want to go out with Kageyama and hold his hand, does he want to kiss him like that again?

His mind and his mouth both say "no", but deep inside, his heart disagrees with him, betraying him.

Maybe Hinata does like Kageyama. Maybe he does want to go on dates with him, maybe he does want to hold his hand and kiss his lips and refer to him as his boyfriend. Is that a problem? Absolutely! Why?

Well... Hinata doesn't quite know, exactly. He just knows that it's a big problem.

Kageyama is another guy, to start off with, and while Hinata doesn't have a problem with boys liking other boys, he knows not everyone feels the same.

Kageyama is also his rival, and they get into plenty of arguments. If they were in a relationship, would anything change? Because if not, Hinata knows for a fact he wouldn't want that.

And another thing is that Hinata has never dated someone else and truthfully he doesn't really know what to do and what not to do. And if Kageyama acts the same when he dates like he does when he plays volleyball, then that means he has no tolerance for mistakes and Hinata is probably going to end up crushed. Who knows?

But there's always a chance that they could work out. There's always the chance that Kageyama could somehow be patient and understanding in a relationship, though Hinata highly doubts it.

Either way, Kageyama hasn't spoken to him and honestly, Hinata is terrified to face him. He's afraid of going back to school too, and having to get teased about it by anyone who might've seen the match on TV- though by tomorrow, the word probably would be spread until everyone in school knows. And instead of the fact that they were able to beat Shiratorizawa, people at school are going to focus on the fact that he kissed Kageyama. Like the idiot he is.

God, Kageyama probably wants to kill him so badly because of it. If he doesn't, he's probably going to want to when he starts getting teased as well - because it's inevitable.

Hinata sighs frustratedly- other teenagers can be so ruthless and mean. He made a mistake and they'll never let him, or Kageyama, forget it. Would anyone care if he just… didn't show up to school tomorrow? Or even better- ever again?

Unfortunately, yes.

He wonders if maybe he should just… own up to it? Like if someone asks, he could say, "Yeah, I kissed Kageyama. What about it?" and just be done with it, but… that could make it worse.

Instead of thinking about it any longer, Hinata breathes in deeply and goes straight to sleep, dreading school in the morning, but mostly volleyball practice after. Unfortunately, the last thing he thinks about before he passes out is Kageyama.

In the morning, Hinata takes his time getting ready for school and does everything slowly. He's too nervous to eat, so he doesn't, but spends that time doing other things before he really does have to go or else he'll be late.

He takes his bike to school, but rides slower than he normally would, enjoying the scenery on the way. It makes him about three minutes late, but he doesn't mind.

Though it's like all eyes are on him from the moment he arrives on the school grounds. There are staring eyes and soft giggles, hushed whispers and fingers pointed in his direction.

They're talking about him, and they're talking about Kageyama. They're talking about the stupid kiss.

Heat rises to Hinata's cheeks and he walks quicker, keeping his head down even though it doesn't really do anything. His bright orange hair makes him stand out too much and he curses himself for having it even though it's nowhere near his fault.

Thankfully he doesn't share a class with Kageyama so he doesn't have to see him yet. Walking into the classroom, Hinata can feel every pair of eyes on him, but nobody says anything. He takes his seat and they stare a little longer before they go back to talking until the bell rings, which is barely a moment later.

"So Hinata," one of his classmates next to him starts before the teacher can come in, his lips twisted into an annoying smirk, "You like kissing boys now? How long has that guy been your boyfriend?"

"Careful, Maruyama," the girl behind him says with a little snicker, "You're a boy- he might kiss you next!"

Maruyama looks disgusted as he shoots Hinata, and the laughing girl behind him, accusatory glares. Hinata is getting pretty angry, but for once he tries not to have an outburst.

"Whatever," Maruyama huffs, crossing his arms. "At least I wouldn't kiss another guy."

Hinata can't stop himself from snapping back with, "At least I've kissed someone other than my mom."

