Work Text:
To put it simply, Keiji was fucked.
He’d stayed up late working on his Astronomy essay, but ended up falling asleep on it, smudging the ink on his cheek. Then he woke up this morning fifteen minutes before breakfast stopped being served. This wasn’t a problem, most days — he skipped breakfast more often than not anyway. But today was the first practice match of the season, so Keiji had to be in his best condition.
Not that waking up late and groggy could be considered top condition.
He’d put on his gear with a speed he hadn’t known he possessed, then raced out of the Ravenclaw Tower and to the Great Hall. When he made it through the doors, the house elves had already started cleaning up, but Keiji strode toward the Ravenclaw table anyway, not minding the curious glances from the few students still in the room.
The table was empty save for one of his teammates. Fourth year Chaser Kageyama Tobio gave him a small smile and a nod in greeting, and Keiji returned them in kind.
“The others are already outside, Akaashi-san,” Kageyama said as Keiji lathered his toast with jam.
“Thank you, Tobio,” he muttered in between bites. Kageyama opened his mouth, as if to say something, then closed it again. Keiji furrowed his brows. “What is it?”
Caught red-handed, Kageyama yelped. It was a little too endearing and Keiji couldn’t help but smile at his underclassman, who cleared his throat and looked anywhere but at him.
Keiji finished his toast and drank from his goblet, waiting for the fourth year to speak. Kageyama still looked embarrassed, so Keiji urged him on. “Just say it.”
“I — uh — are you okay, Akaashi-san?”
Keiji blinked. “Yes.”
“Oh.” Kageyama blushed. “Um. I just. You never — you never woke up late before, on game days.”
“Oh.” He laughed. It probably made Kageyama more embarrassed, because his cheeks flushed even darker. “I’m fine, Tobio, I just stayed up all night doing Astronomy homework.”
“Oh, Astronomy.” Kageyama nodded like he understood.
“Yeah.” Keiji smiled again, watching the boy’s eyes gleam.
His team always joked about his soft spot for Kageyama, but maybe it was true. The younger boy had always hovered around him ever since he joined Ravenclaw’s Quidditch team, always asking Keiji for advice as a Chaser — nevermind that Keiji, now a Seeker, had long since retired from the position. Kageyama was more naturally talented than him anyway, coming from a family of pro Quidditch players. Still, it felt nice to have someone look up to him.
He stood up and grabbed his broom when the elves were nearing his seat. “Let’s go, Tobio.”
Kageyama nodded enthusiastically and followed him out. Under the early morning sun, they stepped out into the courtyard, where people in blue and yellow were already scattered about. Some students were watching from the bleachers today, but most were inside — not a lot of people would be willing to come to watch a practice match, let alone one in the early Saturday morning.
Keiji found his team immediately. They were huddled in a discussion in one corner of the courtyard, only looking up when Keiji and Kageyama were right in front of them.
“Keiji,” Kozume Kenma said immediately, “Bokuto-san looks like he’s in top form today.”
Hissing, Keiji looked around, to where the Hufflepuffs were gathered. True enough, the star of the team was talking — in that boisterous way of his, no doubt — to his team, looking like … well, looking like he was in top form, confidence oozing out of him. The Beater bat looked even more menacing slung over his shoulder. Keiji had seen this version of the older man multiple times before matches, and the results were rarely ever good for the opposing team. There was no doubting it: Bokuto Koutarou was trouble incarnate.
Keiji sighed and turned back to his team.
“Kuroo-san, don’t rile him up,” he warned. “He’s going to get even more fired up and we can’t stop him then.”
His own Beater raised his hands to placate him. “I want us to win as much as you do, man.”
“Good.” Keiji nodded. “Right, so. Is everyone ready, then?”
A chorus of yes answered him. Keiji turned to Kuroo, who was smirking knowingly at him. “Please do your thing, Kuroo-san.”
“ My thing. ” Kuroo laughed. “You know, one day I’m gonna graduate and you’re gonna have to come up with a speech of your own.”
“I’ll step down from captaincy,” he said, very seriously.
The sixth year rolled his eyes. “Right, right. Sure thing. Okay, then, team, huddle up.”
They put their heads together and their arms around each other, listening to Kuroo speak.
“Here goes. You’ve probably heard this a thousand times already, but I’m not gonna change it.
“We’re like the blood in our veins.” He looked everyone in the eye. “We must flow without stopping. Keep the oxygen moving and your mind working. This is just a practice match, but we’re still going to do our best. Let’s run Hufflepuff into the ground.”
