missing half-sakuatsu

8

 Atsumu had been restless all week. He was good at hiding his nerves, after all, he'd spent years practicing a cocky grin that fooled just about everyone. But, this time, his usual bravado wasn't enough. It had been seven days since the training camp ended, seven days since the last time he'd been close to Sakusa. Seven days since they'd spent their last night together in Atsumu's room, cuddling and whispering in the dark, wrapped up in each other's warmth. And seven days since Skusa last held Atsumu like he was the most precious thing in the world.

Now, as he stared at his phone, Atsumu's thumbs danced over the screen. He's already typed and deleted his message to Sakusa at least a dozen times. They'd been close at camp, closer than Atsumu ever thought they would be, but the real world felt different. Would Sakusa want to spend time with him now that the safety net of the camp was gone?

Finally, he took a breath and typed the words that had been on his mind all week.

"Hey, are we still on for tomorrow?"

 He sent the text before he could overthink it. His heart pounded as he watched the message marked as delivered, then read. Seconds ticked by, feeling like hours before the three little dots appeared on the screen.

"Of course,  I should be arriving around noon. Sounds good?"

Relief flooded Atsumu, and he couldn't help but grin, feeling his nerves settle. He quickly typed back, reassuring the other that it was perfect. He then presented to Sakusa the idea that they should try a cafe Atsumu had been meaning to go to for a while now, and, to his surprise, Sakusa agreed without hesitation. Atsumu spent the rest of the night altering between excitement and anxiety, unsure of what the next day would bring.

The morning of the date, Atsumu woke up early. He stood in front of his closet, pulling out his clothes, trying them on, and discarding them in a heap on the floor. Nothing felt right. He wanted to look good, casual but not careless, cute but not overdone. It was ridiculous, he was well aware of that. Sakusa had seen him at his worst, messy hair and sweatpants, eyes red from crying. But today felt different. Today wasn't just another day at camp or another night in his room. This was their first real date.

Finally, he settled on a simple outfit: a fitted black shirt, some baggy jeans that also hugged his legs just right, and his favorite sneakers. He ran a hand through his hair one last time, checking himself in the mirror before grabbing his keys and heading out. He told himself to relax, but his heart wouldn't stop fluttering as he heard Osamu's voice from behind him.

"Good luck Tsumu, don't be nervous."

"I'm trying. He's here"

Atsumu opened the front door, revealing just the one person the boy had been waiting for, seemingly his whole life. Sakusa was dressed in a plain white t-shirt and dark jeans, his signature curls slightly tousled. Atsumu's heart did a little flip when Sakusa looked up, meeting his eyes with a small smile. It wasn't much, just a slight curve of his lips, but it was enough to send a rush of warmth through Atsumu's chest. 

"Hey," Sakusa greeted, his voice low and calm.

"Hey," Atsumu replied, sliding into Sakusa's open arms, and hugging the brunette tightly.

The pair began walking towards the cafe Atsumu suggested the night before. They picked a table near the window, sitting across from each other.

"Have you been here before?" Sakusa said simply, glancing at the menu.

"Nah, I just heard it was good. Thought we could try it out together."

Sakusa nodded, his eyes scanning the options. For a moment, they fell into a comfortable silence, the kind that had become second nature to them during camp. Atsumu was grateful for it, it made him feel like the world outside hadn't changed things between them, that they were still just Atsumu and Sakusa.