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Atsumu slowly unfurls his honey colored petals and blinks open his eyes, looking at his surroundings. Before him, is a street with these.. these shiney boxes moving along the black asphalt and small people walking besides them. His gaze travels back up, looking above from where he sits, at the sky, and his leaves flutter in the slight wind as he closes his eyes and enjoys the warmth of the air around him.
He senses movement behind him, followed by a noise of something opening, and then he’s suddenly lifted in the air. The light from outside dims as it disappears from his sight and he sags, wanting to go back to his small ledge outside of the window.
The person holding him sets Atsumu onto a table, before sitting on the edge of the seat in front of him. The man eyes him silently for a moment before shrugging and leaning back. “Kita-san was right. You did turn out fairly well.” The golden flower ruffles his petals, slightly miffed and turns his head to the side, looking back at the window longingly. His caretaker leans forward again and picks the plant up, running his opposite hand through his parted dark brown hair as he carries him further into the apartment.
They stop and there’s the sound of running water, causing the small goldenrod to perk up. After a couple of seconds, water starts to spread through the soil and quickly, he soaks up the liquids through his roots and shivers in delight. A minute goes by, the water is shut off and he’s being carried back to his spot on the ledge.
The window shuts behind him and Atsumu sighs softly and looks back up at the sky, absorbing the sunlight, his eyes falling shut once more.
🌼~ ^ ^ ~ 🐝
Kiyoomi searches through the streets, trying to both find his way back to his hive and find a final flower to collect pollen from. His atenas twitch slightly to the left and he sees a singular yellow flower sitting in front of a dark window. He eyes the plant for a moment before turning towards it, the distance between the two of them shrinking with each passing second.
When the honey bee reaches the Goldenrod flower, he lands on the outer edge of the pot, not wanting to startle the plant. “Hello...?” He buzzes. The plant remains unmoving and Kiyoomi huffs, stepping forwards, standing in the damp soil as he regards the plant critically. His eyes travel along the greens of his stem and leaves. Very healthy. His feet sink into the soft dirt. Recently watered . His gaze falls onto the flowers' bright yellow petals. Recently bloomed? The petals are fairly light, so they mustn’t be accustomed to sunlight yet… He sighs and lets out a loud, irritated buzz, causing the flower to jerk awake.
The honey bee takes a step back from the flower and looks up into the wide, blinking eyes gazing down at him. After a couple of moments of staring at another, Kiyoomi speaks. “Is it alright if I collect some of your nectar for my hive.” The Goldenrod hums, hesitating for a second and then bobs his pistil, responding happily. “Sure! But first, I’d like ta know what yer name is!” Kiyoomi jumps into the air and settles softly onto the yellow petals, and slowly makes his way to the center. “Kiyoomi. My name is Kiyoomi.”
The flower somewhat shivers from the bee’s touch. “Key.. oom.. ee.” He rolls the insect's name in his mouth, as if savoring the sound. “May I call ya Omi-kun? Though it may be nice, Kiyoomi’s nice and all but it’s a bit of mouthful.” The bee’s response is immediate, as he carefully lines his mouth with the nectaries. “No.” The plant isn’t put off by his tone and continues. “Omi-Omi than! My name’s Atsumu.” Kiyoomi rolls his eyes and finally latches onto the flower and starts sucking out small mouthfuls of nectar.
They stay like that for a couple of moments before Kiyoomi pulls away and flies back down to the warm soil, his feet now yellow from the other’s pollen. The bee clears his throat and looks up at the flower looking down at him. “Thank you. I’ll be on my way now.” Atsumu frowns slightly as Kiyoomi starts to fly away and he calls out, “Would ya be back tomorrow?” Again, the answer is immediate and flat. “No.”
But he does. Again and again. “ I’m just collecting pollen,” he says, repeatedly. And Atsumu smiles widely,going along with it, and doesn’t say anything when he ends up staying for several hours before going off to collect more pollen.
🌼 ~ ^ ^ ~ 🐝
As the summer goes on, and the days get hotter, Atsumu starts to wilt. “Omi-Omi... Suna-san forgot to water me again...” Kiyoomi perches himself anxiously at his usual spot on the edge of the pot. “Don’t worry, Tsumu. I feel a long rain coming within the next couple of days. You’ll be able to get water then.” The plant arches his stem forward and smiles weakly. “Alright, Omi. I believe you.”
Days pass and there still isn’t any sign of the promised rain shower, and the sun continues to shine as brightly as ever. The edges of the Goldenrods leaves are starting to turn brown and his golden petals crispen. His stem leans forwards further as his strength wanes from the inside out. The bee can see how much pain he’s in and yet Atsumu continues to act like nothing's the matter. Like his caretaker Suna-san hasn’t abandoned him for over a week. Like he isn’t slowly dying in the heat.
Oh how Kiyoomi wants to sting that man… but no. He has to be there for his friend.
For some reason, his heart lurches when he thinks of the word friend being referenced to Atsumu, but he mentally shakes his head, shoving down the feeling deep inside of him, and puts his attention back onto the flower before him. The flower that’s been neglected by his owner for a week and a half. The weeds underneath the bees feet are soft and they successfully mask the hot sting of the bone dry dirt on the sensitive underside of his front feet. Kiyoomi studies the plants’ downturned face. The closed eyes and pained frown that covers the bottom part of his face, unbeknownst by the wearer himself. The small brown sun spots that litters his face.
The frown turns upwards slightly, as if he can feel Kiyoomi’s intent gaze on him, and Atsumu says softly, his voice slightly rough. “Like what ya see, Omi-Omi?” The honey bee flushes slightly underneath his black and yellow fuzz, and he looks away, down at the street far below them. “And if I do?” From his peripheral vision, he can see Atsumu’s eyes fly open and his cheeks pinken, and the flower ruffles his petals carefully, wincing when they brush up against another. “That’s… good?” They fall silent again, enjoying each other's company without having to say anything. As what has become the new normal over the past week.
The sun falls lower in the sky, the light blue turning to various shades of pinks, purples and oranges, and Kiyoomi stands reluctantly. “Atsumu. I have to start heading back to my hive now.” Atsumu opens his eyes, turning his brown orbs down at him and nods, straightening as much as his stem will allow him. “Okay! You’ll be back tomorrow?” The bee nods and hovers in the air, his heart aching at the state he’s waving the other. After a moment of debate, the insect flies towards the flower and presses a small kiss to his forehead before turning and flying away.
Atsumu stares after him, mouth gaping and cheeks red, wondering why he suddenly feels so energetic. Why he’s suddenly so, so sad. When his friend is out of his sight, he slouches and closes his eyes, tiredness taking control of his body, making him unable to move any part of his body. His petals and leaves stiffen further in the sunlight, making every brush of the wind hurt so much.
Day falls to night. The stars shine bright against the dark sky, but the heat never falters. The goldenrod weakens, unable to move, and looks up at the sky in despair, wishing that his Omi was by his side again. “Only six hours… than Kiyo will be by my side once more…” He holds himself together and continues to gaze up at the sky “I think I’m in love with you, Omi. I was just always so afraid of admitting it to myself…” The stars blur together and darken as his eyes painstakingly fall shut, the darkness taking over once more.