Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Contrary to popular belief, Atsumu really didn’t give a flying fuck if he was excluded from things. Most people thought the blonde just said that; that he used it as a shield. But it was true. Miya Atsumu never cared about being left out of things. If he wasn’t a part of it, he assumed he was too good for whatever it was anyways.

It was Osamu that took being excluded hard.

Now, Osamu was very rarely ever excluded by his peers; after all, he was the more ‘palatable’ Miya twin, no matter how much he hated that title. To him, if they didn’t like Atsumu, they probably wouldn’t like Osamu very much either once they got to know him. The twins were two sides of the same coin after all.

No, it wasn’t their peers, or their team that excluded Osamu. If anything, the Inarizaki volleyball team went to extreme lengths to include both twins, something they’d never experienced before high school. It was extremely refreshing and made the twin feel right at home; the atmosphere that Kita created for them was probably the number one reason that the twins were great friends with their teammates, even after high school.

It wasn’t their peers, nor their team who made Osamu feel left out. No, it was his twin of all people. The one person who Osamu always had to make sure was included in his life.

Growing up, Osamu had always made sure that his twin was included in school and in volleyball. Atsumu had never cared about it, but it had always hurt his younger brother when the setter was left out of group activities. Purposefully, Osamu would start fights just to get a reaction out of the amber-eyed boy. It was the only way to get their classmates or team to see that Atsumu wasn’t just a harsh asshole; he was also a stupid scrub that was easy to tease. Now, would Osamu maybe go about this differently now that he was an adult? Yeah, but the logic of an eleven-year old is never that sound, so give him a break.

When they’d arrived at Inarizaki, Osamu had assumed it’d be the same as usual; he’d be the one integrating Atsumu to the team. It had been a surprise when the team had begun to tease the twins, with no concern of their prickly exterior. Almost immediately, their new team was joking around with them, ignoring Atsumu when he got too intense and pushing Osamu when he got too irritated. It was nice, they’d both thought. It was the first time they had felt like they belonged.

It was in Inarizaki that they’d met Suna. That had been the beginning of Osamu’s issue, so to speak.

It took almost no time for the twins to befriend the middle blocker, who easily fit into their dynamic. Suna was quick-witted, and would snark and jeer the twins as they did with each other. It was fun; Suna was fun to be around. The spiker and middle blocker duo were in the same classes, which made them even closer. They shared inside jokes, passed notes, worked on assignments together: they were best friends. 

So imagine Osamu’s shock when he’d seen Suna and Atsumu kissing one day after practice.

It had been a normal day; Osamu was cleaning the gym by himself, as Akagi had an emergency and had to leave in the first few minutes. Osamu hadn’t minded, waving him off with a smile. After he’d finished cleaning, the grey-haired twin started walking home before his stomach growled. Irritated, Osamu had chosen to go to the nearest convenience store to buy a snack, when he noticed two people sitting on a bench near the store. He’d immediately recognized the uniforms, but was unable to see the faces of the students, since they were currently sucking each other’s. Osamu had choked when he realized it was his twin and his best friend.

“What the fuck,” Osamu said incredulously, making the couple split apart immediately. Suna stared with wide eyes, while Atsumu began to splutter.

“Samu! What – what’re you doin’ here?” Atsumu asked, frantic.

Osamu just stared between the two, completely ignoring his twin’s question, “Are you two dating?” The younger twin was not one to beat around the bush; he wanted to know now.

“We – we were just –“ Atsumu stuttered, completely red. Osamu just kept staring at him, waiting for a response. His twin’s flailing must’ve finally gotten to Suna, as he stood next to him.

The middle blocker looked at Osamu with sharp eyes, startling the grey-eyed twin a bit, “So what if we are?” He said, tone harsh.

Osamu raised a brow at that, “I’m just asking, Sunarin. No need to get so pissed off.”

“It’s not really your business, Osamu,” Suna said plainly, making the other boy bristle. What the fuck? How was he in the wrong here?

“He’s my twin. Yer my best friend. Is it so bad that I wanna know if yer datin’?” Osamu replied, annoyance painting his tone. Atsumu was quick to placate his brother, grabbing his arm.

His voice was a bit calmer now, “Yes, Samu. We’re datin’.”

The spiker huffed, “Now was that so hard? I jus’ wanted ta know. I dunno why you were bein’ so annoyed about it,” Osamu muttered, kicking the dirt under his shoes.

Suna just looked away, “How was I supposed to know how you’d react. I didn’t even know if you knew we were gay.” Osamu just stared for a moment.

“Who the fuck cares if yer gay? So am I, yer not special,” he responded, making both boys splutter. They deserved it in his opinion.

“Yer gay?” Atsumu asked, surprise lacing his tone. Osamu just stared at him, annoyed.

“Yes, Tsumu. Yer not the only one who likes dick,” Osamu deadpanned. The comment made Suna snort, although Osamu refused to smile at the sound. He was still a bit hurt about his friend’s reaction.

Osamu looked between the couple, before asking, “How long have you guys been dating?” He watched them eye each other, deciding whether to tell the truth or not. The spiker was about to tell them off before Suna responded.

“It’s been almost two months,” he said. Osamu stared back, shocked. He noted that Suna wasn’t looking at him, and neither was his twin. He could feel his stomach flip at the information as his fingers began to tingle.

Osamu mumbled, “Why didn’t ya just tell me? ‘S not like I woulda been mad.” Atsumu was quick to try and soothe his twin at that.

“It’s not that I thought ya’d be upset, Samu! I know ya wouldn’t,” he said, trying to get his brother to look at him. Alas, Osamu just continued to stare at his feet, his chest hurting as his twin continued, “I just – I didn’t wanna tell ya right away. Rin’s yer best friend and if it didn’t work out, I didn’t wanna risk it messin’ with yer friendship. I didn’t wantcha to feel left out either, so we acted like normal in front of ya. I was just tryin’ to protect you,” Atsumu said guiltily.

Suna added on, “We were just trying to keep things the same as usual in front of you. We were gonna tell you soon, I swear.” The promise didn’t make him feel any better.

Despite the pit in his stomach, Osamu smiled weakly at the pair, “It’s fine. I’m happy fer you guys. Don’t worry ‘bout it.” Both looked a bit skeptical at Osamu’s acceptance, but chose not to question it now. Osamu didn’t give them much of a choice anyways.

“I’m just gonna guy a snack and go home. You guys can take yer time,” he said, not waiting for either of them to respond before entering the convenience store. The spiker numbly walked around the aisles, picking whatever onigiri and paying. When he walked out, he noticed that the setter-middle blocker pair were talking quietly, Atsumu shout-whispering.

When they noticed Osamu coming out, they quickly stopped whispering: something that made Osamu feel worse. He shouldn’t be reacting like this. It was Atsumu and Suna’s news; it shouldn’t involve him, and he definitely shouldn’t be feeling the way he is right now about it.

Before Osamu could make a break for it, his twin ran over, “Let’s go home together, Samu.” He announced. The grey-haired twin couldn’t help but look back at Suna, who was watching them. Atsumu shook his head, “Rin’s gotta get goin’ anyways. Gotta play with his sister. Let’s go.” And with that, the setter began to drag him down the road, towards their house.

For the first few minutes, neither of them spoke. Osamu was still stewing on his emotions when Atsumu finally broke the silence, “I’m sorry, Samu. I shoulda told ya immediately. I didn’t mean ta hurt ya.” Osamu sighed, looking at the sky as he gathered his thoughts.

“’M not sayin’ ya had ta tell me immediately. It’s yer life, you can decide when ta tell me,” Osamu said, still not looking at his twin.

Atsumu argued, “Yeah, but I should’ve said something a while ago. I didn’t wanna change things between the three of us s’all.”

“I know yer reasonin’, Tsumu,” Osamu responded, mind far away.

“Then why’re ya still not lookin’ at me?” he begged.

“I know why ya did it, Tsumu. I just wish ya would’ve been honest with me.”

“I know, Samu. That’s why ‘m tryin’ to apologize now.”

“Yer not apologizing fer the right thing.”

“Hah? What else ‘m I supposed ta be sorry for?”

“I wish you were sorry about leavin’ me out!” Osamu exclaimed, startling his twin, “I wish you were sorry about lyin’ ta me. Things changed, Tsumu. I wasn’t completely unaware of it, I could tell you and Suna had some sort of inside joke that I wasn’t apart of. I’m not stupid, okay? I just wish ya would’ve said you were datin’, so I didn’t feel as shitty as I do now!”

Atsumu stared at him for a long minute, before asking cautiously, “Do you… do you like Suna, Samu?” The question made Osamu groan. He looked back at the ground, kicking rocks, “No, stupid. I don’t like Sunarin. It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like, Samu? Ya say that you were aware of it but you were surprised today! I don’t get it,” Atsumu said, miserably.

Osamu wasn’t sure how to explain it either, “I just… I wish I wasn’t being left out like this. Yer my twin and he’s my best friend and you two are dating and I’m just… here. I hate that ‘m the odd one out, Tsumu,” he mumbled, feeling embarrassed. He knew it wasn’t really a fair thing to say; Atsumu was allowed to date anyone he wanted. Just, did it have to Osamu’s best friend?

“Samu, we ain’t gonna leave you out,” Atsumu tried.

Osamu whined, “You already are! Yer goin’ on dates after school and not tellin’ me. You’ve been hangin’ out without me too. All those times ya went out to ‘practice’ without askin’ me, you were with Sunarin, right?” he demanded, watching Atsumu snap his mouth closed. Being right didn’t feel good for once, “I don’t care that yer datin’. I care that I’m suddenly not worth bein’ around now that the two of ya have each other. Those days both of ya went to the ‘gym’ during lunch and told me I didn’t haveta come, you weren’t practicing, were ya? That’s what I mean, Tsumu. If ya just told me you were datin’, I wouldn’t have to feel like yer unwanted, annoying sibling tryin’ to hang out with you and the other cool kids!” Atsumu just stared helplessly as his brother heaved, exhausted by having to spell it out for his twin.

“Samu,” Atsumu said, voice thick, “I’m sorry. Please, ’m sorry. I won’t leave ya out, okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were feelin’ abandoned. I didn’t know. I’m sorry, Samu. We won’t do it again, okay? We won’t do stuff without you,” he tried. Osamu shook his head. He still didn’t get it.

“I don’t care if ya do stuff without me. I care that ya don’t exclude me,” Osamu said, staring at the ground. Maybe there wasn’t a difference to Atsumu, but there was to him. It was different.

