Haikyuu!!HogwartsAU | Oneshots

♡ In The Owlery III ♡

Characters = Bokuto (5th year Gryffindor), Akaashi (4th Year Ravenclaw) + Pochi (Akaashi's owl)

Plot = Bokuto is up in the Owlery once again, where Akaashi tries to cheer him up.

(o^▽^o)

The familiar, irregular traipsing of leather soles against cold, stone steps echoed against the brickwork of the tower walls. Bokuto found himself once again escaping to the Owlery, his brain as sluggish and dull as it usually was during an episode, only this time a number of things could have triggered it.

It could have been the Quidditch training that afternoon when none of his attempts to score had gotten past Kageyama's tight defences. It could have been the fail he'd received from Professor Takeda in his Transfiguration essay. It could have been how Hinata had accidently spilled pumpkin-juice all over his Divination text-book at lunch which had resulted in quite a scolding from the Professor. Or it could have been an accumulation of all three.

He didn't really care what the reason was, though; all that mattered was the fact he felt heavy and overwhelmed, and he needed the presence of the owls before he got swallowed up by his own mind.

When he finally dragged himself through the archway into the Owlery, Pochi chirped excitedly and was upon him immediately, attempting to elicit some kind of response from him by gently nuzzling its smooth, curved beak against him. Bokuto tried to lift his hand to stroke its silk feathers, but his arm was too heavy, and it was all he could do to retire to the window, pull his legs up to his chest, and rest his head back against the arch before his muscles completely gave out. So when it received no reaction, Pochi ducked out the window and disappeared.

Bokuto found himself distantly wondering if the owl was fetching Akaashi; it had been a couple weeks since Akaashi first revealed he was an Animagus and every time he had come to the Owlery afterwards, Pochi would fly out and return with him by its side. But he didn't linger on the thought for long, too exhausted to think, and he closed his eyes against the glare of the sinking sun.

Maybe he dozed off - he could never quite tell - but his eyes were suddenly blinking open of their own accord, as though alerting him to something, and he found his head had rolled forwards so he was facing the sky outside. There was a blurry dot floating in the distance, gradually getting larger as it advanced closer.

A few moments later and the dot split in two, before eventually coming into focus; first the lithe flapping of great, feathery wings, then the artistic lacing of beautifully-coloured feathers, until the gleaming of yellow and dark-green eyes was staring back at him.

Bokuto gave permission for a smile to stretch across his lips as he perked up at the sight of Akaashi hovering in the air before him.

Pochi was the first to land, arranging its feet on the stone of the window ledge before looking up at Bokuto, puffing its chest out proudly. But before Bokuto could reward it with a fond pat to its head, a squawk drew his attention to Akaashi, who looked to be in quite a conundrum. Now that he was closer, Bokuto noticed two bags dangling from his claws; a paper bag with Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans printed in bold, red italics, and a blue-striped, fabric pouch.

It took him a minute - by which time Akaashi looked decidedly both distressed and disgruntled - but Bokuto soon realised what he had to do with a pang, and he sheepishly reached out to take the bags from the owl's grip.

Akaashi practically deflated and Bokuto knew he would probably have said something had he been in his human form. But he suddenly no longer cared that he hadn't been the brightest tool when Akaashi landed on his bicep, bending forwards to nuzzle his head against Bokuto's chin, trying to get comfortable before finally snuggling down. The softness of his feathers never ceased to surprise Bokuto, and he certainly couldn't forget that this owl was actually a person - Keiji Akaashi at that - so he almost dropped the bags as his cheeks and ears burned hot, as they did every time Akaashi did this.