Akaashi can see the explosion brewing in Bokuto. It's been there for nearly an hour, winding tighter in his shoulders, turning his hands into fists and his eyes so wide Akaashi is certain he's forgotten to blink more than once. There's nothing to be done about it, he knows, nothing he can do to postpone the inevitable, so instead he hurries them out of the classroom, climbs up the stairs to the roof a little faster than usual to get them clear of the hallway before Bokuto loses it.
They just barely make it. Akaashi is just pushing the door open, stepping forward into the warmth of the sunlight on the rooftop, when a force hits his shoulders, pushes him stumbling forward as he loses his grip on the door. It swings shuts behind him, missing both he and the other boy due primarily to the fact that Bokuto is doing his level best to occupy the same space as Akaashi himself.
"You're so amazing," Bokuto says, except it's not speech as much as a yell, the volume increasing as he goes along until Akaashi almost expects the last word to echo off the buildings around them.
"I know," Akaashi says without trying to turn around. Bokuto has an arm tight around his shoulder and his head pressed in against Akaashi's neck; the only thing movement will achieve is getting Akaashi a mouthful of hair for his trouble. "You've said that three times this morning."
"It's still so true!" Bokuto insists. His nose is catching against the collar of Akaashi's shirt and his hair is brushing against the other boy's jaw and it kind of tickles but Akaashi doesn't complain. "You're just perfect, Akaashi, you're talented and smart and so beautiful." The arm around Akaashi's shoulders loosens, Bokuto's head slides back by a half-inch, and Akaashi doesn't need to hear the slump in his words to know what's coming next. "I don't know what you see in me."
There's no way to argue that, right now. Akaashi knows how Bokuto gets, knows there's no logic that can get through to him right now. The best thing is to change the subject and angle for distraction instead. He reaches up, closes his fingers gently at Bokuto's wrist to hold him steady while Akaashi slides out from under his arm, replaces the one-directional hold with their fingers linked together so he can tug Bokuto towards the fence. "Come on. You need to eat lunch."
Bokuto trails in Akaashi's wake obediently. There's a shadow of insecurity in his eyes, a hesitation that keeps him from quite meeting Akaashi's gaze, but that evaporates when Akaashi hands over the other's lunchbox. It's a little hard to manage his own one-handed, but he knows there's no way he can get Bokuto to let his hand go so he makes do as best he can. It's worth it, by the time they're finished; all the light is back in Bokuto's eyes, sparkling like the sun has caught the gold of them alight, and his grin is as wide and bright as it should be.
That means it's safe, now, to go back for the dropped thread of conversation.
"You're wonderful," Akaashi says, carefully enunciating each word so he doesn't need to repeat himself. Bokuto's head snaps around, his eyes wide so Akaashi feels like he's caught in a spotlight, but he doesn't flinch away, just meets Bokuto's gaze and keeps talking. "You're bright and energetic and loud," and he couples that with a smile, enough to strip the word of any negative connotations and enough to draw Bokuto's eyes down to linger at the shape of his mouth. "You work so hard and you throw yourself completely into everything you love." Bokuto's mouth is going soft, his head tipping very slightly to the side, and Akaashi's not certain he's still listening but he keeps talking anyway, drops his volume so Bokuto leans in closer to hear.
"And you're cute." He has to pause to smile at that, too, because Bokuto's eyes snap back up to his and Bokuto's grin is so wide and contagious it's impossible to resist. "Your eyes are especially nice."
"Yours are beautiful," Bokuto responds immediately, like he's returning a serve back to Akaashi's side. He's leaning in closer still, enough that his forehead is bumping against Akaashi's. "And your mouth too."
Akaashi laughs, can feel it crinkle up into the corners of his eyes and go soft along his lips. "I'm glad you notice my mouth."
"Yeah, me too," Bokuto says, and presses in closer to kiss the corner of Akaashi's smile. His head's not tipped far enough over, his nose digs in against the other's for a moment, but Akaashi saw this coming, only needs a moment before he can tilt his head to the side and fit his lips against Bokuto's. Bokuto pushes in against him, reaches out with his free hand to grab at the back of Akaashi's neck and tug him in closer, and Akaashi lets him, shifts his weight and eases his mouth to soften the edge of roughness Bokuto's enthusiasm brings. He doesn't have to lift his hand to Bokuto's hair - the other is adjusting unconsciously without the guidance of Akaashi's fingers - but he does anyway, because Bokuto makes a little sigh of pleasure whenever Akaashi touches him and Akaashi loves the feel of that vibration against his lips. Bokuto's hair is soft against his fingertips, downy silver strands catching together with black, and he's opening his mouth in invitation, and Akaashi doesn't resist the temptation. When he shuts his eyes his heart beats a little faster, his blood rises a little hotter, the sun shines a little brighter, and there's one other thing he should have said, words that form at the back of his tongue and spill onto Bokuto's lips in motion instead of sound.
When he kisses Bokuto, Akaashi feels like he can fly.