Chapter Text
The rain hit the windshield, mimicking the sounds of the war raging on in Keiji Akaashi's head. He was sitting in the car, waiting for his best friend ( and crush ) Bokuto to finish up doing whatever he was doing in a bookshop. Why did he go to a bookshop? Kou doesnt read books. It makes even less sense that he wouldn't let me go with. he pondered as his friend reemerged, a bag in hand.
The slam of the passenger door was followed by a loud huff "Boy, that was hard! I don't know how you do it Ji." Akaashi's heart fluttered at the nickname. "Well, Kou, what were you in there getting? You know I wouldn't mind helping out, right?" Bokuto just blinked at him before slowly responding "It's a secret." his voice barely above a whisper.
Akaashi couldn't be going insane, right? He wasn't crazy for having these high hopes of his best friend liking him back, no? His mind raced with ideas and fantasies while pulling out of the parking lot, maybe he bought something for me as a gift? No, no. He won't let himself get off track. Akaashi kept his eyes mainly forward, only passing a few glances at the cute boy.
"Kou, is that a gift for someone?" Akaashi was shocked at his newfound confidence, but ran with it nonetheless. "I- Uh- Well, you see- Yeah, it's a gift." Bokuto fumbled, which Akaashi quickly followed up on "Who is it for?" and casting him a curious gaze. Bokuto's face went on fire, bright red, and he shrunk down in his seat, his black and grey hair deflating along with. "No one important, Ji." a low rumble sounding from his chest.
Akaashi just shrugged it off, humming "If you say so." and resumed focus on the road.
-
He skimmed the surrounding area, music blasting through the stereo. "I can't remember to forget you~ I keep forgetting I should let you go, but when you look at me the only memory is us kissing in the moonlight~ I can't remember to forget you~" Bokuto sang along loudly and full of heart, Akaashi's lips tugged upwards at the sound, his heart filling once again.
Somewhere in the corner of his eye, Akaashi spotted two crows, picking at the grass and looking for scraps. A good omen he thought wordlessly.
-
He lied in bed, awaiting something. What that something was? Who knows, Akaashi sure doesnt. All Akaashi knows is ways to push his confession further and further back. He promised Kenma that he'd just get it over with and see that there was nothing to worry about. Even Kuroo agreed with the idea of Bokuto liking him back. Shockingly enough, Kuroo, as much as Akaashi despised him, was surprisingly good at receiving information and prompting good feedback, especially when it came to emotions.
"Come on, Akaashi, you're so smart, but why do you have to be so dumb to the things right in front of you?" he remembers Kuroo stating, defeated, as he gestured towards the tall owl-like man, who was smiling and waving over at them from not so far away.
He couldnt be wrong with thinking, hoping, that his feelings were returned.
There's no way that every tiny glance from the other side of the gym held no meaning, the lights in Bokuto's eyes whenever Akaashi said his name, his shyness and nervousness whenever Akaashi brought up his crush, for fucks sake, Bokuto went into a bookstore. His favorite one at that, and said that what he bought was a surprise gift for "no one important".
The way Kou would grab his hand and tug him along while spouting the most childish of things, the hugs that lasted for "too long" even though they were just right for the two of them, falling asleep with his head on Kou's shoulder, only to wake up with Kou's jacket over his shoulders, an arm around his waist, and a head leaning against his. Cuddling during movie nights, having movie nights in the first place.
That couldn't all be platonic, right?
As he would find out, the second crow he saw, the good omen, was merely just the firsts reflection.
-
"To hell with it." Akaashi jolted upright on his bed, shaking off any weariness he still held onto. He reached and grabbed his phone, 7:08 pm the screen read. No messages? That's odd, Kou texts me all the time. Either way I should just invite him over and talk to him. His finger hovered over the call button, his whole body shaking with adrenaline and anxiety.
Right before he could press the button, his screen went dark, and in bright, bold letters it read
Incoming call:
Kou <3
Accept Decline
Akaashi froze, he blinked once, then again, then a few more times- He shook his head violently, as if to clear his mind, before answering the call.
"Ji! You would not believe the night I've had!" Akaashi had to pull the phone away from his ear to avoid further damage. The bubbly and cheerful voice unmistakable through the speaker.
"Oh? Did something happen Kou?" He tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice.
"Yes!! Remember when I got the gift and asked who it was for?? Well I gave it to the person, Miu, and we went and had a picnic date!! We got boba, and she even gave me a kiss on her doorstep! Can you believe it? I scored myself a girlfriend! A cute one too."
Oh.
Oh.
"Ji? You there? You're being kinda quiet."
"No no, I'm fine and here, my cat just wanted in." The excuse came easily for him, but more importantly this time it was the heartbreak he had to keep out.
"Soo, do you think I can come over? It is still movie night after all and I gotta tell you all about tonight!!"
He hesitated, again. How could he tell that sweet voice no? Clearing his throat, he choked out a response. "Sure, you can pick the movie this time, since I did last week." He had to call Kenma, as soon as this call was over.
"Good good!!! I'll be over in, 20 minutes 'kay? Bye bye Ji, see you then!!"
"Bye, Kou."
And with that, the call was over, and so were his plans to confess. He quickly phoned Kenma, having no time to let it ring he started pacing, a few tears slipping down his face. His room appeared so much darker all of the sudden.
"Akaashi? Is everything alright? Just know before you say anything, you can't back out of confessing to Bokuto. He obviously likes you, so just do it." The boy sighed monotonously.
"Yeah, about that."