Decisions ~ BokuAka

3. Walking Outside

Amaya looked up from her breakfast as she heard her younger brother stand, confused. Was he going to bed again? Was his illness that bad?

She looked to their father, who just shrugged. She got up and followed him. "Keiji!"

Akaashi turned, confused. "What is it?"

Amaya took his arm. "Where are you going?"

"To the garden. I want to go take a walk and get some fresh air." He started walking with her close, tired.

"How have you been feeling?"

"I've been feeling a little better."

"Mama told me you were sleeping by the fire."

"I was cold."

Amaya smiled. "And now you want to go out into the cold?"

Akaashi nodded.

"I'll help you into your coat, don't worry."

Akaashi opened his door and Amaya helped him get dressed. Usually Akaashi would prefer to do this on his own but it was okay. He walked out of the castle with Amaya by his side and she led him around the garden. Akaashi hated the snow on the paths since it made him stumble but tried to ignore it. Amaya was waking too fast and he had a headache but he just wanted to walk.

"Amaya! Come inside ma'am! Your younger sisters are asking for you!"

Amaya turned to Akaashi, who smiled. "I'll be okay."

"Make sure to stay out of the snow, okay? I'll come get you as soon as I'm done."

Akaashi nodded and hummed as Amaya kissed his hair. She had always been affectionate and he had never found it odd. She walked off and Akaashi discovered that there were no more paths with no snow. He opened the gate to the garden and followed the main trail, just wandering to clear his mind.

The snow was starting to seem as if it piled again and he turned to the left, going down a hill that headed towards the castle. It was bright outside and the snow was irritating to look at since it was bright but the air felt nice on his lungs. He heard clanging and double checked that the path down that way was clear. It was and he headed that way.

What sort of clanging came from this area? He'd never heard it before. In fact he'd never even seen this trail before. It was well kempt and had boot prints along the side of the trail.

He took a deep breath and choked on his spit, starting a coughing fit. It hurt a bit and the pain in his throat nearly went straight to his head. He hated being sick for this very reason. His symptoms piled up with incredibly fast until-

Akaashi redirected himself in time to throw up in the snow instead of on the gravel.

Oh good lord if someone reported to his father that he had gotten sick on the lawn he'd have a fit. Akaashi really didn't feel well, especially not after throwing up. He started to try and move the snow with his boot but the clanking a while away faded out of his mind and he felt nauseous again, only that it was more in his stomach this time.

He grabbed for the ground so he wouldn't hit it and missed by a long shot, getting his hand in the snow in his confusion. That would hurt later.

****

"Ay! Some servant is asking for that basket of bread boy! Hurry up!"

Bokuto groaned, grabbing the basket. "I'm going! I'm going!"

"You better!"

"Love you!"

Bokuto opened the door to the little home he shared with his parents, running down the trail up to the castle. He had to give a basket of bread to a guard who would then give it to a servant who then would give it to the maid helping the princesses. He knew he wasn't allowed to even step foot in the castle unless it was where he worked so he didn't mind.

Up ahead he saw his aunt, who he happily greeted with a hug. "Hey! Hey! Hey!"

"Kotarou! Oh goodness have you grown again?!"

"Oh no ma'am, I'm same as ever!"

She smiled and pat his shoulder. "Thank you for clearing all of the walkways. It helps me keep my boots dry."

"Of course."

"Run along before you get scolded again. Go, go!"

Bokuto kissed her cheek and kept running. He loved living so close to the castle. He worked for them as a blacksmith but currently had no work to do and since he was near the castle he could openly work and work. Work was fun and he loved it despite people looking down on him for being so dirty.

He stopped at the gate and handed the basket over. "This is to go to the princesses."

The guard nodded and walked off. Bokuto smiled. He grabbed his shovel and headed to go clear off the trail he hadn't gotten to yet. It took him half an hour and when he got to the end he decided to make sure the trails were clear. He worked all day to clear them over the last week.

He noticed a mess of snow and groaned. "Are you fucking with me right now..."

He walked over to the mess of snow and realized it was more than just a mess. It was snow scattered up to a tree where someone was laying at the base of the trunk. He dropped the shovel and hurried to the man at the tree.

His lips were blue and he was covered in his own sick. The clothes he had on looked very different from anyone else's and didn't look fancy either which likely meant he worked somewhere else in the castle and had gotten sick.

Bokuto put his hand in front of the man's mouth, making sure he was breathing. When air brushed past his fingers he let out a relieved sigh. He took the smaller male's coat and replaced it with his own. "Good God..."

Bokuto felt him move and his eyes widened.

"Hey, hey, hey relax. It's okay. You got sick and I'm going to make sure you get better, okay?" Bokuto heard a soft whine emit from him. "Did you hurt something?"

"Mhmm..."

"Can you move any?"

"Mph..." Akaashi felt spit come into his mouth and couldn't control the fact that he was throwing up yet again. His stomach hurt so bad and he had come to a conclusion that it wasn't just a cold and that someone had given him something that made him ill earlier.

Bokuto tilted him away from his chest and Akaashi spit up and threw up the last of what was in his system. Bokuto wiped away his spit and held him tighter. He stood slowly and headed towards his home on a different trail, the coat Akaashi had been wearing over his shoulder. "Tell me if you feel like you need me to stop again, okay?"

"Mhmm..."

Bokuto's heart broke as he felt just how thin he felt in his arms. The kingdom didn't treat those who were frail well and he hated it. This poor boy was so tired that he'd gotten sick all over himself and fainted. "Let's go get you cleaned up and in bed. My aunt and mom are great with helping with sick people."

Akaashi stayed silent, clinging to Bokuto's shirt. He was so cold and his body hurt so bad. Bokuto held him tighter.

"You sleeping there bud? You must be tired."

Akaashi did feel himself start to drift off and just let this happen. He'd wake up in time to get back to the castle. It was okay. Hopefully it would be alright as he slept wherever he was being put.