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They’ve been dating for a solid two months by the time S. Valentine’s rolls around.
Atsumu has been practising his chocolatier skills for a week now.
“Chocolates again?” Mom asks, coming around the counter to see his progress as he pumps melted chocolate into star-shaped moulds. “What are the ingredients this time?”
“I added some orange juice in some and strawberry bits in others,” Atsumu confides happily.
“Oh, fruity!” Mom says approvingly.
“Yeah, Momo-kun seems the type to enjoy this type of chocolates.”
Mom hums but gives him a side glance, “Wouldn’t it be best if you just asked him what kind of chocolates he likes best?”
“I will…” Atsumu looks down at his work. “On the day.”
“But son! It will be too late by then!”
“Nope!” Atsumu’s face burns, but he’s still kind of proud of his plan, so his voice still sounds strong as he announces, “I’m going to make all the different types of chocolates the night before and have them ready for Valentine’s. Then, I’m going to ask him which one he prefers best and present him with the appropriate chocolate!”
Mom’s eyes progressively widened as he talked, but then she laughed. “Goodness,” she shakes her head, “You really like this boy, don’t you.”
Atsumu thinks his face might be glowing as he answers, “Yeah! He’s the best!”
“Oh well,” Mom pats him on the back, going to the sink to get a glass of water, “I guess we’ll be having chocolates for dessert again.”
Atsumu rubs the back of his head, sheepish. “Sorry.”
“I’m just glad you turned out to be a better baker than I thought you’d be.”
Atsumu preens at the compliment, “I hope Momo-kun will think so too.”
“Oh, he will,” Mom says. “He better appreciate your hard work, or he’ll be hearing from me,” she adds with a sudden dark look.
Atsumu just laughs, hugging his mom tight and melting in her strong hold. “You don’t have anything to worry about,” he says, quietly smiling. “No one makes me feel as appreciated as Momo-kun does.”
Mom drops a kiss on the top of his head and squeezes him hard, “Good. That’s how it should be.”
-
On the night of the 13th Atsumu is hard at work. Dark, milk and white chocolate are melted in three different bowls. Cut fruit sits on one side, strawberries, oranges, bananas and even pineapple and kiwi. Bottles of different shaped and coloured sprinkles line the counter like soldiers preparing to go to battle, hearts, stars, confetti and edible glitter too.
Once the chocolates are set, he wraps each one in metallic paper he found for a deal two weeks back and puts them in different coloured baggies. Yellow has the fruity chocolates; blue, the simple milk chocolates; red the dark chocolates; green the ones with nuts and pink is a mixed bag of all the different flavours.
By the time he finishes wrapping them all with cute little bows, his back and arms ache, but he’s so happy and excited he can’t stop smiling.
He couldn’t wait to give them to Momo-kun!
-
On Valentine’s Day, Atsumu wakes up late.
He should’ve probably seen it coming, given how late he ended up going to sleep, but he still has a little heart attack when he sees the time.
He’s not late for actual lessons, but he has completely missed the morning practice by the time he gets to school.
He already sent a text to the senpais, apologising and explaining that he ended up sleeping in. Predictably, they just laughed it off and reassured him that it was all right.
Atsumu still feels terrible but looks at his simple brown bag containing his more colourful chocolate packets to make himself feel better.
But then he looks up and sees his boyfriend in the midst of changing his shoes, and that does the trick best.
“Momo-kun!” Atsumu beams, running to him. “Good morning!”
Momo-kun’s smile is soft, subdued, and full of warmth. “Good morning,” he says, blinking and raising an eyebrow. “Wait, you just got to school now?”
“Yeah,” Atsumu blushes, embarrassed. “I slept in.”
Momo-kun frowns, touching his forehead, “That’s very unlike you. Are you coming down with something?”
Atsumu leans into the touch happily, wishing Momo-kun would pet his head like he sometimes does when they’re alone in his room. “No, I just went to bed late.”
“Ah,” Momo-kun’s frown smooths away, thumb rubbing gently over Atsumu’s cheekbone instead. “Stayed up reading manga again?”
This is the moment. Atsumu takes a deep breath, heart beating wildly in his chest, “Actually–”
“Mo-mo-ya-kun~” Yumi-san from 2-B is at the front of a group of girls. All are carrying colourful little bags and packets. Chocolates.
“Oh, shit,” Momo-kun mutters, low and annoyed, dropping his hand but not turning to look at them yet.
Atsumu is the one facing them, so he smiles wobbly at them and leans closer to Momo-kun to whisper, “It’s okay, I don’t mind if you accept their chocolates; they must’ve worked hard on them. Don’t hurt them by refusing them.”
Natsu gives him a put-upon look and turns around with his pleasant smile already in place.
The girls surround him immediately, and Atsumu has a sudden, odd urge to join in and squeal with them, too. He understands the need all too well, after all.
Instead, he goes to wait by the stairs, watching as girl after girl presents his boyfriend with their gifts and the way he accepts them with quiet thanks and nice smiles. Atsumu doesn’t feel a shred of worry or jealousy because he knows what Momo-kun’s real smile looks like, and that’s not it.
