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Daichi has always disliked trips to the borders of his kingdom, especially considering Karasuno doesn’t have alliances with the neighbouring kingdoms aside from Nekoma.
(Technically travelling to Nekoma is just as annoying since he almost always ends up having to refuse some sort of marriage agreement with one of the royals or worse, he gets talked into taking part in some scheme that almost always results in him getting in trouble even though the sly Nekoma Captain is always to blame.)
Nekoma is a nuisance, sure, but they are allies. Captain Kuroo is his friend. Yaku, Innuaka and the other royals are his friends. He cares for them even though they are the reason behind his grey hairs.
On the other end, Fukurodani is nothing to him.
Things are escalating since the fall of Seijoh. With such an old prosperous kingdom crushed to dust so easily, Karasuno is standing on a fine line over the edge. Their alliance with Nekoma is what keeps them safe but Daichi knows that if the Queen of Fukurodani were to wake up one day with the desire to crush Karasuno, she would.
She is insane. Bloodthirsty. She murdered her son.
Daichi’s hands form tight fists at the reminder. From beside him, Daishou clicks his tongue. “We can always turn back.” His advisor calls out, his tone making it clear that he would appreciate it if they were to do just that. “There are plenty of people who would love to spy for you.”
“We are not spying.” They aren’t. Daichi is just making a short trip to the border of Karasuno to verify that Fukurodani soldiers haven’t been trespassing.
“Right. We are just doing something extremely inconvenient, reckless and useless.” Daishou murmurs but Daichi hears him anyways. He levels him with an unamused expression. “What? You know I’m right.”
“I’d feel better if I solved this myself,” Daichi says, prompting a hum from Daishou.
“Are you sure this has nothing to do with a certain rebel?”
Daichi instantly tenses, glancing around to make sure the rest of his party is far away to not hear Daishou’s words. “No.” He hisses though he really should know better since he is reacting exactly how Daishou wants him to.
“You know, it’s my duty to keep an eye on you. I’m your shadow. And though I am an idiot in many things, even I can keep track of moon cycles.”
Daichi closes his eyes and inwardly screams. “When did you figure it out?”
Daishou smirks and doesn’t answer. Daichi figures he probably knew from the start. Like he so kindly reminded him, Daishou is his shadow after all.
“You know, you really are a noble person,” Daishou says after a few more minutes of silence. “This is perhaps the most rebellious thing you’ve ever done.”
Daichi’s heart contracts in his chest as he fights the urge to voice a remark. Daishou says nothing after that.
They make it to the border and after a short walk around the guard posts and a few gateways, they head towards the local town. Nothing is wrong. The guards don’t offer any information. If anything they keep insisting that the rumours of trespassers originated from the townsmen. Daichi orders two men to stay for two days on the border before they head towards the town.
Daichi is welcomed with excitement and pride once they reach the main plaza. Immediately half the town seems to come and greet him. He takes the time to socialize with a few townsmen before the town head steps forward and invites him to the town hall. Daishou takes care of interrogating the council while Daichi stands tall and proud, keeping a close eye on the reaction of everyone around him.
The townsmen claim to have heard rumours of trespassers but no one can trace the source. All hostels and Inns offer a record of clients for the past two months and Daishou reviews everything before Daichi himself takes a look at the papers. They find nothing alarming and Daishou is already giving Daichi knowing looks so it's not long before they conclude there is no immediate danger.
Daichi informs the council a few of his guards will stay behind for the next week to keep a close eye around the area. He, alongside the rest of his party, will leave at dusk. Most of the councilmen immediately begin offering their homes or establishments for Daichi and his party to rest. Daishou is fast in dismissing them and claiming the town hall for the evening.
Once Daichi and his party are alone, he gives out orders for his guards to visit bars and other establishments capable of providing rooms for rent outside of the records. The two other advisors that travelled with him are asked to study the town’s finances and other official reports just in case there is something amiss. They follow his orders instantly, knowing well discretion is asked of them even though Daichi never voiced it.
Once they cleared the hall, Daichi sighs and turns to his advisor who has done nothing but smirk at him the entire time. He doesn’t even have to communicate with Daishou before his shadow is dismissing him with a wave.
The first thing Daichi does before sneaking out through the back is to change his clothes. He takes off his cape and his armour. He debates on whether or not he should keep the fine golden coat he wears underneath his armour. It’s not a rare piece of clothing. It’s not very telling of his status either. He hesitates but he eventually takes it off. Instead, he grabs a long dark coat that covers his entire body on his way out.
