12 Years Prior
Iwaizumi took a breath. Then, another.
The afternoon sun beat down on the debris covered cobblestone and it felt abruptly, to Iwaizumi, like he had stepped into a different world.
Years of war, of dirt and blood, of sneak attacks, and fighting at a moment's notice and now….and now?
The False Ace was dead. The False Queen, too.
The war was over.
Yesterday morning-the day that Iwaizumi and Watari and everyone else had finally confronted the former Ace, when Iwaizumi had finally killed him-there had been no thought. The news was announced and then there was celebration, an entire day and night filled with drinking and laughing and crying and stupid utter relief.
Now, it was the day after. Now, a few brave citizens were slowly making their way back to the capital-uneasy and looking around as if they didn't really know what they could trust yet.
Now, came the slow, sinking, dizzying realization that Hearts didn't have anyone leading it. That their entire Suit was dead and no one had risen to replace them.
It almost wasn't fair, Iwaizumi thought before a much more certain, No, this isn't fair.
Hearts was finally at peace, they had fought through the stomach of a monster and came out bloody and bruised but victorious. But, now, not even a day after, Iwaizumi could feel it rising in his bones again. The uncertainty and the fear that could quickly be wielded like a knife in the wrong hands.
Power, his grandfather once told him, can never cease to exist. It may move and a source may be destroyed. But power will always remain.
There could never be a true absence of power, not for long, a new power would always rise up to take its place.
And what was Hearts without its Suit? What was any of the Card Kingdoms without those destined to rule them?
No one knew and that's why the fear was there. Because if nothing was done, then something would surely rise to take the Suits place and the Hearts kingdom had already fought two false leaders.
But Iwaizumi….Iwaizumi was fifteen. Iwaizumi was fifteen with a Mark on his hand but no idea how to lead.
In fact, all it really seemed he did know was fighting and listening to people who knew more than him. Well, no, he knew that and he knew he loved Hearts and he knew that if nothing was done, then Hearts was going to war again.
He hoped that was enough.
The people-both citizens and fighters-were all milling around the courtyard of the palace, almost in a daze. But interestingly, no one stepped close to the the raised steps in front of the palace, where the former Suit used to address their people. Out of a mix of respect and possibly even a bit of fear, those steps were consciously avoided.
Until, Iwaizumi stepped up and walked directly to the top of them.
The crowd quieted immediately, turning and staring as if drawn by a magnet.
"Hajime!" an older man called, one of the former leaders of the resistance. "What are you doing up there? Get down!"
Iwaizumi ignored him, trying to keep his hands from shaking as he quickly rolled up his sleeve until the bright red heart shone.
No one spoke.
Iwaizumi took a breath and was surprised it didn't catch in his throat.
By the Fates, he hoped he was doing the right thing.
"I'm Iwaizumi Hajime and I'm the Ace of Hearts."
ooooooo
Tsukishima tilted Hinata's head to the side, eyeing the small but definitely noticeable red line placed midway up his neck.
He sighed, letting Hinata's high collar fall back so at least the cut would be covered. "Honestly, I don't know why you couldn't have settled for a hickey like normal over emotional couples."
Hinata rolled his eyes, straightening up his shirt. "It wasn't like that and you know it."
Tsukishima hummed, sitting back at his desk and regarding the Ace contemplatively. "I have been hearing talk this morning about what kind of King Spades has if the land's bravest warrior would bare his neck."
"See." Hinata smiled. "It's working already."
Tsukishima snorted derisively. "Won't matter much when our King goes right back to hiding in his tower."
"He won't," Hinata replied with certainty. "He's ready now. I can feel it."
"Says the one who's in love with him," Tsukishima dismissed. "I think I'm going to wait to see some hard proof. People don't change overnight, Hinata."
Hinata raised an eyebrow. "Maybe all he needs is a little belief."
"Maybe he should earn it first," Tsukishima shot back.
"He's our King, Kei," Hinata said and this time there was a sharp reproachful tone in his voice that Tsukishima rarely heard from the genial redhead. "If he doesn't have the belief of his own Suit, how can he have the people's?"
There was a long moment where Jack and Ace stared at each other in a silent debate.
Finally, Tsukishima nodded once and inclined his head in a mix of acknowledgement and apology.
Hinata nodded back, understanding and accepting.
In the next instance, Hinata smiled brightly like the sun breaking from behind the clouds. "Relax, Tsuki, Kageyama's going to do fine. I can feel it."
ooooooo
Around the Spades ballroom, there was a general air of revelry and lightheartedness that Iwaizumi honestly didn't feel.
It was an uncomfortable disconnect-like being the personified specter at the feast. Iwaizumi could tell himself it was due to the company of one Hyakuzawan King, but even that didn't sit quite right.
Last night, at the official closing of the tournament, would have been the perfect time for the Hyakuzawan King to reveal himself-surrounded by all sorts from the Cards Kingdom, from common folk to knights. In fact, the entirety of the Cards Suit was on high alert, just waiting for the King to make his move.
Yet, unnervingly, the night had passed in a standstill with the King never showing the slightest inclination to act.
