Work Text:
June 21st - 12:00 a.m. in Brazil. ✨🌙
The pale moonlight illuminates Shoyo’s messy hair with soft hues of silver as he stares at his phone screen. The gentle breeze of the midnight air plays with his hair, letting some fluffy curls fall above his forehead, and he shifts on bed while sighing softly, trying to appreciate the calm atmosphere around him. Shoyo is focused, but his eyelids start to droop a little from sleepiness. In fact, he shouldn’t be using his phone at this time (his trainer always reminds him how sleep is important to keep his health on track), and he’s very tired after a long, busy day.
As usual, Shoyo woke up at 5 a.m., had a healthy breakfast, went to his meditation spot on the corner of the living room, and took a warm shower before going to practice. He could use the subway to reach his destination faster, but most days he would rather choose his bike because he hated closed places and didn't want to waste the perfect view of the sunny sky. And yesterday wasn’t different: Shoyo rode his bike through the peaceful and cultural streets of Vila Madalena - the bohemian neighborhood he lives in — and he reached the gym where he did his daily routine until 6:00 p.m. So, yeah, it was a very long, busy day.
Even tired, Shoyo was still awake until this exact hour for a simple reason: his mom asked him to be. Actually, Shoyo is only doing this because of her. How could he deny his lovely mom? And, since he moved to São Paulo a few years ago, he promised his mother he would answer her calls whenever she needed. Or whenever she was missing her favorite sunflower boy (she called him these exact same words when they were saying goodbye at the airport). Shouyou laughed at those words at the time, and said he was her only sunflower son, amused by how cute it was anyways.
Despite every promise they made, his mother understood how busy her son’s days were going to be. She was always understanding and supportive towards her children, so Shoyo was comfortable knowing how lucky he is for having such a strong and amazing mama (or “mãe”) whom he could trust forever. She would never disturb his sleep schedule. But today it’s necessary.
It's Shoyo's birthday. His 27th birthday. Officially, it’s been 27 years since he came to this world. 27 years since a child with a big heart and dreams was born. Almost three decades since his mom’s favorite sunflower boy was held by cute, maternal hands for the first time. It is indeed a special day, so it’s understandable that she wanted to be the first person to wish her darling son a happy birthday.
And Shoyo wasn’t any different: on this day, one of the things he wanted the most was to feel closer to his family, even if they’re thousands of kilometers apart. He didn’t mind if it was just to listen to their voices. He wanted it. Very much. The feeling of being surrounded by his loved ones’ auras, those who make him grow and glow, is everything that Shoyo needs to keep flying.
And his desire seems to have been heard, because a ringtone suddenly stops Shoyo’s string of thoughts. It’s a call from his mother, and a tiny smile forms on his lips as he happily answers it.
“Oie, mãe!!!” Shoyo shouts immediately, his smile growing even bigger.
“Filho!!!” his mom says with the same amount of enthusiasm. It must be a family thing. “How’s my favorite boy doing in these first minutes of adulthood?”
“I think it’s been years since I’ve entered adulthood, mom.” He couldn’t suppress a chuckle. Shoyo simply loves when his mom speaks Portuguese back—another family thing. “But I’m good. Better now talking to my favorite mother.”
“I think I’m your only mom, sweet. But happy birthday from your favorite mom to my favorite boy.”
And then she starts to chatter away, remembering how Shoyo was when she hugged him for the first time, how his skin was soft and how shiny his first strands of hair were when he was born. She also talks about how he is now: a grown man with the same smooth skin and bright hair, but according to his mother, the most important thing that he still carries after 27 years is his tender and caring personality. A lovable personality that covers his heart, always filled with determination and love.
Shoyo can’t help but feel emotional at her words. He was definitely lucky to have such a great mother to support and cheer for him every time he needed it.
"I know I am a man now,” he says shyly, afraid that a few tears might start to fall down his cheeks. “But I still have feelings, okay? You're making me sob here!"
"I just want to show my love to my love, dear!"
Shoyo’s mother wasn’t helping: he’s laughing and sobbing now.
“I really appreciate it, mom. Thank you for giving me the gold medal for being your favorite boy!”
“It’s the least I can do as your favorite gold medal mom!”
He chuckled a bit before thanking her again for the sweet words and asked for Natsu. His little sister told him earlier she’d wait until midnight to talk to him and wish happy birthday.
“Oh, Shoyo,” she answers with a sigh, “I’m sorry to say that she is still sleeping.”
“Really?” Shoyo is a bit surprised now. Natsu is just like him in terms of morning routine, so she is usually awake at 6.a.m and goes to college, where she has her daily classes and volleyball practice. Due to the time zone difference, it’s around 12:00 p.m. in Japan, so no wonder he's confused by his sister skipping classes and training to sleep.
“Yes, I know she is not a sleeper, but she had a tiring day yesterday so I told her to stay in bed.”
“Okay, I’ll call her later today.”
“All right, sweetheart. She’ll be happy to know that you were waiting for her call.”
“I know, but don’t tell her that,” he says softly, remembering that Natsu is like him in many ways, including the warm, teasing energy, so she would definitely tease him for being ‘a sappy older brother who wants to talk to his amazing sister to animate his birthday.’ Shoyo wouldn’t complain, though.
