Thread by @pearlsephoni

#kagehina, fluff, mild hurt/comfort

"Hey, Hinata, where're you going?"

"Saving Kageyama's class from him," Shoyo snorted. "They had a math test, so he's gonna be suuuper grumpy now."

He'd no sooner grabbed his bento box when he heard a terse, "Hinata," from the classroom door.

https://twitter.com/pearlsephoni/status/1583460662378139649

Sure enough, there was Tobio, peeking in with an uncertainty that was unnerving coming from him.

"Oh, hey! I was just coming to your class!" With one more grin to his classmates, Shoyo hurried over to Tobio's side, peering intently at his familiar features.

His blue eyes were downcast, and his fingers fidgeted around his bento's scarf. "Uh...hey."

"Do you wanna talk about it, or do you want a distraction?"

"A distraction."

Shoyo wasn't surprised. The only times Tobio wanted to talk about it were *after* a distraction anyway.

"Okay! Want me to grab my volleyball?"

"No." Tobio flushed under Shoyo's wide eyes. "I just...wanted...um..."

Oh. There were few things that Tobio was shy to ask for. It wasn't difficult to guess what he was asking for now.

Shoyo would give anything to weave his fingers between Tobio's and tug him behind. But instead, he had to be satisfied with a tug at his sleeve and a nod down the hall. "C'mon."

He didn't need to lead the way, not when Tobio already knew where they were going. But that didn't keep the setter from following close behind Shoyo, a tall, warm presence at his back that made him long for strong arms around him.

He got his wish the second the door to the empty stairwell swung shut behind them.

"Whoa!" he grunted when Tobio grabbed him in a tight hug, arms squeezing around his waist. Shoyo could only drape his arms around his shoulders and let him bury his face into his shoulder.

"That bad, Tobi?"

The soft murmur of his nickname was all it took for Tobio to start trembling in Shoyo's arms. "It wasn't just the test," he whispered on a shaky breath.

"My parents were lecturing me about how important my grades are, as if I don't already know that...and that made me toss like shit at morning practice, and then the test itself was awful, and I just...want something to go right today."

"Then you came to the right person!"

That finally pulled a snort from Tobio. "Shut up."

"Make me."

It was cheesy and childish and a little stupid, which was exactly why he knew it would work.

And that's all that mattered, really: making Tobio's breaths steady as he pulled away, eyes glinting with a determination warmed by gratitude. "Fine."

With that, his hands trailed up from Shoyo's waist to cup his cheeks, thumbs tracing the soft curve before Tobio leaned in.

It always felt a little selfish, using kisses as a way to comfort Tobio. Shoyo felt like he was receiving when he should've been giving. But it worked to refocus Tobio's mind, and if Shoyo got to steal some of his own pleasure from it...who was he to complain?

Their bento boxes lay forgotten on the floor as Tobio backed Shoyo against the wall beneath the stairs, casting them in shadow. Some part of Shoyo's mind tried to remind him that they could still be heard, but that wasn't enough to make him fully bite back his gasps and sighs.

"Ah...wait, wait, not there!"

Tobio pulled away from his throat to pin him under a small frown. "Why? Your sweatshirt will hide it."

"Yeah, but not my practice shirt, stupid!"

Tobio blinked, his cheeks turning rosy beneath his almost-drowsy eyes. "...Oh."

Shoyo could only scoff and pull Tobio in again, letting their foreheads lean together. "Do you feel better?" he whispered.

"Mm...how much time do we have left?"

Shoyo dug out his phone and flipped it open. "Like...15 minutes."

"Then no, I don't feel better."

"Tobi!" Shoyo scolded, laughter shaking out of him as he shoved at Tobio's shoulder. All he got in response was a satisfied grin, before there were lips covering his again.

By the time Tobio was fully "comforted," they had five minutes to scarf down their lunches and hurry back to their classrooms.

"This is your fault!" Shoyo grouched around his mouthful of rice, shoving his bento back together and tying Natsu's scarf back around it.

"I know, I know, quit nagging!"

"Nagging—?!" Shoyo swallowed his bite and opened his mouth to keep arguing, but he couldn't say anything before Tobio was kissing him again.

"Thank you," Tobio grumbled when he pulled away, ears bright red.

It was sad, how easily he could sap Shoyo's irritation with a couple of words. "...Of course," he mumbled, cheeks feeling like a match for Tobio's ears. "I'm always here, Tobi."

"I know. Me, too."

His small smile made love and certainty bloom warm in Shoyo's chest as he stole a final kiss and tugged the stairwell door open.

Yeah...this was worth 100 lost lunches.

//fin

haha. um. back to kghn bb and nanowrimo planning jail I go.