Chapter Text
When Hinata was promised eternity, he didn’t think too much about how it would be, well, forever.
He’s lost count of how many decades it’s been. Twenty? Thirty? How long has his immortal life prolonged?
After Hinata was turned, for a while it was fun. Increased strength, speed and eternal beauty for the small price of a little sun sensitivity and a new taste for blood, Hinata loved being a vampire. Not because he was going around terrorizing humans and drinking their blood — it’s surprising how little security there is for hospital blood blanks — but because Hinata has seen so much of the world, experienced things he would’ve never been able to as a human.
It used to be an adventure.
But now, Hinata is… bored.
Very little excites him anymore. Even the taste of blood is getting bland. He’s been trying to find a new spark, something to fill his immortal life, at least for a while, but the past few decades have seemed to drag on in his search.
Hinata stops in his walk outside of Karasuno’s Bar, turning up to the night sky. The full moon shines bright tonight, its sparkle feeling like it’s mocking Hinata.
He glares at it before his gaze changes into desperation.
People wish on stars, but what about the moon?
Hinata steadies his gaze, taking a deep breath and thinking of something to wish for. He closes his eyes, letting the wish fill his mind before he opens them again in distaste.
That was dumb.
“What are you doing, Hinata?”
Hinata startles and turns to see his oldest friend staring at him curiously.
“Your shift started…” Sugawara continues, checking his watch. “Ten minutes ago.”
Oldest friend and the owner of Karasuno’s Bar, where Hinata happens to be a bartender.
“Ah, sorry Suga! I lost track of time,” Hinata says sheepishly, following him into the bar.
Suga chuckles lightly. “It’s alright. What were you thinking so deeply about?”
“Oh you know, the perils of immortality,” Hinata sighs.
Suga laughs as he gets ready for work behind the bar counter, Hinata following closely behind.
By oldest friend, Hinata really means Suga is the oldest friend he has. Because he’s a vampire too, the one who turned Hinata. Hinata’s not even sure of his exact age, but he thinks he was at least a century old when they met.
But just like Hinata, his youth remains, and to the human eye he only looks to be a few years older than Hinata, both appearing to be in their early twenties.
Hinata starts to wipe the bar counters and prepare some glasses. Even though they had opened the bar a bit late, it’s slow tonight, only the hum of the bar’s neon lights buzzing. It’s a night bar only — a refuge for the supernatural, or a late-night dive bar for the humans.
Hinata chose this job mostly because he likes talking to people, whether they’re supernatural or human. He loves getting a glimpse into people’s lives and their personalities, and it at least provides him with some momentary form of entertainment, reminding him that maybe he doesn’t know everything about the world.
And it helps to work with Suga, who he sometimes only sees every few decades. Not for any ill reason though, sometimes Hinata just likes to go off for a while and do his own thing, and Suga supports him in his aspirations.
“So, tell me about your perils of immortality,” Suga giggles, but Hinata knows the teasing comment is an invitation for him to talk.
Hinata exhales, slumping on a barstool. “I’m bored with life, Suga,” he complains, swirling his finger across the counter absently. “It’s not offering me anything.”
“Surely there’s still something you still want to learn or do?” Suga offers, sitting on the stool beside him.
Hinata stares at him blankly. “I’ve had dozens of careers, learned over a hundred languages and been to nearly every country. Mastered many instruments and art—”
“Okay, I get it,” Suga interrupts, before smiling. “But you do have little experience in one thing.”
“What?”
“Love.”
Hinata groans. This isn’t the first time Suga has brought the topic up. Sometimes he can be like an overbearing parent constantly asking, “When will you bring someone home for me to meet?” but has stretched over hundreds of years.
It’s not like Hinata is uninterested in love, he’s usually just busy with other things he wants to achieve. Any experience he’s had that’s been close to love has been very casual. An occasional “special” friend, but nothing beyond that.
He tends to stay away from relationships with humans because he’d rather avoid the heartbreak that will inevitably come when they age and succumb to death while he remains the same.
And there are few vampires around. Some can blend into human life like Hinata and Sugawara, but others are discovered and hunted. Never to be seen again.
So that makes his dating pool a bit small.
“Not everyone can find a perfect partner like you,” Hinata grumbles, thinking of one of the few vampires he knows — Suga’s boyfriend, Sawamura Daichi. They met at a jazz bar back in the 1920s and have been together ever since, spending their immortal lives together happily.
“There’s someone out there for you, if you just tried,” Suga insists.
Hinata sighs, “Maybe…”
A customer walks in, cutting their conversation short. Suga gives him a reassuring smile before attending to the incomer. Hinata mimics, temporarily ignoring his immortality issue to attend to the job at hand. He goes through his shift smoothly, mixing drinks and chatting with some customers, and before he knows it, it’s late into the night, and the bar is empty.
Suga starts to pack his bag. “It’s a slow night, you think you can finish up alone, Hinata?”
Hinata nods and mutters a quiet, “Sure.”
He’ll be alone with his thoughts and have no one to complain to, but Hinata can manage.
“Thanks,” Suga smiles warmly, “Daichi’s coming back early from his trip tonight, so I thought I’d be home to greet him.”
That causes an envious pang to beat in Hinata’s heart, but he pushes it down. He doesn’t need anyone to greet him when he comes home.
“Of course,” Hinata says with a small smile. “Tell Daichi I said hello.”
