Chapter Text
“Hello, and welcome everyone to post game interview. I’m Ose Masumi, ” The male reporter said, and gesturing to the other reporter, who nodded.
“And I’m Seta Mari. We’re here with our newest member of the MSBY Black Jackals, Miya Atsumu. ” She said into the microphone. “Tell me, how has your first year been? ”
Atsumu grinned at the camera, the view of the court a backdrop behind him. “It’s been great! Everyone has been so welcoming, and I’m so glad to be part of a team like this.”
Ose nodded his head. “It’s understood your twin brother is no longer a part of the volleyball scene. How are you adjusting to working alone?”
Atsumu shook his head. “I’m not working alone, though, that’s the thing. As cliche as it sounds, when we play we really are a team. We all work together really well, and I credit that to not only my amazing personality and devastating serves, but Meian’s ability to be a great captain. He’s able to get us to be our full potential out there, and that is what matters.”
Seta smiled. “Insightful words from the star setter of MSBY.”
Atsumu winked. “You know it.”
Ose cuts in, asking, “So, now that you’re officially an professional athlete, everyone wants to know. Who is Miya Atsumu? And why the Black Jackals, specially?”
“Well,” Atsumu laughs, “I’ve always wanted to go pro, that was never a secret. So, when I finally had the chance, I looked to see what offers I had out of high school. I went through a few, but MSBY seemed right to me. Plus, they were fine with me completing my online degree, and a lot of the teams weren’t thrilled to have my attention taken up. Which is fair, it hasn’t exactly been easy to juggle both, but I’m managing.”
“And when are you set to graduate?” Seta asks, moving her microphone back to Atsumu. “And have you decided a major?”
Atsumu nodded, grinning. “To be honest, I didn’t even plan to go to university, but a good friend of mine threatened me that if I didn’t go, she’d kick my ass. I’m majoring in Physical Science, with a minor in Athletic Training. Figured it’d help me in my current position.”
“Well that’s wonderful!” Seta says, smiling. “Very impressive. Well, it was wonderful to talk to you, and we wish you much luck in the Division I arena.”
“Thanks!” Atsumu said, grinning at the camera once more, giving a wink. “But I won’t need it. Who needs luck when you’ve got plenty of hard earned skill?”
thingone: saw you on tv today. you looked like an idiot.
idk why i even watch ur interviews
thingtwo : you’re the one watching it, so blame yourself.
and idk either.
don’t you have restaurant stuff to do??
thingone : no
thingtwo : yeah and now i can tell those shitbags from hs to suck it bc im famous now.
who’s the one getting bullied NOW ha
thingone : ???
thingtwo : oh oops meant to send that to kawa. disregard that text
thingone : bullied??
thingtwo : it was just a joke dw about it
thingone : don’t you dare stop texting me
thingone : sumu
thingone : i’m going to beat the shit out of you when i see you next if you don’t answer
Atsumu put down his phone and groaned. This is what he got for texting two people at once. His phone rang, and he really did not want to answer it. But he knew his brother would be even more angry if he didn’t, so reluctantly he answered.
“Hello?”
“Tell me the truth Atsumu. ” His brother said into the phone. “Did people bully you in highschool?”
Ooo, the full name, that’s not good.
Atsumu is quiet for a moment. “...No?”
“What did I just say. ” Osamu said, voice flat.
“I am!” Atsumu said, frowning for a moment. “I would hardly call it bullying.”
“So they did. ”
“I mean, people weren’t exactly nice to me, but I didn’t really consider it bullying, if that’s what you mean.”
“I can’t believe you. ” Osamu said, scoffing. “Anything else you want to tell me before I have to find out second hand? ”
Atsumu frowned, thinking. “No…?”
Nothing you need to know, anyway.
“Did Oikawa know about this? ” Osamu asks, irritated.
“Of course he did.” Atsumu said, rolling his eyes as he splayed out on the couch. “He knows practically everything about me.”
“And that’s the problem! ” Osamu said. “How can this random dude know more about you than I do, and I’m your twin brother.”
“First off,” Atsumu said, scowling. “He is not just some random guy, he’s my best friend, practically a brother.”
“I’m your brother.” Osamu said, stressing. “And not only that, but your twin! I should know you better than him.”
“You two need to cool the beef between you guys, seriously.” Atsumu laughs. “It’s fine.”
Osamu is quiet for a moment, before saying, “I’m sorry for yelling, but I’m not sorry for being mad. I know it’s only been so many years since we mended everything between us, and we’re not all the way there. I’m trying to be there for you ‘Tsumu, I’m trying to help. But I can’t do that if you won’t let me.”
Atsumu ran his hands through his hair again. He had just gotten it freshly done, and it was looking much better than it had in highschool, if he had to say.
The wonders of purple shampoo and toner.
