YEAR THREE 5/9 Reciprocity & Ensuriant Amity
If I could make this go away, I would. If I could stand in your place, I wouldn't hesitate. But I'm left with only one choice, and that's to stand by your side through the end. I won't waver, I can promise you that. ~Patch; Becca Fitzpatrick
Kuroo's expression is flat as they approach the tavern and Koushi Sugawara wonders about the contact they are supposed to meet. He's never seen the cat so stiff-backed and visibly on edge.
But then… they've all been on edge.
The last few hours since the snake came for Natsu have passed like sap in winter, and everyone has been wrapped in the same circling thoughts after Kuroo'd lectured Hinata about their scaly opponents. The little girl was caught in the grasp of a bunch of these awful monsters; how were they going to get her out?
Hinata hadn't been able to stay still and had finally given up an hour in and begun a pacing loop around the village, his leveler shadowing him silently with his own wings pulled a little more taught with unease. Daichi had sat down with the larger cat and asked him everything he could possibly think of about snakes, determined to be as prepared as possible. Tanaka had settled at the table as well, his gaze fixed vacantly at a wall as he listened to Daichi and Kuroo, but his projected tranquility didn't fool the thrush. The bald crow's muscles running into his limbs were outlined in chiseled definition, betraying his tension, and Koushi'd known that the only reason he remained at that table instead of outside making village rounds with Feathers and Hinata was by sheer force of will.
The only one who'd seemed mostly unfazed was Kenma, so it was him that Koushi had gravitated toward to help keep himself more calm. When the thrush had asked him about it, the small cat had shrugged.
"This is how it always was back when Kuroo still actively hunted snakes. He was always gathering information and planning out the next move. This might not actually be the toughest rescue he's attempted." He'd murmured. Koushi had turned to stare at Kenma with surprise.
"Not the toughest? If this isn't, then what was?" The golden cat had glanced at him briefly.
"Mine. For this to be as ugly as that was, he'd have to lose the other eye."
"That's how he got that?" Kenma'd nodded.
"He was lucky, that was all. The snake had two blades; it was sheer chance that he got him with the one not tipped with venom or things would have been drastically worse. Kuroo's speaking from experience when he says not to bull rush these guys. He might be fine now, but it took him a few years to adjust."
Suga'd promptly jumped when a knife had embedded itself in the floorboard beside them, and the only reason he didn't leap defensively to his feet was because Kenma hadn't batted an eye. He'd looked straight up unimpressed, actually, and Koushi'd glanced around in surprise. Nothing else in the room seemed to have changed; Daichi'd still been speaking with Kuroo and Tanaka'd still been resolutely studying the wall.
"Eh?" He'd asked with confusion and Kenma had simply stared blandly at the black cat.
"He gets cranky when I bring up his poor decisions." The golden cat had said with a bored expression, and when Koushi'd looked back at the larger feline, sure enough, an ear had been fixedly swiveled in their direction. The black cat hadn't been joking when he'd said he heard everything. Koushi's face heats slightly at the memory of how the cat had pointed that out the other day.
When the sunlight had begun to angle and the restless younger level pair was just coming by on about their eighth lap around the little town, Kuroo had finally stood. Kageyama, Hinata, and Tanaka had been right there at his elbow in an instant, but the cat had huffed at them with amusement.
"You guys are awfully jacked when we're just going to find something to eat." He'd said and Hinata had balked immediately.
"What about the tavern and your contact?" Kuroo had fixed him with something of a very 'Tsukishima' smirk.
"Does it look like nightfall?" The redhead had scowled up at him, his nerves clearly fraying by the moment.
"It will be alright Hinata. We wouldn't want to go into some fight on an empty stomach, anyway." Koushi had said and Hinata had caved with a sullen scowl.
Thankfully, the meal had been brief and little more than pausing at street vendor stalls; the thrush didn't think the redhead would have been able to sit through a full meal. Now as the last light is falling, they follow Kuroo to the tavern, everyone alert and on edge.
