Red Winter - /Haikyuu/

15. Friendly Gaze

The dread that balled in Hinata's stomach was thick and intense. The watchful glares of the guns were overwhelming, his mouth dry and his eyes wide.

He could barely feel his legs as he walked to what felt like his doom, his mind as numb as his body. Hinata glanced to his side, making eye contact with a surprisingly nervous Iwaizumi. The older boy's eyes were pleading, so loud without making a sound.

Hinata wondered, what about the others? Did they find them? Were they okay? The list of questions was as endless as the pit in his stomach.

"Speed up." Someone growled, and Hinata swallowed harshly. Twice. Twice already, since this all went down, that he had a gun pressed against his back. What great luck. Hinata knew that Iwaizumi, and himself, both had guns stuck in their waistbands.

He didn't even attempt to move for it, though, neither of them did. Two against however large this group was, well, that wasn't going to work out in their favor.

So they followed the group to wherever they were taking them, through the dark, abandoned mall.

A snarling sound to the left side made Hinata's heart spike with fear. A limping figure emerged from the swathe of shadows, it's skin a terrible, ashy gray. A small noise of terror left Hinata's lips, and the people holding them hostage worked quickly.

A woman who couldn't be a day over fourty stabbed a long knife through the red's head, without a hint of remorse in her actions. These people were dangerous. That much was obvious.

A shiver eased it's way up Hinata's spine as he watched the body fall to the floor with a loud, clear thump. The blood that escaped its head almost looked grayed in the faint rays coming from the skylight.

"Keep moving!" Someone barked, and so he began moving his feet again. It didn't take long before the group stopped abruptly, in front of a random clothing store. The supposed leader tapped on the door three consecutive times, before waiting a beat, then tapping twice more. Hinata's eyes widened as more people appeared in the doorway.

Just how many of these people were there?

"We'll take them to Nagisa, he'll know what to do with them." One of them glared harshly at him, and he inched closer to Iwaizumi, seeking protection from the mean gazes. They led them through the mazes of clothing racks and shelves, until they reached the back of the store. A tall, towering man had his back to them.

"Hey, Nagisa, we found the rest of them." The man's voice called out. The rest of them? Did that mean they captured the others?

The enormously tall, lanky man pivoted around on his heel. Hinata stared up at him, gulping as he felt extra small. The man looked down at him with a kind enough expression, but there was something in those eyes, something... Cold. As cold as the pressing winter air surrounding them.

The glint in the man's eye almost reminded him of Sergeant. A chill grabbed hold of him as he remembered the creepy man who had threatened and hurt him.

"Shoyo?" A small voice said, one Hinata knew well. Hinata jumped as he felt something tugging on his sleeve, and so he turned around quickly. And sure enough, there she was. A bright haired girl with familiar brown eyes.

"Natsu?" He whispered softly, a sob catching in his throat. His sister. His sister was all right. Hinata quickly kneeled down and pulled the little girl into a warm hug, his eyes filled with tears as he held her. She wrapped her arms around him and smiled.

"Please don't cry, Shoyo! It's okay." Natsu said quietly. A deep, booming chuckle sounded from behind him, and he picked himself up, staring suspiciously at the tall man. He hid Natsu behind him, just in case. Those eyes, they were awfully creepy and awfully familiar.