Nakano slowly became aware of her surroundings, feeling Kei's warmth as he spooned her in his bed. The sunlight streaming in the window, diffused by his curtains, was also warm, and helped to coax her to wakefulness. She could feel his legs still tangled with hers, and the sweet rise and fall of his breathing against her back. A smile spread across her face as she realized that unlike the previous time she'd woken up like this, not only would none of their teammates be around to surprise them, but they'd be able to wake up like this again tomorrow too. I could really get used to this, she thought. I wonder what time it is?
The clock was, unfortunately, on the other side of the bed, behind Kei. She tried to turn to see it, only to be met with strong arms tensing up to hold her still and a growl from the blonde owner of those arms. "No," he rasped out in a very sleepy voice.
She kissed his arms gently. "And good morning to you too, sleepyhead. Can I roll over, please?" She tried moving again, his arms tightening around her and his body folding in on her.
"No," he groused again, "Stay."
"What am I, a puppy?" she said in mock anger. He growled again, cuddling against her. "Oh, I see, you're the puppy. Do I need to hit you with a rolled up newspaper?"
"Mmmmm, kinky," he murmured sleepily.
She laughed. "Come on, Kei, I just want to see what time it is."
"Nuh uh. Doesn't matter." He kissed her hair repeatedly.
"But Kei..."
"Roses, as soon as you know what time it is, you'll wanna plan to do things, and I don't wanna. I just wanna stay right here and not move and hold you. So shhhhhh," he whined.
She laughed and subsided for a few moments, relaxing in his warmth again. She had to admit, it did feel nice to just be lazy in her boyfriend's arms for once. But Nakano simply wasn't used to being that kind of person. After a few minutes of lying awake, even in the pleasant embrace of her megane boyfriend, she began to once again wonder what time it was and how much they had time to do before they had to be at volleyball practice.
"Kei, please can I roll over now," she said, trying to move once again.
"Only if you kiss me once you do," he said, sounding a little more awake than before.
"Deal," the girl responded as she rolled over. She was quickly pulled into a kiss before she could get a look at the clock. After enjoying the kiss, she snuggled against his chest, her head tucked under his chin. "Okay, this really is a very nice way to begin the day."
"Mhmmmm," he hummed. "Best day ever."
She stretched up a little to see the clock. They still had four hours before they were supposed to be at practice. She tried to resist the urge to plan, but he was right, that was her immediate instinct. I think I could probably get in a run before we eat a kind of brunch, then we'll have a little time to relax before we go to practice, she thought. Maybe Kei will come run with me. "Hey, wanna go for a run with me this morning?" she decided to ask.
He groaned. "No, I don't, and you don't wanna go for a run with you either," he answered, "I knew as soon as you saw the time you'd start planning something. Can't you just have one lazy day with me? Please?"
She sighed. "You do know we still have to go to practice, right? And I have to meet with Oikawa this evening. So we're going to have to drag ourselves out of your bed at some point, gorgeous."
"Yes, I know all of that. But I was hoping maybe I could convince you to make tamagoyaki this morning," he said, kissing her face, " and just so you don't think you'll be doing all the work, I'll make yakitori."
"You cook?" she said with a smirk, "This I need to see."
"Be prepared to be impressed, Roses," he said, "Yakitori is my specialty."
Her stomach rumbled. "Okay, I guess I can be lazy for one day. But tomorrow morning we are going for a run, got it?" He kissed her by way of response. She glared at him. "That was not an agreement to run with me tomorrow," she said, staring at him.
He clicked his tongue. "Fine, fine. We go for a run tomorrow. Now can get we back to being lazy?"
She laughed. "No, because I want to shower. All I did yesterday was run hot water over myself to warm up. And I'm going to need my clothes from yesterday, if you don't mind."
"But I like this outfit on you," he pulled her close to him again, no longer embarrassed by his love of feeling her chest move against him.
"Oh, I'm sure you do. And how much will you enjoy the team seeing me in it, hmmm? I bet Tanaka and Noya would be as fascinated as you were." She leered at him.
"Yeah, not happening, Roses," he declared, hugging her tightly again. "Mine," he whispered in her ear, once again getting the payoff he hoped for. I'm not usually one for giggly girls, he thought, but that giggle makes me more happy than I ever thought possible. "Why do you giggle when I do that?" he asked.
"Well, two reasons," she said, stretching a bit. "One, you always whisper it in my ear, and as I think you're now well aware, my ears are sensitive." He hummed and nibbled on her ear in response, she gasped and squirmed in his arms. She playfully smacked his shoulder, making him stop. "Second," she continued once he let her ear go, "I like being yours. When you tell me that, it makes me feel...wanted. Needed. Cared for." Loved, she thought, but I'm not sure you're ready for that word. I think you need to be the one to say it first, or I'm afraid I'll frighten you too much. She snuggled into him again, and he held her close. "And that makes me really happy, and I guess that comes out as a giggle."
"Roses," he whispered, his voice soft and full of tenderness, "please stay mine forever, okay?"
"Forever is a long time, Kei," she murmured, "but that's my plan."
They lay quietly in each other's arms, neither one wanting to break from the moment.
Until Kei's stomach growled, rather loudly.
The two teens burst into laughter. "Alright, I guess that's our cue," Kei said, getting up and heading for the laundry room. "I'll be right back with your stuff. Do you need a toothbrush or anything like that?"
She grinned, sitting up. "Nope, I keep a little toiletry set in my medical bag too, just in case of emergency. So I'm good."
A few minutes later, Nakano headed into the bathroom, ready for a shower. Once she was ensconced in the other room, Kei grabbed his phone, opening up a contact he'd never thought he'd use.
Kei
Oi King, you awake?
King
What's wrong? Did something happen to Nakano?
Kei
I guess you could say that. We had a run-in with Oikawa yesterday.
King
Is she hurt? Where are you? Why didn't you tell me sooner?
Kei
Relax. I've been with her since then, she's fine. But he convinced her to meet with him today after practice. Alone. I am not having that. But Nakano won't let me come with her, since Oikawa saw me with her yesterday and knows I'm her boyfriend.
King
What the hell? That is so not happening. We're going with whether she likes it or not.
Kei
We need a better plan than that. She agreed to meet Oikawa alone. You know she won't allow either of us to go with her.
King
Where is she? I assume she's not with you at the moment.
Kei
She's in the shower.
King
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HER SHOWER!
Kei
Idiot. I'm not in the shower with her, who uses a phone in a shower? And for crying out loud focus please. We need to come up with an idea before practice ends today.
King
Right. What if we send Hinata in disguise?
Kei
Hinata as a spy. Let's ask Tanaka and Noya to join him too, they are all such champions of subtlety.
