Thinking about Bokuto Kōtarō, who would love matching couple sets. From trinkets (his first gift to you was a matching keychain that you both attached to your bags) like charms, accessories and other miscellaneous trinkets that reminded him of you when he saw them, to mugs and clothing, he likes when the both of you match to some extend. You should probably steer him towards the more... elevated or cutesy side of the world of couples' sets or you might end up with some really cringey ones at home. The only area that he will not yield to, however, is matching pajamas and, better yet, matching underwears. The ones with the cute patterns on them? Yeah, those are his favourites; of course he found some with cute little owls on them, they're the ones that started the collection!
my beautiful amazing wife @ryomenlettuce wants bokuto x reader so. now i (ao3 character x character over here :p) am doing that i guess!
bokuto x gn!reader, fluff, wc <1k
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“Oh, that one’s kinda like a cat!”
Your elbows press against the soft grass as you gaze up at the spread of cerulean above, ticklish from the blades swaying in the wind. Butterflies flutter past with their stained-glass wings as you bask in the sun’s glow. It’s not too hot or humid, a perfect summer day of picnics and cloud-gazing.
“Huh, I don’t really see it.”
On your stomach lies a shock of monochrome hair and a pouting face. Bokuto sticks out his lower lip even further, adding, “I don’t know why I’m so bad at this.” His eyes are still up on the sky.
He’s too stubborn to ask for help, isn’t he? Never mind the fact that he’d do everything he could to explain if the roles were reversed. Never mind the fact that his gaze is slipping down to you and a bashful grin is spreading on his face.
Taking his hand in yours, you can’t help the giggle that escapes your lips when he immediately makes it go numb so you can maneuver easier. His golden eyes are wide and attentive, watching carefully as you guide his arm up to point at the cloud in question. “See?” Your hand, cupping his, helps his finger trace the outline of the shape. “Those are the ears, and then the body, and the tail…oh, I guess it’s kinda missing legs though, oops.”
“Woohoo! Okay, got it now.” His legs vibrate in excitement, perpendicular to yours and bathed in a deep tan. “I still wanna find my own, though…”
You sit in a gentle silence for a few minutes, content to play with his soft hair and look at the fluffy clouds. Then–
“OH!”
He startles up from your stomach, sitting up and leaning over you. “I got one!” His face is alight with excitement as he points up, gesturing to a cloud that looks like–
“A heart!” you laugh. It’s such a small thing, but every inch of Bokuto is trembling from joy. Why not feel the tiny stuff just as much as the rest? Why not take pleasure in every moment? It really does seem to be his philosophy; a guy who has the smile of a supernova and the heartbeat of a pounding drum, all because of a shape in the sky.
“Do you think it means we’ll be together forever?” Bokuto wonders. He lies back down, this time on his side next to you. His warm breathing caresses your cheek. “Actually, wait–doesn’t matter. Even if the clouds were super evil omens, they wouldn’t be able to mess with us.” Infectious, booming laughter echoes through the field. “I’m staying right here with you.”
“Sounds nice.” You inch a little closer to curl up against his chest. “It’s warm here.”
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yeah, uh. that's it, it was a fun thing to do but don't expect anything else like this soon...i'd just rather my house not get burned down (jkjkjk love you sariah)
synopsis: Bokuto had been consistently in your orbit since high school, letting you push him away and always bouncing right back. Is today the day that his persistence pays off?
word count: 2k
note: my gift to @osaism for the hq summer fic exchange hosted by @sodaneko!
read on ao3 | divider credit
If you could go back in time about six hours prior to this moment to ask yourself where you thought you’d be now, the answer certainly would not have been close to your current situation. And you certainly wouldn’t have said you would be enjoying it.
To be in the arms of the man who was such a pain in your side for so long, to have Bokuto Koutaro grinning in your face as he holds you above the sand that he’d saved you from falling into just felt…right.
“Lucky I was on your team to save you, huh?”
