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Oikawa smiled over the steaming pot he was stirring, listening to his son Kouji talk non-stop about his day. He was in his last year of elementary school and his gym class had finally started teaching the kids volleyball. Kouji, of course, already knew everything about the sport and was excited to be ahead of everyone else.

“...And then Daiki tried to spike it over the net, but I blocked him easily! You should have seen his face!” Kouji paused in his story to cackle for a few minutes, the maniacal sound echoing throughout their small house. Once he wore himself out, he gulped down several deep breaths to calm down before continuing. “He’s so used to beating me because of his stupid height, but I showed him!”

“Isn’t Daiki one of your best friends?”

“Yeah… so?”

Oikawa snorted and turned off the stove. His son had a point; there was something satisfying about beating your best friends and shoving it in their face. When Iwaizumi chose a different university than he had, he could remember the sheer joy of blocking one of his spikes. It wasn’t something he commonly did, leaving that sort of thing for the middle blockers. But for his best friend, he made a special exception.

“We creamed his team, but I did have a lot of good players on my side. I was surprised Rei-chan was so good!”

“Rei-chan?”

“Yeah, this girl in my class. She’s really shy and quiet but a natural at volleyball. We hang out sometimes at lunch or in the library.”

“Is she like a girlfriend?” Oikawa teased, prepared for a harsh denial. Instead, Kouji arched an eyebrow at him and scoffed.

“Don’t be so immature, Dad. Boys and girls can be just friends without letting it get complicated.”

“I’m sorry, did my son get replaced by a forty-year-old man?”

“No, because that would make me your age, somebody who can’t get with the times.”

“I’m thirty-five!” 

“Anyway, the thing that surprised me the most about her was how well she could set. I swear she had fingers like yours and she could shoot it straight to me!”

“Wow! That is impressive. It usually takes years to learn how to set that well.”

“Yeah, I think it’s because she’s really good at observing things. I hope she’s on my team again tomorrow.”

“What if she’s on Daiki’s team?” 

Kouji’s face hardened in a way that was very uncharacteristic of him. Oikawa eyed him warily as he set the pot in the middle of the table and sat down across from his son.

“Then I’ll have to take them both down.”

“You scare me sometimes.”

“I get it from you.”

“That look? Nah, that definitely came from Uncle Iwa-chan.”

Kouji leaned forward to sniff the mouth-watering aroma of hot pot. It seemed to melt away the war-hardened volleyball player and suddenly he was looking at his goofy son again.

“Thanks for the meal!” 

Oikawa observed him slurping down his food and chuckled softly. He was about to take a spoonful himself when his phone lit up beside him. He was going to ignore it when he saw that it was a text from Kouji’s mother, his ex-wife. 

Ami: We won’t be able to take Kouji this weekend

Oikawa frowned and typed out a quick message back, asking her why.

Ami: Because we’ll be out of the country, he has a competition

Oikawa: And he can’t go without you? You bailed the last time too

Ami: I’m a supportive wife, Tooru. Kouji will understand, he can watch the game on tv

Oikawa huffed and slammed the phone down. He didn’t usually get as angry at her as he used to but hearing her spout nonsense about her being a supportive wife instantly flipped his switch. She wasn’t very supportive to him when he was still playing professionally and she fooled around with his teammate, eventually ending their marriage to be with him instead. 

It was only a matter of time anyway. His knee had been acting up toward the end of his career and he retired right after the divorce. Without the admiration of the whole nation of being Oikawa Tooru’s wife, their marriage would have lost its luster. In one fell swoop, he lost two of the most important things to him. Thankfully he had Kouji, otherwise, he might not have been able to bear it.

“Are you okay, Dad?” 

Oikawa glanced up to see Kouji staring at him with his big dark eyes and felt all his anger shoved out, replaced instead with a heavy dose of guilt. He pasted a smile on his face but that earned him another glare. It was no use but to come clean.

“Sorry, it was just your mom.”

“Oh. What did she do this time?”

“They’re going out of the country next weekend, so they can’t take you.”

“Whatever,” Kouji said with a shrug and started poking at his food again with less vigor than before. “Hideki-san is a dick anyway.”

“Excuse me, where did you hear that?”

“You’ve called him worse things.”

“He’s still your stepfather.”

“He doesn’t even like kids. He keeps expecting me to act like a grown-up like him.”

“Nonsense. I think we all know you’re more mature than he is, my forty-year-old son.”

Kouji giggled. “But don’t you work this weekend?”

“Yeah, and I’ve got three back-to-back games to watch. Speaking of Daiki, do you think his mom would mind having you over for the day?”

“What about Iwachan-san? Can’t he watch me?”

No matter how many times he heard Kouji’s nickname for Iwaizumi, it always made Oikawa snort. His friend was less than amused at first, but there was no denying those big brown eyes of Kouji’s. 

“No, I already know he’ll be busy. It’s their anniversary.”

“Is that a big deal?”

“Pfft, yeah. It’s very important and knowing Iwa-chan he’ll be going all-out. He’s such a sappy, romantic brute.”

“Alright, I’ll hang out with Daiki. He’ll just want to play basketball all day.”

Oikawa laughed and leaned over the table to ruffle his son’s curly head. “Skills you learn playing basketball might end up helping you in volleyball, you know.”

“You would think of it like that.”

“Of course! I am exceptionally wise!”

“Not as wise as me.”

“Only time will tell. So, how many weeks will be dedicated to volleyball?”

Kouji’s eyes sparkled at the change of topic and Oikawa relaxed as his son gave him a detailed account of their training schedule and predictions of player positions. It wasn’t as if his mother’s disinterest was anything new, but it still bothered him that she constantly chose her husband over Kouji. Not really her husband, but more his career and the life they lead together. 

After dinner, Oikawa phoned Daiki’s mother to make sure it was okay if Kouji stayed with them during the day. She was more than happy to watch him, especially since their family had planned on going to see a movie and Daiki would love having a friend with him. Another wave of relief swept over him that she hardly seemed put out by the idea. 

Oikawa had learned back in high school the importance of when to rely on other people, but he never wanted to be a burden. It was always a delicate balance that grew far more complicated after having Kouji and no longer having a partner. There was always one fact, however, that remained constant: given a choice between Kouji’s well-being and his own pride, Kouji would win every time.

Saturdays were always grueling. Oikawa wished he could relax and spend Kouji’s free time from school together, but it happened to be one of the busiest days of the week for him. He was a journalist working for a sports magazine, attending games for up and coming teams in both high school and college, making predictions on the season and doing features on star players. 

For all the times he used to be interviewed by Volleyball Weekly, he never would have imagined he’d be on the other side of things. The truth was he enjoyed it immensely. It sent a familiar excitement surging through his veins, the feeling he used to have whenever he won a game with his beloved team. He enjoyed seeing that reflected on the young athletes' faces and silently wished them the best.

Watching three games in a row, however, would cause even the most rabid fan to grumble. His back was sore from sitting on the hard bleachers and constantly hunched over as he scribbled some notes. He couldn’t wait to get home and eat, maybe have a bath to wash away the smell of concession stand food. Shifting his heavy camera bag on his shoulder, he pulled out his phone to check for messages. 

He frowned at the blank screen. It was odd since typically Daiki’s mother sends regular updates when she watches Kouji for him. He glanced up as he shuffled through the crowded hallway toward the gym exit.

Was I without service this whole time?

It was irritating that that was probably the case, but he wasn’t worried until he emerged from the gym and a minute later his phone buzzed with a stream of notifications. There were several texts, but his eyes widened when he saw several missed calls from Daiki's’s mom. Without taking the chance to read anything, he immediately called her back, his feet racing to find his car in the lot.

“Oikawa-san?”

“Yes, Hayashi-san, are you alright? Is Kouji fine?”

“He’s fine! I’m so sorry to worry you, it’s just that my husband had an accident at work and had to go to the hospital. I couldn’t bring the kids, so I left them at another friend’s house. I’m so sorry I couldn’t wait to get your permission.”

“No, no, no, don’t worry about it! Of course, you’d have to do something. Is your husband okay?”

“Yes, he’ll recover; just a bit banged up. He’ll have to spend the night, unfortunately.”

“And you’ll stay with him? Do you need me to pick up Daiki as well? I have no more games this weekend, so we should be fine.”

“That would be wonderful! They’re at Rei-chan’s house right now, so it would probably be better if he stayed overnight with Kouji. Her father’s very kind, but he is a little intimidating.”

“Alright, I’ll go get them right now. Can you send me the address?”

Oikawa whipped out one of his notebooks and jotted the address down while he walked. She assured him she would text Rei’s father to let him know he was on his way but after that, she needed to go back to her husband. Oikawa hung up just as he reached his car, shaking a little from the adrenaline rush and the sudden relief afterward. 

At least, Kouji is okay.

Thankfully, Rei’s house ended up being only a few minutes from the gym. Unfortunately, it was the opposite direction of their house, which was on the other side of town. With the dinner time traffic, it would take them ages to get home and Oikawa was already thinking of places they could stop and eat to wait it out as he pulled up the driveway. 

Oikawa paused as he got out of the car, overwhelmed by the tranquility of the quiet neighborhood. The house was large and cozy and though the fence blocked most of the backyard, Oikawa could tell it was an impressive size.

I bet Kouji would like a yard like that, he thought wistfully, shutting the car door and meandering up to the house. To support himself and Kouji, Oikawa got an apartment not too far from work and Kouji’s school. It wasn’t ideal for a growing boy, but there was only so much he could do about it. Times were hard for single parents.

He knocked on the door and straightened himself up, prepared to face what was supposedly an intimidating man. After a minute, the door opened, revealing nothing more than an adorable little girl about Kouji’s age with soft green eyes and long brown hair that curled down her back. Her mouth dropped open when she saw him, looking him up and down as a light blush crawled up her cheeks.

Oikawa stifled a laugh, used to that kind of reaction, and leaned down with his most charming smile. “You must be Rei-chan! I’m Oikawa Tooru, Kouji’s father.”

Rei straightened rigidly before bending at the waist. “Nice to meet you Oikawa-san. Please come in!”

“Wow, so polite!”

Rei straightened up and nodded as she stepped aside to give him room to enter. “Father always made sure I knew my manners. They’re important.”

“They certainly are. Are Daiki and Kouji behaving themselves?”

For the most part, Rei-chan seemed a very serious sort of child, but at Oikawa’s statement, her lips curled up just slightly. “Yes, much better than at school.”

Oikawa gasped and Rei-chan huffed out the softest laugh he ever heard. “Well, at least they’re not causing trouble for your parents.”

“It’s just my father. He’s in the kitchen finishing dinner. Would you like to stay for it?”

“Oh, no. I’d hate to impose.”

Rei-chan shook her head vigorously, her hair flying every which way. “It’s no trouble. Father made enough for everybody.” 

He didn’t have any chance to refuse again as she twirled on her feet and beckoned him to follow her. Hopping out of his shoes and leaving them beside Kouji’s, he chased after her into the living room. He didn’t even realize how much tension he’d been holding onto until he saw Kouji beaming at him from the sofa.

“Hi, Dad! Did you meet Rei-chan?”

“I did. Have you two been good for her father?” Two heads bobbed up and down and Oikawa chuckled as he stepped closer to ruffle their heads. “Daiki, are you alright?”

Daiki winced at the reminder and nodded. “Yeah, mom said dad was going to be okay.”

“Yup, but she’s going to spend the night there, so you’ll be sleeping at our house.”

“Oh… okay.”

“Well, don’t seem too excited.”

“It’s not that, Dad!” Kouji interjected, his face glowing with mischief. Where did he get that look from? “It’s because he’d rather stay here with Re—” 

The rest of the words were muffled as Daiki’s hands clamped over Kouji’s mouth and the two wrestled each other off the sofa, rolling onto the floor. Oikawa sighed and turned to Rei who seemed as somber as ever, shaking her head at the two.

“They’re always like this. Especially when they tease each other about me.”

Oikawa snickered and knelt beside her. “Kouji mentioned you were observant. He also said you were an exceptional setter.”

Rei blinked rapidly at the comment and shyly hunched her shoulders to block her face, but Oikawa spied a slight smile curling on her lips. “I’m working on it. I do like setting.”

“I was a setter, you know.”

“I know… Kouji said you were the best.”

Oikawa laughed. “I wasn’t the best, but I was pretty decent.”

He glanced at the two boys when he noticed they had stopped wrestling, both watching them talk with wide eyes.

“Dude, forget about it. You totally lost to my dad.”

“No way, he’s too old.”

“He’s still in his prime, apparently.”

“We can hear you two, you know,” Oikawa said dryly and both boys clamped their mouths shut. 

“Rei, did you set the table?” a deep voice called from the kitchen and Rei gasped. Without a word, she scrambled into the other room and Oikawa could hear her dashing around the table, setting up plates and silverware. 

He straightened up and scratched his head, not sure what to do. It felt strange having dinner with a family he had never met, but if they prepared a whole meal for all of them, it would probably be ruder to just leave. The kids seemed to be having fun as well and considering how shaken Daiki seemed by his father’s accident, Oikawa wanted to do everything he could to keep his mind off it.

He spaced out as he considered his options, watching the boys chatter on the floor. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t register a large but quiet presence behind him, filling up the entire space of the doorway.

“Oikawa?”

There, unobstructed by the walls or distance, was a voice Oikawa never thought he would hear ever again. He gasped and turned slowly in the direction of it, his eyes confirming the truth of what he suspected. Ushijima Wakatoshi stood in front of him, dressed in a navy-blue button-up with a lavender apron over top, decorated with a thousand little hearts. 

Oikawa stared for a while as Ushijima patiently waited for his brain to catch up. “Ushiwaka? What are you doing here?”