Suddenly, the blonde pulled him into a hug, shoving Osamu’s face into his shoulder. The spiker struggled, not wanting the affection, when Atsumu spoke, “I won’t. I promise, we won’t exclude ya again. I promise, Samu. I won’t hide nothin’ from ya again. I don’t wantcha to feel this way. I don’t wantcha to feel like yer out there and we’re in here. Yer my brother, I ain’t ever choosin’ anyone over you. I’ll make sure Rin gets it, ‘kay? I won’t let ‘im exclude ya either. I promise, Samu,” he said, pushing his twin’s face into his shoulder harder. Osamu stood still for a while, before slowly bringing his arms around his twin, holding onto his jacket (which if he looked, he would see was Suna’s. He opted to ignore that fact).

He could hear Atsumu let out a shaky breath at the feeling of Osamu’s grip, and let his little brother melt in his arms. Whether Atsumu truly understood or not, Osamu was still sure that his brother would do whatever he could to make Osamu feel better. Whatever Osamu wanted, he knew his twin would do, just so Osamu wouldn’t keep feeling like this. It was one of the reasons the spiker could never understand the people who didn’t like his twin; Atsumu was one of the kindest people he knew, despite his harsh words and abrasive personality.

The twins stood in the street, hugging for a while longer. Before it could get too late, Osamu detangled them, finally looking at his twin with a shaky, but genuine smile. Atsumu ruffled his hair, before saying, “If I ever make ya feel like this again, just tell me, okay? I won’t letcha be alone, Samu.” Osamu huffed a small laugh.

“Okay, Tsumu. Thanks,” he whispered, before adding, “I’m happy fer you, ya know. ‘M glad yer happy with Sunarin. So don’t worry ‘bout that, ‘kay?”

Atsumu just bumped their foreheads together, saying a small, “okay,”, before grabbing his twin’s arm once again and dragging him home. This time however, he went willingly, even laughing as they went. It felt like part of the burden was lifted for them both.

The next day, Suna also came to talk to Osamu after morning practice. He stood in front of the spiker, fiddling with his tie before speaking, “Sorry about yesterday. I was being too sensitive about you finding out. It wasn’t right for me to treat you like that,” he said.

“We didn’t mean to make you feel left out. We thought we were being slick, but obviously not. I’m sorry, Osamu. I’m not trying to make you feel like we’re not best friends anymore now that I’m dating Atsumu, and I’m not trying to take Atsumu away from you either,” the middle blocker continued. Osamu stood there, mulling over his response for a moment, while Suna shifted uncomfortably.

“You can keep him, damn scrub,” Osamu said, making Suna snort. This time, Osamu let himself smile, “Why do ya like ‘im anyways? Thought ya had better taste than that Sunarin,” Osamu joked.

Suna just shook his head fondly, “I didn’t think I’d fall for him either, but once you break through his prickly exterior, he’s not as much of a bastard on the inside. He’s just surprising, you know? One minute he’s screaming at everyone and the next, he’s crying cause someone gave him a cough drop. I guess I wanna see all the different sides of him,” he said, making Osamu grimace. Suna laughed at his expression, dispelling the tension surrounding the friends as well. Finally, Osamu started to feel better about the situation.

It didn’t stop him from complaining about it to his friends though. As him and Aran practiced their serves together, he whined, “It’s so gross, Aran-kun! They’re like, in sync. It’s so weird. They cause terror as a unit now,” he shivered, making Aran laugh.

Aran smiled at the other spiker, patting his shoulder as he asked, “Are you feeling better, Samu? About everything?” To which, Osamu flushed.

Somehow, Aran had basically known everything before Osamu even had a chance to complain about it to the third-year. He explained it away by bringing up the fact that he’s known Osamu since he was a kid, but the grey-haired twin was still surprised (and a bit embarrassed) that Aran knew about Osamu’s insecurities.

“I’m okay now. Tsumu and Suna have been really nice ‘bout it and they don’t just ditch me anymore,” Osamu told the ace, who nodded approvingly.

He ruffled the twin’s hair, making Osamu whine again, “I’m glad. Ya shouldn’t feel left out by yer twin or yer best friend. Tell me if they do it again, ‘kay?” Aran said, flexing his biceps as he did, as if to say he’d ‘handle’ it for him. There was no way Aran would ever hurt anyone, much less Atsumu (maybe Suna if he hurt the blonde, but Osamu doubted it). Nonetheless, it still made Osamu giggle, which made the third-year smile back at him.

“What’s going on over here?” Kita said, startling Osamu a bit. He stumbled a bit at his senpai’s voice, causing the captain to reach out and grab his arm to steady him, “Sorry, Osamu. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Osamu shook his head, “No, Kita-san, it’s okay. I just didn’t hear ya come over,” he said pleasantly.

“We were just talkin’ about Suna and Atsumu,” Aran told his boyfriend, who nodded seriously.

Kita turned back to Osamu before asking, “Are you still feeling troubled about their relationship in relation to you?” The question caused Osamu to blush again.

“I’m fine, Kita-san. Aran-kun just asked me that too,” he pouted, “I’m okay. ‘M happy fer them, really,” the second-year emphasized. Kita just nodded, a small smile on his face.

“As long as you’re okay, Osamu. Do you want us to walk you home today? I heard Atsumu and Suna talk about going somewhere after practice,” Kita said evenly. Aran turned to look at Osamu too, who was a bit shy.

He mumbled, “Dontcha wanna go home by yourselves?”

Aran shook his head, smiling still at the younger boy, “Nah, we wanna go with you. Shin wouldn’t ask if he didn’t want to. And you know I like being with ya,” he said easily. It made Osamu smile, quickly agreeing to it.

Soon after, the third-years graduated, and they became the seniors. Osamu had cried when Kita and Aran left for college and the V.League respectively, but both had reassured him that they’d come and visit him and that he could call them whenever he wanted. Aran had even invited Osamu to his first game, much to his excitement. The grey-hared boy had been quivering with nerves for his childhood friend, making Kita laugh. It had struck Osamu as a bit odd that of the two tickets he’d gotten for the match, Aran had given them to him and Kita. Giving it to Kita made sense, since he was his boyfriend, but Osamu? The spiker had thought it would be given to Atsumu, since he wanted to go pro. Not that Osamu was complaining, unlike Atsumu.

“Why d’ya get to go to Aran-kun’s game!” the setter had whined while Osamu put his sneakers on, “It’s not fair, yer not even gonna play professionally!”

Osamu rolled his eyes, “Ya could’ve bought a ticket to go,” he said, to which Atsumu shook his head.

“It’s not the same. Aran-kun invited you. I’d just be a tag-along,” he pouted.

“I’m technically gonna be a tag-along. Kita-san is the other one goin’.”

“That’s not fair.”

“What’re ya whinin’ about now?”

“You get to go see Aran-kun and Kita-san. ‘S not fair!”

“You gotta let yer crush on them go. First, they’re datin’ each other, and you have a boyfriend,” Osamu reminded him.

Atsumu just waved his hand, “Rin knows about my crushes and supports me. He said if I can seduce them, I can have them,” to which, Osamu gagged.

The twins were startled out of their bickering by a honk in front of the house, them rushing outside only to see Kita in a pickup truck, smiling at them.

“So fucking unfair,” Atsumu whispered, dodging when his twin elbowed him. Osamu had waved at his senpai and climbed into his passenger seat, sticking his tongue out at his twin as they pulled away.

That game had come and go and unfortunately, had been the last time Osamu had gotten to seen his two friends in person until he graduated. Even then, the day had been too hectic for Osamu to get to really talk to them. The trio made a promise to catch up once Osamu had moved for college, which happened to be a few train stops away from Aran’s apartment in Tokyo.

The day that Osamu moved into the dorm would be one he never forgot. Atsumu was the one helping him lug his stuff up to his room, both of them complaining the entire way. Neither of them had seen his roommate yet, the other boy seemingly missing in action. They’d just finished unpacking most of Osamu’s stuff when the front door swung open.

“Oh,” Sakusa said, staring at the sight before him.

Osamu just stared back, “Sakusa-san? Yer my roommate?” To which, the taller man nodded.

Atsumu stared as well, “Omi-kun?” Now that made the spiker startle.

“Atsumu?” he said, and if Osamu hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have believed the blush that appeared on the Itachiyama alumni’s face.

And that had been the start of the divide again, the crack forming right in front of Osamu’s eyes.

Chapter Text

Having Sakusa as a roommate was not as bad as he thought it would be, surprisingly. The taller man was a neat-freak, and he furiously scrubbed the dorm down every weekend, but it was pretty easy to avoid getting on his nerves.

The two had developed a system; Osamu would clean the kitchen and sweep the floors, while Sakusa cleaned the bathroom and wiped down whatever he saw fit (it was usually everything). Surprisingly, the Itachiyama alumni had no problems with Osamu’s cleaning, much to his relief. He was afraid that he’d have to learn the very specific way his roommate cleaned, but Sakusa had watched Osamu wash the dishes one night and nodded his head in approval. Granted, Osamu snorted at his reaction and got a glare as a response, but it looked like he was in the clear.

Osamu would even say that the two were close friends now. He and Sakusa would eat most of their meals together, whether he was cooking or the athlete (Sakusa was surprisingly good, but Osamu still cooked more often. He was sure that the other boy preferred it that way anyways). They’d chat about their days at dinnertime, or sit in complete silence in the mornings while munching on breakfast. It was nice; under his prickly exterior, Sakusa Kiyoomi was a nice guy, and someone that Osamu could get along well with.

“I’m gonna go grocery shoppin’ after class today, ya wanna come?” Osamu asked as he put on his jacket, while Sakusa was studying in their living room.

The college athlete let out a hum, “No, I have plans tonight. Can you pick me up some detergent though?”

“Yeah, sure. Ya sure ya don’t wanna come though? You always critique what I buy when you don’t come,” Osamu teased, making the curly-haired man roll his eyes.

“I would, but I’m going to the gym tonight to get some extra practice in. Don’t buy those puff snacks this time, you’re not a toddler,” Sakusa scolded, making Osamu snort. Sue him, the strawberry-banana ones were good.

Osamu waved him off, heading out the door to his class. In the past few months, Sakusa had been going out at night more. Originally, the chef had chalked it up to extra practice, as he’d seen how hard Sakusa worked in volleyball. The spiker had a wild work ethic, in Osamu’s opinion; he refused to quit anything. Honestly, it sounded exhausting to the brunette, but to each their own.

Now though, Osamu was almost positive he snuck off once a week to see someone. His suspicions had started a few months ago, when Sakusa had come home close to 2AM. Osamu had been flopped over the couch, scrolling through the memes Suna had sent him throughout the day (he was happy the middle blocker still thought to send him memes, even though they didn’t see or talk to each other often anymore). Watching Sakusa startle out of his skin was incredibly entertaining.

“What the fuck,” the spiker breathed out, making Osamu snort.

