It had started as an ambush. Always arriving to morning practice together had made them predictable.

Apparently Matsukawa and Hanamaki had been lying in wait for them just around the corner of the gym. There had been no warning on the incoming barrage, just a ball of firmly packed fluff to the side of Oikawa's face. And it only took Oikawa's startled scream to put Iwaizumi on his guard.

Using his school bag, he was able to shield himself from a faceful of snow as he pulled Oikawa to the side where they could crouch down behind some manicured bushes. "Hey," Iwaizumi said to get Oikawa's attention on him instead of where he was trying to shake the snow out of his scarf. "Put your gloves on. We're gonna destroy them."

"Oh? And who made Iwa-chan team captain?" Oikawa asked even as he set his school and practice bags aside and dug out his warm gloves.

"The one that doesn't shriek becomes captain by default."

"I didn't shriek!" Oikawa pouted. "It was cold and I was caught off guard."

"It was a shriek," Iwaizumi confirmed as he started gathering up snow and making a small stockpile of snowballs. Turning to look at Oikawa, he ordered, "You start making snowballs and cover me. I have a better throwing arm, so I'm going on the offensive."

With a look far more serious than the situation called for, Oikawa gave a mock salute and an "Aye aye!" as he started making snowballs for himself and Iwa-chan.

It wasn't long after Iwaizumi ran off with several snowballs in hand that shouting was heard. Makki-chan if Oikawa had to guess. Part of him wanted to pity his fellow third years because he'd been having snowball fights with Iwa-chan since they were kids, and he knew exactly how competitive Iwa-chan could get. He also didn't usually pull his punches when it came to pelting his opponents with snow.

Oikawa heard the gym doors open behind him before Kindaichi asked, "What happened? We heard screaming."

Turning to look at his underclassmen, Oikawa smiled at both Kindaichi and Kunimi. "Just a little revenge against sneaky teammates," he explained as he scooped up another couple of handfuls of snow to pack together.

"Oikawa!" Iwaizumi called out as he rounded the corner of the gym again, bending over to grab what snow he could. "I need cover!"

Oikawa picked up several pre-made snowballs as he joined in on the fray. Mattsun was the first to come around the corner after Iwaizumi. Though even with the nice, big target he made, Oikawa still missed him. And it was only by luck that Makki-chan avoided the snowball meant for Mattsun considering he was hot on his partner's heels. Volleyball was Oikawa's forte. Snowball fights, not so much.

Turning to look at Oikawa, Iwaizumi gaped. "What the hell was that throw?"

Not having a real answer, Oikawa stuck out his tongue and tried again. And again. He eventually managed to hit Mattsun's shoulder, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference in the battle's grand scheme. With a sweet tone, Oikawa asked over his shoulder, "Would my underclassmen like to help by making some snowballs?"

"No gloves," Kunimi answered for both himself and Kindaichi from where they were still watching the third years' fight it out in the courtyard. "And we already changed for practice."

Oikawa hummed. Well, he certainly wasn't going to make them come outside in the snow while wearing their shorts. Picking up another snowball, he aimed as best he could at Makki-chan and let it fly. The only problem that was between his aim and the moving targets out in the open, the snowball ended up connecting with the back of a head of black spiky hair. Everyone involved seemed to freeze in that moment.

"Uh oh," Oikawa heard Kindaichi mutter.

"Friendly fire," Kunimi added.

When Iwa-chan turned to face him, Oikawa took an unconscious step back. Dropping the remaining snowballs he had in his arm, he held up his hands in surrender and smiled. "Now now, Iwa-chan, it was an accident." It wasn't a second later that a snowball connected with his chest.

"Oops," Iwaizumi deadpanned. "It was an accident."

Hanamaki grinned up at Matsukawa as he said, "Looks like we have a turncoat."

The next few seconds were a flurry for Oikawa in more ways than one. Mattsun and Makki-chan jumped in on Iwa-chan's attack and began to pelt him with their remaining snowballs. He was pretty well covered and trying to block what he could, but it was one final hit to the face that made him lose his footing and fall backwards in the snow.

Luckily for Oikawa, that was about the time Coach Mizoguchi appeared behind Kindaichi and Kunimi to call outside, "We still need to have practice sometime this morning, children."

Hanamaki and Matsukawa managed to look at least a little sheepish, though not at all apologetic, as they each took Oikawa by and arm and pulled him back to his feet. "Up we go, Captain," Hanamaki said before releasing Oikawa and brushing some of the snow off of his clothes.

Oikawa was already in full pout by the time Iwaizumi got to him. "I think that last snowball was mine," he confessed as he reached up to knock some snow from Oikawa's damp hair. He looked over the taller boy's face where the snowball had hit and frowned at the obvious red mark left on Oikawa's cheek. "Sorry about that."

He wanted to be mad. He wanted to pout more. But anytime Oikawa got an actual apology from Iwa-chan, all of that faded away soon after. With a small hum that they both knew was acceptance, Oikawa began walking over to where he and Iwa-chan had left their bags. "I don't know how you manage to make snow feel so hard, Iwa-chan. It's an impressive and horrible talent."

"Shut up and come here a minute." Iwaizumi took Oikawa by the elbow and turned him so that he could inspect his cheek again. The frown he'd been wearing before deepened. "Shit," he swore under his breath. "I think that might bruise."

"What?" Oikawa cried, suddenly concerned for his complexion. He lifted his fingers to the side of his face and winced when they touched on the tender skin.

"Come on," Iwaizumi sighed as he grabbed his bag from Oikawa's hand and tugged the setter after him. "Let's explain what happened to Coach and then we'll go to the infirmary and get an ice pack for your face. At lease we can keep it from swelling or turning into a black eye."

It was after a very disapproving look from their Coach that the Head Coach waved them on their way, though Iwaizumi expected there to be some sort of lecture later. And once they told the nurse what happened, Oikawa had gotten his face checked, been given an ice pack, and sent back on his way.

When they were finally in the club room to change, Oikawa set aside his ice pack, checked the mirror on the inside of his locker door, and whined, "It's going to look like I got in a fight."

"It's not that bad," Iwaizumi told him, though he did still feel a little guilty about the whole thing.

"People are going to think I'm turning into a delinquent, Iwa-chan."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes as he pulled his practice shirt over his head. "They will not." Grabbing his shoes from his bag, he walked over to Oikawa and tugged the taller boy down a few inches by the neck of his shirt. Carefully, so that he didn't press too hard, he planted a quick kiss on Oikawa's injured cheek. "Finish changing and get to the gym. And don't forget that ice pack."

"Iwa-chan..." Oikawa breathed out before he smiled, bright and genuine. The smile was short-lived however when it lifted his cheeks and made him flinch. Iwa-chan laughed, and even though he was laughing at him, Oikawa didn't mind so much. Anytime Iwa-chan laughed made him feel warm inside, and he suddenly didn't mind quite as much that he'd have to come up with a better excuse than a snowball fight when their classmates eventually asked what happened to his face.