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Mornings like this were rare.
Neither of them had work or a training session or some other obligation, and for once, they could take life at their own pace. It usually meant sleeping in, and lazy morning cuddles; kisses, and getting to see the other wake up. It meant doing whatever they pleased at whatever pace they pleased to take it.
Today, it meant Iwaizumi leaning back against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee in his hands, gazing out the half-open slider to the balcony, eyes tracing the rays of sunlight that fell across Kageyama and softened every edge of him into a haze of early morning dew and sunrise.
It hadn’t been long since Kageyama had left their bed - Iwaizumi wasn’t fond of staying alone in their bed after Kageyama left, so he’d quickly followed his boyfriend out of bed - and sleep still clung to him like rain on the wing, softening his features even further.
He was beautiful, leaning against the balcony railing in the sunrise.
Iwaizumi didn’t need any more reason than that. Setting his coffee down on the counter, Iwaizumi crossed their apartment and stepped quietly onto the balcony. It wasn’t a large balcony, so just walking out onto it meant he was already nearly touching Kageyama. He didn’t hesitate to slide his arms around Kageyama’s waist, pressing his chest to Kageyama’s back.
Kageyama instinctively tipped his head aside just in time to make space for Iwaizumi, who closed his eyes and tucked his face into the crook of Kageyama’s neck.
“Morning.” Iwaizumi greeted, sighing contentedly into Kageyama’s neck and earning a soft hum in reply.
“Morning. Sleep well?”
Iwaizumi hugged Kageyama closer, pointing out, “With you in my arms? Of course I did.”
Kageyama softened at the fond, unabashed words. Iwaizumi had never been shy about loving Kageyama, not from the moment he’d kissed Kageyama for the first time. Even before that, he’d been openly fond of Kageyama and didn’t hesitate to be affectionate with him, no matter who may be watching.
Kageyama’s adoration came quieter, softer, more reserved. He got shy in public, and he still blushed to speak soft words even in the peace and safety of their own apartment. But he loved Iwaizumi nonetheless, and both of them knew that.
“How about you? Sleep well?” Iwaizumi asked, palms sliding across Kageyama’s stomach. As his fingers graced across a sliver of Kageyama’s bare skin, Iwaizumi snuck his hand under Kageyama’s shirt and pressed his palm against the warm skin of his abdomen.
“Yeah.” Kageyama agreed, leaning against the railing comfortably without seeming hindered by Iwaizumi’s weight against his back. “...I always do when you’re around.”
Iwaizumi opened his eyes in astonishment, helpless fondness crashing over his heart as he gazed up at Kageyama. Kageyama wasn’t open about admitting things like that, and somehow that made when he did say them all the more endearing.
He was lucky, he knew it; to have gotten this chance, to have Kageyama right here in his arms…
“Tobio,” Iwaizumi began, thumb brushing against Kageyama’s abs lovingly. Some days, it really struck him more than others - he was so lucky to have Kageyama; to be able to hold him close and touch him, to be able to kiss him and tell him he loved him. “I love you.”
Kageyama’s cheeks warmed instantly; just those three words, and Kageyama still always blushed, like Iwaizumi had just confessed to him for the first time again. But honestly… Maybe hearing it each and every time was just as meaningful for Kageyama as hearing it that first time. Either way, Iwaizumi wouldn’t hesitate to continue saying it, to remind Kageyama of just how loved he was.
Kageyama didn't reply, but then again, Iwaizumi didn't really expect him to. Instead, Iwaizumi just turned his head into Kageyama's neck, kissing his sun-warmed skin.
Nuzzling into Kageyama's neck, Iwaizumi sighed and closed his eyes. He was blessed, he truly was - this was like an unfathomable dream to him, and yet he had it right here in his arms. “What would I do without you?”
Kageyama turned his head at that, gazing sideways at Iwaizumi and kindly not displacing him from where he was nuzzled into Kageyama's neck.
“What does that matter?” Kageyama asked, and to anyone else, it might have sounded cold and downright cruel. But to Iwaizumi it meant just simply that - what did it matter what he'd do without Kageyama? After all, Kageyama was here.
Iwaizumi smiled, contentment flushing over him. He never had to be afraid of being without Kageyama, did he? Even when they argued, neither of them dared threaten to go anywhere but here; neither of them ever truly had to fear the other would disappear.
Falling in love, smoothing out their relationship, surviving long distance and messy schedules, navigating two futures that didn’t always feel like they lined up quite right - all in all, it had been rough sometimes, and they’d had their ups and downs but right now they were right here, and what else mattered beyond right here right now? They’d weather the future just the same way they’d weathered the past, and it would all turn out alright.
