OPEN POST

[beautymarker]

PSLs, meme thread continuations, random texts, whatever!

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💖🏩💖

[northmagnet]

[ the sun's just starting to meet the horizon by the time yuki gets to the train station. it would've been easier to meet earlier in the day, maybe, but considering the reason suga is making the trek out to tokyo - well, yuki would feel weird just walking around with him for hours while they both thought about what they were here to do.

it's not like he just wants to go right to the hotel, though. suga deserves better than that. the poor kid's probably gonna be nervous - yuki knows he sure would be, if their positions were reversed - so he figures they can hang out a bit first, maybe get some food, just talk and relax and get to know each other a bit better.

and then... yeah. the love hotel. yuki's got a couple of options that he knows will allow two guys; they aren't the nicest places ever, but they're clean enough, and they don't ask questions. considering suga is still technically underage, that's a big plus.

leaning against a telephone pole near the subway entrance, yuki lights up a cigarette and hums softly to himself. this is probably a bad idea, all things considered. suga deserves better than to lose his virginity at a seedy love hotel with an almost-stranger. but, ever since that accidental text, he hasn't been able to stop imagining what the alternative would look like.

suga, desperate and alone. suga, reaching out to more and more strange men online. suga, meeting one of those guys in person. suga, getting taken advantage of by them. suga, his sweet face crushed into a look of utter disappointment, his beautiful body broken and damaged by uncaring hands.

suga, all alone.

it might not happen like that. he could find someone else, someone kind and good, someone closer to his own age. maybe that best friend of his will come around eventually. but yuki doesn't like the thought of waiting to see what road suga might take.

...and, okay, maybe yuki wants this, too. not because he wants to use suga. not because he wants to fuck some teenager. but because suga is just so fucking good, and it's been such a long time since anything good happened to yuki.

he takes one last, long drag before putting his cigarette out in the nearby disposal unit, then checks his phone. the train should be arriving any minute now. ]

[beautymarker]

[The silver-haired boy that steps off his second train of the day walks with a casual confidence he doesn't feel in the slightest. As far as his family knows, he's here to visit a friend from Fukurodani Academy; as far as his teammates and other friends know, he's seeing a distant cousin with whom he maintains a friendship; now that he's in the heart of Tokyo and seeking out the face of a near-stranger in the crowd, Suga feels the sheer weight of the risk he's taken threatening to crush the air from his lungs as anxiety starts to set in.

There might be no one here waiting. Yuki might be a serial killer, or a predator that -

- that operates by waiting for random numbers to ask him for a dick pic? No, that's stupid. The absurdity of the situation is what gives him such utter confidence that it really did play out with complete sincerity in every step, and he lifts his chin higher as he steps into the evening light and scans the area for Yuki's kind face.

(But there's still the fact that he's here to lose his virginity, and that keeps making his palms break out in cold sweat too. He spent nearly an hour earlier shoving overnight things into a crossbody duffel bag, then taking several out, then adding a few back again - what's he meant to bring along for a trip like this? Will the wrong thing make him look ridiculous, like he thinks he's going to a kids' sleepover? Should he have gotten new underwear, will his current ones look ratty and unsexy? What if it really does hurt when Yuki -)

Fine. If the thoughts won't quiet down, he'll smile even harder to spite them.

This is how Yuki will get his first in-person glimpse of Sugawara Koushi - dressed simply but with some style, a bit sleepy-eyed from the journey, clutching the strap of his bag and trying to look excited and bold instead of anxious and lost.]

SUGA WTFFF HOW ARE YOU SO CUTE 😭❤️

[northmagnet]

[ It's pretty busy, even though it's a Saturday; the train station is filled with people meeting up with friends, couples going on dates, and salarymen working overtime. Despite the crowd, though, spotting Suga is easy. His hair stands out, for one thing, but more than that is the lost look clinging to him despite how hard he's trying to seem like he knows exactly what he's doing.

As soon as Yuki sets eyes upon him he knows this was the right decision - there's no way some other guy wouldn' take advantage of Suga's innocent eagerness. He does his best to ignore the weird little jump in his chest as he takes in the other boy's appearance. For a kid from the country, he's surprisingly stylish. Yuki's not dressed quite as nicely, but in his black hoodie and ripped jeans, he definitely matches the image Suga would've gotten from their previous conversations. ]

Suga-kun!