“Welcome home,” Osamu said cheekily, earning him a middle finger in response. He only laughed back.

Sakusa grumbled, “Why’re you still awake, and why are you sitting in the dark?” To which, the chef shrugged.

“Too lazy to turn on the light. I was just lookin’ at the memes Sunarin sent me,” Osamu said, “Sunarin is Suna Rintarou, by the way. Dunno if you remember him from high school, but he was our middle blocker,” Osamu explained.

“I know who he is,” Sakusa said. Osamu noted the light blush high on his roommate’s cheekbones. Interesting.

Osamu prodded a bit, “Yeah, he’s my best friend. He’s also Tsumu’s boyfriend, if ya didn’t know,” he said, gauging the spiker’s reaction.

Weirdly, bringing up his twin only made Sakusa blush more, “Yes, I’m aware, Osamu. I’m going to bed now. Stop straining your eyes and turn the light on, or go the fuck to sleep,” he said, stomping out of the room. Osamu raised a brow at that. Damn, the bastard had a crush on his twin’s boyfriend, huh? Tragic. Sakusa also had bad taste, it seemed.

Since that night, Sakusa was at least attempting to be stealthier with going out. Unfortunately, Osamu was used to living with a twin who used to try and hide when he stole his puddings. That’s to say, Osamu was great at noticing bullshit.

The first mistake Sakusa made was always using practice as his excuse. This has worked in the beginning, because the spiker had come home in sweats, leaving Osamu none the wiser. However, after living together for a whole semester now, he knew a few things. One was that Sakusa always showered after practice and refused to shower in the gym locker room. He thought it was disgusting (he wasn’t wrong), so he’d always shower right away after getting home.

That meant that the college athlete would come home sweaty every other evening; something that made Osamu grimace the first time he noticed it. He always chastised his roommate about it, saying he’d get sick if he walked home in the cold sweating, but Sakusa acted as though it was a necessary evil. Eventually, Osamu just let him be, even turning on the water for him so it would be warm by the time he arrived. The first time he’d done it, Sakusa left a pastry from the bakery Osamu loved on his nightstand the next morning. It eventually fell into their routine.

Which was all to say that even though Sakusa would say he was going to practice in the gym once a week, the curly-haired man never came back sweaty. He would still shower, as he usually did when he came home, but he was never covered in sweat. If that wasn’t enough, he also never smelt like the wipes the spiker kept on hand, in case he really needed to clean himself in a hurry. Osamu took note of it all, but kept his mouth shut.

Despite Osamu having the itch to confront his roommate about what he was doing and why he was lying about it (growing up with Atsumu made him this way, sue him), the chef decided to keep his questions to himself.  He figured it was okay for Sakusa to have his secrets, and that if he wanted to keep it from Osamu, that it was important to him. If Sakusa was in trouble or decided to tell him, then he’d know eventually and could help him out.

Personally, his money was on the spiker having a partner. At first, he couldn’t imagine it; Sakusa was one of the most eccentric people he knew. He wasn’t sure what kind of person could fall for him. Plus, even if that was the case, it didn’t really made sense to hide it, unless he was embarrassed. It wasn’t like Osamu was hiding anyone he was sleeping with; Sakusa had seen Osamu come home with a limp before, grimacing at him before he put out painkillers for the chef. Osamu laughed every time.

‘Well, if he wants to keep it to himself, that’s his prerogative,’ Osamu dismissed, walking through the aisles of the grocery store.

Even though he’d asked Sakusa to come with him, Osamu secretly enjoyed going grocery shopping alone. It was his own ‘me-time’, as Atsumu had deemed it in high school. Now, the Itachiyama alum wasn’t bad to go grocery shopping with; he restricted what Osamu bought, sure, but he had good reasons. It was just –

Suddenly, the brunette’s phone rang. A smile immediately graced his face, quickly picking up the call, “Hi Aran-kun,” Osamu said cheerily. The laugh he got in return filled him with warmth.

It was just that this was one of the few times Osamu could talk to some of his favorite people with no interruption. Usually, Osamu was in class or the library, and when he wasn’t he was either surrounded by students or with Sakusa. The chef always felt a bit shy talking to Aran or Kita in front of other people; after all, they were so doting on him, it made Osamu all gooey. The first time after he’d talked to Kita in his dorm room, Sakusa had innocently asked if he was his boyfriend. Osamu had immediately spluttered, reassuring the spiker that Kita was just his senpai and that the rice farmer had a boyfriend. His roommate had squinted at him, but accepted it after seeing Osamu’s flustered expression.

Ever since Osamu had moved for college, he had gotten closer to his two senpais. Aran was only a train ride away, and Kita visited his boyfriend often, which meant that Osamu got to see him as well. Aran always invited Osamu over, whether it was to eat a meal together or to watch volleyball games. The V.League player even let him sleep over if it got late out, offering him his bed (Osamu always refused and took the couch. He didn’t want to be disrespectful, after all). Kita would often be there as well; at first Osamu thought that his senpai might be annoyed that he came over so often. They must want to have one-on-one time, right? But Kita never looked irritated: he always smiled at Osamu, listening intently while the brunette regaled his college life. Kita had dropped out after one semester, to everyone but Aran and Osamu’s surprise, so he was always interested when Osamu talked about college.

Osamu always opted to leave out when he hooked up with someone when they talked about college: it just made him shy. He figured it was normal; it wasn’t like anyone he knew bragged about their sexual exploits (a prime example was his fucking roommate).

As Osamu chattered on about his day to Aran, he realized how happy he felt. Being able to talk to Aran and Kita so often made him happy; having a roommate who he got along with and was now one of his close friends also made him happy. When Osamu had decided to go to college, one of his biggest fears was being alone. He’d grown up with a twin after all, someone who was always there. He didn’t know what it’d be like to be on his own.

Something that had taken a lot of getting used to though was not being able to talk to Atsumu whenever he liked. He was used to having his twin at his fingertips, but now they had to schedule calls between them, since Atsumu was busy with practice and Suna, and Osamu was studying 24/7. It was difficult, but they were making it work.

Remembering something, Osamu immediately began to complain to Aran, completely derailing from their original conversation, “Aran-kun, guess what? Tsumu was supposed ta visit me this weekend, but the bastard cancelled last minute!” His childhood friend hummed at that, showing he was listening.

“He said that something came up and that he wasn’t gonna be able to make it, but I think the scrubs gonna go see Suna or something,” he pouted.

Aran chuckled, “Maybe Suna suddenly became free and it was their only shot to see each other for a while, Samu. Give Atsumu a break, for once. Him and Suna are on different teams, so it’s hard for ‘em to meet up nowadays, especially since they’re both new to their teams,” Aran said. Osamu just pouted more.

“Yer supposed ta be on my side, Aran-kun!” Osamu whined, making the league player laugh more, “I betcha Tsumu doesn’t call ya ever. ‘M yer favorite kouhai, right Aran-kun?”

“Yes, you are, Samu,” Aran said easily, bringing an immediate smile to the brunette’s face.

Osamu didn’t let it go though, “It’s their own fault they joined different teams. They both got offers from both EJP and the Jackals. Why’d they choose separate teams?” the chef huffed.

“EJP gave a better offer to Suna, and the Jackals were always Atsumu’s dream. I think it’s sweet that they decided to not hold each other back and chose the teams they wanted. Being apart is hard, but I’m sure it’s even better when they’re together,” Aran said softly.

Osamu hummed, “Is that how ya feel ‘bout Kita-san?”

Again, Aran laughed, “Yeah, I guess it is, huh?” Osamu smiled, although he felt his stomach flip. He wondered if he was hungry.

“Still, Tsumu ditched me. Now ‘m gonna be alone this weekend,” Osamu complained.

“You can come stay with me for the weekend. Shin and I were gonna go to a convention about rice he found. He’s driving here tonight. I dunno how he finds shit like this, but it makes him happy, so we’re goin’,” Aran said, making the twin laugh as he checked out his groceries, shopping done.

“Dontcha wanna spend some alone time with Kita-san? ‘M sure he’d be annoyed if I crashed yer romantic weekend of learning how to properly harvest rice,” Osamu teased, earning him a snort from the older man.

He could hear Aran roll his eyes, “Like I always say, Samu, we like havin’ you around. Stop bein’ shy about it. If ya don’t wanna come, s’okay. But if you do, ya don’t gotta be coy.”

A blush rose on the grey-eyed boy’s face as he mumbled, “It ain’t that I don’t wanna come. I just don’t wanna get in the way,” he said, insecure. He could hear Aran coo at him, making him whine.

“You don’t get in the way of anything, Samu. Please, come this weekend?” Aran asked sincerely. Osamu couldn’t stop grinning if he tried.

“Okay,” he said easily, making the league player chuckle. He shot a quick text to his roommate, letting him know he’d be going to Aran’s apartment tomorrow. The chef got a thumb’s up back, making him roll his eyes fondly.

The duo continued talking on the phone for almost the entire walk back to Osamu’s dorm, Aran only hanging up when he was getting ready to go to bed (‘I can’t believe ya sleep at 10:30, Aran-kun. Yer an old man now.” “Just wait until yer my age, Samu, and you’ll see.” Never mind the fact he was only a year older than the twin). Osamu was humming lightly as he walked up to their dorm, when he noticed a specific car in the parking lot, making him frown.

‘That’s weird,’ he thought, getting a better look at the car, ‘It looks like Tsumu’s.’ Briefly, he considered the fact that maybe Atsumu was coming this weekend. He said he couldn’t, but maybe he was coming as a surprise? Suddenly, a bubbly feeling filled the chef’s stomach. While he would never admit it, he had been incredibly excited to see his twin. They hadn’t been able to see each other in person in almost a month with Atsumu’s games, and the younger twin was in need of some quality time with his best friend.

He hustled up the stairs, grocery bags in tow, wondering if his twin had really come to surprise him. As he entered his dorm room, he noticed two extra pairs of shoes in their genkan. Immediately, Osamu recognized them.

‘Tsumu and Sunarin? They both came ta see me?’ The chef wondered, his smile growing. It had been even longer since he saw his high school best friend; the green-eyed boy lived farther away than Atsumu. Excitement coursed through the brunette at the thought of seeing his two other favorite people.

When he entered the living room though, he didn’t see them. Curious, he dropped the groceries off on the kitchen counter, and went into his room. Again, no one.

“Weird,” Osamu whispered to himself, confusion growing. Where the hell did they go?

It dawned on him suddenly that his twin and best friend might’ve gone to the wrong room, instead going into Sakusa’s. Internally, he groaned. Sakusa would hate that; the volleyball player didn’t like people in his space. Osamu was only allowed in if he’d just showered.

