Chapter Text
Bokuto Koutaro lived to make videos.
Well, that is perhaps an exaggeration. There was volleyball, of course, the sport that he lived and breathed ever since he was a child up until he’s now in university, and potentially on track for the national team. There was his family, his little sister who hoots far better than he can and his mother who had the greatest patience in the world and his father who laughs merrily with crinkling eyes. There’s food, the absolute heaven that is food. And maybe Kuroo, his best bro ever, and Kenma and Hinata and Sawamura and Konoha and the rest of his team. (Even Oikawa, that lousy bathroom-hogger.)
So yeah, it was an exaggeration that Bokuto lived to make videos. He lived for other things (see above) but videos, oh damn, videos have been his life for one and a half years now. He loved recording clips of him talking or doing funny shits with his housemates, with Kuroo and him pranking Oikawa “the love guru” Tooru and Sawamura “I have a stick up my butt and I’m not afraid to use it” Daichi. He loved the process of editing and adding effects to his videos, or just mucking it up and uploading it. Most of all, he loved the positivity that comes with the comments that his fans post on his new videos. Bokuto Koutaro is a very simple man, and receiving a simple “Wow, great video!” is enough to make him happy.
Of course, being a simpleton like him (at the very least, Bokuto understood that he is a simpleton) also means that he is easily affected by the vicious words that are not filtered through the internet. It had been a great deal for him when he came out of his figurative closet, and whilst majority of his fans were accepting and supportive, some even downright thrilled, there were still the occasional insults and snide comments that left him discouraged and faintly depressed. Being a vlogger is tough in some aspects, too, particularly when people with no disregard for his privacy approach him. Bokuto is fairly alright with the public, but he’s no better than Oikawa, who lives for popularity, or Kuroo, who handles everything with a smirk.
Being a somewhat famous vlogger, Bokuto Koutaro isn’t exempted from the claws and clutches from his fanatical domain that show itself in one particular form: ships.
“Bokuto-san, nice video! Aaah, we get to see little Fuku-chan, too! Your love for owls certainly rival Akaashi-san’s own collection!”
“OMg so?? adoRABLE??? LIKe?? AUGH BOKUTO U R so IMPORtAnTTTT”
“LMAO Pause 3:19, Bokuto looks like the world has betrayed him LMAO. Side cameo Kuroo looks like a french baker with that baguette in his hand lol”
“Your shirt came from HighShop, and it’s blue. Akaashi Keiji’s most recent video had him wearing that same shirt in the same shade of blue. Coincidence? HELL TO THE NO.”
“okay but guys am i th eonly one who thinks bokuto should do a collab with akaashi keiji?? i mean look they both love owls, they both play volleyball, plus they’re hella hot lol”
“ik what you mean lol they’re shippable too? Hm bokushi? Nah sounds like Akashi Seijuro with his bokushi-oreshi thing. Akato? Lol weird. Akaboku? Bokuaka?”
“FUKU-CHAN YOU ADORABLE BARN OWL YOU ARE VERY CUTE!!”
“Hi! Are you ready to make some real money? Are you sick and tired of all the videos you’ve seen, promising you piles of riches and gold? Well there’s no need for that anymore! Click on the link...”
“Bokuto Koutarou, you never fail to make my day brighter. Thank you for this lovely video.”
“Lol get rekt Kuroo.”
“is that Oikawa streaking in a split second 4:26”
Case in point, shipping. At first it started subtle, but gradually Bokuto realized that even his twitter and tumblr was being invaded by his fans (it still felt weird thinking about that, Bokuto would prefer to call them his internet friends) shouting at him in capslock to just go on a date with Akaashi Keiji.
It’s all well and good in the first days, even when he was shipped with his housemates, which was extremely weird. But now, when Bokuto so much as smiles or talks about someone who’s vaguely popular, his fans immediately cling onto the idea of shipping him with that someone.
This time, it seemed, that the current trending partner for him is someone named Akaashi Keiji, who apparently has a fascination with owls like him, and who plays volleyball like he does. Admittedly, Bokuto has never watched any of this Akaashi’s videos, mostly because from what he’d gathered, Akaashi Keiji’s videos focuses on music, bands, photography and the occasional psychological advice. Bokuto’s videos centers on.. Funny shits and his troubles for the day, what happened to him, what his experiences are, and a side gaming channel with Kenma and Kuroo. So it was really weird that fans would ship him with a vlogger so different to his tastes.
“Bro, have you watched any of this Akaashi Keiji’s videos?” shouted Bokuto, looking at Kuroo who was sprawled across their couch watching an inane tv show.
Kuroo looked at him with half-lidded eyes, which wasn’t unusual because Kuroo always look at people with half-lidded eyes. “Hah? Akaashi Keiji? Ehh.. Guess so? Oh, is he the one who has those little movie-videos like the High Quest thing?”
“Nooo, that’s Ennoshita Chikara,” replied Bokuto. “Akaashi Keiji.. A musician of some sorts?”
“Ah well, I don’t recall ever watching a video of his,” said Kuroo, squinting at the television. “If I see his face, maybe I’ll recognize him, but bro, don’t make me think about who’s who because I freaking spent the whole night looking for that one video of two cats freaking out..”
“Hah! So that’s why I keep hearing purrs last night! I thought that Lev broke in again and dumped a whole litter of kits!”
Kuroo unenthusiastically waved an arm at him, which prompted Bokuto to turn back to his computer. He opened the search engine and hesitantly typed Akaashi Keiji’s name on the search bar.
Instantly, the first of the links that appeared was the youtube link to his profile. Bokuto clicked on it.
