Work Text:
"Still won't tell me?"
Shoyo pouted behind his mask, persistently tugging at his boyfriend's jacket, trying to get some attention from the seemingly unbothered Tobio.
He saw Tobio roll his eyes at his dramatic antics. Instead of answering, Tobio took Shoyo's hand, which was busy tugging his jacket, and brought it up closer to his face to place a gentle kiss on the back of it.
The small yet sudden gesture from the taller man successfully made Shoyo freeze on the spot, "You...!" Shoyo exclaimed stiffly.
Tobio chuckled when Shoyo glared at him. The raven-head knew exactly how to shut him up and Shoyo always hated it because he always fell for it. Fortunately, Shoyo wore a mask, so he could hide his flushed face from Tobio.
It was rare for Tobio to show any affection, especially in a public space like this. To say Shoyo was both flustered and excited would be a total understatement.
Right. They were currently at a public space, a train station to be exact. They had a day off after winning a match against Slovenia, which made Japanese National Team qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Shoyo then decided to stay quiet as his boyfriend placed their hands in the pocket of his jacket while led the way to the train. Shoyo, however, chose to savor this affectionate side of Tobio without saying a word.
Today, Tobio had asked him to come along right after they finished their morning exercise. Shoyo had thought Tobio was just asking him on a casual date since it had been a while since they spent time together. But when he realized Tobio had brought him to a train station, he knew something was up.
Unfortunately for him, he couldn't guess what it was. He didn't even know where the train was going since Tobio kept the ticket to himself. So all Shoyo could do was huff in annoyance as they sat inside the train.
Not long after they settled in their seats, the train departed. The gentle rocking of the carriage and the rhythmic sound of the tracks creating a soothing atmosphere between them. Shoyo couldn't help but to eventually let out a smile as he felt Tobio's thumb gently rubbed against his hand.
"Are you seriously won't tell me anything?" Shoyo asked again after taking off his mask, trying his luck for the second time. A mix of curiosity and impatience could be heard in his voice.
Tobio sighed at it, "Stop trying your luck, Shou," He replied, "Give it up and just trust me."
Shoyo pouted but didn't argue any further, he decided that it was enough and he relax his shoulder to enjoy their trip instead.
While Shoyo was busy enjoying the view through the window, Tobio pulled out a pair of AirPods from his pocket and put one bud in Shoyo's ear without saying anything.
Shoyo, a bit surprised by his boyfriend's action, turned his face only to see Tobio scrolling through his phone. He was about to ask what was going on when a soft melody started playing through the earbud.
Truth be told, neither Shoyo nor Tobio were big fans of music. Sure, they listened to the radio while driving, but that was about it. That is, until one day, Tobio sent him a song out of the blue. When Shoyo asked about it, a flustered Tobio explained:
"I'm not good at expressing my feelings, and Sugawara-san said there are ways to convey them without actually saying it. One of them is through music," he had said. "I found this while searching for Setter Dumps compilation on YouTube, and I wanted you to hear it because it perfectly captures how I feel about you."
And that was just the beginning. Shoyo initially thought it might be just a fleeting phase from his boyfriend, but boy, was he wrong. Tobio was, in fact, kept sending him songs that he felt could conveyed his feelings. And thanks to Sugawara for giving Tobio that advice because Shoyo now had a playlist full of Tobio's love songs on his phone.
Cheesy? Maybe, but Shoyo loved it. He loved it when Tobio sent him a song. He loved the feeling of his heart pounding as he unraveled the lyrics, feeling Tobio's emotions in every line. He loved how his chest swelled with pure happiness whenever he played Tobio's love songs on a playlist he made. He loved Tobio and all the little things about him.
Shoyo couldn't hold back his smile when he realized the song playing was the first one Tobio ever gave him. It was a cheesy yet sweet song titled this is how you fall in love by two Western singers whose names Shoyo couldn’t remember.
When he felt Tobio gently tighten his grip, Shoyo turned to the window, hiding his wide smile from Tobio and decided that he was going to savor this moment in peace.
Accompanied by the soft music from the earbuds, Shoyo's heart raced as Tobio intertwined their fingers while he softly humming along to the melody.