King
Well you come up with something then asshole!
Kei
What about Tadashi? He's at least relatively quiet and can probably go unnoticed. Gotta go, the water stopped. Talk in the club room before practice.
Kei put his phone away, and busied himself putting away the rest of the clothes from the laundry he'd done. He grabbed a change of clothes for himself and slipped out to his mother's bathroom again. By the time he returned, Nakano was dressed and busily treating her legs.
"Hey there! I meant to ask you yesterday...have you been reading up on how to give good massages?" she grinned up at him as she asked the question.
He smirked at her. "Do you like my technique?"
"Hmmmm...I'm not sure," she said, giving him a pensive look. Her eyes betrayed her, though, as they sparkled with mischief. "I might have to experience it again a time or two before I can properly comment." She finished up her legs, strapping her fabric braces on.
He offered her his hand, helping her up and pulling her into his arms. "Oh, I see. Well then, prepare yourself for later tonight, Roses," he said, his voice dripping with seduction, "I'll make last night's massage seem like a mere warm up for the main event."
She laughed, swatting him on his behind. He jumped at the contact, giving her a surprised look. "Come on, gorgeous, let's go cook some food. I'm starving," she said. He took her by the hand, leading her to the kitchen, a smile gracing his face. You said it was okay to imagine that future, Nakano, he thought to himself. If this is what it will be like, I plan to do everything I can to make it become reality. I never want this to end.
🏐🏐🏐
Tsukishima entered the club room to find Yamaguchi, Kageyama and Hinata clustered together in a corner, attempting to talk quietly. Sugawara was changing as well, but appeared to be oblivious to what the first years were up to. Tsukki walked over to his classmates, rolling his eyes.
"I gather you've told them everything," he said softly to Kageyama.
"We're going to need their help, four eyes. I'm not letting Nakano be alone with Oikawa. I don't know what he's up to, but I'm not giving him the chance to hurt her again." Kageyama glared at the blonde.
"Agreed," Tsukishima answered simply. "So do we have any kind of plan?"
"Are you sure Nakano's the one in danger?" Hinata asked, trying to keep his voice down and only partially succeeding, "The last time they were alone, she beat up the Great King!"
"He has a point guys," Tadashi said, wringing his hands nervously, "Naka-chan has proven she can take care of herself. Maybe we should just stay out of it."
"I'm not worried about that, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima said, "In a straight up fist fight, just the two of them, my money would be on Nakano for sure. But Oikawa made a big deal about her coming alone. What if he shows up with a couple of guys from his team? She's good, but she'd be overwhelmed if several guys jumped her. And Oikawa knows she can flatten him now. So he'd make sure not to give her a second chance at that."
"Look, let's keep this simple. You guys just sit in the café, keep a phone ready to text me if anything weird happens. I brought a bunch of stuff so you can disguise yourselves. As long as Nakano doesn't notice you, we're good," Kageyama said.
"Why can't we just tell Naka-chan we're coming? Why do we need to hide?" Yamaguchi asked.
"Because Nakano agreed to come alone to the café," Tsukishima said, rubbing his temple, trying to stave off a headache, "If she sees you, she'll make a fuss, and make you leave. She won't go back on her word to someone, not even when that someone is her jackass of an ex-boyfriend."
"That's our Naka-chan," Kageyama said with a wry grin.
The four boys continued to chatter, trying to agree on a plan to protect their coach. Suga continued to fuss with things, keeping his ears focused, trying to get the last piece of information he was looking for. Finally, Tsukishima said the words he was waiting to hear. Without waiting for anything more, Sugawara headed for the club room door. "Hey guys, you'd better hurry up. Daichi's gonna get annoyed if you four end up starting late," he said with a smile as he slipped out. He chuckled to himself as he headed down to the gym. So clueless, he thought. I'll speak to Daichi at the first break. I think it's about time we teach our kohai a thing or two.
🏐🏐🏐
"Did it seem to you like everyone scattered a bit faster than usual after practice today?" Nakano asked Kei as the two strolled through the downtown area again, slowly making their way towards the café where Nakano would meet with Oikawa.
His eyes darted to the girl under his arm, she kept her face straight ahead, the tiniest ghost of a smile quirking the corners of her mouth. Shit, he thought, I'm pretty sure she knows we're up to something. Scratch that, I know she knows we're up to something. Damn. He shrugged. "Really? I didn't notice," he tried playing off his usual uncaring attitude, "But it is Saturday. Maybe they all had plans after practice today."
"Mmmmm," she hummed in reply, "Maybe." Or maybe, she thought, you were so worried about this you actually went to Tobio for help, and wound up dragging Shoyo and Tadashi into this as well. And I thought Tanaka and Nishinoya were the only ones on the team who were this extra. She paused at the window of a dress shop, admiring a pretty bright blue dress on display. "Ooh, Kei, isn't that a lovely color?" She moved away to get closer to the window.
Kei hummed in agreement, taking the opportunity to grab his phone and check it. It had vibrated in his pocket a few moments ago, but he didn't want to run the risk of Nakano seeing it in case it was from Kageyama. Sure enough, it was.
King
Oikawa just went in and sat down. Hinata and Yamaguchi are in place.
Kei quickly repocketed his phone and looked up at the dress. "It does match your eyes," he said, marveling at the color of the garment. She turned, giving him a look that seemed to be a mix of pleasure at his words and a little bit of fear.
"Do you think I should buy it for when I meet your family? I don't really own a lot of fancy clothes. I don't want them to think I'm not..."
"Hey, Roses," he said softly, linking his hand with hers, "you don't need to be anything other than you when you meet my family." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Don't worry about that right now. It's almost six o'clock, we'd better get you to the café."
"Right," she said, smiling at him, "It should be just up ahead."
Tsukishima's eyes scanned the area, trying to spot Kageyama, or anyone who looked like they might be from Seijoh. "Are you sure you won't let me come in with you? I can sit at a different table," he said, turning his attention back to the girl.
"I'll be fine, Kei, I got this. He gets fifteen minutes of my time, and not a second more. I'm sure nothing strange will happen. Where will you be?"
He spotted a bench across the street in a small green area. "I'll be right on that bench. If anything happens..."
"Nothing is going to happen," she gave him a kiss on the nose, "Stop worrying. I'll see you in fifteen minutes at the outside." She smiled and headed into the café.
Nakano's eyes swept around the café as she stepped inside. A nearby booth contained two young men, apparently college students by their clothes and the amount of paper spread out in front of them. At a table to the left sat two younger boys, one with bright orange hair slipping out from under an oversized fedora perched uncertainly on his head, the other wearing a baseball cap and dark sunglasses. Shoyo and Tadashi, she thought, internally facepalming, what the heck are you guys thinking? She was about to approach them when a familiar annoying voice sang out from further back in the café.
