one of hajime's junior trainers approaches him as he's finishing up his last set of squats, jabbing his thumb behind him.
"yo, boss. the creep is back."
hajime drops the bar to the ground, the weight plates clattering loudly and bouncing, using the hem of his t-shirt to wipe his forehead.
"again?"
"yeah." the younger guy grimaces. "he's been eyeing this girl for a while now. i've told him to stop a few times but he keeps playing innocent.
there's a dull throbbing sensation forming behind hajime's left temple, and a swift glance confirms that the repeat offender is indeed staring at you lecherously while you deadlift.
as if he senses his opportunity slipping, The Creep (hajime refuses to do him the courtesy of remembering his name) sidles up next to you under the pretense of grabbing a weight plate and "accidentally" grabs a handful of your ass as he goes by.
hajime's eye twitches, and he's already berating himself for not acting sooner as he strides across the dark rubber flooring. but before he can intervene, you've already taken care of it.
one moment hajime was preparing to forcibly drag the man out of his gym and revoke his membership, and the next your fist is moving through the air in a swift, brutal arc, landing square on the pervert's face with a satisfying crunch.
standing there staring at the woman who just ko'd a creep in his gym, hajime swears this must be it.
summary: with your boyfriend away studying in america, you never meant for it to get this bad
cw: this one is kind of heavy, depression, bed rotting, implied body issues, reader doesn't eat for a while, hurt/a little comfort
wc: 542 (just a smol one lol)
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it started the way most illnesses did, seeping in unnoticed through the cracks.
at first it was just one day. you told yourself you were just tired, that you had been working hard and had earned a day off.
you slept for an additional twenty four hours before getting up the next day to attend classes.
just one day turned into every now and again. every now and again turned into every weekend, turned into every few days.
now you're lying under a mountain of blankets with only the stale scent of your unwashed body on your sheets and the food wrappers strewn across your room to keep you company.
how many days had it been? you weren't sure. time didn't exist for you. your phone used to occasionally chime with a message from your boyfriend studying in the states, little messages asking how you were doing that took all your energy to reply to.
your phone had died two naps ago but that told you nothing about how much time had elapsed since then.
the end of the messages was a relief though. there was no need for you to reassure him that you were eating well and taking care of yourself as your stomach went empty any more.
you knew that if he knew the truth he would be worried, but the gnaw of hunger as it ate away the parts of yourself you hated the most was too good.
he had a life and a future ahead of him. in time he would move on and forget about you like everyone else had. it felt like the entire world had a future they were flying to while your weighted blanket was chaining you down to earth.
tears inexplicably prick your eyes, trickling down onto your sweat dampened pillow. god. you wanted a future. you wanted a future so badly it hurt. you wanted someone to come find you, to fling your blankets off and extend a hand. you wanted someone to notice your struggle and come save you.
but there was no one. no one but you and the voices in your head that would never leave you alone and-
"hey."
warm, calloused hands cupped your cheeks with a tenderness you did not deserve, gently smoothing your hair back from your face.
"hey. baby. i'm here. wake up. i'm sorry i wasn't here sooner, but i'm here now."
blinking open your eyes you're greeted by the sight of your boyfriend, cheeks flushed, green eyes concerned, spiky brown hair slightly matted with sweat.
his faded godzilla t-shirt smells like an airport and an unfamiliar laundry detergent, but underneath it the scent is all him.
hajime. he was here.
you open your mouth, but no words leave. instead you cry silently, body wracked with sobs as tears slide down your face.
without a word he bundles you into his strong arms, pressing you against his strong chest as he presses a long kiss into your greasy, disgusting hair.
he holds you like you're his entire world. like he's never going to let you go. like he's promising that as long as he's with you you're going to be okay.
Never one to back down from hearing tea, Atsumu raises an eyebrow.
"What?"
"I overheard Rin talking to Samu earlier and he was telling him about how one of his friends said he'd eat his female best friend's ass for 'breakfast, lunch and dinner.'"
Immediately Atsumu's smile drops but you don't notice, too immersed in your rant.
"Which is crazy, because who talks about their friends like that? If they're best friends she clearly trusts him and he's going behind her back and objectifying her!"
Mutely he nods along, and you take his nod as a sign of his agreement.
"Like, who talks like that?! I mean obviously you wouldn't, but do most men talk about their female friends like that?!"
Realizing you're expecting an answer, he clears his throat.
"Nah, of course not. Just the gross ones."
Meanwhile he knows full well that he's the friend in question that Suna was talking about.
