Found by sin - Bokuaka

Chapter 31

Nearly six months passed and everything was as good as ever between them. It amused them to realise that. It seemed like they've behaved like a married couple for quite a long time.

Both had visited their respective families often during that time too, and both nearly revealed that they were recently married.

Reluctantly, they decided that it was a kind of happiness they would simply have to feel just between the two of them.

Akaashi spent part of his vacation with his grandmother, travelling around and catching up with each other. He always felt he could trust her, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to tell her about his sexual orientation, not now nor when he was younger.

He enjoyed her company either way, though. That topic was just off the table.

The last day he was staying with her, they were having lunch, everything seemed normal, until his grandmother changed the mood of the conversation.

"Keiji, you're living with someone, right?".

Akaashi felt an adrenaline rush run through his body, making his heart beat faster.

"Yes", he answered casually, avoiding eye contact.

"Is everything ok between you two?", she asked with a rather serious tone.

Akaashi looked up, finding a worried expression on her face.

"Yeah, everything's fine. You don't have to worry".

Suddenly, she took his hand, looking straight into his eyes as if trying to read his mind.

"Does that person make you happy?".

Akaashi froze at the words she chose.

"That person", he thought. As if she didn't care about that person's gender.

As they kept eye contact, he could almost swear that she knew. That she accepted him and genuinely wanted him to be happy.

But fear was always there, in the back of his mind. She was the only family he had left, besides Bokuto. It would be too painful to feel rejection coming from her.

"Yes… We're very happy", he replied, carefully phrasing that so she could realise the true meaning of his words.

His grandmother smiled. That was all she needed to know.

"I'm really happy for you, Keiji. You deserve it".

They smiled at each other, squeezing their hands one last time before they continued their meal.

As they said goodbye that afternoon, they held each other tightly, knowing that the other knew all the things they left unspoken.

Akaashi couldn't erase the small smile that was fixed on his face from that moment on. It was the closest he'd been to really be himself, and he somehow knew that she accepted him, just as he was.

As soon as he arrived home, Bokuto greeted him cheerfully, quickly getting closer to hug him, but Akaashi stopped him.

He gently cupped his face, looking at him tenderly before kissing him, which surprised Bokuto a little, but then he gave in to Akaashi's passion.

Then, the latter told him what happened, and Bokuto's smile widened.

"Keiji, that's amazing!", said as he hugged him again. "Maybe that was her way to give us her blessing".

"Yeah… I feel the same".

Knowing that, made that constant weight on their shoulders a little lighter. Perhaps some people could really put their prejudices on that matter behind them.