Crows Like Shiny Things (Hinakage)

Betrayal

Kageyama's feet hurt when they arrived back at his village- yet he had to stop as Hinata dug his heels into the ground, refraining from continuing.
"What is it now, dumbass?"
Kageyama just wanted to go home, in all honesty. He was tired and had to get up early tomorrow again.

"...humans. People, Bakageyama!"
Kageyama slowly raised an eyebrow, then finally realized it. Ah. Made sense. So what was he supposed to do now?
"Does it still hurt?"
Hinata tilted his head, then concentrated- going up into the air with one large flap that sent a bunch of sand into Kageyama's face before falling back onto the ground with a howl of pain.
"HEY PAY ATTENTION BOKE."
"Yeowch!!! Ow ow ow..."
Hinata sat down and rested his wing on his lap, nursing the wound with puffy cheeks.

Kageyama frowned. Oh god no. Was that a tear?! Nonono.
"Stop it boke. Look... Ah."
Kageyama felt at loss for what he could possibly do. There was no way to smuggle Hinata to his house. And there was also no way he could safely bring Hinata back to his own forest without being seen by anybody.

He was stuck, right here, by the border of the large village that parted him from the forest he belonged to.

Goddammit.

"Please don't leave me alone..." Hinata mumbled, not looking up from his twitching wing. Kageyama looked back and forth between him and the first street lamp that illuminated his face- he so badly wanted to go into the light, the calm and comforting light of his home village.
And yet, here was this scared bundle of feathers that was terrified to be left alone when he couldn't fly. There was nothing he could do, could he? Hinata would certainly disagree to Kageyama calling his parents for backup.

Only god knew why Hinata trusted him anyway.

"Look, how about we... no. What if- no. Ah I have no idea..."
Kageyama let out a sigh and mussed up his hair, trying to think as a voice disturbed the silence.
"Kageyama?! Oe, Kageyama! Is that you?!"
Kageyama stiffed and immediately stood straight, stepping from the bushes out onto the sidewalk and into the light.
"A-ah, Horoshi-san-" Kageyama stammered, god, why his neighbor?!

The old woman smiled at him, taking his hand.
"Oh dear, what are you doing here this late? Come with me, I'll bring you home. I'm sure your parents are worried."
Kageyama tensed even more.
"I-I can't just yet, I-"
"No excuses! Young boys like you should be at home eating dinner right now."
The old woman turned and quietly began to walk off, pulling Kageyama behind her, pressing a grocery bag into his hand.
"Be a dear and carry this for an old woman like me, would you?"

Kageyama bit down harshly onto his lip and looked back towards the forest, seeing the shadow of a large creature sitting there, waiting... and yet he knew those glowing hazel eyes felt betrayed and sad.
Reluctantly, he followed the old woman. A few meters further, he heard the sound of gigantic wings whirling up a storm of dust as the creature emerged from the forest into the sky, flying further away from the city and deeper into the wilderness, only to crash down a few seeconds later with a pathetic birdlike cry.

Kageyama swallowed down his regret and quietly followed along, clenching his teeth. God he felt awful. What if there were more wild animals that could hurt him? Kageyama wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

He knew he had to check on Hinata as soon as he got out of school.

***

Slam!!

Kageyama whinced and took a step back as Karasuno's ace served the ball right into his face. Gosh, his nose was bleeding.
"K-Kageyama, are you okay?!"
"Oh my god he is bleeding- Tanaka get a towel!!"
"AHH. OH MY GOD. K-KAGEYAMA, I'M SO SORRY."
Asahi was next to him in no time and Tanaka brought a towel, supervised by Sugawara. God he was absent with his thoughts.

"Pay some more attention," Daichi scolded, and Kageyama could only nod. He had to go home as soon as possible. Suga felt it in his bones, there was something quite wrong with his new setter. The moment he caught Kageyama during a break, he already cornered him. He just had to know.
"Hey Kageyama. You alright?"
An angelic smile later, and Suga was patting his back.
"You seem so upset today. Is there everything alright?"
Kageyama swallowed his nervousity down and nodded, standing stiffly next to him. God how much he hated being questioned like this.
"Yeah. Although I would be glad to be able to leave early today... I've got something to do."
"L-leave early?" Suga was certain, there was definitely something wrong.

But Kageyama was as silent as a grave, there was nothing he could get out of him- no latter how much he tried.

After school, Kageyama was sprinting down the sandy path towards his house. Inside, he only threw his schoolbag into the corner before he was already outside again, nevermind his mother calling for him. God beware, he did not care right now. He had just up and left Hinata!

...he kinda had been forced to but that was not the point.

Kageyama came to a stop at the last lantern that illuminated the sidewalk. Here he had left Hinata.
"Hinata!!" he called out into the forest, lacking an answer. Kageyama wasted no time, he sprinted into the bushes. Past trees, further and further, repeatedly calling out Hinatas name. Where was that idiot?! Finally, he heard a cough. A quite familiar one.

Kageyama paused, then looked up, only to see the half bird tangled up in the branches of a tree. He was scowling at him, that was for sure.
"D-don't tell me you crashed into here last evening."
Hinata remained silent. Oh god, that answered it all. Kageyama felt awful as he slowly began to climb the tree, gently moving twigs out of the way, reaching higher and higher.
"You said you wouldn't leave me."
A shiver ran down Kageyama's spine. God he sounded mad. Nevertheless, he kept climbing.
"It wasn't my fault, boke. If I wouldn't have gone with her she would have seen you."
"You didn't even say goodbye."
Kageyama finally settled on a branch close to Hinata and quietly inched to his wings, only for the large half bird to shriek at him and flap his wings.
"I bet you told em about me too, didn't you?! Get away from me, I can get out myself!"
"Don't be silly you moron, you're stuck here since last night!"

Kageyama forced one of his wings down, swiftly untangling it, ignoring the obviously distressed noises of Hinata. All of a sudden, said one got his wing free from Kageyama's grip and smacked him square in the face- with a loud yelp, Kageyama clung to the trunk.
"GODDAMMIT I ALMOST FELL! CONTROL YOURSELF, HINATA-BOKE!"
"GET OFF OF ME! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"SHUT UP!"
Kageyama messily climbed towards his other wing, entangled as well. A bunch of twigs had punctuated this one- Kageyama frowned, he needed to clean them out as soon as Hinata was back on the ground.

With a large tug and Hinata flailing, suddenly a loud crack silenced both of them. Kageyama turned pale. Before any of them could react, the branch carrying the two of them snapped and the two tumbled down through a set of twigs and leaves onto the ground.
Kageyama mewled in pain, the air knocked out of his lungs- god he was still alive. He needed a moment to adjust and catch his breath before sitting up again.
"O-oi, you good...?"
Hinata glared at him, certainly not okay. Kageyama sighed.

No good deed went unpunished these days.