Archive of Our Own

February was the best time to travel, Atsumu had told himself, the perfect time to get off peak tickets and explore the world on a budget. When these ingenious ideas presented themselves to him, there was no part of him that stopped to consider that cheap 1st-class tickets also meant stumbling onto a train at 2 o'clock in the morning after he hadn't had more than an hour or so of sleep since the day after yesterday, after his hostel flooded the day he arrived in the city. But he'd been holding off from resting until now, a 7-day train ride on the Trans Siberian Express, a journey practically made to be slept through. He ambled down the narrow aisle towards the 1st-class carriages, where his room (and more importantly, his bed) would be waiting for him, checking his phone as he located the room with the identical number on. He tentatively opened the door and breathed a quiet sigh of relief that he hadn't accidentally booked himself honeymoon suite and sent himself drowning in bills - it had happened before - he began to lay down on the bottom bunk when he was interrupted by the click of the door being slid open. His roommate.

The eyes that stared back at him from the doorway bore down on him, assessing him  with hunched shoulders and curls of black hair cascading down one side of his face. He was tall, maybe taller than Atsumu, which was no small feat, but seemed to only occupy a small space when he fully entered the room. Determined to make a positive first impression, Atsumu spoke up, "Hey, where are you from?". He tried to make his voice as clear as possible, in case the other man didn't speak japanese, and he hoped that if he did, the question didn't come off as creepy. Luckily, his roommate seemed to relax at these words, his shoulders unhunching and stare softening, "Oh, thank god, I was worried that I would be stuck with someone who I didn't even speak the same language as for a whole week," This had never occurred to Atsumu - it probably should of, "I'm Sakusa Kiyoomi." Sakusa's response was quick and his voice was low with a sharp edge to it, Atsumu didn't quite know what to make of him, but Sakusa had pretty eyes (the rest of his face was hidden behind his mask) and looked to be around the same age as Atsumu, so he was looking forward to finding out more about his roommate for the next six days.

It was around the 30-second mark that Atsumu realised he had been staring at Sakusa in silence. "Oh! Yeah sorry, I'm Miya Atsumu, you can jus' call me Atsumu though, Miya makes me think of my twin brother." It was an almost automatic response for Atsumu, despite his fluster at the beginning, it was a good conversation starter, as people were often curious about him being a twin. But Sakusa merely looked at him from behind his mask and asked, "Oh, is he here then?" it was less of a question and more of a deadpan taunt, heavily implying that he would not take up Atsumu's request, whatever his answer would be. Miya Osamu was not on the train, he was in Hyogo, and so Atsumu told him as such, watching as Sakusa crouched down over his bags, sifting through his luggage. He turned around and stood up, revealing the two packets of crisps he held in his hands, offering one to Atsumu silently. He took the Prawn Cocktail packet and patted the sheets next to him, Sakusa taking a quick check of the area before he sat down, took off his mask and began talking again, "So what brings you onto the world's longest train ride? Must be something interesting enough to bring you to first class." he was being nice, extending an olive branch to Atsumu in acknowledgment that they would be spending the next 6 days in a cramped train cabin.

Atsumu smiled, " I work as an athletic trainer, and I wanted to go travelling for my off-season holiday, I'm really just here for the experience, plus it's like sightseeing without all the walking around. Y'know, I had to get myself a part time job at my brother's shop to save up to travel in 1st Class, but it looks like it was worth it so far," He wiggles his eyebrows at the other, while Sakusa huffed out a chuckle, Atsumu soon followed suit. "What about you huh? Where does a guy like you work?" Atsumu punctuated his sentence by shoving a handful crisps into his mouth, miraculously not dropping any crumbs. "Well I'm currently working as an accountant, and I just got moved to a new office, but the timing for me moving into my new apartment didn't line up, so I decided to spend the time travelling, similar to you, except the rest of my belongings are in a storage container rather than waiting for me when I get home." after a moment of consideration Atsumu thought that it was best not to pity Sakusa for being legally homeless and instead focus on the other information he received. 

"So where abouts are you moving to? I'm completely clueless in the world of accounting, I don't really know any of the hotspots where it could be." Sakusa raised an eyebrow at him, half amused, half condescending.

"When I find the 'hotspots' of the Secret Accounting Society I'll be sure to let you know, though I can't guarantee you that I'll make out out with the information alive." Atsumu munched quietly in the pause. Sakusa's tone became less scathing, "But seriously, I got moved to Osaka by the company I work for, I get more flexible work days and there wasn't much keeping me in Tokyo, so I didn't need to waste much time deciding what I would do."

Atsumu perked up at the mention of Osaka, suddenly bursting to inform Sakusa of their new common ground. As soon as he finished talking, Atsumu began, "That's such a coincidence! I live in Osaka too, you'll love it there, really." 

With this newfound momentum in their conversation, the two continued to talk through to the early hours of the morning, spurred on by beers and each others' company, previous tiredness forgotten. They shared facts about each others' lives - he learnt that Sakusa had a cousin - Motoya- who lives in Eastern Japan, as well as liking sour snacks, and that he dislikes crowds, hence why he vyed for a more private first class room, he was also a bit of a clean freak, enjoying his surroundings more comfortably when they're clean. Atsumu tells him about himself as well, like his relationship with his brother, often told through stories of their highschool experience, alongside newer stories of his mishaps with his friends on the team he trains, many of them from night-outs after games. Their bottles emptied and their conversation grew more hushed, gently drawing their night to a close.

Sakusa seemed like a straightforward guy, if not a bit blunt and cold, he was generally quieter than Atsumu but always willing to talk, not afraid to judge him on his more questionable anecdotes. Atsumu silently thanked the universe that he got Sakusa as a roommate, not only someone young and fun but also someone that lived in the same city as him. Sakusa climbed into the top bunk, even though he had stated earlier that he had hoped to snatch the bottom bunk, just buzzed enough to let it slide. By the time the lights were out it was nearing on 6 o'clock, and all that could be heard was the rumbling of the train as it rolled along.

A gentle sliver of light peeked through the maroon curtains, and Atsumu internally thanked his past self for remembering to close them before he fell asleep, the small amount of light was bright enough on it's own, a whole sky of it glaring in his face might have been the last straw in his sleep deprived journey. Though, before Atsumu could wonder what terrible fate could of awaited him if he had continued his sleepless streak, a creak sounded above his head, followed by the rustling of thin sheets. Oh, right, his roommate. 

Sakusa climbed down onto the carpet, wearing slippers and with an eye mask hanging from his fingers. He glanced towards Atsumu, making sure he was awake before opening the curtains fully, the light now a welcome reminder of the day ahead. While doing this, he spoke up from their relaxed silence, "Morning Miya, did you sleep well?" 

"Morning Omi, and yeah, I'm glad I did, though I honestly think I would've slept well on the floor at this point." Atsumu grinned lazily at Sakusa as he whipped his head around upon hearing the nickname. He scowled and screwed up his nose, as if it was something rotten, "That is the worst nickname I've ever heard, why is that the first thing you have to say to me in the morning,". It was a rhetorical question. Atsumu knew this and answered anyway, "I jus' thought after our bonding session last night, it would be a nice token of our friendship.", adding a wink for good measure. 

"Well then, as a Token of our friendship you can buy us lunch, how does that sound?" He looked unimpressed but his voice stayed slightly playful. Begrudgingly, Atsumu got out of bed, finally standing face-to-face with Sakusa. 

Maybe he was too caught up in the excitement and adrenaline of last night, or maybe he just didn't notice, but now Atsumu had time to take in all of Sakusa's features, without being balled up in coats and masks. His jawline was pronounced and well-shaped, along with high cheekbones and smooth , pale skin that practically glowed beneath the daylight. He was truly a sight to behold, Atsumu decided, and hoped that he would be as good of a roommate as he was at looking pretty. Delighted at this prospect, he huffed in triumph and let Sakusa shuffle past him to the doorway, waiting a moment for Atsumu to slip on a hoodie over his pajama t-shirt and swipe through his hair. "What time is it anyway?" He slid the door shut behind them, not bothering to check his phone clock, not when he can hear Sakusa answer him in a smooth tone,"3pm, though I'm not surprised we weren't awake until then, considering our late night," Atsumu followed him, not bothering to supress the smile that came with recalling the memories of the night before.

They arrived at the kiosk in the first-class communal carriage, a small grey counter decorated with the kind of dry confectionary that could be found at a corner shop and a cash register. They each got a sandwich and sat down at one of the many available tables, right in front of the window. The bleak wilderness whizzed by, the train rushing towards an endless expanse of dark clouds, completely blocking out the warm sunlight. They ate their lunches quietly, feeling the air gradually become colder and the gentle patter of rain against the windows more prevalent. It continued to drop from the sky in unrelenting droves, visibility lowering by the second (not that there was much to see at that moment), and Atsumu looked up at Sakusa, who was already looking a him intently with his hands folded over his empty sandwich packet. 

"What d'ya wanna do then Omi? Not much to sightsee at the moment is there" Atsumu rested his chin on his hand as he spoke.

"We could watch some on the films I have downloaded on my laptop if you want." Sakusa's voice was monotone and the prospect of watching movies was nothing close to novel, yet Atsumu lit up and began to make his way back to their room, only stopping to check if the other man was following behind. They crossed the narrow corridors and settled in their room, Sakusa retrieving his laptop while Atsumu fluffed the pillows up just right so that Sakusa would be willing to sit in is bed after he's  slept in it. They sit against the wall with the laptop rested across their thighs, curtains closed and each with their own packet of popcorn. 

