Dancing Around • Sakuatsu •

High

In the days that followed the night of revelations and shared vulnerabilities, a palpable shift settled between Atsumu and Sakusa. It wasn't a change that one could pinpoint with certainty, but rather a subtle undercurrent of tension that lingered beneath the surface. For Atsumu, it marked the onset of a silent struggle, a personal battle that threatened to engulf him in its unforgiving grip.

The realization that he had laid bare the darkest corners of his heart to Sakusa left Atsumu feeling exposed, vulnerable in a way he hadn't anticipated. The weight of his own admission hung heavy on his shoulders, a constant reminder of the tangled emotions he grappled with. Fear, self-doubt, and a gnawing sense of unworthiness took residence within him, threatening to suffocate any semblance of peace.

In an attempt to regain control, Atsumu embarked on a path of self-imposed isolation. He avoided the places where he knew Sakusa would be, sidestepping the black-haired man with practiced precision. The training gym, once a sanctuary of camaraderie, became a haunting reminder of the shared intimacy that had unfolded between them.

The very presence of Sakusa, once a source of comfort, now elicited a complex mix of emotions in Atsumu – a volatile concoction of desire, fear, and the haunting question of what came next. Each stolen glance, each accidental brush of their hands, sent ripples of uncertainty through Atsumu's conflicted heart.

As days turned into nights, Atsumu found solace in his own solitude, a cruel refuge that echoed with the deafening silence of self-reflection. The turmoil within him manifested in sleepless nights and the relentless interrogation of his own feelings. What did it mean to be entangled in such emotions for someone he considered a friend, a confidant, a potential lover?

The doubt festered, evolving into a corrosive self-loathing that gnawed at the edges of Atsumu's consciousness. He questioned the legitimacy of his own emotions, convincing himself that it was a mere illusion – a fleeting desire that should be dismissed. The weight of societal expectations, the fear of judgment, and the uncertainty of reciprocation became formidable barriers, trapping Atsumu in a cage of his own making.

In his moments of solitude, Atsumu grappled with the possibility that he had irreversibly altered the dynamics of their friendship. The fear of losing Sakusa, not only as a potential romantic partner but as a dear friend, haunted Atsumu's every waking moment.

The volleyball court, once a battlefield where they fought side by side, now bore witness to Atsumu's internal struggle. The echoes of spiked balls and scuffing sneakers mingled with the hushed whispers of doubt that reverberated within him. Would Sakusa see him differently now? Would their friendship crumble under the weight of unspoken desires?

As the days unfolded, the chasm between Atsumu and Sakusa widened, fueled by Atsumu's desperate attempts to navigate the labyrinth of his own emotions. He became a ghost in Sakusa's periphery, a fading presence that elicited a sense of loss – a void that Sakusa couldn't quite comprehend.

In the quiet corners of his mind, Atsumu yearned for resolution. The uncertainty, the self-imposed isolation, and the constant questioning threatened to unravel the very fabric of his being. Yet, the fear of facing the truth, of confronting the tangled mess of emotions that bound them together, held him captive in a self-imposed purgatory.

The unspoken tension lingered, casting a shadow over their once-unbreakable bond. Sakusa, unaware of the storm raging within Atsumu, found himself grappling with the growing distance. He sensed a shift but couldn't quite grasp the magnitude of the emotional tempest that threatened to consume his friend.

As the days turned into weeks, Atsumu's retreat became a silent plea for understanding. A desperate attempt to reconcile the intricacies of his heart with the reality of a friendship teetering on the precipice of something unknown.