#protective Iwa-chan

[fanfictiona03]

Oh Captain, My Captain by karasunovolleygays

“Iwa-chan?” “What now?” “Have you ever, you know, stuck up for me when I wasn’t around?” “Don’t be a dumbass.”

Second years Oikawa Tooru and Iwaizumi Hajime sit outside of the coach’s office, waiting to be called in one by one. The fact that they are separated makes Hajime uneasy. What has to be said that can’t be said in front of both of them?

I just love how Iwaizumi defends Oikawa and how real this situation could have been! Just a great fic!

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[educatedsimps]

— "best brother ever!" tiktok trend with hq men

≪ back to fics masterlist

hq character x gn!reader

a/n: just some more crack filled headcanons while i churn out the rest of the requests 🫡 saw a vid of someone doing this and i was thinking of how the hq characters would react to it LOL hope you enjoyy

cw: fluff, humour, swearing oops, mild suggestiveness towards the end ?

The trend:

"Babe, come 'ere!"

Curious, your boyfriend stepped into the living room where you had your camera set up on a tripod pointing towards you. When he reached your side, you pointed at the camera and explained, "We're gonna do a tiktok trend so just stand here, okay?"

He nodded, before smiling a little and waving at the camera.

Grabbing onto his waist protectively, you spoke to the camera. "If you wanna get to him, you're gonna have to get through me first."

Then you leaned up and kissed him on the lips. He smiled into the kiss, happily kissing you back. Pulling away, you gave him a side hug and turned to the camera, dropping the bomb with a shit eating grin on your face.

"Best brother ever!!"

The reaction:

atsumu and oikawa would scream. and i mean scream. like they're in a horror movie or smth "AYO WHAT THE FUCK???" with all the dramatic facial expressions and hand gestures like bro shut up my eardrums are gonna explode 💀

tanaka, nishinoya and bokuto are the slow processors. they'd just keep smiling and would only get it right before you stop the video. he's HORRIFIED and whipping his head at you like "WHAT DID YOU SAYYY" you cannot stop laughing and poor guy's probably traumatised.

kageyama, hinata and ushijima would be confused. like "why'd you say that? i'm not your brother" or even better, "you don't have a brother" and you'll be looking at the camera like jim from the office like does he not get it ?? 😭💀

akaashi and shirabu would stand there staring at you with the most incredulous look on his face. he'd lowkey be judging you and be like "wHat..." sorry babe it's just a prank 🥰

semi would choke on his laughter and shove you away saying stfu but he'd be laughing about it and he'd probably help you post it afterwards. this man is so... HAHAHAHA i love him 😂

sakusa would also shove you away saying stfu but he's lunging to grab the phone so you can't post it (you'll still post it anyway LOL)

tsukki is all three of the above. would look at you with the MOST JUDGY face on earth before shoving you out of the camera frame saying stfu

kenma, osamu and suna would have the most DISGUSTED look on his face and you can't help but laugh at how his face is scrunched up and pinched together

kita would have the most disappointed look on his face like you'd honestly regret doing the tiktok (it's still funny tho. 10/10 would post)

iwaizumi would freeze, slowly turn to you and stare at you with the same face he made when oikawa asked him "iwa-chan, are you my mom?" HAHAHAHSJHJVF GOODBYE

daichi and suga would be like "bruh". nothing else. just pure "bruh" 😐

matsukawa, hanamaki and kuroo WOULD GO ALONG WITH IT HAHAHAHA "yeah best lil sis/bro ever" AND THEN KISS YOU ON CAMERA AGAIN, EVEN DEEPER THIS TIME 💀 then you'd collapse laughing together

tendō would turn his head, look at you with a loving smile and say "what the fuck did you just say?"

asahi would not know how to respond so he's just standing there looking between you and the camera like "huh..."

futakuchi "this ain't alabama, babe..."

extra thoughts!

after you record all that, iwaizumi and akaashi (he a freaky one 👀) will smirk, smack ur ass and say "best little sibling ever" before kissing u deep 🫶 do what you will with that information

also if tsukki was in a good mood, he'd prolly play along but in the most sarcastic way possible HAHAHA like "yeah, best little sibling ever" before kissing you out of frame lol

© educatedsimps 2024. do not repost, copy, translate or plagiarise any work from this blog on tumblr or any other platforms. if you do, the simps will hunt you down. likes and reblogs are appreciated!

[anime-fan-05]

Haikyuu!! ~With a short reader 2nd part~

1st part is here.

Oikawa T.

He loves hugging you because he really likes the feeling of you in your arms, and especially your head resting on his chest

In fact, if you don't hug him in the morning in front of school, at lunch when you two meet to eat together and after his training (you often have to take him away from the gym) to go home together, he'll complain about not having received the right amount of affection from you (Iwa will hit him at least ten times due to that)

Sometimes he teases you a lot little because he enjoys seeing your pouty face: "(Y/N)-chan, do you mind if I rest my arm here? It's so tired from training." "Tooru, get your gross, sweaty arm off my head!" "But it's the perfect armrest!" "..." "Awwww, (Y/N)-chan, are you pouting? How cute!"

Despite that, although he never misses an opportunity to make you angry about your height, he still does everything he can to make you feel appreciated: he knows when to stop with the teasing and when to compliment you, even for the most seemingly banal things

Furthermore, if a fan mentions something involving your height negatively, he won't hesitate to confront her

Kuroo T.

His teasing (because, come on, we know he certainly does them) are... particular: seriously, sometimes he can be a huge pain, but he's always able to bring a smile to your face ("Here it's." "Why did you bring me milk? I asked you for a bottle of water." "So maybe you grow a little and can at least reach Yaku in height.")

His favorite thing to do is grab you by your waist, hold you up and spin you around, especially after he wins a game or when you see each other again after a long time; he doesn't care who is watching you (his entire team, who will make fun of him forever), because all he's focused on at that moment is the lovely smile stitched on your face

If you start playing with his hands, he'll be wide-eyed, wanting to scream about how adorable you're; nevertheless he won't do so, thinking your or his neighbors won't appreciate it

In addition, his heart will be going crazy in his chest: you've no right to be so pretty, he'll think; he'll pout when you let go of his hands

If you wear his jersey during his games, no ball will go past his blocks; after the match, which will have ended with Nekoma's victory, though, he'll become a little arrogant: "Oh? What are you wearing, chibi?"

Haiba L.

You two make a so cute couple!

You've something like fifty centimeters of difference, but he doesn't care it anyway: he's very direct, and he always lets you know you look super cute for him

Anyhow, since he's so direct and frank, he's sometimes a little insensitive without meaning to, and he may say things to you that can offend you; when that happens, after realizing you're hurt, he begs you to forgive him, even if you two are in public, and he continues until you say you forgive him ("(Y/N)-chaaaaaaaan, forgive me, pleaseeeeee!" "Lev, get up, everyone is watching us!" "Forgive meeeeeeeee!" "Okay, okay, I forgive you, just get up..." "Yay! Let's go to the bar!")

When you two hold your hands, he's the one comparing them: he intertwines them with his and plays with your fingers; "Your hands are so tiny compared to mine" is one of his most common phrases

Your way of hugging is very cute: when you two are standing, you're hugging him from behind literally like a koala, and it's funny because you're so tiny against him; when you two are sitting, instead, you really look like a child compared to him, since you're like a ball on his lap

Tendou S.

He's absolutely not making fun of you, not even as a joke: since he was insulted by other children as a child, he doesn't want you to feel as bad as he felt

If someone makes fun of you, he'll protect you: "So you think you can make fun of my darling like that?" "N-no... I was just saying she's shorter than most people here in Shiratorizawa... T-that's all." "Yes, and I think you-" "Satori." "Yes, beauty?" "No." "..." "Satori." "Yes..."

His typical nicknames for you have to do with beauty ("beauty", "beautiful", "my pretty one", "my pretty girl", "cutie"...); the reason is because he thinks you're really too beautiful: he loves your height, and he thinks you're perfect for him

Speaking of affection, he doesn't mind if he has to bend down to kiss you, but for a long time he proposed you stand on a stool to kiss, and the crazy thing is he even bought it for you!

Besides, I think he's both a small and big spoon: indeed, sometimes he just wants to be held by you (when it happens, it's very funny to see your position due to your height), other times he wants to wrap his arms around you

Goshiki T.

You two met when you showed up at Shiratorizawa's gym as a manager; when he saw you, he started blushing madly, because all he could think about was how adorable you were ("I-I'm G-G-Go... MY NAME IS GOSHIKI TSUTOMU, NICE TO MEET YOU!")

He's so protective of you! He knows very well how adorable you're and how you can appear naive due to your height: in fact, does someone insult you for your height? He'll come to your rescue by listing all the reasons why you're lovely. Is anyone hitting on you? He'll stand in front of you, scaring, or rather trying to scare, them

The best way to cheer him on during his games is to wear his team jersey: the boost of self-esteem he'll receive thanks to your action will be enormous!

In fact, he loves, loves seeing you wear his clothes: they fit huge on you and make you really cute; he would really like to show the whole world how beautiful you look when you've on them

Moreover, if you hug him from behind, he dies of embarrassment because he feels your face against his lower back and your little arms wrapped around him

Miya A.

He also loves to tease you in a playful way: his favorite actions are not bending over when you want to kiss him (so you've either to jump or to "climb" on him), messing up your hair and calling you "shorty"

When you get pouty due to his teasing, he can't help but smile and coo at you because he thinks you're very adorable (his mind only thinks this: awwww, (Y/N) is pouting, she's so, so, so, so, so, so lovely!); if he made you very angry, he would stop immediately and give you an awkward kiss on your cheek (that's his way of apologizing)

If someone makes his same teasing about you, though, he'll make everyone apologize: do you know how he scolded the girls who disturbed his first serve during the match against Karasuno? Here, he'll treat them like that

He loves bragging about you two to his brother (he often gets slapped or objects thrown at his head because of it): "Samu, look how cute my little girl is!" "Don't flaunt my photos around, Tsumu!" "Get out of my way, Atsumu!"

He likes a lot giving you kisses on the forehead, even if he has to bend down quite a bit to do so

💮 Rules 💮 Masterlist 💮

[haikyuu-moments]

canon according to me (ships i love)

kagehina: twins!! a boy and a girl (boy with black hair, girl with orange hair. they are still getting the hang of parenting)

bokuaka: girl dads (bokuto's partner in crime, akaashi always worries about them both)

iwaoi: twin girls (they hate when oikawa shows up at their school and all the moms fawn over him. they feel protective of iwa-chan and beat up oikawa)

ushijima(ushijima×tendou): girl dad/s (they are both great at parenting)

bonus: kita-san: girl dad (obviously)

[iwaasfairy]

alpha iwa pleaaaassse

tw a/b/o, heat, jealousy, public

You've been progressively getting more and more dazy-eyed, long lashes and pouty lips nudging into his bicep where you sit leaned into him— he should've known what that meant. But everyone is talking and drinking, and he's laughing along with something Kunimi said when you go fix your lipgloss, and it doesn't hit him until you walk back.

Until the heavy sweetness of omega heat fills his nose and makes him snap his head back at you, getting that awfully protective feeling in his gut. The alpha in him is already antsy before he even realizes the damage. You wobble a little as you get back to the table, flushed and hot to the touch, and you let out the prettiest little whine when his hand reaches out for you automatically, instinctively.

It has him clenching his jaw, and a heat sink down into his center.

Your eyes flutter, and he lights up as he gets halfway towards you before you're moving to slide into his lap. His cock twitches to life in his shorts, and the scent only gets worse. You're smelling sickly sweet, mind-numbingly- and it takes every bit of focus he has not to lick a long strip along your throat when you shift around and nuzzle into his shoulder. Not to bite down hard and make you whine like the subby little thing you are.

Your weight pressing on his cock and thighs won't last though. Not if he's supposed to keep his thoughts to himself. His eyes snap to the stare of one of the beta bartenders as the guy seems to know exactly what's going on, and his hands slide up your body to slip under the shirt you have to pull you closer to him.

"Mh-Haji-" you moan. A low rumble falls from his throat. It makes him want to bend you over the table and fuck you until you're pleading with him— sticky and teary as thick globs of cum run down your thighs. Makes him want to sink his face into your clenching, pretty cunt and stuff his tongue inside you until you're squirming on his mouth.

The bartender motions, right as your voice sinks more, and the flushed look on your face betrays everything. You've gone into heat, in public, and he's supposed to take care of it. "Alpha-ngh," you squeak, and then he's standing from his seat and taking you with— as a louder grunt takes the bartender aback.

The beta hesitates, before puffing out his chest to the best of his ability, though his eyes keep flicking to you, and his tongue swipes over his lips. "We don't ... allow people inside during heats or ruts. It will make other customers uncomfortable." Your hot pussy's basically grinding against his hip as you cling on and your eyelashes brush his neck. "Please- you- you will have to leave."

Though his lip lifts to let out a low growl, Hajime glances back at the table. Everyone's gone quiet, both mated and unmated guys shifting in the thick tension, and the pink flush on Makki and Kindaichi's faces is clear. Oikawa's stirring his drink with a certain look in his eyes, but it's Kyoutani -true to his nature- who reacts first.

"She needs to stay," he says, and he stands up, "she needs to-"

"She doesn't need anything from you," Iwa barks back, by instinct, feeling how you shudder and cling closer to him at his anger. He's definitely rubbing his hard cock into you, making a wet spot because of his precum, and you don't seem to be faring any better. But he's only aware his free fist is clenched into the younger man's shirt when Oikawa speaks up, and claps him on the shoulder hand enough to knock him out of it.

"Well well, Iwa-chan- I think it's time for you to call it a night." The touch is grating and irritating, but it works. He releases Kyoutani, who's also currently two seconds away from starting a brawl, and nudges your face to look. You're gone. Eyes blown wide, lips puffy and flushed- the face of an omega who's about to start purring to get stuffed any second.

"Off," he grunts, "get to the car."

"Drive safe," Oikawa grins as he watches you wobble, unable to stop his eyes from dragging down your body- and Iwa only grunts. The skittish blond is quick to usher you along towards the door, as couples, other guests, everyone breathes a sigh of relief. And it makes some sort of pride bloom in his chest when you cling to his arm. His omega's the one. His omega. His.

It's instinct, nothing more, when he drags you along the side of the restaurant and you wobble along, huffing and whining and digging your nails into his bicep like you need something. As soon as he opens his mouth, you're already turning around and sticking out your ass to him, as your lip gets caught between your lips. "Alpha, alpha, please. Please, please. Mhm, need-"

"You're such a brat," he grunts out through his hot sweats, a slight smile coming onto his lips as you shiver when he leans in, "my girl. Mine. Mine, mine." It's instinct that he shoves his pants down his thighs and slides two fingers into the mess you've already made of your underwear. He can't exactly help it.

[toorusluvr]

❥ ҉   CHAPTER SEVEN - BACK IN THE GROOVE

❥ ҉ CONTENT WARNINGS: mentions of reader having anxiety in earlier paragraphs + smut in chapter + penetration sex + p in v + protected sex

❥ ҉ NOTE FROM NIS: hello it's me again omg it's been so long since the last update i truly apologise for the late updates! i'm trying my best to finally finish this series! anyway, enjoy chapter 7! i felt like i have forgotten how to write good lord please bear with me.... as usual, reblogs, likes, and comments are very very much appreciated! <3

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After you have been discharged from the hospital, nothing has really changed. Everything feels numb, and you can’t feel any emotions at all. Literally. It always feels like life is on loop. You go to school, eat, cry yourself to sleep, and repeat. Your eyes are begging you to stop crying but you just… couldn’t . 

Iwaizumi witnessed you being trapped in your soulless body. Sometimes you just spaced out with no expressions at all. It’s heartbreaking to see you this way because it reminds him so much of himself, which is why he doesn’t want you to be this way for any longer. Breakups happen every time but the post-breakup? It’s like your entire soul is being tortured. He does not know how he can console you because he himself was struggling for a long time until he realized that his life didn’t end when his relationship was over. 

Sure, some people would say high school relationships don’t matter but to him, it was the first time he discovered that he is indeed capable of loving someone. But the grief of losing them afterwards… Iwaizumi was almost sure he didn’t want to fall in love again if it hurt this bad. 

