Chapter Text
Bokuto was a lot to deal with, a full throttle force pretty much 24/7 - Akaashi found him incomprehensible, not that he minded basking in the glow of his upperclassman.
It had come to the attention of the entire volleyball team that others had started to reap the benefits of time with Bokuto, calling down from the bleachers and crowding their table at lunch. Some people even shuffled their desks closer to him in lessons, though they weren't sure how much of Bokuto's glow could be transferred to intellectual enquiry.
It never affected play - Bokuto liked the sound of his own name so whatever admirer was cheering him on from the balcony only aided in their practises.
All but one of the members had noticed a different development - no matter what cute girl was yelling his name, Bokuto always sought out approval from their setter.
Bouncing about Akaashi eagerly after every spike and nearly winding him with triumphant chest bumps.
Akaashi was aware, despite what the other teammates believed, it was actually becoming quite troubling.
Contrary to popular belief, Akaashi liked spending time with Bokuto - he liked it a lot.
Because, brash as he might be, there was something so tremendously endearing about their captain. Captivating, even, though Akaashi was beginning to realise being 'caught' didn't feel so bad at all.
At first it had just been the attention, Akaashi had never been one to pine for attention but when Bokuto first started hanging out with him he relished in the whispers of his classmates.
‘Isn’t that the volleyball captain?’
‘He’s an upperclassman, what’s he doing in here?’
‘Is that Akaashi with him?’
Even now he could feel himself flushing red at how special Bokuto’s undivided attention made him feel, it would have been pathetic if he hadn’t realised that Bokuto tended to have that effect on people.
His brutal honesty and passion, even his wild shifts in mood, were a welcome break from the everyday trials of high school.
Everyone wanted to root for him, most of all he made you want to root for yourself.
Recently though it had become apparent how much Bokuto looked up to Akaashi, it was a little daunting almost, to live up to his expectations. To cast a looming shadow in the golden glow of his eyes, one you could never live up to.
After all, Bokuto was their ace, the heart of the team. But most of all he was a senior. Next year… he’d be gone.
Not absent, Akaashi knew better than to think Bokuto would stray too far to visit whenever he could and revel in the days of his youth.
But he couldn't stay - and Akaashi would never want him to, not if it stopped him from reaching his full potential.
Except leaving - evolving - meant he’d be around new people, new friends, new setters.
For the longest time, Akaashi found himself thinking: what if I’m holding him back?
Taking a step back from Bokuto wasn't a decision taken lightly but if Akaashi was too assess the situation he had to have full view of all the interfering factors - and that meant distance, physically and emotionally.
How to achieve that was another matter entirely.
Withholding compliments from Bokuto just made him more eager to please - not to mention that Akaashi didn’t revel in being particular cruel to him.
Showering him with them, however, made him… uncooperative.
Once, in a moment of sheer adrenaline rush, Akaashi had hugged Bokuto in the middle of practise. They’d had to call in one of the managers to check him over as he’d gone so silent and flushed that Akaashi thought he was going to pass out.
So Akaashi decided to continue as usual but make genuine excuses to distance himself from Bokuto, naturally that was hard within practise so he focused on avoiding Bokuto outside of that.
It'd be so easy to fall away from Akaashi, right into the arms of someone more deserving. Maybe then Bokuto would realise that… he wasn't worthy of the adoration Bokuto showered him with.
Thus began Akaashi’s three step plan to Bokuto evasion.
Step One: No more lunches together.
This was the easiest step to avoid, Akaashi didn’t like to be watched eating and Bokuto ate enough to make him nauseous, though he supposed all his energy required constant fuelling.
Not to mention Bokuto talked with his mouth full.
Ever since their ace had began to attract a modest following of gawking students Akaashi had taken to finding the two of them a secluded space to eat. Seclusion wasn't exactly a top priority of Bokuto, he'd find himself a more fitting routine in no time, Akaashi told himself.
The simplest way to evade him was to eat in another room, so as the bell for lunch rang he quickly packed away his things and slid out his usual class to find a quiet classroom to eat in - one far from his captain's radar.