To Oikawa’s astonishment, Ushijima cocked his head and smiled. The big hunk of rock actually smiled. Was he dreaming? Just to make sure, Oikawa glanced down to make sure he was still wearing pants. 

“This is my house.”

“Your house… you’re Rei-chan’s father?”

“Yes, she is Ushijima Rei, my daughter.”

“Huh… excuse me.” Oikawa stepped away from Ushijima and dove at his son. “Did you know Rei-chan’s name was Ushijima?” 

“Yeah, of course. She’s my classmate.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?!”

Kouji shrugged. “You never really asked. Is it a big deal?”

“Yes,” Oikawa hissed and hopped back on his feet with a fake laugh. “Sorry about that. You know, we really should be going. It’s late and I promised Hayashi-san that I would keep Daiki for the night.”

“You should at least stay for dinner. I made enough for everyone.”

Oikawa glared at Ushijima’s face that had somehow changed over the years, allowing an inner amusement to bleed through the surface of his stoicism. It was an irritatingly nice effect. Before he could reply with a smart-ass comment, Ushijima glanced over his shoulder.

“Looks like Rei’s already finished setting the table with a place for you. It might hurt her feelings if you leave now, after all her hard work.”

Oikawa gasped, taking a step closer to glare into Ushijima’s eyes. “You dare guilt trip me using your adorable daughter’s innocence?”

“Naturally. I am a father now. Something we have in common.” The brute, still wearing the cutesy apron, waved to the boys on the floor. “Come on. Dinner’s ready.”

“Yay! Thank you, Ushijima-san!” Kouji chirped politely as they rushed past them into the other room where Rei was waiting for them. Oikawa narrowed his eyes at Ushijima who lifted his chin with a challenge. They stared each other down for a moment until Ushijima smirked, yes smirked at him as he patted Oikawa’s arm.

“I think they’re waiting on us. By the way, you can call me Ushijima. Or, considering how long we have known each other,” he paused, leaning around Oikawa to murmur beside his ear, “Wakatoshi.”

Oikawa stiffened, hearing Ushijima’s baritone voice stroke down his neck. It should have been an uncomfortable feeling, not tantalizing. He was entirely dumbfounded, and it was all he could do to follow Ushijima through the hallway into the dining room where the kids were waiting as patiently as they could muster for the food. 

It was a cozy table, round instead of rectangular, and Oikawa found himself in a seat between Kouji and Rei with Ushijima on the other side of her. Everything was already set-up and steaming with the most mouth-watering aroma, snapping Oikawa out of his reverie when he realized he hadn’t decided anything. Ushijima had lured him to have dinner with him like some hypnotic temptress.

Unfortunately, there was no escape from that point, so Oikawa decided to make the best of it. It’s not like he had to make conversation with the guy, there were three children at the table to speak to. Glancing up from his plate, however, he found everyone ravenously digging into their food as if they were starving. Bristling from his traitorous son enjoying a meal made by Ushijima, Oikawa straightened up and tried it himself, immediately humming with pleasure.

“This is delicious.”

“Thank you.”

Shit. Now I have to talk to him.

Oikawa cleared his throat and glanced at Ushijima from above Rei’s head. He realized that Ushijima had removed the adorable apron and Oikawa could see the way his shirt hugged the muscles underneath. It didn’t matter that Oikawa always knew he was attracted to both men and women; he never would have thought his mouth would water over Ushijima. 

“Um, so Ushiwa— Ushijima… What are you doing?”

“Eating dinner?”

Oikawa and Kouji snorted in unison and Rei bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“No, I mean for a living. You’re not still playing professionally, right?”

“Ah, no, I am not. I retired a couple of years ago, but now I am an assistant coach for Japan’s youth team. Currently, we’re scouting the new crop of first years.”

“Oh! Have you checked out Ikeda Haruki from Shinzen? It’s been a long time since I’ve found a Libero with that much skill.”

“No, I haven’t,” Ushijima said as he promptly pulled out a small notepad from his pocket and began writing. “I will have to watch one of his games.”

“Preliminaries are just around the corner but I’m not sure you’ll get a good scope of his skills until they work their way up to Interhigh.”

“I think it would be good to attend Preliminaries just to be sure. I assume you will be attending as well?”

“Uh, yeah, how did you know?”

“The magazine typically sends you for events such as this. I frequently read your articles.”

“You do?”

“Of course. Your predictions are usually accurate, and you have a good sense of real talent. You always have.”

Oikawa frowned as Ushijima resumed eating as if he hadn’t thrown such a flattering comment in his face. Had they been eighteen, Oikawa would have recoiled at it, but that was so many years ago. Most of his anger had dissipated with forgotten memories and he couldn’t help but feel pleased with the compliment, knowing how honest Ushijima could be.

He continued eating the delicious meal, enjoying the fact that he didn’t need to prepare it himself. In his peripheral vision, he saw Rei whispering up to Ushijima’s ear and he couldn’t resist peeking at the pair. Ushijima’s expression was tender as he listened to his daughter, his monstrous hand unbelievably gentle as he stroked down the back of her head. He smiled and chuckled at something she said, and Oikawa felt a strange prick in his heart, feeling suspiciously like Cupid’s arrow. 

He shook his head and looked away. The truth was, Oikawa didn’t have many friends with kids. Hanamaki settled down and had a couple, but he remained back in their hometown. Iwaizumi and Kiyoko talked about having kids but weren’t in any hurry to do so. Matsukawa was enjoying his single life and the freedom he had to travel, although he lamented not being able to have a dog like he always wanted.

Oikawa was too used to seeing his wife getting annoyed with Kouji and not spending any time with him that seeing Ushijima’s affection for his daughter was almost overwhelming. That was it, he just wasn’t used to it. It didn’t mean that Oikawa was attracted to the big oaf or anything. 

“Kouji, you finished already? You can help yourself to more if you’re still hungry.”

“Thanks, Ushijima-san!”

“Here, hold out your plate.”

Oikawa gaped as he watched Ushijima load a generous amount of food onto his son’s plate and the look of sheer joy from Kouji as a result. It was something simple, but he couldn’t remember the last time Kouji’s mother had made him smile. Oikawa snickered as Kouji shoveled the new pile of food into his mouth and wondered, not for the first time, where his son puts it all in that string-bean of a body of his. 

A light tapping noise drew Oikawa’s attention next to him where Rei was clicking her chopsticks against her plate. She was biting her lower lip and her eyebrows were creased tightly as if she was worried about something. With a quick glance around the table, it seems he was the only one who noticed, so he slouched in his seat to draw closer to her height and leaned over.

“Hey, are you alright, Rei-chan?”

She startled, her green eyes widening as she nodded quickly. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“I’m not buying that,” Oikawa said gently with a laugh. “Come on, you can tell me.”

“Um, it doesn’t have to be tonight, but I was wondering if you could help me.”

“Really? With what?”

“With setting.”

As she said it, she pursed her lips and stared at him, apparently bracing herself for a refusal. The sweet little girl had no clue that she could have asked him to murder someone and he’d probably find a way to do it, even if she is the progeny of Ushijima. It’s not like that was her fault.

“Of course, I can! Although, from what Kouji’s told me I’ll hardly have to teach you anything.”

“He’s exaggerating. Father always talks about how important setters are and I want to make sure I become the best one I can be.”

Oikawa couldn’t resist ruffling the top of her head, although not as forcefully as he ruffles Kouji’s head. “Hard work is very important, more important than being born a genius. But remember to enjoy every bit of it and rest when you need to, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. In that case, I’ll teach you everything I know.”

“Really?!” she gasped, her eyes shining up at him as if he’d given her the world and damn it Oikawa really wanted to. He was weak.

“Of course! But being a good setter’s only part of the equation; you have to find yourself a strong team as well.”

“Hmm, yes. Like Shiratorizawa,” Ushijima interjected.

Oikawa winced as his irritation suddenly spiked through the roof. Rei looked at him questioningly, so he pasted a smile on his face and patted her head reassuringly as he straightened up to acknowledge her father.

“Really? Shiratorizawa, a team that didn’t even make it to Nationals your third year. Don’t listen to your father, Rei-chan. You can aim higher than that.”

To his further irritation, Ushijima didn’t get angry at the jab. “It’s no use anyway, we are too far for her to attend there. At least, there are some worthy schools that are local, such as Itachiyama.”

“Nah, I think they’ve been slacking lately. You want her to go to Fukurodani.”

“Their coach is set to retire, however, and that may set it back a bit.”

“Yeah, but the assistant coach has been there for years and has practically taken over already. I’ve seen her training regimens and I was very impressed.”

“Really? Hm, then we’ll have to check that out. When we’re choosing schools for her, of course.”

Did he just say we? Maybe there is still a mom in the picture… either that or he was talking about Rei-chan.

Oikawa had to admit he was curious. It was always difficult to imagine someone like Ushijima in a relationship at all although it was easier now that they were older, and he could see his sweet camaraderie with his daughter. It would be rude to just ask, though, especially in front of the kids, so Oikawa made a mental note to ask Kouji if he knew later. 

His son, meanwhile, had already hijacked the conversation and was giving Ushijima the rundown on who he thought would make it to Nationals that year. Oikawa nearly quieted him down but a quick glance at Ushijima told him it wasn’t necessary. His old adversary had set his own nearly clean plate to the side and was giving Kouji his undivided attention. 

When Kouji started talking about his obsessions, there was little stopping him. Oikawa never minded himself, adoring the joy shining from Kouji’s big brown eyes. To others, however, it could grow tiresome, and it always irked him whenever someone chided Kouji for loving something too much or told him they didn’t care. He couldn’t count the number of times Ami had done just that.

After twenty minutes of Kouji talking about nothing but volleyball, the only one to get irritated about it was Daiki.

“Dude, can’t we talk about something else? Not all of us are total volleyball nerds.”

Silence fell around the table and Daiki glanced at every single one, searching for any little support and found none. Oikawa couldn’t help himself and snorted into his hand.

“Sorry, Daiki-kun. You might be the only non-volleyball nerd present at the moment.”

“Ugh, seriously?! Rei-chan, you too?”

“Yeah. It’s way more fun than basketball.”

Daiki’s jaw dropped and his hand trembled as it slowly clutched at his chest. “You really mean that?”

Kouji’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he patted his friend on the back. “Don’t worry. There are a ton of people at school who prefer basketball. It’s just something Rei-chan and I have in common.”

Oh man, he’s cruel. He must have gotten that from his mom, Oikawa thought, beaming with pride.

A soft touch on his shoulder drew his attention, and he turned to see Ushijima leaning over his daughter’s head toward him. The thought of edging closer to Ushijima should have been repulsive, but Oikawa thought nothing of it as he leaned in and gave Ushijima his ear.

“I made something for dessert, but I didn’t want to say anything in case you’d rather Kouji not have any so late.”

“Oh, it should be fine. I think it would be the perfect change in subject.”

Ushijima huffed out a laugh, his warm breath caressing Oikawa’s ear and Oikawa shivered, finding the sensation strangely appealing. He gulped as Ushijima squeezed his shoulder gently and moved back, already grabbing up empty plates.

“Would you boys like some cupcakes? Rei helped me decorate them earlier.”

The boys cheered and without any prompting helped Ushijima clear the table. Oikawa took a moment to feel Kouji’s head to make sure he was feeling alright, but his son simply shrugged him off with an eye roll.

“I can be nice. We are guests after all.”

“Just making sure,” Oikawa laughed and watched the boys trail after Ushijima like a mama duck with her little ducklings. While they were occupied in the kitchen, Oikawa took the chance to talk quietly with Rei about volleyball and setting. 

He thought at first that she was very shy; Kouji had even mentioned before that she was. Perhaps it was being near her father in her own house, but Oikawa didn’t have any difficulty at all getting her to open up. By the time the others returned with fresh dessert plates and a tray of cupcakes, Rei was chattering away, even using her arms to gesture a certain move. 

Oikawa glanced up when he noticed Ushijima hadn’t moved for a few moments, frozen in place by the table. As if seeing Rei blossoming before his eyes hadn’t melted Oikawa’s heart already, seeing the soft smile playing on Ushijima’s lips as he gazed at her in wonder obliterated it completely. Ushijima shouldn’t be soft or polite, but Oikawa couldn’t deny that he was. 

Ushijima startled when he noticed Oikawa’s gaze and his raised eyebrows.

“Sorry, here you go. Everyone help yourself,” he said quickly, setting the tray in the middle. Oikawa waited until the kids all snatched a cupcake of their own, nervous about getting his hand slapped. Ushijima also wasn’t in any hurry, settling in his chair and wrapping his arm around Rei to give her a half hug. Rei tolerated it for a minute until she huffed and glared up at him. Ushijima chuckled and released her before he suffered a real punishment for embarrassing her in front of her friends. 

“Oh, Oikawa. I made you a cup of coffee if you wanted it,” he said, picking a small mug off the tray and handing it over. Oikawa accepted it in surprise, realizing as he smelled the invigorating aroma how much he really needed it. 

“Thank you. I would like some.”

“You seemed tired.”

Oikawa hummed as he took a sip, closing his eyes a moment to savor the taste. “I’m exhausted. Three games today on top of being worried about the kids.”

“Yes, I can see that all taking a toll. If things get too difficult, you can always rely on me as well, if you need to.”

Rely on him, he said. It was always a struggle for Oikawa to relinquish control and accept the support of another human being. Just allowing Kouji to stay with Daiki for the day ended up going awry, although that was hardly anyone’s fault. It was just fate working against them. 

But Oikawa was tired and really starting to relax in Ushijima’s house, sipping his coffee as his son smiled at him with icing on his nose. He chuckled and sat his cup gently on the table, tipping his head to the side to smile at Ushijima Wakatoshi. The world sure was a strange place.

