Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kageyama had not presented yet.

Which in his opinion was completely fine. Secondary genders came with extra rules and regulations. Heats, ruts, pills, just a lot of extra effort and time, time he could be dedicating towards volleyball.

So during middle school one by one, his teammates went into puberty. They began talking more about their newly presented genders. How their scents smell, how others smell. Nesting, scenting. And even bitting. Which Kageyama found incredibly worrying.

But even in the face of his teammates weird and cornering talks. With them being so ecstatic about their new traits, Kageyama still held firm about them being a waste of time and energy. And let it be known.

They often just laughed it off telling him “You're gonna be just as happy once you present!” and “Just wait your turn. You'll see.”

Soon enough everyone on his team had finally come into themselves except Kageyama. And had slowly started to form a sort of pack. It wasn't a real one as they were just middle schoolers but people, even Kageyama, with his stubborn attitude to this whole thing, could see all of their relationships with one another shift into something deeper. More meaningful.

And weirdly was happy with it.

He’d had little trouble with making friends so having people who genuinely liked and wanted to be around him (excluding Oikawa) was a feeling he'd wanted to hold on to.

That was all before his grandfather died and it was like a switch in his personality.

He was now cold, angry, mean; pushing away from the newly found ‘pack’. His teammates, the ones he was growing to trust now, felt like annoying pests getting in the way of him reaching his one goal; reaching the peak of his abilities, and becoming the best volleyball player ever.

Kageyama became laser-focused, spending hour after hour, day after day practicing hard, and he improved greatly.

But the same couldn't be said for his teammates he grew crueler and colder to them. As he continued to grow his skills at a rapid pace, seeing his teammates falling behind him pissed him off even more.

He couldn't understand why they weren't keeping up with him? Why weren't they training as hard as he was?

It all ended during his last championship with his middle school team he set the ball, but no one hit it or even tired too.

Their faces were cold and uncaring as the ball crashed to the floor. And even with Kageyama being slightly dense when came he understood what it meant.

He was pulled out of that game and made to sit on the bench for a reminder of it. They went on to lose to some schools. But it truly didn't matter.

Finally, once it was all over, Kageyama graduated from Kitagawa Daiichi. Leaving, and hoping to never see his old team again.

Closing that chapter of his life forever.

As the summer rolled around secondary genders became more apparent. His high school enrollment form now had a section of it dedicated to them. It was more normal to ask for someone’s gender before their name and it frustrated Kageyama to no end.

He just couldn’t understand why people were just so obsessed with them. They didn't change people all that much. And besides the fact that you could now smell people’s scents doesn't affect everyday life. It just didn’t sense.

What furthered his annoyance towards the subject was a few weeks before school started his parents who hadn't visited, nor contacted him in however long, informed him in a text message that due to his ‘stunted growth’ (their words not his) the school had made it mandatory for him to go to some specialist to make sure everything was okay.

Kageyama insisted that he didn’t need to go. Because he was fine. Again people are just making a big deal about nothing.

But he did go. Begrudgingly, spurred on by the school telling him he wouldn’t be allowed to go to any after-school activities because he’d be too ‘unpredictable’. And no after-school activities meant no volleyball. And Kageyama would rather die than not be able to play volleyball.

And just like he thought the doctors had said everything was fine. He was just a ‘late bloomer’. They'd offered, or more realistically urged for him to get on some pill that was supposed to help his presentation come faster.

He refused obviously them. Insighting that he was fine with being genderless. They pushed some more but ultimately gave up once they understood how strong Kageyama’s resolve was. He submitted the doctor's note officially recognizing him as ‘Gender-less’. He was now able to attend school. Or more importantly volleyball.

Meeting the Kuranso volleyball club was... A journey. He first met Hinata Shouyou. A boy he’d meant the previous year in middle school. He was just as energetic as he remembered. And maybe even more so. Red curly-ish hair and very scrawny.

The next people he met were Daichi. The team captain. Suga, the co-captain as well as the official setter. And Tanka.