“Tobio.” Iwaizumi murmured, pressing his palm gently into Kageyama's hip. “Turn around.”
Kageyama hummed, nudging Iwaizumi back just enough to turn in his arms. As soon as they were face to face, Iwaizumi leaned up to give Kageyama a soft, sweet kiss, pouring a million feelings he would never find the right words to say into that one soft motion. Kageyama melted into it, a hand rising to hold Iwaizumi gently around the back of the neck as he kissed back.
Kissing Kageyama felt like home.
He wanted to be nearer to Kageyama, he wanted to be always close by his side.
If someone had told Iwaizumi, years ago, that he would ever be here, he would have laughed them off and wouldn’t have believed it for a second. He’d never realised how much his heart ached for this, he’d never known what he was missing, until he finally had it.
The moment their lips parted, Iwaizumi pressed his forehead to Kageyama’s, nuzzling gently against his nose. Kageyama smiled, fingers gently brushing along the back of Iwaizumi’s neck and cradling him close as he pressed his forehead against Iwaizumi’s fondly.
Kageyama’s every breath ghosted against Iwaizumi’s lips, the two of them pressed so close together that they could feel every beat of each other’s hearts.
“You’re beautiful…” Iwaizumi breathed reverently, confessing the words he’d been thinking since he first saw Kageyama on the balcony in the sunrise, and he could feel Kageyama’s cheeks heat up under his words.
“Iwaizumi…” Kageyama replied sounding just a little shy, and Iwaizumi smiled. As formal as ever - god, he was so endearing.
He wanted to tell Kageyama a hundred times, in a thousand words, how much he loved him, how beautiful he thought he was. But he didn’t have the words for it, he didn’t have the eloquence. He didn’t have the words to praise Kageyama like that.
Pulling away, Iwaizumi planted a kiss on Kageyama’s cheek. Kageyama didn’t say a word, but his breathing sped up just a little as Iwaizumi kissed his cheekbone, the tip of his nose, his soft lips. Kageyama leaned into the kiss, but Iwaizumi didn’t stay long enough to let Kageyama draw him into a deep kiss. Instead, he kissed the corner of Kageyama’s mouth, the curve of his jaw, mouthing along his warm skin to his ear and pressing a kiss against the hollow behind his ear. Kageyama’s breath hitched, but he still said nothing as Iwaizumi nuzzled comfortably behind his ear.
“You’re absolutely beautiful.” Iwaizumi murmured, reluctantly moving away from his ear and kissing down Kageyama’s neck, taking his time to kiss his love into every inch of Kageyama’s skin. He couldn’t help nuzzling cozily into the crook of Kageyama’s neck, littering a handful of kisses into his warm skin.
“You never believe me,” Iwaizumi continued, nosing aside the collar of his own shirt on Kageyama’s shoulders and kissing into the strong dip of his collarbone, “No matter how many times I say it.”
Kageyama shivered as Iwaizumi brushed his fingers along the curve of his collarbone, sweeping his shirt aside as his lips followed every inch of revealed bare skin. Kissing his bare shoulder, Iwaizumi slid both hands down Kageyama’s chest, gathering up the hem of his shirt and guiding it up his chest. Kageyama flushed, but he didn’t say a word as he raised his arms and let Iwaizumi pull his shirt off. Iwaizumi tossed it over his shoulder carelessly and immediately stopped giving it a thought, attention never breaking from Kageyama. He lowered his head, pressing a kiss against Kageyama's other collarbone and smiling at the gentle shiver that shuddered through Kageyama.
“I'll tell you again and again until you believe me.” Iwaizumi promised, hands sliding around Kageyama's waist as he kissed devotedly down Kageyama's collarbone to his chest.
Kageyama truly was beautiful, even if he never believed Iwaizumi. Time had been kind to him. He certainly wasn't perfect, but what did Iwaizumi care? He'd never asked Kageyama to be perfect. He'd never expected Kageyama to be perfect. All he'd asked for was Kageyama, forever and always, whatever happened.
Iwaizumi smiled at the shaky rise and fall of his chest under his lips, at the feel of his heart beating hard against his ribs. He couldn’t help cradling Kageyama closer, pressing a firm kiss over his heart just to feel the beat of his heart. He stilled as his lips crossed a healed and fading scar in Kageyama’s chest, something he’d won when he was little being reckless, and Iwaizumi pressed a few kisses along the length of that scar.
“Iwaizumi…” Kageyama finally breathed, catching his breath just in time for it to get knocked out of his chest again.
