The Sun Will Shine Again

by DBVee

Summary:

Something was off with Hinata.
It didn’t come across in his play though, nor was there any apparent shift in his usual sunshine demeanor. In fact, Atsumu almost began to wonder if he was imagining tension where there was none to begin with. That being said, something in his gut screamed otherwise. Somewhere behind those gleaming amber eyes that sparkled at his teammates' jokes and laughs, Atsumu couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. Hinata was not ok.

Atsumu senses a part of Hinata is hurting. He extends an arm in support and the two develop something special as they learn to laugh and love together.

Notes:

Hello! This is my first longer form fic that I've planned/scoped. I usually tend to write one-shots, but I've been so captivated by Atsuhina at the moment, I didn't feel I could fully explore their dynamic in a one-shot alone.
I haven't 100% decided on the rating yet, not sure how steamy I'm planning to get, but I will update accordingly.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Partly Cloudy Skies

Something was off with Hinata.

It didn’t come across in his play though, nor was there any apparent shift in his usual sunshine demeanor. In fact, Atsumu almost began to wonder if he was imagining tension where there was none to begin with. That being said, something in his gut screamed otherwise. Somewhere behind those gleaming amber eyes that sparkled at his teammates' jokes and laughs, Atsumu couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. Hinata was not ok.

A week had gone by and nothing about their daily team practices had changed. Hinata was as amazing as usual, sending spike after spike with pinpoint precision to different parts of the court. Far from just a little spiking monster, his receives remained sturdy, exact, and unbelievably quick. If anyone on the team had noticed something unusual about Hinata during the week, they hadn’t made any indicator of it. 

Atsumu wondered if perhaps Hinata might have confided in Akaashi and Bokuto, since he knew they were close, the couple like parents to the little orange haired ball of energy. But even Bokuto, who was usually an open book, showed no obvious changes in his behavior around and towards Hinata.

A little baffled, but willing to accept that perhaps his admittedly moderately oblivious social instincts were off, Atsumu tried to brush off the uneasy feeling he had. That was until, over the weekend, Hinata had declined his offer to go on a morning jog with him. It wasn’t something they did regularly, but any time Atsumu offered, Hinata would jump at the opportunity for a running buddy who could keep up with his monstrous stamina.

Feeling restless from his week of worry and trying to hop back into a regular routine for himself, he had texted Hinata on Saturday at dawn asking him if he wanted to go out for a run.

A: “Mornin’ Shouyou-kun, up for a jog?”

A few minutes passed when his phone buzzed

H: “I’m really sorry Atsumu-san, I don’t think I can go today”

Atsumu saw the “...” popup on his phone indicating Hinata was typing more. But all that followed was another “Sorry”

A: “Hey it’s no problem! No worries!” he paused, considering what he should say. He decided on “Just checking, are you ok?” and sent the message.

He received no response. 

Atsumu tried not to think too hard about it, perhaps he was just tired or maybe feeling a little sick? Maybe he fell asleep again. Regardless, it wouldn’t do him any good to linger on it, so he went out on a jog anyway since he was already fully awake and dressed at that point.

Atsumu spent the rest of the afternoon at Osamu’s place, trying out a few new recipes his brother had concocted.

“Disgusting” Atsumu grunted as he shoved a salmon onigiri in his mouth, his blissful grin betraying his harsh critique.

“Disgustingly delicious, you mean.” Osamu countered, rolling his eyes at his brother, all the while handing him another onigiri, this time a sweet one to compliment the savory one he had just devoured. “I know you love my food, even if ya won't admit it.”

Atsumu grabbed the food from his brother and began munching whole heartedly on it. “Yeah whatever” he mumbled mouth still full of rice.

“Gross.” Osamu snorted “You still act like a kid, talking with yer mouth full, never saying what ya actually mean…” Atsumu was about to protest, but Osamu interrupted him “That said Tsumu, ya gonna tell me what's on your mind? Yer clearly bothered by something.”

Atsumu groaned, leave it to Samu to identify and zero in on the exact thing he didn’t want to talk about. He took one last big bite of the remaining onigi and swallowed before continuing.

“It’s Shouyou-kun…” he paused

“Oh? What's up with Chibi-chan?”

“I feel like there’s something off with him recently, but I can’t tell if I’m just imagining it.”

“Wow, Tsumu is worried about other people for once?” Samu teased, voice dripping with sarcasm “That’s new.”

“Oh shut it Samu, ya know he’s my teammate, and my spiker. Of course I’d be worried if I thought something was wrong”

“Is it affecting his play? I know you hate that more than anything.” Samu responded, knowing full well the feeling of being subjected to Atsumu’s volleyball wrath. His brother was such an obsessive volleyball nut sometimes… No, actually all the time.

“That's the thing!” Atsumu exclaimed “Nothing has changed! Not his play, not his personality, not anyone around him, not even Bokuto. I just can’t put my finger on it, everything seems fine but something in my gut is telling me otherwise.”

“Huh” Osamu responded pensively “Did ya ask him about it? It’s prolly better to go directly to the source than sit around speculating”

“Yeah I kinda did today, after he turned down our morning jog” Atsumu admitted “I didn’t want ta pry, but at least wanted to check that he was ok, since he never never rejects my invites to go running.”

“What did he say then?”

“He didn’t”

“He said he was fine?”

“No… He never responded. I mean, beyond apologizing for not going running.” Atsumu pursed his lips “He apologized twice . He almost whined.

“Hmm. Well that is a bit strange.” Osamu pondered “Well Chibi-chan is pretty selfish when it comes to volleyball…”, Atsumu opened his mouth to protest but remained silent when his brother lifted an eyebrow at him. “ But I always got the impression that he was hesitant to impose on others when it came to personal matters, he probably doesn’t want to trouble anyone.” Osamu concluded.

Samu was right. When it came to volleyball, Hinata was like a freight-train with no brakes. He barreled forwards demanding toss after toss, serve after serve. It drove others nuts. In Atsumu’s opinion however, it was just the right amount of selfishness. The kind of one-track minded desire for self-improvement that motivated everyone around him to push past their own limits. And frankly, Atsumu wasn’t one to complain when there was someone out there crazy enough to actually want to spike just as many tosses as Atsumu wanted to set.

Personal matters were a different story however. Hinata did like to tell flowered tales about his journey and life in Rio, expressing the beauty of its beaches, and the warmth of the culture. He knew, however, that Hinata must have been omitting some of the tougher struggles the man had encountered when journeying to a foreign country, alone, without the comforts of language or friends to guide him. Atsumu suspected that, to Hinata, these details would be a burden on others, an experience that didn’t need to be shared, which in turn became a burden on Hinata himself.

“I think yer right Samu” Atsumu responded

“When am I not” Osamu smirked, causing Atsumu to glower “Alright alright, since you’re clearly bothered by whatever is going on with Hinata, why don’t you take some of these leftover onigiri to his apartment? Osamu asked “On the house, courtesy of yours truly.”

“I dunno if I could do that Samu” Atsumu wavered “I do know where Hinata lives, but we don’t regularly hang out outside of training, team outings, and our semi-weekly runs. If something really is wrong, like a family thing, I don’t think it would be very considerate of me to just show up un-announced.”

“You can just drop them off if he doesn’t answer the door” Osamu suggested “If there’s nothing wrong, then no harm done. If something is up, at least he’ll have some nice food. Either way Hinata would probably appreciate it.”

“I… Guess I’ll give it a try”

After letting Osamu package the remaining onigiri, Atsumu made his way to Hinata’s apartment. He had only been by a few times but had never gone inside.

Atsumu liked Hinata quite a bit and actually really cherished his company. Hinata was the type to get along with everyone, he was honest and open hearted, a cheerful presence. Atsumu admittedly wasn’t the most sociable, despite his overwhelming popularity in the pro-volleyball scene. He chalked it up to his striking good looks and flashy plays. When it actually came to interacting with others though, fans or otherwise, he always felt a little distant. Despite that, Atsumu genuinely enjoyed Hinata’s presence, and it wasn’t just because the orange haired gremlin actually laughed at his jokes or because the adoration in his eyes every time he hit Atsumu’s tosses made him feel like he was the center of the world.

No, it was the passion and encouragement that Hinata provided to everyone around him. His determination was contagious and his kindness just as infectious.

Atsumu grinned gently as he made his way up the stairs to Hinata’s apartment unit. He hadn’t really thought about it until now, but Hinata’s presence in MSBY really had been a boon for the team, and for him personally as well.

The smile lingered on his lips as he knocked on the door to Hinata’s apartment unit, however, it faltered the moment the door slid open.

Chapter 2: When It Rains

Summary:

Atsumu checks in on Hinata.
He's not sure what's up, but resolves to be there for him.

“Mrs. Suzuki?” Hinata croaked “I’m fine, really you don’t need to worry about m…” He pursed his lips, his eyes wide in surprise at the unexpected face.

“Atsumu!” his voice squeaked in mild panic “What are you doing here!?”

He didn’t sound accusatory, just a little nervous. His eyes were slightly red and there was a bruise forming on his forehead. He’d clearly been crying if the rawness of his voice and the shadows around his eyes were any indicator.

Atsumu processed the scene at lightning speed, eyes fixating on the purple welt on Hinata’s head when he felt a sudden surge of anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach. 

“Hinata” he snarled “Who the fuck did this to you?” 

He dropped the bag containing Osamu’s and quickly grabbed Hinata’s wrist, almost afraid the shorter athlete would flee at the sight of him.

Hinata flinched at the sudden contact, visibly startled, and Atsumu instantly regretted his impulsive reaction. He clearly didn’t need to be suddenly confronted with a wave of aggression from Atsumu, not given his current state.

“Sorry” Atsumu muttered quickly and gently released Hinata’s wrists “I… was worried about you this morning, since you never turn down running… And then Osamu suggested I bring ya some food, in case you were sick or something. He had leftovers anyway so it's no big deal, on the house he said… I hope I’m not imposing… Sorry.” he rambled softle, not knowing what to say.

They stood still, silently taking each other in. Then Hinata spoke. Softly enough that Atsumu had to lean forwards to catch his words.

“It’s… Not what you think.” Hinata began shakily “I uh… ran into the apartment complex gate earlier. No one hurt me physically or anything.”

Atsumu couldn’t help but notice just the slightest emphasis on “physically”, although Hinata clearly wasn’t intending to convey that.

“Oh but don’t worry Atsumu-san, I’ll be fine by monday practice!” Hinata continued, seemingly trying to manifest his usual cheery demeanor. “I heal quickly, and it looks a lot worse than it actually feels! I don’t think I have a concussion or anything like that.”

“Oh.” Atsumu exhaled. He felt embarrassed for jumping to conclusions, even though he wasn’t fully satisfied with Hinata’s explanation.

“Have ya eaten yet?” Atsumu spoke after another period of silence. He picked up the bag of onigiri he had dropped earlier and held them out towards Hinata. “If not, I brought you some of these, you should eat. Samu is trying some new recipes, and although I hate to admit it, they really are quite good.”

Hinata's lips twitched upwards just slightly from hearing Atsumu’s begrudging compliment. He had always been amused by the Miya twin’s banter. He took the bag from Atsumu.

