Work Text:
The MSBY Black Jackals had done it again, scoring another win at their game today. The atmosphere had been great and the entire team had performed at the top of their game. Overflowing energy and excitement lingered on so much that suddenly plans were being made to go out and celebrate that night.
Kiyoomi usually doesn’t agree to go out like this, much less with so little time to prepare as it was under such short notice, but after a combination of certain teammates practically begging, and his own guilt for not ever joining them on outings, he eventually gave in and agreed to join.
The team had decided to meet up at a local bowling alley that was equipped with a bar and additional space for pool tables. Overhead lights had been dimmed, but multi-colored lights danced across the ceiling and walls, flashing in time with the music that played throughout the building. Multiple lanes were in use, and people were wandering around that had seemingly given up their match in favor of having drinks or playing pool.
Kiyoomi watched idly as his teammates all got signed up to play, most of them already loud and rowdy in excitement. He glanced around at the interior as they navigated the building, frowning a bit under his mask. The repetitive flashing of the lights was annoying, the music was loud, there were noisy animations playing on the screens on the lanes and there were just so many people talking and laughing, those of which Kiyoomi had to avoid bumping into as he moved past them.
The team made their way to their designated lane, Bokuto and Hinata bouncing around already promising victory for themselves and challenging the others, as if it wasn’t supposed to just be a fun game of casual bowling. Kiyoomi watched as Atsumu laughed with them, his smile bright. Meian told them to settle down a bit while Thomas and Inunaki went to go get everyone drinks.
Moments like this were nice, and Kyioomi participated in them as casually as he could.
All social interactions were stressful and confusing and sometimes it didn’t leave a lot of time to enjoy the experience when you had to focus so hard on yourself.
Kiyoomi and his teammates played through matches, and as the night went on everyone's attention slowly started to shift away from the matches. Kyioomi decided to use the opportunity to get up and go to the restroom to wash his hands, taking a moment to decompress from everything happening.
It wasn’t until Omi walked away from his group that it hit him how
loud
this place was. The lights and sounds and people layered into his mind, wrapping around him. He quickened his stride, holding his hands over his ears, looking down as he hurried to the bathroom.
It was thankfully empty, and Kyioomi washed his hands. After drying them he mindlessly paced around, shaking his hands up by his shoulders in an attempt to calm down.
Why was this shit so difficult? I mean, he knows why, but it’s still so frustrating. He really
did
want to have fun. Kyioomi was blunt and could be a bit off-putting and set more boundaries than most people, but at the end of the day he was still a person. His own thoughts clouded his mind as he continued pacing, only stopping when he snapped back into reality from a voice.
“-mi? Hey? Did ya hear me?” Kiyoomi hadn’t realized it, but Atsumu had appeared in the bathroom with him. Omi immediately stopped in place and stared at his teammate, looking a little confused, slowly processing what the blond had asked.
“Oh, sorry…I was just thinking about something. What’s up?”
“We were just about to head over to the pool table area, saw ya head off this way so I just wanted to come let ya know.” Atsumu pauses for a moment, then shifted his body a little closer to Kiyoomi, “but are ya feeling alright Omi-Kun? You seem a little off. I know you don’t like comin’ out to this kinda thing normally. If yer tired from the game you don’t have to stay! I’ll even make up some excuse for ya!” Atsumu showed him a playful wink, but his tone was quiet and reassuring.
Kiyoomi took this moment to think about Miya Atsumu and his actions. Sometimes he was kind of nice for a guy that makes it a point to go back and forth with Kiyoomi all day, even during their matches. It had become a constant in their lives, and Kiyoomi had almost grown fond of the interactions. He appreciated how natural and normal it could feel.
“No, if I didn’t want to come I wouldn’t have agreed to. I am alright, so let’s go ahead and catch up with the others.”
“Well, alright, I guess if you’re sure-“ by the time he could finish the sentence, the taller man was already moving through the door squeezing past the shorter, careful not to touch him.
He found his teammates in the pool area. All of them except Atsumu, Kyioomi and their captain were buzzed on some level, and they were either playing pool or trying to challenge random patrons to arm wrestling. Atsumu arrived after and joined in on the commotion. The curly haired man just watched for a while, appreciating that the group was almost always rowdy enough to pull a room's attention to them and not himself.
