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A knock on Atsumu’s door startles him. He’s uncharacteristically nervous; he thinks that of course he should be nervous. The ever-increasing weight of the tiny box pulls at his right pocket.
He’s been planning to propose for months, knowing that he wanted to do it during winter. He wanted an excuse to use a super cheesy pick up line as he was on one knee, something like “You are the only warmth I’ll ever need in this snowy age.” Perhaps something a bit better than that, but Atsumu thinks he’ll end up with something worthy of praise on accident like he usually does.
Grabbing his warmest coat from the coat closet, he opens his apartment door and meets the bright hazel eyes of his boyfriend of three years. Shouyou greets him with that sunshine smile that has always made Atsumu weak, and this moment is no exception. He feels the soft smile he always responds with growing on his face.
“Are you ready to have the most fun you’ve ever had in the snow?” Shouyou bounces excitedly, grabbing onto Atsumu’s elbow as Atsumu locks his apartment door.
“Hmm, I dunno about that. It’s gonna be hard to beat the time I nearly broke Samu’s finger when we tried to play volleyball with a bunch of ice.”
Shouyou laughs lightly. He’s heard that story a hundred times. “True, I’m no Osamu. I’m better.”
It’s Atsumu’s turn to laugh. “Thank god for that.”
The pair walk hand in hand to the train station. They had decided that Shouyou would plan this date, considering it had been his idea. Atsumu strongly suspected that Shouyou just wanted an excuse to show off how good he was at ice skating, but it wasn’t as if Atsumu was going to say no to a show. He did love watching any of Shouyou’s performances, whether they be on the court, in the bedroom, or bad karaoke with his sister. Atsumu simply loved watching the sun shine its brightest.
Shouyou drags him to a platform on the right and plops the two of them on a bench. He takes this chance to nuzzle into Atsumu’s side, which Atsumu gladly obliges, throwing an arm over Shouyou’s shoulders. He truly is like the sun - all smiles, bright, and warm. Atsumu appreciates the warmth at this particular moment though; it’s quite cold outside.
Shouyou’s hair tickles his neck where it touches it, causing Atsumu to shudder and lean against the other boy. He’s sure they look quite disgusting with this amount of PDA, but he truly doesn’t care. So what if the whole world knows how much he loves Shouyou? The world would love him too if they got the chance. How could they not?
The two stay like that for a while, simply cuddling against the brisk air that blows into the train station. They only begin to stir once the train pulls in.
They settle into a seat about halfway down the train car, still huddling close. Shouyou presses occasional chaste kisses against Atsumu’s cheek and jaw, clearly not caring who else on the train sees them. Atsumu has yet to get used to his boyfriend’s incredibly public actions, but he doesn’t find himself minding the kisses or thigh grabs or Shouyou’s arm wrapping around him. Just further evidence of how much the younger boy has changed his life.
The train ride is pretty silent. He’s found that Shouyou tends to be relatively quiet when he travels, worried about being rude because he knows he raises his voice without realizing it. Atsumu has assured him a thousand times that it really doesn’t matter, but he’s also discovered that he likes the quiet atmosphere when they simply communicate with touches.
A little lean into the side can mean “I want to kiss you” or “I’m hungry” or “I’m ready to go home.” A brush of fingers against the other’s hand tends to mean they want to hold that hand, or they want to go home now. A thigh grab is an obvious one that Atsumu had known immediately, without even asking. That one means “I want to go home so I can fuck you into oblivion because I’m about to bend you over this table in the middle of this restaurant.” The first time Shouyou had grabbed his thigh in public, Atsumu had promptly stood up and dragged him out of their double date, throwing his wallet on the table and telling Akaashi to return it when he and Bokuto were done.
Atsumu stares out of the window as the train journeys down its tracks, attempting to figure out exactly which town Shouyou was taking him to. There are plenty of ice skating spots in Tokyo, so he’s not really sure why it requires a train trip. He assumes there’s a good reason though, perhaps exceptional food or to meet someone in a far-away town that Atsumu isn’t expecting. Shouyou isn’t a person to do things for no reason.
