Archive of Our Own

“Sorry, your call cannot be connected. Please try again later.”

“Sorry, your call cannot be connected. Please—“

“Sorry, your call cannot—“

Kei grits his teeth, narrowing his eyes at his phone. “‘Can’t be connected’, my ass.”

He looks ahead—at their window—resisting the urge to chuck his phone out of it.

Kei tries to reach him once more through Messenger, Zoom, even fucking Instagram, but all of his messages are left unread. He grimaces at the amount of previous messages he had already sent.

Ever since Tobio sent him a “Can’t talk this week” last Monday, Kei was slowly feeling himself unravel. It was now a Thursday, and still, all he got from his boyfriend was radio silence. 

Kei was going to murder him.

Did he have to be so vague? Kei was even close to emailing their coach to ask, for god’s sake.

Yes, he knew he sounded desperate, but he couldn’t help it. Even when the Adlers were in the middle of the season, Tobio would shoot off a “Practice for the whole day. Can’t call tonight. Sorry”.

This radio silence? It was new.

It was unfamiliar territory.

Some small, rational part of Kei understood. Because even though he wasn’t a professional athlete, he was an exhausted university student. He knew a thing or two about being consumed with work. 

But something was off this time. Maybe it was the vagueness of the text. Maybe Kei was just being paranoid. 

Or maybe something was very, very wrong.

Kei takes a deep breath and stifles the panic building inside his chest. He arranges the things on his desk for the third time that night, even though his desk has been the cleanest it’s ever been since finals started. 

He couldn’t help it. He was feeling angsty. Like he was supposed to be doing something instead of just waiting for a text or a call from Tobio.

Massaging his temple, Kei sighs. From the corner of his eye, he sees his roommate coming out of their bathroom.

“Still no luck?” Kiyoomi asks, pressing the towel against his damp curly hair—“rubbing a towel makes my hair frizzy”—before tossing it in the hamper.

He leans against the bathroom’s doorway. Their apartment was tiny enough that Kei could faintly feel the steam coming from the bathroom. He knew that Kiyoomi’s bed, which was the nearest to the bathroom, would smell like whatever bath bomb Kiyoomi had just used.

“No,” Kei answers, not even caring how disappointed he sounded. “This close to just booking a flight to fucking Koganei just so I can strangle him.”

Kiyoomi rolls his eyes as Kei bangs his head on his desk, muttering something about how stupid his boyfriend is. 

In his suffering, Kei doesn’t even notice that someone was entering their apartment.

“Oh, please do. So that I’ll finally become Japan’s #1 setter once and for all. I don’t like how it’s always between me and Kageyama-kun.”

Kei groans. He hears a sound of shoes being toed off and slippers slapping against their floor.

He suddenly regrets giving Kiyoomi the go signal to have Atsumu have a spare key.

Kei cranes his head at Kiyoomi—forehead still pressed against his desk—and narrows his eyes at him. Kiyoomi failed to mention that his boyfriend was visiting.

At least Kiyoomi had the decency to shoot Kei an apologetic smile, hands raised, palms facing Kei.

Atsumu walks in like he was their third roommate, freshly showered just like his boyfriend. He was wearing a white shirt and some blue jeans. The fact that professional athletes can make anything look fashionable should be a crime.

From the corner of his eye, Kei watches as Atsumu drags Kiyoomi with him as he falls into Kiyoomi’s bed, which was right next to Kei’s desk. The bed squeaks as it takes on the weight of two grown men. Kei rolls his eyes as Kiyoomi tries to get off of Atsumu, but Atsumu was quick. He wraps his arms around Kiyoomi, pinning his hands to his sides, a victorious smile on his face. Kiyoomi sighs, but it was obvious he was fighting a smile. Defeated, he lays his head on Atsumu’s chest, his cheek squished as he turns to face Kei.

“If you’re so worried, then go to him already.”

Atsumu hums. Of course, Kiyoomi told Atsumu about his predicament.

Kei glares at the couple. “It’s not that easy.”

“Not easy?” Atsumu asks, trying not to eat Kiyoomi’s curls. “When Omi-Omi refused to talk to me for a day, I went here, didn’t I? Pretty romantic gesture, to be honest.”

