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It was late in the evening, just shy of closing. Most customers had left, but one still sat at the counter, his onigiri long since eaten. He had stayed to watch the end of the volleyball game and now that it was over, Osamu wasn’t in a rush to kick him out. Akaashi Keiji was one of his best customers, amazingly polite, and usually a great conversationalist. They had become something almost like friends over Akaashi’s many visits to the restaurant. Osamu looked forward to him coming in to watch volleyball games and spend some time chatting about the sport they had both left behind in high school.
Tonight however…
“That spike that Bokuto-san made in the third set that turned the game around so MSBY could win? Spectacular!” Akaashi was aglow with excitement, more animated than Osamu had ever seen him, and he had seen him get quite animated over volleyball matches before.
“Yeah, sure was amazing,” he agreed, wiping down the counter. It was a good spike but there had been plenty of other, more noteworthy moments in the game in Osamu’s opinion. Bokuto’s spike was good but not good enough to be the main takeaway.
“He really got the crowd going with his service ace in the fourth set, too! It was so wonderful. The ball just slammed right by the back line. I’m sure they thought it was going out! Did you see that confident look on his face? He knew what he was doing,” Akaashi continued in a rush.
“It looked good,” Osamu said distractedly, moving a couple of dirty glasses to the sink while Akaashi continued staring at the television as if the game was replaying.
Akaashi was still talking but Osamu couldn’t fully hear him over the water and clinking of the glasses. He made noncommittal noises to let Akaashi know he wasn’t ignoring him, even if he had no idea what he was saying. When he turned the water off, he refocused on Akaashi’s comments just in time to hear him say in a breathless voice, “And did you see when he took that shot to his chest?” Osamu peeked at Akaashi out of the corner of his eye and noticed a dreamy, far off look and a flush on his face.
Smirking, Osamu picked up a rag and began to dry a glass. “Your crush on Bokuto is showing.” He’d meant it in a teasing way, but a suddenly quiet Akaashi sat at the counter looking stunned.
“What? I don’t…I don’t have a crush on Bokuto-san!” he said quickly, waving his hands. “He’s just a really good friend! That I look up to! And he’s a star on the court and he’s so much fun to watch play and he’s so passionate and kind and gentle and I love how he makes me feel wanted and listened to and…and…and…” Akaashi trailed off, hands stilling, expression shifting from stunned to thoughtful to panicked in a matter of seconds.
Osamu watched the interchange of emotions, the wet glasses momentarily forgotten. “Akaashi-san? Are you okay?” he asked after a full minute of silence, and Akaashi looked at him like a lost puppy.
“Myaa-sam…I think I have a crush on Bokuto-san,” he finally said in a daze.
Osamu nodded and continued drying the glasses. He still needed to close the shop, even if Akaashi’s entire world-view was changing. “I think you two might be the last ones to realize that.”
~~~
Later that evening, once Osamu was finally back in his apartment, and he was certain Atsumu would be done celebrating MSBY’s win, he called his brother.
“What up ‘Samu?” Atsumu answered on the third ring. His voice sounded steady and not like he had been drinking, which was a good sign. Osamu wanted a sober Atsumu for this conversation.
“Akaashi-san was at Onigiri Miya tonight,” Osamu started and was immediately met with a groan over the line.
“Not you, too, ‘Samu! I swear I can’t hear anymore about Akaashi and how amazing he is tonight. If you breathe his name one more time I swear I’ll catch the next bus to come choke you,” he growled.
Osamu began mentally connecting the dots. “Bokuto?” he ventured and Atsumu groaned again.
“Every time Bo gets drunk, it’s Akaashi this and Akaashi that. I told him he should just confess and get laid or something and he got so huffy . I can’t deal with his pining bullshit anymore,” Atsumu grumbled. His voice was muffled, almost as if he was talking with a pillow to his face.
“Akaashi–shut up and hear me out, ‘Tsumu–talks about Bokuto in the same way,” Osamu told him and he could almost imagine Atsumu sitting up straight at the news. “He finally came to the realization that he may have a crush on Bokuto tonight.”
