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Their first mistake was letting Bokuto pick everyone's controllers. It somehow turned into a debate on who gets which controller and whether certain controllers had an advantage despite them all being identical. Bokuto swore some who would accelerate faster.
Their second mistake was then letting Bokuto pick the character orders and this then turned into a fifteen minute debate on whether baby Peach counted as a power character or a technique character. This debate was seemingly just Bokuto as Hinata was already lying on his stomach doing stretches in preparation for the game which required zero physical flexibility. Maybe in Hinata's mind, if he was fully stretched then he could lean to the side as he turned his kart for extra turning. Sakusa was sat cross-legged on Atsumu's couch with a warm cup of tea balanced on his knee. For a man who usually hated everyone's apartment except his, he had grown to become comfortable being in Atsumu's because despite how messy Atsumu's place looked at times, he was surprisingly hygienic.
''Ya should put that down before you spill it.'' Atsumu said, dropping onto the cushion beside him and draping his arm over the back of the couch and over Sakusa.
''I won't spill it.'' Sakusa replied, adjusting his position as Atsumu watched the cup with eagle eyes.
''Ya say that now.''
''I've never spilled anything in my life.'' Sakusa picked the cup up and took a sip, enjoying the warmth.
''Uh excuse me?! Ya spilled coffee all over my hoodie last week.'' Atsumu turned his body to face Sakusa.
Sakusa turned his head ever so slightly just so he could look at him, ''That was your fault. You knocked my arm.''
''I hugged ya, Omi. That's doesn't count as knocking ya, that's affection!''
''It caused it to spill regardless.'' Sakusa leaned back into the arm around him and settled against Atsumu's side like it was the most natural thing in the world, which after two years together it was.
Bokuto, mid argument with himself, suddenly whipped around with his eyes wide open. ''Wait, are you two cuddling? During character select?? This is a sacred time and we can't have distractions!''
''We're always cuddlin','' Atsumu said, entirely unbothered. ''Get used to it.''
''I AM used to it, I just think it's rude to do it during such an important part of the evening-'' Bokuto always took game night seriously. Akaashi must have the patience of a saint to deal with him.
''Bokuto-san, you've been stuck on baby Peach for so long now,'' Hinata said from the floor, not bothering to look up from his stretches. ''I think we passed 'important' a while ago.''
''C'mon Shouyou, she's a LEGITIMATE pick, I'm doing due diligence.'' Bokuto lifted his chin up like he was proving a point.
''You are not. You're delaying the game.'' You could hear the eye roll in Hinata's eyes, even if you couldn't see them.
‧₊˚🌈✩ ₊˚🫧⊹♡
After a short while they all finally picked them characters. Hinata locked in his choice of Toad without so much as a minute of thinking. A considerable amount of time quicker than Bokuto. Bokuto abandoned the idea of baby Peach after wasting all the time bickering with himself and went with Wario instead. ''I'm gonna WIN!!'' he announced to everyone but Bokuto never won and every character he claimed was the 'underrated secret weapon' turned out to be nothing like that.
''You've never won a single race in the two years we've been doing this.'' Hinata reminded him cheerfully.
''This time's different! I can feel it in my SOUL, Shouyou, the vibes are aligned-'' Bokuto was practically bouncing from his seat with excitement.
Hinata pretended to think before saying, ''You said that last time too.''
''The vibes were wrong last time! This time they're right, I can just tell!''
Atsumu scrolled through the roster as he did every week even though he always picked the same character, which was Yoshi. He had been using Yoshi since he was nine back when he and Osamu used to play together after school and at this point Yoshi had become part of his own identity. He hit ready and turned to see what Sakusa had landed on.
Of course it was Rosalina, the same as always. Omi never changed his character.
''Ya always pick the elegant space lady.'' Atsumu said, resting his chin on Sakusa's shoulder to get a better look. ''Every single time. No variety.''
''She's a good character.'' Sakusa replied. It wasn't a lie, Rosalina was an amazing choice.
''She's a good character ya picked because she matches yer whole vibe. Quiet. Composed. Secretly terrifying.'' Atsumu dramatically widened his eyes and waved his hands in Sakusa's face.
''I'm not secretly terrifying.'' Sakusa huffed out a laugh.