They’re not exactly hiding their relationship, but they’re not flaunting it either. Momo-kun is very private, and Atsumu respects that and actually doesn’t mind the quietness of it. They still hold hands when they can, it’s just that no one bats an eye at it, because they often did it even when they weren’t together. With all the times, Momo-kun had to tow him to the infirmary or pull him out of a stray ball’s path or grab him to stop him from falling during a game.
Momo-kun touching him is no news.
As if on cue, Momo-kun looks up at him then and gives him a longing look. Atsumu laughs and holds onto his brown bag, waiting for his turn.
When the crowd of girls finally disperses, Momo-kun walks up to him with the air of someone who has just survived a war. “God, I can’t stand this day.”
Atsumu’s heart does a flip. “Valentine’s?”
“Yeah,” Momo-kun sighs, looking at the bags in his hands with evident distaste. “Can’t stand handmade sweets made by girls.”
Suddenly, the world tilts a little and his palms sweat, his fingers clench around the handle of the bag. “Oh.”
Momo-kun’s hand is on his back, rubbing gently, “Are you okay?”
The morning lessons bell rings and Momo-kun makes an annoyed noise. Atsumu forcefully blinks away the fog in his brain and musters a smile, “Let’s go before we’re late.”
Distracted, Momo-kun agrees. He moves all the bags the girls gave him to one hand and reaches for Atsumu’s with the free one. He smiles, “Let’s go.”
Atsumu lets the touch warm him up again.
It’s fine. It’s not the end of the world.
It’s just chocolate!
And it’s Atsumu’s fault; he should’ve asked instead of planning a silly surprise.
It’s fine.
Everything’s totally fine.
Still, it takes everything in him to hold back the tears.
God, he’s so stupid.
-
At lunch, they join the senpais to eat on the roof.
Kota-senpai is telling a story with wide gestures and funny sounds. Atsumu tries to listen, but his mind keeps going back to the brown bag he left by his desk. He should throw the whole thing, shouldn’t he? He doesn’t want Momo-kun to see it and accept it out of duty or worse… pity.
A hand waves in front of his face. Atsumu focuses on it and then on the arms attached to it until he looks into the most handsome face he’s ever seen. He smiles.
Momo-kun leans in, “Where did you go? You’re miles away today.”
“Sorry,” Atsumu shakes his head and smiles wider. “Did you say something?”
“Yeah,” Momo-kun takes a sip of his water bottle and pins Atsumu with a look. “What’s in the brown bag you brought earlier?”
“Oh! Nothing!” Atsumu’s voice squeaks horribly. “Just a change of clothes… for… gym!”
Momo-kun gives him an unimpressed look, “I thought I told you already. You’re a terrible liar.”
Atsumu hides his face in his hands for a moment. He needs to not look at Momo-kun’s face, he can’t focus otherwise. “Sorry,” he mumbles into them, “Just–” he shrugs, resurfacing with a smile. “Nothing important. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Momo-kun’s forehead wrinkles. If anything, he looks even more worried now. “Atsumu.”
A zing goes up his spine like it always does whenever he hears his given name coming from Momo-kun’s mouth. Atsumu wants to live in it. Roll himself up in the quiet intimacy that his boyfriend carves up just for him by calling him by his name. He’d rather feel this than the stupid hurt over not being able to give him the silly chocolates he’d worked so hard on.
Kota-senpai’s story reaches the twist, and the senpais’ sudden loud laughter startles them both.
Then, it’s time to put the food away and go to practice.
Atsumu meets each of Momo-kun’s searching gazes with a small smile and a shake of his head. But he knows already it’s doing nothing to put his boyfriend’s nerves at ease.
Momoya Natsu is too damn observant.
But it’s alright.
Atsumu will just have to wait until Momo-kun looks away. Then, he’ll throw the chocolates away.
-
“Can I see what’s in the bag?” Momo-kun asks, point blank while they wait for their next teacher.
“No!”
Momo-kun raises both eyebrows. “Well, now, I know it’s for me.”
“What? How?” he shakes his head vehemently, amending, “No, it’s not!”
“Then, let me look,” Momo-kun is smiling slightly now. Curious and amused.
Atsumu is a weak, weak gay, but… he shakes his head again.
“Oh, c’mon,” Momo-kun rests his cheek over his palm as he studies Atsumu’s face. His mouth tugs up in a corner, “Don’t tell me it’s chocolates.”
Something must show in his face. He might’ve flinched or made a face because Momo-kun sits up straight.
“It is?”
Kamoda Sensei comes in then, though, and Momo-kun is forced to turn back around. Atsumu presses a hand over his chest, trying to calm down his heart.
It’s fine, it’s fine. He didn’t actually confirm. He can still throw them before Momo-kun sees them.
Ironically, the opportunity presents itself just when school ends, and they’re about to go to practice. His boyfriend gets stopped by another throng of girls with colourful packets, and Atsumu is able to slip away unnoticed.