“Thanks Atsumu, please also thank Osamu for thinking of me” his voice wavering a little less now.

“It’s no big deal at all! Again, I’m really sorry about showing up unannounced. I’ll not impose on you any longer” Atsumu smiled. He really didn’t want to come across as annoying, resolving to give Hinata his space. On the inside however, he was still screaming, wanting to know why his normally joyous spiker looked so sad, so broken.

He stepped back, turning away to depart when Hinata spoke “-tsumu?” he mumbled. Atsumu halted dead in his tracks. “Would you maybe… Stay for a while?

Atsumu paused, less due to hesitancy, and more due to surprise. Hinata wanted him around?

“If you’re busy it’s fine…” Hinata rapidly covered, chewing his lip slightly. “I just…”

“Of course I’ll stay.” Atsumu cut in, “Anything you need.” He smiled gently at the other man, hoping to convey his willingness without betraying the fact that he was somehow beyond happy to hear Hinata’s request.

Hinata led him into his apartment without a word and he followed quietly. It was a small but surprisingly clean space, Atsumu observed. Not that Atsumu was a messy person, but he just always assumed any bachelor living alone would have a few more miscellaneous things strewn about. Hinata’s place on the other hand was tidy and minimalist, with the exception of several volleyball posters tacked along the wall. Atsumu chuckled to himself, recognizing a few that he himself owned copies of.

“Sorry my apartment is pretty small.” Hinata started, as the two settled on the couch and he fiddled with the bag of onigiri.

“It’s nice and cozy” Atsumu offered in a relaxed tone, “It’s a lot cleaner than I expected.”

“Uh no offense.” He followed up sheepishly, realizing how that may have sounded.

Hinata gave him a pouty look in response, but Atsumu could tell there was humor in his eyes. It was an improvement from his look of misery just moments before and Atsumu couldn’t help but feel relieved that he was helping serve as a distraction, even just a tiny bit.

Hinata grabbed two onigiri, offering one to Atsumu, who turned it down with a wave of his hand.

“Don’t worry about me, I already had some earlier.” he reassured, “You need to eat more than I do.”

Hinata nodded gratefully, and began munching. The two sat in silence as he finished off the entire box. Atsumu wondered if he hadn’t eaten all morning. 

“Thanks again.” Hinata said suddenly as he was cleaning up the packaging. “These were so good, I really needed that. And again, please convey my gratitude to Samu sometime as well.”

“You should thank him yerself” Atsumu shrugged lightly “I’m sure he’d prefer to hear it from you anyways. Also I’m contractually banned from complimenting my brother directly, it’s a twin rule.”

Hinata giggled. He flopped back on the couch after properly disposing of the wrappings.

“I can’t believe I’ve actually never been by yer place before” Atsumu exclaimed, settling in comfortably as he observed Hinata’s more relaxed demeanor. “Have you always lived on yer own?”

“Only since I’ve come back to Japan” Hinata responded “Although I stayed with Bokuto and Akaashi for a month after I got back while I was searching for places to rent. I did have a roommate in Rio though.”

“Pedro, right?” Atsumu inquired.

Hinata blinked, “Uh huh.”

“What was that like?” Atsumu asked before realizing that Hinata might not be in the mood to talk about his time abroad.

But Hinata merely smiled before continuing.

“It was great! Well… Actually it was pretty tough at first, we had a lot of trouble communicating early on due to the language barrier, but it smoothed out over time. Not gonna lie, I think a lot of it had to do with Kenma being my sponsor and Pedro being a fan of Kenma’s… Haha.” he rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. “It worked out in the end though.”

“That’s really cool, I can’t imagine leaving the country for so long,” Atsumu said with full honesty, “There’s a lot of things I can do, but living overseas is something I never really thought about.”

“It’s really not so bad once you take the first step!” Hinata chirped encouragingly, “Although I’m pretty glad to be back home after all this time. There’s just something comforting about it. It gives you time to reflect, time to evaluate.”

The two paused. Atsumu wasn’t sure exactly what Hinata meant by reflect, but he suspected it had to do with his current condition.

“Are ya happy here, with me?” Atsumu suddenly blurted awkwardly. Hinata raised his eyebrow in question, like he didn’t quite understand.

“Er I mean, like, happy with my tosses? Playing with the team?” Atsumu corrected, “Since you’ve gotten back, have you enjoyed playing volleyball here?”

He thought back to the time in highschool when he had blatantly and embarrassingly declared that he’d toss to Hinata in the future. Curse him and his big mouth. Every so often, it caused him to wonder if he was living up to the expectations he’d set. Not that Hinata had ever indicated otherwise.

“Of course I’ve enjoyed it! Playing with MSBY is like a dream come true.” Hinata assured the now slightly flustered man, “Your tosses are the best Atsumu-san! With them, I feel I can scale any mountain, breach any barrier.”

“You flatterer” Atsumu glowered, but his eyes shined at the praise, enjoying every bit of the compliment. “Yer pretty awesome yourself. I have so many options on the court now… It feels so good to chip away at the enemy defenses, breaking their confidence bit by bit” he smirked with satisfaction, cracking his knuckles.

“You’re so diabolical Atsumu-san.” 

“Only cause ya enable me, Shouyou-kun.”

---

The two continued chatting and bickering well into the evening, talking about their matches, the season ahead of them, and their favorite matches so far. Their shared love of volleyball transcends well beyond their weekly practices and matches.

Although they never really hit the topic of why Atsumu had visited in the first place, he was content knowing that, by the end of day, Hinata was beaming and talking animatedly about whatever their conversation had drifted to.

In due time. Atsumu thought. Shouyou will talk to me when he’s ready.

Notes:

*huffs* What a week it's been so far... Thanks again for keeping with this <3
Forgive me for any typos/mistakes, I've been furiously typing during my lunch breaks hehe. (〃￣ω￣〃)ゞ
Honestly can't believe it's almost February, everything feels like a blur at this point.

As always, I make hq fanart on twitter at: @v33_art
Cheers!

Chapter 3: Heavy Fog

Summary:

Back to the regular practice routine, Atsumu tries his best to be an attentive and supportive teammate.
Akaashi seems to be involved now, but perhaps he can help out.

The team returned to practice the following Monday to find Hinata chipper and energetic as always.

Perhaps Atsumu was imagining it, but he felt like Hinata and him were more in sync than ever before. He was pushing the pace and height of all his tosses to a new level, yet somehow Hinata managed to match them with ease. 

Over the months after Hinata’s induction into MSBY, Atsumu noticed he had developed a habit of glancing expectantly at Hinata after a flawless kill, knowing Hinata would beam at him, showering him with a feeling of affection and appreciation for each toss he provided. Atsumu usually chalked it up to his love for attention, but today it felt different.

Sparks Atsumu thought The air feels freaking electric

His fingers tingled ever so slightly every time they matched up perfectly, grinning at each other with the deep understanding of just how good their combos were. This is what peak volleyball feels like .

In addition, their Saturday night hangout, as it turns out, was something Atsumu also needed desperately. Atsumu had had fun for once, fulfilled even, and he hoped that Hinata felt the same way despite the circumstances.

And so, the two destroyed it at practice, impressing even a usually reserved Sakusa.

Despite this however, Atsumu still felt that things were still not 100% with Hinata. He didn’t want to pry too much into the matter, especially since Hinata seemed bent on avoiding the issue over the weekend. Atsumu was the type to just blurt out his thoughts and feelings at the drop of a hat, without much contemplation. He did recognize though, that wasn’t the case for everyone, and he wasn’t about to try and disrupt this newfound flow they had. He also realized that, had it been anyone other than Hinata, he probably wouldn’t have bothered to notice or care. 

How peculiar.

…

Exiting the locker room with Bokuto after practice, Atsumu spotted Hinata speaking quietly with Bokuto’s boyfriend Akaashi, who’d presumably stopped by to pick up his significant other. It looked rather serious.

Bokuto was about to walk out to greet the two loudly, when Atsumu stopped him. “Hold up Bo, they might be having a private conversation, let's give 'em a minute.

When it looked like the two had wrapped up their talk, Akaashi lightly patted Hinata on the shoulder and Atsumu set Bokuto free from his grip. Like a puppy returning to his owner, Bokuto immediately bound over joyously. “Akaashi!!!” he bellowed, arms spread wide. The dark curly haired man smiled sweetly and met his larger counterpart in an embrace. The gentle and subtle squeeze to the gray haired athlete's butt was not lost on Atsumu, who had followed Bokuto from behind. He respectfully glanced at Hinata instead, blushing ever so slightly. The red-head, luckily, seemed lost in thought and didn't notice him looking until Atsumu snapped him out of his stupor.

“Hey Shouyou, wanna grab dinner tonight? There’s this new Italian place that opened down the block, Samu said it’s decent so it must be worth a try.”

“Oh um…” Hinata stammered

“Shouyou-kun and I actually have dinner plans tonight, Atsumu-san, I hope you don’t mind.” Akaashi interjected softly, turning towards him with Bokuto still clinging over his shoulder. “You should go with Bokuto-san, since I won’t be there to look after him.”

“Whaat Akaashi? You’re going on a date with Shouyou-kun?” Bokuto pouted, but there was a light-hearted tone to his voice.

“Just for tonight Koutarou, we need to chat about some things. I’ll see you in the evening.” Akaashi glanced at him and planted a kiss on his cheek reassuringly.

“Mkay” Bokuto brightened up immediately with understanding, “Let’s head out then Tsum-Tsum! I’m starving.”

He grabbed Atsumu’s jacket collar and dragged him out the sports center, leaving Atsumu sputtering, at a loss for words.

And that's how Atsumu found himself across the table from Bokuto in a ramen shop instead.

“Man, wonder what that was about?” Bokuto pondered out loud, “It must have been important. Akaashi was giving me the ‘don’t give me a hard time’ look! And he called me Koutarou! He never does that in front of anyone.”

Bokuto blushed ever so faintly and Atsumu had the sneaking suspicion that Akaashi could get Bokuto to do virtually anything with that.

“Hmm” was all Atsumu could think to say.

“Well Akaashi knows what he’s doing, so there’s no point worrying.” Bokuto continued, “I’ll just ask him about it later.”

“I wonder…” Atsumu started, contemplating his words carefully, “if it has to do with why Shouyou-kun has been a bit off as of late. Akaashi-san is quite observant, I’m sure he notices the little things more than anyone.”

It was true. Although Atsumu didn’t frequently spend time with the pair of them, he could tell Akaashi had a propensity to notice the little interactions between people. It made sense, given his relationship with the ever hyper-active and spontaneously moody Bokuto. Atsumu got the feeling that Akaashi might have observed something about himself as well, given the soft but strange look he’d shot Atsumu as Bokuto was dragging him away…

Later that evening, Atsumu decided to text Hinata.

A: “hey shouyou-kun, hope you had a good dinner with akaashi-san.”

H: “Hii Atsumu-san! yes it was quite enjoyable. did you and bokuto-san end up going to that Italian place?”

A: “nah he dragged me out for ramen instead T-T”

H: “lol, we’ll have to go another time then. sry i was occupied today”

A: “all good all good”

H: “oh you know what?”

A: “hmm?”

H: “why don’t I cook for u this weekend!? An apology for today”

A: “Shouyou-kun you don’t need to apologize… wait you can cook?”

