Why Do You Need a Girl When You've Got Me?

***** “‘Karasuno High School, Miyagi Prefecture, takes the third set and advances to the next round!’” the announcer’s voice boomed, slicing through the ecstatic roars of the fans and the triumphant shouts of the crow team. “Kageyama! Now will you admit my block was awesome?” Hinata, exhausted and flushed the same red as his hair, squinted up at his partner with a satisfied grin. Kageyama wanted to praise the orange-haired monster, but it felt like glue had been poured into his mouth. Twisting his lips into that predatory smirk, he just scoffed, muttering sideways:“Nope, didn’t see it! That was my block.” Admitting the shrimp’s progress just wasn’t happening – the dumbass would get way too cocky, and they still had matches to play. “Now get up. Time for bows.” The setter stood, ignoring the smaller boy’s indignant sputtering. This match had been brutal. The only thing rivaling the sparkling joy of victory was the bone-deep desire to sleep and eat until he burst. “Kageyam-aaa! Again!” Shoyo’s wail was more theatrically outraged than genuinely upset, but it pierced the noise, drawing the attention of narrowed brown eyes from across the court. Shoyo had long since cracked his partner’s nasty personality. The guy constantly refused to acknowledge his professional growth. And he only refused out of pure, natural spite – like the words physically wouldn’t come out.Okay, fine, there were glimpses. But that was it. And after three brutal sets against Inarizaki, Shoyo had really wanted to hear just a crumb of praise. Whatever! He pushed himself off the floor, surprisingly fast, but was stopped by a sharp call. “Hinata Shoyo!” Setter Miya was watching him and Kageyama, lips stretching into an anticipatory grin. Shoyo’s mind felt pretty much empty. Adrenaline was draining from his overheated blood, and he desperately wanted to just sit down somewhere – anywhere – and not move for a couple of hours. Hell, maybe even lie down! Nodding to his lazy fantasies, Hinata tried to plaster the most attentive expression onto his face. It came out awful: his whole face twisted, like his muscles had decided to clock out early, resulting in more of a grimace than a smile. His eyebrows lifted, not in surprise, but as if broadcasting the question in giant, bold letters: “What? What do you want?” Miya watched the ginger’s transformation with a mysterious smirk.Initially, he’d had a ton of doubts about the kid – Shoyo was like a yapping puppy: constantly underfoot, annoyingly persistent, and loud as hell. He’d seemed like just a useless little scrub. Nothing more than prime bait! But over three brutal sets, he’d watched him play, adapted, tried to rile him up… and there it was – fascination. His brother had kept nagging him, asking what the hell was wrong with him, why was he losing control?! Tsumu would’ve liked to know the reason himself. What was it? Jealousy of the setter? Did he crave that kind of boundless faith? It felt like this Hinata Shoyo would spike any toss he threw, absolutely any. Or was it something else? These questions had swirled in his head the entire match, messing with his control, pissing him off, throwing him off balance. God, how he wanted to win. To crush them until his joints screamed. To stomp that damn Karasuno duo into the dust! Their tandem was too damn harmonious, too much warmth and trust glowing in their eyes. That sun shone so brightly… but why the hell wasn’t it shining on him? Why wasn’t Miya Atsumu basking in that warmth?! And now, watching the pair collapsed on the floor, Miya felt that envy again. Why wouldn’t Kageyama praise him? This Shoyo deserved encouragement, deserved praise, just a few damn words! Damn Tobio! Well, if Kageyama wouldn’t say it, Atsumu would. Miya never bothered tiptoeing around people’s feelings; he always said exactly what he thought, and this was no exception. “Someday, I will toss for you,” Tsumu stated seriously, locking eyes with Shoyo’s warm, bewildered brown ones. Behind Hinata, Tobio had frozen, his expression a mix of shock and undiluted skepticism, his narrowed glare practically boring holes into Miya. Kageyama scowled, turning sharply away from the setter to hustle his middle blocker along.