Bokuto laughed quietly, crawling over to Akaashi as he slept. He tapped his shoulder and Akaashi huffed. He turned slightly. "Mm?"
"Morning."
"Mornin." Akaashi turned over and snored softly.
Bokuto turned him on his back. "I just had the best crying session with my therapist and I have the urge to take you shopping."
Akaashi nodded. He turned slightly. "Can you get me coffee?"
"I can get you coffee, yes." Bokuto poked his side. "Get up lazy bones."
Akaashi opened an eye. "Cold coffee."
"Yep." Bokuto smiled. "Cold coffee."
Akaashi sat up slowly and Bokuto held him to his chest. He rubbed his hair and cheek, waking him up the rest of the way.
"You slept good?"
"Mhmm. That heated blanket really helps since you always keep the fan on."
"Yeah... don't tell my mom I keep my fan on at night. She swears it raises the power bill by like 200 dollars."
Akaashi chuckled. He looked up and his eyes flashed black for a moment.
"What was that?"
"What?"
"Your eyes turned black."
Akaashi's brows furrowed. "Odd. I guess tonight is bath night then."
"I guess." Bokuto smiled. "Okay so I know you aren't crushing on me just because I saved your ass. You've met my friends and known them for a long time. Nearly a year now. So I figured you'd want to go on a date. Hence the shopping."
Akaashi's cheeks reddened. "Yes please."
Bokuto giggled. "You are so cute. Go find something from my closet that you like that isn't too big and we can get going."
Akaashi nodded and got up slowly. He leaned into the closet entryway, a hand on his bare chest. He'd made it a habit to sleep without a shirt so he could soak up as much heat as possible at night. It was a halfway excuse to get closer to Bokuto and he knew it but it was helping his health.
Bokuto even insisted on them both being shirtless some nights, which definitely wasn't very straight or very much something for just friends. It certainly made him feel closer to Bokuto in his heart and he loved it.
He felt safe for once and he knew Bokuto felt the same way. He could feel the stares on his back when he changed and listened to the soft chuckles from the other male. Words to his mother confirmed it. The small "Keiji looks so pretty today" notes while Akaashi got ready to go outside with him reminded him of how close they had gotten. Akaashi hardly ever even thought of his life before and the night he had been left for dead.
He was eating human foods by now and was walking and talking like them.
He was in love with one of them.
Bokuto tapped on his bedroom door. "Ready?"
Akaashi nodded, wearing one of Bokuto's old sweaters. It was white and soft, which fit well with him.
"You look so pretty Keiji."
Akaashi smiled. "Thank you."
Bokuto nodded and gently took hold of his hand. "No problem. I'm thinking that new soap shop since you've become obsessed with soap."
Akaashi nodded and followed him downstairs. Bokuto drove him in his mom's car, both quiet. Akaashi had his seat warmer on and he seemed content.
"You want something else too? Maybe something to eat?"
"I'm thinking something lighter. My stomach has been awful to me recently."
Bokuto chuckled softly. He leaned over and poked Akaashi. "Ramen?"
"You always want that or barbecue. I want Onigiri."
"Fine!" Bokuto got out and rushed to open Akaashi's door. "Come with me butthead."
Akaashi held his hand and felt his heart race. "Salmon?"
"Yum."
Akaashi held on tighter. "I wish I was wearing that jacket from the bag."
Bokuto took off his jacket and put it around his shoulders. "No problem cute stuff."
Akaashi blushed. He was usually very good at hiding his emotions around everyone but it just wasn't working. Bokuto was difficult to hide in front of.
"You want lavender soap, right?"
"Either that or some sort of honey scent. Those are also really nice along with mint."
Bokuto nodded. He pulled Akaashi closer as he noticed stares from other people. Usually people kept their distance and stayed quiet but there were always and had always been those people who didn't realize that they didn't have to be rude.
"Are we shopping or eating first?"
"Eating. We can't shop on an empty stomach. I know what you do."
