"Soo, tomorrow is my special day, and I have a wish. What do you say, about having a sleepover? At my place," Bokuto was standing in front of Akaashi's doors, smiling widely, talking too loud, as usual.

"Happy birthday. But I don't -"

"Come on! You can come after the school will end. We can watch a movie or two, and then we'll go to sleep. I'll give you the warmest futon I have! I promise! Please... Kuroo is out of the town and he banned me from organizing a party. He said he have something cool for me, so I can't do anything party-alike. So you're my only chance to have a nice day. You know, my parents are gone again for another weekend and I don't want to spend my special day alone."

"I-"

"Please! I won't be annoying! And you... you can leave anytime, if you won't like it."

"I-" Akaashi tried again.

"Please!!" Bokuto fell on his knees.

"Bokuto-san! I'm trying to say 'yes' so if you would be that kind and--" Akaashi finally finished his sentence. More less.

"Thank you, thank you, thank youuu!!" Bokuto jumped and hugged Akaashi with the widest smile that Akaaashi has ever seen on Bokuto's face.

"So, see you tomorrow after school. If you excuse me now, I still have a job to do..."

"Yeah, sure. See ya!" Bokuto waved and went home.

Akaashi closed the door and he leaned his back against them.

Oh my... This can't be.

Akaashi said yes. So he has to come now. But he was pretty unsure about it. He was already nervous. Akaashi can't simply be near that boy without daydreaming. About him. He can't even stop daydreaming in school! How can he spend a whole day next to him?!

"This is going to be hard..." Akaashi whispered to himself.

Impossible...he corrected himself in his mind and sighed.

The week has passed since the day when he realized that he fell in love with this crazy owl boy.

He wasn't shocked. Not about thatboypart. But about how quickly he fell in love. Only three weeks have passed since he had spoken to Bokuto for the first time. And now Akaashi's lips became itchy every time he saw Bokuto. His heart was beating fast every time they were walking home together. He had butterflies in his stomach always when they were talking together. His hands was shaking every time that the owl boy smiled at him.

He fell for this boy really hard and he don't know what to do about it, since he was pretty sure that Bokuto is not like him. In other words, Akaashi's sure that Bokuto likes girls, not boys. And not this specific boy - his black-haired classmate, a friend and a neighbor.

He knew he wouldn't stand a chance if he would confess. He wasn't scared about Bokuto turning him down - even tho that was probably his main worry - he was scared that Bokuto would abandon him because of his sexuality.

And Akaashi didn't want that. Not even the slightest. He wanted to spend all of his days next to the other boy.

But at the same time, Akaashi couldn't stand hiding his feelings any longer, no more. Not after that night when he was sleeping in Bokuto's room. Not after he woke up in Bokuto's arms.

His hug was so warm... and his hands... They are strong and muscular, yet they are so gentle.

"What am I going to do about this?" Akaashi sighed and scratched his head.

"I guess I should buy him a birthday present," Akaashi decided grabbing his wallet and leaving his house.

He was floating from one shop to another. But the face that Bokuto made when Akaashi gave him a birthday present he had bought was worth it.

"Oh my God! This is absolutely, absolutely perfect! I love it! Oh my God, Akaashi!!"

Bokuto's eyes were sparkling, he was smiling and he had even jumped twice. He was truly happy. Happy, like if you gave a lollipop to a little child.

"I'm glad you like it," Akaashi laughed slightly at Bokuto's face expression.

"Like? You crazy? Iloveit! I thought I had the best owl puns, but a T-shirt with 'Owl be there for you' with this cute owllets rules. Totally."

They both laughed and Bokuto decided to change his shirts. He stripped his shirt and he threw it on the couch.

Oh. My. God. I'm so glad I found that T-shirt!

Akaashi was looking at Bokuto's very good looking chest and he bit his lip.

"Looks good on you," he smirked at Bokuto when the boy finished wearing his birthday present.

"I feel good. Thanks Akaashi, this is just the best present I could ever wish for," Bokuto came closer and he hugged Akaashi.

It was just for a few moments. But Akaashi felt like in heaven. Bokuto's hug was as warm as he remembered but today it felt even better. Akaashi placed his hands on Bokuto's back and he enjoyed the warmth of the other boy's body for as long as he could.

"So, what film do you want to watch?" Bokuto smiled when he let go of the other boy.

"You're the one who's having a birthday. Choose," Akaashi smiled. He noticed that he was smiling a lot later, when he was with Bokuto.

They sat on the couch and Bokuto turned the TV on.

"A rom-com? I thought you like action movies."

"Yeah, I do. I love them. But I love this actor too, so a rom-com. But if you want, we can play another film after this one. I'll show you my favorite! What do you say?" Bokuto asked.

"Alright," Akaashi nodded.

Bokuto happily sat next to him on the couch and he took the popcorn he made earlier.

