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He was nine years old when both of his parents were killed.
They hadn't been doing anything wrong, simply existing, but apparently that sufficed for a crime. Humans who had waged war against their kind for centuries called knights had slayed his parents, bringing honour to their names while condemning a demon child to become parentless.
Having escaped into the forest, a young demon child, made an orphan, wandered through the woods alone. His little bones ached for rest, but he ignored his weariness and continued to trek forward.
He paused at a pond, collapsing to his knees to stare at his reflection in the water. Small horns poked out from tufts of chocolate brown hair, and a tail flicked at the corner of his vision. Clasping his hands together and closing his eyes, he began to whisper an incantation his mother had drilled into him for years.
A glamour spell. One that required minimal energy, and lasted as long as the castor needed it to. It would temporarily erase his horns and tail, making him appear to be human by both sight and touch.
When he reopened his eyes, Oikawa's lips parted. It might as well have been a human boy staring back at him. But his gut stirred. There was something... almost sickening about pretending to be the animals that he hated, the animals that had brought upon him nothing but pain.
Oikawa rose on wobbly legs and continued forward to an unknown destination. He froze when he heard another creature tromping through the forest. Crouched behind a bush, Oikawa pried the leaves apart to peer through.
There was a boy, a human boy, with a wooden net. He chased after a purple and blue butterfly, determination riddling his lips into a frown. All of a sudden, the butterfly veered sharply, and the boy crashed into Oikawa's bush with a war cry.
Oikawa yelped as they tumbled together across the dirt and undergrowth, the butterfly fluttering away above the trees.
The spiky haired boy leaped to his feet and rounded on him, jutting the net out like a spear.
"Who are you, and why are you wandering so close to my village?!" the human shouted, adjusting his battle stance. Oikawa crawled backwards till his back met the trunk of a tree.
"I- I..." come on, think! Oikawa bit his lip, "I'm- I ran away from home, and I have no family left! And I'm just passing through," The best way to lie, was to weave in bits of truth.
The net wavered, but the boy remained resolute, eyes narrowing.
"You... don't have any family? What about your mom and dad then?"
Oikawa felt it again- the frog rising up in his throat. He bit down harder on his lip to quell his tears, and turned his head to the ground. He focused on the way the sun shone through the leaves, creating a speckled pattern of light. "They- they died."
Instantly, the other boy softened. First his eyes, then his jaw, his shoulders, and soon the net lowered. "Mine too," he said at last, brow furrowed. "So you ran away from your home because they're not around anymore?"
"Yes."
The spiky haired boy took a minute to properly digest this information. Then he stepped forward and extended a hand, "I'm Iwaizumi, and I live in the village just outside the forest."
Don't trust him, don't let him get anywhere near you. Oikawa eyed the hand before reluctantly reaching for it, ignoring the voice in the back of his head to instead admire the sheer green of the boy- of Iwaizumi's- eyes. Something in him yearned to trust this human, to trust him wholeheartedly. Oikawa thought that part of him was stupid and naive.
A loud growl disrupted the forest.
Iwaizumi laughed.
"Hungry much? Here, come back to the village with me. We can get you food."
Coming from Iwaizumi, the invitation sounded genuine. But a village full of humans... that was a horrible idea. His parents' deaths flashed through his mind, and Oikawa rapidly shook his head.
"No! I mean, no thank you. I think I'll stay here."
"Oh." Iwaizumi tilted his head and studied Oikawa, puzzled. Finally, he shrugged, "okay. I'll grab something instead then, and bring it back to you. Just, stay here, okay?"
Oikawa didn't know what to do except nod.
When Iwaizumi did come back, some time later, it wasn't with a hoard of humans, pitchforks and flaming torches. He simply offered some bread, butter, and grapes. "I know it's not much," he started, "but I figured you might want to take it slow if you haven't eaten in a long time."
Oikawa ate in silence, Iwaizumi plucking the occasional grape and throwing it into his mouth. But the human's curiosity must have got the better of him, because he sat closer and parted his lips. "How old are you?"
Oikawa took another ravenous bite of bread, "nine."
"Hey, me too!"
For the next three days, Iwaizumi trekked out to the woods and brought him food. On the third night, Iwaizumi lingered.
