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“I vant to suck your blood....”
Akaashi grimaced, refusing to look up from the cape he was painstakingly stitching onto the shoulders of his son’s second-favorite jacket.
“I saaaaaaid, I vant to -”
“I heard you the first time,” Akaashi muttered, hiding a curse as he accidentally pricked his finger. Sighing, he looked up at his best friend and frowned. “Besides, those are just candy corn fangs, Bokuto-san.”
“Aww, but Akaashi...”
“Are you trying to suck Keiji-san’s blood?” called a voice from the doorway. “That’s so awesome! You’re so awesome, Kou-san! Best uncle ever!”
Oh, great. Akaashi stifled a glare as he looked at the eight-year-old Yuuji, still feeling vaguely scandalized that Bokuto had taken him to get the atrocious undercut and dye job. There was no telling what he’d get into when he was older.
But the problem wasn’t really Yuuji’s reaction - no, it was -
“Unc’ Kou gon hur da?”
Oh, crap. Akaashi froze, staring into the eyes of his son - deep brown eyes that were quickly filling up with tears. “No, no, Tadashi, he didn’t mean -”
It was too late. As Akaashi dropped the jacket to the side and rushed forward to gather Tadashi into his arms, he heard rawrs from the front room and a metallic crash followed by yells from Kuroo.
“Shouyou, no!”
“Gon be jus like papa!”
“Shou!” yelled Bokuto, sounding slightly panicked. “Wait - hey Tobio, no biting!”
Things turned into even more of a mess as Oikawa got involved, making snide comments at Bokuto before hauling his son out of the fray by his waist and carrying Tobio over to where Iwaizumi sat talking calmly with Kenma. Kuroo was pulling Yuuji to the side and getting onto him as Bokuto tried talking some sense into Hinata.
“Shou, I wasn’t really going to bite Uncle Akaashi,” Bokuto said, holding his son by the shoulders.
A rebellious part of Akaashi almost wished he had been, supplying images of Bokuto in traditional vampire garb bending over Akaashi, mouth open to reveal glistening fangs. The adult part of Akaashi pushed the thought away as easily as he always did, refusing to give into fantasies about his best friend. It felt especially scandalous to be having such thoughts while cradling Tadashi to himself, trying to calm his cries.
Fortunately at that moment, Kiyoko opened the front door, raising one eyebrow in mild exasperation as she put Kei down on the floor. His unimpressed expression mirrored his mother’s, but he didn’t move as Tadashi wiggled out of Akaashi’s lap and toddled over to him, sorrow changing to joy.
Akaashi sat back on his heels, surveying Kuroo and Kenma's front room as he tried to regain his sense of calm. He loved all of his friends but getting everyone together nowadays frayed most of his nerves. He refused to accept the thought that part of the stress came from seeing so many of his friends happily paired up.
Kuroo and Kenma had been together for years, of course, and had taken custody of Yuuji after Kenma’s cousin had gotten into a tragic accident. Oikawa had infected Bokuto with the baby bug just a couple of years prior, convincing him it would be great if they got kids at the same time so they could raise them up together. Bokuto had both time and money after a successful volleyball career, and he’d always loved kids, so he thought it was a great idea.
Tadashi had not been a part of the plan. Akaashi had only meant to go along with Bokuto to the adoption agency as moral support, but when he saw the picture of the messy-haired boy, well. It was the second time in his life he’d fallen in love at first sight.
Meeting Tadashi in person had only reinforced that feeling.
He didn’t regret it in the least.
Warmth pooled in his heart as he watched Tadashi tug at Kei’s hand, giving him a brilliant smile.
“You don’t mind not being your son’s favorite thing?” Kiyoko teased, walking over to join him at the kitchen table.
“No, it’s fine,” Akaashi replied, taking a seat again and picking up the jacket to continue making the last-minute costume. He looked up, catching a strange look on Bokuto’s face as he watched the two of them. It bothered Akaashi that he couldn’t always read his best friend properly. Of course, it was also probably part of what intrigued him about the other, but sometimes it made him feel almost guilty as well. He swallowed that down, focusing on the stitches underneath his fingertips. It didn’t have to be perfect. It was only for tonight, after all. Tadashi probably wouldn’t even remember it when he got older.
