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// cw: body image
Atsumu knows he has stretch marks. He’s known since high school, when rigorous exercise and growth spurts filled out his frame.
Back then, Atsumu pushed people’s opinions aside. Now, standing in the MSBY locker rooms, he cares.
Atsumu knows he has stretch marks. He’s known since high school, when rigorous exercise and growth spurts filled out his frame.
Back then, Atsumu pushed people’s opinions aside. Now, standing in the MSBY locker rooms, he cares.
They’ve grown in numbers since he was 16, sure. But that’s not the problem. At 23, there are more cameras, more eyes to see him.
Atsumu has always been proud of his body. He worked for it. It feels strange to not like something about it.
Atsumu has always been proud of his body. He worked for it. It feels strange to not like something about it.
The locker room mirrors give Atsumu a view of the marks, just visible over the waistbad and of his shorts and on the insides of his thighs. He knows there are some on the sides of his butt, too, hidden underneath black fabric.
“Hey, Tsum-Tsum,” Bokuto calls from the other side of the locker room. His voice demands the attention of Sakusa and Hinata as well. “Whatcha doin?”
“Ah, just,” Atsumu frowns. What is he doing? “Just lookin’. I’ve got some new stretch marks.”
“Ah, just,” Atsumu frowns. What is he doing? “Just lookin’. I’ve got some new stretch marks.”
“Oh!” Bokuto smiles. “I’ve got a bunch of those!”
He pulls up a leg of his shorts to reveal white lightning bolts scattered on his thighs. He seems proud of them. Huh.
“Shameless, aren’t ya, Bokkun?”
He pulls up a leg of his shorts to reveal white lightning bolts scattered on his thighs. He seems proud of them. Huh.
“Shameless, aren’t ya, Bokkun?”
“They used to bother me,” Bokuto drops the leg of his shorts and pulls the hem of his shirt up, exposing darker lines on his hips. “But not so much now.”
Atsumu hums. “What changed?”
“Akaashi told me they’re just a part of getting stronger!”
Atsumu hums. “What changed?”
“Akaashi told me they’re just a part of getting stronger!”
“Not just that,” Sakusa pipes up. “They happen when your body changes. And our bodies change a lot in this line of work. I have them, too.”
Sakusa rolls up one of his sleeves to briefly show off a set of stretch marks on the backs of his arms.
Sakusa rolls up one of his sleeves to briefly show off a set of stretch marks on the backs of his arms.
“Yeah! I got a ton when I was in Brazil!” Hinata smiles and hikes up a leg to present his own marks.
Solidarity aside, Atsumu still feels the unease of thousands of eyes expecting perfection. And all they’re getting is Atsumu.
Solidarity aside, Atsumu still feels the unease of thousands of eyes expecting perfection. And all they’re getting is Atsumu.
“I can see what you’re thinking, and it’s irrelevant,” Sakusa says. “Stretch marks are natural. They happen. If you have a body, they’re going to happen.”
Sometimes Atsumu really appreciates how blunt Sakusa can be.
“You’re good at what you do. That’s all that matters.”
Sometimes Atsumu really appreciates how blunt Sakusa can be.
“You’re good at what you do. That’s all that matters.”
The stretch marks and their impact on Atsumu don’t magically disappear. But he sees them in a different light, now.
For Atsumu, change is something he works hard for. Change is good. And if it comes with a few marks, he can learn to appreciate them, too.
/end
For Atsumu, change is something he works hard for. Change is good. And if it comes with a few marks, he can learn to appreciate them, too.
/end
