Why Do You Need a Girl When You've Got Me?

"Tsumu, what's up with you?" Osamu asked, dialing his voice to maximum fake cheerfulness as he tracked his twin's frantic pacing. "You this torn up about the game results?" The gray-haired Miya pressed, refusing to let it drop. Atsumu, who'd been tearing around their hotel room like a caged animal, skidded to a halt by the half-open window, sucking in a ragged breath. He was thoroughly wrecked. All the pure, soaring joy he'd felt after figuring out his soulmate's identity was crumbling under a landslide of dark thoughts. Did Hinata not want to be bound to anyone? Or maybe... maybe he just didn't like him? A hollow ache throbbed in his chest, a sickening sense of being discarded. The feeling spread, thick and suffocating, like strangling vines coiling around his body. He hadn't even been given a chance to talk, to show Shoyo who he really was beyond the court. Shaking his head, the blond stared bleakly out the window at the blur of city lights. Shoyo... what were you so scared of? The thought whispered at the edge of his awareness. Osamu, sprawled across one of the beds, felt the tension radiating off his brother and didn't know how to crack him open. Usually, shutting Atsumu up was the challenge – hyperactive, loud, an open book. This silent, coiled tension was unnerving. Pushing himself up on his elbows, Osamu squinted at Atsumu's rigid back. Muttering a curse under his breath, he launched himself off the bed and approached his twin. He stopped beside him, leaning his weight casually against Atsumu's shoulder. Something deeper than just another blond tantrum was happening; he felt an odd urge to offer support. "Hey, dumbass," Osamu started quietly, testing the waters, "what's eating you?" "Samu... I found my soulmate..." The whisper that came back was thick with misery. "That's awesome!" Osamu exclaimed, genuine excitement flaring. He grabbed Atsumu's shoulders and spun him around to face him. "Awesome? He ran from me," Atsumu muttered. All his usual bravado had evaporated in the night air, leaving no trace of joy behind. Atsumu bit his lip, watching the rapid-fire emotions flicker across his brother's face from beneath half-lowered lashes. First came stark surprise, judging by the wide, startled gray eyes. Then Osamu puffed up indignantly... and finally, he snorted, dissolving into loud, wheezing laughter. "So who's the lucky weirdo?" Osamu rasped between gasps, still clutching Atsumu's shoulders, bent double in front of him. Atsumu's vision went red. The urge to smash his fist into that stupid, shaved head bobbing right in front of his pissed-off face was overwhelming.So he did. With savage satisfaction, he listened to the answering hiss of pain."Instead of sympathy, he mocks me. Asshole!" Atsumu huffed, turning away from the infuriatingly smug grin that flickered across Osamu's lips. His twin always knew how to push his buttons, and this whole soulmate fiasco was apparently prime joke material. "Hinata Shoyo," Atsumu ground out through clenched teeth. "Seriously?!" Osamu squeaked, half-choked, practically bouncing on the spot. "Show me the mark! Where is it?" He grabbed Atsumu's shoulders firmly and started spinning him around, trying to peek under his t-shirt and yank at the waistband of his track shorts. When Osamu's prying fingers got dangerously close to his boxers, Atsumu shoved his cackling brother hard in the stomach with his elbow. He stumbled back, whacking his hip against the nearby desk, and let out a stream of curses. "Fuck off! Why don't you check under my balls while you're at it?!" "Pass. Your damn balls are the last thing I need," Osamu snorted, wiping imaginary tears from his eyes with his fist as he retreated to his bed and plopped down, crossing his legs lotus-style. "Well then, stop fucking groping me!" Atsumu hissed, collapsing backwards onto his own bed and throwing his arms behind his head. "Don't bring our mother into this, idiot!""Ugh, shut up!" Atsumu retorted weakly, rolling onto his side and propping his head on his bent elbow. Silence descended, thick and heavy, broken only by the relentless ticking of the wall clock. Loud laughter erupted from a neighboring