Iwaizumi kissed every single freckle Kageyama had gotten from too many hours out in the sun, not leaving a single inch of his skin untouched. Usually, he might have just stepped back to look at Kageyama, to take in every beautiful, imperfect inch of him. But he had spent so many hours looking at Kageyama, taking in the sight of him, spent so many hours touching Kageyama, committing the feel of his body to memory, that he knew every inch of Kageyama’s body more intimately than he knew his own.
Right now, his heart demanded littering Kageyama’s body with physical adoration until Kageyama couldn’t take it anymore, as if he could kiss so much appreciation into Kageyama’s skin that he finally believed Iwaizumi. He was beautiful.
Slowly kissing down Kageyama's chest, Iwaizumi slipped to his knees, gazing up at Kageyama with an insane amount of devotion burning in his green eyes. Kageyama just looked down at him, meeting his eyes, but his blue eyes were a little wide, and there was a thread of nervousness winding through them.
A thread of nervousness that Iwaizumi was determined to soothe away. Pressing a kiss to Kageyama’s stomach, he whispered, “You should believe me, someday… After all, you really are beautiful.”
“Stop it…” Kageyama whispered, face flushed red, and Iwaizumi shook his head. Kageyama had always been shy. Not about everything - he was more than simply confident in himself about volleyball - but he’d always been shy to a kind word or genuine praise.
Iwaizumi shook his head again, nuzzling into Kageyama’s stomach, thumbs rubbing gently into his hips. Kageyama shivered under the touch, and a hand landed softly against Iwaizumi’s hair, dexterous fingers winding into the soft strands. Iwaizumi didn’t stop though, placing firm kisses across Kageyama’s abs even as Kageyama gave his hair a pleading tug to just stop because Kageyama couldn’t take the sheer adoration.
Kageyama had another deep scar there in his abdomen, one he’d gotten during a volleyball game a few years back, and Iwaizumi kissed across it with an unfathomable devotion. It was the imperfections that caused Kageyama so much heartache, in every sense of the word - his imperfections in volleyball, his imperfections in their relationship, the imperfections of his body.
What Kageyama didn’t seem to understand was that Iwaizumi loved him, imperfections and all. Imperfections made him human, and Iwaizumi had never asked him to be anything more. He just wanted Kageyama, real and true and flawed and imperfect and his.
“Iwaizumi, come on…” Kageyama pleaded, and it was a plea of embarrassment for him to ‘please just stop’.
Iwaizumi, quite simply, refused. Instead, he dipped both thumbs under the waistband of Kageyama’s sweatpants, looking up at him intently. Kagayama just looked back, heat flushing his cheeks as he gazed down his own body to Iwaizumi on his knees in front of him.
It was devotion and it was trust, it was reverence and it was adoration. It was sheer, true love.
He waited patiently, rubbing his thumbs into the dip just inside the crest of Kageyama’s hips, until finally Kageyama gave him a shaky little nod. Iwaizumi smiled, sliding both hands under Kageyama’s sweatpants and sliding them down over his hips. Kageyama looked away, and Iwaizumi frowned, reaching up to gently catch Kageyama’s chin and turning his boyfriend’s face back down until their eyes met.
“Look at me...” Iwaizumi murmured, soothingly rubbing his thumb against Kageyama’s jaw.
There was a tremor of nerves in Kageyama’s eyes, but he did as he was told and kept his eyes on Iwaizumi. So Iwaizumi let go of his jaw, hands splaying across his hips as he followed the waistband of Kageyama’s boxers to his hip, pressing a kiss warmly over a scarred floorburn Kageyama had gotten back in middle school during a game.
Kageyama took a deep breath, lashes fluttering, but he kept his eyes on Iwaizumi as he ruffled his fingers deeper into Iwaizumi’s hair.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Iwaizumi -” Kageyama whispered, but his breath hitched dangerously this time, and Iwaizumi looked up to watch his chest hitch under a few shaky breaths.
His breath hitched badly as Iwaizumi kissed Kageyama’s thigh, lips wandering across the small collection of stretch marks on his inner thigh. He was an athlete, they pretty much came with the job, but that didn’t mean Kageyama had to like them - because he definitely didn’t.
“Don’t do that.” Kageyama whispered, and the shift in his tone from simple shy embarrassment to shame made Iwaizumi’s blood ring.
“When are you going to realise, Tobio?”
“Realise what?” Kageyama asked, voice trembling with shyness, and Iwaizumi squeezed his hip lovingly, kissing his thigh in simple, genuine adoration before replying,
“That I think you’re beautiful.”
