"Uh...Nishinoya-senpai, I'm not sure that's the best idea..." Tsukishima began.
"It'll be great! Come on, Tsukishima! You've got one of every flavor of Pocky there. Just pick your favorite and we'll get started!" Noya gushed.
"Why do you people always wanna play kissing games in a giant group of guys?" Kageyama asked no one in particular.
"Actually, Kags, at least there are three girls here this time, instead of just me," Nakano pointed out.
"And, the Pocky game doesn't have to end in a kiss," Kiyoko added. "In fact, sometimes, that's the greater challenge," she continued, with a determined flash lighting up her eyes.
"Does this mean you want to play, Kiyoko?" Nishinoya breathed, almost shaking.
"Sure. I'll play," Kiyoko said with a smile.
Both Nishinoya and Tanaka charged at Tsukishima, grasping for the Pocky. Tsukki stood and jumped over the bench, keeping his senpais away from him.
"GUYS!" Nakano yelled, "Slow it down! I'll get some paper and a bowl and we'll draw names for who you play the Pocky game with, got it?"
Tanaka looked at her, wild eyed. "Hurry, Naka-chan! Before she changes her mind! Our goddess is willing to play the Pocky game!" Both he and Nishinoya suddenly collapsed on the grass, eyes vacantly staring up into the sky. Tsukishima walked over to the table the presents had been on, opening the Pocky set and choosing Cookies and Cream, his least favorite flavor, for the game.
It took Nakano several minutes to prepare a bowl of names on paper slips. "Seem familiar?" Nakano said to Kuroo as she walked past him, headed for the table where Tsukki was still standing, keeping an eye on Noya and Tanaka.
The cat captain chuckled, following her. "Where's the beer?" he quipped.
The two second years leapt to their feet as soon as Nakano began approaching the table. As they rushed towards the girl with the bowl, Kuroo snagged them both by the collar. "Gently, gently, boys. Let's not overwhelm our hostess, hmmm?"
As Tanaka and Noya began to babble about having to get Kiyoko as their partner in the Pocky game, Daichi approached, suddenly looming before the two like a figure out of legend. "We're not going to embarrass ourselves, are we, gentlemen? In front of the captain of our biggest rival team? Right?" Tanaka and Noya whimpered and settled down on the grass to wait. Kuroo and Daichi just looked at each other and laughed.
"Funny how with these two around I don't miss Yamamoto at all," Kuroo said.
"Alright, we're set. Tsukki, it's your party, so you kick us off," Nakano declared.
The middle blocker opened the first package of Pocky and looked at his girlfriend. "Can't I just pick you?" he asked. Complaints were heard from the audience at large.
"Pick from the bowl, gorgeous," Nakano said.
Taking a stick of Pocky from the package, Tsukishima plucked a name from the bowl as well. "Yamaguchi?" he read out questioningly, looking at his best friend.
A red flush seemed to be slowly crawling up the body of the freckled boy, reaching his neck as he approached his best friend, who had placed the bare end of the Pocky in his mouth. Scattered applause and catcalls erupted as Yamaguchi gently bit onto the other end. Tsukki's ears are red, Tadashi thought, I guess he's pretty embarrassed too. Slowly, the two friends took small bites along the treat, moving delicately towards the center. They were moments from having to tilt their heads to avoid bumping noses when Tsukki bit his end off and pulled away, ceding the game to Yamaguchi.
"Sorry, Tadashi," the blonde said, swallowing the Pocky, "you're my best friend, but I've never had any deep desire to kiss you." As the crowd laughed, he added softly, so that only Tadashi could hear, "I'll leave that to Yachi."
Tadashi's blush deepened, but he laughed in relief. "Thanks, Tsukki."
"Your pick, Yams!" Nakano called out, as Tsukki came to stand by her, cuddling close.
Several turns rolled by, and the boys all tried hard to win without actually having to touch lips with their teammates. Kinoshita had pulled Hinata, whose wide eyes appeared alight. "I won't lose!" the boy shouted as he jumped up and walked over to his senpai.
Kinoshita took one look at Hinata's face, snapped the Pocky in half and offered him a piece, smiling. Munching on his half, he turned away and sat down.
Hinata looked at the Pocky in his hand, shrugged, and popped it in his mouth. "Guess I win!" he chirped, reaching for the bowl of names. "Asahi!" Hinata reached into the bag of Pocky, placing a stick in his mouth.
And all five foot three of him turned around to see Asahi's embarrassed face about nine inches above him.
"I can kinda kneel down, if you want me to..." the kind-hearted young man rumbled.
"No, it's okay, wait a second," Hinata said, taking the Pocky from his mouth and climbing up on the table, settling himself down on his knees. The assembled volleyball players couldn't help but laugh at Hinata's persistence and Asahi's shy demeanor. Hinata put the Pocky back in his mouth, now at a more even level, and pushed forward towards Asahi's face. The ace took the other end into his mouth gingerly, and the pair began nibbling forward. But Hinata's perch on the table was a bit awkward, and soon, the boy had to use his hands to steady himself against the only thing readily available to him...
Asahi's chest.
As soon as Shoyo placed his hands on his senpai's broad body, Tsukishima swallowed a laugh. "Seems like Hinata is gonna go for the kiss," he commented, the leer evident in his voice, "who knew he was so fond of the Ace?"
"Shut up, Saltyshima!" Hinata yelled, "I'm not...oh dang it! You made me lose! Stupid Suckyshima!" Shoyo pounded a fist against Asahi, who had a fascinating array of red hues all over his face and neck. Hinata hopped off the table, going over to complain about Tsukishima to Kageyama, who was busily trying not to laugh his head off.
Asahi chewed on the Pocky, picking a name from the bowl. "I got Naka-chan!"
Tsukishima stiffened as several people applauded, calling out congratulations to Asahi for being the first one to pick the name of a girl. Asahi's face, already red from the interaction with Hinata, was now edging into a deep scarlet color. "You okay?" the girl in question asked her boyfriend, feeling his whole body go tense. "I'll just break it if you want."
Tsukishima took a deep breath. This was Asahi, the kindest and least likely of his senpais to try anything at all funny. And he trusted Nakano. "It's okay, really," he said, giving the girl a smile. "Good luck."