Iwaizumi would say he has moved on from his ex-girlfriend. To be saying he didn’t feel any ounce of hurt after finding out that Semi cheated on you with his ex, that would be a big slap to the face. Fuck it, he was deeply offended and hurt at the same time. If anything, he’d be sure to destroy the man in the face for cheating. Semi and his ex-girlfriend – God knows what business do they have with each other, can go to fucking hell for cheating. Iwaizumi did not want to play the victim here, shit– he was indeed a victim, but his ex-girlfriend went out of her way to cheat with multiple guys while they were in a relationship. In the end, Iwaizumi would still take her back because he has always thought every relationship has its ups and downs. That was solely his mistake for being so naive. 

You stared at the blank blackboard in front of the class, not hearing Oikawa and Iwaizumi have been calling your name several times. Then, you felt a hard smack on your shoulder, snapping into reality. “OW!” you groaned in pain. You looked over to your right side, where you could see Oikawa was fuming mad (well, not really) while glaring at you.

“We’ve been calling your name for the past few minutes,” Oikawa enunciated the last three words. You could sense he was a bit annoyed that you didn’t hear him calling. His expression proved it all. It’s not exactly that he could hide his expressions well. He just loves being dramatic sometimes. 

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” you cleared your throat as you turned your body to face him. 

Oikawa rolled his eyes at you, “Iwa-chan was asking you if you wanted to be his partner for the project. I am teamed up with someone else because we did our last project together. Iwa did it solo but this project needs to be a pair work. Can you partner up with him?” 

You looked at Iwaizumi, who was sitting behind both of you in class. He raised his eyebrows at you, waiting for your answer. A glimpse of his tan skin and the luscious lips… wait . Hooking up with him is one thing and partnering up with him for a project is another. But what could hurt? Your soul is already damaged, anyway. This decision can go straight to your list of disappointments and regrets. 

“Sure, why not?” you answered with a smile. “You good if we start working on it after school, Iwa? I want to get it done as soon as possible. You don’t have to skip practice, just come to my house after practice ends. I’ll text you my address later.” 

“I was thinking of asking you that earlier. Sure, I’ll come to your house later,” Iwaizumi agreed with the plan you made. The earlier you get the project done, the better. He needs to focus on the assessments, the upcoming exam, and also the preliminary. The pressure he has on himself is crazy. But, people don’t always see that because he hides it so well. 

Oikawa wiggled his eyebrows at Iwaizumi, “Oh, alone times,” he sing-songed. Iwaizumi glared at him before he continued to work on the task given by your teacher. This dude never gives up on teasing both of you just because you guys were each other’s one night stand. He once told Oikawa to grow up because he was annoying him too much.  

“Go find someone to get laid, pretty boy,” you snickered at Oikawa and the last thing you saw before facing forward was his jaw dropped open at the comment you just made. 

After his practice ended, you waited for Iwaizumi in the living room when he texted he was almost there. The doorbell rang; it was none other than Iwaizumi himself. “Come in!” you said cheerfully, even though there was barely any energy left inside of you. You didn’t want to make Iwaizumi worried over your worsening mental state. He’d probably nag and call you stupid but hey, you’ve heard him called Oikawa worse. 

The raven-haired boy gave you a light smile once you opened the door for him. He was freshly dressed in a white t-shirt and black sweats. The outfits combination that makes every girl drool. 

“Is no one home?” Iwaizumi asked as he stepped into your house. He looked around your house and followed your steps to your room upstairs. It was his first time coming to your home and being in your bedroom. 

“I told you before that my mom is barely home at times like this. She'll be home late at night,” you answered while leading him to your room. You opened the door to your room and invited him in. He followed after you and his eyes did a quick scan of your bedroom. 

“Oh, I forgot about that. Send my regards to your mom when she's home soon,” Iwaizumi said.

You let out a soft chuckle and nodded to his request. Both of you started working on the project, laying out all the outlines and possible drafts. You divided the tasks that needed to be done fairly between Iwaizumi and you. Iwaizumi contributed the ideas and points needed for the project. Both of you had a discussion over it for almost an hour when your stomach suddenly made a loud noise. You glanced up to see Iwaizumi was already staring back at you. 

Iwaizumi raised a lone brow at the sound. “Hungry there, princess?” 

Princess . Never thought you’d get butterflies being called that. What a funny thing. Though his tone showed mockery but hell the butterflies were swarming until it left no room in your stomach. 

Iwaizumi caught the brief flustered expression that was all over your face. But you turned expressionless immediately. Huh . Good to know he is capable of making you flustered, then. 

“Let’s order some food. Are you okay with that?” You asked as you grabbed your phone beside you. Iwaizumi immediately said yes as he was hungry too. He didn’t have any time to grab any snacks right after practice ended. 

Both of you perused the online menu and soon the food will be delivered to your doorsteps. While waiting, you and Iwaizumi picked up where the project was left off – to wrap it up for the night before the food got here. 

When the food was finally delivered, you and Iwaizumi sat in your kitchen to dine in. You told Iwaizumi to make himself comfortable as he looked so awkward standing there. “Is it your first time being at a girl's house?” You let out a laugh as his expression turned sour. 

If there’s one thing that Iwaizumi dislikes, it is being accused of things. He HAS been to a girl’s house before. Yes, for hooking up and whatnot. But, not for having meals together, that’s for sure! 

“Not really. It just feels too domestic, no?” Iwaizumi replied in all honesty. He sat on the barstool and you slid a glass of water to the man. You paused to look at him briefly. Well, he got a point there! 

“Damn. You’re right. But hey, that’s what friends do too. So we’re good,” you retaliated with a downturned smile. Iwaizumi just let out a snicker to your response. Both of you then devoured your food because hunger took over your consciousness. 

He was not much of a talker at first but after practically forcing him to talk, he finally did. It wasn’t much because this man is indeed great at keeping his secrets to himself. You wondered if he told Oikawa enough about himself and his emotions when things get tough. Does Iwaizumi ever do that? Curiosity definitely gets the best of you sometimes but that’s another topic for another day. 

“It’s getting late. It would be best if you go home now. Your parents must be worried,” you yawned. You peeked over the clock hanging on your wall, and it’s almost 11 p.m. but your mother wasn’t home yet. 

“Yeah. I should go home. Hey, you should take a rest. You look tired. You okay?” Iwaizumi asked as he stood upright. He slung his backpack over his shoulders while looking at you, expecting your reply. 

You nodded, “I’m good. You don’t have to worry about it.” 

“Sure. I’m going home. Make sure you aren’t staying up too late,” Iwaizumi advised. He wasn’t sure of what he was feeling, but he had this instinct that you were hoping he would stay with you through the night. He didn’t want to seem like he’s a know-it-all – worse, a pushover so he chased his instincts away. 

“Take care, Iwa. See you tomorrow!” you bid goodbye as you watched him entering the cab that was waiting in front of your house. Iwaizumi paused as he grabbed the door handle of the cab, looking back at you. 

“See you tomorrow,” he said with a curt nod. You waved him goodbye and waited until the taxi took off. 

One thing about getting anxious is that it comes uninvited. Your anxiety came creeping in later that night. You laid on your bedroom floor helplessly, gasping for air to breathe normally. Your tears were streaming down your face non-stop while you tried to reach your phone to dial for anyone in case things went south. It felt like you went back and forth to hell while battling the anxiety alone. You wished you had asked Iwaizumi to stay with you earlier. But then he would find out your weak point and the fear of him using it against you was enough to snap you out of reality. Cynical or not, you are done with people using your weakness against you. 

About a week later, you and Iwaizumi promised to have another discussion. This time, he asked you to come to his house. You agreed to it without thinking any further because the deadline was getting closer! Iwaizumi wasn’t able to contribute over the weekend due to his volleyball practices. But, you covered his part and explained what he needed to do later on. He was super grateful for your understanding. 

“Wait a second. Shit , I forgot that I ran out of my sticky notes. Do you mind if we drop by the book store?” Iwaizumi stopped walking and your steps faltered as well. You looked up at him and nodded. 

“Yeah, sure. There’s the book store,” you said as you pointed a finger to the bookstore that has the navy blue signboard outside. It looks quite old but surely they have a lot of stuff there. 

Iwaizumi shook his head, “I need to go to the bookstore that I always go to. It’s like 15 minutes from here. Do you mind?” 

That’s one thing you didn’t see it coming. The Iwaizumi Hajime has a favorite bookstore? Surely his secret admirers would love this and go batshit crazy with the news. 

“You have a favorite bookstore?” You asked. Iwaizumi bit the inside of his cheek, “Yeah, is that a problem? What? I cannot have a favorite bookstore because I am not smart enough for you?”

His defensive reply definitely got you laughing, wait no , howling of laughter. You couldn’t believe that he gets so defensive over something so trivial! Surely everyone has their favorite bookstore. Having a favorite bookstore does not make you a nerd. If anything, it makes you look smart. And God knows that leaves a good impression. 

“Good God, do you need an exorcism?” Iwaizumi asked while rolling his eyes. Man, the last thing he needed today was you howling of laughter. It took a hit on his pride and yeah, he was offended a bit. 

Your laughter slowly faded away. Iwaizumi was still staring at you with that scowl that could leave a permanent mark on his beautiful face. “No, dude. You should have seen the look on your face when you got so defensive just now. Chill, man. I was just asking you a question. Did someone used to make fun of you or something? Geez, seek therapy then.” 

Iwaizumi heaved out a deep breath. You like to test his patience sometimes and God, he doesn’t need another friend to give him constant headaches. “Alright, I was at fault for getting too ‘defensive’ then,” he did an air quote with an annoyed expression. 

“Take a joke, babe,” you groaned and he put you in a headlock that had you gasping for air. Iwaizumi didn’t use much of his force and let go when you squealed, begging him to loosen the headlock. You quickly brushed your hair using your fingers, “Remind me to not piss you off because I almost died. I wonder how Oikawa is still alive when he’s getting headlocked by you at least 3 times a week!” 

“I don’t do it that often,” he said in the same defensive tone again. His eyebrows all scrunched, lips almost pouty. 

You furrowed your eyebrows, “ Really? ”

“I’ll leave you here if we don’t start moving in the next 3 seconds. I’m not joking,” Iwaizumi said determinedly. He once left Oikawa at a bus stop because he was taking too long to do his hair. He hated being stalled because he’s always punctual! Why can’t other people do the same?

“I’ll report you to the police for negligence,” you huffed a reply as you fell into his steps side-by-side. Iwaizumi snorted with laughter, “That was merely a threat, princess. Take a joke, babe .” 

He said the last line so casually while giving you a smirk. Damn him and that attractive as hell smirk because it could kill people! Damn him and damn the universe for trying to fuck you up with this weird feeling. 

You shook your head with an annoyed smirk, “I hope the bookstore is closed. You better hurry!” 

“Nah, not funny, princess. Let’s go,” he said as he dragged you with him. Thank goodness he didn’t run or sprint or else you’d have tripped on the pavements. 

Once you guys showed up in front of the bookstore, Iwaizumi didn’t waste any time and headed straight to the sticky notes section. He didn’t think twice about picking the sticky notes and some highlighters. You were off to the next aisle just to check out some books. Iwaizumi then appeared by your side. 

“You looking for anything?” Iwaizumi asked as his eyes carefully scanned the books shelves. 

You shook your head, “Nah. Let’s go if you’re done. It’s getting late.” 

Iwaizumi hummed and just when he turned his heels around, he saw two familiar individuals that he never expected to meet at all. At this place. Your gaze diverted to the same two familiar individuals when Iwaizumi stopped in his tracks. 

Just like a deer getting caught in headlights, the two individuals stopped talking to each other as well. 

Your heart dropped at the sight of the two people who ruined your life just a few weeks ago. Now that they’re here in front of you, you feel nothing but pure rage. Your eyes were locked on the ash blonde guy that gave you nothing but a stab in your heart. A 3-year relationship went down the drain just like that. He threw you away as if you were nothing to him. 

Semi looked at you for what felt like a minute and then he moved his gaze to the man next to you. The girl next to him had her eyes locked on Iwaizumi. Her ex boyfriend of 2 years. Your breathing became ragged and what felt like anxiety spreaded all over your system like it was a virus. 

You tried to control your breathing, kept your cool but fuck was it so hard to do even just that. Shit. Semi still has his power over you and you fucking hate it. This is not attraction or admiration. This is just pure hatred and disgust. Cheating was your final wake up call and no more tolerance over this son of a bitch! 

Overwhelming rage almost took over you and only the thoughts of being violent were playing at the back of your mind. Maybe Iwaizumi saw your clenched fists and the fact that you almost lurched at his ex-girlfriend, he instinctively held your hand in his. His touch woke you up from the violent vision from clouding your mind. 

You looked down at where his hand was holding yours. Slowly, you moved your gaze to meet his dark green orbs. His gaze showed genuine concern. “We’re better than that,” he whispered quietly. Your breath hitched. Right. You don’t like to resort to violence unless you really need to. 

“Huh, fancy meeting you here, Hajime,” the girl with the shoulder-length hair spoke up, arms to her chest as her eyes stared at the man next to you. Iwaizumi’s jaw ticked at the sound of his ex-girlfriend's voice. Well, it was once his favourite. Emphasis on once . Now it’s just this annoying noise that he is starting to despise so much. 

“New girlfriend?” The girl snickered when her gaze met yours. Iwaizumi might not want to start a fight or worse, a brawl or hair pulling, but you were so damn ready to punch this girl in her smug face. You do not know what kind of woman Iwaizumi is into, but this bitch was obviously nowhere in his league. Yes, she might have a pretty face but a nasty attitude mirrors her whole appearance. 

You were disgusted at the sight of her and your blood level rose tenfold when you saw Semi’s hand trying to pull her back. Semi shook his head slightly when she noticed his hand on her forearm. 

“As far as I’m concerned, who I am dating at the moment is none of your business,” Iwaizumi said – his voice stern, subtly indicating that both of you are currently dating. You didn’t oppose the idea. Amused, more like it. 

His ex-girlfriend stifled a laughter. “Impressive work, Hajime. I didn't peg you to enjoy someone’s leftover,” she mocked. 

Cheating with Semi is one thing but calling you as his leftover? This bitch knew how to push your buttons. Your eyebrows furrowed at her sudden insult. 

“Well, guess I shattered your expectations. Don't worry, I'll make sure to savour every last bite of something her ex will never get a taste of,” Iwaizumi glanced over you and pulled your waist closer to his side. 

You slowly smiled at both of them. “Pretty bold of you to make such an accusation. Hell, one thing that I know is that I sure as hell don’t go after someone else’s boyfriend. One of us is a fucking slut and Hajime, just between us , it is sure as hell ain’t me or you.” 

Her sinister smile slowly faded from her fucking smug face. 

“I don’t think so you need to go that far, Y/N,” Semi’s stern voice broke the temporary silence. Iwaizumi’s eyebrow furrowed in confusion. If anything, his ex-gf or Semi’s current gf or whatsoever started it first. He dared to spin it against you now? The audacity that some people have is unnerving! 

“You don’t get to talk, cheater,” you sighed loudly. “You know what? Both of you deserve each other. I truly hope both of you rot in hell happily ever after.”

You gripped on Iwaizumi’s wrist and made your way to the cashier. You stopped in your tracks when the girl had an iron grip on your other wrist. “Where do you think you are going?” 

Iwaizumi let out a sigh at her stubbornness. She is in for it and Iwaizumi knows too damn well you are not going to let this slide easily. How hard it must be for you to encounter these two people who kinda ruined your life in one day. For what it’s worth, Iwaizumi would love to see you destroy his ex-girlfriend. She deserves it. 

“Who the fuck do you think you are to touch me? Eita, I do not peg you as someone who enjoys fucking crazy girls,” you looked at the girl dead in the eyes before looking back at Semi. “Fucking touch me one more time and your pretty face will be covered in bruises next. Tell your pretty girlfriend to not cause herself any harm, will you?” 

You loosened her grip on your wrist and shoved her shoulder away from you. Iwaizumi gave the two people a once over and caught up with your pace. 