Kiyoomi snorts. 

“Because—,“ Kei fumbles. Because it would be the final nail to the coffin. It would seal Kei’s fate that he was a clingy boyfriend who couldn’t last for four days without talking to Tobio.

Kiyoomi’s expression softens, sensing that Kei was once again overthinking. His roommate was intuitive like that.

“You’re not being paranoid. You said this was unusual for Kageyama-kun. Just go to him already. What’s stopping you, anyway? Didn’t you finish your last round of exams this morning?”

Kiyoomi was right. Kei was more or less done with the semester. All that’s left for him to do was pass one final research paper. And being the conscientious person that he was, he was almost done with that. He just needed to proofread it and add the appendices. 

What indeed was stopping him?

Kei sighs. Maybe his lovestruck roommate and his equally lovestruck stupid boyfriend were finally rubbing off on him. Because Kei was now picking his head up from his desk, already considering looking up the next available train schedule to Koganei. 

“The next train’s in 30 minutes.” Atsumu says. He was tapping away on his phone with one hand, one arm still tightly wrapped around Kiyoomi. “Booked you a window seat and also a taxi. Taxi’s ETA is 8 minutes. So, you better hurry up.”

Kiyoomi smiles up at his boyfriend, his eyes fond. He presses a kiss to Atsumu’s chin since it was the only part he could reach.

Kei shoots Atsumu a grateful smile. He gets up to hurriedly pack everything he needed, which wasn’t much. All he needed was toiletries and his laptop since he knows that he still had clothes over at Tobio’s apartment.

“Thanks, Atsumu.” Kei says as he shoves his laptop into a backpack. “But this doesn't mean I forgive you just yet. I swear, if I see your butt print on the kitchen island again, I’ll change the locks here.”

Atsumu splutters while Kiyoomi buries his head on Atsumu’s chest.

“We said we were sorry, Tsukki!”

*

Kei rubs the sleep out of his eyes as he steps out of the elevator, mentally cursing Kiyoomi and Atsumu for talking him into traveling in the middle of the fucking night.

Why couldn’t he just wait until morning? When he had time to think it through? Maybe Tobio would finally text him back in the morning and Kei would save himself the embarrassment of looking utterly desperate.

He checks his watch—1:23 AM—and feels for the spare key in his back pocket. Tobio had given it to him when he just moved into the apartment two years ago; when he was still making his debut as the Adler’s starting setter.

Kei smiles as he remembers his dumbfounded expression during that fateful day. They were both exhausted from hauling furniture and arranging Tobio’s things. Kei was preparing their dinner—take-out, since they were too tired to cook—when he felt Tobio’s arms wrap around his waist. 

Kei had stopped his movements when one of Tobio’s hands slipped something into the front pocket of his jeans. He had tilted his head to look at Tobio, who tightened his hold on Kei’s waist.

“Are you sure?” Kei had asked. Even though it was impossible, Kei swore he felt the cold metal burning his thigh. 

It was yet another huge step in their relationship. But Tobio had merely shrugged, kissing Kei’s shoulder before unwrapping his arms and grabbing some of the food Kei had laid out.

“100%.”

Kei shakes his head as he walks towards Tobio’s apartment. The key, safely placed in his back pocket, feels heavier than usual. Especially since Kei feels like he’s not allowed to use it. Which sounds ridiculous. Why would Tobio give him a spare if he didn’t want Kei to use it?

When he finally reaches Tobio’s apartment, apt. 505, he wipes his sweaty hands on his jeans, before tentatively knocking on the door. Kei could see light seeping at the crack at the bottom of the door.

When no Tobio comes to open the door, Kei uses his spare key. 

Kei wasn’t sure what he was expecting. He was always assuming the worst. Brief images of Tobio moving to another apartment without telling him or Tobio joining another team outside the country flashed through his mind. 

Maybe he got tired and needed space? Maybe he was just busy? Kei makes a vow to revoke Atsumu’s spare key to their apartment. And maybe find a new roommate. It was now dawning on him just how utterly stupid he was being.  Why couldn’t he just wait for Tobio to call him back? It wasn’t like they’d gone a month without talking. It was just four days, for god’s sake. Stupid Kiyoomi. Stupid Atsumu. But Kei was even more stupid for even listening to them.

