Archive of Our Own ^beta

1

"Hajime, you son of a …!"

The rest of the insult couldn't be heard clearly due to the uncontrollable laughter of the one being addressed.

Hajime continued laughing hysterically as he made his character quickly move away from where Hanamaki was looking sadly at what was left of his house in the video game. All that hard work, completely wasted.

"It was almost finished, you big idiot!" complained the young man with pink hair. Hajime had to take off his headphones for a few seconds because his friend's screams were overwhelming him through his microphone.

"What happened?" Suddenly, the voice of a third guy was heard. "No, my house! This can't be happening!"

Matsukawa's cry elicited another laugh from the green-eyed boy.

"I swear it wasn't on purpose!" the young man excused himself. "I didn't see that Creeper behind me. Do you really think I would intentionally ruin your house? I'm really sorry."

Clearly, he didn't sound very remorseful about his actions at all. 

"You ruined my beautiful home."

"God, Makki," the boy rolled his eyes. "It was literally a dirt house without a door. I don't think you'll miss it that much."

"But it was our home!" said Mattsun, playing along with the pink-haired guy. "It's not fair; you're much better at this than us."

Hajime smiled and shook his head at his best friends' childish behavior.

"Listen, I have to go now, but I promise I'll help you guys with your new house tomorrow, what do you say?"

"That's fine by me," said Mattsun. "Actually, it works for me. I was about to finish my stream too. It's getting late."

"Okay, then we talk tomorrow, guys."

The other two streamers said their final  goodbyes after a couple of bad jokes, leaving Hajime alone with his subscriber chat. The young streamer closed the game, and after saying a few words to conclude the video that would soon be uploaded to his YouTube channel, the green-eyed man leaned back in his chair to chat a bit more with his subscribers before doing the same as Makki and Mattsun, and ending the stream after a good day of playing with friends.

"You are witnesses; I didn't mean for Makki's house to be destroyed," he said with giggles. "But you have to admit I did him a favor; that house was awful. They can do better. It was literally the typical house one builds on the first day."

The boy smiled while trying to read each and every message his viewers wrote in the channel chat.

After a couple of years of hard work, Iwaizumi Hajime managed to secure his position as one of the most-watched streamers in the country, dedicating much of his days to live broadcasts playing different video games, commenting on videos or volleyball matches online, or simply interacting with his thousands of daily viewers.

At the beginning of his career, Hajime never thought he would be able to make his channel so popular, let alone that the success he would achieve would allow him to live a fairly comfortable life, devoting himself to something he was truly passionate about almost full-time. He felt truly fortunate.

Standing in front of a camera was challenging for him at first, being a rather quiet kid throughout most of his childhood. His mother used to be concerned about his tendencies to withdraw, making it difficult for him to socialize with other kids at school.

Honestly, Hajime often considered giving up and pursuing something else, believing that his personality wouldn't be captivating and entertaining enough to capture and maintain the audience's attention in the long run. However, and to his complete surprise, his personality proved more than sufficient, as in just a few months, his numbers started skyrocketing. Hajime was more than happy with everything he had achieved through the years of hard work.

And now, sitting in his gaming chair in front of his screens and with different colored LED lights behind him, the guy was quite satisfied with himself and his life.

"Well, what do we do now, chat?" he addressed his subscribers. "I think I'll stay a bit longer before going to bed. I can't believe I've been here for almost 6 hours without realizing."

The subscriber chat immediately went crazy, giving the streamer many suggestions of various kinds. Reacting to videos of all kinds, playing another short video game, chatting with the viewers, among many other ideas.

His green eyes wandered for a few minutes over the chat as he contemplated the different possibilities. Honestly, Hajime was quite tired after all those hours in front of the screen, and he didn't know how much longer he would be on stream.

At that moment, the voice of the bot reading the donations caught his attention again.

"Hi, Iwa! I have a question, do you have a new editor for your YouTube videos?"

The question was simple and not serious at all, but still managed to bring a small smile to his face.

"Why do you ask?" he questioned. "Is it too noticeable?"

Like any other content creators, Hajime used to upload excerpts from his live streams to his YouTube channel for those who couldn't be present for the entire duration. At the same time, he only made videos with the most fun or interesting parts of each stream, so having an editor to take care of that was crucial in this field.

However, it was true that the editing style of his recent videos was quite different from what his fans were used to.

"What, didn't you like those videos?" he asked, feigning a bit of sadness. Upon seeing the slight pout on the streamer's face, his followers rushed to assure him that the videos were more than fine and that they had enjoyed the small changes. All to avoid offending the content creator and whoever his new editor might be.

Hajime read the messages for a few seconds before letting out a low chuckle.

"I'm glad you liked them," he said honestly. "But no, my usual editor is still working with me."

The chat responded with more positive messages, so Hajime decided to elaborate a bit more on the topic.

"In fact, Kyotani just took a short vacation. Only a week. He had been working tirelessly for a long time, and I think he went on a trip with his partner. So I had to get someone to take care of the editing until Kyotani came back from his break," he explained with a small smile on his lips. "You may have noticed that this new editor... well, he has a very different style from Kyotani's."

And he wasn't wrong, as this new editor seemed to enjoy using many colors, emojis everywhere, different visual and sound effects in the videos, and zooming in a lot on the streamer's face when he was distracted.

"That idiot..." he whispered almost inaudibly to the viewers.

Despite his words, the smile on Hajime's face revealed that he had a lot of affection for that mysterious person. Perhaps too much, enough to catch the attention of his subscribers, who were used to a slightly more stoic Hajime who tried not to expose his emotions more than necessary.

"Anyway, Kyotani will be back soon, and actually, he'll edit the next video, so don't worry."

The chat began to fill with questions about this new temporary editor, who, judging by the little messages and hearts he added throughout the videos, seemed to care a lot about the streamer as well.

"What's his name?"

"Do we know him?"

"Is he your friend?"

Those questions and more appeared in the chat, making Hajime smile fondly, as if talking or even thinking about that person made him incredibly happy.

"A friend of mine? You could say so..." he replied, always keeping his answers as vague as possible, true to his style. "He's not a professional editor or anything, and it shows. He just told me he'd like to try something new, and I thought I'd just indulge him. So don't criticize his work too much."

Hajime then looked at the screen where the donations for his channel appeared, seeing the small message that had just arrived and was read by the bot.

"It seems that person is in love with you lol, but I can't really blame them."

The young streamer smiled sideways as he adjusted his hair and headphones. "I hope so..." the whisper was almost imperceptible, and the guy hoped his microphone hadn't picked up his little comment.

But unfortunately (not really), it seemed that his comment had indeed been captured by his high-quality microphone, as the chat started going crazy once again. All his viewers began making comments and speculations based on his comment, but hey, that's the wonderful thing about the internet.

However, Hajime chose to ignore the topic for the time being, leaving his followers with the doubt of what that little comment meant.

Throughout his entire career as a public figure, Hajime decided to keep his private life as it was: private. Sure, sometimes he shared some details about himself, his preferences, family, hobbies, or things like that; but details of his private life were strictly secrets for his audience.

His followers reacted that way predictably, as it was one of the first times (if not the first time) that Hajime showed any kind of interest in someone outside his closest circle of friends. To his followers' knowledge, Hajime had been single since the beginning of his career. There were no rumors of boyfriends or girlfriends, no relationships, not even a crush on a fellow platform user. For that reason, the presence of that person in the streamer's life, someone capable of making him smile in that way, was something worth commenting on.

Hajime remained live for a few more minutes, totally avoiding the topic of his temporary editor, as it seemed to drive his followers crazy. After saying goodbye as every night, the young man ended the broadcast and turned off his computer.

Now in the privacy of his room and behind his darkened screens, Hajime took off his headphones and let out a deep sigh. He was truly exhausted.

The young man stood up from his chair and stretched his back. Hajime was actually very grateful to have been able to maintain his routine of going to the gym and exercising regularly; otherwise, his body would be in pretty bad shape from sitting for so many hours in the same position.

