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It’s almost Valentine’s Day when he sees him again.
Their schedules don’t mesh at the best of times but this last year made it more difficult than usual to find a time that matched both their calendars.
They Zoom called for his birthday and for New Years but it wasn’t the same as seeing him in person. He missed the contact, the sound of a heartbeat by his ear as he fell asleep.
He thought he’d be used to it, considering how they’d started to date in the first place, but now that he’d had a taste, he consistently wanted more. Being online just wasn’t doing it for him anymore. He knew they liked to think that it had started that way anyhow but that wasn’t entirely true.
They’d had a date, before the pandemic. A single date, in Slovenia, that had been completely by accident.
Kageyama had been there with his newest team, Ali Roma, to celebrate Adriano’s night before his wedding; because instead of a huge party with drinks and girls and dance music, he’d wanted to relax in the beauty of Lake Bled.
And no one had argued because, truthfully, it had been beautiful.
They’d hired out some deck chairs for the entire team and for any of Adriano’s other friends who had flown in for the weekend, sitting by the Lake at night with a small fire and some beers and such to wind down.
Alessio had started telling stories about Adriano and his girlfriend, correcting himself to fiancé several times despite their engagement being almost two years long now. He’d directed some of the tales toward Kageyama, each of the ones that had happened before he’d joined the team, but overall projected his voice to everyone, so much so that even bystanders looked over to listen in.
“You should have seen him, ragazzi,” He’d laughed, slinging an arm around Adriano’s shoulders and shaking him, “As shy as a rescue dog, wagging his tail so hard his sunglasses fell from his head!”
Adriano had ducked his head, his face red from both the embarrassment and joy, “Fuck you, I wasn’t that bad, Sio, your memory’s going in your old age.”
“I’m four years your senior, bastard!” The rest of them laughed when Adriano dodged the strike to his head, jogging around the chairs to avoid Alessio from catching up and managing to clock him one.
Kageyama had watched it all with an open smile, dozing off a few times as the night had gone on but when no one else had seemed tired enough to leave the group, he’d forced himself to stay upright.
By the time the sun had started to creep up, however, he’d taken the decision to heave off of his chair and stretch his legs at least. The sounds of the group had faded the longer he’d walked around the Lake, the houses nearby lit by the moon to show him his path.
There had been flowers growing around a fence, red and fanned out. He’d known them, having had the names of certain species drilled into his head by Hitoka, and had taken a picture to check if his knowledge had been correct.
Google had brought up more pictures of Azaleas, proving him right, and so with his pride satisfied, he’d decided to sit opposite the fence by the lake and rest for a moment in the quiet.
He’d shut his eyes, tilting his head up to the sky, when he’d heard footsteps nearby and the sound of someone crushing the grass underfoot.
He’d turned, opening his eyes to see Oikawa Tooru of all people, standing there in a jumper and pyjama pants in pale blue.
He’d been wearing trainers, with the laces undone and the heels squashed to support feet half slipped in. In the moonlight, he’d looked almost ghostlike.
“Tobio.” He’d said, unsurprised enough to show that he’d seen him sitting there for a while, before gesturing to the house behind him. To the one with the flowers. “Come on in, you idiot, it’s cold.”
Kageyama had taken the invitation without a word, getting up and following Oikawa over the grassy verge onto gravel and then up a single step into the house.
A second door had been unlocked with a key, leading them into a mixed lounge and kitchen. And the warmth.
A single table had sat in the centre, decorated with a bubbled vase and four placemats, and a glass of sherry sitting over the wood. He remembered that table the most.
They’d occupied it for hours that night, talking and drinking and becoming comfortable with each other.
He’d learnt that Oikawa had booked the house as an AirBnB, that he had gotten injured and been told to rest and take a long break, so one of his teammates had offered him his holiday house as an escape. He’d booked it officially so he knew how much to pay back, despite being told it was a gift, and had gotten a text from that same teammate whilst Kageyama had been there.
He remembered Oikawa scrunching his nose as he read the message, a scolding apparently, before taking a long sip of the wine that he’d opened earlier and replying with a voicenote. He’d urged Kageyama to join in, grinning and nudging him under the table, until his foot had caught one of the legs and he’d propelled backward to the floor.
