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The world of Haikyuu was a special world. Once upon a time, humans lived peacefully alongside such magical creatures like ogres, elves, giants, and even fairies, and the land was ruled by the benevolent King Utsui Takashi.
This is the world that Oikawa Tooru was born into. He grew up a pleasant, overall well behaved boy. His childhood companions were magical in nature, and he knew love from all, family, friend, and neighbor alike.
Then King Ukai tragically passed away, and his brother took control as the King regent and everything changed. Rules were passed that forced the magical forces into separate, segregated sections of the world. Oikawa Tooru, being only human and young, didn’t understand why his friends had to leave.
“Iwa, Makki, Mattsun, do you really have to go?” Oikawa tearfully asked, holding onto Iwaizumi as if his life depended on it. They were a spectacle to behold with Iwaizumi an ogre, Matsukawa an elf, and Hanamaki a fairy.
“Let go, crybaby-kawa,” Iwaizumi grumbled, gently pulling his arm free of Oikawa’s grip. “You know the King changed the law. We have no choice but to leave the village of Aoba Johsai.”
“I refuse! You can stay! I can hide you here, forever!” Oikawa cried, moving to grab Matsukawa and pull him away, presumably towards his house.
“Just, be quiet , Oikawa!” Hanamaki snapped in frustration, and Oikawa immediately closed his mouth. “This is just as hard on us as it is on you! Why can’t you just listen and do as you’re told for once!” He yelled, but he paused, catching sight of Oikawa’s tear-stained face, suddenly feeling guilty. “Just…let us go,” he finished quietly, looking away.
Oikawa immediately dropped Matsukawa’s arm and stood quietly as his friends turned and walked out of his life.
He would never forget them.
He couldn’t, even if he had wanted to.
Hanamaki had been a young fairy, not fully in control of his powers. He had been too enraged at the situation to realize the power he was inadvertently putting behind his words, so when he angrily told Oikawa to “listen” and “do as you’re told” he had accidentally gifted Oikawa with a terrible curse to obey . His mother and fairy godmother realized immediately what had happened, but it was too late. Only the fairies who gave gifts could remove them, and he was nowhere to be found anywhere near the village.
This had been annoying enough, but then Oikawa got older. Life further changed, his mother tragically passed young, and before he knew it, he had a step-mother that came with petty and conniving step-sisters. Step-sisters who had figured out that he had to listen and began working him like a servant. He was tired of not being able to make any choices for himself and so, with his fairy godmother’s blessing, he set off in the dark of night on a mission to find his old friends and get the curse lifted.
He’d first stumbled into the city of elves, hoping that maybe Mattsun had had a lead on Makki’s location. Unfortunately, he hadn’t heard anything from Hanamaki or Iwaizumi in years, not since the group had been forced to split. He’d suggested that maybe Oikawa would have luck in the land of the giants since fairies tended to like to party and it was wedding season. Oikawa was getting ready to leave empty handed when he stumbled into Tendou being threatened by a group of thieves. After rescuing the red-headed elf, Oikawa learned that elves had been forced to become entertainers under the new laws, but Tendou was determined to petition the future king to be allowed to become a chocolatier. Oikawa hadn’t exactly wanted him to follow along, but in the end decided it’d be safer than traveling alone. So now he had a traveling companion.
Then they were discovered by the ogres and had nearly become dinner, especially with Iwazuimi nowhere to be found. They had never even heard of an Iwa the ogre! Tendou had gotten himself tied to a tree and Oikawa had been ordered not to fight. He wasn’t sure how they were going to get out of this, but, thankfully, or maybe not, the young Prince Ushijima happened to be nearby and had charged in like a real hero, saving the day.
“The ogres wouldn’t even be hungry if it weren’t for your stupid laws!” Oikawa snarled at Ushijima once the trio had moved to safety. He had looked stunned, as if he had no clue what Oikawa was talking about, but then smoothed it over, saying that he would accompany them to the land of the giants and learn more about how the world really was outside of his stupid fancy boarding school. Oikawa’s words, of course.
It had been a little over a week of traveling together and Oikawa was loath to admit that Ushijima, or Ushiwaka as he had dubbed him simply to annoy the prince, was growing on him. He did seem, unfortunately, truly clueless as to how his uncle’s laws were affecting his people, but he was open to listening and learning. Each person they passed, be them human or otherwise had a complaint and Ushiwaka took the time to hear them out. Oikawa even caught him taking notes and storing them away for further reference! Maybe there was hope for the young monarch, yet.
Before long, they found themselves in the land of the giants. It just so happened a major wedding was happening upon their arrival and they got swept up in the festivities. Tendou nearly got crushed by a giant, but he was fine, just a little shaken. Oikawa had learned that Hanamaki had been present, accidentally gifted the giant couple a curse of eternal happiness, and then had moved on. Oikawa was too late, and the fairy still didn’t seem aware that he was causing trouble everywhere he went.