room, a stark contrast to the suffocating quiet that had settled between the twins. Exhaustion washed over them in waves, making even the urge to bicker feel like too much effort. "Hey, Tsumu," Osamu asked carefully, watching his brother sprawled on the bed through half-lidded eyes, "how did you figure out the Karasuno #10 was your match?" "Dunno," Atsumu mumbled. "Just... put together the weird feelings I got around the guy. Then the damn mark started itching. Remembered the last person I shook hands with was Shoyo. Plus, that little ginger fox is kinda hard to miss." He groaned. "Samu, you should've seen the little bastard bolt! Locked himself in the bus with his team and sent their damn advisor out to talk to me!" Osamu pictured it. But even clearer was the image of his dear, beloved brother's absolute fury. A soft chuckle escaped him as he turned his gaze to the ceiling, tracing the slow crawl of city lights. A sigh, tinged with envy, followed. "Tsumu... you lucky bastard," he said, the words laced with a note of warm envy. "Don't panic yet! The kid probably just freaked out. You were riding his ass the whole game, and then bam – turns out you're his soulmate too." Atsumu understood all that perfectly well. But the bitter sting of rejection was eating him up inside. He wasn't some leper to be avoided like that! And then there was that fucking genius first-year – Kageyama Tobio – and his unnaturally close rapport with the ginger. Infuriating! Fucking hell!"I hope so," Atsumu mumbled dejectedly, his gaze distant as he stared at nothing in particular. He could feel the soft stirring of the shy little fox curled up on his shoulder – a tangible manifestation of his churning soulmate bond. "Tomorrow, I will track him down!" The twin declared with sudden, gruff determination before burrowing deep under the covers and falling still. As he closed his eyes, Atsumu pictured meeting Shoyo. He mentally rehearsed words, potential compliments... But then rationality kicked in. Why try to be someone I'm not? Improv is my whole thing. I'll wing it. Tomorrow, Karasuno had their match against Nekoma High. If they won, they'd advance to the next stage. That meant plenty of time to watch his little sunshine play... and cornering him would be child's play.A sinister giggle escaped him as Atsumu finally sank into merciful oblivion. Osamu heard his brother's devilish chuckles muffled by the blanket and shuddered. Oh gods. That laugh... Trouble always followed that laugh. He felt a pang of genuine pity. Hinata... you poor bastard. You've caught yourself a certifiable lunatic. ***** Meanwhile, in a small roadside hotel, a certain ginger-haired menace was having a meltdown. Shoyo sat cross-legged on the bed, shirtless, head bowed low as he endured a torrent of "valuable advice" from his teammates. Sure, he appreciated his friends' concern about his future relationship. But the intimate tips, delivered with an unnerving amount of instructional detail, were shredding Hinata's fragile composure and making him want to combust. "Okay, I GET it!" Shoyo yelled, snapping at the latest pearl of wisdom. "Shouldn't we be SLEEPING? Two games tomorrow!" "Shoyo-kun, since when are you the voice of responsibility?" Daichi asked, one eyebrow arched skeptically. Hinata ducked his head further, cheeks burning, unable to meet his captain's gaze. Yeah, yeah, I'd rather be soaking in the bathtub right now than listening to this, flashed through his mind. His soulmark itched fiercely: the arctic fox, stark white with a black underbelly, paced restlessly beneath his skin, sending anxious shivers through its host. This is such a mess. Could it really be Atsumu Miya's mark? For the hundredth time, Shoyo wanted to bang his head against the wall, desperate to dislodge the confusing thoughts and cool the uncontrollable warmth spreading through his chest. "Hinata, you dumbass, calm down!" Kageyama barked, leveling a glare at their teammates. "Enough messing with his head! If he can't pull off our quick attacks tomorrow, I'll spike your skulls into the floor!" "Kageyama-kun, aren't you just a ray of sunshine tonight," Nishinoya quipped dryly. The door swung open, revealing Coach