Hinata arrives at their new room first, which irks Kageyama more than it probably should.

When he unlocks the door and steps inside, he sees Hinata stop mid-pace in the living room area to lock eyes with him. They regard each other with chilly expressions, before Hinata speaks up. "Right or left?" Kageyama blinks in confusion, but before he is able to snap at the redhead, Hinata gestures to another room. Kageyama steps inside and peers around the corner.

It's a bedroom. There are two double beds with a thin rug in between them and two small night tables crammed together. It's not like the bunk beds they're used to in the recruits' dorms, but they look more comfortable than those glorified cots, so Kageyama approves. At that moment, he realizes that Hinata has yet to move in. Turning around, he notes the two cardboard boxes lying on the table in the living room that Hinata has been pacing behind. The guy fixes him with an indignant glare. "What?"

Kageyama ignores his question and grumbles "right" before turning back to their room and starting to unpack his stuff. Hinata is strangely cooperative—Kageyama was sure he'd argue over that—instead opting to unpack his belongings as well. He edges past Kageyama and accidentally brushes him, causing them both to recoil with a hiss, as if burned. No more words are spoken.

Their quarters aren't that bad at all—to the right is a small kitchen with the basic amenities, and to the left is the table Kageyama assumes is for eating breakfast. Straight back, they have a couch, a small TV, and even a porthole window. However, from the dust on the television and the neatness of the couch, Kageyama can tell that they're hardly utilized. The room past the kitchen is their bedroom, and past the table is the bathroom. He examines the bathroom once he's unpacked all his clothes and few other belongings. It's not incredibly spacious, but the soaking tub looks nice and Kageyama sighs in appreciation. He's needed a good soak for a while, with his muscles sore from training so hard.

When he comes back out, Hinata's fiddling with the fridge and freezer, shoving some food in there that Kageyama imagines he's been saving for later. He quirks an eyebrow, but Hinata doesn't explain when he closes the door. There's a sudden knocking at the door, and Hinata bounds over to answer it. He opens it to reveal a surprisingly peppy Koushi. "Suga-san!" Hinata barks in surprise.

"Good morning, you two. I hope you've settled in well. May I come in?" Hinata makes way for the Ranger, and he steps inside.

Recalling Daichi's words from yesterday, Hinata furrows his eyebrows. "Didn't Daichi-san say...not to help us? Won't you get in trouble if he finds out you're here?"

Koushi waves a hand dismissively. "It's fine, it's fine. Daichi knows I never listen to him anyway," he says with a wink and the smile of a person who has gotten away with a lot in the past. "Besides, I'm only here to check in with you two, make sure you haven't torn each other's throats out."

Hinata slides a glance at Kageyama, who completely ignores him. "That's what I thought," Koushi sighs. "Well, might as well go over the basics anyway. You two are not recruits anymore, so you no longer have to attend the training program. However, you're also not training as pilots either, until Daichi gives you the go-ahead, so you've got to stay in shape somehow. All the gyms are open to you guys, as well as the Kwoon Combat Room. We've also got a few soundproof meditation rooms, and there's always the simulator or the test pods, though I doubt you two will choose the latter." Hinata doesn't meet his eyes, and Kageyama scoffs. Koushi's heart sinks a little lower.

"I have my own training regimen," Kageyama cuts in. "I've been doing that in my free time, but now that I'm not a recruit, I can focus solely on it."

Hinata jumps in. "I've got skills I'd like to hone, too!"

But neither of you mentioned training together, Koushi thinks. "That's a good place to start. But, if you find that you're not getting much out of your work-outs, I suggest you go to the Kwoon Room. Together."

He twitches a bit and gives the newbies a nervous smile. "Ah, well, Daichi's probably missing me by now, so I'll see you two later. Oh, and these are for you." He hands them each an armful of folded clothes. "You're not Rangers yet...but you are on your way." And with that mysterious message, Koushi disappears out of their room.

Hinata gasps in awe at the gift. It's a set of clothes emblazoned with the logo of the in-training pilots, different from the one given to recruits. He's ecstatic, practically bouncing up and down, while Kageyama rifles through his with interest. They split up to change into their new training gear.

Hinata's putting on his running shoes, planning to jog around the base a few times before settling in to the simulator. Seeing Tyrant Omega and the other Jaegers lit a fire in his heart and he wants nothing more to be moving one of those incredible machines, taking down a kaiju. His fingers itch for the controls, so he's going to settle his mind and probably try to deal with the Kageyama problem before slipping in to run a few drops.

Noting the running shoes, Kageyama passes on running today, favoring working on his muscle strength instead. Something about Tyrant Omega really got to him. He was smaller for sure, but somehow, Kageyama felt he had to be stronger with him than the other Jaegers. Not to mention Daichi had told him that other more experienced and more prepared pilots had ended up hospitalized trying to pilot him. Kageyama needed to become even stronger if he was going to do it himself, especially if he had to drag that dead weight around.

Snorting to himself, Kageyama leaves first. As long as Hinata could Drift with him, at least a little bit, Kageyama could power through and make the Jaeger run. He just couldn't understand why the Marshal would have selected someone who couldn't even Drift as a candidate. What was so special about him anyway?

A gust of air and a blur of orange hair races past Kageyama in a whirlwind of energy. Stunned, Kageyama has to pause a second for his brain to compute that it was Hinata who had blown past him, as if reading his mind. Another second, and he was picking up speed, refusing to let that shorty overtake him in anything. Longer legs meant that he caught up to Hinata in a minute or two, and then the two were racing, snarling insults at each other and blowing past other early birds without a care. Kageyama might have had the height advantage, but he was surprised to see that his shrimp of a partner was a powerhouse of speed and determination, and it wasn't long until he had to push himself to his limits just to keep up. Swerving to avoid someone caught in the middle of the hallway, Kageyama pushed in front of Hinata with a yell.

The bystander in the middle of the hallway, however, was less of a casualty caught in the war between the two newbies, but rather an active antagonist who found himself too surprised to act and too proud to step out of the way. Tsukishima watched the two disappear down the hallway, jostling for position, and taking their noise with them. He still didn't move, even as the people pushed to the side muttered amongst themselves and went on their ways.

"Tadashi, let go of my jacket," he says flatly, not deigning to look at his partner. As someone who actually had a survival instinct, Yamaguchi had attached himself to the mountain that was Tsukishima, and hoped that he would shield him from the tidal wave of Kageyama and Hinata. Peeking around his involuntary bodyguard, Yamaguchi released Tsukishima's jacket.

"Sorry, Tsukki. Those guys have a kind of frightening energy, huh?" He murmured, following Tsukishima's gaze.

"Haaaaa?" Tsukishima stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "They're a real pain. I don't want them running assist with us, they'll only get in our way." He turns away, walking the other direction. "Doesn't really matter, though. They're going to combust anyway; we don't even have to meddle. Clashing personalities like that will never be Drift compatible."

