Archive of Our Own

“Do you always have to bring him along?” Atsumu complains, glaring at Suna from across the table. The asshole smirks back.

“I've always brought him along and you never said anything about it. I don't see why I should stop now,” Osamu retorts, annoyed.

“Because you weren’t dating before!” Atsumu screams in exasperation. “Now when I'm out with the two of you, I always feel like a third wheel,” he grumbles, crossing his arms.

“But that's exactly what you are, Atsumu,” Suna tells him in a flat voice. Osamu elbows him, hissing, ‘Rin, you’re not helping!’

Atsumu ignores them both. Yes, they often joked about it, but that didn't mean there wasn't a grain of truth in the annoyance he felt when they played lovebirds in his presence whenever the three of them were out together. He kind of missed their high school days, when there was nothing but friendship between them and Atsumu didn't feel constantly left out by his own twin.

“Why don't you ask someone out too, Tsumu?” Osamu ventures, and Atsumu frowns. Technically, his brother's logic was flawless—if he didn't like being the third wheel, he should find a partner himself, right? Simple as that—but unfortunately for Osamu, it didn't work that way at all. Not with Atsumu, at least.

“Because he’s a pussy,” Suna replies.

“Hey!”

“When was the last time you asked someone out, huh?” the guy teases, and Atsumu immediately shuts up. “That’s what I thought. Like I said before, pussy.”

Ah, yes. Suna wasn't entirely wrong; Atsumu was definitely a pussy, but for a completely different reason. This time he doesn't snap back.

“Hmm,” Suna studies him, narrowing his eyes and tilting his head slightly. “Pick someone.”

Atsumu frowns, confused. “What? Why?”

“Pick someone you like around here and ask for their number,” he clarifies, and before Atsumu can open his mouth to refuse, he adds, “I bet you won't.”

Asshole.

In front of him, Osamu starts chuckling. They both knew him all too well; they were certain that Atsumu would never back down from a challenge, no matter how stupid it was, and they were right. He couldn't let Suna win. Defeated, he begins looking around.

The café they are in is not too crowded; there are a few couples and some groups of teens scattered around the place. Atsumu is about to get up and walk over to one of the waiters working behind the counter when his gaze falls on the guy sitting at the table directly next to them. Headphones on and completely focused on his work, he looked exactly like the type of person to tell him to fuck off if Atsumu were to bother him by asking him out. Perfect.

“I've made my choice!” he announces, standing up. The other two look at him in surprise. “He'll never accept anyway,” he adds, satisfied. The challenge was simply to ask someone for their number, not to actually get it. From behind him, Atsumu hears Osamu sigh in exasperation.

He approaches the guy's table and takes a seat across from him. The guy looks up from his laptop. “Can I help you?” he asks, annoyed, taking off his headphones.

“Hi, I'm Atsumu!” he greets him, and notes with satisfaction that the other guy keeps frowning at him, without introducing himself back. Someone else might have taken the hint and given up at this point, but Atsumu was here with the exact purpose of being rejected, so:  “I was wondering… can I have your number?”

The guy studies him for a moment, and just as Atsumu is about to get up and apologize for bothering him–exactly as planned–he answers, taking Atsumu by surprise.

“Sure.”

Atsumu freezes; This, he hadn't expected. The guy stares at him, as if daring him to back down.

“Okay, yeah… um,” Atsumu clears his throat, suddenly very aware of the situation he was in. He glances at his brother, but the asshole has gone back to chuckling, covering his mouth with one hand. Beside him, Suna signals for Atsumu to take out his phone. Right.

Atsumu takes it from his pocket and goes to add a new contact, then passes it to the guy in front of him. He types without saying a word, and when he hands the phone back, Atsumu reads: Sakusa Kiyoomi. He starts to thank him, but when Atsumu looks up, he finds Sakusa has already put his headphones back on and resumed working on his laptop, as if Atsumu had never been there. Perplexed, he goes back to his table to Osamu and Suna.

“God, you're so pathetic,” his twin greets him, with Suna echoing him by adding, “Too bad I didn’t get the chance to record you.”

“Shut up,” Atsumu grumbles, his pride wounded. But at least he'd managed to prove them he was able to ask someone out. Who were they calling a pussy now?

⸻

“So, when are you and the guy from the café seeing each other?” Suna asks him a few nights later, from the couch in the twins’ living room.

“First, we're not seeing each other. Second, why are you still here?” Atsumu retorts, dropping down beside him.

“Hmm,” Suna replies, “I don’t think you want to know why I’m spending the night here with your brother–”

“Eww–”

“–and what do you mean you're not seeing each other?”

“Because he's a pussy!” comes Osamu's voice from the kitchen.

“Nobody asked for your opinion!” Atsumu shouts back, then turns back to Suna. “The challenge was to ask for his number, which I did. No one ever said anything about actually going out with him,” he explains with confidence.

“Such a waste,” Suna sighs, “and to think he even agreed despite your pitiful attempt at flirting.”

“I just asked for his number, I wasn’t trying to flirt!”

“What a loser!” Osamu cuts in again, and this time Atsumu gets up and starts chasing him around the dining table.

“Say that again!”

“Loser!” his twin teases him, “Tsumu is a loser!”

“You're dead!”

“He says he’s free Saturday.”

“L-O-S-E-R”

“Funny, coming from someone who spent years pining over his crush before getting the courage to confess!”

“You do know how to ice skate, right?”

“At least I have a boyfriend, unlike you!”

“As if I cared!”

“Is three in the afternoon okay?”

“What?” Atsumu suddenly stops and turns to Suna. To his horror, he finds him with Atsumu's phone in hand, typing something on the screen. The blood runs cold in his veins.

“He says it’s okay to meet directly at the ice rink, no need to pick him up.”

“I had it in my pocket, how did you get it?” Atsumu asks, still unable to process the rest.

Suna shrugs, “Never let your guard down?”

“What about the password…?”

“You’re the most predictable person on the planet, Tsumu,” his brother interjects. “Everyone knows your password is the day you became captain of the Inarizaki.”

“That’s not true!” he replies, taking a mental note to change it as soon as possible.

“Really?” Suna teases him with a smirk, waving his phone at him. Atsumu snatches it from his hand and finds himself looking horrified at the chat with "Sakusa Kiyoomi" from the café. The last message received: No need. I'll see you there.

“You're welcome,” Suna has the audacity to say, pleased. Atsumu doesn't even have the strength to get angry; he simply stands there, resignedly staring at his phone screen until it goes black.

From: Atsumu

heyyyy

sakusa right?

atsumu here

i asked for your number the other day

From: Sakusa Kiyoomi

Yes, I recall

From: Atsumu

so

wanna go out

?

From: Sakusa Kiyoomi

I should be free on Saturday

From: Atsumu

good for me

something you wanna do?

From: Sakusa Kiyoomi

Do you know how to ice skate? I'd love to go

From: Atsumu

sure thing

From: Sakusa Kiyoomi

Good. Let's do Saturday at 3pm then

I'm sending you the address of the ice rink

[ sent a link ]

From: Atsumu

thx

want me to pick you up?

From: Sakusa Kiyoomi

No need. I'll see you there

⸻

Inevitably, Saturday afternoon comes, and Atsumu finds himself reluctantly walking towards Sakusa's chosen ice rink. The only thing he can think about, despite it all, is that he doesn't even know how to skate. Fucking Suna.