“Yeah you sure saved me from the scary sand,” you mutter, acutely aware of where your hands were resting on his chest as he grins down at you. He’d always been built, but now? He was blocking out the sun as he held you in place with his heart pounding beneath your hand. “You can let me stand now.”
“My bad. Just wanted to make sure you were good.”
“And you see that I am. Thank you.”
It’s so difficult to keep your tone curt when he looks at you like that. More so when your former teammates are all watching you, trying to figure out if something was finally there after years of speculation and manifestation or if you would do what you always did when Bokuto tried to help and push him away. In a perfect world they would all be minding their own business, but you knew it would never be that way.
Ever since high school it had always been a question of whether you and Bokuto had feelings for one another, due to his increased interest in being close to you over the years and your own insistence on supporting the boys club.
Both the boys and girls clubs had always been pretty unified, showing up for each other where it was possible and training together when practice times could align right, so it was surprising to many people when you said that Bokuto’s high energy annoyed you when you were doing the most to encourage your team to support the boys only to roll your eyes and ignore the captain who was trying to give you his attention in return. Even after graduating you found yourselves showing up for one another where you could, attending art shows or college games, and now you were often at MSBY matches you could make it to or hosting watch parties for their away games you all couldn’t attend – so it had been a no-brainer to organize a reunion for your teams, especially since almost everyone had been in close contact.
The Fukurōdani volleyball club reunion beach party had a pretty high attendance rate, and you’d quickly been greeted by your fellow captain with a large smile and crisp high five that you’d accepted with a grimace at his energy and wince at how much power Bokuto had put into it.
“Do you ever slow down!?” you’d asked, shaking your hand in an effort to get the tingling sensation to go away faster. “And where’s Atsumu!? You said you’d bring him!”
“He went to help his brother at his shop. Said to tell you he was sorry.” Bokuto’s answer has you pouting, because Atsumu would’ve provided a great distraction for you despite him not being one of your classmates. You’d gotten to meet the blonde after an MSBY match and he was quite talented at making himself the focal point of a group despite the personalities he was on a team with, and you definitely remembered the way Bokuto looked disappointed at how much attention you were giving his teammate. ”But you’re happy to see me, right!?”
“My aching hand says otherwise,” you counter, holding your reddened palm out in front of his face for him to see while your other hand adjusts your sunhat. What surprised you was the way Bokuto took your hand in his, his thumbs carefully pressing into your palm and smoothing over your skin. You’d expected a pout, but instead you get a soft apology that has your stomach flipping slightly at the sincerity and the way he was looking at you. The light in his eyes was still there, but instead of his usual puppy-like energy they carried something more…something deeper.
Something you didn’t want to put too much thought into so early in the day. Or ever, if you were being truthful.
Bokutou had been very helpful in getting things set up, making sure everyone who arrived at the beach knew where you’d be hanging out. The volleyball net had been his responsibility to set up, and it was done perfectly leaving zero room for you to find an issue when you approached to inspect it.
“Looks great, right?”
“Definitely looks like it won’t fall over on me. Good work, Bokuto.” He goes for another high-five, this time holding his hand up for you to smack and grinning as you stare at him. “What are you doing?”
“I hurt you last time and don’t want to do that again, so you hit me!”
He’s not the tour to move the target, and you know he’s serious about getting this high-five, so you gently tap your hand against his to give him what he wanted without giving him too much excitement on your end.
And with every little thing worth celebrating that occurred over the afternoon, Bokuto was holding his hands up for you to hit with a high-five. Food grilled nicely? High-five. He saved one of the umbrellas from flying off in a gust of wind? High-five. You remembered everyone’s positions to help organize a brief six-on-six? High-five. When he’d asked you to be his double in a two-on-two and go until you lost? High-five.
And now, as he’s setting you on your feet he holds his hand up for yet another high-five to celebrate the point you’d blocked. And it’s the first time you don’t roll your eyes while giving him the celebration, and it feels like he’s aware of that change if the grin on his face is any indicator.