“But first, we’ll crush you at Inter-High, so get ready!” Atsumu couldn’t resist adding. He spun on his heel and strode back towards his team. A grim anticipation settled on his face, sending a heat through his veins that chased away the fatigue and sting of defeat. Shoyo watched the Inarizaki setter walk away, giving a timid shrug as he struggled to fully digest the blond’s whole monologue. His gaze lingered on the setter’s broad, tense back. Somehow, the kid’s thoughts veered wildly off the volleyball court. In his jumbled mind, a realization flickered: throughout the entire match, Hinata had been watching Atsumu – not consciously, perhaps – but watching nonetheless. Specifically, watching how strongly and beautifully the ropey muscles in his arms shifted. And his hands… they were so large… Shaking his head vigorously, Hinata flushed an even deeper red. He turned around and promptly clashed with Kageyama’s thoughtful gaze. Right, gotta smile. How does he always smile like that? A wide, utterly charming grin stretching across his face, Shoyo took a running leap and launched himself onto the setter with all his might, laughing gleefully all the while. “Hinata, you moron!” The familiar shouts echoing through the gym drew more than a few amused chuckles from the team. “Get off me!” “Idiot ginger, half the stadium’s laughing at you already,” Tsukishima commented, as impassive and indifferent as ever, walking past with a towel and water bottle, looking thoroughly put-upon. Snorting at the remark, Shoyo hopped down to the floor and, still beaming, made his way to the water table. Grabbing a bottle, the boy sucked down the cool liquid with pure bliss, utterly parched. With a noisy gasp, he pulled away from the cap, wiped the annoying cold beads of sweat – that familiar trickle down heated skin – from his forehead, and grinned in satisfaction. After bowing to their opponents and forcing out the customary shout of “Thanks for the game!”, the guys approached the net for handshakes. Running on fumes, Hinata mindlessly touched the offered hands, his attention already elsewhere. The formalities over, the team scattered, agreeing to meet at the bus in an hour. Figuring he had time to spare, Shoyo scanned the crowd of spectators and finished teams for Kenma. Spotting the setter surrounded by teammates up in the stands, he waved invitingly and headed outside to wait for Nekoma’s playmaker. Once Kenma joined him, the pair headed towards the auxiliary gym where Fukurodani was supposed to be finishing up their match. I wonder if Bokuto-senpai’s already secured the win for his team? I wish I could do that too! The boy desperately wanted to reach those same heights. So what if he wasn't tall? Screw that! Riding the emotional high, the kid watched the senpai's terrifying straight spikes and squealed in delight, drawing a quiet chuckle from Kenma beside him. “Why are you scratching your shoulder?” Kenma asked softly, observing Shoyo’s jerky movements. “Something bit me, probably,” the redhead replied, not particularly bothered by it, his eyes still glued to the game. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that…” Kenma didn’t want to freak his friend out, but that itching felt all too familiar to him. So did that wandering, absent gaze and the complete lack of focus. Tired of watching Shoyo’s frantic scratching, Kenma grabbed him by the elbow and steered him urgently towards the restrooms. Damn it, Kenma thought, I'm so tired, and now this extra hassle. Right now, all he wanted was to crawl into bed, curl up in his partner's arms, and finish the arcade game they'd started before the tournament. But on the other hand... Hinata was his friend. And Kenma hadn't exactly been lucky with friends; maintaining connections was hard, and making new ones was even harder. So he wanted to always support this bright, good-natured guy who had burst into his life like a heatwave. Like right now, for example. Shoyo had no clue why Kenma had suddenly gotten so flustered and was practically dragging him by the arm towards the restroom like a bat out of hell. Restrooms at games had always been problematic for Shoyo – or rather, problems always seemed to find him in restrooms. It had become a running joke for the whole team, and for some, an endless source of teasing. So when Shoyo glanced around the spacious and, thank all the gods, empty room, he felt a wave of relief. While he was distracted