Still -
“Do you want me to help?” Kiyoko asked, gentle amusement in her voice.
Sighing in defeat, Akaashi passed it over with a murmured thanks. He watched her nimbly work the needle and thread through the layers of fabric, getting almost lost in the rhythm before he was startled by a loud thump.
“Time to carve the pumpkin!” Bokuto yelled, hand patting the large orange pumpkin he’d just plopped down on the table.
Kiyoko glanced up, lips twitching. “Ah, I think I’ll just take this and go over to talk with Iwaizumi-san,” she murmured, giving Akaashi what looked like a wink.
A wink. Why would Kiyoko be winking at him?
Though he supposed the more relevant question was why he hadn’t chosen to go sit with Iwaizumi and Kenma himself. He did enjoy their company, after all.
Then the answer to that came in another soft thump, and a pouting man.
“Aww, no one wants to carve the pumpkin?” Bokuto asked, bottom lip quivering.
Kuroo was sending a slight glare their way, hand firmly curled around Yuuji’s shoulder as they sat together on the couch. It probably was not a good idea to mix that child and sharp pointy objects, now that Akaashi thought about it. Everyone else seemed fairly involved in their own business.
“I’m happy to carve a pumpkin with you, Bokuto-san,” said Akaashi, breath catching at the purity of the joy in Bokuto’s eyes as he looked down.
“Really, Akaashi? You’d do that for me?”
Like Akaashi wouldn’t willingly sacrifice anything short of Tadashi’s happiness if Bokuto asked him.
Lips twitching, Akaashi nodded. “I’d love to,” he replied, unable to stop himself from smiling in response to the brilliant grin that spread over Bokuto’s face. Oh, how he loved him.
Liked him.
Was friends with him.
Just friends.
“Ok, but how are we going to do it?” Bokuto asked, thumping the large pumpkin again. “I have some tools, we’ll need those...”
“And a pattern, Bokuto-san.”
“Oh! It should be an owl!”
An owl. Of course. Akaashi bit back a chuckle as he thought of their old high school mascot. “We need some paper or something to put down as well because pumpkin carving can get really messy.”
“Oh! I don't mind getting messy with you, Akaashi!”
Instantly more inappropriate images sprang to the forefront of Akaashi’s mind. “I’m sure we will, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi said, turning away as the thought of Bokuto’s pumpkin-covered hands squishing against his skin made a cameo appearance in a flash of daydream. “Ah, maybe we should take it out onto the porch? You know how Kozume-san is about messes.”
Snickering, Bokuto said, “He’s Kuroo-san now, remember? Though you really should call him Kenma like he wants.”
Of course.
“Old habits die hard, I suppose,” Akaashi murmured.
“Yeah,” said Bokuto, thick fingers smoothing over the pumpkin’s orange skin as his voice softened. “Ah, you know, you could just call me Koutarou too, if you wanted. Or even like, Kou, or Kou-chan like Oikawa, or... something...”
“I’m not calling you Kou-chan,” Akaashi snapped, more sharply than he intended. Relenting, he looked down and mumbled, “Besides, first names are kinda...”
“Kinda what, ‘kaaashi?” Bokuto asked.
Akaashi could see his fingers hovering close and then pulling away when Akaashi looked up. “Nothing, Bokuto-san,” he murmured, feeling almost like something important was slipping out of his fingers. Frowning, he stood, wrapping his arms around the pumpkin and picking it up. “Get a marker, would you?”
“Ok,” said Bokuto.
Akaashi felt hyper-aware of him behind him as he walked out to the porch, waiting so that Bokuto could open the door for him. For a moment he glanced back toward the living room, hoping - but yes, Tadashi would be fine, Shouyou would be fine. There were plenty of parents to watch over them.
He’d have some alone time with Bokuto - a rarity these days.
He missed it.
“I want a really fancy owl!” Bokuto was saying. “Something that everyone will be like ooooahh! About! Like here - like this!”
