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Pitter patters of rain flushed down the thin glass of Atsumu’s window, trailing down the walls of the house before disappearing in the soil of the garden outside. He was sitting crisscrossed on his bed, a red blanket wrapped tightly around his slouched form. He had his laptop out in front of him with a blank document staring at his honey eyes, burning them slowly the more he looked at it.
It was only eleven-thirty at night, but Atsumu felt drained. He had a language arts project due by the next day and couldn’t seem to find the motivation to do it. The empty document mocked him and his blurred eyes. A slender hand slammed the laptop shut rather harshly, and he gave a huff of frustration. He looked at the empty bed above him.
“Stupid Samu, having to leave when I have a project,” Atsumu cursed his twin brother, crossing his arms tightly. Typically his twin would help him in school in exchange for any food he wanted. However, Osamu bid his twin goodbye as he left to spend the night with their friend Suna earlier that day. Atsumu was obviously not handling the separation well.
A sock-covered foot pushed the laptop to the end of the bed before he curled up on his side. He snuggled into his pillow, legs thrown to the left and close to his chest as he let his tired eyes finally seal shut.
Tap tap tap.
Atsumu opened an eye to stare at his closet door. Maybe it was just the rain? The boy let himself close his eyes again.
Tap tap tap. It was quicker this time, more urgent. Faintly Atsumu could hear someone huffing outside.
The boy threw the red blanket off his body and sat upright. The rain was growing angrier with howling winds. A pebble flung at his window, ricocheting off the glass and disappearing in the night. He flinched.
“What the hell?” He whispered before forcing himself off the bed. “Who’s throwing shit?”
Atsumu strode to his window in a hurry and his hands grabbed the latches at the bottom of it. He pulled them up and towards himself before lifting the screen. It gave out a loud screech that made his stomach churn. He bent at the waist to look out of it.
A glob of orange hair rushed up to his face, and Atsumu gasped at the sight of giant hazel eyes. “Tsumu! I need help!”
“What the hell are ya doing here, Shouyo?” Atsumu sneered and flinched back to avoid being so close to Shouyo’s face.
“It’s urgent,” the ginger said quickly, “let me in, please? I swear I’ll make it quick!”
“It’s almost midnight! I can’t just let ya in, mama is home.”
“Please, Tsumu?” Shouyo dragged out with a pout. Atsumu sighed but pushed the window further up.
Leaning back from it, he held it open for Shouyo to weasel his body through. His shoes were soaked with rain, dampening the wooden floor beneath them. The younger boy instantly tore them off himself as soon as he noticed.
Atsumu leaned against his bunk bed, watching Shouyo take off his socks. The smaller boy’s white sweater was covered in droplets of rain, making him cringe. “Do ya want some new clothes?”
Shouyo nodded eagerly, his orange hair flopping this way and that. “Sure!”
Atsumu walked to his dresser and pulled out a random pair of socks, tossing them to the other for more comfort.
“I wouldn’t expect you to have such cute socks, Tsumu!” Shouyo held up the socks with a grin. One was pink with small bunny rabbits decorating them, while the other was beige with bears. Atsumu scowled.
“Shut yer mouth, mama gave ‘em to me years ago. Just put ‘em on,” he grumbled. He rummaged through his bottom drawers until finding a blank yellow sweater and some volleyball shorts. He threw them back at Shouyo, “Here.”
“Thank you, Tsumu.” He smiled before changing into the new clothes. They smelled like fresh detergent and daisies, much better than his soaked clothes from earlier. They were warm too, a detail he appreciated. He took his sweats and sweater and folded them semi-neatly on Atsumu’s desk. The older boy turned around to see Shouyo in his clothes.
They were a few sizes too big, and the drawstring on the shorts had to be pulled into a tight bow to fit him. Atsumu chuckled at how endearing it was. “Comfier now, eh?”
“Definitely, the rain is so cold for some reason. I hate it,” Shouyo flopped down on Atsumu’s bed like a starfish.
