kageyama is famously bad at english, which is why you currently find yourself trapped in his kitchen on a saturday afternoon, staring at a vocabulary sheet that looks like it’s been through a war. kageyama is sitting across from you, his pencil gripped so tightly in his fist it looks like it’s about to snap in half.
“the word is relationship, tobio,” you point to the paper. “use it in a sentence.”
“the ball has a good relationship with my hand,” he says instantly, his face deadpan.
“no. a human sentence. like... people.”
kageyama scowls, dropping the pencil onto the table with a heavy thud. he slumps back in his chair, staring at the ceiling like the alphabet personally insulted his lineage. “this is stupid. volleyball doesn’t require words. you just look at the ball and you hit it.”
“if you fail the mock exam next week, coach ukai won’t let you play in the qualifiers,” you remind him quietly.
the threat works instantly. kageyama bolts upright, his eyes wide with an absolute, primal terror. he looks at the vocabulary sheet, then looks across the table at you—the way you’re leaning your chin on your palm, looking tired but patient, your hair messy from sitting inside all day.
he clears his throat, his face turning a sudden, violent shade of pink. he picks up his pencil, his fingers trembling slightly as he writes something down, his large frame hunching over the paper to hide it from your view.
“done,” he mutters, shoving the notebook toward you.
you look down. in messy, jagged handwriting, he’s written: i want to get in a relationship with y/n because i like her more than milk.
you look up, feeling your own face burning. “tobio...”
“it’s a correct sentence,” he barks out defensively, his hands slamming flat onto the table as he stands up, his entire face, neck, and ears a uniform dark red. “the grammar is right! i checked it twice! so don’t tell me it’s wrong!” (he looks like he wants to cry).
— 𝒂uthor's 𝒏ote ﹕ hello hello! another addition to number neighbour, the unofficial collection. chatfic, but towards the end it has less of the chat and more of the fic. without further ado.. proceed
requested ☆
more in the number neighbour collection
akaashi — smau // ushijima — chatfic
if you're being honest, you should've known doing this was a bad idea.
at first, anyway.
you're staring at your phone screen, the bright light blinding you in the dark of your room. you rub your eyes and squint at the small rectangle in your hands.
you should be sleeping, but they do say that night is the best time to be awake. and for some reason, the internet trend of texting your number neighbor did seem like a stroke of genius five minutes ago..
your phone number ends in a 4, so you have two options. either a 3 or a 5.
making up your mind, you decide to start with a 3. you open a new text thread, type in the number that is identical to yours except for that last digit, and bite your lip in anticipation as you begin to draft your message.
you
hey number neighbor!
hope youre having a good night :)
xxx-xxx-xx3
Please stop texting this number.
you
huh
xxx-xxx-xx3
I'm a 45 year old male and this is my work number; I don't have time to deal with unemployed people like you.
Do not contact me again.
you
fuck im so sorry
message failed to send
ah. he actually blocked you.
you let out a breathless laugh into your pillow, face burning from embarrassment. “oh my god.”
well. that went horribly.
but now you're fully awake, and the adrenaline of getting instantly rejected by some 45 year old man (you hope he isn't too peeved about that..) has you feeling reckless.
after all, there's still the 5.
you copy the number, change the last digit – again, a five this time – and send the text before you can overthink it.
you
okay i hope you arent a 45 year old man this time too
because my other number neighbor just blocked me lmao
anyway hi number neighbor !! (take two)
xxx-xxx-xx5
??
who is this??
and why are you texting me at 2am about middle aged men ^-^
you
im your number neighbor 😔
our numbers are the same except the last digit
xxx-xxx-xx5
hold on
you
holding
xxx-xxx-xx5
WAIT OMG THEY ARE
you
see im not insane
xxx-xxx-xx5
debatable
you disliked this message
and wow your other neighbor blocked you immediately?
that’s embarrassing for you
you
i don't need another person to tell me 💔💔
xxx-xxx-xx5
too bad i'm telling you
you
okay dude
xxx-xxx-xx5
you know what vibe you give off (^-^)
you
what
xxx-xxx-xx5
small and grumpy
you snort quietly into your blanket.
if you have to say so, there's something stupidly easy about texting this person, even if it's only been a few messages. the texts come quick, like they're typing the second they get yours instead of leaving you on read for a bit. half teasing, half genuinely interested it appears.
you hesitate, fingers stalling on the keyboard before hurriedly replying.
you
first of all
im not grumpy
xxx-xxx-xx5
if not grumpy
you texted strangers at 2am
that, btw, automatically makes you a little weird
you
says the person answering
xxx-xxx-xx5
touché ;)
you liked this message
but what made you text me
well me and the 45 yr old man
you
couldn't sleep
you?
xxx-xxx-xx5
my practice ran late
bones aching and muscles sore
brain is still awake
you
practice for what
and what the fuck is that a fucking haiku
xxx-xxx-xx5
secret ;)
fucking and fucking yes fucking it's fucking a fucking haiku
you
i literally said it twice.
you are so dramatic
xxx-xxx-xx5
thank you! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
you roll your eyes – dramatic is honestly the perfect word for them. and as for those blasted emoticons, kaomojis, whatever you call them-
in any case, every message sent through from them somehow feels like they can't help making everything sound theatrical, even through text.
your phone vibrates again before you can answer.
xxx-xxx-xx5
WAIT
what if YOURE actually a 45 year old man trying to lure me into a false sense of security!?
