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1.
Kiyoomi knew what was in store for him when he chose to go to university before entering the V. League. He knew that he’d have to work harder, stay up longer, dedicate so much more time to his studies, even though he was still on a volleyball scholarship and had to take time to practice too. That didn’t stop him from screaming curses at his university into his criminal procedure textbook at three in the morning yet again. He was only human, and humans weren’t supposed to run on literal gallons of espresso and a total of barely six hours of sleep within a whole week. The statute numbers were swimming before Kiyoomi’s eyes, and he was sure that if his professor asked him to list the correct elements for murder at that moment he would’ve listed the ones for driving under the influence instead. That actually might happen in his lecture tomorrow.
Kiyoomi was jolted from his self-wallowing by three quick knocks on his apartment door. He stood up and pushed his chair back, ignoring the nausea that accompanied the action, and made his way to the door, throwing it open and glaring at whoever was unlucky enough to be on the other side.
“Hey, Omi-omi,” A bag of groceries was stuffed into Kiyoomi’s face. “Gotcha somethin’. Missed me, babe?”
Kiyoomi’s anger simmered down quickly once he realized who was standing behind his door. Miya Atsumu, reserve setter for the MSBY Black Jackals, stood on his doorstep, illuminated by the burnt out lamps in his apartment building’s hallway. He looked so warm and comfortable wearing an oversized Inarizaki hoodie and that gorgeous smile on his face, even though it was the middle of the night and he was definitely tired from the long train ride from Osaka to Tokyo. The moment Kiyoomi registered that Atsumu had visited him after their near two month separation, he immediately, embarrassingly, felt his eyes start to burn, but if asked, he would say that it was because of how long he stared at his computer, not his emotions.
“Omi, baby,” Atsumu quickly dropped the groceries he was holding in the apartment’s genkan and pressed his hands to the sides of Kiyoomi’s face. “Why are ya cryin’?”
“I’m crying?” Kiyoomi pressed his fingers onto his eyes, finally feeling the wetness on his cheeks. “Oh, sorry. You didn’t tell me you were visiting.”
“So happy I brought ya to tears? Come ‘ere, ya big baby. Ya don’t have to apologize for anythin’.”
Atsumu swept Kiyoomi up in a big hug, smothering his face into Kiyoomi’s hair. He greedily wrapped his arms around Atsumu as well, taking in what he hadn’t been able to for months. He felt Atsumu’s head move a little bit to the side, and tried to get him to stay where he was. Atsumu still wrestled out of his grip and held him at arm’s length, inspecting Kiyoomi’s face like he would an opposing team before he played.
“Omi, when’s the last time ya got a full night’s sleep?” Atsumu pressed onto the undoubtedly deep dark circles that had taken up residence under his eyes. “No wonder ya cried, yer emotionally and physically exhausted. Ya know ya gotta take care of yerself, right?”
“I am, I just have an exam tomorrow that I need to study for,” Kiyoomi replied. “Give me an hour and I promise I’ll go to sleep.”
“I don’t believe ya.” Atsumu looked down at his watch, and then around the apartment consideringly. “What time’s yer exam tomorrow?”
“1 P.M. Why?”
Moving quicker than lightning, Atsumu reached underneath Kiyoomi’s legs and swept him up in a bridal carry, bringing all 6’4” of him into his bedroom and dropping him onto the bed as if he were no heavier than a feather. What the fuck did the V. League feed its athletes?
“Yer gonna sleep. Now.” Atsumu’s tone left no room for argument. “I can guarantee ya that ya’ve studied more than enough, and yer exam is late tomorrow, so ya can still get 8 hours of sleep and study before ya take it tomorrow. Yer health is more important than whatever this is, got it?”
“But, you just came, and I wanted to spend time with you. I missed you.” Kiyoomi gave one last feeble attempt at swaying Atsumu.
“‘M gonna be stayin’ for a week. Yer gonna have plenty of time to spend with me, so just get some rest. ‘M kinda tired too, so I’ll just sleep with you.” Atsumu quickly crawled under the blankets, poking his cold feet into Kiyoomi’s legs and causing him to squeak. Kiyoomi was already drifting off (maybe Atsumu was right), but before he fell asleep, he felt Atsumu nuzzle into his neck and heard a whispered, “I missed ya, too.”
