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"Alright, where to next, Natsu?"
"I'm hungry, nii-chan!"
Shouyou nods and clutches his sister's hand tighter. "Okay, but don't wander off, it's busy here."
"I knooow," Natsu rolls her eyes. "We go back tomorrow, right?"
"Yep! Hey, why don't we go get some rice balls? I saw a place around here with a familiar name and I wanna see if I'm right or not. You okay with that?"
"Yeah! Lets go, let's go! I gotta send pictures to Tobio-nii so he can be jealous of our food!"
Shouyou laughs. "Alright, let's go."
He leads his sister by the hand through the streets of Osaka, his phone in the other to rely on directions to Onigiri Miya. He remembers the Miya name well from his first two years of high school, playing against the famed twins from Hyōgo who were even more ambitious than even he and Kageyama were in those days. It was a couple of years ago, but when he was looking through tourist spots in Osaka while planning this trip for himself and Natsu, he came across the restaurant with the familiar name and it struck his interest. Now here he and his sister were, in Osaka, heading to the place he'd heard about and seen had amazing reviews on both service and food quality.
When they get to the restaurant, a small building between other restaurants in the city that would have been unnoticeable if he hadn't been using directions from his phone, Shouyou is dragged inside by Natsu.
"C'mon! I wanna sit at the front so I can smell the food better!"
"Okay," Shouyou laughs and holds her hand to help her keep balance while she hops up onto the tall bar stool before handing her a menu. "Order whatever, I'll buy as many as you want. Even some to take home."
"Really?!" Natsu grinned and kicked her legs in the open space between her seat and the floor excitedly. "Thank you, nii-chan!"
Shouyou himself takes a look at the menu over his sister's shoulder and quickly decides what he wants, though Natsu takes a bit longer than he, and while he waits, a waiter calls out to them whose voice sounds somewhat familiar to Shouyou but also different at the same time. Which makes sense, considering that it has been a couple years since he last saw either of the Miya twins.
"What can I get ya, Shouyou-kun?"
He grins up at Miya Osamu from his seat. "Miya-san! You remember me!"
Osamu laughs. "Hard not ta remember yer springy self, Shouyou-kun. Gave us hell on the court. Y'all good ta order, or do ya need a few minutes?"
Looking over at Natsu, Shouyou sees his sister nodding decisively at the menu before handing it to Shouyou so he can put it back from where he'd grabbed it a few minutes before. "Four umeboshi rice balls with extra umeboshi! Please!"
Nodding, Osamu writes it down on a small notepad in his hands before he turns to Shouyou. "You, Shouyou-kun?"
"I'll have four of the salmon rice balls, Miya-san, thank you!"
"Alright, I'll get 'em done for ya in no time."
Osamu walks back into the kitchen through the doors behind the counter and Natsu turns excitedly to Shouyou, eyes sparkling. "Nii-chan, you were right! You do know the people here!"
Shouyou laughs. "Not everyone, Natsu, just Miya-san. I played against him and his team in high school. We had a pretty awesome rivalry."
"That's so cool! Did you win?!"
"My first year, we did!" he nods. "They won in my second year, made it all the way through and won Spring Nationals as the top team in the country."
"Awesooome," Natsu's mouth drops open. "You played against so many cool teams, nii-chan!"
"You'll play some pretty awesome teams too if you still plan to go to Niiyama, Natsu, they're a Miyagi girls powerhouse school for volleyball."
"I wanna be a setter!" Natsu nods, clenching her fists in front of her with a look Shouyou knew well, considering he wore the same look a lot at her age too. "Setters are so cool!"
Shouyou groans. "You spend too much time with Kageyama."
The two Hinata siblings chat for a while about Natsu's future high school plans to play volleyball just like he did, even with her similar short stature like his own. Shouyou listens intently, knowing from his own experience that she wants to be heard and acknowledged for her pursuit in volleyball to play at a powerhouse school even if their heights are mediocre compared to most volleyball players.
When Osamu comes back with their food, Natsu is deep into a ramble about how she wants to be a setter so no one she knows will ever have to go without a setter like Shouyou had for so many years. Her hands are all over the place, expressing her passion for playing the setter position at her future high school and hopefully getting to be a starter in her first year with how much she had coerced Kageyama to practice with her and teach her in the past (Which admittedly didn't go all that well since Kageyama is just a volleyball idiot like Shouyou himself who relies on instincts and not teachings, but Natsu was on the road to being a very good setter in the future thanks to his and Shouyou's help).
"Four extra umeboshi and four salmon," Osamu sets their plates down onto the counter and leans forward onto his elbows with a smirk. "Do let the chef know his food isn't up ta yer likin'."
Natsu dives into her food first, letting out a happy squeal at the explosion of flavor from the extra umeboshi she'd ordered and nods quickly at Osamu with her cheeks full, giving a bright eyed look and a thumbs up. Shouyou is much the same with his salmon, the flavor making him release a happy groan and excited nods at Osamu. When he'd finished swallowing his first bite, Shouyou says, "It's amazing, Miya-san! Thank you very much!"
"No problem, Shouyou-kun. So what brings ya all the way out ta Osaka? Aren't ya from Miyagi? Pretty far ways from home, huh?"
Before Shouyou could respond, Natsu reaches over and shakes her brother's shoulder with a grin. "Nii-chan is leaving soon, so he took me on a trip to somewhere I'd never been before! He saved up money for it and everything!"
"Oh, really?" Osamu raises his eyebrows, giving Natsu his full attention while giving Shouyou a grin. "Where's he going?"
"Brazil! Rio d... de... how do you say it again, nii-chan?"
"Rio de Janerio," Shouyou supplies. When he catches Osamu's surprised look, he nods. "Yep! I'm going to train in beach volleyball for two years, starting next month!"
"Beach?" Osamu inquires. "Ya don't wanna go pro? 'Tsumu's gonna be devastated, Shouyou-kun, he's been dyin' ta set for ya for years now."
"I do plan to go pro!" Shouyou corrects. "Just... not yet? I have a lot that I need to learn before I can be on the same level as other players, and I have someone I'm supposed to beat in an official match across the net one day. I promised I'd beat him one day."
"Lemme guess," Osamu snorts. "Tobio-kun?"
"Yeah!" Shouyou nods rapidly, taking another bite of his rice ball. "But I have to get on the same level as him first! So I'm gonna train in beach volleyball so I can learn to do everything myself, since beach only has two players on each side of the net! I have a sponsor and everything!"
"Wow, Shouyou-kun. Yer doin' the complete opposite'a me," he chuckles. "I play sometimes still with 'Tsumu when we're visitin' home for holidays, but other than that I rarely play anymore. Ya got some real dedication, I'll give ya that."
The two Hinata siblings end up staying at Onigiri Miya for a few hours, chatting on and off with Osamu in between the times he had to go take orders and make them in the kitchen. Shouyou asks why he didn't stick with volleyball like Atsumu, Osamu tells him about their fight when Osamu said he wants to continue on in food industries and how the two now have an ongoing competition on who will be happiest when they're old and wrinkled and retired. Osamu asks about how he came to the decision about Brazil and Natsu is more than happy to boast about her brother's accomplishments as if they were her own, which flusters Shouyou when she over exaggerates about some of them and Osamu just gives Shouyou a smirk and keeps talking with Natsu like he was hanging on to every word she says.