Sure, he could have stood Sakusa up, or texted him that he'd changed his mind and no longer wanted to go out with him, but Atsumu didn't trust his twin, much less that asshole boyfriend of his; he knew those two would surely find a way to set him up for another date. In the end, he'd decided that the best solution was to talk to Sakusa about it directly, in person. Atsumu hoped at least that the guy would be understanding.

Even though Atsumu is a few minutes early, when he arrives he finds Sakusa already waiting for him by the building's entrance. Before approaching, he takes a deep breath.

“Hey,” Atsumu greets him, and the guy nods back.

“Hey.”

“Look…” Atsumu begins, searching for the right words. “I'm sorry I made you come all this way for a date,” he says, avoiding looking in his direction, “but I'm not actually interested in going out with you. It was a dare, kind of.” Atsumu grimaces; it sounded really bad, said like that. “I'm sorry.”

Sakusa remains silent, and when Atsumu looks up he notices that he seems amused, under the mask he is wearing.

“I had an inkling,” Sakusa finally replies. “I wouldn't have agreed to come, otherwise. In fact, I'm not interested either.”

Atsumu is confused now. He'd expected to be insulted, or maybe for Sakusa to turn around and walk away without a single word, but certainly not this.

“What do you mean, you had an inkling?”

“You tend to shout when you talk. Has anyone ever told you that?”

Yes, everyone kept telling him that, actually.

“What does it have to do with anything?”

“It has to do with the fact that I was sitting at the table right next to yours the other day,” Sakusa deadpans. “I heard what you and your friends were saying.”

“But you were wearing headphones!” Atsumu retorts.

“Like I said before, you tend to shout when you speak,” he repeats with satisfaction dripping from his tone. “You asked me out because you expected me to refuse. To be completely honest, I agreed mostly out of spite.”

“Okay, so you don't want to go out with me either,” Atsumu repeats, nodding to himself. It had gone much better than expected. But... “Why did you come here, then?”

The guy shrugs. “I was curious to see what you'd do.”

Atsumu frowns. Not that he was in the place to judge someone's motives, but as a reason to show up on a date, it seemed rather weak, especially since the two of them were complete strangers.

“…and I don’t like to back down from a challenge,” Sakusa adds reluctantly.

Ah, that definitely made more sense. Maybe he and Sakusa had more in common than Atsumu had expected.

“But I didn’t dare you to do anything at all,” Atsumu reasons, perplexed.

Sakusa looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “Neither of us wanted to go on the date. We just had to wait and see who would chicken out first.” He tilts his head slightly. “I won.”

“Hey! I didn't know it was a competition!”

“Typical thing a loser would say,” the other deadpans.

Atsumu huffs in annoyance, but decides to drop it. He doesn't think it's appropriate to start a fight right now over such a childish reason.

“Okay, then… no date,” he changes the subject. “Do we just go back home?”

Sakusa stares at him. “Don't you want to skate?”

“I’m not very good at skating,” Atsumu admits with a grimace.

“I was actually wondering if it was really you who I was texting with,” Sakusa reasons. “They seemed too confident and nonchalant for someone who’s afraid to ask a guy for his number.” He pauses to think, “How did your friends call you, again? Oh yeah, pussy.”

“Oh c'mon!”

“Well, I like skating,” Sakusa informs him. “I'm going in with or without you. You do what you want. I didn't come all this way just to head back home right away.” He glances at Atsumu before turning and heading towards the building's entrance. “But it might be fun to see you humiliate yourself on skates, too.”

“Hey!” Atsumu shouts, following him, “I said I'm not very good, not that I'm shit at it!”

“I won't believe it until I see it with my own eyes.”

Inside, Atsumu rents some skates, while Sakusa takes a pair out of the bag he had brought along, because: I don't even want to know how many people have stuck their sweaty feet in there, it's disgusting. Atsumu must resist the temptation to take off a sock and throw it in his face; he has the feeling that he wouldn't survive Sakusa's fury if he tried.

They hit the ice rink and Sakusa immediately abandons him, starting to skate around the perimeter without a single glance back. Atsumu is forced to admit that the guy knows how to skate, unlike him. He gets distracted by watching Sakusa, annoyed at being left behind, and ends up falling on his butt: suddenly, Atsumu feels almost relieved that the guy hasn't seen him fail so miserably—perhaps his dignity hasn't been completely compromised yet.

He struggles back on his feet and grips the railing, trying to get familiar with the ice. When he feels ready enough, he lets go and begins to take a few uncertain steps forward.

“A true figure skating prodigy, I see,” he hears a voice call from behind him. As he tries to turn, Atsumu loses his balance once again and ends up sprawled on the ice floor. Sakusa watches him from above, unimpressed.

“You could at least help me back up,” Atsumu grumbles, trying unsuccessfully to do it by himself.

“I could, yes,” Sakusa reasons, not moving, “But it’s more fun to watch you squirm like an upside-down beetle.”

Still slumped on the ground, Atsumu lunges toward him and grabs his leg, causing Sakusa to slip as well. As he falls, the guy lets out a yelp.

“There you go, now we’re even,” says Atsumu, pleased with himself.

“You're such a child,” Sakusa sighs, straightening his beanie. Atsumu shamelessly smiles at him.

With some difficulty, Sakusa gets back up. Once he's steady on his feet again, he resignedly reaches out a gloved hand to Atsumu, who grabs it victoriously. Not missing the opportunity, he settles beside him, still holding him tight. Sakusa stares at him in annoyance.

“Are you planning on letting go of me?”

“Nope,” Atsumu replies cheerfully, “Now if I fall, you fall too. You better be careful!”

“I’m regretting agreeing to come,” Sakusa huffs, starting to skate with a dead weight slowing him down.

“How is that possible? I thought I'd won you over with my charming personality,” Atsumu chuckles, letting himself be carried along without even trying to move on his own.

"Keep thinking that."

When it's time to go, Atsumu has almost learned how to skate on his own without falling, not to mention the fact that he even managed to make Sakusa chuckle a couple of times (both of which Atsumu had just ended up sprawled on the ice, but those are just details). He really believes he's managed to make Sakusa like him—at least a little bit—in the few hours they've spent together since meeting. Atsumu is convinced that with a little more time he could actually manage to gain his friendship, so, as soon as they leave the building, he turns to the guy at his side.

“Do you want to grab a hot chocolate?”

“Only if you're paying for it,” Sakusa replies.

Atsumu smiles happily and links their arms, starting to walk toward a nearby café.“Deal!”

If Sakusa feels annoyed by the too much closeness, he doesn't show it.

Upon entering the café, they are greeted by a cozy environment. While Atsumu, as promised, orders two hot chocolates at the counter, Sakusa takes a seat at a table at the back of the room.

“I didn’t know if you wanted it with or without whipped cream,” Atsumu informs him, walking towards Sakusa a few minutes later and placing a hot chocolate with cream and one without it on the table, “You pick.”

Sakusa brings the plain one closer, muttering a ‘Thank you’ and starting to blow gently on it. Pleased, Atsumu dives into the other one.

“It was fun,” he says confidently. “We should do it again some other day. I feel like I could have a future in figure skating.”

“I was just wondering how come no agency had contacted you yet. You're such a prodigy,” Sakusa rolls his eyes. After a moment, he adds, “It wasn't all that bad.”

“Then it’s set!” Atsumu declares, “We're ice skating again for the next date!”

