If anyone can tell me their ship name, I will change the title and be very grateful.
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia mentions, homophobic slur, at the beginning
Fukunaga had never really understood the 'hype' around girls. When he was three, boys his age spent all their time running away from girls while trying to kiss them at the same time. He was pretty content just playing with them and certainly not kissing them. When he joined his first school, it seemed like everyone else were all trying to get a girlfriend first. He had a funny memory of one valentines day, possibly in fourth grade, when a girl in his class asked him out. He had said no.
In junior high, he found a lot more of his friends were genuinely interested in girls but he still hadn't found any interest in them besides having some really good friends. He remembered a boy in his year often trying to set him up with girls but he had always gotten awkward and uncomfortable whenever anyone tried to 'help'
That was the first time he had encountered the word, 'faggot'. It had been a group of popular third-years, following the second year home, shouting at him and calling him that word. He hadn't understood back then. He didn't even know what the word meant.
His mother pulled him out of that school quickly and he transferred to another junior high. Luckily, no one seemed to judge him so much. People were pretty satisfied letting the new kid keep to himself and practise volleyball. And, by the time he was graduating, he had still never had a crush on a girl.
Then he went to Nekoma. And things changed.
Yamamoto Taketora. A boy in his year, with a mohawk, joined the volleyball club with him.
At first, Fukunaga thought that he'd just want to be friends or at least acquaintances with him. He wasn't too good with people, after all. But then he realised that he'd get jealous when Yamamoto didn't notice him. Or he'd feel bad when Yamamoto felt bad. Or he'd feel worried when he watched Yamamoto over-work himself.
He hadn't felt like that for anyone before. Especially not a boy. It made him retreat into his shell even more, out of confusion. Why did he like him like that? It got to the point where, at the beginning of the second year, he asked the new captain for help.
Kuroo had always been a little worried about Fukunaga. The boy was very quiet for a game that required communication and he acted funny around the other second years. So he was almost convinced Fukunaga wanted to leave the club when Fukunaga approached him in the first week, after one day of practice.
"Kuroo-san," Fukunaga said to him as Kuroo was holding a bunch of volleyball. "I need to talk to you."
"Hmm?" Kuroo turned and looked at him. "Yeah, what's up?"
Fukunaga looked down at the floor thoughtfully. "I probably... shouldn't be telling you this, but... But I think I like boys."
The balls dropped from Kuroo's' hands and bounced on the floor. Fukunaga flinched slightly. "Is that weird?"
"Wha-? Weird? No, no, of course, it's not!" Kuroo quickly promised, grabbing Fukunaga's' shoulders in a comforting manner. The second-year looked up in confused surprise. "Like whoever you wanna! Unless they're, like, really young or really old, that's pretty weird, but liking boys isn't wrong!"
Fukunaga blinked. "It isn't?"
"No, of course not! Hell, I like boys!"
"You do?"
Kuroo nodded. "Boys, girls, people in between, I'd like anyone! Trust me," He took in a deep breath, calming himself down. "Absolutely no one in this club will say a single bad word to you about this. Not while I'm the captain. And if they do, you can tell me and I can kick them out, got it?"
Fukunaga nodded and Kuroo smiled.
"Just know that you can trust me with this, okay? Liking boys isn't weird, liking girls isn't weird and liking both isn't weird. Is this why you've been so quiet recently? Were you afraid to tell us?"
Fukunaga shrugged hesitantly. "I kinda only just figured it out. I didn't know who to tell so I assumed you'd be safe."
Kuroo smiled again. "Well, I'm glad you trust me. It means I'm being a decent captain, right?"
"You are."
"Great! Now, if you don't mind me asking, and you don't have to tell me, but how did you figure out you liked guys? Was it just a slow piece-together or did it just hit ya?"
Fukunaga thought for a bit and, as he did, his eyes flickered over to Yamamoto, who was shouting angrily at one of the first years that seemed to think he'd be the ace. It was funny seeing Yamamoto all riled up about something as simple as a position and Fukunaga smiled a little at him.
Kuroo noticed. "Ah," He said, getting the second year to look at him again. "You've got a crush."
"No!" Fukunaga yelped, accidentally raising his voice and getting the whole gym to turn around and look at him. Kuroo widened his eyes in surprise. Fukunaga didn't talk much, let alone raise his voice. This was interesting. In a moment of panic, he just clicked his fingers at Kuroo and started to improvise a joke on the fly. "-Way should a cat like you be caught swimming. People might mistake you for a snake from Nohebi!"
Kuroo blinked. "Was that a joke? It didn't make any sense..."
"I panicked," Fukunaga responded.
"I could see that. Do you want to continue this conversation in the locker room or something? It's more private there."
Fukunaga simply nodded and quietly avoided the stares of his teammates as he followed the captain. Meanwhile, across the court, Yamamoto frowned at the pair that was taking their leave.
"Hey, Kenma," He said, hopping over to the setter and leaving the first-year alone. "Do you know what that was about?"
"Not really," Murmured Kenma, playing quietly on his phone. "Fukunaga started talking quietly to Kuro, and it looked like it was something big. Kuro was trying to persuade him over something, I couldn't really hear it until Fukunaga shouted."
Yamamoto hummed thoughtfully. "What if Fukunaga was trying to leave the team? Maybe that's what he was being so awkward about."
"I'm not sure," Kenma said. "There'd be no reason to shout 'no' if that had been the case. And Kuro wouldn't try to persuade him to stay if he really wanted to go."
The spiker frowned. "I'm gonna go listen in to their conversation."