Yamaguchi darts after his partner. "Really, you think so?" He hums in thought. "But it did kind of seem like they complement each other well."

Tsukishima cuffs him. "Idiot. Don't think about them so much, you're giving me a headache. Let's go get breakfast."

---------------------------------

By the time the lunch bell rings, Kageyama's lost count of the number of pull-ups again.

"Shit," he mutters to himself, more in irritation at his lack of focus than anything else. He's never had trouble working out by himself before, in fact, he always feels more focused. Today was even shaping up to be a good day, despite dealing with his own personal demon this morning. His old rotation had shown up at his gym for classes, and he had watched more than one face drain of color seeing that he was still around, and then flush red when they saw the logo on his tank. A pretty nice 'fuck you', if Kageyama did say so himself. He turned his back on them then, and continued with his routine.

See? He thought to himself. Hard work really does pay off. So what if I sacrificed some people on the way. I'm one step closer to my goal, and I owe it all to my dedication. Slackers who only sneer at those better than them don't go anywhere.

But if slackers didn't get anywhere...then why was Hinata his partner? He didn't really know a thing about the guy, but surely he was making up all that stuff to make himself sound better. Kageyama had never seen him any of his past rotations. If he really had good instincts and real talent like he claimed, wouldn't he have been moved up regardless of his sync scores? They wouldn't have held him back just because of his Drift compatibility, right?

But it was that uncertainty, the possibility that maybe Kageyama was wrong that ate at him and disturbed his concentration. In all likelihood, Hinata was suffering from alpha male syndrome, and was trying to appear like he was the top dog. Someone as small as him couldn't be at the same level as Kageyama. He can't help thinking back to this morning though. Hinata's physical ability matched his, somehow, and he had a presence. It knocked Kageyama over at first, but when he was really, really putting himself out there, Hinata felt like a thousand strong men rolled into one. It was contradictory and confusing. It was maddening.

Half the problem was that the harder Kageyama thought about Hinata, the further his mind drifted from his workout. Realizing how distracted he'd been by the other, Kageyama would then be fired up in anger, and be incredibly productive for a time before his mind drifted off, and the cycle began again. It just wasn't working today. However, the other option was...unthinkable. Just because the guy was plaguing his thoughts didn't mean he wanted to be in his presence.

Kageyama drops from the pull up bar with a heavy sigh. He heads to the mat in the middle of the gym and decides to work on his gymnastics a little bit. However, after only a few routines, he finds himself landing unbalanced at the other corner of the mat, and he feels a prickling of concern for his safety. God, well, if he can't even focus on a simple routine he might as well as take his frustration out on something. And what would be better to beat the crap out of than the source of his problems?

Hunting down Hinata would probably prove to be more of a challenge than he expected, Kageyama realizes, after he does not find him on the indoor track. He knew that the guy was going running from his shoes, but Kageyama has no idea what his routine is, or if he even has one. He doesn't even know where to begin looking for Hinata. How incredibly exasperating. Although Kageyama figures he has no one but himself to blame. The lunch bell rings one final time, and he heads to the mess hall—a protein shake or some meat buns would certainly alleviate his slow-brewing headache.

Fate decides to cut him a break (or just make things worse) when he turns the corner to the mess hall passage and finds himself faced with the exact person he'd been looking for. Hinata straightens up when he sees Kageyama, and they meet halfway. Face-to-face, however, all the words in Kageyama's head fly out. Hinata huffs and crosses his arms in a pose that makes him look childish, even as an adult. And then Kageyama remembers, oh yeah, I kind of really despise this guy.

"Where the hell wer—?"

"I was looking f—"

They speak at the same time, and since doing anything in unison is something of a crime to them, they sneer at each other in distaste. The two stare long and hard, not moving, and Kageyama has to wonder if speaking first will make him the winner or the loser.

And then, someone bumps into him, and the spell is broken. Kageyama realizes that they're standing in the middle of the most crowded hallway at this time of day, and his ears burn. Hinata glances around, too, sighing in annoyance. "C'mon, idiot, we're creating a traffic jam." He shoves his way through the lunch rush to a connecting passage, Kageyama in his wake.

Hinata settles against the wall, slouching and looking for all the world as if he doesn't give a damn that Kageyama is standing in front of him. But Kageyama sees the flutter of his fingers on his arm and the jitter in his foot, and his anxiety is given away. "So," he starts. "You were looking for me?"

Kageyama shrugs one shoulder. "I checked the indoor track and then I left for lunch." A non-answer, but he's not required to give this guy a proper response anyway.

Hinata raised an eyebrow. "Haaa? Like I would be there. If you mean my typical running track, I make my way around the perimeter of the base a few times to warm up every morning. And I wasn't even there that long; I was in the simulator all day." Kageyama tries not to let his surprise show. The perimeter of the base isn't exactly small. Even when he runs, he just uses the indoor track. This guy...well, taking a closer look at him, Kageyama thinks he's probably the type to run outside around the base in any kind of weather, be it a shower or a blizzard.

Hinata rolls his eyes. "You think so highly of me, I can tell." His cocky demeanor falls away, and then the nervous kid Kageyama had seen in the Shatterdome appears. "Um, well anyway, I was thinking about was Suga-san said earlier. You know, about the Kwoon Room? At first, I was like 'uwah! I don't want to go anywhere with that guy!' But then, I just kept getting distracted in the middle of a simulated mission that the techs kicked me out for fooling around."

Kageyama snorts, but Hinata presses on, flushing. "So I thought it over on the way to the mess, and I decided that if it was Suga-san's idea, it was probably a good one, so I wanted to give it a shot!" He looks at Kageyama expectantly and the other sighs.

"Well I wouldn't mind kicking you around a bit, to be honest. Might help fix my damn concentration," he acquiesces, and Hinata jumps up.

"Come on, then," Hinata presses. "Unless you don't mind being the last one there, of course."

Sly bastard, Kageyama curses to himself, but takes the bait anyway. (Hinata wins with a whoop and hands thrown in the air; Kageyama loudly chalks it up to a headstart.)

Hinata sheds his jacket once they step into the room and pulls the doors for some privacy. Kageyama tries not to look too much like he's sizing up Hinata's physical condition. The guy is short and thin for sure, but all his muscle is smooth and lithe, the kind you build from training night and day in martial arts and the specialty classes offered at the base. He taps his fingers on his leg as he chooses a staff (definitely a nervous tic, then), selecting one and testing its weight and length with a few measured swings. Kageyama grudgingly admits that he's in good shape, and from the way he handles the staff, he wasn't joking about nearly taking down the Master. And she's no one to scoff at.