After scrolling through Sakusa's movie collection they decided on Howl's Moving Castle, Atsumu already having eaten half of his popcorn. It was enjoyable and the music swelled in all the right places, but Atsumu couldn't help sneaking quick glances at Sakusa, making sure he was comfortable, making sure he was liking the movie, making sure he still had enough popcorn - any excuse he had, he would take. At a particularly emotional scene in the film Atsumu was barely containing his sniffles, he looked over to his left, only to find Sakusa staring right back at him, the tips of his ears slightly red. Sakusa's hand was closer to his than when they had sat down, but it froze along with Sakusa. They both became very engrossed in the film after that, neither daring to risk being caught by the other again. 

One film ended and another started, this one being Shaun of the Dead, a British comedy Suna had shown the twins while he was going through his Film Critic Phase™, that Atsumu had excitedly pointed out out upon seeing it in Sakusa's library. There was considerably less glances aimed at each other this time, which turned out to give more time to read the subtitles, so Atsumu was grateful it worked in their favour.

The credits rolled and right on cue, Sakusa's stomach rumbled loudly. Atsumu tilted his head back and let out a laugh, "I think that's our cue to mark some dinner. That was louder than the train Omi!" Sakusa responded with a withering glare than did nothing to dampen his mood. Atsumu let out a relaxed sigh as he stretched is limbs, back arching and toes curling, hopping off the bed and scooping a Pot Noodle from the carrier bag under his bed. He looked back up at Sakusa, who was getting out a similar meal for himself, albeit a slightly fancier brand. 

"Ready?" Sakusa nodded his head in affirmation. They filled their pots with boiling water and traipsed back to their room, laser focused on not spilling anything on the carpet. They made it back, Atsumu sitting on the floor while Sakusa opted for the edge of Atsumu's bed. The rain had let up around the halfway through the second film, but the sound of raindrops hitting the glass panes occasionally made itself known. Everything felt comfortable, Atsumu had found Sakusa good company, and, dare he say, a good friend. 

With their empty pot noodles tidied away by Sakusa, they reassembled themselves on Atsumu's bed, this time across the length of the bed "so we can warm up under the covers" Atsumu had said as a weak excuse. There was even less space between them than before, two men over 6 foot in a train cabin's bottom bunk, pressed together under the thin duvet, Sakusa was practically sitting on his lap.

They hit play and the opening shot for Parasite lit up the screen, another one of Suna's "intellectual" film recommendations. As one of the final scenes played out, Atsumu could feel Sakusa holding his breath, his shoulders tense, so he let out a low chuckle and patted his shoulder in effort to calm him down, only to get an eyeroll in response, "I'm not a dog you know Miya, and stop, this is the big climax of the film.". Though his tone lacked it's cutting edge and his posture was more relaxed. They stayed like that until the end of the film, when Atsumu realised Sakusa was a bit too relaxed. He looked over to his side, to find Sakusa asleep, leaning against the wall with his face buried in the pillow, hair splayed out above his head. Atsumu smiled softly as he lay down next to him, pulling the covers further up and placing Sakusa's laptop on the floor next to them. After a moment of consideration, he rolled over, facing the sleeping man, few of his features visible in the darkness, but Atsumu could make out the lack of scowl, which he had assumed permanently graced his face. 

It wasn't long until sleep claimed him too, as he drifted into unconsciousness he remembered Sakusa next to him, an inexplicable fizzing going off in his heart, a kind of giddiness that he didn't have the will to analyse. It was probably just the tiredness taking over.

Atsumu woke gently from dreams of floral meadows and curly black hair that shone in the sunlight to the muted sound of the train rolling past whatever scenery was outside their little bubble of comfort. 

He felt a breath fan across his neck and resisted the urge to open his eyes. Sakusa was looking at him. He didn't know that Atsumu was awake and he was lying in silence next to him, fully aware of the stare boring into his face, scanning him as if there was some sort of mystery it would solve it he did it long enough. After a few more minutes, Atsumu finally gave into his wants and opened his eyes.

Sakusa stared right into his soul, expression unchanging. A few seconds passed before his eyes widened, face erupting into a fierce blush, the embarrassment of getting caught finally setting in. Atsumu wanted to say something witty, to diffuse the situation and quell the red also rising to his cheeks.

"You're looking red today Omi." 

It seemed that every time Atsumu opened his mouth all that came out was the absolute worst thing to say. He clamped his mouth shut up prayed that Sakusa hadn't heard him from all the way on the other side of his single bed.

"Miya, why the fuck am I in your bed?" Sakusa demanded with a deadpan stare, which would of been more intimidating if he hadn't also been fighting the blush that contrasted so starkly with the rest of this pale skin. Atsumu, desperate to recover from his own stupidity, clutched onto this chance at conversation, "Well ya  fell asleep at the end of the movie las' night, 'n I couldn't bring myself to wake ya up. Ya jus' looked so peaceful 'n all that, I mean, I was tired too so I fell asleep as well. I'm sorry Omi, but I couldn't think of anything else to do 'n ya seemed to be fine with sittin' next to me, y'know." His accent got thicker and speech got quicker more he continued to ramble. He exhaled nervously the moment he finished, watching Sakusa to gauge his reaction, hoping that he got his non-creepy reasoning across. Sakusa merely sighed and let his expression mellow out into something less scornful, "It's fine. Now would you like to get up so we can get some breakfast, or are you planning to make a fool of yourself the entire morning?". An easy grin made its way onto Atsumu's face as he clambered out of bed, slipping into the miniscule bathroom to change into some decent clothes. The smile stuck to his mouth even as he shut the door behind him.

When they sat down at a table in the communal carriage, each carrying a sausage roll and a hot drink, Sakusa placed his laptop on the table in front on him. They sit in silence as Sakusa taps away at the keys, apparently checking his e-mails, mostly for updates about his belongings. 20 minutes of flicking through his team's social media later, he finds a photo of Hinata and Inunaki at a bar in Osaka; it was a favourite spot for the team after home games, the prices were low and the drinks were good, what's more, it was often quiet enough for them to relax and spend time with each other outside of work. Sakusa seemed to of finish scrolling through his laptop and had started his breakfast, so Atsumu turned his phone around and pushed it up to his face, it immediately being pushed back with a single finger.

"What am I meant to be looking at?" his tone was slightly exasperated, eyes squinted as he tried to figure out what the phone was showing.

"Some of the guys from my team. But they just reminded me of this really awesome bar that we always go to, you'd love it Omi, and since you'll be new in town, it's good to know all the best places to go for a good night out."  As he speaks, Atsumu places his phone on the table, propped against the carriage wall, perpendicular to each of them for equal vision of the screen. 

Atsumu chattered on, swiping through various accounts, detailing the conditions and atmosphere of each of his recommendations. After the first few, Sakusa spoke up, "What sport do you play Miya?" 

This was not a question Atsumu had been expecting, but he quickly realised that he had never actually told his roommate what sport he trained a team for. "Oh, uh, volleyball. I used to play in high school but after Samu quit, I wanted to get back at him by making a whole team of players even better than him, so now I'm the athletic trainer for the MSBY Blacks Jackals." 

In response, Sakusa perked up, his eyes big and attentive, a far cry from his usual disinterest in anything Atsumu does. "I used to play volleyball in highschool, but I had to quit, my cousin didn't though, Komori Motoya, he plays for EJP raijin," none of his excitement dims, he looks as if he had suddenly found an old treasure that had been buried under pile of dust and old cobwebs, reminded of a happiness long forgotten. Something so warm swelled inside Atsumu upon seeing Sakusa like this, he almost misses the last part of what he says.

"Hold up Omi." he lifts his hand up for emphasis, "This 'cousin Motoya' that you've been talking about is the EJP Raijin Libero? How did I not make that connection sooner? God Suna always talks about him. They're like the gossip mongers of the V-league, it drives me nuts. Once Suna found out how I liked Aran in middle school and told him at their match. I thought I was safe 'cause Suna's not on the same team as him anymore, but that fucker always finds a way." Atsumu shook his head in his hands the moment the memory resurfaced. He could practically hear Suna's tinny laugh ringing through his phone while his team bombarded him with questions about his love life. Along with the smug look Samu gave him the next time he went to visit his shop, followed by Kita's, who was slightly less impressed, but still entertained. Atsumu lost himself in his thoughts as he squashed his face further into his hands.

Sakusa quietly cleared his throat and Atsumu looked up to find him avoiding eye contact with pink-tinted ears, his voice was stilted and slightly hushed, "I, uh, didn't know that you were, you know," Atsumu did not know. "Uh, gay." Ah. Atsumu did know. He was abruptly and painfully aware. 

So caught up in the moment, Atsumu had momentarily forgotten that him and Sakusa were roommates (as of the last 2 and a bit days) and did not, in fact, know that Atsumu liked men. He had never considered it would be brought up on his trip and that anecdote just came out so easily, what it meant never even occurred to him. The adrenaline of accidentally outing himself kicked in and he promptly slapped his hand over his mouth, worrying that Sakusa might be uncomfortable that they shared a bed last night, or maybe even that they shared a room. What if Sakusa tried to force him off the train, in the middle of the Russian winter, or burn all his belongings, because they were covered in his gay germs. He deduced that Sakusa's embarrassment must mean discomfort, so he had to lay down some crash mats before he dropped the bombshell.

"I'm so sorry, Omi, I promise that I wasn't tryna be creepy last night I really was tired, I promise, and if you don't want to room with me anymore that's totally fine and I won't judge or anythin', but yeah, I'm bi" His hands were now shoved in his lap, awaiting either awkwardness or onslaught.

It was silent for a moment, before the other spoke, "Miya, it's fine really, I'm-" Sakusa cleared his throat again, less quiet than last time, "I'm bi too actually.", with each word he seemed to gain more confidence, "Also, it's not your fault if someone's homophobic, you don't need to apologise for anything," 

Well, that went better than Atsumu had imagined. He chuckled nervously and scratched his head. Sakusa was bi, and had to at least somewhat like being friends with Atsumu, given that he hadn't filed a complaint move rooms, and lived near him - in his home, in Osaka. Atsumu felt giddiness bubble up inside him, like a million butterflies were swirling around in his stomach, all because he was so excited to be friends with Sakusa. Yeah, Atsumu thought to himself, this is because I just really want to be friends with Omi, his smile was dopey and lopsided and his eyes were as soft as Sakusa's, "Well that's good to hear, and it's great you like volleyball, do you have any other hobbies?"