“This is just like mixed practices all over again,” one of the boys complains, dropping into the sand on the other side of the net as Bokuto picks up the ball. “The captains never let us win and they’re still so good together!”
“It’s all her, I’m just following the leader.” Your cheeks warm at Bokuto’s praise, and you’re thankful that you can play it off as if it were the exertion of playing in the hot sun rather than the butterflies in your stomach. After all these years he could still get you flustered, but you’re not sure you can keep up the facade of indifference much longer.
It had gotten easier after you both had graduated, he kept playing volleyball while you went off to college, and not seeing each other every day did wonders to keeping your feelings for the energetic boy in check. You’d shot him down when he confessed his feelings for you in your third year; you’d had your own feelings but without knowing where volleyball would take him or life would take you it simply felt safer for both of your hearts to keep things friendly but not romantic. But he didn’t give up, nor did he switch up on you, remaining the same kind and goofy soul that attracted you to him in the first place.
Akaashi had told you that Bokuto talked about you constantly still, and that knowledge made today harder for you with every high-five and excited grin sent your way.
Everyone starts to disperse after the group photo, until eventually it’s just you and Bokuto with the now deconstructed volleyball net and the setting sun. Being alone with him like this felt so much like closing out those late practices, sending him “one more” ball until he was eventually too tired to keep going and you’d lay on the floor talking about your next matches. Only now you weren’t playing anymore except for pickup games and he had locked in a starting spot on a professional team, leaving no time or reason for gymnasium floor debriefs.
“I’d say today was a success,” he starts, leaning back on his hands as you nod your agreement. “Oh! Hang on.”
You know better than to ask where he’s going, because by the time you have the words formulated he’s already digging through his bag. He pulls out a jacket, black and yellow and obviously team gear, before he’s back by your side only draping his jacket over your shoulders before settling on the towel beside you again.
“What’s this for?”
“It’s getting cold, can’t have you freezing on me.”
You know without a singular doubt that he would never let you freeze to death, but to vocalize that would likely be too revealing of how well you actually knew him despite all your efforts to push him away. “Plus I always knew you’d look cute in my stuff.”
“Will you ever not be corny?”
“Nah.” He’s proud of that, and you also feel a sense of pride knowing that he was proud of who he was and likely to never really change who he was. “Something tells me you’re kinda into it.”
“Yeah, maybe a little,” you concede, the smallest of smiles breaking free as you slide your arms into the sleeves of his jacket. “Don’t make it weird.”
“I’ll be so cool about this, I promise.”
He wouldn’t be, but that was okay at this point in the day. He’d worn you down high-five after high-five until this moment. His team jacket draped over your shoulders and your head resting on his shoulder as you share a towel on the sand and watch the sun set. It’s not where you thought you’d end the day when you arrived at the beach, nowhere near where you thought you’d be at this point in your life if you were to ask your high school self, but there’s not a single spot you’d rather be than sitting by Bokuto’s side.
“So, would now be an okay time to ask you out to dinner? Or is that ‘weird’ by your standards?”
Everything he did was weird by your standards, but you trust that in all the years you’d known him and told him as much that he was well aware of that fact. So you don’t remind him, instead telling him that you’d love to go to dinner with him before smiling for the picture he pulled his phone out to take. One just your smiles, the second with a kiss to your head that makes your heart feel lighter. He’d waited so long for this moment – so long for you – you knew exactly what you’d wanted to do for your first dinner date.
“I’ve got some vegetables I need to cook before they go bad,” you offer after a few moments, looking up at him only to see him staring down at you. Not in surprise like you would’ve expected, but that overly familiar look of adoration you’d had memorized since high school. The look that you were finally letting yourself accept as yours.
“You want me to come cook with you?”
“Yeah,” you whisper, noise brushing against his as he leans in just a bit closer. “I’d like that a lot.”
If you could go back in time about eight hours to ask yourself how you’d be spending your evening, you wouldn’t have even considered that kissing Bokuto while wearing his team jacket in the sand was in the realm of possibility. But now that you were here, your hands in his messy hair and his hands on your trying to figure out where would be the most respectful as you exchanged kisses in the sand. But you’re grateful to have been so wrong about how this day could’ve turned out, and you’re sure you will continue to be as days went on with this man by your side.