"If you'd quit looking at me like I'm a piece of meat," Hinata states in a flat voice, "and actually get over here, maybe we could get started." He points the staff at Kageyama in challenge, and Kageyama bristles at being caught. He tosses his jacket to the side and rolls his shoulders, picking out his staff without looking, keeping his eyes on Hinata.

"You're perceptive, I'll give you that," he mutters. Annoying.

Hinata blinks and lowers his staff in surprise. "Huh? Oh, not really. Kouji and Izumin tell me all the time to actually pay attention to my surroundings and not do reckless things. You just give off a really creepy aura when you're focused on something, how could I not notice?" Kageyama frowns at that and spins his staff, setting himself in a starting position.

"Whatever. Shut up and show me what you're made of, dumbass."

Hinata's swings are exactly the way he described: reckless. He's incredibly swift and deft in his movements, but they're still kind of choppy and predictable. Hinata also yells when he strikes and grunts when he's blocked, which rattles Kageyama's brain in a way that increases the intensity of his headache. In a matter of seconds, he has Hinata on the ground, checked. "1-0, me," Kageyama says.

Hinata leaps to his feet from lying down as soon as Kageyama releases him. "Again," he says softly, eyes darting around to watch Kageyama's movement. Kageyama obliges, and this time, Hinata hesitates at a key moment, allowing Kageyama to press his staff at his side.

"2-0, me," Kageyama says in a monotone, raising his eyebrow. Hinata doesn't seem too upset or disturbed, though. He's thinking with a furrowed brow, but raises his staff nevertheless.

"Again," he says, stronger this time. Kageyama rushes him, cutting at him over his head and forcing him to defend. Hinata goes in for a strike at his stomach, and Kageyama effortlessly drops to block such an easy shot. But then, Hinata uses the momentum of his block to roll past him and strike out at his exposed back, staff resting perpendicular to his spine. Kageyama looks behind him in surprise. Hinata has a small smile, and raises his eyebrow at Kageyama in return.

"1-2, you," he says, and in his voice is the unspoken, are you seeing me now?

Kageyama turns to face him, raising his guard and taking a different stance, the one he uses when he's unsure of his opponents ability, but thinks them to be strong. I have to take him seriously, Kageyama is surprised to find himself thinking. If I give him any opening, show any weakness or complacency, he will utilize it. Cracking his neck, Kageyama tenses in preparation. "Again," he murmurs, and when they next collide, he swears he can hear Hinata laugh.

----------------------------

Daichi finds Koushi by the closed Kwoon Room doors after a long hour of searching and feeling for him to no avail. Intuition had drawn him to the combat room, and he has to smile despite his exasperation at not being able to find his partner. The Ghost Drift might be a powerful tool that can truly unite two pilots, but good old human instincts weren't a bad consolation prize. Koushi is smiling brightly as he peeks through a crack in the door. The muffled noise coming from inside the room is enough of a hint to who is inside, and really, who else would Suga be spying on? Daichi reaches for his partner across the hallway, slow enough not to startle him. Koushi's eyes widen for a second, and then his smile settles into fondness. He turns to Daichi, and Daichi senses his remorse at making his partner worry. He forgives with the shrug of one shoulder, and Koushi waves him over with a nod.

He crouches down next to Koushi and whispers in his ear, "What's going on in there?"

Koushi settles against him and gives him a mischievous look. "From what I gather, they've been locked in a fierce battle since the lunch bell. Kageyama's got the lead—obviously—but Hinata is dogged, and his spirit is finally wearing down Kageyama's whole 'tough guy' exterior. They've actually been talking, too, like civil human beings. Well. At times." He peeks through the slant of light again and Daichi pauses.

"I won't lie, I'm glad that they're making progress after such a short time," he says slowly, "but I wonder where they got the idea to use the Kwoon Room. New pilots hardly use it at first, except for initial testing of Drift compatibility. How on earth could they know it forges and strengthens their connection?"

Koushi doesn't make any physical movement, but he's not quick enough to stop the mental flinch that ripples across their bond. "I haven't the faintest idea," he lies calmly.

Daichi nudges Koushi's shoulder. "I'm not mad. I kind of figured you'd step in, regardless of what I said. This'll help speed up the process, too. It's a good call, Suga."

Koushi warms a little at that, and gestures once more to the crack in the door. "Come on, take a look yourself." Daichi does as he's bid, peering in to the room lit by only a few stray lights. It was getting late, and all nonessential personnel had retired from their work, or were winding down. But from what he can tell, the two newbies are still raring to go.

"Again!" Hinata yells, waving his staff childishly.

"No way, you moron! The score is 73-54, me, and there's no way you can make up that losing streak before lights out. Give it up already!"

"Nuh-uh, the score is way closer if you tally up my other scores!"

"Idiot, we both agreed to start from scratch whenever one of us hit one hundred! Or have I beaten you so bad that your brain is no longer functioning?"

"YOU'RE the idiot, Bakageyama! Is that the sound of someone throwing in the towel?"

"Why, you little...!"

The two break into another round of sparring, a little rough around the edges from what Daichi assumes has been a non-stop duel. They're soaked through with sweat, even Hinata's wild hair somewhat flattened. They whirl around each other, both of them screaming with their strikes and hissing when caught in a lock of strength. Eventually, Kageyama sweeps Hinata's feet from under him, and the boy crashes to the floor with a huff. Kageyama shoves his staff right under his partner's chin, forcing Hinata to look at him, despite his arm shaking from the effort of constant battle.

"See? That's 74-54, me," he growls. "You're no match for me, not with your level of skill. For every point you earn, I check you three times. You need way more training until you can even stand to challenge me." He narrows his eyes. "I'm not going to test Drift with you until you can check me five times in a row."

"What the heck? How is that fair?" Hinata snaps, shoving the staff away and jumping up. "Since when do you get to make the demands?"

Kageyama gives him a knowing look. "Since I wiped the floor with you."

Hinata has nothing to say that. He puts his staff back on the rack, and Kageyama supposes that is that. He is mistaken.

"Oi, Kageyama," Hinata calls. The other looks back at him and his breath catches. Hinata doesn't look chastised, or even beaten, really. His eyes are fierce golden fire, and he looks at Kageyama so intensely, he feels like he needs to look away. Hinata rubs his head, but does not break eye contact.

"You know...you might have won that round. But don't you think you're underestimating me a little bit? I'd look out if I were you. Remember, the gap between us isn't too big. Next time, I'll be the one to wipe the floor with you." And with that final warning, Hinata scoops up his jacket and discarded tank, and pads out the back door without hazarding a glance back. Kageyama watches him leave, speechless, standing still long after he leaves.

Koushi, on the other hand, is worrying his lip again. "I don't envy those two, being cooped up together tonight, for the first time," he whispers. "I hope this is alright..."

