#meian

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Sakusa has always been serious about hygiene. But there's a reason why he has switched all of his disinfectant gels for another brand, why his fabric softener now comes unscented.

It's the way you always step closer to him now when the team gathers, how you have no fear of resting your head on his shoulder during bus rides, or how you pull on his sleeve asking for a handkerchief instead of anyone else.

It's a small thing, really. But it's never too small for you.

Now he only needs to be brave enough to offer you his jacket the next time it gets cold.

But he'll manage, he's sure. Because it's you, after all.

-

Atsumu gets a lot of shit for being selfish and egocentric. He doesn't bother correcting them. It's not worth the effort, he thinks.

Let them think what they want to think, he tells you when you ask about it. Because you know the truth.

He might not always be home on time for dinner, but he has no problem triple-checking if that new skincare is really suitable for your skin or paying extra to make sure those new earrings he got for you won't make your skin react.

He wears in your new shoes - and he looks fabulous in heels - because he would never let you get blisters if he can help it and more than once have you tested your make-up on him before trying it out on yourself.

So if the world thinks he's selfish, he'll let the world think what it wants. As long as you're cared for, safe and sound, he can be as selfish as he wants.

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Hinata often forgets that he's lactose intolerant. More than once you've had to find a nearby toilet and hunker down with a book while he suffered. But he never forgets that you can't eat gluten. And he won't let anyone forget either.

"What about cross-contamination?" Is a sentence he's said so often, Sakusa has threatened to tattoo it onto him.

He's more than willing to try the first bite of your meal - though you suspect it's not just out of concern for you, he's still very much a growing boy - to check if it's really gluten-free and even though he's got a lot to learn in the kitchen, his gluten-free soup is a delight.

And yes, he had to give up beer for you and that sucks sometimes, but he'd rather not have beer at all than to come home and not be able to kiss you. He has his priorities straight after all.

-

Bokuto has become a walking encyclopedia. At least that's what he seems to be trying to achieve. Today he's listed off all kinds of fruits that are suitable for an anti-inflammatory diet and he was only wrong once.

He's not trying to mansplain it to you, he swears. He's just showing you that he cares. That although memorizing stuff sometimes comes hard to him, he wants to make sure to never forget. After all, if switching one fruit out can help you manage your symptoms better, it's all worth it in the end, right?

And he's learning still. That sometimes, it's okay to eat what you've been craving for days, even though it might hurt you a little bit. That sometimes the pain will tie you to your bed even though you've been consistent with your diet all month. That sometimes all he has to do is lay down with you and kiss you, not because he can kiss it better, but because everything is a little easier when you get to kiss him.

-

Walking along a sandy beach, your sandals dangling in one hand and your Fiancé’s calloused hand in the other, the meaning of Paradise is not lost on you. 

Off in the distance, the ocean gleams in the sunlight, the blue is so bright and so brilliant, it blends perfectly with the cloudless sky. The warm grains of sand feels like heaven on your bare feet as you take in the look of bliss on Shugo Meian’s face. 

He’s glowing, since arriving to the island, he has managed to bronze away the faint tan lines he has gotten from the beach volleyball charity tournament he had played in the week before. 

Directly after he had competed in Nationals. 

Needless to say, the Captain of the MSBY Black Jackals was long overdue for a vacation, and you were in no position to deny him. 

“So I made us reservations for that place on the pier tonight,” he says with a content smile on his face. With no team to lead in the off-season, he has dedicated all of his attention to you and your vacation itinerary. 

Which is great because you are just here for the vibes. 

“Do we have any time to stop in and try that cool dessert shop we walked by last night?” you ask hopefully, but you already know the answer. 

“You and yer sweet tooth,” he laughs, furrowing his brows as if trying to picture the carefully printed, possibly laminated list you made him leave in the hotel room. “We could go after dinner.” 

“Really?” you say, your excitement catching the attention of the older woman passing you by, her basket full of beautiful, multi-colored hibiscus flowers. 

She chuckles at your enthusiasm and plucks a perfect flower from the woven basket. Handing it to you with a smile. “Here, this is for you.”

“Oh, I couldn't," you say, patting your pockets for anything you can use to pay. “You find a bundle of folded bills and take them out, but she shakes her head. 

“Please, it’s free of charge,” she says, sliding the stem of the flower behind your ear. “I miss being young and in love.”

“Well, thank you,” Shugo says as the lady nods and turns away. His dark eyes glow like molasses in the sun as he takes you in. “The flower suits you.”

“We should get you one,” you laugh, turning around to see if the vendor is still there, but the woman is nowhere to be seen.

“I think one flower is enough for both of us,” he chuckles, staring out at the ocean without a care in the world. “Should we keep going?”

You nod, “Yes, let's go.” Taking his hand, the two of you walk through the sand. After a while, your feet start to get too hot, and you end up walking where the waves brush against the shore.

The sensation of the sweeping waves on your bare feet feels heavenly, and you let out a sigh of contentment. “Feels good?” he asks as you step a bit further into the water. Now shin-high. You turn and face him. 

“Amazing,” you say as the sea breeze mists your face. “We should find a spot to go swimming tomorrow~”

As soon as those words leave your lips, a large wave barrels into you, knocking you off balance. Your warranty-less cellphone feels heavy in your pocket as you start to fall, but you are caught by sturdy arms. 

“There you go,” he says gently as the water continues to pull to the shore. 

“Thanks for the save,” you laugh, pulling your phone from your back pocket. 

“I thought you wanted to go swimming tomorrow,” he laughs as the sand beneath your feet settles. 

“I do,” you breathe, as a deep reddish-pink blur swishes past you with the receding wave. Your hand flies to your ear, but you find that the flower you had just been gifted is gone. 

It must’ve fallen when you were hit by the wave. 

“Oh no, the flower,” you say, your face falling as you watch it float away. 

One look at your disappointed features has Shugo tossing away any and all reservations he would have as he chases after it, splashing through the knee-deep water, getting absolutely soaked in the process. 

“Shūgo, just leave it,” you call after him. “It’s not worth getting wet.”

“I’m committed now,” he responds, launching forward and grabbing the bright flower by the stem. In his enormous hands, the flower looks comically small, but he holds it with so much care as he wades back toward the shore. 

His shorts are completely soaked through, and the maroon on the bottom of his shirt is much darker than the top. But the real smile on his face is picture-perfect. 

“You didn't have to do that, you know,” you say as he tucks the slightly wilted flower back behind your ear where it belongs. 

“I know you wanted it back,” he smiles, running a hand through his dark hair. “It was worth it.”

“You’re sweet,” you say, your gaze drifting from his eyes down to his lips. Taking the lead, you lean forward and capture his lips in a passionate ‘thank you.’

He is eager to return the gesture; the heat from his lips makes the sun above seem almost chilly in comparison. 

After this little vacation from your vacation, he pulls away. “Did you forget to breathe Honey?” he murmurs against your lips.

You process his words, blinking as you become aware of the burning sensation in your lungs. “Maybe just a little bit.” 

He cracks a smile as he shifts his weight. Looking down at his drenched clothes, he wipes a droplet of water from his watch. “Do you think we have enough time to head back to the room and change for dinner?”

You laugh and press a kiss to his strong, slightly salty jaw. “I think we can swing it.”