Chapter Text
It’s a warm and sunny day when Iwaizumi and Oikawa graduate from high school. Kageyama watches them accept their degrees with smiles, and he claps along with their family members and cheers along with the crowd.
The day passes in a blur, there's lunch with their families, a party that’s really just a Seijoh volleyball reunion, and then they’re all curled up together in Iwaizumi’s small bed, with the spiker in the middle, anxiety pouring off of him in waves.
“Relax, Iwa-chan, you’re working yourself up for no reason,” Oikawa says gently, fingers carding through spiky hair.
“You can’t say that, Shitty-kawa, there’s plenty of reason to be worried,” Iwaizumi stresses, face twisted up, “How’re we going to make all of this work now that we’re not in school anymore?”
“Hajime,” Kageyama starts, “Why wouldn’t this work now that you’re both graduated?”
“I’m heading to California, Tobio, and Tooru’s leaving for Argentina. You're going to be here for at least another two years, and the time-difference between the three of us is going to be insane.”
“Oh, Hajime,” Oikawa sighs, “Is that what’s been bothering you this whole time?”
“You don’t have to worry,” Kageyama continues, “We’ll make this work. We’ll find time to video-call, I’ll fly out to wherever I need to be during my breaks. We’ll still be there for each other, and then one day, we’ll have all reached the same place.”
“We just got this,” Iwaizumi whispers, “I don’t want to lose either of you ever again.”
“You won’t, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa says softly, leaning forward to press a kiss to Iwaizumi’s cheek, “I’ve been told I’m rather like a stubborn leech sometimes. You’ll never get rid of me after I’ve grown attached.”
The tension in the room breaks at that, and Iwaizumi huffs out a laugh, “I love the both of you, you know that, right?”
“We love you too, Iwa-chan, always.”
--
Iwaizumi falls asleep shortly after, and Oikawa inclines his head towards the door, disentangling himself and getting to his feet.
They walk outside into the cool night air and start heading in no particular direction.
“Long day, huh, Tobio-chan?”
“Longer for you.”
“Mmmm, true enough,” Oikawa hums, head tilted back.
“Tooru? Everything alright?”
“Iwa-chan is always so silly and full of anxiety,” Oikawa starts, not looking at Kageyama, “But sometimes he makes some good points.”
Kageyama stops walking, eyebrows raised as he stares at Oikawa’s stiff back.
“Tooru,” he says, and watches the way Oikawa comes to a slow stop, “You’re not worried about our relationship, right?”
“I mean, Iwa-chan raised some pretty valid concerns,” Oikawa replies, not looking at Kageyama as he continues walking.
“Yeah, he did, but I meant everything I said too,” Kageyama catches up to Oikawa, reaching out to lace their fingers together, “We’re going to be just fine, Tooru.”
“Do you really think we’ll be able to make this work with so much time and distance between us?”
Kageyama hums thoughtfully, “There’s not a doubt in my mind.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because we’ve worked too hard to build something this solid. We’re not breaking anytime soon.”
Oikawa looks at him impossibly fond, “You know, when you’re that sincere, I have a hard time doubting anything you say.”
--
“Does Tooru know that we’re here?”
“No, he’s got no idea. He thinks we’re both too busy with school, and that we’re going to watch his game after it airs.”
“What an idiot,” Kageyama snorts, “As if we were ever going to miss his first game as the starting setter for his new team.”
“I don’t think he ever expected either of us to fly into Argentina.”
“That’s his mistake.”
Iwaizumi laughs brightly, and Kageyama looks at him with soft eyes, “We should go grab some good seats. This’ll be useless if he doesn’t see us in the stands.”
They make their way through the streets of Argentina, the summer sun soaking into their bones as they head towards the stadium. Picking through the large, gathered crowds, they make their way to the stands directly behind where the Argentinian team are practicing.
Both of their eyes are immediately drawn to a head of fluffy, brown hair, and tanned skin, made even darker by the contrast against his blue uniform.
“He looks good, doesn’t he?” Kageyama stammers, unable to tear his eyes off of the determined face below him.
“He does,” Iwaizumi agrees slowly, “Really good.”
They continue to watch in silence until the game begins, and the crowd begins to rouse with excitement. They cheer at the top of their lungs, calling out Oikawa’s name as he makes his way to the serving line, and they can see the minute he hears them.
The older setter stiffens, before turning his head slowly until their eyes meet. Big, brown eyes widen in shock, before his face splits with a smile. There’s a whistle blow, and Oikawa raises the ball in one hand, pointing it directly at the two of them before he throws it up in the air, taking one, two, three steps, and slamming it down on the other end of the court.
He looks at the two of them, and Kageyama can feel himself falling in love all over again.
--
“Why is it so damn hot in California,” Oikawa whines, squinting his eyes sharply as they try to find an empty seat in the lawn covered with plastic chairs.
“You literally live in Argentina.”
“That’s not the point , Tobio-chan.”
“No, the point is that we’re here to support Hajime’s graduation, Tooru.”
Oikawa huffs angrily, “Fine, but we should go to the beach after to celebrate and cool down.”
“Yes, Tooru.”
“And I want a cold cocktail.”
“Yes, Tooru.”
“Ohhh, maybe a fancy dinner?”
“Yes, Tooru.”
“You’re not listening to a single thing I’m saying, are you, Tobio-chan?”
Kageyama turns and smirks at his soulmate, “Yes, Tooru.”
Oikawa narrows his eyes playfully, “Cheeky little brat.”
Kageyama smiles as he leans up to press a soft kiss to Oikawa’s cheek, “We’ll do all that and more, I promise. But we have to be quiet now, the ceremony’s starting.”
