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The party was in full swing. Kuroo has challenged Oikawa to a game of shot checkers, both trying to win and getting significally drunker than the other. Kuroo’s teeth were blue from the questionable recipe of the shots. No one actually new what went in them. Hinata, who mixed the shots were standing by their table with increasingly smug expression. Oikawa’s eyes were a little cross, but his concentration never wavered.
“I’m going to crush you, Kuroo.” Oikawa said, slurring a bit, but still managing to throw a menacing look at his opponent.
“I’m literally winning.” Kuroo laughed and hiccupped, making their observers chuckle.
Their game was a big attraction, because both boys had the talent for snarky comments that entertained the watchers and when shots were added to the already competitive nature of them, the checkers match were a spectacle.
Kenma, however, was sitting on the couch next to Kuroo, but his eyes were glued on his phone and he didn’t appear to pay much attention to the game. Bokuto dropped heavily on the couch next to him and put his face in his hands.
“Urgh I fucked up.” He said, for about a hundredth time that night.
“Uh-uh” Kenma agreed not looking up from his phone.
“What do I do?” Bokuto whined, not letting up.
“Move to another country, change your name, definitely dye your hair and start a family with a cute local woman from a nearby village.” Kenma replied dryly.
Kuroo laughed next to him. He didn’t seem to be following their conversation, but apparently he was.
“Man, if I were you, I’d already be dead, so you’re already lucky.” Kuroo laughed, moving one of his checker shots.
“You would absolutely be dead by now if you pulled something like that.” Kenma agreed. “I would have killed you in the most torturous way imaginable. And I can imagine a lot.”
Kuroo gulped. “I’m deactivating my Instagram, just in case.”
“Good boy.” Kenma said, patting his boyfriend’s leg absentmindedly.
“I can’t run away, I have to fix this!” Bokuto groaned.
“Well, what did Akaashi say?” Oikawa asked, taking two of Kuroos checker shots in one move, making Kuroo whine. Oikawa’s smile was scary when he was happy.
“He didn’t, that’s the problem!” Bokuto flayed his hands, almost knocking Kenma’s phone out of his hands. That earned him a glare from the boy. “He just looked at the phone for a minute, then looked at me with a blank expression and left. No words. And I have already deleted the post, I tried to explain that it was a mistake, but he didn’t listen.”
“Yeah, I sent him screenshots.” Kenma smiled.
“And thanks for that, you traitor.” Bokuto poked Kenma in the check, rather harder than necessary.
“He deserved to know. Everybody else does.” Kenma just shrugged.
“But seriously, what were you thinking, man?” Kuroo asked, flashing his blue teeth at Bokuto.
“I wasn’t!” That earned him a huff of laughter around the table.
“I’m serious, it was a mistake. I just posted a selfie, because I thought I looked nice for this party and posted it. I had no idea… I didn’t think the polaroids were in the background. I forgot. I deleted the post as soon as you texted me.”
“Everyone and their grandma seen the post.” Iwaizumi commented, from behind Oikawa, “You’ll need to seriously grovel.”
“I tried!” Bokuto explained. “He wouldn’t listen! He doesn’t even acknowledge me when I’m speaking to him.”
“Yeah, I have never seen Akaashi so angry.” Kenma agreed. “It’s actually pretty scary, it’s not like he’s actively angry or aggressive or rude or anything. He’s totally normal. But when anyone even mentions Bokuto or the post, his eyes go all icy and his presence just feels like daggers and ice water thrown at you. I can’t even explain it well, it’s just… scary.”
Bokuto groaned and put his head in his hands again. “This is it. He hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you.” Oikawa rolled his eyes. “He just wants to murder you.”
“I know the feeling.” Iwaizumi commented in a half whisper, earning himself a jab in the ribs from Oikawa.
“I don’t know… Maybe this is really it. I’ll just… I don’t know, become a hermit somewhere in the woods and suffer forever over my mistake and lost love.” Bokuto sighed.
“God, you’re so annoying.” Kenma finally put his phone away and looked at Bokuto. “Look, I see Akaashi there talking to the girls, which might end up even worse for you, so I’m going to graciously help you.”
“What are you going…” Bokuto tried to ask, but Kenma silenced him with a raised hand.
“Listen to me. You’re going to sit here and make sure Kuroo doesn’t vomit on everyone around the table for about 10 minutes.”
“I’m not going to vomit on…” Kuroo began to protest, but hiccupped, which made everyone laugh again. Kenma threw him a withering look.
“Yeah, you’re looking after him for 10 minutes. I’ll go with Akaashi to the kitchen and talk to him a bit. After 10 minutes you’re going to come, be ready to grovel and I’m going to make sure you two are there alone. Understood?”
“Yes, yes, do that, thank you!” Bokuto excitedly threw his hand around Kenma.
“You owe me.” Kenma muttered.
“Yes, the usual, double the usual, triple, whatever you want.” Bokuto agreed, nodding hard.
“I like the sound of triple.” Kenma smiled, getting up from the couch and moving over where Akaashi was, at the very opposite side of the room.
