Day-care of Dreams (Haikyuu)

Chapter 2

Akaashi smiled to himself as he closed the doors of the day-care with a heavy thud. Suga and Kenma had already taken off, and the day-care had felt their lack of presence, and naturally started to close itself, like a flower in winter. The kids were long gone. Kanoka waved to him as she left, running her fingers through her hair to remove any left over fairy dust. 

The children would be asleep by now, and though he planned to look after them he knew Oikawa would. It was practically his job. He let his forehead flop against the wood, smiling as the door went cold, and knew that if he opened it there would be a special paradise just for him, complete with perfect snow and a dusk sky. 

For just a second, he wished more than anything to be allowed to go in there and never return. But the thought vanished just as quickly as it arose. 

Oikawa appeared next to Akaashi, his trademark glittering gold dust butterflies circling his head. "Its been a good day, a good week. Why so sad, Aka-chan?" Straight to the point, as always. Akaashi let his smile drop as he sighed, and leaned against his friend. Oikawa guided them both to sitting, massaging his friends hand. 

"I started seeing someone. And he saw the crown, picked up my wand. I just played it off as dress-up for the school, but what if he-" Akaashi stopped talking, and one of Oikawa's butterflies landed on his nose. "Well hello to you too."

Oikawa snorted, and the butterfly re-joined the rest of its friends, which were nestled in Oikawa hair. "Ah, Aka-chan. That's difficult indeed. A real conundrum, a debacle really-" He rolled the words around his mouth. Akaashi flicked him in the forehead. "I understand why you do now, hide in the wallpaper. Doesn't mean I'll join you. Speaking of, are you going home tonight, or clubbing like any other normal 26 year old?"

Oikawa side eyed his friend. "No." 

He didn't offer anything else, and one of his butterflies dropped from the air, and tumbled slowly into his hands. The shape dissolved, and the golden sand wafted through the air, clinging to Oikawa's arms. 

"These kids, they believe so much. Remind you of anyone?" Akaashi closed his eyes, remembering. "We really were something, huh? Refused to let go of that stubborn belief even into our teens. To the point where now we can't let go." 

"Yes, but you can leave. I'll stay and guard this place. Our relics." Akaashi jolted, alarmed. His hair floated upwards slightly and the trees swayed as he felt panicked. He suddenly felt very cold, and his breath produced little mist clouds. Oikawa held both his hands up, backing away slightly. Akaashi grabbed them. "Don't joke like that. I can't leave anymore than you can. Or Suga, or Kenma. And we aren't as stuck as you think." 

Oikawa bit the inside of his cheek, watching the clouds make their way through the dark sky.  

"Date night."

Akaashi frowned. "What?"

"I watched your dreams when you fell asleep yesterday. You have a date tonight with that man. But you aren't there are you? You were afraid in your dream, that the table would freeze, or you'd be pulled into the tablecloth, trapped forever. That the door would be gone." 

Akaashi went silent, remembering his nightmare. "It was a strange dream." Oikawa nodded to himself. "Strange indeed." 

Akaashi stood, watching Oikawa as he yawned. "Oh, and you won't be watching the kids to get out of it. Just thought I'd give you a heads up." Oikawa tapped on the door, and his hand went see through just a bit, made of that gold sand. Akaashi watched, feeling slightly put out that his friend saw through him so easily. 

He turned to go. 

"His name was Bokuto, and you Akaashi Keiji, think you are in love with him." Akaashi reeled back as if struck. "That's not true."

Oikawa sighed, opening the door just a fraction. "Oh but it is. Your dreams don't lie. And neither does this place, or the magic. It never lies. In fact, I don't think it can." 

Akaashi walked down the cobbled path, warm golden light spilling from the open doors. The day-care seemed to be full of swirling golden sand, that shifted into toys and unicorns, smiling happy faces. Dreams. 

"I'll watch over the children tonight. But if you don't go, you'll regret it. And I'll know either way." 

He slipped inside.