12 Years Ago
There was no celebrations in the village, only a deeply ingrained wariness that asked if it was really over, if the pirates and raiders had finally moved on.
Over two weeks later and shoulders were finally falling. The people were slowly beginning to allow themselves to grieve.
The village was finally safe, yet there had been too much lose to warrant true cheer.
Oikawa, meanwhile, found himself at a bit of a loss. There were no more battle plans to be made, no more wounds to treat, no more carefully laid tricks to thwart the enemy. There was just learning to go back to normal, whatever that meant now.
He was slowly beginning to hear whispers though. Children stopped talking and started when he walked through the village and the adults offered up watery smiles, eyes shining.
The were calling him a hero. As if the village surviving by the skin of it's teeth was reason for the term rather than the very evidence on how Oikawa should have done more.
He couldn't stand it. Which probably had a large amount to do with why he he'd escaped for the afternoon-going to the high off cliff face that overlooked his village with the sun glinting off the sea like a miracle.
Oikawa breathed it in, silently watching.
The sudden purposeful sound of someone coming closer made Oikawa twist around, knife at the ready.
Standing behind him was a strange stoic man with short cropped hair and an intense expression.
"Oikawa Tooru, future King of Hearts," the man said and Oikawa's heart stuttered "I am the personification of Order, The Fate that controls the very fabric of your universe."
He paused here, looking at Oikawa expactantly while Oikawa stared back owlishly.
"However," the man continued. "You may call me Ushijima. I have come to speak to you about your destiny. It is time for you to Claim your title."
Oikawa blinked. The back part of his mind was screaming that he should really, really be more shocked by what basically amounted to a legend standing a few feet away from him. However, a slightly larger part of him was just tired and had to comprehend a few too many awful things to really have time for a thing like shock now.
"No." he told the Fate instead. "I'm not going to Claim my title."
With that, Oikawa turned his back firmly on the Fate and looked out again onto the village.
"...Hearts is your destiny, Young King." the Fate-Ushijima said, sounding confused. "You cannot merely toss it aside."
"I can and I am," Oikawa said firmly. "Take away my mark. I don't want it."
"You're being selfish, Young King. The kingdom is still in recovery. Your Ace is newly crowned. Your people need you."
"Yeah," Oikawa said, fists tightening at his side. "They do. And I don't care whatever fancy new Ace is trying his luck now. The people don't need that. They need someone who will actually care about them more than they do about gaining more power. Someone who will walk beside them rather than lord above them. Someone to will actually understand them."
He looked back at the Fate. "And, right now, I think I can be that person. And that's why I will never become King of Hearts."
"You're making a mistake," Ushijima said. "I will stay with you until you can see the light of your actions."
Oikawa shook his head, lips turning up in a smirk. "Be my guest but I'm warning you now, I'm stubborn. Besides," the smirk drifted into a smile as his gaze was drawn back to the village, "this isn't a mistake...In fact, I'd say it's the only thing I can do that's right."
ooooooo
I hope I'm right about this, Oikawa thought in a moment of uncharacteristic hesitance as Tsukishima dragged him along the hall, almost sprinting in his haste to get to the ballroom.
After so long, with so many doubts, and having so much at risk, Oikawa desperately hoped he wasn't making a mistake.
The mark on his hand shone like blood.
ooooooo
"So, again, just so I know I've got this straight. Hinata is the Ace of Spades?"
"Yes," Suga said distractedly, quickly hurrying around the next turn.
"But, like our Hinata," Bokuto repeated, skeptically. "Like the short guy with the crazy orange hair. That Hinata is the Ace of Spades."
Suga sighed, not even pausing in his quick pace. "You should really stop saying that out loud. We're getting close to the ballroom."
Bokuto nodded, though Iwaizumi noticed that he still looked rather stunned so that probably meant the questions were delayed rather than stopped.
Behind Iwaizumi, Kuroo and Lev were both complaining to Kenma about why he didn't tell them, and how long has he known, and is that why you've always liked Hinata so much
"No, it's because Shouyou doesn't bother me like some others," Kenma said calmly, giving the two a pointed look before going back to peacefully ignoring them.
"Aw, Kenma," Lev cried out before being hit on the back of the head by Kuroo, who continued asking questions.
Personally, Iwaizumi was more concerned with what they were about to find in the ballroom. Not to mention, if Hinata-if the Ace of Spades was successful in stopping Kageyama's assassination.