Snow falls softly outside, falling on what appears to be a currently unused plot of farmland, considering the flatness of the earth. The snow coats the flat ground in a perfect white blanket, making Atsumu greatly want to go jumping through it. There has yet to be a blizzard this year, which is strange for this late in December. Christmas is in a few days, after all. Atsumu doesn’t particularly mind though; he’s not a big fan of snow storms in the first place. This kind of snow, this weather, is his absolute perfect idea of winter.
The train pulls into a definitely unfamiliar location, and Shouyou bounces as he exits, grasping Atsumu’s hand.
Once out of the train station, Atsumu’s finally able to take in the town: classically styled, many older traditional homes, Christmas decorations absolutely everywhere, everything covered in a perfect layer of snow. There are a few stalls that Atsumu assumes sell baked goods and such, as well as a couple of sweater and clothing shops along the street right outside the train station. The town is relatively empty of tourists, much to Atsumu’s delight.
Atsumu feels like he’s on a movie set. His heart swells, and he doesn’t attempt to stop the smile from growing wide on his cold-reddened face.
“Shou, this place is amazing. ” Atsumu muses as Shouyou drags him around the town, awe-struck.
The redhead turns over his shoulder, an equally bright smile greeting Atsumu’s. “I know, right? Natsu and I found it a few years ago. Just wait until it gets dark, I can’t wait to see your reaction.”
Atsumu doesn’t have time to consider the meaning behind that sentence before Shouyou reaches his destination with a bounce. A small but perfectly round frozen lake is directly in front of them. Atsumu briefly wonders if Shouyou actually knows how to skate, or if Atsumu won’t be alone making a fool of himself.
He follows Shouyou as the latter practically skips to the skate rental station, a few meters away from the lake itself. They each get their pair of skates and head over to a nearby bench to put them on.
After slipping them on, Atsumu tries to stand up and immediately feels weird. “Oh. Huh. That don’t feel like hockey skates at all.”
He’d played hockey with Osamu for a bit, but he had hated it. Osamu was a far better skater than he was, quite literally skating circles around Atsumu as Atsumu had struggled to even get on the ice. Figure skates did not have the same type of rigid ankle support, and Atsumu frankly felt he could sprain something without even trying. His ankles are barely supported, feeling much less sturdy than they would in the suffocating plastic of rental hockey skates.
“Well, that’s a good thing, because hockey skates suck for doing anything cool.” Shouyou says with a laugh.
“You really think I can do anything cool on the ice, Shou?”
Shouyou cocks his head, lowering his eyelids a bit. “You can’t? What a shame. Guess I’ll just have to show off, then.”
Atsumu can’t even squawk a retort at his boyfriend before Shouyou slips onto the ice with ease. Atsumu gives a resigned sigh before attempting to follow him. He takes a bold step on the ice, just like Osamu had always told him to do, and he actually stays upright, holy shit maybe Osamu was right --
Atsumu’s other foot does not touch the ground before his ass slams into the ice. A disappointed groan flies out of his mouth before the sound of Shouyou cackling reaches his ears.
“‘Tsu--’Tsumu--are you--okay?” Shouyou asks through laughs. Atsumu feels the heat of embarrassment rising to his face and can’t resist the urge to pout at his boyfriend.
“Nothing’s hurt but my ego.” Atsumu rises to his knees, not quite sure if he wants the shame of trying to stand up. “That, and maybe my ass.”
“That’s not gonna get better any time soon,” Shouyou says with a glint in his eyes. “It’s going to hurt a whole lot more when we get home tonight.”
Atsumu can do nothing but gape at Shouyou from his knees on the ice, making him just the tiniest bit shorter than his standing boyfriend. “Shou, there are children here, oh my god. You can’t just say that in public.”
Shouyou rolls his eyes as he extends a hand to the blond. “Says the one who just said ‘ass.’”
Atsumu takes the hand with an indignant pout, and now finally has both feet on the ice. He doesn’t release Shouyou’s grip as the shorter boy begins to pull him along the ice.
They go at a very slow pace, as Atsumu can’t move his feet more than an inch or so before he has to put them back down or risk losing his balance entirely. For someone who plays a professional sport in which his center of gravity is almost always forwards, he sure does suck at doing the exact same thing in a different context.
About half a lap around the lake, Atsumu finally takes his gaze off of his shuffling feet to look at Shouyou. His red scarf is loosely hanging around his face, covering just over the tip of his nose. His cheeks are sporting a chilled rosy tinge, and his hair is slightly curlier than usual. His hazel eyes are full of energy, and Atsumu feels his heart soften as he looks into those eyes that he wants to devote his life to.
