“when I was in elementary school, kids in class would make fun of me by calling me tomato head."
ushijima pauses his slicing for a moment, eyebrows pinched at tendou's words.
"not very creative, in my opinion," tendou continues, laughing softly.
"I don't understand."
ushijima turns towards him now, and tendou can't help but think his confused expression is terribly adorable.
"you don't?" he says, hands coming up to vaguely gesture around his head. "the red hair? it was shorter then, too."
ushijima just shakes his head. "no, I mean, how could being called a tomato be an insult?"
tendou blinks, mind not quite catching up.
"tomatoes are versatile," ushijima explains, holding up one of the unsliced tomatoes for his salad. "they are both scientific fruit and culinary vegetable. there are different kinds for different purposes, some have more flesh while others have more juice. I quite enjoy them."
ushijima brings the tomato to his mouth, then bites into it like it's an apple. he hums as he chews, and, after swallowing, gives tendou a little smile.
"I tend to favor the juicy ones, though."
tendou feels his cheeks warm. if he didn't feel like a tomato before, he definitely feels like one now.
"hmmm, well okay then," tendou smiles, moving to stand next to ushijima to place his chin on his shoulder. "if you like them, then that's all that really matters."
tendou feels the weight of ushijima's head on his, a kiss landing on his temple.
"would you like me to call you my tomato? as a sort of way to reclaim the nickname?"
Summary: Ushijima imagined his proposal going a lot different than it did, but when one door closes, another opens, right?
Pairings: Ushijima x Oikawa | Ushijima x Tendo
Word Count: 2000
Warnings: Angst with a sweet ending. Emotional break-up. A meet cute. Brief mention of possible cheating.
AN: Play ‘champagne problems’ by Taylor Swift while reading :)
AN 2: Tendou didn’t play volleyball or go to Shiratorizawa, cause why not. lol
December 2018
4:45AM
Being in a foreign country is nothing new to Ushijima whether it be for away games or leisure. What is new to him is wandering around at nearly 5AM in 30 degree weather, no real destination in mind other than slightly running away from his problems.
Ushijima imagined this mid-December night several times, each ending had been different, but it had never ended like this. He had seen champagne celebrations while the white gold Cartier ring sat on Oikawa’s left ring finger before falling asleep, limbs intertwined. Not the ring box weighing heavy in his pants pocket, his now ex-boyfriend probably still sleeping.
8:30PM
Oikawa’s arm was linked around Ushi’s, his head rested on the taller man’s shoulder. They had just finished an amazing dinner and decided on walking back to the hotel, wanting to take a late night stroll. The night was calm, just the right amount of bustle around them so it didn’t feel uneasy to walk around.
Lately it felt like their schedules had them more as passing ships than partners living together. It’s why Ushijima suggested an early Christmas trip since Oikawa wanted to spend the actual holiday in Miyagi this year.
Ushi had stopped walking, tugging Oikawa slightly backwards when they got to the park that was just around the corner from the hotel. At first Oikawa thought he was just tying his laces when he remembered he was wearing Chelsea boots. Ushi’s cheeks were flushed, from the chilly air mixed with the understandable nervousness he felt, but his voice remained steady. He recited each line like he practiced for months, pure adoration on his face until his olive-colored eyes saw pure panic in the brown eyes staring down at him.
It was after an awkward walk and quick elevator ride back to their room that Ushijima learned the truth. He watched Oikawa sit on the edge of the bed, nervously bouncing his left leg, refusing to make eye contact. Ushi started to worry, scared that he had upset his partner as his thoughts instantly dived into the darkest places they could. He tried to go into fix-it mode, getting prepared to do anything to repair what he assumed he broke when Oikawa finally spoke.
“I tried. I really, really tried.” Somehow the brunette looked as guilty as Ushijima felt.
He stood there, heart broken, listening to Oikawa try to explain his feelings and that he felt that the passion between them was gone or maybe it had just never been there. He explained that at first he thought it was just them settling into a routine - transitioning from the honeymoon phase to the next stage. Even adding that he thought it was him overthinking things and just not trying hard enough.
Ushijima could hear what Oikawa was saying, but it didn’t feel real. It felt like a nightmare he’d wake up from and somehow the brunette would just know to press himself closer into Ushi’s side. It felt like his chest was tightening and he couldn’t breathe. He felt a wave of dizziness and nausea wash over him, reaching his hand back on the nearby dresser to balance himself.
Oikawa finally raised his eyes to meet his, tears lined them as he told Ushi that it wasn’t until he heard everything in the proposal that he realized he couldn’t keep going. That Ushijima didn’t deserve to spend a lifetime with someone who wasn’t as sure as he was, but no matter how sweet Oikawa’s words sounded, they stung as they cut open his heart.
The words rushed out of him before he had really thought them out, asking if there was really nothing he could do, offering to retire early from volleyball and saying he would go to counseling with Oikawa if he wanted. What little air that was in his lungs was knocked out when Oikawa told him that he’d been struggling with all of this for the last four years.
