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It was no secret that you couldn’t pry Oikawa Tooru from the side of Iwaizumi Hajime, no matter how much Oikawa’s loyal fans tried. His warm brown eyes and inviting smile intrigued many to follow the handsome setter, but it was the hypnotic charm and sophisticated power on the court that garnered the attention of the masses. Unfortunately for Iwaizumi, he wasn’t fully immune to Oikawa’s pull (which was nothing but fortunate for his best friend).
Iwaizumi knew that Oikawa was an unstoppable force, always remolding himself to fit his dreams of becoming larger than being yet another high school volleyball player. However, in order to remold himself, Oikawa continued to break himself. The emotional and physical turmoil stretched him thin, removing any defenses previously held. It was in Iwaizumi’s hands that the utterly destroyed Oikawa found a refuge to cast his new mold, time and time again. The hands that acted as the Seijoh ace cradled Oikawa with a softness that was the very antithesis of the strength of his hits.
It was in this private comfort that the distance between the two childhood friends shrunk to nothing. Iwaizumi’s public attempts to appear annoyed at Oikawa’s antics were forgotten, his focus on the boy invading his space. They spoke in a language developed only for their understanding; even Makki and Mattsun couldn’t decode the glances and half-spoken words that seemed to speak volumes between the power duo.
Iwaizumi let himself drown in the attention bestowed upon him from Oikawa. He told people it was like nothing more than an inoperable tumor, unable to be excised from his heart and head. In reality, Iwaizumi viewed the attention as a knighting, a true blessing granted to him by the ever-princely Oikawa. It was always Iwa-chan who was able to see the facets of Oikawa tucked away from the reporters and admirers. Oikawa’s fake smiles plastered on TV and in interviews with Monthly Volleyball made Iwaizumi treasure seeing the soft curves of his lips of his real smile, always directed towards him.
All of the shared moments of comfort and victory culminated in a realization that Oikawa was more than just Oikawa to Iwaizumi. Movies always made it seem like a monumental moment when someone falls in love with their best friend. The progression from friends to lovers is always shown as a slow burn with a jarring moment of discovery and large romantic gesture as if it was the most natural roadmap available. For Hajime, there was no stunning realization or attempts to smother feelings that seemed to have surged like an unexpected tsunami of want. Instead, it was a warm rush, making every nerve in his body feel like a smoldering ember as he was cocooned in the safety he provided Oikawa during his darkest days.
That realization occurred in the spring of their second year of junior high, and Iwaizumi was certain that the feeling refusing to diminish four years later during their final year of high school was a testament to how far gone he was for his best friend. For his boyfriend . While he was never one for reminiscing, Iwaizumi did have to admit to himself that he couldn’t resist smiling fondly while remembering his confession.
“I know that you’re always graced with my presence, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa’s voice broke through his thoughts, “but you don’t have to smile like a sap every time.”
Iwaizumi cracked his eyes open, thankful the tree they’re both under was providing cover for his eyes. “I only smile when it warrants it, Shittykawa.”
Oikawa leers down at his boyfriend’s figure sprawled on the shared blanket. “Oh? And what warrants it this time? Thinking about how devilishly handsome I am?”
“More like how much I love you and how I confessed to you back in junior high,” Iwaizumi playfully shoots back. The sharp inhale and widening of Oikawa’s eyes were enough to let Iwaizumi know that he got him. “What’s wrong, Tooru ? Am I not allowed to think about my boyfriend?”
“Sh–shut up, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa fumbled, a delicate blush dusting his carved cheekbones. “It would be unnatural to not think about me all of the time. I just wasn’t expecting the confession memory bit.”
The smirk that spread over Iwaizumi’s face softened upon seeing the blush, but the sparkle of mirth that danced in his hazel eyes remained. “Just happened to cross my mind is all. Still amazes me that I’ve put up with you for this long.”
“You’re so mean to me! You’re supposed to be nice to me as my boyfriend.”
The pouting lip and fake tears gathering at the corners of Oikawa’s eyes just made Iwaizumi laugh at his tendency for dramatics. “Sorry, oh great one,” Iwaizumi says as he rolls onto his side to look at Oikawa more easily. “What can I do to make it up to you?”
The lip that was jutted out instantly spread into a Cheshire cat grin, and Iwaizumi can tell he placated the prince. “Tell me why you confessed the way you did. You never answer me when I ask you, and it’s been years , Iwa-chan.”
“Oi! That’s not fair! You know I don’t tell you everything for a reason.”
“Ah ah, my dear. You said you would make it up to me. This is how you will do that, so please, Hajime, share with me your thoughts that day.”
“I should’ve expected as much,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he rolled back onto his back to avoid looking at Oikawa for the next few minutes of his life. “Fine, but if you interrupt once, I will never finish the story.”
Practically vibrating with excitement, Oikawa replies, “Anything for my Iwa-chan. Now story time.”
