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You see, when both you and your significant other play professional volleyball, juggle packed training schedules, work, and collapse into bed at wildly different hours, you tend to live quite chaotic lives. It becomes really easy for things to slip from your mind, no matter how important they are.
That is exactly the case for Tobio and Kei.
To many people’s surprise, Tobio Kageyama and Kei Tsukishima are the very definition of high school sweethearts.
And no, that isn’t a joke.
Sure, to the casual observer, they’re still the same old snarky, sharp-tongued pair—the ones who could argue over footwork drills or setter timing for hours. But anyone who’s paid even a bit of attention over the years can tell something shifted. The way they speak might still be laced with sarcasm or frustration, but there’s always a softness under it now. In their eyes. In the subtle twitch of the corner of Kei’s lips when Tobio says something dumb. In the rare, almost shy smile Tobio gives when he catches Kei watching him.
The changes were subtle. Gradual.
It started sometime after their first year at Karasuno.
Back then, their dynamic was mostly tension and exasperation—jabs traded like it was a competitive sport in itself. But as time passed, the bickering began to sound less like hostility and more like playful casual banter. Practice stretches that used to be pointedly silent became filled with the occasional muttered observation, then evolving into real full conversation.
Kei stopped rolling his eyes quite so hard. Tobio started listening more, especially when Kei was the one speaking.
There were moments. Like the time Tobio showed up at Kei’s house with cold medicine and soup when he was sick, silently handing it over without comment and awkwardly lingering in the hallway when he was allowed inside.
Or when Kei stayed late after practice just to let Tobio toss for him, claiming he had nothing better to do but clearly giving his all in every jump.
No one ever said anything, not at first, but the energy between them had changed.
Their confession had been exactly as chaotic and awkward as anyone who knew them would expect.
It happened during their third year, in the middle of an argument about blocking techniques and how to properly set up a block. Yamaguchi had walked into the gym just in time to hear Kei snap, “You want to know why I care so much about your stupid footwork? Because I’m in love with you, you dense volleyball-obsessed idiot! I don't want you to get hurt or for you to be sad if we lose over someone breaking through our block because it's not as good as it could be!"
Tobio blinked like he was processing a sudden confession mixed into their argument.
“Oh,” he said. “I’m in love with you too.”
Yamaguchi dropped his water bottle. He never let them forget how stupid of a confession that was. Especially because of how hard he had worked on both sides to get the two to confess and to set up a big dramatic confession.
After that, somehow nothing and everything changed.
They didn’t become one of those grossly affectionate couples. Public displays of affection were rare and subtle. A pinky brushing against the other and lingering to be held during team meetings or as they walked home. Shared bento boxes, meals and snacks. Quiet moments of eye contact across the court when they thought no one was watching.
But their friends all noticed. Hinata laughed so hard he started crying when they told everyone about their random out of the blue confession. Yachi cried happy tears with him when they finally admitted it. Yamaguchi, of course, just smirked like he’d been waiting for it all along.
Sure over the years their relationship looks more or less the same on the outside. They still argue, still insult each other mid-practice, still got into silent battles over who’s making dinner. But there’s a softness there now—a steady, mutual understanding under the sharp words and deadpan expressions. A trust forged through years of knowing and choosing each other. The kind of bond that doesn’t need dramatic declarations to be obvious to those who know what to look for.
Hinata, Yachi, and Yamaguchi?
They groan every time they catch one of those quiet, dopey smiles exchanged across the room. Or when Tobio hands Kei a towel before practice without being asked. Or when Kei reaches over to squeeze Tobio’s hand under the table during lunch, thinking no one noticed.
They notice. They always notice.
When Tobio started playing professionally, he developed a strict policy about keeping his private life private. The media attention was overwhelming at first—interviews, photo shoots, sponsorship deals.
Everyone wanted to know everything about the young setter who'd helped lead Japan to victory in international competitions. The genius setter, the youngest on the Japan national team at the Olympics, playing on the world stage at only 18 years old. But Tobio had watched too many athletes get burned by oversharing, had seen relationships crumble under public scrutiny.
He and Kei had agreed to keep their relationship away from the media. It was their own private business and they didn't really want anyone prying into their lives.
So whenever interviewers asked about his relationship status in those early career interviews, he'd deflect with practiced ease. "I'm focused on volleyball right now," became his standard response. It wasn't technically a lie—he was focused on volleyball. He just happened to be focused on it alongside the love of his life.
The questions became less frequent as time went on. Tobio's reputation as intensely private became well-established, and journalists learned not to waste their limited interview time on personal questions that wouldn't get answered anyway. It was easier, cleaner. His relationship with Kei existed in a bubble, separate from the chaos of professional sports.