Tonight's ball would be the King's second best opportunity. Like the tournament, the ball was open to all citizens of the Cards Kingdom who wished to attend. However, many of the attendees left following the tournament. While this still meant a sizable number of attendees, the Hyakuzawan King hadn't shown any more intention to act tonight as he had the previous.
Currently, King Yuta looked the picture of relaxed-throwing back his head and laughing as he talked to a few prominent merchants from Clubs. His gloved right hand lightly gripped a wine glass as he spoke.
Iwaizumi gritted his teeth. After the lack of action last night, Suga had even suggested that Hyakuzawa might not act at all during the tournament. Instead, the King could be using it to bide his time and carefully observe the rest of Cards.
The answer didn't sit right with Iwaizumi and, from the locks of the rest of the Suits, it didn't sit well with them either. Still, the fact remained that the King had showed no interest yet in acting and Cards couldn't act until he did.
Though, the strangest thing about the night wasn't the King of Hyakuzawa's lack of action but rather the strange gnawing hollowness that Iwaizumi felt building somewhere in his chest as he watched the couples dance around the ballroom.
It was a truth that Iwaizumi did not like to think about the fact he missed Oikawa. That he had in every single moment since he'd last seen him in Hearts.
Hearts needed Oikawa. That was another truth and one that Iwaizumi preferred to think about. The country needed him. Iwaizumi's feelings were just part of the whole, eclipsed by the greater need of the thousands.
But that didn't explain why he'd miss him now. Looking out on the dance floor, it wasn't Oikawa's abilities that he was missing-not his grasp of finance nor his decisiveness nor the way he could cut down a problem and rearrange it to form a better whole. It wasn't Oikawa the possible King he missed.
Instead, he missed Oikawa's smile, his laugh. He missed watching the way that Oikawa's hands would flicker as he talked, the different way he would stand when thinking. He missed the cleverness of his responses. There was a large part of Iwaizumi-larger than he'd ever admit-that was constantly wondering what Oikawa would say in each situations, that imagined the barbs Oikawa would've thrown into conversations as easy as breathing.
The second truth that Iwaizumi didn't like to acknowledge was that he didn't want Oikawa here just so he could be King. That selfish part of him didn't even care if Oikawa was destined to be King or not. It just selfishly, stubbornly, and achingly wanted him here.
And wasn't it just too bad that Iwaizumi only realized he might be in love with Oikawa the man after he finally was forced to move on from Oikawa the King.
ooooooo
"You're staring."
Tsukishima jerked his head away and looked down to find the bright face of his assistant, wearing a arch smile.
"I am not," Tsukishima disagreed, more out of habit than sincerity.
Yachi's smile only grew wider. "You know you could always ask him to dance. I doubt he'd say no."
Unconsciously, Tsukishima's eyes drifted back over to the slim form of Yamaguchi, talking animatedly with one of the older palace servants.
"I can't, I'm working," Tsukishima argued. "You and I both know King Yuta could act any minute."
"Doesn't seem like he's too keen on it to me," Yachi drawled, nodding to the form of the Hyakuzawan King just as he called for another glass of wine.
"Well…" Tsukishima hesitated. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't be on guard."
"Tsuki," Yachi said, finally sounding a bit exasperated. "You're never going to get anywhere by standing here and thinking of excuses. Go up and ask him to dance!"
Tsukishima felt a brief shot of panic at the thought but quickly turned it into his usual acerbic tone. "Don't you have your own date to annoy?"
Yachi rolled her eyes. "Ennoshita can do without me for a few moments. Tsuki, go ask him!"
"No," Tsukishima said obstinately, just stopping himself from crossing his arms. "I don't even like dancing. And...what would we even talk about."
"I don't know," Yachi said, sounding abruptly pleased. "But, you better figure it out soon because it looks like he's coming to you."
Tsukishima's head shot up and saw that indeed Yamaguchi was slowly weaving in and out of the crowd in the direction of him and Yachi. Tsukishima felt his throat abruptly dry.
"Oh, and Tsuki," Yachi said, keeping her voice low. "You remember how I won our bet, right? I figured out what I want." She leaned closer, making sure Tsukishima would be the only one to hear her. "After all of this mess with Hyakuzawa is over and you don't have any more excuses, I want you to ask him out. On a real date."
Tsukishima swallowed, looking down at her, betrayed.
Yachi's face softened, sympathy mixing in but not enough delude the firmness of her jaw. "It's okay, Tsuki. I wouldn't be encouraging you if I didn't think he'd say yes. You can't see it, but to everyone else, it's obvious. Stuff like this is always going to be scary. But if we don't do anything, that's how we lose it."
Without giving him a chance to respond, Yachi slipped away-sending him one last smile with an encouraging hand motion that he just knew she'd learned from Hinata.
Tsukishima took a deep breath and when he turned back he was face to face with Yamaguchi.
"Hey," Yamaguchi said, smiling nervously. "Um, I didn't' mean to chase off Yachi or anything?"
"You didn't," Tsukishima reassured him, wondering why the air suddenly felt so stuffy. "She went off to find her date."