checking the place out, Kenma yanked his team jacket off him, leaving him only in his thin white cotton t-shirt. Shoyo blinked in confusion as his friend's already large eyes went even wider. Not understanding, but sensing deep in his gut (feeling жопой) that something was seriously wrong, he glanced down at his arm and swore."Holy fuck! I-Is that what I think it is?!" Hinata was in shock. This was a total nightmare – and so was the tattoo now blooming on his shoulder.A blondish arctic fox pup, with pale, almost silvery-blond fur and hints of reddish highlights. It sat there, tail wrapped around its paws, snarling fiercely. Then it unwrapped its tail and started whipping its sides in irritation, causing that familiar itching sensation to flare up on Shoyo's skin."You're in deep shit, Shoyo..." Kenma noted quietly, almost detachedly, watching the emotional cocktail swirling in his friend's eyes."Is it a male?! Kenma, tell me it's a female, please!" the redhead whimpered, jabbing a finger at the living design.Disjointed thoughts raced through the boy's head, tangling together and sending frightened tremors straight to his heart. Or more accurately, triggering early-stage tachycardia. It wasn't that Hinata wasn't interested in relationships – no, he was in love with volleyball, he enjoyed watching girls, he fantasized... But he'd never pictured himself as gay! He liked cute girls, like Yachi-chan, for example! But a guy? His soulmate was a guy?! Oh, the guys are gonna lose it laughing, damn it!Not knowing where to put himself, torn apart by conflicting emotions, Shoyo started pacing frantically around the restroom, ignoring Kenma's amused gaze."Shoyo, why are you freaking out so much?" Kenma whispered, a rustling laugh escaping him. "My soulmate's a guy too.""Kenma-aaaah, but I don't even know who it is!" Shoyo wailed. "You got lucky, you have Kuroo! I don't have a clue!""Pfft—ha-ha-ha!" Kenma doubled over laughing, hiding his face in his knees. "That's probably why it's itching so much then. He's definitely seen the mark by now and he's looking for you... but he's probably pissed off too," Kenma commented thoughtfully, his irritatingly positive tone cutting through Shoyo's panic. Kenma's tone was pissing Shoyo off so much he felt like steam might shoot out of his ears. Okay, sure, finding your soulmate at their age was objectively great, but his jumbled feelings and shattered dreams of a cute girlfriend were thoroughly drowning out any hypothetical joy. Hinata couldn’t even begin to guess who his soulmate might be. He’d touched so many people today. Was he supposed to check everyone?! He’d lose his mind, he groaned internally. Screw it. Shoyo gave himself a couple of mental slaps, took a deep, calming breath, and then, feeling an unfamiliar warmth and a strange sense of anticipation spread through his chest, let out a weak laugh. Bent double, the two volleyball players quietly giggled and sniffled, tossing comments back and forth. “Kenma,” Hinata whined, “I haven’t even kissed a girl! And now some random guy?! What am I supposed to do?!” “Just relax your buns. Happiness will find you on its own.” “I really hope you meant that figuratively about the buns?!” Shoyo exclaimed louder than intended, drawing the attention of a group of students chattering loudly near the stadium exit. Kenma smirked meaningfully and snorted, watching Shoyo’s face rapidly lose all color. The boy’s adorable face went stark white, making his previously faint freckles look several shades darker. Fear froze in his wide, brown, uptilted eyes, and his lips suffered under the assault of his own biting teeth. Shoyo was terrified. Well, who wouldn’t be, when unknown men were eyeing his virgin ass? It didn’t matter that they weren’t eyeing it yet. What mattered was that they would be! Maybe I’ll get lucky, and my soulmate will be someone like Kenma? Hinata thought hopefully, peering intently at his friend’s silhouette as Kenma walked through the sliding doors outside… and promptly shuddered. The entire Karasuno team had gathered by their bus. Coach Ukai paced irritably in front of the frozen students, while Takeda-sensei stood nearby, explaining something patiently to Ryunosuke. The second-year was hunched over, shoulders up to his ears, too scared to even lift his head to look at the faculty advisor. But