"Ya-ho! Ogawa!" She looked up to see Oikawa waving at her from a table towards the back. Several girls in a booth to the left of his table turned to give her dirty looks. Great, she thought, fangirls. This should be fun. She began walking towards his table, spotting one other person nearby, a man sitting in the far right corner booth with his back to her. That could be Iwaizumi-san, she noted, but I can't be sure.
She slipped into the seat across from Oikawa. "Hello, my little queen, I'm so glad you joined me," Oikawa gushed at her, "I've taken the liberty of ordering something for you. It should be arriving soon."
"Stop calling me your little queen, Oikawa. You have fifteen minutes. What is it you wanted to say to me?"
The brunette leaned forward, leaning his elbows on the table and steepling his long fingers. "Ah, so direct, right to business. But I'd like to wait for my refreshment, if you don't mind." He smiled an oily smile at her.
"Do as you wish, it makes no difference to me," Nakano replied, keeping her voice calm. "But at 6:15 I'm getting up and walking out the door again."
"No doubt your megane blonde is waiting for you," Oikawa remarked, winking at the girl, setting the fangirls to whispering at each other, "How precious."
Nakano simply rolled her eyes and remained silent. A waitress appeared, placing two iced coffees on the table with a small bow. Oikawa gave her a dazzling smile and she giggled quietly, once again setting the fangirls to whispering. Nakano scoffed as she looked at the drink in front of her. "I should have expected this, I suppose."
Oikawa sipped on his drink. "Iced coffee, your favorite, wasn't it?"
"No. In fact, I loathe it. Iced coffee is your favorite, Oikawa. But it makes no difference, as I'm not here for that," she sat up straight, folding her arms on the table, pushing the iced coffee to the side. "Alright, I'm here, you have your drink. Now, what is it that you needed to tell me so badly away from everyone else."
"I've come here today to apologize to you, Ogawa," he said airily, "For the hurt I seem to have caused you all those years ago. I was a child, I didn't know any better. I was overwhelmed by what happened, I couldn't face you. Surely you can understand that."
She voiced a harsh laugh, almost a bark. "I understand that you don't mean a single word of what you just said. Not a bit of it was true. Is this why you brought me here today, Oikawa? You're wasting my time."
"Do you accept my apology?"
"You'd have to give me one first."
"I just did," Oikawa's voice dropped, beginning to sound angry, "Do you accept it or not?"
"No, because not one word you said was sincere. There was no apology there, you just rolled a prepared set of sentences off your snake's tongue with absolutely no feeling behind them. If you're looking for my forgiveness, you'd have to earn that. I won't just give it to you, especially not for free."
Oikawa tossed his head in irritation. "This is why I wanted to do this with no one else around," he spat, "I knew you would get in my way again, just as you always did."
"Oh? And how am I in your way this time, Oikawa? What is this really all about?" Nakano fixed the setter with a hard stare, capturing and holding his eyes. "Did Iwaizumi-san put you up to this?"
Oikawa's eyes widened slightly and dropped to the floor. He grabbed his iced coffee, sipping from it, trying to hide the blush dusting his cheeks. "Don't be ridiculous, Iwa-chan has nothing to do with this. I just wanted to make amends, and now you're being so cruel to me." His voice had shifted to being whiny, and a pout adorned his features as he set down his drink. The fangirls cooed and melted in the booth across the way.
"You're such a liar, Oikawa. But that doesn't work with me. You finally realized it, didn't you? That it's been Iwaizumi-san all along."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he snapped, his face turning even more red, his wounded act slipping away.
"Lies, lies, lies. You finally told Iwaizumi-san how you really feel, didn't you? But I'm guessing he won't agree to being anything more than your friend after watching you trample all over other people all these years. How many girls were there after me, anyway?"
Oikawa's face lit up, a superior smirk coming across his lips. "Feeling jealous that I was able to replace you so easily, while it took you years to find someone willing to put up with you?" She scoffed as he waved his hand in the air theatrically. "Oh, there were at least 6 others since you, little queen. Maybe more, who can possibly keep count?"
She fixed him with a disdainful look. "And you think that's something to be proud of, do you? How many of those 'relationships' lasted even as long as ours did, eh, Oikawa?" She glanced over to the fangirls, who were still staring lovingly at him. "I bet every one of them was like those girls over there. A slobbering fangirl interested in little more than being seen with the dashing and handsome volleyball king. Did you spare any thought for any of them? Can you even remember all of their names?"
"I've apologized to every one of them, I'll have you know," Oikawa groused, once again sounding wounded, "and unlike you, every one of them understood, they forgave me, even sympathized..."
She clasped her hands in front of her, gasping, "...with the plight of this poor, handsome, lonely boy, desperately seeking love, trying to bury his forbidden feelings for his best friend, drowning them in a sea of kisses from beautiful ladies who could never heal his aching heart," she declared breathlessly, maximizing the drama. "Oh please, I'm sure they all did, because every one of them simply wanted to live out their own shojo manga fantasy with you and that sort of thing would just play right into it. You each got what you wanted. The girls got to live out that fantasy for a while, and you got to continue to hide from your own feelings. Mutually beneficial, in a twisted sort of way." Her eyes locked to his again, her glare penetrating. "But that wasn't what we were about. I was truly taken with you. You, on the other hand, never had any kind of genuine feelings for me, other than jealousy. You hunted me, caught me, and used me. I was your prey, and when you were done with me you tossed me aside. You took everything from me, and left me with nothing. You hurt me, Oikawa, unspeakably. And if you really want my forgiveness for that, you're going to have to truly understand what you did. Maybe then you can offer me an apology that means something."
Oikawa's face shifted from shock to embarrassment to anger as the girl unleashed her tirade on him. When she'd finished, he scoffed at her. "I knew there would be no point to this. But that's why I wanted to meet you alone. I can just tell Iwa-chan you forgave me and move on from this inane nightmare. You're just a stupid little girl who used to be able to play volleyball. You don't matter anymore anyway." He stood up.
Nakano stayed in place, looking up at him. "Believe that if you want, Oikawa. But know this - Iwaizumi-san won't believe you, any more than I believed your apology. He'll know you're lying. He's known you far longer than I have, and he's a very perceptive fellow. Loving someone begins with trusting them and being truthful with them, Oikawa. And so far, you're off to a lousy start."
Oikawa huffed a final time and stormed away from the table, his loyal fangirls soon following after. Nakano shook her head sadly. The gentleman at the back of the café stood, walking towards Nakano. As he started past, she spoke. "I'm sorry, Iwaizumi-san. But I can't forgive him if he doesn't even understand what he did wrong."