Oh he's so nervous, so so nervous. There are too many things that can go terribly wrong with this: he did the research wrong and they're not your favorite flowers, you might not even like flowers, what if you're allergic to flowers? And don't get him started on your reaction, the possibility of you not liking the flowers gives him shivers.
He's been eyeing you for the last fifteen minutes, flowers perfectly hidden behind his broad back. He's waiting for the perfect moment to come at you and giving them to you.
Why is he giving you flowers in the first place? You helped him pass his most important test with an actual high score for once. Restless study sessions with him getting distracted or losing all the faith he had on himself every once in a while, he wanted to thank you in some way. Akaashi was the one who gave him the idea of giving you a nice bouquet of flowers, because Bokuto's first thought was inviting you to one of his matches, but that's definitely not a way to say thank you.
He kept nodding to himself, muttering words to be more encouraged and when he sees you waving your friends goodbye, he's sprinting towards you.
You hear your name from your back, someone screaming repeatedly at you as the footsteps get louder. You turn around with your eyebrows furrowed and a scary look on your face until you see that's just Bokuto running towards you.
"Oh hi, Bokuto-kun." You smile at him while he still has two steps to reach you, when he sees your cheeks make your eyes smaller, he almost trips.
"Hey!" He says, too loud as well.
His voice echoes down the hallway, he skids to a stop right in front of you, chest heaving from the sprint, and for a second he just stares with wide golden eyes. Then he remembers the flowers.
"Um, these! These are for you!" Bokuto blurts out, whipping the bouquet from behind his back so fast a couple petals flutter to the floor.
It's a big, bright mix of yellow sunflowers and soft pink carnations, tied with a simple ribbon that looks a little crooked like he wrapped it himself. His hands are shaking just a tiny bit as he holds them out to you.
You blink, surprised but in the softest way. "Bokuto-kun… wow. These are really pretty." You take the bouquet gently, fingers brushing against his for just a heartbeat.
He rubs the back of his neck. "I wanted to thank you for helping me so much with that test! I wouldn't have done it without you staying late to explain me everything." His voice gets louder with each words, then drops suddenly in case he's scaring you off. "So yeah, thank you! I hope I picked the right flowers!"
Your heart does a little flip at how earnest he sounds. You lift the bouquet closer and breathe in the sweet scent, smiling the whole time.
"You really didn't have to get me anything, you know? I had fun studying with you." You tilt your head, teasing him softly. "But thank you. I love them."
Bokuto's face lights up, a huge grin spreads across his cheeks, turning them pink. Then he gets really serious. "You're not allergic to pollen right?"
You shake your head, stepping a little closer without even thinking. "I'm not allergic."
He looks so genuinely happy, giving you those flowers made his whole week. Bokuto shifts on his feet, looking around the empty hallway, trying to get his thoughts together. "You're really cool, by the way. And super smart and fun." He scratches his cheek, glancing away and then right back at you. "Maybe we could hang out again sometime?"
"Oh, you got another exam coming?" you ask, without thinking about it much.
Bokuto opens his mouth and closes it. "Uh no, that was my last exam! I was thinking about just hanging out together, we could go get ice cream or something like that."
"Oh!" Your eyes widened, finally understand that he was asking you out. You nod fast now, your own cheeks warming a little. "I'd love to!"
He pumps his fist without meaning to, then catches himself and beams at you with pure sunshine energy. "Yes! Okay, awesome! I'll come pick you up tomorrow!"
Seriously, wether as a friend, a best or a boyfriend i feel like he would be so blunt about everything. Not like tsukki or sakusa blunt but just honest. Say you're ignoring something about your body or your habits, he would point it out, would call you out because he genuinely wants you to change for the better,
"Hey, dont you think you should cut off eating that"
I can just imagine him saying this with his uh.. air-heady tone, and zero ill intent. you can actually see the concern in his eyes (if tsukki were to say this, well i love him but it would be different) and when you do change he'd also be generous with the praises, maybe even going overboard with it. When it comes to expressing his love and affection you know this man has gotta be at the top 3 among hq men.