Needless to say, Kiyoomi passed his exam with flying colors.
2.
“Sakusa-san, could you please fill in for Suzuki-san as the attorney giving the opening statement? She’s out sick today.”
“Sakusa-san, we need you to bring the exhibits to the classroom right now.”
“Sakusa-san -”
Kiyoomi had never wanted to hear his name less. It was supposed to be a break day for him, but the mock trial team at his school had sought him out as a substitute when one of their attorneys had called in sick with food poisoning. He’d been running from one end of campus to another, frazzled out of his mind, starving since the mock trial practice had taken up his lunch period and the scrimmage was that afternoon.
Well, it would be if Kiyoomi could find the damn exhibits they were talking about.
He’d been running around for such a long time that he couldn’t tell left from right, up from down, and his papers from the exhibits that the mock trial team needed to run their scrimmage. Right now, he was pacing around the land surrounding the law building, gnawing on his fingernails and trying to think of where exactly he’d left them in the morning.
The vibrations of his phone quickly jolted him out of his panic. Kiyoomi looked at who was calling him, and quickly answered the phone. “Atsumu, hey, not a good time right now.”
“Ah, what’s wrong? Anythin’ I can help with?” Kiyoomi vaguely heard the sound of Bokuto Koutarou screaming in the background, and was reminded of the distance between him and his boyfriend yet again.
“I just..ugh!” Kiyoomi let out a sigh as he lost his train of thought again. “I can’t find the stupid mock trial exhibits that the team told me to get this morning and now they’re going to be on my ass about it unless I get them pronto.”
“Man, I wish I were the one on yer a-”
“Finish that sentence and I’m driving to Osaka to seal your mouth shut.”
“With a kiss?” Kiyoomi rolled his eyes fondly as he heard the stupid smooching noises Atsumu let out on the other end of the line. “I’m just kiddin’, just kiddin’. Wait, exhibits? Aren’t those the picture thingies y’all hold up durin’ trial? Like, for evidence?”
“Yes, they are. You actually pay attention when I explain this stuff?”
“Of course I do, Omi, what kinda boyfriend would I be if I didn’t? Anyway, I saw them this mornin’. On yer couch, underneath that one really ugly pillow I keep tellin’ ya to get rid of.”
Kiyoomi stopped the torture he was inflicting on his thumb nail, sure he didn’t hear Atsumu right. “This whole time, those stupid exhibits have been back in my apartment ? I swear I looked there already! How’d you even spot that?”
“I was just lookin’ around durin’ our FaceTime call this mornin’,” Atsumu started. “I saw a bunch of these papers stickin’ out from under yer pillow, but I didn’t know if ya meant for them to be there or not so I didn’t mention it. Sorry, babe!”
“No, it’s fine, I was being careless,” Kiyoomi had broken out into a dash back to his apartment at this point. “I should’ve noticed. Sorry to bother you with this.”
“Kiyoomi,” Atsumu said sweetly. “Ya do know that yer not botherin’ me with anythin’, right? We’re in a relationship, we help each other out. Ya apologize too much for someone that has to put up with me, too.”
“But I don’t just put up with you. I enjoy helping and listening to you, because you’re my -”
“Boyfriend, exactly. See what I mean now?”
Kiyoomi huffed, half from affectionate exasperation and half from the exhaustion of jogging all the way to his apartment building while maintaining a conversation with Atsumu. “Yeah, yeah, you sap. I know what you mean.”
“A’ight, then go get ‘em, tiger! Make sure to get back on for our nightly call, I miss ya. Love ya.”
“Love you, too. Thank you, ‘Tsumu.”
Kiyoomi almost felt Atsumu’s smile from the other end of the line, because he had a similar one on his face. “No problem, darlin’. Anytime.”
3.
Kiyoomi quickly adjusted his tie before he leaned over and adjusted Atsumu’s too. Really, both of their ties looked fine, but Kiyoomi had never really been able to get rid of his nervous habits. Idly, he realized that he’d been fiddling with Atsumu’s tie for a little bit longer than acceptable, something he only noticed when a large, calloused hand grabbed his and pulled it away from the garment.
“Ya nervous?” Atsumu asked, intertwining his fingers with Kiyoomi’s.
