wake up soon - k. akaashi

seven: i love you

2012, April 9th

Akaashi was nervous. He didn't know why; he'd been in that same chair almost every day. It was like a routine now, as much as he hated it.

Maybe it was that, the fact that he was slowly growing used to being in that chair, to seeing the person he loved sleep with tubes attached to her. To not seeing her smile brighten when her pink found his blue across the crowded streets or hallways, or how she called his name with such ease and you could feel the care and endearment in the tone she used. To just not having her with him, and he felt half empty, because when she was by his side, he felt like he could rule the world, like he could conquer however many courts his friends asked him to, and they'd win each time.

With her by his side he could do anything. Not only that, but he knew that even if he failed miserably, her smile would not falter, she wouldn't move an inch from his side, and every ounce of pride she felt would still shine in her eyes. She'd hold his hand tighter and guide him into confronting the same thing again, but with a different approach, and she'd do it again for as long as he needed it.

The feeling of emptiness, the feeling that he was starting to grow accustomed to it... He detested it, it made him furious at himself. How could he ever think this was normal? How could he ever brush off the way she looked, pale and lifeless?

Akaashi couldn't deal with that. The book in his hands burned.

"Hey angel," he greeted, shaking those thoughts away "I bought you something. I thought we could read together today, like we usually do."

He opened the book, and he started to read.

2011, June 15th

It was another day at the Lucky Cat Café, with Tamiko filling in for her mother, because she'd had to go with her other mother to a parents meeting for Ryu's class.

She was nervous, eyeing her boyfriend every few minutes as she tried to keep up with the conversation Mina had started with her. She loved hearing about the woman's grandkids —really, she thought they were the cutest and whenever she brought them with her she'd always make them their chocolate and give her some books—, but the book Keiji was reading was very important.

She'd told him he had to read it a few days ago, and he'd started reading it the day before. But knowing him, it wouldn't take him too long to finish it. The poor girl was dreading it.

"And then they gave the kids their prizes. Wait, I have some pictures my son gave me with his phone. Their mother didn't take any," she said, as if to say "Can you believe that woman?".

It was really fun how Mina hardly tolerated her daughter-in-law. The woman was actually sweet and she loved her kids very much, but for some reason Mina was never content with her. Tamiko had the suspicion it was because the elder believed nobody was good enough for her son. It made her laugh, because she tried to hide it whenever they were together, but then she used her as her confessionary.

"How do you find anything in these?" Mina complained, touching the screen of her phone.

"Let me," Tamiko chuckled.

On the other side of the café, the reading place where the few students that passed by the place studied or relaxed with a book from the library sat Akaashi. The newest book of the couple in his hands. He was a really fast reader, the only thing that stopped him from going faster were the small notes Tamiko had written on the margins.

Some had numbers written next to them, indicating he had to go to the sheet of paper stacked in the back of the books, where his girlfriend had written more about it, as a mini rant. They had small spaces under them in case Keiji wanted to answer or add something else. It was how they read their shared books, their way of communicating what they wanted when the other still hadn't read it and they didn't want to spoil anything. Although, the notes were more of a Tamiko quirk than his, but he found it hilarious and endearing at the same time.

The notes were all written in pencil, because Tamiko said she didn't want to damage the book too much. Plus, what if she reread the book and her opinion had changed? They weren't permanent, they had to be able to be erased, change. She wrote very few things in pen, if she felt very strongly about it. It was a known fact.

Keiji turned the page, and his eyes immediately drifted to the bright pink that highlighted a phrase.

"I love you" it said.

He stopped short. There were many books were the same words had been said, but they had never been highlighted. There was a number next to it, so he followed it to the page at the back.

"I really do :)" with a heart next to it.

Keiji Akaashi was smart. He was also intelligent —no, those two aren't thesame thing—, but for some reason his brain had a hard time processing the message that was hidden under that. It wasn't really hidden; it would've been obvious to anyone else. But anyone else hadn't just been confessed to for the first time. Their partner hadn't just told them they loved them for the first time. When his mind finally wrapped around it, he quickly turned back to the page.

The smile on his face was evident, but he had to restrain himself from jumping at Tamiko. He had to keep up with the game. So he kept reading and finished the book, his cheeks hurting from the smile that wouldn't go away.

He got up after finishing it, nearing the bar and clearing his throat. Tamiko looked up from the cup she'd been cleaning.

"Thanks for the book, I really enjoyed it," he slid it to her.

"Yeah?" her voice hardly broke, and she tried to read his face in search of any hint that would tell her if he'd answered her message.

She also tried to not look desperate as she flickered through the paper to find the correct page. She hoped she wouldn't find the "Don't push me" underlined. She wasn't disappointed.

Covered by an electric blue, the words "I love you, too" matched hers, with a small star next to them. The sheet of paper had a "I really do" under hers.

She blinked once, twice.

Then she squealed.

Tamiko jumped, running around the bar and straight into Akaashi's arms, who spun her once he'd lifted her up. They were a mess, two teenagers that had fallen in love for the first time and were high on oxytocin and serotonin. Akaashi leaned down and kissed her, having forgotten everyone else. In that moment, it was only her in the world. And she loved him. She did! And God, he loved her too. So much.

"Ah, young love," Mina sighed loudly "I really like you two, not like my son and that woman-"

"Good afternoon! Grandma!" two kids entered the place, followed by their mother, who smiled at Mina.

Akaashi and Tamiko laughed still in each other's arms.

"I love you," Tamiko whispered. She wanted to say it again and again and again.

"I love you too."

2012, April 9th

Keiji closed The Distance Between Us and looked at the bed. The happy memory turned sad.

If this was what "living with it" was he didn't want it. Because did he have to live with the knowledge that he might never hear her say she loved him again? "Please no"

He wanted to hear her say how much she loved him at random times, just like a nice little reminder, he wanted to hear her answer back to his own I love you.

"You'll wake up soon. In the meantime, just know I love you."

The clock on the wall ticked once, twice.

Then the girl's body started shaking violently.