By the time the three are finished talking, it's near closing time for the restaurant and the Hinatas have to get back to their hotel room to get some sleep before their long train ride home the next day. Shouyou pulls out his wallet to pay for the food he bought but just gets waved off by Osamu.
"'S on the house, Shouyou-kun. Old rivalry's sake."
"A-Are you sure, Miya-san?!" he frets. "I have no problem payi━"
"All good," Osamu insists. "An' quit it with the 'Miya-san', just call me Osamu. 'S weird goin' by my last name cause people get me 'n 'Tsumu mixed up all the time. Here," he scribbles something on his notepad and tears the page off, ripping it in two pieces and handing one to each of them. "'S been pretty nice talkin' to ya Shouyou-kun, keep in touch, yeah? And here, Nacchan. If yer ever cravin' some onigiri jus' let me know and I'll ship some home to ya, yeah? Y'all are welcome here anytime."
"Wow," Shouyou grins. "Thanks, Osamu-san! Natsu, what do you say?"
"Thank you!" Natsu jumps out of her seat to the floor and waves the little piece of paper around. "Your rice balls are the best, Osamu-nii!"
Osamu chuckles. "Yer welcome, kiddo. Keep me updated on how things are goin' in Brazil, Shouyou-kun, I'm a bit invested now."
Grabbing his sister's hand, Shouyou waves a goodbye as they reach the door to the restaurant. "I will, Osamu-san! Thank you again!"
"See ya, Shouyou-kun."
And so life goes on.
Shouyou makes it to Brazil a month later, still very much in contact with Osamu, considering that practically every day since he and his sister found his restaurant in Osaka, they texted on and off about their days and about other random things as well. Osamu sent them onigiri weekly at Natsu's request, which Shouyou never complained about, but Osamu didn't seem to mind either. In fact, Shouyou would say that Osamu seemed rather glad to do it.
Phone calls sometimes last several hours, depending on how busy each other's schedules are. Shouyou talks about his training and his job, his roommate Pedro who he didn't get along with the best at first but is now very good friends with, his beach partner Heitor and his girlfriend Nice, the buy-me-beer brothers he played against when Oikawa Tooru was in Brazil for his own training with his Argentina team. Osamu talks about how things with the restaurant are going, his grandmother back home in Amagasaki, his brother's games, how Natsu still texts him all the time to say hi and to ask for him to ship some rice balls to the Hinata home out in Yukigaoka.
Their friendship is an odd one, with the distance between them and their old high school rivalry taken into consideration, but the texts and phone calls and Skype video chats help their friendship flourish anyway. Enough that to Shouyou, he could almost call Osamu one of his best friends by the time his training in Brazil comes to an end.
"Osamu-san, shouldn't you be sleeping? It's really late." Shouyou smiles when he picks up his phone, holding it between his shoulder and his cheek as he buttons up his shirt.
"It's 3:30, Shou-kun, it's fine," Osamu's sleepy voice says back, as if he's trying to convince himself and not Shouyou that it's not too late for a phone call.
"In the morning, for you," Shouyou chides with a laugh. "I know you don't have work tomorrow since the restaurant's closed for inspections, but your sleep schedule is gonna be all messed up now."
"Mm. Wanted to hear 'bout yer day."
Shouyou huffs fondly and grabs his tie from his bed, wrapping it around the back of his neck and putting his phone on speaker so he could finish dressing. "I'm just getting ready for Heitor and Nice's wedding tonight, I have to be there to help with preparations in about an hour. What about yours? Anything interesting happen before closing today?"
"Nah," Osamu yawns. "Jus' 'Tsumu and the rest'a his team comin' in after practice for some food. Him bein' an idiot, per usual. Nacchan texted me for some more onigiri this mornin'. She misses ya."
"I miss her, too," Shouyou chuckles. "And your rice balls. As soon as I come home in a couple weeks, you better be ready to have a new number one customer."
"That's Nacchan," Osamu says. "Ya gotta fight her for her title. She's very proud of it."
Shouyou giggles. "She'll win, she fights dirty. Anyway. I've been looking up teams in Japan with tryouts coming up soon for this season, and the MSBY Black Jackals have tryouts soon. Think Atsumu-san will set for little ol' me?"
A snort. "Are ya kiddin'? Couldn't get the idiot ta shut up about ya all through second and third year. Remember that dumbass stopped in the middle'a the court after yer team kicked our asses ta tell ya he was gonna set for ya one day? He'd flip his shit if he knew ya were thinkin' about tryin' for the Jackals."
"Well, I am, and I've improved a lot since then, so he better be ready."
"I know I am," Osamu says. "Can't wait ta see ya play again."
Their conversation lasts another hour before Shouyou has to leave, and he tells Osamu to get some sleep so his schedule isn't completely messed up for staying awake so late.
And Shouyou can't wait to finally go home so he can see and talk to Osamu in person again.
"Nii-chan!"
Shouyou laughs and drops to his knees in the middle of the airport, letting his little sister crash into him for the first hug he's had from her in the two years he's been gone. He wraps his arms around Natsu tight and stands up, letting her wrap her legs around his waist so he could spin her while he holds her head to his collarbone and grins. "Natsu, I missed you so much!"
Their mother folds her arms around the two of them and plants a kiss on Shouyou's forehead. "Welcome home, Shouyou, honey."
"Thanks, Mom," Shouyou sniffs and kisses her cheek.
"Nii-chan, you got so tan! And you're taller! No fair!"
Shouyou laughs again and sets Natsu down, trying to discreetly wipe his face in the process. "Don't worry, I probably won't grow anymore than this, Natsu. You still have time to catch up."
"Heck yeah! I'm gonna be tall, nii-chan, just you wait!"
"Not with our genes," their mother grins. "We pulled the short end of the stick."
"Nice pun, Mom," Shouyou chuckles.
"So yer finally home, huh?"
"Yep!" Shouyou grins and flops down onto his bed. "Weird being back in my house but I guess it won't be too long until I'll be getting my own place once I've made a team somewhere. The Jackals tryouts are in a few days, so hopefully Coach Foster will agree to take me on for this next season."
"Foster's a good guy, you'll like 'im. Bokkun know yer back yet? 'M sure he'll be excited when he sees ya at tryouts."
Shouyou sees Osamu's relaxed smile over the screen while he works in the kitchen. The bustle of customers and employees in his restaurant background noise to his call while they talk. Osamu looks perfectly at peace shaping onigiri, like how he feels whenever he meditates. He supposes it must be a similar feeling to Osamu. "Nope!" he says. "I wanna surprise Bokuto-san! I haven't seen him since my first year at Karasuno, I'm so psyched!"
"What about yer other old teammates? They seen ya yet?"
"I ran into Ennoshita-san the other day when I went to go get my physical for the information I have to give Coach Foster at tryouts. He's a physical therapist now, so I'll probably be seeing him every once in a while. Pretty sure Daichi-san went into the police force, so I may or may not see him around Miyagi before I head out to Osaka. Who knows?"
