By the time Iwaizumi opened his eyes, the sun was streaming through the large windows lining along the walls of the cabin. He groaned as he tried to sit up, the weight on top of him unmoving as he looked closely at who was lying next to him.
Oikawa slept soundly, his cheeks still stained with the tear tracks of the previous day. After a long talk with Matsun on what they should expect at the Capitol and how things would be going for the next few days, Iwaizumi thought he better be prepared for everything. Even though Oikawa was a big crybaby and always seemed to be tagging along with Iwaizumi in everything, he was much better at dressing to impress the people around him. If he had been born in District 1 or 2, he might have even had the chance to become one of the lethal Tributes that were bred there since he did have a knack for weapons, despite how much he hated using them.
"Hey Shittykawa. Get up," Iwaizumi grunted as he shook his best friend awake. Oikawa shifted in his sleep, drool seeping into Iwaizumi's shirt as he slowly cracked his eyes open to give him a sleepy smile.
"Morning, Iwa-chan," he said, his smile nearly melting Iwaizumi's heart as he tried not to run his fingers through his hair. While he was a menace most of the time, his eyes always did the trick in melting his heart.
As Oikawa shifted to let Iwaizumi get up, the door slid open to reveal a sleepy looking Matsun, a whisky bottle in hand as he hiccupped, "Morning kids. I trust you have a good nights sleep?"
Without waiting for them to reply, he jerked a thumb to the window, the sight of a large reservoir coming into view as a city made of glass and steel followed soon after. Iwaizumi's jaw dropped when he realized that the city looked like it had come straight out of a fairytale; everything was of a bright colour, some buildings even had rainbow colours for glass windows. A large wall of steel surrounded the city, the train chugging along the reservoir as Matsun clapped his hands together, nearly making the jump out of their skins.
"Make sure you look awake and presentable. One thing's for sure; these Capitol folks like pretty Tributes so do your best to try and catch their eye. They might be one of your Saviours out in the Arena."
As he closed the door behind him, both of them looked at one another before Oikawa moved to the dresser, which was filled with fresh clothes that fitted them both well. To think that people would actually go so far to make so many clothes that would be worn by teenagers that were doomed to die in a week was almost unthinkable. Oikawa tossed a new shirt to Iwaizumi before ducking into the bathroom, saying he needed to look refreshed as Iwazumi changed out of them. As he pulled off the shirt from his body, the train entered the tunnel leading into the Capitol, nearly sending him into a panic when the door slid open to reveal Osamu munching on onigiri once more.
"Come on. We don't have all day," he grunted as Oikawa came out of the bathroom, his face clear of any signs of distress he had from the previous day. Iwaizumi got to his feet, Osamu moving to escort them back to the front cabin when they rolled into what appeared to be a train station of sorts. People were crowding around the track, Iwaizumi's mind going wild as he thought if they were for real or if this was cosplay gone wrong.
The majority of them wore outfits that didn't seem to make sense; their colour were too bright and the way they are worn doesn't seem to make sense. Iwaizumi spotted a woman holding onto a cat that had been made over to look like a tiger, her own face having been modified to look like one with actual whiskers sprouting from her cheeks. All in all, everyone looked like they had gone mad.
"Whatever you do, don't try to say anything snarky. I don't agree with the fashion even though I come from here," Osamu drawled as he opened the door, a whooshing sound filling the air before it was replaced by the sound of clapping hands and cheers. Osamu stepped down, Matsukawa doing the same with a yawn as Iwaizumi turned to look at Oikawa.
"You ready?" he asked as Oikawa nodded, moving to give his hand a squeeze before turning to the door. Oikawa stepped out first, a smile plastered on his face as he waved to the crowd, much to the delight of the ladies standing around.
"Oikawa-sama!" they squealed as Iwaizumi tried not to snort. He hated to admit that Oikawa could be very appealing if he wished to be with the ladies and after all those years of him trying to flirt with every girl in the district, it seemed to have paid off pretty well. Even some of the men swooned as Oikawa blew a kiss at them, the Peacekeepers doing their best to control the crowd as Iwaizumi finally stepped down from the train.
The light was harsh to his eyes, so bright he thought the energy it used could power his house for a few months without any problems. All around him, there was evidence of how much wastage of resources was going on; the light was too bright, there were too many TV screens showing useless advertisements and loud music playing over his head that reminded him of crows crowing in the forest when he went hunting. He didn't know if the people here had nothing better to do with themselves or if they were just oblivious of how much people in the Districts were suffering right now.
"Come on, Iwa-chan," Oikawa whispered as he reached to tug him along, people around them squealing as Iwaizumi tried not to blush red.
"Oh my they're so cute together!"
"They would make such a cute couple!"
"The tragedy of such a beautiful couple being thrown into the Games! I think I might cry right now!"
All the voices speaking out made Iwaizumi's mind swim as Oikawa led him forward, not seeming to be bothered at the fact people may be thinking they were dating or something. Matsun and Osamu didn't seem to bother about the commotion he two of them were causing as they stepped into a bright pink car, the driver whisking them through the streets of the Capitol, which looked even more horrendous.