Daichi laughs lightly. "What are you talking about? That's great news. With an ultimatum like that, Kageyama's sure to take him up on the challenge. Looks like I won't have to give them a training regimen after all. Think about it. Yesterday, they wouldn't even look at each other or acknowledge each other's existence. And now, they're talking, training together, and using each other's talents to better themselves. What part of that seems worrisome to you?"

"But, a rivalry..." Koushi starts.

"...can just as easily morph into an untouchable bond of partnership. A thin line between hate and love, right? They've taken the jump, now we just need to wait it out. Hinata has his claws in Kageyama, and Kageyama's getting some serious whiplash about his initial impressions of Hinata. There's no way they'll leave each other alone at this rate."

And he was right.

Kageyama walks into their quarters to find all the lights turned off. He curses and flips a few of the switches. Grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, he wastes no time locking himself in the bathroom for a long soak. Kageyama's found that it's nice to wash off all the grime from a hard day's work. And it was hard work. Kageyama would never admit it, but that shorty had pretty damn near limitless stamina. He had been having trouble keeping up towards the end, getting out of breath quicker and muscles shaking more visibly. It was only his years of training and survival instinct that had kept him going. He'd have to build up a training regimen to boost his stamina...

Well, that's if that brat will leave me alone for a single second, Kageyama thinks, lowering himself into the tub. The fire in his eyes...he meant those words. Kageyama would be working himself to the bone every day from now on until either the shorty was satisfied or Kageyama gave out. And the latter option was never going to happen. He hadn't been wrong—Hinata was far from him in terms of skill, but he made up for it with determination and natural ability. It really pissed Kageyama off.

Snarling to himself, Kageyama yanked himself out of the tub much sooner than he would have liked. He was never going to relax if Hinata kept plaguing his mind. He might as well go to sleep. Kageyama dried himself off and tucked the towel around his waist. Turning off the lights in the main room, he padded to their bedroom, feeling his way to his bed. A press of a button, and then his reading light flickered on, revealing a curled up Hinata, drooling slightly on the sheets on the bed next to him. (Kageyama didn't jump. No way.)

The guy hadn't even managed to crawl under the covers, and his clothes were strewn haphazardly on his side of the room. Kageyama gave a disgusted sniff of disdain, and pulled out a pair of boxers and a large t-shirt, making sure to neatly tuck his clothes away, as if getting some invisible revenge on Hinata. He changed quickly, hung up his towel, and settled into bed, turning his back to the redhead. Exhaustion took him over rather quickly, and Kageyama fell asleep frowning, with the words never gonna wipe the floor with me echoing in his mind.

He wasn't entirely wrong, but by the next evening, Hinata sat a triumphant few points higher than Kageyama by lights out.

And so the dance went on.

----------------------------

It sort of became a routine to them.

Kageyama was able to ignore Hinata's early morning runs for all of two days before he wordlessly joined him. Hinata never said anything to him about it, and for that Kageyama was grateful. Their run always started out at a nice, even pace until they got outside. From there, their competitive spirits shone through, and every slight lead was taken as a threat, culminating in an all-out race to finish a lap. Inevitably exhausted, the two would then steady back into a jog for another two laps until they got too comfortable.

By the time breakfast rolls around, they're already panting; the first in line to eat and the first to leave, Daichi and Koushi hardly even had a chance to greet them at breakfast before they were off to the next task on their schedule. Their brevity with both the veterans and their acquaintances left many raised eyebrows. The two guys from earlier, introducing themselves as Hinata's friends Kouji and Izumi, actually approached Koushi (albeit a bit nervously) and asked him if everything was alright with Hinata and that tall, scary guy he was yelling at. Koushi assured them that they were getting along just fine, despite their dubious looks and Koushi's own doubts. And Daichi had heard some grumblings from the other recruits, coupled with unfriendly glares at the noisy pair. He was heartened by the fact that they took notice of none of this, focusing solely on their training.

After breakfast, Kageyama and Hinata snapped up the Kwoon Room before anyone else could take it, sparring from sunrise to the lunch bell, where they subsequently returned to the mess for a slower—although still enthusiastic—lunch. They split off there; Hinata sometimes sat with his two friends, and other times he went to the construction bay over the Shatterdome to look at the Jaegers and the constant hubbub that surrounded them. Every now and then, he would sit with the other pilots, although these times suspiciously matched up exactly with the times when Tsukishima and Yamaguchi did not take lunch in the mess.

Kageyama, on the other hand, chose to sit alone most of the time. Daichi and Koushi weren't really surprised that he hadn't made any friends—he wasn't exactly the friendly type, and he often gave off the impression that he was pissed off and dangerous. Still, Koushi felt bad, and Daichi, reading him like a book, dragged Kageyama back to their table, where he occasionally tolerated conversation with the two veterans. Humorously enough, he also wanted nothing to do with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, refusing to sit with the pilots when they were present. Thankfully enough, Tsukishima didn't see particularly interested in picking a fight in the middle of lunch hour, more concerned with harassing Yamaguchi about his diet and eating habits.

The newbies did not meet after lunch either. Usually, Drift compatibility tests were conducted after lunch hour, and then the varying rotations had lessons for a few hours in the combat room. Kageyama and Hinata probably could have borrowed some staffs or wooden swords or whatever they were using to spar with each other, but as it turned out, Hinata was unable to talk to pretty girls, even if they could knock him flat on his back in the blink of an eye, and Kageyama was too respectful of Shimizu-san to ask her for anything.

They had come to Daichi and Koushi for help in dealing with her, and Daichi had laughed, but Koushi could understand that one. She was intimidatingly beautiful, and impossibly quiet in her movements. She was an effortless fighter, mastering whatever weapon she touched. Two-thirds of the recruits had a crush on her, and Koushi was embarrassed to admit he had been one of them once. However, with time he came to see Shimizu Kiyoko less as a goddess of war and beauty and more as a reliable companion who could be confided in and relied on. More than just a pretty face or a bundle of physical talent, Kiyoko lived up to her title of Master of the Kwoon Room.

Unable to utilize their usual facility, Hinata typically made his way back to the simulator and Kageyama went to the gym, still irked that Hinata's stamina trumped his own. Some space might have been healthy for them, but the growing intensity of their rivalry prompted the inevitable return to the Kwoon Room once the recruits were gone, where they sparred until they dropped. After the first few nights, Koushi stopped looking in on them, but left a note in their mailbox that reminded them to be back in their rooms by lights out. They had been pretty skittish around him, the next day.

All things considered, though, Hinata and Kageyama appeared to be making progress. Even if their conversations were strung through with barbs at each other, they were managing to hold them at normal volumes (although the screaming matches never really stopped). They could also brush against each other without hissing and exchanging cross expressions. In fact, Daichi could recall one time Hinata was actually able to hook his chin over Kageyama's shoulder to get a better look at that day's lunch, even if he was immediately shoved away. There was also a growing energy about them—the type of energy that gave Koushi and Daichi hope that maybe, just maybe, this project wasn't going to be washed down the drain.

