Chapter Text
Something wasn't right. The tension in the gym was so thick that everyone can feel it, but no one could figure out why the heck there was tension in the first place. It was the start of the day and games haven't even started, no one has lost or won or has needed to do any penalties yet. So why did it feel so off?
Sugawara knows that he's quite observant of his teammates seeing as though the way that he plays relies so much on their trust and how everyone feels. He glances at the freak duo and confirms that they're arguing as usual and that Tsukishima doesn't seem off either. He can hear the multitude insults coming out of Kageyama's mouth and the snide remarks coming out of Tsukishima's, but there was something different. Tsukishima did not have the regular cup of salt in his sentences. It looks like he's holding back? Sugawara's thoughts were cut short after Coach Nekomata blows a whistle signalling for everyone to gather in the centre of the gym.
"Okay! Since everyone is done stretching and warming up let's start up these practice matches!" As Coach Nekomata gathered all the teams, Coach Ukai pulls out his notebook with the list of team games they wanted to start with.
"We're starting with Karasuno and Fukurodani on Court A, and Nekoma and Shinzen on Court B!"
Everyone shouts in their agreement and the practice matches quickly begun.
And this is where everything went wrong.
Bam.
Another point for Shinzen and another missed spike from Kuroo. Yaku stares at Kuroo and Kenma wondering why they weren't syncing up. They've never had a problem with syncing up before, why now?
"Kuroo, what's wrong with you and Kenma today?" He asks. Kuroo simply shot his gaze at Kenma and turns back to Yaku.
"Nothing, we just played a game yesterday evening, and Kenma," he glares at his childhood friend, "is still not over his loss." Kenma's eyes widen. He doesn't say anything, but he doesn't need to. The practice match was paused for a brief moment and the Nekoma team can clearly tell it was not just a game to Kenma. Kenma looks up at Kuroo incredulously before kneeling down to grab the ball and passing it under the net for the other team before walking away from the tall middle blocker with a terrible case of bedhead.
Lev walks up to Yaku and whispers in his ear, "Um, they're not fighting, are they?" Yaku looks up at the giant and scrunches his face in disbelief and annoyance.
"Kenma! Leave your personal life out of volleyball practice!" Yells Coach Nekomata at the puddinghead. Kenma huffs and nods. Kuroo rolls his eyes and places his hand on Kenma's shoulder. He did not, however, expect Kenma to flinch like a cat being bathed in water and to screech at him. Kenma glares and shoves Kuroo's arm off.
"Kenma! Come on! It was just a game!" They're causing a scene now, but Kenma doesn't seem to care in the slightest. His usual soft and calm voice his laced with anger.
"Kuroo, I've never felt so betrayed in my life," his hair blocks out his face and his eyes. He looks up at his so called 'best friend' and gives him the best glare he can muster. "I never thought you would do something like this to me," and turns around to face the net getting ready for the next serve.
Kuroo grabs his hair and groans, "Kenma, it was just a game!" he points at the little setter with his finger and tries to reason with him, "We won fair and square, why can't you just accept that?" Kenma takes a deep breath and looks at Kuroo dead in the eyes with his cold stare.
"It was not just a game. It was a test. A test to see who's actually my true friend. A test to see who's fake and who's not. And you failed Kuroo. You failed me." Kuroo stares down at Kenma exasperated.
"Oh my god, come on!"
"What the hell? What game did they even play last night?" Yaku murmurs to himself and to the rest of his team. Everyone shrugs and frowns in confusion. What kind of game is able to break the trust of childhood friends?
All of a sudden, a loud bang is heard on the other court followed by a huge wail of pain and a small orange middle blocker on the ground.
"Hey, hey, hey! What's up with you guys, Karasuno? You seem off today!" Bokuto yells at the opposing team with his fists in the air. The scoreboard reads 6-0, the game in Fukurodani's favour.
