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It is a typical Friday night for Bokuto. You know, what all the youngsters do on the weekend- bring your grandma to the Bingo Hall down the street and totally dominate all the other elderly people. Okay . . . maybe it’s not the average college graduate’s weekend plans. After all, Bokuto has never seen anyone else his age in the months he’s been attending. The occasional middle aged couple or smaller children accompanying their grandparents, yeah; another young adult- not so much.
An amused voice from the passenger seat startles him out of his thoughts. “Green light, Koutarou.”
“AH! Sorry, Gran!” He flashes her a quick grin but settles back into a neutral face just as quickly.
Sure enough the light had turned while he was lost in thought. It’s a wonder that the cars behind them had not blared their horns .5 seconds after the light changed.
He loves coming with Gran to bingo night. He really does, but he also can’t help thinking about what he is missing out on in his life. He is spending his Fridays at a Mr. Bingo with a bunch of old people while others his age are out dancing, partying, meeting others, falling in love. . .
Bokuto sighs. He never has had many friends. The ones he manages to make end up distancing themselves once they witness one of his depressive episodes. He tries to hide it as best as he can, but sometimes he slips up and those around lose interest in him. He sighs again.
He can feel his grandmother’s intuitive look before she even speaks up.
“Kou… Honey, you know you don’t have to push yourself if you’re not feeling up to it tonight.”
“No, it’s alright. I want to go. I’ve just been thinking a lot lately, I guess.”
Gran leans over slightly and pats Bokuto’s knee.
“Don’t think too hard, you might hurt yourself.” She grins partially at his offended huff as well as at her own bander. Her toothy smile cheers Bokuto up some and he laughs as well.
As Bokuto parks outside of the bingo hall, she looks over to him again “Koutarou, you try so hard not to let people see you’re hurting, but you also have to remember that the people that truly matter won’t blame you for being unhappy. Let your façade fall every once in a while. It is then that you will find true happiness. Do not worry, my boy, I know you will find your happiness”
“Thank you, Gran”
“No problem, my dear. Now let’s go kick some elderly ass!”
“AHHAAHAA GRAN!”
Feeling much better for the time being, Bokuto follows his grandmother into the building.
“HEY, HEY, HEEEY!”
Bokuto throws his arms into the air announcing their arrival and drawing glances from people around the room. A few of his grandmother’s friends and others that are regulars there greet them as they sit down.
There is a larger gathering tonight than usual Bokuto thinks while Gran converses with her acquaintances. There is also a decent sized group just sitting down a few tables down from where Bokuto is currently sitting. Groups coming in at once are typically resident trips from the local nursing homes and assisted living communities, so that is nothing different. What is different, however, is that all the usual groups are already seated.
“Ah, they must be new.” Gran must have noticed his attention had landed on the group.
"Mm. Looks like it." Bokuto nods once in affirmation, and settles his attention to the stage where the night's announcer had just appeared.
The night is just beginning. "Yosh! Lets do this!"
“B-34!”
“YES” Bokuto marks his bingo sheet. All he needs now is one more square and he’ll have bingo!
The announcer calls out the next numbers.
Bokuto pulls at his hair. DAMMIT SO CLOSE. Next one for sur-
“Bingo” Someone calls from within the group from earlier
“AGH!”
“Oho… well that is certainly new as well.”
Bokuto looks around to see what Gran means and is surprised by what he sees.
Among the newest group of elderly people, there is a man that seems to be around Bokuto’s age standing with his arm raised. He has dark curly hair, piercing steely eyes, and an ass that looks great in the scrubs he is wearing. To be blunt, he was absolutely stunning and Bokuto was practically in love.
Gran nudges him with her elbow, “Kou, honey, he’s cuuuute. Go talk to him!” She winks at him.
"Gran!"
Should I though? Maybe I should. . . I will! I'll talk to him. Yeah!
In a few minutes there is going to be something like an intermission of sorts... That is when he will make his move. He'll go over to the very pretty stranger, flirt up a storm and it will undoubtedly end wonderfully!
Here goes nothing.
Bokuto stands from his seat and with a cheer of good luck from Gran makes his way over.
Play it cool, Bo. Be cool.
"Hello there. I am pretty and you are very Bokuto." wait what.
"Um. . . excuse me?" The stranger raises his eyebrow but otherwise gives him a very unimpressed look.
"AGH! I- I mean, I am Bokuto and you are. . . very . . . pretty. . . ?"
"Thank you, I guess. Bokuto-san, was it? I'm Akaashi" He says as he points to the name badge he has attached to the pocket of his scrubs.