''Ya cleared me out on Bowsers's Castle last week with a single red shell and ya didn't so much as blink in my direction.'' Atsumu brought the back of his hand to his forehead as if he were dying.
''That was just strategy.''
''That was ruthless, is what that was. I loved it, for the record.'' Atsumu pressed a quick kiss to the curve of Sakusa's shoulder. It was the sort of affection that had stopped requiring any thought a long time ago. Sakusa didn't pull away, he didn't do that anymore. That particular wariness had worn down slowly over the two years into something that felt like home.
''No items.'' Hinata announced with a deadly seriousness. ''We're doing this on skill only.''
''Absolutely we're using items.'' Atsumu replied back just as serious. ''I did not sit through Bokuto's baby Peach crisis just to lose on skill. I want items on my side to have a fightin' chance.''
''That's not fair!'' Hinata whined.
''That's strategy, Shou.'' Atsumu echoed Sakusa's own words.
''Items on.'' Bokuto decided for everyone and Hinata groaned so dramatically he toppled over sideways into Bokuto's lap.
Sakusa meanwhile, had already gone about selecting the first track. Rainbow road obviously, he always chose rainbow road, it was an undecided rule between them all. He was waiting as he watched the screen load with the calmness of a man who had been practicing the course every night but would never admit to doing so.
''Yer being awful quiet over there,'' Atsumu murmured to Sakusa. Luckily they were close enough that he could hear it over the noise of Bokuto and Hinata's new debate of whether accidental shortcuts counted as being real skill.
Sakusa muttered back, ''I'm concentrating.''
Atsumu made a cute face at him, the same type you'd make when talking to a puppy, ''Yer always concentratin'. It's very cute.''
''Don't call my racing face cute.'' Sakusa replied all bark and no bite. He tried to put on an annoyed face but the smile creeping up on his face was undeniable.
''I'll call it whatever I want, It's adorable. Ya get this little crease right here,'' he tapped lightly between Sakusa's eyebrows, ''every time.''
Sakusa knocked his hand away from his face, ''Stop touching my face during countdown.''
''3…2…1…'' Hinata counted down with the screen and then suddenly the chime cut through the room and every single one of them, even Sakusa who was still balancing his tea now on the armrest, leaned forward like their lives depended on it.
₊˚🌈✩ ₊˚🫧⊹♡
The first lap was just chaos between them all. Bokuto managed to drive straight of the edge of the map within the first ten seconds and blamed his controller, saying his one was one of the 'bad' ones and how it was unfair rather than accept he overshot his turning. Hinata shot straight to first place by using multiple drifts to boost him on straightaways. Atsumu of course took a red shell straight to his car just past one of the first turnings and cursed while a cool looking Rosalina glided smoothly past him and into second place.
''OMI. Yer already in second.'' Atsumu whined, growing up with Osamu had made him very competitive even if he would say otherwise.
Sakusa turned and smirked at him, ''I told you I was concentrating.''
''Ya didn't tell me you were going to be mean with it.''
A green shell came flying out of nowhere and straight into Sakusa, sending Rosalina into a spin off the edge of the track. His expression didn't change but his grip on the controller tightened ever so slightly. In reality, Sakusa was just as competitive as Atsumu.
''…Who did that?''
Bokuto, who had not long re-spawned from his earlier fall, raised a guilty hand. ''That might have been. I just hit a button and it happened.'' And he couldn't tell whether he was lying or not because Bokuto was the type to play Mario Kart for two years and not know how to use an item.
Sakusa rolled his eyes, ''You didn't even aim it.'' Somehow that annoyed him more, that by pure chance, or skill as some may say, Bokuto had thrown the shell and hit him off the course.
''I aimed it with my heart, Omi-kun.'' Bokuto raised one hand to his heart.
''Doesnt work like that.''
''But it did work!'' Bokuto would probably convince himself now that this was a sign he would win.
Sakusa exhaled slowly through his nose while he came to terms that Bokuto Koutarou was beating him somehow and now he was in last place while beside him, Atsumu was cackling and his controller was nearly slipping from his hands.
''This isn't funny.'' Sakusa shot him a look although there was nothing really in it.
''It's a little funny.'' Atsumu bumped their shoulder together. ''C'mon. Even ya have to admit it's a little funny.''