Sighing, Iwaizumi considers where to start. “I’d say it was about the time that we were getting ready to join the starting line up at Kitagawa Daiichi that I started to notice that something was changing for me. I mean, you were always Oikawa to me. I remember when you cried when you got stuck climbing up this tree and wouldn’t climb down until I came up there to get you. You liked seeing the bug I caught, but you cried if your favorite shirt got mud on it. I always knew these things about you, and it made me care for you because you’ve always been there.”
Feeling Oikawa shift on the blanket, Iwaizumi shifted his eyes from the fluttering leaves of the branches above them to see his companion looking at him with unabashed adoration. Reaching over for Oikawa’s hand, Iwaizumi linked their pinky fingers together and continued. “One day, it just… clicked. You set for me in the first game we started together, and the look on your face when it was an untouched kill. Our first attack that landed perfectly as first string just made you look so radiant. I knew in that moment I wanted you to always look like that. I wanted you to always look like that at me, because of me.”
Their hands were now fully entwined on their blanket with Iwaizumi gently caressing the back of Oikawa’s hand with his thumb. The silence stretched for several moments before Iwaizumi chuckled at Oikawa’s uncharacteristic bashfulness. “You can talk now. I’m done.”
Oikawa, usually so flamboyant and proud in the way he spoke, whispered as if he was afraid to share his thoughts with anyone outside of the two of them. “Is that why you pulled me aside on our way home from the game to confess? You didn’t want to wait, think it over first?”
“What is there to think over? I have lived 40 days without you, and I’m thankful every day that I don’t have any recollection of them. Those days were more than enough to have lived without you because I refuse to ever add another day to that count. You’re it for me, dumbass.”
The sound of a hiccup made Iwaizumi look at Oikawa to see his put-together boyfriend flushed in embarrassment, eyes wide in awe with tears cascading down his face. “You can’t just say these things, Hajime,” Oikawa responded pathetically. “You know how fragile I actually am.”
Laughing, Iwaizumi brings himself to a sitting position next to Oikawa, their joined hands now resting on top of his knee. “Nah,” Iwaizumi starts, raising his free hand to steady Oikawa’s trembling bottom lip. “You’re not fragile, Tooru. I just know that your weak spot is me. Sorry that I like to take advantage sometimes.”
Leaning into the touch, Oikawa gives Iwaizumi a wobbly smile, which is fully returned by his boyfriend. “As long as you don’t let my enemies know, I’ll let it go.”
“Hm, I don’t know. Telling Ushiwaka that you cry when I tell you that I love you could be one of the most entertaining things I do,” Iwaizumi teases. Hearing Oikawa groan and then hide his face in the hand meant to soothe him has Iwaizumi chuckling deep from his gut.
“And I don’t know how I can love such a brute who loves abusing the power I voluntarily give him.”
Iwaizumi smothers his laugh to become a soft smile on his face, mostly to make sure Oikawa avoids one of his overly dramatic tantrums in fear of rolling his eyes into a migraine. “It’s this brute who still swears to stay with you no matter what. I’ve seen you do and say some dumb shit in our 19 years together, so forgive me if I want to poke at your weakness a little.”
Oikawa’s red-rimmed eyes look directly into Iwaizumi’s hazel ones, a small smile blooming with the gentle uptick of the corners of his mouth. “I can’t really argue that, can I? Not even when we’re leaving soon…”
“Shhh. I know we won’t be together in person, but it’s only a 4 hour difference between Irvine and San Juan,” Iwaizumi gently reassures Oikawa. Leaning forward, Iwaizumi touches their foreheads together, moving his free hand to cup the back of Oikawa’s neck. It was an intimate gesture, meant to instill peace in the tumultuous minds of the childhood-friends-turned-lovers. Oikawa responded by gently nodding his head against Iwaizumi’s, clutching their hands together even tighter than before.
“I’m just scared, Hajime. I’m still learning Spanish. What if I mess up? What if they hate me? What if you get bored of me because I’m training all of the time? You’ll be meeting so many people in college and I – ,” Oikawa rambled, each question coming faster than the previous.
“Tooru,” Iwaizumi firmly interrupted. Undoing their hands, Iwaizumi brought up his newly freed hand to touch the side of Oikawa’s neck, mimicking the hand already settled on the other side. “I wasn’t kidding when I told you all of those years ago that my future is in you. My past and present have been filled with memories of you, and I can’t imagine that ever changing. I would rather relive losing to Karasuno over and over again than actually live a 41st day without you being in my life. Believe in me.”
Breathing the same air, the two sat in a comfortable quiet; the only sounds coming from tree leaves dancing in the light breeze and Oikawa’s soft hiccups as he tried to steady his breathing. “I’m still scared. What am I going to do without you?”
“Idiot,” Iwaizumi huffed. “Text me every moment you can. Call me every single day. Video calls too. It’s not just you who is going to miss their boyfriend. It’s always been you and me, so don’t let me miss out on talking to you when you’re off the court.”
“Awh, is Iwa-chan going to miss me that much?”
“Every day I don’t hear from you is going to be a wasted day to me, so yeah, I’m going to miss you, Shittykawa.”