"I'm sorry too, Ogawa-chan, for all this. And you're right. I can't accept him the way he is either. Maybe it's time someone taught him that lesson." He headed towards the exit, passing Tsukishima and Kageyama as they came rushing in to the café. Nakano stood up and walked over to the table where Shoyo and Tadashi were trying hard to look invisible. She plucked the fedora off of Hinata's head.
"Let me guess," she said with a wry smile, "this was Kags' idea of a disguise?"
"You didn't recognize them!" Kageyama said in irritation.
She laughed. "I spotted them the instant I walked in the door! The only reason I didn't go tell them to get out was that Oikawa called me over first. What in the heck were you boys thinking?" she said exasperatedly. "I told you, Kei, nothing was going to happen. You guys are complete lunatics." Kageyama looked sheepish, as did Yamaguchi. Hinata looked at her like a puppy hoping for praise, and Tsukki's face said 'you knew I was going to do this so why pretend otherwise.' Nakano was about to tell the lot of them off when the waitress from earlier approached, clearing her throat.
"Ummm...miss? I'm so sorry, but..." she was holding a bill in her hands, her face red.
Nakano sighed. "Let me guess. The 'gentleman' hadn't paid for his drinks before leaving, hmm?" She took the bill from the girl's hand. "Why am I not surprised?"
One of the young men from the other booth approached, his long brown bangs covering his face as he looked down, seeming a touch embarrassed. "Let me, miss," he said in a gruff voice, plucking the bill from her hand, "doesn't seem right for a fella to leave a pretty girl like yourself stuck with the check."
Nakano was about to demur when Tsukishima stepped up, looking irritated. "Leave her alone," he growled, his hands clenched into fists.
The young man waved his hands in front of him. "Aw, come on now," he said, straightening up and sweeping his bangs aside, revealing Suga's face under them. "I'm just trying to do right by my kohais." He grinned, enjoying the moment as all five first years' jaws dropped.
Nakano was the first to recover, laughing heartily and looking over to the other man in the booth. He stood and approached, and Nakano realized that behind the suggestion of a mustache and goatee was Daichi, his hair slicked and styled with some kind of pomade. He grinned at her as she recognized him. "Gentlemen, we are in the presence of greatness. Our senpais are indeed masters of disguise. You could learn a thing or two from them." She applauded as Suga pulled the wig off his head, shaking out his lovely silvery hair.
"This is not our first stake out," Suga said with a smile, grabbing a seat next to Tadashi. "Pull up some chairs, guys, and let us explain a few things to you."
Daichi chuckled as he sat down next to Suga. "How about some dinner, my treat?" he offered the group. The boys all brightened at the mention of food and chimed out a thanks.
"Captain, that's too much," Nakano said as she grabbed an extra chair from a nearby table, encouraging Tsukki to sit down as Kageyama sat next to Hinata, "but I would love to hear how you ended up here as well."
"Nonsense, we should celebrate your new position as coach. And clearly I need to teach the younger generation how to properly conduct a stake out before I graduate," Daichi said, giving the four first year boys the eye.
Suga smiled at the waitress as he instructed her to add the two iced coffees to their tab, and proceeded to order a variety of dishes for the group to share.
"Fine, but I'm chipping in. You shouldn't have to cover Oikawa's stupidity at the very least." Nakano stated, handing Daichi some money. He tried to refuse, but her expression brooked no nonsense. He accepted it with a smile. "Now, why exactly are you here?"
"We had no idea it was you, Captain! How did you guys fool us all so well?" Yamaguchi blurted out in surprise.
Suga chuckled. "A little makeup, a wig, a change of clothes, a little misdirection. That's all it really takes, boys." He turned to Nakano. "I saw you sweep the room as you came in, Naka-chan. Did you have any idea who we were?"
"None," she said, gratefully sipping on the iced green tea the waitress placed in front of her. "I saw brown hair, styled hair, and lots of papers. I assumed you were two college guys working on something for class and moved on. Not who I was looking for. Slipped right by me."
"And that was the idea," Suga said. "If you're trying to go unnoticed, make yourself blend into the surroundings. What could be more expected than a couple of college guys studying at a coffee shop? Hide or change your most obvious features, like my hair, and don't break character for anything. Instant camouflage."
Daichi stood up. "Excuse me a minute, but I've got to go wash all this off my face. Plus this hair stuff is driving me crazy. I'll be right back." He headed off to the restroom.
Suga chuckled. "Daichi had it the worst of it this time. His sister didn't have another wig, so he ended up with a lot of makeup."
"His sister?" Tsukishima asked.
"Yep. One of his sisters is big into theater, so she was able to bring us everything we needed before practice ended." Suga said.
"But how did you know? I didn't tell anyone but Hinata and Yamaguchi," Kageyama said, looking confused.
"Well, you weren't exactly particularly quiet about it in the club room, guys," Suga said, chuckling, "I could hear enough to know that Nakano was in some kind of trouble, and you guys were going to try to help without her knowing about it. Once Tsukishima said the location, I let Daichi know, and he texted his sister for some supplies."
Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "I should have just come to you first, Suga-san. You seem to have a lot of experience in these matters," the blonde said, "Do you do this kind of thing often?"
Daichi returned as the food arrived, looking like his usual self, his hair still pretty wet. "It's not exactly a regular occurrence or anything, but we've been on one or two of these before, right Suga?" He shoulder checked his buddy as he sat down again. Suga just laughed.
"Well, I have to say, you guys are all just as ridiculously extra as Noya and Tanaka. This was an awful lot of fuss over Oikawa offering me a fake apology," Nakano looked around the table at her teammates, "but you guys are all pretty sweet. Thanks for looking out for me, even if it was entirely unnecessary."
"It was necessary, Naka-chan," Kageyama said, "None of us want to see you hurt, you know?"
"So damn extra," Nakano said as the boys dug into the food, laughing and chatting about what had just happened.
🏐🏐🏐
"So you're telling me that this whole thing was so Oikawa could apologize to you? Why couldn't he do that in front of me and his friend?" Kei asked Nakano as the two walked back towards their neighborhood.
They'd spent about an hour in the café, enjoying good food and good company. All the boys had insisted on contributing whatever they could to the cost, despite Daichi saying he could afford it with no problem. Nakano's stern glare at each of them may have had something to do with that. Now the couple was walking together in their favorite way, Kei holding his girlfriend perhaps just a little closer than usual, as if grateful nothing had happened to her.
"No, it was more than that," Nakano said in response to his question, "I just didn't want to drop Oikawa's business in front of everyone. It's a little sensitive."
