Eclipse

Chapter 7

Eclipse's POV

"Eclipseeeeeeee."

"Mm."

"Eclipseee."

"Mmmm..."

"ECLIPSE." I groaned, opening my eyes and huffing at Grant. He chuckled, flicking my forehead as I stretched and got up.

"Gee, what're you waking me up so crudely for." I asked with a yawn, rubbing my eyes. Grant laughed, apologizing before leaning back.

"Sorry, was trying to get you up quickly. Your grandma poked her head in here and said you have a guest."

"Oh no. My dads' didn't like, find me yet have they."

"No. Because if the guest was one of your dads, you would've been woken up by being dragged out of bed by your arms." Grant said, making me laugh. He had a point.

"Well, no, depends on which dad."

"True."

"Agh, are they here? I'm a mess." I said, glancing in a looking glass at my appearance. Grant got up and walked up behind me, helping brush my hair with his fingers. Once I decided my hair wasn't a complete disaster, I made my way downstairs to see a man sitting politely with my grandma.

"Um... Hi?" I said as I walked in. The man looked over at me with a smile.

"Hi. Are you Eclipse?"

"Yes..?"

"Hello, my name is Yamaguchi. I was a friend of your fathers."

"Wow, my dads had a lotta friends here huh?"

"Mhm. How are they doing?"

"They're both good."

"Good, good. I spoke with Akihiko last night. He told me that you think you may have a way to get him out of his current position?"

"Well... Not yet. But I'll figure out a way to!"

"How did you plan on doing that?"

"Well its obvious the king and queen are lying about like, everything. If everyone finds out they're lying, surely that'd do something... right??"

"It could. Or it could potentially lead to something a lot more dangerous."

"More dangerous like what?"

"The people here are not exactly devout to the king and queen as it is. If their lies are exposed and the prince who was beloved returns, it could cause a war between the village and the royal guards. And, unfortunately, one of the groups are far more prepared for war than the other."

"...I don't want anyone getting hurt or killed.."

"Sometimes things get messy, Eclipse."

"But.." 

"You know, it's amazing. I see so much of both Hinata and Kageyama in you."

"Heh, you're the second person to tell me that..."

"Oh? Well, it's true. I can see you really care about your family and want them to be happy and have high spirit, like Hinata. But you also care about the people and want what is best and right for everyone, like Kageyama." He said, which made me smile slightly. It made me happy that people saw me as like my fathers. 

"I don't know what to do, Yamaguchi. I don't want anyone to be hurt or punished because of me, but, I don't want to just pack up and abandon everyone. Especially Akihiko."

"I don't want either of those things either. But one, or both, may have to happen."

"...Do you think there's any chance of me actually succeeding?"

"Maybe. More often than not, stories have happy endings." He said, giving me some hope. 

"I hope you're right."

"Me too.. Now, I really should return to the castle. I wanted to come to tell you that if you need any help, I'll provide you with what I can from inside. Okay?"

"You'd really do that?"

"Of course I would. I told you, the people's loyalty to the king and queen are thin. And even thinner in their servants." Yamaguchi said with a wink. I giggled, rushing over and giving him a hug as a thanks. He hugged me back before heading to the door.

"Oh, Yamaguchi?"

"Yes?"

"Um, am I able to visit Akihiko more?"

"If he tells the guards to allow you inside, then yes."

"Do you think he'd do that?"

"I do. I will explain to him how it works when I get back. But, if the guards know that you are permitted by the prince's own word, then they will allow you inside the gates."

"Thank you, again."

"I'm glad that you asked. Akihiko could use a friend like you." He said with a small smile before leaving. My grandma sighed gently, getting up and tucking hair behind my ear with a smile before walking off as well. Grant wandered over, giving me a raised brow.

"What, so now you're all friendly with the prince?"

"Huh? Oh Grant, it isn't like he's the actual prince anyway."

"What??"

"....Uh, nothing, nothing!"

"...Alright. Anyway, since when did you two become such good friends."

"Well he's lonely and stuck in a palace all day. I think he'd like some company, besides, he's really nice. Nothing like I thought a prince would be like."

"Hey! I'm technically a prince what are you saying!" Grant said in an offended tone. I laughed, patting his shoulder.

"Oh hush hush you know what I mean silly. Anyway, come on come help me."

"Help you with what-"

"My hair!"

"What for."

"Well it's a mess and for some reason you're incredible with hair."

"Hey who said that I'm just gonna be your hair stylist?"

"Pretty pleaseee? With a seashell on top?" I asked with a giggle. Grant sighed, rolling his eyes and following me as I grabbed his hand and dragged him back to the spare bedroom, the one that used to be my Aunt's when she was little. I grabbed a comb from my grandma's dresser quickly and gave it to Grant. 

He sat on the bed and had me sit in front of him. I grinned, sitting in his lap. Grant seemed a bit surprised and flustered for a minute before composing himself and just getting to work untangling my hair. I smiled as he worked, happy he was somehow better at this than I was. What would I do without him.