Kageyama was a king. He was the king of a whole land. But it was empty. He watched every day, as the leaves turned brown and autumn started. He watched the black birds fly above, even they left, as there was nothing for them to eat.
Kageyama sat on his empty throne every day, wishing that he wasn't king of this horrible place of only neglect, where only he could live. He had chosen this path for himself.
And so he watched the land change every day, as it got darker, colder, and lonelier. The winter didn't affect him though, as he was as cold as the snow that fell on his castle roof. He knew this, but he also knew it was too late for him to fix it. It wasn't as if he had never tried to fix things, they just always stayed broken. So he only watched as his kingdom crumbled to ruins.
But one day. It changed. As Kageyama looked upon his land, He felt a slight warmth. The snow had stopped and was melting. Birds were flying around in a frenzy. He realized something was happening, but only watched as someone stumbled up a far off hill. Kageyama watched this person stand up on this hill, posing in a proud way before collapsing.
Kageyama felt a twinge and ran out of his castle towards the hill. As he got closer to the hill, he noticed that crows were also crowded around this figure. Was this person dying? Were they dead? Kageyama thought as he ran, shooing the black birds from the collapsed figure.
He was not a man. He looked almost like a child. But Kageyama knew this person was as old as himself, which wasn't an adult. This boy had a black cape lined with feathers. His fiery orange hair stood out from most of his features. Kageyama was not one for kindness, but he had come so far. He pressed his head against this fallen boy's chest, hearing the soft rhythm of his heart. He sighed in a slighted relief and pulled his head back up. He took in a breath before picking the crow boy up and carrying him to his castle. This boy muttered in his sleep, but Kageyama really couldn't understand what he was saying, frankly, he didn't really care. All he cared about was getting back to his castle.
And when he got back, he set this stranger in his own bed and left off to one of the kitchens in his castle to make something to eat. In his kingdom, there were no servants, no knights, only a king. It had been deserted, and Kageyama had been shunned from all other kingdoms, for only himself to decay along with the kingdom. But now, Kageyama had a chance to change things. He had a guest. Kageyama didn't exactly know how to be nice, but he could attempt. He began to get doubtful. The same thing that had already happened will happen again. He will end up driving this stranger away. He sighed and banged his head against a wall. "damn it.." he muttered to himself, pulling his face from the wall. He grabbed the heated soup and walked into his room where the stranger still slept.
Kageyama noticed crows lining the window and he tried shooing them away. "go away! He isn't dead yet!" The crows cawed at him, he growled back. he opened the window and grabbed one of the bird's legs, about to clobber it. But before he did, he felt a hand on his hand. He turned his head to see the boy staring back at him. The boy dropped his gaze and gently removed Kageyama's hand from the bird's leg, The bird hopped away and flew into the distance. Kageyama had just watched silently, slightly surprised. The boy cleared his throat and looked back up at Kageyama. They stared at each other in silence for a moment. Kageyama closed his eyes, waiting for this stranger to yell at him about almost hurting the bird and stomp off, but it didn't happen. Instead he felt a warm object poke his cheek, just below his eye. "Hey.. Open your eyes. I can't introduce myself when you aren't looking." Kageyama opened his eyes after hearing the boy's pout. The boy, in return, removed his finger from kageyama's cheek. "I'm Hinata." He said to Kageyama, a smile forming on his bright cheeks. "Kageyama." The king answered, puzzled at this boy's friendliness. Hinata only looked around, his wide, bright brown eyes observing everything in his view. Kageyama suddenly remembered the soup and grabbed it, holding it front of him. When Hinata noticed Kageyama gave the bowl to him. Hinata smiled again, Kageyama's expression didn't change. He only observed Hinata. Kageyama wasn't sure what to think of him yet, whether he liked him or not. He was strange.
Days passed. Kageyama and Hinata lived with each other in the otherwise deserted kingdom. Hinata was mostly friendly towards Kageyama, but at least once everyday they would get into small arguments. Of course, small arguments didn't really affect them, if anything, they kind of enjoyed them. Even when they got into each other's faces, Hinata seemed to laugh. And if Kageyama would have to admit it, he enjoyed them too. It had felt like so long since he had someone, even if this person was still a stranger. Though, as the days passed, they swapped stories of themselves with each other. Kageyama didn't really talk about his past, but Hinata seemed very talkative.
