So many follows, favorites and reviews I cannot believe this! Thank you so much, everyone! :D
Ahah, funny thing: the other day, there was Godzilla on TV, when I heard it I turned around and screamed "IWAAA CHAAAN!" I should probably worry about my obssession with Haikyuu boys at this point.
LuxKlara : si saprà per le cicatrici quando la storia di Kiku sarà revelata! :) Hanamaki ha foto e video di Kiku mezza nuda/nuda ma ci sono 4metri, due finestre, qualche volta il sipario di Kiku... E cerca a non si fare prendere filmando Kiku quando è nuda! Non ci sono video diuna bellissima qualità. Non viista le video per trovare le cicatrici/il tatoo (no sa che Kiku ha dun tattoo) e anche Makki non vista le video ogni giorno, non è interessante in Kiku. No vedi quale che non vuoi vedere. Per l'accidente del gruppo che vede le video di Kiku, c'era un po di curiosità ma sopratutto, vogliano annoiare Hajime! :) Già sai ceh Kiku accetta la proposizione di Oikawa grazie a Sowlmate e il InterHigh. Per sapere si il piano di Oikawa finita in tragedia... leggi questo capitolo? XD
pinkdoughtnuts : Oikawa is a manipulative little shit but that's why I love him - he pretends to be an idiot or an happy-go-lucky guy doubled with a flirt, but he's actually one fo theh most clever, deeper and motivational character of Haikyuu. He twists people's beliefs about him so that they underestimate him and treat him the way HE wants - but that's his manipulative and raw side that I love about him.
AnimeViolinist001: Still a few more chapters before finding out the truth about Kiku! ;) To know what happens ~~ read! :D I really want to draw some art for my OCs and their boys, but drawing isn't my priority so if there is any art, I need to be reminded of it - here or via tumblr which are the best two ways to contact me. :)
Houshikun001 : Iwaizumi is going to need a HUGE push to confess to Kiku. If the poorr boy was trying he'd end up biting off his tongue and collapsing from a heart stroke and sudden fever... I'm glad you like the quotes and I hope it'll remain the same for more chapters! :D
Tamani : Aaaw~ Why think negatively? Ah ah~ But I have a tendency of turning everything into angst and drama so...~
LilyDaph : Hey! :D Merci pour ton soutien et ta review! Ca me touche de savoir que tu lis mes fanfics! :D Tout ce que tu as dit sur mes histoires m'a donné les larmes aux yeux, merci mille fois pour tes mots! Je ne saurai comment exprimer ma joie! :D Kiku est plus "normale" que Ayaka, dans le sens où son histoire est une histoire que l'on connait toutes - aimer un garçon en secret, être timide, manquer de confiance en soi, se faire intimidé par les autres... C'est, malheureusement, commun dans notre société et l'une des choses que je veux montrer dans cette histoire - la positivité et la confiance en soi donnent des ailes! :) C'est vrai que Makki qui filme Kiku se déshabiller est un peu extrême mais il ne peut pas voir les détails (distance, les fenêtres, parfois les rideaux, etc.) et il fait ça surtout pour faire du chantage à Kiku, possiblement Hajime! XD Uuuuuh... je dois avouer que je ne connaissais pas les règles de double, triple, mahcin crossover... Pour moi un crossover c'est juste plusieurs hisoires qui se rencontrent! XD Mais uh, du coup, dans Sowlmate, dans les chapitres concernant l'IH (à Miyagi ET à Tokyo) un crossover entre les 3 fanfics existantes et les 2 futures... donc 5 histoires/personnages qui se croisent... Quadruple crossover? *confuse* Bref, oui, on va rencontrer très rapidement la dulcinée d'Oikawa + on reverra Akane. ;D AHAH Oui! J'habite en France, seuelment, le temps que je rentre de cours, me détende un peu, écris un peu, RELIS le chapitre que je dois poster, réponde à toutes les reviews... il se passe pas mal de temps! XD Désolée de publier à des heures impossibles, du coup! " (là, encore, en écrivant ce message il est minuit... je suis désolée...)