Ukai frozen in the doorway, radiating displeasure. He narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over each of his idiots, flared his nostrils, and growled through clenched teeth: "Right! Everyone to their own rooms! NOW!" The group scrambled like startled cockroaches, practically flying out the door and finally leaving Hinata and his roommate in peace. Shoyo slumped, releasing a shaky breath of relief, and scratched his burning soulmark with utter despair. "Hinata. Relax," Kageyama murmured quietly. Unlike their friends, Tobio understood his partner's turmoil better than anyone. Accepting a bond that stirred up conflicting feelings wasn't easy. When Tobio discovered his own soulmate was Oikawa, his first impulse had been to demolish the school gym. And right now? Kageyama missed his boyfriend's crushing hugs and the warm, cunning glint in his brown eyes like crazy. Damn it. "Listen," Kageyama began, his voice low. He squeezed Hinata's cold hand in a rare gesture of comfort. "Soulmarks don't just appear for no reason. You remember how I freaked out when I first touched Tooru." A ghost of something almost like a smile touched his lips. "But... it really is incredible. Feeling like you're part of something whole." He met Hinata's wide eyes. "Trust me. In this bond, you'll find more good than bad." Kageyama gritted his teeth, forcing out the words that had been burning his tongue:"If we're thinking in volleyball terms... he's the best setter in all of Japan's high schools. Playing with him will make you grow immensely." Tobio hated admitting it, but facts were facts. "You're trying to calm me down, but you're the one who looks pissed off," Shoyo mumbled, puffing out his cheeks, desperately trying not to laugh at his partner's contorted expression. "Hey, shrimp! Don't you dare laugh!""Bakageyama, you're actually kinda cute when you're mad," Shoyo giggled. Suddenly, he yelped and winced, glaring daggers at his own shoulder.What the hell? "Biting you?" Tobio asked, a single eyebrow arched with a mix of interest and pure schadenfreude. "Until you and Atsumu solidify the bond and accept each other, your mark will keep reacting like this to other people," he finished in his best know-it-all tone. "Fine," Shoyo sighed, the sound dripping with resignation. He flopped onto his back and yanked the covers up to his chin. "Gotta sleep. Thanks... for the support, Kageyama-kun.""Night, Hinata." Snug inside his cocoon of warm blankets, Shoyo shifted, finally pulling his knees to his chest and hugging a pillow. He listened to the steady rhythm of his roommate's breathing and let his thoughts wander. Honestly, he wasn't so much scared as... deeply embarrassed. After blabbing to Kenma about wanting a delicate partner, Shoyo hadn't even had time to daydream before reality hit: delicate was the last word anyone would use for his soulmate. Atsumu Miya – starting setter for powerhouse Inarizaki High. Tall, muscular, pushing two meters tall... versus Hinata and his 164 centimeters. And judging by everything, Miya's personality wasn't exactly sweet either. Mix that with his own recklessness and impulsiveness? It was a recipe for pure chaos. "Hinata, for fuck's sake, GO TO SLEEP! How many times are you gonna sigh?!" Kageyama finally snapped into the darkness, unable to tolerate the constant rustling and heavy sighs coming from his friend's side any longer. **** "Alright team, heads up! Play our own rhythm! Relentless attacks, don't let the ball drop. Push!" Ukai barked. Spotting Hinata's distracted air, he added, "Hinata, take a breather for now." Better to bench the kid while he's spaced out. First set lost. Damn! Shoyo watched the second set kick off: the guys flew across the court, only for Kuroo-senpai to stuff Tanaka's spike yet again. Nekoma's blockers are insane! Hinata watched in awe, mentally cataloging techniques, imagining himself pulling them off. I want to be stronger! Way stronger and sharper! His heart pounded with the thought. "Shoyo," Yamaguchi whispered, flinching beside him, "any idea why that setter from the other team is drilling holes into the back of my skull? Feels like if he had a ball right now, his next serve would