Chapter Text
It wasn’t much of a surprise to anyone when Fukurodani snagged a spot for themselves at Nationals. But first year Keiji could only think that he didn’t deserve to be there when he watched Bokuto spike a ball that won them that ticket. A ball that he set because their actual starting setter got an injury in the middle of the game.
Nevertheless, he screamed, exhilarated and jubilant as Bokuto came rushing at him and the rest of the team, holding his fist up in sign of victory and strength. There were tears gathering in his eyes because he realised, he managed to set a ball that Bokuto spiked- as a straight. Something he’d been trying to achieve since they lost the Interhigh. The thought of that filled him up with such pride that he didn’t even mind the wing spiker wrapping his arms around him in a bone crushing hug. He was smiling so hard, his face began to ache but he didn’t care at all. All he cared was that they won and he played with them when they did.
“Akaashi, you’re the best setter I’ve ever played with! I’m so glad you’re here!” This only made Keiji happier and he felt his heart beat faster and his face heat up and- oh.
That was when he realised he has a crush on Bokuto Koutarou, the future ace of Fukorodani’s volleyball team.
+
Keiji is a second year now and he has three goals for the school year: be in the honour roll, win the nationals and stop liking Bokuto.
As he ties the laces loosely on his running shoes, he wonders why he got a crush on his upperclassman who acts more like a hyperactive six year old than a seventeen year old. His mouth is left bitter on the word “crush” and he has the odd urge to punch someone or something; in fact, he brings his hand down on the floor hard, eyes scrunched up in distaste.
“A-Akaashi-san? Are you okay?”
Keiji opens his eyes and smiles softly at Kita, a first year who’s terrified of him. It’s kind of sweet of him to ask if he’s okay. “Don’t worry, Kita-kun. I just remembered something,” he keeps it vague but his kouhai’s eyes flashes in understanding and nods.
“I understand, Akaashi-san. You thought of something embarrassing. I do that too,” he says sombrely. Then after a moment, he realises he’s terrified of Keiji and squeaks in mortification, cheeks turning into a shade of dark red.
“I’ll go now! I’m going to warm up! Yeah! Bye!” Keiji watches him, slightly amused before standing up himself with his volleyball shoes in hand. As he leaves the club room, he looks up at the grey skies and prays to the gods that he’ll be able to make it home before it starts raining.
When he steps in, he sees that Komi is practicing his receives while Bokuto serves, balls landing on the wooden boards but mostly ending up flying up in the air again when Komi receives them. Konoha is practicing spiking while Washio attempts to block them. Sarukui and Onaga are running around the gym, bickering loudly about star wars and star trek while the rest of the team are almost done warming up. It feels very familiar and somewhere in Keiji’s mind, he thinks of family- perhaps a bit dysfunctional and less than desirable at times but family nonetheless.
“Akaashi, you’re later than usual,” Konoha says, wiping the sweat off his face with his shirt. “Did you receive another confession?”
Keiji nods and starts doing his warmup, ignoring the way Konoha is staring at him. “I rejected her though. I don’t have the time to date anyone right now,” it’s not a lie; he’s in one of the college prep classes and the workload is tough. It doesn’t help that he’s on the volleyball team as a starting player and it adds more pressure when he remembers that he’s playing as the starting setter in a powerhouse school.
“Was she pretty though, Akaashi?” Washio gives him something akin to an amused look. “I still can’t believe you turned down the prettiest girl in your year.”
Keiji cringes slightly when he remembers Kurosawa Nao confess to him in a crowded area, bowing as she handed him a pink letter with a red heart on it. He remembers the way she glared at him when he turned her down and strutted away from him with (fake?) tears running down her cheeks. It was the talk of the school for a week and he remembers the way boys sent him miffed looks and whispers that said he was a pompous asshole for declining her.
“Her personality is... is not my type,” he finally says, ignoring the way the two third years give each other a knowing look that Keiji still can’t decipher for some reason. “I’m going to warm up.”
“Of course, vice captain. C’mon, Konoha,” Washio grabs Konoha’s wrist and drags him away to join Bokuto and Komi.
When he finishes warming up, he sees Konoha spike a ball where Washio obviously has to run to get. He begins to run to where the ball will fly to and sets it to where Bokuto is. There’s only a moment of hesitance but the captain of the team easily runs up and spikes it with ease, sending it across the court with a satisfying smack on the floor. The smile Bokuto gives him is enough to send him into a dazed state that thankfully, no one notices.
“Nice one, Akaashi! I was a bit unprepared since you just ran and set it but it was a really great toss and- uwa! I spiked it really good, didn’t I?” Bokuto says, eyes sparkling.
“It was a good spike, Bokuto-san,” Keiji agrees softly. He’s busy trying to memorise the way Bokuto’s eyes crinkles when he smiles, the almost invisible scar he has on his cheek after an accident with a butterknife when he was five, the sparkle in his eyes that only appear when he sees him, full of adoration and delight.
Konoha snaps his fingers, breaking his trance. “You know what, I just realised something,” he says, smiling in a way that makes Keiji fidget where he stands. “Bokuto is the dad of our team that lets the kids- us- scream and roll around because he’s too busy ogling at his beautiful wife, Akaashi who’s trying to get the kids in check! Right, guys?”
