Bokuto and Akaashi trudged the halls of the castle in awkward silence. Akaashi considered for a moment how to approach this, instead deciding it was best to wait a little longer.

"This is a room" Bokuto pointed at a door in the hallway. "That one is another room. This is also a room. Oh, another room, I forgot about this one." Bokuto waddled throughout the halls, looking awfully lost.

"Where does this door lead to?" Akaashi enquired, mainly to be polite and show interest, knowing it's just another room.

"Oh, that's the library."

The boy stopped dead in his tracks.

"Library?"

"Yeah"

"Can I go inside?"

"I mean sure-"

Akaashi bolted through the door, his jaw dropping at the sight. The room was bigger than any other room in the castle, filled floor to ceiling with shelves of books. A grand table in the middle with comfortable looking chairs for reading, as well as a ladder to reach the books that were so high up you couldn't reach them.

Akaashi gaped at Bokuto.

"You own all these books?" He asked, eyes shining

Bokuto avoided his eyes.

"Well, yeah. I mean what else am I supposed to do every day for a couple years? I haven't read the one's in German or Latin yet-"

"You've read these books?"

Bokuto looked at Akaashi puzzled.

"I told you, I haven't read the one's in German and Latin." He replied a little confused.

Akaashi felt faint. Books. Everywhere.

Most importantly though,

"Can I read them?"

Bokuto nodded.

"The libraries just as much yours as it is mine."

That was all Akaashi needed to throw himself at the shelves in search for a good book or 50.

He scoured the walls, taking down book after book, placing them all in the centre.

Akaashi looked up at a slightly bewildered Bokuto.

"Please let me stay in this prison for the rest of my life. All these books. I've never seen so many. I must read them all." He asked, already opening a tale.

He didn't wait for a response before rapidly dissolving into the book. This was heaven.

***

Bokuto quietly exited the library. Together, the two had been reading books for hours, and he knew it would be about lunch time. He needed some time without his thoughts constantly leading back to the sparkling eyed boy across from him.

"Big brother! Where were you this whole time?" asked Hinata from where he was playing chess with Kageyama.

"Reading with Akaashi." He responded. "Hey, did Suga-suga make lunch yet?"

Kageyama spoke up.

"Yeah, dad made lunch an hour ago. He left some aside for you and Akaashi on the table, go take it to the library."

Bokuto nodded, heading to the kitchen.

He was more at peace today. Reading books with Akaashi by his side took his mind off the fact he had maybe a couple months left before his impending doom.

"Someone looks happy today!" Sugawara cheerfully pointed out, jumping about the kitchen tables obviously preparing dinner.

"Wh-what do you mean?" bokuto stuttered, a blush creeping up to his face.

The teapot raised his eyebrows.

"I didn't mean that kind of happy but do go on." Sugawara left a silence for Bokuto to fill.

Bokuto sputtered out a 'thank you', grabbing the platter of onigiri as he rushed out the room, back to the library.

Did he like Akaashi that way? Sure, Akaashi was really pretty. That much he can determine. His hair swept around his face, framing his perfect features, eyes that glittered in the most endearing way. Truth be told, he had never been infatuated with anyone. All the suitors and suitresses had bored him, leading to no extra romance.

Bokuto refused to listen to the sinking feeling in his stomach and the rising feeling in his chest. Not to the only person who didn't refer to him as a beast, instantaneously treating him and everyone like a human. He wished to keep Akaashi around, and feelings would scare him off.

"Agaashe! I brought lunch!" Bokuto yelled joyfully using the nickname as he waltzed into the library, balancing the food. Akaashi looked up, his face expressionless yet eyes excited.

"Is that onigiri?" the boy asked hopefully. Bokuto nodded.

"Eat as much as you want-"

Bokuto didn't get to finish his sentence before Akaashi was shovelling the rice balls into his mouth. He let out a laugh, startling the boy.

"I'm sorry I laughed, but I just thought to ask the obvious; do you like onigiri?"

"Yush" Akaashi replied motuh filled with food. Bokuto smiled.

"Would you get sick and tired of it if we had it for lunch every single day?"

"Nyo"

"I'll tell Sugawara to prepare onigiri everyday from now on. Now, where did I put my book?"

***

"It's got to be him, with so little time left." Tanaka whispered from where he was peering through the library door. The two bookworms had fallen asleep next to each other, Akaashi leaning on Bokuto's shoulder, Bokuto snoring softly. The pair had retired to the library together the second they were done with food, holding light conversation over dinner about each story they were reading.

Ushijima nodded.

"The king seems at peace with him. He hasn't even had a single emotional outburst yet today." The clock added, everyone nodding.

Hinata and Kageyama came bounding down the hall, Aone in tow.

"We got the blankets!" Hinata yelled, getting wacked on the seat by Kageyama.

"Too loud! We got the blankets!" Kageyama whisper-yelled.

Tanaka smiled. Precious innocent children, they ran inside and draped the blankets over the two, arguing as quietly as possible about which direction to place the blanket.

If Akaashi didn't break the curse, these lives were over.

Sugawara broke his train of thought.

"That boy can do it. The king isn't as cold-hearted as Oikawa made him sound, he's just aloof. And Akaashi will bring out the heart in him, I just know it." The teapot reassured, Tanaka grinning.

"I never doubted him. We may go through hell, but I think they'll find love in this journey."