Chapter Text
"Hello, sensei!"
Akaashi felt a small hand gripping his pant leg. Smiling softly, he reached a hand out and gave the girl a gentle pat on the head. "Hello, Katsumi-chan!"
She beamed at him and bounced on the heels of her tiny feet, her twin pigtails bouncing along with her movement. "I brought something for Show and Tell today!" With a triumphant smile, she held out a frumpy duffel bag, the entirety of it almost swallowing her tiny frame up.
"Oh?” Akaashi knelt down to her level and helped her put the bag down. “Can I know what it is?" He asked, curiosity seeping out of his tone.
"Not yet," she tutted and smiled mischievously, "I'll show it later! To everyone!" Then, Katsumi pouted and wriggled a finger at him. “I like Sensei, but you’re no exception!”
Just as he figured. Kids were incredibly secretive whenever Show and Tell was involved. It was adorable how far they would go to keep their classmates on the tips of their toes. He laughed and nodded. "Okay!” Then the teacher noticed the small group of kids at the other side of the room. Akaashi nudged his head in their direction and said, “Why don't you go over there and play with your friends before we start?”
“Oh!” Katsumi exclaimed, looking behind her to see her friends. Ami lifted her arm and waved, “Katsumi-chan!” Then she raised a stuffed rabbit over her head. “Look what I brought!”
Akaashi watched as the little girl ran across the room to hug one of the girls. They laughed and chatted merrily amongst themselves, just like they always did every morning. He’d only been working here for two months, but it seemed that with every day that passed, Akaashi was gradually settling in and getting used to things.
The kids were nice and with their varying personalities and befuddling questions, not a day that went by was uneventful. The teachers were nothing but approachable and welcoming, as were the parents of the children.
He was just glad to have been employed here. Akaashi sighed. After what happened, he hadn’t thought he would ever get the chance to work this soon—
"You're so good with her."
Akaashi snapped out of his thoughts and turned around to see one of the parents standing a few steps away from him. He was one of the single parents. The teacher couldn’t help but eye his hair—a distinct spiky white-grey, some of the strands lined with black streaks. He hadn’t seen anyone with such a…hairstyle. If he wanted to stick out like a sore thumb, he sure did a great job.
He caught his eye and was met with striking golden eyes, and he watched as a small smile appeared on his lips. Akaashi involuntarily swallowed a lump in his throat.
This dad was definitely his type. Frankly, he went waaay beyond the limits of what his type was.
He caught himself. No! What? Stop it, Keiji!
He averted his gaze and as nonchalant as he could muster, replied, "She's a good girl.” He followed the aforementioned girl across the room with his eyes, watching as she held a teddy bear one of her friends offered her with a wide beam on her face. “You raised her well, Mr..?" He trailed off, shooting the parent a questioning look.
His golden eyes widened in realization. "Oh, uh, Bokuto Koutarou!” Then he raised a hand to rub his nape sheepishly. “And I'm not actually her dad..."
He smiled sadly, his gaze returning back to the girl. "She's my niece. My parents are too old to take care of her, so I offered. Her mother... well."
Gone. It was better left unsaid, they both knew what he meant. Akaashi nodded understandingly. "Oh. I understand, Bokuto-san."
Bokuto grinned sheepishly. "That said, well I'm trying!" He buried his hands in his jeans and leaned back against the wall and let out a short laugh. "I'm just scared that I'm not doing enough...I mean, I haven’t even been attending any of her school activities! This is my first time, you see,” he confessed.
“Oh, no,” Akaashi's gaze softened. "I'm sure Katsumi-chan loves you, Bokuto-san.” Then with a shrug, he added, “I've only heard good things about you."
"Really?" Despite not being biologically father and daughter, they really seemed to act a lot like each other. The puppy look Bokuto gave him was so endearing that Akaashi wanted to give his cheeks a little squish. He immediately squashed the thought, because surely that was inappropriate.
Akaashi stifled a chuckle. "She often brags to the class about her awesome Papa who was a 'normal ace.'"
Bokuto resumed his position and sighed in relief.
The teacher smiled at his reaction. “I think you're doing enough, Bokuto-san. You shouldn't worry too much."
“That's good to hear, sensei. Thank you,” he replied sincerely. It seemed like it had been weighing on his mind for a while now. The teacher could see why—being a single parent was surely a full-time job!—but he knew Katsumi. And such an incredible girl did not just spring out of nowhere.