H: “I live by myself remember? not everyone has a professional chef as a brother  >:(”

A: “fine fine ;P I’ll trust you not to poison me this weekend. your place or mine?”

H: “mine? I don’t wanna impose, plus I’m the one doing the cooking”

A: “wait no, I take that back. Cook at my place. I’ve seen your kitchen and I’ve actually got proper counter space .”

H: “... you sure thats ok?”

A: “wouldn’t have offered if it wasn’t”

H: “ok! I’ll bring the ingredients around noon on saturday, sound good?”

A: “works for me, now get some sleep. We’ve got drills tomorrow”

H: “I love drills”

A: “you insane little gremlin…”

H: “good night Atsumu-san”

A: “night Shouyou-kun”

Atsumu turned off his phone, and buried his head into his pillow. He’d never thought he’d look forward to the weekend this much. 

Shit, he didn’t think he’d actually ever looked forwards to anything other than volleyball related shenanigans. Why was that? He thought about Hinata’s smile. It was so bright and warm it could melt even the most frozen of hearts. 

Still, today it felt like a facade. Any time Hinata wasn’t focusing on volleyball or was otherwise distracted, that subtle glum-ness returned. Atsumu had been quick to rush to Hinata’s side any time he noticed it happen. He’d crack stupid jokes that only Hinata would laugh at and made sure his spiker was properly hydrated throughout practice.

Atsumu had never been to type to care so intently about someone else's condition. He was the “s’long as it doesn’t impact my volleyball, I don’t care what you do” sort of person. Hinata, though, was clearly playing perfectly well regardless, so he had no clue what drove him to this extreme.

He imagined Hinata’s small but sturdy frame, shoulders slumped just ever so slightly. 

I want to hug him Atsumu thought suddenly, I don’t even know what’s wrong, but I just want to tell him everything will be alright.

And with those thoughts he drifted to sleep.

Notes:

And that's ch 3 :) Akaashi seems to know some things, but its ok. I'd trust Akaashi with my deepest darkest secrets tbh.
I've been so tired from work all week so it's a bit on the shorter side.

As always, I make fanart and think about hq shenanigans on twitter at: @v33_art
Also I dunno why the chapter notes stack weirdly, oh well

Chapter 4: Sunny Side Up At Noon

Hinata, cooking for him!? Atsumu wasn’t sure if it was a dream come true or if he should fear for his life.

The week couldn’t go by faster for Atsumu, which was unusual because he typically enjoyed weekly practice more than the mundane lull of the weekend when the athletes were required to rest. Atsumu had done a bit of preparation here and there after practices. He tidied up his living room to the degree of cleanliness he deemed adequate to match what he had seen at Hinata’s, stocking the pantry to create the illusion that he didn’t live off of protein shakes and mooching off Samu’s cooking.

In all honesty, he wasn’t exactly sure what he hoped to accomplish with all this fussing. Even Samu was surprised he was going to these lengths.

“Dude yer acting like ma whenever we have guests.” he grumbled, every time Atsumu confided in him about his apartment presentation. “It’s just Shouyou-kun, he’s already seen your gross ass gym locker, why are you trying to pretend?”.

“Shut up Samu, I’m not that messy. I just… Want to be considerate since he’s going out of his way to cook for me.”

“I don’t see ya sanitizing yer place everytime I come over to cook…” Samu rolled his eyes, he sighed. “Geez Tsumu it's fine, stop fidgeting. God knows what’s gotten into you since last weekend. Was it really that bad?”

“That's the thing Samu, it was just the opposite?” Atsumu started “Like I normally live, eat, sleep volleyball.”

Samu raised his eyebrows at the ‘eat volleyball’ part. He sincerely hoped his brother wasn’t actually chomping on a goddamn ball, no matter how much he liked the sport.

“I feel like for the first time in a while, I got to do just the ‘live’ part without the volleyball.” Atsumu continued, “Sure we talked about volleyball… Like a lot. But still, it felt more personal yanno?”

Oh, maybe he wants to eat a different kind of ball… Osamu snickered like a five year old, not taking his own thoughts seriously but also moderately concerned that even crossed his mind.

Atsumu, misunderstanding Osamu’s snort, frowned. 

“I was trying to be serious.” He retorted glumly.

Osamu suddenly felt bad hearing his tone. “Sorry Tsumu, ignore that. Honestly it’s fine, just… Hang out and enjoy yerself. It doesn’t hurt to be friends outside yer work environment, plus you can stop hassling me since you’ve got others to attend to.” He just had to add that last part.

“Yea yer right. I dunno why I’m so antsy. It’s fine.” Atsumu muttered mostly to himself.

—

Come Saturday, Atsumu had cleaned his apartment to the point that even Sakusa would have approved. At some point he had just given up on worrying if it was too much, and just got into the habit of tidying on impulse.

I’m turning into Omi, jeez Atsumu whined to no one in particular.

He heard his door buzzer ring and quickly made his way to the door.

He was greeted by a tuft of orange hair behind a large bag of groceries.

“Hey I have that poster!” Hinata exclaimed, staring at the signed Romero poster to the left of Atsumu’s fridge as he set down the groceries in the kitchen. “It has such a different meaning to me now, knowing we beat him and the Adlers!”

“Yeah, that sure was a surreal experience. Doubly satisfying that we beat Tobio-kun, even with such powerhouses at his disposal.” Atsumu grinned slyly. “I’m betting in that moment, Samu regretted dropping volleyball. His loss really.”

“I was surprised to see him not pursue volleyball along with you.” Hinata smiled, clearly amused at Atsumu’s friendly jab at his rival setter. He continued pensively, “You guys seemed so close in highschool, I’d thought for sure you’d continue those legendary twin combos in the pro-scene.”

Atsumu shrugged, “Samu’s choice really. Honestly I was really angry when he first told me… Beyond furious. But… He clearly loves runnin’ his restaurants, and he’s really found his groove with it. I certainly can’t imagine dropping volleyball, but it’s his life and I had to get over it eventually. So I let him go. ”

“Oh.” Hinata said quietly, then quickly readjusted his tone to a brighter one. “ Well! Lemme get started on that food I promised you.”

Atsumu found himself intently watching Hinata as he worked the kitchen, prepping the meats, rice, and beans he had brought. He didn’t quite catch the name, but Hinata explained how it was a meal he commonly prepared during his time training in Rio.

—

When the two had finished dinner, which turned out surprisingly delicious, Hinata stood up to start tidying the kitchen.

“Hold up Shouyou-kun, I ain’t lettin’ ya clean up after doing all that work to make me food! I got this.” He grabbed Hinata’s arm and dragged him away from the sink before he could start washing pans. “I got this, you just sit down at the counter.”

“But I’m the one who made the mess cooking!” Hinata protested. “I should at least help!”

“Nah, yer not. You made me some incredible grub, cleaning duty is the bare minimum I can provide on top of adequate kitchen counter space.”

Pushing Hinata back into his seat, Atsumu turned back to start washing the dishes. As he scrubbed, he could almost feel the heat of Hinata’s eyes on his back. He felt his ears warm, but hoped that Hinata wouldn’t notice if they were flushed pink.

Once everything was adequately cleaned, the two found themselves on Atsumu’s couch.

“Wanna watch something?” Atsumu inquired.

“Sure! I was hoping to catch up on the Raijin and Red Falcons match from last weekend, I’m guessing you’ve got it recorded?”

Atsumu grinned, “I see ya know me well. Raijin v. Falcons it is!”

The two watched the five back to back sets, commenting enthusiastically at the plays their colleagues made.

“Whoa Suna-san’s spike angles get scarier every season, what on earth is that man doing to get core strength like that?”

“Aran-san is still so cool! I’m glad I got to toss to him in highschool!”

After the match ended, the Red Falcons narrowly beating out Raijin, they moved onto another, this time Railway Warriors versus Green Rockets. By the time they had finished watching a third match, Atsumu realized the two of them had ended up comfortably resting against each other. He wasn’t sure at what point he had unconsciously slung an arm over Hinata’s shoulder, but there it was.

“Oh shoot it’s super late Atsumu-san! I’m so sorry for taking up so much of your day.” Hinata exclaimed after checking the time on his phone. He didn’t look very motivated to move though.

“‘S ok Shouyou-kun.” Atsumu mumbled comfortably, he really didn’t want to move either. He paused.

“It’s dark out, I don’t wanna make ya walk out in the cold.” Atsumu started. “You can stay here fer the night, if ya want, that is.”

“I don’t want to impose, Atsumu-san.” Hinata said hesitantly. “I can just jog back, it’s no big deal, I traveled way longer distances at night back in Miyagi.”

“Nah Shouyou-kun, no more talk about imposin’, I invited ya here didn’t i?” Atsumu responded. “I don’t got a guest bed though, so you can just use mine. I’ll sleep on the couch, it’s really no big deal, I do it often enough.”

“Er… Couch is fine for me Atsumu-san! I couldn’t possibly ask that of you!” Hinata looked desperate. Atsumu folded.

“Whatever yer comfortable with, lemme grab some blankets. Oh! You’ll probably want a shower though… And sleepwear, lemme get you something. I think I’ve got a spare unused toothbrush too… “ Atsumu rambled.

Hinata smiled so sweetly that Atsumu thought his teeth would rot, “Thanks Atsumu-san. I appreciate it a lot.”

“No prob.” Atsumu grunted, turning to conceal the warmth he felt in his cheeks. “You go ahead and use the shower, I’ll get the couch setup in the meantime.”

Atsumu hummed as he folded the sheets over the couch, he felt happy and at ease. It had been a long time since he had someone besides Samu over at his place, everything had felt so natural and comfortable. 

Grabbing a spare tshirt and shorts that were no doubt going to be oversized on the shorter man, he made his way to the bathroom. He was about to knock to let the other man know he’d grabbed some clothes for him when the door swung open. Hinata walked out with nothing but a towel around his waist.

“Oh oops!” Hinata exclaimed, almost walking into him.

Atsumu's eyes scanned Hinata’s well toned body and almost dropped the clothes he was carrying. “Sorry” he muttered, turning away as he felt his face heat up. Handing Hinata the spare pajamas. “Here ya go.”

He quickly fled to his room, an undeniable heat welling up in his stomach. It’s not as if he hadn’t seen him naked before in the locker rooms. But somehow, seeing the red-head there in his own apartment, face slightly flushed from the shower, stray droplets making their way down his well defined chest and sculpted arms… Something snapped in Atsumu, and he was not ready to confront it quite yet.

“Thanks Atsumu-san! Hinata called down the hall, “Have a good night!”

Notes:

Well... One week break became four. Oops. It happens though.
Work is hectic, still trying to do lots of art, Elden Ring came out. The state of the world is... Well yeah.
Some (non-descript) violence happened outside my apartment which wasn't very pleasant to witness and I'm still kinda processing that.

But in any case! I'm still living my ATHN live joyously and I'm absolutely determined to keep working at this story.
I'm going to sound like a broken record but as someone who is terrible at self-promo, I gotta work on it.
I make hq (mostly athn) fanart on twitter: @v33_art
Feel free to say hello!