The streets were made of every colour in existence and the amount of shops that sold ridiculous clothing that lined the street made Iwaizumi feel faint. People with even crazier outfits walked the streets, some of them turning to squeal at the Tributes in the car as Oikawa smiled and waved at them. Iwaizumi figured he better learned how to smile like Oikawa did if he wanted to get sponsors for the Games.
"If you two keep this up, you might actually be able to get a few sponsors. People always do like a few love scandals in the Games," Matsun mused as he looked at them, Iwaizumi not realizing his hand was still in Oikawa as he quickly snatched it away. Oikawa didn't even seem to notice, staring out of the window as he watched the Capitol pass by.
They finally stopped at the only building that seemed normal in the entire city; a tall skyscraper building made of black glass. As they rolled into it, Iwaizumi spotted a man with wild red hair in a similarly bright red tuxedo standing outside, fanning himself with a large red fan as his eyes narrowed at them. When they got out of the car, the man was quick to jump on them, grinning from ear to ear as he eyed the two Tributes.
"Oh nice. Very nice. We finally have some good looking boys to work with. The pair before this was so scruffy, I was all over myself on what to do with them," he sighed as Osamu rolled his eyes.
"Just get them prepped for tonight. I don't want to waste anymore time."
"Certainly, Miya-san. I am Tendou Satori, the stylist in charge of the two of you. A pleasure to meet your acquaintances," the man grinned, his smile so razor sharp that Iwaizumi could feel it cutting through him as he stood straight up.
"Come on then. No dawdling. We need to get your ruffians all cleaned up and ready for your debut parade tonight. The whole Capitol is watching and I want to make sure you two are the stars of the show!" he said as he grabbed them by the shoulders and marched them into the building. The inside of the building was consisted of many doors and glass, the top so high that Iwaizumi could feel his legs shaking as Tendou led them into a glass lift. Iwaizumi forgot how much he hated heights and was even more terrified when he found out that they were staying on the top floor.
Not like riding in a lift that had a glass floor was helping him much at the moment.
"Come on now. Don't be so frightened! There's nothing to be afraid of, see?" Tendou said as he jumped a few times, trying to emphasise that it wouldn't crack as Iwaizumi's knuckles turned white from gripping the sides of his pants. Matsun didn't look amused at all, complaining about how the booze seemed to be getting worse while Osamu was texting someone on his phone, a scowl on his face as he typed furiously.
Once they reached the top floor, Osamu and Matsun made their way to the living quarters while Oikawa and Iwaizumi were separated for their make overs. When Iwaizumi stepped into the room, the first thing he noticed were three people standing before him, wide grins on their faces before they pounced on him and tackled him to the ground, stripping him of every clothing he had.
"What the hell?" he yelled as Tendou clicked his tongue.
"Hmm, you have a great body here. Maybe we can do something about making the outfits show it off. Might need to trim some hair here and there," he murmured as his eyes roved lower, Iwaizumi trying his best to cover his private as Tendou clapped his hands.
"Alright people! Let's get to work!"
Iwaizumi was shuffled into a chamber that sprayed water so hard that he thought he was getting shot from numerous angles. Before he could retaliate, there were mechanical sponges and brushed emerging from the walls, scrubbing away at every part of his body until he felt raw, although he felt cleaner than he ever did. Once he was done with the shower, he was whisked out and rubbed down with fluffy towels, clad in a bathrobe before his hair was done. He even had his eyebrows clipped, which he thought was ridiculous but was glad Tendou hadn't gone to clip hair in other places too. Or waxed him.
"Nice. Very nice. I shall see you two tonight for the parade. Oh, I can't wait to make you two look like the most stunning couple of the night," Tendou grinned as he finally left them in peace, Oikawa and Iwaizumi left to their own devices when Osamu finally came to collect them.
"Well, at least you two look nice now. And don't stink, I was a bit worried about how you smelled, Iwaizumi. You better eat some food before the parade, you're going to need it," Osamu said as they moved into the living quarters, the space so huge it could have accommodate both of their houses in it. Everything seemed to be made of some form of steel; the chandelier hanging in the air a shiny black, the table in the middle laden with food as the boys went over to eat.
As they ate, Matsun talked them through what to expect during the Parade and how they should act. Iwaizumi was liking the idea less and less as he heard more about it, not fancying the idea of having to be paraded in stupid costumes for a good hours just to please people. Oikawa on the other hand seemed to be listening intently to what Matsun was saying, drinking in all the information he could before they went for a nap.
While they each had their own room, Oikawa opted to stay with Iwaizumi anyways, both of them settling on other sides of the bed. When both of them failed to rest, Oikawa took to changing the scenary of the window running along the wall, moving past pictures of forests, lakes and Capitol citizens going about their business. There was even the sound to accompany it that made it feel so real.
How could people revel in such luxuries when there are others in the Districts suffering so much?
"Hey, Oikawa. I don't know if I can do it tonight," Iwaizumi whispered, his mind trying to tune out what may happen that night. He hated the crowds, he hated the fact they were going to be used for entertainment.