His mother laughs a little before wishing him happy birthday again and saying goodbye, leaving Shoyo alone in the presence of the moonlight again. But the air is different now; even with the cold breeze still crossing through the curtains, he can feel a warm energy covering his whole body, just like a maternal hug. His eyes aren’t damp with tears anymore, but his smile still remains, proof that talking to his favorite mother is a great way to improve his mood.
Shoyo feels very cozy now, so he should just lay down and sleep, but there is still one more thing to do. Someone else also said they wanted to talk to him in the first few minutes of his birthday. Someone that is equally special in Shouyou’s heart. Someone that is family. Someone he also loves.
So he waits, and exactly one minute after he ended his last call, there’s another ringtone and name appearing on the phone screen. A name that Shoyo pronounced a lot during more than a decade, alongside a picture of someone he has seen in many situations and with many different moods throughout the years. A picture of someone he knew down to the soul, someone who makes him better.
Shoyo sits up immediately, a wide grin sprouting on his face as he answers his phone for the second time that day.
“OIE, MEU QUERIDO NAMORADO!!!” He jumps out of bed in excitement and walks to the mirror next to the door.
Shoyo’s not surprised when his reflection reveals his flushed, smiling face. He’s not surprised because that is his normal state while talking to his significant other. That’s his normal state while talking to the one and only Kageyama Tobio.
“You’re going to disturb your neighbors, dumbass,” Tobio complains with his regular grumpy voice, but Shoyo knows him enough to notice the fondness behind his smiling face on the other side of the call.
“It’s never a disturbance when it’s you, Tobio-kun.”
Tobio mumbled something inaudible that Shoyo was not able to understand.
“What?”
“Nothing! Let’s just start this conversation once again before you drive me nuts.”
“But we’ve only been talking for a few seconds!” Shoyo whines.
“That’s enough for you to piss someone off.”
Shoyo giggles a little, followed by Tobio’s own chuckle. This is normal behavior between them, since they always feel very comfortable and happy being goofy together.
“Okay, okay,” Hinata agrees, "Don't freak out, dude. Let’s start over.”
“Okay.”
Shoyo walks to the window to feel the atmosphere from the city. The view of the buildings almost distracts him, until Tobio speaks once again.
“Shoyo.”
“Yes?”
“Happy birthday, my annoying little dumbass.”
The grip on his phone tightens even more. Shoyo is so happy hearing those words from him—the same words he has been listening to through all these years. He can’t see his own reflection anymore, but he’s sure that there’s a glint in his eyes capable of illuminating the dark city before his view.
“Thanks, Tobi.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m not done.”
“Keep talking, then.”
“I’m trying to!” Tobio snaps.
Shoyo can’t help it and he laughs again. He always thinks it’s sweet when his boyfriend—the grumpy, shy and silly Kageyama Tobio—communicates without grumbling or speaking incomprehensible words.
“Take your time, sweet.” Shoyo says gently, trying to comfort his boyfriend above anything else.
Tobio mutters in agreement and sighs a bit before he continues.
“I hope you’re having a good time in the first minutes of your day. Because, well, you deserve it. You deserve the beautiful place where you live now; you deserve all the gold medals and trophies that are neatly placed on your bookshelf; and, you deserve everything you have reached up until now. The top of the world stage, of course, but also everything that came along with it.”
Shoyo is breathless at this point. Every single word Tobio spilled went directly to his soul, reaching his heart and spreading through every limb. He has to sit down on the window sill and wrap his free arm across his chest because, as he said before, he always gets weak when his boyfriend acts so sweet like this. And since Tobio is definitely not the talkative type, all these simple words combined mean everything to Shoyo.
Shoyo tries to speak, but he’s sobbing again. “Oh my, Tobi…”
“Yeah, I know. I’m sappy as hell.”
Shoyo giggles through his soft sniffles.
“You’re already crying?” Tobio asks, in awe of his boyfriend’s adorable state. “Then, I’m not be able to show you the things I prepared for today.”
“What??? A surprise!!???? Kageyama-kun, I want to know what it is!”
“Not now, dumbass.”
“When, then?” Shoyo asks eagerly.
“Later.”
“But-”
“No,” Tobio says firmly.
Shoyo snorts in disbelief.“You jerk. Why did you tell me about it if you are not going to show me what it is now?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because I like when you’re so curious.”
“Stupid. I will remember the way you tortured me like this so I can get revenge on your birthday.”
“Okay, okay,” Tobio agrees easily, “I still have some time to prepare myself.”
“Be prepared, because I won’t lose!”
There’s a slight silence after that. Shoyo decides to finally close his curtains and walks towards his bed again. As soon as his back hits the soft, silky sheets, he yawns lazily while adjusting the phone between his head and the pillow.
“You’re sleepy.” Tobio murmurs, a tinge of concern in his voice.
“I am not.”
“You are. Go sleep already.”
“I don’t wanna,” Shoyo argues stubbornly.
“Hm.”
“Hm.”
Silence falls over them again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable—far from it. Every single breath they shared through calls and every single beat of their hearts were always enough for them; tonight is no exception.
“So, if you are not going to sleep, wanna play some games, then?” Tobio offers.
“I do. I really want to, but…don’t you have practice in about 2 hours?”
“I got a free day today.”