you
yeah definitely
that's exactly what's happening
xxx-xxx-xx5
i knew it you CON ARTIST
you
go to sleep grandma
xxx-xxx-xx5
grandma??? 😨
i'm youthful and radiant actually (≧◡≦)
and i'd be grandpa
you
gramps, only old people say youthful and radiant
xxx-xxx-xx5
and you have experience with that
you
omfg no
xxx-xxx-xx5
wow
this relationship is becoming toxic
you swear like a sailor (⇀‸↼‶)
you
this is not a relationship 😭
arr me hearties
xxx-xxx-xx5
wow okay
way to friendzone me
you
we're not even friends
xxx-xxx-xx5
YOU'RE SO CRUEL
you
goodnight annoying neighbor
you changed xxx-xxx-xx5 to annoying neighbour 🙄
annoying neighbour 🙄
get rid of that emoji i’m begging you that is gruesome
you
no i’d rather not
annoying neighbour 🙄
well then
annoying neighbour 🙄 changed xxx-xxx-xx4 to oh so lovely neighbour (˘ ³˘)
annoying neighbour 🙄
now we're matching
you
i actually don't mind that tbh
annoying neighbour 🙄 liked this message
you fall asleep smiling at your phone despite yourself.
the next morning, you wake up late. obviously not because you went to sleep past three am.
your phone is at 12%, and there's a text waiting for you.
annoying neighbour 🙄
good morning! •⩊•
did the 45 yr old text you back yet?
you snort, a little huff of laughter escaping your mouth.
you
no 💔 he blocked me remember
annoying neighbour 🙄
oh yes
i should do that
stranger danger you know..
you
oh stfu
why are YOU awake this early
annoying neighbour 🙄
stop with that attitude
some of us are productive members of society
you
i don’t believe that for two seconds
annoying neighbour 🙄
then believe it for one
the next few days, texting him weirdly becomes part of your routine, first nature.
well, you still don't know their name, or age, or what they look like (a boy, apparently), but you know quite a lot at the same time.
like how they're the type to talk with their hands because they spam texts in bursts instead of one message, and you know they complain dramatically when they're hungry, you know they're competitive about literally everything, and-
yeah, you could go on.
annoying neighbour 🙄
just beat my friend at mario kart btw
im basically a professional athlete
you
that is not athleticism.
annoying neighbour 🙄
that's wrong actually!
my thumbs are incredibly talented
you
that sounded gross
annoying neighbour 🙄
OH MY GOSH NOT LIKE THAT??
why is your mind so dirty (¯ ¯٥)
you reacted ! to this message
you never send selfies, but they never ask either. however, sometimes you catch yourself wondering,
wondering if their grin is as smug as it sounds through text,
wondering what kind of expression they make when they type all these stupid dramatic messages,
wondering if your luck is crazy enough that they have an extremely attractive face.
judging by your luck so far, though, probably not.
one friday night, you're brushing your teeth when your phone buzzes from where it lies on the sink counter.
annoying neighbour 🙄
EMERGENCY
you
what
annoying neighbour
🙄
i need you to settle an argument
you
why me :/
annoying neighbour 🙄
because i trust strangers on the internet
obviously
you
that sounds unsafe
who would even think! of texting on in the first place??
annoying neighbour 🙄 liked this message
annoying neighbour 🙄
my friend says mint chocolate chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste
tell him he's wrong
you
LMAO i'm brushing my teeth right now what a coincidence
your friend is right actually
annoying neighbour 🙄
blocked.
you grin.
you
wow first the 45 yr old now this
everyone keeps abandoning me 🤧
annoying neighbour 🙄
you deserve it for your horrible opinions
you
you're so dramatic
annoying neighbour 🙄
you've said!
you do continue texting me every day though ⸜( ˙˘˙)⸝
now go brush your teeth, i bet they're stinky..
you
oh shut up
then you pause, because he’s right; every day. without really meaning to, it's become constant.
whether it's during class, or late at night, while shopping, when he's apparently ‘at practice’.
you're still not one hundred percent sure what sport he plays, but you're beginning to suspect volleyball purely because of how often he complains about his shoulders, since you're somewhat knowledgeable on the sport.
and also, because one time he texted:
‘if one more person tells me serves are easy i'm going to lose it.’
this time, you're sitting in your kitchen eating cereal straight from the box when another text comes through.
annoying neighbour 🙄
i think my teammate is trying to kill me.
you
HELLO??
annoying neighbour 🙄
he spiked a ball directly at my face
i'm sure it was on purpose (◑_◑)
you
oh so you do play volleyball
..
wait did i guess right
annoying neighbour 🙄
shit
you
HAHAAHAHHA
annoying neighbour 🙄
don't laugh at me
i liked being mysterious and all that
you
there is nothing mysterious about the way you text 😭😭
annoying neighbour 🙄
wow.
you stifle a laugh, then return to your cereal.
not even a minute later, though-
annoying neighbour 🙄
for the record i'm very mysteriously good looking ᵔ.ᵔ
you nearly choke on cereal. the confidence on this man..
that night you're walking home from the convenience store when your phone buzzes – again.
annoying neighbour 🙄
bad news
you
what now
annoying neighbour 🙄
i think my teammate stole my knee pads
you
just confirming this is the same teammate who spiked a ball into your head and said mint chocolate chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste right
annoying neighbour 🙄
YES
you
cool
why would someone steal knee pads tho 😭
annoying neighbour 🙄
jealousy
envy
obsession
need i go on
you
no thanks
annoying neighbour 🙄
you wound me (╥﹏╥)
you smile, fingers typing back a snarky response, but then, then-
someone bumps into your shoulder, hard, and your phone nearly slips out of your hand as you nearly faceplant onto the concrete.