The first few days of his attempt to join the Club were hectic. He had to fight his way into the club via a match with the other first years besides himself and Hinata.

Tsukihima. Tall and lean and a personality more comparable to a saltine cracker than a decent human being.

And Yamaguchi. who's hair kinda reminded him of weeds, he stuck to Tsukishima’s side like a tick and even with his much nicer personality he was still mildly irritating when he wanted to be.

As time passed from the early days of the club, he also met the rest of the second and third years, as well as the managers Kiyoko, and Yachi. But they were normal... Enough

A few weeks before they were set to go to their first game with Aoba Johsai. When right after practice Daichi sat them all down to have an Important Conversation.

He asked them to be a pack.

Having had no prior experience except the short time he was in middle school. It surprised him.

I mean they weren't even halfway through the season and they wanted to talk about this pack stuff already?

Now Kageyama wasn't completely blind when it came to packs and stuff; he knew that being a pack, especially in sports, mattered. Maybe not to the extent Dachi was trying to convey at that moment. But he still had an idea.

Packs were bonds that often never broke. You usually only have two or three your entire life. One with your immediate family. And one with your close friends or club in this case. And even if the people in the pack had not seen each other for years that bond remained. It was a big deal.

But coming with the closeness of a pack also came with the fluidity. You could tell almost like night and day in sports which teams were packs and which teams were not. The pack teams moved together almost like a singular organism. While the latter still moved as one but not with the same feel as the other.

Kageyama still disliked everything that had to do with secondary genders. But he had never felt closer to a singular team than he did with them.

Although Coming to realization he felt embarrassed. Not willing to think about it anymore he told himself that he was just doing this so they could all work better as a team. And agreed. As well as everybody else

Dachi seemed to be prepared as the next day they were all handed forms to fill out to recognize them all as a pack.

He filled his out with Hinata during lunch but as he got to the part in the form where you put down your second gender there were only three boxes.

‘Omega, Beta, Alpha’

No other, No ‘not presented’ or anything like that.

He stared over at Hinata who was just rambling excitedly about being in an official pack.

He was sort of hoping that he would’ve maybe pointed out how there are only three boxes. And it was government paperwork he couldn’t just write down in another box? Could he?

It was wishful thinking on his part because as Hinata noticed he was staring at him he just tilted his head and asked what was wrong.

Kageyama shook his head and just filled in the box closest to ‘Beta’

They aren’t anything special, are they? I mean he’s pretty close to one going off the experiences of betas he’s met.

As the days continued, Kageyama slowly got more anxious. Surely someone would find out he lied on his paperwork?

He almost thought he got caught when he was called into the nurse’s office in the middle of class. While walking there he debated on just running out of the school all the way home but decided against it realizing he wouldn't have been able to go to evening volleyball practice.

He shuffled into the nurse's office, the woman in there dressed in all white waved him over pointing to the chair right in front of her desk. Reluctantly he sat down on the chair, sitting straight up, bouncing his knee; the fear rising in him.

What is she going to do?

Does she know?

Will he get in trouble?

What if he couldn’t play volleyball?!

Thoughts swirled his head before the nurse finally spoke up. Not even looking at him. Rather, at a clipboard she was holding out right in front of her. “Your Pack Alpha submitted your forms. It says here that you’re a Beta?”

Kageyama stumbled over his words. She sounded so relaxed?! Did she not know he was genderless?

“Yes…”

“Oh.” She said looking down at the chart in her lap “Good news then. Well, I’m just going to need you to go to the doctor soon and get your second gender changed.”

She quickly scribbled something down the clipboard setting it down.

An uncomfortable silence dragged on for a couple of seconds. As Kageyama didn’t know what to do next. In awe at the fact that that’s all she seemingly wanted to ask him about.

No asking him how he presented or anything.

“Alright, you free to go.”

Kageyma wanted to ask ‘Is that it?’ but he didn’t want to push his luck. He thanked her and ran out of there as fast as he could.

