Kageyama stills, breath caught in his rapidly constricting throat. Not yet, his mind screams at him. He hasn't even started drafting the outline for that particular future homicide.
(And also Hinata's sandwiches taste absolutely delicious, he'll get the most out of that impressive set of culinary skills first.)
Keeping his noise to a bare minimum, he backs away from the door as briskly as humanly possible. He cannot afford to alert the ginger to any living presence inside the house. Hopefully the boy will think that he's gotten the orders mixed up or something, and leave.
Hesitantly, Hinata calls out, "Uh, hello? If there's no one at home, I'll be going on my way-"
It just so happens that absorbed in his intense irritation to get the door, Kageyama did not observe the surroundings of this hallway properly. With such little attention directed to his environment, it is understandable that he would fail to see the proud display of family heirloom.
This particular heirloom is such a beautiful, intricately carved vase that its owners simply had to give their guests a good view of the antique upon entering the house.
Or, in other words, located directly in the path of Kageyama's rapidly retreating figure.
Wha-
The vase topples, falls, and shatters on the floor the way his hope for a good outcome tonight does.
Kageyama has never felt a stronger need to punch himself until now.
Outside, Hinata's alarmed voice grows louder and louder. "Oh my god, what was that? Are you alright? Hey, can you hear me?"
Kageyama, on the verge of panic, evaluates his choice.
Fight or flight.
He sprints for his bag.
"Hey, I know you're in there! I-I'm calling the police!" Heavy banging sounded through the door and Kageyama begs for it to be stronger than it looks.
Hinata, sick with worry about his customer's welfare, kept at the door, until he decides to try the doorknob instead.
He turns it and finds the door unexpectedly unlocked.
Oh.
Just as Kageyama slings his bag over a shoulder, the front door creaks open. He hears tentative footsteps coming closer.
He hides behind the bookshelf, gripping the tranquiliser gun with a slight tremble.
There is only one dart left with a dosage fit for the other.
The dim lighting in the house sets an eerie atmosphere. Hinata gulps in distress. The ominous feeling manifests itself as sweaty palms, a horrible stomachache and shaky legs. He sees a broken vase at the start of the hallway.
Ah, so that's what caused the sound.
As he walks further and further in, an odour breaches his nose. He sniffs slightly. Wine and... iron? What could possibly result in such a smell?
Uneasiness continues to infiltrate his mind and he dreads what he would come to find. Ah, better get the police on the other end of the line, just in case.
"Hello? Yes, I'm currently-"
He turns around the corner, into the dining room and abruptly drops his phone.
Kageyama hears a clatter on the floor.
The police, huh? Good thinking, but you're forgetting a certain someone, he sneers, Thanks for making it easy for me. Training the gun on Hinata's nape, he pulls the trigger.
Hinata feels a sting on the back of his neck as he stares at the bodies in horror. Reaching backwards, his hand retrieves a syringe-shaped dart.
"Tranquiliser darts?" The last time he saw these, they were on a television programme about wildlife.
Confusion morphs into terror when the fact that he was shot finally registers.
Hearing rapid footsteps behind him, Hinata spins around in alarm. He catches the glimpse of a black long coat disappearing up the stairs to the second floor. He gives chase immediately, bounding up the stairs two steps at a time.
"Stop!" he shouts, as though the word alone would be able to apprehend the criminal.
The hallway is empty when he arrives. A quick survey of his surroundings reveals three doors, two open and one close. He takes his chances with the closed one.
His hand brushes against the plastic handle of an umbrella besides the door and he arms himself with it. Better than nothing, he thinks, grim.
Heart hammering in his chest, Hinata flings the door open.
The room appears to be empty, and he suddenly realises what a bad mistake this is. He shouldn't have acted on impulse; the police is already on their way.
As he makes up his mind to get out and wait for the police, the door slams shut behind him.
Kageyama grips the handle as Hinata struggles to pull the door open, tense with anxiety. The problem with tranquiliser darts, he thinks bitterly, is that generic dosages don't promise quick effects. Before this, he had meticulously calculated the dosage requirements of each of his victims to ensure a non-lethal dose. Even though he was going to kill them anyways, the precision and efficiency of knock-out drugs never cease to amaze him.
But now, with him barely holding the door in place, Kageyama curses the fact that these things do not come with a 'One Size Fits All' option.
The door slips open inch by inch and Hinata jams the umbrella through, narrowly missing Kageyama's sides.
"I. Won't. Let. You. Get. Away," Hinata grits out, vision swimming with exhaustion. His whole body shakes from the tension. Just a bit more, he wills himself.
However, the drugs, as long as it may take, finally starts to take effect on him, hastened by the increasingly rapid pumping of his blood due to exercise.
The weakening pull of his hands is the first sign that something is wrong. Hinata feels his consciousness wavering immediately after he loses his grip on the doorknob. He staggers, barely catching his breath, before crumpling onto the ground seconds later.