Kei, meanwhile, had found his own path. After graduating, he'd taken a position at the Sendai City Museum, working in their natural history department. It was exactly the kind of quiet, academic job that suited him perfectly—surrounded by ancient artifacts and dusty tomes, far from the screaming crowds and bright lights that dominated Tobio's world. The worst crowds he faced were the rush of school kids going of field trips.
He still played volleyball, but in Division 2, where the pressure was less intense and the media attention virtually nonexistent.
Their lives ran on parallel tracks that intersected at home. Tobio would come back from grueling practices and short trips for training camps and matches to find Kei grading papers at their kitchen table or reading on the couch, and it was perfect in its simplicity. They'd learned to navigate their different worlds, to create a space that belonged just to them.
They got married when they turned twenty-one in what could generously be called a spontaneous decision and more accurately described as barely-planned chaos.
It had been Kei's idea, surprisingly. They'd been lying in bed on a lazy Sunday morning, Tobio tracing patterns on Kei's chest while they talked about nothing in particular.
It had been one of those perfect mornings where time seemed suspended—no practices, no matches, no obligations. Just the two of them tangled in their sheets, sunlight streaming through the curtains, the rest of the world temporarily forgotten.
"Marry me," Kei had said suddenly, like he was commenting on the weather.
Tobio had propped himself up on his elbow, staring down at him. "What?"
"I said marry me. Not 'we should get married' or 'someday maybe'—just marry me. Soon. Before you get all weird and overthink it."
"I don't overthink things."
"You once spent three hours analyzing whether you should buy regular or low-sodium soy sauce."
"That was important! Sodium affects performance—"
"Tobio." Kei's hand had come up to cup his face, thumb brushing over his cheekbone. "Marry me. Please."
And that had been that. No grand romantic gesture, no elaborate planning, just Kei looking up at him with soft eyes and messy hair, asking him to be his husband like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Okay," Tobio had said, and then again, more certain: "Yes. Okay. Let's do it."
Kei had smiled—one of his real smiles, the kind that transformed his entire face—and pulled Tobio down for a kiss that tasted like morning and promises and forever.
The ceremony was small, intimate—just their families and the Karasuno first-year gang crammed into a tiny venue they'd booked with three weeks' notice. Hinata cried through the entire thing. Yamaguchi gave a speech that made everyone else cry. Yachi took approximately three hundred photos and organized them into a scrapbook that still sat on their coffee table.
It was perfect in its simplicity, and that was exactly what they'd wanted. No media attention, no publicity, just them and the people who mattered most.
The problem was, in all the excitement and chaos of professional careers and adult life, they somehow forgot to mention this rather significant development to anyone else.
Now, at twenty-two, over a year later Tobio was preparing for his second Olympics.
The first had been a dream come true, a whirlwind of nerves and adrenaline that had ended with a silver medal and the kind of validation he'd been chasing his entire life. This time felt different though—more pressure, higher expectations, but also more confidence. He knew what to expect now, knew how to handle the intensity.
The Olympic training camp was in full swing, and after a particularly brutal practice match against Brazil, the team was sprawled in various states of exhaustion in the changing room. The atmosphere was loose, casual—the kind of post-game wind-down where conversations flowed freely.
Japan had won, but barely, and everyone was feeling the intensity of the upcoming Games. For Tobio, this was his second Olympics, but the pressure felt different this time—more personal, more meaningful. He was older now, more experienced, but also more aware of what was at stake. The Brazilian team was strong, their attacks sharp and their defense impenetrable. It had been the kind of match that pushed everyone to their limits, the kind that left muscles aching and hearts pounding with adrenaline.
"Man, that was intense," Bokuto groaned, slumping against his locker. "Their outside hitter is insane."
"Tell me about it," Atsumu muttered, wrapping ice around his shoulder. "I think I'm going to feel that for days."
The conversation drifted from the match to dinner plans, from dinner plans to weekend activities, from weekend activities to the kind of idle speculation that filled locker rooms around the world.
"Man, Tobio-kun," Atsumu said eventually, toweling off his hair, "you never go on dates, do you? Like, ever. When's the last time you even talked to someone outside of volleyball?"
Tobio paused in the middle of pulling off his practice jersey, genuinely confused by the question. "What do you mean?"
"I mean exactly what I said. You're like a volleyball monk or something. All work, no play." Atsumu grinned. "Don't tell me you're planning to be single forever."
"Seriously Tobio-chan," Oikawa chimed in, pulling his shirt over his head. "You're young, talented, famous—you could have your pick of anyone. But I've never seen you show interest in anyone. Are you married to volleyball or something?"
