Chapter Text
Yachi twists the last flower into place and secures it, and the last twist of hair in her fingers, with a dark bobby pin before leaning back to check her work. The small flowers are deep, vibrant, almost neon colors and pop out in the dark brown hair they’re weaved into. It’s going to be a mess to take apart later but right now all that’s missing is a spritz or two of her special formula of glittery hairspray and everything will look perfect. Asahi glances at her as she tilts her head from side to side and steps around him to make sure everything is where she wants it but he doesn’t move his head or do more than give her a smile before returning to reading his book. She finally decides that she needs to stop making tiny adjustments or they’re never leaving the house - not that either of them would mind another day spent lounging around curled in blankets watching cartoons - and definitely not leaving on time. A quick spritz and firm nod later Asahi finally rolls his shoulders and twists his neck to work out the stiffness.
“Were you changing here or when we got there?” Asahi asks as she grabs her phone and snaps a few pictures to show him her work.
“Oh, um, there. Tanaka has my outfit and Iwaizumi is in charge of makeup and apparently I have no say in either category. Which will be okay. I mean. They both know what they’re doing and they know me and oh I wonder if I need to do my hair before or if I should do it when I get there? I mean it won’t look nearly as nice as yours no matter what because you look amazing, but you always do so, but I just-”
Asahi cups her cheek and she takes a deep breath.
“My hair looks amazing because you did it. Your hair will look amazing if you do it as well. Let me get changed real quick and then we’ll be there in no time, okay?” Asahi kisses her forehead and it feels like every ounce of tension from the last couple hours evaporates.
“Okay.” She smiles up at him and Asahi thinks that there isn’t much he can’t do if it means she keeps smiling at him like that.
–
Asahi watches, equal parts amused and worried, as Hinata and Tsukishima stand exactly three steps apart - he knows because he watched Kenma push Hinata away from Tsukishima exactly three steps before disappearing once again - and breathe angrily at each other. Once upon a time he never even knew it was possible to express anger simply by breathing. Then he met Hinata and Tsukishima and, well, so much is possible when those two interact. Even though they’re co-owners of Toggles Photography sometimes Asahi wonders how they get anything done with all the arguing and angry breathing oh, and all of Tsukishima’s eye rolling of course. He can’t forget that.
Soft feet padding across the floor behind him catches his attention and he turns his back - warily - on Tsukishima and Hinata to the sight of Iwaizumi walking towards him with five puppies. He’s got one hanging over his right arm, his bag is over his left shoulder, and there are four leashes attached to his left wrist and the whine Asahi wants to let out at the sight gets caught in his throat, thankfully.
“You said two puppies,” Asahi says after a quick greeting. “This. This isn’t two.”
“Yeah I know,” Iwaizumi sighs. “But I couldn’t pick only two. I mean. Look at their faces.”
Asahi does not want to look at their faces for fear that he will puppynap all five of them and have to face the wrath of his tiny girlfriend and the buff man who actually owns all five puppies.
“Just do me a favor and keep an eye on them while I get Yachi ready?”
Asahi agrees. Though it’s easier said than done when Tanaka shows up a couple minutes later and practically gasps loudly enough to be heard all the way back outside. Asahi has to physically redirect his path away from the puppies and back towards the dressing room they had set up for today.
Tsukishima is already hovering around with a camera and Asahi is sure he’s already taken dozens of pictures of the puppies and Asahi’s hair and the leashes hanging off the back of a nearby chair and whatever random aesthetic type shots he finds interesting. Hinata is gone for the moment and Asahi assumes he’s back pestering Yachi and the others and taking his own series of photos.
He can hear Hinata’s exclamations of excitement and awe getting closer and Asahi shakes his head fondly, mentally bracing himself for the beautiful goddess that is Yachi with Tanaka and Iwaizumi’s expert hands dressing her up. He won’t be prepared, he knows, but he can try.