He’s quiet for another moment, digesting the words his brother said. It was true, they had begun to mend their friendship that fateful day in high school. There were ups and downs, but he thought they were getting better. This latest incident proved to him that maybe he wasn’t quite ready to forgive his brother fully, despite what he had claimed.
“I think we should do family therapy.” Atsumu said, finally, after a long pause. “Because as much as we try and hash this out ourselves, it’s clear it’s not working.”
“…” Osamu says nothing yet. “ Maybe you’re right. ”
“Well, I’m sure I can carve out time.” Atsumu said, looking over to his desk and flipping open the calendar. “This weekend could work?”
“Do you have a place? ”
“Yeah,” Atsumu said, a smile curving up his lips. “I know someone.”
“Great…” Osamu is quiet for a moment. “I’ll talk to you later then? ”
Atsumu nods, agreeing. “Hey ‘Samu.”
Osamu gives him a look. “What? ”
“Thanks.” Atsumu said, giving him a small smile. “For caring.”
“…Anytime. ” Osamu said, before hanging up.
Atsumu flopped on the couch, annoyed. “What a pain.”
The years pass, he gets better, he and his brother get closer, and the game is the still the one he loves. He still wears the arms bands around his arms, especially because he isn’t ready to let the world know that personal detail about him yet.
That all changes when they gain two knew people. Sakusa Kiyoomi and Hinata Shoyo. He grinned when he heard the news.
sumu<333: couldn’t stay away huh?
The text he gets back is, shut up , which is knows is code for “Yes Atsumu, I missed you so much I couldn’t bear to be away from you much longer” but whatever.
Which is why when they do join he grins at Hinata. “Told ya I’d set for you way back in high school didn’t I? Do I keep my promises or what?”
Hinata laughs. “I guess you do! I’m glad to be on your team! Also, Oikawa said to tell you that if you don’t tell him soon he’ll come down here himself to worm the truth out of you.”
“That’s basically like an incentive to see him.” Atsumu said, rolling his eyes. “I haven’t seen him in forever.”
“Wait,” Bokuto says, looking up. “You know Oikawa too?”
“Know him?” Atsumu scoffs.”You could say that.”
“Atsumu and him are best friends!” Hinata said cheerfully. “He even visited when I was in Brazil and Oikawa was in Argentina!”
“Thanks to him, now I know mostly fluent Spanish and a bit of Portuguese, though it’s mostly conversational.”
“That’s so cool!” Bokuto said.
“How many languages does that make?” Hinata asks, excited.
“Uh…” He thinks for a moment. “Japanese, obviously. I’m also fluent in English, especially since I heard my mom talk in it a lot for her work since she did a ton of business in the States. Spanish since Kawa forced me to learn with him. And conversational Portuguese from when he dragged me to visit Hinata.”
“Wow.” Sakusa Kiyoomi said, drawling sarcastically. “I’m impressed.”
Atsumu rolled his eyes again. “Shut up. You’re just jealous you can’t understand what me and Kawa are gossiping about when we’re on the phone.”
Sakusa rolled his eyes, and said, “Of course. I’m sure whatever you have to say is incredibly important.”
“Sure seems that way since you continuously try and lean closer to the call, like you think you’ll spontaneously understand Spanish.” Atsumu laughs.
“Do you two…know each other?” Hinata asks.
“Since high school!” Atsumu said, grinning and clapping him on the back. “We were at the training camp together way back when.”
“Ooo the All Youth Training Camp?” Hinata asked, excited. “I think Kageyama went to that one.”
Atsumu felt his lips pursed into a frown. He didn’t like being reminded of him. “Yeah, that.”
“That’s so crazy we all know each other!” Hinata said, grinning. “Even if we weren’t friends then, I bet we can be friends now.”
“Totally! Me and Tsum-Tsum get along great!” Bokuto said loudly laughing. “Let’s let you meet the rest of the team! They’ll all like you.”
He leads them over, and everyone makes introductions. It’s quiet for a moment, and Atsumu leans over to Sakusa.
“I know you missed me, but it’s a little creepy to be joining the same team as me.” Atsumu said lowly. “You can’t be that obsessed.”
He sees Sakusa roll his eyes. “That’s obviously not the reason.”
“Just a special perk?” Atsumu said, grinning.
Sakusa let out a laugh. “More like a detracting factor.”
“Come on Omi, you know you love me.” Atsumu said, grinning.
Sakusa rolled his eyes.“For some reason.”
“Come on guys!” Bokuto called. “Everyone is waiting!”
“Well come on,” Atsumu said, gesturing. “Let’s not keep them waiting anymore, shall we?”
And so, the game continued. He got better and better, the game evolved, and soon he found himself on the national team, competing in the Olympics.
It was something he could have never dreamed of. And when he held that medal in his hand, he had never felt happier, The ever present misery was still there, but he had so much more now. He never would have imagined that he could have gotten here. That the lonely kid who was sitting in a psych ward sitting and staring at the ceiling feeling so empty, would feel so happy, so fulfilled.