[ Lifting one long arm, Yuki waves cheerfully. He's tall, which should make finding him easy enough, and he's got his guitar case slung over his back like usual, which makes him stand out further. He takes a few steps closer, but the emerging crowd makes it difficult to make it all the way - it's gonna be up to Suga to close the distance. ]

he is simply the cutest, it is known

[beautymarker]

[It just so happens that Suga's heart skips in exactly the same way when he hears Yuki's voice and turns toward it - as impossibly cool as Yuki looks in person, his cheerful greeting and bright smile wash away any lingering insecurities in a wave of pure relief. This is exactly who he spoke to in texts and video and phone calls. This is Yuki.

He doesn't know if that's a family or given name, and Yuki doesn't know his given name, but factual knowledge like that isn't the point. He can feel the person he came to visit in Yuki's presence and that's what matters.]

Yuki-kun, there you are! [With that massive smile that's probably all too familiar to Yuki now, Suga lets the crowd push him in the right direction until it thins out enough for him to break away and hurry to Yuki's side.] The Shinkansen's so cool but god, am I ever glad to be here!

[If they weren't both wearing bags, he'd probably throw his arms around Yuki in a tight hug that might not even be welcome here in public... but the urge is there. His whole body is already charged with the desire to make contact, even just friendly first meeting contact. All he can do is grip the strap of his bag even tighter as he takes in the sight of Yuki in person, all the little details he could never get from a video call.

One that Yuki might find interesting, and which Suga never got to mention, is that there's only just over inch difference in their height - when the tallest member of your team is over six feet and he's a first-year, it's easy for a guy to forget that he's on the tall side himself for an average Japanese 18 year old.]

i was thiiiis close to mentioning their heights in my last tag lol, same brain 🧠✨

[northmagnet]

[ This is about as far from a traditional relationship as you can get, right down to their names. It doesn't really matter to Yuki what they call one another, as long as they're both happy with whatever it ends up being. Besides, it's easier like this. They aren't getting married or anything. If Suga wasn't such a sweetheart, Yuki might not even care about maintaining the "friends" part of this friends-with-benefits arrangement.

But Suga is a sweetheart, and that only becomes more clear as his brilliant smile flashes across Yuki's vision. It's impossible not to feel happier just seeing it.

As the other boy approaches their height similiarity becomes obvious, and it would be a lie if Yuki tried to say it wasn't a little surprising. Sure, he knew they couldn't be that far apart, but over video Suga always seemed smaller - something about the way his body looked and moved. Now, in person, Yuki realizes they're almost eye-to-eye.

He also notices just how energized Suga seems, his body practically vibrating. It might just be a byproduct of sitting on trains for hours, but Yuki has a feeling it's got more than a little to do with the purpose of this visit. ]

It's good to see you in person, [ he agrees, stepping closer as people rush past them. The nice thing about Tokyo is that there are so many people living there, very few actually pay attention to anyone else (unless they're making trouble, of course). And that means it's pretty easy to lean in and wrap an arm around Suga's waist loosely, drawing him just the slightest bit nearer.

Yuki's had plenty of time to think about how best to approach this. Should he touch Suga right away? Should he let the younger boy make the first move? He's been thinking and thinking and thinking, and in the end he decided that going with the flow was easier than any sort of strategy his brain could possibly come up with.

So, sensing Suga's energy - and feeling more than a little nervous excitement himself - he tilts his head and presses a chaste kiss to the corner of Suga's mouth. ]

[saltinourstars]

Sending this to you bc Hinata will not appreciate

[beautymarker]

HA!
Don't worry, I'm here to be the outlet for all your annoyed Goldblum gifs!

[saltinourstars]

You sure

Hinata's being EXTRA HIM

[beautymarker]

Back away from the Hinata.
I don't want to get involved but I will.

NATIONALS: After Inarizaki

[crowdad1]

[The ball falls.

The game ends.

Karasuno still stands on the court. Next opponent - Nekoma. The Battle of the Trash Heap is happening. It all comes down to tomorrow.

Daichi supposes it always does. Tries to tell himself to calm down, get ready for bed. The thoughts keep circling. Plays from today's match, Tokyo camp, Kuroo's grin, endless hours of practice and hope and work -

Heaving a sigh, Daichi reaches for his jacket.]

Suga? You okay taking a walk?

[beautymarker]

[Suga's in much the same state, his mind racing even as his body demands rest. Things have moved so fast since they got to Tokyo - and really, since he first walked into the gym at the start of his third year - that even the indominable Sugawara finds himself wishing that the world could just stop turning for a day or two. Scrambling to put his thoughts and experiences in order when they might be far from over.

