#honedtalent

[shrapnelsong]

@honedtalent sent:

[ text ] isn't that your miyuki-san with the giants?

[ text ] he's still a ways away from the likes of me, of course!

[ text ] but good on him

Alice had sent him a selfie from the Tokyo Dome to keep their little personal tag game going. Of course, with Oikawa-san being an international player, his selfies from the various countries and courts he actually played in were a lot more impressive, but she enjoyed getting to see the sillier side of him that he didn't post to his socials.

She'd been too overwhelmed by everything during the game to notice the replies, only checking them on her way home. Him mentioning Miyuki-san came as a bit of a surprise. She was wearing his jersey, but his name was on her back and Oikawa couldn't have seen it in the picture. Smiling to herself, she wondered how exactly he'd come across that information, but was happy enough to see the compliment.

If anyone unfamiliar with the volleyball superstar read the brief exchange, they'd probably think he was being facetious or sarcastic. Actually... Some of his friends might think so too, to be honest. But she knew he wasn't one to give compliments - not even jokingly - so he'd meant what he said.

[ text ] He's not my Miyuki-san ww

[ text ] But yes! He is playing for the Giants! Isn't it amazing? ٩(◦`꒳´◦)۶

@museguided :3c

[museguided]

@shrapnelsong sent: [ text ] Do you remember Oikawa-san? I was chatting with him today and he congratulated you on going pro :) Not with those exact words, of course. But it's the sentiment that counts!

(I lost the ask but I found the gdoc I saved it in orz)

[ text ] Who?

But it only takes him a few seconds to recall the guy—the volleyball player from Sendai. Sakurazuka had only mentioned him a few times in passing, staying in touch with him and his team activities throughout high school and after. Kazuya may have only met him once, but he had left quite the impression back when he was a second year.

With that in mind, surely that guy had wanted to achieve greater heights in his own career as well. Now that his phone could handle it, his family name was all he needed to search for articles tied to his given name—and from there, the Argentina national volleyball team. The leading headlines on the first page, which marked his ongoing success, had Kazuya baring his teeth in a sharp grin as he skimmed the details.

Since childhood, he dreamed of going pro, but his ambitions never extended beyond Japan’s top level. Tokyo was his home, and he didn’t think the ties he held could withstand any distance farther than the nation’s borders. He was fine with things as they were, but seeing Oikawa thrive across the sea certainly made him think.

[ text ] I’m surprised he has the time to talk when he’s competing on the world stage!

Of course, he will expect her to translate what he meant, too.

[xiplicity-a]

"don't you have something to say to me today, kyoken-chan? maybe something to give me~?"

     The initial sneer that automatically twists his expression whenever Oikawa’s around disappears for a moment once he considers the question. For all the times he had done nothing but blatantly insult him, what could he expect to be different about today? Brows furrow and his frown deepens, pricks of annoyance beginning to make itself known as he mentally goes through the events of this month. As far as Kyoutani’s concerned, however, nothing about today is worth his time.

     Twisting the volleyball in his hands, he shakes his head. “Wasn’t planning on it- but I guess,” he shoves the ball toward the captain, “you can set for me.” Of course, he could guess what Oikawa was hinting at- Kyoutani didn’t think he would ask for anything otherwise- but he didn’t want to sound like he cared.

[chsskng]

@honedtalent |  ★

seeing  him  always  made  something  boil  in  the  deepest  depth  of  his  stomach  (  partially  from  the  deep  rooted  tree  of  old  hatred  that  was  now  sprouting  leaves  of  new  found  respect  ),  kageyama  had  found  that  the  only  way  to  stop  it  was  to  face  him  head  on.  and  while  it  had  gotten  surprisingly  easier  to  do  so,  it  was  still  something  that  required  a  build  up  of  courage.  his  teeth  bite  down  on  the  centre  of  his  tongue  before  he  bothers  to  say  anything;  “  you’re  graduating  this  year. ”  

[shrapnelsong]

@honedtalent asked for a [ soft action ]

[ COMFORT ] receiver sits sideways,  cradled in sender’s lap. 

It feels like a lifetime passes while they're apart, and when they do get together, she has to stop herself from letting minutes anxiously count down in her head. Enjoy the moment as it happens instead of worrying about when it'll end.

Whenever she feels herself too clingy and pulls away to give Tooru some space, he promptly brings her back, wraps her arms around him with an accusing look that tells her not to do it again. It soothes her heart, knowing he feels the same need to be in constant physical contact .

