Archive of Our Own

Fukurodani Academy was one of the most prestigious schools in the Tokyo area. It was top-notch in everything, from academics to athletics to student life and extracurriculars. It was even the envy of other schools in the Fukurodani group, and some of the council boards eyed it, thinking how could such a place exist that was completely filled with hormonal, freshly presented teens?

But, of course, this was still high school.

This was still a world where it was normal and perhaps even expected to meet, court, and mate with your chosen partner for life by the age of eighteen.

This was Fukurodani.

And this was Akaashi Keiji, trying his best to keep some semblance of politeness on his face as he was forced to listen to the tenth courtship proposal of the month.

Why is it always me…?

Akaashi may have sold himself short, within his head at least. From the outside, he was a beautiful omega. Tall, intelligent, athletic, with a lovely voice and soft eyes. He was easily one of the biggest stars of the second year.

If you’d ever asked anyone at Fukurodani to name the most gorgeous male omega, Akaashi would easily top most lists.

Unfortunately, Akaashi wasn’t exactly thrilled about that.

Not that he disliked the compliments, it was certainly nice that everyone found him so incredible, but he was the topic of far too many enamored gazes.

And proposals like this, from people he was pretty sure he’d only spoken to in passing after exams or brushing shoulders in the hallway.

I’ll be late at this rate…Bokuto-san always makes me give him some warm-up tosses before the rest of the team arrives, and he’ll start the day in a funk if I’m not on time…

Akaashi tried to suppress a sigh, leaning his elbows on his desk as he realized the voice of the faceless alpha who’d shown up with a gift had finally halted.

He stood, picking up his school bag as he went. “Sorry to say…I’m not looking for a courtship right now. I wish you the best of luck with someone else. Have a good day.”

He walked out, ignoring the gasps and sniggers from the class behind him. He recognized a few of the alpha's friends trying to cheer him up from such a cold rejection, and Akaashi admitted privately in his mind that he had been a bit harsher than usual. He typically tried to soften his words slightly when letting an upper down.

But the thought of having to put up with a dejected Bokuto for the entire practice rid him of any guilt, and he picked up his feet into a jog as he rushed down the hall.

Later.

Bokuto Koutarou was a pretty popular guy around school. In his third year, he was one of the top five spikers in the country, and that was no small feat. He was the face of the Fukurodani Volleyball Club, which was a prestigious team, to say the least. He was muscular, tall, and had just enough quirky charm to his appearance, what with his horned owl hair, that he caught many eyes. He didn’t get many requests for consideration, probably because he was a lot to handle, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t the object of admiration.

But Bokuto Koutarou was a simple alpha.

He was already in love. Head-over-heels, in fact, for an omega he’d known for over a year now—someone who was bright, and beautiful, whom he adored beyond any words ability to describe.

This was why when he heard footsteps hurriedly approaching the gymnasium door, a giddy shiver ran up his spine as he turned his head.

Akaashi pushed aside the netting and trotted in, his school uniform skirt bouncing with the motion. “Ah, Bokuto-san, so sorry I took too long. I’ll change really quick.”

“No rush, no rush! I’m earlier than usual today!” Bokuto called back lackadaisically as he watched Akaashi hurry towards the lowers locker room.

Bokuto heard the door slide shut and leaned his head back against the wall behind the bench where he sat.

I got to see Akaashi in his uniform today…bonus!

He hummed pleasantly to himself, kicking his feet out a couple of times.

Yes, Bokuto was in love with his setter. He’d become aware of this feeling quite some time ago but had failed to act on it for several reasons. Reasons that got a lot more complicated than just nervousness, but that was undoubtedly a part of it.

The young alpha leaned forward, sharp, dark eyes drawing closed as he rested his elbows on his padded knees. He was already dressed and ready for practice, so he could take a few minutes to daydream.

Akaashi…I know we’ve known each other for a while…and hey! I guess I can be a pain sometimes! But you’re always encouraging me! Even when you fail to back me up, you know, sometimes I deserve to get knocked down a peg! But forget all that! This is my last year, and times are flying so fast! I’ve known since last summer, so it’s about time I asked you…will you allow me to court you?

He opened his eyes, and a dry bark of laughter came from his lips, making no attempt to be cheerful. It was self-deprecating. In a different way from his usual mood swings, this was something sealed firm as cement within his heart.

He was in love with one of the most beautiful lowers at Fukurodani Academy, who just so happened to be a second-year on the volleyball team.

He was in love with Akaashi Keiji.

He was in love, and he would never, ever, let it be known to the slight young man who held all his affections, unknowingly surrounding him at all times.

They always would, probably for years after this, and Bokuto would still keep quiet. For now he just wanted to enjoy this time he had to spend with Akaashi. Every precious moment the omega donated to his whims, disguised behind a veil of wanting to get extra spiking drills in before practice.

