Work Text:
Akaashi had become pretty welcome accustomed to Onigiri Miya. It was only a block away from his apartment and was always open pretty late. The hours were 10 am to 2 am to be exact, though he was never sure how the owner managed to do it. Yes, the owner, Akaashi had been going to Onigiri Miya so often, that he had the pleasure of being on a first-name basis, so to speak. Miya was about his height, probably about his age, with short dark hair, straight and shaved a bit on the sides. He was always greeted by him, it seemed as though Akaashi always happened to come in when he was working - or maybe he worked all the time, being the owner and all.
So there Akaashi was again, opening the door to Onirigi Miya, yet again, this time a Tuesday night. He had a deadline to meet on the latest chapter of his manga and once again he was driven to get a quick snack to go instead of making food from scratch at home. Kenma would surely be on his ass when he got back to the apartment, lecturing him about he needed to eat at home more often to save. It’s not like Kenma was any better though, Akaashi was nice and pretended not to notice the numerous packages of ramen that piled up in the trash can. Akaashi knew Kenma just cared for him, but sometimes it really was hard to ignore the smell of ramen every other night.
Once inside, Akaashi noted that it was rather empty for dinnertime - no one around except for Miya, who’s eyebrows perked up from the bar when he saw him walk in. Akaashi tried not to make contact for too long - it was one thing to be at this restaurant all the time and it was another thing to be slightly crushing on the owner. Akaashi wasn’t sure what developed first - his addiction to the onigiri or his crush on Miya. It wasn’t like Akaashi was unfamiliar with onigiri, it was his favorite food, he might as well have been a connoisseur. But Akaashi liked to tell himself that it was the onigiri and not the crush, if you could even call it a crush.
Beyond the short haircut, which suited him rather well, Miya usually held a bit of a blank expression, like he was looking right through you sometimes. Akaashi had noticed this as first, but as the two became familiar, he noticed the life in his eyes - there was a whole world of thoughts and opinions in there waiting to break out and he could tell - though Akaashi couldn’t even imagine what he was thinking, they mostly focused on small talk, like the weather or the volleyball games that Miya always had playing on the TV.
Moving away from his face… Miya also had some very noticeable features, one’s that Akaashi wasn’t very proud of noticing. Just like always, tonight, Miya wore a long sleeve t-shirt, which he rolled up to about his elbows. Akaashi had noticed his defined forearms many times before, and he couldn’t help but wonder what his biceps looked like if those were his forearms. It was hard to tell in the lighting of Onigiri Miya, the store’s lighting was a bit lower than a normal store, but it had plenty of windows for natural light to make up for it. However, Akaashi normally came after the sun had set and even if there was better lighting he presumed it would still be hard to tell given the black shirt.
Miya’s hands had also caught Akaashi’s attention - they looked rather soft and for a man that seemed to be cooking all day, he was rather impressed. Of course, it was just rice for the most part, but Akaashi could only imagine how much upkeep there was in keeping them from getting too rough. Akaashi also loved to pretend he didn’t notice these things, lest he would start stuttering responses to Miya if he pondered them too much.
Miya picked his head up off his hands and folded his arms over his chest as he stood up straight. Akaashi had forgotten how nice that work uniform defined his chest. Fuck.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite customer,” he observed a bit smugly.
Akaashi smiled and pushed a stray hair behind his ear, “I’m sure that can’t be true.”
Miya chuckled and tutted, “Another close deadline, Akaashi-san?”
Akaashi sighed and took a seat at the bar in front of Miya, his shoulders dropping before he spoke. “Yep and this one is going to be even closer than last time.” Akaashi dropped his head onto the bar’s countertop for a moment and sighed again. He really hadn’t realized how tired he was.
“The usual for tonight?”
“Yes, please, thank you.”
When Akaashi pulled his head up Miya was still there smiling, kind of in a trance, but snapped out when he realized Akaashi was looking back at him.
“I’ll get right on it!”
Akaashi could’ve been mistaken, but he swore he saw the slightest of blushes on Miya’s cheeks. He decided to compartmentalize that one for later, pulling out his iPad to work until his food was ready.
~~~
The night seemed to fly by, though it went as it normally did, Akaashi unintentionally pulling out his iPad to work while he waited, not finding a good spot to stop and walk home, so he would settle for working in the shop while he munched on his dinner. Miya never seemed to mind especially on nights like tonight when business was a bit slower.
