Lately, something had been wrong.
But only in a matter of opinions, because in actuality, it was the right thing.
"Studying?" Hinata retorted, "When do you ever do that?"
The older boy followed Kageyama up to his room after setting their bikes out front beside the house. Hinata wasn't greeted by Kageyama's parents-- perhaps they weren't home. But it was typically rare to go to the setter's house; in all the time they knew each other, it was always Hinata's place.
"Hinata," Kageyama said before setting his book bag down beside his bed, pulling out a textbook and notebook before settling onto the mattress, "if I don't study, I'll never be able to work my way into the university I've been aiming for. I've been working my ass off for this, dumbass." Kageyama mumbled through gritted teeth, pulling the book he had been assigned to read closer to his face.
"What book are you even reading?" Hinata questioned, scanning the room in infatuation like a child gazing at stars. But that was the thing: there was hardly anything to look at. There was a simple mattress, a desk and astray dumbbells across the floor as well as mounds of... textbooks? "Did you invite me over to help you study or...?" Hinata trailed off.
Hinata hopped up onto the bed, listening as the springs settled before he plopped down on the pillows behind Kageyama and pulled the younger boy back against him.
Kageyama shook his head as if trying to disregard Hinata, but Hinata saw that he was reading a complex kind of textbook alongside writing notes on a worn piece of notebook paper.
"...Do you need help studying?" Hinata tried again, surprised at an almost immediate answer.
"Yes." Kageyama said, pressing his back against Hinata's chest as he relaxed his body.
"Okay," Hinata wrapped his forearms around Kageyama's neck and rested his chin on his shoulder, "how can I help? I can tr--"
"Actually, it's more of a physical thing." Kageyama's deep voice soothed Hinata, but the remark striked some questions. Nonetheless, even at this proximity, Hinata couldn't quite read Kageyama's face as he followed the younger boy's eyes as they read the scriptures on the textbook.
"What do you mean?" Hinata questioned before skulking his arms to the bottom of Kageyama's shirt, grazing his abdomen carefully under the fabric.
Hinata was going to take advantage of this. Outside of volleyball, they hardly talked like they used to. Each time Hinata invited him to make plans, the answer was no. To try to keep up the conversation, Hinata would ask what Kageyama was up to, but there was never an answer. Hinata eventually learned from Coach Ukai himself that Kageyama was partaking in studying rather ardently... which made Hinata proud, but as his boyfriend it would've been nice to actually be talked to about these things. The fact that Kageyama was the one to text him earlier today about coming over was like a supernatural phenomenon, but Hinata would in no way miss a chance to be with Tobio.
Kageyama's eyes fluttered shut before slowly moving off of Hinata and setting his book aside. Hinata watched questionably as he turned around and sat with folded legs across from him like he was fixing to interrogate him.
At that moment, Kageyama took off his reading glasses and slowly took in a breath. "I mean... take off your shirt..."
Hinata blinked his eyes. "What..?" he sat up straight against the headboard, crossing his arms and putting distance between them. "What kind of homework is this?"
Kageyama remained silent, his intents intangible but his slouched body language oddly resembled that of a stalking predator watching prey. Hinata's unanswered question strained the atmosphere, and he watched as Kageyama's eyes mapped his exposed torso as he stripped off the shirt.
