PSL /Overflow/ Open Post

[1foxgiven]

 What it says on the tin.

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[chromatic_coma]

Kita doesn't mean it to be scathing, but something about the gentle reminder still triggers Osamu's sense of shame. He sighs and looks away, but doesn't disagree.

"Well, you got me there," he mumbles. "But ma and Tsumu are gonna need something to eat."

[1foxgiven]

Through all the bluster, Osamu takes this family commitment seriously. Even hurt. You have to be impressed by it. Kita is, anyway.

He looks at Osamu a moment, then nods.

"You could order takeout," he suggests. "Or - Oh. Is that your mother?"

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu is considering this suggestion when he hears the front door click in the same moment Kita does, and it catches him off guard. He's not usually home when his mom gets back, so he had no idea when to expect her. He looks over in time to meet his mother's eye, and winces a little when he sees the immediate concern on her face.

"What happened?" Are the first words out of her mouth, because she's been the one raising the twins since they were born and she knows. Osamu hitches his shoulders up defensively.

"Nothing, ma," he huffs. "Just fell."

She comes over to fuss at him for details. Then turns to Kita and thanks him profusely for looking out for her boys. And then she promises to look after Osamu, and invites Kita to stay for dinner, if he'd like.

[1foxgiven]

She believes that '"Nothing" as much as Kita did.

Dinner gets declined, politely as possible. The Miyas don't need extra stress. Kita sets the duffel just inside the door. Folding the strap on top, so no one trips.

"Osamu, please let me know what the doctor says?"

Apparently Mrs. Miya already made an appointment. First thing tomorrow.

[chromatic_coma]

"Yeah. But you heard what they said at school, it's probably nothing."

And sure enough, the next day the doctor confirms what Goda-san said- it's a muscle contusion, otherwise known as bruising, and Osamu will need to rest for two weeks, no volleyball. Osamu texts this information to Kita right away, not wanting to leave his upperclassman waiting.

Sadly, waiting is all that's left for Osamu. He waits for his back to recover, and in the meantime, watches Atsumu go to the National Youth Volleyball Training Camp without him. And it stings to lose this time to play with his twin, to meet the nation's best and show them up, to show off and test his own mettle.

The rest of the team can definitely tell that Osamu is struggling with being left behind. He shows up to practice out of habit but sits out with the managers, a thundercloud overhead the whole time.

Things finally come to a head in the club room after practice. A few first years are messing around, teasing one another, and one boy squirts another with his water bottle. A puddle forms on the floor as they have their fight, and Osamu sees red.

"Oi! Quit dicking around! You'd better be prepared to mop that up and not just leavin' it to Kita-san!"

[1foxgiven]

The Juniors freeze, shrink back. A final squirt of water falls on one of their heads.

"Osamu."

Kita stands in the door. Already holding a mop, a brow raised.

[chromatic_coma]

Kita's tone sounds stoic and cool, but Osamu is still hot. He sees the mop in his upperclassman's hand and takes it, giving it to one of the freshmen boys without hesitating.

"Here, clean it up. The last thing the team needs is for someone else to slip and fall."

That would just be cruel on top of Osamu's similar injury.

Properly cowed, the boys get to mopping.

[1foxgiven]

Miya Osamu chewing out someone else for shenanigans? Has Doomsday come early? Kita's so nonplussed he doesn't protest the mop theft. Just folds his arms. Watching. This reinforces Osamu's point and adds an extra thoroughness to the cleaning.

Finally, the First Years scuttle out. Still apologizing. Kita exhales.

"You know you don't need to yell at them."

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu, still feeling irritable, isn't quite in a forgiving mood even thought the first years are apologizing profusely. But the mess is dried up, so they can go, and he's left annoyed with himself for getting so annoyed in the first place.

And Kita is probably judging him now, too. At least it feels that way when he calls Osamu out.

"I wasn't yelling," he counters. "Just tellin' them off for doing something stupid and dangerous. And they were probably gonna leave without even liftin' a finger to clean it up!"

[1foxgiven]

"That doesn't usually bother you."

Spoken as the one who breaks up the Twins' nonsense.

Kita folds his arm. A gesture with many, many nuances. In this case, 'I'm listening but also not letting you squirm out of an explanation.'

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu is not pouting, but it's a near thing. He doesn't know how to handle being called out by Kita.

"Yeah, well, what if someone else fell like I did," he grumbles, though of course that's not really why he's upset. And Kita has that intense stare like he can see right through him.

It doesn't take long for him to cave.

"Tsumu's enjoying himself at camp," he finally grunts. "Can't even be bothered to answer my texts most days."

