The two lovers come into work the next day, hand in hand. Tobio is pleased to see that Shoyo's shirt is low enough to clearly display his mark for anyone who manages even a casual glance. Good. Mine, his inner alpha growls again.
In the staff room, they encounter Bo and Kuroo, who immediately notice Shoyo's mark and share a wide-eyed look, but fortunately stay silent until the omega wraps an apron around his waist and leaves to take his position behind the bar.
They immediately surround the young alpha. Bo says "You dog, you've been holding out on us."
"What do you mean?" Tobio asks, unfortunately used to Bokuto not making sense.
"You didn't tell us you were that serious," Kuroo adds, pinning Tobio with a curious look.
"Didn't think I needed to," Tobio says honestly. The two bouncers can't determine if this means Tobio thought it was obvious or meant that it was none of their business. Bo shrugs at Kuroo, who turns back to Tobio.
"So what happened?"
"I'm not going to tell you the details if that's what you're asking."
"Come on, man," Bokuto urges again just as Daichi comes into the staff room.
"Leave him alone," he commands and the other men reluctantly comply. They leave Daichi and Tobio in the staff room.
Daichi looks conflicted as if he should say anything or not, but ultimately decides to broach the obvious subject.
"You okay? Big step huh?" Daichi's brown eyes are full of concern.
"Yeah, I'm good," Tobio says, meaning it.
"Good. I hope everything works out."
"Thanks, Daichi. Me too."
***
Bo and Kuroo, being themselves, immediately text their mates to fill them in on the situation. An hour later, both Kenma and Akaashi show up at the Wingless Crow and take their normal seats at the bar.
Shoyo knows why they're here.
"Spill!" demands Akaashi.
"Not much to tell," Shoyo insists as he gives them their usual, a whiskey for Akaashi and beer for Kenma.
"Come on, you've got a mark. Something must have happened," Kenma observes.
"Well," says Shoyo, looking around to make sure no customers needed him. He turns back to his friends. "We said we loved each other, then he marked me."
"That's a big step," Akaashi says. "I've never seen you with a temporary mark."
"I haven't had one in a long time," Shoyo says, as his brows knit slightly and a small frown appears on his face. It is clear he's thinking about something in his past.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kenma asks gently.
"I ..." Shoyo begins, looking around once more to make sure he's not needed. "I got around in high school, when my dad found out I was an omega and left. I was trying to prove that I was worth something, that I could be worthy of love, that being omega wasn't the shame that my dad thought it was. So I was with, well, several guys. Two of them marked me temporarily. The first was pretty good to me, he just lost interest after a few months.
The second guy, well, after him, I finally learned my lesson. It was my last year of high school. I actually thought maybe he was the one. It was all wild sex and intense infatuation and puppy love, I guess. And I let him mark me. But before the mark had faded, he had moved onto someone else. And I felt the shame every day of seeing him with someone else while his mark was still on me. Everyone knew. It was mortifying and they would look at me with pity or with amusement. I was a dumb little omega, wanting everyone's approval. It was too much. And after that, I never let anyone mark me again, until now."
"That must have sucked, Shoyo. Really. But I'm glad you found someone you can trust. You do trust Kageyama, don't you?" Kenma asks.
"Yeah, I guess I do. I know he's not the type to go messing around, you know. I do trust him," Shoyo finishes with a goofy smile. His friends share a satisfied look.
"You are too cute," Akaashi smiles as he drinks his whiskey.
Shoyo blushes slightly and then turns to find the object of his affection. He is momentarily stunned when he sees Tobio talking with a tall, dark-haired woman near the bar's entrance. Suddenly, all the hairs on the back of Shoyo's neck stand up. Why is Tobio talking to that woman? God, Shoyo, you are so stupid. You LITERALLY just said Tobio wasn't one to run around, and who the fuck is this bitch?
Shoyo watches them for a minute, and Tobio looks decidedly uncomfortable with that constipated look he gets. Before Shoyo can analyze what he's seeing, Tobio says something to Bo and then steps outside with the woman.
Oh, hell, no. I don't think so, Shoyo thinks as he rushes out after them.
***
Tobio is more than a little surprised to see Miwa enter the Wingless Crow. He and his sister haven't spoken for two years, since he was disowned.