Holding his breath, Kei opens the door.

Tobio’s flat was designed in a way that when you enter it, you can see everything. To the left of t he door was the kitchen and a small dining table. To the door’s right was a small living room. Ten steps away from the door—beneath the sliding windows—was Tobio’s bed.

Kei’s brain screeches to a halt when he sees a lump on the bed.

Kei could feel his blood boiling. Here he was, sick with worry. Here he was, having just spontaneously catch a train to see his boyfriend, who was sleeping like a goddamn baby. He had a mind to start screaming at him. With clenched fists, Kei makes his way to the bed, steps heavy, already formulating what he was going to say. He didn't even care if Tobio's neighbors would wake up from all the screaming he was going to make. Usually, Kei wasn't for dramatics, but what can he say, Tobio brings out the worst in him.

He stops when he sees Tobio up close. Yes, he was asleep. But he looked like shit.

His cheeks were flushed. His hair was sticking to his forehead and his lips were cracked and pale.

“You idiot.” Kei whispers, pushing back sweat-soaked hair from Tobio’s forehead.

Despite worry clawing at his chest, Kei couldn’t stop himself from smiling when he sees that Tobio was wearing his university hoodie. The ends of the drawstrings were frayed and Tobio had sweater paws because the sleeves were too long on him. Kei had gone through his drawers, frantically searching for it. He forgot to consider that maybe it was with Tobio, who had a habit of stealing Kei’s clothes when he visited him in Sendai.

Kei puts his backpack beside the bed and grabs a washcloth from Tobio’s dresser. He runs it under warm water, kneels beside the bed, and gently presses the washcloth against Tobio’s forehead.

Tobio’s eyes flutter open. And god, did Kei miss those intense blue eyes that made him feel like he was drowning if he stared into them for too long. Video calls didn’t do justice to his eyes.

“King,” Kei says softly, brushing a thumb over Tobio’s cheek. His skin was hot and sticky to the touch.

“Kei,” Tobio’s raspy voice makes Kei wince. “You’re here.”

“And you’re sick.” Kei replies and attempts to stand up, but Tobio stops him by grabbing on to his hand. His hand was clammy, his grip weak.

“Where are you going?”

“To get you water. You look like you’re this close to passing out from dehydration.”

Kei could feel Tobio tracking his every moment. He was probably hallucinating that Kei was actually there. Tobio looked so out of it.

Kei frowns.

“Is this why you’ve been avoiding my calls and texts?” Kei asks when he returns, helping Tobio sit up a bit on his bed.

He was sweating like crazy now, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. He was wearing a hoodie, some gray sweatpants, and dinosaur-printed socks that Kei had given to him as a joke. All the while the AC was off.

He was relieved though. The excessive sweating meant his fever broke through.

“I didn’t want you to worry,” Tobio says after draining the glass in one gulp. “You had finals this week, right?”

His voice was still hoarse, but at least it didn’t sound like sandpaper rubbing together anymore.

“It’s kind of my job to worry about you, King,” Kei says, biting back his tongue from saying how ridiculous Tobio was being. How’d Tobio expect to recover—alone—when he could barely lift a glass of water?

“I’m done with my exams. Aside from a paper, my semester’s more or less done.”

“You’re going to get sick,” Tobio replies, slipping back into bed, grimacing as he wipes a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

“We’ll cross the bridge when we get there,” Kei replies distractedly, tilting his head. “Raise your arms. You need to change.”

Tobio weakly shakes his head, strands of hair once again sticking to his sweaty forehead. “Too tiring.”

Rolling his eyes, Kei sits at the edge of the bed, tugging on his—Tobio’s? Their?—hoodie. 

“I’ll help you. Come on.”

Reluctantly, Tobio raises his arms while Kei tugs the hoodie off of him. 

He swallows. 

Why oh why hasn’t he gotten used to Tobio’s body yet? He’s been seeing it for the last three years, for god’s sakes, why does he always act like a giddy teenager discovering there are magazines that had shirtless men in the pages?  Why did he have the urge to ogle and lick his lips when he sees his boyfriend’s bare broad chest and his well-defined abs and v-line? God fucking damn it.