‘Atsumu knows which one is my room too,’ he grumbled internally, walking towards his roommate’s room, ‘Is he just tryin’ to fuck with Sakusa? He’s gonna get his ass beat,’ he thought absentmindedly.

If Osamu had been paying attention, he would’ve heard the noises coming from in the room: the sound of lips smacking and the ruffling of clothes. Alas, Osamu was a bit spaced out as he flung open the door of Sakusa’s room, under the assumption the curly-haired man was still at ‘practice’. The sight before him almost sent him into cardiac arrest.

There in front of him was his twin and Suna, which he had expected. What he hadn’t expected was for Sakusa to be there as well. What had floored him was the fact that his twin was on top of Sakusa, and Suna was laying next to them, all three of them making out somehow. If Osamu wasn’t so flabbergasted by the sight, he probably would’ve thrown up on the spot.

Instead, he just gaped at them, his brain not computing what he was seeing. Atsumu and Suna and Sakusa? What the fuck was happening here?

“Samu!” Atsumu shrieked, immediately getting off of the college athlete. Sakusa sat up as well, eyes as wide as saucers. Suna was sporting a matching look, lips glossy with spit (ew).

Osamu said nothing, only looking between the three as he tried to understand what was going on. His twin’s silence only left Atsumu floundering.

“Samu, this isn’t –“ Atsumu started, before his jaw clicked closed. It was obvious he didn’t know how to explain this away.

Meanwhile, Osamu was still processing what was going on. Atsumu was making out with Sakusa, his roommate. Suna was here, and was apparently doing the same. The three of them had some sort of ‘thing’ going on. Instantly, something uncomfortable swirled in the brunette’s stomach.

Osamu looked at his twin, “What’s goin’ on here, Tsumu?” he asked.

“I – we were just,” the blonde stuttered, somehow taken off guard by his twin’s questioning.

“Osamu,” Suna warned. It made irritation flash in his gut.

“What,” Osamu said, turning to the middle blocker, “D’ya have an excuse, Suna?” he asked, tone sharp.

Sakusa, who had looked the most flustered, then spoke, “Osamu, this isn’t really your business,” he said, looking between the other two. Immediately, Osamu laughed darkly.

“Wow, what déjà vu. Nothin’s ever my business when it involves you, is it Tsumu?” Osamu said, the smile he gave his twin making the other shiver. It lacked any warm or humor; it didn’t belong on the chef’s face. He turned on his heels, walking out of the room, hearing a curse behind him. He felt someone grab his arm and spin him, coming face to face with his frantic brother.

“Wait, Samu, please let me explain –“

“There’s nothin’ to explain, after all. This ain’t my business, right?”

“No, wait! That’s not true, Samu.”

“It is,” Osamu said, bile rising in his throat, “It’s not my business who you and Suna sleep with. I might wish ya chose anyone but my roommate, but –“ Osamu wasn’t looking at his brother anymore, so he wasn’t able to anticipate what the setter would say. And how it would make him feel worse.

Atsumu blurted out, “We aren’t just sleepin’ with Omi-kun. We’re datin’. All three of us.” Osamu froze.

His mind whirled with the new information. The three of them? Dating? Not just Atsumu and Suna anymore, but Sakusa too? But how? Atsumu and Suna were always busy, and Sakusa lived here with Osamu. He’d never seen Atsumu or Suna come to their campus, and Sakusa was going out every week for –

Suddenly, it clicked. Osamu wanted to throw up, “You come here every week ta visit Sakusa,” he said, voice a bit far away as the puzzle pieces snapped into place, “You and Suna come here to see him. The days Sakusa says he’s goin’ to the gym to do extra practice, he’s actually meetin’ with you. Yer all meetin’ and not tellin’ me,” he said, making Atsumu wince.

“Samu, it’s not –“ Atsumu started, only for Osamu to snap.

“It’s not like what, Tsumu? It’s not like you’ve been lying to me, again? It’s not like ya didn’t want me t’know, again? Ya said ya wouldn’t do this again! You promised me ya wouldn’t leave me out again!” Osamu screamed, making his twin flinch.

Suddenly, Suna and Sakusa were at his twin’s side, as if to protect him from Osamu. It just made another crack in the chef’s heart.

Suna’s eyes sharpened, “Osamu, stop blaming him. You don’t get to know everything about his life, especially when it involves other people. Stop being a brat.”

“Rin, wait –“ Atsumu started, only to get cut off again.

“He’s right, Osamu. It’s not fair for you to blame Atsumu for something none of us wanted to tell you. You’re being unreasonable,” Sakusa said, so so protectively. Osamu could feel the bile rising in his throat again. None of them wanted him to know?

Atsumu pushed them both away a bit, “Stop! Both of you, stop! Ya don’t get ta talk to Samu like that!” he said, looking frantically at his twin. It was too late.

“Ya cancelled on me this weekend so ya could spend it with Sakusa and Suna, didn’t you?” Osamu whispered, tears collecting in his eyes.

The setter reached for his brother, only for him to take a step away. Atsumu pleaded, “I’m sorry, Samu. I shouldn’t’ve done that. It was just – Rin was able ta make it this weekend so we thought it’d be a good chance and –“

“I was excited ta see you,” Osamu said, so soft, yet it was like he was screaming it at his twin, cracking his heart into pieces, “I was so excited ta see you. I haven’t seen ya in a month. I was gonna buy yer favorites and –“ Osamu cut himself off, feeling the tears about to spill over. No, he wasn’t going to cry in front of them. They didn’t deserve it.

Atsumu’s voice cracked, “I’m so sorry, Samu. I shouldn’t’ve. I was wrong. Please, please,” he begged, the sight of his brother holding back tears too much for him.

Osamu shook his head, “You lied to me. All three of you did. You know how I feel about it, and so does Suna, and yet,” Osamu stopped, turning his head and making a break for the front door. Atsumu gave chase.

“Wait! Wait, Osamu, please. Let me fix this, I promise I’ll fix this. I’m so sorry, please wait,” he pleaded, holding onto his twin’s arm even as the other boy shoved his shoes on.

Osamu just shook his head, eyes down, “Ya can’t fix this. Leave me alone, Tsumu.”

“Where are ya even going? This is yer dorm! And it’s late, Samu, please.”

“I don’t wanna be here.”

“Then I’ll leave! I’ll go, and I’ll take Rin and Omi, Samu, please –“

“Don’t ya see that’s the problem?”

“Osamu,” Suna started.

“Shut up!” Osamu yelled, voice breaking, “Shut up, just… just leave me alone.” He grabbed the doorknob, a hand covering his as he tried to turn it.

Atsumu begged, tears in his eyes, “Samu, please, ‘m beggin’ ya. Please don’t go. I’ll do anything, just please stay. Let’s talk, jus’ you and me. Please, Samu.”

Osamu stood there, back to the other two, eyes on the doorknob. He asked, “The reason ya came here tonight… is it cause I told Sakusa I was goin’ to Aran-kun’s?” He felt Atsumu’s hand stiffen.

Sakusa was the one who answered, “Yes. I thought you were going straight there,” he said, voice soft.

“I was gonna go tomorrow. He invited me out. Ya didn’t read my text properly,” Osamu said, voice continually breaking. Even so, tears did not spill, “You brought ‘em back here cause of that, huh? Ya were gonna have sex with my twin while I was away,” Osamu said, chuckling humorlessly.

“Osamu…” Sakusa’s voice trailed off, not knowing what to say to that.

“Too distracted ta even read my text properly? Or ta even remember I was at the grocery store? I got yer detergent, by the way,” Osamu mumbled.

Atsumu tried to coax him again, “Samu, please, just come back in. Let’s talk about this, please. ‘M beggin’ ya, Samu. I’ll get on the ground if ya want me to. Please, just,” he tried.

“Fuck off, Atsumu. I don’t want ta see any of you. Yer all a bunch of liars,” Osamu said, eyes burning, heart in pieces.

It was the use of his first name, his full name, that made his twin let go in shock. And with that, Osamu was out the door in the blink of an eye.

He wasn’t sure if anyone had called after him, and he wasn’t completely sure of where he was going. All the grey-eyed boy knew was that he wanted to get as far away from here as possible. As far away from them.

Osamu ended up in front of the train station. Immediately, he knew where he could go. He didn’t have his phone on him, so he couldn’t call ahead. He could only hope he’d be invited in.

“Osamu?” Kita said, as he opened the door to Aran’s apartment. The rice farmer was in sweats, with Aran standing not too far behind him in matching ones. At any other point in time, Osamu would think it was cute, while being a little jealous. Right now though, he couldn’t give it much thought.

“Kita-san,” Osamu said, the floodgates suddenly opening at the soothing sound of his voice. He sniffled, bringing an arm up to cover his eyes.

Startled, the older man pulled him in by said arm, scanning him for injuries as he used to in high school, whenever he and his twin got into an argument, “Osamu? What happened?” Kita asked again, pulling down his arm to see his face.

The brunette let out a loud sob, and was immediately pulled into his senpai’s neck. He felt another presence come around them, wrapping his arms around both of them.

“It’s okay, Samu. Just let it all out,” Aran said soothingly, trying to comfort him.

And he did. Osamu sobbed, the shattered pieces of his heart falling out at every heave of his breath. The pieces landing all over Kita’s shirt, and Aran’s feet.

Chapter Text

Osamu wasn’t sure how long he cried for, just that it felt like an eternity. At first, he sobbed in Kita’s arms in Aran’s genkan. Kita just held him there, rubbing his back and humming a bit. Aran had wrapped his arms around both of them, trying to soothe the brunette. Eventually though, Kita seemed to decide that a mental breakdown in the front of the apartment was no longer acceptable, and decided to move them.

“Osamu, lift your legs for me,” Kita said, surprising Osamu so much that he momentarily stopped crying.

He looked at Kita, confused, “What?” Kita seemed to just ignore him, before bending down and wrapping his arms around Osamu’s thighs. He only had a moment before he was suddenly off the ground.

“Kita-san!” Osamu squeaked, wrapping his arms swiftly around his senpai’s neck, his legs coming in to curl around his hips. He could feel his face flame at the carry; Osamu had at least a few kilos on him, how the fuck was he picking him up so easily?

Kita, to no one’s surprise, was not put off by Osamu’s shrieking, just carrying him to Aran’s bedroom to plop him on the bed. He put Osamu down with grace, Osamu barely bouncing as he released his hold on KIta. His face was completely red, embarrassment consuming him for the moment. Aran looked amused, while Kita looked completely serious.

“What happened, Osamu?” Kita asked, as if he didn’t just carry his kouhai like he was a baby.