A few other players chuckled at that, and Tobio felt increasingly bewildered by the direction of the conversation. "Oikawa-san, you do know I'm married, right?"
The changing room fell silent. Completely, utterly silent. You could hear a pin drop, if pins made sounds when they hit gym floors.
Oikawa's jaw was somewhere near his knees. "You're... what?"
"Married," Tobio repeated, looking genuinely confused by the confusion. "You were just saying I should put myself out there and date more, but I'm already married."
The silence stretched for exactly ten seconds before Hinata's snort of laughter shattered it like glass.
"Oh shit, this is too good, oh my days," Hinata cackled, clutching his chest and doubling over. "Kageyama, you absolute disaster!"
"What's so funny?" Tobio demanded, his scowl deepening. "And why does everyone look like I just told you I'm secretly an alien?"
"Because," Ushijima said slowly, "you've never mentioned being married. Ever. We have been on the same team for 4 years and you’ve never once mentioned even having a partner."
"I haven't?" Tobio blinked. "Oh."
"OH?" Atsumu looked personally offended by the casual response. "Just 'oh'?"
"I mean, it's not exactly a secret," Tobio said defensively. "I just... don't really talk about my personal life during practice."
"Kageyama," Sakusa said in his measured way, "most people mention their spouse at least once in casual conversation over the course of four years."
"Who is it?" Oikawa had recovered enough to ask, though he still looked like he'd been hit by a truck. "When did this happen? How long have you been married?"
“Kei,” Tobio answered plainly. “And… about a year now.”
If the room had been quiet before, it was a full-on vacuum now.
“ TSUKKIIII?! ” Bokuto yelled, practically leaping out of his seat. “Kei as in—Tsukishima Kei?!”
Someone muttered in disbelief, “Wait, who?”
Oikawa blinked, then his jaw dropped. “The middle blocker. From Karasuno. Tall, blond, glasses, permanent scowl? Looks like hes hates everyone?”
Kageyama tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. “Yeah. That’s him.”
There was a long beat of stunned silence.
Tobio tilted his head. "Why do you all look so shocked? We've been together since high school."
"YOU'VE WHAT?" This came from approximately six people at once.
Hinata was now laughing so hard he couldn't breathe, tears streaming down his face. "I can't—I literally can't—you guys are so stupid!"
"Wait, wait, wait," Sakusa held up his hands. "Let me get this straight. You've been dating Tsukishima Kei since high school, you've been married for a year now, and you just... never mentioned it?"
"It never came up?"
"IT NEVER CAME UP?" Atsumu's voice cracked. "How does being married not come up in an entire year?”.
"I don't know! We don't really talk about personal stuff during practice!"
"Kageyama," Bokuto said seriously, "I once spent twenty minutes telling you about my new protein powder. You think marriage is less important than protein powder?"
"Well... no, but—"
"No buts!" Oikawa interrupted. "This is insane! How are you married to Tsukishima? How did that even happen? When did you start dating? How did you propose? Where was the wedding?"
The questions came rapid-fire, and Tobio felt overwhelmed by the sudden attention. He wasn't used to being the center of this kind of curiosity, wasn't prepared for the barrage of personal questions.
“We got together in third year,” he said slowly. “It just… happened. We were arguing about blocking techniques and he said he was in love with me, so I said I was in love with him too.”
“That’s the most unromantic thing I’ve ever heard,” Sakusa said flatly.
“It was romantic to us,” Tobio muttered defensively.
“And the proposal?” Oikawa pressed, eyes gleaming with way too much interest.
Tobio fidgeted, clearly debating whether to share. “He asked me one morning while we were still in bed. We were just talking about something random and he just looked at me and said ‘Marry me’ and I agreed.”
There was a beat of silence before Atsumu groaned. “That’s even worse ! You two are so emotionally stunted I’m impressed you made it that far.”
“The wedding was small,” Tobio went on, trying to reclaim some dignity. “Just family and close friends. We didn’t want a big thing.”
“Who was there?” Hinata asked, grinning now, clearly enjoying the chaos.
“You were there, dumbass,” Tobio said with a frown. “You, Yamaguchi, and Yachi. You cried through the whole ceremony.”
“I did ! And it was beautiful!” Hinata said smugly, spinning to face the others like he was revealing state secrets. “Kei looked so soft and happy and Tobio was so nervous he couldn't remember his vows and then he was shaking so bad he couldn’t hold his phone steady while reading his vows off his Notes app.”
“I didn’t forget them,” Tobio snapped. “I just wanted to get them right.”
