HAIKYUU BOYS + ASKING YOU OUT TO PROM. featuring ⎠daichi sawamura, sugawara koshi, bokuto koutarou & kuroo tetsuro x fem!reader â¸â¸Â itâs prom season, so the boys finally work up the nerve to ask their favorite manager to the dance. 9.1k words.Â
Practice has ended with the usual mix of exhaustion and noiseâHinata dramatically collapsing on the floor, Noya letting out loud pants and sighs, and Tanaka claiming he could no longer feel his legs. The sun had just started dipping through that gym windows, casting everything in that warm, sleepy gold that made everything feel softer somehow. One by one, the team began packing up their bags, slinging towels over their shoulders and mumbling half-asleep goodbyes. Filing out with lazy waves and sleepy grins. You sat off to the side with the managerâs notebook open in your lap, scribbling down the last bits of inventory and practice notes while the sound of shoes squeaking and light chatter showed around the gym.Â
âHey,â a voice said above you gently. âWe got cleaning covered for today. Go on home.â You looked up to find Sugawara smiling down at you, towel slung over his shoulder like always.
You blinked. âWait⌠really? Are you sure? But why?â
âNo reason!â he said quicklyâtoo quickly. âYouâve been working hard lately. You deserve a break.â
You narrowed your eyes, suspicious. âSince when do you let me leave early?â
He simply smiles and places his hands on your shoulders, gently steering you toward the exit. âDonât worry about it! Weâve got it all under control. Go on.â
âSugaâwait! What are youââÂ
âGo, go, go!â He said, still grinning like a man hiding something. âBut wait! You havenâtââ then without explanation, he shut the gym doors behind you. You stood there in the hallway, staring at the closed doors, lips parting in disbelief. You frowned slightly, bottom lip jutting into a pout as you looked back one more time. But eventually, you sighed and turned to head home.Â
On the other side of the doorâŚÂ
Tanaka was on a chair trying to tape a string of paper hearts to the underside of the upper balcony. Noya was holding the chair sort of steadilyâwhile also arguing about glitter placement. Asahi was sweeping like his life depended on it, and Hinata kept bouncing in place shouting, âIs it time yet!? Can she come back now!?âÂ
âNO,â Suga snapped. âHinata, if you ask me that one more time, Iâm making you stand guard outside.âÂ
Daichi stood a little apart from the chaos, hovering anxiously over a large, glitter-splattered poster propped against a bench. The more he stared at it, the more anxious he felt. A cold sweat prickled at the back of his neck. His mind flashing with worst case scenariosâyou seeing the setup, laughing awkwardly, shaking your head, and walking away without a word.
âDaichi,â Suga said, appearing beside him and placing a steady hand on his shoulder. He flinched slightly, blinking at him. âItâll be fine,â Suga said softly. âDonât worry too much about it.â
Daichi let out a shaky breath, eyes returning to the poster. âDo you think the poster is⌠too much? I mean..â He hesitated, frowning. âIsnât it kind of⌠glittery?â He looked up at him with a pitiful expression, eyes full of despair.
Suga followed his gaze to the sparkling letters that read:
âGO TO PROM WITH ME?ââsurrounded by stars, hearts, and way too much gold dust.Â
âWellâŚâ Suga said carefully, ââŚit might be a little glittery.â
Daichi let out a low groan, covering his face with both hands. âOh god. I knew I shouldnât haveââ
âButââ Suga added quickly, cutting him off. âI'm sure sheâll love it. Donât freak out.â Daichi peeked out between his fingers, still visibly panicking.Â
âShe likes sparkly stuff, right?â Suga offered.Â
âI think?â Daichi muttered.Â
âThen this is thoughtful sparkly,â he said, giving him a little pat on the back. âTrust me.â Daichi didnât look convinced. The chaos continued behind themâsomeone had dropped the water-filled bucket, someone else shrieked about Tanaka falling off the chairâbut for a brief moment, Daichi stood there trying to steady his breathing.Â
He could only hope this didnât turn into a disaster.Â
When you got home, the first thing you did was face-plant into the couch with a dramatic groan. The managerâs notebook had been tossed onto the coffee table with your phone clutched loosely in one hand. The whole day had drained every last ounce of energy from your body, and being forcibly dismissed by Sugawara hadnât exactly helped your confusion. You buried your face into a throw pillow and let out a muffled noise of exhaustion. Then your phone buzzed once. Then again. And again.Â
With a groggy grunt, you clicked open your phone and squinted at the screen. The team group chat was going offâmessage after message filling the screen with chaotic chatter. You opened it lazily, your thumb dragging across unread messages.
SUGA: [Emergency meeting. Everyone please report to the gym. Now.]
TANAKA: [Emergency??] [Is someone dying or is this like⌠emotional emergency?]
NOYA: [Be there in five. Should I bring glitter? Not for any reason. Just⌠curious.]Â
HINATA: [OHH IS THIS THE THING] [Tanaka told me about THE THING] [Wait are we not supposed to talk about THE THING]
SUGA: [Hinata.] [Stop typing.]
ASAHI: [What kind of meeting is this..?] [Do I need to wear something nice or..?]
SUGA: [Everyone, please just report to the gym.]
You blinked at your phone, thumb hovering over the screen as you scrolled through the group chat. ââŚWhat.â The sheer amount of suspicious energy in those messages was almost offensive. Emergency? Glitter? âThe Thingâ? Asahi asking if he needed to dress up? You narrowed your eyes at the screen, then sighed, letting your head thunk back dramatically against the couch cushion. ââŚTheyâre definitely hiding something.âÂ
Still, despite your suspicions, you were already grabbing your jacket and heading for the door. Whatever this was⌠you wanted to find out what it was. And now.Â
The walk back to school was quiet. The sun had already set, and the sky was turning that deep, dusky blue, stars barely beginning to peek through. The streetlights buzzed faintly overhead as you hugged your hoodie tighter around yourself, shivering slightly as a breeze swept past. âAn emergency meeting? Seriously?â you muttered to yourself, shoulders hunched.