Akaashi put the pumpkin down on the porch, looking over at Bokuto’s phone. He raised an eyebrow at the intricacy of the design in the picture Bokuto was showing him. “Ah, don’t you think that’s a bit advanced?” he asked.
“No way! Akaashi is really good at this stuff! Besides, we just do like this, uh -”
Kneeling down beside Bokuto, Akaashi raised an eyebrow at the orange plastic pouch of pumpkin carving tools Bokuto pulled out of his pocket. It included both a pencil and a marker, as well as what looked like a punch, a chisel, a wedge scraper, a saw.... “You really went all out for this, didn’t you?”
“Only the best for my Akaashi!”
My Akaashi?
Blinking, Akaashi looked at Bokuto, surprised to see the light flush on his cheeks. He felt something tickle in his stomach as Bokuto looked away, fingers twitching as they moved over the tools.
“Uh, I mean, ok. I think we just start out by kinda tracing the design in pencil? Like, to make sure it gets even, right? Uh...”
Akaashi wanted to hold out his hand, pull Bokuto’s attention away from the tools. How many times had they come just this far and turned away? It was probably just an illusion, probably him reading into things what he wanted to be there. Bokuto probably just meant as a friend, right? It was always just - but maybe -
Swallowing back his nervousness, Akaashi murmured, “Thank you, Kou.”
The response was instantaneous. Bokuto looked up at him with wide eyes brighter than any jack-o-lantern would ever be. “Ka? Oh, ‘kaashi... Keiji?”
Oh, that sent shivers down Akaashi’s spine, to hear Bokuto say his name like that. Especially here, in this moment.
Flushing, he looked down at the pumpkin and splayed his hands out over the bumpy surface. “I think this side would be best for the design, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Bokuto whispered.
Glancing over, Akaashi saw a hopeful little smile on his face. Akaashi’s heart beat just a little bit faster, seeing that. Swallowing again, Akaashi watched as Bokuto leaned in close, drawing large circles for the outline wherever Akaashi pointed. The day was cool, but it only made him more acutely aware of the warmth coming from Bokuto’s body as the man chattered on. Akaashi was surprised to find himself relaxing more and more as they created the design. Akaashi let Bokuto start on the carving itself as Akaashi cut the pumpkin open. He felt almost young as he started to clean out the insides, scraping out pumpkin guts and seeds.
Well, he was young, but -
“And my mom said that I should think about putting him in daycare a couple of days a week?” Bokuto said, tilting his head to one side and bumping into Akaashi’s side as he carefully scraped away the pumpkin peel from one of the owl’s feathers. “Mainly for socialization, I guess. I dunno, I like having him home with me though? I mean, it would be nice to have a couple of days off, I guess.”
“You should enroll him at Daichi’s,” Akaashi said, trying to ignore the way his heart was fluttering. He shifted on his knees, reaching into the pumpkin to clear out another scoop of pumpkin guts. “It’s where Iwaizumi takes Tobio, and he and Shouyou get along well.”
“You think? But they’re always fighting.”
“They’re friends though, right?”
“Well, yeah, but - do you think Daichi would be able to handle it? I mean, Kei goes there too, right? And you take Tadashi, and I’m sure there are others - you don’t think Shouyou would be too much of a handful for him?”
Akaashi had to duck his head to cover his smile. Shouyou might be adopted, but he was almost the mirror image of his dad. It was endearing to see Bokuto try to be so adult about all of this. Adult and thoughtful, actually overthinking things for once. “I’m sure Daichi can handle it,” he said. “And he has Asahi to help him, right? Besides, if they can handle Noya and Tanaka, I’m sure they can handle Shouyou and Tobio together.”
Bokuto laughed at that, a warm booming sound that made Akaashi’s toes curl.
Oh, he was so gone for this man. He forgot, sometimes, just how very alive Bokuto made him feel. It was even worth the feeling of pumpkin guts squishing between his fingers to have this time with him. After all, he knew from his experience with Tadashi that spending time with the people you love sometimes meant getting a little bit messy.
Or a lot.