it wasn't that picture that made Kenma shudder violently. Slightly off to the side, near a lamppost, Kuroo stood frozen, boring into the boy with a look that promised all the "joys" of life. Kozume even felt the fleeting urge to bolt back into the stands and never come out. Kuroo peeled himself off the lamppost and strode towards his partner with a slow, fluid gait. The setter seemed frozen in space and time. For a split second, Tetsuro almost felt sorry for him, but the emotional storm that had hit him an hour ago via Kenma's soulmate mark, scaring the living daylights out of the brunet, forced him to maintain icy calm and a threatening expression. "Darling," Kuroo purred, leaning in menacingly as he closed the distance to Nekoma's setter, his voice deceptively soft, "did you only need your phone for games?" Kenma guiltily lowered his gaze, staring at the ground, and gave a convincing sniffle for good measure, playing the pity card. He knew Kuroo couldn't stay mad at him for long. "Sorry, Kuroo-kun," Kenma whined plaintively, peeking up at his boyfriend through his lashes, "Shoyo and I just got caught up talking." Turning towards his ginger-haired friend frozen in the doorway, Kozume raised a questioning eyebrow, beckoning him over. Kuroo had already figured nothing truly dire had happened, so he stopped scowling, his curiosity piqued instead. "So, what did happen over there? One minute I get zapped like a live wire, the next I'm practically sparkling with joy?" "Kenma, if you blab, I swear I'll grind you into the asphalt..." Hinata hissed, his face flushing crimson – whether from rage or embarrassment was unclear. Completely ignoring the redhead's threats, Kozume gave a gleeful smirk. He tilted his head slightly towards Hinata, his sly, cat-like eyes narrowing. "Our little Shoyo here met his soulmate," he giggled, pausing to watch his friend's mouth drop open in outrage before continuing, "Trouble is, he doesn't know who it is. Oh, and it's a guy." "Ha-ha-ha! Seriously?!" Kuroo's laughter was loud and boisterous, drawing the attention of several bystanders, which only frayed Hinata's already taut nerves further. "Oh, shut up already!" Hinata snapped. "Maybe fate will be merciful to me," he mused aloud, squinting dreamily as he savored the thought, "I mean, nature already short-changed me on height, right? So maybe, just maybe, the guy will be like Kenma: cute and compact, like a girl." "Who are you calling a girl?!" Kozume puffed up indignantly, ruffled like an offended cat. Tetsuro chuckled quietly, patting his boyfriend's shoulder soothingly before turning back to Shoyo, his dark eyebrows waggling meaningfully. He's gonna say something stupid, absolutely, Hinata thought, already edging sideways, ready to bolt towards his team where Kageyama's brick-faced scowl had been radiating displeasure for the last five minutes. "Shoyo, well, well," Tetsuro drawled conspiratorially, flashing a wink. "Quite the Casanova we have here. Find your better half first, yeah? I'm dying to get a look at this 'little one'." He shouted the last words after the retreating figure of the ginger.Chuckling mysteriously, the brunet turned back to Kenma only to falter under his boyfriend’s demanding gaze – it clearly said, "You know something, and I demand satisfaction!" "What?" Kuroo asked, having no intention of backing down so quickly. "Spill it. You know who it is, don't you?" "Nope," the guy shrugged nonchalantly, denying everything while internally dying of laughter. "Then you can live a week without sex," Kozume declared with the face of an ascetic monk. He gave the stunned boy an indifferent once-over, then turned towards the parking lot and ambled off. Tetsuro had absolutely zero desire to go without sex. None whatsoever. So, after whining for another minute, he confessed like he was at confession. "Well, think for yourself," Kuroo asked pointedly, leaning towards the now-pensive Kenma. "Who were they playing?" "Inarizaki. But you think Hinata only touched players from that team?" "A soulmark doesn't appear from a fleeting touch; it needs solid contact," Tetsuro lectured, looking down at his diminutive setter. "Besides, I saw Atsumu tearing around the stadium like bees had stung his ass." Kenma, walking beside him as usual with his nose in his phone, stumbled. He barely righted