After going down the stairs, Hajime entered his kitchen, where a sweet and delicious smell welcomed him.

In front of the kitchen, humming a song that Hajime couldn't recognize, the brunet who lived rent free on his thoughts looked proudly at the tray in front of him. Tooru seemed so absorbed and focused on the video playing on the iPad in front of him that he didn't notice the streamer walking up behind him.

The older one's arms wrapped around the brunet’s waist, and Hajime took the opportunity to bury his nose in the other's neck. That closeness seemed to immediately dispel all fatigue from his body, making him feel refreshed.

As for Tooru, the boy smiled and let the other cling to him. "Hello, Iwa-chan," he said softly. God , thought the green-eyed man, even his voice is comforting .

Hajime tightened his grip around the other even more before speaking. 

"I'm sorry I didn't greet you when you got home, my love," he said quietly.

The brunet smiled and turned in his boyfriend’s arms to be able to see him face to face. The warmer hands of the taller one reached Hajime's face, gently massaging his tired features. Hajime couldn't help but lean into his partner's caresses, letting his soft hands take away the tiredness and stress of the day.

"Don't worry, Iwa-chan," the brunet assured him with one of his charming smiles. "You were busy, and you seemed to be having fun with the guys."

Hajime nodded as he let the other go reluctantly. Tooru approached his iPad again to pause the video he was watching.

"Were you cooking?" the green-eyed one asked.

"Yes!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "While I was at work, I got a notification from Tendou-chan's video, and I wanted to try the recipe. So when I left the set, I went to the store for the ingredients I was missing."

Hajime watched as his boyfriend carefully lifted the tray from the counter to show him the results of his hard work.

"I made chocolate chip cookies. Do you want to try one?"

Hajime smiled gently and approached the other again. "Please."

Tooru brought the tray closer, letting Hajime take a cookie. He brought the dessert to his mouth, letting the sweet taste take over him.

"What do you think, Iwa-chan?" Tooru asked expectantly. Hajime took a moment to look attentively  at his boyfriend, who seemed to be totally excited for a response.

"They're really good," he said honestly, earning a proud smile on Tooru's face.

"The only good thing about Ushiwaka is his boyfriend Tendou-chan and his incredible cooking tutorials," Tooru commented as he began to tidy up and clean the kitchen. Hajime finished the rest of his cookie and took the dirty dishes away from the other's hands.

"I'll take care of this," he said. When Tooru opened his mouth to protest, Hajime silenced him with a short kiss. "Go and make some coffee to accompany the cookies. We can watch a movie."

Tooru nodded, and without protesting, he did what the other said. And at that moment, in the privacy and warmth of their shared home with Tooru by his side, Hajime felt truly fortunate.

1 ½ 

After a few minutes into the chosen movie, Hajime took another cookie to his mouth before breaking the comfortable silence.

"My subscribers have already noticed that someone else took care of editing my latest videos."

Beside him, Tooru chuckled quietly before taking a sip of his chocolate milk.

"Kyotani won't meet their expectations now that they've seen what a talented person can do, I’m afraid."

Hajime rolled his eyes at the brunet's attitude but smiled nonetheless. He ignored the movie for a few minutes to appreciate the delicate side profile of the young man sitting next to him. Right there, wearing a hoodie that was way too big for him and with glasses he only dared to use within the privacy of their home, Tooru looked utterly beautiful.

"I think it's time to tell them about you," he said before processing the words coming out of his mouth, and then realizing that he didn't actually regret them.

The comment made Tooru tense for a moment before relaxing again and smiling shyly at him.

"Do you think so?" the brunet asked with a clear sparkle in his big brown eyes.

"Only if you agree, Tooru."

"It's your career we're talking about, Hajime."

"You're a public figure too, Mr. Model," the streamer responded as he wrapped his arm around the other to pull him closer.

Tooru offered no resistance, naturally, letting Hajime embrace him and run his hand through his brown locks.

"Is that what you want?" Tooru asked softly.

Due to the public nature of their jobs, privacy was something both young men highly valued. However, that didn't mean Tooru didn't want to post pictures with his boyfriend, talk about him in interviews, and brag about how well he was doing in their healthy and secure relationship. In front of cameras, the guy always appeared confident and completely indifferent to public comments, but in reality, the brunet was just scared. He didn't want his boyfriend's hard-built career to be affected by confirming a relationship.

Hajime, on the other hand, seemed to realize how absorbed his boyfriend was in his thoughts. With a kiss on the forehead, the green-eyed man tried to reassure the brunet.

"Hey, everything's fine," he promised him. "I love you, and I'm sure they will too. Everybody does."

Tooru nodded slowly and sighed before speaking.

"I like the idea," he confessed. "Whenever you say."

Hajime nodded before kissing his boyfriend softly on the lips.

"We can take it slowly," Hajime offered.

Tooru seemed happy with the idea, completely relaxing in the safety Hajime's arms provided, and together, they continued watching the movie.

2

Being one of the most popular streamers in a country comes with many benefits—fame, people cheering in the stream chat, unwavering support from devoted fans, and a good amount of money. However, it also has its downsides, like the long nocturnal hours in front of the screen that are sometimes necessary to keep viewers satisfied and content. 

Hajime had been live for about 6 hours and a half, playing a game with a rather lengthy story. His followers seemed too intrigued by the plot to let him pause and continue the next day. Deciding to indulge them, he decided to continue. After all, he had nothing important scheduled for the next morning.

Even though he had no intention of leaving the game unfinished, Hajime chose to take a short break to clear his mind.

"Give me a minute," he told his thousands of viewers as he reached for his phone, realizing it was quite late. Before secluding himself in that room, Hajime had told Tooru not to stay up waiting for him. However, Tooru, being the cute stubborn boy he was, simply wrapped his arms around his partner's neck, gave him a kiss, and assured him he would gladly wait for him.

"I'm not tired, Iwa-chan," he had insisted. "I have things to do anyway. I'll watch your stream while I work, so I'll be entertained."

With no further discussion, Hajime kissed the brunet again before heading to his studio.

Hours later, Hajime was still in that room trying to finish the damn game. At that moment, the young man noticed the messages Tooru had sent him a few minutes ago.

Tooru:  

R u tired, Iwa-chan? 

(っ◞‸◟ c)

Hajime smiled at the messages before offering a simple affirmative response.

Meanwhile, people in the chat sent different emojis or short messages while the streamer was distracted. Clearly, his viewers weren't naive, and they could see the heart eyes the streamer had while looking at his phone screen.

"Sorry, guys," he said after putting his phone aside. "Got a bit distracted. Are you enjoying the game?"

Instead of answering that question, people seemed more interested in the reason behind the streamer's happiness. Rather than getting annoyed, Hajime seemed to be having a good time, reading his viewers' questions without providing any answers.

"Since when are you so interested in my personal life?" he ended up asking with laughter. The green-eyed man took off his headphones momentarily to stretch his back. "What if I'm just talking to my mom? That's not so interesting, right?"

However, many in the chat could perfectly tell he wasn't talking to his mom, which made the young man laugh.

Some minutes passed during which Hajime just talked about the game or anything else except the things that seemed to interest people. Clearly, Hajime could understand their behavior since it was the first time he allowed himself to act so carefree in front of the camera.

Hajime and Tooru had been together since before his streaming career began. Since then, their interactions while Hajime was in front of the cameras were almost nonexistent. Hajime avoided smiling or responding to Tooru's messages during a live stream for fear that his uncontrollable love for the brunet might reveal their until-then-secret relationship. During those times when Tooru entered the room to leave him a snack, the brunet was always extra careful not to make any noise that could be picked up by the microphone, while Hajime tried not to react to his presence.

Hajime wasn't quite sure what had happened in the last few days for him to now feel the desire to show himself in a happy relationship, but the desire was there. So, Hajime thought it might not be a bad idea to show the world how happy his partner made him.

