"I really do have the best ideas, don't I?" Y/N exclaimed, twisting the cap of the nail polish bottle closed.
"At least 'Kaashi didn't make you do his toes," Laila muttered, shooting Kōtarō another warning look that told him not to move.
"I wanted my toes to look as pretty as my fingers," he gushed, sticking out his hands and wiggling his fingers.
Everyone couldn't help but laugh at Bokuto. Y/N scanned over her work on Akaashi's hands and nodded in approval. The black polish was simple but pleasing to the eyes, especially since Akaashi took such good care of his hands and nails. And his black ring only made the sight even better.
"Your hands are pretty," Y/N complimented, taking his slender fingers in her palm. Keiji smiled at the compliment. He always found it strange Y/N complimented his hands, but he had to admit it made him feel better about his insecurity having to do with the size of them. Y/N put his hand down carefully and flashed him a smile. "Thank you for not moving while I painted your nails."
Keiji felt himself blush at the innocent smile. He shook his head, telling her she didn't have to thank him something like that.
Y/N shrugged and stood up from the floor. She walked over to the coffee table in the middle of the room, setting down the black polish and turning to look at Kenma. "Hey, Ken, what color did you want again?"
"Red."
After scanning the tens of colors on the table, Y/N stuck her bottom lip out at not having found it. She asked Kuroo if he could see a red bottle on the table only to get a no in response, confirming the red wasn't there. "Laila, do you have a red polish?"
"If it's not on the table, it'll be in the box on my desk in my room. You're free to get it."
Y/N nodded and quietly announced she was going to get the polish before walking through the living room and going to Laila's room. Having been in the house a few times before, she easily found her friend's bedroom and opened the door, walking straight over to the desk. Dark colors were seen from the top of the box, different variants of blacks and blues. Y/N stuck her hand in and began pushing bottles to the side to look underneath, seeing brighter colors on the bottom. She jumped when the door creaked as it opened wider.
"Sorry, it's just me," Laila laughed, walking over to the desk as well. "Kou wanted those toe separator thingies. And of course the prince gets what he wants," she joked, opening a side drawer. "D'you find the red?"
With a hum Y/N confirmed she did, pulling out a dark and a bright shade of red. "I'll let Kenma pick which one he wants." Laila nodded and closed the drawer, moving on to the next to look for the toe separators. "Does Keiji have any friends?" Y/N blurted out suddenly.
Laila raised a brow and let out a soft laugh, grabbing what she was looking for and straightening up. "You know all his friends. Everyone in this house."
"No, I know. But at school. I know he has you, but is there anyone else?"
It took a few moments before Laila answered. "Not really? Not that Akaashi's a total loner, he just has a lot of acquaintances rather than friends. That's what he and I were until I started dating Kou, after all." She scanned Y/N's face, trying to read her expression. "Why do you ask?"
Y/N stayed quiet, not really sure what to say.
"Y/N?"
"What do you know about an Izumi?"
Laila blinked at the question. She whispered the name to herself repeatedly until the name registered. "Oh, the guy on the volleyball team? Blond hair, really tall?" Y/N nodded and murmured something about having met him the other day. "Not much, really. Seems to be a good middle blocker, uh let's see... not that great of a student, his marks are kinda low. He doesn't take college prep classes. Girls are constantly fawning over him but he ignores it. Seems nice, never spoken to him directly though. I don't know if I'd say him and 'Kaashi are friends, but they've eaten lunch together a couple times."
Y/N nodded once again, the action mindless and unenthusiastic. Knowing all this didn't make her feel better or worse, but it established Izumi had a presence at Fukurodani like she expected.
"Mind if I ask why you asked me about Izumi-kun?"
"I just felt a little.. off about him," Y/N said hesitantly. "But it's stupid. Nevermind it." She gave a half-hearted smile to the other girl and walked out of the bedroom without another word.
She walked into the living room, pushing Kuroo away from Kenma.
"You shouldn't treat your senpai like that," Kuroo pouted.
"You were never technically my senpai," Y/N laughed. "You hear that Kenma? Kuroo's enforcing the age hierarchy."
Kuroo shivered at the cold glare he received from Kenma, which was expected because Kenma absolutely hated the age hierarchy upperclassmen tried to establish.