Suga hums in assent before slinging his bag over his shoulder. Before he walks out the door, he turns back to Hinata with a smile.
“Think about what I said,” he says with a wink.
Hinata only gives him a sigh and small wave in return before the door closes behind him.
After Suga leaves, Hinata spends some time doing the work they usually don’t get to in busy shifts at the bar. No more customers show up for a while, not until an hour before the bar closes.
It’s a young man with a nice posture to show his tall height. But that seems to be the only thing in order.
The rest of the man’s appearance is a mess.
His black hair is ruffled, there’s dirt smeared on his pale face, and as Hinata’s eyes trail across the man’s body, he sees his clothes are torn in places. And the man looks exhausted, slumping into a barstool.
Still, Hinata is unphased. After all, this bar is a refuge to anyone as long as they don’t cause any trouble.
He walks behind the bar to where the man is sitting.
With a smile, Hinata asks, “Can I get you anything?”
The man looks up at him, and Hinata catches his striking blue eyes. Nearly captivating in their rich blue, like the night sky.
“The strongest thing you got,” he sighs, running a tired hand through his hair.
Hinata chuckles at that, preparing a small glass with their strongest whiskey.
“Rough night?” he inquires.
“You could say that,” the man mumbles.
Hinata sets the glass down in front of the man. He fishes in his pockets before pulling out his wallet.
Hinata waves him down. “It’s on the house. You look like you need it,” he says.
The man opens his mouth as if to protest, but seems to accept it with a tiresome sigh. Hinata hears a mumbled “thanks” before the man brings the glass up to his lips and downs the drink in one go.
Hinata regards him curiously. “Are you alright?” he finds himself asking, unable to stop his eyes from looking across the man again.
His gaze lands on a small tear in the man’s sleeve, and a strong scent suddenly fills Hinata’s nose.
“You’re bleeding,” he says, eyes fixed on the cut in his arm.
Hinata sees the man tilt to look down at his arm, but just barely registers his words. “Oh, guess so,” he says simply.
Hinata doesn’t reply, finding that he cannot look away from the small line of red that trails from the cut and beneath the man’s sleeve. And the smell, it’s different than normal. This man’s blood smells almost… sweet, and Hinata wonders if it tastes as good as it smells…
The familiar feeling of his hidden fangs growing behind his lips shocks Hinata out of his fixation, and he abruptly turns away from the man. Hinata’s cheeks flush an embarrassing shade of red.
What the hell?
It’s been a century since Hinata has lost some control like that. He hasn’t had a moment of pure bloodlust in a very long time.
“You… okay?” he hears the man ask hesitantly.
Hinata recovers quickly, receding his fangs. He would like his identity to remain secret for now around this unknown stranger.
He turns around and points at the tear. “You should cover that up,” he says, ignoring the question.
Without waiting for a reply, Hinata rummages around the bar cabinets and cheers quietly when he finds their first aid kit.
When Hinata rounds to the other side of the bar, the man seems to realize what he’s doing.
“I can do it myself—” he starts.
“Nonsense,” Hinata stops him. “It’s customer service.”
And partly Hinata’s selfish reason to get closer to that sweet smell. He’s aware of it now though, so he can control himself.
The man sighs again, but still holds out his arm for Hinata to inspect. He turns away, and Hinata smiles at the barely red tips of his ears.
He gently grabs the man’s forearm and rolls up the baggy sleeve to see the cut. Underneath reveals various cuts and scratches across the man’s skin, and once again Hinata wonders what kind of mess this man was in.
But he remains quiet while he bandages any open cuts, wrapping white gauze around the man’s arm. Hinata’s fingertips start to tingle from their touch to the man’s bare skin, and it’s then he realizes how this simple action is more intimate than any normal customer interaction should be.
Like he’s been shocked, he pulls his hands away, a slight flush to his cheeks.
“All done!” Hinata says, his voice straining.
The man rolls down his sleeve with a frown. Or maybe that’s just his natural face, Hinata isn’t sure.
“What’s your name?” the man asks suddenly.
Hinata returns to his proper place behind the bar. “Hinata Shouyou,” he replies. “And you?”
“Kageyama Tobio,” he mutters.
“Nice to meet you, Kageyama,” Hinata replies, smiling warmly. “Would you like another drink?”
Kageyama seems to hesitate, eyes flicking away.
“Swear I won’t bite,” Hinata insists, chuckling.
Well, as long as he keeps that sweet blood away.
“Okay,” Kageyama mumbles, and Hinata is surprised to be happy about that.
He mixes up another drink free of charge for Kageyama and coaxes him into conversation. It’s mostly spent with Hinata talking about basic things like the weather or other customers, but Kageyama seems to be listening attentively.
Kageyama does become rather cagey when the issue of why he looks so disheveled gets brought up, so Hinata doesn’t press any further. He understands the desire for privacy about things.
After all, he still isn’t sure if Kageyama is human or not, so in case of the latter, he’d rather not freak him out by telling him he’s a vampire.
Faster than Hinata realizes, dawn is on the rise, and the bar is almost closed. He tells this to Kageyama, disappointment laced in his tone.
But why is he disappointed? He barely knows this guy.
“Do you work tomorrow?” Kageyama asks, preparing to leave.
Hinata ignores the spark of hope that flickers inside him from the question, and responds with a cheery, “Yes!”