“Alright, I’m ready! Did you already run and stretch, Bokuto-san?” Akaashi was jogging back across the court, his shoes making thumps that echoed through the empty gym.

I love how he always calls my name…

Bokuto felt a grin stretch across his face as he firmly planted his hands to his knees as if confirming his silent oath once again.

To endure all the pain of heartache without a word to suggest otherwise was his resolve, and he’d see it to the end, no matter much it hurt him.

“Nah, I was waiting for you! Let’s get lots of work in today!”

“Yes!”

And practice began again.

***

“You don’t have to walk me to the station, Bokuto-san.”

“A’ course I do! It’s because of me you stay after dark every day, and I’m not about to let something happen to my setter!”

“Since when have I been your setter?” Akaashi challenged but let off Bokuto’s antics with a bemused smile.

He’d met Bokuto the previous year when Bokuto was in his second year. He had been a rising star even then. People were starting to pay attention to his unique talent, skill, and power even as he continued to grow taller and fill in till his muscular arms stretched out the sleeves of his jersey.

Don’t you think it makes me look cooler, though? No way I’ll get them adjusted!

“Akaashi, what are you smiling about?” Bokuto demanded, and Akaashi raised his eyes from where they’d been watching his loafers tread along the concrete.

“Nothing important. It’s been a good day. You were playing well. You looked very cool.”

“Well, of course I looked cool! I’m the coolest there is, this year we’ll go all the way for sure!” Bokuto crowed, ignoring the sideways stares he got from passers by for his excessiveness.

At first, Akaashi had been embarrassed by Bokuto’s loud proclamations, but at this point he was well used to them. He gave an apologetic wave to an older couple going by, and they returned his gaze with a smile.

So he supposed it was alright.

“So, so, Akaashi, how are you feeling about midterms? They’re coming up, and I’m like…kinda ready? Sorta ready? Hmph. You’re smarter than me.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes. “Is that your backward way of asking me to help you study?”

“…maybe,” Bokuto admitted in a quiet huff before he grinned and laughed all over again.

“Well, what do you say? We can skip extra drills after practice tomorrow and head to the library instead?”

Akaashi gave a mock gasp. “Bokuto-san, skipping free practice? I think the sun might not come up tomorrow.”

Bokuto gave a disgruntled whine. “Hey, hey, hey! If I don’t pass exams, I have to take supplementary courses, and that means I can’t go kick Nekoma’s ass at the away games! No way am I letting that happen!”

“Yes, Kuroo-san seemed like he was excited to see you over the phone.”

“You were listening?”

“You had it on speaker, and you’re both so loud, it was kind of impossible not to.”

Kuroo was the omegian captain of Nekoma, who were somewhat friendly rivals to Fukurodani. Their school was in the same group with Fukurodani Academy and they wound up playing many practices matches against each other throughout the year. Bokuto and Kuroo had struck up quite the friendship over the course of their three years, and as a result they were eager to have one last go at beating each other before their final tournaments in high school.

Final tournaments…

Akaashi let his eyes wander to the side, as if he needed to pretend he weren’t look at his sole companion.

Bokuto had his hands tucked behind his head, and that signature half-way smile was still pulled upon his cheeks. His eyes were trained lazily up ahead of him, and his chest was forward and proud.

He walked with a sense of supreme confidence.

This is going to be my last year with him.

And all of a sudden, that hit the omega with the force of a speeding truck.

Bokuto had been one of his first steadfast friends in high school, and still was one of the few he spent so much time with.

He was kind, and friendly, and always insisted on taking care of him whenever he could. Be it buying them snacks after extra practice or walking Akaashi to the train station if it were after dark.

The streetlights cast a golden glow down onto Bokuto’s white horns of hair, and while they could look rather ridiculous on anyone else, on this alpha they suddenly seemed frighteningly handsome.

“Hm? What’s up, Akaashi? Something on my face?”

“H-huh? I mean, no. Nothing, just lost in thought I guess.” Akaashi sputtered the first part of his sentence out, but managed a decent recovery.

“Oh yeah? Don’t go too spacey on me, I need that brain of yours to help me get through my english exam!”

“R-Right. Of course, Bokuto-san.”

Akaashi glued his eyes to his loafers and the pavement once again, and he was grateful that the sun had already set.

The street lamps weren’t quite bright enough to expose how red his ears were going.

Because he’d thought of Bokuto as many things in the past year or so. As a spiker, a captain, a teammate, a schoolmate, and a friend. This was the first time he’d ever considered Bokuto as an alpha.

And that prospect suddenly looked overwhelmingly nice.

The Next Day.

Bokuto-san…is an attractive alpha. I wonder why hasn’t gotten more requests for consideration?

“Akaaaaashi! Help me…it doesn’t make any SENSE!”

“Shh!” The librarian hissed across at them, and the omega sighed.

