Bokuto Kotarou was a friendly, open man with big aspirations. He wanted a partner in life, two children, and to become a personal trainer. Those were his dreams.

Bokuto had downloaded LoveHero as a way to reach out to his community in a fun and exciting way, anonymously of course. That was the fun part. He liked the dates he went on, men or women. Everyone was nice to him and he'd accomplished two hookups because of the app but something was missing. He knew deep down what- or rather who- it was. He had known for about a year now.

Akaashi Keiji, lead salesperson right behind Tsukishima Kei. Bokuto had seen his reports when sorting through the mail in the mornings. He was quick and concise. Everything about him was extraordinary. Bokuto had grown to know that Akaashi was in a community college nearby to gain an art degree. Akaashi wanted to work in art was the farthest he knew on that subject but he did know all sorts of tiny pieces of information about the other male.

For one, Akaashi was younger than him by a little over a year. Akaashi had steely blue eyes and a sense for fashion, something Bokuto had never gained as he had grown up with his two older sisters. They didn't like him all that much but he didn't mind. Akaashi also had no siblings and divorced parents. His mother had cheated on his father with- funnily enough- the mailman.

Maybe that was why he seemed to always look at Bokuto sideways. Bokuto was a mailman for his office after all. He didn't know too much else about Akaashi other than the fact that he was drop dead gorgeous. That wasn't what Bokuto had noticed about him at first of course. What he had noticed was the tinkling of his laugh.

Bokuto had been walking into work one morning, going to greet the receptionist like he did every morning. Akaashi was there with whom he had later learned was Konoha. Akaashi was laughing at a joke Konoha had made and had snorted so hard after giggling that he burst into real, genuine laughter. Bokuto must have looked so stupid, standing there with his mouth slightly open. He remembered gulping loudly before clearing his throat.

Akaashi noticed him and smiled softly. "Ah! Good morning, sorry am I in your way?"

Bokuto had shaken his head and cleared his throat again, a nervous tick of his. "Good morning to you, too." He held out his hand and smiled brightly. "I'm Bokuto Koutarou, mail carrier. It's nice to meet you."

Akaashi had glanced over at Konoha before shaking Bokuto's hand, tucking his bag under his arm as he did so. "Akaashi Keiji. I work in customer service. It's very nice to meet you Bokuto-San."

And there it was. His name spilled from Akaashi's lips, sweet as honey and soft as snow. Bokuto had blushed and rushed away, going straight for Kuroo and explaining what had just happened. Kuroo had then explained that Akaashi would never accept him, too wrapped up in his work and school life to pay attention to his love life.

Bokuto, being the brightest man who ever lived, took that as a challenge. He volunteered everyday for mail delivery, hoping he would come across something for Akaashi. One day he did and cried out so loud a manager told him to be quiet. Ever since then they'd grown slightly closer and Bokuto saw Akaashi's tired smiles some mornings. Sometimes Bokuto would bring him coffee or listen to a call he'd make, always smiling.

Akaashi had at first been completely silent but these past few months had been bliss, Akaashi smiling back and playing into Bokuto's silly game of asking please for everything. Bokuto had started to give up a bit though, losing hope when he had overheard Akaashi talking about how he had been asked out. Bokuto didn't ask how the date went. In fact, he had completely shut down until he was told to deliver mail and Akaashi smiled at him again.

Bokuto had still downloaded LoveHero, praying that he was able to find love somewhere. Somewhere didn't have to be Akaashi. He had set expectations so high and Akaashi didn't know that they were so high so he never reached them.

Now, Bokuto stared at his phone as a message from Roslaina popped up on his home screen.

Rosalina:
Hey, are you cool to just get a hotel room tonight?

Bokuto sighed. His eyes followed Akaashi as he silently walked across the parking lot to the bus stop. He typed a quick "sure" before gathering his things. Bokuto walked over to the bus stop and smiled at Akaashi. "Hey, hey, hey Akaashi."

Akaashi looked up from his phone. He looked about ready to puke. "Hi Bokuto-San."

Bokuto peered at his phone and grinned. His heart dropped inside his chest. "You downloaded it!"

Akaashi looked back to his phone before nodding meekly. "I did."

Bokuto looked again. He was on the login screen... no account had been made yet. Akaashi looked up and sighed. Bokuto's eyes widened at the little sigh. "What's wrong?"

"This is the first time I've done this," Akaashi murmured. He bit a nail, rocking on the balls of his feet nervously. "Where do I start?"

Bokuto hummed thoughtfully. He sat down and patted the bench next to him. "You could always start by making an account."

Akaashi sat down and quickly typed in an email and a password. He confirmed the password before being met with a little animated heart emoji explaining that the test he was about to take wasn't going to be shared with the world and yada, yada. Bokuto laughed as Akaashi mumbled to himself.

