To Hinata, Kageyama was another high, high wall.

Another high, obstructive wall he might never, in his life be able to climb.

Undefeatable, formidable, daunting.

But still, he puts his faith and trust into his legs and his feet, hopes, and jumps.

Because when hope is all you have, you learn how to put reckless trust in both things you have and don't, just to gamble everything for that one speck of chance at that one moment of glory.

The entire match lasted a mere 31 minutes.

Breathless pants from heart pumping excitement, dashing down the corridors, the fact that he's even able to yell "I'm joining the volleyball club!", brings another rush of adrenaline through his veins - the words slide off his tongue, promising and loud, and they fit so, so, well.

Imagine the shock at the sight of another high, high wall once he crashed open the heavy gym doors.

Another high, high wall, that now stood on the same side of the court as he did.

"During our game in middle school...no matter what Kageyama did, he was always somewhere above me. ...That's why I came to Karasuno wanting to beat Kageyama."

"I see...Then, are you playing volleyball so you can defeat Kageyama?"

"I want to...be as strong as someone who can beat Kageyama. ...I don't want to lose anymore!"

"In other words, in Hinata's mind, Kageyama holds the position of 'the strongest player'. "

"Huh?!"

To Hinata, Kageyama was another high, high wall.

Another high, obstructive wall, yet it's built was slightly more weathered, slivers of cracks running up from the foundation and down from the top, as compared to the last, dominating sight, when Hinata had stared at till the back baring words "Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High" burnt into his mind, eyes watery from the loss and staring into the bright horizon for far too long.

Kageyama's hands never shook when he played, when he practiced.

But Hinata notices the change in strength Kageyama tosses with now, all raw strength gone and confidence chipped.

His tosses are the tiniest bit shakier, just a tiny bit more gentle.

And when Tsukishima calls him to do a King's toss, Kageyama straight up freezes.

Hinata thinks he heard something crack in the gym right then.

"Because for you, since he's the strongest enemy,
Right now, he's become the strongest ally."

Another high, high wall.

But if Hinata squints through the cracks he thinks he can see someone on the opposite side trying to break it down too.

("Yeah, that's right. Tossing the ball up only for there to be no one behind me,

frightens me down to my very soul."

.

"I'm here!"

.

"But I was right there to receive the ball!"

.

.

.

"Clearing the wall in front of a spiker, is what a setter is for.")

To Kageyama, Hinata was a bright, blinding beam of hope.

His raw potential, jumping power and agility, easily syncing up with Kageyama's tosses.

Easily easing the darker haired boy into the essence of teamwork and trust.

Hope, that the lighter haired boy clings to like a lifeline.

(There's only so much faith one can place in their abilities, so much one can do when lacking in areas that count even if bursting in areas that don't as much.)

"So what's your special skill, aspiring ace?"

"...D...Decoy"

An awe-filled stare, longing etched into the words that spill out of his mouth, singing praises for the ace he aims to become just like.

For a split second, Kageyama sees himself three years ago reflected in Hinata's big doe eyes.

Losing sight of strengths he possesses, however, is something new.

("Someone like you, who's always been tall, wouldn't understand at all!")

A burning sensation that starts from the pit of Kageyama's stomach suddenly flares, erupting throughout his entire system.

'Don't forget what you have, the potential that lies in store of you!", he wants to shout, shake the other till he remembers that strength is not the only key to winning.

Hinata holds other trumps required for one to stand the longest in a court, trumps that Kageyama does not have in spades like the middle blocker does.

To see him ignore them in favour of another's strengths sends a painful strike through Kageyama's heart.

"So how about you? When I toss the ball to you,
has there ever been a time when you've been blocked?"

A perfect return, arms outstretched and poised for a toss, three blockers, casting shadows over the much, much smaller opponent. A step forward, a slight hesitation, a flicker of doubt.

"Dodge!
That's the only thing you can do, you idiot!"

A jolt backwards, a turn, a dash, a jump, all faith and trust.

Then the view from the top, the burning sensation of the volleyball against the palm.

"I can't fight the way the ace does, but…!"

"So long as i'm here, you'll be the strongest!"

To Kageyama, the manner in which Hinata shone with hope was unparalleled.

Unparalleled, but still needing a reminder of it's brilliance from time to time.

Reminders Kageyama would be glad to shower upon.

("The point scored by the ace breaking through,
and the point you scored by dodging and striking,

are of equal value."

.

.

.

.

"Despite that, do you still think that your current role is lame?!"

"...I don't think that at all..!")