Who would have thought that, a 28 years old man would still act like a goddamn high schooler just because of a simple action from his boyfriend? Shoyo certainly never expected this at the very first place. Yet here he was. Swooning over his boyfriend in silence.
Shoyo then decided to lean his head against Tobio's arm, and Tobio happily adjusted his arm so Shoyo could rest comfortably against his.
They sat in a peaceful silence for a while, with Shoyo nestled against Tobio's arm. Tobio didn't seem to mind as he casually scrolling through his phone.
"Is that Ushijima-san?" Shoyo eventually broke the silence when he saw Tobio liking one of Ushijima's tweets.
"Yeah," Tobio replied. "He just adopted a kitten. Here, take a look." Tobio brought his phone closer to Shoyo so he could see the post.
It was a picture of Ushijima sitting on the grass with a kitten sleeping comfortably on his lap.
"So cute!" Shoyo quickly swooned, earning a nod of agreement from his boyfriend, "Did you know that cats actually have a specific meow for humans?" he asked randomly, trying to divert Tobio's attention from his phone.
Tobio looked up, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Tobio always loved animals, especially cats. Unfortunately, the feeling was one-sided since cats always seemed to hiss at him whenever he tried to pet one. So, of course, this topic sparked a little excitement in him, "Really? I've never heard of that," he said.
Shoyo nodded. "Same! I've never heard of that either since I just made it up," he grinned, feeling proud of himself for fooling his boyfriend.
Tobio then glared at him, his hand quickly finding its way to Shoyo's head to grab it, "You asshole!" he snapped.
Shoyo couldn't help but to laugh when he saw Tobio's red face, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, still laughing. "But on a serious note, the stray cat near my dorm in Brazil does meow differently when she sees me!"
Tobio stared at him with a skeptical gaze but the raven-head couldn't hide his curiosity either. When Tobio raised an eyebrow, signaling Shoyo to elaborate, Shoyo smiled brightly.
"You remember my teammate Lucas, right? Asas' middle-blocker? So, Lucas and I are the ones who love feeding this cat. She knows us, so when she sees us, she always meows excitedly," Shoyo explained enthusiastically, "The thing is, her meows are different! When she sees me, she usually goes meooow while rubbing her whole body against my feet! And when she sees Lucas, she goes meoww!! while trying to jump on him affectionately—wait, Tobio, I'm being serious right now!" Shoyo glared at his boyfriend, who was now laughing his heart out beside him.
"Sorry, sorry," Tobio apologized, "I just find it cute when you demonstrate how the cat meows." He continued, successfully earning a tinge of red on Shoyo's cheeks.
What's with him and his bluntness today? Shoyo internally screamed.
"So anyways," Shoyo cleared his throat, "Sometimes, I do think they have specific meows for each human they love!"
Tobio raised his eyebrow again, a hint of mocking clearly could be seen on his eyes, "You think she loves you?"
"Meanie-yama! Of course she loves me!" Shoyo pouted, earning an annoying laugh from Tobio.
"Well, I have no other option but to believe you for now."
"Now you're being a total jerk!" Shoyo exclaimed dramatically, jabbing Tobio's arm. "The next time you visit me in Brazil, I'm going to take you to see her so you'll see for yourself!"
Tobio hummed. "That's not a good idea," he replied. "Animals don't like me, remember?"
"That's nonsense! Blue likes everyone!"
Tobio tilted his head, there was a smile on his face. "You named her Blue?"
Shoyo nodded, pulling out his phone to show Tobio his lock screen, which was a picture of him holding a tabby cat in front of his dorm building. "Look, her eyes are blue!"
"Pretty," Tobio murmured, staring at Shoyo's phone, his smile growing even wider.
"Right? Riiight? She's indeed pretty!" Shoyo agreed, chuckling, feeling both proud and satisfied for some reason.
Tobio tilted his head with a frown. "No, I mean you," he replied innocently, catching Shoyo completely off guard. "But yeah, the cat is pretty too," Tobio eventually nodded, agreeing with Shoyo.
