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Hinata has a problem.
An annoying and frustrating problem.
Kageyama, as per usual, is acting like a stingy poop. Which, in all honesty, is nothing new, but his stinginess has reached new levels these past couple of weeks that he might as well rival and dethrone Tsukishima.
And Hinata? He's only human.
There's only up to a certain extent in which he can tolerate Kageyama's stupid and poopy stinginess before his timer kicks off and explodes, and said timer decides to set off today, a month after their first Spring High tourney, inside the Karasuno gymnasium during volleyball practice.
They're on a fifteen-minute water break for a 4v4. Tanaka's going over attack plans with Tsukishima when Stingyama decides to ask, "So, what's your answer, dumbass?"
Oh, Hinata's so ready to tackle him to the ground for calling him something so vulgar unprovoked, but he knows the consequences, so he doesn't. Instead, he furrows his brows, tilts his head to the side, and scrunches his nose.
"Answer to what?" he asks back, sounding so ignorant and clueless that it ups his annoyance a meter higher. He glares. He hates it when Kageyama looks at him like he should know the answer with that stupid poodle pout on his face.
Kageyama returns the glare at him, because of course, he does.
"Your answer to that," Kageyama unhelpfully says.
Hinata takes in a deep breath.
"That what?"
Kageyama's eye twitches.
"That."
"What do you mean by that."
"It's as I said. It's that."
Hinata frowns.
"What is that."
Kageyama throws his hands in the air. "You know—that! Miya-san's marriage proposal, you dumbass!"
What.
Hold on.
Rewind.
Freeze.
Hinata's eyes go wide as saucers. "P-Proposal?! I got proposed to?!" he splutters, nearly chokes. His cheeks flare up with bright pink. What the heck is Kageyama saying. "Y-You—are you messing with me?!" he all but yells.
"Messing with you? Why the hell would I say this to mess with you?!" Kageyama roars. "Are you saying you didn't know?! After he told you he'd toss to you in the future?! Are you that much of an idiot?!"
Hinata screeches. This time, he actually does tackle Kageyama to the ground. Not from annoyance, but from sheer embarrassment. "That was a marriage proposal?!" He pulls at Kageyama's hair, not knowing what to do with the sudden feeling of butterflies in his stomach.
Miya. Blond. Number 7. All-Japan Youth Setter.
That Miya proposed to him?
After only meeting once?!
Kageyama pushes his hand right at his face. "I just said so, and get off of me!"
"How do you even know that was a marriage proposal?!"
"Yeah, Kageyama, how was that a marriage proposal?" Tanaka joins loudly from behind, sounding like a sweet mix of both in denial and mortified.
Hinata gets him.
He is, too.
"That can't be a marriage proposal," Tanaka continues, smoothly easing them off from each other, preventing bloody murder. "I mean, Miya, the blond one, not the grey, and our Hinata here are only in high school, and for a proposal to count as a marriage proposal, you basically need to get down on one knee and pull out a ring, or it doesn't, right?" he reasons.
Hinata furiously nods.
Kageyama deepens his pout.
"Technically, he was on his knees before he told Hinata he'd toss to him," Kageyama says, unperturbed, patting down the spots of his hair that Hinata just pulled. "And from what I was taught—what I've heard—from Oikawa-san before, a setter telling a spiker they'd toss to them one day is special. It's a marriage proposal. Our type of marriage proposal."
"But he didn't have a ring, so it's nothing," Tanaka insists, voice teetering, like he was on the verge of going hysterical and cracking. Hinata watches him turn to the lone figure at their right, who's looking anything but pleased at being forced into the conversation. "You agree with me, right? Right, Tsukishima?" Tanaka tries to coax a response out of him, ideally one of agreement.
But Tsukishima only looks at the three of them in disdain. "How would I know. I'm not a setter," is all he says before letting out a disgruntled huff and walking away.
