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It all begins with volleyball (as, Atsumu finds, most things in his life often do).
Aran had once told him, sharing a pint of craft beer by the counter of Onigiri Miya on a Friday night, that ‘Osamu’s biggest blessing, more so than his athletic physique or innate talents, is the existence of you, Atsumu.’ To which Atsumu, in response, had laughed out of his everliving mind, and then proceeded to spill his drink all over Aran’s sneakers, which he’d bought no less than two days before this occurred.
“Atsumu…”
“No, Aran, Aran, you don’t-“ Atsumu’s knees are jabbed by the edges of the counter. “Ow- Fuck. No, ya’ need to know…that I’m so happy fer’ you and Kita-san. So happy.”
A warm expression flashes over Aran’s face, as he ruffles Atsumu’s hair with a familiarity that could only be forged over years of friendship. “Thanks, Atsumu. Ya’ know, I think you’ve finally grown into a mature-“
“So ya’ HAVE to choose me as your best man over Osamu, okay?”
Aran chuckles, clasping his arm over his stomach, nearly toppling over his stool. Atsumu, in a state of immense confusion, continues ordering a near excessive amount of alcohol. “Forget it, yer’ the same as always, Atsumu.”
Aran leaves the restaurant at 11:30 (not forgetting to leave a hefty tip for Osamu’s part-timer) and calls a cab back to Kita’s residence. Atsumu, on the other hand, ever the pride and joy of his family, guilttrips Osamu into driving him home, before throwing up all over the backseat of Osamu’s Toyota.
There are a few things to be noted about the events that occurred that night:
- Osamu does not, in fact, drive Atsumu back home. He, instead, takes a left turn at the intersection to steer back to Osamu’s apartment, because he refuses to let Atsumu get away scot-free for vomiting in his car.
- An incredibly entertained Suna Rintarou takes (and uploads) several videos of a blackout drunk Atsumu stumbling over his own feet (to, really, anybody but Atsumu’s chagrin).
- Osamu’s Toyota will never recover from this incident.
- Aran’s younger brother (elected as Aran’s best man the day after) sends out invites to Aran’s bachelor party via email two months after this incident. Both Osamu and Atsumu receive an invite.
- Atsumu’s tears appear to have left a permanent imprint on the back of Osamu’s favourite sweater. Osamu never lets him live this down.
- Osamu, despite his hour-long complaints about Atsumu’s troublesome drunken behaviour to one very disgruntled Suna Rintarou, does not leave Atsumu’s side that night for a single minute. Not once.
-
“Yeah, that dumbass and I dated in high school.” Kageyama says, sipping on a can of apple cider that he’d purchased from a nearby vending machine. “More importantly, Atsumu-san, can you tell me how it feels spiking for Barnes? Would you say it’s more similar to setting for Ushijima-san, or, say, Hyakuzawa-kun?”
“Ya’ dated Shouyou-kun in high school?”
Kageyama nods. “Yeah, but only for a year. Also, did you hear about the new setter that EJP Raijin’s planning on adding to their roster?”
It takes every bone in Atsumu’s body (and the fear of a very unimpressed Meian Shugo) in that moment to not immediately flee from the conversation at full speed and sulk in Osamu’s storage closet for three weeks straight.
It’s not that he’s not in the know about Shouyou’s dating history, per say. In fact, Shouyou had been explicitly clear about his past relationships directly after their first date. It’s moreso Tobio that’s the problem, to Atsumu.
What exactly is Atsumu’s problem with Tobio here, exactly?
Nobody really knows, least of all Atsumu.
So, Atsumu goes ahead and does the most logical thing he could think of doing in that moment: present Tobio with a 25 question interview about his relationship with Shouyou.
-
Atsumu is not insecure.
“If yer’ tryin to convince me that yer’ not a miserable ball of insecurity, I just want to say that yer’ full of shit.” Osamu places a tray of his newest menu item on Atsumu’s table. “What next? Bet yer’ gonna tell me that Kita-san regularly visits strip clubs with Ushijima-san too, huh?”