Krisia (considering that you insist on calling you that~) : Hanamaki can't see the details of Kiku's body because it's a video from a phone, not the best quality, there is some distance despite all, several factors...; and he never bothered to really look at Kiku taking off ehr clothes thinnking "ahah i'm gonna discover her secret tattoo" and it totally escaped Hajime's mind (and he wouldn't watch a video of Kiku taking off her clothes no matter what - he'd prefer the real deal *sbaf* anyway) Kiku WILL find out about te pictures and video collection - thanks to her knight in shining armor. What you said at the end of your review about Kiku convincing herself the way she's treated is "normal" will be mentioned as smoe of the reasons why she stayed, in next chapter! So I'm glad you said that because it means I wrote things fine! Ahah! XD
Reader fan : Never said it was his blackmail against Kiku - perhaps it is, perhaps not. There is a fanart I saw on tumblr of Kenma, Akaahsi and Kunimi, all htree being silent and stoic and on their phones and that's what inspired me to have Kunimi being very attached to his phone (I can imagine secretely being a star of the internet, like having blogs or stuff that LOTS of people follow but keeping his identtity from his friends - except maybe Kindaichi but then again, I imagine that Kindaichi knows the basic functions of his phone and doesn't need anything else) YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE LIZARD AHAH! :D (I knew it'd be confusing~)
yAmericanNidiot : I don't listen to KPop but I chekced the video... my~ are they sexy boys~ I had a bit of a hard time seeing Iwaizumi and Kuroo, and the others, but I kinda see them yeah! But my real-life Kuroo will always be Kondou Shouri. And Asuma Kousuke for Oikawa. And Allen Kohatsu for Iwaizumi. And KIMURA TATSUNARI FOR KAGEAMA (funny thing: I realized that Kageyama was a hottie when I first saw Kimura as him, I was like, hit by the light of gods and the truth was revealed to him and after watcihng the stage play AND KIMURA TATSUNARI I couldn't not unsee Kageyama's handsome features.) AND BASICALLY THE WHOLE CREW! Like, someone must have sold their soul to the devil t find TALENTED actors who LOOK like the character, have the same freaking HEIGHT as the character, a similar PERSONALITY to the character (I'm looking at you Asuma Kousuke. Stop being a real life Oikawa, it hurts me in the best way) AND HAVE A VOICE THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE SEIYUU LIKE DID YOU HEAR HOW MUCH KIMURA TATSUNARI SOUNDS LIKE ISHIKAWA KAITO OR HOW MUCH ASUMA KOUSUKE SOUNDS LIKE NAMIKAWA DAISUKE OR EVEN THAT SUGA KETNA SOUNDS SO MUCH LIKE HINAT AND- I'm going to stop now or I am going to literally quote the entire cast... Also, I couldn't helo but imagine the sexy beasts (Iwaizumi, Kuroo, Oikawa, Bokuto...) dancing like the kpop boys. Also when you said "Iwa-chan is gonna slap you silly..." I culdn't help but see Oikawabent over Iwaizumi's knees while he's smacking his butt and I can't tell if I'm grossing myself out or if I really want to be Oikawa in this case? I'm so sorry I've gone a bit over the top there! XD
FANFICTION
HAIKYUU! : QUIET VOICE
CHAPTER XIX : Conversations in the Dark
"Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody."
― Mark Twain
"Somehow the silence seemed to connect us in a way like words never could."
— Flipped (2010), Dir. Rob Reiner
"I was starting to fall for him,
He didn't say it but the way
He looked at me,
Told me he felt the same."
― Nikki Rowe
"The Glance of Love is Crystal Clear."
― Jalaluddin Rumi
"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life
"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light."
― Helen Keller
In the storage room, after realizing not only no one was around, or at least helping, Hajime and Kiku tried to find their phones… but they didn't have it on them – Hajime's was still with Mizoguchi, and Kiku's was in her bag.