The whole rest of the day Kageyama was thinking. Is it truly that easy to fake your gender? I mean he lied on government paperwork! Shouldn't anyone be the least bit suspicious? But by the time practice rolled around all of those thoughts had disappeared.

He went to the doctor to get his dynamic officially changed. And it went just as smoothly as the nurse's office. With not even so much as a blood test and some slightly probing questions about his presentation (which he lied about) he was now officially a beta.

But at least he didn't have to deal with people asking him why ‘he didn’t have a scent’ he could just say he was beta! It was fool proof

Now all that matters is he can now play volleyball with his newly formed pack, without any worries.

Chapter Text

Kageyama had been feeling sick.

Nothing bad, but nothing he could necessarily categorize as a normal cold either.

His body temperature was usually high. He woke up drenched in sweat most days and had to sleep on top sheets which messed up his meiotically crafted sleep schedule. Making him exhausted most days. His neck was weirdly sensitive, so much so that a slight brush across it could make him hiss in pain. And the worst symptom, the unrelenting urge to…Steal. But not expensive things like jewelry or electronics. But clothing. Like shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts because they all smelled nice. He even found himself reaching for Hinata's sweat-drenched towel during practice.

Safe to say that, it wasn’t an everyday illness he could sleep off.

And he really couldn’t afford to be sick. It was their first game with Aoba Johsai, and more importantly his first game with his former teammates. He had to be at his best.

He’d normally just persevere, and practice until he sweats it out. But it wasn't working. His fever got higher day by day, as well as the extreme sensitivity spread to other parts of his body.
Making it nearly unbearable to practice with hissing in pain every time the ball came in contact with his forearms. And his urge to steal the clothing of both his teammates and managers alike grew like quicksand.

And people were starting to notice.

It was a normal evening practice. They had just finished serving and Kageyama had barely gotten his serves over the net. He could feel the eyes of his teammates lingering on him, as Ukai had called an early water break for the team.

Kageyama sat on the edge of the bench looking off onto the court trying to get his head right, repeating,

“I'm okay. I'm fine” over and over. Trying to calm his sweating, body.

He suddenly felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Causing him to swivel around to see the person who had felt the need to touch him.

It was Sugawara, in all his gray-haired glory smiling down at him. Though his smile seemed more worried than his usual happy one.

Fuck.

His hand felt heavy on his shoulder. Kageyama had to stop himself from shrugging it off, knowing he'd deepen Sugas worry, and push him to tell Dachi. Then he’d have no shot at finishing this practice or the upcoming game.

“Kageyama,” Suga said, his smile dropping into a frown.

“Yes, Suga?” Kageyama replied.

“Are you feeling okay? Your serves were lacking.” Sugs tightened his hand around his shoulder. “I know that people sometimes have off days, but this lack of energy has been going on for a while-“

Kageyama bolted up, knocking down his water bottle in the process. He turned around to look Suga dead in the eye, a steadfast glare settling over his face.

“I'm sorry for the lack of effort.”

Suga immediately started shaking his head, waving his hands in front of him.

“No no no, Kageyama that’s what I meant-”

He cut him off once more. “I promise you, I’ll get better.”

He heard a snicker from farther down the bench belonging to Tsukishima, sitting side by side with Yamaguchi smirking looking straight at them.

“You better not fall off king.” He quipped a shit-eating grin plastered on his face “I’m sure Suga would be all too happy to take your place.”

He glared at the blonde. Even with them being a pack, Tsukishima’s behavior has barely changed. He still had a stick up his ass, and constantly argued with the team.

Usually, Kageyama would ignore it. Tell him to fuck off or something to that effect. But today was different, his words hit deeper than usual. He could feel the ache of every syllable tug at his heart. His brain clouded with his words, as another bout of panic and anxiety gripped his body.

‘He’s right.’ A voice so quiet that Kageyama had to strain to hear it. ‘If you’re not good enough they'll drop you.’