Kageyama doesn’t elaborate, but inclines his head and mutters, “Thank you for the drinks.”
“Of course! See ya!” Hinata says as Kageyama leaves.
───────────────
The following night, Hinata is surprised to see a familiar figure standing outside of Karasuno’s Bar, staring off into the distance.
Kageyama looks different today. Less like he just got out of a fight with a shredder, and more normal. No torn clothes, just a simple jacket and jeans, perfectly flat hair, and no open cuts that Hinata can smell.
As Hinata approaches, he can admit that Kageyama looks… good. When he looks less homeless and more tall, dark, and handsome, you can’t blame Hinata for his pink cheeks.
Kageyama's eyes catch him, but the frown on his face remains unchanged. Hinata thinks now it’s just his face. Hinata waves at him with a smile, the bar’s keys in hand for his opening shift.
“You’re here early!” Hinata shouts. He had hoped to see the strange customer again, but to see him so soon and at the bar’s opening, as if he’s waiting for Hinata, sends a weird fuzzy feeling through him.
“The drinks were good,” Kageyama mumbles, shoving his hands in his pockets to appear nonchalant as he watches Hinata unlock the bar.
“Well, I don’t know if I can keep giving you free drinks,” he teases. “My boss might get mad at me.”
Suga likely wouldn’t, but Kageyama doesn’t need to know that.
“I owe you a drink anyways,” Kageyama replies as they walk inside.
Turning away to hide his small blush, Hinata prepares for work behind the bar. Kageyama requests a simple whiskey and places a few yen on the counter. After Hinata places his drink in front of him, he hopes to strike up another conversation with him, but unlike last night, tonight there’s a steady inflow of customers.
Hinata remains busy, hopping between customers and serving drinks, but he doesn’t mind. His movements flow, and he finds that time passes a lot faster when it’s busier. However, Hinata does not miss the steady blue gaze that watches him as he works. Kageyama doesn’t say anything, keeping to himself at the far end of the bar and not even asking for another drink, yet his focus remains oddly on Hinata.
The bar’s visitors start to filter out after a few hours into Hinata’s shift, and before he knows it, only him and Kageyama remain. Even though Hinata doesn’t mind when it’s busy, it doesn't mean he’s not exhausted from the work. He’ll have to take a short break soon and drink a blood bag in the back.
But he’ll check on Kageyama first. “You sure you don’t want another drink?” Hinata asks him, moving to grab his empty glass.
But Kageyama is quicker, suddenly placing a few yen in Hinata’s outstretched hand.
“Get yourself a drink,” Kageyama demands.
“But—”
“I said I owe you, and no one is here,” he insists.
Hinata chuckles from how serious Kageyama is looking at him, as if it would cause him great offense if Hinata refuses to take his offer.
“So pushy,” Hinata mutters around a smile.
Kageyama opens his mouth to reply, but while Hinata turns around to make a drink, his step lands on a hidden spill on the floor.
With a yelp, Hinata slips and falls forward to the ground, and the glass in his hand shatters under his palm.
As he groans from the familiar feeling of blood rushing to the surface of his hand, there’s a loud shuffle of Kageyama’s barstool moving.
Kageyama quickly runs behind the bar, kneeling by Hinata’s fallen figure and avoiding the broken glass.
“Dumbass! Be careful!” he scolds.
He eyes Hinata’s bloody hand, but before Hinata can move, Kageyama grabs his lower arm to assess.
“Wait!” Hinata gasps.
Where Kageyama is expecting to find an open wound bleeding, all he finds is a small pool of blood sitting in Hinata’s palm, but with no wound to accompany it, as if it just appeared there.
“The hell?” Kageyama exclaims, eyeing Hinata’s hand as if he’d grown a sixth finger.
Hinata manages to wrestle his arm free, scrambling to his feet and hiding his hand from view.
He chuckles nervously. “Sorry! I can be a klutz sometimes.”
“Where’s your cut? I saw that glass slice your hand!” Kageyama demands, his scowl deepening.
“…Must’ve been the rest of the drink,” Hinata offers weakly.
In a perfect world, Kageyama will let the issue of Hinata’s miraculous healing slide, but it’s foolish hope.
Kageyama crosses his arms, disbelieving Hinata's lie. He glares as if he’s not going to move on until Hinata offers a proper explanation.
Kageyama will only accept the truth.
With a sigh, he beckons Kageyama to take a seat, and he complies, staring at Hinata expectedly. Hinata racks his brain for a way to explain the situation without freaking out Kageyama, but gives up.
“I’m a vampire,” he lands on.
Hinata waits for a reaction. A laugh in disbelief, a flash of fear—
“Okay,” is Kageyama’s insightful response.
“Huh?” Hinata says dumbly, shocked by the lack of reaction.
“That explains why you healed so fast,” Kageyama adds smartly.
Hinata’s first thought is that Kageyama is a vampire too, explaining his lack of surprise. But the chances of that are rare. He certainly looks human — maybe he’s just a human who knows about the hidden world of supernatural creatures?
“I’m a werewolf,” Kageyama says simply, as if that’s just a normal thing to say.
“Hah?” Hinata exclaims, once again at a loss for words.
If vampires are rare, then stumbling upon a werewolf is even rarer. Honestly, Hinata thought they had been hunted to extinction decades ago.