“Oh yeah?” Hinata shot back, practically glowing with mischief. “You kept tripping over the word ‘eternity.’ Yachi had to hand you tissues because you were crying so much your nose started to drip.”
“ YOU KNEW?! ” Bokuto shouted, pointing an accusatory finger. “AND YOU DIDN’T TELL US?!”
“You absolute traitor, ” Atsumu gasped, clutching his chest like he’d been stabbed. “You let us walk around thinking Tobio-kun was a bachelor!”
Hinata beamed, basking in the drama. “I had no idea you guys didn't know." he said shrugging, "Though that does make a lot of sense now"
“This is amazing,” Oikawa said, practically cackling. “Tobio-chan, married and domestic. Who would’ve thought?”
“Why is everyone acting like this is so surprising?” Tobio asked, honestly confused. “We’ve been together for years. Marriage was the logical next step.”
"Because you never talk about him!" Atsumu exclaimed. "Not once in the years since high school have you mentioned having a boyfriend, let alone a husband!"
"I talk about personal stuff sometimes."
"No, you don't," Ushijima said firmly. "Your idea of personal conversation is complaining about your shoulder or asking about practice schedules or workout routines."
"That's not true."
"Name one personal thing you've told us about yourself," Bokuto challenged.
Tobio opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. "I... well... I told you I don't like horror movies."
"That doesn't count!"
"Why not?"
"Because it's not actually personal! It's just a preference!"
The argument continued for several more minutes, with various team members chiming in with examples of Tobio's conversational habits. It was becoming increasingly clear that he was, in fact, terrible at sharing personal information.
"Okay, fine," he said eventually. "Maybe I don't talk about personal stuff much. But I still don't understand why everyone's so shocked."
"Because," Sakusa said patiently, "when someone gets married, they usually tell people. It's kind of a big deal."
"We told people. We told the people who mattered."
"We matter!" Oikawa protested. "We're your teammates! We spend more time with you than almost anyone else!"
"You're my volleyball teammates," Tobio corrected. "That's different."
"How is it different?"
"Because... volleyball is volleyball. Personal life is personal life."
The team exchanged looks that clearly said they thought this was the most ridiculous thing they'd ever heard.
"So what you're telling us," Oikawa said slowly, "is that you've been compartmentalizing your entire life, and somehow forgot to mention that you have a whole husband in one of those compartments?"
"I didn't forget. I just didn't think it was relevant to volleyball."
"Everything is relevant to volleyball with you!" Atsumu exclaimed. "You once spent an hour analyzing the biomechanics of how I eat cereal because you thought it might affect my morning energy levels!"
"That was important research!"
"But your marriage isn't?"
Tobio paused, considering this. "That's... a fair point."
"Finally!" Oikawa threw his hands up in exasperation. "Now, we need details. All of them. Starting with how you two went from wanting to murder each other to getting married."
And so, trapped in a locker room with a dozen curious teammates, Tobio found himself telling the story of his relationship with Kei. It was strange, putting it into words for people who hadn't been there to witness it. The gradual shift from rivalry to friendship to something deeper. The way their arguments had evolved from genuine animosity to affectionate bickering. The moment when everything had clicked into place.
"You know," Ushijima said thoughtfully when Tobio finished, "it makes sense, looking back. The way you two interacted in high school."
"It does?"
"There was always something different about how you argued with him versus how you argued with everyone else. More... invested."
"I was not invested in arguing with Tsukishima."
"You were," Hinata said with certainty. "You got way more worked up when he criticized you than when anyone else did. And you always tried harder when he was watching."
"That's not—that's just—" Tobio sputtered, then gave up. "Fine. Maybe I was a little invested."
"A little?" Oikawa snorted. "Tobio-chan, you were head over heels from day one. You just didn't know it."
"I was not head over heels from day one."
"You were," said approximately half the team in unison.
By the time he got home that night Tobio was completely drained. The team had spent hours and hours interrogating him on his relationship, trying to learn as much as possible now that the floodgates had opened.
They had even made him promise to bring Kei tomorrow to practice to answer their questions himself.
"Kei," Tobio said the moment he walked through their apartment door, kicking off his shoes and flopping onto the couch "did you know that nobody knew we were married?"
Kei looked up from where he was grading papers at their kitchen table, pen freezing mid-correction. "What?"
"Yeah. Atsumu and Oikawa were going on about how I never date and should put myself out there, and when I said I was married, everyone acted like I'd announced I was secretly an alien or something."
"They... what?" Kei set down his pen entirely. "But we've been married for a year."
