INFINITY [one-shots]

april fools (haikyuu)

— in which bokuto pranks akaashi for april fools by telling him he is straight.

it was the start of april, and the sun was threatening to sink deeper into the sky. most of the fukurodani academy students had gone home, except for a few— the members of the volleyball team.

practice had just ended, so they were packing up the equipment. bokuto was boasting to his teammates about his insane cross-shots today, and they let him; competitions were nearing, and they wanted their captain to have as much confidence as possible.

akaashi watched them from afar, a mop in his hands. a few weeks ago, bokuto and him had gotten together. their confession consisted of messy words and stumbling emotions, but it worked out either way. heat found his cheeks while he watched his boyfriend.

"akaashi, don't just stand there and watch!" bokuto yelled out joyfully. when he attempted to make his way over, a teammate of theirs leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. an expression of hesitance flickered over his features.

"what is it?" akaashi asked, hands in his pockets. he didn't like how the rest of them had gotten awfully quiet, all of them watching the pair silently. "why'd you all go quiet?"

"akaashi." bokuto cleared his throat. strangely, he avoided eye contact. he was always brash, why activate the nerves now? "we need to talk."

panic stroke the dark-haired boy's heart. talk? what would they need to talk about, and why so suddenly? his brain began to pace a million miles per second, considering all the different possibilities for this odd occurrence.

don't overthink, he said to himself. with all his might, he kept a cool composure and said, "sure. let's step outside."

outside was a good idea, primarily. it promised privacy from their teammates, and it provided an exit if akaashi felt the need to run. he hadn't felt this way in a long, long time; not since he had gotten in his relationship. a sense of security had begun to wrap over his mind, but those words— 'we need to talk'— wiped all of that away.

"well, what did you want to say?"

bokuto breathed in deeply. his hand scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, and his eyes held traces of nervousness.

"i don't know how to say this." he sighed, his broad shoulders sagging. his hair seemed to flatten alongside his mood. "we can't be together anymore, akaashi."

"oh."

akaashi felt like he should've expected it. he felt like he had heard those bone-crushing words before they had fully left bokuto's lips. he felt like he was a fool for thinking anything else; for thinking their relationship could go well when it was going south now.

he had been a fool to think bokuto had truly loved him. he had been stupid to think that anyone would want to be with him.

"may i ask why?" he had to try his best to hold his tears. he wasn't opposed to crying in front of bokuto, but now was not the time to sob or to whine. he had to know why, to know if there was a chance he could fix himself— to change himself so bokuto would love him again.

"i... i'm straight."

now he'd done it. his own curiosity would kill him.

"i thought i wasn't, and i used you to experiment with my sexuality. i'm sorry, akaashi."

his heart did not know whether to lighten or to sink deeper into his chest. he was straight. bokuto, the boy he loved most, was straight?

so it wasn't his fault. it wasn't a flaw in his personality that made bokuto recoil from their relationship, it wasn't his own actions that convinced bokuto to leave.

then why did it still hurt so much?

there was nothing he could do to get bokuto back. he was standing right before him, but it felt like his star was fading into the sky, never returning despite his attempts to reach out. there was nothing he could say because bokuto would never be attracted to him, would never love him romantically.

"i understand," akaashi said quietly, but he did not. he did not understand. why him? why did bokuto have to use him to experiment with his sexuality? why did he have to lead him on and let him believe that they had a chance at forever?

he was an idiot, but so was bokuto.

"w- wait! akaashi!" he was calling out now, as akaashi walked away from him. "where are you going?"

"home."

"akaashi!"

he did not halt in his path. he did not stop walking, he did not turn back, he did not say anything. instead, he traced his steps back to his home, seeking the comfort of his bed to cry in.

"akaashi, hold on!" bokuto raced to his side and grabbed his wrist. he didn't seem to realise the effect his own touch would give akaashi— the way it electrified him, made him crave his nostalgic warmth.

"bokuto-san," he said calmly, "please let go."

"it was a prank!" bokuto exclaimed loudly. he had some audacity. "konoha made me do it!"

from behind them, akaashi could hear their teammate yell, "don't blame it on me, dumbass! i'm going to get scolded!"

akaashi's lips were quivering, but he managed to choke out, "it was a prank?"

"yes! for april fools! did i get you?"

the raging sea that surrounded his mind seemed to still, and his tornado of emotions ceased to whirl. he let out a breath of relief.

"yes, bokuto-san. you got me."

bokuto appeared happy by his success, yet his expression held its prior worry. "okay, i can boast about it later. are you okay?"

his hand touched akaashi's cheek, cupping his face altogether. he was a boy of extroverted feelings, but the tenderness in his voice made akaashi melt slightly.

"as long as you don't do that ever again."

he cracked a grin. "i won't, i promise!"

his joy made akaashi happy, too. he took bokuto's hand from his cheek and held it in his own.

as long as they were together, his serenity and sanity would continue to exist, because bokuto was his star and they would shine. they were the protagonists, after all.