Peace couldn't last forever. So enthused by the progress the newbies were making, the veteran pilots forgot to take stock of and keep in check the rookie pilot team. Tsukishima seemed to have a nose for trouble and no shortage snippy responses; it wouldn't be too long until he realized that the energetic duo would make a good target. Yamaguchi's perceptiveness served Tsukishima well in this way—he easily located and figured out Hinata and Kageyama's schedule, which made a confrontation all but inevitable.

The day Hinata forgot to close the door, the rookie pilots stumbled upon them.

"Ohh~? What's this?" Tsukishima grinned, stepping into the Kwoon Room. Kageyama lowered his staff and regarded the intruding pair coldly. Hinata, who had been facing the end of the staff, turned around in confusion, and upon seeing his old nemesis, shrieked and hid behind Kageyama. Kageyama stepped away from him in annoyance, but gave up moving when Hinata clung to him, eyes fixed on Tsukishima.

"Well, well, well. Who knew Suga's little elementary school kid and the infamous 'king of the base' would be meeting in such a place? Sounds like you're beating the poor kid in. Why not cut him a break?"

Yamaguchi blinked. "Wow, you look even smaller next to the king."

All of Hinata's fear bled out of him in an instant. He straightened up and puffed out his chest, moving away from Kageyama to stand on his own. "Oi, watch your mouth, bastard. You looking for a fight?"

Give it up, Hinata, Kageyama thought. Your tic is showing. Cocking his head to the side, he regarded the irritatingly smug blond. "What the hell do you want, and make it fast," he growled.

Tsukishima raises his hands up in surrender. "Hey now, I didn't come here to pick a fight with you fledglings. I'm just wondering why the king is bothering with a peasant like shorty. Shouldn't you just break him in the test pods like everyone else? Get him hospitalized and out of the way so that you can get a real partner, isn't that what you're thinking, king?" The look he shoots Kageyama is absolutely villainous.

And Kageyama sees red. His grip tightens on his staff, and he's honestly seconds away from assaulting an officer, when Hinata rushes Tsukishima. He's fast—unexpectedly fast, Kageyama knows, he's been dealing with that speed for weeks. Unprepared, Tsukishima can't dodge the spin of Hinata's staff as he twirls it in attack, stopping a mere centimeter or so away from Tsukishima's forehead. Yamaguchi yelps, and Tsukishima goes pale and is forced to take a step back. His composure returns quickly, and he glares at Hinata, who holds his gaze, proud.

"Don't call him that. And don't you dare underestimate me again. If you come back here, we won't hesitate to beat you senseless." His voice is sharp and strong.

Tsukishima stares him down for a long moment, before clicking his tongue and turning away, walking out the door, a trembling Yamaguchi following. "Don't get too cocky, shrimp. You're playing with the big boys now," he adds over his shoulder with a sarcastic wave.

Yamaguchi looks up at Tsukishima expectantly, once they're further down the hall. "Tsukki, are you okay?"

Tsukishima growls low in his throat in response, and Yamaguchi shrinks back. Tsukishima catches the motion in the corner of his eye, and deflates with a sigh. "I hate selfish guys who think they can pilot by relying on themselves alone and just using their co-pilot. It's a team effort—I can't believe they let that pig-headed king have his own Jaeger. He's gonna get himself, his partner, and quite possibly the rest of us killed with his inflexibility." His frown deepens. "And I can't stand that little brat, either. Expending so much energy for no good reason—he'll burn out real quick if they stick him in a Jaeger. Even if he thinks enthusiasm and hard work can make up for natural ability and experience, he'll find out the hard way that he's wrong."

Yamaguchi smiles to himself. Tsukishima notices and growls again. "What're you smirking about?"

Yamaguchi meets his eyes and laughs a little. "To be quite honest...it's been a while since I've seen you so fired up about anything, Tsukki. Even if they're bad for our team as a whole, I'm glad that they can make you feel something. I was getting worried that you didn't want to pilot anymore."

"Idiot," Tsukishima replies after a while. "Like I would leave you here on your own. You'd be dead in a day if you didn't have me watching your back."

This time Yamaguchi really laughs. "You know I'll follow you anywhere you go, Tsukki. Good luck ditching me here!" His partner rolls his eyes and lengthens his stride so that Yamaguchi has to run a little to catch up.

"Wait up!" Yamaguchi calls, but what he's really thinking is besides, it's me who has to watch your back.

-------------------

Back in the Kwoon Room, Hinata's shoulders droop, and he lets the staff clatter to the floor. He doesn't say anything, but Kageyama can tell it took all his courage to confront Tsukishima, and so spectacularly, too.

"You didn't have to do that," Kageyama mutters, the most gratitude he can muster. Kageyama's no idiot—Tsukishima wasn't out for Hinata, he aimed specifically at Kageyama. Hinata was just a bonus. Hinata had defended him, even though Kageyama neither asked nor expected him to. It's strange, and Kageyama feels funny in his stomach, but at his words, Hinata is able to stand up straight again.

"You were about a second away from really bashing his head in, I saw it," he replies, picking up his staff and resting it on his shoulder. "I saved your ass. You totally owe me." He slips the staff back onto the rack and pauses. "Besides..." he adds in a small voice, "we're partners now, idiot, even if I don't like it. Someone's gotta keep you from doing stupid stuff."

He picks up his clothing, and Kageyama guesses he's probably going to run or go kickboxing to blow off some steam, and he stops him with low, "Hey."

Hinata turns back around. Kageyama sighs and drags a hand down his face. "Let's retire early, okay?" He suggests.

Hinata glances down the hall towards the free gyms, and then back to Kageyama. "Yeah," he agrees. "Okay."

They walk back together in uncomfortable silence, until Kageyama breaks it with, "You win this round."

Hinata is on him immediately. "Huh? What do you mean I win 'this round'? I made that jerk Tsukishima turn tail and run! That's worth, like, five rounds. And I was winning today, anyway!"

Upon thinking about it, Kageyama is disgruntled to find that, yes, Hinata was indeed ahead of him before the interruption. For the argument's sake, he grumbles, "You must have hit the ground too hard. Your brain is rattled. There's no way you were ahead of me."

Hinata's heated reply echoes down the hall, and the two are back in sync, their unpleasant encounter pushed to the backs of their minds.

The next day, it happens.

Hinata's hit a two point streak, which in itself is rather rare. Kageyama's puzzled and not just a little bit annoyed, but when he rushes Hinata, Hinata slides to the side, staff held close, and presses the body of the staff against Kageyama's abdomen.

"23-20, me," he says breathless with excitement. His eyes dance with amazement and pride, and Kageyama pulls away.