"That's what I said! Well, not exactly, but—" Tobio flopped into the chair across from him. "Apparently I'm terrible at sharing personal information."
"That's not news to me," Kei said dryly. "You once forgot to mention that your mother was visiting until she was literally standing in our kitchen."
"That was different! She was supposed to call first!"
"Tobio, the point is that you're not exactly what one would call communicative about your personal life."
"But this is different. This is our marriage. Surely that's important enough to mention."
Kei considered this, tilting his head thoughtfully. "When was the last time you had a casual conversation with your teammates about something that wasn't volleyball-related?"
"I... well... we talk about other things sometimes."
"Such as?"
"Training schedules. Nutrition. Recovery techniques. Equipment preferences."
"Those are all volleyball-related."
"Fine, but—wait." Tobio paused, a horrible realization dawning on him. "Kei, I suppose that explains why Kuroo keeps trying to set you up with his coworkers."
"He what?"
"Yeah, last month he introduced you to some curator from the modern art wing who he thought you'd 'really hit it off with.' I thought he was just being his usual meddling self, but now I'm wondering if he doesn't know we're together."
Kei's expression was slowly morphing from confusion to horror. "He... oh god. He's been trying to set me up because he thinks I'm single."
"Has anyone else been doing that?"
"Now that you mention it..." Kei ran a hand through his hair. "Koganegawa introduced me to his friend from university last week. Said he thought we'd have a lot in common. And Kuroo's been making comments about how I need to 'get out there' and 'find someone special.'"
They sat in stunned silence for a moment, the weight of their collective obliviousness settling over them.
"Tobio," Kei said slowly, "did we ever tell our senpais?"
Tobio's face went pale. "Our... oh no."
"Suga-san is going to kill us," Kei said, looking genuinely horrified.
As if summoned by their conversation, Tobio's phone began buzzing. Then buzzing again. And again.
He unlocked it to find a string of messages from Sugawara.
Suga-san [7:31PM]: TOBIOOOOOOOO
Suga-san [7:32PM]: I AM HURT
Suga-san [7:32PM]: OFFENDED
Suga-san [7:33PM]: MY PRECIOUS KOUHAI DIDN'T INVITE ME TO HIS WEDDING???
Suga-san [7:33PM]: I WOULD HAVE WORN A TIE!!! I WOULD HAVE MADE A SPEECH!!
Suga-san [7:35PM]: I'm making an official group chat. You're BOTH in sooooo much trouble. Expect violence and cake.
Kageyama groaned and dropped his face into Tsukishima's shoulder.
"Oh yeah he's mad," Kei agreed, reading over the messages. "I'm impressed by his use of caps lock though. Very effective."
"We're dead," Tobio said faintly, showing Kei the screen.
"Spectacularly dead," Kei agreed. "Though I have to admit, the offer of cake is tempting. Do you think he will get us that really nice strawberry shortcake from that cafe near his school?"
"This isn't funny!"
"It's a little funny."
"Kei!"
"Fine, it's a lot funny. We accidentally kept our marriage secret from everyone we know for over a years. That's objectively hilarious."
Tobio's phone buzzed again.
Suga-san [7:38PM]: I'm calling you in five minutes. You better answer.
Suga-san [7:38PM]: And put me on speaker. Kei needs to hear this too.
"How does he know you're here?" Tobio asked weakly.
"Because despite your apparent inability to communicate basic life events, some things are predictable. Like the fact that you come home to your husband every night."
"Don't say husband like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you're making fun of me."
"I'm not making fun of you for being my husband. I'm making fun of you for forgetting to tell people you have a husband."
"I didn't forget! I just... didn't think about it."
"That's somehow worse."
The phone rang before Tobio could respond. He stared at it for a long moment, then looked at Kei with pleading eyes.
"Answer it," Kei said firmly. "We're both adults. We can handle one disappointed volleyball mom."
"One terrifying disappointed volleyball mom," Tobio corrected, but he answered the call and put it on speaker.
"Tobio," Sugawara's voice came through the phone, deceptively calm. "Hi."
"Hi, Suga-san."
"How are you doing?"
"I'm... fine?"
"That's good. I'm glad you're fine. Because I'm not fine, Tobio. I'm the opposite of fine. I'm un-fine."
"Suga-san—"
"ONE WHOLE YEAR TOBIO? One whole entire year that you've been married, and somehow none of your former teammates knew about it. How does that happen?"
"It's complicated—"
"Is it? Is it complicated? Because from where I'm sitting, it seems pretty simple. You get married, you tell people. That's how it works."
"We had a small wedding—"
"I don't care if you got married in a phone booth! You still should have told us!"