However, nearly every vampire is warned to stay away from werewolves. Around the time Hinata was turned, there was some sort of war between the species over an issue Hinata never cared to learn about. Nowadays, the species tend to keep to themselves, both advising their kind to stay away from the other or else they could clash. It’s akin to the longstanding rivalry between cats and dogs.
But Hinata couldn’t care less about some ancient war or pointless rivalry between them.
He has a personal reason to be wary of werewolves.
“Werewolf, huh…” Hinata repeats hesitantly, taking a discreet step back.
Hinata thinks back to last night, to Kageyama’s torn clothes and messy appearance. It was late into the night, after the moon had reached its apex.
After the full moon.
“Did you turn into a werewolf last night?” Hinata asks bluntly, forgetting his caution around Kageyama.
“Uh… yeah,” Kageyama admits. “I heard that this bar was a refuge for creatures so I figured no one would care if I showed up right after I turned back into a human. Mess and all.”
Hinata hums in understanding. “Does it hurt?” he asks curiously.
He might be coming across as rude or prying too much, but Hinata has never just had a conversation with a werewolf, and he realizes now he actually doesn’t know much about them. Just that he’s learned to fear them.
Kageyama scowls and Hinata worries he may have offended him.
“Like hell,” he grunts anyway.
“I’m… sorry,” Hinata says sincerely.
“It’s okay. That’s why it’s a curse,” Kageyama mutters.
“A curse?” Hinata repeats. He thought werewolves turned because they were just born that way, not because they were cursed. Does that mean their transformation isn’t voluntary?
“Yes. We have to transform every full moon.”
So every month they have to endure the pain of a transformation? Hinata had no idea.
“Can you break the curse?” Hinata asks. Surely there has to be a way to prevent that pain.
“I think so,” Kageyama says, averting his gaze. “But I don’t want to.”
“Why not?” Hinata questions. Why would Kageyama want to go through that every month of his life?
Kageyama fidgets in his seat uncomfortably, and Hinata starts to feel guilty for his bombarding questions.
“I’m sorry,” Hinata backtracks quickly. “You don’t have to tell me.”
“...After we break the curse, we become immortal,” Kageyama explains anyway. “And I have no desire to live forever.”
Hinata can understand that to a certain degree. He has been complaining about how he’s bored in his immortal life, and maybe Kageyama has some family or friends he doesn’t want to watch turn to dust. Hinata knows that pain.
Still, Hinata is surprised that Kageyama is even telling him all this. He’s a bartender Kageyama just met, and a vampire one at that — hell, they’re practically supposed to be enemies!
But Kageyama doesn’t seem like an enemy, just a guy trying to get through life. Hinata feels empathy for him and his situation. Maybe he was assuming the wrong things about all werewolves based on one bad experience.
“Would you like dinner?” Hinata blurts before he even processes the words.
“Huh?” Kageyama’s brows furrow.
“With me. Tomorrow night,” Hinata clarifies with flushed cheeks.
As Kageyama stares at him blankly, Hinata realizes what he just did. He practically asked Kageyama out on a date! A vampire asking a werewolf on a date after Hinata basically forced Kageyama to tell him about his life.
Hinata doesn’t know why, but he wants to learn more about Kageyama. But that doesn’t mean Kageyama has any interest in Hinata.
“Where?” Kageyama asks surprisingly.
“Uh… I know a nice place down the road from here.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you here then,” he says simply. “Give me your phone.”
“Uh, okay,” Hinata complies, pulling out his phone and handing it to Kageyama. He’s in awe that Kageyama actually agreed to his invitation.
After Kageyama types in something, he hands Hinata back his phone. “I put my number in there, just in case.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks,” Hinata replies, taking the phone back slowly.
Before he can even think about what just happened, the door to the bar swings open, and Hinata’s gaze snaps to the door.
Suga walks in with a wave. “Hey, Hinata! Slow night again?”
Hinata had almost forgotten that Suga closes the bar tonight. Time really had flown by.
Suga comes to a stop in front of the two men.
“Who’s this?” he asks, looking at Kageyama curiously.
“Um… this is Kageyama,” Hinata introduces, not sure how to act. “He’s my… friend.”
Hinata has no idea how to describe their relationship, but Kageyama doesn’t correct him on it, so maybe friend is okay for now.
“Hello,” Kageyama says to Suga.
Suga blinks to process before a huge grin suddenly takes over his face. To Hinata’s shock, he snatches up Kageyama’s hand to shake fervently. “Hi Kageyama! I’m Suga. Long time friend of Hinata’s,” he introduces.
“You’re a handsome young man! How long have you known Hinata?” he asks eagerly.
“Suga!” Hinata complains, cheeks reddening in embarrassment.
“A day,” Kageyama mumbles.
Suga chuckles. “That’s okay. Hinata usually—”
Hinata grabs Suga’s arm and pulls him away before he can say anything else to embarrass him. Suga whispers an innocent “What?” as Hinata pulls him into a hunch behind the bar.
“Be cool!” Hinata whisper-shouts.
“He’s cute,” Suga whispers back.
“Shut up!”
“Sorry, but I have to go,” Kageyama’s voice chimes in, bringing Hinata and Suga out of their hunch. “Nice to meet you, Suga.”
He turns to Hinata. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Er… right! See you tomorrow,” Hinata says, feeling his lips pull into a smile.
