Work Text:
“Hey Koutaro…”
“Yeah Keiji.” Koutaro turned from the toy he had just pressed the button on. The mechanical dinosaur roaring behind him.
Keiji was looking down at their feet. Fiddling with his fingers. Koutaro gently took his hands into his own. Kissing them softly. Keiji only fiddled with their fingers when he was nervous or uncomfortable.
“What’s wrong?” Koutaro’s lips were still brushing against their knuckles.
“Those people are looking at me.” They mumbled. Pulling his hands away from Koutaro.
Koutaro’s heart sank with the look on his partner’s face. Glancing around for the culprit. A woman with two boys was side eyeing them both. Probably only looking at Keiji before Koutaro kissed his hands. He wanted so badly to yell at her. Keiji was the prettiest person he had ever seen in a skirt and wished people would leave them alone when they were out. Yet yelling at her would get him into trouble. From an embarrassed Keiji and usually security once they were called. It had happened many times before.
It was unfair just because they were different. And the man who had told almost made Kageyama cry at the airport deserved to be punched. Hinata had been held back by Kageyama but Kenma had just watched Koutaro throw the punch.
He turned back to Keiji.
“So what. She’s probably just jealous that you look so much better in a skirt than her. I think you’re gorgeous, baby.” He said.
Keiji smiled at him. A small one, not like the ones he usually saw. It was clear they were still upset about it. Koutaro noticed how his partner would curl in on himself. Would step away from him so they couldn’t even accidently brush hands. Make sure they would avoid looking at pretty things that could seem girly. Koutaro would see the longing looks and drag him over. He was a man who was comfortable in his gender enough to point things out. Besides he had actually bought Keiji a few skirts back in high school. ALong with help from his sisters. Yet even when Keiji had the confidence to wear their skirts he would panic and sometimes change out of them.
“Hey you want me to ask Itsuki if she’ll do your makeup? I know that makes you smile.” Koutaro lowered his voice. “I’ll ask Kuroo and Kenma to come round as well.”
“I’m hearing that as an excuse to see Kurro and Itsuki.”
Koutaro deflated a little. He got it was hard but he was trying his best. He didn’t understand what his partner wanted sometimes. Keiji was once again playing with his fingers. Slowly rocking themselves away from Koutarou.
“Do you just wanna go home? We can do what you want.”
“Kou, I didn’t say I was opposed to having them over. I was teasing you. I’m moving away cause she’s looking at us again.”
Thank god for Keiji having Koutaro’s share of the brain cells. They had learnt how to deal with their boyfriend ever since they were on the team together. He knew all his weaknesses and the way to get him out of a slump. Koutaro just had a little trouble thinking sometimes himself. That’s why he loved him. He was smart and pretty.
“Sorry. You know I’m bad at reading situations sometimes.”
“I know, love. Now do you wanna press some more buttons or can we leave?”
Kotatrou took their hand in his own. Catching him off guard a little as they stumbled forward.
“Let’s go, baby. I’ll call them when we get out. Then we can relax all night, chillin and looking pretty. In your case. In my case I’ll be smoking hot.”
Keiji rolled their eyes. Then took a quick glance back at the lady. Who was now ushering her sons away. Koutaro stuck out his tongue in her direction. Really? He was going to to be one of Japan’s best volleyball players soon (hopefully) and that meant he’d be everywhere. Meaning that Keiji would also be with him because of sports stuff. Yeah sports stuff.
“Koutaro, I did see that.”
He pulled his tongue back in quickly and looked off to the side. Which made Keiji giggle. Covering their mouth with their hand.
“Hey I’m allowed to be childish. You just watched me press about fifteen toys because they made noise.”
“You also watched me play with a bop it for about twenty minuets.”
Koutaro pulled him closer. Wrapping an arm around him.
“And that’s why we’re perfect for each other. It’s a relationship built purely on wasting the batteries in store toys.”
“Match made in Heaven.” Keiji kissed his cheek gently.
Koutaro felt his ears burn red. Then following down to his cheeks. Keiji usually wasn’t this affectionate in public.
“You said match and I thought of volleyball.”
“You think of nothing but volleyball.”
“And you. I think of you a lot. Yet you come first, then volleyball.” He leaned down to Keiji’s shoulder. Smiling up at him.
“I doubt that very much, Bokuto-San.”
“Akagashi.”
They both laughed at the dumb nickname. Walking out of the store and towards the train station.
*****
It took Kuroo and Kenma less than half an hour to get to their tiny apartment. Kuroo engulfing Koutarou in a hug as soon as the door was opened.