As a single parent, Oikawa had naturally restrained himself when it came to interacting with other people, a complete flip from what he was like in high school and college. It wasn’t something he regretted, and he rarely lost himself in nostalgia for raging parties and clubbing all night. That was fun then, but Oikawa recoiled at the thought of doing that sort of thing at his age.

His social circle typically revolved around other parents and Iwaizumi, occasionally meeting up with old high school or college friends. He liked the simplicity of his life, caring for Kouji and enjoying the serenity of the evening after Kouji went to bed. How easily Ushijima slipped into his life after their abrupt reunion was completely beyond him.

It started slow, bumping into each other when they picked up their kids and deciding to all go to dinner together. From there, the invitations to each other’s homes began, spending the evening watching movies or helping each other’s kids with their homework. Oikawa took particular delight over the fact that Ushijima was shit at maths. But hearing him help Kouji with his reading material, reciting worn-out poems in his deep voice and giving it fresh meaning to Oikawa stirred things inside him that he thought no longer existed.

“Oikawa-san?” Rei asked, startling him from his stupor caused by Ushijima’s hypnotic reading.

“Yeah? What’s wrong, Rei-chan?”

She pressed her lips tight and held up a workbook, half-done with rough scribbles in the margins. “I just can’t figure it out.”

Oikawa smiled and patted the sofa cushion next to him. “Come on, we’ll work it out together.” He glanced over the workbook and winced as he read through the problems. “Yikes, you’re this far already?”

“Yes, that was my reaction as well,” Ushijima chimed in, hanging his head with a sigh. “I haven’t been any help at all.”

Oikawa snorted. “It’s okay, it’s a cinch as long as you have the right formula. Did your teacher give you those already?”

“I have them on notecards… somewhere,” she finished in a whisper, her gaze falling away as she was no doubt trying to remember where. 

“I believe they are in the study, Rei, where we last attempted your homework.”

“Oh yes! That’s where they are.”

“Here, I’ll grab them. I know this one at least,” Oikawa said, pulling her workbook aside to jot down the formula in the margin. “Now work on that and I’ll grab the rest of them.”

“Thank you, Oikawa-san!”

Oikawa preened from her gratitude and grinned at the other two. Kouji rolled his eyes and continued to work on his own homework, leaving Oikawa disappointed. He was starting to debate leaving Kouji behind and taking Rei home with him instead. Ushijima, however, gave him an appreciative smile and gestured toward a closed door across the hall.

With a groan, Oikawa stood up and stretched toward the ceiling as he lumbered around the coffee table. It only took him a few steps to reach the door and as soon as he opened it, he was hit in the face by the comforting smell of old books. There were rows and rows of them, fitted around the small and tidy room. There was one slim desk against the far wall and Oikawa spotted the notecards in question in a messy stack on the corner of it. 

He chuckled as he gathered them up in his hand and took another glance around the room. There was a growing suspicion in his mind that Ushijima was a great reader, but to have this many books was impressive. Oikawa himself wasn’t into literature, but he did enjoy sitting down from time to time with a gripping novel. 

The room itself was comfortable, lit just enough to read the printed words on a page but not bright enough to induce a headache. Oikawa started for the door, his eyes snatching titles as he passed by to peruse later when he froze mid-step. On the opposite wall of the desk was a simple household altar, holding a couple slim vases with fresh flowers with a picture frame in the center. Overcome with insatiable curiosity, Oikawa moved closer and bent forward to get a better look. 

The young woman in the photo was lovely; that was the easiest way to describe her. She had long dark hair that flowed down her back in easy waves. Her smile was natural, cheeks puffed out and her nose scrunched in what seemed to be mid-laugh. She seemed sweet, the kind of person anyone would have wanted as a friend.

Oikawa frowned as he studied the photo. It suddenly hit him that he was trespassing on a piece of knowledge that hadn’t been given yet. Kouji hadn’t known what had happened to Rei’s mother, just that she rarely mentioned her. Oikawa hadn’t had a clue if it was the result of a bitter divorce or an even harder loss. Realizing that it was the latter didn’t make him feel relieved to finally know the truth. It made him feel sick.

“Oikawa?”

Oikawa gasped and straightened up, guilt flooding his cheeks with heat as he stepped away from the altar. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. I found Rei-chan’s cards and I was just—”

“You’re fine,” Ushijima interrupted calmly, stepping further into the room to join Oikawa. His eyes fell on the picture as he sighed. “I don’t want you to think we’re hiding her in here, like she’s some secret. We put her in here because this was her favorite room. She was always so happy in here.”

“I don’t blame her. It’s comfortable, and you’d never run out of things to read.”

Ushijima smiled, his eyes remaining on the photo of his wife. “She liked to read more than I did. It’s actually how we met, in a literature course.”

“Really? She wasn’t a sports nut like you?”

Ushijima chuckled and bumped his arm against Oikawa’s. “No, she hated sports. Most of the people in that course did and all of them seemed rather leery of me. I never understood it.”

Oikawa laughed, unable to stop himself. “Yeah, I can’t imagine any normal person being intimidated by you.”

“I’m going to assume that was sarcasm. She wasn’t intimidated. In fact, I think she homed in on me because I seemed like a loner and she always hated the idea of anyone being alone. Anytime we had to pick a partner she would nearly pounce on me. She was quite spunky for one so small.”

“In my experience, the shorter the spunkier.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s accurate. Anyway, that was just the start. We became friends and although I never took the time for romance before, I found myself falling in love with her. Once she fell into cahoots with Tendou, I couldn’t have escaped even if I wanted to.”

Like a radiant sunset sinking into the ocean with unimaginable colors painting across the sky, Ushijima’s warmth and fondness were mesmerizing to Oikawa. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, even as they grew hot with threatening tears. Taking a long, steadying breath, he was able to keep them at bay as he leaned into Ushijima’s side.

“I’m really happy you found her.”

As soon as he said it, he wondered if those were the right words. It was like that phrase people say, better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, a saying that Oikawa always hated. There was a time he had loved Ami and he had been certain she loved him back. Having that ripped away from him burned hotter than fire. 

Ushijima, on the other hand, turned toward Oikawa and slowly pulled him into a hug. Relief washed over him and he melted into Ushijima’s embrace. His body was so warm, it soothed all of Oikawa’s anxiety and even made him feel a little drowsy. 

When Ushijima pulled him a little tighter, he could feel the hardened muscles beneath his dress shirt, a sign that Ushijima was keeping fit even after his career had ended. Suddenly the wholesome moment was shattered for Oikawa and he was having trouble holding back his brain from sailing straight into the gutter. He winced and glanced past Ushijima’s shoulder at the photo of his wife, sending her a mental apology for his racing pulse and the filthy mental images of her husband that had suddenly fluttered through his mind. 

To his relief, Ushijima pulled back before he could explode, still gripping Oikawa’s arms as he murmured, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For recognizing how much she meant to me. I think many people do not understand.”

“I see. Well, she seemed like an amazing person. I’m kind of jealous I never had the chance to know her.”

“I wish you could have as well.” Ushijima frowned suddenly, catching Oikawa off-guard. “Although, I feel like you two would have brought out the worst in each other. She did like to tease.”

Oikawa snickered and gave Ushijima a pat on the back. “It’s okay. That just means she enjoyed every bit of you, even the silly parts. I know that’s what I usually do.”

“Oh? Since you delight in picking on me in particular, can I infer that you enjoy me as well?”

“I—” Oikawa stopped, mouth hanging slack as Ushijima cocked his head, his lips quirking at the corners. Oikawa frowned and took a step closer, a distance that should have made either of them uncomfortable but neither seemed to mind in the slightest. “You… are far more devious than most people give you credit for.”

Ushijima’s smile grew, crinkling the corners of his eyes. “I think perhaps I’ve been influenced over the past fifteen years or so. Does that bother you?”

“No. I like it.”

Ushijima’s soft laugh puffed against Oikawa’s cheek, as gentle as a kiss. “Good. I think, perhaps, we should go back to the other room. They’re unnervingly quiet.”

Oikawa winced and gestured for Ushijima to lead the way. “Yeah, Kouji being quiet is never good. But Rei-chan’s an angel, she wouldn’t get into trouble.”

Ushijima paused in the open door and looked back at him. Although his face seemed as impassive as ever, Oikawa could feel sympathy vibes emanating from his calm gaze.

“I’m afraid to inform you that you’ve been greatly deceived. Rei is adeptly skilled at winding people around her little finger and I’m afraid it may be too late for you.”

“Oh no, what a horrifying fate,” Oikawa laughed. “What about you? Does Daddy give her whatever she wants?”

Shit… I enjoyed saying that a little too much.

Ushijima smiled and glanced across the hall where Rei was working on her math problems. “Not everything, but I do indulge her more than I ever thought I would as a father.”

“Don’t take it too hard. At least she doesn’t abuse it. Really, Ushijima, she’s a great kid. You’ve raised her well.”

Ushijima’s lips parted in surprise and Oikawa wondered with a shock if he had said too much. He regretted nothing, however, as Ushijima’s cheeks blossomed with pink and he bashfully scratched the back of his head. 

“Thank you. I always hope I’m doing the right things for her, and I’ve been fortunate to have Karen’s parents around since mine are not.” 

Hmm, Karen. That must have been his wife’s name.

“You, as well, Oikawa,” Ushijima continued, giving Oikawa’s shoulder a firm squeeze before leaving the room entirely. “You have raised Kouji well without much assistance.”

“I’ve done alright. It’s difficult when he misbehaves, showing off the rotten behavior that Uncle Iwa-chan influenced.”

Kouji glanced up from his book and rolled his eyes. “And Iwachan-san would say I take after you.” 

“He’s a liar, of course.”

“I always thought Iwaizumi would be more of the trustworthy type,” Ushijima mused, sharing a not-so-subtle smile with Kouji as he sat next to him.

“That just goes to show that you hardly know him!” Oikawa waved off the pair of eye rolls on the sofa (he’d never seen Ushijima do that) and flopped back on the cushion next to Rei, ceremoniously handing her the notecards. “Here you are, my Lady! How’d you do on that last one? Perfect! You’ll be teaching the class soon, putting your poor teacher out of a job.”

Rei giggled as she tucked her face behind her shoulder. “I just did what you told me to do.”

“See what happens when someone does what I tell them?” Oikawa asked rhetorically, although he sent Kouji a fiendish smile fit for a demon. Kouji groaned in response but Ushijima gazed at him thoughtfully.

“If that’s the case, perhaps you should be helping Kouji with his poetry?”

“I— er…” Oikawa stammered, scratching the side of his head. Kouji stifled a fit of laughter and Oikawa was about to pout when he spied a smirk rising on Ushijima’s lips. “Are you actually making fun of me, Ushijima?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You totally called him out on his shit,” Kouji snickered behind his hand. Oikawa’s glare quieted him in an instant.

“Language.”

“Sorry. He totally did though.”

Oikawa huffed as he stuck his nose in the air and shuffled in his seat until he was pointing more toward Rei. Everything settled down as both pairs focused back on the homework, desperate to finish so they could all relax the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, Rei’s math homework took much longer than expected and she had barely finished before her head started to nod. Oikawa was just about to shake her shoulder gently when her whole body slumped against him, her breaths spaced and shallow with sleep.

“Um, Ushijima?” he whispered. Kouji had already finished his work and the pair were watching an old volleyball game on Ushijima’s tablet. They both glanced up as Ushijima paused the video, and he gave Oikawa an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry, she tends to do that.”

“It’s no problem. Do you want me to wake her, or…?”

“At this point, it would be impossible,” he chuckled. Oikawa smiled, enjoying that deep rumble more and more. He shifted so Rei naturally fell against his arm and he was able to hook his other arm underneath her legs.

“Ah, she’s so light compared to Kouji!”

“Dad, stop.”

Ushijima laughed softly again as he stood up, his arms opening to take Rei. “Here, I can take it from here. It won’t take me long.”

“Yeah, when you get back, we’ll probably get going. It’s late.”

“Aww,” Kouji groaned. Ushijima caught Oikawa’s eye as they both smiled wider. Oikawa’s face fell, however, as Ushijima stepped closer to him again and slipped his arms alongside his own. They both had their sleeves rolled up, allowing their skin to press together. Suddenly Oikawa’s heart was racing, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to pull away quickly or push closer to Ushijima before he took Rei. The moment was gone before he could even decide, and Ushijima was turning around with Rei snuggled against his broad chest.

Oikawa stood frozen, staring at Ushijima’s retreating back with an overwhelming amount of regret. 

“Dad, are you okay?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I just remembered something I have to do later.”

Kouji shrugged him off and continued watching Ushijima’s tablet. Oikawa rubbed his chest, willing his heart to stop racing but it didn’t seem to want to listen. It was too quick, too complicated. It was fine when they had first ventured into this pseudo-friendship they had going on, helping each other with their kids. Before he had even realized it, Oikawa started to feel more and that was incredibly dangerous considering their circumstances.

When they finally said goodnight to Ushijima, Oikawa kept it simple and didn’t offer up another time for them to get together. With any luck, maybe some space would clear Oikawa’s head and they could once again spend time with the Ushijima’s with no threat of growing too attached.

Oikawa had meant to take some time away from the Ushijima’s, but truthfully Fate had that in mind for him all along as their schedule was soon packed tight. Even Kouji had lessons and projects keeping him busy every evening and it was everything they could do to stay on top of everything. For two weeks straight they went from one thing to the next, never having the chance to spend some time with Ushijima or Rei. 

Oikawa had received a text from him from time to time and to his surprise, his heart sank every time he typed back that they were too busy and wished things would calm down soon. He was starting to become jealous over Kouji who at least got to see Rei at school. It got to the point where Oikawa would pick him up from school and linger around a little bit, glancing through the crowds for a familiar figure. Regrettably, he wasn’t able to catch sight of Ushijima and he pouted to himself the rest of the car ride home.