After Iwaizumi paid for his stuff at the cashier, he followed you out of the book shop. You pinched the bridge of your nose and sighed loudly. “Fucking damn it. They ruined my day again!” You said frustratedly. 

Iwaizumi examined your expression. Yeah, you were mad as hell now. He would be too if he was in your place. “You need to cool down first?” Iwaizumi asked. 

You turned to look at him with tears welling up in your eyes. “ Shit , I don’t know. Let’s just go to your house, okay? I’ll be fine,” you said as you patted him on the arm. Iwaizumi watched you step away from the book shop area. 

“Actually, we are going this way!” Iwaizumi raised his voice a bit and you cursed yourself for being too distracted. You immediately turned back and grabbed him in the arm. “Let’s go!” You said determinedly. Iwaizumi couldn’t help but laugh at your demeanour. 

The moment you arrived at Iwaizumi’s neighbourhood, your jaw dropped. The houses here are almost elite . You immediately turned to look at him, “You never told me that you are rich.” 

“I’m not rich,” Iwaizumi shrugged his shoulders. You eyed him suspiciously while following him from behind. He opened the door for you and the moment you stepped into his house, your jaw dropped again. His living room is huge and well-decorated! Surely his parents are loaded. 

“You’re rich, Iwa. Just admit it, man. Good lord, you have such a beautiful house!” You gushed– your eyes wandering around the living room area. Iwaizumi shook his head at your gushing and endless praises of how beautiful his house is. Well, it’s his parents’ house not his . 

Iwaizumi turned to look at you, “Done gushing? You need anything? Water? Snacks?” 

You shook your head. “Let’s get it started.” The earlier you can get it done, the better. 

Iwaizumi then showed you his room, where the discussion took place. He told you that his parents were working so they might come home later than expected. You were fine with it. Having Iwaizumi as your partner in this project is a blessing, you gotta admit. He is so fucking smart. Obviously, everyone has a thing for the smart guys. A bonus point, he looks very handsome as well. With the tan skin, the perfect height, athletic, everyone drools at the sight of him. Sometimes hilarious. Yeah. 

He had the upper hand of knowing the subject teacher so he knew what the teacher needed despite being given the question paper. It was like he read the teacher’s mind. You were impressed with his sharp observational skills. Even though he missed contributing some of the parts, he still managed to do everything quickly. A smart and athletic man? Yes, definitely a huge 10/10! 

“Why did you break up with your ex? What was her name again?” You broke the silence. Iwaizumi stopped twirling the pen with his fingers and shot you a puzzled look. 

He cleared his throat and sat upright. “Why did you ask?” 

You let out a soft sigh, “Just curious, that’s all. Mind telling me? Please ?” 

Iwaizumi’s interest was piqued. The way you added please at the end of your sentence did something to him. Something unrecognisable that made his stomach swirl . Huh. What a weird feeling. 

“You really want to know that bad, huh?” Iwaizumi asked again. 

You nodded as your eyes scanned the interior of his room. Like expected, his room is well-kept. Tidy and minimalistic from little to none decorations around the room. His study desk – where the books are arranged neatly, unlike yours back home. 

Your eyes then caught the Godzilla plushies sitting next to his bed. “You have plushies?” You couldn’t help but ask the question because having a plushie is a bit out of character for him. 

Iwaizumi let out a soft sigh– his shoulders slumped. “Guess who got it for me?” 

The way he worded his question answered everything you needed to know. “She gave it to you?”

Iwaizumi nodded weakly, “Never a fan of plushies. She just gave it to me because she saw how much I like Godzilla. That’s all. It was a nice gesture until she went and cheated on my cousin’s friend behind my back. The worst thing was, my cousin’s friend had a girlfriend too at the moment. It was messy as hell because the girl decided to attack her and I just stood there, clueless. That was not even her first time cheating behind my back! So, mine is quite similar to yours, I assume.”

The end of his sentence got you rethinking your entire breakup. Now that he said it out loud, yes it was similar. Except that Iwaizumi found out too late and yours was at the perfect time. Worst, planned by the bitch herself. Oh she’s definitely not a girl’s girl. A homewrecker at the age of eighteen. Yucks. 

“Well, look at us. A product of someone who got cheated on in their relationship. Welcome to the club. Do you want to be the leader? I’m comfortable being the co-leader,” you joked. Iwaizumi just shook his head with a slight smile on his lips. He then dismissed the joke with his hand. 

You took it as a cue to continue doing your discussion. Most of the time, it was just you getting distracted by his veiny hands and his raspy voice. You kept on remembering the sex you guys had before this. Slowly exhaling a deep breath, you tried to focus. 

“What’s the matter with you?” Iwaizumi asked confusedly. He was busy mapping out your discussions and you were exhaling a few times– louder than usual. You looked like you were growing agitated. 

You looked at him apologetically, “Well, can our friends with benefits arrangement still go on? Or have you found someone else?” 

Iwaizumi’s jaw ticked. He couldn’t believe such a question got him all hot and bothered. Maybe it was a joke but you did not look like you were joking either. 

“What do you have in mind?” Iwaizumi asked. 

“Wanna fuck?” You asked sheepishly. Well, blame it on the hormones and the man himself. How dare he look all gorgeous and sexy while holding a discussion on an important subject?

Iwaizumi was almost sent to the emergency room at that moment. He let out a raspy laughter, “You really wanna do that right now? Good lord, you’re unbelievable.” 

He was saying that as he unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt. You smirked knowing his tactics. Iwaizumi then reached the front of your shirt, almost popping all of your buttons in one go. He pushed your body on the carpeted floor and you broke into giggles. 

The man then snaked his hand under your skirt. His palm slowly caressing the inner of your thighs that made your blood run cold. Your chest rose heavily, breath staggered at his every touch. 

He pressed his thumb over your dampened cotton underwear. With a slow caress, you took a deep breath as you tried to ease yourself. Iwaizumi’s lips ghosted over your neck, gently nibbling on your skin. His free hand crept to your wrist and pinned it down beside your head.

“One touch and you’re already wet, princess?” His words hung over the air – his dark green eyes held your gaze. 

You looked at him with a dazed stare, “Well, you were busy sitting still and looked pretty for me. I guess it made me feel something.” 

One of the things that Iwaizumi likes about you is that you kinda match his snarky remarks. It’s not easy to match his kind of joking around without others taking it to heart. Trust him, he has tried. 

A small grin appeared on the corner of his lips. His two longest fingers brushed over your wet slit. A small whimper came out of your lips, earning a smug grin from the man. “A mere touch got you whimpering? You need to learn how to last long, princess,” he said in that raspy voice of his. 

What he said just now turned you on. Damn him and his dirty talk that got you all worked up. The rough feel of his fingertips lightly scratched against your sensitive pussy down there.

His fingers worked their way up to your entrance, slowly circling around your entrance before he made it up to your clit. Iwaizumi dragged his fingertips around your puffy clit that got your body jerked in his hold. You breathed heavily, trying not to make any noise like he said earlier. 

“Want me to continue, princess? You’ve been real quiet,” he got up on his knees just to say it into your ear.

Your eyes locked with his gaze, “Yes, please .” 

Iwaizumi’s sharp gaze bored into yours before he spoke up. “Pleading looks good on you, princess.”

His lips caught yours in a split second, nibbling on your lower lip. His free hand cupped the column of your neck before moving it to your nape, pressing your lips harder against his. You tried to breathe but he was quick to shove his tongue into your mouth. 

You got impatient and immediately unbuttoned his slacks. His pants were getting tighter each second, especially the groin area. It’s amusing how easily you can affect him. The things that you make him feel, gosh. 

One of Iwaizumi’s fingers crooked on the waistband of your skirt and pulled it down, revealing you in your cotton underwear. You sighed when he brought the same finger and let it linger on the wet spot a tad bit longer. The rough feel of his fingertip created a friction you never knew was so daunting. 

Both of you now half-naked in each other’s lap. Iwaizumi positioned you in his lap. His face was just the right level with your clothed breasts. You unbuttoned your school shirt for him and he watched it with a thirst that almost burnt his throat. Sharp breaths accompanied his impatience while watching you get undressed. 

You reached the back of your bra to unhook it. Iwaizumi got aroused just seeing how fucking pretty your tits are. He gulped hard. So hard that it was audible to both of you. 

Iwaizumi is a patient man. Maybe not to a bunch of people but he sometimes has the patience of a saint. But now, he is being tested as a man. Well, he finds himself enjoying watching you stripping out of your clothes but right now, he’s like a man being starved for so long. His patience was running thin and it was very fortunate he didn’t rip your bra apart. 

“Fuck, I love your tits, princess,” he sighed breathily as he buried his face in your breasts. You bit on your lower lip, suppressing the moan. 

A warm feeling coated your pert nipple as a strong hand massaged another breast. You sighed when Iwaizumi gently sucked on your sensitive nipple. His other hand was busy kneading your other breast. His touch is magical, if it makes any sense. Any other stress that you were having before, they have disappeared. 

Your nails scratched his scalp while your hips were busy grinding back and forth on him. Iwaizumi groaned every time his dick twitched in his pants. Not now , he grunted to himself. He wanted to savour your taste firstly first before he fed his hunger and lust. 

“Your mouth feels so good, Iwa,” you half-whispered. Iwaizumi’s hand travelled to your ass and gave it a hard squeeze. You chuckled under your breath, knowing it was his silent way of acknowledging what you just said. 

His tongue circled your nipple, saliva coating your sensitive nipple. Iwaizumi’s both hands were now pinned on your waists. His face glanced up at you and you gave him this pleading eyes that got him rock hard again. 

Shit, the voice at the back of his mind said. Iwaizumi didn’t say anything but caught your lips with a hard and punishing kiss. You were caught off-guard that you almost stumbled backwards. But his strong hands stopped you before it even happened. 

The kiss was making you feel lightheaded, not even realising both of you were undressing each other in the light of speed. Your shirt, his shirt. Your skirt, his pants. Your underwear, his boxer. Both of you are now fully naked on his carpeted floor. 

“Fuck, I can’t wait to get inside you,” he whispered against your lips and you nodded without any doubts. 

“Condoms,” you gasped softly and Iwaizumi immediately reached for the drawer beside his bed. He tore the foil with his teeth and rolled the condom on. You found it hot that he was getting impatient and so did you. Your mouth also watered at the sight of his dick. He always stretches your pussy so good and that’s a memory you cherish forever. But he doesn’t need to know it.

Iwaizumi then looked at you. His eyes were questioning you whether you’re ready or not. You nodded as if both of you could read each other’s minds. He then suggested getting on his bed or else both of you would get back pain. 

Your weight dipped into his soft as hell mattress. Wow. It felt like clouds laying down on his bed. You just prayed his bed is also… soundproof and less creaking. “Shoot. Your mattress is comfy as hell,” you complimented as he got on top of you. His body caged your body. 

Iwaizumi’s eyebrows scrunched a bit. Man, you are so random sometimes. “Princess, you do love to think your thoughts out loud, do you?” 

A chuckle filled the momentary silence. You then circled your arms around his shoulders, bringing him down nose-to-nose with you. “You’re getting impatient, aren’t you? Well, come on now. Show me how bad you want to fuck me,” you said seductively against his lips. 

His cock nudging between your legs. Iwaizumi’s smirk slowly plastered on his lips. He bit on your lower lip until you winced in pain. “Such a vulgar language,” his voice rasped. He propped an elbow as his other free hand lined his cock along your entrance. 

The tip of his cock slid inch by inch – your mouth gaped open, back arching as your pussy stretched to his size. Iwaizumi let out a soft groan as he bottomed out. Your nails were already clawing into his back. 

His fingers clawed onto his bedsheet, hips slowly rocking forward. Fuck, he felt like he was in pure bliss once he was inside you. Your pussy was so warm, so inviting and so fucking tight that it hurt. He almost came the second he was inside you. Bless the universe for not fucking with him that moment. 

Your legs wrapped around his waist, locking him in. His hand then squeezed your breasts in both of his hands. Looks like you finally figured out what kind of man he is. 

The truth is, Iwaizumi leaned more towards the guys who prefer ass. He was not a douchebag. He simply has preferences but it’s not like he is going to announce it to the real world. Why couldn't his hands leave your tits? Because your tits were on his mind all day. Especially the way your sports attire you were wearing earlier hugging every curve of your upper body and the sports bra you were wearing definitely triggered some of his primal instincts. 

His thrust was hard and punishing. He fucked you so hard that your tits bounced wildly in his face. The man was so lost in how lewd his sight was right now. Your breathless moans, the continuous whispers telling him to keep going. Fuck. He missed this. He missed fucking you and being inside you. 

“Princess, your pussy is so fucking tight,” he leaned down to whisper. Your eyes slowly opened, revealing his handsome face and the sweats that glistened on his forehead and abs. 

The man has a set of abs that was carved by God himself. Every line and crevice is deep and curved to perfection. His V-line too. Good lord. Suddenly, you were hit with a pang of jealousy. How many women did he sleep with? How many nudes did he send before you? Ugh! Jealousy couldn’t have come at the worst time.

Iwaizumi glanced over your fucked out expression. Eyes closed, lips swollen and glossy from the kiss. He cupped your cheek, “Did you hear me, princess?”

You nodded hurriedly, “Don’t stop, Iwa. Fuck. S’so good.” 

Your words were all over the place. Not even your mind could be able to function properly with how good his cock was stretching you out. The tip of his cock nudging your spot, bringing you closer to climax by each second. You clawed at his shoulder at the slow sensation building up in your core. 

“Fuck!” You hissed when you felt it coming. Iwaizumi groaned when your pussy clenched around his cock like a tight vice. 

One of his hands found your clit. His thumb rubbing circles on your weakest spot that left you crumble like a broken vase. All of your senses heightened. Goosebumps prickled and your core tightened into a twisted knot. Your breath started getting heavier but Iwaizumi wouldn’t stop his thrust – from fucking into you harder.

It was all too much. If he kept going, you might scream at the top of your lungs. You didn’t want him to stop either. 

The man himself was losing his composure. He couldn’t last long but fuck, you were so close. So close to the brink of an orgasm. That’s a thing he wouldn’t let slide so easily. 

His thumb found your clit again, his cock thrusting in and out of you mercilessly. You were so wet that there was no restriction. His thumb circled your clit, building the rhythm to make you come. 

“Come on, princess. Give me all you got, hm? Don’t hold back. Let go, beautiful,” he leaned down next to your ears, panting heavily. His eyes shut closed, trying to last longer than you. Your bodies were so close, chest-to-chest. The noises were so lewd you were afraid if someone was outside, listening to everything. 

You moaned again. Your sweet moans lulling the sound of the skin slapping against skin. It was only a matter of time before your orgasm crashed. 

“Fuck, baby, I’m so so close!” You pleaded. Iwaizumi kept going, his thrust didn’t stop or get any sloppier. He kissed you hard on the lips that had you gasping for breath. 

You gasped for air, “Oh God, Oh God, Oh God!” 

Your cries were his cue that your orgasm was in a matter of seconds. Iwaizumi shut you up with his mouth again. The tight knot crashed. White spots covered your vision as your breath slowly became normal again. Iwaizumi pressed his forehead against yours and gathered his breath. 

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath as he slowly pulled out of you. You felt empty without him being inside you. 

You let out a soft gasp watching him tying the used condom and tossing it into his dustbin. The man then grabbed a pair of shorts to wear. He rummaged through his closets to find a clean towel to help you clean up, though there wasn’t really any big mess to clean after. 

Iwaizumi tossed the clean towel to you. “You need to take a quick shower? You can use my bathroom.” 

You let out a disgruntled sound, “Thanks.” 

Iwaizumi’s eyes trailed after your movements as you made your way to his bathroom. He was fortunate enough to have his personal bathroom. It makes it easier every time he has company over. Girls, especially. 

You are the second girl he has ever invited to his room. His bed , vis-a-vis. Most of the time he prefers to do it at their house instead. But he is not the type to fuck around a lot. It’s a waste of his time to focus on the wrong thing when he could be focusing on his final year and volleyball. 

The man then threw his weight on his bed the second you locked the bathroom door. He placed an arm over his eyes, reminiscing the whole sex fiasco just now. How pretty your moans and cries were. Just by remembering the tiniest part of it got him hard again. Double shit.