"Got the jist of it?"

Akaashi looked at Bokuto, eyes pleading. "Will you help?"

"Help you take a personality test? Now that's silly," Bokuto chuckled. He stopped laughing as Akaashi huffed in frustration. "Of course I'll help. We do have different stops though."

Akaashi seemed to think before biting his lip. "Come with me. To my apartment, I mean. I'll reimburse you with food."

Bokuto's heart fluttered. He was getting to go with Akaashi to his apartment. He was also missing an opportunity to get laid by an extremely attractive woman. "Sure, why not?"

Akaashi smiled wide. "Thank you Bokuto-san!"

Bokuto smiled back. "No problem."

*****

Akaashi's apartment was small. Bokuto looked around from his spot on the floor of the living room. Every surface was covered in clothes, books, or papers. The TV was too loud and his roommates were arguing.

"Suga! Daichi!" Akaashi banged on the bedroom door closest to the living room. "I have a friend over!"

The door opened and a tall silver haired male stepped out. He grinned. "A friend."

Bokuto saw Akaashi cringe and laughed. "Hey, hey, hey!"

The man hurried to Bokuto. "I'm Sugawara. Nice to meet you. Will you be staying for dinner?"

"He will," Akaashi stated. He fiddled with his fingers. "Sugawara-san. Please be nice."

"How could I not be nice?" Sugawara questioned, standing up. "Oh you need to show Bokuto your room if it's actually clean for once."

Suddenly Bokuto was being led to a small room with the lights off. Akaashi bit his nail again. "It is a bit cluttered."

Bokuto shrugged. He smiled as the lights turned on. Drawings and paintings lined the walls and a small desk sat next to a mattress on the floor. He nodded. "Nice, nice."

Akaashi turned off the light and went to the couch. Bokuto squeezed in next to him and settled in for the better part of an hour.

"Alright," Bokuto started, holding Akaashi's phone. He noticed Akaashi push up his glasses and gulp. "First question: who are you attracted to, males or females, or rather not answer."

Akaashi pursed his lips. "Males."

Bokuto glanced over. "Really?"

Sugawara looked up from the kitchen table and laughed. "Keiji lost a friend."

"I did not! I'm just not out!" Akaashi protested. He looked at Bokuto and took a deep breath. "Bokuto-san, I'm gay."

Bokuto snickered. "Okay. Second question: what is your gender?"

"I think that's obvious."

"Hey, just asking." Bokuto picked the male option and slid onto the next question. "How old are you?"

"Twenty two," Akaashi said softly.

"Okay. And how old do you prefer your partner to be?" 

Akaashi thought for a moment. "Twenty one to twenty four."

Bokuto put in the numbers and turned to Akaashi. "It's asking for a bunch of personal stuff."

Akaashi took his phone back and answered all of the necessary questions before giving it to Bokuto. "What now?"

Bokuto watched as matches showed up. "Now you pick who you're interested in. Ooh this guy is almost seven feet tall and loves dogs!"

"He's a cat person," Sugawara stated from the table.

Bokuto clicked the no option and went to the next candidate. "He's six foot and is-" Bokuto cleared his throat. "Looking for friends with benefits."

"No." Akaashi stated. He grabbed his phone. "None of these men are good!"

"More matches will appear tomorrow," Bokuto explained. He smiled. "Desperate for a match?"

"Kind of,"Akaashi mumbled. He pushed his glasses up and took a deep breath. "Suga says that I'm lonely."

"You've always got me," Bokuto stated brightly. Akaashi laughed and leaned back on the couch. Bokuto leaned back with him and threw an arm around his shoulders. "I'm shocked that you haven't invited me over here before."

Akaashi shrugged himself out of Bokuto's grip. He got up, grabbing his sketchbook from a side table. He flipped through it before sitting down and grabbing a pencil. "I guess I've never really had any interest in bringing you here. We don't talk much."

Sugawara looked up from reaching into a cabinet. "Eh? Keijji, you never talk to anyone ever."

Bokuto paused. He was talking to Konoha that day when they had first met. Hell, his life was based on talking to other people. Now that he thought about it, though, Akaashi always seemed reserved. Bokuto chuckled. "Akaashi, why are you always so quiet?"

Akaashi seemed to struggle with his words before looking up and taking a deep breath. "I find it hard to relate to others. I get annoyed easily and brush them off."

Bokuto nodded. "Be more open!"

Akaashi stared at his phone.

"What is it?"

"I got another match. It says that it's a super match." He picked up his phone, peering at the screen skeptically. Bokuto got on the floor with him and looked over the profile.

Bokuto laughed. "He's your type."

Akaashi hesitated before pressing accept on the account. Immediately, a message popped up.

Anonymous:
Hey there! I saw you liked art on your profile and I was super interested in seeing what you were like? Are you free tonight? I could grab us something to eat and we could take a walk in the park.