Osamu was too embarrassed now to even respond, looking down at his hands. Kita was not having it, squatting in front of him on the ground, “Osamu. You just showed up here sobbin’ your eyes out. You didn’t even cry this much when you and Atsumu fought about you going to college. So, what happened?” he asked, tone serious but not harsh.

Aran came over then, sitting next to the twin, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, “Samu, did you get into a fight? Is this about Atsumu cancelling this weekend?” Right on the money.

“Tsumu’s datin’ Sakusa,” Osamu mumbled, sinuses clogged. He heard Aran suck in a surprised breath and Kita’s eyes widen, “Him and Suna and Sakusa are datin’ now. They’ve been together for months. He cancelled on me ta spend the weekend with his boyfriends,” Osamu said, tears filling his eyes again.

“Oh, Osamu,” Aran said, voice so heartbroken for him, it made Osamu sob again. This time, Aran pulled him into his chest, letting him cry into him.

“He lied again, Aran-kun,” Osamu cried, tears wetting his collarbone, “He – he said that he wouldn’t do it again, and he did. He promised, he promised he wouldn’t leave me out again and he is. He wasn’t even gonna tell me he was here this weekend. I only found out cause Sakusa told ‘im the wrong thing.”

Kita was still crouched in front of him, rubbing his knees and watching the scene unfold in front of them. It hurt to see Osamu so upset; so broken.

Kita asked, “Osamu, are you hurt because he’s dating Sakusa? Or because he cancelled your plans to be with Sakusa?” Kita kept rubbing his knee, trying to give him some comfort.

“I’m so tired of Tsumu leavin’ me out,” Osamu hiccupped, making them both coo at him, “I was always the one includin’ him in stuff growin’ up. I always made sure the other kids included him, and if they wouldn’t, I wouldn’t be around them either. I was always makin’ sure he never felt like I was leaving him behind, even when I told ‘im I wouldn’t go pro,” Osamu said, sniffling.

“But he’s always leavin’ me out. He didn’t tell me when he started datin’ Suna. Suna was my best friend and Tsumu’s my brother, and they didn’t tell me. I found out cause I caught ‘em. I knew somethin’ weird was happening, cause they’d both disappear and tell me I didn’t need ta go with them places. It was weird for weeks before I found out, and I hated it. I hated being the outsider. And now they’re doin’ it again with Sakusa. They’ve been sneakin’ around for months now, actin’ like ‘m some prick who doesn’t deserve ta know what’s going on, and I hate it,” Osamu sobbed, face splotchy. It pained both men to see him like this. Osamu was so stoic in high school; seeing him break down like a little kid was heartbreaking.

Aran tried to soothe him, “Samu, I know yer hurt, but I don’t think they meant to cause you pain. Atsumu loves ya, and so does Suna. Sakusa is your friend, you said so yerself.” But Osamu just shook his head.

Kita tried next, “I know you must feel like an outsider. It was wrong of Atsumu to hurt you like this, as well as Sakusa and Suna. But –“ Before he could continue, Osamu interrupted.

“They acted like I was the enemy. Like I was the reason Tsumu was upset. Neither of them cared about my feelings. They were guardin’ Tsumu like I was the one who hurt him!” Osamu yelled, emotions so volatile.

Kita was quick to grab his hands, “Osamu, please. Take a deep breath. You’re getting agitated, and I understand why. You have every right to be upset, I’m not trying to minimize your pain. Please, breathe Osamu,” he asked, rubbing the back of the twin’s hands. Unbeknownst to him, his breathing had accelerated in the past few minutes. Aran’s hand squeezed his shoulder, making him relax a bit and take a breath. When he opened his eyes, he saw the small smile on Kita’s face. Osamu wished he could return it.

“Before, I wasn’t trying to minimize your pain. I’m sorry if it came off that way, Osamu. You have every right to be hurt. What Atsumu did was unacceptable. It’s not right for him to make you feel excluded, intentional or not. And lying about his plans this weekend was definitely not okay. You have every right to be mad at him and Suna,” Kita said, rubbing circles on his palms, “But I still think I’m confused. Can you explain why you feel left out now that they’re all in a relationship?” he asked, no judgement in his voice.

Osamu swallowed some tears, croaking, “I can’t explain it well. I just… I used ta be Tsumu’s person. He used ta tell me everythin’ and I told ‘im everything too. I’m not saying he had ta tell me right away. I know he’s allowed secrets, and I’m allowed mine. It’s just that,” Osamu’s voice cracked, making Aran hold him tighter, “Suna’s my best friend. Sakusa is my roommate. They’re not nobody ta me. It’s not like I’ve ever said or done anythin’ to make Tsumu not trust that I’d support ‘im. So why can’t I know? Why do I gotta find out like this? They’re my friends. Why am I suddenly not good enough for any of ‘em to be around? Tsumu’s been bailin’ on me, Suna doesn’t call me anymore, and Sakusa’s been sneakin’ out like he thinks I’ll scold him or something. They treat me like they’re walkin’ on eggshells around me, and I hate it. I’m not a bad person, I won’t be mean. I just wanna be included,” Osamu sniffled miserably.

“It hurts cause it feels like they don’t trust you. Like they think badly of you,” Aran said, squeezing Osamu in his arms, as if trying to squeeze the pain out of him.

“Like you’re not worthy of being around them anymore. It’s like they have an inside joke you’re not privy to, and that you’re chasing their attention,” Kita concluded, wiping some of the tears from Osamu’s face.

Osamu sniffled, “Yeah. You guys get it,” he said, shutting his eyes to let Kita wipe off his flushed skin. He pushed his bangs out of his face, smiling sadly when Osamu opened his eyes again.

“Osamu, you know none of those things are true, right? Atsumu definitely doesn’t think badly of you. You’re his favorite person. He trusts and loves you. He loves being around you,” Kita said softly.

Osamu shook his head, “He used to. He started to prefer Suna in high school, and now he doesn’t even give me the time of day. With Sakusa in the mix, I’ll barely get ta be around him anymore,” he mumbled softly.

“That’s not true, Samu. You can’t believe that Atsumu would ever choose another person over you,” Aran said, tone verging on pleading.

“He already did, Aran-kun,” Osamu replied, voice so insecure and fragile. It stung the couple’s heart.

Osamu sniffed, “Maybe I was destined ta be alone or somethin’. I mean, Tsumu’s got two boyfriends now, and then there’s me, the one no one wants.”

“Don’t say that,” Kita said, tone stern. It made Osamu look at him, stunned by the fire in his eyes, “Don’t say something like that, not in front of us.”

Confused, Osamu tilted his head, “What do you mean, in front of ya?” He watched as Kita turned to look at Aran, who was giving him an indecipherable look back. Osamu couldn’t understand whatever they were saying to each other telepathically, making him huff.

“What’re you two doing?” he pouted, upset.

Aran slipped his arm off of him, instead going to kneel next to Kita, “Samu, ya have two people right in front of ya who want you. That’s what Shin means by not sayin’ it in front of us. Not when we’ve been wantin’ ya for forever now,” Aran said, holding on of his hands.

Osamu looked at them like they grew a head between them, “What?”

Kita sighed, “We both want ya, Osamu. We’ve been wanting ya for years now.” Aran nodded along with his statement, like it made any fucking sense.

Osamu was baffled, “What the fuck are you two talking about?” he asked, lost. Aran groaned.

“Samu, we’ve been flirtin’ with you since the beginning of yer second year. We were wonderin’ if we should ask ya out, but yer about as dense as a boulder, so we figured we’d give you time to get your head outta yer ass. Obviously, we didn’t expect it to take this long, but Shin and I are good at playing the long game. We’ve been in love with you since we were seventeen, dummy,” Aran explained, bringing Osamu’s hand to his face. The light kiss he pressed onto his knuckles made Osamu’s brain finally catch up, and then sequentially crash.

“What?” Osamu asked, tone demanding, yet totally shocked. Aran couldn’t help but snort, “You like me? You’ve liked me for years? What the fuck?”

“We’ve been flirting with you for years now. Thank you for finally noticing,” Kita said, voice so monotone that Aran laughed.

“He didn’t actually notice though, Shin. We had to tell him in the end,” Aran teased.

Kita nodded, amused, “Yer right. We obviously have terrible game, Aran.”

Osamu was not in the mood for the teasing, “Wait. Wait. I don’t get it. What do you mean you’ve liked me since my second year?” he asked. Aran wanted to cry. Thankfully, Kita had unlimited patience.

“We haven’t liked you since then. We’ve loved you since then,” Kita corrected him, making Osamu choke, “I thought you were cute your first year at Inarizaki. There was something about you. You were quiet and aloof, but also so chaotic and sweet. I found myself wanting to know you more and more. Aran and I were already dating, so I brought it up to him. He said that he had feelings for you, for a long time now. Me expressing my interest made us both decide that we wanted to pursue you, romantically. The only reason we didn’t was because we were all so young, and we were sure you’d be overwhelmed. At first, we thought we’d confess to you at your graduation, but then we saw how stressed out you were about college, so we thought we’d wait again. Then we decided we’d flirt with you and see if you picked up the hint. Unfortunately for all of us, you’re incredibly dense and can’t pick up a hint to save yer life,” Kita said, amusement in his tone.

He continued, “We were always going to ask you out, Osamu. We were just waitin’ for the right time. But there’s no way I can let you go around thinking that no one would want you. Not when Aran and I have been dreaming of havin’ ya for so long,” Kita said, eyes sincere and warm.

The blush that took over Osamu’s face burned, Kita’s choice of words startling him. Dreaming? Of having him? There was no way.

“Yer not jus’ saying this ta comfort me or somethin’? Or cause Tsumu’s got two boyfriends now? Cause I swear, if ya are, this is such a mean joke –“ Osamu started, only for Aran to stop him.

“Osamu,” he said sternly, making him shut his mouth, “Do you really think Shinsuke and I are the type of people to do that? To you, of all people?” Aran raised an eyebrow expectantly, smiling when Osamu shook his head no.

Aran’s tone softened, bringing a hand up to cup Osamu’s face, “Then don’t think things like that. We wantcha. I’ve wanted you for years now. I always thought you were cute, since we were kids. I had a little crush on ya,” Aran chuckled like it was silly, as if he wasn’t scrambling Osamu’s brain, “I never said anything cause I always assumed you and Atsumu looked at me like a big brother. I never thought you’d be interested,” he explained kindly.

“I like you,” Osamu said suddenly, making both men freeze, “I liked ya, as a kid. I – I had a big crush on ya. I never said anythin’ cause I thought you’d only ever look at me like a little kid,” he said, blush prevalent on his face as he looked down.

