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The chill in the air as he arrived in the city reminded Kita of something, someone, very warm indeed, and it just about made him smile as he adjusted his grip on his bag.
“Shinsuke!” a familiar voice called cheerfully, dragging out the last syllable. “Over here, over here!” it added, as though that was helpful.
Kita shook his head a little as he glanced about, until, finally, he caught sight of the voice's source.
A young man, about his age, with spiked black and white hair, waving vigorously, alongside another dark haired young man. He perked up when he and Kita made eye contact, and Kita headed his way.
“Shinsuke!” he shouted again. “It’s been so long! How have you been? How was the trip? How’s your family?” he rattled off before stopping to take a breath.
“Fine. Fine. Fine.” Kita returned. “You?”
“Amazing!” before he could say more, the dark haired young man gently touched his shoulder.
“Let’s discuss the details when we get home.” he suggested.
“Ah right, right, right!”
“We can walk and talk.” Kita offered with a smile. “I’m quite interested in catching up, after all.”
“Ahhh, we’ve missed you so much Shinsuke!”
“I’ve missed you too, Bokuto, Akaashi.”
The trio made their way down the street, Kita listening as Bokuto happily rambled on and on about any and everything that had happened since they’d last seen each other.
It was nice, Kita thought with a smile, this type of energy.
Usually best in small doses, but nice nonetheless.
Eventually, though, Bokuto’s attention shifted to asking Kita questions, which lasted until the trio made their way into Bokuto and Akaashi’s place. At which point Bokuto raced into the kitchen, leaving Akaashi and Kita alone in the living room.
Kita drew in a deep breath and tried to steady the part of him that felt like it was on a boat.
“Akaashi,” he began, tentatively, after a moment. “Have you heard from either of the Miya twins lately?” he asked, and Akaashi’s lips twitched, ever so faintly, towards a smile.
“I have. One more so than the other.” he glanced at Kita out of the corner of his eye. “I’m a little relieved to know he won’t be bothering me as much anymore.” he added, smile widening ever so slightly.
Kita’s face warmed as he glanced away.
“...That makes two of us.”
—
“Awww, man, are you really done already?” Bokuto complained as Atsumu reached for his bag, half hidden as it was behind various pieces of exercise equipment.
“Just for today. I’ve got…stuff going on tonight.” Atsumu returned, and Bokuto grinned as he sat all the way up and scooted back, draping his arms over the bar on their, somewhat makeshift, weight rack.
“You do?” he asked. “Does it involve Kita?”
Atsumu grinned.
“Yes and no.”
“C’mon, just tell me! He’s been acting so…so…lovesick this past week. You gotta take him on a date already!” he complained. “Oh! Is that it? You’ve got a date planned? Oh, or are you-”
“Bo.” Atsumu interrupted. “One. He’s actually been here for four days, not a week. Two, anything I tell you, he’s gonna know about within five minutes of you getting home, and I want to keep anything I may, or may not, have planned for him a surprise.”
Bokuto pouted.
“But how long are you gonna wait? Even I can tell he really, really wants to see you.”
“I’m not the one waiting.” Atsumu shrugged. “He’ll let me know when he’s ready to see me.”
“What if he’s waiting for you to talk to him?”
Atsumu laughed.
“He isn’t. But, fine, I’ll make a deal with you. If it gets to the eight day mark and he still hasn’t said anything, I’ll come a calling, alright?”
“That’s like four more days!”
“Take it or leave it.”
“...Fine, I’ll take it.”
“Speaking of, I do actually gotta leave.”
“See you again tomorrow?”
“Actually, I’ve got…some stuff going on tomorrow. But I should be free the day after.”
“Will I at least get a play by play after Kita gets the surprise?”
“Wouldn’t dream of depriving you of it! See you!”
“See you!”
Atsumu slipped out of the back room, through the front of the building, and out onto the main street, taking a deep breath of the chill early winter air that always heralded Kita’s arrival.
He smiled at the thought, and adjusted his grip on his bag.
And then he set off briskly for home, a few final pieces of his plan still needing to be polished before they saw each other again.
Because, without it, Atsumu was pretty sure he’d just go and do something a little foolish that might not end so well.
