My Precious Cargo ⚔ Volume 1 (An AtsuKage ff) ✔

IV

He couldn't. He couldn't say it. Not out loud.

"One day?" asked Atsumu gently.

"One day... we were eating in silence around the dining table when my father said he had an announcement. My sister was to be married in a fortnight, to a prince from a northern kingdom. Of course she refused, not wishing to marry someone she did not know. Well, that was when my father snapped. I was fourteen and she was nineteen, so about your age I assume?"

"Aye. Do I look dashing for my age?"

"Eh. You're acceptable." Tobio confessed and they laughed a little, lightening the heavy atmosphere that contrasted the sunny sky. "Anyways, my father snapped. He started shouting and screaming at my sister and I was escorted to and locked in my room. That night I heard voices- screams and begs, bangs and crashes- before it fell silent. My father, he... he... he defiled her! And I haven't seen her since. These past two years have been Hell, and I was on that voyage to go and meet a potential ally for my father when you showed up."

"I'm so sorry Tobio."

Atsumu covered one of Kageyama's shaking hands with his, wanting him to know it was okay now and he was safe with them on this ship.

"Tsumu?"

"Aye?" asked the Captain, grinning at the new nickname.

"This is going to sound very cheesy, but I think you saved my life. Going to meet that ally, well, I don't know if I would have come back."

Atsumu reached out and gently lifted Tobio's chin, making the younger boy look at him. He noticed small tears trailing down his soft cheeks, the drops glistening like diamonds in the sunlight. He gently wiped away the fallen tears before looking into Tobio's eyes. They held deep secrets like the ocean yet also hope and freedom like the sky.

"Is my eyeliner running?" Tobio asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"No, but you'd still look perfect even if it did."

"Gods Tsumu, you're ridiculous." But Kageyama couldn't hide the rose blush on his cheeks matching his cherry red lips.

"Aye, maybe so. Time at sea does things to a man." Atsumu said dramatically, and the pair burst out laughing.

Atsumu wiped away the last few traces of tears before taking Tobio by surprise and pulling the boy into his lap. The Captain pulled him into a strong hug, his arms holding tight around his waist. Kageyama froze a little, unable to remember the last time someone had physically touched him without him flinching away or being hurt.

"Sorry, are you uncomfortable?"

"No." Kageyama replied with a tone of surprise. "Actually, I'm not."

"Good, then I can do this."

The Captain pulled away slightly to press a short and sweet kiss to Kageyama's cheek. The young Prince blushed even more before he returned the hug, if only to hide his face in Atsumu's shirt.

"You can't just do things like that without asking, it's improper. And we've only just met."

"I'm a pirate, and now so are you."

The pair pulled apart after a few minutes, both looking and feeling a lot lighter after they had shared their stories with each other. Of course they both experienced different things but they had one thing in common: they had both lost their families and were hoping to find a new one with the crew.

As the sun was getting higher Kageyama began to feel more tired. It was unusual to be sleepy during the day but after the events of last night he knew everyone needed the next 24 hours to rest and recover so they could get back to normal tomorrow. Tobio raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun and looked out upon the horizon from where he now stood.