That’s probably why.

Bokuto was loud and excessive on a good day. He was incredibly excitable, talked a mile a minute, and that wasn’t to mention how much energy he needed to burn on the daily just to feel normal. He was exhausting.

Or at least…he should be.

Akaashi frowned to himself as he leaned over the notebook between the two of them, reaching out to flip a few pages in their textbook.

“You see, you take these two and build the equation this way. Don’t mind the variables themselves all too much, focus on what you do have. Like this.” Akaashi easily sketched out the math equation in Bokuto’s notebook for him, neat swipes of his pen detailing the numbers and letters in blue ink.

“…you’re so smart, Akaashi…this is third-year stuff, but you’re already so good at it…” Bokuto whined, leaning back in his chair with a huff.

“Now, now, we all have our strengths. Give it a try.” Akaashi encouraged, and a small smile pulled up the edges of his lips as if on reflex.

Bokuto rocked forward again, snatching his pencil from the desk. “Alright, this time, I’ll get it!”

As he was glaring down at the page, Akaashi reached for his water bottle and unscrewed the cap, taking a few sips.

His mind returned to what had been occupying it a few moments prior.

He should be exhausting…but I don’t find him to be so. He’s actually…very cheerful to me anyway. I think it’s fun being around him. It makes things lively. I struggle to find that sort of wildness, so it’s nice to have someone who practically drags me into it.

He set his water bottle back down on the table and looked over the notebook again. “Bokuto-san, your handwriting is so sloppy…I can hardly read it.”

“It’s just ‘cause I’m going fast, that’s all! Here, does this look better?” He slowed down his scribbling and straightened out his lines. Akaashi nodded. “Much better. It looks like you’re getting these. But didn’t you say you wanted to study English today?”

“Oh yeah! That too!”

They spent another couple of hours working on homework together. Akaashi got all of his done and then spent a considerable period of time helping Bokuto with his. Which was fine, he didn’t mind at all. He enjoyed watching all the little frustrated or victorious expressions the alpha would make as he worked his way along.

It’s cute. He’s cute.

Akaashi swallowed as this occurred to him and shook his head with a tiny sigh.

“Hm? Something wrong?” Bokuto picked his head up, lantern-like eyes widening to examine Akaashi's face.

The omega put a hand up softly and shook his head. “Nothing. Just getting a bit tired.”

“Tired? Oh, crap, look at the time! I didn’t even notice it was getting so late, you shoulda said something!”

“Well, we’re typically doing free practice right now anyway, so honestly, it’s odd that I’m feeling more sleepy from doing this,” Akaashi replied, stifling a yawn.

Bokuto slapped his notebook shut. “Well, it’s been a long day. Thanks again for the help!”

“Anytime, Bokuto-san.”

Akaashi smiled again, his eyes narrowing as if to express just how pleased he was with this little scenario.

If he tried hard enough, he could pretend it was a study date for just a second or two. And for some reason, that made him happy.

And maybe it was due to that pretending that he thought he saw, for just a moment, Bokuto’s eyes flood with some fond yet unplaceable emotion. 

But he blinked, and it was gone, replaced by the alpha grinning wide as always. “Say, how about we grab dinner on the way home? I could go for ramen!”

“Ramen? That’s so heavy…”

“But just imagine how good it’ll be after a week of hard practice, Akaashi! C'mon, you helped me study, so it's my treat!”

“Alright, alright. Let’s go.”

“Ya-hoo!”

“Shh!”

“Sorry!”

Bokuto

I asked Akaashi out to dinner. I asked Akaashi out to dinner!

This was really going against his vow to never let his feelings for the omega be known, but then, it had been so spur of the moment.

Akaashi had smiled at him in the most perfect way, his dark blue eyes had crinkled at the edges, and he’d looked so unbearably beautiful that Bokuto had spat out the dinner offer before he could think otherwise.

So now here they were, book bags pushed under the two-seater table in the corner of a ramen shop on the way to the train station.

How can he even eat ramen elegantly!? That should be impossible!

Bokuto considered it as he watched Akaashi fill his soup spoon with broth, then lift it to his lips.

The alpha pointedly glared down at his own bowl of food again and let out a soft exhale. He picked his head up and maintained that ever-present grin.

Even if sometimes it was painful to force, he’d put it up regardless.

He just had to treasure every moment he had with the beautiful omega before him as days went to nights so much faster than he could bear.

It’ll all be over soon.

Bokuto tried not to let the thought drag him down and picked up his chopsticks. “Man, this hits the spot, huh?” He declared, crowing at the end of his words.

Akaashi chuckled. “It does. I admit, I wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but now that we’re here, it really does fill you up. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

He leaned back and patted his stomach. “But I haven’t finished even half of it, and I’m getting full.”