5AM
It’s too quiet for Ushijima to not get lost in his thoughts, Oikawa’s words playing on repeat as he tries to instead focus on taking one step after the other. It had gotten too suffocating in the hotel room, not really sure how to navigate things with Oikawa now. The brunette suddenly feels more like a stranger than the man he spent middle and high school pinning over and the last six years loving. At some point while Ushijima was looking for flights back to Japan, Oikawa fell asleep and Ushi couldn’t bear the silence.
He starts beating himself up for not having seen it at all, for somehow missing it for four years. The final straw was noticing how much happier Oikawa seemed after their talk. Tears filled his eyes wondering just how long he had been the weight dragging him down, hating himself for destroying someone he loved so dearly.
Maybe this isn’t so surprising, when he first told Heiwajima and Romero about his plans to propose they were both skeptical. Both asked if Ushijima was sure that he and Oikawa were on the same page when it came to something so life changing, Heiwajima not looking so convinced when he said yes. Romero looked like he had something more to say before opting to pat him on the shoulder, telling him that they’d support him either way. He briefly wonders if his mother's concerns really did have merit, she had never been more supportive than she needed to be when it came to their relationship, but she had mentioned – several times – that Oikawa just seemed a little too close with Iwaizumi.
Ushijima isn’t really sure where he is, having just walked straight ahead aimlessly once he got out of the hotel, already a decent distance from the park he embarrassed himself at. He knows he can pull up a map on his phone, that he should probably turn it back on at some point, but he’s not ready. He’s not ready to face reality, not ready to hear Oikawa plead for him not to hate him over this, or to return to Japan as exes. He doesn’t want to discuss who gets the apartment, decide if he should keep the matching luggage set or get a new one nor does he want the pitying expression his friends will definitely give him.
So he sits on a wooden bench, wishing he could just disappear or maybe start a whole new life here in Paris where no one would have to know what happened with Oikawa and he could work in a plant nursery somewhere. People did it in movies all the time, surely he could too, right?
Ushijima finally lets his mind wander back over the years they’ve spent together, over the various memories they’ve made. The day they started dating, it had been after a volleyball match between their high schools and afterwards Oikawa marched up to him, grabbed his collar and kissed him before storming off. The day they moved in together, which was also their third anniversary, he accidentally broke Oikawa’s favorite mug. Their first big fight where Oikawa stormed out, he couldn’t remember what it was about anymore. Come to think about it, he couldn’t even remember the last time they had fought.
The strong scent of freshly baked bread invades his senses, causing his stomach to let out a low growl. Checking his watch, he realizes it’s about the time he’d wake up, slip quietly out of bed before preparing breakfast for him and Oikawa, now he supposed he can sleep in more. A flood of messages and missed call notifications fill his screen after he turns his phone back on, all from Oikawa, all concerned because he’s not there. Part of him wants to use it as proof that the brunette does love him, to tell him they can fix things, but a bigger part knows even if he hates it, Oikawa’s feelings are valid. Knowing that of course he’d panic, Ushijima didn’t even think to leave a note, they’d been together six years after all.
A sobbing Oikawa answers the call, telling Ushi that he was about to call the French Ambassador if he hadn’t called within the hour, that he nearly had a heart attack when he woke up and he was nowhere to be found. What’s left of his broken heart cracks even more, once again being the source of Oikawa’s pain, but the remaining pieces shatter when he mentions Iwaizumi being on the other line and needing to switch over real quick. Ushijima tells him that he’ll be back before they need to check out, trying to act as if this is a normal conversation and they weren’t technically ex-partners.
The calls end and he presses the heels of his palms into his eyes, trying to keep the tears from forming. He had been able to keep them at bay, but something about the Oikawa sounded on the phone broke the dam and they quickly spilled down his cheeks. Thankful for the early morning hour and little foot traffic the area seems to have, he’d been humiliated enough these last 24-hours.
“Psst! Psst!”
Ushijima lifts his head from his hands, slowly glancing around. His eyes meet with a smiling face, waving for him to come into the nearby bakery: Satori’s Sweets.
Usually he’d probably be a bit more hesitant, a bit more reserved in his actions, but this isn’t an usual situation for him. He briefly contemplates the options, throwing caution to the wind, walking towards this mystery man.
There’s a huge, almost contagious smile on the man’s face and Ushi can see now he has vibrant red hair. Neither says anything while Ushijima’s ushered to an empty table before the man says he’ll be right back. He looks around taking in the small yet comforting bakery. The aroma of the fresh baked goods give the room a sense of warmth, a homey feeling, somehow relaxing Ushijima.
“Here.” A plate with pain au chocolat is placed in front of him along with an Americano, “sweets make everything better.”