Sakusa's tone was deadpan, "No Miya, I'm an accountant because it is my one true passion in life, why would I need anything else," though his eyes remained soft as he watch Atsumu laugh obnoxiously, "I can show you what i actually like to do in my spare time if you want, it's back with my luggage." Atsumu nodded eagerly and hopped up from his chair.

They arrived back in their room and Sakusa took a seat next to Atsumu on the floor, leaning against his bed, with a sketchbook in his hand. He wordlessly flipped the cover to reveal countless drawings and ink paintings, some pages were coloured in with watercolour and the occasional charcoal background. Each was better than the last the art styles growing more refined and brush strokes more confident, the range of mediums grew along the way too. Near the end there were about 20-or-so empty pages, waiting to be filled by Sakusa's dedicated hand. Atsumu stared at the most recent entry, a close-up of a couple dancing, their faces illuminated by an artificial glow behind them, in oil paint their features were smooth and and beautiful. Atsumu had never seen art so captivating. 

"How did you learn how to do all this? It's amazing, really." he lifted his awe-filled gaze. Sakusa kept his expression blank but Atsumu could tell from his hesitation to respond that his answer would be heavy.

"You know how I said used to play volleyball right?" he spoke slowly as if talking about it drained the energy out of him. "And I quit, in second year. It was just before nationals and I had been doing well all season; being on the court was starting to feel like somewhere I wanted to be for the rest of my life. One of the things that made me so good was my hypermobility." Sakusa bent his wrist to a concerning angle as proof. "I had been using my flexible range even more on court and I pushed myself too far, which I never do, but I got carried away with this kind of passion that I had never felt for anything before, and then I started tearing ligaments. It all kind of happened at once, I pushed my limits one too many times, and my body crumbled beneath me as a result. 

"A torn ligament or two would've only put me out of volleyball for a week, but so many had torn so many in such a short amount of time that I had to stay in hospital. One of my knees was badly injured and I was told that I should avoid high impact sports unless I wanted to lose all feeling in my leg. I was in a hospital bed for days while they ran blood tests to see if it wasn't a sign of early onset Arthritis, knowing that I wouldn't be able to play volleyball again, the only thing I could do to keep my mind off it was paint. It was only to pass time at first, but I found myself wanting to improve and become better, similar to volleyball. I carried on doing it and I did get better, but I don't think anything could replace my love for volleyball. I kind of detached myself from everything volleyball afterwards, so Motoya is basically my only source of information on what's happening in the V-league at the moment" Sakusa's voice was unwavering, if not slightly distant.

That was the most Atsumu had ever heard him say in one go. He wanted to reach out and say he was sorry, but he stopped himself from doing so. It wasn't a sad story - it was a story. About losing one love and finding another, not a tragedy to be pitied and babied. 

So, instead, Atsumu offered Sakusa a smile, a real, genuine smile, "I'm glad you found something that made you so happy."

The haze in Sakusa's eyes seemed to fade away and he smiled back, softly shutting his sketchbook and pushing himself up from the carpet. He tucked it away in a pocket by his bed. "I think there's a stop in a few minutes that has showers nearby, do you want to stop off there?"

And so they moved towards the carriage doors, neither pointing out how they stood a little closer and smiled a little wider. It was around noon when the train began to slow down, and most of the passengers were busy having lunch, leaving Atsumu and Sakusa waiting by the doors, the platform coming into view. The train stopped and the doors slid open, the two stepping out in tandem, striding towards the showerhouse built near the train station. They quickly paid the admission fee and the doors opened automatically. Veering left into the men's changing rooms, they shoved their shoes in their lockers and chose neighbouring cubicles to shower in. 

Atsumu melted under the hot water, he had almost forgotten what a luxury a good shower was, his past few weeks spent travelling hadn't been the most... sanitary experience. He had started counting getting caught in rainstorms as a wash, along with the occasional cold-water beach showers that left him blue in the icy air. He was enjoying the quiet as well, something he never thought he'd say, the only sound was the echo of water hitting the tiles in the near empty room. But, he didn't need to be quiet around Sakusa, Atsumu always felt listened to with him (he hoped it wasn't the fact that he was Sakusa's only source of company for the week), so he didn't stop himself from saying his thought out loud, "It's nice being outside again, dontcha think Omi? It feels weird not hearing the train moving though, I've already gotten used to it." His voice was clear and crisp above the showers.

"Yeah, I think I'm enjoying the train ride much more than I thought I would." Sakusa's confession caught Atsumu slightly off-guard, maybe the wall between them encouraged Sakusa on, "I'm glad that you're my roommate Miya, I don't know if anyone would be able to keep me from being bored out of my mind like you do," He wished he could see Sakusa's face, see if he had that blush staining his cheeks, see if he was smiling in that begrudging way he does whenever he compliments Atsumu.

"Well I'm glad that we're friends Omi too, I'd probably have to sleep in the corridor if my roommate was someone I hated." His heart soared when Sakusa didn't deny that they were friends. "Such good friends that you'd be willing to let me borrow your shampoo?" Atsumu pleaded, swiftly changing the conversation before he would say anything else embarrassing. Sakusa could almost feel him batting his eyelashes dramatically from the other side of the partition, "How do you not have your own shampoo Miya, were you expecting a pharmacy on the train?" he groaned but still threw an expensive looking bottle over to Atsumu's side. 

"Nope," he said, popping the 'p', "I have my own, but it was cheap and smells really bad, so I'm taking any opportunity to not use it," he hadn't even got it out of his suitcase, hoping that he could just feed off of his roommate's supply for the week. 

"You better be quick as well, this was a 20 minute stop and it's already been 10 minutes, and I would prefer it of the train didn't leave without us." his exasperation spurred Atsumu to quickly wash the rest of his shampoo out and toss the bottle back to it's owner. They towelled themselves off, discussing what they would do if the train did leave with all of their things on board, their plans ranging from catching up to it at the next stop via horseback to running a scam until they gained enough money to buy a ticket for the next train. Grabbing the rest of their things, they strolled onto the platform, even sparing a few minutes before departure and hopped into the communal carriage.

The lunch rush had died down, and Atsumu went and bought them both a sandwich each. Sakusa found them a table near the doors, and their conversation picked back up, this time about which special features they would add to the train, including minifridges in each room and a cinema room, when they were interrupted by a series of shuffles and grunts behind them. They each turned towards the doors, where three burly men were in the middle of a scuffle, one stubbornly refusing to enter the room, while being pushed in by the other two, they all had increasingly eccentric hairstyles, and were each dressed as if three wildly different events were all accidentally scheduled for the same day. The one with horrendous bedhead wearing a button-up shirt and tie must've noticed the two increasingly confused stares directed at them as he looked up to them an nodded politely, as if his foot wasn't currently forcing another man of similar build through a doorframe. At the back, a man dressed entirely in sports clothes with two-toned hair that sprung up from his head in tufts gave an extra push, sending all three of them tumbling through in one giant heap of the floor.

Atsumu and Sakusa watched as the two men that had been pushing, climb up and walk over towards the food kiosk, stepping over the bundle on the floor who, it seemed, did not want to be there. After releasing a drawn-out sigh, the last man, with fluffy brown hair swept to the sides wearing jersey shorts and a hawaiian shirt, stood up, dusted himself off, and casually followed after his friends. At the counter the men bought three bread rolls, but the moment they did, Atsumu whipped his head back around to the man across from him, an excitement on his face that Sakusa was quickly getting used to, "Omi, didja hear that? They're japanese, that means new friends!". Sakusa grumbled as he followed Atsumu to the strangers' table, not quite ready to interact with what looked to be such a rowdy crowd.
 
As Atsumu bounded over, they all noticed him in succession, already moving to make room for him, "Hey guys, where are you from? I'm trying to socialize while I'm here so I don't go stir crazy, how haven't we seen you 'round yet?", the group suddenly feel quiet, staring guiltily at the table before the one dressed in sports gear spoke up, "We uh, we're actually in second class" he stage-whispered, "Please don't report us! We don't want to be thrown off the train, it's just that the tables in second class are so cramped and it's so nice and empty in here and there's no-one guarding the doors so it's so easy to just slip in here!" the man fidgeted nervously, and Atsumu couldn't help his chuckle, he shared a look with Sakusa, who he guided down to the seat next to him. 

"It's fine, we're not going to rat you out, I'm Miya Atsumu, but just call me Atsumu, my grumpy roommate here is Om-" 

"I'm Sakusa." he gritted out, interrupting Atsumu before he got these random men to call him a nickname, not sharing his sentiment in enthusiasm.

The man sitting in the middle, gently placed a hand on the fidgeting man's shoulder, seemingly unperturbed by his anxious antics, "I'm Kuroo, nice to meet you two," an easy grin settled on his face, and he indicated to the man who his hand was resting on, "This is Bokuto, and then here is the reason we weren't in this carriage yesterday, Oikawa Tooru." The mention of his name had apparently unfocused Oikawa out of the dust he was picking off his brightly coloured shirt, and sent him into a spiel about how he didn't know that the doors wouldn't scan your boarding passes or there wouldn't be retina scanners that set off alarms if someone tried to sneak into the carriage. Atsumu listened enraptured, while Sakusa zoned out, wondering if Oikawa had undone any of his shirt buttons since entering the room in one of the few moments he left Sakusa's gaze.