Shoyo, on the other hand, looked at his boyfriend in disbelief.
Something is clearly wrong with him, Shoyo thought, squinting as he observed his boyfriend, who stared back with a questioning face.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Tobio raised his brow, suddenly feeling offended by Shoyo's glare.
"You're not going to die, right?"
"What the hell, Shou?!"
"It's just!" Shoyo pulled away from Tobio, though he couldn't move much due to the limited space. It was enough to, at least, defend himself if Tobio decided to do something mean. "You're being extra weird today! It's not my fault for thinking that way!"
Tobio rolled his eyes, but his expression clearly softening, "I'm not being weird. I'm just being my usual self!"
Shoyo pouted, unconvinced, "We've been dating for years, and it's rare for you to act this way. It's like you've been possessed by an affectionate spirit or something." Shoyo added, clearly exaggerating.
Tobio then chuckled, pulling Shoyo closer to him, "Maybe I've just finally learned how to treat my boyfriend right."
Shoyo hummed happily as he leaned into Tobio, still skeptical but enjoying the attention that the latter gave, "I guess it's not a bad thing."
Tobio didn't answer, instead, he press a gentle kiss on Shoyo's temple.
They settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying the gentle rocking of the train. As the scenery blurred past the window, they shared small conversations, trying to catch up about their lives since they have been busy with Olympics to do any other thing beside practicing. Tobio mentioned how he once tried to visit an animal shelter with his teammates for charity but it turned to a total disaster because the cats keep hissed and the dogs keep barked at him. Shoyo laughed but eventually feel bad for his boyfriend. In return, he, too, shared how he once tried to cook a Brazilian dish for his teammates and almost set the kitchen on fire because he was distracted since Kenma asked him to play game with him all of sudden.
They laughed and teased each other, the atmosphere filled with warmth and affection. It's been a while since last time they talked so much about anything beside volleyball, to say that Shoyo wanted this moment to last forever would be an understatement. But he can't keep the feeling of his eyelids grow heavy as the soothing rhythm of the train and Tobio’s presence lulled him into relaxation.
Tobio, too, noticed how Shoyo tried to hide his yawn and gently nudged him. "You should get some sleep if you're tired, Shou."
Shoyo looked at Tobio, his eyes already half-closed. "But I want to spend time with you," he mumbled sleepily.
Tobio smiled, guiding Shoyo's head to rest on his shoulder. "You can still do that while you sleep. I'll be right here," He replied, "And we will spend more time with each other once we arrived, I promise."
Shoyo then nodded as he snuggled into Tobio's shoulder, his breathing evening out as he drifted off. Tobio adjusted slightly to make sure Shoyo was comfortable, then leaned his head against Shoyo's, closing his eyes. The train continued its journey, carrying them forward as they shared this quiet, intimate moment together. The world outside sped by, but inside their little bubble, time seemed to slow.
"BEACH!" Shoyo shouted, stretching out both hands with a wide smile as he enjoyed the sun who beamed right onto his face, "You brought me to the beach!" He turned excitedly to face Tobio, who stood behind him.
Tobio smiled and nodded. He had indeed taken Shoyo to Shirahama Beach. This was the surprise he had been planning for the past few days.
"Yeah," Tobio said, "You mentioned missing the beach, so I thought I'd take you to one. Though I'm sure this beach can't really be compared to your beach in Brazil."
Shoyo's smile widened until his eyes turning into crescent moons, causing Tobio to silently swoon at the sight of his boyfriend.
"It doesn't matter!" Shoyo replied joyfully. "As long as you're here with me, everything's perfect."
This time, Tobio grinned. "Really? Everything's perfect already, so you don't need this?" he asked, pulling a volleyball out of his bag, making Shoyo burst into laughter.
"You and volleyball come as a package, Tobio!" he exclaimed, playfully kicking sand towards his boyfriend. "Come on, give me some tosses! Let's see if your beach volleyball skills are still as sharp as when we played with Kindaichi and Kunimi!"
"You bet!" Tobio responded with a competitive glint in his eyes.