Your eyes widened at how fucking beautiful his bathroom was. The interior was to die for, and you meant it literally! It could be one of your dream bathrooms! Just how rich is he?! 

Iwaizumi is a very organised man. He arranged all of his products where they were supposed to be. You gawked at his bathroom before finally getting into the shower. It was spacious as hell, enough to fit both of you. 

Nope ! Not going there!  

Just when you were about to get dressed, your mind finally clicked that you did not bring any of your clothes inside the bathroom. That also meant you had to go out and re enter again. Shit and shit! 

Without thinking any further, you just came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around your body. It was a bit short but enough to cover your everything . 

Iwaizumi’s eyes brightened with amaze once his gaze landed on you. “Forgot your clothes? You know you could have called me to bring it to you, right?” 

You huffed, “Obviously my brain cells weren’t working! Geez.” You looked at your clothes scattered on the floor and you sighed. Great! Now you needed to crouch to pick them up. 

“Hajime!” A woman’s voice suddenly boomed outside of his door. Both of you jumped in surprise at the sudden presence. 

“Your ex came back?” You gasped.

Iwaizumi looked at you with the “ are you fucking serious? ” expression. Duh ! It was his mother! The only thing that should have been the first thing on your mind! Iwaizumi hurriedly asked you to put on your clothes but damn it, it was so hard to focus on the simplest task at times like this! 

“Hajime! Do you have your friends over?” His mother knocked on his door countless times. She even tried to hear what was going on inside of his room. 

Iwaizumi tried to breathe normally, “Yes, mom! We’ll be out in a second! Just- finalising our school work!” 

Mrs. Iwaizumi let out a huff, “Sure. Come out when y’all are ready. I ordered some takeouts.” 

“Okay, mom!” Iwaizumi said loudly. He listened to his mother’s footsteps fading away into the distance. He let out a relieved sigh, “Shit. That was close. Okay, get dressed.”

You hurriedly hooked your bra when he wasn’t looking. “What do you think I am doing right now?” You replied sarcastically.

“Always a fun time with you, princess,” Iwaizumi shot you a glare as he put on his sweats and hoodie. He ruffled his hair so he looked at least presentable in the presence of his mother. 

Couldn’t afford getting caught red-handed by his mother. Truly a nightmare if it ever happens. Iwaizumi shuddered at the thought. 

You carefully smoothed your hair using your fingers. After ensuring you looked neat, you told Iwaizumi that you were good to go! He unlocked his door and asked you to step out first. 

Iwaizumi walked ahead of you. In the living room, there sat his mother waiting with a magazine in her hands. Her eyes shot to where both of you were standing like deers being caught in the headlights. 

“Oh, it’s not Oikawa! Hello!” His mother chirped. She rose to her feet and walked towards both of you. You shied behind Iwaizumi but he slowly pushed you to the front. 

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Iwaizumi. I’m Hajime’s partner. Study partner, I meant,” you immediately corrected yourself after the vague meaning. Wouldn't let his mother think otherwise. 

Weird. Being friends wouldn’t even justify that you guys are fucking. 

You shushed away the tiny voice in your head. Iwaizumi’s mother extended her hand to you and you shook her hand. 

“Nice to meet you too, Hajime’s girl friend,” she chuckled and glanced over to his son. 

Iwaizumi let out a soft sigh, “Mom, please.” 

“I was just kidding, sweetheart. What’s your name, sweetie?” Iwaizumi’s mother asked. 

She looked friendly and so warm. There’s something about her aura that made you comfortable being around her. 

“Just call me Y/N, Mrs. Iwaizumi,” you smiled politely.

His mother’s smile reached her eyes, radiating positive vibes. “Alright, Y/N sweetie. I actually bought some takeouts. Please have some before you head back. Come on, let’s go to the dining room.” 

She said and took your wrist with her. You looked back at Iwaizumi and he just shook his head in defeat. 

“Just play along,” he mouthed. Your lips formed into a thin line. His mother seemed nice and you did not have the heart to turn her down. 

Well, a dinner wouldn’t hurt! At times like this, you weren’t sure whether your mom was already home or not. 

Mrs. Iwaizumi loved to tease her son a lot. Iwaizumi kept getting his ears red because of how much his mother liked to poke him around. You couldn’t help but stifle a silent laughter. He’d destroy you if you enjoyed this too much. Well, he already gave you a sign by glaring at you. Before he puts you in a headlock, you better take a step back just to be safe! 

Iwaizumi was not having it. Thank goodness his father was not around or else it’d be  double the trouble. His father’s overseas meeting spared him the headache. He kinda enjoyed the dinner but maybe there was no need to admit it to your face. You’ll gloat and he cannot afford another petty human being in his life. 

God knows how handful they can be at times. But to him, it almost felt like he had met his match. 

[iwaoiness]

As he opens his heavy suitcase to begin unpacking, Oikawa blinks in surprise when he finds the white and turquoise shirt neatly folded on top of all his clothes. It’s the Aoba Johsai uniform, but not his.

Where there should be a number 1, there’s a 4—big and gleaming.

Tooru unfolds it with trembling hands, letting out a wet snort. A note is attached to the fabric by a bunch of strips of transparent tape.

"Take care of it, idiot, and don't fill it with snot when you see it and cry.

I love you, and I want to see you conquer the world"

"Stupid Iwa-chan," he mutters shakily, his lips curving into a soft smile as his eyes, still swollen and red, begin to sting with the threat of tears again.

He feels like he doesn’t have a single drop left after the crying fit at the airport, and during the flight, and after landing, and during the ride to the apartment and when he was introduced to his teammate and roommate, Santi, who panicked, stumbling over his own feet as he rushed to grab tissues.

But then he realizes these aren’t the same hot, heavy tears, nor do they taste of salt and sorrow. They are warmer, lighter, and have no taste. These are tears of relief. Relief in remembering that the bond with Hajime is vast, immense—it doesn’t just bridge the distance that separates them now, it stretches across the entire universe. That Hajime wants to see him rise to the top, that love also means being proud of your partner and pushing them in the right direction, even if that means letting them go.

He takes off the shirt he’s wearing and slips on Hajime’s, feeling its warmth against his skin, loose around his shoulders. It still carries a faint scent of his favorite cologne—sandalwood and vanilla.

His phone, lying on the floor next to the suitcase, vibrates twice. Oikawa wipes his tears with the back of his hand and sniffs before picking it up. There are two messages from Iwa-chan, and Tooru hurriedly opens them, letting out a laugh as he reads.

hajime 🤎

u fcking asshole i hate u and love u sm

Attached is a picture of Oikawa’s shirt, with the number 1—big and gleaming—on top of the pile in Iwaizumi’s suitcase. There’s no note taped to the fabric with dozens of strips of tape, because Tooru isn’t that clumsy, but there is a small envelope clipped to the collar of the shirt. The note that was inside has already been removed by Iwaizumi, and it’s neatly folded on top of the shirt.

But Oikawa remembers exactly what he wrote.

"sorry if it's a little long on you, iwa-chan, not all of us are pocket-sized!!

i love u, and i can't wait to see u try to beat me"

It hurts like hell to be apart, it’s heartbreaking, like having your heart ripped out with force; but they do it because they know they’ll meet again at the top. They have a pride to protect, and that pride is each other.

...

idk how to explain this but i LOVE writing them when they're so far from each other and at the same time it hurts me sm

u can find me on my ao3 🍉

[moon4nge1]

- Tōru Oikawa Headcanons!!

✧ ☽ ✧

His Features/Expressions!

⤻ crow feet! -because Tōru smiles a lot, whether it be a genuine smile or a fake one, he’s developed cute little smile wrinkles by his eyes!

⤻ wears contacts -he prefers these over his glasses! His eye sight isn’t terrible, but he does have trouble from seeing far away. He started to wear contacts in middle school because a girl complimented how much cuter he looked!

⤻ genuine soft smile! -when he is actually expressing his true happiness, he isn’t showing of his broad smile. No, instead he goes for a more softer one. This is because he feels like it shows he actually means it!

⤻ rough hands! -Tōru spends hours upon hours in the gym. Constantly hitting the ball and perfecting his form. Over time his hands became littered with calluses, and they aren’t as smooth as they once were. But you don’t mind, because whenever they make contact with you, you can’t help but to fall more in love with his battered hands.

⤻ soft lips! -contrast to his hands, Tōru’s lips are super soft! He takes very good care of them, and doesn’t like it when they get chapped. His main motivation is for you to enjoy his lips against yours!

His Locker!

⤻ always filled! -there is never a time where his locker is empty! There’s always a couple of milk breads along with lover letters from admirers. A lot of times he gets really tired of having to clean out his locker everyday. He even went to the principal to secretly change his locker; his request was denied. His first rejection, he definitely cried that night.

⤻ pictures everywhere! -he takes pride in his team, even if he acts very childish to them. He dedicates a whole wall to team pictures ranging from: wins, losses (even if it hurts his ego), team hangouts, even practices! He even has a small photo of you, but denies it. He doesn’t need you teasing him more.

⤻ mirror, brush, and chapstick! -this man needs to look good. He needs the girls to chase him somehow! He definitely checks himself out during every passing periods. Iwa has hit him multiple times for making them late to class.

⤻ inspirational quotes -honestly he doesn’t even mind them. Even on his bad days, they only seem to upset him more. There was this one day he was so upset with himself he tore down the quotes; he ended up putting them back up after reading through them.

Lover Boy!

⤻ clingy!! -Tōru is a massive clingy person! Whenever he sees you in the halls or passing by your classroom; he can’t help himself and just has to give you a hug! He’s especially clingy at night, you can’t, for the life of you, pry his hands off of you!

⤻ protective!!! -with his growing fan base, he knows that it sometimes takes a toll on you. He tries his hardest to protect from the girls. The girls are not his only worry, the boys that surround you drive him insane! He once has to punch a guy because his hands became a little too adventurous for his liking. Let’s say you thanked him that night! Jdjd

⤻ “honey” or “y/n-chan” -he really loves to use ‘honey’ because it sounds like you guys are an old married couple. That’s his goal for your guy’s relationship; being an old married couple!! ‘Y/n-chan’ is only used when you are not giving him enough attention.

⤻ drama queen!!! -PLEASE THIS MAN IS JUST SO OVER THE TOP WITH EVERYTHING!! You won’t give him a kiss? He might actually cry. No hugs in the hallway? He will loudly express how hurt he is. No cuddles at night? Good luck sleeping! He’s so over the top, but you can’t help but to give into his tactics and love him more.

⤻ all-nighter dates>> -he still does take you out on dates during the day time, he just prefers when you stay the night kinda date! On days before matches, he’ll call you to come over. You guys will have tea and cuddle up together, while watching the upcoming rivals matches! Tōru will have his head on your shoulder as he points out the weaknesses of each member after rewatching the clip several times. “Honey are you getting bored of this?” He mumbled out, eyes never leaving the screen. “No baby, I enjoy doing this because you’re with me!” You whispered back, gently pinching his cheek.

©moon4nge1 - please do not steal, copy, or repost on any other platforms without my permission!

✧ ☽ ✧ ps. I had accidentally deleted my account! So I’m having to rewrite everything! If you had already saw this, then I would appreciate it if you liked it again! T-T

[sassycheesecake]

''All I Want Is You'' - Hajime Iwaizumi x Reader

A/N: During a hot summer day, this idea came to me while I almost suffered a heat stroke at the public pool.

Warnings: cursing

It is boiling hot in Miyagi, no doubt the middle of July not doing any favor to the volleyball team of Aoba Johsai. Training has been canceled due to the extreme heat and the teenagers are extremely bored, not a clue on what to do to kill some time.

Matsukawa, Hanamaki, Iwaizumi and some other members are sitting in the shade of a tree, trying to protect themselves from direct sunlight. The only person that is missing is currently their Captain, Oikawa.

„Ugh, it’s so hoooot.’’ Hanamaki groans in annoyance.

„What made you think that?’’ Matsukawa snorts as he fans himself with his English textbook.

Most of them have taken off parts of their uniform, only leaving them in their dress shirts and a lot of them have loosened ties.

Iwaizumi has his sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, wondering where his best friend is lounging around.

All of sudden, their misery was interrupted when Oikawa came jogging to them with a large grin on his face that screams trouble.

Standing in front of his teammates, he looks at them with excitement.

„Fellas, I know now what we can do to cool off!’’ The brunette proudly announces.

The team looks at him in annoyance but still waits for him to go on.

„A little birdie told me that the swim team is currently away in Tokyo for competition week, so that means the pool is unoccupied.’’

Iwaizumi looks incredibly skeptical and frowns at his best friend.

„Did someone shit in your brain? It’s off limits for non-club members, if someone catches us, we’ll probably get suspended.’’ The brunette warns him.

„Actually, I am in, even if it means I just get to dip my legs in the water for 10 minutes.’’ Hanamaki agrees with Oikawa.

The Ace is even more shocked now.

Hanamaki, Matsukawa, Yahaba and Watari all get up, ready to follow Oikawa to the pool.

Iwaizumi remains seated, not wanting to get in trouble with his teammates.

„Come on, Iwa-chan, live a little and come with us.’’ Oikawa tries to persuade him to come with them.

„No thank you.’’ He declines and makes his way to the school building.

„Just for fifteen minutes at least, come on Iwaizumi. Just 15 minutes and then we will leave.’’ Yahaba tries.

Iwaizumi ponders for a few moments, actually reconsidering his decision.

After a few seconds, he sighs and turns to the direction of his team.

„Fine. Just fifteen minutes and then we will leave. If someone catches us, I am going to hunt every single one of you down and choke you in your sleep.’’

Oikawa cheers, not being intimidated by his threat.

„Don’t worry Iwa-chan, I promise no one will be there. After all, the swim team is gone for the week, no one will be there.’’ Oikawa promises him.

Still, Iwaizumi can’t help but think this is a bad idea.

When they reach the gate of the pool, they look around, double checking no one is there and tries to open the door, only to find out it’s locked.

„God damnit!’’ Hanamaki curses.

„Well, it looks like the universe is trying to tell us something. I am going back.’’ The dark-haired brunette with the spiky hair bluntly states, beginning to turn around and walk back when Yahaba grabs a hold of him.

„Not so fast.’’

When the Wing Spiker turns around again to see Watari beginning to pick at the lock with some instruments he has grabbed from his bag, he widens his eyes at his classmate’s ability to pick locks, watching him as he highly focuses on getting the lock to open up.

After hearing a loud ‘click’ the gate unlocks and Watari proudly steps aside to push the door open with a smirk.

„Where… where did you learn how to do that?’’ Matsukawa asks in a mix between shock and awe.

„I was bored one night and couldn’t sleep, so I watched a YouTube tutorial on how to pick different kinds of locks.’’

Almost like wild dogs, everyone except Iwaizumi begins to run to the pool, taking off their dress shirts and pants to jump into the water.

Multiple people doing jumps cause a big splash of water to land on Iwaizumi and his uniform, almost drenching him to his underwear.

Closing his eyes to try and calm down, he reopens his eyes to watch a bunch of 18 year olds turn into five-year olds.

„Hajime, the water feels amazing! Come and join us.’’ Yahaba floats in the water like a log, looking like he is in bliss.

Sighing in defeat, Iwaizumi rolls up his uniform pants and sits on the edge of the pool to dip his legs in the pool water.

As soon as the cold water consumes up to his knees, he can feel the refreshing cold relaxing his muscles and the Wing Spiker leans his arms behind his back and feels himself relax.

The feeling is indescribable. He can feel his whole body cool off, the heat of the sun now barely noticeable.

It seems like time barely passed because Watari looks at his phone for the time and tells the group it’s already been fifteen minutes.

The boys all look at each other and it’s like they share the same thought of agreeing to stay longer.

„Let’s play Chicken Fight! Maki get on Matsun’s shoulders, Iwa-chan come on mine!’’ The Setter suggests with a gleam in his eyes.

„Chicken wars? What are you? 12?’’ Yahaba laughs.

„I am not getting on your shoulders Crappykawa, first, I don’t trust you, second, I played this last time I was 8 years old.’’ Iwaizumi declines.

