Nakano yawned and stretched luxuriously after snoozing her phone alarm for the second time that morning. It was Sunday, and Sunday usually meant sleeping late, a decadent brunch, and spending time relaxing with her family and/or her gorgeous boyfriend until she had to get herself prepared for another week of school and volleyball.
But this was not a typical Sunday.
It was much, much earlier than she might usually awaken on a Sunday, because today, the team was having the final day of their serving intensive. Volleyball practice on a Sunday was unusual, but not unheard of. What made this one really challenging was that they had been asked to report to the gym at eight o'clock in the morning.
Hence why Nakano had snoozed her alarm twice already, and was currently lightly grumbling to herself about the fact that she did not smell any form of brunch or breakfast in the offing - decadent or otherwise. Knowing that grumbling would not make food appear or give her more time to get ready, the girl dragged herself from her bed and into the bathroom to get the day started. Come on girl, she chided herself, you need to be up to the challenge!
She moved quickly through her morning routine, hurrying to get ready as she really did not want to be late. This was going to be a very full Sunday for the strawberry blonde. A long Sunday practice, followed by a run into Sendai to pick up Kags from the station and get him home, followed almost immediately by getting herself home, seeing her parents off for their date night, and going over to Kei's to spend a little time with him. I've missed him, she thought, even though we really only spent one full day apart, when you get right down to it. But not spending time with him at practice every day has been...lonely. I know that in the future, there's likely to be times when we simply cannot be together as much as we are now. College will bring its own challenges, and who knows what directions life will take us. I'm going to enjoy all the togetherness I can get while I've got the opportunity.
She bustled into the kitchen, packing up the onigiri Coach Ukai had asked her to make for the team lunch today. She grabbed one for herself, munching on it as she got everything together. She'd made three kinds - salted cod roe, tuna mayo, and ham and egg, By luck of the draw, she'd grabbed a ham and egg one, chuckling as she'd gotten her desired breakfast food after all. Kiyoko was making nagashi somen for the group, while Yachi was providing fruit sandwiches. A cold lunch on a cold December Sunday, but it would be a fun one. Sharing a meal with the team was always a good time, and she had no doubt it would be so today, even with only half of the first year crew in attendance.
Just as she was about to head out of the kitchen and towards the front door, Nakano's mom came downstairs. "Hey, honey! Bundle up, it's cold outside!"
"Mom? What are you doing up?"
Emiko grinned at her daughter. "Your Dad is taking me out to dinner, so I promised him breakfast in bed."
"Lucky guy," Nakano groused, "I wish I'd gotten breakfast in bed." The two ladies laughed. "Remind Dad I need him to come get me spot on at two o'clock, or we'll be late picking up Tobio."
"He'll be there. Have a good practice, Naka-chan."
"Thanks Mom! See you later!"
Nakano moved briskly - her mom was right, it was cold outside - and she knew she was leaving a little later than she probably should have. She did not want to make Tadashi wait for her in the cold. Before long, she spotted the freckle-faced boy, and waved enthusiastically.
Yamaguchi returned her wave just as eagerly.
"Good morning, Yams!" Nakano called cheerfully, "So, how did it go last night?"
Yamaguchi chuckled, falling in step with his blue-eyed friend and coach. "Right to the point, huh Naka-chan?"
The girl laughed brightly. "Dude, you are lucky I didn't text you last night demanding details. So come on, Tadashi, spill. Did you guys go ice skating?"
"We did. Did you know Yachi had taken skating lessons for two years when she was little?"
Nakano looked at him, amazement on her face. "No! I had no idea! Oh man, was she really good?"
"She's a great skater, but she hadn't been on the ice for years. She really loved it, Naka-chan, so thanks for a great suggestion."
"I'm so glad it was fun! So...come on...spill the tea, as Noya-senpai would say!"
"Naka-chan!" Tadashi cried out, sounding a little shocked.
"Come on, Tadashi! I know you were hoping to show Yachi that your relationship can be different from what happened to her parents...so, how is she feeling about things?"
Tadashi couldn't hide his smile. "Well, we both agreed that we like each other a lot. And Yachi didn't hide away from me when I told her that I wanted to be her boyfriend, and kiss her again someday. And...when I walked her home...well..."
"Well what? Come on Yams, what happened?" Nakano's eyes were wide and eager and Yamaguchi couldn't help but laugh.
"She gave me a big kiss goodnight - on the cheek," Yamaguchi said, making the strawberry blonde pout a little, "but it was all her. I wasn't even fishing for it. So...all in all...I'm really happy with how things went, Naka-chan. And Yachi seemed okay with the idea of going out again soon. So...it was a really good time."
The girl suddenly pounced on her friend, tossing an arm around him and squeezing him tight, making him stumble. "Oh Yams, I'm so glad! That's just what I wanted to hear!"
"Thanks, Naka-chan," Tadashi said, recovering a bit from her enthusiastic hug, "I really appreciate it. Although, I have to admit...after what we did to Tsukki when you guys had your first date, I was kind of expecting something to happen in retaliation." The pinch server rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling a little.
"Too obvious," Nakano said, not missing a beat, "We are nothing if not subtle in our ways, Yamaguchi. So don't worry...we'll get you when you least expect it."
Yamaguchi chuckled nervously, wondering if maybe he should have kept his mouth shut. He eyed the girl walking next to him, noting the teasing smirk on her face. His hand came to rub at the back of his neck again as he wondered whether or not he should broach the subject on his mind at the moment. It took him a few minutes before he was able to get up the courage to begin the conversation. "Hey...Naka-chan?"
"What's on your mind, Yams?"
"Can I...uh...ask you about something?"
"Yes, Tadashi, of course you can. Or should I be like Tsukki and say 'spit it out, Tadashi,'?" the girl quipped, making her brunette friend laugh.
"Do you remember, during the semi-finals, when you told me to ask Tsukki about mistakes that you'd made?"
The tension that gripped Nakano's body was subtle, and brief. But Yamaguchi caught it, and he wondered if he'd made a mistake himself bringing this up right now. But the girl's voice was steady as she replied. "I assume you and he have talked about a few things since then, Tadashi. Ask me anything you need to. It's okay."
"Well, actually, we've not talked too much about it, honestly. But Tsukki did tell me that it has to do with your tendency to blame yourself for everything that happens to you. He said that one day, maybe you'd talk to me about it. He hopes you will, because he seemed to think that, if you were willing to do that, it would mean you'd gotten to a better headspace about it all."
Nakano stumbled and Yamaguchi reached out a hand to steady her. The setter was shocked - not only had Kei not talked to Tadashi about it at all really, but it seemed that he was of the opinion that sharing it with more people would actually be a good thing for her to do. She wasn't sure exactly how she felt about that. And did Kei really think she was not at all to blame for what had happened? Sure, he'd convinced her that her doctor definitely deserved the lion's share of the blame, if things were being apportioned out, but in no way was she blameless in this situation. What had happened to her had been at least partially her own fault, surely - hadn't it?
