always...

chapter 10 - bokuaka

akaashi sighed, staring at his phone screen once again.

god, i hope suga's okay...he doesn't deserve to suffer like that...

the second year setter turned over in his bed once again, causing the owl headed man next to him to stir.

"kaashi? why are you awake? it's almost...it's late, go back to sleep," bokuto muttered, half asleep.

"it's nothing, don't worry about it," akaashi whispered back.

"mm...nope, it's definitely not nothing. i'm awake now, so talk keiji," bokuto said, turning over to face akaashi.

"daichi broke up with suga," akaashi blurted out. "tōru, eita, and i just talked to him and he's doing the thing where he plays it off with jokes again and we're all just really worried about him."

"wait, what? they broke up? that doesn't make any sense-" bokuto started.

"i know. oikawa and i think it might be related to daichi's parents' divorce, but suga didn't tell us much about what was going on between them lately in general either...kōtarō, i'm just so scared...you know how kōshi is...we all know he's been self destructive in the past and i just don't want him to spiral ag-"

"pause, keiji..." bokuto said softly as he placed his hand along akaashi's jawline, gently caressing his cheek.

"i know you're worried...frankly, i am too. we all care about suga and we will all be there to support him. the best thing that any of us can do right now is just be there for him...honestly...maybe for daichi too because that must have been hard for him to do," he reasoned.

"i-okay..." akaashi whispered, nuzzling his face into bokuto's hand.

bokuto pulled akaashi in towards his body, wrapping his arms around him and resting his head on top of akaashi's. with their bodies pressed together, the ace started to run his fingers through akaashi's hair, combing through his soft, dark locks. the setter hummed, reaching up to hold bokuto's other hand which was wrapped around him, enjoying the sensation of his boyfriend's hands playing with his hair.

"kōtarō?"

"yes, keiji?"

"what about us...?"

"what do you mean?"

"...do you think that...we'll...break up too?"

akaashi turned over to face bokuto again, his sharp blue eyes bright enough to see even in the dark.

"i...i don't know, if i'm completely honest. the future is uncertain and we have no idea what might happen or what situations may be thrown at us...but the one thing i know for sure is that it's you and me, keiji. i love you more than anything, and i don't plan on leaving you, ever. we, are the protagonists of the world...remember?"

"i remember," akaashi whispered.

bokuto gently kissed akaashi's forehead, then pressed his own against it.

"you and me against the world, keiji. i love you."

"i love you too."

bokuto began humming a soft tune as he rubbed little circles into the small of akaashi's back. eventually, akaashi's eyelids grew heavier with each second that he allowed himself to completely relax into bokuto's touch.

slowly, the two boys drifted off into a peaceful sleep, certainty in their hearts and in their minds that they'd always face the world together.