"Why do you like Kuroo so much?"
Bokuto brings that question up in the locker room one day, and it's one of the first times the Fukurodani team sees Akaashi get startled.
"Kuroo-san? What do you mean?"
"Don't act all innocent!" Bokuto frowns, sounding actually hurt. "Remember our last game with them? He was flirting with you after!"
Akaashi only snorts, "We were talking about books."
"Why were you smiling and blushing then?" Bokuto snaps, and Konoha laughs across the room.
"It's true, we all saw you."
Akaashi paused a few seconds before sighing and grabbing his stuff. "Stop asking stupid questions, Bokuto-san."
"I-- hey!" Bokuto almost runs after him. "You avoided the question!"
---
"Bokuto."
Akaashi didn't even say his name like usual. He sounded angry when he walked into the locker room after practice.
"Bokuto, you've been sulking all day."
Komi and Konoha in the background visibly scooted back; everyone except Bokuto had the instinct to stay away from Akaashi in his bad moods.
"Why would you care?" He retorted back like a child, looking almost sad. "Why don't you just go talk to Kuroo or whatever?"
Akaashi put his head in his hands shamefully, letting out a long sigh.
"Bokuto."
"Y-- yeah?"
"Why do you think I care?" Akaashi snaps. "Why do you think I deal with your bullshit, and your pranks, and your owl puns? Why do you think I give you hugs when you're sad, and take care of you when your sick, and talk to you about your feelings?"
"I-- I don't know?"
Akaashi looks like he wants to punch a wall. "Because I love you, dumbass! Kuroo's a great friend and he's pretty hot but I only love you! If I didn't like any of you guys on the team, I'd quit volleyball in seconds."
Bokuto looked completely dumbfounded. First it was the angry mood that their team rarely got to see. Second... did Akaashi just confess to him?
There was a third thing, too. "Hold on, hold on, Kuroo's hot?"
"Yeah, okay, I'm leaving," Akaashi sighs, grabbing his things and slamming the door behind him, for the second day in a row.
"You're avoiding the question again! Akaashi, wait up!"
