"Wait so let me get this right, you're a prostitute that came to for comfort who ended up being his friend?"

Akaashi nodded. "I used to be."

Kiri stared at both of them. "Ko you seriously paid him to cuddle you and have sex with you?"

"I haven't had sex in like six or seven years why would I do that all of a sudden? I went to Akaashi purely for comfort reasons." Bokuto could see that this may not go anywhere and worried that Kiri may say something awful. Kenji had just chuckled at Bokuto and kissed Akaashi's hair to make him feel better but Kiri was not amused in the least.

"But a prostitute?"

"Yes Kiri he was a prostitute but he was the only one that I knew of that would help! Jesus fuck why does it matter?"

"I'm not sure I feel comfortable with you being friends with someone that well, you know..."

Akaashi wiggled his toes in his shoes, taking deep breaths. Even someone who loved Bokuto hated him.

Bokuto sat himself up all the way despite being told to try and relax for surgery prep the next day. "Okay hang on. So you believe in the whole women supporting women thing and think sex work is honorable work and yet as soon as you see a man who happened to have to go into sex work you decide to not support him? Kiri, that's sexist and downright disrespectful. He hasn't done anything I haven't consented to and he's so kind and yet you're just judging him on how he treats his body. What if I was a prostitute? Hm?"

"I'd be pissed. There are jobs out there that man can easier take than a woman, which is why they would go into sex work."

"I was nineteen when I started though. There was literally nowhere I could go and I was trapped into it." Akaashi admitted.

"How can you be trapped in something you quit so easily?"

"The old owners of the shop would punish workers if we did as much as suggested leaving and would do awful things to us. I was gaslighted into believing there was nowhere to go."

Kiri rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You would get yelled at? Big deal."

"No, the owners would rape me to keep me quiet. I have scars from them cutting my back and whipping my skin open. Sex work isn't something to play with at all and it's awful."

Bokuto glared at Kiri. "Feel better now that you know that?"

"Okay look I didn't-"

"You've done enough disrespecting Kiri. Get out of my sight." Bokuto hugged Akaashi. "You okay?"

"Mhmm. That's normal stuff."

Kiri left and Bokuto sighed. "She's never like this. I'm sorry."

Akaashi flinched yet again as he was hugged.

"Did you get hit?"

"A lot."

"Ugh if we weren't in this stupid hospital room I would fix the pain." Bokuto pinched his cheek lightly. "You're so lovely."

Akaashi whined at him. "Don't pinch my cheeks."

"Aw why not? You have such cute cheeks."

Akaashi scrunched up his nose. Bokuto for a moment wanted so badly to press his nose to Akaashi and just share this moment. That wasn't allowed in his mind though so he just chuckled and let go.

"Alright so I can't eat starting at eight tonight. Which means I have around mm I dunno... three hours to eat? Can you grab my card and go get something to eat? I don't like hospital food."

"Of course. What would you like?"

"Dunno. Something not healthy."

"Got it." Akaashi stood and got Bokuto's card. "I'll be back in around thirty minutes. Need anything else?"

"Nope. But thanks! Make sure to yourself something to eat too."

Akaashi nodded and went to the lobby to head to the parking lot. There he saw Bokuto's sisters, Kenji cradling her stomach like always and Kiri just going on and on. That definitely didn't look like something he would be participating in.

Kenji looked over and smiled at him. "Akaashi! Hey there!"

Akaashi internally groaned. Kiri had just degraded him for being a sex worker and now he had to stand there next to her.

"Where are you headed?"

"I'm just going to get Kotarou something to eat."

"Cool! Can I come with you?"

"Um... sure?"

"Great. I needed to walk anyways. This little one is making me a bit lazy." She headed towards the door with Akaashi, leaving Kiri behind. "How have you been besides quitting?"

"I think I've been okay. Kotarou has had to keep checking on me but everything feels fine."

"Hm... well only going off of what I know I should probably help him set you guys a schedule with meal times and medication times. That way it's a lot easier for your mental recovery and his physical recovery."