snap my neck." Hinata slowly turned. Up in the second row of bleachers, a familiar shock of blond hair caught his eye. Atsumu noticed Shoyo looking and flashed a brilliant smile, waving enthusiastically. Something heavy thumped in Hinata's chest, his heart kicking into overdrive, sending warmth and a strange sense of rightness flooding through him. Admitting, if only to himself, that the setter's attention was... pleasant, Shoyo managed a shy smile back. He flushed beet red and quickly looked away. Oh, Miya was pleased. Words couldn't capture how badly he wanted to vault down to the court and sweep that ginger-haired wonder into his arms. Suna, sitting beside him, just chuckled softly, noting Atsumu's leg bouncing with impatient energy. Three sets later, the crows clawed out the win and headed for a well-earned break before the quarterfinals. Miya, who hadn't moved from the stands all match, swiftly closed the distance. He paused just behind Shoyo, his voice bright and teasing:"Hinata Shoyo... that was some fantastic play..." Gotcha. You're not running this time. The thought sliced through Atsumu's mind. He ached to be alone with his soulmate, to crush that small, powerful body against his, to ruffle the already chaotic mess of orange hair.God, my hands are itching. Come on, answer me! His thoughts raced as he drank in the sight of the ginger turning towards him. Flushed and exhilarated, Shoyo was a breathtaking sight. The frantic pulse visible in the vein at the base of his throat was utterly captivating. Atsumu's lips burned with the need to sink his teeth into that skin, to feel that heartbeat against his mouth.To bite, to taste the salt of his skin... to trail kisses up to his jaw, mingling breaths before claiming that swollen little mouth. Holy shit! "Th-thanks, Miya-senpai..." Shoyo stammered, unnerved by the hungry intensity in those dark brown eyes locked onto his throat. The skin where Atsumu touched him burned, and electric jolts seemed to radiate from his soulmark. His whole body prickled; his clothes suddenly felt like sandpaper against oversensitive skin, and the desperate urge to rip them off right there in the hallway was terrifying.No! No way! If I do that, they'll have me spread-eagled on the floor before I blink! Shoyo mentally hissed at his rampaging hormones, fighting for control. "Maybe we should talk?" Atsumu suggested, tilting his head with a vulpine slant to his smile. His eyes glinted with predatory warning. That low, resonant voice vibrated through Shoyo, plucking at nerves he didn't know he possessed, covering him in goosebumps in anticipation of the unknown. Scared. I need to run. Now. Panicked by his own reaction and the piercing gaze, Hinata shuffled backwards cautiously. "Hinata, you idiot, don't you dare run again!" Kageyama's furious whisper hissed right into the startled redhead's ear. He shot a glare at Atsumu. "Miya-senpai, I'll warn the coach. Make it quick." His trademark annihilating stare pinned his cowering partner before he shoved Shoyo firmly in the back. "K-Kageyama, we will talk," Hinata bleated, casting a pleading look at the brunet, "just... later? Miya-senpai?" "Tobio-kun," Atsumu drawled, a sinister edge to his voice as he bared his teeth in a predatory grin at his reluctant soulmate, "is your partner always this much of a coward?" "He's just an idiot. Otherwise, fine," Tobio tossed back, utterly done with both of them. He rounded on Hinata, his voice dropping to a menacing growl as he fisted a hand in the ginger's messy hair, "Listen up, dumbass. If you don't sort this out right now," he yanked slightly for emphasis, "I won't set for you. Ever. Again." Hinata knew he had to talk. Running forever wasn't an option, and honestly... the urge to bolt was fading fast. Shit, is this how the pull works? Like my brain just shorts out? Atsumu, however, was rapidly losing patience. Shoyo was right there, yet still frustratingly out of reach. Infuriating. In one swift, powerful motion, he lunged forward, grabbed the flinching ginger, and hoisted him bodily over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. A grimly satisfied smile touched his lips. Kageyama merely snorted at the