Shouyou really is beautiful. Atsumu has always known this, but seeing him against the snowy background, in Atsumu’s favorite weather, he wonders how the snow has yet to melt from being so close to the sun.
Atsumu raises the hand he’s holding and presses a kiss against the glove. It’s slightly wet from the snow, but Atsumu would have it no other way. Shouyou’s simply too perfect for him to care about a single slightly wet glove.
Shouyou doesn’t look back in response, simply smiles and squeezes Atsumu’s hand a bit tighter.
They stay like that for a while, going around the lake at a snail’s pace in order to keep Atsumu upright. They don’t talk very much, Atsumu using the excuse that he ‘doesn’t think he’ll be able to stay standing if he talks and gets distracted’ in order to keep staring at Shouyou from the side.
Atsumu thinks of the time when he considered winter to be happiness and hugs and the smell of cinnamon. He thinks that perhaps now, three years later, he would consider winter to be sunshine and laughter and the smell of Shouyou’s coconut shampoo. He thinks that after today, winter might even remind him of the small silver ring he’ll be giving to Shouyou tonight.
Maybe they’ll get married in winter, since it is Atsumu’s favorite season. Or, maybe summer, since that’s Shouyou’s favorite season. Will it be on the beach? Maybe at one of their childhood homes, since Shouyou’s mother and sister still live there and Atsumu’s grandma still owns her house. That’d be cute, he thinks. He knows he’d invite everyone from the high school team as well as Shouyou’s, and of course their MSBY and national teammates would be welcome.
With a shudder, Atsumu realizes just how little he’s thought about the actual wedding. He’s spent all of his time panicking over the proposal, and he seriously doubts Shouyou’s going to say no. If he did, it would be because he has a family issue or something, and wouldn’t want to divert his attention away from them. In that case, Atsumu would absolutely understand and would apologize profusely for his bad timing. He isn’t aware of any family issues though, so he shouldn’t let that thought linger in his mind. His heart might explode if he even thinks of Shouyou rejecting him.
That’s another thing -- being with Shouyou has greatly boosted his confidence. Atsumu was a cocky bastard before he fell in love with Shouyou, and it was obvious to everyone just how much Shouyou had changed him. Not to say that Atsumu didn’t give off a cocky air during games, because he couldn’t change the very basis of his personality, but now he actually believed in his own skill enough to back up the arrogance. He knew he was one of the best setters in Japan and the world, and he knew that this was intimidating to any opponents he may face. Therefore, he might as well show off his skills to prove that hell yeah, they should be scared of him. They should be scared of Shouyou too, and Atsumu never misses an opportunity to strike awe into their opponents during a game.
He had gained more boldness in his decisions, whether it was what he and Shouyou were going to eat for dinner or a play on the court that was sure to score. He had previously just come up with ideas and prayed they would work out, but now he knew that they would, all thanks to Shouyou’s gentle praise.
Atsumu’s mother had made sure to shower the younger boy with praise and thanks whenever Shouyou had come over for dinner, telling him that he was the best thing that had ever happened to her son, besides her of course. This had sent Shouyou into a blushing mess, telling her that there was no way he’d been the only reason Atsumu’s walls had crumbled. Atsumu and his mother had shared a look at this point, knowing that Shouyou’s humility off the court was the very thing that had made Atsumu fall in love like he had.
He thinks that his mother will be very excited when he sends her a picture of Shouyou’s ringed hand at the end of the night. She’s been lovingly encouraging him for months now. She’ll be impressed that Atsumu took the initiative for once.
A burst of cold air on his hand makes Atsumu look up to see that they’ve already completed two laps of the lake. Shouyou has broken away, skating a few steps ahead, gaining momentum quickly.
“‘Tsumu! Don’t take your eyes off me!” Shouyou yells back to him.
“I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” Atsumu mutters under his breath, obediently watching his boyfriend skate gracefully around the lake.