Koushi doesn't think he's ever seen the black cat quite so tense, what with the way his shoulders are pulled rigidly into line instead of their normal half-slouch, and his hands curl into loose fists instead of relaxed against his sides. Koushi wonders if he realizes that his unease is gearing up at least the youngest three avians; Daichi appears as controlled as ever.
But Kuroo pauses just outside, an ear cocking askance. Then the black cat fluidly kneels to the gravel outside the entrance, appearing to study the pebbles and grit, the ear still twitching off to the side. Koushi wonders if anyone else feels as awkward as he does, watching the large feline run a hand through the dust as if he were contemplating the meaning of life.
And then, quick as a viper, he spins and whips a small stone in the direction his ear had been twisted. It ricochets off the limb of a tree as movement from its branches draws their attention. The cat stalks toward it as a graceful form drops to the ground, the man fleet of foot and gracefully agile. Deep red hair frames his sharp face, but black triangular ears poke through the auburn locks. His rusty gold eyes take them in with hard focus.
The man turns and leads them to a secluded area down a dim alley before turning to face them once more. The low light thrown from the first evening lanterns casts the sharp angles of his face in steep shadow as his head tilts toward the black cat.
"Bold of you to bring people with you. You must not value their lives much." He says conversationally and Kuroo scoffs.
"Save it, Mutt." His insulting greeting is brisk and Koushi's eyebrows rise.
A canine?
The man's face darkens just a touch but his tone remains even when he addresses Kuroo as he comes to stand in front of him.
"I'm very selective of my contacts, Tetsurou, as you are well aware. It's the reason I've survived this long, and I will remind you that it is expressly because of you that that list is so short." Kuroo rolls his eyes, but Koushi's brows draw down just a bit.
Tetsurou? These guys must have been… close back in the day. Not even Kenma calls him that. He doesn't think he's even heard that name more than once in the last three years.
"That was centuries ago."
"And you weren't the one who was under scrutiny for the next three hundred years."
"No, I just had to drop off the grid to avoid a knife in the ribs." Kuroo rebuttals and the man's eyes narrow.
"You almost got me killed. I had to shut down nearly all communication lines and go dark. Do you have any idea how difficult it was to balance movements without igniting suspicion? Or the scope of damage you idiocy unleashed? You're as much a reason for the snakes' resurgence as that blasted Crow regime. I've ensured others' silence for far less."
"Tch. Don't think I forgot the price you had for mine."
"Obviously wasn't high enough; you're still around."
"Enough, fox. You didn't come all the way out here to trade threats."
"Indeed. I came to see if you really did escape with your skin that day— though you are down an eye. And your choice in company has changed. What do you need, Cat?"
"Information."
"Obviously. What are you offering?"
"We will take down the nest that's here."
"Bull. The last figure I had for this place is a couple years old so it's no longer accurate. Since sentries have cracked down in the southern areas, this hub has boomed. I don't care if your friends are all highly trained mercenaries. You and six…" He says before eyeing the golden cat disdainfully, "five people won't have a chance against four hundred snakes— and I guarantee that's a low number. I hope you have something better or this was a wasted trip." Kuroo releases a huff of frustration, and Koushi frowns at the odd slight against Kenma. But neither he nor Kuroo even seem to notice it and the black cat is replying without hesitation.
"What makes you think it's only us?" The fox's expression flattens.
"You stormed the main western slave port alone. I can't see you having gained an affinity for the masses."
"They had Kenma." The black cat returns and Koushi knows just by the sound that he's on the defensive.
"And if you'd used your head, you could have simply had me buy him and release him back to you instead of quite flagrantly announcing your existence to the rest of the snake world as well as your connection to me."
"Whatever, it worked, didn't it? We both got out, so I wouldn't be so fast to think the rest of us couldn't take down this place."
"You're a fool, Tetsurou. Do you have anything better to offer than a weightless promise of pulling this nest to its knees?" Kuroo looks to the side and scowls.
"I knew you'd be a bitch to work with." He mutters before looking back at the sharp gold eyes. "How about a free pass."
