I didn't come to wave or take pictures - For Fragrant_Hitachiin

[saltinourstars]

Most paparazzi keep away from Kei. Hitachiin Legal loves a restraining order, and that’s enough for a semi-normal life.

But public games are public, and Kei spots at least three in the stands. Nondescript hair, clothes, faces. So plain they scream among the colorful crowd. One even has the nerve to smile, when he catches Kei’s glare.

Ugh.

Never mind.

Exhaling, he shuts them out. Settling into the tempo of his team. The rhythm and flow of defense, rising to a higher crescendo each time. It feels good. Kei's spent four years building with Todai, and they're contenders for Nationals. Maybe even favorites.

This is what matters.

Not the paparazzi with their gossip and grins.

Comments

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru comes to Kei's games as often as he can, missing only a few matches each season when work or classes have him completely booked. At first he doesn't notice that anything is amiss; certainly no one is paying him any attention, even though he is the Hitachiin heir. It isn't until one match, when he cheers loudly for an excellent block of his boyfriend's, that the man next to him chuckles.

"He's a star of this team, isn't he?"

The man, Kaoru notices, has a notepad covered in messy shorthand. The kanji for "Tsukishima" appears more than a few times. Kaoru's hackles go up and he eyes this man warily, wondering if the threat of a restraining order might be an effective deterrent.

"He's brilliant," Kaoru huffs. "And I hear he's taken."

The man looks bemused, and turns back to the match sheepishly.

[saltinourstars]

It isn't a runaway victory, going to full five sets. But the walls hold. And hold. Until finally, finally, Kei bats a one-touch high enough for a clean set. Lev flies up. Too fast, too high, and too late for their opponents.

The point hammers down like a meteor.

There's a split-second to breathe. Search the stands, trying to pick out Kaoru. Except, instead, it's that same paparazzi who catches Kei's gaze. Still here -

Then Lev hauls him into the hollering fray of their teammates.

"Nationals!"
"Oh my GOD that last one - "
"Tsukki the hell are you a robot SHIT!"

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru's up on his feet with the rest of the stands, a roar of applause and cheers booming in the gymnasium as they celebrate the team's victory. Not only was it a win, but now they're heading to Nationals, taking on Japan's very best collegiate players. Kaoru beams as he thinks that Tsukishima is one of those very best players; certainly all the other teams should be very scared of him.

Beside him, the man furiously scribbles something in his notebook, then gets up and elbows his way down the bleachers, heading towards the gym floor. Kaoru barely notices this, except that he ends up behind the man when he tries to get to the sidelines so he can congratulate Kei before he heads down to the locker rooms.

[saltinourstars]

The man waves. Veering to another spectator, this one tucking away a camera. Maybe Kaoru spots this, maybe not, because Todai has arrived. Lined up to bellow their thanks.

Kei rises from the bow with a small smile. It grows when he finally spots Kaoru. This isn't the time for public demonstrations - Not with the sweat and the crowds - But he still jogs over. Exuberant, exhausted, jersey soaked. Gym lights should not look this good on a person.

They do anyway.

"Hey!"

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru does not notice the antics of the weird man; he's too busy gazing adoringly at his fiancé. Proud of Kei's accomplishments here, and always. He rushes down the stands and meets Kei at the bottom, nearly colliding with him out of his exuberance.

"Hey, you! You did it!" He cheers, throwing his arms around Kei's shoulders. His ring glistens under the harsh gymnasium lighting. "You're going to Nationals!"

He could kiss Kei, except that Kei would hate all that in front of his teammates.

[saltinourstars]

There is only half a protest about that.

"Oof! Come on Kaoru, I'm gross."

Maneuvering his partner back down, Kei takes a towel. Pressing it to his face. Getting into fresh clothes - and glasses - will feel amazing.

"Yeah, Nationals, about time."

[fragrant_hitachiin]

"Doesn't bother me," Kaoru says smoothly, choosing to be polite and not mention that he has a particular appreciation for a very sweaty Kei for reasons. He gets set on his feet and beams up at Kei, whose joy is evident on his normally cool face.

"You earned it. You deserve it, with how hard you worked. And you'll win there, too. No one's ready for you."

[saltinourstars]

There's a quiet huff, a sharper grin.

"Thanks. That's the plan."

Not standing out is an asset. College players are bigger, stronger, many even taller than him. That's fine. Kei fades in until he doesn't, when the traps are sprung and the opponents run in circles.

He doesn't need eyes on him.

Well. Some are okay. Reaching out, he wraps his left hand around Kaoru's. Silicone ring presseing against gold. (No way Kei's wearing fancy jewelry for games.) Then the team's calling.

"See you after the awards?"

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru squeezes Kei's hand in return. His palm is warm and a little clammy, but Kaoru hardly minds. Their rings look good together, even with Kei's being his games one.

"You'll find me there," he promises. It isn't until Kei goes that Kaoru feels eyes on him, and turns to find a man with a camera around his neck staring in his direction. He frowns and commits the face of the man to memory before turning away, tempted to grab his phone and call in security but resisting the urge. The man could just be a journalist, after all, and curious about the team members. It doesn't have to be about Kaoru being a Hitachiin.

[saltinourstars]

Medals are awarded, showers get taken, and Todai scatters. Kei waves away shouted invitations to celebrate, shrugs off Lev. All he wants is quiet. Maybe a bath.