She chuckled, walking up to the big Ace. "Sorry, Asahi, but I'm not going to sit on the table," she said with a big smile. Asahi smiled sheepishly around the fresh stick of Pocky he had in his mouth as he bent down to let the girl take the other end. Slowly, very slowly, the two approached the middle of the treat. People began to move forward, trying to get a better view of the pair's mouths as they painstakingly made their way inward, Tsukishima among them. Nishinoya was creeping further forward with every nibble, until he was practically underneath the pair, who were both trying very hard not to giggle as their lips got closer and closer. Finally, there was the tiniest brush of lips, barely a feather contact.
"THAT'S A LIP TOUCH!" screamed Nishinoya from beneath them, making Asahi jump back in fright.
Nakano cracked up. "Nishinoya-senpai, isn't this how the whole Encouragement Kiss thing got started? You and your kiss senses," the girl shook her head, munching on the Pocky and winking at her boyfriend.
"I miss Nakano's encouragement kisses," Tanaka said wistfully.
"Naka-chan gives you guys encouragement kisses?" Bokuto called out. "Oh man, I want one!"
Tsukishima rolled his eyes as most of the rest of the team zeroed in on Bokuto. "What did you call her?" Tanaka growled.
"Boys, boys, please!" Nakano said loudly. "Bokuto-san and Kuroo-san may call me Naka-chan. I told them so, okay? Please don't get mad at them."
Some grousing and grumbling could be heard about cats and owls not deserving such privileges. Others congratulated the boys, including Daichi, who had walked up to the bedhead.
"Naka-chan is very particular about who is allowed to use that nickname. I didn't realize that you and Bokuto had gotten so close to her," Daichi said, with a smile that held just a touch of protectiveness.
"Her and Tsukki," Kuroo said, acknowledging the couple, "we spent a lot of time together during the Shinzen High training week, as you know. Plus, that incident in Tokyo, well, kinda hard not to get close to someone you've fought side by side in a dark alley with."
Daichi chuckled. "I guess that's true. You've managed to get Tsukishima to let you use his nickname too. That's even more impressive than convincing Nakano."
Kuroo laughed. "I'm not sure we really gave him a choice. We just kinda insisted on calling him that."
"Does he ever correct you?" Daichi asked.
Kuroo pondered that. "Not really, not anymore," he replied, thinking back to the last time Tsukki had uttered a 'don't call me that' in his direction.
Daichi was about to reply, when a loud 'OH YEAH' resounded over the yard, followed by Tanaka jumping up, yanking off his shirt, and twirling it around.
"Are you really that excited to play the Pocky game with Ennoshita?" Sugawara asked the boisterous second year.
"I am that excited to beat him and then choose Kiyoko from that bowl!" Tanaka cried, bouncing up to the table.
Ennoshita shook his head. "We are not doing this until you put your shirt back on."
Tanaka huffed, but yanked his tee shirt back over his head, standing expectantly in front of his fellow second year.
Ennoshita paused, holding the Pocky in his hand, looking at the fiery determination in Tanaka's eyes. "Yeah, we're still not doing this," he said, snapping the Pocky in half, "Good luck, Tanaka!"
Tanaka made a huge show of stirring the bowl around, feeling the papers pass through his fingers, seeking the one with the sacred name of Kiyoko etched upon it. After a great deal of time, and several people calling out for him to just get on with it already, Tanaka finally removed a single slip of paper from the bowl, and unfolded it.
He collapsed to the ground, skin gone pale and clammy. "Kuroo," he croaked out.
Nishinoya cheered, knowing he still had a shot. Kuroo busted out his hyena laugh.
"Well, it did start with a K..." Asahi said with a chuckle.
Tanaka did his level best, hoping to win against Kuroo and get another shot at pulling Kiyoko's name from the bowl. But Kuroo was a master. He kept his eyes trained steadily on the eyes of the younger man, telling him in no uncertain terms 'I am entirely willing to lock lips with you if that's what it takes to win.' In the end, Tanaka couldn't bring himself to touch lips with the bedhead and he dropped his end of the Pocky and walked away, throwing himself down in front of Kiyoko in defeat. "I'm sorry, Kiyoko-san! I tried!"
The raven-haired beauty stared down at him. "You are so weird," she said.
In the end, Nishinoya drew Yachi, rather than Kiyoko. Noya didn't mind, figuring he'd at least get to kiss a girl, but Yachi was so overwhelmed she broke the Pocky the moment she touched it, squealing in fright and running off. Kiyoko was drawn by Bokuto, which seemed to please the owl-haired young man, but the vicious presence of Tanaka and Noya circling around him made him pull away before their lips connected. Kiyoko gave forth a musical laugh, taking the final slip from the bowl.
"Tsukishima!" she called out.
Kuroo came over, leaning on Nakano's shoulder. "How is it that boyfriend of yours always ends up being the last name in the bowl?"
"I'm beginning to think he somehow sneaks in and tapes his name down," Nakano replied.
Tsukishima approached Kiyoko and gave her a small smile. "Sorry, Kiyoko-senpai," he said, "but there's really only one girl I'd like to share Pocky with, if you don't mind." He held his hand out towards Nakano.
"You're giving up the chance to play the Pocky game with our goddess?!" Nishinoya cried.
"I'll play with you, Kiyoko!" Tanaka yelled, as he and Nishinoya launched themselves at the third year manager. Kiyoko broke the Pocky she was holding in half, popping a piece in the mouth of each of the two boys as they ran towards her, stepping deftly aside as she did so. Noya and Tanaka promptly collapsed to the ground once more.
"She...she...she fed us Pocky," Nishinoya whispered.
"I can die happy now," Tanaka added.
Nakano meanwhile, had joined Tsukki to play the Pocky game with him. It didn't take long for the couple to meet in the middle and begin to kiss, not really paying much attention to the Pocky. More whistles and catcalls followed, as well as a few 'awwws.'
Yamaguchi called out, "What are you going to do with the last two pieces of Pocky, Tsukki?"
Tsukishima stopping kissing his girlfriend, keeping an arm around her to hold her close. "Glad you asked, Yamaguchi," he began, "I think Yachi got robbed of her chance to properly play the Pocky game, so why don't the two of you play it now?" he said, offering a Pocky stick to Yamaguchi.
The freckled boy started, but then walked up and accepted the candy from his best friend. He strode over to Yachi, who was looking at him with a mix of excitement and embarrassment. "I don't think we can deny a request from the birthday boy," Tadashi began, offering Yachi the Pocky, "Will you play the game with me?" he asked her, sunset colors rushing to his cheeks.
