Chapter Text
Oikawa Tooru had never liked Kageyama Tobio. This was a fact everyone in the Kitagawa Daiichi gang knew. From the day Kageyama Tobio had been... recruited into the gang, Oikawa had shown nothing but annoyance to the younger gang member. Oikawa had been born and raised in this gang, and even then he'd worked hard to earn and keep his position. And now here was this younger, dumber, seemingly oblivious new guy here, Oikawa could tell he wouldn't last long
Things only got worse when he saw Kageyama in action, his ability with a gun was certainly impressive, he seemed able to shoot any target from any angle from any amount of distance. When asked, he could recite plenty of information about guns and projectiles of all kinds. This caused Oikawa to start to feel threatened. He was the best with guns in the entire gang, and this new guy could beat him someday. Maybe that was really what made Oikawa dislike Kageyama. He'd never liked him but before this he was more indifferent than anything, assuming he would die the first time he got in the field. his dislike had nothing to do with Kageyama's age. After all, Oikawa was fine with Kunimi and Kindaichi who were the same age as Kageyama, hell, he got along with them and was more than happy to take them under his wing, mentoring them and joking with them, helping with anything they needed. It was only Kageyama he disliked.
So then, it was too bad Kageyama didn't seem to realize this. Instead, after befriending Kunimi and Kindaichi, Kageyama started to gain a certain admiration for Oikawa. He watched him shoot and interact with gang members with ease, and he was in awe, he'd always struggled with people. But the thing that really caught his attention was Oikawa's ability to fight. Kageyama was okay at fighting but he wanted to be better, he wanted Oikawa to teach him, but Oikawa often refused, mocking him in the process. Kageyama never seemed to notice the resentment and animosity Oikawa held towards him, continued to admire him and ask him for help, and generally annoyed Oikawa with his persistence.
Then that day came. Kageyama was sent on a mission with Iwaizumi, Kindaichi, and Kunimi, replacing Oikawa who had been injured in a previous mission. When Oikawa learned who had replaced him, he felt bitterness rise within him. He was relieved when the mission ended, happy that his friends, his teammates were alive. He'd been best friends with Iwaizumi since they were children, and he'd grown to care about Kindaichi and Kunimi, he really was happy they survived. And yet, he couldn't help but feel that this only proved that Kageyama could replace him. And to make matters worse, when he was in the training room later that day, Kageyama, high off the success of his first mission, entered the room and asked Oikawa to spar with him, to teach him. He apparently didn't notice Oikawa's bitter mood. Oikawa hit him. He froze for a second after he did it, feeling more guilty than he usually would. He stepped closer, noting that Kageyama's expression hadn't changed but assumed he was in shock. He opened his mouth to say something, though he wasn't sure what, but as he did, Kageyama threw a punch, and with that, the fight was on. The ensuing fight was brutal. Both got their hits in, though Oikawa admittedly had the upper hand. But Kageyama still put up a hell of a fight. In fact, the fight only ended when Iwaizumi pulled Oikawa away as Kunimi and Kindaichi pulled Kageyama away. They were both bloody and bruised, Oikawa more angry at Kageyama than ever, especially when Kageyama kept that same damn blank expression. Oikawa wanted to punch him again.
After that Kageyama stopped asking Oikawa to teach him, but he'd always watch him when they were in the training room together and would spend many hours practicing. in the process, he started pulling away from Kindaichi and Kunimi, snapping at them more. The three got into multiple arguments and a few fights and this attitude carried over into Kageyama's interactions with the other gang members. He may be incredible with a gun and able to fight better than expected, but he sucked at interacting with his fellow gang members.
Oikawa, meanwhile, was able to be on at least civil terms with the other gang members, able to connect with them and lead them in a way few others could. overtime Kageyama gained the name nickname "the king", but it wasn't positive, more to point out his tyrannical nature when leading the gang members in missions. Oikawa couldn't help but be darkly pleased by this. Kageyama would never be able to replace him now.
It had been three years since Kageyama joined the gang, and for the last two, he'd been pushing everyone away and isolating himself. He'd even pushed away Kunimi and Kindaichi who had been his first, and two of his only, friends in the gang. At least Oikawa thought he had. Until now. Because Kunimi and Kindaichi had just run up to him, clearly panicking and were now trying to tell him something, but Oikawa couldn't understand what they were saying, between them gasping for breath after running however far they'd run (and really, things must be serious if Kunimi was visibly panicking and running in a situation that wasn't a mission)< and the fact they were both trying to speak at the same time. Oikawa exchanged a concerned glance with Iwaizumi.
"Hey, hey," Iwaizumi called out slightly softer than usual, "catch your breath first, we can't understand you."
The two tried to catch their breath, with Oikawa and Iwaizumi helping them calm down.
"Now how about we try that again, one at a time?" Oikawa requested, watching his two kouhai start to panic again at the reminder of why they'd run all this way.