"Naka-chan? Are you alright?" Tadashi's voice conveyed his worries.
Nakano shook her head slightly, shooting a smile at the boy next to her. "Yeah, Yams, I'm fine. Sorry, I just wasn't expecting to hear that. And...I...I'm not sure...no, I know I can't really get into a deep discussion of what happened to me right before we go to practice, Tadashi. There's too much there, and not nearly enough time to get through it all now." Not to mention I'd be a broken-down, sobbing disaster area long before I finished telling you, assuming I could even get through it all, the girl thought, trying to surreptitiously wipe away the tears that were already forming in her eyes.
"Oh! No, no, I didn't mean for you to...I wasn't expecting you to tell me about that now," Tadashi said, scrubbing his hands in front of him, "but I did want to make sure that you weren't blaming yourself for something that you didn't really have any control over."
Nakano's eyebrows shot up, hearing that phrase from yet another person close to her. "What do you mean, Tadashi?"
"Well, Yachi said that you had encouraged all the girls to come to Kuroo's gathering," Yamaguchi said, "and after what Tsukki told me about how you tend to put the responsibility for everything on yourself, I was worrying about you a little bit."
"You...were worried about me?" Nakano looked at him quizzically.
"It's been kinda rough on me and Yachi, the past couple months," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I really didn't know what to think. Yachi would seem to be so happy with me, and then it was like she'd shrink into herself and hide away, and I swear I was going a little crazy trying to figure out if I'd done something wrong or what. In the end, though, I think it was all for the best, because I think she needs to realize she's a different person from her mother. And that she's allowed to be. She has to realize that what works for her mom might not necessarily work for her, and just because things turned out a certain way in her mom's life doesn't mean her life will turn out the same way. It's hard on her, I think, because her mom has been her everything. It's just been the two of them for a long time, and I think part of Yachi wants to be like her mom, maybe even feels like if she isn't like her mom it will be somehow disrespectful to her, after all her mom has done for her. But that's just not true. Yachi is her own person, and I'm hoping, after all this, she's on her way to becoming a more confident version of that person." Nakano was staring wide-eyed at her freckled bestie. He turned to her at last, giving her a caring smile. "Tsukki and I talk about all this during Best Friend Lunch a lot. And he said he didn't tell you about a lot of it, because he worried that you'd feel responsible for what happened because you encouraged all the girls to come to that gathering and play the game. But I don't want you thinking that any of this is your fault, Nakano. Because it isn't. And I'm not sorry Yachi and I have had to work through it - because now that we've done it, I think it's brought us closer. And I know it's a good thing for her. So, it's been totally worth it." Tadashi finally registered the look his coach was giving him. "Naka-chan?"
The onigiri container would have crashed to the ground if Yamaguchi hadn't been quick to react, grabbing ahold of it with his right hand even as Nakano threw her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. "Thank you, Tadashi," she mumbled, squeezing him tight as he spluttered in response.
"W-wha? W-w-why?"
"For being a great friend. For thinking about me, worrying about me like that. For knowing when to ignore Tsukki and do what you think is best. For just being you. You're incredible, Yamaguchi Tadashi, and Yachi is a very, very lucky girl. I hope she knows that. I hope she sees just how amazing you really are, my friend." Nakano eased up, still hugging the boy but no longer attempting to crush the life out if him. "And please, don't worry about me, okay? I'm not feeling guilty. Just glad that you guys are working it all out."
Tadashi relaxed a little, hugging Nakano back with his left arm. "I...I didn't get Tsukki in trouble, did I?" he asked softly.
Nakano laughed brightly, taking the onigiri back and getting them moving again. "No, silly. Tsukki doesn't need any help in that department. He gets himself in plenty of trouble without any help at all." Yamaguchi just snickered behind a hand as the pair made their way into Karasuno and towards the gym.
Yamaguchi was still feeling a little dumbstruck after his talk with Nakano as they went about getting ready for their final day of serving intensive training. Daichi was going over the plan for the day, which naturally, involved a lot of serving. Tadashi found his mind wandering. He was glad he'd decided to talk to Nakano after all, even though she hadn't reacted the way he'd thought she would. He caught Yachi's eye across the gym and she smiled at him, making him grin at her in return. And thus he'd completely missed the fact that Daichi was calling his name.
Sugawara had not failed to notice the direction of Yamaguchi's gaze. "Sorry, Captain, but it just seems like there's something in this room that is far more interesting to Yamaguchi than anything you have to say," the silver-haired boy said loudly, a teasing lilt in his voice.
Suddenly, Yamaguchi was very aware of Daichi, as his captain was leaning into his personal space, his face very close. "Is that so? And what exactly might that something be, eh, Tadashi?" Daichi was slightly shorter than he was, but his captain was much, much more skilled at intimidation. "S-s-sorry, Captain! I, uh...I got distracted. It won't happen again, I promise!" Yamaguchi noticed that most of the rest of the team had moved off, with only Daichi, Suga, Kinoshita and Nakano still nearby, all with teasing smirks on their faces.
"Uh huh," Daichi said, his tone making it evident that he knew there was no way the boy was going to be able to keep the promise he'd just made, "just try to keep your head in the game today, Yamaguchi. I'd like you to work with Kinoshita and Naka-chan on jump floats, okay? By the end of the day, I want to see a good jump float from Kinoshita. Nakano, no offense, but..."
The girl laughed. "No worries, Cap. Thanks for the opportunity." A look passed between the coach and the captain that made Tadashi wonder what must have taken place leading up to this.
"Captain? I appreciate the confidence you have in me, but I don't know how much I can do in just one day! I mean, it's taken me months to get good with..." Yamaguchi began, a blush coming over his face.
"If you appreciate that I have confidence in you, Tadashi, don't tell me why you're going to fail," Daichi replied quietly, making the first year start. "Just get in there and do your best. I'm not expecting perfection. I'm expecting improvement. Both from Kinoshita and you. A wise young lady once told me you often learn a lot when you teach someone else - I want you to show me that she was correct." Another look passed between Daichi and Nakano, this one making the girl blush and look away quickly. Tadashi smiled brightly at his blonde friend, putting the pieces together and realizing what must have gone down between her and their captain. "Yes, sir!" he replied enthusiastically. She asked for this, the boy thought, Nakano's wanted me to teach her jump floats for a while now. And she's set this up to help not only herself, but me too, and our whole team. Best coach ever. I'm not going to let her down. As he settled in to work with Kinoshita and Nakano, he could feel his own competitive spirit begin to fire up. He watched Kinoshita execute a decent jump float right out of the gate. A determined look came over his face as he began giving his senpai pointers on his movements into the serve. And I'm not going to lose to Kinoshita-senpai either, he told himself.
Nakano smiled to herself as she watched Yamaguchi settle into a teaching role with ease, just as she thought he would. You really are amazing, Yamaguchi Tadashi, I knew you'd be up to the challenge, Nakano thought, and I can't wait to learn all I can from you.
