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Every year, Bokuto and Kuroo make the biggest leaf pile that they possibly can. Of course, it is not likely that they are ever going to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records, but it is fun for (most of) the parties involved.
This year they make it during the middle of November (probably around the 15th), and of course, Kenma and Akaashi are dragged along. They end up in Kuroo’s back yard during mid afternoon, with a will and a way. This year is going to be the best so far.
“Okay, so, here,” Kuroo says, tossing Bokuto a rake, which he catches not so gracefully. Akaashi and Kenma are seated on a porch swing that faces the yard, Kenma nose deep in his DS and Akaashi already looking somewhat exasperated.
“This is gonna be so awesome!” Bokuto practically screams.
“You say that every year,” Akaashi calls from the porch.
“Yeah, and every year it is super awesome,” Kuroo counters.
“Oh, that reminds me!” Bokuto exclaims, “You have to videotape us when we jump! Please, Akaashi!”
Akaashi sighs to himself before nodding, much to Bokuto’s excitement, “Thanks, Akaashi!”
And so, Akaashi waits for them to build the leaf pile.
Kuroo sets to work immediately, raking up leaves like a pro, whereas Bokuto is slightly clumsier and slower, but no less enthusiastic about the task at hand.
“Kuroo, you’re so good at this!” Bokuto says in amazement, watching Kuroo with rapt attention as the other boy continues to pile up the leaves.
Kuroo smiles and shrugs, “I’m pretty good,” he admits.
“Maybe even… too good!” Bokuto yells.
Akaashi catches himself smiling affectionately at the older boy, and Kenma gives him a small smirk, which Akaashi returns with a cherry red blush.
When Akaashi looks up again, Bokuto and Kuroo seem to have started sparring with the rakes, which strikes Akasshi as incredibly dangerous.
“Bokuto!” he calls, which causes him to freeze, which consequently leads to Kuroo jabbing him in the stomach with the dull end of the rake.
“You’re on his side! You tricked me!” Bokuto wails.
“That’s a little too dangerous for my tastes,” Akasahi tells Bokuto.
“Well, you’re not the one doing it!” Bokuto counters.
“I worry about you sometimes, Bokuto,” Akaashi retorts.
“Okay, okay,” Kuroo says, stopping the argument short, “We’ll stop.”
They do stop, thankfully, and resume raking the leaves, which there aren’t many left of, anyway.
A few minutes later, there are no leaves left, and there is an ‘awe-inspiring’ (not the words Akaashi would use to describe it) pile of left in their place.
“Akaashi!” Bokuto insists, “Now you have to tape us!”
“I already said I would,” Akaashi reminds him, taking the video recorder from Kuroo’s hands.
Bokuto is practically ready to burst with excitement.
“Oy, Kenma,” Kurro says, causing Kenma to look up from his game, “You wanna watch?”
Kenma puts down his game, signaling his agreement.
Akaashi starts the video, and then says, “Okay, I started it.”
“Started what?” Bokuto says in confusion.
Kuroo laughs and Askaashi explains, “The video recording.”
“Oh! Of course,” Bokuto says, “Okay! Kuroo, count us off!”
“Alright,” Kuroo says, rubbing his hands together, “3, 2-”
“ONE!” Bokuto yells, and both of them barrel towards the leaf pile at full speed, which the probably should have realised wasn’t the best idea, but before anyone can say anything, they’ve collided within the leaf pile and there’s a sickening crack as someone gets a bone broken.
“FUCK,” Kuroo yells, causing Akaashi and Kenma to jump in surprise.
“KUROO!” Bokuto yells back, equally as loud, “I’M SORRY! I’M SO SO SORRY! KUROO ARE YOU OKAY!?!?!”
The leaves settle, revealing Kuroo holding his face in pain and Bokuto, looking very apologetic.
“Kuroo!” Kenma gasps, rushing forwards, but not getting too close, as he does not want to get blood on his nice white shirt. ause he doesn’t want to get any blood on his white shirt (or on his DS).
Akaashi is frozen for a second, before he rushes forwards, and not so delicately peels Kuroo’s hands away from his face, to reveal his blood leaking nose.
“Gross,” Kenma says under his breath, as Akaashi suppresses a cringe. It’s swollen, and one of his eyes looks a little bruised as well.
Bokuto starts to bawl in the background.
“Okay,” Akaashi says, “I’m going to drive us to the emergency room.”
Kuroo nods, obviously in pain, and gets up off of the ground, with a hand from Akaashi.
Akaashi walks to the car, followed by his three friends. Kuroo gets into the front passenger seat as Bokuto (still crying) and Kenma pile into the back.
“It’s fine, dude,” Kuroo says in a muffled voice. The sleeve of his hoodie is pressed to his face.
That seems to make Bokuto even more upset, “I broke your nose, bro!”
Kuroo sighs, “Bo, it’s alright. It doesn’t even hurt that much.”
“I broke my nose once,” Kenma says quietly, “It hurts a lot.”
“You’re not helping,” Kuroo says.
Bokuto lets out a whimper.