From the two reds, Kenma chose the darker color and put down his video game to let Y/N paint his nails. The two spoke in an almost hushed conversation, surprising the other four. Not that Kenma and Y/N were exactly.. 'wild' around each other, but they were never this quiet.
"What's with you two?" Kuroo and Akaashi asked their partners.
In perfect sync, the two turned their gaze upwards with blank looks. Even their blinks were in unison.
"What do you mean?"
"You guys are freakishly quiet," Bokuto chimed in.
Kenma shrugged, pulling back to look at his now painted nails.
Y/N raised a brow and screwed the cap shut. "We were just talking about volleyball. It's not like we were conspiring or anything," she said.
Everyone chose to ignore the chuckle and smirk Y/N and Kenma shared.
Perhaps against his will, Kuroo also got his nails painted. Unlike the other three boys, he wiped it off immediately, much to Y/N's dismay. He ignored her protests as he used a cotton ball and acetone on his nails. He kept an unapologetic smile on his face as she complained about her absolutely amazing artwork being destroyed.
Keiji noticed the frown on Y/N's face as he drove to the train station, feeling a tug at his heart. He wordlessly let his hand travel to hers, taking it in a soft hold. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles in attempts to soothe the obvious negative state she was in.
"I'm fine, Keiji," Y/N whispered, squeezing his hand gently. She leaned her head on the warm glass of the car window.
He squeezed her hand back and then let go, moving it to caress her turned away cheek. "I know you don't want to leave, love. But what can we do?" He sighed at her silence, putting his hand back in hers as the traffic light turned from red to green. "I'm going to be there next weekend, I promise. And I'm a phone call away. And I don't care if that means having to answer my phone while I'm sleeping... or in the shower," he joked.
Y/N cracked a smile, a faint laugh breaking through. "You don't have to answer the phone when you're in the shower," she said softly.
"There's that smile."
There was silence in the car for a few minutes until Keiji felt the lack of words suffocating him.
"I'm sorry you're having a hard time at home," he finally said. It was something the two had avoided talking about the whole weekend.
Y/N scoffed and closed her eyes, tightening her grip on his hand. "Did I mention they were practically ecstatic that I was coming? It was almost laughable."
"Maybe they were glad you got to get your mind off things?" Keiji offered in a low, shy voice. He didn't want to defend her parents' actions per se, but he wanted to try and help her see the other side of it.
"Get my mind off what, exactly?" Y/N said sadly.
"I don't know for sure, but from what Daizen let slip and the way they're acting.." she sighed and put the palm of her free hand on her forehead. "It's like they think I'm stupid or something. And they don't even try to be discreet about shit. Closing my door when they're on the phone with I don't even know who, going to their room when they're talking about whatever it is, never answering a single one of my questions. I'm constantly home alone. I ignored it when it happened last year. I knew something was wrong then, but I didn't want to know. And now it looks like its worse. I just hate not knowing, Keiji. And I hate being treated like a dumbass."
Akaashi's heart practically broke at her vulnerability. He looked at the digital clock in his car. "Will you get in trouble if you catch the 6 o'clock train?" he asked.
"No, curfews at 10. But the 2 o'clock train is cheaper," Y/N mumbled, watching cars pass by. "Why?"
Keiji took a left on the next turn, knowing the train station was to the right. "Because I am not letting you leave when you feel like this. I'll pay for the train ticket."
Y/N didn't bother to put up a fight, grateful at having to postpone her return home. The weekend was definitely too good to end on such a gloomy note.
A very small 'thank you' met Keiji's ears over the low music of the stereo. The tight feeling in his chest eased up, a subtle sigh of relief pushing past his lips.
It took another half hour in the car before they reached the destination. Keiji coaxed Y/N out of the car, using his smile as reassurance. There was no way she could deny him, especially when he was trying so hard to make her feel better.
She didn't catch any of the signs outside of the building, not interested in where they were. All that mattered was she was with him and not at home. So it surprised her when her eyes, which were glued to the ground, caught sight of a paw print sticker on the floor. Multiple paw prints actually.
Her eyes flicked upward and she saw the counter of the establishment, a corny cat-related phrase the name of the café displayed on the wall. She was quiet, letting Keiji do all the talking as he paid for the two of them to be there the next couple of hours.