Suga turned another corner and all conversation cut off as they faced the ballroom doors.
Iwaizumi gripped his sword and prayed that they could somehow find a way to end the night without any blood.
Judging by the abruptly grim expressions on Yukie and Kuroo's faces, Iwaizumi wasn't the only one who doubted it.
For Cards, Iwaizumi rallied and Suga pushed the doors open.
The entire ballroom turned as they walked in and at first, Iwaizumi thought it was okay, that it was just the natural response at seeing a large group of the country's leaders all enter a room en masse.
But, then he noticed how the music had stopped, how the center of the ballroom was already emptied, how Hyakuzawa's knights stood at the ready all around the cleared circle to look at the figure in the middle.
In the middle of the circle, Prince Yudai of Hyakuzawa cleared his throat.
"Oh, good," the Prince said with a smile that was probably supposed to look at ease. "You're all here in time for my announcement."
"What announcement, Prince Yudai," Suga said sweetly but with a warning around the prince's title.
"Isn't it a bit late for announcements," Kuroo drawled out, hand on the sword at his waist.
Yahaba yawned for emphasis. "Definitely too late. I've always thought that any decision made this late needed at least a morning's contemplation."
Prince Yudai hesitated, taken slightly aback before he visibly settled itself. "I think this announcement is best done tonight. So, the people can hear it."
Quickly, before he could lose his nerve, Prince Yudai held up his hand and started pulling off his glove.
"Are you sure about this," asked a gruff voice and Iwaizumi took a second to realize it was his own. "Somethings you can't take back?"
And if Prince Yudai removed that glove, it would mean war.
"I…" Prince Yudai stalled for another moment before his jaw firmed. "I'm sure. It's the only way."
Before anyone could say anything, Prince Yudai spun around to address the gathered crowd. "People of Cards. I, Prince Yudai of Hyakuzawa, have an announcement. You see, I'm not only the Crown Prince of Hyakuzawa. I am also-"
The doors on the other side of the ballroom burst open.
Everyone-the people, the Suits, and even Prince Yudai-turned.
And then...and then, Iwaizumi outright stared.
Because there, standing in the doorway with Tsukishima, was one Oikawa Tooru.
Iwaizumi wondered if he was dreaming.
As if in answer, Oikawa's eyes flickered around the room, searching until finally landing on him.
Oikawa smiled, giving him a wink.
Oh, Iwaizumi thought numbly.
ooooooo
Oikawa had no clue what he was doing but he knew he had to do something.
He looked out, trying to see him in the crowd, and finally his eyes found Iwaizumi staring back at him with a stunned expression.
Oikawa gave him a smile that he hoped looked more confident than he felt and winked.
Something in Iwaizumi's face shifted and, even if Oikawa couldn't begin to put into words what it was, he himself suddenly felt grounded-as if just Iwaizumi's presence alone was enough.
He turned back to the Prince, still standing in the middle of the ballroom floor and looking just as surprised as everyone else.
Oikawa strode forward, eyeing him contemptuously.
"Sorry," Oikawa said with a smile. "I'm a bit late to the party. Mind telling me who you are again?"
The Prince blinked, off-balance and his expression was so genuinely confused that Oikawa could almost feel bad for him. You know, if he wasn't trying to steal Oikawa's job and take over Hearts and all.
"I'm Prince Yudai of Hyakuzawa," the Prince said, finally appearing to recover.
"Oh," Oikawa responded, eyes big with fake surprise. "I am so sorry for not recognizing you, Your Highness. I'm still a bit new here myself. Please, welcome to the kingdom."
Before Prince Yudai could say anything, Oikawa reached out his left hand gripping the Prince's hand in a strong welcoming handshake that was so obviously something done by equals that Oikawa almost expected the loud gasp from the crowd.
Of course, that might have been because someone had finally caught a glimpse at the mark on his right hand. Oikawa couldn't say for sure.
Luckily, it seemed the Prince hadn't noticed yet as he floundered for a second before-
"I'm sorry, who are you?"
"Me," Oikawa asked, left hand gesturing to his chest. "Why, I'm surprised you haven't heard."
He held up his right hand, red heart clear for all to see. "I'm Oikawa Tooru, the King of Hearts."
He had just enough time to see Prince Yudai's mouth drop open before Oikawa was engulfed in flames.
A silver light burst out from the back of his hand and more than one person screamed as the magical fire cracked and boomed around the ballroom, engulfing it in a heatless inferno.