“Why?”
“Because it is your birthday.” Tobio says it like they’re the truest words ever spoken.
Shoyo is happy, of course, because Tobio is being sweet again, but he feels a little guilty for making his boyfriend miss practice.
“It’s really okay, Hinata,” Tobio says gently, sensing Shoyo’s uncomfortable line of thoughts.
“I can’t believe you’re skipping training because of me.”
“I said it’s okay, don’t worry. You know I can make it up during the next practice.”
“But—”
“It. Is. Okay. Dumbass.”
Shoyo smiles and closes his eyes. Through the years, he was the main witness of Tobio’s growth, seeing how he learned to understand more about other people’s feelings and how to express his own with simple words. Even far apart, Shoyo saw it all. He saw all the changes, and all the moments Tobio struggled with his own emotions. He saw how amazingly strong he was to improve and get better at volleyball—and life. He saw everything until they reached the top, but most of all, Shoyo saw how Tobio trusted him during all this time, and how they found peace in the comfortable energy they share; the same energy that now represents the home both of them always needed.
“I will forgive you only if you promise me one thing,” Shoyo bargains.
“What?”
“Promise you will do your best to see me soon.”
Tobio chuckles and Shoyo’s cheeks warm in return as he prepares himself for the incoming teasing comments that his boyfriend is about to say.
“That’s easy to promise, but only if you tell me why you want to see me so bad.”
“Uh, because you’re my boyfriend? Stupid.” Shoyo rolls his eyes.
“And?”
“And what?”
“What else do you want? Maybe you want some food or drinks from Italy?”
Shoyo scoffs.“I don’t need anything like that, stupid. Damn, you still think I am that same gluttonous boy from high school, right? You should know the thing I want the most is…” He trails off shyly. He will definitely get revenge on Tobio’s birthday.
“The thing you want the most is…” Tobio encourages him a little more, and Shoyo sighs in defeat.
“You. I just want you here with me. I want to hug you. Kiss you. Hold you. For as long as I can.”
Tobio’s breath hitches and even without seeing him, Shoyo knows how flushed his boyfriend is, and how the discontent pout is starting to form as Tobio tries to disguise the timid smile on his face, failing miserably.
“You will, eventually,” Tobio says.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Shoyo knows they’re wearing stupid, matching smiles.
“Geez, stop being sappy,” he says in an attempt to avoid new, unwelcomed tears.
“You were the one who started it.”
“Liar! Let’s play Stardew Valley before I start to cry again!”
Tobio snorts. “All right, crybaby.”
Shoyo rapidly reaches for his notebook lying on the bedside table and opens the device in record time. They both have more than 400 hours of gameplay on Stardew Valley, hundreds of hours of pure competition for who has the best farm and crops. In the end, they married each other in the game and their new home was named “Freaky Farm” to match their most famous nickname and their silly personalities.
After some bickering about who wore the best suit for their fictional wedding, Tobio lets Shoyo win because, in his words, it was his birthday and he didn’t want to let his boyfriend down, otherwise he would start crying once again. Of course Shoyo complained about this, so they continued to discuss silly things and, later on, they talked about their days and volleyball news, until they both were too tired to even tease each other.
Shoyo only surrenders to sleep at 4 a.m. with his mouth curled in one of his brightest smiles ever and, when he wakes up hours later, his jaw hurts a little from those big smiles. But it was definitely worth it, knowing it’s the result of spending time with two of the people that he loves the most.
☀️ 🌻 ☀️
The pleasant weather that welcomes Shoyo when he wakes up that day is one of the best gifts he could have for his birthday. Shoyo simply loves to feel the slightly warm breeze against his skin, and he loves it even more when he can feel it while appreciating the streets around him, especially at Beco do Batman—a place that is considered an open-air gallery, known for its amazing cultural stores and all the colorful walls filled with beautiful arts.
That’s exactly what he is doing now, on a warm Wednesday morning with the presence of his friends and the sunny weather that always improves his mood. Two of his teammates invited him out to celebrate his birthday together so they all took their bikes to ride to the market, where they’re planning to buy the ingredients to cook a special barbecue for the birthday boy.
“So, you’re still sleepy because your family called you,” Marcos, ASAS São Paulo’s setter, asks when they stop at a traffic light. All of them are wearing helmets and Shoyo has to cover his face with an open palm to protect his eyes from the strong sunlight.
“Yeah. My mom was the first to call and wish me a happy birthday. She even made me cry, can you believe that?”
His friends laughed together while Shoyo pretended to be annoyed with adorable puffed cheeks.
“I do believe you. Miss Hinata has the power.”
“For real. Oh, I forgot to mention it, but Tobio called me too and we played some games while talking about our lives. We talked a lot, and when I say a lot, I mean a lot .”
“It’s a normal thing around you, then. Talk a lot,” their libero Lucas says.
“Definitely!” Shoyo answers with a beam, as they continued their cycling.
The market was not too far away, so the three of them were able to reach their destination in a few minutes. They briefly had to stop at the entrance of the place to take pictures and give autographs to some fans that were passing by, and one girl presented him with a daily volleyball magazine that he tried to refuse, unsuccessfully.
