A reminder to breathe

Akaashi sighed for the thousandth time that day, and again when he saw the clock only read 10 pm.

He glared at the blinking cursor on his computer and thought about his boyfriend who was in the living room sitting by himself.

Bokuto had gotten home yesterday and here he was knee deep in work and stress, not spending time with his lover.

“Kaashiiiii”. Bokuto drawed out as he entered the room.

Akaashi opted to ignore him because he knew if Bokuto spoke, he’d feel more guilty then he was already feeling.

“Kaashiiii”. The older man draped himself over his fiance as the younger typed a few words before deleting them.

“Keiji”.

Akaashi dropped his hands onto the desk and laid his head back into Bokuto’s shoulder.

“I’m busy, Koutarou” the dark haired man took his glasses off and rubbed his tired eyes.

“I really need to finish this,” he told him, tears forming in his eyes.

“You’re working too hard, angel” Bokuto kissed his shoulder gently. “Why don’t you take a break and indulge your fiance”.

They hadn’t seen each other in a while since Bokuto was busy playing volleyball with the Jackals and Akaashi being stuck at work.

“I-” Akaashi broke down into tears. “I’m so sorry, I just…” he gestured to the computer.

“Keiji, it’s okay” Bokuto nuzzled his cheek. “You need to look after yourself, get out of this room, drink water and breathe”.

The younger one nodded and wiped the tears from his cheeks, slightly embarrassed from his brief outburst.

“You’re right,” he said.

“Now, I have a surprise for you,” Bokuto told him, his smile stretching from one ear to the other, seemingly lighting up the room, and Akaashi’s mood.

“Koutarou, if you brought an animal home, I will kick you out,” Akaashi said with a blank face.

“It’s not that, I promise”! Bokuto pulled him out of the office room and into their bedroom.

“Get some comfy clothes on and come out into the living room when you’re done”.

Akaashi just smiled fondly as he watched his 6’2” boyfriend skip down the hall like a kid.

He walked over to his dresser and picked out a pair of sweatpants and Bokuto’s old fukurodani jersey, taking off his uncomfortable work clothes to change into the other outfit.

“Okay, I’m coming to see this surprise” Akaashi called down the hallway.

“No, wait”! Bokuto screeched. “It’s not finished yet”!

The former setter chuckled and went into the office to retrieve his glasses off the desk. He glanced at the screen that still had his work lit up on it.

“Keiji, all ready now”. Bokuto passed the office but stopped and turned around, glancing in worriedly.

“Don’t worry, Kou” Akaashi turned the computer off. “I’m done working for the night”.

“Great, come on, I think you’ll like it”. Bokuto took his lover’s hand in his own and led him to the living room.

Once Akaashi saw the set up he turned to Bokuto.

“When did you get the time to do all this”?! He asked.

There were pillows and chairs set up with blankets hanging over them, connecting the couch and tv stand.

The tv was moved to the floor and there was a place for the couple to sit, with their backs against the couch.

“I got bored,” Bokuto confessed. “You took a really long time in the office”.

Akaashi lowered his head to look at his socked feet. “I’m-”.

“Take a look inside the fort while I get the food”! Bokuto turned and went off into the kitchen for the food he apparently prepared earlier too.

Akaashi ducked under the blankets and crawled over to where pillows were set up for them to sit on.

Honestly, he didn’t even know they owned this many pillows, as for the blankets, well this would explain why their bed had been stripped.

Bokuto soon returned, getting in the fort to sit next to Akaashi. “Stress be gone tea”? Keiji giggled when Bokuto handed him a tea cup with green tea in it.

Kuroo had told him it was called that back in high school when Akaashi couldn’t function without it during exam week.

“Thank you, Kou” the dark haired man smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

The winged spiker grinned and pressed play on the tv, starting Akaashi’s favorite movie before putting his arm around him.

“Wait, is that onigiri''? Keiji sat up, looking at the plate Bokuto brought. “Yeah, it is”.

Akaashi put his cup down to grab one of the rice treats, quickly shoving it in his mouth.

He chewed contently, only stopping, his cheeks filled with food, when his fiance was staring at him.

“What, ‘m hungry,” he mumbled.

“This is why you should’ve taken a break” Bokuto said, amused when Akaashi took another onigiri into his mouth, rolling his eyes at Koutarou’s not so subtle “told you so”.

Akaashi turned back to the TV, watching with a gentle smile on his face.

He was glad he had Bokuto to remind him that life wasn’t about working all the time.

“Angel,”.

“Yeah”? Akaashi tore his eyes from the tv to look at his lover. “You have rice on your face,” Bokuto told him while chuckling.

Akaashi turned red and tried to brush it off his face, though he didn't know where it was.

Seeing him struggle, Bokuto reached over and brushed his thumb over his cheek.

Akaashi smiled and laid his hand over Koutarou’s. “Thank you” he sighed happily.

When you’ve known Akaashi for as long as Bokuto has, you’ll know that his words often have double meanings.

In this case, Bokuto understood that Akaashi was grateful for being dragged away from his work.

“I can’t wait to marry you” the volleyball player blurted out.

Keiji blinked at him a couple times before jumping forward into Bokuto’s arms.

“I can’t wait to marry you,'' he repeated, bringing their lips together for a sweet kiss.

It only lasted a moment until Akaashi pulled back and ran his fingers through his boyfriend's duel-colored hair. “I love you so much, Kou”.

Bokuto pulled Akaashi closer, his hands dipping under his old jersey.

“I love you too, Angel”.
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1032 words

Just some short and sweet Bokuaka for the soul❤