And with that, Kageyama leaves. As soon as the door closes behind him, Suga turns to Hinata with a huge grin on his face.
“Tomorrow?” Suga echoes.
Hinata internally groans, already knowing where this conversation is heading. Maybe if he runs now he can escape…
“No way you’re getting out of this,” Suga smirks. “Tell me about your new friend.”
“I just met him,” Hinata mumbles shyly.
Hinata fidgets, unsure of how to bring up an important thing about Kageyama.
“Suga, what do you know about werewolves?”
Suga’s smile falters slightly. “Why are you asking?”
It must click in Suga’s head after a second, his face morphing into shock. “Wait— is your new friend—”
“A werewolf, yes,” Hinata finishes, unsure of how Suga will react.
Suga’s eyebrows raise, but he doesn’t really look scared, more surprised than anything.
“Haven’t seen one of them in a while…” Suga mutters.
“Should I be…” Hinata pauses, “...cautious around him?” he asks nervously.
“I don’t know,” Suga admits. “I’ve only met a handful in my lifetime. From what I’ve learned they’re very traditional and bloodlines are very important to them. I think because there aren’t many werewolf families left.”
He meets Hinata’s gaze. “But you’ve also had a different experience with them.”
“I know,” Hinata says quietly. “Kageyama seems different, but I don’t know, I could be wrong.”
Hinata’s eyes turn downcast and he stares at the bar floor. A pair of arms suddenly wrap around his shoulders.
“I say give him a chance,” Suga suggests with a soft smile. “You can decide after getting to know him better. You’re seeing him tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. For dinner,” Hinata says, looking up at Suga.
“Good. Then I say you just try to enjoy your night with him. And if it doesn’t go well, we’ll figure it out from there,” Suga says.
Hinata thinks about it. He trusts Suga, so if he thinks it’s okay to meet up with Kageyama, he shouldn’t worry so much.
“Okay,” Hinata agrees.
Suga gives him a reassuring slap on the back.
“Hinata, I think your immortal life is about to become a little less boring.”
───────────────
“Shouldn’t you be drinking blood or something?” Kageyama asks bluntly before sipping some of his water.
“I can eat normal food too,” Hinata says in a hushed voice, hoping Kageyama doesn’t out him to the entire restaurant.
Kageyama doesn’t need to know that Hinata had already drunk two blood bags before this, one because he was hungry and another for his nerves.
When Hinata arrived at Karasuno’s Bar for their meetup, Kageyama was already there, poking at something in his phone while he waited. If Hinata thought Kageyama looked good last night, tonight he looks even better.
He’s wearing a pair of black slacks and a grey sweater, its simplicity still feeling like it's outdoing Hinata’s outfit of jeans and a sweater.
They walked to the barbeque restaurant down the street in a comfortable silence and got seated, but up until now the silence has become awkward.
“How often do you have to drink blood?” Kageyama says quieter, the first question he’s asked all night.
Hinata almost laughs. For the past hour Hinata has been racking his brain on how to start a normal conversation when all he wants to actually know is Kageyama’s life story. He didn’t want to force him to talk about his supernatural side if he didn’t want to, but here Kageyama is asking about his feeding habits as if it’s an average first-date question.
“Once a day usually, but I can go longer without it if needed,” Hinata replies. He’s leaned out his blood intake over the years. Where he used to have to feed every hour, now he’s satisfied after one meal.
Maybe now is an opportunity for Hinata to test the waters for his personal questions. “So… about your curse, you said there is a way to break it?”
Kageyama remains silent, and Hinata fears he might not answer him at all. Then Kageyama’s expression turns more thoughtful than pensive.
“There is, but it’s different for everyone. All we’re told is that the curse is broken once we find a reason to want to live forever,” Kageyama explains.
“What does that mean?” Hinata mutters. Seems like a vague telling.
Kageyama scoffs. “That’s exactly what I said at first, until I met others who had broken the curse. Some of them just had a strong passion for something, like art or sports, some had a person, and some just had any other reason to live forever. Any of those reasons could break the curse.”
“But how do you know what your reason is?” Hinata clarifies. All of this seems so vague that he can’t imagine how anyone could break it.
“Apparently you just know,” Kageyama says sarcastically, as if that same question has been bothering him. “But like I said, I’m not looking for a reason.”
Kageyama has made that very clear, and Hinata doesn’t know why, but it bothers him. One because he doesn’t like the idea of Kageyama being in pain every month during a transformation, and another because Kageyama just seems so against the idea of being immortal.
He seems to hate the idea of being like Hinata, an immortal vampire.
But Hinata doesn’t want to dwell on that.
“You’re so open with all my questions, Chatty-yama,” Hinata teases. “I think that grumpy exterior of yours is all for show.”
“Shut up, dumbass,” Kageyama mutters, turning away with pink cheeks. “It’s not even that important.”
Hinata chuckles, not believing Kageyama’s indifference. If it really wasn’t that important, Kageyama wouldn’t have even met Hinata out today, or told him such personal things when he seems like a guy who usually keeps things to himself.
Hinata is still curious about one thing. “Why did you agree to come with me tonight?”
Blue eyes meet amber ones. “I had nothing better to do,” Kageyama mumbles, but Hinata doesn’t buy his nonchalant answer.
“Come on, you don’t seem like the type of guy who just does things without a reason,” Hinata insists with a smirk.
