Broken Wings - BokuAka

Chapter 4

- Akaashi

"You totally cheated!" Bokuto protested, folding his arms and glaring at me.

"It's not my fault you're just slow," I joked, and Bokuto put a hand over his heart, mouth open as he mocked fake hurt.

"Keiji, how could you say that?!" Bokuto said, putting the back of his other hand on his forehead, closing his eyes and looking away dramatically. He was mad because we had raced to see who could fly a quarter of a mile the fastest and I had won.

"Anyway, has your dad done anything lately?" Bokuto asked, his tone turning serious. Bokuto had accidentally discovered that my father abused me and my mother when he burst into my house uninvited and caught me bathing in the river behind our house, the only time when all my bruises are exposed.

"No," I lied, not wanting to worry him. My father had stumbled home drunk last night, and gotten a few hits in before he went to bed.

"Keiji. . ." Bokuto sighed, crossing his arms. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

"Look, it wasn't anything bad, okay? You don't have to worry," I assured him. The first time Bokuto saw my bruises, he had burst into tears and cried for a good hour before lots of hugs and reassurance that I was fine calmed him down. Ever since then, he always made sure to ask me everyday if my father had done anything new. I didn't always answer honestly, because I never wanted to see Bokuto cry again. He deserved to have a smile on his cheeks, not tears.

Even so, I never told Bokuto about my secret. I wouldn't be able to bear the look on his face if I told him. Bokuto was my bit of light in my world of darkness, and I couldn't lose him. So I kept my mouth shut.

"Are you sure you're really okay?" Bokuto prompted. "Today's your twelve birthday, and I don't want your father to hit you on your birthday."

"I'll be okay, I don't plan on going home today," I said. "My mother said she had a present for me, but I'll just get it tomorrow."

"Do you want to stay at my house? My family would be really happy if you did," Bokuto said. He then let out a laugh. "Sometimes I think that my mother loves you more than me."

I laughed too, just a little bit. Bokuto's mother had always been extremely nice to me, and I think she figured out that I had it rough at home from the second she met me. She was so nice in fact that one night when I got beat up pretty bad, I stumbled over to Bokuto's house, bleeding and crying. She opened up the door and didn't ask a single question, letting me in without complaint. She then made me a really good drink called hot chocolate while Bokuto dabbed at my bruises with ointment and helped me change into new clothes. To this day it's still one of my favorite memories, even if it had a bittersweet beginning.

"Hey, don't space out on me," Bokuto chuckled, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry," I apologized sheepishly, rubbing a hand behind my head.

"It's okay," Bokuto assured me. "Actually, I need you to come over tonight anyway," Bokuto said, and I looked at him, confused.

"What for?"

"You'll see," he grinned. "It's a surprise."

I glanced warily at him. "A good one or a bad one?"

"A good one, trust me," Bokuto said.

"I don't know if I want to," I joked again.

"Hey!"
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Sorry this is so short, it's kinda a set up for the next chapter :D