âWhat kind of emergency meeting happens after practice ends?â You let out a breathy sigh, rubbing your hands together to keep warm as your footsteps echoed lightly on the pavement. Another breeze hit and you hunched your shoulders more, pulling your sleeves over your hands. âSugaâs gonna owe me hot chocolate for this. Like, at least two packets.â
You were still mid-rant in your head by the time you reached the gym, but paused when you noticed something strange.
Wellânot completely. There was a faint, warm glow spilling out through the cracks of the double doors, soft and flickering like candlelight or a very confused janitor left their phone flashlight on. You frowned slightly, slowing your pace as you reached out to push one of the doors open just slightly and peeked inside.
ââŚGuys?â you called, voice soft and uncertain.
âDaichi? Suga? You⌠here?â
Then your eyes landed on the figure standing perfectly still in the center of the gym, surrounded by what looked likeâstreamers? Paper hearts? A single balloon drifting off to the side? You let out a startled yelp, your heart shooting into your throat as you staggered back instinctively.Â
âWaitâwait! Itâs me! Itâs just meâDaichi!â the figure said quickly, stepping forward into the soft light. You squinted and sure enough, there he was. Daichi Sawamura, standing stiff as a board next to a suspiciously sparkly poster, his hand gripping a balloon string like it had personally betrayed him.
You let out a breath, half laughing, half scolding as your hand flew to your chest. âDaichi! Whaâwhy are youâwhy arenât the normal lights on?!â
He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. âUm⌠ambiance?â
ââŚAmbiance,â you repeated, deadpan. He nodded once, almost too seriously.
From behind one of the gym mats, a very suspicious sniffle echoed. ââŚWhat was that?â you asked, eyes narrowing.
Daichi straightened a little too fast. "Nothing! Must've been the wind... hah," he said, adding a stiff, awkward laugh.
From somewhere behind the mats, you barely heard a muffled, "Tanaka, shut up," followed by the sound of someone elbowing someone else and a not-so-quiet whisper of "ow."
Daichi groaned softly into his hands. You tilted your head, heart still racing from the earlier scare, but now slowly catching up with your brain. âDaichi,â you said, voice caught somewhere between amusement and suspicion. âWhat⌠is going on?â
He looked up at you, cheeks tinged pink, then glanced quickly at the suspiciously sparkly poster again. He hesitated, visibly swallowed, took a breath and then:Â
âIâve been trying to ask you to prom,â he blurted out.
He winced. âI meanânot like right now specifically, Iâve justâIâve been meaning to! For a while. I justâhavenât had the guts. But then the team got involved and it turned into⌠this.â He waved vaguely at the streamers and confetti and balloon bumping against his head. You opened your mouth to say somethingâbut he was already powering through the panic.Â
âAnd I didnât want to make it weird or anything, but I like you. A lot. And I thought maybe⌠this could be a good excuse to finally say something.â He paused, his ears turning red. âI meanâask you to prom. Not likeâconfess my feelings or something. Unless youâunless you want that. I mean not that Iâm notââ A loud sniffle sounded from the mats.
You turned sharply. âWas thatâ?â
âIâM FINE,â Tanakaâs muffled voice rang out. âItâs so beautiful,â Noya whispered dramatically.
âOh my god,â Daichi muttered, dragging a hand down his face. Sugaâs voice chimed in, âIgnore them. Focus. Youâre doing great!âÂ
âIâm going to throw a volleyball at someone,â Daichi whispered through gritted teeth. You couldnât help itâyou laughed. The tension melted off your shoulders as you stepped forward, closer to him.
âSo, just to be clearâŚâ you said, eyes sparkling with amusement, âyou roped the entire team into helping you with a sparkly promposal?â
âI regret the glitter,â he muttered.
âI donât,â you said, smiling wide now. âAnd⌠yes.âÂ
His head snapped up. âWaitâyes?â
You nodded. âYes, Iâll go to prom with you.â
âAnd I might even let you confess your undying love, if youâre lucky.â There was an eruption of cheers and possibly a few tears from behind the mats. Daichiâs face was buried in his hands again.
 âPlease never remind me of this moment ever again.â But he was smiling.
Practice was in full swingâshoes squeaking across the court, shouts bouncing off the gym walls, volleyballs echoing with every clean hit. Passes, serves, dives, sets. The same drills they ran every day.
You sat off to the side like always, cross-legged on the bench with your notebook propped up on your knee and a mechanical pencil in your hand. Being the manager didnât mean you were always taking statsâsometimes, when practice ran like usual, you took the opportunity to catch up on homework. Or at least, try to.
Your brows were furrowed in concentration. The math worksheet in your lap may as well have been written in ancient Greek. Youâd been staring at the same problem for what felt like ten minutes, chewing the inside of your cheek as you scribbled a number downâpausedâand then immediately erased it again.
You didnât even notice anyone approaching untilâ
âYou know youâre supposed to be taking notes about the team, right?â
You jolted in your seat with a soft gasp, whipping your head around. âSuga! You scared meââ
He laughed, rubbing at his forehead with a towel as he leaned a little to peek over your shoulder. His hair was slightly damp from sweat, a water bottle tucked under his arm. âSorry,â he said with an easy grin. âDidnât mean to sneak up on you. What are you working on?â
You let out a sigh and looked back down at the worksheet, tapping your eraser lightly on the paper. âNothing. Just⌠homework.â
He tilted his head at you, still curious.
ââŚAre you any good at math?â you asked finally, glancing at him from the corner of your eye.
He raised an eyebrow, as he sipped from his water bottle. âIâm decent. Why?â He finally said.
You hesitated, then shrugged like you werenât trying to admit something you hadnât said out loud yet. âBecause I kind of suck at it.â
There was a pause, and he didnât laugh or tease or even look surprised. He just nodded slowly, gaze thoughtful.
âI meanâI understand some of it in class, kind of,â you went on, eyes flicking down to your page. âBut the second I leave itâs like everything I just learned disappears. Itâs like⌠I never even took notes. Especially with formulas. Iâll memorize one, and then completely forget how the others work.â
Sugawara crouched slightly to meet your eye level, resting his forearms on his knees. âYou know, thatâs actually more common than you think.â
You looked at him again, surprised. âReally?â
âMmhm,â he nodded. âFormulas are tough when theyâre just numbers and letters floating in your head. You just need something thatâll make it click. Want me to help you out sometime?â
You blinked. âWaitâreally?â
âYeah,â he said easily, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. âAs long as youâre actually willing to learn. Not just stare at the paper like itâs gonna sprout answers.â
You let out a laugh. âNo promises.â
He stood again, stretching a little. âDeal with it. Iâll start quizzing you between water breaks.â
âGeez, thanks,â you muttered, but you couldnât help the small smile pulling at your mouth as you watched him jog back onto the court.