He hadn’t realized just how good Shouyou was at skating. He supposes he shouldn’t really be surprised; Shouyou’s good at nearly any sport with his level of athleticism. He watches as Shouyou easily lifts his right leg behind him, bringing his leg and body into a flat line above his left leg. Even from where he stands across the lake, Atsumu can see the excitement in Shouyou’s wide eyes. Shouyou brings the leg back to the ice rather quickly, and jumps. He does a quick spin in the air before sticking a rather wobbly landing. He looks to Atsumu with a huge grin on his face, which he knows matches the wide smile of disbelief on his own face.
“Shouyou, what the hell?” Atsumu grabs the smaller boy by both hands as he skates by. “Why didn’t ya tell me you could do that?”
Shouyou giggles, his hair whipping into his face. “You never asked. And besides, this is the first time we’ve actually had a winter break off from practice, so it’s the first time you’ve ever seen me skate.”
Atsumu knows he’s gaping, but he can’t help it. That was so fucking cool. “Yeah, but where did you learn that?”
Shouyou cocks his head, amused. “The Lutz? It’s one of the most basic jumps, ‘Tsumu.”
“There’s no way I could do that, though.” Atsumu says as they begin their snail-paced lap again, only slightly faster this time.
“Well, no. It took me a few years to even be able to jump and land.” Shouyou swings their hands between them. “I learned for Natsu when I was still in high school. She really loves ice skating, and she took lessons for a while. I usually ended up taking her, so I took lessons too for fun. And, turns out, I was pretty damn good at it.”
“Yeah, no kidding.” Atsumu once again looks at his boyfriend in awe. He’s always learning something new about him, no matter how bizarre or miniscule the new thing is. He can’t wait to learn something new about him for the rest of his life.
“You think you’re ready to go faster?” Shouyou turns to skate backwards, holding both of Atsumu’s hands between them.
Atsumu gulps. “I mean, I can try. Ya better be prepared to catch me, though.”
A playful look comes across Shouyou’s face, and Atsumu immediately knows he’s going to end up on his ass again.
Shouyou gives a hard yank as he maneuvers to Atsumu’s side once again, causing Atsumu to grab onto his forearm with both hands for balance, nearly falling. Shouyou continues at an increasingly fast pace, and Atsumu finds himself hugging Shouyou’s entire arm in fear, which is a bit difficult considering how much shorter the redhead is. He doesn’t have to hold on for long though, as he feels his blades skidding across the ice, out of his control.
“Shou--” is the only warning Atsumu can give before he tips forward, dragging the body he’s attached to down with him.
A loud boom resounds around the rink as Shouyou’s body slams into the ice, trapped under Atsumu’s weight. Shouyou lands on his shoulder, laying on his side, Atsumu’s arms caging him in against the ice. He watches as Shouyou blinks, shakes his head, and then rolls over slightly to look Atsumu directly in the eye from beneath him. Shouyou’s left arm wraps around his neck, and Atsumu realizes this was quite a horrid position to fall in.
“Been a while since I’ve seen you from this angle. Ignore what I said earlier, maybe this is how we’ll spend the night when we get back,” Shouyou says with a flirty smirk.
Atsumu immediately sits up on his knees, mortification seeping into his cheeks. “Oh my god, Shouyou. There are children.”
Shouyou simply laughs. “Yeah, but I doubt they heard that. They did see you on top, though. Hope they enjoyed that three seconds, because it’ll never happen again.”
Atsumu’s face can’t get any redder. “Shouyou! Seriously, oh my god. We’re getting off the ice, what else is there to do in this town?”
Shouyou raises an eyebrow as he stands up, leaving Atsumu sitting helplessly on his knees. “No, I’m getting off the ice. You’re crawling off.”
Atsumu once again gives an indignant whine as Shouyou skates the few feet to the snow. He knows that unfortunately, Shouyou’s right in this case, and that he will wipe out spectacularly if he attempts to stand up on his own. He does, indeed, end up crawling to the snow, swallowing the last of his pride. He can’t believe this man is the one that he wants to spend his life with. Atsumu’s rubbed off on him more than he realized. Shouyou really can get the best of him at any point.
To his credit, Shouyou does help Atsumu stand up once he’s in the snow. He keeps a firm grip on Atsumu’s hand as they make their way back to the bench to take off and return their skates.
As he peels them off, Atsumu gives his ankle a good roll, not realizing just how stiff it was.
“See, figure skates aren’t too bad, huh?” Shouyou muses, watching him. “There’s way more ankle support than you would think.”
