#fs fics

[andthebubbles]

A/N: After 9.5ish years, I’ve decided that if I haven’t written an epilogue for this fic yet, then that means that it doesn’t need an epilogue. And I have thought about it a lot over the years. I still love this story.

It’s finally complete.

Our Endless Numbered Days on ao3

[izzystizzys]

“ - but have you ever considered, I don’t know, not sucking all the time? Just a thought.”

It takes the combined grips of Nuisance and Hound to keep the wriggling, snarling body beneath Fox from throwing him off its back. With three years’ practice of having to fix his own rickety desk chair over and over again, the movement merely ruffles the proverbial fringe on his helmet.

“And I don’t mean that as an insult, necessarily. Well, I do a little bit. But also I have some amount of empathy for the no doubt immense amounts of trauma that had to go into the creation of something so dysfunctional as you, on a very personal level, so have you considered going to the root of that in a way that’s like… useful? Instead of wasting it all on kriffing Kenobi, I mean. Look at the guy. All he does all day is drink tea and commit warcrimes. I bet he knits for fun. Bit of an embarrassing nemesis, don’t you think?”

“I”, says Kenobi, then pauses. The space between his eyebrows is creased with uncertainty, and he looks deeply torn between continuing rocking the shaking Duchess of Mandalore against his chest from his corner of the throne room and re-activating his lightsaber to continue losing his fight against the Darksider Fox is currently sitting on. “I feel like I should object to some part of that, but I’m not entirely clear on what. Or how this happened, again. Isn’t Mandalore a few star systems from your purview, Commander?”

“Probably the warcrimes”, mutters Nuisance underneath his strained breath.

“About as far from my supposed assignment as yours, General”, says Fox a little louder.

Kenobi twitches. Fox cannot claim to know which of them does it. Both, maybe. Probably.

“I will - taste - your - flesh!”, heaves out Darth Maul, snarling and hissing.

“Oooh, kinky!”, calls Grids, from the corner where she’s got her stun-setting aimed at the other Zabrak, currently passed out cold. Fox sighs deeply. He knew he shouldn’t have taken those three - any combination of Grids, Hound and Nuisance in a room together usually spelled chaos.

Unfortunately, it also spelled competence. The Basic alphabet can be funny that way.

The point being: as of some months into the war, one of Fox’s assigned tasks is the surveillance of all GAR-wide communication. All command-class staff theoretically got that memo, but no one seems to have read the fine print where that includes both professional and personal communication, as well as any and all comm devices registered or suspected to be registered to that person. Especially not one Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.

The point further being, if that sounds both immensely impractical and sort of terrifying in a democratic supposedly non-surveillance state, you’d be bang on the credits, and to Fox’ eternal chagrin the singular person in this whole useless army who’s spent the second of thinking necessary for that conclusion.

The final point being, when one frantic General’s mad dash across the Galaxy to rescue his teenage sweetheart from the spectre of his supposedly dead nemesis crosses his desk on its way to the Chancellor’s inbox, it doesn’t take much time for him to block any and all trace of it across the digital space of the GAR commboard and take matters into his own hands.

“ - which is why I told Thorn to suck it up and be in charge for a few days, and also why you’re still alive, your Highness, very welcome, was no trouble at all”, he concludes, drily. The Duchess stares the wide-eyed look of someone attempting to reconcile clones with ‘sentience’ or perhaps ‘personality’ in her head, but won’t say it outright.

Or the look of someone who’s just been violently overthrown and nearly murdered, perhaps, Fox allows.

“Um -“, Kenobi hedges, blinking rapidly.

“And the reason you’re still alive, probably. You’re welcome for that too, by the way”, Grids calls from the back of the throne room, cheekily.

“Alright”, says Kenobi, loudly. There’s color back in his deathly-pale cheeks, Fox notes, even if that color is a lot of red. It doesn’t fade very gracefully into his beard. “Opinions on whether or not I had everything under control notwithstanding -“

“You really didn’t”, Hound supplies helpfully.

“ - opinions notwithstanding, I am admittedly still lost on why you’re now sitting on Darth Maul and attempting to, to - jeer at him, Marshall Commander!”

“We’re not jeering, we’re trying to create a safe space and lay the groundwork for more open communication”, Fox says, primly.

Maul screams into the ground, attempting for the umpteenth time to rear up and visit great violence upon Fox, which admittedly has him rattling in his crosslegged seat atop his back.

Kenobi raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow. “Safe space?”

“He’s restrained and not stabbing anyone, I personally feel much safer than before”, Grids muses. “Watch the teeth though, Hound. Little biter.”

Indeed. Fox’s right greave will have to be replaced posthaste.

“And anyways, the point isn’t to jeer at him, it’s to make clear that he’s focusing his energy in the wrong places and could be doing much better things with his admittedly not-great life”, Fox adds, shifting to cast a pointed look down at Maul. The Sith is panting open-mouthed into the durasteel floor, sharp teeth gnashing wildly as his piercing yellow eyes shine with barely restrained rage. “I’m just saying - aim higher. You aren’t seeing the forest for the Kenobis, Maul. Can I call you Maul?”

“I will feed you your own entrails”, yowls Maul.

“See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Right now, I’m an easy target to focus all that built-up rage on, but is killing me really going to help you achieve any of your goals? No! Think about it - when it all comes down to it, who sent you on that mission to Naboo in the first place? Who made sure the Jedi and, by extension, Kenobi would be there to kill you? Who used you as a dejarik piece and then cast you aside the second you outlived your usefulness?”

Beneath him, Maul slowly stills in his struggle, still panting heavily. Hound and Nuisance don’t let it deter them in their vigilance, because they’re damn good vod’e and possess an ounce of common sense.

“And, look, I get it. I could spend the rest of my life punching every civilian who spits on me in the streets and it would even be satisfying. I could hit back the Senators who think of clones as easy targets. Or - I can aim my sights at who’s on top. And I think you know who I mean, because you know as well as I do the same damn man has ruined both our lives.”

Kenobi makes an alarmed noise, and Maul an interested one - not that Fox is going to let him walk out of this place awake. Still, he tilts his head in a way he hopes conveys his helmeted grin successfully to non-vod, as well as the bloodlust behind it. “You’re also welcome for the fact that the Chancellor won’t have heard of your spontaneous resurrection yet, by the way. You’ll retain your element of surprise instead of gambling it away on petty revenge on Kenobi.”

“He cut me in half!”

“He killed my master!”

Fox waves their protests away.

“Also, that’s treason!”, Kenobi adds, sputtering. Fox grins. Kenobi purses his lips, and continues. petulantly, “…do you have any proof?”

“So. Much. Proof”, says Nuisance, dreamily. “Like, do you want it alphabetically or by date?”

Which is when the Duchess, of all people, bursts out into barking, crazed laughter.

“You - you’ve certainly given yourself an edge in that fight, Marshall Commander”, she wheezes, brushing tears from her eyes. Fox raises his eyebrows at her, which she somehow seems to be able to tell, because she gestures at the clunky handle dangling from his belt.

“What, this old thing?” He unclasps the black rectangle from its hook, holding it up in the air. Maul stills strangely beneath him, and Kenobi goes ghostly pale again. Fox is starting to get a bad feeling.

“I took it off Viszla and beat him over the head with it. I figured he’d taken it off a Jedi cadet or something. What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

[aesthetic-bbyg]

he’s fine asf but y’all are not ready for that convo.

[barfygutcheck]

sourdough starter snack

/recently found out that live yeast might ferment in the stomach for a while if large quantities of it are eaten. think noises, think expansion. so this fic happened. uhh/

Jackie’s dorm room was quiet, save for the hum of the AC and the rustle of pages turning as she sat in the living room, reviewing her notes. She had a tendency to stay up late cramming. It was just past midnight, and the dim glow of the kitchen light spilled into the living room.

Jackie had been so wrapped up in her studying, she hadn’t noticed the soft sounds of someone moving around in the kitchenette until she heard the faint scraping of a spoon against a bowl. She glanced up from her notebook, frowning slightly. An hour ago, Sawyer had settled on the couch (trying to be considerate of Jackie’s roommate), but it looked like her stomach decided otherwise — a thought Jackie couldn’t help but find stimulating.

It wasn’t unusual for Sawyer to raid the fridge late at night, considering her appetite, but checking on her anyways couldn’t hurt.

Jackie slipped out of bed, quietly padding down the hall. As she approached the kitchen, the sound of the spoon grew clearer. Jackie had a pretty good idea what she was about to find.

“Sully?” she called out, folding her arms over her chest.

“Hmm?” came a muffled response from the kitchen.

When Jackie turned the corner into the kitchen, her suspicion was confirmed. There, standing at the counter with a big mixing bowl clutched in one hand and a spoon halfway to her mouth, was Sawyer. Her eyes were glued to the bowl, completely oblivious to Jackie’s presence.

Jackie’s eyes widened when she saw the unmistakable texture and bubbles of leavening. The bowl wasn’t just any bowl. It was her sourdough starter — weeks of careful fermentation and feeding, gone, or at least half gone, if the looks of it were anything to go by.

“Oh my God, Sully. What are you doing?” Jackie blurted out, rushing forward.

Sawyer looked up, mid-chew, her cheeks full. She swallowed slowly, then grinned sheepishly, as if she hadn’t just committed what Jackie considered to be the culinary equivalent of a felony.

“Uh… hey, babe. Eating cookie dough… duh,” she mumbled through another bite, lifting the spoon and gesturing toward the bowl. “I didn’t know you made some. It’s pretty good, but kind of tangy. Want a bite?”

Jackie’s heart skipped a beat. Her brain stumbled over itself, trying to process what she was seeing as Sawyer scooped up another spoonful into her mouth. Cookie dough?

“That’s not cookie dough, that’s—” she said, her voice pitching higher with every word. She raked a hand through her hair, trying to figure out how to break the news. “That’s sourdough starter, Sully!”

Sawyer froze, spoon hovering halfway to her mouth, and blinked at Jackie. “Uh… what?”

Jackie rubbed a hand over her face, groaning. “It’s sourdough starter. It’s fermented! Not something you just eat… raw!”

Sawyer’s eyes darted to the bowl, then to the spoon, which she’d been licking, then back to Jackie. The confusion was clear on her face, but slowly, ever so slowly, it began to dawn on her that she might’ve seriously messed up.

“Wait…” Sawyer furrowed her brow. “So, it’s… not edible?”

“No! Well, I mean, not like that!” Jackie threw her hands up. “You don’t just eat it! It’s used to make bread rise. It’s filled with live cultures and bacteria—”

Sawyer flinched at the word “bacteria,” her gaze flicking to the bowl in her hands. “It’s alive?”

“Yeah, as in yeast! You’re supposed to let it ferment for days to make bread.” Jackie pressed a hand to her forehead. “How much did you eat?”

Sawyer placed the bowl down on the counter, eyeing the near-empty contents. She hesitated, then shrugged. “I dunno. Like, a lot?”

“A lot? Sully, that’s—” Jackie cut herself off, taking a deep breath. “Sully, that stuff expands when it’s heated up. Who knows how much of that is sitting in — in your stomach right now!”

Sawyer’s eyes shifted down to her stomach, which now seemed even more ominous with the knowledge of what was inside. She gulped, eyes widening. “It expands?”

“Yes. And I’m fairly sure it’s going to make you really sick if you’ve eaten as much as it looks like you have.”

Sawyer’s expression began to falter. A hand instinctively moved to rest on her abdomen, and for the first time that night, she looked genuinely worried. Her belly felt like a rock had dropped inside, pressing against her insides as it expanded.

“Uh… now that you mention it…” she said, her fingers prodding lightly against her belly. “I do feel kinda weird…”

Jackie watched. Typically, this kind of situation would have her blushing; Sawyer had a habit of overindulging and feeling the consequences. But this time, what she’d eaten wasn’t just a bad call — it could really upset her stomach. Jackie wasn’t aroused in the slightest, only concerned. “What kind of weird? Stomachache?”

Sawyer paused, her face scrunching up as she tried to gauge how she was feeling. “It’s not, like, painful. But it’s definitely feeling… off. Like, kinda tight. Heavy.”

As if her belly was starting to rise like dough. Like bread in an oven. Live yeast thrives in warm environments, and the human stomach is warm. Particularly Sawyer’s gut, since Sawyer was like a living, walking furnace, always overheating.

Jackie was already thinking through their options. Nothing in her two years of medical studies equipped her for a girlfriend who had mistaken sourdough starter for cookie dough, and she was unsure of what to do when that sourdough decided to fight back in her girlfriend’s belly. “Okay. Well, your body’s probably trying to process all that yeast. You just ate half a bowl of fermented dough, I mean, we need to keep an eye on this.”

Sawyer stared down at her stomach again, a flash of panic crossing her face. “Oh, crap. I thought it was cookie dough,” she pitifully blurted, as if saying it louder would make it somehow less of an issue.

Jackie shook her head, reaching out to gently push Sawyer into one of the kitchen chairs. “Alright, alright. Just sit down. You’ll wake Willow up.”

Sawyer plopped down into the chair, slowly rubbing circles over the front of her tank top. “I just saw food, and I thought—”

“You just saw food and thought, ‘must eat now,’” Jackie put in playfully.

Sawyer cracked a weak smile. “Yeah, something like that.”

Jackie stood up, fetching a glass of water and placing it in front of Sawyer. Even though Jackie had never seen Sawyer do anything this stupid before, she knew Sawyer had pulled some dumb stunts in the past. Jackie realized that all Sawyer needed was a little patience and attention, and she would bounce back like new. “Drink this. It might help a little.”

Sawyer obediently took the glass and sipped it slowly. She grimaced, glancing down at her stomach. It churned, making thick, sloshy sounds, and she could swear she felt it expand just a little more with each passing second. “Uh, Jackie, I think it’s getting worse.”