With a slap to the back, he was brought out of his reverie, scowling at Atsumu beaming at him expectantly, "'course we'll come to your room for drinks, right Omi?".

"It's noon." A blunt and slightly judgemental response did nothing to deter Atsumu on his quest for more friends - maybe Sakusa did need a drink. 

The journey to the other mens' room was shorter than Atsumu had expected but he instantly revelled in the extra space provided in the three-bed second class cabin. There were two bunk bed along opposite lengths of the room, the left having a small storage area instead of a bottom bunk, and yet again, each section of the room varying wildly in the mess that decorated them. With what Atsumu could only assume was Bokuto's corner on the left bed, an array of clothes (including but not limited to: a black (batman?) cape, a child's t-shirt that read 'ASK ME ABOUT MY NINJA DISGUISE' and a pair of velvet booty shorts that had 'bitch' written on the ass in gems) strewn across the floor with no regard for space that might be needed. The top bunk on the other side, if Atsumu was correct in assuming was Oikawa's was slightly tidier than Bokuto's, the chaos limited strictly to his area, containing lenseless glasses, glasses with lenses, at least three pairs of sandals, each more hideous than the last and another shirt- the pattern of which, upon closer inspection, were an array of photos of Oikawa's own face, printed in the style of a hawaiian shirt. Lastly, on the only bottom bunk in the room, was Kuroos bed, who had the decency to keep all of his stuff in his suitcase, albeit slightly overflowing, with a blazer jacket thrown on top. 

Atsumu stifled a giggle at Sakusa's barely disguised horror, drinking in the same pit of disharmony as he had done mere seconds before. As he watched Sakusa react, he smiled to himself  'These guys seem pretty cool', though another thought pushed itself to the top of his mind right after, 'I hope Omi knows that he's still my favourite.'. Yeah, he was glad him and Sakusa were friends, maybe they'd even keep in touch back home, though he'd have to ask for his number, which was a whole different ballpark. Kuroo moved his suitcase onto Oikawa's bed and Atsumu sat in its place, dusting off the seat next to him, a silent invitation for Sakusa, who took it up wordlessly, Kuroo sat on his other side, leaning down to the floor, where Bokuto had crouched down with a variety of drinks. They each settled into their seats, picking up a casual chatter, further introducing themselves to their new friends. 

The night grew darker and, with the aid of copious amounts of beer, the topic of conversation began to sink into whatever people felt like saying. So, half-way through one of Bokuto's riveting stories about forming a human pyramid to reach a spare key after being locked in a reception office, Atsumu couldn't help but blurt out a question he was surprised he hadn't asked yet, "Hey what do you guys even do anyways, we told you our jobs 'nd shit, what about you?". Bokuto looked up at him, the sparkle in his eyes brightening by 50 watts, "We're students! We just graduated and this trip was a present from a friend!"

Atsumu wondered if any of his friends would buy him a week long holiday, and when the images of Suna and Osamu popped into his mind, he pushed the though down. Though, Kuroo had seen Atsumu's confusion, "One of my childhood friends wanted to get rid of us for a week, and it happened to be around the time we graduated, yeah, ever since he got that fancy promotion, Kenma's been buying us whatever he can think of." Atsumu vaguely recognised the name but was interrupted by Sakusa asking about their colleges and his attention was shifted to the man next to him.

Sakusa was definitely drunk, moreso than on the night they met, his eyes were less focused and he didn't seem worried about how much his leg was pressing up against Atsumu's. His hair was soft looking and curlier than earlier, likely thanks to the shower, and his smiles were warm, crinkling his eyes at the corners and stretching his skin tight over his flushed cheeks. He looked beautiful even under the ugly yellow lights of the other mens' room, and Atsumu wondered if he could ever look bad; probably not, he concluded. As he spoke, his lips lilted up at the corners and Atsumu barely caught what he said, but luckily Bokuto brought him back to earth, his voice booming out from him, "Well we all took deferrals, but me and Kuroo study in Tokyo, he does business and I'm doing sport science." Next to him, Oikawa sat practically vibrating, waiting for Bokuto to finish as if he didn't speak right then, he would simply die. Sakusa was now certain that Oikawa had undone at least half of his remaining shirt buttons over the course of the evening, a now measly two buttons failing miserably at any attempts at modesty.

The moment Bokuto stopped talking, Oikawa started, "And I study in San Juan, that's in Argentina, all the way on the other side of the world. The food there is wayyyy different, and everyone wears shorts all the time and the beaches are great for beach volleyball. Even the mountains there look different, 'cause they're right by the Andes mountains." He spoke as if he were reciting a travel guide, but preened afterwards, like he was expecting a short round of applause. He was not given one.

The rest of them burst into laughter at his baseless pride and continued to discuss their trips so far, Oikawa quickly joining back in. Around an hour later, Atsumu caught Sakusa supressing a yawn and began to wrap up his conversations in order to get Sakusa back to their room before he fell asleep in Kuroo's bed. 

They said their goodbyes, promising to visit their room tomorrow, and left together, stumbling down the desolate corridor, pushing into each other with every other step. Atsumu looked at their reflection in the black glass panes, their heads tilted towards each other and their hair squashed into a black-blonde mix, he watched as his hand came up to touch the blend of curls and waves, combing through gently with his fingers. It felt like he wasn't in control of what he was doing, but neither tried to stop it, just staring at their reflections dumbly as if it was a TV show on a screen, not what was happening to them right then - Atsumu distantly recognised the feels of soft locks underneath his fingertips. Then, slowly, Sakusa's hand came up to join his, loosely intertwining their fingers and pulling their hands down to rest in between them. They watched this strange show, mesmerised, as the black-haired man on the screen tilted his head further into the blonde man's face, pressing their cheeks together firmly. The rumbling of the train faded further into the background as the pair became even more engrossed at the oddly intimate display screened on the window opposite them. The blonde man pushed his hand out of the other's grip and Atsumu watched as he wrapped his arm around the black-haired man's waist, their bodies now completely sealed side-by-side. Before they could peel their eyes away, the men in the window spun around and Atsumu and Sakusa stood facing their door. The show was over. 

"Goodnight Omi," Atsumu whispered into the darkness of their room.

Sakusa's voice murmured from the void, "Goodnight Miya."

A persistent finger poking at Atsumu's shoulder woke him from dreams of soft curly hair and black eyes that swallowed him whole, only to open his eyes and see those two things inches away from his face, albeit slightly messier and with a grumpier air around them. "Wake up Miya, it's almost 1 and I'm hungry." He must be suffering similar effects to Atsumu in consequence of their night of drinking, with a scratchy throat and an empty stomach, "The fuck does that have to do with me? I can't be bothered to buy something," he looked back up at Sakusa and instantly felt the need to fix the glare he was now sporting, "ugh, there's some brioches in my bag, we can share them." Sakusa huffed a small smile and turned around to rummage through his roommate's belongings. Atsumu couldn't explain the way his insides melted as he watched Sakusa complain half-heartedly while he retrieved their breakfast, maybe it was the thought of them being such good friends, so comfortable around each other that they instantly settle into a casual rhythm as soon as they woke up. 

They sat together on the edge of Atsumu's bed, quietly munching their way through breakfast before Sakusa broke the silence. "What do you think of them, the guys, I mean." He sounded unsure of what he was saying, as if he was scared of what the answer might be. Atsumu wanted to give him the right answer, the one that would ease the slight tension in Sakusa's shoulders, but all he could do was answer honestly, "They're funny and around our age, yeah I really like them." Sakusa's shoulders stayed hunched and Atsumu tried to decipher what he was thinking, until he spoke up again, "Yeah I do too, was- do you think any of them were," Sakusa paused, searching for an appropriate word that wouldn't make a fool of himself, "attractive?"

It certainly wasn't the question Atsumu was expecting but it was one with a higher likelihood of his honest answer satisfying Sakusa, "Huh, they were all pretty good looking- and tall - I don't meet many strangers taller than me, and they're all interesting, which is a bonus. But of them will ever match up to you, Omi." he added on the end, followed by an over-exggerated eyebrow-wiggle. Sakusa rolled his eyes but kept a small smile on his face, warming Atsumu through to the bone. He stood up, throwing his wrappers in the bin, offering his hand to Atsumu, "Why don't we head over to the communal car, they're probably waiting for us," Atsumu nodded and took his hand, stepping out into the corridor towards their destination.

Waiting at a table at the back, with far too few seats (if they were expecting Atsumu and Sakusa to sit with them, which by their enthusiastic waving, they were), was Kuroo, wearing a shirt and blazer, looking slightly too warm ; Oikawa, wearing socks and sandals; and Bokuto, attracting the stares of the elderly couple in the corner of the room. They each took a seat, the five over-six-foot men now squashed into a tiny booth, and noticed the piles of playing cards stacked neatly in front of each of them. Apparently, they were about to participate in a card game marathon, starting with go-fish. Atsumu was glad they were starting with a relatively simple game that wouldn't escalate too much - certain games had been banned in the Miya household after the losing team started a fight with the winners.

"FUCK!" Bokuto yelled as he angrily slammed three kings in front of a smug Oikawa with Kuroo's cackling ringing through the car. The chaos had escalated much faster than Atsumu expected, Sakusa's strategic gameplay riling up the Bokuto to no end, along with Oikawa's ability to weed out who had what cards with a mere glance. Though, behind all of the yelling and death threats, it was all in good fun. The sun's light beamed through the clouds, the light feeling in the air as Atsumu sat surrounded by his new friends. The train whizzed by, the five men laughing and talking together and the card games were swapped out for simply sharing stories (many of them depicting the horrors of college dorms) and interests (Atsumu overheard Sakusa and Bokuto having a conversation about a show both of them liked). 

