Archive of Our Own

Hinata didn't know how far to go. Kageyama warned him that some of the inhabitants could use magic, especially Oikawa, and the further he went the closer he was getting to Oikawa's room. Oikawa was the biggest threat, but he was surrounded by countless rooms and hallways that Hinata had to wind through, so at the very least Oikawa wasn't an immediate threat. 

Small lights lined the hallways. Hinata considered bringing a lantern, but Iwaizumi advised against it, and Hinata had to agree. It was cumbersome, it clacked and made noise, and the light could attract attention as it swung around instead of staying in one place. Hinata had to walk around by the guidance of his hand along the wall and the occasional light Hinata was fortunate enough to find hanging on the walls.

After some time, he realized that the lights weren't torches or lanterns. He thought it was useless to inspect them, but they did tell him to look at everything he could find.

The lights didn't hang from the walls. They floated, little blue wisps of fire that hovered in place obediently. Hinata thought they were pretty, but after a minute he stiffened. If magically powered sources of light were active, then someone who can use magic was up and awake.

Hinata crept down the hallway, backing up in silent alarm. He swiveled around, and some of the lights began to flicker, despite the lack of wind.

Hinata didn't know what to make of that. He started to walk faster, still with light steps. There was less caution in them as he picked up the pace, and when he rounded one corner, a shadow fell in the hallway. Hinata jumped, bristling up on his feet, but he didn't see anything other than a shadow on the floor. It shifted, and the lights flickered along with it. Hinata bristled again.

The weight on his back grew lighter, and Hinata turned to see his sword disappear.

"Nice try," someone said, and Hinata took a step back. The movement was useless when Hinata couldn't see where the person was so he could back away from them.

Hinata turned on his feet until he saw someone standing to his right, leaning against the wall with Hinata's sword in hand. The figure rotated it by its hilt to inspect, a hand hovering over the blade and lightly touching its edge.

"This can't do much against me." It was tossed to the floor.

"Who are you?" Hinata asked. "Are you a sorcerer working for Oikawa?"

"No. I am Oikawa." He frowned.

Hinata's eyes went wide, and the tension rode up his spine. He instinctively reached for his sword, and when his hand found air, he turned in a circle again, looking over his shoulder down his back.

"I already took your weapon. Pay attention!" Oikawa gestured at the sword where he threw it behind himself.

Hinata's arms fell. His shoulders were stiff, and his jaw was tight, eyes alight with alertness, but his nose still wrinkled. He tilted his head, his shoulders sloping to accommodate the movement.

"You're the king?"

"Yes."

"You don't look like one."

Oikawa snapped his mouth closed. The lights flitted, and Hinata remembered that Oikawa could use magic. He was probably the one controlling the lights.

"Why are you here?" Oikawa asked.

Hinata didn't know he had to lie on this mission. He wasn't prepared, and he stayed silent, humming questioningly to himself.

Oikawa leaned closer, arms crossed. "Well?"

Hinata didn't notice Oikawa's height until he bent closer, but now that Oikawa was right in front of him, Hinata shrunk into his shoulders. Being short was sometimes useful in battle, but when he was face to face with someone, it didn't help at all.

"I don't recognize you as one of my guards," Oikawa continued.

"Uh…"

"There's no way to play dumb. I know you're traveling with Iwa and Tobio."

"Iwa?" HInata murmured to himself. "Are you three friends…?"

Oikawa's hand came to the wall next to Hinata's head, trapping Hinata on one side. "No."

That drove Hinata's attention to Oikawa's face, craning his head higher. Up close, he could see that Oikawa's eyes were bright red, glinting and shining with blue speckles from the wispy flares in the air. The vague pointed shadows on Oikawa's head came into view as horns, and the rest of him also became clearer.

Hinata ducked a little, slowly, trying to dodge Oikawa's arm. "How did you know I was with Iwaizumi and Kageyam?"

"I've been watching your group," Oikawa said. His head came closer, and Hinata noted with slight annoyance that he was bending at the knees now. From this distance Hinata saw his mouth form the words, careful little movements that Hinata watched without thinking.

Oikawa's arm lowered when Hinata tried to subtly escape. His gaze hardened. "You're not going anywhere."

Hinata's mouth and shoulders tightened. He tried to duck again, and this time Oikawa's hand came into direct contact with his arm, holding onto his elbow.

"Interesting how Iwa didn't tell you I usually stay up at night." Oikawa scoffed to the side.

