Notes

It took a drive for Akaashi to confirm his worst suspicions. Something had changed upon seeing his friend focused on a task. He could only look down at the pink lunchboxes to avoid staring too much. Though, Bokuto only offered sweet smiles even if he were caught looking at him.

A day or two had passed, and Akaashi found himself at work with Sugawara. Only then did he realize he forgot to ask Kageyama about Kuroo Tetsurou. He clicked his tongue in disappointment and turned to a curious Sugawara. A wave of silence fell upon them as they shared a knowing look.

"Even if I ask what happened, you'll just say you made out," Sugawara sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes at his colleague and best friend.

"Something happened," Akaashi nearly cut him off. He was fast to admit it, without having a plan of how to shape an explanation.

Sugawara raised his eyebrows in concern and quieted down. Akaashi couldn't read the fear Sugawara felt in the pit of his stomach. If anything happened to him in the hands of Bokuto, Sugawara was done with jokes. He was ready to start a war if needed. He just hoped it wasn't the case.

"Up until now, everything has been normal. Stricly a friend whom I appreciate. Yesterday it was weird. He did things, such as holding the door for me, making me food, serving me, offering me drinks, and all. Obviously, it's hospitality. The man is good at it. Anyway, he served me water since I felt a tiny bit tipsy. I don't know. My stomach just progressed from yesterday," Akaashi admitted openly, and quietly monitoring the customers browsing through anything. Sugawara had already asked them whether they needed assistance, to which they declined.

Sugawara widened his eyes but was met with Akaashi's hopeless gaze. He didn't find a source of happiness and excitement on Akaashi's face. Sugawara hummed in thought. He felt as if his friend had the wrong approach to it. As Akaashi told him the situation, he quietly processed the information and tried to word proper advice. There happened to be a second, in which everything clicked. Sugawara's eyes widened at that second and tried biting back his grin. The way Akaashi told the situation, made him realize that his predictions came true. Ah, what a wonderful moment to be alive.

"I'm not jinxing anything. I'm just saying that the gestures are pure hospitality. At the same time... It's like, he's very attractive. It obviously matters, since you find him attractive. Bokuto doing these actions tells you how he'd take care of someone. Your head definitely finds it attractive in a man to be responsible and independent. That's what it sounds like to me." Sugawara tried to reason, with a hum following the reflection. He wouldn't be surprised to learn that Akaashi's type of men included maturity and independence.

Despite the daily day advice, Akaashi still had a conflicted look on his face. It was as if Akaashi had a revelation, and not a good one. He quietly brought up his phone, feeling a churn of nervousness spiral in the pit of his stomach. Sugawara could just look curiously and wonder what the action was leading to. Was he going to message the so-called person?

Instead, Sugawara was fascinated to see Akaashi hesitantly searching up Bokuto on instagram. The silver-head was unaware of how Akaashi's heart beat faster upon seeing the mere name. He breathed deeply through his nose, and let it out through his mouth. Akaashi proceeded to empty his head for thoughts.

It took around two or three pictures of Bokuto for Akaashi to shut his phone off. He was right. Akaashi clasped the bridge of his nose, before looking at Sugawara hopelessly. His heartbeat was running a marathon, and the explosion of vivid excitement ran through his stomach again. Bodily reactions counted as symptoms of something Akaashi didn't want to have. The illness of having a crush.

"Oh my," Sugawara replied to the expression lowly. Their eye contact let Sugawara know all he needed to know. Akaashi's gaze was vulnerable, surprised, confused, and lost. He wasn't necessarily vulnerable in a sad way. Akaashi was vulnerable in an honest way as if to drop all jokes from that moment forward.

"We are having a celebration in honor of your first crush," Sugawara deadpanned. Akaashi didn't bother correcting Sugawara with useless statistics. He could only agree to talk with both of his closest friends present.

Sugawara had known him for nearly eight years. They met at a festival. Artists were lined up in artful banners, and both of them were present for a smaller group. Sugawara was the one to approach Akaashi, merely by the sight of his shirt. The same band, different album shirt. They were seventeen and eighteen. Akaashi had lost his friends in a crowd at the very beginning of the festival and had to spend the rest in solitude. Until Sugawara came along.