“Dad?”

“Hm?”

“Do you miss Ushijima-san?”

“Huh?!”

“Watch the road!”

“I am! What do you mean by that?”

"Well, you’ve been really down since we haven’t hung out with them. You keep looking for him too.”

“I wasn’t looking for him.”

“Then who?”

“Uh, your teacher! I wanted to talk about how poorly you’ve been doing in school lately.”

“My scores are nearly perfect.”

“Tch. Show off.”

“Come on, why can’t you admit it?”

“Because it’s weird.”

“There’s nothing weird about missing someone. It just means you’re close and you like them. Is that so wrong?”

Oikawa sighed, not sure how to answer Kouji. He wasn’t prepared to admit he liked Ushijima. Maybe if he was certain it was just as friends, he could have managed that. It wasn’t about an old grudge anymore or what they were like as stupid teenagers. He was an adult now, one with experience that could easily tell the difference between friendship and more. And more was dangerous territory.

His heart had been shattered by Ami and getting back into dating after just never appealed to him. Even if he wanted to, it was vastly more complicated than before when it was just him that he needed to worry about. Kouji was a huge factor and the thought of liking someone who didn’t click with his son was a great fear of his. 

But Ushijima and Kouji are already getting close, like two peas in a pod.

“It’s not wrong, Kouji,” he answered finally after several minutes of silence. “It is complicated though. Two separate families with their own baggage; it’s not easy to mix that together and I’m not even sure Ushijima wants to.”

“Yeah, he does. You should see his face whenever you and Rei are getting along. He’s even snapped a few pictures on his phone when you weren’t looking.”

“He has not.”

“Yes, he has! And I’ve seen you do the same.”

“Of course, I have. I’m always taking pictures on my phone.”

“The point is,” Kouji hissed, “is that you both like spending time together. Rei and I like spending time together and it’s really pissing Daiki off, which is hilarious.”

“You both are very cruel.”

“We’re not cruel, he’s just being dumb. Now stop interrupting,” he huffed, and Oikawa held back a snort at his indignance. “I really like Ushijima-san. He’s a big strong guy who could probably take anybody on, but he’s really nice and I’ve never been afraid of him. That one day you had to leave me at his house because you had a game, he spent the day teaching us how to garden. Dad, I swear to God, a butterfly landed on his finger.”

“A butterfly?”

“Yes, and he gently put it on a flower without even bending one of its tiny legs. He may actually be a Disney princess, I don’t know. But I think he’s cool, and I know you do too.”

“I wouldn’t say cool. He’s a bit of a dork.”

“You said that with a really embarrassing smile on your face.”

“Stop looking at me.”

“Or what, I might see you blush?”

Oikawa opened his mouth, ready to unleash some kind of clever retort that he was certain could end the conversation. Luckily, he didn’t need to think of anything as his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw the name Nakahara Misaki flash across it. It took him a minute to recognize it until suddenly it hit him; she was his contact at the Japan Volleyball Association, and he answered it quickly with a quick shh to Kouji.

“Hello?”

“Oikawa-san? It’s good to talk to you after so long!”

“Yes, it’s good to hear from you as well. Were you wanting to set up some interviews? I’m actually in my car at the moment.”

“Not currently, no. I was calling because we are setting up an impromptu volleyball clinic this weekend for elementary school students. We’re having current and retired athletes sign up to volunteer their assistance and I was wondering if you’d like to participate.”

Oikawa grinned as he watched the road, seeing Kouji lean forward in his peripheral vision. “Yeah, I’d be happy to help. One question though, are sign-ups for the clinic closed already?”

“Nope! As long as we have enough volunteers, we’ll even accept students at the door.”

“Perfect, my son is just the right age and is somewhat of a volleyball nut.”

“Wonder where he got that from?” she laughed. “I’ll email you the information and the contact number to sign him up. I look forward to seeing you again!”

“Yeah, you too.”

As soon as the screen went black, Kouji cheered. “Yes! That sounds amazing. Maybe I can learn from real middle blockers.”

“What, my teaching isn’t good enough?”

“It’ll only get me so far. Besides, this is the perfect chance to hang out with Ushijima-san and Rei!”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Oikawa murmured, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. Kouji reached over and patted his arm.

“It’s going to be okay. There’s no need to be nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” Oikawa spat, lying through his teeth. From the unimpressed look his son was giving him, it was obvious as well.

When they got home, he was finally left alone by his nosey son and went about making some dinner. While Kouji was consumed with getting his homework done quickly, Oikawa turned his back to him and slipped his phone out to text Ushijima.

Oikawa: Have you heard from JVA yet? I’m volunteering for their elementary school clinic next weekend

He set the phone down by the stove and vigorously stirred the food sizzling in the pan, trying to focus on something other than his nerves. It was almost as bad as being a teenager again. Hell, it was worse.

He startled and nearly dropped his spatula when the text notification came through. He stole another glance at Kouji who only looked up to glare at Oikawa before returning to his work. 

Once he learns to bash his head into mine, I can definitely blame that look on Iwa-chan.

Ushijima: Yes, they called earlier today. I’m volunteering and I signed Rei up for it as well. Will Kouji be playing?

Oikawa: Yeah, the punk had the nerve to be excited over learning from real middle blockers

Ushijima: He has a point

Oikawa made an offended noise and screwed up his face as he started to type out a retort.

Ushijima: ;)

Oikawa stared at the screen and felt his heat rush into his cheeks. He glanced at the stove to make sure it wasn’t on fire and without that as an excuse, he whined and buried his face into his hands.

“Dad? You okay?”

Oikawa lifted his face with a deep breath and continued stirring before the food burned. “Yes! Everything’s fine.”

“Your voice is weird.”

“Do your homework.”

“Ugh, fine.”

Once he had calmed down and he had turned the temperature down on the stove, he slipped his phone back up to type a response.

Oikawa: Whatever (๑˃̵౪˂) You’re just lucky Rei-chan will be ahead of the game since I’ve already taught her setting skills

Ushijima: I am very appreciative of that. She’s so excited she can hardly sit still

Oikawa beamed at the vision of Rei bouncing with glee.

Oikawa: Well, I’m glad you both will be there. It’s been a while

Ushijima: It has. We’ve missed you both

Oh no, Oikawa thought as he set the phone down and tried to finish dinner. His instinct was to type it back, we miss you too, but he wasn’t sure if it was time to say it. It seemed so official, that kind of acknowledgment. But Ushijima had already said it, opened the door. To just leave it open and leave him hanging…

Oikawa slammed his spatula down, took the pan off the heat and snatched his phone back up.

Oikawa: Same here. See you then!

“Dad? Why is your face all red?”

“It’s from cooking. Can you set the table?”

“Sure,” Kouji answered, trying not to smile as he gathered the dishes. Oikawa decided he wasn’t enjoying this side of his son, the one that didn’t believe a word he said. Perhaps it’s a phase?

Regardless, both enjoyed their dinner with their improved mood. There was a lot to look forward to, playing volleyball and seeing Ushijima and Rei again. The only thing dampening Oikawa’s mood was the acknowledgment that Kouji was right and he had to admit that he liked Ushijima. Now he just had to figure out what to do about it.

Oikawa raced his son up the steps, both bursting with an obscene amount of energy. It had been forever since he’d played volleyball himself and it was always fun teaching kids the joys of playing his favorite sport. He was excited for Kouji and he wondered if some of the kids he met here at the clinic would one day be a part of his team, or perhaps a rival. There was so much for Kouji to enjoy in the future, and it filled Oikawa with warm nostalgia remembering his days at Seijoh and the team who was like family to him.

He paused just inside the gym doors, gazing at the array of activity and the blessed sound of volleyballs being smacked to the ground and carts being rolled between the courts. Breathing in the smells of the gym (that didn’t contain the aroma of sweat just yet), Oikawa basked in the atmosphere as Kouji stared at the courts and up toward the high ceiling.

“Wow… this is awesome.”

“Yeah, it is.” Oikawa wrapped his arm around Kouji’s shoulder and gave him a squeeze. “Let’s get you signed in.”

“Okay.”

“You nervous?”

“A little, but I think I’ll feel better once I get to play.”

“That’s the spirit! I’ve known some players in college that always had pre-game jitters.”

“Really?! Were they bad?”

“Nope. To be honest, they were usually the best. Especially—”

“Oikawa-saaaaan!” 

Oikawa froze at the familiar voice, pushing Kouji a safe distance away before he was attacked. “Oof!” he grunted as a shorty made of pure muscle and sunshine barreled into him.

“I knew you would come! Kei didn’t think you would!”

“Well, here I am,” Oikawa groaned as he struggled to take a breath. “You’re heavier than you used to be Shou, can you give me a break?”

“Sure!”

Hinata Shoyou bounced off and grinned up at him. It had been a few years since he’d seen him last, covering one of his games for the magazine. Despite being part of the fearsome duo of Karasuno, Hinata ended up at the same college as Oikawa once he graduated and they became good friends. Oikawa beamed down at him and ruffled his hair, despite the fact that Hinata was a grown man in his thirties. He didn’t seem to mind as he closed his eyes and laughed.

“Dad?”

“Oh, Kouji! This is perfect, you wanted to meet a real middle blocker. Well, here he is!”

Oikawa bit his lip as he tried to hold back his laughter, watching his son who was in elementary school walk up to Hinata in wonder, who wasn’t much taller than he was.

“You’re a middle blocker?”

“I am!” Hinata announced proudly, puffing out his chest which was remarkably broad for someone his height.

“But… you’re so short,” Kouji said in a hushed voice and then glanced at Oikawa in alarm, realizing that might have been too rude to say out loud. But as Hinata laughed and gave him a shrug, Kouji relaxed.

“I may be short, but I can fly! That’s something even these tall, beanpoles can’t do.”

“Are you actually referring to me?” a cool voice said behind him, and they all turned to see Tsukishima Kei gliding up to their group. Oikawa didn’t know him as well as Hinata since he had played on a different team. It was impossible not to notice the sparks and long-seeded chemistry between Tsukishima and Hinata, even as they battled each other as rivals. Their current relationship status was confirmed for Oikawa as Hinata giggled and leaned back against the towering blonde. 

“Not you specifically. Although there’s no way you could jump as high as I could. You’d get tuckered out.”

Tsukishima clicked his tongue and caught Hinata in a chokehold. Ignoring the sputtering wheezes from his boyfriend, Tsukishima leaned down toward Kouji and gave him a smirk.

“If you want to learn actual middle blocker skills, you’d be better off learning from me. This maniac is still more interested in spiking and being distracting rather than blocking.”

“I’d like to learn everything I can!” Kouji said excitedly, apparently not put off by Hinata’s face turning into a tomato right in front of him. To Oikawa’s surprise, Tsukishima smiled and nodded approvingly at Kouji.

“Good. It’s best to know every skill you can. By my third year of high school, I could also set better than setters from other teams.”

“Ha!” Hinata choked as he finally wiggled out of Tsukishima’s arms. He took a deep cleansing breath and smirked up at his boyfriend. “You could never beat Kageyama though.”

“Ah, that’s because Tobio-kun is a rare enigma who'd marry a volleyball if it was ever legal,” Oikawa interrupted, earning a snort from Tsukishima and a glare from Hinata.

“That’s not true, and you know it.”

“I do, I just like to make fun of him whenever I can,” Oikawa said with a wave. “We better hurry up, looks like more kids are coming in.” 

Before Oikawa could usher Kouji to the sign-in table, Tsukishima and Hinata snatched him away first. He could understand Hinata fighting over Kouji’s attention, but it was amusing to Oikawa watching Tsukishima get involved as well. It was possible, however, that he was only doing it to piss Hinata off and considering Oikawa adored getting under people’s skin like that, he could hardly blame him.

As soon as they were signed in, all the kids were separated into groups to rotate through the courts, each one set-up to teach the kids about certain rules of volleyball and the different positions. It was then that Oikawa finally spotted Ushijima guiding Rei to her own group. He frowned, noticing that she wasn’t in Kouji’s. There was no doubt Kouji would get along great with kids he didn’t know, being the social butterfly that he was. He couldn’t help feeling worried about Rei who was so quiet and shy.

He watched as Ushijima spoke to her softly and when she nodded, Ushijima dropped a kiss on her head and wandered to a different court. She bit her lip as soon as his back was turned, and Oikawa wished she was at least starting off on the same court as he was. The other kids bounced around her, chatting loudly, and she looked a little lost until she caught Oikawa’s eye.

He smiled and waved, feeling his heart swell three times bigger when she lit up at the sight of him. She grinned and waved back, catching Hinata’s attention as he wandered through her group. He crouched next to her, startling her for a moment until they both pointed at Oikawa and started talking enthusiastically.

Oikawa snorted and shook his head. There would be nothing to worry about if she had Hinata as her first group leader. He finally tore his eyes away from her and searched the rest of the gym, naturally picking out Ushijima amongst the crowd. Butterflies erupted in his stomach as their gaze met and Ushijima smiled back at him. 

An urge to run across the courts and throw his arms around Ushijima took hold of him. He wanted to hear the deep timbre of his voice resonating in his ear. To feel the heat of his body pressing against his through their clothes. It felt like ages since he’d seen him last, how had he become this pathetic? 

Thankfully, the bunch of kids bouncing around him pulled his attention away from Ushijima before he really embarrassed himself. It was difficult holding their attention to go over the rules, but Oikawa was used to the attention span of an elementary school student. He kept everything simple and got the kids on their feet as soon as he could, allowing them to expunge as much energy as possible since they were about to explode. 

After each group went through the rules, they explained each of the different positions and how they worked together. Then, they could go into depth on the position they were most experienced with. Oikawa had his work cut out for him since setting wasn’t usually the first position kids gravitated toward. Most of them wanted to spike the ball hard and score the point, which was understandable even if you weren’t a child with an outrageous amount of energy. But as he went into detail about how cool setting can be, he at least convinced a few that it was worth learning. 

