Chapter Text
“Come with you?” Keiji repeated, “why do you need me to come with you?”
“There’s something I want to show ya,” he put his hand out for Keiji to take.
Keiji looked at Osamu’s outstretched hand. A piece of him wanted to take it, let himself be pulled into the truck, and dragged along to wherever Osamu wished to go. He looked back at Osamu, who was waiting for his answer. The longer he looked, the more his heart told him to go. He stepped back, frowning, “I’m sorry, Osamu….”
Osamu looked disappointed at his answer, Keiji could tell he was hopeful he would be joining, but he couldn’t. He didn’t trust himself.
“I know it won’t change anything, but I wish things would’ve turned out differently.” He got into the truck, looking out the window at Keiji. “No matter what, I’m proud of you, and deep down, I’ll always have a little love in my heart for you.”
The two were silent as their eyes met; neither spoke, but both knew what the other was thinking. This was officially the end of them. The divorce papers were the only thing that kept them in contact, and now that Osamu had signed them. There was nothing left. Keiji’s chest ached at the thought of this being his last conversation with Osamu. He wanted to tell Osamu that some of him would always love him, but he felt that his former husband knew.
Osamu started the engine, turning to look at Keiji one last time, “don’t be a stranger, okay?”
Keiji nodded and watched as the man he once thought he would spend forever with drove away. A part of him wanted to flag Osamu down, tell him he had changed his mind and wanted to go with him. But it was too late for that; he got what he wanted, and now he had to deal with this feeling. Getting the divorce papers signed was something he had wanted for years. Now that Osamu had signed them, he felt as if there was an Osamu-sized hole in his heart. The truck was long gone when Keiji moved to leave. After all, he had put him through, Keiji felt he didn't deserve the kindness Osamu had shown him. But he was at least grateful that they were leaving on good terms.
-
After leaving his old home, he went back into town. He had to overnight the papers to his lawyers so the lawyer could finalize the documents in the morning. He stopped by the post office, placed the paperwork in an envelope, and addressed it. He held it in his hands, pausing to stare at it, then let it drop into the box.
Keiji drove back to his parent's house. As he passed by the bar, he noticed that Atsumu’s car was the only one there. Making things right with Osamu also meant that he had to make things right with Atsumu. He turned around and pulled in. When he went inside, Atsumu was cleaning the bar up.
“We’re closed!” He shouted as he wiped the counter down.
“It’s me,” Keiji says, coming in and taking a seat at the bar.
“Surprised you ain’t left town yet,” Atsumu says, not looking up as he continues to work. Keiji knew that Osamu had more than likely told Atsumu what had happened that morning, but he still wanted to speak with him.
“I was on my way out when I saw you here.”
“When I have a day off, I like to come in and make things a little easier for mom.” He tossed his rag in the sink and washed some of the glasses.
“I’m sorry about last night,” Keiji said, leaning his head into his hand.
“Ya always were a feisty drunk; surprised you didn’t end up on top of the table again,” Atsumu turned, looking at Keiji with a small smile.
“That was one time, and we were teenagers.” Keiji defended, smiling himself.
Their smiles faded though as Atsumu leaned against the bar and said. “He went to visit you. Did you know that?”
Keiji frowned, his brows scrunching in confusion. “No, of course, I didn’t know. Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He said you seemed happy and didn’t want to ruin it.”
His thoughts had already been everywhere, but now that Atsumu revealed Osamu had been to visit him, he was feeling even more conflicted. Keiji wouldn’t have just sent out divorce papers if they had met. “I wish he would’ve told me.”
“You hurt him, you know,” Atsumu said, crossing his arms. “He was torn up when you left, but he’s a different man now. I know he’s forgiven you.”
“I know, and I’m grateful for it. I think we’re in a good place right now.” Keiji looked away, remembering the conversation he had had a short time ago with him.
Atsumu huffed, “I’m sure things could be even better if you two learned how to communicate your feelings.”
“You’re one to talk,” Keiji rolled his eyes.
“Who is the one in a healthy relationship, and who is the one getting a divorce.” atsumu said, a slight smile playing on his lips. “I’m glad you came and saw your favorite twin before you left.”
-
Osamu was glad that he ended up having to drive alone. It gave him time to think and process his marriage's ending. He knew he didn’t go down without a fight and reached out as long as he could. Osamu meant it when he said some of him would always love Keiji; he didn’t think the Keiji-sized hole in his heart would close anytime soon.
As he drove through town, he noticed someone who was out of place. In a city this small, everyone knew everyone, and when someone new came along, they stuck out like a sore thumb. Osamu’s truck came to a slow as he approached the man. After a shitty day, he could go for helping someone else to make it better.
He rolled the window, “Can I help you look for something?”
“I’m looking for someone, Akaashi Keiji. Do you know him?”
This could only happen to him, but he couldn’t miss this opportunity. “Hop in. I think I can take you to him.”
Osamu waited for the man to climb in; he could only assume that this was Keiji’s new boyfriend. He remembered seeing Keiji’s car at his mother's.
“So, how do you know Keiji?” Osamu questioned even though he knew the answer.
“Oh, Keiji and I are together. He’s my fiancé. Do you know him well?”
Osamu laughed softly; Keiji failed to mention that he was getting married again. He didn’t realize that if he knew that, he would’ve put off signing the papers longer. “I know him better than you think.”
“He doesn’t talk about home much. Did you grow up with him?” Bokuto asked curiously.
“I did. I remember him dancing on top of my mother's bar tables back in the day.”
The man had a shocked look on his face, “I’ve known him to have a drink or two, but I’ve never seen him dance before. He doesn’t seem the type to enjoy that type of thing.”
Osamu parked in front of the bar, “He ran from the law once too, but they only held him until his father came and picked him up.”
He knew better than to be telling these stories about Keiji. By the look on his partner's face, Keiji hadn’t mentioned these incidents before. Understandably so since he was now more public with who he was.
“That doesn’t seem like Keiji at all; I’ll have to ask for more stories one day,” he says as he gets out of the truck.
Osamu turned the engine off and got out, too; he wanted to see the look on Keiji’s face when they walked in. “It seems you and I are in love with two different people.”
The two walked in together. Keiji was sitting at the bar laughing with Atsumu about something. Atsumu looked over at them, his face breaking into a smile when he realized what was happening.
“Look who I found,” Osamu smiled.