Kei leaned closer to the phone. "Suga-san, this is my fault too. We both just... didn't think about it."
"Kei! At least one of you is brave enough to talk to me directly." Sugawara's voice softened slightly. "How are you, dear?"
"Terrified, but otherwise well."
"Good. Now, both of you listen carefully. I am thrilled that you're married. Genuinely, absolutely thrilled. You two are perfect for each other, and I've been waiting for this since your first year of high school."
"You have?" Tobio asked, surprised.
"Of course I have! Everyone could see it except you two. But that's not the point. The point is that you got married and didn't tell us, and now I have to find out from Oikawa, who was gloating that he found out before me! Do you know how embarrassing that was?”
"Oikawa-san told you?" Tobio asked.
"Yes, of course that asshole called me up right after you left to gloat and rub it in my face that he knew something about my precious kouhai that I didn’t. Do you know how long we have been arguing about who was the better senpai? I’ve spent years lording over him that I was Tobio's favourite senpai and now he rubs it into my face that my baby was keeping a secret from me this whole time."
The disappointment in Sugawara's voice was devastating. Tobio had faced down Olympic-level opponents without flinching, but the disappointment of his former setter was enough to make him want to hide under the table.
"We're sorry," he said quietly. "We really are. We just... we're not good at this stuff."
"I know you're not. Which is why we're going to fix it."
"Fix it?"
"You're going to have a proper reception. Something where all the people who love you can celebrate your marriage properly."
"Suga-san, we don't need—"
"This is not a request, Tobio. This is happening. Daichi is already looking at venues."
"He is?"
"He's very efficient when he's upset and feeling betrayed. And he's very upset and betrayed right now."
"What about Asahi?" Kei asked.
"Asahi is stress-baking. I've already received three texts with pictures of wedding and volleyball themed cookies."
Tobio and Kei exchanged looks. When Asahi stress-baked, it was serious.
"Okay," Tobio said finally. "We'll have a reception."
"Good. Now, I want details. All of them. Starting with the proposal."
And so, for the second time that day, Tobio found himself recounting the story of his relationship with Kei. This time, though, it felt different. Less like an interrogation and more like sharing something precious with people who cared about them.
Sugawara made appropriately sentimental noises at all the right moments, gasped dramatically at the bedroom proposal, and declared their small ceremony "absolutely perfect" despite not having been there.
"I'm still hurt that I wasn't invited," he said when Tobio finished, "but I understand why you did it that way. It sounds very you."
"Very us," Kei corrected.
"Yes, very both of you. Quiet and private and perfectly suited to who you are as a couple."
"Thanks, Suga-san," Tobio said, feeling some of the tension leave his shoulders.
"Now, about this reception..."
The next day's practice session was, to put it mildly, eventful. Word had spread beyond the locker room conversation, aided by Bokuto's loud mouth and general inability to keep secrets.
As promised, Kei was going to drop by after work to meet everyone properly - though "meet" was perhaps the wrong word, since most of them already knew him from their high school days or at various volleyball events over the years.
"He said he'll be here in twenty minutes," Tobio announced to the team, who were lingering with obvious anticipation.
"This is going to be so good," Oikawa said, settling in for the wait. "I can't wait to see how he handles all of us at once."
"Please don't embarrass me," Tobio said weakly.
"We would never," Bokuto said with false sincerity.
"You absolutely will."
"Probably," Hinata agreed cheerfully from where he was stretching. "But it'll be fun!"
Twenty-three minutes later, Kei Tsukishima walked into the gym. He was still in his work clothes—a button-down shirt and slacks, with his museum ID badge still clipped to his pocket. His hair was slightly mussed from the train ride, and he carried a small messenger bag over one shoulder.
"Sorry I'm late," he said, walking directly to Tobio. "Had to finish up with a school group."
"You're not late," Tobio said, and then, quieter: "Thanks for coming."
"Of course." Kei's expression softened slightly as he looked at his husband, before turning to survey the collection of volleyball players arranged around the gym. "So. The interrogation committee, I presume?"
"Tsukki!" Bokuto called out cheerfully. "Long time no see!"
"Bokuto-san," Kei nodded. "Still as loud as ever, I see."
"Hey!" Bokuto protested, but he was grinning.
"Tsukishima," Atsumu said, stepping forward with obvious curiosity. "So you're the one who managed to tie down our antisocial setter."
"'Tie down' makes it sound like I trapped him," Kei said dryly. "I prefer to think of it as 'convinced him I was worth keeping around.'"
"That's even more impressive, honestly," Sakusa said. "He barely tolerates most of us."
