The Visitor (Kiyoomi x Atsumu One Shot)

Final

Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu or any of its characters. All copyright belongs to their rightful owners.

I'm not sure if I've hit a new low or a new high, but it's something. This is inspired by the walls concept of data abstraction from "Data Abstraction & Problem Solving with C++: Walls and Mirrors" by Frank M. Carrano and Timothy M. Henry.

Yes, it's a college textbook, and yes, I made data abstraction cute. Deal with it because I'm losing my sanity as each day goes by that even textbooks are on the table for free therapy now. I may have or may have not written this instead of actual notes, but they're also kind of notes since I did interpret the lecture topic...

Atsumu and Kiyoomi may be OOC as I'm still finding my style of voice for them. But, I can't get them to leave my brain. In any case, I hope you guys enjoy ^^

I built my walls up for a long time, isolated on my island alone and comforted. I had no desire to leave and no interest in letting anyone else inside. Most people don't stay, only visiting for a moment and then falling away, attuned with the tide to disappear.

There's a repeat visitor. He doesn't stay either, but he always comes back. He annoyed me, always so loud and boisterous. How can a man have so much energy and positivity? He stomps around like he knows every nook and cranny.

And he peers at my walls.

The visitor never tries to pry away the bricks or claw at it like some have tried. The marks are embedded with their efforts. This one, he chooses to observe and leaves the stones unturned. And in that sense, he knows nothing.

My walls are strong, a fortress with years of sun-beaten monotony lingering in its foundation. No one holds the key to slip in between the thin slivers but me. I know which cracks I can secretly maneuver in and out of sight. But, the way he looks, it feels like his eyes are always on me no matter where I go behind the walls. He acts like they aren't even there, stripping me bare, a living Mona Lisa effect.

He's a persistent fool, this visitor. Every waking moment, I notice that's he has come again. And yet, there are those few moments where he's gone, disappearing like the others. It makes me wonder if he will return. There is new anticipation to his presence that I have no idea what it could be. Something. Anything. Everything. He makes me feel more than I ever have, and as much as I hate to admit it, I miss him.

I miss him, and there's a pang of anxiety in my heart when I see him again. It's a cement mixer grinding down the chunks into a fine powder that saturates with liquid and churning. And when he is gone, it stops, the plug pulled, and the mixer slows to a halt. The warmth is gone, and I've hardened waiting to turn again and break apart by this visitor.

I don't know if one day, I'll find him on the inner side of my walls with me leading him by the hand. But, I want to take him there. I want to bring him inside, but I'm not ready yet. I think he knows that, too, and it's why he keeps coming.

The visitor is... A friend. He's a friend who isn't here to break down my walls to set me free. He respects that my freedom lies within me, and he listens to what I have to say. He encourages me to be strong in my own skills. He's confident that he can improve his skills to match mine, knows that I can improve to match his. And beyond it all, he seems to know me better than I know myself sometimes.

The walls will always be there, strong and looming over the horizons around me. But, the visitor doesn't mind them. He likes them, I think. He accepts that and for that, I don't want to live without him.

***

"Omi-Omi! We got to hurry! If we're late, they'll put us in the loser bracket for the 2v2 practice matches. I'm too broke to treat the others. But if we win, we have free reign to choose dinner!" I turned towards Atsumu who was rushing to get into his shorts, somehow stumbling across his own socks. Who puts socks on before their shorts?

"Does it even matter?" I asked. "I end up paying whenever we lose anyway."

"Then, we won't lose," Atsumu stated proudly. I glared at him as he finally popped both legs through and shimmied the fabric up across his buttocks. "You've been working on that new spike, right? I think only Hinata noticed besides me, so we might have to be wary of him. I think he's partnering up with Adriah, so he might catch on. Either way, it'll be fun. So, let's get going! I'll grab some water bottles and head out. Meet you by the elevator!" And with that, he scrambled off. I heard him rummage in the fridge before his footsteps echoed and softened into silence. I took a moment to take a deep breath before writing one last thing.

***

The visitor. He's waiting for me now, and I'm going to venture outside my walls today. And at the end of the day, he'll walk me back, pausing at the wall and will meet me again when it's time.

***

I tucked away my journal and shoved it back under my pillow. Making sure I had everything, I did a once over to make sure we didn't leave any lights on around the dorm room and headed out after him. Through the hallways, I could hear Atsumu laughing and behind my mask, it brought a smile to my face, even though he wouldn't see it this time. When he was here, the world didn't seem so overwhelming.

Against all odds, I was happy to face it with Atsumu.