They separated with a cheer. Keiji said, “You should’ve still been Captain,” at the same time Kenma huffed. “That was cheesy, Kuro.”
Kuroo just grinned, answering both of them. “Nah, man.”
“I like it, Kuroo-san,” Kageyama chimed in, his eyes bright.
“‘Course you do.” Kuroo laughed again. Kenma started saying something, but was interrupted by a whistle blowing.
Coach Ukai stood in the middle of the pitch with a briefcase and a broomstick. Both teams flocked to him, making a circle around him. They stood in attention.
“Alright. First practice match of the season,” he said. “You all know the rules. Again, this is just a friendly match, so try to keep it that way. Any conscious attempt at inflicting damage will result in your House losing points.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And don’t overwork yourself,” he added. “You lot still got a whole season to play, so no overly flashy play today. Looking at you, Bokuto.”
A yelp. Keiji smirked at Bokuto as he fumbled for answer. “Yes, Coach.”
“Well, Captains, if you will.”
Keiji stepped slightly in front of his teammates and watched Bokuto do the same. They both held out their hands. Bokuto reached for Keiji’s first, and they shook on it.
“Good luck, Bokuto-san.”
Bokuto grinned. “I don’t need luck, Akaashi.”
“Oh?” Keiji released his hand. “We’ll see.”
“Of course!”
Ukai’s whistle rang again. He looked at them with something like amusement. “Done here?”
Keiji cleared his throat. “Yes, sir.”
“Assume your positions.”
Keiji mounted his broom and took off, a little higher than the rest of his team while they formed a semi circle below. In front of him was Hufflepuff’s Seeker, a baby-faced fourth year who flinched at every ball but was insanely quick in the air. He chanced a glance toward the rest of Hufflepuff and caught Bokuto’s gaze. The sixth year looked back at Keiji with a challenge in his eyes.
“Ready?” Ukai asked. At their nods, he opened his briefcase, and two Bludgers shot up, followed by the Golden Snitch. Keiji watched it fly for a moment before focusing his attention back below. No need tracking it so early — that would be near impossible. Instead, he waited in anticipation as Ukai grabbed the Quaffle in his hands, preparing to throw it. Keiji silently counted down along with him. 3. 2. 1. Ukai tossed the ball in the air. Kageyama took it almost immediately, and Keiji didn’t bother hiding his smirk as he flew higher.
The game began.
From his vantage point, Keiji watched the ball as it got tossed around from Chaser to Chaser. It went from Kageyama to Kenma, then to Kageyama again. The third Ravenclaw Chaser, Shirabu, waited just below them, in case the Quaffle was dropped. Hufflepuff’s Chasers were insistent, too — Azumane was always right behind Kageyama.
A Bludger escaped Kuroo and flew toward Kageyama, forcing him to drop the Quaffle. But Shirabu was there — except he wasn’t quick enough, and fourth year rookie Koganegawa stole it with a victorious yell.
A blur of yellow and gray. Bokuto passed Keiji by, grinning at him smugly. Keiji sneered.
Someone cheered below. Keiji refocused his attention, forcing the Hufflepuff Captain out of his mind. Kenma had just stolen the Quaffle back, and Keiji grinned. Kenma tossed it to Shirabu, who was already halfway to Hufflepuff’s goalposts. Kuroo went after him to fend away Bludgers and opposing Chasers. Shirabu flew, and flew, and threw the Quaffle to one of Hufflepuff’s hoops, and won Ravenclaw the first ten points of the match.
Keiji couldn’t help it. He whooped. Then he laughed, a full-bellied one, when he saw Bokuto’s indignant face looking up at him.
Then — a flash of gold, just at the edge of his vision. Keiji sobered up immediately. A quick glance around the pitch confirmed that no one else had noticed the Golden Snitch. He sped up on his broom, letting his sole focus be the Snitch. He trusted his Beaters to get any Bludger away from him, and if they couldn’t, Keiji was confident he could duck in time. He’d done this countless times before, after all.
He was vaguely aware of the Hufflepuff Seeker trying to catch up to him. Below him, a cheer rang out. Hufflepuff had just scored. A tie, then. But that wouldn’t matter if Keiji caught the Snitch now — it would be one of the shortest matches he’d ever played, but he could end it. Keiji’s hand reached out to grab the Snitch.