Two cycles later, and Oikawa finally had Rei in his group. She weaved through the other kids and jumped into his arms, her giggles sounding like the sweetest music to him.

“I missed you, Oikawa-san!”

“Aww, I missed you, Rei-chan!” he cried, twirling her around. “Are you ready to learn more about setting? Don’t be cocky now since you know more than the others.”

Rei pulled back and stuck out her lip at him. “I’m never cocky. Just confident.”

“It’s like you’re a miniature Ushijima, I can’t believe it.”

“I am a miniature Ushijima.”

“Hmm, that explains things. Okay! Time to show the others how it’s done.”

Rei shivered with excitement, and when he put her down, she bounced back to the kids without a hint of nervousness. Oikawa nearly teared up with pride and he had to remind himself that she wasn’t even his kid. Of course, her group seemed a bit calmer than the first one and he imagined being around kids with a similar temperament helped her comfort level immensely.

All of them were keen to learn how to set as well, automatically making them Oikawa’s favorite group of the day (which had nothing to do with Rei being part of it, nope). The only problem he encountered with them was completely his own fault. He couldn’t resist using Rei as an example in front of the others since he knew she already knew the basics and was already blossoming in her skills. Luckily, the other kids didn’t think anything of his favoritism and applauded Rei when she was able to set a ball perfectly back to Oikawa.

The clinic only lasted for half the day, ending early afternoon. By the end of it, however, Oikawa was exhausted. He waved to the kids as they sprinted off to meet their parents and sighed, feeling as if he could just lay down on the gym floor and fall asleep. It wasn’t a bad feeling though. The burn in his muscles was gratifying, filling him with wistful nostalgia. He really needed to play more often.

“Dad! Dad, over here!”

Oikawa frowned and turned toward Kouji’s voice that was loud enough to fill the expanse of the gym. There was one court that remained in-tact with Ushijima and Rei on one side and Kouji, Hinata, and Tsukishima on the other. A few more of the adult volleyball players lingered around as well, some familiar to Oikawa and others a bit more fresh-faced. 

With a stretch and a groan, Oikawa jogged across the gym toward the group that was looking a little too excited for his current energy level. Since Ushijima and Rei were closer, he automatically slipped beside them, catching Ushijima’s eye as he did so.

“Hey, long time no see,” he murmured quietly, relishing in Ushijima’s answering chuckle.

“Yeah, too long.”

To resist releasing a girlish giggle, Oikawa turned his attention to his son, who was waiting impatiently between the other two.

“Alright, what was it you wanted to show me?”

“Tsukishima-san and Hinata-san said they’d work with me a little longer on blocking! Do you want to help?”

“Sure, but how are you going to do it?”

“You throw a ball to Rei, she sets for Ushijima-san, because she wants to practice as well. Then he tries to spike it and I’m going to block him!”

“I’m sorry, you’re going to what now?”

“Block Ushijima-san! I can do it!”

“It’s true!” Hinata piped in as the gears in Oikawa’s head continued to turn. “I know Kouji can block him!”

“That’s rich, coming from you since you were never able to block him yourself.”

“Shut up, Kei. You were able to, at least.”

“That’s true. I’m glad you’re finally able to admit that I am a better middle blocker.”

 Hinata squawked and the duo fell into more bickering over Kouji’s head. Oikawa glanced at Ushijima, raising his eyebrows in question.

“You’re going to try getting a spike past my son?”

“Yes, I think I can manage it,” Ushijima answered, a slight smile forming on his lips.

“I know you can do it, but do you think you can do it without breaking my son's fingers?”

Ushijima’s expression grew serious as he turned to face him. There was hardly any sweat dappling his skin, but Oikawa could tell he was properly warmed-up with the heat radiating between them. It was intoxicating and he had to fight every impulse not to take one step closer.

“Do you think I would ever hurt Kouji?”

“Not intentionally. I know what kind of power your spikes wield.”

“Thank you, but I can also hold myself back. I promise that I’ll be gentle with it.”

Oikawa felt guilty bringing it up when he saw how seriously Ushijima had taken his comment. He didn’t want him thinking that he didn’t trust him or that he thought for a moment that Ushijima would hurt Kouji. Grasping Ushijima’s arm, Oikawa gave him a reassuring smile.

“Easy, I’m just teasing you. I trust you.”

“Good,” Ushijima sighed, his body sagging with relief. Oikawa couldn’t resist giving his arm another squeeze and started to wonder if he should give him a hug, just to make sure. A cough on the other side of the net, however, interrupted the intimate moment like a brick through a window.

“Oikawa-san, they’re wanting to tear this court down, so we should probably get on with it,” Tsukishima said with an irritating smirk on his face.

“Yeah, Dad. Let’s do this!”

“Whoooooo!” Hinata cheered with him and they bounced around the court into position. Oikawa laughed nervously as he moved away from Ushijima, aware of how cool the air felt when they weren’t right next to each other. He raised his hand at one of the other players hanging out on the sideline and he tossed Oikawa a volleyball. 

Oikawa glanced up to view everyone else on the court, making sure they were ready. Rei’s eyes were alert, and he filled with pride at her excellent stance. He gave her a nod as he twirled the volleyball between his palms, waiting until she gave him a nod back. Taking a breath to focus, Oikawa released the ball in an arc that sailed perfectly toward Rei’s awaiting fingers.

It was surreal, watching Ushijima rush into position by the net with him on the same side. It truly was a beautiful sight. Had he not been so bitter in his youth, perhaps back then he could have enjoyed it more. But nothing stopped him from admiring his perfect form as he jumped to meet the ball Rei sent him. 

Oikawa gasped as Kouji jumped on the other side of the net, nestled between Tsukishima and Hinata, who wasn’t jumping at his full potential. He had seen Kouji block before with higher skill than any elementary school Oikawa had ever seen before. This was different. His son’s focus was keen as Ushijima smacked the ball over the net and at the last second Kouji’s hand moved to hit it back. The ball slammed against the court floor, a few feet from where Oikawa was standing.

The gym was silent for a moment, the ball dribbling unheeded behind them. It was an incredibly soft spike for Ushijima, everyone knew that. Even so, Kouji had acted quickly and with precision. The fact that he could block anything at his age was incredible, and to block Ushijima? 

Oikawa was the first to move as he charged underneath the net and swept his gangly son up into his arms. “Yesssss!!! Oikawa beat Ushijima!! The mighty eagle has been plucked like a chicken, ha ha ha!” 

“Gwahhhhh, Kouji, that was amazing!”

“The kid blocked Ushijma and you still haven’t done it.”

“Stupidshima!” 

“Dad, put me down!” Kouji laughed, blushing as everyone in the gym joined in with applause and cheers. 

Oikawa refused to put him down, however, even as he paused by the net, pulled down on his cheek and stuck his tongue out at Ushijima.

“Bleh! How does it feel, loser?”

Ushijima, despite the heckling, laughed and beamed at Kouji. “Not bad. I’m very proud of him. That was a difficult block to pull off, especially for someone his age.”

“Ugh, can’t you ever be disappointed?”

“Sometimes, but not about this.”

“Dad, this is really embarrassing. Can you put me down?”

“Fine, but that was really amazing.”

“Thanks,” Kouji said, rubbing his arm bashfully as Hinata ruffled his hair. Oikawa spied Rei on the other side of the net, giggling at everyone else’s antics. Before she could move, Oikawa dove back under the net and picked her up as well.

“And you! That was genius setting!” 

“Eeek, Oikawa-san!” Rei squealed, trying to hide her face. Oikawa laughed and hugged her tightly before finally setting her down on her feet. She wasn’t actually his daughter, so he knew he shouldn’t subject her to as much embarrassment as Kouji.

“I mean it. I can’t believe how much you’ve improved. I’m so proud of you.”

Rei pressed her lips together and played with her shirt, her cheeks growing pinker by the minute. After she had composed herself, she gazed up at Oikawa with her big green eyes.

“Oikawa-san, would you do me a favor?”

“Whatever you want, sweetheart.”

“I want to see you set to my Dad.”

Oikawa inhaled sharply, his own cheeks growing hot as he turned toward Ushijima. He seemed surprised by the request as well, but he couldn’t hide his eagerness as he licked his lips. 

“Dad, that would be awesome! I want to see Ushijima slam it with his full strength!”

Everyone remaining in the gym joined in, looking forward to seeing Oikawa’s setting matched with Ushijima’s infamous strength. As noisy as they all were, however, Oikawa focused in on Ushijima who was starting to look nervous. 

“Do you want me to?” Oikawa asked, taking a step closer to him. “Would you like to spike one of my tosses?”

“That’s a silly question. One would have to be foolish to refuse one of your tosses.”

Oikawa wasn’t immune to praise, especially when it had been so long since someone complimented his skills. His career had ended so sourly with his divorce and aching knee, hearing such words were like a breath of fresh air after nearly suffocating. The strangest thing of all was it coming from Ushijima and how much it meant to Oikawa, coming from him.

With a deep breath, he turned to Rei with a smile. “Think you can throw me one?”

She nodded and rushed toward the sidelines to snatch a ball from one of the players. Ushijima and Oikawa walked away from each other, saying nothing. Oikawa’s pulse was racing with renewed vigor, experiencing a rush of feelings from both his love of volleyball and the strange new feelings he had for Ushijima. 

On the other side of the net, Tsukishima and Hinata were poised for action. Oikawa was grateful they had already sent Kouji off to the side; Ushijima would never release his full power if he was still on the court. And he wanted to see it, feel it resonate through the air before hitting the court floor. 

He stood on the same side of the net as Ushijima. A silence hung in the air as everyone waited, making the situation more like a stand-off in a Western film than just a regular spiking drill. Ushijima stood ready, rubbing his hands together as he watched Oikawa like a hawk. 

Oikawa paused, surveying the whole court even though only two blockers were on the other side. He had seen Ushijima in action, viewed hundreds of spikes from middle school to their professional career. The big oaf could probably hit any kind of toss and make it devastating, but Oikawa didn’t want to send him just any toss.

He turned toward Rei and nodded. She gulped and nodded back, sending the ball high and slow, just as he taught her. Adjusting his stance, he settled just under it, his fingertips stretched to welcome the ball into his grasp. Ushijima was already moving, like a stallion thundering across an open field. Oikawa smirked; they were on the exact same page.

The ball shot from his fingers and sailed high and fast. It seemed almost in slow motion the way it moved in a perfect arc toward Ushijima’s palm and yet, in the blink of an eye, he shot it down like a bullet. Everyone flinched from the sharp bang echoing from the impact of the ball with the gym floor. It was over so quickly and yet Oikawa still held his breath, savoring the moment as a precious treasure. A moment he never thought he wanted in the first place.

“That was so cool,” Kouji whispered, gaping at the floor where the ball had hit. 

“See? You still couldn’t block him.”

“Neither did you!”

Oikawa snickered as the couple bickered on and ignored the excited chatter from the crowd gathered around the court. His grin stretched wide across his face as he sauntered toward Ushijima who was wearing a proud smile himself.

“So, what did you think? Everything you dreamed it would be?”

Ushijima chuckled as his right hand stroked over his left palm where Oikawa imagined it was still tingling from the spike. “It was even better.”

“Ahhh, Oikawa-san, you two make such a good team!”

“Yeah, Dad! It’s a pity you were never on the same team.”

“We would have been great partners,” Ushijima agreed with a nod, and Oikawa had a very bad feeling about where this was going. “That’s why I thought you always should have gone to Sh—”

“If you dare finish that sentence,” Oikawa laughed, snatching the front of Ushijima’s t-shirt and pulling him close until his face wasn’t an inch away from his own, “I am going to kick you in the balls.”

“Oikawa, you really shouldn’t make such a threat sound so appealing.”

He hadn’t meant to make it sound flirtatious, but Oikawa considered that, at that point, it was impossible not to flirt with Ushijima. “You think I’m bluffing?”

“I don’t think you would do such a thing in front of my daughter, at least.”

Oikawa’s eyes flicked next to them where Rei was watching them with her eyes wide, and then returned his gaze back to Ushijima. “Then you can consider it a warning.”

Ushijima didn’t answer, a smirk crawling up his lips as he cocked his head at Oikawa. By doing so, it happened to line their lips up perfectly and all he had to do was lean forward for them to meet. The realization stole all the breath from his lungs and the way Ushijima’s eyes traveled down Oikawa’s face meant that he had the same idea.

“Iwachan-san!” Kouji yelled, dousing Oikawa in metaphorical ice water. He stumbled away, releasing his fingers from Ushijima’s shirt. As if separating himself from Ushijima was hard enough, his chest clenched as Ushijima’s face fell with disappointment. Oikawa took a deep breath, slipped a hand through his hair and turned to greet his friend.

“Iwa-chan! What are you doing here?”

Iwaizumi hoisted Kouji up on his back as he glanced between him and Ushijima, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. “I figured this thing would be over by now and Kiyoko got called into work. I wanted to see if you and Kouji wanted to grab some ice cream.”

“Yes, we do!” Kouji answered and nearly choked Iwaizumi with his enthusiasm. Oikawa laughed softly and stole a glance back at Ushijima. They had barely had a chance to talk the whole day and Oikawa had planned on seeing if they wanted to have dinner. On the other hand, it had been longer since he’s seen his best friend.

He flashed Ushijima an apologetic smile before turning back to the others. “Sure, that sounds like fun. Why don’t you guys grab our stuff and I’ll meet you by the door.”

“Yay! Let’s go!” 

Iwaizumi’s eyes narrowed at Oikawa, but his gaze was broken as Kouji yanked him across the gym. Oikawa winced and scratched the back of his head, turning slowly to face Ushijima. He wore his usual stoic expression, but Oikawa swore there was disappointment behind his steady gaze. 