Bokuto watched as he went to Akaashi and Akaashi smiled, talking to him lightly. He felt a pang of jealousy. Akaashi was perfectly normal to everyone else, but as soon as Bokuto even entered his general orbit, he became like an ice sculpture. He would probably ignore Bokuto right now if he was dying.
“What’s the usual?” Oikawa asked and Kuroo groaned.
“It’s embarrassing, don’t tell anyone that!” Kuroo protested.
“It’s only embarrassing for you.” Bokuto chuckled. “I and Akaashi babysit Kuroo when Kenma has to be away, because Kuroo needs looking after.”
Most people laughed, but Oikawa just smirked. “You know you’re his play date and Akaashi is actually looking after the both of you, right?”
“What? No!” Bokuto and Kuroo protested, but since everyone around them were cackling with laughter, they decided not to press the subject.
Bokuto sat there, watching the game, but not really paying attention to it, thoughts occupied by what he’s going to say to Akaashi. After a few minutes, Oikawa finally won and Iwaizumi put two large glasses of water in front of him and Kuroo and demanded they drank it or he’d pour the water down their throats himself.
Bokuto stood and slipped away quietly to the chants of “Chug chug chug!”. He reached the kitchen door and had to take a minute to compose himself. What the hell was he going to say? He fucked up so badly he didn’t think Akaashi was ever going to forgive him. But he couldn’t lose him without at least a proper fight, proper attempt to keep him. He couldn’t imagine ever being happy without Akaashi in his life. Bokuto took a deep breath, gathered all the courage he had left and entered the kitchen. Akaashi was talking to Kenma, smiling, sharing a joke with him. Bokuto’s heart skipped a beat, like it always did when he saw his boyfriend. Akaashi was just the most beautiful person Bokuto has ever met.
As Akaashi’s eyes met Bokuto’s, he felt the icy chill even from a distance.
Kenma cleared his throat “I’m just going to…” and he left without a glance back.
Akaashi said nothing, just looked at Bokuto with a steely expression.
“Look,” Bokuto said, “I’m sorry. I tried to apologize before and I will apologize every single day if that means you’ll talk to me again. Please, just hear me out.” He took a couple of tentative steps towards Akaashi and was glad the other boy didn’t attempt to get further away.
“I completely forgot the polaroids were on the table. I didn’t put them away last night because I wanted to make some kind of filing order and just got too distracted. I know it’s dumb, it’s absolutely idiotic of me. I know.” He took a couple more steps. He was almost in Akaashi’s space now. “I just took a selfie because I thought I looked cute in this outfit, I didn’t even mean to post it, it just happened, I didn’t think to check it too long. I’m so, so sorry.”
He was close enough to touch Akaashi now, but didn’t dare, because the Akaashi still looked like he wanted to stab Bokuto.
“You posted a photo of our sexy polaroids for everyone to see, Bokuto.” Akaashi finally said in a low tone, almost whispering. “All our friends saw it. Everyone.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I deleted it as soon as Kuroo texted me that the photos were in the background.”
“Bokuto, everyone saw us naked.” Akaashi said, tightening his fingers over his glass. “That’s so humiliating.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” Bokuto said, very genuinely. “And if it helps even a little, nothing overly spicy was visible. Luckily, the ones that were visible were very tame.”
“Luckily?” Akaashi spat out. “Bokuto, now everyone knows those photos exist! They’ve seen things we did!”
“They didn’t see that much. But I know, and I am really sorry. Please, tell me what I can do to fix this.” Bokuto pleaded. “Please, baby, I’m so sorry. I love you, please don’t break up with me.” He felt tears in his eyes now at the horrible thought.
Akaashi huffed. “I’m not breaking up with you, oh my god. I’m just really, really mad.”
“I know,” Bokuto reached for his boyfriend, putting his hand on his waist slowly. Akaashi tensed, but didn’t push him away. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Akaashi sighed and leaned his head on Bokuto’s chest. “This sucks. I’m so mad at you and humiliated but staying away from you all day sucked.”
Bokuto’s heart flipped, hope blooming in his chest and threatening to spill out in glee.
“Will you forgive me?” He asked, smiling a bit, hugging Akaashi close to his chest.
“Eventually.” Akaashi said, pulling back a bit to look his boyfriend in the eyes. “But you’re getting rid of the polaroid camera. And burning the photos.”
“Literally, anything you wish, I’ll do it.” Bokuto nodded excitedly, not believing his luck.
“And you’ll do whatever I want for the foreseeable future without any complaints. Just to make sure I can forgive you, you know.” Akaashi said with a smirk that promised Bokuto was going to have to do some seriously embarrassing stuff. Well, it was his fault and if groveling and doing anything Akaashi told him to do were going to keep Akaashi in his life, he was ready.
“I’ll do whatever you ask of me and I’ll do it gladly.” Bokuto agreed.
This earned him a laugh from Akaashi. “No you won’t.” He said and kissed Bokuto, making him incredibly happy.