[1foxgiven]

Ah.

With how much upheaval Osamu's faced, it was hard to tell what set him off. This is a line to follow.

"He's there, and you're not."

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu scrubs the back of his neck self-consciously. "All the best in Japan are there, so of course he's there. And it's not like I wasn't invited. I just blew it for myself so I can't even blame him for goin' without me."

[1foxgiven]

"Of course he went."

It was a big deal to have two Inarizaki players invited to that camp. Even if the announcement shocked no one.

Then again... maybe that lack of surprise should be looked at. One brother went, and the other stayed. This did not play out how anyone expected.

"Guess it makes sense, you're bothered by that. It was proof of how hard you worked."

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu nodded stiffly. "Tsumu works harder, but we push each other plenty. So him getting on there without me... sorta feels unfair. And we'll be too old next year."

This is really hard to talk about, to Osamu's surprise. And there's more to the story that he still feels reluctant to say. But maybe, because it's Kita, Osamu can trust him? Maybe. He has to weigh it more first.

[1foxgiven]

Kita tilts his head.

"It's not like that's your only chance. Aren't you two getting scouted already?"

That's the rumor, anyway. Accompanied by suspicious regulars at their games, scribbling notes. There is no way Osamu won't shine. Players like him, monsters like him, they demand the spotlight.

"And you were invited to camp - Junior Olympics still isn't off the table."

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu purses his lips. It's time to decide, now, if he's going to say the words he's been thinking about for weeks now.

He takes a deep breath.

"I don't think I'm going to keep playing after high school."

And then he watches for Kita's reaction, holding his breath entirely. He'd stop his heart from beating if he could, but it thunders in his chest.

[1foxgiven]

'I don't think I'll keep playing.'

It's like missing a step. This world pitching forward into a new one. The same feeling as earlier, when Osamu defended Kita from unnecessary work.

Kita starts to speak, feeling the words jumble from shock. He clears his throat.

"You don't?"

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu can read the surprise in Kita's body language and on his face. He knew to expect it, because it's taken for granted by pretty much everyone that he and Atsumu can and will go pro together.

But that isn't really what Osamu wants.

"No," he confirms. "I love volleyball, and I love playing with Tsumu. But I'm not hungry for it the way he is. I can't really imagine doing this for the rest of my life."

[1foxgiven]

Neither can Kita.

Of course, he never had the same expectations. He understands his limits, and they do not reach to the pro levels. Inarizaki is the pinnacle. For as long as it lasts, and he's lucky to have it.

Especially lucky if this is also Osamu's last team.

"I believe you. But you are hungry. How you play, run, attack - You don't leave anything on the table. So what will you do instead?"

[chromatic_coma]

"That's because of Tsumu," Osamu concedes with a tiny, barely there smile. "I can't let him have all the fun. And he'll be even more insufferable if he's much better than me. I was basically born to keep his ego in check."

He's mostly teasing, but there's some truth there too. Atsumu wouldn't be who he is without Osamu there pushing him.

"What will I do instead... I'm not sure. I think there's only one thing I love more that volleyball, and that's food. So probably... I want to make good food."

[1foxgiven]

"You're right. It takes the best to handle that attitude," Kita chuckles. Yes, Osamu is still included in that group. Regardless of future decisions.

Then comes the next part. It makes sense, with how Osamu talked about his cooking classes. A glimpse of passion beyond the here and now.

"Is that why you've been bringing me snacks?"

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu cracks a hint of a smile. A compliment from Kita is a thing to be treasured, the whole team would agree. But then Kita calls him out for the snacks, and it flusters Osamu a little bit. Kita's just so direct sometimes, and it catches him off guard.

"Well, yeah," he agrees sheepishly, scrubbing his neck with his palm. "I like being in the kitchen, like practicin' my cooking skills. And watchin' other people eat and enjoy what I make... that's the best part."

[1foxgiven]

"I do enjoy what you make."

Kita looks straight at Osamu. Paying the respect such honesty deserves. Because it has to be nerve-wracking, stepping out alone like this. Not with his brother, not with his team.

"If you know what feels best, work towards that. As hard as you do here. There's no way it won't happen."

[chromatic_coma]

Osamu inhales sharply. Kita's stare, his words, both are so overwhelming in the best possible way. A validation of Osamu's secret desire, now shared with his trusted senpai.

He clenches his hand into a fist at his side. "Thank you, Kita-san. I will work as hard as I can. But that's why I want to enjoy volleyball now, while I can. And why it's frustrating to be injured."