“I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“Well, I wanted to spend time with you guys but truthfully, it’s been even longer since we’ve seen Iwa-chan.”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

“But I want to. Listen, Monday’s a holiday for the kids. Would you like to meet up for dinner tomorrow and hang out after since they won’t have school the next day?”

Ushijima’s shoulders relaxed, his expression softening as he nodded. “Yes, that would be perfect. Just text me where you’d like to meet.”

“Great. I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow then.”

There was a moment of hesitation between them, confused about what should happen next. Oikawa resisted the urge to give him a goodbye hug and instead opted for the much more awkward arm pat. He quickly turned to Rei to save himself and melted instantly when she opened her arms to him. As soon as he knelt to her height, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he hugged her back as tightly as he could without hurting her.

“I’ll miss you, Oikawa-san.”

“I’ll miss you, too. But don’t worry, we’ll see you tomorrow. It’ll be here before you know it.”

Rei huffed as she released him, bestowing upon him that famous Ushijima stare. “Promise?”

“Pfft, promise. Have fun with your dad.”

“I will.”

Oikawa tore himself away from her at last, waved a quick goodbye to Hinata and Tsukishima as they packed up the equipment, and joined Iwaizumi and Kouji by the door. Luckily, Iwaizumi’s attention was focused on Kouji as he talked his ear off about the volleyball clinic. He had a foreboding feeling that he was going to receive an earful himself as soon as Kouji got distracted by something else. 

That moment didn’t come for at least an hour when they had already walked to the ice cream place and were sitting outside, finishing their treats.

“And then Tsukishima-san whispered some pointers in my ear. It was different from what I heard before, but I wanted to try everything I could and he’s an expert! So, Ushijima-san spiked the ball and I moved my arms just in time and smacked it down! I was like whaaaaa!”

“Sounds like you soaked up a bit of Hinata, too,” Iwaizumi snorted.

“Yeah! They’re both amazing! Dad, Dad, can we hang out with them again? I’m going to be the most amazing middle blocker in the world!”

“Mattsun’s going to be very hurt you didn’t ask him.”

“Matsukawa-san’s never in Japan!”

“Hmm, good point.”

“He could learn from Tendou, as well,” Iwaizumi said, stealing a glance at Oikawa as he stuffed the remnants of his cone into his mouth. 

“Tendou? Who’s that?” Kouji asked, his eyes widening as he looked between them. 

“He’s Ushijima’s best friend. A devious middle blocker with very different methods. Probably opposite of Tsukishima’s way.”

“Really?!”

“We’re having dinner with them tomorrow, maybe you can ask him.”

“Yes! Hey, Iwachan-san, watch this!” Kouji, in his sugar-induced energy spike, rushed across the sidewalk and climbed up a railing separating the walkway between two buildings. Oikawa winced and debated calling him off when Iwaizumi bumped their shoulders together.

“Relax, it’s not very high.”

“He might get overzealous though with how much energy he has.”

“He’ll be alright. You should be more concerned about your ice cream dripping onto your lap.”

Oikawa hissed a few swears under his breath as he quickly licked off the tendrils of melted ice cream off the cone and his arm. Iwaizumi snorted and turned his gaze back to Kouji, watching him use the railing as his own personal jungle gym.

“So… are we going to talk about it?”

“Talk about what, Iwa-chan?”

“About when you were going to tell me you were dating somebody? And Ushijima Wakatoshi, of all people.”

“What?!” Oikawa squawked. “We’re not dating.”

“Could have fooled me since I caught you about to kiss the guy in front of quite a bit of people, including your children.”

“I wasn’t going to kiss him.”

“You were thinking about it.”

Oikawa pouted and consumed himself with finishing off his ice cream cone. That was hardly the end of it; he could see Iwaizumi in his peripheral vision, waiting patiently for him to explain himself. Oikawa knew that he deserved the truth and he felt guilty that he hadn’t mentioned it to him yet. When he had eaten down his cone to the point he was certain it wouldn’t drip on his shorts, he leaned back on the bench and gave Iwaizumi his attention. 

“We met up randomly a couple of months ago, or maybe it was further back than that. I had no idea that his daughter was in the same class as Kouji and they were already friends. Because of that and us being single fathers, we naturally paired up to help each other out. I… I’ve really come to rely on him, Iwa-chan.”

“Seriously? You?”

“Yes, me! And the weird thing is it wasn’t difficult; natural, even. We just sort of settled together as friends before I knew it.”

“Friends?”

Oikawa scrunched up his nose and turned to Iwaizumi next to him. At least there was no judgment on his best friend’s face. It was all curiosity and understanding; he knew better than most how hard it’s been for Oikawa as a single father.

“I don’t know. The more I think about it, I’m not sure my feelings for Ushijima were anything but romantic. God, Iwa-chan, I feel like a teenager again with how stupid excited I get whenever he’s around.”

“And physically?”

“Huh?”

“Are you attracted to him, you know, on a sexual level?”

“Ugh, I never thought we’d have this conversation.”

“However hard it is for you, it’s far worse for me.”

“Fine, yes. I can’t wait to get those big, rough hands on my body. I want him to kiss me and sometimes I just want him to hug me because he’s so warm and solid and I feel like I could just hang from him like a monkey. I never would have thought that would be a kink of mine but damn it, I love it.”

“You probably never imagined you could have a partner strong enough to carry your fat ass.”

Oikawa gasped, staring at his friend in horror as he tipped his head back with raucous laughter. 

“My ass is not fat! If we’re talking about gaining weight, Iwa-chan, I think you should take a look at these cute love-handles right here,” he sneered, reaching down to grab the little fat on Iwaizumi’s sides and earning his hand a slap.

“Cut it out, I know they’re there! Kiyoko likes them.” When Oikawa snorted, Iwaizumi glanced at him with a smirk. “I bet if Ushijima was into a more rounded ass, you’d start working on that.”

“Nuh-uh, and I think he likes my ass as it is!”

“Dad, who likes your ass?”

“Nothing, buddy!” Oikawa laughed, waving his son off to continue climbing on the rails. He sighed as he twirled the remnant of his cone in his fingers. “Is that all you wanted to say about it?”

“Not really, but I hope you keep me in the loop from now on. The last I heard you mention Ushijima was a couple of years ago when you were complaining about how good his team was doing before he retired.”

Oikawa laughed softly. “Yeah, I remember that. It’s strange how much has changed.”

“Why haven’t you asked him out already? You’re not even denying that you like him.”

“I don’t know, it’s complicated.”

“Are you worried about him doing what Ami did?”

“What? No way, this is Ushijima Wakatoshi, the most honest man in existence. I couldn’t imagine him cheating on me and if he ever had an issue, I know that he’d just tell me right out.”

“That’s true. What is it then, the kids?”

“A little. His wife was awesome, you know, but she died. I don’t even know how or how long it’s been. Sweet little Rei, I just want to protect her from being hurt like that again.”

“Hmm, sounds like you’d be the perfect step-father then. Don’t you think?”

“Maybe.”

“I saw her hugging you, Oikawa. I’m not sure who loves you more at this point, her or Ushijima. Are you worried about Kouji?”

“Kouji adores him.”

“Good. Where’s this elusive complication?”

“Shut up. There is one, I know it!”

“You know what’s great about having a mature and loving partner?” Iwaizumi began, stretching his arm behind Oikawa to squeeze his shoulder to the point it stung. “They can help you work out any complicated shit you’ve got going on, even if it’s just to listen. Or if you’re making up the complicated shit, they’ll tell you flat-out that you’re being an idiot.”

“Is that what it’s like?”

“Yeah. I know you trust Ushijima more than Ami, but that’s not the only way she messed you up. She hardly sees Kouji and you can’t rely on her for anything, you’re not used to it. I don’t know who the hell Ushijima is nowadays except from what you’ve told me, but I’m certain you can rely on him. And I have no doubt he’s interested in you too.”

“How would you know that?”

Iwaizumi gave him a withering look and turned toward Kouji. “Hey, Kouji! Come here a sec.”

“Sure!” Kouji hopped off the railing and rushed up to them, bouncing on his toes. “What’s up?”

“Do you think Ushijima likes your dad?”

“Oh yeah! He likes him a lot!”

“Like, how much would you say?”

“Whenever dad pays him a compliment or he’s being sweet to Rei, Ushijima-san gets all blushy and sometimes he takes pictures of them together when dad isn’t paying attention. I bet he’s got them as his phone background.”

“He does not!”

“Why wouldn’t he? You have the three of us on yours.”

The incredulous look Iwaizumi pinned on him caused his body to break out into a sweat. “Do you?”

“Maybe.”

“Oikawa, ask the man out on a date or ask him to marry you. I don’t care which but do something.”

“Yeah!” Kouji cheered, bouncing in a circle with his fists in the air. 

“I did ask them to have dinner tomorrow.”

“No, spending time together with your kids is not a date. I can watch Kouji for a night and I’m sure he can find someone to watch Rei. I could watch both if he trusts me enough. I can watch them all night if you need me to. Actually, you might as well plan it like that because God knows you need to get boned.”

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa snapped, gesturing at his son.

“He doesn’t know what I’m talking about.”

“Is it like sex?” Kouji asked in a loud voice that echoed down the street.

Iwaizumi cringed. “Okay, I’ll take the heat for that one. But seriously, when you see him tomorrow arrange a date and… other things.”

“He’s talking about sex.”

“Kouji, go climb on the railing.”

There was something strange in the air between him and Ushijima when they met up the next evening. It was a nervous tension that crackled and fizzed with things they wanted to say but couldn’t because of the munchkins sitting with them. Oikawa could understand why he was nervous, but he had never seen Ushijima look so flighty and distracted. 

Seeing Ushijima acting like that seemed to make Oikawa’s nerves even worse. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the man looked absolutely delicious in a slim-fitting polo that looked like they were one loose thread away from the sleeves ripping over his ample biceps. All throughout dinner Oikawa had to dab his chin of drool and hoped everyone assumed it was over the food and not the hot dad sitting across from him. 

He was thankful he had taken a little extra time to make sure he looked good as well. He just hoped it was worth the extra points to convince Ushijima to go out with him. With a heavy sigh, he remembered the good old days when he was young and flirtatious when it hardly took any work to convince someone to date him. In fact, usually they were trying to convince him.

“Oikawa, are you alright?”

“Hm? Yes, why?”

“You seem out of spirits. If you’re not feeling well—”

“Oh no!” he quickly assured Ushijima, reaching out to grasp his hand where it laid on the table between them. “I’m fine, I’m sorry. I was just thinking about stuff.”

Oh shit… I grabbed his hand. What do I do? Let it go? But I don’t want to let it go. But if he wants me to let it go…

Oikawa’s sudden freak-out must have shown on his face as he stared at his hand holding Ushijima’s. His brain shut off completely when Ushijima’s hand turned and threaded their fingers together and gave it a squeeze. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ushijima asked softly. Oikawa’s eyes slowly lifted from their hands and settled on Ushijima’s face, radiating concern. With a reassuring smile, Oikawa stole a glance at their children who were busy chatting about class before leaning forward.

“We can talk later if we get the chance. It’s nothing serious. Well, important but not bad, if that makes sense.”

Ushijima relaxed and nodded. “I see. Whenever you’re comfortable.”

“Thanks. What about you? You’re more quiet than usual.”

Ushijima’s hand squeezed Oikawa’s, his face tightening at the reminder. “Yes, there are some things I’d like to talk to you about as well. Perhaps we can go to our house when we’re finished here. I thought about making cookies, so they could watch a movie while we bake… and talk?”

Oikawa giggled. “Sure! Or we could force them to bake for us while we snuggle up and watch the movie… and talk.”

Ushijima relaxed as he chuckled, running his thumb slowly across Oikawa’s palm. “I doubt we would end up with any cookies at the end of the night. Rei tends to annihilate any cookie dough in her reach.”

“Dad!”

“Did you say cookies, Ushijima-san?!”

Oikawa rolled his eyes. “He did. If you behave yourself until then.”

“I will! I promise!”

“Me, too!” Rei piped in, her cheeks glowing above her excited smile. Oikawa resisted the urge to slip his phone out to take a picture. 

“Alright then, it’s a date!” 

The kids cheered and shoveled the rest of their food in their mouths, neither catching the way both Oikawa and Ushijima winced at his choice of words. And since the word cookies had been uttered, there was no relaxing at the restaurant after they were finished with their meal. Oikawa had a bad feeling about the way both kids vibrated with pent-up energy in their seats, like a charged up super-car waiting to be released on the racetrack. 

It was a relief, however, that Kouji and Rei wouldn’t stop talking as they walked from the restaurant to Ushijima’s house. Oikawa listened to them contentedly, both dreading and looking forward to the moment when he and Ushijima are finally alone. With how silent Ushijima was as well, he imagined the feeling was mutual. 

Oikawa just wished he knew what he wanted to talk to him about. There was a high possibility that it was the same thing, or it could be something else entirely. Oikawa gulped down the nerves that seemed to be crawling up his esophagus and glanced at Ushijima over the kids’ heads. His expression was as dark as oncoming storm clouds, the kind that could intimidate people into walking on the other side of the street. 

In the short time Oikawa had come to know him better, however, he knew Ushijima wasn’t as angry as he looked. He wore that expression when he was thinking too hard. The last time he’d worn it was when he had attempted to help the kids their math homework, staring at their workbooks as if they’d insulted his mother. 

The memory brought a smile to Oikawa’s face and relaxed him, especially remembering the pleading look Ushijima gave him when Oikawa had walked in the room. It was adorable, as was his furious thinking face. He thought nothing of it when he stretched his arm over Rei and Kouji’s heads and stroked the edge of Ushijima’s shoulder to get his attention.
Ushijima startled and Oikawa snorted obnoxiously, giving Ushijima’s back a soothing pat as he calmed down.