"Let's just wait, someone will come looking for us eventually…" Kiku murmured shyly, glad the lack of light was hiding her blushed cheeks.
"Y-yeah… hoping Shittykawa doesn't give stupid excuses to coach…" Iwaizumi muttered to himself, feeling like punching something.
If Kiku heard his last comment, she didn't react to it. She didn't seem to have realized it was a trap from Oikawa and the others to get the two alone in a dark room. She went to sit on the pile of supplementary nets folded neatly. This way, she wasn't totally sitting on the hard floor and had a few dozens of centimeters of seating.
Hajime swallowed hard and felt his cheeks burn. He crossed his arms over his chest and remained near the door, trying not to think about the fact that the girl he liked was a few meters away. That they were all alone. In the dark. Without anyone around.
"D-damn it…" He muttered, glancing away.
"A-are you okay?" Kiku asked, just two meters behind him.
He startled, hoping the darkness helped his startle go unnoticed. With the total silence, she had heard his voice anyway.
"Y-yeah…" He answered, voice breaking a little, "Just don't like this situation…" He added.
Kiku didn't answer and he hoped she didn't think he didn't like being here with her. He was too angry against his friends to think of the golden opportunity that it was to spend alone-time with Kiku. But slowly, his anxiousness was getting to him and after tapping his foot on the floor for a while, he finally decided to go sit with Kiku who moved away to give him some room. Perhaps he'd calm down in her presence.
He was wrong. He wasn't fidgeting anymore, but it was mostly because he was frozen from nerves.
They could feel each other's body warmth even though, they were keeping some distance. Just a few centimeters, but enough to remind them that they were just friends trapped in a storage room.
Hajime moved around nervously, glancing quickly at Kiku. His hand brushed hers by accident and he immediately pulled away.
"S-sorry…" He murmured, making her look up at him.
"I-isn't there a light around?" Kiku asked shyly.
"No… the light button is outside…" He sighed.
Silence fell on them once again and he tried to control his breathing.
"Are you… um, scared of the dark?" She asked hesitantly.
Hajime startled at this sudden question, he glanced around nervously.
"U-um, n-no… I…"
But Kiku's hand suddenly took his and he gasped, air kicked out of his lungs in the most delicious way. His hand immediately started sweating like crazy – but nowhere near as crazy as his heartbeat.
"It's okay, Iwaizumi-san, I won't tell anyone that you're scared of the dark. We can hold hands if it reassures you?" She said softly, with a kind smile.
Hajime blushed terribly but he blessed the darkness. For hiding his red cheeks. And for giving him an opportunity of holding Kiku's hand.
"T-thanks…" He murmured.
Hajime silently cursed himself, not believing he was so desperate to hold Kiku's hand that he was willing to lie to her and pretend that he was scared of the dark. He wasn't scared of the dark in the slightest, but his fidgeting must have made Kiku believe so – he was just too nervous to be so close to her.
Urgh… Now she thinks I'm a baby scared of the dark… how stupid of me! He thought to himself.
Without realizing it, his nervous fidgeting stopped and he relaxed. He even squeezed Kiku's hand. She squeezed back, making his heart go into a good imitation of a drum once again. Her hand was small in his, barely covering his palm. But it fitted perfectly.
Kiku was trying her hardest to keep her heartbeat calm – it was beating steadily, but strongly. She wasn't sure if she was breathing anymore. She was so aware of Hajime so close to her, she was going mad. The way his rough hand was holding hers, so gently, as if he was scared to hurt her. The way his thumb brushed the back of her hand tenderly – probably without realizing it, or he wouldn't be so calm about it. She could smell his sweat, the slightest bit of scent of forest behind it. She could hear his every move from the way his clothes brushed. She could hear his (slightly unsteady) breathing, the way his strong chest rose and fell, the way she could envision his lips opening and closing every once in a while.
