Thread by @pearlsephoni

#bokuaka sick fic, bokuto is a good bf 🥹

Keiji notices the vague ache in the back of his sinuses Friday morning. “No…no no no,” he chants under his breath, shoving some oranges and a packet of vitamin c immunity booster powder into his bag on his way out.

They don’t work.

Now it’s Saturday morning, and he’s slumped on his couch, shivering under a blanket and squinting at his work email through a stubborn headache.

He thought he was lucky, that he’d be able to keep chasing off being sick every time his nose of throat ached. How wrong he was.

He’s mid-sip of tea when his phone rings. A single glance at caller id makes guilt prick at him. “…Hello?”

“Keiji!! Are you sick?! What happened?!”

“Ah, Ko…wait, how do you know I’m sick?”

“Udai-san told me!”

So the mangaka can’t get his drafts in on time, but he can call Keiji’s boyfriend? That meddling, procrastinating, kind-hearted fool.

“Yes,” he admits with a sigh, “I’m sick, but it’s nothing to worry about. Just a sick infection.”

“Again? But that’s the second one this year!”

“I’ll be fine—”

“Keijiiiiii it’s cuz you don’t eat properly!”

“I don’t think—”

“How many times have you had ramen for lunch this week?”

*Dammit.* Keiji mumbles a number.

“Huh?”

“…v’ryday.”

“I can’t hear you!”

“Everyday!” he finally bursts out.

“See!! You need some protein and vegetables, get your proper nutrients! Putting spinach and eggs in your ramen doesn’t count!” Kotaro adds, easily predicting Keiji’s rebuttal.

“Alright, alright,” Keiji sighs with a suppressed smile.

“Do you have rice?”

“Of course I have rice.”

“Good! Make some porridge and get some rest, okay?”

“What about my nutrients?”

“Let me worry about that!”

What? “What?”

“See you soon, babe!”

“Wait, Ko—”

Too late. Keiji’s left with the slow beep of a disconnected call.

There’s no way. Kotaro can’t come to Tokyo, not on such short notice. Maybe he just meant that he’ll have some food delivered to Keiji’s apartment and see him over video call. Keiji doesn’t exactly feel up for a video call, but it’s the least he can do.

Yeah. That must be it.

…That’s not it.

After some poorly-made rice porridge and an impromptu nap on the couch, Keiji’s almost forgotten about the call with Kotaro. So when he gets a buzz from the apartment’s entry and hears Kotaro’s voice on the other side, he’s driven to silence as he buzzes him in.

He’s still silent when he opens his door and is greeted by his blustering boyfriend.

“Keiji! How’re you feeling? Did you have some rice? You look like you just woke up, that’s good, you need your rest!”

Keiji numbly accepts a quick kiss to his cheek and lets Kotaro blow into his apartment in a flurry. He locks up and shuffles into the kitchen, where Kotaro is unloading enough food to feed the both of them for the weekend.

“…some of Myaa-sam’s onigiri, you still like tuna mayo, right? I stopped by your favorite ramen spot, too!” he’s announcing, passing a somehow-still-fresh onigiri to Keiji on his way to setting the kettle to boil.

“Ko—”

“I brought some of my matcha powder so we can have matcha lattes! It’s supposed to be good for your immune system! You should still have some plain tea and honey, though.”

“Kotaro—”

“You probably shouldn’t have too many sweets, but a mochi should be fine—”

“Bokuto-san!”

It doesn’t matter how many years it’s been. The sound of Keiji calling him so formally is still enough to make Kotaro hush and listen. “…Keiji?”

“What’re you doing here?”

Kotaro’s confused pout and tilted head make him look like a wounded puppy. “Taking care of you?”

“But…why? You didn’t need to come all the way from Osaka, you shouldn’t spend your time off worrying about me. And what if you get sick?”

“Nice try!” Kotaro snickers with a triumphant grin. “Sinus infections aren’t contagious! Don’t you remember?”

As if to prove his point, he steps close and presses a sweet peck to Keiji’s lips. “And of course I needed to come here. I was gonna be worried anyway, so I thought it’d be better to be worried while I can actually take care of you!”

“But—!”

“Do you *want* me to leave?”

Oh…*oh*, it’s not fair. Why is he so good at cutting through Keiji’s anxiety over being a burden?

*Because he loves you and knows you,* a voice whispers through Keiji’s mind.

And so, with a sigh, Keiji leans into Kotaro’s arms and shakes his head against his shoulder.

“Thought so,” he hears murmured into his ear. Kotaro’s smile is still audible, even in such a low voice.

“Thank you,” Keiji mumbles, “for coming and taking care of me.”

“Of course! Can I tell you a secret, Keiji?”

“Hm?”

“I’m kinda happy you’re sick. Now I have an excuse to come see you!”

Keiji can’t help it. He lets out a quiet chuckle, and is rewarded by a kiss to his hair and arms tightening around him.

They stand like that for a moment, holding each other in Keiji’s tiny kitchen.

Then, quietly, Kotaro asks, “Are you hungry?”

“Very.”

“Good! Here come pick a ramen!”

After a slow lunch and a slower cup of tea, Keiji catches Kotaro’s hand and pulls him along as he shuffles to bed. “Won’t you be too warm if I nap with you?” Kotaro asks.

“No,” Keiji murmurs, letting go of Kotaro’s hand to crawl into bed. “And even if I were, you’d be worth it.”

Keiji’s mouth snaps shut. Where did that come from? He’s rarely so sappy, even when he’s sick.

Kotaro is also silent and wide-eyed, but his surprise only lasts a moment.

“Keijiiiiii!” he coos with a smile so bright, he shines like the star Keiji always thought of him as. He crawls in and pulls Keiji close, carefully tucking the comforter snug around them. Keiji snuggles into Kotaro’s plush, strong chest and wraps his arms tight around him.

“Love you, Keiji.”

“Love you, too,” Keiji mumbles, sleep already sweeping him away, “and thank you, Ko.”

The last thing he processes are soft lips at his temple. Then he’s lost to the warmest, snuggliest nap he’s had in a long too.

//fin

being sick means writing your fave getting sick and being doted on to cope 🥹 this would’ve been kghn, but I already wrote that for kghn week last year, and dammit, it’s been too long since I wrote bkak! I’ve missed them!!

omg you can tell I wrote this sick in bed, the typos are HORRENDOUS 😭 Akaashi has a sinus infection, not a “sick” infection, and the last word in the whole is supposed to be “time,” end me