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The moment Atsumu spots the paw of a stuffed animal hanging from Bokuto’s carry-on bag he knows what he has to do.
The MSBY team’s gift shop had expanded past jerseys and hats and had started selling baby onesies and child-sized jerseys with the Jackals logo on the front and a customized name on the back. How could he not take advantage of that? Bokuto would love it!
So while Bokuto is turned away, chattering excitedly to Hinata, he tugs the puppy from the bag and shoves it into his own, quickly turning away to avoid suspicion.
Their game is scheduled for that night - Atsumu would just run to the gift shop before their match and get the jersey made, put it on the dog, and then present it to his friend after the game. Easy! He would barely notice it was gone.
Hatsumi is gone.
Bokuto knows how he must look. Hinata seems especially concerned from where he was sitting on the opposite bed, watching Bokuto tear frantically through both his carry-on and suitcase.
“Bo?” Hinata asks hesitantly, catching a haphazardly thrown t-shirt. “You good?”
“No,” Bokuto admits, lifting his bag and shaking it upside down. “No - Yes. Yes? Sorry, Sho.” He laughs nervously and sits back down on the bed, tossing his empty bag to the floor. “I’ll clean it up. Sorry. I just… thought I brought something but I guess I didn’t.”
But he knows that he brought Hatsumi. She always came with him to away games, especially ones Akaashi couldn’t travel to come watch.
He remembers putting Hatsumi in his carry-on. Did she fall off on the plane? At the airport?
“Are you sure?” Hinata asks with a frown, leaning towards him. “Did you lose something? I can call Coach Foster.”
Bokuto shakes his head, jumping off the bed with a grin wavering at the edges. “Nah! It’s not that important.” It was the most important thing he owned. “I’m gonna go out for a quick run, I’ll see ya’!”
He runs out of the room before Hinata can say anything more, just barely avoiding running straight into Atsumu and Sakusa in the hallway.
He didn’t exactly lie to Hinata - he is running, just out of the hotel. He circles around to the back of the building, crouching against the wall and dropping his forehead to his knees.
His regression is coming on fast at the thought of losing Hatsumi and he scrambles for his phone with one hand, shoving the other in his mouth as he dialed the familiar number.
Akaashi answers, “Hi, Bokuto. Did you land safely?” His calming voice isn’t enough to calm the panic coursing through Bokuto’s veins and his breath hitches. Akaashi notices, of course. “Bo? Are you okay?”
“‘Kaash,” He sniffles, voice muffled around his fingers. “I…” He can’t get the words out, ‘I lost Hatsumi’ - Akaashi is going to be so angry with him. He sobs wetly, shaking his head.
“Bo? What happened?” Akaashi sounds frantic now and Bokuto feels so stupid. “Are you safe?”
“Y-Yes,” Bokuto stutters, removing his hand from his mouth and using it to wipe at his tears instead. “‘S Hatsumi, ‘Kaash, she’s g-gone!”
Admitting the words out loud feel like he is being dunked in ice water.
“Oh, baby,” Akaashi whispers softly, the sympathy evident in his voice causing Bokuto’s tears to fall faster. “It’s okay. Are you sure you didn’t leave her at home? Do you want me to look?”
“I bring her!” Bokuto argues, shaking his head. “I did, but gone now an-and…” He sobs shakily, pressing the heel of his free hand to his eyes. “Sorry, ‘Kaash, so so sorry, didn’t mean to!”
“Hey, hey,” Akaashi shushes him softly. “It’s okay. Did you think I would be mad?” Bokuto blinks in surprise. Akaashi is a mind reader. The caregiver takes his silence as a yes. “I am absolutely not angry with you, Bo. It’s not your fault. If you don’t find her I promise we can go get a new one.”
Bokuto doesn’t want a new one, he wants Hatsumi. But he knows there’s only so much Akaashi can do from thousands of miles away and he sniffles and nods. “‘Kay. S-Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Akaashi assures him. “I’ll always be here for you.” There is a slight pause before he speaks again. “I’m going to need you to try to be big again for me, baby, can you do that?”
Bokuto nods although Akaashi can’t see him and he sucks in a deep breath, closing his eyes. “Mhm,” he nods again, willing himself to forget about Hatsumi until after the game. “Got… got practice. And then a game. Are you going to watch, ‘Kaashi?”
Akaashi laughs softly through the speaker. “Of course. I’ll be cheering you on through the screen. You’re going to do amazing, okay? I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye, ‘Kaashi,” Bokuto sniffles once more, waiting for the responding farewell before hanging up the phone and making his way back inside.
It’s just a stuffed animal. He can’t let it ruin his game. He’s more mature than he was in high school.
Atsumu is standing in the hotel lobby when he returns, looking like he stole a cookie from a jar. Bokuto raises an eyebrow.