"What do you mean?"
She sighed. "Oikawa and Iwaizumi have been inseparable ever since I've known them. Apparently, they've been that way since childhood. Oikawa wouldn't confirm it to me, but I'm pretty sure he's finally admitted to himself and Iwaizumi that his love for his Iwa-chan is more than just as a best friend. But Iwaizumi-san has seen what Oikawa does to people he's supposedly 'in love' with, and won't accept him if he can't own up to the fact that he's been pretty awful to his romantic partners in the past. I think Iwaizumi has insisted that Oikawa apologize to all the people he's hurt, and I'm his last obstacle."
"Wait," Kei looked at her confused, "so Oikawa is gay?"
"Yeah, something on that order, I should think. At the very least, I'm pretty sure he's in love with Iwaizumi."
"But he's always surrounded by all those girls..."
Nakano chuckled. "We clearly need to watch more shojo anime. Don't you know all the girls are always attracted to the pretty gay guy?" He gave her a withering look. "Seriously, I don't know if you've ever watched him interact with his fangirls, but he's totally fake around them. I'm sure he's dated a bunch of them, but I don't think he actually has any interest in any of them."
"And so he offered you an apology..."
"...with absolutely not one shred of genuine meaning behind it. So I refused to accept it."
"Which he probably expected to happen. Hence, he wanted to do this alone, so he could just tell Iwaizumi you accepted his apology and everything is fine."
"Except Iwaizumi was there. He saw the whole thing. I spoke to him afterwards briefly, and he knows I didn't accept it. So..."
"...Oikawa is going to be pissed at you," Kei's face was set, his jawline hard. Nakano could practically see him planning out defensive positions for every possible scenario involving Oikawa showing up at random places.
She clicked her tongue at him. "Look you, before you go calling up the protection posse again, calm down." He gave her a wry look at her interesting descriptive term for her teammates. "Oikawa is not some yakuza boss who's going to have me eliminated for daring to cross him. As far as I'm concerned, I'm done with him unless he can actually find a real apology somewhere in him. So please stop worrying so much." She squeezed his waist tighter and he chuckled despite himself.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop. But I'm not sorry, Roses," he said, looking at her with a warm look in his golden honey eyes, "You're very precious to me, and I'll do whatever I think is necessary to keep you safe, got it?"
"What on Earth have I gotten myself into?" she responded, rolling her eyes theatrically.
"Actually, that's something I need to talk to you about."
"What do you mean?"
"Akiteru texted me a little while ago. He and Mom will be home tomorrow afternoon, and they'd like to have you to dinner tomorrow evening."
Nakano's breath caught and she stumbled. Kei stopped and steadied her, looking down at her with concern. "T-tomorrow? Like less than 24 hours from now?" She looked around nervously, as if hoping to find some kind of avenue of escape.
"Yes, Roses, and I know you're available, because your mom doesn't get back until Monday, you said." He pulled her back into their walking position and got her moving again. "Stop being so nervous. I've told you, they will adore you. Maybe almost as much as I do."
She couldn't help but giggle at that, her face becoming rosy. "Very well. I will do my best. But the more immediate question is...your place or mine tonight, gorgeous?" she said suggestively.
"Mine is closer," he breathed, nipping at her ear. She yelped at the contact. "And if I recall correctly, I believe I promised you an evening that would ensure you'd forget all about anything that might be troubling you."
She smirked at him. "You also promised me a run in the morning," she reminded him.
"First things first, Roses."
🏐🏐🏐
Nakano stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom, looking at her fourth attempt at choosing an outfit for dinner with the Tsukishimas.
Kei had been as good as his word. Their massage and make out session had been even longer than the previous night's, and had continued even after her overstimulated boyfriend had rushed to relieve himself in the bathroom again. Her chest was still feeling a little sore from all of the overstimulation she'd experienced thanks to his long and nimble fingers. Who knew Tsukishima Kei would turn out to be a breast man, even through a tee shirt, she thought, chuckling, or maybe that's just because that's as far as we've allowed ourselves to go at this point. She smiled remembering the delightful feeling of awakening in his arms again this morning. And he'd even set an alarm so they could go for a run together before practice, just as he'd promised. He's too good to me, she thought.
The notion triggered her memory of why she was standing in front of the mirror, looking at her clothes. She'd decided on a skirt this go-round, in a bright purple-blue plaid, with a simple white polo top and black tights to at least try to camouflage the supports. Is the white top asking for trouble? What if dinner involves some kind of sauce and I spill it on myself? Maybe a black polo instead. She reached in to grab one from her closet, holding it up in front of herself. Is that too much black? Maybe I should stick with the white?
"UGH! Fuck it," she swore, yanking off the white polo in favor of the black one. She finished off the look with the beautiful necklace Kei had given her, tucked under the collar so it would remain visible on top of her shirt. It shimmered beautifully atop the black polo, making her feel this was indeed the right choice. Plus, she knew if she somehow did get something on the white shirt, it would only make her that much more self conscious all evening. Black hides a multitude of sins, she thought, remembering Ama-nee's fashion advice and laughing to herself.
"Oh Ama, I wish you were here right now," she muttered as she sat down at her desk, setting up the makeup mirror her sister had given her. She'd actually really been hoping that this dinner would have happened when at least her mom had been home, so she could get some help with this. Makeup was not her forte, but she knew her boyfriend's family would expect a high school girl to have at least a little on. She'd texted Amalie for advice on what to do.
Sis 💄
Do your eyes. They're your best feature. Other than that, keep it simple. Use the strawberry lip gloss I gave you - it's sheer and delicious, Kei will love it. Maybe a little blush. I'll send a video tutorial for your eyes. Go get 'em, sis!
The video tutorial was more than she thought she could deal with. She watched it several times, getting the general idea of how to apply the color to her eyelids. The eyeliner part got very complicated with angling and shaping - she decided to just do the first part where you followed the natural line of your eye. Mascara is not happening, she thought. I don't even have one of those weird things she was using to make them stick up. She took a deep breath and worked slowly and carefully to apply the makeup to her eyes, taking her time.
She smiled at the results she achieved. Amalie was right, the colors and shading she'd suggested made her bright blue eyes pop. And yet, it wasn't so over the top that she felt like a child's doll. Thank you, Ama, for not going crazy with this. She took the strawberry lip gloss and applied it to her lips. It was indeed sheer, adding almost no color, but making her lips seem shiny and plump. Kissable. I hope Kei likes it. I won't need any blush, she thought wryly, I think I'll be doing plenty of that on my own with no help from cosmetics!