For dinner they had a 'Pot Noodle Feast' as Atsumu called it, staying in the booth while they all shovelled piping hot noodles into their mouths, an activity that was much more hassle than it was worth, Oikawa choking mid-mouthful and taking 5 minutes to calm down after his 'near-death experience'. Atsumu enjoyed telling them all the dirt he had collected on countless V-League players, accumulated over years of being friends with Suna Rinataro and Inunaki Shion, "Also, didja know that Hoshiumi has to wear heels to press events, otherwise he doesn't fit in frame for any photos, poor kid. Not as bad as Goshiki though, he hadta wear a wig for his debut photoshoots, his bangs were a real shitshow." he decided not to tell some of the juicier secrets that he had weeded out of Suna on one of their more drunken nights, especially after finding out that they all played volleyball in highschool, and likely knew many of the players. Sakusa watched quietly, amused as Atsumu threw out the occasional wild gesture , his smile a now permanent fixture. 

As he finished his tirade, Sakusa began to speak, the attention of the table now on him, "You know, Motoya tried to grow a moustache a few years ago, but it ended up looking like Borat, so that's why there aren't any photos of him when he first joined EJP Raijin. He managed to get all evidence of it deleted," He smirked and placed his phone down on the table, a photo of Komori with a painter's brush moustache sitting proudly on his face staring up at the four other men, "Except this. The only remaining photos of those horrific six months." 

Atsumu gaped at the screen and looked back up at it's owner, an excited gleam in his eyes, "Oh my God! How did I not know this, I can't believe Suna didn't tell me!" 

"Oh Suna would of, but I'm pretty sure Motoya had some sort of blackmail material on him to keep Suna's mouth shut. I don't even want to guess at what it might be." Atsumu shuddered at the thought- Suna was a man of many mysteries, some of which were better left unknown.

In return, Oikawa began to share the gossip of his highschool prefecture, of which there was lots. Every now and again, a name would be said that Atsumu vaguely recognised, and a few that he definitely did. During one of them, Atsumu spared a look over to Sakusa, who looked up to meet his gaze, he didn't look tired or bored or hungry but Atsumu couldn't help but want to spend some time with him, with just them in their room, so with a nod, they waited patiently for the story to finish and stood up from the table. "Hey, we're gonna head back, but see you guys tomorrow yeah?" Atsumu was met with with hums of agreement and enthusiastic goodbyes, before he turned towards the door, Sakusa in tow. 

They walked past rows of cabin doors, feet padding softly against the carpet, "Do you wanna watch something when we get back? Maybe we could finish that show from the other day." Sakusa nodded in response and they were soon settled next to each other in Atsumu's bed, laptop resting between them, the season 1 finale of Avatar playing on the screen. 

"Wait who's that old guy again? I can't keep up with this." Atsumu muttered

"That's Iroh. Seriously, Miya how do you not know this already, are you even paying attention?" Sakusa looked like he was moments away from whipping out a slideshow explaining every character so far, and forcing Atsumu to memorise the whole thing.

Atsumu however, was much more distracted by his urge to rest his head on Sakusa's shoulder, this time without the excuse of alcohol to excuse it. After many minutes of deliberation, he carefully lowered his head onto the shoulder next to him, feeling Sakusa's sudden intake of breath along with the warmth radiating from his face as well as his eventual exhale and relaxation into the touch. The episode continued, the seal on their bubble of comfort remaining unbroken, and as the end scene played out, Sakusa turned down to Atsumu "Who was your favourite? Please don't say all of them, then I'll know you weren't watching." Atsumu gasped with fake offense, "I'll have you know that Suki was my favourite character, and I'm shocked you'd think that I didn't know what was going on." The other man chuckled softly and slid out from the bottom bunk, switching the lights off and climbing into his own bed. They exchanged goodnights and waited for sleep to whisk them away to the next morning, ready for another of their numbered days together. 

Instead, they both lay there staring at the ceiling, the sound of the train clattering down it's path overpowering the heavy silence; Atsumu wondered if Sakusa could hear his heart beating, if his was too, if maybe he knew why this was happening to him, why this feeling seemed so familiar yet so shapeless and unique. He wondered if he would listen if Atsumu told him how it felt like he had swallowed a space heater whenever he looked at him a certain way, or how sometimes, it felt like they were the only two people in the world, dancing under a spotlight, twirling through the abyss with such elegance that stars were born from the twinkles in their eyes. Or maybe Sakusa didn't know either, all they could do was stick with each other, as friends, because even among all the confusion, Atsumu knew that Sakusa was a friend that he wanted to keep with him forever (if Sakusa would let him, of course). 

And so, before one could leave the other behind in a state of solitary consciousness, Atsumu opened his mouth.

"Omi, can we stay friends once we get off the train? I think I'd miss you if we didn't." The words came straight from the crevices of his heart, searching for a shred of compassion to cling to.

"That's stupid Miya. Of course we'll stay in contact, we live in the same city and I don't think Motoya would ever let me forget you, he'll lose it once he finds out we've met." Sakusa's bluntness was strangely comforting to hear, a reciprocation of his vulnerability, as well as a deterrent for his insecurities. Though, it was also a reminder that Atsumu had not contacted any of his friends or family since he had stepped onto the train. He decided to do it tomorrow, when he wasn't about to fall asleep. Neither stayed awake long after that, both of them dozing off within minutes, soothed by each others' presence.  

The low rumbling of footsteps echoed outside of Atsumu's room, where he was silently sleeping until moments ago. The heavy stamping became louder and clearer, when it suddenly stopped - right outside the door. 

"I'm so sorry 'Tsumu! Oikawa's been locked in the bathroom for the last hour and I really need the toilet!" The door slammed open before Bokuto's voice, far too loud for 7am, boomed into their cabin. Atsumu saw a flash of grey and pink before the bathroom door was slid shut and locked, the room returning to its initial tranquillity. 

"What even was that." Sakusa groaned from above him. Atsumu perked up and threw himself up beside his roommate's bed, realising all too quickly that their faces were now inches away from each other, Sakusa's smushed against his pillow, hair mussed into a pile atop his head, and soft lips slightly parted. He tried desperately to distract himself from what might be the prettiest man alive by answering his question, "Bo broke into our bathroom, apparently theirs has been reserved for the morning." His sentence was punctuated by the aforementioned door opening, a bashful looking Bokuto stepping into the confused stares of the room's owners. He was wearing a pink tank top, which looked at least two sizes too small for him, and a pair of denim booty shorts, which were, again, far to small for a man of his build.  "Bo, as much as I love seeing you, why am I seeing you in my bathroom at seven in the morning?", Atsumu was both amused and interested in these strange and sudden events, and it seemed so was Sakusa. 

"Oikawa locked himself in our bathroom and he's been in there for an hour, every time we ask him to come out he just says 'he'll be out in a minute'" Bokuto's Oikawa impression could certainly use some work, but it helped to shed some light on the situation. Sakusa let out a long drawn sigh, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, "That's lovely Bokuto, would you please leave now as, I am sure you you are aware, it is seven in the fucking morning." With that the grey haired man, squawked out a quick apology and scampered out of the room.

Neither spoke as Atsumu turned around to get dressed for the day, if he was awake now then there wasn't much point of him going back to sleep. As he pulled a fresh t-shirt over his head, his stomach let out a loud growl (apparently living off beer and sandwiches for 5 days wasn't an ideal diet) reminding Atsumu of a problem he encountered last night, when he tried to fetch some snacks for their card game marathon. He was out of food. 

"Hey Omi when's the next stop? I need to stock up on food." He turned to Sakusa, who was already staring at him, expression deadpan (though it could've just been his face).

"In about," he checked the time on his phone, "Thirty minutes, it's a 20 minute stop, but the main supermarket will likely be a way away from the train station." 

Atsumu let out a cocky laugh and waved his hand dismissively, "Ha! I work with athletes all day and you used to be one of the country's top aces, we can run!" he puffed his chest up and threw on a hoodie, ready to sprint towards where he guessed the shops would be. Luckily, Sakusa was ready to chime in as a voice of reason, "First of all, I think you are wildly overestimating my current physical abilities, I most likely won't be able to keep up with you at full sprint. Secondly, you have no idea where you're going, and if this is under a time constraint, then it would be best to make a list of what you need instead of figuring it out there."

With that, they then spent the next half hour making a list of everything they would need for the remainder of their trip, along with planning a route that was short and had minimal road crossings. Sakusa also got dressed, grabbing a bag before they left their room. A strange giddiness filled Atsumu as they waited in front of the door to the platform. He took a deep breath and looked to his side, locking eyes with Sakusa, who had lost any previous apprehension at the idea of trying to keep up with Atsumu, and clasped their hands together as the train squeaked to a stop. The doors unsealed from their frames, a rush of fresh air blasting in their faces, and the moment their feet touched the solid ground they both broke into a hasty jog. They swung around the corners of the narrow streets, with tall houses and cobbled roads hands tightening their hold on each other. Atsumu felt a laugh bubble up his throat, smiling as the scenery of the quaint town became a blur and the only thing he was aware of was the wind whipping back his hair and the man running alongside him, who joined in with his laughter, leading him towards their destination. 

A large building stood in front of them as they caught their breath, neither could make out what the sign said, but the light-up tomato logo indicated that they were at the right place. They strode through the automatic doors, the other customers scattered far and few around the store, and headed towards the snack isle. Atsumu scoured the shelves for each item on the list, while Sakusa picked out the ones he couldn't find, working in perfect harmony to get back to the train before their time was up. The basket filled up quickly and they made their way towards self-checkout, scanning their items with far too much determination for a trip to the grocery shop, but it allowed them to be in and out within fifteen minutes. 

