#hqrarepairexchange2020

[pencilash]

@hqrarepairexchange posting is finally here! @tasteofsummersnow I chose OiHana from your secondary list but felt kinda bad I didn’t choose one of your top ships so I did a second one (UshiSaku)! I really hope you like it! I don’t know much about the STZ characters so it was fun learning to draw them!!

[seijouthirdyears]

(click for quality) Here’s my gift to Lily for the @hqrarepairexchange !!

I hope you enjoy this little Futakuchi/Ennoshita comic I made! I was real excited to see you list this pairing because I absolutely adore the next gen captains, and I was also so very inspired by your prompt of trans characters, my grubby little nonbinary hands can, and will, create trans headcanons for any and everyone, I cannot be stopped

Branching out with this piece was a lot of fun for me, as I don’t often make comics or established relationship content, but I’m really happy to have done something new! I def drew from my own experiences some haha but I hope this was a satisfactory level of fluff! :)

[bnha-hq]

7 minutes in heaven

Here’s my rarepair2020 fic for @seijouthirdyears I hope you enjoy it!!

It was hard picking a ship cause I like all of them lmao but ended up on this ship, it’s one of my favourites!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oikawa thinks over his long time friendship with Kuroo during their 7 minutes in heaven.

Warnings: none Word count: 3034 Ship: Oikawa x Kuroo

This wasn’t the first party Oikawa had been too, not by a long shot, it wasn’t even the first game of spin the bottle or 7 minutes of heaven that he’d ever played. This was, however, the first time he’d ever been this nervous. The first time he’d ever intently watched the bottle with his chest tight, from holding his breath or anticipation he wasn’t quite sure. He felt like he was 15 again, playing the game for the first time and that was almost amusing…almost.

He had half a mind to feel almost embarrassed by just how intently he watched the bottle, how he was only a hair’s width of self-control away from crossing his fingers and praying out loud for it to land on a particular person but he just couldn’t bring himself to fully commit to it. He watched as the bottle passed player after player, slowing down on each rotation till it was moving in a crawl so painfully slow it made him want to pull his own hair out. It did however come to a complete stop and Oikawa wasn’t sure whether he was going to survive these next 7 minutes.

When he looked from the bottle he was met with Kuroo’s sly smirk, a smirk that made Oikawa feel like Kuroo knew exactly what he was thinking, like he could see right through him, which was a feeling he wasn’t quite used to yet if he was being completely honest with himself. He offered his hand to Oikawa in which he gladly accepted and into the small, dark closet they went.

The door was closed behind them, a soft click indicating the door was now locked. This was it, for the next 7 minutes it was just him and Kuroo in this closet and usually Oikawa was more than happy to get right into it but this time he didn’t, he couldn’t. He glanced around the closet, but he couldn’t make out anything, he could feel Kuroo’s body heat, so he knew the middle blocker was close but besides that he wasn’t sure about what else was around. The room was as silent as it was dark, the party from the other side of the door seemed muffled, much more distant than it really was somehow. He could barely hear it over the sound of his heart beating wildly in his chest, he was sure Kuroo had to be able to hear it too, a thought that didn’t really help.

“Let’s just chat for now yeah?” Kuroo’s voice cut through the silence, the sound of him leaning against the wall and sliding down followed. “We can see where it goes from there~.”

Oikawa could have sworn that he heard Kuroo’s smirk, he really was cocky, a trait Oikawa found both incredibly frustrating but also incredibly endearing. He nodded despite the dark and sat on the ground across from the other man.

“Chatting works” he was too tall to stretch his legs fully as he sat, so he placed his feet by the wall and rested his arms on his knees. The warmth of Kuroo’s leg flush against his seeped through his jeans, seeming to warm his entire body

“Oh good! Cause I have to tell you about what happened today in chemistry” and off he went, talking about an experiment that his teacher had shown the class. Most of what Kuroo said simply flew over Oikawa’s head, not that he didn’t care what the other had to say, he did, he just didn’t understand a word Kuroo said. He was sure that Kuroo wasn’t even speaking Japanese half the time and he stood by that, but even then he loved to listen to him talk, to hear the passion in his voice and even now, in the pitch black darkness of this tiny closet he knew that Kuroo was gesturing wildly and making faces as he described his daily antics, his eyes wide with excitement. Oikawa absolutely adored it, his eyes in particular; they were one of the things that caught his attention the day they first met.

 In fact, Oikawa remembered that whole day very vividly, it was his first day of university and he had felt almost dizzy with the flurry of emotions he was feeling. He was uncharacteristically nervous, he was a small fish in a big pond again and this time he didn’t have Iwaizumi with him, he missed his best friend and family but at the same time he was more excited than he had ever remembered being. This was it, next chapter in his life and he was determined to grab it with both hands and run with it.

He remembered stepping on the court and immediately feeling right at home, the smell of the polished floor and the sound of volleyballs hitting the court were all so familiar and comforting, he couldn’t wait to be on here playing a real game. He also couldn’t wait to meet his team, to get a read on them, to pick apart their strengths and weaknesses and work with them to build a team he was sure others would consider a challenge. So, in he went to meet the team.

Kuroo had approached him first, Oikawa remembered his first thought being that he had a terrible hairstyle, joking to himself that surely his hair blocked his vision, right?

“Hi, I’m Kuroo, previously a middle blocker from Nekoma high school” he held his hand out, shaking Oikawa’s firmly with a grin that gave him the distinct feeling that Kuroo was reading him just as much as he was reading Kuroo.

“Oikawa, previous setter and captain from Aoba Johsai” he remembered watching Kuroo’s sly grin widen a bit, those calculating eyes narrowing in on him in a way he would have imagine a cats would after having cornered its prey and Oikawa was already fascinated with him. This was going to be an interesting relationship.

Oikawa had spent that game getting to know his teammates and as was his speciality, he had picked them apart mentally and was confident he knew how to bring out their absolute best…all besides Kuroo. Oikawa struggled to get a good read on him, he was aware of his strengths as he was a brilliant player but he couldn’t figure out his weaknesses, his playing style or really any firm grasp of his personality, nothing he could work with anyway, he firmly believed it was deliberate. He had spent practice after practice trying to work him out, but it was always the same, Oikawa saw exactly what Kuroo wanted him to see and not a bit more…and he’d be lying if it wasn’t a little bit exciting. Oikawa had never met someone like Kuroo before, someone who could match him at his own game and somehow make it fun, Oikawa felt himself drawn to him more than ever. His sharp tongue and sharper eye drew him in, but he never let himself lose control, Kuroo may be good but he was better, and he’d prove it. Oikawa could have described it as almost like a dance, stepping around each other waiting for the other to make the next move. A dance with their own rhythm and no end in sight, a game with no foreseeable victory, nothing to win but exhilarating all the same.

 Over time they had grown closer, the timer still ticked, and the beat still pulsed but Oikawa found a strange comfort in his new friend, different to the comfort he had with his other friends. He enjoyed their relationship, they understood each other, trusted each other and ultimately cared for each other in their own unique way, a way that he really understood. Oikawa often liked to think about whether they’d have been friends had they met in his middle school or even high school years, he wanted to say they would but he knew that wasn’t the truth, though that thought amused him honestly. He very likely wouldn’t have been sitting here, on Kuroo’s couch and he definitely wouldn’t be here looking at his friend’s concern and actually wanting to open up.

“So, what’s up? You’ve been quiet” Kuroo’s voice had been soft and genuine, there was no teasing undertone or hint of a joke. It was so simple, yet Oikawa had complete confidence that he wouldn’t mock him, he knew he wouldn’t hold it over him or shove it aside as an inconvenience. He’d taken a second, he still wasn’t sure why…maybe to appreciate the gentleness, the kindness, or maybe to just gather his thoughts a bit more.