Komi frowns at him. “I thought we’ve already established that?”
“Akaashi sure is a scary mom.”
“Well, as long as I get Akaashi’s beautiful looks, I totally agree!”
Keiji watches the team chatter aimlessly about what Konoha said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He knows his face is pink but he could always blame it on how embarrassing they’re being; nothing new. Turning his gaze to Bokuto, he notices the older boy frowning, pouting in his lips as he looks at the team. Something in Keiji’s stomach sinks and he feels an impending doom as Bokuto faces him with the most serious face he’s ever seen him with; it’s actually terrifying. Then, he smiles so bright and Keiji feels relieved until Bokuto opens his mouth and speaks.
“They’re right, babe!”
The gym is suddenly eerily quiet. If Keiji’s face was a light pink, he’s sure his face is a dark scarlet red that reaches his ears now. He opens his mouth to speak but apparently, he’s lost all ability to conjure sentences because Bokuto just called him babe in front of all their teammates in a way that’s obviously full of fondness and enthusiasm that’s usually reserved for the girls he develops infatuations on. He feels like throwing up the contents of his stomach and his lungs begin to constrict. How will they react? Will they start to treat him differently? Will they take his red face as confirmation and rule it as true? That they are indeed, dating? Or will they take it as a joke from Bokuto and realise that Keiji is gay? Are they homophobic?
Komi is the first to break the silence. “Wait, does this mean I’ve lost the bet?”
“Ohohoho, pay up fellas! They are dating!” Konoha says, holding his hand out at the grumbling third years, Washio swatting his hand away.
A first year named, Itou looks at them with a critical eye before saying, “Aces really do have a thing for their setters, huh?”
“Can I please be invited to your beach volleyball themed wedding?” Someone asks.
Keiji begins to relax but he also wants to combust. In the end, all he can do is shoot the scariest, most threatening glare directed at Bokuto and he thinks it is because Bokuto pales and whimpers a bit. “Can you come outside with me, babe?” He hisses, already pulling Bokuto out of the gym.
“Uh, yeah! We’ll be back soon, guys! Go back to practicing!” Bokuto feebly calls out.
Without missing a beat, Keiji adds, “When we return, everyone should be practicing their flying falls. If not, we will have training on Saturday.” Sometimes, he feels like he abuses his power as Bokuto’s vice-captain but at times like these, he feels like using his authority in such ways are understandably justifiable.
Once they’re a good distance away from the gym, Keiji lets go of Bokuto’s arm and waits for him to start sputtering an excuse or apology.
“I’m sorry! I thought they would take it as a joke!” Bokuto has his arms raised up, like he’s waiting for Keiji to bring a fist down on him and he feels a bit offended, if not a bit concerned. Looking at Bokuto, he feels his anger dissipate to annoyance and he sighs.
“Well, now they think we’re dating and Konoha-san just won the bet I didn’t know about. We should tell them that we’re not before this spirals out of control,” Keiji says, crossing his arms.
Bokuto quickly rearranges himself and draws his full height up. “Can’t we make it a joke?”
Keiji cocks his head at Bokuto and feels the beginning of a headache form in his temples. “What?”
“It’ll be funny! I mean, they’ll probably give us gifts or act nice to us for a while and you know, it’ll be fun to do!” The older boy is smiling now, all trace of fear gone. And he’s actually jumping like a child who’s about to get candy or a new toy.
“Bokuto-san, that would be cruel to do to our team. It could also change the dynamics of our team,” he says, watching Bokuto’s face morph into something like understanding. “We cannot do something like this. We cannot ‘date’.”
“So, you don’t want to?” Bokuto asks, looking at him carefully.
Keiji sometimes wonders if the gods are testing him and at the moment, he really feels like they are.
“Even if I did want to, I wouldn’t because we must always keep our team dynamics in mind, Bokuto-san. Do you understand?” He asks.
Bokuto deflates and nods. “I understand. We should go back, Akaashi.” He says, not looking at him in the eye.
“Okay.” Keiji doesn’t understand why he feels disappointed. Somewhere in his mind, he wishes he said “yes” to fuel his own selfish desire. But he knows better than to do something that he could end up regretting.
They walk back in silence, keeping their distance from each other. Keiji looks at the horizon and sees lightning flicker in the distance. The wind is humid and strong, tossing leaves around giving the already dark area giving this ominous aura. When they return, Keiji informs the team that they are not dating and tells Konoha to return the money to their owners since he didn’t win the bet at all. Bokuto is uncharacteristically quiet as they play, only speaking when spoken to and when absolutely necessary. He doesn’t run up to Keiji to tell him that his toss was perfect or to fish for compliments; he doesn’t even raise his hand for a high five. Still, Bokuto doesn’t flub any of his spikes or serves. In fact, Keiji notices that he seems to channel disappointment into all of his plays.
They play and when they’re done, Keiji helps the others clean up even if he doesn’t have to. Like always, Bokuto waits for him at the exit but instead of talking animatedly to him about something that happened during practice or owls or the cute, smart girl in his class told him, all he does is stare at the ground. When they walk home, instead of clinging on to Keiji like usual, he doesn’t and keeps his distance.
Perhaps, without meaning to, Keiji just changed the dynamics between him and Bokuto.