He's sure his face mirrors her own blend of shock and distaste.
"Tobio! What are you doing here?" she asks, not bothering to try to mask her disgust. "Do you work here? At this dingy bar? Oh my God, if our parents saw this."
"It's not dingy, and what do you want? Now that you see I'm here, you can just leave."
"That's the greeting I get, after you just walk away from our family? That's low, Tobio. This life must really be dragging you down."
"I didn't walk away, I was pushed away and you know it."
"Only because you were being unreasonable, brother. Tobio, honestly, you need to swallow your pride and come home. We miss you. Our family isn't complete without you."
"Mom and Dad should have thought of that before they disowned me."
"You made your choice, and a poor one at that. What choice did they have?"
"I'm not going to talk about this with you, Miwa. I'm at work."
"Well, take a break. I haven't seen you in two years. There's a lot to say. And I'm not ready to let it go."
"Of course you aren't. You never were."
Tobio turns to Bokuto and tells him he's taking his break now. Bo shoots a frown at the dark-haired woman, chancing a quick glance at Shoyo, but then nods. Tobio and Miwa step onto the sidewalk in front of the bar.
"Say what you have to say, Miwa. You have five minutes, then I'm leaving."
"Come back home, Tobio. Mom and dad, they're not happy without you there. They want you back, I know it. And I miss you too. We're family and we shouldn't be estranged like this."
"Do they want me back as myself or what they expect me to be?"
"What do you mean?"
"Can I come back home if I still refuse to mate with Akemi?"
Miwa looks stricken. "What's so bad about being mated to a beautiful heiress, Tobio? Honestly, I've never known exactly what was wrong with you."
"I'm not going to mate with her. I don't love her. Hell, I don't even like her. She's a terrible person. And besides, I'm dating someone. I have an omega and I don't want to come home if it's just going to be the same as it was."
"You have an omega?" Miwa asks, inspecting his neck. "Not permanently, I see. So no harm done. Just break it off and come home. Your position at the company is waiting for you. Mom and Dad would let you get your own place, even, I'm sure. And then you can reconnect with Akemi and see how lovely she is now."
"I told you. I don't want her. I've got an omega. And I love him."
Miwa looks stricken as Shoyo emerges from the bar's door and onto the sidewalk. He finds Tobio, meets his eyes, and says, "Tobio? What's going on? Who's this?"
"Shoyo, this is my sister, Miwa."
Suddenly, several thoughts click into place for Hinata. Of course they are siblings. They look a great deal alike, same hair, same eyes, same coloring, same tall, lanky build. Yes, of course. Hinata's heart slows back to a normal pace now that he's not jealous anymore.
"Is something wrong? It looks like you're arguing."
"It's fine, Sho. Just go back inside. I'll be in a minute."
"Oh, he works here too. How quaint." Miwa says sarcastically, noticing the temporary mark on Hinata's neck. Shoyo's gaze snaps to hers, wary and hackles raised.
"Shut up, Miwa. Shoyo, I'll be right in, I promise."
Shoyo finally breaks eye contact with the beautiful woman who looks so much like Tobio but acts nothing like him. He nods and goes back inside and when the door shut, Miwa swings her gaze back to her brother.
"Oh, Tobio, an omega from the gutter. Really? You left Akemi, who is beyond beautiful and has excellent breeding... for HIM? Messy hair, freckles?? My God, Tobio."
"Shut up, Miwa."
"Seriously, Tobio. Look at yourself? Working in a BAR? Dating a slutty bartender? Could you get more cliché?"
"He's not slutty. Don't say it again, Miwa, or I'm done here."
"Tobio, please reconsider. You can pick up your life where you left off and forget this whole unfortunate incident."
"This 'unfortunate incident' is my life now, and I'm happier than I ever was at home, believe me. So leave me alone, Miwa. I'm not coming home to be mom and dad's puppet."
"Suit yourself. But you know where to find us when this unfortunate liaison with the slutty..."
Tobio's growl stops Miwa's in her tracks. She begins again, "With the bartender is over. Really, you could have everything Tobio, your job and status back. You just need to suck it up and bond with Akemi. She's not so bad to look at."
"I don't care what she looks like. She's a terrible person and I will never marry her. You won't convince me. So if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work."
