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When Oikawa opened his eyes, he immediately felt immense pressure against his chest and feet as he choked, trying to breath despite the smoke that filled his lungs.
His legs felt stiff from where they were squished in an awkward position, causing him to grunt as he tried to use magic to get the pressure off and free himself to no avail, causing Oikawa to stop the unnecessary use of his magic, resorting to using his raw arm-strength instead to try and get the rock off of him.
Once again, his efforts paid no fruit causing him to sigh in frustration when his seemingly last resort didn’t work, wincing in spite of his scowl when rocks poked into the flesh of his back.
Trying to escape the pain, in a last ditch attempt, Oikawa begins wiggling his limbs to free himself and get out, only to stop when he hears a familiar voice; the young, high-pitched tone filled with worry filling his ears as it cuts through the silence that otherwise surrounded Oikawa.
"Oikawa-san!"
Oh.
It's that brat, Kageyama.
Oikawa wants to be annoyed before willing himself not to be as he figures now is not the time - he had to somehow get himself free after all - before he responds back with a yell and the weight on his chest almost immediately gets lifted, causing Oikawa to gasp with relief as he gulps down air.
Turning his head to the side, he finds himself instantly meeting the gaze of a pair of blue eyes that makes Oikawa want to scowl again.
"Oikawa-san, you're okay."
Kageyama breathes out, his voice airy yet strained as he tries not to wince in pain, forcing himself to look okay despite his skin looking paler than usual as he wills his voice not to tremble under the pain shooting at the large of his back.
After all, Oikawa didn't need to know how there were two daggers deep in the flesh of his lower back.
It wouldn't matter to him to know anyway.
"Of course I'm okay, Tobio-chan, I'm the demon king for a reason."
Oikawa couldn't stop the teasing tone that laced his voice when he spoke, words spilling out of his lips before he could stop them as they caused Kageyama to frown deeply, though there was obvious relief on his face and Oikawa's heart felt strangely warm at the thought.
He feels himself be hoisted up as an arm swung around his waist, his own arm circling Kageyama's shoulders. Oikawa keeps his gaze on Kageyama's face and spots the smallest trickle of blood dripping from the corner of the archer's mouth, face contorting at the metallic smell.
"Why is there blood-"
He was unable to finish his sentence as Kageyama promptly wiped the smudge off with the back of his free hand.
"I got knocked in the face, but it's nothing. We should get you back to the castle, Oikawa-san. I'm sure Iwaizumi-san is waiting for you."
Kageyama was quick to cut him off and Oikawa furrowed his eyebrows at the ravenette's clipped reply, but still opted to stay quiet as he let Kageyama guide him towards the main hall of the castle.
It took a while for them but eventually they reached the main hall where Iwaizumi was waiting for them, his face immediately relaxing as relief flooded his expression, flowing onto his face as he saw the pair enter the castle.
"I found Oikawa-san underneath some rubble so I'm sure it would be best to check with the medic."
"I'm not a kid, Tobio-chan."
Both Iwazumi and Kageyama seemed to ignore Oikawa’s child-like reply claiming not to be a kid as Iwazumi faced Kageyama with a grateful expression, addressing him as he ignored Oikawa who was still pulled into Kageyama’s side.
"I will make sure to do that. Thank you, Kageyama."
Iwaizumi stated firmly, nodding before he took Oikawa from Kageyama's hold, leaving no place for Oikawa to complain. The knight then took a glance at Kageyama and for once, the archer was thankful for the quick decision to cover the daggers by putting a cloak over them, helping the archer to keep his ruse and manage keeping the injury hidden as his back stained red from where the blood dripped in a constant flow; no doubt dyeing his flesh in a vermillion red.
"What about you?"
"I… have some matters to take care of, but I might check in the medical wing soon with all these injuries of mine."
Kageyama just said softly, not wanting to bother Iwaizumi with his problems as his voice faded towards the end, his eyes flitted to the side showing that he evidently didn’t want to elaborate.
Iwazumi opened his mouth to respond, his brows furrowed when a sudden cough racked through Kageyama’s body and he immediately covered his mouth with his hand, barely reacting when he saw droplets of blood on his skin as he kept his face monotone.
He could sense Iwaizumi’s suspicious gaze at his slight pause and surprisingly Oikawa's concerned gaze as well but even then, he didn't stand down, eventually causing the knight to sigh before he relented, nodding as dismissed the archer.
"Alright, then. I'll take Oikawa back and I'll see you in the medical wing. Take care."
Kageyama just bowed his head in response, watching as the pair of boots stepped away from his line of sight as he heard a mumbled 'goodbye' leave Oikawa's lips when he began lifting his head, watching the distance grow as the pair got further away as Iwaizumi led Oikawa back to his living quarters.
Once they disappeared from his view, Kageyama stumbled out of the castle and to the nearest corner where no one could see him before promptly looking around to confirm he was in the clear.
As soon as Kageyama confirmed there was no one else around, the magic Shimizu had taught him that momentarily helped to take away pain, immediately faded away, causing Kageyama to slump with his uninjured side leaning against the wall of the castle, his breath heaving as the pain of the daggers hit with full force as though a dam had broken.
