Love in the Air

Part 1

“Don't stare, It’s rude.”
Your mother’s voice echoed in your head every time you caught yourself. You look away, but no matter the conversation you found yourself in, no matter who grabbed your attention. You still found your gaze making its way across the table. He really didn’t draw much attention to himself, but he was captivating. The way his fingers held his glass, and the small smile he would wear as he joked with Bokuto and his friends at the other end of the table. There was something in the peaceful aura around him that you couldn’t tear your eyes away from.

“Something caught your eye?” Hana leaned over and whispered, her grin anything but kind.

“Not particularly.” You said forcing your gaze away and back to the food in front of you.

She laughed and took a sip of her drink. “His name is Akaashi Keiji. He’s Kou’s best man. You should go introduce yourself Ms. Maid of Honor. You’ll be seeing plenty of each other until the wedding and that’s why I organized this dinner in the first place. Do you know how hard it is to make a reservation for twenty people?”

“Twenty people is hard? And you’re out here trying to plan your whole wedding?”

“Twenty is where I cap it. I hired a planner to do the hard work for the wedding, and you’re in charge of anything related to the bridal party. I just have to give the orders,” she replied. “And my first order of business right now is that you stop staring and go and talk to him before the dinner is over.”

You sighed at her insistence. “I already know who he is. I’ve met Bokuto’s friends before.”. Which was true, in passing over the years. You’ve run into them at parties, and being friends with Hana and Bokuto, you’ve met them all and are close with a few of them. 

Akaashi you’ve never formally met or been introduced to before. You weren’t super close, but you weren’t complete strangers. You’d see him in passing and at get-togethers with your college friends. He was just as visually captivating then as he is now, but there was something inside you that stopped you from breaking that ice.

“But I’ll go and talk to him after dinner because I know you won’t let it rest until I do.” you took a sip from your glass and glanced in his direction. The glasses suited him. “But just so you know, I was already planning on talking to him. there’s something I need to ask him for the wedding.” It’d be useless to fight her on it and deny that you were staring. If you didn’t she would just try and get him to go and talk to you first. It’s bound to happen so it might as well happen on your own terms. 

She giggled and threw an arm around your shoulder in a quick hug. “Isn’t it so great when you don’t fight me on getting you to talk to guys? I think it’s so great.”

“It’s only ‘cause it’s your wedding that I’m listening to you at all.” laughing as you returned her hug.

The rest of the dinner went much the same. You sneaking looks at Akaashi across the table between talking and laughing with your friends (With only the occasional teasing nudge from Hana). Deserts came and went along with a few more rounds of drinks for the whole party and a congratulatory toast for the engaged couple. 

As everyone was saying their goodbyes while making their way towards the exit you felt your best friend grasp onto your arm and tug you towards her.

“Akaashi!” she called. “Come here for a sec! Let me introduce you two.”

“I told you I would talk to him myself” you muttered trying to keep your face neutral and pleasant.

“You were taking too long,” she muttered as Akaashi made his way over to the pair of you.

“Akaashi, this is my best friend and maid-of-honor, y/n. y/n this is Bokuto’s friend and best man, Akaashi.” she grinned at the both of you as she let go of your arm and pat his. “Now you know each other. I’ll see you both later,” she called as she made her way back to Bokuto.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said. His voice sounded so smooth and even.

“You too.” ahahahahaha. He really is prettier up close. His eyes were just as captivating as the air around him. There was just something so peaceful and entrancing it was hard to look away. It was hard to find your voice, surprising you when you found it in yourself to continue. “Actually I do have something I want to ask you”

“What is it?” he asked, his expression not giving away too much. You hoped that it was friendly intrigue that you were able to pick up on beyond his neutral composure.

“I know that you’re super close with Bokuto and I was wondering if you could help me with a gift that I want to put together for the two of them? You know more about him and his friends than I do so it would really help in making it good for the two.”

He smiled, and you couldn’t tear your gaze away from that even if you’d wanted to. “Yeah, sure. I think they both would like that.”

“Cool, thank you so much! I appreciate it. Again, it was really nice to meet you.” You smile and turn to leave before your nerves take over. If they did you’re not sure how you’d face him at the next wedding event.

You don’t get far before he calls out after you. You freeze and turn praying to whoever was in charge that he hadn’t caught your staring throughout the evening.

 “It’d be easier to help if I knew how to contact you” He grinned, a teasing glint in his eyes. He pulls his phone out from his pocket.

“Oh yeah of course,” you answered. You felt the slight blush creeping up your neck as you reached to grab it from him. “I completely blanked.” You quickly entered your number and texted yourself before handing it back to him.

“Great,” He smiled. “I think this is a good wedding gift for them. I’ll be seeing you, y/n.” He gave you a small wave as he turned to walk back to the friends he had come with.

“Yeah,” you breathed, as you watched him leave. The train ride home was much shorter than the one on the way there.