๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐
๏ฟซ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ ! : akaashi x insomniac!reader
tags: angst, small mention of death [ in another life reference ], just a bunch of akaashi fluff
summary: akaashi doesnโt like calling it by itโs most common known name. instead, he calls it insomnolence, since the most beautiful people he knows have been diagnosed with it.ย
thank you to my beta readers @dismalfairyโ and ant <3
your eyelids felt as if they had weights on them, but they just werenโt heavy enough to make them close. your vision was limited, your room an inky black. reaching your hand out in front of you, you attempted to outline your fingers, something you did out of habit at this point. you felt your fingers stretch, you knew exactly where it was, but you still couldnโt see it. did you really expect it to change ? not entirely, it didnโt stop you from hoping youโd, in some magical way, acquire night vision.
turning to your side, a quiet sigh escaped your lips. it had been about two hours since youโd made yourself comfortable under the cotton blankets, but sleep had been quite stingy with her presence. she never wanted to give you more than two hours. did she hate you that much ? did you not deserve to get some rest like the majority of the population ?
โmr sandman, give me a dream . . .โ
having gotten bored laying in bed, waiting for something you knew wasnโt going to happen, youโd gotten up and now you were standing on the balcony, a warm cup of tea encased in between your shaking fingers. due to the nipping cold, you pulled on a pair of sweats and an old, long-sleeved tee-shirt. settling on the large bean bag your best friend had gotten you as a housewarming gift, you lifted the mug of tea, taking a small sip. the warmth of the liquid spread through your chest, bringing a satisfied smile to your lips.
turning to face the sky, you tilt your head to the side as you squint at the moon. it had become something youโd become use to looking at, giving it itโs own personality in your mind. it was one of the only things or people youโd interact with at a time like this.
the moon, and your neighbor, akaashi.
the man seemed to notice your broken sleeping schedule in the early days that you moved in. you werenโt entirely sure if he had just as much trouble sleeping as you did or just chose not to, and at a point, it was a little worrisome to you. why would anyone choose to stay awake throughout the night ? when they could easily slip into the mysterious wonders of sleep. but after many different nights of being awake together, you learned that anytime akaashi did sleep, he was plagued by nightmares, so he settled for short napes throughout the night and day.
glancing over to his balcony, which sat right next to yours, you remembered the first night you two had met out under the soft, white light from your friend above.
โyou have trouble sleeping, huh ?โ the raven haired maleโs eyebrow quirked up as he leaned against the railing, reaching his hand out to take the mug of tea you had offered to make him just a few moments before. you just nodded your head, slinking back into your seat, body heavy with exhaustion. the day had been long and taxing. you had locked your keys in your car and had to wait for someone to come get them, resulting in you being late to work. and it just had to be that day that you had an appointment with an accountant to set up the finances for the bakery food truck you were starting up. now you had to wait another week before you could meet her, and that meant another dreadful week at your current job, waitressing at a small cafe. and even though your body was screaming for just an hour of sleep, you just couldnโt seem to give it what it wanted.
โyou could say that,โ a dry laugh escaped your lips as you took a sip from your own drink. placing the cup on the ground next to you, your attention was brought back to the man in front of you. when you had moved in about three weeks ago, heโd introduced himself, offered his hand for any help youโd need settling in. all you could think was how lucky you had gotten to not only gotten a nice apartment with an amazing set of neighbors, but one of them just happened to be attractive. but you never thought youโd be sharing a midnight cup of tea and problems. โbut what about you ? i couldnโt help but notice youโre awake around this time, too.โ
โnightmares.โ that was all he said before turning his head to look up at the moon. you just nodded silently, choosing not to ask any further questions.
โif you ever need a cup of tea, you know where to find me,โ you said after a few minutes of silence, standing to your feet. taking the cup back from him, you gave him a small smile and bid him a goodnight before returning into the warmth of your apartment.