"No problem at all." Akaashi shot him a reassuring smile. “Besides, it’s always the good parents who worry they’re not doing enough. And you’re doing way beyond enough as a single parent, I assure you.”
Katsumi was such a happy girl. Akaashi could tell she was so loved and was well taken care of.
Bokuto stared back at him, his eyes unusually dazed over. Worried, Akaashi leaned in and tentatively waved a hand over his face. “Uh…Bokuto-san?”
“Oh!” Bokuto jumped a few steps away from him as his cheeks flushed rosy red. “I-uh, sorry! Yeah! Thanks, sensei!”
Amused, Akaashi only nodded with a smile. “It’s no problem at all.” The teacher’s attention on him was snatched when a loud wailing came from the corner of the room. They both looked over in urgency to see a girl settled in the corner, crouching and clutching onto her leg, hot tears streaming down her face.
Akaashi rushed to her quickly, the question already on the tip of his tongue. He knelt down beside her mother in front of her and assisted her to help settle the young girl down on the floor more comfortably. "What's wrong? What happened, Ai-chan?"
The girl sniffled. "Katsumi-chan pushed me off the chair!" Her mother tried soothing her, and started fussing over her, wiping her tears away.
Akaashi frowned. That didn’t sound like her. "Is it true, Katsumi-chan?" He turned around to look at the girl.
Feeling wounded, Katsumi already looked like she was about to burst into tears. Seeing the look on her face, Akaashi already had an inkling of what actually happened.
"I didn't mean to!” She sniffed in between tears. “I just wanted to tell Ai-chan to play with me and accidentally pushed her off when I tripped on something, sensei!"
“Okay,” Akaashi sighed and ruffled her hair. Now, that sounded more like her. "But did you say sorry?"
Katsumi wiped her nose with the sleeve of her uniform and shook her head. "N-not yet."
He smiled and handed her a tissue. Katsumi gratefully accepted it and blew her nose out. For a six-year old, Katsumi was capable of taking care of herself. He nudged her in Ai's direction encouragingly. "You can do it now, can you then Katsumi-chan?"
Katsumi nodded and wiped her tears with another tissue before marching up to Ai, her small hand outstretched. Ai’s mother stood back and observed as she puffed out her chest and said "I'm sorry, Ai-chan. I didn't mean to push you off... can you forgive me?"
Bokuto watched as Ai took her proffered hand and nodded, still sniffling. Akaashi looked over the girl's leg, checking if everything was okay. Her mother apologized to Akaashi profusely, and he only shook his head.
He watched as Akaashi stood back on his feet, dusted off his apron and called out for the kids' attention, smiling as he announced the start of today's Show and Tell.
Akaashi was really nice. He’s smart. Sensitive. Good with kids. Pretty, too.
And he probably smelled nice, didn’t he? The whiff of light tones of lavender that he caught earlier during their conversation seemed enough to prove it.
Bokuto blushed at that thought and coughed. What in the world are you thinking right now? Pervert.
"Papa!" Bokuto looked down to see a pouting Katsumi clutching onto his leg. "Show and Tell, remember? Let's go!"
Bokuto blinked. "Oh right."
She took his hand and led him to the middle of the room. The rest of the parents watched attentively as Katsumi ran to fetch her bag, dragging it back with her. "Ready!"
Akaashi nodded and smiled. "Go on."
Katsumi cleared her throat loudly before puffing her chest out. "My Show and Tell is my Papa!"
The kids ooh-ed and ahh-ed as Akaashi fought off the urge to grin. Bokuto looked immensely proud of himself. In a good way.
It was endearing.
She shushed everyone before reaching into the bag and pulling out a volleyball. "My papa is a rep- repe—”
"Representative," Bokuto softly whispered.
She grinned, and threw her hands up over her head, the ball falling behind her with a bounce. “Representative of Japan!"
Akaashi clapped with the rest of the kids. "Wow, Katsumi-chan. That's great!"
"Yes it is!" She nodded knowingly. “And I brought him here because he’s my bestest Papa, and my bestest role model!”
That seemed to have triggered the waterworks as Bokuto began to sniffle to himself.
