Iwaizumi stands back by the bin of volleyballs and watches as Oikawa speaks to his coach. He can see Oikawa using his forced, polite smile. See how he grits his teeth by the clench of his jaw. Can see he's trying to argue and the coach is having none of it. He can't hear the news but it can't be good.

The coach points at the bench and Oikawa stomps over to sit down. Iwaizumi comes over to him. Oikawa's rubbing his knee through the brace, the stomping must have hurt.

"Hey." Iwaizumi greets, gruffly.

Oikawa doesn't look up. He's got his face in his hands, hunched over. Iwaizumi frowns and sits down beside him. He twirls a volleyball in his hand idly and waits.

"I'm not allowed to play." Oikawa murmurs into his hands after a long minute.

"For how long?" Iwaizumi probes, because he'd already figured that part out.

Oikawa lifts his head and leans it against Iwaizumi's shoulder. It's a nice weight, and Iwaizumi bears it without comment.

"At least until fall."

Iwaizumi's eyes widen and he looks down at his best friend, "That long?"

Oikawa buries his face into Iwaizumi's shirt and nods his head. Iwaizumi frowns.

He accidentally drops the ball he was spinning but he doesn't bother to pick it up as it rolls out of reach.

"Get up." Iwaizumi demands, placing his bag down on Oikawa's bedroom floor.

Oikawa peaks over the book he's reading in bed. He doesn't respond, instead he turns to his side, his back facing the intruder. Iwaizumi grits his teeth, "Oikawa."

"I'm supposed to be resting." Oikawa glowers, curling up a bit tighter.

"Bullshit." Iwaizumi snaps, walking around the bed to face Oikawa. The brunet grips his book tighter, as if it were a shield, "You're supposed to be doing physical therapy."

Oikawa turns around again so he faces the opposite direction, "I don't care."

Iwaizumi grabs his arm, pulling him over. Oikawa doesn't resist as he's hauled out of the bed, book forgotten.

"How can you not care?!" Iwaizumi growls, "Don't you want to play volleyball?" Oikawa glares at the floor. Iwaizumi continues, "Don't you want to defeat Ushijima at Inter High?"

"Of course I want to beat him." Oikawa hisses, "But how can I ever beat him now."

Iwaizumi lets go of him, "If you do the exercises you'll have a full recovery."

"How do you know that?" Oikawa huffs, unconvinced.

Iwaizumi ignores the question, unzipping his bag. He takes out a stretchy band. Oikawa recognizes it from the gym. "Here." Iwaizumi says, "Start."

"I don't even know what I'm doing." Oikawa whines.

"It's your own fault for not taking care of yourself." Iwaizumi reminds harshly, but then he seems to soften. He crawls onto the bed, "Come on, I'll help you."

Oikawa swallows but finally nods. He obeys as Iwaizumi motions for him to lie down. He looks up at him nervously. Iwaizumi takes his right leg carefully, "Tell me if I hurt you at all ok."

"Ok."

"I mean it. Even a little sting. You tell me immediately." Iwaizumi clarifies with a pointed look.

Oikawa smiles a bit, "You're giving me permission to whine?"

Iwaizumi cracks a smile and his hands are too occupied to hide it, so he ducks his head down, "Just this once."

Oikawa bites his lip and looks up at the ceiling, trying to hold in his snicker. Iwaizumi bends his leg so his thigh and calf make a right angle, foot up in the air. "Hold it there." He orders quietly, taking the rubber band. He has the middle of it lie across the bridge of Oikawa's foot, "Grab the ends and hold them tight."

Oikawa does as he's told.

"Ok, now just, push your foot against the band to straighten your leg." Oikawa obeys, slowly at first, testing the waters. His knee tingles but it doesn't hurt. "Good, now do twenty of those. I'll keep count."

Oikawa follows suit, but by the time he gets to fifteen he starts to feel a burn. Iwaizumi sees it in his eyes before he can speak and takes his leg in his hands again, "Thats fine. Fifteens fine." He assures, quickly.

Oikawa takes in a shaky breath, letting go of the bands. Iwaizumi lets his foot down carefully and runs his fingers along his leg, "You ok?"

"Yeah." Oikawa breathes, staring up at the ceiling. He blinks some of the little tears that had pricked the edges of his eyes away. He takes a deep breath, "How do you know all this?"

Iwaizumi snorts, "Didn't they tell you at the hospital?"

Oikawa keeps staring at the ceiling. Iwaizumi keeps tracing Oikawa's knee. "They did but I wasn't listening. I was too upset."

"Figures." Iwaizumi sighs, running his fingers higher and higher, until they dance along Oikawa's thighs. He can feel the brunet shudder beneath him but he doesn't say anything. "I've been reading a bunch about it online."

Oikawa smiles at the ceiling, draping an arm over his eyes, "Are you my nurse, Iwa-chan?" He giggles.

Iwaizumi swats his hip, "Shut up, Trashykawa."

Oikawa laughs, and then he keeps laughing and laughing. Until his laughs choke at his throat and his sleeve can't soak up his tears anymore. And he starts sucking in a couple of noisy breaths and curling up reflexively and he feels so god damn pathetic.

Iwaizumi doesn't say anything. He crawls up, higher, lying beside Oikawa. He carefully takes Oikawa's arm away from his puffy, red, wet face. Iwaizumi smiles at him, wiping some of the tears away with his thumb, "You're such an ugly crier." He sighs.

Oikawa buries his face in his chest, "I love you, Hajime." He whispers. Iwaizumi blinks, wrapping his arms tighter around the teen. Pulling him closer.

"You're going to get better." Iwaizumi states, "Trust me."

"How can you be so sure?" Oikawa whimpers.

"Because I'm not done playing volleyball with you, dumbass."

