Work Text:
Keiji was confused when he heard crying in the library. It wasn’t exactly unheard of, but this usually happened during finals, midterms, or the beginning of the year. Right then, it was the part of the semester where everyone should more or less be some level of okay.
But sure enough, hiding somewhere in the biology section, someone was whimpering and sniffling. Keiji wasn’t a heartless man, so he decided to see if there was anything he could do. Maybe they were just…really bad at biology? Had a long day and not being able to find a book caused a breakdown?
He turned into the aisle and looked at the floor. Sure enough, the biggest guy he’d ever seen, with ridiculously pointy dual-tone hair was sitting on the ground, sobbing over a textbook.
“Hey,” Keiji began cautiously, “are you okay?”
The guy jumped in surprise, then looked up with watery gold eyes that were almost pretty. He shook his head miserably.
Oh, great, I don’t know what to do next. Keiji awkwardly slid down next to him. “Um, is there, uh, anything I can do?”
“I just…I don’t even…” He burst back into tears.
Keiji rubbed his back. “Hey, it’s – ah – it’s okay. What happened?”
The guy gestured miserably at his textbook. “I don’t – I don’t even know what I don’t know.”
Keiji licked his lips anxiously and scooted closer. “Well, what’s your assignment. I took a few bio classes – maybe I can help?”
The stranger looked at him with wide eyes, full of a new hope. “Would you?!”
“Yes, of course, that’s why I offered,” Keiji pointed out. “Akaashi Keiji.”
“B-Bokuto Koutarou,” the guy – Bokuto – replied, sniffling and extending a hand to shake. “Say, Akashi, do you help all miserable third-years you run across in the library?”
“It’s Akaashi,” he corrected. “Um, no. But to be fair, they aren’t usually blubbering. Come on, Bokuto-san. I’ll help you, but we should go to a table, okay? Do you have a sheet for your assignment?”
Bokuto nodded, fishing it out of his bag. “Thank you so much, ’Kaashi; I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up just now.”
“Ah, well, Bokuto-san, I haven’t done anything yet,” Keiji pointed out, offering him a hand to help him stand. “Thank me if I actually can help.”
“I bet you can! You look really smart!” Bokuto said, rubbing the tears out of his eyes. “Are you a senior?”
“I’m only in my second year.”
“What?! And you’ve already taken all these bio classes! So smart, Akashi!”
“It’s Akaashi–”
Bokuto bounded over to a table, all traces of his breakdown suddenly gone. Keiji blinked in confusion as he followed him. How could someone’s mood change so suddenly?
“Okay, Bokuto-san, show me where you need help.”
After an hour of flipping through the textbook and googling things neither of them knew, Keiji helped Bokuto get a grasp on the assignment and how to tackle it so it would be finished on time.
“I’m so sorry!” Bokuto gasped suddenly. “I bet you were here to do homework, and you totally just wasted a bunch of time on me!”
“It wasn’t a waste, Bokuto-san,” Keiji assured him. “And I finished my homework before I ran into you, so don’t worry about it.”
Bokuto nodded, still looking uncertain as he tapped his fingers on the table. “Hey! Can I make it up to you?”
“There’s really no need–”
“Please?” Bokuto pleaded, leaning across the table to cover Keiji’s hands with his own. “Just, like, let me take you to coffee or something, please. I feel bad for taking up your time.”
Keiji sighed and squeezed Bokuto’s hands before pulling away. “You don’t need to make it up to me. I wanted to help, Bokuto-san.”
“Oh, sure, yeah.” Bokuto’s cheeks turned pink as he glanced away. “Can I take you to coffee anyways?”
“Hm?”
The pink turned red. “Well! I was just thinkin’, you’re like, the prettiest person I’ve ever seen, and I don’t wanna be too forward, ’cause I dunno if you even like guys, but I just think this is like fate or something that of all the people to find me crying, it was someone so pretty and so nice, and I think you’re really smart and easy to talk to, and not everyone is that patient with me, and I’m sorry! You probably don’t even like me! I’m probably just an annoying senpai and–”
“Bokuto-san,” Keiji interrupted.
Bokuto shut up and sat up straight. “Yes?”
“You can take me to coffee.” He started to put his things away.
“Wait, like, now?”
“Preferably, yes. Now. There’s a coffee shop next door.” He turned, then glanced behind him to see Bokuto staring, dumbfounded. “Coming, Bokuto-san?”
Bokuto jumped out of his chair. “Y-yes! To be clear, you know I meant as a date, right?”
Keiji smiled softly. “That’s why I said yes. Come on.”