Chapter 5: The Moon Glows In A Haze

Summary:

A post-season team outing where Atsumu and Hinata share a little more than just friendship, regardless of how it might impact their future relations.

The two found themselves spending more and more time together after practices and on weekends, following that night.

Atsumu felt like he was on cloud nine. He hadn’t realized he had been missing something from his life until Hinata had become a regular part of it. They’d kept up their usual jogging routines, but beyond that started eating together, watching shows curled up on Atsumu’s couch, and much to Osamu’s chagrin, loitering around Onigiri Miya.

Outside of either of the two’s notice, the team certainly sensed the shift, sometimes throwing knowing glances at them, which they remained oblivious to.

At the end of every season, the team would host a small trip to celebrate their achievements. It was an annual getaway for the team to relax, bond and have some fun. This year the team voted to stay at a ryokan in Hakone.

Atsumu always enjoyed these parties, since it was one of the few times they had an opportunity to let loose, and not worry as much about nutrition or drinking impacting their fitness conditioning. It was also Hinata’s first time attending, which he was doubly excited to witness.

Teammates usually doubled up on rooms unless they had a significant other present, like Meian with his fiancee, or Bokuto who would never go on a trip without dragging Akaashi along. And Sakusa… Let’s just say everyone respected his need for privacy and tidiness so they let him room by himself.

The remaining team would be left to draw straws for who would be rooming together. Little did Atsumu and Hinata know, the team had been more than a little aware of their growing friendship and affection for each other. Inunaki had come up with a clever way to rig the outcomes, citing that newer teammates should be put together to work on team synergy. No one bothered to protest as they were all painfully aware of the blooming dynamic between the tiny spiker and setter.

And so, under the impression of immense luck, Atsumu gleefully accepted the rooming arrangements, ignorant to the (well intentioned) foul play that had gone on in the background.

The team took a night bus out to Hakone which, while slower, was relatively comfortable and private. Slumped in his seat, head resting on Atsumu’s shoulder, Hinata fell asleep at 10pm on the dot, a testament to his consistently maintained routine.

Atsumu on the other hand was way too giddy to sleep. He tried not to shift his left side too much so as to not disturb Hinata’s slumber as he texted Osamu with his other hand.

Osamu: “How’s the trip so far?”

Atsumu: “Not bad, we just left. Shoyo-kun’s out like a light already lol”

 

The two chatted with surprisingly little banter between them before exhaustion overtook Atsumu.

Osamu: “Take care of Shoyo-kun bro.”

Atsumu didn’t quite understand why Osamu said that, but he was too tired to think about it too hard as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

They arrived at their ryokan the following day. The group of exceptionally tall (well most of them) pro athletes caused other guests to stare as they made their way to the hallway of rooms reserved explicitly for them. 

The team members were left to their own devices for the afternoon and so Hinata and Atsumu ended up deciding to stop at a nearby restaurant to grab some food. After they’d had eaten their fill, they browsed some tourist sites for any sort of sight seeing they could do before the team planned to congregate for dinner in the evening. 

They ended up deciding to take one of those tourist-y boat rides across Lake Ashi. Standing on the deck of the fancy pirate-ship looking tourist boat, Hinata made excited exclamations while trying to take photos of Mt. Fuji in the distant landscape.

Atsumu loved seeing Hinata like this. Carefree and happy. The season ended well, life was good and that nagging worried feeling that had plagued Atsumu before had been slowly fading over the last few weeks in which the two had grown closer. Hinata was easy to talk to, joke with and in general be around. Atsumu felt content.

“Atsumu-san!” Hinata called, breaking Atsumu out of his train of thought. “Let’s take some pictures before the boat docks!”

“Anything for you, Shoyo-kun!” Atsumu winked, putting his arm around the shorter man. “Lemme take the pics though, I’m gonna end up partially cropped out with your reach.”

Hinata pouted at Atsumu’s teasing. “You’ll just have to carry me so we’re the same height then.” He pokes back.

Atsumu knew Hinata was only joking, but Atsumu was not a quitter. The fact that Hinata said that with the full expectation that Atsumu would not, in fact, pick him up prompted him instead to do exactly that.

“Oh yeah?” Atsumu wiggled his eyebrow before wrapping his arms around Hinata’s waist, hoisting him unexpectedly. He grunted slightly at the weight, the man might be short, but damn is he built .

Hinata squeaked in surprise, wriggling just enough that Atsumu almost dropped him.

“Oi, quit moving or yer gonna fall! You’re heavier than you look!”

Hinata giggled. “Looks like you need more strength training.” He teased back.

“Did ya get yer pictures?” Atsumu huffed.

“Look at the camera Atsumu-san!” Hinata exclaimed before snapping some photos.

They were certainly not going to be the most flattering images of Atsumu. What, with his face scrunched up trying to support the full weight of a professional athlete. Whose thighs, might Atsumu add, are absolutely illegally thick in proportion to his height. Atsumu himself has some pretty impressive legs on him, he has no trouble admitting, but post-Rio Hinata is one densely muscular man.

Atsumu put Hinata down after he seemed satisfied, both from mild exhaustion, but also because he noticed people around them throwing dirty looks their way. He didn’t need a media scandal to go around because they were being a bit rowdy. He suddenly remembered the slump Hinata had been going through and thought, yeah, Shoyo-kun really doesn’t need that right now.

After the boat docks, the two of them made their way back to the ryokan where the team planned to meet for dinner. Meian, his fiance, Inunaki and Thomas were already lounging around chatting when they made their way to the dining room.

Dinner was just as rowdy as you might have expected of a bunch of athletes who had just finished a season of strict training regimens and drinking limitations.

Much to Atsumu's surprise, Hinata was no light weight. Experience he’d gained from Brazil , he’d explained. Atsumu on the other hand wasn’t quite as prolific of a drinker and after a few too many drinks and a karaoke session with Bokuto that made Omi look like he’d entered the depths of hell, he determined he needed to go lie down to rest and clear his head.

Lying in the dark in his and Hinata’s shared room, he thought about their day together. He blushed slightly when remembering his boldness in picking up Hinata. The shorter man clinging to him for dear life while trying to snag a photo of the two of them. It was silly but heartwarming all the same.

The door to their room slid open and shut quietly and Hinata made his way to the foot of Atsumu’s bed. He kept the lights off, using the dim glow of his phone to navigate the room.

“Hey Atsumu-san, are you doing alright?” He asked gently as if gaging whether Atsumu was still awake.

“I’m fine Shoyo-kun, just resting.” Atsumu responded

“I brought you some water in case you needed it.” He continued, sitting at the edge of Atsumu’s futon. He held out a bottle of water.

“Hey thanks, I’ll take that.” Atsumu gratefully received the water. “How are you doing?”

“Mostly sobered up now. Sakusa-san bailed pretty quickly after you. Everyone else has called it a night as well.”

“This was yer first post-season party, didja have fun?” Atsumu inquired.

“Yeah it was great! Although I think I also really just enjoyed the day we spent together, Atsumu-san! Even in Rio, I didn’t really get the chance to do touristy things, so I’m glad I got the chance here!” Hinata’s eyes glowed with excitement in the dim lighting.

“Mm me too.” Atsumu murmured quietly

“Hm? What did you say, Atsumu-san?” Hinata leaned in, head tilted cutely.

That’s when Atsumu realized just how close they were, Hinata’s face inches from his own. He felt his face flush and hoped it wouldn’t be apparent in the dark. “Shoyo-kun I…” He reached his hand up gently, ghosting the side of Hinata’s cheek.

That’s when Hinata kissed him.

It was a tentative chaste little thing. Soft plush lips grazing Atsumu’s own for only a moment before backing out.

He stared into Hinata’s eyes, they were dilated.

“I think… I need you Atsumu-san.” Hinata exhaled breathily, he licked his lips gently.

“Me too, Shoyo-ku… oomph” Atsumu started, but it was enough for Hinata to press their lips back together, unrestrained and hungry this time.

Atsumu could taste the gentle residue of tangerine wine that Hinata had been drinking earlier that evening. It was gently sweet, and filled with warmth. He reached forwards and hoisted Hinata directly onto his lap without breaking the kiss.

Hinata continued to knead himself into Atsumu’s mouth, their tongues teasing and bodies grinding against each other.

“Fuuck.” Atsumu gasped when they broke for air. Hinata was one hell of a kisser and Atsumu’s body felt like it was floating.

Apparently Hinata felt just the same way as he stared down at the taller man whose lap he was sitting on, a light dab of spit smeared across his chin as he panted with longing.

Atsumu was hard, like really hard. As Hinata gently shifted above him, he realized he wasn’t the only one.

Damn the consequences, Atsumu thought, Damn the future awkwardness. I need this fucking now.

He braced his hands around Hinata’s waist, slowly grinding upwards to generate friction between them. Hinata moaned at the sensation and buried his face into Atsumu’s shoulder, planting wet kisses against his neck. Atsumu took that as an enthusiastic affirmation of his actions, but even still, he needed to ask.

“Yes, Shoyo-kun?”

“Yes, Atsumu-san.” He gasped back, rolling his hips back into Atsumu, causing him to groan in pleasure. “Yes, Atsumu-san” He repeated.

Notes:

I'm finally back with another chapter. Lots going on between projects, work, family etc.
I've updated the rating to M going forwards due to the hookup.
Let's hope that doesn't make things awkward between them going forwards!

I've also lowkey started writing a sunaosa mafia AU, but I've learned my lesson about jumping the gun on posting stories, so I'm gonna fine tune that one a bit more before sharing haha (needless to say, I'm incredibly passionate about that story as well, so I hope it turns out well)

Hit me up on twitter at: @v33_art for fanart or to chat HQ, atsuhina etc.
I'm terribly excited for the new anniversary chapter that drops tomorrow.

Chapter 6: A Typhoon Passed Through Market

Summary:

The morning after, Atsumu and Hinata have some personal reflection on their relationship.
Unfortunately they may miss their chance to talk things out.

Atsumu blinked the sleep from his eyes groggily. The ceiling looked unfamiliar to him, making him squint in confusion. Right, we’re at the ryokan for the team's off-season retreat. He reminded himself silently. That’s when he noticed an unfamiliar weight pressed against his left arm. Glancing down slightly, he saw a bundle of messy orange hair resting against his shoulder.

Hinata Shoyo was asleep, snuggled right up against Atsumu, his arm partially wrapped about the blonde’s waist. Shit, right. Atsumu’s eyes shot up to the ceiling in mild panic. That happened last night .

Hinata continued to breathe calmly in his slumber, but it did nothing for Atsumu’s suddenly rising heart rate. Shit this is… What is this? What have I done? Atsumu breathed in to try and calm himself. I need some air to clear my head.

Gently untangling himself from Hinata, careful to not wake him up. Atsumu threw on a pair of sweats and a shirt, and made his way to a bench outside of the ryokan.

“Miya-san?” A familiar voice cut through the chilly morning air. “Are you ok? Forgive if I’m intruding but you look… A bit distressed.”

Normally Atsumu’s first reaction would be to remind Akaashi to use his given name rather than calling him ‘Miya’ but it wasn’t exactly at the forefront of his mind at the moment. He swallowed, contemplating his response. 