"Bokuto-san, please refrain from taunting them, I'm sure that they can't handle another loss," Akaashi glances at the team with a small smirk on his face. Kageyama is yelling strings of insults to Hinata, and Tsukishima is commenting on how he should stop receiving with his face before he starts losing any more brain cells. Fortunately, Hinata isn't bleeding, his face is just pink with embarrassment. Kageyama glares up at Bokuto and thrashes his arms around.
"You did that on purpose!" He yells at the wing spiker and Bokuto's eyes widen and his mouth shifts into a smile that he's trying oh so hard to hide. Karasuno is trying to get Kageyama to shut his damn mouth, but they can't seem to stop him
Kageyama frowns, "Give him a break! Haven't you done enough?" Bokuto laughs and Karasuno's player's faces are confused.
"Now Kageyama we don't know what you are talking about," Akaashi smirks, "Now do we, Bokuto-san?"
"Nope, no idea, Akaashi!" Tsukishima then decides to step up and glares down at the setter.
"Akaashi-san, don't act so coy, we all know what you did." Akaashi looks up at the tall middle blocker and shrugs.
"I did nothing wrong, and neither did Bokuto-san, we simply played the game as it was meant to be played."
Bokuto butts in, "That's right!"
Tsukishima scoffs, "Hinata get up, there's no point in talking to these betrayers," he seethes.
"Tsukishima! That's no way to talk to upperclassmen!" Sugawara says.
"Yeah, what even happened anyways?" Yamaguchi wonders out loud.
"Nothing much! We just played a game last night!" Bokuto explains. Hinata shoots up and glares at the ace.
"IT WAS NOT JUST A GAME!" Hinata jumps and with tears in his eyes begging to spill and points at Akaashi and Bokuto, "I TRUSTED YOU GUYS!" And Hinata's tears start dripping down his face.
"Hinata! Calm down!"
"Yeah! Shouyou! I'm sure it wasn't that bad!" Nishinoya exclaims.
"No," Kageyama mutters, his bangs covering his eyes,"It wasn't. It was not just a game. I haven't felt this much betrayal since my teammates at Kitagawa Daichi abandoned me."
Tanaka looks at the duo in shock, "You can't be serious-"
"He's right," Tsukishima says shocking everyone in the gym. He just said that Kageyama was right. "This was not just a game. This was a test to see who could potentially betray us in the future."
"That bad, huh?" Daichi says to Sugawara.
"I guess so."
Bokuto moves under the net to try and comfort Hinata. "Don't worry Hinata! It wasn't that bad!" Bokuto goes to rest his hand on Hinata's shoulder.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Kageyama, with lightning fast reflexes, grabs Bokuto's wrist and pushes it away. Tsukishima quickly runs to his bag and throws Kageyama a bottle of hand-sanitizer.
"Stay away from us," he says coldly.
"Now, now, let's not get overdramatic," Akaashi says to the three Karasuno teammates. And they lose their shit.
Someone's shoe got thrown to the other side of the net, Hinata' screaming and crying are echoing in the gym, Kageyama and Tsukishima are trying their best to keep Bokuto away from the small tangerine, Bokuto is yelling fucking profanities and Karasuno is trying their very best to keep everyone in check. Tanaka is holding back Kageyama's arms and Nishinoya jumped on to Tsukishima's back to achieve who the fuck knows what and in the corner of their eyes, they can see Kenma and Kuroo rushing towards them and their teammates yelling out questions.
On their way to the other side of the gym, Kenma and Kuroo are arguing.
"This is your fault."
"How is this my fault!? It is not my fault that you guys are all sensitive!"
"Don't talk to me."
"Okay, then don't talk to me!"
"Fine."
"Fine!"
"You know what!"
"What," Kenma groans.
Kenma ignores Kuroo and makes his way to Hinata. "Shouyou, don't cry, they're not worth it."
"But, but, but, I trusted them!" Hinata wails.
