Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

This is how it ends. The sound of the summer rain, a car horn, colourful lights and a woman's screaming. His body hits the ground, no pain, only the dull thud and the smell of the damp soil underneath. He thinks that maybe this is the last time he was flying. This thought stings as he shallowly breaths and whimpers lightly. He really wants to fly again. Maybe this isn't the last time, he will soar again and again, across the endless skies higher, only higher. He hears a voice calling someone's name. The voice becoming more desperate with every syllable. He thinks that he knows to whom the voice belongs to. And the name... he knows this name.

Sounds start to quiet down, his vision becoming blurry. He coughs up blood tasting the metallic tang on his tongue. The pain never comes as the world around slowly dissolves into darkness.

He really wants to fly again sometime.

*

Hinata groaned, annoyed. Kageyama wasn't in the mood so Hinata's head met the ball more often than usual today. Some of his face stung slightly but it was bearable. The most annoying part was that Kageyama didn't have time to toss to him after the official volleyball team practice ended. Kageyama had told the team that he would be leaving the town for the rest of the month. Almost two weeks.
Who knew that Kageyama had some family business more important than volleyball and the school. Hinata huffed.

As Kageyama hastily packed his things and said goodbyes to others Hinata tried not to look too put down.
He smiled, screaming for Kageyama to leave faster so everybody can get on with the rest of the training. Kageyama turned to him, scowling.
«Oi, Hinata, I'll toss to you until you can't jump anymore when I come back!»
Hinata bristled.
«I'll hold you to that, Bakageyama!»

Kageyama wawed him off and leaved. Suga-san walked to Hinata's side after the gym doors closed behind Kageyama's back. He gently pushed Hinata to the rest of the team and smiled.
«It would be a good experience for you, Hinata. To practice with all of us without Kageyama's presence at your side», Suga said.

Hinata smiled brightly at him.
«I'll do my best to train harder so when Kageyama comes back he would be far behind me!»

Everyone chuckled at Hinata's overenthusiastic claims.

*

Oikawa Tooru was what people called a successful young man. He surely looked like one on the outside. What was inside never really interested anyone besides his closest friends and family. For the people around him he was smart, pretty and had a very promising future ahead. Everyone wanted to be him or to be with him. Good grades, good looks, volleyball team captain. Teenage dream come true.

He even believed himself to be that dream sometimes. But only sometimes. Inside he often thought about himself as average at best and pathetic at worst. Today was the pathetic day.
Oikawa exited the train and stood by the edge of the platform deciding where to go next. The trip wasn't anything special and Iwaizumi ditched him for the day to spend time with some girl. Or a boy. Oikawa wasn't shure who it was this time. He was interested but Iwaizumi told him not to pry into his relationship. So Oikawa like a good friend he surely was didn't pry too hard. Only a little. Maybe not a little. But Iwaizumi was cruel and didn't tell him anything special. Actually, Iwaizumi told him almost nothing. Iwa-cnan's cruelty knows no limits!

Oikawa decided to walk from the station to the nearby park and think of something to do with his free time on the way. Maybe he would meet someone in the park and would spend some time chattering with them. Or maybe he would just walk and then sit at the bench alone watching people pass by. And would go home more pathetic than before. Nope. More pathetic would be too pathetic.

Or maybe he should go to a mall? There he can look for some new clothes and have some coffee. A mall it is.

As he changed his route to reach the mall he started to walk a little faster. He was slightly less pathetic now. And more excited.

When the green light at the crosswalk started to blink he decided to run a little so he wouldn't be stuck waiting. His long legs carried him across the street and he was almost at the other side when he heard loud honking and the sound of a tires screeching. He started to turn in the direction where the sound was coming from feeling like in a slow motion movie but something small collided with his back and he propelled face first into the pavement.

And then he felt something fall upon himself. Hard.

It wasn't really heavy so the impact wasn't painful or something but he was laying face down and his palms stung a little because of the collision with the asphalt. The thing upon him moved slightly up. He tried to turn.
That something twitched and then all but yelled straight into his ear:
«Grand king?!»

*

Hinata was running. He was disappointed by Kageyama's leaving even after all the cheer ups from the team. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't a big deal and he actually would get something good from Kageyama's absence but he still felt upset. The running was supposed to erase all the dumb Kageyama related thoughts from his head. As he neared the crosswalk he saw a car taking a left turn at a dangerous speed, the red light and the person in the car's way. His body decided what to do without consulting his brain first. Hinata runned at full speed straight into the person's back.

Everything was a blur. The person fell and Hinata was falling quickly after. Then he collided with the person's back feeling like all the air left him.
When Hinata came to his senses he tried to move his arms, than his legs checking that everything was still functioning. He propped himself on his arms and for the first time clearly saw the person lying underneath. Brown hair, green and white jacket, broad shoulders. He tried to see the person's face feeling something like recognition uncurl inside his head. The person moved and Hinata really saw their face. Recognition became shock and then Hinata yelled.