—
“Just how long do you plan to keep him waiting?” Akaashi asked without looking up from the book in front of him, and Kita sighed.
“I’m not keeping him waiting.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“...Not much longer.” Kita admitted, though it made his stomach squirm, and he glanced out the nearby window, down to the city.
“This is the longest you’ve waited, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“Are you worried about him, or you?”
“Just worried.” Kita returned softly.
“That’s not very like you.”
“I’m aware.”
“You’re also aware that he’s quite completely smitten with you?”
“I am.”
“And that you appear to be with him as well?”
“Yes, indeed.” Kita sighed. “Which makes me worried.”
“...Do you want to elaborate?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Alright.” Akaashi sighed. “You can’t avoid it forever, though.”
“I know.”
Kita took a deep breath as he stood.
“And, I believe I’ll return your solitude to you for a bit. I think the cold may help clear my head.”
Akaashi nodded, and Kita quickly tugged on shoes and a coat before slipping out of the apartment and making his way to the roof above.
He walked slowly, but still made it to his destination within minutes, and looked out over the city.
It was certainly large, but by no means the largest around, and looking out over the city below him, he was hit with a small pang of upset that he couldn’t quite place.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes against the breeze as it ruffled his hair.
He didn’t hate it here.
He wasn’t sure if he could live here.
He opened his eyes and let out the breath, watching it cloud in the air in front of him like a puff of smoke.
And he smiled despite himself as he remembered Atsumu, last winter, doing the exact same thing every chance he got.
Atsumu, talking with that glint in his eyes, that drive and fire, about the sport he loved.
Atsumu, grinning and laughing and sticking his tongue out to catch snowflakes.
Atsumu, bringing dinner over to Bokuto and Akaashi’s apartment, after which he and Kita had slipped up to this very rooftop, intermittent clouds allowing the stars and moon to play peekaboo above them as the pair talked softly, for far longer than Kita had intended.
Atsumu.
Atsumu.
Kita pulled a small acorn out of his pocket without another thought, and brought it, in his cupped hands up to his mouth, letting his eyes fall shut as he whispered softly.
I miss you.
I can’t wait to see you again.
You’re so amazing.
After a long moment, Kita opened his eyes, and moved his hands in front of himself.
In them now, instead of a seed, was a small wooden songbird, its body built of seeming interwoven delicate branches, its wings built of rich green leaves, its eye sockets hollow divots filled with a soft orange glow.
“Repeat.” he said softly, and the bird chirped once before straightening up a little.
“Atsumu,” it said in his voice. “I’m in town. I have free time this week.”
He smiled at the bird as the message finished.
“That’s right. Good job. You know where to find him.” The bird chirped again, and took off from his hand, flying away, deeper into the city as he took another deep breath.
He pulled his coat a little tighter, and sat on the edge of the roof, letting his legs dangle in the open air.
Nothing to do now but wait.
And, as luck would have it, he didn’t even need to do very much of that.
Within minutes, his small creation was back in his sight, flying towards him quickly, and he raised his hand for a perch.
It alighted there, chirped once, and then Kita’s breath hitched as he heard Atsumu’s voice for the first time in nine months.
“Kita! It’s so good to hear you! I’m actually a little busy most of this week, but do you have time tonight? I was thinking we could go on a walk.”
“I’d love that.” Kita said breathlessly, briefly forgetting how his own spell worked.
And then his face warmed slightly as he cleared his throat.
He whispered to the bird for a long moment, and it chirped again.
“Repeat.” he requested.
“I have time. I’ll meet you at the park an hour before sunset.”
He nodded, and the bird flew off again.
Just as fast as the first time, though it felt a bit longer with Kita’s heart having picked up the pace in his chest, the bird returned.
“Sounds perfect! I’ll see you then.” Atsumu’s voice said
“Perfect.” Kita echoed with a smile.
He whispered to the bird again as he stood, and it laid down in his hand, curling up as if to sleep. It kept pulling in on itself more and more until, in the center of his palm, once more, was a seed.
He tucked it back into his pocket with a smile and headed inside.
-
Kita wasn’t normally one to say things like this during the winter, but he wished the sun would hurry up and set already.
