Archive of Our Own ^beta

 Akaashi didn't think he'd ever quite get used to waking up next to Bokuto every morning. When the alarm went off, Bokuto groaned and scooted closer to Akaashi, pressing his chest against the other's back. "Five more minutes, Keiji..." 

 Akaashi rolled over to face his boyfriend. He liked how easily his name came out of Bokuto's mouth, like he'd been saying it his entire life. "...Fine. But only five," he told him as he pressed the snooze button. Little did Bokuto know, he actually started setting their alarm five minutes earlier than usual. 

 Bokuto sighed contentedly and went back to drooling on his pillow. Akaashi fought back a grin. Bo's frosted hair was fanned all over the place, but otherwise he seemed more at peace than ever. The calm before the storm. Bokuto popped open one gold-tinted eye and groggily draped an arm over Akaashi's waist, rubbing his thumb in a lazy circle on his back. "What do you want for breakfast?" Akaashi murmured, combing away a few stray strands of hair from Bo's face. 

 Bokuto went still, thinking. "Eggs...?" 

 Akaashi kissed the space in between Bokuto's eyebrows. "Sounds good." Bokuto grinned into his pillow. The two relaxed in each other's familiar touch as the warm morning sun shone in through the adjacent window. It was one of those very few days in which Bokuto didn't have practice and Akaashi didn't have work. The couple were able to simply be in each other's company, and even if it was only for a weekend, that quality time meant a lot to them. Before they knew it, the alarm went off again. Even though the both of them groaned simultaneously in response, Akaashi still got up and grabbed his glasses from the nightstand.

 Bokuto yawned and sat up, taking a minute or two to come to his senses. He watched as Akaashi got dressed nearby, slipping on one of Bokuto's old t-shirts, which fit loosely around his shoulders. Akaashi couldn't help but feel a little smug that this perked Bokuto up a little more. "Oh... do you know where I put my shirt?" 

 Akaashi spotted Bokuto's shirt from the night before on the floor nearby. "Here." He kicked it up with his foot and threw it in Bo's general direction. 

"Thanks," Bokuto chirped in his just-woke-up voice as he absentmindedly put it back on. Akaashi left to brush his teeth, trusting that eventually, Bokuto would be conscious enough to get ready on his own. He surprisingly managed just fine on the weekdays when Akaashi wasn't over, which Akaashi was proud of. It seemed like just yesterday, Fukurodani had to constantly micromanage Bokuto, and now here he was, a semi-functioning adult who was down to only the occasional tantrum. "Ah. Keiji," Bokuto appeared at the doorway of the bathroom. "do you remember where I put my running shoes?" 

 Emphasis on the “semi“ in semi-functioning adult. 

 Akaashi briefly took the toothbrush out of his mouth. "They should be next to the door." 

"Ohh. Right." 

 A few minutes later, Bokuto emerged from the bedroom in some shorts and a track jacket for his morning run. "I'll be back in an hour." He called out as he walked past the kitchen, where Akaashi was boiling some water over the stove. Akaashi looked up briefly. 

"Okay." 

 He waited for the sound of the door opening and closing, as usual, but it never came. Is Koutarou having trouble with his laces again? He thought. Akaashi looked up to see Bokuto still there, leaning against the counter and staring at him. His face flushed. "What?" 

 Bokuto shook his head to himself and chuckled. "Oh. Nothing." 

"Nothing?" 

 Bokuto walked over behind Akaashi and wrapped his arms around the younger man’s waist, resting his chin on Akaashi's shoulder. Akaashi cocked a brow at him, suspicious. "What's this?" 

 Bokuto leaned into his boyfriend, chuckling. "It's nothing." 

 Akaashi narrowed his eyes at him. "What did you do?" 

"Nothing!" 

"Then what's going on, Koutarou?" Akaashi turned to face him, Bokuto's arms still looped around him. Akaashi's metallic blue eyes met Bokuto's bright gold ones for a silent moment. Bokuto bent down a little to rest his forehead against Akaashi's. 