Kei exhales slowly before standing up and walking towards Tobio’s dresser to grab a fresh shirt. Thankfully, Tobio was too sick to notice Kei having a full-blown gay panic attack in his apartment.

After replacing his sweatpants as well as the sheets, Tobio scoots closer to the wall, patting the space he just vacated.

“Let’s sleep.” Tobio mumbles, eyes already half-closed. 

Kei stops himself from sliding in next to him, sighing as he remembers that his paper was due in 7 hours. To be fair, that was a lot of time, but Kei wanted to be done with it. He had a sick boyfriend to take care of.

Instead, Kei carefully drags the small coffee table from the living room and puts it beside the bed. He and Tobio purchased it the last time he visited to make his apartment look more lived in.

Tobio’s eyes flutter open, gaze focusing on Kei as he grabs a chair and sits on it. He digs out his laptop from his backpack and places it on the table.

“What’re you doing?”

“I have to finish this paper real quick.”

Tobio pouts, scooting closer to Kei. 

He grabs Kei’s hand and places it on his cheek. He puts his own hand on top of Kei’s. 

“You had me worried,” Kei murmurs, hating how tired Tobio looked. 

By now, Kei didn’t have to say it. He and Tobio were both aware how much of a notorious worrier he was. When he and Tobio got together at the end of their third year at Karasuno, Naturally, Kei worried that it was bad timing.  It was just his luck that his first relationship would be long distance. The problems that came with being entangled with a person was already stressful enough. He and Tobio also had to navigate it while also being separated? It was tough shit.

But Tobio, as always, pulled Kei towards the shore when he was drowning in his thoughts.

“Stop that. You’re overthinking again,” Tobio had said, lightly rapping a fist against Kei’s forehead.

Kei leaned down and rested his head on Tobio’s shoulder, matching his breathing with his. “I can’t help it.”

Tobio had gently pushed Kei at arm’s length, a determined look on his face.

“We’re going to make it work. No if’s, no but’s.”

Would it really be that easy?

Kei voiced as much.

“It won’t,” Tobio replied, one hand cupping Kei’s cheek and one hand brushing away the furrow between his eyebrows. “But we’ll do our best.”

“You sound so sure,” Kei had said amusedly. The only other time Tobio was this cocksure about anything was when he was talking about volleyball.

“Because I’m sure about you.” Tobio shrugged, like admitting this simple fact came naturally to him as setting.

Hearing Tobio say this, Kei would be damned if he didn’t die trying to make their relationship survive long distance. And just like all of the things he excessively worried about, Kei was proven wrong. Being with Tobio wasn’t difficult. It wasn’t easy, there were hiccups now and then, but there was nothing tremendously disastrous that they couldn’t talk about it. They established early on that they had to constantly give each other a head’s up if they were busy that day or that week. Kei shared his class schedule every semester and Tobio updated him if the Adler’s group and individual practices would suddenly change.

It was a good setup. A setup that suited them just fine for 3 years. Nothing had rocked this little arrangement. Until this week.

“Our friends will have my head if they hear that I’ve been neglecting my duties looking after his highness.” Kei says, lightly squishing Tobio's cheek like a squeeze ball. 

His tone softens, all traces of humor gone. “Please don’t keep things like this from me. Didn’t we agree back then?”

Tobio pouts again. His tone was apologetic. “I promise I’ll tell you next time. Sorry for making you worry. I just didn't want to distract you.”

“I care about you, King. You know that right?” Kei asks.

“Of course.” Tobio kisses a knuckle before transferring Kei’s hand to his other cheek so that it was trapped between his cheek and the pillow. “Thank you for coming here. I appreciate it.”

Kei smiles. “Anything for you, King.”

Kei knows Tobio’s really out of it when Tobio doesn’t even tease him about how sappy he was being. 

“I love you.” Tobio says, blue eyes watery and heavy with fatigue, but still holding so much fondness and sincerity that it makes Kei’s breath hitch.

Okay, not completely out of it.

Kei’s ears feel hot. “I love you too, King. Now, sleep.”

Tobio hums, eyes already closing.

Within seconds, he falls asleep. No wonder Kei always had a hard time sleeping in his room back in Sendai. Tobio’s snores were his white noise.