At this, Jackie’s eyes snapped to Sawyer’s midsection. She hadn’t noticed it at first, but Sawyer’s usually flat stomach did seem a little bloated, like it was already reacting to the mass of sourdough starter she had so thoughtlessly consumed. The sourdough starter wasn’t exactly the villain here — it was just doing its thing. And it must’ve been having a field day in Sawyer’s stomach, bubbling, fermenting the sugars and starches it could find.

It had taken weeks to build it up, feeding it daily, watching it grow into a thriving colony of yeast and bacteria, preparing it to make bread. And now, more than half of it was gone, sitting inside Sawyer’s stomach instead of turning into a fresh loaf.

“We need to get you to the bathroom,” Jackie said firmly, moving to her side.

Sully gave her a wide-eyed look. “You think I’m gonna be sick or something?”

“We’re not taking any chances.” Jackie grabbed her by the arm, pulling her gently toward the door — no easy feat when Sawyer had both the weight and height advantage at a full head taller.

A deep gurgle came from the depth of Sawyer’s stomach, echoing in the dim-lit hallway. “Oh man… I don’t feel so good…”

“Well,” Jackie muttered, helping her girlfriend out of the kitchen, “you did just eat a half gallon of live bacteria and flour — perhaps more.”

They hurried the rest of the way to the bathroom, where Jackie eased Sawyer down onto the floor beside the toilet.

Sawyer leaned against the cool tile, looking utterly miserable. Her face had lost its color, and her curls, damp with sweat, stuck to her forehead. She groaned softly, rubbing her taut belly. “I can’t believe I’m gonna throw up bread before it’s even bread.”

Jackie snorted despite herself. “That’s one way to look at it.”

“Next time,” Sawyer said, her voice weak, “just label your bowls.” She could feel the heavy, bloated weight pressing against her insides, sluggish, bubbling uncomfortably as if everything inside was expanding and shifting, trying to find a way out.

It was only a matter of time before it all came rushing back up.

Jackie patted her girlfriend’s knee. “I will. But next time, just ask before you go shoveling random stuff into your mouth, dumbass.”

[libr-0-cubicularist]

A thing I made based on the wonderful fic Corruption Loves Company by @hey-adora (clicheusername5678 on Ao3) ft. Biblically Accurate Vio

[blucassiopeia]

Contrast

"A prelude spin-off for an upcoming fic"

warnings: afab!reader, reader being 5 years older, 8.6k LONG

A Sakusa Kiyoomi x reader oneshot

a/n: solid clue on this; sorry for the delayyy, a lengthy one to compromiseee

"What do you want? I still haveー"

"C'mon, Kiyo. You just got back here from Osaka."

"Then, speak. Stop hitting around the bush. You know I don't like hospitals."

"She's gonna be here any moment. Just be patient, son."

Kiyoomi grunted as he sat back on his dad's office couch. The office was rather modern, his dad desperately riding Kiyoomi's generation. Though, it has their big family portrait just right off his humungous desk that he remembered was from Barcelona. His desktop was coated with orange fluffy cloth siders, probably a gift of Sara's, Kiyoomi's 4-yr-old nieceーand it was paired with a keyboard and mouse of the same shade. It practically throws off the white and classy vibe of the place. He smiled at the thought.. but this is all till in a hospital's vicinity. Kiyoomi's stomach started stirring.

"So, how's your team? Are you fitting nicely?" His father asked as Kiyoomi fiddled with his phone, huffing through his black mask, very anxious to leave.

"Sort of. We have the leagues next three months."

"Oh fuck off. The chief resident asked you, not me."

"Please."

The door flung open and revealed you in your scrub suit and gown, tongue mockingly out to someone behind the door. You, then, slid inside the office and closing the door, your eyes fell on Kiyoomi first, and then to his father. Kiyoomi has to inch the distance more from the smell his nose registered. Where would she had been? Germs. Germs. Germs.

"You called for me, Sirーah, Doc?"

Kiyoomi didn't spare you a glance, still fiddling at his phone, maybe trying to give his volleyball team captain a text or two of any nonsense to keep him visually busy. He just wants to get out of that place. His system is screaming already. He might want an alcohol bath, uh, that's too much. How does his family doing it likeー

"That's my youngest right there, Kiyoomi." The chairman of the hospital gestured to the curly black-haired man sitting dejectively on the couch, trying his hardest to ignore your presence. You perked a brow.

You leaned to the chairman, in the attempt to whisper. "And? I don't babysit teenagers, Doc. Too busy in becoming the medical director that I promised you."

Kiyoomi happened to glance at your direction when his father laughed lightly at whatever you whispered to him. He noticed your pout as you straightened your back, your gown's fabric crinkling at the movement. What were you even whispering to an old, married man? His nose scrunched up behind his mask, returning his attention to his phone.

"Take him to dinner, Y/n."

Both of your heads snapped at Sakusa Takashi that's already beaming at you, clearly pleased at what he said.

"Whー" Kiyoomi started to retort but you raced him to it first.

"I'm still comfortable in third-wheeling with Dai or with Katana-nee, Doc. Are they whining over me already?" Your feet stomp at your every word, whining like a child.

Kiyoomi wondered how did you even know his brother, or his cousin. Are you acquainted with the rest of his family? He doesn't recognize you from the numerous family occasions, or in any business functions where you could possibly be but remained unnoticed to him. Ugh. He knows where this is going. This also happened to his sister, that she somehow liked after years. He shivered at the thought.

He can't take the atmosphere of the office anymore so he stood up and said, "I'm going home."

"And he's this rude, Doc?" You smirked at Kiyoomi's direction, the ChairmanーKiyoomi's fatherーmirroring you, teasing his youngest son.

Huh. Is this a challenge?, Kiyoomi thought as he stared straight at his dad, black eyes hardly pass your figure. He scoffed at his father that mouthed 'Just once.' And he bored his eyes on yours and sighed.

You clasped your hands together, easing the tension Kiyoomi was giving you. "So, gimme an hour or two and I'd be ready, Kiyo. Orrrー" You faced the chairman and winked at him, knowing fully well that he knew what you're going to do with his beloved son. "ーbe with me in my rounds."

When you turned back to face Kiyoomi, you were greeted by his twitching eyes behind those round and delicate thin rimmed glasses. You returned them with a sly grin.

Kiyoomi found himself trudging after you to wherever. He actively convinces himself that this is better than waiting on that area where various people flocksーthe germ and virus infested waiting area at the lobby. This is better than staying on his dad's office where he'll just not hear the end of a discussion he doesn't want to associate with. Being with you is better. Yes, being with you is better.

You rounded to a hallway and he lifted his eyes from your back when he heard a familiar voice in the nearby nurse stationーto which you're heading to.

"The patient in 302 has to have his rehabilitations in 3 hours. Is the facility ready?"

"Yes, Doc."

"Dai, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

You heard Kiyoomi groaned at your back as Daisuke and Katana spotted you approaching with their Kiyoomi. Their eyes are on him, round with bewilderment and surprise. You snorted. They are the culprits, the nerve of them. But eitherway, it's turning out well. Hopefully.

"Kiyoomi?"

"Is that their volleyball player?"

"Doc Takashi's youngest! Sakusa Kiyoomi!"

"He's so tall!"

"So hot lookーI mean, good looking!"

"He looks like a rougher version of Doc Dai."

Daisuke was the first one to approach his brother. Kiyoomi took a few steps back from him to which he chuckled. He glared at his brother through his glasses, daring him to approach further. Daisuke's tied black curls swayed as he moves his head to face you, hands in either sides of his waist, his gown pushed back revealing his branded slacks and dress shirt. Yeah, Kiyoomi's a rougher version alright.

"Ah, thanks Y/n, but how did you do this?"

His soft and genuinely amused laughs filled the hallways, followed by Katana's. The other fellows, nurses and residents nearby turned to the sound. You mentally noted that if Kiyoomi hasn't been wearing his mask, you'll see how red his cheeks were. Daisuke and Katana are sure to know how to tease him. You pursed your lips, not knowing whether to laugh with them or sympathize with his agony.

"Rounds." It was dangerously low that it had stuttered Daisuke's laughs. Kiyoomi's head was facing you, dark eyes demanding.

"Rounds, Y/n? With Kiyo?" Katana asked with pure curiosity as she motioned herself closer to you, her eyes on Kiyoomi.

"Who's with Sara right now?"

"Toya."

"Yeah, we have to have dinner by 6:30pm so he can go home early." Both of your fellow doctors turned wide-eyed to you from what you have just said. You rolled your eyes at them. "You whined at Sir Kashi about me third-wheeling on your respective dates. Can't believe you."

The two are still dumbstruck when you turned to Kiyoomi who's getting grumpier by the second. "Let's go?" You, next, called out to the interns at the back of the nurse station. "Those who wants to come with me for reports, let's go."

Katana rushed to the nurse station and opened a drawer hastily and went back in a matter of seconds, handing something to Kiyoomi. You peered at her extended hand and found two cute plastic vials of sanitizers, to which he gladly accepted. You heard stories of Kiyoomi from his siblings and cousins and how he hates crowds so much, anti-social.. and a germaphobe. You were even surprised he followed you to your rounds.

"Take care of my brother, Y/n." You didn't miss the dazed and stuttering tone of Daisuke as he patted your shoulder. He also placed a hand on Kiyoomi's shoulder as the latter carefully lather some of the sanitizer in his hands and sniffed it. Daisuke gave a squeeze at his shoulder before patting it twice. "Kiyo."

The interns and a nurse came filing up behind you, ready for the rounds. You took the walk to the ward when Katana called out, "Kiyo, be kind, okay?" Kiyoomi grumbled at your side to which you giggled. He shot a glance at you and furrowed his brows. You playfully turned your eyes away from him and stuffed your hands on your gown's pockets.

"Dai? Dinner? Seriously?"

"Dad. It's Dad."

Kiyoomi felt like running when he first stepped into the first ward you picked to do your rounds. He overheard your conversation with the one girl intern that you have two patients here. He took a deep breath and followed you inside.

"Mommyy~ how's the stitches? Is it still painful and itchy? How are you feeling?"

"Jii-saaaan~ how is the therapy? Are your movements doing fine? No reactions?"

"Baby~" He heard you cooed at that one kid on the second ward you lot went in. You sat in his bed and carefully patted his head. "Why are you crying? Does it still hurt?"

Kiyoomi has to turn his eyes away from your figure and unintentionally coughed. He mumbled a low sorry, thankfully of which you didn't hear.

"Tall curly man." His eyes turned back to the crying kid. The kid's eyes were on Kiyoomi as you looked with him with soft eyes. Kiyoomi thought he might be 6 or 7 years old. So young to be in a hospital. His eyes steeled and cold as he remembered something of which he shouldn't.

"I'm gonna wait outside."

You looked at Kiyoomi with concern and nodded. "One more room upstairs and we're off." Kiyoomi nodded as he took the exit of the ward. He can still hear the kid's cries from here so he distanced himself more, enough that he can see you walk out of the room anytime.

The ride was silent. Very uncharacteristic of you. Kiyoomi was silent, well he always is. You wanna ask about that cough and walking out a while ago but you thought that he maybe just be too grossed out at the patients. You suddenly felt guilty of making him accompany you in your rounds. You bit your lip as your hand knuckled up on the stirring wheel.

You badly want to break silence so, "Where should we eat?"

"Wherever you wish."

You glanced at him and found him staring at the view of bustling nightlife of Tokyo. You sighed and drove to your med friends' go-to fine dining. Well, you're assuming Kiyoomi would like it considering he's from a well-off family.

He waited for you to round up to him from the driver's side, you fixing your blouse as you approach him. Kiyoomi never got a good look of you in the hospital but now, amidst the glowing dim light of the restaurant and the parking lot's lamp post nearby, he sees you clearly and radiantly. It took him over a minute to stop his intrusive thoughts while you were still fixing your blouse and hair, unaware of his eyes, and so he motioned to the entrance of the restaurant.

"You're not allergic to anything?" He shook his head in response as he opened the door for you, to which your brows perked for a millisecond.

You ordered directly after being seated. The modern Japanese style fine-dining restaurant that you're in has a romantic ambience. Candles are lit and it's a bit dark, with just a low and very dimly-lit chandelier on each section of the space. Your friends would often take you here when they have to have a relaxing dinner after a toxic shift. And it is relaxing. You wonder if Kiyoomi's feeling the same.

He's exuding a laid back expression with a glint of disapproval to the whole situation you're both in. You're not dumb as to not know what the Chairman wants to happen with the both of you. You sighed. Just try, huh. Okay.

"So, Kiyo" You started, and his eyes darted to you from his phone, the candle giving it an unfathomable impression. You gulped. "When's the start of the season?"

He sighed and his gaze fell back to his phone. "In three months."

"MSBY, right? Of Osaka?" He nodded, eyes still on his phone. You chewed your cheek as your lashes kept fluttering on his direction, brows visibly furrowed at his loss of interest.

"How's Inunaki?"

Kiyoomi's brows were the first to react. It shot up, dragging his eyes with it, and then his head till you have his full attention, phone already discarded at the table.

He obscurely coughed, "You know him?"

You nodded, remembering the days when you dated the sweet libero. He was cute, but then you broke up with him to focus on your profession. It was a clean break though. No more strings attached. You were just reminded by him because the gentleman right in front of you is on the same team as your ex-boyfriend.

Kiyoomi was running his tongue on the backs of his teeth as he studied your face. You knew their team's libero. And your facial expression now was just like when he saw you talking with Daisuke earlier.

