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

XIX

Tobio's eyes widened at the sudden confession and he looked away with even redder cheeks than before. He opened his mouth to reply but he couldn't find the right words to reply with, so he shut them a moment later and looked into Atsumu's hazel eyes.

"Tsumu... I can't remember the last time I felt anything close to love. From anyone."

Atsumu stayed quiet, knowing there was more Tobio wanted to say. He cupped the side of the male's face and brushed his thumb over the rosy cheek before placing a soft kiss on it. Their eyes met and Tobio could see the assurance from the Captain.

"But with you, I feel something I've never felt before. I can't say yet what it is; indeed it may be love but I want to be sure before using such a big word. I don't want to be selfish but... will you wait for me?"

Kageyama just felt a rush of guilt. Here Atsumu was confessing his feelings as easy as breathing- which they were doing rather intensely at the moment- and yet he couldn't say a four-letter word. But at the same time he felt fear: fear that he was being stupid or hurting Atsumu or even worse, that Atsumu would leave him.

"Tobio, you know how cute yer being right now?" Atsumu asked with a adoring smile that made Tobio look at him with confusion, his head slightly tilted from where he leaned into the warm palm on his cheek.

"I am not cute." he argued.

"Yes you are." defended Atsumu.

"Am not."

"Are."

"Am not."

"Fine. But yer sweet, innocent, beautiful inside and out."

"S-stop. I am not."

"You are. And of course I'll wait for yer. I'd travel all seven seas a thousand times and still wait some more."

"You're not upset?" Tobio asked slowly, hesitation in his eyes.

"No. Never. No matter how long it takes, I'll still be right here beside yer until yer need me."

"Tsumu." called out Tobio before he leant their foreheads together, willing the tears in his eyes to not fall. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"Nah, what did a 'raucous, raving pirate Captain' do to deserve you?"

Tobio just laughed and kissed Atsumu again, a kiss full of complete awe and joy.

"You really are a tease."

"Aye, but yer love it really."

"Aye, I do."

They shared a few more kisses before deciding to head to bed as they were still pretty tired after their very intense day. Tobio fell asleep first, his head tucked into Atsumu's neck as he lay almost entirely on top of him. Atsumu stayed up until he was sure his little one was asleep, lightly running a hand up and down Tobio's side to help him relax before he drifted off too. That was the best sleep either of them had had, well, ever.

At breakfast the next day, the crew all questioned Atsumu of the whereabouts of Kageyama. The Captain explained that he was still asleep and that they shouldn't disturb him until he woke up himself. Kita agreed, saying that Tobio did look very tired and needed all the rest he could get. They all resigned the idea of bursting into the Captain's quarters and jumping onto the little Prince, squeezing him into a big group hug until he woke up and joined them for breakfast. And although they had eaten like that for several years, they didn't fail to miss the boy's presence at the table.

In the morning they carried on with their regular duties, adding to the list of supplies they needed, keeping up with maintenance on the ship, training with their weapons and so on. It was very monotonous and boring until the door of the cabin opened and Tobio leaned out in the doorway, rubbing his eyes and yawning loudly, shaking his head a little to get rid of the last remnants of sleep.