Huh, Oikawa thought absently from the middle of the flame. Mad Dog was right. The fire does make it more dramatic.
As quickly as it started, the fired died away, leaving only a faint heat wave shimmering in the air until eventually even that died away, too.
Oikawa let out a breath, glancing briefly at the silver "K" embedded in his hand as a constant reminder.
He turned, speaking to the people now rather than the Prince. "Sorry, I didn't introduce myself sooner."
Slowly, he lowered his hand to a fist by his side and looked back, wondering what the Prince would do next.
Stare was apparently the answer. Stare at him with a look of shock and, most confusingly, a strange hint of disappointment that Oikawa couldn't begin to understand.
"You're…" the Prince started.
For the third time that night, the doors of the ballroom were pushed open again and a red haired servant sprinted inside.
"Help! Someone, please help!"
The servant skidded into the clearing in the middle of the clearing, looking at Oikawa with a puzzled expression before taking in the mark on his gripped hand.
His eyes widened and Oikawa just caught the hint of an assessing gaze before another voice called out.
"Hinata, what is it," the Tsukishima guy from earlier asked, expression suddenly dark. "What's wrong? Is anyone hurt?"
Oikawa frowned, wondering why the phrase was emphasized that way, before the servant-Hinata, apparently-started nodding frantically.
"Yes," Hinata cried out, eyes filling with what looked like true panic. "It's King Yuta! I...I don't know what happened! One moment, I was serving him some water and then he started clutching his chest and fell over!"
"A heart attack," Tsukishima suggested and Hinata nodded again, wiping his eyes as a tear streamed down.
"Yes, it's terrible," Hinata said. "I think he's dead."
"Dead?"
As one, the entire crowd turned to look at Prince Yudai and Oikawa noticed the last of color drain from Hinata's face.
Prince Yudai frowned, looking abruptly lost.
"My father's dead?"
A nobel wearing Hyakuzawan colors and a pretentious air pushed through the crowd.
"My Prince," the man shouted, throwing a dirty look at the Suits. "Surely, you see what happened? Surely, you don't believe this? It's obvious what happened here. King Yuta was clearly poisoned. The Ace of Spades must have gotten to him at the ball. This is no accident, it's an assassination. Cards is trying to start a war."
"Stop talking."
The Hyakuzawan nobel started so bad he jumped, looking back startled at his prince.
"Your Highness!"
The Prince ignored him, not even seeming to hear him. Instead, he stood completely still as all eyes in the ballroom slowly drew to him once more. Much like earlier, the Prince was quiet and Oikawa almost made the mistake of labeling it "hesitance" before he saw the storm brewing behind the Prince's eyes.
Not with hesitance then. With consideration.
The Prince was making a choice.
Oikawa continued to look at the Prince and the Prince continued to look back almost with a silent question in his eyes. Oikawa didn't understand was going on, what the Prince was trying to ask him. Why him of all-
Oh, Oikawa realized suddenly, taking a closer look. Not me.
To everyone in the ballroom, it probably looked liked the Prince and Oikawa were staring right at each other. But, it wasn't Oikawa the Prince was searching out.
Instead, the Prince's eyes landed straight on the red haired servant from earlier, standing almost invisible at Oikawa's side.
And the servant was staring back.
Not with hesitance. Not with confusion. But with a question of his own, a plead, a demand.
Oikawa didn't understand it and, honestly, he wasn't sure if he was supposed to.
"Your Highness?"
The Hyakuzawan noble broke through the moment and as the Prince looked away, Oikawa felt that all at once a balance had shifted.
"It's Your Majesty actually," the Prince-the Hyakuzawan King said. "With my father dead."
The man backed up, suddenly seeming uncertain. He recovered quickly. "Your Majesty, your father's been poisoned. Cards has declared war. We need to-"
"That's ridiculous," King Yudai said, straightening and-if Oikawa hadn't seen it happen-he would swear a different man stood in the center of the ballroom. All the previous uncertainty had been wiped away like cleaning off a layer of grime to reveal a smooth polished surface.
"Cards didn't poison my father," King Yudai continued confidently. "Why would they? We're allies. Even more than that, we're guests here and Cards has always been a peaceful kingdom. And my...my father was not as young as he once was." He turned to the assembled Suits, offering a nod. "Please excuse Duke Taniguchi. He is...was a close advisor to my father. I am sure he is merely so overcome with grief, he doesn't know what he's saying."