He strides towards the entrance, spotting the beacon of Kaoru's hair. Exactly as promised. But there's something... off. You'd only know if you paid attention. For several years.

Kei stops, brow furrowing.

"What happened?"

Does he need to go loom over someone.

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru's relieved to see Kei come out of the gymnasium, still plagued by the feeling that he's being watched. It's not as if he isn't used to the attention, but it's never happened at one of Kei's games before, and something about that paparazzi presence here feels like a safe space being trampled on. So as soon as Kei appears, Kaoru coaxes him out the door by the hand.

Does he share his suspicions with Kei? The last thing he wants is to sour the good mood of this victory.

"Nothing, just some weird guys in the crowd today. Come on, I bet you're starving! It's a perfect night for take out and a movie."

[saltinourstars]

Weird... ah.

"I saw them."

He doesn't resist. Kaoru wants to get out of here and has the better instincts.

"Can't stop people watching. I want Thai and Midsommar."

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru's smile softens into something more genuine, once he has Kei's agreement and a plan for the evening. He's pleased that the weirdo paparazzi won't ruin this for them.

"And they say romance is dead," he responds, thinking of the horror movie that awaits. "Spicy Thai or baby Thai?" Kaoru teases, taking his phone out already so that he can place their usual orders.

[saltinourstars]

"Some of us like having tastebuds."

If Kaoru minds? Too bad. These are the dire sacrifices made for love.

***

Another evening, another dinner.

Nationals next week.

Kei wants to be here. Bracing for the chaos of travel. Instead he keeps dropping lines of conversation. Twirling his chopsticks, or pushing food around his plate. Kaoru will probably have to repeat what was just said.

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru sniggers. The order is placed, then picked up on the way home. The night passes in a quiet lull of good food and warm cuddles.

They can't afford to eat together every night, not when they're in their final year of college and grinding on assignments, on jobs, on the court. But they eat together as often as they can, and that's what's important to Kaoru.

Which is why it's frustrating when Kei isn't completely there. After telling him twice about the texts he got from Haruhi to no response, Kaoru finally huffs and drops his fork with a 'clink.'

"Okay, seriously, what is up with you tonight? What's going on? You'd better not be hiding something from me," he huffs, thinking back to the last thing Kei hid, that ended with him in a hospital bed.

[saltinourstars]

"Geeze, I'm not."

Technically not a lie, but not an explanation. Kei wouldn't settle for it. How could he expect anyone else to? So, two choices. It comes out now, messy and incomplete, or Kaoru drags it out. By the hair.

Pushing aside his plate, Kei folds long arms on the table.

"Remember those photographers? At Regionals."

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru is just about to complain that Kei is definitely hiding something when his partner pushes his plate away and gets suddenly serious. Kaoru sits up a little straighter, and his brow furrows.

"I remember. What about them? Have they been harassing you?"

[saltinourstars]

"No. They weren't paparazzi. They were scouts, from the V.League."

Plain as that.

As if it's a perfectly normal thing to say over dinner.

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru's jaw legitimately drops. "The V.League?" He repeats, eyes gone wide and brows up to his hairline. "Professional volleyball? They've been checking you out, I know, the guy at the last game mentioned that you were the star of the team. What happened!?"

[saltinourstars]

There's a disbelieving tch at 'Star.'

So many players dream of the Pros. Every year there's a new batch of phenomenons. Splashed across headlines and the courts, vying for attention. Some might make it. Most won't.

Kei never considered such a thing. For all that volleyball mattered, for all of his pride, the time was always going to end. He needed a real career. Made peace with the fact.

Now everything feels sideways.

"Coach told me. He's been getting inquiries, and wanted to know if I'd thought about it."

[fragrant_hitachiin]

"Have you?"

Kaoru wonders. Kei's never said that he wants to continue, but the fact is, he has. Through high school, even when he said it was "just a club." Into college, even though he takes his studies seriously, has aspirations in the sciences and not on the court.

"Even if you won't admit it, you're a huge part of the reason your team made it to Nationals," he adds. "I'm not even being biased about it, that's just obviously true."

[saltinourstars]

Kei shrugs.

He's a strong player. No argument. The high school and college records back that up.

"It's just - That's for people who - Ugh, I don't know. The Weirdos got recruited right out of high school, seemed like that was it."

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru tries to be patient as he listens to Kei's reasoning and thought process, hoping to understand what's going on in his head. He knows that Kei rarely makes things simple, even for himself, especially when it comes to accepting things he's earned.

"So you thought that because you weren't recruited out of high school like Hinata and them all, you wouldn't ever get to be?" He repeats, wrapping his head around this. "Isn't getting recruited a big part of college sports, though? Surely your teammates must have talked about it, or maybe it happened to people from your team last year?"

[saltinourstars]

"That's still only a few players. In all of Japan. I need to get my degree, not wait for some miracle."

He's got too little time for that. Besides Nationals prep, Kei's facing down a Senior Thesis, Finals, and the Grad School decision. Plus a wedding to plan.

Now comes this monkey wrench.

[fragrant_hitachiin]

Kaoru considers this. Again, trying to be careful and thoughtful.

"Even if you weren't thinking about getting scouted, or 'waiting for the miracle', you earned this," he points out. "You worked just as hard at volleyball as anything else, and these people noticed. So now you can do both, if you want, right? Get a degree and keep playing?"

"What team is scouting you, anyways?"