Inked Skin - Bokuaka

Chapter 5 - Control

Warning: there's a somewhat detailed description of a mild panic attack. If you can't handle that then please comment and I'll tell you what parts to avoid

And yes, as so many people have pointed out in this chapter, not all panic attacks occur like the one I have written in this book.

Not everyone experiences the same thing.

~~~

The air rang with shouts, thumping of receives and calls for a spike. Akaashi devoured all of these sounds, eyes unable to pull away from Bokuto Kotaro.

His...soul mate. It felt unreal.

They had played one set already, his team losing, and now they were half way through their second.

This meant he knew he'd be switched in soon, would try throw off the other team with his new plays, his fast style and calm collected technique.

The only reason he was the sub setter was because their main setter was a third year, and their team prided themselves on honor.

No matter how good Akaashi was, they wouldn't trade him for an experienced third year. Or at least not until half way through the match, when they realized they needed his adapted skills.

But for now. For now he could watch, and he was glad for it.

As ridiculous as it sounds, Bokuto totally wasn't, as well as totally was, the image he had attached to the voice of writing that littered Akaashis skin. Excitable.

He watched as Bokuto wiped the sweat from his forehead, eyes concentrating, waiting with a serious expression, and then he was calling for the ball, launching into the air with a flawless form and slamming a cross spike down over the net.

The smile returned to his face, he lifted his arms in victory, swiveling around to demand the attention of his team.

Akaashi pulled his hands away from each other as they threatened to clap, instead curling his fingers over his knees.

From his showy bleached hair that looked like the soft baby feathers under a wing, to his animated grin, always high and proud on his face, apart from when contemplating the game.

It all matched the exclamation marks, obvious asks for praise and frivolous innocent questions that he had bombarded Akaashi with only just last night.

I mean who had a favorite brand of spaghetti. Who asked if someone had a favorite brand of spaghetti.

How was Akaashi meant to answer that?

Suddenly he was besieged by hot breath and heavy pants as Konoha came and sat on the bench, being switched out.

"Were gonna need you sooner than expected" Konoha laughed as Akaashi handed him a water bottle.

He skulled it down with tremendous force.

"Yeah" Akaashi sighed, pulling at the long sleeves of his elbow pads. Konoha followed his movement, frowning.

"Those sure are gonna be annoying. I basically had to fight the coaches nosy questions away as to why you were wearing them".