"You're all tolerable," Tobio muttered. "Most of the time."
"See?" Sakusa gestured. "Barely."
Kei looked around at the familiar faces—some from high school, others he'd met at various games and events over the years. "Before we start whatever this is, can I just say that I'm impressed it took you all this long to figure it out? We haven't exactly been subtle."
"What do you mean?" Oikawa asked, looking offended.
"Well, for starters, Tobio's had a wedding ring for over a year."
The entire team turned to stare at Tobio's left hand. Sure enough, there was a simple gold band on his ring finger.
"How did we miss that?" Atsumu asked, horrified.
"Because you never pay attention to anything that isn't volleyball-related," Kei said matter-of-factly. "Also, he takes it off during games and practice, so you've probably only seen it during team meetings or social events."
"I take it off so it doesn't get damaged, but I still wear it on a necklace." Tobio said defensively. "It's important to me."
The soft way he said it made several people make various 'aww' sounds.
"Okay, that's actually really sweet," Hoshiumi said. He was a new addition to the interrogation group, having left practice early yesterday and missed the dramatic reveal. "But why didn't anyone think to ask about the ring?"
"Because Kageyama barely talks about anything personal," Iwaizumi pointed out. "We probably figured it was none of our business."
"Which it wasn't," Kei said firmly. "But apparently you're all invested now, so ask your questions. I still have to edit some information for the new exhibit”
"Right!" Bokuto rubbed his hands together eagerly. "First question: what's Kageyama like at home?"
"Surprisingly clean and organised," Kei said immediately. "He generally does the washing and cooking and he also leaves little notes in my lunch when he makes it.”
"He makes your lunch?" Oikawa looked delighted by this information.
"When his schedule allows. He's actually a decent cook, he just tends to live off convenience store food when left to his own devices because he's not bothered shopping for groceries."
"That explains so much," Atsumu muttered.
"What's the most annoying thing about being married to him?" Hoshiumi asked with obvious glee.
"His inability to communicate basic life events to his friends and teammates, apparently," Kei said dryly, giving Tobio a pointed look.
"I'm working on that," Tobio mumbled.
"Are you? Because yesterday you forgot to mention that your mother is visiting next week. You only remembered when I mentioned the last time you forgot to mention her visiting."
"She only told me last week. And you were busy last week with meetings about that new exhibit, remember?” Kageyama defended, the slightest pout on his face over the teasing.
The team watched this exchange with fascination, seeing the easy familiarity between them.
"How long have you two actually been together?" Ushijima asked.
"Since third year of high school," Kei answered. "So about four years now, married for one."
"And the proposal?" Sakusa asked. "Kageyama made it sound very casual."
Kei smiled at this, one of his rare genuine expressions. "It was perfect for us. We were having one of those lazy mornings you only get maybe once a month with our schedules, and I just... looked at him and realized I wanted to wake up like that for the rest of my life. So I asked."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. He said yes before either of us could overthink it, which was probably smart."
"What about you, Kageyama?" Oikawa turned to Tobio. "Any regrets about the low-key proposal?"
"No," Tobio said firmly. "It was perfect. Kei's not the kind of person who would want a big dramatic or public gesture, and neither am I. It was just... us."
"That's actually really romantic in a weird way," Hoshiumi said softly.
"Thank you," Kei said. "I'm glad someone appreciates our approach to relationships."
"Do you come to his games?" Bokuto asked.
"When I can. Our schedules don't always align, but I make it to as many as possible. He comes to mine too, when he's not traveling."
"You still play?" Atsumu asked, surprised.
"Division 2. Nothing as intense as this," Kei gestured around the gym, "but I enjoy it. It's good exercise and I like the team dynamic."
"Are you better than him at anything?" Oikawa asked with obvious mischief.
"Many things," Kei said calmly. "I'm better at reading people, better at remembering appointments, better at driving, especially parallel parking, and significantly better at assembling IKEA furniture."
"Hey," Tobio protested. "That bookshelf turned out fine."
"It took you three hours and you ended up with extra screws."
"Extra screws means I was being thorough!"
"Extra screws means you did something wrong."
"This is so weird," Atsumu said suddenly. "Seeing you two like this."
"Like what?" Kei asked.
"Like... a normal couple. With normal couple arguments about furniture. Its so domestic and cute"
"We are a normal couple," Tobio said, looking confused. "What did you expect?"
"I don't know! Something more dramatic? You two have such intense energy when you argue about volleyball."
"That's volleyball," Tobio said, as if this explained everything. "This is different."
"He's very compartmentalized," Kei explained. "Volleyball Tobio and Home Tobio are almost like different people sometimes."