🏐🏐🏐
The Ogawa family vehicle was full of energy and excitement as Tanjiro drove Nakano and her best friend back from the station in Sendai. The boy had been exceedingly grateful for the ride. He was exhausted - after a five day training camp adventure, he'd nearly gotten lost seven different times trying to make his way back from Tokyo, including one incident where he'd almost ended up on a train bound for Shizuoka because he'd gotten turned around trying to navigate the huge train station with all its signs and directional arrows. He'd gotten into the Ogawa's car with a grateful sigh, and immediately started talking with Nakano about the people he'd worked with over the last few days.
"Oh wow, I have got to see this guy play," Nakano was saying as she listened to Kageyama's description of Hoshiumi's jumps, "What team does he play for?"
"Kamomedai, I think," Kageyama said, "I'm sure we'll be seeing them at Nationals."
"And we'll see Miya-san there too, right?" Nakano said, wondering how Kags would react.
"Probably both of them," he replied, not giving the girl any particular reaction.
"Which one was at the camp?"
"Atsumu."
Nakano smiled, shoulder checking her best friend. "Okay, come on, let's hear it."
Kageyama let out a rather explosive sigh. "So, I asked him what he meant by calling me a goody two shoes. He said he meant just that. That he thought I was like a prickly cactus or whatever...except on the court, where I was an obedient, well-behaved boy."
Nakano just looked at him, waiting. She could see from his expression that there was more.
"And...well...he said that I looked happier as a spiker than I did as a setter."
Nakano couldn't help it, shock flitted across her face before she could get it under control. Kageyama Tobio was a setters' setter. Being a setter was woven into the very fabric of his being. How was it possible that he could have been happier being a spiker? Nakano began to wonder if Miya Atsumu was just being a colossal jackass and trying to mess with a younger and perhaps more talented setter, trying to shake him up and throw him off his game. She took a deep breath, and looked her best friend directly in the eyes, searching for some hint as to what he was thinking. "And how do you feel about that?" she asked at last, unable to find the answer in his expression.
"I think he was right."
Nakano's mouth dropped open. "Tobio-chan...are you saying...you don't want to be a setter anymore?"
"What? No!" Kageyama looked at the girl like she was nuts. "But I think he's right about me. When I was playing as a spiker, I wasn't spending all my time thinking about how to keep my myself in control, how to give the players what they'd asked me for instead of what I felt they needed. And I bet that meant that I looked happier. But I wasn't actually happier - I just wasn't as stressed out." The raven-haired boy's eyes were far away. "And I think he's right about me being a goody two shoes, Naka-chan. I've been so afraid of being too pushy, of making my teammates angry at me, that I've just been keeping quiet and doing what they ask me to. I don't say anything about how they could be doing better or things they do that make it harder for us to win. I just keep quiet and behave because...because...I can't lose another team, Nakano. I just can't." Kageyama's hands ran up into his fine black hair, mussing it and making him look even more distressed.
Nakano heaved a deep sigh. "Tobio, remember back in the summer, when you and Shoyo had that fight?"
Kageyama scoffed. "How the hell I could forget that? That whole thing sucked. Especially because that dumbass was actually right," Tobio groused.
Nakano gave him a small smile at that admission. "But you got through it. You fought, physically even, but you're still teammates. You're still working together. You didn't lose him. Do you see what I'm saying here?"
Kageyama looked at her, confused. "Uhhh..."
"Tobio, you're an incredible setter, and an amazing player. And you've built a good relationship with your team. Don't stifle yourself anymore. If you know we can be doing things better than we do them now, speak up!"
"But what if they won't listen? What if I..."
"Speak to them honestly. Help them learn. Don't demand things, or make them feel like you think they're stupid, or beneath you. You've listened to me work with them - heck, you've worked with me as your coach! If I can do it, so can you!"
Kageyama shook his head. "I'm not like you, Naka-chan. You're...kind, and helpful, and you make people feel good about themselves. I'm...kinda like the opposite of that."
It was Nakano's turn to scoff. "No you're not, Tobio. Are you usually a pretty blunt person? Yes. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Subtlety is not going to work on the likes of Shoyo, or Tanaka-senpai. You can be direct without being a jerk, you know."
"Can I?"
Nakano couldn't stop herself from laughing, even as she saw the genuine distress coming from her best friend. "Yes, Kags, you can. And I'll help you. You won't be doing this alone. Believe me, I know you can do this. More than that, I think you have to do it. Because I think staying silent and being a goody two shoes is really getting to you, isn't it?"
The boy sighed again. "Yeah, it is. You're right...I don't think I can do it anymore. Not if we want to have a shot at Nationals."
"And if you don't mind my saying so, Tobio, that's the way to approach this with your team," Ogawa-san spoke up at last, making Kageyama jump. He'd been so caught up in the conversation with his best friend, he'd forgotten that Nakano's father could hear every word. The dark-eyed setter felt a blush slide over his face as the man continued. "Your team is moving into some high level play. Everything counts now. You can't afford to allow little sloppy mistakes to go uncorrected. At the National level, little sloppy mistakes can cost you a game."
Nakano put a hand on Kageyama's shoulder. "Look, as your coach, if you've got ideas that can help improve the team, I want to hear them. And I'll support you. You're not going to be alone. This is high school, not middle school, Kags. These guys know how to take constructive criticism. We got this. I promise." She opened her arms, waiting.
Kageyama smiled at his best friend and accepted her offered hug. "Gonna trust you on this one, Naka-chan."
"Good," she said, releasing him and ruffling his hair, "you should trust me." She grinned at him as he ducked away from her hand. Nakano continued to goof around with the boy as they made their way to his house. She knew there was more - she could see it in his eyes. But that was for a time when they were alone, when her dad couldn't hear every word of the discussion. For now, it was enough for him to know that no matter what happened next, he was not going to be left alone.
🏐🏐🏐
Tsukishima was once again deep in the thick of another two-on-two. He and Goshiki were taking on Hyakuzawa and Kunimi, and the matchup was surprisingly even. This was his third match for the day, and he was already beginning to feel a little done with the games. But given his fellow players, he also really wanted to win. Goshiki was a temperamental little bastard, worse than the King in some ways, barking at him every time he did something that was less than perfect in the up-and-coming ace's eyes. Which was relatively frequently. Tsukishima had decided the easiest strategy with Goshiki was simply ignoring him - he'd tried a smart comeback a time or two, only to find the Shiratorizawa player was pretty much ignoring him anyway. It was easier to just listen to his complaint, judge its merits, and then try to improve his playing when possible. After all, some of Goshiki's criticisms were valid.
Hyakuzawa was a different matter. He wanted to beat this guy. Feeling like he was too short was a rather foreign feeling for Tsukishima, and yet, the volleyball newbie had a good five inches on him. He'd put a lot of effort into watching the guy, trying to figure out how best to counter someone who had such an incredible reach. Tsukishima found himself enjoying the challenge of playing against Hyakuzawa, though if anyone had asked him, he never would have admitted it. If he had to judge, he'd say that Hinata and Hyakuzawa had improved the most during the five days of the camp, and it did indeed feel good to be able to successfully strategize against the ridiculously tall middle blocker. Hinata is right about beating people at their best, Tsukishima admitted to himself grudgingly as he got a successful one-touch off Hyakuzawa, it really does give one a certain sense of...satisfaction.