"To what, your funeral?" Kuroo rolls his eyes.
"If you are ever caught by sentries from the crow rookery, ask for Iwaizumi. Any crow in their ranks should know him."
Koushi has to focus to keep his surprise off his face. It somehow makes him uncomfortable, selling Iwaizumi's protection without the sentry leader's consent or knowledge. The fox's brow creases.
"I know him. He's just a sentry leader."
"Not just a sentry leader. He seems low profile, but he has the ear of the Grand King. You drop his name and you should be afforded some clemency— at least temporarily. When you see him, tell him you are Kuroo's source. It might not get you out, but it will likely keep you alive." The fox's eyebrow rises.
"You must not trust this rookery rat much if you aren't even on a first name basis with him."
"Funny. I place exactly zero trust in you." The fox smirks and huffs through his nose.
"You surprise me, Cat. But if you know someone that high in their ranks," His burnished golden gaze slides across the rest of them calculatingly, "Sentries. You've been flying under the radar with sentries. How times change, huh?" He says with a predatory smirk.
"Alright, I'll bite. What are you doing here, Cat?"
Koushi sees the tension slide just a touch in Kuroo's shoulders and knows the mood has shifted; the fox is asking in earnest.
"Covert entry. We need to know layouts and the best way in."
"What happened to toppling the nest?"
"Leave that to me. I've got one more ace up my sleeve that no matter your asking price, I won't reveal. What I need from you is details."
"Well, my earlier admonition still stands. There were over four hundred in this nest at last count, but that was before the crows cracked down on them a couple years back. The actual number is probably somewhere closer to five. You might have a death wish, but what about them? They have any experience with snakes?"
"No." The fox's expression creases into a scowl.
"Seriously, give me something to work with." He mutters, running a hand through his hair before fixing the black cat with a hard look.
"The rookery rats figured out early on after their first few attempts to blast the network in the south that ignorance isn't a good gamble. A few casualties in and they made adjustments. I hope you remember that if you're caught, I'll gut you myself to keep you out of torture. Them, too."
"Capture probably isn't going to be an issue."
"You sure about that? That one ain't native." The fox says canting his head toward Hinata. The black cat glances at himself and the others.
"Unlikely. His leveler is the crow. Of the seven of us here, there are three pairs. All the same," Kuroo says to them his gaze landing solidly on Tanaka, "He will kill you if you are caught."
For the second time in as many minutes, the thrush is surprised at the information the cat volunteers, and knows by the dark crease in Kageyama's brow that he isn't happy about it either. Still, they've opted to trust Kuroo's insight and lead, so he keeps silent. All the same, Koushi understands why he fixes on the bald crow; if either half of a level pair bites it, both will, but the scowling crow doesn't have one. Tanaka shrugs.
"If we can get Natsu out, then I can probably live with that."
The fox's eyes flash sharply, and Koushi wonders if he imagines the shadow of anger that crosses his face. But it's gone in an instant and the fox glances at Kuroo with exasperation.
"Another rescue mission? Didn't you learn from last time? Who is it and I'll just buy them for you." He says with a hard frown and an annoyed shake of his head.
"It's my sister." Hinata says stepping forward and the fox frowns, taking in the redhead a little more fully.
"Exotic, which means expensive...but doable. Who picked her up?"
"No one, she's been here for centuries." Kuroo says and the fox watches him for a long moment and then raises a hand to his temple.
"I take it back. She's a nest egg. Usually nothing short of a faction kingfish can get someone to release those." His brow furrows in thought before he huffs and looks back at them.
"Well, at least it's an extraction. That will increase your chances. Asset retainment isn't located in the main nest, so you will have fewer snakes to contend with… wait, if she's been with them so long, how did you find out she was here?"
"She found us in town. The snakes were using her as bait." Kuroo says but the fox frowns.
"Not likely. They don't bait close to their strongholds. They get the wrong person and they run the risk of drawing retaliation from the surrounding population. She might be a plant." Hinata shakes his head firmly.