"Are you planning on staying here forever? Out in the forest like some kind of animal?" He didn't sound judgmental, more so worried. Oikawa poked at a fat green caterpillar. It squirmed away underneath the leaves.
"Maybe. Dunno."
"You should come back with me." Iwaizumi blurted, refusing to look Oikawa in the eye, "I mean, I know you didn't want to, but my oba-chan, she's really nice, and she'd let you stay with us, if you need to..." he didn't know why he was talking so much, it wasn't really like him. Iwaizumi pressed his lips together and glared down at the forest floor in frustration.
Oikawa curled his legs to his chest and rested his chin upon them.
---
He didn't know why he agreed to this, or what stupid part of his brain authorized this decision. Because, it was a horrible decision. Oikawa clutched Iwaizumi's hand as he was led into the wolves' den, jumping and squeezing Iwaizumi's hand even tighter when the humans looked up to watch them pass.
Why was he entrusting his life and his safety to Iwaizumi in the first place? This foolish human boy had no idea what he was, and if he did, surely Iwaizumi would rush to throw him mercilessly to the humans in the village.
But, something in his gut told him that Iwaizumi was good. Humans weren't good, he knew that much. Humans hated him, he didn't know why. But if Iwaizumi never found out, everything might just be okay.
"This is my home," Iwaizumi spoke proudly, stopping before a narrow, two story stone brick house. To the side of the house, a long clothes line spanned. Oikawa jumped when something furry brushed his leg. Iwaizumi laughed.
"That's Coco, she's a stray that keeps hanging around cause oba-chan keeps giving her milk." With no fear of the strange creature, Iwaizumi bent down to rub the cat's head. The cat slunk away, and the boys headed inside.
"Oba-chan, I'm home!" Iwaizumi called.
A short, stout woman wearing a messy apron with her hair tied back in a braid bustled through from around the corner, clapping her hands together, "Hajime, I thought you'd be gone all day! And how was your- oh, and who might this be?" her hazel eyes flickered to Oikawa, voice growing apprehensive.
Iwaizumi stepped forward. "This is-"
"Oikawa... Tooru." The brunet interrupted, meekly. The house grew quiet and still.
Finally, Iwaizumi's grandmother smiled. "Well, Tooru, why don't you go upstairs and find Iwaizumi's room? You can look through some of his toys while I have a quick chat with him."
Obediently, the demon boy tiptoed down the hall and up the stairs of the unfamiliar home.
"Hajime," his grandmother started, "who is that? He's not one of the village children, so where did you find him?"
"I found him in the forest, but that's not important-"
"-the forest? Heavens, where are the boy's parents?"
"They're dead." Iwaizumi spat, and his grandmother's eyes softened.
"Ah, I see. So you feel sorry for him. But we can't just take strangers into our home. We know nothing about him, or where he came from." She reached down to rub Iwaizumi's shoulder with a sigh, "I know you just want to help."
"I do, and that's why- that's why he should stay with us!"
"Hajime-" his grandmother warned, before she cut off by her grandson.
"-No! He's- he's all alone. He doesn't have anyone, and you wanna abandon him too? Well not me, I'm not gonna leave him." With his declaration said and done, the boy puffed out his chest and lifted his chin. He was ready to face whatever she threw at him.
His grandmother gave another weary sigh, one where you could almost hear her bones rattling. "Fine. He can stay a few nights, until I decided what to do with him. But he follows my rules of the house while he's here, just like you do. Is that understood?"
Iwaizumi's face glowed like a firefly in the dead of the night- fleeting, but beautiful. "Yes, yes Oba-chan!"
---
A few days turned into a few weeks, and a few weeks turned into a few months. See, Iwaizumi had begun to realize that Oikawa had a knack for charming people- there was something about him that you just couldn't say no to. And, Iwaizumi took equal pride in being immune to his new friend's charms.
As his stay in the village extended, the villagers who'd once been wary of him were soon wrapped around his little finger.
For Iwaizumi Hajime, life right now was everything that it should be. His days were filled with adventures with Oikawa, from bug catching to playing pretend in the forest to running around in in grassy fields ubiquitous with wildflowers, to getting revenge on the village girl who tried to chase Coco.
Life was simply everything a nine year old could have asked for.
---
At ten, Iwaizumi and Oikawa caught dragonflies.
