Work Text:
It was 2:37 am when Keiji got a phone call from his upperclassman.
"Bokuto-san?"
"Akaashi-kun!" He could hear the sound of someone blowing their nose on the other end, and set down his pen. Keiji was pulling an all-nighter to try and finish an essay he had put off, but it seemed like he wasn't the only one awake.
"It's good you're up--I was wondering if tomorrow you--" Koutaro sneezed loudly, and Keiji had to pull the phone away from his ear. Somehow, it almost physically felt like Koutaro just sneezed on him. "Sorry. I was going to ask if you could drop by tomorrow after school."
Tomorrow would be Friday, and Keiji knew he'd be free. "Yes, that sounds fine with me."
"Ah, thank you, Akaashi-kun! Could you bring that soup your grandma makes?"
Keiji smiled to himself; ever since Koutaro first came over to his house, he was obsessed with his grandmother's cooking. "Okay, I'll ask her to make you some."
He could hear the grin in Koutaro's voice as he answered, "Thanks Keiji! Now get some sleep!"
Before Keiji could reply, Koutaro already hung up. He set his phone down with a sigh and yawned. Even though he wanted to sleep, his grades were more important...
--
This morning was not going how Akinori wanted it to.
First, he'd slept through his alarm, then burnt the toast he had made for himself as an on-the-go breakfast. Now he was running to school (hadn't he seen this before?) and had just realized his socks weren't matching. Not like it mattered, anyway.
Akinori made it to homeroom just as the last bell was ringing, and ignored the snickers and stares of his classmates when he slipped into his seat. Although his teacher made no comment, he knew that they definitely noticed, and definitely upset.
All this because Koutaro decided to wake him up at 2 am to ask to come over after school and keep him company. If Koutaro wasn't the captain of the team or his close friend, Akinori wouldn't have hesitated to reject him. Hell, under normal circumstances, he would have rejected him. But somehow it felt different, like Koutaro actually needed him there--like something important was going to happen.
But for now, Akinori had to focus on surviving school, and figure out a way to buy Koutaro those cheap crackers he would always eat to cheer him up after school.
--
Keiji hesitated before ringing Koutaro’s doorbell, but sighed and resolutely shook his head. It wasn’t like he was barging in unannounced, after all--Koutaro had specifically requested he come now with soup to help.
He pressed the button next to the front door, and waited for a response. Keiji could hear shuffling from behind the door, then the sound of a lock being undone.
This morning Koutaro hadn’t been able to style his hair, and it was evident in the way his bangs simply hung limply; his nose was a bright pink color, he was wrapped in a blue quilt, and it looked like he hadn’t slept in hours.
“Bokuto-san, you look...” Keiji furrowed his brows slightly. Instead of finishing, however, he opted to bow and hand Koutaro the soup. “Please accept this.”
Koutaro grinned, and sluggishly reached out to take the container in his hands. “Thanks, Akaashi-kun. Come in.”
He did as he was told and followed his upperclassman inside, closing and locking the door behind him. Keiji adjusted the mouth cover he wore slightly as he continued walking in, and looked around the small house. He had been to Koutaro’s house before, and vice versa, but it never ceased to be a place of interest for Keiji: there were family photos and little trinkets sprinkled around the house, everyday items like towels and hairbrushes in places that they didn’t belong (why was Koutaro’s shampoo in the living room?, Keiji had once asked. Koutaro only shrugged in response.), and other fascinating things in every room. They ended their journey in the kitchen, where Koutaro set the soup down on the counter.
“Akaashi-kun, could you--“ Koutaro interrupted himself with a cough, before finishing, “could you heat this up for me?”
Keiji nodded. “Go to the sofa in the living room and lie there for a bit.”
Koutaro yawned and shuffled off, mumbling another quiet thanks.
Keiji looked around the kitchen, before remembering that Koutaro’s mother kept her aprons in the cupboard. He picked a white one with red polka dots, and little heart buttons keeping the straps on. After putting the soup in microwave for a few seconds, he decided to make an omelet for himself, since he had skipped lunch today; he had spent his lunch trying to collect the homework from Koutaro’s professors to bring to his sick friend, and hadn’t managed to get a break for himself.
Ah, right. The homework.
He turned the stove on to preheat the pan, and came out to the living room to get his bag. Koutaro was laying pitifully on the sofa and watching reruns of Kamen Rider when Keiji handed him his assignments.
“Oh.” Koutaro sniffled and took the papers from Keiji. “I was hoping you would forgot, so that I wouldn’t have to do it...”