The sun is still up when he makes it to the creek that stands a few kilometres south of the wall. The area is mainly covered in water and unstable mud. There is barely a small clearing through some thorny bushes and willow trees. Daichi has been here enough times to know his way around it. He passes three distinctive bushes of poisonous berries before he jumps over two large oak roots right by the small stream of water that most likely leads to the northern river.
When he finally makes it to the clearing, Iwaizumi is standing there, waiting for him.
“You came.” Is the greeting he gets. It’s the greeting he always gets.
“Of course,” Daichi answers, breathless due to the journey. Iwaizumi, though often offering a serious expression regardless of the occasion, gives Daichi a small smile.
“I was starting to think you wouldn’t show up.”
Daichi frowns, moving closer to Iwaizumi while adjusting his attire. “When have I not?”
The small smile on Iwaizumi’s face grows as he uncrosses his arms that were resting over his chest. He then leans closer to help remove some stems from Daichi’s hair. It’s then that Daichi takes the time to look over his attire.
As usual, Iwaizumi is dressed in simple garments. Unlike Daichi, he is not wearing a coat even though the breeze grows colder as the hours' pass. His shirt and pants fit well around his sculpted body, making it clear that Iwaizumi is a man used to manual labour. His muscles, unlike Daichi’s, aren’t those of a soldier, yet Iwaizumi’s sword rests comfortably by his side, secured by his belt.
He could pass as a regular merchant, which is what Iwaizumi claimed to be the first time they met.
Daichi often thinks back to that meeting. It’s a fond memory, though, at the time Daichi had been confused and irritated while intrigued.
It was around two years ago. Daichi had made a similar trip to the border, but rather than to deal with rumours of trespassers, he had been following rumours of apparent sightings of the prince of the fallen kingdom of Seijoh.
Seijoh and Karasuno never managed to form any type of alliance due to a previous disagreement with the advisors of each kingdom and, though geographically the alliance would have made sense, Seijoh had nothing that Karasuno needed and vice-versa. Furthermore, Seijoh’s constant battles against Shiratorizawa were enough reason to keep them at a distance.
Even so, their fall was something Karasuno mourned. It was a tragic war, one that Daichi’s father had been confident would end in Seijoh’s victory. Daichi had never been foolish enough to think that. Not after the fall of Dateko and Shiratorizawa. Even if Seijoh had wildlife and a well-trained army, Fukurodani was ruthless. They easily outnumbered them. Their methods of fighting are rumoured to be cheap and inhumane.
In Daichi’s eyes, Seijoh never had a chance.
Seijoh surrendered two weeks into the fighting. Fukurodani burned down their capital a day later. A week after that, the castle was burned down and with it the king and queen. The princess was found a day after, her head displayed over the remains of the castle while it took three days to find the rest of her body, alongside the remains of an entire pack of dire wolves. Weeks passed and no one heard any news about the prince. That is until a general of the Fukurodani army got drunk in a tavern and confessed to the prince’s escape. That general was executed in front of the entire capital of Fukurodani. Many still tell stories of the proud look the Queen wore even though her fists were clenched in anger.
The lost prince of Seijoh is the only royal still alive from all the kingdoms the Queen has burned down. He is a wanted fugitive. Though Daichi’s father refuses to put any posters up in Karasuno, Daichi has seen them posted everywhere else. He is wanted alive, with a reward of enough gold to start a small kingdom.
Of course, Daichi had been in search of him for a different reason. Daichi had only met Oikawa Tooru a total of three times, but that had been enough to convince him that Oikawa was someone he could trust. He wanted to help him. He wanted to offer him refuge or at least a way to reach Itachiyama, the only other Kingdom probably searching for him to aid him.
When Daichi heard rumours of wolves being spotted by the border, followed by rumours of a charismatic traveller entertaining the taverns, he had been so sure that he had made his way to the border without even telling his father. Daishou, Tendou and Futakuchi had accompanied him. Though the latter two had been of no help as they caused him enough trouble that distract him long enough to miss Oikawa if he had ever even been around.
It was when Daichi was trying to solve one of the issues Tendou had caused by tricking a merchant into confessing his schemes and frauds that Daichi found himself crossing paths with Iwaizumi.
Tendou’s ways of solving issues always cause problems. With Futakuchi by his side, the problems turn into trials that the courts have no time to deal with. Meaning Daichi has to find quick and easy solutions to avoid a scolding from his father and unpleasant rumours from the townsmen.