Over the next few days, true to his word, Sugawara started quizzing you. Sometimes it was quick things during practice breaksâheâd toss you a water bottle and casually ask, âWhatâs the quadratic formula?â like it was the most normal conversation topic in the world.
Other times, when the gym was too loud or chaotic, heâd wait until practice was done and walk with you down the hallway, scribbling formulas on the back of his hand with a pen and holding it up like a flashcard.
Eventually, the little pop quizzes werenât enough.
âOkay,â he said one afternoon, catching up to you after school with his bag slung over one shoulder, âI think we should try an actual study session. Not just verbal math questions during water breaks.â
You blinked. âWait, really?â
âMhm,â he nodded. âLibraryâs open until five. Come on, Iâll show you how to remember the formulas like a pro.â He said it with a grin like it was a secret only he could teach, and⌠you couldnât really say no to that.
So that became your thing.
You found yourselves staying behind together more oftenâsitting cross-legged on the floor of the club room, surrounded by scrap paper, open textbooks, and half-eaten snacks. Hinata, Tanaka, and occasionally Noya would pop in, ask one question, and immediately derail the entire session, leaving you both laughing and groaning.
But even with all the interruptions and teasing, your grades started to improve slowly. Sugawara never once made you feel stupid. His explanations were clear and patient, always encouraging, and just a little smug whenever you finally solved a problem on your own. Heâd grin so wide it made your stomach flutter, just a little. You told yourself it was just because of the progress you were making. Totally.
It had been a long dayârainy, with practice cut short earlyâand the two of you had taken refuge in the club room again. Heâd asked you to meet him there for a âfinal challenge,â as he called it. Now, you sat across from him, hunched over the same table that had seen weeksâ worth of notebooks, practice sheets, crumpled scratch paper, and empty vending machine wrappers.
He was watching you with that usual soft grin, a pencil tucked behind his ear, sleeves slightly pushed up. âAlright,â he said, tapping his eraser on the table. âI think weâve covered enough for today.â
You let out a dramatic sigh, flopping forward onto your arms. âFinally.â
âButââ he added quickly, âI have one last thing for you.â
You squinted at him, suspicious. âIf itâs another worksheet, Iâm genuinely going to cry.â
âItâs not a worksheet,â he promised with a small laugh. âItâs a⌠quiz. Kind of.â You sat up a little, watching as he pulled a single printed sheet of paper from his bag and slid it across the table. You stared down at it. A⌠word search?
ââŚSeriously? I thought you said we were done with tests,â you said, raising an eyebrow.
âDonât look at me like that. Think of it as extra credit,â he grinned, tapping the top of the page. âEvery prompt matches a formula weâve covered. All you have to do is find the correct term in the grid.â
You looked at him suspiciously. âThatâs it?â
You picked up your pencil with a skeptical look and worked through it slowlyâcircling âarea,â âPythagorean,â âvolume,â âisoscelesââall the stuff heâd drilled into your brain over the past few weeks. Once the last word was found, you set the pencil down and leaned back.
âDone,â you announced.
Sugawara leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. âYou sure?â
You blinked at him. âUm, yeah?â He pointed to the top of the paper, his expression feigning innocence. âDid you read the instructions?â
You groaned. âSugaâŚâ
He just smiled, completely unbothered. Reluctantly, you leaned back over the page, eyes scanning the top line of text. In small, tidy font, it read:
"When youâve finished finding all the answers, circle the remaining letters for a surprise message."
You tilted your head. âSeriously?â you muttered to yourself, but still grabbed your pencil again. Carefully, you began circling the unused letters, your brain starting to piece them together slowly. Scribbling each one at the bottom of the page to keep track.
ââWould?ââ you mumbled.
Then you stared at the remaining letters in the grid.
Your eyes widened. âProm,â you whispered.
Your head snapped up. Sugawara was sitting across from you, trying to look casual as he rested his chin on his hand. His cheeks were lightly pink, lips pulled into a small, almost sheepish smile.
âSo?â he said, eyes soft and sincere. âWhat do you say? Would you go to prom with me?â
Then let out a surprised, breathy laugh. âYou made me do math⌠for a promposal?â
âI made you review,â he said, smirking again. âTechnically.â
You shook your head, staring at him. Then at the paper, then at him once more. And suddenly the word search didnât matter, the formulas didnât matterâbecause all you could focus on was the way he was looking at you. Like he was really, truly hoping youâd say yes.
âIâd love to go with you,â you said, voice a little softer. His eyes lit upâjust for a secondâand then he grinned that sweet, boyish grin you were pretty sure could melt every single formula out of your brain again.
ââŚEven if I make you do math again tomorrow?â he teased.
You rolled your eyes, still smiling. âDonât push it.â
âBokuto,â you called from the sidelines, flipping the page on your clipboard. âThat spike was perfect. Relax.â
âBut it felt weird,â he muttered, pulling at the hem of his jersey. His brows drew together, lips pursed in a small frown. âDid you see my hand angle? My formâs off! Itâs all downhill from here. Iâm peaking early. Iâll neverââ
âIt wasnât weird,â Konoha cut in, wiping sweat from his neck with a towel.
âYou landed the shot,â Akaashi added calmly, passing the ball back to the server.
âNothing less from our ace,â you said, eyes flicking up from your notes.
Bokutoâs head shot up, eyes wide for a secondâthen his grin came back, full force. âYEAH! THATâS RIGHT!â Just like that, his mood flipped. Confidence patched back into place, shoulders squared, back straight, energy firing again like nothing had happened.
Practice went on like normal after that. The usual drills ran off without a hitch, and Bokuto was back to being Bokuto. Every time he landed a clean shot, he turned to look at you. Almost like he needed to make sure youâd seen it. Like he wanted your reaction first, before anyone elseâs.
