[[A/N: Haha wow this fic turned out completely different than what I had intended but I'm rather pleased with it. My first fanfiction on this site so be sure to RR! I don't usually write non-OC stories but I got a surge of inspiration for these two. I was disappointed by the lack of Miuna/Hikari fics since they're my otp but they're also an unpopular ship orzll. I love them to pieces anyways (they'll always be together in my hearttt ;A;)... Hope you guys enjoy the story!]]
Hikari sighed as he slid his bedroom door shut. It had been a long day and he still hadn't found any clues to finding any of the other villagers of Shioshishio now that the ocean was frozen over in ice. He furrowed his eyebrows as he sat down on his futon, his eyes staring blankly at his open palms.
Even a week later, he still couldn't believe that he had hibernated for five years. Everything had changed so much...
Like Tsumugu; that guy really went and grew up on him. His voice had deepened and now he was even more taller than Hikari which frustrated him to no end. He still handled things in that calm manner of his which frankly pissed Hikari off because he was so frightened of how much had changed without him realizing.
Then there was Akari; she had definitely changed now that she was married. She seemed a lot happier living on the surface with the man she loved. Hell, she even had a son now-a little brat named Akira who liked to yell "Kancho!" before sticking you in the...well, you know.
But his sister had started a family on her own. He was Akira's uncle now, as hard as it was to believe.
The even weirder part was that he's sort of Miuna's uncle now, too. That was the least weirdest thing regarding Miuna, though. Everytime he looked at her, he was constantly reminded of how things were no longer the same. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that since his emotions were raw and he felt vulnerable in a place that he once was used to feeling so unfamiliar.
But when he looked at Miuna, he also found himself growing calm somehow. She reassured him. Supported him. She even raised the Ofunehiki flag for him then told him in that soothing voice of hers that he didn't need to rush things-it was normal for him to take time to adapt to the changes. It irked him a little now that their roles were reversed-she was almost treating him the same way he treated her as a kid.
Which was why he purposefully tried not to think about how much she had changed. It was getting harder for him to see her as just a little kid. When he had woken from his hibernation, he was shocked to discover that the long, raven-haired girl with familiar aqua eyes (brimmed with tears) was an older version of Miuna. His body shivered from the cold as he realized he was naked and wrapped his arms around himself. Yet despite the freezing cold he felt, Hikari swore there was a strange and fuzzy warmth lingering on his lips...
Things were different now that Miuna and Hikari were the same age. Even though he still teased Miuna like he used to, he couldn't fight the butterflies growing in his stomach when he was around her. With her change, he started to pay attention to her more and began noticing little things about her. That was when he realized that she was always looking out for him, no matter what. How could he consider treating her her like a child afterwards?
Miuna was Hikari's anchor. Where he was loud, rash, and irrational, she was there to calm him down and quietly talk things through. She listened to him seriously about his frustrations and gave back her own two cents. Miuna genuinely cared for Hikari and he didn't how to handle it.
So he didn't. He pushed her away and lashed out at her for all the wrong reasons. He was figthing with these feelings inside of him that were subtly beginning to grow. Like when he pulled her out of the way of an incoming street car. His constant teasing. How his cheeks reddened when she suggested to hold hands (she couldn't fight her blush either). The wave of panic he felt when Miuna slipped into the ocean and she discovered her Ena. How natural it felt to wash dishes together while standing side by side, conversation light and teasing.
Hikari wanted to support her in the same way and give her the happiness she deserved. Miuna was selfless. Miuna was strong. Despite Hikari's apparent feelings for Manaka, she had pushed herself to help him for his sake, no matter how much she had gotten hurt in the process.
Hikari closed his hands into a fist. He didn't want to hurt her. Not anymore. He wanted to protect her smile. She didn't have to be selfless for him anymore. It wouldn't hurt for her to rely on him every once in awhile.
He had decided to convey his feelings to Miuna once everything was resolved in Shioshishio. After all these years of seeing her as a little kid, Miuna had finally changed in his eyes. She became an irreplaceable part of his life he didn't want to let go.
And until the day things were resolved, Hikari continued to hope his feelings would reach Miuna.
[[A/N: Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think and leave a review ;u;
ngl these two are destroying me i'll probably make an 8tracks playlist for them soon
edit: here's my playlist! /kaisei/melt-into-the-sea]]