“sorry,” the stranger mutters, barely glancing back before continuing down the sidewalk.
you frown, then glance at your phone. you type out a response again.
you
bro someone walked into me and nearly knocked me over
and at the exact same time you send it-
annoying neighbour 🙄
OMG
i just saw someone almost eat shit on the sidewalk ⊙﹏⊙
you stop dead in your tracks.
that.. can't be a coincidence, right?
slowly, you look up.
across the street, near the crosswalk, a tall guy in a white hoodie is staring at his phone.
then he looks up too.
and even from this far away, you can see the way he freezes up.
no. way.
your heart starts pounding, frantically panging against your chest in a quick rhythm.
nope. absolutely not. there's no fakaashing way.
you start to type again, but slower this time, fingers hesitantly pressing each letter.
you
if you're wearing a hoodie by chance
what colour is it
annoying neighbour 🙄
white
you
oh my god
that better not be you standing there.
you stare across the street in horror, and the guy lowers his phone slowly.
then the light changes, and instead of crossing toward you-
he immediately turns around and starts walking fast the opposite direction.
like, fast. really fast.
your jaw drops, not at the speed (although shit, it is insanely quick) but at the fact he's literally running away.
you
DID YOU JUST RUN AWAY??
annoying neighbour 🙄
SELF DEFENSE
you
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN
annoying neighbour 🙄
this is too much pressure suddenly Ծ_Ծ
i wasn't emotionally prepared to find out you're like actually real
you burst out laughing. people stare, but you don't even remotely care.
annoying neighbour 🙄
so you were the one that nearly ate shit..
you
oh hush
you changed annoying neighbour 🙄 to run(a)way queen
run(a)way queen
i would complain but that's sort of genius
you
i know
run(a)way queen changed oh so lovely neighbour (˘ ³˘) to shit eater :p
you
im not playing you better fucking change that right now before i chase after you.
run(a)way queen
oh please like you could catch me
you
YOU HAVE 5 SECONDS
run(a)way queen
OKAY OKAY
run(a)way queen changed shit eater :p to run after queen
you
really
run(a)way queen
hey i had no ideas it's better than shit eater
you
you mean akaashiit had no ideas
akaashiit
oops
run(a)way queen
what the
after that, things get worse, or better – you're not entirely sure.
because now there's a face attached to the texts.
okay, well. sort of. you really only saw him for maybe.. three seconds?
tall, brown hair (you believe; it was hard to tell from only the faint light of the streetlamps) and that white hoodie.
also,the most obnoxiously smug posture you've ever seen in your life.
you
you literally fled the scene like a criminal
omg are you a criminal
run(a)way queen
listen i panicked
you
mhm sure
run(a)way queen
AND YOU WERE SHORT???
like i've been calling you short but damn you really are
this is the best day of my life
you
blocked.
run(a)way queen
NO WAIT
you still don't exchange names though. mostly because now it's become weirdly funny not to.
he calls you gremlin, menace, shortstack, the likes.
you call him drama queen, pretty boy, loser, read more.
he reacts quite strongly to pretty boy, which is suspicious.
one night he randomly sends:
run(a)way queen
be honest
am i your favorite person to text
you
absolutely not
run(a)way queen
you replied in 4 seconds btw （˶′◡‵˶）
and with that, you promptly yeet deposit throw your phone across the bed.
sometimes, he disappears for hours, usually after ‘practice’, but that's understandable since you're busy too.
then he comes back texting like nothing happened.
run(a)way queen
im alive
you
congrats here's a golden star ⭐️
run(a)way queen
wow no concern for my wellbeing??
you
?i gave you a star what more do you want dude
run(a)way queen
heartless (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞
you
whered u go anyway
run(a)way queen
match
you
did you win?
the pause that follows is long enough that you think he won't answer, then:
run(a)way queen
yeah :)
you
good job then
i'm sure you played well
three whole minutes pass.
run(a)way queen
careful there!
you almost sounded nice (≧◡≦)
you
JUST LET ME COMPLIMENT YOU
a few days later, you're sitting in class half asleep when your phone vibrates under the desk.
run(a)way queen
EMERGENCY PART 2
you
if this is about ice cream again i'm blocking you
for real this time
run(a)way queen
dead sirius?? ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
you
you didn't.
run(a)way queen
ANYWAY
worse
i think one of my classmates has a crush on me and is planning to confess later
you blink.
why does that annoy you a little..
you
okay?
run(a)way queen
okay??
that's all u have to say?
you
what do you want me to say 😭
run(a)way queen
idk maybe cry a little (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)
you
and why would i cry
run(a)way queen
good question actudnf fkrmtm
you stare.
yeah.. he definitely got his phone taken away.
frowning, you lock your phone harder than necessary.
stupid. that's stupid. you don't even know this guy!
later that evening, he texts again.
run(a)way queen
sorry i got my phone taken (◑_◑)
you
yes i could tell
run(a)way queen
i rejected her
your fingers pause over the keyboard – it's funny how you know what he's talking about straight away.
you
why are you reporting this information to me like i'm your manager
run(a)way queen
because secrets aren't good in relationships!
you
there's that word again..
you hate how warm your face feels.
the first actual real conversation happens accidentally.
you're out in the rain, trying to get home, safe and sound, when your umbrella honest to god snaps inside out from the wind.
you stand there in disbelief, getting more drenched by the second. surely your day can't get any worse.
run(a)way queen
you alive
you send a picture of your destroyed umbrella, and his reply comes immediately.
run(a)way queen
LMFAOOO
that umbrella gave up on life
you
this is not funny
run(a)way queen
it's a little funny
wait where are you rn
you pause, then send a vague picture of the street.
run(a)way queen
oh wait i know where that is
you
what
run(a)way queen
don't panic but i think im like 5 mins away
you
that sounds threatening when you say it like that
run(a)way queen
LMAO
do you need help or not
you glance up at the pouring rain and instantly get pelted in the eye, which makes up your mind straight away.
you
fine
but if you murder me i'll be really annoyed you know
run(a)way queen liked this message
five minutes later, more or less, a black umbrella appears beside you.
you turn your head, and-
oh.
oh, he's pretty.
the first coherent thought that hits you.
still fluffy brown hair damp from the rain, stupidly sharp eyes that are crinkled up,. taller than you by an infuriating amount, an athletic build.
and smiling at you like this is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to him.
“you are shorter than i imagined,” he says immediately, and you roll your eyes.
“you ran away last time,” is what you answer with. you try to keep the tremble out of your voice, and pray that if he does hear it, he'll believe it's from the cold.
shit. you understand why that girl had a crush on him now.
he shrugs, still grinning at you. “fight or flight response.”