At least, they attempted.
They spent hours at the edge of the forest, running through leaves and snapping twigs under their shoes, and yet they'd failed to catch a single dragonfly. They'd seen plenty, but the tricky little things were just too fast.
Then, out of a sheer bout of luck, a dragonfly flew right into Oikawa's jar. With a squeal, the brunet screwed the lid with poked holes in it shut, entrapping the buzzing creature. He paraded about the forest, holding the jar high above his head.
"Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan! Look!"
When they had to let the creature go, Oikawa cried.
At twelve, they tried to bake Oba-chan a cake when she left for the morning market, and almost succeeded in burning the house down. When she arrived home, they both latched onto her in tears.
At fourteen, Oikawa liked to stargaze, and always dragged Iwaizumi out to the hill to go with him. Whenever he couldn't sleep, it seemed, he wanted to go watch the night sky and view the galaxy in all of its brilliance. Unfortunately that was quite often.
They would lay, star-fished out among the tall grass and weeds, and feel like the only two people on the planet. If their fingers happened to brush occasionally, neither of them said anything.
At sixteen, Oba-chan left them alone for a two day trip to a neighbouring village, and of course, Oikawa got them both into mischief. He dragged Iwaizumi down to the cellar with an idiotic grin on his face, and grabbed a large bottle of liquor.
He drank like a fool, but Iwaizumi abstained and remained dead sober, reluctantly accepting his role as babysitter for the evening. They were playing cards when suddenly, Oikawa leaned over the table and pressed his lips to Iwaizumi's.
It was quick, it was fleeting, it was- it was- Iwaizumi's brain short circuited. It was a kiss. He just kissed me.
Oikawa leaned back with a dopey grin plastered on his face, forming a tiny heart with his index fingers and thumbs.
"I love you, Iwa-chan," he whispered into the dead stillness of the night, before laughing and tipping right off his chair.
At eighteen, they were grown men. Well, somewhat. The village had long since become Oikawa's home, as much as the people that inhabited it. His old bitterness towards humans had softened.
And at eighteen, one hot, sticky summer afternoon spent fishing in the river, Iwaizumi made his declaration.
"Hey, Oikawa... I've been thinking about this for awhile, and well, I wanna become a knight."
Oikawa nearly threw his rod into the swimming waters. A knight. The humans who slayed Demons. The kind of evil that killed his parents almost a decade ago. The tragedy that had brought him here felt like it was a lifetime away, or in a different lifetime entirely.
"That's... sudden." Oikawa spoke at last, voice stiff and clipped.
"I know, I should have told you sooner. I just, I didn't know if I was all in or not. So?"
"So what?"
Iwaizumi's brow furrowed, "what do think about it? I'd have to move away a couple of months for training, and then I'll be placed somewhere, and it could be far. I'd only be allowed to visit home occasionally."
"I think it's a dreadful idea," Oikawa sniffed, reeling in his line. "I mean, think how heartbroken poor Oba-chan will be when you leave? Of course I'd miss you too, if only a little. Still, there's nothing special about being a knight anyways, and don't you know the death rate?"
Iwaizumi frowned, chin lowered, "I know it, but I don't care. I told you my parents died a long time ago, well what I never told you was that they died because of Demons. Demons killed my parents. So this is... this is important to me, Oikawa. I want you to support me on this. Can you?"
Oikawa neglected to speak, instead he concentrated very hard on his fishing. Iwaizumi sighed roughly.
"I don't understand why this is such a big deal for you, but, if you really don't want me to go then... then I won't."
Iwaizumi sounded so far away, like Oikawa was underwater. The Demon scowled.
"Oh please, don't let me hold you back. If you want to leave me so badly, then go right ahead!"
"Oikawa." Iwaizumi was calm, as he placed a hand on his shoulder, "it's okay. I won't go."
At nineteen, Oikawa was content. Life in the village was quiet, and peaceful. Iwaizumi ended up staying, and they spent everyday together. It was almost like living in a dream. He should have known he'd have to wake up eventually.
"Great Demon Oikawa Tooru," the dark haired man spoke, except that he wasn't a man at all. He had horns poking up through his black tufts and a tail flicking at his side. The forest was all but silent around them, as though even the critters had tuned in to their conversation.