"WELL THEY FUCKING BETRAYED YOU!" Kageyama roars and Hinata cries even louder. Kuroo, Akaashi and Bokuto are now all trying to come near the small group and Kenma fucking glares them down, and him and Tsukishima start setting and spiking volleyballs at them.
"Don't fucking get any closer, you demons," Tsukishima cries out.
"What the hell even happen last night?"
"BOKE, HINATA, BOKE! IF YOU WEREN'T SO GULLIBLE THIS WOULD'NT HAVE HAPPENED!"
"But, Bokuto was so nice!"
"Well guess what? They lied. They fucking lied. To you, to me, to all of us and now we can't trust them anymore," Tsukishima exclaims. Kenma nods and goes to pat Hinata's head.
"Can someone explain what happened?" Sugawara asks the group.
Akaashi sighs and takes a deep breath. Secret Hitler was Kuroo's idea and Bokuto made sure to actually make it happen. It was after a long private practice match that Kuroo suggested that they hang out after dinner. Bokuto, of course, automatically got very excited and started spewing ideas for what to do with everyone.
"Actually, I have Secret Hitler with me, I figured that I could find a group to play it with after the gyms get closed," Kuroo explains. Kenma nods and Hinata looks at them confused.
"Secret Hitler?" He asks, not quite sure what the game is.
"Of course you don't know what it is," Tsukishima scoffs.
"What was that?" Hinata glares.
"Akaashi, Akaashi, let's play! Let's play!" Bokuto urges his setter. Akaashi huffs and looks at the overgrown owl.
"Do we all know how to play?" He wonders to the 7 of them. "Put your hand up if you don't know how to play." Hinata, Kageyama, and Bokuto put their hands up.
"There's a video on youtube, that can show you guys how to play, it's kind of difficult to explain using words," Kenma says to the three and they nod, "I'll play it for you guys during dinner."
"Do I have too," Tsukishima asks frowning.
"Yes, Tsukki, you do," Kuroo says grinning at the tall beanpole.
"Yosh!" Hinata jumps up excited and they all rush to the cafeteria to eat.
(So, I'm not actually going to take my time to explain how this game works, you can decide to read this without knowing how to play or you can watch this video. I recommend that you do actually watch the video, because it is kind of confusing how this game works without knowing how to actually play, but it's your loss, anyways. Enjoy :)
Hinata is visibly shaking with excitement, ready to play the game. "Can you stop shaking?" Tsukishima glares.
Kenma softly smiles, "Be careful though, in this game there's a lot of lying." Akaashi nods in agreement.
"It's true, some people end up breaking friendships due to this game."
"Really?" Kageyama wonders in awe, "Wow."
"Now, now, let's not get your underwear in a twist," Kuroo smirks, "Let's hand out the parts!"
Kuroo passes around envelopes filled with cards and each player grabs an envelope and proceeds to open them and read the card inside that tells them what they are.
"Okay, everyone close your eyes," Kuroo mutters, closing his eyes as well. "Fascists, except Hitler, open your eyes." Kuroo and Bokuto open their eyes and meet each other's gaze. Bokuto sticks his tongue out and Kuroo shoots him a shit-eating smirk. Their bromance is totally going to rule the game. "Aight, Hitler, keep your eyes shut, but raise your hand." Slowly, Akaashi raises his hand and Bokuto's eyes widen and Kuroo gives him a silent laugh. "Okay, Hitler, put your hand down and fascists close your eyes." Akaashi's hand goes down and Bokuto and Kuroo's eyes once again shut. "Alright, everyone open your eyes! Let's start this game," Kuroo announces.
Fascists: Bokuto and Kuroo
Hitler: Akaashi
Liberals: Kenma, Kageyama, Hinata and Tsukishima
And they're sat like this in a circle: Kuroo, Kenma, Hinata, Kageyama, Bokuto, Akaashi Tsukishima
"Let's see, since I was the one who brought the game, I'm making myself the first President, and I'm having Tsukki be the first Chancellor!" Kuroo yells out to everyone. "Time to vote! 3,2,1!"