For the last four nights since he had moved into his new house a few streets away from his old one, he had been unable to sleep through the night due to whispered laughter and the sound of movement underneath his bedroom window in the early hours of the morning.
At first he ignored it, opting to bury his head beneath his blankets instead of confronting the disturbance in an attempt at keeping the peace but he had had enough. Seijoh has a major game tomorrow, and he needs to sleep. Desperately.
Exhausted and frustrated, he throws his covers back and storms over to his window, slamming it open as he shoves his head outside, fully ready to verbally crucify whoever is goofing off beneath his window-
He freezes.
Long, toned bare legs. A smooth shoulder slipping out of an oversized t-shirt. Bare feet buried in the grass. Wild, untamed hair stirring in the slight breeze. Neck bared as you throw your head back in quiet laughter, a smile stretching your features before you notice his presence. Bright eyes, staring at him widely from their owner's face as you turn to look up at him from your spot in their shared backyard.
"Oh!" A breathy sound of surprise leaves your lips as you tilt your head back, taking in the sight of the boy hanging from the second floor window. "You must be the new guy."
At your feet, a massive dog plops down, leaning heavily against you. You pet him absentmindedly, and Hajime realizes his jaw is still hanging open in preparation to hurl insults at you. He snaps it shut and nods mutely, his mouth suddenly dry.
You brush a piece of hair out of your face, and adjust the hem of your sleep short as you stand there awkwardly, the silence hanging heavy.
"Um...did I wake you up?"
Your soft voice jolts him out of his stupor and reminds him of his initial reason to get out of bed and stick his head out of his window at three in the morning.
"Uh, yeah, actually. You did." Somehow his words lack their intended sharpness.
"I'm really sorry." Embarrassment clouds your face as you look down, pressing your toes into the damp grass harder. "Sometimes when I can't sleep I take Eun outside and play with him. I'll stop doing it. I didn't realize I was disturbing your sleep. I feel really bad."
"It's fine." His mouth is moving, but the words that leave it haven't been cleared by the rational part of his brain first. "You didn't disturb me. I couldn't sleep either and just wanted some fresh air. I don't mind if you play with him."
Lies. What was he saying? He most definitely minds. He should be telling you to be quiet because he needs to sleep. Why is he instead lying to protect your feelings?
You perk up, and your dog's ears prick at the movement. "Really? I don't want to bother you. I can just play with him in the basement."
"I promise I don't mind." Seriously. What the fuck was going on with his mouth right now? Was it staging a mutiny? "I had no idea you were out there. You're not bothering me at all."
Jesus Christ. He was just digging the hole deeper and deeper.
A small, relieved smile lifts the corners of your mouth and somehow makes his impending nights of sleeplessness worth it. "That's a relief. I'm glad I wasn't disturbing your sleep." You were, but his traitorous mouth wasn't about to tell you that.
"Do you want to join me?" Your offer catches him by surprise and he narrowly avoids banging his head on the top of his windowsill.
Mistaking his surprise for offense, you quickly backtrack.
"I was only offering because you said you also couldn't sleep and I thought it might be nice to have some company but if you don't want to you really don't have to."
"I want to."
He slaps himself internally. He has a match tomorrow. An important one. He can't afford to be goofing off instead of sleeping. He should really be back in bed right now trying to sleep.
Instead, he finds himself answering your smile at his acceptance of your offer with a goofy grin of his own.
shoving his nose into the curve of your throat, hajime takes a deep breath, savoring the scent of your soft skin as his hips grind against yours. the knowledge that you’re finally there, in his apartment in japan and that you’re there to stay for good heightens the intimacy and emotion of the moment.
overwhelmed with love and relief (you’re here you’re really here and you’re all his) he picks up the pace, rutting into you forcefully as he claims your mouth in a deep, searing kiss.
after that the night passes in a blur of sweaty limbs and relief in proximity. when you wake up the next morning, sore, covered in deep blooming marks, he just gives you a sweet smile, still half asleep.
summary: on a month long backpacking trip almost anything can happen. maybe a lifelong friendship can turn into something more.
content warnings: fluff, mild angst, hiking/backpacking terms/references (all chapters will have a little key explaining them beforehand), childhood friends to lovers, idiots in love
main | haikyuu masterlist
part one: the fall
an incident earlier in the day inspires a nightmare. hajime goes to you for comfort
part two: cooking
he loves your cooking. loves it so much sometimes he doesn't want to share it
part three: overheard
he overhears how some of the other guys talk about the girls, including you, and he won't let it slide
part four: girlfriend, or girlfriend
sometimes he can't tell if your friendships with the other girls are strictly platonic and it drives him crazy