"Again," Kageyama says, disbelief evident in his voice. Hinata had hit a run of three once in a blue moon, but something's different, this round. Hinata strikes first, and Kageyama watches his movements closely—the dance of his feet, the pull of his arms, and the extension of his body that is the staff. Hinata jabs at him and Kageyama parries, only to realize his mistake at Hinata's fake-out. Hinata knocks him off his feet in a single smooth stroke.

Kageyama doesn't give him time to speak. He leaps up and attacks, putting the full force of his power into his strikes, and Hinata is forced back. The other is struggling to keep up with the height difference Kageyama is using against him, the strain showing on his face. He launches himself at openings, but Kageyama is not going to let himself be checked again. He sweeps once more at his partner, and Hinata folds himself almost in half backwards to avoid the attack. Before Kageyama can recover, Hinata has his staff shoved in the crook between Kageyama's neck and shoulder.

They stop, then, and the only sound is their ragged breathing as they come down from the adrenaline high. Kageyama avoids Hinata's eyes like a true sore loser, but he doesn't want to see that triumph in his smile, doesn't want to hear the jeer in his voice as he (justly) asserts that he has leveled the playing field. But it's not like he's going to run away and cry about it, so Kageyama looks at Hinata.

Hinata does not look smugly victorious. He does not taunt Kageyama. His eyes are wide and his smile is blinding, god, is he bouncing? Kageyama frowns and takes a step back from his unreasonably euphoric partner. "What the hell is wrong with y—"

"Kageyama!" He bursts out, no longer actively trying to hide the bouncing. "Kageyama, we can test Drift now! That's a five point streak, so we can try to Drift!"

It's like he's forgotten that I'm the one who made that rule in the first place, Kageyama thinks, bemused. This guy is really one of a kind. He sighs in defeat. "Yeah, I guess I did make that promise..."

"Come on, come on, let's find Suga-san!" He grabs Kageyama's arm and tugs him out of the room, staffs forgotten on the mat. Kageyama growls at Hinata to let go, but, persistent as ever, Hinata refuses and tugs his captive through the halls.

"He's probably on his way to lunch now, the bell is about to ring!"

"Oi, I get it, so let go before I snap your arm!"

"Uwah, how scary!"

Outside the Kwoon Combat Room, a figure steps in from the shadows of the back exit. Delicately, she lifts up each staff and puts them back where they belong. Brushing back a long strand of hair, Kiyoko examines the indentations left on the mat from the pair's sparring. They're deeper than the usual marks left by pilots, but Kiyoko thinks that these boys are a special exception. They've been training so hard, and now they've finally achieved their goal. Kiyoko permits herself a small smile of congratulations for the pair, before she gets to cleaning the equipment for her next class.

-------------------

"Suga-san! Suga-san!"

Koushi is bombarded by calls for him across the hallway on the way to lunch, and he turns to see the newbies running towards him. He goes to wave Daichi on, but his partner shakes his head and sticks with him. The two are out of breath but clearly excited when they reach the veterans.

"Suga...san...I did...it...we can drift...now," Hinata pants the news out as fast as he can. Koushi blinks surprise. That means Hinata must have been able to beat Kageyama soundly. After only a month and a bit? Impressive.

"Ah, so you want to test Drift," he says, giving Daichi a knowing look. "Well...I suppose that can be arranged. You'll want to go right away, I'm sure. Follow us." With that, the four head away from the mess hall and towards the Shatterdome.

Kageyama had been to the test pods a few times, and Hinata even less than he, so the redhead is jumpy with nerves and energy. The test pods were kept close to the Shatterdome so that curious new recruits wouldn't end up sneaking in to run a test Drift without supervision and get themselves killed—it had happened before. There were five in the room, sealed pods with room only for the two pilots, and a main control tower in the center, from where the test results were gathered and the pilots in question were observed. The test pods weren't connected to any machinery, and their doors were translucent in order for the techs to keep an eye on the occupants and stop the Drift if anything got out of hand. All in all, it was the safest environment you could hope for to Drift in, and without the pressure of running a Jaeger, you could just Drift.

Not that Hinata knew a thing about that, since he had never drifted with a single person successfully before. Oh no, he was starting to get jittery, and his stomach hurt. Maybe he could stop by the bathroom first...

"Dumbass, get yourself together," Kageyama hissed in his ear. "Way to project your nervousness." Hinata jumped.

"I've never actually Drifted before," he admitted, voice weak. "I don't really know what to do."

Kageyama scoffs irritably. "Well, we already knew that. I don't understand how you can be bad at it. Just let your mind drift off, don't freak out when you feel another presence, and accept them. There's nothing to it. I've done this plenty of times with all kinds of pilots, so I'll find you and sync us, okay? As long as you don't go haywire, I'll be able to form the link easily."

Hinata stops trembling and his stomach ache begins to die down. If Kageyama will help him, he should be fine. As much as he doesn't like relying on that guy, Hinata knows that he's strong and he can probably take his word for it. He peers up at Kageyama suspiciously anyway. "Why're you being so nice to me all of a sudden? It's creepy."

Kageyama cuffs him, but it feels gentler than his usual beatings, maybe even fond. "Dumbass Hinata," he repeats. "I owe you one, remember? I won't hold your hand through every Drift, just this once, okay?" Hinata brightens and nods. Just the one, and then he'll get it. He's a quick learner, after all.

"We're here," Daichi interrupts their whispered conversation. He taps in the code, and the four enter the dimly lit room. It's slightly chilly, and the entire, circular room rumbles with the soft hum of machinery. The whole room is in shades of steel grey, black for the test pods, and white for the control tower.

"Michimiya! Long time no see!" Daichi calls out. A pretty woman about Daichi's age pops up from behind the window twenty feet above them on the center tower. She waves at their party, and then leans over a microphone.

"It's about time you dropped in to say hi." Her voice sounds over the intercom and echoes around the room. "What's up, sugar?" she adds, noting Daichi's partner. "Have you been keeping this troublemaker in line for me?"

Koushi grins and elbows Daichi in the side. "Hey, Yui. This old guy has given me so much trouble, you wouldn't even believe it."

Michimiya laughs. "Bet you I would. I knew him in middle and high school, you know."

"Alright, enough, enough. I'll never figure out how you two got so close anyway, when Michimiya's my childhood friend..." Daichi grumbles, and the newbies stand stunned that Daichi let himself be picked on so much. "I'm sorry, but we're not only here on a pleasure visit. We do have some business to take care of." He gestures back at Hinata and Kageyama.

"I figured as much," she nods. "I recognize those two anyway. Carrot-head registered one of the lowest sync scores I've seen in a long time, and tall-dark-and-terrifying damn near broke his rotation. You're playing with fire, Sawamura." The accused shrink back a little, guilty, but Daichi shrugs.

"Orders are orders. Besides, they're not so bad now. You should have seen them meet for the first time."