"It really is nothing, I promise." Bokuto said softly, smiling. "I just missed you, that's all." 

 The tension left Akaashi's shoulders. "I missed you, too." 

 Since Akaashi worked in Tokyo and Bokuto in Osaka, they couldn't be together like this all the time. The long distance sometimes made Akaashi anxious, but Bokuto seemed to be more sad about it than he was some days.

 Akaashi planted a soft kiss on the corner of Bokuto's lips. "I know it's hard. But we can get through it." 

 Bokuto's gaze flicked up to meet Akaashi's.

"I love you." He cupped Bokuto's face in his hands. 

 Bokuto broke out into a smile. There it is, Akaashi thought. There's that dorky smile. "I love you, too, Keiji." 

"I know." Akaashi leaned forward to kiss him again, his fingers wandering into the back of Bokuto's neck. Bokuto pushed Akaashi onto the counter behind him as Akaashi opened his mouth against his. Bokuto had gotten the habit of propping Akaashi up or against things, and now he wouldn't stop. Akaashi liked being pinned or lifted by Bokuto, but of course, he'd never admit that out loud. They kissed deeply for a time, bodies pressed against one another, until the sound of the kettle whistling on the stove interrupted them. Bokuto pouted as Akaashi hopped off the counter and brushed past him to turn off the heat. When he was done, Akaashi pressed a parting kiss on Bokuto's temple and said, "Alright, now get out of here. I'll make breakfast while you're gone and then we can spend time together, okay?" 

 Bokuto grinned, satisfied, and pecked Akaashi on the cheek before leaving. The front door opened, then softly groaned shut. Dutifully, Akaashi made his usual cup of morning coffee and sipped it while he gazed out the window. As of now, Bokuto lived in an apartment building in a relatively suburban area. Below him, Osaka was never too loud or too quiet. And that morning was awfully beautiful, too, the sky almost completely clear aside from the cumulus straggler here and there. Akaashi opened a window and let a cool breeze wash in while he rinsed his mug in the sink and got to work. Since he had about an hour until Bokuto got back, that meant he had plenty of time until he actually needed to cook, so he plopped himself on the couch and started reading a few manuscripts he'd brought along with him. Even though he wasn't technically working, being an editor was still a relentless job.
He got through a decent amount of work and then glanced on the clock.

It was almost eight am. He stood up, stretched, and headed to the kitchen. Luckily, he already knew what to do. Akaashi started by warming up some leftover rice and miso soup. Then he chopped some cabbage and left that in a pot of boiling water on the stove to cook. He actually bought the cabbage on his way to Bokuto's because he knew he wasn't eating his veggies. After that, he cooked some eggs. Bokuto liked his eggs runny. Akaashi didn't. So he did his first, scrambling them before putting them in the pan with some green onions and pepper. When they were done, he cooked Bokuto's eggs next to some ham. By the time almost everything was done, Bokuto had come home. "Phew," he sighed as he took off his shoes at the door. This time, being careful that they were in plain sight for tomorrow. "Hey, that smells good!" 

Akaashi drained the cabbage by the sink. "Thank you." 

 Bokuto leaned in for a welcome-home kiss, but Akaashi quickly dodged it. "No. Go shower first, you're all sweaty." 

 Bokuto smirked. "Well, you sure didn't mind that last night." 

 Akaashi rolled his eyes, but his face still turned a bright pink. He didn't think he'd ever get used to Bokuto's teasing, no matter how much he did it. "Just go shower." 

 Bokuto walked past, but not without slapping Akaashi's ass first, which only resulted in him blushing deeper and Bokuto laughing. A moment later, Akaashi heard the shower water turn on. He shook his head to himself and continued preparing breakfast. But not until after a few seconds of reordering his thoughts and remembering what he was supposed to be doing. Ah. Right. Draining the cabbage. That's correct. Yes. But now Akaashi couldn't focus and it was all Bokuto's fault. Akaashi sighed and shook his head to himself. What was he going to do with him? 

