Work Text:
Purpose: To probe into the inner workings of Bokuto in his natural habitat.
Background: Bokuto Koutaro is male, aged 17, weighs 78.3 kg, and stands at 185.3 cm. He is the wing spiker, captain, and ace of Fukurodani Academy.
Hypothesis: Owls are strange creatures but Bokuto is the strangest of them all.
Materials: Volleyballs, hair gel, brushes, watermelon, Kuroo, sunflowers, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
Experimental Procedure: Since every Bokuto antic is a “strange” antic, only the highlights will be recorded. Stalking and binoculars are unnecessary as the Bokuto species will readily pounce on you faster than you can respond, “Yes, Bokuto, I did see that.”
Data:
April 15, 2014 (Gymnasium)
4:00 PM
Too excited to greet new club members that he hits door frame in mid-jump.
4:00:05 PM
Welcomes new club members with non-indoor voice. Introduces self as ace, captain, and wing spiker, exclusively in that order.
4:02 PM
Sulks in corner because Onaga refuses to call him senpai.
April 24 (Classroom)
9:14 AM
Texts in the middle of class asking for the kanji of worry.
9:15 AM
Well checking the phone in class isn’t productive either and neither is writing in this notebook.
May 2 (Gymnasium)
5:00 PM
Practice match with Nekoma. Begins “Oh ho ho” showdown with Kuroo.
5:26 PM
Accidentally hurts Kuroo’s finger mid-spike. Is both smug and panicked.
June 8-June 29 (Inter-High Gymnasiums)
“I really am the strongest!” x 127384907
July 4 (Summer camp begins; Gymnasium)
9:06 AM
Greets Nekoma first. “Oh ho ho” showdown stopped by Yaku who immediately pulls out brush to “tame” Kuroo’s hair.
9:07 AM
Running from Yaku’s brush.
9:08 AM
“Can’t-Touch-This Hair Alliance” formed. Yamamoto is invited. Brushes and Yakus are banned.
9:29 AM
Greets new Torino Karasuno team using non-indoor voice.
10:03 AM
Invitations to “Can’t-Touch-This Hair Alliance” distributed. Karasuno’s libero accepts. Karasuno’s #12 doesn’t budge no matter how nicely Bokuto compliments his ahoge.
July 18 (Second summer camp training begins; Gymnasium)
“Hey, hey, heeeey!” x 135081735
July 19 (Outdoors)
1:48 PM
Gobbling up watermelon like an owl.
1:54 PM
What does that mean anyway? Spitting out the seeds like pellets?
1:55 PM
Get out of my notebook, Kuroo.
July 19 (Gymnasium)
8:14 PM
“Oh ho ho” getting out of hand. Glasses-kun is not amused.
July 20 (Gymnasium)
8:03 PM
Reunites with long-lost hyperactive brother aka Shorty-kun during 3-on-3 match.
July 21 (Cafeteria)
10:38 AM
Complains about Kuroo’s card cheats and Sawamura’s pokerface during not-a-captains-meeting.
July 22 (Gymnasium)
8:15 PM
Flattery showdown brought to you by Bokuto and Shorty-kun.
8:26 PM
Exaggerating exaggerations.
July 24 (Final day of training camp; Outdoor Barbeque)
2:13 PM
Accidentally chokes on charred piece of meat.
2:14 PM
Thankfully Kuroo knows the Heimlich maneuver. Bless the volleyball gods for Kuroo~
2:15 PM
Kuroo, I’m warning you.
August 2 (Spring High begins; Gymnasium)
4:48 PM
“We’re aiming for nationals!”
August 3 (Spring High continues; Locker Room)
4:15 PM
“Let’s keep up this momentum!"
August 7 (Locker Room)
6:37 PM
Grunt followed by a punch that rattles the lockers.
6:37 PM
Quiet, heavy breathing that speaks volumes.
6:38 PM
Silent sobbing. Or what Bokuto wishes would be silent sobbing but an ace’s tears can never be hidden from his setter nor can the captain’s from the vice captain or a friend’s from a friend.