Shoyo flips through the pages as they walk to the vegetables section. The cover of the magazine is a picture of him in his spiking pose in the middle with ASAS São Paulo players in the background and a big orange title reading,“From Japan to the World: How Hinata Shoyo Conquered the Top of the Olympic stage and Our Brazilian hearts.”
“Wow, why are you so highlighted on the cover?” Marcos asks curiously as he grabs some tomatoes.
“Don’t be sad, Marc,” Lucas says in amusement. He is the youngest of the team, but definitely the most mature around the gang of dorks. “Pretty sure you can get more attention in the next editions when you start to gain more confidence and talk more around the interviewers”.
Shoyo laughs a little remembering the day, years ago, when they were answering questions from journalists after an important match. It was Marcos' debut on the team, and he broke out in a non-stop sweat while muttering incomprehensible words, so the interviewers had to cut his part from the magazine. The moment in question kinda reminded Shoyo of his own days of anxiety attacks before matches, which mostly ended in a few rushes to the bathroom and random encounters with rivals.
His mind starts to bring memories from a specific encounter with a pouty rival of his, so Shoyo decides to say something to avoid the nostalgic feeling.
“It is not my fault that I’m sooo popular. Brazil loves me and I love it in return!” he said as he helps his friends find the drink section. “Annnnd, I am pretty sure they also love you, Marcos. Whether you are in the magazine or not.”
The moment Shoyo speaks those words, Marcos smiles shyly and his expression starts to soften a little.
“Thanks, Shoyo. I am not sad, to be honest. Seeing how much you are loved makes me very happy, and I feel so elated to be on your team.”
“I know, right?” Lucas agrees with a shiny light on his eyes. “We’re so lucky to have such a star on our team.”
“Not a star. A sun,” Marcos corrected, pretending to be stern.
“ The sun!” Lucas also corrected, joining the fun.
“The sunshine from Japan: Hinata Shoyo.”
“Our brightest icon: the greatest decoy.”
They both kept reciting the various magazine articles that Shoyo already starred in—the ones that always made him reflect on the image he represents to people. At first, he thought he would not be welcomed in such a big country, afraid that the language barrier was a problem, but he was surprised by how people here were receptive and now they consider themselves as his biggest fans in the whole world.
Actually, Shoyo was kinda surprised with this amount of love and attention, but it was always like this after all.
Shoyo is considered the sun by those close to him; they say he is always radiating a special aura that makes others around him feel happy and loved. But even the sun isn't enough to take care of a whole universe. The sun is alone most of the time because people think it is strong by itself.
But it's not. And Shoyo knows that. He knows more than anyone that the view from the summit is a thing he could never see on his own. In volleyball, he needs his teammates to be strong. In life, he needs his loved ones to stay strong. Because, even if Shoyo has already reached the top of the volleyball’s world stage, it doesn’t mean he has to stay there alone. He never had to, and he never wanted to. In fact, what he wanted the most for his birthday was to be surrounded by everyone he loves, those who warm Shoyo's heart and give him the feeling of being invincible. Just like a tiny sunflower chasing the dazzling gleam of the sunlight.
Shoyo is not complaining. He is very grateful for having so much support on his journey. His life would not be the same without his friends from Brazil, but being loved by amazing people makes him wanna stay by their side forever and ever. More specifically, he wants to be around his family and friends from Japan.The feeling is simple: he’s missing them.
One of his favorite words that he learned in Portuguese was “saudade”. Shoyo discovered later that this word does not have a translation into other languages. It means “miss you” but the word describes the feeling itself, and not the verb.
At this moment he’s feeling “saudade”, missing his friends and family that he hasn't seen in ages.
Sensing that Shoyo is unexpectedly quiet, Marcos is the first to speak up.
“Is everything okay, buddy? You seem kinda down.”
“Yeah, that’s not your usual self, Shoyo,” Lucas agrees, also seeming a bit worried.
“I’m sorry guys. Just feeling a bit nostalgic about my birthdays from the past years.”
Both of his teammates exchange curious glances, and Shoyo can see that they’re still worried and feel pressured to make sure his birthday is as perfect as the others.
“Hey, no bad vibes on my birthday! Cheer up, guys. Let’s just pick more vegetables and drinks so we can finally go home and have a fantastic barbecue.”
Their expressions light up at the mention of food, and seeing how his friends relaxed was the guarantee Shoyo needed.
“That’s the spirit! And you still have to share that recipe with me, Lucas. Don’t think I forgot about it.”
“I know you didn’t,” Lucas says with a mischievous smile—he can be very playful sometimes. “I am pretty sure of that since you ended up stuffed after eating all the moqueca when I invited you home.”
“Yeah, but it is not my fault your mom is a masterchef. I couldn’t resist that delicious plate.”
“No one can resist it, buddy. It is her special power.”
“Just share this power with me then,” Shoyo demands playfully.
“I’d love to.” Lucas is in amusement at this point, laughing at his friend’s urge to get a simple recipe. “But I don’t wanna mess up the surprise.”
Shoyo stops his hand before it reaches a rice package. His eyes shine with the possibility of having that divine recipe in hands.
“What? You are sharing it with me, then? For real?”
“Don’t know. Maybe. You need to wait until we reach home to find out.”