Kageyama had launched to his feet to check on him only to see him lying on his back, with his legs in the air, laughing hysterically. It had been contagious and they’d continued laughing even as he’d helped him back up.
It was a good memory, the first time they’d been in each other’s company without any of the past being pushed through it.
And the next day, or the same day just hours later, Oikawa had texted him his address. And they’d had their date.
They’d gone into the town to buy some ingredients, had returned to cook them together and had then sat at that table, sober, to eat.
When Kageyama had gone to leave, to ensure he had some rest before his flight back to Italy the next morning, Oikawa had placed a hand by his head against the door, cornering him in and pressing his lips to his.
Kageyama had kissed him back immediately, turning them and pressing Oikawa into the wood instead, the kiss melting from soft to intense and then back again.
His phone had buzzed in the middle of it, reminding him of his time limit, and he’d reluctantly pulled away.
Oikawa had left him with one last kiss, and with a hand sliding down his cheek to cup under his chin, before letting him go.
They’d not texted for weeks after that. And then the pandemic had hit.
One month into Italy's lockdown, when Kageyama had been learning how to make pizza dough from scratch, he’d gotten a single message that had first vibrated on his phone and had then flashed up on his open laptop’s notifications.
He’d automatically swiped it away in favour of reading the recipe that he’d found, but then later, he’d read the following texts:
I’m bored
Wow ignoring me
Tobiooo
Im going crazy
And from there, his conversations with Oikawa had begun.
They’d called that evening, talked on the phone, and had then started to text weekly. Daily. Hourly.
Their past had been brought up time-and-time again, especially during their first scheduled Zoom call together, and apologies had been made, tears shed, heartfelt promises and so on and so forth.
The kiss hadn’t been mentioned until maybe months in however, when Kageyama had finally asked why and Oikawa had given him this soft, bemused look through the screen.
“Tobio. Do you need a flashing sign to be asked out?”
“Yes.” He’d snapped, faux angrily, and Oikawa had left the camera’s view before returning with a Haribo ring and holding it out.
“Please be my boyfriend.” He’d asked and Kageyama had hung up on him.
He’d accepted a facetime call seconds later, hiding a smirk as Oikawa had glared through the phone, but they’d both known his answer nevertheless.
He was only surprised that it had taken him until that first kiss to know how he’d always felt about Oikawa Tooru.
Once lockdown had lifted in most places, they’d scheduled dates in person, alternating between staying in each other’s current countries. Thus far, Kageyama had stayed in Argentina twice and Oikawa would be coming to Italy for his second visit soon.
He’s been counting the days, though he’d never tell him that.
.
Leo takes his phone after the match, taking several selfies and blurred photographs of the other members changing, and then shoving it deep into his bag, all before Kageyama even notices that it’s gone.
His giggling gives him away however and a single look from their Captain has him sighing and reaching under his damp shorts and shirt for the iPhone.
He tosses it over and Kageyama catches it one-handed, rolling his eyes, “I can’t leave anything lying around you, can I.” He mutters and Leo grins, making him narrow his eyes, “What else have you taken?”
“Nothing!” Leo laughs, still looking guilty despite that, and Kageyama frowns harder, “I swear, nothing!”
“Then why do you look like that?”
“Because you’re glaring at me like my mother, Tobio!” He laughs again, “How am I meant to react to that?”
“I’ll tell her that next time she calls.” Kageyama snarks, putting on his jacket and leaving before Leo can realise what he’d just said.
He shuts the doors to the changing rooms on a scandalised, “Tobio!” that makes him laugh on his way out, and then he’s jogging out the building and down toward the metro.
He’d splurged after the quarantine’s had finally lifted on a Vespa, though rarely uses it these days, but today he’d parked it near the training facility and he rides it down the streets to his apartment.
Several tourists block him in as he turns toward the busier roads, all of them holding heart-shaped candies or roses and such, and their excitement filters through.
He ducks his head and tells the vendor ‘no’ when he tries to give him one too, twisting his hips to direct the vespa past them all.