Keiji shot Koutaro a look, who only laughed in response. The laughter quickly dissolved into a coughing fit, which made Keiji chuckle.
“I’ll be back with the soup in a minute, it should almost be done.”
He returned to the kitchen, and checked on the pan; he cracked a few eggs in it to create a big omelette (in case Koutaro would want any) and pulled the now-finished soup out of the microwave. When he was about to get the cheese from the fridge, the doorbell rang. Keiji could hear Koutaro shuffle from his spot on the sofa, and he yelled, “I’ll get it, don’t worry.”
He wiped his hands on the apron, and began to walk to the front door. The doorbell rang again, and he quickened his pace. Keiji pulled his mouth cover away from his face so he could speak with the person at the door clearly.
“Hello, how may I--“
--
Silence.
“Oh.”
Akinori blinked. He hadn’t expected Keiji to be here.
Much less, Keiji, his cute underclassman, in an equally-as-cute apron. With heart buttons on it. And wearing a mouth cover.
“Um. Is, uh... Is Bokuto home?”
Keiji kept staring at him, mouth hanging just slightly loose. He blinked again, then shut his mouth, cheeks tinged pink. “Oh. Uh. Yes. He is. He’s home.”
This was not how Akinori planned his day at all.
More silence.
“S-so, should I just...”
Keiji’s eyes widened, as he quietly sniffed the air. “My omelet--!”
With that, he turned, and sprinted into the house.
He awkwardly followed Keiji into Koutaro’s home, shutting the door behind himself.
“Bokuto, I’m here,” Akinori called as he entered, looking around.
There was a flash of motion from the sofa, and Akinori jumped. Of course Koutaro was on the couch watching Kamen Rider, while Keiji was making food for him in the kitchen. It felt like some sitcom, where Keiji was the doting wife, and Koutaro was the lazy (but caring) husband.
That thought didn’t sit well with him, so he pushed it away.
“Konoha!” Koutaro grinned widely, and scooted over so Akinori could sit with him on the small space. “Thanks for coming.”
“You look like shit,” Akinori said bluntly, getting a closer look at Koutaro. He seemed drained somehow, like there was a part of his spark missing.
“I feel like it,” he sighed in reply. “So how was school?”
Akinori shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly and glanced at the television. “The same. A little boring without you in class. I overslept this morning...”
“Were you late?” Koutaro listened eagerly, totally forgetting about the masked hero on the T.V. “Was the teacher mad?”
Akinori laughed. “Probably. Didn’t say anything, though, so I didn’t ask. Oh, and I almost forgot--“ He pulled a few papers out of his bag, just dented along the edges, and two packs of those gross crackers he liked. “Your homework, and a snack.”
"Oh, Akaashi-kun actually brought me the homework earlier, but thanks anyway."
Keiji walked out of the kitchen just then, holding a bowl of steaming soup. It smelled heavenly, and made Konoha’s stomach grumble; he felt his face warm up at the noise, and hoped Keiji hadn’t noticed or hadn’t heard. “Bokuto-san, please eat.”
Koutaro nodded. “Thanks, Akaashi-kun. Oh, maybe you should share your omelet with Konoha?”
Keiji looked a little surprised. Akinori didn’t want to admit it, but he really liked the way Keiji looked when he was surprised: the way his dark eyebrows would quirk just slightly, and instead of his usual pout, his mouth made an almost-perfect “o” shape. Akinori didn’t really want to admit just how much he liked Keiji at all.
“Konoha-san, would you want to share with me?”
Akinori grinned in what he hoped looked like a nonchalant manner, and nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind.”
Keiji made a little affirmative noise and returned to the kitchen, fixing the straps on his apron as he did. Akinori had the civility to wait until Keiji left to turn and glare daggers at Koutaro, who squeaked in surprise at the sudden assault.
“Bokuto. You planned this.”
Koutaro laughed nervously, swallowing a spoonful of soup. “Maybe.”
“This sort of set-up. Did you see it in a shitty drama or something?”
“Uh. Well.”
“... Bokuto.”
“It was a pretty good drama, actually.” Koutaro sneezed, and smiled sheepishly at Akinori. “Besides, this could work.”
“He doesn’t want me here.”
“Oh, please. Akaashi-kun’s overjoyed that you’re here.”
“He’s spent this whole time in the kitchen. Avoiding me.”
“Making you an omelet?”
“And making you soup. Just because Akaashi-kun is making me food doesn’t mean anything.”
“Trust me, Konoha! It’s going to work.”