And he almost got hit in the face with a Bludger. Keiji pulled back just in time, abandoning the Snitch, and glared at one Bokuto Koutarou, who had a grin on his face as he swung his bat around. The Hufflepuff Seeker zipped past him, but Keiji knew it was a lost cause — the Snitch was out of eyesight again.
He cursed under his breath and resumed his position, looking down on the match. Hufflepuff was in possession of the ball. Azumane tossed to Koganegawa, who tossed it to Yamaguchi, who was intercepted by Kageyama, who easily outran the three Chasers. Keiji smiled in pride.
Like anything remotely good in his life, it was short-lived.
Hufflepuff somehow had both Bludgers, and in a coordinated attack, Bokuto and the other Hufflepuff Beater swung their bats. One of them almost knocked Kageyama off his broom, forcing him to drop the Quaffle again, and the other prevented Kenma from saving it. The Chasers Kageyama had previously outrun raced to get the ball.
Yamaguchi got it. He flew to Ravenclaw’s goalposts. Shirabu was the only one close enough to stop him, but another Bludger nearly collided with him before he could do anything. Keiji gritted his teeth. Ravenclaw’s only hope now was their Keeper.
Yaku sat ready on his broom, arms wide. Keiji couldn’t see his face clearly from all the way up, but he knew he had a gleam in his eyes that could only mean trouble for Hufflepuff. He let himself relax, back to scanning the pitch for the Golden Snitch.
A cheer, and a shout. Keiji looked back down to see Yaku grinning with the Quaffle in his hands. He laughed, and looked for — there he was.
Bokuto Koutarou glared at him.
Keiji loved it when Bokuto was in top form — it was like watching a human highlight reel. Every reaction was exaggerated, every play unnecessarily flashy. One look and you’d know how much he enjoyed the sport. Either end of the stick didn’t matter to him; all of it was Quidditch. Keiji could get immense satisfaction out of watching Bokuto on the pitch, flying on his broom and with a grin on his face.
But Keiji was pretty competitive himself, and he was the captain of his team. So Bokuto just had to sit back and watch as Keiji earned his House another victory. Because that was what he came here to do.
Ah. Speak of the devil.
This time, he heard the buzz of wings before he saw the golden blur, and Keiji started increasing his speed in pursuit of the Snitch.
Somehow, somehow, the Hufflepuff Seeker was already there. She was still a good distance away from the Snitch, but Keiji was even farther. Somewhere in the back of his mind — the part that wasn’t coming up with a hundred different ways to catch up to her — Keiji regretted sparing a few precious seconds to look for Bokuto’s glaring face.
Hufflepuff was going to get the Snitch, and it was going to be Keiji’s fault, because he couldn’t resist getting under Bokuto’s skin.
Wait, but—
The Golden Snitch was unpredictable. It was bewitched to fly as though it had a mind of its own, tricking even the best of Seekers. But like every flying object, you could track which way it would go — or at least predict it. That was what his uncle had taught him, back when Keiji was too small to ride a broom, let alone understand what he’d said.
Keiji looked around the courtyard — the botched goal had its effects on everyone’s spirits. Ravenclaws were using the momentum while Hufflepuffs seeked payback. They were too engrossed in a battle of Quaffle and Bludgers that they didn’t notice both Seekers straying from the heart of the game. Good. Keiji looked back at the rival Seeker and the Snitch. They were nearing the edge of the field now. The way Keiji saw it, the Snitch only had one way out. Turning left or right would’ve put it within the Seeker’s reach, and they were flying way too high for it to go even higher. Of course, he wasn’t entirely sure this would all go according to plan, but if he’d calculated it right ….
Keiji dove, only righting himself once he was low enough to be unnoticed.
He kept close to the ground. The grass was so close that he could see it glistening with morning dew, but all of that slipped past his notice. His focus was on the rival Seeker, gaining speed and momentum as he thought of the distance he’d need to cover.
That was a mistake he shouldn’t have made.
It happened in a flash: the Bludger coming at him, his delayed reaction, getting off-balance on his broom. Keiji only half remembered to roll when he landed hard on the grass. The aftermath of this whole ordeal was him, sitting dazed with his broom thrown next to him. His body ached all over. There was something sticky trickling down his nose and when he put his hand on it, his fingers came away red.
Great.
