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When Sakusa Kiyoomi and his team first walked off the court after their loss, they were all in shock between the defeat and their captain’s injury to process they had loss. They, the top contenders for winning Nationals, knocked out before the final round. The sadness finally hits them all after their captain is taken to the be looked at by the medical staff and they’re all packing their bags, switching out their court shoes for their regular ones. Sakusa can see his cousin holding back tears as he zips his bag, giving Sakusa a “ready to go” glance as he stands up. Sakusa nods before he’s pulling his mask up on his face and following his cousin out of the corridor.
Normally their coach would want them to stay and talk through the loss, but with their captain injured and no more games to play, he said they were all free to leave for the day. Expected at the gym tomorrow to watch the rest of the tournament though; after all, they’ll likely play some of the teams in the next tournaments.
As Sakusa & his cousin are making their way out of the gym, they pause by a bathroom as Mototy states he has to go before they make their trek home. Sakusa stands along the wall as his cousin walks into the bathroom. Luckily there aren’t many people in the area, so Sakusa is in no rush to leave.
While waiting for his cousin, Sakusa doesn’t expect Miya Atsumu to approach him. Sakusa’s first thought is perhaps he also needs to use the bathroom, but as he continues on a straight path for Sakusa, he knows he’s the target. A whirlwind of thoughts fly through Sakusa’s head as Miya stands in front of him, his uniform from earlier replaced by his team’s warmups and jacket; sadly the long warm up pants instead of his short. Sakusa wishes Miya had kept his uniform on or at least changed into his team’s warmup shorts instead of sweats as seeing his thighs without fabric on them probably would have cheered him up a little.
If Sakusa had thought that a year ago, he probably would have been gone into a spiral. Questioning how he could think something like that about Miya Atsumu. However, over the last year and multiple interactions with Miya Atsumu, he’s come to accept his feelings for the blonde. Even if his first thought as an anniversary gift would be toner to fix his horrific dye job.
Anniversary gift? Calm down, Kiyoomi.
“Omi-Omi! Tough loss today, guess we’ll have to postpone our rematch till next time,” Atsumu says as he gives Sakusa a sly smirk, leaning slightly into the curly haired boy’s space as he slips his hands into his pockets.
If Sakusa hadn’t been around Miya prior to now, he would probably think the blonde means it in a challenging manner, but Sakusa can see the cracks in his facade. The smirk barely pulling his lips up and his eyes missing their usual haughtiness when he teases someone, Sakusa decides Miya Atsumu is in fact upset about his team’s own loss, but he can’t decide if it’s because they’re not moving on or if it’s because they won’t be able to play each other again.
“You’ll be wishing you hadn’t loss this year and won Nationals after you have to face me with another year of training,” Sakusa answers back.
“Ah, there’s my competitive Omi-kun. With that sad look in your eyes, I thought maybe he was gone your game today.”
“Buzz off bumble bee.”
“Bumble bee?” Atsumu screeches.
“With your uniform and yellow hair, you look like one.”
“Then ya’ look like a giant banana with yer whack ass school colors!” Miya yells back and Sakusa can’t hold back the laugh that escapes him at Miya’s reaction & response.
“Ah, I got Sakusa Kiyoomi to laugh I should get an award! How about your number to keep the insults going?” Atsumu states before his brain seems to catch up with his mouth and he’s suddenly a mess of limbs flailing around yelling nonsense Sakusa can’t make out with his accent coming out full force in the panic.
Cute, Sakusa thinks as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.
“Here, put your number in and I’ll text you, so you have mine.”
The sentence halts Atsumu mid-panic, his mouth hanging open and arms crossed in front of his body. Sakusa expects Atsumu to finally move as he holds out his phone, but Atsumu continues to stare and shock and Sakusa has to shove his phone into Atsumu’s hands for him to finally take it and enter his number.
Atsumu comes back to reality with the prompted from Sakusa to enter his number before handing it back. Watching as Sakusa keeps the phone in his hand before typing on it. Atsumu feels his phone go off in his pocket a second later and realize Sakusa had sent him a message like he said.
Don’t blow it now, Atsumu tells himself as he watches Sakusa pocket his phone before looking back up at him. He’s thinking of how he can walk away without doing something that will make Sakusa never respond to a message when Motoya walks out of the bathroom.
“Ready to go, Kiyo?”
Sakusa simply nods at his cousin while pushing himself off the wall, giving Atsumu a small wave before walking away.
The first text messages are not in fact insults stemming from their last conversation. Instead, they start off talking about the end result of the Spring Tournament. Atsumu beginning the exchange by sending a message how he was upset to see Karasuno lose, particularly Hinata getting pulled out from falling ill. Atsumu even admitted that while playing against Hinata was a thrill, being able to watch him without fear of losing to him, captivate Atsumu.
Sakusa had agreed with him on the sentiment and shared a few comments on his observations before their exchanges moved away from the tournament, their teams losing, and the feelings of disappointing their senpais. Sakusa had thought Atsumu would stop texting him after they moved away from volleyball but they never did.
Their texts continued throughout the rest of the summer, both determined to keep the connect and conversation going. The messages evolved from mutual feeling of loss to dumb memes and random pictures, to something some would argue as friendship with a hint of feelings mixed in. As the end of the summer approaches, Sakusa decides he wants act on his feelings and start his third year of high school as Atsumu’s boyfriend. Even if he knows they’re not going to be able to see each other as much as dating someone from their own high schools, he doesn’t want to let the school year fizzle out what they’ve developed over the summer. He considers the distance may even help their relationship as they’ll be better able to balance their schoolwork and volleyball easier without having to worry about whether they’re physically spending enough time together.
He considered simply texting Atsumu, asking him if they can be boyfriends, but Motoya kills the idea when he runs it by him. Arguing Atsumu is a romantic and while Sakusa might get the response he wants from the message, Atsumu surely isn’t going to be wooed. Sakusa wants to woo Atsumu, so he decides the best way is to bring Miya Atsumu to Tokyo where he can spoil him; which starts by buying his ticket.
Sakusa knows its preemptive to buy the ticket. Atsumu could already have plans, his parents could say no, or he could simply not want to make the trip to Tokyo. However, the thought of seeing Atsumu in person after months of distance has him giddy with excitement. Perhaps he’ll even give Atsumu one of his jackets? He recently learned Atsumu has problem of keeping clothes he “borrows” after Osamu called him out on a video call with Sakusa.
Luckily Sakusa receives an ecstatic response from Atsumu about the visit and the whole visit goes the way he wants it too.