#SakuAtsu but it’s literature uni student Omi and his rookie MSBY setter boyfriend Atsumu who researches all of Omi’s book reports and readings.
Except Sakusa doesn’t know. So when he visits Atsumu’s apartment, he freezes when he sees Atsumu’s browser full of literature tabs.+
Except Sakusa doesn’t know. So when he visits Atsumu’s apartment, he freezes when he sees Atsumu’s browser full of literature tabs.+
Tabs upon tabs of searches, all grouped with care. A crash course on Shakespeare, an overview of the 100 poems from the Hyakunin Isshu, Sparknotes of Sakusa’s book reports, how-to sites on haikus and sonnets. There are sticky notes on the screen with notes of his favorite books.+
Sakusa looks back on the past few months. Nights after nights of 1-hour video calls as Omi rambles about his paper. Atsumu comments whenever he can, and Sakusa beams whenever Atsumu asks an engaging and thoughtful question that begins a 40-min Ted talk on his favorite book. +
Turns out Atsumu has been studying up on his college degree, on his interests.
Atsumu, a full-time volleyball player. Atsumu, who comes home bonetired from training, giving his all to become MSBY’s first string setter, is learning about Omi’s second love right after volleyball.+
Atsumu, a full-time volleyball player. Atsumu, who comes home bonetired from training, giving his all to become MSBY’s first string setter, is learning about Omi’s second love right after volleyball.+
And there he is, whining about how stressful uni is with the papers and the afternoon trainings with his team. In fact, he travelled all the way to Osaka by invitation when Atsumu noticed how tired he has been lately, saying, “Ya need to get out of Tokyo. I’ll take care of you!”
The swinging of the bathroom door pries his attention away from the laptop. “Omi, there’s a really good ramen—“ Then an abrupt silence.
Atsumu dashes for the desk and slams his laptop closed, eyes wide open and face pale. When amber eyes meet his gaze, all Sakusa sees is fear. +
Atsumu dashes for the desk and slams his laptop closed, eyes wide open and face pale. When amber eyes meet his gaze, all Sakusa sees is fear. +
“I know I’m lame,” Atsumu mumbles.
“You’re not.”
“Don’t lie! Ya saw it!”
“I’m not lying, Atsumu.”
Atsumu groans, digging the heels of his palms over his eyes. “Whenever ya talk about books or your degree, you’re so happy. It makes me happy too, even if I understand nothing. +
“You’re not.”
“Don’t lie! Ya saw it!”
“I’m not lying, Atsumu.”
Atsumu groans, digging the heels of his palms over his eyes. “Whenever ya talk about books or your degree, you’re so happy. It makes me happy too, even if I understand nothing. +
“You just light up, ya know? Like ya do with volleyball. I know it matters a lot to you, and whenever I say something that sounds vaguely smart, you just get more excited. So I wanted to study it so I can talk to you about it. +
“I wanted it to seem like I just know about all that stuff. That I’m naturally smart or some bullshit. But now ya know I’m a fraud reading poetry for dummies.”
And thus the tipping point, the right amount of affection that slams straight through his walls, letting out the tears.
And thus the tipping point, the right amount of affection that slams straight through his walls, letting out the tears.
Atsumu immediately closes the distance, wiping Sakusa’s frantic tears. “Oh shit, am I so lame that I made you cry?”
Sakusa shakes his head through the tears and holds Atsumu’s hands. “Learning is never lame, Atsumu. But you didn’t have to do this. The effort, the time...”
Sakusa shakes his head through the tears and holds Atsumu’s hands. “Learning is never lame, Atsumu. But you didn’t have to do this. The effort, the time...”
“It’s worth it, Omi. /You’re/ worth it.”
Sakusa doesn’t even have the strength to stop the fresh wave of tears, and Atsumu doesn’t even hold back the laughter in his chest.
“I’m just thankful you’re willing to listen to me ramble, Atsumu. I’m not asking for anything else.” +
Sakusa doesn’t even have the strength to stop the fresh wave of tears, and Atsumu doesn’t even hold back the laughter in his chest.
“I’m just thankful you’re willing to listen to me ramble, Atsumu. I’m not asking for anything else.” +
He stops Atsumu before he even gets another word out. “Seriously. It’s fine. Use your free time to rest, Atsumu.”
“Yeah? Then stop sending Samu new recipes and samples of fatty tuna dishes, then. Use /your/ free time to rest.”
That stops Sakusa in his tracks. /That tattletale./
“Yeah? Then stop sending Samu new recipes and samples of fatty tuna dishes, then. Use /your/ free time to rest.”
That stops Sakusa in his tracks. /That tattletale./
The smile in Atsumu’s face screams ‘gotcha!’. Sakusa finds himself mirroring it back. “I don’t want to.”
“Then I won’t stop, too, Omi-omi!”
Still, the smug grin wobbles with his confidence. “Ya don’t think I’m lame for that, right? Just confirming.” +
“Then I won’t stop, too, Omi-omi!”
Still, the smug grin wobbles with his confidence. “Ya don’t think I’m lame for that, right? Just confirming.” +
Sakusa scowls at him in (loving) disbelief. “Of course not.”
“It’s… cute. You’re cute,” he adds in a soft voice. And in an even softer voice: “I appreciate it a lot, Atsumu. Thank you.”
The grin comes back, big and bright. “Be careful, Omiii. Ya might fall in love with me!” +
“It’s… cute. You’re cute,” he adds in a soft voice. And in an even softer voice: “I appreciate it a lot, Atsumu. Thank you.”
The grin comes back, big and bright. “Be careful, Omiii. Ya might fall in love with me!” +
And if Sakusa /does/ realize that he is /maybe/ in love with Atsumu, he says nothing.
For now.
Not with that shit-eating grin in Atsumu’s annoying face that Sakusa is madly, deeply, frustratingly and profoundingly in love with.
// end
For now.
Not with that shit-eating grin in Atsumu’s annoying face that Sakusa is madly, deeply, frustratingly and profoundingly in love with.
// end
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