Michimiya shrugs and smiles. "It's your call, Ranger. I'm just the tech. Well, I trust your judgment either way."

She disappears from the window and appears again in a matter of moments in front of the group through a door on the ground floor. Up close, she's even cuter than in the window, and Hinata makes a strange gurgling sound in response. "This way," she says, and leads them to a pod numbered Three.

"I assume you boys remember the process, right? Don't squirm too much. Especially you, short stuff, I can tell you're a wriggler." Of course, her attention makes Hinata even more nervous as her assistant techs help fit them with their equipment.

"Hey," Kageyama murmurs to get Hinata's attention. "Don't panic alright? Let me do all the work." Hinata gives a jerky nod, and then the pads and plating of the test suits are being fitted to them, and neither speak.

The test suits aren't really all that comfortable, and to Hinata the relay gel smells used, even though the last tech he asked swore up and down that they don't recycle it. Being smaller than most usually helped him to fit into a lot of things that left bigger guys stuck as a kid, and even with the suits, he's heard the really muscular recruits say that the suits pinch them and squeeze their shoulders and thighs. In this case, though, Hinata also gets the short end of the stick. He's still a bit too small for the suit he's fitted with, and it leaves gaps in awkward places, making him feels like he's trying on his father's work suit.

He glances to his right, and then wishes he hadn't. Kageyama is perfectly calm and collected while putting on the test suit. It seems to fit him perfectly, and he slides into every piece of equipment smoothly, like he's been piloting his whole life. Hinata hopes that afterwards, when they walk back to their room or the gyms, Kageyama will tell him how unpleasant the suit was for him, too. They're both put in a reclined position once in the suits, just in case something goes wrong. Hinata' feeling the bubble of anxiety again, but he controls it. If he can prove that he can Drift, he will become a real pilot for sure.

The techs leave, and the doors of the pod close, sealing them in and dimming the lights to help the two relax. Hinata breathes in and out slowly, calming his mind and trying not to latch onto any of the thoughts that pop up. He tries to lower his pulse rate and remain as still as possible, almost as if he's trying to fool his body into believing that it's asleep. He faintly registers Michimiya's voice, engaging neural synchronization, and then he is truly drifting.

Hinata doesn't think about the space his mind is in too hard right now. It feels strangely vast and too open to others, but Hinata does not allow his mind to close off. He holds the link open, waiting, feeling for Kageyama's presence to make itself known. This part, the in-between, he knows quite well. Usually, Hinata is the one eager to search out his partner, and the two smash together like semi-trucks, struggling to revive the connection long enough to actually sync, before it all goes to hell. But waiting here instead of rushing about is oddly soothing. Hinata relaxes, and allows his consciousness to expand, gently feeling around his mental limits for a sign of another.

When Kageyama finds him, it is not painful. The rumors made it sound as if Kageyama scooped you up in his mental talons, shoved you through the connection, and then suffocated your own will and consciousness with his own. But for Hinata, it is nothing like that.

Kageyama's presence is so unique and just Kageyama, Hinata can't believe he didn't recognize it immediately. It's sharp to the touch, at first, and Hinata pulls away when Kageyama reaches for him. And then, tentatively and trusting in his partner, he feels for him again and doesn't draw away at the sharp. Hinata nearly gasps. It's not sharp—Kageyama's presence is cold, burning so hot that it feels cold to the touch, and Hinata revels at where they connect in the in-between. So this is what a natural genius's mind feels like, Hinata wonders.

I can still hear you, idiot.

WAH?! How?! He nearly recoils completely from Kageyama, but the other trails after him, keeping them connected.

Touch, you dumbass, touch. Our minds and consciousnesses are touching in this space. How do you not know this if you've test Drifted before?

I never stuck around long enough to find out.

...

So...this is...you. But we aren't Drifting? How can we communicate if we aren't one mind?

Sigh. I guess I'll explain it to you. The in-between exchange occurs faster than the blink of an eye, even if you take ages, so we have time. In this space, our minds can meet if they're open to each other, and we can communicate telepathically because we transmit speech in the form of telepathy in the in-between. The connection is kind of like when two animals of the same species meet. They examine each other, and if they like each other, it's fine and they're complacent, but if they don't they reject each other and fight. Except in this case, you just snap the connection and wake up. That's what it's like for people with no aptitude. They either close their minds in the in-between or they reject their partner like you almost did to me when they meet.

....But it isn't Drifting?

I'm getting there! Drifting is when our minds are completely in sync. We don't need to think-talk to each other because we know the thought as soon as it exists. Every thought, memory, and emotion is felt as one. You won't fall out of it by not touching. You fall out of it by closing yourself off and hiding. It's way more revealing than this. You can't hear everything that I'm thinking, right?

I don't think so.

Right, because we aren't one yet. We can still hide our thoughts. In order to Drift, you need to move your entire consciousness to mine. It'll probably feel really strange and invasive if you try and do it, and you'll mess up, so that's why I'm leading. Remember, don't hide yourself. You'll probably feel naked and want to hide, but don't back out.

I know that much, Bakageyama. I have made the bridge, just never crossed to the other side. Something goes wrong in the middle.

Brat. Just make sure it doesn't this time, okay? I'll try and be as noninvasive as possible, you just tune out my memories the best you can. Don't chase the rabbit.

Get on with it already.

Kageyama doesn't talk to him after that, but Hinata can feel the tendrils of his presence, like icy-hot smoke drifting on and around him. Kageyama's right, this does feel pretty strange when it's done slowly, but Hinata tries to ignore him the best he can. Not that it's really possible, since Kageyama is trying to break into his mind, but if he thinks less about it being Kageyama, and more like it being a helpful presence, it doesn't feels as gross.

Relax, Hinata. I've almost found you, but you're shying away.

Hinata hopes the sound of grinding teeth can be passed along telepathically, because that is certainly what he's doing right now. It feels so wrong to have Kageyama observing every part of his mind, the most sacred place he has, and honestly, he doesn't want to let him in. Hinata's starting to understand why a close bond is needed to Drift. Daichi and Koushi have such a wonderful rapport and a spectacular friendship, but he doesn't even like Kageyama, he just wants to get a chance to pilot, without having to forfeit his secrecy. It didn't matter with the other recruits because no one cared about each other's secrets, but this is Kageyama, and Hinata doesn't want to feel weak or inferior to him ever.

I said I'd make you a pilot, didn't I? And even if I didn't, I'm going to be a pilot, and since you are my partner, you're going to be one, too. Let me in.

Hinata's resistance hiccups, and then crumbles away. He wants to be a Ranger. He wants to pilot a Jaeger so bad. And if he has to hand himself over to Kageyama on a silver platter? Well, at least he only has to go through this painful process once. He breathes out and releases the barrier he had unconsciously been forming around the deepest part of his mind. And then Kageyama is there. He feels stripped bare, the spotlight of Kageyama's keen gaze sweeping over him, and then he feels the core of Kageyama's mind touch his, and their minds meld together in a burst of memories.