As Maruyama stands to try and fight Hinata, the teacher arrives and breaks it up. Despite the teases and everything, Hinata finds himself feeling satisfied with that comeback and has enough confidence to get through the rest of the day without fighting anyone.

He takes his time walking to the gym, trying not to freak out and skip practice altogether. He takes a deep breath as he reaches the door and stops in front of it. He's going to have to face Kageyama no matter what, so… he guesses it's going to be now.

He opens the door- they've already started without him so the sounds of squeaking sneakers and the volleyball being smacked around get louder when he does. The others stop playing at the sound and then in a split second all eyes are on him again.

Hinata flushes and wordlessly steps inside, letting the door close behind him. Everyone is either looking at him or Kageyama or looking back and forth at the both of them, while Kageyama just stands simply and stares at the ball in his hand.

"Alright, so let's try that again," Daichi orders to get everyone's attention away from Hinata and Kageyama as Sugawara makes his way over to the short, orange haired boy standing awkwardly by the door.

"Hey," Sugawara says softly, a cheerful smile on his face as he guides Hinata outside. "I got a little scared that you wouldn't show up, but here you are! How did your day go?"

Hinata knows Sugawara must've been hearing the gossip too. The shorter boy shrugs, the small amount of confidence he'd felt now gone again.

Sugawara touches his shoulder gently. "Hey, I know it's probably rough," he murmurs and Hinata lifts his head to look at him, "With everyone looking at you and teasing you, but regardless of anything, I'm here for you, okay?"

"I don't know what to do," Hinata admits, allowing his teammate and friend to pull him into a hug. "I screwed everything up so badly and the worst part is that I didn't even mean to kiss Kageyama! I was just so happy and excited and I needed to let it out and then it happened. And dammit, now I'm not even sure how I'm feeling about him and it's all your fault."

Sugawara sighs, holding him tighter. "I know, I know," he replies. "But if you kissed him that probably means you have feelings and I wanted you to see that so that you understood why you would've done it. Now you're seeing it, and I know you don't really get it still, but you will." He pulls back a little to look at his friend, who's brown eyes have gotten a little waterlogged. "You should talk to Kageyama. After practice."

Hinata shakes his head. "I can't-" he starts to protest, but Sugawara holds him firmly by the shoulders. "What the hell would I even say to him, Suga? 'Hey Kageyama, sorry I kissed you on your stupid freaking scowly mouth in front of everyone but maybe I kinda meant it'?"

"Maybe, but with just a bit less bitterness in your tone," Sugawara chuckles a little, but Hinata doesn't find it funny and his frown deepens. Sugawara sighs again. "Just say whatever you really feel, okay? And if it goes badly then I have your back."

Hinata thinks it over, but his heart wins and he finally gives in. "Alright," he huffs, eyes downcast. Sugawara gives him a grin and pats him on the back before they turn towards the door again. "But if he hits me or tries to murder me or something, you're going to be the one taking care of me and buying me snacks to make me feel better."

"Sounds fair."

Once back inside, practice continues like it normally would except for the fact that there's a ton of tension in the air, and the fact that Hinata and Kageyama won't speak to each other or look at one another.

In fact, they don't even practice any of Hinata's quick spikes with Kageyama's sets at all and instead the short boy focuses on practicing his serves and receives to make sure they're not as sloppy, and Kageyama still focuses on setting, but with Tsukishima as his spiker.

The late afternoon turns into the evening and then finally practice is over and they start packing up to leave. Hinata is considering ditching early so that he doesn't have to try to talk to Kageyama, but Sugawara gives him a look before he heads out that says, 'don't you dare'.

With a soft sigh, Hinata lingers around, doing things slower than he should be, dreading the conversation he's going to have.

Kageyama seems to be lurking around too after everyone else has gone, like he's waiting for Hinata which fills the orange haired boy with a weird, tingly feeling that's neither good nor bad. He can't tell if he's excited or scared- maybe a mix of both.

