─ restaurant

@bokuto kotaro. it is easy to tell that akaashi is outside of his comfort zone. he could try to lie to himself and say that it is only a small difference from his usual scene, but one glance at the laminated menu with no listed prices in sight— he knows that this is way out of his league. if he knew this was the sort of establishment bokuto had chosen, he would have adamantly refused and insisted they go somewhere much more… economical. that is probably why the athlete was completely vague when asked about dinner.

the atmosphere also has the added effect of making it difficult for akaashi to continue being in denial about what this dinner looks like. it doesn’t mean he isn’t going to try though. just because something looks like one thing, does not mean it can’t be a completely different thing.

yeah, that is sound logic right there, keiji.

the editor has been fidgeting in his seat before bokuto’s voice grabs his attention, “have you been here before, bokuto-san? i remember some co-workers mentioning this place before.” he thinks back on some of the small talk in the office, the mention of places to take wives or girlfriends for their anniversaries. best not to think about it too hard.

“wine sounds nice. i wouldn’t be familiar with their selection… so i’ll leave it up to you.” he smiles at bokuto, hiding how nervous he feels. he can only imagine how much their bill is going to be at the end of the night, and he feels a bit faint.

“good evening. would you gentlemen be ready to or- keiji?”

the voice has akaashi looking up, eyes going wide when he meets eyes with a familiar face, interrupting the waiter’s rehearsed routine.

“izuki… you.. you work here?” he looks over the all-black uniform of the man, noticing he fills it out in the same way bokuto does his outfit. now, is not a good time to be having some realisations about the type of men he hooks up with, so akaashi pushes the thought far far away in the back of his mind.

“yeah, and i never expected to run into you here..” izuki glances over at bokuto, amusement plastered all over his face, “with a big time date too, huh. guess that’s not too surprising with your pretty face.”

akaashi’s cheeks warm up, reaching up to adjust his glasses as part of a nervous habit, except he had opted for contacts tonight so he ends up having to awkwardly brush his nose with his finger. it looks like the flirty comment got to him, but it is due to the fact that someone has acknowledged the dinner as a “date” and it is conflicting with his decision to live in denial.

he makes no comment, instead looking over the menu to distract himself. “hm. we were just talking about having some wine for the evening, maybe you have a recommendation, unless bokuto-san already has one in mind.” he brings his attention back to the athlete, wanting to move on from this awkward reunion.

“right right. sorry, sir.” izuki bows his head at bokuto, “what will you gentlemen be having for the evening?”

@akaashi keiji. this was not his scene by any means. it was a far cry from where he truly shined under blazing lights and searing chants. but he was well-trained enough through galas, fundraisers, and sponsorship events, to know what he was getting himself into. the thought alone of being immersed in a stiff ambiance and quiet pleasantries was enough to send him soaring over the edge; however, if it meant spending time with akaashi, then he would sit through even the longest, most verbose speeches about athletic longevity and the motivation to keep the nation centered on the world stage. whatever that all meant. plus, he wanted to impress! and this would surely knock the editor off his feet - or so kuroo told him.

it was also payment towards their promise in the cafe. he's certain that when akaashi agreed to his terms, the latter wasn't anticipating such a lavished return on coffee and cake. but that is exactly why he made these elaborate plans: to put his best foot forward. or rather, his best fit forward - also, courtesy of kuroo.

there was no hiding a trained athlete's equally trained physique, which meant there was only every reason to emphasize it. truth to be told, he didn't realize he owned clothes outside of joggers and compression tees until his long-time friend pulled several options of jackets, pants, and shirts out of his closet. in the end, for mobility and personal comfort, he was dressed in a fitted turtleneck topped by an unstructured blazer that fitted well around his biceps and only further defined the musculature with every move. once completed with some slacks and shoes that complemented his upper half, he was sent out with an encouraging pat on the back.

bokuto can't define what they are, but he knows what he wants them to be. and while tonight wasn't made with intentions of moving the needle one way or another, he realized that it couldn't hurt to pamper a man who he's sure forgets self-care exists. which brings them to where they are, seated at a nice two-seat table by the window in some pompous eatery with far too many dollar signs to compensate for the lack of food served on each plate.

"i hear the food here is really good," breaking the silence first and hoping to pull his companion's attention back on him. "i know it's been a long week, so i'm thinking we could also get a nice bottle of wine to celebrate making it out." an easy grin finds its way to his lips, tugging up the ends and reaching his eyes in an act all too familiar and all too routine when in akaashi's company.

@bokuto kotaro. Akaashi is nervous. How could he not be when Bokuto had suddenly invited him out to dinner? That wasn’t the odd part, they went out to eat together fairly regularly despite both of their busy schedules, but he could tell there was something different this time.

Well, it's best not to think about it.

Bokuto had told him to dress up “nicer than usual”, and all Akaashi could do was try. He has clothes, sure, but they weren’t exactly formal. He could have worn the suit he wears for work events, but something about that didn’t feel right. It would make him feel like he is at a work thing and that is the last thing he needs after the busy week they had.

It took an embarrassingly long amount of time when Akaashi finally decided on a simple black and white outfit. A ruffled white blouse with puffy sleeves that flare out at the wrists and the neckline dips down into a deep V exposing his chest, it ends two inches above his belly button, paired with black slacks that hug around his hips and nicely. No, he is definitely not trying to dress to impress. This just happens to be the best non-work outfit he has that doesn’t make him look like he regularly hangs out at a gay bar.

Now, he is standing outside the restaurant that Bokuto has chosen, semi-hiding behind the athlete as he looks around at what the other patrons are wearing. He is not sure whether he is over or under dressed. He should have brought a blazer at least.

He ends up fiddling around with the back of Bokuto’s shirt while waiting for their turn to be seated, only letting his nerves calm down once they’re at the table. He looks around the establishment, taking in the decor as well as how their table is set up.