Thread by @VivaLaBratLife

#ushisakuatsu prompt!
I was asked to make this one really hurt, so here we go :)

CW: angst, natural disasters, open ending

"To- Toshi? Are ya -ere?"

Ushijima could barely make the words out of the poor connection of the call. The loud noises on both ends didn't help either.

"Atsumu? Atsumu baby, where are you?"

He knew there was desperation in his voice. He could barely hear his own thoughts with his heartbeat so loud in his ears, but he needed to hear him.

He needed to know Atsumu was okay. That he would stay okay, and be safe in his arms soon.

"Atsumu, please-"

"'M 'ere, Toshi. Is Omi with ya?"

Ushijima couldn't tell how much of the tremor in his voice could be blamed on the faulty signal.

"No, not yet. But I just spoke to him, he's in the building somewhere so he should be here soon. Atsumu, where are you?"

" -ood. 'M so glad, Toshi."

It was hard to know for sure with so much background noise, but he almost heard a sniffle on the other end.

That was enough to send him into a full-blown panic.

"Atsumu, please. Please, just tell me where you are. Kiyoomi and I can-"

"No! No, ya two need ta stay put, 'kay? 'M almost- ere." That was definitely a sniffle. "Swear I'm almost-"

Ushijima squeezed his eyes shut and clutched the phone closer to his face. "Where."

A sob made its way through the line. "Hatchobori."

That. That was not close.

There was no way Atsumu could be there and be ‘almost’ where he was. They both knew that.

"You-" Ushijima tried to get past the lump in his throat. "You need to find somewhere else. You need to find somewhere safe that's closer to you, Atsumu-"

"'M- I'm trying," Atsumu choked out. "'M trying Toshi, I really am."

Ushijima could hear his lover panting over the line. Just to think of him running around those streets with everything that was going on was making him sick.

Everything had been fine this morning. Incredible, even.

It was one of the rare occasions when they were all in Tokyo and could wake up next to each other.

Knowing what he did now, Ushijima would’ve given anything for his partners to have been anywhere else.

“Wakatoshi!”

Hearing Kiyoomi’s voice among the loud screaming in the room felt like a miracle.

He barely looked up before he felt another body clashing on his. “Kiyoomi-”

They were both holding onto each other with all the strength they had, but not for a second did Ushijima lose his tight grip on his phone. Kiyoomi took one deep breath with his face buried on the taller man’s neck, and leaned back to look at the other’s face.

He noticed the phone. “Is that Atsumu? Is he meeting us here?”

Ushijima felt his eyes burning for the first time that day.

Which should be surprising, considering they got the first earthquake warnings about an hour ago. It started not even thirty minutes after that. Looking at Kiyoomi’s dry eyes, he was not the only one whose shock had taken priority over tears.

“He’s- He’s too far.” He didn’t stop to wait for Kiyoomi’s reaction, instead turning his attention back to the call. “Atsumu? Are you there yet? Did you find somewhere secure enough?”

Kiyoomi covered his mouth with his hands once he understood what was going on.

Just three hours ago, they had their goodbye kisses before each went about their day around the city.

Ushijima had a family event. Kiyoomi had a brand photoshoot. Atsumu decided to explore and find a nice spot for his daily run.

Fuck, why the hell did he have to-

“‘S too many people. Can’ -through, there’s too many people-”

Ushijima cursed. “No, baby, you can do it. Listen to me, you just have to get inside. You have to, you can-”

Kiyoomi was leaning in close to him, even though he had to know there was no way he could hear what was coming from the other side. Ushijima kept his one-handed grip on him tight.

Another sharp cry from Atsumu shattered his heart. He was still out there, he was too close to the shore. They had to get to him. He shouldn’t be this far, they had to get to him before-

“-Omi with ya, Toshi? Are ya two safe?”

Ushijima could no longer contain the burning in his eyes. He’d never felt so helpless. “Yes- Yes he’s here.”

“Thas’ good.” He hated that he could hear the smile in Atsumu’s voice. “Yer gonna be okay. Ya two, ya can be there fer each other, an’ yer gonna be okay-”

Both him and Kiyoomi flinched at a loud noise from somewhere near their building. “We have to get to him. Wakatoshi, he can’t be out there, we need to do something, please, there has to be something we can do!”

His lover’s eyes were no longer dry.

He fought to keep his focus on the other side of the phone. “No, Atsumu, listen to me- We still need you, you hear me? We’re not going to be okay if you’re not here, so you have to find a way. You can do this, Atsumu. I know you can. Just keep trying, baby, please-”

Nothing.

He heard nothing from the other side anymore.

With a trembling hand he pulled his phone away from his ear. Call disconnect, it said.

“No.” Realization fell upon Kiyoomi’s face. “No, no, no-”

He frantically took the device from Ushijima’s hand and tried calling back.

And again, once he got no response.

And again.

Ushijima tried his best to swallow down the crippling fear that was running through his spine. Kiyoomi needed him.

He gently took the phone away from Kiyoomi’s shaking grip. “Kiyoomi-”

“No!” His lover screamed at him. “No, we have to keep trying. Give me back the phone, Wakatoshi.”

He saw his desperation mirrored in the other’s eyes.

He pulled him tight against his chest. “I know, I know.” He tried shushing him. “But we’ll just have to trust him for now, my love. We’ll just have to trust Atsumu to get back to us. He’s never given up in his life, he’s- he can’t start now.”

The unforgiving tremble in his voice betrayed the confidence he was trying to convey.

Kiyoomi lost the fight in him anyway, and sagged against Ushijima’s chest.

“He’s going to be okay.” He said, almost as a prayer.

Ushijima could do nothing but echo his words.

“He’s going to be okay.”

fin~

for my dearest @percymiiya who asked for "im... im trying, i really am" ushiskts. love u baby, hope this breaks ur heart like u hoped it would <33