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Tooru finds he is quite enjoying this family picnic. He won’t admit it out loud given how much he has complained about it—that is to say, right up until this very moment—but it’s nice. The sun’s out, the breeze provides a cool respite from the heat, and Tobio’s thighs are very comfy.
They’re lying at the riverbank, Tooru having stolen a blanket the moment they arrived and pulling Tobio away to a more secluded spot. It wasn’t really in the spirit of family bonding, but they’ll have plenty of time for that later. For now, he just wants some time with his boyfriend.
“You doing good up there?” Tooru looks up at Tobio, shielding his eyes from the bright rays of the sun. He barely conceals his laughter as he is reminded of Tobio’s getup. The twenty-something-year-old is wearing Tooru’s mother’s white sun hat which has little daisies on it and one of his cousin’s oval sunglasses. He is a fashion disaster, and Tooru loves him all the more for it.
Tobio simply nods, appearing stoic behind the dark glasses as he looks out at the water in front of them. Knowing him, however, Tooru is certain there is nothing deep or poignant going on in his head.
Sure enough, moments later Tobio crinkles his nose and lets out a sneeze.
“Bless you,” Tooru says.
“Thanks. I felt that one coming on for a while.”
He stops looking at the lake, glancing down at Tooru instead. He runs his hand through Tooru’s hair and Tooru closes his eyes in bliss, snuggling closer to his partner.
“You’re welcome to join me down here, you know?”
They’re far away enough from both Tooru’s family and the rest of the public that he doesn’t think they will scandalise anyone by lying next to each other on the blanket. He can’t guarantee that it won’t progress to hand-holding or cuddling, however.
Just kidding. That’s a touch too public even for him.
Or is it?
Tooru will never find out, because Tobio rejects the offer.
“No thanks, Tooru-san.” Tooru would feign feeling hurt by this if not for the admission that follows. “I like this. It’s nice.”
Tooru smiles. “Hm. I quite like lying in your lap too.”
Even from this angle, Tooru can see the blush that forms on Tobio’s cheeks. It makes him happier than he would like to admit.
The two of them don’t really talk much after that, content to just be in the other’s presence. Tooru gets somewhat restless—he switches the side he is lying on, he looks up at the sky and trees, he closes his eyes and dozes off for a bit. Right now, he has given up on appreciating being in nature and is scrolling on his phone.
As for Tobio, Tooru has no clue what he’s been up to. He’s barely moved at all. Frankly, Tooru wouldn’t be surprised if he was napping sitting up.
But then Tooru receives a tap on his shoulder. He puts down his phone and turns his head so he can see his boyfriend. It’s not the most comfortable position but he doesn’t expect to be in it for long. He’s certain Tobio will say whatever it is he wants to say and they’ll go back to whatever they were doing before.
Tooru doesn’t expect Tobio to hold out his hand, presenting a ring made out of flowers. He sits up immediately and takes it from Tobio, careful not to crush it.
“Did you make this for me?”
Tobio nods.
Tooru’s heart feels so full. He can’t resist giving Tobio a quick peck on the lips, beaming with joy as he hands the ring back and tells Tobio to put it on for him.
He’s torn between watching it happen and watching Tobio’s expression as he slides it on. In the end he settles for the latter, because it fills him with an indescribable amount of affection and makes him kind of breathless, actually.
“Now we match.”
For a moment Tooru doesn’t even know what Tobio is talking about, he’s too distracted by the sight of Tobio’s ring on his finger. On his fourth finger. He doesn’t know whether that was intentional or not, but it’s certainly giving him many Feelings and Thoughts.
When he finally looks up, he sees that Tobio is holding up his other hand, where an identical flower chain is wrapped around his wrist.
“Is this what you’ve been doing this whole time?” Tooru takes Tobio’s hand to inspect the bracelet. He’s quite impressed. He picks up his phone to start taking pictures as Tobio replies to the question.
“My sister taught me when we were younger. She used to do it all the time.”
Immediately, Tooru makes a mental note to ask Miwa for pictures later. He’s sure they exist—he’s seen the thickness of the Kageyama family albums. There was no occasion too big or too small to be documented. Tooru hasn’t been able to just sit down and spend hours poring over the photos yet, though he is always looking forward to when that day comes.