“A little bit,” Kiyoomi replied, staring straight ahead but still squeezing the offered hand. “You’re meeting my parents for the first time.”
“‘M sure they’ll love me. I charmed their prickly son, after all.” Atsumu’s grin was both adorable and annoying. Kiyoomi didn’t know whether he wanted to punch him or kiss him.
“Talk like that and we’ll never get their approval. We’re here.”
Hands still interlocked, the couple made their way into the restaurant Kiyoomi’s parents had invited them to, a swanky little Italian place that Kiyoomi’s mother had claimed made the best pasta ever. As the hostess led them to their table, Atsumu leaned over to press a kiss onto Kiyoomi’s cheek, which Kiyoomi closed his eyes to and leaned into happily. He only opened them again when he felt Atsumu’s hand fall limp in his, and followed his gaze to what seemed like his parent’s dinner table.
Well, his parent’s and another man’s dinner table.
“Omi, who’s that?” Atsumu nodded at the man in question. “A cousin? A relative? Someone else ya wanted to introduce me to?”
“I-I don’t know who that is.” Kiyoomi responded honestly. “We’ll find out, though.”
With that, he tugged Atsumu to the offered table and pulled out a chair first for him before sitting down himself. Kiyoomi’s parents stopped their conversation with the strange man and turned to the both of them, smiling. Before Kiyoomi could question anything, his mother gave him an answer: “Kiyoomi, so nice of you to bring a friend with you, even though I thought that this could be a more private affair. This is Saito-san, the nice man who’s going to court you!”
“Going to what ?” Kiyoomi and Atsumu exclaimed at the same time. They couldn’t believe their ears.
“Don’t you remember?” Kiyoomi’s mother scrolled through her phone a bit before sliding it across the table to him, Saito looking curiously at the device all the while. Kiyoomi picked it up and began reading, his eyes widening as he did so. He could feel Atsumu looking from over his shoulder, sure that he was probably angry at Kiyoomi for not disclosing this earlier. However, he couldn’t really be blamed - Kiyoomi had read and replied to the text message at 4 AM during exam week, so he wasn’t really coherent or awake at the time. No wonder he forgot.
“Kiyoomi, why don’t you introduce us to your friend? He seems awfully curious as to the ongoings of our little arrangement.” Kiyoomi’s father gestured vaguely to Atsumu as he spoke.
“No need for Omi to introduce me, I can do it myself,” Atsumu straightened in his chair. “My name’s Miya Atsumu, ‘m the reserve setter for a Division 1 V. League team, the MSBY Black Jackals. Pleasure to meet ya, Sakusa-san.”
Kiyoomi’s father gave a considering grunt, while Kiyoomi’s mother jumped forward, eyes glimmering. “Volleyball? Does that mean you played with our Kiyoomi in high school?”
“Yeah, actually,” Atsumu grinned toothily. “I played at Inarizaki, he played at Itachiyama. It was kinda a ‘fated rivals’ type ‘o thin’, ya know?”
While Atsumu charmed his mother, Kiyoomi glanced over at Saito, who now just looked very uncomfortable, and then at his father, who still had his arms crossed and a stoic expression on his face.
“Mother, father….um, Saito-san,” Kiyoomi interrupted, causing all conversation at the table to cease immediately. “Atsumu isn’t just my friend, he’s, um, my boyfriend. So.”
“Kiyoomi, do you not realize how beneficial this arrangement is?” his father said stonily. “You’re dating a reserve player who doesn’t even have a college education, while Saito-san here is the son of the CEO of one of the largest industrial conglomerates in the country. We already told you about this, why are you going back on your word now?”
Before Kiyoomi could plead his case, Atsumu spoke first while holding onto Kiyoomi’s hand - a bold move considering their interlaced fingers were perfectly in Kiyoomi’s father’s line of vision.
“First of all, sir, ‘m not plannin’ on bein’ a reserve forever. ‘M set to move up in the ranks very, very soon. Second, respectfully I didn’t get a college education because volleyball is one of my two loves, ‘n I just wanted to play as soon as possible, which I could because of my talent. ‘N lastly, I love Kiyoomi even more than I love volleyball, ‘n it’s not fair that yer making him do something he doesn’t wanna just because ya want the glory.”
