Work Text:
"Happy roar"
Hajime's eyes widen when he hears Tooru's murmured voice and he looks up from the little frog resting on the delicate water lily, stopping his hand halfway to grasp the net. Next to him, squatting with his knees drawn up to his chest and his little hands on them, Tooru looks back at him. His eyes are round and shining with determination and his chubby cheeks are slightly flushed.
"What did you say?" He whispers too, blinking in surprise.
"That's how I'll cheer you every birthday," Oikawa nods resolutely, almost as if he said it more for himself than for Iwaizumi. "Even though space is cooler than Godzilla, Hajime-chan likes Godzilla. And Godzilla roars and I thought it would be so cool if you turn roars and not years."
The frog croaks and a slight splash sneak into the silence as jumps towards the water. Hajime continues to stare at him. Fixed, intense, almost unblinking. And Tooru holds his gaze, his lips pursing as if his confidence is beginning to deflate.
Until his best friend's cheeks begin to redden and Tooru blinks in surprise, leaning towards Hajime.
"Are you... are you being shy?" He asks, smiling in amusement as Iwaizumi averts his gaze and furrows his brow further, trying to hide it.
"No."
"Hajime-chan is shy!" he points out before pouncing on him, knocking them both down onto the fresh summer grass. Tooru laughing loudly, genuinely and softly as Iwaizumi begins to scold him, though his little arms don't let go of Tooru, instead pulling him tighter against him.
Since then, for every happy orbit return, there is a happy roar. And for every happy roar, there is Hajime hugging Tooru tightly to his chest (which has always been Oikawa's favourite place), the most sincere thank you in the world and the same flip in his heart (which he discovers, at the same time as Iwaizumi, is not because of any pathology).
And when they are old enough, he also congratulates him through social networks.
Unlike Iwaizumi’s, Oikawa's Instagram account is an explosion of warm colours and perfectly framed photographs. There are carousels when he finds himself unable to choose a single photo, and kaomojis accompanying the text in each post because they’re way cuter than emojis. His photographs are interspersed with those of Takeru, with his sister, with his parents, with his friends. Also of sunsets and sunrises, of flowers and rice fields, of starry skies and stubby clouds in funny shapes. In most of them, of course, there is something of Iwaizumi (his shirt, his hand, his comic book, his old fishing net, his watch).
And every 10th of June, Iwaizumi becomes the total and complete protagonist on Tooru's Instagram as Oikawa is every 20th of July on Hajime's Instagram.
The first photograph is at the age of twelve, the two of them standing in front of the cracked mirror at the entrance of Yashio-san's candy shop. Oikawa, with a volleyball tucked under his arm, sticks out his tongue playfully behind his analogy camera, held vertically at face level. Beside him, Iwaizumi stands with a bag of sweets dangling from his hand, his eyes smiling at the mirror and his body leaning towards Tooru. Happy 12th roar, Iwa-chan!!! ＼(＾▽＾)／
The next is at the age of thirteen. Hajime stands in the foreground, his hair flattened with sweat, his forehead glistening, eyes shining, and cheeks flushed. A subtle patch of mud adorns his chin, and an ear-to-ear grin stretches across his face. He looks beyond the camera, his proud gaze fixed on Tooru. His hands are raised high, proudly displaying a large rhinoceros beetle. Happy 13th roar, Tarzan-chan!! (๑>◡<๑)
The next one is at fourteen, inside Kitawara Daichi’s gym. Iwaizumi is standing by the bench, one hand holding the water bottle he’s drinking from, and the other raised at the camera with his middle finger up. Behind the bottle’s spout, there's the tiniest curve of a smirk that Oikawa managed to catch. Happy 14th roar, Rude-chan!! (⇀‸↼‶)
At fifteen is the next one. They’re at the park, bathed in that warm golden sunset. Iwaizumi’s sitting on his longboard, knees pulled to his chest, arms wrapped around them, feet crossed. He’s smiling up at Oikawa, braces fully on display, no shame at all. His eyes are slightly narrowed, the orange hue gleaming against the green. Happy 15th roar, Skater-chan!! (•ڡ<)
