Work Text:
You see, it had been rumored that in every prefecture there had been a designated puppet, and one puppeteer, who they call the mastermind.
None of them were safe, and the only way that they'd be able to escape, and stop being the puppet, is to find someone who truly cares for you and would do anything to bring the control back to the puppet. Everyone was able to escape, they were able to cut off any ties with the puppeteer except for one.
Someone from Tokyo.
"Hey, looks like the news about the Daze had stopped." Someone from Fukurodani started.
"Tell me about it, seeing the last Daze was horrifying. He almost stepped off from Aoba Johsai High's building." Another one commented with a shiver.
"That last one was Oikawa Tooru. Setter and Captain of Seijoh's volleyball club." A tall ravenette added, supplying them of who the last Daze victim was.
So far, no one has fallen off or became victim to death's waiting arms, but one thing they all had in common, they would all keep dancing like they weren't in control of their bodies.
"I could still remember when I saw Kenma in the middle of the road, dancing like he didn't care about anything. He didn't even flinch or move when a truck was speeding towards his way, but the headlights were able to illuminate the fear in his eyes." The Captain brought up, a memory that had continued haunting him and his best friend from Nekoma. The Nekoma Captain had to run in, pushing both his and the setters body out of the way.
"Enough chitchat and get back to practice!" An older man shouted, making everyone run back to their positions.
Everyone thought that Seijoh's setter was the last puppet and Daze victim, even those from other prefectures.
~~~~~
There had been a call from the Hotel's manager, screaming how there was a boy that walked in her building, looking like he wasn't in the right state of mind, which alerted the police and the fire department. They knew what this was, and it wasn't just someone being high or drunk or out of their mind. They were in a Daze.
Both the news, the police and fire department were surrounding one of the few tall hotels near Fukurodani, the building was at least 12-story high, everyone was looking up at the top of the building, awaiting for the boy's presence.
~~~~~
The news of another Daze victim was all over the news. It didn't help that the victims had been staring intently at the TV or their phones to see who it was, when suddenly the volleyball gc started going off in a speed that none of them were used to.
When they opened it, it had been Bokuto, Kuroo and Kenma frantically asking if any of them had seen Akaashi, but none of them had seen the ravenette, when suddenly something clicked in Oikawa's head, and started a call in the gc.
"Bo-chan, has there been any news of a Daze from your prefecture?" He asked.
"No, almost every prefecture had news about a Daze, but none on the prefecture I'm in."
Before they could understand what Oikawa was getting at, one of the reporters was interviewing the Hotel's owner.
"Could you describe to us what the boy looks like? The one who you described as someone who isn't their right mind." The woman nodded.
"He was tall, taller than me. If I were to assume I'd say he'd be around 183 centimeters, but that's just a rough estimate. He has black messy hair that looks like curls, and his eyes were a beautiful mixed shade of blue and gray. He was also wearing a jacket that has the name of his school. I think it was Fukurodani." The woman described.
They were listening attentively when the woman was describing his appearance, thinking that he might have been someone with the same appearance as Akaashi, but when she brought up the jacket from Fukurodani, they instantly knew who it was.
Everyone went silent and prayed that it wasn't him, and it was someone else wearing the same jacket and goes to the same school.
After hearing this, Bokuto started running to the Hotel in the news, both Kuroo and Kenma chasing after him. "I thought Oikawa was the last Daze victim!" Bokuto shouted, not realizing that he was still on call.
"You never heard of the Daze then!" A voice shouted, catching everyone off guard except for the three boys running towards Akaashi.
"He'll be my last puppet. My beautiful blue-eyed puppet." The voice sighed dreamily.
It started to scare them, when suddenly Bokuto shouted, "You two stay here, I'm gonna go after Keiji!" Making the two shouted back to respond.
~~~~~
Akaashi was still walking like he wasn't in control of his body.
He kept moving with a bit of sway in his steps.
"Will you be my puppet forever?" A voice asked, he looked around a bit but no one was there.
"I'm nowhere to be seen my blue-eyed beauty, I'm inside your head. Now, will you be my puppet forever? Will you sacrifice your life for me?"
He wanted to say yes, he really did. To be with someone for the rest of his life, but he had wanted to be with Bokuto.
The puppeteer suddenly panicked when a few strings started breaking, 'How is he able to break the bond without anyone saving him?!' He has been the most difficult puppet to control.
"You belong to me! You will risk your life to be with me for as long as I live!" The puppeteer shouted, being able to reconnect the strings once again, putting the beautiful boy in a Daze.
This made Akaashi lose what little control he was able to regain, "Yes, Master. My life belongs to you as I become your puppet for eternity." He answered almost robotically.