Oikawa pouts at his best friend’s answer, turning to Yahaba again.

„Shigeru come on, don’t be a sissy.’’

Yahaba’s eye twitches in annoyance, nonetheless, he accepts the challenge.

„You’re on, captain.’’

Iwaizumi watches his friends with a small smile, happy that they can enjoy their time together before they graduate next year in spring and part their ways to different life paths. Some might stay in Japan, others like Iwaizumi are planning on traveling to the United States for becoming an athletic trainer.

„What the hell do you think you guys are doing?’’ A stern voice interrupts the fun of the rowdy teens.

All freeze, slowly turning around to the voice that cut in on their fun.

It is a girl, around their age, wearing the Aoba Johsai uniform, but she is missing her blazer.

The boys can’t help but gawk in amazement at the beauty queen standing in the sun, glaring at them while tapping her foot in annoyance.

„I locked that gate for a reason, you know. This pool is the property of the Aoba Johsai swim team only. Not for the volleyball team to cool off in or anyone else.’’

Oikawa finds his voice first.

„Well you see cutie-’’ You immediately interrupt him, your gaze gaining more stern.

„Don’t. Call me that.’’

„I give you all 30 seconds to get out of there before I kick your asses out of here myself.’’

As soon as you say those words, the rest of the team scrambles out of the water so fast that you don’t have to say it a second time thankfully.

You watch as they quickly get dressed again, not being fazed by their muscular bodies that glisten in the sunlight from the water.

Running past you, they quickly apologize, just leaving you and Iwaizumi now.

As Iwaizumi is about to walk past you, you say something that makes him stop next to you.

„Out of the bunch of you, I thought you‘d be the most rational person in this group and I admired you for that. Guess I was wrong.“

Taking a deep breath, Iwaizumi continues to walk his path, feeling guilty for breaking the gate open and probably causing you trouble.

He doesn’t see any of his team members, they probably scrambled away like startled cats.

Making his way home, the Wing Spiker can’t help but keep thinking about the words you said to him.

For some reason, he can’t help but think you look familiar. He has seen that beautiful face once or twice but he can’t figure out where.

You never told them your name but you were wearing the school uniform.

As Iwaizumi lays in bed that night, he makes it his priority to find you tomorrow and apologize properly to you, even if it means apologizing for his team as well.

The next morning, Iwaizumi gets to school earlier than usual, waiting by the closed gates in front of the school.

Extremely tired, he leans against the gate, waiting for students to show up. It’s barely light outside, the sun just showing its first rays of the day.

The sky does look beautiful though with just a hint of orange and red showing up on the horizon beneath the woods.

About thirty minutes later, more and more students show up but Iwaizumi doesn't spot you among them.

Finally giving up and not wanting to be late to morning practice, the dark brunette walks to the gym.

During three-on-three matches, the Wing Spiker can barely focus, messing up receives, slamming the volleyball into the net more times than he can count.

“What’s up with you today? It looks like you’re playing volleyball for the first time.” Kindaichi says to the Ace.

“I don’t know, something keeps bothering me but I can’t pinpoint it exactly.”

Having listened to their conversation, Hanamaki makes his appearance, swiping his sweat off his face with a towel.

“Sounds to me like you’re feeling guilty Hajime. Is this about the girl from yesterday?”

“Girl? What girl?” Kindaichi frowns in confusion.

“We broke into the swim club’s pool yesterday for cooling off and the manager that stayed behind caught and scolded us.” Matsukawa laughs.

Iwaizumi stays quiet, pondering if he should try again to look for you and apologize on his and his team’s behalf.

All of sudden, he feels a heavy arm wrap around his neck, startling him.

“Awwww Iwa-chan is in looooooove.” Oikawa taunts him.

Elbowing the Caption in the stomach, the Setter groans in pain, immediately letting go of him.

After morning practice is over, the third-years make their way to the classes, talking among themselves and laughing together.

Iwaizumi is walking next to Yahaba in the back, about to enter the classroom, when he sees a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye that halts his steps.

It was you.

You are putting a paper up against the poster board in the hallway, having a neutral look on your face as you put pins in the corner of the paper.

“Hajime, you coming? Maths is about to start.” Yahaba interrupts.

“Yeah… I… uh… I will be right in.” Iwaizumi says distractedly, making his way over you.

Yahaba shrugs, making his way to his seat.

The heart of the Wing Spiker begins to beat rapidly, he can feel his hands starting to sweat, his stomach doing somersaults, the closer he gets to you.

Last night, he practiced what he wanted to say to you, so this should be no problem.

Until it is.

As soon as he is close enough, his throat gets dry and his mind is blank.

What did he want to do again?

Fuck.

Sensing that Iwaizumi is standing there, not getting a word out with a face so red, you’d think his head is about to pop off.

Raising your eyebrow in confusion, you wait for him to say something but he stutters incomprehensible words out of his mouth, not being able to form proper sentences.

“You okay? You having a stroke?” You ask.

Iwaizumi has to calm down, before he actually gets one from all the stress his body is going through at this moment.

Clearing his throat, he finally finds his words.

“Listen. I am sorry about me and my team’s behavior yesterday. It was wrong of us to break into the pool, I hope you didn’t get into trouble.”

You stare at him for a few seconds, looking deep into his eyes, thinking if he actually means his apology or not.

His dark green eyes show certainty though, regret reflects among it.

“Alright. I forgive you. Thank you for having the courage and maturity to apologize personally to me. And I am sorry too. For indirectly calling you immature.”

Iwaizumi smiles at your apology and you can feel your heart skip a beat.

That smile really suits him, better than the frown he usually carries on his handsome face.

“May I ask for your name?” Iwaizumi rubs his hand against his neck. A small blush spread across his cheeks.

Giggling at his nervousness, you introduce yourself.

“My name is (Y/L/N) (Y/F/N). Class 3-C.”

In return, Iwaizumi introduces himself as well.

“Iwaizumi Hajime, pleasure to meet you (Y/N).”

Oikawa watches the scene behind the door frame, happy that his best friend managed to find you and has the courage to talk to you.

Nonetheless, he has to have fun poking the bear with a stick every now and then.

‘’You know (Y/N)-chan, Iwa-chan here has a weak spot for cute, nerdy girls that work for the swim team and would LOVE to have your number.’’

‘’SHITTYKAWA!’’

@rukia-uchiha-98 @wake-uptoreality @nerd-of-karasuno @darthferbert

[acchidocchi]

ok ok ok

student council president tooru being a scholarship kid at a very prestigious and expensive private academy. he and iwa-chan are best friends, both from lower-middle class backgrounds. tooru beat out ushiwaka for student body president— hates ushiwaka because the latter is the grandson of the current headmaster and in his brain is the epitome of a nepo baby LOL

traditional in the academy is for each third year student to be paired up randomly with an incoming first year to mentor and guide them. this is randomly done and the student president is usually exempt. HOWEVER irihata and mizoguchi ask tooru to participate to mentor one particular first year student

tobio is the grandson of the late former board member kageyama kazuyo who was renowned for building the academy up to what it was and creating opportunities for students of different socioeconomic backgrounds to enroll. tooru never met him but had deep respect for kazuyo as a benefactor of his policies!

irihata says: normally we wouldn’t do this but you have such an exemplary record here— and kageyama tobio is a delinquent. his public record was kept under wraps but he was never a good student; after his grandfather died he really fell into trouble. his sister insists he attended here and aren’t in a position to refuse. we think you are in the best position to show him the value of hard work and good character in the spirit of his grandfather, show him why this academy was something kazuyo-san cared about.

tooru ends up agreeing bc feels obligation to his teachers and kazuyo; so he ends up tutoring and trying to keep tobio out of trouble.

meanwhile tobio comes from a bad family situation; mom divorced father and left, dad died when he and miwa were young. distant relatives tried to get conservatorships over him and miwa to take their money but kazuyo protected them. kazuyo is the only person other than miwa he ever trusted and when he dies tobio trusts no one, especially not in the upper echelons of society. doesn’t see the academy as kazuyo’s thing, sees it as a status symbol and representative of everything he hates.

their relationship is characterized by: tooru thinking tobio is a bratty little bocchan who’s throwing everything away, yet never worked for anything in his life— tobio thinks tooru is fake as hell.

I GOTTA FINISH MY OTHER WIPS AND STOP FOLLOWING PLOT BUNNIES DOWN HOLES BUT. THERES DEF GONNA BE A SCENE WHERE TOORU GETS ATTACKED BY DELINQUENTS FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL AND TOBIO BEATS THE SHIT OUTTA THEM

[kushnovice]

Kyotani x reader

TW: Swearing, bullying, voilence, blood, hurt/comfort, fluff

(This is cringey. I made this years ago.)

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me that you were being bullied by the ugly twins!" Hajime yelled as he found out the real reason you are transferring to his school. (Y/n) sighed and rested against the wall behind her, "I didn't tell you because it started out as nothing but then when I couldn't hide the marks, the school found out." Iwaizumi couldn't believe what he was hearing from his little sister...she thought it was okay and the only bad thing about it was that she got caught. As much as Hajime wished he was able to control his emotions, he couldn't. His mind was lost with the image of his little sister with bruises and marks, it pissed him off. (Y/n) could see how angry he was as his knuckles were white from folding his hands into fists out of anger.

Toru, who was in the living room, listening to the conversation, had called Kyotani. "I have a job for you...yes you will get money for it...I need you to protect Iwa-chan's little sister...yes he has a sister...shes transferring tomorrow...for as long as needed...$100 dollars a week...i knew you'd accept, see you tomorrow at the front of the school." He hung up, humming a happy tune as he knew that Kyotani would keep her safe and that spending that money would do no damage to his wallet.

"It's not a big deal, I don't know why you think this is such a bad thing, it's been happening to me all my life and now suddenly you care. Why do you think mom and dad always switched me out of schools constantly." (Y/n) was fuming now as Iwa never cared about her so why does he suddenly care about her? Hajime was shocked to hear that he had genuinely no idea who his younger sister was. Of course, he always had loved her, but he was always more focused on his own life and playing volleyball than he was with his sister. She stopped bothering him after age 9 but he assumed that was because she was more into her own life, but he never took the time to learn about his younger sister.

Hajime didn't know how to express the things he was feeling or thinking so he just pulled her into a tight hug. She immediately started to cry as she had felt like her brother did not care about her but here, he was, rubbing your back as you sobbed on his shoulder. Since you fell asleep while crying, Iwa carried you to your bed and let you sleep. Oikawa had come out of his hiding spot in the living room when he heard your soft snores.

"I called Kyotani...don't get mad but..." Toru explained what he had done, "I know he's not the most stable person but hes the strongest at school and as much as people are scared of you...its nothing like how people are deathly afraid of him..." Toru had expected Iwa to get mad at him for it but shockingly Hajime loved the idea of someone protecting her when he was not around. "Well, I'm going to go, I'll pick you both up for school tomorrow. I'll send you pictures of the history homework since I know you haven't done it." Iwaizumi had smirked and nodded, "g'night, see ya tomorrow." he added as Toru left and he found himself in his bed.

(Y/n) woke up with a big stretch that caused her hands to hit the wall. "Fuck..." she muttered lowly as she got up and shoved her hand in her brothers face as he was knocking on her door every five minutes to wake her up for school. "Shut up I'm awake." She groaned as she grabbed her new uniform from the laundry room and then went to her room and changed into it. Her eyes and hair popped against the white and teal uniform that shaped her perfect body. (You're beautiful, okay!) As she was looking in the mirror at herself, she heard Toru's car honk and she rushed to get her jacket and shoes on as she saw Hajime getting into the car as she was running out the door. "Hey Toru!" (Y/n) smiled at him as he responded with a hello and a compliment on her outfit.

When they arrived at the school, there was an older looking guy with yellow hair and stripes in his hair. He looked kinda scary...but also kinda hot... As Toru parked the car, she was lost staring at him. She was never one for dating or guys at all, she enjoyed being alone, but something about him made her unable to look away at all. Haijime noticed this but pushed it to the back of his mind as he handed her, her bag as they got out of the car.

When Kentaro saw (Y/n), the world stopped and she was suddenly the only thing he could focus on as she walked closer and closer to him, with her brother and Oikawa by her side. "So, Kyotani this is Iwa-chan's sister, (Y/n). (Y/n), this is Kyotani and he is going to protect you when Iwa and I are not around." Oikawa smiled at her. "So, you got me a body-guard?" She asked as she noticed how tall he was compared to her and how imitating Kyotani was. Oikawa sighed and just simply nodded. "Well, it's nice to meet you Kyotani, I hope we get to know each-other well." She smiled at him causing a light blush to litter his cheeks and him to nod silently. Then she was able to meet the rest of the volleyball team, all day she was surrounded by the boys causing everyone to be genuinely terrified to talk to you.

After a few days, people stopped trying to surround themselves around (Y/n) and she was left mostly alone with Kyotani, which they both loved. As they were walking in the hallway, she started talking to him as always, "Sooo, what is your full name?" she asked curiously. "Kentaro Kyotani." he stated, "you can call me Kentaro." He blushed softly as he spoke but (Y/n) could not contain her blush from showing brightly on her face. "Okay, can I call you Ken?" She asked with a pleading smile as they walked into the gym. "Sure." He smiled a bit as he then hid his happiness as they were walking closer and closer to the team.

As (Y/n) and Kentaro were sitting on the roof, eating lunch and talking about anything and everything. "You guys have a game tonight, right?" Kentaro nodded, "Against Inarizaki." (Y/n) froze when she had heard the name, she would have to see her bullies again. "Are you alright?" Kentaro asked, pulling her out of her daze. "Yeah..." she sighed and started to sink into herself knowing that she had no way out of it. As the day neared an end, the more anxious she got. Kentaro had noticed this as she was biting at her nails and lips. Kentaro decided to ask her about it as she sat on the ground next to him as he was stretching for practice. "Why have you been...weird today?" Kentaro asked, not really good with emotions. "Well, it's just...the twins on that team...well the whole team actually...they bullied me which is why I transferred here." (Y/n) muttered, feeling unsafe again.

Kentaro placed his hand softly on hers, "I will not let anyone hurt you ever again." He said it with such confidence that it melted way the anxiety. Her face burnt bright red as she nodded a bunch, her heart beating out of her chest. Kentaro smiled softly and let out a small chuckle, seeing how much of an effect he had on the younger girl.

As the game started and the bleachers were filled with fans, (Y/n) stood with the team manager, ready to hand water to anyone who needs it but preferably Kentaro. As the other team joined Aboa Johsai on the court, the team-mates spotted (Y/n), smirking and started taunting her from across the gym causing her to sink into her seat until she saw Kentaro step in front of you on the court with a deadly glare at them. As the game went on, Kentaro was hitting perfectly and extremely hard, so hard that their libero can't pick it up. After winning point after point, they destroyed the other team with dangerous energy radiating off of them. Kentaro ran up to (Y/N) and pulled her into a hug by the waist and took the water bottle she was holding and drank it. "You did amazing Ken!" (Y/n) smiled brightly and hugged him tightly but seeing the Inarizaki team glaring at her. "Thank you." Kentaro smiled at her and drank the water before gathering with the team. (Y/n) then ran off into a bathroom and into a stall as her heartbeat increased and her body started shaking violently with her mind thinking the worst. As she began to cry the door opened as well as the stall, "Well well well...look at the ugly pathetic little bitch, what a crybaby." Atsumu shoved her back into the side of the toilet causing her to hit her head and for it to start bleeding.

Kentaro was looking around for you as they lined up, when he realized one of the twins wasn't there and so he ran off, passing Atsumu and shoving him back with his shoulder as he ran into the bathroom and saw (Y/n) bleeding on the ground. He softly picked her up and sat her on the sink as he wet some towels and gently cleaned her head. "Who the fuck was it." He muttered; anger laced in his voice. She looked down and muttered softly, "I don't know..." "Thats bullshit!" His voice getting louder and deeper as he became angrier and more frustrated. She started crying and breaking down causing Kentaro to warp his arms around her, "I won't let them touch you again..." He muttered, his voiced now laced with concern and care. "Why do you care so much? My brother is paying you to watch me..." She continued to cry softly on his shoulder until he softly pulled her away and looked at her in the eyes, "You're much more than that to me, you are the only person I feel happy with." Kentaro confessed. "You're the only person who makes me feel safe..." She also confessed and leaned in softly. Kentaro leaned in as well, closing the small gap between them. She has expected his kiss to be rough, but it is soft and passionate, tasting like vanilla. After they pulled away and hugged each-other, (Y/n) muttered, "It was Atsumu..." Causing Kentaro's grip around her to tighten and him to nod.

