Chapter Text
Kageyama felt like he couldn’t breathe. His muscles screamed in protest as he pushed his legs to run faster. ‘This can’t be happening.’ He muttered to himself, over and over, as he raced towards the angry screams and terrified yelps. ‘Please’ he thought, squeezing his eyes closed in an attempt to disband the images appearing in his mind. Weapons pointed, defensive stances. Blood. So much blood. His breathe caught in his throat as he pushed past the gathering of angry hunters, falling in front of the defenseless ball of orange fluff curled in on itself on the ground. It didn’t matter that everyone was yelling, the only sound that broke through his panicked state were pained whimpers as he pulled the wolf into his arms, holding him close to his body in an attempt to protect it from the hunters.
“Tobio, you’re insane!” Oikawa screamed at him. “That's hell’s beast!
It can lose control and kill you! We have to kill it before it kills one of us!”
Kageyama glared at his friend, staring him and the barrel of the gun down with the fiercest face he could muster.
He could feel the warm blood seeping through his clothes. He knew he had to get away from here, get Hinata away from here. Hide him in their cave in the forest, away from the danger and pain. Had to save his life.
“Then why don’t you try and kill me first?” Kageyama hissed through gritted teeth. He could see the other hunters converging on them from the corners of his eyes, anxiety and fear gripping his heart as the situation terrified him to the core. He wouldn’t let it show though, he couldn’t. He had to be strong, for Hinata. For himself. If he broke now, there’s no way he’d be able to save him.
As the other hunters raised their weapons, ready to attack, a loud sound ripped through the night. All heads turned in the direction of the forest's edge, as dark figures began emerging. Angry snarls and deep growls emitted from bared teeth as the wolves descended towards the crowd.
He could recognize them easily, even in the minimal light the night gave them. He had met them two weeks ago, on a warm sunny day, as he followed Hinata into the clearing crawling with other wolves. He had been nervous, of course, a hunter surrounded by his supposed prey. But Hinata had trusted them, and he trusted Hinata more than anyone in his life. He could see they way they watched the younger wolf run around the field, chasing birds and varieties of butterflies in a protective manner. Hinata had told Kageyama of how they had always looked out for him before he had stumbled upon Kageyama and hadn’t left his side since. He could see they would do anything to protect him. He could see they were proving that now.
The appearance of the wolves was exactly what they needed. Kayegama had locked eyes with Noya for only a split second, but he understood the situation perfectly. ‘We will distract them. Take Shouyou and run Kageyama.”
He didn’t look back as he scooped Hinata into his arms and bolted from the scene, the sounds of the fight ensuing behind them slowly fading out as he pushed his legs with a strength he never knew he possessed. He didn’t stop; didn’t slow down. He worried for a moment if the jostling Hinata was receiving from being carried at such a speed would further injure the little wolf, but he had to get him away. It wasn’t long before he crashed through the opening of the cave Hinata called his home, and he gently laid him down on the soft straw Hinata had used for a bed.
“It’s all okay now. You’ll be okay now, Shouyou.” He whispered, barely audible over the slight sobs that were ripping through his own throat. “You’re going to be okay, I promise.”
Kageyama crawled over to the small bag that was in the corner of the den. The bag he had stored medical supplies in from when he himself was injured and Hinata was doing the healing. He pulled out gauze's, antibiotics, bandages. He looked back over to the orange slump that had lost consciousness moments ago. Hinata would need stitches, as Kenmas arrows always shot deep into his prey.
Another sob erupted from Kageyama, and he rushed back over to the injured boy. “I’m so sorry, Shouyou..” He whispered as he went to work on Hinata. “It's all my fault.”
Even though unconscious, Hinata’s face contorted in pain as the needle pierced his skin to close his wounds.
“If only I hadn’t tried to leave you. If only I had stayed when you’d begged me to…”
Kageyama bit the thread to the finished few stitches. One wound down, so many more to go.
“If only I didn’t leave you all alone… You never would’ve followed me to that place... “
Hinata whimpered as Kageyama cleaned his injuries with the antiseptic from the bag. He wrapped every cut and stitch with bandages, wiped the blood from Hinata’s arms, legs and chest. He threw the wolves ripped up and crimson stained shirt into the corner of the den, taking his own off and wrapping it around Hinata, even though it was three sizes too big.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry..” He whispered again, as he laid Hinata back down on the mat and proceeded to cover the entrance to the den, so any hunters who had escaped Noya’s wrath wouldn’t be able to find them. He took deep breathes as he made his way back to Hinata, laying beside him, wrapping his arms around Hinata’s slender chest and pulling him close.
“I promise you, Shouyou,” he said, burying his face into Hinata’s neck, the smell of him slightly calming Kageyama’s nerves as he pushed his face deeper into his fur.
“I promise you, Shouyou, I’ll never leave you again.”