Sugawara had been the older friend who made him realize his friends were trash for leaving him alone. Then, two years later, Sugawara had come to Akaashi about his date. It wasn't unusual. Akaashi had disapproved a large majority of the dates Sugawara had been on. A few were after a free meal. One of them was after Sugawara's looks and was disappointed by his personality that apparently didn't match. Anyone before Daichi was complete trash.

Needless to say, Akaashi used to be Sugawara's dating compass. It made a foundation of humor now that the tables had turned. Akaashi wasn't the type to have serious crushes. Sugawara did admire Akaashi's priority of education and career. However, he did see this coming. Feelings were hidden in a container within Akaashi's heart, and they were destined to make it out.

"First, nothing good will come out from pretending it's not there. It doesn't have to be hardcore feelings to be revealed, you know," Sugawara stated. Akaashi was the type to strive to hide any feelings or crushes for no reason.

"True," Akaashi acknowledged. He seemed to shock Sugawara with his agreement. He was conflicted about what to do. It wasn't as if the tradition of hanging out would fade away.

Speaking the devil's name led Akaashi's phone to ping. He soon discovered Bokuto had sent him a simple meme. Akaashi kept his cool through the heating system in his cheeks. At the very least, he attempted to.

"Look at that smile," Sugawara cooed lightly and leaned over to get a peek at the meme. It was a simple meme about psychics. It fitted them, Sugawara thought to himself.

"The meme is funny," Akaashi purposely debunked having a crush. He knew he was smiling due to receiving a text from Bokuto. With a cool head, he decided to text back.

Akaashi Keiji: do you think the psychic casts spells to make it true

Bokuto Koutarou: Nah, she sends out a spy to watch over the couples she draws out.

Akaashi Keiji: I have an idea.

Bokuto Koutarou: I'm reading/listening!

Akaashi Keiji: Let's set the psychic up with a documentary director. Karma?

Bokuto Koutarou: The psychic and the documentary director: the movie?

Akaashi Keiji: Anything to stop this scam :(

Bokuto Koutarou: Understandable, soldier. I'll come back to you with an e-mail of a director.

It was inevitable to see Akaashi chuckling and grinning at the dumb conversation. Sugawara found it sweet to see his friend relax and text whatever came to mind. If their boss gave a shit, they would be upset from Akaashi's screentime during work. Luckily for them, the self-service machines did their job for them.

"He's funny. He is," Akaashi commented during the conversation. Sugawara nodded at his comment and imagined Akaashi's symptoms of crushing.

For the record, Akaashi's heart did acrobatics from the conversation. He swore it took a day for everything to flip in regards to his newest friend. Akaashi was still taken aback by how the changes happened. Bokuto didn't do anything, but he did everything at the same time. His personality led up to catching feelings.

Sugawara and Akaashi both had to do work once a group of teenagers entered. They were actually uplifting and excited about manga. Sugawara had fun introducing different series to them. Akaashi managed to calm down internally and do his job without being emotionally distracted.

In Akaashi's case, he wouldn't refuse a gathering to celebrate his feelings of a crush. He could only wait for tonight.
-

Sugawara wasn't joking. As soon as their uniforms were off, he was taking Akaashi to the store. They were buying a few dumb balloons for fun, and most snacks. One could wonder what they were celebrating with four green-colored balloons and tons of a lot of chips.

Their trip to the liquor store was the most fun. Sugawara swore by white wine to 14%, while Akaashi had enough with a few cans of cider. His face did heat up once he caught a glimpse of the cider Bokuto had served him. Suddenly, he had changed his mind. He would admit that the ice tea peach flavored cider was darned good. Sugawara just chose to believe Akaashi's crush drove him to choose the drinks.

Regardless, both of them were ID'd as always. Sugawara was fast to take it as a compliment, while Akaashi was tired of being dependent on his ID.

"Feels good to look young," Sugawara sighed heavily at the weight of the bag. He insisted on being the best person to bring rum for his fiance. Akaashi had to snort at the violent clanking of glasses from the glass. They theoretically looked like teenagers who were going to a party, on a weekday. People did stare. People definitely stared due to the clear noise.

