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Oikawa liked to pretend he was always confident but he wasn't. Another thing he wasn't sure of, was when he began to be hurt by Iwaizumi's harsh words and it hit him hard when he realized why. He was in love with his childhood friend. He crossed the line, and he thought it was wrong. So his only choice, or at least what he told himself was his only choice, was to avoid Iwaizumi. At first, it wasn't obvious, but after a few days, it became clear. Oikawa didn't sit with his friends at lunch, he didn't chat with Iwaizumi before or after practice and he was surrounding himself with his fangirls even more than usual.

"Oi, Shittykawa! What are you doing?" Iwaizumi yelled to Oikawa before practice on the fourth day of him being ignored.

"I'm tying my shoes?" Oikawa answered, confused by the question as it was obvious to anyone who looked at him.

"Have you been avoiding me?"

"Iwa, have you missed me?"

"Hell no. I was going to thank you for the peaceful days I've been having since you stopped hanging around me so much." Iwa didn't mean for it, Oikawa knew it, but it still hurt. "Just answer my question."

"No Iwa, I am not avoiding you. I've just been busy." Oikawa retorted as he stood up and began to walk away. "I'm glad you've been having peaceful days." He whispered, nearly loud enough for Iwaizumi to hear, but he didn't. No matter if someone is joking or not, the harsh words will build up in someone's heart and begin to tear away at it. That's exactly what Oikawa was now facing because of his beloved best friend.

"Are you two fighting?" Hanamaki questioned the ace, after watching the scene that had unfolded in front of him.

"I don't think so." Iwaizumi honestly responded, confused.

"Oikawa hasn't seemed like himself. I heard his fangirls talking about him and it seems he has been down lately."

"He would have told me." Iwaizumi could feel himself doubt that sentence now though.

"Unless you're the reason he's down. One of the other things I heard is that the way he was talking about his life currently was that he was hinting that he was in love with someone who knew him very well. Maybe that means you." Hanamaki laughed, completely joking but it was too relevant to ignore. Iwaizumi knew that either way he needed to confront Oikawa about how he had been recently acting, so once practice was over, he cornered him in the club room.

"What are you doing Iwa?" Oikawa demanded when he blocked the way to the door as Oikawa was trying to leave.

"What is your problem? Your head has been up your ass and it's affecting the team!" Iwaizumi yelled at the other boy. "Everyone had problems, but we know not to let them affect the team. Don't be so selfish." His words hurt Oikawa, even though he knew they were right. He shouldn't be letting personal issues mess with volleyball, but his childhood friend could be a bit nicer about it.

"Sorry, it won't affect practice anymore."

"Forget that for now, tell me what's going on with you, dumbass." It was harsh, but he was trying to show he did care.

"I'm sorry Iwa but I can't," Oikawa mumbled as he tried to get past him again, but was blocked yet again. The two moved back and forth, trying to escape and trying to block until Iwaizumi's patience ran out.

"Tch," Iwaizumi moved aside, knowing that if he didn't want to, then Oikawa wouldn't talk. "You know, Hanamaki said you could be in love with me. How stupid right? A childhood friend falling for the other, such a pathetic and typical thing, huh? It's like a plot of a bad romance novel." Iwaizumi expected the other man to laugh and assure him that it wasn't the reason, but he didn't. Oikawa was frozen in place in the doorway, halfway out of the room.

"Yeah, I'd sure be pathetic to fall in love with you wouldn't I? Don't worry Iwa, I don't feel like that." Was all Oikawa said before disappearing. Iwaizumi knew him well and could tell that the cracking of his voice when he spoke was a sign that he was feeling something strongly. Not did his voice crack, but to Iwaizumi, it was obvious that Oikawa was lying about his feelings. The realization that his closest friend was in love with him hit him hard, but what hit harder was realizing that Oikawa was going through something, for an unknown amount of time, and he never once noticed it. Iwaizumi knew that if he had just paid a little more attention then maybe Oikawa would never have had to get to this point. He had been a bad friend to someone who meant so much to him, and he knew he needed to make it right. No matter what would happen once things were out in the open, Iwaizumi couldn't let things be left off like this, so he quickly raced after Oikawa. He was nowhere to be seen, so Iwaizumi made his way to his home, thinking about what he was going to say on the way. Once at the residence, he knocked on the door and waited.

"Do you think I can talk to Toru?" Iwaizumi politely asked once Oikawa's mother answered the door. His sudden words startled her, but she seemed to understand the situation, so she wasn't offended or upset with Iwaizumi's outburst.