He was standing at the edge of the park, as promised, and trying to keep from shifting his weight from foot to foot as his eyes roamed around him for the familiar messy blonde and dark brown hair.
And it was a little unfair, honestly, given that he’d arrived here almost a half an hour before the time they’d set, for him to feel impatient after waiting a grand total of five minutes.
It certainly wasn’t Atsumu’s fault.
As if on cue, the second Kita had the thought, a familiar voice rang out.
“You’re here!” Atsumu sounded surprised, and, as Kita’s eyes locked onto him, he realized, he looked surprised too. “Were you waiting? I thought I was early, I’m sorry!” he said quickly as he arrived in front of Kita, who was suddenly rather tongue tied.
He was bigger.
Not by much, and not any taller, they’d both already finished growing by this point, but his muscles, his arms and midsection, were fuller, more solid.
His hair was longer, but Kita doubted it was a stylistic choice and would’ve put money on it being the result of Atsumu simply being due for a haircut.
He cleared his throat.
“You were early. I was just earlier.” he managed, and Atsumu laughed, making Kita’s breath hitch again.
“Oh, good! I still hope you weren’t waiting very long.” he said. “Well, since we’re both here early, shall we go ahead and walk?” he asked, holding a hand out to Kita with a grin.
Smitten.
That was the word Akaashi had used.
Kita wordlessly took Atsumu’s bare hand in his gloved one.
It was almost painfully accurate.
“It’s cold.” he noted, increasing his grip briefly.
“Then it’s a good thing you’re holding my hand.” Atsumu returned. “And I have a better cold tolerance than you. I’m fine, really.”
“One day, that cold tolerance of yours is going to end up giving you frostbite.” Kita muttered, lacing their fingers.
“And I know you’ll be there to warm me up.”
And, well, if Atsumu kept this up, Kita wouldn’t be needing these gloves for much longer. Or his coat.
He cleared his throat.
“You shouldn’t count on that.” he managed. “Life happens.”
“It sure does. Wanna hear about what mine's been like this past year?”
“...I would like that.”
Atsumu took a deep breath as Kita looked at him out of the corner of his eye.
And oh.
Oh there was that very same glint Kita had remembered a mere few hours ago, as beautiful as ever.
-
Atsumu was of the mind that it wasn’t winter until the first snow, which had yet to fall.
That being said, today was a very, very brisk fall day.
Almost brisk enough for him to regret deciding to work out outside today.
Almost.
But right now, he was a little too focused on the task at hand to really regret starting it.
He had been going for a while now, having taken a run outside of the city, to the little training space he and Bokuto had built in the surrounding woods over the summer.
However, he had quickly decided against a more orthodox method of exercise, and scrambled up the nearest tree instead, finding it far more engaging.
And finally, after almost an hour of weaving through branches, he made his way back to the ground, breathing hard, each one creating a puff of condensation.
“Did you even bring a coat?” A familiar voice sighs from somewhere behind Atsumu, and he can’t help grinning as he turns to face it.
Kita is about ten feet away, hair hidden under a dark purple beanie, his black winter coat pulled tight around him as he frowns lightly at Atsumu with crossed arms, just a few pieces of hair sticking out from under the beanie and onto his forehead.
It’s unfairly adorable, and Atsumu almost tells him as much.
“I did.” Is what he says instead. “It’s back on top of the pullup bar, though.” he adds, and Kita sighs.
“Well, let's go get it before you get hypothermia.”
“Alright, alright, I was heading that way anyway.” Atsumu responds with a grin, and the two fall in step with each other, heading towards the small clearing. “What are you doing out here?” Atsumu asks after a moment. “I hadn’t told you where to find me, and I thought you were busy most of this week.”
Kita sighs as he stares out in the forest around them.
“I just needed to move around. Bokuto told me this area of the woods has good scenery, which it does, but I’m willing to bet it’s not the main reason he nudged me this direction.”
“Oh. Yeah, definitely not.” Atsumu laughs softly, shaking his head. “And… You don’t have to stay with me. I was going back home anyway, and I’d hate for you to cut your alone time short.”