“Guess I feel a little homesick…missing my best friend especially, this is the first time I’ve been away from him for so long” he’d chuckled humourlessly. He remembers how silly he had felt when he confessed it out loud, it seemed so childish, he’s an adult now and he’s sulking about his friend who he still gets to see, albeit not as often!

He glanced at Kuroo to gauge his reaction and Kuroo nodded, Oikawa didn’t know what exactly he was expecting but it wasn’t that.

“I get that, my best friend is still at Nekoma for another year. Shit’s rough” he chuckled a bit himself, not as dry as Oikawa’s had been but not the laugh the blocker usually had, despite that though it was just as real, and something fluttered in Oikawa’s stomach.

“Yeah, it’s weird not having him here, we started everything together!” He’d barely missed slapping Kuroo when he threw his arms open in a grand gesture, Kuroo laughed a little livelier at that and Oikawa remembered feeling a smidge of pride at that.

“I was even there when he caught his first bug!” Kuroo gasped a bit, clearly playing into the setter’s theatrics and Oikawa honestly appreciated it.

“I was there when he beat his first video game” Kuroo added on with a grin.

It was that moment, on that couch just talking about their love for their friends that the tune shifted, and the dance changed, subtle as it was, it was there. Oikawa noticed that as they talked, talked about Kenma and Iwaizumi, their families and just moments from their childhood the more the melody slightly changed. He couldn’t put his finger on what exactly had changed but he was acutely aware that it had, he had found himself wondering if Kuroo had felt it too, he was sure he would have.

Oikawa didn’t want to think about it too much at the time, it had felt so delicate and fragile then and Oikawa was worried to ruin it, so he let it be, he figured it was one of those things that shouldn’t be meddled with.

 Oikawa was jolted back to the present with a yelp when Kuroo squeezed the sides of his knees firmly.

“Are you even listening to me?” Oikawa could tell he was holding back a laugh, possibly laughing at his reaction.

“…yes” Oikawa lied.

He swore he could feel Kuroo’s eyes roll when he said that and this time he actually did laugh, it seemed to fill the room with a sense of warmth.

“Alright alright, I admit I got side-tracked” Kuroo chuckled and checked his watch, the numbers glowing. “Huh, it’s been two minutes.”

“Only two? Huh…” Oikawa’s eyed widened, only two minutes! He was going to die before the seven minutes was up, he was sure of it.

Oikawa felt Kuroo’s hand on his knee, though instead of a brutal squeeze he gently massaged up and down his leg, going just below mid-thigh before coming back down, this was something Oikawa was used to as Kuroo did often though wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a comforting gesture or just something he did because he felt like it at the time. All he knew was that it drove him just as crazy as the day he first did it.

 It had been a horrible winter day, it was cold, snowy and windy and just not all that pleasant. Kuroo had prepared some hot chocolate for the two of them and they had rugged up on the couch with some movies playing on the tv and despite the terrible weather outside Oikawa had felt comfortable, it had been warm inside and he’d really enjoyed Kuroo’s company.

Kuroo had let Oikawa choose the movies, and as it turned out they both had the same taste in movies, others would call them ‘bad’ or ‘a disgrace to the movie industry’ but they loved them, there was nothing like sitting down to a terrible movie and having a good laugh at the CGI or acting or even the plot itself. Oikawa had been focused on the movie when he first felt Kuroo’s hand on his leg, it had surprised him so much that he almost jumped.

He quickly looked at Kuroo, his surprise only growing when he seemed completely fixated on the movie still, he didn’t even seem aware of what he was doing or what it was doing to Oikawa, who had been trying his hardest to act as nonchalant and unaffected as Kuroo even as he had a million questions spinning through his mind. Was this flirting? Why would he be flirting? And why did the thought of Kuroo flirting with him send his heartbeat into overdrive? It’s not like he wanted Kuroo to be flirting with him, right? They were only friends after all, very good friends perhaps but still only friends. He couldn’t focus on the movie anymore and only on Kuroo, and more importantly what a simple gesture as putting his hand on Oikawa’s leg was doing to the setter. He couldn’t think of anything really, no reasons or logic, it only every kept coming back to the fact that Oikawa liked it, he liked the warmth of his hand and the gentle act of affection, he hadn’t known at the time why he liked it so much but looking back on it he just wasn’t ready to accept the true reason yet.

Oikawa had noticed that it was then that the melody of their relationship seemed to shift again, the dance less push and pull as it had been before and while it was still there, it had a much more a comforting flow, a melody that had witnessed the growth of their friendship and changed with it and a melody that didn’t appear to be finished changing…what that meant for the two of them Oikawa wasn’t sure, he was sure he’d find out soon enough though.

 Oikawa had been correct; it had only been the next day when it finally made sense to him, he’d thought it over again and again and again, analysed his own reaction and why he swore he could still feel Kuroo’s warm hand on his leg when the realisation hit him like a spike to the face.

He was, without a doubt, in love with Kuroo Tetsurou.

At the realisation he felt like he was back in his first day, feeling both terrified but exhilarated at the same time. Oikawa was confident and rarely felt scared to pursue someone he was interested in but this time it felt different, he didn’t want to rush right into it instead he was determined to take his time, feel it out as we went.

He would make his move when the time felt completely right to do so.

 Oikawa was once again jolted from his memory when Kuroo shifted, moving to almost straddle him in a way that allowed him to get face to face. Oikawa could just make out the outline of Kuroo’s face but felt his breath against his lips faintly and in that moment, he was so glad it was dark because he was sure he was redder than he had ever been before. Oikawa collected his racing thoughts the best he could before he spoke.

“W-What are you doing?” he only blushed darker at how high his voice came out and his little stutter.

“Times nearly up and I want to tell you something, and I wanna make sure you actually pay attention” Kuroo’s voice was similar to how his had sounded, though the call out was firm, he could only smile sheepishly at that.

He could have sworn that even Kuroo could have heard his heartbeat with how hard it was beating, what could he possibly need to say that required this distance? Oikawa had an idea…or a bit of hope of what it would be.

“Better be quick then.”

He felt Kuroo shuffle a bit, he figured he was trying to get more comfortable, or as comfortable as he could in the space they were given then heard him take a breath, the type of breath that was usually followed with him running his fingers through his hair and Oikawa briefly cursed the dark.

Oikawa felt on edge, though not in a bad way. His body full of tension the same as it would on Christmas eve or buckling into your favourite ride at the carnival, this was the climax of their melody and he knew it, every step and spin had lead them to this very moment, trapped in this closet only inches from one another.

“I like you…a lot…and I have for a while” he took Oikawa’s hands in his and kissed the knuckles gently, such a gentle gesture yet it sent Oikawa crazy. “I don’t know if you feel the same and I really don’t want to ruin what we have, I just wanted you to know.”

“I love you too” Oikawa brought his hand up and gently held Kuroo’s face, eventually closing the gap and kissing the boy he had wanted to kiss for so long now and just like that their song changed and their dance with it. It was no longer the push and pull competitiveness from when they first met, or the tentative, unsure steps of the between but a dance they both knew the moves to, a song in which they both knew the words. It was comforting and beautiful, and Oikawa looked forward to listening to it for a very long time.

[pilonuarts]

@hqrarepairexchange : My gift for @billdenbrough ヽ(*・ω・)ﾉ Your promts were all super cute!

I went with a coffee shop/ college AU where Semi is a music major and sometimes perfoms in the coffee shop where Shirabu likes to do his late night med school study sessions... Lots of bickering, pining, caretaking and eventually a lot of cuddling on their way home <3

I hope you like it !

