Moonlight

Chapter 29

The team had a meet-up on a Saturday. Keishin went to accompany Akane down to Hinata's house. It was his sister's birthday.

"Have fun!" Keishin said, planting a caring kiss on Akane's crown.

"And you, too." Akane said and winked at the person who met with his uncle at the side walk. 

Takeda blushed off his thanks and Keishin shot her a look. She raised her hands in surrender and laughed. She walked inside with a wave of her hand when Hinata invited her in.

"And we're complete!" Hinata announced. The house was filled with the Karasuno boys and young kids played with them. Akane looked around and could not help the laughter off of her.

The kids did not care when Sugawara gently declined their games of marco polo and had him become the it instead. Kageyama was not spared to become a horse "for a mermaid who can't walk on land". The Ace Asahi became a bodyguard when some of the little boys decided to pretend-play a shooting game. He had to protect the smallest of the kids who was the "boss". 

Akane sat herself beside the window and when she looked out, she doubled over, clutching her stomach.

Tsukishima was taken advantage of as being a "tall, non-moving" friend. So he is outside on the yard, arms held out while holding a piñata. More kids swung at it with blindfolds and he was a dancing mess of avoiding the hits while making sure the swinging candy-filled figure is still within their reach.

"Hinata-san! I think it's not fair to have Akane do nothing!" Nishinoya yelled out at the mother, also looking around amusedly. He was playing horse as well and he kept mumbling about how his perfect hair is being messed.

Akane's eyes widened in alarm and Tsukishima also yelled from outside, "Yeah! We're all doing something!"

"H-hey! I don't even see Kiyoko-senpai!" She defended herself. 

Kiyoko waved a frosty utensil from the kitchen, "I'm making the cupcakes, Akane-san."

"W-well... I will do kitchen duties, too." Akane stood up to work but was blocked by a line of fairies. They all looked up at her with glistening eyes.

"Natsu-chan! We found you a princess!" 

Before she could say anything else, Akane was dragged and pushed up the stairs. They stopped in front of a mini-Hinata who looked at her with a wide smile. She curtsied and waved her hands to her "helpers". Then she disappeared inside a room, a happy spring in her steps. She emerged carrying a pink cloth and a plastic tiara.

"Will you join me in my kingdom? Of course I'm the queen, so you will have to be the princess." The girl cheerfully said. 

Akane caught sight of a familiar orange mop of hair sped by and she called out, "Hinata!"

Hinata stopped running and approached her, "Natsu, you better not be giving her a headache with your requests. We told you to keep it doable."

"It is! I requested for her to be a princess!"

Hinata blinked back his pseudo-anger and turned to Akane who was blushing madly. Then he scratched his head, "I'm sorry, Akane-san. It seems like no one can escape Her Majesty's rules today."

He leaned in to whisper, "Mom borrowed some of the costumes for us bigger kids, give a holler if it doesn't fit.  Natsu really wants to play pretend for her birthday."

Akane nodded unsurely and Hinata left as he was ushered to play the shooting game. Natsu looked at her brother and then to Akane with anticipation in her eyes. 

"I will change right away, Your Majesty." She said quietly and copied the curtsy timidly.

She was lead away by the fairies into Natsu's room and changed into her gown. It fit her body snugly as the material stretched a bit over her hips. It rested a little above the knees but with it being stretchable, Akane is able to pull it down safely.

She stepped out and gave Natsu a little twirl, the additional cloths around the leg area fluttered and shimmered. Natsu gave a little 'hmm' before rushing away to another room. She came back with another pink cloth.

"I want you to have a little cape, too. We're not just princess in the castle. We can fly and save the townspeople when they need it!" She beamed up at Akane who only smiled at her wild imagination. She tied the cape around her shoulders and knelt so Natsu can bless her with her crown.

"Natsu-chan! Your cake is ready!" The boys from downstairs called up excitedly. Natsu leapt from her place towards the stairs with a giddy laugh.

"The queen and the princess will be down after a while!" She replied and Akane smiled at her, awaiting for her command.

Her fairy friends went down first as they were to throw around flower petals as Natsu walked by. Akane followed after Natsu gave a long hug. 

"Thank you for being my princess." She whispered and then said in her normal voice, "Alright, off you go, Lady Pink of the Kingdom Karasuno."

Akane laughed softly and stepped down the steps. Her bare feet came in contact with the stairs but she felt like she was being carried by a string on her back. Everyone looked at her in awe and as the fairies' flowers kept hitting up to her chest due to their height, she would laugh it off. Then, she curtsied before the crowd and faced up the stairs.

With a graceful sweep of her hand, she announced, "Please all welcome Her Majesty and the birthday celebrant, Queen Natsu of the Kingdom Karasuno!"

The young Hinata walked down the stairs with her head held high and everyone erupted in a joyous cheer. She reached the bottom of the stairs and squealed up at her mom and brother.

"She announced me like I was a true queen!" 

The older Hinata's laughed and gave Akane a grateful smile for playing along. Daichi approached her first and gave her a thumbs up. Sugawara smiled beside him.

"I can't believe you got the easiest part." Nishinoya mumbled, sulking, "I would have loved to play dress-up. I know that crap my whole life!"

"I'm glad Akane got to play that part. Imagine how traumatic it would be to see a teenage boy wear that dress." Yamaguchi said drily, not sugarcoating his words.