“Argh. Not you too, Lucas!” Shoyo whines, pretending to be irritated but still smiling happily, thinking about how his friend is also preparing something for his birthday. He has a soft spot for surprises. “Tobio was being silly during our last call. He also mentioned a surprise, but refused to tell me more about it. That’s so unfair and cruel with the birthday boy.”
“We’re doing this for you, Shoyo. Because we love you.”
“Yeah, I know it.”
“Just be patient, then. Otherwise, both Tobio and I are going to hide your presents until next year.”
Shoyo giggles softly at this, but the sudden mention of Tobio touches his heart in a way that brings the nostalgic feeling back. He's feeling “saudade” again. And the sight of rice packages on the shelves doesn’t help at all, reminding Shoyo what his boyfriend’s favorite food is.
“Someone help me,” Marcos murmurs while hidden behind a tower of bottles. The funny sight of him like this took Shoyo away from his trail of thoughts. “Which one do you prefer? I like the purple one because it is cute.”
“Let me help you,” Lucas says, trying not to laugh at his friend’s awkwardness.
They manage to put the bottles in the shopping cart and, while Marcos and Lucas pick up their favorite flavors of soda, Shoyo decides to check his phone to see if there were any calls or new messages from his family.
Nothing. There were only notifications from shopping apps and other silly stuff, but nothing about the ones he wanted to see the most. Shoyo thinks it’s weird that Natsu still hasn’t called him, especially when his sister is the type who loves to tease older brothers for getting emotional on their birthdays. He smiles at the thought of that and decides to see the balloons on his twitter profile, trying to find a distraction from other unwanted emotions.
Shoyo is refreshing his timeline at 12:00 p.m. when something weird happens. A ton of notifications suddenly appear on the screen, but what catches his attention the most is the first picture that shows up on his refreshed timeline—a picture of the door of his apartment. At first, Shoyo thinks it could be a fan wanting to wish him happy birthday or asking for autographs, but his eyes fall to the description of the photo: “He is here.”
This only increases Shoyo’s curiosity and the frown on his face. “He is here” is what is written. But who is him ? And “here” where ? At the door of his apartment? Trying to avoid more questions and find answers, Shoyo scrolls through the comments in an attempt to find a single one that explains this whole mystery. Most of them included muffled scream images and memes with rainbows, which means no additional information to add any context.
He giggles in amusement and murmurs, “I hope it is just them and not someone trying to rob me,” under his breath, convinced that some fans were camping out in front of his apartment just like last year. Before that, he decides to take another look at the picture. And then it happens: another photo was posted right below the first one, and unlike the other, the second shows a very important detail that makes Shoyo’s heart skip a beat.
Someone was definitely trying to break his door down and, surprisingly, the action is not what caught Shoyo’s attention the most. What got him was the sight of the person. The person who’s wearing the same cap that someone he knew wore while playing beach volleyball together for the first time a few years ago. The person who is as tall as the door and has a strong but soft body that Shoyo would recognize even if his eyes were unfocused.
But they’re not unfocused; they’re as clear and focused as they are during volleyball matches, and while watching a special person who Shoyo loves. The same person whose life’s philosophy inspires Shoyo and gives him the idea that he can always fly even higher.
Is it possible that the person Shoyo was thinking about is the same one who is trying to break down his door out of nowhere? There is only one way to find out.
“Hey, guys. Look at this.” Shoyo points the screen toward his friends, only now realizing how his hands are shaking.
As if in a slow motion movie, Marcos and Lucas turn themselves to focus on the trembling screen, both of them looking a bit worried at how pale Shoyo is. With furrowed eyebrows, they start to read the comments and memes and when their eyes land on the last picture, their eyes widen just like children’s in cartoon movies.
“What?” Marcos asks, also seeming a bit pale now. “What is this?”
“Not what, but who! Don’t you guys recognize this person?” Shoyo is exasperated at this point, speaking louder than usual.
Marcos continues to stare at him without saying anything, until his savior Lucas starts to say with a sigh:
“Shoyo, it is just like what we were saying earlier: your fans love you a lot and want to wish you happy birthday. It is the same as last year, so let’s just finish shopping for groceries and head home together.”
“He is right, Shoyo,” Marcos murmurs, avoiding eye contact.
“Lucas, you know who I think this person is. No, not just think! I know it's him!”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. You know I do.”
“We’re not sure, that’s what I meant. Let's just…”
“You guys finish picking up the groceries and I will head home right now. We can meet there later.” Shoyo’s shaking and he knows more than anyone else that his body won’t relax without answers.
“NO!!. I mean, someone is clearly trying to invade your apartment, so you should not go alone. You’re going to be suffocated by your fans.”
“Maybe,” he answers with a tiny smile. “But as I said earlier, Brazil loves me and I love it even more in return.” Shoyo waves his hands to his friends briefly, saying a quick “tchau” before turning his back to them and running to his—possible—significant other.
Thanks to his strong physique and athletic body, he quickly reaches the front of the market, climbs on his bike and shoves his phone inside his front pocket. His name is the last thing Shoyo hears before the sound of the breeze is the only thing enveloping his ears during his peaceful cycling. The warm sunshine and the view from the light blue sky are his only companions on his way back home, and back to the person who also means home to him.