โinsomnolence.โ the word caused your eyebrow to quirk up in curiosity. akaashi had stepped out onto his balcony while you were deep in thought, catching you by surprise. seeing the confused look on your face caused him to back track. โitโs insomnia but . . . a prettier word. seemed fitting.โ
โakaashi, please donโt-โ
โa pretty word for a pretty girl.โ a shit-eating grin tugged on the corner of your lips, and you rolled your eyes at the small attempt at a failed pickup line.
โhow would one even use that in a sentence ?โ
akaashi shrugged, leaning over the railing to hold out a cup of tea, a bashful look flashing across his face when he noticed the one in your hand. โi shouldโve guessed you already had one but . . . i just wanted to see if i made it the way you liked.โ
a warm feeling spread throughout your chest and you pushed yourself off of the bean bag to take the cup from his dainty fingers. raising the cups to your lips, you tilted your head back to take a sip, quickly nodding your head afterwards. โi didnโt think youโd actually pay attention to my tea rants.โ
โi listen to everything you say,โ scratching the back of his neck, he turned away from you to hide the blush creeping up his neck.
โyouโre so cute, kaashi,โ cradling the cup in your hands, you took another appreciative sip before placing the cup securely on the wooden panels before leaning against the railings of your own balcony. reaching out, you took one of his hands, giving it gentle squeeze. โi really do appreciate you, and these late night talks.โ
โcould i come over?โ the question caught you off guard, but before you could even process what he had actually asked, your head had already started to nod a โyesโ.
disappearing back into his apartment, you shook yourself back into reality. this would be the first time heโd actually been in your apartment. and you werenโt even sure if you cleaned that day. grabbing the two cups of tea from the ground, you slipped into the warm building, sliding the glass door closed behind you. internally glad that he was taking awhile, it gave you just a few minutes to clean around your the studio. just as you were putting the broom back in its respective place in one of the closets, you heard a knock at the door. glancing around once more for good measure, you hummed, satisfied with yourself.
skipping towards the door, you pull it open with a welcoming smile, as if you two werenโt just talking a few minutes ago. stepping back to let him in, you told him to make himself comfortable. slipping off his shoes, he glances around the one room studio, tilting his head to the side. โcute,โ he mutters quietly, and that eases some of the nerves you were feeling.
โthank you, kaashi. next time, your place.โ
you two had done a few activities to pass the time, sang karaoke [ until one of your neighbors complained about the noise ], played a few different card and board games, and now youโd settled down, watching a movie.
your couch was small, hardly fit the both of you, and he had offered to sit on the floor. trying to get him to join you, he refused, saying he was comfortable where he was. rolling your eyes, you flicked his forehead for how stubborn he was being, which, in return, earned you a pout from the male.
now akaashi sat directly in front of you, your legs draped over his shoulders, his head laying comfortably between your thighs, your fingers raking through his soft curls, nails gently scratching his scalp every now and again. you realized he had fallen asleep sometime during the first half of the movie, one that youโd never seen before, but he said it was a โclassicโ. in your opinion, it was a little boring, now dragging on to the second hour. at one point youโd thought you were about to nod off, but you were proven to be wrong.
โare you still awake?โ the voice hard brought you out of your trance, lifting your hand to rub your eyes. humming out a tired yes, you felt the male from from his spot, the cushion of the small couch dipping underneath the additional weight. a pair of strong arms wrapped around your shoulders, akaashi pulling your head to lay onto his chest.
โitโs kind of ironic, you know?โ turning your attention to him, you raise a questioning eyebrow.
"remember my old friend i told you about? bokuto?" nodding your head, you shift in his embrace, fingers tracing absent shapes on the palms of his hands. "well . . . he also couldn't sleep, but it was to the point it killed him." he took a pause to take a small, shaky breath. in an attempt to comfort him, you laced your fingers with him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "i don't necessarily know what it is about you two that attracted me to you. but i guess what i really wanted to say is, that no matter what, or however bad it gets, i'll be there, always."
removing yourself from his embrace, you shifted in your position to face him, taking his other hand into yours. "i promise you're not gonna lose me anytime soon, keiji."
"i hope not because . . . i found you."
reaching up to encase his cheeks in the palms of your hands, you pulled him down, pressing your lips to his forehead. "you found me."