“There’s a crown on your head too,” Tobio points out nonchalantly, and Tooru is surprised yet again.
He flips his camera to the front-facing one and uses it as a mirror so he can see. There is indeed a flower crown resting atop his hair.
“This is amazing.”
Tooru watches Tobio’s cheeks redden through the screen. He says sheepishly, “I put it on you while you were asleep.”
“Tobio!” Tooru cannot stop looking at himself in the camera. He holds his hand up with the ring on it too and begins snapping photos. “You’re amazing. I love this. Come here, I want you in these too.”
Soon Tooru’s camera roll is filled with pictures of Tobio’s marvellous creations. He holds his hand out and takes a picture of it with the lake in the background. He takes a selfie with his hand covering his mouth, he takes a picture with his hand against Tobio’s chest. He takes a photo of him and Tobio together, the flower crown on his head, and the hand with the ring on it holding onto Tobio’s wrist with the bracelet. Then he sets that photo as his home screen wallpaper.
“It’s really nothing,” Tobio tells him when he shows it off proudly. Despite his words, he looks pretty satisfied with himself.
Tooru huffs. “I don’t say it’s nothing.”
At that moment, Tooru’s sister approaches. She stands at the edge of the picnic blanket with a hand on her hip. “What’s all the fuss about?”
Without really thinking about it, Tooru holds out his hand and says, “Tobio proposed.”
His sister shrieks. She gasps and snatches Tooru’s hand, no doubt to inspect what she believes to be an expensive ring. Once she realises it’s more of the DIY nature and that the material was sourced from the ground right beneath them, she throws his hand back and shoots him a mighty impressive death glare.
Tooru can’t help it, he starts laughing at her. This only serves to darken his sister’s mood further but he’s having a splendid time. She turns to Tobio who shrinks a bit under her intense gaze.
“You should dump him.”
Tooru just laughs harder because he knows Tobio would never. His sister rolls her eyes and pokes her tongue out at him.
“Whatever. I just came to tell you that food is ready. Don’t know why I bothered, I hope you starve.”
She stalks off without another word.
Tooru lies back on Tobio’s chest. He’s laughed so hard that his stomach hurts.
Tobio wraps his arms around Tooru but says, “That wasn’t very nice.”
Tooru waves him off. “Please. She’s done way worse.” Then he groans. “Ugh, I could not be less bothered to get up. Tobio. Do you reckon we could just lie here forever?”
“How would we play volleyball?”
“Good question.” Tooru considers for a moment. “I could still practise my sets if you just gave me a ball. We could do passing drills too. Easy.”
“Hm.” Tobio seems satisfied with the response. “I suppose we can then.”
Their plans are ruined when their stomachs suddenly growl in unison.
Tooru groans again, drawing out the sound to express his annoyance. “Alright, Tobio-chan. Time to go.”
He’s the one who says it, but in the end he has to be pulled up by Tobio. He packs up the blanket too while Tooru readjusts his flower crown. Tooru thanks him with a kiss, and together the two of them head over to where the barbecue is taking place.
Tooru hasn’t been able to stop thinking about the ring Tobio made him. He kept it on the entire day, only taking it off now that they’re about to go to bed. He’s thinking of doing something to preserve it, whether pressing it or casting it in resin. He’ll look it up tomorrow.
Tobio doesn’t really understand why Tooru is so intent on it, and Tooru hasn’t helped matters by not giving him a straight answer.
The truth is, Tooru thinks it’s his sign. There’s a ring sitting in a box in the back of Tooru’s sock drawer, and he thinks it might be time to pull it out.
But first…
While Tobio gets ready for bed Tooru quickly fishes out the ring box and snaps a picture of the ring. He puts it back before Tobio can notice. When it’s his turn in the bathroom, he takes a moment to send a message first.
nee-sans + tooru
20XX 年 X 月 X 日（X）
午後 10:02
if either of you speak a WORD of this to tobio i’m destroying both of your careers
but here
[IMG_1309]
what do you think?
Tooru sends the last text then immediately turns off his phone. He knows it’s going to blow up with notifications otherwise. He can deal with the flurry of messages tomorrow.
Right now, it’s time for bed with Tobio.