☀️ 🌻 ☀️
Shoyo isn’t sure how long it took to get to his apartment, but it seemed to take longer than before. It must be due to his anxiety to reach his destination, but when he finally arrives, he stops at the big entrance door with his hands floating over the doorknob. What if that person wasn’t who he thought that was? Is he going to be disappointed?
He’s a bit insecure, but the memories of his last birthday when his fans prepared a big surprise during one of his most important matches give him the confidence he needs. After all, even if his family wasn’t here now, he still has lots of people that he loves and who love him in return.
So, finally, Shoyo takes a deep breath and pushes the door open to solve this mystery.
The entry hall is empty and the lights are completely turned off. If it weren’t for the daily sunlight crossing through the big window, Shoyo wouldn’t be able to see the stairs. He could easily climb them already, but something catches his attention: big orange curtains are covering the service desk and there are some restless feet beneath the fabric.
“What the—”
Shoyo’s words stop when the curtains suddenly start to open, revealing a big banner with Portuguese words that he realizes are the words he used to scream the most when playing volleyball: “Give it to me” in red; “I’m Hinata Shoyo from the concrete” in orange; “Nice kill” in yellow; “Chance ball” in green; “I’m here” in light blue; “Kageyama!!!!” in blue. They are also forming a beautiful rainbow placed like this and the “Kageyama” written in blue left him in tears.
“Surpresa!!!” A crowd finally comes out from behind the curtains and Shoyo covers his mouth with his hands in an attempt to hide his surprised expression and tears. But he fails to hide his emotions when someone hugs him: Sol, Heitor and Nice’s daughter, who plays beach volleyball with him during his trips to Rio de Janeiro and the one whose games he loves to watch because she reminds him of his school days. Heitor and Nice join them in a collective hug, making him cry even more. Soon, Shoyo realizes that the other people who were there came from Rio de Janeiro just to congratulate him on his birthday and it was the perfect reason for his tears to fall completely.
“Guys, I can’t believe you are here.” Shoyo squeezes Sol between his arms and nuzzles his damp cheeks on her hair. It was always easy for him to do that since she was just as small as him.
“Couldn’t miss your birthday this year, Sho. And guess what? I won this medal for us.” She proudly tugs the ribbon hanging around her neck, showing a gold medal with writing from a school tournament.
“Our girl is doing her best just for you, Shoyo,” Heitor states behind them, eyes twinkling in pride for his daughter.
“Of course Sol is doing amazing. She is our daughter,” Nice says softly as she looks at the three crying children in front of her. “Besides, Sol is inspired by one of the best people in this world.”
This comment makes Shoyo smile between his sobs. When Heitor and Nice announced that they would be parents soon, he was overjoyed by the news. His happiness increased even more after they both decided to name their first daughter “Sol”, which means sun in Portuguese, in honor of Hinata. Shoyo burst into tears when he heard the news, promising that he would teach her everything about volleyball, so it’s understandable that he gets emotional seeing how much she is inspired by him.
Even after years of living in Brazil and being always happy around people he likes, Shoyo still feels extremely sensitive every time he receives expressions of love from his fans and friends. Seeing lots of people doing such things for him is too much for his heart to handle, so his emotional state is understandable, but if Natsu were here, she would definitely tease him for being a crybaby.
“You are such a crybaby, nii-chan.”
“Dumbass. Why are you already crying?”
“Please, you two. Don’t be too harsh on my favorite sappy sunshine boy.”
Shoyo turns away slowly, still holding his friends and Sol tightly. When his eyes finally meet the origin of those voices, he can feel more tears coming, but he doesn't have time to process all the information, because suddenly there are two more pairs of arms hugging them, transforming them all into a whole squeezed mess.
“Can’t believe you are here. Mom. Natsu.” Shoyo is able to speak even with his right cheek pressed against his sister’s shoulder.
“Told you he would be crying by now, mom,” Natsu says while trying to contain her own tears.
“I know, sweet. I also knew I'd be crying with him.” Their mother is squeezing her face into Shoyo’s curls in a failed attempt to hide her wet eyes. Being a crybaby must be another family thing.
“I have so many questions.”
“We know,” they all respond in unison.
“And I want answers for all of them.”
“We know.”
“But, before that…”
Shoyo briefly moves away from his family to face the sixth person responsible for the whole sobbing mess that he is now. The sixth, but not less important person is Kageyama Tobio, who is just a few feet from them pointing his phone camera at Shoyo, smiling in amusement.
“What?”
Shoyo is able to smile even with tears covering his face. “You planned it all.”
Tobio also smiles in his own way: the way that is only directed to Shoyo. “Maybe.”
“This is the surprise you were talking about.”
“Maybe.”
They both are pointing silly smiles at each other, Shoyo still wondering if this is a dream and if the people he loves the most in the world are actually here beside him.
“We are really here, dumbass.” As always, Kageyama knew exactly what was going on inside Shoyo’s confused brain.
“Don’t call me a dumbass. It is my birthday and I demand respect,” he says, turning his nose up in smugness.
“Your birthday or not, you’re still a dumbass.”
“I’m gonna crush you with my arms now!”
Without wasting any time, Shoyo jumps on his boyfriend with his arms open. The threat of crushing Tobio becomes a comfortable embrace and soon both of them tangle themselves in each other's arms, Shoyo gladly nuzzling his head on the crook of his boyfriend’s neck, in an attempt to throw the “saudade” away just by breathing in his sweet smell.
