Akaashi waved to Bokuto, smiling. By now his bruises were gone and he was feeling much better. Bokuto had visited several times that week to help him. Now he was leaving as it was morning and Akaashi was turning to change out of his night clothes.

There was a knock on the door and he sighed. "Come in!"

A servant stepped in. "I was told to help you pick one of your finest outfits and take you to your father."

Akaashi stared. He nodded slowly. He opened the wardrobe and silently picked out an outfit before going to his father's room. "You asked for me?"

"I have someone for you to meet." He stepped to the side and Akaashi saw a man just an inch taller than him. His heart dropped to his knees. "This is Sotaru Mikan. His family specializes in wines and fruits of many kind and are very wealthy. He is the suitor I have chosen for you."

Akaashi stared at the man in front of him. He was skinny and had a full head of blonde hair along with the most god awful attempt at a beard he had ever seen.

"Be polite."

Akaashi looked at his father and then the blond man. "You can't be serious."

"Be respectful!"

Sotaru stepped forward and gently look Akaashi's hand before bowing and kissing his knuckles. "Pleased to meet you."

Akaashi smiled at him, just trying to be nice. "You as well."

Akaashi was led to the dining hall where his sisters and mother sat. The little ones stared at Satoru, confused.

Akaashi sat down and Satoru sat closer to his father. Akaashi glanced around, trying not to lose his head. He had the time of his life just a moment ago just laying in bed and talking with Bokuto and now he had to sit next to this ugly man.

His arm was touched and Akaashi flinched. He was going to have a panic attack if he didn't get out of here.

Amaya slid her hand into Akaashi's. She noticed him becoming steadily paler and gently rubbed his hand to try and get him to relax. Akaashi glanced over and Amaya noticed just how ill he looked.

"Father Akaashi is going to faint!"

Akaashi's father rolled his eyes. "He says that a lot. Just let him be."

Akaashi reached for the table to stabilize himself. He was so scared it had made his blood pressure drop too fast and he knew something was wrong. "Mama... mama help..."

"Keiji take a deep breath, it's going to be okay." She stood up and rounded the table. She held his head up and eased his chair out. "Easy Keiji, easy. It's going to be okay."

Akaashi tried to stand and instead collapsed. His mother barely held him up, her arms shaking under his weight. A servant hurried to help her lay Akaashi down and helped her get him awake again. When he did wake up he could barely even sit in his seat straight, cowering.

Usually he wasn't like this at all but for some reason he was terrified. There was something so utterly wrong and disgusting and it was making him anxious enough to be ill.

"Keiji, eat. It makes everything feel better."

Akaashi shook his head. "I don't feel good."

Satoru leaned over and lifted his chin. "Yeah?"

Akaashi burst into tears. "Leave me alone!"

Immediately Amaya stood. She grabbed her brother's arm and ran with him up the stairs. Akaashi sobbed into her shoulder as she held him in his room. "In and out. In and out."

Akaashi started to try and breathe normally but couldn't manage it. Amaya put her finger on the tip of his nose. "In."

Akaashi took in a deep breath.

Amaya touched his chin. "Out."

Akaashi let out some air and they repeated this until he calmed down. Amaya helped him into comfortable clothing and put him on the window seat. Akaashi covered himself in a large comforter and relaxed.

"I'll be up with food and water."

"Mhmm."

Amaya left and Akaashi sat in silence. Moments later there was loving on the other window. He opened it and Bokuto cheerily came back in the room. "I left something here."

Akaashi stared, eyes red and puffy. Bokuto stopped smiling.

"Keiji?"

"He's here."

"Oh Keiji!" Bokuto scooped Akaashi up into his arms and Akaashi held on tight. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't know what I'm going to do! He's so ugly and has the same energy my father does. I hate it!"

Bokuto sat on the floor and cradled Akaashi. "He can't be that bad..."

"Have you ever seen someone who looks like a dog and needs to cut off their beard?!"

Bokuto chuckled softly. "You and beards man..."

"Beards are gross. They expect me to kiss this guy and he has this big beard in the way."

Bokuto smiled. "And what, you prefer a baby face?"

Akaashi shook his head. "I don't like beards. They're itchy."

"So what I hear is that I'm attractive?"

Akaashi giggled. "Shut up."

Bokuto poked his chest. "Why? Huh?"

Akaashi wrapped his arms around Bokuto's neck and stayed there. "I guess so."

Bokuto paused before hugging him. "It's okay Keiji."

"I wish I could live with you... things would be so much easier..."

Bokuto rubbed his back. "You need to be here. You're going to be king some day."

"If they don't kill me first."

Bokuto went quiet.

Akaashi sat up and held Bokuto's face in his hands. "But that's why you're helping me, right?"

Bokuto's heart skipped a beat. "Of course."

Akaashi nodded. "Can you take me walking?"

"Yeah, of course!" Bokuto stood and led Akaashi outside and to the garden. He led Akaashi to a field behind the castle, talking with him to keep him distracted. Akaashi noticed flowers in the field and pointed to them. "Hm?"

"They're pretty."

Bokuto nodded. "Yeah."

Akaashi grabbed Bokuto's hand and started towards the little patch of flowers. Bokuto smiled at the gentleness of it and sat with him in the flowers. Akaashi ran his hands over the flowers and relaxed. He laid on the ground and stared up at the clouds. "Do you ever wish that you could get away from here?"

Bokuto laid on his side and faced Akaashi. "Sometimes. But it's rare."

"Why is that?"

"I'm poor. Every poor person wants to have a better life. But my family is so important to me and I can't just up and leave them."

"True." Akaashi looked over. "You're not just being nice to me because I'm a royal, right?"

"Well no."

"Then why are you being nice?"

"Because you deserve it. After everything your dad put you through the least I can do is try and help."

"So you pity me?"

"Quite the opposite."

Akaashi hummed. He played with a flower on the ground, twirling it in his fingers. "Thank you."

Bokuto laced their fingers together. They stayed quiet for a while, just laying in the sun. Bokuto squeezed Akaashi's hand lightly and Akaashi looked up.

"What is it?"

"If you were to choose a suitor for yourself, who would it be?"

Akaashi sighed softly. "Kotarou..."

"Was that rude?"

"No, but it was sweet."

"What? How?"

"If you were in my position who would you choose?"

Bokuto blushed. "You."

Akaashi kissed Bokuto's knuckles. He closed his eyes, laying against Bokuto's chest.

Bokuto huddled closer and they just relaxed again. Akaashi needed to verbalize so badly how he needed Bokuto but those words were only coming out in whines and tugs and smiles. Verbalizing his emotions was difficult but at least he had someone who understood.

"Keiji."

Akaashi moved his head to signal he was awake.

"Just checking."

Akaashi smiled. He sat up a bit and kissed Bokuto's cheek. "We could lay here for hours and when they find us you could say I fainted."

"Or... we go into the woods. I have this tree I love and when we get to it we can cuddle in its branches. There's a large section of the tree that's just right to lay in."

Akaashi smiled. "Perfect."

Bokuto helped him up and they went into the forest, past the castle and past the other field. Bokuto helped him into the tree and got up to him in no time. Bokuto held him on his chest and they talked for hours until Akaashi abruptly sat up and took Bokuto's face in his hands. "Woah, woah what are you doing?"

Akaashi laughed. "I fell asleep for a moment. I thought I would fall."

"And you needed my face?"

Akaashi eased back his hands.

Bokuto rolled his eyes. "You're odd."

"Oh shut up."

Bokuto chuckled and held him closer. "Just relax."