Kunimi, on the other hand, was an odd one. Tsukishima felt a certain kinship with the wing spiker, as he could completely relate to his disdain for the King and for people who were constantly demanding that he 'go all out' and 'put in more effort.' Despite his own current desire to actually put more into his volleyball playing, Tsukishima really hated it when other people insisted he should be doing so, as if they were judging his play style and commitment to the game. He also felt the Aoba Johsai player had rather a lot in common with Kenma, as he seemed to take laziness to an extreme, making virtually no unnecessary moves, and grousing about the ones he did have to make. He'd witnessed first hand how dangerous an opponent Kunimi could be in the late stages of a game, when everyone else was exhausted, and Kunimi still had enough energy in reserve to keep going. Kei had watched Kunimi too, but wasn't sure he could be like the wing spiker. By nature, Tsukishima was a thinker, a reasoner, and that wasn't something he could shut off, nor did he want to. And that level of analysis was almost as energy intensive as playing the game itself. Kunimi's expression seemed almost vacant at times, as if there was absolutely nothing happening in his head, and Kei never, ever wanted to be seen as that vapid.
He moved to set up Goshiki, trying to bring the current extended rally to a close. His pass was a little off, but better than some of his other ones, and the Shiratorizawa wing spiker was able to put the ball away. The aggravated looks on Hyakuzawa's and Kunimi's faces were quite satisfying. Kei permitted himself the smallest of smiles as his teammate celebrated his successful point.
Hinata, who had been watching the game from the sidelines, marveled at the play, and then looked at Tsukishima with aggravation and jealousy clear on his face. "Tsukishima," the ginger ground out, "that was a nice set."
Tsukki turned to look at his teammate, taking note of his frustrated expression. "So what's with the face then?"
"I got to see you do some real setting for once, which got me super excited," the boy replied, "but I hated to see you play better than me!"
Tsukishima swallowed the desire to puff out his chest and preen in the wake of Hinata's acknowledgement of his superiority, as that seemed like something Kuroo or Bokuto would do, and besides, he really didn't want to give Hinata the satisfaction of thinking he actually cared what the little menace thought of him. "Well, thank you for the specific and honest opinion," Tsukki replied in his blandest tones, walking away. That's right, Shrimp, the blonde thought, push yourself to be better than me. Because that just means you'll keep making me better. Bring it on. I'm up to the challenge. Kei then considered the quality of his set overall, despite Hinata's backhanded praise. "The pass I made wasn't even that good though."
It really wasn't, he thought to himself, I can do better. I need to do better. Goshiki was able to use it, so I suppose it was good enough, but I'm just not satisfied with 'good enough' anymore. And on the National stage, that won't be enough to cut it. Dammit, I really do want to see how far we can go. I want our team to reach the top, to go as high as we can. Not just for me, but for our third years. And for Naka-chan. Because next year, she'll be with her own team. At least, I hope she will. That thought, as it always did, brought a certain wistfulness to him. But for the first time, it also brought a sense of determination, a sense of pride. If this would be Naka-chan's only year as a student coach, Tsukishima wanted it to be the most amazing year possible. They'd already smashed expectations, including his own, by making it into the National tournament representing Miyagi prefecture. How far could this team really fly? He recalled Nakano's words to him the night before the Shiratorizawa game, as he'd fretted about how he would manage to take on Ushiwaka. Whatever happens in Tokyo, he thought, whatever the outcome, we'll laugh and we'll cry and we'll celebrate with our teammates, and then, when it's all over, we'll go home.
Tsukishima moved on to his next matchup, a sly, determined little smile set on his face. Later today, when all this was over, he'd be going home too. And sharing all that he'd learned with his beautiful girl. And more, if all his planning came to fruition.
He just couldn't wait.
🏐🏐🏐
Nakano smiled and waved as her parents pulled out of the driveway of their home. They'd gotten Tobio to his house, and the girl had made him promise that he'd give some real thought to what he felt like the team needed to do to improve. Kageyama had started to feel a little less certain about how to proceed, wondering if he ought to speak to Coach Ukai before anyone else. Nakano had reassured her best friend that it was perfectly fine to do that, or to talk to Daichi, or just to take a few days to organize his thoughts so he could express himself well. But what he was absolutely not allowed to do was nothing. Tobio had solemnly promised Nakano that he would indeed do something, even if that something was just thinking for starters.
And then Nakano and her dad had gotten home, and Emiko had been in a tizzy, preparing for her date with her husband. Tanjiro had slipped away to get ready, leaving Nakano to deal with her excited mother on her own. She'd actually sort of enjoyed it, laughing good-naturedly at her mother, teasing her about being so worked up about going on a date with her own husband. Her mother had shot back that she was quite sure Naka-chan was excited to go over to Kei-chan's house the moment her parents departed. The two ladies had smiled and giggled over the whole thing in a way Nakano had never thought would be possible for her and her mother to achieve. It felt good to be repairing the relationship with her mother, and she was discovering that she had much more in common with her mom than she'd ever thought she did.
In the end, Emiko had left her with a string of admonishments, reminding her that Kei had had a long five days at camp, and it was a school night, and under no circumstances should she stay at her boyfriend's house past 10pm, even if her parents weren't home yet. Nakano had rolled her eyes and hugged her mother and told her to enjoy her evening. Her dad had hugged her too, whispering "I'll text you when we're headed home," in her ear, then winked at her as he moved away, letting the girl know that if she lingered at her boyfriend's past 10pm her mother would not find out from him. Nakano chuckled and thanked her dad, and as soon as the car was headed down the street, she locked the door to her house and headed to Kei's.
Tsukishima was freshly showered and dressed comfortably, smiling to himself at his good fortune. Nakano's parents were going out for the evening, and his mother had chosen to go to work on Monday directly from Sendai, so she would not be home until tomorrow evening. Leaving Kei and Nakano alone for the night. Given the plans he had made, the only way things could have gone better was if Nakano could stay over. But as that was not something he was going to be able to arrange, he put it out of his mind.
He was anxious to see his girlfriend again, and found himself restless as the time for her arrival approached. He'd managed to slip away from Hinata as they'd left Shiratorizawa, not wanting the ginger to see where he was headed. It had been just a touch embarrassing, going to the shop where he'd purchased the very special something he'd gotten for Nakano, but in the end, not so bad. And the shop itself had been much more upscale and discreet than he'd imagined it would be. If it turned out they both liked this sort of thing, he definitely would not mind making another visit - he'd seen several items that had caught his eye and set his mind racing with thoughts best left to the side for now.