Atsumu nods as he pulls his boots back on. “Yeah, thank god. Coach woulda killed us if I rolled an ankle or some shit.”
The fall pops back into Atsumu’s mind. “Oh, shit, Shouyou -- you’re not hurt, are you?”
Atsumu taps his pocket, making sure the box is still there, and it is. It remains tucked safely in the depths of Atsumu’s pant leg.
Shouyou shakes his head, and a small weight falls off Atsumu’s shoulders.
“Thank god. I would feel like shit if my stupid ass fall got you hurt.”
Shouyou rolls his eyes and gets up to return their skates. “Nah, I’m all good. This time.” Shouyou winks.
Atsumu looks around as he waits for Shouyou to come back. There’s not a whole lot directly by the lake, but there are quite a few cafes and shops back along the main road they had come down. He’d noticed them on the way in, but he hadn’t had much time to recognize what any of them sold until now due to how fast Shouyou had dragged him to the ice.
There’s a toy store that Atsumu thinks he’ll want to check out. It always warms his heart to see Shouyou and toys because he just looks so damn cute . Next to it is a bookstore, where Atsumu figures he’ll end up buying his Christmas gift for Akaashi. He knows he doesn’t have to get the dark-haired man a gift, but he feels like he owes Akaashi something for having to deal with both Bokuto and Atsumu drunk at game celebrations. Atsumu knows he’s hell when he’s drunk, and Bokuto’s not much better, so Shouyou and Akaashi end up doing most of the damage control. Occasionally, Shouyou’s the one that gets wasted if he did particularly well during agame, and Atsumu loves clingy, touchy drunk Shouyou. It’s like his normal behavior on steroids.
“You want some hot chocolate?” Shouyou asks as he returns, and Atsumu stands up.
“Sure, if you do. It is pretty cold out here.”
Shouyou smiles and wraps himself around Atsumu’s arm, which is shoved in his jacket pocket. The pair walk in a huddle to the cafe Atsumu had noticed earlier, and for once Atsumu is allowed to buy. Atsumu adds an absurd amount of marshmallows to his, and Shouyou adds...cinnamon?
Shouyou must have seen Atsumu’s screwed up face, because he explains. “Oh, it’s actually really good. I had it in Brazil and now I don’t even want regular hot chocolate.”
“Lemme try.”
Shouyou willingly hands his cup to Atsumu, who is pleasantly surprised at the flavor combination.
“That...is actually pretty good.” Atsumu says, pleased. Shouyou takes his cup back with a proud smile.
“Yeah, duh, ‘Tsumu.” Shouyou teases. “Glad I could introduce you to yet another delicacy of life.”
Abandoning his hot chocolate on the cafe counter, Atsumu throws his arms over Shouyou’s shoulders and rests his chin on top of Shouyou’s mop of curls, eliciting a complaint from the shorter man. “But what if you’re the only delicacy I want in my life?”
Shouyou scoffs. “You’re in a good mood today, huh?”
“Why shouldn’t I be? I get to spend time with my favorite person in my favorite weather, so yeah I’m in a good mood.” Shouyou’s curls tickle Atsumu’s nose as he speaks.
Shouyou leans back against the taller man and wraps a hand around Atsumu’s left arm, sipping his hot chocolate. “Hey, ‘Tsumu?”
Atsumu hums in response.
“I love you.”
“Yeah? I love you too, Shou.”
They stay in that position for a few minutes, Atsumu all but forgetting about his now lukewarm chocolate. He doesn’t particularly mind, though; there’s nowhere he’d rather be, after all.
Hopefully, he’ll never have to leave Shouyou’s side. He would like nothing else than to be there for the rest of his life.
When Shouyou finishes his drink, they set out to wander the shops and stalls, Atsumu taking his unfinished drink with him. The sun has started to go down now, and Atsumu is greatly enjoying the increasing amount of colorful lights in his vision.
Their first stop is that toy store that Atsumu had seen earlier, and he is not disappointed by it. The store has copious amounts of stuffed toys, wooden trains, puzzles, and practically any other kind of toy one could think of. The first thing that Atsumu’s eyes settle on is a stuffed yellow fox wearing a Santa hat. He makes a beeline for it and Shouyou grins when he sees where Atsumu is heading.
“Shou, look at this. It’s so cute.” Atsumu whirls around with the stuffed fox in his hands, childish joy spread across his face.