While fighting in the forest, Kageyama had been stabbed by enemy soldiers and had gathered only just enough strength to fight them off before leaning against a tree and using the little bit of magic Shimizu had taught him.
It was truly a wonder he had managed to both hold on for so long and even carry Oikawa back to the castle, but there was, naturally, no way Kageyama was about to let Oikawa stay missing and squished under rubble as he struggled to free himself.
Kageyama licked his dry lips and tasted blood.
It wasn't an unfamiliar taste but right now, there was a saltiness to it and Kageyama would never admit that those were his own tears as he slowly brings his hands to his cloak and removes it.
More tears escaped, dripping down his flushed face as he reached towards his back, biting his lips so no sound of pain could escape. Kageyama gripped the handle of the dagger and pulled it out in one go, only a small whimper sounding as more blood escaped from his lips.
The blade glinted under the dim lighting of the shadowed corner, his blood dripping onto the ground from the sharp tip as let go of the rubbery handle, the dagger hitting the ground with the soft clang that echoed in the silent corner. His chest heaved some more as he tried his best to keep his eyes open, fighting to keep his consciousness before moving his other hand to the other dagger, gripping the handle tight as he clenched his jaw, his canines cutting through his bleeding lower lip.
It was probably selfish of him to do such a thing, hiding such fatal wounds and pulling daggers out of himself despite well-knowing he’d eventually die.
But during this moment, as Kageyama pulled the second dagger out of his back and immediately dropped it on the floor as he felt his strength leaving his body, there wasn't a single thought in his mind, regret seemed like an aimless dream that drifted away with his consciousness as he fell to the floor.
He would've probably died anyway.
Both daggers were too deep to heal and even if they were to heal, he'd likely end up bed-ridden for the rest of his life. His life was meager as it was and at this point, Kageyama would rather die than go through that.
Using the slightest bit of his remaining strength, Kageyama pulled the small broken pieces of his bow from the pocket of his cloak. It had been crushed in the forest and Kageyama knew Oikawa would probably scold him for breaking something he had so preciously made.
Kageyama gripped onto the pieces tightly, glancing up to the sky with his tear-filled eyes, his vision blurry as he watched the clouds as they cleared and the sun came out. He watched and watched, until his eyes began to feel heavy and black dots began to fill his vision, his chest hurting with his shallow breath he took.
As his eyes fell shut and his body slumped forward, Kageyama watched as a dark figure in the distance approached, reaching out towards where he kneeled on the cobble floor, his knees no doubt bruising purple as a small smile made its way onto his face, more tears cascading down his face as his eyes dimmed; sapphire blues turning into void-like lakes before his eyes fluttered to a close and his world went black.
'I want to see Oikawa-san once more.'
Once Iwaizumi led Oikawa back to his living quarters, he made his way to the medical wing, hoping to thank Kageyama for saving Oikawa and also help him check on any injuries the ravenette might have had.
Despite how their relationship looked like two people with great distances between them, Iwaizumi knew they both cared for each other in their own way, how subtle that might be.
A small smile graced his lips as he reached the medical wing, where Shimizu was tending to any soldier's wounds. Iwaizumi looked over the beds, hoping to find the familiar head of black hair which was absent of any demon horns, but his smile faltered when Kageyama was nowhere to be seen.
"Has Kageyama ever dropped by here?"
Iwaizumi asked Shimizu as he approached her, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. Shimizu furrowed her eyebrows at Iwaizumi’s words.
"Kageyama? I haven't seen him since he left the castle to fight."
The uneasy feeling in Iwaizumi’s gut grew at Shimizu's response and she immediately sensed something was wrong. She led him out of the hospital wing and made sure there weren't too many people around to hear.
"What's wrong? Did Kageyama go somewhere?"
Iwaizumi shook his head. "He told me he would be at the hospital wing after taking care of some stuff, but since you say he's not here… I don't have a good feeling about this."
They agreed to search around the castle for the archer but the more Iwaizumi seemed to look, the more hopeless and dreadful he felt. He decided to go outside, making his way to the outdoor training ground when he spotted a curled up figure leaning against the wall of the castle. Iwaizumi figured it wouldn't be an enemy soldier but he kept his guard up as he took careful steps towards the person.
The person's head tilted up and their eyes met.
No.
Iwaizumi saw blue.
Please, no.
The person seemed to smile before the the sparkly blue in gem like eyes seemed to dull before they no longer met Iwaizumi’s sight as they slumped shut before their body fell forward, lifeless and unmoving even as the breeze ruffled ebony locks and all Iwaizumi could see was red.
So much red he wanted to throw up.
Not him...
"Kageyama!"
His eyes widened and he ran towards Kageyama but by the time he got there, the ravenette's eyes were closed shut, face pale, and not a single puff of air left his nose or lips. Iwaizumi’s eyes darted in panic and he held Kageyama closer to him, trying to shake some life into the ravenette even though he knew it was useless.