"Of course, but he seemed upset when he got home. He locked himself in his room. Dinner will be ready shortly, I'm sure everything will get patched up before then, so plan to stay for dinner." Oikawa's mother informed him. He nodded his head and made his way to his friend's room. He had thought about the whole situation a lot on the way to the house, but now as he was on the way to his room, he had no idea what he should say. He could only hope and knock on the door now.

"No thanks, I don't want any food. I'm not hungry." Oikawa responded from the inside, sounding as if he was fighting tears.

"Toru, open the door." Iwaizumi used his first name, startling himself and his friend, as he heard Oikawa gasp from the other side of the door.

"I-Iwa? Go away!"

"If you don't open this door, I will break it down." Knowing Iwaizumi wasn't joking, shuffling could be heard before the door slowly opened up. The room was dark, so it was hard to see but he could faintly see Oikawa's retreating figure. Iwaizumi sighed and turned on the lights as he walked in and closed the door behind him. Oikawa stood there with his eyes glued to the ground. It would be for the best to just ask his question flat out and Iwaizumi knew it, so he spoke up, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them. "You are in love with me, right?" He almost sounded hopeful within the confusion.

"Please don't make me say it Iwa. If I do, things will never return to the way they were." He sounded upset, truly upset and it hurt Iwaizumi to hear. Not only hear but now that they were facing each other he could see the visible sadness on Oikawa's face.

"It's already too late for that. Explain it to me."

"One day I realized that I thought your laugh was cute. It then went to thinking you smelled nice or thinking your muscles looked good. My thoughts began to be flooded with you and it wasn't in the friendly way they once were. Your opinion of me became very important, not that it wasn't before. With that, your words began to hurt, even though I know you don't mean them the way they sound." Oikawa took a breath to calm himself before continuing, as his voice began to crack as he spoke. "You became someone I wanted to hug, but for longer than just friends and I began to want to comfort you when you seem sad and be closer to you. I realized that I am in love with you, Hajime. Even if you think it is pathetic or gross." Oikawa finished as he sat down on the ground, no longer able to stand within the stress of the conversation. Iwaizumi however said and did nothing for a few moments, just processing the information he was just given. "If you find me disgusting now, feel free to let me know and I'll do my best to forget how I feel and I will pretend this never hap-"

"Toru, calm down." Iwaizumi cut the rambling boy off. "You aren't disgusting, or pathetic. I didn't mean for it to sound like I might think of you that way. Besides, you aren't being yourself. Where's your cocky personality, your strong-willed attitude? Has feeling that way changed you so much? Why feel this way if it will just tear you down?"

"Knowing that I fell in love with a man has. You will never feel the same. You-"

"You don't decide that. Now I'm not saying I feel exactly the same way, but I understand what you were saying. When you were avoiding me and when I saw the look of hurt on your face, it made me feel something I don't like." Oikawa looked up at his best friend, a faint glimmer of hope shining in his eyes.

"Iwa, are you in love with me?" He was joking and he wasn't on the verge of tears anymore, so Iwaizumi was happy.

"Shut up, I don't know. It was never a possibility before so I never really thought about it. Though, it would explain some things." Iwaizumi admitted honestly. He felt something for his friend and he had to admit he was attractive, but it would be something he'd have to figure out and not talk about in that moment.

"Thank you, Iwa." He looked at Oikawa like he was crazy.

"What?"

"I thought you'd reject me or punch me. I never thought, or even could hope that you would accept me, or even might feel the same, so thank you."

"Yeah, yeah, shut up now. Go back to who you are and we'll figure this out together." Oikawa smiled at his best friend, a truly happy smile that could warm even the coldest of hearts. Iwaizumi's heart soared and it hit him then. All the insults, name-calling and threats to hit him were to cover up his true feelings for Oikawa. He had acted like a child rather than face his feelings. The sudden realization took over his body and before either could stop it, Iwaizumi's lips were on Oikawa's and they were finally feeling the truth in their hearts. The kiss was warm but was passion filled, which shocked both of the boys.

"I love you Iwa," Oikawa whispered when they broke apart to take a breath.

"I think I love you too, dumbass." Iwaizumi responded, smirking at the man. Before he could reply, Iwaizumi's lips were on his again, creating an even more heated kiss than the last.

"Dinner!" The sudden call from Oikawa's mother broke the two apart. It had startled them so much that they began to laugh at each other. Once they calmed down, Iwaizumi stood up, fixing his clothes that Oikawa had been clinging to.

"Let's go, Toru." Iwaizumi smirked, holding out his hand for Oikawa.

"Alright, Hajime." He responded, putting his hand on his best friend's. The two allowed their hands to intertwine as Iwaizumi helped Oikawa stand up. They knew that nothing would be the same after the confessions, but the two childhood friends decided that maybe it was better that things change. After all, they were changing for the better.