"Those were yer captains, right? Think I remember 'em but it's been a while since high school."
"Yeah!" Shouyou nods with a grin. "And Yamaguchi was our captain in my third year! I was the ace!"
"I know," Osamu chuckles. "Ya've told me before. Don't worry 'bout tryouts, Shou-kun, you'll get a spot. They'd be idiots not ta take ya in. I mean, they're already idiots, but ya know what I mean."
Natsu opens Shouyou's door and grins. "Is that 'Samu-nii?!"
Osamu laughs over the phone and Shouyou beckons his sister over to sit on his bed with him. "Heya, Nacchan."
"Hi, 'Samu-nii! Are you gonna send some rice balls soon?!"
"Natsu, don't be rude," Shouyou bumps his sister's shoulder with his own. "He's busy."
"Nah, it's fine, Shou-kun. If ya want some, I can ship some more to ya, Nacchan. 'S no problem. Gotta make sure yer bentos got some good rice balls in 'em when ya go to school, yeah? Good volleyball players got good appetites and gotta stay healthy. Still plannin' on gettin' into Niiyama this year?"
Shouyou feels his face soften at the ease that Osamu talks to his sister with. He knew that Natsu talked to Osamu a lot while he was gone but he didn't know that the two had gotten so close over that time. It made his heart squeeze happily to see someone he now considered one of his best friends get along so well with his little sister. Kageyama always liked Natsu but Kageyama was just awkward and went along with whatever Natsu wanted, Osamu seems to really enjoy talking with her and doesn't treat her like she's just a little kid in middle school who won't make it to her dream volleyball school because she's short like the rest of the Hinata family is.
"Yeah! I applied for the sports scholarship and if I don't get that I'm gonna try real hard on the entrance exams so I can still get in! Nii-chan has helped me study a lot over Skype calls and stuff! He's pretty good at English! Even though he used to suck at it really bad."
"I got better at it eventually!" Shouyou protests. "Yacchan helped me with it all three years and I had to learn more of it when I was in Brazil!"
"If ya ever need help in history or science, I got ya, kiddo," Osamu says, like it's no big deal. "I always did pretty good in school so I can help ya if ya want. All ya gotta do is text or call, yeah? 'S no problem."
"Thanks, 'Samu-nii!" Natsu grins. "I'm gonna go practice passing drills now, see you later!"
"Who are you gonna practice with?!" Shouyou laughs. "There's no one here!"
"I'm gonna do nii-chan's Ultimate Lonely Passing Drills!" Natsu says. "I've gotten a lot better at them!"
"Ultimate Lonely Passing Drills, eh?" Osamu smirks. "Sounds pretty fun, Shou-kun, maybe ya can teach me sometime."
Shouyou groans and Natsu leaves his room, giggling as she steals the volleyball off his desk to run to their backyard. "I never had anyone to practice with at her age, so I came up with these totally uncool passing drills that I did by myself to try and practice. I tried to teach Natsu about five years ago and she couldn't get them down, so I guess she practiced a lot over the years."
"Now that 'Tsumu's gonna be settin' to ya, yer never gonna have ta do them. He's a total over achiever, so if ya want extra practice he's got no problem stayin' after to close the gym up if ya want extra time."
"I can't wait to see his face when I walk into tryouts," Shouyou laughs. "I'm gonna make him make good on his promise."
Osamu chuckles. "I don't doubt it, Shou-kun."
"HINATAAAA!"
Shouyou grins, dropping his bag on the floor of the gym the MSBY Black Jackals tryouts are being held in. "Bokuto-san!"
Bokuto jogs over to him and wraps him in a huge hug. Shouyou laughs as he's lifted off his feet and shaken back and forth. "My number one disciple is here! Oh, man this is so awesome! 'Tsum-'Tsum, look! My disciple is here!"
"I see that, Bokkun," Atsumu makes his way over to the two of them, walking away from a scowling Sakusa. "Nice ta see ya again, Shouyou-kun."
Shouyou grins. "Gotta make you make good on your promise, Atsumu-san!"
"My pr━ ya remembered that?!"
"Of course I did," Shouyou blinks. "You said you'd set for me one day."
Atsumu smirks. "Well, then, c'mon, Shouyou-kun. Ya better hit all my tosses."
"I will! I've gotten a lot better since high school!"
"Don't doubt it," Atsumu shrugs. "Let's go."
"Yeah!"
"Congrats, Shouyou-kun," Atsumu throws an arm over Shouyou's shoulders. "Welcome to the team!"
"Thanks, Atsumu-san!" Shouyou beams.
"We should go eat and celebrate!" Bokuto claps excitedly. "Myaa-sam's place! Let's go get rice balls!"
Shouyou gasps and looks to Atsumu pleadingly. "Can we?!"
Atsumu sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, as if the question was the worst suggestion he's ever heard in his life. "Why y'all like 'Samu's food is beyond me. What the hell ever, Shouyou-kun's never been so I don't see why not."
Chuckling to himself at Atsumu's ignorance of his and his brother's two-year-long friendship, Shouyou grabs his bag and bounds out the door. "Let's go!"
Shouyou bounces on his heels excitedly when he walks into Onigiri Miya with his new teammates. Atsumu opens his mouth to shout for his brother, but stops with a confused and twisted up face when Shouyou beats him to the punch.
"OSAMU-SAN!"
He giggles at the looks he gets from the other Jackals and watches Osamu come out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a hand towel with a grin. He walks out from behind the counter and opens his arms wide, and Shouyou launches himself at Osamu with a squeal.
Osamu stumbles back a step and hugs Shouyou to his chest, picking Shouyou up and spinning him once with a small chuckle. "I missed ya too, Shou-kun."
"You owe me a bunch of rice balls," Shouyou mumbles with a grin. "You put tamagoyaki on your menu, Natsu told me. I need to try them right now."
Laughing, Osamu puts him down and gestures to the reserved bar seats for the team. "The usual for all y'all?"
"What the hell was that?!" Inunaki cackles. "Atsumu's face! Oh, God, I'm dying, what the fuck, that was so funny."
"Shouyou-kun, ya know 'Samu?" Atsumu looks perplexed at this new information.
Shouyou nods. "Yep!"
The team all settle into their stools at the counter ("Don't worry, Sakusa-san, I wiped yers down fer ya already. Yer seat's all clean.") and Shouyou taps his fingers on the counter.
"Two tamagoyaki, Osamu-san!"
"You and Nacchan and yer eggs," Osamu shakes his head with a laugh. "Alright, Shou-kun, comin' up."
"What the hell is going on," Atsumu mutters, glancing between his brother and his new teammate.
"I'm gonna make Shou-kun and y'all yer food? Don't be an idiot, 'Tsumu."
"Well I see that, ya doorknob, but how do y'all know each other already?! It's weird!"
"We're friends?" Osamu raises an eyebrow. "'S not that weird, 'Tsumu. I know ya don't have many of those so ya might not understand, but━"
"Oh, fuck off, 'Samu!"