Kei tries to extract his hand, but Tobio holds it closer to his face, stubbornly not letting go.

Kei feels his lips twitch.

Cute.

It would take Kei twice as long to type with one hand. But it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

*

5 hours later, Kei was finally done with his paper. It would have taken him considerably less time if he didn’t type with one hand, but Tobio would wake up when he tried removing it, looking at Kei like it was his fault that he needed his hand.

Said hand was now subjected to Tobio’s drool. But Kei didn’t mind. He was used to Tobio drooling on his chest. There was even a time that he managed to get drool on Kei’s cheek because Tobio moved a lot in his sleep.

It was now 6 in the morning. The sky was slowly turning into a soft shade of blue and Kei could faintly hear more vehicles on the road below, ready to start another day.

Kei breathes out a sigh of relief as he closes his laptop, stretching out his fingers. He couldn’t wait to get into bed and get the sleep he desperately needs.

Just as he was about to gently rouse Tobio to make room, Kei hears loud, hard knocks on the front door. He holds his breath, praying to any god that was listening to a tired and sleep-deprived university student that he wasn’t hearing what he was hearing at fucking 6 AM.

He groans when the knocks continue. He rubs the sleep out of his eyes and reluctantly removes his hand from Tobio’s hold. Tobio resists at first, but after a few tugs, Kei’s left hand was finally free at last.

Kei winces as he tries to get feeling back into his hand, hurriedly walking to the door.

He opens the door, holding on to the doorknob, and blinks as a startling shade of bubblegum pink hair blinds him.

Bubblegum pink man is equally startled when he sees Kei. 

“Oh. Hi,” He says, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He was carrying a plastic bag that looked like it had takeout food inside.

Kei tries to not raise an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”

“I was about to say the same thing to you! You must be one of Tobio’s friends?” Bubblegum man laughs and Kei’s eyes narrow.  “You weren’t here the last time I was here.”

So, he was here recently, huh?

Kei shrugs, deigning not to answer.

Bubblegum man tries to look inside the apartment, but Kei’s looming height stops him from doing so. Bubblegum man rocks back on his heels, flashing Kei a wide—but clearly uncomfortable—smile.

Now that Kei has taken a good look at the man, he recognizes him from the pictures Tobio’s teammates post on their Instagram stories. Bubblegum man was almost always present during company parties and sometimes, izakaya hangouts. Kei realizes that t his was Wakatoshi-kun’s cousin. The one who moved to America when he was 17? 18?  Tobio briefly mentioned bubblegum man moving back here recently, saying that America’s lifestyle “wasn’t for me”. Whatever that meant.

Kei could feel his annoyance simmering. Bubblegum man looked like he wasn’t planning to leave, opting to engage in small talk instead.

“Tobio is always pushing himself. I told him to take it easy! But he never listens, does he?”

“He doesn’t.” Kei answers curtly.

“Has he been eating? Because the last time I tried to feed him something, he just puked it out. Poor thing.”

Kei’s hold on the doorknob tightens.

“Is he awake? I can try again.” Bubblegum man says, eyes lighting up at his own suggestion.

Like hell you will , Kei thinks.

“I have his favorite soup right here though I had the restaurant remove the mushrooms because he doesn’t like having mushrooms in his soup. Do you know that he’s allergic to a lot of things? I can type up a list if you—“

“Thank you so much for taking care of him, but I’ll handle it from here.” Kei dismisses the suggestion with a wave of his hand, like it was a pesky fly that kept buzzing near his face.

He knows he shouldn’t. He knows that he and Tobio both agreed to keep their relationship under wraps. 

But Kei couldn’t help it. Especially when this guy who only knew Tobio for just a few months was acting like a know-it-all when it came to his boyfriend. 

Kei’s boyfriend.

“No need to prattle on about his allergies,” Kei says breezily. A smirk graces his lips. “Being together for the last 3 years has forced me to remember every single one lest I be responsible for my boyfriend’s death.” 

The realization that dawns on bubblegum man’s face was a sight to behold.

“Oh,” He does a double take, looking bewildered. 

“Oh.” He says again. “Okay. I’m just going to go then…” 

“Yes, you should.” Kei says, slowly closing the door. “Bye-bye now.”