Hajime turned his head towards her and she startled, blushing when she realized she had been caught staring. Even if they couldn't see much, a little bit of light was coming from under the door. And they could see a little, just a little, of the other. Enough to catch a glimpse every once in a while. They were trying to be discreet, but realized that the other was glancing as well, once. Twice. Three times in a row. They started glancing with the intention of catching the other's gaze and holding it. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Sometimes four wild seconds until their hearts reminded them that they were losing their minds.
The silence was comfortable, they didn't need a conversation to feel at ease with each other. But Kiku glanced at Hajime and couldn't help but speak up:
"Nee… Iwaizumi-san… Oikawa-san visited the cheerleading club today, during break."
"EH?! He did?! That's why he was late this–"
Hajime started grumbling words Kiku couldn't understand – probably insults and curses against his best friend. She wouldn't be surprised if wherever Oikawa was at the moment, he was suddenly hit by a sudden shiver.
"H-he asked me something and… and I wanted to know what you think of it…" She continued hesitantly.
Iwaizumi was about to bark "Ignore him!" but thought twice about it when he noticed the forlorn look on Kiku's face. He sighed deeply and waited for her to continue speaking.
She took a deep breath to give herself some courage to continue and finish this conversation, and finally she spoke up:
"H-he proposed for me to join the v-volleyball club… as a manager… a-and… and I…"
"What would you think if I were becoming the volleyball club's manager?" Was what she wanted to ask but she couldn't face Iwaizumi and ask him that. It felt too personal, he would understand that his opinion was the one that mattered the most to her.
Hajime sighed deeply, barely surprised by the fact that his friend had decided to ask Kiku to join as a manager. What he thought didn't seem to matter, Vice-Captain or not. He wondered how much of it Oikawa was doing for his sake and this obsession in making them a couple, Kiku and him. And how much was for the sake of the club. And how much for his own sake. Oikawa wasn't selfish per say, but he always had ulterior motives, whether it was for him or someone else.
"Why have you remained on the cheerleading club all these years when they don't even treat you like a teammate?" He asked, breaking the silence.
Kiku looked up at him, lips opened in surprise that he'd ask her such a question. She wasn't even surprised to hear these words from him – it seemed to be a silent agreement from everyone, despite her words, that Akiyama Kiku had never been and never will be part of the cheerleading club.
For once, she didn't have to ponder the question to give an answer:
"Because I like it." She simply answered.
Hajime turned to her, raising an eyebrow and silently asking her to elaborate:
"I like… cheerleading, I like cheering on people. You know this feeling when people are feeling down for a reason or another, but with a smile from a stranger, or their favorite movie, or a happy song… or a nice word from someone… it makes them feel better? And you feel better as well?" She started shyly.
Hajime thought of it a moment, before nodding. Most of the time, when he was helping out people, it was encouraging his teammates when they felt down during a tough match. Giving them encouragement was strengthening him.
"Yeah, I kinda know that feeling…" He answered.
"This is why I like cheerleading. This is why… I had joined the cheerleading club but…"
He glanced at her as her smile dropped and she looked down.
"But no matter how much I'd try… they didn't want of me because… because…"
"Because of what had happened in your first-year?" He finished.
Kiku's head snapped up, eyes widening, fear and panic flashing in them. Hajime quickly spoke up again:
"Your… uh, Captain, told us a few things but… I don't think she was in her right mind. She's just being selfish." He said, trying to convince himself.
Miyano was selfish, along with her team. But Kiku's panic just now, everyone thinking she had a problem… once again, he wondered if some of it wasn't true, after all. And why wasn't she opening up to him because even if he knew a lot of things about her… some things that no one else knew… she was still a mystery for him.
Kiku looked down, hiding her expression and her eyes filled with many emotions clashing together. Fear, panic, sadness, disappointment, bitterness… the feeling that what she had with Hajime might slip from her fingers, and just the idea of losing the best friend she ever had was enough to make her chest tighten painfully.