Atsumu kicks Osamu in the knees from under the table. Osamu dodges, flawlessly. “I wasn’t thinkin that, mind you. Yer’ awfully presumptuous, arent’cha?” He takes a bite out of the onigiri. “This tastes fuckin’ awful, by the way.”
He’s lying, of course. It’s delicious. Unbelievably delicious.
A smug grin etches itself on Osamu’s face. “Yer’ lyin.”
“Fuckin’ asshole.” Atsumu gets out of his seat, lunging towards Osamu with a tackle. “Get over here!”
-
Interview Segment (Question 3)
Atsumu: When did you and Shouyou-kun start dating?
Kageyama: Second year of high school. We were eating meat buns and he asked me to go out with him. I said okay. It was okay.
-
Hinata Shouyou lands in Japan about a week after Atsumu throws up in Osamu’s Toyota. When he’d first entered the MSBY dormitory, a heavy duffel bag slung over his shoulders, Atsumu had scarcely believed what he was seeing.
It was like seeing Santa Claus in the flesh. Or Hatsune Miku. Atsumu couldn’t believe that Hinata was real, and present, and right in front of him, and that he wasn’t just a manifestation of Atsumu’s near obsessive streak of Instagram stalking.
He had half a mind to pinch himself.
“Omi-kun, pinch me.”
Sakusa, reeling his arm back to give Atsumu what would likely be the most painful, torturous pinch of his life, nods. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“Miya-san! Sakusa-san!” Hinata runs toward them, greeting them with a million-watt smile. Atsumu is, accordingly, blinded. “Long time no see!”
“Shouyou-kun, call me Atsumu instead.” He reaches out a hand toward Hinata, who shakes it with a whirlwind of enthusiasm.
“Hello. Welcome to Japan. Don’t make a mess of the dormitory.” Sakusa turns his head, walking to his room. “I hope you’re a responsible teammate, fever boy.”
“No problem, Sakusa-san!” Hinata turns his attention back to Atsumu. “By the way, Atsumu-san, I saw your match against the Red Falcons last month! You were so cool! Your sets went like ‘BRSSSHT’ and then ‘BWAAAAH’ and your serves were like ‘PSHLOOOW’! You’re just as amazing as I remember!”
Atsumu, having not felt the warmth of admiration from anyone in his team for years, struggles to not instantly melt into a puddle of tears. “Ya’ uh- You’ve definitely grown too, shrimpy. Still not the tallest I’ve seen, but definitely got some inches in there.”
Hinata laughs, making Atsumu feel, well, slightly better about him horrendously botching their first interaction with each other since high school. “Thanks Atsumu-san. I’m really excited to show everyone what I’ve learnt from Brazil.”
Atsumu, too busy trying not to make his ogling of Hinata’s bronzed calves seem abundantly obvious, chuckles nervously. “For sure, Shouyou-kun. Any goals you’ve got now that yer’ back on the national stage?”
“Well…” Hinata looks up at Atsumu, with a seriousness in his eyes that Atsumu can’t quite put his finger on. “I want to fly. You can help me with that, right, Atsumu-san?”
-
What happens over the span of the next few months is what Atsumu Miya would like to call “a dream come true”, and what Meian Shugo would like to call “his worst nightmares realised”.
On a Wednesday afternoon, in which everyone on the MSBY team collectively decides to exploit Shugo’s Netflix subscription, everyone is gathered in the living room of the team dormitory, barely paying attention to the newest Makoto Shinkai flick about some high schoolers that Shugo could positively not care less about.
On the couch is one Miya Atsumu, lying across the span of 3 seats and hoarding about 90% of the space. Right in front of the couch is Hinata Shouyou, their newest recruit and the new favourite of at least 70% of the team, Shugo included. His head is cushioned on Atsumu’s thighs, as he digs into a Tupperware full of fruit cubes.
If you’re anything like Shugo, you already know that this is not going to end well.
If you’re anything like Shugo, it’s only been an hour since you left the house and you already miss your wife and kids.
“Shouyou-kun, can ya’ pass me some fruit?” Atsumu licks his lips, scrolling through the “#AtsumuMiya” tag on Twitter, his phone dangling dangerously above his face. “I’m cravin’ something sweet right now.”