The tension in the room was thick enough to slice through when Atsumu finished monologuing, the only visible evidence of his stress being the death grip he had on Kiyoomi’s fingers. Kiyoomi was pretty sure poor Saito was shaking at this point; he couldn’t blame him, he’d come for a date and left with trauma from a family he wasn’t even going to be a part of if Kiyoomi had any say in it. Sorry, Saito.
“My, my, that is just so sweet!” Kiyoomi’s mother clapped her hands together joyfully, drawing the surprise and attention of everyone at the table. “I think you’re quite the exciting young man, Miya-kun. I like your spunk!”
“Honey -” Kiyoomi’s father started.
“Nope! I don’t want to hear it!” Kiyoomi’s mother held up a hand. “I know that you want Kiyoomi to take over the firm and that this little ‘arrangement’ could strengthen his business partnerships when he does so, but that won’t be necessary if he’s not taking over the firm, right?”
Kiyoomi froze in his seat. He hadn’t told his parents about his desires to go pro yet, but he decided that with his mother’s understanding gaze and Atsumu’s comforting presence in his arsenal, now was a good time as any. He nodded, slowly, as if not to send his father into shock with any sudden quick movements. His mother winked in response. His father was as still as unmoving as a statue.
“I think that this Atsumu boy truly loves you -”
“I DO.”
Kiyoomi’s mother tittered, before continuing, “As he was saying, he seems to truly love you, and that’s all I’ve wanted for you. All
we
want for you, isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
Kiyoomi’s father didn’t so much as show a muscle twitching in his face. Kiyoomi’s mother just batted the lack of emotion aside with a hand, saying, “He’ll come around eventually. Go home, enjoy your young love! You too, Saito-san. Sorry for wasting your time today!”
“No worries,” Saito replied before absolutely booking it out of the restaurant. Kiyoomi and Atsumu gave a grateful nod to Kiyoomi’s mother before doing the same. After they had successfully landed themselves a cab, Kiyoomi texted his mother a quick “Thank you, call me soon” before turning around and giving Atsumu a deep kiss square on the lips.
“Not that ‘m complainin’,” Atsumu smirked, wiping his lips once they broke apart. “But what was that for?”
Kiyoomi looked at the man in front of him, highlighted in the dim, crappy lights of the dirty taxi they were in, and thought, Man, am I lucky . The same man who Kiyoomi loved so much, who had defended him without hesitation to people he barely knew just a few moments ago.
“Just for being you.”
4.
Tissues on the ground, a room smelling like cough medicine, the incessant beeping of a thermometer. All of these things were the direct result of the cold Kiyoomi had caught just a few days earlier. He had been bedridden for days, sniffling and downing lozenges like there was no tomorrow. Sometimes, he would drag his body, along with a blanket, to his desk in order to do work, but he found that everytime he tried to start he’d get too tired to finish and would just end up sleeping again.
The worst part about Kiyoomi being sick was that he had to skip out on another visit to Osaka, to Atsumu, again . Last time, he’d had to miss out because his university was holding a pre-law banquet and they needed him to be a guest speaker. The next time, he’d gone to book his train ticket too late and there was nothing available for the time slot he wanted. Maybe Kiyoomi was being dramatic, but it really seemed like the universe was out to get him.
Sniffling, Kiyoomi draped a blanket around his shoulders and took heavy steps out to his kitchen. Perhaps brewing a cup of tea would help him feel better -
“Hey, darlin’!”
Kiyoomi trips on the blanket and falls on his ass.
“Babe! Ya okay?” Atsumu runs over to where Kiyoomi lays on the floor, groaning and rubbing his back. “I made ya some tea, stand up and I’ll get ya an ice pack too..”
“When did you get here? I thought you had a game?” Kiyoomi went to sit down at his kitchen table, still rubbing his backside, eyes trailing over the man darting around his kitchen trying to find the ice packs. “Freezer, left compartment.”
“Oh, thanks! Yeah, we had a game but some of the players in the other team had some type ‘o contractual conflict, so we ended up playin’ only one instead of three games. So now ‘m here with ya!” Atsumu, having successfully found the ice packs, brandished one to Kiyoomi proudly. “How are ya feelin’, babe?”
“Like I got hit in the face with one of your serves.”