6:39 PM
It’s one of those times where Bokuto revels in silence and solitary but it’s a kind that waits for him to lift his head and reminds him that teammates will always be waiting with a helping hand.
August 7 (Front of Gymnasium)
6:45 PM
Shakes hands with Kuroo to congratulate the cats for their win.
6:46 PM
“I’ll be looking forward to that ‘Battle of the Trash Heap’ at nationals!”
September 14 (Battle of the Trash Heap match; Gymnasium)
5:47 PM
Texts that he’ll be late because he can’t find hair gel.
6:05 PM
Game has already started. No replies to texts.
6:15 PM
Going to sulk when he realizes he missed one of Shorty-kun’s feints.
7:14 PM
Game over. Still no response.
8:19 PM
Finally texts back to say he’s at the hospi-
September 14 (Hospital Room)
8:31 PM
Quiet, heavy breathing that speaks volumes.
8:32
Silent sobbing.
8:32 PM
It’s one of those times where Bokuto drowns in silence. A kind that swallows him, and all anyone can do is stand at the surface, watching him sink and gasp for air as they struggle to do the same.
8:40 PM
Unsure which is stronger: the urge to strangle the drunk driver or the urge to strangle self for not being there.
September 15 (Hospital Room)
1:14 AM
Parents place Bokuto’s phone on the bedside, kiss his forehead, and leave.
5:16 AM
Have Bokuto’s hands always felt like this? As much as he relies on the team’s for support, he probably doesn’t realize they need his as much as he needs theirs.
Hands that comfort, hands that encourage. Hands with confidence, hands with drive.
5:17 AM
Hands that don’t belong limp on white sheets.
September 15 (Hospital Room)
8:33 PM
Wake up.
11:18 PM
Please.
September 16 (Hospital Room)
6:12 AM
Bokuto has always been fairly easy to read.
Pumped fists. Wide smiles. Bright laughs. Slumped shoulders. Heavy sighs. Dragged feet.
They’re like bolded words in an open book.
But what can you do with heartbeats?
6:13 AM
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
6:14 AM
Nothing, but count.
6:15 AM
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
6:16 AM
And pretend.
6:17 AM
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
6:18 AM
“I’ll make it, Akaashi.”
6:19 AM
Beep. Beep. Beep.
6:20 AM
“Put your trust in the ace.”
6:20 AM
Beep. Beep.
6:21 AM
“Akaashi, did you see that?!”
6:22 AM
Beep.
6:23 AM
Yeah
6:24 AM
6:25 AM
6:26 AM
6:27 AM
I did.
September 17
September 18
September 19
September 20
Akaashi.
What the hell are you doing? I’m not talking about the coffee (you sure drank a lot trying to stay up late at the hospital, didn’t you? Don’t lie; there are stains all over this thing.)
I’m talking about now. Stop looking at us like we’re You won’t even look at anyone (glancing at players before a toss doesn’t count for shit).
What you’re doing doesn’t work. Trust me, I know.
The team needs you. Not as a vice captain, as a friend. Don’t abandon them.
You need them. Not as teammates, as support. They’re waiting for you.
No one likes seeing your back. Turn around.
P.S. Feel free to kick my ass for writing in this. You left it behind during today’s practice match.
P. P. S. Bokuto would kill you. I’m not going to say “if he could see you right now” because I know he can.
-Kuroo
September 21
September 22
September 23
September 24
September 25 (Garden)
9:17 AM
TIL Kuroo makes hissing noises when kicked.
9:18 AM
And freezes stiff when hugged.
9:19 AM
He really is a cat.
9:22 AM
We got Bokuto’s favorites: sunflowers.
9:23 AM
The atmosphere and people are unusually lively for today’s ceremony but Bokuto wouldn’t have it any other way.
10:30 AM
Everyone’s gone home after leaving their flowers, gifts, and messages.
10:35 AM
It’s the third time Bokuto’s enveloped in silence but I like this one the best because if you listen closely, you can hear the wind whisper the three most beautiful words in the world.
“Hey, hey, heeeeeey!”
Conclusion: Bokuto is strange but life without him is stranger.