make up your mind

part one: precarious

a/n: I made this in 2021 and it is NOT edited. beware

--

akaashi flicked open his eyes at the sound of the alarm clock, and got immediately assaulted by sunlight streaming through his windows. he winced, and although it happened every day, it never ceased to annoy him. the boy contemplated getting up for a few moments before he heard quiet mumbling from somewhere in his bedroom.

he smacked the off button of his clock then rested his forearm over his eyes. heaving a sigh, akaashi noticed the murmurs getting louder and louder, and he could decipher it into words, and into his mother's voice.

'do i have enough time for that, though? no, i'll get delayed....'

was she thinking out loud? and right outside his door?

"odd." akaashi muttered.

sitting up, he rubbed the absolute hell out of his eyes, and stretched his legs out in front of him.

and then he heard it again.

'keiji asked for....raspberries? was that it? yes, raspberries and kiwis.'

akaashi's brows subconsciously furrowed in confusion. it was a different kind of noise, he realized. it was in his mind, not through his ears. there must be some kind of explanation; echoes through the house, anything. he decided not to read too much into it, he'd probably bring it up with bokuto later. but for the time being, akaashi stood himself up and got dressed.

by the time he finished getting ready and walked down the stairs, his mother was already gone, and she left lunch for him sitting on the table. sending her a mental thank you, he stuffed it in his bag and walked out the door.

it was a cloudy day out, and akaashi loved it.

it wasn't raining quite yet but he could smell the petrichor, the lingering of previous rain in the air. he found it oddly therapeutic.

and then it happened again.

there was a girl passing by him on the sidewalk, a schoolgirl by the looks of it, but she wore a long overcoat that covered the entire top half of her body, so akaashi didn't pay much attention at first. he didn't recognize her, anyway.

more murmurs.

'i wonder what kenma-kun's doing right about now...'

the boy snapped his head towards the girl, who wore a deep blush on her face and walked at a quicker pace than akaashi did. she knew kenma?

"oh, you go to nekoma?" he asked innocently. "i know kenma."

'eh? is he talking to me?'

"what?" she squeaked.

akaashi was now thoroughly confused, because she just heard two different kinds of speaking.

"i heard you talking about...kozume....kenma...?" he stuttered, shoving hands in his pockets out of embarrassment. the boy looked at the girl, who looked confused herself.

"i didn't say anything about kenma-kun...?"

"yes you did. i just heard you."

'who do you think you are?'

the boy now thought he was seeing things. the words passed through his ears, but her lips didn't move, face just forming into a scowl. akaashi's eyes narrowed at her as they stood awkwardly on the sidewalk, but before he could say another word, the girl beat him to it.

"goodbye, stranger-san."

'wow...'

and then she power walked away from him across the street, and a stunned akaashi booked it to his high school, skipping the train station all together.