She stood once again in front of the mirror, looking at the overall effect. This is as good as it gets, she thought, and it's actually not bad. I think even Mom would approve. She reached over to her desk, grabbing the little panda clip Kei had gotten for her and putting it in her hair. She jumped as her phone went off, signaling the arrival of a text.
Gorgeous 💖
Hey! I'm on my way over to get you. Be there in about 10.
Queen Setter 🏐
What? Why?
Gorgeous 💖
I wanted a few minutes alone to talk to you before you meet them.
Oh my gosh, she thought, what's wrong? What happened? Did they already say something about me? Or does he feel like he needs to coach me so I don't completely screw this all up? Oh man, I'm doomed, aren't it? This is it, his mom will hate me, she'll make him stop seeing me, I'm gonna lose him because I'm too...
Her phone notification scared her so much she squealed and dropped the thing on the floor.
Gorgeous 💖
Stop panicking, Roses. Everything is fine. I promise. Remember, I don't lie to you.
She laughed out loud at his text, taking a deep shaky breath. He knows me so well already. God, he's awesome. She tossed a tube of her medicated cream into a small blue purse along with her house keys and other necessary items and headed to the front door just as the doorbell rang. She quickly slipped on a pair of black flats and opened the door.
"Hey, are you..." Kei suddenly stopping talking, his eyes locked to her beautiful blue ones. He forgot to breathe for a moment or two, taking her in.
"What?" she asked, her voice on the edge of panic, "It's too much black, isn't it? Or did I mess up the makeup already? My hair, I bet my hair..." She started backing up into her house. Kei reached out and caught both her hands before she could get away.
"Roses," he said, finally remembering that breathing was a necessity and not an option, "you look stunning. You did all this just to meet my family?"
She smiled shakily, he swore he could hear her heart pounding. "I want them to like me. I want them to think I'm good enough for you. I know this is not my usual look, and I'm probably not really the best at pulling off this kind of girly thing..."
"Sshhhhh," he said, shaking his head, "you look beautiful in shorts and a tee shirt all sweaty from a workout. Dressed like this, the touches of makeup, it just enhances what you already are. Please believe me, Roses. I don't lie. You look amazing."
She shot him a lopsided grin, taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Kei."
"Think you're ready to go?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," she said, following him out the door and locking it behind her. "So, why the escort service?"
"Oh right," he said, his original purpose for doing this coming back to him as they walked towards his place, holding hands. "So, I wanted to tell you that..." He turned to look at her, distracted by her face, "Why do your lips look so...uh..." his eyes seemed to glaze over a bit as he stared at them, "...delicious?" His eyes widened as he realized what just fell out of his mouth.
She chuckled. "Lip gloss, strawberry flavored. Ama-nee gave it to me. She says you'll love it," she leered at him. "Wanna taste?"
"Yes," he said immediately, but then shook his head, "but not until after dinner. If I kiss you now, they'll know it."
"But after dinner, it might all be gone," she said teasingly. She stopped walking a moment, giving him a very gentle peck on his lips. "There, now lick your lips," she instructed.
He did so, a sweet taste running over his tongue. "Nice," he said with a smirk, "but I prefer your natural spicy-sweetness. It makes your lips look pretty, though." He watched as she pressed them together to even out the gloss.
"Did we smudge me?"
"No you look fine. Anything on me?"
"Nope, you're good. Now, where were we?"
They resumed their walk. "I decided to explain to mom and Akiteru what happened to you. Why you'll have the supports on your legs, and how you got out of your metal braces not too long ago. I thought that might be better than them asking weird questions right off the bat. So I wanted to make sure you knew that before you met them." He looked at her with concern. "I hope that's okay. I should have asked you first, but it was kind of a spur of the moment thing and I didn't have a lot of time."
"I think that was a good idea," she said with a smile, feeling a little bit of the nerves dissipate. "Now they know what to expect, and I don't have to worry about them making up strange reasons in their heads for why I've got these on. And I don't have to launch into the story first thing either. Thanks, Kei. That actually helped a lot."
"Good," he said, his voice flooded with relief, "I was really worried I'd screwed that one up."
She laughed aloud, squeezing his hand tight as they approached his house. "Here we go," she whispered.
"You got this, Roses," he whispered back, earning a laugh from the pretty girl beside him.
Kei moved to unlock the door to his home, when suddenly it burst open. Standing in the doorway was a tall man with a big smile on his face. Nakano could definitely see the resemblance between her boyfriend and the man in front of her. This must be his brother, she thought. She was about to greet him formally when he gasped and looked at Kei. "Little bro, you did not do this young lady justice. Shame on you." He turned his attention to Nakano, grabbing her hand and pulling her inside. "Mom!" he sang out, "Come meet Kei's girlfriend! She's so cute!"
Nakano looked back at her boyfriend for help. He was shaking his head and running a hand over his face. "Akiteru, could you at least let her change her shoes before you drag her all over the place?"
"Oh yeah, sorry about that," he laughed, slowing down and allowing the girl to quickly change her footwear.
"Pardon the intrusion," she said, smiling at Akiteru. A woman bearing a strong resemblance to Akiteru was coming up behind him. Nakano straightened and bowed. "Hajimemashite, Tsukishima-san."
Kei stepped up next to Nakano. "Mom, Akiteru, this is Ogawa Nakano," he gave her a soft look, "my girlfriend."
"I'm so very pleased to meet you both," Nakano said, smiling.
"Welcome, Nakano. We're glad you could come this evening," Tsukishima's mother gave her a warm smile. Akiteru meanwhile, was looking all around her person. Kei was giving him an irritated stare, and their mother just gave him a confused smile. "Aki, what are you doing?"
"Looking for the weapon, or the control device, or whatever he's using to keep her at his side. I can't believe a lovely girl like this would date my little bro willingly."
"Oh my gosh could you please just not do this," Kei groused at his brother. Nakano worked hard to swallow her laughter.
"Akiteru! Just ignore him, he's always got to be teasing his brother," their mother said to the girl. "Come on, let's all go in to dinner." She led the way into the dining room.
Akiteru turned back and looked at Nakano. "Blink twice if you need me to rescue you from his mind control," he whispered to the girl. Nakano snickered.
"Akiteru, I am so gonna..." Kei muttered.
"I wouldn't worry about me, Akiteru-san," Nakano said softly, "but I challenge you to find out how I keep your brother in line so well." Akiteru looked at Nakano with wide eyes as she smirked at him. Kei's smirk was equally devious. "We do make quite a team," he said.
Akiteru burst into laughter. "Call me Aki-nii, please, Nakano"
Kei scoffed. "Even I don't call you that anymore."