Now at this point Bokuto had attracted the curiosity of the people around Akaashi. The attention usually wouldn't affect him much but under the circumstance of his coming over and the fact that he had literally just embarrassed himself infront of the most gorgeous man he has ever seen, he flushes immediately.
He leans on the back of the chair in front of him trying to play it off a bit, but unfortunately the close proximity to this guy has made Bokuto nervous and when Bokuto get's nervous he gets sweaty. This means that his hand slips on the smooth metal of the chair and he is falling. right. onto. his. face.
This can't be happening. No wonder you dont have friends. He thinks as he remains on the ground for a few seconds too long.
"Ah. Hey, are you-" A hand on shoulder jolts him out of his thoughts but before Akaashi can finish his sentence Bokuto bolts upright.
"YEAH! I'm good. Great, actually! I'm just gonna go. . . over there."
He runs out of the building.
He doesn't raise his head once on the way out.
He doesn't take notice of his bloody nose.
He doesn't see the concerned look on Akaashi's face.
He doesn't hear the shocked voices of Gran and the others calling out to him from where they were sitting.
He just runs.
He makes it to his car and jumps up to sit on the trunk. And there he sits knees to his chest, his head down, and curses at himself for thinking someone like him could ever find something with someone so out of his league.
"Pathetic. Worthless. Incompetent. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"
A tentative touch grazes his outstretched arm. "Bokuto-san?"
His head snaps up so quickly that Akaashi jumps a little. He can't meet his eyes. Did he hear?
"Bokuto-san, your nose."
"Hm?" Bokuto touches his face and his fingers come back bloody. "Oh, I'm bleeding."
"Have a little more sense of urgency, please. Here, let me see." Akaashi gently pushes Bokuto's hands away and touches the bridge of his nose gingerly.
Bokuto winces a bit at the pressure.
"I'm sorry, does that hurt?"
"It's okay."
"Well, good news is its not broken. Tilt your head back a bit. Yes, like that."
". . . why?" Bokuto mumbles when Akaashi takes his hands away.
"What was that, Bokuto-san?"
"Why? Why did you come out here?" He finally brings his eyes to meet those of Akaashi.
"You don't even know me. I made a fool of myself in front of everyone and ran away like a coward, so why..."
"I could say it was because you were bleeding all over the place and I am a qualified nurse afterall" Bokuto glances away sheepishly when Akaashi pauses "However, that is not quite the whole truth. My patients did tell me to follow you after that debacle, though I have a feeling I would done so anyway without their urging."
"Akaashi"
"Scoot over." Bokuto does as he is told and Akaashi hops up beside him on the trunk.
"I think I came after you partly because I was concerned that you injured yourself, but also because I was curious."
"Curious?" Bokuto glances over at Akaashi's profile as he looks toward the sky.
Akaashi nods once and returns Bokuto's gaze. "It may be because someone attractive like you had complimented me then ran away that I was curious as to what kind of person you are, Bokuto-san. You came out of nowhere and then you were gone just as fast- like a whirlwind." What.
"You find me attractive?" Bokuto is honestly shocked.
"Yes, Bokuto-san." Akaashi smiles at him. "You have this kind of odd charm to you, you know. I noticed as soon as you came over" He laughs and oh god, he thought he was shocked before but that smile sent something like a jolt of electricity through him and his laugh brought Bokuto an indescribable joy. He returns the smile. Akaashi really is so beautiful.
They sit and chat until wind blows and he sees Akaashi shiver slightly. The scrubs he is wearing does little to block the chilly night air. Bokuto hops down from the trunk and takes off his jacket and puts it around Akaashi. "C'mon. Lets go inside."
Akaashi accepts his hand and slides to the ground as well, not letting go as they walk back inside.
When they enter the hall Akaashi squeezes Bokuto's hand before they separate to go to their respective groups. Akaashi starts to shrug off his jacket to return it, but Bokuto stops him.
"Return it when I see you again?"
Akaashi looks up at him. "Okay, Bokuto-san. It's a date then."
"And for the record, I don't think you're pathetic, worthless, nor stupid." So he had heard. He leans up and kisses Bokuto's cheek and walks back to his residents but spares Bokuto one more smile and on the way.
Bokuto stands in place, surprised once again by this incredible man. As soon as he gathers himself he swiftly makes his way to where Gran is watching with that intuitive look once again.
"I think you were right, Gran. I have to be honest. . . be myself, to find my happiness." He smiles as he meets Akaashi's eyes from across the tables.
"I think I can do that."