Akaashi's 18th (and the events that followed...)

1. Akaashi's 18th Birthday

(Takes place the next year, when Akaashi is a third year, and Bokuto has left to audition for MSBY)

Akaashi jumped at the fierce rapping at the door, putting down his book and walking to the front entrance. "Bokuto-san," he called at the foot of the stairs, whilst quickly slipping on a pair of old, loose shoes. "I'm coming. You don't need to bash the door down."

    "Akaashi!" Bokuto stood at the door, his large figure blocking out almost all the remaining light from the setting sun. Akaashi stood in his shadow gratefully until the man collapsed, hunching over and panting, sweat beads falling from his forehead. His hair, however, was still spiked up with gel and he wore his usual broad smile over his training gear.

    "Why are you here?" Akaashi rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the outdoor light.

    "It's your birthday obviously!" Bokuto beamed, and Akaashi smiled. The ace was thankfully in one of his good moods.

    "Thank you for remembering, Bokuto-san." Akaashi gave a slight smile, which lit up the ace's eyes. Oh no, what did he have planned?

    "So, Akaashi." Bokuto grinned wolfishly. "Now that you're eighteen, you'll nearly be out of high school!"

    Akaashi sighed. After the upcoming winter holidays, he still had one semester until he could leave around mid-March. Not to mention his final exams, which he needed to pass before he could go to college. "And?"

    "And..." Bokuto paused for dramatic effect. "That means you don't have to call me Bokuto-san anymore." He laughed.

    Akaashi felt his face turning red, and his eyes widened. "So... what should I call you then?"

    "Koutarou of course!"

    "Huh? Kou-" Akaashi stumbled over the words in surprise, trailing off. Kuso. "Gomen-" he said, about to apologise when he was cut off by Bokuto.

    "AGHASSHII!!!" The grown man yelled. "I love your nickname for me!"

    "But-" it was a mistake, he didn't even have the chance to say.

    "From now on, you must always call me Kou." Bokuto puffed his chest proudly, as if the new name was a badge of honor he was wearing.

    Akaashi sighed again, leaning out of the door slightly to cool his heating cheeks. "Fine, Bok- I mean, Kou."

    Before he could register what was going on, Bokuto grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the front door, Akaashi stumbling behind.

"Where are we going?" He shivered in the early December breeze. It couldn't be more than three degrees outside, and he was only wearing a blue, button-up t-shirt and beige trousers.

    "You don't think I'm the only one who remembered your birthday, do you?"

    "I..." Akaashi panicked. It wasn't six-thirty yet, and according to Bokuto's volleyball schedule, he should have been in practice. "Don't you have training right now?"

    "I started on the weights earlier this morning so coach let me leave at four," Bokuto said, looking back at Akaashi. "Here," he chucked his MSBY jacket over his shoulder - an ever more frequent move now that he was a regular on the team.

Akaashi caught it, as usual. "Why're you giving me your jacket to hold? It's freezing!"

Bokuto laughed, throwing his head back. "It's for you to wear, not hold, 'Kaashi!"

"Kono-baka~" Akaashi mumbled, hiding his red face by staring down at the pavement, crowded with feet as they neared the rush hour. "Absolutely clueless." It was getting closer to five in the evening, and - if he looked above the light pollution of the increasingly built up Tokyo streets-  the stars became visible in the clear twilight sky. However, this all vanished as they took a turn underground, into the subway station.

"Are we going to Kuroo's house?" Akaashi asked, as they jumped onto the Tokyo Metro, Bokuto already having paid for two tickets. For one ridiculous moment, Akaashi felt a sense of pride - one of Bokuto's many weaknesses was maths, and it was sometimes difficult for him to work out how to pay for things. Even now, Akaashi would often help him with his tax bills.

"Yup!" They got onto the train, which thankfully wasn't as busy as usual. Most people would be staying late at work to make up the money for Christmas presents, pulling in as many extra hours as possible so they could have a longer holiday season.

They managed to grab one of the last seats in the corner of the carriage - quite small, however - and so Akaashi had to lean close to Bokuto's broad figure for them both to fit beside each other.

"'Kaashi?" Bokuto looked at the floor of the carriage, and Akaashi froze. Was he about to go into emo-mode already?

"Mmh?"

"You're going to Nihon Kougakuin next year, right?"

"Yeah, it's got good transport links around Tokyo so I won't be too far... It's also one of the top animation and design colleges in Japan, so that's also why I'm going," he added, nervous that Bokuto would think he was only going so that the two of them could stay close. He fiddled with his fingers, waiting for the response.

"'Kaashi that's brilliant!" Akaashi looked up in surprise. Bokuto wore a proud smile. "My 'Kaashi will be so brilliant - I mean, not that you aren't already. You're way smarter than me, even though I'm over a year older."

Akaashi froze at the rare complement. It was true, he was in the sixth class, whereas the other boy had always been in class one, no matter how hard Akaashi helped him with his studies. "Thank you, Kou."

Bokuto jumped, a shocked-blank expression on his face. "Gomen, Bokuto-san," Akaashi bowed his head. "I thought you told me-"

"No, it's fine!" Bokuto shook his head vigorously. "I'm just not used to the new name yet!"

The train stopped, and Akaashi pulled Bokuto up. "This is our stop, right?"

"Oh, yeah!" Akaashi mentally facepalmed. Of course Bokuto had forgotten where they were stopping.

The walk to Kuroo's house was paused several times, Bokuto pointing out all the golden lights which had been wound around the branches of the cherry trees and shrubs either side of the paths they walked. "They're like golden winter cherries!"

"Golden winter cherries?" Even though the comment made no sense to him, Akaashi found himself laughing.

They eventually reached Kuroo's apartment door, and were both greeted by the smell of cooked food and alcohol. Well, Kuroo and Bokuto were both twenty now. "Isn't that a lot of alcohol for just you and Kuroo?" Akaashi observed as he beheld the ten or so large bottles on the counter.

"Happy birthday Akaashi!" The boy jumped as several dozen heads flew out from the side walls. A little orange head even popped out of the crockery cupboard, looking severely dishevelled. Akaashi gasped. All the members of Fukurodani, Karasuno, and Nekoma were gathering around the table in the centre of the room, bright-eyed, and smiling brighter yet.

"Thanks guys," he grinned, then turned to look up at Bokuto. He was staring down at Akaashi, his hands twitching at his sides, eyes wide and questioning. "Thanks so much, Kou." His smile turned softer, and Bokuto cheered, seeming to almost sparkle with the pride in his posture and the excitement in his gaze.

A few snickers and 'Oohs,' from the new second years bounced around the room as the party heard the new name he had for Bokuto, but Akaashi didn't care. His heart swelled at the thought of his friends thinking of him enough to put in the effort for a surprise party.

(Word count: 1265)