"Keiji???" Bokuto's worried voice rang through Akaashi's cell phone and blasted into his ear. Believe it or not, he actually managed to pronounce it right.
"Kotaro? I'm at work, what's happening?" the black-haired pet store worker squeezed his phone between his shoulder and his ear. "Is there a problem?"
"I can't find Kuroo," the owl-like male whimpered. "KEIJI HE'S GONE."
Akaashi blinked once, then twice. This wasn't going to happen again, right..? "Are you serious?" he hissed, old memories beginning to flood his thoughts. "Wasn't he there this morning??"
"uH, he hasn't been here since I woke up."
Keiji frantically began to pack his bags in the staff room of the pet store, shoving all of his items inside the sack. "When did you wake up??"
"Like... a few minutes ago? 15 maybe?"
"bABE ITS TWO IN THE AFTERNOON"
"I F U C K I N G K N O W"
Akaashi gave a frantic sigh, flinging his bag over his shoulder. "Bye Iwaizumi," he gave a rushed wave to the spiky-haired employee who was furrowing his eyebrows in concern at his phone. "Ko, I'm done with my shift; I'm coming home right away."
"I tRIED CHECKING OUTSIDE AND ALL THAT SHIT, HE'S FUCKING GONE"
Kenma
Kenma
Kenma
Kenma
The name rang in Akaashi's head. It had been nearly 5 years since he and Bokuto had gotten married. The two had continued living in Bokuto's apartment, and Akaashi was living happily with his husband and Kuroo. Like leaves in the wind, life had been passing by with no issues.
It hurt Akaashi to think about his old cat, and with that, his old friend. It pained him to realize that if he was just a little more responsible, not washed up with his and Bokuto's relationship, Kenma might have still been here, happy as can be with all his needs fulfilled. Every day, his eyes were wide open, hoping to catch sight of the calico cat he once took care of.
He knew it was hopeless, though. Kenma was probably living a better life in the wilderness. Or he could be already dead but we're not going to think about that-
Akaashi jumped into the seat of his car, sweaty hands on the wheel. "I'll be home soon, Kotaro. I love you," the curly-haired male kissed goodbye on the phone, throwing the small device into his bag shortly after ending the call.
Kenma
Kenma
Kenma
Kenma
The most important thing to him was not letting Kuroo have the same fate. He refused to let the inky-furred cat slip through his fingers and leave, having him be helpless once again. It wasn't an option anymore.
And Akaashi knew that Kuroo meant so much to Bokuto, too. For so long, the two had been together. Even though the duo-haired male was extremely aggressive towards the smug-looking feline, Keiji could see the care that Kotaro put in making sure Kuroo was living the best he could.
He fed him daily portions, measuring out the exact amount of kibble he would give to him so the cat would maintain a steady diet. Every year, Bokuto would buy the most prestigious canned food he could, fish-flavored, and gave it to Kuroo on his birthday. Some nights, Kuroo would rest in the same bed that Bokuto and Akaashi shared, his head squished between the two pillows on the mattress. Keiji noticed that his husband would sleep slightly more to the side on these evenings, farther away from him, in order to avoid crushing Kuroo's resting body.
And although Bokuto seemed carefree in the call just earlier, Akaashi could pick up the anxiety in his voice, like a murky gray undertone behind his words.
***
There was cat food.
A bowl of Kuroo's favorite flavor of kibble was placed at the very front of the house in his own bowl. The couple usually kept his food in the building, since Kuroo barely left. Akaashi could only assume that Bokuto was hoping his cat would come crawling back to the home in the evening, looking for his meal.
"Kotaro?" Keiji pushed the door open, slipping his shoes off and stepping into the room. The furniture was disheveled, pillows on the floor, and the covers of the bed lying statically on the ground. The dining table was pushed to the side of the room.
"BABY" Out of the blue, Bokuto's squarely build came running up to his husband, throwing his arms around him. "KUROO'S FUCKING GONE"
"Well, that's why we're trying to find him," Akaashi chided, sighing and pushing Bokuto's body off of his. "He was here this morning, in his little, like, cat bed or whatever." The shorter male gestured his hands in an oval, furrowing his eyebrows.
Bokuto's watery eyes quivered at Akaashi, wide and worried. He pouted, before tossing his hands up in the air. "THIS IS ALL MY FAULT KEHIJI" The owl-like male slapped both hands on his face, lowering into a crouch on the floor. "WHAT IF WE NEVER FIND HIM AGAIN?"
Akaashi took a deep breath before sharply exhaling, pushing away thoughts of his previous cat. "Don't be ridiculous, Kotaro. Get up; We need to do everything in our power to find him."
Several seconds of silence followed Akaashi's words.
"Okay, you're right baby," Bokuto jumped onto his feet, blinking away the wetness in his eyes. He shook out his hands, inhaling. "Yeah. You're right."