Hinata reacts as he always does when he gets to this part of the Drift—he rushes the memories by as fast as he can in order to keep from clinging to them. It's his normal procedure when he attempts to Drift, but for some reason, he doesn't feel quite right about it. He feels a slight spike of confusion that is definitely not coming from him at his choice to blow through the memories, but he doesn't pay it much mind. He ignores the sounds and images as well as he can, his memories and Kageyama's overlapping and jumping in no semblance of sequential order. There's a rising sense of alarm inside of him that he did not call to the surface, and then he can actively feel himself resisting the urge to rush the memories and holy shit is Kageyama controlling him?

He balks at that, and Kageyama lets go, but the bridge shakes and flickers in response. As one, they panic and try and hold it together, and it stabilizes, to their mutual and simultaneous relief. Hinata relents from his rush, confused as to why Kageyama stopped him, but before he can do anything else, something catches Hinata's eye. He stops his hurry to rush the memories and pass over the bridge completely, and he feels a dim sense of someone else's relief inside his mind. This memory, though...he knows somewhere in his head that he's chasing the R.A.B.I.T., but he's too curious to draw back in self-preservation.

Kageyama is crying.

He doesn't look much younger than current Kageyama, and he's sobbing, smashing his hand into the side of a wall. It doesn't leave a dent but he wishes it had. He hates this place, he hates what they did; he's scared and he's hurt but there's no one to help him beca—

And then Hinata feels overwhelming panic like he's never felt before. The memory is yanked from him abruptly, and he feels the whiplash across his mind as he tumbles and tumbles out of the Drift...

When Hinata comes to, he is surrounded by a swarm of medical officers and Drift techs, and the taste of fear hangs acrid on his tongue. He's lifted up and supported, though he doesn't realize how dizzy he is until he tries to take a step. The techs end up sitting him down as they pull off his suit. The medical officers ask him questions, but he's having trouble focusing on what they're saying. He answers what little he can comprehend, and then a name pops into his head, unbidden but important. Kageyama.

He looks to his right, and sees Kageyama in much of the same position as he is. His partner looks far more collected than Hinata, though, and Hinata doesn't really understand why, because didn't he...?

"Why...why did you pull...pull awa—" he wheezes out, but Kageyama cuts him off by loudly replying to a question by one of the Drift techs.

"Hinata started to chase the R.A.B.I.T., so I pulled us out in order to stop him getting in too deep and doing some serious damage to both of us," he says. Calm. Cold.

But Hinata knows—and he's not sure how—but he knows that Kageyama is scared beyond words. Clammy palms, sweat on the back of his neck, he's lightheaded with fear but somehow still holding it all together. And then Hinata's memory snaps into place along with his focus.

"What...What the hell, Kageyama?! You know that's not what happened! Why are you lying about that?" Hinata narrows his eyes. "Why are you making it seem like I'm the one at fault?"

Kageyama fixes him with an icy stare that feels nothing like the cold-hot touch of his mind. "Because that was what happened. You chased the rabbit, even though I warned you, and I pulled us out of there."

Hinata shakes his head vigorously. "No, that's not—I mean, yeah, I did go after that memory—but that's not why you pulled us out. You didn't care about our safety—you just didn't want me to see your memory. What the hell is wrong with you? Weren't you the one who said not to hide yourself? You lying hypocrite!" He snarled at Kageyama, betrayal sinking deep in his chest. "You made me a promise."

"Shut up," Kageyama hisses. "I did no such thing; you must still be confused from the Drift. Lie down or something."

"You liar!" Hinata explodes, struggling to stand up, completely intent on throttling some sense into Kageyama, stop him from talking in that cold tone, stop him from looking down on Hinata. The medical officers plead with him to sit back down, but Hinata shakes them off. Before he can take a step towards Kageyama, Koushi and Daichi are between them.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, you've just fallen out of alignment, you need to rest right now," Koushi begs, concern in his voice. "Whatever happened we can figure out later." Daichi dismisses the techs with a sharp nod.

Hinata doesn't look at either of the pilots, just sneers at Kageyama and shakes his head. "Permission to be dismissed, sir."

Daichi furrows his eyebrows at Hinata. "You should at least let the medical officers finish their assessment, Hinata."

Hinata shakes his head again, more firmly, still not looking at Daichi. "I feel fine," he says in a voice as steeled as Kageyama's. "Now that I know for sure I'll never be able to trust this guy, I can sleep soundly. I'll never have to wonder 'what if it worked out'. He's given me his answer."

Daichi doesn't like it, but he nods lightly at Hinata. "Permission granted," he says in a small voice, "but you will be stopping by the hospital on your way out."

Hinata stalks out of the room in a rush, not looking back even once. Koushi gives Daichi a look, and then follows the redhead out.

Daichi lets out a long sigh, dismisses the medical officers, and then settles in next to Kageyama. Once everyone has left, and Michimiya and her techs are high in the control tower, he speaks. "This is a pretty big mess you've made," he murmurs. Kageyama's shoulders slump and he refuses to look at Daichi.

"We saw the readings, but numbers and graphs can only tell us so much. Why'd you drop the Drift?"

Kageyama presses the palms of his hands against his eyes tightly and takes a moment to reply. "He went after that memory. It'd be okay if he just brushed past it, and I can shield the details like I always have, once we're in the Drift, but...he chased it, and I trusted him not to. He almost saw everything."

Daichi nods in understanding. "I imagine you feel pretty betrayed about that. But you know, this thing goes both ways. If you can see him, he can see you. I'm sure he feels even more betrayed right now, that you couldn't trust him with it."

Kageyama laughs, a loud bark of agony. "Oh trust me; no one knows that better than me. When he was yelling at me...well, anyway, that doesn't matter. But I can feel this deep, bitter cross of betrayal and sorrow that isn't mine, and I don't know why."

Daichi blinks in interest.

That night, Kageyama sleeps alone in their quarters, Hinata nowhere in sight. Daichi told him that Suga-san had found Hinata and that he was alright, but he didn't return the entire night, and Kageyama sat awake, staring at the ceiling.

Hinata had snuck his way into Izumi's dorm, nearly giving his friend a heart attack, but pleading with him to let him stay. Izumi agreed, mostly asleep and entirely confused, but he gave Hinata half the blanket anyway, and let his friend's restless sleeping and constant quivering keep him up into the early hours.

And Hinata slept, although it was fitful, tormented by memories of the past month, now tainted with the betrayal of today. But most confusing to him was the soul-deep fear and coinciding relief, countered by a bitter anger at the relief. He hadn't the slightest idea where it was coming from, but the emotions mixing with his own kept the nightmares close that night.