Akaashi hummed. "I'm not that bad."
Bokuto rolled his eyes. This wasn't their first date. Nor the second or third. This one was nearing fifteen. Bokuto loved dates and such but Akaashi had gotten such a big appetite over the past few months that he tried to avoid restaurants. Akaashi was adorable with his now slightly chubby stomach but Bokuto had spent way too much on ramen the last time they went out and didn't want a repeat of that date.
Akaashi tapped his arm, smiling. "I see a teddy bear."
"Oh?" Bokuto looked around.
Akashi pointed to a window. "It's cute."
"Do you want it?"
"No, no. For Junpei."
"Oh true. Little dude can't stop holding them."
Akaashi chuckled. He glanced into a shop. "Kuroo's here."
"Damn it, Bokuto mumbled. His pace quickened, avoiding the shop.
"I thought he apologized to you?"
"He did but I can't stand to be around him sometimes. It's like I can still feel him kissing me for some reason and I hate it." Bokuto shook his head to get rid of the thought and smiled. "Go check how much the bear is."
Akaashi checked and went back to Bokuto, who bought it on the spot. He carried the bag and got them to a little shop down the way so that Akaashi could finally eat. He sat down and Bokuto ordered whatever Akaashi needed. He knew full well that his stomach may hurt and all but it was alright. They had medicine and they had water.
Akaashi ate and so did Bokuto, both giggling between bites. The bear sat on the table against the window and Akaashi played around with it. He too had grown to love childish things like that.
"Babe."
Akaashi's heart skipped a beat. He looked up in surprise, never having been called that before. "Yes?"
"Would it be okay if I called you that actually? I should've asked first," Bokuto asked, completely cool about it despite his deep blush.
"It's okay. But I sort of expect the title that comes with it..."
Bokuto grinned. "Yes."
Akaashi smiled. Finally. It had been a year of suffering through chicken broth and crackers plus the siren songs every other day but he had gotten closer to the one he loved.
It wasn't because he felt trapped or because Bokuto had rescued him. It was because Bokuto had showed him love first and taught him how love felt.
He had a phone to contact others but no one was like Bokuto. All of the attractive and single friends Bokuto had that Akaashi had met didn't have what Bokuto had. Bokuto talked to him like an equal as well and no one else really seemed to do that. Even Oikawa kept a childish tone with him despite being relaxed around him. It was awful.
"I was just gonna ask if you were okay and if you wanted to walk on the beach later. Away from the water of course but tonight's sunset is supposed to be beautiful."
"If we stay away from the water, yes."
"Great!" Bokuto smiled from ear to ear, loving this. "I really wanted to walk tonight. Thank you."
Akaashi smiled. "It's no problem. I am sort of full so I'm going to go on my phone, okay? It keeps buzzing since Oikawa texts me."
"Oh! Have you two been getting along at work? I love that you agreed to work with him, that was a huge step for you."
Akaashi nodded. He opened his phone and saw that Oikawa had messaged him a bunch about how Daichi had put him in closing alone. That always sucked for him since Oikawa hated the dark.
"Everything okay?"
"Mhmm! He's just complaining."
"Oh. Well that happens a lot." Bokuto glanced up and cleared his throat. "Kuroo is staring."
"What?" Akaashi turned around and noticed Kuroo staring in their direction. He turned around and noticed someone in the shop making direct eye contact with him and looked between the two. "Not at us. He doesn't even seem to realize we're here."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean he's staring at that girl- boy? Person. He is staring at that person with bleached tips."
Bokuto glanced to the side and his eyes widened. "Kenma."
"Who?"
"A student who had to move away. He was neighbors with Kuroo. I'll be right back." Bokuto headed over to the table Kenma was at before walking outside and got Kenma to Kuroo. He came back, smiling. "Those two are adorable."
Akaashi just kept nodding, confused. He loved Bokuto though and Bokuto didn't make sense a lot. He was his enigma and to him everything that was odd made no sense and all the sense in the world. There was no other way to put it.