Shouyou nods. “It looks like you.”
Atsumu feels a giggle rise up, and holds the fox to his chest.
He’s not sure where his obsession with foxes came from. It may have been the fact that Inarizaki’s mascot had fittingly been a fox, or it may have been the fact that many of the adults in Atsumu’s life had told him he was ‘as sly as a fox.’ He hadn’t understood that very well as a child, but he had thought it sounded cool. Once he was old enough to understand the meaning of that phrase, he had decided that if ‘sly’ was how people were going to perceive him, he might as well live up to that perception. He hadn’t felt upset about the idea really, because it had meant that people were scared of or intimidated by him. And he would take being scary over being hated.
Shouyou picks up a stuffed bird and grins at Atsumu. It’s not any specific kind of bird: brown, normal shaped beak, no other definitive features. This doesn’t stop the bird from still somehow looking like Shouyou though.
“I like it. That one looks like you.”
Shouyou hits him with that sunshine grin Atsumu has come to hold dear to him. “I was hoping you’d say that! Come on, we’re buying these for each other.”
Atsumu can’t resist his smile growing again. He truly is too lucky to have fallen in love with this man, and he is too lucky to be on the receiving end of Shouyou’s love. He’s been so thankful to have Shouyou by his side all this time, and he knows that he’ll continue to sing the redhead’s praises for the rest of his life. That was cheesy as hell, Atsumu. Make that into a vow or some shit.
As if on cue, Atsumu is made aware of the ring box tugging its full weight in his pocket.
They exit the store with their stuffed animals in a bag for carrying convenience, since they’ll probably still be here a while. They head towards the bookstore at Atsumu’s suggestion, as they both still need to get a gift for Akaashi.
The bookstore gives off calm energy before they even step in the door. Atsumu’s always enjoyed the energy that could be found in bookstores and small cafes, and this is no exception. Brown is the overwhelming color of the bookstore, lit with warm colors and floor lamps. Many comfy-looking chairs and couches are strewn throughout the store, and it smells like wood and mothballs, an eternally comforting combination.
They begin their search for a book that Akaashi would like in the history section, which is entirely incorrect. Atsumu knows this, but Shouyou’s trying so hard to find something he deems “horrendously boring” because he thinks that means Akaashi would love it. Shouyou’s brow furrows as he scours the titles, shelf by shelf, taking far longer than Atsumu thinks is necessary, but seemingly enjoying himself.
They eventually make their way over to the classics section, where Atsumu feels much better about his options. Akaashi seems like the kind of guy to enjoy analyzing classics, a welcome change from his usual manga editing. Unfortunately, Atsumu is not the kind of guy to enjoy classics, and he feels a bit lost, considering he has never read a classic novel in his life. Shouyou seems to be in the same boat, so Atsumu goes to find an employee.
He explains a bit about Akaashi’s personality and hobbies to the employee, who points out a few good options she thinks that he would like. Atsumu decides to buy Pride and Prejudice because he thinks the name is cool, and hopes that Akaashi will like it. Shouyou decides not to buy him a book but a realistic-looking ship in a bottle, adorned in black and gold.
“It reminds me of Bokuto,” Shouyou remarks about the ship in a bottle. “Large, sturdy, fitting in places it probably shouldn’t. Also, it’s got MSBY colors, which is pretty cool.”
Atsumu cocks an eyebrow at that, thinking that it was indeed a fitting description. “So...you got Akaashi something that reminds you of his boyfriend? Not of Akaashi?”
Shouyou nods as he hands his card to the cashier. “Yup. Akaashi likes Bokuto a whole lot more than I do, so I think he’ll like it. Besides, he seems like the kind of person to like weird useless stuff like this.”
“Don’t tell him you think it’s useless, Shou,” Atsumu chuckles and grabs their bags. “I don’t think he’d take too lightly to that.”
Shouyou hums, holding the bookstore’s door open for Atsumu, the cold breeze whipping into the store with a small flurry. “You’re probably right about that.”
The sky has fully darkened at this point, making the many colorful lights on the surrounding buildings even more beautiful against the pitch black background. Atsumu can’t help but look around in wonder, his eyes drawn to a different direction and building at every glance.
The weight of the box pulls at his pants pocket once again.