Kageyama didn't mind so much that Hinata was a chatter box, it was much better than complete silence. "So in the kingdom I was from, they kicked me out because me and my group fed the crows. So I gathered them up and went to look for somewhere else to live. But then I fell into the river and got carried all the way downstream. So I had totally lost them! I wonder who the leader is now or if they're looking for me..?" Kageyama looked at him. "Wait a minute. You were the leader of the group who fed the crows?" Kageyama found it hard to believe that this orange-headed bird-brain was the leader of an entire group. But Hinata nodded at him, "Yup! They called me their "Crow King". Dunno if that really makes sense though. I mean, Crows seem to like me, but I'm no king." Hinata thought, spacing out.
"Hinata; If we can find your group then they can live here in my Kingdom." Hinata looked up at him, excitement in his big brown eyes. "Really?" Kageyama nodded and Hinata jumped to his feet. "Then what are we waiting for!? Let's go!" Kageyama smacked him. "I didn't mean right this second, Dumbass!" Hinata hissed, and glared at the floor before slapping Kageyama's hand away. "Then make adjustments in your tight schedule!" He hissed. Kageyama rolled his eyes. "Be ready in half an hour." He said right before leaving. Hinata gasped and jumped around the room, overly excited for the journey ahead.
The two set out in no less and no more than half an hour. Hinata led Kageyama to the river and so they went upstream. They traveled for a few hours before seeing distant shadows. Hinata squinted then gasped. "It's them!" Kageyama pulled Hinata back before he had a chance to run off. "Are you sure that's them?" He demanded. If the figures were guards from any other kingdom, Hinata and Kageyama would most likely be taken as prisoners or killed. Hinata pouted, nodding. "I know it's them!" Kageyama sighed before nodding and releasing Hinata. They both ran, and sure enough, it was Hinata's group. Hinata and the members of his group talked to each other for a good long while, Kageyama learning most of their names. Though he stayed in the shadows of the weeping willow tree they had all stopped near. Kageyama realized that some of Hinata's group members shared animalistic traits, such as a cat or an owl. Though Hinata was unique, as none of them seemed to share his crow-like stature. Except one person. The one named Kenma seemed to be staring at Kageyama, the only words he said to him were: "karasu kings.." Then turned away to speak to his other cat-like friend.
Kageyama sat under the tree until Hinata spoke up. "I hear something besides all your chattering. Hush up." "This must be serious if Hinata is ordering us to be quiet.." Kageyama thought to himself and got up, standing next to Hinata. Kageyama heard the sounds as well. Sounded like… Metal. Oh no.
"RUN" Hinata shouted to the group. They all fled, Kageyama and Hinata staying behind to buy them time. "Head to the Kingdom of Kage!" Hinata shouted, turning back to the growing noises of metal clanking on metal. The sound of armour.
Over the hill emerged one single person. The king of Hansamu, Oikawa. Kageyama knew him all too well, and it seemed that Hinata knew of him as well. Kageyama was almost afraid of Hinata's sharp, uncharacteristic glare. Oikawa returned it with a cool glance. "Ah. So nice to see you both. But I never would have expected you two to have teamed up. Especially since King Tobio is not capable of being such a great king.." He chuckled then looked at Hinata, Intense brown eyes meeting calm ones. "And my favorite, Prince of the crows.. Such a lovely duo. What ever will I do?"
Kageyama clicked his tongue in annoyance, knowing the nasty king's game. Hinata glanced at Kageyama, who returned it. Oikawa chuckled. "Planning something are you?" He pulled his sword from its casing. Hinata's eyes flashed, and before Kageyama nor Oikawa knew it, Hinata had jumped up and landed square on Oikawa's shoulders. Almost as if he had flown. Kageyama shook himself from the amazement and focused on what was happening. Oikawa was hissing and slicing at the air as Hinata clung to his neck, trying to strangle him. Kageyama jumped in, taking Oikawa's sword before he could hit him or Hinata, but Oikawa didn't go down quite yet. He fell straight on his back, or, Hinata. While Hinata was still flustered, Oikawa got out of his grip and jumped at Kageyama. Kageyama slashed at him with the sword but Oikawa had already slipped past and taken the sword from his hands, knocking Kageyama down. Hinata had gotten back up and charged at Oikawa, knocking him down as well. But everything happened so fast and Kageyama wasn't sure what happened next.