---
Kyioomi knew it was time to go.
It was getting late and his teammates, being the people they were, had attracted a crowd to entertain their shenanigans. Bodies pushed into the room, which was definitely not big enough for so many people, causing Kiyoomi to shrink into a corner. He was quickly losing his ability to cope with the environment. So many loud people, the flashing lights and music that just didn’t stop, the sound of the billiard balls clacking, it was too much. Omi was looking for an out when Atsumus voice broke through the loud, “I'm gonna go get Bo-Kun in his loverboys car. Akaashi is waiting outside and Bo is drunk enough to start being more lovey dovey than normal!” Bokuto is half- hugging Atsumu, smiling brightly at him. “Tsumu Tsumu! You know you love my hugs! Almost everyone does!” He was pretty much hanging off Miya now. Being taller than most of the people there gave them an advantage as they parted the crowd, eventually stumbling out.
Kyioomi took this moment to leave the corner he was in, pushing through the few people that were still in the way. He had made it out of the room and thought he would make it out of the building with no additional issues, until all of a sudden he was shoved to the side.
A woman, presumably a staff member, gasped as the tray in her hand crashed to the floor loudly, drinks spilling on Kiyoomis shoes as they hit the ground.
He couldn't hear her if she was trying to apologize, because he was already running out of the building, pulling his nails down the skin on his arms from shoulder to elbow. He’d pulled his mask off at some point as well, because the rush of the wind hit his face when he exited through the door, making him realize he was crying.
Everything was moving so fast, and it should have felt better outside in the dark away from the overwhelming scene from inside, but it didn’t. Kiyoomi went to turn to go to the side of the building when someone reached out and grabbed his shoulder
“Don’t fucking touch me!” His voice was loud and stern but still shook as he impulsively shoved her hand away, jumping back from the contact.
It had been the worker that bumped into him and dropped the tray, she had apparently followed him outside in an attempt to apologize.
Before she could reply another voice entered the space close to them and Omi jumped away once again, now using interruption to cover his ears and slide his back down the side of the building.
“What’s going on over her-“ Atsumu cut his own sentence off when he registered that it was Omi moving to the ground as the worker stood staring in shock.
Quick witted as he was though, the blond turned to her and apologized, saying he would take it from here so she could get back to work. She agreed, and quickly apologized again for what happened, obviously confused but turned to go back inside.
Atsumu ran over to where Omi was sitting down and oh, he could have sworn his heart dropped. His curly haired teammate was a complete mess. Sakusa was holding one hand over his ear now, tears falling off his face, while trying to use his other shaking hand to untie his shoes. It wasn’t working, and in frustration Omi lashed out, hitting himself in the thigh. “Fuck! Goddammit why is-” he grabbed his own hair with both hands and pulled his head down, squeezing his eyes shut.
“Omi-Kun! What’s wrong? Can you talk to me? What happened?”
Kiyoomi threw his hand out that had been in his black hair in Miyas direction to stop him from coming closer, and the man paused. He spoke again, softening his tone “Omi do you need help? I heard you yell at the worker to not touch you..” Atsumu had watched as Kiyoomi tried to take his soaked shoes off, “Do ya want me to take your shoes off Omi? Would that help? I promise I won't touch you.” he idled cautiously nearby.
Kiyoomi pulled his hand back, pressing his legs up into his chest. He nodded slightly, so Atsumu calmly stepped forward. He untied the taller mans shoes and pulled them off. The drinks had soaked them and his socks. “Alright there you go Omi-Kun. I won't touch ya or anything now but I will be here okay?” Kiyoomi probably would have appreciated Atsumus words if he could even process them, but he was focused on rolling his socks off.
Sakusa sat here against the building, hands in his hair and tears falling down his face, rocking back and forth to calm down.
-
They sat for a long time, Omis rocking eventually slowing down. Atsumu had been there the entire time, in silence and hadn’t tried to touch him as he promised. Sensing that maybe he was feeling better, Atsumu turned toward him slightly, and spoke in almost a whisper. “Omi? Ya feelin any better now?”
Kiyoomi didn’t speak in response, but he did reach out his hand in Atsumus direction.
