Chapter Text
Hinata stood in the center of a a warm, crackling fire, the flames dancing around him. Wind teased gently at his hair, then swirled around him. He lifted his arms, and the flames rose. He spun, and they spun with him, the wind twisting around him, encouraging the fire to move faster. He laughed, magic coursing through his veins, power dripping from his fingertips, and brought his hands down, closing his fingers into fists. The wind died away immediately, and the fire vanished, leaving behind a warmth and peace that left him breathless. Feathers brushed his cheek, and he lifted one hand to stroke the soft midnight feathers of the crow perched on his shoulder.
"We did it, Kageyama!" Hinata whispered, beaming. The crow flapped his wings, buffeting the mage's head, then launched himself off his shoulder, changing to his human form as he landed in front of him. Kageyama's blue eyes were shining, and there was a pleased tilt to his lips as he turned to the hybrid mage.
"Well done, you two." Mage and familiar turned to their audience: their Guildmaster and his own familiar.
"Kageyama is the best!" Hinata replied cheerfully. The demon shrugged, still not used to the way Hinata dispensed praise, despite the months that had passed since they had bonded.
"You're the one who decides what to do, dumbass," the familiar grumbled. "I just make it happen." Hinata's happiness wasn't diminished by the insult. He just turned to their audience.
"So can we go out and do jobs outside the town now?" the young mage asked eagerly. "Please?" The Guildmaster glanced at his familiar.
"Your opinion, Suga?" he prompted. Suga shook his head, amused by the mage's insistence on a verbal review after every evaluation the newest members of their Guild had been through since officially joining them after the two bonded.
"Hinata's powers have stabilized since he's been able to use them and reduce his fear of them, and Kageyama's response to his cues have improved in leaps and bounds. But you already know this, Daichi," the gray haired familiar replied, elbowing him playfully. "They're ready. Maybe not for solo expeditions, but I think they could go with on the next out of town job we get." Daichi smiled and kissed Suga's temple.
"Good." Daichi looked like he was going to say something else, but Suga suddenly tilted his head, eyes focusing on the trees on the other side of the clearing they'd been using for the evaluation. Kageyama turned in that direction, too.
"Kageyama. Quiz time," Suga announced. The other familiar closed his eyes.
"Fire mage, really strong," Kageyama reported. "With some sort of nature spirit? I get the feeling I've sensed them before, but I can't place it." Hinata's eyes widened.
"You're sensing a fire mage and a nature spirit? Where? I can't sense them!" the hybrid mage exclaimed, eyes scanning the trees in the direction the familiars were focused in. Kageyama opened his eyes to glare at Hinata.
"You couldn't sense them if they were standing in front of you. It's not surprising you can't sense them when they're at the edge of Sugawara's range," Kageyama grumled. Hinata's mouth curved downward, and he crossed his arms.
"It's Bokuto, isn't it?" Daichi said, drawing their attention back to the actual topic: the mage and nature spirit. "Are they headed this way?"
"Yes to both," Suga replied. "At least, Bokuto's the only fire mage I know of who has a forest spirit as a familiar. I don't know why they would be headed here, though. Last I heard, they were on the other side of the forest, closer to Nekoma than us." Hinata's eyes lit up, and his frown vanished.
"Bokuto? The independent mage Noya was telling me about?" he demanded. Suga nodded, amused. Hinata had become friends with the short familiar almost immediately after joining, frequently joining in on games and challenges between Noya and his best friend, Tanaka, another familiar in their Guild. Kageyama frowned.
So that was why they felt familiar, he thought. Hopefully they don't recognize me.
"Let's go meet them," Daichi suggested. "One thing, though. Absolutely no sparring with him, okay?" Hinata and Kageyama blinked at him, the same expression of bewilderment and disappointment on both of their faces. The pair had become very fond of sparring during their training over the last few months, mage and familiar both enjoying testing their combined strength, and had matching mile-long competitive streaks. The few times another mage and familiar pair had visited Karasuno's Guild Hall, the two had eagerly challenged them. "I mean it. You can't beat them." Determination replaced the confused disappointment, and Daichi sighed. Suga stepped forward, smiling slightly.
