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Whenever Akaashi's birthday comes around, he doesn't expect anything grand to happen to him. Maybe a couple greetings from family and friends, buy himself something he's been eyeing for months, but that's it.
And he's fine with that—always has been, he appreciates the mundane and the calmness of day-to-day life. He rarely ever wants for more.
This year, he doesn't even get to ask for anything because he wakes in another world, in a lavish bed, in someone else's body.
Well, maybe it's still technically his own since it looks just like him, but certainly this isn't the life he's familiar with.
A maid knocks on the door to help him get dressed for breakfast, he's adorned in soft garments, his hair is styled perfectly, and he's walking through a mansion—no, and estate—probably the size of a small residential area. He finds himself alone at the dining table but can't find himself to care for anything other than the copious amount of delicacies in front of him. He surmises that since he's in a dream, chowing down wouldn't hurt anybody.
When he's satisfied with the amount of food he's put away, a butler comes and lets him know he has a guest waiting in the gardens. There's a lick of mischief and fondness behind his words, but Akaashi doesn't think much of it as he goes on his merry way.
The garden is sprawling and flourishing; beautiful foliage line the paths and there are flowers of every color. He absentmindedly thinks whoever has curated this space must have put much thought into it. He walks along a cobbled path to find a small gazebo in the middle.
A figure with a strong back awaits him, his hair a familiar two-tone that even in his dreams Akaashi wouldn't dare to forget.
"Bokuto-san," he calls experimentally.
The man turns around, eyes lighting up and a smile stretching from cheek to cheek. "Keiji!" Well, that's new.
Bokuto embraces Akaashi in a bone-crushing hug—very similar to his real hugs—and Akaashi lets himself melt into it. He feels his senior take a deep inhale into the crown of his head and he does the same into Bokuto's warm chest.
What a wonderful dream to have on his birthday.
"Did you sleep well?" Bokuto asks, smiling down at Akaashi so brightly it almost makes him want to look away.
Akaashi confirms, "I did. My pillows are very soft." This makes Bokuto laugh a good amount, until he calms back down and takes Akaashi's hands in his.
His gaze holds worlds of affection. "I'm glad. I was afraid you wouldn't have been able to get a good night's rest after yesterday," he caresses Akaashi's knuckles. "Though I'm glad that wasn't the case."
Akaashi blinks. His brain's short-circuiting for two different reasons.
Yesterday? What did he-his dream self do yesterday?
He must pause for a moment too long, because Bokuto's expression looks close to crumpling.
"Ah, yes. Yesterday was well, a lot," He keeps it vague as he tightens his own grasp on Bokuto. "It must have been so much that I tuckered out the moment my head hit the pillow!"
Bokuto bites a lip in between his teeth. Akaashi wonders if it would be alright to kiss dream Bokuto. "Are you sure? No need to lie, I know I was a little rough and clumsy with it."
Suddenly Akaashi is wide awake. What.
The last part of his thought must slip out of his mouth, as Bokuto's cheeks and ears start to color pink. "I mean, it was my first time and all-not saying I'm expecting it to happen again! It's just-I wanted it to be perfect for you and—"
Akaashi's mind spirals in time with Bokuto's rambling. What first time? Why won't it happen again? What on earth did he do? Did they do? Did they…do? Oh god, did dream him get to fuck Bokuto before he did?!
In his panic, he forgets he's supposed to know. "Bokuto-san, what are you talking about?" He almost begs.
"My proposal!" Bokuto howls and then collapses into him, burying his head into Akaashi's neck awkwardly. "It was so bad wasn't it, you probably said yes because you felt bad," he sniffles almost directly into Akaashi's ear. "You can tell me you actually don't want to get married to me. I mean, I'd be sad because I want to marry you so bad but I don't want you to be unhappy, and I'm sorry that I did this the day before your birthday because now you have to deal with the stress of my proposal on your birthday, and oh god I'm the worst—" Bokuto continues on like that for approximately six more seconds.
In that amount of time, Akaashi realizes three things.
One, this is most likely not a dream. Somehow he's found himself in another version of reality with all the same people in his life. He knows this because all the dairy he consumed earlier is starting to make its presence known in his bowels.
Two, Bokuto proposed to him yesterday. He is now freaking out about whether or not Akaashi was just peer-pressured into saying yes. His proposal probably wasn't actually that bad, but Akaashi assumes something went wrong and that's what his fiancé is stressing over.
Fiancé.
Third, in another world, him and Bokuto are so in love they get married. They are so in love that Bokuto would rather call off a wedding than see Akaashi unhappy.
He feels like he might cry, and he has an inkling he might have already started.
Bokuto rushes to wipe away crocodile tears from his cheeks, looking alarmed and sad that he's making his beloved distressed. He tries to apologize but Akaashi lets out a watery laugh and shakes his head.
"No silly, I'm okay." Bokuto doesn't look convinced. "No seriously, I'm alright!" He takes Bokuto's hands back in his, leaves kisses on his knuckles and rests them against his forehead.
"I'm just..." he starts, feeling like he might cry again. "I'm so happy. I never thought this would ever happen to me. To us," he meets Bokuto's blazing eyes.
Bokuto wipes away the last of his tears. "What are you talking about? Of course it was always going to happen to us. I've loved you since forever!"
Akaashi doesn't need to transmigrate to another world to know that it's true. Bokuto's loved him since forever. And now he knows that he loves him in multiple universes—each and every one of them, possibly.
He caresses Bokuto's face. "I know," Akaashi smiles, and his head hurts from crying but he's so happy he doesn't care. "I've loved you since forever too. Thank you, I wouldn't have wanted to spend my birthday any other way."
Bokuto's face finally brightens. "Really?!"
Akaashi nods. "Really." He lets out a yawn. "I'm a little dizzy from the sunlight. I'm sure you have gifts for me."
Bokuto nods, "Of course I do! It's your birthday, so I made sure to get something even better than your ring, and-Keiji? Kei-hey, wait!"
The last thing Akaashi registers before his world goes black is Bokuto holding him in his arms, looking very worried. He must have collapsed. He feels sorry for that world's Bokuto.
The first thing he registers when he opens his eyes is a special ringtone set to a specific person blaring beside his ear. After the ringing in his head stops, he picks up the phone and answers. "Bokuto-san."
"Akaashi, look out your window!" He stumbles to the side of his room with light coming through and parts the blinds.
Down below, Bokuto is holding up a glittery sign that reads 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY AKAASHI! YOU'RE THE BEST!!!' with a toothy grin and eyes that shine like the sun.
"Thank you, Bokuto-san," his eyes linger on the board. He thinks he spots a small inscription near the bottom—the only discernible word being love, albeit in shaky handwriting. "Would you like to come up for breakfast?"