"Oh…" Yamaguchi hesitated and Tsukishima felt abruptly worried that it had been Yachi that Yamaguchi was coming to talk to. And now, here he was with only Tsukishima instead.
Tsukishima was about to make some kind of piteous offer, maybe point him in the direction Yachi had headed, when Yamaguchi spoke again.
"Ah, I was actually wondering if you wanted to dance," Yamaguchi asked, looking up at him with a faint blush. "With me, I mean?"
Tsukishima froze, apparently for too long because Yamaguchi's smile started to drop and it looked like the librarian was about to say something else before-
"Yes," Tsukishima blurted out. "I would."
"Oh," Yamaguchi said, blinking and looking surprised. "That's...that's great."
"Unless you don't want to," Tsukishima said stiffly.
"No, no, I do," Yamaguchi said immediately. "I just didn't think you'd agree. I've never seen you dance at one of these before."
That was because, despite Suga's teachings, countless festivals, and Hinata competing with him for who could be best, Tsukishima was fairly terrible at dancing.
He decided not to mention this, reaching over to take Yamaguchi's hand as the next song started.
"If you didn't think I'd day yes, then why did you ask," Tsukishima questioned, frantically trying to remember the first steps of the waltz.
Yamaguchi followed easily and with enough grace to jolt something in Tsukishima's memory so he led them into the next turn.
"I suppose I decided to try anyway," Yamaguchi said, letting out a small laugh. "Sometimes you just gotta take a chance, right?"
"So people tell me," Tsukishima remarked.
At least one good thing about being terrible at dancing was that it was forcing Tsukishima to focus a large amount of his attention on where his feet should go instead of how nervous he was.
This close, he could feel how warm Yamaguchi was, how easily their hands fit together.
Just those thoughts provide him enough distraction to lose focus and accidentally land on Yamaguchi's foot.
"Ah!"
"Sorry," Tsukishima bit out, almost letting go of Yamaguchi's hand before the man in question tightened his own hold.
"That's okay," Yamaguchi said quickly, positioning his arm so that he was the one leading instead of Tsukishima.
"I didn't want to say anything," Yamaguchi smiled, "but you're, um, dancing's not your area, is it?"
Tsukishima flushed, mentally cursing dancing and urging this song to be over faster. "Not for lack of practice. I'm sorry, I should have warned you beforehand. "
Yamaguchi laughed again, brightly without a hint of mocking. "No, that's okay, really. It's not like anyone's good at everything. Now, I just feel even more special that you agreed to dance with me in the first place."
"Of course, I did," Tsukishima said without thinking.
His brain caught up a second later and he dropped his gaze, looking down to make sure his feet were still in the proper place. They were, Yamaguchi was much better at leading.
Yamaguchi squeezed his hand and when Tsukishima looked up he found the librarian blushing, but smiling in a way that looked absolutely pleased.
"Thank you, Tsuki," Yamaguchi whispered.
His heart stuttered before rising in a movement that felt uncomfortably like elation.
Tsukishima supposed he didn't mind dancing that much.
ooooooo
"Gotten tired of the ball, I see," Suga said playfully, sliding through the curtain and onto the small secluded balcony.
Daichi hummed, turning to him and Suga saw how beautifully the light shone off the lake to cling to his cheekbones.
"Just taking a bit of a breather," Daichi assured him. "All the lights and the dancing...well, it can get a bit much sometimes."
"You never have been that fond of dancing, have you," Suga asked, coming over to lean on the railing beside Daichi.
And, really, if Suga thought about it that should have been his first clue. Daichi had never liked dancing. He could do it, going around the dance floor as smoothly as if he was in a duel. But, when faced with the choice, Daichi would always chose the clean and simple athleticism offered by a sword than the complexities of a dance.
However, the one true constant-on the dueling grounds or on the dance floor-was that Daichi would always follow to Suga's lead.
Daichi bent down, reaching his hand through the stone separations of the railing to grab something and hold it up to Suga.
A single rose in full bloom.
"Under this balcony is where the gardeners moved the rose bushes," Daichi explained, holding the flower up to Suga.
"Oh," Suga said simply, taking the flower in his hand and turning it over so it shone brightly in the moonlight. "Thank you...for telling me, I mean."
Without looking up, Suga heard Daichi respond. "Of course, I know they're your favorites. I know they're not in your garden still but...well, at least they're still here. You only need to walk a bit farther now to see them."
"Yes, I'm finding that's true of many things," Suga replied, glancing up and offering Daichi a smile. "It's beautiful."
Daichi's face softened, looking at Suga with an utter sense of fondness traced through with just the hint of wariness. "By the way, you look stunning, My Queen."
Suga blushed, turning his head back down to hide it. A warm feeling broke out somewhere beneath his sternum, sending goosebumps scattering along his arms.
"I apologize, Suga. That was too forward of me," Daichi said and now the wariness was there full force with its companions, disappointment and chagrin.
And Suga realized quickly that not one of those would do.
"It's perfectly fine," Suga reassured, a bit breathless for a reason he couldn't yet explain. "In fact, if you'll forgive me in turn, I think I have my own moment of forwardness."