“and.. you chose flight.”
“obviously.”
his voice embodies his texts somehow. dramatic and smooth and teasing all at once.
you stare at each other awkwardly for two seconds.
then at the same time,
“you really are pretty–”
“you really do talk too much–”
you both stop, and he blinks. then grins slowly.
“waaaait,” he says, an even larger smile spreading across his handsome face. “what was that first part?”
you flush. “nothing.” oh, why did you have to open your mouth?
“no no, say it again, i insist.” he's still grinning.
“absolutely not.”
“you think i'm pretty–”
“oh my god shut up.”
he laughs loudly enough that two people walking by glance over, and you swear one of them leans over and murmurs about ‘what an adorable couple you are’.
you clear your throat, tapping your foot against the pavement. “ i do not talk too much. i've literally barely spoken – if anything, you’re the chatterbox here.”
he continues to stare at you, an amused expression on his face.
“what?’ you demand.
“that was sixteen words in one sentence.” he beams. “point proven.”
“it was two sentences you nincompoop-”
walking home beside him under one umbrella feels like it's the only right way.
which is dangerous – walking next to him is dangerous, breathing the same air as him is dangerous, just being near him is dangerous.
that's the only conclusion you come to during the fifteen minute walk home.
before this, he'd just been texts on a screen, annoying messages at 2am.
dumb kaomojis. dramatic complaints about volleyball and life and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
now he's this actual, living breathing person beside you holding an umbrella, slightly more over your side than his without mentioning it.
and unfortunately, he's pretty enough to be a genuine problem.
“you're staring,” he says casually.
you'd think he's being cocky if you didn't chance a look at him to see the red snow peaking his ears.
god, he knows exactly what he looks like – of course he does.
“you talk exactly like you text,” you mumble into the collar of your jacket.
he smiles. “is that a compliment?”
“not really.”
he stops, causing you to stop too. “ouch,” he says, quirking an eyebrow at you that you snort at.
you glance at him sideways. “sooo.. what do i call you now?”
he gasps dramatically, putting a hand to his forehead. “wow. after all we've been through together, you still don't know my name?”
“bye, i'm leaving-”
“hey- wait-” he reaches out and grabs your wrist just as you turn to leave. you weren’t really going to, but..
when you turn to him with wide eyes, he clears his throat and lets go, albeit reluctantly.
you don’t know that, of course.
he laughs again, all loud and easy but sort of.. breathily? this time. “you can keep calling me number neighbor. or runaway queen. whatever is to your liking, maam,” and flourishes a bow.
you heave a sigh and cross your arms. “that’s stupid.”
“says the person who still hasn’t told me their name either.”
a smile pops onto your face, and you hastily pull out your phone.
he frowns now. “what.. what are you doing?”
you only hum. after a moment, you hold your phone up, turn the volume all the way, and an automated voice comes out, like the one used for google translate.
“touché,” the robotic tone says.
he bursts into a fit of laughter.
when you reach your building, neither of you say anything as rain taps against the umbrella softly.
he shifts his weight awkwardly.
“well,” you start quietly, “thanks for rescuing me, i guess.”
“you’re welcome, tiny gremlin.”
“die-”
he grins and wags a finger at you. “hey, don’t make jokes like that.”
“oh, i’m not joking.”
then his grin wavers, then softens when he realises you're only teasing.
“text me when you get upstairs,” he murmurs. “so i know you didn’t slip and- die, or something.”
you sigh. “i solemnly swear i will not slip and die.” you turn to walk away.
“wait.”
you glance back, confused.
he’s rubbing the back of his neck now, looking oddly nervous for the first time since meeting him.
“you- er, still- still think i’m pretty, right?”
you stare at him blankly.
then immediately walk off without answering while he shouts offendedly behind you.
guess you’ve both pulled a walky-offy now.
you don't know it they're coincidences or not, because now he starts appearing everywhere.not intentionally, probably, but it's situations like you'll be walking past a shop or on the stret and suddenly get a text.
run(a)way queen
look left ;)
and there he is, across the street holding up an energy drink with that stupid grin.
or, you'll be in line at a café and hear, ‘wow, fancy seeing you here!’ like he didn't absolutely text you twenty minutes earlier asking where you were, all innocent and ‘oh, no reason!’
but, he still refuses to tell you his name, which honestly would annoy you more if you weren't equally stubborn, like two peas in a pod.
instead, your.. relationship settles into this weird in between.
not strangers, and not exactly friends either.
maybe flirting – although you're trying not to think about that too hard.
for all you know, he does this with everyone, or he could be in a relationship. for now, you're content to stay whatever you are.
you're lying in bed one night, contemplating whether to sleep or text your number neighour, when he beats you to it and suddenly sends:
run(a)way queen
can i ask you something
you
depends if it's weird
knowing you yes
run(a)way queen
rude
you liked this message
do you think we wouldve talked if we met normally?
you
wdym by that
run(a)way queen
idk
like if we met randomly somewhere would you have talked to me
you think about seeing him for the first time in the rain.
his stupid smile, the confidence, the way everyone probably notices him immediately, and honestly? you probably would've assumed he was out of your league and avoided eye contact.
but you don't say that.
you
maybe
if you weren't annoying 🥹
run(a)way queen
im never annoying?? (>o<)
you
would you have talked to me?
run(a)way queen
yeah
i think i would've noticed you anywhere actually
when you eventually learn his name, it's completely by accident, which feels unfair considering how long he (and you) dragged it out.
you're at one of his volleyball matches – he'd convinced you to come after spamming you twenty four seven.
so there you are, sitting, pretending not to care‐
except you absolutely do care, because he's..
well.
annoyingly good.
and the girls behind you won't stop talking about him.
“oikawa-san's seriously so cool.”
“who? number 1?”