Hinata curses him at least a hundred and eight times in his head. Unhelpful jerk.
Meanwhile, Kageyama clicks his tongue.
"So, your answer?" Kageyama swerves to ask not a minute later, his dark blue eyes pinning Hinata in place. "It's rude to make him wait, you know."
Hinata glances over at Tanaka, hoping to get at least some backup and—oh.
Oh, no.
Tanaka looks at him like he has lost all will to fight and is frankly ready to die.
Hinata sweats. He is all the same.
His heart thrums wildly in his chest.
"Um…"
His mother lets out what seems to be the nth frustrated sigh of the night. "Shouyou, would you please stop moving your feet under the table? You know how I feel about this habit. What on earth has gotten you so worked up? Is it volleyball?" she asks.
At that, Hinata gulps, and it takes everything in him not to cower in his seat and curl into a ball until nothing of his being is left.
Kinda, he wants to tell her, because his problem does involve volleyball—a volleyball player—but when he opens his mouth, nothing remotely decent comes out, and what instead escapes are gibberish mumbles and sounds.
How the heck do people in Natsu's my-romantic-shoujo-mangas-are-better-than-your-shounen do this type of thing?
"I… um… uh…" he trails off.
His mother narrows her eyes in equal parts of concern and suspicion. "You, um, uh, what, Shouyou? You're making me worried. Don't tell me you snuck into another school uninvited again—"
"No, I didn't!" he immediately cuts, startling both his mother and himself. Thank goodness Natsu has already gone to bed, or he would have received an earful for showing rash table manners in front of his younger sister.
His mother eyes him for a moment. "Uh-huh," she says, bringing a teacup to her lips.
She clearly doesn't believe him.
"I promise it's nothing like that," he defends in what almost sounds like a cry with a dash of squeak. "It's just… there's something really important I need to tell you, okaa-san."
Hinata thinks it's probably because he's close to tears and the nerves were written all over his face that his mother decides to finally give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Alright, tell me," she urges him gently.
"So, uh, I met someone," he finally blurts.
Surprise pastes itself on his mother's features.
"Oh," she exclaims. "Like a partner? I, that's—that's wonderful," she says, a small smile flashing across her face. Hinata internally winces. "Is that what you wanted to tell me? What have you been worrying about?"
"And, um, it happened last month during the Spring tourney. He's my opponent on court from a rival school."
His mother's smile grows. Hinata wants to hurl.
"Exciting. That's great! I'm happy for you," she says.
"R-right," he stutters. "Thanks."
"Of course, Shouyou."
"And, um, okaa-san…"
"Yes, Shouyou?"
"Don't freak out, but what if I told you that heproposedtomeandIacceptedsonowI'mengagedandhaveafiancé."
His mother stills.
The lightbulb in their kitchen flickers.
"What?"
"I… um… he asked me to marry him, and I told him yes. I was, uh, proposed to in court, so now I'm engaged, I think, and have a fiancé."
"What."
"I have a fiancé, okaa-san."
"Hinata Shouyou, what did you just say," his mother flips, and that's how Hinata finds himself recounting and explaining everything that is the Spring High tournament, the crows versus the foxes, the promise of setters as told by Kageyama, and all other information right down to how he met Miya Atsumu and who is Miya Atsumu. For proof, he even shows her a recorded cut clip.
By the time he finishes, his mother looks as though she's just about ready to faint, especially after learning that Miya Atsumu lives all the way in Hyogo, right at the south, the polar opposite of Miyagi, which resides at the north. It doesn't help that there's no ring—but then, do you really need a ring at this time and age—and they skipped the traditional rule of mutual feelings and confession, first dates, anniversaries, and formal introduction to the parents.
"It's like your relationship is completely backwards," she says weakly, incredulous, as she pinches the bridge of her nose. "Heavens above help me. How am I going to explain this to Shouta."
Hinata watches as she closes her eyes, then opens them again, listens as she takes in a breath and stares at him.