“Hmm,” Sakusa studies him. “It wasn’t a date, though,” he points out, “I’m still not interested.”

“Semantics,” Atsumu replies, waving a hand, “I’m still not interested either.” He narrows his eyes at the guy in front of him, “Why aren't you interested? I'm great, you know?” he teases him, only half joking—he actually was interested in the answer. “Is it because you’re straight? Already in a relationship? Recently broken up with?” Atsumu guesses. “Or is it just that you don’t like me?” he adds, dramatically placing a hand over his heart.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Sakusa replies, raising an eyebrow.

“Fair enough,” Atsumu comments, but doesn't add anything else. Sakusa observes him for a moment, then sighs.

“It’s because I’m aromantic, Atsumu.”

Oh.

Atsumu's heart skips a beat. His eyes dart to the guy sitting in front of him, then he quickly looks away. He'd hoped so when he'd heard Sakusa say that he wasn't interested in him, but what were the chances? And yet...

“Me too,” he mumbles softly, his chest heaving. He clears his throat. “I'm aroace, I mean.”

He risks a glance in Sakusa's direction and finds the guy smiling slightly at him. Atsumu finds himself smiling back without realizing it.

“Yes, I’m aroace too, to be exact,” Sakusa clarifies. “I usually just say aromantic because I assume people don’t know what aroace means, but I’m also asexual.”

Atsumu nods; he understands it all too well, actually.

“I'm guessing that the guys who forced you to go out with me don't know that, right? Otherwise, if I were you, I'd find better friends.”

Atsumu grimaces. “It's not that simple. One of them is my twin and the other one is his boyfriend—and my best friend. I'm kind of stuck with them, you know. But as annoying as they are, I wouldn't change them for anyone else,” he reasons out loud. Yes, they were assholes sometimes, but they loved him, and Atsumu loved them, despite everything. “But no, they don't know,” he admits. “To be honest, you're the first person I've told.”

“Thanks for trusting me, then,” Sakusa replies, softening.

“Thank you for saying it first,” Atsumu murmurs, avoiding his gaze. Knowing that Sakusa was just like him had made Atsumu feel safe about admitting it himself—it had given him the certainty that the person in front of him would understand without judging or asking questions he didn't want to answer. It had been exactly what he needed. He feels more relieved now, even though his heart hasn't stopped pounding in his chest.

“I had to pay you back for the chocolate somehow,” Sakusa jokes, making Atsumu chuckle.

They finish their drinks while chatting about this and that, and soon it's time to say goodbye and go home.

“I meant it when I said we should do it again, though,” Atsumu lets him know outside the café.

“Yes, me too,” Sakusa replies, and Atsumu would bet that he’s smiling under his mask.

⸻

Atsumu's good mood disappears as soon as he opens the door to his and his brother's apartment and is greeted by two knowing smiles staring at him from the sofa.

“So, how did the date go?” Suna asks, smug.

“Did you have fun with Sakusa?” Osamu follows closely, watching him with curiosity.

“It was okay,” Atsumu grumbles, kicking off his shoes and shrugging off his coat. “He's not that bad.”

“That’s an interesting way of saying ‘thank you for setting me up with a really hot dude’,” Suna comments, “but you’re welcome.”

“I'm not thanking you at all,” Atsumu replies, heading towards his room with the intention of locking himself in so as not to have to see them again, at least for a few hours.

“Hey, where are you running off to?!” his twin calls out, “Aren’t you going to tell us anything?”

“No,” Atsumu says, and slams the door shut. Unfortunately, this only muffles the voices on the other end, but doesn't eliminate them entirely.

“He probably made a fool of himself” he hears Suna chuckle, with Osamu following close behind, muttering something else that makes them laugh even more.

“I can hear you!” Atsumu shouts, before putting on his headphones. He picks up his phone and without thinking twice, opens the chat with Sakusa, grimacing as he reads the texts the poor guy had exchanged with Suna. Seized by a strange urge to talk to him again, he starts typing.

From: Atsumu

Hey Omi, it's really me this time!

I wanted to tell you that I enjoyed spending the day with you :)

From: Omi

Hi Atsumu, I enjoyed it too

The reply comes so quickly that Atsumu nearly jumps in surprise. He's so happy that he immediately forgets about Osamu and Suna on the other side of the door. He falls flat on his stomach on the bed and reads the next message.

From: Omi

Omi? Where did you get that from?

From: Atsumu

It's a nickname!

From Kiyoomi :D

From: Omi

It's terrible

From: Atsumu

I like it!

Omi ^^

From: Omi

Don't call me that.

From: Atsumu

Too late :P

From: Omi

You're making me reconsider wanting to see you again

From: Atsumu

You want to see me again???

From: Omi

At the moment, no I don't

From: Atsumu

:(

They spend the rest of the evening texting, and Atsumu is so engrossed in the conversation that he doesn't notice the time passing. When, at a certain hour, they are forced to say goodnight, he feels inexplicably sad.

From: Atsumu

Night night Omi

Talk to you tomorrow?

From: Omi

Goodnight Atsumu

Talk to you tomorrow

If Atsumu lies awake in bed tossing and turning thinking about the day they spent together and the joy he felt knowing that Sakusa would want to see him again, that's no one's business but his.

⸻

In the following weeks, they manage to organize a few more outings together, and they begin to get to know each other much better. Atsumu is thrilled to have the chance to talk freely with someone who seems to understand him and from whom he has no need to hide anything. Whenever he realizes he can be himself without having to hold back—for fear that his friendly manner might be mistaken for romantic interest—he feels overwhelmed with relief. He never realized how much he'd missed someone like Sakusa in his life, and he feels incredibly lucky to have finally met him.

While this new friendship brings him nothing but happiness, Atsumu also has to deal with Osamu and Suna. Convinced that he and Sakusa have started dating in secret, they keep pestering Atsumu on when they'll have the chance to meet his new boyfriend. He quickly realizes there is no point in trying to convince them otherwise, and simply gets to ignore their questions, hoping they'd eventually stop finding the topic interesting.

He's wondered several times if maybe he should just come out once and for all, so that the two of them would finally understand that they had to leave him alone on matters like this, but the truth is that Atsumu is still terrified that they might not understand, especially Osamu. There is a big difference between admitting you are aroace to a guy you just met—aroace himself—and doing so to your own twin.

So, Atsumu keeps ignoring them.

⸻

That afternoon Sakusa had invited him to his house. He had been telling Atsumu that they absolutely had to watch this new series, so, taking advantage of the fact that they both had the day off, they'd decided to binge it together on Sakusa's couch.

He is getting ready to go out when he hears a knock on his door.

“Yeah?" he asks, and Osamu peeks out from behind the doorframe. "What's up?"

“Do you have a moment?” his brother’s tone of voice puts him on alert, “Rin and I would like to… talk to you about something."

Atsumu looks at the time: he had a few minutes left before he had to leave. He nods slowly, starting to worry. It wasn't often that he and Osamu had to discuss matters requiring such seriousness. He follows him into the living room, where Suna is already waiting for them, stretched out on the couch, his perpetually bored expression still in place despite the tense atmosphere in the room.

“So?” Atsumu looks between the two of them, “You’re making me worry, Samu.”

“Yeah, sorry. You’re right,” Osamu grimaces. “Um… you know how you keep complaining that Rin’s always here at our place?” he asks, but as he speaks, he looks everywhere but in Atsumu's direction.