 While they ate their breakfast, they talked about their week. Akaashi told Bokuto about the latest shounen editions he had looked through, making sure not to talk too long because he thought he'd bore him. But every single word Akaashi said, Bokuto stared with wide eyes like he was the most interesting thing in the world. That was the third and final thing Akaashi didn't think he'd ever get used to. The fact that Bokuto was genuinely interested in everything he had to say. It's not like Akaashi had never been paid attention to, but to get such a fixation from Bokuto was oddly satisfying. Almost unbelievable, to some degree. For one, Bokuto didn't have the highest attention span. And two, most people weren't used to how Akaashi talked- a few, like Coach Yamiji, considered him a bit of an oddball in that regard- but Bokuto seemed to understand and connect with him just fine. Akaashi didn't know how, but he was eternally grateful for it. 

 Bokuto also told Akaashi about his practices with the Black Jackals, his eyes lit up like fireworks against the night sky. Akaashi couldn't help but fall in love with him a little more every time he saw him so excited. "-and then I hit the spike just right and the ball kinda went PWAH, you know?" 

"I know, Koutarou. Don't talk with your mouth full." Although Akaashi spoke in a mildly authoritative tone, he couldn't keep the fond smile off his face. 

"Oh, right." Bokuto swallowed a bite of rice. "Hey, now that I think about it, I don't think 'Tsumu likes me all that much." 

Akaashi wasn't fazed by the sudden change in subject. Bokuto sometimes just didn't know how to efficiently switch topics in conversation. It was okay, though. Akaashi was able to follow Bokuto's train of thought just fine, especially after all these years. They understood one another more than anyone else. "Why not?" 

"Well, he's always complaining about how much I talk about you." 

 Akaashi almost dropped his chopsticks. "You... You talk about me to your teammates? Frequently?" 

"Well, why wouldn't I?" Bokuto asked simply. 

 Akaashi didn't have an answer. Bokuto had a point, after all. They'd been dating for years and Bokuto obviously loved Akaashi a lot. And Bokuto loved something, about 95% of all his conversations were oriented to them. In Bokuto's case, it was meat, volleyball, and Akaashi. Plus Kuroo occasionally, but recently he'd been pretty busy with his collaboration with Kenma. Akaashi reminded himself to arrange a dinner with all four of them soon. "I don't know," he admitted. "but thank you for thinking about me." 

 Bokuto smiled through a mouthful of eggs. Even after so long, Akaashi was always needlessly formal. "I'm always thinking of you!" 

 Akaashi coughed and turned away. "That's not physically possible, Koutarou." 

"Who says?" 

"No one has to say, there's just no way you're thinking of me all the time." 

"Well, I am!" Bokuto said proudly. "Wait, don't you think of me all the time, too?" 

"I just told you that's physically impossible." Akaashi watched Bokuto's hair droop all the way down. "But that doesn't mean I don't try to think of you as much as I can. Thinking about you... it makes me happy." 

Bokuto looked up at Akaashi, his eyes starry. "Yeah?" 

"Of course." 

"Aww, Keijiiiiiii, you like me? That must be so embarrassing for you." Bokuto laughed and crawled over to the other side of the kotatsu to lay his head on Akaashi's shoulder. 

"We've been together for almost eight years now, Koutarou, don't do this to me." Akaashi muttered, but still used his free hand to run his fingers through Bokuto's still-damp hair. It was mostly down, since he just showered, and admittedly, Akaashi was one of the few people who preferred it that way. It made Bokuto look a little more mature than usual.