Keiji looked up. The Snitch went lower, as he’d predicted. The Hufflepuff Seeker halted and changed course. He could’ve gotten it — could’ve gained victory for Ravenclaw. Yet here he was, with a possibly broken nose, and no way to fix it. Keiji was starting to see why some people brought their wand to a Quidditch match.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ukai walk toward him, but the coach stopped halfway. Instead, Bokuto appeared in his line of sight, dismounting his broom with an air of urgency. The sixth year crouched in front of Keiji.
“Akaashi, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hit it that hard.”
“It’s fine,” he managed to say through gritted teeth. “The Bludger didn’t really hit me. I just got surprised.”
Bokuto’s face twisted in guilt. “Yeah, because I hit it too hard.”
“Bokuto-san—” he started, and fell silent when Bokuto’s hand went to cradle his cheek.
“Let me see your nose,” he muttered. “I don’t think it’s broken.”
He tried to pull away. “Go back to your team, Bokuto-san.”
“I have my wand,” Bokuto insisted, and Keiji thought, of course he did . He fished it out of his pocket and tapped it on the side of Keiji’s nose. “ Episkey .”
A flash of heat, then cold. Keiji winced as the spell made its work.
“There! All good.” Bokuto grinned. He got back to his feet. “Oh, wait.”
Keiji stood up, too, and froze in confusion as Bokuto handed him a handkerchief.
“You can’t fly with all that blood on your face,” he explained, dangling it in front of Keiji’s face. “Come on, Akaashi, just take it.”
So he did. He used it to wipe the blood off his face and hand. “Thank you.”
“Hey, of course!” Bokuto got on his broom again. “You can still catch up to Yacchan! See you up there! Good luck!”
“What?” Keiji exclaimed, but Bokuto was already shooting off. He looked up again. The Hufflepuff Seeker — Yacchan? — was still in pursuit of the Snitch, and Bokuto was right; he could still catch up. Why someone from the opposing team would encourage him like that was beyond him, but Keiji put the question aside as he folded the handkerchief and stuffed it in his pocket. He took a deep breath, mounted his broom, and took off.
Yacchan spared him a surprised glance when he neared her. Keiji gave her a grin back. Yacchan was fast, that much he could admit, but Keiji still had at least one more year of experience on a broom. He was shoulder to shoulder with her in no time.
They were still far from the edge of the pitch. The Snitch had no sign of accelerating or changing its course, so Keiji took his chances. He nudged Yacchan’s broom as he went past her, and she stumbled, giving him a considerable headstart. Keiji outstretched his hand.
He felt the tiny flutter of wings when he clenched his fist, and he grinned when Ukai blew his whistle.
“Akaashi got the Snitch!” The coach shouted. “Ravenclaw won this one, folks!”
His team cheered along with the Ravenclaws on the bleachers, drowning out Hufflepuff’s defeated groans. One by one, they all lowered themselves to the ground. Keiji’s feet had barely touched the grass when he was tackled by his teammates.
“Akaashi!” Kuroo yelled in his ear. “That was such a stunt you pulled out there!”
“Calm down, Kuroo, you’re suffocating him,” Yaku scolded him, but he was the one who was hugging Keiji so tightly.
Kenma’s voice sounded from above him, having not participated in the hugging fest. “Guys, he just fell down and had a nosebleed. Let him breathe.”
“Thank you, Kenma,” he muttered as his team eased off him.
Kageyama, bless his huge heart, helped him to his feet and looked at him in concern. “Are you okay, Akaashi-san?”
Keiji nodded. “It’s fine. Bokuto-san already took care of my nose.”
“Saw you up there, and the entire time all you did was try to get Bokuto mad.” Kuroo nudged him with his bony elbow. “Who was it that told us not to rile him up, hm? Not heeding your own advice, are ya, Captain?”
“Kuro.”
“I was just saying!”
Kenma sighed and turned to Keiji. “That looked like a nasty fall, though. Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing.”
Keiji scrunched his nose. “I’m fine,” he insisted.
“Your ribs might be bruised.”
“It’s fine, Kenma.”
“It’s not, though,” a new voice said. They all turned around to see Coach Ukai standing just outside of their circle. “Kozume’s right. Go see Takeda-sensei.”
“Coach—”
“Not a suggestion, Akaashi.”
“Fine.” He huffed.
Satisfied, Ukai clapped his shoulder and walked away. Keiji turned to his teammates. “You guys go ahead. Debriefing will be in the common room after lunch. Please don’t be late.”
Kageyama raised his hand. “I could accompany you to the Hospital Wing, Akaashi-san.”
“No, it’s fine, Tobio. You go with the others.”