Shouyou grabs his arm, avoiding reaching for either of Atsumu’s hands and getting stuck carrying any of the bags.
“This isn’t all! There’s still something I want you to see.”
The pair walk down the main street of the town at a leisurely pace, taking in the view of the lights strung across every building. Each rooftop is gilded in golden lights, giving the town a warm glow. Along the front of many buildings, colored lights add accents to every bend and corner, shrouding pedestrians in a kaleidoscope of colors.
Atsumu finds his eyes once again drawn to his clingy boyfriend, and thinks that perhaps the brightest light in the town is right next to him.
They reach a square with an abnormally large tree smack in the middle. The square itself is relatively nondescript: brick paving, streetlamps covered in garland, snow shoveled away from the main walkway of the square. Nonetheless, it’s charming. The tree is incredible, covered in any color and shape imaginable, with various ornaments, stuffed toys, and ribbons decorating it. At the top is one of the largest stars Atsumu has ever seen, shining brighter than those in the sky. It shrouds the square in a warm light, accentuating the red dusting Shouyou’s face, and Atsumu thinks that he’s never looked prettier.
“Isn’t it so gorgeous?” Shouyou turns to shoot him one of those life-changing grins. Atsumu hums.
“Yeah, you sure are, Shou.”
“I mean, you don’t look too bad yourself,” Shouyou flirts back, causing Atsumu’s face to once again go red. Three years and he’s still as affected as ever, still just as in love with Shouyou as he was when Shouyou had walked into MSBY’s tryouts and his heart at the same time. In fact, Atsumu’d like to think that he’s even more so in love with him now; 23-year-old Atsumu would have never expected to be this close to proposing to his overly giddy and excitable wing spiker.
Shouyou comes to a stop in front of the giant tree, and Atsumu sticks his arms over Shouyou’s shoulders from behind once again, leaving their purchases on the ground at their feet. Shouyou grins, and holds his phone out in front of them, shuffling until the tree was behind them and the backdrop for this selfie. The grin stays on his face as he clicks the camera several times, and Atsumu’s lovesick smile is painfully obvious in the phone’s small screen. He doesn’t even care. He presses kisses against Shouyou’s head and face, the latter giggling and squirming as he continues taking pictures. Atsumu sticks his hands in Shouyou’s coat pockets to pull the smaller man closer as he wiggles away, and then freezes.
There’s something in Shouyou’s pockets.
Something that has been pulling at Atsumu’s own pockets for the past few hours.
Something that suspiciously feels like the exact same box that Atsumu’s been tossing back and forth in his own hands for the past few weeks, debating the perfect time to get down on one knee.
The camera goes off again.
Atsumu looks incredulous. Shouyou looks sheepish.
“Um. Surprise?” Shouyou starts with.
“Shou--is this?” Atsumu squeaks out, barely breathing.
Shouyou takes both of Atsumu’s hands in his own, moving them out of his pockets and turning to face him. He reaches back into his pocket to pull out the small box that Atsumu knew he had felt.
“Uh, this--this isn’t how I expected this to go.” Shouyou’s blushing like crazy, looking only at the box in his hands, and Atsumu knows his face must look ridiculous right now. He feels a bit ridiculous; his body stuck in place, frozen, dumbly watching the scene in front of him unfold.
“So, like, I knew I wanted to do this during the winter, since it’s your favorite season and all.” Shouyou’s fidgeting and Atsumu briefly thinks that the redhead is about to drop that box. “And--and I thought I’d do it here, since this is one of my favorite places. I thought that’d be, y’know, a nice compromise of our favorite things.”
Shouyou looks up at him, still keeping his head down, and Atsumu thinks his heart has stopped.
“And--one of my favorite things is you, Atsumu.”
Atsumu exhales shakily. He can’t believe this is actually happening. Why can’t he say anything?
“I’ve, um, enjoyed these last three years more than I ever thought was possible.” Shouyou keeps his eye contact, face growing ever redder. “I love hanging out with you, and your family, and I enjoy Osamu’s bickering and his rice balls, and I think it’s really great how much you two love each other. And I, uh, think I could get used to having that in my life--permanently.”
“And, I, uh.” Shouyou’s eyes are flitting everywhere now, seemingly noticing just how empty the square is. “Uh, volleyball is one of my favorite things, too. Obviously. Um.”