His brother was there, clapping and hugging him, in a rare moment of brotherly affection. “I can’t believe it ‘Tsumu, you did it.”
“I know.” Atsumu said, laughing. “It almost doesn’t feel real.”
“You ever think we’d end up here?” Osamu asks. “That we could ever be that close?”
“I had hoped.” Atsumu said, smiling. “But I didn’t think it was possible. I didn’t think any of this was possible.”
“Neither did I.” Atsumu hears someone say. “But I guess congratulations is in order.”
He tinted around to see his best friend standing there, raising an eyebrow. “What, to good to hug your best friend?”
Atsumu launched himself at his friend, grinning. “Sorry we beat you.”
“No you aren’t.” Oikawa said. “Besides, there’s always next time around. Plus, Silver isn’t half bad.”
“Arrogant are we?” Atsumu said, grinning. It was then he noticed his friend wipe his forehead, moving his hair, that something caught the light. “Wait…you didn’t?”
Oikawa looked absolutely mischievous. “He did.”
“Son of a bitch.” Atsumu said, in shock. “I can’t believe you’re getting married before me.”
“Hey,” Oikawa said, shrugging. “I told him that he either proposed with gold or not at all. Guess he took me seriously. It’s not my fault you’ve been engaged for ages and never planned anything.”
“Maybe I should start. We’ve been together long enough.” Atsumu agreed. He thought back to the matches they had played, and nodded to himself. “You know what…that makes a lot of sense now.”
“I’m still here, you know, in case either of you cared.” Osamu said, rolling his eyes.
“I don’t.” Oikawa said, shrugging.
“Me either.” Atsumu agreed.
Osamu threw up his hands in disgust. “I can’t stand either of you,”
“Then sit down.” They both said at the same time.
Atsumu turned to his best friend. “Don’t ever speak at the same time as me again.”
Oikawa rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
As he fell into the familiar bickering that their friendship was characterized by, he couldn’t help but feel happy for the first time in his life. Really truly happy. He was surrounded by family, friends, loved ones, and he had hit an all time peak in his career.
It didn’t look like he could go much further up, but he would still try, year after year, until he wasn’t able to anymore. Volleyball hadn’t just brought fitness into his life, it had brought friendship, camadrie, and even love.
Before he could get into his mushy feeling even more, and have a total chick flick scene, he shoved it all away and said, “Let’s eat, I’m starving.”
“You’re always starving.”
“Nah that’s my brother, the bottomless pit,” Atsumu said, waving his friend off. “Come on, let’s find everyone and go and have some food.”
Walking through the Olympic stadium, he had never felt better. He finally found a place to be. A place to call home. Sure it had its off days, but what didn’t. He took one more look at the stadium, one last long look, committing it to memory.
“ ‘Sumu, come on! Let’s go, I thought you were hungry!”
“Coming!” He shouted back, walking towards the rest of his group.
Despite all the struggles, all the pain and misery he went through, he wouldn’t changed it. He made it to where he wanted to be now, and in the end, that was what mattered. There was still a lot he had to tell. He knew one day he would have to let the world in on his many secrets, but for now, he was content to soak up this moment.
After all, how many people could say they were Olympic athletes?
“Geez, what took you so long?” Oikawa asked him. “I thought we’d get to the next Olympics by the time you got out here.”
Atsumu laughed. “Reminiscing.”
Oikawa gave him a look. “About what?”
“Did you ever think we’d get here?” Atsumu asked. “That we’d ever be more than those kids who were stuck, limited by our own misery?”
Oikawa was quiet for a moment, before he laughed and smiled a small smile. “I wasn’t sure. But I did have hope.”
Atsumu nodded. “Me too.”
“You two are two bleak.” Aran said, walking to next to him. “We just won gold medals at the Olympics! Cheer up a little!”
Atsumu laughed. “You’re right.”
In a moment of seriousness, Oikawa looked at him, and put his hand on his shoulder. “We aren’t those scared kids anymore ‘Tsumu. We made it! To the world stage nonetheless! I don't know about you but I'm done being defined by my past.”
Atsumu nodded. “You’re right. Let’s look forward to the future right?”
“Exactly.” Oikawa grinned. “You know what they say, the world is our oyster.”
“You know what?” Atsumu said, grinning, as he posted the final pic of him and his best friend holding up their medals from the Olympics online. “It really is.”
Slipping his phone away, he followed the rest of his team and other friends.
Despite being at the top, he wasn’t done quite yet. He still had a ways to go before he was satisfied. If he ever was.
The world was his oyster, after all.
(a still image of him and Oikawa holding up their medals next to a woman who resembled him. grinning at the camera, pure joy in their faces.)
atsumu: thanks guys, couldn’t have done it without you