Work Text:
First day:
"Hey Omi, welcome back. Have you had a great summer break?" Hinata is basically shouting in Kiyoomi's face. Kiyoomi just shrugs and turns to his locker. Hinata and Bokuto are settling down next to him and continue their conversation. Well, shouting match would probably be a better description. They are simultaneously telling each other about their vacations at an ear-splitting volume. Kiyoomi sighs.
Back to reality I guess, he thinks to himself. I wish I could have a couple more peaceful days without these three morons annoying me.
Thinking of it… where is the last moron?
Usually Miya Atsumu is standing right next to Hinata and Bokuto and talks with them. But Kiyoomi can not see him. Did that idiot oversleep again?
He turns around and sees Miya getting ready in front of his own locker.
That's odd.
Usually the idiotic setter is getting all up in Kiyoomi's face the second he steps into the locker room and won't leave him alone while changing. Kiyoomi sometimes has the feeling that he has seen Miya's naked upper body more often than his own.
But today the blonde changes quickly and quietly in front of his own locker without even looking at Kiyoomi.
Weird. Well it's not like I care, Kiyoomi thinks. He shrugs and puts his jersey on.
However, also during training Miya keeps behaviouring out of the ordinary. First he skips his stretching, which is very unhealthy and it annoys Kiyoomi more than it should.
How can Miya be this incautious after the break? He should know how important it is to stretch. Usually he takes better care of his body.
Then after stretching he usually tries to jump on Kiyoomi's back and tries to force him to do piggy rides. Which Kiyoomi always definies because he is not a child. Thank you very much. But today Miya goes straight to practicing his serves.
Since Kiyoomi suspicions were aroused, he now keeps a close eye on Miya and realizes that the setter also does not kneel down to pick the balls up, but just keeps taking new ones.
Typical Miya. Too arrogant to pick up his own balls, Kiyoomi thinks scornfully.
Once their coach announces the end of the training-session Miya is the first to leave the gym. But he doesn't use the showers. Usually he makes a big deal of annoying Kiyoomi under the showers by forcefully singing off key or by turning Kiyoomi’s water cold.
Finally a peaceful shower , Kiyoomi thinks. But without Miya's singing Kiyoomi now hears all the weird human noises his teammates make while showering. It really triggers him and he keeps getting goosebumps. He is very certain that he will take another shower once he is home.
When he comes out of the showers Miya is gone.
Second day:
Miya keeps acting weird on the second day after the break. He is already changed when he arrives at the gym, skips stretching and doesn't annoy Kiyoomi with piggy rides. He tries to leave early again but today Hinata and Bokuto catch him before he can leave the gym. Hinata tries to coax his two other teammates to check out the new swimming pool that just opened.
However, Miya almost goes pale and quickly denies before getting out of the gym with a hasty goodbye.
This is very strange. Usually he always joins in on their activities. He also in particular never denies our team's sunshine Hinata anything. I should keep an eye on him , Kiyoomi thinks while walking home.
Third day:
But the following day is a Wednesday and Kiyoomi forgot that they don't have training on Wednesdays due to their new schedule. So he doesn't see Miya until Thursday.
Forth day:
Since he didn't see Miya the day before. Kiyoomi had spent the whole day theorizing why Miya acted so out of character. He came to the conclusion that he needed more intel. Therefore, he planned on analyzing Miya during today's training.
He carefully watches Miya. Today his setter also shows the same strange behavior like the other two days since the summer break. But Kiyoomi can not figure out why. So he keeps on watching.
During one of his jump serves Miya's jersey slides up and Kiyoomi can see a big white plaster that covers his belly. He can also make out two bumps around the area of his belly button.
What is that? Kiyoomi thinks. He keeps thinking about the question but doesn't find an answer.
Fifth day:
Miya continues to behave strangely during training on Friday.
During their break Kiyoomi steps outside to catch some fresh air. Once he is outside he hears a ringtone, followed by Miya's voice, who keeps insulting the person on the other side of the line. So Kiyoomi assumes that he is talking to his twin brother Osamu.
Kiyoomi doesn't want to earlopes but maybe this will give him the information he needs.
Miya tells his brother about practices while cursing the day his twin was born. Everything seems normal until Kiyoomi hears him say:
"NO, I haven't told anyone yet Samu. Ohh if you dare to tell them I will tell Rin about the diary…" Miya’s voices had changed to a serious growl as he continues “Yes I am dead serious."
Kiyoomi's heart starts racing. So he was right. Miya tries to hide a secret from the team. He can not think about it properly before Miya continues talking.