"He's fine. He's staying with our captain in their house just off Kita District. He might be off to Osaka next week with him." You hummed softly and it sent shivers on him, it made his thighs pop anxiously underneath the table.

He knows what's happening. Fuck, he knows what's happening. Can't believe it's actually happening at this certain point in his life. He remembered those incessant talks with his friends on his volleyball batch, especially talks with Atsumu and Kenji. He tilted his head as he stares at the spot on the table directly in front of you, not daring to look you in the eye.

"Howー" He was cutted off when the food arrived at your table. Thankfully. He didn't know what's gotten into him that he was about to ask something he shouldn't. He bit his lip behind his mask as he watched the food getting arranged in the table.

You're still dazed at how Kiyoomi suddenly poured you a bit of his attention by just mentioning Shion when suddenly, he got rid of his mask so casually you didn't have time to brace yourself. You found yourself staring at his features as a whole. His nose perfectly fitted his handsome face, thin-lipped, smooth cheeks and sharp jawline. You found your eyes trailing to every nook of his face and found his eyes in the process, staring back at you.

"Wow. You're handsomer without the mask, Kiyo."

Kiyoomi raised a brow as he placed a plate full of sushi and sashimi in front of you. "And you're saying that so casually, thanks." You didn't miss the little quiver of his bottom lip as he spoke, red ears still evident within the orange light from the candles.

You smiled while prepping your chopsticks. "Well, we're already grown-ups so no need to shy away about saying those kind of things." You trailed your eyes at his face, now focused on what dish to try first. But no, Kiyoomi's attention is on your voice. He's desperately trying to act normal, and yes, controlling himself and his tongue.

"Try the sashimi first, they taste good. Or do the Gyoza." You suggested and he picked the sashimi first, nodding as the dish reached his tongue. You have to distract yourself with eating your own food served in front of you.

The dinner was fine, casual queries and talks were exchanged but you concluded that someone not daring enough can't get any info out of Kiyoomi. And you're not daring enough. All queries were just public info, you-can-know stuffs.

You stared at the mirror of the restroom after you briefly excused yourself after taking two glasses of wine just to get out of that situation. You're questioning yourself, and can't believe you're feeling insecure with how you look. You fixed your hair, your lip tint. Are you that old for Kiyoomi? Are you not pretty for him?

You groaned as you repeatedly muttered, "Just try. If it doesn't work, then okay. It's okay." You exited that restroom with a newfound determination.

"Shall we go? Dai-nii said you both have to prepare for a surgery 6 hours prior." You stuttered as it was the first sentence Kiyoomi gave you after you sat back from the restroom. You whisked your wrist for your watch and rolled your eyes. It's still 7:30pm, the surgery is 5am. Seriously, Daisuke?

Grumpiness sat in you as you drove back to the hospital, still basking on Kiyoomi's silence. Or which you thought.

"Can we go to your favorite alley of yakitori?" Your wide-eyed gaze found his popping thighs and you didn't dare to look further to his face. But he noticed your surprised expression to which he turned away with a steeled expression and a click out of his tongue.

Why is he frustrated? He can't be that frustrated. He doesn't care about you. He closed his eyes for the rest of the ride.

"Kiyo, what are we doing here?"

He just hummed as he collect himself out of your car and out to the alley, clearly looking for a certain stall, his mask already back on his face, sanitized hands on his pockets. You scampered after him to which he sighed and turned back to you. He saw you still taking a few steps closer to him as you fixed your hair and glistening eyes locking to a stall farther back. He can't miss the brief parting of your lips and a bob on your throat. He followed your gaze and briskly walked to that direction.

"Hey! Wait!"

Where are you dining? She likes the yakitori on her favorite streetfood alley.

Kiyoomi, she has to prepare for our surgery 6 hours prior. Take her back to the hospital right after dinner.

Where are you now? Are you on your way back? Don't reply if you're driving. Be careful.

Daisuke's texts kept ringing on his ears as he heaves two trays full of yakitori, with you following him in bewilderment. You both were walking to the previous nurse station Kiyoomi saw his brother. And he's really there now and waiting. Kiyoomi furrowed his brows as he saw his brother perked up on your sight.

Kiyoomi was silent as he placed the trays on the station and informing them that it's on the house. He quickly took the paperbag with some yakitoris too and handed it to you, ignoring the stares of Daisuke on his side.

"Kiー"

"You shouldn't be considerate with others when we say Wherever you want. It was supposed to be your choice." You were startled when he said that to your face, the others hearing it. "Anyways, thanks for driving and for the dinner."

Your jaw dropped, cheeks burning, as your eyes followed his hovering figure walking away from you. Kiyoomi was clearly annoyed with whatever and you had no idea why that is. You turned to face Daisuke who was already staring at you, and he huffed, big strides following Kiyoomi.

"Doc Dai was already frustrated with something, Doc Y/n."

You turned to the nurse who spoke, gesturing her to go on with what's she's saying. "Maybe something about his dad?"

Hm. Maybe because of the run-down of the department's allowance., you thought as you ran your fingers through the paperbag with five yakitoris. You smiled at the thought of Kiyoomi. Well, he can be sweet while being grumpy and mean.

"Kiyo!"

Kiyoomi rolled his eyes as he detestfully punched in the buttons of the elevator. He quickly pulled out the sanitizer Katana gave her and lather some on his hands. Daisuke found his space on his brother's side, huffing whileーKiyoomi doesn't knowーlooking so annoyed with something? He smirked.

"You didn't go eat at her favorite stall?" Daisuke asked as the elevator dinged and opened for the both of the men. Thankfully, it's empty so they piled in.

"We're already eating when you texted." Kiyoomi deadpanned, just staring at the elevator door while his brother's body is on his direction, eyes somewhat blazing with whatever. Kiyoomi's not dumb, and he's mad at it.

"And you bought her yakitori after the dinner? What's with the trays?"

"For you, guys. Trying to be friendly, considering Katana-nee-san asked me to be kind."

He walked out of the elevator as soon as it reached the basement parking lot of the hospital building, Daisuke following behind with more questions he's not gonna answer due to an impending blow on his part that he's afraid to burst.

"It just took a few hours for you huh."

Kiyoomi faced his brother, full height and pride seeping through his veins, face scrunched up with his now discarded mask tucked on his chin.

"Dai. Nii. Chan. Why are you dating someone else when you're clearly in love with her?" There goes the blow.

When Daisuke didn't answer because of utter shock, Kiyoomi dragged his feet to his car far out left of the parking lot leaving his brother behind and frozen.

But he didn't know why he found himself on the same hospital again a week after that fateful one-time dinner. His fingers are tapping on his steering wheel as he was parking. His niece mused as how she's going to see Daisuke and Katana, Motoya cradling her in the passenger seat. No one knew of the conversation he had with Daisuke, and Daisuke hadn't been talking to him the past week, clearly left unguarded with Kiyoomi's blow. Irritating. As irritating as how you got stuck in his mind since that dinner night.

"Yoomi!" Sara leaned to Kiyoomi as they got out of the car. Kiyoomi carried her in one arm and eyed Motoya for her orange mask.

"Matchy." Motoya snickered as he hooked Sara's mask on her ears and quickly got his phone to take a picture of his grumpy cousin and Sara, both wearing orange kiddie masks. Motoya was surprised when Kiyoomi kissed Sara's head through his mask, completely ready for the shot. And he might've sent it to their GC, or maybe even posted online that you'll be seeing a few hours later and keel about.

Sara is loved by many nurses and doctors in the hospital for her talkativeness and cuteness, their future cutie doctor. But you gravely prayed she'll never be like her uncle Kiyoomi that yes, a kind gentleman but also and absolutely yes to being rude and grumpy.

Your irises immediately dilated when you saw her in Kiyoomi's arm, and how cute of Sara to make Kiyoomi wear her signature orange stuffs. You chuckled at the thought as you approached them.

"Ah, Y/n-san!" You ruffled Motoya's hair as you saw him bounding past Kiyoomi with Sara's orange bag.

"Y/n-chaan~" Sara mused as she leaned for you to carry her. But Kiyoomi held her away from you.

"She still has germs, Sara." Eventhough it was a mumble, you can't help but to hear it considering the distance between you. "Later, okay?" Kiyoomi kissed Sara's cheek still with mask on.

Sara lovingly put her hand on Kiyoomi's cheek, nudging the bottom of his glasses up, "But I like her, Yoomi. Won't care if she has germs or none. You shouldn't too. You like her, right?"

Motoya snorted at your back, while you and Kiyoomi unmistakenly blushed at Sara's words.

"Baby, Iー" Kiyoomi glanced at you, your hand on your mouth and face still burning, eyes still wide on him from shock. "I don't.. like.. her."

Kiyoomi's words rang in your ears and it has been an hour since then. You're in the middle of your rounds, clearly distracted that she had to let the interns take notes of what she said and had to read them afterwards for double checking. You tilted your head to let the thought die, and ran your fingers through your hair.

You jumped at a low cough on your side, and your head turned to face Kiyoomi, head low and fiddling fingers together, eyes unfocused. "Yes, Kiyoomi?"

His eyes shot at you on his name, uncomfortable without the nickname you once gave him. And you didn't know why, searching on your depths why didn't you used that. He'll probably worry about that, but very unlikely. He doesn't like you.

"Sara wants you to be with us out for dinner."

"Okay." You nodded in a heartbeat still wondering why doesn't he like you.

And Kiyoomi is uncomfortable with the looks you're giving him as you walk with him, Sara still in his arms refusing to walk because of her uncle's big paces. She is still talking with you and you converse with her, your eyes still burning on Kiyoomi from time to time. And Kiyoomi doesn't like how out-of-place is he with the little girl talk.

You rode passenger in his car, Sara on your lap after Kiyoomi told you it's now okay. But on what grounds are you okay? You can't understand that side of him, and you want to ask him to understand. You want to understand him. You want to understand whyー

You shifted on your seat, arms wrapping on Sara's little waist as she sings songs from Kiyoomi's nursery rhymes, and you sang with her too through the familiar lyrics. And it was proper music for Kiyoomi and he scoffed inaudibly, so amused with the scene he wished he can record it.

His mind was unintentionally wandering far off the future, where you could be with your own little girl in your lap, still with him in the driver's seat, both of you all dressed up according to the little girl's wishes. And it will be blissful and peaceful and no Daiー

He felt himself knuckled up at his steering wheel and you took notice, stammering mid-singing, thinking he doesn't want you singing, thinking how bad your voice is. You gulped hard, eyes straight to the dash and onto the highway he's cruising through.

"Don't you want me here, Kiyoomi?" You tilted your head, chin resting on your palms as Kiyoomi's eyes were on his niece playing on the makeshift playground of the kiddie fastfood chain. Kids on her age are there too. Ugh germs. He might want Sara to take a bath when they get home later.

It's Kiyo for you, Y/n. It's Kiyo. He wanted to say that he caught himself. He doesn't want to be misunderstood, though he himself doesn't understand himself either.

"Motoya's with Dad on a business meeting about his share. And I'm sorry if I can't stop Sara from whining for you to go with us." You hummed and his thigh started popping anxiously at instinct to the sound.

"Kiyoomi. Look at me for a second." Why do you want him to look at you? Why are you even asking him to look at you? His thoughts were battling inside his head and he willfully silenced it just for a moment, and without a thought, looked at you straight to your dilated orbs. He never found such beautiful eyes like yours, beautiful orbs beyond those long lashes. He blinked.

"Why?"

"Oh, nothing." You smiled and you found what you were looking for. A deductive confirmation, an incomplete assessment to whatever situation you have with him. You suddenly wanna go back to the hospital, or just anywhere away from his scalding gaze also searching.

The food was already served when Sara got back from the indoor playground, already holding her mask out of her face like Kiyoomi now. Kiyoomi turned her little figure around and got her scrunchie to tie her long big-curled black hair. And you reveled at the sight.

"D'you want me to feed you or you wanna be a big girl for today?"

"With Y/n-chan, Yoomi."

You felt like your heart skipped a beat when Sara lipped on your direction. Oh how cute is she, a bead of sweat still trickles down her temple and forehead. You reached for her hand and sat her on your lap to which she happily obliged, swaying her legs against yours as she smiles to her uncle across the table.

"Her towel, Yoomi." You deadpanned at Kiyoomi, trying hard not to smile when you imitated Sara's nickname for him, trying hard not to smile when you saw him blush upon hearing it slip out of your lips. And he tried too hard not to dwell on it. Try harder, Kiyoomi.

"Baby, you have to feed yourself because she also has to eat, okay?"

"But I want to be fed by Y/n-chan, Yoomi." Sara's pouts were Kiyoomi's weakness. He closed his eyes in exasperation, keeping in mind that he is the adult here and with the authority.

"Yeah, Yoomi, I can feed her while eating just fine. Let's eat."

And you tried your hardest too, to make it sound so natural and not veiled with awkwardness. And Kiyoomi regretted finding that Kiyo on you earlier that day. This is way worst than it, this will drive him to his grave. He bit his lip in annoyance to his giddiness.

The dinner with Sara went fine with you feeding her. Kiyoomi helped through the process, feeding her alternately while you eat, too. And maybe a bit too awkward, because some eyes inside the food chain were on you three, murmuring about how good-looking of a family you are with Kiyoomi and Sara. You should put some blush-on next time when you're with him, just to hide the natural blush you had been wearing throughout the time.

"Thank you for your time, Y/n."

"Anytime." You winked at him and debated with yourself between saying more, or just go straight to anywhere away from him. That was enough indulgence for today for Kiyoomi doesn't like you. You have to remind yourself.

But you softly patted the head of the sleeping figure in Kiyoomi's arms, and Kiyoomi stiffened on the closeness. He can smell your fragrance and something else. He nibbled his cheek and turned his eyes straight, to where he found Daisuke staring at them, smiling. Kiyoomi was confused for a moment.