Atsumu tilted his head back and belly laughed before moving to Kiyoomi’s back and re-adjusting the blanket on his shoulders and pressing a kiss into his curls. Kiyoomi was sure they were matted with sweat and probably smelled like something died in them, but the action warmed his heart nonetheless. A coughing fit made Atsumu rush over to his kitchen counter and grab the tea he had previously brewed for Kiyoomi as well.
“I missed ya, we haven’t seen each other in forever!” Atsumu whined.
“I know, I’m sorry,” Kiyoomi pouted. “And now I’m sick too, so we can’t even do anything...and it’s the first time we’ve seen each other in so l-”
“I can hear ya overthinkin’, ya know!” Atsumu poked Kiyoomi’s temple once, twice. “‘M just happy to be here with ya. And since ‘m the best boyfriend ever, I’ll just nurse ya back to health within the week and then we can do whatever!”
“The week? ‘Tsumu, how long are you staying?”
Atsumu scratched his neck sheepishly, before replying, “Actually, ‘m gonna be here for two ‘n a half weeks… Coach wanted me to do some outreach and recruitin’ for the team and I wanted to visit ya too so… I convinced him to let me take the Tokyo branch so I could spend time with ya..”
And Kiyoomi fell in love all over again. How lucky was he that he had a boyfriend that thought of him even when doing his job, that thought of any opportunity for them to be together? You know what, maybe the universe wasn’t out for Kiyoomi if it gave him Miya Atsumu.
“I love you. You know that, right?”
Atsumu smiled, as brilliant and lovely as the sunrise, and replied, “Of course I do, babe. I love ya, too. Now let’s get you back into bed, yeah?”
Kiyoomi smiles.
“Only if you stay with me.”
+1.
Atsumu had been off his game for the entire day. First, he’d run into a door just that morning because he’d overslept and was rushing to get to their team bus. Next, he’d realized once he sat down that he’d tore his shorts. His uniform shorts. The ones he had to wear when he was playing in an official game . And then Kiyoomi had texted him that he wouldn’t be able to make it to said game because his professor had pulled a dick move and assigned an essay that he had to turn in by the next day. Atsumu didn’t blame Kiyoomi for that, obviously university was a pain in the ass (one of the reasons why he didn’t go), but Atsumu would be lying if he said that the absence of his boyfriend didn’t make his mood a little worse.
All in all, this was the absolute worst time for Coach Foster to put him in as the starting setter. But of course, whatever higher powers existed hated him, so that’s exactly what Coach did.
Atsumu made it approximately one step off the bench before a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, nearly knocking him off-balance. He turned around and looked right into the eerily bright eyes of none other than Bokuto Koutarou, the outside hitter who had recently made it off the bench permanently. “Tsum-tsum! We’re gonna win this with you on the court, right? Right! Get more hyped up, let’s go let’s go!!”
“Mhm, yep,” Atsumu mumbled back. Truthfully, he felt like he was either going to fall asleep or fall on his face any moment now, but he knew that he had to pull it together for the sake of the team and his job.
As Atsumu stepped onto the court and spun the ball a few times in his hands, he tried to recalibrate his mind. A bad day was just another day - temporary. A bad game wouldn’t leave his memory or his record as easily, especially one where he was playing starter while still technically in the reserves.
Deep breath in, deep breath out, you’re fine -
“Atsumu!! Miya Atsumu! Number 13! Hey, you asshole!!”
Atsumu whipped his head around at the familiar voice, sure he was just imagining things.
Well, now he knew he wasn’t, but what he saw still seemed like a dream nonetheless.
Sakusa Kiyoomi stood in the front of the stands wearing an MSBY jersey emblazoned with the number 13 and the name “MIYA” on the back of it, shown when the man turned around and pointed with his thumbs at the labels. There was a pretty blush high on his cheeks, from embarrassment or exertion Atsumu didn’t know nor care, and a sheepish smile graced his face. Atsumu palmed the volleyball he’d been toying with and shot a kiss to the stands, making the audience go wild and deepening the blush on Kiyoomi’s cheeks.
Atsumu turned back to the court. The sight of Kiyoomi in an MSBY jersey, cheering for him in the stands - it was only second to the sight of Kiyoomi in an MSBY jersey, jumping in perfect form to spike one of Atsumu’s sets. But those were thoughts for another time.
“You have this, Atsumu!”
Yeah, I do.