The King Fell and Needs Help Getting Up

Chapter 8

It was a couple of weeks later, Kageyama was living at Tsukishima's giving the excuse that his parents were out of the country. Tsukishima had secretly told his mother, she deserved to know seeing as she is now raising a boy that is not hers. She was understanding and sympathetic, making sure to go along with the lie she was told. She noticed how Tobio clung to Kei, how the boy panicked a little when Kei left him alone. She found it cute, she also figured something was going on when Kei put the guest futon away.

"Tobio-kun, would you like some strawberry milk? It's one of Kei's favourites and I'm sure it'll help you calm down while he's in the shower." Hotaru offers and Kageyama politely accepts the box of pink milk. He drinks it through and smiles at the taste.

'It tastes like him.'

It floats through Tobio's mind as he waits for his... boyfriend? They never clarified what they were just that they were something.

Hotaru smiles seeing the blue-eyed boy relax.

"To-kun! Wanna play some volleyball with me in the backyard?" Akiteru asks and Kageyama looks up at him with the straw of the strawberry milk in his mouth.

"Awe! You may be a highschooler but you look so adorable!" Akiteru says causing Kageyama to tilt his head in confusion.

"Hey, stop hitting on him that's illegal," Kei says when he walks in the living dressed and rubbing a towel on his head to dry his hair.

"I'm not! He just looks like a little kid with a milk box straw in his mouth!" Akiteru tries to defend himself and Kei looks at Tobio, seeing what his brother saw.

"Maybe but that's my milk, why is he drinking it?" Kei asks, trying to cover his similar thoughts.

"I gave it to him. He looked like he needed something sweet." Hotaru says smiling and Tobio looks at the three blonds.

"Well, are you going to go play?" Kei asks and Tobio nods setting the milk down on the table before following Akiteru outside.

"He's a nice boy... it's horrible what happened to him.. I'm glad you helped him." Hotaru says to Kei who shrugs.

"I'm not heartless." He says.

"No, you're not. I've noticed how he is when you leave him. You're a safety item for him. Are you prepared for that? You can't toss him to the side if you get annoyed, you can cause more damage."

"Mom, it'll be fine. He just needs some help, he'll be fine soon enough. I'm just his highness's royal advisor." He says and his mom looks at him.

"Kei, it's more than that. He panics when you leave, you should have seen his face when I gave him the milk. He had the brightest smile on his face, you're not just an advisor to him. Be careful with him."

".... We're fine. He just likes milk." Kei says grabbing strawberry milk for himself.

"I hope you know what you're doing, dinner will be ready soon." She says and heads back into the kitchen. Kei looks outside where Kageyama and his brother were playing. He watches for a bit before joining them outside, sitting on the porch. Tobio stops and smiles at him, Akiteru looking between them before heading inside.

"I have to use the bathroom! I'll be back!" He excuses himself.

Kageyama walks over and sits beside Kei. The blond looks down at the shorter boy.

"You like strawberry milk? I thought it was only regular milk." Kei asks.

"I didn't mind it before, but now I like it. It tastes like you." He says and Kei blushes, turning away from the bluntness that is Kageyama Tobio.