"She's not!" Kuroo looks mildly affronted at the redhead's outburst.
"We don't think she is. She's quite young to be able to pull off an act like that." He murmurs.
"Then she's a blind. When they need someone to run errands, snakes sometimes use captives that will blend into their surroundings to help hide their actual numbers. People don't question their movements and activities when they don't feel their presence. But if she's a blind, then she's almost hardwired to obey them. She'll have been through enough punishments to ingrain it into her head that she can't escape even if she has the freedom to move around."
"The snake caught her talking to us. How do we know she won't be transferred or something in case we come after her?" Daichi asks.
"They are already right next to one of the biggest nests in the vicinity, why would they feel the need to flee? Five and a half people is hardly a viable threat and not nearly enough to make them feel pressured enough to move from the shadow of safety the nest grants." The fox says and Koushi is momentarily distracted by his second shot at the small cat, but they again ignore it. So he does, too.
"If she's a, um… 'blind'... then would she still be where they keep the rest of the captives?" Koushi asks uncertainly.
"Most likely, but it's not a guarantee." The fox says and turns to Kuroo.
"Start there. If she's in trouble for interacting with outsiders, I'm confidently comfortable saying that's your best bet. If she isn't, then I hope your 'plan to crush the nest' isn't just you talking out your ass, because that's the next place to look. I hope you intend to brief these guys before they head into this hell; they will die horrible deaths if they aren't prepared." Kuroo nods.
"That's a given. Tell me about the retaining outpost."
The fox nods and produces a quill and a couple sheets of paper. He snags Kenma by the arm, making Kuroo tense, but the fox merely turns him and flattens one of the papers against his back. It's a curious action that, combined with his earlier remarks, gives Koushi the distinct impression that he thinks very little of the small cat, and he wonders how Kuroo can just bite his tongue, because he sure wants to say something. It makes him think there might have been more to their last encounter than either have divulged through their volleying insults.
The black cat keeps his expression frigidly neutral, however, and Kenma's own features barely change at the fox's manhandling. With a flicker of surprise, Koushi realizes by their collaborative lack of reaction that quiet restraint is the price of this advantage. In an instant, he realizes why these two are a level pair… even if it calls for quietly suffering the fox's blatant disrespect toward Kenma to ensure his full cooperation, they still work as a seamless team to secure it. The revelation pairs with the fox's actions and Koushi is inexplicably certain the black cat and the canine somehow have a far more complicated history than just working partners and contacts.
Placing the quill tip to the parchment with swift, precise strokes, the fox begins a sketch.
"The holding point is a league north of the actual nest, situated on the bank of the river gorge. It's close enough to provide immediate backup if an alarm should go up, so know that if you trip it, you will rapidly find yourself overwhelmed by hostile company. It's mostly underground so you will be nearly on top of it before you see it; the best way to approach is from the north. Don't try climbing the gorge cliffs, they usually have guards posted that side. Alarm stations are here and here…" The fox rattles off, still scratching away while Kuroo and the others crowd around him.
Koushi watches as the fox gives an in-depth explanation of both the holding point and the actual nest, Kuroo or Daichi periodically pausing him to voice a question. He doubts that Daichi missed the curious tension between the two cats and the fox—doubts any of them did, but he marvels at how they all follow the two felines' lead and calmly disregard the fox's actions to focus on the task at hand. They are, after all, trying to coordinate a rescue attempt.
It's only a few minutes before the fox straightens and releases Kenma from table duty.
"There's not much else I can tell you. But…" He reaches into a pocket and pulls a couple small vials out and hands them to the black cat with a single nod. "If any of you catch a slow fatal hit." He says gruffly. Kuroo closes his hand around them with a returning nod before pocketing them.
"We will need a way to escape quickly. Can you hook us up with a means of transportation? Something that can handle flightless individuals?" The fox nods.
"Leave it to me. I will have it together by the large oak just outside town tomorrow evening for you."
"Tomorrow? We have all the information now; what's keeping us?" Hinata asks with a frown.