Alice finds herself showering quicker - when they don't shower together in the first place - just to get back to his side, toweling her hair dry and slipping into soft sleeping clothes before quickly returning to the living room. But seeing him there, sitting comfortably on her couch watching an international match, brings her pause.

Her heart swells. Her home is home with her. Without wasting another second, she boldly walks up to him and takes her rightful place on his lap, curling into the embrace that naturally follows. The little kiss to the top of her head has her letting out a girlish giggle and Alice buries her face in his chest, pressing her lips to his heart.

"I love you, baby."

[shrapnelsong]

having an important match right on your girlfriend's birthday. many would call that bad luck. he just takes it as a chance to show off. his plays are extra sharp and he scores personally more often than normal. they're on their way to a solid win and he's sitting alone at the bench between sets, going over strategies in his head when he notices a camera on him. smiling, he blows a kiss with a wink, knowing she's watching. wait for me, baby. i'll see you soon.

@honedtalent 🎂

Being on tour made it harder to carve out time to do much of anything that wasn't on the schedule, but her staff and her fans made sure to send her all the best wishes and little gifts wherever she went throughout the week. It made her feel wonderful and a little less lonely during the long hours of traveling from city to city.

She didn't have a show on the actual day and was allowed and managed to spend the first half of the day just resting and getting in touch with her family and friends who happened to be scattered all over the world. At night, she had everyone join her in her hotel suite to enjoy a nice dinner. Of course, Tooru's game was playing in the background and they all forgave her whenever Alice found herself distracted from the conversation by a particular showy play.

He was even more amazing than usual. Seeing him shine never failed to send her heart racing since they were in high school together. With the small break between sets, Alice figured she could take a break to catch her breath as well. Grabbing a drink and snacking on some of the finger foods around, she was taking a sip when the camera focused on Tooru and nearly choked when he blew a kiss.

Color rose to her cheeks as everyone around her laughed affectionately. "We all know who that was for." Her assistant said with a grin and Alice couldn't help the wide smile across her own lips.

[shrapnelsong]

happy birthday, nat! i wish you all the best and hope everything is going well! you'll always be a great friend and person i think very fondly of and i definitely miss writing with you just as much as i miss reading your amazing writing on my dash. hope you have a great day.

Mike!!! Hi!! Thank you so much! You're such a sweetheart! I've been meaning to come back to tumblr. I miss writing so much! But my building and my apartment have been stuck in renovation hell for like, two months and I'm working long home office hours on top of that so it's been hard skdjfhsd But ahhh, thank you so much for remembering!! <33

[shrapnelsong]

happy birthday, Nat! we might not be writing together all that often anymore but you'll always be a great friend i treasure a whole lot. all the best for you

Mike! Thank you so much! I love our chats and plots so much even if we never get to actually write them out <3

[shrapnelsong]

Happy Birthday, Alice! 

@honedtalent​ asked: has an exhausting week ahead of him. a trip from argentina to japan amounts to an entire day and matching up timezones and schedules adds another layer of careful planning. arrives back in his native country with enough time to freshen up at a friend’s home before heading to her studio. waits outside for a bit, looking up when he hears the door and smiling at the look on her face. that makes it all worth it. “do i count as a gift?” a cheeky grin despite the fact that he’s holding a plum blossom arrangement and a ring whose cut is her namesake in his pocket. “happy birthday, sakura-chan.”

     A long distance relationship between different prefectures and rival schools is hard enough, let alone between two continents, but they make it work. As much as being unable to see each other in person can be a little disheartening on special days, they both put in effort to make up for it in other ways. Tooru was the first to wish her a happy birthday, a whole two days before the actual date because he would be traveling nonstop and couldn’t promise he’d have good service. Throughout that time, she constantly went back to their chat and read the message again, smiling quietly to herself and saving all those emotions for when they could see each other again.

If anything, all the longing fuels her work. She could compile several albums with all the love songs that come to her when she finds herself missing him for the smallest and strangest things. A lot of those end up too personal to send off to other artists, sometimes even for her own discography, and she keeps them hidden in her heart, sheets and sheets filling up a music book that no one is privy to. Spending another birthday with the man she loves in an opposite timezone put her in that exact mood and she settles for a solo session with her piano, letting her heart sing in the privacy of her personal recording room.