The older boy grabbed Shouyo’s ankle and lifted it to make himself room on the corner of the bed. He let the other’s leg fall naturally on his thigh. “So why are ya here then? Ya said ya needed help?”
“Yeah!” Shouyo sat up abruptly, almost hitting Atsumu in the process. His hazel eyes were wild and round as his thin lips curled into an ‘o’. “My teammates are teasing me again.”
“Teasing ya? What for?”
“They keep saying I’m a baby who hasn’t even kissed someone yet. Which is not true! I have kissed someone before! Just not as many as them,” Shouyo looked at Atsumu’s hands, “not like I couldn’t but that’s not the point.”
Atsumu cocked his head, honey-toned hair flopping over to cover his right eye. “And that’s why ya came over? To tell me about yer love life?”
“No,” Shouyo said, “it’s because they think I haven’t kissed someone because I’m an innocent baby or whatever when I clearly am not.”
“Uh-huh, so yer here cause…?”
“I haven’t kissed anyone in ages cause I’m bad at it,” Shouyo frowned. When Atsumu didn’t answer, he quickly added: “So you’ll help me out, right?”
Atsumu’s eyes widened into golden saucers as his jaw dropped. “Excuse me? ”
Shouyo was quick to defend his point, “You told me you’d help me with anything I wanted!”
“Yeah like, oh I don’t know, school? Volleyball? Friendship shit? Not this!” Atsumu’s ears were a light pink as he stared down Shouyo. The younger boy wasn’t giving up though.
“This is friendship shit! No one wants to kiss me cause I’m bad at it, so why can’t you teach me? You’ve kissed people before, haven’t you?”
Shouyo’s hair was beginning to dry from the rain and it curled wildly, further solidifying how insane he seemed at that very moment. The rain was still screaming outside, but the room was dead silent. When Atsumu squinted his eyes just a little, he could make out blush on his ears from the moonlight through the window.
This was ridiculous.
Atsumu was flabbergasted, and he looked away to gather his thoughts. Why on Earth would Shouyo come over for help with something as absurd as that?
“You never kissed someone, have you, Tsumu?”
Oh right, Shouyo asked a question. Atsumu looked back at the middle blocker. “Yeah I have, but I don’t get why ya want my help. Are ya not with Tobio?”
The younger boy scrunched up his nose, “No! And even if I was, he wouldn’t be much help anyway. He’s had less experience than a volleyball.”
Atsumu chuckled and rubbed his face with his hand. “Okay, uhm… So yer here because ya want me to teach ya how to kiss. Am I right?”
“Yes, will you teach me or not?”
Atsumu looked up at Shouyo and his heart tightened. He bit his bottom lip as his hands met his thighs, gripping the material of his black joggers.
“Fine. I’ll teach ya.”
Atsumu first needed to actually break down how to lean in for a kiss as it was the first step. A step that many people seemed to suck at. Too many times had he leaned in for a kiss just for someone to have that godawful fluttering eyelid face. No way in hell was he letting Shouyo make that mistake.
“First ya gotta learn how to lean in. Stay still and watch me,” Atsumu kept his hands on his own lap. He leaned forward to Shouyo’s face. The younger’s eyes widened in shock as he crept closer.
“When leaning in, keep yer eyes on theirs,” Atsumu instructed. His golden eyes pierced into the other’s as he got impossibly closer. Their noses brushed together gently. “When ya actually touch their lips, that’s when ya close yer eyes. Got it?” His breath tickled his lips before he pulled back.
“Y-yeah.”
Atsumu nodded and picked up his hand. “Another thing, it’s nice to grab ‘em when ya lean in. Personally, I like grabbing ‘em by the back of their head, jaw, or waist. Pull me in - not too much, we aren’t fully kissing yet - and do everything I taught ya already.”
He leaned back and waited for Shouyo to make his move. He looked adorable there, brows furrowed in concentration. “Relax yer face, just do what’s natural.”
