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"Let's go!"
Hinata hops down from the ski lift, too early, like Kageyama has told him not to do a hundred times, and narrowly manages not to fall.
"Get out of the way, idiot!"
It's too late; Kageyama jumps off and moves aside, but the lift smacks into Hinata's ass when it turns, sending him flat on his back in the snow.
"Whoops!" Hinata laughs, unconcerned; Kageyama scrambles to drag him up and out of the way before the skiers behind them can land on him.
"You're so bad at this," Kageyama snaps.
Hinata grins, finding his balance and brushing snow away from his jacket. "Don't be jealous just because it's my first time skiing and I'm already doing the black courses."
"You shouldn't be doing a black course." Kageyama has already tried to argue this point at least as many times as he's told Hinata the proper way to get off a ski lift, to about as much success. "You almost killed yourself just on the red."
"Did not!" But Hinata isn't arguing with as much passion as usual; he seems too cheerful to fight, which Kageyama really can't fully understand since the entire day has been a near disaster.
It was enough of a rip-off that their high school trip ended up being someplace colder than they already live. On top of that, Kageyama is one of the only people in their grade who's gone skiing enough to do anything beyond the green slopes. Most of their classmates just took a couple spins on the bunny hills and then retreated for the rest of the day into the lodge for hot cocoa and wifi. Hinata is one of the few who wanted to stay out, which for Kageyama has meant a day filled with very little actual skiing and a whole lot of skiing instruction. And Hinata is a much slower learner on skis than on a volleyball court.
A pair of skiers hop off the lift and brush past them, shooting them annoyed looks that bring Kageyama back to the present, reminding him they have to get out of the way sooner than later.
"Are you ready?" he asks, glancing uncertainly at Hinata.
"Obviously," Hinata says, brushing snow off his butt now.
"Your toes are crossed." Kageyama frowns while Hinata stumbles into an almost-acceptable starting stance.
"Okay," Kageyama says. "This is gonna be a lot harder than the last one. Just remember—"
"Race you to the bottom!" The words are no sooner out of Hinata's mouth than he's off, disappearing much too quickly down a slope that is much too steep for his skill level.
Kageyama swears, scrambles to adjust his goggles, and pushes off after him.
The slope is full of sharp curves, but as long as Kageyama focuses he can keep his eyes on Hinata's back, only a little ways ahead. On the next curve, Hinata wobbles dangerously, only just remembering to bend his knees more and balance out at the last minute. Kageyama's heart skips several beats.
"You're so stupid," he hisses into the cold air whipping at his face.
"Kageyama!" Hinata is actually looking over his shoulder now, like a complete idiot, waving even as he approaches a sudden dip in the course. "I'm—"
"Hinata, watch out!"
It's too late. Hinata's skis go airborne, which at least means his head swivels back to the front in a hurry. And then, miraculously, his skis hit the ground again, rather than Hinata landing face-first in the snow. Still, Kageyama flinches; the impact looked hard, and it's sent Hinata off-balance, wobbling away from the curve of the course, straight into the trees bordering the trail on the left. There's a yelp, and then an audible crash, but Kageyama can't see anything at all through the trees.
"HINATA!" Kageyama forces his skis to a sharp stop, almost tripping over himself from the whiplash, and snaps his goggles up onto his forehead as he stumbles toward the trees. He can't run in skis, but he can't ski properly, either, when he's this panicked. It's impossible to move fast enough—Hinata could be hurt, could be dead, and Kageyama is helpless trying to get to him.
"I should never have let you come up here—idiot—" Kageyama gasps, not even sure whether he means himself or Hinata. His eyes are burning with frustrated, anxious tears, but he's finally reached the trees, and at least it isn't hard to figure out where Hinata went. The path is clearly marked by broken branches and ski tracks, leading right to Hinata, flat on his back at the base of a very big tree trunk. He isn't moving.
"Hinata!" Kageyama lurches forward, but one ski gets caught in the root of a tree, and he trips. He frees himself from his skis as quickly as he can, fumbling with the buckles, and once he's in nothing but boots he can finally reach Hinata. There's no sign that Hinata registers his arrival when Kageyama falls to his knees in the snow beside him.
"Shit, Hinata," Kageyama says, his voice weak. "Are you—you're not—" His hands fumble to push up Hinata's goggles so he can get a look at his face. Hinata's eyes are closed, but his chest, Kageyama notices, is rising and falling steadily. And then there's another movement—a flutter of eyelashes, followed by a twitch of the wrist, making Kageyama's breath catch.
"Hnnn—" a groan falls from Hinata's mouth and he lifts a hand to touch his forehead.
"Hinata," Kageyama says, breathless. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I'm," Hinata starts, turning his eyes on Kageyama, but then he falls quiet. His hand moves again, brushing against Kageyama's cheek. "You're crying."
Kageyama flinches away from Hinata's touch. "I'm fine—the wind—" he wipes quickly at his eyes with the wrist of his gloves. "Can you sit up?"
Hinata's eyes are still open, but he's blinking lazily, his gaze trained on Kageyama's face. "I think so," he says eventually, but he makes no move to try. Instead, his lips turn upward, into a soft, snow-dusted smile.
"What—why are you smiling?" Kageyama demands.
At the question, Hinata's smile splits into a grin. "I'm happy," he says.
"You have a concussion, don't you?" Kageyama rips his right glove off and moves to pull Hinata's eyelids up so he can check his pupils, but before he can get there, Hinata catches Kageyama's wrist.
"I'm fine," he says, still grinning. "I'm sorry I scared you."
"I wasn't—" Kageyama starts, but he can't make himself deny it. He just stares down at Hinata instead, his grin and the curls peeking out from under his hat and the snow on his cheeks. Kageyama has never been so scared and so relieved all in the space of a minute. It makes him feel a little crazy, which is the only explanation he can think of for why he leans in and presses his mouth to Hinata's, shivering as the snow trapped between their lips melts away. Hinata's hand, hovering next to Kageyama's cheek, moves to rest on the back of Kageyama's neck, and both their eyes fall closed.
The kiss only lasts a few seconds. Kageyama pulls back, stunned with himself, for a moment unable to meet Hinata's gaze.
"I'm—glad you're okay," he says, finally daring to dart a nervous glance toward Hinata's eyes. They're fixed on Kageyama, half-lidded and warm.
"Hey," Hinata says. "Me, too." Kageyama gets the distinct impression Hinata is responding to something else entirely, a question Kageyama never asked; he shifts his gaze away again, feeling his cheeks start to burn.
"Now you're blushing!" Hinata laughs. "Maybe I'm not fine. Maybe I'm actually dead."
"You will be in a minute, when I kill you." Kageyama is doing his best to sound like he means it, but Hinata just laughs harder and pulls him in, until Kageyama has no choice but to let himself bury his face against the neck of Hinata's coat and laugh a little, too.
"Kageyama," Hinata says. "Can we walk down the rest of the way?"
"Yes," Kageyama gasps, breathless with relief.
He makes to stand up, but Hinata grabs his sleeve, stopping him before he can get very far.
"Not…just yet?" Hinata implores, and Kageyama's knees buckle, bringing him swiftly back to the snow.
It's wet and cold on the ground, but Hinata's mouth is warm, and Kageyama can see no reason not to stay there a little while longer. They're in no hurry to get back.