“Hey man. It’s not me who needs comforting.” Koutarou said happily.
“Please don’t- omph.”
Kenma surprisingly wrapped his arms around Keiji. He felt Kuroo’s head tilt in confusion.
“I’ll kill anyone who looks at you funny again. Just point me in the right direction.”
Keiji hugged the smaller boy back. Pushing their nose into Kenma’s hair. Kuroo then pushed his head into Koutarou’s neck more.
“We can out sappy them.”
“Not now bud. As much as I love you. Keiji…”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Kuroo unwrapped himself from Koutaro. Slinging his arms around the other pair.
“Akaashi you are my favourite he they in this goddamn world. I’ll make sure that if anyone looks at you strangely again they have to deal with me. A certified hottie and soon to be one rich bitch.”
That got a laugh out of Keiji.
“Who said you were hot.” Kenma mumbled.
Koutaro doubled over laughing. Kuroo’s face fell and he grumbled at his boyfriend
“Thanks love you too.”
The four walked into the lounge room. Well lounge kitchen and dining room as the apartment literally had three rooms. Koutaro didn’t mind, he was living with the love of his life. There was nothing to complain about. Apart from the loud neighbours above them. No matter what they did it was loud.
“So, do we have to kill anyone? Or was it just a glare?” Kuroo asked.
“Just a glare. And she pushed her kids away.” Keiji explained, sitting down on the couch. Kenma sat next to them.
“Bitch.”
“Woah Kou you kiss our mother with that mouth.”
Koutaro turned around and his face broke into a smile. Itsuki and Niko were standing at the door. Itsuki’s arms were full with the countless make-up bags she had collected over the years from her make-up course.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Koutaro shouted, throwing his arms into the air. Narrowly avoiding hitting Kuroo.
“You did it wrong.” Niko huffed.
Kuroo let out a laugh. That ugly cackle he did so often. Kenma wrinkled up his nose at it. Koutaro hugged both his sisters anyway. Squeezing Niko until it was a tad too painful. She whacked him over the back of his head when he let go. Sticking his tongue out at her as well. For good measure.
“So who was messing with our future sibling in law?” Niko asked as she walked over to Keiji and give them a hug.
Keiji happily hugged her back. Koutaro was extremely overjoyed when both of his sisters immediately started using they as well as he when Keiji admitted to it. Niko going as far as defending him when others wouldn't say they at all. Itsuki walks past them to the couch where Kenma has taken up his residence. Slouched into the couch cushions as if he was one himself.
Itsuki begins to unpack some of her brushes. Lying them out on the table. Keiji gets out of the hug and starts to help. Kneeling down next to her.
Niko slings an arm around Kurro. Then proceeds to ruffle his hair up. Making it more messy than imaginable.
“When are you going to brush this mess? It’s been years since I’ve known you and it’s still the same. Every. SIngle. Time.”
“Would you believe it’s been the same since we were eight.”
Itsuki looks over in disbelief. The face causing a small chuckle out of Keiji. Making Koutaro smile. They looked so much more comfortable surrounded by friends and Koutaro’s family. Well, he hopes that one day Keiji can officially become part of their family. Even if Koutaro Akaashi has a nice ring to it, Keiji in a drunken state had whined how he wanted to be Bokutou-san too.
Kuroo had thankfully filmed the entire ordeal and it sat in Koutaro’s My eyes only. Keiji would probably die of embarrassment if he saw that. Yet it was a nice thing to watch when Koutaro felt insecure.
“Kuroo Tetsurou! You get back here now so I can brush your hair.” Itsuki was armed with a comb.
The tall man bolted into the bathroom, the lock thudding into place. Keiji and Kenma were giggling as Itsuki screamed in frustration. Niko simply slid out her wallet and fished out a credit card.
Koutaro took a seat next to Keiji and wrapped an arm around them. Pulling them close to his chest.
“Feeling better?” He whispered.
Keiji nuzzled into his neck. His soft hair tickling at his neck. Koutaro was very glad he grew out of being ticklish.
“I was feeling better as soon as you told me I was pretty.”
Koutaro smiled. His head tilting to rest at an awkward angle. Getting as much contact with Keiji as possible.
“But this?”
“Even better.”
Kenma groaned loudly. Making the pair move away slightly. He looked at them both, eyes lidded.
“I don’t care your doing that. I’m just made that now I want cuddles but my boyfriend is currently-“
Kuroo let out a Yelp and was bolting across the room with both Bokuto sisters hot on his heels.
“Doing that. I hate him.”
Keiji and Koutaro laughed.