-18 and 19-
"Kou? Tetsu?"
Akaashi's voice comes out quiet and hoarse, but her two friends still hear her from the other side of the dressing room.
"Yeah? What do you need?"
"Um... I tried it on."
Immediately, Bokuto's excited voice floats through the doorway. "Show us then!"
Having nothing else to say, Akaashi opened the door of the dressing room and looked down at the floor while the two boys examined the dress she had on.
"Does it look okay?"
"Okay? You look amazing!" Bokuto grins up at her. "Blue looks great on you."
Akaashi turned away from him, unable to stop her cheeks from flushing.
Kuroo gives her a thumbs up. Plus the adorkable smirk no one ever asks for but gets anyway.
"Ten outta ten, would recommend."
Akaashi can't stop the grin that spreads across her face. "Thank you guys for taking me here."
"No problem! Anything for you," Bokuto gives Akaashi the enthusiastic finger guns he uses oh so much, and Akaashi giggles.
"Yeah, we know people have been rough on you since you came out--" Kuroo raises an eyebrow, and Akaashi sighs, remembering the whispers as she passed by in hallways at school and that one professor that kept bullying.
"--But we're here for you, man! I mean... girl..." Bokuto hesitates.
Akaashi smacks Bokuto's arm playfully, and turns back to Kuroo.
"That was the last dress, right? You already spent too much money on me."
"Nuh uh, honey," Kuroo wags a finger in Akaashi's direction and she visibly slumps at the thought of continuing this three hour fashion show.
Besides, the lady helping Akaashi out looks really done with their shit.
"Please! Red looks good on you, too!" Bokuto looked like he was going to get on his knees and beg, so Akaashi groaned and took the stupid dress from Kuroo's arm.
"I'm going to be too tired to make dinner!" Akaashi gave one last complaint from behind the stall door. She couldn't see Kuroo roll his eyes so dramatically and Bokuto snicker.
"Shut up and accept your gifts!"
---
"God damn it, who's calling me right now?" Akaashi groans aloud.
"Mmth ith thh remth?" Kuroo says through a mouthful of hamburger. Akaashi throws him a disgusted look, along with Kenma (who was too tired to participate in the shopping earlier that day). Bokuto just laughs-- his usual loud and proud one.
Sighing, Akaashi stared down at the contact that just called her. Dad?
Already, her heart was beating fast. He didn't dare answer, what was the point?
Why acknowledge the person who left his mother all alone with just their child, and then returned years later only to snap at the sight of a dress and beat them enough for them to quake in their shoes at the mention of his name for years to come?
He clicked "ignore" quickly and sighed through his nose.
But maybe three, four, five seconds later, text messages came in from that same number.
Who the hell do you think you are, ignoring my call?
Oh, right, you think you're a girl
You're just about as useless as your mother
Akaashi's eyes skipped over the other messages, but she's glad they did.
Suddenly, she was feeling so, so sick.
"'Kaashi? You doing okay?" Bokuto looked up from his food, and the wide grin was wiped off his face, turning Akaashi into a guilty mess.
Her three roommates stopped their fun just for her, and Akaashi gritted her teeth at the little taunting words her brain shot at her. Attention whore. Weak. You're going to freak out over some texts? No wonder he called you useless!
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just a sudden stomachache."
She shot out of her chair, and headed for the bathroom.
The other three continued their meal, but Bokuto couldn't help but feel a little worried.
---
i am literally out of ideas rn send help
