always...

chapter 29 - anonymous

he finally reached the building and entered the main lobby through the revolving door. his hands trembled as he approached the front desk, the attendant shooting him a quizzical look.

"back so soon?" the attendant asked.

"yeah. i wish it were under better circumstances though...could you ring him up for me?" the teen replied.

"already done. he should be right down for you."

he took a seat in the lobby on one of the lush sofas in the corner of the room, its gold detailing glittering under the bright light from the crystal chandelier. his right leg began bouncing anxiously, unable to keep still as he awaited the man upstairs.

only a few minutes had passed, though they seemed like hours, before he suddenly heard the penthouse elevator's high pitch bell as the doors slid open.

"kōtarō! why are you here so late?? it's almost 2am!" keiji ran up to the sofa as bokuto got to his feet, quickly embracing the setter.

"hey, keiji..." bokuto mumbled, slowly pulling away from his boyfriend.

"you didn't tell me you were coming over again tonight. did something happen with your mom again?"

"i-i left, keiji..." bokuto stuttered quietly as tears began to pool up in his golden eyes.

"you mean...?"

"...yes. i finally did it. i-i couldn't do it anymore keiji, i'm sorry. i can't stay with her anymore and i know it's a burden to always have me over, but i really need a place to stay and i-i was hoping that i could...i-nevermind. it's stupid, i couldn't possibly-"

"kōtarō...you know you're always welcome here. you practically already live here based on how often you stay over anyway and my mom loves you. i'm sure she'd even give you one of the extra rooms next door to mine. it's no problem at all, and you are not a burden, okay? we love you...i love you," keiji answered, his tone soft and compassionate.

bokuto let the tears in his eyes finally spill over as akaashi pulled him in for another hug, his head resting on top of the setter's shoulder. akaashi rubbed small circles into bokuto's back, giving him a light squeeze as the ace continued to cry into his shoulder.

"t-thank you, keiji. i love you so much...i-i don't know what i'd do without you...shit i didn't even think about all the money...my mom pays for school and volleyball and i don't know what i'm going to do after high school either and i-" bokuto rambled.

"bokuto. you know how much i hate to say it, but we have more than enough money. we can help you if you need it, alright? maybe try getting a job?" akaashi reassured him.

"i-i'll try...thank you kaashi," bokuto said softly.

akaashi took bokuto's hand and led him into the elevator. the two boys rode the elevator up to the penthouse where akaashi and his mom live, smooth muzak playing from the speaker above them.

the doors finally opened as they reached the penthouse and they stepped out of the elevator into the spacious room. the penthouse was familiar to bokuto already, but it still amazed him every time how big the place really was.

it was an open floor plan and almost all the walls were made out of dark tinted glass. there was a grand piano right next to the spiral staircase and the living room was just around the corner boasting huge white leather couches, an electric fireplace, and a flat screen TV with a bose speaker surround sound system.

bokuto put his bag down on the marble floor as akaashi made his way to the kitchen, the ace quickly following him.

"i'll heat up some leftover yakiniku for you, okay? you must be hungry. in the mean time, you can take your stuff up to the room next to mine and start settling in," akaashi suggested.

bokuto simply nodded before taking his bag and heading up the stairs to his new room.

it was spacious with a queen sized bed and its own bathroom, as well as a glass desk in the corner. the walls were painted a light gray color, but were devoid of any decoration other than a simple silver framed clock and a full length mirror next to the closet. the floors were hard wood and there was a dark gray and white rug near the bed across from the second door that connected the room to akaashi's.

bokuto tossed his bag inside the closet and unpacked a little bit, putting his clothes in the drawers and his toiletries in the bathroom. finally, he headed back down to the kitchen where akaashi was waiting by the bar countertop with the heated food.

the two ate in relative silence before finally akaashi spoke.

"do you want to take a shower after?" he asked gently.

bokuto just nodded again as akaashi took their plates and placed them in the sink. the two went back upstairs, akaashi making his way to the bathroom in bokuto's room. the setter turned the water on in the shower and left it to heat up as bokuto undressed.

bokuto stepped into the shower, the hot water immediately deflating his spiky hair. steam carried up into the bathroom and fogged up the mirror as bokuto turned the dial on the wall to a higher temperature.

he stood there for a few minutes, before the shower curtain opened slightly, the bathroom light pouring in behind the ace.

"is it okay if i join you?"

bokuto nodded and akaashi stepped into the shower, lowering the heat slightly after seeing his boyfriend's reddening face.

"can i clean the cuts on your jaw? don't think i didn't notice them," akaashi asked.

bokuto turned around to face akaashi as the blue eyed teen brought a small wash cloth to his jaw, lightly dabbing the fresh gashes under bokuto's chin. after he finished cleaning the wounds, he grabbed the shampoo and started lathering it into bokuto's hair, the subtle scent of eucalyptus and citrus wafting into the bathroom.

"you know i can do that myself, right?" bokuto murmured with a quiet giggle.

"yes, but it didn't look like you wanted to."

"you're not wrong..."

"you are such a child, kōtarō."

"and you love me anyway," bokuto added, wearing the first smile he had put on all night.

"that i do," akaashi replied, smiling back.

they finished up the shower and got ready for bed, each heading to their separate rooms since bokuto insisted that he start getting used to sleeping on his own.

it hadn't even been 10 minutes that they'd been in bed before bokuto tiptoed to the doorway that connected their rooms, his arms wrapped around a pillow.

"...kaashi?"

"yes?"

"can i-"

"just get over here already so we can sleep."

bokuto climbed into akaashi's bed, curling up behind his boyfriend and laying his arm across akaashi's waist. the second year reached over to his nightstand and shut off his lamp before he snuggled further into bokuto's warm embrace.

"i love you, keiji."

"i love you too, goodnight."