"Wonderful, my blue-eyed beauty. Now walk a bit faster, I can't wait to see you dance." The voice chuckled sinisterly.
The boy picked up his speed, reaching the 11th floor in no time.
~~~~~
"He'll finally be my puppet!" The voice laughed, making every single one of them shiver in fear.
"No! You won't be able to get him!" Kenma shouted.
"How so?" The puppeteer asked, amusement could be heard in his voice.
"He loves Bokuto-san!" A timid voice could be heard, his voice loud.
"Tadashi..." someone called.
"You could have been one of my treasured beauties, but your blonde lover just had to grab your arm before falling off the ocean." The voice groaned in exasperation.
"You disappeared a for a bit earlier," Oikawa snickered, "did our blue-eyed owl give you a hard time?" He chuckled.
"Bokkun has a special place in Akaashi-kun's heart, so of course he gave this stranger a hard time." Atsumu laughed, making everyone laugh as well.
"I wouldn't be laughing for long if I were you, or you'll miss the show." This got everyone's attention and turned back to the situation in hand, and held their breath, waiting for the worst to happen.
~~~~~
Akaashi was now at the rooftop, climbing the ledge of the building.
Swaying as he got on top of it, then suddenly, music started playing.
I feel it, my head's in a daze, daze, daze.
As he started moving his body to a drunken dance that he couldn't control.
I'm addicted, I replay, play, play.
Akaashi knew that he couldn't look down, one wrong move and everything he had been fighting for would be for nothing. He had to keep looking up, dancing, and pleasing the puppeteer for now.
~~~~~
Bokuto couldn't be bothered to take the elevator and started running up the stairs, wondering how he'd survive climbing to the rooftop, but all his worries disappeared once he reached the 8th floor, and as he continued climbing towards the rooftop, he could hear music.
I feel it, my head's a daze, daze, daze
He started getting scared, because he knew that it had started.
I'm addicted, I replay, play, play
He was already taking two steps at a time to reach his beloved.
The way you want it
"Damn it Kaashi, hold on a bit longer." Bokuto begged to the air.
Go as far as you can to reach it
He kept on running, racing against time, wishing that he wasn't too late.
Trapped in the carnival, wow, wow
Skipping two or maybe three steps just to reach his beloved in time.
My heart's again in a daze, daze, daze
He wanted to give up and just let his efforts go to waste.
Can't control my body dance, dance, dance
But he wanted to be able to pull the boy's body against his and hug him tightly.
This sweet scent
He pushed himself to go faster, until he reached the twelfth floor. "Oh for goodness sake, finally!" He screamed, making the others chuckle in nervousness as they heard the loud boy shout his frustration.
Fangs glowing red
Pushing the doors to the rooftop, he saw how Akaashi was dancing gracefully albeit his drunken movements indicated that he wasn't in control.
"Say your goodbyes!" The man laughed, and Bokuto only had a little bit of time before Akaashi falls to his death.
Revel in it, this carnival, wow, wow.
Then Bokuto sprinted towards the setter, reaching out to him before he plunged to his death.
~~~~~
Everyone was holding their breath, screaming uselessly as they saw the boy's body leaning towards the edge, until he lost his balance and fell, everyone closed their eyes in fear of what was about to happen next, but the sound of a body hitting the ground never came.
They opened their eyes and saw the boy hanging from the rooftop, a hand holding him up.
"Bokuto!" Kuroo shouted, running inside the hotel, pulling Kenma with him, using the elevator to reach the rooftop.
~~~~~
They could hear cheering from below while Bokuto tried pulling Keiji back to the safety of the rooftop.
"You promised to risk your life for me, and be my puppet for all eternity!" The voice boomed, making Akaashi flinch, his hand slipping out of Bokuto's grip.
"Please, don't let go Kaashi." Fukurodani's Captain was looking down at him, begging him to hold on.
"I, Akaashi Keiji, will never be your puppet for eternity!" He shouted, feeling the strings snap one by one.
"No! NO! This can't be happening! How is this possible?!" They heard the voice panic, shouting profanities after profanities.
"Looks like you lose. Your last puppet had been smart enough to let you play for a bit until help arrived." Kenma snickered behind Bokuto, while Kuroo rushed towards his best friend's side and helped him pull Akaashi up.
"I will get you!" The puppeteer yelled as he soon disappeared from both Keiji's mind and the group call.
"Thank you for never letting go." Bokuto sobbed once he knew they were safe, and that Keiji was in the safety of his embrace.
"Thank you for holding on." Keiji replied, hugging the other with the strength he has left.
~~~~~
The others were able to breathe again, no longer consumed by fear and anxiety of what were to happen with the final Daze victim.
He was now saved, and the puppeteer would no longer be able to control them again.
"I will come back, and I will have my puppets again!"