Atsumu has never felt more confused in his life.
Watching his newest teammate (and lowkey high school obsession, but he will never admit that out loud to anyone, thank you) and his brother interact like best friends when he didn't even know they'd met outside their matches in high school has definitely been one of his more What The Fuck moments of his entire life.
And his other teammates, the traitors, seem to think his confusion is the funniest thing in the fucking world.
"How was Heitor-san's wedding, Shou-kun?"
"It was great! You should've seen him, Osamu-san, he cried at the altar! I almost cried too! And Nice's dress was absolutely gorgeous, Natsu was so jealous of her when I sent her pictures from the ceremony!"
Atsumu watches his brother chuckle fondly as Shouyou talks between bites of his onigiri. "Nacchan texted me last night with some news, did she tell ya yet?"
"Yes!" Shouyou bounces in his seat, eyes lighting up with a sort of pride. "I'm so happy for her! She got the sports scholarship for the top girls volleyball school back home! She's gonna make it to nationals this year, I just know it!"
"She's so much like ya it's almost scary."
"I'm gonna take that as a compliment, Osamu-san, thank you. How's your obaasan doing? Is she doing any better?"
"She's all good, Shou-kun, don't worry. It was just a small fall. She's a strong one."
"That's great! When you told me she had an accident I was so worried!"
"How's yer food? Good?"
"The best as always, Osamu-san!" Shouyou grins, pulling out his phone. "I'm gonna send pictures to Natsu, she's gonna be so mad."
Osamu laughs and gathers plates from some of Atsumu's teammates who have already finished eating. "Never change, Shou-kun, never change."
Two weeks later, Osamu is still being bothered by his brother over Shouyou.
"'Samu, why didn't you just tell me?!"
"What?" Osamu asks with a raised eyebrow. "'S not that interestin'. He just came in once after he graduated before he went off ta Brazil and we talked, exchanged numbers, been friends ever since. He was on a trip in Osaka with Nacchan 'n found the shop so he came in."
"Who's Nacchan?"
Osamu blinks. "He hasn't told you about his sister? Weird, he talks 'bout her all the time."
"To you maybe," Atsumu groans. "This is so weird."
"Says you," Osamu snorts. "Yer only friends are me and Sunarin and Bokkun, maybe Kita-san and Aran-kun, but they just tolerate ya like the rest of us do."
"Not true!" Atsumu snaps. "I have friends!"
"Like who?"
"...Omi-kun?"
Osamu laughs. "Yeah, right. Sakusa-san can barely stand you. I don't blame 'im."
Atsumu opens his mouth to respond, but is cut off by Osamu's ringtone. Osamu checks the caller ID and gives his brother a look for him to hold on. "Hello? Naw, I'm not busy, Nacchan, yer alright. Everythin' good?"
Though the phone isn't on speaker, Atsumu could hear the excited shouts of the kid on the other side of his brother's call. "I MADE THE STARTING LINEUP, 'SAMU-NII! I DID IT!"
Osamu grins wide and laughs joyously. "That's amazin', Nacchan! I knew ya could do it! Yer gonna be an amazin' setter fer yer team. Have ya told Shou-kun, yet?"
"NII-CHAN SCREAMED!"
"I bet!" Osamu puts his phone on his shoulder under his cheek and grabs the rag to wipe down the counter. "How 'bout I ship ya some more rice balls as a congrats gift, yeah?"
"YOU'RE THE BEST, 'SAMU-NII! YOU SHOULD COME TO MY PARTY! MOM'S LETTING ME THROW A PARTY!"
"I'll see if I can get some time off to come down ta Miyagi, Nacchan," Osamu laughs. "I'm sure Shou-kun's gonna wanna be there too, so maybe I can tag along with him, yeah? I'll even cater for ya if ya want."
Atsumu flinches at the high-pitched girly scream on the other end of the line, but Osamu doesn't look fazed by it. Like he's used to it. "Ya know, Nacchan, my brother's a setter, too," Osamu smirks in Atsumu's direction. "He's Shou-kun's new setter. Maybe if he agrees he can come with me and teach ya some moves."
"OH MY GOD, 'SAMU-NII! PLEASE ASK HIM PLEASE!"
"Hey, 'Tsumu," Osamu chuckles. "Wanna come to a party?"
"IS HE THERE?! HI, 'SAMU-NII'S BROTHER!"
"Err... Hi, Nacchan, my name's Atsumu," Atsumu leans over the counter and Osamu puts the call on speaker, turning the volume down a bit so it wouldn't disturb any customers. "Yer a setter, huh? I am, too."
"ARE YOU BETTER THAT TOBIO-NII?!"
"I'd like to think so," Atsumu grins. "If yer brother allows it I'd be glad ta teach ya more than Tobio-kun ever could."
"TOBIO-NII IS A CRAP TEACHER."
"Nacchan," Osamu laughs. "Yer still yellin'."
"SORRY, 'SAMU-NII, I'M REALLY HAPPY!"
"'S alright, kiddo, I'm happy for ya. We knew ya'd do good."
"THANK YOU! WAIT, I HAVE TO CALL HITOKA-NEE! AND TADASHI-NII AND EVERYONE!"
"Go 'head, kid. I'll text ya later tonight and let ya know if I can get some time off, yeah? And we'll call Shou-kun to see 'bout 'Tsumu comin' with us. And even if I can't be there, I'll still cater for ya, alright? I'll pay for a delivery all the way out there if I gotta."
"THANK YOU SO MUCH 'SAMU-NII I LOVE YOU!"
Osamu startles and Atsumu watches his face soften. He doesn't think he's ever seen his brother's face look so... touched? It's kinda weird. "I love ya too, Nacchan. I'll talk to ya later, alright?"
"BYE 'SAMU-NII!"
"Bye," he chuckles, hanging up the call.
Atsumu smirks at his brother. "Oh, yer so whipped."
"I have no idea what yer talkin' 'bout."
"You love Shouyou-kun. And his family. Yer so done for."
"Shut the fuck up, 'Tsumu."
Atsumu cackles. "This is gonna be fun ta watch."
"Osamu-san, that's a lot of food."
Atsumu guffaws when they walk into the closed Onigiri Miya after practice, seeing Shouyou's face at the counter full of food his brother has prepared.
"'Tsumu, shut the fuck up. Shou-kun, help me pack these into some boxes."
"What is all of this for..?"
"Nacchan's party."
"That's... wow. Uh, alright, where are the boxes at?"
"In the kitchen by the fridge. They're all labeled so ya know which ones the food goes in. 'Tsumu get yer ass over here 'n help, yer comin' to the party too. Pull yer weight, lazy ass."
"Osamu-san, Natsu only invited us and some of my old team members," Shouyou raises his eyebrows with a chuckle. "Said she wanted to keep it small and invite the 'important people'."
"Aw, I'm important," Atsumu grins.
"Yer teaching her setting tips," Osamu deadpans. "Yer necessary, not important, dumbass."