Realizing that Kiku was suddenly silent, looking away from him and holding her breath, Hajime swallowed hard before deciding to change the topic. He wanted to know the truth about Kiku. But he couldn't bear to see her so shaken up.
"About you joining as manager…" He hesitated.
She took a sharp intake of breath, glancing at him curiously, remembering that it had been the initial topic.
Hajime rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, glanced away quickly as his cheeks blushed before speaking up:
"It's not Oikawa, or the team, your uncle, or me… or anyone who should influence your choice. If you come… I want it to be your choice… only if you're a hundred percent sure you'll be happy… cheering only for us from the bench rather than… in a fucked up club that doesn't know what a team is supposed to be… Your choice." He mumbled.
Kiku stared at him in awe, wondering when was the last time someone had given her a choice such as this. When did she decide something for herself? It seemed like so long ago… and it had been a mistake – joining the cheerleading club and stubbornly staying on it. Would she be good enough as a manager for the volleyball club? She couldn't deny that everyone was kind on the team, and she had had a lot of fun for the little moments she had spent with them. And… she would spend more time with Hajime as well…
She opened her lips to say something when the metal door suddenly opened, light pouring in the storage room so suddenly that both third-years were blinded temporarily. Iwaizumi immediately let go of Kiku's hand and rose threateningly, ready to strangle Oikawa and his idiot friends for locking him with Kiku in the storage room and–
"Iwaizumi-san!"
He froze, hands still held up in a threatening, ready to strangle, action. He blinked and realized that the one who had opened the storage room was Watari.
"Watari?" He asked, looking around the gymnasium.
"I saw the light in the gymnasium, and the knee pads' box wasn't in the storage room so I came to put it in! I had no idea I would find you there…" The libero explained sheepishly, and a little confused as to why his Vice-Captain would be in here.
Realizing that Oikawa hadn't even come to free them – this idiot had probably forgotten about it already! – it took a moment for Iwaizumi, glaring at the image of his friend he was currently imagining, to react.
Kiku appeared at his side and Watari's eyes widened when he took notice of her.
"Oh… I-I see…" He said, blushing and stepping away, "S-sorry for interrupting you…" He mumbled.
Kiku's eyes blinked in confusion, Iwaizumi tilted his head on a side and glanced between the girl and the libero. And gasped.
"Wait! NO! I-it's not! I wasn't! W-we weren't!" He stammered.
"I'm sorry!" Watari exclaimed, running away.
Iwaizumi's hand reached for the libero, to explain that he hadn't been busy doing stuff with Kiku in the storage room but he was already at the other side of the gymnasium. Kiku and Hajime stared at his retreating figure, eyes and mouth wide open in shock and frozen at the entrance of the storage room. In less than three minutes, the whole team – including coach Irihata, Kiku's UNCLE! – would know that Watari had found them in the dark storage room…
The loud sound of the metal door sliding close once again brought back Iwaizumi on earth as he suddenly grabbed it to keep it open. Damn door that just kept sliding close on its own.
"I am so going to kill Trashykawa…!" He hissed to himself.
Once sure everything was in the storage room, and that both Kiku and Iwaizumi were out of it – they let the door close. Iwaizumi didn't have the key to lock it – but there was no way he'd come back to do that, Oikawa would!
"I-I should go help Mizoguchi-san preparing dinner!" Kiku exclaimed.
"Ah! Wait!" He called.
She grabbed her bag and ran off.
Iwaizumi sighed deeply and followed, turning off the last lights and decided to go take his shower – he'd beat up his friends after he had tried relaxing a little. The good part was that at this time, no one would be in the showers and he'd have it for himself.
Oikawa, Hanamaki and Matsukawa, after showering and changing, were discussing lightly, as they were advancing towards the cafeteria, seeing Kiku quickly run into it to help Mizoguchi.
"Wait, aren't we forgetting something?" Mattsun asked, frowning lightly in confusion.
There was a moment of silence as they fell into a stop, thinking deeply about it before they all gasped.
"IWAIZUMI!"
"IWA-CHAN!"