Kageyama sighs in defeat. “Fine. It’s because you’re different.”
“Different?” Hinata echoes in confusion.
“Different than any other vampire I’ve met. You’re stupidly lively for someone who’s technically dead.”
“Hey—!” Hinata whines.
“And you showed me kindness before and after you knew what I was. That doesn’t happen to me often,” Kageyama finishes sincerely.
And just like that, all of the air decides to rush out of Hinata’s lungs. Kageyama can’t just say things like that and expect Hinata to be okay!
But it’s funny. The way Kageyama is describing Hinata is exactly what he thought about Kageyama. That he’s different too.
“Kageyama, that was actually a nice thing to say!” he exclaims. But Hinata really does cherish Kageyama’s words.
“Shut up,” Kageyama mumbles, and Hinata laughs.
Hinata finds that he’s really glad Kageyama agreed to meet him tonight, and that listening to Suga’s advice to take a chance was worth it.
The rest of the night goes well. Hinata discovers that teasing Kageyama is fun, watching him get sheepish and his ears get all red. He also learns that Kageyama lives alone, his parents and older sister living somewhere else and upholding the “family traditions” that Kageyama never cared for.
In turn, Hinata tells Kageyama about what his family was like. Quieter but fondly, he talks about his parents and younger sister, who have been gone for a very long time but still cause Hinata to get choked up when he speaks about them. Kageyama looks earnest as he listens, making conversation with him comfortable and easy.
Hinata thinks that they have grown a lot closer already, even after one date. So much so that when they leave the restaurant to head home, Hinata is disappointed that the night is already coming to an end.
But he still walks out with Kageyama with a huge grin on his face.
However, after they leave, what Hinata and Kageyama fail to notice is the quiet figure who was seated at the table next to them, someone who heard everything.
───────────────
“I had so much fun tonight!” Hinata says cheerily as they walk in the quiet night.
Kageyama hums, and Hinata takes that as agreement.
“Do you live far from here?” Hinata asks.
“No, I’m just downtown. A short walk away,” Kageyama replies. “You?”
“Up in the mountains,” Hinata says, pointing upwards to the mountain peak shone by the moonlight.
“Why all the way up there?”
“I’m living in Suga’s boyfriends’ old house for the time being. He practically spent every night at Suga’s anyway, so they were fine with me moving into Daichi’s,” Hinata explains.
“Do you not plan on staying?” Kageyama asks, an unreadable expression on his face.
“Don’t worry, Kageyama,” Hinata teases, “I’ll be sticking around here for a while.”
“Only worried because you make good drinks,” Kageyama says.
“Sure,” Hinata scoffs fondly, before turning to Kageyama with a hopeful smile. “Can we do this again?”
Hinata hopes Kageyama can decipher what “this” means — that he had fun on their date and wants to go on another.
“Sure,” Kageyama mutters, and Hinata smirks at his pink cheeks. “But I’ll pick the next spot.”
“Can’t wait!” Hinata cheers. He’s sure the smile plastered on his face is dopey, but he can’t help it. He really is happy.
When they make it to the crossroad to go their separate ways, Hinata’s smile becomes bittersweet.
He looks up at Kageyama. “I’ll see you later,” he says softly.
Kageyama nods. “Text me when you get home.”
“Can do!”
And before he can change his mind, Hinata leans on his toes to place a quick kiss to Kageyama’s cheek. Kageyama brings his fingers up to his face in surprise, blinking once before turning away, hiding his blush.
“Goodbye,” he grunts out and briskly walks away.
Hinata laughs at his reaction. “Bye!” he shouts, waving at Kageyama’s back. He turns the other direction to head to his home.
It’s chilly out tonight, so Hinata opts to take the shortcut through the woods that he’s done many times. There’s a dirt path that cuts through the middle of it and leads right to the road to Daichi’s house.
He’s thinking about Kageyama before he realizes, only the sound of his steps on the dirt path accompanying his thoughts. Thinking about his blunt, yet charming personality that managed to bring down Hinata’s defenses, who would’ve thought Hinata would be the guy who actually wants a relationship with someone.
Maybe it’s been a long time coming though. A few centuries too long.
The sound of shuffling behind him snaps Hinata out of his mind. He wastes no time looking behind him, immediately on high alert, his fangs itching to grow out.
Over the years this cautiousness has been second nature to Hinata, ensuring he rarely is caught off guard. His eyes scan the dark forest, focusing his enhanced hearing, but he hears nor sees anything. His eyes do a final sweep before he slowly turns around and continues on his path.
Despite not seeing anything, Hinata has the uncomfortable feeling that something is watching him, and he has no desire to find out what it is. His pace begins to quicken until he’s practically jogging down the path.
As his pace turns into a fast run, the sound of something flying through the air shocks Hinata into movement of his head, narrowly avoiding the object from striking him. Hinata’s eyes widen when he sees the object be a flying wooden arrow that sinks deep into a tree ahead of him.
“Shit!” Hinata curses, veering off into the dense forest and away from the open path.
Hinata’s heart beats faster. He knows that arrow.
That polished wooden design, nearly as strong as steel, but crafted specially to harm vampires, with purple fletching, high penetration, and deadly accuracy.
Without a doubt Hinata knows he’s being tailed by a Shiratorizawa hunter. The infamous organization known for hunting supernatural creatures, and unluckily for Hinata, their specialty is vampire hunting. Not many vampires have encountered a Shiratorizawa hunter and lived to see the next day.
