Chapter Text
No one knew when the tradition started. Daichi said it had already been going on when he joined the club, and as far as he knew, it had been happening for at least a few years.
On the night before each member of the Karasuno Boys Volleyball Team’s seventeenth birthday, all available members would come over and spend the night at their house. When they woke up, everyone would get to see the name of their soulmate.
It wasn’t uncommon for friends to do that, no matter the group, but it was something the boys volleyball team never skipped out on.
This time, it was Ennoshita’s birthday.
“Wake up!” Nishinoya shouted, shoving open Ennoshita’s curtains and waking everyone up. They all groaned and within a minute, everyone was awake and sitting upright on their futons.
“Alright, what does it say, Chikara?”
Ennoshita took a deep breath and slowly looked at his arm. He blinked, wondering if he was reading it correctly. Sure enough, that’s what it said. There was no mistaking it.
“What does it say?” Sugawara asked, excited for him.
“Yeah, what does it say, Ennoshita-san?” Hinata repeated, even more excitedly.
Ennoshita hid his arm and forced a smile, “Just a random name.”
“Really?” Daichi raised an eyebrow, “Because your reaction doesn’t seem to agree with you.”
He flushed, wishing he hadn’t agreed to the stupid tradition thing.
“Come on, Ennoshita, let us see!” Tanaka got up and walked over. He was scared of his reaction, but Ennoshita let Tanaka grab his arm without a fight.
Tanaka went quiet. Finally, “Random my ass. Why didn’t you just say it?”
“Embarrassed,” Ennoshita muttered.
“Well that’s dumb.”
The others watched, slightly confused. “What’s it say?” Nishinoya was practically bouncing on his toes.
Ennoshita sighed and showed the others his arm.
Tanaka Ryūnosuke
“Tanaka-san?” Hinata asked, surprised.
“I mean there’s always the chance it could be someone else with the same name,” Ennoshita said quietly.
Tanaka huffed, “What, does me being your soulmate bother you that much?”
“No!” Ennoshita said quickly, his cheeks flushing. “I’m just… surprised.”
A little over two months after Ennoshita found out who his soulmate was, the team was over at Tanaka’s house for his birthday. A lot had changed. After a few awkward days, the two became closer. Now, he was almost certain Tanaka really was his soulmate, even wanted him to be—although he’d never admit it—but he wouldn’t know for sure until the morning.
He couldn’t sleep a wink. The amount of times, especially towards the morning, that he was tempted to sneak over to where Tanaka was sleeping and check… but he didn’t. He stayed in bed and tried to fall asleep.
Finally, he heard the shuffling of others waking up.
Soon they all were, staring at Tanaka expectantly.
“Alright, Ryu! Let’s see what it says! Although I think we all know…” Tanaka snorted and Nishinoya’s comment.
“Yeah, yeah,” he started to flip his arm over, but then hesitated. He looked up at Ennoshita, “Do you want to check it?”
Ennoshita flushed at the offer. He got up and came to sit beside Tanaka. “Together,” he said.”
Tanaka turned his arm so they could see the name. Ennoshita smiled softly.
Ennoshita Chikara
“Could be someone else with the same name,” Tanaka shrugged.
Ennoshita whacked him upside the head, “Meanie.”
“Hey, you said it first.”
“So?” about half the team asked at once, already knowing, but simply wanting to see with their own eyes.
Tanaka showed them. The team practically celebrated, and Ennoshita blushed heavily. He watched Tanaka, smiling widely, and felt warm inside. He was happy, and even more glad that Tanaka was.
“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Nishinoya started chanting.
The others laughed, and Tanaka turned to Ennoshita, a playful smirk teasing on his face, “What do you say?”
Ennoshita turned away to hide his red cheeks. “Not with everyone watching,” he muttered.
“Wait, he actually said yes!”
“You heard the man! Out!” Nishinoya and Sugawara started ushering everyone out of Tanaka’s room.
Ennoshita blanched, “Guys! What the hell?”
Tanaka laughed, and the two followed the others into his kitchen. Before they reached the door though, Tanaka grabbed Ennoshita’s arm. His lips brushed his ears as he whispered, “Later for sure though, right?”
Ennoshita’s skin suddenly felt hot as a shiver ran up his spine, “Y-yeah. For sure.”