"Take her home now. Drive safely, Yoomi." You patted his wide and bulky shoulder softly, trying not to wake Sara up. Kiyoomi hummed as he stared back on his brother, clearly pertrubed over something in his mind he dare not say. And you were oblivious of the tension. He's so glad you were.

You waved Kiyoomi bye and went to Daisuke, slithering your body towards him before grasping both his cheeks with one hand. All the while, Daisuke was still smiling to Kiyoomi before he dropped his eyes on you and messed your hair. Kiyoomi had to quickly turn away and go straight home, also oblivious that the following morning will change the course of the situation.

You were pacing back and forth outside the halls for the doctors' offices, a hard flush on your cheeks visible. Kiyoomi had asked you out of nowhere for a lunch date of sorts.

These past two months was too confusing for you. Because the Kiyoomi that doesn't like you keep poking out of nowhere, taking a portion of your time of day. May it be another dinner with Sara, or just with him, or being with you on your rounds, recently and suprisingly mask down and talking with your patients. He may have even memorized your sched like the back of his hand for the untimely timing of his visits.

These past two months was like a typhoon for you. Kiyoomi was the typhoon. And you can't brace yourself enough. Maybe because you were used to him being rude and grumpy, well, he still is, but something changed in him.

"Good luck, Y/n. HAHAHA!"

Motoya replied once when you asked him about why Kiyoomi was doing things he usually won't do. What's the good luck for? The toothpaste in the tube had bursted out and grimed on your fingers in annoyance to Motoya's reply.

"No comment LOL!"

And Daisuke, too. He's becoming normal for youーin a sense that he won't joke about his feelings for you anymore, or he isn't as clingy as before, and less time with you. You remembered pouting when you read his reply after you asked him too about Kiyoomi's actions, and that you threw your phone across your bed in frustration.

But now, you were smiling calmly in the back of your mind, reminding yourself that Kiyoomi doesn't like you. Yeah, he doesn't like you.

"Okay. Pick me up? Text me if you're here already."

"Can we take pictures Y/n?"

Like hell. You tried not to notice him taking stolen pictures of you when you're not looking. But never with him. You nodded and took his phone and snapped a pic with himーor maybe four with wacky poses. A nurse also took one with you on your scrub suit and gown, his hand surprisingly ghosting on your waist to which you nearly flinched.

"What's with the pictures?" You asked him during your lunch with him in your favorite yakitori stall.

"I'm going back to Osaka this weekend. Leagues are in a month and we still have to condition ourselves." You poked on your katsudon as you pouted on his answer.

"Had to show how you are doing to Inunaki-san. You're friends, right?"

He placed a slice of meat on your bowl that you acknowledged by placing a yakitori on his plate. You hummed at his statement, to which his thighs popped and you placed a hand on it to relax him and grinned, a habit you have when you hummed and he'll grow anxious by it. You tapped his thigh once before continuing on your meal.

"You're going back to Osaka. Can I come see your games some time if I'm free?" You're pushing your luck, no way he'll agree toー

"Sure. Any vacant time. Just be sure it'll not disrupt your shifts. I'll text you the time and venues of every game we'll have 3 days prior."

You smiled through kneading with your food with your chopsticks. "Glad to hear." And maybe you should know sometime soon, that even if moments like these are to be captured, it won't do any justice to Kiyoomi.

"Can I go see you off this weekend then?"

Both of you are already back from the lunch date when you asked him. He's still sipping from his milktea, one hand on the plastic with 2 large trays of yakitori, biceps flexing against his fitted black shirt, his jacket discarded on his car. You're also carrying two batch containers of milktea, all for the residents and nurses in the station.

"No. I might not be present in the games if you do see me off."

It is still the Kiyoomi that doesn't like you.

"See you soon." And your heart skipped a beatーokay, maybe twoー when he leaned in to kiss your forehead swiftly as he can to put his mask back on to conceal his reddening cheeks.

You tried to stay calm as you smiled at him. "Take care, Yoomi."

He hummed and patted your head. "I'll come see you soon."

And before you even realized it, he's walking away from you, and it might hurt just one bit of this figure of him being away. You pursed your lips as your mind registered what had happened. But you rolled your eyes as you were not the first one to reactーmore like, squeal.

"Stop it, Katana-nee!" You can't help but giggle as more of the nurses joined Katana's teasing and squealing. "Yoomi doesn't like me."

Katana scoffed mid-giggling. "What nonsense is that? He clearly likes you, Y/n!"

"He said so himself." You shrugged, still smiling as you took a sip of the milktea you and Kiyoomi bought.

"And you?" Your eyes darted to her, Katana's scrutinizing gaze boring at you. "How are you feeling about this?"

You stared at her, fumbling with your thoughts in your mind on how to answer that that it won't be misunderstood. Though, one phrase stood out. You bit your lip and hang your head low, fiddled with the straw of your milktea.

"I don't want to fall in love alone, Nee-san."

"Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Nov 24, 5:30pm. Let me know if you could come so I can reserve you a seat near the court."

You smiled, staring at his text from 3 days ago. You have replied then, even videocalled him after that, and the day after, like the ones you had a few weeks ago whenever he was free, or when you are free. It has been barely two months and the leagues has already started last month. You had watched his matches that you can't see live on your phone, or on Youtube. And you call each other at the end of each game, just talking about anything like how was the day going for both of you, or how was the game,or how did you enjoy watching him play. You smiled at how he wants you to be involved in his field of interest. But Y/n, he doesn't like you.

"Y/n, Chairman called for you in his office."

You turned to face Doc Akaashi and his hoarse voice. Your brows furrowed at it. "You okay, Doc?"

"I'm okay. Just stressed with my son."

"Oooh, Keiji?"

He nodded, running a hand on the back of his neck. "Yeah, but he's okay now, thanks to his friendsーyour Yoomi included." He snorted at his tease. You pouted as he patted your shoulder and walked away after gesturing you to the Chairman's office.

You checked the timeーstill 9:30amーwhile walking through the long hallway to the Chairman's office. You still have to pick up Sara by 3pm because she has literally begged you yesterday to take her to her Jii-chan Yoomi's games. And it will be a secret, she said. You chuckled at the thought of her. That kid really adores Kiyoomi.

You knocked before going into the office. You were entranced by a golden haired young man with glasses and a dark-grayish green haired young man on the couch, sitting and looking at you walking in the room.

"ーCoz Doc, I can't."

You turned to the Chairman's direction and you saw a golden-haired young lady sitting in front of the Chairman and rambling about something. Is she a patient?

"Sit first, Y/n." You heard the chairman as he paused to look at you, with the golden-haired lady's eyes on you too. She smiled at you briefly and turned again to the Chairman. You sat down across the men, well as you look closely they might still be in highschool. They're just tall-lookingーor really maybe tall.

"I am okay, really."

The golden haired boy snorted. "Doc, she slapped someone real hard hardly two hours ago. Twice."

The girl turned to the direction of the boy who spoke. "Shut up, Kei! She needs it! Who would wake her up other than her bestest girl-friend she'll ever have, huh?"

"You hate her." It was the other boy now that had spoken, and you were out of place already, trying to understand the situation.

She pouted, "I don't, and she knows it."

"Okay. Okay, Ran. Just do the oximeter for now. Will that calm you three?"

The Chairman took the pulse oximeter and latched it on Ran(?)'s pointer finger. And you had no idea why you're here. You leaned back on the couch while waiting for anything.

"I told you to just stay at Fukurodani while we send them off! Now Aki-nii knew about this!"

"And who texted him huh? Was itー"

And the unspeakable happen. The door of the office bursted open and you might've been excited for this for months now, but no. He stormed to Ran and pulled her up to stand.

"I told you not to go here to see my dad!"

It was Kiyoomi, already in his jersey under his MSBY track jacket, his black eyes furious and mask disregarded somewhere in his pockets. It stirred something in you, of which you thought you won't feel towards him. It scared you.

"Omi-san!" Ran yelped at Kiyoomi's grip. And you felt concerned for her as you jumped up from the couch. You can see his grip digging on her flesh.

"Kiyoomi!" The Chairman had also risen up from his seat, trying to get in between the two.

"I told you, Ran, did I? I told you to go find another doctor to take you! I told you why!"

"Kiyoomi-san!"

"Ran!"

"Omi-san, it hurts!"

"Kiyoomi!"

And you saw it in his eyes that's not leaving Ran's, a flicker of concern as he saw tears trickling down from hers. "Leave. Now."

The amber-eyed boy collected Ran that's now glaring at Kiyoomi, still with tears in her eyes. "Hope you fall in your butt, Kiyoomi!" And she was dragged by her waist out of the office.

Kiyoomi snapped a look at the dazed face of the Chairman, and he groaned. "How could you do that to her?" The chairman whispered in his strangled breaths.

"This is exactly why!"

"She did nothing to us! To you! To me!"

"SHE DID! She has her mother's face that you can't even forget after all these years!"

"It's..not her fault Kiyoomi.."

"Assign her to another doctor Dad, or I'll take the matters to my own hands."

"You know I can't."

Kiyoomi dialed in his phone and took a look at you, he sighed, just registering that you had witnessed something you shouldn't and he mouthed Sorry, to which you nodded, hesitant and still wide-eyed at the course of events happened in a matter of minutes.

"Daisuke. Where are you?ーCan you come up here at Dad's?ーYes, right now. ASAP."

It was achingly quiet for a few minutes when Daisuke barged in, breathless, still in his gown and a steth dangling around his neck. "Saw Ran-chan outside as I'm running up here. What happened?"

But Kiyoomi ignored him and turned to you. "Come with me, Y/n?" His voice is hoarse from yelling, but calmer now.

You followed his hurried paces and he was searching the halls of the hospital and you know who's he searching for. And you are, too. If Ran's a patient, then she should be in aー

Kiyoomi suddenly rushed to a nearby bench just off the indoor café of the hospital. There you saw three figures seating, the same people that are just in the office moments ago. Kiyoomi squatted in front of Ran and peeked on her face. She was doubled over on her knees, the two not daring to touch her. You decide to observe at a distance on earshot, but Kiyoomi looked back at you, wanting you near him, and you stood closer, a few steps away from the golden haired boy who bowed to acknowledge your presence.

"I'm sorry." Kiyoomi was about to touch Ran's head when the amber eyed boy on the other side of the bench cleared his throat.

"Don't touch her yet, Kiyoomi-san."

You saw Kiyoomi sheepishly smile at Ran when there's a slight movement of her head, and you heard Ran groan.

"Don't peekーDon't peek on me like that." A few struggled breaths from her and you hear an exasperated sigh from the golden haired boy beside you. "Up, Omi-san."

The golden-haired boy looked up at you. "Is she the one you're talking about Kiyoomi-san?" Kiyoomi hummed, now on his feet looking down at Ran's position. Are they talking about you? No way.

"Do you have a pulse oximeter? Chairman's was dropped in the office." The question disrupted your impending thoughts of how these boys knew about you. You have to ask Kiyoomi later.

You patted your pockets and thankfully, you have one. It was the hospital's protocol though, for doctors and nurses to bring an oximeter everywhere within the vicinity.

"She's still in high-sensitivity. Hold it first, Kei."

There was silence after, except for Ran's groans and whimpers from time to time. You stared at Kiyoomi that was statue-like, staring at Ran's figure on the bench. A few wild assumptions came to mind at his actions, and how this day showed you another side, well two, of Kiyoomi. You tilted your head as he huffed and looked at you, a silent apology on his eyes. You smiled at him, reassuring him anything you can offer to him eventhough you're unsure of yourself too.

"Told you I can't pick another doctor other than your Dad, Omi-san. I warned you." Ran's eyes were full of fury you can't help but to turn away and flash a grin on the wall.

Kiyoomi rolled his eyes upon hearing her words. "Told you you have to do plastic surgery or something. I hate your face."

"I know I'm pretty." And Ran happened to glance at you and almost immediately, wide-eyed and rounded her lips in surprise, much to your confusion. "And she's prettier up close, Omi-san!"

"Thank you?" You raised a brow at Kiyoomi while you feel your cheeks burn on the compliment, to which he groaned, pulling his phone from his pocket. "Umー"

"I'm Tadashi. This is Ran and Kei. Nice to finally meet you, Y/n-san." Your eyes flew from Kiyoomi to the amber eyed boy that's now standing and bowing briefly to you, flickering a teasing gaze on Kiyoomi. Your confusion grew more, it's achingly pressed to your bones.

"Stop it, Tadashi." Kiyoomi snapped at Tadashi who just grinned and took back his seat.

Ran groaned. "Please don't make me laugh." And to which Tadashi and Kei laughed.

You saw Kiyoomi rolled his eyes, cheeks were also beet red as he turned to you, and you giddily smiled back at him. "Are you still watching the game later?"

"I still can't move. Please, Omi-san, go flirt with her somewhere else, far enough that I can't hear."

"I really want to throw you off the grid, Ran." Kiyoomi deadpanned and you wanna laugh hard at it. Kiyoomi's gonna flirt with who now?

"Thankful that you love me." Ran paused and winked at you. "As a friend, Y/n-san. This irritating guy is all yours."

"You shouldn't tease Kiyoomi-san like that, Ran."

"Whyyy? That's called revenge!"

"But Kiyoomi-san's less grumpy around her, don't you think Kei?"

"Stop it. Don't make me laugh."

All your senses came back when you heard Kiyoomi unintelligently mumbled in his breaths, still in the moment where he's dragging you away from the teasing trio. You finally became aware that every pair of eyes across the lobby, and that those eyes were staring at both of you. You nibbled at your lip as you also became aware of his strong hands gentle but tugging at your wrist to somewhere. You can't help but smile as you fixed your eyes on his curly black hair, swaying as he bounds to the direction of the ER, not surprised that Kiyoomi knows where you have your shift in this time of this specific day of the week.