"Maybe he forgot?" Hinata asked. Even if Iwaizumi told him, though, Hinata was sure he would've came at this time anyway.

"Figures."

Oikawa returned his attention to Hinata. He jostled Hinata's arm and pulled him along as he started walking. Hinata stumbled at the sudden shift, his body slow in following as he lurched.

Hinata tried to tug away. He jerked his arm to wrench free, but Oikawa's grip held steady. Hinata grunted and grumbled against the resistance, and no matter how much he struggled, Oikawa didn't let go. His hand barely moved from it.

"Even if you broke my hand, I can use magic," Oikawa said. "Just give it up."

Hinata's arm fell still. He didn't think about how Oikawa could be both magically and physically stronger than him, but now that it came to mind, it was disquieting. It hit him then, the gravity of it, and Hinata felt an icy wave of panic wash over him. Hinata's hand went cold in Oikawa's.

Oikawa's hand was warm. It was larger than Hinata's, and his fingers wrapped around Hinata's wrist easily. Hinata was very aware of the feeling of a stranger's hand on his. Even if it was an enemy's, it felt as foreign as if someone like Kageyama or Kenma held it. Foreign enough that Hinata felt every small movement of Oikawa's fingers, every twist that followed a turn around a corner down a hallway.

"If I don't come out soon," Hinata said quietly, "then my friends will come."

"Don't be ridiculous. If they could, they would've done it already instead of sending you alone at night."

Oikawa was right, and Hinata hated that. He wanted to say something back, but his sword was missing, the walls were covered in shadows and stone, and a powerful demon was dragging him away. Hinata didn't want to aggravate him.

Oikawa came to a stop in front of a door to open it. It was a small-looking room, relative to what Hinata imagined other rooms in the castle looked like, but it was still furnished, bed and all. It was more than what Hinata had sleeping outside with the others.

"What's this?" Hinata asked.

Oikawa yanked his arm to propel him forward, and then he pushed HInata to keep him going. Hinata flapped his arms for balance.

"I have things to do right now. I'll deal with you later."

Hinata's eyebrows knitted, his confusion slipping over his quiet fear. "Here?"

Oikawa bristled defensively. "I'm not going to put you in a dungeon! I'm not as barbaric as you. I don't even have one."

Hinata found that hard to believe. He was more mindful of the insult, though.

"Barbaric?" he repeated.

"You're a trespasser. You clearly want to invade my castle." Oikawa turned his nose in the air.

Hinata frowned. His mouth wavered in a reply, but his thought tapered off when Oikawa stepped forward. His hands went to Hinata's and with a shimmer of magic, something dark and heavy slithered around his wrists and drew them together. Hinata was too surprised to protest in the moment, and afterward, he wriggled his arms. There wasn't the metallic rattle or cold steel of chains, but it was tight enough to keep Hinata's wrists from pulling apart.

"What is this?" Hinata asked as he tested it, head tilted to glance over it.

"Magic binds, so you don't try anything."

Hinata thought that was overkill. He didn't have a weapon.

Oikawa closed the door. There was a flash, and Hinata realized that Oikawa was using magic there, too.

Hinata sat on the bed. His hands being tied felt strange, and no amount of pulling could break the binds. It got uncomfortable when he tried to crawl onto the bed, leaning on his elbows to move up. Hinata collapsed when he reached his pillow. He turned onto his side, his arms folded him beside him.

Hinata didn't get to fall asleep. He didn't know how much time passed, but it was still dark outside when Oikawa returned. The door creaked open.

"I know you're awake," he said. "Get up."

Hinata wriggled on the bed to get to his feet. He made it to his elbows first, and he rolled over until he could bend his legs and place his feet on the floor. He leaned against the edge of the bed until he could stand.

Oikawa made a rumble of impatience, and he grabbed Hinata's arm. Hinata staggered a step, dazed from swimming in the darkness of his almost-sleep. He took too many steps, and he walked into Oikawa.

Oikawa kept tugging on Hinata's binds, and Hinata followed. Hinata wanted to rub at his eyes, and with Oikawa's hold on the ties, he couldn't move his hands. He bent his head down to do it, and part of his face brushed against Oikawa's hand.

Hinata's head was still sluggish from drifting off earlier, although it felt like a heavier cloud of bleariness than normal. Hinata yawned, and he syncopated his steps to fit in a quick stretch of his leg.

The hallway opened into a large throne room, and a crystal ball stood on a pedestal in the middle.