Atsumu almost laughs; it’s so perfectly on point for Shouyou to bring up volleyball at a time like this. Atsumu wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I just...I want to play volleyball with you for--for the rest of my life. Um.” Shouyou looks like he’s about to cry. “I--we--work so well together on the court that I--I just think it’d be nice for both of us to keep playing together. Like--like partners for life.”
Shouyou practically spits the last part out, and then takes a very deep breath, opening the tiny box he’s been holding, revealing a small silver band. “Miya Atsumu, will you marry me?”
Yes.
Oh my god, yes.
Atsumu doesn’t say anything. He picks up the smaller boy and kisses him with a publicly inappropriate intensity. He thinks that perhaps this will be the best day of his life. Shouyou squeals against his mouth, laughing lightly, and Atsumu feels tears hit his cheeks. He doesn’t know which one of them the tears belong to.
Putting Shouyou back on the ground, he keeps his hands on Shouyou’s waist as he takes in every last detail of the face of the love of his life. Of the man he will marry. Of his fiance.
Finding his words, Atsumu is finally able to speak. “Shouyou, you’re never gonna believe this.”
Atsumu keeps his lovesick goofy smile on his face as he reaches into his own pocket for the box that contains a matching silver band, brandishing it with a flourish. Shouyou’s eyes grow wide, and tears flow from his eyes more freely.
Opening the tiny box of his own, Atsumu can’t resist the urge to get on one knee like he’d been planning this whole time. “Hinata Shouyou, will you marry me ?”
Atsumu feels his own tears start, and he doesn’t care. He’s going to marry his best friend,- damn right that’s something to cry about.
Shouyou explodes into a full sob, nodding his head vigorously. Atsumu stands back up, pulling Shouyou into a large hug as he feels his own sobs start to surface.
“Yes. Finally. I thought you’d never ask,” Shouyou mutters into Atsumu’s chest, tears soaking into his jacket.
“Yes, a thousand times yes.” He ends the sentence with a laugh that’s more sob than anything. Atsumu knows that line is one of the most cliche things he could have said, but does he really care? He was just proposed to by the love of his life, hell yes he’s going to be cliche and cheesy. “Shou, I can’t believe this. We’re getting fucking married.”
Shouyou wraps his fists in Atsumu’s jacket, stifling a sob. “Yeah. Yeah we are.”
Atsumu wraps his arms ever tighter around his favorite shoulders in the world, not even caring about the tears falling in Shouyou’s hair.
He couldn’t say how long they stay like that, huddled in each other’s embrace and knowing that they’ll never have to worry about it being their last.
Knowing that they’ll be able to stay like this for the rest of their lives.
Knowing that the rest of their lives will always include the other.
Shouyou pulls away suddenly, sniffling. “‘Tsumu, we forgot the most important part!”
He takes the ring out of his box and grabs Atsumu’s left hand, slipping it on his fourth finger. The cold metal smarts against Atsumu’s previously warm hand, but he would have it no other way. He takes Shouyou’s left hand and slowly peels the fuzzy glove from its place, maintaining eye contact with the redhead the whole time.
“Are you trying to be seductive? Because using fuzzy gloves is probably the worst idea you’ve had yet.” Shouyou gives Atsumu an incredulous look as he says this, knowing he’s enjoying the stupidity of it just as much as Atsumu is.
Atsumu chuckles as he slips the silver band he had bought ages ago on Shouyou’s own fourth finger, silently excited that he got the ring size right.
“Guess I’ll have to try a little harder when we get home, hmm?”
That night, their respective social media accounts are flooded with happy comments from fans, as Shouyou had posted a picture of them in front of the tree. He had technically posted two pictures, one of their faces smiling into the camera, and one of their left hands next to each other with the tree as a backdrop and a familiar looking stuffed fox between their two hands.
Texts from friends and family come in like wildfire, but the two are not to be distracted from Atsumu’s success at being seductive.
Finally, Atsumu knows he’ll be happy. He’s waited his entire life to finally find someone who would give him just as much love as he put out. He deserves this, and he thinks that he loves Shouyou more than any one man should. He doesn’t have any interest in changing that. If anyone in Atsumu’s life deserves happiness and joy, it’s Shouyou, each and every time.
It’ll be Shouyou for the rest of his life.
Each and every time.