“Hey Akaashi,” Bokuto murmured.
“Hmm?” Akaashi asked, glancing over to see that Bokuto had rocked back and was looking up at him thoughtfully.
“On one of my days off, would you - oh, wow.”
“Oh wow?” Akaashi asked, feeling suddenly self-conscious as he saw the way Bokuto was looking him over. He glanced down, wondering if he had pumpkin guts all over his shirt. He half-stood, wanting to go wash himself off suddenly. “What?”
“You have pumpkin on your face,” Bokuto said.
Akaashi blinked, flushing suddenly. “I - I do? Where?” He hadn’t realized he’d been that messy.
Bokuto’s lips twitched, making Akaashi feel suddenly suspicious. The hand that had been holding the trowel was reaching up, brushing Akaashi’s cheek. “There,” Bokuto said. “And there, and there, and there.”
The feeling of Bokuto’s fingertips touching his skin was completely overshadowed by the fact that his best friend had just smeared. Pumpkin guts. Everywhere.
Oh, this was war.
Akaashi raised a hand, already completely covered in the goopy sticky junk, and smirked at Bokuto.
“Ah,” Bokuto said, eyes widening, “I mean -”
“That’s funny, Bokuto-san, I think you have some in your hair. Here, let me get it out for you.”
“What?” squeaked Bokuto, raising his hands in protest. “No, no - Keiji, Keiji!”
Akaashi laughed, pulling Bokuto’s wrist away with one hand and smearing his free hand through the other man’s hair. The sound of Bokuto yelling his name was only half as satisfying as seeing the look on Bokuto’s face after that.
The satisfaction was short-lived, however, because Bokuto took that opportunity to tug Akaashi down to the ground, reaching over and scooping out more pumpkin guts before pressing them against Akaashi’s chest. From there on out, it was all laughter and wrestling like they hadn’t done in years, each of them trying to cover the other with more of the orange sticky stringy seedy material.
Akaashi loved it.
Akaashi loved Bokuto, loved the opportunity to push back against him, to feel the weight and strength of his body beneath his hands. There was a shining joy in his heart and a shimmering heat thrumming under his skin, enough to overpower the chill from autumn air running over the slowly drying goop on his skin.
Then the back door creaked open.
“Ah - Akaashi-san?” asked a soft feminine voice.
“Wow, that’s something you don’t see every day,” said another pain-in-the-ass voice.
“Aww dad - that looks fun! Why wouldn’t you let me do it too!”
“Da?”
Akaashi tilted his head and looked up at the people arrayed in the doorway - Kiyoko with a look of mild amusement, Kuroo who was barely holding back a laugh, a bright-eyed Yuuji wearing a wide grin, and of course, the light of his life, Tadashi, who was toddling forward and clapping his hands, eyes shining as he started for the bright orange goo.
“Ah! Sorry Tadashi,” Kiyoko said, scooping him up and bouncing him as he started to whine. “I think Kei was wanting to play - ah - lovely design, Bokuto-san, Akaashi-san.”
“Thanks!” Bokuto yelled after her as she turned to take the squirming toddler inside.
“Yeah, I think we should probably leave them to it as well, Yuuji,” said Kuroo, still smirking down at where Akaashi lay, pinned beneath Bokuto. “Grats, Kou. You too, Akaashi. About time.”
Akaashi blinked. “About time?” he asked, looking up at a Bokuto who was quickly turning bright red.
“Ah - he’s - I mean - uh,” said Bokuto, pushing up off of Akaashi and rubbing his face. “That is, I mean...”
Sitting up, Akaashi pondered the words. “About time,” he repeated, feeling a sudden bravery in his heart, “Kou?”
“Er, uh,” Bokuto said, looking adorable with both red and orange cheeks,”Ok, the thing is, I really really like you, Keiji! Will you go out with me?”
Akaashi laughed, reaching forward and sliding hands behind Bokuto’s neck when the other man started to look downcast. His best friend’s golden eyes were puzzled when they looked up.
“So we’re in high school now?” Akaashi asked, leaning forward and tugging Bokuto closer. “Playing the confession game?”
