Iwaizumi Hajime is, undoubtedly and across the board- Team Mom. It's in his worrying, his care, his uplifting speeches. Even the way he walks and talks is reminiscent of a middle aged woman.
Mattsun and Hanamakki bet it's been living with Oikawa for so long that's got Iwaizumi like this, years of slapping him over the head and telling him to go to bed on time is how Iwaizumi got conditioned into it. There is, of course some merit to this, Iwaizumi remembers taking care of him for as long as he can remember.
Grade 3 is the first year Oikawa and Iwaizumi get walkie talkies. Plastic little things that rely on double A batteries and have peeling rubber after only one week in use. Every use is preceded by a five second (they counted) crackle of static that usually had half of their sentences lost in the airwaves.
But that's all the pair of eight year olds needed, a pair of cheap walkie talkies, a system of blinking their lamps for goodnight, and an extremely well taken care of volleyball. There's a drawstring bag in the corner of Iwaizumi's room that holds bandaids (for Iwaizumi's knees, he never used to bandage them up, but Oikawa almost cried when he once fell out of a tree. It was pretty much useless because Iwaizumi wasn't even bleeding, they put it over a bruise) one of those laundry sticks for stains (because Oikawa almost cried when he got some dirt on his favorite alien shirt) and a small alien keychain (for when Oikawa cries- which is too much, how did Iwaizumi become friends with such a girl anyway?) that they use for adventures right next to Iwaizumi's bug catcher.
It's a pretty great summer. Yeah, Oikawa kept insisting on tossing around the volleyball, and yeah Iwaizumi couldn't care less about it, but he's caught a lot of bugs. Every adventure they go on is a new place, it's pretty fun to find new fields or wander down the grocery store isle. Oikawa's sweaty hand constantly clutching Iwaizumi's is pretty annoying, but after a few years he's gotten used to it.
Really, Iwaizumi is starting to realize how much he has to do for his apparently incompetent neighbor.
It's only eight at night, but they're young and Iwaizumi's already washed up and ready for bed. Oikawa and him had parted ways for the night a few hours ago and the Sun had just barely set, a few phantom colors leftover from the sunset still lit the sky.
It's a nice night and Iwaizumi is ready to snuggle even deeper into his dark blue comforter. The smell of conditioner clings to his hair, the scream of crickets and a tired drag on his eyelids lulling him to sleep. Now, if it weren't for the constant crackle coming from the corner of his room.
The walkie talkie keeps making a static sound before going silent again. According to the hands on his big clock it had already been five minutes since it started. Iwaizumi has thrown the sheets off of himself, stomped across the white carpeted floor and almost picked up his walkie talkie to tell his Mom that it's broken five times already. That's like- once every minute, if he did the math right (and Mrs. Amori tells him he's real good at maths).
Except now the crackle that comes through, and has Iwaizumi running across the room, is ended with a quiet and unsure "Iwa-chan?" and oh great, because that's Oikawa's scared voice. Really he's already spent the whole day with Oikawa, they skipped rocks and Oikawa picked flowers (what a baby, but… it's kinda cute) what more could he possibly want?
"What," he can't stop the growl (whine) that come through his tone. His fingers clutch, barely squeezing all the way around the yellow walkie talkie as he squats on the far side of his room. The noise comes through again, and Iwaizumi counts to five in his head waiting for the message to come across. Except Dumb-Kawa forgot about the noise and has apparently already finished his sentence as the only words that get through are a "-right? Please?" and Iwaizumi has to struggle not to hit his forehead. He didn't even hear what the other said but it's bed time, and Iwaizumi appreciates his schedule thank you very much, he does not need to be asked favors at this time of night.
He pushes his chubby fingers against the button and feels it press down before counting to five in his head, he lets the noise pass on the other end and then says exasperatedly "Kawa-chan, I only got the last part," sounding a lot like his mother when he wears his shoes in the house, and then chastises "Ya gotta' wait five seconds 'member?"
The returning cackle comes and goes and then silence on the other end (although he can pick up a whispering threee, ffouur-aa, ff-eyefff) and again, Iwaizumi can feel the urge to rub his forehead. He's only eight but he's pretty sure he's gained at least some wrinkles up there. Then another silence before Oikawa rambles whatever it is he's talking about on the other side.