âDid you see that, heyâdid you see?â
âYes, Bokuto,â youâd say, barely glancing up from your clipboard, but your lips always twitched like you were trying not to smile.
It was like clockwork. He craved the attentionâand you gave it, in small doses, just enough to keep him focused without feeding his ego too much. Youâd been helping out with the team for over a year now. When you first joined, it was just supposed to be something to keep you busy after schoolâa way to stop wasting your afternoons scrolling on your phone at home. And it worked. More than you expected, actually. So this routine wasnât exactly new to you. Keeping Bokuto from spiraling was practically part of the job description at this point.
Later, when practice finally wrapped up and everyone was packing up their bags, Bokuto found himself lingering. He stood near the bench, loosely tying and untying the same knot in his drawstring bag over and over, brows furrowed.
Akaashi was at his side, like always. âYouâre thinking again,â he said simply.
Bokuto jolted a little, shoulders tensing. âHuh? Whatâno Iâm not.â
ââŚOkay. Maybe a little.â
Akaashi gave him a look. The Bokuto, come on kind of look. The kind Bokuto couldnât really argue with. He sighed, scratching the back of his neck. His eyes flicked toward you, still across the court, helping Kaori and Yukie clean up water bottles.
ââŚShe called me the ace today,â he mumbled under his breath.
Akaashi blinked once. âYou are the ace.â
âYeah, butâŚâ Bokutoâs voice trailed off for a second. His grip tightened around the strap of his bag. âI dunno. It sounded different when she said it.â
Akaashi hummed softly, eyes narrowing just a bit in thought. But he didnât press him. Bokuto knew he was acting weird. He wasnât stupid. This wasnât like himânot really. He was used to attention, sure, but this wasnât that. He didnât just want your compliments to hype himself up anymore. He wantedâwell, he wasnât totally sure what he wanted. But his stomach did this stupid flip every time you smiled at him, and his chest got all tight when you stepped closer, handing him water or tugging his wristband up to check for bruises.
And now that prom was coming up? Forget it. His brain was on overdrive.
âI think,â he said quietly, fiddling with the hem of his jersey again, âIâm gonna ask her to prom.â
Akaashi didnât even blink this time. He just zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. âOkay.â
âOkay? Thatâs it!?â
âYou like her. Weâve known that for months.â
âWhaâNo, you havenât!!â Bokuto squawked, heat rushing to his face. Akaashi raised a calm eyebrow. âBokuto. You point out her hair every single day.â
âBecause her hairâs nice!â Bokuto argued.
âYou said it looked like it smelled nice.â
ââŚWell maybe it does!â
Akaashi sighed softly, like he was already tired of this conversation but too loyal to leave him hanging. âSo? Whatâs the plan?â Bokutoâs eyes lit up. âIâve been thinking about it all week!â He gripped Akaashiâs shoulders dramatically. âIâm gonna go all out. Big poster, sparkly letters, flowersâthe whole thing! She wonât be able to say no!!â
Akaashi blinked. âMm.â
âWhat does that mean!?â
âI think itâs⌠ambitious.â
Bokuto crossed his arms, pouting a little. âIâm not gonna mess this up. This is gonna be awesome.â
Akaashi gave a small smile, eyes softening just a bit. âI believe you.â
That night when Bokuto got home, he spent an hour standing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush in his hand like a microphone.
âHey, so, will you go to prom with me?â he muttered, then shook his head. âNoâno, thatâs lame.â
He tried again, puffing out his chest. âYouâre coming to prom with me.â
Wait. That sounded bossy. He groaned, ruffling his own hair. âFocus, KoutarouâŚâ
Over and over, he practiced. Trying to get it just right. The flowers. The poster. The timing. The cool tone of voice that wouldnât make him sound like an over-excited kidâeven though thatâs exactly how he felt inside. But no matter how many times he rehearsed it⌠every time he pictured your face.
His brain still went blank.
Bokuto groaned, setting the hairbrush down on the bathroom sink with a soft clack. His hands gripped the edge of the counter as he hunched forward, head hanging low between his shoulders. His reflection stared back at him from under his bangsâcheeks flushed, eyes wide, heart still beating way too fast.
âCalm down, KoutarouâŚâ he muttered to himself, breathing in deep through his nose, then out again. His shoulders rose and fell with each breath, but no matter how hard he tried to settle his nerves, it wasnât working. Every time he thought about youâabout saying the actual words out loudâhis chest would squeeze tight again. He scrubbed at his face with both hands, ruffling his hair on the way down, and finally left the bathroom.
Maybe if I just get the poster part done firstâŚ
That was the plan. Well, kind of.
He plopped onto the floor of his bedroom with a roll of poster paper, a few sharpies, and two bottles of glitter glue. He was already cross-legged, uncapping markers, before he realized:
He hadnât actually planned anything.
âNo big deal,â he told himself. âIâm Bokuto Koutarou! I donât need a sketch first. Iâll just go for it!â
Worst mistake he could have ever done.
The bubble letters were the first problem. He started off fineâbig loops, nice and boldâbut by the time he got to the second word, the spacing was off. Way off. The âPROMâ was all bunched up, leaning awkwardly to the side like it was trying to fall off the poster. The glitter glue smeared when he tried to fix it, leaving behind a trail of weird sparkly fingerprints.
Then came the colors. Red? No, too harsh. Yellow? Too hard to see. Blue? Well, he used too much blue and now the letters looked like they were underwater.
He sat back, staring at the mess in front of him with wide, panicked eyes. âNo, no, noâŚâ Bokuto whispered, dragging his hands down his face. His cheeks puffed out with a breath as he flopped backward onto the floor, staring up at the ceiling in defeat.
âThis looks horribleâŚâ
He rolled back up to sit again, crisscross applesauce, staring at the disaster poster like maybe if he blinked hard enough, it would magically fix itself.
It didnât. So he did the only logical thing.
His phone rang twice before Akaashi picked up, voice flat as ever. âWhat happened?â
âNothing! Justââ Bokuto scrambled, trying to sound casual even though his voice cracked halfway through. âI was just, uhâŚâ
âBokuto.â There was that tone again. The donât-lie-to-me tone.
âI told you to plan it out first.â
âI did, Akaashi!â Bokuto argued, even though his gaze flicked guiltily back at the poster in front of him.