While Akaashi would work, Miya would be preparing rice and onigiri and every so often a customer would come in to get something to go or an uberEats driver would stop in to pick up a few orders. In between customers and work though, Miya would sometimes watch Akaashi work from the other side of the bar, as he redrew or colored things frantically, desperate to make his deadline, which was normally around 2 am. Coincidentally, Onigiri Miya was open until then, so Miya never seemed to mind. Once, he even remarked that he really enjoyed Akaashi’s presence, since he basically worked alone all the time. He said he didn’t really mind being alone, after years of growing up with a twin, it was nice to finally have some peace and quiet. Akaashi had laughed at that, being able to relate, since his older sister was a social butterfly she had always been talking to on the phone at any hour during their later adolescence. Miya also remarked that he enjoyed Akaashi’s presence as well, it paired well with the silence. He was inclined to agree, though he didn’t verbally, he was pretty sure he had done it with a blush - it was pretty embarrassing how sweet little things like that set Akaashi’s brain into a meltdown.
Akaashi continued working and Miya continued vacillating between watching and working and soon enough the drunk-before-closing-crowd had come and gone, leaving the two of them alone together.
“I’m almost done with this last panel - I’ll be out of your hair soon, Miya, I’m sorry to burden you like this.”
“Ah, well I don’t mind you being in my hair.” Miya paused and looked at Akaashi. Akaashi blinked back processing what he had just said - it was a bit weird, and if Akaashi’s being honest, it was also very corny.
Miya opened his mouth, then closed it, a very obvious blush spreading over his cheeks. “Ah. Did I say that out loud?”
Akaashi blinked again, then looked back is his iPad screen, then back at Miya. “I suppose you did.” Akaashi was also bright red at this point, overcome with embarrassment, but not from Miya’s comment, but from his own thoughts… his hands in Miya’s hair… and other things…
“Well, don’t mind me, I’m just going to finish closing up.” Miya sped-walk to the back of the kitchen, out of Akaashi’s field of vision. Akaashi could hear cleaning noises, some pots and pans banging around a little, not as distracting as the thoughts flooding Akaashi’s brain as he struggled through the last panels and drafted an email to his editor with the newest chapter.
Akaashi’s mind was swirling, Miya’s very forwardly flirtatious comment bouncing around his brain, creating possibilities, future scenarios, unresting, even as Miya returned to the bar to see Akaashi off. It seemed like he had pulled himself together and he was looking as calm and collected as normal, his head resting in one of his hands, watching Akaashi as he packed up his things.
“Well, I guess I’m off!” Akaashi tried his best to throw a smile on, ready to throw the past ten minutes out of his mind, so he could go home and analyze the hell out of every interaction he’d ever had with Miya (though he had already done that before - he’s obviously lying to you, Reader).
“Wait, Akaashi-san.” Akaashi turned around, already halfway to the door, his escape failed. “I’m sorry I said that… it was a bit weird and out of place.” Akaashi swallowed. He was pretty sure Miya could hear it.
“That’s okay!” Akaashi said, throwing his fake smile on. He needed to change the subject - it wouldn’t be the best to leave things so awkward - after all, he wasn’t sure what he would do with Miya’s onigiri (and more importantly Miya). “Oh, I forgot to pay you! Here let me get my card out.”
Akaashi returned to the bar, scrambling for his wallet, though it was nowhere to be seen in his bag. Frantic, he shifted his stuff around, checking every pocket, as Miya looked on, concerned. Retracing his steps mentally as he shifted things around, it dawned on Akaashi that he had left his wallet at his office.
“Ah, Miya-san, I’m so sorry, but I left my wallet at my office… is it okay if I pay you back tomorrow? I can be here first thing.”
“Oh, you could pay me now though.”
“How so? I don’t have any money on me.”
Miya blushed. “You could pay me with a kiss?”
“A kiss?”
“A kiss? Uhh, I mean yeah,” Miya placed a hand behind his head, scratching at that back of his neck, blushing in full effect. “If that’s okay with you… you don’t need to pay me.”
Akaashi looked on with awe. Was Miya really propositioning him for a kiss in exchange for his onigiri? Akaashi was pretty sure his jaw had dropped and that he was going to catch flies if he wasn’t careful. Akaashi wanted to weigh his options - a kiss for onigiri, that seemed pretty logical, I mean, Akaashi wanted to kiss Miya every day, his onigiri was simply the best. Though his brain couldn’t stop running wild with the possibility that the man who he had been crushing on every day for the past year was really asking for a kiss in exchange for onigiri.
Akaashi wasn’t sure how long he had been staring, but eventually, Miya’s blush faded and he spoke up.