“I missed you.”
“I know.”
“Tobio.”
“What?”
“Tobio.”
Tobio sighs in defeat, still smiling fondly “I missed you too, Sho.”
Shoyo shoves himself a little to create enough distance and looks his boyfriend in the eyes, a bright smile lighting up his face. Tobio moves his hands from his back to hold his damp face, softly rubbing the tears away with his thumbs. Unceremoniously, he starts pressing gentle kisses to his face, ignoring the crowd behind them. It is always like this when they’re together, so no one thinks it's weird how they seem to live in a separate, exclusive world just for the two of them. It is also weird, actually. But it is theirs, and that’s all that matters.
☀️ 🌻 ☀️
“So, you lost the key to my apartment and were trying to break my door in front of my fans?”
“It’s not my fault that your mother gave me the wrong key,” Tobio grumbles.
“And you even wore a cap as a disguise?” Shoyo continues to tease him, completely ignoring his boyfriend’s pouty face.
Tobio glares at him “I just said it wasn’t my fault.”
“Aaaaaand, on top of that, you forgot to tell everyone that this was a surprise and let them take pictures of your stupidness.”
Tobio snorts impatiently, his pout growing even bigger. Shoyo can’t resist the urge to kiss it, so he does, pressing a quick peck to the corner of his annoyed lips. They both are sitting on the sofa of the leisure area on the ground floor of the apartment, enjoying some time together after Shoyo finished giving some autographs and talking to everyone. Natsu told them to spend time together while she and their mother finished the preparations for the birthday cake.
“It’s okay, Kageyama-Kun.” Shoyo covers Tobio’s leg with his left one, embracing his torso teasingly. “I still like you, even if you are stupid and weird.”
Tobio sighs fondly, covering Shoyo’s back in return. “You say all those things as if you aren’t worse.”
“I am not worse. Look at how many people traveled just to see my pretty face.”
Tobio presses his index finger to Shoyo’s pink nose. “They are here because I asked them to.”
“No, silly. It is my birthday. And, they are here for me . Just admit I’m more famous than you.”
“You are not.”
“I am.”
“No.”
With his own hand, Shoyo covers the one that is still resting on his nose, taking it towards his lips to kiss it. The feeling of just being in contact with that part of his skin is enough to warm him up from the inside, making Shoyo feel the fullness of being loved by someone he loves. Tobio seems to feel the same as he looks at him in complete awe, his dark blue eyes slightly shining under the light of the sunset.
“I am sorry to interrupt this very beautiful moment.” Natsu appears at the entrance of the room. She seems to be amused by the scene, but also very happy to see the two together. “But the preparations are finally done, so I need the birthday boy and his partner to follow me now.”
The two smile at each other before getting up, and Shoyo pushes Tobio lightly as he takes his hand and guides him towards the entrance hall again.
“Let’s go, Natsu. I wanna see what my little sister has prepared for her amazing and stunning older brother.” Shoyo ruffles his sister’s hair affectionately, ignoring the fact that she is taller than him.
“You’re gonna like it, nii-chan. But try not to cry again, okay? It doesn’t look good in the pictures.”
Tobio also ruffles her hair playfully, a smirk forming on his lips. “He will probably cry his ass off again.”
“Hey, even I have some emotional control. I’m a grown man now.”
“I doubt it.”
“What do you doubt? That I won’t cry or that I’m a grown man.”
“Both.”
As they return to the saloon, Shoyo is welcomed by his mother, his friends and teammates, including Marcos and Lucas, who he left at the market while he was looking for his possible boyfriend who was trying to break into his house.
Near the wall with the rainbow banner attached, there is a big rectangular table filled with desserts, candies, and a beautiful birthday cake in the center. Marcos and Lucas are responsible for settling the barbecue at the table, and Shoyo quickly goes in their direction to apologize for his disappearance earlier. They tell Shoyo it’s understandable that he got curious when he thought someone was invading his apartment, and then present him with fresh homemade food and the moqueca recipe that Shoyo always has dreamed of.
Even though it’s hours past noon, Shoyo feels like he’s enjoying lunch on a sunny Sunday with his family. Sol plays happily around the table with a very clumsy Heitor trying to stop her and a laughing Nice watching them. Natsu is taking pictures of other people, and also showing off pictures of herself with her volleyball trophies from high school. Shoyo can’t contain a proud smile remembering how happy he was when he got his first gold medal in the first year.
His nostalgic thoughts start to wander when someone squeezes his hand gently.
“Is everything okay?” Tobio asks with a bit of concern in his voice tone.
Shoyo turns to him, returning the squeeze on his hand and intertwining their warm fingers together. “I’m great. More than great, actually. Just a little tired.”
Tobio hugs him with their fingers still intertwined and presses a quick peck to his forehead. “You can rest after offering me the first slice of cake.”
Shoyo laughs into his chest. “Who said the first slice will be yours? Maybe I’ll offer it to my coach.”
“You would never do that.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.” Tobio says confidently. “You love me and should treat me like a true king, which includes gifting me with the first slice.”
