"Damn it, Oikawa. Where'd you go?"
Tracking down his setter wasn't Iwaizumi's favorite part of his vice-captain job description, but it was still something he found himself doing often enough. Besides, if he didn't do it, nobody else on the team would. Really though, how long did it take to get some water? Iwaizumi just hoped that a group of his fangirls hadn't gotten a hold of him, because he did not have time to search the entire gym complex. They were supposed to start warming up for their game soon.
Iwaizumi gave out the occasional distracted "'scuse me" as he moved through the crowds of people, peering over heads in search of that dumb cowlick that Oikawa insisted was intentionally styled. He was so distracted by looking for Oikawa and thinking about what he'd do to his captain once he actually found him that he almost missed it. A small voice, one he probably wouldn't have heard over the other many voices around him if he hadn't been passing so close by.
"I can't," the voice shook with obvious nerves. "I have to get back to my team. They're expecting me."
Off to the side of the hall, Iwaizumi could see that two players had a girl backed up and basically cornered against a wall. He tried to place the school that the green jackets belonged to, but was drawing a blank. All he could remember was that they never seemed to make it past the first round or two at regional tournaments. But Iwaizumi frowned when he saw the girl they'd cornered try to step away only to have her path blocked again. Oikawa would be fine on his own for another few minutes while he took care of this.
"Hey!" The way he barked out the word made one of the players flinch before they both turned to look at him. Putting on his best stern vice-captain look, Iwaizumi asked, "What do you think you're doing?"
The guy that had flinched had the good sense to look willing to give up and leave, but the other and taller of the two made it a point look down at Iwaizumi as he said, "We're just talking. Isn't that right?"
Iwaizumi looked down at the girl who had her back pressed against the wall. She was small enough for him to wonder if she was even in high school, but she was wearing what looked like the typical manager's uniform and had two full water bottle carriers in her hands. Iwaizumi tried not to sound as harsh as when he'd spoken to the players as he asked, "Are these guys bothering you?"
Yachi had no idea what to do. She was just trying to help the team by filling up their water bottles. Now she was trapped in the hall by giants who were saying nice things with scary smiles. What did they want with her? Were they going to kidnap her? Sell her into some human trafficking ring? She couldn't be sold! She had to get the water bottles back to the team! Words were hard to find and her tongue refused to work the way she wanted it to whenever the giants asked her questions about what school she was with and how old she was and if she was really a manager. Her breath was coming so quickly that she was starting to get a little lightheaded when another voice caught the attention of the two who had her cornered.
She watched the exchange between the three boys wide-eyed and doing her best not to let her legs shake too much. But when the boy who'd come to question the other two looked directly at her and asked her something, Yachi could hear the bottles shake in their carries as her hands began to tremble at her sides. 'Scary,' she thought. 'Wait, he asked me something! What did he ask me?!'
Iwaizumi watched the little manager girl practically shake in her sneakers as she blinked up at him rapidly and opened her mouth only to have a few choked squeaks come out to answer him. Maybe his gentle approach could use some work after all. Sighing as he reached up to rub a hand against the back of his head, Iwaizumi looked back at the two players who were now much more focused on him than the girl and said, "Look, she's obviously busy doing stuff for her team. Leave her alone and go hit on girls who don't look ready to bolt."
The taller player looked like he was getting ready to talk back when his friend shoved him in the shoulder and whispered less-than-subtly, "Dude, look at his jacket. Seijou."
The little smirk Iwaizumi allowed to slip onto his face was one hundred percent team pride and had absolutely no sadistic undertones. Nope. Not at all. And when the two players finally walked away with a huff and a few grumbles that Iwaizumi decided to ignore, he definitely did not have to repress the urge to laugh at the effect his school's powerhouse reputation could have. Once the two were a fair distance down the hall, he looked back at the little manager who still seemed to be frozen in place.
"You okay?" Iwaizumi asked. Honestly, she looked a little pale. When she only continued to stare at him without saying a word, Iwaizumi genuinely began to wonder if the guys he'd run off had hurt her. "Hey, are you alright?"