The interaction reminds him of what this all means however and so he takes a detour to do some shopping first, getting home only a few minutes late in his internal schedule.
He opens his laptop with his shoes still on, tripping over the yoga matt he’d bought in lockdown, and clicking on his open tabs. The flight times haven’t changed, thank god, and flight LA1435 is still landing in an hour.
That gives him at least 10 minutes to shower, change and head back out. He’s drying his hair when he gets the notification that his hired car is here and he combs it out on his way downstairs, thanking the driver as he hops in.
“Fiumicino?” The Driver checks with him and he nods.
“Sì Fiumicino, Grazie.” He buckles himself in, practically vibrating with nervous excitement, a sensation that doesn’t dull down even as they reach the airport.
He tells the driver to wait in the taxi area, that he won’t be long, and stumbles out the car. Flight LA1435 is at Terminale 2, so he joins the crowd there waiting to scan the heads for a flop of brown.
A camera flashes nearby however, and he startles, turning toward it instinctively only to see a Tourist taking a picture of the airport sign. He relaxes, turning back to the crowd, only to see that the passengers arriving have started to dissipate already.
He frowns, taking his phone out to check to see if he has any messages and to check his notes that the flight number is correct, that he’s got the right time and date and airport and such, and he does so – where the fuck is his boyfriend?
“Lucky no one here is a volleyball fan,” A voice murmurs behind him and he stops, straightening, “Or that face you’re making would be all over Sports Weekly.”
Kageyama spins to see him, Oikawa, Tooru, in an oversized jumper and jeans, hair mussed and neck pillow still over his shoulders. He looks tired, relieved and amused, and Kageyama immediately punches him in the arm.
“Ow! Tobio!”
“I thought you’d decided not to come!” He scowls, taking one of Tooru’s bags to help carry, and walking them out the airport, “Don’t scare me like that.”
“You were looking somewhere else, I couldn’t resist.” Tooru grins, rolling his carry-on bag behind him and hoisting the backpack that he also has further up his shoulder, “And anyway – wait, hold up.”
Kageyama stops, looking back at him, and he nearly drops the bag in his hands when his cheeks are cupped and he’s kissed right there. The kiss reminds him that Tooru is here, in person, with him, and he pushes forward to wrap his arms around his neck and kiss him harder.
Tooru stumbles at the sudden weight and knocks his feet against the wheels of his carry-on, almost falling back were it not for his quick reflexes that catch Kageyama around the waist and holds them steady.
“You want to knock me out?” He drawls and Kageyama bites at his ear.
“Sorry.” He says, without any sincerity, letting go of him, “We should go, I have a car waiting.”
“Oh you have a car waiting.” Tooru mocks, following him out again, “Aren’t you Mister Rich and Successful.”
“It’s a taxi.” Kageyama retorts, waving the driver closer when he sees him outside and putting the bags in the boot once it’s opened. Tooru allows him to do the work, stretching his arms above his head and yawning loudly as he does.
“God my back’s killing me.”
“Want a massage?”
“From you? No thanks, I like my bones where they are.”
“Puoi lasciare quest'uomo al circo, per favore?” Kageyama tells the driver, pleased he gets a snort in response, and Tooru gives him a look.
“What did you say?” He asks and Kageyama climbs into the car.
“Nothing.”
“Tobio, what did you say?”
“Seatbelts.”
“I understood circo you brat, what did you tell him?”
“Nothing!”
.
He’s ‘punished’ in the apartment when they make it in, when the bags and suitcases are all temporarily put away and dinner has been eaten.
Tooru’d lain on his back on the sofa after helping wash the dishes, switching the television on and making himself at home, so Kageyama had decided to ‘fall’ on top of him to lie down over his legs and torso. He’d shoved his arms under his back to hug him and had settled his head down under his chin, relaxing, only to stiffen when a hand snakes under his shirt.
“Don’t you dare.” He whispers, warningly, but Tooru simply holds him closer with his other arm and uses his second to wriggle his fingers over Kageyama’s skin.
Kageyama immediately flails, the movement so ticklish he loses complete control of his body, and he’s gasping and twisting around desperately.