For himself, he'd made sure to put on Nakano's favorite purple silky boxers under his sweats. His yukata was hanging ready in his closet, he'd be able to change easily into it if Nakano agreed to what he had in mind. And if not, well, that was alright too. As long as he got to spend the evening with the strawberry blonde, nothing else really mattered all that much. But he had to confess he really hoped she would be as excited as he was to try something new.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Kei's heart leapt in his chest. He found himself almost running for the door, and after a moment it dawned on him just how lame that was. By all the gods, this girl has made me an absolute brain-dead idiot, he thought to himself, chuckling. He calmed himself down, walking to the door and opening it with a small smile.
"Hi," he said, eyes drinking in the figure of the beautiful girl on the doorstep.
"Hi," she answered back, her own eyes sparkling merrily, "Can I come in?"
Kei scoffed. "You'd better," he said, stepping aside a bit to let the girl enter, "unless you want the neighbors to watch us make out."
She was holding him in her arms even before he got the door fully shut behind her. "Is that why I'm here? So we can make out?"
"Well, it's not the only reason," he quipped, "but it is on the agenda." He wrapped his arms around the girl, holding her close and breathing deeply. "Mmmm, I'm home," he whispered against her soft hair.
He could feel her smile, her warmth and love covering him like a familiar blanket. She stretched up to kiss him and he met her lips willingly, eagerly, delighting in her rosy scent, her soft lips, her smooth skin. His long, dexterous fingers wandered over the girl's jawline, moving to caress the satiny smoothness of her cheek. It felt so good, just to touch her again. The couple remained just so, gently kissing in the entryway, fingertips wandering delicately over one another, each happy to be back in the arms of the other. At long last they came up for air, Tsukishima pressing his forehead against Nakano's, keeping her close. Only now did he truly feel like he'd returned from his travels.
"So, what else is on your agenda this evening, gorgeous?" the girl asked.
He gave his girlfriend a pout. "Tired of kissing me already?"
She laughed, bright and sweet and loud and the sound made his heart beat faster. "Are you kidding? I'm asking because if I don't it's entirely possible that kissing here in the entryway is all we'll end up doing," she replied with a sly grin.
"Oh no, beautiful, I have too many other plans for that to happen," he said, helping her change shoes and getting them moving in the direction of the kitchen. "And the first thing on the list involves food. Wanna cook with me?"
"I love cooking with you. Craving something in particular?"
"Why yes," Kei responded, voice dropping seductively and lips coming to nibble on the girl's ear, making her gasp, "but let's have dinner first, hmmm?" Nakano giggled, making Kei laugh as well. "Will you make tamagoyaki? The breakfasts we had the past two days were..." the boy scrunched his nose in distaste, "...food, I guess."
Nakano's laugh rang out again, making Kei smile. I love her laugh, he realized, I'd do almost anything to hear that laugh. I've missed it so much. "Will you make yakitori for me?" she asked him.
"That was my plan. And I'll get some rice cooking too."
"Savory or sweet?"
"Yes, please."
Nakano's eyebrows shot up, and she gave him a sassy look, hands on her hips and her weight shifted to the right. "Well, someone's hungry."
Kei cocked a brow at her in return. "I will forgo making the obvious commentary back, as if we keep this up, we're never going to actually eat any food."
The couple set about cooking in earnest, with Nakano demanding and getting a full rundown of all that had happened at Kei's camp. He focused at first on what went on with Hinata and his progress, figuring the girl would want to know whether the little ginger had kept his promise to learn all he could, but Nakano soon stopped him, telling him plainly that she wasn't interested in Shoyo at the moment unless he'd had some impact on Kei himself. A glowing warmth had suffused itself through the boy at Nakano's insistence that she wanted to hear about him and only him. Kei suddenly found himself discussing all that he'd experienced at the camp with something that could only be called enthusiasm, even giving the girl a veritable play-by-play account of the games he'd participated in earlier that day. He marveled at himself even as he kept speaking, feeling genuine excitement at sharing his experiences with her. Dammit, I love her so much, he thought, it's beyond all reason. She makes me feel so...happy. About the most ridiculous things. Why does she have this effect on me? It suddenly dawned on the boy that he'd had no real outlet for his more affectionate side, his volleyball idiot side, for the past forty-eight hours or more. Those things were simply not something he was going to put on display for anyone other than the girl sitting with him at his dinner table right now. And so, he gave in to it, indulging himself entirely, letting her see his excitement, his determination, his pride at his accomplishments over the past few days.
Nakano, for her part, was beyond happy to see Kei so eager, so excited to talk about his volleyball camp experience. Of course, she mused, on a scale of Kenma to Bokuto, Kei is still on the more subdued side of things. But I know full well he wouldn't show this kind of enthusiasm to anyone but me. And my gosh do I love him for it. I love that he's willing to let himself go when we're together like this. Slowly but surely, that side of him is peeking out around others that he trusts more and more. But for now, this is just for me. She couldn't help but smile broadly, taking the boy's hand on the table and squeezing it as he continued to ramble on about his camp. Of course, as he went on, he began to settle, and was soon complaining slightly about how exhausting the whole experience was, and how he couldn't believe he was going right back into more practicing tomorrow.
"That's my salty megane boyfriend," Nakano said, squeezing his hand again. He gave her a sassy look in return. "It will be really good to have the whole team back together. It was so strange, having practice without you and Kags and Shoyo for so long." She shoulder checked the blonde. "Mostly you."
He suddenly lay his head on her shoulder, nuzzling against her cheek. "I missed you, Roses. I'm so glad to be back here with you."
Nakano chuckled. "One full day apart, and look at us. You'd think you'd been gone a year."
Kei pouted. "Don't mock me, Roses."
Her hand came up to caress his cheek, making him nuzzle her again. "I'm not, love, because I missed you just as much."
He gave out with a small sigh, and got himself up from the table. "Come on, let's tidy this up. I've got something I want to talk to you about."
She looked at him quizzically, noting the faint blush that was gently making itself known on his cheeks. She gave him a smile and stood as well, moving to help clear the table.
Fifteen minutes later, the two were in Kei's bedroom, comfortably settled on his bed. Kei's blush was still evident, and the girl wondered what he had in mind. "Do you remember what we talked about, when I was at your house last time?"
"You mean, about you taking a more dominant role?"
He nodded. "And I'm glad you put it that way, Roses..." The boy's blush intensified as he took her hand, tracing random patterns on the back of it with his finger. "How would you feel about a little role play?"
She arched a brow at him. "Well, what did you have in mind?"
"Precisely what we talked about. A young lord and his maidservant."
She smiled softly. "Alright. Should we establish any ground rules?"
He looked her full in the eyes for the first time, feeling a little more confident now that she'd seemed to accept the idea so readily. "I remember that you asked for something a little bit soft - no humiliation or degradation. When we talked last time, you weren't sure about spanking. Any further thoughts on the matter?"
Now it was Nakano's turn to blush. "I...I have to admit, I feel a little mixed about it. I...I'm just not sure."
"You don't have to know this moment. Let's see how things go. As always, as we go along, all you have to do is say stop. At any time."