“yeah! him!” comes the following reply, then a dreamy sigh.
your head snaps up.
oikawa? oikawa.
of course his name is something like oikawa.
he's about to serve again when he looks up directly into the stands, and the girls start squealing.
but he finds you instantly, and smiles a real, genuine smile that warms you from the inside out.
later after the match, your phone buzzes just as you're leaving.
run(a)way queen
you came!! ヽ(^。^)ノ
you
against my will
run(a)way queen
you still watched the whole game though ≧☉_☉≦
you
yes well unfortunately your volleyball propaganda is working on me
run(a)way queen
that's because i'm amazing darling
you
don’t call me darling
run(a)way queen
sorry darling
you
okay
you changed run(a)way queen to oikawa..
oikawa..
YOU FOUND OUT
what's with the .. though it looks threatening
you
your fangirls were squealing your name it was kind of hard not to find out
oikawa..
oh how nice of them
well it's only fair i know your name now??
you
hm
l/n
oikawa..
pretty name for a pretty person (o^ ^o)
you
boy 😭😭
oikawa.. changed run after queen to darling l/n (づ￣ ³￣)づ
oikawa..
perfect
you
wtf is that kaomoji bro
oikawa..
change my name to pretty boy oikawa (≧◡≦)
you
only because you won't shut up if i don't
you changed oikawa.. to pretty boy oikawa..
pretty boy oikawa..
okay seriously what is with the ..
you reacted 😊 to this message
the more you text, the more oikawa starts calling instead of texting, and it gave you the shock of your life when he first did it.
usually late at night, and you'll answer half asleep with a groggy voice to hear,
“l/n-channn.”
“why are you saying my name like that.” is your default response. and his will be, “because i'm suffering.”
“dramatic.”
then he'll ramble for twenty minutes while you listen sleepily, occasionally offering your mumbled inputs like ‘mhm’ and ‘uhuh’.
sometimes he talks about volleyball, or school, and most of the time random things that don't matter.
and sometimes, there are quiet pauses where neither of you says anything at all.
those are your favourite.
whenever you're upset or in a bad mood, you don't bother telling him – mostly because you're used to dealing with things alone.
but one night when you answer his call, he notices that you're.. different, straight away.
“what happened?”
you frown, knowing he can't see it since your camera's off. “nothing.”
“liar.”
“wha- i’m serious.”
oikawa sighs softly through the phone, and you shift uncomfortably, pulling your blankets closer to your neck.
“did someone hurt your feelings?”
you laugh weakly, tilting your head. “that sounds so kindergarten.”
“answer the question.”
you stare up at your ceiling, vaguely making out the dying glow in the dark stickers that are stuck up there.
“i- it's no big deal- but um.. sort of.”
there's rustling on his end like he's sitting up.
“who?” oikawa says urgently.
“it doesn’t matter.”
“it matters if you sound sad.”
your throat tightens unexpectedly – that's the thing with oikawa.
he jokes around constantly, acts unserious all the time. but that only means moments where he suddenly becomes serious hit way too hard.
“my friend cancelled plans again,” you admit quietly. “for her boyfriend. and- i know it's selfish of me to be sad about that, but it always happens, and last minute.”
“wow. that sucks.”
you smile faintly. “thanks.”
it's silent for a few minutes after that, save for the sound of your combined breathing, then he breaks it.
“wanna come watch me practice tomorrow?”
you blink. “what?”
“you heard me loud and clear.”
“that's your solution?”
“well, yeah. if your friend sucks then i'll just steal you instead.” you can almost hear him grinning, and if he turned his camera on you're sure he would be.
it only takes a second to make up your mind.
“you know what, sure. i have nothing better to do anyway.”
so, the next day you go.
you almost turn around three separate times before even making it inside the gym.
you spot oikawa through the open doors and unfortunately remember how attractive he is. great.
he's standing in the middle of the court when he notices you. one second he's talking to one of his teammates, the next his whole face changes and he straightens up so fast, like a dog spotting its owner in public.
you barely have time to process that (did he just do that?) before somebody else notices too.
“oi.”
a guy near the net squints at you for a moment, then his eyes widen. “wait.”
you pause awkwardly near the entrance, hovering and not sure if you're supposed to go in or not.
another guy turns around at the tone of his voice and immediately points at you. “NO WAY.”
your stomach drops instantly, because why do they look like they recognize you??
“that's them, isn't it?” the first guy says.
“the phone person?” another one blurts out loudly.
you choke. “sorry, the what?”
oikawa visibly pales.
“mattsun,” he yells, horrified. “WHY WOULD YOU CALL THEM THAT.”
“because that's literally what you call them,” the guy – mattsun, apparently – says flatly.
“not to their face–”
you stare at him, expression beginning to turn amused.
“..phone person?” you repeat slowly.
silence for about four seconds, then another teammate snorts. “yeah, because you were ‘mysterious phone neighbor’ for like, months.”
your brain completely stalls.. “months?” you echo.
oikawa closes his eyes like he's in physical pain.
“okay,” he says carefully, already walking toward you, “before they start exaggerating–”
“you literally talked about them every day,” someone cuts in.
“alright, that is such a lie–”
“you asked us if using two exclamation marks looked desperate.”
“i-”
“you made iwaizumi read over your texts once,” mattsun adds with a lazy smirk.
you whip your head toward him so fast your neck almost cracks, eyes wide and glaring. “you what?”
oikawa looks genuinely cornered now, holding up his hands sheepishly. “in my defense, i didn’t know if saying goodnight twice was too clingy.”
you stare at him blankly.
and it hits you then, that this idiot has apparently been talking about you to his teammates for months while you thought you were just some random person he texted when he got bored.
now you can't even properly make fun of him for it!
oikawa stops in front of you, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly like he did the first time you met face to face. “listen, they're making it sound worse than it is.”
“you made your teammates help you text me?”
“once..”
“three times,” somebody corrects from the back.