“Stop – stop!” His head snaps up and hits Tooru in the face, stopping his evil cackle in its tracks, “Serves you right.”
They settle down again after that, and Tooru lays a hand over the back of his head, stroking his hair as they watch a show together.
Tsukishima had shown him how to change his country on Netflix on his last visit, so he could watch in Japanese all the time, and he’s grateful for it now in that he can close his eyes and still understand what’s being said on screen.
Tooru leans down to press a kiss to his forehead as he does, shifting a little under him to change position.
“Am I heavy?” Kageyama asks, tensing to get up, but Tooru pulls him back in.
“You’re fine,” He says, “And you’re not going anywhere.”
They stay like that for the duration of two episodes until a bathroom break is needed by both, and then Kageyama pulls Tooru into the bedroom.
They lie together again, kissing languidly against the pillows and Kageyama straddles Tooru in one fluid motion that allows him to bend his neck and sink into Tooru’s mouth.
“Fuck – ow.” Tooru shifts, clearing his throat, and Kageyama glances down and smirks, “God what happened to my innocent little Kouhai.”
“You corrupted him.” Kageyama quips matter-of-factly, grinding down a little just to watch the blush spread over Tooru’s cheeks.
Tooru lifts a hand to cup his face at that, his eyes lidded and low, “I did.” He murmurs, before suddenly pulling Kageyama closer by the collar of his shirt and rolling them over.
They fall asleep together, legitimately snuggling, and Kageyama sighs against his pillows with an arm around his waist and another under his head.
He’s rudely awoken by an annoying buzzing noise however and as he tries to get rid of it, he swats an arm out and knocks his phone to the floor. He hears Tooru shift from behind him and reach over to grab it, absently getting rid of whatever alarm it is that had started to play.
“4am Tobio, you ass.”
“It’s my wake-up-back-to-sleep alarm.” He tiredly explains and he hears Tooru snort from behind him. He’d explained the concept once before, so he knows he understands, and he refuses to argue it again because it works. For him at least.
He always has an earlier alarm than his usual so he can wake up, see that he still has hours to sleep, and can go back to sleep again before his real alarm goes off.
Tooru had teased him about it the first time, had sent him an article about how it was damaging to a person’s sleep because of some REM thing the second time, and now simply snorts whenever he hears it again.
Neither has made him change his habit. And whenever it’s brought up, Kageyama just reminds him of his own bad habit of watching videos on his phone in the dark, without his glasses on.
Now that he’s awake though, Tooru makes a show of getting up to pee and Kageyama takes up more of the bed once he’s gone, stretching out and rolling onto his stomach.
He’s still drowsy enough that he doesn’t hear him come back in, so when a hand raps down onto his ass, he jerks his head up with a shout.
Tooru cackles at his reaction, watching as he rubs at his rear balefully and dodging a retaliatory kick. The second kick lands however so Tooru grabs at one of his feet and yanks him over the mattress, tangling him in the bedsheets and wrestling him into the pillows.
Kageyama lashes out, laughing with surprise, and he arches his back when Tooru shoves his shirt up and presses a wet kiss to his stomach.
“You’re such a weirdo.” He declares, wiping the spit off of his skin, and Tooru sits up to grin down at him, “I love you.”
The grin fades into a smaller, almost timid smile, and Tooru bends down to kiss him properly, on the lips this time.
“I love you too, mi querido idiota.”
.
Kageyama’s on his laptop the next day whilst Tooru showers and he checks his messages and emails for the weekend.
Leo had sent him a few joking warnings about ‘staying away from his mother’ and Shoyou had asked to do a quick facetime call to ask about something, when he could.
Seeing as he had some free time now, Kageyama opened the facetime app on his laptop and pressed ‘video call’ on ‘Townsperson #B’.
Almost immediately, Shoyou answers the call, his mop of orange hair taking up most of the screen at first whilst he tries to steady it, jogging over what looks like sand.
“Kageyama!” He yells, happily, “I thought you died or something, what’s with the radio silence?”
“I didn’t answer for like 8 hours, dumbass, stop being so clingy.”
“You stop being so clingy.” Kageyama rolls his eyes at the response, making a false show of going to hang up just to watch him panic, “No wait, wait! Don’t be a dick, Kageyama-kuuun, I need to ask you something!”