[sugar-levels]

Here’s my @hqrarepairexchange gift for @rosevtea ! Hope you like it. I have a lot of fun drawing them

[letshaikyuu]

𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐢𝐫

-`,✎ It’s finally the 19th of September and the time to officially gift my lovely giftee with my part of the @hqrarepairexchange!

-`,✎  𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: oikawa tooru x bokuto koutarou

-`,✎ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: It’s their first house together, yet, Oikawa acts like they know what they’re doing. Series of events that happened to them while moving in! Basically a ‘4+1 things’, but more of a ‘5+1 things’ - the way the ending is so cheesy omg 

-`,✎ 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐞: @bnha-hq - hope you enjoy the gift and I’ve met all of your expectations <3

-`,✎ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3.3k

𝐢. 

“Shouldn’t we just call a plumber?”

“And ruin the adventure? Fuck no.”

Oikawa snaps back at Bokuto, not in a menacing way at all, but it did sound hurtful to the younger boy’s ears. Bokuto then pouts, putting away the screwdriver and out of the bathroom, leaving a sweaty Oikawa trying to fix the pipe under the sink. Oikawa fails to notice the boy leave the room, so when he asks for the screwdriver and is met with silence, he looks up at the empty space where once stood his boyfriend. “Kou?”

Seated on the fancy love seat Oikawa really wanted to splurge on, Bokuto is holding a pillow close to his chest and looking at the mess in the living room, the mass of boxes still not diminishing even though they had officially moved a few days ago. He sighs, already tired and agitated by the amount of fixing up the house needed.

Even though both of them had a considerable amount of money written on their paycheck, neither wanted a brand new penthouse in the newest area of Tokyo. It’s too flashy for us, both of them thought back then and, technically, still do. It was just the immense amount of redoing and touching up this new house needed that sometimes made Bokuto wish he hadn’t agreed to buy this house. Old, in need of an expensive makeover and ruining his patience.

And then, there was his boyfriend. Oikawa would always spend hours looking at YouTube videos regarding home renovations and the ‘easiest’ DIY ideas. It took Bokuto a long time to actually figure out what DIY meant, and when he finally did, he knew he would suck at it. But, seeing the eagerness and childish glee on Oikawa’s face once the lease had been signed and his happy chattering on the way back was enough to make Bokuto blindly agree on doing the much needed renovations on their own.

Bokuto was seriously regretting said choice right now.

“Kou,” he feels strong hands massaging his shoulders, effectively making the strain in them less noticeable. “What’s wrong?”

Oikawa’s voice gentle and soothing as he presses roughly into the spots Bokuto felt most affected by the strain, his curly brown hair making him shiver whenever it brushed against the back of his neck. He openly groans whenever Oikawa massages him just right and in the right spots, completely forgetting about his past annoyance just seconds ago.

“Are we sure we can handle this?”

Bokuto grabs Oikawa’s hands gently, looking at the tape on them and previous scarring, showcasing his boyfriend’s hard work in the volleyball field. He pulls them closer to his lips, giving his knuckles a gentle kiss. “H-Handle what?” He chuckles at Oikawa’s stutter, his boyfriend still shy when it came to Bokuto’s overflowing affection.

“I mean, can we handle a fixer-upper?” Oikawa’s arms move further down, making his position perfect to settle his head onto Bokuto’s shoulder. “Why not? We’re not in a hurry and it’s fun,” Oikawa says before moving from his position and around the couch, crouching in front of Bokuto. “I want this house to be our own project, but I do agree we need some help with the technicalities...”

Bokuto smiles and leans in to give Oikawa a quick peck on the lips. “Does that mean we can finally call the plumber?”

Oikawa lets out a short laugh, nodding his head before leaning in to give Bokuto a more passionate kiss. At least I don’t have to worry about him hurting himself, Bokuto thought to himself.

𝐢𝐢. 

“You should really stick to volleyball Kou.”

Oikawa laughs as he looks at his boyfriend trying to balance on a small ladder, paint bucket in one hand and a brush in the other. He snaps a few pictures of his buff boyfriend trying to evenly spread the paint, before picking up the other bucket and brush. “Let me show you how it’s done,” he steps on the other ladder, tongue sticking out in full concentration as he tries not to overlap the paint much and make it noticeable once it dries.

“I think you should stick to volleyball too, Tooru.”

He hears Bokuto laugh hard at his equally bad paint job and puts down the paint bucket, glaring at the wall. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the uneven wall – the ‘uneven’ part made up by Oikawa himself. “Glaring at the wall won’t make it paint itself, honey.” He hears Kou’s teasing voice and huffs.

Oikawa bites back a snarky comment, the memory of his boyfriend trying to talk him into calling actual painters to finish the job nicely and professionally and Oikawa dismissing the idea almost immediately – and ruin the adventure the main line Oikawa kept saying prior to moving into the new house. Oh, how wrong he turned out to be.

He hardly flinches at the familiar arms circling around his waist and pulling him back into a muscular, cozy chest. He rests his head back, listening to Bokuto’s steady heartbeat while his spikey hair caresses the sensitive skin in the crook of his neck, making Oikawa giggle at the ticklish feeling. Bokuto’s soft swaying and the random rap song he decided to play to ‘hype them up for painting’ proved to be a rather calm setting, making Oikawa completely forget about the awful paint job now decorating the walls.

“It looks awful.”

“Yes, yes it does babe.”

“Hey!” He playfully slaps the arm around him, quickly dissolving into giggles as Bokuto spins him around so that he was facing him, a huge grin decorated on both of their faces. “Why don’t we try one of those DIY ideas you were dying to try out on one of the walls? Maybe it’ll cover up the current failure on the wall.”

They ultimately agree to do the ‘DIY thing’ Oikawa found cool on Pinterest. Did it turn out any better? Of course not, but at least the painters will be coming the following day!

𝐢𝐢𝐢.

Oikawa could hardly believe his eyes one morning, slowly opening them due to the brightness of the sun invading the room (they had yet to buy curtains) and looking at the almost, completely furnished master bedroom. He smiled, looking at the freshly done paint job and well-thought out furniture selection, the mattress they picked out providing them divine sleeping, but also making it hard to get out of bed most mornings.

He rolls around, expecting his outstretched arm to his an even warmer body beside, but it unceremoniously smacked an empty space. Looking up, confusion clearly written on his face, he props himself up on one elbow and looked around the bedroom. No sign of his boyfriend anywhere.

His nose quickly picks up a slightly burnt smell from the kitchen and the mystery is quickly resolved. He chuckles, kicking off the blanket. Not bothering to put on a shirt, he shivers while walking down the hallway and entering the kitchen. Standing near the entrance to the kitchen, he swallows a chuckle as he looks at Bokuto frantically looking for the pots and pans he needs to fix whatever he was trying to prepare on the stove.

(No, Bokuto is not a great cook at all; he isn’t a cook at all)

“Need any help there, babe?” Oikawa’s body presses up against Bokuto’s back, a hand sneakily placed on his rounded ass. Volleyball was, truly, a wonderful sport that did wonders to the body, especially to the lower body and Bokuto was a perfect example of all of those benefits.

“Tooru!” Bokuto jumps once he feels Oikawa’s hand, but Oikawa is quick to tighten his grip on him and pull him closer. “Whatcha making there?”

Even though he couldn’t see his face, Oikawa knew there was a pout on his face and he hears Bokuto heaving out a sigh. “I was trying to make you breakfast in bread, but both of us know how much I suck at cooking.” He chuckles at his boyfriend’s dejected voice and makes sure to roughly ruffle his hair, not minding the surprised “hey” coming out of his boyfriend’s mouth.