"O-Okay," Yachi stammered out, her face turning equally rosy. What am I doing? she asked herself as she placed the Pocky stick in her mouth. Yamaguchi gently took hold of the other end.
The rest of the team went wild as the two teens suddenly both shut their eyes and crunched their way into the center, their lips meeting with a soft smacking sound. Just as suddenly, they flew apart, both so red that several people began to be concerned they might pass out. Applause broke out as Yamaguchi and Yachi stared at each other, wondering what on Earth had possessed them to do such a thing. Happy birthday, Tsukki, Yamaguchi thought, apparently, as your present, I've decided to lose my mind. What made me do that? We...we...just sort of...kissed!
Sugawara brought some water to Yamaguchi, while Kiyoko led Yachi gently to a bench and got her to sit down. Tsukishima wasn't done yet, however. "And I think this last Pocky stick should go to our out of town guests - Kuroo-san and Bokuto-san."
Kuroo laughed and walked up to Tsukki, taking the last Pocky from the package delicately in his fingers. "Alright, Bokuto, looks like Tsukki wants one more gift from us," the bedhead said, "shall we play the Pocky game, bro?" He placed the treat in his mouth, approaching his fellow captain. Bokuto grinned and took the other end in his mouth. The pair worked their way towards each other to the delight of their audience. Their noses were getting very close, when suddenly Kuroo grabbed Bokuto's face, planting a loud kiss smack on the shocked owl's lips, demolishing the rest of the Pocky.
Bokuto exploded, spluttering, spitting and making weird sorts of gagging noises. "DUDE! What did you do that for?" he yelped at Kuroo, who was laughing madly. "Pfffwwwahhh!" Bokuto said, shaking his entire head with his mouth hanging open, looking like a bizarre cross between a dog and an owl. "Seriously, bro, what was that all about?" Bokuto demanded.
Kuroo grinned widely, still laughing, and pointed at Tsukishima. "That," he said simply.
Tsukishima Kei was literally doubled over with laughter. Nearly everyone had stopped looking at Kuroo and Bokuto, and was now watching the normally impassive blonde middle blocker completely lose it over the antics of his senpais. Bokuto grinned at the sight, slinging an arm around Kuroo. "Okay. Totally worth it, bro. But next time warn a guy, huh?"
"And miss out on those fascinating noises you made, Boku-bro? Perish the thought," Kuroo responded.
It took several minutes for Tsukishima to regain his composure, as Bokuto and Kuroo drank copious amounts of water and teased their kohai about showing such a strong reaction in a big group of people. The party continued on, with everyone laughing, talking, and enjoying the delicious food and drink. As expected, Tsukishima was eventually cornered by Tanaka and Nishinoya, with the taller boy launching into a dramatic 'I remember when I was sixteen' story that seemed to imply that somehow he'd experienced a poignant emotional awakening which changed his entire life. Nishinoya was just beginning to recount his own spiritual-awakening-at-sixteen story when Asahi came up behind the two boys.
"Aren't you still sixteen now, Nishinoya?" the ace asked conversationally, "isn't your birthday in like two weeks or something?"
The smug smile that crept across Tsukishima's face at that revelation brought Nishinoya's story to a halt. The libero chuckled weakly, grabbed Tanaka by the arm and yelped, "Man, am I hungry! Come on, Ryu, I think I need another slice of strawberry shortcake!" The two boys darted away towards the food.
Asahi's laughter rumbled out as Tsukishima gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Asahi-senpai."
"They mean well, you know," the big man replied, "and they did have one good idea." Tsukishima cocked his head questioningly. "I can always eat more of Naka-chan's delicious cake," the ace replied, smiling as Tsukishima joined him in getting another piece.
Afternoon was rolling on into evening as the party continued. Tsukishima had settled himself in a corner of the yard, just watching his teammates and friends mingle about. He was feeling strangely content, considering he was at an elaborate birthday party for himself. Not something he'd ever thought he'd have, much less enjoy in any way. He smiled gently as he saw the architect of the changes in his life approaching, carrying two strawberry sodas. Nakano sat down next to him and he leaned over to give the girl a quick kiss before accepting a soda from her. Dammit, Roses, look what you've done to me in only six months, he thought. How can one person end up changing my whole world so completely?
"How you holding up?" she asked after taking a long pull from her soda, which Tsukishima had watched with fascination.
He treated her to the same view before replying. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I know that Tadashi, Daichi and I kinda pushed it with this party," she admitted, giving him a look that was a mix of remorse and sly humor, "plus the trip to the sento earlier...everything last night...well...I was thinking you might be feeling a little overwhelmed by now."
Overwhelmed, he thought, yeah. But somehow, in a really good way. He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I'm a little overwhelmed. But, overall, it's been...kinda nice, actually." He sipped his soda again, leaning over and resting his head on top of hers. "This has all been pretty incredible, Roses...and it isn't even really my birthday yet." That thought made something come to mind from earlier. He moved to look the girl in the face. "Speaking of, were you serious when you said you still have another present for me?"
He noticed she wasn't really looking at him, focusing instead in the middle distance towards her bedroom window. "Hey," she began, "I think the music has stopped. Do you hear the music playing?"
He was about to call her out for dodging the question when he realized she was right, the music didn't seem to be playing any longer. A quick look around the yard brought something else to his attention. "Where are Kuroo and Bokuto?"
They both stood up, figuring that the combination of missing music, Bokuto, and Kuroo needed to be investigated sooner rather than later, when suddenly the opening tones of 'Uptown Funk' by Mark Ronson began to play loudly out over the yard. Moments later, the two missing boys came jumping out of Nakano's bedroom window, landing in the yard and beginning to dance and lip sync to the song they'd started playing.
Tsukishima hid his face in his hands. Oh my word, he thought, old men dancing. Badly. Please god don't let them actually attempt to sing. He peeked through his hands, watching them dance for a moment. He groaned aloud. My eyes, he sobbed internally, closing them, I think they're permanently damaged. I may be scarred for life. Just when I thought I'd survived this...
He looked up again as the crowd of teenagers began to get into it. Sugawara had joined them and was singing at the top of his lungs. Tanaka and Noya were dancing riotously, as was Hinata. Most of the others had gathered and were clapping and cheering them on, gently dancing in place.
And then Tsukishima's eyes went wide.
Nakano was running to grab Kiyoko and Yachi's hands, dragging them into place next to Bokuto at the center of things.