“I’ve always liked you and Kita-san. I just thought there was no way ta have either of you, since you loved each other,” Osamu said, voice going soft and insecure again, “I always felt bad crashin’ when you guys were together, but I was secretly happy that ya kept inviting me out. I was always happy when ya called me or texted me. When ya invited me to come with ya tomorrow, I was so excited. I’ve always felt include. Even though we weren’t datin’, I like being with you two. I think… I think I’ve had a crush on both of ya since my second year too,” Osamu said, embarrassed. He felt so raw, so vulnerable. What if this didn’t work? What if it wasn’t really what Aran or Kita wanted? What if they found out they didn’t really like him –

Another hand came to cup his face, this hand calloused. Osamu looked down and saw Kita, smiling at him warmly, “Don’t get in your head about this, Osamu. We both want you. Our feelings won’t change, they haven’t for years. Don’t be afraid, not of us,” he told him, before getting closer to him, mouth just a breath away from his. Osamu sucked in a breath, looking at Kita.

Kita waited, patient. When Osamu nodded, he smirked, before pressing a gentle kiss to Osamu’s lips. He felt the other stiffen, before relaxing slowly. The two kissed so softly, every time Osamu pulled away, Kita dove back in again and again. By the end, Osamu had completely relaxed, his blush still high on his cheekbones.

“So cute,” Kita whispered, smiling at the whine Osamu let out.

Aran moved closer then, “My turn,” he said, before diving in and kissing Osamu too. His kisses were a little stronger, a little more daring. Aran moved to sit on the bed, pulling Osamu onto his lap. He heard Osamu gasp, but kept kissing him. Eventually, he pulled away, taking in the dazed look on Osamu’s face. He wanted to eat him up.

“Aran-kun, Kita-san,” Osamu panted, overwhelmed by the attention. Both men smiled at him.

“Don’t worry, Osamu. We’re not doing anything tonight,” Kita said, earning him more of Osamu’s blushing face, “Let’s just enjoy tonight, shall we?” And with that, the trio continued.

The next morning, Osamu woke up feeling groggy. His eyes hurt from all the crying, and his hips were sore (from various things…). He looked around, and was immediately reminded that he was not in his own room, but Aran’s. Sitting up, he began to process everything that had happened yesterday; Atsumu had two boyfriends and they’d gotten into a huge fight, and now Osamu had two boyfriends (at least, he was pretty sure he did).

‘What a fucking doozy,” Osamu thought deliriously, not sure how he ended up here (not that he wasn’t happy about it; imagine getting to date your childhood and high school crush at the same time? He was one lucky bastard). In the middle of his daydream, he heard a knock on the door, followed by Aran peeping his head through.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Aran said happily, entering his bedroom and sitting down next to him. He gave Osamu a reassuring smile, making the younger reciprocate, “How’re you feelin’, Samu?”

Osamu hummed, “I’m okay, Aran-kun. I feel kinda exhausted from everythin’ with Tsumu, but ‘m okay.” Aran reached out, grabbing his hand at that, causing him to blush. Aran laughed.

“Are ya gonna be this shy for long? It’s cute,” Aran teased, making Osamu groan.

Kita then walked in, an apron on top of his pajamas, “What’s going on in here?” Osamu immediately whined, tattling on his lover.

“Aran-kun is teasin’ me, Kita-san,” Osamu pouted, making both men chuckle.

“Is he now?” Kita mused, looking at Aran and then back at Osamu, “Well, if we’re airing out complaints, I have one too. Why is he ‘Aran-kun’, but I’m still ‘Kita-san’? When will you call me by my first name?” Kita asked, a smirk on his face.

Osamu’s face immediately flamed, “I – I didn’t know ya wanted me ta call you by yer first name! I’ve called Aran-kun ‘Aran-kun’ since we were kids!”

“So you’ll call me Shinsuke then?” Kita asked, gleefully taking in Osamu’s worsening blush.

Osamu pouted, not looking at either of his boyfriends, before mumbling, “Yer so mean, Shinsuke.” It immediately made the farmer laugh.

He was quick to wrap his arms around Osamu, mumbling into his neck, “I’m happy, Osamu,” earning him a giggle from the other. Aran watched with warmth, before prompting them all to get out of bed and eat the breakfast Kita had prepared.

The trio ate breakfast and quickly left for the convention that Kita found. At first, Kita had insisted they should stay home and talk more about their new relationship. It took some prodding for Osamu to convince him that he was fine, and that they should go enjoy the event together.

“I know ya both like me, Shinsuke,” Osamu said, a bit shy, “I can tell. I don’t wanna skip this, since you were excited fer it. We can talk about everythin’ when we get home, right?” To which, both Aran and Kita agreed, pressing quick kisses to Osamu’s cheeks. The college student rolled his eyes, but smiled.

The rice convention was interesting, even to Osamu and Aran. The trio went to the seminars and panels with their lover, and even took notes with him. Osamu found himself intrigued; he figured he could use a lot of this information when looking for vendors when he graduated. As they began their journey home, belly’s full of rice, Osamu began contemplating everything again.

“Thank you,” Osamu said suddenly, startling his lovers. Both men turned towards Osamu, who was blushing, “Fer cheerin’ me up today. I feel a lot better about everything, even if I gotta deal with all of the stuff with Tsumu later. Thanks fer spending today with me, and fer confessing to me yesterday. I feel like… something finally settled inta place, now that we’re together,” he explained, breathing out.

Both Kita and Aran smiled, the former reaching out and holding one of Osamu’s hands. He pressed a quick kiss onto the college student’s knuckles, “Thank you, for accepting our confession. I’m happy. Being with you today and last night, it was everything I’ve been waiting for. Thank you for giving us a chance, Osamu,” Kita said softly, smiling warmly at him. It made his insides tingle, seeing his former captain smile at him like that. He never thought it could happen. Aran pressed a kiss to the his cheek, making Osamu laugh. He felt light; lighter than he had in a long time. It was nice, to be adored like this.

It was when they reached Aran’s apartment, that their little bubble popped. That was when they saw the one person who Osamu had been pushing out of his mind, right in front of them, unprompted.

“Samu,” Atsumu breathed out, taking in the sight of his twin and two high school seniors. And he was not alone.

“What’re ya doin’ here, Tsumu?” Osamu asked, not looking at his twin or his two body guards. The setter walked towards his twin, trying to reach out for him, but Osamu moved back.

Atsumu looked heartbroken as he spoke, “I came ta fix things. Samu, please. Please talk to me,” he begged.

Osamu shook his head, “I don’t wanna talk about it right now, Tsumu. Go spend the weekend with yer boyfriends like ya planned.”

“Osamu, stop –“ Suna started, only to be cut off.

“Don’t speak to him like that,” Kita said, tone warning. It made the middle blocker stand straight, immediately shutting his mouth. Sakusa eyed both Aran and Kita, who were giving them deadly looks.

Atsumu seemed to pick something up between them as well, eyeing his senpais as well, “Kita-san, Aran-kun, can ya let me talk ta Samu? I really need ta talk to him,” he asked, looking between the two.

Aran’s serious look made them all shiver, “It’s not up to us or even you, Atsumu. It’s up to Osamu, and if he doesn’t wanna talk to ya, you can’t make him.” Osamu looked at both his boyfriends and gave them shaky smiles, appreciative that they were sticking up for him.

Atsumu’s boyfriends seemed annoyed, however. Sakusa expressed it first, “I’m not sure why either of you are interjecting right now, to be honest. This is between the twins, and me and Rintarou,” he said, voice tight. Atsumu turned, shocked that his lover would speak to Atsumu’s old teammates like that.

Before he could scold the college player though, Osamu jumped in, “Who the fuck do ya think yer talkin’ to, Sakusa? Ya don’t get ta talk to them like that. You didn’t think this shit involved me yesterday either, so get off yer fuckin’ high horse,” Osamu snarled, startling his roommate. Osamu had never fought with him before, and it was obvious that Sakusa was unprepared for his roommate to turn on him.

“Okay, this is getting out of hand,” Kita said, trying to placate all of them. Unfortunately, they’d already gone too far.

Suna snapped next, “Don’t yell at Kiyoomi. We came here to talk this out –“

“Ya came here ta scold me, is what it looks like,” Osamu scowled.

“Samu, I promise we didn’t. I just wanna talk,” Atsumu begged. Osamu softened at that, but of course, his twin’s boyfriends couldn’t stop themselves.

“Can you just hear us out?” Suna said, glaring at Osamu while taking a step forward. That had been the last straw for Aran.

He moved in front of Osamu, sneering at the middle blocker, who immediately stopped, “If ya take another step forward, Suna, I promise it will not end well for you.” Both twins froze at the sight of their boyfriend’s glaring match.

“Aran-kun…” Atsumu mumbled, eyes wide at the scene. Osamu took one look at his twin’s expression and grabbed Aran’s sleeve, stopping him.

Osamu softly called, “Aran-kun,” prompting the spiker to stop. He looked back at Osamu, and immediately calmed down, letting the tension run out of him.

“Okay, let’s try this again,” Kita said, more sternly this time, “No more arguing in the hallway. Everyone get in the apartment, now.” His words got an instant reaction; all the boys piling into Aran’s living room. Kita sighed once everyone was seated, not knowing why he was suddenly in charge; was he the one who was deciding if Atsumu and Osamu talked today?

Apparently not, because Atsumu started pleading with his twin again, “Samu, I really, really wanna talk about this. I know yer upset, and I’m so sorry, but please let me apologize. Please, Samu. I can’t lose ya over this.” Osamu stared at the setter, contemplating, before looking down at his hands in his lap. He was wringing them in his lap when a warm hand covered his, prompting him to look up at his boyfriend. Aran gave him an encouraging smile, and that was enough for Osamu to smile shakily back.

“Okay, Tsumu. Let’s talk,” Osamu said, watching his brother breathe out a shaky breath. He wondered just how much Atsumu had worried about this. Turning to Aran, he asked, “Can we talk in yer room, Aran-kun?” The older man nodded, smiling at his younger boyfriend again, prompting the twins to get up. Weirdly, Suna and Sakusa also rose.

“No,” Osamu said, looking at both men seriously, “This is between me and Tsumu fer now. I’ll talk to the two of ya after.” It looked as if they wanted to argue, but one look at Atsumu had them both backing down. They both plopped back down, looking around nervously.

Suna mumbled, “What’re we supposed to do while you two talk?” To which, Kita gave him a disconcerting smile.

“We can catch up, of course. I haven’t heard anything from you in a long time, Suna,” Kita said serenely, secretly enjoying the way the middle blocker stiffened. Aran snorted at the reaction. Their old captain then turned to Osamu, smile becoming softer, “We’ll be here if ya need anything. Don’t be so worried. You’re both going to be just fine,” Kita’s gentle voice soothed him, making a small smile arise on the Osamu’s face. Without thinking about it, Osamu pressed a soft kiss to the farmer’s cheek, earning a squeak from Atsumu and surprised looks from Sakusa and Suna. Aran was muffling laughter behind his hand, thrilled. Kita just smiled back.

