Hanamaki always felt like he got Kyoutani more than the others. If he were to say it outloud he would probably get a laugh out of it, people would think that hes joking because honestly who wouldn't.

Kyoutani, since rejoining the club in August has been angry, +

and quiet, and avoids everything related to "team bonding" like it's the plague, if anything more so than he did when he was a first year. Almost the exact opposite of himself.

But he feels like he gets it. He gets wanting to be as small as possible to hide from others whilst +

at the same time acting as big as he can get as a clear warning sign to stay away.

He lets him be for the most part, keeps out of his way and doesn't push him to join in with the teams shenanigans like the others do.

Kyoutani probably doesn't notice it, as far as he's +

concerned hanamaki is grouped in with both matsun and oikawa, and so is still seen as annoying or pushy in the others eyes. it doesn't matter. It kinda does, but not enough for hanamaki to actively want to point out 'how much of a saint' he is for just leaving the poor guy be.
+

So life goes on.

He continues to give kyoutani his space, sometimes drawing attention to himself whenever he feels like oikawa and matsun are in the mood to take the piss,and kyoutani just doesn't give a shit. He shows up to practice more,+

and over time seems to get more comfortable with the team, even if he still tends to keep to himself.

He seems to tolerate watari, which is good. Watari is a great person, has been since he first met him in middle school, and was probably one of the people behind him being less+

grouchy than he used to be back in Nagamushi junior high. He'll be good for kyoutani. They desperately want to tease about it, maybe just to watari, about how he's got this power to make everyone want to befriend him, but they don't, its not like it's going to help much anyway.
+

//

Every Thursday even after leaving the team, they joins in with practice and agrees to stay back to clean up on their own. Mainly just to keep their routine in place somewhat, as it begins to feel like it's starting to fall apart the closer and closer they come to graduation.+

It gives time to think, clear their head, and just go through the motions of collecting balls, putting the equipment away and mopping the floors that gives him this sense of ease and security, washing away his thoughts with the wringing of the mop and turning his mind off for +

the night with the flip of a switch before leaving the gym.

The clubroom is always empty whenever he comes back, and that's good, he likes it that way. He doesn't have to deal with other people half naked and perfectly able to look at him whenever he needs to change out of his +

sweaty uniform.

It's nice, quiet. He can change as slowly as he wants, arrive home as late as he wants with the excuse of having to close up the gym and not have his mum get mad at him for missing "family time" which is really just dinner, so doesn't really count for much.+

This time the light is still on. "Shit" he thinks, he doesn't want to have to talk to people right now, and for a moment he considers waiting outside for a few minutes by the gym before heading in.

But then he realises that it's silent, meaning that it had to be empty.+

There isn't even the sound of yahabas impatient foot tapping as he waits for everyone else to be finished changing so they can leave.

He goes in, not expecting much, they probably just forgot to turn the light off on their way out, or remembered that maki was yet to leave the +

the gym and for some reason thought that it was a good idea to leave it on as a some weird way of showing they care. Probably the first.

What he did not expect was kyoutani sitting to the side. fully clothed and bag packed, just sitting there, legs crossed on the bench and+

hands fidgeting in his lap.

The moment he realises that he's finally not alone he tenses up and looks up to meet the others gaze. It's weird, why the fuck is he sitting here for no reason when he could be heading home to his family.+

Then kyoutani bites his lip, looking like he wants to say something and hanamaki suddenly realises that "oh, he was waiting for me."

"You alright mate?" He asks, simple because he has no idea what else to say, and it's unlikely that kyoutani would actually be the one to start +

the conversation. Why the fuck did he say mate though? To ease the tension? Make a joke? Has he just been watching too much doctor who with oikawa lately? Probably.

"I just wanted to thank you." Kyoutani says, a little too loud, his jaw clenches shut with an audible click of+

His teeth. When Hanamaki just stares back not saying a thing he continues. "It's just, you talk a lot and I thought you would be like, you know..." he waves his hands around trying to think of what to say +

"everyone else, but you weren't and that was nice, and I feel like I should say it because thats what you do...you thank people, and it feels like it was more than just a subconscious thing I guess"
It all comes out at once and kyoutani looks out of breath and red in the face. +

He's probably not used to talking so much at once. His fingers continue to fidget slightly and he keeps going to bite his lip but stopping himself before he can actually bite down too hard.

"It's fine, really" he says. "I get it, I'm not going to pus your boundaries with the +

team," kyoutani nods, "besides all that's gonna get me is a slap in the face and a pissed off sneer, no fun in that, not as funny as messing with iwaizumi" he says with a smirk, and laughs when he sees kyoutanis huff of laughter.

"Come on, lets get out of here, I'll get you +

Some food if you want"

"Don't you need to change?" Kyoutani asks

"Nah I can change later, I don't mind being sweaty for a bit longer"

"Gross"

"Says the guy who's friends with the guy that yelled "fuck 'em up the arse" in practice yesterday"
+

"Watari can't help his tics, you can help being sweaty" he says, his nose scrunching slightly at the memory.

"Fine, if you don't mind waiting another few minutes I'll change and we can get some food then"

"Fine,"

Hanamaki smirks "It's a deal then,"