Chapter Text
“We're going to Nationals!” Tendou crowed, punctuating each syllable with a punch to the air. His eyes danced with excitement and he was grinning hugely. His steps were light as he skipped alongside Wakatoshi. “I can't wait! The crowds! The gigantic stadium! I wonder how many people will be watching us? Oh my god, we're gonna be on tv!”
Wakatoshi nodded, amused at the redhead’s enthusiasm. He himself wasn't all that surprised; winning wasn't anything new to Shiratorizawa, but it did bring a sense of pride, both in himself and in his teammates. This was the first time they'd been to Nationals, and Wakatoshi was incredibly excited about that, but he also felt very calm.
He thought about tomorrow's match, about their chances of winning (which were high, considering how strong his team members were), about what they would do after they won (yes, he was confident that they would win). So caught up in these thoughts, he didn't realize Tendou had stopped walking until he was fairly ahead, and he turned around to see his friend staring at the ground and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt tightly; something he did when he was feeling overwhelmed.
“We're going to Nationals, Wakatoshi,” Tendou whispered once Wakatoshi had strode back over to him, “This… this is so huge.” He looked up from the floor, his eyes meeting Wakatoshi’s, who felt his breath catch slightly at the fiery determination in the redhead’s expression. “We're gonna win,” Tendou continued, his voice rising and growing firm.
“Of course,” Wakatoshi smiled softly, raising and holding out a fist, which Tendou gleefully bumped with his own, every bit as energetic and lively as before.
“You're so confident, it's kinda funny,” Tendou told him as he started walking again, Wakatoshi falling into step with him. “But it’s also encouraging.” He smiled and chuckled quietly, and Wakatoshi wished his heart would calm down and stop pounding so fast.
I'm going to tell him , Wakatoshi promised himself, I am going to confess after we win the Nationals.
°•○●○•°
The night before their Nationals match Wakatoshi found himself unable to fall asleep. He lay on his futon, staring up at the ceiling and listening to the easy breathing of his teammates around him.
He heard soft footsteps approaching, and turned just as a tall shadow leaned over him, recognizing Tendou’s silhouette in the darkness.
“Hey Wakatoshi-kun, can I… can I lay next to you for a bit?” Tendou asked in a whisper, and though Wakatoshi couldn't see his expression, he could hear the barely-there tremor in his voice.
“Yes, of course,” Wakatoshi quickly shifted over, lifting the blanket so that Tendou could slip in beside him. “Why aren't you sleeping?”
Tendou twisted to lay on his side so that he faced Wakatoshi, tucking his folded hands under his cheek. He was so close that Wakatoshi could feel his gentle puffs of breath against his skin; he could feel the warmth of Tendou’s body only centimeters from his own.
“My phone died,” Tendou answered mournfully, “it got too quiet.”
“Do you want to use my phone?”
“Nah, I was wondering if we could maybe just talk?” He moved slightly, settling into a more comfortable position, his legs brushing Wakatoshi’s briefly. “How come you're still awake?”
“I don't feel tired.” Wakatoshi was having a hard time resisting the urge to bridge the short distance between them.
Tendou snorted softly. “It's like, four in the morning. How can you not be tired? I bet you're getting pre-game jitters, that's why you're still up.”
“I don't get ‘jitters’.”
“I'm sure,” Tendou drew out the vowel, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “It's okay, I won't tell anyone that you're terrified about tomorrow.”
“I'm not terrified. Are you sure you're not talking about yourself?”
Tendou made a choking sound that might have been a smothered laugh. “That is rude, I can't believe you.” He chuckled again and Wakatoshi smiled at the sound, pleased with himself for making his friend forget his fear, if only for a few moments.
“You are, though,” Wakatoshi murmured once Tendou’s laughter had subsided, “Nervous about tomorrow, I mean.”
There was a beat of silence before he felt Tendou’s answering shrug. “Eh, a little I guess,” the redhead replied honestly. He shifted and Wakatoshi could tell he was smiling as he said, “Mostly excited, because I know we're gonna win.”
His enthusiasm was so incredibly endearing; Wakatoshi’s fingers itched to reach out and trace the smile he could hear in Tendou’s voice. Instead he turned to lay on his back, facing upwards and away from the redhead. He heard Tendou yawn, felt him settle into the futon with a rustle of the blanket, felt the brush of his wild hair against his cheek.
“Actually, yeah, can I have your phone?” Tendou asked in a tired voice, and Wakatoshi was a little amazed at how quick he had transitioned from animated to sleepy. “And your earphones- I left mine by my futon.”
Wakatoshi handed the device over wordlessly, listening to Tendou fumble with it and the earbuds before the redhead’s face was suddenly illuminated with light from the tiny screen.