Oikawa had come out to the forest in search of some wild onions for Oba-chan while Iwaizumi finished with the dishes. The Demon disguised as a human was frozen, rooted to the spot.
"How- how do you know-"
The demon interrupted him, "- I come baring a prophecy. My name is Kuroo Tetsuro, and I am from an old family like yours. Ever since I received the prophecy, I've been searching for you. Please, allow me to pass on my message."
Oikawa was stiff, unmoving. A prophecy. He'd heard his mother speak of scarce Demons with the ability to read into fate and the future. And here before him stood one of those few, a dark haired demon without a glamour spell intact.
Oikawa swallowed and raised his chin, assuming the most regal pose he could, "go on."
Kuroo knelt on one knee, unbothered by the damp, muddy earth.
"It is decreed by the fates that you, Oikawa Tooru, son of Oikawa Takei, will unite Demon kind as the Demon King, and save your people, ending the war. If you choose this path, you will live a short life. The other path the fates have offered you is this: live out your life here, playing as a human, and live in peace while your kind lose the war and are killed."
A choice... He got a choice in this? What the hell kind of prophecy was that?! Oikawa chewed his lip incessantly and mulled over this new information. He had a chance to save his people, and to end the war against the humans. But he would die young. On the other hand, he could stay here in the village and live a boring, common life with Iwaizumi. A long life free of bloodshed and pain, at the sacrifice of his people.
Before he vanished, Kuroo bowed his head,
"You have until tomorrow after sunset to make your choice."
---
When Oikawa returned to the house, with a small basket of onion, he was eerily quiet. That night when he had settled down for bed, Iwaizumi had knocked at his door.
"Come in,"
"Oikawa." Iwaizumi started, "what's wrong?"
Oikawa smiled, "Nothing, Iwa-chan! I'm perfectly fine."
"Bullshit you are. Do you think I'm an idiot? You've been acting weird ever since you got back from the forest. So tell me what's going on." Iwaizumi's hardened eyes were resolute, as his lips drew into a tight frown.
Oikawa shifted on his bed, laying on his back to stare up at the ceiling.
"I'm tired, Iwa-chan." he spoke at last with a sigh. Lazily, his gaze flicked to Iwaizumi, who still hovered in the doorway. Iwaizumi. A long, happy future flashed through his mind. They'd spent over a decade together. Why should he have to give that up? Why couldn't he want a domestic, easy life? Did that make him a bad demon for wanting to stay here and turn a blind eye?
"Fine." Iwaizumi's gruff voice brought him back, "but we're continuing this in the morning, don't think you're getting off that easy, jackass."
Oikawa smiled, holding back tears, "Of course, Iwa-chan."
When he was finally left alone to his thoughts, his mind wandered down every avenue.
I don't have to do this. He didn't owe his people anything. In fact, all being a Demon had ever done was bring him pain. But in his years of pretending to be human, he'd experienced happiness, contentment, and an appreciation to simply be alive. It was much easier to be human.
He suddenly felt sick.
How could he think that? How could he ever think that? It was humans who had brought the pain into his life. It was humans who took away his happiness. It was humans who slaughtered his parents.
The sheets scrunched beneath his fists.
Oikawa Tooru disappeared into the night.
---
The throne room was dark, lit dimly by only a few torches on the walls. Iwaizumi heaved, the exhaustion beginning to kick in. He wiped dark blood- demon blood- from his forehead with his gloved hand.
Down the hallway, Hinata and the others were holding off the remaining Demons, so that Iwaizumi could do what he came here to do.
The knight took a deep breath in- blood, sweat- and exhaled to lift his chin. There, at the end of the room upon a red throne, sat a Demon cloaked in all black. He was regally posed, elbow resting on the throne's arm and chin propped on his fist. In-between fluffy brown tufts of hair, two dark horns were visible.
Oikawa.
But this was not the Oikawa who had stayed in the village with him for a decade. No, this was the Demon King who burned villages like his to the ground overnight, killed humans without batting an eye, and whose name struck fear into the lives of everyone Iwaizumi cared about. There was no way this monster was the same Oikawa he'd grown up with. Because if he was, then Iwaizumi would have to acknowledge the fact that he'd loved a monster.
And he couldn't do that.