They turn back towards the stage, watching speaker after speaker walk up to the podium and give long and rambling speeches. By the end, both Kageyama and Oikawa have to stop themselves from nodding off, until they notice the students lining up by the stage. They strain their necks, trying to find Iwaizumi in the sea of black robes and caps.
“Hajime Iwaizumi.”
The sound of their cheers are the loudest in the crowd, and they wave their arms like madmen as they watch Iwaizumi walk up to the stage, shaking hands with the dean, and turning towards the crowd, immediately drawing in on his two soulmates standing up and clapping.
The joy on his face shines from his place on the stage, and he walks down with his head held high, and smile wide.
The rest of the ceremony passes by in a blur, and then suddenly Iwaizumi is running across the lawn and picking up Oikawa to spin him around. Kageyama watches them, happiness thrumming through his veins as he watches the two men that he’s in love with embracing one another.
Iwaizumi turns to him after setting Oikawa down, and Kageyama only has one second to brace himself before he’s also getting swept up in Iwaizumi’s heat.
“You’re here. You two are really here.”
“There’s nowhere else we’d rather be.”
--
“I can’t believe you, Iwa-chan.”
“This again, Shitty-kawa? I thought you wanted to surprise Tobio for his first Olympics.”
“I did , but Uskiwaka ? You really had to get help from Ushiwaka ?”
“He’s Tobio’s teammate, and he’s really not that bad once you get to know him.”
“You take that back, Iwa-chan!”
Iwaizumi sighs heavily as they walk down the streets of Brazil, hand-in-hand.
“You may hate the guy, but he’s the reason why we’ve got such good seats, and why Tobio has no idea that we’re coming to watch him play.”
Oikawa huffs loudly as they make their way to the stadium and show their credentials to the security guards waiting outside the door.
It helps , Iwaizumi thinks, To be friends with a member of the Olympic team .
They make their way to their seats, eyes searching for Kageyama.
“Can you believe that he’s playing in the Olympics?” Oikawa asks excitedly, “He’s only nineteen!”
“Our boy’s incredible, isn’t he?”
Oikawa hums in response as they watch the Japanese team make their way onto the court. Kageyama is easy to pick out, his face set with a fierce determination that almost makes Oikawa laugh.
“I’m so proud of him,” Iwaizumi whispers, unable to tear his eyes off of his youngest soulmate.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this proud in my life,” Oikawa agrees, eyes tracking the way Kageyama stretches on the court as they begin to get ready to play.
The teams make their way to their respective courts, and it’s Ushijima who notices them first. He nudges Kageyama, and points in their direction, and they watch the way Kageyama turns slowly until he sees them in the crowd. They watch his face light up, and they watch the soft smile that they both adore stretch across that precious face.
It’s Kageyama who serves first, and as the whistle blows, they watch him raise the ball, pointing it directly at the two of them before he throws it up in the air, taking one, two, three steps, and slamming it down on the other end of the court.
Japan wins that first game, and they wait for Kageyama outside the stadium, soaking up the heat from the sun.
“Hajime! Tooru!”
They turn simultaneously, and seeing the way Kageyama’s backlit against the setting sun knocks the breath out of their lungs.
They’re quick to rush forward, falling into one another as they embrace in the streets, uncaring of the people surrounding them.
“You came. You both came .”
“Did you think we’d miss your Olympic debut, Tobio-chan?”
“We’re so proud of you, Tobio. So, so proud.”
“You played so well.”
“You were magnificent.”
“So good, Tobio.”
“Amazing.”
Each compliment is punctuated with a kiss on his lips, his neck, his cheeks. Kageyama can feel his face flush as his body heats up.
“Please tell me your hotel is close by,” he begs, turning his head slightly to the side to allow for more access for the lips that are marking a trail down to his shoulder.
Iwaizumi looks up from his spot near Kageyama’s neck, locking eyes with Oikawa, and they share a conspiratorial smile.
“It’s right around the corner.”
--
Kageyama watches as the ball is dumped over the net, and he knows they’re not going to make it in time to stop its descent.
The ball bounces, once, twice, three times, and rolls to a stop, and Kageyama looks across the net and locks eyes with an equally stunned Oikawa.
It takes a second before reality crashes into the older setter, and Kageyama watches the way Oikawa seems to collapse under the weight of his own joy as tears leak out of his eyes. His face glows with a deep rooted happiness, and he’s never looked so damn beautiful. While the rest of team Japan gathers together, defeated, Kageyama lets his legs carry him across the court, under the net, and hauls Oikawa into a deep kiss.
He loves this man. Loves him in victory, and loves him in defeat. Without turning his head, he knows that Iwaizumi is right next to him, and as soon as he lets go, it is Iwaizumi who draws Oikawa in, and Kageyama simply presses himself against the two of them.
“You did it, Tooru, you won.”
They feel the way Oikawa shudders, before small sobs begin to shake his body.
Kageyama’s smiling so hard that it’s beginning to hurt, and he knows he should be upset that he’s lost, but there’s no way he can be anything but joyous. Here is the beautiful, broken boy that he’s idolized for so long; the one who could never see his own worth, his own beauty, and he’s finally won .
He wasn’t handed a victory.
Kageyama hadn’t pulled any punches.
Oikawa had still won.
Iwaizumi pulls away first and he’s looking at the two of them like he’s going to burst with happiness, Oikawa’s face is covered in tears, and Kageyama is so in love that it’s tearing his world apart just a little.
Iwaizumi puts a hand on either of their cheeks and draws them in, leaning their foreheads together.
There’s a voice calling Oikawa’s name, and they turn towards the Argentinian team, and they know that they need to go back to their respective teams.
Oikawa pulls away reluctantly and looks at the two of them, “Wait for me?”
“Forever.”
And heliotropes blossom in his chest.