Soul marks, they are an interesting subject and Hinata can't say that he hasn't wondered what his soul mark might mean. Truthfully he has but that doesn't mean that he cares for it or who it might symbolize or what they are like. He doesn't care at all, not for someone who is dark and indifferent as the moon. Cold, pale blue and only half of a true full moon, it must only mean that the person it symbolizes could be the same. It doesn't hurt him to look at it every day, doesn't hurt to see it barely there, faded but still inscribed on his left shoulder. He thinks sometime, why would someone only feel halfhearted, averse to his or her surroundings? He catches himself thinking, though very compassionately, that he himself could never love someone like that.
Somewhere on the other side of Miyagi, Tsukkishima Kei is different in his thoughts. Delighted and frustrated at the sun, gold and brilliant in its vibrancy, the idea of someone who is his complete opposite in enthusiasm is wild and exciting. Can this sun on his shoulder bring a new light to his life? He needs it too, his hope dwindling for far too long. Yamaguchi was nice enough to aluminate him, but really, it's different knowing that out there in the dark, after such a long night the sun will come along and day will dawn. He's hopeful, for long, right until he isn't anymore.
Till he meets the king, till he meets him. Grating and intense, like a migraine that drives your brain insane. Tsukki huffs and Hinata chortles loud and overbearing, his childish boldness always getting on Tsukkis bad side. Really though, he likes it, likes that he hates the contrast in his rowdy yet gentle demeanor, likes the dependency the shorter boy always seems to ooze to all and everyone that surrounds. He likes (and hates) his silly little smile and the wonder that seems to genuinely veil him. Tsukki begins to think, but he doesn't know. It's almost shocking how coincidentally similar Hinata is to the stain of gold and red on his body.
Hinata begins to change his mind about his soul mark though, initially being ashamed of the dull blues and blacks, he might not be as displeased with it. It's not something sudden, it happens over the course of months. Moment by moment Hinata realizes that maybe like the real moon, his ink might flourish and change, evolve into a true moon.
Tsukkishima knows now, he knew for a while, but his suspicions were not confirmed until he saw it. The moon on Hinatas left shoulder as opposed to the sun on his right, he hadn't been looking for it, he just happened to see it in the changing rooms. Besides, it's not like the shrimpy dope head was trying to hide it, he looked so proud and elated by his moon, why shouldn't he be? For all Hinata knew, it could be illuminating and salient, which made Tsukki think that maybe it wasn't him, it must have been someone else. So he asked and Hinata obligingly garbled on hour after hour of the moon how his love for it had evolved into something so striking but admits that no, Stingyshima I haven't met them yet. His eyes are piercing as he admits, the way he looks before he hits one of his precious freak duo spikes and it feels. Like what? Tsukki doesn't understand but it just feels. The blonde middle blocker knows, but that's it, he knows but he never says, doesn't tell, he figures Hinata will know too when Hinata is ready when he has time.
After the Miyagi semi-final win for Karasuno, he finally realizes it reminds him of someone, he can't really place it but he knows that they are jeering and possibly obstinate in their ways. No, not jeering but somber and mysterious in a very callous way. Looking in the mirror didn't hurt as much, not that it had, but looking at the mark felt almost like feeling at home. In his skin, in his heart among many, many other things and Hinata was shocked, from his eyes, it had changed. The once flat half moon now growing into an almost full moon, the blues and blacks and now white of the moon coming to an almost dazzling gleam. Again, it reminds him, of Tsukkishima and the way he smiled that day. The way he happily yanked his fist back in subtle joy at finally blocking Ushijima Wakatoshis spike. Hinata frowns, it's silly, to compare his moon to Stingyshima. They are not the same, Stingy-kun is jeering, he is contemptuous but not like the moon he loves so much (he doesn't even realize that he's already in love with it).
Hinata might not believe they are the same, but they share too many similarities for his comfort. The way his moon changed, the way Tsukkishima has changed too. Or maybe, the way Hinata begins to notice more about Tsukki, sly, sarcastic smiles, there and gone in a single moment. The ginger boy could honestly say he believed Tsukkis skin shone whiter, or that he seemed to stand taller and more poised in his actions like he just knew. Had Kei always been that smart? Was he always so mysterious and appealing? Whether or not he had continued to remain in question, whenever he asked, most just snorted or grumbled along the lines of 'shitty know-it-all, arrogant mocker' (Tanaka, Nishinoya) at his questions. Suga-san, Enno-san and Daichi-san would always exchange silly knowing looks and Bakageyama just ignored him. It wasn't until the third time his sempai had looked at each other that way he realized and only because, in the end, they caught Tsukkishima in a pitying gaze. It wasn't until Tsukki flittered worrying eyes at him, holding him in an equally fretting stare that he understood. Tsukki changed, he saw it, knew it, but so had he, hadn't he? Tsukki turned on his heel and hurried out of the clubroom, ignoring Yamaguchis pleas of wait, rushing to get away from what he thought might come.
"Stingyshima! He-ey Stingy" Tsukki rolled his eyes; there was nothing he wanted to do more than disappear.
"Oi, Tsukki don't leave! I wanna talk with you" Hinata began to regret calling him Stingy when he was not doing that with the distance between them.