“Aw, don’t give up on me now, Akaashi! You need the extra calories for free practice tomorrow anyway!”

Akaashi quirked a brow. “You want to meet before morning practice? What time?”

“Hm…eight? Cause you’ve gotta take the train.”

“It’s alright, I don’t mind waking up early. How about seven-thirty?”

“Deal! But first…” Bokuto drove his chopsticks into the broth and pile of noodles in his bowl, dodging around the pork slices, garlic, soybeans, and mushrooms.

“…we finish this!”

Akaashi laughed again, and picked up his spoon. “Alright, alright.”

When they were finally leaving the ramen shop, it was past dark. They were just stepping onto the sidewalk when Akaashi’s phone began to ring in his school bag.

“Hm? One second.” He pulled the device out and opened it as Bokuto watched on.

“Hello? Yes, I’m fine. I’m with Bokuto-san, we stopped for dinner. No, Mom, not like that! Yes. Yes, I’ll ask him. I know, I’ll be careful. See you soon.”

He shut the phone with a click and sighed. “My Mom says hi. And also asks that you walk me to the station.” He rolled his eyes after this statement, but Bokuto just laughed.

“I was gonna do that anyway!”

“You always do. And you don’t have to.”

They started walking again, and Bokuto shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “Well, it’s not like it’s out of my way. My house isn’t far from the station at all.”

“I know, but still.”

Bokuto smiled. “But what’s your Mom all worked up about now, huh? What did she think we were doing, shoplifting or something?”

“No, she…well, it’s not important.” Akaashi felt his cheeks heat up at the thought and quickly turned his eyes to the pavement again.

“Aw, but it sounds funny?”

“Definitely not, trust me.”

She asked if it were a date.

Akaashi considered this, the grip on his school bag tightening.

He lifted his head from where he’d been staring at his shoe and let them wander the familiar streets. Flashing city lights on a quiet night near campus, walking with Bokuto to the train station. It was a routine that had been established for a long time. It was comfortable.

It would be gone soon.

Along with him.

Akaashi wasn’t an idiot. He knew Bokuto would get scouted by a big university for volleyball. There was absolutely no way he would stop playing after high school. He’d probably even go pro. And that could carry him across the world.

And by then…who knows what I’ll be to him?

A friend from high school, in all likelihood. But that suddenly didn’t sit right with him. He felt oddly ill, and he knew that wasn’t just the ramen not settling well. It was like something was missing, but he couldn’t place it.

“Hey!”

Akaashi had been so lost in thought that he didn’t notice the cyclist coming down the sidewalk till it was too late, and Bokuto’s arm was wrapped around his shoulder. He was pressed against the alpha's chest before he knew what was happening. His scent curled around him defensively as Bokuto barked after the cyclist already vanishing up the street.

“Use the road, idiot!” The growl in his tone made Akaashi shiver, but it wasn’t directed at him, so it wasn’t too strong.

But he was still pinned with his chin tucked cozily against Bokuto’s collarbone, and for one private instant, he wished they could just…stay this way awhile.

But Bokuto was already letting go of him, extending him an arm's length away but not yet removing his hand from his shoulder.

“You ok?”

Akaashi took a precious few seconds to get his head straight. “Oh. Yes, I’m fine, thanks for pulling me out of the way.”

“Sure! Jeez, can you believe that guy? There’s a bike lane for a reason!” Bokuto complained, lowering and leading the way toward the train station again.

Akaashi watched him go a few steps and found words he’d never spoken before hovering on the tip of his tongue.

I know we haven’t got much time left…I don’t know what’s going on with me right now, but I just can’t bear the thought of ever being without you. In fact…I’d love to have you more than I do right now. If you would like that too. Will you consider me?

“Hm? Akaashi, you still startled? I swear, I’m gonna chase that guy down and…” Bokuto was already rolling up one of his sleeves and stalking back the way they’d come, but Akaashi put his palms up.

“No, no, I’m really fine. Just tired and frazzled, I guess. I really do need to get some sleep.”

“Then let’s just skip free practice tomorrow morning! Exams are coming up soon, and training is great and all, but you can’t be running on fumes! We can just make it up on…”

“No!”

Bokuto jumped, hands going up to freeze awkwardly as he gawked at Akaashi’s sudden outburst. “Uh…ok?”

“Yes. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I mean…if you’re sure.”

“Of course, I’m sure.”

I can’t lose another second…I need to be with you as much as I can right now. Before you’re gone.

And if they seemed to walk a little slower to the station, well, they were both just hoping the other wouldn’t notice.

The Next Weekend.

“Hell no, you stupid owl! I blocked you out six times!”

“Five! It was five!”

“Nu-huh!”

“Uh-huh!”

“Where’s Shibayama!? Shibayama, you better have been tracking the stats, dammit! I blocked him six times!”

Akaashi lowered his water bottle and wiped his cheeks with his towel to clear away some of the sweat.