As Suga sang out 'Girls hit your hallelujah,' he pointed at the trio, and Nakano tossed her hands in the air, letting out a melodic 'woooo!' The other two girls were too shy, but Nakano kept encouraging them, and by the third one all three girls were indeed hitting the hallelujah and dancing along.
She's crazy, Tsukishima thought as he watched Nakano dance and sing along with her senpais. I'm dating a crazy woman. Shit, I'm in love with a crazy woman, who without hesitation, just jumped up and started dancing and singing with all these people around watching her. Like it's nothing. Like no one will judge her. He looked around at his teammates, who were all enjoying themselves to varying degrees, some just watching and smiling, like Tadashi, and some like Daichi, who was mere inches from getting directly involved himself. Maybe I'm the only one judging here after all, he thought sadly, and maybe that's why everyone else seems to enjoy this sort of thing more than I do. Maybe, instead of worrying about being judged, I should quit being so judgmental and just enjoy myself. It is my party, after all. He shook his head and softly smiled, walking up to Tadashi, who stood on the fringes of the wild event.
"Look them dancing, Tsukki! Yachi and Naka-chan are so good!" Tadashi's face was red with excitement and wonder.
"Maybe we should join them, eh Tadashi?" Tsukki asked softly.
"Really?" Tadashi looked like he might faint, "you...you wanna dance, Tsukki?"
He chuckled. "Thanks, Tadashi, but not with you." His friend chuckled behind a hand.
Kuroo, on the other hand, was pointing at Tsukki. As soon as the blonde met his eyes, Kuroo switched his hand to beckoning him. Tsukishima put his hands up and shook his head. Kuroo kept trying, and Tsukki kept refusing. Nakano was enjoying herself thoroughly, smiling and singing and dancing, her eyes intent on the other people around her. Kiyoko. Yachi.
Sugawara. Kuroo. Bokuto.
Bokuto turned towards Tsukki, and started making chicken moves at him.
Tsukishima's eyes narrowed. I want her eyes on me, Tsukki thought. He remembered a video he'd liked back awhile ago - a dance video from an American TV show. He knew the song, and the moves. He could...
He shook his head. What the hell was he thinking? Like he needed to prove anything to Kuroo or Bokuto. It was a ridiculous thought. He cast it aside, content to just watching things play...
Nakano was bumping hips with Bokuto. Bokuto and that stupidly impressive ass of his.
Tsukishima threaded his way around the crowd to Nakano's window.
As 'Uptown Funk' wound down to cheers and applause, Kuroo, Bokuto and Nakano took bows, laughing at each other and complimenting everyone around them on their dancing. At first, no one noticed the rhythmic build up taking place - the song did start rather softly after all. Nakano was slowly moving towards the table with the drinks, stopping to chat with people along the way. She was stopped at that particular moment, facing away from her bedroom window, and so she didn't notice Tsukishima jumping down to the yard, following the beat of the music as he approached her, the crowd making space once again. Just as Lil Jon belted out his first 'Turn Down for What,' Tsukki grabbed Nakano's hand and twirled her into his arms.
Tsukishima knew the Latin-inspired steps from the video well, but he'd learned them on a hard floor, and some of the more intricate movements were not well suited to being performed on grass. So he decided to improvise around what he knew, starting off gently and seeing if Nakano would follow his lead.
She did.
She seemed familiar with the style and the movement, and quickly fell into step with him, occasionally improvising around his original plan and working her hips in dramatic fashion. He found himself very much enjoying keeping his hands on her hips and waist whenever he could, feeling her move in time with the music. Once again, the entire crowd of teenagers got into things, crowding in towards the center and restricting Tsukishima and Nakano's movements a little. Tsukki welcomed it, the initial rush of wanting to prove he could hold his girlfriend's attention with a sexy dance beginning to fade back. He was starting to feel a little self-conscious, and focused in on Nakano to try to keep himself from wanting to slink away from the crowd and hide.
Yachi and Yamaguchi stood to the side, swaying their hips to the hypnotic music and staring at their friends in wonder.
"Did you know Tsukishima could dance like that?" Yachi asked.
"I had no idea," Tadashi answered, "and what about Naka-chan? This is amazing!"
When the song finished, Nakano and Tsukishima were complimented and congratulated by quite a few people. Tsukki pulled his girlfriend along to the drink table as quickly as he could, grabbing them some water and slipping off to a quiet corner again, as the music continued playing and dancing resumed.
"Where did you learn the pasodoble?" Nakano asked him with a broad smile after downing a fair bit of water.
"The what?"
"That dance we just did. It was essentially a pasodoble, just...changed up a bit since a grassy surface isn't the best for that kind of thing. My dad loves dancing, he taught Amalie and I all sorts of dances, including the pasodoble. Where did you learn to dance?"
"I...uh...didn't know it had a name. I..." his blush cascaded down his cheeks and neck, "...learned it from a YouTube video."
Nakano stared at him. He could tell she was both amazed and impressed, and the look only deepened his blush. "You are so damn awesome," she breathed, "I can't believe we just did that. I can't believe you pulled me into passionate dance like that in the middle of all these guys. That was really incredible, Kei."
Tsukki began to wonder if it was possible for a blush to extend down along your chest. "Well, I saw you dancing with Bokuto, and...uh...I wanted you to be looking at me, not him."
She laughed, pulling him close and kissing him. "Oh Kei, I love you," she said, affection clearly visible on her face.
He kissed her back with enthusiasm, drawing her close and holding her in his arms. "I love you, too, Roses," he said softly, "more than anything."
The party continued as the sunset colors washed across the sky, and then slowly faded into twilight. Everyone continued to enjoy themselves. Nakano was enjoying a little time chatting with Kageyama and Hinata under the darkening sky when her phone vibrated in her pocket.
Lover Boy 💖
Akiteru is here. Come say goodbye to the bros.
Nakano chuckled at her boyfriend's descriptive term for their two friends from Tokyo. I guess they really did bond at the sento today, she thought as she made her way to the front entrance of her house, Mom was right.
She stopped as she approached the trio, watching with a smile as Tsukki finished a bro-hug with Bokuto, and then turned to give one to Kuroo. The boys were talking softly and smiling, with the occasional gentle backslap thrown in. I'm so glad, she thought, I'm so glad you're letting more people in, Kei. You deserve a life full of love. She stepped forward as the boys turned towards her, Kei in the middle.
"There she is," Kuroo said with a smile, "our great benefactress. C'mere, girlie, your Three Bro-sketeers wanna give you something."