Shouyo’s small hand crept to weakly grab Atsumu’s broad shoulder. It shook in its place as he pulled him closer. He’s nervous about messing up, Atsumu mentally noted. Shouyo kept their eyes locked, no matter how embarrassing it was, and leaned close until their noses brushed. The older boy grinned wickedly. “Ya did it.”
Shouyo let out a breath. “Okay, okay, so what next?”
Atsumu stayed centimeters away from Shouyo’s lips as he spoke softly. “Now when ya kiss someone, it’s important to be gentle with it. Never start with tongue on the first kiss - or first kisses honestly. Ya gotta build up to that.”
“So we just kiss close-mouthed?”
“Yep, softly too, don’t rush it too fast.”
Shouyo hummed in acknowledgment. “Can I try?”
Atsumu nodded slightly and let the younger pull him in again. His hand was shaking against his shoulder as the older let a slender hand meet the back of his neck. Atsumu smelled like vanilla and lemongrass, and Shouyo shakily drew in a breath before pressing his lips to his. They were soft, but still chapped, and the hand tickling the ends of his hair sent him into a spiral. He broke the kiss urgently. “Fuck-”
Atsumu pulled away instantly. “I’m so sorry, was that too much too soon?”
Shouyo shook his head and caught his breath. “No, no, no! I’m just really nervous for some reason…”
He nodded, deciding to keep his mouth shut. Shouyo’s lips were sweet like chocolate ice cream, and they were so soft. He couldn’t recall kissing someone with softer lips than that. “We can stop if ya want.”
Shouyo shook his head, now determined to be a better kisser than all of his teammates. “No, I want to keep learning. Teach me more.”
Atsumu nodded and got close to the younger boy again. “We’re just going to go over everything we learned, got it? Just kiss me closed mouth.”
Shouyo nodded and reached for Atsumu, fingers gently balling up the material of his loose tee. He cupped the other’s left cheek, and he smiled when he leaned against his warm palm. Shouyo pulled him in and their eyes stayed locked throughout the whole process. Sparkles fluttered in his eyes, and upon the light contact of their lips, they closed instantly. A quick learner, Atsumu noted before sealing his own eyes shut.
The sensation was warm and tender as their lips stayed firm against each other. It was tempting for Atsumu to deepen the kiss, but he stayed patient for the other. Seconds ticked by before Shouyo pulled away. “How do you deepen a kiss?” He whispered.
Atsumu opened his eyes to see a flushed face, and he quickly swallowed his breath. His heart was beating so fast, thrumming against his chest. For a split second, he wondered if Shouyo could tell how flustered he was getting. Atsumu leaned away from him and brushed his bangs back. The younger boy smiled at the peek of his untouched roots by his hairline. “Well,” he started, “ya simply just open yer mouth and follow a rhythm with yer partner.”
“What kind of rhythm?” Shouyo adjusted the sweater on his collarbones as he peered at Atsumu. The older boy grinned.
“Any rhythm ya guys want, just follow my lead.”
He stared at Shouyo until the younger got the hint. A small hand cupped the side of his head, fingers carding through his hair immediately. The younger boy seared in, lifting his bum up from the bed to meet Atsumu’s lips with his own. On contact, their eyes sealed, and the ginger hummed quietly.
Atsumu snaked both of his hands to rest on the other boy’s waist before dragging his right hand up his back. They stayed still for a few seconds before Shouyo pushed a bit against his lips. Getting the hint, the older boy opened his mouth slightly, his lips moving to capture his lower lip.
The younger’s hand on Atsumu’s hair tightened in surprise, almost pulling a grunt from him at the motion. Slowly, Shouyo began to open his mouth and close it again in sync with him. He tried to get a hold of his upper lip, but Atsumu was too quick to get his. Heat spread across the younger boy’s skin, tainting the skin with a delightful pink.
Atsumu’s right hand delicately traced the curve of Shouyo’s jaw before he dipped a middle finger down underneath it. A pulse met the bottom of his finger and he quickly chased it, feeling the harsh thrums poke at his fingertip. It was adorable.