*

Kageyama didn't want to leave but he had no choice. His mother's long distance cousin fell deadly ill and she started packing right after the disastrous phone call ended. Kageyama obligingly followed so she wasn't all alone with all the hospital madness.

He was worried that he wasn't enough to help her though. He was never good dealing with people's emotions. Something simple like anger or annoyance wasn't beyond his comprehension but when someone fell ill or died there was not only anger but all kinds of other complex things like longing, despair, irrational fear. Kageyama wasn't the best choice for comforting words and a shoulder to cry on. Someone like Suga or even Hinata would know how to help his mother better than him. But he was determined to help, to bear all the pain for the sake of his mother.

His mother stayed in contact with her cousin through all their lives starting in kindergarten. They rarely visited each other but kept sending messages and called almost everyday. They shared pictures of their children, giggled together at their family's antics. Spent many hours on the phones just talking about everything. His mom's cousin fell sick in early teenage years and mom visited her at the hospital everyday, bringing laughter into her cousin's boring and painful life.

When the chemo started his mom was at her cousin's side almost 24/7. Together they overcame the vomiting, loss of the beautiful long chestnut brown hair and then the overbearing pain.

Later that year his mom's cousin was released from the hospital with a long list of restrictions and warnings. She was prescribed to visit her doctor once in three months for years to come.

Despite her fragile health she tried to live at the fullest. She graduated, got accepted in Tokyo Uni and then achieved a very promising job.
On her way to become the youngest pro in her field she met her future husband and quickly fell in love. They happily got married after the year of dating. After another year their family of two became a family of four when she gave birth to an adorable twins.

For the next fifteen years her life was everything that she was wishing for. Until the illness came back.

It was on the early spring day when she felt the sick fever and then saw the bruises on her right ancle. She knew what was about to come right away.

Now the spring was slowly becoming summer and her life was slipping away faster by every passing day. She wasn't ready to leave her children and her darling husband but felt that her time with them was coming to a quick end.

After weeks of silence and foolish excuses she finally decided to tell her cousin everything. She remembered all the days spent together at the hospital when they were teens. Her cousin would have left everything behind to go through that hell with her. So she wasn't telling her the truth until it was too late because all she really wanted for her cousin, no, sister is to live happily and never experience all of this cruelty ever again.
When she called she felt nervous and started rambling at first. But the worried voice of her sister made her spill everything in one breathless go.
«It came back»
After the dreadful words were finally out came the tears. She was wailing like a baby asking her sister to come. Without her she felt powerless. She needed her the most, all of her promises to herself forgotten. She was weak and finally had the chance to cry out for help to someone stronger. Her family was the great support but not the strong headed kind. They were gentle and scared when all she nedeed was someone who would just fight.
Her sister promised to come the next day. When she ended the call she felt her body becoming lighter. She was starting to really hope.

*

After all the ruckus died down and the crowd started to dissipate Oikawa realized something very-very important. Hinata saved his ass from being plastered all over the street.
«So, chibi-chan, are you by any chance became a superhero?», Oikawa thought that being saved by some superhero or alien superhero would be nice. Great even.
Hinata stared at him with that innocent doe eyes of his and blinked, surprised.
«Um, I don't think so», he was smiling awkwardly. «I'm sorry for running you into the pavement, Grand king», and now Hinata was honest to god blushing.
Oikawa felt like it was him who saved Hinata and not the way around. He even imagined himself as some knight in shining armour for a quick moment. But the moment ended as soon as it started with Hinata's face becoming more and more redder.
«I really am sorry! My body reacted on its own!», Hinata yelled. Some passerbys turned to look at them with wonder. Oikawa huffed and took Hinata by the wrist starting to walk in the direction of the mall.
«You've got nothing to be sorry for, chibi-chan. Actually, it's me who needs to apologize. I haven't thanked you for my miraculous saving yet», Hinata was speechless as he was dragged after the Grand king.

«It's decided then, I should properly thank you by buying you all the food that you want», Oikawa turned to look at Hinata not really waiting for an answer but just to be polite. Hinata blinked at him some more and tried to say something. «Uuum, Grand king, I don't…», Oikawa smiled charmingly. «Don't be so shy, chibi-chan. You really saved my life today. You deserve to be spoiled», Hinata took a deep breath and then stopped abruptly making Oikawa halt. «I really don't need to be thanked that properly! Anyone would have done the same being in my place. Just a thank you would be enough», Oikawa lifted an eyebrow. «You don't want the food? Even the meat buns?», Oikawa knew that the meat buns was a soft spot. Hinata chewed on his bottom lip, staring at some building in the distance. Meat buns. Turning to look at Oikawa, he sighed. «Okay, you can buy me meat buns and we would be even», he regretted saying this as soon as the words left his mouth but the prospect of having free meat buns was too enticing. Kageyama told me to stay away from the Grand king, but it's just a thank you meal. I won't spend too much time with him anyway.