Overlooking the state of the food sitting there on the stove, Oikawa could see that it was truly inedible. He grabs the spatula Bokuto used to try and flip the pancake; that same pancake was now burnt and destroyed due to the numerous flips and tries it took for Bokuto to flip it over – he didn’t end up flipping it over.

“Coffee shop run?” Oikawa turns around, a soft smile on his face as he tries to make his boyfriend feel just a little bit better. Bokuto merely nods, still sad over the failed breakfast. Oikawa is quick to place a kiss on his cheek, earning himself a flushed Bokuto. His hand came to touch the place Oikawa had just kissed, wide eyes and raised eyebrows making his boyfriend snort.

“Don’t look like I’ve just kissed you for the first time,” he says as he pulls on the sleeve of Bokuto’s shirt, “let’s go get ready. Breakfast is on you because you wanted to treat me, right?” He sends a cheeky grin over his shoulder and squeals once he sees the suspicious glint in Bokuto’s eyes.

Bokuto was quick to chase him down the hallway and on top of the bed, his fingers prodding Oikawa’s sides, making him shriek with laughter and spur out curse words. For someone who looked like a Greek God, Oikawa had the dorkiest laugh and Bokuto made sure to hear it once a day.

Breakfast could wait.

𝐢𝐯. 

“Koutarou, no.”

Oikawa’s voice is stern as he looks at his boyfriend. Arms crossed over his chest and eyes locked in a heating staring battle with Bokuto’s. Neither wanted to back down and you could sense the tension in the air. Onlookers continued walking past them, sparing a glance towards the couple, but none stopping to check what was going on.

To many, it looked like a heated argument between lovers, when in reality:

“We already have enough sweets at home. We do not need any more.”

Bokuto reverts his gaze first, whining like a child at Oikawa’s statement. In his hands were still the numerous candy packs he wanted to buy, but with Oikawa hiding the basket behind his back and trying to talk Bokuto out of buying more candy, there was nowhere else to put them. To make matters worse, Bokuto forgot his wallet, leaving Oikawa’s credit card as the only payment method.

“Tooru~ please, please, please buy me this!” Bokuto tries to coax him into the unnecessary purchase, but Oikawa put his foot down and denied him again. “No. You and I both know we’ve been eating too many sweets these past few days. We should really cut them out slowly.” Bokuto doesn’t stop pouting, gripping roughly at the candy packs and trying to find a way to have them at the check-out and in his hands, stuffing them in his mouth as he binge watches random shows on the TV.

“Just this once! I won’t eat any sweets ever again!” Oikawa raises an eyebrow at his statement. “Ok, fine. I won’t eat any sweets the next month!”

Oikawa crosses his arms, the basket dangling. “Two months?” He shakes his head, Bokuto’s pout growing deeper and voice lower as he keeps talking. “Three months?” “No.” “Four months?” “Nope.” “Never!?”

Bokuto’s outburst attracts even more attention and he blushes, Oikawa chuckling at his funny predicament. Bokuto finally gives up, “fine, I’ll put them back and we can finally leave.” He starts putting back all the candy and heads straight towards check-out, not bothering to look back at his curly-haired boyfriend. He also fails to see Oikawa sneakily put in a bag of Bokuto’s favorite candy and, somehow, keeping it unknown until they headed back home.

To say that Bokuto was ecstatic would be an understatement.

Oikawa was too slow to process Bokuto flying into his arms, tightly squeezing him as the candy bag rustles in the quiet background. Not so quiet when Bokuto starts ranting out of excitement, thanking Oikawa over and over again for ending up buying him his candy.

“I love you so so much,” Bokuto keeps planting wet kisses on his face, Oikawa giggling at his puppy-like personality. “Love you too, Kou. Now, stop slobbering me and let’s make dinner.”

This time, with Oikawa in the kitchen and Bokuto helping out (no lies, but Bokuto kept eating the candy and ruining his dinner instead of actually helping), the food was decent and enough to fill their athlete’s stomach. The kitchen will live to see another day.

𝐯. 

Bokuto wakes up to having a sticky note deliberately placed on the tip of his nose. He blows it away, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before grabbing the fallen note, reading the cursive writing on it.

“Don’t sleep in too late and remember that you and I have a date tonight ;3 – love, Tooru.”

Despite dating for a few years now and living together the past few months, Oikawa never failed to surprise Bokuto with new ways of making him blush and feel like a love-struck teenager. These past few days, Oikawa kept placing post-it notes with cheesy writing on them all over the house – from the bottle of water in the fridge to the shower curtain. They kept popping up, all colorful and lovely, adding in an extra kick to the household.

Where Oikawa kept finding the will and strength to write them and stick them everywhere would never fail to amaze him, but he couldn’t deny the fact that they did, in fact, make his day better and more hopeful. With every new note, Bokuto fell more and more in love with Oikawa.

Even when he comes home after practice and errands, Oikawa still had a sticky note somewhere to greet Bokuto with, usually placing it on his back when they greet each other with a loving kiss and hug after a long day. They were more humorous than lovey-dovey, but they always made Bokuto laugh.

One morning, however, after finding out that he did not have any things to deal with outside, Oikawa slept in. It was already noon when he finally started stirring in bed, groaning as he felt the heat of the sun on his face. He also heard quiet giggling, but decided to stay quiet and pretend that he was asleep. The bed dipped beside him and Oikawa immediately recognized the smell of Bokuto’s shower gel as he leaned over his boyfriend’s ‘sleeping’ figure. What he felt next was definitely unexpected, but there was slight pressure on his nose that was gone as soon as it came. Oikawa felt a sticky substance on the tip of his nose and he knew exactly what it was.

“You’re awake!” He smiles at the sound of Bokuto’s cheerful voice as he cracks an eye open and looks at him. His hand comes to grab the note stuck on the tip of his nose and looks at the writing on it.

“I don’t need the sun to shine when you’re the only light that I need in my life.”

What Oikawa certainly didn’t expect were teary eyes right in the morning, his boyfriend’s cheesy pick-up line holding enough meaning to make Oikawa look back on all the wonderful moments he had experienced with Bokuto. He hears a soft ‘aw’ coming from Bokuto and he’s suddenly crushed by the weight of his boyfriend on top of his chest and another round of him smothering Oikawa’s face with kisses ensues.

Their laughter bounces off the bedroom walls, Oikawa’s day off proving to be one of the best he had recently. They stay like that until their stomachs remember their need for food, making the need to soother the hunger evident. Oikawa and Bokuto groan as they get out of the warm bed and their perfect cuddle position, but, neither of them would never say no to food.

And, Bokuto does find another post-it note in the fridge.

“We need all the water in the world because you make me thirsty all the time – Tooru ;3”

Smooth Tooru, smooth.

𝐯𝐢.

It’s been a few months since they’ve moved into their new home, but Oikawa still stands in the front yard, looking at the exterior and reminiscing about how it once was. There’s a soft smile on his face as he remembers all the hardships they had gone through with finishing all the paperwork and renovations. But, now that everything was perfect and finished, Oikawa felt content.

For a first project as huge as this, he couldn’t help but feel proud of him and Bokuto for handling such a difficult task. Oikawa had the tendency to stand like that for hours and look at every single spot on the house and basking in its beauty.

There were times when Bokuto joins him, like today. He sneaks his arms around Oikawa’s chest and pulls him as close to him as possible. They stay like that for a while, neither talking as they look at the beauty that is their first home together.

“We did a good job, Tooru.”

Oikawa hums in reply, swaying gently alongside Bokuto. “It looks beautiful and it’s our, Kou. This, all of this, is really ours.” He could hear himself becoming more emotional as he talked, tightening his grip on Bokuto’s arms and stopping the swaying. “Thank you for doing this with me.”