"Same goes for you, gorgeous."
"Now, a young lord is likely to be a bit haughty, especially at first. Will that bother you?"
"As long as he isn't cruel or vicious," the girl replied coyly. "So...how do you want to begin?"
Kei kissed her hand, and stood from the bed, moving to his desk and grabbing a simple, medium-sized shopping bag from beside it. It was a soft baby blue, but had no logo or other identifying marks on it, making Nakano wonder exactly where it had come from. "I think it would be best if we start by looking the part, don't you?" He handed the girl the bag, a teasing smile on his face.
Nakano looked inside, gasping slightly at what she saw. "Kei...is this...a maid costume?"
His blush roared back, making the tips of his ears red. "Well, I'd say more of a...serving wench, than a maid."
"Wench?" Nakano said, a curious lilt to her voice, "I rather like the sound of that. I don't think I could be a simpering little maid...but a wench...that I think I can do."
"Will you put it on, and bring your young master his evening tea?" Kei's face was a study in seduction, his eyes rather heavy lidded and his mouth looking so soft and warm and eminently kissable. Nakano swallowed deeply, wanting to forget all about the costumery and whatever else they'd talked about and just lose herself in kissing him. She took a deep steadying breath, remembering that he'd obviously put a fair bit of effort into this, and not wanting that to go to waste.
"One question first, love," she murmured, "When do you expect okaa-san to be home?"
A playful grin came over the boy's face. "Tomorrow evening," he said smugly.
Nakano suddenly blushed, looking down at the bag she now clutched in front of her with both her hands. "Alright then. Shall we prepare?"
Once downstairs, the girl unpacked the bag the boy had given her properly. She found herself becoming both slightly embarrassed and steadily more aroused as she did so, knowing that Kei had gone through the trouble (and likely experienced some embarrassment himself in the process) to find and purchase this outfit for her. The set consisted of an elastic-necked peasant blouse in cream with ruffled three-quarter sleeves, a very, very short brown dress with a corseted bodice, and beautiful silky bloomers that would most certainly be visible given how short the skirt of the dress was, in a color to match the blouse. The ribbon securing the corset was a bright, vibrant golden yellow - almost the color of Kei's hair. The quality of the set was quite high - the fabrics all felt surprisingly soft to her fingers and the workmanship was excellent. He's really going all out to try to bring this little idea I mentioned to life, she thought, that very fact once again making a tingling warmth spread through her. He's amazing. I want him to enjoy this so much. I'm going to really give my all to this role. She set about starting to brew Kei's favorite tea before taking her new outfit with her into the bathroom to change.
Kei changed into his waiting yukata with slightly trembling hands, chiding himself for already being half-hard at just the thought of Nakano putting on the outfit he'd purchased. When the girl had brought up her desires to him, he'd been elated, and gone immediately into planning and research mode. After all, it was the first time she'd really expressed such a thing to him. Not that she'd never made a move before or anything, but this was the first time she'd mentioned to him her feelings about what she would like him to do for her, and he really wanted to show her that he was ready, willing, and absolutely thrilled to do for her whatever she asked of him. He'd decided that proper cosplay was the way to go for this. He really wanted to make this a completely different experience for both of them - to try something new and explore a little more intimate territory with his stunningly beautiful girlfriend. Not to mention that the very idea of Nakano dressed as a serving wench turned him on to no end. He stood before the mirror in his bathroom, working to compose himself, to ready himself to play the role of the proud young lord, a young man who was used to taking what he wanted, when he wanted it. Satisfied with his look, Kei settled himself at his desk, homework laid out in front of him, feeling excitement building in him as he waited to hear a knock on his door.
Nakano stood in front of the mirror in the downstairs bathroom. Well, I can see why Kei chose this particular costume for me, the girl thought wryly. Nakano was possessed of a rather generous bosom to begin with, and the tight corset was designed to push her chest up, creating impressive décolletage. In fact, Nakano didn't think she'd ever seen her breasts lifted quite so high before, in any form of bra she'd ever owned. To put it frankly, if she wasn't careful, her tits were going to come spilling right out of the blouse just from her walking. A wicked grin made its way across her face, which she tried hard to suppress to no avail. Kei is going to absolutely lose it when he sees this on me, she thought, because this outfit is sexy as hell. I wonder how long he'll be able to keep up his haughty young lord act before he simply forgets all about role play and just ravishes me. The girl had to admit, she rather hoped it wouldn't be all that long.
After giving herself a few moments to practice walking without popping out of her clothing, Nakano felt she was ready. A serving girl, she reminded herself, a maidservant to a noble house. Assigned to the young lord of the family, both to please the eye and to wait on his needs. But not a pushover. A hard worker, polite, but with enough backbone to not simply be a plaything for the men of the household. That's what I'm going for. Nakano chuckled to herself as she realized she was actually kinda getting into this. She took up the tray of tea things she'd prepared and made her way upstairs to her young master's bedchamber.
With a final breath (not too deep of one, or she'd have to stuff herself back into her blouse), she knocked on the door of the young lord's bedroom. Within moments, she heard his fine tenor voice call out. "Enter," came his response, his voice controlled, calm, unemotional. Nakano felt her body thrum in anticipation. Kei's voice reminded her of the way he used to speak to her at the beginning of the school year - almost monotone, single words. She loved how emotional he was with her now, but something about hearing his more detached voice made her all the more hungry to hear it rich with suppressed want and need. I want him to be dominant, she realized, not necessarily because I want to be dominated, but because I want to know that I drove him mad with lust. That he became so domineering because he simply couldn't control his passion for me anymore.
She opened the door, schooling her features to calmness and walking confidently into the room. "Your evening tea, my lord," she said, moving towards the desk. As her eyes took him in, she controlled a gasp. Kei truly looked the part of a young nobleman, his yukata draped around his form, desk strewn with papers, writing implement in hand, a slightly weary look on his face. Instantly, Nakano felt her own desire spiking. I want to break that cold façade, she thought, make you release the animal that lurks inside you. She gave a tiny shake of her head, admonishing herself to stay in character. "Shall I prepare you a cup?" she asked, willing her voice not to tremble.
His eyes moved to her at last, and it took all of Kei's will not to react. Not to drop the pretense, not to simply grab hold of her and bury his face between her incredible breasts, presented to him in such delectable fashion. He felt himself stir in his boxers, body already becoming desperate to feel, to touch and rub and grind and lose all control, to give himself over to pure, unadulterated, hedonistic pleasure. Not yet, he reminded himself, make her work for it. The anticipation, the build up, is just as much a part of this as anything else. His only visible response to the girl was a slight nod, turning his attention at once back to the work laid out before him.
The girl moved to the dresser across the room, given the messy state of the desk. Placing a tea tray on top of the work the young lord was occupied with would only earn his ire, and the girl was not so stupid as to do that. She hazarded a glance at him as she prepared his cup, and saw him run a hand through his golden locks. He looked overworked, tense. He was a proud young man, who rarely sought aid in any fashion. She wondered if he would accept...no. If she offered anything other than what was normally expected of her, he'd refuse, become angry that she'd even suggested he might be in need of help. She finished her preparations and came to stand before her young master, tea cup held properly in both her hands.