"Ah, Iwa-chan. I've been expecting you, though I didn't think you'd come so soon." The Demon King drawled, head tilting to the side.
"Don't call me that." Iwaizumi growled.
With a cat-like yawn, Oikawa lazily stood. "Well, I suppose this is the part where we fight to the death? I must admit I've heard about your skills, and I hope you'll be at least a little entertaining for me."
Entertaining? Entertaining? Staring at this horrible, twisted version of Oikawa, a part of Iwaizumi's chest ached. "Oikawa," he began, voice dry, "why? Why did you deceive me, all of those years?"
The Demon waltzed down the steps leading to his throne, as though knights breaking into his castle to kill him was a daily occurrence.
"Because I was foolish. I was a silly child with grand delusions of the World, Iwa-chan. But don't fret, I now see you as the filthy animal that you are. Humans are so similar in structure to Demons, don't you think? Except they're a lesser version, weaker. Unfortunately, there just isn't room on this planet for the both of us, you know?"
"Is that your excuse for killing innocent people?!" Iwaizumi shouted, taking a defensive stance and brandishing his sword, "don't you feel anything for what you've done?" If you're the boy I knew, you do.
The Demon laughed.
"Do you feel any remorse for killing cattle? Because that's all you humans are to me. Cattle." He spat the last word out with malice.
With a war cry, Iwaizumi charged forward. Black magic shot towards him, but he dove to the side and kept running.
"Aw, you think you can kill me? How cute, Iwa-chan,"
The Demon's taunts bounced in his mind as Iwaizumi took his first swing. A wall of blue magic rebounded the strike, saving Oikawa from a blow to his arm. Oikawa tsked, "now that was a weak hit, it wouldn't have done me in! Come on, Iwa-chan, are you really serious about this?"
"Shut up!" He tried again, only to be deflected. Oikawa smiled.
"Now that's more like it. Keep it up, I want to see everything that you've got!"
As they danced around one another, Iwaizumi's rage grew. Ten years. Ten years he'd let this monster into his house. They'd done everything together.
In the split second that Oikawa took to recover his magic, Iwaizumi barrelled into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Iwaizumi landed on top, straddling the other's waist and using his free hand to hold Oikawa's above his head.
Iwaizumi stared long and hard into those unfeeling eyes, searching for even a glimmer of the person he once knew. Of the soul that was once intertwined with his own. A lump rose in his throat, and he managed to choke out,
"Did you ever love me?"
Those eyes that had turned red shone with animosity and malevolence.
"I hate you." Oikawa spat, each syllable dripping with venom.
Ah. Iwaizumi lifted his sword. A million of the memories they'd made together flashed rapidly through his mind, but he tightened his grip. This is it. Today, I put an end to this monster.
As the sword came driving forward, Oikawa closed his eyes.
---
"Oikawa. I know you're still... settling in, but I've received another prophecy that will be of interest to you."
Oikawa turned from his balcony, voice bouncing off the stone walls. "Oh? Is it about me?"
Kuroo stepped into the new Demon King's quarters, shaking his head. "No, it is about Iwaizumi Hajime."
Oikawa's eyes lit, and his breath caught. "Well? Go on,"
"Iwaizumi will be the one who brings peace, but first he must seek vengeance before he can find that peace within himself."
Oikawa's lips parted in an 'o'. "Ah, I see. So I've... gotta become the monster for him to slay, right?"
Kuroo nodded, "in doing so, you'll be the one who allows for this peace to happen, by allowing him to kill you, thus, fulfilling your own prophecy. You must become the tyrant Demon King- merciless and ruthless, and Iwaizumi will come to slay you. You will live a short life, but your death will bring peace."
Many months later, as his hands grew bloodier and his horns seemed to twist more and more, Oikawa confronted Kuroo again. He could... he could sense it- his death was soon coming.
"Kuroo." he started, voice uncharacteristically soft, "when all of this is over, you aren't to tell Iwaizumi about the prophecies. Not a single word. I don't want Iwa-chan to live with any guilt because of me, I want him to believe himself the Hero that he is. I can't... I can't bear to burden him any further. Okay?"
---
Here it comes. He wasn't ready. His body shook.
He didn't want to die.
But he had to. This was the path he'd chosen, and he wasn't backing out now.
