[ For all that he outwardly seems like a silly goofball, Oikawa Tooru prides himself on paying close attention to the people around him. That goes double, if not triple, for his teammates, most especially his precious underclassmen. He wouldn't be where he is without their support, and they deserve just as much in return.
Which is why, when Oikawa claps a hand on Kunimi's shoulder just before their game with Shinzen, he immediately notices that something's wrong.
Kunimi isn't expressive, at least not outwardly; Oikawa has come to understand this, and so he instead looks to other sources of information to figure out how the first year is feeling. After the past few months he's realized that Kunimi does show how he feels: he simply does it in negatives. He'll ignore his name being called; he'll turn away from an invitation; he'll leave his food untouched. Small, simple things, the kind that their louder teammates might never notice but Oikawa can instantly recognize.
By now, Kunimi has also seemed to become accustomed to Oikawa's easy affections. He's physical with all of them, lavishing each one of his teammates with high-fives and hugs and even the occasional kiss on the cheek. It's his love language; he can't stop himself any more than an eagle can keep itself from flying. Up until now Kunimi hasn't exactly been eager for it, but he rarely pulls away, rarely does anything except make a face and mumble something about it being inappropriate.
But today?
Today, when Oikawa's hand lands on that slim shoulder, Kunimi winces.
It's tiny, barely perceptible, but Oikawa's eyes are sharp and his attention is immediately focused entirely on his kouhai. Unfortunately for both of them, they have a game to play - but the entire time Oikawa's eyes keep coming back to Kunimi, watching to see if there are any other clues, any small tells that might give away why, exactly, he made that face. ]
😘✨
Which is why, when Oikawa claps a hand on Kunimi's shoulder just before their game with Shinzen, he immediately notices that something's wrong.
Kunimi isn't expressive, at least not outwardly; Oikawa has come to understand this, and so he instead looks to other sources of information to figure out how the first year is feeling. After the past few months he's realized that Kunimi does show how he feels: he simply does it in negatives. He'll ignore his name being called; he'll turn away from an invitation; he'll leave his food untouched. Small, simple things, the kind that their louder teammates might never notice but Oikawa can instantly recognize.
By now, Kunimi has also seemed to become accustomed to Oikawa's easy affections. He's physical with all of them, lavishing each one of his teammates with high-fives and hugs and even the occasional kiss on the cheek. It's his love language; he can't stop himself any more than an eagle can keep itself from flying. Up until now Kunimi hasn't exactly been eager for it, but he rarely pulls away, rarely does anything except make a face and mumble something about it being inappropriate.
But today?
Today, when Oikawa's hand lands on that slim shoulder, Kunimi winces.
It's tiny, barely perceptible, but Oikawa's eyes are sharp and his attention is immediately focused entirely on his kouhai. Unfortunately for both of them, they have a game to play - but the entire time Oikawa's eyes keep coming back to Kunimi, watching to see if there are any other clues, any small tells that might give away why, exactly, he made that face. ]