When he has nothing else to do, Hinata grabs his things and gets ready to leave quickly if things go wrong. He awkwardly makes his way over to where Kageyama leans against the wall by the door with his arms crossed, but before Hinata gets too close, Kageyama looks at him and the words dry up in his throat and die on his tongue before he can speak them. He freezes in place, wide-eyed and intimidated.

"We need to talk," Kageyama says through gritted teeth, his voice low. Hinata swallows, but doesn't move or speak so Kageyama does instead. "Why did you… why did you do that?"

Hinata doesn't get the chance to play dumb- Kageyama narrows his eyes and then adds, "You know what I'm talking about, so just tell me why."

Hinata fiddles with the strings of his hoodie, nervous. "I don't know why," he answers simply, but then Kageyama angrily moves toward him until he's pulling Hinata close by the front of his hoodie. "I- I really don't know! I just did it, alright?"

"Tell me the truth!" Kageyama blustered, not backing off even as Hinata grabs at his wrists and squeezes hard. "You wouldn't kiss me for absolutely no damn reason!"

"I am telling the truth!" the shorter boy shouts, but Kageyama still won't let him go no matter what, won't accept that answer. "I just…"

"Did you mean it?" Kageyama finally asks then as their foreheads bang together painfully, his eyes still narrowed like he's angry and Hinata just takes a moment to catch his breath when his eyes accidentally find Kageyama's own.

Hinata blushes, and his voice softens. "Well, I wasn't sure at first but… now…" His grip on Kageyama's wrists loosens a little but he doesn't fully let go, and his eyes dart away shyly as he finishes speaking. "...I think I did mean it. I don't regret it. Kissing you, I mean. Even after the way people have started looking at me and the way I'm being treated. It may have started as a heat of the moment thing, but I know that there's more to it than that."

"You're a damn idiot," Kageyama growls, pressing forward even more and kissing Hinata roughly on the mouth. The latter barely has time to respond before Kageyama pulls back again. "I hate you so much, you know that?"

He doesn't mean it, and that shows in his eyes. Hinata wordlessly kisses him again until they're both left breathless and panting, hearts pounding wildly and chests heaving almost in sync.

"You don't hate me one bit," Hinata replies with a cheeky grin as Kageyama releases his hoodie and instead holds his cheeks almost too roughly. "We wouldn't have kissed two more times if you did."

"Don't you ever shut up?" Kageyama sighs, rolling his eyes, but there's a hint of playfulness in his tone now and he doesn't actually seem to be annoyed.

"If you kiss me again I'll be forced to stop talking," Hinata states with a chuckle, giving one of Kageyama's wrists a slight squeeze. The taller boy hums in response, a slight smirk on his face now. He closes the gap though and kisses Hinata once more, softer this time.

They talk for a while after that and Hinata eventually apologizes for embarrassing Kageyama by kissing him in public without asking but the black haired boy dismisses it pretty quickly. They don't linger in the gym for much longer after that since it's gotten so late- Hinata has to ride his bike back in the dark and Kageyama has to catch the next available subway.

After shutting off all the lights in the gym and locking up, Kageyama is the one to pull Hinata into another kiss, one soft and slow. This one has the shorter boy feeling a little different- his heart's all fluttery and his face gets all warm, his fingers hold on tightly to Kageyama's jacket and there's goosebumps on his arms.

"See you tomorrow?" the taller boy asks when he pulls away, and all Hinata can do is nod quickly at first. He never knew that someone else could make him feel like this- so happy that it almost feels unreal in a way.

"Yeah," he finally breathes, quickly snaking his arms around the other's waist and burying his face in Kageyama's chest. The aforementioned returns the hug after a moment of hesitation and they both find themselves melting into it for a little while. When Hinata pulls back, he grins, and returns the words. "I'll see you tomorrow."

They go their separate ways for the night, but a cloud of happiness follows Hinata home and lingers over him until long after, when he texts Sugawara to thank him, when he eats dinner, and even when he's gone to bed.

And Hinata absolutely doesn't mind now that Kageyama is the last thing on his mind before he falls asleep.