lunaris | akaashi keiji

𝚋𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

"One bouquet of camellias just like you asked!"

Bokuto laid the sprig of flowers gently on the table, beaming at you with a sunlit smile. You gazed at them with quiet endearment, the stark red petals almost glittering in the daylight that filtered through the windows. Having been so engrossed with updating the address book for Amatsuki shrine's followers, you didn't even hear his arrival. But you were glad he was here all the same.

"Thank you, Kou."

You smiled, admiring the effort he'd exerted to run this particular errand for yours. Bokuto Koutarou was a busy man, being the newest addition to Japan's Olympians and all. Yet he still had it in him to squeeze some time to go to the shopping district and trek up the hill just because it was that time of the month again.

"It's no problem," he laughed, adjusting the strap of a bulky travel bag over his shoulder. "My events don't start until noon anyway. Besides, I like to think I got them for you sometimes."

You looked up at him with an amused look, shaking your head as your pen scratched at the address book once more. "Kou, tease me any more and I'll begin to think you're actually flirting with me."

The Olympian's wide grin toned down into a soft twitch of his lips—a look that he only showed you when he wanted to be sincere.

"Have you seen him yet?" Bokuto asked in the same, consequential tone he'd always used when he was the topic of interest.

For the second time today, he'd ripped your attention away from the task at hand. Sighing, you left your pen inside the address book as you promptly closed it—your trusty charm tinkling on your wrist. Something told you that you weren't going to get any work done as long as Bokuto was here.

"Nope," you replied with practiced ease. He had posited the question a handful of times and you begrudgingly gave him the same answer over and over. But Bokuto's initiative to just...check in even though it was likely he'll get a response he already expected was already heartwarming as it was.

You didn't regret letting him in on the truth at all.

The plastic crinkled along with the wrapping paper of the bouquet as you moved to cradle it in your arms. The camellias bloomed vibrantly this month—so much like that person's eyes that it almost hurt to look at them. But you held your gaze, one deft finger caressing the petals with careful tenderness.

"Do you think he would've followed me? To the Olympics, I mean."

You glanced up at Bokuto with a confused stare that flickered into fondness as you placed the bouquet back. "I don't he think he would do that. Although...he'd definitely cheer you on in your games."

The smile he put on this time was less like something Bokuto Koutarou would crack, and more like one you would show him on your bad days. For a moment, your heart staggered with regret. Maybe you shouldn't have told him the truth about Keiji. Maybe you should have just played along with the white lie he'd fed to Bokuto (the one where he supposedly moved abroad to study). You didn't even think someone like the ace would willingly accept your crazy narrative about yokai, the lunar goddess, and the ancient Muramasa clan, and yet...

"Thank you." Bokuto spoke so softly, you barely heard the words.

You craned your neck, shooting him an incredulous look. "What for? You're the one who's been doing me favors for—"

"You trusted me enough to let me know," he explained, leaning against the windowpane as his honeyed eyes gazed outside. The remnants of winter blew past, making even Bokuto's stiff hair dance in the breeze. "Ever since Akaashi just disappeared like that without telling me anything, I thought of how inadequate I was. Not just as a captain, but as his friend. Something was obviously bugging him at the time, but I guess he thought I might just babble to the wrong people. Or worse, I wouldn't understand." His mouth twitched into a frown, broad shoulders sagging with guilt. "I was probably just a bother to him."