"No offense taken," quickly said a man that Oikawa vaguely recognized as Sugawara, the Queen of Spades. "You have all of Cards deepest regrets about your father. I hope even in your time of grief, you still understand how much Cards values our alliance."
"Your Majesty," Duke Taniguchi interrupted again face turning slowly red. "You don't...you can't believe this?"
"What's there not to believe," King Yudai asked, calmly. "As I said before, Hyakuzawa and Cards have been allies for decades. Why would they poison my father now?" King Yudai raised an eyebrow. "Unless, of course, you know something I don't, Duke Taniguchi?"
Duke Taniguchi spluttered, face going abruptly white. "Of course not! I just...think about what you are doing. Your father-"
"Has unfortunately passed," King Yudai said and-for a moment-a complicated expression crossed his face. "And, no matter how overcome and shocked I am by my grief, I cannot let my grief overcome my duties."
King Yudai turned to address the people, both the citizens of Cards and the assembled Hyakuzawan knights. "My father and our beloved King is dead. However, no matter how tragic and unexpected the circumstances, we cannot let this incident alone blind us to his larger dreams. To do so, would be a disservice to him." King Yudai cleared his throat. "Hyakuzawa came to this festival for the sole goal of binding Hyakuzawa and Cards closer together. As your prince and now your king, I will set aside my grief and continue this." His gaze flickered over briefly to land on Oikawa. "As allies, Cards and Hyakuzawa will stand together."
"Further," and at this the King's face softened and he focused directly on his knights. "I promise that as King, I will serve all the Hyakuzawan people. I promise that my reign will hear all voices, will listen to every strife, and will work to build a stronger country. One that will view it's neighbors not as threats, but as mutually beneficial. Know that every time you bow your loyalty to me, I vow my life to service of the people. And together, Hyakuzawa will become stronger than it ever has before."
King Yudai finished and, for a moment, nothing happened.
Then, slowly, the first Hyakuzawan knight dropped to his knee and bowed. Like it was a signal, the rest followed until eventually the entire Hyakuzawan contingent was bowing to their newly minted King.
King Yudai stood firm, a small smile gracing his lips as he looked out on his people.
ooooooo
After that King Yudai's speech, it seemed like it was unanimously decided by the party goers that nothing could really top the death of a King, a near declaration of war, and the reveal of not one but two Kings (including the mysterious Lost King of Hearts).
Suga called an end to the ball and the attendees scattered almost reluctantly. A few of the Hyakuzawan knights were sent to the former King Yuta's room to retrieve and examine the body. Though absolutely no part of Iwaizumi believed Yuta had died of natural causes, he found he wasn't especially worried about the post-mortem examination. If Hinata really was the Ace of Spades, Iwaizumi figured he'd been doing this long enough that he knew which poisons would come across as natural causes.
Of course, this could also be because Iwaizumi had frankly more important things to worry about.
Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa's arm, interrupting him from a conversation with Yahaba-the rest of the Cards Suits luckily too preoccupied with breaking up the party to see the new King of Hearts yet.
"Can I talk to you in private?"
Across Oikawa's face, there was a flash of something too quick to catch. But, eventually Oikawa nodded.
Iwaizumi pulled on him, guiding him quickly through the lingering ball attendees until they were in a deserted hallway.
Iwaizumi guessed at a door, pulling it open to discover and office that he quickly hurried them into, shutting the door behind him.
That done, he turned back to Oikawa and just...froze.
Shit, he still couldn't even quite believe this was happening.
"Hey," Oikawa said, tentative-maybe even a bit shy-and with that same small smile that Iwaizumi had seen just a few times when the man was feeling his most vulnerable.
It was the smile that hit Iwaizumi more than anything. The thing that made him believe Oikawa was really here, standing in front of him with an uncovered hand.
"Did you mean it," Iwaizumi said in a rush. "What you said in the ballroom, did you mean it? Are you really going to be King?"
Oikawa's face went abruptly blank but he recover quickly, mouth quirking up.
"Well, of course, Iwa-chan. I've even got the fancy silver monogram to prove it."
"Oikawa," Iwaizumi said, plaintively.
The expression cleared again, this time long enough for Iwaizumi to see the fear and nervousness before Oikawa took a deep shuddering breath.
"Yeah," Oikawa said, slowly meeting his eyes, "I meant it."