He hated the fact that these few days may be the last he spent with Oikawa.
Oikawa's arms snaked around his middle to give him a squeeze, his voice filling the quiet of the room as his body warmth slowly lulled him to sleep.
"You have me, Iwa-chan. We'll be fine."
…
"You two look amazing!" Tendou grinned as he watched the Tributes show off his handiwork. The man was smiling so much Iwaizumi wondered how his cheeks didn't ache as he walked down the hall, wishing he could stop the clanking noise his costume was making.
He and Oikawa were dressed as knights, Oikawa being the king more specifically (He looks more handsome and the ladies would totally dig into him. You look more like a… knight in shining armour, according to Tendou). He had a crown made of black onyx sitting on his brown curls and Iwaizumi hated to admit he looked very much like the part that he was meant to play. Iwaizumi was dressed in a similar costume to his, although he sported a fake but still heavy sword on his side. The outfit was so hot, he thought he might very well be sweating a pool inside.
The others Tributes were bustling around with their own stylists, getting ready for the parade. Chariots drawn by horses were being escorted into the space, Tributes starting to get into them as the time for the parade approached.
The pair from District 1 was sported so much bling that Iwaizumi thought he might go blind. Kageyama, the boy with the permanent scowl was bickering with Hinata over him looking like a king. Iwaizumi couldn't blame the shorter boy since Kageyama was dressed in the extravagance of District 1; he even had a huge velvet crown on his head. Hinata was dressed up nicely as well, his shining armour being a contrast to Iwaizumi's dark one.
"Bakeyama! Why do you get the crown? Just because you're the King doesn't mean you get to have it?!"
"What do you mean King?!"
"King of the Court. Baka baka baka!"
"Boke Hinata! I'm going to kill you!" Kageyama roared as their stylist, a man with blonde hair pushed back with a hairband yelled for them to shut up and get into their chariot. Both of them stuck their tongues out at each other before stepping onto it, Kageyama's face red from the yelling as Iwaizumi turned his focus to the other Tributes.
Each Tribute pair was dressed in a style mirroring the products their District produced. For District 12, it was coal, hence the black. District 1 was jewelry and luxurious goods, which explained the bling Kageyama and Hinata wore. The pair from District 7 were dressed in red indian outfits resembling that of owls, feathers sticking out from their costumes. One of them had a hairstyle that reminded Iwaizumi of a horned owl, a large grin on his face as he tried to get his companion to smile.
The Tributes from District 6 looked like they had come from the moon. The Tribute with silver hair looked radiant in his shroud, his companion trying his best not to ogle at the sight before him as a pair of white horses pulled them out. The pair from District 2 were dressed in army costumes from bygone ages, completed with fake pistols. Shirabu seemed to be pissed that they were not real; he looked ready to blow Goshiki's brains out from how the boy was driving him mad from the bombardment of questions he was giving him. Iwaizumi prayed that Goshiki would stay safe during the Games.
The few girls that were part of this years crop of Tributes didn't disappoint either. The female Tribute from District 8 stood tall and proud, wearing a flowing white dress that made her look like a goddess as the man beside her tried to hold her hand. The female Tribute from District 9 did not fare as well; while she looked cute in her corn colour outfit, she was shaking in fear even as her partner held her hand and tried to sooth her.
One by one, the Tributes were pulled into position, lining up according to district number. Iwaizumi sucked in a breath as they waited for the signal to go out, his heart hammering loudly as he tried not to faint.
"Iwa-chan, look at me," Oikawa whispered as Iwaizumi did as he said. His best friend looked regal in his costume, bringing out his features and the confidence that bubbled out from within. Even though Oikawa may look weak, he was one of the strongest willed people and would never back down from a challenge. Iwaizumi continued to stare at him until the signal came, the doors opening for them to exit.
Slowly, the chariots got pulled out into the night air, the sound of the spectators shouting and clapping from the arena hitting Iwaizumi's ears as he tried not to see his face being shown on the camera. The cheers rose as some of the Tributes smiled and waved at them, some of the spectators screaming out familiar names as Iwaizumi tried to ignore it all.
"Iwa-chan. Smile more. You wouldn't get any sponsors if you don't smile."
As Iwaizumi looked past Oikawa at the large screens doting the Avenue of Tributes, Iwaizumi caught sight of his face, looking very much annoyed by the whole idea as Oikawa leaned in to whisper in his ear. That sent the spectators into a frenzy, some of them beginning to chant "IwaOi" loudly as Iwaizumi tried not to blush at the ship name.
"Smile and wave, Iwa-chan. Smile and wave," Oikawa smirked into his ear as Iwaizumi turned to face the crowd, trying his best to smile as they rolled down the Avenue of Tributes. He slowly felt more comfortable in his skin, going as far to remove his sword from his side and brandishing it in the air as he grabbed onto Oikawa's hand to pull it up. Oikawa squeaked at the gesture, turning red as Iwaizumi smirked in return.
"The crowd likes us right? So why don't we give it to them?"
Oikawa looked like he was beginning to regret his decision as they rolled down, both of them basking in a night of glory and fame before their fates were decided on the Arena.