“nobody asked you.”
you bite the inside of your cheek hard trying not to laugh, but ever so observant, oikawa he notices the moment you do.
his eyes narrow. “don’t.” that only makes it worse.
“you were workshopping your texts?” you manage between chortles.
“okay, wow,” he says, looking betrayed. “this is a vulnerable moment for me, you know? don't rub it in.”
you lose it a little after that, enough that a laugh slips out before you can stop it.
and the thing is, the second it does, oikawa just.. stares at you, like he forgot there are other people in the room.
the way he's just looking at you causes your laugh to falter, and the two of you lock eyes for a long moment until he clears his throat.
“l/n-”
and the moment is gone when someone smacks the back of oikawa's head while walking past.
“quit flirting and practice,” the guy says bluntly, prompty smacking him again but harder.
“OW– iwa-chan!”
you laugh again, louder this time, and oikawa turns toward you looking extremely offended.
“you're enjoying this way too much.”
“because it’s funny.”
“my suffering should not amuse you.”
“your suffering is the funniest thing about you sorry to say.”
he gasps like you've personally stabbed him in the chest, then points dramatically. “see? this is what i deal with.”
you roll your eyes affectionately and cross your arms. “you love me, really,” you say offhandedly.
oikawa's ears dust a bright red.
it doesn't occur to you how important he's becoming to you until oikawa slowly starts disappearing.
it starts as slower replies, missing calls, and shorter messages. you tell yourself he's busy.
until nothing at all.
you
hey.
you alive?
seen
and oikawa always replies – even if it's just to be annoying.
three days later, he finally texts.
pretty boy oikawa..
sorry
been busy
and that's it. your stomach sinks.
you
everything okay?
pretty boy oikawa..
yeah dw about it
which is an obvious lie, but every time you try asking after that, he just brushes it off.
eventually you just stop asking.
you find out through social media; some volleyball account posts clips from a tournament.
the caption says:
‘aoba johsai eliminated after intense semifinal loss’.
that's oikawa's team.
and it all makes sense now. you stare at your screen, and immediately text him.
no answer, so you call.
straight to voicemail.
and you don't have to think before grabbing your stuff and heading out where you think he's most likely to be.
the gym is dead silent when you arrive, lights dim.
you almost think he's not there and are prepared to leave until you hear a volleyball bouncing somewhere inside.
you follow the sound, and find him alone.
he doesn’t notice you at first – he seems to be serving repeatedly at the far wall, hard enough that the impact echoes through the gym.
again
again
again
agai-
“oikawa.”
he freezes, and the ball rolls away slowly across the floor.
for a second he just stands there with his back to you, then laughs quietly.
except it sounds wrong, forced and twisted and sounds so unnatural coming out of the brown haired boy.
“you, ah- weren’t supposed to see this.”
your throat tightens, and oikawa finally turns around.
and oh,
he looks awful. eyes tired, eyebags hanging, smile plastered on and barely there.
“why didn't you tell me?” you ask softly.
oikawa shrugs like you're not even there, not worth talking to you. his shoulders hang low, drooping. “didn't really feel like talking.”
“you.. disappeared.”
“sorry.” he says lightly, like it doesn't matter.
you step closer, footstep sounding loudly against the wooden floorboards and state, “you lost one match.” not gentle.
his jaw tightens, eyes fiery. “it wasn't just one match.”
right. of course it wasn't.
for him, volleyball is everything.
you suddenly remember all those late night calls, all the pressure he puts on himself every single day, all the moments where he'd laugh something off before changing the subject too quickly. all the times he acted overly confident like he was trying to convince himself just as much as everyone else. that maybe, just maybe, if he stopped moving for even a second, everything would finally catch up to him.
then, quietly, he murmurs, “i'm so tired.”
and oikawa never says things like that. he complains dramatically all the time, sure, but never seriously. never in a way that sounds this honest. this exhausted.
you don't know what to do. standing there suddenly feels awkward, and maybe you shouldn't have come after all, like maybe this is something private and ugly and painful and hurting that he never wanted you seeing.
but then he laughs again under his breath, except it still sounds wrong, jagged around the edges, and you realise he's waiting for you to treat this like a joke so he can pretend he's fine again.
instead, you walk toward him slowly until you're close enough to see how his shoulders shaking.
his eyes flick up to yours, surprised.
you could melt, drown in them and be happy.
so before you can think too hard about it, you wrap your arms around him.
oikawa goes completely still like his brain short circuited, like he wasn't expecting comfort from you at all. you can feel the sharp inhale he takes against your shoulder, and for one horrible second you wonder if you crossed a line.
then his arms wrap around you, leaning in and burying his head into your shoulder.
he's still shaking.
you close your eyes. “hey,” you mumble quietly.
he lets out this weak little laugh, muffled into your shoulder. “don't. this is kinda embarrassing for me.”
“i don't care.”
“i do.”
“good thing this isn't about you then.” you wince; maybe that wasn't the right thing to say.
thankfully, another laugh escapes him at that, and he doesn't let go. if anything, oikawa's grip tightens more, fingers bunching in the back of your hoodie like he's afraid you'll disappear if he loosens his hold even slightly.
the gym is completely silent around the two of you now except for the faint buzzing of the overhead lights.
after a long moment, he says in a tiny voice, “i really wanted to win.”
and god, that hurts.
he feels so painfully human. just a boy who wanted something so badly and still couldn't reach it.
you embrace him tighter. “i know.”
he exhales shakily. “i hate losing.”
“i know.”
another pause. then he mutters against your shoulder, again. “oh, you're gonna think i'm pathetic after this.”
you pull back immediately just enough to glare up at him. “don't say that.”
“i'm serious. i'm literally standing here having a breakdown over volleyball.”
“yeah,” you answer, frowning. “because it matters to you.”
his expression shifts. the exhaustion is still there, heavy under his eyes, but something else slips through now too. surprise, maybe. or relief. like he expected you to brush this off the same way he always tries to.
instead you're still here.
oikawa stares at you for a long minute before speaking again. “you came all the way here.”
you blink. “obviously.”