She chuckled. "You told them?" she queried incredulously, looking at Tsukki.
He shrugged, not quite suppressing a small smile. "It fit the moment,"
"Thanks, Naka-chan," Bokuto said, "this has been an awesome visit!"
"We owe you big time, Pretty Setter," Kuroo added, "so get ready, because we plan to pay you back in spades, for everything."
"Awww, guys, I'm just glad you could be here this weekend," Nakano said.
"And we're gonna start with this," Kuroo said, patting Tsukishima's shoulder.
Before Nakano could question it, her boyfriend moved forward and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Just as she began to relax into it, the other two boys kissed her cheeks, one on either side. A squeak escaped her and she scrunched up her face, causing her boyfriend to chuckle as their kiss fell apart.
"Just a little affection from the Three Bro-sketeers," Kuroo said, "Thanks again, girlie!" Tsukishima slipped an arm around his girlfriend as his senpai headed towards his brother's car.
"Come and see us, next time! Bye Naka-chan! Happy birthday, Tsukki-dude!" Bokuto called as he got in the back seat. The couple waved goodbye until the car was out of sight.
It was fully dark as the pair headed back out to the party, which was beginning to wind down. Tsukishima accepted the congratulations of his teammates once again, thanking them all for coming to celebrate his birthday. Slowly, the backyard emptied out, until only Nakano, Tsukki, Tadashi and Yachi remained.
Tadashi rubbed the back of his neck, looking askance at his best friend. "So..." he began, "how mad are you?"
Tsukki chuckled. "Thanks for this, Tadashi. It was...tolerable, as parties go." He flashed Yamaguchi a smirk. "Just realize that when your birthdays come around, you and Naka-chan are in for it," Tsukishima promised.
"Happy birthday, Tsukki," Tadashi said, genuine affection clear in his voice. "I'd better walk Yachi home now, it's getting kinda late."
"Be sure to give her a goodnight kiss, Tadashi," he teased his friend.
"Shut up, Tsukki," Tadashi muttered, his face coloring rapidly as he turned to collect the blonde girl and say goodnight to Nakano.
Tsukishima laughed and watched his best friend go, wondering if he'd have the courage to follow the advice Tsukki had given him.
🏐🏐🏐
It was quite late when Nakano and Kei finally settled down in her bed. They'd spent a great deal of time cleaning up the yard, with Kei insisting that Emiko-san leave it all to them (after all, he'd said, she'd given him the gift of the sento experience and that was more than enough). And then another little while eating the last of the strawberry shortcake and deflating a bunch of dinosaurs (except for one pterodactyl that Kei insisted needed to remain in Nakano's room, being the closest thing he had to an owl to balance the pandas for Bokuto-san). As they worked, he told her the entire tale of their time at the sento, including his discovery that apparently, he'd been indeed admitted to the bro club, just as she'd thought. She seemed deeply moved by the story, her face showing just how happy she was that Kei had accepted his senpais gesture of affection and respect.
They'd finally returned to Nakano's bedroom to get ready for bed, rediscovering the fact that Kei was now the proud owner of a Siamese Fighting Fish named Kyo. They'd laughed together about the complete randomness of Tanaka's gift, and how hysterical it was that their third year senpais had realized they'd need to help keep the fish alive, but try as he might, Kei could not get Nakano to agree to let the fish live with her. She insisted that Kyo would be headed to his new home tomorrow, since 'owning a pet would be an enriching experience for' Kei. The blonde had simply rolled his eyes and accepted his fate - he knew there was no changing Nakano's mind when she'd come to that sort of a decision.
He'd pouted a little when he was denied the pleasure of massaging her legs, but honestly, it was mostly for show. It was already after 11pm when Nakano sat down to do her night routine, and Kei was frankly a little exhausted. Once she was done, they'd settled on the bed together, lying atop the covers and just relaxing, both once again shirtless by mutual agreement. Kei was about to suggest turning off the lights when Nakano's phone chimed.
"You can check it," she said, curled up under his arm, "I don't wanna move."
He chuckled lightly, grabbing her phone from the night table. "Apparently Kuroo and Bokuto have successfully made it home, and had a great time this weekend."
"Good," she said with a smile, "send them a heart or something, will you?"
"I sent them a smile - I'll leave the hearts to you, Naka-chan."
She scooted up on to her elbow, catching an odd note in his voice. "Kei? Is something wrong?"
He clicked his tongue, grousing a bit. "Can't hide anything anymore," he grumbled softly under his breath.
"No, you can't, not from me, love. Now what is it?"
He didn't want to talk about the little swirls of jealousy that moved through his brain whenever he saw her smile at or laugh with or hug someone who wasn't him. It's not right, he thought, it's not fair to her. She's working so hard to open my life, and I'm here trying to closer hers down. I don't want to be that kind of man. He turned instead to the other thing that had been nagging at him. "Roses, this has been an incredible couple of days. Please tell me that you weren't serious about having some other present for me. You've already done too much."
"You'll just have to wait until Monday to find out what that's all about," she said smugly, her grin making it very clear that indeed she'd planned something else for him.
"Nakano, it's too much," his face was sad, almost frustrated, "please, no more. I...I don't deserve..."
She lay her fingers on his lips, making him stop talking. "Don't even think that, Kei. I can't possibly give you all that you deserve. You deserve so much more than I am capable of. So please, let me do what I can. To show you how amazing you are. To show you how much I love you."
"Stop it," he looked away, his cheeks burning, "I can't live up to this. I'm not this ideal thing you're trying to pretend I am."
She gently took ahold of his face, turning it so he looked her in the eyes. "I don't know why you find this so hard to believe, Kei. You're an incredible, wonderful person. I love everything about you. Shall I tell you how much? Shall I show you?" She reached up and turned off the lights in the room, letting the moonlight streaming in the window illuminate him. "My god, you are so beautiful. Tsukishima. Moonlight suits you, love."
He was about to disparage her statement when he caught her eyes again. She was looking at him with such complete, naked adoration. His heart stopped, his voice caught in his throat. She was entirely serious, and he was completely unprepared for that. There was no merriment in her eyes, no hint of a joke. She meant every word.
She ran her fingers through his hair, tousling it. A soft sigh escaped her lips. "I love how soft your hair is," she murmured, "I want you to grow it longer for me someday, like your dad had it in that picture of you two, so I can play with it more."