Outside the shop they distributed their haul between them and checked how much time they had left. "It took us five minutes to get here, but it will take longer now with the bags, so we need to keep the same pace as before if we want to make it." Sakusa informed them, and this time, he stretched out his hand to Atsumu, he grasped it and began their journey back to the platform, back through the alleyways they took to get there. Their footsteps echoed round the desolate streets, up the blank grey sky, from between the smooth slate rooftops, the beauty of this bland town shone through the ornate stain-glass windows decorating each door, the thick-furred cats patrolling the town square devoid of bustle, the quiet comfort of the early morning, where only the faint footfalls of commuters could be heard. 

They rounded the final corner to the platform, where the train sat immobile, ready for their return. They entered their room, each with a bag in hand, and collapsed onto Atsumu's bed, the exhaustion finally catching up to them. "Oh my god, I can't remember the last time I ran like that. I think my lungs are bursting." Sakusa had curled up at the foot of the bed, next to Atsumu who was flopped down on his back, panting for air. Once they had both regained their breath, Atsumu stood up in the middle of the room, signalling for Sakusa to copy him; he lifted his arms above his head and bent himself in half, fingertips brushing the carpet, Sakusa following suit. Afterwards he lent on one leg, stretching out the other, before swaying to the side and doing it on the other leg. Mirroring his actions, slightly confused, Sakusa asked, "What exactly are we doing?" Atsumu grinned and joined his hands behind his back, pulling his shoulders back, "We need to stretch after doing all that running right? This is where my expertise comes in." So, they spent the next ten minutes cooling off and stretching their tired muscles. 

Once they had finished they seated themselves back across the length of Atsumu's bed, this time with Sakusa's sketchpad in hand. This time, Atsumu didn't hesitate to rest his head on Sakusa's shoulder, taking out his phone to check his notifications while the other concentrated on a new drawing. Atsumu decided to text the groupchat with him, Osamu and Suna, snapping a quick selfie of them leaning against  each other, Sakusa focused on the paper in front of him, and sending it, the first time he's contacted them all week, merely with the caption, familiar face?.

Sunarin
>> oh my god what is happening

Samu
>> what do i recognise him from
>> is he your roommate

Sunarin
>> why are you cuddling with sakusa kiyoomi

Samu
>> oh yh, thats it
>> does komori know

Sunarin
>> he does now 

Sakusa's phone pinged loudly from inside his pocket, he took it out and looked at the screen "Miya why is Motoya spamming my messages with what looks to be a stroke in text form?" Atsumu chuckled and adjusted his head on his shoulder, "I think Suna told him we're roommates, also how does Suna know you and I don't?" Sakusa, had never mentioned being acquainted with him, and never acted like they knew each other whenever he was brought up in conversation. "I don't know him, Motoya's probably talked about me to him. God knows what sort of things he's said.". Knowing what Suna was like, it was highly probable that he had an arsenal of information about Sakusa without him even knowing his name - him and Komori just worked like that. 

Sunarin
>> hello??? am i going to get any answers???

Tsumu
>> he's my roommate
>> we're bffs now :p

"Seriously Miya? Stop spreading lies, especially along with that awful emoji." Hot breath fanned over his ear as Sakusa craned his head to look at his phone without disturbing the man on his shoulder. He had momentarily stopped drawing, the pinging of his phone too distracting to get anything done, and leaned in closer to Atsumu to see the cause of all this fuss. Setting his pencil down, he helped decipher the strange texts flooding in from Hinata riddled with spelling errors, asking about the groupchat with Atsumu's brother and Suna, which he answered and scrolled up to show him some of the stranger messages that had been sent on it - a groupchat like that doesn't last that long without a few late night conversations about organ farms and the penguins from Madagascar. 

They sat like that for the rest of the morning, occasionally breaking to open up their new stash of snacks and declining a call from Komori. Sakusa did eventually resume his drawing, continuing to sketch disjointed shapes and lines, before turning to Atsumu and asking, "Is okay if I draw you? You won't have to sit still or anything, I just- you're easy to draw and your face has good proportions."

Atsumu looked back up at him, grin gleaming with flirtatious energy, "You sayin' I'm hot Omi? It's fine, you can admit it," Sakusa stared at him the most unimpressed look he could muster, barely holding in his laughter, "Aw don't get embarrassed, I think you're pretty hot too." Upon hearing his words, they both flared red, looking anywhere but the depths of each other's eyes. Sakusa carried on his drawing, which was now beginning to take shape, though it did admittedly did bare  striking resemblance to it's model already. 

It was soon lunchtime, where they gorged themselves on the still-warm muffins from the supermarket and cheap packets of sushi they found hidden in the sandwich aisle, sat cross-legged opposite each other in the floor, now throwing popcorn into their mouths with pinpoint accuracy. They spoke as they did, Atsumu rambling on about  whatever film they'd likely be watching later, and he was suddenly aware of the warmth swimming in his chest, the one he always feels in quiet moments like this with him and Sakusa, where he was staring right back at him, Onyx eyes swirling with whatever mysteries he kept hidden behind them. He could probably stay like this forever.

"- and then then he goes back to tell her that the war's over but he realises if he tells her, she'll leave for her fiancé and he'll be alone, so he lies to her so she'll stay with him. But as he's saying it she comes out of her hideaway and - " Sakusa suddenly reached his hand out and swiped it across Atsumu's cheekbone, bringing it away and blowing the eyelash sitting on top of it onto the carpet, before silently turning back to Atsumu, waiting for him to start talking again with genuine interest. It was such a soft gesture that somehow left Atsumu feeling like he had been hit round the head with a baseball bat.

Atsumu was in love with Sakusa. How did he not notice. How did he not instantly recognise this feeling? Was he too wrapped up in the excitement of the trip? How could he have feelings for a man he had only known for five days? Everything since he stepped onto the train came rushing back to him at once; the instant click between them when they met; the constant need to be touching Sakusa in some way or another; the strange silences where he could hear his heart thrumming in his throat. He remembered the way he would melt whenever he saw Sakusa laugh or smile. There was no doubt, it couldn't be anything other than love, this feeling he felt that was like a tornado in his mind, a fire in his heart, stars in his eyes. It wasn't going away any time soon either, it's roots had spent these days unnoticed spreading into each crevice of his body, anchoring itself deep inside him, and now it was ready to grow, to bloom, up through his mouth, where no matter how hard he tried, it would all come spilling out eventually. It was amazing and terrifying at the same time, like riding the knife's edge of exhilaration, so confusing and so simple, the perfect balance that never stopped building. Yes. Atsumu was in love with Sakusa - and now he was aware of it.

"Uh  yeah, that's basically it." Atsumu felt like he had been asleep this whole time and had finally woken up. His sudden realisation after Sakusa casually reached out to him acted as a catalyst for every forgotten thought to suddenly reawaken and buzz around his brain.

"What? Does it end there? That doesn't even make sense." Apparently, Sakusa hadn't the slightest clue about the turmoil raging inside the man across from him, instead beginning to ask about going over to Kuroo's room for the afternoon, tossing the last clumps of popcorn into his mouth. 

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess. But sure, we can head over there now if you want." Atsumu tried his best to keep his cool. He could dwell on these feelings later, but for now he would need to go hang out with his friends and have fun. Though, as they stood up to leave, Sakusa's phone lit up with his cousin's name, "Sorry, I'll take it now so he doesn't bother us later." he said with an apologetic smile. Atsumu gave one in return and slipped out of the door, he could hear Sakusa's sigh before he accepted the call and then his voice speaking down the line.

"Hello to you too Motoya."

"I didn't see why it was relevant, it's not like he's your best friend or anything, plus I didn't even know that you knew him"

"I mean, he's fine, we get along well - no not like that - it's always good to be friends with your roommate."

"Why is that what you're asking about - no, I'm not avoiding the question - ugh, okay he's -"

Sakusa's voice became lost under background noise as Atsumu scampered away from his room. Hearing that conversation felt invasive, so he wasted no time in getting out of earshot of the call, however nice it was hearing what Sakusa thought about him.  He let out a breath as he opened the door to the other guys' room, all three heads swivelling towards him as he entered, almost instantly he was answering questions as to why his roommate wasn't with him, assuring Bokuto that Sakusa didn't hate his guts for waking him up earlier that morning. Oikawa was sat on Kuroo's bed, uncharacteristically quiet ever since Astumu arrived, when he break his silent streak, "Y'know Atsu, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while," his gaze flitted up to Atsumu and he felt pinned down, "are you and Sakusa dating?"

The question hit like a bucket of cold water over the head, now that Atsumu was aware of what he felt, "Oh my god no, we just met at the start of this trip, it's not like that at all - " He stopped when he saw the knowing glint in Oikawa's eyes, the shadow cast on his face making his stare infinitely ominous. He leaned into the light, his features deceptively soft, "Really? Wow, I would've thought that you had been going out for months at this point, with the way you look at him and all, it's so easy to see." At this point the other two had caught on, cornering Atsumu like prey. "You're both so in sync too, it's like you're just one in the same, I wouldn't be surprised if you were already in love." Bokuto sang as he flanked Atsumu's left side, Kuroo quickly closing the gap on the right. "But Tsumu are you sure? It always seems like you're just wishing to be alone with him, always making up excuses to be together, sounds pretty couple-y to me." Oikawa stayed in the centre, tapping a finger against his chin in false thought, when he spoke his voice was far too innocent, "But, if its 'not like that' does that mean, Oh god," he grinned gleefully, "That Sakusa has no idea? That you've been hiding this from him, too embarrassed to speak up?" Atsumu's face flushed red, he was stumbling over his words, grasping at straws to save himself, "No! It's not- I don't-"

The door slid open and everyone froze, Atsumu red-faced and backed up against the wall, sandwiched in between Kuroo and Bokuto, who crowded him menacingly, along with Oikawa, legs crossed, leaning forward into Atsumu's face. Sakusa looked slightly taken aback, but shut the door behind him and took a seat next to Oikawa, releasing everyone from their positions, letting them sit down around the room.  Atsumu dusted himself off and sat down next to Sakusa, with a tentativeness that he hadn't displayed before. In a desperate attempt the break to confused silence, Bokuto propped a small Nintendo Switch screen up against the window sill, "I wanted to play it this morning but it's more fun with a bigger group, so how about some just dance!" and with that, the party was started, along with the most competitive Just Dance 2020 tournament Atsumu had ever witnessed. 

