Pretty Boy (bokuaka)

10) Curiosity

I did as Bokuto said and found him waiting for me at the front gate of Fukurodani. "Hey, Bokuto," I say as I become in hearing range.

He looks up from his phone and smiles. "Hey, Akaashi! How was your day?" He turned and we began walking down the route to my house. I shrug, it was okay. "Not gonna say anything?"

I glance at him, "it was fine, Bokuto." I'm skeptical of what it is he wanted to talk about. "Why could you not tell me what you wanted to say over text?"

He doesn't answer for a minute, his smile soft as he looked up to the sky, his nose and cheeks slightly pink from the temperature. It's almost winter.

"Because I have manners," he answers after quite a bit of me staring at him and his distracted eyes. He looked back to me, making me avert my gaze, pretending I hadn't just been watching him. "I.. I wanted to talk to you about the party. I didn't want to at the hospital because, well.. It wasn't the right scenario, ya know?"

I take a deep breath, I wish everyone would just forget about the stupid party and that stupid game of truth or dare and that stupud kiss. "What about the party?" I say, swallowing past my annoyance and anxiety. "Kind of a lot happened."

He laughed, making my heart flutter, though, not painfully. Not in the slightest (the hanahaki still isn't returning) which I'm thankful for. "Yeah, a lot did happen, huh?" He thought for a second, "were you there when Kenma threw up in the sink?"

I shake my head, "no."

"Oh, well, it happened before the game of truth or dare. I actually think you had gone up to the bathroom at that time."

"Right," I say unsure of a progressive response.

"Anyway," he says, taking the conversation. "First I wanted to apologize. For what happened with your illness or whatever."

I tilt my head, "what do you have to be sorry for?"

He puts his hand behind his head and rubs awkwardly at his neck. "Well, you said your lungs were pretty bad, I guess kissing me made it hard to breathe, huh?" He was so casual about it, I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or annoyed because of it.

I nod, putting aside my paranoid thoughts. "You have no idea."

"Yeah," he said, pausing again. "Listen," he said, his smile falling. He rarely went straight-faced so I knew he was about to be serious. He stopped walking and I did as well, turning back to keep my eyes on him.

"Bokuto. What is it?"

"I know everything happened pretty fast," he says quickly, his eyes on the ground. His golden eyes looked up to my dark ones, "so correct me if I'm wrong,.. but you looked sad after what I had said before the kiss."

Oh. I can't admit that I was, can I? I would end up exposing myself if I say I was. He can probably sense my hesitation, I need to come up with something. "Why.." I start, pausing for a moment as I think of what I want to ask, "why would you think something like that?"

"Akaashi," he says blankly.

"Let's just get going," I try to drop the subject and turn around to continue walking home. I hear his footsteps followed by him grabbing my arm for me to look at him again. "Bokuto, can you-"

"How long have we known each other? Seriously? It's been I don't know how many years so please dont talk yo me like I'm stupid," he stares at me, his grip on my arm tight but not painfully so. "You know you can tell me why you had that look in your eye."

I shrug, "Bokuto I don't even know what look you're talking about. I'm surprised you even remember that because of how much alcohol you drank."

"I wasn't drunk, Akaashi. I did the dare fully sober."

"You were at least tipsy," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Don't change the subject."

I sigh and pull my arm away, putting my cold hands into my pockets. "That night wasn't great for me, you understand. I honestly don't remember vecause of what happened with my illness." I start walking again and he follows.

"Okay," he sighed. "Can you answer me something else then?"

At this point I'm extremely frustrated with his curiosity. "What," I snap with a huff. He stares at me for a moment, shocked at my tone. "Sorry," I mumble.

He relaxes again, "why didn't you tell me you were sick? I had no idea."

"I didn't want you to know, I thought you'd hate me," I answered.

"What?" he laughs slightly making me shake my head. "Why would I hate you for being sick?"

"It's not that. Don't worry about it," I say shortly.

"Oh, well now I am worried about it," he said teasingly with a grin still on his face. "Why did you think I'd hate you?"

"Bokuto," I warn, "don't keep asking."