"You'll flirt with me in the ER, Yoomーah!" You bumped into his shoulder as he halted suddenly, a hall away from the doors of the ER. He turned to you, surprisingly still blushing. "Geez, Yoomi." You half-heartedly took back your tease as you brushed your hand on the spot where his shoulder made contact on your head.

"Yーyou're still coming to the game later, right?" His eyes were unfocused, darting anywhere but in your direction and you find it too cute and amusing.

You hummed, placed both your hands on his shoulders as you tiptoed to kiss his red cheek. "Won't miss it this time. See you later okay?"

You slid a hand on his chest to tap it twice against his MSBY jersey and went off to the ER, grinning at your action and to Kiyoomi's reaction. Flirting with a Kiyoomi that doesn't like you feels like you were shot to as far as Jupiter, far past the clouds.

But you thought you knew what you did to Kiyoomi. You have no idea. As he watches your gown getting winded up as you walked to the doors of the ER after you kissed his burning cheek, he stopped breathing for a moment, replaying the moment in his mind numerous times for a short while. He leaned back on the wall as he catch his breath, licking his dry lips.

"Want a check-up, lovestruck man?" He turned to his smug brother smirking in front of him.

"You already diagnosed me two months ago. Don't need a check-up." Daisuke laughed as he remembered what he said to Kiyoomi months ago.

"Kiyo, okay, listen."

"No."

"Listen, please."

Kiyoomi paused halfway the stairs to their rooms. He sighed and waited for Daisuke to speak up.

"I loved her. Before. Yes. But it doesn't matter now, is it?"

"I don't wanna date someone you loved, Daisuke."

"But you're already falling for her." That surprised Kiyo to the bone. How could Daisuke say things like that so casually? And no, he's not in love with you.

"Don't deny it. I hereby diagnose you as that. And please, don't be considerate of me. Go move on her if you want to. I will support you."

"Y/n-chaan~ Yoomi?" You looked down at Sara that's tightly gripping your hand, afraid to get lost in the crowd of Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. She's wearing Kiyoomi's merch jersey as you were wearing his jersey too, but not from the merch store. You blushed again behind your orange mask at the thought.

"Want me to carry you, Sara-chan?" She nodded, her curls bobbing with her head as she goes. You picked her up and realized she's not that heavy as you gripped her up around her orange shorts. "Yoomi's somewhere inside. Let's go find him."

But you didn't find him, instead you found someone else.

"Oh. So it's true." You turned to face Inunaki Shion and you smiled at him. "Sakusa Kiyoomi, huh?" You felt Sara squirmed in your arms to face the stranger in front of you.

"I'm Sakusa Sara, nice to meet you sir."

"You already have a kid with him?" Huh?

"What business do you have with my mommy, sir?"

"IーHuh?"

Shion was also as wide eyed and stuttering as you, him, clearly assuming something, and you, clearly confused and surprised with Sara's words. You were about to clear things with him when Shion's eyes fell somewhere far on your back.

You turned to that direction and there, you saw Kiyoomi taking big paces towards you. Sara squealed but your attention was on Kiyoomi and his intense gaze on you.

"Yoomi."

"Sara, close your eyes."

"Haiii~"

You didn't notice the way Sara grinned while closing her eyes, to the way the crowd turned their attention on the three of you, and to how the voices muffled, making it seem like it was buried away deep below.

One thing that you were sure was happening was this: Kiyoomi's hands cupping your cheeks and leaning his face towards yours, staring at your dilated orbs and smiled before tilting his head and closing the gap of his lips and yours.

You had to close your eyes because of the intense feeling he's giving you, kissing him back with equal fervor, too frustrated you can't wrap your arms around his neck so you tightly cradled Sara's waist instead, and still too dumbstruck of why Kiyoomi is kissing you right now.

He leaned his forehead on yours, giving you both chances to catch your breaths. You smiled at him, about to ask him the question when, "Can you be my girlfriend, Y/n?"

And you chuckled at the question that confirmed your past deduction.

"But, Yoomi, Dai said you have to ask first before kissing." And you can't help but laugh at how Sara responded for you, you kissed her cheek in adoration.

"What she said, Yoomi."

"Is it always like that?" He pouted as you turned around to Shion, giving Sara to him to which the little girl understood and even gave you a thumbs-up.

Kiyoomi was baffled at how Shion carried Sara and was about to retort when you pulled him into you and kissed him again, this time wrapping your arms in his neck, him hugging you close by your waist and kissing you back.

And yeah, maybe it's true that Kiyoomi doesn't like you.

Because he was already truly, madly, and deeply in love with you.

"You don't have a girlfriend, sir."

"I will have soon, you know. Behave before I put you down and leave you."

"Should we stop them? The warm-ups will start at 5 minutes."

"Oh, don't be an ass, Meian."

"Someone take a picture of them."

"I feel so single."

Semi Eita | Sugawara Koushi | Kuroo Tetsurou | Akaashi Keiji | Kageyama Tobio | Oikawa Tooru | Miya Osamu

@rudecopper on twt for the icon

Reblogs and interactions are appreciated. Theories will be entertained. Cassie 2023.

[strawberriesatan]

Made a little fic,, guys I’m really nervous about posting my writing cuz it’s much less developed than my art but I must share my love for Erzajane with the world

[seaslimes]

Thinking once more about the F/F AO3 stats issue. Really struggling with the urge to write "issue" there too, LOL.

I know that call-to-action doesn't always go well, and that I exist as a drop in the bucket compared to millions of Tumblrites & AO3 users. But the curse of seeing yet another post which discusses how horri-bad these stats are, when the differences within the individual fandoms is often so manageable. It drives me insane.

There's a couple versions of these "wow, M/M fics are more popular and that's bad because of X issue" posts that have screenshots of laughable disparities. Stuff like 500 more M/Ms than F/Fs. That is a genuinely amusing number, because with the help from a fraction of the thousands who share any post like that, this very scary gap would cease to exist.

So, anyway. I'm considering some sort of fandom roundup wherein I have folks vote on a fandom with F/F to M/M "disparity" which I will then run a "break the ratio" event on. Encouraging people to write fics until the ratio evens. IDK, is that something that people would be interested in? I could be crazy but this rubber room squeaks and I think the rats are talking about me.

[haveihitanerve]

Jason does something and it pushes the JL over the edge and he wants to run but Dick wont let him. Cant let him. (sorry there is absolutely no plot for this i had the idea and bam i wrote it)

“Jason wait!” Dick hollered, following his younger brother into his apartment. “Stop, think about this!” He pleaded. “I have thought about it.” Jason growled gruffly, slamming his bag onto the counter, sending hundreds of things flying as he began roughly shoving things into it. “And I'm leaving. I won't stay here.” Dick blocked his path. “I can't let you do that.” Jason glowered at him. “And why fucking not? You made it clear since the moment I was robin you wanted me gone. And now I'm leaving. So let me.” Dick shook his head, eyes full of tears. “I can't. Because they'll blame him.” Jason scowled. “Blame who?” He growled. “Bruce.” Dick whispered. “Someone has to take the fall for this Jason, and he won't let it be you, you know he won't.” “bullshit.” jason barked brusquely. “He is your father and he will take the fall and the punishment and the death blow to keep them from going after you.” Dick's voice broke. “Please. I can’t have that.” “You'd pick him over me?” Jason seethed, not bothering to contradict any of Dick's absurd claims about Bruce being his father or taking the blame for him. That was crazy. Dick's eyes were full of tears but he nodded, even as Jason could see it rip him in two. Jason didn't care. “After everything he's done you would still pick him over me??” He bellowed. Dick slammed a hand into his stomach and Jason grunted in surprise, flying back and hitting the wall. “After everything he's done?” Dick screamed, half hysterical half, Jason couldn't identify the emotion on his older brother's face. “You mean save me from depression? Rescue you from the streets? Teach us to defend ourselves and protect us from the world? Pick us up off the floor after the worst nights of our lives and hold us close? Offer us home and food and safety and a family? You mean those things?” Dick stalked closer and Jason finally identified the emotion on his face. Rage. Pure, unbridled rage. “Bruce Wayne is my father and the best damn man I have ever known. I will not let him suffer your consequences again, I will not be Batman and watch Tim tear himself apart for this family again, I will not see Damian raised without a father, watch Steph and Cass and Babs disappear into themselves the way they always do when he's not there. Bruce saved us.” Dick's voice broke. “And I will not let him take the fall for you.” He shook his head. “Not this time. I’m sorry Little Wing.”

[biscuitrule]

Okay but like the iron trio having to go to an event like the met gala for a mission and lockwood absolutely eating up getting to walk the red carpet.

Bonus points if it actually ends up being Lucy and George that steal all the attention because (in skulls words) Lockwood’s whole posh thing is a bit generic.

[konohagakurekakashi]

any fic recs?

//Full disclosure. I'm not really up to date with Naruto-verse fanfiction, and those I do read are Kakashi centric and a little silly (naturally). Here are some gems I've come across:-

1. Branches by To Mockingbird (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/10631615/1/ )

This feels like being on acid. Kakashi gets sucked into an alternative dimension in which he is still the Jōnin-sensei of Team 7, but Minato-sensei is alive and the Hokage. Jiraiya and Tsunade-sama are married and Uchiha Itachi is a girl. A wild ride, with a lovely ending.

2. A heap of details, uncatalogued, illogical by 100 demons (https://archiveofourown.org/works/1116142 )

This is part 2 of a two piece, but can be read as a standalone. A Genjutsu goes wrong, Kakashi wakes up with the memories of his 14 year old self, much to the confusion of Team 7. The Team 7 dynamic is just the /best/. I love them to bits.

3. My Mr Ukki by Applepie (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/7094767/1/My-Mr-Ukki ).

A funny little one shot. I think we can all agree that Mr Ukki is the most underrated Naruto character. "My Mr Ukki's sick!" Kakashi wailed in a room full of ninjas. So naturally, everyone heard him. Then began, a plethora of misunderstandings. Just who is this mysterious Mr Ukki and what is his relationship with Kakashi - A secret lover? Also Tsunade-sama is a killer wingman in this one.

4. Man's best friend by Applepie

( https://archiveofourown.org/works/3858064 ) The ninken wage war against Mr Ukki for Kakashi's affections. Anything with Pakkun in it, is a must read- obviously! And again, it has Mr Ukki.

5. Hokage Kakashi by Mirror and Image (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/8175136/1/Hokage-Kakashi. )

A funny one shot during Kakashi's tenure as Hokage. Kakashi is made Hokage during the Pein Arc in this one and his near death experience has made him a bit mental (lies, he was actually born that way).

6. Uneasy lies the Head by Hiiraeth (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/11199743/1/Uneasy-Lies-the-Head )

Kakashi and Team 7 centric. The lengthiest one on the list. Takes place two years after the Fourth Shinobi War, with Rokudaime Kakashi being a terrible troll, just as nature intended. Troll behaviour warrants an almost successful assassination attempt, resulting in Team 7 rolling out the Hokage protection bubble-wrap. A good read and I believe there is also a sequel out/ongoing.

7. A warm impression by Hiiraeth (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12741017/1/A-Warm-Impression ) Minato-sensei meets Sakumo for the first time. I love the characterization. You can honestly read anything by Hiiraeth and won't be disappointed. Like at all.

That's it for now. I'll update the list as I go, but until then, these should do.

[candy8448]

2 new chapters

These aren't fics but just a compilation of fic ideas, incorrect quotes, headcannons, senarios and other things, mostly all new stuff i havent posted on tumblr before

Hc, incorrect quotes n others

Fic ideas

[sunfloweraro]

LUtober day 25: Blood Moon

Four gets the chance to apologise to an old friend.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 .

Wild had explained the blood moon phenomenon to the group hours in advance, and yet Four still found himself unnerved when the pure white moon became shrouded in blood-red. The world was painted in ruby red, and Four’s shoulders rose with discomfort in response.

Smoke swarmed over the land in patches, monsters bursting free with shrill shrieks and laughs that rang out from miles away. Four readied his sword, should any revive themselves near the group.

“Link?” Four flinched, swinging his sword in a wide arc—only to freeze before he tore the owner of the voice in two. It couldn’t be…

“Shadow?”

“Hey, Link,” Shadow said, his usual fanged smirk on his lips, even as he shifted nervously.

Four dropped his sword and lunged forward, latching onto his counterpart with a fierce embrace. Shadow made a noise of surprise, then returned the embrace with as much fervour. “I missed you,” Four murmured.

“Missed you too, you sap.”

“I thought you’d never come back… I tried—” Four shook his head. “I’m sorry—for what we did to you.” Words he had wanted to give the other for years, when they had treated Shadow so terribly.

But instead of scoffing, Shadow only laughed. “I know. I was always with you, and I forgave you years ago.”

“Really?”

“Of course, doofus. We were kids, and we didn’t know any better. You’re my person, Link, of course I forgive you.”

Four smiled, squeezing Shadow tighter, unwilling to let him go. “Will you stay?”

“I can’t,” Shadow confessed. “I’ll go with the blood moon.”

A sob nearly tore from Four’s throat. “I’ll get you back. I promise.”

As the blood moon began to clear, Shadow’s form fading in his arms, Shadow said, “I know you will. I’ll see you soon, Link.”

“See you soon.”