The silent night provided the two a very calm atmosphere. Oikawa’s ears hear a soft sniffle and he looks over his shoulder to see a teary-eyed Bokuto. “Kou?” He wipes away a stray tear that was falling and looks at his boyfriend. Bokuto shakes his head and takes a step back and away from Oikawa. He chuckles before shaking his head, still looking down at the ground.

“So, I don’t really know how to do this, but..,” Bokuto trails off, his hand shooting towards his pocket as if trying to find something and, surely, Oikawa could see the relief on Bokuto’s face and the smile on his face grew bigger. He heaves out a sigh and gets down on one knee, Oikawa’s loud gasp egging him on.

“Oikawa Tooru,” both of them could clearly hear the shaking in Bokuto’s voice, but neither said a word as salty tears fell down their faces. “Y-you made me the happiest man alive. Please, please do me the honors and become my husband.”

Despite the heavy rainfall of tears streaming down his face, Oikawa managed to chuckle and made a ‘tsk’ sound. “You didn’t actually pop the question, Kou. I don’t know what I’m saying yes to~” Oikawa teased, making the loving atmosphere that much lighter and earning a chuckle from Bokuto.

“Fair enough,” clearing his throat, Bokuto tried again. “Oikawa Tooru, will you marry me?”

The carefully picked out ring sat in its velvet box, shining brightly and proving to Oikawa that this really was happening. With continuous nods, Oikawa wiped the tears from his face and launched himself into Bokuto’s awaiting hold. The ring was quickly slipped onto his finger, Oikawa staring at the mesmerizing piece of jewelry and finished off Bokuto’s marriage proposal with a deep, passionate kiss.

It was already nighttime by the time the two of them finally entered their home. With the ending of one adventure come a dozen others, and Oikawa was already situated on the couch with his laptop on his lap, scanning through Pinterest yet again; but, this time, the theme of his search was something even more enjoyable than their home renovation: it was ‘wedding’.

[noxalyss]

Ayyyyy it’s here!

This KageTsuki/TsukiKage is for @/TheHimegimi on Twitter for our HQ Rare Pair Exchange 2020! I love tskkg sm so I obviously went for it. I hope you’ll like it! (/ω＼)

@hqrarepairexchange 

Special thanks to beta/mod @rainbowbarfeverywhere for helping me out with the dialogues! Couldn’t make it sound great without you! 💙💛

[hqrarepairexchange]

[graphic courtesy of Ria / @rainbowbarfeverywhere]

The schedule for the 2020 Haikyuu!! Rarepair Exchange has been set! They are as follows:

May 1-23 — Sign-ups June 13 (or sooner) — Assignments issued July 18th — First Check-in August 15 — Second Check-in August 30 — Dropout Deadline September 5 — Due Date for final pieces August 30 - September 19 — Pinch hit period September 19 - October 3 — Posting Period October 4 — Treat posting (we may drop treats depending on demand for it)

[krshima]

my gift for @froggieyama on twt/ao3 for the @hqrarepairexchange!

title: the sun is beating down (wherever you may be) pairing: hinata shouyou x tsukishima kei summary: Of all the dumb things Kei has felt compelled to do because of a crush, getting into a swinging seat attached to a metal wheel twenty-five meters off the ground might just take the cake. note: hey oliver! i’m a pinch hitter and i had such a fun time creating this gift for you! i hope you like it! <3

[alecrhysandco]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Haikyuu!! Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Kageyama Tobio/Kindaichi Yuutarou/Kunimi Akira Characters: Kageyama Tobio, Kindaichi Yuutarou, Kunimi Akira Additional Tags: Domestic Fluff, Polyamory, Polyamorous Character, Alternate Universe - College/University, Kageyama Tobio-centric, Roommates, Sharing a Bed, Kissing Summary:

“Kageyama, you’re not ignoring me are you?” Kunimi asks, and he moves to prop himself up on his elbow. A slender finger moves around the spine of the magazine to push it down and out of the way. “You know I know how to get your attention right?” Kunimi asks, moves his finger against Kageyama’s chest. Kageyama blushes and stiffens; he knows what Kunimi is referring to. Kunimi leans over and kisses Kageyama, more than just a chaste kiss, something slow and smooth. It wasn’t rushed or hungry, it was soft and Kageyama loved kisses like this, kisses from Kunimi. When Kunimi pulled away. Kageyama chased him, and Kunimi smiled. Kageyama lets his head fall against the mattress again.” @hqrarepairexchange

[intwodoodle]

My piece for the @hqrarepairexchange, for @archenemie, aka Zuko! (https://archenemie.tumblr.com/)

I had tons of fun making this, and since I like Slice of Life, here you go :3

[hq-crew]

Senpai Squared

A gift for the @hqrarepairexchange for @jeeejae

Enjoy - posted just in time for everyone’s favourite horned owl’s birthday (20/9)

~ Mod Kenma

 For all of Nishinoya’s exuberance, no one would say he wasn’t an observant guy. In fact, quite the opposite. It was as if his golden eyes were always watching, sizing up everything and everyone he encountered. His gaze haunted that which it passed over, lingering like the echoes of distant thunder long after the storm moves on. Being caught by it directly felt a lot like staring straight into oncoming headlights.

It was dangerous.

It was powerful.

It almost made up for the fact he was barely five feet tall.

And Bokuto Koutarou remembers with vivid clarity the first time that gaze was levelled squarely on him.

  He’d moved out to the quiet neighbourhood, approximately a three-hour train ride from his childhood home in the city, to help out his ageing grandfather. The stubborn old man refused the idea of going into a care facility and no amounts of assurances that Bokuto or his sisters would visit regularly, or that there’d be lots of nice nurses and other old people to bitch with – “Your favourite hobby Gramps!” – would change the man’s mind.

Bokuto, whose physiotherapy qualifications gave him the most chance of being employed in a rural setting out of the family (whilst also lacking stable employment or accommodation in the city), was deigned ‘Gramps Carer #1’ and dutifully packed his stuff for a move out to his grandfather’s home town. The move didn’t bother him nearly as much as it bothered the people around him – his grandfather had always been an interesting dude, and his friends were always bitching about some new problem with city life so now he could invite them out to experience suburbia. In Bokuto’s eyes, it was a win-win.

There was also, of course, the fact that the entire population of the town over the age of thirty seemed to love the idea of having a new Physio (fifty perfect because Thank God I’ve Had Back Problems Since the Winter of ’43, and fifty percent because A New Eligible Bachelor This Is The Most Exciting Thing That’s Happened to This Town Since the Yotsuha Scandal). It was kind of fun for Bokuto, being the centre of attention – it almost felt like being famous. Akaashi – his closest friend – warned him not to let it get to his head. Akaashi’s husband and Bokuto’s long time friend Kenma had helpfully offered “I can bring Mario Kart with us when we visit to bring him down a peg or two”.

 We’re a little bit off course here – where were we going? Ah yes, Nishinoya!

 Right, so Bokuto had moved into town - hunky, compassionate, stable job, and most importantly single - and every mother within striking distance has simultaneously taken on the shot-put world record with how quickly they've flung their offspring in his general direction. Bokuto, for his part, thought it was really nice that the ladies around town were worried he didn't have enough friends his own age when he moved here and were introducing him to their kids. When he told his grandfather this, the old man laughed so hard he nearly hacked up a lung.

 Two such mothers were Mitsuri and Akane Nishinoya, who had cottoned on to the one thing many of the other mother were either wilfully ignoring or straight up didn’t see – how Very Much Into Men Bokuto was. Or, to quote Kuroo – Bokuto’s other long-time friend – “No straight man on Earth radiates that much He-Man energy, least of all He-Man himself”. This piece of information worked well for the two women, as it gave their son (their pride, joy, and absolute menace) a fighting chance. Now, they had to orchestrate a means to put said son in front of said Hunky Physio without alerting said son to the fact they were rather Unceremoniously Meddling in his love life, again.