“And I’d hate to not escort you back.” Kita returns, gaze still firmly forward, and Atsumu suddenly feels a lot warmer than he has since he left his house.
“Alright.” he manages.
They lapse into silence as they walk, and Atsumu briefly considers taking Kita’s hand.
He hated to admit how good it had felt last week, when they’d walked together, almost pressed up against each other's sides. Almost like aloe on a burn, albeit a mild one. Soothing, and kind of tingly and kind of weird but mostly really, really comforting and nice.
He tried to ignore that, ever since he’d moved out on his own, the only other time’s he’d been that close to someone else was when Bokuto got overly excited and threw an arm around his shoulders, or something like that.
Never for very long, and almost never because he specifically wanted to connect with Atsumu, simply because he was like a physical contact shark and if he went more than an hour without hugging someone, he was probably liable to keel over.
Kita, on the other hand…
Well, Atsumu still wasn’t sure how he felt about touch.
“Atsumu,” Kita started softly, and he blinked, dragging himself from his thoughts. “How much farther?”
“Mmm, about ten minutes to the equipment, and then another thirty back into town. Why?”
Kita sighed, and then stopped.
“Is something-” Atsumu started, but the words died in his throat as he watched Kita slip his jacket off.
And then he stepped in, less than a foot away from Atsumu, and draped it over his shoulders.
“You’re freezing,” he muttered as his gloved hands brush Atsumu’s neck as he adjusts the coat, and the contact alone is enough to fix the problem he just mentioned.
“You will be too.” Atsumu managed, and Kita just smiled.
“You’re sweaty. It won’t be long before that makes you even colder.”
“Then I’m getting your coat all sweaty.”
“A coat will wash much faster than you’d heal from frostbite.” Kita said as his hands, which had gently trailed down, take Atsumu’s and he frowns. “Which you seem so determined to give yourself. I can’t believe you come out in this weather.”
“It’s not even winter yet.”
“It will be in less than a week.” He gently squeezed Atsumu’s hands. “So lets go, no need to stay out in this cold any longer than we have to.”
He started walking again, and didn't let go of Atsumu’s hand.
Atsumu felt much, much warmer for all of it.
Eventually, they made their way to the clearing, and Atsumu strode ahead, grabbing his coat.
He stepped in front of Kita before he can hesitate, and tossed it around Kita’s shoulders.
Kita blinked, and Atsumu smiled.
“I got yours all sweaty,” he elaborated.
“I’m aware.” Kita laughed lightly, shaking his head.
“Yeah. So…” Atsumu exhaled. “Would you want to have dinner at my place?” Kita blinked again. “You know, that way I can get it back to you real quick. And so we can talk a little. Feels like we haven’t gotten to do too much of that so far.”
“I…would very much enjoy that.”
“Amazing!”
And in that moment, he has half a mind to lean in, not even very far, and…
Do something rather foolish.
Before he could decide, Kita took his hands again, and squeezed them gently.
“I would also very much enjoy getting out of the cold.”
“Right, right, we should get going. It looks like snow.” he cleared his throat, and they fell in step again, making their way towards the main road into the city, hand in hand the whole time, and Atsumu would swear it does more for his temperature than the coat around his shoulders, even as the sky above begins to fill with clouds.
Though, knowing it’s Kita’s certainly makes it far warmer than any of his own.
-
It had barely been three weeks since he’d arrived, and Kita was already dreading leaving, he mused as he and Atsumu made their way back into the city, the sky above a rapidly darkening solid gray as the winter sun set, threatening snow.
Though, the slightly oversized coat around his shoulders was doing a more than adequate job keeping him warm, for more than one reason.
Atsumu’s hand was still in his as he talked, as he had been for just about the whole walk, about his upcoming competitions and training.
All of it was rather making Kita regret the current arrangement.
But there was little to do about that now, as they arrived in front of the door to Atsumu’s place.
“I’m gonna go get cleaned up, but make yourself at home.” Atsumu said as they stepped in, slipping his shoes off. Kita nodded, beginning to glance around as Atsumu headed off.
It wasn’t a very big place, and, truth be told, didn’t look terribly lived in.