Daichi's brow crinkled, confused, but he was already halfway to nodding. "Of course, My Queen."
Suga's hand reached out, slipping around Daichi's neck and pulling him down until Suga's lips could land.
And, then Suga kissed him.
The kiss was brief, barely giving Suga a second to savor the feel of the other's lips before Daichi was pulling back, eyes wide and heaving in air as if trying to reorient himself.
The air in Suga's lungs meanwhile froze painfully, which the Mage of Air found particularly unfair.
"Suga," Daichi gasped, hands grasping Suga's shoulders in an attempt to steady one of them. "Why did you-Why? You kissed me." Here Daichi shook his head and seemed to finally get a grip of the situation. When he next looked at Suga, there was a deep pain there that for the life of him, Suga couldn't understand. "Suga-Koushi, if you're doing this out of a misplaced sense of pity to spare my feelings...or...or duty to Spades or...I don't even know, then, please, please-"
"I love you," Suga broke in, before Daichi could continue.
The Captain of the Knights breathed in suddenly as if the words had hit him in the chest before finally the breath came out in a sound like the beginning of a sob.
Daichi made to speak, still looking devastated and utterly unconvinced.
"I love you," Suga repeated, desperately before the Captain could speak. "I'm telling you because it's the truth. I'm not saying it out of duty or pity or...my Fates, Daichi, how could I ever not fall in love with you? How could I ever be so cold when each day you bring me more ways in which to fall? How could anyone ever see your kind heart, your honor, the very strength of your soul and not wish you the world?"
Suga became vaguely aware that he was crying and the memory of that one terrible night at the garden was suddenly so vivid that he could feel it clutching his chest.
"Even when I was struggling not to fall in love you, I already was," Suga confessed, looking up and focusing through the tears on the gentle warmness held in Daichi's eyes. "I love you, Daichi. I have so, so many regrets but never has one of them been loving you."
Slowly and never breaking eye contact as if looking away would make Suga disappear, Daichi brought one of his hands to rest on Suga's neck-fingers just brushing the ends of silver hair.
They both moved forward.
This kiss was as different to the previous as night to day. This kiss started sweet and gentle, almost hesitant, until finally both of them seemed to accept that the other wasn't going anywhere. Then, all at once, it was like something broke. Reaching to hold each other closer, mouths opening and heat and desperation turned to a frantic desire.
Suga gasped into Daichi's mouth and there was a short cut off groan in response, before Daichi pulled away. He leaned his forehead against Suga''s, catching his breath while making it clear he wasn't leaving.
In the end, even that didn't stop him entirely-Daichi dropping down almost immediately to leave short sweet kisses against Suga's cheeks, his nose, an ear, even an eyelid, before they finally returned briefly to his lips.
"I love you, Koushi," Daichi breathed. "I love you."
Suga closed his eyes, finally letting those words wash over him without anything to hold him back.
"Wait," Daichi said suddenly, pulling back only far enough to look into Suga's eyes. "If you already loved me, then why now? What changed?"
Suga smiled, his hand sliding up to play with the ends of Daichi's hair. "It wasn't fair. I couldn't stay with you like this. I couldn't let myself have this, only to watch you grow old without me. I had to let you go. To not, would be too selfish."
Daichi's lip pulled down, a reluctant understanding but not an agreement. "Couldn't? Not can't?"
Suga took a breath, finally giving wind to the decision he'd taken months to come to. "I'm letting go of the spell. I'm going to start aging again."
The hands at Suga's neck and shoulder tightened.
"Suga, you can't," Daichi protested. "You can't. You're Spades' Queen. They need you. I can't let you give that up for me. Even if….even if it means we can't be together."
"Shh." Suga smiled, reaching up to hold a finger to Daichi's mouth. "I know, it's not like I'm not still going to be Queen for hopefully a good number of decades. This isn't just for you, it's for me." Suga's smile grew weary. "It's about how I can't stand to watch another round of Suits die around me while I continue to live on. I can't." He shook his head. "Trust me, the kind of person that would make me would not be fit to rule Spades anyway. It just took me a few months to realize that."
"Koushi…" Daichi murmured, leaning forward to rest his forehead against Suga's again. "Are you sure about this?"
Suga took a deep breath. All around him was the scent of roses. All he had to do was walk a bit further.
"I'm sure," Suga answered before looking up, mischievously. "Now, kiss me again."
Daichi smiled, leaning in. "Yes, My Queen."
ooooooo
"Oh! Now what are you doing here of all places? You know it's too late for anyone to need feeding."
"Sorry," Oikawa said, sitting on one of the lone stools and staring down at the kitchen counter. "I didn't pay attention to where I was going and I just kind of….ended up here. I can leave if you want."
Nana smiled, reaching down to pat an old wrinkled hand against Oikawa's cheek. "That's fine, dear. Sometimes you don't truly know where you're going until you're already there. I'm just glad you ended up here with me."
Oikawa managed a wane smile in return, standing up to help her.
"Sit," Nana ordered firmly, guiding him back down on the stool. "I know the kind of thoughts that are good for working and yours are more the kind to accidentally chop a finger off. Just sit while I make up some dough for the morning."