“Says the one delirious with a fever.”
--
Were they talking about him? Keiji was so nervous. He felt like he might be imagining them whispering his name, but he wasn’t sure anymore.
For now he had to focus on not burning his meal. The one he was going to share with Akinori. His upperclassman. The one he’s had a crush on for... About a year now.
The one Koutaro knows he has a crush on.
Koutaro.
Keiji sighed, poking at his omelet with a spatula. Of course he’d do something like this.
Why would he go to such lengths to play matchmaker for a relationship that wasn’t going to happen?
--
Why would Koutaro go to such lengths to embarrass him?, Akinori wondered to himself.
Oh right. Because neither of them had any other friends.
Koutaro had explained, once Keiji returned with the food, that he hadn’t been able to get to washing the dishes today, so they’d have to share a plate. So now, Akinori was literally bumping elbows with Keiji as they cut off little pieces to eat.
“This is really good, Akaashi-kun,” Akinori murmured between bites.
“Ah, thank you,” Keiji replied, poking another part with his fork. “I’ve been trying to perfect this recipe for a while.”
--
Perfect this recipe for a while? Keiji internally groaned at himself, wanting to disappear. All Akinori did was give him a compliment. Was it so hard to respond to that?
--
“Oh, I see,” Akinori said between bites. “Well, it’s delicious, so... I’d say you perfected it, for sure.”
Shit, he sounded needy. Keiji probably thought he was an idiot.
--
Keiji smiled, feeling embarrassed. “Ah, well... I still have ways to improve.”
Wait. No. That sounded like he was fishing for compliments now. He wasn’t fishing for compliments. At least, not consciously. Akinori probably though he was an idiot.
--
This was much more interesting than any soap opera, Bokuto thought. And it was going great! Why hadn’t he done this sooner?
Oh, right. Then it wouldn’t be as fun.
--
After they all finished, Keiji had collected the used dishware and returned to the kitchen to “tidy some things up”.
“See?” Akinori muttered, feeling dejected. “He’s avoiding me. He probably thinks I’m a creep. I felt like I hit on him too much.”
“He’s embarrassed,” Koutaro said sagely, nodding dramatically. His limp bangs only flopped in front of his eyes, so Koutaro looked like a sheepdog more than anything else when he was done. “Give him time.”
“I don’t know, Bokuto. He sprinted away when he first opened the door, spent the whole time in another room, tried to make awkward small talk, and is in the other room again. It’s not looking good to me.”
Koutaro rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine.”
“Fine, as in you agree with me, right?”
But Koutaro ignored him. “Akaashi-kun, can you come over here?”
Keiji walked out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel. “Yes, Bokuto-san?”
“Do you like Konoha?”
Keiji blinked. “Um. Yes?”
“Would you date Konoha?”
He furrowed his brows, cheeks turning pink. “Well, I mean...”
“Would you?” Koutaro looked totally serious, which scared Akinori a little (or really, a lot).
“Y-yes, I guess.”
Now it was his turn for interrogation. “Konoha, would you date Akaashi-kun?”
“Yeah, I would.” Akinori felt his own face warm up, and hope he wasn’t too red.
“Okay. Now you’re dating.” Koutaro grinned.
“Bokuto, I don’t think--“
“No. You’re dating. Get out of my house.” Koutaro yawned. “Why spend your first date with a sick guy?”
--
Keiji fumbled with his hands, avoiding eye contact with Akinori.
“So, uh.” Akinori rubbed the back of his neck. “D’you mean what you said?”
“Yes, I do,” Keiji murmured, still looking down. “Do you?”
“Yeah.”
Another pause.
“So you don’t like Bokuto?”
Keiji looked up, eyes wide. “Bokuto-san? No, of course not.”
Akinori let out a shaky laugh. “Shit. That’s. That’s good, then.”
“I-I thought you did, actually...”
Silence.
Then they both started laughing.
Between laughs, Akinori managed to pant, “Wait, so we both didn’t say anything...”
“... because of Bokuto-san?” Keiji finished, covering his face as he laughed.
“And now he got us together.” Akinori shook his head, grinning. “Go figure.”
“Well, in any case, I’m grateful.” Keiji smiled, and Akinori almost felt his heart stop beating.
“Right. So’m I.”
“Right.”
Then, Keiji pressed a quick kiss to Akinori’s cheek, and quickly ran away, turning to smile mischievously and wave.
Akinori put a hand on his cheek and waved numbly back, smiling to himself.
Maybe he was the sick one.