As if Tooru could read his thoughts and desires, the brunet sneaked into the room with a tray in his hands. Hajime noticed the cup of coffee and a small plate of homemade cookies that the young man had probably prepared that day. Hajime smiled at the thought of Tooru entertaining himself by trying out the recipes Tendou shared on his YouTube channel.

"Hey..." the green-eyed man said before stopping himself. Tooru seemed surprised by it, making Hajime’s smile grow. "Is that for me?"

Tooru didn't seem very sure of what to do but decided to follow the signals the streamer was giving him and approached cautiously.

From the viewers' perspective, Hajime seemed to be signaling someone behind the scenes to come closer to him. In a matter of seconds, a person's arms could be captured by the camera as they placed a tray right in front of the streamer. Hajime looked up and lovingly smiled at the mysterious person, causing even more commotion among the viewers.

Meanwhile, off-camera, Tooru felt his face burning, as it was the first time he was somewhat "in front of the public." The brunet subconsciously placed a hand on his partner's shoulder, a hand that was affectionately squeezed by the green-eyed man seconds later.

Tooru bit his lip to prevent his voice from coming out, since he wasn't quite ready for the cunning people of the internet to discover his identity.

"Thanks," Hajime said softly, making the brunet's knees buckle.

Still, Tooru didn't say anything, just gave another light squeeze on his partner's shoulder before silently leaving the room.

Hajime watched him leave, still with a silly smile on his face. After a few seconds, Hajime brought the light blue cup to his lips to taste the coffee Tooru had prepared for him. Black, just the way he liked it, and he immediately felt noticeably less tired.

"Okay, where were we?" he asked as he adjusted his headphones again. "Makki says there's not much left, so I think we can finish the game in an hour."

"Who was that?????"

"Iwaizumiiiii"

"I need answerzzzz"

"WHO'S THAT"

Those types of messages repeated over and over again in Hajime's chat, making the young streamer snicker.

"What's up, guys?" he teased his viewers. "Want to see my cookies?"

Hajime, knowing perfectly well that acting that way was practically confirming people's suspicions, decided to lift one of the cookies and show it to the camera.

"Look, they look like little kittens," he commented, referring to the shape of the cookies. "And they taste really good."

The young man took a few moments to enjoy his food before grabbing his controller again to continue playing.

After a long live session, Hajime managed to finish the game with his viewers. A couple of farewell words were dedicated to his audience before ending another successful day. Hajime rubbed his tired eyes and got ready for bed.

After washing the cup and plate he used, he headed to their shared bedroom, where the brunet awaited him as promised. Tooru was covered by a large blanket as his eyes scrolled through his phone screen. The device's light allowed Hajime to see his partner's big eyes, those brown eyes that had long become the center of his universe.

"Hajime."

His voice was incredibly soft, a clear sign of his fatigue after a long day of work. Tooru wasn't in a very different situation from Hajime, as his own career was very successful as well. A sought-after model by various brands, from clothing to makeup. Still, this man decided to wait for him.

"Why are you still awake?" Hajime asked as he changed into his sleepwear.

Tooru simply smiled and snuggled even more into the soft light blue sheets.

"I missed you, Hajime," he complained. "Is it a crime that I want to wait for my boyfriend after a long day of work?"

Hajime rolled his eyes but still hurried to get ready for sleep. Tooru shifted to make room for the other, and Hajime settled into bed, hugging the brunet close to him.

A comfortable silence enveloped them, letting all the tiredness of the day fall upon the green-eyed young man. However, that peace was short-lived, as his incredibly inopportune boyfriend and his sing-song voice woke him from his partial slumber.

"Iwa-chan," he complained as he weakly hit the older man's chest. "How dare you force me to appear in front of the camera without warning?"

Hajime smiled and placed a hand on the other's soft hair.

"I don't recall you putting up any resistance," he teased. "You love the cameras, after all."

Hajime didn't need to look at his boyfriend to know he was pouting, as he often did. 

"I could've changed my clothes," he continued with his complaints. "Now all your little fans are sharing and spreading today's clip."

That caught Hajime's attention, prompting him to check his social media for the first time that day.

Just as the brunet had said, his followers couldn't stop talking about the mysterious boy who had appeared out of nowhere in the live stream of one of the country's most famous streamers. Everyone seemed convinced that the guy was Hajime's partner (and they were not wrong), and they were very interested in discovering his identity.

That rubbed Hajime the wrong way. 

"Was there any problem?" he asked firmly. "Did they recognize you, sweetheart?"

Tooru shook his head before letting out a sigh.

"Not yet," he assured. "I don't remember wearing this sweater in public, so I don't think there'll be problems. So let’s just sleep, babe."

3

People can be quite insistent, Hajime discovered a few weeks after that first time Tooru appeared on his stream.

That night, his name trended on various social media platforms; the short clip featuring his partner's hands was uploaded and reshared numerous times.

Fortunately, no one seemed to have uncovered the identity of his boyfriend. Besides, the young model had no distinctive moles, marks, or scars on his perfect hands that could give him away to the hungry eyes of the public. In Hajime's humble opinion, unless someone was a fanatic of Tooru's work for watch or ring brands, no one could identify his boyfriend solely from a short video showing his hands.

This gave the young streamer a certain peace of mind. By keeping the public in a constant state of uncertainty, trying to figure out who the mysterious young man that had managed to steal the heart of the serious streamer was, Hajime had time to analyze the atmosphere and see how his fans reacted to the idea of him being in a stable and serious relationship.

So far, most people were quite happy for him, and that made him thankful for having built a healthy fan community.

"That was an excellent game," the young man commented once the referee blew the whistle. That night, the streamer and his fans were watching a broadcast of an important volleyball match. "If the other team doesn't come up with a different strategy soon, I think they might lose the next game as well. What do you guys think?"

The green-eyed man took a few minutes to read and respond to some predictions made by his followers. Being an experienced player allowed him to make quite accurate assessments, and that kind of content seemed to delight his subscribers.

"The setters did a pretty good job, I must admit, but I think there needs to be more communication with the spikers. On both teams. I think the coaches should work on that with their players for the upcoming games."

Hajime spoke seriously as he reached for his phone. According to the messages sent by Tooru, his boyfriend was already home and eager to try a completely new recipe he saw on Tendou's channel. As had become a habit since they decided to make their relationship public, Hajime smiled at his phone and began drafting a short and concise reply.

Moments later, when the young man looked back at his vertical screen showing the subscriber chat, he wasn't surprised at all to see that his boyfriend was again a topic of interest among his fans.

"Iwa, please tell us his name :(((((("

"We want to see him more often."

"Bring him to the stream!!!!!"

He smiled reading those messages and stretched his arms. That night, he had decided to wear a simple white tank top that showcased his toned arms. His fans had mentioned several times that they appreciated the moments in which his muscles were visible on camera, and since Hajime was a good content creator (and also aware that Tooru was watching his stream downstairs), he chose to show off his arms and please his audience.

"Guys, I was talking about a volleyball game, what does all that you're saying have to do with volleyball?" he scolded. If he had to be honest with himself, Hajime really enjoyed teasing his subscribers about the topic.

His attention was caught by a donation accompanied by a message.

"Iwaizumi, for God's sake, we know you have a boyfriend, PLEASE SHOW HIM ALREADY."

Uponhearing the message read aloud, the guy laughed heartily.

"So, you think  I have a boyfriend?" he said with a sideways smile revealing his perfect teeth. "Mmm, maybe yes, maybe no. Who knows?"

And before he could say anything else or read any other messages, the door to his studio opened carefully, allowing Tooru, who looked quite tired, to enter. This made Hajime momentarily forget about his stream, focusing all his attention on the brunet.

His fans, now more attentive than ever, noticed how the streamer's eyebrows furrowed in concern and how his relaxed posture tensed for a few seconds.

To prevent Hajime from saying or doing something he might regret later, Tooru hurriedly flashed one of his reassuring smiles and gestured with one of his hands to indicate that everything was okay.

Hajime relaxed slightly and let Tooru approach silently as he always did, but this time, he seemed embarrassed about something. Hajime raised an eyebrow at his beloved's expression.