If they’d known what was coming, they’d probably have gone to far less effort.

With that in mind, it might do us some good to actually sit with said son for a moment before the Inevitable Collision. If you’d asked Nishinoya Yuu what he’d thought of the new guy in town, he probably wouldn’t have known what you were talking about. Hey – I said he was observant when it was in front of him, never said he was in any way attuned to local knowledge. When the new arrival had become the talk of the neighbourhood women’s association, he’d been able to dismiss it as idle chatter. After all, the younger Tanaka’s wedding (my boy Ryu) was just long enough ago that they needed something new to fuel the gossip chain.

When it reached his aunt, who was delighted to blather on about how handsome and lovely this new physio was when she’d gone in for some dodgy knee pain, sure, he’d been a little bit annoyed – he relished being the Most Important Man in his spinster aunt’s life – but he could brush it off relatively easily. His aunt wasn’t always to be trusted regarding men, she thought the convenience store guy was “charming”, so Nishinoya told himself her opinions weren’t exactly what one would call ‘in Vogue’ (that is, if he knew what a Vogue was).

But when his own mothers warmly told him about how “helpful” this guy had been when he’d stopped by the store to pick up some plants and wound up being roped into moving some of the heavier pots for the displays, oh, now Nishinoya was Fuming™. Who did this mystery guy think he was? Why was everyone so utterly rapt with him? Was he out here to steal Nishinoya’s title as the town’s Third Hottest Eligible Bachelor? Was he – dread the thought – going for No. 1?

And that sunk it – Nishinoya didn’t know this dude, but he Did Not Like Him.

 Now that we know where Nishinoya was at before the Inevitable Collision, it’s time to return to Bokuto and the moment the two finally managed to get a good look at one another. Mind you, by this stage they’d both managed to ‘see’ one another no less than four times either side and had even had an Awkward Urinal Conversation (which we will not dwell long for a few reasons, least of which is the author – lacking the need to use a urinal – shudders to think of what is discussed over them). But the first time the pair actually managed to sustain eye contact – and or have an Actual Not Urinal Conversation – was a warm, spring day. Bokuto stopped in to the Nishinoya Garden and Flower Emporium to see if he could pick up some new seedlings for his grandpa to give him something new to brag about to his neighbours.

Nishinoya (Yuu) was attempting to fill a very small pot using a very large bag of potting mix which – all variables being equal – was almost always a recipe for disaster. That said, I don’t know if you’ve ever worked in a quiet retail store before, but sometimes making an absolute mess can be a blessing in disguise if it’s particularly slow in the store because at least then you have something to do while you clean up your own mess. Nishinoya shared this sentiment so much that he’d already grabbed the broom, dustpan, brush and bin so that when either of his mothers eventually attempted to chide him for making a mess, he could say “But Ma, look, I’m already cleaning it up – I prepped and everything! I am the Plant Guardian, protector of the pots, nothing’ll happen while I’m here!” and they’d all laugh and leave him be.

 Bokuto knew a grand total of None of This, so when he saw the cute flower shop dude (with the sick dye job – he totally had to ask later about it, maybe that would be his ‘In’, Kuroo always said you needed an ‘In’ to talk to hot people) struggling to heave a bag almost the same size as his tiny body while emptying its contents into a pot, naturally Bokuto jogged right over to help.

 I’d love to tell you it was a beautiful wisp of a moment, where as Bokuto’s hands brushed Nishinoya’s the two boys finally made eye contact and it was as dramatic and beautiful as I said in the opening. The fact I’ve had to put that version of events here (not to mention that I’ve been calling it the Inevitable Collision) should probably give you a better hint of what actually went down – namely Bokuto himself, as he tripped on a small overturned pot on the way over.

Now if that were the end of it, if he’d just gone down like the sack of flour Akaashi always joked that he was whenever he tried to ask for piggyback rides, it may not have been so terrible. Awkward, sure, but not terrible.

But this is Bokuto Koutarou, the only person on Earth who must apply 110 percent to everything, even falling over. This manifested in a sequence of events as follows: Bokuto slammed his hand on the closest table to try and steady himself, but his hunky bodyweight and the strange angle of the attempted grapple meant that all he did was cause two of the table’s legs to give out from underneath it and, with it, pots of newly planted geraniums flew straight up (Yuu swears, to this day, that he heard the Ave Maria as these poor flowers sailed through the air) and shattered onto the floor. The seedling pots that were closer to the now-broken legs rapidly slid down the table towards aforementioned beautiful disaster Koutarou, dumping their contents onto his defeated horned-owl hair.

 A beat of absolute, ungodly silence followed.

For those wondering, no, the two were not alone in the store. There was a couple being served by Akane Nishinoya which made Four Witnesses for the Worst Moment of Koutarou’s Life (So Far). I should clarify that he wasn’t actually injured by the fall, except from the fatal blow to his ego and his perceived chances with the cute plant-store employee.

 Currently in the throes of what his best friend Akaashi would call a “low mood” and what Kuroo would call “AGONY” complete with dramatic shirt-ripping,  Bokuto Koutarou looked up from the floor, covered in dirt and broken pottery pieces and the shame of a thousand suns and for the first time he met the dangerous golden gaze of one very baffled Nishinoya Yuu.  

If you asked Bokuto Koutarou, he’d tell you – without flinching – that he knew in that moment that he wanted to spend the rest of his life keeping that gaze centred on him.  

 Because as Nishinoya’s eyes moved along his body, sunlight moved through Bokuto’s whole being – warm pinpricks that left him burning until they arrived back at Bokuto’s owl-like gaze. As their eyes met again, the gold in Nishinoya’s eyes melted into unbridled mirth.

 A chuckle.

 Then another.

 And another.

 And like the building of rain from droplets to a storm, suddenly Nishinoya Yuu was cackling so hard he dropped the large bag of potting mix and had to lean on the counter for support.

Bokuto Koutarou was in love. Nishinoya Yuu was having a hysterical workday.

  “You should have seen it Shouyou! The pots went everywhere, this dude flipped a table and-and–”

“OOOOHHH! What did your moth-hey-wait-WHAT ABOUT NATSU’S SPECIAL POT!!”

“Don’t worry! Ma moved the ‘most prized artwork’ earlier this week to the orchid shelf! But Shouyou-this guy-I swear-”

Hinata Shouyou breathed out his relief – his sister would have been devastated had she discovered the art project pot she’d made and given to the Favourite Senpai Ever was a casualty of this bizarre new arrival into the store.  Nishinoya was a good friend (one of the few people on Earth shorter than him, to his eternal delight) and an even better senpai – he’d made it his personal mission to keep an eye on both Shouyou and Natsu growing up.

As they sat in the bar that Hinata had been meaning to come back to just to stick out his tongue at the bouncer because well now he was old enough (hah!), Nishinoya had regaled his old school friends and anyone close enough to listen with the Tale of his Workday. A lot of Nishinoya’s old friends liked to joke that only Nishinoya possessed the storytelling skill to make a ten second encounter into a fable in four acts, which was best delivered to a rapt audience of underclassmen – it was almost a shame that Kageyama was overseas and Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had major assessments due. That left only Hinata who, don’t tell anyone, was Nishinoya’s favourite audience member because he had the best reactions. Nishinoya’s hiccupping guffaws chorused with Hinata’s excited crow noises and for a moment you’d really believe someone had let a murder of crows into a bar.  