“It’s okay, Kageyama, he has someone to take him.” Kuroo nodded at something in the distance.
Keiji looked in that direction, and felt like all of the blood in his body rushed to his cheeks.
Bokuto approached with a grin and an excited wave. “Hey, hey, hey!”
“Hey, Bo,” Kuroo purred. “Here to take our captain?”
“Of course!” Without any warning, he grabbed Keiji’s arm and dragged him to his side. “I’m gonna borrow him for a while, guys! He’ll be good as brand new when he comes back.”
Kuroo — pain in the ass Kuroo — wiggled his eyebrows. Keiji had half a mind to kick him in the shin. “Don’t doubt that at all. Have fun, you two.”
With a sigh, he let Bokuto lead him back inside. It was only when the team was out of sight that Bokuto’s hand left his arm and he fell quiet.
Keiji watched him; the contrast between this brooding boy and the energetic Beater on the pitch was disconcerting. He tried to find the words to console him, but what came out was, “Why did you help me?”
Bokuto stopped and looked back at him. His face lacked the light it usually had, and it made Keiji’s heart ache. Even his voice was small. “What do you mean?”
“Coach Ukai could’ve tended to me.”
“I was close.”
He hadn’t been, Keiji knew. He recalled seeing Bokuto all the way across the pitch from him when he looked up after he fell. So he changed his angle.
“Yacchan was about to get the Snitch. Your team could’ve won.”
“You and your rebuttals, Akaashi.” Bokuto laughed. It didn’t sound like his usual. “It’s a practice match. It’s fine.”
“I’ve never known you to go easy on a practice match, Bokuto-san,” he argued.
Silence. Keiji wondered if Bokuto was going to continue walking and pretend like Keiji never asked him.
“I hurt you.”
And there it was; Keiji’s heart spilled with something like affection and gratitude and a thousand other things he couldn’t name. He reached out to take Bokuto’s hand. Bokuto let him.
“Kou,” he said, gently. Bokuto’s eyes widened at the use of his first name. “You didn’t. The Bludger didn’t hit me at all.”
“But I hit it … and it surprised you.”
“It happens, Kou.”
Bokuto nodded, and Keiji thought he finally understood. “It doesn’t change the fact that you’re hurt.”
“It doesn’t,” he agreed. “But not because of you. And I’m fine, Kou, I promise.”
“Are you really?”
“Yes.” Keiji smiled. “You took care of my nose, didn’t you? You know you’re the best at Charms.”
Keiji watched an answering smile start to blossom on his boyfriend’s face. “I am.”
“Yes you are.” It wasn’t even an exaggeration — Bokuto was known throughout the school for his excellent spellwork. “So I’m fine.”
As quick as it came, the smile wilted. “But your ribs … Kenma said they might be bruised.”
“That’s why we’re seeing Takeda-sensei, right? To see if they are?”
“Right, right! The Hospital Wing!” Bokuto yelped. He started tugging Keiji forward with the hand in his grip. “Let’s go, Keiji.”
Keiji shook his head, marveling at how fast his expressions changed. It was always something that fascinated him, but so was the rest of Bokuto — such was the nature of a star.
“A second, Kou.”
Bokuto looked at him expectantly. Keiji smiled and leaned up on his tiptoes. He pressed his lips to Bokuto’s, just barely, but Bokuto was eager to reciprocate, and soon Bokuto’s hands were on his waist as they kissed in the hallway, with no Saturday morning crowd around to interrupt them.
“Go on a date with me tomorrow,” Bokuto muttered against his lips. They were both still sweaty from the game, but none of them seemed to want to separate. “We’ll do whatever you want. Go wherever you want.”
Keiji smiled. “To Honeydukes?”
“Wherever you want, Ji,” he promised.
“Of course,” Keiji said. He pulled away first. Bokuto looked at him through half-lidded eyes.
“My lips totally tasted like blood, didn’t they?”
Bokuto winced. “Yeah.”
He laughed.
“I’d still kiss them, though.”
“Would you?”
“Hm.” And to prove his point, Bokuto kissed him again. It was shorter this time, just a peck. Keiji forced himself not to ask for another — otherwise, the trip to the Hospital Wing was going to be even more delayed.
Bokuto pressed their foreheads together. “Ji.”
Keiji smiled up at him. “Yes?”
“In an official match, I’m running you into the ground.”
“Okay.” He laughed, and sealed the promise with another kiss. “I’d like to see you try, Captain.”