Without saying a word, Tooru offered him a glass jar in which he kept cocoa powder and made a small gesture to make Hajime understand what he needed.

For his part, the streamer let out a chuckle, understanding his partner's message.

"Oh, do you need help with that?" he asked his boyfriend without bothering to mute his microphone. The situation was worth watching. 

Tooru rolled his eyes and thrusted the jar in his hands. 

Hajime smiled affectionately and opened the jar for him, which, in Tooru's defense, was closed very tightly.

"Sorry, guys," the streamer commented once the open jar was back in his boyfriend's hands. "This little interruption was necessary because sometimes I close the jars too tight because someone doesn't do it right and causes disasters."

Tooru had the urge to defend himself, but the camera's red light reminded him that it wasn't time to present himself to the public yet, so he simply pushed one of the streamer's hands in protest.

But Hajime felt quite brave that night, so before Tooru could move out of his reach, he took one of his hands and brought it to his lips, leaving a delicate kiss on his knuckles.

Tooru had to make a great effort not to collapse onto his boyfriend’s arms at that moment and just smiled at him, trying to hide his flustered face. 

"I love you," was what Hajime managed to read on Tooru's lips, from which not a sound came out yet.

Finally, Hajime let him go and, as always, watched him until his figure left the room.

Meanwhile, the chat understandably went completely crazy. All the comments were about how cute it was that the mysterious boyfriend came seeking help, and how Hajime offered it without hesitation, about the delicate way he kissed the other's hand, and how the love he felt for his partner was totally evident even through the lenses of a camera. 

Hajime paid attention to the chat again after snapping out of his daydream and smiled again at the commotion his fans were causing.

"Well, I think that's all the confirmation you needed, right?" he said while still smiling like a complete fool in love.

That night, Hajime trended again on social media.

3 ½ 

When Hajime stepped out of his studio and went down the stairs, the first thing that caught his attention was that Tooru wasn't cooking or already in their shared room getting ready for bed. Instead, the brown-haired guy was in front of the television, watching a movie while massaging his left wrist. This caught the streamer's eye, who became even more concerned when he noticed the way his boyfriend moved the joint, as if testing the motion and checking if it caused him any pain.

"What happened?" he asked seriously. The older man's voice immediately caught the brunet's attention, who smiled upon seeing him finally out of the studio.

"Hajime!" he greeted him. "I didn't hear you come."

Hajime chose to ignore him for the moment.

"What's wrong with your hand, love?" he asked, then took the other's hand to inspect the joint for himself. "Are you hurt?"

"Oh, it was just a wrong move," he explained calmly. "It happened during today's photoshoot; I think the poses were difficult, and I was a bit distracted. I slipped and my wrist moved funny."

The streamer furrowed his brow even more upon hearing those words.

"Why didn't you tell me anything?" he protested. "I would have taken you to the hospital instead of starting the stream."

Tooru simply smiled and moved his wrist away from his partner's analytical eyes. Instead, the brunet cuddled even more on the couch and rested his head on the other's chest. Hajime wasn't entirely pleased with it, but he made no effort to pull away from the other's embrace. With Tooru's arms around his waist, Hajime simply wrapped him in his arms, taking advantage of the position to play with the strands of his hair.

"I know what you're doing," Hajime murmured as he felt the other starting to kiss his jaw.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Tooru simply responded.

"You're trying to distract me so I won't be mad at you for not telling me about your wrist."

"Hajime," Tooru said, then left that embrace and looked straight into the other's eyes. "You worry too much; I'm fine, really. The nurse on the set checked my arm and assured me there was nothing to worry about."

"Still, I could have gone with you to make sure you were okay," argued the other, not breaking eye contact with those brown eyes he liked so much.

"Sure, and risk someone taking a photo of us and it going viral on the internet," reasoned the taller one.

Hajime protested and once again wrapped his arms around his boyfriend to bring him closer. Tooru didn't resist, knowing he was right this time.

"I hate this," Hajime murmured. "I wish I could be there for you when you need me."

"It's just a little wrist pain, Hajime."

"But what if it was not just that?" the other protested again. "I want and need to be with you. If you think about it for a moment, we can never go on nice dates or attend each other's events. And if something worse happened to you, God forbid, I don't want to have to stay home because of fear of how people might react."

Tooru smiled and then kissed Hajime's forehead, attempting to calm the train of thoughts tormenting his beloved's mind.

"That's why we're in the process of making our relationship public, darling," the brunet replied. "Everything will be fine as long as it's you and me against the world."

Hajime simply chose to tighten his grip on the other even more.

"Besides," he continued in his characteristic sing-song voice, "Hajime takes such very good care of me. Today you helped me open that jar when I couldn't because of my sore wrist. Seriously, I don't understand why you have to close the jars so tight, you big and muscled Hajime."

At the comment, Hajime let out a little laugh and noticed the cup of hot chocolate resting on the table. The couple then remained in comfortable silence. Tooru continued to draw small circles on his partner's arm while the other endlessly played with Tooru's brown curls.

After a few moments, Hajime took a breath to break the silence.

"Are you really okay?"

"Of course, silly," the other assured him. "You'll see that by tomorrow, I'll be good as new."

The streamer didn't say anything more, and without uttering a word, the young man stood up and offered a hand to his boyfriend, indicating that he was more than ready to go to bed. Tooru, on his part, accepted that hand and chuckled when Hajime, as was his custom, planted a small kiss on his knuckles.

4

Days later, the routine of the young streamer continued as usual. Playing games with friends or solo, reacting to various videos or volleyball matches, chatting with the audience. The usual.

However, on that particular day, Hajime was somewhat restless. The afternoon went by without any issues, but a couple of hours earlier, he received a message from his partner, who, theoretically, should be home early that day.

Tooru:

Hajime, something came up at work, so I'll be home late.

That was it. Tooru hadn't provided any explanation for the reason behind his delay or about the nature of the problem that had arisen at work.

Tooru was a true professional at his job. He was an efficient and organized man, handsome, and, in Hajime's very objective opinion, all cameras were in love with him. For that reason, Hajime began thinking about all possible sources of trouble and how strange it was that his boyfriend offered no explanation. Hajime had sent a message earlier asking if he was okay, but Tooru hadn't even read the message.

For this reason, the streamer's chat couldn't help but comment on how tense he seemed. His brow was furrowed, and he wasn't laughing at things he would normally find funny.

What if it's just a problem with the photographers? No, Tooru would have said something about it; he always complains when the photographers don't do their job properly. What if he got hurt and doesn't want to tell me because he doesn't want to worry me? No, of course not; he knows better than to lie to me about his well-being. Oh, God. What if his superiors somehow found out that he's dating me and that we're trying to make our relationship public? What if they disagree and think it could harm Tooru's public image? What if all this jeopardizes everything Tooru has worked so hard for?

Hajime had to pause the game he was playing for a moment to stop that train of thoughts. Deep down, he knew there had to be a logical explanation behind all this, and Tooru that was fine. He was just being dramatic, and if his boyfriend were there, he would tell him to stop getting carried away by all his negative thoughts.

"Sorry, guys, give me a few minutes," he told the thousands of people watching the livestream. "I'm going to get something to drink, won't take long."

The young streamer took off his headphones and stood up from his chair. He walked to a small refrigerator in his studio where he could keep various drinks and avoid leaving the room in the middle of a broadcast.

Hajime chose an energy drink and took the opportunity to check his message.

Still no response from Tooru. Hajime sighed, a bit frustrated, and decided to send another message.

Hajime:

Sweetheart, everything okay?

The streamer returned to his chair and sat in front of the camera again.

"I'm back," he said simply. "I'm sorry if I'm a bit distracted tonight; I have a bit of a headache."

That excuse wasn't entirely a lie, as, after being friends since they were babies, this wasn't the first headache the brunet had caused him.

His subscribers seemed satisfied with the explanation, and words of encouragement quickly flooded in. Some advised him to end the stream for the day, while others suggested taking some pain medicine and relaxing.