Kuroo sighs and unbuckles his seatbelt.
“What are you doing?!” Akaashi cries.
Kuroo doesn’t reply, only worms his way into the back of the car, sitting between Kenma and Bokuto.
He looks Bokuto in the eyes, nose still covered, “I’m fine, Bo. I wasn’t your fault and I’m not mad at you.”
Bokuto sniffs loudly and wipes at his eyes, “You’re not mad?”
“No, I’m not. I promise,” Kuroo takes one hand away from his face and extending a pinky to Bokuto.
Bokuto’s face lights up and and immediately takes Kuroo’s pinky with his own, and squeezes it as tight as he can. Kuroo smiles underneath the sleeve pressed to his face.
“We’re here,” Akaashi says, stopping the car and pulling the key out of the ignition.
“I’ll stay here,” Kenma says, then pushing down the lock on his door, “with the doors locked.”
Kuroo pouts, “You’re not worried about me?”
Kenma smirks to himself, “You’ll be fine, Kuroo.”
“Heey,” Bokuto interjects, “What’s with that face?!”
“Nothing,” Kenma assures him, then to himself, “nothing…”
He smiles again. Kuroo looks at him suspiciously, before the three of them exit the car and walk towards the emergency room doors.
There seems to be a distinct lack of people inside, and they stroll right up to the desk.
“Hello,” says the nurse, “how can I help you?”
“His nose is broken,” Akaashi says, gesturing vaguely at Kuroo, who steps forwards.
“Let me see,” the nurse tells him, and Kuroo takes his sleeve away from his face, revealing that his nose has stopped bleeding completely.
The nurse smiles at them, “He’ll be fine. No need for a doctor. I’d recommend that you’d put some ice on it, and you can elevate your head or take ibuprofen to help with the pain.”
“What?!” Bokuto gasps, “It’s not even that bad?”
“Nope!” The nurse confirms, “He’ll be completely fine.”
Akaashi’s face is in his hands, “Why did none of us know that? Why did none of us know that?”
Kuroo snorts (and immediately regrets it because of the broken nose), “I think that Kenma knew. He set us up. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me!”
“Of course he knew,” Akaashi sighs, before turning to look back at the nurse, “Thank you, have a nice night.”
Bokuto and Kuroo say the same before exiting the hospital, and Kuroo take off running to the car.
“Kenma! What the fuck!” Kuroo yells, pressing his hands to the window, and watching as Kenma startles like a cat.
Kenma gives him the ‘what are you talking about’ look.
“Why didn’t you tell me we didn’t have to come here?! My nose wasn’t even that badly broken!” Kuroo says indignantly.
Kenma gives him a small and malevolent smile before looking back down at his game.
Akaashi unlocks the doors and slips into the front seat, and Kuroo opts to sit back with Kenma on the ride back while Bokuto sits in the passenger seat.
“Hey, Akaashi,” Bokuto says after they pull out of the parking lot.
“Yes?” Akkashi replies.
“Can we go to 7-Eleven?” He asks, and Akaashi can see his pout without even turning his head.
“Yeah, Akaashi, can we go to 7-Eleven?” Kuroo asks from the back seat.
“Sure,” Akaashi agrees, glancing around his field of vision to determine where they are. There is a conveniently located 7-Eleven up ahead.
They file out of the car and skulk up to the entrance of the 7-Eleven.
“What do you want,” Akaashi asks, pulling out his wallet.
“I’ll pay for me and Kenma,” Kuroo says, reaching for his wallet, which he does not have, “Nevermind.”
Kenma reaches into his hoodie pocket and hands Kurro his own wallet, “Here.”
“I want a donut!” Bokuto declares. He always gets a custard donut when they go to 7-Eleven.
Kenma and Kuroo converse while Akaashi buys a custard donut and a rice ball, which ends up costing roughly 330 yen.
After Akaashi pays, Bokuto takes the donut happily and bites into it, custard filling his mouth, “Mmm!” he hums excitedly before swallowing, “It’s so good!”
Akaashi and Bokuto walk out to the car, closely followed by Kuroo (who is holding a large coffee) and Kenma (who is holding a chocolate old fashion donut).
They sit in the car in silence for a minute or two before they begin to feel the chill of the autumn air seeping into the vehicle, and Akaashi turns out it on.
A few minutes after that, they’re on the road to Kuroo’s house, and after a few more minutes, they are back at Kuroo’s house.
Kuroo is the first to walk through the door, “Ugh,” he says, throwing his hoodie on the ground, “There’s.. blood all over it.”
Kenma gracefully hops over it on his way in, Bokuto completely ignores it, and Akaashi bends down to pick it up as he comes in last. He throws it in Kuroo’s dirty laundry bin before coming back out to the living room and sitting down on the couch.
Bokuto is to his right, and Kuroo (and then Kenma) is to his left.
After a few minutes, Akaashi shifts so that his legs are on Kuroo’s lap and his head is in Bokuto’s.
Bokuto smiles happily and runs his hand though Akaashi’s hair.
` It’s been quite a day.