By the time lunch comes around, everyone was to take her out to celebrate, and while she’s not exactly in the mood, she thankfully accepts, not wanting to be completely alone right then. One step out of the studio and she idly wonders if she isn’t still asleep. That can’t be Tooru waiting outside, can it? Alice doesn’t bother to check if it is a hallucination or not, throwing herself into his arms with reckless abandon.

“Absolutely it counts!” She says to his chest, hugging him tightly and willing herself not to cry. “I can’t believe you’re here...” Her voice betrays her, full of all the emotions she’s been saving up for him. “You’re the best gift I could have asked for.”

[shrapnelsong]

@honedtalent​ asked: ‘ I just want to hear your voice. ’ [ sweet & sour ]

     They talk to each other every day. If not a call, at least several messages throughout the day. She loves hearing from Tooru whenever he manages to take some time from his training, but being well aware of the twelve hour difference between them, getting a call in the middle of the afternoon immediately worries her.

“Hey... are you okay?” Getting confirmation that nothing is wrong, she holds a hand to her chest in relief, but she can hear how tired he is in his voice. “Having trouble sleeping?” Suddenly filled with a nervous sort of energy, Alice takes a seat by the couch, bringing a cushion to her lap and holding it close to try and ease how much she wishes she could be there for him.

“I’m right here, baby.” Her voice is full of longing and affection, hoping that it can serve as any sort of comfort to him. A tiny, timid smile tips her lips as she counts the days left until they can see each other again. “Want me to sing you something until you fall asleep?”

[shrapnelsong]

@honedtalent​ asked: he knew she'd be sending him something for valentines, but not that she would have her handmade gift delivered to his place all the way from tokyo. white day arrives and he places an order with a local flowershop: a small bouquet of white lilies and pink rosebuds, as well as a box of white chocolates and pink marshmallows to match. "happy white day, sakura-chan~! i'll see you tomorrow ☆"

     A knock on her door on a Sunday afternoon is quite unusual, and when she opens it to find a delivery of flowers, Alice immediately knows who they’re from. Charmed, she smiles and signs for it, giving the delivery person a nice tip and bringing the gorgeous gift inside. Humming to herself, she finds a glass vase and fills it with cold water enough to keep the stems submerged. Phone in hand, she takes several pictures, both with the box of chocolates closed and opened, trying out different angles and lightings just for fun. She has no intention of actually posting them at first, but they turn out so lovely that she just might...without divulging the sender, of course. They might no longer be neighbors, but she will never underestimate the reach of his fanclub. 

Realizing that she has yet to read the card, she quickly puts down her phone and mentally berates herself for the rudeness, opening the little envelope nestled between two flowers and pulling out the card. Tomorrow? Of course he knows, but is he coming over? A call is only two taps away and she waits for him to pick up with a little flutter of excitement in her chest.

“Oikawa-san. Thank you so much for the gift! It’s beautiful!” Alice can feel how big her smile is in her cheeks, and she’s sure he can hear it in her voice too. “Am I seeing you tomorrow, though?” 

[shrapnelsong]

@honedtalent​ asked:  “Did you touch yourself, thinking of me?” [ Sunday Special Starters & Symbols ]

     With traveling all around the world being an integral part of both their jobs, keeping track of timezones could get quite difficult after a while. Alice was up late, having an important meeting with a client who happened to be in yet another timezone altogether. What upset her the most; however, wasn’t the fact that she was further messing up her sleep schedule, but rather that she was missing one of Tooru’s matches. As soon as the call was over, she pulled up the live feed and managed to see the last few plays, smiling at the sight of his team celebrating.

Sighing quietly, she brought the documents she needed to look over to bed with her and flopped down onto the mattress, reaching for her phone by the nightstand to take a quick selfie and send it his way. [ Congratulations! I only caught the last few minutes, but I’ll watch the entire match tomorrow. Have a goodnight, baby ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁) ]. With a small smile, she set the phone away and started reading. Being tired but not quite sleepy wasn’t the best frame of mind to go through important documents with, but she could at least get a head start. She was turning the page when a notification had her checking her phone again, opening a message from him and very nearly dropping the device.

[ Thanks, babe! I’ll talk to you later, then. Don’t work too hard! ] was a nice, sweet message to receive while working overtime. But the selfie that came with it had a different mood to it altogether. Tooru was still in the team’s uniform, standing in front of a mirror that showed a large bathroom behind him. He was probably about to go take a shower - the last one, if she had to guess by the fact that he was proudly making his long, thick bulge even more apparent with one hand and holding his sweaty top up to reveal his sculpted abs with the other. And if that wasn’t enough, the look on his stupidly handsome face was one she knew well...  One that said I know you want it, but you’ll have to beg for it.

