Two weeks had passed since Akaashi's last visit, and to his dismay, he found himself on the same aimless path back to the same dreaded hospital. He couldn't stand his parents' persistent natures, but he was somewhat relieved to be out of the house, to say the least.
Here we go again.
Akaashi entered the building and greeted the woman at the front desk, as always. He wasted no time ascending the steps needed to get to the part of the hospital where he'd almost reached all that time ago. In minutes, the information desk was in his sights, and for the first time in forever, he'd actually gone to it.
He spoke with a small woman there, and after several minutes had passed, Akaashi backed away from the desk, some sheets of paper in hand. He started down the hall, sighing heavily, intent on rushing home.
"Hey! Hey- it's you!"
The familiar voice made Akaashi's throat tighten. Another sigh was forced out, even heavier this time. He turned around.
"Bokuto."
"Apathy-kun." He grinned from ear to ear.
"Don't call me that." Akaashi stuffed the sheets into his bag.
"I thought you said you weren't ever going to set foot in here again." There was something strange about the excitement in his tone.
"I didn't say exactly that..."
"But it was implied!"
Akaashi squinted.
"Yes, it was implied."
Bokuto's smile never left his face, and his tired eyelids contradicted his facial expression.
Why must I always run into the strange ones?
"So what brings you here again?"
"I could ask you the same thing..." Akaashi's lips screwed to the side.
Thick, white eyebrows raised above yellow hues. "I'm supposed to be here, actually."
Akaashi yawned. "Intern?"
"No, patient." His smile was unnerving.
Silently, the dark haired male frowned. "I've been insensitive..."
A laugh bubbled out from Bokuto. "No you haven't. Don't worry about it."
Though he'd been dressed in normal, casual clothing, upon further examination, there was indeed something sickly about him. He was paler than the others who walked along in the halls, and soft, dark circles sat under his eyes.
Akaashi made sure not to stare.
"I know you aren't going to ask, so I'll just let you know. From what I've heard, the doctors say that whatever I have is called... FFI?" Bokuto folded his arms. He held an air around him as if he were having a normal conversation about the weather. "Fatal Familial Insomnia? If I remember correctly."
A cold shiver curled up Akaashi's spine. He'd never heard of that disease before. It worried him enough to get some words out of him.
"I don't think I want to ask about the symptoms of this illness."
"Well, even if you wanted to, I wouldn't have an answer for you." Another laugh. "All I can say is that sleeping doesn't come as easily as it used to." What normally would have pained someone to say, he delivered with ease, and with that same grin to boot.
Akaashi couldn't help but almost smile back, his lips barely twitching. He stared in Bokuto's direction, at him this time. "Are you here every day?"
"Of course! Been here for about... Four weeks now." He blinked sluggishly.
"I see..." Akaashi nodded once. No words were exchanged for a moment, and soon, the short amount of silence had become awkward. "Well, I'll be going now."
Shut him out, don't let him in. He's sick.
"Ah-uh, one second-."
Akaashi's jaw clenched. "I have to go, Bokuto." He started on his way.
Please don't persist.
"If you would please listen." His hands at his sides, Bokuto bowed. "Please, it will only take a second."
Akaashi was straightforward, but he wasn't heartless. He huffed out a breath and turned around. "What is it? I really have to go."
His eyes lighting up, Bokuto straightened his back and fished his hand into his pocket. He pulled out a phone, and to Akaashi's dread, he asked for his phone number.
What was he to do? What was he to say? Akaashi literally found nothing special about Bokuto. Why had the sickly one taken a sudden liking to him? He wanted nothing more than to push him away, throw away the forms, and never set foot into that hospital again, but for some strange and irritating reason, Akaashi found it difficult to deny Bokuto. He was trying to, he truly was, but he just couldn't.
"I... Don't... Usually text," Akaashi murmured. He looked down at Bokuto's phone. He couldn't look at his face. "I'm often busy. Keeping in contact with me wouldn't be a good idea."
He watched Bokuto's fingers curl around the phone, and his hand slowly backed away.
"But–" Akaashi shocked himself with that one word. He could still see Bokuto's hand, and it had frozen in place. "I guess I could find some time to talk every so often." He looked up, and his gaze found Bokuto's. Those yellow eyes were gleaming.
He entered his number swiftly, and then handed the phone to Bokuto, the name section empty.
"Thank you." His voice was full of excitement as he proceeded to enter the name for his new contact. Akaashi watched closely as Bokuto mouthed and typed the name,
"A-p-a-t-h-y—k-u-n." Bokuto was close to saving the contact before Akaashi spoke up.
"You don't have to put that." He sighed. "It's... Akaashi."