“Do they really?” Ushijima hums after taking a bite, wishing he could taste the pastry for the first time over again. Not only does the bitter chocolate melt on his tongue, but it compliments the buttery dough nicely.
“Do you feel better?”
Ushijima lets out a small chuckle, feeling at ease for the first time since dinner. He’s unsure if it’s the food or the company that’s making him feel better. A brief thought crosses his mind, as the man he now knows as Tendou engages in small conversation with him, wondering if it’d ever been this easy with Oikawa.
* *
May 2022
“Some breaking news coming in regarding pro-player Ushijima Wakatoshi,” the sports broadcaster announces on the TV that Oikawa glances at from his desk. “It seems he tied the knot with boyfriend of two years, Tendou Satori.”
The brunette’s eyes linger on the screen just long enough to see a picture of the couple appear on it. They look good together, truly complementing the other, pure happiness radiating off the pair. The announcer starts to go through the brief history of Ushijima and his now husband, how they met in Paris, had what many would call a whirlwind romance, but Oikawa tunes it out.
He glances at the bottom desk drawer, an unopened wedding invitation is hidden under a stack of sports magazines, briefly wondering if maybe he should’ve gone only to realize that ex-boyfriends that reject a proposal don't really belong at a wedding of the one they rejected.
“That’s a nice photo of them, huh?” Iwaizumi hands him a cup of coffee, warning him the mug’s pretty hot.
Oikawa looks back at the screen, and a new image is shown. This one has Ushijima with a huge smile plastered on his face, Tendou holding a birthday cake, causing Oikawa to realize that’s an expression that he never got to witness.
The first time Ushijima caught Tendou crying, he wasn’t entirely sure on what to do. Tendou didn’t see him for a minute, too focused on staying quiet as everyone else was practicing. As his hand squeezed his shoulder, there was a jump. “Oh,” he sniffles as he wipes his nose with the back of his hand. “What’re you up to, Ushiwaka?”
The fake smile plastered on his face gave him away, drawing attention to the red under eyes and puffy cheeks. “Why’re you pretending?”
“What’re you talking about?” he laughs, shaking his head, “Cmon Toshi-kun, everyone’s gonna be held up without our miracle boy!”
The hand on Ushijima’s shoulder was anything but comforting. He grabs it, holding onto it before turning his attention to it. “Satori.”
“Hey you never call me that.”
“You can be sad, you know.”
“Mhm,”
“Then why are you pretending you’re not?” it felt more like a demand than a question.
Tendou’s gaze falls to their entwining hands, chewing the inside of his cheek, “I don’t know.”
“What happened?”
“You don’t want to-“
“I do.”
He looks up, sighing softly, “A few of the middle schoolers came to check out the school, remember?”
“I do.”
“A few of them used to play volleyball with me.. They used to make fun of me a bunch- call me names, leave me out, you know how kids are.” he gulps, “And it made me feellike that again. I don’t know it’s stupid-“
“No it’s not.” He says, almost faster than Tendou had finished saying it. “It’s not stupid.. You can be upset about that.”
“Thank you, Wakatoshi.”
Ushijimas arms wrapped around him slowly and awkwardly, pulling him into his chest “You’re welcome.“
“What’re you doing?”
“Im giving you a hug.”
Tendous quiet for a moment before his own arms reach up to grip on the back of his jersey. He was comfortable, and felt like he was about to start crying before weeping into his chest.
Ushijima just let it happen, keeping his hand on the back of his head and his own back to the door so nobody would see his friend crying. He leaned down slightly, nuzzling his nose into his hair. “You’re okay, Satori, you can break down in front of me.”
One time Tendou opened his door when he wasn’t expecting it and caught him singing. The thing is, Ushijima has an amazing voice. When he asked him why he didn’t tell him about this talent before, Ushijima answered that he didn’t think it was important or out of the ordinary, and Tendou never asked.
Since then Tendou asks him to stay when he sings to the plants, and Ushijima lets him.
Pet names aren't very common in the ushiten dynamic. Ushijima believes that calling Tendou by his given name – Satori – is good enough, as it shows his love for his partner. And Tendou just doesn't really find many pet names that scream 'Ushijima' to him (besides miracle boy, but that's a given). Things like 'darling' or 'babe' just really don't fit the 6'3 professional volleyball player in his eyes.
However, if there is one pet name that Tendou will use religiously, it's 'big guy'. At first the name was meant to be teasing, just a little jab at Shiratorizawa's 'gentle giant". But now, it's endearing and almost like a second name for Tendou to use.
When they're on dates and Tendou needs the salt, it's not "Wakatoshi-kun pass me the salt please", it's "Hey big guy pass me the salt would ya?".
It's become a common occurrence for Tendou to walk up to Ushijima, ruffle his hair, put both his hands on his cheeks and say "Hey big guy, how was practice?" with a honey-sweet voice and a wide smile on his face.
It never fails to make every other member of the Schweiden Adlers nauseous over the cheesy couple.