"FUCK!"
If Kiku was out of the storage room, it meant that so was Iwaizumi, and he was probably thirsting for blood! Their blood!
Panicked for a short moment, and expecting a sudden death coming from anywhere around them, the three third-years tense up.
"If you're looking for Iwaizumi-san," Yahaba intervened, after hearing their screams, "He just went into the showers."
The second-year setter walked away calmly while Makki turned towards Mattsun and Oikawa:
"Wait – the showers? Why isn't he trying to kill us right away?" Makki asked.
"Perhaps something good actually happened while they were locked up?" Oikawa mused, blinking in astonishment.
"Wasn't it your plan – it was the whole goal to make something happen between the two!" Matsukawa exclaimed.
"Yes, yes, but I didn't expect Iwa-chan to actually have the courage to do that!" He exclaimed.
"Do you think he asked her out? That they made out?" Makki asked with wide eyes.
Oikawa, Matsukawa and Hanamaki stared at each other with wide eyes, in silence. Before turning around and running to the showers as fast as possible – forgetting the Damocles' sword hanging above their heads the moment they'd see Iwaizumi, they needed answers!
Iwaizumi was just exiting the shower, towel around his waist, still angry about the whole mess his friends had caused, but mostly thinking about how adorable Kiku was, when screams and running steps echoed. He just had time to look up when Hanamaki, Matsukawa and Oikawa arrived running and screaming:
"WE NEED TO KNOW!"
"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"IWA-CHAAN!"
"O-OI!" Iwaizumi screamed.
But Oikawa slid on a puddle of water and fell forward – right towards Iwaizumi. Out of reflex, Iwaizumi caught his arm before he could meet the ground – but slid as well (he was still wet from the shower after all). His feet slid around and he fell backwards, losing balance. He screamed and met the ground harshly on his behind.
"Iwa-chan! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?!" Oikawa shouted.
All three immediately fussed around their friend who was keeping his eyes closed after the violence of the fall, worry and guilt on all of their faces because they had never seen Iwaizumi fall so suddenly, and especially on a floor as hard as the shower one. It had been a violent fall and their lower backs throbbed just thinking about how terrible it must have felt for their Ace.
"I-I'm fine…" Iwaizumi mumbled, before wincing.
His left hand covered his right wrist, a pout on his face.
"You hurt your wrist?" Hanamaki asked while Oikawa was starting trembling because it had been his fault his friend had slid on the shower floor.
"It'll be fine, it's nothing," Iwaizumi answered stubbornly.
The three stared at his wrist, lightly swollen from the impact. Iwaizumi moved it around and tried to hide his wince but it didn't escape Oikawa's gaze:
"We need to get you to Mizoguchi, I'm so sorry, Iwa-chan! If I hadn't slid, you wouldn't have lost your balance!"
"It was stupid of us to run into the showers like crazy," Makki added as they helped the Ace up.
"I'm fine," He grumbled, grabbing his clothes to get dressed, trying to ignore the throb in his hand, "Why the hell did you come like that anyway?" He asked grumpily.
He tried not to use too much his hand, and it didn't escape his friends. They all pouted, not in the mood to be excited about what might have possibly happened between him and Kiku. Not if he was injured because of their own stupidity. If they hadn't been running like fools, Oikawa wouldn't have slid, Iwaizumi wouldn't have saved him and fallen. And get injured.
Once dressed, all three of the third-years fussed around Iwaizumi to force him to go show his wrist to Mizoguchi.
"I'm telling you I'm fine!" Iwaizumi exclaimed, more pissed off by the minute, as they arrived in the cafeteria.
Most of the team was here already, waiting for dinner to be ready and at once, everyone glanced over at the third-years. At first, it was because everyone had heard from Watari about Iwaizumi and Kiku spending time together in the storage room – but when they noticed the dark expressions on all four of the third-years, they only stared at them.
"Mizoguchi! Coach!" Oikawa called, sounding panicked.