Hajime tried to chat with them and respond to as many messages as possible, but what caught his attention was his phone vibrating like crazy on the table.

He hurried to grab the device, hoping the reason behind all those notifications was Tooru saying everything was fine and that he was on his way home.

Apparently, it was his lucky day.

Tooru:

Hajime! I'm sorry for not replying earlier, but we were busy and it was very important!!! (ㅠ﹏ㅠ)

Everything is fine, I promise.

By the way, I'm already home, and I have a little surprise ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

Are you still live? I don't want to interrupt 

Hajime let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, clearly relieved now that he knew Tooru was safe and at home. That's how, instead of continuing with his game, the young man chose to reply to Tooru right away.

Hajime:

I'm still live, but it doesn't matter. I want to see you.

After that, Hajime didn't wait for a response and simply smiled as he normally did when it came to his partner.

"I think we'll continue with the game tomorrow or another day, guys," he explained to his subscribers as he stretched his tired body. "In case you wanted to know, I was distracted because my boyfriend hadn't come home yet, and I was worried. But he just told me he's here and safe."

Naturally, his viewers went wild since they weren't used to Hajime speaking so openly about his partner.

"When are we going to see him???"

"Iwaizumi, please show him!!"

"OMG, are we going to meet him???"

As usual, the young man chose to ignore the questions his subscribers were asking about Tooru and simply thought about whether the brunet would be willing to appear on camera or not. Hajime assumed Tooru would prefer to discuss the details privately before revealing himself to his thousands of viewers, so Hajime chose to sit up straighter and look seriously at the camera, as if he were talking directly to each of his subscribers.

"He told me he has a surprise, so I invited him up," he vaguely explained. "Also, I really want to see him, but I don't think he wants to introduce himself to all of you just yet. I have to talk to him first."

Apparently, the people in the chat took the streamer's words as a confirmation that, indeed, someday they would get to know Hajime's famous secret boyfriend.

"I want you not to pressure him, okay?" he asked seriously. "If he wants to appear on camera, it's his decision, and I want you to respect his privacy."

His subscribers seemed to understand and accept that, so Hajime started talking about different things while waiting for his partner, who surely would want a few minutes to change.

Hajime was in the middle of a chat with the audience about the video game he had played earlier when the door to his studio opened delicately. The streamer's full attention turned to the brown-haired person who silently entered the room. Tooru was no longer wearing the elegant clothes he usually wore for a photoshoot or recording. Instead, he wore a black hoodie that clearly belonged to Hajime, if the logo of his channel printed on the chest was any indication.

"Hey," he greeted him with a gentle smile.

Tooru simply smiled and approached him carefully with both hands behind his back.

By just his body language, Hajime understood that Tooru wasn't willing to appear on camera, at least not at that moment. However,he sensed that Tooru was hiding something, so he raised an eyebrow with curiosity, momentarily forgetting about the audience watching him.

"What do you have there, sweetheart?" he asked with a smirk. 

Behind the cameras, Hajime could appreciate the excitement and pure happiness on Tooru's face, who seemed entirely eager to reveal his surprise.

"Is this the surprise you told me about?" he wanted to know and smiled when Tooru nodded enthusiastically. "Interesting. Is it okay if I show your surprise to everyone?"

Hajime's subscribers had gone crazy in the channel chat, with most of them being more anxious than Hajime himself to see what the surprise was and to see the mysterious guy. Tooru, on his part, nodded again animatedly and proceeded to reveal what he had hidden behind himself.

In front of the camera, Hajime's face changed completely to reflect the surprise he was feeling at that moment.

Seeing that his boyfriend showed no other reaction, Tooru rolled his eyes and brought the little white kitten he held in his hands closer to him.

Hajime accepted the little feline and held it against his chest while looking in amazement at his partner and then at the camera, which was still focused on him.

"Oh God, it's a kitten," he practically whispered so as not to disturb the kitten. "He's so cute, baby."

Tooru, clearly making his best effort not to speak and reveal his identity, chose to place his hand on the other's shoulder and give him a little shake to encourage him to speak.

That's how Hajime decided to lift the small cat and bring it a bit closer to the camera so that his followers could observe the little animal more closely.

"Well, it's not what I expected," Hajime finally said, "but I definitely liked this surprise. Does he have a name?"

The streamer's eyes focused again on Tooru while allowing the kitten to curiously sniff the microphone. His viewers started sending lots of messages upon hearing the light purring sounds coming out of the kitten. 

Tooru seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, but then Hajime saw him pull the hood of his hoodie on to hide his hair and face so that he could approach Hajime and whisper the name of the new family member in his ear.

Hajime smiled at the other's proximity and how the chat once again became extremely lively. After all, they had Hajime's mysterious boyfriend in front of them, even though he wasn't fully revealing himself yet.

Once Tooru stepped back, Hajime lifted the kitten again towards the camera and dedicated one of his charming smiles to his subscribers.

"His name is Snowball," he commented happily. "My boyfriend chose the name. Quite original, don't you think?"

Hajime laughed when Tooru lightly hit one of his shoulders. After a few more moments talking about Snowball with his subscribers, Hajime chose to return the kitten to Tooru so that he could rest after a long day. Later, they would have time to talk about how Tooru ended up adopting such an adorable animal.

However, before Tooru could move too far away, Hajime grabbed the laces of his hoodie and pulled him towards him to give him a kiss on the lips.

From the point of view of his viewers, that image was worth remembering because they had never had the chance to see the normally reserved streamer being affectionate with someone so openly. Yeah, the guy's face was still hidden by the garment he wore, but it was still a historic moment, in their opinion.

"Go rest, I'll be there in an hour," he informed him before letting him go.

Tooru hugged Snowball even more to hide the blush on his cheeks and left the studio silently.

"I definitely didn't expect a surprise like that, but I must admit I'm happy," he commented casually.

"HE KISSED HIM LIVE???!?"

"The kitten is so cute, and your boyfriend too!!!"

"WE NEED TO MEET HIM."

The messages from his subscribers followed one after another, all about their new pet or demanding that Hajime formally introduce his boyfriend.

Hajime laughed and considered it for a moment.

"Do you really want to meet him?" he decided to tease his followers. The streamer laughed again at the huge number of positive responses from the people. "Okay, I'll talk to him, and one of these days, I'll introduce him officially."

His viewers seemed immensely happy with the news, and at that very moment, the clip in which Hajime kissed his partner live began to spread on various social media.

"But..." he spoke again, this time a bit more seriously. "You must know that he is the most important person to me. You must treat him very well, as he deserves. Understand?"

Once Hajime agreed with the number of messages promising to treat Tooru correctly, he continued with his plans for the rest of the night.

4 ½ 

After finishing his livestream, Hajime headed straight to their shared room with the intention of taking a shower and going to sleep with his boyfriend. However, upon entering the room, he found said boyfriend sitting on the floor playing with their new pet.

"Hajime!" he greeted cheerfully. "How was the rest of the livestream?"

"Fine," he simply replied. "But now, can you tell me how we ended up with a kitten at home?"

Tooru smiled gently before redirecting his gaze to the little animal playing with a small cat toy that Hajime assumed the brunet had bought before coming home.

"Sorry for not explaining what happened, Iwa-chan," he said with an incredibly soft voice. "When we finished the photoshoot for the day, we found a box with some kittens near the building. Someone abandoned them."

Hajime chose to sit next to his boyfriend on the floor to continue listening to the story.

"We couldn't just leave them there, so with some members of my team, we took them to a vet to make sure they were in good health. Fortunately, they were, and after learning about how to proceed with their vaccines and care, we decided to find them homes."

Hajime smiled as he heard the little kitten meow softly, begging for his attention. 

"My stylist and the photographer decided to adopt two of them, and finding homes for the rest wasn't difficult. They are adorable. So, I decided to adopt one too. I hope you don't mind, Hajime. I know we talked about adopting a pet, but we didn't discuss the details, and all of this was very sudden, and I..."