Atsumu pulled away, pushing a finger closer to his pulse point. “Yer nervous.”
“H- wait how could you even tell?” Shouyo opened his eyes to see the older boy’s smirk. “I didn’t even say anything.”
“Yer pulse said it all, don’t ya feel it? Yer heart is going crazy. ” Atsumu chuckled before getting Shouyo’s hand out of his hair. He molded the younger boy’s hand to curve around over his pulse. He was right.
Shouyo could feel the constant beating of his pulse, and his cheeks darkened. He hadn’t been as nervous as this since their match with Inarizaki in his first year.
“Shouyo.”
“Y-yeah, Tsumu?”
Atsumu leaned closer to him, his golden eyes dark and wicked. A fire flickered in them, something he only ever saw in his matches. Was Atsumu getting in his competitive headspace?
Surely not, he hadn’t seemed to regress to a younger age like Osamu would point out. So this fire must’ve been something else.
Was it because of him? Did kissing make Atsumu grow some kind of passion in his veins? Shouyo could only warm at the thought.
“I’m not going to give any rules for this next step,” the older boy warned, his fingers gripping Shouyo’s jaw. His own hand had long abandoned his pulse point and was now balling up the older boy’s shirt. “I want ya to follow my lead, got that?”
Shouyo nodded, a small mhm sounding off against his lips. Atsumu grinned, “Good.”
Their lips met yet again, and Shouyo felt something tingle in his stomach as he pulled on the other boy’s shirt, gathering more of the material in his palm.
When Atsumu opened his mouth, Shouyo matched the pace of his lips in every way he could. Until he felt something.
The older boy’s tongue swept against the inside of his bottom lip, caressing against his teeth. It made Shouyo heat up as he tried to do the same back. However, Atsumu had other plans as he tightened his hold on his jaw and slipped his tongue against the younger boy’s. At that moment, Shouyo felt so small.
It wasn’t the same kind of small during matches where he felt inferior and weak compared to his opponent. This was a smallness that made his heart race, skin burn, and his hand quiver in Atsumu’s hold. He felt so much smaller than the older boy, and it made him so inexplicably happy for an unknown reason.
Atsumu continued to slide their tongues together, twirling them around each other and over one another. Shouyo tried to follow suit, but his teeth ended up embarrassingly knocking into the older boy’s. He chuckled before searing closer and coaxing the younger’s tongue further out. Wrapping his lips around it, he began to suck on it. Shouyo squeaked in shock, grabbing his neck and opening his eyes.
The room was still dark, and the storm had passed finally. Atsumu looked so beautiful with his eyes closed, long brown lashes cascading down his cheekbones that were only slightly pink. His ears burned, however, and Shouyo reached a hand up to cup one. It burned intensely against his skin. He closed his eyes before the other would notice.
Atsumu didn’t notice, however, as he was too busy with brushing Shouyo’s tongue with his own. He began to nibble at his lip, playing with it gently until the younger boy sighed in his mouth. Everything in his body felt so hot and rushed, and his mind fogged over as he pushed Shouyo back. His left hand squeezed his hip until the younger spread his legs to welcome him between them.
The angle was a bit awkward as Atsumu had to hunch over to avoid hitting his head on the bed above them. He got on his knees carefully, his lips moving back and forth with Shouyo’s. He gave out a quick hiss as he pushed the younger boy down, quickly chasing after him.
As hot as it was, to be completely pushed down with sweet lips on his own, Shouyo yelped in pain. It was loud and high, causing Atsumu to coil back. The exact thing he wanted to avoid ended up happening as his head slammed against Osamu’s bed. “Shit!” The older boy whined, head pulsating.
The younger boy was cradling his own head, and Atsumu immediately noticed his pained expression. “Shouyo? Ya okay?” He cradled Shouyo’s head until he felt the wooden board underneath it. The ginger had hit his head when he pushed him. Atsumu cursed, fingers tangling in his orange hair. “‘M so sorry, Shouyo, c’mere,” His accent was coming up, drawing his words together in some odd slush.
