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Day 2 ~ Northern Lights ▪︎ Kids ▪︎ Office AU!▪︎ Quote Prompt (see summary)
There was an on-running joke since his second year of high school that Akaashi would do anything for Bokuto and vice versa. While the latter would openly admit that it was true, Akaashi had a harder time admitting it.
Though, seeing as he was now standing in a hotel lobby in a nice suit, he was having a much easier time.
He got the text from Bokuto while he was at work. He told Akaashi that he had made the Men's Olympic Volleyball Team (which Akaashi nearly missed in the flurry of text) and that they were having a party (gala?) and he wanted Akaashi to be his plus one.
Thinking back on it, he wasn't quite sure why he said yes. For one, Akaashi wasn't much of a party person. He's gotten better since college, going to a few bars and parties with his classmates, but he didn’t go out much other than that.
Yet, here he was, going to a gala with his high school crush. He nearly laughed at the situation.
"Akaashi!"
The ravenette looked up. Speak of the devil and he'll come. "Hello, Bokuto-san."
"You look good." Bokuto hugged the younger man.
Akaashi tried his hardest not to blush. This would be a long night. "So do you. And I never congratulated you on making it to the Olympics."
"I'm so pumped! It was a lot of games and a lot of trials but there were four of us Jackals who made it."
"Who else?"
"Tsum-Tsum, Chibi-chan, and Omi."
Akaashi couldn't say he was surprised. "Are they all here?"
Bokuto nodded. "Them and Kuroo and Yaku. I think a few more people will be there too." He grabbed Akaashi’s hand. "Now let's go!"
Luckily, Akaashi knew most of the people in the room already, whether it be from high school or watching Bokuto play, so he didn't feel as uncomfortable.
He didn't want the first person he ran into to be Kuroo, however.
"So Bo brought his little boyfriend. How sweet of him."
Akaashi turned, taking a sip out of his glass of champagne.
He had a feeling he'd need more than one to get through this conversation alone.
"Bokuto-san and I aren't dating."
"That's a funny joke." Kuroo chuckled until he realized that the other ravenette was staring at him with a blank look on his face. "You're kidding."
"No."
"The two of you actually aren't dating?"
"No."
"Dude…it's been nine years!"
Has it actually been that long? "I don't want to force anything onto him. It's just a stupid crush-"
"A stupid crush? Kenma told me that you realized you liked him when you were seventeen. You're twenty-six now for crying out loud! I think by now it's more than just a crush!"
Akaashi shrugged. "He's always so busy and I've never brought it up. And I don't even know if he likes me like that."
Kuroo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You two are killing me. I know he likes you because he told me back when we were still in high school. The two of you have been dancing around each other for nine freaking years and I'm sick of watching this train wreck happen. He invited you here because it's obvious that you two are more than friends and I get him but how do you not see it?"
Akaashi just stared at the other ravenette. He didn't say anything even as someone came up to Kuroo telling him to introduce the team and the coaches.
Kuroo looked back at him. " Tonight . I don't care who, but it needs to be one of you or I'm gonna lose it."
Akaashi watched him leave before he sighed, heading back to a table. He stopped short when someone called his name. He turned before sitting down. "Hey. Are you here with your brother?"
Osamu shook his head, his grey (though there was some black peeking back through at his roots) hair bouncing slightly. "I'm here with Rin. He told Tsumu he was inviting me so he didn't bring anyone. Besides, he was Kiyoomi with him."
"And I'm guessing you're here with Kuroo." He turned to Kenma, who appeared to be answering emails on his phone.
The blonde (whose hair was also becoming more black than blonde) nodded. "And it's no surprise you're here with Bokuto."
"Guilty as charged." He gave a sad smile.
Osamu was the first to notice. "Why do you look so sad?"
"I'm not sad. I'm exhausted and confused."
"About what?"
"I had a really weird conversation with Kuroo."
"What's new?" Kenma put his phone down. "What were you talking about?"
"Bokuto-san."
"Why do you still call him Bokuto-san…" Kenma trailed off before sighing. "The two of you aren't dating."
"I thought the two of you were dating in high school," Osamu said, taking a sip of his champagne.
"We're just friends." Akaashi shrugged, looking across the room where Bokuto was lining up with the rest of his team for introductions. "We've always been good friends."
"Everyone at Nekoma thought you two were dating," Kenma said, sipping his own glass and grimacing. He'd never been a fan of alcoholic beverages.
Akaashi sighed for the umpteenth time. "A lot of people at Fukurōdani thought we were too."
"That kind of says a lot, Kaashi." Osamu followed his gaze across the room. "It's obvious that he likes you."
"Even back in high school, it was obvious," Kenma added.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"And it's obvious that you like him back," the blonde finished as Kuroo stepped up to a podium at the front of the reception hall. "He's an idiot and you're oblivious, but you're both adults. One of you is bound to say something eventually."
The rest of the night had turned out pretty normal. Bokuto went around introducing Akaashi to the rest of the Japan team that he didn't know before the ace was whisked away by Hinata and Atsumu.