"Oh? I'd rather not be infected by stupid today" The blond called over his shoulders, but lightly, he tripped on his stupidly undone shoe laces giving Hinata enough time to stop him in his tracks. Tsukki could feel eyes, that gaze boring into him and he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for their competitors.
"You're avoiding me" Tsukki did everything in his power to avoid it, tying his shoes or looking up at the darkened sky.
"Look at me. Kei, Look at me."
"Looking at stupid might make stupid, so no thanks" Hinata didn't so much as huff or comment, silence filled the air and crickets were all that could be heard in the distance.
"You are already stupid, you're so dumb and you're an idiot." Tsukki could feel his blood run cold like icicles were inching slowly through his veins, hoping on little hope Hinata was still clueless or that maybe he was wrong. As if trying to avoid what he thought might come Tsukki sneered at the older, littler boy.
"Don't call me by my name, only my friends can do that. Not even Yamaguchi can do it yet."
"No? Not even him? What about your soulmate?" He saw it coming, knew it would happen, sooner or later but still, he tried to run.
"Don't know them, doesn't matter yet." It was the dumbest thing he could have ever said, he knew it, but hopefully, Hinata was dumb enough to overlook it. He was wrong.
"Don't lie, you know. You're a smart person. You've known for a while but you never told me. Why not?" He isn't smiling; there is no emotion in his eyes.
"Why should I have to tell you, you should know. Right? That's how it's supposed to go? Besides, you can never be too sure, that's the logical thought, isn't it?"
"Because you think too much because you have to.... Um.... An-anali-"
"Analyze? I'm surprised you knew that word existed"
"You analyze too much Stingy. That's your problem, the 'logical thought', go on instinct." Hinata smiles warmly and Tsukki can feel the sun on his shoulder heat, sending a warmth deep down to his heart.
"That's why I know, or maybe because Suga-san kept looking at you and then me but still, mostly, I knew Tsukki" Hinata folds the sleeves of his shirt and looks him in the eyes.
"In the beginning, it was so dull, barely the moon and more like a cut toenail" Tsukki curls his upper lip up, forming his sneer once more but Hinata continues.
"The more you changed, so did my moon. I didn't want to believe it, because you were so mean but my moon was so pretty and I thought that my soulmate would be too. Uh-um not that you're ugly cause you definitely are not!" He becomes flustered at the slip of his tongue and Tsukki can only hope he finish his ramblings before the others reach them.
"So what then, that's it. You're just going with it like that?" Tsukkishima scowls at Hinata.
"Oh well, to be truthful, I didn't want it at first. I thought that I couldn't love or want something so dark and mysterious. The more I see you, the more I want to uh-um you know be like friends or-or-or more than that too. If you're ok with it"
"You can't be too sure it's me though, what if you're wrong and it's not. All those big hard words you used would be for nothing. No one but some shitty, sardonic pessimist." Hinata took a deep breath through his nose as he gave Tsukki a surprisingly calculating look.
"The moon shines in the darkest hour, right? Well, so did you, against Shiratorizawa, we only won because your block timings because everyone thought we were going to loose. It was our darkest hour and you shone through for us right?" Tsukki stared confused at him for a small moment, and then again, Hinata took him by surprise.
"Alright then, show me. What does your mark look like? I won't make you, but I want to see it. To know the truth." Tsukkishima became flabbergasted at the smaller male, never once did he rise to someone else's challenge, but something in the other boys' eyes sparked his core. He fought himself inside his mind, yes or no, would he roll his sleeves up? He wasn't sure, wasn't sure until he saw the longing in the eyes of the other, not challenge, but want. What? What did he want? To be connected to someone who was so distrustful? More importantly, what did Tsukki himself want? He wanted the same as he always wanted, to stay the same or to be himself without worries that those close would abandon him. He was thrilled at the thought of someone else, his opposite relentless and beaming, his soulmate. He wanted Hinata, but what if it was wrong for them? Surprising himself, he folds his own sleeves up, avoiding Hinatas gaze as he breathes deeply through his mouth. There is an audible intake of breath and when he finally looks, Hinata is smiling lightly at his shoulder.
"I'm right"
"About what?" Tsukki can't help but challenge his knowledge, he probably always will, even if Hinata was right in the end.
"About this, I'm right and I'm right for you" A flourish of guilt and melancholy surges through him. It's not until Hinata says the words that he realizes it's always what he wanted to hear.
"I like you, Tsukki. I don't know for how long, but I do."
"It won't be easy for me and I won't make it easy for you either." Tsukki doesn't know why he says it, he thinks or knows that maybe they're moving too fast, but he wants this, needs it. Hinata has never been good at words, never known how to form them, so instead he closes the distance between them and their lips connect, and he only hopes that Tsukki understands him. 'I won't give up'. The sun on the other's shoulder is far too warm on his lips, and it branches out from there, reaching the core of his heart. There is no need for it, to feel so sad, but he does and his once hollow heart expands with hope and love, tears well up in his eyes and they drop slowly as if finally letting him free.
"Alright, this is fine with me." He pushes Hinata away and turns to leave before he stops dead in his tracks and points a glare down at Hinata.
"But don't ever try to kiss me again." Hinata almost falls at the weight of the taller boys words when Tsukki takes him by surprise.
"At school, that is" A small smirk spreads on his lips as he turns once more and leaves a beaming sun in his wake.