Feeling rather helpless, Oikawa nodded and watched as the woman pulled out various ingredients-laying them on the counter in a manner that spoke of routine.
"So, not that I can say I'm upset by it," Nana started, "but do you want to tell me why our handsome young royal guest is still at the palace when most of our Suit is down in Spades?"
Oikawa reached down and scratched the bandage on his hand, hesitating before answering. "I couldn't leave. I...I keep trying but every time I get ready to, I just...stay."
Nana hummed. "And why do you think that is, dear?"
Oikawa shrugged before his shoulders slumped again. "I don't know. That's what I've been trying to figure out. No one needs me here so why-"
"Well, I don't know about that," Nana interrupted. "By the looks of it, I'd say there's a number of people who need you here quite a lot….Our Ace, for example, judging by the look on his face when they left."
Oikawa blushed darkly, not even asking how the old woman knew that. "That's different. He doesn't actually need me here. Not like he thinks. He-he wants me, but that's...that's different."
"How so," Nana asked. "Granted needs and wants are entirely different things, but I often think we don't entirely know which is which until after we've given up something we've wanted only to find out it was something we need."
Oikawa felt something in his chest clench painfully and he didn't respond.
"Besides," Nana continued, "is it really so bad to want something? Even when you think you don't deserve it."
"But, I know I don't," Oikawa said and that same clench now shattered, leaving Oikawa with broken shards under his ribs. "I know I don't deserve it. How can I? And...and I've tired. I have tried but all I know is how to send people to fight in way that maybe a few less will die. All I know is some stupid economic maneuvers and what time's the best to plant grain. I can't, I don't deserve, and he does deserve, so…"
Oikawa broke off, reaching down to scratch at the bandage again but before he could, Nana reached out a hand to stop him.
Oikawa looked up at the woman confused but Nana just smiled again, moving her hand to the bandage.
"Careful with the bandage, dear," Nana told him softly. "When they're a bit loose, they can ride up."
Oikawa blinked, looking down to see the edges of the familiar red heart shining through from where Oikawa had unknowing slid the wrapping down.
His head shot up to Nana but the woman was still smiling.
"Don't worry, dear," the woman reassured softly. "Your secret's safe with me,"
Oikawa breathed out, not knowing if it was with relief or not. "Thank you."
"It's no problem. No problem, at all," Nana smiled. "All I ask in return is that you listen closely and really hear these words, even when they come for an old kitchen servant like me."
Oikawa nodded, feeling too exhausted to do anything else
Nana met his eyes seriously. "Kings are only human, dear. Even those chosen by destiny. We can't expect them to be anymore and they can never see themselves asanything else." She held a hand to Oikawa's cheek with a gentleness that Oikawa could feel down to her soul. "Hearts-and our Ace-doesn't expect you to be perfect. We don't want a perfect King and we definitely don't need one."
"What we do need..." Nana continued, and her words settled around Oikawa like a cloak, "is a King that knows what time's the best to grow grain. We need a King who knows a few economic maneuvers. What we do need is a King who know how to send people to fight in way that means a few less will die." Nana paused. "And what we do need, I believe, is a King so willing to help Hearts that he'd give up what he wants because he thinks it's what we need."
Oikawa felt like he couldn't breathe and didn't even protest when Nana reached down to undo the bandages, leaving a bare hand that she slowly thread her fingers through.
"But what Hearts needs the most, right now," Nana said, "is a King who will listen to us when we tell him he is what we need, even if he doesn't believe it yet himself."
The breath that Oikawa couldn't find suddenly hit him in a rush.
"I'm scared," Oikawa said, low like a terrible secret.
"Good," Nana said simply. "Fear comes from knowing how much something's worth. The question is what are you going to do now?"
"I'm..." Oikawa hesitated but only for a moment and the shards in his chest slowly fit back together to form something stronger. "I'm going to go fix something. Something I probably should have fixed a month ago."
Nana smiled, giving his hand on last squeeze before letting go so Oikawa could run out, chasing a small niggling idea that was becoming increasingly persistent in the back of his mind.
"Oh, one more thing," Nana called out, right before Oikawa got to the door.
Oikawa turned back to see the old woman out right grinning.
"When you find my grandson," Nana began, "tell Hajime, he should really come down and visit his grandmother a bit more."
Oikawa stopped, then stared, then slowly but certainly started to laugh.
"I will," Oikawa agreed, before racing out of the kitchen and down the halls in the direction of one very specific roof.
When he got there, on the exact same roof he'd sat on with Iwaizumi barely a few weeks ago, Oikawa took a deep breath and attempted something he'd never even dreamed of trying before.
"USHIJIMA!"
He called for the Fate of Order.
The wind ripped through Oikawa's hair and he looked around, trying to spot Ushijima somewhere on the dark roof.
No one appeared.
Oikawa had just started to think that, really, this was just like the Fate. Bother him constantly one moment, but the first time Oikawa actually wanted him and now…
"Yes, Young King."
Oikawa spun on his heel, heart still beating wildly, as he laid eyes on the ever stoic expression of the personification of Order. Oikawa's constant boogeyman for over a decade.