As Kentaro and (Y/n) walked back to their team, holding hands, all eyes were on them. (Y/n) sat down next to Hajime who immediately saw the blood on her head and started asking many questions. Kentaro slipped away to the other side of the gym where he tapped on Atsumu's shoulder before punching him in the face and breaking his nose. "If you ever touch my girlfriend ever again, I will make sure your twin has to help you do everything for the rest of your life." Kentaro glared at them with all the anger he had been holding back and the blood of Atsumu dripping down his hand.

"She's mine."

[oranoyaora]

mended

ii. in tooru’s eyes

ft. oikawa tooru

warning(s): fluff, angst, a little hurt w/ no comfort

tags: childhood friends to strangers(ish) to lovers

notes: here’s part two! @multi-fandom-fanfic I hope you enjoy :) (mended ch. list)

I was nine when I had first met you.

Iwa-chan took me to your house. He introduced me to your mom. However, out of the corner of my eye, I saw you just slightly peaking your head out from the entrance to the kitchen. Your mom told your brother to introduce you, and you disappeared into the kitchen. Iwa-chan looked for you and called your name out before you creaked open the pantry door, and revealed yourself.

Pretty. That was my first thought when I saw you. I found it cute that you were shy. I asked your name, and you said it. My inner space nerd got the best of me. I don’t know how I did, but I thought your name was as awesome as space and aliens. Now that I think about it, it was kind of embarrassing to go off on tangents about space right after first meeting each other.

I noticed that you were staring intently at me, and you became embarrassed and hid away behind the door again. Iwa-chan teased you for being so shy. All I did was smile and offer my hand out to you. I asked if you wanted to go out and play with your brother and me. You slowly peeked your head out and glanced at my hand before taking it in yours. Iwa-chan got protective over you, and you made a sassy remark back at him, making him calm down. I miss holding your hand...

I was twelve when I realized my feelings for you.

It was my first game of the season during my first year of junior high. My nerves were getting the best of me. I had been looking forward to this game, but the doubts about my ability were pulling me down. Of course, you noticed this. You were always perceptive despite never verbally expressing your observations.

You... raised your fist and brought it down onto my head. I remember dramatically crying out, asking why you did that to me. You gave me an unimpressed look as I tried feigning ignorance to the reason of you bonking me on the head. You then harshly flicked my forehead, making me yelp out again. You told me to stop doubting myself. You said five words that have stuck with me ever since then. I have faith in you.

My view of you changed. You were the first to have believed in me. I still beat myself up for not having valued that enough throughout junior high and high school. But it was what made me start to like you more than just a friend. I should have confessed my feelings, but I was too much of a coward to do so. I couldn't ruin what we already had.

I was seventeen when you had first met him.

You probably wondered why no one would ever confess their feelings to you or ask you out. That was my selfish doing. Yes, it was hypocritical of me because I had dated that one girl. But I did that to try and forget my feelings for you. Obviously, it didn't work out, which I'm honestly grateful for. I just couldn't stand the thought of you loving someone else, so I scared away any admirers of yours.

But somehow, he managed to slip through the cracks and slithered his way into your pure heart. Don't get me wrong, he seemed like a nice guy and made you happy. However, my thoughts of jealousy and pettiness made me thoroughly resent the guy. I didn't want him stealing away my best friend, the person I love. I didn't want him knowing you the way I had gotten to know you.

You welcomed him with open arms. I couldn't do anything. I didn't want to ruin the happiness you had gained from him. I should have confessed to you back in junior high. Maybe it would have prevented the ache I had been feeling in my heart. But I loved you too much and couldn't destroy your happiness.

I was eighteen when I left you.

After graduating, I planned to go to Argentina to pursue my career in volleyball. You, of course, supported me. A small part of me wanted you to tell me not to leave, and I honestly would have dropped it for you. But why would you do that? You were never selfish in that way. Your kindness is what made me fall in love with you.

You and your brother dropped me off at the airport. It was easy saying goodbye to him, but you? I'm pretty sure we didn't even verbally exchange an actual goodbye. I really didn't want to let go of you. It was difficult. You were crying and held onto me tight.

I don't know why, but I placed my lips on your forehead. Maybe it was the closest form of intimacy I could have with you since you were already with someone else. Or... maybe it was my way of trying to let you go. I really miss you.

I was twenty-three when you told me of the... news...

Your face beamed through the screen. I felt... bitter. I wanted to throw up. I could feel my insides twisting and my heart felt like it was going to drop into my stomach. How selfish I was. I wanted to be happy for you, but my true feelings nearly got the best of me. I masked them with my playful demeanor. But even so, I selfishly made a dig at you. I teased how you were never one for marriage.

It might have been a joke, but I know you. You would actually sit back and think about it, and even second guess yourself. You knew there was truth in my words. I shouldn't have given you a hard time about it, but it was so hard not to. I had to force my congratulations off my tongue. I wonder if you knew how sincere I was being.

Instead of every day, our calls became every other day, then to once a week, and now sporadic. The practical side of me knew it was because we were pursuing our careers, so we naturally became busier. Another part of me knew why the distance between us intensified. You being engaged shouldn't have changed our relationship, but it did.

I had been the one that put the distance between us. My schedule had conveniently gotten busier, giving me an excuse to not facetime you. I honestly could not stand seeing him whenever he was in the frame when we were talking, so our facetime calls became shorter and shorter. It pushed me to prefer calling you and not seeing your face.

... I really ruined it, didn't I?

[atrashcanraccoon]

OHHHHKAY Y'ALL

here's my little iwaoi fic thing that's been rotting in my drafts and it's high time i throw it into the depths of the internet abyss so here goes nothing

for context, this story was inspired by this one text convo i had w one of my best friends about confessing to my crush. i didn't go ahead w the idea irl bc it turned out that he was an asshole but this fic was born out of it so yeah.

all mistakes are mine alone.

happy reading!

-d

p.s. (might put it up on ao3 if i'm able to get all the parts out)

(⁠/⁠¯⁠◡⁠ ⁠‿⁠ ⁠◡⁠)⁠/⁠¯⁠ ⁠~⁠ ⁠┻⁠━⁠┻

Iwaizumi Hajime would be the first person to admit that he was an absolute goner for old-school romance. Unlike his best friend who is completely content with texting about schedules or dates or scheduled dates (ugh), Hajime knows in his heart that he'd rather give handwritten letters and write poetry (even though he's not very good at it) for the person that he likes.

Luck (or ill-luck, depending on how you see it) has it that the person he likes (likes? loves?) just so happens to be the aforementioned best friend, Oikawa Tooru.

Now, the thing is.

The thing is, if you’d ask Hajime how long he’d been pining after Oikawa, he’d give you a vague answer, mostly because he actually couldn’t tell you for sure. Ever since he met Oikawa as a child, Hajime’s been prone to head and heart aches. Then again, he’s always known that Oikawa is just different for him. Others might have had friends that they’d drop for anything, but for Hajime, Oikawa was the one truth that he’s always tried to protect and support.

There is his simple truth. Iwaizumi Hajime loves Oikawa Tooru.

×

Lunch was usually a very chaotic affair for the third-years of the volleyball team.

Oikawa would come sauntering in after half of the recess is over because “you can’t make me disappoint my fans who love me and are waiting to catch a glimpse of the great Oikawa-sama~”; Mattsun and Makki have their weird creepy perverted flirting thing that they do that puts off everyone’s appetites on the better days; and Hajime is just trying to eat his damn food like the only sane person around (at this point, he’s plenty sure that he’s the only normal guy in his admittedly small friend group).

Lately, though, Hajime has been plagued by bouts of insanity, or so it seems because he can’t see any other reason why he feels like boiling the captain of the Seijoh basketball team alive. Although, Hajime thought, it might have something to do with how the basketball bastard keeps staring at my Tooru- I just hope I don’t call him Tooru to his face again-

The last time that happened, Hajime had considered leaving Aoba Johsai for Shiratorizawa, never mind how infuriating he found Ushiwaka to be. He loved Tooru, obviously, but even that love didn’t stop him from being annoyed with all the trilling that Oikawa did- “Tooru, huh? My, my, Iwa-chan, how awfully bold!”

In all honesty though? Hajime just knows that if he had to fight the goddamn basketball bastard, namely one Handa Chikao for Oikawa’s hand, ridiculous as it sounds, he would do it with no hesitation.

This sort of vindictive streak was almost non-existent in Hajime, only spiking up when he felt that all of Oikawa’s time was being monopolised by his fangirls and occasional fanboys. He didn’t mind the usual throes of people, god knows he gets how they feel, but when there are just way too many of them circling Oikawa like pests, Hajime can’t help but feel jealous and pissed off (not that he’d ever tell Oikawa about it).

Then happened the Nice Kill Incident™ (as dubbed by Mattsun&Makki).

It was a beautiful afternoon and Oikawa was being accosted by his usual set of fans who were busy offering him cookies and cutesy letters and some daring ones who shyly gave him confession letters. Hajime didn’t pay them any heed; he’s seen this same scene for three years now, he's figured out not to give any shits.

He walked ahead and called out to Oikawa, without turning back, “When you’re done with whatever you’re doing, come and have your lunch- skip it and I'll punch you.”

He pointedly ignored Oikawa’s indignant squawk.

When Hajime was sure that Oikawa had gone back to humouring the crowd, he kept sneaking glances at the other, lips twitching into a smile. He could feel the smile slip off his fwce when he caught sight of the basketball team captain making a beeline towards Oikawa.

The same bastard who had the nerve to insult volleyball as a game, Hajime’s team and Tooru’s superior capabilities all in one breath last month. Call him prejudiced, but Hajime knows that it’s sort of unbelievable that someone could have this huge of a whiplash— shitting on Tooru’s brilliance and then being completely besotted by him in seven goddamn days.

If Hajime was a lesser man, he would’ve given in to his urges and decked that little bitch across his smug face— okay what the fuck Hajime calm down this is not you— but he is, unfortunately, a decent human being and he had to desist. At that moment, he noticed Oikawa’s tired sigh and resolved to do something.

Tooru took one look at Handa Chikao coming his way and sighed tiredly.

Dear God, not today— I neither have the patience of Iwa-chan nor enough sleep and if he insists on being an asshole, I might just serve a volleyball at his face.

“Handa-san, it’s a rare sight seeing you head my way without any insults at the ready.”

The creepy smirk presented that close to his face was tempting Tooru to wring Handa-san’s neck, but alas, Tooru wasn’t willing to damage his reputation as a model student, so there goes that idea.

“Well, Tooru-kun, why would I-”

Yeah, that was it. Five words in and Tooru zoned out, occasionally hearing parts of the other boy’s monologue. Normally, this method works but somehow, Handa-san kept taking small steps closer to Tooru and it bugged him to no end.

For the love of God, someone serve a volleyball at him, he’s making me uncomfortable, hell, I’ll do it mys—

The next thing Tooru saw was Handa-san crouched on the ground holding his head, a stray volleyball to his side and one extremely irritated Iwa-chan who looked like he could pound someone into pulp that very second.

Very hot. Tooru approves.

Tooru covered up a relieved smile as he felt Iwa-chan place an anchoring hand on the small of his back. Iwa-chan’s eyes seemed to ask, are you fine?

Yes, always, when I’m with you.

Handa-san’s voice interrupted their telepathy and Tooru couldn’t swallow the irked tsk that made itself known.

"If you'll excuse me now, Handa-san, I should be heading to class," said Tooru, his eyes flashing barely hidden annoyance, "Come on, Iwa-chan, we're getting late."

As they walked through the hallways, Tooru's eyes caught Hajime's and both of them let out a relieved chuckle.

"You know, I wasn't sure if I wanted to back off or break his face."

"Never mind that now, what's done is done."

"Sooo Iwa-chan- what was it with the volleyball? I know you're a brute but I didn't think it extended to Handa-san as well."

"Quit talking shit, Shittykawa-"

"Were you jealous? Is that what it was about? Huuuuuuh??? Wait- Iwa-chaaan- why are you running away?"

Remember when Hajime said he's in love with Tooru?

Yeah.

It's at times like this he wishes he could forget that fact and fling Oikawa into the sun and hope for the best.

That embarrassing bastard (he was right).

ᕦ⁠[⁠ ⁠◑⁠ ⁠□⁠ ⁠◑⁠ ⁠]⁠ᕤ

end of part 1

[dark-mnjiro]

can i uhhhhh get uhhhhh some iwa-chan # 5, 7, 14

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

Sweater Weather - The Neighborhood

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

He’s always characterized as such a protective man. Big beefy muscles, protecting his SO and I just 🥰

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

GYM RAT CLOTHES 24/7

[vannahfanfics]

Kings of the Court

Word Count: 7065

Character Study, Drama, Angst

Summary: Five times Tobio Kageyama went to Tooru Oikawa for advice, and the one time Tooru thought him worthy of receiving it.

Here���s my story for the @oikagebigbang​! Art will be linked when posted~

“I hate him.” 

It was a mutter, barely more than a breath, but Tooru still glanced furtively around to make sure no one heard him. When no one immediately scolded him, he breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, his resentful admission, however quiet, had been lost amidst the cacophony of athletic shoes squeaking against the gymnasium floor and the shouts of Tooru’s teammates. Not a few of them were cries of praise for their newest team member, one Tobio Kageyama—the object of Tooru’s animosity. 

The term “upstart” had never applied to anyone as much as it had Tobio, at least in Tooru’s mind. 

Just look at him, Tooru seethed silently as he watched the first-year move across the court. Perfect posture, keen eyes, sheer precision—the kid was blessed with natural talent. All of the other members of Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High—and their coach, too—saw a ticket to the upper echelons of middle school volleyball fame in Tobio. Not Tooru. 

No, all Tooru saw was a threat.

“He could have gone for anything, but he just had to go for setter,” Tooru grumbled. “The nerve.”

Tooru had busted his ass since day one in order to claim that position. He was rightfully protective of it; not just anybody could be a setter, the arguable crux of the team. Of course, he knew that someone had to train to be a setter to take over once he graduated. The simple fact that Tobio wanted to be a setter wasn’t what bothered him. 

No, it was the fact that Tobio was so stinkin’ talented that he could very easily steal the position from Tooru. The notion of having to play back-up for some usurping freshman boiled Tooru’s blood. He wouldn’t have it. He would not have it! He did not come this far only to have his dreams dashed by some naturally gifted punk with a silver spoon in his mouth!

“Careful, or you’ll give yourself an aneurysm,” came Hajime’s voice from beside him, and Tooru looked just in time for his best friend to flick him in the artery that was bulging in his forehead. 

“Can it, Iwa-chan,” Tooru sniffed sourly, reaching up to rub at the throbbing blood vessel. “I’m not in the mood.” 

The blood vessel pulsed against his fingertips; despite the very tempting option to keep stewing in his own vitriol, Tooru knew that he should calm down. This wasn’t good for his blood pressure. So, despite himself, he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. In, out. In, out. In, out. Gradually, the anger bubbled away. Tooru thought he would feel better. Instead, he just felt hollow. 

His eyes watered as he watched his teammates crowd around Tobio to gush over yet another display of his stupid God-given talent. It hadn’t even been that impressive, but they were over there acting like Tobio was already an Olympian. Since Tobio had come around, nobody praised Tooru like that anymore, not even their coach. No, it was just, “See, Tobio? Do it like that, and you’ll be a starting setter in no time!” 

“If you’ve got time to sulk, you’ve got time to practice,” Hajime huffed and tossed a volleyball at Tooru. 

Tooru barely managed to react with his reflexes so dulled by his roiling emotions, but he was able to save himself the embarrassment of being smacked in the chest with the ball; a clumsy catch was still a catch, after all. He hugged it to his chest and pouted dourly at Hajime. 