Hinata sat next to his senpai and undertook in perhaps one of his rarest past-times – he thought. Now that he was older and wiser (supposedly) he felt like he should help his senpai out. After all, he’d provided glowing references (didn’t matter for what – Nishinoya, it turns out, could hype Hinata to anyone for any reason at all) and helped him out with his homework (with support, not with content), so now they had managed to progress to being friends without the insurmountable Senpai Wall between them.

Nishinoya was still cackling, dissolving into fits of giggles with each mental replay of the scene, each detail that remained stuck in his mind’s eye. He gripped Hinata’s shirt, struggling to make coherent noises come out of his mouth between the choking gasps of truly chaotic amusement. The back of Nishinoya’s mind registered that wow Hinata had gotten really buff since his holiday in Argentina but was so stuck on this fUCKINGH LUNATIC oH My GoD that the preceding thought sunk back down into the recesses of his consciousness. Even Hinata couldn’t stop giggling at the sight of Nishinoya absolutely losing it and the two remained in a cycle of giggles.

“I almost wanna talk to the guy, y’know? Like what a dude.”

Oooh. The smallest seed of an idea planted itself in Hinata’s brain.

“I mean, I gotta give him a hard time for the table-pfft-and-the-” more giggles, followed by a deep shaking breath as Nishinoya attempted (he really attempted) to compose himself. “-but-anyway-I mean… Maybe he’ll be a bro, y’know, because man, I’m so proud of Ryu, but like, I miss him – am I allowed to miss him while he’s on honeymoon? ‘Cause I fuckinbg miss my bro-”

The seed germinated into a tiny sprout.

“-and if nothing else I need someone to help me find this New Guy – have I told you ‘bout the New Guy – don’t get me started Sho, this guy I don’t even get it who is he where did he come from-”

Now that was like Plant Steroid to Hinata’s growing idea. Unfortunately for Hinata he has the world’s worst poker face, so as the idea bloomed rapidly, the entire bar heard the excited crow screech.

“oooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! Noya-noya-I’ll help you find the plant-guy!!! I’ll do it!!! I know who he is!!!”

“You DO!?! Why didn’t you say so Sho! C’mon! The night is young, let’s find this plant-killer!”

The two tumbled out of the bar with determination, but upon realising Nishinoya had an opening shift (where he was probably going to have to repair the damage done by the Plant-Killer) and Shouyou had training, they resolved to make a plan during the more reasonable daylight hours to find the mystery New Guy and befriend the walking disaster.

As the two parted ways, only one of them knew those were the same person. And so, Hinata’s Great Idea took root.

  Hinata’s Great Idea could be broken down into four steps –

1.      Bring Nishinoya and Bokuto together

2.      Nishinoya and Bokuto bond!

3.      Two Awesome Senpais!!!!!!

4.      ???????????????? …kiss?

Point Four was…contentious. He decided to sort that out another day.

For now, he was focused on Point 1 – bringing them together. He already had Nishinoya on board, which meant he only needed the other half of the Brainless Beefcake Bundle (author’s words, not Hinata’s). Luckily for him, he sort-of-kind-of-had-definitely-spoken-to-maybe-once Bokuto which in Hinata’s books meant they were at least good enough friends to invite him to go for a run. The fizzy-drink bubbling sensation in Hinata’s chest when Bokuto agreed could be chalked up to the excitement of a new running buddy and not to whatever emotions lingered behind the question marks in Point Four.

 Dawn’s soft light filtered through the trees, illuminating the last wisps of a misty morning. As the world was painted in purples, pinks and yellows, Bokuto could only focus on orange.

Bokuto was thrilled, confused, but thrilled, to be out running with the tiny orange blur. He’d encountered the blur in passing so it was nice to actually attempt to get a look at the face. He wasn’t making much headway though, because whenever he got close the orange blur made a frankly adorable little screeching noise and powered off. It was fun, though, the thrill of chasing after someone full tilt. Akaashi and Kuroo were both too busy to race him, and Kenma would honestly rather die than run. This sprinting, this chasing, was freeing. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed this.

The blur was getting farther and farther away as Bokuto remained deep in thought. The blur made a confused wail, bobbing in the distance. Right! They were racing! Well if he wanted a race, let’s give him a race! Bokuto threw all his strength into chasing the blur, screaming all the way as he did. The cold air burned into his lungs as his steps pounded into the ground, one after another. He closed the distance between them, grinning ear to ear as he did. The blob wasn’t giving up without a fight and charged onwards, elated. The pair’s joyful screams echoed along the mountains and well into the sunny morning.

If you asked Bokuto what he remembered most from that moment about the blur he’d come to know as Hinata Shouyou, he would have said the instant he raced past him and spotted those wide, hungry brown eyes that watched him like they craved everything he had to give.

  When Hinata had told Noya to just “leave it to me” regarding the Table-Flipping Menace, the expectation had been that the second meeting would occur somewhere neutral like a park or bar or even that boba tea store that Tsukishima had worked at over the summer and they’d all relentlessly teased him for.

Suffice to say Hinata’s apartment was not the expected middle ground. Not that Noya minded – Hinata’s apartment was bright, clean but well-lived in, and had lots of fun mementos from Hinata’s travels abroad. Noya felt a lot of fondness for the place, most recently because he’d been asked to house-sit for a three-month stint so it still registered in the back of his mind as ‘home’. It was all the little details that made it so undeniably Shouyou – posters from their school events together, one of Natsu’s artworks (framed, and signed by the artist herself), a chipped planter that Noya had picked out as a housewarming gift and had somehow managed to survive living here, dozens of foreign knick-knacks on a shelf that seemed to grow more and more strained with each sojourn around the world, and of course the photos. They covered a whole wall (right up to the ceiling too, and you could see which ones Kageyama had helped with and which ones Hinata had done with a ladder and gusto based on how crooked they were). Noya was proud to say he featured in a large portion of them, though the catalogue of his bad hair decisions was a little embarrassing.

When Noya turned up, snacks and drinks in hand, the only thing that looked decidedly out of place in Hinata’s apartment was one very confused Table Flipping Menace. The TFM hovered awkwardly, as if not sure where to sit or what he was allowed to touch – though the way his eyes darted as they tried to soak in the sheer magnitude of personality in Shouyou’s apartment screamed excitement. Noya knew it was the TFM because he’d never forget a haircut that cool – a mental reminder to talk to Sakeo about upping his ante – and because when the TFM’s eyes finally landed on him Noya had to fight the urge to giggle. The Ave Maria played on repeat in his head.

“Oh! Oh! Nishinoya-senpai! You’re here!!” Hinata bounded over, making sure to put Noya’s offerings down before throwing all his weight at him in a hug that was more collision than anything else. Noya crushed him close in return, squeezing Shouyou’s not-actually-scrawny-any-more body and something akin to a memory attempted to wriggle its way to the surface of Noya’s mind. Unfortunately, it took too long to dig itself up, because just after their hug finished, he heard “Bokuto-senpai!”

Nishinoya felt the recoil of that emotional slap to the face for about a week after this moment.

“Bokuto-senpai, this is Nishinoya-senpai! Nishinoya-senpai’s the coolest – he works at the plant store with his mums, you met them, they’re super nice, and he went to school with me and one time he an-”

“Hey hey, let’s not spoil all my good stories at once!” A quick ruffle to Hinata’s hair (despite the mock offense with which the gesture was received) and Noya finally got a good look at the monster of a TFM who was standing there.

Noya was used to tall people – no surprises there – but this guy exuded a completely different presence. Everything about him seemed to be screaming ‘look at me – I’m worth watching’, from the way that he moved (even awkwardly) to the way he spoke. He radiated an energy you couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t that ethereal, passive beauty that drew people in either – like Blessed and Holy Kiyoko-no, Tanaka-san, or God’s Gift to Humanity Sugawara Koushi – but it was something different. Something strange. Something Noya decided he’d add to the list of things he was going to work out (like ‘why they teach useless maths in school’ and ‘how on Earth did Daichi manage to outdrink them at every opportunity’).