In this case, Daishou had helped suggest a fair investigation on every merchant, that way the schemes and frauds will be found on paper and the merchant Tendou tricked could no longer cry about being drugged and coerced into confessing lies.
(“I offered him a drink and he began bragging about having enough money to buy his own drink because he scammed the mayor’s daughter.” Tendou had explained, batting his eyelashes at Daichi as Futakuchi sharpened his sword on the other side of the room.
“And I only told him to quiet down if he didn’t want someone to cut his head off.” Futakuchi had added.
“While holding your sword?” Daichi questioned, eyebrow raised.
“It’s how I always stand.”)
Daishou himself had offered to do the investigations while Tendou and Futakuchi were asked to stay out of the way. (They rented a room in a hostel and Daichi didn’t see them until they had to head back to the capital, a week later.) Daichi had wanted to help but Daishou had insisted he too should stay out of the way. Meaning, Daichi had been restlessly walking around the town, trying to keep himself occupied as his advisor worked.
It’s on a hot day that Daichi found himself in this very clearing after walking aimlessly for hours. In this very clearing, Daichi caught Iwaizumi loading a horse with sacks. It was in the very spot Daichi now stands that two years ago he had stood questioning Iwaizumi.
“I’m just leaving.” Iwaizumi explains after Daichi inquires if he had filled in the forms Daishou created to catch the merchant schemer. “I have no business in Karasuno.”
“You still have to do the form.” Daichi says, “that is if you are a merchant.”
Iwaizumi pauses and Daichi sees him move his hand to the sword resting on his hip. Daichi himself moves his right hand behind his back, grabbing a hold of his dagger. “I am a merchant.” Iwaizumi lies and Daichi is ready to call him out on it, but Iwaizumi surprises him with his following words. “And you? Are you a guard or something?”
Completely dumbfound Daichi simply stares at him. “A guard?”
“You’re dressed in gold. It’s a prominent colour here is Karasuno, is it not? Don’t most guards wear gold?” Iwaizumi looks serious.
Royalty wears gold. Daichi remembers thinking. Out loud he says; “You really aren’t from around here.”
“This is my first time here. My name is Hajime. Iwaizumi Hajime.”
Still unable to believe this man doesn’t know who he was, he replies. “Daichi.”
“Daichi.” Iwaizumi says, not recognizing his name and not caring that Daichi never offered his last name. “I’m a travelling merchant and I just came for some medicine. I promise I acquired these herbs honestly. If I had the time, I would stick around and take part in the investigation but.” Iwaizumi gives Daichi a glance over before finishing with an honest plea. “I do not have the time. Someone is in dire need of this medicine.”
“I can’t just take your word,” Daichi states, even though a part of him trusts Iwaizumi’s words. With a frown Iwaizumi nods. Then, surprising Daichi even more, he reaches for one of the sacks on his horse and from there he pulls out a small book. Then he makes his way over to Daichi to offer him the book. “What is this?”
“My journal.” Iwaizumi states.
“I don't—“
“It’s important to me. I’ve had it all my life.”
“I don't—“
“Next quarter moon, meet me here again.” Iwaizumi speaks with determination and Daichi’s mouth dries when their eyes met. “I will take back my journal and you can do your investigation.”
Somehow, Daichi agrees.
Somehow, Iwaizumi wasn’t lying and they do meet again next quarter moon. Iwaizumi gets his journal. Daichi never bothers with the investigation.
Somehow, they continue to meet.
Daichi smiles at the memory of their first meeting with a sudden desire to reminisce with Iwaizumi. He goes to speak, to bring up the old times so they can both share a laugh but the words get stuck in his throat when he catches the look in Iwaizumi’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Daichi asks, concern evident in his tone.
“Something happened.” Iwaizumi starts. “Something happened last full moon.”
Immediately Daichi thinks about the rumours that arose last month. He swallows. “The Queen,” Daichi says, knowing well that Iwaizumi will understand who he is referring to without having to be specific. “She killed her son.” Daichi’s stomach turns. He feels sick. “At least, that’s what the rumours say.”
Iwaizumi gives him a hard look. “It’s no rumour.” He states before he reaches from behind him to pull out an arrow.
When Daichi’s eyes fall on it he instantly freezes. Silver point, gold tint, black detail. It’s an arrow that belongs to higher-up soldiers. Fukurodani soldiers. “This—"
“It was coated with blood when we found it.” Iwaizumi explains, eyes focused on the dagger. “We thought it was a message. Perhaps a warning from the queen. Children were disappearing from our streets and... we wouldn’t put it past her. The colours and detail are unique. There are only a handful of people it could belong to.” Iwaizumi sighs, letting Daichi look over the arrow as he turns away. “Not far from it, did we find a boy.”