Then Katsumi continued, “And I want Papa to be happy! He said he was lonely—”
All the parents looked touched for him. One of the mothers couldn't help but audibly coo.
“—and he told me he wanted me to have a new Papa!” She ended with a beaming grin.
Hm? Akaashi blinked. "Why here, Katsumi-chan?" Did she want to set Bokuto-san up with another single parent, perhaps?
Along with Bokuto-san, single parents were few and far between but he could recall two or three from the top of his head. Like Oishi-san, or maybe even Suzuki-san, if her last date didn't go well, that is.
“Did you want to set your Papa up with one of us?” One of the parents asked cheekily. Bokuto’s cheeks flamed. He tried to deny their quips, stumbling over his words and failing.
But Akaashi was left even more confused when she blinked and tilted her head. "No! Not any of you!” Then she harrumphed. “Sorry, but Papa already likes someone.”
It was the parents’ turn to react. A few of them directed Bokuto a teasing smile and some cheered him on. The poor man looked like he was ready to combust.
He watched as the father knelt down and urgently whispered something in Katsumi’s ear, the girl frowning in response and pulling away. “Eh? Why, Papa? It’s the truth, isn’t it?”
Helpless, Bokuto winced as she pouted and continued, “I want sensei to become my new Papa, too, after all!"
Akaashi gaped.
Needless to say, the class’s Show and Tell ended in chaos.
For the remainder of the day, Katsumi had clung onto his leg and didn't let go until she absolutely had to (i.e. recess and nap time).
And the other kids had done nothing but ask him if he was going to marry into the Bokuto's.
Some were curious (Ai and a few of Katsumi’s closer friends—it seemed they were aware of Katsumi’s plans for a while now) and some were plain against it (namely, little Kentaro who seemed fixated on the fact that he wouldn’t be able to marry him now that he was going to get married. Akaashi reassured the poor boy he wasn’t getting married. Not yet, he hoped).
Akaashi had to refuse proposals and dodge all kinds of propositions from the children left and right. He didn’t know if he should be flattered about all this. Katsumi certainly looked proud. (He almost wanted to marry into her family just to see her smile like that.)
But Bokuto…
Bokuto looked ashamed and awkward. He couldn’t even look Akaashi straight in the eye. At least until he had to leave for work. For someone so excited about the day with her Papa, Katsumi had been understanding and okay with him leaving, even going so far as to see him to the door and giving him one last peck on the cheek and a wave bye.
Akaashi was almost disappointed to see him go—
Wait, no. He shouldn’t be thinking of him like this. We already went through this: He’s a parent of one of your students, Keiji! What the hell?
It didn’t stop him from going through the rest of the day in a haze though.
Akaashi groaned in relief as the last kid finally got fetched. It was time to head home and get some chores done. He had a date with the a pile of clothes and the laundry machine tonight. Fun.
Rolling his shoulders tiredly, Akaashi slowed to a stop when a voice interrupted him. “Uh, sensei?"
He craned his neck to look behind him where Bokuto stood. He was carrying his daughter in his arms, her arms raised in a cheery fashion. "Sensei! Let's go!"
"Go..?” Taken aback at the sudden invitation, Akaashi forgot what had occurred just hours before, and why he should be awkward in front of this man in the first place. “Where?"
Bokuto cleared his throat. He swiveled his gaze to his. Then he remembered. Both of their cheeks flushed red. “I, uh, wanted to apologize for today, sensei. Can I buy you a coffee?”
Akaashi stared at him blankly.
“Y-you know, to apologize!"
Oh.
Blinking, he mentally went through his to-do list for the day. Tonight’s batch of laundry was the last of it, so he could always finish it off tomorrow. He had already cleaned his kitchen this morning…He wasn’t in any particular hurry to get home.
Plus, he was in the mood for some coffee, and this man was offering.
This very attractive man.
Who is still a parent of one of your students, he chided himself mentally, pull yourself together, Keiji!
"Okay... sure," he nodded and Bokuto grinned. "Great! I brought a car. I'll drive us there."
"Yay! Roadtrip with sensei!" Katsumi cheered and Akaashi reached out to pinch her cheek. "Don't move around so much, Katsumi-chan. You might fall like that."
"Papa won't let go of me!" Katsumi pouted. “Right Papa?"
Bokuto laughed, reaching into his pocket for his keys with his free hand. "Mhm. But you have to listen to your sensei."