Atsumu considered Akaashi a kind and gentle individual who was observant and thoughtful. He supposed that if there was anyone he could trust to confide in, Akaashi would be that person. Plus he’d managed to maintain a stable and loving relationship with the ever chaotic Bokuto, so perhaps he would have some valuable insights into the situation.

“I…” Atsumu rasped. “I think Shoyo-kun and I… Last night… Um.”

“Calm down Miya-san” Akaashi stared at him squarely in the eyes with far more understanding than Atsumu would have preferred. “Were you both consenting?”

“Oh. Yeah of course! Neither of us were really inebriated, but I think we still just went with the flow.” Atsumu whined. “God what if he regrets it… What if this makes everything awkward.”

“Do you regret it, Miya-san?” Akaashi continued.

“No not really, unless it ruins things for us.” His breath hitched in a slight panic. He massaged his temples

“Deep breaths Miya-san, what is “us” for you guys?” Akaashi remained calm, but rubbed Atsumu’s back gently to comfort him.

 

“That's the thing, there really isn’t an “us”. I don’t think there ever will be. Like we’re really good friends, but Hinata… He’s like the sun. He’s bright and cheery and loved by everyone. He’s kind and thoughtful, but never overbearing.” Atsumu continued, “I think I really like him, but I also don’t think I’m the kind of person he would want or deserves.” He sighed.

“Don’t you think Miya-san, that you wouldn’t have woken up to find him in your arms if that was the case? You’re usually pretty self confident, so I’m honestly a bit surprised to hear this perspective from you.”

“Yeah I’m incredible at volleyball, I know that.” Atsumu said, he’s not trying to brag, just stating a known fact. “I know Shoyo-kun loves hitting my sets, but that’s completely different.”

“While it’s not my story to tell, I know for a fact that Hinata has greatly appreciated your company, beyond just your tosses. That much I can assure you.”

“Thanks Akaashi.” Atsumu sighed. “What are you doing up so early, by the way?”

“I always grab coffee around this time before work, even on vacation my body still wakes me up. Would you like to come with me? Bo doesn’t really drink coffee so I let him sleep in.”

“Yeah. I could use a pick me up, thanks. And also, feel free to call me Atsumu.”

“Of course, Atsumu-san.”

---

Hinata woke up with a start, the space next to him slightly still warm. Despite the absence of the other party, he was pretty sure that he and Atsumu had hooked up last night after turning in from the party.

Hinata didn’t know if it was the remaining hints of alcohol, or the pent up testosterone from their intense travel and training schedule, but somehow in that moment, it just felt right. He felt Atsumu pull his shirt up, feeling up his abs and chest, and he wrapped his legs around Atsumu’s narrow but sturdy waist. He heard Atsumu moan “fuuck” as he shifted them upwards onto the bed, and it was quite possibly the sexiest thing he’d ever heard.

Hinata sighed as he relished in the fading heat. He’d admittedly had a thing for Atsumu since he had joined MSBY. No, he believed it had actually started much earlier… When they’d first played in highschool and Atsumu had loudly declared that he’d set to Hinata one day. For a volleyball idiot like Hinata, that seemed basically the equivalent of a proposal. An assertion that he was valued, recognized, desired. He suspected that wasn’t quite the intention Atsumu had in mind, but he still held those words dearly and they helped propel him to greater heights as he fought his way into the professional volleyball world.

As a setter, Atsumu was careful, considerate, and amazingly deliberate. His tosses were crazy easy to hit and elevated the abilities of all his spikers. Hinata loved the feeling of their coordinated attacks. Their eyes meeting, their grins flashing, the contact of the ball and the roar from the crowd after a scored point. Their synergy was electric.

Despite this, Hinata wasn’t sure that Atsumu’s feelings for him extended beyond the court. Atsumu was incredibly popular due to his strikingly good looks, and flashy serves. Even so, Hinata knew Atsumu didn’t really enjoy extended social gatherings and preferred interviews and fan events in limited capacity. It actually added to the allure he had with his fans though, he had this untouchable energy. 

Of course. Hinata’s perception of him had changed over the course of joining MSBY and spending time with the faux blonde man. In reality, Atsumu was the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, blurt out his thoughts, even if they were mildly inconsiderate, and he was justifiably arrogant about his sets. Above all else, he was honest, considerate and warm.

“I’m happy if we could even just stay this close as friends” Hinata had thought to himself many times. “I’m just happy around Tsumu.”

But that had been before he had woken up that morning, in a bed they had shared. With Atsumu presumably fleeing the scene the moment he woke and realized the situation before him.

Sure, Hinata had been dealing with a bad breakup, unbenounced to Atsumu, so perhaps he’d gotten a bit more emotionally attached too fast. Atsumu had just been… So good, so kind. He didn’t question what Hinata had been dealing with, just wordlessly accepted that Hinata hadn’t been ready to talk while still needing someone to be there for him.

What Hinata didn’t expect was just how comfortable he’d ended up feeling being around Atsumu. They were like two peas in a pod in a lot of ways. High octane, excitable with an intense love for their work, but also warm and comforting all the same. 

As they say… Well.. one thing led to another and Hinata found himself inexplicably in love with Atsumu.

He was just thinking of how he might bring this up in conversation to smooth out the edges of that messy evening, when he got a call.

---

Atsumu returned to the ryokan after a quiet trip to a local coffee shop with Akaashi. He’d left to go wake up Bokuto, so Atsumu was left to return to his room, steeling himself to confront whatever response Hinata would throw at him. 

He slid open the door apprehensively, half expecting a pillow to fly at him or something along those lines. Glancing around, his heart suddenly sank to the pit of his stomach like a stone sinking in a well. Empty.

Empty not as in, Hinata wasn’t there, but rather, there wasn’t even a sign Hinata had ever been there to begin with. The futons were rolled up, the pillows stacked. Only Atsumu’s suitcase lay open on the floor untouched. Hinata’s luggage was completely gone.

“Wha…” Atsumu started, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Hey Atsumu.” Meian glanced at him. “Just wanted to let you know, Hinata had to head out early. He got a call, a small family emergency. He’s headed back to Miyagi, asked me to pass on the message since it was such short notice.”

“Oh.” If it weren’t for the family emergency part, he might have felt relieved that Hinata’s abrupt departure didn’t directly have to do with prior night.

As the team loaded up the bus to head back to Osaka, Atsumu couldn’t help but feel the cold absence of his usual travel companion. Not wanting to disturb Hinata in case whatever he was dealing with was serious, he texted Osamu instead.

Atsumu: “Hey bro.”

Osamu: “You heading back to Osaka? Say hi to the shrimp for me.”

Atsumu: “Hinata’s not here, he had some kind of family thing, had to head to Miyagi first thing in the morning.”

Osamu: “Oh, I hope everything is alright.”

Atsumu: “Me too.”

Osamu: “Ya didn’t ask?”

Atsumu: “I didn’t want ta bother em.”

Osamu: “Are you serious? I don’t think it would be a bother. Showin’ ya care and all.”

Atsumu: “It’s not that simple…”

Osamu: “Sure it is?”

Osamu: “... Tsumu?”

Osamu: “Did something happen? Why aren’t you responding?”

Osamu: “For gods sake Tsumu, I can’t help ya if you don’t talk ta me.”

Atsumu: “I er… Hinata and I may have had a thing.”

Osamu: “A thing.”

Atsumu: “I… We kinda hooked up for the first time last night.”

Osamu: “Mildly gross hearing it from you, but… ok?”

Atsumu: “Ok? Whaddya mean ‘ok’?”

Osamu: “I kinda just assumed y’all were already sort of dating to be honest.”

Atsumu: “Huh?”

Osamu: “Or at least like… Figuring it out yanno? Y’all have been all over each other for months now.”

Atsumu: “??? We??? Have not??”

Osamu: “Whatever helps you sleep at night Tsumu. Anyways I don’t get the freak out, aren’t you happy?”

Atsumu: “What about ‘hook up’ do you not understand Samu? We’re not together . I don’t even know if he like likes me.”

Osamu: “Well that sounds like a problem y’all gotta figure out. You two should talk.”

Atsumu: “I would but, he’s dealing with a family thing right now.”

Osamu: “Fair, make sure he’s ok first. Just don’t delay it too long Tsumu.”

Atsumu sighed, leaning his head back into the headrest. Knocking himself out for the rest of the ride to avoid stressing over everything.

Notes:

I promise promise I have not forgotten to work on this story. Inspiration comes in waves for me, and I need to balance things with my writing, art and day job T^T

I've actually been sitting on this chapter for quite a while now.
It's finally revealed what Hinata has been going through and the quandary its put him in, in regards to his feelings for Atsumu. Timing is poor however, so they'll have to talk it out another time. :')

Akaashi will forever be the hero to my stories. A genuine and honest confidant :sobs:

Chapter 7: Sunshowers and Carefree Days

Summary:

After prompting from Osamu, Atsumu makes his way to Miyagi and has a few unexpected encounters along the way.

It had only been 2 days and Osamu was fed up. Actually, ‘fed up’ was putting it lightly. Without volleyball or a particular redhead keeping him occupied, his stupid twin had decided that loitering around Osamu’s shop was the most reasonable alternative to pass the time.

It wouldn’t be so bad if Atsumu wasn’t hell bent on being a nuisance. The least he could have done was actually be helpful around the restaurant. But no, instead he chose to mope at the bar, intimidating clients with his gloomy face and steal food without paying for it.

“Tsumu, I’m gonna need you to stop whatever the hell you’re doing right now. You’re disrupting my business.” Osamu sighed, finally giving in to his irritation, despite his best efforts to sympathize with his brother's plight.

“But I’m not doing anything right now, Samu!” Atsumu whined, slumping his head in his arms.

“Don’t ya have some things to work out with Hinata?”

“Yeah, but I don’t wanna have this conversation on the phone or text.” Atsumu retorted. “I’m not that inconsiderate. But Shoyo-kun doesn’t get back to Osaka until next week. I’ve got nothing else to do until then.”

Osamu sighed. “Fine.”

“Fine, what?”

“Look, I’m flying up to Miyagi for a few days for some business stuff - lookin’ at some expansions and stuff. I wasn’t gonna say anything but yer driving me insane, so why don’t ya come with me and you can go see him in person?” Osamu rubbed his temples. “That’s sure to get ya outta my hair.”

“Samu…” Atsumu paused, looking up. “Yer a genius… Wait, I never said that. I take it back.”

Osamu smirked. “Too late Tsumu, ya said what ya said.”

“Yer never gonna let me live this down.” Atsumu grumbled. “But yeah, I’ll go to Miyagi with ya, I wanna talk to him in person, maybe I can even support his family situation.”

“You owe me for this.”

“I’ll treat ya to whatever restaurant ya want in Miyagi. We can ask Shoyo-kun for recommendations.”

“I’ll be holding ya to that, Tsumu.”

Atsumu stood up gleefully. “Text me the deets, I’m gonna go pack. Do you think the Hinata family would like anything from Osaka? It’s only polite to bring a gift right?”

Osamu rolled his eyes. “Oh now you’ll leave? I’ll wrap some onigiri for them, you just get out of here.”

---

In all honesty, Atsumu hated flying. He would have much preferred taking the bullet train up to Miyagi, but the 5-some hour trip was a bit much and Osamu had already had timelines set to meet with his business partners in the north.