The next one is at the summer festival, age sixteen. Makki took this one, and it was Tooru’s phone wallpaper for two whole years. Oikawa and Iwaizumi are side by side on a high step by the entrance, dressed in matching kimonos (baby blue kimono with dark stripes and a navy obi for Tooru, and dark kimono with baby blue stripes and a dark obi for Hajime) that grandma Oikawa made for them. Hajime’s sticking his tongue out at the camera, takoyaki tray on his lap. Tooru’s laughing, staring at him, holding up a candy apple right to Hajime’s nose. Happy 16th roar, Clown-chan!! (≧▽≦)
The next one is at seventeen, a selfie from the last day of training camp. Matsukawa’s in the foreground, in the corner, lazy grin on his face. With one hand, he holds his mobile phone high enough, and with the other, he points behind him. On the ground, barefoot with shorts rolled up, Hanamaki’s sprawled out next to Oikawa who’s winking and sticking out his tongue. Iwaizumi, with his head resting on Tooru's lap, is fast asleep, his forehead relaxed, his lips subtly parted and his hands resting over his belly. Happy 17th roar, Sleepy-chan!! (_ _) ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁
Next, is at eighteen. In front of the full-length mirror Tooru’s sister gave him before moving out, Oikawa’s standing on top of Iwaizumi’s back, right over his broad shoulders. His phone’s raised to his face, big eyes peeking over with surprise, along with a startled smile. Hajime’s on the floor mid-pushup, arms flexing, forehead scrunched, too concentrated to even notice he’s being photographed. Happy 18th roar, muscle man-chan!! ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ (this is his fifth pushup lol u lost the bet again makki)
The next one is at the age of nineteen, a black and white photo. There’s Iwaizumi’s neck, his solid shoulders, strong arms, and broad chest, toned abs, and the waistband of his shorts. Tooru’s free hand, the one not holding the phone, rests over Hajime’s chest, right above his heart. Hajime’s hand, the one not resting on Tooru’s thigh, is covering it, their fingers intertwined. The two rings they’ve worn since they were eighteen gleams softly. Happy 19th roar, love of my life, i miss u sm 𖹭
The one at twenty is a screenshot from a videocall. Iwaizumi’s on his shared apartment’s tiny balcony, lit by the sunset in Irvine, pulling a fake-disgusted face. Tooru’s sipping mate under the blue Argentine sky, grinning from the corner of the screen. Happy 20th roar, Hater-chan!! |ω･)ﾉ
The next one is at twenty-one, during a surprise trip to San Juan. Iwaizumi hugs Oikawa from behind, his chin resting on Tooru’s right shoulder, and both are smiling at the camera. Tooru’s eyes are squinting like crescent moons, sparkling like summer fireworks. Hajime’s dimple peeks out on his right cheek, and the green in his eyes is softened in that way only Tooru can bring out. Happy 21st roar, softy-chan!! (˘³˘)♥︎
The next one is at twenty-two, during Hajime’s graduation. In the first photo, he’s standing near the campus entrance, wearing his graduation gown, the blue sash hanging from his shoulders, and the cap slightly tilted on his head. He’s laughing, eyes half-closed. A large bouquet of sunflowers, eucalyptus, and solidago is cradled in his arms, and his diploma is in the other hand. In the next photo, a smiling Oikawa stands beside him, hugging him by the shoulders, his cheek pressed to Iwaizumi’s, and Hajime’s arm wrapped around his waist. Happy 22nd roar, my fav athletic trainer!! u will never imagine how proud of u i am ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡
The next one is at twenty-three. That year, they only got to see each other once, and Tooru still managed to rescue a photo from that time. It’s in Miyagi, in the same cracked mirror at Yashio-san’s store. This time, they have to crouch slightly to fit in the frame, recreating the old picture. Iwaizumi smiles at his dusty reflection, and Tooru peeks from behind his phone, sticking out his tongue playfully. This time, Hajime isn’t holding a fishing net, but the keys to his mom’s Nissan Micra. This time, Tooru doesn’t have a volleyball under his arm, but his sport bag with an Argentina flag sewn on, where they’ve packed sweets and costumes for Takeru’s birthday. Happy 23rd roar, my soul!! \( ˙▿˙ )/\( ˙▿˙ )/
The next one is at twenty-four. Hajime is in the small kitchen of Tooru’s cozy apartment in San Juan, his back turned to the camera. He’s wearing the UPCN shirt, with Oikawa’s number printed right in the center under his name. The blue and yellow pop against his dark skin, the fabric stretched across his broad shoulders, bunching slightly at the waist. He’s in his old gray university shorts and the black chibi Godzilla socks Tooru gave him for Valentine’s Day. Happy 24th roar, chef-chan!! (´ᵔ⤙ᵔ`)