Shouyo didn’t mind, however, and just allowed Atsumu to pull him close to his chest. He rubbed his fingers against the back of the younger’s scalp, trying to massage the pain away. “Stupid wood, why’d ya have ta be there?” Atsumu frowned at it, causing Shouyo to laugh and hit his chest.
“It’s okay! Don’t be too mad at it or anything. Besides,” Shouyo peaked up at him, once again feeling small and caged in, “now I get to be in your arms!”
While this was true and Atsumu was more than pleased with it, he still felt like perhaps they shouldn’t do that again in fear of hurting themselves even more. The pain in his head was still present, after all.
“Yeah, well, let’s not do that. ‘M not riskin’ ya hurtin’ yerself.”
“Tsumu’s feeling protective?”
“Shut yer mouth!”
Atsumu’s hands dug at Shouyo’s waist, fingers wiggling against the skin there through that borrowed sweater. The younger boy laughed, a sound that echoed off the walls as he thrashed this way and that. He chuckled and maneuvered the other near his pillow, his hands continuing their assault down the younger’s tummy. Shouyo cackled and kicked around, legs hooking around Atsumu’s. They tried to kick at his thighs, but the older boy didn’t let up his movements. The ginger was beginning to get breathless.
“Tsumu!” He let out with a flurry of giggles. Atsumu laughed with him.
“Haaah? Ya ticklish? Huh, huh?” Atsumu mocked Shouyo before beginning to giggle himself. “What’s ta magic word, huh?”
“I-I don’t know- ah!” Shouyo kept laughing and squirming as Atsumu’s hands began to count his ribs.
“Wrong!” The older boy giggled and moved his fingers near the other’s armpits, making the boy coil and squeak with laughter. It was such an adorable sight, something Atsumu admittedly never wanted to forget.
“Is it… volleyball?!”
“Nah,” Atsumu smiled and leaned down so Shouyo could hear him, “who’s yer favorite setter?”
“Huh?” Shouyo squealed when he tickled him harder.
“Nah, try again!”
“I do-don’t know!”
“No,” Atsumu frowned and cocked his head, “C’mon! He’s ta hot one with enough strength in his serves ta break ta floor.”
“I don’t- I’m sorry!” Shouyo tried again and the older boy wanted to whine at how long it was taking to get the right answer.
“No! Try again!” Atsumu was scowling at him as he tickled his tummy again. “C’mon, ya know it, ta one ya adore ta most.”
Shouyo giggled and grabbed a fistful of his hair, “It’s you, o-of course!”
Atsumu’s hands stopped their attack on his poor upper body, and Shouyo drew in massive breaths of air. The older boy pulled away completely, sitting down on his bum and crossing his legs. He pouted at the other for taking so long with his answers, but the other was too busy getting his breath to even notice.
“Sorry for tickling ya, are ya okay?” Atsumu’s accent was slowly letting up enough to sound how it did normally. Shouyo giggled and looked back at him.
“Completely!”
Atsumu nodded as he waited for the younger boy to get settled. Guilt began to trickle down his throat. Shouyo could tell something was off as he leaned up, “Tsumu?”
“Why did ya come here just to ask me for kissing lessons?” He asked quietly, hands intertwining with his own on his lap. “Ya could’ve asked Tobio, Kenma, or Tooru… But ya asked me. Why?”
Shouyo blinked owlishly at him before scratching the back of his head. “Well… Tsumu-”
Suddenly a door slammed open and Atsumu immediately stiffened. “Shit, okay, uhm.” He grabbed Shouyo’s arm and led him to the closet. “Hide in here, don’t make a fucking peep!” He whispered harshly. The younger nodded and ducked behind some hoodies in the back of the closet. The other boy pulled the closet door shut before scurrying to his bed.
He grabbed the red blanket and curled himself under it before the bedroom door opened. Atsumu’s mother poked her head in to see her son curled up. “What’s going on?”