Pushing at his fingertips, the younger male looked around the small two-story building, dragging his gaze on each item in the room like a rake collecting autumn leaves. "Well... do you know how he got out?"
Several seconds of silence followed his words, and suddenly, both men turned their stares to the obviously open window at the side of the room.
"Aha... maybe that..?"
"You already checked outside, right Ko?"
"Yeah, but I guess only around the building..."
"Not the neighborhood?"
"Didn't have the time..."
"Okay... Put on your coat, babe."
And then, as with Kenma, the same things happened: Look around, ask the neighbors, put up posters. Then stay up all night with worried thoughts, gaping out the windows, hoping to catch even the slightest glance of a familiar furry friend.
"He'll come back, right?" Bokuto murmured, looking out from the window, trying to hide his woebegone expression. "There's no way Kuroo wouldn't come back."
"Mmh..."
"I've tried to give Kuroo everything! I take care of him, I promise I do!! Even if it doesn't seem like it, I care about him, I swear!!"
"I know, Kotaro."
"I love him, I really do! If Kuroo comes back, I'll give him the world to show him how much I care!"
"I know you would, Kotaro..."
"Maybe I'm not cut out for animals but I..." Bokuto sniffed, blinking away the pools in his eyes, and gaping desperately through the see-through panels, watching the midnight scenery outside. He was quiet for a second. "...I tried my best."
The only reply he got was silence.
***
And the next morning, Kuroo was nowhere to be seen. Again.
Akaashi, waking up for work, couldn't stay long enough to see the pain in his husband's face. And he didn't really want to.
Kuroo's disappearance was baffling to the curly-haired male. They had taken care of him perfectly, spoiling him but making sure he was healthy. What had they done wrong..?
Hope? Don't know her.
The same was gonna happen with Kenma, and Akaashi knew it. He wished he had cherished the last moments he had with the small ebony cat that he had given half his heart to.
***
Working at the pet store seemed more tedious than it usually was. Akaashi couldn't focus knowing the mess that was unraveling in his personal life. Iwaizumi had even asked if he was okay, seeing Keiji's troubled anxious expressions.
"It's nothing," Akaashi had said back. "I'm just thinking."
He was thinking about how devasted his husband probably was, and Akaashi knew exactly how he'd feel considering the same fate had happened once before.
"I hope Kuroo is alive and safe," the pale-skinned male whispered to himself on his break. "That's all I want... but if he isn't..." He sighed, closing his eyes for a brief second. "I'm going to have the biggest reunion when I get reincarnated."
Shift...
Shift is over.
His cell phone danced in his pockets as he began packing his items, and he took a deep breath. As expected, guess who the call was from? Akaashi, heading to his car, awaited Bokuto's disconsolate phase and began to prepare a comforting speech to give to his one and only.
beep
"Keiji..." Bokuto's voice was quiet on the other side of the phone.
Akaashi, starting the car engines, was ready to hear his miserable voice. He spoke softly, "What is it, Ko?"
"Um. I found them."
"It must be-" Keiji blinked, one hand firm and sweaty on the steering wheel as he comprehended the words. "Wait- You... you found Kuroo?"
Silence rushed through the audio of his phone, and he sat in anticipation, waiting for Bokuto's answer.
"...Yes," His husband finally replied, hesitation making his syllables stagger.
holy fuck
"You're kidding me."
"He's outside, underneath this apple tree a few blocks behind Konoha's house."
Akaashi let out a long breath he wasn't aware he had been holding, and relief planted itself on his face. "What the fuck. Thank God..." he breathed, his grip on the wheel loosening with ease. His phone squished between his ear and his shoulder, he let out a sigh. "Thank... fucking God."
A comfortable silence rested between the two. "I'm coming home now," Keiji exhaled, pressing his foot lightly on the gas pedal. "Thank you, Ko, for finding him..."
More silence.
He heard Bokuto click his tongue from the other side of the phone call. "Hey, baby?"
"Yes?"
"I think... I kind of know why Kuroo decided to ditch us."
Beginning to focus on the road, knowing that Kuroo was safe, Keiji replied, "Yeah? Because of us..? Or... what are you gonna say?" He let out a shallow empty laugh. "That he went out seeking adventure in his life to... I don't know, find the Statues of the fucking Seven?"
A chuckle tingled in his ear.
"Actually, kind of. You see, Keiji," Bokuto's voice softened and his small laugh returned. "...Kenma's here too."
and thats it
thank you all for reading, ilyyyy <33
I'm not good at writing endings, so I'm really sorry that it's not the best. I'm trying to get betterrrr
thank you all so much for commenting and voting on this small book :) it means a lot to know that you stopped to read it
once again, ily all, take care of yourselves! have a great end of the year <3
- lexi