Chapter Text
i. Ushijima & Tendou
[Sakusa throws the ball up and rushes forward. Atsumu tosses the ball and Sakusa jumps—it connects. Ushijima catches it and Osamu lets out a sigh of relief. He’d half thought Atsumu and Sakusa were going to aim directly for his head.
“I caught it,” Ushijima deadpans. “What do I do now?”
“Ushiwaka! Does that mean there are wedding bells in the future?” Bokuto yells.
“Wedding bells?”
“You caught the volleyball!” says Hinata and because he’s a ball of energy even six hours into a wedding reception, naturally he’s jumping up and down as he says it.
“Yes, that’s my job. It is also your job.”
“Ushiwaka-chan, catching the volleyball means you’re going to get married next,” Oikawa says. “What are you? A robot?”
“Oh, I was not informed of this. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go call Satori. He will want to be informed of this new development.”
“Okaayyy,” Atsumu says once Ushijima has pushed his way through to the crowd, cell phone in hand. “Round two!”]
*
“Satori.”
Tendou smiles, holding the phone between his cheek and shoulder as he rummages through the closet. He could have sworn he saw the cold medicine in this closet the last time he was in town but no luck.
He sniffles. “How’s the wedding going?”
“It is very lively.”
Tendou hums. “That’s not surprising. It’s Miya Atsumu, known worldwide for his theatrics.” He pauses. “And Sakusa too, now that I think about it.”
Tendou gives up on the closet, pads back to the bedroom, and slumps onto the bed. Leave it to air travel to give him a cold on his visit home.
“Miya,” Ushjima corrects. “He’s a Miya now.”
“Ah, you’re right. Miya Kiyoomi, then.”
It’s silent for a moment. A familiar silence. And that’s okay, Tendou doesn’t know why Ushijima called but it’s clear he needs a moment to gather his thoughts. Tendou has plenty of moments, he doesn’t mind sparing a few while Ushijima thinks.
“Satori,” Ushijima says again. “There are wedding bells.”
“Well, you are at a wedding. That sounds about right.”
Tendou has no idea what wedding bells have to do with anything but he isn’t going to complain. He’s been at home alone all day, Ushijima’s voice is a welcome lullaby.
“No, not here. Bokuto said there are wedding bells in the future.”
Tendou slaps the bed with this freehand. It’s about fucking time. “You’re kidding! Did Bokuto propose? Or did Akaashi?” He frowns. This means he definitely didn’t win the betting pool that’s been circulating among the players, friends, and family of Japan’s volleyball leagues. He makes a mental note to check the spreadsheet later and to send Akaashi and Bokuto some chocolate.
“No,” Ushijima pauses. “Or, I don’t know. There might be wedding bells in their future too.”
“Okay-”
“Other wedding bells.”
“Whose wedding bells?”
“I caught the volleyball,” he offers as an explanation. It does not explain anything at all.
“The what?”
“The volleyball,” Ushijima says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Are you guys playing volleyball at the reception? Hey, that’s a pretty good idea.” Tendou smiles, that would be fun to watch at a wedding full of nationally ranked volleyball players.
“No.”
“Then how did you catch a volleyball?”
“The bouquet toss.”
“They tossed...a volleyball? I guess that’s kind of cute.”
“Very cute. But I caught the volleyball so that means there are wedding bells in my future. I think. I don’t know how these things work.”
Tendou looks down, the gold ring on his left-hand catches the light. “I think you’re better at wedding bells than you think.”
“Oikawa said I have to get married now. Since I caught the volleyball.”
Tendou hums. Oikawa has a point. “I can’t argue with that logic. You did catch the volleyball after all.” The ring glints again. “Are you proposing?”
“That’s what I’m supposed to do, right? Since I caught the volleyball?”
“Or I can propose this time, either way, there are wedding bells in your future.”