"Your tea, m'lord," she murmured, bowing ever so slightly as she offered him the drink.
The young man gave his attention to the girl at last, accepting the cup from her, marveling that she managed to bow at all and not entirely fall out of her attire, which, he had to admit, had been specifically chosen to be titillating. He arched a brow, savoring the taste of the mecha, his favorite, which she had prepared to perfection. She was a skilled young woman, and she'd learned his preferences quickly. She was also incredibly sexy. It took far too much of his will not to lay his hands on her, to simply pull her to him and kiss her until she melted in his arms. He hummed softly, enjoying the tea, finishing his sip with a small exhalation of pleasure. He noted the tiniest look of satisfaction which came over her face at his enjoyment of the beverage. He finished the cup quickly, the warmth of the tea spreading through him, soothing him. He returned the cup to the girl. "Another cup," he said, turning once again to his work.
The girl moved swiftly, setting about fulfilling her young lord's request. Kei stole a glance at her as she worked, stunned by just how turned on he was simply from seeing her in the outfit he'd chosen for her. In moments, she presented him his second cup of tea, once again bowing slightly. He took the cup and sipped, setting this one down on his desk as he once again bent to his work.
The girl frowned, eyes on her young master, noting the hunch to his shoulders, the slight bend of his back. She pondered again what she might be able to say to offer her aid, deciding there was only one possible phrase she could use. She'd lingered a moment too long - the young lord turned to her again, slight aggravation at her continued presence evident on his handsome face. Another tiny bow. "May I be of any further service, my lord?" she asked. Nakano held the bow, knowing how it would accentuate her already ludicrously obvious décolletage. I want him to look, she thought, I want to see the struggle in his eyes. I want him to want me.
He straightened, wincing slightly. Taking up his teacup once again, his eyes roamed up and down the girl as he sipped, as if assessing something. "You seem a strong young woman," he murmured, reaching out and taking one of her hands, "with good hands. My neck and back are aching from all this work." He sipped again from the tea, then returned it to the desk. "Massage them," he commanded, turning his back to her. He had to look away, or he would simply bury his face in her boobs, and role play be damned.
"Of course, my lord," she said, a small smile coming to her lips. Her hands reached at once for his neck, but the moment her fingertips touched him, he gasped and pulled away. She dropped her hands, concern coming over her features, but before she could speak, he turned irritated eyes to her.
"How can someone who has been handling tea things have such cold hands?" he complained. She cast her face down and bit her cheek to keep from smiling. Nakano knew this was pure theatrics - her hands were most decidedly not cold. "Did you bring a second cup?" he inquired.
"No, my lord," she said.
A small scoff escaped him. "Very well." He picked up his cup and drained it, handing it to the girl. "You'll have to use mine. Go prepare yourself a cup of tea." She stared at him uncertainly for a moment. "I've ordered you to do it, therefore, it is perfectly proper for you to do so." She no longer hesitated, moving swiftly to complete his request. "Hold the cup firmly in your hands to warm them," he demanded, "and sip on the tea if you wish."
He simply watched her as she consumed the drink over several minutes, eyes ranging up and down her body but always returning to her bountiful cleavage. They frequently wandered up to her lips as well, especially as they brightened in color thanks to the hot liquid. When she had finished the tea and set the cup back on the tray, she moved once again to begin massaging his neck. She worked diligently, but gently, feeling his muscles relax under her touch, enjoying the small sigh of pleasure the young man permitted himself. When his neck felt fully relaxed, he spoke. "Now the shoulders."
She leaned further into him, breasts pressing against the back of his head. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, however. "Remove the fabric," he complained.
"M'lord?" she asked, the tiniest tremor in her voice.
"The yukata," he said, his voice clearly indicating that he was rolling his eyes at her, "remove it." He moved his chair back away from the desk to allow her access. Undress me, woman, and with more than just your eyes, he thought. She's playing this completely proper, trying hard not to be overt. Give me something to hook onto here. I want you so badly!
"As you wish, m'lord," she muttered, coming around in front of him and lowering herself to loosen the obi. She pushed the fold of the garment apart, exposing his chest. Her fingers slipped against his skin, brushing his left nipple. Kei bit his lip, determined he would not cry out. By all the gods, she wasn't making this easy on him. But he was bound and determined he would not make his move until she intimated something, until she gave him words he could turn back to her. Her glances down at the very obvious bulge between his legs were not enough - he wanted more.
Nakano could feel the heat between her legs, could feel her own arousal beginning to build. He was so sexy, so gorgeous. She wanted to drop herself into his lap, use her mouth on his bare chest, attack his Adam's apple and hear his seductive moans, but somehow, she managed to resist. The sexual tension in the room was becoming a palpable thing. Moving behind him again, she slipped the yukata off his shoulders completely, beginning to work his upper back. He let out several more appreciative grunts, making the girl press her thighs together. "You have excellent hands. Go lower," he commanded, a groan escaping from him as she did so. "Mmmm, yes," he said softly after a while. "Lower. Go as low as you can."
She struggled for a time to work his lower back, the back of the chair making things awkward. "Turn sideways, my lord, and I'll be able to please you properly."
And at hearing those words, something in the young lord snapped. At last, at long last, he had what he'd been waiting for.
A growl escaped him, and suddenly he was standing, the yukata falling to the floor, his body clad only in silky purple shorts. She gasped as he grabbed hold of her, crushing his mouth to hers, hands at once firm and rough and tender and loving. His kiss was powerful, his tongue pushing its way past her lips. Her body had tensed with his initial movements, but now she felt herself almost melting into his touch. He left her mouth, saliva smearing between them as he kissed along her jaw to her ear. "You want to please me properly, do you? Have you any idea what you're doing, wench? What you're doing to me?" His voice was intense, a powerful sound full of desire. He began licking at her ear, drawing a loud moan from the girl. "Tell me, wench, do you still wish to please me?"
"Y-yes, my lord...I..." Nakano's head was spinning, her body wanting.
He didn't let her finish. With another growl, his hand yanked the neckline of her blouse, stretching the elastic and spilling her tits out. His mouth moved at once to her left breast, taking her nipple in and sucking hard on it. One hand came to pull and twist at her right nipple, while the other was holding her to him, not that she had any intention of moving away. Her back arched, pushing her chest into him, a wild gasping moan escaping her as he suckled her for all he was worth. He traded between breasts from time to time, always giving attention to both, sometimes licking, sucking, even nibbling on her while simultaneously using his nimble fingers to roll, pinch, knead and massage. She was unable to silence herself, strangled noises of pleasure coming from her, mixed sometimes with words of desperation as she begged him for more. Ah gods, he's turning me on so much, she thought, he's so hot, so incredible, he's driving me mad! This feels so fucking good! It was not until her back hit the door that she realized he'd been steadily pressing forward, his face growing red as he kept all his attention on her voluptuous breasts. "This pleases me indeed," he moaned out around her nipple, sucking down hard yet again.