[illegiblehandwriting1]

went to the best store on the planet aka barnes & noble yesterday with my heart set on shakespeare and had a crisis over whether i should get Fantasy Space Lesbian Necromancers or Man in Coma Loses Memory and Saves Human Race but with Real Physics (both of which i have yet to read but desperately want to) so of course i walked out with hamlet and the four swords manga *sighs in nerd*

[2demondogs]

Javier imagine: your boyfriend gets pulled into the water by a big fish and fucking dies

[blucassiopeia]

Dangerous

"A prelude spin-off for an upcoming fic"

warnings: afab!reader, angst with comfort but not the one you expect, bit of NSFW but nothing explicit still, be responsible of what you're reading, mentions of pregnancy, 8.3k LONG, spanish and portuguese languages (translated)

An Oikawa Tooru x reader one shot

a/n: uhmm, more clues? be wary of the details?

A new country is scary for Oikawa Tooru. Yeah, sure, this is one step closer to his dream but he has left a ginormous part of him back in Japan. His life is there. She is there. She, whom he left for his dream so hastily, a dream he chose and will always choose over anything and anyone. And he's guilty.

But she smiled and let me go, he thought as he stared into the ceiling of his new room of 2 days. He figured he wasn't much as important as someone else that it was easy for her to agree on this. Why wouldn't she? Who was he to her to hold onto anyway?

She'll be fine without me. I'm gonna be fine. Everything will be fine.

Tooru continuously convinced himself as he sorted out the last boxes onto his apartment. It's still dusty, he decided to clean up after moving his things to their places. He declined Coach Blanco's help on this, don't wanna bother him more than his bothersome favor of letting him join the Argentinean League even though he's still processing his citizenship.

He met the team he'll be playing the day before, figured they were nice and was excited about a Japanese setter on their team, a fresh talent for the upcoming league. And Ushijima Wakatoshi and Kageyama Tobio aren't here, how extravagant.

The neighborhood was nice, the people more so. It's lovely and lively, even at nights. The culture was shocking but it's to be expected. Though, he'd still prefer Miyagi's countryside air over this bustling city life in the other side of the world. His heart was there. Homesickness still hasn't settled in hard, but it will be after a punch so hard it'll wake him up for what he had left but can't go back to.

"Someone's waiting for you across your street. At a bistro of sorts? I don't know but you'll know when you see them, Kawa."

It was a week after he moved to Argentina, and here is Hajime calling him. He thought his bestfriend will be checking up on him like his first day here, he unconsciously pouted out of habit.

"Who is it?"

"Just go and face them, you shitty mess."

Dejectively, he said "I'm not shitty, Iwa-chan.", pulling out his sweatpants and sweater ready for a chilly night outside.

He wondered who was it that's waiting for him. He has wild guesses, first was of course, Hajime. And, or maybe Issei and Maki. Or maybeー

His lazy paces turned excited as he thought of her waiting for him somewhere near, somewhere he can finally reach. Did she made up her mind on the offer? But what about her life in Japan? But, is she really here? That can be possible right?

The lights were dancing on Tooru's face as he ran from bistro to bistro in his street to find her, thrill showing in his face. He didn't even notice he was grinning already, a sincere grin he didn't flash publicly for over three weeks. He was expecting to see her.

He felt his knuckles tighten as he saw them though, one smirking, standing up, and one just lounging, seriously staring back at him. He shouldn't have expected for her, he should've expected for the worst, this worst. His grin turned devilish, the usual one he flashes when he's agitated over a play, the one he erased from his face whenever he's with her.

And you saw that face shift of Tooru's, frame by frame.

You knew him. Who wouldn't? Except for the fact that he's your neighbor next door, he's the only new blood around the area and the single ladies working for your family's bistro are instantly swooning over this new foreign specimen. Messy chocolate brown hair with chocolate brown eyes to match, that panty-dropping smile and voice, his outgoing personalityーto which you're not comfortable with, you don't know whyーand his skills for volleyball. You saw him once early morning at an outdoor volleyball court just off the block and figured he might be joining the province's volleyball league club so soon.

And this face shift now was new to you, evident too for having some of the ladies having eyes on this particular scene.

The two guys that ordered nothing but a tall glass of iced tea and fries has been at the same spot in the bistro for roughly three hours, speaking in a foreign language you know is Japanese, considering you heard Tooru once talking over the phone. You assumed that they're here for him, and you were right. But not this kind of right. You slowly detached yourself from behind the counter, taking off your apron.

And Tooru has just his eyes on the man standing and smirking at him. It has been over a year since Tooru last saw him, after he made an honest mistakeーwell, it's not really this man's mistake but Tooru thinks he had been toying with her feelings, one he really disliked of him up to this day. And of how the way the man is smirking at him right now, Tooru knows it's his turn to be misunderstood.

"It's been a while, man. 'Sup?" Tooru said so casually, walking up to their table at the side of the bistro.

The man scratched his brows and looked down, but Tooru knows he's seething. He smirked before hearing a "Yeah, it's been a while Tooru."

And Tooru felt it in his cheek, on his hip clashing to one of the empty table beside him, hard. This man has been playing volleyball for as long as him, it's not to doubt that he can throw a punch this hard too as much as he could spike, he can taste something metallic inside his cheeks, a sting on his lip. But Tooru just scoffed and grinned as usual, retaining his balance and stood face to face with him, dangerously close.

"HEY!"

If Tooru heard you, he didn't react, raging eyes focused on the man infront of him. But the other man seated between them turned his head to you, gray eyes dead contrasting the boyish grin he flashed and said, "Sorry. This is how we greet each other in our place. Don't call the cops. They will talk with each other nowー" and he turned to the two with a cold voice, "ーin a civilized manner, right?"

The man who punched Tooru groaned at what the gray-eyed man said and heeded, sat, pointed the seat in front of him, gesturing Tooru to sit there. That was when Tooru caught your eyes, deadpan and emotionless. He sighed, wiping blood off his mouth, seethed at the sting off his lip and sat down in front of his two visitors.

You walked back to your kitchen and got ice cubes, almost on instinct on your part. You came back out to their table with a glass of water and the ice cubes.

"Estás bien, Tooru?" But Tooru just shot his brows up without looking up and ran his fingers on the cold feeling of the compression sack of ice cubes.

Tooru's mind was hazy from the avalanche of presence in front of him and for the possible reasons why they are here, why they spared time and money to just deliver a punch from across the globe. He felt your eyes linger a bit more before sighing and leave. One thing was clear in his mind that moment, though. He wished someone to drag him out of that place.

"Why are you both here?"

"To ask you why THE FUCK d'you leave her like that."

He expected that question, and he knew the answer too well. It's just dumb to ask that to him, and the one who asked is just too dumb to ask without knowing himself that he's the answer. Tooru can't help but smirk. The slight scrunch on his lips sent miniscule shots of pain from the punch earlier.

Tooru can't believe they travelled to where he is just to ask that, personally. Well, maybe it was the punch that motivated them. And Tooru needed that, too, given what he had left.

"Can't believe you picked volleyball over her! AND you promised me! YOU PROMISED ME TOORU! FUCK!" Together with the raise of his voice, the table wobbled at his smacks on it, earning a groan from the other next to him, reflexively lifting the glasses of iced teas off the table in time.

"Hey! Not the iced teas! I'm gonna kick you!"

Tooru dead-stared at the man glaring at him and he flashed his evil grin at him, super annoyed of his cluelessness of the situation.

"You think if I picked her, she'll also pick me? No. She'll still pick you over anyone else." He stopped grinning, still dead staring, his following words are on a lower octave, menacing. "And you fucking know that."

"I love her and fuck, I want her to be happy even if you can't believe it. And if she's gonna be happy with you, thenー" Tooru spread his arms wide, his expression changing to melancholic. "ーI'm gonna welcome that fact with open arms."

The other man scoffed at his seat, still eating the fries he ordered. "You don't destroy the people you love, Tooru." The other man side-eyed the man beside him. "That goes for you, too."

"But you promised me." It was a mumble now, taking Tooru back 4 months ago when this man in front of him purposely meet and talked with him about Ran. "You promised to be with her until I come back."

"Not all people can take it. If this person right here with you can take it, I can't. There's just so much pain I can take if it's her."

"She's pregnant."

Tooru's eyes were slow to meet the man's eyes, his expression looked like he got pulled down a few meters more than it sank before. It was for a moment, but you saw it from the counter. Your eyes flickered curiosity and worry.

Tooru smiled sincerely to the men's surprise. "Then, go home. Be with her. She needs you. And congratulations.. on being a dad."

The man who Tooru declared a dad suddenly stood up, knocking his chair back, grabbed Tooru's collar with him and close to him, stared into his sad eyes. The man beside them groaned, but not at the collar-grabbing scene now but on what Tooru said.

"Fuck. You." The man sincerely spouted those words to Tooru's now smirking face. "FUCK YOU!"

But Tooru ignored him and turned to the man who's drinking his glass of iced tea from the tension. "'Samu, don't waste time. He had already wasted so much of it. Drag him back to Ran."

And he thankfully got a nice response as Osamu stood up and slap the man's hands off of Tooru's collar, "Let's go back to Japan."

"OSAMUー"

"I KNOW! I FUCKING KNOW! BUT I HAVE ALREADY TOLERATED YOU TOO FUCKING LONG! NOW DROP TOORU OFF!" Osamu breathed heavy, staring back at the still-aggravated man. The tension of the bistro has risen up and the dining locals are all-eyes to the scene in front of them. "Please. I don't want Ran to kill me if you get jailed from across the world. C'mon. You heard from Tooru already."

The man dropped Tooru's collar that slumped Tooru back to his seat as his knees buckled for some reason he clearly knew. He just stared straight ahead, off nowhere, muffled conversations he can't make up but he heard the man clearly said before leaving.

"Stay away from Ran. You left her, right? Then stay there and watch as I make her the happiest woman alive."

Those words crumbled his world, made him double guess his choice. He was so sure of this when he told Ran, even invited her to go with him even if he knew it's a shot to the moon. He was so sure because this is his life-long dream. But now..

You saw him still staring blankly to open space, not moving. Your ladies have sympathetic looks for him and asking if he's ever okay, can't they see that he isn't?

You were about to approach him after a good 30 minutes of no-nothing from Tooru when he suddenly stood up, "Lo siento por eso, Y/n." and went straight out of the bistro looking so sullen, without even looking at you, or anyone.

And that was just the start of your weird attraction to him.

You found yourself knocking on his door one early night off from the bistro, with a container full of pasta to share to him. You already distributed the good half of what's left to your other neighbors and you purposely left him last, coz maybe you'd want to check up on him too.

It has been a week since his encounter in the bistro, a week since you noticed him ever going out of his apartment. Your mama was quite worried for the young man after you told her what happened, urging you to talk to him being the only one around his age in the apartment building.

And alas! You're here. You fidgeted with your toes curling and relaxing, tapping the pads against your rubbery surface of your slippers. Why's he not answering? He not dead, right? He better not be. You knocked again, three loud knocks just to be sure.

You were about to do a set of knocks again when the door swung open, revealing a topless Tooru, emotionless eyes drooping and bloodshot, hair all over the place, his sweatpants hang low on his hips revealing the garter part of his boxers underneath. You revel in the way he stared at you as he leans on his door jamb, waiting for you to say something. That was when you realize that you're already rudely staring.

He cocked a brow that elicited your voice. "Pasta?"

He hummed and opened the door wider, an invitation for you to come in his apartment, and you took a step in. Later on, you'd regret ever stepping into his life too.

Your eyes swept through his place. It's messy, like he threw things all over the place. A broken picture frame with glasses all over them, a broken drinking glass too just off the counter, the mirror off the corner is cracked in the middle with blood in it, throw pillows scattered in his sala, and a picture frame on the carpet near the couch.

Glass plates clanked at one another as Tooru got one for the pasta and you noticed his knuckle that got dried blood on it as he placed the plate in front of you on the table. It was silent, except for the water dripping from his kitchen sink and of his hoarse breathing.

"Close the door when you leave. Gracias."

That was out from his cold voice, uncharacteristic from the outgoing Tooru that you knew. Your eyes trained at him as he lazily walked back to his couch and sprawled like nothing happened, fingers caressing the picture frame below.

You took a deep breath as you transferred the pasta to his plate and slid it inside his fridge. You took more deep breaths as you searched for his broom and fixed the mess around his apartment. He didn't utter a word, might've not heard of you as he has his eyes closed, a tear pending on the side of his eye. Asleep? That fast?

Your lips formed a thin line as you pursed them, padding quietly close to him to watch his chest heave as he breathes. Your eyes travelled to his arm draping down the couch and to his fingers touching the glass of the picture frameーof a beaming golden haired girl with him, also beaming and ruffling the girl's hair.

You bend over to pick it up, a hand reaching over the frame, but your soul flew out of your body when suddenly, Tooru's hand gripped your wrist so hard you winced. Your head whipped to the fully-awake Tooru, burning eyes on you. Your soul wanted to flee right then and there but you were frozen, enthralled by the hidden emotion on that raging brown eyes.

"I'm sure it's not in your culture to touch the things you don't own without the owner's consent." The grip on your wrist tighten more when you didn't answer seconds later.

"Lo siento, Tooru. Just wanna fix your apartment for you."

Tooru just hummed and picked the frame with the hand he used to grip your wrist, hugged it against his bare chest, back to closing his eyes. "Gracias. Close the door."

Rubbing the sting on your wrist, you made way for his door yet your hand lingered on the knob. You sighed, head craning up, contemplating if you should say it or not, or how would he respond or not, but there's nothing wrong in asking it right?

"Tooruー" Yep, you can't. "ーMama's having a welcome party for you on the weekend."

Tooru just hummed and a silence so deafening followed. Your eyes flew to the faucet of his kitchen sink and glared at it for being so traitorous.

"You come over, 'kay? You can bring anyone, e-even your team."

Silence again. You bit your lip and sighed. Okay, that's it for now, Y/n. That's it for now.