“Look, Akaashi-san, I’m sorry, that obviously was also way out of left field and-” Miya was interrupted by Akaashi’s lips, settling on his, very unexpectedly. Akaashi grabbed Miya’s hand as he kissed him, it was a short kiss, but it did give him that perfect opportunity to touch his hands - they were as soft as they looked - maybe softer than Akaashi expected. His lips were also soft, his tongue? Woah, Akaashi wasn’t sure when tongue was added, but Miya definitely knew how to use it.
Akaashi pulled away, he was sure he was blushing a deep shade of red. Miya looked at Akaashi, and he could see the gears turning in his brain, his eyes holding that same look he had witnessed before.
“I, uh, I-” Akaashi couldn’t stop stuttering. Had he done the wrong thing? Obviously, Miya had asked for a kiss, but Akaashi had given it with no warning - what if Miya was just messing with him… though it did seem very out of character for him.
Then, Akaashi noticed the small, soothing rub of Miya’s thumb on his palm, Akaashi looking down at his hand, then back at Miya, who had a soft smile on his face.
“You know, Akaashi-san, I’ve thought about that for a long time… and I’m glad I got the pleasure of it.”
“I, yes, of course, I had to pay you back, of course-”
“Hey, Akaashi.” Miya started then stopped. “I like you. It’s more than the onigiri, I couldn’t give a fuck about them.” He paused. “I would make onigiri every hour of the day if it was for you.”
Akaashi blushed a deep red, probably redder than he had been before. Heck, he probably didn’t even get this red when he drank - Miya’s confession was having a deep effect on him.
“I think… I think I like you too, Miya.”
The soft smile on Miya’s face grew a little bit. “Please. Call me Osamu.”
“Okay, um, okay, Osamu. I think I like you. A lot. Actually, I don’t think- I really do.”
Osamu brought Akaashi’s hand up to his mouth, kissing one of his knuckles. “So… uh”
“Ah, um, it’s Keiji. You can call me Keiji, yes that’s okay.” Akaashi had no clue why he was talking so formally, but the blush wasn’t helping, his brain running faster than a bullet train.
“Can I see you tomorrow, Keiji?
“Of course you can. As long as you make me more onigiri.” Akaashi chuckled to himself and Osuma laughed too, thankfully recognizing the joke.
~~~
Akaashi walked into his apartment, Kenma and Kuroo on the couch, their usual set up in play, Kenma playing a video game, and his boyfriend eagerly watching on.
“Hey,” Kenma greeted him, eyes still glued to the screen.
“Hey, Kaashi-kun!” Kuroo greeted with a big smile, the younger man not having seen him for a few weeks. “What’s up?”
“Oh, I just met a deadline! At Onigiri Miya, you know the usual.” Akaashi thought he was playing things off like they were normal, but Kenma seemed to be more perceptive than he expected.
“Onigiri Miya? Isn’t that the place with…”
Kenma elbowed Kuroo in the chest, the taller man coughing a bit through a laugh. “Shush.”
Akaashi gazed at his roommate and his boyfriend… Kuroo couldn’t have meant…
Taking his eyes off the screen, Kenma looked over, his eyes piercing into Akaashi’s soul. He froze.
“Keiji, when are you going to confess to Miya-san? It’s about time, the pining is kind of insufferable.”
Akaashi could feel himself blushing. Kenma was right, he had known Osamu for a while now, and even though they had confessed to each other, he wasn’t sure he was ready to tell other people yet - especially with Kuroo in the room. With him, there the entirety of Tokyo would know Akaashi’s dating life by the next morning.
“Well, I, well, Osa- Miya-san and I have talked, but not-”
“Oh my god, Kenma, can you believe it?”
Kenma looked up to his boyfriend. “What?”
“Our Kaashi-kun’s getting laid!!! Oh boy, wait until Bokuto hears about this!” he said whipping out his phone.
Kenma sighed and put his head in his hand, trying to ignore the way Akaashi had pounced on Kuroo, fighting for his phone, demanding he keep his mouth shut.
It was going to be a long night, so Kenma figured he might as well get to a save point.
~~~
When Osamu finally made it back to his apartment, the first thing he did was throw a leftover onigiri at his unexpecting brother’s head.
“Ow! ‘Samu, the fuck was that for! You just got home!”
“That was for the stupid pick-up line advice.” Osamu threw the other leftover onigiri, this time Atsumu dodged it.
“And that one was because I’m mad it worked.”
Osamu slammed his door shut, the noises of Atsumu’s yelling on about filling him in with all the details drowned out by the newfound focus he had on his phone.
NEW MESSAGE FROM: Akaashi Keji
AK: made it home :)
Osamu smiled, typing back to say the same and some more.