Ushijima raised an eyebrow in question and Oikawa sighed.
"I need your help."
ooooooo
"What's up with you," Kageyama asked gruffly, feeling heat rising up under his collar as Hinata continued to stare.
"Hmm, nothing," Hinata answered, grinning widely and reaching over to fill Kageyama's wine cup again. "I don't even have any idea what you're talking about."
Considering he had barely taken two sips since the last time Hinata refilled it, Kageyama was pretty sure the later action was just an excuse for Hinata to stay by him rather than checking on the rest of the Suits. Not that Kageyama minded particularly
Speaking of excuses, though.
"Bullshit," Kageyama muttered back. "You've been smiling at me non-stop since last night. What is it? Do I have a spot on my clothes or something?"
Hinata laughed, leaning in until he was just a bit closer than a servant really was expected to be while working.
"There's nothing the matter with your clothes, I promise. In fact," Hinata said and the grin took a turn for the mischievous. "I think they make you look really good."
The heat under Kageyama's neck suddenly found its twin somewhere in his stomach and he attempted to smile back, even if a shade more shyly.
"Thanks. You look, ah...it's better than that stupid outfit with the sleeves," Kageyama finished lamely.
Much better, actually. Even with the weird high collar, Hinata looked charming and almost graceful in the black vest and crisp white shirt, flickering around the ballroom like a flame. Maybe that was why Kageyama's eyes were always drawn to him.
He took a sip of wine.
"Thanks." Hinata smiled and like clockwork, he reached over to fill in the last sip. "And don't worry about why I keep smiling. It's just that I'm very, very happy."
"Oh…" Kageyama said. Well, whispered was more like it. His voice just kept getting lower as he found himself leaning closer and closer to Hinata. "That's alright then."
This close he could see the light reflect in Hinata's eyes, could see him turn his chin up and reach closer until-
"Ah," Hinata's eyes widened and he abruptly leaned back. "Your Highness, would you care for anything to drink?"
Kageyama was about to ask what he was talking about-because No, he definitely had more pressing things on his mind right now than the wine, mainly the one serving it-when he heard a voice speak from behind him.
"It's 'Your Majesty' actually," King Yuta drawled, coming to stand at Kageyama's right. "Your Highness is only used for princes in Hyakuzawa." He spared a glance at Kageyama. "Well, and those who share the throne."
"Your Majesty," Hinata corrected and Kageyama noted that the servant was suddenly much more formal than he had ever seen him before. Yet, at the same time...there was something even stranger in his demeanor now. Something that almost seemed….sharper? An edge or a threat even.
Then, Hinata smiled again and it was gone. "Would you like any more wine?"
King Yuta shrugged carelessly. "Couldn't hurt, I suppose."
He thrust his goblet out imperiously at Hinata, like a man who expected his orders to be followed and cared little about who was actually serving him.
Hinata ducked down demurely and, in that short second, Kageyama decided he hated the Hyakuzawan King. Granted, Kageyama had already hated him vaguely before this based solely on his plans for Cards, but that had been a nebulous sort of hate-more of a concept than an actuality. Now, though watching him move around servants-around Hinata-like everything in the world was beneath him, Kageyama realized he hated this man. He hated him down to his very core.
Almost as if the King could hear these thoughts, King Yuta's hand jerked and Kageyama looked over to see him looking with wide eyes as his goblet splashed on the floor.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence where all three of them just looked at the puddle of red on the ground.
Hinata reacted first, head jerking up.
"Um, sorry, Your Majesty, that was my fault," Hinata stammered. "I'll just go fetch a rag from the kitchen and clean this up."
"Ah….yes," the King said, sounding more dazed than anything and Kageyama wondered how much wine the man had drank already. "I suppose you should go do that."
Hinata nodded, bowing uncomfortably before sliding away in the crowd and in the direction of the kitchen.
Kageyama watched him go before he turned to King Yuta, who was still staring blankly.
"What a strange servant," King Yuta said, now with a thread of curiosity entering his voice. "I'm quite certain we don't have any quite like him in Hyakuzawa."
Kageyama felt a sudden rush of protectiveness. He didn't know what King Yuta was implying but he suddenly realized he didn't want the King anywhere near Hinata, conversationally or otherwise.
"He's terribly clumsy," Kageyama said firmly. "Really, he's worked for me for years and he's just about the worst servant I've ever seen. Honestly, awful!"
"Is he," the King asked before laughing suddenly. "What a pity."
King Yuta waved a hand dismissively, apparently banishing the issue.
"Well, there's more important things to talk about than servants anyway. Aren't there, King of Spades?" The King smiled and Kageyama didn't think it looked at all friendly.
"Like what," Kageyama asked.
"Oh...nothing too specific I suppose," King Yuta responded airily, looking out onto the ballroom. "This really is a lovely party. Absolutely splendid."
"Thanks," Kageyama returned, the words feeling like sandpaper in his throat. "We're honored by your attendance."
"Think nothing of it," King Yuta said, smiling. "Why if anything, the honor's mine. Such a wonderful celebration. You know, in Hyakuzawa, we have a term for parties like this. An old term, you've probably never heard it."
