Hinata wasn't too sure what exactly he was expecting. His feet led him to a 'store' on their own accord. A 'store' filled with swirling smoke and a man lounging on a chaise long. A man with pale blond hair and all too pale skin that contrasted greatly with the jet black frames perched on his face. He doesn't see why the strange man bothered to dress seeing how his silk kimono robes cascaded off his shoulders and barely covered his torso but he was grateful for the effort. It was making this whole experience slightly less awkward for him. Only slightly. The stranger brought his pipe to his lips and took a a drag before blowing the smoke out, golden brown eyes lazily shifting to focus on the boy.
"I thought it was past middle school kids' bedtime by now."
Any possible good first impression the red head had flew straight out the window. He knew he was short but that didn't mean he appreciated comments about his whole 162.8cm height.
"I'm not in middle school I'm in high school! Karasuno High, a high school. For high school students." He tried his hardest to puff himself up and appear bigger than he was during his outburst. And failed. Much to the amusement of the other.
"Oh is that so? Funny, you sound exactly like a kid denying doing something they shouldn't whilst being caught mid act. And do you give out personal information like that to every stranger you meet or am I just particularly lucky?" With a huff and a pout Hinata looked away, crossing his arms. He didn't like this man one bit. He was already regretting this. Not that he really had much choice. Not with how this encounter was supposedly destined. But if he did have a choice he'd choose to just walk away. Go home, forget the matter. But here he was.
"What's your name child you can see the unseen?"
"I'm not a child! And if it it was fate for me to come here then you should know my name shouldn't you." With a sigh the stranger sat up, readjusting his robes with a slight smirk as the other looked away in slight embarrassment. He didn't like how hot headed this kid was but he certainly enjoyed watching him squirm.
"That's not how these things work. I merely knew you'd come here today. Nothing more."
"Hinata. Hinata Shouyou."
"Again with giving too much personal information to people you've just met. A word of advise, names have power. So don't give out your full name like that idiot." Hinata squawked at the insult, his eyes wide. Did this man speak to everyone like this? Was he even going to help him? Or was he a bored spirit looking to mess with him? Either way he was starting the think that being eaten would have been better than this situation.
"You just asked for my name didn't you?! Mr 'oh I have a proposition for you but instead I'm gonna humiliate you'."
"Tsukishima."
"Bless you."
"That's my name Shortstock."
"Just Tsukishima?"
"I've just told you that names have power. That's all you need to know. God I feel sorry for your teachers." Tsukishima's voice was tight and Hinata didn't feel like pushing his luck further than he had. He still had no clue where he was or how this man could help him. Better, he thought, to try and stay on his good side. If the blond had one.
"So, what is it that you wish for, Hinata?"
The younger male thought over his past week. And then his life. It was simple.
"I don't want to have to deal with spirits any more. They're annoying and make my life hell. Plus have you tried talking to people about them? They just turn around thinking you're crazy."
"Are you sure that's due to spirits and not just well, you?" Tsukishima motioned to Hinata with his pipe, "Because I can see how people can come to that conclusion." His tone was jovial yet still sharp with snark and Hinata was somewhat amazed at how he's managed to create such tone. He still didn't dignify the comment with an answer though. No need to encourage such behaviour.
"And you'll pay the price set to no longer see such beings?"
"And that price would be." Another drag at his pipe.
"The thing you hold most dear."
The response was too cryptic for the boy to understand fully. His mind wandered over everything he held dear in his life. None of which he understood could be paid as a price.
"Volleyball?"
"Please enlighten me how I can take that as payment. Please because that's not what you hold most dear and I certainly can't take an entire sport away."
"Tamago kake gohan?" The taller male brought a hand up to his face, muttering under his breath. There's no way this child could be so...stupid. Yet there he stood, thinking tamago kake gohan was a suitable payment for such a wish. Actually trying to calculate how many dishes he'd need. On one hand he thought it was rather endearing in an odd sense. But that doesn't negate how stupid the suggestion was. He took another drag from his pipe to calm his nerves and attempt to get him through such a trying moment.
"The price you pay needs to be of equivalent value to your wish. The price for me to remove your ability to see spirits is what you hold most dear. A.K.A your family."
Hinata's blood ran cold as his breath hitched in his throat. He couldn't sacrifice his family for something so selfish. For something that only benefited him. He just couldn't. Not being able to play with Natsu any more. Or eat his mother's delicious cooking. Or spend hours on a single conversation with his father. There was no way he could ever give all that up to Tsukishima just so he didn't have to deal with a few not so nice spirits here and there.
"No, no way. Not happening. Anything else but that." The boy looked at the other with eyes of fire and determination and Tsukishima had to give it to him when it came to his love and dedication towards his family. It was a look he was far too familiar with and he had to look off to the side to stop old memories he buried long ago from bubbling up to the surface. A n off thought flitted through his mind and a wide smirk stretched across his lips. He sat his pipe down and stood up, padding across to stand in front of the shorter male. Pale slender fingers gently grasped at Hinata's chin, raising his face so golden brown clashed with wide warm brown eyes. The smirk unsettled the boy but the other's eyes were too entrancing to look away. In fact all in all Tsukishima was too entrancing to look away. Just like a deer in headlights he froze.
"A price must be paid. That's the law of the universe. So how about instead of your family I'll take you as the price."
"What?"
The smirk grew ever wider and Tsukishima's face inched ever closer to Hinata's.
"You'll work for me until you've paid off your debt." the pale fingers left his chin and the taller male returned back to his spot, picking up his pipe and taking another puff, staring intently at the boy.
"You'll leave my family out of It?" A single nod was his reply. "Ok then. I'll work for you." If he was being honest Hinata didn't like this idea any more but it kept his family safe so he wouldn't complain.
"Excellent. Go out that door to your right and go to the kitchen. There'll be a shopping list. Buy what's on it and we'll have a welcome party. Oh and try not to get eaten by some other spirit out there."
Correction; he wouldn't complain too much.
AN: I should probably try and set up an upload schedule for this but seeing as I don't know what hours I'm spending at work each day that might be a little tricky so bare with if. And if there's any grammar/spelling mistakes or OOCness then I apologise