Ja: Akaashi, Bokuto, Kenma, Kuroo
Nein: Kageyama and Hinata
"You know, you guys can't just vote him out because you don't like him," Akaashi remarks. Hinata frowns and Kageyama flinches. Tsukishima rolls his eyes, but grabs three cards from the deck anyways.
"Tsukki, you better get rid of the right card!" Bokuto yells. Tsukishima passes his two cards to Kuroo, who then places his choice on to the liberal's matt.
Akaashi smirks, "Good." Kenma eyes him and shakes his head. Kuroo hands the President label to Kenma who then nominates Hinata as the next Chancellor.
"Eh? Why me?"
"Because you're interesting, Shouyou," Kenma explains and Hinata grins.
"Suspicious."
"No, it's not, for all I know you could be Hitler, Kuroo," Kenma kicks Kuroo, and Kuroo laughs. "Let's vote."
Ja: Bokuto, Akaashi, Kageyama, Kuroo, Kenma
Nein: Tsukishima
Hinata glares, "Stingyshima." He grabs the three cards from the deck, takes his one choice out, and then hands the two cards to Kenma. Kenma then places down a liberal card on the liberal matt.
"I still suspect that Kenma is a fascist," Kuroo comments.
"Me too," Akaashi agrees.
"You can think what you want, but I am a liberal," Kenma defends.
"Don't worry Kenma! I believe you!" Hinata grins. Kageyama rolls his eyes and shoves Hinata's arm.
"Idiot, you're being too naive. What if he's actually Hitler?" Hinata glares.
"You could be Hitler too, Bakayama!"
"What-"
"Let's continue!" Kenma hands the President label to Hinata who then hands the Chancellor label to Bokuto.
"Hey, hey, hey! Thanks Hinata!"
"You're welcome Bokuto!"
Ja: Everyone
"Wow, Tsukki, even you voted him in!" Kuroo pats his head.
"Well yeah, I can't say no all the time, also, can you stop calling me Tsukki?" Bokuto hands his two cards to Hinata and Hinata automatically frowns.
"Sorry, Hinata! All three were fascist cards!" Hinata places a fascist card down on the fascist matt.
"I call bullshit," Kageyama exclaims.
"Kageyama!"
"What? What are the odds that there would have been three fascist cards in a row? Unlikely."
"But it's also not impossible," Kenma comments looking at Kageyama.
"So you think Bokuto-san is a liberal?"
"That's not what I said, Kageyama. Just don't suspect one person."
"Alright."
Hinata hands the President label to Kageyama who then elects Akaashi as Chancellor.
Ja: Bokuto and Kageyama
Nein: Hinata, Kuroo, Kenma and Tsukishima
Bokuto sneaks Kuroo a glance and Kuroo smirks. Kenma raises his eyebrow but shakes off his suspicions in the mean time. Akaashi sighs.
"I think Akaashi's Hitler!" Hinata screams.
"What? Why?"
"Why are you getting so defensive Kuroo? Is he actually Hitler?"
"What? Don't put words in my mouth Tsukki, I'm genuinely curious."
"Because he just sighed! And doesn't when Hitler gets elected the game is over?"
"I mean that is true, but that doesn't mean I'm Hitler, Hinata," Akaashi says.
"Oh, okay then. Maybe I'm wrong."
"Idiot, if you think he's Hitler, then you can think that, don't have such soft opinions," Kageyama glares.
"Oh? Is the King being considerate right now? That's kind of scary," Tsukishima smirks.
Kageyama gives the President label to Bokuto who elects Hinata as the Chancellor.
Ja: Kageyama, Bokuto, Kuroo, Kenma
Nein: Tsukishima and Akaashi
Hinata smiles and grabs three cards from the deck. He has two fascists and one liberal. He gets rid of one of the fascist cards and hands the remaining two to Bokuto. Bokuto then frowns and Hinata tilts his head only to open his mouth in shock when Bokuto places down a fascist card on the fascist matt instead of the liberal card.