‘Just like middle school ' Kageyama's voice supplied. He couldn’t let that happen. He needed to prove that he was worthy to be on this team. That he was good enough to not be replaceable to them. That he was the best, that they needed him.

He stomped over to where Tsukishima was sitting, he could vaguely hear Suga walking behind him as Yamaguchi stood up saying something that he didn't care to listen to.

Everyone else was quietly looking at the scene unfolding, as Kageyama brushed past Yamaguchi reaching Tsukishima, looking down at him from where he sat on the bench.

“I don’t need advice from a bastard that doesn't even try.” He growled, feeling himself grow angrier, attempting to push down earlier feelings of unease. “You don’t don’t have the right to tell me off.”

The blonde looked surprised at his sudden outburst, eyes widening. But his expression quickly changed into another smirk standing up to be face to face with kageyama.

“At Least my self worth isn't dependent on a ball game.”

His eyes widened as anger overtook him reaching to grab Tsukishima by the collar. But he wasn’t able to touch a thread on his shirt before both Dachi, and Suga were pushing them away from each other.

“Alright! Both of you break it up!” Dachi called out moving Tsukishima back.

Suga on the other hand stayed quiet, as he moved Kageyama away from the blonde.

They separated them from one another, reprimanded them, and as punishment forced to do ‘suicides’ for the rest of practice.

Tsukishima looked positively pissed, which was a welcome sight. But even as they were being chewed out on the sidelines, Kageyama caught the worried glances from his teammates on the sidelines And grew even angrier.

It wasn’t his fault Tsukishima went too far. Any normal person would’ve blown up at the bastard.

‘They're angry at you.’ the same voice from earlier mumbles. His heart lurches as he tries to push out the whisper. Shaking his head as they continued scolding them. His mind, feeling more conflicted than ever.

On one hand he was worried about being sent home because of his mysterious sickness. Knowing that he had to play in this upcoming game. Mainly to prove to his former teammates that he had changed and apologize for his behavior when he was younger. But also for himself. Aoba Johsai wasn’t a bad team they were perfect to play against and if Kageyama wanted his and Hinata’s quick to get better they had to play against harder opponents.

On another he now had to worry about ruining his relationships with his packmates due to the stress of trying to persevere through this. Kageyama knew that Tsukishima's little joke was rude but he urged him on first. There was definitely no cause for him to get that angry. And now Sugas probably pissed at him too.

With all these things bundled together he could barely figure out how to untangle them all. It was too confusing. Too much.

But before he could even begin to spiral, Ukai ws sending them off to go do their punishments, going back to practice along with Dachi and Takeda. But Suga stayed back grabbing onto Kageyama's wrist just as he was turning too begin his drills

“Kageyama..”

His frown deepened

“Yes… Suga?”

“See me after practice.”

Shit. His anxiety spikes, as his thoughts threaten to consume him. He can feel body begin to tremble as he stares into Suga’s eyes.

‘He hates you.’ The voice piped up again. And this time Kageyama couldn't do anything to refute it. He let the words settle over him like a blanket ready to suffocate him.

The only thing he could do was nod, staring down at the floor as he walked to the back to start his punishment.

Today was going to be long.

Chapter Text

After practice, Kageyama was dead. Both emotionally and physically. 

His body was indescribably  sore. Every limb joint muscle felt like it had been stretched to hell and back. The sensitivity grew to the point of being borderline painful. And that stupid little voice in the throes of his mind hadn’t stopped spewing new scenarios of the people that he cared for leaving him. 

It was hell. All he could do after was lie down on the cool wood floors of the gym and wait to get enough strength to face Suga’s eventual lecture. 

He could imagine it, the disappointed look on his head omega's face as he tore him a new one.

The thought sent shivers down his spine already.

It was only after the sensitivity had simmered down to a low throb that Kageyama tried to get up. His joints popped, and his knees nearly gave out, but he was able to pull himself off the floor.