"Don't worry, Atsumu-san," Shouyou pats his back in mock sympathy. "Kageyama won't be there, so you're the only setter she'll be annoying. By the end of the party you'll probably be another 'nii-san' to add to her collection. She refers to all my friends that she likes as her siblings."
"I'm... honored?" Atsumu struggles. He looks back to his brother in amused exasperation. "'Samu, ya know we got a long ass drive to Miyagi so where the hell are ya gonna put all this food?"
"In the backseat along with ya. And the trunk, of course."
"Wha━ why the hell am I bein' stuffed in back?!"
"'Cause Shou-kun's sittin' up front and I'm drivin' so I get ta choose. Yer in back."
"Asshole!"
"And Shou-kun has better taste in music than ya, unlike yer trash."
"Oi!"
Shouyou laughs at the two and grabs a packed box. "I'm just gonna take this out to the car!"
"'Kay!"
"'Samu, this ain't fair━!"
As soon as Osamu shuts the car off in the driveway when they arrive, Shouyou is chuckling.
"What?" Osamu asks.
Shouyou points at his house, covering his mouth to muffle his laughs. "I think Natsu's excited."
Natsu was standing outside the door, bouncing excitedly on her heels waiting for them to get out so she can greet them. Shouyou knew it wasn't her first time seeing Osamu since he went to Brazil (Osamu took time off work to visit her for birthdays and they video called Shouyou together), but it makes his chest tingle with happiness knowing his sister loves his friend so much that she gets overly excited just about him being there to celebrate her accomplishments.
And Shouyou was right, because the moment the three of them are out of the car and the doors of Osamu's Subaru are shut, Natsu is bounding toward them full speed and launching herself at Osamu.
"'Samu-nii!"
Laughing, Osamu opens up his arms and crouches to catch Natsu, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder like he would a sack of potatoes. Natsu giggles and shifts herself around until she's clinging to his back, Osamu's arms under her knees to support her weight. "Hey, Nacchan."
"'Sami-nii, did you bring the rice balls?!"
"I did," Osamu nods with a grin, glancing over his shoulder at Shouyou's sister. "My brother's gonna help Shou and I bring in the food I made for ya. I promised ta cater, didn't I?"
Natsu gasps and looks to the other side of the car where Shouyou and Atsumu stood, Shouyou smiling at the scene and Atsumu with a bemused look on his face. "I didn't know you were a twin, 'Samu-nii!"
Atsumu waves awkwardly. "Hiya."
"You're the setter, right?!"
"Uh, yeah, that's me."
Natsu jumps off Osamu's back and waves her hands in giddiness. "I'm so excited! A pro player is gonna play volleyball with me at my party! Nii-chan, thank you!"
Shouyou laughs. "Why are you thanking me, Natsu? Osamu-san is the one who brought the food for you."
"You brought your setter! A pro that isn't Tobio-nii! Tobio-nii sucks at teaching me setting tips!"
"He isn't the only pro player you've played with, Natsu," Shouyou points out to his sister. "Tsukishima plays with you every time you see each other after you beg him enough."
"Kei-nii is a middle blocker though, he's not another setter," Natsu argues. "And he's not coming today because he has a game tomorrow. Only Hitoka-nee and Tadashi-nii are coming and Tadashi-nii hasn't played since you guys graduated! And he was a middle blocker too!"
"Yachi is coming?" Shouyou asks with wide eyes. At Natsu's nod, Shouyou pales. "I have to go clean. Like everything. I'm not ready for more Yachi lectures."
"Yer manager, yeah?" Atsumu asks. "The lil' blonde one? She didn't seem all that scary."
"Hitoka-nee is awesome," Natsu says, stars in her eyes. "Don't worry, Nii-chan, Mom cleaned the house already."
"Oh, thank god," Shouyou breathes.
"'Tsumu, help me get the boxes," Osamu nods his head backward to the car. "I need ta get 'em inside to help Hinata-san set up before you three go off 'n play volleyball 'til everyone gets here."
"Thank you for all of this, Osamu-kun," Hinata-san mother hugs him tight. "You didn't have to, but you did, so thank you."
"It was no problem, Hinata-san," Osamu smiles warmly, gently hugging her in return. "I'm always happy to make food, and I'm very proud of Nacchan for making starting setter of her team. Especially in her first year."
Hinata-san lets him go and glances outside, where Atsumu, Shouyou, and Natsu were in the backyard. Atsumu was guiding Natsu on certain ways to place her fingers on the volleyball in order to set certain ways. Shouyou was panting on the opposite side of the small net, hands on his knees but still grinning. He was receiving every single one of Atsumu's spikes that Natsu set up.
Osamu and Hinata-san set everything out on the counters and tables, putting drinks in the fridge after Osamu pulled out some sodas and juice pouches from one of the coolers he brought with him.
"Did Nacchan invite any of her friends to celebrate?" Osamu asks, sipping from a peach Ramune.
"No," Hinata-san shakes her head. "We thought she would invite a bunch of people but she always was closer to Shouyou's friends than her own, despite that they're all older than her by several years. Most of them didn't have the time to come besides Tadashi-kun and Hitoka-chan, but they all sent their well regards and congratulations. Ryuu-kun and his wife couldn't make it because they both have work early tomorrow, and Yuu-kun is out of the country still. Tobio-kun and Kei-kun both have games tomorrow, I believe they're playing each other. Between you and I, I think Natsu is hoping the Frogs will win."
Osamu chuckles. "So is 'Tsumu. He and Tobio-kun have this big rivalry as the top two setters in the country. A win for him is like a loss for 'Tsumu."
Hinata-san went quiet for a moment, before, "I'd like to thank you, Osamu-kun."
Startled, Osamu blinks and sets his drink down. "For what?"
"For being you," she says simply.
At Osamu's confused silence, she continues. "You didn't need to befriend my son right before he left the country. In fact, most people wouldn't have if they heard he was just going to leave a month after being friends. But you did. And for Natsu, you had no obligation to be as kind to her as you have just because of your friendship with Shouyou. But you sent her onigiri from your restaurant nearly weekly to make sure she had good lunches for school, you took your own free time to visit her on her birthdays, you've supported her in her decisions to follow in Shouyou's steps to pursue volleyball. You even catered for her celebration of one of the biggest accomplishments of her life thus far. Thank you, really. As their mother, I'm very grateful they have someone like you in their lives."
Looking outside, Osamu sees Shouyou wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm and Shouyou looks up at that moment, catching Osamu's eye and sending him a grin and a wave. Osamu smiles and ducks his head, heart pounding.
"I haven't done anything I haven't wanted to, Hinata-san. I love both of them."
"They love you as well," Hinata-san grins, seeing the small interaction between the two and sips from her own Ramune drink. "And for what it's worth, if my son ever decides to get his head out of his ass, I approve of you two."
Osamu, mid-drink, splutters and manages to cover his mouth before he spits anything out and he coughs, his ears burning red with a flush. "Hinata-san!"
She giggles. "Just thought I'd let you know, Osamu-kun."