As if he knew exactly what he wanted, Atsumu turned towards him and scooted closer, arms open. Kiyoomi moved in and pressed himself against Miyas chest, knees pulled back into his own body, and the blond wrapped his arms around him lightly. “Want to stay like this for a bit, yeah?”
Kiyoomi nodded in agreement, his head tucked into Atsumus shoulder.
They sat there for a while, Miya now holding him tightly in his arms per request. Kiyoomi appreciated the fact that Atsumu never tried to do more. He didn’t speak or try to rub his back or skin in an attempt to comfort. He just stayed there, wrapped around him.
The pressure from being held and the familiar smell of his teammate brought Omi comfort. It was scary and exhausting to experience a meltdown normally, but even more so in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers.
Sakusa pulled his head back after a while, taking in a deep breath and speaking softly, “Atsumu?”
“Hey Omi-Kun, I’m right here with you.” he replied, just as softly.
“What time is it? Where’s everyone else?”
“Don’t worry Omi Omi, I texted the team to let them know we were heading out early. Meian is taking care of the others. We’ve been out here over an hour now.” Atsumu now instinctively reached his hand up to carefully run it through Kiyoomis hair, and Kiyoomi leaned into it, letting him.
“Can ya tell me what happened though? When I took Bo-Kun out you were still in one piece.”
Kiyoomi leaned his head back into Atsumu. “I- I am so sorry. I thought I would be okay coming out with everyone on short notice but it was a lot and it kept getting worse and I thought I’d be able to handle it until that worker accidentally bumped into me and spilled the drinks on me. I didn’t mean to yell at her for touching me, she made it worse though and I needed to be left alone and-”
Omi stopped quickly when Atumu squeezed him tight for a second, still running his fingers through his curly hair, “Hey, it’s alright Omi, I talked to her and she apologized but I’m worried about you. I didn’t say anything before because I figured it wouldn’t help but your arms got scratched up.”
Coming down from everything, Kiyoomi realized Atsumu was right. He could feel the lingering pain and dried blood from where he had clawed his arms as he was running outside, the dull throb on his thigh and how his head hurt. One realization led to the next and he also noticed the lack of socks and shoes on his feet, which grossed him out immediately considering they were outside on the ground.
“I’m fine now, I just need to go back to my apartment, do you have my phone? So I can get a cab?”
Atsumu leaned back and looked at him like he had three heads, “Omi-Kun there’s no way I’d let ya ride with a stranger after that. I’ll take you back to your apartment and help ya out, so I suggest ya hold on tight.”
Sakusa didn’t have time to ask what Miya had meant before he was turned, scooped up and was being carried to the car. (Atsumu had also made sure to grab the discarded socks and shoes as well.)
Once again, Kiyoomi decided to just let him. He was tired.
---
Back at his apartment Atsumu drew Kiyoomi a bath. He absolutely insisted on helping, so Kyioomi let him wash his hair. The blonde cleaned up Omis arms and gave him medicine to take to help with the headache. Kyioomi thought about these actions as they happened, and realized he shouldn’t be so surprised. Atsumu was pushy and loud and he liked to press Omis buttons, but he was never mean. He never pushed too far, and he was always considerate of Kiyoomis boundaries. He had carried masks and sanitizer for Kyioomi and rescued him in situations where fans had gotten too close. Atsumu had always tried to give him an out if he needed it.
The realization made Kyioomi feel warm.
Both men had made their way to the couch, and Omi was leaning on Atsumu, sleepy from everything that had occurred.
“Atsumu?”
“Yea Omi Omi?” Miya wrapped the blanket around Omis shoulder, pulling him close.
“Thank you, for.. all of that. And for everything else you’ve done. You don’t have to do it.”
Atsumu let out a quiet chuckle, “Why wouldn’t I do it? I like you Omi-Kun, and you deserve to feel comfortable. Next time come find me if it’s getting bad, I will always help ya out, alright?” Atsumu followed up immediately, a little panic showed in his voice, “Not that I think you’re not capable! Ya know yourself best of course! I am just sayin’ if ya need a hand, both of mine are always yours.”
Kyioomi hummed and smirked in response, taking note of the “I like you”. He liked him too.
Being around someone that could quiet or even outshine the harshness of the world at times was nice, Kiyoomi thought.
Maybe he could learn to get used to such a presence.