And now… “Stupid Makki,” Oikawa grumbled as he stood on a table in front of a crowd of giants. Ushiwaka stood behind him, while Tendou was off to the side, fearfully watching. The giants had insisted that the trio stay for the evening before setting off to the capital city of Shiratorizawa the next day, but they had also finally realized that Tendou was an elf.
“Sing for us, elf!” One of the giants called, slapping another on the back in laughter, and making the table they stood on shake with the force of the vibrations.
“No, I really don’t want to,” Tendou shook his head. The giants roared in disapproval and he quickly stepped behind Oikawa and Ushijima, effectively disappearing behind them.
“He doesn’t want to sing,” Oikawa snapped while Ushijima shifted in order to better hide Tendou. “Don’t force people to do something they don’t want to do! It’s not right, you brutes!” He shook his finger as if he was chastising the unruly crowd.
The giants laughed at Oikawa’s outrage and gestured at him. “Fine! You sing, then! Sing!”
Oikawa felt a familiar surge of magic rush through his body and he determined to fight it. “N-no, I also don’t–” He tried to get out, protesting. He felt a pit of nausea in his stomach, and the harder he resisted, the more light headed he began to feel. He briefly considered how close he was to the end of the table. If he tried to fight the command any longer, he was going to start feeling dizzy and be at risk of falling off the table.
He glanced at Ushiwaka, who stared impassively back at him, and Tendou, who gave a silent shake of his head, probably telling Oikawa not to do it. Tendou had come the closest to realizing Oikawa’s curse and had used commands to get them out of sticky situations on their journey. Unfortunately, Oikawa’s curse wouldn’t accept the head shake as a command, so he sighed and turned towards the giant. “Can anybody find me somebody to love,” he started singing quietly, standing stiffly. He had been ordered to sing, but at least he could control the presentation and volume.
He continued singing, but he wasn’t sure where the song had come from. It wasn’t one he was familiar with, and it felt as if it had come to him from a different dimension. Regardless, the giants were pleased with the selection and almost magically knew the words to join in. Before long, he had background singers and music accompanying him. He finished the first verse of the song and gave a wave, indicating that he was done.
The giants laughed and shook their heads at his attempt to end it. “Louder!” One called and Oikawa allowed the compulsion to shudder through him without a fight. He continued the song, and let it get louder and louder, the entire time mentally cursing his childhood friend. When he found Makki, he was going to kick his ass. He could then hear Ushiwaka laughing nervously behind him, probably wondering why he was giving in to the giants’ demands and continuing to sing. He also silently cursed his late mother for forbidding him from telling anyone about his curse. It would have made things so much easier with the prince.
He decided to throw in some basic dance moves while getting even louder to hopefully appease the giants and be allowed to stop soon. He ran a hand through his hair here, added a little shake there, and smiled when he heard the crowd of giants start to snap along to the tune. They were obviously pleased by his performance. Maybe, just maybe they would take over and he could scuttle away.
He felt himself coming to the end of another verse and prepared to bow and again try to end the song when another giant shouted “More soul!” He wanted to grimace but instead, a large smile plastered itself on his face as he added in a couple of shimmies. He heard his voice get a little huskier as he began to listen to the lyrics he was singing. He couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, he’ll one day be free, just like in the lyrics of the song. He was being forced to add soul to the song, but he knew in the end that there was some truth to it, that his life was a prison, and he had to find relief.
He opened his mouth to say thank you as he felt the song come to another natural conclusion but yet another giant yelled “Dance!”
Dance? He was dancing! He had been dancing since they wanted him to be louder, and even more so than being told to add soul! Regardless, he felt his body move into positions he had remembered seeing from performers at a theater when he was young and his mother had taken him to shows. He spun, shook, spun again, threw his arms out and pulled them back artistically.
One particular spin took him in front of Tendou who gave him a thumbs up before pushing him away. Oikawa mentally grumbled. He’d get Tendou back for that later, the coward. He felt himself crouch down, then gently rose again, rising high on one foot, the other moving into the air gracefully. He brought it down, spun, then leapt across the table as if it was a stage. He closed his eyes as the moves washed through him, feeling the music and lyrics as if they were a part of him.
“Tooru, watch out!” he heard distantly. His arms had been outstretched during a leap and suddenly a hand reached out to grab his. Oikawa felt himself be pulled back and opened his eyes, staring deeply into Ushiwaka’s, noting concern and…
Oikawa swallowed and finished the song as Ushijima gently lowered him into a dip. “Somebody to…love.” That. That’s what he saw in his eyes.
And was he ready to admit what he knew he was beginning to feel?
No. Not yet. There would be no acknowledging any feelings until he got the curse removed. He couldn’t risk putting Ushijima or the kingdom in danger. But, he could enjoy the moment for now, as it was.
Ushijima lifted him back up, and Oikawa put his arms around his neck, embracing the warmth from the other as they gently swayed to the last few beats of the song.