Hinata has no time to figure out how his identity was exposed to them, his only focus now is on survival.
He plants his back on a tree, taking a moment to catch his breath and focus his senses on his surroundings. Just in time, he dives to the ground and avoids another flying arrow.
How the hell are they so fast?!
Hinata rushes to his feet quickly, running in the opposite direction the arrow came from, not wasting a moment. It’s then he hears the footsteps running behind him, somehow gaining on him.
“There’s no use in running,” a deep voice says behind him, spoken evenly but still feeling like it bellows through Hinata’s ears.
It’s either running or death, Hinata thinks morbidly. He doesn’t reply, trying to lose the hunter instead by moving into a dense patch of trees.
But the hunter is too close. His aim is guaranteed.
Hinata yelps in pain when he feels something sharp suddenly pass through his thigh. A glance and Hinata confirms the long wooden arrow protruding out of his leg. The wood sends waves of pain throughout his body, and Hinata feels blood trickle down his leg.
Much of the media surrounding vampires usually makes Hinata laugh because of how inaccurate it is. He doesn’t immediately burst into flames in the sunlight — it just gives him an irritating itch on his skin. Garlic doesn’t taste that bad, and he can’t transform into a bat.
One thing from the media however is unfortunately true.
If he is unlucky enough, a strike from a weapon made of wood will kill him.
Hinata thinks it’s ridiculous too. That he could hypothetically fall off a building and survive but be killed by one measly stick. But Hinata figures it’s the universe’s way of ensuring that no being can be completely immortal.
Hinata spots a low hanging branch, and with a burst of adrenaline jumps up to climb. He bites his tongue to avoid making any noises of pain from jostling his injured leg, and he manages to climb up the tree and hide within it.
Catching his breath, Hinata sits on a thick branch with his back slumped against the tree trunk. With a deep breath, he assesses the arrow in his leg. Closing his eyes in preparation, his hand wraps around the arrow’s end and he yanks it upward.
Hinata can’t hold back the small whine that escapes him, and he takes a few more deep breaths before looking back down at his leg that’s no longer impaled.
His wound will still heal, but it will be slow.
“Damn it,” Hinata curses quietly, thumping his head onto the tree. His mind is racing with how he’s going to get out of this alive.
Soon after, Hinata shudders when he hears that deep voice below him.
“I know you’re close. If you reveal yourself, I promise I will try to make your death swift.”
How generous, Hinata internally scoffs.
He dares to peek through the tree’s leaves below, and just makes out the tall hunter and the top of his head of olive-brown hair. It won’t take long for the hunter to discover where Hinata is hiding. Hinata can’t see any other way out of this than a surprise attack.
Hinata gathers his strength while the hunter is scanning the area. He perches himself on the edge of the branch in line with the hunter, and leaps to his spot.
He heavily lands on the hunter’s back, who immediately tenses in alarm and tries to haul Hinata off of him. But Hinata is faster, and he just manages to sink his sharp fangs into the hunter’s neck for a moment, hoping to weaken him.
The hunter grunts in pain before he suddenly sends a sharp elbow to Hinata’s ribs, effectively forcing him to the ground.
Hinata tries to get his feet under him to stand and recover, but he’s not faster than the hunter who quickly pulls out an unknown weapon from his belt.
He figures out the weapon soon enough when a loud shot goes off, and he feels a sharp pain explode in his abdomen. The impact forces him down to his back, and with a groan he brings a shaky hand to his stomach.
Of course he has fucking wooden bullets.
Hinata tries to sit up and escape, but he can’t find the strength to. The wound in his leg still hasn’t healed, and the hole in his stomach won’t heal until the bullet is out, so it bleeds freely.
What terrible luck.
Hinata’s eyes focus on the dark gun barrel that suddenly enters his sight, pointed at him to kill. His eyes travel upward to the hunter with a stoic expression and piercing gaze.
“I am Ushijima,” the hunter says, still pointing the gun firmly at Hinata.
Hinata scoffs through the blood gathering in his mouth. “Don’t expect me to introduce myself.”
“It is honorable to know the name of the man who kills you,” Ushijima says.
“Fuck you,” Hinata spits.
Maybe this is karma for complaining about his immortal life — now the universe has decided to answer him by ending it. He wishes it at least happened before he met Kageyama, because now he has someone he genuinely likes after centuries, but is already going to die before their relationship could even develop.
Hinata’s still fierce eyes connect with Ushijima’s gaze, Hinata’s last attempt to remain headstrong before he dies.
I’m sorry Suga. Kageyama.
Ushijima’s finger hovers over the trigger aimed at Hinata’s forehead, and Hinata prepares for the shot to come at any second.
What Hinata is not prepared for is for Ushijima to be forcefully tackled to the ground. Hinata makes a noise in surprise, watching as the attacker throws a hard punch to Ushijima’s jaw as they pin him down.
Ushijima is not one to remain restrained however, and he quickly overthrows the figure and rolls away defensively.
As the attacker also gets into fighting position, Hinata can finally make out their features. A familiar face twisted into a scowl that looks different than normal — an expression that looks dangerous, pissed.
“Kageyama…?” Hinata mutters quietly, trying to push himself up but failing, remembering the painful ache that still courses through his body.
