March 16

Atsumu's eyes widen.

"What?"

"I need to go home back to Keiji," Hikari repeats and looks towards the direction of town. "I don't know how to explain it, but I feel his sadness." Tapping her chest, she then clutches the fabric of her dress. "He needs me right now."

Atsumu was beyond stunned and speechless; it was moving all too quickly for him. Millions of thoughts and questions run through his head like never before. He never had to contemplate this much about something. Life was usually simple for the fox. Protect the forest, aid the forest, and maintain balance in the forest. Those were his purposes in life; it was clear and that's why he never had to question his decisions—besides what he should eat for dinner.

Then all of a sudden, a ball of light comes storming into his life and he starts developing feelings he had never felt before and never knew he could feel. Over the past few days, Atsumu's desire to fulfill a new purpose flourished.

"Atsumu-san," Hikari calls out, breaking Atsumu from his thoughts.

"H-huh?"

Tugging on his shirt, Hikari gives some puppy eyes.

"Can you take me home?"

Staring into her eyes, Atsumu's heart dropped to his stomach.

"But what about here? Can't this be your home? I thought you liked it here? What about me? When I'm with you, my soul is at its highest! Can't you just stay with me?" is what he wanted to say. Instead, Atsumu silently nods.

Monotonically, he says, "I will, first thing tomorrow."

Climbing down the tree, the both return back to a meadow where the two lay against a tree underneath the stars. It had been silent between the two since then until Atsumu finally built the courage to speak.

"Hikari-chan, why was I your first love?"

Her ears flush pink and Hikari embarrassingly turns to look at the boy besides her.

"H-huh? I thought I already told you, Atsumu-san," she says as she plays with her favorite strand of hair. Seeing her do so brings a smile on his lips.

"I just want to hear it again." He shrugs and looks at the sky. "I've never been told I was someone's first love."

Her face returns to its normal shade and she relaxes her muscles.

"Well, you were my first love because when I needed someone the most, you were there," she starts, "you heard my cries when no one else could and stayed beside me when I was most afraid. You could've left me be or even hurt me for all I know. Instead, you quietly comforted me by allowing me to fall asleep in your warm embrace even though I could clearly feel you were uncomfortable, haha—" Hikari stops in the middle of her sentence to turn to look at Atsumu who turns to look at her as well. "You were my first love, Miya Atsumu but beyond that, you are truly a blessing from God. Besides helping the forest, I can definitely say you have helped me. I'm thankful for meeting you, Atsumu-san. Thank you for sharing your warmth with me."

Staring back at her, Atsumu felt his heart clench as he lifted his hand to caress her cheek. There was so much he wanted to say and do with her still. He wanted to tell her his feelings he had for her and all of the excitement and energy he experienced when she was by his side. Instead, his hand falls from her cheek and he turns into original form.

"Let's go to sleep, Hikari-chan. You have a big day tomorrow, okay?"

Confused, Hikari just nods and lays her back against Atsumu's body.

"Goodnight, Hikari-chan."

Not wanting to sleep just yet, Hikari combs through his fur.

"Atsumu-san."

"Yes?"

"I'm so glad I met you," she tiredly whispers as her eyes droop, "show me more amazing things you do in the forest next time, okay?"
Behind his lips, Atsumu's teeth clench and his heart breaks.

"Sure, Hikari-chan," he mutters between his clenched teeth. However, deep inside, he knew that there was going to be no next time.

Instantly, Hikari falls asleep; however, Atsumu waits another hour before gently lifting her body over his. Carefully, Atsumu silently walks through the forest with Hikari on his back until he reaches the edge of the forest. Looking at the house before him, he makes sure the coast is clear until he quickly runs towards the porch and nicely sets her body down.

Staring at her sleeping face, he sighs and pushes a strand of her hair away from her cheek with his nose.

On the other side of the door, Akaashi is still up at 2am with a million thoughts going through his head.

'Why do I love her?' Akaashi and Atsumu ask themselves.

(To make it less confusing, underline is Atsumu's thought and italicize is Akaashi's thoughts)

'I felt more vibrant around her, as if I had an unlimited amount of fire within me.'

'I felt more confident around her, as if I could do anything.'

Their thoughts follow each other in sync.

'Her hair smells nice whenever I would sit behind her back in high school.'

'Her hand is soft whenever I hold it to show her new things.'

'Her hands were much smaller than mine.'

'Her hair looked softer than my fur.'

'With you, I didn't have to worry about feeling alone,' they both think and sigh.

'But the little things,' the two unanimously think together, 'the way she plays with her hair and looks down when she's nervous, the way her eyes gleam and pupils dilate when she's excited and talks about the things she loves, or when her body twitches every 30minutes in her sleep and in order to stop her, she needs to hold something.'

Akaashi looks down at his hands as Atsumu looks down at the sleeping beauty.

"All of the little things she does make me love her even more and without her, my soul feels incomplete," they both whisper.

Unwillingly, Atsumu removes his paw from her hand and backs away.

"I wanted to spend more time with you, Hikari-chan—every day with you—and I wanted to tell you how I feel," he whispers, "but if I did, I wouldn't be able to give you back to who your soul is connected with."

That sentence made him want to cry because even though her soul had become one with Akaashi's, Atsumu's soul was connected with Hikari's ever since that snowy night.

"Goodbye, my little ball of light and my first love."

Rubbing his face against her cheek one last time, Atsumu knocks on the back door before running back behind the tall trees.

Jumping from his seat, Akaashi walks towards the back sliding door before hesitantly opening it. Looking around, he doesn't see anything before he looks down to see his sleeping wife.

"H-Hikari?!" Akaashi gasps and instantly falls onto the ground to hug the other half of his soul. "Hikari," he cries as he hugs her body against his and digs his face into her neck.

Before Atsumu had brought Hikari back home, he had prayed another prayer for his ball of light. He prayed for Hikari to not wake up until morning and for her to have a good and healthy life without him there until the end of her time.

From afar, as Atsumu watches Akaashi carry his first love into the house, he sighs and turns around to go back into the forest.

"I wanted to fulfill one more purpose," he says to himself, "it was to take care of you."

A/N:

🥺
Were you expecting that?
I—
I had to do it.
But let me know if this chapter was confusing at all please. I don't know if I achieved what I was trying to say and portray; so, if it gets confusing at any parts, just tell me.

Thanks bbs! I hope you are enjoying it so far! 💗

Date: 23 November 2020