maneuver, raking his bangs back with a glare that screamed: 'Be late, and I'll kill you!' Or more accurately: 'Hurt my spiker, and I'll spike you into the pavement!' "Tobio-kun, you really have gone soft," Atsumu couldn't resist needling the brunet one last time, savoring his scowl. "Just... get lost already..." **** "Back in the bathroom again?" Shoyo noted distantly, glancing around. At some point, exhausted from struggling against the iron grip on his waist, he’d gone limp, letting Atsumu haul him wherever he damn well pleased. "Shoyo-kun," Atsumu purred, finishing his scan of the bathroom stalls for unwanted ears before turning his predatory smile back on the ginger. "You were so elusive yesterday. Why’d you run?" Unable to resist, the blond pinned Shoyo against the wall, planting his hands on either side of the smaller boy’s trembling frame. A wave of hot impatience surged inside him – he wanted everything, right now. But scaring the kid was the last thing he wanted. So Tsumu fought to leash his impulses, though he couldn’t quite stop the hungry flicker of his tongue across his lips as he watched him.Shoyo’s eyes – wide, startled, and damp like a cornered fawn’s – tracked the movement. He swallowed thickly, the sound loud in the sudden quiet, and looked away, only making it worse. In the huge, wall-spanning mirror, their reflection hit him like a physical blow. It looked undeniably charged: tall, muscular Miya crowding the fragile, red-haired Hinata against the tile. He towered over him by a good twenty centimeters, his gaze a burning, indecent brand beneath impossibly long, dark lashes. Shoyo’s throat clenched, parched. His tongue felt glued to the roof of his mouth. The sheer force of Atsumu’s presence buzzed in his ears. He wanted to whimper – whether an invitation or a plea to back off, he wasn't sure. The room seemed to shrink, filled completely by just the two of them. The heat of Atsumu’s breath sent excited shivers cascading over Shoyo’s skin, and his abdominal muscles clenched tighter than during any match. Hinata tried to melt into the cold tile, his eyes glued to the mirror. And then he caught it – the reflected, knowing, utterly mischievous stare meeting his own. "We look damn good together," Tsumu murmured, trapping Shoyo’s flustered gaze in the glass, a conspiratorial wink flashing. "Don’t you think?""P-probably…" Deciding not to push his luck just yet, Tsumu eased back slightly. But his hands slid down, capturing Shoyo’s slender wrists. How does he even play with wrists this tiny? The thought flickered through Miya’s mind as his fingers almost circled one completely.Fragile. Mine. The possessive purr rumbled deep in his consciousness. "So, seriously," Tsumu pressed, a hint of genuine hurt softening his voice, the corners of his lips dipping. "Why'd you bolt from me yesterday like I had the plague?""Miya-senpai, I was just–" Shoyo started, only to be cut off."Name’s Atsumu."Shoyo was so utterly transfixed by the low, gravelly timbre of Miya’s voice that reality momentarily dissolved. The actual words slipped past him, unheard."Huh?" he managed, his gaze snagging on the full lips hovering above him. Tilting his head back only emphasized how dwarfed he felt.Atsumu loved the sight before him. The boy’s eyes were glazed over, drifting across Atsumu’s face, lingering helplessly on his mouth. A soft sigh escaped the setter, overwhelmed by a surge of tenderness. He lifted a hand cautiously, bringing it near Shoyo’s face, and gently buried his fingers in the fiery orange hair.So soft."You can call me Atsumu, Shoyo." He savored the moment, a purr of satisfaction rising in his chest as he watched Hinata unconsciously nuzzle into his palm.Unable to resist the pull, Tsumu leaned closer, resting his forehead against Shoyo’s. Too soon to kiss him, probably? The wistful thought flitted through his mind as he watched surprise and intense curiosity flash in Hinata’s wide, brown eyes.Shoyo wasn't shocked by Atsumu’s actions, but by his own reaction. The mere thought of being kissed made his ribs feel ready to crack under the frantic drumming of his pulse. But no, the setter just leaned in, pressing their foreheads together so close