"None of your friends have tried to come save you yet."

"It's only been a few hours," Hinata said. He lifted his hands to scratch his itch on his forehead.

Oikawa shrugged, his head turning a bit smugly. "Still…" Something smoothed his face out of its expression, and he cocked his head. "I don't know your name."

Hinata's mouth pinched. "Oh. Uh, Hinata."

Oikawa looked thoughtful. "Hinata…"

Hinata glanced around the room. He saw his sword on a table to the side, and the glint of it from the blue lights in the air drew his eye to it more.

"I can tell that your little group is still outside because of this." Oikawa walked around, his clothes rustling as he stepped up to the crystal ball to wave at it.

Hinata's arms dropped, both of them hanging over his waist and bumping into himself as he trailed after Oikawa.

"Why tell me this?"

Oikawa poised his weight to one foot, hips sloping and arms crossing lightly. "Bored, maybe. Besides, it's not like you can do anything with whatever info I give you."

That sounded like a taunt, and Hinata fidgeted his hands together at the tone. He glanced to the side, and he noticed Iwaizumi through the crystal ball, but he was barely visible in the night.

"I rarely get trespassers, so you're lucky I don't know what to do with you right now." Oikawa was still tilted on one foot, contemplative. "If it'll make Iwa and Tobio mad, then just keeping you here is enough, I suppose."

"Enough for what?"

Oikawa waved at him to brush it off and ignore him. He turned his head back, eyes skimming over Hinata.

"Can you actually use a sword?"

Hinata raised his hands. "Not like this."

"I didn't mean right now. Hold on." Oikawa squinted at him.

The binds fell apart and disintegrated in the air. Hinata didn't notice at first, since it happened quietly and gently, unraveling with featherlight attention. When he did notice, he moved his arms slowly, grimacing at the soreness.

Oikawa clicked his tongue. "It's not that bad," he said incredulously, as if he had no faith in Hinata's endurance. It made Hinata eye his sword, and at Oikawa's silence, he guessed that Oikawa was looking too, although Oikawa alternated between the sword and Hinata.

There was a heavier light in Oikawa's eyes when they were fixed on Hinata, weighted with calculation, different from his original intake of Hinata's wandering through the castle. Hinata didn't dare reach for his sword under Oikawa's gaze.

"Why don't you try to fight me?" Oikawa asked.

Hinata dropped his stiffness in surprise. "You're asking me?"

Oikawa shrugged. "You look like a terrible swordsman anyway. You can't hurt me."

Hinata's mouth twisted. He opened his mouth, and within seconds Oikawa pushed his sword to the floor, the clattering sound ringing throughout the large room. Hinata flinched.

"I'm serious," Oikawa said. "Fight me."

Hinata warily approached. Oikawa kicked at the sword, and it slid closer to Hinata. He bent to pick it up. Hinata regarded Oikawa with cautious steps, still unsure what Oikawa meant and what he wanted. Oikawa wasn't moving, just looking at him, his eyes following Hinata as he stepped over.

Hinata darted to the side and swung his sword up. He acted without thinking, and he didn't expect Oikawa to see it coming when Hinata didn't either, but Oikawa stepped to the side and let his sword arc uselessly. 

Hinata tried again a few times, but he either missed, or it deflected off of magic. That felt really unfair when it hit magic. While Hinata recovered from the shock in his arm from the sword bouncing off, Oikawa pushed him. Hinata gasped from the sudden strength, and he fell to the floor. He landed sitting up, leaning back on his hands, and his sword clanged onto the ground.

He straightened to sit up further, but Oikawa's foot came to his chest, and Oikawa pressed his foot down to pressure him into place.

"For a human, you're pretty average," Oikawa said. "Pity this is a demon's castle."

Hinata's shoulders rose. Oikawa's head tilted, glancing down Hinata again. Hinata stilled at his stare.

Oikawa shifted his mouth to the side, and Hinata swore that he saw Oikawa lick his lips as he removed his foot.

"Would you like to stay?" Oikawa asked.

Hinata bent his head up more, his weight pushing back onto his hands with the movement. "What?'

"I said that wrong. You're going to stay. I can always use more guards."

Hinata's mouth closed. He was probably an ideal recruit-prisoner for Oikawa, strong enough to fight but not to fight back, at least on his own.

Hinata rubbed at his arms. It felt hopeless to even try to resist now, especially with the sinking bubble in his stomach and the glitter in Oikawa's demon red eyes.