Regardless, when they strapped into their seats, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Perhaps it was also the prospect of arriving at Hinata’s doorstep unannounced that made him a bit nervous.

It was only when they’d arrived in Miyagi however, that Atsumu realized he actually had no idea where Hinata’s doorstep might be. Queue an exasperated Osamu who had his own appointments to attend. “Just, ask around of somethin’ Tsumu. Listen, I’ve gotta go, but call me later if you end up in jail or somethin’. Wait actually don’t, I don’t wanna deal with that.” He’d left with a rush.

Atsumu didn’t think it would necessarily be good to directly ask strangers for a specific person, lest he look like some weird stalker, so he skimmed a map instead where his eyes crossed over a familiar name: Karasuno Highschool. 

It was a long shot, but perhaps he would run into someone there who knew Hinata. It was a relatively small town after all, and Hinata was a fairly big name in volleyball now. There’s no way the school wouldn’t keep some sort of memento or legacy to brag about their legendary duo. After all, he, Aran and Suna had their own tributes at Inarizaki for their achievements on the pro scene. Although he secretly thought that Kita deserved far more recognition for his rice business (he purposefully omits Osamu just for the sake of it).

Taking the train out to Karasuno, he was surprised to be met with such a small campus. He knew that Hinata had been from way out in the boonies, but still, seeing the size of the school, the gym facilities, Atsumu found himself all the more impressed with what the Karasuno team had achieved on the national level.

It was quiet and empty around the neighborhood, presumably because it was the weekend, so Atsumu sat in front of the school gate and pulled out his phone, contemplating his next move. Hinata obviously wouldn’t be here at his old highschool on a weekend. It was honestly kind of stupid of him to have thought Karasuno would be a lead at all. He really should just call him, but something in him kept hesitating. Coward, he muttered to himself.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice the cop car pull up on the street in front of him.

“Excuse me sir, I’m going to have to ask you why you’re loitering in front of a highschool? We got a call about a suspicious figure around Karasuno.”

Shit Atsumu thought as he looked up to face the officer. I swear to god Osamu, if you accidentally cursed me to get arrested or something.

“Sorry sir, I’m from out of town and I…”

“Miya Atsumu?” The cop interrupted.

A fan? Atsumu thought, Perhaps I’m saved, or maybe I’m doomed. Sweating as he looked up, the face he was met with seemed familiar somehow. 

“Wait, yer… Shoyo-kun’s highschool captain?! From the year Karasuno beat us.”

“Daichi Sawamura.” He reached out his hand, which Atsumu shook with relief. “You’re lucky I recognize you, but I’m going to have to ask you to not wander around the school grounds, famous volleyball player or not.”

“Ah yeah, sorry I kinda got lost and was trying to figure out what to do.” Atsumu responded sheepishly.

“What are you even doing in Miyagi in the first place?”

“If I’ll be honest, I’m looking for Shoyo-kun? He came home recently for some family business and I was going to check in on him, but when I got here, I’d realized I actually had no idea where he lived.”

“Couldn’t you just have called him?”

Atsumu sighed. “Yeah I was just working on that part.”

Daichi chuckled. “Well Hinata’s family actually lives over the mountain, it would be one hell of a bike trip, nevermind walking. But I could give you a ride if you’d like?”

“Oh I couldn’t bother ya during work like that…” Atsumu panicked at the unexpected gesture of kindness.

“Nonsense.” Daichi smiled. “It’s part of my job after all, helping out lost civilians.”

Atsumu thanked him profusely before hopping into the cop car. Making a note to snap a photo to send to Osamu to make him sweat a bit.

As they drove up the winding mountain roads, Atsumu realized Daichi hadn’t been kidding when he said the trip was a brutal one. He was also surprised to hear about how Hinata used to make the trip daily for school. “No wonder he was such a crazy athletic menace in highschool.” He mused.

“He’s even more insane now. Koushi and I like to watch V. League matches from time to time, support all our kouhai and all.” Daichi chuckled. “Although I’m sure you know first hand better than anyone.”

Atsumu hummed in agreement. “Shoyo-kun is… Someone quite special.” Almost to himself.

---

When they arrived, Atsumu thanked Daichi profusely and offered to treat him to dinner if he ever found himself in Osaka for whatever reason. Daichi merely said he was happy to help a friend of a friend and that he hoped Hinata’s family business went well.

After he departed, Atsumu was left to stand outside the Hinata family residence, wondering how he might approach the situation. Fortifying his nerves he rang the doorbell.

The door peaked open and a familiar tuft of orange hair poked out. Atsumu almost had the urge to ruffle it out of instinct but stopped himself when a higher pitch voice spoke up.

“Who are you?” Not-Hinata inquired, eyes squinted. “If you’re trying to sell us stuff, you can leave.”

“Whoa there Natsu-kun!” Atsumu exclaimed, holding up his hands in surrender. “I’m uh, Miya Atsumu? Your brother’s teammate on MSBY.”

Natsu’s eyes brightened after a pause. “Ohhhh you’re the twin, the blonde one Nii-san always talks about.” She quickly gasped and covered her mouth. “I’m not sure I was supposed to say that.” She muttered.

Atsumu chuckled nervously, “I uh, came to visit to see if everything was ok with the family, since we have some time off practice. I hope I’m not intruding.”

“Oh no!” Natsu smiled brightly and Atsumu saw Hinata in her eyes. “He’s not actually here at the moment, but you’re welcome to stay and wait! He should be back later with food. I’d text him to bring more but the dummy forgot to bring his phone.” She rolled her eyes and stepped out of the foyer to let Atsumu in to wait.

---

“So you’re like… one of the best setters in V. League huh? In like alllll of Japan.” Natsu observed, when they’d settled into the Hinata family living room. 

“I suppose I am.” Atsumu puffed up with pride, he couldn’t help himself when people praised him or recognized his skills. “Yer brother isn’t too shabby either.” He added. “One of my personal favorite spikers!”

Atsumu could have sworn he saw Natsu smirk, but the expression was gone in a blink.

“I also play!” Natsu exclaimed. “I’m a starter at Niiyama. Number 10 just like my brother!”

“Oh!” Atsumu responded. “What position?”

Natsu smiled slightly sheepishly. “Setter.”

“No way!” Atsumu's jaw dropped in surprise. “Ya didn’t follow after Shoyo-kun and play as a wing spiker?”

Natsu nodded with a smile. “Much to my brother's chagrin.”

She continued. “I don’t know how long you’re planning on staying but if we have some time, would you be willing to show me a few tricks?”

“Of course!” Atsumu exclaimed excitedly. “Shoyo-kun mentioned ya were good at volleyball, but never mentioned you were a setter! I’ll get ya tossing better than yer brother in no time as revenge for not telling me!”

Natsu giggled.

The two continued to chatter about volleyball and Atsumu was delighted to learn how much Natsu also loved the sport. She’d showed him clips of her matches and he was certain she’d go places if she chose to pursue a career in volleyball.

When they’d hit a lull in their conversation, Natsu turned, looking directly into Atsumu’s eyes with an unexpected seriousness.

“Hey Atsumu Nii-san?” She started tentatively.

“Hmm, yeah?”

“I probably shouldn’t say too much but uh… Thanks for being there for my bro. As a teammate and as a friend.” She continued. “I think he really needed it recently.”

Atsumu was just about to inquire what exactly she meant when he heard the front door swing open.

“Natsu!!! I’m home and I brought dinner!” Hinata called down the hall.

Natsu grinned before whispering to Atsumu, “Let’s surprise him!”

Notes:

Aiyaa sorry for the delays. I've been so excited to share 'atsumu accidentally gets arrested for loitering but not really' yet it still took this long. The creative process is fickle at best, downright inconsistent at worst.

I've shifted some of my chapter plans and squished some parts together so I may end up changing the chapter count, but it shouldn't be too different. We're a bit over half-way through now, I think.

I had a lot of fun writing the convo's with daichi and natsu. hopefully it hasn't been too much of a drag before we get back to the heart of atsuhina.

As always, I make fanart on twitter at: @v33_art

Chapter 8: Flash Storms on a Friday

Summary:

Atsumu and Hinata talk for the first time after Hakone, they have some time to settle.

Notes:

This is gonna be a two-for-one as I wrap up this series!!! I'm so sorry for things taking so long, but I'm really happy to finally get to the conclusion. I've actually been sitting on ch 8 for a while because I wanted to restructure, and I'd already planned to bulk post the whole ending. Please enjoy!

“Atsumu-san!?” Hinata’s eyes widened at the unexpected presence as Natsu bound towards him, beaming.

He looked good. More than good. Dressed in a casual t-shirt, cheeks slightly flushed from the cool evening air. Hinata smiled at him with the brightness of a thousand suns, and Atsumu couldn’t help but feel relieved. Perhaps he’d overreacted with his worries.

“Uh, hey Shoyo-kun.” Atsumu stuttered slightly, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Atsumu Nii-san came aaaall the way here to visit you, Nii-san!” Natsu smirked ever so slightly. “We should have him over for dinner.”

“Of course!” Hinata echoed without hesitation. “I’m sorry you had to travel all the way out here, Atsumu-san. I presume you haven’t eaten then?”

“No, don't apologize!” Atsumu responded, flustered. “It’s my fault for showing up unannounced, but I’ll take ya up on that offer for food if it’s no bother.” His stomach rumbled with embarrassingly appropriate timing. He flushed.

Natsu swiped the bag of takeout from Hinata and headed towards the dining room. “I’ll set up the food, you two grab the plates!” She called over her shoulder.

The two men’s eyes met briefly before Hinata turned to lead Atsumu towards the kitchen. Atsumu followed timidly, shuffling behind the shorter man.

When they settled at the table, the three broke out into comfortable conversation. Natsu took the lead, talking about her volleyball training and Atsumu chastised Hinata for not telling him sooner about her wildly talented setter of a younger sister.

“I can’t believe ya sister was a setter all this time!?”

“I promise I wasn’t trying to conceal it, it just never came up!” Hinata exclaimed. “I’m proud of Natsu, even if she didn’t take after me.”

“Why did ya pick the position, Natsu?” Atsumu inquired, turning to the younger Hinata. “I’m always curious about how roles resonate with people.”

“Honestly…” Natsu paused, looking sheepish for the first time. “Growing up and seeing Nii-san playing by himself, always fighting for tosses… I think part of me thought maybe I could help. I could toss to Nii-san when no one else would.”

She scratched the back of her neck, clearly embarrassed. “It’s silly I know, Nii-sans a pro and gets all the best tosses from the highest tier of setters.”

“Natsu…” Hinata’s eyes teared up and he sniffled. He lunged forwards to hug his little sister, who swiftly backed away, dodging him aptly. He pouted dramatically in response.

Miya chuckled at the familiar sibling reaction and leaned onto the table, propping his chin on his palm. “That’s actually so sweet Natsu, I didn’t know Hinata had such a tough time finding setters back in the day.”

“Yeah, Nii-san worked crazy hard back then to get where he is now, so you better treat him well.”

Atsumu turned to Hinata, the expectation of a further explanation clear in his eyes.

Hinata shrugged but continued. “You remember at nationals my first year? You said that I sucked?”