She sweeps him off his feet and takes his breath away the moment he spots her pale pink skirt and the dark lashes around her wide brown eyes. (Tsukishima gets a shot of that moment too and is rather proud to use it as the centerpiece of a more personal project he has in the works for them.)
–
Asahi loves his friends and was more than happy to help by being a model for the photos for Watari’s dog training classes brochures and (to kill two birds with one stone) for Tsukishima and Hinata’s photography examples. But he is even happier to take Yachi’s hand in his and pull her close on the train ride home and smile down at her look of surprise when he guides her off the train two stops earlier than usual and down a series of side streets and quiet sidewalks to a small fenced in patio.
Yachi inhales in surprise as crisscrossing strings of light turn on across the patio and a small centerpiece lights up at the table in the middle.
“Right on time.” Ennoshita gestures for them to come in through the gate and sit down before he slips inside. Yachi looks up at Asahi as he pulls out a chair for her.
“What’s the occasion?”
Asashi shrugs and takes the seat across from her.
“Our friends are exhausting and we haven’t gone on a date for awhile and you’re far too beautiful to just go home right now and I love you?” Yachi buries her face in her hands and whines at him until he reaches out and tugs at her wrist.
“You’re too much sometimes, you know that?” She bites her lips as he twines their fingers together.
Ennoshita brings out their meal and tells them to wait until after dessert to thank him when they both open their mouths as the plates settle on the table. It’s delicious, as to be expected from one of Ennoshita’s private menu meals, and while Yachi’s eyes are drawn to the lights above them and the sky finally starting to darken beyond Asahi takes a deep breath and catches Ennoshita’s gaze. Ennoshita smiles encouragingly at him and nods before he retreats to grab their desserts.
Asahi takes Yachi’s hand again and anchors himself with the sensation. The warmth of her hand, the way her fingers curl into his, the way she squeezes back when he squeezes a little too hard.
Then Ennoshita sets their plates down, a small piece of intricately decorated cake on each, and tells them to just leave their plates whenever they’re done and he’ll be back to get them. He whispers a soft good luck under his breath and pats Asahi on the shoulder before he slides away and returns to his cafe.
Asahi stares at the small box next to the centerpiece that Ennoshita had slipped onto the table while Yachi had been cooing over the dessert presented to her. It really is delicious - as to be expected from Ennoshita’s cafe - and he enjoys it even though every bite he swallows has to fight through a cloud of butterflies before it makes it safely into his stomach. Yachi finally notices the little box when she’s two bites from finishing her dessert and she eyes it with caution and curiosity as she quickly finishes her cake and sets her fork down carefully. His fork clatters to his plate when she finally reaches out and he gestures between her and the box nervously.
(Though he has no idea why he’s nervous. He already knows the answer. Already knows the way her eyes will well up with tears and she’ll make that throaty surprised squawking noise and throw her napkin at his face while he smiles bashfully at her.)
“I can’t believe you,” she says, voice high and breathless, as her napkin hits his chin. “All of this? I just. Asahi.”
“So.” He takes the ring from the box and looks at her expectantly. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes! Of course yes!”
She holds out her hand and then hops to her feet the moment the ring slides into place, gesturing frantically for him to stand up before she throws herself into his arms with a teary laugh.
–
“That’s what Tanaka and Hinata meant when they were talking about today being good practice for later and Iwaizumi shushed them, isn’t it? They knew. They knew you were going to ask me today.”
Asahi buries his face deeper in the blanket he had snagged from their blanket nest and whines at her.
“Yeah. They kind of already called dibs on helping us pick out outfits and the photography and makeup and hair and catering and probably half the wedding planning,” he mumbles into the blanket. Yachi holds her hand up and smiles at the way the light makes her ring sparkle. Then she’s worming her way into his blanket and peppering his face with kisses until he relents and wraps her in his arms.
“Love you,” she whispers against his lips.
“Love you too,” he whispers back.