âYou didnât.â Akaashiâs voice stayed calm, monotone. âIf you had, we wouldnât be on this call right now.â
Bokuto let out a groan, throwing his head back dramatically. âGahhh, Akaashi, please! Just come over and help me!â
There was a pause. A sigh crackled softly through the receiver.
Bokuto cheered, fist pumping into the air. âYES! I knew youâd say yes!â
By the time Akaashi showed up at his doorâbag slung over his shoulder, expression neutral but eyes slightly tiredâBokuto was already pacing in circles around his room.
âI tried to fix it! I tried, Akaashi, but then the glue started getting everywhere and now my carpetâs got glitter in it andââ
Akaashi crouched next to the poster on the floor, eyes scanning the letters, the smudged corners, the two sets of half-ripped stickers Bokuto had tried to use and then peeled off again. ââŚThis is fixable,â he said simply.
Bokuto practically wilted with relief. âReally!?â
âYes. But you have to listen to me this time.â
âI will! I promise! Iâm listening!â He sat down quickly, crisscross again, knees bouncing a little in place.
Akaashi gave him a quiet look. âFirst rule of posters: sketch the layout before you start. Second rule: choose one main color.â
Bokuto nodded eagerly, pulling out a clean sheet of paper.
âAnd third,â Akaashi added, setting the ruined poster aside, âstop panicking. Youâre going to be fine.â
Bokutoâs throat tightened just a little at that. Because yeah, it was just a posterâbut it wasnât just a poster. It was you. And that made all the difference.
They spent the next hour sprawled out on the floor, sketching bubble letters with pencils this time, testing markers on scrap paper before actually committing. Akaashi showed him how to get the spacing rightââUse your hand as a ruler,â heâd said, flattening his palm between each word to measure even gaps. Bokuto tried not to freak out about every tiny mistake.
By the time the final draft was done, Bokuto was beaming.
âSee!? I told you this was gonna be awesome!â He held the new poster up with both hands, sparkly but tasteful this time.
Akaashi didnât smile, exactlyâbut his eyes softened. ââŚYou did good, Bokuto.â
Bokuto grinned even wider.
Now all he had to do was actually ask you. Which⌠was still terrifying. But at least the poster part was done.
Bokuto barely slept the night before. Heâd stayed up so late rehearsing his lines that he memorized them forwards, backwards, upside-downâbut somehow, the second he closed his eyes to rest, his brain kept running through them again. By the time the sun came up, his body felt like it had been through an entire five-set match.
But at least Akaashi was there to help him through it. They spent their lunch break huddled behind the school building, with Akaashi standing stiffly in place while Bokuto tried, for the third time, to get the words out the way heâd practiced.
âOkay, Akaashi. Pretend youâre her.â
âIâm not going toââ
Akaashi sighed, adjusting his bag strap on his shoulder. ââŚFine.â
Bokuto sucked in a breath. His palms were sweaty even then, gripping the air as if the bouquet was already in his hands. He cleared his throat, puffed his chest out, andâ
âHEY YOU!! WILL YOU GO TO PRââ
Bokuto deflated immediately. âGAHHH, I KNOW! I KNOW! IâM PANICKING!!â
âYou donât have to yell it,â Akaashi said, deadpan. âTry again. Quieter.â
So he tried again. And again. He still messed it up. By the fifth attempt, his brain was spinning in circles and his hands wouldnât stop shaking, so Akaashi made him write it down instead.
âYou can memorize this on your own time,â Akaashi said flatly, handing him a neat list of bullet points scribbled in Bokutoâs frantic handwriting. âOr just⌠read it off the page. Seriously, Bokuto. Just breathe.â
âI GOT THIS!â Bokuto yelled.
Akaashiâs eyes narrowed.
âI meanâI got this.â Bokuto whispered, tugging at his collar to cool himself off.
And now here he was. Standing outside the gym doors, heart hammering in his chest. In one hand: a small bouquet of your favorite flowers (he made sure to ask Yukie twice to make sure he got the right ones). In the other hand: the finished poster, shiny with just the right amount of glitterânot too much, thanks to Akaashiâs intervention. His hands were sweaty, knees a little shaky, and he couldâve sworn he almost pissed himself on the way here.
âBokuto,â came Akaashiâs voice againâechoing in his mind. âBreathe.â
âI am breathing!â Bokuto whispered back at nobody, shifting his weight from foot to foot. âI so got this. I so got this.â
He tried to calm the tremble in his hands, but the nerves kept bubbling. All he could hear were the slams of volleyballs from insideâthe familiar thwack of the ball hitting the floor, sneakers squeaking, players yelling for each other. Your voice cut through all of it.
Bokutoâs stomach flipped. He took one more shaky breath, and went for it.
The gym doors slammed open a little harder than he meant to. The whole room paused and everyoneâs heads turned towards the door. There he wasâBokuto Koutarou, standing in the doorway, bouquet in one hand, poster in the other, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.
âBokuto! Youâre late!â someone from the court called out, half laughing.
He didnât move for a second. His throat tightened. All his practiced linesâthe ones heâd repeated in the mirror that morning, the ones Akaashi drilled into him at lunchâthey completely flew out of his brain. His hand clenched around the bouquet. Oh god oh god oh godâ
But then his eyes locked onto you.
There you were, clipboard in hand, standing near the benches, hair a little messy from running around helping with drills. You looked at him, confused at first, tilting your head like you were trying to figure out what he was doing.
âBokuto?â you said. âWhatâsâ?â
He swallowed hard, his throat dry. His knees wobbled a bit. âHeyâ!â you started, but he cut you off with the nickname heâd been using lately, voice louder than it needed to be:
The whole gym went dead silent.
Your face flushed immediately. âBokutoâ!â you hissed, glancing around, but everyone was already staring at him. There was no stopping it now. Even the volleyballs stopped flying. Konoha froze mid-serve. Washio blinked. The sound of practice died completely as all eyes landed on him, bouquets and posters and all.
ââŚYes, Bokuto?â you said, trying to keep your voice even.
That was it. That was his chance. Exceptâhis mouth wouldnât move. For the first time in his life, Bokuto Koutarou went completely quiet. The words sat on his tongue like a volleyball he forgot how to set. His shoulders stiffened, his grip on the poster tightened until the paper crinkled just a little under his fingers.