"Engaged," she says. "That's it. No wedding ceremony until thirty, and I'm reserving the right to intervene if I sense even an ounce of disaster once."
Hinata nearly collapses in relief.
"Thank you, okaa-san."
That night, late into 10 o'clock, tucked beneath the covers of his bed with the lights off, he decides to text Atsumu. Their earlier exchanges remain fresh at the bottom of his chat.
Hinata Shouyou
Atsumu-san, hello!
I'm sorry it took so long
I didn't know that's what you meant, BUT I ACCEPT
THANK YOU
Miya Atsumu
Who the hell is this?
Hinata Shouyou
It's me! Hinata Shouyou!
I got your number from Kageyama!
Miya Atsumu
AH
Shouyou-kun, hey!
How are you? It's been a month since Spring High!
Hope you're doing well and healthy!
Hinata Shouyou
I AM
Thanks for asking!
A soft, giddy smile unconsciously spreads onto Hinata's face as he rereads their messages. He's a lot less freaked out now compared to his humiliating scene earlier in the gym. Atsumu seems to be a really sweet and great guy. Not to mention talented and incredibly good-looking, and the thought that someone like Atsumu wants him, wants him enough to actually marry him, leaves Hinata feeling oddly flattered and maybe a bit woozy.
Is this what people call being drunk in love?
He begins to type.
Hinata Shouyou
Atsumu-san! Good evening!
I hope you had your dinner, and I have news!
It's all good!
I don't know how it went on your end
BUT the only rule we got from my mom is that we have to wait until 30!
Miya Atsumu
Shouyou-kun!
I was about to text you!
I already had my dinner, thanks!
Dare I say it would have been tastier and BETTER if Samu didn't hog all the food
That pig
Anyway, the thirty thing you mentioned, I don't really get it, but okay
To 30!
Hinata Shouyou
♡
Miya Atsumu
Whshkdnte
Sorry
Wrong send?
Hinata Shouyou
Think whatever you want :P
Seen
Yup, Hinata thinks as another giddy smile erupts onto his face, he is drunk in love.
Drunk on his soon-to-be husband, Miya Atsumu.
His fiancé.
"... and that's it! Itachiyama seizes the victory, with Karasuno wrapping up the season in third. What a generational run from Miyagi's crows!"
To Hinata's surprise, despite being engaged, time passes by as usual. Nothing really changes except, well, the fact that he is engaged and now has a fiancé miles away.
His relationship with Atsumu more or less also stayed the same, that is, if you exclude their four-hour calls late into the night, their all-day texting, and the occasional flower deliveries Atsumu would book over to his home, because, and Hinata quotes, "Shouyou-kun, you need a bouquet to celebrate your milestones in life! It doesn't matter how big or little they are! You gotta have a bouquet!"
Needless to say, when they had their rematch in the following Spring High, Hinata receives the craziest and largest flower arrangement he has ever seen, and his mother, more than anyone else, was definitely the most pleased of all.
Every corner of their home was overflowing with sunflowers for weeks, and when Atsumu graduates and hears he's going to Brazil, the sunflowers turn into tulips.
Atsumu, Hinata realizes in time, is very different from the man that people think he is. Different from the image he presents to the world.
There are two images of Miya Atsumu: the Miya Atsumu for the cameras, and the Miya Atsumu for family, friends, and Hinata Shouyou.
The Miya Atsumu for the cameras is proud, sometimes arrogant, and a jerk. He's a perfectionist with impossibly high standards when it comes to his spikers. Whereas the Miya Atsumu for family, friends, and Hinata Shouyou is only proud when he knows he has something to be proud of. If anything, he's far harder on himself than anyone else. And while he's blunt, he's never cruel without reason.