That was Akaashi’s cue to sit back at the table. This time, he was joined by his original table mates, as well as Suna and Kuroo.
"Where's your boyfriend?" Suna asked as soon as he sat down. "We saved a seat for him and everything."
"Don't know. He got dragged off by Hinata and Atsumu."
"Knowing Tsumu, he's probably drinking," Osamu said, rolling his eyes. "Hope he has a safe ride home."
" I'm his ride home."
"Have fun with that."
"Also, he's not my boyfriend. For the third time tonight, we're friends."
"The two of you are actually idiots," Kuroo sighed before he turned with a smirk. "Hey, Bo! Welcome back."
Akaashi turned as well before he frowned. Just by looking at the way he walked, it was easy to tell that he was drunk.
The volleyball player sat down next to him without so much as a glance in his direction. The longer Akaashi looked, the more he realized that Bokuto had this strange, euphoric look on his face.
Kuroo seemed to catch on just as fast. "Whatcha thinking about, Bo? You look happy."
"I was talking with Chibi-chan and Tsum-Tsum."
Okay, so he was still sober enough to where he could answer questions and speak coherently. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
"Talking bout what?"
"Akaashi." The whole table, minus Bokuto (who still hadn't seemed to realize that he was sitting right next to the ravenette in question), turned to him.
Akaashi felt his heart stop.
"We were talking about relationships and man…I wanna date Akaashi."
"Um…Bokuto-san–"
He cut off the ravenette. "I love Akaashi. He has the most incredible eyes and he's so pretty."
Akaashi somehow turned redder. The whole table continued to stare at him. What am I supposed to say to that?! "That's–" His breath caught in his throat as Bokuto finally turned to him.
"Shh! Don't tell him!"
Even though he was drunk, he had this look in his eyes that was…adorable? Was that a weird word to use? It didn't matter much though when he gave a small smile in return. "Okay, I won't."
Even if it was a drunken confession, Akaashi had never felt so happy.
"Good…because I wanna tell him myself. I wanna catch him off guard. I never get a chance to do it but he gets all blushy when I do and it's really cute."
It was at this point that Akaashi realized that Kuroo was recording the whole thing. He debated flipping off the camera before ultimately deciding against it. Instead, he turned back to Bokuto. "I think he'll be very surprised. But for now, let's get you home." He got the volleyball player to stand up before turning back to Kuroo. "Send that video to anyone but me and you're dead."
"Yeah, whatever. Just get him home safe."
"Oh, and Osamu? Kill your brother for me."
"Will do."
Kuroo watched as the two of them walked off with a smirk. He only turned his head when Atsumu and Hinata walked up to the table.
Atsumu was the first to speak. "I take it as your plan worked?"
"Oh, yeah. Bokuto doesn't know how to shut up when he's drunk. I got it all on video. Wanna see?"
The next morning, Bokuto couldn't remember what happened last night. He didn't remember leaving the hotel and he definitely didn't remember ending up at Akaashi’s house.
Or his bed.
He got up, throwing on a pair of sweatpants and an old Fukurōdani sweatshirt (that was his…when did he leave it here?) before walking into the kitchen where Akaashi was making breakfast. "Uh…morning?"
The ravenette turned. "Good morning, Bokuto-san. How are you feeling?"
"Fine." He sat down at Akaashi’s island. "I don't remember much of last night though. What happened?"
"You got drunk off champagne so I brought you here since you live a little farther away. I'm honestly surprised you don't have a hangover."
"I only had like two or three glasses." He looked down at the plate of food Akaashi put in front of him. "Did I…do anything weird?"
If Bokuto noticed Akaashi pause, he didn’t say anything. "No. Why do you ask?"
"Cause I usually say the first thing that comes to mind when I'm drunk. Just trying to make sure I didn’t say anything weird, y'know?"
Akaashi sat down next to him, offering a kind smile before grabbing his hand. "Nothing weird...But you offered me a very heartfelt confession."
"I what?!" He felt his stomach drop before he whined. "I did?! I bet I made you really uncomfortable! Kaashi, I'm sorry-"
"It's alright." He squeezed the hand he was still holding. "Like I said, I thought it was really sweet and I very much enjoyed everything you had to say."
"What did I say?"
"That you thought I had amazing eyes and that I was pretty–"
"Which you are."
"And that you wanted to catch me by surprise by confessing because of how…blushy I get?"
"Like you are now." He squeezed Akaashi’s hand back, kissing him on the cheek. "Did I catch you off guard?"
"Yeah, you did. I'll admit that you left me a bit of a blushing mess all of last night."
"But you're adorable when you get flustered." He backed away. "So you're not mad?"
"Mad? Bokuto, I was hoping that you meant everything you said. I'm not upset at all. I'm happy, actually."
"Good! Cause I like you a lot! And I meant every word!" He pulled Akaashi into a hug. "I love you, Kaashi!"
"I love you too, Bokuto-san. Glad to hear you say it to me honestly."