Akaashi stood nearby, towel slung over his shoulder, watching silently. His eyes flicked to Bokutoâs face, then back at you. He didnât say anythingâbut he was ready to jump in if needed. But Bokuto didnât need saving this time. All he needed was a second.
Finally, after what felt like years, Bokuto forced his body to move forward. His legs felt like they werenât even attached to him anymore, but he crossed the court with his chest puffed outâtrying to look confident, even though his stomach was flipping inside out. When he reached you, his voice came out a little softer. Still loudâbut not the gym-shaking loud it usually was.
âHey,â he breathed, handing you the bouquet. His fingers brushed yours for just a second. âThese are for you.â
You blinked down at the flowers, lips parting slightly in surprise. Your face was still warm, but your heart squeezed a little at the sight. âBokutoâwhat is all this?â you whispered, cheeks puffed just slightly as you tried to hide your flustered smile.
He held up the poster with both hands, his face burning.
âWILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME!?â The words were big, glittery, tilted just slightly sidewaysâbut you could tell he worked hard on it.
Then, behind you, one of the first years whispered way too loudly:
âDamn. He actually did it.â
âShh!â Yukie hissed, elbowing him.
Konoha let out a breathy laugh from the court. âNo wayâŚâ
You looked up at Bokuto, still clutching the bouquet, heart racing just as fast as his. And even though you were embarrassedâand even though he definitely couldâve picked a less public momentâyou couldnât help but grin.
ââŚOf course Iâll go with you, Bokuto.â
His face lit up instantly.
âYEAH!!â he yelled, pumping both fists in the air before grabbing you into a quick, one-armed hugâgentle, because he remembered what Akaashi told him: Donât crush her. The whole gym erupted into cheers, and someone threw a volleyball into the air like it was confetti.
âSEE!?â Bokuto beamed, eyes wide and shining as he looked at the team. âI told you guys I could do it!â
Akaashi adjusted his headband, voice calm as ever. âI never doubted you,â he lied.
Truth was, Kuroo lived for getting under your skin. It was his favorite part of practiceâwatching you scribble notes from the sidelines while he tossed comments over his shoulder, each one landing just close enough to make you look up. Sometimes you rolled your eyes. Sometimes you shot him a glare. Once or twice, youâd mumbled something about wanting to strangle him under your breath.
He only grinned wider when you did that.Â
âYouâre cute when youâre mad,â heâd tease, winking like he wasnât completely seriousâbut also definitely a little serious. It was a game to him. Always pushing your buttons, just to see how far he could go. And most of the time, you didnât give him the satisfaction of really snapping, youâd just brush him off with a sharp sigh or a deadpan look.
Thatâs why, when he asked about prom, he expected to have the upper hand. It was just another way to rile you up. Another teasing jab.Â
âBet youâve got a whole line of guys waiting to ask you, huh?â He asked casually as he leaned against the wall with that usual foxlike grin, eyes half-lidded.
You barely looked up from the crate of water bottles you were refilling. âMmm, who knows,â you hummed, deliberately nonchalant as you walked right past him, brushing just close enough to make his heart skip a beat. âMaybe someone already has.â
He stood there, dumbfounded, one eye twitching slightly as he watched you walk away, lips parting like he wanted to say something back but couldnât think of a single word. Instead, a small breathy scoff-laugh slipped outâa sharp breath through his nose, half a chuckle, half disbelief. He barely noticed the volleyball flying at his back untilâ
âHey! Snap out of it, Kuroo!â Yaku barked, smacking him square between the shoulders with the ball.
âAhâ! Hey!â Kuroo jolted, hand rubbing the sore spot as Yamamoto and Inuoka cackled nearby.Â
âDudeâs gone,â Yamamoto snickered. âDid you see his face?â
âSomeoneâs flustered!â Inuoka added, grinning.
Both boys kept laughing, their shoulders bumping into each other like this was the funniest thing theyâd seen all week. Kurooâs scowl deepened, âIâll make you all run fifteen laps right now! Cut it out!â he snapped, voice cutting through the gym like a whip. And the threat worked instantlyâYamamoto yelped, straightening up, while Inuoka clamped his mouth shut mid-snicker.Â
But Kurooâs cheeks were still burning, his ears too. He tried to play it off, but the truth wasâyour comment stuck with him.
Practice went back to normal, at least for everyone else. But Kuroo kept thinking about what you said. When practice ended, he slung his bag over his shoulder, still distracted. Kenma was nearby, tapping away at his PSP waiting for him to finish up. Kuroo glanced across the gym and saw you talking with the coach about some schedule changes, suddenly feeling this twist in his stomach. He looked away quickly, walking towards the doors with Kenma.Â
The air was cooler by the time they left the gym, bags slung over their shoulders, sneakers tapping lightly against the pavement. Kuroo walked a half-step behind Kenma, eyes squinting up at the sky like he was trying to count the starsâor avoid looking at something else.
âDo you really think someoneâs asked her already?â His voice came out too casual, eyes glued to the sky like he wasnât actually asking for real. But he was.
Kenma didnât look up from his console. His thumbs tapped lazily at the buttons, soft click-click-click sounds filling the silence between them. âHow would I know?â
Kuroo huffed, staring at the stars a little harder. âYeah, right. How would you knowâŚâ
His grip tightened slightly on the strap of his bag, jaw tensing just enough for Kenma to noticeâeven if he didnât say anything about it. His head was full of images he didnât want: some faceless guy pulling you aside after class, handing you flowers, maybe laughing with you the same way he usually did. He hated every bit of it.Â
When Kuroo got home, the first thing he did was kick his shoes off without untying them, bag sliding off his shoulder with a dull thud against the floor. He flopped onto his bed face-first, burying half his face into the mattress with a sharp inhaleâthen let it out, hot and shaky, muffled by the fabric. His legs dangled off the edge. One arm hung loose off the side, fingertips brushing the floor.
His phone buzzed once in his pocket.Â
He groaned softly, dragging it out and flipping onto his back. His eyes squinted against the screen brightness before adjusting, thumb automatically swiping to your name in his messages. His chest squeezed a little when he started scrolling. Old conversations. Random stuff. Practice updates. Dumb memes. The occasional accidental picture Yamamoto sent to the group chat by mistake, followed by you calling all of them idiots. It was all normal.Â
His thumb hovered over the message bar, tapping into it before he could stop himself.