As a friend he'd definitely be excited to help you out the best he can with literally anything and everything. Wouldn't do bad stuff just because of peer pressure, although i have to admit he'd do silly/dumb shit that needs akaashi to stop him :/ his friends miss his shenanigans when he's not in school.
Should an idli be allowed to really make you feel this bloated?
Pairing: Bokuto x fem!reader
CW: none, just fluff
When Bokuto's voice yelling your name filters through the speaker, you answer with a very nonchalant, "Hello." As though you hadn't been five seconds away from spam calling him until he picked up, even though he was at practice.
"Hey, pretty lady!" Bokuto chirps happily as you set your phone on speaker before placing it next to you, "How are you doing on this fine morning?"
"hngfngnggngngn." You rest your forehead on the table.
"Ah, it's that kind of day today?"
"mngfngfn."
"That's okay! Did you take your meds yet?"
"Mn."
"Good! Did you drink water?"
"... uh..."
"Yeah, go drink water. Stay hydrated! That's the number one rule!"
"But the kitchen is so far away..."
"Nothing is ever too far away!"
"You are too far away."
He laughs, and you can't help but smile. "Why are you at practice." You complain and sniff dramatically to make your point. "Why are you not at home with me so that I can use you as my pillow and sleep all day."
"If you sleep all day, you won't be able to sleep at night, and I've been tasked to make sure that doesn't happen!"
"By who?"
"You, of course, pretty baby!" Why was past you so meticulous, and why was he listening to her?! You groan, but get up from your seat anyways and drudge along to the kitchen with your phone in tow. "Are you getting the water?"
"Obviously." You mutter.
"Good job! I'll swing by for lunch and we can go out to eat, okay? Unless you want to cook?"
"God, no, I feel like setting the world on fire and committing homicide."
"Going out to eat, it is then! Shall I pick the venue?"
"By all means, surprise me. I don't wanna think at all."
"Okay! How are you feeling now?"
"Better... but I feel kind of bloated. Which is weird," You complain while chugging your glass of water, "Because all I ate was 6 idlis. Idlis! Those things are made out of rice! How can they bloat someone?!"
"Wait," Bokuto said, "Do you want me to give advice or do you want me to just listen?"
"I want you to come over here and act as my emotional support pillow right now, so... yeah, I want you to just listen."
"It's alright baby, you can do it! Oh, Hinata asked me to tell you that he said hello! Also that he doesn't know what's up, but you should go and kick the ass of whatever is bothering you!"
"Tell him I'll consider it." You bite your lip, before asking in a smaller voice. "... can you stay on the phone for a little while longer, Kou?"
"Uh, wait... I can, but you'll mostly be hearing us practice and I won't be able to talk for a while. Is that okay?"
"... yeah..."
"Okay! Don't worry, I'll be there in a couple of hours, okay? I love you!"
"Love you too," You say and return to your seat with a smile. A few more hours. You can do this.
The both of you are splayed on the couch, your favourite show playing on the television. There's no hesitation in his answer. It's only a second later that he processes your question and he turns with a frown. "Wait, why are you asking? Is something wrong?"
You fiddle with your fingers as you respond, "Mm, I dunno, just not feeling great, I guess."
At first you're met with silence. But the couch dips and you look up to Kotaro crawling towards you. He's nearly hovering above you when he suddenly pulls you into him.
"I. Love. You. So. Much." He emphasizes each word with a kiss somewhere on your face, his arms wrapping around you at the same time.
"Kou—"
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you. I love you so, so much. I dunno know what I'd do if I never got the chance to meet you." He buries his face into your chest and frowns at the thought. Turning his head so you can hear him, he continues, "Anybody would be lucky to be with you. Except no one else will because if they even try I'll be there to take you away."