“Are they ever gonna stop?”

“Maybe when they’re dead,” Kenma replied flatly, eyes glued to his phone. They were taking a break between practice matches, and the two schools were currently carrying on as always. Shibayama was now cowering before both Bokuto and Kuroo as he was forced to deliver the stats sheet he’d been keeping.

Akaashi sniggered at Kenma’s reply, then set his bottle down. They sat for another few moments in peaceful silence, watching their teams catching up. Kenma was omega as well, and he was typically quiet. When he did speak, it was either biting sarcasm or frighteningly accurate observation. Or some video game speak Akaashi didn’t understand, but he did his best to nod along anyway.

Unfortunately for Akaashi, Kenma also had a bombshell planned into his seldom-heard sentences for today. “So…hows you and Bokuto going?”

Akaashi sputtered, and he was lucky Kenma had waited till he’d stopped drinking, or else he’d have spat water across the court.

“W-What is that supposed to mean?”

Kenma lifted his eyes from his phone long enough to fix Akaashi with a tired expression. “You know what I mean.”

Akaashi pressed his lips into a thin line and leaned back against the bench. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure,” Kenma replied, and the silence returned for another few seconds.

Akaashi caved quickly. “Ok, fine, maybe I’ve been thinking about it.”

“There you go.” Kenma locked his phone screen and set it down on the bench beside him, tilting his head sideways to look at Akaashi. His long blonde bangs parted to reveal golden eyes gazing up.

“And?”

“Since when were you interested in romance, Kenma?”

“I just know if you don’t say something, you’ll regret it. And I don’t wanna listen to Kuroo whining about what a cute couple you guys would make anymore.”

“Kuroo-san does that?” Akaashi asked, feeling deflated.

“Literally every time we see you guys. I’ll bet he’ll go off again today as soon as you leave.” Kenma replied with a shrug.

Akaashi groaned, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “I just…I don’t know if it’s a good idea. It feels…it feels like it could just end up ruining everything.”

“But that’s how the very best things are, aren’t they?” Kenma pointed out.

“How so?”

Kenma made grabby hands out in front of himself a few times. “It’s like…going for an all-perfect run and panicking when you get to the last level. Or maybe…like going for a dump and realizing the center might have figured you out but doing it anyway. That sorta thing.”

“…the second one made sense,”  Akaashi mumbled, turning his eyes towards the court again.

Bokuto was currently crowing victoriously as Kuroo insisted on a re-count when Shibayama declared that Kuroo had, in fact, only blocked Bokuto out five times in the past handful of sets they’d played.

He was flexing his arms in a triumphant pose, a brilliant grin on his face as Kuroo glared daggers at him.

It made Akaashi’s heart feel lighter just looking at him.

He groaned, planting his face in his hands, and Kenma patted him awkwardly on the shoulder a couple of times. “…I’m sure it’ll turn out.”

“So, what’s your advice? You’re the one who brought this up.” Akaashi demanded, and Kenma just delivered one more awkward pat.

“How would I know? I’m not courting anybody.”

And as Akaashi contemplated wringing his friends' scrawny neck out like a wet towel, he confronted the truth all over again.

He and Bokuto, Kenma and Kuroo, all of them were at the beginning of the end. It was like he was caught in the crosshairs of fate, here and now.

And he could make a decision to change everything or just carry on the path already set for him.

And it was far more frightening than a setters dump or a gaming reference could ever make it seem.

Bokuto.

Time was a fickle thing.

And sure, we’ve all heard it before. Fun times would fly like a whirlwind, and yet when you were bored or doing something tedious, it would crawl along at a snail's pace.

All that fun stuff.

So when Koutarou found himself sitting outside the gym in the cold winter air, with the Spring Tournament so terrifyingly close he could already hear the squeaks of shoes in the gymnasium, the whistleblowing, the final whistle, the last toss from Akaashi he’d ever hit and would he even know it when he hit it? Would he only realize it after? After the ball hit the court? And what about Akaashi’s encouraging pats on the shoulder, high-fives, and those rare moments he’d cry out in excitement as all their hard work paid off?

When that voice he loved so dearly rang out on the court amidst so many others, would he know it was the last time he’d hear it that way?

Would he know the last time when it happened?

Ah…I’m panicking.

Bokuto had already been scouted for a university up in Akita, one of the best volleyball programs in the country. They regularly sent players to the national team or to professional teams around the world. The young alpha knew he was on the right track, even as the days ticked by toward his last hurrah in high school.

Yet somehow, as he leaned his head back and stared up at the dark, empty sky between the school buildings, he felt oddly detached.

Almost like he was viewing the situation from outside of himself.

And it would be pretty ridiculous, wouldn’t it? If he broke down and confessed his feelings to Akaashi now when they barely had a couple of months left together. To lose his resolve at this point would be pathetic.