The next thing he knew, they played volleyball for a few rounds, competing fiercely with each other just like they used to. Shoyo's laughter echoed through the beach as he skillfully kept up with Tobio's powerful serves and spikes. He was known as the King of Court anyway, it was no surprise to see his amazing skills for Volleyball. Then again, this was a beach, and the King could not rule a place that has been tamed by a Ninja. So, despite Tobio's best efforts, Shoyo's skills on the beach proved too much, even for a King like him.
After a particularly intense rally, they both collapsed onto the sand, panting and grinning.
"You're still as good as ever," Shoyo admitted between breaths, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Of course." Tobio replied, smirking.
"But I wouldn't let you win that easily! That's 4210 wins for me and 4215 wins for you!" Shoyo grinned proudly, "I almost catch up with you Kageyama-kuuun, aren't you afraid?" He leaned closer to his boyfriend before playfully poked Tobio's cheek.
"I won't lose to you!" Tobio exclaimed as he hold Shoyo's finger.
Shoyo laughed at it, "Are you sureee?" He teased again, and when Tobio nodded determinedly, Shoyo's eyes sparkled with a sudden idea, "Let's do arm wrestling then!" He declared as he sitting up and extending his arm.
It was Tobio's turn to laugh this time, the latter shaking his head in disbelief. "You never give up, do you?"
"Nope!" Shoyo said confidently. "Come on, let's see who’s stronger now!"
They soon found a flat piece of driftwood to use as a makeshift table and locked hands. Shoyo gritted his teeth, putting all his strength into it, but Tobio's grip remained steady. With a final push, Tobio pinned Shoyo's arm down, winning the contest.
"Not fair!" Shoyo pouted, though he couldn't hide his smile, "I really thought I could beat you this time!"
Tobio smirked annoyingly, his hand finding its way to ruffle Shoyo's hair. "Maybe next time, Shou." He replied, "And that's 4216 wins for me, 4210 wins for you."
They laughed in unison after that, enjoying their time together as they caught their breath. Soon after, they both stood up to take a leisurely stroll along the shoreline. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the water. Hand in hand, they walked, relishing the serene atmosphere.
The beach wasn't as crowded as it usually was, allowing them to be as close as they wanted without worrying about being caught by the media. There had been quite a buzz about them ever since Tobio was spotted visiting Shoyo in Brazil a year ago. They were having breakfast when someone caught them, and it had been quite the talk in Japan since then.
Their relationship wasn't really a secret, though. All of their friends, families, and fellow teammates were aware of it. Both Shoyo and Tobio had been open about it from day one. But with the media, it was a whole different story. Although Shoyo and Tobio never confirmed or denied the rumors about them, they, too, couldn't be too obvious since their country wasn't particularly accepting of gay people. So they decided to keep it low-key for the media until they retired.
As they walked along the shoreline, Shoyo sighed in contentment. "I'm so glad the beach isn't crowded today," he said, squeezing Tobio's hand. "It's nice to enjoy our time together without worrying about anyone watching."
"Yeah, it really is," Tobio hummed in agreement, his gaze drifting out over the horizon.
Shoyo smiled. "I'm grateful for moments like this. We don't get them often enough these days."
Tobio glanced down at Shoyo, a rare soft expression on his face. "Neither do I," he admitted. "The last time we went on a date, our faces were all over the gossip magazines."
Shoyo laughed out loud at his boyfriend's words. "Ali Roma's Kageyama Tobio and Asas São Paolo's Hinata Shoyo spotted having a romantic breakfast in Brazil! Best-friend bonding, or something else?" he exclaimed, still laughing upon reminiscing the headline made for them one year ago, "If only they knew we were out for breakfast because someone tried to set my kitchen on fire that day."
"Hey!" Tobio protested, but he eventually laughed over their silly moments back then.
They continued their stroll, occasionally stopping to pick up seashells or dip their toes in the cool water while trying to wet each other.
Soon after that, they spotted a small crab scuttling across the sand, Shoyo excitedly crouched down to observe it closely.
"Look at this little guy," he said, fascinated. "So tiny but so determined."
"It looks so much like you," Tobio teased, earning a playful punch on the arm from Shoyo.