She kissed him on the forehead. "I love your intelligence, your quick wit, your logical, rational mind." She pressed her lips to his forehead again, this time letting them linger, softly kissing him as she spoke. "I love how sometimes you decide to ignore that logic, and let your passion guide you. It's rare, but when you do, like you did today when we danced, it's oh so sexy, so joyous. I love that you have that side, that you let me bring it out of you." Her fingertips were gently touching his face, even as she drew her lips away.
"I...I was jealous," he said, a tear slipping from his eye, "you were dancing with Bokuto and I..." he swallowed roughly, feeling like an unworthy fool, "All I wanted was for all your attention to be on me. But I..."
She thumbed his tear away, interrupting him. "I love that you love me so much, that you feel a little jealous when I pay attention to someone else. As long as you direct that energy into something positive, there's nothing wrong with it. You make me feel desirable, special and loved, Kei, when you do that. I love you, Kei. I love you like no one else in the entire world. When I look in your eyes, your oh so gorgeous eyes, I see the only future I want. Such stunning, beautiful, toasted golden honey eyes." She stared into them, and the boy could almost feel the love coming from her in waves, crashing into his very soul. Her tender fingers gently swept away the tears that lingered in his eyes, then she kissed into their corners.
When she pulled her face away again, and met his eyes, he gasped. The look on her face was not simply love, or fondness, or affection.
It was one of worship.
All her attention, he thought, I wanted all of her attention, and now I most assuredly have it. Every single bit of it. I've never seen her look at anyone else like this, ever. This is only for me.
Her hands stroked his cheeks, and he could feel a slight tremble in her fingers. She touched him as one would touch a holy relic, something precious and priceless.
My gods, he thought, what did I do to deserve this?
"You are," she muttered, "so precious. I love your skin, it feels so soft."
He let out the softest of giggles. "That's from the facial."
Her fingertips ghosted over his lips, he chased them, wanting to kiss them. "I want to kiss your lips all the time," she said, "but I can't, because if I did, I'd miss the sound of your voice. Oh Kei, when you sing, your voice is like a dream. I love to listen to you speak, Kei. Your voice thrills me."
"Even when I say such stupid things?"
"Nothing you say is stupid, if it's how you really feel, Kei. Don't ever stop sharing your words with me. Please, Kei. Don't ever hide away from me." She leaned forward, her lips barely touching his. "Please, please let me kiss you, Kei."
He nodded. And then slowly, more slowly than he thought was possible, she melted into him. Her lips joined with his in a kiss like none other they'd ever shared. It was a kiss that carried the depth of her love for him, but more than that, it was a kiss that somehow opened her soul to his. This was more than passion, more than desire, more than love. This was a connection that went so deep, he felt as if he might lose himself entirely in it. It felt sacred. It felt like she was breathing life into him, like before this moment, his so-called life had been a sham.
He couldn't seem to move. All he could do was breathe, and let himself sink even further into the world she was opening for him.
Suddenly, she was nuzzling her nose against his, a little smile gracing her face. "I love your nose. It's so aristocratic. And yet, somehow, also cute." He couldn't stop another little giggle from falling from his lips.
She continued on, kissing him, touching him, everywhere she could, praising every part of him. She lingered over his chest, her warm breath sliding over his skin as she extolled the virtues of his body. She placed a long, lingering kiss on his chest over his heart. "I love you so much, Kei. I love how strong and stoic you can be, so brave. I love that under that, you're so gentle, so tender and so vulnerable. I love that you're slowly opening the door to your heart, letting me inside, letting others inside to share in the incredible person that you are. I love your passion, I love your quiet, I love your wicked sense of humor, I love that you let me soothe and comfort you when you doubt or you're afraid. I love that even when you're scared, even when you run and hide, you always let me find you, you come back to me and let me help. I love that you want me in your life, Kei. I love that you need me, and that you tell me so. Even when you're angry, frustrated, annoyed, childish, even then, I can't help but love you."
Tears threatened to spill from his eyes again; not the tears of embarrassment he shed before, but tears of joy, tears that sprang to his eyes because he could hear the truth in her words - she loved all of him, the good and the bad. I love you Roses, the words forming in his mind as she continued to speak, and even though you love me as I am, I swear I'll work to become the man you deserve. Because you deserve the best I can possibly give you.
She kissed down his arms, making soft smooching sounds against him. She kissed his fingertips lovingly, tenderly, telling him how much she loved to feel them touching her, how strong his long-fingered hands were, how they made her feel safe and warm whenever he held her.
Her fingers traced down the line of his hips, softly, lightly grazing over his shorts. Though what she was doing went beyond mere sensuality, there was still that component to it, and his body couldn't help but respond. He felt like he ought to be embarrassed, knowing that her adoration was exciting him, and that it was slowly becoming more and more obvious in the line of his shorts. But he couldn't seem to find it in him at the moment. He wasn't ashamed that he loved this amazing girl, and that he found her desirable physically as well as emotionally.
"I love exploring our bodies together," she whispered, kissing him just above the waistband of his shorts. "I love that you want to share yourself with me so intimately. So much...so much still to learn about you...I love that we're taking our time." She smiled, moving down past the bottom edge of his shorts to kiss the top of his thighs, once again working her way along his long limbs, lip-smacking sounds filling the room as she traveled all the way down to his toes, making him laugh aloud as she delicately touched his very sensitive feet.
He felt almost a little sad that she'd worked all the way down his body. Is this a praise kink, he wondered, did we just level up again? He grinned at the thought.
"Roll over, Kei. Let me see your back."
He did as she asked, secretly thrilling to the idea that she wasn't yet done with him. She gently massaged his back, bringing to mind the incredible evening they'd shared here, now almost a month ago. She kissed his back all over, softly speaking praises into his skin. Her fingertips barely skimmed over his rear, sending a shudder through him, and she then worked all the way down his legs again, unable to resist a tiny bit of tickling when she got to his feet.
Once he'd finished laughing and squirming, he felt her press her chest firmly against his backside, hugging him around his hips. This time when she spoke, though still quite serious, her voice was also laced with merriment, and perhaps a tiny bit of need. "And one of these days, Tsukishima Kei, I am going to be unable to resist the temptation of your goddamn fantastic ass."
He laughed. "Oh my. Yeah, I'd say between my praise kink and your ass fetish, we've definitely leveled up. Kink Level 2, for sure."
She chuckled. "Roll over for me again, love."
