Work Text:
Koutarou never exactly believed in a house being ‘haunted’ but then again, he hadn't exactly seen a ghost before either. And he certainly didn't expect to be seeing one when he first moved into his new house.
When Akaashi first appeared to him, he thought he was having some sort of weird dream, except it was the middle of the day and Koutarou was very much awake. His next thought was that some weird kid had broken into his house but that just didn't seem likely. What really threw him though, was that Akaashi didn't seem like a ghost. He wasn't transparent or all misty or anything like you'd expect. He just seemed like a person, hell, Koutarou was able to touch him even. If Akaashi hasn't admitted to Koutarou that he was in fact a ghost, then the high schooler would have never figured it out on his own.
Koutarou soon learned the reason for Akaashi’s presence in his house. Apparently, there had been a fire in the home a few years prior and Akaashi had become unfortunately trapped. Akaashi had no lingering burns or scars from the incident, but he did flinch every time he saw that the fireplace downstairs was lit.
It didn't take long for Koutarou to befriend the ghost that lived in his house. It was really nice having someone his own age to talk to every day, he had his friends at school but that was it. Outside of school and outside of practice, he never really found himself hanging out with anyone else. No one seemed to understand him the way Akaashi did, and he didn't like hanging out with anyone else as much as he did with Akaashi.
He felt as though he could tell Akaashi anything and the dark haired boy would listen. They would sit in his room for hours and just talk; Akaashi would talk Koutarou through all his unreasonable moments and Koutarou would tell Akaashi everything he saw that day in an effort to try to keep the dead boy connected to the outside world considering he couldn't go out and see it himself
That was the only problem. Akaashi couldn't leave the property. It made Koutarou sad because there were so many things he wanted Akaashi to see. He wanted Akaashi to come to one of his volleyball games, or show him this little coffee shop he had stumbled across on one of his walks home from school.
“You mean there's no way you can leave? At all?” Koutarou had asked him from his spot on his bed. Akaashi who was sitting across from him shook his head.
“No, I don't believe so,” he paused, his face falling into a look of thought. “Unless...maybe,” he frowned a bit, “there might be one way I can leave.”
Koutarou’s eyes snapped open and he leaned forwards on his palms, “really? What is it?” He pressed eagerly.
“Halloween,” Akaashi answered, “I remember my grandmother telling me a long time ago that the dead walk free on Halloween, I’ve never tried it but maybe it's true…” he trailed off.
The silver and black haired teen grinned and grasped Akaashi’s hands, “well we have to try it! When Halloween comes we will! I promise!” He squeezed Akaashi’s hands tightly and Akaashi only nodded with a little smile on his lips.
When Halloween arrived a few months later, the two were determined to try Akaashi’s suggestion. They stood at the end of the sidewalk that lead up to Koutarou’s house, hand in hand, looking at one another. With a single step, they left the property, breaths baited and movements slow. Koutarou looked over to Akaashi who seemed to be shocked that he was still standing there and not back inside the house.
“It...it worked?” Koutarou questioned, joy filled shock threading through his voice.
Akaashi gave a slow, equally shocked nod, “I...I think so,” he confirmed, happiness lighting up his dark colored eyes. Koutarou beamed and threw his arms around Akaashi, squeezing him tightly. Akaashi returned the embrace, pressing his head against Koutarou’s bulky chest.
“Come on! Let’s go!” Koutarou exclaimed, grabbing Akaashi’s hand and tugging him down the people filled street.
They made their way towards the coffee shop Koutarou had told Akaashi about. It was still open, fortunately and the two went inside.
After about an hour of talking and drinking coffee, Koutarou brought Akaashi to his school. He smiled at the smaller boy, “I know you can't exactly watch me play, but maybe I could show you some stuff?” He suggested. Akaashi smiled softly and nodded.
“Sure, sounds fun,” he told him, watching while Koutarou ran off to find a volleyball and a place for them to play.
“I can't get into the gym because I’m only a second year, but it's nice enough out tonight so we can play here!” Koutarou told him, motioning to the little clearing they were standing in that was adjacent to the gym. Akaashi nodded and began to follow every one of Koutarou’s instructions on what to do and how to play.
Akaashi was never one for sports when he was alive, but with Koutarou, he enjoyed it. He didn't mind the painful thud of the volleyball against his wrists, nor did he mind chasing after the ball every time it went wayward with one of Koutarou’s far too extreme spikes.
After awhile, Akaashi checked the time and felt his heart twist. It was only an hour until midnight.
“Bokuto, wait,” he paused the excitable boy in his place. Koutarou looked at him with questioning in his ever exuberant eyes. “There's one place I want to show you until I have to go back.”
Koutarou blinked and nodded, a smile coming to his face, “of course, lead the way,” he said, his voice softening a bit.
The pair then left the school and Koutarou followed Akaashi eagerly to wherever they were going. He talked and rambled the whole way there and Akaashi didn't voice a single complaint about it, not that he would anyways. He loved to hear Koutarou talk, it made him happy to see the other boy so happy.
When they reached their destination, Koutarou gasped loudly. Before them, stretched out the entirety of Tokyo, in perfect, glittering view from their spot on the hill Akaashi had led them to.
“Akaashi!” Koutarou gasped, “this is amazing!” He turned to look at the leaner boy who stood beside him, the lights from the city illuminating his face beautifully.
Akaashi only nodded and sighed softly, “I used to come here with my friends all the time,” he told Koutarou almost a little sadly. He turned to look at the taller teen, a small smile clinging to his face, “but I like being here with you better,” he admitted honestly. Koutarou could feel himself blush at this and started to fidget somewhat nervously.
“Um, Akaashi, I have something to tell you,” he began, looking down. Akaashi looked at him but didn't say anything, silently urging him to continue. “I think I...I really like you,” he stammered out, feeling his heart race within his chest. “And um, it kind of scares me? And makes me sad too, I guess, because of your um, situation and I just don't...don't know what to do.” He admitted. Koutarou was never one for talking seriously and whenever he found himself having to do so, his words tended to fail and he ended up stammering and stuttering over everything he wanted to say.
Akaashi stared at him and looked down at the ground, pushing a hand through his short, messy hair. “Bokuto…” he paused and swallowed, “Koutarou...I...I think I like you too and,” he gave a hapless little laugh, “it scares me too,” he also admitted. He looked up at Koutarou again who was staring at him in disbelief.
Koutarou glanced down for half a second before looking up again, “well, I uh, I dunno what we’re going to do but um, I do know that I...I would like to kiss you, if that's okay,” he asked, taking a step closer to the ghost before him. Akaashi nodded and drew himself closer to the stronger boy.
“Okay,” he breathed, tilting his head up to meet Koutarou’s, who leaned down so he could access Akaashi better. Akaashi’s breath hitched when his and Koutarou’s lips met, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he threaded his hands through Koutarou’s thick, multicolored locks and let himself get lost in the kiss.
Maybe he didn't know what they were going to do either, but he didn't worry about that right now. Right now, all he wanted to think about was Koutarou’s lips on his, and how happy Koutarou made him feel.