"What is it?" Mizoguchi asked, Kiku glancing curiously from where she was cooking.
"Iwa-chan got hurt! It's my fault!" Oikawa whined, pulling forward the Ace.
"And I'm telling you I'm fine!" Iwaizumi grumbled.
The entire team tense up, Mizoguchi and Irihata immediately dropping everything they were doing to surround the young man. Once Iwaizumi was sitting, the entire team watching from afar nervously, Mizoguchi examined his wrist for a moment, Irihata just behind, lips thin.
"What happened?" Irihata asked.
"I made him fall in the showers, it's my fault, coach…" Oikawa said, and as surprising as it was, his eyes were glassy – probably from tears he refused to let fill his eyes.
"No, I'm the one who slid down, I shouldn't have put my hand down to catch myself, it was stupid," Iwaizumi quickly added when Irihata threw a dark gaze towards the setter – no need to make Oikawa feel any more guilty than he already felt.
"It's all of our faults," Hanamaki said, hands in his pockets.
"Congratulation, all of you, our Ace might be broken before the Inter-High. I hope you're proud of what you've done!" Irihata snapped, glaring at the three third-years.
All looked down and away but Iwaizumi leaned forward, heart suddenly beating in panic, frowning to keep his eyes from showing how shaken up he felt since he had fallen on his wrist – he couldn't afford to abandon his team now, he couldn't afford to get hurt now!
"Coach! It was my fault! And I'm fine! I'll be able to play for the Inter-High, I swear!"
"That, only a doctor will decide!" Irihata answered, glaring at the Ace who bit on his lower lip hard.
Iwaizumi looked down, his entire body trembling of rage. Not against his coach, or his friends but because his own clumsiness had led to this… but he hated the idea to be hurt just before the Inter-High. He hated the idea to miss it – he couldn't let Oikawa lead the team on his own, not against Shiratorizawa, they wouldn't beat Ushiwaka this way!
"It doesn't seem broken, but you should have it checked," Mizoguchi said, "Does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt, there's no need to–"
Iwaizumi pulled away his hand suddenly when Mizoguchi lightly turned it around, making it throb in pain.
"Doesn't hurt, uh. Where's the first-aid kit I asked for?" Mizoguchi asked, Watari bringing it to him after going to get it in the coaches' room.
Iwaizumi pouted while Mizoguchi was putting some cream and bandages around his wrist, shoulders down and everyone glancing nervously at the idea that their Ace and Vice-Captain might be seriously hurt.
"You'll go to the hospital tomorrow morning, Mizoguchi will take you there." Irihata said.
"B-but! There's the Golden Week! I can't miss practice! I can't afford to not practice when the Inter-High is getting closer!" Iwaizumi exclaimed, trying to stand up.
Mizoguchi pulled him back down on the chair while Irihata shook his head:
"No. You'll go to the doctor tomorrow morning and won't discuss it. Once we know for sure you're not badly hurt, you'll be allowed to come back. Not before that. Understood?" He said with a hard voice.
Iwaizumi swallowed, glanced at Oikawa for help but for once, the setter was staring at him with a strong gaze. Silently, Oikawa shook lightly his head, telling his best friend to do as the coach was saying. Sighing, Hajime nodded angrily.
Once he had bandages around his wrist, dinner was ready and everyone went to their seats. They ate half-heartedly and when Oikawa brought a trail of food to Iwaizumi he only glared at it.
"Not eating won't do you any good," Mizoguchi said as he walked behind the Ace.
He huffed and Matsukawa turned towards him, still feeling guilty but trying to light up the mood:
"You're sulking and being childish. You look like Oikawa, it's creepy." He commented.
"Oi! What is that supposed to mean, Mattsun?!" Oikawa exclaimed, looking offended.
It managed to bring half-smiles on everyone on the table and Hanamaki piped up:
"If you have trouble eating with your hand bandaged like that, perhaps we should ask Kiku to feed you?"