And you were glad you did ask him that night because when Saturday night came, he did show up with his team, Club Atletico San Juan. What you didn't expect was his composure. Tooru's back to being outgoing and has a friendly aura around him, he even smiled at you and your parents, thanking you for the party.

You were left confused all night, stealing glances on him as he laughs and converse with his team and some of the locals. He even caught you once, but he just smiled and raised his beer mug, and went back talking.

Now you know why you're uncomfortable with this kind of personality of Tooru's. You have already seen the surface of his other side.

You were deemed observant even before Tooru appeared, and this right here was spot on. You scrunched your nose and shook your head, shaking the thoughts off your mind. You knew you shouldn't be attached to this kind of man. He's dangerousーbut interesting. You caught yourself groaning, you wanna dump your head straight to a bucket of cold water.

"Y/n, Tooru's table."

Your mama pushed a tray with two buckets of beers and you heaved it up to take it to Tooru's table. He saw you coming and stood up to help you. You smiled at him and offered your gratitude but he surprised you when he held your hand and guided you to seatーon his lap. Jeers erupted the table,and of the place.

"You don't mind, Señor? Señora?"

He called out to your parents, your eyes flickering to your mama in the counter and papa just off a few tables, drinking with his pals, both just shook their heads in approval, tolerant to the newcomer. You attempted to stand up but he snaked an arm around your waist to ground you. His stern eyes flickered to you for a second before beaming his usual smile.

He handed a bottle to you, "Drink?" The smell of alcohol wafted across your face from Tooru's mouth. You stared at his now dancing chocolate eyes, red shade on his neck and cheeks up to his ears. You thought he's drunk already, how much did he drink anyway?

You sighed and took the bottle he offered, drank from it. You felt weird being this close with a stranger. Well, not totally a stranger, you had known him for roughly two weeks now. But stillー

You took notice of how his hand was caressing your thighs as he talks with his team as the night went on with you still on his lap, his hand on your waist creating gentle strokes that made your head fuzzy, added the alcohol in your system. That's when you decided to stop drinking. And Tooru took notice of that. He leaned back on his chair and guided your head to lean on his shoulder.

Shutting your eyes won't do the trick, you still felt eyes staring at you as you let him do what he wants. Fuck tolerance. Fuck.

"You're not comfortable?" He mumbled low, enough that you're the only one to hear. You sneered at him.

"Is this a payback for what I did in your apartment?"

"Not quite, cariño." You instantly blushed at the unexpected endearment, stomping at his feet to which he grinned momentarily and sighed thereafter, "Stay here with me for a while, por favor."

And you didn't know how the tone of his voice enchanted you to agreeing on staying at his lap, found yourself nuzzling on his neck a moment later to which he sighed and caressed your hair as he felt your breath on his neck. And you should find a right answer to the flooding questions from people later on. Right now, his proximity first. He needs you, and you understand him somehow. The questions can wait.

"Her name is Ran, Y/n."

Tooru slurred as he rolled over his bed after being dropped by his teammates back to his apartment. You got a warm towel at hand, done with wiping his body off of sweat and alcohol, fresh clothes that his teammates change him into. He's facing you right now, enjoying in the way your hands ran through his brown locks.

"She'sーI love her, so much. But the man you saw punched me? That was his boyfriend." He closed his eyes and smiled, tears were rolling down to his pillowcase and you looked at him solemnly.

"They're complicated, and I got in the way and now, got swooped out of the pictureー" He heaved a hard sigh, you taking notice of the toll it cost on Tooru. "ーlike how it was meant to be all along. I knew it would happen. I knew it will, butー" He opened his eyes, stared straight, not meeting your eyes, "ーI never knew it'll hurt this much. This is what I get from getting in between."

You cupped his face. "But, 'ñorito, there's nothing wrong with loving her. I think you're brave to still express your feelings even if she loves someone else."

"You don't destroy the people you love."

That line got stuck with you as the days went by.

Tooru got moving again, taking jogs so early in the morning you see him go as you're drinking your cup of coffee, blanket around you in your little balcony facing the street. And he got more friendly, the little kids try to imitate him but Tooru's pace is just much for them. And the ladies, oh the ladies, you can't help but palm your face and grin as he winks at them as he passes by, making the ladies squeal and giggle so early in the morning.

"He's drunk, and I was dizzy. That's all."

You have repeated that monotonous answer to all who asked about that Saturday night with Tooru. It was exhausting but still thankful that Tooru lets you answer the way you wantedーwell, there's nothing to change, it is what it is.

But your mama knew better.

"It's okay to get attracted, I'll understand, but guard your heart hija, mi amor."

You took deep breaths as you were assigned to bring Tooru's dinner to his table. He does this every night if he finish practice early. He takes dinner in the bistro in just a white shirt and gym shorts. But why does he looks more good like this? Is it the dried sweat lingering in his hairline? Or the way his face towel hangs on his shoulder? Or just his glittering chocolate orbs dancing to the bistro lights?

"Gracias."

You were about to turn back to the counter, wiping your hands on your apron as you intended to go. But you were pulled back by your elbow, hearing a squeal from your kitchen. Oh great. You smiled at the owner of the hand that's also beaming at you and offering half of his clubhouse sandwich.

"Eat with me?"

And it's always like this, him, inviting you to random activities like this. Eating dinner with him, dragging you to jog with him early in the morning, dragging you to his practice if you're off in the bistro, begging you to teach him how to cook Argentinean cuisines, stroll with him in the park when it's his turn for a dayoff, movie nights, movie nights, movie nights.

You don't know if it's sympathy for him being alone in a foreign country, heartbroken and still mending, while reaching for his goals or it's just yourself, fully attracted to him. You don't even know when and how did it started, you just find yourself one morning thinking what will he do to get your attention, or what favors will he be asking again. He eased in your life so easily with progressing favors and it's still barely a month.

"Mama! Borrowing Y/n for tonight!"

It just took a month to arrive to this night, the night that will change everything in you. You kept asking how the hell were you so easy to get for Tooru but it took the others over a year to get you. Thoughts swarming your head as he stared at you, him having laid his head on your lap looking up at you after you said something like, "Someone out there likes you Tooru, you're enjoyable to be with, no dull moments. You're hella attractive, take a hint from the ladies on the streets as you jog by. You might have some red flags but I believe you can work with that. AndーTooru, you're boyfriend material."

He got up, had his back against your thigh, a hand on the couch on your back caging you, and even if you're both seated, he's still looking slightly down at you. And he's dangerously close, you can't deny if he'll ever say he can hear your heart pound harder.

"Can I kiss you for that?"

You can feel the enchantment in his voice again, with an intense stare to match. You have to pause and think for a second. He's in a heartbroken state, and can easily be swayed with sweet words, thirsty for comfort. And you're the closest to get it from, as for now. You might be left behind, hell he might just forget this favor in the morning. He can be playing with you, teasing youーbut being aware of that annoying attraction you have for him, you fucking nodded, eye closed and anticipating.

You felt his hands ghosting on your face, keeping some strands away, caressing your cheek with a finger before cupping it with the delicate touch of his calloused hands. Then you can feel his breath fanning across your face, you sucked your breath from the closeness, your nails digging to your palm, and you heard him chuckle.

"Relax. Won't eat you."

You smirked, still with your eyes closed. "What a lie."

Then you felt it, his fluttering lips pressed onto yours ever so gently you felt it barely touched, brushed might be a good term before he pressed it firmly, and another one, and another until you can't take the teasing and your hands flew to the back of his neck and pulled him closer to kiss him back. Your eyes fluttered open when you pulled back, meeting his eyes full of shock and curiosity and amusement and you just rolled your eyes on him, rubbing a thumb on his skin.

His face is breaking a breathy smile when he felt your awkwardness from the way your arms loosened in his neck. "Can I touch you?"

You instantly felt fire in your cheeks, swallowed a lump on your throat and Tooru sees how your reactions danced in your face, frame by frame. And he is amused by it, much more when you nodded.

He smiled at you before going for a deep kiss, poking his tongue onto your lips for entry, and you granted him access, running your hands on his hair slightly tugging. You can't help but moan at how his tongue flicks against yours, and how his hands wander on your thighs, rubbing so sensually. Then you yelped when he lifted you up to his lap, straddling him and capturing your lips again.

Tooru's hands travelled up your skirt, gripping your ass and smirked through your kiss, realizing you just wore your thong. You pulled away enough to mutter a "Shut up, Tooru." And you smashed your lips back to his, hungrily kissing him and groaning the constant teasing of his fingers in your underwear's garter.

"Can I do more?" He asked after a few good minutes of kissing and groping, his breath heavy, eyes hazy with lust. "Fuck. Please, let me do more."

You tilted your head, mocking him and you laughed when he groaned and buried his head on your chest. You're no better, you can feel wetness from between your thighs and it's just a matter of time before he notices that, and he will still tease you no matter what so you lowered your hips, lining your wetness to his hard-on and started grinding, earning an animalistic groan from him.

"Fucking shit. You're wet already, mi amor. Lo sienーfuck."

You moaned as he tightened his grip on your waist, guiding it down and faster. "I'm gonna ravish you, okay?"

He didn't waited for your answer as he captured your gaping mouth and swallowed your moans. You can feel his finger swiped through your wetness before lifting you up to his room and down to his soft mattress. And even if this is the first time seeing him above you like this, you know you can't get enough of this sight. It's so captivating, swallowing your thoughts whole, ignoring the danger alerts from your system. You won't have this any other way.

Tooru woke up to a soft grip around his waist, a comfortable weight on his draped arm. Thoughts from the previous night came reeling and he sighed, pulling you closer by your head and kissed your hair to which you hummed and nuzzled your head to his neck.

He stared at the ceiling, remembering the conversation that led you to his bed. His face soured as he reached for his phone. It was muted the whole day yesterday for some reason he can't stomach but the curiosity is killing him now.

☆ VOLLEYBALL IDIOTS ー MAIN ☆

JZJ | Runa

Aaahh, sorry Ran! I can't! Just share more pictures pleasee!

JZJ | Yuuji

HAH! NO!

DON'T!

JZJ | Runa

Booger!

ITC | Yoomi

Stop being a bully for once.

STZ | Kenjiro

Please send pictures.

CRW | Kei

Tsk. @Rintaro Suna

CAT | Kai

Ran said you have to give two gifts if you didn't attend even the reception, LOL.

DT | Kenji

I'm attending the reception! Fuck!

@Mai Nametsu PM

SJ | Hajime

I have proxies there.

SJ | Maki

who? 😏

SJ | Issei

WHO? 👀

SJ | Hajime

🌵

FOX | Rintaro

*sent 12 pictures*

Tooru Oikawa left the group

FOX | Samu

LMAO

Osamu Miya added Tooru Oikawa to the group

@RAN'S PLUSHIE he's escaping

RAN'S PLUSHIE

LOL

@Tooru Oikawa as promised

*sent 1 picture*

SJ | Tooru

👍

CRW | Hisashi

Awkward....

CRW | Tobio

@RAN'S PLUSHIE don't use your phone while at your own reception

TOBIO'S Y/N

Oh.

RAN'S PLUSHIE

Heyyy! I'm sorry! But are y'all enjoying??

Tooru discarded his phone to his nightstand, the pictures sent embedded in his mind too late. All he could do was card your locks, closing his eyes, prohibiting any tears to fall from his eyes.

He has to accept it. He did this to himself. Now he has to face it. And begrudgingly dragging you to the mess that he is. He'll regret this, but what's there to mess more in his life?

His phone kept ringing and buzzing as the days went by. He's back to his usual routine, morning jogs, day to afternoon practices and nights with you. As you moan in his ears as you came the fourth time a month after your first hook up with him, he can't shake the thought that why is it so hard to detach himself from Ran and make space for you in his heart other than this heated relationship you have with him.

You're kind, and thoughtful, you understand him, saw his darkest parts, and you're gorgeous. He kept throwing glances to those men who checks you out when you're out jogging with him, even some of his teammates are checking you out he glared at them once. He's.. protective of you. All he knows is he wants you near him, like this. You somehow provide comfort in his messy world, a pillow to hug through his lonely life. And he has to somehow repay you, other than being a fuckbuddy.

So, he started cooking for you when he comes back to his apartment from practice, helping in the bistro on his days off, giving you random sunflowers picked from the park you had to smack his arm everytime through your blush. He's not oblivious to your budding feelings, and he'll be damned he knows it, unable to reciprocate it.

"Where are we going?"

He huffed as he cruised through the road out of the city, bags for a week packed on the back seat.

"The team's got a friendly match in Mar del Plata, can't leave you behind." He side eyed you and smiled, his features in the sunrise looked so dazzling as always.

And you were debating with your heart again, continuously asking what kind of relationship is this. You never dared opening up the topic, afraid that opening it up would instantly end whatever this is. And you're sure you're not ready for it to happen.

Your train of thoughts were halted when he hummed, "Y/n, just wanna let you know I'm in the roster already, training to be their starter setter. If I acquire my citizenship within three months, I can join the leagues in November."

You grinned at him, a leg propped on your seat as you turn your body to face him. "I knew you could do it, Tooru. Tan orgulloso de ti."

Tooru's hand reached for your thigh and squeezed it, nonverbally thanking you for the support. And it stayed there for hours, through the talks about his life in Japan and about his friends, until you fell asleep through the drive. And you shall know though, many years from now, that it's the most peaceful drive Tooru had in his life, with you just slumbering away while he drove across the country.

Nothing much to do in Mar del Plata other than being in their practices and on the actual match later that week, professional volleyball player Oikawa Tooru on full display. When in court, you can see his glow, brighter than how the sunshine reflects on his face every morning when he cuddles you after a steamy fuck the night before. Of course, this is his life-goal, and you're just his.. go-to.