“Hey, Ats-“
“Have you been crying?” Atsumu blurts out and Bokuto’s eyes widen.
“No,” He mutters, quickly walking past the blonde and to the elevator. He had to focus on playing now.
Atsumu watches him go, hands wringing nervously in front of him. Oh no. He messed up.
The Jackals win. Bokuto manages to play with his usual cheer despite the dread in his chest and they crush the opposite team in straight sets.
Once the distraction of volleyball ends and they head back into the locker room, though, his earlier sadness returns with a vengeance and he finds himself showering and changing in a daze. His team must notice but nobody says anything - Atsumu has been sending him nervous glances since even before the game but Bokuto doesn’t have the energy to ask what his problem is.
Bokuto denies Hinata’s request to go out partying, claiming he’s too tired. His face must show it because the redhead doesn’t argue and he returns to an empty room, his suitcase still Hatsumi-less and his clothes scattered across the bed.
Bokuto’s phone buzzes with a text - most likely Akaashi - but he ignores it in favor of falling onto the bed face down. He tries not to think how lonely he feels without Hatsumi but tears well up in his eyes regardless. He curls up in a ball and pulls the blanket up over his head, praying for sleep to come fast.
“Atsumu. Are you serious?”
Atsumu shrinks under Sakusa’s tone. The dog in his hands falls to his side, brand new infant-sized MSBY jersey around its torso. “I-“
“I know what you did, I can see that.” Sakusa crosses his arms tightly over his chest. “You took Bokuto’s stuffie without permission, am I correct?”
“No, I-“ Atsumu cut himself off, feeling himself slipping. Sakusa’s stern voice always made him feel little and combined with his guilt over making Bokuto cry earlier…. “Got ‘im somethin’, Papa, no stealing! Borrow!”
Sakusa didn’t falter. “Did you ask to borrow his stuffie, or did you take it without him knowing?”
Atsumu shuffled in place. “T-Took. But ‘cause I bought jersey, now I give back!”
“How would you feel if Bokuto took your fox without you knowing? And you didn’t know where it went?” Sakusa watches Atsumu’s expression fall and his shoulders droop. “You and I are going to give Bokuto back his puppy and you’re going to apologize. Okay, little boy?”
Atsumu’s gaze dropped to the floor and he nods, throat thick with tears. He hadn’t thought it would make Bokuto this upset - he didn’t think the puppy was like his fox!
Sakusa holds out his hand and Atsumu takes it nervously, falling a few steps behind as they walked down the hallway to Bokuto’s hotel room. Sakusa’s quick knock jolts Atsumu out of his sulking and he jumps to hide behind Sakusa as the door opens.
“Bokuto,” Sakusa greets, nodding once. “Atsumu has something to give back to you.” From where Atsumu is hovering behind Sakusa he can see Bokuto’s face light up and Sakusa squeezes his hand in warning.
He steps out and presents the puppy to Bokuto, eyes trained on the floor. “Um. I’m sorry for borrowin-“ Sakusa squeezes his hand once more. “Um. Taking your stuffie. Just wanted to get ya a present b-but I haveta ask.”
Bokuto gasps at the sight of Hatsumi. He can’t hold back his excitement and he lunges forward, grabbing the dog from Atsumu. “‘Sumi!” He gasps around a relieved laugh and hugs the puppy to his chest. He didn’t even notice the jersey until his fingers brushed against the material and he pulled it away to look at it, spinning her around to see his name and number displayed across the back.
“Oh,” He whispers, looking back at Atsumu who looks on the verge of tears.
“I’m sorry!” Atsumu shouts again, bowing in apology. “I-If you don’t like-“
“I love it!” Bokuto giggled, hugging Hatsumi to his chest once again. He was little once again, though this time due to the giddiness of having Hatsumi returned from him rather than the sadness of losing her. “Thank you, Atsu! Did you make one too?”
Atsumu looks up in surprise, gaze flickering between Sakusa and Bokuto. “U-Um.” He straightens up and shakes his head. “No… My fox ‘s at home. ‘Samu’s watchin’ ‘im.” He doesn’t think Sakusa would let him make one right now anyways. He imagines he’ll be put in the corner once they return to their room.
“We get you one next time!” Bokuto exclaims, jumping up and down. “You ‘n me, no takin’!”
Atsumu gave him a wobbly smile and nodded. “Uh huh. No takin’ no more. Sorry Bo.”
Sakusa apologizes to Bokuto as well before the two return to their own hotel room, leaving Bokuto alone with Hatsumi.
He pulls out his phone and opens the camera app, snapping a quick photo before sending it off to Akaashi with the caption,
Hatsumi’s home! And now she’s my biggest fan!