"I'm not that small!" Shoyo protested.
"Still smaller than me," Tobio grinned, making Shoyo's pout to deepen, "I like it that way, though. You always fit perfectly in my arms." Tobio said as he spread his arms widely, "Now, come here and prove me right."
Without hesitation, Shoyo threw himself into his boyfriend's arms, giggling softly as he snuggled against Tobio's chest, "Geez, are you Cheesyama for today?" He teased.
"Maybe I am," Tobio replied, placing a gentle kiss on top of Shoyo's head, making the redhead squirm in his embrace.
"You're being proactive today," Shoyo said, looking up to meet Tobio's deep blue eyes.
"Is that bad? Do you not like it?" Tobio's voice carried a hint of worry.
So Shoyo quickly tiptoed to gently kiss Tobio's jaw to shoo all his worry away, "No," he reassured, "I do like it."
After a while, they found a spot near a cluster of rocks and sat down. Shoyo took off his shoes and wiggled his toes in the sand.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, simply enjoying each other's presence. Then Shoyo perked up with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Tobio, do you want to build a sandcastle?"
Tobio raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by his silly idea. "A sandcastle? Really, Shou?"
"Yes, really!" Shoyo insisted, already jumped and digging his hands into the sand, "Come on, it'll be fun."
With a mix of a sigh and a chuckle, Tobio eventually joined in. They spent the next hour building an elaborate sandcastle complete with towers, moats, and seashell they collected earlier as decorations. As they worked, they joked and bantered, their laughter blending with the sound of the waves.
When they finally finished, they sat back to admire their handiwork. "Not bad," Tobio said, looking impressed.
Shoyo nodded, "Who knows two middle age men could still make a beautiful sandcastle?" He said while smiling proudly. "I think we might have a future in sandcastle construction."
Tobio grinned mischievously. "Only a dumbass would hire us," he teased. "And that reminds me of something."
Shoyo tilted his head, curiosity piqued as he watched Tobio rummage through his bag. He raised his eyebrows when Tobio finally pulled out an envelope and handed it to him.
It was adorned with a cute blueberry sticker on top of it.
"What's this?" Shoyo asked, taking the envelope and examining it with interest.
"Your birthday gift," Tobio answered simply.
Shoyo's breath hitched upon hearing that. He blinked several times as he processed Tobio's words.
Oh, he sighed internally. Finally connected the dots.
"Did you..." he asked hesitantly, "Did you take me to the beach to celebrate my birthday?"
"Yeah," Tobio replied instantly. "I felt bad because we only celebrated your birthday with the team, so I thought I could make it up to you even though your birthday was four days ago," the raven-head explained. "Do you not like it?"
"NO!" Shoyo quickly cut him off. "I do like it. I like it so much!"
Shoyo smiled happily, his heart swelling with happiness. So that’s why Tobio had been acting differently all day—it was because of his birthday, and Tobio wanted it to be more special.
"Can I open the envelope now?" Shoyo asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Go ahead," Tobio replied with a nod.
Shoyo eagerly tore open the envelope, half-expecting a love letter or something equally sentimental. He thought perhaps Sugawara-san had given Tobio new advice about expressing his feelings through a letter. But when he pulled out the paper inside, he found it completely blank.
He looked up to see his boyfriend, feeling completely confused, "Tobio, this one is empty," He said hesitantly, "Did you give me the wrong one?"
Tobio shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, that's indeed your birthday present."
Shoyo blinked in surprise. "An empty letter?"
"Yeah," Tobio said, looking a bit sheepish. "We’ve both been so busy with the Olympics that I didn’t have time to prepare anything special. So I thought, why not give you a blank letter so you can write down anything you want, and I’ll make it happen."
Shoyo's eyes widened as he processed Tobio's words. "You mean, I can ask for anything?"
"Anything," Tobio said. "Think of it as a blank check for your wishes."
"Literally, anything?" He asked again, wanting to be sure he had heard his boyfriend correctly.
Tobio nodded patiently, "Anything, Shou." He confirmed, tone firm and certain, "Just write it down and I shall give it to you."
Then, Shoyo smiled.