Sakusa turned his face away from Atsumu, still concentrating on trying to regain his position. ''I don't have to admit to anything.''
''Yer smilin'.'' Atsumu pointed out.
''I'm not.''
''Ya are, just barely, right there at the corner. I've got two years of experience reading that face, Omi. Ya can't hide it from me anymore.'' And with that, the small smile he was trying to repress couldn't be held back anymore and his mouth twitched upwards.
By lap two, Sakusa had managed to get himself back to third, gliding straight past Bokuto. This time when he passed an item box and pulled a banana, he didn't hesitate to drop it directly into Atsumu's path.
His Yoshi hit exactly one second later and spun out with a little waaah that made Hinata, who was coming towards the finish still in first, laugh so hard he nearly dropped his controller.
Atsumu looked at him with a shocked expression, ''OMI, Ya absolute traitor!''
Sakusa still had his smile on his face, he would do whatever it took to secure his victory, ''It's a competition.''
''But we're partners.'' Atsumu whined back like that should count for something but when it came to Mario Kart, things like that didn't matter anymore. It was every man for himself.
Sakusa shrugged, ''Doesn't mean I go easy on you.''
''That's, okay, that's really hot, but I'm still made about it.'' Atsumu had a thing for when Sakusa took charge and spoke to him like that.
''You can be both.'' Sakusa replied, eyes fixated on the screen, and Atsumu barked out a laugh that made Hinata turn back at them in time to see Atsumu place a quick kiss to Sakusa's temple just as he finished in first. Hinata had enough time to make a fake gagging noise before turning back to the TV.
''Get a room.'' Hinata shouted back at them with no real heat, getting ready for the next race.
''We're in my room. We have one.'' Atsumu replied to him like it was obvious.
''You know what I mean.''
₊˚🌈✩ ₊˚🫧⊹♡
They played through some more races. Bokuto won none of them, though he remained positive throughout them all, undimmed by his constant defeat. Hinata won two of them, both by very narrow margins that prompted him to celebrate with a victory lap around the room, complete with sound effects. Atsumu won a race on Moo Moo Meadows, purely because Sakusa, for reasons unknown, had a red shell and chose not to use it.
''You had it,'' Atsumu said after the race, poking him in the arm, ''Locked and loaded and ya didn't use it.''
Sakusa hummed, ''I got distracted.''
''By what?'' Atsumu cocked his head to the side.
''You were doing that thing with your tongue, sticking it out between your teeth. It's distracting.''
Atsumu went a little pink at that, ''That's a genuinely sweet answer, I wasn't expecting that.
Sakusa smiled, proud of making Atsumu blush, ''Don't get used to it.''
''Too late, I'm framin' it. Puttin' it on the fridge. Omi got distracted because he thinks I'm cute, in calligraphy.'' Atsumu pretended to be hanging up a picture.
''I will take back my answer.''
''Ya can't. It's already been said, there's no returns on compliments, that's the rule.'' Atsumu stuck his tongue out at Sakusa and he could've sworn the tips of his ears looked the faintest shade of pink.
By the last race, which was Bowser's castle, Hinata had somehow fully migrated into Bokuto's lap. The two of them now a tangle of limbs and both getting equally outraged whenever the thwomp squashed their karts. Atsumu had moved now, having his legs thrown comfortably over Sakusa's. He let him stay there despite the way his legs got in the way of his controller and rested his hand on Atsumu's shin.
This time, it was Sakusa who had pulled ahead early, slipping into first place. He even dodged a blue shell with a mushroom he had saved while Hinata and Bokuto who were fighting for second took the full brunt of it. Atsumu, who was close behind, watched Rosalina's kart glide across the finish line in first and felt something warm bloom in his chest. Of course his Omi had won. Hr always came first where it counted.
''FIRST PLACE!'' Bokuto shouted, even though he himself had come fourth, he was just excited on behalf of Sakusa. ''Omi-kun is UNDEFEATED tonight, that's- wait, is that his third win? Fourth? I lost count somewhere.'' Bokuto attempted to count on his fingers but had no clue.
''Third,'' Hinata offered, sliding himself off Bokuto's lap to point at the screen. ''Which is so unfair, you barely react when you win. How do you stay so calm?''
