paws // bokuaka

bonus chapter? pt. 4

***

There was cat food.

A bowl of Kuroo's favorite flavor of kibble was placed at the very front of the house in his own bowl. The couple usually kept his food in the building, since Kuroo barely left. Akaashi could only assume that Bokuto was hoping his cat would come crawling back to the home in the evening, looking for his meal.

"Kotaro?" Keiji pushed the door open, slipping his shoes off and stepping into the room. The furniture was disheveled, pillows on the floor, and the covers of the bed lying statically on the ground. The dining table was pushed to the side of the room.

"BABY" Out of the blue, Bokuto's squarely build came running up to his husband, throwing his arms around him. "KUROO'S FUCKING GONE"

"Well, that's why we're trying to find him," Akaashi chided, sighing and pushing Bokuto's body off of his. "He was here this morning, in his little, like, cat bed or whatever." The shorter male gestured his hands in an oval, furrowing his eyebrows.

Bokuto's watery eyes quivered at Akaashi, wide and worried. He pouted, before tossing his hands up in the air. "THIS IS ALL MY FAULT KEHIJI" The owl-like male slapped both hands on his face, lowering into a crouch on the floor. "WHAT IF WE NEVER FIND HIM AGAIN?"

Akaashi took a deep breath before sharply exhaling, pushing away thoughts of his previous cat. "Don't be ridiculous, Kotaro. Get up; We need to do everything in our power to find him."

Several seconds of silence followed Akaashi's words.

"Okay, you're right baby," Bokuto jumped onto his feet, blinking away the wetness in his eyes. He shook out his hands, inhaling. "Yeah. You're right."

Pushing at his fingertips, the younger male looked around the small two-story building, dragging his gaze on each item in the room like a rake collecting autumn leaves. "Well... do you know how he got out?"

Several seconds of silence followed his words, and suddenly, both men turned their stares to the obviously open window at the side of the room.

"Aha... maybe that..?"

"You already checked outside, right Ko?"

"Yeah, but I guess only around the building..."

"Not the neighborhood?"

"Didn't have the time..."

"Okay... Put on your coat, babe."

And then, as with Kenma, the same things happened: Look around, ask the neighbors, put up posters. Then stay up all night with worried thoughts, gaping out the windows, hoping to catch even the slightest glance of a familiar furry friend.

"He'll come back, right?" Bokuto murmured, looking out from the window, trying to hide his woebegone expression. "There's no way Kuroo wouldn't come back."

"Mmh..."

"I've tried to give Kuroo everything! I take care of him, I promise I do!! Even if it doesn't seem like it, I care about him, I swear!!"

"I know, Kotaro."

"I love him, I really do! If Kuroo comes back, I'll give him the world to show him how much I care!"

"I know you would, Kotaro..."

"Maybe I'm not cut out for animals but I..." Bokuto sniffed, blinking away the pools in his eyes, and gaping desperately through the see-through panels, watching the midnight scenery outside. He was quiet for a second. "...I tried my best."