"Why," Iwaizumi asked and there was a flash of hurt in Oikawa's eyes before Iwaizumi continued. "What I mean is...why did you change your mind? Is this about Hyakuzawa? About King Yudai's plan or-"
Oikawa shook his head. "No, it's not. Funny enough, nobody seemed that eager to tell me that the country was basically in danger of falling unless I became King. Strange, isn't it?"
He raised a eyebrow at Iwaizumi.
"I…." Iwaizumi flushed. "I was going to tell you. I just...I thought we had more time and...and," he sighed, "I didn't want to take away your choice. Not...not for you, never for you."
Oikawa's face shifted in such a way that Iwaizumi felt the urge to look away at the sheer amount of gratitude and understanding that shone for one blistering second.
Iwaizumi cleared his throat. "So...if that wasn't it. Then, why did you change your mind?"
Oikawa smiled, more to himself than Iwaizumi. "Someone much smarter than me told me that sometimes it's okay to chase what you want...even if you're not sure you deserve it."
Iwaizumi swallowed. "And is this what you want?"
Oikawa turned to look at him. "It is."
Iwaizumi let out a breath he wasn't even aware he'd been holding. He stopped, leaning back on the table behind him for support as a tide of relief washed through him, almost making him feel lightheaded.
Iwaizumi shook his head, smiling. "I don't even know how you got to Spades so fast? I know Mad Dog would have sent me a message if he'd seen you leave."
Surprisingly, Oikawa let out a loud bubbling laugh, slowly fading out into a wide smile.
"Would you believe me if I told you the physical manifestation of Order has literally followed me around for a decade and basically acts as my fairy godfather?"
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.
"I'm serious," Oikawa protested, laughing at Iwaizumi's expression. "His name is Ushijima. He's super boring. He did my gardening once."
Iwaizumi shook his head again, still smiling. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me. I'm just glad you're here."
Oikawa huffed, amused. He glanced around the room before looking back at Iwaizumi. "So, Iwa-chan, now that all you're burning questions are answered. I have to wonder. Stealing a newly crowned King away from a party with all of my, I'm sure, future adoring fans. Dragging just the two of us to a secluded, dark, room. Why, I simply have to question how pure are your intentions?"
The tone was joking but underneath it was a real question and one that Iwaizumi was happy to answer.
"Oh, not at all pure," Iwaizumi said, casually stepping closer to Oikawa.
Oikawa hummed, glancing at him from under his lashes. "You don't say?"
"Mmhm, just incredibly impure," Iwaizumi said, already leaning in.
He was surprised when a hand pushed on his shoulder, not pushing him away but not allowing him closer.
"Oh, no, no, Iwa-chan," Oikawa smirked, hand moving to join the other and slowly twine behind Iwaizumi's neck. "I'm a King now. You're going to have to do better than that if you want to seduce me."
Iwaizumi kissed him, fast, as soon as Oikawa had closed his mouth.
He heard something between a gasp and sigh come from Oikawa and he waited until suddenly the other man relaxed against him.
Then, Iwaizumi really kissed him. He put everything, everything, that he had been feeling over the last month into it-all the fear, the curiosity, the excitement, the amusement, the sorrow, the loneliness, the joy, the ground shaking relief. And, most of all, he put in every single moment of desire, of missing him, of slowly realizing he was falling in love.
When he eventually ended the kiss, after an amount of time that he really had no idea how to estimate, he found that somehow he was pressing Oikawa into a wall and the man was gasping against him with eyes significantly darker than when they started.
"That…" Oikawa panted, trying to catch his breath, "was a really….really good start."
Iwaizumi chuckled, leaning down to kiss him again-briefly, this time, before pulling away.
"I said start, Iwa-chan. Not end," Oikawa muttered, trying to pull him back in again.
"One second. I've got another question to ask you," Iwaizumi said, smiling at Oikawa's look of disbelief.
"Well, go ahead then," Oikawa said, rolling his eyes.
"Before I left, you said that you could fall in love with me if you let yourself?"
In his arms, Oikawa stiffened, amused expression disappearing
"...Yeah," Oikawa said.
"Well, I...I think I could fall in love with you, too," Iwaizumi huffed out a laugh. "To tell the truth, I kinda think I'm mostly there already. So, I guess what I'm asking is...do you wanna let yourself?"
Oikawa looked up at him, blinking in surprise before slowly the realization set in.
And when he smiled, it was the most beautiful thing Iwaizumi had ever seen.
"Yeah, I think I could do that."
ooooooo
A/N: Stay tuned for the epilogue! Thank you everyone who read this far for hanging in!