My Precious Cargo ⚔ Volume 2 (An AtsuKage ff) ✔

XXIII

"He's taking too long." Atsumu turned to his brother, the crew restless behind him. 

Ushijima had returned an hour ago without Tobio and refused to answer any questions Inarizaki had. When they attempted to head into the caves they were stopped with several swords and glares, daring them to go further. Ushijima told them to wait, and they could do nothing but that.

"We could fight them." suggested Suna. "If we just take a few of them you can slip in when no-one's watching." 

Atsumu considered it, but knew beyond his pride that Shiratorizawa were excellent fighters and would always have their eyes on him. He also knew fighting was the coward's option, and despite the faith in his crew he wouldn't want to do anything that could harm his love.

"Ushijima." He walked over to the Captain, ignoring the questioning looks from his family. "It's been an hour. What's going on, ey?"

"It is not for you to know." Ushijima replied vaguely, and returned to looking blankly into the distance. 

"Are you not concerned that something has gone wrong with the prophecy, if he hasn't yet emerged?" asked Kita, joining Atsumu's side.

"Aye, I'd wanna check on that." Osamu joined in.

Atsumu didn't crack under Ushijima's intense gaze, Tendou's curious one or Semi's untrusting one. He was rewarded when Ushijima said he would check, but only Miya was allowed to follow. So, with a gun at his back, he was guided into the caves, winding through a maze of tunnels as they reached deeper into the mountains.

Atsumu felt worry crawling up his spine, making him shiver involuntarily in the already cold air. The walls slowly became damp, and he wondered just how far they had travelled. At last, Ushijima directed him into a giant cave, an expanse of rock that never ended. Yet this rock was glistening with blue sapphires embedded throughout, their light giving him a view of the whole expanse. 

A mass of blue on the rock above drew his attention, and he hoped Tobio was there. When he reached it he saw a pool with water so blue it almost seemed unreal. But this wasn't what captured his attention, no, it was the figure that grew smaller and smaller at the bottom of the lake, one that was all too familiar.

"Tobio!" he yelled, eyes wide with shock and panic. 

In an instant he took off his coat, holsters, hat and boots. Ignorant of Ushijima's warnings, he told him to go and get help before he dived in after the Prince, willing his arms and legs to move fast after his disappearing love. The water was cold and nipped at his skin, but it was nothing to the great storms they had battled on deck. Nothing would stop him from reaching Tobio.

As he got closer he could see the bubbles coming from Tobio's mouth, and dread fuelled him to go faster before too much water filled the boy's lungs. He reached forwards and grabbed onto Tobio's shirt, pulling the boy up towards him with difficulty before swimming up to the surface.

He broke the surface with a gasp, inhaling air greedily as he dragged both himself and Tobio back onto land. He ripped Tobio's shirt apart and leaned down to listen for a breath, but the still chest was an obvious sign and so he began compressions, something he learned from Omi that could expell water from someone's lungs. 

"Come on Tobio, come on. Stay with me. Come on, please. Breathe, breathe dammit!"

Tobio was pale, still, and cold, lips a fading pink and eyes shut. He didn't move, not a twitch of the eye nor finger despite Atsumu's efforts and his pleads for him to wake up. Atsumu tried to see through the tears welling up in his eyes, but he had to rub them as they stung from the harsh light of the cave.

"You are in pain, child." A woman's voice rang out, the pirate falling still in shock. "You are in pain because of the boy."

Looking up Atsumu saw a beautiful woman, a spirit or a goddess of sorts. Her eyes seemed to hold the sea, and she looked down at Tobio with a smile which angered him.

"Sea goddess."

"Indeed."

"What did you do to him?" he growled out, casting a desperate look down at Tobio's lifeless body. 

"His sacrifice gave me my freedom. He has done a deed for which I am eternally grateful."

"If yer so grateful then bring him back!"

"It cannot be."

"Then make it be! Please, you're a goddess aren't ya? Do something!"

The sea goddess saw the tears on the man's face, and she knew they should not be there as he looked down at Tobio, but rather a smile of fondness and joy.

"Do you love him?" she asked the man, and Atsumu paused his pleads to answer with no hesitation in his tone.

"Aye, with everything I have and ever will have. I cannot live without him."

"I see... Then I cannot let a wounded soul sail my seas."

She smiled at him before the light burned his eyes. He blinked and in an instant the goddess was gone, the jewels losing their glow before vanishing. Once he registered her words he looked back down at Tobio, carefully took hold of one of his hands and asked him once more to wake up.

"Please love, please come back to me."

One short intake of breath became two, then three, then continuous until Tobio's eyes blinked open, gaze weary and dazed. The pressure in his lungs was too much, and he tilted his head as he coughed up water. A warm hand was on his shoulder and he was pulled into a warm chest, warm and safe and home.

Tobio let his head fall against the warm chest, blinking slowly at the rapid heartbeat by his ear. He could hear someone speaking in the distance, but he couldn't make out what they were saying, blood and water still rushing in his head. 

"... -bio? Tobio! Hey, Tobio, love, are you okay?!"

Atsumu. That was Atsumu's voice. He was here with him. He was safe. But wasn't he in the water? He recalls feeling cold, it was dark. He still feels cold and the darkness hasn't left his vision; instead it called to him, fuelling his fatigue. He was so, so tired. He wanted to rest his eyes...

"Tobio! Hey, stay awake-... ple-..."

Tobio embraced the darkness this time, letting himself drift away into peaceful nothingness.