Akaashi assisted in putting the groceries in the backseat, before sitting in the front seat. Sugawara wasn't a terrible driver. When Bokuto was behind the wheel, he looked so relaxed and focused. It was fascinating to see. Akaashi could admit that much, even if it were because Bokuto was attractive behind the wheel too.

Sugawara and Daichi's complex wasn't too far off. Their street was the victim of mass traffic from the highway. Sugawara was used to listening through a playlist before he'd have the chance to turn into his street. Akaashi patiently sat beside him, with his phone in his lap.

Akaashi Keiji: The psychic won't predict what's on her way now.

Bokuto Koutarou: Checkmate: Psychic edition

Akaashi Keiji: Movie title: acquired.

Bokuto Koutarou: No one will know what the context for that random title is HAHAHA

Akaashi Keiji: Literally. We're the only ones who'd understand the entire thing HAHA.

It wasn't too natural for Akaashi to type out a laugh, and he sure hope it didn't show. However, he swore he chuckled from the psychic joke. Their inside joke had reached new heights, and Akaashi was entertained by it. Sugawara just sighed in delight at the sight of his friend finally having a healthy crush.

Bokuto Koutarou: Do you think the psychic would sue us?

Akaashi Keiji: She'd pull out a few cards and make us lose the case :(

Bokuto Koutarou: I'll bring out my pokemon cards :)

Akaashi Keiji: This topic needs to end

Bokuto Koutarou: HAHAH as little sense it made anyway

Akaashi laughed lightly. Unknowingly, Bokuto joined him on the other side of the screen. Akaashi enjoyed how free-spirited and friendly the conversation was. The inside jokes made it even better. After he was done having his eyes glued onto his phone, he noticed Sugawara turned into his parking.

"Time flies by when you have fun," Sugawara playfully winked at him, before straightening his parking. Akaashi just lightly rolled his eyes, before helping along with the grocery.

Daichi wasn't home. Neither would he be until a few hours.

After a prepared dinner, the useless balloons floated by Akaashi's side. It was rather funny to celebrate Akaashi's first crush in centuries. Akaashi would insist on not making a big deal of it, but nothing would help separate Sugawara and a wine bottle.

Dinner consisted of chicken soup that his mother taught him the recipe for. Akaashi's nostalgia brought him back to when he used to visit Sugawara's family house. The silver-head didn't have the time to miss his fiance still on shift. He also contributed to the conversation about his family home. Akaashi could only feel a surge of despair, knowing very well what the next topic would be.

The simple dinner was effective and fulfilling. He hadn't had Sugawara's special chicken soup in forever. Both of them cooperated in cleaning up after the meal. After they were done, no traces of their presence was left. Sugawara put the pot on the stove. The food could easily be heated up when his fiance came home.

For now, they were free to acknowledge the obvious elephant in the room. They could freely discuss what to do about Akaashi's crush on Bokuto. Sugawara's hands tinged in excitement, suddenly gaining the urge to clap to celebrate Akaashi's accomplishment.

"Here we go," Akaashi sighed lightly, and looked at his best friend who was eager to start a conversation on the matter. He only eyed the two wine glasses on the table, before catching Sugawara opening the bottle.

"This is big news! What do you mean? Bokuto is a good guy yeah?" Sugawara asked. He looked expectantly at Akaashi, whose eyebrows were furrowed for a second. The raven-haired nodded in agreement. He couldn't say anything against the statement.

"Well. What are you waiting for? Date him already." Sugawara chuckled as if to joke. However, Akaashi could tell he wasn't entirely joking. If the suggestion was serious, he was ready to counter.

"I don't think we're there," Akaashi retorted, dumbfounded. It shouldn't be a difficult quest to ask the man out. He didn't want to risk the newly established friendship.

"Life doesn't necessarily privilege everyone with easy crushing situations. It doesn't mean you should just give up completely. At least you can keep it at bay for now," Sugawara shrugged his shoulders. He wanted to be realistic to actually be helpful. He filled his glass half-full with red wine.

Here we go, Akaashi only thought to himself.