"Okay. I'm gonna wait for Kuro, then go home. See you tomorrow."
"Bye!"
Yamamoto left his friend behind and started to silently ease his way into the locker room. He opened the door as quietly as he could and then let it slowly close behind him. Creaking carefully across the floor, he could hear his teammates talking.
"So, why'd you choose to tell me and not your parents first?" Kuroo was saying. Yamamoto peeked around a wall of lockers to see the two standing opposite each other, Kuroo with one hand on his hip and a thoughtful expression. Fukunaga had his back to him.
"I don't know. I guess I just wanted to know if it was okay or not first. I've never really liked anyone before this and I sorta thought it was just me."
Kuroo looked like he pitied the second-year a bit and he sighed, folding his arms across his chest. "I can't say I blame you. The first person I told was Kenma, back when I was a first-year here. Then I told my upperclassmen, then the team and only after that did I tell my parents." He smiled sympathetically. "The idea of coming out to them is pretty hard, isn't it?"
"I wouldn't know what to say."
"No, neither did I. I just sorta came home, shouted at my mom that I liked girls and guys and then went to my room and let her figure it out while I internally panicked."
Yamamoto could nearly see the frown on Fukunaga's' face. "That seems pretty tactless."
"Eh, it turned out fine. But this isn't about me, it's about you. I'm the first person you've told, right?"
"Right..."
"Do you want to tell the team too? We don't have to now if you don't wanna, but I'm sure they haven't left yet."
Fukunaga hesitated, then nodded. "We can tell the other third years. Then maybe the first years."
"And the second years?"
Fukunaga shrugged.
"Alright, we don't have to-" Kuroo stopped talking and Yamamoto panicked. He had just made eye contact with him. He'd been caught.
Fukunaga turned around upon Kuroo's' sudden silence and his eyes widened upon seeing Yamamoto there.
"Yamamoto!" Kuroo said, his expression morphing from shock to anger. "What the hell are you doing, eavesdropping in on a private conversation? That's not the behaviour I'd expect from the ace of Nekoma, or anyone, for that matter. Do you have a good explanation?"
There was a moment of silence.
"No," Yamamoto said.
There was another moment of silence.
"What were you two talking about?"
Kuroo narrowed his eyes and carefully stepped in front of Fukunaga. "I don't think he wants to talk about it to anyone just yet."
"Is he quitting the club?"
"No, he's not."
Fukunaga started laughing to himself ad Kuroo glanced at him. "Are you okay?"
"I'm not quitting the club," Fukunaga murmured. "I'm quitting heterosexuality."
There was a moment of silence and then Kuroo started laughing. Yamamoto frowned. "What? I'm confused."
"It's alright, Yamamoto," Kuroo assured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll find out eventually."
.:*:.
In about the span of a month, the whole team knew. Fukunaga was honestly relieved he didn't have to worry about it anymore and he felt a lot more comfortable. It wasn't like anything had changed in the team. They supported him and didn't overbear him about it. It just felt better now they knew and he knew himself.
But there was still one thing he hadn't covered yet. His crush on Yamamoto.
Until, one night after practice, Yamamoto asked if he wanted to walk home with.
Obviously, Fukunaga agreed. How are you supposed to say 'no' when the person you've silently pined after asks if you want to spend time alone with them? So that was how he was in this situation. Walking home, through the lamp-lit streets of Tokyo, next to Yamamoto, in silence.
"So," Yamamoto said, breaking the silence. "You're gay."
"Yeah," Fukunaga said.
"I'm bisexual."
Fukunaga blinked. "I didn't know."
"And we're both single, right?"
"Yes."
"You know what that means, right?"
Fukunaga did know what he meant. However, the urge to make a joke was just too good. "We're both unlovable?"
Yamamoto gasped and gave him a look. "We're not unlovable! We're very lovable! You especially!"
"Am I though?"
"Yes, you are! You're funny, pretty, smart and cool! Of course, you're lovable!"
Fukunaga stared. "You... You think I'm pretty?"
Yamamoto went red and he looked away, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Well... kinda."
"O-Oh. Cool."
The spiker glanced at his friend. "That's it? Am I not loveable?"
"You are loveable," Fukunaga said quickly. "You're bright, energetic, hot and awesome."
"You think I'm hot?" Yamamoto said, instantly perking up.
Fukunaga looked away awkwardly. "Well... Sort of."
"Do you, um, wanna go out sometime?"
"If you do."
"Great. Because I do."
"So do I."
"Cool. So, uh, can I pick you up tomorrow, then?"
"When?"
Yamamoto paused. "I never thought that far. Can I text you about it?"
Fukunaga nodded.
His teammate grinned. "Great. I'm looking forward to it then."
"Same."
They walked, beginning to talk quietly to each other until they reached Yamamoto's' house since it was closer to Nekoma than Fukunaga's'.
"Well," Yamamoto said, with his hands on his hips. "I'll see you tomorrow. For the date."
"Of course," Fukunaga nodded. "I'll see you then."
He turned to leave but stopped when Yamamoto quickly exclaimed, "Wait, I got something for you!" Fukunaga turned back around and Yamamoto took his hand, planting a small kiss on his knuckle. He smiled shyly at him and Fukunaga went bright red.
"Alright," Yamamoto said. "Bye."
"Bye," Whispered Fukunaga, still in shock. It wasn't until Yamamoto shut his front door did he realise what had just happened. He hid his face in his hands and screamed into his palms. "Stupid boys," He mumbled grumpily, with flushed cheeks, before finally making his way home.