Pretty (Akaashi x Reader)

chapter twelve

say what you mean

Bokuto slid easily off the ice as you glided onto it in his place, dragging his feet as best he could in skates as he made his way over to his friend. You gave his hand a quick squeeze as you passed him, hoping he would feel better soon; it was unusual for you to see him so down in the dumps. However, you couldn't help but trust Akaashi's words when he told you it was a common occurrence for your fellow skater to get in such a mood.

Coach Ukai instructed Bokuto to 'snap out of it and stretch till he pulled a muscle' before returning his attention to you and your lesson. You tried your best to focus on the instructions he gave you, to make corrections where he told you to, but it was nigh on impossible for you to focus when you were so aware of Akaashi watching you so intently.

It was different before you knew him, and it was different when Bokuto watched, although he was much to preoccupied with huffing and puffing while he cooled down to pay any attention to you or your skating right now. Every time you paused skating to heed coach's instructions, you could feel his gaze burning into your body, the only time it ceased was when he inclined his head to speak to his friend. It was rather distracting.

The level of clumsiness that destroyed your everyday life somehow began to creep it's way onto the ice with you, somewhere you had usually managed to evade it. Whenever you caught sight of him watching you, it was like your years of training flew out the window. His stare was so... Evaluative? No. That was too cold a word, too calculating. He wasn't your competition searching for a weakness. It was more...

You didn't even know how to describe it.

But whatever it was it threw you very easily off your game. You could tell that even coach was getting exasperated with you when about half an hour into your training he let out a massive sigh and told you to a break; signaling to Akaashi that he should start warming up.

You made your way off the ice, allowing your skates to weigh down your feet as you walked, making no real effort to pick your feet up off the ground. After the slightly embarrassing performance in front of your friend (?) you didn't have it in you to put any pep in your step.

Collapsing onto the floor between Akaashi and Bokuto, you began to stretch again in an attempt to keep your muscles at least  a little bit warm. Bokuto seemed to have perked up considerable since he left the ice.

"You seem upset," Akaashi observed before really realizing the words had left his mouth.

"Yeah. I was awful." You exhaled dramatically as you leaned into a different stretch.

"No." He spoke more abruptly than intended. That happened to him a lot more often when he was around you.

You twisted slightly to face him, raising an eyebrow as you did so, uncertain whether or not it was sarcasm that clouded his tone. Surely he could not have been being serious, you were a mess out there; even by your standards.

"I just mean," He sighed at himself, why were words all the more difficult when he spoke them to you? "You shouldn't speak about yourself so negatively. You're an amazing skater."

You had to turn away. And quickly. You could feel warmth spreading to your cheeks as a smile ignited across your face. His words shouldn't effect you so deeply. Plenty of people complimented your skating, people you knew a lot better than you knew him. So why was it only his words that set the thump in your chest fluttering as quickly as the movement of a butterfly wing.

You were about to turn back to him, to thank him for his kindness but you were interrupted.

"Will you two just kiss already?" Bokuto remarked.