Sure, on court, he is ruthless. Sometimes, cold, on a bad day. Once the whistle blows, it doesn't matter who you are on the other side of the net. In a match, you're either his teammate or the enemy. But when that's switched off, when he's away from the arena's spotlight, like now, as he joins Hinata at the vending machines after Karasuno's gruelling match with Itachiyama, Atsumu is softer and kinder than what public perception leads on.
And Hinata—
Hinata is going to miss him.
So much.
Atsumu has gone into professional volleyball now. In the MSBY Black Jackals with Bokuto, and possibly Sakusa, if they manage to successfully poach him in the future.
Hinata has had the privilege of witnessing Atsumu's growth. From superstar setter in high school to exceptional professional athlete with sharper and faster sets, terrifying double serves—actually, triple in the making, but the people don't know that yet—and an even stronger devotion to his spikers.
Atsumu, as always, is nothing short of amazing, and Hinata wants to stay right by his side.
Wants to play on the same side of the court. Wants to experience what it's like to be cherished, loved, and backed by, not his fiancé, Miya Atsumu, but setter Miya Atsumu. MSBY's number 13.
But he can't do it like this.
Not at the current level that he's at.
In order for him to share a stage with Atsumu, he realizes, painfully and excitedly, he first needs to go somewhere far away. Roughly 11,533 miles from Tokyo, Japan, on golden sand, under the glimmering sun, with the sound and sight of gentle waves.
Atsumu must have noticed the way his face crumples, because immediately, he's fussing over him.
"Shouyou-kun, hey, what's wrong?" Atsumu asks tenderly, warm hands reaching out to cup wet and rosy cheeks. Hinata didn't realize he had started crying. "You okay?" he murmurs, thumb gently swiping at the tears forming in the corner of his eyes.
Hinata gives a watery sniff. "Yeah—yeah, I'm fine," he says. When Atsumu casts him a scrutinizing look, he pushes forth a smile. "I'm fine, Atsumu-san, really, it's just—I'm going to miss you. I'm going to miss you and everyone lots," he puts his own hands atop large ones, "What about you? Aren't you going to miss me?" he asks, lips jutting into a small pout.
Atsumu replies instantly. "Of course, I'm gonna miss you. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."
"Really?"
"Mhmm." Atsumu hums, smiling back. "Believe it or not, I was actually hoping we'd play in the same team and league after you graduate. But nothing is enough for you, ain't that right, Shouyou-kun? You just gotta take over the world."
Hinata snorts. "Unfortunately."
"Nope. Not unfortunate. Dare I say it's the best damn thing," Atsumu says, caressing his face. "Once you've conquered the beach, I'll be here waiting for you in the court, and I promise you this when you come back, Shouyou-kun. I promise you this a thousand—no, a million times. I'm gonna toss to you."
"Even if I demand a hundred?"
"Make it a hundred and fifty."
Hinata's eyes begin to water again. Curses. Why is Atsumu so sweet.
Strangely enough, despite being engaged for quite some time, they haven't kissed yet, neither were the words "I love you" exchanged between them. Atsumu is just considerate like that, always patient and thoughtful of his feelings.
Hinata grips his shirt. He's going to change that today.
"I'll really really miss you, Atsumu-san. I really will."
Atsumu's gaze imperceptibly softens. "And I'm gonna miss you very much too, Shouyou-kun."
"Atsumu-san."
"Hmm?"
Hinata figures this was the perfect time to get on his toes. "I love you.”
Atsumu nearly explodes.
Okay, so, here's the thing.
Atsumu didn't actually propose to Hinata on the court that day.
That thing Kageyama said about setters promising to toss to spikers in the future is a secret code for "Will you marry me?" is nothing but another Oikawa nonsense reserved exclusively for Iwaizumi.
So, in truth, in reality, with all the facts of the world considered, Atsumu and Hinata aren't engaged. But Hinata doesn't know that, nor does Atsumu, who doesn't know that Hinata thinks they're fiancés, nor Osamu, nor do the other people Atsumu will later scream about this incident to.