"I know," Akiteru said light-heartedly, "so I need to get someone to call me that, little bro." Nakano caught the sad cast to Akiteru's eyes as the words came out. There is still some estrangement there, Nakano thought, and it really hurts him. I wish I knew what had happened to them to cause the rift.
Dinner was a comfortable affair, with Tsukishima-san having made okonomiyaki with pork. Nakano soon felt at home as Akiteru continued to tease Kei about having a girlfriend, and Kei teased his older brother about his lack of one. Nakano sassed both boys a little, trying not to to say anything too forward in front of their mother, who kept rolling her eyes and ignoring them in favor of asking Nakano about school, her family, and her hobbies and interests. Slowly but surely, Nakano began to relax a little, as things seemed to go smoothly through dinner.
Dessert was, of course, strawberry shortcake. Kei and Nakano relished the cake, both making the same happy face as they ate.
"Well, there you have it, Mom, they are destined for one another," Akiteru said, gesturing at the pair as they both looked a little confused. "I've never seen anyone else in the world look like Kei does when he eats strawberry shortcake, except for her."
Tsukishima-san chuckled. "Alright, Akiteru. Enough teasing for one day."
"Who's teasing? I think they are an adorable couple," Akiteru smiled at Nakano, who returned the look.
Once dessert was finished, Akiteru stood and grabbed Nakano by the hand. "Come on, I have something I want to show you!" He started dragging the girl towards the living room.
Kei jumped up, about to call out and follow them, when his mother spoke up. "Kei, please help me with the dishes, will you?" Kei struggled to keep his face neutral as he joined his mother in cleaning up. Why do I get the feeling he is going to show her something ridiculously embarrassing?
Akiteru settled Nakano on the couch in the living room, in front of a large photo album. She looked up at him as he sat down, a sneaky smile on her face. "Baby pictures of Kei?" she asked.
"I have been waiting so long for this," Akiteru said with an equally naughty smile, opening the book to the first page. A big photo of a tiny baby looked back at her. His fluffy hair was sandy blonde, and his eyes a soft golden brown, and he was wrapped in a red and white blanket. He looked very sleepy.
"Oh," she gasped out, "his hair was sandy like yours when he was born! This is Kei, right? Not you?"
"No, that's him. All that hair fell out after a few weeks, and when it grew back in, it was the brighter blonde he's had ever since."
She came across a photo of a handsome man holding the boy, who looked to be a few months old by that time. This could be Kei in a bunch more years, she thought, taking in the look of the blonde man with the gentle smile directed towards his tiny son. "Is this your dad?" she asked, smiling.
"Yep, that's him."
"Kei favors him, just as you favor your mother."
Akiteru chuckled a bit sadly. "Yeah, you're right about that. I wish you could meet him." Nakano looked at Kei's older brother, whose face was a study in both joy and sadness. "Dad passed away when Kei was almost five. I remember him really well, but I think Kei's memories of him are a bit... indistinct now."
The girl placed a hand on Akiteru's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Akiteru, I didn't know. Kei has actually never mentioned your dad to me."
He patted her hand. "It's okay, I just miss him, you know? And you really can call me Aki-nii if you want."
She looked into his face. I would ask what happened between him and Kei, she thought, but I don't think that would be right. Kei will tell me when he's ready to share it. I know they've talked, at least a little, so maybe it's best to let them work it out on their own. She returned her attention to the album as Akiteru looked through it, searching for something. He stopped at a photo of the four of them. Kei had to be about four years old in the picture, and he was laughing joyously at the camera. By the look of things, the family was on some kind of outing, and Kei was obviously having a very good time, perched on his dad's shoulder.
"My gosh," Nakano said, looking at the smile on the little boy's face, "he's so...so...full of joy." She giggled at Akiteru. "Can you imagine him looking like that now? Oh wow, I want to see that so badly!"
"Me too," Akiteru said softly. Nakano looked at him. "This is one of the last pictures we have of Dad. I love it because they both look crazy happy here, don't they?"
"There must have been dinosaurs involved."
Akiteru laughed. "We were at a museum. I guess Kei has already shared his love of dinosaurs with you, huh?"
"We went to a museum on our first official date," Nakano said, smiling at the memory.
"Can you see his eyes, in this picture?"
Nakano looked carefully, seeing the sparkle in little Kei's eyes. It matched the look in his father's. "They are so pretty," she breathed, then blushed and looked at Akiteru in panic. "Uh, I mean...yes, I...oh brother," she finished lamely, putting her head in her hands. "I didn't mean to say that out loud."
Akiteru laughed gently. "You really care about him a lot, don't you?"
"Yeah, I really do. So very much. It's...hard for me to express how much he means to me. It's as if I've found a part of myself I never even knew was missing."
"Good. Because I want you to know something," Akiteru looked at her with intensity. "When I caught Kei out that night, and he told me about you, his smile was tiny, but his eyes looked like they do in this picture." Nakano's eyes widened at his words. "Kei is not always the best at expressing how he feels. But believe me when I tell you that his feelings for you are very real, and very deep. My brother isn't given to casual relationships of any kind. Please, don't let him go. No matter what happens, okay?"
Nakano looked into Akiteru's eyes. Something is up, she thought, he's telling me this for a reason. "Believe me, Aki-nii, I've got no intention of losing what I've been lucky enough to find. He's too precious to me. So don't worry. I'll always be there for him, no matter what. We're boyfriend and girlfriend now, but we were friends and teammates first, and that will never change."
The two spent the next fifteen minutes looking at more photos and laughing over Kei's childhood adorableness. When Kei finally came in to the living room, he groaned at the sight of his brother and his girlfriend giggling over him. "Akiteru," he said, his voice tight, "I'm going to kill you."
"Now, now, little bro, give me a break here! You've made me wait so long to be able to finally share pics of you in the bath..." Kei stormed forward as Akiteru slammed the album shut and jumped away. The younger boy suddenly stopped, turning to his girlfriend with a very red face. His head whipped back to glare at his brother, his eyes hard with anger and embarrassment. Akiteru's eyes widened as he held the book out towards Kei. "I was only joking! There are no naked pictures of you in here - not even as a baby! I swear! You can look!"
Kei looked at Nakano, who was clearly struggling to hold in some very raucous laughter. "Your dignity is intact, Kei, I promise. I did not see a naked picture of you. But you were a very cute little boy, I must say. I'm sorry I missed out on your cute days."
He leaned over towards her, smirking, "Don't get too cocky, Nakano. I'm sure Emiko-san has albums of you as a little girl, and I bet she'd be happy to share them with me if I asked."
His words startled her, she was caught up short. "Actually," she whispered, "I don't know where any of my childhood photos are. I haven't seen any of them since..." she trailed off, her eyes distant.