The two ordered drinks and sat off to the side. As expected of a Monday, the place was pretty empty of customers. The only other people there were high school aged girls on the opposite side of the building, giggling away while playing with a kitten. As soon as Y/N sat down, a black cat hopped up onto her lap and sniffed the material of her shorts.
"I think they smell Light," she whispered in a weak voice. Her hand went to the cat's nape and her head leaned on Keiji's shoulder.
"Probably," Keiji agreed in a stronger voice, extending a hand to the cat. "Wanna try my drink?"
Y/N narrowed her eyes and tilted her face to look up at him. "You know I don't like black tea."
"I do know. That's why I got it," he teased. When she let her head rest back on his shoulder, he leaned his atop of hers. "Let me know when you need me to move so you can play with the cats."
"Can we sit like this on the floor?"
For the next couple of hours they spent their time at the cafe. Keiji was relieved when Y/N's mood brightened, her usual personality shining through. He'd been waiting to take her on this kind of date for a later date but he knew this would lift her spirits, making him glad he'd made the decision to bring her.
With only an hour and a half left until Y/N's train was to be boarded, and hungry stomachs, Keiji decided to stop a drive-thru.
"What do you want, babe? The usual?" he asked, blue eyes scanning over the menu.
"Yes, please. And a cookie."
"You got it, beautiful."
He placed the order and drove to the window. Distractedly, he asked Y/N to grab his card from his wallet, talking to the man at the window to confirm the order. Y/N handed him her own card and he held it out to pay. When Keiji got the card back he dropped his head, realizing it wasn't his card.
"Baby-"
"Don't wanna hear it. You paid for the cafe and you're going to pay for my train ticket. I'm paying for lunch- dinner- whatever this meal is."
Keiji found himself smiling at the strength in her voice, leaning over and using his fingers to tilt her face to his. He kissed her twice softly on the lips and once on the forehead.
"Yes, ma'am."
Y/N let a smirk form on her lips. "Good boy."
It didn't take long for them to get their food and head to the parking lot of the train station. Keiji parked the car, lowering the windows to air out the smell of fast food and allow the cool afternoon breeze in so he wouldn't have to keep the car on.
They kept light conversation as they ate, the car stereo still playing calm music.
"Oh, we got an extra cookie. Want the other?" Y/N asked, grabbing the desserts.
Keiji looked up from his fries and nodded excitedly. "If you don't want it, that is. You can have it if you do." Y/N handed him the cookie, suddenly going quiet and looking out the window. "Sweetheart, what is it?" Keiji asked in a concerned voice.
She shook her head, looking down at her hands. "I just feel like you're always taking care of me. It's not fair. It's not your job."
Unexplainable anger swelled in his chest. Not fair? He did this because he wanted to, because he knew she would do the same for him. Because she had done the same for him. It was almost insulting to hear such a thing leave her mouth.
"You're joking, right?" he said in a firm voice. He almost grunted at her silence, putting down his food, wiping his hands down and then grabbing her chin to make her face him. "I never want to hear you say something as stupid as that ever again, Y/N. You cannot tell me this relationship is one-sided. It never has been. And I can tell you why it's not. Who sent me flowers the day after we found out I passed a big exam I'd been stressing over? Who helped me build another shelf to fit all my new books? Who held my hand during the power outage that lasted hours? Who skipped a whole day of school because I had a small head cold?"
His features and voice softened, his hand moving to cup her cheek instead, ready to wipe the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She was overwhelmed, he knew that.
"Who was there for me at the Spring Tournament when I had a melt down? Who went to my hotel- miles away- to check on me even after having to take care of twelve other boys? Who tells me she loves me every single day even when we had an argument? Who laughs when I laugh, smiles when I smile, cries when I cry?
"Baby, the answer is you. God, you have to know it's you. You say I'm always taking care of you, but because that's what you do for me, whether you realize it or not. And if you don't realize it, it's because you're doing it because you want to, just like I am. We're equals, love. There's nothing to be 'fair' about. You're going through something right now, of course I'm going to be a bit more helicopter boyfriend with you. I love you, so I'm going to keep doing this for the rest of our lives. Understood?"