Even Bokuto, who's only aware of the other side (Hinata’s) of the story, and genuinely lives his days thinking his teammate and his disciple are soon going into marriage.
When Hinata tells him that he loves him, and subsequently gets on his toes to place a kiss on his mouth with a kitten-ish lick to the bottom of his lips, Atsumu's entire face reddens, his entire composure crumbling like Osamu's failed onigiris.
It's nothing but a miracle that he was able to manage to return the words, "I love you," back, albeit dazed and in a stammer before Hinata went to excuse himself going, "Crap, Atsumu-san! It's time for team interviews! I'll see you later!"
Now that he's left alone, broken out of his trance, Atsumu immediately fumbles for the phone in his pocket.
Miya Atsumu
Samu
Samu
He kissed me
On the lips
Shouyou-kun kissed me
Said he loves me
I think I have a boyfriend
Miya Osamu
Lucky ass bastard
Now, you don't got to worry about confessing and embarrassing yourself in front of him
Missed opportunity, by the way. Would've made a good memory
I still can't believe he didn't find it fucking creepy when you'd send flowers
Everything just works perfectly for you, huh
Miya Atsumu
What can I say
Life reparations
For living with you
"I'm surprised," Sakusa starts, years later, twisting a handful of noodles in between his chopsticks during dinner over the table, "the environment is much more tame and proper than what I was expecting this late into the night," he says, rudely boring holes into Atsumu's figure.
The Jackals did, in fact, manage to poach him, fresh from university.
Atsumu scowls, beach blond hair falling over his eyes. He knows Sakusa's impression is that he takes random people into his bed. He regrets everything good he has ever said about this guy.
"Just what kinda person do you think I am, Omi-kun?" he asks.
"Definitely not this," Sakusa deadpans.
"Okay, rude." Atsumu huffs. Damn prick. "I'll have you know that I'm a loyal man, and Shouyou-kun and I have been dating for two years. A long-distance relationship means nothing to us."
Sakusa wrinkles his nose. "My heartfelt and warm congratulations to you both."
"Jeez, Omi-kun, would it kill you to say it like you meant it?"
"Whoa, whoa, what's going on in here?" An overly enthusiastic voice—a little far too loud for Atsumu's liking—comes barreling in. He swears Bokuto's volume is always either a zero or a hundred twenty. There's no in-between. "Tsum-tsum, Omi-omi, are you two finally getting along?" Bokuto asks, jumping into the empty middle seat.
At the question, Sakusa's expression almost instantly twists into something that's a combination of aghast and disgust. "I fear you must be seeing things, Bokuto," he says.
Atsumu nods. He feels the same way. "Yeah, Bokkun. It'd be a cold day in hell before Omi-kun and I skip around in flower fields holding hands."
Sakusa shoots him a sour look. "Why must it be flower fields?"
Atsumu throws him the same look back. "Would you prefer a graveyard?"
Bokuto laughs. "I don't understand what's going on, but Tsum-tsum, did you hear? You heard it, right?!" he pivots. "That your husband is going to be trying out for our team!"
Atsumu's cheeks pinken. It's a little gross how fast his demeanor changes.
"Shouyou-kun?"
Years have passed, and he still can't get used to Bokuto acting like he and Hinata are married. That's also counting the days when Hinata was still nothing but a crush. Atsumu isn't going to deny that he likes the sound of it, though.
"Hell yeah!" Bokuto cheers.
Atsumu feels a smile creep onto his face, because finally. He and Hinata are finally going to be on the same team. He can finally fulfill his promise of tossing to him. He can finally make him fly it's just—
"That's—wait. Wait a minute, Bokkun. Why did he tell you and not me?!"
Bokuto owlishly blinks, staring at Atsumu like he has grown two heads. He tilts his head slightly to the side. "But Hinata said he did? When I asked, he said he messaged you first."
