ceo | bokuaka

[16] nightmares

it was around 1am when bokuto woke up in the middle of the night. as soon as they got back to the hotel, bokuto crashed after he showered and hit the bed. he ran a hand through his hair, annoyed that the one time he went to sleep early he woke up in an untimely manor. he laid restlessly before giving up on the idea of sleep.

he maneuvered his way in the dark, his hands palming along the walls looking for the light switch.
after a moment of searching, he found the switch, quickly flicking it on. he walked across the room with the mission to get a glass of water. instead, he was met with the sight of a curled up, sleeping akaashi on the couch.

his face softened as he walked over and sat on the unoccupied space that akaashi didn't cover. he wasn't going to lie, he was amused at the younger's sleeping position. akaashi was practically the same height as bokuto, only around an inch or two shorter. yet here he was, curled up in a tiny ball, taking up only half of the couch.

he wasn't sure why or when akaashi came into his side of the hotel room, but it had to be after he fell asleep since he didn't hear him come in. he debated for a second on whether to wake the younger up. on the one hand, akaashi was sleeping pretty peacefully, but on the other hand he did look quite cramped and bokuto was sure he would wake up with a sore back.

he decided on the latter, gently shaking the other's shoulders. akaashi began to stir, his eyes gradually opening and adjusting the light.

"kouta...? what's happening?" he asked sleepily rubbing his eyes.

bokuto felt his face flush, 'god he's adorable.'

"you fell asleep here and you didn't look very comfortable, so i figured i wake you up," bokuto explained.

"oh..." he muttered sitting up, his hair sticking up messily. "sorry, i didn't mean to bother you."

bokuto shook his head, "you weren't bothering me, i woke up on my own regards," he paused. "are you okay though?"

"yeah, i'm good. just couldn't sleep," akaashi smiled shyly.

"why not? are you still feeling on edge?" he asked concerned.

bokuto knew akaashi was apprehensive about coming to osaka and that he wasn't feeling any less tense once they arrived.

"um...a little i guess..." he trailed.

bokuto's forehead scrunched, prompting akaashi to continue as he didn't believe the reserved response.

"just a nightmare," he fiddled with his fingers unconsciously. "i didn't want to sleep in the room by myself after that...so i figured i'd come over here."

"keiji...you could've just woken me up," bokuto frowned.

"well, i'm okay now so that wasn't necessary."

"do you want to talk about it though?"

"about what?" he asked.

"your nightmare, i'm here to listen if you want to talk."

akaashi shook his head, "thanks, but i'm good. it wasn't a comprehensible dream anyways."

bokuto looked at him skeptically before dropping it.
"what are you going to do now though?"

"i don't know...probably just go back to sleep here," he admitted.

"that's ridiculous," bokuto spoke standing up.

he walked towards the kitchen, aware that akaashi watched him with a confused look on his face. bokuto opened up one of the top cupboards, pulling out two glasses. he filled them up with water, then walked back over to the couch where akaashi still sat.

he handed a glass to akaashi, then started heading back towards the bedroom. the other still watched him slightly disoriented from the lack of sleep. bokuto gestured for akaashi to follow him, so the younger obeyed and and followed him into the bedroom.

he set the glass of water on the bedside table, akaashi miming him and doing the same. bokuto then got back in the bed, but now leaving a space. akaashi stood at the edge of the bed, a confused look on his face.

"c'mere," bokuto patted the area next to him.

akaashi's eyes widened before speaking, "are you sure?"

"of course. i'm not going to let you just sleep on the couch and have another nightmare," he insisted.

"um...okay..." he said hesitantly sliding into the bed.

they both sat stiffly in an awkward silence. bokuto shifted. he didn't know what was making sharing the bed so awkward. he had shared the bed with plenty of his close friends before and this was no different.

'but it is keiji, of course it feels different,' he thought, his face flushing. he pushed that notion aside, 'i hope i didn't make him uncomfortable by suggesting this.'

"goodnight koutarou, thank you again," keiji spoke, grabbing bokuto's attention.

bokuto smiled even though it was too dark to see anything anyways, "goodnight keiji, sleep well."