He found a sparsely populated one eventually, the only students were from his year so they nodded a greeting as he set himself up at the back of the class and breathed a sigh of relief.
This wasn’t so bad, sure it was quiet and he'd started to become too aware of the sound of his own chewing but better his own than Bokuto’s he supposed.
Then came the knocking.
Instinctively, he looked to the door but found it wide open, as was customary for lunch time.
As his ears settled on the noise he turned to its source.
The window?
‘Akaashi!’ Bokuto exclaimed, muffled through both the pane of glass between them and food from the canteen shoved into his mouth to free up his hands. One hand was clinging to a beam above the window whilst the other pawed at it expectantly, like a puppy that had been shut out of the house.
‘Bokuto-san?!’ His jaw dropped, he wasn’t often surprised by Bokuto’s antics but this was… something else.
They weren’t on the ground floor, how had he gotten up here?
Nevermind that, Akaashi sprang from his seat and pushed the window open so Bokuto could slide in sheepishly - not fast enough apparently as Bokuto’s food was splattered sorrowfully on the ground below.
Thankfully without their ace joining it though, silver linings Keiji, silver linings.
‘Phew, thanks! Thought I was going to fall for a second there!’ Bokuto laughed, loosening his tie a little more as he hopped down from the windowsill.
‘Bokuto- how?’ Was all Akaashi managed to choke out.
‘Washio texted me, said you were in here looking all sad by yourself.’
Sure enough, there in the corner was their middle blocker who had seemingly also come in here for some peace and quiet.
Though Washio wasn't one to meddle, just how dismal had Akaashi's expression been?
‘Not that-' Akaashi sighed, removing his shaking palms from Bokuto's shoulders as he returned to his seat. 'How did you even get up here?'
‘I climbed!’ Bokuto replied, like it was the most obvious route in the world.
‘What if you had fallen?’ Akaashi said, exasperated.
‘But I didn’t!’ Akaashi just sighed again, sometimes it was better not to argue.
‘Wow, Bokuto-san, you climbed all the way up here?’ Bokuto turned to the source of the compliment almost instantly. 'You must be really strong.'
Akaashi recognised the girl from his year, she was surrounded by her friends who were looking at both her and Bokuto expectantly - oh this was it.
Of course this girl would have to understand the responsibility she was undertaking by courting Bokuto, not that Bokuto wasn't self-sufficient, but she'd have to understand all his small quirks.
Like his tendency to throw all outer garments haphazardly out behind him when he entered a building. Or that there was a strand of hair behind his ear that, try though he might, would not go up into his updo - he was self-conscious about it, Akaashi would have to warn her not to bring it up.
He pondered just how long it'd take to go through his itemised list of Bokuto's weaknesses - maybe he should type it up for her - before he was snapped back into reality.
‘Yeah!’ Bokuto flexed and Akaashi watched the sleeves of his rolled up blazer strain at the movement, the veins in his forearms and back of his hands popping a little from the exertion of climbing.
There had to be a strategical reason Akaashi had started to become so distracted by Bokuto's arms lately, or maybe it was his clothes.
All Bokuto's shirts were tight fitting at the shoulders yet too long for his torso and arms, hence rolling them up - Akaashi made a mental note to take them both out shopping sometime...
Oh wait! This girl could come too - although Akaashi wasn't sure how much help she'd be picking out men's shirts, another time perhaps.
‘You’re the captain of the volleyball team aren’t you? And the ace?’ Bokuto flushed red as the girl rolled onto the balls of her feet.
Bokuto Weakness Number Fourteen: he blushes too easily, could make it easier for opponents to pick up on his emotions.
‘Yeah, my spikes are the best!’ Bokuto had the tendency to give himself the compliments he wanted to hear from other people, this time though his face dropped a little, as if ashamed. ‘But I wouldn’t be able to spike without my setter!’ Bokuto clapped him between the shoulders, snapping his attention away from those toned forearms and thrusting him into the conversation.
‘Setter?’ The girl looked a little nervous now Akaashi had been brought into the conversation. You and me both, Akaashi thought.
‘He’s the one that lets me spike at one-hundred and twenty percent power!’ Bokuto explained triumphantly. Flexing, again.