It wasn't a typical gift, but it was incredibly thoughtful. He appreciated the gesture more than any material present. With a wide grin, he threw his arms around Tobio, hugging him tightly.
"You truly are the best partner I've ever had!" Shoyo exclaimed, pulling back with a wide smile. "Do you have a pen?"
"Yeah," Tobio muttered, quickly searching for it in his bag. When he found it, he looked at Shoyo in confusion as the redhead handed him the letter.
"I want you to help me write it down for me," Shoyo explained.
Tobio blinked but eventually nodded, taking the letter from his boyfriend's hand and using his bag as a writing surface.
"Kageyama," Shoyo said, smiling as he gazed directly at his boyfriend, who was ready to write down his wish.
Tobio hummed in response, and Shoyo's smile grew even wider, to the point it almost hurting his cheeks.
"Kageyama," Shoyo repeated, noticing a frown on his boyfriend's forehead this time.
"Yeah, dumbass, I heard you. Spit it out already," Tobio grumbled.
"Aren't you the dumbass here, Tobio?" Shoyo teased mischievously, grinning when Tobio looked up with his infamous pouty face.
"I told you I heard you just fine! So stop calling my name and just tell me what you want."
This time, Shoyo couldn't hold back his laughter, which made Tobio stared at him in complete confusion.
"You idiot," Shoyo mocked after finishing his laughter, "That is exactly what I want, Tobio."
Tobio's eyebrows furrowed as he heard Shoyo's words. Shoyo finding it cute, though. If only Shoyo didn't need his boyfriend to understand what he wanted, he would have already showered Tobio's stupidly cute face with kisses.
"Was it me?" Tobio then asked hesitantly, "But you already have me, Shou."
Shoyo sighed, leaning closer to his boyfriend before responding, "That's not it, silly," he chuckled. "I said Kageyama, didn't I? That's what I want," he clarified.
Tobio's confusion deepened as his frown seemed to grow.
"Your name, Tobio," Shoyo patiently reiterated.
"My name?" Tobio echoed, and Shoyo nodded eagerly. "Why would you want my na— oh."
"Yeah, oh." Shoyo chuckled when Tobio finally connected the dots. His smile widened as he noticed a faint blush coloring his boyfriend's cheeks.
"Shou, you—" Tobio's breath hitched, and he stared at Shoyo, trying to gather his thoughts. "Are you sure about that?"
Shoyo nodded again. "That's all I wanted."
"Shit," Tobio cursed softly, "But I—I don't have a ring right now. Could I—"
"Tobio," Shoyo gently interrupted, reaching out to hold Tobio's trembling hand. "Calm down. We don't have to do it now. I just want you to know that I really do want to spend the rest of my life with you as your lifetime partner."
Shoyo couldn't help but to pulled Tobio into his embrace when he saw tears welling up in his boyfriend's eyes. He chuckled quietly as Tobio tightened their hug and snuggled closer.
"I wanted to surprise you, but you surprised me even more," Tobio murmured against Shoyo's neck. Shoyo grinned as he rubbed Tobio's head.
"Sorry, did I ruin your plan?"
"No," Tobio sniffled, pulling back slightly. "I just... feel kind of overwhelmed, I guess?" He frowned, searching for the right words to express himself. "The idea of you having my name while legally becoming my partner just makes my heart all guwaah."
Shoyo chuckled softly before nodded in agreement, "It makes my heart go guwaah too."
Then, they both laughed together.
With the soft breeze carried the scent of saltwater and the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore in the background, they stared at each other for a while, soft smile clearly painted on both of their faces.
"I'll get you a ring later," Tobio said gently, breaking the serene silence between them, his deep blue eyes now reflecting the warm colors of the sunset, "And soon enough, you will absolutely be carrying my name."
Shoyo smiled, his heart swelling with love and contentment. "Then, this has to be a new promise of ours," He replied tenderly, "To spend the rest of our lives together."
Tobio leaned closer to him, his hand finding its way to gently cupped Shoyo's cheek, "Yeah," He said, "It's a promise."
And with Tobio gently locking their lips together as one, the promise they made has officially been sealed.