He looked at his mother with squinted eyes and a low mumble. “I don’t know, mama, ‘m just sleepin’.”
His mother scanned the room, “Hmm… I thought I heard laughter, it woke me up.”
“Ya sure it wasn’t yer imagination, mama?” He faked a yawn and tiredly looked at his mother. She looked at Atsumu’s desk and squinted, but didn’t say anything. “Mama?”
“Never mind, must’ve been a dream,” She walked into the room and ambled to her son. Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his forehead lovingly. “Goodnight, Tsumu.”
“G’night, mama,” Atsumu nuzzled into his pillow. He watched his mother make her way to the door “I love ya.”
“I love ya too, Tsum,” and his mother left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. He waited until he heard the sound of another door closing before he crept out of bed. He opened the closet door carefully, “Shouyo, ya can come out now.”
Atsumu allowed the other to quietly leave the closet before he shut the door. “I didn’t mean to wake up your mom.”
“It’s fine, really.” Atsumu sat back down on his bed and allowed Shouyo to sit beside him. He paused for a second, “But so… the truth is?”
“Oh, right, uhm…” the younger boy played with his hands, refusing to look at the other. “The team did tease me for the kissing thing, but I kinda lied about some parts.”
“Such as?” He cocked his head in confusion.
“Well… Okay, so the reason I’m so bad at kissing is that I’ve never kissed before… And I wanted to ask you for lessons because I like you a lot and wanted you to be my first…” Shouyo was twisting his fingers in different ways as he mumbled, and Atsumu’s eyes widened in delight.
“Wait, wait, wait,” He had the biggest grin on his face as he stared at the other with joy, “ya like me? I like ya too, Shouyo!”
The younger boy gasped and looked at him, “Wait really? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I let ya in my bedroom, unannounced, at midnight. I thought that was a big enough hint for ya,” Atsumu chuckled and brought his knees to his chest. He looked so beautiful there, golden hair a mess on his head as his eyes sparkled with happiness. His cheeks were the most beautiful shade of pink, and his white shirt was dangling low under his collarbones. Shouyo rested his hands on both of the other’s knees. “Plus I gave ya my clothes, I rarely even let Samu borrow ‘em.”
Shouyo was delighted as he snuggled close to his legs, “That’s so cute!” He chirped.
He grinned and stroked the younger boy’s hair. “Of course it is. But seriously, I like ya a lot, and I have for months now. So,” Atsumu grabbed his hands and wrapped them up in his own, “Do ya wanna go on a date with me? There’s this cool arcade nearby, and I’d love to take ya there.”
Shouyo nodded his head eagerly, “Yes! I-I mean I’d love to. That sounds like fun.”
He beamed and leaned down, gently pressing his lips to the younger boy’s for the nth time that night. When he pulled away, Shouyo had a puzzled look on his face. “What?”
“Your mom heard us…”
“But she thought it was all a dream, remember?”
“Did she though?” Shouyo looked behind him and Atsumu followed his gaze. On his desk was the pile of clothes - neither of which were his because he didn’t even own a pair of lavender sweats - and the window was still held wide open. Small puddles of rain settled on his desk, and the older boy whined when he remembered his mother looking in that direction.
“I’m so fuckin’ dead,” He frowned and Shouyo giggled softly, ruffling his hair. Atsumu took his red blanket and wrapped them around in it before pulling the other boy down against him. “Well since yer here and she knows it, might as well spend the night.”
“But my mom is gonna freak out!” Shouyo realized, eyes big and wide and lips in a pout.
“Shhh, I’ll help ya call her and tell her I asked for ya to come over to help with homework at the very last minute and the storm kept ya here.” Atsumu winked, slinging an arm around Shouyo and pulling him close to his chest.
The younger boy laughed and snuggled in between the older’s chest, a smile on his face. “Okay. Goodnight, Tsumu.”
Atsumu pressed a kiss to Shouyo’s hair, “G’night, angel.”