Tooru was silenced with a kiss on the lips. The model stayed still for a few seconds before reciprocating the kiss and leaning even closer to his boyfriend, who brought one of his hands to his cheek to caress his cheekbones. They separated gently after a few seconds, and Hajime smiled lovingly at Tooru.

"I'm not upset, actually," he said as he watched the little kitten settle on his lap to sleep. "I think it was a good idea, sweetheart."

Tooru smiled cheerfully and kissed his partner chastely.

"Thank you, Hajime," he said with a smile. "I've already bought everything we needed to take care of him. Isn't he adorable? Now, I think we should decide when we're going to make our relationship officially public because now that I showed Snowball in your livestream, I can't post pictures of him on my social media. Your fans will realize that I'm your boyfriend!"

Hajime smiled and stood up from the floor, being careful with the kitten on his hand, and then offered a hand to the brunet, who accepted it gladly.

"I agree, we have to talk about that," he said with a soft voice and a hand on the other's chin. "My followers are dying to meet you, and I'm dying to kiss you in front of everyone."

5

As Hajime anticipated, he and his secret boyfriend trended on various social media platforms for several consecutive days. The young man found it quite amusing to see different threads on social media or videos on various platforms discussing the topic and creating the most outrageous theories.

Some were simple and plausible, like his boyfriend being someone close to him with a quiet life not wanting to expose himself to the public scrutiny. Others were as absurd as Hajime actually dating a member of the country's elite or even royalty, and that's why his identity had to be protected at all costs. Hajime laughed for a good while after reading that post.

"Well, I don't know what you're laughing at because I am like a king, indeed! I should be treated as such," complained Tooru when he learned about that particular theory. "Your fans really come up with some crazy stuff, Iwa-chan."

In general, Hajime was quite content with how the public was handling their romantic relationship, as most of his fans seemed to support them and were genuinely happy and excited to get to know Tooru.

Several days passed during which the couple discussed the best date to introduce the brunet to the fans. But soon they realized that choosing a date was quite challenging, given the model's busy schedule. With Tooru's career soaring, he was being called by all sorts of brands and fashion campaigns. Hajime saw his boyfriend's face everywhere lately, and it filled him with an incredible sense of pride.

Finally, after a fashion campaign that took a considerable amount of time to finish, Tooru enjoyed relatively quieter days. It was Tooru himself who, one evening while they were lying on their bed, brought up the topic for discussion once again.

"I think I'm ready for you to introduce me to your fans, Iwa-chan," his voice sounded somewhat shy, but there was definitely no trace of fear or insecurity in it. 

Hajime tensed for a moment. Then, the young man relaxed again so as not to unsettle his partner and continued caressing his soft chestnut hair.

"Are you sure, Tooru?" he asked because, obviously, he had to ask and give the other a chance to reconsider and think things all over again.

For his part, Tooru smiled and embraced his partner's torso even more tightly. Hajime could pretend to be relaxed, but Tooru could hear the beating of his heart with his head nestled on the older one's chest.

"Yes," he said, lifting his gaze slightly so that Hajime could see the sincerity in his eyes. "I'm a bit nervous, I won't lie... but I thought about what you said weeks ago, and you're right. I want to live our relationship as normally as possible. I want to be able to bring you cookies to your studio while you're live without having to be cautious about revealing my identity; I want you to come to the set occasionally to see how incredibly cute I look when I'm modeling; I want us to go on dates around the city without worrying about what people will say. I want both of us to be there for each other freely, regardless of the circumstances."

Hajime was a little taken aback by his words and was left speechless for a moment, so he just gazed into the coffee-colored eyes that had enchanted him when he didn't even understand the concept of being in love. The young man understood at that moment he had been suppressing himself for many years and realized how much he wanted to show off the person he had beside him. This beautiful model was not only charming and charismatic but also the person who cared the most about Hajime. That guy who wasn't afraid to try new things or take risks, the one Hajime could trust blindly for absolutely everything. The love of his life.

"Hajime?" he called after not getting any response. "Darling, you have to tell me what you're thinking…"

Hajime interrupted him with a deep but delicate kiss, as if he wanted to express all the love he felt for him in that kiss. Tooru relaxed immediately and reciprocated the kiss with equal enthusiasm. Hajime could feel Tooru's hands moving up to his cheeks, as if Tooru were holding something precious. What an irony, Hajime thought, because the one who feels like he's holding something precious in his arms is me .

After a few minutes, Tooru ended the kiss, leaving small kisses all over Hajime's face. His cheeks, forehead, nose.

"Can I assume you're okay with this, then?" he asked cautiously, but the smile adorning his face was more than enough to reveal his happiness.

"You are definitely all I need, Oikawa Tooru."

Hajime wasn't aware of how he pronounced those words, with so much adoration and sincerity that it took the brunet’s breath away.

"I love you, Hajime."

After that decisive night, the young men only had to discuss details. How they would do it, what they would do and say, when they would do it. Hajime noticed that Tooru was still a bit nervous, but he was willing to move forward with their plans.

Hajime decided not to make a big scandal out of the situation and handle it as normally as possible. He wanted to introduce his boyfriend to his fans and wanted everything to be as natural as possible, without expectations or anticipation, nothing that could stress Tooru.

The livestream that day started as usual. Hajime smiled at the camera, greeted his viewers, and chatted with them for a while. His subscribers seemed calm, asking the same questions and making similar comments as they always did.

"What are we doing today??"

"You look good today, Iwaizumi."

"Are you going to play or react to something?"

That normalcy helped Hajime calm his heartbeat. The streamer took the water bottle next to him and took a sip, forcing himself to relax because, as he had told Tooru, there was nothing to worry about.

"I'm glad to be with you another night," Hajime said with a half-smile, looking at the screen where the subscriber chat was. "I was thinking about reacting to videos you sent during these months. It's been a while since we did that, what do you think?"

His viewers seemed to agree, so Hajime decided to start the stream completely normally.

Time passed, and fortunately, Hajime could feel himself relaxing more and more, as if he weren't about to do the riskiest thing he'd done since the start of his career.

Occasional comments and questions about his private life appeared in the chat from time to time. Most just wanted to know how his boyfriend was doing and if their relationship was going well.

For now, Hajime just smiled and ignored those questions for the moment, focusing on the videos his subscribers shared.

After a good two hours of smoothly flowing live content, Hajime excused himself for a moment to stretch his back and arms and take a sip of water.

"I should react to your videos more often," he lamented when he saw that he still had many left to watch. "It's been almost two hours, and we're not even halfway through."

Hajime sat up straighter and adjusted his headphones.

"God, I'm hungry," he complained as he checked his phone. "I should have brought something to eat. Now I don't feel like going downstairs."

Hajime and Tooru only agreed that Hajime would start the livestream normally and that later in the evening, Tooru would make his entrance when he was ready. However, when the studio door opened, and Hajime saw his boyfriend with a tray of food, Hajime couldn't help but think that they worked so well together that they coordinated without needing a word.

Or maybe Tooru had been waiting for a moment like this to make it seem like his arrival was convenient.

Regardless, and as usual, Hajime's bright smile betrayed the presence of his special person in the room.

"You are certainly convenient, sweetheart," he said in a soft voice. "I was just saying that I was hungry and craving the cookies you make for me."

Tooru, who was still out of the camera's reach, just chuckled. That was the first time Tooru made any sound while being in that room. His laugh was gentle, almost imperceptible, but apparently loud enough to be picked up by his microphone.

"OMG, IS IT HIM?"

"I want to see him!"

"Iwaizumi, please introduce him!!"

Tooru approached him and left the tray in front of him. Hajime moved his keyboard to make space and couldn't help but smile when he saw that this time there were two cups on the tray instead of one.

Then, Tooru stood there unsure of how to proceed. Hajime smiled while studying him with his gaze.

Tooru was wearing a pale pink sweater and white sweatpants. He hadn't dressed up too much to appear on camera, but his hair was carefully arranged and as beautiful as ever. He wasn't wearing makeup, but the blush on his cheeks and ears was more than enough for Hajime to fall in love with him all over again.