''I don't need to react. I already know I'm good.'' Sakusa replied with confidence because he was good, and he was using Rosalina and you can never go wrong with Rosalina.
''That's a lot of confidence for a guy who spent the entire first race worried about spilling his tea.'' Atsumu interjected.
''I didn't spill it though.''
Atsumu dismissed him with a wave, ''That's not the point I'm makin'.''
Atsumu set his controlled down on the coffee table and turned fully to face Sakusa, something soft spreading across his face. ''C'mere.'' he said, and before Sakusa could ask why, Atsumu leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek, right on his cheekbone. ''That's for winnin'. Proud of ya, Omi, however I'm still a little mad over the banana.''
Sakusa went red. Cherry tomato red in fact. It was the type of blush that covered your entire body. It wasn't often that Atsumu could catch him off gaurd like that and get a response so honest so it made him smile to see.
''You didn't have to do that in front of them.'' he muttered, not pulling away, just ducking his chin a little like it might even try to hide any of the colour.
''I did actually. Felt strongly about it and the timin' was perfect.'' Atsumu smirked down at him.
''OH MY GOD,'' Bokuto said, sitting bolt upright so fast he nearly knocked Hinata over. ''OMI-KUN'S BLUSHING. Shouyou look! He's actually blushing. I didn't know his face could do that.'' Bokuto and Hinata were now gawking at him like he had grown a second head.
''I'm not blushing.'' Sakusa muttered even though it was clear he was, unless for some reason he had just suddenly had the worlds worst allergic reaction.
''You are so blushing, you're the colour of a tomato right now, this is historic. I need to document this.'' Hinata started reaching for his phone.
''Don't you dare take a picture.'' Sakusa shot him a glare.
''Too late!'' Hinata said, gleefully, phone now in his hand, camera flashing before Sakusa could do so much as raise a hand to block it. ''This is going in the group chat. Sakusa Kiyoomi: undefeated Mario Kart champion, defeated only by a kiss on the cheek.'' Hinata had a big grin on his face as he typed out the message and Bokuto was peering over his shoulder with a matching grin.
''Delete that!'' Sakusa said, making a point of moving away from Atsumu.
''Never! This is historical evidence. Future generations deserve to know that the great, unbothered Sakusa Kiyoomi turns into a tomato the second his boyfriend-''
Sakusa cut him off, ''I will confiscate your controller.'' Atsumu beside him couldn't stop giggling.
Hinata's mouth dropped open, ''You can't confiscate the controller, that's not how it works.''
''There are no rules. I'm making this one up right now-'' Sakusa leaned to grab his controller.
Atsumu, thoroughly delighted with himself, wrapped an arm around Sakusa and pulled him back against his side, ignoring the half hearted shove he got in return. ''Let 'em tease ya.'' he said pressing another kiss to the crown of his head. ''Yer cute when yer all flustered, I don't regret anything.''
Sakusa stopped fighting and just sulked into his side, ''I hate all three of you.''
''Ya don't,'' Atsumu said because after two years of dating,, he knew the difference between Sakusa's real irritation and this. This was just the fond type of complaining he did. ''Ya like us. Especially me.'' Atsumu winked.
''Debatable.'' Sakusa thought for a second.
''Yeah well ya still leanin' on me.''
''I'm tired. That's different.'' Sakusa argued back.
''Sure it is, Omi. Sure it is.'' Atsumu rubbed his hand along Sakusa's arm.
Across the room, Hinata was typing out the captions for his photos, musing ideas like 'the fall of the unbothered king' while Bokuto leaned over his shoulder offering increasingly ridiculous suggestions. The TV looped the victory music in the background as the screen was left to idle and Sakusa let himself stay tucked against Atsumu's side because as much as he complained, there was no other place he would rather be right now.
''Next round,'' Bokuto started again, already going back to the character select screen. ''I've got a good feeling about this one.''
Hinata huffed at him, ''You said that last time and lost every race.''
''This time's different. Maybe baby Peach is the key after all.'' Bokuto pointed a finger in the air and you could almost see the light bulb flicker on above him.
Hinata dragged a hand down his face, ''It's really not.''
''IT COULD BE!''
Sakusa reached for his tea and found miraculously, not a single drop had been spilt. He allowed himself a small, satisfied smile that had nothing to do with Mario Kart and everything to do with the man next to him.