I'll let you shatter me with your pain. *BokuAka*

Catching my Breath

Most of the pain Akaashi experiences don't belong to him. He has experienced heartbreak, despite never being in love. He has experienced a broken arm, without ever injuring himself. He has experienced flu symptoms, while being in the peak of health.

Akaashi Keiji is an empath.

He sits writing down biology notes, waiting for his classmate in front of him to pass the worksheets packed with scientific jargon and minuscule spaces to write the answers in. He's never been much of a science person, despite those around him thinking that he's into all subjects known to mankind. Honestly, he thinks that the real science nerd anyone should be paying attention to is Kuroo.

"Here. God, this shit is such a bore. I am going to die," Suzuki mutters under his breath his usual complaints as he gives Akaashi the dreaded sheet of paper. During the brief moment that their fingers touch, Akaashi feels dull hunger pains in the pit of his stomach. That explains why Suzuki seemed irritated all day, Akaashi thinks. He's hungry, most likely skipped breakfast.

Akaashi's perception skills have always been very high due to his rare power. Making assumptions about the various pains he experiences when he touches people is a part of his daily life now, inevitably. He never told anyone about his gift. Akaashi prefers to use his power like he usually conducts his business; quickly, quietly and with everything under control.

Once the tedious lessons are finally done and over with, Akaashi heads down to the club room to get changed for practice. He's in a less-than-contented mood after having to take care of class duty more or less on his own, due to his partner being absent from catching the flu. He should have expected much; the warning signs were there when he touched him the day before. At times like this, Akaashi's empath power does little to help him.

Nobody else is in the club room except for Akaashi. They've all changed into their volleyball jerseys while Akaashi was wiping the blackboard and checking the cleaning equipment. His irritation softens as he pulls his jersey on; the thought of volleyball always manages to lift his spirits up.

"Hey, Akaashi! What's up? Did you get held back by the teacher?" Konoha asks, his keen eyes squinting as he grins at the second year. Practice had started, but just barely. Akaashi observes Bokuto helping out Suzumeda and Shirofuku with taking out the volleyballs and setting up the nets, which meant that they had probably only stretched, at most.

Akaashi shakes his head, but Komi interjects before he can say anything. "Nah. He's not Bokuto! He knows how to get shit done. Isn't that right, Akaashi?" There's a sharp "Hey!", from Bokuto a moment later, which Komi only acknowledges with a snort.

"My partner wasn't in. I had to finish up the classroom duties on my own," Akaashi explains, making sure that he didn't sound like he was complaining. It seems like a trivial issue to be annoyed about once he voices it out. He paces over to the wall to start stretching, and joins the others on the court without delay.

As soon as Akaashi picks up a volleyball and beings to practice his serves, Bokuto approaches him with his usual enthusiasm. "Akaashi! Once we're all done with the usual menu, toss to me! You'll do it for me, won't you?"

Akaashi has learned in the year and a half he's spent with Bokuto that his powers have never been more useful to him. He's learned more about Bokuto than he had ever intended to when he first met him. He knows what sauce Bokuto likes on his meat, why he detests wooden gates with a passion, and what colour all his stuffed animals are. All the information about Bokuto is filed in a drawer in Akaashi mind, to be used efficiently whenever he sees fit to do so.

It's easy for Akaashi to focus on his receiving and setting practices, but he can't help but to glance over at Bokuto, who stares at him with the corner of his lips lifted in anticipation. The captain is probably the most easily excited human Akaashi has ever encountered, with massive ups and downs that the team had dubbed "Bokuto's emo mode". Thankfully, Akaashi finds it easy to predict when one of Bokuto's moods are approaching. After all, he hasn't been entrusted with taking care of Bokuto for nothing. He's positive that he knows Bokuto like the back of his hand.