Akaashi…he’s got better things to do than babysit me. And I know how he works, I see the way he looks at me, he’s got me calculated down to a science. Just like everything else he does. He’s beautiful. He’s so beautiful half the school is in love with him, and he just pretends not to notice. And he’s just…he’s perfect. I can’t believe I even entertain the idea he might be with a disaster like me.

Bokuto let out a self-deprecating sigh because while he was impulsive all the time, he wasn’t completely clueless. He had the benefit of hindsight, and maybe age really did make you wiser.

You know…slightly.

To the point where now, looking back on all Akaashi had done for him in the past two years, he accepted the unavoidable truth of the matter.

Akaashi treated him like a rowdy teammate. And that was fine. In fact, considering how close they’d grown as friends, it was perfectly fine.

But Bokuto couldn’t bear the thought of causing Akaashi any more difficulties, especially after graduation, so he had to ignore it and set his sights ahead.

Akaashi had a bright future, too, after all.

But it doesn’t have me in it.

“Bokuto-san? You didn’t have to wait for me.” Akaashi stepped out of the gym, wearing his winter coat over his school uniform, and black tights under his skirt to try and keep out the cold.

The alpha grinned up at him and got to his feet. “Don’t mind. It wasn’t long. Besides, you know my house is near the station, so we may as well walk together. You ready to go?”

Akaashi tilted his head to the side with a smile. “You’re awfully protective of some schoolmate.”

“Some schoolmate!?” Bokuto roared, tremendously offended.

“You’re not just some schoolmate, Akaashi! You’re my friend! And my setter! But more importantly, my friend! I can’t have you getting run over by some rogue cyclist!”

Akaashi’s green eyes blinked at him a couple of times before a light, cheerful laugh broke from his lips. His cheeks were red as he put a hand up to cover his mouth. “You’re that worried I’ll get hit by a bicycle? I wasn’t paying attention, it was one time. But whatever you say. Let’s go, then.”

They started their usual walk. The amount of which they had left to enjoy was dwindling, but they tried not to focus too much on that.

Even as Bokuto failed to notice how Akaashi’s eyes continued to dart up and back to him and neglected to recall, Akaashi never usually flushed from the cold.

Akaashi

The games went by like lightning, and towards the end, Akaashi almost dreaded the sound of the whistle blowing. Every point felt far too fast, every spike and set and block like only so many leaves carried by on the wind.

Quicker and quicker and quicker till…

It was over.

And as much as the omega wished he could send the ball, send Bokuto soaring into the sky like he was floating there, he couldn’t do that anymore.

He didn’t even remember it properly, but he hoped the last toss had been good enough.

And just as cruelly as ever, unkind and uncaring to someone like him who’d waited far too long to say such important words, time marched on.

He waited outside the gymnasium after the graduation ceremony and saw Bokuto busily posing for pictures with friends, diploma in hand.

The name tumbled from his lips before he could think to stop it. “Bokuto-san!” He called, raising a hand and waving.

The horn-haired alpha turned, spotting him, and his eyes immediately brightened up. He bid his friends goodbye and jogged over.

“Akaashi, you didn’t have to come!”

The omega found his hands swinging to tuck behind his back, his fingers fidgeting with sudden nervousness.

“Well, we have a couple of people graduating from our club, so I thought I ought to. Congratulations.”

Bokuto let out an excessive laugh, planting his hands on his hips, still with his diploma in one fist. “Yeah, thanks! It was with your help, too, I might have gotten held back a year if you hadn’t helped me study for exams all these times!”

Akaashi shook his head. “No, I’m sure you would have been fine.”

Bokuto screwed up his face. “Don’t lie to me. You’ve got that face.”

“What face?”

“The ‘Ok, whatever you say, Bokuto-san’ face.” The alpha replied, imitating Akaashi’s softer voice before he scoffed.

“Besides, you never backed me up before! So just call me stupid or whatever.”

“I never called you stupid.”

Bokuto narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know if I like how you said that.”

“But you told me too.”

They had a staring contest for a few seconds before they burst into laughter.

This bubbling feeling in Akaashi’s chest wasn’t settling. Instead, it was transforming into fear.

Or perhaps chaos was a better word?

Maybe anxiety.

Because the hourglass was almost empty, and he couldn’t turn it over again. He couldn’t make it his first year. He couldn’t make himself retroactively realize what all these jumbled-up feelings meant.

He could only stand here, watching Bokuto grin back at him, knowing he’d be gone in a matter of weeks. And perhaps they’d keep in touch, but who knew what life would hand them?

“Akaashi, you ok? You look like you’re thinking too hard about something.” Bokuto grumbled, folding his arms over his broad chest and raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

I don’t want to let you go.

“Bokuto-san, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask…”

“Oh? Well, yeah, of course! What’s up?”