"I'm not sure how he's going to recover fast. I don't know too much about how it'll affect him." Akaashi looked around. Non healthy food was down the road.

"He's gonna have to stop the testosterone which he knows. The physical aspect isn't bad. But he is going to be like a pregnant woman who has spent all night getting up and has no sleep." She laughed. "But I'm sure he'll be kind."

"Mhmm..."

"So what are you looking for?"

"He wants something unhealthy."

"Good to know. He loves barbecue but that's a bit much at the moment. Maybe something simple? He likes Kushiage a lot. The pork ones."

Akaashi just nodded again. She was a sweet woman but he didn't know what to do.

"You should probably get something to eat too." Kenji noted. She smiled at Akaashi warmly. She and Bokuto shared an absolutely stunning smile. Akaashi's cheeks just warmed looking at her. "What type of food do you like Akaashi?"

"I like Onigiri."

"Oh really? I love Onigiri! What's your favorite?"

"Wrapped with salted salted salmon."

"That's mine too!" Kenji laughed again. "Do you mind if I ask you what your opinion on Ko is?"

"I don't mind, no. I like being around him. He sort of recharges my social battery."

"That's so sweet. He takes good care of you?"

"Mhmm."

"Lotsa hugs I'm sure. He can't get enough hugs."

"Sometimes he picks me up and just carries me around his apartment." Akaashi spotted the shop he wanted to go into. He pointed to it. "There is cheap and tastes amazing."

"Let's go then." Kenji followed him across the street and they went inside the shop. Akaashi ordered quickly and stood against a wall. He could see a client in the corner talking with his buddies that he had scheduled for the next day. That man liked to force him into submission and make him kneel on dry rice while Akaashi said nice things about him. Not a nice man.

Kenji noticed his stare and looked to Akaashi. "You know him?"

"No. Just looks familiar."

"Alright..."

Akaashi nodded. He prayed Sugawara wouldn't get yelled at when he broke the news.

They got the food and walked back up to Bokuto's room where the older male was poking his stomach. He looked bored out of his mind. "Kotarou."

"Mm?"

"We got Kushiage."

Bokuto perked up. "Pork?"

"Mhmm."

"Oh I could make out with you right now."

Akaashi sat down. "Please don't."

Bokuto rolled onto his side. "Hiiii Kenji. How are you?"

"I'm okay. Why?"

"Just wondering. Have we taken our medicine today, Akaashi?"

"Mhmm."

"And have we eaten?"

Akaashi knew that he couldn't lie to Bokuto and just fessed up that he had only had a little cup of soup today that he'd poured down the drain.

"Oh God, I hope you ordered yourself something."

"Onigiri."

"Oh Kashi, that's a snack sunshine. Here. Share with me." Bokuto opened the bag and pat beside him on the bed. "Kenji sit down, you shouldn't be on your feet."

"Oh but I feel okay."

"Sit down before I throw an adult tantrum." Bokuto got Akaashi to sit down and let him relax. He divided the food and grabbed the wooden chopsticks, picking up a piece of the fried pork. "Open."

"Me?" Akaashi questioned.

"Yes you. You're gonna eat. Open please."

Akaashi opened his mouth and as soon as he hit down the food nearly burned his tongue and he cringed. "Hot!"

Bokuto paused before laughing softly. He held Akaashi's hand to try and calm him as he leaned over to grab his water. "Sorry about that. Put it on the side of your mouth and kinda bite it from the side and drink this."

Akaashi glanced at his hand and little stunning smile and blushed again. He wasn't easy to fluster. Why was he flustered?

Bokuto waited and handed him his water. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you."

Kenji chuckled from her seat. "Ko you're so sweet but I think he can feed himself."

"Oh but he has such a nice face. Very squishy. I love squishy faces."

Akaashi couldn't hold back the giggle that escaped him. Bokuto thought his face was squishy.

Bokuto turned his attention to Akaashi and smiled lopsidedly. "You're so awesome."

Akaashi just kept quiet. His toes wiggled though and his heart beat a bit faster. This was safe. This was home.