"Kou." You laugh then pout at your boyfriend who smiles in return, happy to see you're feeling a little better. Letting the sincerity of his words seep into your skin, you murmur, "I love you too."
He kisses you a few more times before pulling away and grinning. "Now what do you wanna have for dinner?"
AKAASHI
"...What?"
"Do you love me?"
Keiji looks at you beside him on the couch, the document on his laptop screen suddenly forgotten. His mind starts burning through the past couple of weeks quickly, thinking of anything he might have done or not done.
He furrows his brows and stares, unable to decipher the look on your face. Hesitantly, he answers, "I...of course I love you. Have I done something to make you feel differently? I know I've been working late, I can take some time off—"
"No, no, Keiji. You don't—nothing's wrong, I promise,"—you softly laugh and cup his face—"just wanted to see what you'd say, is all."
He lets out a sigh of relief and pouts before leaning his head on your shoulder, "You scared me. Thought I was failing as a boyfriend or something."
“Aw, I'm sorry, baby. I love you," you singsong against his hair.
He tickles your neck with his breath and smiles when you yelp. Even if it was a joke, he hopes you know he was serious about taking time off. Keiji would do it—do anything, really, for you in a heartbeat. Leaving a kiss on your jaw, he mumbles, "I love you too. So much."
Your eyes flicker to the opened document on his laptop, remembering he had a deadline coming up quickly. "I'm sorry. Are you gonna get back to work?"
Keiji only shakes his head as he wraps your arms around him, doing the same to you. "Later. You're more important, anyway."
SUNA
"I'm not falling for that."
You frown and turn away from him on the bed. "I was serious, Rin."
"...Hey." His voice fills the quiet that follows his phone being turned off. Rintarou reaches to gently turn your head toward him. “Look at me."
His lips turn into a line and he runs his fingers against your cheek. "I’m sorry. I do love you. A lot, you know? I'm sorry if I've been making you feel differently."
"You haven't been. I was just, I dunno, feeling a little insecure, I guess."
"And I made it worse," he mutters. Rintaro slides closer and pulls your head into his chest. He murmurs into the crown of your head, "I'm sorry."
A small smile breaks out on your face, knowing him well enough that he means it. "I've never heard you apologize this much in your life."
His chest moves as he lets out a dry laugh. “What? Three times? Make it four then because I'm sorry."
His tone sobers once more as he pulls away to look at you, "I love you. you're the best person i know and i'd be an idiot to not tell you—to not love you. i'll try harder to show it from now on."
rin kisses your forehead as you respond with a soft "okay." (he starts blowing raspberries against your neck when he hears you say something about being a "cheesy romantic" though.)
SAKUSA
"Why are you just staring at me?"
"I'm trying to figure out why you would ask me that."
Kiyoomi knows he's never been the most expressive person—at least not with romance. He's a quiet kind of lover. He's been working to be better, to feel good enough for you, but maybe it wasn't enough?
"Kiyoomi—"
"Is this because I forgot your snacks when I went grocery shopping a couple days ago? Or is it something more serious because if I need to—if I need to be more affectionate or something..." His gaze is still filled with worry even as it softens, and he whispers, "You know...you know I love you, right?"
You pout, feeling a little guilty now. It was a semi-innocent question, really. You had expected your boyfriend's usual sarcasm when you asked. "Of course I do. I'm sorry, Omi, I was just wondering what you'd do if I asked. I appreciate the fact you feel bad over the snacks, though."
Kiyoomi’s concern quickly morphs into a deadpan stare before he flicks you on the forehead. You lightly slap his arm and whine, but he only turns back to the television with a sigh. "You're annoying."
With a kiss on his cheek and light tone you lean in, "'m sorry. I love you, Omi-Omi."
His body relaxes as you drape yourself on top of him. Maybe on another day, following a different conversation, the silly nickname would have earned another forehead flick. But Kiyoomi surrenders with an arm sliding around your waist with nothing more than a dry chuckle. "I love you too."
