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“It’s.. a ball.”
A small hand stretches across the hidden skin of Shoyo’s belly. It’s so unbelievably tiny, which is something that the spiker should be all too familiar with at this point of his life.
The children tend to make fun of him for his.. smaller body. Shoyo tries to win them over, he really does. There isn’t a day the omega doesn’t remind all of the children at the kindergarten that if they were to switch on their tv’s sports channel, he’d most definitely be on there.
Sadly, there aren’t any four year olds that are head over heels with volleyball like he is.
It’s kind of living a double life. At day Shoyo’s hanging around with three to four year olds, and during the night he’s a volleyball ninja.
Alright. It’s kind of a shitty double life. Or at least the omega is ass at living it, because the children all call him Ninja Shoyo, even though they don’t seem to care about his pro—athlete career.
The pro—athlete career that's been kicked down a notch now with this sudden.. addition to the spiker’s world. It’s taken a toll, even if Shoyo never really admits it.
He hadn’t really thought about how quick he’d need to cut down on practices, how fast the time would disappear before he’d be missing games. Practice games or actual ones, there isn’t a way for the omega to participate.
Shoyo’s bitter about it. He really is. That’s something he can’t deny. But he tries not to show it, and after he and Tobio pulled some strings— he’s still allowed as a substitute until he gets deeper into the pregnancy! And he gets to sometimes play as a starter, but mostly during practice games.
That’s fine. Everything’s fine.
The pregnancy isn’t anything he’s bitter about. Of course not. And well, with it came this.. kid—magnet.
When Sugawara had reached out to him, the omega who had been sulking around his and Tobio’s apartment while the alpha tried to soothe him as best as he could, had been skeptical to come help out at the kindergarten.
But after Tobio had dropped him off at the colorful building, and all the children had welcomed him with such joy, the omega couldn't stop himself from melting into a puddle of warm butter.
And it’s not like this helping out thing is that draining.. otherwise Tobio wouldn’t have allowed it. It’s only two or three times a week, during lunch to the afternoon—closing hours. So, Shoyo accepted it with no regrets.
He blames accepting the offer on the children—high his inner omega is currently on.
“Is it that big?”
Resilient eyes are staring into Shoyo’s, but they move to stare daggers into his belly instead. The kid, a small boy with black hair, pokes the small bump and stares even harder. “Yes.”
Ah..
Shoyo pouts, even though the boy inspecting his bump can’t see it. “Is it really though?”
“Yes.”
No, it’s really not. It’s still early in the pregnancy. Shoyo started showing a month ago, of course it’s been growing, but it’s not big.
Those eyes are back to staring into the spiker’s. It’s so cute. And it becomes even cuter when the boy whines loudly, matching Shoyo’s pout with one of his own as he hugs the omega’s stomach tight.
Now submerged in the soft and puffy fabric of Shoyo’s knitted sweatshirt, the boy’s words are almost impossible to catch. But the spiker has great ears, so he manages to make out what he’s mumbling.
“Yes.”
Did he mention how this little boy reminds him of someone? Someone special?
Shoyo blames the pout and blue eyes.
“I believe you.”
And alright, maybe the kid is ultimately wrong, but who is Shoyo to tell him otherwise? It’s worth throwing himself under the bus if it means he gets to see the usually quiet kids light up with joy, letting them shine a little extra as he soothes them with his sweet scent.
So when the boy in his arms light up at his words, eyes bright and lips parted in an O shape— Shoyo can’t help but smile brightly in return.
“Really..?”
This time it’s the spiker’s turn to say yes, the tease in his voice completely gone.
“It’s.. round,”
Shoyo hums, stroking a hand up and down the boy’s cheek.
“..and warm.”
Adorable.
“Yes—“
The sound of quiet but rapid footsteps sound from behind the seated pair, Shoyo turns his head around slowly to look at whoever is approaching.
Someone jumps onto his back.
“Shoyooo!”
A girl, as young as the boy, hangs from Shoyo’s neck as she giggles into the fabric of his sweatshirt. Shoyo doesn’t mind, even if his back is slightly sore from him having a shit posture for the past months.
But someone does mind.
The little boy still clutching Shoyo’s covered belly.
He’s not pushing his face isnt into the onega anymore. Now, his face is tilted upwards. It’s like he’s following all of the girl’s movements, like he’s keeping watch. He really looks just like Tobio does when he’s mad.
Shoyo smiles even brighter.
“Hey..! No, get off..” A bright voice startles all three of them on the floor. Sugawara, holding a sleeping baby in one hand and a pacificer in the other, walks into the room and starts shooing away the girl on Shoyo’s back.
The girl only clutches tighter, not wanting to let go. Sugawara must have been going through a stressful day, because he can’t stop the panic spiking inside of him. “Don’t you see that he’s sensitive? Come, off, off!”
Shoyo sputters at that.
“Sensitive. Really now?”
Sugawara drags the little girl away, effortlessly ignoring her complaining as he continues to coo at the baby in his arms at the same time. “Yes. Now, go sit down somewhere else before Kageyama skins me alive.”