"What's Home Tobio like?" Oikawa asked with obvious interest.
Kei's expression softened. "Quieter. More thoughtful. He gets this little wrinkle between his eyebrows when he's concentrating on something that isn't volleyball. He hums while he cooks. He talks to our neighbor's cat through the window every morning."
"You talk to a cat?" Bokuto looked delighted.
"It's a very friendly cat," Tobio said defensively, his cheeks pink.
"He named it," Kei added with obvious fondness. "Even though it's not our cat."
"What did you name it?" Yachi asked.
"...Spike."
The entire team erupted in laughter.
"Of course you did," Oikawa gasped. "Of course you named a cat Spike."
"It's a good name for a cat!" Tobio protested.
"It's very you," Kei said diplomatically. "The cat seems to like it."
"Okay, last question," Atsumu said, wiping tears from his eyes. "What's your favorite thing about being married to him?"
Kei looked at Tobio, his expression growing soft in a way that made it clear why they'd ended up together despite all odds.
"The quiet moments," he said finally. "When it's just us, no volleyball, no work, no outside pressure. Just... us. He's different when it's just us. Softer. More himself. And I get to be the only person who sees that version of him."
The gym fell quiet at this, the sincerity of the statement settling over everyone.
"Okay," Oikawa said eventually, "that was actually beautiful and now I'm emotionally compromised."
"You're easily emotionally compromised," Kei replied bluntly, rolling his eyes at the dramatics of the older setter.
"Alright," he said, checking his watch, "I should get going. I have lots of work to do, and Tobio has promised me strawberry shortcake as a dessert so we need to get to the bakery before it closes or worse before it sells out."
"You're leaving already?" Bokuto looked disappointed.
"I answered your questions, didn't I? Besides, now that the secret is out, I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to interrogate me further."
He turned to Tobio, his expression softening again. "Ready to go?"
"Yep. Let me just grab the rest of my stuff quickly."
"Okay. I'll wait for you by the car” Kei leaned down and kissed Tobio's cheek—a casual, domestic gesture that made half the team make various noises of surprise, delight and digust (Hinata).
"Okay," Tobio said quietly, his cheeks pink.
Kei gathered his bag and headed for the door, pausing only to add, "It was nice seeing you all again. I’ll see most of you next week at the Adlers next game and if not I’m sure you will receive an invitation from Suga-san to the reception he has already started planning."
And then he was gone, leaving behind a gym full of volleyball players who were still processing what they'd just witnessed.
"Well," Sakusa said after a long moment, "that explains a lot about why Kageyama is so..." He gestured vaguely.
"So what?" Tobio asked.
"Content, I guess. You've been different this past year. More settled."
"I have?"
"You have," Ushijima confirmed. "Less intense about everything. More... balanced."
"That's the marriage," Hinata said knowingly. "Tsukki's good for him. Always has been, even back in high school."
Three weeks later, Sugawara's "small reception" turned out to be a party for forty plus people at the Adlers gymnasium, complete with balloons, flowers, a slideshow of photos from high school, a speech from nearly every single former teammate, tables and tables of food and most importantly, a cake shaped like a volleyball with cake topper of the two somewhat newlyweds holding hands, modeled after a photo from their actual wedding.
Kei took one look at the decorations and turned to Tobio with an expression of resigned amusement.
"You know this is exactly what you said you were going to avoid," he said.
"I know."
"And you let them do it anyway."
"Suga-san is very persuasive when he wants to be."
"Apparently."
They stood together watching their friends and former teammates celebrate their marriage with the kind of enthusiasm that bordered on excessive. The event had turned into somewhat of a high school reunion and Kei had to admit it was kind of perfect in its chaotic way.
"Do you regret not having something like this the first time?" he asked quietly.
Tobio considered this, watching Hinata attempt to give an impromptu speech while Yamaguchi tried to wrestle the microphone away from him to get the first speech and win the title of the better best man.
"No," he said finally. "This is nice, but what we had was perfect for us. This is for them."
"Good answer," Kei said, and leaned over to kiss his husband on the temple.
From across the room, at least six people made various noises of delight.
"We're never going to hear the end of this," Kei said.
"Probably not."
"Are you okay with that?"
Tobio looked around at the faces of people who had somehow become family over the years, people who cared enough to throw them a party they didn't ask for and probably didn't need, but definitely appreciated.
"Yeah," he said. "I think I am."
And for the first time in his adult life, Tobio Kageyama was completely, entirely, and publicly happy to share something personal.
It was, he had to admit, pretty nice.
Even if the cake was shaped like a mikasa volleyball.