“A boy?” Daichi asks, dreading where the conversation will lead even though his mind is starting to piece things together.
“In our last meeting, I told you I needed herbs to treat a wounded friend.” A friend that fell from a cliff, so Iwaizumi had claimed. “He had broken bones and dashes all over his body. He was also bleeding heavily from his head. At the time he hadn’t woken up.”
“This… are you saying—“ Daichi tries, moving to stand closer to Iwaizumi but even though he is not facing Daichi, he moves away before Daichi’s hand can meet his shoulder. “Hajime—“
“He woke up three days ago.” Iwaizumi cuts him off with that statement, finally turning around to face Daichi. “You’ve never met him, have you?” He then asks and Daichi is too focused on the information about the prince, too focused on the feral look in Iwaizumi’s eyes that he doesn’t take a moment to think about the question. To think about the implication in Iwaizumi’s words. “Rumours say he never attended diplomatic meetings. He never left that castle. Do you know his name?”
Daichi doesn’t think. He doesn’t think and he just answers honestly. “Akaashi Keiji.” Iwaizumi’s eyes shine with amazement and recognition. He nods and Daichi feels himself exhale. “The Fukurodani Prince is—“
“Alive.” Iwaizumi finishes. “And in good hands.”
“Hajime. There are rumours—“
“Not just rumours. I can easily confirm that the Queen tried to kill her son.”
“If she finds out—“
“She thinks he is dead. He— when we found him he was barely clinging on to his last breaths. It’s a miracle that we were able to save him. There is no way she suspects him alive.”
“This changes many things.” Daichi starts, “If he testifies against her the Kingdoms won’t be able to turn him down. He has the right to the throne. He could demand a—“
“No.” Iwaizumi cuts him off. “He can’t.”
Daichi blinks confused. “What—“
“He doesn’t remember.” Iwaizumi confesses. “He. He only knows his name.”
“Then how can you even be sure it’s him?” Daichi asks, the speed of the conversation finally slowing as Daichi tries to make sense out of everything.
Iwaizumi doesn’t say anything immediately and for some reason, Daichi starts to feel the weight of the silence. His eyes meet Iwaizumi’s, and once again Daichi feels his throat dry. Iwaizumi seems to be looking right through him while Daichi can only focus on the green in his eyes.
Then, suddenly Iwaizumi is right in front of him. His face is just a few inches away. Daichi’s heartbeat quickens as he feels Iwaizumi’s hand make its way to his waist. He opens his mouth to say something but Iwaizumi’s connecting their mouths together before a single word can be spoken.
The shock and pressure of the kiss stills Daichi’s body but it’s not long before Daichi puts the same strength and passion in kissing Iwaizumi back.
This is new. This desire Daichi is feeling— It’s new. He never thought… he knew Iwaizumi was attractive. He always considered him a close friend. Someone he could trust. He never thought— god, Daichi feels so stupid.
It’s obvious, isn’t it? Why else would Daichi put all this effort into meeting Iwaizumi here? Why else would he have allowed Iwaizumi to get away the first time they met. Daichi has never been attracted to anyone but if this feeling of wanting to feel every inch of Iwaizumi is anything to go by, Daichi can easily confess his attraction.
Iwaizumi presses them closer together and Daichi finally lets his hands reach over to grab a hold of Iwaizumi’s face, allowing him more control in the kiss. With Daichi leading, Iwaizumi seems to relax in his arms, his left hand gripping Daichi’s coat from the back while his right hand stays on his waist.
Iwaizumi tastes like mint. His touch feels even more refreshing. Daichi doesn’t want this to ever stop.
But it does.
It stops after Iwaizumi’s hand trails up from his back to the back of his head. It stops when he pulls away. It stops when his right hand travels past his coat. “This.” Iwaizumi finally speaks, startling Daichi as his hand grips onto the dagger he carries strapped to his waist. “This is how I know.”
All too suddenly, Daichi feels all the air in his body leave. His heart drops. “Hajime.” He tries but stops when Iwaizumi lets go of the dagger and lets go of Daichi. The words get stuck in Daichi’s mouth as he too lets his arms drop to his side.
Iwaizumi steps back. He licks his lips and once again crosses his arms over his chest. “No more lies, Prince Sawamura.”