“‘s not a game,” Bokuto mumbled. There was the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth now, though, and Akaashi felt the weight of Bokuto’s hand on his hip. “I’m serious.”
Akaashi smiled back. “Then let me be very serious when I say that I have liked you since the moment I saw you, and have liked you even more every day since then.”
Bokuto gasped, eyes going wide. “Akaashi!” he said, the wonder in his voice making Akaashi’s heart thump dizzyingly out of control. “You mean it?”
“Every single word.”
“Wow.”
Feeling spellbound, Akaashi watched a million different expressions flow over Bokuto’s face. Oh, he knew this face, loved this face - though he would save that word for later. But here, now, this -
“Akaaaashi,” whispered Bokuto, “Can I kiss you now?”
Lips quirking, Akaashi said, “Maybe.”
Shock filled those golden eyes. “Keiji!”
And it was all too much to take, so Akaashi kissed him. Too much, too sweet, too goopy, too wonderful. Bokuto’s arms slid around him, pulling Akaashi into his lap as they kissed, all messy and warm. This, here, was everything Akaashi wanted.
Well, almost everything.
He spared a momentary thought for his son - but Tadashi loved Bokuto, and Bokuto loved Tadashi, and Akaashi adored Shouyou even if there were days he was thankful that he’d adopted the more placid child. If this worked out, though -
Oh, his heart would be so full. Fuller than full.
“Keiji?” Bokuto asked, pulling back and looking at him with concern. “Are you - are you laughing or crying? Keiji, are you crying? What’s wrong? Did I - is it the tools? Did I poke you with -”
“I’m fine, Kou,” Akaashi said, feeling laughter bubble up out of him. “I’m fine, I’m just - I’m just happy.”
“Oh,” said Bokuto, a brilliant grin taking over his face. “Oh good! I always want to make you happy, Keiji! Wow, you’re even beautiful with pumpkin guts on your face.”
That only made Akaashi laugh harder, feeling safe and warm all wrapped up in Bokuto’s arms. “And whose fault is that?”
“Yours,” Bokuto said. “Because you looked so amazing it got me all nervous when I was trying to ask you out the first time.”
“You were trying to ask me out?”
“Well yeah! Well, I wanted to know if you wanted to go get lunch with me on one of my days off. You know, because then that could work up to dating. I mean, you’re supposed to start out with coffee, right? But I figure we know each other well enough I can skip the coffee and go straight to lunch, and then maybe if I’m lucky you’ll let me take you out for dinner sometime, and then a movie, uh, and then I’m not sure, you know I don’t really date much, because you’re the only person I’ve ever really wanted to date, really...”
“Oh, Kou,” Akaashi murmured, hugging him close. For once, that pain-in-the-ass Kuroo-san was right. It really was about time.
Or maybe this was the perfect time.
Although -
“I think we can skip a few of those steps,” Akaashi murmured. Being pressed this close to Bokuto made him hope that they could speed a few things up, at least.
“Only if you’re ok with it, Akaashi! Oh, sorry, Keiji, Keiji. Wow. I get to call you Keiji now?”
“Yes,” Akaashi said, laughter bubbling up out of him again. “Yes, I think that’s fine.”
“Wow,” said Bokuto, nuzzling his neck in a way that made Akaashi shiver.
Warm. And sticky, and messy. Akaashi would probably ask to use Kuroo’s shower after this. Maybe even - no, it was probably too fast to shower together, and Yuuji was getting too many ideas as it was.
But later -
“Hey Keiji?”
“Hmm?” Akaashi asked, burying his face against Bokuto’s shoulder and breathing in his scent.
“Is it ok if I still vant to suck your blood?” Bokuto asked, mouthing playfully at Akaashi’s skin.
It was silly and sexy in a way that made Akaashi want to laugh out loud again. It was perfect. It was Bokuto.
His Bokuto.
His Kou.
“Maybe,” Akaashi replied, unable to keep from smiling. “But not in front of the children.”
Bokuto laughed, warm and deep in a way that shook Akaashi’s whole body.
“Deal.”