A relieved smile dawns on his face when he turns toward Daichi's voice. Even now, without the excitement and ache of unspoken feelings warping the world around them, Suga still finds that being with Daichi is the best possible way to pause time and breathe easier for awhile.]

That's the best idea I've heard in awhile. [He grabs his own jacket and shoes, which he slips into at the door of the inn.] We can't exactly lecture them about bouncing off the walls all night if we're doing the same thing, can we?

[crowdad1]

Right!

[The smile does wonders. Shifting the weight of today off Daichi's shoulders. He's not alone. Whatever forms of love and care are between them, that hasn't changed. He grins back at Sugawara.

There's a wave to Asahi, who has settled down with the 'I'm Awesome' video. Their Ace, for once, not fretting. Maybe because Nishinoya's not awake to wind him up.]

Wow. I might not have to yell at anyone to sleep but us.

[beautymarker]

[Sugawara chuckles, stepping out into the night and tucking his hands into his pockets. It's a clear night, at least, which always helps him feel more securely anchored in the world around him.]

My head's actually buzzing... you know, people say that when they're stressed and I never got what they meant before, but it's literal buzzing. Like someone stuck a beehive in there.

Sunday morniiiiing

[beautymarker]

[When Yuki gets up on his last day at the Sugawara residence, he'll find Suga still fast asleep in his room, his parents already out on an errand of some sort, and one of the other bedroom doors open just a crack with a faint melody drifting out.

So far, Kenzo's been largely non-verbal to Koushi-nii's new friend with the bleached hair and earrings and cool clothes. He's not exactly intimidating, not the way some Karasuno members are (Daichi's voice is so big and booming, and why does Asahi have to be a thousand feet tall??), but his effortless charisma just leaves Kenzo feeling even less qualified to interact properly and drives him deeper into his shell. So he nods, he bows, he says what's strictly necessary to avoid blatant rudeness, but that's all.

He doesn't mean to leave his door open that crack when he picks up his violin to practice the melody of his next instrumental cover. He's standing in front of an impressively decked-out home recording setup, with two fully soundproofed walls and an array of equipment for both audio and video covering his computer desk - the family piano is downstairs, but he does have a keyboard along with his various classical instruments on stands or stacked in their cases. As he works out the musical phrasing for the song's opening, his 4'11" frame sways back and forth and his eyes remain loosely shut.

Perfect sneaking up conditions. Oopsie.]

✨🎶✨

[northmagnet]

[ While Suga's mentioned his little brother occasionally, nothing could have prepared Yuki for just how intensely quiet he is. He didn't exactly expect them to spend much time together, but Kenzo's even more skittish than Mafuyu was back when Yuki first met him - and that's saying something. So Yuki does his best not to frighten the poor kid when they're forced to spend time together during meals, or when he and Suga pass Kenzo in the hallway on the way in or out of the house.

He figured that would be the extent of their relationship right up until he wakes that morning to hear music drifting through the air. It isn't even a conscious thought that drives Yuki to tiptoe closer towards the door to Kenzo's room; it's more like instinct, as though he's an animal pricking his ears up in response to the call of his kin.

When Yuki peeks inside, his eyes widen at the intense setup. He knew Kenzo was a musical prodigy, but this is something else - that equipment isn't cheap, not to mention the sheer number of instruments at the kid's fingertips. The sound of Kenzo's playing quickly steals his attention back again, and Yuki finds himself in a trance as he watches the boy play, the violin almost an extension of his body rather than some inanimate object.

He doesn't think about it; his body moves on its own, drawn in by the captivating melody, by the hypnotic sway of Kenzo's small figure. He slips in through the door, bare feet moving soft and silent, until he's right in front of Kenzo. He kneels - again, without thought - and just stays there, watching, eyes wide and lips parted as the music fills his soul.

There's no doubt about it: Kenzo's just like him. Someone else whose only language is music, who can't exist without it. ]

[beautymarker]

[Not only is Kenzo's setup top of the line, but he's bought a lot of it himself thanks to the revenue from his Youtube channel. He won't go to a prestigious school because they're all too far from home, he never seems to make any friends with whom he can share his passion because he's so far above them in skill, but he's got this one outlet and it gets every cent he earns along with whatever his parents can add.