“why obviously?”
you open your mouth automatically, ready to answer, but nothing comes out.
why obviously?
because hearing he lost made your stomach drop.
because the thought of him sitting here alone hurt worse than it should have.
because over the last few months, he somehow became the first person you want to tell things to. the first notification you look for when your phone lights up. the person you think about constantly without even trying or wanting to.
because somewhere along the way, you fell in love with him.
oh.
oh no.
your face must give something away because his entire face changes.
“l/n-chan?”
you can’t breathe properly all of a sudden.
this is bad.
actually terrifying.
because what if you ruin this? what if you care too much? what if all the flirting and jokes meant more to you than they ever did to him?
“hey,” he says again.
oikawa's hand lifts hesitantly, fingertips brushing against your sleeve as if he's not fully sure you'll let him.
“what happened?”
you stare at him helplessly, and apparently that's enough.
his eyes widen slightly before cracking in a way that completely wrecks you.
“oh,” is the only thing that comes out, his mouth an ‘o’ shape.
“don't,” you blurt out before he can say anything else.
oikawa blinks. “don't what?”
“make it weird.”
“make what weird?”
you gesture vaguely between the two of you, mortified. “this.”
oikawa merely looks at you. then the corners of his mouth lift a little.
“a bit too little too late for that.” ayo laufey reference
your throat burns, and it hurts to swallow. “oikawa–”
“i think i started liking you the first time you insulted me.”
now it's your turn to stare at him. “huh?”
he smiles weakly. “you called me grandma.”
despite everything, a laugh bubbles out of you. “that's your romantic origin story?”
“don't judge me,” he mutters. “i was charmed. you were charming.”
you shake your head, still laughing breathlessly, and when you do something in his expression relaxes. maybe he was nervous too, and that maybe he thought imagined the whole thing.
oikawa reaches for you again, giving you enough time to pull away if you want to.
you don't.
his arms wrap around you, almost cautiously now, like you're something fragile in his eyes. you can hear his heartbeat through his thin shirt, fast enough to make warmth spread through your chest.
“hey,” he murmurs into your hair after a while. “are you.. crying?”
“no, shut up.”
“this might be the best day of my life.”
you laugh wetly into his chest. “you're so annoying.”
“yeah,” he says gently, tilting your chin up to gaze into your eyes. “but you like me anyway.”
when oikawa pulls back, he's smiling properly for the first time since you got there. tired still, but smiling. his eyes flick down toward your mouth for a split second before darting back up again, and he looks.. nervous.
is he.. is he going to–
“..can i kiss you,” oikawa asks carefully, “or are you gonna bite me.”
you blink at him in disbelief. “that is genuinely the worst thing you could've said.”
“sorry,” he says immediately. “i got i want to kiss you disease.”
you snort, heart melting on the spot at the same time.
because this is oikawa. loud, confident, obnoxious oikawa who flirts with literally everyone without blinking. and somehow, he's standing in front of you looking like the answer really matters to him.
so before you can overthink it anymore, you grab the front of his hoodie and kiss him.
he makes a startled sound against your mouth before kissing you back instantly, one hand coming up to cup your face like he's scared you'll disappear halfway through it.
truthfully, a kiss worthy of the fairytales.
and when you pull away, oikawa's staring at you like he just won the lottery.
“wow,” he breathes. “i- wow.”
you point a warning finger at him. “don't start.”
“you're literally in love with me.”
“you love me more though.”
oikawa's grin widens so fast, almost blinding.
“hey, y/n-chan?”
“what.”
“remember when you hoped i wasn't a forty five year old man?”
you groan so loudly it echoes through the gym, and oikawa laughs hard enough that he has to lean against you to stay standing.
hearing that sound again feels like finally being able to breathe.
you wake up to your phone vibrating nonstop against your mattress. you're surprised it isn't leaping into the air.
still half asleep, you blindly grab it, fumbling and squinting at the brightness.
tooru 🤍
good morning my amazingly amazing significant other >’v’<
hm that sounds off
sorry sorry
good morning situationship
that sounds worse actually
ignore that you're not my situationship..
i love you
good morning love of my life
good morning DARLING ;))
you drop your face back into your pillow, groaning. he’s so endearing.
another text follows.
tooru 🤍
HELLO???
are you ignoring me
this relationship is so toxic
you
oh my god shut up
why are you awake
tooru 🤍
i’m experiencing great joy and whimsy!
darling
you reacted 😐 to this message
you
tone it down a little
tooru 🤍
never
dating oikawa turns out to be exactly as exhausting – in a good way — as you expected, now that he’s officially decided you're his person.
he gets dramatically offended if you take too long to answer texts (“i’m your top priority!”) he throws himself across your shoulders whenever he sees you after practice like he's been separated from you for years instead of six hours (“reunited at last!”). he complains constantly that you ‘don’t compliment him enough’, despite the fact you called him beautiful once and he looked so emotional about it for the rest of the day.
but there are quieter things too, things he does without noticing.
saving the seat next to him automatically, and walking on the outside of the sidewalk. tugging you closer absentmindedly whenever crowds get too big like it’s second nature, and falling asleep on calls because he says your voice helps him unwind and relax after practice.
one afternoon, while you're sitting across from oikawa in a café, you zone out so badly you don't even realise he's talking to you until he flicks your forehead lightly.
“ow? what was that for??”
“you're doing the thing again,” oikawa replies, chin in his hands and elbows propped on the table as he gazes at you with those eyes you could drown in.
you blink twice. “what thing?”
“the overthinking thing!”
“uh, that’s not helpful at all,” you grin, amused, stirring your tea. the scent wafts up, drifting into your nose, and you inhale deeply.
“is it not true?”
oikawa reaches across the table, hooking his fingers loosely around yours. he’s been doing that quite a lot lately.