Sakusa panted rapidly as the final chorus of Rasputin played through a bluetooth speaker; next to him Bokuto hopped around, cheered on by the other three spectators, score almost triple that of Sakusa's. The song finished and they both deflated onto the floor, Sakusa looking worse for wear, and Atsumu and Oikawa took to the stage, equally as confident in their own abilities to get a high score in Let's Kill This Love, both of whom scored surprisingly high at the song's end, with Oikawa scraping through to first place. The afternoon carried on like this, full of hidden talents and tired smiles, and by the end of the evening, Sakusa and Atsumu had retired back to their rooms, too worn out for anything else. 

Together, they stepped into their own room, dragging their feet, eyes drooping shut. In his tired mind, all Atsumu wanted to do was fall asleep with Sakusa in his arms, keeping each other warm in the icy darkness of the cabin. He stretched his arm out, searching for the other body to clutch onto, but his hand hit nothing but empty space - Sakusa had gone to bed. 

It was fine, they were both tired to the point of deliriousness, it made sense that Sakusa wouldn't wait around for Atsumu, he didn't know he'd be needed. Atsumu's hand returned to his side and he carefully climbed into his bed, alone, careful to not disturb the other man, he lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, maybe he could imagine stars, the ones he sometimes saw in Sakusa's eyes. Maybe in another life, they'd recline among the stars, and they'd have all the time in the world, not just seven days in February, and he'd learn every mystery of Sakusa, ones he couldn't find out on this train. He hoped they would stay in touch like he promised the other night, but how close of a relationship could they form outside the confides of their room, if the moment they step off the train, there's no more need to keep each other company, make conversation for the sake of politeness. Atsumu didn't know if he liked loving Sakusa, but he was sure that Sakusa, couldn't love him back.

He rolled onto his side and curled in on himself, forgetting all of the stolen glances shared and the caring look that Sakusa gave him whenever they had a quiet moment together. Instead, all that his sleep-craving mind could give him was the thought that he and Sakusa would fall out of touch the moment they hit solid ground. 

When Atsumu woke up his first thought was, what was I thinking last night, he got up and changed into fresh clothes, Sakusa promised to keep in touch, he wouldn't break his promise, he brushed his teeth and raked through his hair, and why would it matter if he doesn't love me back, he washed his face in the cramped bathroom sink, being friends is more than enough. Crouching down and pulling out a pair of croissants, he threw one onto where he guessed Sakusa's head was on the pillow, and received an overdramatic groan in response. The covers lifted up and Sakusa jumped off his bunk and sat down on Atsumu's breaking open his breakfast without hesitation, Atsumu soon following suit. They ate in relative silence until Sakusa finished, "Come on, let's go to the kiosk, I want a coffee." effectively dragging Atsumu to the communal car with half a croissant still in his mouth. 

They sat down in a small booth with their coffees, cradled in their hands, when a parade of three men marched into the car. Kuroo was wearing what looked to be the same outfit as yesterday but this time with silver cufflinks, Bokuto in a purple mesh top and a matching purple headband and Oikawa wearing orange crocs and a billowing white shirt that reminded Atsumu of Howl Pendragon. With a series of 'budge up's and 'move along's they squeezed all five of them into the booth, some people happier about it than others. 

"So guys," Oikawa clapped his hands together, "It's our last full day, what should we do?" 

"Watch TV"

"Find a showerhouse"

"Eat the rest of our snacks"

Atsumu, Sakusa and Bokuto obviously had different ideas, from things that needed to be done (i.e. find a showerhouse and wash off the grime from the last two days) to things that wanted to be done (i.e. watch TV and finish Avatar the Last Airbender). Kuroo decided to chime in as well, "Those are all good ideas that we can do today, but why don't we have showers first, because the next stop today is in a couple of minutes, and then we can watch TV and get rid of the last of our food, Yeah?" everyone nodded in agreement and internally thanked thanked Kuroo's logical reasoning skills.

A quick check of google maps and a short trip to the door, and they were ready to step off the train. Atsumu spent much of the walk there assuring Bokuto that there would be enough time and the train wouldn't leave without them, while the rest simply enjoyed being outside with the sun shining down on them. The showerhouse was bigger than the last one, but the space was soon filled with the chatter of the five men, light and airy filled with the energy that could only come in the morning (after some coffee). At one point, Atsumu opened his mouth and Sakusa shoved a shoved a bottle of shampoo into his hands before he had the chance to ask, and he caught a glimpse of Kuroo and Bokuto sharing a smug expression aimed at him. The water turned off and they all got dressed and headed for the door, waiting an extra few minutes for Oikawa to blow-dry his hair on one of the hairdryers. They stepped onto the platform as the final call to board rang out over the speakers, hopping onto the train just before the doors closed and the wheels started to move. 

The next two activities could be done simultaneously, a binge watch of TV while any food that would otherwise go off would be eaten, taking place in the larger of the two rooms. Sakusa's laptop was retrieved and balanced precariously on a pile of bags, at a perfect viewpoint for everyone spread between the floor and Kuroo's bed. Everyone dug into crisps, sweets, dried fruits, anything that would need to be packed away into their already overflowing bags, eyes glued to the bright colours of Jojo Rabbit (Atsumu did end up picking it, as he expected e would yesterday). It was about half-way through the film when Oikawa decided to direct the attention at himself for a moment, "You know, I met a girl at a bar in Argentina who's brother is in this." Kuroo scoffed, "She was probably lying, I don't think any movie-star relatives would want to talk to you." he said, unconvinced. Oikawa continued to defend his brag as Kuroo went back to focusing on the film, protesting to a non-existent enemy. 

The credits rolled and Sakusa stood up to queue the next movie, while Atsumu was reminded of an important task, whipping his phone out and tapping furiously, "Guys! we need to exchange numbers before we part ways!" This flipped a switch with the rest of the group, all of them instantly getting up and shouting random sequences of numbers over the top of each other. Sakusa came up to him last, waiting for the chaos to die down, and reciting the digits with a quiet happiness that warmed Atsumu to the bone, before logging Atsumu's phone number into his phone in return. A part of Atsumu celebrated the confirmation that they would stay in contact, the final embers of his worry officially stamped out. 

Noon came and went, along with copious amounts of energy drinks that Atsumu had regretted buying so many of, and the films playing on the laptop were swapped out for music as background noise for their conversations. Oikawa sat across the bottom bunk, Kuroo's head resting on his lap as he reclined on his bed, fingers dragging through Kuroo's hair, occasionally catching in knots from his perpetual bedhead. It felt nice like this, Atsumu thought as he leaned against Sakusa's shoulder, spending a lazy afternoon with his four new friends and the unsuspecting crew they had formed in their short time together, as strange as the circumstances might be. 

"Trust me Bokkun, you'd love it there, and you know halfa the players, which is already a massive advantage."

"Oh yeah! You've got Hinata right? Man I taught that kid everything he knows!" Bokuto was met with two unconvinced stares from Kuroo and Atsumu.

"Bo, he was in first year and you gave him some tips, I'm pretty sure he's learnt other things since then." Kuroo recalled the summer camp in which he had first seen Hinata, what a small world.

Atsumu soon found out that Oikawa had known Kageyama since middle school and let slip that 'he was almost as annoying as that Ushiwaka bastard' which lit an unexpected fire in Sakusa's eyes, who apparently he used to be close with, though Atsumu could take a guess at why they no longer spoke, knowing Sakusa's isolation from the volleyball world. 

It was soon time for Atsumu and Sakusa to retreat to their room- no one willing to risk waking up late and missing the final stop of the trip. Sakusa was first out the door, laptop in hand, and as Atsumu went to follow him, he was dragged back into the room by the sleeve. He fell backwards onto the carpet, where Bokuto was already knelt beside him, leaning over his face with his owlish eyes staring right into his. Atsumu didn't know what he was going to say, but the way Bokuto's head blocked out the light above him, yellow irises illuminated against the shadows of his face, made his heart skip a few beats. 

"Tsumtsum." His voice was shockingly quiet, but somehow it was the only thing Atsumu could hear, "I think you should say something to Sakusa. You might not think it's the right thing to do, but trust me on this one. Yeah?" He pulled Atsumu from his place on the floor, who looked slightly shaken by the mere intensity of Bokuto's presence. He gave a hasty nod and jogged to catch up Sakusa, waiting at the end of the corridor. 

Atsumu used the walk back to their room to absorb Bokuto's words, and eventually decided on lowering Sakusa into it the rest of the evening, dropping hints until the final event, so that he could back out if he didn't want it. A constant buzz spread out under his skin, anticipating the countless outcomes of the night, part of him didn't want it to end, this feeling of falling, that his every move was crucial for the perfect landing, and one wrong move could put an awful end to one of the grandest weeks of his life. The dim light of their room flickered on, its ugly glow barely even reaching the bottom bunk, much of it still hidden in the dark, it's reflection in the window obscuring the indistinguishable shapes of black outside. Atsumu sat there, over the covers, and rested his hand next to him, eyes flitting up to the other man, inviting him to join. 

"Come sit  with me Omi." He could barely hold back the tremble in his voice, but it still came out quieter than he intended.

His expression unreadable, Sakusa lay down next to Atsumu, their faces close enough for Atsumu to feel the shaky breaths of Sakusa against his chin. He didn't know where to look other than the pitch black eyes in front of him, they swallowed him whole, into a void of nothingness, twinkle in the corners as lighting up like stars, bathing him in their comfort and safety. With a smoothness that could only be granted by luck, Atsumu fished his phone from his pocket and clicked play on him playlist in one motion, breaking eye contact with Sakusa for just a few moments. The soft melody of an old American love song drifted through the air, filling up any cracks in the silence with a softness that could only be described through song. 