The next one is at twenty-five, after a full day at the beach during a quick trip to Japan. In the first photo, Oikawa’s head is resting on Iwaizumi’s shoulder, and Iwaizumi’s head is resting on his, both of them smiling—warm, genuine, soft. Tooru’s skin is glowing gold in the sunset light, his hair a little frizzy from the ocean salt; Hajime’s eyelids droop from exhaustion under his favourite cap, with bits of sand still on his cheeks. In the second shot, the frame is wider, Hanamaki is in the back holding a cake shaped like what appears to be an attempt at a dinosaur, Matsukawa’s wearing a crooked birthday hat, blowing a party horn with 25 candles in his hands, Hajime is covering his flushed face with one hand, and Tooru is in the middle of a laughing fit. Happy 25th roar, my man!! σ(≧ε≦σ) ♡
The next one is at twenty-six, in front of the bathroom mirror in Tooru’s apartment. They’ve swapped their new shirts, Hajime is wearing Argentina’s jersey, with the number 13 large, centered, and crisp in the middle; Tooru is in the black polo with white stripes and the Japanese flag embroidered over his chest. And both of them wear a pride for the other so immense that not even Argentina, nor the U.S., nor Japan could contain it. Happy 26th roar, my proud!! (っ˘з(˘⌣˘ ) ♡
The next one is at twenty-seven, five pictures taken before Japan’s VNL match against Germany. In the first, Iwaizumi is watching over the entire team like a hawk as they warm up, his thick arms crossed over his chest, his sharp jawline tense, brows furrowed in total focus. In the second, he’s studying the tablet one of his trainees shows him, both hands in his pockets. In the third, his intense gaze is scanning the stands, close to where Tooru told him he’d be sitting to watch the match, looking for him. In the fourth, he finally finds him, and smiles wide at the camera, no furrowed brows, no jaw tension. And in the fifth, one of Tooru’s favorite photos ever, a playful Hajime has one hand lifted toward him, thumb and index forming a tiny heart just for Tooru. Happy 27th roar, my hot athletic trainer!! o(≧∀≦)o
The next one is at twenty-eight. Iwaizumi’s back is to the camera, his white shirt clinging like a second skin, tracing nothing but muscle, a black backpack hanging off his shoulders. The brim of his cap is turned backwards, his sunglasses resting on top. Behind him, the majestic and breathtaking Valle de la Luna canyon: towering walls of solid rock, their deep red gradually fading into white near the base, a wide blue sky with one or two drifting clouds, and a golden sunbathing him in light. Feliz 28vo rugido, mi vida!! te amo, te amo, te amooo ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
The next one is at twenty-nine, at the cinema. Hajime stands beside the poster for the new Godzilla film, just outside the screening room. He’s hugging a large bucket of popcorn to his chest, holding a cold-water bottle in the other hand, excitement bubbling over all his face. His eyes are sparkling, his nose is subtly scrunched from the huge grin splitting his face in two, his cheeks faintly flushed. Happy 29th, mi little big Godzijime!! (•⩊•)
The next is at thirty, during their road trip across la Ruta de la Estrellas, in Chile. Hajime is in profile, eyes focused on the road behind his sunglasses, shielding him from the light pouring in through the windshield. His elbow is resting on the window frame, one hand steady on the wheel, the other arm wrapped protectively around Oikawa’s legs, stretched comfortably across his lap. Your passenger princess wishes you a happy 30th roar, my prince!! (づ๑•ᴗ•๑)づ♡
And the most recent one is at thirty-one, a carousel of eight pictures Tooru had been carefully saving, managing to hold back from posting them until now. They’re all taken in the same spot, the same clean wall in the background, the same bluish couch peeking in from one side, the same angle from the shelf in their private suite in Thailand. But each photo has a different pose: Tooru on Hajime’s back. Hajime’s trying to get in front of Tooru. Both of them way too close to the camera. Tooru’s making duck lips and Hajime fish lips. Tooru holding Hajime’s chin while Hajime tugs at the waistband of Tooru’s silk pajama pants as they kiss. Them back to back with arms crossed. Hajime laughing as he twirls a delighted Tooru around. Iwaizumi Hajime hugging Iwaizumi Tooru from behind, one solid arm around his waist, two hands intertwined, eyes sincere, and smiles full of love, devotion, and sweetness.