“Sure!”
And thus it begins.
Hinata pinches a fruit cube between his fingers, crawling up to the couch. He proceeds to straddle Atsumu’s legs, his elbows pressed up against Atsumu’s chest. Atsumu drops his phone on his forehead, before it slides off onto the cushions.
“Say Ahhh, Atsumu-san!”
“A-“ Atsumu warily opens his mouth, his eyes close to popping out of their sockets. “Ahhh.”
The fruit cube is put into Atsumu’s mouth. Atsumu doesn’t close his mouth. They stay in that position for no less than 5 consecutive minutes.
Atsumu’s soul leaves his body. Sakusa leaves the room. Meian calls his wife.
-
Interview Segment (Question 11)
Atsumu: Why did ya’ decide to date Shouyou-kun, at the time?
Kageyama: It just seemed right. He was meant to be my rival. I used to think that relationships were just volleyball rivalries but with more hugging. I only found out that it wasn’t true when we broke up.
-
It all goes downhill with Oikawa Tooru (as, Atsumu finds, is a common occurrence, if the words of Kageyama and Ushiwaka are to be trusted).
Originally having meant to meet with Shouyou on his return from Argentina, poor scheduling on his end and a fully packed week on Shouyou’s end was what lead to Oikawa Tooru’s fateful appearance in Atsumu’s dorm room.
“So, you’re the guy that’s dating Hinata?”
“Yeah. And?” Atsumu grunts, tapping away at his phone. “Ya’ got a problem with that?”
“No, just surprised is all.” Oikawa flips through a pocket-sized notebook, scribbling notes about his travel itinerary within the thinly lined pages. “I always thought that he would’ve gotten back together with Tobio-kun once he came back. Wouldn’t stop talking about him while we were in Brazil.”
Atsumu pauses, looking back at the nonchalant setter sitting on the corner of his bed. He raises an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
“Mm. Might just be a rival thing, though. Not that I would know.” Oikawa kicks his legs up against Atsumu’s bedside desk. “Back when the idiots were still in Karasuno, they seemed like they were in their own crazy little world. I used to think that Shouyou-kun could’ve been the only one to really understand Tobio-kun.”
“Get yer’ fuckin feet off my desk.” Atsumu swats him with a magazine. “I barely know ya’, asshole.”
“Atsumu!” Shouyou leaps into the room, peppering Atsumu’s face with kisses. “Miss me?”
“Ya’ know it.” Atsumu hums, wrapping his arms around Shouyou’s waist. “And ya’ left me alone with this bastard for too long. I really would’ve rather come with you instead.”
“Hey, I’m still here.”
“Oikawa-san! What’re you doing here?”
“Well…” Oikawa runs his hair through his bangs. “I wanted to visit you, shrimpy, but your teammates said that you were out running errands, so I just waited here for you instead.” He pulls Shouyou out of Atsumu’s hold, slinging an arm over his shoulder. “Now that you’re back, let’s go out and have some fun. I haven’t had good Japanese food in too long.”
-
“Where the fuck did the Sun go?”
“Yer’ bein’ overdramatic, Tsumu.” Osamu leans over the counter, wiping spare crumbs off the surface with a damp washcloth. The rain keeps pouring. Atsumu keeps whining. Osamu inwardly calculates his margin of safety for the month, processing a total zero percent of whatever Atsumu is rambling on about.
“It’s been rainin’ all week, Samu. It’s so fucking gloomy out there that it’s even putting a damper on team spirit!”
“Somehow, I feel like this isn’t just about the weather. I’ve never seen ya’ this passionate about mild drizzling and 23 degree weather before.” Osamu fiddles with the washcloth, draping it over the sink. “Where’s Shouyou-kun, anyhow? Yer’ usually disgustingly happy whenever he’s within a 15 foot proximity to ya’.”
“Out hanging out with Oikawa Tooru. Some asshole he got close to in Brazil.” Atsumu pouts, face pressed against the counter. “What gives? It’s like he’s too busy to spend time with his own boyfriend now.”
“Did ya’ tell him that ya’ wanted him to spend more time with you?”