Lugging his body exhausted, over to the side of the gym, Kageyama pulled open the doors, looking towards the club room where Suga is plotting different ways to explain his failure as both a teammate and a packmate.

Kageyama took a breath, trying to calm his racing mind, and was immediately assaulted with the scent of… burnt cake?

Now, he wasn’t stupid; he understood that scents existed. He'd smelled Iwazaumi the first week he’d presented and had a faint aroma of freshly baked bread following him, or the slightly rotten smell that came from kindachi whenever he flubbed a serve

But that was the issue. They’d always been faint, barely there smells that Kageyam wouldn't think twice of. But this one he could smell fully. Like the cake was right there burning in an oven, and what accompanied this odd odor was a feeling. 

Embarrassment, frustration, and just under the surface sadness. 

As much as Kageyama wanted to analyze the reason why he could ‘feel, smell,’ he would file this away with all the other strange happenings and deal with it another time. 

Kageyama crept out of the doorway into the night. If he just sat here sniffing the air like a weirdo, he’d most definitely get caught by this troubled mystery person, and he couldn’t help. He could barely understand his own emotions, never mind someone else's

Sneaking towards the stairs, trailing up only a few steps, when he caught a figure curled into a ball behind one of the pillars with a jacket covering their head.

They moved the jacket, shifting just enough for Tobio to see the tuffs of blonde hair and a single golden brown eye peeking out.

It was Tuskishima. 

Kageyama silently cursed whatever god put him in this situation. 

He couldn’t just leave him there. Despite hating his stupid blonde guts, he was both his teammate and packmate; he had to help even though the bastard didn’t really deserve it… 

Reluctantly, Kageyama stomps over his pouting teammate. Moving to poke the blonde with his foot.

“What do you want, king?” Tsukishima's voice muffled his arms. His voice sounded more monotone than before, and his scent grew even more distressed. Kageyama wrinkled his nose, taking a half step back.

“Are you okay…?” 

His head raises, an unimpressed frown painting his face.

Even in the dim overhead light, Kageyama could point out the puffiness around his eyes, like he’d been crying. 

Well, shit— Kageyama's mind stuttered, he knew this was a bad idea.

But seeing such a proud person like Tsukishima look so… pitiful… He knew he had to fix it. If not out of the goodness of his heart for the team. The blonde was sadly a good player, and if he continued to smell and act like this, they wouldn’t be able to focus, meaning they wouldn’t be in top shape for the upcoming practice match.

And he’d be damned if they weren’t ready to play against Oikawa 

Kageyama moved closer and crouched down in front of his sulking teammate, and for the first time in his life, tried to hug someone

People like hugs, right? Hinata always talks about how nice it is to touch other people. 

“It’s like a physical reminder that people care!” He said while clinging to his back like a parasite. While that wasn’t a hug, and was more annoying than some careful gesture, it was nice to have somebody who knew and understood him enough even to attempt something as dumb as that. Like a joke… but he wasn’t good at those either, so perhaps an awkward hug would do.

He coiled his arms around his shoulders, tugging Tsukishima closer to his chest

“There…there…” Kageyama said, giving him a single pat on the shoulder.

His body went stiff for a second. And Kageyama was ready to bolt. His heart hammered, and he wondered if this was the single stupidest thing he’s done in his entire life.

His scent changed first. The burning smell of his misery faded into something lighter. Accompanied by the light scent of strawberry shortcake was now happiness and humor.

Tsukishima snorted. But allowed the hug and relaxed, even opening his legs so he could pull him closer. Pressing their necks together in the embrace.

He felt odd as Tsukishima's scent wrapped around him.

There had to be some biological omega thing at play… that scenting thing. Where alphas become possessive and omegas become clingy. He thought because he was genderless, he wouldn’t be affected, but damn, was he wrong.

Kageyama's body felt light; his neck buzzed with a strange electricity that only made him want to hold his teammate closer and not let him go.

“Yknow, I'm fine, king.”

“Don’t call me that.” Kageyama pouted.

“Never gonna happen.” 