The girl felt her mind growing hazy, her mouth open and drooling as her gorgeous young master pleased both himself and her. A curious feeling was building inside her, a tightening of her core, a throbbing that she could in no way control. His hands were everywhere now, touching her face, her hair, her ass, her thighs. And yet these touches were distant, mere accents to the insane amount of arousal she was feeling from his constant, intense stimulation of her breasts. Suddenly, she cried out, body beginning to tense in a way that shocked her, yet was all too familiar. "Ah...mmn...I...I'm so...you're going to..."
He laughed, a wild insane sound, spreading even more of his saliva across her bosom. "That's it, wench," he purred, suddenly moving, his knee slipping up between her legs to grind at her core, his mouth suddenly back at her ear. "Come for me," he whispered.
She followed her young lord's command at once, crying out in sudden ecstasy as her orgasm exploded upon her, tossing her arms around her master's neck to steady herself as her whole body shook in pleasure.
Kei was honestly astounded as he held his beautiful girlfriend while she came down from her overwhelming high. She was virtually non-verbal at the moment, gasping and hanging limply from him. He waited, letting her recover a little, simply holding her until he could see some sense returning to her eyes. But there was no way her domineering young master was going stop with just her climax. "You've gotten to enjoy your pleasure, wench," he said, scooping the girl up and moving towards the bed, "and now it's time that I have mine." He lay her down on the bed, and then pressed her to roll over so that she was lying on her stomach.
"Mmm...m'lord...wha..." Her voice was slurred, still recovering from her intense release.
"Did you think we were finished, wench?" He climbed on top of her, pressing his hardened length against her thigh. "Feel it. Feel what you've done to me. You're the cause of this, wench, and now, you're going to be the solution to it."
"I...you...we can't..." She seemed to be trying to turn over, but her master discouraged this, his strong hands pressing her down into the mattress.
"Indeed, I cannot have you the way I want to," he said, pushing her skirt up and out of the way, his hands coming to knead the firm flesh of her behind through her silky bloomers, "take you fully, fill you up and breed you until your body is swollen with my child. That just wouldn't do, would it?" He gently spread the girl's cheeks within the knickers she wore, just enough for him to wedge his clothed erection between them, pressing their bodies tight together. He groaned in delight at the sensation of her body against him, she mewled in shock at what he was doing. "But I still intend to get my pleasure from you, wench." Grabbing her hands and bracing himself by holding them down, he rolled his hips slowly, continuously, eyes closing, moaning deeply at the awesome sensation. The silky fabrics, the friction from being pressed together so tightly, the intense arousal from having brought the girl to climax already, it was all too much, for both him and her. He ground her body into the mattress, she arched herself up into him, both their bodies running on autopilot, each doing what they needed to do to get the release they craved. An almost inhuman sound tore from the boy's throat, and he began rutting himself against her like an animal, driving harder and faster until he finally came, praise for how good she felt falling from his lips until his own climax rendered him speechless.
The two stayed there, both gasping for breath, trying to recover. Kei clambered off the girl at last, falling down on to the bed next to her, moving at once to gather her up into his arms. She rolled over to face him, to cuddle in close to his nearly nude body, and the boy's eyes widened. She was red-faced and panting, as if she had been the one who just... "Roses?" he queried, "Did you...did you come again?"
She nodded, eyes falling closed as she nestled herself into his embrace. He kissed her, soft little pecks all about her face and head. "Thank you, Kei," she said when at last her breathing was back under control, "this was amazing."
He smiled, stroking her strawberry blonde hair. "You enjoyed it then?"
She laughed, and again his heart soared in his chest. "Oh my goodness, yes. It was not at all what I was expecting, and yes, I enjoyed it thoroughly. How did you know?"
He shrugged and she giggled. "I didn't, really. But I remembered that day when we worked on the presentation, how much you said you liked it when I was so aggressive. I figured that might be a good way to dominate you, rather than using items or spanking or things like that. I wanted this to be something new we could experience together."
"It was fabulous. Even though you were the dominant one, I felt...powerful. My serving wench unlocked this wild beast from inside the reserved young lord simply by being who she was."
"Mmmm...you are good at that, beautiful," he said, kissing and nibbling into the crook of the girl's neck, making her squeal and giggle. He subsided, just holding her close, feeling her warmth relax him.
"I was so surprised, Kei, when you made me come, just from playing with my chest. Did you know that would happen?" She buried herself deeper into the crook of his arm, trying hide the blush that had made its way on to her cheeks.
"No, I was surprised too. I had no idea that was even possible. I guess you really did enjoy that."
Nakano chuckled. "Well, they say the part of the body most involved in orgasm is the brain. I have to admit, the way you attacked my chest...it was incredibly sexy. The whole thing was awesome. Thank you, Kei, so much. I love you, gorgeous."
"I love you too. Thank you for sharing your desires with me, for letting me do this for you. I love exploring all these amazing ways of sharing pleasure with you, Roses. And I have to admit, I really rather enjoyed the role play."
"It was fun, wasn't it? And this costume...I loved it."
"Good, I'm glad. Maybe next time we want to change things up a little, we can visit the store where I bought it together. They had a wide range of very interesting items..." She giggled again as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"I'm sorry I had to sort of ruin it with the braces..." she began, looking away a bit sadly.
His long fingers came to take hold of her chin, gently turning her to face him again. "Hey, shut up," he said, making the girl start, "When I first saw you, I didn't think 'oh wow, if only she wasn't wearing braces she'd be so sexy right now.' No, all I was thinking about was how to stop myself from coming right then and there. You took my breath away, Roses. You always do, my stunning, beautiful love. And not just during things like this. Don't get me wrong - you're sexy as hell and intimacy with you robs me of breath all the time. But just being like this - snuggling tight and feeling your warmth - amazing. Holding your hand at lunch, talking with you about anything and everything, big or small, serious or silly - brilliant. Everything about you, everything about us, makes me so damn happy I almost can't stand it."
Nakano blushed deeply, and the boy kissed her tenderly on the lips, finishing by scattering a few more kisses on her cheeks for good measure. She couldn't help but laugh. "Thank you, love. For everything. I really can't believe how lucky I am."
"Mmmm. That makes two of us. But right now, I need to ask you a question, love."
"What's that?"
"Should we clean up first, or cuddle a while first? Because I very much want to spend a little time just cuddling with you. I know you can't stay the night, but at least we can enjoy a little time together before you have to go home, right?"
She kissed him sweetly on the lips. "Absolutely, my love. But I am going to let you decide which we do first, as I suspect you may be the one who's a little more uncomfortable given the state of your shorts."
He snorted, giving the girl a wry grin. "Okay, fair point. Cleaning up first will probably be the better option."
The couple set about cleaning up from their intimate experience, spending the rest of their time together wrapped in one another's arms, just enjoying being close together again after their brief time apart.