"I do! Katsumi's a good girl!" She grumbled.
Akaashi nodded. "Yes, you are a good girl, so you should always be careful, okay?"
"Okay!"
"I am so sorry about earlier, sensei..."
Akaashi gratefully accepted the cup of coffee and waved the man's concerns off, "It's okay, don't worry, Bokuto-san! I'm used to it..."
"Eh?" Bokuto laughed. "What, you get propositioned like this all the time?"
"More often than not," Akaashi chuckled, his smile looking flat. "I learned to just ignore it..." He had to, of course. He was still a teacher.
Bokuto noticed the way the edges of his smile down turned. Not wanting to ruin the moment, he joked, "Ignore, huh?" Bokuto clutched his chest and sighed, "I see... That's a shame."
"Hm?" The teacher raised a questioning brow.
"It's not like I wasn't interested..." Bokuto said nonchalantly, his tone implying something.
Akaashi froze mid-sip and stared at him like he grew two heads in a span of a minute.
"E-Excuse me?"
"You're excused," Bokuto cheekily replied. Seeing the blush on his cheeks was way too damn interesting.
"Are you...serious right now?"
He glanced at the girl sitting between them. Katsumi hummed as she played on Bokuto's phone, cheering on her character as it jumped from stone to stone.
Bokuto only smiled. "I can't?"
Coughing, Akaashi averted his gaze and muttered, "It's not like that..."
His smile grew wider. "So I can?"
"I didn't say that either!” He squeaked. What the hell is even happening?
"But sensei didn't say I can't either." He sighed, holding a palm under his cheek. "What to do..?"
"Bokuto-san, please..."
He laughed. “I'm just teasing! If sensei doesn't want me to, I won't do anything." Then, he caught his eye and stared into his gunmetal ones solemnly, "But that doesn't mean I don't want to."
His heart stuttered and Akaashi let out a laugh. "You're so forward..." He couldn’t believe this was the same awkward man that couldn’t even look him in the eye earlier.
What had happened in between this morning and this afternoon?
"You don't like it?" Bokuto pouted. “I knew I should have played it safe.” He drank his cup of hot chocolate before muttering, "But Kuroo said I should be aggressive..."
On the contrary, Akaashi liked it. He liked it a bit too much.
And that’s how he knows that this probably shouldn’t happen.
He felt a small arm holding onto his. He glanced down at a teary-eyed Katsumi.
"Sensei's not going to be my new papa?" When she looks at me like that, I can't help but agree, he thought, panicking.
"I..."
"Katsumi, it's okay," Bokuto ruffled her hair, smiling.
"No, it's not! Papa's always going on about how pretty sensei is and how Papa wanted me to have a new papa!" She huffed, her arms over her chest, "This is your chance!"
He... thinks I'm pretty?
Bokuto blushed. "Katsumi! Don't say that!"
"Eh?" She cocked her head in confusion. "But it's true!"
He leaned into her ear and whispered loudly, "It was our secret, remember?"
Katsumi covered her lips with her two small hands and gasped, "Oh no! I'm sorry, Papa!"
Akaashi couldn't hold it back anymore.
He threw his head back and laughed. He laughed until tears threatened to escape his eyes.
Katsumi and her dad both watched him in fascination.
"I-I'm sorry," he gasped. "Ah! I'm sorry! It's just... you two were very... alike."
"We get that a lot," Katsumi replied. "Are we really, sensei?
"Yes!" Akaashi grinned, "Exact copies!"
"So I can play volleyball too, like Papa?" She squealed as Bokuto took her and placed her on his lap, grinning, "What, you want to play like me?"
"Yeah!" She beamed, "I want to play in front of lots of people and be a “normal ace” like my Papa!"
Akaashi watched fondly as Bokuto tickled the little girl.
They really were a happy family. It was nice to get a glimpse of their life.
"Sensei?" He snapped out of his thoughts to see Katsumi holding out a hand. "Come here!"
He hesitated for a minute before catching Bokuto's eyes. The man only smiled at him and nudged his head.
Akaashi took her hand and she pulled him in. "Yay! New papa!"
Oh, she was definitely misunderstanding, but Akaashi just didn't have it in him to correct her right now.
He didn't want to ruin the moment, so he stayed like that, wrapped in her tiny arms.