Shoyo knows that Tobio says it as a joke, but he is always happy hearing the word “love” being said by his boyfriend—someone who had difficulties showing emotions during his life, now doesn’t even question his actions when it comes to their relationship. As Shoyo’s cheeks turn a light shade of pink and his lips curl into a shy smile, he knows that Tobio accepting his love and choosing to love him in return was one of the best things that happened in his life.
When they distance themselves a bit from each other, Tobio notices Shoyo’s rosy cheeks but doesn’t say anything. He just runs his thumbs gently over them as if he wants to absorb all of their warmth and emotion into himself. Shoyo sighs and closes his eyes to enjoy the feeling as much as he can, until his mother suddenly calls them to finally sing happy birthday.
Getting close to the table, Shoyo positions himself behind it to face the people he loves. Tobio is still by his side to hold him in case he starts to cry again, his family is here after traveling far just to see him, and Shoyo knows he couldn’t be happier.
When it’s time to offer the first slice of cake, Shoyo pretends to be wondering who he should offer it to. The decision is not so difficult when you have a mother who is not a big fan of sweets, and a sister who likes to stick to a healthy diet. The only option left is to (unfortunately) offer the slice to his grumpy, pouty boyfriend.
“Take this, dumb.”
Tobio’s eyebrows furrow as he takes the cake. “What flavor is it??”
“It’s called beijinho, darling,” Shoyo answers by imitating his boyfriend’s pout.
Tobio tries the slice with curiosity "It's good. But what is beijinho, Shoyo? I don’t remember anymore.”
Shoyo smiles at him and sees in this mess a perfect opportunity to embarrass Tobio. “I will show you, honey. Natsu, take a picture of us please.”
Sensing his second intentions, Tobio hesitates to position himself for the camera. Shoyo has to pull him close and hold him in place with his right hand on his back.
Natsu points the camera at them “Come on, guys. I’m gonna count to 10, and after that you shoot me your biggest smiles.”
They both nod as she starts to count: 1, 2…
“Do you remember when I told you that beijinho means two things in Portuguese?” Shoyo murmurs without looking away from the camera.
“Barely.”
3, 4, 5…
“So, it’s the name of a famous sweet from here. You know brigadeiro, right? The only difference between brigadeiro and beijinho is that the second uses coconut as an ingredient instead of chocolate.”
Tobio nods in understanding “I see. And what’s the second meaning?”
6, 7, 8…
“This one:”
9, 10. During the final seconds of Natsu’s counting, Shoyo pulls Tobio even closer to press their lips together. It’s fast but soft and sweet, just like the beijinho, and Shoyo glues his right cheek to Tobio’s left one, posing and beaming even more for the picture. Tobio is still surprised so he blushes; seeing his boyfriend being shy and cute like this makes Shoyo’s own cheeks warm in awe, and now they are a whole flushed mess of stupidity.
“Just to let you know, Yama-kun,” Shoyo continues to tease, too happy to stop. “Beijinho also means kiss. And I hope you liked them both.”
Tobio is still speechless but his eyes are shining, which is enough for Shoyo to know that he’s as happy as him.
Later, as night falls and both prepare to sleep in the comfort of each other’s company, Tobio surprises Shoyo with a birthday gift: a sunflower and a letter that he quickly opens while sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Happy birthday to my annoying, little, and stupid dumbass. Most known as my boyfriend, he is a painting with warm, bright colors: a beautiful piece of art that people admire for both appearance and personality. And he will always shine like this. He will always be Hinata Shoyo. The current opposite hitter of São Paulo. The strongest decoy. The Japan National Team’s brightest star. And, of course, my partner in both love and life. Thanks for being by my side since we met, Sho. Let’s keep flying forever and ever.”
- Tobio ♡
That letter is the perfect final for the night. Shoyo always had his best friend and lover by his side. The one who helped him to craft his own tiny wings and taught him how he could fly even higher. After many years of bickering, separations and reunions, they can finally spend birthdays together, expressing their feelings for each other as they always wanted.
It's a common thing between them to present each other with flowers on their birthdays, and they always dry the petals and frame them to eternalize all the paths they traveled to be here today.
Moved by so many emotional thoughts, Shoyo pulls his significant other into a soft but strong hug. His arms are trembling against Tobio's waist, and a tender sigh leaves his mouth while he nuzzles his right cheek against his chest. Almost immediately, equally strong arms cover his back in a comfortable position, one hand petting his hair and the other gently massaging his back.
Soon, they both fall on the bed with their bodies still tangled. Shoyo starts to caress Tobio’s cheeks because he loves the feeling, and he loves even more the effect this action has on his boyfriend. As if his thumb was a watercolor pencil, and every time it brushes against his skin, it paints it with a beautiful mix of pastel reds and pinks. And Shoyo loves colors. He loves everything that has a rainbow on it and, most of all, Shoyo loves Tobio.
“How am I supposed to breathe like this?” Tobio mumbles into Shoyo’s chest, completely covered by his boyfriend’s body.
Shoyo squeezes him even tighter in return “Find a way, ‘cause I won’t let you leave my arms. You promised after all.”
“I did.”
“You did.”
After everything Shoyo has experienced since waking up this sunny morning, he doesn’t need to go deep to know the reason why he is so loved. He clearly sees it now, right on the shores of his heart, that being reminded of this love was the best birthday gift he got that day.