himself and froze, his wide eyes filling with dawning disbelief. The guy let out a long, surprised "Ooooooh," then started laughing until he hiccupped.Kenma crouched right there in the middle of the path, mentally offering condolences to Shoyo as he realized just how deep the ginger was in it. Yep. A guy who looks like a girl. That's exactly how it's gonna be, Shoyo. Just you keep believing. Amen, my dear friend. Tetsuro could also guess why Kozume was laughing; he was in a similar state of shock and was cackling wildly into an utterly bewildered Bokuto's shoulder. He then spent the next few minutes fending off his friend's questions, trying not to blab his suspicions. "So how did you figure out it was Shoyo?" Kenma asked once he'd stopped laughing, a flicker of genuine curiosity in his eyes. "Saw Miya flinch when they shook hands," Kuroo explained, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. "You had to see the guy's face – pure cluelessness mixed with utter confusion. Words can't do it justice. Then the idiot sat by the mats for like ten minutes, scratching his hand before it finally dawned on him to actually look at it. His crazy eyes and the mad dash around the stadium were just the icing on the cake. I put two and two together, just like you suggested." "Oh, this is gonna be fu-u-un..." Kozume drawled, barely containing another burst of laughter. While Tetsuro spoke, Kenma had been angled towards the stadium exit, giving him a perfect view. Now, his attention was caught by a familiar blond figure in Inarizaki's uniform bursting through the doors.He runs fast. Atsumu was frantically scanning the area, his eyes darting over the parked buses, radiating a desperate need to reach the ginger-haired disaster that was now, by rights, his. "Seems Hinata has good instincts," Kuroo's voice came from right above Kenma, who was still watching Atsumu's frantic search. "What are you talking about?" Kenma asked flatly, squinting slightly at Kuroo’s cryptic comment. "Look," Kuroo replied, the laugh escaping him was low and strained, muffled by the fist pressed against his mouth. He jerked his chin meaningfully towards the stadium entrance. Near the team bus, Hinata – who had been mid-explanation to his teammates – suddenly broke off. He slowly turned towards the entrance. At the very top of the stairs stood one of the Miya twins. The guy was breathing heavily, his gaze locked unblinkingly on Hinata. Locking eyes with Inarizaki's setter, Shoyo tensed up completely, feeling his soulmate mark itch unbearably. Trying to avoid disaster, he started frantically herding his teammates onto the bus. Please, please move faster, he mentally screamed, watching Miya break into a run. Hysterical at the impending shitstorm – and judging by Atsumu’s bared teeth, it was definitely coming – Hinata shoved a bewildered Nishinoya in last and dove into the stuffy bus himself. "Go! Close the door!" Hinata yelled, his voice cracking. Just in time. Gasping raggedly, Hinata collapsed onto the floor in the aisle and froze in absolute silence. Everyone stared expectantly at his sprawled form, noting how his flushed face almost blended with his hair color. "Hinata, perhaps you'd care to explain?" Takeda-sensei began cautiously, offering Shoyo a water bottle. "Uh, I just kinda pissed off the opposing team's setter and was trying to escape? Don't open it for him! Please, Sensei!" Snickers rippled through the bus. Only Tsukishima snorted derisively and turned away from the spectacle sprawled on the floor. Shoyo's warning to Takeda-sensei couldn't have been more timely. Literally a minute later, someone knocked on the door. Seeing Shoyo scared out of his wits, the guys hauled him to the very back of the bus and sat him on the floor so he wouldn't be visible in the windows. Shoyo was touched by their concern, but at the same time, he desperately wanted to sink through the floor.Preferably yesterday. Atsumu, meanwhile, was furious. He watched the Karasuno team bus pull away, replaying their faculty advisor's words in his head: "Hinata suddenly felt ill, so we're leaving. Thank you for your concern and checking on his wellbeing." Felt ill. That little shit. Atsumu kicked an innocent parking barrier, sending it clanging, before deciding to head back to his team.Doesn't matter. You can't run from me, my sunshine.