To prove his point, Bokuto leans from his seat to show Atsumu the message from his phone. Sure enough, he's telling the truth.
Atsumu immediately scrambles to pick up his own device on the table. He’s never putting it in silent mode or flipping the screen on the surface ever again.
"So, did you see it, Tsum-tsum?" Bokuto chirps.
Atsumu stares at his screen, hands shaking. "I did."
Hinata Shouyou
ATSUMU-SAN!
YOU'RE GOING TO SET FOR ME!
[89Air_621LEK_ShouyouHinata.jpeg]
"Alright, everyone, listen up and gather around. We've got someone we want you all to meet," Foster yells, his signature loud whistle interrupting the squeaks of sneakers and echoing chatter inside the team gym. He stands near the gymnasium's doors, the MSBY team manager to his right, and someone unfamiliar—but also familiar to some—to his left.
From his peripheral vision, Atsumu can see Bokuto vibrating, like it's taking everything in him not to run, jump, and dive into the new recruit's arms for a hug.
Atsumu crumples his fist. He's in the same boat. Except, instead of running, jumping, and diving into the new recruit's arms, he wants to pick him up princess-style and kiss him senseless, consequences for PDA be damned.
"This is Hinata Shouyou. He'll be joining the team starting today," Foster says. "Some of you have probably already met him, while some of you have not. Nonetheless, we expect you all to treat him well and get along. Now," he gestures toward two sides of the court, "Two groups. Let's see how he fits in with you. Miya, he's yours."
Hinata glances at him, warmth lightly coloring his cheeks. Atsumu grins.
"Gotcha, coach."
"Make sure to stretch up," Foster says. "In ten, we'll go straight into drills."
Immediately, at the dismissal, all of them spread out across the court, grouping themselves without words and dropping into warm-ups. Quads, arms across shoulders, hamstrings, and a couple of glutes.
Hinata settles into the space beside Atsumu, his gaze bouncing between Atsumu's face and the gym floor. First day nerves—Atsumu knows. The bashfulness on his features is almost painfully cute.
Atsumu lightly brushes their shoulders. "So," he starts, "ready to finally hit my tosses, Shouyou-kun?"
At that, Hinata beams, and his nervousness slips off his shoulders instantly. The mere mention of volleyball is all it takes to break him out of his shell.
This monster, Atsumu thinks fondly, as a pair of fiery brown eyes meets his.
"Ready as I'll ever be, Atsumu-san!" Hinata says, and Atsumu laughs, endeared. "By the way," Hinata steers, "I wasn't able to tell you when you picked me up right at the airport, but you remember my beach partner?"
Huh. Atsumu looks at him curiously. "You mean Heitor? What about him?" he asks when Hinata nods. Atsumu hopes nothing terrible happened to that guy.
"He recently got married," Hinata shares, and Atsumu feels his mouth shape into a small 'o'. So, that's what that is about.
"Oh," Atsumu says, "congratulations to him. Hope he lives a happy married life."
Hinata smiles softly. "Yeah. Congratulations. Did you know his partner proposed to him after our match, and they got married in the next month or so?"
Atsumu presses his lips into a thin line. "That's a little fast, don'tcha think?" he says, and for some reason, Hinata's smile twists into something strange. Did he say the wrong thing? Shit. "But if they've been together for a long time, I guess it doesn't matter," he adds.
Hinata hums. "I guess it doesn't," he echoes, face lighting up as bright as sunshine once more.
Atsumu blinks.
Huh.
Funnily enough, Atsumu won't find out the meaning behind Hinata's words until something happens three months later during a practice match with the EJP Raijins.
It starts when Bokuto spills his energy drink all over Hinata's shirt during timeout, and Atsumu, the good boyfriend that he is, offers his spare.
"You're going to wear Miya's jersey?" Sakusa asks, watching as Hinata puts on a shirt that's nearly thrice his size. The clothing dwarfs him so badly that it gives the illusion he's barely wearing anything underneath.
