Reclaim (Haikyuu Kingdoms!AU)

Secret

Everybody turned their heads towards the small boy. He looked around before pointing a finger towards himself. "Are you... talking about me?"

Kageyama lowered his body to deepen his bow. He needed this! The alliance between him and the Karasuno group was key to moving forward. "Please!"

Hinata snickered. "Get on your knees and bark like a dog."

He froze. Baring his teeth, he got onto his knees, put his hands up to his chest and curled them into paws, and stared into Hinata's brown eyes. "Woof."

A short silence passed before Tsukki broke down laughing. Yamaguchi hid a small giggle with his hand, and Tanaka pounded on the floor in a puddle of tears. 

Hinata's face flushed when he saw the determined look glistening in Kageyama's eyes. "Get up, you're embarrassing!"

Kageyama jumped up, enraged. "You're the one who made me do it!"

"It wasn't funny, it was just sad!" Kageyama threw a punch and Hinata caught it. 

"Why he'd ask Hinata to be his friend is the world's greatest mystery," Suga sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

'"This is going to be... interesting," Daichi continued, with an exhausted expression. 

Hinata looked up from his dinner when a knock on the door sounded through the small room. His sister, Natsu, sprung up from her seat and ran to the door before opening it. 

"Who are you?" Kageyama asked, staring at the small girl. She froze up, eyes wide with fear as the looming monster glared down at her measly figure. He bent down, taking in the features on her face. She looked like a carbon copy of Hinata, save for the gender. 

"I-I'm Natsu! Why are you here?" she squeaked, jumping into a trembling fighting stance. Kageyama scoffed with a smirk and pushed her aside.

"I'm here to see my friend," he replied without looking back. Everyone stared at him as he approached Hinata, whose mouth was gaping open like a dead fish. 

"Friend? Why are you so adamant about me becoming your friend?" Hinata yelled, slamming his hands on the table as he stood up. 

"Dear! Watch the chair!" his mother scolded. Hinata fixed the chair, grabbed the boy, and ran out of the room.

"Let me get this straight," Hinata sighed, sitting down on the slightly rotting wood. "You want to be friends with me?"

"I told you before, and you agreed. I humiliated myself in front of the Karasuno group for this!" Kageyama replied, getting down on his knees. "To be honest, I've never had a real friend before."

Hinata frowned. "I can see that. After all, you're the coldest king out there."

"No one gave me a chance!" Kageyama said, eyes welling up with tears. Hinata stiffened, noticing that he had hit a soft spot. "Everyone thinks that my ideas are too advanced. They take one look at my notes or blueprints and they scoff, crumple it up, and dismiss it. They say I don't know the answers! They say so many things... but they never give me the chance to explain it all..."

He curled up, trying to mask his tear-stained face. Hinata looked around frantically, trying to spot an invisible god that would help him comfort the sobbing mess on his bedroom floor. He scooted over and patted him on the back. "Uh... there, there? It's alright. You're a man! A king! And kings don't cry!" 

"Yes they do!" Kageyama retorted between ugly sniffs. 

"No, they don't! Crying's for wimps! Stop it!" Hinata hit Kageyama's head, colliding with the ground. Kageyama went limp for a moment, before rising up and towering over the shrimp boy. 

"Do you wish for death?" he asked, his puffy red eyes staring holes in Hinata's head. 

"Like a crybaby can beat me!" he said with enthusiasm. Kageyama grit his teeth, getting into a fighting stance. 

"Let's change that attitude of yours."

Hinata grabbed his pillow with a daring smile. "I'd like to see you try!"

The door slammed open, Natsu glaring at the two. "Mom said to pipe down or-" she paused, looking at her brother underneath Kageyama's stronger form. She closed the door, yelling an apology, and ran off. 

The boys locked eyes, before laughing at that sweet encounter. "You're not sad anymore," Hinata pointed out. Kageyama smiled and dismounted him and grabbed the pillow and hugged it. 

"So will you be my friend now?" he asked with a small pout. Hinata laughed and sprung up. 

"If I can keep you happy, I'll be your friend!" he giggled. "Are you staying here for the night?"

"Well, I don't have anywhere to go..." he replied with a dejected look. Hinata jumped onto his bed and pointed to a large mattress rolled up in the corner. 

"Take that and roll it out. I'll grab you a blanket." Kageyama wrapped his hands around the rolled up mattress and tossed it horizontally. He took off the fraying rope and unrolled it with ease. Hinata threw a blanket from the side of the closet at Kageyama's face.

Kageyama went to setting the bed, and Hinata threw a spare pillow onto the top. "I guess it's pretty late, huh," Hinata sighed, opening the window to the glittering stars twinkling in the sky.

"Yeah," Kageyama breathed, staring at the lights from above.

"Oh! I want to show you something." Hinata jumped off the bed and grabbed the king's hand and lead him to the front door. He placed a finger to his lips with a cheeky smile. "It's a secret, though."

Kageyama smirked. "I'm an expert at keeping secrets."

"Great! Put on your shoes and follow me."

Kageyama followed the shrimp's instructions and he was soon led to the cool outdoors. He walked behind the bouncing orange, who was singing a small child's tune. "The stars are really nice out."

Hinata spun around happily. "Aren't they! Though, you get the same view in the big palace."

The black haired boy nodded, shoving his hands into his large pockets as he cocked his head upwards. "It's better out here. Better with a fuh-friend."

Hinata snickered. "You can't say friends right, huh?"

Kageyama stowed his sharp tongue and took a deep breath. "The only word that's close to 'friend' is 'ally.'"

Hinata frowned, pitying the broken king as they walked in silence. 

Finally, the reached a large forest. The soft moonbeams danced through the empty patches of leaves as the two boys entered. The owls sang to the orchestra of crickets playing their nightly tunes. A slight breeze swayed the thin, sturdy branches back and forth, dancing to the forest melody.

The reached a large clearing. Trees surrounded the area, and a large blue pond was placed in the middle of the large grassy area. Hinata jumped onto some large stones and looked up at the ginormous full moon, which illuminated his bright face.

Kageyama stared at Hinata. He was so radiant in the moonlight. Shaking his head, he stepped onto the smaller rock and glanced upwards, catching Hinata's soft face in his vision once in awhile. 

"Isn't it beautiful?" Hinata breathed. Kageyama nodded. Hinata spread his arms out with a large grin. "It really makes you feel like you're on top of the world!"

"Refreshing," Kageyama agreed. "This is truly beautiful. I've never experienced anything like this before."

Hinata lowered his arms and looked down at Kageyama. Tears were sitting in the corner of the king's eyes as he kept staring at the sky. Who hurt this poor child? 

"Kageyama," Hinata stared. "What was it like being the king?"

He smiled, a soft, depressing chuckle escaping his lips. "It was incredibly lonely."