Kei swiftly moved to sit at her side, taking her hand in his. "Hey, I'm sorry, Naka-chan. I didn't know. Are you alright?" Akiteru's face registered something like shock as he watched his usually emotionally detached little brother respond so quickly and openly to his girlfriend's feelings. He's so in tune with her, he thought, I haven't seen anything or anyone move him like this in a long time. This really isn't some schoolyard crush. He watched as Nakano smiled at him, telling him to not to worry. If I weren't here, Akiteru realized, he'd be holding her right now. I can almost see his arms twitch, he wants to gather her into them so badly. He turned aside from the couple, placing the photo album back on the shelf from which it had come.
Their mother arrived in the room, carrying two mugs of tea. "Boys, would you please leave us alone for a few minutes? I'd like to talk to Nakano, if I may." She placed a mug of tea in front of the girl, and settled in a chair across from the couch with her own. Akiteru moved to go, but Kei stayed holding Nakano's hand.
"Mom, I'd like to stay..." he began.
"No, Kei. This is just for us ladies. Why don't you go make sure your room is presentable? I'm sure you and Nakano will want to have some time to chat after this, hmmm?"
"Mom, when has my room ever been anything other than clean? I don't..."
Akiteru, grabbed his brother's arm. "Come on, little bro, let's leave the ladies alone for a few minutes." He pulled Kei from the room, watching him exchange looks with his girlfriend. He gently pushed him up the stairs. "Go on, get up there. I'm sure Nakano will be joining you shortly." Kei threw him an angry look and stormed into his room. Akiteru sighed, slipping into his own room quietly.
Kei waited all of about two minutes before silently heading downstairs again. Moving as softly as he could, he made his way to the living room, hiding himself in the hallway so he could listen.
"...miss him very much. It's been difficult, sometimes, to raise two boys without their father," he heard his mother say.
"I can only imagine, Tsukishima-san. I miss my father greatly when he's out on deployment, like he is now. I am so sorry for the loss you have suffered." Nakano's voice sounded a touch nervous to him.
"Kei is my youngest, my baby. So I would guess you can understand that I am very protective of him."
"Of course, Tsukishima-san."
"And he is still so very young. He'll be sixteen next month, but that is still awfully young for anything as serious as a girlfriend. I assume you are almost sixteen?"
"I'll be sixteen in November, Tsukishima-san." Nakano's voice was definitely quavering a little now, Kei noticed. Wait, what? Did my mother just say I'm too young for a girlfriend? Kei's mind finally registered. What the hell is she saying? Akiteru had a whole pile of girlfriends in high school! Kei's hands clenched into fists as he prepared to storm into the living room.
Suddenly, a firm hand placed itself on his mouth, while an arm held him back. Akiteru gripped him hard, stopping his motion. "Just listen and keep quiet," his brother whispered in his ear, the sound barely audible.
"Nakano, you seem like a very nice young lady," he heard his mother saying, "but what would you do if I told you that I would not allow Kei to date you until you were both eighteen?"
The question hung in the air. Kei's eyes widened in horror. Akiteru continued to hold his hand tightly over the boy's mouth. Oh my god what is happening, he thought. Nakano must be in tears by now. Why is Mom doing this? What the hell is going on! He began to struggle against his brother, when Nakano's voice reached his ears. He stilled, listening.
"Then I would wait for him, Tsukishima-san." Her voice was strong, unwavering. Only the slightest elevation in its pitch told Kei that Nakano was scared, but holding it down. She was showing her strength to his mother at that moment.
"Oh I'm certain you'd be able to find other boys who would..."
"No." Nakano's voice sounded even more determined. Kei's body sagged a little against Akiteru, as her tone registered on him. "I would have no interest in finding some other boy. Even if we are forbidden to date. Even if we had to remain apart for those two years. I will not let him go, Tsukishima-san. I care for Kei very deeply, and I will do whatever is necessary so that we can be together." Kei's eyes widened again. Nakano sounded almost...defiant. "I know he told you why I wear these leg supports. Did he tell you that I was given only a twenty percent chance of ever walking again after my accident?" Kei heard his mother make a small gasp - he had not told her that part of the story. "Three years ago I was unable to walk, Tsukishima-san. Now I can. I waited and worked hard for that achievement. If you tell me I must wait and work hard to be with your son, rest assured that I will do it. No matter what."
Akiteru whispered in Kei's ear again. "I don't know if you've used this word with each other yet, Kei, but that is the voice of someone who loves you. Don't forget it." Kei stiffened, the impact of Akiteru's statement on top of his girlfriend's bold declaration almost too much for him. His heart felt as though it might just explode from his chest at any moment, he thought surely Akiteru could feel it knocking against the arm that was across his ribs. Nishinoya-senpai had it right, his mind supplied, she is a mighty warrior. My warrior queen. How do I deserve such devotion? What does she see when she looks at me to be so...in love?
He heard movement in the living room, someone had changed positions. When his mother spoke again, her voice was gentle and contrite. "Oh Nakano, please forgive me. Kei is my serious child. My child whose feelings run so deep...I am always afraid of him being hurt. When he told me he had a girlfriend, well, I admit I was more than a little panicked. Most high school first years are so...shallow...when it comes to such things." She chuckled. "I think Akiteru had three different girlfriends his first year of high school, declaring each of them to be the love of his life, until suddenly they weren't anymore. Kei isn't like that. I could see the emotion in his eyes when he spoke of you, and that's a rare thing for my youngest son to allow to happen. I felt like I needed to see if you also had real depth of feeling for him. This was the best way I could think of to do that. It's very clear to me that your feelings run as deep as Kei's. So please don't worry. I've no intention of coming between you in any way, in fact, I would never have forbidden Kei to see you - I just would have warned him a lot about what could happen if he let himself get in too deep with a girl who wasn't as serious about him as he was about her. I'm very sorry if I've upset you."
"Please, Tsukishima-san, I think I understand. Kei and I are rather alike in that respect. And, well...I have a very protective mom, too." The two ladies chuckled.
Akiteru released his brother, who drew in a deep breath. The two boys stood there, recovering a little, as the two ladies seemed to be gently bonding over their affection for the younger Tsukishima. "How do girls do that?" Akiteru muttered, "they've gone from high tension to giggly bonding in like thirty seconds."
"I don't know," Kei said, sounding a little dazed, "It defies understanding."
"Kei really is very important to me, Tsukishima-san," Nakano was saying, "I hope you'll give our relationship your blessing,"
"Nakano, let this serve as my answer to that," the boys' mother said, "Please call me okaa-san."
The Tsukishima brothers looked at each other, their eyes almost bugging out of their heads, before heading back up the stairs as quickly as they could.