Atsumu nearly goes into a nosebleed.
Hinata quirks a brow. "Why not?" he turns to look at Sakusa as he gets into position at the court. "We're together. Is there a problem, Omi-san?"
Sakusa narrows his eyes. "No. It's just, during an official practice match?"
Hinata furrows his brows. "What's wrong with doing it on an official practice match?"
"Apart from the obvious fact that it's going to cause confusion to the new recruits, and it's promoting non-compliance with sports rules and regulations," Sakusa says flatly, "the jersey is too big on you, and you parading around with that guy's surname will have onlookers, who know nothing about volleyball, credit your skills to someone else."
"Aweee, Omi-san! You care about me? That's so sweet of you—"
"I am not trying to be sweet—"
"—but I don't mind! Technically, Atsumu-san is my fiancé, and it won't be long until I take on the Miya surname. The crowd needs to get used to it sooner or later!"
The referee blows the whistle.
Sakusa makes a sound akin to a dry heave and a choke.
"What."
A ball strikes someone right in the face.
"Uoahfmhng—Washio-chan!?"
"Uh, sorry. My bad, Bokuto."
Foster immediately calls for a second timeout, and as they gather around the bench, Atsumu feels a different kind of heat wash over him. He feels faint, and is frankly ready to faint, because he's just a boyfriend and—
"Hinata, what did you just say?" it's Sakusa who braves. His deep voice terrifyingly goes a few pitches higher, which is a sign that something messy is about to go down.
Hinata quirks a delicate brow at him. "That I don't mind?"
"No. What you said after that."
Hinata purses his lips. "You mean that Atsumu-san is my fiancé?"
Sakusa looks at him dead in the eye.
"Hinata, I need you to say that again," Sakusa says. "This guy is now your what."
Atsumu is blushing, and he feels another wave of warmth pool into his face when Hinata looks at him like he thinks this might be the cutest version of him.
"Yeah, Shouyou-kun," Atsumu's voice cracks, "I'm your what."
"My fiancé?"
What.
"What."
Hinata scrunches his nose. "What do you mean by what. I don't understand why you are looking at me like that, Omi-san. Atsumu-san and I have been engaged for years."
A water bottle drops, and someone from the sideline, who suspiciously sounds like Inunaki, screeches. "You guys are what. And for years?! Since when?!"
"Since Atsumu-san told me that he would toss to me," Hinata says simply.
"That was in high school, right?" Bokuto unhelpfully pipes, slinging an arm over Hinata. Any other day, where he's properly functioning and his brain isn't short-circuiting, Atsumu would have pulled him away. "Tsum-tsum made a whole scene over there. You remember that, Washio-chan?"
Washio looks at them from the other side in disbelief. "That was a proposal?" he echoes.
Bokuto grins. "It was."
Sakusa presses a hand to his face. "How's that a proposal."
"Because it's the love language of setters," Hinata says, walking over to loop an arm around Atsumu's once Bokuto sets him free. "You don't know that, Omi-san?"
"No," Sakusa says. "How do you even derive a proposal from that."
Bokuto frowns. "Are you saying Tsum-tsum can't propose that way, Omi-omi? That's rude. Akaashi said you don't need a ring these days, you know!"
"That's not what I mean." Sakusa fusses. "It's—listen, Hinata, when someone proposes to you, they do it in a place that's special. It's thoroughly crafted because what person would do it after a gruelling match on a court. Let alone after multiple attempts of antagonizing you and your team, and in high school. From his tastes," he motions to Atsumu, "I know he wouldn't."
"But Kageyama said it was," Hinata insists, hands gripping Atsumu's arm tighter. Atsumu silently thanks him for it because it's the only thing keeping him afloat. "He said he heard from Oikawa-san that a setter telling their spiker they're going to toss to them in the future is a code for will you marry me."