"Wow, you look gorgeous today," he commented as naturally as possible. "Why don't you sit with us for a bit so the chat can see how cute you look today?"

Tooru took a deep breath and watched as Hajime rolled his chair back to make room for him. Making use of all the adrenaline rushing through his veins at that moment, Tooru took a seat on Hajime's lap and automatically smiled once he was in front of the camera.

It wasn't the confident and seductive smile he used when modeling or the charming smile that adorned his face when talking to brand representatives or the one he often offered to his admirers. This was a more timid smile, but Hajime could recognize the excitement in his eyes.

"Welcome, my love," said Hajime before wrapping his arm around Tooru's waist. "My subscribers have been wanting to meet you for a long time now, so I guess this must be a surprise for them. It’s been a long time coming."

And precisely, his viewers went absolutely wild . Messages were flying so fast that Hajime barely had time to read them. He even noticed that the number of viewers in his stream increased significantly within seconds. Apparently, the news spread quickly, making more people want to be part of that special moment.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time, too," Hajime admitted with a smile dedicated to both his audience and the beauty on his lap. "Guys, this is my boyfriend, Oikawa Tooru."

Tooru waited for Hajime to move his microphone slightly so that it was between them before speaking for the first time. 

"Hello, everyone," he said with his typical sing-song voice. "It's a pleasure to be here finally. Thank you for supporting my Iwa-chan so much throughout the years."

Due to his work, people quickly recognized him, and they were done for. All kinds of comments appeared in the chat. Some were happy to finally know who he was, others shouted using capital letters about the model's beauty, and others exclaimed how good they looked together.

"Wow!" exclaimed Tooru as he looked at the vertical screen with the chat. "The messages are passing too fast, Iwa-chan. How do you have time to read them all?"

"Normally, it's not like this," explained Hajime. "I think they're just excited to have you here."

Tooru smiled and continued trying to read the messages in the chat that were intended for him. Hajime allowed himself a few moments to contemplate everything around him. Tooru finally in front of the camera, letting the world finally see his face. In a brief possessive act, Hajime used the arm that was around Tooru to bring him even closer. Finally, Hajime felt that he had the freedom to show the world that this handsome man whose face was adorning shop windows and advertisements on different buildings in Tokyo belonged only to him .

Relax, Hajime, he told himself when Tooru turned to give a smile. Get it together.

"Darling," he called after a moment. Tooru watched as Hajime picked up another pair of wireless headphones (a light blue pair, the model's favorite color) and offered them to him. "Put these on, and you will listen to messages that some subscribers send to be read aloud."

Tooru put on the headphones with a lively smile on his face. Hajime looked at him fondly before speaking. "Well, guys. Here he is in front of you, in case you want to ask him questions or chat with him."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Oikawa-san <3. How long have you two been together?" The voice robotically read the message again.

Tooru's eyes lit up upon hearing the message. He settled more comfortably on his boyfriend’s lap and answered, clearly delighted to have the chance to talk about his relationship in public.

"Oh, Iwa-chan and I have officially been dating for six years," he said confidently. "But I've known him since we were kids, so we could say we've been together since forever."

Hajime relaxed and let Tooru satisfy the curiosity of his followers for a while, making occasional comments when needed and using most of the time to taste and enjoy the cookies Tooru had brought to share.

As he suspected, the cameras were in love with Tooru, whether it was the camera of a photographer, a director, or a streamer. The brunet moved and spoke naturally and with grace, as if he were born to be there, in the spotlight. 

Time passed, and Hajime excused himself to go to the bathroom for a moment, leaving the brunet with the task of entertaining his audience for a while.

"You've been warned, huh," he said before leaving. "I want you to treat him well, just as he deserves."

With that, Tooru stood up and let Hajime leave, then took a seat and looked back at the camera, this time a bit more nervous being alone with his boyfriend's viewers.

"How do you feel now that your relationship is public?" the robotic voice read again.

Tooru took a few moments to think, but before he could say anything, another message was heard.

"Do you think this will affect both of your jobs?"

He hid his hands in the sleeves of his sweater as a defense mechanism and took a deep breath.

"Well, this wasn't an easy decision to make," he began with a small smile. "Iwa-chan and I have been together for many years, and we know how important our jobs are to each other"

The model glanced at the chat for a moment before continuing.

"But that's precisely why we wanted to be openly together," he explained. "Iwa-chan is very considerate and waited for me to be ready to introduce myself to all of you. We didn't want to keep this secret any longer, and I hope you'll please support us and respect our decision. I must admit I was very excited to finally meet you all."

"Hello and welcome, Oikawa-san!! What's Iwaizumi like as a boyfriend?" was another message that reached him.

"Oh, hi!" he responded enthusiastically, then giggled at the question (a giggle that ended up charming more than one viewer). "You see, Iwa-chan is a very good boyfriend. Most of the time, he's just like you see him during livestreams: a bit grumpy, with a short temper, and a permanent angry scowl on his face," Tooru smiled broadly after saying that. "But he's been my best friend since we were kids. He always takes care of me and shows interest in what I do. I'm very lucky, and I don't know what I did to deserve him."

Tooru blushed at admitting that in front of thousands of people but realized he didn't regret it at all. After all, he loved Hajime, and he wanted the world to finally know.

At that moment, Hajime entered the room again with Snowball in his hands. Tooru smiled when he saw them and stood up, taking the kitten from Hajime. The streamer settled back in his chair, letting Tooru do the same on his lap, now with the little cat in his hands.

"Oh, now that everyone knows about us, I can post pictures of Snowball on my social media!" he said with a smile as the cat meowed.

Hajime stroked the brunet's arm and relaxed.

"What did you talk about in my absence?" he wanted to know.

Tooru simply smiled and took advantage of his position on the other's lap to kiss the crown of his head.

"We talked about how grumpy you are when you lose a game," he said with a side smile. "Isn't that right, Iwa-chan's chat?"

People followed along and started sending affirmative messages without stopping.

"You do know I can watch the livestream recording later, don’t you?" Hajime said, raising an eyebrow.

Tooru just shrugged and began to pet their kitten.

"Do it, you'll see I didn't lie."

Hours passed, and Hajime considered it was time to let Tooru rest for the day. Throughout the stream, both reacted to different videos and messages from fans. Apparently, fans of both of them were more than happy with the news and promised to support them in their projects and as a couple, something for which both men were very grateful.

"I think we'll leave it here, guys," Hajime announced, his arms still around the brunet’s waist. "It's getting late, and we have to let this angel rest a bit. He has a tendency not to sleep enough, and someone has to take care of him since apparently, he can't do it himself."

"Oh, come on, Hajime!" Tooru exclaimed while trying to hide his reddened face.

The streamer kissed his boyfriend's shoulder before turning his attention back to the camera and his chat.

"Thank you all for being here with us once again," he said with a smile. "I know this was surprising, but we really wanted to share this news with all of you. Thank you for your support and all your nice messages."

Then, Hajime turned and looked Tooru in the eyes.

"Do you want to say goodbye to the people?"

Tooru nodded and smiled again at the camera.

"As Iwa-chan said, thank you for all your support. I hope you keep showing love to Iwa-chan because he really enjoys his work," then, he put an arm around Hajime's shoulders and continued, "and thank you for welcoming me and accepting me here. I felt comfortable here with you, and I'm glad you respect our relationship."

With nothing else to say, Hajime once again offered his viewers a quick goodbye and turned off his camera, then ending the livestream after a few minutes.

Tooru and Hajime remained silent after that. The brunet did not get up from the other's lap, and Hajime did nothing to make him move.

After a while, Tooru began to giggle like crazy, leaving Hajime quite confused but still with a smile on his face.

"What's so funny?"

The brunet tried to calm down as best as he could before answering.

"Oh, nothing," he said as he rubbed his eye. "It's just that I'm very happy to show the world how good you make me feel. I feel free."

Hajime didn't respond and chose to show his happiness with a deep kiss.

5 ½ 

That night, neither of the two lovers could sleep due to the adrenaline and excitement still coursing through their veins, so they both chose to browse through their social media. 