“Let’s go, Tsumu,” Osamu said, ignoring the looks and the blush rising high on his cheeks. His twin just gaped at him while he shuffled behind him, closing the door once they were both inside.

Atsumu continued to gape, “What the fuck was that?” It made Osamu roll his eyes.

“Ya wanna talk about that, or about us? Make yer choice,” Osamu said plainly.

“I wanna talk about both. How the fuck didja kiss my high school crush in front of me and his boyfriend,” Atsumu mumbled under his breath.

Osamu just stared at his twin, unphased, “Talk, Atsumu. If ya wanna still have a relationship, then talk,” he said, startling his twin out of his daydream.

And so, they talked.

Chapter Text

“Samu, I’m sorry,” Atsumu said, looking at his twin with such remorse, Osamu felt overwhelmed for a moment.

Atsumu took a deep breath before continuing, “I know I fucked up. I know I fucked things up with you. I’m so sorry, Samu. I’m so sorry fer hurtin’ you,” he pleaded.

Osamu crossed his arms, “What’re you sorry for specifically, Tsumu? I feel like we’ve had this exact conversation before, and yet ya still did the same thing.”

His twin sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. For a moment, Osamu took in his twin’s appearance: messy, unkempt hair and the clothes he was wearing last night. Did Atsumu not sleep last night?

“I know, okay? I know I said I wouldn’t do it again, but I just… I don’t know Samu,” Atsumu said, sighing as if the world was weighing on him. He sat down on Aran’s bed, hands covering his face. Despite his frustration with his twin, Osamu felt his heart ache at the sight of Atsumu looking so run down.

He sat down next to Atsumu, voice softer, “Just… tell me what’s goin’ on, Tsumu. ‘M yer twin. You can tell me anything,” Osamu assured him. Atsumu finally pulled his hands away, revealing a worn-out expression.

“I’m just so tired, Samu. ‘M trying to keep up with the V.League and makin’ sure ‘m practicing enough and that my sets and serves are sharp enough, and I’m tryin’ to get along with my team without you there as my crutch and it’s so hard and weird ta be ‘round people that don’t know ya,” Atsumu heaved, words getting away from him, “And ‘m tryin’ to keep everything good with Rin, even though we don’t live in the same city and he’s far as fuck away. I don’t wanna lose ‘im so I’ve been callin’ and visitin’ him on all my time off, and it’s been killin’ me to drive all the way to Shizuoka. And with Omi, I’ve always liked ‘im but I never thought he’d like me back and also there’s Rin so I was scared of how they’d get along but of course they did, and it kinda just happened Samu, there was no real point where we stopped bein’ friends and started bein’ lovers. It was just how it was after a while, and we realized how much we all clicked and wanted ta be together and –“

“Tsumu, take a breath,” Osamu interrupted, reflexively grabbing his twin’s hand.

That prompted him to inhale deeply, closing his eyes as he released the air. Atsumu took a minute, trying to regulate his breathing while his twin rubbed the back of his hand. When he opened his eyes again, Atsumu looked straight into his twin’s, trying to get him to understand.

He started, “Samu, it wasn’t like I was tryin’ to hide it this time. I swear. I know it doesn’t feel different to ya, but I swear I wasn’t trying to leave ya in the dark. It all happened so fast, and I know that a couple of months doesn’t seem fast but it was. Rin and Omi and I weren’t intentionally hidin’ it from you. Omi-Omi was just shy ta tell ya, Rin thought I would tell ya, and I just didn’t find the words to explain it. I didn’t mean fer it to get so outta hand, Samu. And I didn’t mean ta hurt ya. Please, forgive me Samu,” Atsumu asked, eyes watering.

Osamu took in his twin’s explanation, trying to figure out how to respond. He looked from his lap to his twin, questions still bubbling under the surface.

“How often didja come here?” Osamu asked. The ‘without seeing me’ was left unsaid, but weighed heavily between them.

Atsumu sighed, “I came over once every other week. Sometimes Rin joined, but it was mainly me. If Rin wasn’t able ta come, we’d Facetime him. And when I couldn’t come, Omi would go to a café or a private study room ta call us,” he explained.

“Didja ever…” Osamu hesitated, not knowing if he wanted the answer. Atsumu’s thigh pressed into his, prompting him to ask, “Didja ever think about stoppin’ ta see me too?” Atsumu could feel his heart fracture at his twin’s question.

“Samu…” He said, voice soft and incredulous, “Of course I did. I wanted ta see ya. I thought about it, but I thought it’d be suspicious. And yer busy too, so I just,” Atsumu trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Osamu stared at his hands as he continued, “Ya said ya weren’t hidin’ it, but ya were. It’s the same as before, Tsumu. Yer leavin’ me out.”

Atsumu pleaded, “Samu, please. I dunno whatcha mean by that. I love ya, but I ain’t gonna include ya in my relationship. Isn’t that normal?” Osamu shook his head. Atsumu never understood him.

“I don’t want ta be part of yer relationship, Tsumu. I wantcha to tell me stuff like this. I don’t like findin’ out like this,” Osamu explained, voice cracking as his eyes got misty, “It’s like ya don’t trust me anymore, Tsumu. Like I ain’t important to ya. It feels like, like you and Sunarin and Sakusa think ‘m a bad person, and that I could never be understandin’ or supportive of you guys,” Osamu felt the tears slipping down his cheeks and quickly rubbed them away. He hated crying, and he hated doing it in front of Atsumu the most.

He tried to clear his throat, “I feel like ‘m chasin’ after ya now, Tsumu. I can’t get yer attention anymore. Ya know, in yer whole list of things yer busy with, ya never mentioned me. And ya know why? It’s cause ‘m not important in yer life anymore. ‘M not a big part of it anymore. And I get it, you can have yer priorities and stuff. Ya don’t gotta tell me everything immediately. I don’t need ta know everything. But Sunarin and Sakusa are my friends too. I just wish the three of ya felt like you could tell me. That ya thought I could be supportive and that ya wanted me ta know. I feel like ‘m an outsider in all of yer lives now, and it’s hard, Tsumu,” Osamu said, his voice turning into a whisper by the end. Not only was it hard on him to be crying this much, but he was so emotionally exhausted from having to relive and re-explain himself over and over again. He just wished that his twin would be able to understand him this time, instead of pretending to.

What he didn’t expect was the outpouring of sniffles coming from next to him. Osamu finally ventured a look up and his eyes blew wide at the sight of his twin bawling silently. He was about speak when Atsumu threw himself at his twin, wrapping his arms around him so so tight.

“Samu,” Atsumu sobbed, clutching onto Osamu like a lifeline, “Please, please, don’t ever say that. You? Not important in my life? Are ya kiddin’ me? Yer my twin. Yer my best friend, Samu. There’s no one on the planet I love as much as I love you, Omi and Rin included. Yer my favorite person in the world, Samu. Please don’t ever say that yer not important to me, not when yer the one who matters the most ta me,” he begged, hiccupping as he cried. Osamu could feel his tears slipping again, his hands coming up to clutch his twin’s sweatshirt.

Osamu whimpered, “But – but ya said –“

Atsumu cut him off, “I didn’t include ya cause bein’ with ya, talkin’ to you is never hard fer me. It’s the only break I ever get from everything. When I get ta talk to you on the phone, I can feel all my stress lifting away and all the worries and all the pressure fall away. Yer the one who makes me feel like everything’s okay, Samu. Yer my person. I never meant ta make you chase me. I never meant to make you feel like you weren’t worth my attention. ‘M so sorry, Samu, please. Please forgive me fer bein’ a bad big brother,” Atsumu begged, holding Osamu so tight, as if he’d disappear.

“I missed ya, Tsumu. I missed ya so much. I – I was so sad when ya cancelled on me this weekend. I wanted ta see you so badly. I just, I just wanted ta see ya,” Osamu sobbed, tears falling in earnest now. Atsumu just held him tighter, whispering out little ‘I’m sorrys’ as he cried into his twin’s shoulder.

It took a while, but eventually the twins calmed down enough to separate themselves from each other, both looking a mess. Atsumu was quick to wipe his brother’s face, while Osamu fixed his twin’s hair. When they finished, Atsumu took his hands, looking sincerely into his eyes.

“Samu,” he started, clearing his throat when his voice cracked, “I’m so sorry that I cancelled this weekend. I’m sorry that I hurt ya. I wanted ta see you, and I know it might seem fake now, but I really did wanna see ya this weekend too. This was the first weekend in a long while that Rin would be able ta come with me ta see Omi. That’s why I cancelled on ya, but even then, it wasn’t right of me. I felt awful ‘bout it. I could see it in yer face that you were hurt. I wanted ta take it back immediately. I’m sorry I didn’t. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you, and I’ve been doin’ that a lot lately. I’m sorry, Samu. I wish I could take it all back,” Atsumu said, voice hoarse from all the crying.

Osamu looked down at their intertwined hands. There was so much to say, and so much he felt about the entire situation, but it all came down to one thing, “Do ya trust me, Tsumu?”

The response was immediate, “I trust ya more than anyone, Samu.” It brought the first smile to Osamu’s face during the entire conversation.

He looked up, heart warming at the hopeful look in Atsumu’s eyes. He spoke softly, “I can’t say that ya didn’t hurt me a lot Tsumu, cause ya did. But yer my twin. Yer my favorite person in the world. I can’t live without ya. So I’ll forgive ya once more. But I swear Tsumu, if ya do this again –“ Before he could finish, his twin tackled him in a hug again, laying them flat on the bed.

“I’ll never do it again. I swear, Samu. I’ll never make ya feel like this again. I promise, I love you,” Atsumu announced, face buried deep into Osamu’s neck. The feeling made Osamu let out a breathy laugh.

Wrapping his arms around his brother, Osamu sighed, “I love ya too, Tsumu.” The pair said nothing for a while, happy to lay in each other’s embrace. There were still hurt feelings between the two, and some apprehension, but more than anything, there was love. Osamu loved his brother enough to forgive him, and Atsumu loved him enough to change anything that would hurt his twin. It was why their boyfriends knew everything would work out.

Speaking of, “By the way, Samu,” Atsumu prompted, earning a grunt from his younger brother, “Can I ask about the smooch ya left on Kita-san now?” The setter waited for a smack to the back of his head, but it never came. He pulled back from Osamu a bit to look at his face and there it was again: a light blush on his cheekbones.

“That…” Osamu started, wondering how to explain it all. He was well-aware that Atsumu used to have crushes on both his boyfriends, but surely, it would be okay to tell him. Plus, it’d be hypocritical of him if he didn’t, right?

