Chapter Text
“Oh come on, you have to have an opinion. I’m dying to know the inner workings of Akaashi Keiji’s mind.” You closed your eyes and lay your head back, surrendering yourself to the sunlight.
If you weren’t in a public space, he was sure you would’ve heard the way his heart abruptly stopped at the sound of his first name. In this moment he also thanked whatever higher power was up there that you didn’t catch the pink dust on his cheeks, nor the way he briefly choked on the water he was drinking.
In the midst of collecting himself, he almost missed the way you glowed in the light. Really? He thought. Who fucking looks like that?
You nudged his knee and softly said, “Tell meeeee.”
He kept his voice as steady as possible as he took you in and came up with a response. He knew this was the one chance he’d get to use your first name too.
“What about you? Enlighten me with your intricate inner thoughts, L/N F/N.” Your name tasted sweet in his mouth and he savored it. He hoped he’d be able to say it again, soon.
The two of you were sitting on a bench in an outlet mall waiting for Bokuto to finish up in the Adidas store. You were currently discussing whether the chicken or the egg came first after overhearing a group of teens arguing over it as they passed by.
Your eyes opened briefly to glance at him, smiling at the sound of your first name.
“You can call me F/N, if you like,” you said quietly, closing your eyes again and trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Akaashi, again, thanked any higher power who was listening that your eyes were closed again. He couldn’t hide the stupid grin on his face this time.
“Okay, F/N, why do you think the chicken came first?” He joined you in closing his eyes and leaning back on the bench as well. He moved closer, your shoulders now touching.
“Call me Keiji,” he quietly added.
As much as he was enjoying this little banter, he couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. His best friend, who he knew had feelings for you, still called you by your last name -- still using honorifics as well.
Was it wrong for him to be talking to you like this? I mean he wasn’t straightforwardly flirting.. yet. And wasn’t Bokuto checking out a girl in the cafeteria earlier anyway? He decided he would deal with it later, diverting all his attention to the sound of your voice again.
“Because, Keiji. Where else would the eggs come from?!”
There it was again. If you said his first name one more time he swore he was going to--
“Keiji, think about it! The theory of evolution states that all species are descendants of a single ancestor and that all species have simply gradually evolved over time. You’re telling me we all came from an EGG?” You were now sitting up facing him, with your hand on his right bicep (though, you ignored how nice it felt).
He threw his head back laughing and placed his left hand over the hand you had on his arm. The passion in your words over something so random was too precious. He squeezed your hand and said, “I literally haven’t argued, nor disagreed with you yet this entire time!”
“Then tell me you agree with me!”
You shook him, your hand still under his. You liked this playful side of him, he was normally so reserved.
Akaashi stared at you, contemplating if he wanted to give you the satisfaction of agreeing with you or if he wanted to watch you “argue” with him some more. To your dismay, he chose the latter. He couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed watching you squirm.
“Hm.. but how credible are your sources, F/N?” He squeezed your hand once more.
At this, you let go of his hand and smacked his arm. Already missing your hand in his, he laughed and reached for it again saying, “Okay! Okay okay okay, I believe you!”
“Thank you,” you ignored the way his hand held yours tightly again, resting on your knee. Akaashi was still leaning his head back on the bench, closing his eyes once more. You stayed facing him, leaning your left arm on the back of the bench with your head resting on your left hand.
A brief comfortable silence filled the air as you watched people filter in and out of the stores around you. At this point you two were carelessly playing with each other’s hands, randomly interlocking your fingers together and sliding your palms against one another. You wondered what the two of you looked like to strangers passing by. Although this closeness was brand new to the both of you, it somehow felt so natural -- as if this was how it has always been, as if this was how it was always supposed to be.
“I just wanted to see how far I could push you into telling me more random facts about evolution,” he teased again. You rolled your eyes and flicked his hand repeatedly, only for him to interlock your fingers completely.
You both secretly hoped Bokuto was taking his sweet time shopping.
You gazed at him, realizing how close you actually were to his face. Your head hovering not too far over his. As if he sensed it at the same time, his eyes opened to meet yours.
“You have really pretty eyes, Keiji.”
“I like yours better.” His eyes betrayed him, briefly glancing at your lips. He really tried not to but he couldn’t help himself. He still couldn’t process how close you were.
You blushed at this, turning away from him and focusing on your hand in his instead. Akaashi gazed at you, wondering how much longer he had before the two of you would have to separate and act normally when his best friend came back. He knew was getting greedy. He hated how badly he wanted to kiss you and knew he had to talk to Bokuto soon.
But, for now, all he could do was savor the feel of your hand in his and the sweet sound of his first name in your mouth. He wondered what other arguments he could pull you into for fun.
When Bokuto finished his shopping, the three of you decided to call it a day. Before leaving, Bokuto sat on the other side of you showing you the things he bought, too excited to notice you and Akaashi letting go of each other's hands. However, with your back now turned to Akaashi, Bokuto also failed to see the way Akaashi's fingers discreetly and slowly traced random letters onto your back. If you were paying attention, you'd have noticed that he was spelling out your first names. He didn't know where this boldness was coming from, he just knew he didn't want to stop touching you.
In the car ride home, you sat in the passenger seat next to Bokuto, with Akaashi behind Bokuto.
“Is water wet?” Akaashi asked out of the blue, eyeing you in anticipation. You gave him the exact reaction he was looking for as you twisted your body to face him. You narrowed your eyes at him as Bokuto answered.
“Of course it is!”
Akaashi stifled a laugh, somehow already knowing your answer.
“No, it is not.” You looked at Bokuto as you said this and then turned to Akaashi again, glaring at him playfully.
“How?!” Bokuto asked, confusion written all over his face at the random topic of conversation.
“Yeah, F/N, how?” Akaashi egged you on.
“Akaashi! You agree with me r--” Bokuto started and stopped himself upon realizing that Akaashi used your first name. Before he could fully process it, you interrupted him.
“Keiji, if you agree with him I swear to god.” You responded, completely oblivious to the new tension in the air.
Akaashi began to laugh until he noticed Bokuto’s face through the rearview mirror. He was clearly taken aback by the sudden use of first names. He didn’t even call Akaashi by his first name, but that was only a personal preference. Still, since when were the two of you on a first-name basis? And where was this banter coming from? Did he miss something?
Keiji? Bokuto silently mouthed to himself.
Akaashi shut his eyes, realizing his mistake.
Shit. He had some explaining to do.