"Yeah..." Atsumu replies, not understanding his brother's point. "I'm usually joking," he adds, in case it hadn't been clear until then. Suna was one of his best friends, before being his twin's boyfriend. Atsumu actually liked him being around that often.

"Ha, yes. I mean—we know. But..." Osamu stops and looks at Suna, as if he didn't know how to continue. The other guy returns his gaze for a few seconds, then sighs and shifts his gaze to Atsumu.

“We’re moving out,” Suna lets him know, bluntly.

Atsumu snaps his attention back to his twin, as if hoping he's misunderstood. He half expects Osamu to deny everything, but his guilty expression only confirms his suspicions.

“What do you mean, Samu?” he asks, his own voice sounding hollow. “You’re moving out… where?”

“In an apartment of our own,” Osamu replies in a small voice, still refusing to look him in the face. “Mine and Rin’s, without you.”

“Without…” Atsumu repeats, unable to process the information, “Why? Did I do something?”

“No!” Osamu exclaims, and finally his attention returns to him. “No, Tsumu. You have nothing to do with this.” He shakes his head. “Rin and I have been talking about this for a few months. We’ve been together for a while now. We’d like to start a family of our own—”

"And I'm not included," Atsumu concludes bitterly. He doesn't know why it hurts so much now, since deep down he'd always known it. It was what normal people did: they found a partner and built a life together, leaving people like Atsumu behind. It wasn't anything new.

Osamu opens his mouth as if to retort, but closes it without saying anything. It was true, then; Atsumu wasn't a part of their plans.

“When are you moving out?” he asks flatly, ignoring the part of himself that wants to scream.

"We found a suitable apartment just this morning, so..." Osamu trails off. Atsumu's irritation grows.

“So?” he insists, demanding an answer. He would force Osamu to say it clearly. He wouldn't let him get away with half-formed sentences and having Suna speak for him. Atsumu knew his brother felt guilty for what he was doing, and he wanted him to feel that it to the fullest. He wanted Osamu to suffer from voicing those words just as much as he was suffering from hearing them.

“So we have to give confirmation to the landlord by next week.”

"Next week," Atsumu repeats, his anger rising. "And when were you planning to tell me, huh?"

“Well, we're telling you now,” Osamu replies, and has the audacity to look annoyed.

“Oh, thank you so much for your consideration!” Atsumu spreads his arms. “A couple more days and I would have found myself living with boxes, but please, take your time!”

“You always do that!” his brother replies, growing irritated. “You react like a child every time something doesn’t go the way you want it to!”

"How else was I supposed to react?!"

"You could have told us you were happy for us! Support us! And instead you always make me feel bad about everything!"

“Ha, so it's my fault now?” Atsumu is astonished.

"Why do you think I waited this long to tell you? I knew you'd make a scene!"

"I have every fucking right to be pissed!"

Now they are both screaming.

“You never even try to understand how other people feel, Tsumu!”

“Oh, look who's talking, Samu!” Atsumu spits out his brother's name as if it were an insult.

"See? You can never be reasoned with!"

"You've already decided everything! You're moving, and I'm staying here! What else is there to reason about?"

“You know that’s not what I meant!” Osamu shouts in exasperation.

“You talk as if you seriously gave a damn what I think!”

“It would have been nice to have your support, for once!”

"Well, you don't have my support!"

“Great!” Osamu blurts out.

“Fantastic!” Atsumu echoes.

The two remain staring at each other, breathing heavily. Suna, accustomed to their arguments and aware that he shouldn't interfere, watches them from the couch.

Suddenly, Atsumu decides he's had enough. He turns sharply and heads for the front door.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Osamu calls after him, as he quickly slips on his shoes and grabs his coat.

“Out of here!” Atsumu yells, “You don't want me anymore? Perfect! Enjoy your time alone!” And he slams the door shut behind himself.

He manages to hold on only until he reaches the street, then his facade crumbles and Atsumu bursts into tears. He collapses there on the sidewalk, crying uncontrollably, causing passersby to give him a look and avoid him. With his eyes red and his nose running, he almost hopes to hear Osamu running to him, ready to apologize and tell Atsumu he's changed his mind, but of course that doesn't happen. He's never felt so alone and abandoned in his life, and it's a terrible feeling.

He focuses on his anger so he doesn't have to think about the emptiness that welled up inside him when he learned Osamu was leaving. Why hadn't he told him before? Why had he waited until now to tell him? Was Atsumu really so worthless to him that he didn't even deserve to be kept informed of his decisions? Was this the future that awaited him—being cast aside by the people he cared about most?

He doesn't know how much time passes, but when Atsumu comes back to himself, he realizes he's shivering from the cold. He still doesn't feel ready to go home and face his brother, and somewhere in his confused thoughts, the realization dawns that right now he should be on Sakusa's couch watching the series he'd promised him. Suddenly feeling guilty for standing him up for no reason, he reaches for his pants pocket, only to realize his phone isn't there at all. He must have left it charging on the nightstand in his room, and now he couldn't go back to get it.

Almost as if in a dream, he slowly stands up and begins walking toward the train station, his mind empty of everything except the irrational urge of having to apologize to Sakusa. Amid all this chaos, this was the only thing he felt he could fix. And if he couldn't do it by text, he would go to him in person.

⸻

When he knocks on Sakusa's door with his hand shaking with shivers, it's already evening. Atsumu's nose is red and he can't feel his ears anymore because of the cold. He must look terrible, because when Sakusa opens the door and sees him, his eyes widen in alarm.

“Atsumu, what…?” he begins, then stops. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

He suddenly realizes how stupid his idea had been. What was he doing there? Apologizing to Sakusa for standing him up, only to turn around and go back… where, exactly? To an apartment where he wasn't wanted, to a brother who would have preferred not to have him around?

He'd finally managed to calm down, but hearing Sakusa's words and his worried voice, his throat begins to burn and his eyes fill with tears again. He opens his mouth to try to explain, but no sound comes out.

"Come in, you're freezing." Sakusa gently takes his arm and drags him through the door. "C'mon, take off your jacket," he instructs as if Atsumu were a child, and he obeys without thinking. He follows the man to the couch, where Sakusa sits him down, wrapping him tightly in a heavy blanket, and orders him to stay put, before disappearing somewhere else. While Atsumu waits for him to return, he absentmindedly surveys the living room furniture.

Listening to the background noise of Sakusa tinkering in the kitchen, he begins to relax again. Under the blanket, Atsumu finally stops shivering, and when the other man returns with a steaming cup of tea, he gently takes it in his hands, thanking him softly. The two sit in silence while Atsumu drinks slowly.

When he feels he's calmed down enough to speak, he clears his throat. "I'm sorry I came here like this." he murmurs, staring at the tea bag swirling in the bottom of the cup, “I wanted to text you but I forgot my phone.”

"Atsumu," Sakusa calls, with a gentleness in his voice he'd never heard before. "You don't need to apologize. It's enough for me to know you're okay."

Atsumu has to blink a couple of times to keep from starting to cry again.

“I’m fine,” he manages to say. “I just—” he stops when his voice starts to crack. “I just had a fight with Samu.”

He doesn't dare look in Sakusa's direction, but he knows the man is staring at him.

"You don't look fine," he replies after a moment, speaking slowly, and Atsumu suppresses a grimace. "From what I understand, you often argue with your brother, but I've never seen you like this."