Everything went silent. Kageyama couldn't see. Was that blood in his eyes? He didn't feel any pain, but that just meant someone else was bleeding. "Hinata?" He called out. Silence.
He wiped the blood from his eyes and looked around. Under the weeping willow trees were two people. Both were silent and unmoving. Kageyama scurried over to the shorter one, sitting beside him.
"Hinata.. Hinata come on. It's over. You did it." Hinata didn't move. He felt limp in Kageyama's arms. Kageyama felt a wave of realization rush over himself and he shook Hinata furiously. "Wake up, Dumbass!" He snarled. He didn't want to believe that his only friend in his whole lifetime was dead. He wanted an excuse so badly. He grit his teeth. Then Hinata's eyes flickered but they didn't open. "Kage..yama.." Kageyama nodded vigorously. "That's me. I'm right here. You can open your eyes. We're safe now. You did it." Hinata only smiled. "In stories.. Rumors.. I heard.. Of a tyrant.. King. His name.. Was Kageyama.. When I lost my.. Way.. I went.. Into his.. Kingdom.. To ask.. For help.." He inhaled deeply. "I woke up.. To see the.. King himself.. Greet me… He helped. So I payed.. Him.. back.." Kageyama kept his straight expression, not wanting Hinata to see his tears, even if they fell onto his cheeks. "Nonsense Hinata. You dumbass. I'm a heartless king." Hinata laughed as best he could, his smile wide, and his eyes still closed. "Bull.. Shit." His opened his eyes only slightly, meeting Kageyama's. "Protect them.." Kageyama felt his anger and sadness overflow. "You're gonna make it Hinata! Stop acting like you won't!" He snarled at the fallen prince. Hinata's eyes suddenly looked sad, but he still wore his smile. "It's ok.. to cry.. Kageyama." He closed his eyes again. "Kage.. yama.." And those were the last things he said before he lost all his color. Hinata still wore his smile as he slipped away from Kageyama.
Kageyama didn't cry though. He could only silently, gently pick up his fallen partner and begin his long journey home where the new inhabitants were waiting for them.
They held a large funeral for Hinata. Kageyama could only watch from the window of his room. He didn't want to believe that Hinata was dead. He didn't want to admit his only friend had been taken away from him so quickly. He didn't want to believe any of this. Hinata's followers couldn't blame the king after hearing his heartbreaking story. They were all surprised at how calm he was though. Of course, Kenma could see right through the King of Kage. And what he saw was pain worse than any of theirs.
Kageyama one day decided to come out of his castle. It had been three weeks after the death of his dear friend. His kingdom was striving though. More and more people had come to inhabit it after hearing the king wasn't as heartless as he had sounded, even if most of them had never even seen him.
He walked past the houses and to the hill where he had first met Hinata. Also the hill where he had buried him. He looked at the tree next to the grave. He let his mind go blank for a moment, then heard a shrill cry. He looked up and saw a crow fall from the tree. Kageyama ran and caught the baby just before it hit the ground.
He sat up and inspected the crow. The crow was just a fledgling, but it seemed to have a broken wing. So Kageyama ran back to his castle with the crow in his arms.
When he got back to his castle he went into the library and read up on what to do. After he was educated enough on the subject, he started to nurse it back to health after bandaging the crow's wing.
Another few weeks later, Kageyama brought the crow to his balcony and unbandaged its wing. In an instant it took flight, and Kageyama was sure he saw Hinata fly with it. Kageyama didn't know why, but he smiled, tears flowing down his cheeks as he watched the crow fly away.
"Kageyama." He turned around and saw a group of familiar yet not familiar people. "It's time to go." He watched as they spread their black and ragged wings and flew up into the sky, leaving behind only one heavenly figure. Kageyama and Hinata stared at each other as the black feathers showered them. "Home?" Kageyama asked him. Hinata smiled. "Yeah. Home." He too, had a pair of black wings. Though they were so perfect unlike the rest. Hinata flew up into the sky, his smooth feathers floating gently down onto Kageyama.
"Home.." Kageyama repeated as he felt his own wings spread slowly.
Then Kageyama woke up.