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Akaashi was sandwiched between the wall and Bokuto, staring out of the window in the small diner they were currently in. He could feel Bokuto’s hand on his thigh, as gentle as ever, as the other man was leaning forward as he got more and more frustrated with Kuroo. There was a part of him that never grew tired of their dynamic, maybe that’s why he never stopped their playful banter. He could also feel Kenma’s ankle tangling with his, and from the corner of his eye, he saw the blonde scoot forward slightly. Without taking his eyes off of the scenery outside, he also scooted forward just a little to make it more comfortable for them. He briefly wondered if Kuroo and Kenma were holding hands, it was their thing. Anywhere they went, if they sat next to each other, one hand would drift to the other and then they’d be fingers laced underneath the table. Akaashi couldn’t help but think about how endearing it was, the way that they found comfort in each other without even trying.
The weather was slightly windy, making the early fall leaves gently stir on the ground. He was leaning his chin on his hand, cupping the side of his face, as the outside of the diner was trying to tell him something... he just didn’t know what. He was afraid if he looked away, he’d miss the message. Bokuto and Kuroo continued to argue about nothing and Kenma had pulled his switch out as they waited for their large order. He thought about how at the diner they ate at a few towns ago, he fed Kuroo so much of his own food that Kuroo actually apologized for eating basically his whole meal. But Akaashi didn’t mind, he’d give him every last one of his meals if it’d make Kuroo happy. He’d do it for any of them. Seeing the way those hazel eyes light up with every spoonful of soup was definitely worth it, plus it was a large bowl of it anyways. Kuroo had a lazy arm around Akaashi’s waist in the backseat after that, leaning into him as he drifted off to that peaceful sleep you have after a good meal. Akaashi lost count of how many times he kissed his face gently, Kuroo was really fucking cute when he was sleeping. He watched a car raced by on the small town street and how the leaves stirred once again, more violently than when the wind had pushed them around.
Humming quietly to himself, Akaashi thinks about the beginning of their relationship. They reminded him of the leaves on the ground, letting all the external factors around them determine what they were going to do. How would everyone react to their relationship? Would this really work? Would it last? Will everything really be equal? Akaashi had 100 questions going through his mind when Bokuto asked how he felt about being with Kuroo and Kenma for the first time. But all in all, he remembers feeling relief. The sexual tension between them had pretty much reached its peak recently and it would be good for all of them to just get it out of their system. He lets out a small noise resembling a laugh at the diner table thinking about how he was clueless to his own feelings back then. Akaashi absentmindedly pulls his sweater over his hands, enjoying the way the soft material felt on his hands as he watched the trees stand tall and proud, unwavering in this chilly and windy weather as memories continue to flood his mind without his consent. Road trips did have a tendency to make him nostalgic, to reflect on the past.
At first it was just sex, they’d hook up after movie night or whatever, but slowly it started to develop into something more. Akaashi first notices it when Kenma and Kuroo stop leaving after sex. At first, they’d leave that night, but that turned into them being too tired and staying until morning, they’d still leave before breakfast. Soon enough, they’d stop leaving in the morning, opting to stay for breakfast and even into lunch. After a few months, Kenma and Kuroo had spare toothbrushes in their bathroom and clothes in their drawers. Well, that is if Kenma wasn’t wearing Akaashi’s clothes, which he took a liking too over Bokuto’s just because they were way too big. He commented on how he liked Akaashi’s cologne better and they both had to kiss his pout away after that. After six months, there was a different type of tension in the air every time they came over and it had nothing to do with sex. It had to do with the fact he would text Kenma all day and think about Kuroo when he wasn’t around. It had to do with Kenma crawling into Bokuto’s lap at any given chance and Kuroo washing Bokuto’s hair every time they showered together. It had to do with the way he was in love with three people and looking back, it would’ve been easier if they were all less stupid.
Sorting through all their feelings was so fucking hard, they struggled more than Akaashi thought they would for being such good friends before. Trying to turn something that was just supposed to be fun sex into a serious relationship was a lot, but it didn’t have to be had they not been so concerned with people outside of the four of them were going to say. Thinking back about how surprised he was when Bokuto had enough, saying he was leaving town for a while, he shouldn’t have been. Out of all of them, Bokuto definitely has the softest heart and Akaashi knows how much it was affecting him. He recalls the sleepless nights his boyfriend had, the soft comments on how the bed had too much space. Truthfully, Akaashi was feeling it too. He wanted the other two around all the time, the same way he had Koutarou. It was hurting Bokuto to be in this situation of uncertainty so much he didn’t even blurt out how he was feeling like usual. He bottled up all his emotions, which he never did. Well, it would all come out during his meltdown. After the shouting and sobbing that occurred in their apartment that had grown two sizes too big since being with Kuroo and Kenma and experiencing their absence, Bokuto was gone for a week. Akaashi remembers feeling so heartbroken, like a piece was missing from his life and oddly enough, his mind thought about how he’d feel this way no matter which one of them walked out of his life. During his time away, Akaashi got together with Kenma and Kuroo to fix it. Not just for Bokuto, but for all of them. For himself. Both were having similar feelings, finally ready to actually give it a shot. Who cares what other people said anyways? He was the one with three boyfriends, everyone else were the ones losing in his eyes. Having three people who loved him more than anything, who could fill the space in his heart that he didn’t even realize was empty.