It takes him a comical amount of time to notice Yuki right there in front of him, crouched like he's the child in front of a valued teacher. When he finally cracks an eye open, his bow skids across the strings with an ugly squawk and he stumbles backward into his desk, holding the violin in front of him like a shield.]

Eh?! Y-You... [Oh no. He looks down at his feet guiltily.] Did I - um - sorry...

[He's assuming he woke Yuki up, even though the older boy (man) clearly isn't here to complain.]

[northmagnet]

You're amazing.

[ Yuki barely notices the attempted apology. His attention's still entirely rapt on Kenzo's face, on the way he holds his violin - even now, scared and worried, it's obvious that the instrument really is a part of him.

- but Yuki doesn't want to frighten the poor kid any more than he has. So, chuckling in an embarrassed fashion, he lifts a hand to the back of his neck and says, ]

Sorry for barging in on you - you sounded so good, I couldn't help myself.

[ Then, his expression shifting into a gentle smile, he lifts one hand to point at the violin Kenzo's currently using to defend himself from the bleach-blond punk invading his space. ]

Will you tell me about the song you were playing?

post-nekoma match! (this'll probably become action eventually)

[beautymarker]

I should definitely feel more victorious and vindicated right now...
Or nervous about Kamomedai or anything other than
Sad? I think? Wistful? Who the hell am I, Asahi??
I just keep thinking about the whole year led up to this and now it's over
Not pride about the insane growth that brought us here, not gratitude for having such great rivals
Just "huh it's over"

Weird feeling I do not like at all

[saltinourstars]

[Okay.

Tsukki's been trying to give Sugawara space, after... Everything. It's not his business who people want to kiss. Except. It stays on his mind. No matter how much he tries to push it away.

He's wrung out, cranky, and fed-up. Now this?]

HM

INTERESTING

anything ELSE you might want to share with the class??

[Clearly.

Not.

Asahi.]

[beautymarker]

What?

[Yeah, something definitely happened, but if that's what Tsukki means - how does he know? And what, exactly, is that tone?]

Oh god
Don't tell me

Okay what did you hear and who did you hear it from?

[Damage control was the very last thing Suga wanted to deal with tonight. Hooray.]

[saltinourstars]

[He starts and deletes several sentences worth of acid. That's not helpful. That's not okay, what is wrong with him.

Just - Stick with facts.]

I saw you and Kuroo kiss

MY TURN

[saltinourstars]

[The week after Nationals is busy, everyone celebrating and panicking as the end of the years rushes in. Still. There's time for little projects. Suga will find one tucked in his locker - A CD in a jewel case, labelled in neat Sharpie.


"For boys and girls who lose their heads" ]

[beautymarker]

[Suga isn't able to say anything about the CD the day he takes it home, because he spends the entire afternoon and evening curled up on his bed listening. Part of him desperately wishes he had the ability to think in music like Kenzo so he could appreciate it properly, but the messages actually come through more clearly than he would've expected from Tsukishima. Where there's no clear message, the mood more than suffices.

Still, he doesn't want to take the chance of missing anything. He absorbs it, over and over and over again.

He can still hear refrains playing in his head the next day, but none of them help him with how to respond to Tsukki's gift. By lunch hour, he's so preoccupied that he just shoots off a quick text -]

Meet me on the roof?
<3

[- because if he can't express how much it means to him in words, all those songs and everything they communicated, Tsukki just might have to endure a hug.]

[saltinourstars]

Ok

[It's a good sign Suga takes so long to respond. You should take your time with music.

Except Tsukki's never made someone else a playlist. Let alone a boyfriend. Hours of work and listening, debating about this song or that, do the choruses match, is the piano good enough, is it too cheesy to pull on openings from the 90s...

He wants the results.

So he takes the stairs three at a time, putting those long legs to use. Pushing out into fresh air.]

[beautymarker]

[It's interesting, how someone can look like a completely new person after they've opened up a part of themselves that almost no one ever sees. Suddenly Suga can see the nervousness in Tsukki's restless hands, the hope and fondness in his eyes when he spots Suga approaching him, the slight loosening of tension in his broad shoulders.

Those songs were like a Rosetta Stone. Many parts of Tsukki are, of course, still a mystery, but Suga can read so much more emotion in him now that he's left breathless. Tsukki feels so much, all the time, all behind that seemingly blank expression.

Suga's heart aches with affection as he stands in front of his boyfriend and he offers a warning, even though he's sure Tsukki can read his thoughts too:]

Prepare yourself, hug incoming!