Kageyama made a tiny weak noise and Iwaizumi smiled to himself. Someday, Kageyama would understand. And until then, Iwaizumi would remind him over and over again, and never let him forget it. Kageyama’s fingers twitched in his hair, and Iwaizumi pressed one more uncompromising kiss over Kageyama’s stretch marks before kissing up his thigh.
Kageyama quivered under the touch of Iwaizumi’s lips to his stomach, and Iwaizumi glanced up feeling so inexplicably proud of himself to see Kageyama clinging to the balcony railing with both hands, leaning against it for support.
“H-Hajime…” Kageyama breathed, voice shaky and trembling as he reached out to grab Iwaizumi’s hair again, just holding onto him tightly.
It was a gift, really, to see Kageyama fall apart. To be the one to make Kageyama fall apart.
It wasn’t usually like this - genuine adoration had always made Kageyama shy, so some part of him avoided it at all costs. He couldn’t take genuine praise or genuine adoration; some part of Kageyama thought he didn’t deserve it. So instead of facing something that made him blush and squirm in a confusing mix of embarrassment and genuine appreciation, Kageyama avoided it.
Iwaizumi didn’t. Iwaizumi took one look at him and felt the most overwhelming need to tell Kageyama, show Kageyama, exactly how he loved and adored him. If it made Kageyama blush, then it made him blush, but Iwaizumi wasn’t going to hold back on praising and adoring Kageyama just because it made him shy.
He would adore Kageyama, relentlessly and unforgivingly, until Kageyama believed it so thoroughly that it didn’t make him shy anymore.
Rising to his feet, Iwaizumi slid his hands up over Kageyama’s hips to settle on his waist, and he leaned up to meet Kageyama in a kiss. Immediately, both of Kageyama’s hands were tangled into Iwaizumi’s hair, pulling him in close and kissing him warmly. Iwaizumi ran his palms up Kageyama’s side, rubbing into his skin with an inexplicable fondness. He couldn’t help leaning his weight into Kageyama, deepening the kiss between them, and Kageyama just held onto his hair and let Iwaizumi press him back against the balcony railing.
A little hitch of Kageyama’s breath broke the kiss with an audible little noise, and Iwaizumi leaned back a little, wanting to see Kageyama again. But Kageyama tugged his hair, pulling Iwaizumi unrelentingly into another kiss. He didn’t argue, just kissed Kageyama back hard, his free hand coming up to tangle into Kageyama’s soft hair and pull him in harder.
When he tried to pull back, however, and Kageyama tugged his hair again, Iwaizumi began, “Tobio -”
“Don’t.” Kageyama said, pulling Iwaizumi forward firmly and not letting him go. Iwaizumi’s eyes widened as he set his chin comfortably on Kageyama’s shoulder, sliding his free arm around Kageyama’s waist and rubbing his thumb soothingly into Kageyama’s hip.
Iwaizumi sighed, turning his head into Kageyama’s neck to litter soft kisses into his skin. He knew exactly why Kageyama was doing this - he didn’t want Iwaizumi to keep looking at him like that, like he loved and adored him.
“Tobio… Can you trust me?” Iwaizumi asked, as simple as that - could Kageyama, for just a little while, set aside his fears and place his trust in Iwaizumi, place himself into Iwaizumi's hands?
Kageyama finally let Iwaizumi up at that, slowly guiding Iwaizumi’s head back until they could look at each other. Iwaizumi patiently blinked back at Kageyama, rubbing his hips lovingly. Whatever Kageyama was searching for in Iwaizumi’s eyes, he must have found, because after a few moments of quiet indecision, he nodded. Iwaizumi smiled, leaning forward to kiss him sweetly before asking,
“Do you want to know how I see you? How beautiful I think you are?”
It was truly undeniable that Iwaizumi adored Kageyama, every imperfect, beautiful inch of him.
“Iwa…” It was trembling and weak, but Iwaizumi took it as a go-ahead because, in all honesty, it was.
“I love your eyes.” Iwaizumi began, and Kageyama’s gaze snapped up to meet Iwaizumi’s, searching his green eyes for clues. His lashes fluttered as Iwaizumi leaned up to press a kiss just under his eye before backing off to look at him again. “The determination, the way you analyse the world, the way you glare at me when I’ve said something stupid.” Iwaizumi huffed a laugh, adding, “The way your eyes light up when you step onto the court.”
A smile flickered onto Kageyama’s face for a moment at that. It caught his attention immediately, and Iwaizumi leaned up to kiss him swiftly before saying,
“I love your lips. The way you frown at idiocy, the way you pout, the way you scowl when I tease you about a broken play on the court.” Iwaizumi gently cradled Kageyama's jaw in a hand, rubbing his thumb into Kageyama's bottom lip lovingly, gaze fixed on his kiss-red lips as he said, “I love the way you smile at me when I see you for the first time in the evening.”