Well, no time like the present, he figured. “Nice to finally get a name for our plant-killer! I’m Nishinoya Yuu, guardian of the plants, friend to this little loser,” a quick noogie to Hinata’s head, for good measure, “and best senpai ever! So ‘Bokuto’?” The TFM’s – Bokuto? – eyes went wide. “Tell me ‘bout yourself!”

The TFM – who had been eyeing him with one of those expressions Noya could never tell was romantic interest or constipation – jolted to life suddenly. Introductions quickly gave way to apologies, “Please tell your family I’m super sorry again about the table I don’t even know what happened,” then to stories of adventures and misdemeanours as the little group found their own awkward rhythm of chaos and laughter. Hinata’s neighbours did tell them to keep it down at one point when the screaming (from all three parties) got a little intense, but all that did was reduce three grown adults to little children stifling giggles.

By the time night fell, Noya was no closer to working out what it was about Bro-kuto (as he was now saved in his phone) that intrigued him, but honestly, he didn’t really mind.

 “Bro-ku-to!!! Get your ass up this second! Let’s go let’s go!”

Bokuto mumbled a hazy ‘Datekou?’ between snores. Answering Kuroo’s panicked three-am call about which tie he should wear to his big client meeting – whilst not a regret because he loved his friend and wanted to see him do well – was evidently not a smart decision for his sleep schedule.

Bokuto rolled over and snuggled back into his pillow, floating into dreamland. He was receiving a medal, and as they hung it over his neck, he could hear the crowd cheering him on, chanting his name – Bokuto! Bokuto!

“Bokuto! Bokuto!!! Wake up!!!” Noya shook the puddle that called itself Bokuto Koutarou as vigorously as he could to no avail. You may be wondering how it was Nishinoya Yuu managed to make it inside Bokuto senior’s house to start shaking him. The open window provides some clues but raises more questions, especially given that it’s two floors up. The answer was simple: Nishinoya Yuu had performed a stunning homage to Da Bois Night (Summer Edition – The Remix), not that Noya was familiar with the word ‘homage’. If he was able to climb the outside of their concrete school in the rain, then getting into an open window on a sunny morning on a brick house was easy.  

Bokuto was still sleeping like the dead, mouth hanging open and all, and Noya needed a new plan. Noya however was not a ‘plan-man’. He took a couple of steps back, drew all his breath in, and then… “Rrrrrooling THUNDER!!!!”

Flinging himself with all the force he could muster, he attempted to tackle Bokuto off his bed. His shoulder slammed into the small of Bokuto’s back, which succeeded not only in making Bokuto yelp but also moving enough of his body that the mass of limbs and blankets rolled off the bed with a loud thump.

The blanket mass that now contained two useless disasters simultaneously started groaning and laughing from the floor. Bokuto untangled himself from the sheets to find Noya laughing in what had since become characteristic of their friendship, and he couldn’t stop himself from giggling along. Soon both were cackling, and each time one tried to stop the other would make eye contact, or say something, or in one notable case snort ungracefully, and the two would simply start all over again.  

Their laughter echoed down the halls. His grandfather, thankfully, had hearing aids which he took out at night. The man couldn’t hear a thing without them.

 Once they’d managed to calm down (and put most of Bokuto’s sheet’s back on his bed, which Noya had then jumped on and flopped into like some kind of demanding cat), Bokuto decided to at least try and do his normal morning routine. This attempt at normalcy was somewhat thwarted by Noya’s commentary and fashion advice. “Grab the pink shirt!” “Sick I love this– wait, shit, I’ve got work later.” “What about flamingos hula-hooping is unprofessional? They’re hardworking animals!”

“Can you grab me the gel?” “You use the pine one? God, no wonder you always smell like air freshener.” “Hey! I’ll have you know my friends say I smell ‘rugged’ and ‘not overbearing’.” “Dude.”  

“Is that how you get it to stick up?!” “Duh, makes more sense like this!” “Bokuto, my man, I may have seriously underestimated you. You may actually be one of the coolest people I know. And I know plenty of cool people.” “Yeah, your aunt is awesome.” “Not who I meant, but damn straight.”

 As Bokuto flipped back down from the bar in the doorway where he’d been hanging upside down, Noya absently checked his phone. Normally, Bokuto would have found the scrunch of Nishinoya’s nose rather cute, but there was something in the furrow of his brows that filled Bokuto with confusion. He flopped down next to (or more accurately, around) Noya, attempting to peek at his phone. Noya chuckled lightly, swatting him away with a bat of his hand. No luck. Bokuto leaned closer and watched those eyes as they skimmed over messages, gold tarnished with worry the further down the conversation they got. Noya’s dyed tuft (now a bright green thanks to a bet with Shouyou) had started to fall in front of his eyes but he was ignoring it.

What Nishinoya Yuu could not ignore was when a hand that was not his own moved the hair for him.

Their eyes met, and among other flitting thoughts that struck Nishinoya in that moment, one was how Bokuto’s hand was easily bigger than his face. Another was how nice his hair looked down, even though it was still pretty sick gelled up. Another was how much fun this loud dude was. How much he made him laugh, made him stronger, challenged him, excited him. How lucky he was that he’d flipped a goddamn table in his little plant shop.

The last was how sharp and wild and fucking terrified Bokuto’s owl-like eyes were.

He leaned his head softly into the hand that was so close, that was bigger than his face, and turned his eyes once more to Bokuto, who looked every bit as hopeful as he looked amazed.

Nishinoya was an observant guy.

He didn’t see the kiss coming at all.  

  Epilogue – Shouyou

  When the two of them told Hinata the good news, Hinata was elated! The Great Idea had come to fruition! It worked! Two awesome senpais!

 He was so elated, in fact, that the first thing he did was grab Nishinoya and kiss him, before barrelling into Bokuto and jumping into his arms.

 Wait. Shit.

 Well, that explains Point Four.  

 You could hear the echoes of their laughing, of their joy – a flock of loud, excited birds – all the way up the mountainside.

[accestii]

Published: 9/23/20

Fandom: Haikyuu!! 

Relationship: Bokuto Koutarou/Kozume Kenma

Words: 2935

Here we are, my work for the @hqrarepairexchange ! It was my first time writing Bokuken for @pencilash , but I think it turned out alright! This event was super fun to be in! I hope you like the fic! <3 

[jeeejae]

Finally posting my gift to @okay-sha for the @hqrarepairexchange!!! I hope you like fluffy, soft mornings with BoKuroo, I love their dynamic and I hope you like it too!!!

~*~

Ko-fi * Twitter * Instagram

[lumenera]

For Grace @komoshoubrainrot , written for the @hqrarepairexchange

a hypothesis in gay

In which the past returns to you, one way or another. Or, using the scientific method to find out, if you are, in fact, gay for your estranged childhood friend.  

mostly canon compliant + a hint of soulmates + kuroo portrayed as the academia nerd he is word count: 4,015 ship: kuroshou rating/warnings: t, legal drinking

notes: i hope you enjoy it x

[link to read]

[karasunovolleygays]

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Kindaichi Yuutarou/Kunimi Akira Characters: Kunimi Akira, Kindaichi Yuutarou Additional Tags: Future Fic, Domestic Fluff Language: English Words:1706 Chapters: 1/1 Collections: Haikyuu Rarepair Exchange 2020  Notes: For @vwritesaus. Ahhh, I hope you don't mind cavities bc this is sweet as hell. T.T