Oikawa took him by the hand this time and continued to lead the way. Hinata looked at the hand holding his and thought that this is what Kageyama has warned him about. He didn't let go though.

*

This is how it starts. Oikawa holding Hinata's small hand, smiling to himself and feeling warmth all of a sudden. Hinata's embarrassed face and shy little smile. An opportunity to know someone, the unexpected meeting.
Kageyama's internal turmoil. His mother's quiet sobs. Laboured breathing of her cousin. Silent whimpers of a husband meant to become a widower too soon. The cries of their twins. Grief and sadness, a missed chance.

This is the story of a fool who wants to save everyone but forgets about saving himself.

Chapter Text

From the very beginnig of human history there were legends about the creatures that can grant wishes. The jinns, the fairies, the wishing well. If you're lucky enough to find them your wish should be granted. 

Wealth, fame, beauty, power, everything what a human imagination can come up with. But the one wish stood aside from all the others. Life. To live for all eternity, to resurrect the dead. Everytime that someone wished for the deceased to return there were consequences. Not every creature was capable to give the gift of living. And the ones who can charged a price so high that only a few can afford to pay.

Then came the Christianity with God, angels, messiah and demons. The demons granted wishes in exchange for a soul. The most precious sacrifice, the eternal light that was the core of the human being. 

The many religions in the world taught: you should never trade your soul. If you lose your soul there's nothing left. No salvation, no forgiveness, no afterlife. Only darkness in the void. 

But if you love someone so dearly that their life means more to you than your own, wouldn't you give up everything for them to return?

*

When Shouyou was eleven years old death decided to visit Hinata's household. It crept on silent feet when the family was peacefully sleeping. Closed doors did nothing to stop it. It came for the youngest soul, it came for little Natsu. 

Awaken by the lightest noice little girl left the protective cocoon of her mother's bed and stepped on the dirty track leading her so far from home that she wouldn't be able to return. They lived in the mountains and there were rumours that something inhabied the old deserted temple deep in the forest.

Natsu's fate was to be spirited away as many children before her were. She was chosen to be the sacrifice for the mountain god. 

Shouyou woke up when the back door gently closed behind his sister. His sleep that night was restless. Deciding to go to the kitchen and drink some warm milk to calm himself he left the bed. Hopping down the stairs from the second floor he realised that the door to his mother's room was left wide open. But he remebered that their mother always locked the door so Natsu wouldn't leave when she was sleepwalking. 

Trying to make as less noise as possible he creeped to the entrance of the room. Shouyou peeked inside. Their mother was sleepeing heavily her chest rising and falling steadily in her sleep. His gaze shifted to the part of the bed that was usually occupied by his little sister. But Natsu wasn't there. Her side of the bed was empty, sheets messily pulled aside. 

Shouyou gasped loudly and went into the room. There wasn't any sight of Natsu. He searched in the closet, he looked under the bed. He went out of the room to search the house. Natsu was nowhere to be found. Fear gripped his insides as he run back to their mother's room.

"Mom, wake up, I can't find Natsu anywhere, Mooom", he whisper-yelled. But his mother didnt't wake up. She was a light sleeper and usually woke up from the slightest rustle. But tonight her sleep was as heavy as the mountain itself.

Shouyou tried to shake his mother awake but to no avail. He tried to yell, he tried to whisper. But nothing worked that night.

*

Kageyama Tobio patiently waited in the hospital corridor. Pristine white interior made him slightly sick in the stomach but nothing that a can of milk couldn't cure. His mother disappeared in her cousin's room almost two hours ago leaving him alone with his thoughts. He knew that his mother loved her cousin dearly and it gave him an uneasy feeling. What if he met someone and they've become as dear to him? What if they were sick and on the verge of dying? What should he do? What can he do?

He wasn't a very friendly person from before he could remember himself. Other children often called him mean but he didn't realise it as something bad. He was just different. 

When he was five something happened to him, something really horrible. He didn't remember much from that day but sometimes a random taste or a sound would remind. Before that day he was another being, full of light and after he became himself as he knows now. 

There was a boy around his age, they've used to play together. In his memory this boy had no face but the brightest orange hair that he ever seen in his life. He doesn't remember the name, what a pity.

They were playing in his mother's garden, laughing and running after the black goat that lived there. Why was the goat living in the garden? He doesn't know but remembers as he and his neighbour imagined that it was a demon forced by some holy priest to stay in the body of an animal. They imagined that the goat was on the verge of transforming back into a demon and only the holy knights can owerthrow the evil and save the peace in the kingdom.

The goat was really odd though. Black as night with long curled horns as white as snow. He remembers distantly, when he tried to touch it, it ran so fast from him that it's image began to blur. What was it's name? He doesn't remember.

The door of his aunt's room opens and his mother emerges, gently closing it after herself.

"Tobio, dear, let's go to uncle Shinji's car, he's waiting outside", his mother looks tired but the determined smile on her face never falters.

He jerks awake from his daydream. 

"Okay, mom"