The tiny smile on Kageyama’s face widened, and Iwaizumi leaned in to kiss him again, thumb sliding out from between their lips. Kageyama shivered as Iwaizumi's hands landed on his chest, and he pulled away from the kiss to lean down and press a kiss over Kageyama's heart.
“I love your chest.” Iwaizumi continued, squeezing Kageyama's chest and smiling at the hitch in his breathing, the acceleration of his heartbeat under Iwaizumi's palms. “I love listening to your heartbeat, I love falling asleep with my head on your chest, I love how sensitive you are.
“I love your arms,” Iwaizumi ran both hands down Kageyama's arms, kissing his shoulder and smiling into his strong shoulder, “I love how hard you worked to build up all the muscle you have, how many hours of dedication you've relentlessly poured into volleyball. I love your hands.”
Iwaizumi raised a hand from Kageyama’s hip, offering his hand palm up and open, and Kageyama shakily placed a hand in Iwaizumi’s. He stared down at his own hand laying in Iwaizumi’s palm as Iwaizumi rubbed his thumb across the back of Kageyama’s knuckles.
“I love how strong your hands are. I love how dexterous your fingers are. I love how delicate your touch is.” Iwaizumi pulled Kageyama's hand up, looking up to meet Kageyama's wide eyes as he kissed his knuckles.
Iwaizumi kissed every knuckle and every finger of his right hand, and Kageyama just stared down at him, eyes trembling and filled with an ocean of unspoken emotions. An inability to accept what Iwaizumi said, and an inability to refute it either.
“I love every scar, every imperfection, every challenge you’ve won. I never asked for you to be perfect, Tobio. You’re only human, after all. I just asked you to be you, and you are imperfect and beautiful and you mean absolutely everything to me. I don’t expect you to never make mistakes, and I don’t expect you to be flawless. I’m not, you’re not, who cares? You’re you, and that’s the you I fell in love with.
“I love your personality, and your determination - I love you, Kageyama Tobio, and I will remind you of that every single day until you believe me. And then still on after that, because you deserve to hear it. You’re beautiful, Tobio, and I love you.”
The indecision and embarrassment in Kageyama’s expression finally melted, hope and trust welling up in its place as he reached out to Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi smiled, hugging Kageyama into him as Kageyama sank all his weight trustingly against Iwaizumi’s chest and wrapped his arms around him, burying his face into Iwaizumi’s shoulder.
“I love you too.” Kageyama whispered, muffled into Iwaizumi’s shoulder as he clung to him for an anchor. “I love you so much…”
“I know, Tobio.” Iwaizumi soothed, squeezing Kageyama into a tight hug because he knew it was what Kageyama needed right now. “I know. I’ve got you.”
Kageyama nodded into his shoulder before suddenly lifting his head and tugging Iwaizumi up into another kiss. It was messy and too emotional and intense to be considered very soft, but he didn’t mind at all. Iwaizumi kissed back just as intently, holding Kageyama around the waist as Kageyama slid both hands into his hair.
It was a side of Kageyama no one else would ever get to see - a side of Kageyama that was vulnerable enough to be emotional, and Iwaizumi would guard this side of Kageyama jealously.
“I love you.” Kageyama repeated, pressing harder into Iwaizumi’s lips, both arms wrapped around his neck to keep him close.
“Mhm.” Iwaizumi hummed, muffled into Kageyama’s kisses.
When he finally broke the kiss, Kageyama was gasping for air, cheeks flushed, a warm fire of emotion and soft adoration burning in his blue eyes. Iwaizumi brushed a hand against Kageyama’s cheek, gently brushing his thumb along Kageyama’s cheekbone. Kageyama’s lips curved into a tiny little smile, one of his so-rare and so-treasured smiles that Iwaizumi so adored.
And for the tenth time that morning, he said, “You’re beautiful.”
Kageyama’s lip quivered, eyes misting as he nodded, breathing, “I love you, Hajime…”
Iwaizumi smiled, hugging Kageyama closer and breathing so close his words ghosted across Kageyama’s lips, “I love you too, Tobio.”
Kageyama nudged his fingers gently through Iwaizumi’s hair, and the soft smile on his lips widened as he pulled Iwaizumi up to meet him in another kiss.
Iwaizumi didn’t know what he’d ever done to deserve this dream, but he wasn't about to question fate. He just kissed Kageyama back, holding him close in the warm golden light of sunrise.