Shoyo’s skin prickled from the shared, scorching breath. Atsumu smelled enticingly of mint, a scent that did nothing to cool Shoyo’s flushed face. If anything… he wanted to taste it."Atsumu... sorry, I..." Shoyo stammered, eyes fixed firmly on the floor, too embarrassed to meet the other's gaze. "I just got... flustered yesterday.""What scared you?" Atsumu asked softly, pulling back just a fraction. "Okay, yeah, running around the stadium like a madman probably looked psycho, but you only saw me near the bus.""Um," Shoyo whispered, shrugging, "that's actually when I figured out the mark was yours. And your face... it was terrifying. I thought you were gonna either rape me or kill me. Or, y'know... both." He trailed off.Atsumu couldn't hold back. A loud, startled bark of laughter escaped him. He clapped a hand over his mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth, utterly charmed by the flustered ginger. Just then, the sharp creak of the door shattered the moment."Get. Out." Atsumu snarled, baring his teeth in a truly feral grimace at the startled stranger frozen in the doorway.The guy squeaked an apology – though they were the ones who should be apologizing – and practically flew out. Atsumu cursed internally. He didn't want to scare Shoyo, not when he'd finally started talking, and now some random jerk had barged in. Damn it! Hoping desperately Shoyo wouldn't clam up again, Atsumu plastered on his softest smile and turned back to the boy."...And the 'or else'?" Atsumu nudged, hungry for the rest. "...I always wanted... and then... here I am..." Hinata mumbled incoherently, eyes glued to the floor. Atsumu's fingertips brushed under Shoyo's chin, tilting his face up. Tracing the soft skin of his jaw, Miya coaxed softly:"Shoyo, couldn't hear you... Say it again?"   "I never even looked at guys! I dreamed of a cute, gentle girl!" Hinata burst out, the words tumbling over each other. "Then bam! Soulmate! And who is it? A guy! I hoped maybe... maybe he'd be like Kenma, nice and small! But hell no! You came barreling out that door, so I barreled into the bus!" Shoyo felt it first in Atsumu's hands – a tremor. Then it seized his whole body. The blond threw his head back and laughed, loud and unashamed, the line of his throat working with the force of it. Hinata, frazzled and stressed, snapped. He swung his hand and smacked Atsumu's shoulder."Hey!""Sorry, sorry! Hahaha!" Atsumu gasped, wiping tears of mirth. He managed to choke out, still wheezing: "Tell me... if I was just a tall, muscular girl... would you have run?"Gotta tell Samu. He'll lose it! Gods, he's adorable. "Fuck you! You've got the same sly face as Kageyama!" Shoyo yelled, indignation making him bounce on his toes. "You tell anyone, and I'll castrate you!" he hissed, scarlet with embarrassment and outrage. Atsumu took a prudent step back from the exposed bundle of ginger nerves, raising his hands in surrender, a placating grin spreading."I'll try to rein it in, swear! I want to get closer to you... you'll let me, right?" His voice dropped, earnest, hopeful eyes fixed on Shoyo's flushed face. Shoyo sighed, a sound heavy with resignation. A tentative smile touched his lips, not quite reaching his eyes, which still held a flicker of wariness."Only if it's... gradual. I'm not jumping into bed with you!" The declaration was firm, though his gaze lingered on Atsumu's undeniably attractive face. Atsumu couldn't help it. He surged forward, scooping the smaller body into a tight embrace. Pulling back just enough, he rained feather-light kisses across the scorching-hot skin of the spiker's face. Shoyo squeaked in protest, squirming and pushing weakly against the insistent setter, but it was hopelessly one-sided. Shoyo was too drained to protest anymore. When Atsumu finally released his wrists, he just sighed and waved off his soulmate's antics with a tired flick of his hand."I gotta get back to the team. Are you..." Hinata hesitated, shifting his weight uncertainly, "...are you staying to watch our second game?""Your game," Atsumu corrected softly, his thumb stroking the burning curve of Shoyo's cheek. The possessive emphasis was deliberate. "I'll stay for your game, Shoyo."