You can't help but be sullen whenever the thought hit you. And more so that night out after the game with the other team.

The other team, you discovered, were on friendly terms with Tooru's team for years and both of you are new to them so basically, you're the center of attention tonight.

"Tooru, si? How's CA San Juan?"

"They're exceptional."

"Have you been always a setter?"

"Yes, since middle school."

"Why Argentinean League?"

Evading conflicts. "Wanna go against certain players in the future as national players."

You leaned your head at his shoulder as he offered that white lie to them, fiddling with your phone. The teams jeered at how Tooru answered it and encouraged him more on being a national player. You smiled, but dropped almost immediately when the captain of the other team raised the question.

"Who is she? Your girlfriend?"

Tooru turned his head to you, peeked through your lashes and you smiled, "No." You leaned away from him almost immediately as you answered. And Tooru stared at you at the rest of the night, silent, even through the drive home the day after.

There was nothing wrong with how you answered the question, right? You're just stating facts. You're not clearly his girlfriend, because clearly he's not yet over Ran, his love of his life. You peeled your eyes from his pheripherals. You can't let Tooru see how your eyes saddened.

And sadness and nausea pulled you to sleep.

"ーIwa-chan. She's.. I don't knowー"

"You're clearly making her a rebound, Shittykawa."

"No."

"Don't confuse yourself. Don't hurt her in expense of your comfort."

"I'm not, Hajime, IーI can drop everything I worked hard, for her, to stay with her."

"ARE YOU NUTS!?"

"Nー"

"THAT'S THE GOAL OF YOUR LIFETIME, SINCE PRIMARY AND YOU'RE GONNA DROP IT!?"

"Tone down. She might hear you, she's just sleeping."

"What the fuck, YOU'RE CRAZY!"

"I can'tーHajime, not her. Not again."

"YOU'RE JUST SEEING TSUKISHIMA RAN IN HER!"

"Tsk. If you can't drop your tone down, I'm ending the call."

"THEN END IT I DON'T WANNA TALK TO YOU! YOU'RE FRUSTRATING! THAT'S OUR GOAL AND YOU'RE JUST GONNAー"

You heard him huff, clearly frustrated of his bestfriend and you noticed he sped up to the last stretch to town. He didn't notice you were awake, good, because you don't know how to react to that conversation.

Your attention was on your belly and a tear escaped from your eyes. You swallowed hard as you waited patiently to be on the confines of your home.

Tooru barged in your room on a weekend after the Mar del Plata trip, catching you barfing on your bathroom sink. "Bad pasta." You had said to reassure him, smiling over your shoulder. He rubbed your back after he had gone to get you a glass of water.

You had to inform him of your college plans out of the country. You knew it was sudden, but you needed this. And maybe now's the best time, considering he might've seen the luggages all around your room.

"Tooru." You called his attention while wiping your face. Damn, bad pasta. "I'll be going to Rio de Janeiro for college in the fall." No brakes, just go straight ahead, Y/n. If you get caught up, it'll destroy you both.

And you had to veer your eyes away from his, offering a smile you don't know if it's sincere or no.

"Y/n?"

"I have been planning this even before you came." Go on, Y/n.

"Can I come with you?"

You shook your head, smile still plastered at your face as you turn to him. "No, Tooru. You'll be getting your citizenship soon and the team needs their fresh setter."

"How about your parents?"

"They'll be staying in the country, but they're going back to Rio Gallegos."

His eyes went wild, searching for something in your eyes. Is it panic that you're seeing? You suddenly felt bad. You just wanted to be in his room, in his arms, like last week, like the weeks, months before that.

"The bistro?"

"Will be turned over to Tiá Carmellita."

"Y/n, you're leaving me."

Osamu's was the name right? words that night in the bistro slammed to you like a trailer truck. You took Tooru's hand and kissed it. "I'll be back before you know it. First, you have to make your dreams come true here, in San Juan, okay?"

Tooru's head was swimming on a pool of oil or tar where he can't get out of. Seeing you packing, the thoughts of you leaving is plaguing him like locusts. And he can't say anything, clearly baffled of what's happening in front of him, and on inside of him. What's happening to him?

He got his own taste of medicine, getting left for their own goals. And you, of all people, is doing that to him, makes the pain doubling him over to the edge of sanity. But he's confused. Why is he feeling this for you?

But you'll come back, right? Yeah, you'll come back. Nothing to be worried about.

Though, he still rushed to the airport to see you one last time for the promised four years of being away. And that too, he failed to do, and without knowing you waited two hours for him to come by, guessing you're not that important to him, and it's still volleyball Tooru's prioritizing. And definitely, you couldn't hold onto what he said to his bestfriend over the phone. And he said to keep in touch, but you have no plans to.

Being with him is dangerous for you, and for the little growing pasta inside of you.

You're cradling your little bundle of joy of a three-month-old to sleep as you heard a knock on your door. Must be the food delivery, your mouth instantly watered and you rushed for the door.

You were greeted by an orange-haired man, all dressed like the usual delivery man of your favorite restaurant nearby. Though, you were familiar of him for he had moved two apartments down your unit and.. he's clearly Japanese.

"Thank you, Shoyo. Come in and get the money in that table." You nudged your chin to the high table beside your mirror just off the sala.

"Seu bebê está dormindo, Y/n?"

"About to." And you turned to face your baby to Shoyo, and he instantly cooed and poked her fluffy cheeks.

"Adeus Thalia~"

"Adeus Tió Shoyo~"

And he's about to go out the door when you called out to him. "Shoyo, relax, you'll gonna be fine." Because you noticed him in his first month that he's nowhere okay, probably missing home like that achingly familiar guy. Shoyo nodded at you, lips quivering and bowed, clutching the strap of his delivery bag. When he was gone, you sighed deeply thinking you're seriously plagued with Japanese neighbors.

The days went by and you decided to expose your baby to the sunshine and to people. You just hope she'll be a good pasta out there, hoping she's as sociable as her father. And you were thankful that she is, as she flapped her fat arms to passerbys as you head for the beach. You remembered Shoyo and his friends are lounging here when they got nothing to do, except for Pedro that's probably cooped up on his room.

But suddenly, Thalia went rigid in your arms and after three months of taking care of this cute pasta, you knew what was happening as she started getting whiny and whimpering. You kissed her cheeks and turned back to your apartment. And that's when you heard it..

"Oikawa-san!"

"ChibiーAh! Shoyo!"

Your breath went suddenly restricted, you feel your feet wobbled you held on tight to Thalia, forcing your steps towards the path to your apartment.

"What are you doing here Oikawa-san?"

"Uh, that's my question, thanks. Don't steal it."

Faster, Y/n. Before he notices you and your crying pasta. Fuck. What are the odds. WHAT ARE THE ODDS!

"Y/n?"

You froze and looked up, the captain of Tooru's volleyball team staring down at you, surprised. He might've seen your watery eyes and silent plead because he suddenly nodded and just went on like he didn't see you. But seeing Thalia.. You silently battered yourself in your thoughts for being so dumb. You should've known!

You were crying hard as you changed Thalia's diapers, and she's crying with you as you rock her, kissing her head. It was just his voice, but it has already this big of an effect on you. You missed him, so bad, but you can't destroy the ones that you love.

And he's just seeing Ran in you.. you can't indulge in him anymore. You're thankful for Thalia, butー

You froze as you heard a knock, your fear of him taking over.

"W-who is it?" You squeaked as you took a look at your peephole.

"It's me. Pedro." You sighed, but not near to be relax. You opened your door and let Pedro in.

"Você está bem? Your eyes areー"

You placed Thalia in her cot as she got tired of crying and now is sleeping. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Uh, just heard Thalia's cries, thought you might need some help?"

You quickly wiped a tear fallen to your cheeks, "Nope. Thank you. Shoyo? Is he home?"

He paced to your dining, and you just noticed the plastic bag on his hand as he placed it on the table. "Nope. But he sent this for you. He also sent for me, too. So.." He studied you for a minute and let his thoughts go, "Eu deveria estar indo. Knock when you need help, okay?"

You nodded as you smiled at him. You wanted to say you wanted to leave Rio, leave a place again just to be away from him completely. You exasperatedly closed your eyes, rubbed your forehead on all the things you're already planning, then your eyes flew to your sleeping pasta.

For Thalia. You'll endure anything.

You just hope he'll be gone after a few days. He should go after a few days. And within that wait, you'll be staying in your apartment. Thalia's exposure to the sun and to the public can wait, just for a few days.

And Tooru was conflicted on being in Rio, to where you said you will be. You haven't contacted him for over a year already, and it's bothering him to the core, much more bothered now than finding out that Ran got twins. He just wanted to see you, be with you, but how can he be with you if he can't even reach you?

And he saw Shoyo instead, glad and might be a little terrified at the evolution he's showcasing Tooru. But still a little clumsy as he said he lost his wallet, so he treated him dinner, and his friends. He told him there's this woman with a newborn in his neighborhood and when Shoyo decided to part his dinner with her, Tooru just ordered a few more for her, without knowing it was you.

He wasn't expecting to see you though, after a year of no contact he thought he was ghosted, just left behind with no traces. But a few years from now, he'll realize he had left a big part of him on you.

"You're kidding me."

Osamu gasp at something Tooru can't figure out from across the table. Shoyo was between the Miya Twins and they're looking at something on his phone. On times he got scared of Osamu, it was always related to Ran, the last one being 7 years ago at a haunting bistro off the streets of San Juan.

Tooru was shocked, as every athlete inside the joint restaurant of Moon and Onigiri Miya in Shibuya crossing, when Osamu grabbed Tooru's collar from across the table.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Tooru?"

"What is your problem now?"

Osamu snatched Shoyo's phone and shoved it to Tooru's face.

Tooru's eyes were achingly slow to reach the Shoyo's phone screen because of his irritation. He was already sleepy and he just wants to go back to his apartment. But no, the heavens have other plans.

He saw you in Shoyo's phone, and his shaky hands reached out to hold the phone yourself, wide eyes and tears running down his cheeks as his eyes fixed on a little girl beside you.

"What the fuck, Oikawa."

"What's happening?"

"There's this kid that looks a lot like him."

"And?"

"Osamu?"

"We met her in San Juan, Shoyo. You didn't even thought about that? How dumb can you be?"

"Yeah, boke. But what? A kid?"

"Thalia's 7 years old now."

"Wait till Hajime hears this, Tooru."

"You're one messed up dude, really."

But he's deaf of the judgments around him. His attention was on you, and his probably little girl. No, not probably, he was sure it's his. She has the same chocolate brown hair and eyes.

He smiled through his tears and faced Shoyo who was just staring at him, waiting for him to say something.

"Y/n's that friend that I told you about, with a newborn."

Tooru closed his eyes, he never realized he was already that close to seeing you. Why didn't youー

"She said Thalia's father is just seeing her as someone else so she never told him she was pregnant. And Y/n's too invested in making that man's dreams come true without her, so she decided to escape from his grasp." Shoyo tilted his head on Tooru in brooding annoyance. "You don't destroy the people you love. She would always say that everytime I ask her why won't she go back, but that applies to you too, huh, Oikawa-san. And twice at that."

The place fell silent at Shoyo's words, except for Osamu's whimpers at the familiarity of the quote he once said at that bistro.

Tooru fell back to his chair, Shoyo's phone falling to the table with a loud thud. His composure was like a broken dam and a series of fucks and what the hells were muttered 'round the place.

"Where is she now, Shoyo? She deserves my apology."

Tooru heard Hajime but his cries came flooding on his system. He didn't even realize he loves you this much until now. Oh what irony.

"She's still at the apartment. I can call her if you're both coー"

"Don't. If she knew Tooru's coming, she might evade him again."

"Tooru-oni, stop crying, you look dumb."

Ran's 7-year old son, Takeshi, was previously seating in Kiyoomi's lap and now he's infront of Tooru, offering his hanky to him. Tooru sniffed hard and wiped his tears, and smiled to which Takeshi scrunched up his nose. So much like his mother. He took the hanky from his little hands and kissed his head. Takeshi made way to Tooru's lap and sat there, cringing at how Tooru blew his nose.

But Tooru hugged Takeshi, kissing his head more, to which Osamu rubbed his face exasperatedly and walked out. "'Keshi, you'll be staying with me tonight just until mama's home, okay?"

"Haiii~"

And Tooru felt Hajime's hand on his shoulders, tapping, encouraging him on facing you a week from now.

But by now, you're not afraid of him anymore, instead you're just waiting for him to find you again, like what the fate did seven years ago. And Thalia's ready for his father, too, but Tooru should expect her grumpiness and competitiveness as she had taken it from him.

"Oikawa Tooru, mama?"

"Si, mi amor."

"He's a dangerous volleyball idiot."

And you laughed. Yeah, he's a volleyball idiot, alright. But dangerous? Hm, nope. He's actually soft and a crybaby that you would want to comfort and protect for all eternity.

Estas bien? ー You, okay?

Lo siento por eso ー I'm sorry for that

Gracias ー Thank you

Cariño ー endearment for lover

Por favor ー Please

'ñorito (señorito) ー gentleman, sir, (but yn intended to humor him)

hija ー little girl

mi amor ー my love

Tan orgulloso de ti ー so proud of you

Seu bebê está dormindo? ー your baby is sleeping?

Adeus ー bye

Você está bem? ー are you okay?

Eu deveria estar indo ー I should be going

Semi Eita | Sugawara Koushi | Kuroo Tetsurou | Akaashi Keiji | Sakusa Kiyoomi | Kageyama Tobio | Miya Osamu

Reblogs and interactions are appreciated. Theories will be entertained. Cassie 2023.