When the other two guests arrive, the three volleyball lovers come back inside to greet them. Natsu, who gives them both excessively long hugs like she had given Osamu, and Shouyou who gives them both long hugs as well, considering he hadn't seen them since before he left the country. Osamu watches Shouyou interact with his high school best friends with a smile and Atsumu is sending him knowing glances riddled with amusement at his blatant admiration of Shouyou.
"I told ya, yer whipped."
"Shut up, 'Tsumu. Ya better not be awkward ta Shou-kun's friends just because they're his old teammates."
"I wont!"
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"I wont!"
"Mom! Everyone's here, is it time to eat yet?!"
Hinata-san laughs. "Yes, Natsu, we can eat now."
"Yes!" she cheers and runs over to Osamu, grabbing his wrist and dragging him back to the kitchen. "'Samu-nii, you have to show me everything you brought!"
"Alright, alright," Osamu laughs. "I'm comin', Nacchan."
"Did you bring any tamagoyaki?!"
"Of course I did," he gently pulls her ponytail in teasing. "What kinda caterer for yer party would I be if I didn't bring yer favorite foods?"
Sneaking one last glance back at Shouyou, wildly waving his hands as he retells tales from his time in Brazil to Atsumu, Yamaguchi, and Yachi, Osamu smiles again and lets himself be pulled along by Natsu.
"Hinata, are you going to eat or just keep stealing glances at Osamu-san the entire night?"
Shouyou blushes, caught red-handed by Yamaguchi after he'd been all but staring at Osamu from across the room where he was talking with Yachi about the food and his business.
"Oh, you like him, don't you?" Yamaguchi teases Shouyou, seeing the redness creeping up Shouyou's neck.
"I━" Shouyou stammers, then groans and slams his head down onto the table beside his food and his soda. "It's not that simple!"
"I think it is," Yamaguchi shrugs. "He obviously likes you too. He keeps looking at you when you're not watching. And he obviously gets on well with your mom and sister. Just ask him out already."
"His brother is my most important teammate, Yamaguchi," Shouyou mutters into the wood of the table. "And we've been friends, best friends, even, for two years. I don't want to mess anything up with him or cause any problems with the teammate I need the biggest connection with."
Yamaguchi sighs. "Hinata, Atsumu-san has been wanting to play with you since our first year. I sincerely doubt that you dating his brother would cause any problems. And you're both great guys, so I really don't believe anything bad would happen between you two. Especially if you're as close as you say you are."
Shouyou sighs and finally pulls his head off the table, looking over to Osamu who's laughing at something Yachi said. His eyes were crinkled at the sides, dimples on his cheeks more prominent with the big, open-mouthed grin he wore. "I can't risk it," he says. "It's all too important to me."
"Some things are worth the risk," Yamaguchi shrugs. "I asked Tsukki on that date in our third year and I was terrified out of my mind that he'd reject me and never talk to me again outside of volleyball. We've been friends since middle school. I was scared to ruin things too. Some things are worth the risk, Hinata."
Still watching Osamu, a smile grows on Shouyou's face when Natsu bounces over to Osamu from where she had been talking with their mom to beg him to hit some of her sets in the backyard. Osamu, whom Shouyou knows hasn't played volleyball much since high school besides with Atsumu every now and then when they visit home for the holidays, sets his drink down and apologizes to Yachi for cutting their conversation short and allows Natsu to drag him outside.
"Yeah, maybe," Shouyou finally says. "I'll think about it."
Yamaguchi snorts. "Just don't think too hard. You might hurt your brain."
"Oh, shut up!"
On the ride home, Shouyou quietly sings along to the song on the radio, volume turned low to not disturb the snoring Atsumu crunched up uncomfortably in the backseat. Osamu steals looks at Shouyou out of the corner of his eye, unconsciously smiling to himself. He has his left hand on the wheel driving down the practically empty interstate, his right lazily resting on the gearshift. He doesn't have a clue what the song is saying, it was some English pop song that Shouyou apparently likes, but with Shouyou in his front seat singing along softly but passionately and silly, the whole things feels more domestic than he expected a normal long car ride to be.
Atsumu snorts in his sleep, probably choking on his own saliva from all the snoring, the dumbass. Osamu chuckles and glances at his brother in his rear view mirror. He has his seat belt all twisted and mangled from the way he's laying, and if it were about ten centimetres higher, it would be choking him. Shaking his head, Osamu focuses back on the road and the sound of Shouyou's soft voice.
He zones out for a while, the silent, empty roads lulling him into a content silence besides the background noises of Shouyou and Atsumu. He's only broken out of his trance when a hand nearly smacks him in the face and he takes his hand off the gear shift to catch Shouyou's hand with a soft laugh.
"Sorry, Osamu-san, I really like this song," Shouyou chuckles in embarrassment.
"'S all good, Shou-kun, I'm not bothered," he slowly lowers their hands to the console between their seats. In a moment of braveness, Osamu squeezes the hand held in his. Shouyou's palm is warm from all the waving and gesturing he'd been doing while he sang, and Osamu grins to himself when Shouyou squeezes back after a couple long seconds. "Ya can keep singin', I see ya enjoyin' yerself, don't let me stop ya."
Shouyou grins and goes back to singing the song on the radio, easily switching when the song changes and singing along to the next one as well.
It isn't until a few songs later that Osamu feels Shouyou shift his fingers to entwine themselves with Osamu's, and Osamu wraps his fingers through Shouyou's with ease, his heart feeling like it's about to beat out of his chest with happiness.
They stay that way the rest of the way home to Osaka, holding hands while Shouyou serenades him and Atsumu snores annoyingly in the back.
WHAT EVEN IS LIFE ANYMORE - 5 Members
gucci😎
hinata did you do it yet
sHoUyOu🤡
YAMAGUCHI NO
resident Asshat
what did the dumbass do this time
sHoUyOu🤡
I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING SHUT UP KAGEYAMA
tsukki🦖
that's surprising. what was he supposed to do?
literal angel💖
awww hinata-kun why didn't you do it
gucci😎
he's being a wimp about asking miya osamu out on a date
tsukki🦖
when did THAT happen?
sHoUyOu🤡
YACHI NOT YOU TOO NO
resident Asshat
wait the idiot has a crush on someone
since when does he do that
sHoUyOu🤡
don't be salty, kageyama, i'm sure you'll find someone to love you and your dramatic assholeishness one day
and NO i DIDN'T and i told you WHY yamaguchi come on
tsukki🦖
please never say "assholeishness" in my presence ever again
your stupidity gives me a headache
literal angel💖
all he talks about is you, hinata-kun! i think your feelings are returned!
gucci😎
THAT'S WHAT I TRIED TELLING HIM YACHI YOUR WORDS MEAN NOTHING
i'm sorry they don't mean nothing that's not what i meant :((
but hinata never LISTENS to ANYTHING
sHoUyOu🤡
I SAID I'D THINK ABOUT IT
gucci😎
how did the car ride home go??? you guys didn't talk about anything?? at all??
sHoUyOu🤡
i sang to the radio, he drove, atsumu-san snored in the backseat, and i held his hand after he stopped me from accidentally hitting him in the face
tsukki🦖
so you mean to tell me.
he let you hold his hand. after you almost smacked him in the face. and you're still questioning if he likes you back or not.