"What is it," Kageyama said, feigning interest.
King Yuta's smile grew and Kageyama was reminded eerily of someone laughing at his expense, of telling him a joke that he was never expected to get.
"For parties like these…" King Yuta continued, "we call them a Nohebi social."
"Ah," Kageyama responded, trying not to show that the term was somewhat anticlimactic.
The King laughed at his expression. "Yes, that's what I figured. It's a cultural thing. Back from a party that was held in Nohebi a few centuries ago. It's an old story," King Yuta smiled, shaking his head. "I'm just reminded of the oddest things sometimes."
"Right," Kageyama said for lack of a better response. In the back of his mind something was turning, a gear was hit telling him he'd read something somewhere.
"Well, I suppose we should both get back to socializing instead of staying over here in our little corner." King Yuta nodded at him, striding forward and being careful not to step in the wine spill.
He sighed. "I do hope that servant will be back soon and clean this up."
"He will be," Kageyama told him absently.
"Excellent," King Yuta said, before disappearing off into another corner of the ballroom.
Kageyama didn't follow-standing absolutely still as the words tumbled across his mind, going faster and faster, until-
A Few Centuries Ago. Nohebi. A Party. Like This.
Oh, fuck.
Feeling un-moored like his body was moving without his conscious thought, Kageyama sat his wine glass down and turned on his heal to the nearest hallway.
A Few Centuries Ago.
A few centuries ago, Hyakuzawa was embroiled in an all out naval warfare with-
Nohebi.
Cards had elected to stay out of it and the two countries nearly destroyed each other, the war spanning almost two bloody decades where the shores of either country were said to be awash with blood. Nohebi was finally pulling ahead and the war looked to be almost over until-
A Party.
Until Nohebi leaders held a party, a social, with all the nobles and military leaders in attendance with their family. The party had been to celebrate the war nearing an end, a victory in sight, to discuss plans for how to finally finish it.
It all went well until midnight, when the guests were tired and deep in their drinks. That's when Hyakuzawa forces surrounded the palace and attacked by land. The Hyakuzawan soldiers had extinguished their torches, had snuck through the trees, had not given a slight trace that they were there until they acted.
Nohebi didn't stand a chance. Over half of their nobility was slaughtered in one night, along with most of their military leaders. In Nohebi, it was known as the Midnight Massacre. It's where they got the phrase "Never trust an all black night".
It's also where-Kageyama remembered now, the fact tucked away in an obscure texts about Hyakuzawan cultural feasts-the Hyakuzawan phrase a "Nohebi social" came from. A sneak attack. An absolute slaughter. A party-
Like This.
Kageyama needed to get to his tower, to the tallest tower in all of Spades. Kageyama needed to see...
Kageyama needed to see if he was right, but he prayed that he was wrong.
ooooooo
By the time Hinata had returned with a rag, King Yuta looked to have thankfully decided to move on. Unfortunately, it seemed that Kageyama had done the same but then again it wasn't like Hinata would have much trouble finding him within one-albeit large-ballroom.
He quickly cleaned up the spill and handed off the dirtied rag and goblet to another kitchen servant before turning around the ballroom, trying to spot Kageyama.
He found someone else first.
"Kenma," Hinata called. The quiet man seemed to be conducting a truly remarkable attempt of blending in with the wall-which became even more impressive, considering he was one of the most powerful people in the room.
"Shouyou," Kenma returned calmly, glancing around as if to make sure Hinata's greeting hadn't alerted his presence to any of the nearby party members. It hadn't.
"Have you seen Kageyama," Hinata asked. "I left him for like five minutes and now, I can't find him anywhere."
Kenma tilted his head. "I think I saw him-"
"Ah, there you are!"
For the second time tonight, Hinata found his conversation interrupted by the Hyakuzawan King.
"Finally, a servant I can count on," King Yuta continued before turning and seeming to notice Kenma for the first time. "King of Diamonds. I almost didn't see you there."
"That's rather the point," Kenma replied in way that should have been rude if the tone wasn't so mild.
King Yuta didn't seem to take offense. "Would you mind if I borrowed your servant here? I believe I've had a bit too much wine and think it better if I retire for the night." He turned to Hinata, scrunching up his brow in an attempt at recognition. "You are the one who showed me to my room the first night, correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hinata answered, keeping his gaze carefully trained on the floor as the Hyakuzawan royalty expected of servants.
"Excellent," the King replied, turning to Kenma for permission.
Kenma spared a sympathetic glance at Hinata-silently apologizing-before reluctantly nodding his acquiescence.
"You have my thanks," King Yuta said, talking to Kenma rather than Hinata. "For the evening as well. It's true what they say about Cards being an amazingly welcoming kingdom."
"Thank you," was all Kenma said in a clear sign of dismissal.
King Yuta offered one final nod, before turning towards the exit. An impatient hand gesture followed, beckoning Hinata much like one calls to a hunting dog.
Hinata pulled a face, grimacing for only Kenma to see, before hurrying after the King.