"They're going to kill him," Kindaichi blurted, sounding like he was bordering on becoming hysterical. Iwaizumi and Oikawa exchanged alarmed looks.
"Woah, wait, who, why?" Iwaizumi questioned, looking between the two.
"Kageyama," Kunimi answered, calmer but still clearly distressed, "they plan to - well, not kill him per se-, but they plan to send him alone to negotiate with a rival gang and then abandon him, to leave him for dead," as he spoke, Kunimi's voice gradually became more panicked.
Oikawa felt his blood run cold. "What?" he demanded, shocked at what he'd just heard. He'd never liked Kageyama, had even disliked him, but he didn't deserve that. If the rival gang took him, he'd be worse than dead. And to be abandoned like that by his gang, people he should be able to trust, people he should be able to see as family... And just because he snapped at people a lot? He was still a valuable member of this gang and was still more capable than most of the other members.
"They want us to go too, to be part of it, but we can't -, we can't just abandon him like that," Kindaichi cried, desperation clear in his voice and face.
"No, you have to, if you don't they'll kill you, or abandon you, or declare you traitors. It's not worth it for someone you dislike," Even as Oikawa was saying this, he knew, deep down, he didn't believe it. Kageyama was a lot of things, but he didn't deserve to be killed or tortured. He also missed the look Kunimi and Kindaichi exchanged when he mentioned their disliking Kageyama as he came to a decision. "Where will it happen?" Oikawa asked, not quite believing what he was about to say.
"Why?" Kunimi asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"Because I can follow behind you and get him out of there, I can take him somewhere safe." Oikawa wasn't too offended when he noticed the suspicious looks everyone, yes, even Iwa-chan was giving him. He was almost suspicious of himself.
"Why would you do that? You hate him the most." Kunimi pointed out, Kindaichi nodding and even Iwa-Chan looked like he agreed.
"Because even if I dislike him," Oikawa began, putting emphasis on the word dislike, Hate was too strong a word after all, he only hated one person, and Kageyama wasn't quite at their level of annoying, "he doesn't deserve to die, not like this. If I wanted him dead I would've killed him myself years ago." And that, well they couldn't argue with that. Oikawa could kill Kageyama, but he hadn't.
"And you realize that you'd never be able to come back, you'd be a traitor, and it would be just you and Kageyama. Last time it was just you two, you beat the hell out of each other. The only reason you stopped was because we were there to break it up," Iwaizumi reminded him, looking unsure.
"I know," Oikawa admitted before glancing at Kunimi and Kindaichi. "But it's better me than them."
Iwaizumi still looked hesitant. He didn't want Kageyama to die but he didn't want to lose his best friend or for his best friend to die either. Still, in the end, he agreed and they made a plan.
So, when the day of the deal came, Oikawa watched, from his hidden spot, as the others encouraged Kageyama to lead negotiations, assuring him they'd be right behind him, that they'd have his back. Over the years, Kageyama's default blank expression had become a scowl, and it was that expression he wore as he nodded, glancing at Kunimi and Kindaichi and giving them a slight nod, same as he always did on missions with them, before heading to negotiate. Kunimi and Kindaichi remained by his side as the others discreetly backed away and started leaving. Oikawa watched the negotiation, watched as Kageyama snapped something at Kunimi and Kindaichi, and watched Kunimi and Kindaichi walk away, not glancing back. When Kageyama turned to say something to them, they were gone. Kageyama seemed shocked and sad. Still, he turned back to the gang in front of him, seeming resigned and like he was just going through the motions. When the other gang tried to grab him, he fought back, and that was when Oikawa joined, picking them off with a gun from a distance. the other gang started to flee when they couldn't identify who was shooting at them or where from, but Oikawa could tell this wasn't over. Oikawa quickly packed up and got in his car, driving to where Kageyama was. Kageyama looked at him in surprise.
"You helped me," he breathed out in shock.
Oikawa hummed slightly, "Don't read too much into it, I only helped because Kunimi and Kindaichi asked me to when they found out," he explained, deciding Kageyama didn't have to know it was his idea.
"Okay," Kageyama murmured, knowing Oikawa would hate it if he thanked him. "What now?" he asked.
"Now you shut up and we get somewhere safe, preferably without killing each other," Oikawa declared and Kageyama agreed.
"How much of the plan did they hear?" Kageyama asked suddenly.
"Enough to know they'd have to come along and that they planned to abandon you here," Oikawa answered blandly.
Kageyama nodded. "So they didn't know the plan was to hand me over to that gang as a gesture of goodwill to form an alliance," he confirmed. "How much trouble will they be in? How much trouble will you be in?"
Oikawa stared, surprised, but then answered. "Them? Hopefully not much if they're believed when they say they didn't tell me. Me? More than I expected, but it changed nothing. I'd be considered a traitor, anyway, for interfering with plans."
"And you're okay with that?"
"That depends on if you keep talking. Now come on, let's get out of here."