Finally snapping back into the moment, Yachi took a deep breath and bowed quickly as she answered, "Y-yes! I'm fine! Th-thank you very much!"
Iwaizumi drew back a little as he was suddenly being yelled at very politely and looked around to see that several people had stopped to stare. "Yeah," he told her even as his cheeks warmed at all of the looks they were getting. "Just be careful walking alone around here, yeah?"
Yachi looked up at the volleyball player who had saved her and nodded her head seriously, "Yes!"
"Hitoka-chan," a soft voice called from down the hall to catch their attention. "Are you finished filling the bottles?"
Iwaizumi and Yachi both turned to look at the newcomer and both blushed at the pretty girl approaching them.
"Is everything okay?" Kiyoko asked looking between Yachi and Iwaizumi. She knew firsthand how boys could get at these tournaments.
"Everything's fine!" Yachi answered happily before holding up her full carriers. "And I got all of the water."
"Good," Kiyoko smiled down at her first year manager-in-training before turning and motioning for her to follow. "The team is warming up now, so we need to get back."
Yachi nodded enthusiastically and took a few steps to follow after her upperclassman before she stopped, turned, and nodded in thanks to Iwaizumi one more time, this time with a smile that wasn't tense with nerves. Not completely, at least.
It was only when the girls were walking away that Iwaizumi got to read what was on the back of their matching black jackets. 'Oh,' he thought.
Karasuno High School Volleyball Club
They were set to play Karasuno next, and if their warmups had already started, that meant he needed to find Oikawa and get back to their team fast.
There really wasn't any nice way to put it. Iwaizumi felt like shit.
Losing was always hard. It always sucked. But it didn't usually leave him feeling this utterly defeated, this bitter. Maybe it was because he felt responsible. Maybe it was because this had been it, their last chance at nationals in high school, and now it was over. Iwaizumi really didn't give a damn about why he felt this way, only that he did and he wanted it to stop.
"Okay, everyone," Oikawa called in that fake cheery voice that usually irritated Iwaizumi but now it just made him feel sick. Because no matter how chipper he tried to sound, you didn't need to have known him for years like Iwaizumi had to hear how tired and disappointed he really was. It didn't take being hyper-observant to notice the red rimming his eyes even as he forced that gross smile. "Let's get back to the school so that we can have a meeting about the game, and then you can all get home for some rest!"
The rest of the team agreed with lackluster enthusiasm as they gathered up their bags and made their way towards the bus that would take them back to school. As Iwaizumi grabbed up his bag and Oikawa's, he felt two hands clap him on the back and didn't need to look up to know that it was Hanamaki and Matsukawa. He didn't want to look at them right now. He had to tighten his jaw and his grip on the bag straps just to keep the tight ball of emotion in his chest firmly where it was. He wasn't going to cry again. Not in front of the team. He'd save that for later when he was at home. Maybe have another bout of it when he barged in on Oikawa later to make sure his best friend didn't wallow too much.
Because this was it. The end of their high school volleyball careers, the end of their time together as a team. He, Oikawa, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki had played on the same team for years, but now most of them would be going to different universities. If they all kept playing through college and ever met on the court again, it would likely be as opponents. And sure, that might be fun and new at some point in the future, but it wasn't what he wanted right now.
They were almost to their bus when the doors to the gymnasium opened with an amount of cheering that had him twisting his bag strap with renewed force. He knew it was Karasuno before he even looked. Part of him wanted to be angry that they were so happy when he felt so shitty - and part of him kind of was - but he couldn't begrudge them too much. They'd won after a hell of a game.
But when he caught the eye of the little manager that he'd helped and she was smiling so bright and genuine, Iwaizumi still couldn't find it in himself to smile back, couldn't even fake it. And when her smile fell just the slightest and he realized that it was because of him, he actually groaned and kicked himself all the way to his seat next to Oikawa.
Great. One more thing to beat himself up about.