Atsumu wasn’t new to training programs from hell, but even the #1 setter in high school had steep steps to climb when he had entered the pro volleyball scene as MSBY’s rookie. Now, he’s a little breathless just from warmups, his skin red and hot merely two laps into their morning run.
And Meian can’t help it, him being the team captain looking out for the new blood and catching Atsumu’s flushed face brimming with a mix of determination and unease every so often that he finds himself helplessly fond. So one day in the middle of a 5-minute break, Meian gives into the urge to pinch Atsumu’s round cheeks and teases him: “Good job, Tomato-chan.”
The nickname sinks in later than the praise, making Atsumu blush 50 shades of red.
A few of their teammates are quick join in the fanfare and poke fun at the young rookie.
Meian hands him over an ice cold bottle of Pocari with a lopsided grin, so devastatingly handsome for anyone’s good; Atsumu guzzles the drink in one go hoping to his embarrassment, stealing a sneaky glance at his captain from the tipped bottle and—
Oh.
Meian’s smile was a telltale sign that this pet name won’t be a one-time thing.
Atsumu knows at that moment he’d be blushing profusely due to an entirely different reason from then on.