resident Asshat
like you have any room to talk, asshole
yamaguchi pined after you for years and you couldn't tell either, hypocrite
tsukki🦖
no one was talking to you
shut up
gucci😎
YOU HELD HANDS
OH MY GOD
literal angel💖
HINATA-KUN THAT'S SO CUTE I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!
sHoUyOu🤡
but what about atsumu-san??? i can't just?? ask out his brother without his permission??? he's my TEAMMATE
my SETTER
tsukki🦖
this isn't the 19th century you don't need a family member's permission to date someone
what's your plan? court him and buy him roses and all that disgusting cliché bullshit?
sHoUyOu🤡
i didn't ask you for help with my love life tsukishima you asshole
hypocrite ass you didn't even KNOW yamaguchi liked you until he explicitly told you
you thought your first date was just you hanging out like you usually do until he asked you on a second date
tsukki🦖
i didn't ask to be harassed today what the fuck
goodbye
gucci😎
oh my god hinata why
sHoUyOu🤡
AM I WRONG??? NO I'M NOT
resident Asshat
just ask him out and get it over with, dumbass
i'm not gonna be part of your dramatic pining that's disgusting
literal angel💖
i think it's cute!!! go for it hinata-kun he really seems to return your feelings!!!
sHoUyOu🤡
kageyama i hate you
yachi i love you
i'm going to practice now wish me luck with atsumu-san
gucci😎
pffft good luck i guess
"Atsumu-san, can I talk to you?"
Atsumu glances up from his locker at Shouyou, giving him a weird look. "Uh, yeah, Shouyou-kun, what's up?"
"Not here? Um, alone please."
Eyebrows furrowing, Atsumu gestures back toward the gym and Shouyou nods, wringing his fingers oddly. His face looks nervous and anxious. What does he need to talk to Atsumu about? He knows his sets were top tier today at practice so it can't be about that. Is he leaving the team for another one? Atsumu doubts it.
Atsumu shrugs at the glances from all their other teammates and follows after Shouyou. He's standing by the gym doors with his bag over his shoulder, already changed out of his practice clothes and ready to go back to his apartment to rest his body from all the activity, and Atsumu knows that he'll probably just sit and read one of those One Piece manga he has on a bookshelf in his spare room (Atsumu saw it when the team went to Shouyou's place after he joined the Jackals to celebrate his welcome).
"Ya alright, Shouyou-kun?"
Shouyou startles and looks up, and Atsumu sees him swallow thickly. "Um. Yes? I just need to um, ask you something. Tsukishima told me I shouldn't because it's kinda stupid but he doesn't understand so I'm not taking his advice. Not that I ever do, because he's an asshole and I have never once listened to his advice outside of volleyball since my first year in high school but━"
"Shouyou-kun."
"Right! Get to the point. Okay. I can do this. It's fine, it's gonna be fine."
"Are ya sure yer alright?"
"I have a crush on Osamu-san and want to ask him on a date but I don't want there to be any troubles with you that will effect the team and our friendship if I date your brother so if it's weird and you don't approve I won't do it so I just thought I'd ask you first━"
"Oh my god, fuckin' finally," Atsumu groans. "Please ask him out. I've had ta listen ta his stupid pining and watch him fuckin' lose his noodle over ya. I approve very much please go do it, like, right now. I'm so over that fuckin' doorknob."
"Really?! Thank you so much, Atsumu-san! I promise I won't let anything get in the way of the team or our friendship! I swear!"
"Yeah, yeah, just go to the restaurant already, he's still open for another couple hours."
"Right! Going now! Thank you, Atsumu-san!"
Atsumu chuckles and watches Shouyou run out the gym doors. He's just glad he won't have to listen to his twin wax fucking poetic about his friend anymore.
Shouyou sits on his usual stool at Onigiri Miya and waits for Osamu to come out from the kitchen to give food to the little customers inside. It's emptier than usual considering it's later than Shouyou is usually there, which he's glad for because it means there won't be as many distractions. He fiddles with his fingers under the counter and looks up when he hears the kitchen doors open, and he puts his hands back up on the surface.
"Oh, Shou-kun, yer here. Gimme just a minute, gotta give this order to table five real quick and I'll be right there."
"Okay!"
Osamu smiles at his customers and talks for a few seconds before he comes back and stands behind the counter across from Shouyou's seat. "Now, what can I help ya with?"
"I'm not actually hungry tonight, I just um, wanted to ask you something?"
"Oh?" Osamu raises his eyebrows. "What's up, Shou-kun? Ya look kinda stressed. Ya alright?"
"I-I'm fine! I was just wondering if um, you wanted to do something tomorrow night? On your off day? I don't have practice either so I was thinking maybe we could do something together? Like, just you and me?"
Osamu grins. "Like a date?"
"Um, yeah! If that's okay! If not it's fine we can totally just be friends I'm very okay with that and will respect it if you say no!"
Chuckling at his rambles, Osamu reaches out and tucks his hand under Shouyou's, turning it over and lacing their fingers together. "I'm okay with it being a date, Shou-kun. Very okay with it. This weekend sounds great. Or, if ya want, I close up soon, so we can go out tonight if yer willin' to."
"That would be amazing!" Shouyou laughs in relief and squeezed Osamu's hand. "Wow, that was awful. I've never done that before."
"Ask someone out?"
"Yeah," Shouyou nods. "It's very nerve-wracking. A lot more than I expected, really."
Osamu scratches his head with his free hand. "I've kinda been waitin' for a good opportunity to do the same, so ya beat me to the punch, there. Do ya think anything's open this time'a night for us to go? I'm fine with whatever."
"If not we can just walk around the city! I still haven't completely gotten used to Osaka yet so it would be nice to just explore with you. I've never been on a date either so this is a first for me."
"Walkin' around sounds nice, Shou-kun," Osamu smiles. "I'm down for whatever ya wanna do. Just give me a bit until the shop closes and we'll go, yeah?"
"Okay!"
An hour and a half later, Osamu is closing up the shop and Shouyou is helping him clean up the kitchen in prep for the next day. There's a comfortable silence between them, a calm and content look on Osamu's face while Shouyou is all smiles to himself at the fact that when they were finished, they would be going on their first date. Shouyou's first date ever, too.
"Ya ready to go, Shou-kun?"
"Yeah!" Shouyou grins. "I tried looking up some good restaurants around here but all of them are closed or close to closing, so I guess a walk it is!"
Osamu softens. "'S alright with me. How 'bout just 'round the city? It's always lit up real nice, 'specially at this time'a night."
"That sounds great!"
"Right, then," Osamu says, wiping down the last counter. "I'll drive us to a good place to start ya probably haven't been to yet. Ya wanna listen ta the same radio station as last time?"
Shouyou beams. "Yes, please!"