‘That’s impossible, Bokuto-san,’ Akaashi drawled, wishing Bokuto would give him some warning before complimenting him so publicly.
‘Until I find my limit I can’t accurately ascertain what one-hundred percent of my ability looks like, can I?’ He was looking at him with that intense half-lidded glare that he usually reserved for intimidating rival teams.
Akaashi felt hot beneath the collar, and everywhere else for that matter, maybe he should open that window again.
The girl had left - Akaashi was vaguely aware that he wasn’t sure exactly how long they’d been sat in silence just staring at one another.
He let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding when Bokuto’s expression softened, eyes growing wide as he crossed his arms on the desk and rested his chin atop them - pouting a little.
‘Did I use that word right, Akaashi?’ Bokuto whined looking up at him, golden eyes swimming in shades of amber.
‘Yes, Bokuto-san.'
Akaashi had offered the rest of his lunch to Bokuto, he knew he’d only steal bits and pieces anyway - he’d rather Bokuto be fully energised for practise this evening.
So they talked a little, Akaashi tried not to get distracted by the bobbing of Bokuto’s throat as he drank from Akaashi’s water bottle - with his tie all but undone and his shirt two buttons open from the top he had all all too enticing view of Bokuto’s neck and strong shoulders.
‘What you lookin’ at?’ Bokuto asked, eyebrow quirked as he stared Akaashi down.
Crap, he’d been caught staring.
‘Bokuto-san,’ he drew out his name in a way that made Bokuto’s eyes widen, leaning over the desk to pull Bokuto towards him by the tie. ‘I thought upperclassmen were meant to be a better influence on the younger years.’
He smiled lightly, tugging Bokuto forward another inch or so as his slender fingers worked over Bokuto’s open buttons before sliding up his tie to fix in back in place.
‘Now how long is it going to stay like that?’ Akaashi asked, knowing better than to think he could ever make Bokuto wear his uniform properly.
Bokuto was already putting two fingers under his tie to loosen it again before Akaashi finished talking, he laughed lightly and Bokuto looked less apologetic as he undid his top button again.
The ringing of the bell signalling the end of lunch broke them out of their little domestic moment, Akaashi asked Bokuto to pack away his things as he took their trash to the bin.
As he returned he recognised the crease in Bokuto’s brow, he was about to do something stupid.
Right on cue Bokuto slipped a finger around Akaashi’s belt and tugged him forward, eyes thankfully not trained on Akaashi’s rapidly reddening face.
A palm pressed against the front of Akaashi’s abdomen and slid purposefully down past the waistband of his trousers.
Akaashi stumbled back a little at the contact but Bokuto still had a finger caught around his belt so he didn’t make it far before he was being tugged forwards onto stable footing again.
With eyes wide in shock, Akaashi caught a glimpse of Bokuto’s expression, his tongue was poking out as if the task at hand - which was apparently sticking his hands down Akaashi’s pants in the middle of a steadily filling classroom - was taking all of his concentration.
Eventually Bokuto’s eyes met his own, he mirrored Akaashi’s expression as he jumped backwards.
‘Sorry Akaashi!’ Bokuto wailed, butchering the amount of syllables he added to Akaashi’s name as per usual which added some normalcy back to the interaction. ‘Your shirt was untucked at the front and you always fix my uniform for me.’
It took only a moment longer for Akaashi to train his expression to something feigning neutrality. ‘It’s okay Bokuto, just give me some warning next time.’
He almost regretted the words instantly.
Next time.
Insinuating there was going to be another occasion for Bokuto to stick his hands down his pants.
It made Bokuto glow redder than he felt.
And just like that step one had failed, Akaashi internally kicked himself.
That girl had been trying to flirt with Bokuto and he’d let himself be dragged into the conversation, he’d ruined it, just because Bokuto was too blind to see other people who could shower him with the affection he deserved.
Who couldn't list every 'flaw' about him in a calculated manner, who simply got to discover them for themselves.
Then he’d gone and done something stupid like let his physical attraction completely derail his usual train of thought.
But hey, that’s why this was a three step plan.