“Ask away, Hinata-san.”
“Ew okay, whatever.” Shoyou sucks in a breath, slowing his jog and leaning against a brick wall to catch his breath and focus on the call, “So there’s this girl in my apartment block right – ”
“Ugh Shoyou.”
“No wait, wait, it’s different okay!” Shoyou waves a hand to stop him, “We’ve been flirting off-and-on for a bit now and she – I don’t know okay, how does someone make the first move?”
“It’s Valentines day isn’t it, give her some chocolate.”
“It’s Brazil Tobio, they don’t do that stuff here. Well they do, but not like we do, with confessions and stuff. So it’d be weird.”
“And what?” Kageyama leans back in his chair, “You are super weird. So it suits.”
“Can you just – look. I think I like this girl.”
“Okay. … what do you like about her?”
Shoyou frowns, “She’s – funny.”
“Uh huh.”
“And – pretty. And she does gymnastics, which is a sport so – ”
“Shoyou.” Kageyama stops him then, seriously now, “I know you’re lonely. And I know break-ups are hard, okay. I know. But – trying to force crushes so you can move on isn’t the solution, alright? When you like someone else again, for real, you’ll know what to do.”
“Tobio it’s been a year. A year.”
“Well you were together a while so, it’s bound to still be there.”
“I hate it. I want to be in a relationship again. I want to talk to my friends about my girlfriend, and go on dates, and watch movies together, and see her in the stands watching my games … I miss it.”
“I know, dipshit. But you’ll have it again.”
“When? When?”
“When you’re ready!”
“Ughhhhh.” Shoyou groans loudly, “When did you become all wise-answery? You been talking to Tadashi or something?”
“Yes. Me and Tadashi call on the regular to talk about you.” Kageyama tells him and Shoyou squints.
“Okay, I see that was sarcasm but I can also believe that, so – ”
“Shower’s free, babe.” Tooru’s voice suddenly floats over and Kageyama freezes, watching the moment Shoyou picks up on it and blinks.
He tries to open his mouth, to come up with something, but by then Tooru has entered the kitchen, completely oblivious, and kisses him on the cheek.
To top it off, he’s dressed in nothing but a towel and there is a clear hickey on his inner wrist, which he uses to prop himself up on as he bends down.
Kageyama remains frozen, staring into the laptop screen like a deer in headlights, and Tooru walks on past to make himself some coffee. He starts whistling in the background too, and the sound of that is what seems to break Shoyou out of it.
“Wha – what the fuck?!” He screams, the sound glitching through the speakers, and Tooru stops now as well and snaps his head toward it.
“Uh.”
“Wait.” Kageyama tries, swallowing, and Shoyou gapes into the screen before suddenly laughing, loudly.
“Oh my god. Are you – is this – oh my god.”
“Shoyou – ”
“You and the Grand King?! You and – Oikawa?! When – oh MY GOD.”
“Shoyou please, there are people around you!”
“And they should know this! This is – big news, this is – I’ve got to call people oh my god – !”
“No!” Kageyama stops him quickly, joined by Tooru now who leans over his shoulder to fit into the camera, “No don’t Shoyou, please.”
“We’re not public yet, Shoyou-kun.” Tooru adds, his expression earnest, and at that Shoyou pauses in his reaction.
“We don’t want to tell everybody yet, we don’t want to make it a big deal.”
“But it is big!” Shoyou insists and they glance at each other, “When did this even – how long?”
“We started dating in 2020.” Kageyama tells him.
“But we technically had our first date in 2019.” Tooru says, grabbing a chair to pull up beside him, sitting down as well now.
“2019?” Shoyou’s gape widens, “And I’m hearing about it now? You’ve had 3 years to tell me?!”
“Shoyou! It’s not that crazy – ”
“Not that crazy? Are you kidding me?! You and the grand king, rivals since school, are in a relationship and it’s not that CRAZY?!”
“We never said we’re in a relationship.” Tooru tries to save them but Shoyou scoffs.
“Babe?” He reminds them and they both wince, “Okay. Alright. I’ve had my freak out. I won’t say anything but – I want details in return. I want – everything.”