Natsu snorted and Atsumu flinched. “Ahh I’m sorr…”

“No, it's fine.” Hinata interrupted. “I was never mad about that, because it was true. Up to that point, I was still finding my footing in volleyball. I’d spend my whole middle school asking friends to toss balls to me, sometimes training with the girls teams just to have any little opportunity to play.”

“Karasuno was the first time I’d ever gotten to play on a real team, to have a real setter tossing to me… And at first, Bakeyama refused to even do so.” Hinata paused.

“At the end of our nationals match, you were the first and only setter up to that point who ever had declared they wanted to set to me personally, Atsumu-san. You don’t know what that meant to me, after years and years of fighting for just one set at a time. I never got the chance to say thank you.”

Atsumu’s gaze softened and he blushed. “Oh.” Hinata returned his look with a warm smile, and Atsumu felt a tingling on his fingertips. He’s so bright and beautiful . Atsumu caught himself thinking.

Natsu stood up and started gathering their dishes. When Atsumu turned to start helping her, she stopped him. “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure you're tired from traveling, and Nii-san has been running around all day. You two should catch up, I’m gonna go work on some homework after this.”

“Thanks Natsu!”

“Just don’t get used to it, Nii-san.” She responded.

After a momentary silence, Hinata spoke up. “So where are you staying, Atsumu-san?”

Oh, right. Atsumu mentally smacked himself in the head. “I uh… Was hoping to just grab a room at a nearby hotel… I didn’t really plan ahead though, so if you could recommend a place, that would be great.”

Hinata’s jaw dropped. “Was this trip that spontaneous!? I’m sorry I made you worry so much that you felt the need to travel all the way over here!”

“It’s not your fault at all Shoyo-kun! I made the choice myself.” Atsumu waved his hands.

“You should just stay with us then!” Hinata continued. “It’s no hassle for us, and it would save you a bit on hotel costs as well.”

“Oh I couldn’t possibly intrude, I know you’ve got family matters going on.”

“No need to be concerned about that Atsumu-san. To be honest, I rushed out here because my mother hurt her ankle and is in the hospital for a little while. It’s nothing serious, but with Natsu being busy with school, I wanted to be able to help out a bit. I didn’t mean to make it seem apocalyptic or anything. ”

“Ohh.” Atsumu sighed with relief. “I’m glad to hear it wasn’t anything disastrous then, I hope your mother’s recovery goes well.”

“She should be out in a few days, I hope you’ll be around to meet her!”

Atsumu flushed. Meeting Hinata’s mother? As what, a teammate? Or possibly something more?

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Atsumu croaked. “I’d love to meet the woman who raised my favorite spiker.”

Hinata chucked, he was also flushed ever so slightly. “Wish I was more than just that.” He spoke nearly inaudibly and Atsumu wasn’t sure he was supposed to have heard that.

Hinata turned rapidly and spoke quickly. “So uh… Yeah. I know we’ve got an extra futon somewhere, but I’ll have to dig it out if you don’t mind? Otherwise we could just cram in my room, although it might be a bit of a tight squeeze since I’ve still got my old bed from highschool.” He twiddled his thumbs nervously. “I don’t mind either way, so just whatever you’re most comfortable with.”

“Sho…” Atsumu hesitated. They still hadn’t talked about what had happened at the team trip. Everything had been a rush of events since then and they obviously didn’t want to bring it up with Natsu around. “I’m fine with that, no need to bother with the extra work. I’m sure we’ll fit just fine.” He flashed a grin, trying to appear lighthearted.

“Ok sure, that works for me.” Hinata chirped. “I’ve got extra towels in the bathroom that you’re free to use! You can freshen up first since I’m sure you’re pretty tired from traveling.”

Atsumu thanked Hinata and headed down the hall to shower.

The hot water and steam felt refreshing after a day of travel and unexpected encounters, and Atsumu found himself far more exhausted than he’d realized he was. Shoulders sagging under the cascading stream, he sighed heavily.

Hinata seemed fine, happy to see him even. The weight of anxiety washed away as the weariness settled in, but Atsumu embraced it not wanting to think too hard.

After drying off and brushing his teeth, Atsumu settled into Hinata’s room while the other man washed up. Slipping under the covers Atsumu realized just how much of a “tight squeeze” it would be for two muscular athletes on a twin sized mattress. He flushed slightly at the thought, scooching towards the wall to make space for the orange haired man, resting his arm across the pillow.

Finally finding some down time, Atsumu noticed he had a few missed texts from Osamu:

Osamu: “Everything ok? Sent ya my hotel address.”

Osamu: “I’m just gonna assume yer with Hinata since yer ignoring my texts”

Atsumu attached the photo of him in Daichi’s car.

Osamu: “Oh you’ve gotta be fuckin’ kiddin me Tsumu.”

Osamu: “You do realize I was jokin’ about bailing you right?”

Osamu: “...Miya Atsumu, if you don’t respond this instant I’m calling mom.”

Atsumu: “Mm kiddin’ bro, I ran into Karasuno’s old captain, Daichi. He’s a cop now, didja know?”

Osamu: “Mkay, so yer good then?”

Atsumu: “Yeah, I’ll be staying with Hinata. Probably stay here for a few days, so don’t worry about me.”

Osamu: “His family stuff all good?”

Atsumu: “Yeah, it’s nothing major luckily.”

Osamu: “Glad to hear it. Good luck with the rest ;)”

Atsumu: “Screw you.”

Osamu: “Nah, I figured that what you’d be doing. Gnight bro”

When Hinata made his way back to the room, hair slightly damp and a towel wrapped around his neck, Atsumu looked up from his phone flushed.

“Everything alright, Atsumu-san?” Hinata inquired as he rifled through his dresser, slipping into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

“Er yeah.” Atsumu stammered looking away in respect, or at least that’s what he told himself. “Just Samu being a menace.”

Hinata giggled softly, padding towards the bed and sitting on the edge of the mattress. “Atsumu-san, you’ve seen much more of me, even just in the locker room… No need to be so bashful.”

“I just…” Atsumu paused. “We just didn’t get a chance to talk after Hakone and I was unsure…”

Hinata slid under the covers. Sure enough the squeeze was tight and Hinata’s unwavering eyes looked directly into Atsumu’s, their noses almost brushing.

“Atsumu-san.” Hinata began, placing a warm hand against Atsumu’s chin. Atsmu felt himself leaning into the gesting softly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to follow up before like you deserved.”

He gulped, continuing. Atsumu could see the seriousness in his eyes. “I’ll admit that there’s a few things I’m not quite ready to talk about. But I want you to know that I really really like you Atsumu-san. You’ve been here for me, supported me, been an important friend to me.”

Atsumu’s heart sank slightly, as if this was the exact moment he’d been dreading. A friend huh.

But Hinata didn’t stop. “M-more than a friend actually. But I don’t know if that’s fair to you, when I’m not ready to be fully honest.” He blinked, looking down slightly. “I’m sorry, ignore me. I don’t mean to force you to respond or reciprocate.”

“Sh-sho.” Atsumu’s voice cracked, but he could feel himself warming as he gently took in Hinata’s face, the shorter man still not meeting his eyes.

“Look at me Sho… Please?”

His orange hair ruffled against the pillow as he turned to glace up at Atsumu.

“You ain’t putting any pressure on me at all.” Atsumu mumbled softly. “I… I think I’ve had feelings for you for a while now. But I was unsure you felt anything for me so I never pushed. I was so happy just being around ya, Shoyo-kun.”

Atsumu smiled gently, feeling the heat rising in his cheeks. “I know Hakone was sudden and unplanned, Maybe even a bad idea, but it happened and ya have no idea how happy it made me.”

“At the same time, I was worried about the aftermath. That it would reveal that none of it meant anything more.” Atsumu leaned into the smaller man, nuzzling his hair.

“I don’t mind if ya have things you’re working out yourself, you don’t even have to tell me. I just want you to know that I care about ya… A lot and that’s all that matters to me. And if one day you want to disclose to me, I will be there to help share the burden with ya. Yer incredible Sho, I hope ya know that. Being with ya makes me a better person.”

He felt Hinata shudder slightly. “Atsumu-san… I… Thank you.” He inhaled. “Can I kiss you, Atsumu-san?”

Atsumu didn’t need to think of his response, instead he crashed their lips together.

Chapter 9

Summary:

The end

Atsumu headed back to Osaka shortly after with Osamu. Hinata stayed for a few more days to make sure his mothers transition out of the hospital went smoothly. Atsumu honestly would have liked to have stayed and traveled back with his now ‘boyfriend’. The thought made him giddy and warm inside. But he also understood he should let Hinata wrap things up with his family, given the whirlwind of events that had happened within the week.

Osamu never asked exactly what had happened at Hinata’s but he seemed to know, if his mild smirk was anything to go by. Atsumu couldn’t be mad though, he’d gotten what he wanted after all.

As it turned out, it was also good for Atsumu to have some personal time to process. The two had promised to talk more in-depth once they were both back in the city, but for now Atsumu was able to openly admit to himself the growing feelings he’d been experiencing and feel uninhibited by doubt of reciprocation.

Somehow he found himself on Sakusa Kiyoomi’s couch one afternoon.

“So you and Hinata-kun are together now?” The black haired man inquired, giving nothing away in his expression or tone.

“Mhmmm” Astumu nodded, unexpectedly bashful for his normal self.

Sakusa sighed. “About damn time I guess.”

“???” Atsumu questioned silently with a confused stare, but Sakusa seemed to understand the implication. Despite his prickly demeanor towards Atsumu, they’d actually become pretty good friends over their tenure at MSBY, and could read each other fairly well.

“Miya, you can’t possibly believe you two haven’t been absolutely oozing affections for each other for the past month or so? The tension in the air was so thick I could smell it through my mask.” He snorted a little. “I honestly thought you of all people would have been blunt and straightforward about it.”

“That’s not fair Omi! Hinata and I were just good friends all that time. Nothing happened at all like that.”

Sakusa raised his eyebrow inquisitively, his moles accentuating his cynicism. “You’re telling me Hakone didn’t happen, Miya?”

“Ok that was recent… Wait… How did you know!?”

With a palm to his forehead, Sakusa groaned. “Miya, we all knew. It was obvious as hell. In fact, Inunaki rigged the room distribution to place you two together. I thought it was a mistake, but clearly you needed more of a push than I realized.”

Atsumu’s jaw dropped in shock. “That fucker…”

“You should probably thank him, to be honest.”

Atsumu clutched his head in his hands. “Oh my god.”

“Yeah.” Sakusa stated plainly, but amusement glinted in his eyes. “In any case, I’m glad you got that worked out so I don’t have to continue witnessing your idiocy.”

“That said.” He continued. “Hinata-kun is a good one, Miya, and you’re a piece of trash. So don’t go hurting the guy, alright? I actually do care about him a lot, he’s one of the few of you that actually understands a proper cleaning routine.”

It was Atsumu’s time to chuckle, albeit nervously, despite the jab. “Yeah I know Omi. I don’t want to mess this up.”

Sakusa smiled uncharacteristically softly in response. “I know Atsumu. I know you genuinely love him and will do your damndest to support him.”

“Thanks, Omi.”

