The reason that keeps me alive - BokuAka [English Version]

Chapter 7

Something was strange.
Different.
 
There was a certain tension on the pitch and Bokuto was somehow more tense than usual.
And Akaashi couldn't shake the feeling that he was the only one who didn't know about something.
 
 
It was a bad day, and for the first time they lost three games in a row.
The day felt endless.
 
Akaashi's thoughts strayed again in the afternoon. During the hour-long lunch break, he retreated to the room, but not because he wanted to sort himself out, but because he knew there was someone else there at that time that he wanted to talk to.
Someone who definitely knew, and perhaps would say, what was going on.
 
Sure enough, there he was.
Akaashi sat down on the mattress in front of him, tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, because Konoha had headphones in his ears. "Yes?"
Akaashi exhaled loudly, searching for the right words. "Is there something I don't know about?"
Konoha looked confused. "Uh... I do believe there are some things in the world that no one knows about, but-"
"I mean within the team. I feel like I don't know something that everyone knows."
Konoha swallowed. "Oh." He looked around.
 
The first time since Akaashi knew him that there wasn't a mischievous grin on his face. "I don't know."
"Then what was that in the group?"
Konoha sighed. "Akaashi, you should ask Bokuto that yourself."
"I'm asking you, though." Akaashi fixed him. "At least tell me if I'm right in my guess."
Konoha narrowed his eyes, then nodded slightly.
Restlessness erupted in Akaashi's body. "And what?"
"I don't think I should say that."
"Oh, so is this a third-grade thing or what?!"
"No, that-"
"Sure! It's okay. I'll go." Akaashi stood up and was about to leave the room.
"Akaashi, you've got it wrong now."
He turned to him again. "I don't think so."
 
And this conversation had certainly not improved the mood.
On the contrary, it was miserable.
And that did not go unnoticed. The coach spoke to them about it.
"We are not here for fun, but because we want to win in the qualification for the spring tournament. And for that we have to fight against our rivals. You know who I'm talking about."
 
Akaashi's thoughts increased, building up like an unstable dam that threatened to collapse at any moment.
 
They are shutting you out.
 
His hands trembled slightly.
 
Why don't you leave this to someone else?
 
"Akaashi?"
 
Useless.
 
"Akaashi??"
 
Just as your father said.
 
He didn't notice the hand on his shoulder.
 
You're in their way.
 
"HEY!" Bokuto took Akaashi by the shoulders and turned him to face him. "Are you okay?"
 
Akaashi blinked to come back to reality.
The trembling of his hand did not subside. "Y-yes."
Bokuto reached up to touch his cheek. Apparently the redness wasn't completely gone after all, but the fact that Bokuto just touched his cheek made the nervousness rise on the one hand, but gave him a feeling of warmth at the same time.
Warmth that he perhaps needed.
"What's that?" asked Bokuto as he tapped the suspected redness with his index finger.
Akaashi brushed his hand away. "Nothing."
"It doesn't look like it."
"Walked into a door."
 
Konoha laughed from behind the bench. "As if you weren't overprotective enough as it was! Akaashi against a door, would you believe it!"
 
Akaashi rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Shut up."
Konoha laughed again.
 
 
 
After practice, which ended late in the evening as usual, Akaashi looked at his phone for the first time that day - 4 unread messages from 2 chats.
Akaashi opened the one with Kenma first, because he already saw that the others were from his father.
 
Kenma
Update: I think that Kuroo
always takes my console,
because he plays with it himself.                       
                              19:04

Akaashi
Have you ever thought that he's
doing this so that you FINALLY
stop to be stuck to it all the time
like you're a part of it?
20:09