“‘M not sulking,” he said defensively. “I’m just…” 

“Brooding?” Hajime sneered, and that stupid smirk made Tooru want to lob the ball at his face. Hajime would respond in kind, however, and Tooru’s eyes were already stinging. He didn’t need his whole face to burn thanks to some up-close and personal contact with a volleyball. So, he begrudgingly followed Hajime to an empty corner of the gym. This was a song and dance that they had done many times; Hajime seamlessly fell into position, waiting for Tooru to set for him. 

He’s right, though, the cunning bastard, Tooru thought with a wry smile. I’m not going to keep Tobio from taking my position by moping about it. I need to prove that I’m way more valuable than he is! It wouldn’t kill Hajime to be nicer about it, though. 

But, tough love was better than no love at all, Tooru reasoned. He was grateful that his best friend, at least, cared more about him than going ga-ga over the freshman. Tooru would have been shocked if Hajime had gone all starry-eyed, anyway; there was no question that Hajime preferred Tooru’s sets above all else, so he probably wasn’t exactly keen on the freshman clinching the position of starting setter, either. This was Hajime’s way of saying that he had no intentions of abandoning him in favor of the newest model. That fact was some comfort to Tooru, and he couldn’t waste his friend’s sentiment—as disguised by a sharp tongue as it was. 

Tooru sucked in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and took a moment to ground himself. He concentrated on the ball in his hands, feeling the bumps and ridges against his worn palms, until the turmoil of his mind subsided. All of his frustrations and fears fell away until nothing was left but cool, calm clarity; his breathing evened, his heartbeat slowed, his body unwound. The rest of the world echoed distantly in the background. All Tooru need concern himself with was the ball in his hands and Hajime, awaiting the set. 

Tobio Kageyama might have been born with an abundance of natural talent, but there was one thing that Tooru had over him yet: years of blood, sweat, and tears. Tooru also had stubbornness in spades. If Tobio wanted to claim the title of starting setter for himself, then he would have to wrest it from Tooru by force. Because Tooru Oikawa was the king of this court, and he ruled it with pride. 

“Oikawa-san, do you have a moment?” 

Tooru was grateful that he was facing the locker, for the scowl that twisted his face was too instinctive to even think of suppressing. It had been a month now since Tobio had joined the team, but Tooru found him no less grating. Tobio seemed blissfully unaware of Tooru’s bitterness—whether by sheer obliviousness or a carefully crafted façade, Tooru had yet to determine—and it made the situation all the more irritating. It was really the one thing that prevented Tooru’s resentment for the kid from fading: the fact that Tobio had the audacity to ask Tooru for advice on how to basically usurp his own damn position! 

Tooru bit back a groan of irritation before grumbling, “Yeah, what?” The question need not asking; Tooru knew damn well that there was only one reason for Tobio approaching him at the start of practice. 

“I was hoping that you’d set some time aside after practice today to drill sets one-on-one with me. If you’re not busy, of course, senpai.” 

Ugh, Tooru knew deep down that it was his own acrimony coloring his perception, but damn, did it sound like Tobio was taunting him! 

“If you’re not busy,” he says, Tooru thought haughtily. He makes me out like I’m some jerk that won’t put aside the time for his juniors! As indignant as he was by the presumption (probably of his own making, but Tooru didn’t really want to listen to the reasonable side of himself right now), the very idea made him nauseous. Though his coach had assured him that he had no intentions of replacing Tooru as the starting setter, they were just empty words as far as Tooru was concerned. Coaches did everything they could to maximize the team’s potential to win; that was just the reality of competitive sports. 

There was no room for niceties or sentiment. If Tobio surpassed Tooru, then Tooru could kiss his hard-won position goodbye. It was the cold, hard truth. And so, Tooru was going to do everything possible to keep that from happening—even if that meant giving his underclassman the cold shoulder. 

“Sorry, Tobio-kun,” Tooru sighed. The small level of guilt that his conscience provided him made him seem regretful. “I’ve got a pretty big examination tomorrow. I’m afraid that I’ll be hitting the books as soon as practice is over. Perhaps another time.” He didn’t dare look at Tobio, instead pretending to rifle through his locker for his socks, which were sitting directly in front of his face and thus obscured from Tobio’s view. 

“Oh, I understand, Oikawa-senpai.” 

Oh, but do you? Tooru thought sourly. He obviously didn’t, if he had the nerve to ask Tooru to practice setting. He continued to fake searching through his locker until he heard the last of Tobio’s steps fade with the clang of the locker room door; then, he released the sigh he had been holding. The tail end of it morphed into a startled yelp when someone slapped their hand down on his shoulder. 

Tooru whipped around to see it was Hajime, who was wearing an even grumpier glower than usual. 

“Come on, Iwa-chan, ‘m not in the mood to be scolded,” Tooru pouted, then shrugged off his hand and turned to face him. 

“Oh? The fact you realize that you need to be scolded is even worse than what I’m about to scold you for,” Hajime huffed while crossing his arms. “It’s been a month, Tooru,” Hajime said, raising his voice over Tooru’s petulant whine. “The kid might have natural talent, but he’s got a long way to go before he’s got any hopes of surpassing you. Besides, it’s not like he’s actually got any intentions of stealing the starter position from you. What’s the harm in playing a good mentor, huh?” 

“You answered your own question, Iwa-chan,” Tooru countered matter-of-factly. When Hajime raised an eyebrow, Tooru rolled his eyes and sighed, “He can surpass me, even if it’ll take him ten years. Why should I help him along the way? There’s no benefit in it for me. And, though it galls me to admit it, he’s got way more natural talent than I do. Who knows what’ll happen if I take him under my wing? When he goes flying, he’ll rip mine right off. The only place for a wingless bird is the bench.”

Hajime was right, and Tooru knew it, deep down—all odds considered, the chances that the coach replaced him as starting setter with Tobio were frankly slim. But there was a chance, one that depended entirely on the unknown variable in the equation: Tobio’s potential. There was no telling how high this kid could go, and Tooru sure as hell wasn’t about to steal the red carpet from his road to success just to roll one out for Tobio. If Tobio was really destined to surpass him, then the kid would have to do it like everyone else: claw his way up the mountain with his own bare hands. Because Tooru wasn’t going to help him up one bit, not even an inch. 

“Hah! How is it that you make jealousy and paranoia sound so reasonable?” Hajime smirked, and Tooru frowned resentfully at the dismissiveness of his laugh. But it was just Hajime’s sarcastic humor; a gleam had taken up residence in his eyes, indicating that he was quite fired up about Tooru thinking so far ahead. Tooru’s grand ambitions had always fueled Hajime’s own, after all. 

“Well, I still think you’re kind of being an ass,” Hajime chuckled while punching Tooru lightly in the shoulder, “but that’s pretty on-brand for you. I guess I can get behind the whole ‘not-helping-your-rival’ thing.” 

“How can you insult me and validate me at the same time?” Tooru pouted while rubbing his shoulder. He wasn’t really that delicate, but Hajime had a bad habit of underestimating his own strength—he probably thought it was a love tap, but he’d kind of socked Tooru a little bit, the freakishly strong bastard. 

“It’s just one of my many talents,” Hajime winked at him. “Now, come on!” he said while impatiently nudging at Tooru’s foot with the toe of his own. He whirled on his heel and started marching toward the door; Tooru hurried to catch up with him. As they walked into the gym, Tooru couldn’t help but scan the room until he found Tobio. Why he punished himself like this, he didn’t know—but he did. 

As usual, the coach and upperclassmen were showering the boy in praise for the latest showcase of his talent. Tooru didn’t know what was worse—the idea of Tobio insufferably preening under all the compliments or the fact that he, in reality, completely ignored the lauding and just keep practicing. Tooru himself probably bought into his teammates’ compliments a little too much, but the notion of just brushing them off entirely struck him as a little… haughty. 

Tooru forced his gaze away from Tobio, tugging at his hair with a scowl. He had to stop spending so much time and energy fixating on the kid, as Hajime reminded of him again and again. It would amount to nothing but driving himself crazy. 

If he’s gonna surpass me someday, then so be it, Tooru resolved as he stooped down to scoop up a stray volleyball from the floor. He spun it in his hands as he straightened back up, and the longer he looked at it, the more his eyes gleamed with determination. There’s nothing more I can do than to make sure I fight tooth and nail against it. Sorry, Tobio-chan—you picked the pettiest person on this team to make a rival of. 

It may not be right. It definitely wasn’t nice. But such was the climb—on the harsh, unforgiving mountain of sports stardom, you couldn’t help others at the expense of yourself, or you’d end up buried beneath the cold snow, forgotten in the dark. 

Tooru Oikawa wasn’t going to end up like that, at least not without a hell of a fight. 

“He’s watching me again, isn’t he?” Tooru growled at the feeling of eyes boring into the back of his head. It was a feeling he’d become way too accustomed to—the rise of the hairs on the back of his neck and the prickle in the base of his spine. All because Tobio Kageyama couldn’t take a goddamn hint and had resorted to watching Tooru like a hawk in order to learn how to be a setter. 

Sure enough, when Tooru cast a discreet glance over his shoulder, he saw Tobio a ways behind him—perfectly executing the jump serve he’d just performed. That little shit. 

“Come on. The year’s almost over. Does he have to keep spying on me?” Tooru whined as Hajime ducked under the net to bring him back the volleyball. “Coach has already promised him the position of starting setter next year. Would it kill him to take it easy?” 

“Hah! Would you?” Hajime challenged as he held out the volleyball. Tooru took it from him with a dour pout. 

“Well, no, but that’s because I’m me,” he grumbled. He then squeezed the volleyball with both his hands and stomped his feet a few times. “Grrrrrrr! It pisses me off so bad! I had to bust my ass to be starting setter second year! Tobio-chan just waltzes in, dazzles everybody with his stupid God-given talent, and is handed it on a silver platter! It’s so unfair!” 

Hajime just watched Tooru rant with a blank expression. Once he was finished, he huffed, put a hand on his hip, and squinted disdainfully at Tobio, who was none the wiser to Tooru’s tantrum. 

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think The Little Prince out there is gonna make it very far as a setter.”

“The Little Prince?” Tooru asked. 

“Yeah. He’s kinda got a snooty air about him, don’tcha think?” his friend frowned. He motioned with his chin at Tobio, who was performing another jump serve. “I dunno. He just gives me a vibe like… he thinks he’s in a class of his own. Like everyone else on the team would be worthless without him—the setter.” He then turned to Tooru, his frown deepening. “It’s not like how it was with you. You were reluctant to use your position as setter to bring out our talent because you were scared we’d outshine you.” 

Tooru just looked miserably at his feet. If anyone else had said it, it probably would have pissed him off. However, this was Hajime, the guy who knew him probably better than he knew himself. In Tooru’s earlier days as a setter, that was very much true—and it had been Hajime who made him realize that the entire point of being a setter was bringing out the strengths of everyone around you, and that in turn would make him shine all the brighter. 

“This guy, though…” Hajime huffed with a deep frown at Tobio. “I don’t get the same vibe. He acts like he’s a king, and we’re just the knights who exist to serve him. He’s not worried about anyone outshining him; he doesn’t think anyone can.” 

“That’s an awfully eloquent analysis, Iwa-chan,” Tooru smirked wryly. Jokes aside, what Hajime said made sense. Perhaps that was a big part of what irked him—that undercurrent of perfectionism that Tooru had already begun to see bubble at the surface within Tobio. It didn’t take him long to start ruthlessly picking apart his teammate’s technique and performance—even the upperclassmen’s. And it grew worse by the day; there were already grumblings within the team that the coach had made a mistake in choosing Tobio as the starting setter for the upcoming year. 

“Tch. I just say what I see,” he shrugged in response. “‘Sides, he ain’t a king yet, just a little prince tryna act like one. Speaking of—incoming.” 

Hajime made a hasty retreat to the other side of the net, and Tooru whipped around just in time to see Tobio approaching him. Sweat glistened on his forehead and his breath was slightly labored from his intensive solo practice. He held the volleyball tucked under his armpit as he used the hem of his tee-shirt to wipe at the bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. 

“Do you have a moment, Oikawa-san?” 

No, Tooru wanted to say, but he bit down on his tongue to keep the unkind dismissal from coming out. He had to tread the fine line between believable indifference and being just plain ugly, at least when the coach was so close by. 

“What is it, Tobio-chan?” 

“Coach is going to make me starting setter next year,” Tobio said, and Tooru couldn’t refrain from wrinkling his nose at the very evident pride in the younger boy’s voice. “I wanted to ask you for advice.” 

“Sounds to me like you don’t need any, if Coach has that much faith in you,” Tooru shrugged. “What advice could I possibly offer you at this point?” 

More accurately, what advice could I possibly offer that you would actually listen to?

“Just because I’ve been chosen as starting setter doesn’t mean that I don’t have room to improve,” Tobio answered while idly spinning the volleyball in his hands. “I know my technique isn’t perfect yet. I’ll take any advice you have to give, Oikawa-san.” 

Despite the indignance burning inside of Tooru, he could at least give the kid credit for not growing complacent upon his achievement. Tobio’s drive spooked him, yeah—but him thinking he was all hot shit once being named setter would probably piss Tooru off far more. But Tobio was still thinking about things the wrong way, and that made Tooru’s eye twitch in irritation. 

A little prince with no regard for the importance of those around him… It sounds like Hajime really hit the nail on the head. It didn’t take a crystal ball to see that things were going to quickly go south come the start of next year if Tobio didn’t get his act together. Not that Tooru was going to tell him plainly; teamwork was a lesson that one could only learn on their own. Plus, that would be throwing his rival a bone, and Tooru didn’t wanna chuck Tobio so much as a tooth. That being said, Tooru had to say something, if only to try and spare the rest of his underclassmen just a little bit of grief. 

“Here’s my advice to you, Tobio-chan: think carefully about what it means to be a setter,” Tooru said while crossing his arms and raising his head slightly in a gesture of lofty importance. “Does the setter work for the team, or vice versa?” 

“Think about what it means to be a setter…?” Tobio echoed, his eyes slightly narrowing while he considered Tooru’s cryptic words. “I see… It’s not just about technique; it’s about ensuring that the rest of the team follows through…” He put one hand on his chin as he began to mutter under his breath, a bunch of half-formed thoughts and mumbles that Tooru really didn’t care to listen to. 

As Tooru whirled on his feet, Tobio momentarily snapped out of his thoughts. He glanced at Tooru, eyes wide, and quickly said, “Thank you, Oikawa-san; I have a lot to think about.” 

“Don’t thank me, Tobio-chan,” Tooru quipped back, his eyes glittering as he peered at Tobio through his peripheral vision. With a small smirk, he continued in a soft hum, “I haven’t done anything. It’s really all up to you, where you go from here.” 

And if you find yourself all alone, Tooru thought as he turned back around and headed across the court to Hajime, it will be no one’s fault but your own. Hajime’s right about you. Nothing I say right now would sway you. You’ve already put the crown on your head, but you’ve no idea what it really means to rule a court.

It’s just a matter of time before you learn that a castle can so easily come crashing down around you if you’ve built it with no pillars—because there’s no person in this world who can be a fortress all on their own. 

“All right! That’s enough for the day,” the head coach barked, prompting Tooru to straighten up from his setting position and swipe the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead. “You know how it goes—first-years are on cleaning duty.” 

“Ahhhhhh!” Tooru exclaimed gleefully as he flounced up to Hajime on the sidelines, who had crouched down to tie his tennis shoe's loose laces. “I’m so glad that we’re second-years now! Cleaning duty is such a pain.” 

“Tch. Yanno, shit like that makes you seem like such a pretentious asshole,” Hajime huffed. He straightened up, crossed his arms, and rolled his eyes. “Oh, wait, I forgot—you are.” 

“Aw, you’re so mean, Iwa-chan,” Tooru pouted at him. “I’m merely enjoying my just reward for enduring a year of paying my dues. Surely, there’s no pretentiousness in that.” 

“There is in the way you do it,” Hajime scoffed and started walking toward the locker rooms. 

