Akaashi glanced around, trying his absolute best to stay grounded. There were people all around and balloons and smells and it was all too much for him right now.
"Babe?"
Akaashi turned, startled. "Kotarou!"
Bokuto's eyes softened. "Why are we standing by ourselves? Hm? Come on, come sit down and calm down with me outside."
Akaashi nodded and followed Bokuto outside to sit down. The sex of Kenji's baby had been let out and everyone had been cheering so it felt overwhelming for Akaashi. Bokuto had caught on luckily.
"What do you think?"
"Of?"
"The reveal."
"I didn't catch what she was having. Sorry."
"It's okay! Kenji is having a girl."
Akaashi nodded. "Great."
"You feeling okay?"
"Mhmm." Akaashi held himself and subconsciously started rocking back and forth. Bokuto watched him closely.
"Hey, do you want something to eat?"
"No thank you." Akaashi kept rocking like he always did.
Bokuto simply sat there and talked to him quietly.
"Can we have starbursts later?"
"Kenji has some. Do you want some?"
Akaashi nodded. He gripped his sleeves before letting go and sighing softly. Bokuto texted his sister and was given some starbursts by a guest at the home they were at. Bokuto set them down on the pavement and Akaashi sorted them for him.
"Take the yellow ones."
Akaashi glanced up before smiling. "Thanks."
"You must just not feel well."
Akaashi shrugged. "Too many people and noise just make me feel off. It's part of my anxiety apparently."
Bokuto nodded back. "Wanna go home?"
"Oh but Kenji..."
"She won't mind sunshine. Come here so we can get home and get you comfortable."
Akaashi attached to Bokuto and despite his own height he was carried all the way to Bokuto's car. He was taken home where Akaashi was unbelievably quiet, stimming faster than normal. He had confirmed that he wasn't tired and that he wasn't anxious so this seemed off.
Bokuto leaned down and cupped his face. Akaashi was way too relaxed right now. Relaxing was good but not how Akaashi was doing if. He'd been staring into space for a good twenty minutes and rocking without acknowledging anything around him. "Hey Keiji... hi sunshine. Do you want to come help me with something? You're spacing out a lot and it might help."
Akaashi nodded and got up to help. Yet again in the middle of trying to clean up Akaashi started to space out.
"Keiji. I know you may be stressed from everything at the party but you need to take a deep breath. Dissociating isn't something to rely on."
Akaashi nodded hurriedly. "I know, I just keep doing it but I'm trying not to."
Bokuto kissed his cheek. "Gotcha. Why don't you help me finish cleaning up and then we can take a nice shower and eat something?"
Akaashi kept helping, getting control over his mind again. Bokuto knew that he may have seemed like he was trying to baby talk him but that's how he helped and that's just what Akaashi wanted. They got everything cleaned up and Akaashi hurried to the shower, questioning if Bokuto wanted to take a bath.
"I'd love to take a bath! Can we slow down for a second though, I need to get some clothes."
Akaashi nodded and sort of bounced on his toes.
"You're hyper?"
"Just a bit."
Bokuto grabbed them each a set of clothes and turned on the water. "Hyper is okay though."
Akaashi hesitated. "I'm allowed to take off my clothes now, right?"
"You can take off your clothes whenever."
Akaashi turned off the lights and the little nightlight Bokuto had found flowed in the corner. He stripped down to nothing and was led to the tub where he sat, patiently waiting for Bokuto to join him. Bokuto sat in front of him and lazily felt the water.
"Need a good cuddle?"
Akaashi wordlessly made his way into Bokuto's lap.
"Easy, easy." Bokuto grabbed Akaashi's body wash and a washcloth and washed his back, kissing the side of his neck. "You're becoming more and more affectionate. How sweet. You're comfortable."
"Mhmm. Need a kiss."
"A kiss? Just one? How about two?"
"Three."
"Three kisses it is." Bokuto sat him up and noticed his outline towers over him sitting like this. Cute. He gave Akaashi his three kisses and washed off his chest, stomach, and arms. "Can you get everything else babes?"
Akaashi nodded and washed the rest of his body off. He cleaned Bokuto off and eventually felt Bokuto start on his hair so he stayed still.
"Is everything okay now? Hm?"
Akaashi hummed.
"You know you didn't need to turn the light off, right?"
"It's for me too."
"Oh?"
"I don't want you to see everything."
"That's fair enough. When you're ready I'll look." Bokuto tapped his nose. "Can you get my hair for me?"
Akaashi washed Bokuto's hair and gently touched his face, smiling. "You have soft skin."
"Why thank you."
Akaashi shivered.
Bokuto sat up a bit. "Come on, I want to cuddle and watch something."
Akaashi got out and Bokuto followed suit. He wrapped him in a towel and put him in bed, going to find his laptop. Not the time he was back Akaashi was sound asleep, his body curled up where Bokuto slept.
Bokuto didn't move him but rather put a pillow under his head and sat with him. Akaashi rolled closer and clung to Bokuto's legs, happy as could be with this sleeping arrangement.
Today had been a long day full of people and talking and overall just noise so he had needed that wind down time. Bokuto didn't mind much and kept him safe right where he was.