the jacket you never returned- Bokuaka

Part 2

When Bokuto arrives at their apartment, it's squeaky clean.

Akaashi already chucked the bulletin board in the deepest part of his wardrobe--he already separated his things with Bokuto's, too. He arranged the notes and all the other things with the words "I love you", keeping it in a box, putting it in his drawer. He replaced the calendar. He hid the couple shirts, as well.

Everything was rid of, and he felt empty.

But Bokuto adores the apartment and teases him about how he's so organized most of the time. He rolls his eyes and smiles at him, slightly, before going over the chore rotation, again. He gives out the basic rundown of the apartment; where his room his, where the bathroom is, where to take out the trash and the likes. It feels so familiar, Bokuto says. I feel like I've been here for years.

You have, is what Akaashi wants to scream, We have.

But he holds himself down and smiled through it. This is not the Bokuto he's used to--not the one that he set for back then at high school, not the one he followed throughout college, not the one who asked him to go out with him after losing to Super Smash Bros, stealing his first kiss with cheesy fighting background music. This is not his Bokuto. This Bokuto does not remember him--This Bokuto is straight, the Bokuto before meeting Akaashi, the one who dated girls even before Akaashi felt how it is to be attracted to someone--

This Bokuto does not love him. (Yet, a voice in his head, that sounded like Kuroo, chided.)

He drinks his coffee and turns the television on, Bokuto's overexcited voice reaching his place from the bedroom to the living room.

He smiles bitterly, in spite of himself.

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"What," was Kuroo's only reaction to Bokuto's declaration.

Bokuto pouted; he was expecting something better, something like congratulations, man, I knew you could do it!, but all he got was Kuroo staring at him, looking like he lost his mind. Why? What's so bad about getting a girlfriend? He's in college, already, and he's graduating in two years. What's so bad about that?

"I said I got a girl--"

"I heard it the first time!" He was honestly flabbergasted--Kuroo looked so stressed and a bit offended. Why? "Why do you? I mean, what about Akaashi?"

"What do you mean what about him? He's got nothing to do with this," he huffed. "or are you still going on with that ridiculous joke of yours?"

"Wha--You little--" Kuroo looked so pissed, now, and Bokuto's feeling a little irritated, too. He's not gay, dammit. He have a girlfriend now, too. Why is Kuroo is cracking that old "He was your boyfriend" joke? Everyone seemed to be intent on pulling off that one. "Ah, fuck it, do what you want."

"Why are you so mad?"

"Nothing, just..." It was now Kuroo who huffed, looking away. "Forget about it. Congratulations, though."

"Thanks, dude."