Chapter Text
Bokuto Koutarou hates Friday classes. He’d been spoiled last semester when he had managed to fit all his courses into the other four days of the week. Unfortunately for him, and those around him that had to suffer through his constant yawning, he wasn’t having any of that luck this time around. It was only one class, but still! A quick glance to the top right corner of his laptop screen tells him he only has five more minutes of lecture to go.
Thank God.
By the time the professor had shut their laptop, Bokuto was already stuffing his own in his bag and leaping out of his seat to head through the double doors of the lecture hall. He takes in a deep breath and sighs in contentment while he exits the building and lets the sun hit his face. A grumble broke the brief tranquility. Specifically, a grumble from his stomach. Lunch time!
He sends a quick text to Kuroo, vaguely remembering that they ended around the same time today. He still hasn’t quite memorized his best friends schedule.
Outgoing Message: tetsubro
[12:04] HEY!!!
[12:04] lunch @the caf???
Incoming Message: tetsubro
[12:05] Sure out in 10
[12:06] Grab a table
Tucking his phone into the pocket of his shorts, Bokuto readjusts the strap of his bag and begins heading across the quad and to the cafeteria. On his way he spots a majority of the students (and some faculty) enjoying their lunch break outside in the warm sun on various benches, tables, and even the grass.
That just means more room inside for him and Kuroo in the air conditioned building. Score.
Pushing open the double doors, he’s instantly greeted with a cool burst of air before he continues on his way in. A quick glance around tells him that he doesn’t have to wait around for Kuroo to show up, there’s plenty of empty tables scattered around the place. So with an ever present grin, he walks up to one of the shelves, passing a few fellow customers and an odd worker, restocking the chips, and browses the onigiri. Salted salmon, umeboshi, mixed chicken rice, mentaiko…
It takes him three maybe four minutes to decide on three of the mentaiko and two of the mixed chicken rice. He carefully balances them all in his left arm while he makes his way over to the fridge containing beverages. Large, golden eyes quickly scan the options before he decides on orange ramune. Next stop: cashier!
A bit unceremoniously, he plops his soon-to-be-purchased lunch on the checkout counter. He takes a second to place his drink upright before beaming right at the cashier. At least until he registers the face across from him.
I know that pale skin. I know those long lashes. I know those dark eyes with a tired gaze. I know that perfect mess of hair.
“Will that be all?”
I know that voice.
It’s a voice that definitely didn’t recognize him. Yet. But all it took was Bokuto’s hesitance, his mind going completely blank on how to respond, his silence, for that person to look up. Their eyes widen and mouth falls slightly agape, just as surprised as the owl himself. “B-Bokuto-san?”
And that’s all it took for him to kick himself back in gear. Not giving time for anyone to say another word, Bokuto sprints out of the cafeteria, busts through the doors and practically barrels down four people on his way. He calls frantic and jumbled apologies over his shoulder, but his mind is preoccupied on just making sure he’s as far away from the campus cafeteria as possible.
The thought of texting Kuroo doesn’t hit him until he trips over a stray soda can and scrapes his knee.
“Fuck!” He hisses, pulling his left leg up and watching as a thin trickle of blood runs down his shin. But at least it gives him some time to actually register what just happened. Wincing when his thumb accidentally brushes against the worse of the scrape, Bokuto pulls out his phone and shoots Kuroo another few, frantic, texts.
Outgoing Message: tetsubro
[12:16] BRO
[12:16] DNDOT GO 2 THE CAF
[12:16] BY THE SCIENCE BUILDNG
[12:17] SITTN N BLEEDIN
[12:17] BY TH RAMP IN FRONT
“Yo! What the fuck?” Comes a voice almost two minutes after he sends the last text. Lo and behold, a familiar and more comforting mess of black hair greets him while jogging down the steps of the science building. Oh yeah. He had Chem lab today, right?
Kuroo waits until he’s right in front of his best friend to kneel down and swing his bag around and dig through for old napkins and a handful of bandaids. Not exactly a professional first-aid kit but hey, it’s the best he can do. By the time he’s swatting Bokuto’s hands away from his leg to clean the blood up, he’s giving him that ‘Spill it or so help me’ look.
Bokuto breathes in deep before choosing to flop down on the ground, though he keeps his knee bent for Kuroo, and rubs his face aggressively before speaking.
“I saw him.” He pauses to let that sink in. Or for dramatic effect. Either works. But as he spreads his fingers to peek up at his friend, he’s met with a puzzled gaze.
“Who?”
“Him!” He nearly shouts, suddenly sitting upright and causing his impromptu nurse to fall back on his ass. Which earned him a crumpled, bloody napkin to the face.
“I’m majoring in chemistry, not telepathy, Bo.”
This time the silver haired man grabs his friend by the shoulders and starts shaking him.
“A-…” He hesitates and starts again. “M-My ex! Him! That him!” Realization then dawns on Kuroo as he breathes out an ‘Oh shit.’ He snorts and lets go, folding his arms. “Yeah! I was grabbin’ my lunch right cause there were plenty of tables! Didn’t need to wait and save us one y’know? So I get like an armful of onigiri and a soda and right when I put that shit on the counter to pay, there he is, bro! There he fucking is!”
Kuroo lets out a low whistle and crosses his legs, leaning back on his hands but eyes attentive and not leaving the other.
“Then? What’d you do? He try and talk to you? Wait. Fuck. Bro don’t tell me you said something to him. I—“
“No! Nothing! I didn’t say anything! Didn’t do anything either! I mean, I kinda booked it after everything kinda, clicked. I kept running ’til I tripped and then texted you and now. Well.” A vague hand gesture to show that Kuroo’s up to speed on this incident. Bokuto groans and falls back once again, an arm thrown over his eyes while his friend continues to speak.
“I thought he went somewhere else though? You don’t think…” Kuroo trails off and leans over to slap the other’s forearm, earning him a yelp but also eye contact. “You don’t think he followed you here? I mean, he knew where you were going before you. Y’know.” Broke up.
Bokuto grimaced and shook his head.
“No way! He’d. Not after that. He wouldn’t!” But Kuroo’s words did hold some truth to them. It was made clear where he was going to attend after graduation while they were together. So why did he look so surprised to see him? He was here first!
Ugh. This was too much for a fucking Friday. Bokuto watched Kuroo get up and dust himself off before raising up his arms for help up.
Soon enough both of them were on their feet and Bokuto slings an arm around the taller of the two and shifts some of his weight against him. Feeling a pat on his arm, he lets Kuroo essentially lead the way off campus and towards their shared apartment a few blocks away.
All the while Bokuto’s head is reeling. His ex-boyfriend is apparently at his university. Akaashi Keiji is here.