He did so, settling down on his back, and the girl draped herself over him, once again making as much skin contact as she could. "I love you, Tsukishima Kei. Happy birthday." She nestled her head against his chest, sighing deeply.
He glanced at her bedside clock, it was indeed a few minutes past midnight. It was officially his birthday. "Thank you, Roses." He kissed her sweetly for a few moments, resisting the urge to grind himself against her. "That, that was a lot of body worship."
"I meant every word, you know. And you totally deserved every moment."
"I love you."
"You'd better, gorgeous." He snorted out a laugh. "Now, how are you feeling, love? It's rather late, but there's no need for us to get up early..." She trailed off, let him ponder her unspoken question.
"Actually, Roses, I'd like nothing more than to just snuggle you close right now, if that's okay. It's been a very long day."
She smiled, and the pair slipped under the sheets and blankets, tangling themselves together once again, ending their wonderful day as they had started it.
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After the insanity of the two days beforehand, Tsukishima's actual birthday seemed almost like kind of a let down.
He'd headed home in the early afternoon, carrying a strange array of gifts, and wearing a rather uncharacteristic grin on his face. Nakano had seen him off with a curious little smile on hers, as if she knew something he didn't, which, Kei supposed, was true. She definitely still had something up her sleeve regarding his birthday. He'd just have to wait and see what it was.
He'd never really been a fan of surprises, but he had to admit, hers were usually pretty awesome.
His mom and Akiteru had both been there to welcome him home warmly, and wish him a happy birthday. Neither commented on how happy he seemed, but they did exchange meaningful glances in his presence, which definitely helped him settle himself into something more akin to his usual mood. His brother had insisted on being nosy, plunking himself down on Kei's bed and watching him unpack the gifts and making commentary on it all. Akiteru was most intrigued by the sake set, promising Kei that he'd bring home a bottle of sake next time he went to Sendai so they could 'break it in.' Kei had hid his smile, deciding that his brother really didn't need to know how he'd spent his Friday night. That, he thought, as Kuroo would say, was something between bros.
After getting everything settled, he'd gone downstairs to talk with his dad. It was something of a tradition in the Tsukishima household. On your birthday, you had a little catch-up chat with dad at the small shrine in the study. For Kei, it had always been a somewhat awkward thing to do. He didn't really have any clear memories of his father, the way his mom and Akiteru did. But this year, he had something he really wanted to share. He had something he wanted to ask his dad for.
Lighting some incense, he sat in seiza for a long while, telling his father all about Nakano. He described her, how they met, how she surprised him with a dramatic confession, how long it had taken him to work up the courage to accept her feelings and confess his own. He told him about their relationship, what she meant to him, and all that she had been through. He had talked so long, in fact, he had to shift positions, as he began to suffer from severe enough pins and needles that it was affecting his ability to concentrate. He hoped his father wouldn't mind, and decided he'd better get to the point.
"Dad," he said, taking a deep breath, "I'm sure every sixteen year old says this about the girl they're dating, but...well...Nakano is really special to me. This isn't just a high school crush, at least, I don't think so. I really love her, Dad. Mom says she thinks you'd really like her. I hope that's true. Because...because I need your help, Dad. Watch over me, please. Help me become the kind of man Nakano deserves to have in her life. I know I can be a real jerk sometimes. I get jealous too easily. I have so much doubt, so much fear that...that I'll be hurt again. That I'm not good enough. Please Dad, help me. Help me become the best man I can. For her sake. Thanks, Dad." He sighed deeply, bowing to his father and standing up, stretching his limbs.
His mom had caught him as he left the study, headed back to his room. "You had a lot to say to him this year, huh Kei?"
"Yeah," he replied, a little too embarrassed to say much of anything else.
She ruffled his blonde hair, chuckling as she had to reach up to do so. "Dinner at six tonight, okay? We'll go out."
"Tonkatsu?" the boy asked hopefully.
"You bet," his mom replied, "it is your birthday after all." She sighed dramatically. "When did this happen? When did my little boy become this grown man?"
"Mom..." he said, his voice irritated.
"I know, I know," she laughed, "but you'll always be my little boy, no matter big you are."
And now here he was, sitting in his room, researching how to properly care for Siamese Fighting Fish. He'd watched Kyo swimming around happily, realized he didn't even know how often to feed the poor thing, and decided some research was in order.
Kei enjoyed researching different things. He always had. Information was something he could believe in, could take in and use and work with. He found comfort in discovering the facts surrounding something, peeling away the hearsay and the nonsense and the things that people thought they knew and replacing it all with knowledge. He'd always been good at gathering information and learning from it, and then putting that knowledge to work for him.
But as much he enjoyed researching a new topic, spending his birthday on his laptop learning about a fish he really hadn't wanted in the first place (although they were rather fascinating, and Kyo was kinda cute) just seemed a little...well...boring. Especially when compared to all the things that this birthday had already brought him. He chuckled a little as he realized once again how much Nakano had completely changed his world. This is what every birthday I've ever had has been like, pretty much, he thought, and yet somehow, now, if she's not here, it isn't enough.
He set aside his fish research, and opened a new browser window, carefully making sure to keep this one thoroughly private, and not to save any history. He'd been working on another research project for a while now, one that he really did not want to take the chance of his mother or brother discovering. Searching first on 'praise kink' and then 'body worship', Kei expanded his knowledge of things he wanted to share with the girl he loved so much. Having no experience in these kinds of things didn't bother him at all. That was what research was for. And once the research was done, then came the best part. He smiled, wondering when next he'd have the opportunity to spend the night with his girlfriend. Turnabout was fair play, after all, and spending a lazy evening worshipping Nakano's body sounded like heaven.
He didn't spend too long on his new line of research, knowing if he did, he'd need to take care of things before he went to dinner, and he really didn't have that much time. A final search on something he'd been thinking about for a while now, and then he'd shut his laptop. He decided to grab a quick shower, and dress a little nicely for dinner. He knew his mom would appreciate that.
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Kei watched the world roll past as Akiteru drove them home after dinner. It had been a nice time. The food was excellent - a restaurant he always enjoyed - and the family was nice too, he supposed. His mom had wanted to hear all about his adventures of the past two days, which he dutifully recounted, leaving out certain parts that he really didn't think his mother or brother needed to know about. Akiteru had indeed indulged in his usual 'I remember when I turned sixteen' speech. It hadn't gone well for him. Kei had rolled his eyes and grit his teeth, preparing to just hunker down and wait until it was over, when suddenly his mom had interrupted the older boy.