Sakusa pinches the bridge of his nose. "No offense, but why on earth would you listen to Kageyama of all people," he mutters.
"Because he was my first partner, and he's a setter."
Sakusa makes a strangled noise.
"Okay," Sakusa closes his eyes and takes a long, deep breath, "let's say it was a proposal, but does Miya look like he knows it was a proposal?" he questions.
That seems to finally get Hinata to mull the situation over. His brow knits, and his expression shifts ever so slightly.
Atsumu figures when everything must have clicked for him because the weight on his arm disappears, and Hinata's eyes—big, soft, brown, and beautiful—widen and fall like he's just been told that puppies don't have feelings.
"Oh," Hinata exclaims. He looks at Sakusa, then Atsumu, then Sakusa again, and blushes. "Oh, oh, so, um, we're not—he's not—that day on the court—"
Sakusa sighs. "That would be correct."
"Oh," Hinata says again. His eyes are cast downward, he sounds a little crestfallen, and also terribly heartbroken that it snaps Atsumu out of his stupor. "I guess we—"
"But that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna marry you in the future!" Atsumu suddenly cuts. Now that he's recovered from the initial shock of this engagement revelation, he finally turns to properly face his boyfriend slash supposed fiancé.
Hinata freezes at that moment. His expression stills as he seemingly takes in what Atsumu just said. He stares at Atsumu, his pretty eyes once more soft and wide, as the color on his cheeks deepens.
At the same time, Atsumu realizes the gravity of his words and feels his own face flushing.
Their bench goes quiet until Meian coughs.
"Oh, um, okay. Congratulations? Good for you, Miya, and Hinata?"
Bokuto turns to Hinata with a grin. "Isn't that great, Hinata? Tsum-tsum said he wants to marry you in the future!" he hoots.
This breaks Hinata from his embarrassment, and he smiles that dazzling and happy smile that Atsumu has grown to love. "I'll make sure that you're my man of honor when the time comes, Bokuto-san!"
"You mean best man," Sakusa chides.
"You too, Omi-san!"
"No."
It's then that the referee ends their timeout with a blow of the whistle, and they all shuffle back on court.
Atsumu suddenly feels like he’s dreaming.
Oh, to have Hinata Shouyou confirm that he will marry him in the future if he asks.
Atsumu gets back into his position right in front of the net, and someone from the Raijins comes over to his side, snickering.
Suna snorts. "I didn't know you had a fiancé since high school. Very crappy way of proposing, I must say."
Atsumu frowns. "Shut your trap. It was not a proposal. I would have given Shouyou-kun something better."
"Oh?" Something twinkles in Suna's eyes, but before Atsumu could poke him for it, he says, "Good for you, though. Now, you don't have to worry about whether he would say yes."
Atsumu blinks. "I—I guess I don't."
"Atsumu-san!"
Atsumu feels someone tap at his shoulder.
Speaking of his sunshine.
Suna turns to look away.
Atsumu whips his head. "Yes, Shouyou-kun?"
"I, um—I know I read it wrong back then, stupid Kageyama, but we're together now, and we're marrying for real in the future, right? Once we hit thirty?" Hinata says. "Um, you do remember that, right?"
Atsumu vividly recalls Hinata saying something about 30 before, through text with a heart sticker at the wee hours of the evening. He remembers being confused, happy, and disappointed and—oh my god. That is what Hinata talked to his mother about?
His voice strains from embarrassment.
"Yeah, we are, Shouyou-kun," Atsumu says. Because whatever Hinata Shouyou wants, Hinata Shouyou will get. "Whatever you want. We'll be stuck together for life."
"That's—I’m happy!"
"Me too."
"So, Miya Shouyou at thirty?" Hinata gives a crooked grin.
Atsumu laughs softly. "How about you let me propose to you properly first."
"With getting down on one knee, holding a ring, and everything?"
"Yeah, absolutely. I'll kiss you during the sunset too."
Washio finally jumps to serve.