Chapter Text
The first time Bokuto thinks that something has to be wrong with him is after a practise match against Nekoma, their last one, more out of nostalgia for the third years than anything else. It's when he's looking for Akaashi and sees him leaning against Kuroo, both of them taking a nap, exhausted from blocking and tossing that he pauses for a moment, thinks.
He should feel jealous, right?
Whenever your crush was close to someone else you were supposed to get all envious and jealous, also feel betrayed because this was your best friend who is resting against your soon-to-be boyfriend (if he found the courage to confess, that is). But instead he feels calm and just a bit itchy – could it be that he isn't in love with Akaashi like he thought he'd be? No, it's because Kuroo is his best friend and he trusts him, nothing else.
Bokuto snaps a photo because he feels like it and only puts it as his background because they are his friends and this is a sign of affection, their friendship. He hums happily, pleased with this excuse, before he sits down next to Akaashi after deciding on joining their nap; they have a bit time.
Kuroo is the first one to see this photo, when his phone ran out of battery and he asked him to lend it for texting Kenma their location, Kuroo' house instead of Kenma's though it didn't matter since they lived in the same street. He looks at the picture for a second but doesn't mention anything, just sends a short message.
“Cute, isn't it?”, Bokuto says and it's in that moment that he is sure there has to be something wrong with him because who calls his crush and best friend cute meaning it like that in the same way?
Kuroo blushes.
Bokuto can't tell if it is because of the photo or because he called him cute however the words “adorable” and “gorgeous” run trough his head again – it fits to Kuroo, the blush, a red like his jersey – followed by “holy shit I want to kiss my best friend just as much as Akaashi” and he turns red as well.
That's how Akaashi and Kenma find them, sitting on the floor, but while Kenma ignores it and leaves the room immediately, Akaashi raises an eyebrow.
“Are you okay? You look sick.”
Lovesick probably fits better, Bokuto thinks but ends up saying it out loud and Kuroo just buries his head in his hands, as if he tries to hide the blush which deepens just like his own. He doesn't dare to see Akaashi's reaction though and neither says anything, until the setter clears his throat and when both look at him, see his faint blush.
“Bokuto, is there something you have to tell us?”
He tries to sound serious but Bokuto notes how he clasps one hand around the other one, like he is going to crack his knuckles, a habit he sees whenever he is thinking about something, concentrating.
“I, uh – ”, his gaze shifts to Kuroo, but it seems like he is too ashamed to meet his glance, hands now in his lap like he is trying to keep his composure, so Bokuto clears his throat before continuing. “- thought often about the future, like which university to go and I thought about you joining the same school a year later but then I thought you could chose another one and it makes me sad and when I asked Kuroo he helped me figuring out my feeling for you but lately I just realised that I like Kuroo as well so I'm not quiet sure what to make of it, like maybe I just don't want things to change and keep you close, like maybe, it's not love and I- ”, he keeps on rambling until Kuroo interrupts him and he does sound a little mad when he turns towards him.
“Okay, that's enough. You belittle yourself again. Don't doubt yourself because you can't identify your feelings.”
Akaashi steps closer and this way Bokuto can see his blush more clearly, the emotions flashing across his face, how the uncertainty suddenly turns into determination.
“I can't think about a future without you two”, the youngest admits, says it loud and clear so that there is no misunderstanding.
“Kuroo?”
Bokuto turns to his friends, seeking either confirmation or refusal. He doesn't want to pressure him, they merely need to know how he is feeling, if there is anything at all, may it be just something vague or strong feelings he tried to hide.
“I... I don't know? I just figured out your feelings towards Akaashi because I have the same. But I also really like you? It's not so easy...”
“So... should we try to date? To figure things out”, Bokuto asks, carefully yet blunt, “The three of us?”
Kuroo looks more astonished than confused or disgusted, as if this idea is something he wouldn't have thought to cross Bokuto's mind, considered it to be something difficult for any one involving instead of something simple like Bokuto presents it to be.
“I'd like that”, Akaashi says, “but when I had this talk with Kuroo I couldn't help but to note that we'll probably end up at different schools.”
“Wait, wait, you were talking about this? What exactly?”, Bokuto wants to know, looking back and forth between them, tries to remember whether they acted strange one day to talk in private about this but doesn't come to any solution in this short time.