“I…um…”

His palms felt clammy, his heart was racing faster than it had the entire Winter Cup, and his voice was stuck in his throat. It wouldn’t emerge, even as he tried to sort out words in his head. Something stirring to say, something memorable to say, some way to get all these tempestuous feelings across.

He lifted his eyes from where they’d drifted to his loafers and scraped together his courage.

“Bokuto-san, will you consi…”

“Hey! There you guys are!” Konoha burst from the crowd, his own diploma in hand.

Bokuto’s gaze left Akaashi, turning to look at Konoha, who came dancing up to them and raised his diploma with a pumped first. “We made it!”

“Hey, hey, hey! Was there ever any doubt!?” Bokuto crowed in response to Konoha’s arrival, and the blonde then turned to look at Akaashi, whose expression had turned rather dazed.

“Sorry, did I interrupt you guys? I didn’t realize you were having a moment.” He waggled his eyebrows, and Bokuto rolled his eyes.

“Shut up! Where are the others? Weren’t they with you?”

Konoha shrugged. “They were getting too sentimental for me, so I bailed to try and find you two. I can go get them, I think they’re by the vending machines.”

“Sure, we’ll join you later.”

“Right!”

Konoha vanished as quickly as he’d come, off to find the other third years of the volleyball team whom he’d given the slip.

Bokuto looked back at Akaashi again, his expression going serious. “Sorry, you know he’s an airhead. What were you saying?”

The omega blinked once, twice, and then let out a sigh.

A smile pulled up on his face as easy as breathing, and he shrugged. “I was just thinking we could go get ramen together on the way to the station tonight. One last time. If you aren’t busy?”

Bokuto furrowed his brow because before Konoha had shouted out, he could have sworn he was hearing something else about to come from Akaashi, but he’d been cut off.

It had been something he’d had dreams of the omega asking him, though, so he could have easily imagined it.

“Sure! Let’s do it!”

The road to the station had never felt shorter.

Five Years Later 

Bokuto

“So, have you gotten used to being back in the city?” One of his new teammates asked as he removed his volleyball shoes in the locker room, tossing them into his back.

Bokuto stood with a nonchalant shrug. “Yeah, we’re getting there. I was crashing at my parent's house for the first couple of months back, but I’ve finally gotten an apartment closer to the gym which is nice.”

“Oh, by the university station?”

“Same one.”

“Awesome! The market in Tokyo never seems to calm down! Congrats on finding a place.”

“Thanks!”

Bokuto slung his bag over his shoulder as he walked to the door.

“I’m gonna head over there to sort through all my stuff now. I got everything big moved in. Now it’s just unpacking the boxes. I’ll see you at practice tomorrow.”

“Of course! Good work!” The alpha called back before he continued on his way.

He’d done well in college and had gotten recruited to play for a Division 1 team in Tokyo. It was everything he’d ever dreamed of, and at the moment, he felt like things were finally settling into a groove he could live with for awhile.

He’d kept in touch with most of his friends from high school. He’d met up with Kuroo and Tsukishima, who’d wound up together, and he had plans to see Kenma at some point in the next week for coffee. His old teammates from Fukurodani had split up around the country, but then…then there was the biggest void.

The emptiness left by one Akaashi Keiji.

At first, we did keep in touch. I came to watch them play at the Inter-High his 3rd year…we talked afterward. But it felt…stilted. It was strange.

Bokuto, for his part, had behaved that way because of how difficult it had been. Akaashi had been every bit who Bokuto remembered, and yet he’d found his words sticking together in his mouth.

Because what sort of world would he be living in if he’d confessed and asked Akaashi to court him all those years ago? Maybe instead of the lonely, cramped studio apartment he was renting, mostly aimed at students living close to the downtown branch of the university, he’d be somewhere else?

…I wonder if Akaashi would’ve liked to come back to Japan.

And there was the other issue. Akaashi had gone to the States for university, on some sort of academic exchange. It was another reason why he’d slowly faded away until he was this beautiful memory that Bokuto viewed through a picture frame. Faded as if he were moving towards black-and-white.

Of a time when walks back to the station felt like they could last forever.

He arrived back at his apartment building only to find a moving company carrying boxes into the apartment next door to his own.

Well, the semester is about to start…I’m sure it’s probably a student settling in for the year.

He considered as he unlocked the door to his apartment and let himself in. The alpha spent the next several hours unpacking boxes and setting up furniture. With some music playing in the background, he managed to lose himself in the monotony of the tasks, and he kept it up till his stomach complained at him.

He glanced to the window and saw the sun already sinking in the sky.

…guess I should go grab something for dinner. I haven’t been grocery shopping once since I moved in.

Resolving to start having some backup food in his apartment after tonight, Bokuto turned and headed for the door. He collected his keys, and wallet, and shoved on his shoes.

