insouciant || ON HIATUS

23' Christmas Special

So he splits from them and wanders. His end goal is ornaments, but ultimately, he gets sidetracked when he catches a glimpse of dual-colored hair. Out of curiosity, Mamoru peeks into what he realizes is the baking aisle. "Hello."

Both boys turn around, faces lighting up in various degrees. Bokuto shouts, "Akaashi, there he is!"

There he is? How'd they know he was here??

"Please be quieter," Akaashi pleads, before turning to Mamoru. "It's good to see you again."

Mamoru hasn't had the chance to see them in casual wear before. Normally they're either wearing their school or gym uniform. They both look criminally attractive, and he feels little envious of how comfortable they are with themselves. He's wearing a ratty, oversized hoodie and warm pants.

"Likewise." Mamoru notes that Bokuto is side-eyeing the gingerbread holiday tree house and the mansion set. "You should pick the tree."

He meant it as a joke, considering their school mascot is an owl, but Bokuto immediately snatches it off the shelf without a second thought. "You're right!"

"Which one would you pick?" Akaashi asks politely. "Any favorites?"

"I've never done a gingerbread house," Mamoru admits.

Bokuto lets loose a wounded gasp. "No!"

"Yes?"

"Aggaaaaashiiii," Bokuto cries as he crushes Mamoru in an embrace. He drops the kit in exchange, but Akaashi has the foresight to catch it before the cookies inside can break. "That's so sad!"

Mamoru pats his back awkwardly, chin hooked over his shoulder. They're not so far apart in height, which means he gets a whiff at the cologne Bokuto must have dabbed on earlier in the day.

He smells good, is the first thought that bolts through his brain, and then he can't help the light heat that makes its way to his cheeks.

"You're going to suffocate him," Akaashi says, tapping Bokuto's shoulder.

"I'm going to take him home with me," Bokuto exclaims resolutely as he holds Mamoru tighter. He's not really being suffocated. If he were shorter, he might be squashed in the folds of his sweater though. But even so, it wouldn't be a bad way to go...

"He's not a stray dog, Bokuto." Akaashi pulls at his sleeve. "But we'd like to extend an invitation to our Christmas party, if you're interested. It's just Fukurodani and Nekoma."

"When is it?" Mamoru asks, genuinely interested.

Akaashi lists the time, place, and date while he's still wrapped in Bokuto's arms like a plushie. "Just bring yourself. Maiko is welcome too, if she wants to come. Our managers will be there."

Mamoru's a little surprised to hear him address Maiko by name, but he must have mentioned her one or twice in their vicinity.

"I'll ask her."

His phone starts to ring and he excuses himself, but Bokuto doesn't let go. Mamoru looks at him helplessly, to which Bokuto refuses to look at him so it's rendered useless. Akaashi sighs, head in his hand.

He answers the phone right there. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" Maiko's voice floats through the speaker, and maybe that's what he's thinking, but he swears she sounds almost pleased. "I thought you'd be at the ornaments before us."

"I ran into some friends from Fukurodani." Mamoru switches to speakerphone. "You're on speaker."

"Hi!" Maiko's voice rings out in the aisle, where it's loud enough to startle the older couple down a meter away. "Nice to meet you for the first time."