Despite the heavy falling tears, Y/N nodded and leaned into his touch. Akaashi held her face with both of his hands, setting his forehead against hers. He let her cry out her emotions, whispering sweet words to calm her down and let her know he was there.
"Stop crying and eat your cookie," he mumbled before kissing her warm cheek.
Y/N wiped what remained of her tears. She grabbed Keiji's large hand and intertwined their fingers. "I love you so much," she said genuinely, meeting his eyes.
Keiji's smile warmed her chest. "And I love you."
It felt like a weight was lifted off of Y/N's shoulders. The stress and anxiety from home, along with the guilt from feeling like Keiji was doing too much from her, left her body. How did he always manage to make everything go away except for the love they shared? Maybe he was magic.
Eventually the time came for Y/N to start boarding the train. The aura felt completely different from hours before. There wasn't a dark cloud lingering over her head. It was replaced with a pleased and content smile. If anything was to go right for her, she was glad it was her relationship.
As promised, Keiji sent her the money she would use to pay for the train ride as they walked up to the ticket gate as usual.
"You call me as soon as you're home, got it?" he said into her hair as they hugged.
"Got it, I'll text you when I'm home," she teased, deeply breathing in his scent.
"You're not funny," he grumbled, squeezing her tighter.
She giggled, tilting her face to plant a kiss on his jaw. "I'm a little funny."
Keiji caught her lips in a sweet kiss, touching the soft skin of her cheek and jaw. "A little funny," he murmured.
"I can't just live with you?" Y/N stalled, stuffing her face back in her boyfriend's chest.
He let her stay in his embrace, rubbing circles into her back. "Not for a little while, love." He tried not to laugh at her annoyed groan, failing as his shoulders shook. But they stopped as soon as the intercom called out her train. "Love-"
"I know." After a deep breath she stepped away, letting her hands travel down his arms until they caught his hands. "I'll see you Friday?"
"Absolutely, I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said in a soft voice. "C'mere, one more kiss."
Y/N stepped closer and stood on her toes to meet his lips.
"I love you, Keiji."
"I love you more, baby."
She let a small smile form on her lips. "Impossible."
She waved goodbye as she walked away, still wanting to be at his side more than anything.
Y/N groaned as she awoke, quickly grabbing her bag to follow the crowd of the train. The short bus ride home gave her time to wake up more. She made a quick call to Akaashi, saying she was about to get home and would call him after she showered. They exchanged a few more words during the bus ride, hanging up once Y/N reached the bus stop closest to home.
Y/N turned the corner to her street, eyes narrowing at the sight of her front door open. The family car had its trunk open, a suitcase leaning against the bumper.
You've got to be fucking kidding me, she thought to herself. What were her parents doing, getting ready to leave at this hour? And on a weekday? And without a doubt without her. Her anger gave her the energy to speed her calm walk to a sprint. It took a lot not to glare at the sight of her mother with a bag in hand.
"Hello to you too," Y/N muttered when her mother just walked past her. She didn't even bother to look her dad in the eyes, knowing he was supposed to be miles away so he could give a speech at a university hours away.
"Y/N."
"Mande?" she managed to say through gritted teeth, setting her bag down on the floor and locking eyes with her mom.
Her mother engulfed her in a hug, Y/N's eyes stinging with unshed tears. This was affection her mother never initiated, only done so when either she knew she hurt Y/N's feelings in some way or something was wrong in another aspect.
"Daizen is coming to pick you up tomorrow morning. Pack a bag and be ready by 9," her father said blankly.
"A- At 9? Dad, I have school." Y/N removed her face from her mother's shoulder and turned to face him.
"You're not going," he said in the same tone. "Just listen and pack enough for the next few days."
"We'll explain tomorrow," her mother said in a voice that expressed pain yet love.
The next hour was a blur, nodding and responding mindlessly to her parents' requests and instructions.
That night she didn't call Keiji back, instead shooting him a vague text that left a pit in his stomach.
She sounded okay on the phone call, they departed on great terms.
What exactly was going on?
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im gonna pretend like wattpad isnt screwing everyone over rn bc my powers out (and has been for almost 48 hours) and im on my period :D
yes, this is where the angst starts
vote and comment any feedback/predictions/random thoughts <3
dont forget to check out my other works :)xx