Kageyama, hearing the sound of Hinata collapse, lets out a sigh of relief. He leaves the body there, knowing that the police will have no trouble finding the ginger.
Upon his return to the living room, he notices the phone on the ground, still connected to the police. Pressing the 'End Call' button with a gloved finger, he smudges some blood on the screen as a petty revenge for Hinata.
The back door swings open quietly and he leaves, the house now silent. The motorcycle hot-wired from one of the downtown clubs roars to life at his hands. Of course, the vehicle will be returned later.
Kageyama speeds away into the night, moods darkened by his ruined plans and the unmistakable sound of distant sirens arriving.
A knock sounds on his door. Ukai looks up from his paperwork.
"Come in," he says.
The door opens quietly, then closes with a 'click'. Footsteps, soft, comes to a stop on front of Ukai's desk.
"Good morning, sir."
"Yes?"
"After much consideration, I am ready to accept your offer regarding that mission."
Ukai smiles. Reaching into one of his drawers, he brushes past the cigarette packs and pulls out a clear folder. Inside the folder are the details for the mission. He hands the folder over.
"Sir, there aren't any pictures of my target?"
"No. That is exactly why I asked for your help. Even though it's been some time since your last mission, I trust that you have the skills to overcome the obstacles you will face."
"Understood, thank you."
A finger traces the surface of the folder. Inside, on the first page, the name 'Sire Noble' is typed out in big, bold letters. Ukai cleared his throat.
"...One more thing, it has been a long time since your last kill. Do you remember who you are?"
"How would I ever be able to forget?"
A pause, as Ukai watches on with sombre eyes.
"I am Yachi Hitoka, a professional hitman."
Two days later, Kageyama's rage dies down to slight annoyance and a concern for his dear neighbour. Bored, he decides to pay a visit to Hinata's and see how the other is coping. Taking a small cake with him, he arrives at the apartment and presses the doorbell. Barely half a second later, Hinata's exasperated voice reaches his ears.
"I'm not taking any more interviews, so please stop bothering me!"
"Oi, dumbass, it's me," he shouts back, somewhat rejoicing in the fact that Hinata is suffering too. That's what you get for ruining my work.
He hears the rapid thumping of footsteps and then the turning of a lock.
"Kageyama! What brings you here- oh, you brought food too!" An excited Hinata welcomes the other into his apartment.
Kageyama observes Hinata from the side of his eyes. Dark, tired circles hang underneath his eyes and unkempt hair shadows his face. The apartment is also in a worse state than he remembers; laundry scattered here and there, greasy plates piled up in the sink, et cetera.
"I'm so relieved to see you, the interviews are driving me crazy."
Kageyama snorts, "Glad to hear. By the way, have you recovered from the incident?"
Huffing, Hinata replied, "I guess? Honestly speaking though, I thought Sire Noble would have killed me. Everyone's talking about how pissed he must be to have his work ruined like this."
"You shouldn't be so stupid, then. Running head-first into things you can't handle."
Hinata hands a piece of cake to him and says, "I can't help it, what if somebody was in trouble? I'd blame myself if I realise I could have helped but didn't."
"Learn how to protect yourself, next time you might not be so lucky."
"You say that as though you expect me to interrupt a murder again," Hinata deadpans.
They eat the cake in silence, until Kageyama asks, "Are you really alright? Most people don't get over these things so fast, you know. It was a life-and-death situations, after all, and there were dead bodies too."
Hinata remains silent. Gathering his thoughts, he turns to face Kageyama, who parrots the movement.
"I think I can be considered relatively strong when it comes to emotional stuff. My parents died when I was younger. If I can handle that, then deaths shouldn't bother me that much."
Kageyama stiffened. As much as he hates to admit, he understands the effects which a lack of parental love can cause.
"I'm sorry-"
Hinata waves him off. "Don't sweat it, it's fine. A friend of my father took me in after that. I moved out on my sixteen birthday, yet he still insists on paying for my expenses. He's like a second father to me."
His eyes light up with a sudden thought, "Ah, yes, I forgot to tell you, but have you heard of the new album by the band 'Shira Tori Tori'? It sounds super nice..."
Listening to Hinata chatter on about random topics is calming, Kageyama realises. It makes him more relaxed than he's ever been before. The crimes, bouts of insanity and unpleasant memories are pushed away and covered by Hinata's presence.
"Kageyama, do you have anything on later? We can go get meat buns together. I heard there's a great restaurant nearby."
"Sure, but I'm helping you clean the apartment first. Honestly, how can anyone even remotely human live in such horrible conditions?"
"Ugh, it's not that bad, clean freak."
The laughter that ensures fills the place, lightening Kageyama's heart and taking away a heavy burden he never knew he had. Guilt, perhaps?
To his surprise, he finds himself laughing alongside the ginger, more freely than he had ever done before.