And in every picture, the golden ring on the index finger of each of their right hands quietly steals all the spotlight. Happy 31st roar, my husband, my little hedgehog, my galaxy!! ♡｡ﾟ.(*♡´‿` 人´‿` ♡*)ﾟ♡ °・
“Ushiwaka using an emoji?!” That same day, a few hours after uploading the post and just out of his long shower, Tooru blinks at his phone in disbelief, having checked Ushijima’s account four times to make sure it was really his official one that commented Happy birthday, Iwaizumi. :) “Why the hell is he suddenly using emojis with you, when I’m still stuck with 'My warmest congratulations’!?”
“Maybe because I didn’t rub it in his face that I got married first multiple times during our wedding or text him ‘You should’ve come to Argentina’ when we lost against you in the last Olympics.” Hajime replies easily from the dining table, eyes still on his laptop.
Tooru opens his mouth to argue, but when he finds no valid excuse, he closes it and pouts, tossing his phone onto the couch and walking over to his husband.
“What are you doing?” he asks, this time genuinely curious, as Hajime shifts in his chair, opening just enough space for him to curl up on his lap. Tooru, natural as breath, settles comfortably onto his thighs, wrapping one strong arm around Hajime’s broad shoulders and nestling his cheek against his husband’s dark hair before glancing at the screen.
“Just checking next week’s training plans.”
“Oh! Can you make Luis run six extra laps and do more leg day in the gym? He hates running and leg workouts with all his heart.”
Hajime snorts softly, amused.
“When are you going to let that go? It’s been almost a year.”
“But he promised he’d join me at Boca after the VNL last year and the traitor went and signed with fucking Obras!”
“They’re a good team too.”
“You’re only saying that because you’re his athletic trainer, aren’t you? You just don’t want to piss me off before I’ve given you your birthday gift, huh?” Tooru lifts a challenging eyebrow, and Hajime laughs, giving his waist a gentle squeeze before kissing his jaw.
It’s been one month and five days since they got married, and a year since Iwaizumi accepted the offer to work with Obras San Juan, even with far more tempting offers from bigger, stronger teams that could’ve taken him higher in the world of sports. And though a little voice inside Tooru celebrated finally getting to live with Hajime, a bigger part of him felt like a stone in his shoe, keeping him from moving forward.
But Hajime promised, and proved, that this is what he wanted. What he still wants. Getting to know other teams, other countries, whether big or small, because the strongest team is the one with the best six. It’s a true privilege. Besides, he’s still teaching a few online classes at Birtwistle University, and his nanny (and athletic trainer, of course) contract with the Japanese men’s national volleyball team got renewed for another four years.
Hajime is truly incredible.
And sometimes Tooru feels like it’s unreal, that he’s spent his whole damn life with him and instead of growing tired, all he wants is more. That a lifetime with Hajime isn’t enough. That he wants what’s beyond that. He wants forever. He wants Hajime’s heartbeat to keep echoing in sync with his. To keep growing by his side, breathing the same air, looking at the same stars, whether they’re a handspan away or an ocean apart.
He wants it all because he loves Hajime so much that his heart overflows with it.