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"Omi, did ya see the latest Twitter poll? Apparently, we're neck and neck with Iwa...Iwayoi? Iwa oy? However ya say it."
Kiyoomi turned to him, startled. "How are we neck and neck with those two? They've been together since the dawn of time. We're not even from the same prefecture and I've known about Oikawa and his precious Iwa-Chan", the "Iwa-chan" accompanied by a grimace. "Meanwhile, we've only been together for six months, publicly for just two."
Atsumu paused, slightly frowning. "Omi, ya make it seem as if our relationship is somehow less relevant just ‘cause we haven't been together for years or known each other as kids. What we got goin' on is just as valid."
"Atsu, I'm not saying that we aren't valid; of course we are. I'm simply saying that we haven't been in the public eye long enough as a couple for people to be 'shipping' us or projecting weird shit onto us the way they do with everyone else. In any case, these polls are irrelevant and don't affect us at all."
Atsumu felt a surge of shame. Of course, some silly social media poll doesn't affect their relationship. None of these people know them personally and will never know how seriously and unwaveringly devoted they are to each other. "You're right, Omi. I get so caught up in this stuff and I forget how silly it all is. Who cares if we're," he glances at his phone "at 43% and they're at 57%."
"WHAT? 43%? How are we so low? You said we were neck and neck!"
"Uh...dang, we were doing good yesterday, but I guess IwaOi stans are fightin’ back. Anyway, it doesn't matter, right? Let's go home." Atsumu was ready to go home and cuddle his insecurities away. He looked back, expecting Kiyoomi to be right behind him, but he was still by his locker, looking at his phone, crazed glare in his eyes.
"Fuck that. We're not going down without a fight! I don't care if it's a silly poll!"
"But, Omi, ya said-“
“Ignore that! How dare they downplay our relationship! We’re talented, hot, we’re great in interviews, and our relatively mysterious relationship makes for amazing fan content!”
Atsumu sighed. He both hated and loved when Kiyoomi’s competitive Stan Twitter side came out. “So whaddya suggest we do? We’ll just have to wait to see how things turn out. We have until tomorrow mornin’ anyway.”
Kiyoomi sighed, running a hand through his curls. “You’re right, we’ll just wait and see. It could be worse. I mean, your brother and Suna are up against Bokuto and Akaashi, for fuck’s sake. They never stood a chance”. He scrolled down further to see the rest of the results. “Aran-kun and Kita-san are beating SemiShira’s asses, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi are beating the hell out of…AtsuOi…AtsuOi? Got something to tell me, Atsumu”, Kiyoomi said with a smirk on his face.
“What the hell? Why are all my ships floppin'? And what the heck is AtsuKen when I’ve met him maybe 3 times?” Atsumu sits down on the bench, certain that neither of them were leaving any time soon. “OsaAka is doin' pretty well, though I hope Bo doesn’t see that one”. Kiyoomi nods in agreement.
They spent the next half hour laughing at the weird ships in the poll, wondering how their fans even came up with some of these (“Oikawa would literally pass away if he saw that he was being paired with Ushiwaka.” “I mean it’s not like they haven’t slept together before.” “Ya never told me about that!”).
They finally decided to go home. Practice had been brutal that week to make up for Inunaki’s absence after he sprained his wrist during a game. All Kiyoomi wanted to do was do his skincare routine, eat take-out, and curl up on the couch with his boyfriend. “Hey, listen. All jokes aside, I hope you know that no poll, no random stranger on the internet, can dictate how important you are to me. None of this matters, okay?”
Atsumu smiled gently. “I know, Omi. I’m just real competitive sometimes, especially when it involves you. Let’s just go home”. He held his hand out for Kiyoomi to take, and they walked off towards the train station.
Kiyoomi knew that, no matter who won the poll, he was the biggest winner of them all. And if he created a secret group chat threatening everyone to vote for him and Atsumu, well, that’s a secret for him to keep.