You [10:42 PM]: âsooo.. did someone really ask you already?â [deleted]
You [10:43 PM]: âjust wondering if i should save myself the embarrassment lmaooâ [deleted]
You [10:43 PM]: âi really wanted to be the first one to ask youâ [deleted]
His fingers paused, chest rising slow.
You [10:44 PM]: ââŚyou have no idea how much i like youâ
His thumb hovered over Sendâhovered for way too long.
His stomach twisted. After a second, he pressed backspace, watching the letters disappear, then dropped his phone beside his head onto the mattress. His eyes shut tight, throat clicking in a swallow.
âGodâŚâ he whispered under his breath, fingers raking through his hair. Thenâbuzz. His eyes snapped open.Â
âOh shitâdid I accidentally send that!?â His whole body jolted, fingers scrambling for his phone, screen lighting up in the dark.
Fussy Kitten [10:46 PM]: [Practice is starting a bit earlier tomorrow, donât be late.]
He blinked, reading it over and over. Shoulders dropping slightly when he realized it was just youânot that kind of message. Still, the contact name burned a little. Fussy Kitten. It was a joke at first, something he called you because of the way youâd squint at him or shove his shoulder when he got on your nerves. He never changed it. Kind of liked it, actually.
His lips twitched, letting out a soft breath.
You [10:47 PM]: [yes maâam]
After sending it his eyes drifted to the top of the chat, where your icon stared back at him. It was a photo heâd taken months agoâwhen you were laughing at one of Yamamotoâs dumb jokes during a lunch break. Heâd snapped it on instinct. Kenma caught him doing it and called him a weirdo, but Kuroo didnât delete it.Â
Now he just stared at the picture, phone screen dimming a little as his thoughts spun in circles. He shut his phone off, dropping it on his pillow with a soft sigh.Â
Okay, Kuroo, he thought, chest still tight.Â
Youâve got to figure out how to ask her. And fast.
The next day came faster than he wanted. Kuroo barely slept the night before. He tried to, but his mind wouldnât stop chewing on the same thought: âMaybe someone already has.â It looped in his brain, over and over, until his chest felt tight again.
By the time he made it to school the next morning, his head was a mess. His bag strap dug into his shoulder, but he barely noticed. His eyes kept driftingâsearching for you in the halls, peeking over heads at lockers, checking the courtyard before class.
And at practice, it was worse.
Usually, heâd be the first to start teasing, poking fun at Lev or sneaking a quick one-liner at you from across the gym. But today? His eyes werenât just on youâthey were stuck on you. And how he saw you talking with someone else across the gym.
There you were in all your glory, standing near the benches, laughing with one of your classmates. Someone from another club, he couldnât even remember the guyâs name. You said something, your head tilting back a little as you laughed, and when the guy laughed too, you gave him a playful shove on the shoulder.
Kurooâs stomach twisted hard. His hands flexed at his sides, and his jaw tightened before he could stop it.
Kenmaâs voice came from somewhere behind him. But Kuroo didnât answer right awayâjust kept staring. His chest felt heavy. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he wasnât even trying to glare.
âKuroo.â Kenma nudged his elbow.
âYouâre acting weird.â
Kuroo sucked in a breath through his nose, looking away just enough to break the stare. But his mind wouldnât shut up.
Whyâs she laughing like that?
When they started drills, he was off.
The first serve of the day? Slammed it so hard that it whizzed over Yakuâs head and smacked the back wall.
Lev blinked. âUhâKuroo?â
âIâm fine.â His voice came out sharper than he meant, shoulders stiff. His usual smirk was gone. His eyes flicked back toward you again.Â
Kenma squinted at him from the sidelines. It kept happening. He overcorrected on his blocks, jumped too early for a spike, missed an easy receive. At one point, he set the ball way too high, sending Lev scrambling under it.
âHey, Kuroo!â Yaku called from across the court, eyebrows raised. âGet your head on straight, man!â
âI said Iâm fine!â The snap in his voice echoed a little too loud. Yamamoto and Inuoka both jolted at the tone.
Lev scratched the back of his neck, nervously laughing. âUh⌠Kurooâs scary todayâŚâ
âScary and sloppy,â Yaku muttered, hands on his hips. His eyes narrowed at Kurooâs stiff posture, like he was about to say something elseâbut then Kuroo went for a dig, misstepped, andâ
Kuroo stumbled, skidding his palm hard against the gym floor as he caught himself. The sting lit up his hand instantly, a sharp scrape blooming red across his fingers.
Yaku was the first one over, crouching down beside him. âYouâre acting like an idiot.â His voice was sharp, but his hands were steady, checking the scrape.
âDonât say fine.â Yaku cut him off. âLook at you.â
Kuroo hissed a little under his breath, flexing his hand. Then he felt someone else crouch down next to him.Â
Your voice came soft, but firm. âLet me see.â
His heart jumped into his throat. You took his hand carefully, thumb brushing the edge of the scrape, eyes narrowing a little in concern. Kuroo swallowed hard, cold sweat still clinging to his neck.
âStop doing too much,â you mumbled, pulling the small first-aid kit from the bench beside you.
He stared at you, lips partingâbut nothing came out. His throat was dry. You cleaned the cut carefully, dabbing at it with a cotton pad. His fingers twitched in yours, but you didnât let go. Thatâs when he blurted it out, quietly, âDid someone actually ask you out already?â
You looked up at him slowly, eyes narrowing just a bitânot mean, just⌠confused. âKuroo. Why are you asking me this now?â
His heart beat too fast. His mouth was dry.
âJustâŚâ His eyes flicked away, lashes low. âDid they?â
You went still for a second. The gym felt like it blurred into the background. The sounds of shoes squeaking, Yamamoto and Inuoka talking somewhere behind youâit all faded.