"OH shut up scum. I am not scared of the them.” But after another rant about Osama he admits: “Soo what if I don't want them too know yet? What if they react badly and see me differently after I told them? Shut up, I am not a pussy. I am going to call Rin now. " With these words he hangs up. Then turns and walks towards Kiyoomi, who is hiding behind a trash can. So Kiyoomi has to hurry to get back inside before MIya sees him.
It isn't until after practice that he has a chance to think about the conversation he overheard.
Kiyoomi collectes all the evidence and comes to the conclusion that Miya must have some kind of cancer. That is the only conclusion that explains the change in behavior and the bumps at his belly.
After a heavy online research Kiyoomi is very certain that Miya not only has cancer but a very rare and deadly form of it.
He might not have much time left, Kiyoomi thinks. Here is the thing. Kiyoomi might be a pedantic arsehole most of the time. However, he isn't the type of person that is an asshole towards his teammate that might be dying.
Damn it. That means I have to be nicer to him .
Sixth day:
On Saturday Miya continues his new weird behavior during training. But Kiyoomi also realizes that he has red eyes.
Shit he probably has been crying because he knows that he will die soon.
Kiyoomi feels horrible. Seeing the usually bubbly, happy Miya like this breaks his heart. He feels extra bad because he has not yet managed to be nicer to his team-mates. There's something about Miya that always drives Kiyoomi up the wall when they interact with each other. Miya simply brings out his worst sides.
Kiyoomi decides at that moment that he has to try harder. Hhe doesn't want to make Miya's life more miserable.
Seventh day:
On Sunday they have a practice match. Kiyoomi is extra early to catch Miya in the lockers to talk to him. But Miya is already changed and on the court once Kiyoomi arrives.
After the match the team usually heads to the hereby onsen together. It's a tradition. Even Kiyoomi joins in. But despite huge protests from his teammates, Miya refuses today.
Oh man Miya keeps telling me how much he loves the onsen . So for him to deny it. He must feel worse than Kiyoomi thought. I have to be even friendlier to him.
Following week:
During the following week Kiyoomi tries his best to be nice to Miya. He makes almost no mean or sarcastic comments or jokes about Miya, his outfits or the shit he talks about all day long. Even though it is hard at the beginning, Kiyoomi is quite proud of himself by the end of the week. He even had a really interesting conversation with Miya this week. Instead of insulting the setter Kiyoomi had decided to ask Miya about his favorite anime. He then figured out that Miya also likes Naruto and they talked about their favorite characters.
Twelfth day:
But things take a certain turn on friday. Miya's eyes are red again and Kiyoomi feels the familiar tugging in his chest again. He didn't get much sleep that night because he kept thinking about how the world would be without Miya Atsumu. About how no other setter had managed to meet his standards quite the way Miya has:
Miya had not only figured out his preferred height of a volleyball during a match but also kept on pushing him to do his best. Or about how Atsumu has a sixth sense for tension and knows exactly how to loosen the mood. Kiyoomi is very sure that there will be more arguments in the team after Atsumu's death. He didn't realize how grateful he is to Atsumu for often mediating between him and the other team members when they don't understand Kiyoomi's humor. Atsumu always gets his jokes and he is usually the only one who laughs heartily about it.
But mostly Kiyoomi will miss Atsumu's consideration. He always keeps an extra pack of Kiyoomi's favorite masks and disinfection spray in his sport bag just in case Kiyoomi has one of his bad moments. Apart from his family, Atsumu is the only one who has dealt so intensively with Kiyoomi's tic and takes him into consideration.
The lack of sleep and his realization that he will indeed miss Miya motivates Kiyoomi to do something very nice for Atsumu.
After the match he offers to carry the setter's bag for him back to his apartments. What Kiyoomi hadn't calculated was his team's reaction. They are still in the locker room. Everyone has gone quiet and stares at him. Meian is the first to find his voice back.
"Who are you and what have you done to Sakusa? I have never seen you offering to do something for someone else." Meian says.
Kiyoomi just stares at him. Is it really that inconvenient to offer your dying teammate your help?
Next to him Atsumu wakes up from his state of shock. His cheeks are flushed pink.
"OMG Omi-Omi! Warn a guy. Ya can't just behave like a gentleman towards me out of the blue. Ya are acting sooo weird. Are ya fucking with me? Have I done something to upset ya. If I did I am sorry. Please act normal again."
This really annoys Kiyoomi. Why is everyone acting so shocked? He just tried to be nice to a dying person. What is wrong with these people?
This is exactly why he usually never interacts with the setter. When Atsumu exposes him to the team like that, Kiyoomi always wants to sink to the ground in shame. So in response to this nonsense he scowls at Atsumu. "I am only doing it for your sake." he says before storming off.
Later that night Atsumu calles him. It’s only 11 PM but Kiyoomi can hear loud music in the background and Atsumu already kind of slurs his words. He must be out drinking somewhere.