Kageyama cracked a smile. This scenting— hug thing felt like all their past grievances had melted away. He felt content in his arms, happy even.

They stayed like that for a while, but eventually Kageyama’s legs gave out from the weird angle, and he slowly had to wriggle himself free from Tsukishima's grasp

The blonde eventually got up too, mumbling curse words under his breath as he stood towering over Kageyama once more. 

“Thank you. I didn’t need to be scented, but it was welcome.” The blonde grumbled. His cheeks, even in the faint light, now looked longer, flushed from crying, but— embarrassment?  It was almost laughable if Kageyama didn’t feel the same way.

That small moment of intimacy was nice, but now that it was broken, it felt as if it had gone straight back to before.

“Yeah… no problem— wait, did you say that I scented you?”

Tsukishima stared at him. And crossed his arms.

“Well…duh.” He snorted, “That hug— you’re worry stunk up the place.”

Kageyama blinked. He scented him? Nonono, that can’t be right. He doesn't have a scent; it's impossible. The glands in his neck are dormant. He might’ve smelt like sweat, but he should've been able to smell worry on him.

“Tsukishima I—I didn’t scent you.”

“Well, you might not have wanted to, but you did. I’m practically drenched in blueberry Tart.” He suddenly smirked, and Kageyama could feel the anger rise in his chest again. “Seriously, I can tell why you were in supperants before this, you’re scent is fucking strong—“

He grabbed his shoulder, squeezing it tightly. This wasn’t the time to joke, given all the weird happenings, his sickness, and irritability. Increased self-deprecation…

He couldn’t be presenting? Could he?

“I can’t scent you. I’m a beta, not an omega.”

Tsukishima stared at him like he had three heads before he burst out laughing. Not those evil conniving chuckles, but a genuine hearty laugh.

“Okay? Are you misogynistic or something?"

Kageyama stammered over his words. He didn’t mean to say something offensive.

“I.. I’m— I didn’t mean to—“

“No, no, that just makes it funnier. King scents aren’t exclusive to omegas and alphas. Betas, hell, even non-presented people have slight scents. Betas and… others don’t have the nose to pick it up most of the time.” He reassured, still snickering.

“Seriously, you have to start listening in health class. You’re gonna end up saying something actually offensive.”  

Kageyama felt his cheeks go hot, and his lips moved to a pout. Of course, he was teasing him. Kageyama was genderless through and through. Besides, to actually present, he had to go through a heat or something, and he’d definitely know if that happened.

“Whatever.”

Tsukishima shrugged Kageyama's hands off, patting his shoulder

“There, there. I’m sure you’ll have many more times to fuck up before somebody actually thinks you’re a raging misogynist.”

“Tsukshima—!”

Kageyama attempted to grab him, but the bastard slipped out of the way, walking away cackling all the while.

When the blonde-haired bastard disappeared from his view, Kageyama slowly looked back up the stairs to the club room, but instead of the overwhelming fear, he felt strangely relieved. That stupid voice in his head had gone silent, and he genuinely felt like he might survive Sugarawa's lecture.

Before walking up the stairs, he gave a quick smell to his jacket. If he could smell Tsukshima's scent, shouldn’t he be able to smell his own?

But all he got was his detergent and the faint smell of strawberries. He smelled again a few more times to make sure.

And most definitely not because Tsukshima's scent calmed him down.

After thoroughly checking for any other scents, he began trailing up the stairs once more, ready to meet a possibly tragic fate in the club room 

Chapter Text

“I'm glad you finally came.”

Kageyama looked down. Although his encounter with Tsukishima had soothed him, it was just a drop in the hat in actually facing Sugawara.

He didn't dare to look in his face, tilting his head just enough to look off to the side, counting the tiles of the club room’s floor.

“I'm not mad.”

Kageyama couldn't help but scoff, immediately trying to disguise it as a cough.

Of course, Sugarawa wasn't mad; he was just disappointed, which was arguably worse than just being mad.

