Chapter Text
Sakusa wondered if his new setter knew how pretty he was.
He had half a mind to tell him, to make sure he did. Except, his first Friday on the team, when everyone had gone out to celebrate his and Hinata's newly minted rookie status, a stranger at the bar beat him to the punch. Sakusa had watched Atsumu's face twitch, the corner of his mouth turning down in displeasure, before forcing a grin and a weak 'thank you'. So, no, Sakusa would not be telling him what he thought anytime soon.
It didn't stop him from thinking it about him though, his blond hair and golden eyes radiating a serene warmth so captivating. It wasn't a surprise that Atsumu was the center of attention in every space he occupied; Sakusa had never seen anyone like him before.
Yet something tugged at the back of Sakusa's mind, a familiarity that he couldn't place. A month after he joined the team, he decided to bring it up to Atsumu.
"Do we know each other?" Sakusa asked casually as they cooled down after practice.
"I should hope so, Omi, we've been workin' together for weeks now," Atsumu joked, causing Sakusa to roll his eyes in response.
"That's not what I meant," Sakusa sighed. "I mean, I feel like we've met before. You didn't play during high school, did you?"
Curiously, Atsumu's shoulders tensed, and Sakusa could see his walls go up. "Nah. Yer probably thinking of my twin, Osamu."
The name was familiar to Sakusa, and though not satisfied with the answer, he decided to drop it for the time being. It didn't seem like Atsumu wanted to talk about it.
After that, Sakusa couldn't seem to catch Atsumu alone, no matter how hard he tried. Atsumu never showered at the gym, and he wore tank tops under all his clothes, so he changed the fastest and left the quickest every day after practice. Finally, at an after-practice hangout a few weeks later, Sakusa shoved himself into a booth before Hinata could slide in between him and Atsumu like he normally did. Atsumu tensed before giving Sakusa a tight smile, turning to talk to Inunaki sitting across the table.
Sakusa did this for the next three weeks, trying and failing to get closer to Atsumu through the proximity. Sakusa was hardly ever interested enough in someone to pursue them, so Atsumu refusing to even be friends with him was starting to become frustrating.
Frustration made Sakusa bold.
"Did I say something wrong?" He asked Atsumu one night at their usual bar, the rest of the team either up dancing or too drunk to listen in. "Why have you been ignoring me?"
Atsumu frowned, chewing on the straw of his drink as he mumbled. "'M not ignoring you."
"You've been distant since we talked about your brother. Did I hit a nerve? I'm sorry I mistook you for him."
"No," Atsumu spit out his straw, huffing frustratedly. "Just drop it, Omi."
"Please, Atsumu," Sakusa grimaced when he realized he was basically begging. "I want to understand."
Atsumu groaned before shoving at Sakusa's shoulder, and he stumbled before realizing that Atsumu was trying to push him out of the booth. He stood and let Atsumu slide past him, following him out the front door and around the side of the building into a side alley. His heart pounded as Atsumu led them through the darkness until he seemed satisfied with the amount of distance, turning to glare at Sakusa.
"Jesus, Omi, ya don't know how to leave a guy alone, do ya? Yeah, we've met before, and no, yer not thinkin' of my brother."
Sakusa watched Atsumu fidget, his heart still racing. "Your brother played volleyball. I do remember him. But I also know that we've met before. I just can't place it."
Atsumu pulled a breath in between his teeth. "Yeah, we've met. I'm not surprised you can't place me though. I look... different."
"You don't have to tell me. I just feel bad that I can't remember."
"Do ya remember Inarizaki's manager? Miya Ohana, Osamu's twin?"
Memories of a girl with long brown hair and features matching Osamu's pop into Sakusa's head, her head tilting upwards to catch his gaze before ducking into a blush. Sakusa frowns. "Yes, I think so. But I thought you said you were his twin?"
Atsumu stared at Sakusa, and he stared back for a few moments before his blood ran cold, and he felt his face go slack.
"You-you're-oh."
"Yeah," Atsumu said, scuffing his foot on the pavement awkwardly. He looked over Sakusa's shoulder back towards the front of the bar anxiously. "I don't think Hinata has realized who I am yet, but please don't tell him. It's been hard enough with Osamu and I sharing a name that's known in the volleyball circuit, I- just, please don't tell anyone, Omi, I'm beggin'."
Sakusa stared at Atsumu, his mind reeling as everything clicked into place. Atsumu's reaction to being called pretty, his refusal to shower at the gym, and so many other little things.
"Yer freakin' me out, Omi. Say something, will ya?"
"Sorry," Sakusa said, shaking his head slightly. "Your hair is blond now."
Atsumu made an exasperated noise. "Yeah? Makes it harder to recognize me."
"It looks good," Sakusa admitted, his mouth moving faster than his brain. Atsumu's eyes widened. Sakusa cringed as a hot blush crept up the back of his neck, the embarrassment of the admission shaking him out of his stupor. "And I'd never tell anyone something as personal as that. I- thank you for telling me. I'm sorry I made you feel like you had to tell me."
"I mean," Atsumu's eyes widened impossibly further, and a flush that Sakusa now recognized made its way onto Atsumu's own face. "I wanted to tell ya eventually. Just didn't think it'd be this soon. And, uh, I was scared."
"Scared?" Sakusa asked curiously.
"Scared of what ya'd think of me," Atsumu admitted, his foot scuffing at the pavement once more. "I... really care what ya think."
Sakusa thought back on the memory of Atsumu back in high school, the way he'd avoided Sakusa's gaze, the blush on his cheeks.
"I see."
"That's all ya have to say?" Atsumu asked weakly.
"I mean, a lot of girls- a lot of people liked me in high school. At least, they did until they actually talked to me," Sakusa grumbled, and Atsumu laughed. "You weren't the first or the last."
"'S embarrassing that ya could tell though, yeah?" Atsumu mumbled.
"Honestly?" Sakusa said, taking a small step closer. "Not really. I'm more surprised it wasn't obvious how interested in you I've been as of late."
Atsumu stared up at him, countless emotions crossing his face as he read Sakusa's expression, finally stopping on awe. "Yer being serious."
"I wouldn't lie about something like that. Especially not after what you just told me."
"Ya actually like me?" Atsumu asked.
"Since I first saw you at tryouts," Sakusa admitted. "You're very..."
"Attractive?" Atsumu smirked.
"I was thinking more along the lines of obnoxious," Sakusa said, and Atsumu whined. "Would it bother you if I told you I thought you were pretty then?"
Atsumu considered what he'd said, a small frown on his face.
"Nah," he replied hesitantly. "Not if it's you."
"You'll be hard-pressed getting me to admit it again," Sakusa said. "But I also think you're quite handsome."
Atsumu's face split into a grin, his blush deepening and traveling down his neck. "I like that way more. Say it again."
"Nope," Sakusa replied, turning and making his way back towards the front of the bar.
"Pleaseeee," Atsumu begged from a few paces behind him.
"Maybe if you actually start talking to me again," Sakusa drawled as he reached the building corner.
"Wait," Atsumu said, tugging on Sakusa's wrist and pulling him back into the shadows. He had just enough time to turn towards Atsumu and brace himself as Atsumu tugged Sakusa down to his level, placing a quick and harsh kiss on his cheek and whispering 'thanks' before pulling back and grinning.
"Okay, we can go back in now," Atsumu practically skipped around the corner, leaving a dumbfounded and blushing Sakusa in his wake.
Yes, Miya Atsumu was pretty. But he was also quite handsome, too.