And when he opened the door, he nearly ran head-on into a figure carrying two precariously teetering boxes.

“Oh, sorry, sorry!” Bokuto quickly exclaimed, arms shooting out to stop them from falling.

And that was when he found himself matching eyes with that same beautiful memory.

Akaashi hadn’t changed since the last time he’d seen him, not much. Maybe his hair was a little longer, maybe his face had sharpened into maturity, but that was it. He was wearing a blue sweater with a gray skirt and black leggings underneath, and for a moment, the two of them just stared at each other owlishly. How ironic.

“Bokuto-san?” Akaashi finally broke the silence, his voice quaking with shock.

“Y-Yeah! Yeah, Akaashi, I didn’t…what are you doing here?”

“Moving in,” Akaashi replied, nodding to the still-open front door of the apartment beside his own.

Bokuto thought this might be fate flinging all his regrets directly into his face but ignored it. “Here, let me help you with those.”

He took the top of the two boxes from his old schoolmate and trailed him into the apartment next door. It was pretty much the same as his, a studio apartment with a single bathroom and a small, squarish kitchen space.

He set the box on the counter as Akaashi bent to lower his to the floor.

Once they were relieved of their loads, they both spun to each other. “I didn’t know you were back!”

Akaashi shrugged, a smile perhaps triggered by the simple joy of running into an old friend climbing on his face. “I’m doing my masters here. America was nice, but I got homesick pretty fast. Besides, I knew I never intended to stay there. What about you, why are you back in the city?”

“I got scouted to play here!”

“Really? That’s wonderful! Congratulations!”

“And congratulations to you, starting your masters! You were always way smarter than anyone else on our team, of course, you’d be getting heaps of degrees.” Bokuto gave a teasing grumble at the end there, and Akaashi raised a hand to his face, chuckling.

“You’ve always been far too kind with your praise when it came to me, Bokuto-san. I’m sorry I interrupted you, were you heading out?”

Koutarou blinked, then slowly swung his hand back to slip into his pockets, fidgeting with his keys. “Yeah, I was gonna grab some dinner.”

“Ah, I see. It is getting late.”

And Bokuto re-evaluated the situation. Thought it over again. And again. All in those small few moments where he was gazing at this faded memory that’d come screaming back into his life in vivid color.

And maybe instead of fate mocking his regrets…this was the universe offering him a miracle in the form of a second chance?

Gazing into sharp dark eyes that'd once darted toward him on long strolls toward the train station. 

“Would you like to join me?”

And maybe this time, he’d finally allow himself to take it.

Akaashi blinked, considering his words as if hesitant. Maybe Koutarou would ask, on some distant day, what had gone through the omegas mind in that one whirlwind moment. 

"That sounds great ." 

Akaashi. 

They drummed down the stairs together, and any awkwardness melted as a comfort that'd lain dormant for five years bloomed over the surface. 

"Konoha-san still lives nearby...?"

"...and then Kuroo said..."

"Have you played recently or...?"

"I talked to Kenma a few days ago when I moved back..." 

They were drumming up the sidewalk together, Bokuto grinning ear to ear, and Akaashi felt his heartbeat stuttering.

He's here...he's here. 

The alpha who'd lived in a snapshot framed in his mind, in a photo roll on his phone and across the occasional three am social media check-ups, had hurtled back with just as much force as before. Screaming back as they talked, all the years evaporated, as they walked, Akaashi could almost feel the weight of his school bag, the tiredness of volleyball practice in his legs. It wasn't there, but he could imagine it. So vividly. 

And Bokuto's eyes glowed and felt like a light on over the front door when coming home from a long time traveling. 

"Did you ever meet anyone in college?" The omega found himself blurting out. 

Koutarou's words sputtered out. Then he turned his eyes off up the sidewalk. "...nope. You?"

Keiji swallowed. "No." 

"Hm. That's weird, ain't it? You were a heartthrob in high school!" Bokuto commented idly. 

Did you always think so?

"Says you." Akaashi prodded back, and Koutarou laughed. "Nah, I had nothing on you!" 

As they walked, Keiji remembered the pumping of his heart, the sweat on his palms when he'd come so close to confessing on graduation day. When the last grains of the hourglass were tumbling through his fingers. 

...but maybe I can still turn it over? Or pry it open, and pour more sand into the top? Isn't that cheating? 

He'd be in his masters program for two years, and Keiji had no doubt that Bokuto would never lose his spot on any team, he doubted he'd be going anywhere anytime soon. 

All of a sudden, the hourglass that'd broken his heart was running again. What would he do with all those grains suddenly offered forth, so plentiful that his memories of the lack of them made him want to cry? 

"Bokuto-san?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Want to get ramen?"

Koutarou's expression gave something away, or did it? It melted, transformed for an instant into something unbearably fond. 

"I'd love to."