Oikawa raised his hand to cover one of Iwaizumi’s that was still cupping his jaw. “I really do love you. What am I going to do in Argentina without you?”
“Rule the court there too. I’ll be watching,” Iwaizumi whispers against Oikawa’s lips. Leaning in, he captures their lips in a chaste kiss. He needed to convey his unwavering support and love for his partner. Tasting the saltiness of Oikawa’s tears and the faint ramune flavor of the popsicles they shared before this conversation made Iwaizumi’s heart ache with the impending leave. His sentimentality of everything Tooru was going to be the end of him, and he can’t make himself hate it. He was wired from birth to love his gifted best friend.
Oikawa pressed their lips together more fervently, drinking in the sensation of having Iwaizumi’s hands and lips on him. Both teenagers wanted to dedicate the feeling of each other to memory before 10,000 kilometers separate them for months at a time, so when they fell onto the blanket together in each other’s arms, neither wanted to move from that spot.
Iwaizumi broke the hold to shift further up, wrapping Oikawa’s broad shoulders in his embrace while trailing a hand through his feathery hair. Oikawa accepted the fact that he was being pampered, snuggling his face into his boyfriend’s chest. “I know I told you already, but I’m so proud of you, ‘kawa. You’re so damn brave for doing this for yourself, and I know Argentina volleyball has no idea of what kind of monster set his sights on taking over. You’re going to be just fine. Promise.”
Iwaizumi felt Oikawa grip his shirt tighter as he buried his face deeper into his chest. He placed a kiss on the crown of his head, breathing in the scent of Oikawa’s mint shampoo. Iwaizumi didn’t want to admit that he was just as terrified of losing Oikawa as Oikawa was of losing him. It already pained him to know that they were leaving Japan in 8 days, but he was at least happy to know that Oikawa decided to help him move into his studio apartment in Irvine before he set off to San Juan by himself. Every minute of every day counted when they knew that their time together would have to be put on pause, and it helped to have a boyfriend who was just as clingy as he secretly was.
Even though their afternoon took a more serious turn than expected, neither of them would trade it for anything else. Iwaizumi had to admit that telling Oikawa his moment of realization was one of the best things he has done since they suffered the devastating loss to Karasuno, effectively ending their career as a duo on the court. It was beyond difficult trying to pull Oikawa from his futon nest after watching Karasuno and Shiratorizawa play for what they were hoping would be their own nationals berth. Most days, Iwaizumi crawled underneath the blankets and held him, not unlike he was doing at this very moment. He was always the pillar for his friend, his setter, and he would remain the pillar as his loving other half. It was the private moments such as these that Iwaizumi cherished the most, nourishing the part of him that craved Oikawa’s presence.
“Can we stay here for a while?” Oikawa softly asked. “I’m not ready to leave for our plans tonight quite yet.”
Iwaizumi nuzzled Oikawa’s hair and squeezed him briefly to show he wasn’t planning on leaving. “We have all the time in the world. No need to rush when we still have a few hours.”
Humming into Iwaizumi’s chest, Oikawa settled into his embrace and closed his eyes. Iwaizumi continued to stroke Oikawa’s hair, feeling his breathing even out against his chest as he fell into a light slumber. Being here, under the shade of the tree their backyards shared since before their births, was nostalgic for the two of them. Years of memories were built here, and the narrative of their relationship would always revolve around these shared experiences. If they couldn’t share their experience of being abroad together, they could at least have their own at the same time in a show of solidarity.
Iwaizumi and Oikawa spent the next two hours huddled in each other’s embrace, watching the sun move across the sky with the breeze swirling around them. It was peaceful, and it was perfect. It wasn’t until a trill from Iwaizumi’s phone that they registered what time it was. Placing a gentle kiss on Oikawa's forehead, Iwaizumi said, “We have to start getting ready for dinner. It’ll take us 20 minutes to get there, but I at least have the car for us to use.”
“Do we have to? I’d be fine with some milk bread and the zaru soba your mom made yesterday.”
“Oi, Tooru. Let me spoil you today. I got us reservations at that French place in Sendai with the garden you’ve been wanting to try.”
Oikawa pulled back, eyes wide. “Are you serious? You never like getting dressed up to go anywhere. You don’t even wear your school uniform properly.”
Iwaizumi laughed, unable to refute Oikawa’s observation. “Well, for you, I will get dressed up. I know you’ve been wanting to go here, and today is a perfect opportunity.”
Oikawa’s lips parted in a blinding smile, and Iwaizumi knew his next surprise was going to do him in. “But before we get dressed, I have something for you.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a black velvet bag. Looking at Oikawa, he saw his eyes widen in anticipation for his surprise. He reached out and grabbed Oikawa’s left hand, emptying the contents of the bag into his palm. What met Oikawa’s eyes was a simple silver band, an inscription on the inside. With trembling hands, he raised the ring to see the engraving was only two words: mi Tooru .
Oikawa’s watery gaze met Iwaizumi’s warm hazel eyes, drowning him in the love he felt from his better half. “So you never forget that you’re always my Tooru, no matter where we are. Happy birthday.”