Walking around the living area revealed only a few small personal trinkets and decorations as well as a couch and a slightly cluttered small table with a few mugs on it.
And he almost kept looking, almost wound his way through the whole place, this new window into Atsumu.
Instead, he sat on the couch, and pulled the seed out of his pocket.
A moment later, he was holding a small wooden songbird with white petal wings.
-
Atsumu had never washed himself or an article of clothing faster, though, admittedly, he’d say he’d never had quite as good a motivation.
Barely twenty minutes after returning home, he was leaving his room, tugging a clean shirt on, Kita’s freshly washed jacket hung up to dry.
He stepped into the living room, and there was Kita, sitting on the couch, muttering to a small, wooden bird Atsumu recognised.
“Its wings are different.” Atsumu noted as he approached, and Kita glanced up, mouth clicking shut. “What flowers do those petals come from? They’re really pretty.” he added as he reached a hand out towards the creature, which looked at it with a tilted head.
“...Snowdrops.” Kita responded after a beat. “It seemed fitting, given the weather.” he elaborated, and Atsumu grinned.
“I hope you’re right.” he said as he gently touched the bird's head, and it nuzzled into his fingers.
“I’m not sure I do. Were you expecting me to stay over if it ends up a blizzard out there?” Kita asked, and it almost sounded amused.
Teasing, ever so slightly.
“If you wanted to.” Atsumu returned, grin widening.
Kita stilled a little, staring down at the bird on his hand as it ruffled its petal wings, showing off layers Atsumu hadn’t even realized it had.
“...Let’s hope the acute need doesn’t arise.” he said, clearing his throat after a beat.
“...Lets get dinner, if nothing else.” Atsumu returned.
Kita nodded, carefully placing the bird on his shoulder as he stood.
“What were you thinking?”
“That I’d go steal something from ‘Samu.” Atsumu responded with a grin.
Kita sighed, taking the bird off his shoulder.
“Lets at least give him some warning.”
“Man, it’s way harder if he’s expecting me.”
“I would’ve assumed someone like you would welcome the challenge.” Kita returned with a small smile.
Atsumu returned it.
“Never said I didn’t.”
-
Atsumu arrived outside Osamu’s restaurant twenty minutes later, Kita’s bird, with a message he hadn’t allowed Atsumu to hear, had gotten a ten minute head start and undoubtedly already warned his brother.
Still, on principle, he was going to try.
He made his way to the back, and found a window cracked. It was a little too obvious. He kept going until he was at the backdoor, which was locked.
He grinned, and set about getting it open, having no particular skill with locks in general, but more than a little experience with these locks in particular.
A few moments later, the door creaked open, and Atsumu slipped in.
“If you do that one more time, you’re paying for the replacement locks, ‘Tsumu.” Osamu called from off to Atsumu’s left, the kitchen area. “And your boyfriend gave me a heads up, just come grab your food and get outta my hair so I can leave before the weather gets bad.” he added.
“Kita’s not my boyfriend.” Atsumu responded as he closed the back door and headed to the kitchen.
“Coulda fooled me. And just about anyone else who sees you two together. Or knows either of you.” Osamu glanced up and raised an eyebrow as Atsumu arrived in the kitchen entryway. “Kita included, I’m pretty sure.”
“Nah. Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“He takes his time. I don’t mind waiting.”
“Since when?” Osamu snorted. “You move faster than lightning when you want something.”
“Maybe when it’s a thing, that’s true, ‘Samu.” Atsumu scoffed. “But Kita’s a person. And, despite what some people think, I am capable of respect and patience.”
Osamu stopped his work and glanced back up at Atsumu.
“Who are you and where’s my brother.” he deadpanned, and Atsumu rolled his eyes.
“I’m serious.”
“Does he know that?”
“That wasn’t what I meant.”
“I know.”
“...I’m gonna talk to him tonight, see what he thinks.”
“Then go do that. Like now. I wanna get home before it starts snowing.” Osamu straightened up and shoved some paper containers at him. “And make sure he gets this too.” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden bird with solid white wings, which quickly flitted out of his hand and alighted on Atsumu’s shoulder.
“Well, I’d say I’ve managed to rob you blind.” Atsumu laughed as he spun on his heel and hurried towards the door.