“Wow, Omi,” Atsumu doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “has anyone ever told you that you suck at comforting people?”

"Many times, yes."

Atsumu risks a glance in his direction and finds the expression on Sakusa's face profoundly mortified. This, combined with the resignation in his words, inexplicably manages to make him burst into laughter that quickly becomes hysterical, so much so that he is forced to set his cup down on the coffee table to avoid spilling it. Now that he's started, he can't stop, and Atsumu finds himself gasping for breath, his laughter gradually turning into full-blown sobs.

Sakusa looks at him worriedly, unsure of what to do. He tentatively leans forward, placing a hand on his shoulder in a semblance of comfort. If he weren't crying profusely, Atsumu would find him adorable.

“Can I–” he says, through tears, “Can I have a hug, Omi?”

He knows Sakusa isn't the type for physical touch, but right now Atsumu needs it so much that he doesn't care about being rude. He just wants to be able to cling to him and forget everything else.

"Yes, of course," Sakusa whispers softly, and Atsumu throws himself into his arms. He buries his face in Sakusa's shoulder and breathes in his comforting scent as the man holds him close. Atsumu sobs freely, focusing on the feeling of Sakusa's hand gently caressing his back. Little by little, he begins to calm down.

“Thank you,” he murmurs against his shirt, reluctant to let go.

“Take all the time you need, Atsumu,” Sakusa speaks to him in a gentle voice, and Atsumu allows himself to remain in his embrace for a while longer. When he finally lets go of Sakusa, he feels a little better.

"Got everything out?"

Atsumu wipes his cheeks with the back of his hand and nods. “Thank you,” he says in a faint voice.

Sakusa's gaze softens. "You don't have to thank me, Atsumu."

He nods again, sniffling. "Okay," he whispers.

Sakusa reaches out and begins to smooth out some stray strands of his hair. Atsumu closes his eyes, basking in the comforting knowledge that someone is taking care of him. That doesn't happen often, he realizes with disappointment.

They remain silent for a moment, then Sakusa clears his throat. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asks.

The truth was, Atsumu had avoided thinking about it deeply until now, focusing on the argument rather than what had sparked it. Talking about it would make it all real, and he wasn't sure he was ready to face what Osamu's decision would entail. Despite that, he also didn't want to keep it all inside.

"They're moving out," Atsumu says, feeling his voice crack and having to force himself to speak through the lump in his throat. "Samu and Sunarin."

His nose begins to itch and his eyes fill with tears again. The reality of the situation hits him: there would be no future where he and Osamu lived and got old together, the same way they'd grown up until that moment. He wouldn't wake up every morning for the rest of his years, seeing the passage of time mirrored in his twin's face. In that moment, Atsumu was forced to confront the realization that the life he'd always taken for granted had been nothing more than a childhood dream. He'd fooled himself into thinking that he, Osamu, and Suna could remain a family forever, but obviously, that wasn't how things worked in the real world. People like Atsumu were destined to remain alone, whether he liked it or not.

Sakusa is watching him, the uncertain expression of someone who wants to say something but at the same time struggles to comprehend.

“I thought…” Atsumu sniffs, “It’s stupid, but I thought Samu would stay with me forever.”

“Oh, Atsumu,” Sakusa sighs, and looks at him as if he understands what it feels like to fear being left behind.

“I know it’s unfair of me to expect him… to give up the future he wants for me,” Atsumu continues through sobs, “But I can’t help but feel like he’s abandoning me.”

Sakusa remains silent for a few seconds, as if he doesn't quite know how to express himself, before answering. "I don't know your brother," he begins, carefully weighing his words. "But from the way you've spoken about him, he seems to care a lot about you, Atsumu. I don't think he meant to make you feel this way," he reasons.

Atsumu nods through tears, because deep down he knew it too. Osamu might be an insensitive asshole sometimes, but he loved him. He would never deliberately try to hurt Atsumu —not like that.

“I think… I think he doesn't really understand how you feel, at the thought of ending up alone,” Sakusa tells him, tilting his head, “You haven’t explained him that you’re aroace yet, have you?”

"No," Atsumu mutters, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Sakusa sighs.

"I'm not saying you have to tell him if you're not ready. But it might help you both if you two spoke more clearly."

Sakusa was right, even though Atsumu had avoided thinking about it until that moment. If he'd been honest about his fears for the future from the start, Osamu would have never acted the way he had, suddenly announcing that he was moving out. He might have decided to move out anyway—Atsumu couldn't stop him—but they could have talked about it together, and perhaps the situation wouldn't have escalated this much.

It pained him to admit it, but they had both made mistakes. Neither of them was blameless. Atsumu had reacted badly, just as his twin had predicted, which didn't excuse Osamu's behavior—keeping Atsumu in the dark about his decision until the very end—but it helped him understand his reasoning. He wished he could say that if Osamu had told him earlier, his response would have been better, but Atsumu knew very well, as his brother had, that this wasn't true at all.

"Yeah, you're right," he replies, mulling over Sakusa's words and coming to the conclusion that yes, he and Osamu definitely needed to talk. "I should try."

Not now, though. Right now, he had no intention of going home and facing Osamu. The crying had exhausted him, and he was still angry at his brother, even though Atsumu knew rationally that he should take some of the blame himself.

"Could I... stay here tonight?" he asks, his voice faint. "I don't want to go home to Samu. Not yet."

"Yes, you can stay here, Atsumu. Of course," Sakusa reassures him with a half-smile, and Atsumu nods gratefully, because he feels like if he were to start talking, he'd burst into tears again, and he's shed enough tears that day already.

“You see, I’m not that terrible at consoling people after all,” Sakusa jokes in an attempt to lighten the conversation, and Atsumu snorts in amusement.

“No, you’re downright terrible,” he croaks, “but lucky for you, that was the kind of terrible I needed.”

Sakusa smiles at him, and Atsumu tries to smile back, though he's pretty sure it looks more like a grimace. With his nose and eyes all red, it certainly can't be a pretty sight.

His stomach chooses that moment to growl, reminding him that it's getting late and he hasn't had dinner yet. Sakusa hears it and chuckles softly.

“If you want, I’ll cook something and in the meantime you can take a shower,” he suggests.

"Do I stink that bad?"

"No. But you and your germs aren't allowed near my bed without washing first."

"Oh. I can sleep on the couch if that's a problem." Atsumu hadn't even thought of that; he feels stupid now.

"Please," Sakusa scoffs. "Shut up and go take a shower. I'll bring you some towels and clean clothes," he says, getting back to his feet and walking towards the bathroom.

Atsumu gets up from the couch and follows him into the hallway, grateful for the kindness the man was showing him.

Clean and with a full stomach, Atsumu feels reborn. To make up for lost time that afternoon, they both decide to watch a few episodes of their series before going to bed. Atsumu feels like he's back in high school, when he'd be invited to a friend's house for a sleepover.

They settle into bed, Sakusa holding the laptop, and start it. Without taking his eyes off the screen, Atsumu leans on him and rests his head on Sakusa's shoulder with a yawn. A few minutes pass, and Sakusa's cheek gently rests on his hair.

Atsumu loves physical touch with others, though he often feels like he has to hold back for fear of being misunderstood. Once again, he's grateful to be able to be himself with Sakusa, free to express his affection without it being interpreted as something it isn't. The spontaneity of this situation only makes it even more special.