ââŚNo,â you said softly, fingers finishing the last loop of the bandage around his hand. âNobody has.â
Kurooâs shoulders dropped just a little. That tension in his chestâthe coiling, uncomfortable twistâfinally eased. His lips parted just a little, breath shakyâbut lighter. And then, just as he started to relax, you addedâ
âI was just trying to mess with you.â Your voice stayed soft, but there was a teasing lilt under it, eyes narrowing just a bit. âDidnât know itâd get way under your skin, though.â
Kurooâs eyes widened for half a second.
âWhaâ?â His voice cracked, just barely.
Your lips twitched. âSeriously. You of all people shouldâve seen that coming.â
His face flushed immediately, cheeks blooming a soft pink. âTchâyeah, wellââ he scoffed, trying to play it cool, darting his eyes anywhere but at you. His lips pressed tight, a small huff escaping as you finished smoothing the tape over his fingers.
ââŚGood,â he muttered after a beat, voice softer now. His lips twitched into something caught between a smirk and a real smileâjust a little lopsided, almost as if he was a little nervous. âThen Iâve still got time.â
After you finished patching him up, Kuroo flexed his fingers, testing the tape a little before standing. He rolled his shoulders back, stretching his arms overhead with a soft groan. âAlright,â he exhaled, lips quirking just slightly. The gloom in his eyes from earlier had finally faded and he no longer looked so tense now. With a sharp clap of his hands, he jogged back onto the court. âLetâs get this rolling.â
The team glanced at each other, a little caught off guard by the sudden shift in his mood.
âHe looks⌠happy?â Lev blinked, watching Kuroo set up for serve with a grin that hadnât been there twenty minutes ago.
âYeah,â Yamamoto snorted under his breath, nudging Inuoka. âI bet he just needed some attention from our dear manager.â
Kurooâs head whipped toward him instantlyâfox-eyed stare sharp, but playful enough to make Yamamoto jolt in place.
âYamamoto.â His voice cut clean through the air. âYou wanna run laps pal?â
âN-No, sir!â Yamamoto yelped, waving his hands in surrender.
Kuroo let it slide, lips twitching into a smirk as he turned back to the court, fully in the zone now. For the first time in over 36 hours, his chest felt lighter. And his heart didnât feel like it was twisting anymore.Â
Thereâs still time, he thought, palms open, ready for the next ball.
And this time, he wasnât gonna waste it.
Practice ended early the next day. The gym was mostly empty nowâsqueaky shoes faded down the hallway, bags slung over shoulders, conversations drifting out the doors. But Kuroo stayed behind, lingering near the bench like he had unfinished business. You were still there too, organizing the water bottles back into the crate when you noticed him lingering.Â
âKuroo?â you called, eyes narrowing just slightly. âWhat are you still doing here?âÂ
He tapped the side of his shoe against the floor, hands stuffed deep in his pockets. His hair was messier than usual, like heâd run his fingers through it too many times.
âOh nothing,â he said, voice low but playful. âActuallyâhey, come here a sec.â
You hummed, walking over, a bottle still in hand. âWhat, did you twist your ankle again?â you teased.Â
âNo injuries this time,â he said, lips twitching into that foxlike smirk. âUnless you count emotional damage.â
You gave him a look, but he kept going, his hands fidgeting a little in his pockets.
âSo listen,â he started, eyes darting away for half a second before coming back to you. âIâve been thinking.â
âOh no,â you teased. âThatâs dangerous.âÂ
He rolled his eyes, lips quirking. âHa-ha, real funny. But I mean it, about the whole prom thing.â
Your heart skipped, but you kept your face neutral. âYeah?â
Kurooâs grin wobbled just a little. âI mean, I figured I should ask before Lev or Yamamoto get any bright ideas, right?â
You smirked, folding your arms. âOh? So this is a competition thing?â
He clicked his tongue. âTchânah. Itâs a me thing.â
His gaze locked onto yours, and for once, there wasnât a joke hiding behind his eyes. His hand rubbed the back of his neck, fingers twitching nervously. âLook, I wanted to ask you days ago, okay? I just⌠took my time.â
You tilted your head, eyes narrowing with a playful glint. âScared?â
His face flushed immediately. âPftâwhat? Me? Scared?â He scoffed, looking awayâbut you noticed how his hands clenched, how his shoulders tensed just a bit.
ââŚKuroo.â You reached out and tugged at the hem of his jersey lightly, just enough to pull his attention back. âJust ask.â
He licked his lips, mouth quirking like he was trying to smirk but failing a little.
ââŚFine.â His voice dropped quieter. âCome to prom with me.â
Your lips parted, surprised at how simple he said it. No huge speech, no glittery poster. Just himâhands shaking, voice soft, trying not to look as nervous as he felt. You let the silence hang for a second longer, just to tease. You smirked a little, deciding to give him a taste of his own medicine.
Kuroo blinked. His face froze, and he couldâve sworn he stopped breathing.
âWaitâwhat?â His eyes widened just slightly, mouth parting in shock.
You bit back a laugh, turning casually to grab the crate again like the conversation was over. âI said no,â you repeated, humming innocently as you walked toward the bench. He stood there, stunned silent, his hands still shoved in his pockets but now his fingers were cold and sweaty again.
âWhatâwait, hold on,â he rushed, jogging a step after you. âYouâre kidding, right?â
You glanced at him over your shoulder, eyes narrowed just a little, lips twitching. âMaybe.â
âMaybe!?â His voice cracked a little. âYou canât just say maybe! Thatâs not how this works!â
You laughed, finally giving in.
âRelax, Kuroo.â Your eyes softened as you walked back toward him, tapping your finger against his chest playfully. âI was just messing with you. Yes, Iâll go to prom with you.â
âWait, seriously!? Iâuh, yeah. I knew you would.â
But you were already turning away, scooping up the crate of water bottles and heading toward the storage room. âDonât make me regret my decision,â you tossed back over your shoulder, tone light but teasing.
Kuroo blinked, then grinned, falling into step behind youâshoulders squared, heart still thumping.
âNo, maâam. Never.â
a.n â hey hey hey! can you tell i had fun writing bokutoâs and kurooâs stories the most? theyâre so silly in the show i couldnât help myself! (ŕš>âĄ<ŕš) anyways, this has been sitting in my drafts since schools were still in session but finals took up all my time and well⌠i completely forgot about it. so here it is now for all of you to read! i really hoped you enjoyed reading this little post of mine, until next time, XOXO đ