He's like a puppy...

I wanted to get my homework done, but it was proving impossible. Why? No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I couldn't help but focus on Bokuto as he peeked over the top of the fence. Heaving a sigh, I dropped my pen and shifted to face him.
"Do you need something, Bokuto?"

Hearing his name, the boy pulled himself up a little more, resting his face on the fence posts.
"I'm bored." He announced, causing me to close my eyes to compose myself.
"Then go do something."
"I am. I'm waiting for you to finish whatever you're doing."

I swear to god...

Running a hand through my (H/C) hair, I glanced at the back door and windows, making sure neither one of my parents were lurking about.
"What for? Even when I finish, I'm not allowed to hang out with you..." I kind of wanted to, though. After a week of walking home together through the back streets, I was growing more curious of the volleyball captain.

Bokuto was incredibly friendly, but also stubborn and kind of boastful. It wasn't offputting, though I wouldn't dare call it charming. He always did most of the talking, but I was trying my best. It was all new to me. It was a risk for me.

"Alright, then hand me a blank page from your notebook." He extended his hand, and I just stared at it. "Come on, humour me!" Knowing I could never win in a debate against him, I carefully pulled one of the pages out of the book I was using and stood up, edging closer and closer to the fence like a scared animal until it reached his hand.

What is he planning?

Scurrying back to my seat, I watched the boy disappear, eventually returning to my mathmatics homework. I only managed to get through one problem before something tapped me in the back of the head. Nearly choking on my yelp, I spun around to find a poorly folded paper airplane on the ground behind me.

Glancing up, I saw Bokuto again, who was excitedly motioning for me to pick it up. Skeptical, but curious, I did as he wanted, unfolding the paper to find the start of a game of tic tac toe.
"Really..?" Quirking a brow, I glanced at him, unable to stay completely serious when he nodded eagerly.

Well, I guess since I'm almost done...

Adding in an X beside his wonky O, I refolded the paper and carefully aimed towards the fence. With a flick of my wrist, off it went, and I returned to my homework as I waited for a response. Back and forth, I eventually abandoned my work altogether, enjoying the silent game. I let him win most of them, just because I liked hearing his faint, whispered cheer from his yard.

Why was my father so hellbent on keeping me away from men? Bokuto seemed like such a good person. Was there something I was missing?
"What are you doing?" Every cell in my body flash froze when I heard that voice, and the entire table jolted along with me when I flinched. Panicking, I slowly turned my head to find my father approaching. "Give me that paper."

I had to blink myself out of my shock, cautiously handing over the crumpled scrap of a game Bokuto and I had been playing. Was he still looking over the fence? Had he been spotted?
"Uh, I'm almost done with my ho-"

"What is this?" My father cut me off, eyes narrowed as he flipped the paper to show me. Luckily, we had both been using black pen, so I had a scapegoat.
"I was just doodling as I p..pondered questions...Me versus...me..." I tried not to gulp. Was I sweating? Was I doomed?

"Do you think this is appropriate during your study time, (Y/N)?" He asked me, looming over where I sat. I knew it wasn't, but at least he had bought my fib.
"I was only trying t-"

It took a lot to not yelp when his hand, still holding the paper, slammed down onto the table, my stationary bouncing and flying off in each direction.
"Do you think this is appropriate?!" He repeated in a much louder, much harsher tone.

"N..no, Sir!" I squeaked out, unable to maintain eye contact. Whenever he yelled at me, which hadn't happened in a long while, I cried. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. I was hoping this would be the former.
"You get distracted! Getting distracted lowers your grades! Do you want to accomplish anything in your life?!"

Please stop yelling at me...

"I do..!" I insisted, shrinking down as he leered over me.
"Doodling is not what good girls do! Am I clear on that?!" He banged the table again, though not quite as hard, and I nodded quickly so he would stop.
"Crystal clear! I'm sorry! I..it won't happen again, I promise!"

Heaving a sigh, my father scrunched up our fun and shoved it into his suit pocket, reaching out to pat me stiffly on the head.
"Good girl. Finish your homework and then go help your mother with dinner. You are to go straight to bed afterwards. Understood?"

I didn't do anything wrong...

"Understood, Sir..." I murmured, doing my best not to sniffle as he retracted his hand and fixed his tie.
"I have to meet with a client. I trust you won't disappoint me." With that, he left, and I stayed completely still until I heard his car pull out from the driveway. Then I waited longer.

Long enough to hear the sound of painting go from faint to loud. Looking up, I nearly shrieked when I saw Bokuto on my side of the fence, having raced around through the side gate.
"He didn't hit you, did he?! I heard a bang, and-"

I had never moved so fast in my life. On my feet, I slapped my hand over his mouth and dragged him to the very back corner of the yard, behind my mother's camellia bushes.
"N..no..! He didn't, b..but what the hell, Bokuto?! You can't be over here!" I hissed in a whisper, though it wasn't as hard as I wanted it to be, considering I was still partially crying.

The boy stared at me, owlish eyes searching mine and making no move to move my hand away. Once I was sure he understood that he needed to be quiet, I pulled my hand away, unsure about why my palm felt so tingly.
"I just had to make sure you were okay...and make sure to put a stop to it if you weren't..."

Bokuto...

He was sweet. There was no way that someone so sweet could be dangerous, or bad. I had to be missing something. Either that, or my father was...
"H..he's just serious about my education..." I explained, using the heels of my hands to wipe my eyes. "I was slacking off, and I guess I de-"

This time, the roles were reversed. Bokuto's much larger hand was over my mouth, and my startled squeak was muffled.
"Nobody deserves that. Like, for real, that was scary, even when I couldn't see anything. Actually, that made it worse. Does he yell at you like that all the time?"

His genuine concern was almost overwhelming. Honestly, his presence was just that. Overwhelming. Shrugging my shoulders, I nervously peered towards the house.
"O..only when I break the rules...I mean, I should've known better! N..not that I really get why it was such a bad thing, but..."

I didn't have an excuse. It wasn't a bad thing. My homework was nearly complete, not having to be turned in for another three days. I had already finished what I had for my other subjects, too. My neighbour was right. I hadn't deserved that.

"Listen. If he ever scares you, I'm literally like..." Bokuto turned and pointed to a window on the second floor of his house. "...right there. I'm not letting my new best friends get screamed at on my watch. Just hop the fence or run over. I gotchu!"

His smile defrosted something within me. It was calming, and somehow it made me feel a bit better. Still cautiously eyeing my own house, my gaze flickered back to him once more, and I offered him a smile of my own. It was weak in comparison, but the sentiment was there.

"Thanks, Bokuto..." Clearing my throat, I tapped his arm, nodding towards the way he had came from. "N..now, you need to go home..! If we get caught, I'm dead meat..!" Blowing a raspberry, Bokuto stood up, easily lifting me along with him after taking my hand. He gave it a light squeeze, again smiling ever so brightly.

"You deserve to have fun, (Y/N). I'm gonna sort something out so you can have a normal, teenagery day! I'll see you tomorrow! Cheer up!" With that, his hand slipped from mine, and he sprinted back down the side of the house, leaving me a nervous wreck behind my mother's flower bushes.

Wait...sort something out..? Teenagery..? P..pardon..?!

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***Ayoooo I'm back.

I haven't slept for almost two days (a huntsman spider decided my bedroom would be a lovely place to give birth last night so was too preoccupied to sleep), and brain decided to focus on Bokuto. So...Bokuto.

Next Time: Teenagery***