“Oh you wish!” Osamu called after him. “He sent money with the bird!”
Atsumu just laughed again, louder as he darted out of the back, already planning how he’d steal the money back, and knowing Osamu knew that.
The sky above him continued to darken as he made his way home, and all he could think was how close it had finally gotten to winter.
The bird on his shoulder nestled in a little closer, in the collar of his jacket, its wooden talons rough and its petal wings soft against his skin.
-
Atsumu’s absence only made the slight desire to go through everything Kita could get his hands on stronger.
He didn’t let himself, of course, and instead had spent the time clearing the small living room table so they’d have somewhere to eat.
Once he’d finished, he found himself slightly antsy. He knelt on the floor and laced his fingers together, staring down into his hands.
He felt the tell tale prickling, a strange sensation between a tickle and an itch, in the very center of his palms. The space between them began to shift, to shimmer and glow, ever so slightly, and he closed his eyes.
A long moment later, something very familiar feeling fell into his hand, settling against his laced fingers. He took a deep breath, and opened his eyes.
And there it was, a small seed, similar in size and shape to the one Kita had sent off around a half hour ago.
Though, this was a little different.
It was a soft brown instead of black, and instead of largely smooth, its surface was carved with grooves, almost like a walnut.
For a brief moment, he considered speaking.
And then he exhaled and shifted the seed to his left hand as he stood.
No.
It wasn’t his to speak to.
Not yet.
He settled himself on the couch, absently rolling the seed in his palm, feeling, thankfully, less antsy. But the tension that had settled over him when he arrived in the city, the low grade worry, stayed right with him.
-
As ready as Atsumu was for it to be winter, he had to admit he was grateful the snow stayed in the clouds above for his whole trek home, food cradled to his chest,.
He arrived at the front door, and as he was beginning to consider how to open it with his hands full, it swung inward of its own accord.
“That was fast.” Kita noted.
“I was well motivated.”
“I meant for your brother. He likes to keep you waiting if I remember correctly.”
Atsumu laughed at that as he stepped inside and kicked his shoes off.
“Usually. But he wouldn’t wanna keep you waiting, so,” he shrugged.
“Let me help you with that.” Kita responded, taking the food out of Atsumu’s hands.
“Lets eat in the living room,” Atsumu called after him as he slipped his coat off.
“Alright.”
It wasn’t until Atsumu entered the living room, and Kita gave him a slightly strange look, staring at his shoulder, that Atsumu realized the wooden bird had stayed on his shoulder.
He reached up and gently touched its wings.
“I can’t believe I haven’t asked, but, does it have a name?”
“Oak. I don’t think you’ve seen it, but it’s what the seed looks like.”
“Seed?”
Kita smiled, and raised his hand.
The small bird ruffled its feathers a bit, and took off, alighting on it.
“Rest.” he said.
The bird lowered its head, pulled its wings in, and seemed to shrink, to compress, until, sure enough, all that remained was what looked like a small acorn, resting in the center of Kitas palm.
“Whoa.” Atsumu breathed. “Thats amazing.”
“It’s…a natural ability some have. Now, let's eat. I know you’re hungry after running around so much today.”
And Atsumu didn’t need to be told twice.
Within moments, the pair were sitting at the table, Atsumu attacking his food with a hint more vigor than Kita.
A bit more than he’d meant to, in fact, because the next thing Atsumu knew, it had been about fifteen minutes, he was staring at an empty container, Kita was giving him a small smile somewhere between fond and exasperated, and not a word had been said between them since they’d started eating.
“You really were hungry.” Kita noted. “And your brother's food is as good as ever. Give him my compliments next time you see him.”
“Aww, no, he gets so annoying when people compliment him.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage.”
“...Fine. But only because it's you asking.” Atsumu sighed as he stood, and he and Kita quickly cleaned up from the meal.
Which was when Atsumu realized something.
“Wait a minute, I forgot to show you around!” he cried, making Kita jump a little.
“C’mon, let me show you my room.” Atsumu reached out, grabbing Kitas hand, and rushed down the hall. “It’s not a big place, so you’ve seen most of it, except for this,” he said as he pushed the door open and they stepped in.