Miwa opens her mouth to try one more time, but thinks better of it and clamps it shut instead. "Goodbye, little brother," she says with more feeling than she's shown thus far and then she turns on her heel and walks away. Tobio takes a deep breath, runs his hand across his face a few times as if to clear his thoughts, and watches her go momentarily before heading back into the bar.
***
Tobio walks back into the Wingless Crow and sweeps his gaze around the room, looking for Shoyo. He sees him talking to Kenma and Akaashi, feels immensely relieved for some reason, and then offers a half-smile for his boyfriend. Shoyo comes over.
"Do you want to take our break now?"
"Shit. I probably already used up my time."
Shoyo looks upset. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine. I'll tell you about it tonight, okay?"
Shoyo is hesitant but doesn't figure he has much choice in the matter. He nods curtly and turns to go back to the staff room for his break.
Alone.
As he takes a Coke out of the fridge, he thinks about what he heard Tobio's sister say. She didn't sound very nice, and seemed to have a problem with him, though he didn't know why. He swallows hard, a familiar feeling washing over him.
Of not being good enough.
For the remainder of his break and the rest of his shift, he hides his worry behind his bright smile, but these thoughts are never far from his mind.
Will Tobio go back to his family? Will he leave me for that beautiful heiress? What if he realizes I'm just a nobody and that I'm just a dime-a-dozen, worthless omega. What if he leaves and I still carry his mark? I don't think I can do that again. Oh, God.
Shoyo makes a couple of rookie mistakes behind the bar and Akaashi and Kenma obviously notice something is wrong.
"What's going on, Shoyo?"
"Oh, nothing," says Shoyo, only half listening and searching the room, yet again, for his boyfriend's tall frame and dark hair. Finding it where he expects him, he relaxes fractionally.
"Clearly that altercation with Kageyama's sister upset you. Talk to us," pleads Akaashi.
So Shoyo tells them the watered down version of his fears. That with his past coming up again, that maybe Tobio would want to go back to his family and his heiress and leave Shoyo.
Akaashi and Kenma listen thoughtfully, and when Shoyo finishes, Akaashi speaks first. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Shoyo. He said he loves you."
"But this is his family," Shoyo protests.
"His family who deserted him. He loves you. He's always loved you," Kenma adds.
"That's what he said last night," Shoyo says, eyes misty.
Kenma and Akaashi share a knowing look.
"Then don't worry about it," says Akaashi. "He could have that life but he's never gone back. He has you now and he seems happy. I truly think it will be okay."
Shoyo nods, unconvinced.
***
The regular shift seemed twice as long as normal as Shoyo patiently waited for closing time so he and Tobio could talk.
On the walk home, Shoyo finally dared to ask, "What did your sister want?"
"She just happened to come in and saw me. It wasn't planned." Tobio squeezes Shoyo's hand to reassure him, wishing again that he were better with words so he could make sure his boyfriend didn't worry.
"What did you talk about?"
"She wants me to come home," Tobio says simply, though Shoyo knows there's more. Shoyo is so nervous he is shaking. Could this be it? Right after things just got good?
"Are you cold?" Tobio asks. "You're shaking."
"No, I'm not. I'm just wondering, will you? Go home?"
"No! Absolutely not. Nothing has changed. They still want me to bond with Akemi and I can't. I won't."
Shoyo breathes a sigh of relief.
"Sho, were you worried?"
"Yes, a little."
Tobio stops walking and suddenly grabs both of Shoyo's hands in his own.
"But why? You don't need to be. I told you. I love you."
"I know, but family is complicated and family is. Well, family and... I'm just a nobody with no money and no..."
"Shoyo!" Tobio reaches up to trace Shoyo's jaw with his finger. A few heartbeats pass while Tobio's gaze follows along with his finger and then back to Shoyo's brown eyes.
"I will never leave you. I promise."
Tobio's stare is so intense that tears come to Hinata's eyes and a few errant drops escape his eyes and trickle slowly down his cheeks.
How he's longed to hear those words. How long he's wanted to matter to someone. To be that important to someone, to be loved like this.
Shoyo can't speak past the knot in his throat, so he just nods and accepts the soft kiss.
Tobio looks into his eyes for another few seconds before releasing him, grabbing his hand, and continuing to walk back home.