“Took him long enough,” Atsumu cut in, exasperated. “I’ve never seen anyone stare at another person like Akaashi stares at Bokuto. Now, if only Bokuto would realize and do something about it.”
Osamu was silent for a moment, thinking. “Why don’t we get them together?”
“Hah? I ain’t playing cupid, ‘Samu.” Now Osamu could imagine his brother rolling his eyes.
“How many years have those two love struck idiots been pining over each other without realizing?”
“Too many,” Atsumu groaned, and Osamu heard the smack of his hand meeting his face.
“When’s your next free weekend? Bring Bokuto by Onigiri Miya and I’ll get Akaashi in. Maybe seeing each other again will make them talk or confess. Worst comes to worst, I can lock the doors and tell them they can’t leave until they figure it out.”
Atsumu sighed into the phone. “Sure, sounds great. Can we stop talking about them now? How’s ma doing?”
~~~
A couple of weeks later, Osamu watched as Atsumu dragged Bokuto through the doors of Onigiri Miya. Osamu was busy fulfilling an order, but he gave them a wave as they came to sit at the counter. “Your usuals?”
Atsumu nodded and surreptitiously looked around while Bokuto engaged in a conversation with a fan who had recognized them.
“Not here yet,” Osamu muttered. “That author of his missed a deadline again so he’s gone to threaten him. He should be here soon.”
Osamu kept an eye on the door and felt his shoulders relax when Akaashi finally walked in. He wasn’t sure how much more onigiri he and Atsumu could get Bokuto to eat, but he surely had a limit. The sound of bells over the door also caught Bokuto’s attention, who turned to see his former setter walking in.
“Akaashi-kun!” he shouted and rushed over, giving Akaashi a quick hug and strong pat on the back. Osamu chuckled when he saw Akaashi flush red and take a step forward from the strength of the pat. “Come sit with me and Tsum-tsum!” Akaashi agreed and let himself be led to the table.
“Hey, ‘Tsumu! Can you make a delivery for me?” Osamu called, holding up a bag of onigiri, and Atsumu jumped up, relief crossing his face.
“Sure, ‘Samu. Bo, I’ll be back in a little bit. You and Akaashi catch up, huh?” Atsumu grabbed the bag from Osamu and practically ran out the door.
Osamu busied himself making other orders while Bokuto and Akaashi talked. The shop was quiet so he was able to pick up most of their conversation. At first it had been general catching up and some volleyball news, nothing worth listening to, but then he heard his brother’s name. “Guess what Atsumu said to me the other night?”
“I can only imagine what he said to you,” Akaashi deadpanned, taking a bite of onigiri. “Please enlighten me.”
“He said that I should just confess to you and get laid, can you believe that?” Osamu stared in disbelief as Akaashi choked on his onigiri and Bokuto pounded on his back. He really just came out and said it, didn’t he? Osamu shook his head. Bokuto was apparently almost as bad as Atsumu with his lack of a filter. “You deserve better than that, you know, like a full on courting,” Bokuto continued when Akaashi was done coughing.
Akaashi had gone quiet, and Osamu watched him look appraisingly at Bokuto. “You know, Myaa-sam said something similar. He wasn’t as crude, of course, but he said that it sounded like I have a crush on you.”
They both fell silent, staring at each other, deep in thought. The restaurant’s phone rang, but Osamu ignored it, no longer even trying to pretend to ignore the show playing out in front of him.
“I think–” Akaashi started as Bokuto said, “Akaashi I–” They both stopped and looked at each other again.
“I like you, Akaashi. Will you go on a date with me?” Bokuto finally asked after another minute, reaching his hands out to clasp Akaashi’s.
Akaashi nodded, but then shot a look at Osamu, who quickly grabbed a handful of rice and tried to look busy. “I like you, too, Bokuto-san, and I will absolutely go on a date with you, so long as it’s not here. I suspect we were set up and I don’t want to give a certain someone the satisfaction.”
Osamu couldn’t help but snort as he finished molding an onigiri. When he turned away to answer the once again ringing phone, he pretended not to see the kiss that Bokuto leaned over and gave Akaashi.