“Really, I’m not!” Suga stepped closer, hands out, reaching for Tobio’s shoulder. "I'm more worried than anything. “

Kageyama flinched as the hand landed on his shoulder. He just wanted to leave; his feelings and emotions, especially recently, were akin to walking into a house fire and hoping for the best. Attempting to articulate them would have only led to more embarrassment and questions.

Something he was not mentally equipped to handle.

“I’ve been--” His voice caught in his throat. “I'm having a hard time at home, but don’t worry. I’m fine.” Tobio muttered, his hands tightly clenched by his side.

It was a bad lie; terrible even, but hopefully his nervousness about telling such a shitty one would be mistaken for insecurity about his supposed home situation?

Suga stayed quiet for a while. His hand twitched on Kageyama’s shoulder. From the corner of his eye, he could see— no, feel Sugawara's gaze on him, like a fire burning a hole straight through his body.

“You’re not gonna tell me anything.” Suga sighed, letting his hand fall from Kageyama’s shoulder. He stepped away.

“Sit tight. I’m gonna go grab something, alright?”

Tobio nodded, and Suga left the room, shutting the door with a small click.

He wobbled on his feet and exhaled for the first time since he walked in. Lying to Suga felt like committing a mortal sin. He respected the elder setter so much and knew he expected great things from him. Not just because of his skill level, but because he actually believed in him and their team. Even willing to sit out during their match against Oikawa despite being the official setter.

Suga had sacrificed a lot to give Kageyama a chance, and he’d be damned if he didn’t play to his full ability.

Which was also why he couldn’t let Suga know what was going on. About his weird sickness— his mood, his… urges. It’d set him off, and he’d no doubt tell Dachi, who, despite being the pack's alpha, acted more like a worried mom, and in no uncertain terms would let Kageyama play sick.

So… lying was necessary! For the team and himself. He’d maybe tell them after, let them fuss, but since he’d play so well at the game, ultimately be able to leave the encounter without any major punishments. Full proof!

Tobio sat down on a spare chair in the corner of the room, placing a hand over his heart to attempt to stop the quickness of its beats, mentally preparing to see Suga and what he'd be bringing to him.

Minutes passed before he heard a small knock on the door, and, opening it, he was of course Sugrawa, but also…

Dachi?!

Kageyama bolted up, his mouth pressed into a sharp scowl.

Fuck! Why did he think of this as a possibility?! Of course, if Sugrawa couldn’t get anything out of him, he’d go to the pack alpha!

“Whoa…Whoa… Kageyama, slow down…” Dachi held out his hand like he was trying to placate a puppy slowly stepping towards a now spiraling Tobio.

Kageyama could barely hear him. His heart was beating a mile a minute, and he felt paralyzed.

He didn’t want to be taken out of the game. He wanted to help his team. Couldn’t they understand that?! So what if he was sick?

He had to fix this. Somehow. He couldn’t let another team down, not again. he wouldn’t allow it, he’d die before he’d let that happen—

Kageyama only realized he’d been hyperventilating when Dachi gripped his shoulder, the force shaking him out of his stupor.

“Jesus—“ His nose wrinkled like he’d smelt something foul. “Look, I know what you’re thinking, but I’m seriously not going to take you out of the game.”

Suga, popping up right behind, nodded his head in solidarity.

“Yeah! I specifically said, unless it was like a, ‘you’re gonna die’ situation, you’d still be able to play!”

He then stepped around the hold onto Tobio’s bicep, shaking him in a similar way Daichi had.

“But seriously, we need to figure out what’s wrong. I’ve hated seeing you like this, and— fuck you reek!”

Kageyama’s eyes flickered between his two Captains.

They weren’t mad about going to take him out… he still had a chance to play.

He latched onto that thought, allowing his earlier craze to simmer down the bottom of his stomach, no longer encompassing him in all ending despair.

“So… I can still play?”