Shoyo scoffs, hand patting the little boy’s head. “He wouldn’t..”
“He would.” Sugawara interrupts from across the room.
Maybe..
“Not with you.”
A chuckle, followed by a baby’s wail and some soothing hums. When the wailing stops, Sugawara doesn’t turn around as he mutters,
“Maybe not with me.”
Shoyo stares back at him in wonder, he smiles, happy that his senior agrees— “Nah, I couldn’t possibly escape his wrath.”
The spiker pouts back at him.
Sugawara just continues to laugh.
Shoyo takes this as the perfect time to turn his attention back to the little boy in his arms. The boy is a lot calmer now, having calmed down when Sugawara relieved Shoyo of the girl on his back.
Adorable.
The boy clutches Shoyo’s belly tighter. Then, he whispers something against the plush fabric.
“Kage—ya.. ma.”
He sounds unsure, like he’s asking a question. The poor thing looks way more confused than it seems he can handle. Shoyo drags his hand through the boy’s straight tufts of hair, poking his cheek to get his attention.
“Yes, there’s another one.”
The boy gives him all of his attention, following the spiker’s finger as it moves towards the bump he’s still holding. “One,” Shoyo whispers, before pointing his finger at himself. “Two.”
Apparently that’s not as easy to understand as Shoyo imagined, because the little boy pouts— deep in the depths of confusion. With some difficulty the spiker manages to calm down the upset kid.
“There’s another one, but he’s not here.”
The boy furrows his thin eyebrows in concentration. Then, one of his small hands moves from Shoyo’s bump to hold up three fingers.
“You’re a.. Kageyama.” A poke at the omega’s bump, “Three Kageyamas, with..”
The spiker brightens up at that, smiling brightly and opening his mouth to praise the boy.
“Yes—“
“Shoyo, I’m not joking around. Get up, now.”
Sugawara returns again, this time without any babies in his arms. Shoyo tries to wiggle his way out of the incoming hands of the older omega, but there’s not much to be done when your stomach is being clutched by a kid.
“Suga—san..”
“No, get up. You have to take it easy.”
“I am.” The spiker shoots back, cradling the little boy further into his arms.
“No, you’re being molested by a gremlin.”
At last, Shoyo relents and lets Sugawara drag him up to his feet. They’re slightly unsteady after sitting down for so long, and the older omega together with the little boy now having left Shoyo arms both hold his limbs as they walk towards the couch.
The spiker can't help but groan at the consistent pestering, he can handle himself just fine. Shoyo pouts as Sugawara drops him off on the couch, pulling the little boy following them into his own embrace.
The spiker pulls his knees as far as they can up his chest.
“Don’t be like that, Sho, I’ll bring you some hot coco.”
“Suga—san..” Shoyo groans, hiding his flushed face in his hands. Sugawara doesn’t stop there. He sits down on his knees in front of the pregnant omega on the couch.
“I’m serious. If you don’t take it easy you might just look green when Kageyama gets here.” Sugawara pauses, looking into the eyes of the spiker. “Do you want me dead?” He whisper—shouts.
Shoyo moans into his hands. “Again, why are you talking about him like he has an unregistered gun laying around in his— no, our bedside drawer?!”
The second the older omega’s mouth opens to answer that, Shoyo already knows he’s going to say something like; he does. So he interrupts him before he can.
“No, he does not.”
“Shoyo.” Sugawara’s Tone is one of disbelief, it’s enough to make Shoyo shut up. The older omega clicks his tongue before sighing. “You weren’t there when he gathered all of us and had his first talking—to.”
That makes Shoyo furrow his eyes in confusion. ”What, when did he—“
“Do you remember that time at the beach, when you almost got a heatstroke?”
What.
“Suga—san, that was three months ago.”
The older omega breathes out shakily, dramatically wiping a hand over his forehead. “Yes, and it only got worse from there. We were so clueless back then..”
Shoyo stops him with a flick of his finger. “What are you talking about?”
But the older omega doesn’t say anything, he just continues to stare at Shoyo with disbelief. Sugawara sighs, softly this time.
“He’s good.”
That catches the pregnant omega completely off guard. And also the little boy snuggled into the older omega’s arms, apparently.
A small head pops up from Sugawara’s neck. He turns his head around, blinkling blearily at Shoyo. Those small hands are back again, but now they stretch out to make grabbing motions at the omega on the couch.
“Kageyama?”
Shoyo reaches out and takes him from Sugawara’s arms.
“Yeah, Kageyama.”
A minute goes by in silence. The only sounds are the sound of children playing, giggling and screaming as they wait for their parents to come pick them up.
Right, it’s getting late.. Tobio should be here soon.
The little boy snores softly against Shoyo’s slightly swollen chest, drowning in the omega’s extra sweet scent.
“He reminds me of Tobio, you know.”
Shoyo smiles, running his thumb up and down the boy’s small cheek.
He does, I know.
Sugawara rises and sits down next to Shoyo on the couch. It dips, but it’s not enough to startle the sleeping boy in Shoyo’s arms. “It might just be the pout, or the eyes, but it’s also something else.”