Blood smeared Iwaizumi’s skin and armor but tears sprung to his eyes knowing that it wasn't the blood of an enemy. Through his blurry vision, he saw stones and pebbles stained red, the two daggers still gleaming with Kageyama's blood, and the crushed pieces of Kageyama's bow held loosely in his still hand.
Iwaizumi wanted to sob but no sound left his lips.
I should've held him back. I should've stopped him.
He wanted to scream but he felt suffocated in his own guilt and regret.
Why, Kageyama. Why why why why why. Why hide it?
Ever since Kageyama was still a child that Iwaizumi had found in a burnt down village, the young boy was never afraid to voice if he was injured or hurt. While Oikawa always found it annoying, Iwaizumi didn't mind. It was a sign of trust and he would never want to stop helping Kageyama tend to the wounds he would get training.
But he should've known that there would come a day where Kageyama knew how to lie. It probably started long before but Iwaizumi should've known there would come a day where the Kageyama he would see was just a mask. Just a facade.
Making sure the injured soldiers were stable, Shimizu also left the castle to find Iwaizumi but froze just a few feet away when she saw the sight in front of her.
"Hajime…"
She stepped closer as Iwaizumi’s shoulders stopped shaking and his tears turned into soft sniffles. Shimizu placed her hand on his shoulder and knelt down beside him, leaving calming rubs with her thumb as she studied Kageyama's body.
Being the castle's main doctor, Shimizu had been used to seeing people pass away in front of her eyes but she couldn't stop the immense sadness that filled her heart as she took Kageyama's bloody hand in hers. She looked around and laid her eyes on the two daggers laying just a short distance in front of her.
The inscribed words on the blade read 'the Human King'.
"We have to bring him back, Hajime."
Iwaizumi wiped his eyes fiercely and nodded, biting his lip as it threatened to wobble. He scooped the limp Kageyama into his arms and watched as Shimizu picked up the daggers and the broken pieces of Kageyama's bow.
"We can take him to a private room first. And then…"
She looked at the items in front of her and sighed. Iwaizumi pursed his lips, understanding the unspoken words. As much as they didn't want to, Oikawa would have to know at some point.
"I'll get him. His injuries aren't too bad so he'll probably be looking for Kageyama."
Iwaizumi said, tightening his grip around Kageyama’s back and his thighs. Shimizu stayed quiet and nodded, walking back to the castle with Iwaizumi following. They reached the private ward and Kageyama was set onto the bed, blood already staining the white sheets.
With Shimizu by Kageyama's side, Iwaizumi went to look for Oikawa but he didn't have to look much further as the demon king was already standing in front of him, a questioning look on his face as Iwaizumi exited the private ward.
"Why are you out he-"
"Why is there so much blood on you, Iwa-chan?"
Oikawa's voice was dangerously calm and Iwaizumi gulped.
"I…"
"Where's Tobio-chan?"
Iwaizumi tried to force words out of his mouth but nothing came. Sensing something from inside the ward, Shimizu opens the door and her eyebrows raise slightly in surprise when she sees Oikawa in front of Iwaizumi. She glances between the two of them and steps to the side, closing the door behind her so Oikawa can't see.
"Oikawa-"
"Who was that in the room?"
Shimizu purses her lips at Oikawa's tone and looks towards Iwaizumi for help, but the man only sighs and shakes his head. She takes a moment before lifting her head and locking eyes with the demon king.
"You...might wanna see for yourself."
Both her and Iwaizumi don’t budge as Oikawa pushes past them, throwing the door open. Oikawa freezes when his eyes land on the figure laying on the bed, wide and shaking as he realizes who it is. His fingers tremble as he takes small steps towards Kageyama’s still body, noticing the items on the table next to the bed. Iwaizumi only turns and follows after him when he hears Oikawa’s cold laugh, shivers traveling down his spine.
“Very funny, Tobio-chan. This might be your best joke yet.”
Oikawa says as he clutches the broken bow in his hands.
“Oikawa-”
“This isn’t how it’s supposed to work, Hajime.” Oikawa starts, cutting iwaizumi off. The knight falters in his movements as he hears his first name and it’s evident in Oikawa’s voice that he’s crying. “Tobio-chan can’t just be dead like this. I just saw him like a few moments ago. This is a joke, right? Tell me it’s a joke, Hajime.”
Iwaizumi says nothing and Oikawa fights a scream, anger now bubbling in his chest. He gently places the broken pieces of the bow on the table, more tears threatening to fall as he remembers Kageyama’s elated voice when he had gifted the weapon to him. With his magic, the two daggers suddenly hover in the air and fly dangerously close past Iwaizumi’s head, causing him to flinch. The daggers hit the wall behind iwaizumi and Oikawa’s fists are tightly clenched.
“He will pay and he will perish if that’s the last thing I do and you will help me, understand?”
Outside of the room, Shimizu flinches but she can hear Iwaizumi move in his armor, no doubt on one knee with his hand over his heart and his head bowed.
“Yes, sir.”