“Okay. Fine. Details. We can do that.” Tooru immediately accepts but Kageyama puts a hand on his arm to stop him.
“What kind of details?” He asks and Shoyou snorts.
“Nothing sexy don’t worry, Bakayama.” He snarks, “I just want to know how this was kept so secret.”
“Most of it was Online.” Kageyama says, “It’s only after lockdowns ended that we started dating in person properly.”
“And technically, it’s only been the 4 stays.” Tooru supplies, but Shoyou shakes his head.
“No. No way. You’re way too close for it to have been only four dates.”
“Not really.” Kageyama makes a face, “We fell in love online, the in-person dates just helped.”
He doesn’t realise what he’s said until Shoyou’s face blossoms into an absolute beaming smile.
“You’re in love?” He practically squeals it and Kageyama sighs, looking at Tooru for support only to see him also smiling.
He nudges him and Tooru mouths ‘what?’ back at him.
“I like hearing it.” He explains, softly, and Kageyama gives him a look.
Shoyou watches the exchange before he suddenly mutes for a bit and pushes off of the wall, “That’s my alarm, I’m due back at training. But this is not over. I am calling tonight, Tobio. I want the whole story.”
“If it keeps you from spilling, fine.”
He’s gone in a flash and the two of them puff out their cheeks with relief.
“Well.” Tooru spins in the chair, “It was inevitable someone find out. I always thought it’d be Iwa-chan personally.”
“Shoyou won’t tell the news or anything.” Kageyama feels like he should say and Tooru smiles.
“I know. None of our friends will, that was never a concern.” He slides his chair closer, bumping his legs with Kageyama’s, “I just kind of liked having this to myself for as long as I could.”
Kageyama narrows his eyes playfully at that, putting his hands on Tooru’s knees to push him away.
“Who says you’ve had me to yourself all this time?” He asks and Tooru sits back.
“Oh? So who’s the usurper that’s been taking my place when I’ve been away?” He asks and Kageyama braces to run.
“Ushijima-san.” He answers and Tooru’s joking posture drops. He runs before it can fully sink in, but he hears him call from close behind him.
“Tobio-chan you take that back right the fuck now!”
“Is this a good moment to say I brought you roses yesterday for Valentine’s day?”
“You’re such a little shit!”
.
Lake Bled is beautiful this time of year.
For the engagement party, all those years ago, it had been nearing winter and the lake had started to ice over. That had been breath-taking anyway but now, with the sun beating down and the Lake glistening under it, it’s gorgeous.
The Airbnb they’d booked is the same as that one years back as well, and that same table has since been moved and redecorated but is familiar enough to bring them back to that time.
A copy of a sports magazine lies on the newer coffee table in the lounge as well, with top stories ranging from scandals to medals to weddings.
To engagements.
Shoyou had kept his promise and had kept his mouth shut, so most of their friends, and the rest of the world, had found out about them in the exact same way.
By seeing a picture of Tooru on his knee after Ali Roma had won a match, holding a black box with a ring inside it. Opposite him had been Kageyama, standing with a hand at his mouth and a similar black box in his hands.
The news of Argentinian and Japanese Olympian Oikawa Tooru and Italian and Japanese Olympian Kageyama Tobio being engaged had blown up in the sport’s world and they’d received countless texts and calls from the people in their lives who asked the same question.
How the hell had they kept that secret?
Kageyama slings his legs across Tooru’s as they sat over the grass at night, looking up at the stars, and he slides his eyes shut at the muscles are automatically massaged.
Out in the open now or not, these moments will forever be for them, and he loves that.
The fact that they’d both been planning to propose had just proven how ready and sure they’d both been about this, and he smiles to himself as he remembers it all happening.
The cameras flashing and people shouting had all been drowned out by the simple and absolute love he’d seen in Oikawa Tooru’s eyes.
“What are you thinking of?” Tooru asks him, in the silence, and Kageyama snuggles in closer.
“You.” He says, honestly, and he feels Tooru laugh under him.
“Good choice.” He whispers and Kageyama smiles again.
“Yeah. It was.”
.