A Lair's Truth (Atsumu x Sakusa)

T MINUS 8-4 YEARS BEFORE THE WEDDING ~ 3

It takes a long while for Atsumu to stop hiccuping.

At this point, Sakusa's sobered up considerably and he'd resorted to running his fingers through Atsumu's hair in what he hoped was a calming way.

Atsumu sniffles again, staring at Sakusa pitifully, his eyes completely swollen.

Sakusa can't help the laugh that escapes him. "Tell me why the hell I'm the one comforting you right now."

"I don't knooooooow," Atsumu whines, looking a second away from bursting into tears again, "I'm terrible at this! I'm soooorry, Omi!"

Sakusa laughs again, a burst of fondness blooming in his chest.

He reaches out his free hand to wipe one of Atsumu's tear streaked cheeks with his thumb. "Hopeless."

Atsumu is still half on Sakusa, legs thrown over his lap, Sakusa's one arm wrapped around him to keep him stable.

Friends.

Who the fuck have they been trying to kid aside from themselves?

They weren't just friends. They'd never been just friends.

"Atsumu," Sakusa says, voice suddenly turning solemn again, "Why are you crying?"

The boy takes a deep breath, gathering himself, before abruptly raising both his hands and sandwiching Sakusa's face between them. Sakusa makes a tiny noise of discomfort as Atsumu squeezes.

"Is it so bad for me to cry for you, Omi-kun? Huh?" Atsumu glares, "Is it so bad that I don't like thinkin' about you hurting?"

The urge to cry may have left Atsumu, but it seems to transfer to Sakusa. He swallows the lump in his throat.

He gives himself a moment to study the boy's face.

He looked... terrible. Atsumu's nose was obviously stuffy, his lips looked chapped, there were obvious tear streaks all over his face, his eyes were red and swollen, and don't even get him started on the oily, unkempt hair.

The hands holding onto his face... Wow, they really are calloused.

God. He's perfect.

"Omi?" Atsumu says his name like it's precious. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sakusa raises his hands, takes hold of Atsumu's wrists, holds onto them like a lifeline.

He leans forward and kisses him.

It's not rough or unpracticed, it's not frantic or rushed, instead, it's gentle and sincere while still being every bit as desperate as it always was.

And it only takes Atsumu half a second of being frozen in place, just half, before he melts into it with a relieved sigh, closing his eyes, his hold on Sakusa's face laxing, rubbing his thumbs against his cheeks.

Sakusa pulls away slightly, leaves another quick peck, then another, tilting his head to press a kiss against his cheek, then his neck, before burying his face in the juncture between Atsumu's neck and shoulder.

They hold each other for a long time, hands caressing each other's backs, Atsumu's hand in his hair, calming.

"What was that for?" Atsumu whispers against the shell of his ear.

Sakusa shivers, his hold on him tightening. "Just because."

"Omi," Atsumu's grip on his shirt stiffens. "Yer killin' me here." He says and it sounds pained.

He keeps thinking, just friends. They said they'd just be friends. Just friends.

Just friends. Just friends. Just-