They started like this, but as the time has passed, and the first film has ended, they were sharing one blanket and their shoulders were touching. And when the second film has ended, Bokuto's head had ended up in Akaashi's lap and Akaashi's hand had ended up in Bokuto's hair, gently stroking them.

"This film was really good..." Akaashi said admiringly.

"Yeah, it was. I saw it fifteen times now and I still love it. Well, it's pretty late now. Wanna go to sleep or..?"

"I would like that. Sorry, I'm beat today."

"Not a problem at all. Come, come, I'll show you my room. I have a really big bed, so you will sleep good."

"Wait. Why? I thought you will give me the warmest futon you have. I'm not supposed to sleep in your bed."

"Yeah, I know. But that futon is torn, and I don't want you to sleep like that. Plus, what is a warm futon compared to a warm bed? We have a new sheets - they smell like flowers. You will sleep good."

Akaashi smiled: "Thank you, Bokuto-san. I really appreciate that."

Bokuto just nodded, smiling at Akaashi. They got to their beds and they talked for a bit. But Bokuto soon fell asleep and Akaashi sighed.

He can't go to sleep, but he can't stay up either. He was scared that his problem will come when he will be asleep. He was scared that his nightmare will make him wake up screaming again.

He doesn't want that. He want to keep his problem a secret from Bokuto. He does not want Bokuto to know, nor worry, nor be bothered by his nightmares.

But no matter how hard he was trying, he eventually fell asleep.

Dark night. Silence. Almost - in a car, there was a quiet, soft music playing. Nobody in front of them, nobody behind them.

Just Keiji and his mother.

Akaasi was yawning in the back of the car, his mother was driving. They were on their way home, tired and beaten after a hard day.

He blinked. His mother did too.

"Momma, you're not tired? Shouldn't we stop in some hotel?"

"No, I'm fine, baby. We're almost there. Don't worry."

Akaashi blinked. His mother did too. Akaashi closed his eyes.

He was so tired. He wanted to go to sleep.

The next thing he heard was his mother's scream. The next thing he saw was the blinding car lights.

The next thing he realized was that he was falling, and falling...

The peaceful birthday night was disturbed by a scream from the young, black-haired boy. He was sweating and tears were running down his face.

"Akaashi! Hey! Keiji! Keiji! Hey!" Bokuto jumped to him and gently shook the boy's shoulders.

"Hey, Keiji! It's fine. It's alright. It's gone. Now you're safe."

"B-B-Bokuto-san," Akaashi couldn't talk properly.

The next thing he heard was his mother's scream. The next thing he saw was the blinding car lights.

The next thing he realized was that he was falling, and falling...

"What's wrong? Keiji, talk to me..." Bokuto sat next to Akaashi, gently rubbing his shoulder.

"I-I... I'm sorry, Bokuto-san. I... I didn't meant to... ruin this day. I'm sorry," Akaashi said, burring his wet face into Bokuto's shoulder.

"Don't say that. It's not true. You didn't ruin anything," Bokuto rubbed Akaashi's shoulder once again, "so what's wrong? I'm here for you, if you want to talk about it."

Akaashi nodded. Maybe this is what he needs to do to stop the nightmares.

"It- It's about my mother. She died in a car accident. And I almost did too. We were on a weekend at my mother's parents and we decided to go home sooner. But we were so tired... My mom said she's alright and kept on driving, but we were so tired... I shut my eyes... and she did too. The doctors couldn't save her. And they almost lost me too. With some help I'm alright now, but sometimes I have a night like this, when I wake up screaming and crying... It was... It still is hard for me..."

"Oh my God, Keiji..."

Bokuto hugged Akaashi, whispering that everything will be good and that he is with him, and he won't leave.

Bokuto placed Akaashi on the bed and he laid next to him. Akaashi buried his face into Bokuto's chest and Bokuto kept on rubbing Akaashi's arm, whispering to him, that everything is okay now, that he is here with him and he won't leave over and over again.

Akaashi nodded his head and a second after that he felt... He thinks he felt... could that be?

Akaashi nodded his head and a second after that he felt Bokuto's lips pecking his hair. Well, that's what Akaashi thinks. But could it really be true?

They were close. They were closer than an ordinary friends are... Even tho Akaashi had no idea when their friendship became like this, would Bokuto really kiss him?

"T..Thanks for everything, Bokuto-san. Really," Akaashi whispered and he felt asleep.

When he woke up in the next morning, he realized that he had his head placed on Bokuto's chest for the whole night and that Bokuto's head was leaning on his hair.

Akaashi giggled. "You know, Bokuto-san... I like-like you. I really do. And now I know for sure..."

Bokuto yawned: "Hmmm, morning...you said something?"

Bokuto stretched his hands and legs, then he smiled and looked at Akaashi.

"Good morning, Bokuto-san. And not really. Well, nothing important. Just... I was just thanking you for the yesterday."

"Ah-uh. You're welcome, I guess..." Bokuto laughed, "now, wanna get breakfast?"

"Yeah," Akaashi giggled again, "yeah, that would be great."