Kei shuts the door with more force than necessary and makes his way back to Tobio’s bed.

Tobio stirs.

“Who was that?” He asks, voice groggy with sleep. He burrows deeper under the blankets.

“Wrong door.” Kei replies, gently shoving Tobio so he can lie down next to him. Within seconds, they both fall asleep, Tobio’s limbs entangled with Kei’s.

*

It was stupid of him to wish it, but Tobio hoped his fever lasted longer. If it meant Kei would stay for another day or two. But it was a ridiculous thought to entertain. For one, Tobio was already missing a lot of practices. Even though their coach had told him to take it easy, that Tobio can take as much time as he needed to recover, he was already itching to go back to the Adlers’ gym. And while he absolutely didn’t mind being hauled up with his boyfriend for the past 3 days, Tobio thinks Kei must be exhausted by now from taking care of him.

It wasn’t easy looking after someone who was sick and was stubborn as him. On the first day, even though the fever was kicking Tobio’s ass, he still made everything difficult for Kei because the nausea that came with the fever made him all pissy. And also because he simply wanted to.

But Kei simply clicked his tongue when Tobio refused to cooperate. He didn’t lash out. He didn’t complain that he had to keep filling up the bathtub with hot water for the third time in a row. Kei was patient.

Now, Tobio’s healthy as ever. Mainly because Kei fussed over him almost every hour of every day. Even though Tobio was more than capable of feeding himself by the 2nd day Kei was there, Kei still insisted. Tobio didn’t protest. Not when his boyfriend was more doting than usual.

Kei tightens the blue scarf around Tobio’s neck and checks his hands to see if he had already put on his gloves. Tobio rolls his eyes as he holds his hands out, wiggling his fingers to indicate that he had indeed put them on.

“It’s cold out. I don’t want you to get sick again.” Kei says, putting on his backpack.

“I know.” Tobio huffs as he puts on some sneakers slowly.

He didn’t want to see Kei go. The whole morning, he dragged on every moment between the both of them as much as he could. Usually, they cuddled in bed for an hour, max. But Tobio stretched it out to two hours. When they were making breakfast, Tobio chose an overly complicated recipe when Kei asked him what he wanted to eat. Kei indulged him of course, solely because he wanted to stretch out the time they had together too.

Kei wanted to stay as well. It’s been too long since they last saw each other. But he knew Tobio would want to get back to his routine. His volleyball-obsessed boyfriend had a restless energy around him the moment he started feeling better. A restless energy that could only be satiated by playing for hours on end. Kei didn’t want to impose any further. 

Kei pats his back pocket, making sure he could feel his phone and his train ticket.

“You sure you didn’t forget anything?” Tobio asks when he finishes tying his sneakers. 

He stands up and reaches for Kei’s hand.

Kei nods and takes his hand. They reluctantly start to head towards the front door. No matter how much they wanted to drag it out, there was no stopping the fact that Kei had a train to catch. Their time was up.

Kei squeezes Tobio’s hand, racking his brain on how he can casually say, “Hey, why don’t I stay for another day?” without sounding any more clingy and needy. Because really, did he not come across as someone who was clingy and needy when he caught a midnight train 3 days ago?

“King—“ Kei starts to say, but stops when he feels his nose itch.

He lets go of Tobio’s hand to sneeze into the crook of his arm.

A few seconds pass before Tobio quickly whips out his phone. He furiously types something, puts it back in his pocket and tries to take off Kei’s backpack.

“Changed your ticket to next Sunday. Let’s go back to bed.”

Kei rolls his eyes, letting Tobio take his backpack. He didn’t feel giddy at how Tobio eagerly changed his train ticket. He did not.

“Today’s Sunday, King. Next week is a bit far-fetched, no? And I’m not sick, by the way. It was just a sneeze.”

It’s Tobio’s turn to roll his eyes. They were standing in the middle of the apartment, Tobio clutching Kei’s backpack, Kei fidgeting with the scarf around Tobio’s neck again.

“Changed it to next Sunday just in case you’re sick.” Tobio hesitates before he barrels on. “And besides, I wanted to spend more time with you.” 

He looks at the tip of Kei’s nose. Tobio didn’t want to see the teasing glint he knew was in Kei’s eyes. 