He had noticed this before, during the first time he'd walked King Yuta to his room, but the change between how the King acted in front of other nobles and how he behaved to servants still proved to be striking. To the rest of the Cards Suit, King Yuta always remained genial and good natured-though still with that taunting blade of mockery that revealed that both leaders knew why he was there. Once he was with servants, however, the facade dropped and all that was left was a quiet man-more caught up in his thoughts than the world around him.
The walk back to King Yuta's room was entirely silent and remained so, even after Hinata opened the chamber door, letting the King in.
As expected, the king no longer seemed to be putting on any kind of cheery front. Instead, King Yuta strode across the room before sitting heavily on a chair placed right beside the balcony, overlooking the water.
Hinata awkwardly hovered by the door, seemingly forgotten instead of being dismissed.
As he watched, King Yuta sighed-grabbing the fingers of his gloves and gradually pulling them off to lay on the nearby table. The outline of his right hand glowed faintly in the moonlight, turned so the back was still out of eyesight.
Hinata's breath caught. He knew some royalty had a propensity to view servants as invisible but surely….surely, with what was at stake, King Yuta hadn't forgotten-
"Well," King Yuta's voice interrupted his thoughts, "are you going to serve me or not? I always fancy a glass of water before bed."
Hinata jolted, eyes drawn as King Yuta gestured to the water pitcher on the table.
"O-of course, Your Highness," Hinata answered, jerkily starting forward and trying to catch a glimpse of the hand. "I mean, Your Majesty."
Moving gradually so as not to miss the opportunity, Hinata walked in front of the King. The right hand laid casually in his lap, palm up and the fake mark covered.
If only Hinata could get him to move it. Maybe if he spilled water or-
"My word, Spades servants are slow," the King huffed. "I might as well get the water myself just to show you how it's done."
Before Hinata could speak, the King's right hand darted forward to pick up the pitcher before finally stopping and giving Hinata his first glimpse at...
A completely plain right hand. No mark in sight.
Hinata froze, too stunned to even register a small movement.
In the next second, Hinata was doubled over with a knife embedded deep in lower abdomen, still held by the King's left hand.
Hinata choked, brain trying to frantically assess the damage. Based on where the knife was, there was a high possibility it had hit a major organ. Judging by the blood that Hinata could see and the fact that any pain was instead replaced by a cold numbness, he was probably in shock. All of these pointed to the undeniable fact that the wound was almost definitely-
Fatal, the matter of fact voice of Tsuki echoed in his head.
Hinata looked up at the sound of chuckling and saw King Yuta still looking down at him.
"I suppose this is quite a shock for you, isn't it," the King said, smiling gently. "Well, imagine my surprise at finding out the Ace of Spades was not only alive but falling off the roof of my tent." The King tilted his head, hand coming up to rub against the cut on Hinata's neck. "I have to admit, I almost had to change my plans entirely but then, as luck would have it, I spot one single remarkable cut on the neck of a plain, forgettable little servant. Why that had to be...what do you backwaters Cards folk say...ah, right, the Fates smiling on my fortunes."
Hinata couldn't do anything but stare, breath coming out shallow and darkness slowly playing around the edges of his vision.
"You know," the King continued casually, "I'm not one for monologuing but I do love a good conversation and I so hate the thought of one dying with unanswered question, especially when you've worked so hard. So, tell me, have you figured it out yet?"
The brain was an amazing thing, how fast it could turn when it knew it was in its final minutes. It only took a second before…
"The Prince," Hinata croaked out, voice weak and barely audible.
The King nodded, looking incredibly pleased. "Yes, excellent! Why would I bother placing the mark on myself when I could use my weak willed son instead. " King Yuta frowned slightly, tapping his chin. "Of course, it's a pity he'll most certainly die during the war. A pity for him, I mean. Frankly, between you and me, I've been looking for a way to get him out of the line of succession. Sons are easily replaceable, after all. Maybe the next one will be stronger." The King smiled back at Hinata. "Though, for little Yudai, I imagine it will be hard. Especially after the people find out he killed both the Ace of Spades and Spades' King. Why, I imagine even Hearts will turn on him after that."
Hinata coughed, grabbing at the knife with the last of his feeble strength.
King Yuta let out a surprised and fond sounding laugh, easily batting away his hands.
"Oh, I guess you hadn't figured that part out yet," he said, voice filled with mock sympathy. "That's a pity. And to think it didn't even take much to get him alone. Just one little lie, a small insidious implication, and your King couldn't wait to go running up to his tower." King Yuta tsked. "It's kind of ironic, actually. So focused on saving everyone else, that he forgot to worry about himself….Kind of like you actually."
The King twisted the knife and Hinata cried out.
"Well, look at it this way," the King continued. "At least you'll be too dead to see the fall of your King. Least I could do for such a worthy adversary."
King Yuta stood up suddenly, causing Hinata to stumble back until he hit the railing of the balcony.
"Now, as enjoyable as this talk has been," King Yuta grinned. "I have more to do tonight and you...well, don't."
Through the haze, Hinata felt a sharp push on his shoulder and then he was tumbling over the balcony railing and down, down…
The Ace of Spades fell.