"I'll miss you once we leave Omi." Atsumu didn't plan as for what the hints he would be dropping would be, but he was sure that speaking from the heart would be the best course of action. 

"Yes, you've said. And don't act like we'll never see each other again, or what? You flaking out on me Miya?" He sounded so sure, Atsumu couldn't help but fill with hope. It took him a moment to realise another thing that Sakusa had said. 

"Why do you still call me Miya? Even the other three call me by my first name." Sakusa looked slightly taken aback, his eyes suddenly showing an off-guard vulnerability. 

"I- I don't know. I never really call anyone by their given name other that close family." He added carefully, "If you really want me to I will." He must've picked up on the way Atsumu's eyes shone at the prospect, his next words only brightening them more, "Yeah Atsumu? You can use my given name too if you want." the way Kiyoomi said his name was like nothing he had ever heard before, even after a lifetime of the word being said in every tone and mood imaginable, he might of ruined Atsumu, never able to feel the same way about a word ever again. Atsumu thought that his heart might just burst open right there, covering Kiyoomi in the golden threads that he wove into him whenever he looked at him. 

A lull in the music sounded, picking back up with a swaying tune and a rusty voice floating in its gramophone crackle, the lyrics to I Don't want to set the World on Fire playing out quietly. Atsumu shuffled on the bed, slipping out from between Kiyoomi and wall and setting his feet on the soft cabin carpet, extending a hand out the the other man, molten eyes brimming with adoration and a small smile stretching his lips, 

"Dance with me, Kiyoomi." 

There wasn't any questioning in his offer, no longer any doubts to drag him down. He pulled Kiyoomi up to eye level the moment their hands clasped together, and at their full heights, Atsumu was a smidge shorter than him, Atsumu's chin hooking over his shoulder with ease, the perfect height for their warm embrace. Atsumu joined his hands loosely around Kiyoomi's waist, Kiyoomi in turn resting his forearms over his shoulders, staring down into the murky depths of his caramel eyes that turned towards his, hoping that if he staying long enough he would get dragged down into their saccharine sweetness. 

They began to sway in time with the music, all alone, away from prying eyes that made them hide beneath their shells- here it was just them, baring their hearts to one another. The ceiling light put them under it's spotlight, a single yellow star shining dimly down on them, watching them as the lilting guitar swam around their tiny bubble, separate from the rest of the world. They carried on like this, neither exchanging a word as their feet trod softly around each other. There was a certain melancholy between them; with the knowledge that whatever happens, they'll still have to leave the train tomorrow, leave this beautiful world they've created together, all they could do was make the most of these precious moments they've shared throughout the past week.

The final note of the song played, Atsumu and Kiyoomi's faces staying close, a slow magnetism drawing them closer still. Atsumu felt calm, like it was the most natural thing he could do, gaze momentarily flicking down to Kiyoomi's lips, glistening and slightly parted, with a plushness he couldn't quite describe. Their eyes slipped shut and their lips met in the middle. The kiss was delicate and everything that made Atsumu's brain feel fuzzy and his chest feel warm. Kiyoomi's hand moved to the side of his neck, holding on tight as their kiss deepened slightly. The gentle slide of lips was elegant and fluid, like they fit together perfectly, it was skilful and beautiful and released the build-up from the past week, every stolen glance and lingering touch, led up to now, the final crescendo of their masterpiece.

Slowly, they broke apart and Atsumu didn't think he could look more in love if he tried. His hands separated and rose to hold Kiyoomi's face tenderly, leaning slightly into the touch. Atsumu's voice didn't waver as the words spilled from his mouth,

"I think I'm in love with you, Kiyoomi."

In return, Kiyoomi smiled down on him, eyes creased at the corners, tilting his head further into Atsumu's palms, "I think I'm in love with you too, Atsumu."

The next kiss they shared was shorter than the last, but equally as electrifying. The next song began to play, Kwarto Waltz filling the room with its upbeat tune. Atsumu spun them around, letting out an airy laugh, joyous and youthful, spinning until they collapsed on Atsumu's bed, both of them now a pile of unrelenting giggles. Their eyes were bright and their fingers intertwined, tangling their limbs together, excited to see where the future led them. "When we get back, go on a date with me." Kiyoomi's offer was one that Atsumu couldn't dream of refusing, nodding eagerly in response, "You find somewhere to eat, I'll pay, you can show me around Osaka, how about that?" He brushed a lock of golden hair out of Atsumu's face and planted a kiss on his forehead and looked back down to him. 

"Yeah, I'd like that a lot." Atsumu smiled back.

There they stayed, working through plans until their eyes drooped closed, still entangled under Atsumu's covers, hearts pressed together.

The sun was only just starting to rise by the time Atsumu woke up. In front of him, Kiyoomi slept peacefully, hands plastered to Atsumu's waist, face inches away from his, a reminder that last night wasn't a dream, however unbelievable it was. The rest of their room was relatively clear, all they needed to do to finish packing was change into today's clothes and fold away their current outfits, and tidy up the odd stray food wrapper hiding in the corner, and they were ready to go. 

Too impatient to wait for Kiyoomi to wake up, Atsumu blew air onto his face, Kiyoomi scrunching up his nose and swatting Atsumu away sleepily. "As cute as you are in the mornings Atsumu, please let me sleep." Atsumu's grin was overridden by a flustered blush upon Kiyoomi's words. "Mornin' to you too Kiyoomi." He managed to regain his composure, nudging the now awake Kiyoomi, who was trying to bury himself under the covers. Atsumu let out a soft chuckle, "Hey Omi, why don't we pack the last of our things and then get some breakfast? Then we have the rest of the morning free." This proposition was apparently appealing enough for Kiyoomi to push the covers from his face and give a tired glare to Atsumu. "Only if you're buying."

The two were so engrossed in their conversation that neither payed attention to the incoming footsteps of the cavalry of dumbassery until the door flung open, a sing-songy voice ringing out into the intimate moment. 

"Oh Atsumuuuuuu, are you ready for the final da- HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" Oikawa shielded his eyes, not meeting Atsumu and Kiyoomi's unimpressed stares. 

Bokuto was bouncing up and down, trying to get a look over Oikawa's shoulder "Woah Tsumtsum! I knew I said for you to go for it but I didn't mean that far!" Bokuto shouted, now also shielding his eyes from their stares. 

"Guys we weren't doing anything, we're literally both fully clothed." Atsumu's bored protests fell on deaf ears as Kuroo also rounded the corner, dodging the other two's flailing arms and dramatic cries. "Oh wow you guys, I thought that you would be mature! But I guess you're just like all the other new couples." At this, Atsumu flipped the rest of the covers off their bodies, much to the horror of the three men in the doorway. The two clambered out the bed (in which nothing other than sleeping had taken place), and by the time the others had peeled their hands from their faces, they were already dressed, packing their clothes from last night into their bags. "Ready?" Atsumu asked the group as they headed towards the communal car, his hand held tightly in Kiyoomi's. 

"We raise a glass. To our last meal here on the train. And of course, our very own newly weds - Atsumu and Sakusa." Kuroo announced to the rest of the table in a crude imitation of a British accent. Everyone raised their respective glasses, Kiyoomi, Oikawa and Kuroo with coffee cups, Atsumu with a capri-sun and Bokuto with a two litre bottle of iced tea that he was desperately trying to finish before noon, much to the chagrin of his bladder. The all took a gulp before continuing with their breakfasts, listening as Oikawa rattled off a tale about what he would do once he got back to Argentina. They carried on like this for most of the morning, until it came time for them to collect their bags and leave the train. 

Back in their room, with bedsheets folded up and rubbish thrown away, Atsumu and Kiyoomi waited with their luggage, not sad about leaving, but hopeful for what would come after. "Oh wait, Omi, I almost forgot something." Atsumu lifted his phone above their faces and kissed Kiyoomi's cheek, snapping a photo on its camera. They both peered at the screen, "No Atsumu, take it again I look dead." to which he did, kissing his cheek again, this time with Kiyoomi showing off a small smile, the sunlight from the window behind them giving the affect that they glowed together. With a few taps on the screen, the photo had been sent to a brand new group chat, which featured Suna, Osamu, Komori and Kiyoomi, before it was switched off and stashed away in Atsumu's pocket. They bid farewell to the cabin that had brought them together, leaving their little world behind and made their way towards the nearest doorway, the first announcements of the nearing platform ringing out over the speakers. 

All  five of them stood there, the only sound being the squeaking of the wheels as the train slowed down, then became silence as it stopped. The door slid open with a puff and the other three stepped out onto the platform, bags slung across their bodies, they merged into the crowd until they were almost invisible in the bustle, when Kuroo turned around and winked, "See you 'round boys." It  wasn't goodbye forever, but Atsumu felt less cold as he watched the three men become one with the crowd. 

Kiyoomi stood at his side, already looking at him when Atsumu turned to face him. Leaning forward slightly, Kiyoomi sealed their lips in a quick kiss, before pulling back and taking Atsumu's hand into his. 

"Let's go home." 

The crowd had only increased in those few moments, but when their feet hit the concrete, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that they would always find their way back to each other. They were happy and in love, that's all that they needed. That, and 7 days in February.

Sunarin 
>> Atsumu what

Motoya
>> KIYO WTF IS HAPPENING 
>> YOU HAVE SO MUCH EXPLAINING TO DO

Sunarin
>> how did this even happen
 
Motoya
>> are you dating Miya Atsumu?!!?!?!?!

Sunarin
>> this is the darkest timeline wth

Samu
>> did u bang