“Sorry,” Kei says, a smirk on his face. He rests his hands around Tobio’s waist, pulling him closer. Tobio scowls at the tone but he nonetheless steps towards him, a hand coming up to lightly scratch at the hair at the back of Kei’s neck.

Kei couldn’t help but tease him, especially now that Tobio’s cheeks were flushed a pretty pink. “Didn’t hear you. What did you say?”

He meets Kei’s gaze and glares at him. “Is it so bad if I said that I wanted to spend more time with you? I was sick most of the time you were here.”

Kei’s smirk is quickly replaced with a fond smile.

Ah.

So they’ve both been idiots the whole time.

Tobio momentarily stops scratching Kei’s hair. “You’re okay with spending another week with me, right?”

Kei raises an eyebrow, a hand traveling down to Tobio’s hip to squeeze it. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Thought you’d be exhausted by now from taking care of me. Is all.” Tobio replies nonchalantly, but Kei could tell he was overthinking this as much as he was.

Kei hums, leaning down so that their foreheads were touching. “This might come as a surprise to you King, but nothing about the past 3 days has been exhausting. Don't be ridiculous. I’m just glad I was here to take care of you.”

Even if it’s just a grin, Kei still finds it blinding.

Even if it’s a smirk, Tobio still finds warmth beneath the seemingly cold curl of Kei’s mouth. 

“And I love spending time with you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here in the first place.” Kei finishes. He inwardly cringes, thinking that Tobio would tease the hell out of him for saying it. A taste of his own medicine, so to speak.

But Tobio merely closes his eyes, a small smile on his face.

Waiting. 

Kei almost snorts. What a king.

Just as he’s about to close the tiny gap between them, Kei feels it.

He quickly pulls back and sneezes into the crook of his arm again.

Tobio puts Kei’s backpack on the couch and pushes him back. “Bed. Now.”

Six hours later, Kei is buried under multiple blankets, his nose runny and his eyes watery.

“I hate to say this—“ Tobio says, his voice smug.

Kei’s glare is weak.

“But I told you so.”

Kei settles deeper into his cocoon of blankets, secretly inhaling the scent of the hoodie that he was wearing. Tobio had put it on when they were about to leave for the train station. It made him look so soft and cuddly that Kei demanded Tobio take it off so he could wear it instead.

“Stop glaring at me, you baby.” Tobio says, trying to unwrap Kei from his fortress of blankets. “Come on, stand up before the water gets cold.”

“Carry me.” Kei says, sniffling. 

Tobio finally manages to remove all the blankets from Kei’s body. He holds out his arms toward Tobio, who was looking down at him, trying hard not to smile.

“Kei, you’re heavy and not to mention tall.” Tobio replies. “Plus, the bathroom’s literally across from us.”

“What? The King can’t be bothered to help a struggling commoner?” Kei shoots back, a pout on his lips.

Tobio narrows his eyes and starts to walk away but Kei manages to weakly hold on to his shirt. 

“Please?”

Tobio rolls his eyes, the smile that he was trying hard to hide a few seconds ago now gracing his face. 

Radiant , Kei thinks.

“You’re lucky I love you.”

Kei grins as Tobio leans down, Kei hurriedly wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist.

“I’m more lucky that you’re paid to stay fit because you can carry me around all day.”

“No complaining if a body part hits the doorway.” Tobio says as he lifts Kei from the bed, not even grunting as he takes on Kei’s weight.

God, you’re hot, Kei thinks.

“Thanks.” Tobio smirks as he carries Kei to the bathroom.

Kei buries his head on Tobio’s shoulder. “I hate you.”

Five minutes later, Kei finds himself comfortably leaning against Tobio, the two of them relaxing in the bathtub. The late afternoon sun was bathing everything in a warm, golden glow, which made Kei feel like he was already dreaming. The steam from the hot water was doing wonders to his clogged nose. It was also making him feel drowsy.

He knows that he’ll absolutely feel like shit in the next few days. He hated getting sick as much as Tobio did. But as Kei falls asleep to Tobio gently massaging his temples, humming a song Kei had added to their collaborative Spotify playlist, he takes comfort in the fact that it’ll be bearable with Tobio looking after him.