I hate you. God, how it had broken his heart to say those words. Well, whatever heart he had left after the acts he'd committed. But they were necessary. Soon, soon the world would again be at peace. But first he, the monster, had to be slain.
I don't want to die.
And the worst part of it all, he'll never know how I truly feel.
With his final breath, he thought what he could never say.
I love you, Iwaizumi Hajime.
---
Iwaizumi dragged the body of the Demon King across the throne room, just as the doors burst open.
"Iwaizumi-san- you, you did it!" Hinata cheered, shaking Kageyama. Kenma filed in after them, along with Aone in the back. But Iwaizumi couldn't hear them, they were all but white noise against the sound of his own deafening thoughts.
He killed him. Oikawa was gone. Forever. The knight's silly illusions of talking things through, of saving his best friend had burned to ashes here inside this castle. Because Oikawa Tooru had been beyond saving, and he was no longer the boy Iwaizumi once believed him to be. He was a Demon. A Demon who'd committed atrocious acts against Humanity, and a Demon who deserved to die today.
Still, as he stared down at the lifeless body of his closest friend, Iwaizumi wondered what had started this war in the first place. Had it been Demons or Humans who'd made the first move? It doesn't matter anymore, a voice in his head reasoned, too much bloodshed has already been sacrificed. Need no more.
He couldn't avenge his parents. But, perhaps he could save some poor child from having to go through what he did. The tyrant Demon King was gone, so perhaps now the Demons could see reason.
He would find a peaceful solution.
Iwaizumi Hajime left the castle a hero.
---
Kuroo Tetsurou knew that Oikawa, whether he was in Hell, or whatever kind of afterlife existed for Demons, if there even was one, would not approve of this. He specifically told Kuroo that he was to stay far away from Iwaizumi Hajime, and to never disclose any information regarding the prophecies.
"I want him to be a hero. He doesn't deserve to guilt over me."
But, Kuroo didn't plan on bringing up the prophecies. He just wanted to give Oikawa's soul a good place to rest.
Oikawa's body was burned at a stake outside of his castle, signifying the end of his reign, and the end of the gruesome war. The heroes were quick to leave, eager to begin negotiations post-war. Once the courtyard had cleared out, and the sun dipped below the horizon, Kuroo waltzed out.
He knelt at the ashes, head bowed.
"You've fulfilled your prophecy, and brought peace to your people, as well as peace to the World. You have tainted yourself so that the bloodshed may end with you. Rest in peace."
A few days later, Kuroo traveled to the village where Oikawa had spent a decade of his life. In his arms, a simple, black urn. It was night, and the sky above was clear and twinkling. Kuroo trekked up the village's high point- a hill that was perfect for stargazing. He hummed a soft tune he recalled Oikawa singing on several occasions, a lullaby, as he dipped his fingers into the urn.
The ashes rained down onto the grass and wildflowers.
"Oi. What the hell are you doing?"
A hoarse, cracked voice interrupted.
Kuroo lifted his gaze. Iwaizumi Hajime, the Honourable Knight and slayer of the Demon King. The man who brought peace to both Human and Demon kind. Kuroo gave a tired smirk, "what do you think, Iwa-chan?"
The nickname sparked anger in those green eyes, as Iwaizumi marched forward.
"He doesn't deserve to be here." he spat, eyes locked on Kuroo's.
"Oh? And who are you to dismiss the rights of the soul?" Kuroo kept calm, but his heart ached. You will never know how much Tooru did for you, for everyone. He loved you so much that even now he's forbidden me from speaking the truth.
"Oikawa's soul has no rights after what he's done. I'm not gonna let him taint my village."
"It was his village too, you know. For a whole decade. I think..." The Demon mulled over his words carefully, not wanting to impeach on his promise to Oikawa. "I think he was happiest here."
Iwaizumi's gaze softened before it hardened.
"Get out. Leave my village, right now."
Kuroo placed the cover back on the urn, and made for the forest.
I'm sorry, Oikawa. I tried.
The Great War ended with the death of the Demon King, of whom all the atrocious acts of the Demons were piled onto. The end of his reign promised a new beginning, and for the first time in over a thousand years, things were looking promising.
History was cruel and unforgiving to Oikawa Tooru.
The Demon King was the villain.
The knight was the hero.
And Iwaizumi Hajime would never know anything different.