-
It was small.
Kita knew it had to be, given the size of the rest of the building, but it was still his first thought.
There was a window on the far wall, and a desk under it cluttered with papers and books. There was a half closed closet off to the left, in which Kita could see his jacket drying. There was a bookshelf, overflowing with more trinkets and drawing than books, and a dresser, the top of which had an array of toys, plush and wooden, next to each other off to the right.
“It’s mostly for any work I need to do,” Atsumu noted from beside him. “I sleep in here sometimes, though. The curtains are better at blocking light than the living room ones, so if I wanna sleep in I set up in here.” Kita hummed, a question that he wasn’t sure he wanted to ask sitting on the tip of his tongue.
And then he noticed something he had missed, in the window sill.
A shard of colorful broken glass, pale blue and purple.
“You kept that?” he said without meaning to, and Atsumu laughed, going all the way into the room, and scooping it up.
“This?” he asked, and Kita nodded. “Sure did! I got the edges a little smoothed out so, hopefully no more cuts, but…yeah, I liked it. It’s pretty. Makes me think of you.”
Kita’s left hand absently touched the small scar on the back of his right as he remembered the day they met, broken vase and all.
“I’ve got a bunch of stuff in here, lets see,” Atsumu headed to the shelf. “This is a cool rock Bo found at the beach that he gave me, this is an old trophy from a competition, this is a flower I took from a vase when Osamu was opening his restaurant that I pressed, don’t tell him I have it,” he started, grinning as he reminisced, picking up each object as he told Kita about it.
And it felt…like a lot more than a tour of his room.
If the way he kept looking back at Kita, slightly tense in an almost nervous way was any indication, he was feeling the same.
“And this is snowflake, my parents got her for me for the solstice when I was a kid,” he finished, picking up a stuffed rabbit that had probably at one point been white, but though age and play had turned more of a cream color.
“I have one similar.” Kita managed.
“Really?” Kita nodded.
“Mine’s gray, though. I called him Ash.”
Atsumu laughed.
“I guess we're both pretty descriptive namers, huh?” he said as he returned the plush to the shelf.
“I suppose so.”
“Well, that’s everything in here, and we’ve had dinner. So, I guess that leaves that talking I said I wanted to do.”
“I suppose it does.”
“Living room?”
“Sure.” This time, Kita took Atsumu’s hand as the pair returned to the living room.
They sat, and Kita became acutely aware of the seed in his pocket.
SIlence tried to creep in, and for once, Kita found himself the one denying it.
“What did you want to talk about?” he managed.
“Us.” Atsumu gave his hand a little squeeze. “I’m pretty sure it’s obvious by now how I feel about you.” he continued, and Kita did his best not to tense. “And it seems like you feel the same, so I figured we could be a thing. Like, a dating thing.”
“Atsumu…” Kita started, his worries having been proven accurate. “I’m only here for three months every year.”
“Yeah. Three amazing months.” Atsumu grinned.
“Are you really…are you thinking this through? I don’t want you to tie yourself to something you can’t even see most of the time.”
“I’ve thought about it. And I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want it.” he assured.
“I…” Kita looked away. “I don’t want to distract you, or pull your attention away from what you have here.”
“Oh, you already do that,” Atsumu laughed. “I think about you, like, at least a few times a week, even when you’re not here. But it’s nice. Feels good knowing…knowing that you’re out there. And that you’ll come back. That you keep coming back.”
“Atsumu…”
“You’re…grounding. You said you don’t want me to tie myself to something I can’t see, but I want to be tied to something. Ever since I got my own place, since I got a little older…I don’t know, feels like the people I used to be around aren’t around as much. But you are. Every single winter, for five years now.”
“That isn’t very many years.”
“Kita-”
“Shinsuke.”
Atsumu blinked.
“You’re giving me some mixed messages here, Shinsuke.” he managed with a tense little laugh. “But, that’s what I wanted to say. So, what do you say?”
Kita let go of Atsumu’s hand, and reached into his pocket.
“While you were getting dinner, I made something.” he said, taking Atsumu’s hand again, and rotating it palm up before setting the seed in it.
“Oh. It looks kinda like Oak.”