"So I know you like bugs so I didn't wanna kill ya' see? But I can't sleep with it there Iwa-chan, I'm sorry, but I can't tell Papa 'cause he'd kill it, 'n I didn't wanna have to tell you in the mornin' that I killed a bug. Pleaasee Iwa-chan you gotta' help me? You'll do it right Iwa-chan?" It takes a second to comprehend but when it does Iwaizumi understands the gibberish that Oikawa is trying to tell him. "Kawa-chan," he sighs, he appreciates the effort of not killing the bug, but really Oikawa could let it go himself. Ha, what a thought, Oikawa touching a bug.
Instead of telling him off Iwaizumi presses the button, waits five seconds, promises to be over and then slips on his slippers and grabs his bug catcher.
Down stairs his Mom and Dad are still up, flipping through paperwork on the kitchen table and murmuring quietly to one another. Iwaizumi's footsteps are loud as he clambers down the carpeted stairs and into the kitchen. His mother looks up first, a chastisement to go to bed on her hips before she takes in his bug catcher and walkie talkie.
His Mama is really smart, she's working on college and working, he's not sure why she wants another degree in college but Papa says to he's proud of her and so Iwaizumi is too. It must be her smarts that lets her take in his appearance and understanding washes over her face quickly. Then again how often this happens could be a tip off as well.
His Mama smiles softly and then asks "Did little Kawa-chan have a bad dream?" and his Dad looks up as well, concentration still on his face. Iwaizumi stares for a moment before quickly shaking his head 'no' and then clarifying "He's got a bug in his bed and he didn't wanna touch it," which, in the Iwaizumi household, is an acceptable reason to skip curfew.
His father's forehead lines smooth out as he pushes up his glasses and asks "Are you going to spend the night?" and Iwaizumi doesn't understand why they're interrogating him, but shakes his head 'no' again.
They tell him to be careful, and to come back soon.
It's Oikawa's big sister who answers the door. Looking down skeptically at his mismatching light up tennis shoes and pajamas. The bug catcher in his hand has her raising an eyebrow questioningly "It's a little late to be bug hunting Iwa-chan," and while Iwaizumi loves her, wishes he had a big sister too, he can't help but be annoyed at how know it all she is since she became a preteen.
Iwaizumi has to shake his head for the third time that night and explain his situation. Her features soften slightly and she opens the door up further and lets him in before shutting it against the warm humidity of summer.
While he slips off his shoes he feels the cooler air wash over him, it's night time but the air conditioning is still blasting. She doesn't need to direct him upstairs because at this point Iwaizumi's got it and he hurries into Oikawa's room.
It's a little funny to see Oikawa huddled up with his alien blanket across the room with a bright pout on his face. When he looks at Iwaizumi slipping into the room from the bright hallway into the darkened room it's a look of salvation. Wordlessly Oikawa points vaguely at his bed and Iwaizumi wants to roll his eyes. He already knows where the bug is, but Oikawa likes to feel helpful.
He has to set his walkie talkie down on the desk by the door but he slowly approaches Oikawa's bed with his net and see's a buzzing whitefly- completely harmless. Quickly he scoops it up into his net and hurries across the room to where Oikawa is waiting to shove open the window and set the bug free. The motion is fluid and when Oikawa shoves the window closed again Iwaizumi wants to protest at how practiced they have gotten.
"I can't believe you couldn't have gotten it yourself Ba-Kawa," he grumbles (pitches in a whiney voice) and begins to grab his walkie talkie. A hand stops his wrist and he looks over to a trembley lipped Oikawa, and feels like the floor is pulled out from under him.
Oikawa cries a lot (a lot a lot) so hypothetically Iwaizumi should be used to it, but every time he's unprepared and doesn't know what to do. He grabs Oikawa's hand into his and asks panicky "Kawa-chan? Don't cry, please? I didn't mean it, it's just a joke you're actually really smart," he tries to reassure and Oikawa only grips harder (and ow it's starting to hurt).
Oikawa's brown curls shake hurriedly and he whines in a pitchy voice "Wh-what if it comes back?" and his eyes look really, really big. "Iwa-chan you gotta stay with me!" this time he demands it but he's really small looking and Iwaizumi feels kinda bad. The bug was harmless but he doesn't want Oikawa to cry so he tries to placate with a "Ok, ok why don't we ask your mom?"
(He doesn't really feel all that bad when Oikawa's big sister gets forced to walk over and tell his parents.)
It's entirely unfair of course, in Oikawa's opinion because he's not the only one who gets told off by Iwaizumi. His Iwa-chan is just a really good person.