“My eyes,” Tendou hissed, squinting as he quickly turned the brightness down and chose a song. “Thanks and ‘night, Wakatoshi-kun.”
He was asleep before Wakatoshi could respond, his breathing evening out and his entire body going slack. Wakatoshi snorted softly, a smile quirking at the corner of his lips. He twisted to lay on his side and lifted his hand to tentatively stroke his thumb across the smooth skin of Tendou’s cheek briefly.
“Goodnight, Tendou.”
°•○●○•°
Slam!
The ball bounces off Tendou’s hands to fall to the floor on the opposite side of the net, the sound echoing throughout the gym. All was quiet as everyone's eyes followed the ball until it rolled to a stop; the silence deafening.
All at once the stadium erupts into pandemonium. The crowd collectively leaps to their feet, cheers of “Shiratorizawa! Shiratorizawa!” ringing through the air. The sound of clapping was thunderous.
The team stands mute and still for all of a minute, gaping in awe, before realization settles in, and suddenly everyone is yelling and clapping each other on the back and hugging. Wakatoshi thinks he can hear Goshiki crying.
“We won!” Tendou exclaims, running up to Wakatoshi and jumping up and down, the biggest smile on his face and his eyes shining with glee. He laughs, loud and joyful, and then he's in Wakatoshi’s space, gripping his shoulders with shaking hands. “We won, Wakatoshi!” He says again, and he sounds so happy, so incredibly happy that it seems like second nature when Wakatoshi reaches out and cups the back of Tendou’s neck, closing the short distance between them and pressing a quick, closed mouth kiss on Tendou’s smiling lips.
Then he jerks back, realizing what he just did. His blood runs cold in his veins and his heart is trying to pound its way out of his chest. He can't move but to stare as Tendou blinks, the smile dropping to be replaced with a shocked expression.
Wakatoshi can't hear anything but a sharp ringing in his ears; he feels the stares of a thousand people drilling holes into his back. He opens his mouth to explain, to apologize, to say anything, but he can't force any words past the tightness in his throat.
“Wakatoshi…” Tendou murmurs, raising a hand to touch his lips, staring with wide eyes. Then suddenly he's grinning hugely, brightly, throwing himself at Wakatoshi and twining his arms around Wakatoshi’s neck, chuckling breathlessly as he presses their foreheads together. Wakatoshi swears he sees actual stars in the redhead’s eyes. “Do it again, Wakatoshi!”
“I… what?”
“Do it again!” Tendou tightens his arms, pulling himself impossibly closer. “Kiss me.”
Wakatoshi stares at him, at the flush that has spread from his nose, across his cheeks, and to the tips of his ears. He slowly brings his hands up and gently, gently, takes hold of Tendou’s face, sliding his fingers down in a caress and tilting his chin up just slightly, leaning in and closing his eyes. He can feel Tendou’s breath against his mouth as he bumps their noses together; he can feel the redhead’s stuttering sigh when he brushes their lips together once, twice, three times. Tendou hums happily, and Wakatoshi kisses him again a fourth time, this one longer than the others, more than a tiny brush of lips. His hands move to slide into Tendou’s sweaty, wild hair, canting his own head for a better angle as he kisses more fervently.
“Uh, okay, not that I'm not happy for you two --because I am-- But like, too much PDA. Gross.”
Wakatoshi slowly pulls back, remembering where he is as he side-eyes Semi who's looking at the pair with blatant amusement. The rest of the team is staring as well, some with expressions of shock and others with smirks.
Wakatoshi looks back at Tendou, whose eyes are now open and gazing at him with amazement, and he's chuckling quietly.
“What are you laughing about?”
“I… I honestly don't even know?” Tendou grins, reaching to take one of Wakatoshi’s hands in his own, swinging them back and forth. “I'm just really happy right now!”
“Ew,” Semi whispers.
Wakatoshi looks down at their joined hands, then up again at Tendou, and he's pretty sure he has a really stupid smile on his face when he asks, “Will you go out with me?”
The smile that breaks out on Tendou’s face is equally stupid, but Wakatoshi thinks it's perfect and endearing and so wonderfully Tendou.
“He just kissed you; what do you think the answer is?”
“Shut up, Semi,” Tendou says, but he's smiling too hard for the setter to take him seriously. “And yes, Wakatoshi, oh my god yes.” He squeezes Wakatoshi’s hand, bouncing on his heels like an overeager child.
Wakatoshi uses their clasped hands to tug Tendou close again, placing one more kiss on the redhead’s lips, “I love you, Satori,” falling from his mouth in repetitive whispers.
“Seriously guys, please, we're still in the stadium.”