“What are you thinking about ‘Kaashi?” Bokuto squeezed his thigh just enough to get his attention and Akaashi whipped his head around to look right at him, slightly startled from being shaken out of his deep thoughts. Koutarou’s eyes were soft, a look of open concern all over his face. The warmth he felt from looking at him made him forget the chilly winds outside.
“Smiling like that, it must be me,” Kuroo teased, but he could see the concern in his eyes as well, it was right beneath the surface of his playful words.
“It’s definitely me,” Kenma commented without looking up from his game, but he didn’t miss the way Kenma gently rubbed against his leg underneath the table where their legs were tangled together.
His heart swelled as he looked at them, not quite knowing how to express just how much he cared about each one of them. There seemed to be no combination of words and phrases to convey his love. Akaashi curses the way simple gestures like this make him so soft, so happy, and he especially curses the way road trips make him think so damn much. Even more than usual and that’s saying something.
The other two were about to protest Kenma’s comment when two waitresses showed up with all their food. They ate quietly at first, the food being really good and it had been a while since they stopped to eat. They opted to take the scenic route and stop at a few attractions along the way to this diner and the hunger was definitely getting to Bokuto and Kuroo, hence their earlier stupid argument. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to say he was thinking about all the sad shit that happened before Bokuto returned from his trip. Finding Akaashi, Kuroo, and Kenma all in his bed and waiting for cuddles was exactly what Bokuto needed. Remembering how happy Bokuto looked as he quickly changed clothes and climbed in with them never fails to make Akaashi feel a little better on bad days. That day after cuddles and a nap, they decided to give it a real shot. That was two years ago. And since then, they take a road trip once a year in the fall just to get away from everyday life. Sometimes it lasts for a week, sometimes it’s for a few days, but they always come back feeling even closer after spending so much time just focusing on each other. To say something so sappy wasn’t definitely not going to happen, he’d just save it for another time. A part of him was sure at one point they’ve all thought about that time anyways, no need to bring it up once more.
After their meal, and yes Akaashi actually got to eat all of his food save for when they all sampled each other’s plate like they always did, it was Akaashi’s turn to drive. Kenma took the passenger’s seat as Bokuto and Kuroo said they’d be sleeping off all the food they ate in the backseat. Bokuto asked if they could listen to Fine Lines and Kenma started the album without any protest. Bokuto’s love for Harry Styles had rubbed off on all of them. Akaashi noticed the singing from the backseat had died down after She and he peeked to see them both knocked out, leaning against one another. After Sunflower, Vol. 6 (it was maybe Akaashi’s favorite song on the album) Kenma turned the music down slightly and reached over to place his hand on Akaashi’s that was on the gear shift as Canyon Moon played gently in the background.
“You better not be thinking of leaving us, Keiji,” Kenma said quietly. Of course he was only teasing, but Akaashi could hear the serious edge to his voice. Akaashi saw a leave get stuck to the windshield and at that moment, he knew what the outside view from the diner was trying to tell him.
“I was thinking about how I could be with all of you, forever,” Akaashi said honestly without taking his eyes off the road. He could feel Kenma’s grip tighten just a bit and Akaashi brought their hands up to his lips to kiss the slightly smaller hand gently a few times.
“I love you so much, Kenma, I don’t ever want to be without you. Any of you,” he was feeling all of the emotions from earlier come crawling up his throat as he thought about just how much he loved them. How he couldn’t imagine life without any one of his beautiful boyfriends. Sometimes all of the thoughts overwhelmed him, but luckily Kenma knew just what to say before the tears were about to spill onto his cheeks.
“I wouldn’t dream of leaving you, how the hell would I deal with these two idiots alone?” he teased, taking their hands to his own lips to kiss the back of Akaashi’s a few times, mirroring his earlier action. It immediately settled his nerves and he smiled, glancing over at Kenma and then to the rearview mirror to the two idiots in question in the backseat. Their heads were leaned against each other, hands intertwined and in Bokuto’s lap. Seeing all of them together with him quelled his fears and intrusive thoughts, reminding him that this was what the road trip was for. Akaashi was about to put his other hand back on the wheel when Kenma tugged it back towards him.
“Seriously, Keiji, you mean everything to me. I love you too, don’t ever doubt that,” he added quietly as he rubbed the back of Akaashi’s hand with his thumb. All Akaashi could think about was how their love was no longer the fragile leaves that let the wind and passing cars do whatever they wanted with them. It was the car who zoomed past, not caring about how the leaves were unsettled or how the pavement was slightly bumpy underneath it’s tires, it continued to move forward until it reached its destination. The car would move through the turbulence of the wind or even if it was storming, until it was parked in it’s garage back home, safe and sound. And that’s exactly how Akaashi felt at the end of each road trip when they piled into their bed and he was sandwiched between two of his lovers, safe and sound.