“I love you but you're my best friend as well. It's easier to talk about this with Akaashi first”, Kuroo admits without giving a clear answer to the question, has the decency to look guilty so that Bokuto can't get upset about this.
“So you do love us? It's not that hard then?”
Bokuto leans a bit closer, curious, forgets that he might intimidate Kuroo like that with his wide eyes, every confusion and possible hint of feeling betrayed gone.
“Kuro doesn't want to get in your way.”
Kenma interrupts them before Kuroo can deny or agree, coming in the room with something to eat. He doesn't really look at them, acts like he is just bypassing when he is in fact sitting down on the bed, placing the plate with food next to him so that he can roll on his stomach and bend over the edge as if he is searching for something on the other side.
“Oi, Kenma”, Kuroo grumbles, is a bit glad though that he is here to voice his thoughts, snatching one of the bought sandwiches which are presented like they were self-made from the plate.
“Why would you think that? We've been best friends for ages”, Bokuto remarks, doesn't doubt Kenma since he is one of the few who knows his friend better than anyone else – he also doesn't seem distrubed, is glad about everything which could help them figure out their feelings and Akaashi wonders for a second whether he would be still that calm when the whole Nekoma team would show up.
“Exactly”, Kenma points out and dragging Akaashi back to reality, looking up before he lowers his head again, focused on the floor at the other side of the bed, the small space between furniture and wall.
“You know I can talk for myself.”
“But you don't.”
“He has a point.”
“Bokuto!”
“Sorry, dude.”
Akaashi looks over to Kenma, realises that he just tries to help (or maybe he is just annoyed that they haven't figured out their own feelings yet, he wouldn't be surprised if he knew, after all he is pretty observant when he wants to be) and he is thankful, really. But...
“Do you want me to go?”, Kenma asks when he catches Akaashi's gaze, looking back at his best friend; Kuroo and Bokuto are ready to tell him that it is okay, but to their surprise it's Akaashi who interferes.
“Yes. Please.”
“Okay.”
He doesn't look okay, but Akaashi has no idea why until Kuroo points at his desk and Kenma's eyes lit up when he sees the console lying there, taking it with him.
As soon as he is gone, the awkward silence is back; at least he left the sandwiches here.
“You wouldn't be in our way. If this would have been the case we wouldn't have hesitated”, Akaashi eventually says and hearing this might not be enough to lift his doubts, but it's a start and he can see how much this means to Kuroo, but it's Bokuto who doesn't realise how wide he grins until Kuroo points it out.
“I'm just happy? I get to call both of you my boyfriends now.”
“An upgrade, huh?”, Kuroo muses and much to his surprise it's Akaashi who corrects him, shaking his head.
“No, just looking at things from a different perspective”, he smiles and Kuroo returns it without hesitation, his smile not as wide as Bokuto's grin has been but showing the same amount of fondness he feels.
Bokuto eventually fidgets, as expected getting restless from sitting or something else, Akaashi can't tell until he spits it out.
“Can I kiss you then?”, he blurts out, and while he feels a bit embarrassed and assumes that the situation turns awkward again, Kuroo just grins, looking at Akaashi who is equally amused.
“I don't know, can you?”
“Shouldn't he invite us on a date first?”
He looks a bit taken aback, as if he feared to do something wrong, but before he can act on this feeling, they are kneeling next to him.
“We're joking. Of course you can”, Kuroo tells him, sees how Bokuto relaxes for a second until he tenses again, wondering who to kiss first, whether it would mean something to the other one if he doesn't chose them first, feeling left out or worse, thinking that he likes them less and he is so worried that he doesn't see how the other two exchange a short look before leaning forward at the same time.
Bokuto almost just out of surprise when he feels two pair of lips on his cheeks, one on the right and the other one on his left side, doesn't even register the hand on his shoulder nor the one on his thigh.
“W-what...”
They managed to make him speechless but in the end he doesn't mind because he gets to hear Akaashi's and Kuroo's gorgeous laughter he wouldn't mind hearing as often as possible from now on, something he also tells them, even though it might earn him some amused replies.
At lest Bokuto knows one thing now: There is definitely nothing wrong with him.