“Yes! Yes! Of course,” Dachi added, his hand coming up higher on his shoulder, inching towards his still irritated neck. “But seriously, Kageyama, your smell is something else. If we don’t find something to keep this in check, we’ll be kicked out of the gym—“

“I don’t smell,” Kageyama said, slightly offended.

They were the ones who levied conditioning as a punishment, so excuse him for not smelling like roses.

“Yes. You. Do.” Suga refuted.

“No, I don’t— I thought we were going to talk about my fight with Tsukishima, or my performance?”

It was their turn to be surprised now. Slowly moving to stare at each other.

Their faces switched through multiple facial expressions. It was almost like they were talking, but with no words.

First worry. Then Dachi frowned, using his head to gesture to Kageyama. Suga let out an offended sound, shaking his head, making Dachi frown even harder.

It went on like that for at least a minute, both of them internally arguing using their faces like words. It intrigued Kageyama that they could convey and apparently understand each other with just a few short expressions. Still, it also worried him because, to someone who couldn’t understand, they looked crazy.

“Okay! Fine!” Suga finally said, his hands flopping up and down in defeat before turning back to Kageyama, his face pulled in one of those soft, slightly pitying smiles.

“You can smell it, right?”

Kageyama took a small sniff. Tsukishima's scent from earlier had completely faded, and all he could smell now was the stale air of the club room.

“No…?”

“You’re not lying again, are you?”

“No! I—“

He felt his skin prickle as he pushed off the hands and bodies that were crowding around him, a sudden feeling of claustrophobia coming over him.

What was this about stinking? Tsukishima had told him he’d apparently ‘Drenched him in his scent’. But again, that was impossible. He didn't have a scent, he was genderless…

“I thought it was about the tsukishima thing— or my energy levels. Did you say in practice that my performance had been dropping?”

Dachi and Sugawara both shared another look.

“Yeah… Suga had said that, but that’s not what we’re exactly here to talk about…” Dachi responded slowly.

“I mean, sure, you’ve been a little odd, but that’s usual with what’s happening— and I know it’s embarrassing—“ Suga said just as slowly and softly as Dachi.

“What's been happening—“ Kageyama’s head felt like it was on a swivel, looking back between his two seniors.

They sounded insane. Sure, Kageyama’s been sick, but being sick is a detriment. A worry, not embarrassing, so to speak.

“Nothing's been happening. I’m just a little sick.”

Both of them immediately stopped in their tracks.

Their eyes were just as wide and confused as Kageyama’s now. Their mouths slightly agape, like he just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.

“So… you don’t… you’re not…” Suga sputtered his words, failing each time.

“You don’t smell yourself?” Dachi completed, but didn’t seem any less confused.

“No.”

That only seemed to confuse them further. Sugrawa was now running his hands through his hair, muttering something undetectable under his breath, while Dachi kept staring at him like he was some type of zoo animal.

“O…okay. Um… Kageyama, you can head home. We— we gotta talk about some stuff.” Dachi said, surprisingly dismissively.

“Okay…? Am I not in trouble? "

“Nope! No trouble! You just gotta leave so we can talk!” Suga said, popping out of his muttering to begin urging Kageyama out with both hands pressed flat against his back.

“We’re still not mad but just suddenly… very busy… yeah.”

Kageyama nearly tripped over his feet, but let the Omega usher him out.

He was more than obliged to leave. Today had been nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster, and a long shower and a good night's sleep sounded much better than staying in that crowded club room.

But to be honest, he was a bit curious about what he had said that made them suddenly need to talk so desperately, and without him, nonetheless. They already said he wasn’t in trouble, so if that wasn’t it, what could it be?

He was unceremoniously shoved out of the door, Suga waving before slamming the door in his face.

Kageyama stood there for a few seconds before sighing. Worrying did nothing but add stress to his already stressful life.

He was off the hook… for now. And he’d be able to play in the game! All he needed to do was focus on volleyball and deliver his best performance in the game against Aoba Johsai, and he was confident he could. Turning on his heel, he walked out into the night feeling more aroused in himself than he had in weeks.