Unknowingly, a silent acknowledgement, a silent trust is built.

(Brick by brick, stone by stone, Hinata slowly tears down the wall.)

They fill in each other's gaps, in terms of ability, willpower and personality.

Just knowing the other is there, for the both of them, is enough.

(Between the cracks of the wall and awning holes Hinata has diligently dug, he sees a familiar back, baring the words "Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High", a head hung low.

Opening his mouth, Hinata calls out a familiar name, feared in another time long, long ago, painfully lonely against another horizon.

But treasured in the current time right here, right now. Treasured and beloved, echoing with genuine affection against the familiar horizon that leads down to the tuckshop just down the street.)

"This feeling. It's the same as the first time we battled together.
An overwhelming presence at the last moment. "

"I'm right here. Send the ball here."

"It's as if he's calling to me."

(And it reaches the ears of Kageyama, who learnt to trust from the shortest middle blocker he knows.

Opening his mouth, Kageyama answers.)

"Treat me to a pear popsicle."

"Eh? Why?"

"You promised you would if I could return all your spikes!"

"You call those collisions with your face a receive? What kind of monstrous rendition of a receive do you have in your mind, you idiot! What kind of insult to volleyball do you think you're spouting! Idiot, idiot, no brains Hinata!"

As Kageyama rattles off insults, trying and failing to avoid Hinata who tackles at his mid-torso, Tsukishima lets out a long suffering sigh.

"Please, get a room, the both of you."

Both boys instantly stop their bickering to shoot Tsukishima a glare in sync.

"We're in a room already, dumbass!" Hinata yells, grip around Kageyama's waist tightening as the darker haired boy struggles to get free.

"It means to bring your lover's spat elsewhere where there's no one to witness your idiocy, you morons." Tsukishima deadpans, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"L-Lovers? With him?! Who'd want to date grumpy "volleyball is my life" Kageyama who probably goes to bed with a volleyball?" Hinata chokes on laughter halfway through his sentence, letting go of Kageyama to roll about the floor in hysterics, leaving him vulnerable to Kageyama's steel claw that clamps on his head.

"Say that last sentence again," Kageyama lowly threatens, grip getting stronger in time to Hinata's shrill shrieks for help.

Even when pulled apart by Daichi, their bickering continues all the way out the locker room, following down the moonlit path home.

Still, the question that lingers on everyone's minds, especially the two in question, lies thick and heavy in their mouths for days to come.

"If they aren't in love, what are they, really?"

Hinata blurts out the question, half his body hanging over the edge of the bed, head dangling down right beside Kageyama's strawberry-smelling one, one night.

Kageyama turns over in the futon laid out for him, barely startled at Hinata's face put right in his, brown eyes wide and curious.

"Does it really matter?" Kageyama asks softly, feeling his eyes about to flutter shut from exhaustion any moment now.

"Hmmmm, kind of. It sort of bugs me, you know?" Hinata muses. Abruptly sitting up, causing Kageyama to flinch backwards in shock, Hinata says in a wonder filled voice, "Maybe I do want you to be my boyfriend?"

"Then how do you feel about making out with me and doing couple-y stuff together?" Kageyama mumbles, tugging the blanket wrapped around him higher. Honestly, it was too late for this.

"Ew." Hinata crinkles his nose, retching at the thought. "Ewww."

"That means you don't want me to be your boyfriend. Goodnight."

Kageyama moves to turn his back to Hinata, but is stopped by the sudden grin that lights up Hinata's face.

Something akin to fondness, but much, much stronger warms Kageyama deep in his belly, right in his heart when his eyes land on that breathtaking smile.

"But I wouldn't mind making breakfast with you or holding hands or hugging or living with you! Or hitting your tosses forever and ever!"

Giving a small snort under his breath, Kageyama allows a rare smile to grace his lips, the sight of which makes Hinata's own glow tenfold more dazzling.

"Neither would I."

The question remains unanswered, yet the team themselves figure it out, some all at once, some bits at a time.

What it is that makes both Hinata and Kageyama shine so, when they're together.

Neither Hinata nor Kageyama have a term for this relationship they have, perhaps they never will. But it's there, as important and evident as their oddball, awkwardly perfect, toss and spike.

("Toss it to me, one more time."

"Of course I will.")

A/N: This is meant to be a companion piece to my previous fic titled "to the boy who did not fall in love with me", though it's not necessary to read the other to understand this one, since they're meant to be standalone oneshots in a three parter oneshot thing that will lead up to eventual kenhina!

quotes are all gotten from the manga and casanovascans uvu