 Akaashi briefly pressed his lips against Bokuto's forehead, to which the latter sighed contentedly and closed his eyes. Akaashi let himself lean on Bokuto, too, an unspoken bliss between them. Bokuto was rarely ever calm around anyone except Akaashi. Akaashi was the one who gave his soul peace. In a way, Bokuto did the same for him. Akaashi would always have insecurities and nerves that went haywire, but Bokuto always made him feel valued and validated. Anyone would think they're an odd couple at first- Akaashi thought so, too- but on quiet days like this, it was plain to see. They belonged together.

 After a moment, Akaashi glanced at Bokuto's bowl. "Don't think that cuddling with me will get you out of eating your cabbage." 

 A bead of sweat formed on Bokuto's brow. "Uhhh..." 

"Eat your vegetables, Koutarou." 

 Bokuto whined but complied anyways, knowing what Akaashi's wrath would look like after his 257th attempt to avoid eating his veggies. After the two finished their breakfast, they placed their dishes in the sink for later and watched some television. 

 Akaashi sat upright while Bokuto rested his head in his lap. While a wacky commercial played onscreen, Akaashi fondly combed his hand through Bokuto's hair, earning him a faint grin from his boyfriend. Akaashi had picked up the habit in his second year of high school, when he and Bokuto started getting much closer. And the habit only carried on when Akaashi noticed how much Bokuto likes it. Slowly, as the hour passed, Bokuto's eyes fluttered shut and Akaashi was left to stare at his long, silver eyelashes. His strong jaw. His peaceful expression. When he'd first met Bokuto, he never thought he could look so calm. Now, after almost a decade of knowing him, he knew that he could indeed slow down for a bit, especially when Akaashi was around to soothe him. Akaashi continued to touch Bokuto's hair, which wasn't nearly as soft as Akaashi's, but smoother. As he did so, he leaned back and closed his eyes, too. Feeling safe and loved with his dear Bo. 

 The two went out to a restaurant near Bokuto's apartment for dinner. As the two walked home later that night, hand in hand, Akaashi's heart felt full. They shared a few stories and laughed together. Bokuto and Akaashi were happy. Then again, they rarely weren’t like that when they were around one another. 

 Even later that night, when Akaashi laid on Bokuto's chest, he realized that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Bokuto. 

 It wasn't a massive, life-altering revelation, but rather something that felt obvious the entire time. But it was only something Akaashi realized when he found his heart full at the end of a day with him. 

 Akaashi wanted to wake up to Bokuto's drowsy sleeping face every morning. 

 He wanted to hold Bokuto's hand like it was second nature.

 He wanted to drink coffee and read manuscripts while Bokuto leaned on his shoulder and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. 

 He wanted to play with Bokuto's hair and laugh and smile with him just a little longer. 

 Akaashi looked up at Bokuto, who watched him with intent golden eyes before wrapping him in his strong arms and pressing their foreheads together. No words needed to be said. 

 This. 

 Akaashi wanted happiness and security like this forever. He wanted to love Bokuto Koutarou for the rest of his life. 

"Koutarou?" Akaashi whispered softly against his lover's embrace. 

"Mm?" Bokuto hummed as he buried his face into Akaashi's hair. 

"Will you marry me?" 

Bokuto abruptly pulled away to look Akaashi in the eye, his own face already lit up. "Wait, really?" 

Akaashi's face flushed. "Yes, really." 

"Aw, Keiji..." Bokuto kissed Akaashi on the forehead, pulling him close again. "Of course I will. But no buying me a ring." Bokuto said firmly. "I wanna buy you one first, okay?" 

 Akaashi smiled, fully and truly as he leaned into Bo. "Okay." 

 Bokuto grinned fondly at the beautiful young man before him. "I love you, Keiji." 

"You told me that already." Akaashi muttered as he held Bokuto's face in one hand. His expression softened. "But I love you, too. Koutarou." 

Bokuto smiled, satisfied, and nuzzled himself against Akaashi as the tension left his body. Akaashi felt his heart beat fast, but in a good way as Bokuto held him. For the first time in a while, Akaashi fell asleep easily, knowing that the man he loved most wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, too.