To be honest with himself, Tooru was still a little worried about how the fans would react to the news. During the live stream, everyone seemed content and happy, but that didn't quite completely calm the brunet.

Fortunately, when he noticed that his name was trending on social media, it was for good reasons. His fans and Hajime's fans dedicated themselves to sharing clips and screenshots from that afternoon's live stream, showing how happy they were for them. Tooru sighed in relief when he saw that they were even making fancams and edits of both of them and posting them on different platforms.

"Are you okay?" Hajime asked, having just seen the same posts.

Tooru simply plugged in his phone and left it charging on his bedside table before snuggling up next to his partner. Hajime decided to put his phone down too and hugged his boyfriend even closer, eliminating any space between them.

"Yes, more than okay," he admitted in a low voice. "I'm happy that they took the news well."

Hajime took advantage of the closeness and kissed the other's forehead.

"I told you they would love you," the streamer responded quietly.

The couple remained silent for a few moments. Snowball took advantage of the stillness and settled on the bed with them to sleep, purring contently. 

"Tooru," Hajime broke the silence after a while. "Do you want to go out with me this weekend? I want to take you to a nice restaurant."

Tooru let out a delicate laugh and closed his eyes, feeling happier than ever.

"I would love that."

Bonus:

Months passed, and Hajime and Tooru were more than happy to have the opportunity to profess their mutual love in a freer way, without having to hide from people and their opinions.

Both of their careers continued to thrive, much to their pleasure. Hajime kept climbing in the rankings and began to be recognized even outside his country. His numbers, views, and followers increased exponentially. Meanwhile, Tooru became increasingly sought after in the industry but always made sure to have free time to spend with his boyfriend and friends.

Hanamaki and Matsukawa, who apart from being streamers were also old friends of the couple, enjoyed teasing Hajime. They sent clips to their shared chat, showcasing the heart-eyed expressions Hajime had during streams whenever Tooru was with him or sent him messages in the middle of a broadcast. Tooru was always happy to see and save those videos. 

Hajime knew very damn well that Tooru had him wrapped around his finger, but he didn't appreciate his friends reminding him of it every day.

Currently, the streamers had taken a few days off from Japan and decided to go on a trip together, including Tooru, of course. 

The beaches in California were beautiful. The sun was intense, but it painted the landscape with a beautiful golden color that gave it a magical appearance. The ocean waves provided a soundtrack that was more than welcome for those accustomed to the noisy Tokyo.

While Tooru was near the water's edge, taking advantage of the golden hour to capture model-worthy photos for his social media, Hajime took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves.

Matsukawa, beside him, prepared the camera and checked that everything was in optimal condition, as technical difficulties were unwelcome on this particular occasion.

"Relax, Iwa," Hanamaki said with a smirk. "You've already introduced your boyfriend to the world; this isn't more difficult than that."

"Makki, obviously, this is much more difficult than that," Hajime replied with a hoarse voice, showing his clear distress.

"Hiro is right," Matsukawa said. "Tooru will obviously say yes; there's no way you'll be rejected at this point, man."

"It's not that!" protested Iwaizumi, frustrated. "I'm not worried about his answer, but..."

Hanamaki and Matsukawa gave him a moment to find the right words.

"I love him," he finally said. "I always have. And I know how much he likes these kinds of things, and I want it to be perfect for him."

"Iwaizumi," the pink-haired guy called him. "He knows just how much you love him. You planned everything and brought him to the beaches of California for the perfect setting. Tooru will be delighted."

Matsukawa nodded slightly and smiled at his companion.

"Tooru would say yes even if you asked him at home, both wearing pajamas and watching movies," he assured him.

Hajime fell silent for a moment before taking a breath and indicating to Matsukawa (who was usually in charge of being the cameraman when the group recorded vlogs together) to turn on the camera.

Hajime had recorded dozens of vlogs for his YouTube channel during his travels, but this one seemed the most important and special of all, since Tooru would be a central part of it.

The streamer was wearing his sunglasses and smiled at the camera naturally, as he would any other time. He greeted the people who would see the video in a few days once Kyotani edited it (and who surprisingly offered to take care of Snowball while his owners were away) and gave a small introduction. Matsukawa and Hanamaki also had the opportunity to greet the camera, of course.

"I must admit that I always felt drawn to California," Hajime continued with his little speech. "There's something about this place that always seemed magical to me. That's why we came here for such a special occasion."

Hanamaki hugged Hajime by the shoulders and messed up his hair a bit.

"Our Hajime has a very important mission today," he said proudly.

"Tell us what it's about, Iwa," Matsukawa's voice was heard in the recording.

Hajime fixed his hair again and smiled shyly at the camera before taking a small blue box from the pocket of his swimsuit. He brought the box to the lens and showed what was inside: a beautiful ring with a delicate turquoise stone in the center.

"I'm going to ask Tooru to marry me."

Meanwhile, the brunet couldn't stop taking hundreds of photos of the surrounding landscape. The sunset was painting the sky with orange, reddish, and pink colors, reflecting in the water and making him feel like he was in a romance movie.

Suddenly, the model felt two strong hands on his hips, slightly surprising him. Nevertheless, Tooru could recognize those hands and the presence behind him anywhere and anytime. Now Tooru truly felt like he was in a romance movie. 

"How timely, Hajime," he said with a smile without turning around, just enjoying the warmth of Hajime’s body. "I was just about to call you."

"Oh, really?"

Tooru nodded.

"I really like this place, and I wanted you to enjoy this scenery with me."

Hajime couldn't agree more. Tooru turned his head to the side to observe Hajime over his shoulder.

"You look very handsome in the sunlight," the brunet commented.

At that moment, Hajime feared for a moment that his heart would burst out of his chest for not being able to contain all the love he felt for the man in front of him.

"And you look gorgeous," he responded effortlessly.

Tooru smiled and looked back at the scene in front of him.

"I love you," Tooru said in a low voice. "Did I ever tell you that?"

Hajime laughed quietly and kissed the brunet’s exposed shoulder. "Only a couple of times."

Tooru laughed at that and remained silent until he could no longer feel Hajime's presence behind him or the hands on his hips. Confused, the brunet turned around and had to lower his gaze to find the other. Tooru brought a hand to his chest when he saw that Hajime went down on one knee in front of him.

"Hajime?"

"You know I'm not very good with words, that I like to show my affection with actions, but today I'll do my best to say what I have to say because you deserve it."

Tooru nodded slightly, still unable to believe what was happening.

"Tooru, you're my best friend, and words are not enough to describe what I feel for you," he continued with his eyes locked on Tooru's. "I want a life with you. I want to make you happy every day for the rest of my life, and I want to share all my achievements with you. I want to be the person who takes care of you and with whom you want to celebrate your own accomplishments. I want to spend my days waking up next to you and telling you how happy you've made me all these years."

By this point, Tooru could feel tears rolling down his cheeks. Hajime took a deep breath to continue.

"What I'm trying to say is that I want a life with you, Tooru. I love you," he said with a smile that made the brunet's knees tremble. "Will you marry me?"

Tooru brought both hands to his chest and gasped when Hajime presented the ring. He felt speechless, so he simply let his tears fall and nodded with excitement.

Hajime sighed with relief and slid the ring onto his boyfriend's (now fiancé's) finger. Hajime stood up, and Tooru threw himself into his arms, sealing that moment with a deep kiss.

When they separated, Tooru gently pressed their foreheads together and whispered.

"I love you too."

Hajime kissed him again, this time with one hand on the small of his back and the other on his cheek to hold him close. 

"I can't believe it," the brunet said when they separated again. "I can't believe you planned everything, and I didn't notice."

"I had some help," he said, shrugging and pointing behind him.

It was then that Tooru could see Mattsun holding a camera and Makki taking pictures with Hajime's phone, both cheering for them. 

"No way!" exclaimed Tooru before waving timidly at the camera.

Hajime planted a kiss on his cheek and wrapped an arm around his fiancé's waist.

"He said yes."