With a big sigh this time, Alice put away the documents and got comfortable in bed instead. Shifting so she was on her side, she looked over the picture again, biting her lower lip. They hadn’t seen each other face to face in a while. Surely she wasn’t the only one feeling this needy. To the point where one suggestive picture of him could take over her brain entirely and leave her incapable of thinking of anything else. So much so that she only realized how long she’d just been lying there pressing her thighs together when another message came in almost half an hour later. 

[ Did you touch yourself, thinking of me? ] 

Her breath caught in her throat for a second, excitement making her stomach flip. She wanted him so badly, to kiss him, feel his hands on her flesh, have the smell of him lingering on her skin. He knew the effect he had on her, and most of the time, he also knew how she would react to his teasing. Because of it, instead of sending him another message and asking if he was home already, she simply hit the call button, heart racing as it connected and he picked up. 

“Not yet.” She answered without even greeting him, wishing she could have seen his face. Was he surprised? If yes, would her punishment be for pleasantly catching him off guard or for being too daring? Either way, just thinking of it was making her wet. But that was just the beginning.

“Can I..?” Alice asked in a breathy, almost trembling voice, hips squirming as her insides clenched needily. Usually he was the one asking questions and giving orders, so taking the initiative and beating him to it came with a high of its own. And when he did break the stunned silence to give her permission with a hum... it felt incredible too. 

Rushing at this point would be a disservice, so she took her time. Sinking her fingers into the softness of one breast, she pinched gently at the perky nipple, hand continuing its path downwards until finding itself between her legs. Pressing two digits to her center had her whimpering, not at all surprised to find the fabric already wet.

“Did you touch yourself, baby..?” Her question was soft and unassuming, all fond curiosity. Closing her eyes, Alice thought of the picture, thought of him sliding his shorts down and brandishing his cock for her, his tip leaking precum. He could tell her to get down on her knees and suck him clean. She would. Gladly. But that wasn't the focus right now.

“Are you still hard for me?” Her voice was full of longing and lust, fingers rubbing along her slit through the soaked fabric of her panties, only occasionally flicking at her sensitive clit. “Did you cum already?” Her mind went back to him in the shower now, warm water caressing down his body as he pumped himself to orgasm. Mm, what a waste... 

Having built her own arousal up right to the edge, Alice finally pulled her panties aside, moaning as she teased her little clenching hole, circling it with a fingertip. “Can I cum? Please~?” The sound of his spoken permission hit different, making her hips buckle as she easily slid two fingers inside with how wet she was. “Do you want to hear me cum, baby?” After knowing the pleasure of giving her body away to his masterful self, doing it herself was never quite as satisfying, but it would have to do for now.

For a stretch, all he could hear was her heavy breathing laced with soft moans. If he listened really close, maybe the lewd, wet noise of her fingers going in and out, deep and hard. She wanted to see him. Even just through a screen would suffice - having him watching her fuck herself after being turned on by his picture. And that idea was what pushed her over the edge. “Mmm, Tooru!” Cumming with his name on her tongue, Alice pulled her fingers out and kept gently stimulating her clit until the orgasm had washed over her, sighing contently as her body relaxed.

“I miss you, baby...” She whined affectionately while regaining her breath. “Can’t wait to see you again.”

[shrapnelsong]

happy birthday nat! thank you for another year of amazing friendship and writing! stay safe and i wish you all the best!

Thank you so so much, Mike!! I hope we can continue to write lots and come up with more and more ludicrous plots! Thank you for always being there for me and reaching out when I’m having a hard time, it really means the world! <333 

[museguided]

@honedtalent​ | s.c

If he noticed that Sakurazuka-san had slipped back into being polite but distant with him, Kazuya doesn’t mention it. Sawamura, however, had sensed trouble in the stiff conversations between his favorite manager and preferred catcher and refuses to shut up until a portion of the team is concerned and an unconscious guilt begins to weigh down on his shoulder. He isn’t the type to apologize for past actions or mince words for the sake of someone’s feelings- but even he had to agree that he had been needlessly harsh with his assumptions now that everyone had an opportunity to chip in.