What greeted him was an utterly gorgeous profile picture, and a promotion video featuring that utterly gorgeous man on its center. Bokuto’s eyes were drawn to the heavy dark curls that framed Akaashi Keiji’s sharply angled face. If Bokuto was a poet, he would have stated that Akaashi’s eyes were eloquent and ardent, and yet languid in the way that it bored into the very depths of his being. He would have stated that Akaashi’s half smile was enchanting and provocative, revealing the illustrious promises of enchantment and carrying the air of a sylph. He would have stated that in one glance, in one minute of staring at this person, Akaashi Keiji’s entire self is diffused with a mysterious charm that screamed of temptation.
Unfortunately, Bokuto wasn’t a poet, so all he thought was Fuck, he’s hot.
--
It was only after he heard the front door slam open and shut that Bokuto looked up from his screen. Kuroo was dozing heavily on the couch, stretched out like a cat that he must have been in his past life. Not that Bokuto could talk; he’s pretty sure his great-great-grandparent fornicated with a great horned owl.
Today was Saturday, which meant that Kuroo and Bokuto had the house to themselves, because Oikawa worked as a part time model and Sawamura was off running a mafia or something. Therefore, he was extremely surprised when he looked up and saw a haggard looking Oikawa Tooru frowning at him grumpily.
“What are you doing here?” asked Bokuto, frowning back at the model.
Oikawa looked at him, incredulous. “I live here, Kou-chan.”
“Yes, but you work during Saturdays?”
“I do,” said Oikawa primly. “And I’ve also just gone back from it. Now all I want is to watch the latest Extra Stranger episode, but of course Tetsu-chan had to hog the couch and you had to hog the forever alone seat.”
“What?” came from Bokuto. “Wait, what time is it-- holy fuck it’s already 6PM?!” he exclaimed, dumbfounded. It was true-- Bokuto peered at the windows and saw that the sun was already nearly gone. His eyes widened. How long had he been watching on youtube?
Oikawa must have been a psychic, because he piped up, “Lost track of time, Kou-chan? Why am I not surprised? What’s your current obsession now?” And then the Grand King squinted down at his laptop, looking at the paused video uploaded by user ApatheticAkaashi and smirked. “Your current obsession is Akaashi Keiji?”
Bokuto perked up. “You know Akaashi? Personally?” Excitement ran up and down and filled his entire body. If Oikawa knew Akaashi in real life, then maybe Oikawa could introduce them. Akaashi, an actual angel (he’d come this conclusion after watching the third oldest video from his channel) would of course say yes to a meet up. Say yes to a collab, because it’s popular demand. Maybe even a date. Bokuto could take him to that new bookshop-cafe just three blocks away from their university. Take him out for some boiled rapeseed plants with karashi mustard dressing, and some onigiri. Akaashi likes that, right? But they don’t serve that at cafes. Ah. Well. Maybe Bokuto could prepare a bento for him..
“Do I know Akaashi Keiji?” scoffs Oikawa derisively, and for a brief moment Bokuto thought he’d have to call Iwaizumi for some Oikawa-damage control. “I should know him, since I’ve been working with him for the past few months.”
“Huh?” was Bokuto’s rather unintelligent reply. “Wait, you mean as a model? But, but, his videos doesn’t tell so!”
“And how would you know that? Did you binge-watch all his videos?”
“Yes! Oikawa, have you seen him? He’s a literal angel. He’s perfect. He’s beauty personified and he’s--”
“Yes, yes, I get your point! You binge watched him and now you have a crush on him, I take it?” Oikawa had lifted Kuroo’s feet and sat down the minimal space it vacated. Kuroo stirred.
“What’s this about my brother of all bros liking someone?” muttered Kuroo, voice heavy with drowsiness. His sharp cat-like eyes stared at Bokuto. “You like someone and you told Oikawa about it first without telling me? Bro, I’m hurt.”
“No no, bro, you were asleep!” protested Bokuto. “You know I wouldn’t do that to you, buddy. I wouldn’t betray, especially not for Oikawa.” He ignored Oikawa’s indignant squawk of “hey!” as he dramatically sobbed to Kuroo.
“Oh, bro..” trailed off Kuroo while wiggling his eyebrows. Bokuto wiggled his eyebrows back.
“But now is not the time!” cried Bokuto. He shoved his laptop face-level to Kuroo and shouted, “For I have seen the man of my dreams! The perfect companion to my poor, lonely sowl! The future father of our lovechildren! Look,” he insisted. “Look! Look at the perfection that is Akaashi Keiji!”
Kuroo looked at the picture on the screen. “Way out of your league, but if Sawamura could snag someone like Sugawara, you can do it.”
“I know right?” exclaimed Bokuto, bouncing on his feet and nearly stepping on a banana bread that was on the floor for some reason. Oikawa looked mildly disgusted. “He and I are meant to be, bro! He likes owls, Kuroo! He collects them and he wears them and he, he, he lives with them!”
“Bro.”
“Bro.”
Bokuto promptly decided that his crush on Akaashi Keiji was nothing short of major. He turned to Oikawa, who was now fixated on the alien shit on the television.
“So! You’ll introduce us, right? Right?” Bokuto stumbled over to Oikawa and pleaded with his pleading owl eyes. “You’d do anything for your friend, right? You’d let me date Akaashi Keiji, right?!”
Oikawa gazed at him with wise eyes. “You know, I have a better idea than just asking to meet up. Why not ask to do a collab with him?”
Bokuto froze. And then--
“What a great idea! I knew there was a reason we let you live here! I’M SO PUMPED LET ME JUST SEND HIM A MESSAGE.” The owl-like part-time professional vlogger, full time volleyball player then grabbed his laptop from Kuroo’s grasp and ran to his room.
Kuroo looked at Oikawa. Oikawa looked back at Kuroo.
They both shrugged.
Akaashi Keiji is in for a surprise.