“No.” Atsumu groans. “He asked me if he could go out with Oikawa and I told ‘im it was fine. I don’t want to be a controlling boyfriend, or anything.”
“So, let me get this straight.” Osamu pinches the bridge of his nose. “He asked ya’ if he could go out with his friend, and ya’ told him that he could. And now yer’ here moping because he did what ya’ told him he could do and went with his friend.”
“Ya’ don’t get it Samu.”
“Yer’ right.” Osamu flicks Atsumu’s forehead. “I don’t.”
“I once saw Tobio-kun stay completely silent at a gala and Shouyou-kun, fuckin’ telepathically or some shit, managed to correctly guess that he was anxious because he didn’t like talkin’ to new people.” Atsumu slams his fists on the table. “Now, I’m out here bein’ visibly upset, and Shouyou-kun can’t even tell!”
“Okay, dumbass. Consider this: Yer’ not Tobio-kun. Wild concept, I know.”
“That’s the fuckin’ problem!”
“Yer’ being ridiculous.” Osamu slides him a plate of tuna onigiri over the counter. “I don’t understand why yer’ not just communicating what ya’ want to Shouyou-kun.”
Atsumu sighs, chewing into the dish. “Whatever.” He picks up a second and shoves it in his mouth. “I love yer’ tuna onigiri, Samu. Never fails to cheer me up.”
“Obviously.” Osamu rolls his eyes. “I know ya’ best.”
-
Interview Segment (Question 17)
Atsumu: Did ya’ think that you and Hinata were soulmates, back then?
Kageyama: In volleyball, yeah. I doubt Hinata would agree, though. He just wants someone to set for him. It’s that simple for that dumbass.
-
30 minutes after Hinata returns to the dorms from his misadventures with Oikawa Tooru, the tension in the living room is driven to madness. Bokuto walks into the living room for half a minute, and immediately returns to his room.
Water boiling over the edge of the pot. A bubble about to pop.
Atsumu sits in the corner of the room, silently. Shouyou pours a carton of milk into his bowl of cereal, the clinking of kitchenware resonating through the walls.
“I wish you’d stop sulking and tell me what’s wrong.” Shouyou mutters, breaking the silence. “I’m worried about you. If I did something to upset you, I wish that you could just tell me.”
“That’s the problem.” Atsumu massages his temples. “I feel like sometimes ya’ don’t even care about me enough to notice that I’m upset.”
“I’m noticing it right now!” Shouyou drops his fork onto the table. “I don’t understand why you’re not just telling me when something’s wrong! Why does this all have to be some sort of guessing game?”
“So what?” Atsumu struts over to the other side of the table. “Yer’ just tellin’ me that ya’ knew I’ve been upset today and just chose not to do anything about it? Ya’ do understand how that’s worse, right?”
“You’re-“ Shouyou sighs in exasperation. “You’re putting words in my mouth! I’m saying that you’ve been sulking the whole day instead of just talking it out with me like adults!”
“I’m just sayin’ that if ya’ could read Tobio-kun, ya’ could put in some effort and do the same for yer’ boyfriend too.”
“What does Kageyama have to do with any of this?!” Hinata slumps against the wall. “…Atsumu-san, I- I really don’t want to argue right now.”
Atsumu’s breath hitches. He can feel bile rising up his throat, suffocating him. His vision grows blurry. “Okay. Okay, sure.” He grabs his keys, walking toward the door. “I’m goin’ to stay at Samu’s tonight. Don’t wait up.”
-
“Samu!” Atsumu slams the door open, to the shock of one incredibly annoyed Suna Rintarou. “I’m crashin’ here tonight!”
“Hey dumbass, ya’ know that that key was given to ya’ for emergencies, right?”
“This is an emergency!” Atsumu wails. “My heart’s fuckin’ shattered!”
“What even-“ Suna’s eyebrow twitches. “Listen, yer’ brother’s doin’ overtime tonight. He’s not gonna be back until like, midnight.”
“Oh, great.” Atsumu collapses on the floor, half-dead. “Just kill me. Kill me.”