Sapphire eyes snap to meet his gaze, and Kageyama’s face twists into one of concern. Moving his eyes back on Ushijima, he runs to crouch protectively in front of Hinata.
“Hinata,” Kageyama says while his gaze remains forward. “Hang on while I take care of this.”
Hinata could cry. He thought he wouldn’t ever see Kageyama again but here he is like some shining knight.
“Be… careful,” Hinata says through a huff. “He’s with Shiratorizawa.”
Even Hinata is sure Kageyama knows of the organization, almost any creature that’s not a fool does.
Kageyama nods stiffly, rising from his crouch and releasing his wolf-like claws from his fingertips. Hinata remembers that even if werewolves can’t turn into wolves at any time, they still have some wolf-like strengths.
“Who are you?” Ushijima asks him calmly.
“The man who’s going to kill you,” Kageyama seethes.
“You are no man. You are a monster,” Ushijima says, slipping a silver dagger from his belt into his hand.
No surprise a Shiratorizawa hunter is prepared to fight werewolves too, silver being a weapon that can effectively harm werewolves.
“You’ll still die all the same,” Kageyama says, his voice low and angry.
“We shall see,” Ushijima says slowly, gripping his dagger in front of his chest.
But before either man can make a move, a sudden static sound crackles in the air.
“Agent Eagle, do not engage!” a voice shouts.
Ushijima stiffens, and Kageyama holds back on his attack. Ushijima brings his fingers to a small device on his collar, pressing once before speaking into it.
“Why not?” Ushijima grunts.
“We will discuss back at base. Pull back immediately,” what sounds like an older voice says through static.
“Yes sir,” Ushijima mutters. His gaze flickers between Kageyama and Hinata. “Until later.”
And before either of them can get a word out, Ushijima presses a button on belt that releases an ear-bleeding ring that has Hinata and Kageyama clutching their heads in pain.
When the ringing finally stops, Hinata peels his eyes open to find Ushijima gone.
“Damn it!” Kageyama curses, swiveling his head around the forest to find him, but he has disappeared.
Hinata takes the moment to dig into his side for the wooden bullet. It’s luckily not too deep, so Hinata is able to rip it out of his skin with a short grunt of pain. That seems to jolt Kageyama’s attention back to Hinata, and he goes down to his knees by Hinata’s laid figure.
“Are you alright?” he asks urgently, eyes flicking across the blood spots on Hinata’s body.
“I will be once I heal,” Hinata breathes out, slowly but surely feeling his nerves stitching back together.
“But you’ll heal faster with blood,” Kageyama mutters obviously.
“Too bad I don’t have any bags on me,” Hinata grunts, finding the strength in his arms to push himself into a seated position. He feels Kageyama’s hands on his back to steady him.
“Feed on me,” Kageyama says without hesitation.
Kageyama needs to stop leaving Hinata at a loss for words.
“What—no! Absolutely not!” Hinata stammers, blushing at the thought. The sudden outburst sends an ache through his body and Hinata winces.
“Don’t be stubborn!” Kageyama snaps. “You know it’ll help you.”
And Kageyama may be right, but Hinata never thought his fantasies of tasting Kageyama’s sweet-smelling blood would ever become an opportunity. Kageyama shouldn’t have said anything because now he’s reminded Hinata of his intense hunger, and he can’t even hide his fangs this time.
And maybe that’s why Hinata can’t put up much more of a protest, his eyes zeroing in on the pulse beating on the side of Kageyama’s neck. He can practically hear Kageyama’s heart beating.
Hinata swallows. “Are you sure?” he murmurs, but it will be hard for him to hold back now if Kageyama changes his mind.
“Yes. Take it,” Kageyama says deeply, and practically forces it as he takes hold of Hinata’s nape and shoves Hinata to his own neck.
Hinata doesn’t hesitate, cradling the side of Kageyama’s head with one hand softly before tilting his neck at a proper angle.
“Thank you, Kageyama,” is all Hinata whispers before sinking his fangs into his neck.
Luckily, there’s only a second of pain before Hinata’s numbing ability from his saliva seeps into Kageyama’s bloodstream, making the feeding painless.
Hinata drinks hungrily, finding that Kageyama’s blood does taste as sweet as it smells. Hinata can admit he hasn’t drank directly from anyone like this in a while, but even so, he has never tasted blood like this. Maybe it’s a werewolf thing or maybe it’s just Kageyama, but either way Hinata decides he’s never tasted anything better.
Kageyama’s arms wrap around Hinata’s back and torso as he drinks, the additional touch feeling like it's hypnotizing him into a lightheaded state.
Before he gets lost in it all and goes too far, Hinata pulls away from Kageyama’s neck reluctantly and closes the bite.
As he licks his lips, he watches as Kageyama looks down at him with half-lidded eyes, relaxed but probably tired from giving up a pint of blood.
“Feel… better?” Kageyama mumbles.
Hinata feels drunk, smiling up at Kageyama stupidly. He doesn’t feel the ache in wounds anymore, but can’t even be bothered to check if they’ve healed. His drunk-from-blood state has him leaning on Kageyama’s chest and wrapping his arms around his middle.
He hums a response as he closes his eyes, letting the post-feeding bliss and Kageyama’s warmth lull him into a state of utter relaxation.
He barely feels a vibration on Kageyama’s chest, likely from a laugh, before his body pulls him into a calm unconsciousness.