cold hands | bokuaka ✓

8。glowing golden

akaashi throws on a scarf before stepping out of the apartment complex. as soon as he does, he can see bokuto waving from across the street.

"akaashi!"

he rushes to the flower shop and greets bokuto, who's already energetic.

"hey hey, akaashi! you cold?" he nods in response. "c'mon inside."

the door closes itself with a soft click. the cold air gets trapped outside, allowing akaashi to take off his coat and feel more comfortable in the turtleneck he'd changed into.

the two step into the flower shop. akaashi immediately notices the changes to the store: the flowers had been rearranged, a few pots had a new coat of paint, and the windows had been cleaned recently.

"you gotta come see these," bokuto says, motioning for akaashi to follow him to a door in the back. "it's the seeds we just received."

they step into the back of the store. the lights turn on, illuminating the room so that akaashi can see the crowded arrangement of shelves. bokuto pulls some bags out from one of them and hands it to akaashi.

he looks over them and reads the labels as "pumpkin patch 1", and then 2 and 3 up until 10.

"why 10?" he asks, handing the bags back.

"they're sold in 4 different colours and i wanted at least one—preferably two—of each, so i got 10," bokuto explains, gently putting the seeds back on the shelf.

"four colours? interesting, which ones?"

he stretches a smile at the question. "orange, white, blue, and red!"

"blue pumpkins...?" akaashi mumbles, trying to imagine it. "i don't think i've ever seen one of those before."

"they're really something! you'll be impressed. i'll make you impressed, akaashi!"

something about the way he says it makes his heart flutter. why does he act like he wants me to be impressed so badly?

akaashi clutches his coat in his hands. "do you want to feel validated somehow, bokuto-san?"

bokuto lets his gaze drop to the other's coat. "shall i take that off your hands for now?"

"oh..." did he just avoid my question? "sure."

bokuto swiftly takes the jacket from akaashi, making him shiver at the touch. "your hands—"

bokuto hangs up the coat to the wall. "cold, are they?"

"yes."

"i haven't gotten near a fire today," he says. "not a lot of warmth in here during winter."

bokuto faces akaashi again. "i think by spring, my hands will be okay."

he cuts off akaashi's questions with a grin. "you'll see! i have a lot to work with."

out of nowhere, akaashi's hands are covered in chills again. "hey," bokuto says, "your hands are cold too."

"they seem warm to me," akaashi casually replies, missing every single hint bokuto tried to give him from the beginning of their conversation. "i didn't notice."

bokuto lets go of the other's hands. "if we had more time, i could make your hands warmer. with a cup of coffee or something. then neither of us would be cold."

for a second, akaashi imagines sitting by a fireplace, holding a mug during winter. it was the one dream kept consistent throughout his life so far.

"i don't doubt you on that," he responds, smiling faintly.

akaashi checks his phone. it's past 7 and he doesn't want to miss his favourite nightly game show. "i'll have to be going now." he takes his coat off the hanger and slips it on. "see you tomorrow."

he walks out the door, turning his head to wave goodbye.

just before the door closes itself, the same frigid hand grasps his wrist. "wait, don't leave yet."

akaashi turns back around at the sound of his voice. "hm? what is it, bokuto?"

"oh..." for a split second, his expression switches to a defeated look. "how was your first day at work?"

akaashi shrugs. he can't really think of anything to describe it. it was nothing special, after all. "it was the s-"

he cut himself off. he'd almost said "the same", as if that would cover anything. then he remembered that he'd just started, so there was no before to compare to.

"-the start of a whole new experience," he finishes, saying the first thing he can think of.

the street lights flicker on at that moment, shining through the windows and revealing bokuto's grin. i guess he liked that answer?

"the way you put it sounds happy, but mysterious," he observes out loud. "are you always like that, akaashi?"

"oh..." akaashi hides his face for a second, a bit embarrassed.

"haha!" bokuto's sudden laugh snaps him out of his thoughts. "i guess i'll find out when i get to know you better!"

when.

not if, but when.

akaashi chuckles, pushing aside his memories. "you're confident, aren't you?"

"sure am! i can make good impressions."

"oh, really?" akaashi raises his eyebrows. "how so?"

"you like flowers, don't you?"

"i adore them."

"then i've already won," bokuto states boldly.

akaashi wants to question further, but doesn't know what to ask. "i suppose i'll have to wait to find out what you mean?"

bokuto pulls on a smug look. he looks like he's planning something, and it's pretty obvious. "you'll see the day after tomorrow."

the day after tomorrow, when i have to wear those clothes. "right. the day after tomorrow."

there's a silent goodbye as the two wave to each other again. akaashi folds his hands together to keep himself warm.

"see you tomorrow!" bokuto calls out. akaashi catches one more glimpse at the other's face.

now, maybe it's just an illusion, but something about the energy in his voice make his golden eyes shine brighter. even at night, they are glowing.

。 。 。
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