The pregnant omega hums in acknowledgment. Suddenly, Sugawara starts giggling uncontrollably. When he finally manages to stifle himself with his hand, he turns to look at them again. With a a small giggle, the omega says;
“They’re both obsessed with you.”
Shoyo doesn’t have time to answer, because before he knows it a familiar figure is standing by the doorway— and an ever more familiar scent is spreading throughout the unusually sweet smelling room.
Tobio, cheeks dusted pink and scarf around his neck, with a warm jacket held over one of his arms.
Their eyes meet.
“Hey, Yama.”
The alpha’s eyes move downwards to where the black haired boy is snuggling into Shoyo’s chest. Somehow, the omega manages to catch how Tobio’s eyes soften slightly.
A small smile.
“Hey, Sho.”
Shoyo smiles back and puts a hand up in the air for the alpha to take, while being careful not to startle the sleeping boy in his arms. Tobio slowly walks towards the couch, saying hi to Sugawara with a small bow of his head as he does.
The older omega giggles, swatting his hand against the back of the alpha’s head. Tobio makes a surprised noise but doesn’t react all that much.
“Ah, look at the two of you.. all grown up..”
“Sugawara—san, you’re only two years older than us.”
Another swat to Tobio’s head.
Shoyo knows they can’t stay for long. They have practice in the morning, which he still attends, and the omega knows he needs to get as much sleep as he can get. Tobio needs it too, all the worrying and stressing must be taking a bigger toll on him than he shows.
“He’s cute.”
Tobio pokes the little boy’s cheek. He squirms at the touch, not particularly pleased with the alpha.
“Yes, he reminds me of you.” Shoyo can’t stop himself from teasing his mate.
The alpha furrow his eyebrows in confusion but doesn’t go against it, he just continues to stare at the snoring kid. Eventually, he needs to get something off his mind.
Tobio looks up at his omega, hand moving to rest over his bump. “How are you?” He whispers, like it’s only meant for Shoyo— even though Sugawara is right there.
Shoyo shrugs, leaning his head against the couch cushion. Tobio looks so.. sincere. Like he’s been meaning to ask this, to know the answer for the question for a while now.
Maybe he has. Maybe he spent the whole evening practice with the national team only thinking about his pregnant omega, surrounded by adorable children..
Shoyo stops himself before he starts getting ahead of himself. He drops one of his hands to rest on top of Tobio’s hand on his bump.
“They’re fine.” Tobio’s eyes harden, so Shoyo quickly adds; “I’m fine.”
A beat, then the alpha sighs and responds. “Good. Are you sore anywhere?”
“No.”
“His back.”
Sigh.
Sugawara stares at the pregnant omega with raised eyebrows, obviously saying; you thought you could get away with that, didn’t you?
And yes, yes he did.
“Your back?” Tobio pushes.
Shoyo lets Sugawara take the small boy from his arms, even though his body is screaming at him to hold him longer.
Stupid instincts.
“Well, kind of..” he says, reluctantly.
“Shoyo, this is important—“
“Please, can we just go home? I know you’re tired, coach has been extra ruthless these days.”
Tobio’s quiet for a second, he sneaks a glance at Sugawara. He’s.. searching for something. Maybe for the older to agree with him, to back him up?
Never mind, he doesn’t need that.
“Alright,” the alpha says gently. “Let’s go home.”
“Yes, so—“
But he doesn’t get to finish, because Tobio pushes his lips against his, softly.
And hungry, but not enough for anyone else to be able to see. Shoyo hums into the gentle assault, melting even more when Tobio’s hand caresses the plush skin of his stomach.
Way too soon since they started, the alpha gives Shoyo’s lips one last peck before moving away. All that warmth is way too addicting, and the omega can’t stop himself from chasing Tobio’s lips as they part.
“Save that for later, dumbass.”
What an ass.
Alright, Shoyo admits that one or two kisses is an embarrassingly small amount that can render him completely submissive to the alpha— but god, who can blame him?
How was he frustrated with him in the first place?
Maybe the baby just hates their alpha.
Tobio stands up and carefully pulls the omega along as he does. Sugawara giggles when the alpha apologises for the intrusion. “It’s nothing,” he says. “You’re both always welcome.”
The walk to the hallway is full with screaming kids and avoiding stepping on pieces of lego.
“Did you bring a jacket?”
Shoyo nods against the alpha’s shoulder, nuzzling deeper into him as they walk. Tobio hums. “The blue one?”
Another nod.
Another hum.
“Take mine, it’s warmer.”
“What?”
Okay, now he’s just being silly. Shoyo looks up at the alpha with big eyes. “I can’t just do that,what will you wear? It’s cold.”
Tobio seems to be thinking. He stares towards the end of the hall, where the front door is. Then he pushes Shoyo a little closer to his body.
“It’s.. a short walk to the car.”
It was in fact not a short walk to the car, and the alpha spent the whole morning the next day sniffling and sneezing.
It’s fine, Shoyo thinks he’s adorable no matter how much snot is running down his nose.