"Trust me Shrinky-dink, she ain't going anywhere. You now have everything I can provide at your fingertips. Use the time you have to come up with a sound strategy to make it work for you." The fox says before nodding at the black cat.
"I expect to hear that this nest has been decimated in three days' time, Cat." He says with a wry smirk. Kuroo raises a hand in silent farewell and the fox melts into the darkness outside the ring of lantern light.
Kageyama turns to Kuroo with a frown.
"Who was that guy?" Koushi wonders if the cat realizes the crow setter's question is probably far more than just a question of 'how he knows so much about snakes'.
"That, Feathers, is the top bookkeeper who presides over most of their operations. He's got a bottomless memory and catches every detail. He's nearly one of the kingpins of the snake ring himself, but you won't find another person on the continent who knows as much as he does about the intimate workings of it."
"He works inside the trafficking network? As in helps them commit their crimes by assisting with record keeping?" Tanaka asks incredulously.
"I get it, though." Koushi breaks in softly, drawing their attention. "He can do so much more from the inside." Kuroo nods before turning to Daichi and handing him the paper with the holding point sketched out on it.
"I will catch up with you shortly. I have one more raven I have to send." He says taking Kenma's arm with a mild frown. The two quickly disappear, and the thrush wonders if Kuroo is off to offer him a groveling apology for having to put up with the fox. Koushi ducks his head with a smile and tosses an arm over Daichi's shoulders.
"Shall we go argue over the best way to do this until he gets back?" He asks lightly.
"Mm." His leveler murmurs and they head back to their inn.
The thrush watches his leveler with quiet fondness, knowing that he's probably humming as badly beneath that calm facade as Hinata and Tanaka. Koushi knows Daichi. He's entirely capable of extreme violence when provoked, but he's cautious, too.
The silver-haired setter knows he and his leveler aren't fundamentally the same. If it comes to it, Koushi will accept death with grace because everyone dies… but Daichi will not.
Daichi is loyal, devoted, and kind… and heartbreakingly selfless for the things he cares the most about. When it came time to make the decisions that will place both himself and Koushi in mortal peril, the thrush is positive he will waver.
Koushi smiles slightly. He might be Daichi's little 'silver star', but Daichi was Koushi's entire sky.
The grey-haired setter isn't afraid of death. He's walked this world for hundreds of years and he's never once been afraid of anything when Daichi was beside him.
He's also selfish. He will readily put himself to the hazard, knowing full well that if he dies, so will his leveler. That is what keeps that fear of death at bay. The fact that he won't be facing it alone means it will just be another adventure they share.
And it's because he knows Daichi so well that he knows the taller crow will understand and never hold it against him. If Daichi were fighting only on his own behalf, he'd be able to think the same… but Daichi's never been able to sideline Koushi, and so the thrush will step up and do it for him.
It will be a last resort, of course— the thrush loves life, and would very much like to live this one out to its complete fulfillment— but he will not shy from the impossible decisions. He will make the calls Daichi cannot, and he will fight with everything he's worth for the people he loves.
Koushi leans into Daichi a little more, reveling in the contact. He really does love this crow. Daichi had set him free so very long ago and having known what it's like to have no inhibitions places the thrush at peace. His eyes sparkle, just a bit, a silent challenge to the weaver of fate, a dare to bring her worst, because Daichi stands beside him.
He doesn't fear death.
A/N: So. Um, foreshadowing much?
Eh, never mind that, how about my contact? I wasn't sure how I felt about my fox in the end. The more I wrote his character, the more I hated him. I was going to name him and then I ws like, yeah, he's the master of secrets and information, why would he tell his name to anyone? And you guys know how a character can kind of just go off and do its own thing on you? Well, my fox did and as he fleshed out a little more through this scene, I was like, I don't like you and I'm not sorry I didn't name you. He started out this grey character with a peculiar proclivity for details and ended up... well, this. I was so annoyed with him that I was editing this right up until my posting deadline which is now. Apologies if there are errors -_-
I am out for the night; have a good one you guys!