Departing from Sakusa’s place, Atsumu received an unexpected text from Akaashi Keiji.

Akaashi: “Hello Miya-san, Bokuto and I are going to pick Hinata up from the airport tomorrow. Would you like a ride? Hinata told me about you two, I presume he’d like to see you as well, if you’re not busy.”

Atsumu: “Hi Akaashi-san, yes I would appreciate that, thanks so much for reaching out!”

Akaashi: “Sounds good, I’ll send you the time in a bit. And no problem.”

Atsumu: “Thanks again!”

Giddy and nervous to be seeing Hinata so soon, Atsumu briskly walked back to his apartment, where he ended up going on a cleaning rampage to work off the extra energy.

---

The following day, when Atsumu met up with Bokuto and Akaashi to pick up Hinata, he noticed Bokuto was quieter than usual. Akaashi didn’t make any comment about it so Atsumu felt disinclined to ask.

They parked the car at Hinata’s terminal and stood outside waiting for their orange haired teammate.

“Atsumu-san!?” A bright voice cut through the crowd cheerily. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here!”

Suddenly a flash of black and orange was launching itself at Atsumu. Athlete that he was, he managed to barely stumble, catching Hinata in his arms, swinging them around in a circle to dampen the momentum.

“Sho-kun!” Atsumu burst into a warm smile, feeling his heart flutter. “I missed ya.” He put the shorter man down to let him address the others.

“Bokuto-san, Akaashi-san, thanks for offering to pick me up!”

“I’m glad to see you’re doing better, Hinata-kun. Also happy to hear your family and mother are well.” Akaashi responded warmly.

That’s when Bokuto rushed forwards to lift Hinata into a classical Bokuto bear hug.

“Whoa Bokuto-san!” Hinata giggled, surprised by the sudden embrace.

“I’m so sorry Hinata!!” Bokuto cried. “I didn’t know at all what you had to deal with. I wish I would have been there more for you!”

“What? Bokuto-san it’s ok!?” Hinata sounded perplexed. Atsumu glanced at Akaashi hoping he’d shed more light on what Bokuto had been referring to.

Akaashi had a bit of a guilty look on his face as he addressed Hinata. “I’m sorry Hinata-kun, I ended up explaining everything to Bokuto after he asked. I hope you don’t mind.”

Atsumu was still completely lost at this point, glancing back and forth between Hinata and Akaashi.

“It’s ok Akaashi-san, it’s just… I haven’t explained to Atsumu-san quite yet and I…”

Bokuto froze, a panicked look flashed across his face. “Oh shoot, I thought Tsum Tsum knew cause you were together in Miyagi… Sorry!!!”

The realization dawned on Atsumu. Hinata had confided in Akaashi before . Probably that one time they’d gone for lunch.

Admittedly, Atsumu felt a little hurt at that epiphany, but he swallowed it down, wanting to be a reasonable, better man. Akaashi was a mentor to Hinata after all, and probably was a pillar of advice and support for him.

“It’s uh… Ok.” Atsumu interjected awkwardly. “Sho-kun agreed to uh, talk when he was ready and I’m ok with that.”

“Well, in the meantime, let’s get you home.” Akaashi followed up helpfully. “I’m sure you’re tired.” Hinata and Bokuto both nodded in agreement.

The four crowded back into Bokuto’s car as they headed back to Hinata’s apartment. Sitting shoulder to shoulder in the back, Atsumu gently clutched Hinata’s hand, hoping to convey to him that it was alright and that they’d figure it out in their own time. In response, Hinata nuzzled his head into Atsumu’s neck, dozing off slightly from the tiring trip.

When they arrived at Hinata’s place, Atsumu gently tapped Hinata awake. “Hey Sho-kun.” He murmured softly. “We’re home.”

Hinata yawned slightly and looked back up at Atsumu, bright brown eyes wide and hopeful. “Hey Atsumu-san… Would you come in and spend some time today? If you don’t already have plans, that is?”

Atsumu beamed. “Of course I will. Lemme get yer suitcase, ya go on up first.”

Hinata nodded and trudged off after giving Bokuto and Akaashi hugs and thank yous.

Grabbing the remaining luggage, Atsumu turned to Bokuto and Akaashi to see them off. Bokuto still had a sheepish look about him, but Akaashi smiled at him sympathetically.

“He really does trust you, Miya-san.” Akaashi broke the silence. “Please continue to treat him well. You might not know it, but you’ve been a beacon of light for him all this time. He can tell you better than me, but I know he loves you dearly. Hinata-san has so much passion, kindness and love in him and he deserves to be loved in return.”

“Thank ya Akaashi-san, Hinata has been a light fer me as well. Thank ya for looking out for him in the ways that I couldn’t. You too Bokkun.”

Bokuto beamed his regular smile and patted Atsumu on the back. “We’re teammates ain’t we? We look out for each other.”

Akaashi and Bokuto departed after their exchange of words, and Atsumu headed up to Hinata’s apartment. He poked his head through the door. “Sho-kun?” He called down the hallway to no response.

Closing the door and settling Hinata’s luggage in the hallway, he settled in the living room after catching the sound of the shower running.

A few minutes later, Hinata emerged from his room freshly dressed in a shirt and shorts.

“Sorry!” He exclaimed. “I was feeling a bit gross after flying, I hope you didn’t wait too long.” His hand gripped his elbow nervously.

Atsumu merely smiled happily and opened up his arms in invitation. “C’mere Sho.”

Hinata beamed at his response and fell into his arms, head resting against Atsumu’s chest on the couch.

“I missed you, Atsumu-san.”

“It’s only been a couple days, Sho.” Atsumu grinned, planting a tentative kiss into Hinata’s still slightly damp hair.

“I know, but I felt bad that we kept leaving things halfway.”

“It’s ok, we’re here now ain’t we?”

“Mhmmm.” Hinata nuzzled into him and Atsumu could feel his heart pick up pace. If only they could stay like this forever , Atsumu found himself thinking.

They stayed embraced for an indeterminate amount of time before Hinata looked up.

“Atsumu-san?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I talk to you about something?”

“Of course, Sho. What is it?”

“I wanna tell you about what happened, I’m just a little scared to do so.” He began, “I don’t want you to think any less of me or think I was just using you to feel better. I promise it’s not the case, but I kept delaying telling you out of fear… And now I’m worried I stalled for too long.”

“Sho, I promise yaI won’t change my opinion of you.” Atsumu meant every word of it. “Whatever ya have to say, I trust you’ve been and will be honest with me.”

“Thanks, Tsumu.” Hinata sat up. Atsumu blushed, he loved when Hinata called him that on the rare occasion. Sure it was no different from how his brother addressed him, but coming from Hinata, it felt different… Intimate.

Hinata clasped both Atsumu’s hands for comfort as he began his story.

“So I don’t know if you remember, the time you came to my apartment and I had that bruise on my head from walking into a doorway?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s not something I talk about a lot, but I’d been seeing someone from Rio up until that point. I don’t want to mention him too much but we met when I was training abroad and we hit it off really well. He was part of what helped me get accustomed to Brazil, the food, the language? I was really happy for a while.”

Something sank in Atsumu’s stomach as he anticipated the followup.

“We tried long distance, we really did. But after a while it became too much. I was so busy with the team, and with the time zone differences we started running into issues. The day you came over had been the final straw.

“We finally hit the point where hurtful words were exchanged. He told me that Rio was just my little paradise, an escape, but that when the time came I would fly the nest. That I was in search of too much greatness and that no one could keep up with me… He told me he couldn’t hold on any longer and that I was hurting us both…”

“Oh…” Atsumu saw the tears welling up in the ginger man's eyes, but he let him continue without interjection.

“I tried… I tried to tell him it wasn’t true, that what we had and volleyball were two separate things, but he told me it wasn’t true and that no matter what, between the two I would pick volleyball every time. He said he didn’t want to make me choose… so he chose for me… to break up.” Hinata sniffed. “I think somehow… I knew he was right, but it didn’t make it any easier to accept.” He broke into a full on sob.

Atsumu grabbed Hinata’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

“Is it bad…” Hinata gasped, shivering slightly, “To admit that a part of me still loves him? He made my time in Rio better and it was there I was able to rediscover a confidence and determination in myself that I was afraid I’d lost… But that same part of myself was what eventually broke us apart.”

Hinata finished and let himself be held by Atsumu.

“It’s ok, Sho.” Atsumu said softly. “It’s ok that ya feel that way, because it was real for you. But I also want ya to know…” He rubbed Hinata’s comfortingly. “Yer not too much, never was and never will be. So I don’t want ya to blame yerself for being you, ever.”

“I love ya Sho, just the way ya are. Just like I love volleyball… Just like we love volleyball.”

He felt Hinata smile into the chest of his now tearstained shirt.

“Thank you, Miya Atsumu.” Hinata looked up with wet eyes and ruffled hair. “I think part of me was afraid of you rejecting me after knowing. I didn’t want you to think you were some sort of rebound, for me to cope. I also didn’t want you to reject me for the same reasons I’d already been rejected, because of volleyball.”

“Sho, you’re the most honest person I know, I trust ya when ya say I wasn’t just a rebound. And even if I was at the time, that doesn’t matter any more, because we’re here.” He planted another kiss, this time on Hinata’s forehead. “As for volleyball, Sho… I understand. You are volleyball for me Sho, and volleyball is you. I’d never want to separate the two because it’s the same for me as well, and I think ya know that now.”

“I do, Tsumu.” Hinata beamed, leaning forwards to place a chase kiss against Atsumu’s lips. “I do know that now.” He murmured before deepening the kiss. “Thank you.”

The two rolled down on the couch together, desperately clinging to each other, to feel connected and honest. To finally let go, and let be.

Hinata, Atsumu and Volleyball. Together, they are and always will be one in the same.

Notes:

TYSM all for reading. I honestly did not expect this story to take nearly a whole year to write as I kinda just started it in a whim, but I guess I learned my limits ahaha. I’ll probably not do anymore “publish as I write” sort of thing going forwards. You live and you learn I guess.

Either way, this was my first longer style writing. I know it’s not even considered that big in hindsight, but on top of art, job and life it still ended up being significant for me. (Thank god for holiday break letting me settle a bit mentally) I hope this doesn't come across in the wrong way but I don't consider myself a confident or super capable writer by any means, so I apologize if the pacing is off or for typos and such. Nonetheless, the experience was super enlightening and I enjoyed it a lot even if I struggled from time to time. My story idea ended up a bit all over the place oops.

Finally, thank you, thank you for the comments, the kudos and all the positive vibes. I’m glad I got to wrap it up since I think the guilt of leaving it incomplete would have ate at me forever LOL (screams at my snos fic). I'm super grateful either way for the people who have stuck around and have written so many kind and enthusiastic things. I'm blown away by it.

Have a wonderful holiday season everyone and I hope we can all look forward to a new year full of creativity and kindness. (Sorry if this was rambly, I have like 0 coherent brain power right now, cheers)

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I'm aiming to post weekly from here on out.

As always, I make fanart on twitter at: @v33_art

I’m mostly Atsuhina focused right now, but I’m lowkey also the biggest Suna simp.
Feel free to hit me up there to chat about Haikyuu, ships or otherwise!