All through the car ride and even after they got out of the car, Osamu couldn't keep the small smile off his face. He never would have expected Shouyou to be the one to ask him on a date, but he wasn't complaining. No, not at all. It may not be the best date idea ever, just walking around aimlessly at close to midnight, but he guesses the time doesn't really matter since neither of them have anything planned tomorrow (And Osamu is pretty positive that any time he spends with Shouyou would be good either way). The shop's always closed on weekends and Shouyou doesn't have practice on weekends, either. It works out great, in all honesty. He wouldn't be opposed to them having three date nights in a row if it's okay with Shouyou, which now that he knows his feelings are returned, he knew that Shouyou wasn't likely to be opposed to it, either.
Holding Shouyou's hand under the lights of the city around them, Osamu felt content. More than he had in a long time, despite the time he spent in the kitchen. His work can sometimes be overwhelming, though, but with Shouyou he never feels that way. Even if Shouyou's personality is sometimes too overly-exciting, Osamu sees it as something to really like about Shouyou. It balances out his own laid back nature (His brother would argue about said nature, but 'Tsumu is a different story all together, okay).
Shouyou has been wearing an ecstatic grin since before they left Osamu's restaurant, and knowing that it was because he was on this date (his first date, he reminds himself, because Shouyou had chosen him) made Osamu's heart feel full.
"━And then Oikawa-san threw the ball up for his serve like he was still on a regular court! I was trying so hard not to laugh when the ball flew out too far and he missed the swing, it was too funny! He forgot about the wind!"
Osamu chuckles. "I probably woulda done the same as he did. Never played beach before like ya did."
"We should play one day!" Shouyou gasps eagerly. "I can help you, we'll be partners!"
"What, in Japan?" Osamu laughs incredulously, absentmindedly swinging his and Shouyou's joined hands back and forth. "I don't think there's many suitable places here ta do that, Shou-kun. Maybe in Brazil, but here? Nah."
"I'll take you with me when I go back to visit, then! I wanna go back one day soon and see everyone again, and you can come with me! Pedro is pretty decent with Japanese, so the language barrier wouldn't be too much of a problem! Plus, I'd be there with you! A lot of them speak English, too, so if you brush up on that you should be pretty set!"
Osamu's face twists in disbelief at the idea. Shouyou wanted him to come to Brazil? With him? It sounds like something out of a dream, to be honest. White sands, seashells, ocean waves lapping at his calves and walking alongside Shouyou hand-in-hand across a beach that extends for kilometres. Eventually, he softens. "That sounds amazin', Shou-kun."
"Really?! Oh, it's gonna be so much fun!" Shouyou bounces. "I don't know when I'll have the money to go back, but when I do I'll definitely take you with me, Osamu-san!"
Tightening his grip on Shouyou's hand, Osamu pulls them to a stop. Shouyou turns to him with a questioning look, and Osamu takes a deep breath before meeting Shouyou's bright amber eyes. He could get lost in those, Osamu was sure of it, but he had something to say first.
"Shou-kun, yer really important ta me, ya know that, right? You, and Natsu, even yer mom. In the last two years, I've come ta think of ya guys as my own family, and I want ya ta know how much ya mean ta me."
"Osamu-san━"
"Please," he says, glancing down at their tangled hands with a small smile. "Let me finish, yeah? I need ta tell ya this."
Shouyou, after searching Osamu's face for a second, nods. "Okay."
Osamu breathes in and looks back to Shouyou. "Since you and Natsu walked into my shop way back then, my life has been brighter with ya guys in it. All the late calls with ya, gettin' ta share in Natsu's accomplishments and supporting both her growth and yer own, has been a really long and really fun journey. I'm smitten with ya, Shou-kun. I don't think I can imagine my life without ya in it anymore. And I want ya ta know that I don't plan on lettin' ya go anytime soon.
"Relationships can be hard, I know," Osamu keeps going. "But I've never felt more serious about anyone before ya. I'm willin' ta fight for us if I need to. And if you'll have me, I'd really like ta stay with ya as long as you'll let me."
Shouyou lifts his free hand and hesitates for a second before placing it on the side of Osamu's face, resting his palm on his cheek and softly grazing his thumb over the space beneath his eye. Osamu easily leans into it, closing his eyes for a brief second before opening them back up again to focus back on Shouyou.
"I don't want you to go anywhere, Osamu-san," Shouyou whispers, much more subdued than he had been moments before. "You've been more of a constant in my life since I met you than most of my best friends from high school have been, and that's why I was so scared to take this jump with you. But I'm not scared anymore, and I think... I think, if I let you go, it would be one of the hardest things I'd ever do. I feel so much for you sometimes I don't know what to do with myself.
"I want to have things like this with you all the time. I want to make plans for the future, like going to Brazil and inviting you over for holidays and meeting your obaasan one day. I've never felt like this for anyone before, and I used to be teased by my friends because I was never interested in anything more than my volleyball career, but you changed that for me, and I'm not complaining, because when you're around me I feel so happy. And seeing how much you care for my family, for your brother, for everyone in your life, makes me feel a way I can't even describe to you."
Osamu's heart is pounding so hard, he's sure that Shouyou can feel its pulse through his wrist where their arms are touching. He wouldn't even be surprised if Shouyou could hear it, but it isn't like he cares if Shouyou knew. He'd laid his feelings out in the open, and now Shouyou is, too.
"I want to be with you, Osamu-san," Shouyou says. "Please be patient with me, because I've never had anyone like you before. Teach me how to experience love, help me know what it's like to feel loved. I want everything with you, and yeah, it's kind of terrifying, but I'm more sure about this than I have been about anything since I first started pursuing volleyball back in middle school."
"Can I kiss you?" Osamu breathes.
Shouyou flushes bright red, but he nods. The streets aren't anywhere near empty, but Osamu finds it in himself that he couldn't care less. He just wants to show off his Shouyou to everyone he can. And he really wants to kiss him. And hold him. And live his life loving this little bundle of everything bright for as long as he possibly can.
When Shouyou presses up slightly on his toes, Osamu meets him halfway and leans down to press his lips over Shouyou's. The night was cool, but Osamu knew that it wasn't the temperature that made him shiver when he finally felt the heat of Shouyou's lips against his own. There were no fireworks in his body, or butterflies in his stomach, or anything of the sort that was usually mentioned in the tales of many love stories. Just a pleasant, toe-curling warmth spreading from his chest to the rest of his body.
It isn't the best kiss in the world. Shouyou is inexperienced and Osamu himself has very little as well, but it's still heart-stopping to finally feel the man he's longed for in his arms for the first time.
All sense flies away from Osamu's mind as he unclasps their hands so he could properly wrap his arms around Shouyou's waist and pull him impossibly closer to him. The feeling of Shouyou pressed to his chest, lips-to-lips, and Shouyou's hands settling themselves on the sides of his neck with his thumbs resting on his jaw, has Osamu sighing against Shouyou's mouth as he pulls back only the slightest bit, because unfortunately, breathing is a necessity. He wants nothing more than to bask in Shouyou's warmth for the rest of time. So for the time being, he only lowers his forehead to lie against Shouyou's as they share bright smiles with each other. Eyes still closed, Osamu taps Shouyou's nose with his own, and exhales slowly through his nose.
"Stay with me?" he expires.
"I'm staying," Shouyou nods against him, nuzzling his nose in return.
Osamu grins. "Good."