Kazuya breaks away from the group with the intention of practicing his swing on his own- the only way to get some peace of mind at the moment- when he catches on to a familiar face. “Oh, it’s you again,” he greets with a false smile. Whatever relationship they have, he figures that this guy’s presence is going to be a regular occurrence when it comes to her and, after school hours, he’s perfectly allowed to visit and watch practice like all of the others. At the very least, the catcher is pretty confident that Sakurazuka isn’t the type to blab about a little petty drama.

“Y’know if you wanted to support the team so bad, you could visit one of our games instead~”

[shrapnelsong]

     She was at the party, of course. However, much to everyone’s protests and ensuing teases, they’d decided she would give his present later on. It was lovely to be a part of the celebration, surrounded by the good friends she’d made through him. And once everyone had left, they went on a walk across the park, stopping at the halfway point between their homes: their place.

Smiling, Alice finally hands him the wrapped gift, gingerly holding her hands together as he opens it and pulls out a hand-knitted scarf of the softest light blue wool. She can’t help but laugh at the surprise that flashes across his handsome face at getting a scarf at the height of summer. “Winters in Argentina are very cold, right?” A simple explanation, voice full of fondness.

Even though it’s quite warm out, she takes the scarf from his hands and puts it on him just to check the length, smiling at how nice the blue looks on him. “Happy birthday, Tooru. Hopefully it’ll help keep you warm.”

@honedtalent​

[museguided]

@honedtalent​ sent:  doesn't catch what he says from where he's standing but her reaction speaks volumes. she's not one to lose her calm. nor to display her anger openly. so he watches the source of it instead. he stands out from the crowd. popular, judging by his looks. trusted, judging by how his teammates flow and flock around him. hm. maybe he should ask the little lion a few more questions after all.

continued from here

Everyone in the first string were fired up and giving it their all during practice. As the date of their first official game loomed ever closer, so did the memory of their defeat in the finals and the retirement of their previous senpai. But the team left behind had improved by leaps and bounds since then and even the recruited first-years showed some promise. The bitterness of losing had gone, replaced by fierce determination to reach Koshien and Kazuya’s drive is no exception.

Straight from the weight room after the managers and other team members tidied up from their last delivery, he works on pick-offs on his own. It’s a matter of time until a self-centered pitcher seeks him out so he uses the time to reflect on their past games, recognize their weak links, and simply wonder if their efforts were going to be enough. But he doesn’t doubt the power and reliability of the senpai on the field, on the contrary, he’s assured by their growth as a team and excited to see how far they will go.

People pass by that he doesn’t spare a glance to until he feels eyes on him. He looks over his shoulder and meets Sakurazuka’s gaze, releasing a steadying breath when he reads the look on her face. She was like Chris, in a way, noting potential strains and correcting postures and practices before they could become a serious problem. The way she analyzes and pulls athletes aside to make sure they check themselves and ice properly had always been respectable on top of the many other duties she has as a second-year manager- but he isn’t so sure he liked the same stare on him. The starting catcher couldn’t be burdened by heavy observations this early in the season.

Kazuya stands and rolls his shoulders back, noting the change of dress with a cocked brow as he acknowledges her attention. Whatever Sawamura had been yelling about earlier clicks with the guy he caught a glimpse of on his way to the fields. A lot younger than their usual audience, a friend from far away as the pitcher had claimed, more observant eyes that responded appropriately after judging the reaction given. Sakurazuka seemed happy conversing with the two of them and Sawamura excitedly looked between them and threw in his own loud inputs. It was enough to draw a sensible conclusion. Something a more respectful person would keep to themselves- but it also sounded like an excellent deterrent to keep her suspicions away.

It’s with a teasing smirk that he delivers his thoughts in the crudest way possible and the look on her face almost makes him laugh. Any concern she held for him flies out the window and he fully expects a scathing retort to follow with the kind of glare meant to freeze him in place. She’s usually good at keeping her composure, and for the most part she did recover, but her simmering anger takes the wind from his sails and he realizes he finally took it a step too far.

He doesn’t reply- there’s no need to when she turns her back to him. Instead, he releases a breath he didn’t realize he held and watches her go, following her path until she meets with the mystery man of the hour. Even from this distance, he could see the curiosity on his face and briefly wonders how close they actually were, how upset Sakurazuka is with him, and if this would stir trouble for him down the line. It doesn’t bother him at all and he knows Sakurazuka will come back around to sass him just as harshly some time later. That’s what he tells himself as he keeps a more pleasant grin plastered on, daring to briefly wave them off before they turn away.