“what’s going on in that scary little brain?” he asks, tracing little shapes onto the back of your hand. imagine he wrote will you marry me lmao
you hesitate before shrugging nonchalantly. “nothing.”
oikawa frowns, stopping his thumb movements and causing you to jut out your bottom lip. “you know you don't always have to do that, right?”
“do what?”
“pretend everything's fine before you've figured out if it actually is.”
you look away toward the café window, a little annoyed.
“you do that too. and i just don't wanna ruin stuff.”
“ruin what stuff? y/n, darling-”
you gesture between the two of you.
oikawa stares at you for a second before snorting.
you narrow your eyes at him. “tooru. what now?”
“sorry,” he says, already laughing. “i just remembered you literally texted me because a forty-five-year-old blocked you.”
you groan, drawing it out as you thud your head down on the table. “can you stop reminding me? my gosh, that was ages ago.”
“and now we’re here.”
his thumb brushes lightly over your knuckles.
“you're not gonna ruin us, idiot.”
us.
like there's never been another option.
a week later, you discover he has screenshots of your texts saved.
“YOU SAVED THESE?”
oikawa, sprawled comfortably across your bed, looks completely unashamed. “of course i did!”
“why.”
“because they’re cute, why else?”
“they are not cute.”
he gasps dramatically before turning on his phone and reading one aloud.
“‘go away you're literally annoying.’ wow. true romance right there.”
you immediately lunge for his phone while he yelps and nearly falls off the bed cackling.
“give it!”
“never!”
“tooru–”
“wait wait, this one's my favorite.” his voice softens slightly while he reads. “‘text me when you get home okay?’”
you stop moving. you remember sending that, late at night after practice when he sounded exhausted over the phone and you got worried.
but you didn't realise how much it meant to him.
oikawa glances up at you with his stupidly fond little smile.
“that was one of the first times i thought i was completely screwed.”
whenever oikawa has a game, he never directly asks you to come. instead, he send things like:
tooru 🤍
match tomorrow btw
you
okay
tooru 🤍
okay???
thats all???
you
good luck?
tooru 🤍
woah i can really feel the support
you reacted 😊 to this message
it's worth it, though, when you show up regardless, and his entire face lights up as he spots you in the stands.
like he's surprised someone came for him specifically, even though he has a million fangirls that giggle his name.
oikawa only cares about you.
naturally, iwaizumi talks to you first about it.
one day after practice he falls into step beside you while oikawa's distracted arguing with kyotani, probably about something stupid.
“thanks,” iwaizumi says suddenly.
your brow furrows, and you turn your head. “er- for what?”
“for dealing with him.”
you snicker. “that sounds concerning.”
“oh, you have no idea.” he has an exasperated expression on his face, but then it shifts. “he's happier lately.”
before you can answer, oikawa appears out of nowhere and throws himself dramatically over your shoulders.
“iwa-chan, are you talking shit about me?”
“always.” iwaizumi deadpans.
oikawa gasps mockingly. “fake friend.”
“shittykawa.”
“shittyzumi.” then oikawa turns to you pleadingly. “save me.”
“nah. go on, iwaizumi. how many others you got?”
“no!”
it's funny how one stupid, impulsive text at two in the morning somehow flipped your entire life around – now your days are full of him. oikawa. your boyfriend. it still feels surreal to say.
his voice. his laugh. his constant whining. his hand finding yours automatically.
oikawa loves loudly, openly, like he's physically incapable of hiding it. he talks about you constantly, drapes himself all over you every chance he gets, looks at you like you're the best thing he’s ever found.
one night after practice, the two of you end up lying on the floor of his bedroom while he complains dramatically about training.
“i'm dying,” oikawa groans, letting his long legs flop over your stomach.
“you said that half an hour ago.” you half-heartedly attempt to push his legs off, to no avail.
“it's a slow death.”
you snort quietly, glancing over at him. his hair's still damp from his shower and there's a bruise forming near his knee.
you reach over and brush your fingers lightly against his hand, and he immediately intertwines your fingers together without even opening his eyes.
automatic, like breathing.
“hey,” he says after a minute.
“hm?”
oikawa lowers his arm to stare at you properly before smiling brightly.
“thanks for texting me after. imagine if you’d only texted the forty five year ol–”
you burst out into a fit of laughter. “oh my god–”
he grins sleepily before rubbing his thumb absentmindedly across your knuckles just like he likes to do.
“seriously, though,” he says more softly. “meeting you kinda changed everything for me.”
pursing your lips, you murmur, “that's disgustingly cheesy.”
“yeah?”
“yeah. for me too, though.”
“aww.”
you squeeze his hand tighter, smiling helplessly. “good thing you answered, then.”
“best decision i've ever made.” followed by, because he physically cannot stay serious for more than ten consecutive seconds:
“also, thank goodness i'm hot.”
you grumble and shove his face away while he laughs hard enough to nearly fall onto the floor completely. sadly, he didn't and his heavy as fuck legs are still laying on you.
tooru 🤍
i love you my number neighbour
you
i love you too my number neighbour that isn’t the forty five year old man 😚
tooru 🤍
you ruined it 😠
you
EMOJI
tooru 🤍
so what
anyway what if i text MY other number neighbour
you
oikaw fucking tooru
tooru 🤍
OKAY
you liked this message
“tooru?”
“yes, my darling?”
“why are we texting when we're right next to eachother?”
oikawa smirks at you. “romance.”
i wrote this on google docs so the quotation marks look so different.. but anyway fucking hell that was a ride to write!! sorry, kat. i tried to make it 6.7k words for you but there was so much i wanted to fit in there so it ended up um exceeding that by 2k 😚
sometimes i just think about how kageyama pushes so many teammates away from volleyball with his insults and high standards, but one of the first times we see him really trying to encourage someone while playing, it's sugawara, on the other team in the neighbourhood association match
blakekathryn
snowghoul
origamiaround
dededos
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