“Sorry. Are you okay?”

“Hm? Yes, I’m fine.”

Between them, Rei and Kouji had already moved a step ahead. They knew the way to Ushijima’s house, and it was only just a block away. Oikawa gripped the material of Ushijima’s shirt to hold him back, letting the kids take the lead. Ushijima gazed at him questioningly until Oikawa released his shirt and allowed his hand to smooth down the length of Ushijima’s back, giving him a little push to follow behind the kids. Even as they started walking, Oikawa was reluctant to move his hand away and Ushijima did nothing to remove it. 

It was his way of telling Ushijima that everything was going to be okay without having to say anything in front of the kids. Ushijima understood it well and relaxed beside him, his expression calmer than the thinly veiled turmoil it was. His hand that dangled between them, however, seemed restless as his fingers curled into a fist and released, drifted closer to Oikawa and then back to hook his thumb into his jeans pocket. 

When they finally arrived at the house, Kouji and Rei flew out of their shoes, placing them neatly beside each other, and bounced into the living room to choose a movie. 

“He acts like he already lives here,” Oikawa said wryly as he shrugged out of his own shoes and froze. 

Already? Why the hell did I say that? Way to act desperate, Tooru.

He released a sigh and relaxed when Ushijima chuckled. “It’s fine, I like it that he’s comfortable here.”

Oikawa smiled down at the back of Ushijima’s head as he fished out his slippers and the spare for Oikawa. He leaned forward to take them when Ushijima pivoted on his knees and grasped the back of Oikawa’s shin to lift his foot. Oikawa was so surprised he didn’t even have the mental capacity to interfere, instead allowing Ushijima to slip his foot gently into the slipper as if he was Cinderella or something. What surprised Oikawa even more was how much he loved it. 

He braced his hand on Ushijima’s back as he moved his foot into the other slipper. His skin was so warm beneath the thin shirt, Oikawa wanted to drape himself over his back to soak it all up. He straightened up, letting his fingers drag lightly across Ushijima’s back until they drifted off the edge of his shoulder. Before getting up himself, Ushijima lifted his gaze, allowing his eyes to travel over Oikawa’s torso and up to his face. His stare was curious and a little fond; it didn’t make Oikawa feel self-conscious at all. In fact, he could have basked in such attention for the rest of the evening. Except they had cookies to bake and important conversations to have.

Oikawa caught Ushijima’s eye with a mischievous smile and stretched his hands out in front of him. “It’s okay. I’ll help you up, old man.” He giggled when Ushijima’s eyebrows furrowed low, even as his hands clasped together with Oikawa’s.

“I am not an old man.”

“Prove it,” Oikawa grunted as he helped Ushijima to his feet. As soon as he was standing, Ushijima stepped forward and pushed Oikawa against the wall, stretching their clasped hands above their heads. Oikawa gasped softly as Ushijima’s face leaned close to his own, his eyes dark and intense.

“How should I prove it to you?” His deep voice resonated just above a whisper, his warm breath tickling Oikawa’s face. Oikawa licked his lips instinctively and tried not to whine when Ushijima’s eyes glanced down to them.

“I-I’m sure we can come up with something.”

“Daaaaad, where are you guys?” Kouji’s voice whined from the other room.

“When will cookies be done?” Rei chirped after and Ushijima and Oikawa chuckled in unison, separating from each other slowly.

“It’ll be a little bit,” Ushijima answered her, nestling his feet in his own slippers, “we’re still getting settled.”

Even from the front entrance, they could hear her exasperated sigh and Ushijima shared an amused smile with Oikawa over his shoulder. They passed through the living room and found the kids stretched out over the sofa, already watching one of their favorite movies. They took up all the space, but Oikawa knew they would make room for their fathers if they tempted them with cookies. 

Ushijima had already moved into the kitchen and Oikawa took a deep breath to steady his nerves. With an assertive nod to himself, he stepped in and found Ushijima hovering by the oven, tying his apron around his waist. He had seen him in it the first day they reunited but after everything they’ve been through since, the domestic vision caused feelings to squirm in the pit of Oikawa’s stomach.

Ushijima blinked at him as he moved closer, pink blossoming on his cheeks. “Um, you don’t have to help if you’d rather sit with the kids.”

Oikawa raised his eyebrows as a wicked smirk spread on his lips. “What’s this? Getting cold feet already? I thought you wanted to talk to me, Ushijima.”

“I… I do. Unfortunately, I don’t have an extra apron.”

Oikawa laughed softly and sauntered around the counter, letting his fingers drag lightly over the clean counter. “That’s alright. I don’t mind if I get a little messy. If it’s too much, maybe I can borrow a clean shirt for the trip home.”

“Ah, yes,” Ushijima paused to clear his throat when his voice came out a little more gravelly than usual, “that could work.” 

“Good, then let’s get to it!” 

Ushijima nodded and twisted around to grab a piece of paper. When he turned back, the paper flipped out of his trembling fingers and he grappled the air for it. Once he had it under control, he slammed the paper onto the counter and held it there in case it floated away again.

“Recipe,” was the only word Ushijima managed to explain what had happened.

Oikawa gripped his stomach as he cackled, his boisterous laughter melting away his pent-up nerves. It was strangely relieving that Ushijima was just as terrified of their imminent conversation as he was. It altered Oikawa’s motivation slightly, no longer worrying about himself but desperate to comfort Ushijima before he gave himself a stroke. 

His laughter finally quieted down and he leaned into Ushijima’s side. “Good, we’ll need this,” he chuckled, glancing over the ingredients. “Looks like we can split the work pretty evenly. You mix the dry ingredients while I do the wet?”

“I-er, yes. That sounds good.”

“Did you turn the oven on?”

Ushijima flinched and turned quickly to the oven, erratic beeps coming from where his finger desperately prodded the buttons. Oikawa wanted to tease him so badly, but he restrained himself and focused instead on doing his part. With something to occupy their minds and keep their hands busy, the tense air between them gradually relaxed. Especially when a peal of laughter came from the other room and they shared a quick smile. 

The temperature in the room rose as the oven preheated and the air began to smell sweet as Ushijima measured out the sugar. Oikawa glanced at Ushijima’s bowl as he mixed the ingredients together, spying a smudge of flour along his knuckles. He wanted to reach out and grab Ushijima’s hand, bring it to his mouth and suck the flour from his skin. It wouldn’t taste as good as sugar, he imagined, but the blush that would spread across Ushijima’s cheeks would be well worth it. 

Oikawa startled when Ushijima set his spoon down and turned toward him expectantly. “I am finished. Are you ready to put them together?”

“Oh, yes. You can pour it in slowly and I’ll start the mixer.”

Oikawa picked it up and set the mixture into his bowl, waiting for Ushijima to tip his into it. He didn’t expect Ushijima to turn and press his chest into Oikawa’s shoulder, getting as close as possible to combine their ingredients together. A stream of white flowed into the bowl and Oikawa turned on the mixer. It was loud enough to drown out the sound of his pounding heart, but it did nothing to keep him from feeling Ushijima’s pulse drumming against his chest as he pressed further against Oikawa’s back. 

“Did you want me to start?” he finally asked. His voice had startled Ushijima and his hand jerked in response, releasing a puff of flour into the air that made Oikawa cough.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Start what?”

“The conversation,” Oikawa croaked, trying to get his voice back as he wafted the air in front of him. “We both had things we wanted to talk about, right?”

“Yes, no, I mean I would rather start. I’m very bad at this.”

“Bad at what, cookies? Because we could have done a different dessert.”

He knew what Ushijima had meant but his little tease had the right effect as Ushijima relaxed and chuckled quietly.

“No, I am a master of cookies.”

“Pfft, you would say that about yourself.”

“It’s anything regarding relationships and romance that I fail to excel in. I know that wasn’t the right thing to say to ease into the conversation, but as I said, it’s hard for me to know what to say. What to do.”

All the dry ingredients had been added to the bowl, but in Ushijima’s sudden nervousness he had yet to pull his empty bowl away. Oikawa paused his mixing to reach his hand over to Ushijima’s, clasping it and pulling it away gently. Once the empty bowl was set safely on the counter, Oikawa returned his hand to his own bowl to continue mixing. Rotating the mixture, he shuffled around until he was leaning back against Ushijima.

“It’s okay, I’m more patient than I seem. Use your own words and I’ll listen. I don’t think you’re as bad at this as you think.”

Ushijima sighed. “Thank you. I’ve only ever dated Karen, you know, and back then she handled everything.”

“She’s the only person you ever dated?”

“Yes, well, I’ve been on other dates, but I never knew they were dates until someone told me and it usually ended awkwardly.”

Oikawa snorted. “That’s okay. Was there any reason you didn’t date often? I’m sure you had plenty of admirers, being athletic and good looking.”

“Good looking?” Ushijima questioned with a slight tease to his deep voice. Oikawa rolled his eyes.

“Yes, good looking. I have eyes, now answer the question.”

“It was more that I had no interest in it. It takes a lot for me to be attracted to another person, usually happening once we’re extremely close. Karen and I were friends for a while before I started feeling those sorts of things. When I realized that I was falling in love with her, I panicked and had no idea what to do. Luckily, she seemed to just know my feelings and she asked me out.”

Oikawa smiled as he set the mixer down and measured out the chocolate chips. “She sounds like a very brave person.”

“She was… wait, you mean she was brave to date me?”

Oikawa laughed and lightly elbowed Ushijima in the ribs. “No! To ask you out like that. Asking anyone out is a terrible ordeal, and you can be hard to read.”

“Really? You seem to read me pretty well.”

Oikawa pressed his lips together as his face grew unbearably warm. “I think I’m getting there. Continue with your self-deprecating speech.”

“It’s not—” Ushijima paused to sigh heavily, his fingers gripping the counter around Oikawa. “The point is that I like you very much, Oikawa, and I would like to do something about it. I wasn’t certain what to do about it since it hasn’t been long that we’ve reunited. Yesterday after the clinic, I met up with Tendou to talk about it and he gave me some advice… which was, of course, to just rip the band-aid off and ask you out.”

Ushijima paused to take a shaky breath. Oikawa finished folding the chocolate chips into the dough, his smile stretching so wide it was beginning to hurt his face. He set the spoon down and turned to face Ushijima, being careful not to push him away as he did so. 

“Hmm, that’s actually very good advice,” Oikawa mused as he leaned back against the counter, grasping Ushijima’s arms to tug him closer. “That’s funny because Iwa-chan basically told me the same thing yesterday. He thought we were dating already, and I hadn’t told him.”

“Oh, really? It’s good to know he isn’t against the idea.”

Oikawa gulped as Ushijima’s body pressed against his, warm and solid. As a pair of strong arms wound around his back, Oikawa ran his hands up Ushijima’s biceps and across his shoulders, finally winding around his neck to pull him closer.

“Nope, but he was pissed I hadn’t said anything yet. So,” he said, tilting his head underneath Ushijima’s, “are you going to rip off that band-aid?”

Oikawa shivered as Ushijima’s fingers dug into his back, his breath shuddering against his lips.

“Oikawa, will you go out with me?”

A fiendish giggle tumbled out of Oikawa, his excitement overflowing at hearing the few words he had been craving to.

“I don’t know, I’ll have to think about it.” He squealed when Ushijima squeezed the sensitive area on his waist. “Okay! Okay, I’ll date you. It’s the least I can do, after all.”

Ushijima’s chuckle rumbled through his chest like thunder, and Oikawa liked how he could feel the tremors of it against his body. He expected Ushijima to pull him in for a kiss but as he was embraced tighter, Ushijima gently pressed their foreheads together. He closed his eyes and sighed as his muscles relaxed.

“I’m so relieved. I wanted to be with you, but I was also afraid of you refusing and Rei and I would lose you both forever. That would have been horrible.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I was honestly worried about the same thing, but eventually, I realized that even if you refused me romantically, you wouldn’t turn your back on our friendship.”

“Hmm, you’re right. I would never do that.”

“But all that doesn’t matter anymore, because,” he paused, slipping his hands from Ushijima’s neck to cup his cheeks gently and causing Ushijma’s eyes to flutter open, “Ushijima, I really like you.”

Even though Oikawa had already agreed to date him, Ushijima’s face lit up at the admission. Oikawa laughed softly as he braced Ushijima’s cheeks and leaned in, pressing their lips together. He closed his eyes, savoring the tenderness of the kiss as Ushijima hummed with pleasure. They pulled back just enough to catch a deep breath before going back in, caressing their lips together experimentally.

It was overwhelming for Ushijima to be so gentle with him. He knew how much strength was in his arms and the power he could unleash from his large, rough hands. Kouji had said that Ushijima could handle a butterfly without harming it and until that moment Oikawa hadn’t understood what that was like. As Ushijima’s lips strayed to press little kisses across his face, he could easily imagine how that butterfly felt as he placed it back on a velvety petal.

Oikawa gasped as Ushijima’s lips found his ear, his warm breath tickling into it. As Ushijima opened his mouth wider and grazed his teeth over it, he shivered and dragged his fingers down Ushijima’s chest. It elicited a soft moan from Ushijima and Oikawa could hardly stand it any longer. He wanted more.

Coiling his fingers into the front of Ushijima’s shirt, he tugged him forward as he turned his head to whisper, “Wakatoshi,” into Ushijima’s ear. Oikawa smirked as he felt the body pressed against him stiffen, the hands at his waist digging in a little deeper. He squealed as Ushijima lifted him suddenly and plopped him on the counter, sending the mixer clattering.

Ushijima’s lips were back on his in a heartbeat, open-mouthed and desperate. Oikawa smiled into the kiss and wrapped his legs and arms around him to pull him in more. He pressed his tongue against Ushijima’s and was surprised to find a faint hint of chocolate. 