After a couple of episodes, they decide to turn it off and continue another day, as neither of them can keep their eyes open long enough to follow the plot. They put away the laptop and say goodnight.

Atsumu expected to fall asleep instantly at this point, but left alone with his thoughts, he can't stop thinking about the fight with Osamu and the conversation that awaited him once he got home, which prevents him from relaxing and falling asleep. He tosses and turns in bed until he hears Sakusa snorting from the other side of the mattress.

“Can you manage to stay still at least while you sleep, Atsumu?” he whispers into the darkness.

“Sorry, I can’t fall asleep.”

"Well, try” he hisses.

Atsumu turns to Sakusa's side of the bed and comes face to face with his scowl.

“You’ll get wrinkles,” he comments absentmindedly, reaching out to touch the spot between his eyebrows.

"I should have let you sleep on the couch," Sakusa grumbles, but doesn't back down. Atsumu chuckles silently, and the two remain staring at each other in the dim light.

"Can I have another hug?" Atsumu whispers after a moment. He watches the frown on the man's face ease as he nods slightly.

"Come here," he sighs, and Atsumu doesn't need to be told twice. He approaches Sakusa and rests his head on his chest, while the man's arms wrap around him, holding him close.

"A hug as long as I want?" he tries hopefully, and Sakusa responds with a hum of agreement, which Atsumu feels echoing in his ribcage. With his cheek pressed against Sakusa's shirt, he smiles contentedly.

A few seconds later, Sakusa's hand makes its way to his hair, beginning to gently caress it. Atsumu sighs and closes his eyes, letting himself be lulled by the soothing feeling.

He's just about to fall asleep—his mind now clear of anything but Sakusa's comforting presence, the steady beat of his heart in his ears—when he hears him speak.

“You know,” Sakusa begins, and Atsumu has to blink a couple of times to make sure he’s still awake, “I’m not interested in romantic relationships and all of what they entail, but sometimes I miss the kind of affection and trust that can exist between two people who decide to be together.”

“Me too,” Atsumu admits in a whisper. “It must be nice to know you can count on someone like that.”

It was one of the reasons why it took him a long time to accept being aroace. Atsumu was a person who needed others to be happy; he wasn't meant to be alone. He loved his friends, but that never seemed to be enough for them, who placed greater importance on romantic love. The affection he felt for his loved ones always seemed to be overshadowed by this other from which Atsumu was excluded. How he wished someone would put him first, even just once.

Who had decided that love for others was only valid if it was romantic? Atsumu wanted to be able to feel free to spend his days with the people he cared about—hugging them, holding their hands, telling them he loved them—without them building expectations he couldn't meet. It was comforting to know he wasn't the only one who longed for this type of relationship; thanks to Sakusa he was finally able to feel understood and less alone.

Their words hang in the air for a few seconds, then Sakusa surprises him by leaving a kiss in his hair, so light that for a moment Atsumu thinks he's imagined it.

“Goodnight, Atsumu.”

⸻

Atsumu wakes up when he feels something moving beneath him. He blinks a couple of times to adjust to the sunlight filtering through the window, and realizes that the thing moving is none other than Sakusa, trying to escape from Atsumu's embrace. Instinctively, he holds him tighter to prevent him from leaving and to carry away all his body heat.

“Let go of me, Atsumu,” Sakusa grumbles.

He huffs but lets go. “The hug was supposed to be as long as I wanted,” Atsumu complains, “you promised me.”

“This hug lasted more than seven hours,” Sakusa retorts. “I think you’ll survive.”

Atsumu rolls over, sulking, and goes back to sleep. When he wakes up again, unsure of how much time has actually passed, Sakusa is no longer there. He reluctantly decides to get up, mostly because he's starving, and heads for the kitchen, where he hears the clatter of dishes.

Sakusa nods at him from the stove, then hands him a plate full of food. Atsumu grunts a thank you, taking a seat at the dining table. Sakusa sits across from him, and they both begin eating in silence. Neither of them was an early riser, apparently.

Now that he's truly woken up, Atsumu can no longer ignore what happened the day before. The fight with Osamu, the fact that his twin would soon be moving out, the conversation that awaited him... everything hits him suddenly, making him lose his appetite.

"I have to get back to Samu," he announces, pushing his plate away with a grimace. If it were up to him, Atsumu would have stayed in this peaceful bubble he'd created with Sakusa forever, but he knew he'd have to face Osamu sooner or later. And he also knew he didn't have much time before his twin started packing. If he wanted to fix things, he had to do it as soon as possible.

“Are you going to tell him you’re aroace?” Sakusa asks.

Atsumu nods. He feels like throwing up from anxiety now. But yes, he was going to. The time had come.

Sakusa must have noticed something was wrong, because he looks at him worriedly. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Atsumu is tempted to accept, but realizes this is something he should do alone. Osamu was his twin, and it was time for him and Atsumu to sit down together and talk about a few things face-to-face—just the two of them, no one else. Plus, he didn't want Sakusa to meet Osamu like that. He would have liked the two of them to have a chance to get to know each other in a more relaxed and cheerful setting. Maybe, once this was over, they could all plan something together.

“No,” he shakes his head, “but thanks for offering.”

“Anytime, Atsumu,” he smiles reassuringly.

"Did you tell your family?" Atsumu asks instead. Sakusa always seemed so confident about his sexuality; Atsumu was curious. Maybe he had some advice to offer.

Sakusa shrugs. "Actually no, I didn't. I'm not that close to my parents or siblings. I don't really care what they think about it."

"Oh," Atsumu frowns. It was indeed a very Sakusa thing to do. He figures that was also why he hadn't had any issue with coming out to him the day they'd first gone out together. Sakusa simply didn't care what Atsumu thought of him. It had to be nice, not being influenced by other people's opinions of you.

"But my cousin knows. He was one of the first people I told, years ago."

“And how did it go?” Atsumu asks, interested.

"Okay, I think," Sakusa stares into nothing, lost in thoughts. "I don't even remember it, to be honest."

"Wow, Omi, super helpful," Atsumu snorts. "And here I was, wanting to ask you for some advice."

"Sorry." Sakusa gives him a half-smile. "I'm not very experienced with coming out either. I usually just say it."

"Hmm," Atsumu considers his words. Maybe, in fact, just saying it was exactly what he should do, without beating around the bush.

“It’ll be okay, Atsumu,” Sakusa reassures him.

Atsumu looks at him, feeling a little more confident than before. “You better hope you’re right, or I’ll come and move in with you,” he jokes.

He helps Sakusa clean up the kitchen, then he get ready to go out. When the time comes to say goodbye and thank Sakusa for hosting him, Atsumu hesitates.

"Omi?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened between us last night..." He pauses, embarrassed. He doesn't know exactly how to ask it without making it seem strange. The fact was, Atsumu had really liked it, feeling so close to Sakusa, and he didn't want it to be just a one-time thing that wouldn't happen again. He knew Sakusa had gone along with it to comfort him, but if he was okay with it...

"We can do it again whenever you want," Sakusa replies sincerely.

Atsumu's face breaks into a smile, and he has to restrain himself from leaping forward and squeezing him into a suffocating hug. Sakusa notices, rolling his eyes in amusement.

"You can hug me, Atsumu," he says, and Atsumu doesn't waste time, enthusiastically approaching Sakusa and enveloping him completely. His face suddenly pressed into Atsumu's hair, Sakusa adds, "It's strangely pleasant to be hugged by you."