A strange chuckling sort of snort had come out of his mother's mouth as Akiteru was getting his story geared up. "Yeah, I remember when you turned sixteen too. You and that idiot friend of yours...what was his name? Oh yeah, Nobu! You had him stay over, and the the two of you decided it would be a good idea to each steal a bottle of wine from the liquor cabinet and down the whole damn thing in the middle of the night! Imagine how thrilled I was to have two completely wasted teenage boys stagger into my room at three in the morning and throw up all over my bed! Thank god you slept through the whole thing, Kei. I don't think I could have dealt with you and those two fools."
Akiteru had given out with a sort of squeak, turned a brilliant shade of red, and practically folded in on himself. Kei's eyes had gone wide - he must have indeed slept through it, because he had no memory of such a thing happening, and that was the kind of thing he'd want to remember, or better yet document, for future blackmail purposes. He'd hidden his face behind a hand and laughed to himself at Akiteru's stupidity. But now, thinking about it again, he marveled a little at how similar he and his brother were. We both had our first experience with alcohol for our sixteenth birthday, although I was smart enough not to get totally trashed in the process, he thought smugly. Though in Akiteru's defense, he didn't have a couple of senpais involved who were kind enough not to allow that to happen, just another sixteen year old who apparently also had no sense of self-control. He smiled to himself, thinking that he was pretty lucky to have friends like Kuroo and Bokuto - wild enough to decide do something like that but wise enough not to take it too far.
Now his mother and brother were chatting about the sento. "What do you think, Kei? Should I invite Nakano's mom to the super sento? It was so kind of her to treat you boys to something like that, I feel like I should repay her."
Kei sighed. "You're just looking for an excuse for a spa day, Mom," he said, rolling his eyes. "But it was a very nice place. I'm sure you and Emiko-san would enjoy it very much."
"Emiko-san, huh?" Akiteru said, the smirk evident in his voice, "Already calling your future mother-in-law by her first name, I see."
Kei smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "She asked me to call her that. And I can only hope I'll be lucky enough to have her as a mother-in-law someday, because that will mean Nakano agreed to marry me." As the words left his lips, he suddenly covered his mouth with his hand, eyes wide and brain shocked at what he'd just said out loud. In front of his mother.
The woman in question turned to look at him, eyes surprisingly soft. "Not yet, okay? Give me a few more years. I'm not ready yet, Kei."
He clicked his tongue. "Mom, I just turned sixteen. I'm not planning on running off and getting married any time soon."
Akiteru chuckled. "You have to wait at least two years, little bro. And then you'll have to get permission from Mom and from Nakano's parents. But hey, I'm sure they'll give it. After all, the two of you will have the most adorable grandbabies for these guys..."
Their mother wailed about how she was not ready to be a grandmother, at least not by her younger son. "Shut up, Akiteru," Kei said, grateful that he was alone in the backseat so they couldn't see him blush. He knew they were only teasing, but the thought of having children with Nakano, of getting her pregnant, sent a thrill through him, one that felt both pleasant and at the same time slightly terrifying.
"Yeah, shut up, Akiteru," his mom followed up, "don't be putting any crazy ideas in his head."
Kei clicked his tongue again. It's not a crazy idea, he thought, just not an idea that we're going to be ready for any time soon. His mind, however, went on a journey of its own, imagining the strawberry blonde girl with a developing baby bump, that he'd put there. He shook his head almost violently to clear it. He did not need to be thinking along those lines right now.
By the time they'd reached the house, Kei had settled down, and was ready for the final part of his traditional birthday with his family. Strawberry shortcake. Sure, it wasn't Nakano's, but it was still going to be delicious, and Kei was anxious for it. Fortunately, his mother and brother had moved on to other topics besides his love life, and as they made their way into the house, Kei headed immediately to the kitchen, ready for something sweet.
He was rather surprised when his mom set about making tea without opening the fridge to take out the usual large pink box. Had they decided not to get one this year, because of Nakano's party? He pouted a little, feeling rather let down. He stared at his hands resting on the table, not really listening to the conversation happening around him.
He jerked his head up when his mother slid a thin package into his field of view. "Happy birthday, Kei," she said softly. The look on her face was...sad? Wistful? But also somehow happy? He cocked his head to the side, looking intently at his mother. "Go ahead," she said with a smile, "open it."
As he carefully unwrapped the slim package, Akiteru cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got you something too, little bro, but I had to special order them and they won't be in for a week or two." He grinned sheepishly at his little brother. "But I promise they'll be worth the wait!"
Kei snorted and returned his brother's grin with a cocky one of his own. "I'm sure they will be, whatever they are," he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. He opened the box at last to find a slim, sophisticated men's watch, the band black and somehow looking both delicate and sturdy. The face of the watch was of a simple black and gold design. It was obvious to Kei that the watch was not new - it showed definite signs of prior use, yet did seem to be in excellent condition. He wasn't much of a watch wearer, honestly, although if he was to choose to wear one, this was a style he could appreciate. Very minimalist. "Uh..." he began, about to look at his mother, when Akiteru suddenly spoke.
"Hey," his brother gasped out softly, "I remember that watch! That was Dad's!"
Kei's eyes snapped to his mother. His mom was very particular about any of his dad's things. If Akiteru was correct, this would be the first item that had belonged to his father that Kei could ever remember receiving. His mother sighed and nodded. "Yes, it was. I thought this, of all his things, would suit you best, Kei. But it wasn't something I could give a little boy, so I've been saving it...and I guess I can't really claim you as my little boy anymore, can I?" Tears began to slowly roll down Kei's mother's face, even as she smiled at her youngest son.
She's trying to convince herself that I'm not her baby anymore, he thought, or maybe, she's just trying to acknowledge to me that she knows that I'm starting to become an adult. Maybe neither one of us is quite ready for it, he considered, but there's also still time for us both to get used to the idea. "You were right earlier, Mom," Kei said, giving his mother a hug, "I'll always be your little boy, even when I really am a grown man. Thank you for this."
Just as Kei and his mother parted from their hug, the doorbell rang.
"Aha," said Akiteru, clapping his little brother on the shoulder, "that'll be for you. Why don't you go see who it is?" The smirk on his face was downright devious, leaving Kei wondering what on Earth could be going on.
Kei was still pondering this question as he opened his front door. For the second time that weekend, his jaw dropped at who he saw.
"Happy birthday, Kei!"
"Roses?"