“Did you sneak a chocolate chip when I wasn’t looking?” he asked as he pulled back for a quick breath.

“Just a couple,” Ushijima whispered before snatching Oikawa’s lips back up. He pressed further against Oikawa until he was nearly laying down on the counter, but Ushijima’s arms supported him well. When he pulled back for another quick breath, he grazed his teeth over Ushijima’s bottom lip before releasing it.

“Mm, cheater.”

Ushijima chuckled and reached into the bowl of cookie dough, fishing out a chocolate chip and offered it to Oikawa. “Here, even?”

Oikawa smirked and encased the entire tip of Ushijima’s finger into his mouth. He moaned as he lapped it off, even running his tongue over one more time to be sure. Pulling off Ushijima’s finger with a smack, he grinned up at his new boyfriend whose jaw had gone slack.

“Now we’re even!”

Oikawa’s heart raced, feeling the anticipation that Ushijima was about to devour him. He savored the moment, wondering what it would feel like to experience Ushijima’s full strength. The arms wrapped around him trembled as they tightened, Ushijima’s expression turning fierce as he closed back in on Oikawa’s lips.

“Are the cookies ready yet?!”

Ushijima sprang back from Oikawa and dove back to the counter next to him, his hands flailing around for the bowl and barely saved it from flying off. Oikawa nearly fell off it himself as he hopped to the ground, his mind reeling from the shock.

“Uh, not yet!” he called back as he slipped next to Ushijima and helped him drop little bits of cookie dough on the pan.

“These are not very uniform.”

“Does it matter?”

“Rei can be a bit particular about size and shape.”

“I think she’ll be grumpier if we don’t get these out soon.”

“Hm, perhaps you’re right. Fix that one at least, Oikawa, it looks slightly too phallic.”

Oikawa had to stop for a moment, laying his forehead against the counter as he descended into a mess of manic giggles. “You don’t want a dick shaped cookie? Come on.”

“Rei is too young for that sort of thing and Kouji… I feel like a boy of his age would enjoy it a little too much.”

Oikawa took several deep breaths to calm down, wiping a tear from his eye as he took a second look at the longer shaped blob of cookie dough. “Wow, I didn’t even see that when I plopped it on there. It’s even got two little balls over here! Ushijima, you have a great eye for dicks.”

Ushijima spared him a quick glance from his much more uniform blobs of dough, his mouth slightly twisted with displeasure. “You say that, but it just sounds like you’re complimenting yourself.”

“Oh?” Oikawa purred as he slipped behind Ushijima to press into his back, grazing his lips against his ear. “But you haven’t even seen my dick yet.”

Ushijima didn’t answer but Oikawa could see his hands moving even faster as he desperately filled the pan. His ears, however, were beginning to turn a tomato-shade of red. Oikawa preened, enjoying the effect he could have on such a strong, stoic personality like Ushijima. He nuzzled into his hair and pressed a kiss where his hairline met the top of his neck. 

A low sound came from Ushijima that was a mix of a moan and a growl, not giving Oikawa any indication if he was turned on or getting pissed. He decided to chance it and planted tender kisses all the way down the back of his neck. He pressed his hands against Ushijima’s waist and slowly rubbed them across his stomach and chest. When his lips reached the top of Ushijima’s back, Oikawa nuzzled past the collar of his polo and grazed his teeth over his hot skin, giving it a light bite.

“Oikawa,” Ushijima said, his voice so low and lethal, it sent a shiver through Oikawa’s body.

“Hmm?”

“Are you going to fix the cookie, or do I have to?”

“No, leave it! We don’t have to give it to the kids. In fact, I want you to eat my dick,” he paused, flicking his tongue against Ushijima’s skin, “cookie.”

Ushijima huffed so harshly, it felt like a punch. He turned around in Oikawa’s arms, grasped his shoulders, and shoved Oikawa back a few steps until he pressed him against the wall.

“Stay.”

Oikawa pouted but Ushijima’s intense gaze didn’t seem like it could be swayed. “Hmph, fine.”

With a grunt, Ushijima left him and filled the rest of the cookie sheet with more speed and coordination he had before. Oikawa crossed his arms and waited impatiently, not enjoying how chilly the kitchen felt without Ushijima’s body pressed against his. He couldn’t deny, however, how delicious it felt to be bossed around by Ushijima. Maybe he had a kink he didn’t realize he had. 

A clang startled him, and he focused back on Ushijima as he shoved the cookies into the oven and closed it. He set the timer and bent forward with a heavy sigh, clearly exhausted. The pathetic scene made Oikawa feel slightly guilty for making the simple act of baking cookies into a much more complicated ordeal. The view was a little too spectacular for him to dwell on it very long, however.

He flinched when Ushijima straightened up with a deep breath. He reached behind his back and tugged the string of his apron loose and with one quick movement, Ushijima whipped it over his head and rolled it up between his hands. When he turned to face Oikawa, it was with the furious intensity he usually reserved for spiking a volleyball, and Oikawa was torn between being extremely frightened or slightly horny. 

Ushijima took a long step toward Oikawa and flung the apron onto the counter, not even bothering to look if it made it or not. He was on Oikawa in a heartbeat, his hands enveloping his waist and pressing him further against the wall.

“You’re driving me crazy already.”

“O-Oh? Too annoying?” Oikawa asked, laughing nervously. It felt like Ushijima’s gaze was going to melt a hole straight through him.

“Too sexy. I don’t know how much longer I can bear it.”

Oikawa beamed up at him, lifting his fingers to Ushijima’s forehead to swipe a bit of hair that had fallen into his eyes. “I’m not holding you back. How much time do we have before the cookies are done?”

“Twenty minutes. Although your penis might take longer.” When Oikawa blinked in surprise and confusion, Ushijima blushed and gestured with his head toward the oven. “Your penis-shaped cookie I mean. It was a little bigger than the others.”

Oikawa pressed his lips tight, trying to muffle his laughter. There were so many jokes he could make from that, but there was always a slim chance Ushijima wouldn’t get it and the poor man had already been teased quite a bit for one evening. Instead, Oikawa cleared his throat and gave Ushijima a soft peck on the lips.

“I think twenty minutes is plenty of time to release some of this sexual energy before we join up with the kids.”

“Probably not as much as I would like.”

“Wakatoshi!” Oikawa laughed, swatting his chest lightly. “I have to say I love this naughty side of you. But you’re right that for now, we’ll probably have to stick with just kissing.”

“That is, until they go to bed,” Ushijima suggested, snatching Oikawa’s hand and pressing delicate kisses along his finger. Oikawa hummed with need, wishing he could feel those lips on every part of his body. It took his hazy mind a moment to register what Ushijima had said.

“Wait, until they go to bed? Like… here?”

“Yes, I have to admit that I was hoping you and Kouji would be too tired to go home and you would stay. I have a spare room empty that would be perfect for Kouji, and it’s not like they have school in the morning.”

“Hmm, I’ll have to think about it. I’m sure there’s some reason we shouldn’t but I can’t think of it right now.”

“Are you nervous about spending the night with me?”

Oikawa glared at the slightest hint of a smirk on Ushijima’s face and glared even harder as he turned Oikawa’s hand and kissed his palm.

“No, I— oh God, that feels, um, no I’m not nervous!”

“Then what have you to think about? I don’t expect us to do anything sexual with the kids in the house. But the thought of having you in my bed, sleeping next to me...”

As he spoke, Ushijima pulled Oikawa against him, wrapping his arms tight around his back. He sighed into Oikawa’s hair and pressed his lips against it. It was almost as if he couldn’t stop kissing Oikawa, and Oikawa had no intention of stopping him. He treasured every single one.

“That sounds so… perfect. I think I’d like to stay, but don’t tell the kids just yet. It might make Kouji too excited and we’re already going to be giving them a bunch of sugar with these cookies.”

Ushijima chuckled. “Yes, I think you’re right.”

“How much time is left on the cookies?”

“Fifteen minutes now.”

“Uh-oh, no time to lose,” Oikawa said in a sly voice as he lifted onto his toes, pressing his smiling lips against Ushijima’s. He missed kissing; it was always one of the most enjoyable parts of a relationship. Kissing Ushijima was a little surprising; his small, thin lips were soft and as delicate as a whisper. But when he opened them up for a deeper, more passionate kiss, it melted Oikawa all the way down to his core. 

Ushijima didn’t experiment too much with the kisses, most likely stemming from the fact that he had kissed only one person other than Oikawa. That didn’t bother Oikawa. They were just easing into it, after all. He looked forward to spending more time in the future on it, however, teaching Ushijima a thing or two about lips and tongues.

The beep of the timer going off was harsh, and they both groaned in unison as they pulled apart.

“Guess we should chill out and spend some time with our children.”

“Yes, I suppose we must. We will have some time to ourselves later.”

Oikawa giggled, his face growing warm at the thought. “I look forward to it!”

The cookies turned out well, some in typical cookie shape and others turned out in a more atypical fashion. Oikawa cackled as Ushijima slipped the spatula underneath his pudgy penis cookie and set it away from the others, giving him a quick, unimpressed look.

“It turned out so cute!”

“I am not sure that’s how I would describe it.”

“Wait until you see the real thing.”

“You would like it if I described the real thing as cute?”

“Um, maybe a different word would be better. Huge is great, I accept long…”

“I will consider those options when the time comes.”

Ushijima straightened up and placed the spatula on the counter. He picked up the large plate with a mountain of beautifully arranged cookies, still steaming from being in the oven. He took a step toward the other room when Oikawa stopped him with a stern look on his face.

“Is something the matter?”

“You forgot something. Open your mouth.”

Ushijima opened his mouth without hesitation, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. A sinful grin spread on Oikawa’s face as he picked the spare cookie off the counter and eased the tip of it into Ushijima’s mouth. Ushijima blinked at him and took a giant bite out of it, humming as he chewed.

“Mm, tastes good.”

Oikawa threw his head back and cackled. “Good! That’s what you’re supposed to say.”

Ushijima didn’t seem to get the joke, but Oikawa knew it was only a matter of time. Perhaps after they share a few more experiences on the subject. To put his new boyfriend out of his misery, he shoved the rest of the cookie into his mouth and took one for himself.

“Come on, they’ve waited long enough for their treat.”

From the exasperated sighs and groans when they entered, one would have thought they were starving.

“What took so long?”

“Kouji, that’s not what you say when someone slaves in the kitchen to make you cookies.”

“Sorry. Thank you Ushijima-saaaan! Thanks, Dad!”

“You’re welcome,” Ushijima chuckled and set the plate on the coffee table. Kouji snatched a couple right away but Rei hesitated, cocking her head as she stared at them.

“Some of them look really funny.”

Ushijima sighed as he flopped on the corner of the sofa. “Those are Oikawa’s.”

“Hmph, throw me under the bus, why don’t you?”

“It’s true though.”

“It’s okay, Oikawa-san!” Rei reassured him, even standing up to pat his arm. “I’m sure they taste just as good.”

“Aw, thank you, Rei-chan! I hope you enjoy them.” Oikawa turned to give Ushijima a smug grin, feeling a surge of triumph when Ushijima frowned.

“Rei, if I made them look like that, you would have scolded me.”

“Oikawa-san is a guest who didn’t have to help you make cookies.”

“Yeah! I’m a guest.” If Oikawa’s nose could lift any higher, it might have touched the ceiling. Ushijima didn’t seem to mind as he smiled up at him.

“That’s right. Thank you for helping me in the kitchen.”

His deep, playful tone seemed to suggest a bit more and Oikawa felt the blush forming on his cheeks. To shake it off, he shrugged and dropped himself onto the sofa, right next to Ushijima. He leaned into his side, shuffling a little as Ushijima’s arm wrapped around his shoulders.

“It was my pleasure.”

“Dad, some of these are really weird. Look at this one! It looks like a butt!”

“Eww,” Rei-chan said, wrinkling her nose as she chose a smaller, rounder cookie.

“It’s okay, I’ll eat Dad’s rejects.”

“Leave me alone! I was having fun, okay?”

“You were having fun baking cookies?”

“It is fun if you’re doing it with someone special,” Ushijima explained before Oikawa could snap another retort at his son. It stopped him dead and he tipped his head back against Ushijima’s bicep. Ushijima’s smile was soft as he gazed down at him, his fingers lazily sinking into Oikawa’s hair. His face eased a little closer as he whispered, “You make everything more fun.”

Oikawa inhaled sharply, overwhelmed by such a sweet comment that wouldn’t have meant so much if it had been said by anyone else. He could honestly say that in the short time Ushijima had reentered his life, it had been better. 

He beamed up at Ushijima and snuggled a little closer. “Thanks. So do you.”

They stayed like that for a few moments until Oikawa’s eyes grew heavy. With all the stress of planning to confess and everything that happened after, it was only then that he realized how exhausted he was. Finally sitting down and basking in Ushijima’s warmth was the last straw and he felt his consciousness slipping away.

“Ushijima-san?” Kouji whispered, his voice catching Oikawa’s attention before he fell asleep.

“Yes?”

“You’re a good guy.”

Ushijima chuckled and Oikawa resisted smiling and giving himself away. “Why is that, Kouji?”

“Because you make my dad happy. I’ve never seen him this happy.”

There was a pause as Oikawa’s chest clenched. He was always so concerned with Kouji’s well-being, it didn’t occur to him how worried Kouji was about his.

“I’m glad. He makes me happy too.”

Oikawa relaxed as he heard Kouji laugh softly. 

“Good! I’m happy too.”

“I am too,” Rei said in a sleepy voice. Ushijima chuckled again and wrapped his arm around Oikawa’s shoulders, pulling him closer. The last thing Oikawa felt before drifting off completely was Ushijima’s cheek resting against his head and a soft sigh deflating in his chest.