Atsumu holds him tighter, feeling so happy he might burst. He allows himself to linger in the moment for a little longer, trying to draw courage from Sakusa's reassuring presence, before reluctantly pulling away.

"I'd better get going," he says. "I'll text you in a few hours to let you know how it went."

“Okay,” Sakusa nods, “Good luck, Atsumu.

He smiles gratefully at Sakusa before turning toward the front door. He gathers his courage and leaves.

⸻

Upon approaching his apartment door, Atsumu pauses. Before inserting his keys into the lock, he takes a deep breath. He could do this.

He opens the door, trying to make as little noise as possible, and enters. He takes off his shoes and coat, then enters the living room. From the sofa, Suna turns to Atsumu and observes him in silence for a few seconds, then gently shakes Osamu, who is fast asleep against him. He jumps up and looks around, his red eyes fixing on his twin as soon as he notices him in the center of the room.

“Tsumu!” Osamu shouts, hurrying towards him, “Are you okay? Where have you been?”

"Um..." Atsumu, who hadn't expected to find his brother so worried, remains speechless for a few seconds. "I'm fine. I was at Omi's."

Osamu stops suddenly, as if he had just remembered why Atsumu had left like that the night before.

"Right." He closes his eyes for a few seconds and sighs. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday, Tsumu. I was wrong to wait so long to tell you. And I shouldn't have taken it out on you when I was the one in the wrong." He looks at Atsumu with disarming sincerity. "I'm an idiot. I'm sorry."

Oh.

Atsumu hadn't prepared for such an admission from Osamu. He'd expected to be the one to apologize, acknowledge his mistakes, and explain his reaction before he could receive the same from his twin. He must have underestimated how much Osamu cared for him. He feels his eyes begin to water as he returns Osamu's gaze.

"You're a bit of an idiot, yes. But I don't blame you. I would have reacted badly anyway. I'm sorry too." He blinks several times, trying to keep away the tears that threaten to fall. "There's... there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about. For a while now."

If Osamu is surprised, he doesn't show it. He simply tilts his head slightly, encouraging him to continue. "You know you can tell me anything, Tsumu."

"I know," Atsumu nods, his nose starting to itch. Why had he waited so long to tell his brother? If anyone would have accepted him no matter what, it was him. "Can we..." he begins, looking at Suna, who's watching them from the couch.

“Rin,” Osamu calls after him.

“Sure, I'll leave you two,” he replies, getting up and heading for the front door. As he passes Atsumu, Suna pats him on the arm, which, coming from him, was equivalent to a, Good luck, and maybe even a, I'm glad you're okay. Atsumu feels strangely comforted by this; considering Suna, he knew this strange display of support was heartfelt.

Once they're alone, silence falls between the twins. Atsumu knows he should be the one to break it and confess Osamu what he'd promised himself he'd tell him, but it's harder than he expected, now that he's on the verge of having to do so. It feels like standing on the edge of a precipice he can't convince himself to jump off.

After a moment of staring at his own hands, trying to muster up enough courage to begin speaking, he hears Osamu clear his throat.

“Does this have anything to do with Kiyoomi?” he asks delicately.

Atsumu would almost laugh at the question—his brother was completely off track—if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation.

“Not really…” he replies with a sigh, “not in the way you think, anyway.”

Osamu remains silent, inviting him to explain. Atsumu gazes over his twin's shoulder and takes a breath.

"I'm aroace," he finally blurts out. He risks a glance and sees that Osamu is focused on him. "You know... do you know what that means?"

“I think so,” Osamu replies cautiously, “but maybe it’s better if you remind me, so I don’t get it wrong.”

"Okay," Atsumu says. He'd been prepared for the possibility of having to explain it to him; he hadn't fooled himself into thinking that everyone already knew what it meant, as nice as it was to hope so. "Aromantic. Aromantic and asexual. It means that I don't feel romantic or sexual attraction to anyone. Never, in my case." He looks up at him, unsure if that had helped Osamu understand better. "Basically, it means I don't like other people in that way."

"Right, okay." Osamu nods. "Sure. All right, Tsumu. Is that what you were supposed to tell me?" he asks, his expression softening.

Atsumu feels a wave of relief and gratitude wash over him. He nods curtly, a lump forming in his throat as he listens to Osamu's response, and he doesn't feel like speaking and risking bursting into tears.

But obviously his twin knows him all too well.

"Oh, Tsumu," he sighs, opening his arms so he can dive in. As Atsumu sobs against his shoulder, Osamu rubs his back. "It's okay. Thanks for telling me."

Atsumu nods against his shirt, pulling him even closer. They stay in that position for a while, and Atsumu allows himself to think that maybe everything would be okay, now that he had this weight off his shoulders.

"I know you want to build a family with Sunarin," he breaks the silence, speaking in a faint voice some time later. "But I'm your family, too, Samu. Don't leave me behind."

Osamu's hand on his back stops.

“Is that what you thought I was doing?” he asks in a whisper, pushing Atsumu away to be able to look him in the face.

“You’re moving out without me,” Atsumu retorts, sniffling and wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “What else was I supposed to think?”

“I was wrong not to include you in the decision," Osamu admits, "And for that I apologize. But moving in with your boyfriend, getting married, starting a family… those are things everyone does, Tsumu. It doesn't mean you stop being my twin just because my life moves on."

“Not me, though,” Atsumu replies, and he desperately needs his brother to understand "I don't want a partner, or to get married. And I already have a family, I don't need a new one."

Osamu, who had opened his mouth to add something, closes it again.

"I'm not saying you're not allowed to move on with your life, Samu. I'm just asking you to make room for me in your future, too."

Osamu remains silent for a moment, as if he doesn't know how to respond to this confession.

"I'm sorry, Tsumu. Really. I hadn't even thought about you feeling that way." His expression is sincere as he looks at Atsumu. "Rin and I were so convinced that you and Sakusa were going together…”

“Omi and I are just friends.”

"I know. I'm sorry I implied otherwise and forced you to go on that date with him." Osamu grimaces. "God, we were such assholes."

“Yes, definitely,” Atsumu smiles, “But I’m kind of glad you did it, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten to know him. Don't tell Sunarin I said that, though." He had no intention of seeing Suna's self satisfied look if he ever were to learn that his plan had worked, in a way.

Osamu smiles back. "What if, instead of me moving out with Rin, we asked him if he wanted to come live here with us?" Osamu suggests after a moment of deliberation. "Would that be okay with you?"

Atsumu's eyes widen in disbelief. He'd hoped to convince his brother not to leave, but this exceeded his expectations. Living with his two best friends and being included in the future they wanted to build together... it almost seemed too good to be true. It was exactly what Atsumu had never allowed himself to fully hope for.

“It would be perfect.”

Back in the quiet of his room, Atsumu finds his phone on the nightstand beside his bed. Ignoring all the missed calls and the flood of worried messages he'd received the night before, he goes to find the chat with Sakusa. He stares at it for a few minutes, unsure of what to text to let him know everything was okay, until he finally gives in and calls him. He wanted to talk to him directly; to hear his voice as he told him about his conversation with Osamu.

“Hello, Atsumu?” he picks up, “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” he confirms. “It went just as you said.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Atsumu.”

He can't see it, but he has the impression that Sakusa is smiling, on the other end of the phone.