"Wh, wh, what?!"
"Hinata! You gave me two fascist cards!"
"I did not! I gave you one fascist and one liberal!"
"If you had given that to me I would've put down the liberal, Hinata!"
"But I did!"
"Boke! Hinata, Boke! Use your eyes better!" Kageyama yells. Akaashi and Tsukishima sigh and Kenma raises an eyebrow.
"Shouyou, did you actually give Bokuto one liberal and one fascist?" Kenma asks.
"Yes!"
"I believe you then."
"Eh, Kenma, aren't you believing him too easily?" Kuroo wonders.
"No, Shouyou isn't good at lying, so I don't think he's making anything up." Kageyama frowns and stares at Bokuto who's looking at Akaashi.
"Akaashi! You believe me, right? Hinata really did give me two fascist cards!"
"Yes, Bokuto-san, I believe you," Akaashi says, although no one really knows if he actually believes him or if he's just saying that to make him shut up.
Kenma looks at Bokuto, I'm on to you and Bokuto simply stares back and smirks good.
Kenma gawks and then scoffs.
"Someone is lying, and I want to figure out who," Kuroo crosses his arms.
"I'm telling you! Either Bokuto is a fascist or he's Hitler!" Hinata cries out exasperated.
"Hinata, that's mean! After everything I've taught you?" Bokuto places a hand to his heart and fakes a sad face. Hinata looks at him in shock and betrayal fills him.
"I personally hate to say this, but I believe that Hinata is telling the truth," Tsukishima says, "I think that Bokuto is a fascist."
"Thank you, Tsukishima!"
"But this doesn't mean I trust you either, Hinata. For all I know you both could be fascists and this is your way of causing a diversion so that it leads people to think you're 100% not a fascist."
"What!" Hinata rubs his eyes, "I'm not a fascist!" Kuroo laughs.
"And this is when you know the game is actually getting serious!" Bokuto gives Akaashi the President label and elects Kenma as the next Chancellor.
Ja: Everyone
Kenma smiles and grabs the three cards from the deck. Two liberals and one fascist. He throws away the fascist card and hands the two liberal cards to Akaashi who then places down a liberal card on the liberal matt.
"Now I'm just confused," Kageyama utters.
"That's cause everything in your head is just volleyball, you have no room for anything else, King," Tsukishima remarks and Kageyama glares at him. Tsukishima is given the President label and he hands Kuroo the Chancellor label.
Ja: Kenma, Kageyama, Hinata, Tsukishima
Nein: Akaashi, Bokuto
"Well, I feel honoured Tsukki!" He grabs the three cards from the deck, two fascists and one liberal. He hands Tsukishima the two fascists.
"Kuroo is a fascist," Is all Tsukishima says after getting the two cards and placing a fascist card down.
"WHAT?"
"Do what you want with that information."
"I am not a fascist, Tsukki!"
"How do we know that you didn't just choose the fascist card instead of the liberal card just now, huh?" Kageyama complains, and Hinata nods his head in agreement.
"You can choose to believe me or not, but Kuroo is a fascist and I am not changing my mind on that."
"I feel personally attacked, I will have you guys know that Tsukki here gave me two fascist cards-"
"Did not-"
"-and now he is blaming me for his lack of loyalty for the liberals," Kuroo cries.
"Kuroo, stop being so dramatic, it's embarrassing," Kenma comments and frowns.
"It's okay bro! I believe you!"
"Thanks, bro!"
"Of course, bro!" Tsukishima takes his glasses off and cleans them with his shirt in annoyance.
"Are you asking me to retort?"
"Now, now, let's continue the game shall we?"
"Leave it to Akaashi to be the voice of reason!"
"I believe you Kuroo!" Hinata jumps with a big smile on his face. Tsukishima coughs and Kenma rubs his hands together. Tsukishima hands the President label to Kuroo and Kuroo elects Kenma as Chancellor.