“I believe it’s a lot like Oak. But, regardless, it’s yours.”
“Really?” Kita nodded.
“Oak is…good at sending messages. I think yours might be too.”
Atsumu’s gaze, previously glued to the seed, whipped up to meet Kita’s.
“Really?” he repeated, and Kita nodded. “How do I do it? How do I wake it up?”
“Oak came about when I named it.”
“Well, let's keep the trend going. I think this little guy looks like a Walnut.”
As soon as the last word passed his lips, the seed in his hand shifted, grew, that same soft shimmer from earlier returning, encompassing it, until, a brief moment later, the seed was gone.
“That…is a lot bigger than Oak.” Kita noted.
Perched on Atsumu’s hand was a wooden bird. But not a songbird, a small raptor, like a scaled down kestrel, about six inches tall, with foliage wings the color of autumn leaves, and glowing white eyes.
“Ok, you look a little less like a Walnut now, but I guess you liked it.” Atsumu grinned breathlessly, beaming down at the creature.
It tilted its head, looking up at him. It opened its beak.
“If you two aren’t dating after this, you’re banned from my restaurant.” Osamu’s voice announced, and both Kita and Atusmu recoiled in surprise.
“How on earth,” Kita started, and then felt something in his pocket move.
And oh.
Oh that was right.
He reached in and gently pulled Oak out of his pocket, and the small bird ruffled its feathers briskly, in a ‘took you long enough’ way.
“Did you,” Kita muttered.
“If you two aren’t dating after this, you’re banned from my restaurant.” Osamu’s voice repeated.
“Incredible, Atsumu, I think they can-” he looked up, towards Atsumu, and found him already whispering to Walnut.
A half beat later, Oak finished adjusting its feathers, and opened its beak.
“Shinsuke, I think these two are even better at carrying messages than you thought.” Atsumus voice said, and the man himself laughed.
“I was right! This is amazing, I can’t believe-”
“How did they- what did you do?”
“I just asked Walnut to ask Oak to give you a message. And it worked!”
“This is…my magic’s never done anything so advanced before. How are they communicating with each other? What,” Kita tried, and Atsumu laughed again before whispering to Walnut.
“It’s just that amazing natural ability of yours.” Oak said in his voice a moment later.
“Atsumu, it’s a bit childish to have them do that when we’re in the same room.”
Atsumu whispered to Walnut again.
“I’m just still trying to believe it’s real.” Oak responded. “Do you think this means we can talk in real time even when you’re back at home?”
“Possibly. We won’t know until we test it.” Kita responded.
“Ah, that's true.” Atsumu conceded, not through the birds. “Either way, I’m excited to have this little dude. You'll have to teach me how to take care of it.”
Kita smiled, softening, some of the tension finally leaving him.
“Of course.”
There was a brief beat of silence, in which they both just stared at Walnut.
“You never really answered my question from earlier.” Atsumu noted. “Do you need more time?”
“Atsumu,” Kita started, gently touching Oak’s back. “It’s not that I don’t want to. We both know how much we mean to each other. I just want us to be cautious, and I would hate you doing something you end up regretting because of me.” he sighed, and then whispered to Oak.
“But,” Walnut said in his voice. “You seem determined. And I’m fully willing.”
Atsumu blinked.
“Really?” he managed, breathlessly.
“Would I say it if I didn’t mean it?”
“No. You definitely wouldn’t.” Atsumu broke out into a broad grin before surging forward, as though to hug Kita.
He stopped short though, and tensed slightly.
“Sorry, could I-”
Kita interrupted him by surging forward himself, making Atsumu yelp in surprise, though it quickly melted into a bright laugh, Oak and Walnut both taking off in surprise.
Atsumu wrapped his arms around Kita, and hugged him like his life depended on it.
After a long beat, he shifted his head, and looked out the window.
He smiled, and laughed softly.
“Look at that, it’s finally winter.”
Kita followed his gaze, and noted the white flakes lazily drifting down outside.
“Welcome back.” he said, and Kita softened, smiling down at him.
“I’ve missed it.”
“Will you be staying the night?”
“Well, I can’t imagine I’d leave in this weather.”