Hajime flushed and tried to force his lips to remain into a stubborn pout. He failed and despite how terrible he felt at the moment, the corner of his lips quirked up a little and he grabbed his chopsticks. He couldn't be angry at his friends when they were trying so hard to make him feel better…
"Shut up…" He mumbled while starting to eat.
They smiled a little, glad that their Ace was feeling a little less down.
Later that night, while everyone was sleeping deeply, Iwaizumi couldn't stop moving around, eyes wide open. He couldn't stop worrying about his hand, praying it wasn't a big injury and that he would be fixed on time for the Inter-High. When he wasn't worrying about his hand, he was worrying about Kiku. There were so many things kept untold about her, he wanted to know so much more but she seemed so frightened to open up. Was it because she had opened up in the past and it hadn't worked out? Or because she had never opened up to anyone before? What was he supposed to do about it?
Sighing annoyingly because he couldn't sleep, he turned on his stomach, making sure his hand was safely put on top of his pillow and wouldn't get into a possibly painful position.
"Iwa-chan."
He turned his gaze to his left, noticing Oikawa staring at him in the mid-darkness of the classroom. Just like him, he was laying on his stomach, both hands buried under his pillow.
"I'm sorry for your hand…" He whispered, finally letting sadness and guilt seep through his masks now that no one else would witness it.
"…It's okay, it wasn't really your fault. I should have been able to catch myself, or not stupidly put my hand down… I don't blame you, Oikawa." He murmured.
Even if he knew it already, hearing these words made Oikawa sigh in relief. There was a moment of silence – except for the few snores here and there.
"When we arrived in the showers, we wanted to know what had happened between you and Kiku-chan."
"So you did lock us in on purpose," Iwaizumi concluded, narrowing his eyes threateningly.
Oikawa startled slightly, afraid to fall asleep now, with his friend still looking so angry about it, but then, he just smirked and shrugged his shoulders:
"So… did something happen with Kiku-chan~?" He asked, and even though he kept his voice down, he couldn't smother the teasing in it.
Hajime flushed, hoping the darkness hid it and put his mouth against his pillow.
"We only talked… why didn't you tell me you had asked her to join the team as manager?" He asked, voice smothered but it was quiet enough for Oikawa to hear.
"Because I knew that you wouldn't like it. You'd want it to be Kiku-chan's choice – no one else influencing her." Oikawa answered calmly.
Hajime only stared at the darkness, vaguely frightened at how well Oikawa knew him. Of course, they knew each other, they were best friends, childhood friends, they had grown up together, they were as close as brothers. But it was still as impressive as it was frightening to know that Oikawa could read him like an open book. He wondered if he knew him quite as well… he wasn't sure, and it saddened him a little.
"She thinks I'm scared of the dark because I wanted to hold her hand…" Hajime admitted, blushing a little in shame.
Oikawa turned wide eyes to him, his chocolate orbs shining in the dark. He looked shocked – Hajime was glad that, after all, he could still surprise Oikawa.
Then, Tooru shook his head and chuckled to himself, smothering the sound with his pillow.
"How lame…" Makki whispered from the other side, after listening to the whole conversation.
"Shut up," Hajime said, trying to sound grumpy, but he was smiling.
Don't kill me, Iwa-chan will be fine and he'llplayforhteIH- ohmy gods they're coming at me with swords and torches...
YOU'LL LOVE CHAPTER 21 IT'S MY FAVORITE CHAPTER SO FAR WILLL YOU LET ME LIVE IF I SAY THAT?! I'M NOT EVEN LYING IT'S THE TRUTH IT'S JUST KYYAAAAA!
Also I've been thinking recently how it's so sad we don't have any idea of how the Shiraotrizawa VS Aoba Jousai matches went so I'm thinking about writing a one-shot that'd be an imaginary match between them with lots of epicness (the hell I'm talking about I don't even like writing volleyball matches I prefer angst and love and fluff but I want my baby leaves to have their moment of glory as well) Anyway, just... don't know yet... "
I love you guys? ;D
Yours Truly,
May