Suna (at his wit’s end) groans, before getting up to heave Atsumu over to the couch, where he stares, braindead, at Osamu’s collection of potted plants.
“Do I want to know why yer’ starin’ so intensely at Osamu’s plants?”
“I…” Atsumu sniffles. “I didn’t know he was into gardening.”
“Yeah well, that’s what happens when ya’ start seeing someone like, only once a week, as opposed to every fuckin’ second of the day together.” Suna flips open some home improvement channel on the television, utterly uninterested in its contents. “Ya’ start not knowing every detail of their lives. Big deal.”
“Oi.” Atsumu sighs. “I think I fucked up with Shouyou-kun.”
Suna raises an eyebrow.
“I was worried, because, I don’t know. It was fuckin’ stupid. I could tell when Samu’ was upset without him ever needing to tell me, because we had that connection, y’know. And I was hoping that Shouyou-kun could pick up on everything ‘bout me too, since he and Tobio-kun… Everyone was sayin’ that they had that kind of connection too, back in high school. Like they were fuckin’ soulmates or some shit. And I wanted that. I wanted us to be fated too. To know this shit about each other without even talkin’ about it.”
Suna, to an immensely obnoxious extent, then proceeded to laugh so hard that he nearly fell off the couch.
“Wh-“ Atsumu elbows Suna. “This isn’t funny, ya’ pig!”
“No-no, it’s just-“ Suna wipes a tear from his cheek. “You and yer’ brother are so fuckin’ similar that I can’t even believe it. What the hell? It’s amazing!”
“What’re ya’ even talking about?”
“Hey, dumbass. Yer’ brother used to be the exact same way when we first started dating.” Suna smirks. “Expected me to read his fuckin’ mind just because you two were able to do it with each other. Deliberately kept shit from me just to see if I would notice and got pissed off when I wouldn’t. I told ‘im to fuck off or get good, in short, and that was the end of it.”
“Wow.” Atsumu’s eyebrows crease. “Yer’ a terrible boyfriend. ‘Fuck off or get good’? At least Shouyou-kun tried to understand what I was doing.”
“But he still chose to be with me, didn’t he?” Suna chuckled, fiddling with the remote. “Fate’s cool and all, and that Shrimpy of yours may have even been soulmates with Kageyama Tobio, but they broke up for a reason. All that I’m sayin’ is, isn’t it much more flattering that Shrimpy went out of his way to defy fate just to choose to be with ya’? Honestly, sometimes I just don’t understand you twins at all.”
-
Interview Segment (Question 24)
Atsumu: What were yer’ first impressions of Shouyou-kun?
Kageyama: He’s a dumbass. He was clearly too short for volleyball, but the dumbass went for it anyway. He couldn’t have possibly pulled off being a middle blocker, but he tried anyway. There’s nothing logical about him and there still isn’t. That’s why he’s my rival.
-
“Hey.” Atsumu shuffles through the door.
“Hey.”
“I’m s-“
“I shouldn’t’ve-“
Shouyou laughs, the sound of his laughter ringing in Atsumu’s ears. “You first, then.”
“I’m sorry for being unreasonable yesterday.” Atsumu mutters, his hands fiddling with the cuffs of his shirt. “I was being stupid. It was dumb of me to expect ya’ to just know what I wanted without me every communicating. I shouldn’t have gotten insecure over Tobio-kun, either.”
Shouyou nods, walking over to wrap Atsumu in a hug. “I missed you, last night. I shouldn’t have gotten that defensive when we were arguing either. I might not be able to perceive you like Osamu-san can, but I think I’ll be able to pick it up after a couple more dates with you.”
“Wow, how smooth, Shouyou-kun. Asking me out?”
“Well, it’s only fair that I make up for lost time since I’ve been so busy this week.” Shouyou grins. “And, for the record, me and Kageyama are just friends, okay? I’m serious. The idiot is going to marry a volleyball one day. He doesn’t care about anything else.”
Atsumu bites the shell of Shouyou’s ear. “Hmm…I wonder…should we start making up for lost time now, then?”
Shouyou chuckles, pecking Atsumu on the cheek. “You talk too much.”