“Iwa-chaaaaaaaan,” Tooru wheedled while shuffling after him. Just as he was reaching out to tug on the back of his tee-shirt, he saw movement in the corners of his eyes and instinctively looked; what he saw made him stop in his tracks, for he was utterly puzzled. 

Tobio Kageyama had just walked through the door of the gym. His eyes were scrunched in a slight squint as he looked around, presumably for Tooru. Why else would he show up to the end of Aoba Johsai’s practice, if not for his former team captain? Tooru’s theory was all but confirmed when Tobio finally clapped eyes on him, and his slightly uncomfortable expression morphed into one of delighted recognition. 

“Oikawa-san!” he called with a wave of his arm over his head; without waiting for an answer, he began to jog over. 

Hajime had literally just walked through the locker room door, but upon hearing Tobio’s voice, he walked out backward and squinted at the approaching middle-schooler. 

“Eh? What the hell is the Little Prince doing here?” he mumbled right before Tobio came within earshot. 

Tooru hadn’t the faintest idea. He only gave Hajime a wide-eyed glance of bewilderment and shrugged. 

“Oikawa-san,” Tobio puffed as he came to a stop in front of Tooru, making him turn back and raise an eyebrow. 

“Long time, no see, Tobio-chan,” Tooru remarked and appraised him with a quick once-over. He’d grown in the past year—physically, anyway. Tooru crossed his arms when he raised his gaze back to Tobio’s face. He didn’t want to waste time on small talk and pleasantries; best to get straight to the point. So, he just quirked his brow higher and asked in a smooth, cool tone, “What brings you here?” 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Tobio blinked at him. “I came to ask you for advice, Oikawa-san.” 

Tooru’s eye twitched at Tobio’s chilly response. Ohoho, looks like you really have changed, Tobio-chan, he thought while trying to keep his face from curling into a scowl. All that accomplished is making his widening smirk seem less amused and more murderous. 

“Advice, huh?” Tooru said with a hum, his voice slightly high-pitched from the effort of trying to keep it level. His rage was simmering just at the surface because Tobio had changed; there was some kind of imperiousness to his demeanor that hadn’t been there before, one that made it seem like he was demanding an answer from Tooru rather than asking. And Tooru would be damned if some self-important upstart was gonna order him around. 

“The year’s barely started, and you’ve already hit a wall so high that you had to come running to your former senpai for help? Must be a tough riddle to crack indeed, Tobio-chan.” 

“It’s not that serious,” Tobio huffed defensively, and Tooru couldn’t help but feel a little spark of glee that he’d gotten a rise out of his junior so easily. “I’d just appreciate your perspective, as the former setter for the team.” 

There it is.

“Ah, so it’s the team that’s the problem, is it?” Tooru guessed. His insight apparently threw Tobio a little off-guard, for his eyes widened slightly. “Let me guess—you want advice on how to make them perform better because, in your opinion, they aren’t doing well enough.” 

“Exactly, Oikawa-san,” Tobio gasped in an eager breath, his eyes wide and nodding enthusiastically. “They just can’t match my sets, no matter how many times I tell them how they can improve, and they don’t take matches seriously. I’m the setter, they’re supposed to—” 

“I’mma stop you right there,” Tooru snorted and held up his hand. Tobio immediately clamped his mouth shut to bite on his bottom lip while he stared intently at Tooru. Oh, he looked so eager to hear Tooru’s wisdom, the poor thing. 

The thing was that, even if Tooru said it, Tobio wouldn’t hear it at all. He had that crown so snug on his head that it covered his ears. 

“I’ll give you the same advice I did when I left Kitagawa Daiichi: what does it mean to be a setter?” Tooru said, slowly lowering his hand to tuck it back against his other arm against his chest. “What is it that the other players are supposed to be doing for you, hmm? And what are you supposed to be doing for them?” 

“I don’t understand, Oikawa-san,” Tobio frowned, his brow wrinkling in confusion. “Surely, you must know that I know the answer to that question already. Why do you think I’m doing what I am?” 

As Tobio just gazed at him in utter bewilderment, Tooru experienced one of his rare moments of humanity: he felt bad for Tobio. He really did. Sure, he didn’t want to help the kid surpass him—but right now, he wasn’t looking at Tobio as a volleyball player. He was looking at him as a person, and it made him sad because he knew that Tobio was in for a world of pain. 

And there wasn’t a damn thing that Tooru could say that would change that. Tobio had long since left the station, and he was on a collision course with reality. When it would hit, Tooru couldn’t say—but he could scream all he wanted for Tobio to stop, and it would amount to nothing. Tobio couldn’t hear him over the piercing whistle of his own self-importance. The only thing that Tooru could do as his senpai was let him learn the hard way and hope he emerged better for it. 

“If you know the answer, then your skills as the setter aren’t the problem, are they?” Tooru smiled wanly and threw up his hands while shaking his head in a “beats me” gesture. “And if you aren’t the problem, then there’s not any advice I can give you.” 

“Hmm. I guess you’re right, Oikawa-san,” Tobio murmured, pinching his chin and looking down at the gym floor as he fell deep into thought. After several seconds of consideration, he flicked his gaze back up to Tooru. “Well, I appreciate it anyway. Sorry for wasting your time.” He dipped his head in the slightest rendition of a bow, and then he was walking away, marching towards the gym exit. 

The only person’s time you’ve wasted is your own, kid. I have advice, but you won’t listen, Tooru thought as he watched Tobio walk away, his smile drooping a little. Really, it was sad, the tunnel vision that Tobio had locked himself into. It was worse because Tooru knew that Tobio had no chance; he was more far gone than Tooru ever was. Tooru could pull a Hajime, knock him upside the head and yell at him all day long, but he knew that Tobio would just call him a jealous asshole and let it go through one ear and out the other. 

Tobio was alone, and he’d stay that way until he learned that it’s not a crown that makes a king. 

It sure is a long way to fall when you place yourself completely out of reach, huh, Tobio-chan?

Tooru knew he should get going, but there was something about the warm spring evening that made him linger. Lounging on a bench, he craned his neck back to watch the sunset dye the cloudy sky in hues of red, orange, and gold. The colors of a crown, Tooru thought with a slight smirk. It was like the sky had absorbed it—soaked up the pigments of the diadem that had so ruthlessly been knocked from Tobio’s head and shattered to a million pieces on the gymnasium floor. For the little prince who so desperately wished to be a king had finally looked around and found his castle cold and empty. 

Ah, but Tooru wasn’t really that sentimental. The sunset was pretty and the spring breeze invigorating, sure—but that’s not what made Tooru stay. No, it was the inevitable that led him to remain outside this long-empty gymnasium. Empty, save for one lost soul looking for where he went wrong. 

“Oikawa-san…”

Tooru didn’t pull his gaze from the saturated sky as Tobio’s shadow fell over him. The boy lingered for a moment, shadow shifting over Tooru as he awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to another; then, he stiffly sat down on the bench next to him. It was only then that Tooru tore his gaze from the heavens, peering out of the corners of his eyes at the boy who’d been thrown viciously from its golden heights. 

“I didn’t know you came to watch,” Tobio murmured. He was hunched over, hands clasped tightly between his spread knees. The golden light of the fading sun made the white knuckle bones glaring beneath his skin look even more prominent. 

“I was in the neighborhood.” 

“In the neighborhood…” Tobio echoed. His voice was so soft that it seemed like the breeze had carried it away. After several seconds of silence, Tobio released a bitter laugh and hung his head. “I’m sorry you had to see that.” 

“Me too.” 

The spontaneous admission surprised both of them, though Tooru didn’t allow his shock to show. He kept his face impassive aside from a momentary widening of his eyes, while Tobio’s head snapped back up to stare owlishly at him. Despite it being something Tooru never thought he’d admit aloud, it was the truth, and so he didn’t attempt to correct himself. He just gazed levelly at Tobio, waiting for the walls he’d erected around himself to finally crumble. 

As they fell, tears sprung to Tobio’s eyes. He hastily dropped his head so Tooru wouldn’t see; even in utter defeat, the boy still clung to his pride. Tooru didn’t know if that was pitiful or admirable. 

“Oikawa-san, I…” he whispered. He could hide his tears all he liked, but he couldn’t conceal how they thickened his voice and made it tremble. He’d unclasped his hands and was now clutching tightly at his knees; his fingers dug more into his skin as he choked out, “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Melancholy quickly morphed into anger, and Tobio quickly lost all notion of hiding his tears. He whipped his head up to scowl at Tooru, and the blaze in his black eyes made his tears shine. 

“You knew! You knew this was going to happen, and you let me do it anyway! Why didn’t you say something? Why didn’t you—”

“Would you have listened?” Tooru interrupted. Though Tobio seethed with anger, Tooru was unperturbed; with his elbow propped on the arm of the bench to hold his cheek in his hand, he just regarded Tobio with hooded eyes and a slight purse of his lips. “If I’d told you that this would happen, would you honestly have taken me seriously?” 

Tobio’s rage evaporated as quickly as it came. Tooru watched it melt from his body, his shoulders sagging and his expression drooping. Just as his bottom lip began to tremble, Tobio hung his head again and uttered a broken, “No...” 

“I didn’t want to watch you do this to yourself,” Tooru sighed, closing his eyes as he pressed the fingers of his free hand to his forehead and shook his head slightly. “You should know by now that I regard you as a rival, Tobio-chan. I’m not going to hold your hand or help you climb to the top at my own expense.” 

He cracked an eye open to peer back at the dejected boy, and his mouth twitched down into a frown. 

“But I’m not the type of person to trip you on purpose, either. I didn’t say anything because I knew you wouldn’t hear me. If I’d’ve thought otherwise, I would have.” 

“You’re right,” came Tobio’s hoarse whisper. “I’m sorry, Oikawa-san. I just… I’m so disgusted with myself…” He pressed his hand to his face and whimpered, “Where am I supposed to go from here? I can’t give up, but I don’t know how to move forward… Please, Oikawa-san…” 

“You don’t know where you went wrong, do you?” 

Tooru smiled ruefully when Tobio just miserably shook his head. 

“I know I mistreated them, but… I just wanted the team to be the best it could be,” Tobio sniffled. “Why can’t they see that? It’s my job as the setter to make sure that we win no matter what, right?” 

“If you’re asking that question, Tobio-chan, then you’re still not quite ready to hear any advice I have to give,” Tooru sighed and shook his head again. “Take some time to think about it: what it means to be a setter. And when you think you have the answer, come back. Let that be your way to move forward.” 

Tobio didn’t protest, or whine, or throw a fit. Instead, he just nodded. When he lifted his head, however, that determined gleam that had always made a home in his eyes had returned. Tooru took that as his cue to leave. 

I’ll probably end up regretting this, he smirked to himself while languidly rising from the bench. He paused to stretch his arms above his head, and then he looked back up at the blazing sky. But… If your road to victory is easy, then it doesn’t really mean much, does it? 

Tooru slipped his hands in his pockets with a soft sigh, then began walking. 

Do some thinking, Tobio-chan… so that the next time we meet, the crown you wear is one that is given, not one that is imposed. Show me that you know what it means to rule… so that we can face each other as real kings of the court. 

“Please help me, Oikawa-san!”

Tooru tried not to, but he couldn’t help it; he took some sickened sort of delight in watching Tobio bow before him and plead for his assistance. He just had to immortalize the occasion. What kind of twisted little sadist would he be if he didn’t capture this moment so he could lord it over Tobio forever? You weren’t a real senpai if you weren’t at least a teeny bit cruel to your kouhai after all. After snapping his little trophy, Tooru giggled and put his hands on his hips to lean slightly over Tobio. 

“All right, all right. I’ll hear you out. But first, answer my question, Tobio-chan: what does it mean to be a setter?”

Tobio straightened up to glower at him. Tooru didn’t begrudge him for it; he’d certainly bruised his pride, after all. However, as he considered Tooru’s question, his expression slowly relaxed into one of calm clarity. 

Oh? Maybe he’s finally figured it out, Tooru thought, raising his eyebrow as a little smirk danced on his lips. 

“The role of the setter is to bring out the best in the rest of the team,” Tobio answered slowly. He was still a little unsure of himself; it was a question that had plagued him for many months, after all, and Tobio still had some growing to do. But he had grown, Tooru could see—and despite everything, Tooru was glad for that. 

“To use their individual strengths and compensate for their weaknesses so that the team works as a unit to accomplish a goal… A setter is only as strong as those around them. That’s what you’ve been trying to tell me all along, right, Oikawa-san?” 

“Bingo!” Tooru trilled. “I knew you could get it through that thick head of yours!” He knocked on Tobio’s skull, and the ravenet flinched away with an irritated huff. 

“Look, I let you take your stupid picture and answered your question, so will you listen to what I have to say, now?” he whined. 

“Yes, yes, I did say that I would,” Tooru sighed magnanimously. “What’s the problem with you and Shouyou?” 

When Tobio explained it, Tooru couldn’t help but palm his face in secondhand embarrassment. How could Tobio be so dense, even after finally learning his lesson? 

“Tobio-chan, you’re acting like a dictator, you know?” he sighed, and Tobio winced at the accusation. Tooru knew the turn of phrase would rub salt in an old wound, but it was kind of necessary to get Tobio to see what the issue was here. With a huff, he dropped his hand to his face and jabbed Tobio in the chest with his index finger. “You’re not the one in control of the quick attack. Shouyou is. And if you refuse to let him evolve the technique, you’re just holding both of you back.” 

“Shouyou’s… in control?” Tobio echoed, his eyes slowly widening. 

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? A setter is only as strong as those around them. You claiming that the quick attack is ‘perfect’ is a direct contradiction to that statement,” Tooru challenged. “It’s this kind of stubborn mentality, this obsession with your being right and ignoring anything your teammates have to say, that got you in trouble at Kitagawa Daiichi. If you refuse to change the attack, Tobio-chan, you’ll be on a slippery slope back to the King of the Court moniker you resent so much.” 

Tobio pressed his lips into a thin line and glared firmly at Tooru. He then slowly dropped his gaze to his feet. Tooru realized that he might have pressed a little too far, so he decided—for one time and one time only—to throw Tobio a bone. 

“Tobio-chan, there’s one thing in particular that holds you back,” Tooru sighed softly. “Once you get past it, not even the sky is the limit for you.” 

“But you can’t tell me what it is, right?” Tobio joked, looking back up at Tooru with a wry smile. “It’s a lesson that I have to learn on my own.” 

“Look at that. You have learned something,” Tooru smirked. 

“You’re a real hardass sensei, you know that?” Tobio sighed, but his smile only widened. “But… I guess I still have to thank you, Oikawa-san. I’m not there yet, but… I’m finally ready to listen.” 

“Make sure you do, because this is the one and only time I’ll be giving you advice!” Tooru huffed and held up his index finger emphatically. “From here on out, I’m only gonna look at you as a rival I need to crush mercilessly! You’ll get no more leeway from me!” 

“Bah! I’m gonna be the one to crush you!” Tobio asserted, bristling. 

By the time Tobio left, he was good and fired up. Tooru couldn’t help it, after all; it was so easy to get under his skin! But, for better or worse, Tooru much preferred Tobio to be determined than to be defeated. Crushing an opponent with no will just wasn’t fun. 

Welcome back to your throne, Tobio-chan, Tooru thought as he watched his junior’s form grow smaller and smaller against the city backdrop. This time, I’m glad to say you’ve earned it. 

Now… let’s see which of us is the true king of the court. I can’t wait. 

[iwaoiness]

Hajime is home

Iwaizumi's lying on the three-seater sofa, legs up and Takeru's little body on the soles of his feets, laughing and holding tightly to Iwaizumi's safe hands as he swings his little legs and shouts with laughter "I'm an aeroplane, uncle Iwa! I'm flying high and high!"

And Tooru, on the floor, leaning against the one-seater sofa, his legs tucked in and his head resting on his arms crossed over his knees, smiles lovingly. His ears are delighted by the mixture of his nephew's laughter and Hajime's laughter.

He loves how Iwa-chan has always been part of his family, how they have grown up sharing two fathers, two mothers and an older sister. He loves how, in fact, Iwa-chan is family, how he relates his name to that, to home, to warmth, to protection.

To salvation.