"I explained him how I felt, and he understood. He decided to ask Sunarin to come live here with us, instead of moving out," Atsumu informs him, unable to contain his joy. "I'm sure he'll say yes, he basically already lives here. He's always on our couch."

“I’m really happy for you, Atsumu.”

"Me too," he says, beaming. "And if I ever get tired of them, I can always crash at your place for the night!"

“This whole thing started because you didn’t want them to move out, and here you are already talking about coming to stay with me,” Sakusa’s voice sounds exasperated, but Atsumu knows he’s actually amused.

"You don't know my brother, Omi," he snorts. "He can be truly unbearable when he wants to be. Not to mention Sunarin."

“You can come here whenever you want,” Sakusa reassures him.

“Perfect!” Atsumu agrees. “By the way, speaking of not knowing Samu… how about we organize something together one of these days? I’d love to introduce the two of you.”

"You're introducing me to the family already? Isn't it a little early?" Sakusa teases him.

"Oh, shut up. I just managed to convince him we're not dating," Atsumu complains.

“I was joking, I’d love to meet him.”

“Okay. I’ll let you know, then.”

A beat. "Omi?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For everything."

For having hosted and consoled him the night before. For becoming his friend; for helping him patch things up with Osamu and for giving him the strength to come out to someone. Because thanks to him, he had stopped feeling alone and different from everyone else. Because for the first time, perhaps, even Atsumu could allow himself to hope he'd found his person.

“Thanks to you, Atsumu.”

⸻

“Hurry up, we’re late!” Atsumu yelps, grabbing Sakusa's arm and dragging him across the café's entrance. “Samu’s going to kill us!”

“Samu’s going to kill you,” Sakusa retorts, “I was perfectly on time.”

From one of the tables in the center of the room they see Suna nodding at them.

“You’re late,” Osamu greets him as they approach, unimpressed.

“I know, I know,” Atsumu replies breathlessly, taking a seat across from his twin. “We got stuck in traffic.”

“That's not true. We came with the train,” Sakusa deadpans, sitting down as well.

“Omi!” Atsumu hisses, betrayed. Sakusa simply shrugs.

“I thought so,” Osamu sighs, then turns to Sakusa, “It’s nice to meet you, though I don’t know how you can stand him.”

"I don't know either, honestly. Nice to meet you, too."

“I do have many admirable qualities, I'll have you know,” Atsumu says, crossing his arms.

“I beg to differ,” the fourth man at the table interjects. “Suna, by the way,” he introduces himself.

“I feel attacked from all sides,” Atumu complains. “I didn’t have you all meet just so you could talk shit about me.”

“Oh really?” Sakusa raises an eyebrow.

“You can’t deprive me of my favorite pastime, Atsumu.”

“It’s a good way to get us to get along,” Osamu notes.

“Well, there’s bound to be something else you can talk about that doesn’t involve making fun of me!”

The three look at each other for a moment, their expressions serious.

"Nah."

“Nothing comes to mind.”

"I prefer it this way."

“You guys are such assholes,” Atsumu grumbles.

“Oh c'mon, we were just joking,” Sakusa chuckles.

“Speak for yourself, I wasn’t joking at all,” Suna objects.

"No, actually. Me neither," Osamu echoes.

“Do you see what I have to deal with every day?” Atsumu asks in a plaintive voice, addressing the man sitting next to him.

“From what I remember, the last time we tried to leave, you didn’t take it very well.”

"My mental breakdown about that was more than justified, thank you very much," Atsumu retorts. "Also, I was upset because Samu was the one who wanted to leave. I don't give a damn about you, Sunarin."

“Thank you, it’s always nice to hear that.” Suna looks at him with total indifference.

"You're welcome."

“Justified or not, your reaction was a bit dramatic, don’t you think?” Osamu snorts.

“What did you expect from someone like him?” Sakusa adds.

“Enough, I’m leaving!” Atsumu jumps to his feet, attracting the attention of a group of teens sitting at a nearby table.

“Oh, shut it.” Osamu rolls his eyes.

“Come on, sit back down.” Sakusa grabs his wrist before he can move away.

“And lower your voice,” adds his brother.

“If you were trying to prove you aren't dramatic, you failed miserably,” Suna informs him.

"I'm only staying because I don't want to leave Omi alone with you two. You're a bad influence."

“Certainly no worse than yours.” Osamu watches him take his seat again.

"God forbid your boyfriend starts liking us best."

“He's not my boyfriend!”

"I'm not his boyfriend."

“He's not his boyfriend.”

Suna raises his hands, defensively. "Woah, did I hit a nerve there?"

Osamu gives him a curt nod, the universal signal for: shut up, it's none of your business. Atsumu stares at his twin, confused.

"You didn't tell him?"

“Tell me what?” asks Suna.

“Of course I didn’t tell him.” Osamu looks at Atsumu as if he were stupid. “If you want him to know, you'll have to tell him himself. It's not my decision to take.”

Suna looks at them both suspiciously, “What are you hiding from me?”

Atsumu hadn't expected it. He was so used to being the target of their gossip, it hadn't even occurred to him that Osamu might have kept that information to himself. He feels strangely grateful, even if it meant he'd have to come out again. How nice it would be if people simply… knew, without needing it to be explained to them every time.

“I'm aroace.”

“Mh,” Suna says, “Cool.”

The lack of reaction makes Atsumu skeptical. "Do you even know what that means?"

"Duh," Suna rolls his eyes. "I live on Twitter, Atsumu. I know about aromanticism."

From under the table, Osamu kicks him.

“And by that, of course, I meant: Thanks for telling me, Atsumu” he continues, throwing an annoyed look at his boyfriend.

“You’re a lost cause,” Osamu sighs.

Atsumu watches them from across the table, feeling a surge of gratitude. For his brother, who had defended him, and for Suna, who had reacted in his usual unbothered way, not making a big deal out of it. They might have been assholes, but it was situations like this that reminded Atsumu why he loved them both so much.

“For the record, I’m aroace too,” Sakusa lets them know.

“That’s why you looked so disgusted when Rin called you Atsumu’s boyfriend,” Osamu reasons.

“Anyone would be disgusted at the thought of being Atsumu’s boyfriend,” Suna notes.

“I literally have the same face as your boyfriend!”

“Exactly. What ruins everything in your case is your personality,” Suna replies unperturbed.

"And the piss-colored hair."

“Omi!” Atsumu turns to him, feeling betrayed.

“Sorry,” Sakusa replies, “But seriously, they’re horrendous.”

“I’ve been telling him that since we were in high school,” Osamu jumps in.

“I’m surprised they haven’t fallen out yet, with all the bleach he’s put on them,” Suna agrees.

"Oh, fuck you, all three of you," Atsumu grumbles, though he's actually glad they get along so well. He'd brought Sakusa here specifically with the purpose of introducing them; his three favorite people, all gathered in the same place.

Osamu and Suna had become his family through and through, and Atsumu didn't want that to ever change, even though they could be downright unbearable at times. While Sakusa... he was special. What they had felt deeper than a regular friendship, but it wasn't anything romantic either. They were just them; there was no need to define anything else.

Unseen by the two others sitting across from them, Atsumu slowly reaches out for Sakusa's hand. The man glances at Atsumu briefly, surprised, then intertwines their fingers without questioning it. When Atsumu looks up at him, he notices a faint smile has appeared on his face, a barely contained copy of the one he himself is sporting.