"If you two took on Bokuto alone, you might have a chance, just because of Hinata's raw power," Suga explained. "But with Akaashi in the mix, you don't stand a chance. No one does, really. Because as soon as Akaashi gets so much as a scratch, Bokuto's power spikes, and he annihilates whoever is responsible for the injury." Hinata blinked a few times, trying to process this. "Which brings us to another thing, actually. Do not, under any circumstances, bump, scratch, or otherwise even slightly injure Akaashi. You will regret it instantly if you do." Hinata and Kageyama were silent for a moment. Then Kageyama spoke.
"As long as I'm here, Hinata's invincible," he said. "But we won't challenge Bokuto and his familiar." Hinata grumbled, but nodded in agreement. Suga relaxed.
"All right. Let's go meet them, then," Daichi announced. Suga led the way, and within half an hour, they spotted the mage and his familiar through the trees.
"Noya was right! His hair is awesome!" Hinata whispered excitedly to Kageyama, who sighed and shook his head.
"Bokuto! Akaashi! It's been a while!" Suga called, picking up his pace until he reached the other two, Daichi on his heels. Hinata and Kageyama followed, but hung back, watching.
"Suga! Daichi!" Bokuto exclaimed, shaking Daichi's hand so enthusiastically that the Guildmaster's whole arm shook. Then he turned to Suga and threw his arms around the familiar. Akaashi's eyes widened, and he moved forward, tapping the mage lightly on the shoulder. Bokuto released Suga and turned to Akaashi, who sighed.
"We've talked about this," the familiar said quietly. Bokuto pouted, and Suga flapped a hand dismissively.
"It's all right, Akaashi. We're used to Bokuto by now," Suga assured him. Kageyama was watching Akaashi, interest sparking in his blue gaze.
"He manages all of that excited energy, and he always makes it look easy," Kageyama murmured, glancing from the pair greeting their Guildmaster and his familiar to his own mage. Hinata didn't notice, apparently still impressed with Bokuto's hair - which was, in Kageyama's opinion, ridiculous.
"Hinata! Kageyama! Come here!" Suga called. The hybrid and his familiar obeyed quickly, joining the other four. "Bokuto, this is Hinata, our newest mage, and his familiar, Kageyama." Bokuto beamed at them.
"Nice to meet you!" the fire mage exclaimed. Akaashi nodded politely, then paused, his gaze fixed on Kageyama, who felt like he was being pinned in place by those dark, thoughtful eyes.
There's no way he knows who I am, right? Kageyama thought desperately.
"Have we met before?" Akaashi asked. Kageyama froze.
"Ah...I don't think so," Kageyama replied hastily. Akaashi's searching gaze remained on him for a moment, before Hinata started chattering.
"Noya says you're an awesome fire mage!" Hinata was saying. "I'm part fire mage, too, but I haven't gotten to talk to another fire mage in a while!" Bokuto grinned.
"Maybe I'll have to show you a thing or two while I'm here, then!" he suggested. Suga and Akaashi exchanged weary looks, and Kageyama sighed.
"Before you get too distracted, Bokuto," Akaashi spoke up pointedly. "We have news for Karasuno, remember?" The fire mage's excitement vanished in an instant, and Daichi frowned at the abrupt change in the other mage.
"I take it that this isn't happy news?" the Guildmaster said. Bokuto and Akaashi glanced at each other. Then Akaashi stepped forward.
"Windswept has made an alliance with Moonlit Shadows," the familiar said. "They're going to attack you, and Aoba Josei." Hinata's eyes widened, and Kageyama tensed.
"What's your source?" Daichi questioned.
"A Moonlit Shadows mage we helped escape from them," Bokuto replied grimly. "Ukai and his crows helped, and they sent messengers to Aoba Josei. The mage we helped was headed for Nekoma territory, so they'll probably know soon if they don't already." Daichi grimaced, and Suga took his hand.
"Nekoma can help bridge the gap between us and Aoba Josei. If our enemies are teaming up, we'll have to do the same," Suga said softly. Kageyama paled, and Hinata moved closer to his familiar, worried, but Kageyama wouldn't meet his eyes.
"We'll help you, too, of course," Bokuto added.
"And the crows are on alert," Akaashi told them.
"That's good to hear. Let's head back to the Guild Hall," Daichi said. "You can tell us everything that happened once we're there, and we've gotten everyone together."
"Ennoshita and Tanaka aren't due back until tomorrow," Suga reminded him. Daichi grimaced.
"We'll have to fill them in when they get back, then. But we should have something resembling a plan by the time they get back," the Guildmaster decided, leading the way through the forest, toward town.