How irresponsible to go out clubbing when the season just started, he thinks.
On the line Atsumu has finished brabbeling and now askes Kiyoomi:
"Hey Omi-Omi, why are ya acting so differently towards me this week?"
Kiyoomi considered his options. He could play it cool since he knows that Atsumu does not want anyone from the team to know about his secret. But he has also never been someone to beat around the bushes so he comes straight to the point.
"I know you have cancer and are going to die soon. I just tried to be nice to you to make your last days less horrible. If you don't like it I can stop."
On the other line he hears Atsumu gasping for air.
"What are you talking about…" he screams.
So Kiyoomi explains. "Well you have acted differently since the break. And then I saw the bumps on your belly and I overheard your phone call with Osamu the other day about how you don’t want the team to know. Since you didn't want to talk about it, I did some research on the internet and found out that this type of cancer is fatal and that you only have a few months to live. But since I know that your days are numbered, it would be unacceptable for me to behave towards you the way I have so far. That's why I've tried to be nicer to you. So…"
Now Atsumu interrupts him. "What are you talking about? What bumps?" Atsumu asks.
"Stop acting brave. I saw the two small lumps around the area of your belly button." Kiyoomi explains.
"My belly button…" Atsumu askes puzzled. Then he starts laughing. "OH MY GOD Omi-Omi. That's hilarious. Cancer? You worried about me?" He keeps laughing almost hysterically. Then he hangs up.
What the fuck? Kiyoomi thinks. Even for a terminally ill person, this is really rude.
He is just imagining ways of how to get back to Atsumu for his reaction when his phone rings.
>>>> NEW MESSAGE <<<<<
23:35 Miya Atsumu
°°°Picture attached°°°
Kiyoomi clicks on the message to open the messenger app. At first he only sees Atsumu's face. The setter's cheeks are slightly reddened probably from the alcohol. In the photo he winks, grins and sticks out his tongue.
He is wearing a black t-shirt and the thumb of his right hand is tugged under the hem to pull his shirt up. He presents Kiyoomi his very well formed six pack that ends with a blond happy trail leading into dark jeans that have no business hanging that low on the setter's hips. Kiyoomi got so distracted that he almost overlooked the most important thing. The belly button..
In the place where Kiyoomi had suspected a tumor, there was a piercing. A belly button piercing... Kiyoomi could sink into the ground in shame for the second time today. His whole face turned red.
You are such an idiot Kiyoomi, he scowled at himself. He almost jumps when his phone rings.
"Incoming call from Miya Atsumu", he reads on the display before he rejects Atsumu's call. He also ignores the next 20. calls before he turns his phone off.
Thirteenth day
The next morning Kiyoomi awakens to 11 new messages from Atsumu.
23:45 Miya Atsumu
Omi-Omi…
23:45 Miya Atsumu
Omg. I can not believe it.
23:46 Miya Atsumu
This is sooo funny. Ya thought I had cancer. Haha… OMG. I only got my bellybutton pierced.
23:47 Miya Atsumu
Omi-Omi please stop ignoring me.
23:47 Miya Atsumu
Ok, I swear I’ll stop laughing at ya.
23:49 Miya Atsumu
Samu says that this means ya care about me. Do ya care about me?
00:05 Miya Atsumu
Ok listen, pleaaase don't tell Meian or Coach. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻I know we are not allowed to have piercings. But Samu and I got shit faced during the last day of my summer break and spontaneously decided to get Tattoos. But the tattoo Artist didn't want to do it while we were drunk so we went to this piercing studio next door and Samu got a second earhole. And well ya know me. I had to top that and got my bellybutton pierced..I did not realize how bad that decision was until the next morning.
00:06 Miya Atsumu
Ok until the first training session. But it is almost healed now and…
00:06 Miya Atsumu
…Well, ya saw the picture 😜 I just look suuuper hot with it. So I am begging ya. Please don't tell anyone. If I keep the piercing in a couple more weeks until the wound is completely healed I will be able to take it out before practice and matches.
00:07 Miya Atsumu
So it won't cause any health problems for me. Ya don't have to worry about me. 😜
00:07 Miya Atsumu
Pleaasse Omi! 🙏🏻
00:11 Miya Atsumu
I will do anything for ya if ya continue to keep my secret. 🥺😱🙏🏻
Kiyoomi had to smirk. Look how the tables have turned.
Turns out the situation wasn't as bad as Kiyoomi first had thought. Thanks to Miya's bad decisions he now had very good leverage against him.
This is really good. Maybe I can even get him to stop calling me Omi, Kiyoomi thought. While he got out of bed he also tried to ignore the little voice in the back of his head that told him that another reason for not telling on Miya was that he really looked extremely hot in the photo and Kiyoomi would like to see the piercing in real life.