Akaashi shook his head. "Too fast."

"Yeah, too fast," Bokuto agreed. "Ask about tomorrow night. This could be fun."

Sugawara pranced over and sat down. "What are we talking about over here? Hm? I want in!" Akaashi showed him his phone and the two exchanged worried looks. "Daichi could maybe take you if you wanted. He's almost over his cold."

"I'd like that," Akaashi mumbled. Bokuto leaned over, taking Akaashi's phone and looking over the profile. He was twenty four and 6'5 with a cat. He liked sports, art, and a sense of fashion. The thing Bokuto didn't like was the way this man had approached Akaashi. Who just right out asked if they could see the other person the same night that they "met"?

A timer went off and Sugawara went to the rice cooker. He opened it carefully, trying to avoid the steam rolling out of the top. Bokuto looked up with curiosity. "What are you making for dinner?"

"Salmon and rice." Sugawara gestured to the stovetop. Akaashi got up and set the table. His sketchbook sat on the floor, opened and showing a sketch of a pair of eyes. "Don't touch that, he'll have an aneurysm."

Bokuto nodded and got up. "Is there any way I can help?"

Akaashi eyed him. "No thank you."

Bokuto nodded solemnly before sitting back on the couch. Dinner was awkward besides the constant talking and pestering between Daichi and Sugawara. Bokuto discovered their marriage and congratulated them, beaming as usual. Akaashi walked him to the bus stop and stood there, shifting in the cold of the approaching night.

"You didn't have to walk me out here," Bokuto pouted at him. Akaashi shook his head. He was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, looking around as if something could go wrong at any moment. "You okay over there?"

"Thinking." Akaashi shivered almost violently. He breathed out slowly, trying to stop himself and calm his nervous system.

Bokuto watched him before shrugging off his heavy coat. He sighed. "Come here, you're going to catch a cold." When Akaashi hesitated to come any closer, Bokuto stepped up to him and put the coat on his shoulders. "Better?"

Akaashi nodded. "Thank you." He bit his lip. "Also, thank you for not outing our secret to Suga and Daichi. Sugawara can be quite... interesting."

Bokuto nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Figured they already knew in the first place. About that day- I'm sorry I couldn't help more."

Akaashi spotted the bus and nodded. "I should give back your jacket."

Bokuto held a hand out and smiled as Akaashi struggled to get out of the much larger jacket. He helped him before waving goodbye, stepping onto the bus. Akaashi waved back and headed back home. Bokuto watched from the bus window, mind wandering. He hadn't regretted their secret. Not now, not ever. He did what he was supposed to do.

Bokuto, on top of being ambitious, was also kind. Akaashi had discovered his kindness one afternoon after mail runs and had become a bit friendlier, at least being civil on the surface. A passing ad for anxiety medicine reminded Bokuto of the afternoon he had found the usually reserved and calm male crumpled in a stall. Akaashi had been yelled at for the first time on the phone and apparently couldn't handle it. Bokuto had found him as he was walking in, hearing his crying.

"Is everything okay in there?" Bokuto had called out. There was a bang and more crying before Akaashi emerged from the stall, wiping his tears hurriedly.

"Bokuto-san! Please excuse me." Akaashi had gone to leave but Bokuto had grabbed his arm, twisting him back around.

"What happened? Is everything okay?" Bokuto held Akaashi's wrist and gasped as the other male started to cry harder and harder. "Oh! Hey, hey, hey! Easy there Akaashi!"

"I can't believe I was just- just disrespected like that!"

Bokuto had stood there for what felt like forever before clearing his throat and pulling Akaashi close, placing a hand in his hair and swaying lightly. "Shhhh, shhhh."

Akaashi tensed up before relaxing, wrapping his arms around Bokuto. He took deep breaths and calmed down before Bokuto pulled away and smiled. Akaashi wiped away his tears and smiled back before rinsing off his face and going back to work.

Bokuto sighed at the memory. This was the same man he'd seen laughing and blankly staring at computer screens. He was so strong and so incredibly... sad.

He snapped back to reality as the bus stopped and he got off. In his pocket his phone buzzed and he answered the incoming call. "Kuroo! Hey man!"

"Dude if Kenma keeps calling me a munchkin I may actually kill myself. I'm so serious."

Bokuto chuckled. "I'll be home in a moment. Well, more like a few hours. My LoveHero date wants to meet up at a hotel."

"Lucky ass. Turn on your location."

Bokuto turned on his location and headed down a side road, heading to a small hotel. He got his room key and headed upstairs. He smiled wide upon seeing the girl who'd been messaging him. "You okay?"

She smiled, leaning back in bed. "Come here you hunk."

Bokuto laughed, crawling into bed with Rosalina. He kissed her, everything from the past few hours disappearing.