Inside Out ||Akaashi Keiji x Reader||

Chapter 5

        You and Bokuto became best friends over the weeks. You guys clicked, he became one of your closest friends. Everyday you would hang out, basically living at each other's houses. Akaashi would join too, but he would duck out halfway through, usually leaving you and his over-excited friend to yourselves. Heck, you and Bokuto were so close people asked if you two were dating. You even had a few sleepovers, each ending up with long talks about random stuff. Akaashi occasionally would join these too, sometimes he would pitch in his thoughts, or state something was silly.

One day a few weeks later, Akaashi's mother requested you stay at her house while Storm was at the vets getting fixed. Although she was going be out of town, she preferred you were safe with Akaashi than alone at your house. The same night you stayed at his house was the same night the forecaste predicted a huge thunder storm to roll in.

You sat in Akaashi's living room, begrudgingly reviewing a stack of papers for the Volleyball club, which you conveniently decided to join. Except, it was the boys team, you were introduced in as a sort-of-manager. You helped the boys with receives, planned matches with other teams, and analyzed what each player was doing. Your special talent for being able to read people made you a great help during practice matches. You would watch the games from afar, analyzing each player.

You were so into your studying of the statistics of Nekoma and the other teams at Nationals that you forgot all about Akaashi making dinner. But boy, was he a wonderful cook. " (l/n)-chan, dinner is ready." He said from the kitchen, glancing over at your figure sprawled across the ground with papers coating the floor.

You heard your name, barely recognizing it at all. "When did you start calling me by my last name and using honorifics?" You retorted, getting up from your seat on the ground, making your way to the kitchen.

"I thought it would be appropriate." He said. He began calling you by your last name over the period of the last few weeks, which you didn't mind. But now honorifics? He never did that, obviously hurt, you responded without thinking, "Of course you do, but whatever you wish, " you paused, " you seem to never want me around anyways," mumbling to yourself, you didn't even realize it was loud enough for him to hear.

Akaashi looked up from his food, slightly taken aback at your response. What did you mean by of course he did? You sat down, quietly eating your plate of food, trying to not to enjoy it too much. "Thanks," you muttered. Akaashi quickly finished, cleaning his plate and leaving you to dine alone.

In your solitude, you groaned with satisfaction. His food was delicious. The way it was presented even made you drool. "Why is this so good?" You moaned, devouring it.

Little did you know Akaashi was at the top of the staircase, watching you savor his food, which put him at ease, worried you wouldn't like it. You nibbled on your food contently, before finishing then cleaning up the kitchen, washing the pans and your plates.

He disappeared into his room permanently once the thunder started crashing around the house. Of course, you still being a little hurt from earlier, didn't feel like prodding him. You showered, and crawled into bed, exhausted.

But once again, you couldn't sleep, you were either too thirsty or too restless. Too hot or too cold. You groaned, rolling out of bed with the sheets wrapped around your form. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

You debated whether to go upstairs and sleep next to Akaashi, but he probably didn't think it would be "appropriate" or whatever bs excuse he had. You faintly remember his mother telling you about his fear of thunder storms. So, against your better judgement, you made your way out of the room and trudged up the stairs.

Once at his door, you put your forehead against it, a huge part of you hoping you would't be rejected. You creaked open the door, to your surprise, Akaashi was sitting up, staring at the ceiling. A large crack of thunder sounded, making him flinch.

"Keiji?" You asked, opening the door wider.

"Yes (l/n)-chan?"

"I couldn't sleep, can I join you?" You asked quietly. After a few seconds of silence, you turned to walk out the door, accepting the answer as a no.

"Yes." He said, to which you froze in your tracks. You turned around, trying to hide the huge smile making its way to your face. You scurried over to his bed, throwing the sheets that you had carried upstairs with you over your body.

You curled up in a ball, back facing Akaashi as he settled underneath the covers once more, turning his back to you. You both laid there, silent, the rain splattering against his window softly. You could feel him flinch every time the booming sound of thunder would shake the house.

"(f/n)?" You rolled over, facing him in response, fairly surprised he used your first name.

"Hm?" You replied, staring at his back.

"Do you like Bokuto-san?" He asked, tugging the blankets further up both your bodies. So, that's where this was going.

"Yeah. He's a great guy." You said absentmindedly, smiling with the thought of the energetic boy on your mind.

"Oh." He said indifferently.

"Oh, you meant like, like like?" You asked, suddenly catching the underlying question.

"Yeah."

"I mean, Koutarou is hilarious, fun to be around, sweet, caring, talkative," everything Akaashi felt he himself wasn't, "but," You paused, sitting up, twiddling your thumbs nervously.

Akaashi rolled over, facing you now, waiting for you to finish your thought.

"He isn't you."

You felt so much pressure being lifted off your chest as you said that. Quite ballsy if you do say yourself. But just as quickly as that weight was taken off your chest, another one was placed on.

"Sorry, I.." you started fumbling over your words, Akaashi's blank expression crushing your heart, "I should go sleep downstairs. I shouldn't have told you that... S-sorry." You stuttered, getting up to leave his bed.

Just as quickly as you got up, you were pulled back down onto a firm chest.

"I was hoping you'd say that." He said, pulling the blankets over both of you and wrapping his arms around your waist, pulling you closer to him. You pressed your back against his chest, snuggling into his warm frame. He kissed the back of your neck, closing his eyes, finally able to sleep.

You weren't sure what just happened. You knew one thing was for sure, you were happy you didn't give up on him. But, you were only a part of the way into the journey, now came the hard part, discovering if the boy you had adored since you were young was still in there, confined behind an expressionless face.