It's not that Kunimi doesn't respect his Senpais it's just, his senpais don't respect him so why should he respect them back? No, he shouldn't, and Kindaichi's constant searching for attention is just a little annoying.
Even Kageyama is constantly yearning for Oikawa to look at him.
So basically Kunimi has no faith in his fellow first years at Kitagawa Daiichi at all. None.
Dragging himself into the gym is nothing new for Kunimi on a Tuesday afternoon, he's had two quizzes and a full week of volleyball and studying to account for the bags under his eyes. The smell of salonpas and air of buzzing energy, like these people are just waking up, isn't really his idea of a good time right about now.
None the less he dresses out and squeaks his shoes across the shining gym floor, heading over to where the other two first years seem to already be arguing. He can already feel the headache forming.
Except a bigger form is hovering over where the two grapple over a volleyball. The Vice Captain stands with annoyed lines written clearly over his face and tells the other two off, and surprisingly, the two just stop. And then, even when The Vice Captain heads over to confer about something with the Captain, they still don't fight.
Well isn't that a pleasant surprise.
The two clearly haven't said all they want too but grumble and continue to help set up the gym with looks that say 'he started it'. Kunimi, with the last bits of energy he has left, picks his way over to one of the volleyball bins and begins to pull it across the floor and over to the nets.
A call from his right has Kunimi looking over at where the Captain and his Vice stand, one with a blush on his face and the latter with a concerned but determined look. "Kunimi!" Iwaizumi calls again and jogs over to where Kunimi stands with both hands on the handle of the bin and a confused look.
Why is the Vice talking to him?
When the Vice reaches him he stands with arms crossed and Kunimi can't help but feel at least a little bit intimidated. A little. But then the taller boy opens his mouth and instead of the loud threat Kunimi is expecting a quiet "Hey, are you alright?" comes out and Kunimi falters.
Why wouldn't he be? This Vice sure is making him question a lot of things.
Kunimi can feel hear the hesitation in his own voice when he answers "Yeah?" and then looks at the Vice in his eyes, "Uh, Vice- Captain- Senpai? What's wrong?" because that's all he can think to say.
The spiky haired boy snorts, his nose contorting for just a second, "You can call me Iwaizumi," he says in assurance, "You just, look a little tired," Vice- Iwaizumi says with concern lacing his words. The older boy's eyes search his face and he feels like his mother is standing over him.
What a strange third year.
Nonetheless Kunimi grips a little harder on the plastic handle of the bin and admits "Yeah, I guess? I've been studying a lot but I can play," and moves to roll the bin (and himself) away from such a weird and awkward conversation.
He can feel the burn of a gaze on his neck and Kunimi hates the feeling of being watched. When he feels the hairs on the back of his neck no longer tingling he can see Iwaizumi and the Captain talking again.
The Teacher benches him for the practice, and Kunimi almost falls asleep on the manager's shoulder. He finds he really likes not doing much but still feeling like he's a part of the practice and decides that he doesn't really mind the Vice Captain, Iwaizumi, all that much.
It's decided, eventually, and by Iwaizumi himself that the reason- quote "He acts so much like a damn mom, is because everyone else acts like damn fools," unquote.
The night of retirement for the third years however, leads to a dinner full of quiet crying and soft goodbyes, even though they still have two weeks of school left. Everyone's mom comes and when they see Mrs. Iwaizumi, sees the matronly way she treats both Iwaizumi and Oikawa, sees the way she cries as she takes the third year's pictures.
It's pretty much adorable how much Iwaizumi looks up to his mom.
Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu!
A/N: So this is technically still for Haikyuu month, sorry it's late. It was going to be one of those 5 times he did and one time he didn't things but...
Also I think that for this Oikawa was the one that noticed Kunimi was tired, but mentioned it to Iwaizumi- this is when Oikawa was first captain and he takes his position seriously.
Alright so I have a beta reader now! It's exciting, they weren't able to look at this fic yet but yeah… Also to Ursula (? I think that was the name they left me) you left me an ask about beta-ing my Naruto fic but I accidentally deleted it so if you could message me? I've got like 10 wips so hopefully I'll be updating soon. Here ( ) is my tumblr, come talk to me about my fics, Haikyuu!, Naruto and I recently got into Voltron, so yeah. Also, don't be afraid to talk to me- I'll definitely respond!