Chapter Text
The first thing Yamaguchi Tadashi heard that morning was the sound of steel striking steel.
He opened his eyes before the second strike.
For a few seconds, he simply stared at the wooden ceiling above him, listening to the muffled sounds coming from outside the small barracks.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
The training grounds were already awake.
Yamaguchi groaned quietly and pulled the blanket over his head.
"Five more minutes."
From the bed across the room came a laugh.
"You said that yesterday."
Yamaguchi lowered the blanket just enough to glare at his best friend.
Hinata Shouyou was already dressed.
Of course he was.
His orange hair was sticking out in every possible direction, and he was holding his training sword like he had been waiting for hours to get outside.
"You've been awake for five minutes," Yamaguchi muttered.
"Twenty."
"That's worse."
Hinata grinned.
"Come on. We're going to be late."
Yamaguchi sighed.
The two boys had been training at the royal grounds for almost two years. Neither of them came from noble families. Neither had a famous surname or a long line of knights behind them.
They had simply shown up with dreams bigger than their circumstances.
Hinata wanted to become one of the kingdom's greatest warriors.
Yamaguchi wanted to become a knight.
The difference was that Hinata seemed to believe he could accomplish anything if he worked hard enough.
Yamaguchi wasn't so sure.
He climbed out of bed and began putting on his uniform.
The dark green training jacket was slightly too large around his shoulders, something he had complained about when he'd first received it. Now he barely noticed.
Outside, the morning air was cold.
The sun had only just begun to rise over the kingdom of Karasuno, casting pale gold light across the stone towers of the royal castle.
The castle stood on the hill overlooking the city.
From the training grounds, Yamaguchi could see its enormous walls, the banners hanging from the towers, and the royal crest embroidered across each one.
The kingdom's golden crow.
He stared at it for a moment.
One day, he thought.
One day, I'll be up there.
Not as a servant.
Not as a trainee.
As a knight.
"Tadashi!"
Yamaguchi snapped back to reality.
Hinata was already halfway across the training field.
"Coming!"
Yamaguchi grabbed his sword and hurried after him.
The training grounds were crowded.
Dozens of trainees were practicing with swords, shields, and spears. Some were already skilled enough to spar with the kingdom's knights.
Others, like Yamaguchi, were still trying to figure out what they were doing.
A loud voice echoed across the field.
"Positions!"
Every trainee immediately stopped.
Yamaguchi straightened.
The royal guard's captain walked toward them, his armor shining in the morning sunlight.
"Today, you'll be evaluated on your swordsmanship."
Yamaguchi's stomach dropped.
Hinata looked excited.
Of course he did.
The captain continued.
"Those who perform well will advance to the next stage of knight training. Those who fail will remain in basic training."
A murmur passed through the trainees.
Yamaguchi tightened his grip around his sword.
This was important.
He couldn't stay in basic training forever.
He had already failed once.
He couldn't do it again.
The trainees were divided into pairs.
Yamaguchi looked around.
Then he saw who he'd been paired with.
His heart sank.
"You're kidding."
His opponent smiled.
"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."
Yamaguchi didn't answer.
He raised his sword.
Across the field, Hinata was already preparing for his own match.
"You've got this!" he called.
Yamaguchi nodded.
The captain raised his hand.
"Begin."
His opponent attacked immediately.
Yamaguchi barely blocked the first strike.
The force traveled through his arms.
He stepped backward.
Another strike.
He blocked again.
Another.
He moved to the side.
His opponent was faster.
Yamaguchi tried to counterattack, but his sword was knocked aside.
He stumbled.
The other trainee advanced.
Yamaguchi's thoughts became a blur.
Don't panic.
Don't panic.
Don't—
His opponent swung.
Yamaguchi froze.
The wooden blade stopped inches from his shoulder.
Silence.
The captain lowered his hand.
"Enough."
Yamaguchi stared at the sword.
His opponent lowered his.
The captain looked at him.
"You hesitated."
Yamaguchi swallowed.
"Yes, sir."
"You've been training for two years."
"I know, sir."
"And you're still hesitating."
Yamaguchi lowered his eyes.
"Yes, sir."
The captain walked away.
The match was over.
Yamaguchi had lost.
Again.
He could feel the embarrassment spreading through his face.
He wanted to disappear.
Hinata came running over the moment his own match ended.
"Tadashi."
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I'm fine."
Hinata frowned.
"You froze."
"I know."
"You need to stop thinking so much."
"I know."
"Tadashi."
"I said I know."
The words came out harsher than Yamaguchi intended.
Hinata went quiet.
Yamaguchi immediately regretted it.
"Sorry."
"It's okay."
Hinata looked toward the castle.
"Maybe you just need a break."
Yamaguchi followed his gaze.
The royal castle towered over them.
At the highest window of one of the eastern towers, someone was standing.
A figure in pale clothing.
Watching.
Yamaguchi couldn't see the person's face from this distance.
He didn't know that the person was the crown prince.
And he certainly didn't know that the crown prince had been watching him for several minutes.
"Your Highness."
Tsukishima Kei didn't answer.
He remained by the window, his arms crossed.
Below, the trainees were beginning to disperse.
Kageyama Tobio stood several feet behind him, holding the prince's coat.
"Your Highness."
"What?"
"You have a meeting in twenty minutes."
"I know."
"And you were supposed to be preparing."
"I know."
Kageyama sighed.
Tsukishima finally turned away from the window.
"What?"
"You've been staring at the training grounds."
"I was looking outside."
"At the training grounds."
"That's outside."
Kageyama stared at him.
Tsukishima stared back.
Neither spoke.
Finally, Kageyama sighed again.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told."
Tsukishima walked toward the door.
Kageyama followed.
As they walked through the castle halls, servants bowed as they passed.
"Your Highness."
"Good morning, Your Highness."
Tsukishima barely acknowledged them.
Being the crown prince meant being watched constantly.
Every word.
Every expression.
Every decision.
He had learned years ago how to appear uninterested even when he wasn't.
It was easier that way.
People expected the prince to be confident.
They didn't expect him to be curious.
They certainly didn't expect him to wonder what life would be like if he had been born someone else.
Someone who could choose his own future.
Someone who could walk through the kingdom without guards.
Someone who could fail at something without an entire court whispering about it.
Tsukishima stopped outside the council chamber.
Kageyama nearly walked into him.
"Why did you stop?"
"I have to go inside."
"Yes."
"You don't."
"I know."
"Then why are you still here?"
Kageyama looked at him.
"Because you always try to leave through the window when meetings get boring."
Tsukishima smiled faintly.
"Do I?"
"Yes."
"Interesting."
"Don't."
Tsukishima opened the door.
"I wasn't planning anything."
Kageyama narrowed his eyes.
He didn't believe him.
Inside, the royal council was already waiting.
Tsukishima took his place beside the king.
The meeting began.
But for the first time in a long time, Tsukishima wasn't thinking about politics.
He was thinking about the boy on the training grounds.
The one who had frozen when his opponent attacked.
The one who looked disappointed in himself afterward.
The one who had looked up at the castle as if he wanted to reach it.
Tsukishima didn't know his name.
Yet.
Outside, Yamaguchi was still staring at the castle.
One day.
He tightened his grip around his sword.
One day, he would become a knight.
Even if it took everything he had.
He just didn't know that the person standing between him and that dream might eventually become the person he wanted to protect most.