Ja: Everyone
"It seems as though no one suspects Kenma to be Hitler or a fascist," Akaashi ponders and Kuroo gapes.
"Kenma is a good liar," Kenma glares up at Kuroo and hands him one blue and one red card. Kuroo smirks at his childhood friend and places down a fascist card. Kenma's eyes widen and the look he gives Kuroo is murderous.
"What? Upset that I gave away your identity?" Hinata stares at Kenma in awe.
"Kenma? Are you a fascist?" He asks. Kenma throws his hands up in the air.
"No! He's trying to set me up! Kuroo is a fascist!"
"Kenma, just stop, look at poor little Shouyou and how betrayed he looks," and sure enough, Hinata's lips are shaped into a pout and his nose is turning red as if he's about to cry.
"Oi, Hinata! Don't cry! You don't even actually know if he's a fascist or not!" Kageyama adjusts his sitting position and places his hand on his forehead. He's getting a headache, he's starting to regret agreeing to play this game.
"Shouyou, I swear I'm a liberal."
"But what if you're not! What if you're lying too like Bokuto-san!"
"Hey! I am a liberal-"
"-no you're not!"
"Kenma, you have always been a good liar, but it's not going to work this time," Kuroo looks at Hinata and Kenma and knows that he has won.
"Hinata stop believing in everyone," Tsukishima sighs.
"I can't help it!"
Kenma looks up at Kuroo, "You planned this, didn't you? You're trying to use Shouyou's innocence against me." Kuroo laughs and smirks.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Kuroo gives Kenma the President label and elects Kageyama as the new Chancellor.
"Make sure you're doing the right choice Kenma," Tsukishima says.
"Shut up," Kageyama pointing at Tsukishima.
Ja: Hinata, Kenma, Kuroo, Bokuto
Nein: Tsukishima, Akaashi
Kageyama rolls his eyes completely aware that where they are in the game now can really mess up they're group's dynamic during practice. If he screws up everything will go down in flames and friendships will be broken. He grabs his three cards, two fascists and one liberal. He hands Kenma the two cards. This will test whether or not he can trust Kenma. Kenma places down a liberal card.
"There! Okay! He's not a fascist, Hinata!" Kageyama yells at the small middle blocker.
"Thank you, Kageyama," Kenma says, "but I don't know if that's enough for him to believe you." Akaashi shakes his head and frowns. Kageyama is given the President label and then elects Tsukishima as Chancellor.
Nein: Everyone
Hinata gets given the President label and has a hard a time electing a Chancellor. "If I choose wrong, the fascists could win."
"It's okay, Hinata. It's just a game after all," Akaashi comforts knowing fully well that at this point it was not just a game anymore.
"I don't trust Bokuto anymore, or Kenma. Kageyama and Tsukishima are okay, and I have no idea what you are Akaashi," Hinata mutters to himself.
"Hinata don't hesitate too much on this," Akaashi says to the human tangerine.
"Okay! I elect Akaashi!"
"Why are you so simple minded?"
"Huh?"
"Let's vote!"
Ja: Kenma,Hinata,Bokuto, and Kuroo
Nein: Kageyama and Tsukishima
Akaashi stares at the group of people he has become strangely close with and gives out a deep sigh. He knows what will happen once he exposes this, he knows. And yet, he's going to do it anyways.
"I am Hitler."
It's dead silent. No one knows what to say or what to do. In the corner of his eye he can see Hinata started to tear up and he can see Bokuto and Kuroo's grins growing. Tsukishima is calm.
"Fascists, raise you hands." a needle could drop and everyone could hear it. Kuroo and Bokuto put their hands up and all shit breaks loose.
"I TOLD YOU-"
"-AHAHAHA-"
"FUCK YOU-"
"-WHY-"
"NOT FAIR-"
Flashback forward to present time
"So, what I am hearing is that, we should not play Secret Hitler," Sugawara asks.
"Yeah, that would probably be a good idea."