He goes all the way to the bin by the shoe lockers and pauses. He can’t help himself from peeking into the bag one last time and smile sadly at weeks of hard work.
Oh, well. He will just have to ask Momo-kun for what he likes best next time and put the same effort in making that. If anything, these chocolates are proof that Atsumu can do anything he puts his mind to if it’s for his boyfriend.
With that in mind, he feels already better, folding the bag so that it would fit into the flap. It’s halfway in when a hand on his arm stops him.
“Why are you throwing them?!” Momo-kun’s face is a study of distress and anger and hurt.
Atsumu bursts into tears. Everything that he’s been trying to bottle up since morning, finally exploding out of him and hitting poor Momo-kun all at once. “I’m sorry! I just got excited, and I wanted to surprise you so badly I threw myself into it all at once like I always do and now everything’s ruined!”
“Atsumu,” Momo-kun’s voice is wobbly as he pulls the bag back out and pushes Atsumu’s face against his chest.
“I didn’t want you to take them out of obligation,” Atsumu hiccups. “That’s why I was throwing them.”
Momo-kun grabs his shoulder and pushes him back so he can glare down at him, “You’re an idiot,” when Atsumu pouts at him, he snaps, “Don’t you make that face at me, you are! You are a little idiot! Why would you think I wouldn’t want your chocolates?! You are my boyfriend, aren’t you?!”
“I am!” Atsumu answers back, almost shouting, but simmers down as he mumbles the rest, “But you said you don’t like handmade sweets…”
“By girls.”
Atsumu looks up, “What?”
“I don’t like handmade sweets by girls, because they taste like trash most of the time! Because they barely know how to bake, and they think they can experiment with flavours and sweetness right from the get-go!” Momo-kun is panting by the end of it.
“Oh,” Atsumu looks down at his bag, “But my chocolates are handmade too.”
“Yours are different!” Momo-kun has never looked so annoyed and emotional.
It’s cute…
“Why?” Atsumu frowns, “Because I’m a boy?”
Momo-kun pinches the bridge of his nose, “No, because you’re my boyfriend and I know you and I trust that you wouldn’t give me anything you wouldn’t be satisfied with. And also, just because I want to eat whatever you make for me because you made it!”
Atsumu’s eyes ache a little as he blinks them wide. “Oh.”
“Get it now?” Momo-kun gripes a little meanly.
“Yes,” Atsumu breaks into a quiet laugh, chest warm and face glowing again. “Want to try them, then?”
Momo-kun practically steals the bag from him and goes to sit in the alcove under the stairs.
Atsumu watches him look into the brown bag with some trepidation. Momo-kun turns to him, eyes wide. “There’s so many packets, did you make them all?”
Atsumu blushes. He nods.
Momo-kun’s face twists in anger again, “And you were going to throw it all out!” he explodes again, throwing a hand inside the bag and pulling the colourful baggies one by one and setting them in front of him. “Are those colour-coded by taste?”
Atsumu nods as he explains the colours and the ingredients in the chocolates.
“How long did it take you to make them?”
“I spent most of last night making all of these, but I’ve been practising since the end of last month.”
The long silence that follows has Atsumu take a peek at his boyfriend’s face, only to find him looking at him with the most heartbroken expression he’s ever seen on him. “I’m a bad boyfriend, aren’t I?”
“What!?” Atsumu scrambles on his knees to grab him, “No! What are you saying?! You’re the best!”
“No, I must be a jerk if you don’t even feel comfortable giving me something you’ve worked so hard on just because I made a stupid comment.” Momo-kun shakes his head, puffing his cheeks obviously trying to hold back tears. “Oh well, I’m going to do better from now on.”
Atsumu presses his face into his shoulder, “You’re the best, I promise, it was just a misunderstanding.”
Momo-kun’s nose brushes against the top of his head. Then, he opens a pack and pops the first chocolate (a gift-shaped milk chocolate with strawberry bits) in his mouth.
Atsumu can’t resist leaning back to look at his reaction.
“It’s good,” Momo-kun says, wonder slipping through. “Very good.”
“Really?”
Momo-kun doesn’t reply, proceeding to taste each different flavour of chocolate. “I like the strawberry and orange ones best, but I like the ones with nuts too.”
Atsumu beams, “I knew you’d like those.”
Momo-kun’s smile is soft as he leans in to kiss Atsumu on the lips. They keep it short; they’re still at school after all, but Atsumu still tastes the sweetness of the chocolate.
“I can’t believe you almost threw all of these out,” Momo-kun starts again, a frown bunching up his forehead.
Atsumu whines, “Okay, okay, I get it!”
“Do you?” Momo-kun gives him a hard stare. “Because I seriously need you to understand this. If you make something I want to eat it. Whether it’s for me or not, but especially if you made it thinking of me.”
“Understood,” Atsumu dips his head seriously before breaking into a wide, happy grin.
“Good,” Momo-kun presses his smile against his until Atsumu’s a giggling mess and all he can taste is strawberries, chocolate and the sincerity of Momoya Natsu’s love.