Osamu turned his head to the side as he spoke, “I kissed Shinsuke because I can. Cause he’s my boyfriend. And so is Aran-kun. They asked me out last night after I came here,” Osamu explained, not looking at his twin.

Atsumu made a ghastly sound, which prompted Osamu to look at his twin. The setter’s jaw was unhinged, looking at his twin with such shock, Osamu would laugh if the situation was any different. Given that, the brunette just stared at his twin in anticipation, trying to gauge how his brother would react.

“What the fuck? How didja manage ta do that, scrub?” Atsumu exclaimed, making Osamu snort.

“Apparently, they’ve been flirtin’ with me since we were in high school, but I’m a moron and didn’t notice,” Osamu said, laughing at his twin’s incredulous expression.

Atsumu just screamed, “Since high school? How is that fuckin’ fair? I liked them first!”

Osamu rolled his eyes, “I liked them in high school too, dickhead. I just didn’t say anything cause you were so loud about yer crushes on them. I’ve liked Aran-kun since we were little, anyways,” he said, scrambling Atsumu’s volleyball brain.

“Ya liked Aran-kun and Kita-san? And ya didn’t say anything?” Atsumu asked, continuing when his twin nodded, “Damn, Samu… we really have the same taste, don’t we?” Osamu laughed at that, smacking his twin’s shoulder.

“Yeah fuckin’ right, scrub. While I got my childhood crush and my high school crush ta date me, yer datin’ two broody fucks with bitch face and bendy joints. I clearly won,” Osamu smirked, grinning when his twin argued back. The two bickered for a bit, making them both feel a lot lighter than they had in the past 24 hours.

It was a few minutes later when there was a tentative knock at the door, startling the twins out of their argument of who had better boyfriends (“Yer delusional if ya think Suna or Sakusa beat Shinsuke or Aran-kun,” “Stop actin’ like my boyfriends suck in comparison!” “They do though,” “Take that back!”). When Kita’s head peeked in, Osamu immediately perked up.

“I heard some laughing in here, so I assumed it would be okay to come in. Is everything alright now?” Kita asked, looking over both twins. His eyes lingered on Osamu’s face, making the brunette aware of the fact that his face was probably a bit swollen from all the crying he’d done.

Osamu smiled, “Yeah, we’re okay Shinsuke. Are ya done torturing Suna and Sakusa?” Kita snorted at that, making Osamu laugh too. Atsumu just watched the pair with rapt attention.

“I did no such thing. How could you ever accuse me of somethin’ like that, Osamu?” Kita claimed, making Osamu roll his eyes. He got a gentle kiss on his forehead for his troubles.

Unfortunately for them, that seemed to be Atsumu’s last straw, “Holy shit. He ain’t lyin’. Yer really dating.” Osamu was about to argue back, when Kita answered.

“Yes, Atsumu. Osamu, Aran, and I are datin’. Should I have asked fer your approval?” Kita asked, amused.

Atsumu spluttered immediately, “What? N-No, Kita-san, it’s just that –“

“What’s goin’ on in here?” Aran suddenly appeared, taking in the scene of Atsumu stammering, while Osamu looked like he was holding back laughter and Kita looked so smug.

Atsumu turned to Aran and wailed, “Aran-kun! They’re makin’ fun of me!”

Aran deadpanned, “And I’m supposed ta help you with that?” Osamu immediately dissolved into laughter while Atsumu cried. Even Kita laughed at the scene, bringing a smile to Aran’s face. He pressed a quick kiss to Kita’s temple, and reached out to smooth down Osamu’s hair.

“Are ya mad, Tsumu? That you didn’t know?” Aran asked, turning to his childhood friend.

Atsumu pouted as he responded, “I’m not mad that ya had a crush on Samu more than I’m mad that ya didn’t have a crush on me. I mean, come on. It’s not fair, Aran-kun,” he whined.

Osamu shoved his twin, growling, “Stop bein’ greedy. Ya have two boyfriends already. Aran-kun and Shinsuke are mine.” The two boyfriends in question couldn’t stop the smiles that painted their faces at their newest boyfriend’s declaration. It made them endlessly happy to see Osamu like this.

“Sorry, Atsumu. There’s nothing wrong with you, but Osamu’s had my attention from the beginning. Aran’s too. You didn’t really stand a chance,” Kita said, making Aran snort while Atsumu groaned, embarrassed. Osamu just blushed, pleased that his boyfriends chose him from the beginning.

“Anyways, Samu,” Aran said, prompting him to turn away from his groaning twin (the setter had buried his face in the mattress, humiliation setting in), “Sakusa and Suna wanna talk to ya. If yer still up for it, they’re in the living room waiting. If not, we’ll kick them out.”

Osamu sighed, “Nah, it’s okay. Lemme talk to them now too. I wanna get it all done with,” he said, starting to get up when a hand wrapped around his wrist. He looked back to see Atsumu looking worried.

“Samu, I know ya have every right ta be upset with them. I get it. But,” Atsumu pleaded, “Please don’t fight with ‘em. I know both of them were shitty last night and even before, but I promise I’ll talk to them. They’re not allowed ta be mean to you. But if ya can, please don’t fight with them. Yer the most important person ta me, but they… they’re important to me too,” Atsumu said, voice soft. It made his twin’s heart ache, seeing his brother so vulnerable.

Osamu smiled, “I won’t fight with them, Tsumu. I promise, we’ll just talk.” His easy promise made Atsumu smile as well.

As he made his way out of the room, he gave Aran and Kita a warm smile, making them both want to smooch him. Alas, they decided against it for Atsumu’s sake. Osamu finally exited, seeing Sakusa and Suna sitting at the kotatsu, talking amongst each other. When they finally saw Osamu, both men froze a bit.

For a minute, no one said anything. Osamu sat across from them, studying their expressions as he waited for them to start. It was Suna who finally broke the tension.

“I’m sorry, Osamu,” Suna said, voice a lot more remorseful that Osamu was used to, “I was being a dick last night and earlier today. I shouldn’t’ve spoken to you like that, not only cause you’re Atsumu’s twin, but you’re also one of my closest friends. I was wrong for how I treated you. I’m sorry,” Suna said, not looking Osamu in the eyes.

His apology seemed to prompt Sakusa too, “I’m also sorry for how I acted, Osamu. I was rude last night, and I let it get out of hand. I should’ve just told you I was seeing your brother and Rintarou. I hope you know that it was killing Atsumu to come here and not see you. I could tell he wanted to stop by to see you, but he was trying to be considerate of me and my privacy. Obviously, we didn’t handle this situation well, and the two of you got hurt, and for that I’m very sorry,” Sakusa said sullenly. Osamu looked at both men in front of him, both hunched over a bit in apology, and contemplated their apologies.

Osamu hummed, “I won’t say that whatcha two did was okay. The way both of ya spoke ta me… I was really surprised. And since we went through this in high school, I thought you would understand me a bit more, Suna. I don’t appreciate the way the two of ya treated me. If we’re friends, then why didja act like that towards me?”

“I just – I don’t know, Osamu. I saw the look on Atsumu’s face when you walked in, and I got protective. It was stupid of me, but I just snapped. You didn’t deserve that. You’re his twin, you’re allowed to argue with him. I’m sorry,” Suna replied, before adding, “In high school, I didn’t really get it, even when Atsumu explained your feelings about us to me. I just thought you were being dramatic, honestly. But I get it now.” Now that made Osamu look at him, confused. Before he could ask though, Sakusa cut in.

“Ojiro-san and Kita-san explained to us how you were feeling when you were talking to Atsumu. We never intended to make you feel like we didn’t think you’d be supportive, or that you were hurting Atsumu. You’re our friend, Osamu, but you’re his brother. We should’ve handled it better and been more courteous of your feelings too. I’m sorry for lying to you. And I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you that Atsumu was coming here. I could tell that you were upset when he cancelled, and I should’ve told him to see you instead. I was being selfish,” Sakusa said apologetically. He had a lot of regrets with how he handled this. Both of them did.

Osamu sighed, “I won’t say it’s okay. But I forgive the two of ya. I know it must’ve been hard, trying to navigate yer new relationship and everythin’. I wish things had gone differently so I could’ve been happier fer you when I found out, but I forgive ya. Just – just be good to him, okay?”

Both boys nodded profusely, making Osamu laugh a bit before he continued, “Tsumu’s been real stressed out. There’s a lot of pressure on ‘im, ya know? So I’d appreciate it if you guys could meet ‘im in the middle more. He has a lot of love ta give, and he’ll move mountains fer the people he loves. So can ya do that too, so he’s not so worn out?” Osamu asked, a bit shy. He hated being sappy, but seeing Atsumu so worn down hurt his heart. He hoped that Suna and Sakusa could bear some of the burden with him.

“We will, Osamu. We’re gonna make it work. We’ll take good care of Atsumu, promise,” Suna said sincerely. It was a new look on the middle blocker, that look of seriousness, but Osamu appreciated that it was because of his twin.

Sakusa added, “We’ll work harder so that Atsumu isn’t carrying all the burden. And so both of you are happy as well. He’s the happiest when you are, after all.”

Osamu just smiled, glad that his twin had these two people to look out for him. Before he could respond though, said twin burst out of Aran’s bedroom, the two older men trailing behind him.

“Rin, Omi! Samu’s copying me!” Atsumu whined out, clobbering on top of Suna’s lap while whining. The middle blocker huffed, before arranging Atsumu in his lap.

Sakusa looked exasperated, “Copying you with what? You’re twins, Atsumu.”

“No, Omi. Samu’s got two boyfriends now too! And they’re my crushes! How’s that fair?” God, Osamu was going to roll his eyes so hard one day, they’d permanently stay that way.

Sakusa just deadpanned, “Wow, I’m thrilled to hear about your crushes on Osamu’s boyfriends. Joyous, really.” Aran snorted behind his hand, while Kita just watched, amused.

“He’s had enormous crushes on them since high school. Only makes sense that Osamu would get to them before you though, Atsumu. He’s the better option, after all,” Suna said dramatically, making Atsumu scream. The hold Suna had on his waist said differently.

“Osamu definitely is the better option, that’s for sure,” Aran joked, wrapping his arms around Osamu from behind, enclosing his legs around Osamu’s. Osamu melted into his lover’s arms, a warm smile on his face.

“Truly,” was all Kita added, but it still made Atsumu whine. All six of them laughed.

Osamu felt Kita sit down next to him and whisper into his temple, “Are you feeling better?”

Watching Atsumu bicker with his boyfriends, while Osamu was wrapped up in his own, he immediately knew, “Yes. Everything’s perfect.” And when Atsumu looked up and smiled brightly at him, Osamu knew he could return it perfectly.