Oikawa smiles into his chest, his fingers digging into his back for purchase. He nuzzles a bit deeper, breathing him in, "Iwa-chan..."

"Hmm?" Iwaizumi hums.

"You're so good to me." Oikawa sighs.

Iwaizumi sometimes worries that Oikawa doesn't realize how good Oikawa is to Iwaizumi, too. How Oikawa inspires him to do better, how Oikawa has pushed him into every field he's ever loved. But he's terrible with words so he hopes his tightened grip communicates it all.

Because when Oikawa fell during that practice match, when Oikawa went to that hospital, when Oikawa wouldn't answer his texts, it felt as though his whole world had crashed down around him.

And he was going to do everything in his power to pick the pieces back together despite his shaky hands.

Oikawa does get better. Because despite what Oikawa says he's incredibly determined and works incredibly hard. Sometimes he simply needs a push when he is in a particularly nasty slump. Iwaizumi takes over the captain duties in the weeks Oikawa is out of commission. Or at least it seems as though, but really, he consults Oikawa with everything. Things run smoothly.

During practices, Iwaizumi helps guide the drills. Oikawa lies in the corner, flexing his leg back and forth carefully. Iwaizumi can't help but watch him at times, until Matsukawa or Hanamakki nudge his shoulder with a shit eating grin. He usually scowls at them and focuses back on practice.

Sometimes the new first years distract him. Kindaichi is constantly looking for guidance, and Kunimi needs to be coerced occasionally into giving it his all. Other times, it's the second years hoping for pointers, whether Watari wants to practice his block follow or Yahaba needs help with the reserves. Still, there are times he hands Matsukawa the ball and heads over to Oikawa to help him.

Oikawa's eyes shine in those moments. Because Oikawa has never liked being excluded. And watching his team practice and bond together while he lies in the corner of the gym is a lot for him to take.

"How is it?" Iwaizumi asks, kneeling down.

"I can do fifty stretches with the band." Oikawa grins, proudly.

Iwaizumi smiles, "Get it to one hundred."

Oikawa wilts, "Iwa-chan." He whines, "That's not fair! You can't keep adding to my tally."

Iwaizumi wants to kiss him, but they're in the middle of practice, so he flicks his nose instead, earning himself another petulant whine, "I want you better."

Oikawa lets out a dramatic sigh, "How sweet of you, Iwa-chan."

"Don't make me hit you." Iwaizumi warns.

Oikawa's eyes widen, teary eyed, "You would hit me now? In this state? How cruel!"

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes, "I'm leaving." Oikawa's bottom lip trembles in an exaggerated fashion, and despite how obviously fake it is, Iwaizumi can't help the way it tugs at his heart slightly. "Can I come over tonight?" He asks, in a low voice.

"Of course." Oikawa answers, with a smile.

Iwaizumi nods and trots back to the team.

Oikawa kisses him into the mattress, hands climbing up his cheeks until they tangle in his hair. Iwaizumi groans, running his hands along Oikawa's bare sides, feeling the dips and bumps of his warm skin. Oikawa kisses deeper, leaning further. And Iwaizumi feels the sudden grip in his hair, the sudden sharp intake of breath, and he pulls away.

"Oikawa."

"I'm fine." Oikawa huffs, "I just moved wrong for a second." He insists.

Iwaizumi frowns, "You shouldn't be on all fours like this. It puts too much pressure on your knee. Let's switch."

Oikawa glares at him, "I'm not made of glass!"

Iwaizumi glares right back at him, "You need to be careful."

Oikawa gets off him with a frustrated growl, "Stop worrying so much."

"I have to worry. Because you refuse to."

"Well, how the hell am I supposed to worry about myself if you don't even let me?" Oikawa snaps back.

Iwaizumi looks away.

They don't say anything for a bit. Oikawa fiddles with his knee brace because he can't stay still. Iwaizumi stares at the wrinkled sheets beneath him.

"I just don't want you to get hurt again." Iwaizumi finally breathes into the pillow his head rests on.

"I know." Oikawa sighs, pulling at a strand of his hair, "But you should trust me to know my limits."

"If you knew your limits this wouldn't have happened." Iwaizumi can't help murmuring, fingers digging into the sheets.

"That was months ago!" Oikawa growls, "People change, Iwa-chan. I've done all my exercises! I haven't played volleyball at all. I wear my brace every day! I've done everything right, can't you see that?"

Iwaizumi won't look at him.

"I made a mistake. I know I did. But please, trust me now." Oikawa pleads.

Iwaizumi sits up slowly, "I hate when you're right." He sighs.

Oikawa smiles at him.

"Sorry."

"For babying me?" Oikawa teases.

Iwaizumi flicks his forehead, "For caring so much."

Oikawa smiles again at him, as he rubs at his forehead, "For worrying too much." He corrects, but he has no interest in keeping the fight going, so he quickly deflects, "Iwa-chan, have you ever thought about being a doctor?"

"Huh?" Iwaizumi blinks, squinting his eyes.

Oikawa reddens a bit, "I don't know. You're really good at taking care of me these past few weeks. And like, we're third years now...and I don't know. Give it a thought?"

Iwaizumi licks his lips, "I guess I should start thinking about that stuff." He agrees, a loud. A doctor. Huh.

Oikawa takes his hand, "Although, if Iwa-chan becomes a doctor, I might have to get sick more often." He jokes.

"You're a moron." Iwaizumi sighs, pecking his lips. Oikawa giggles. "And you, have you been thinking about what you want to do?" Iwaizumi asks with a raised brow.

"Isn't it obvious?" Oikawa counters, "I want to play volleyball."

"Iwaizumi."

Iwaizumi looks over at their coach, passing the ball in his hands to Matsukawa before trotting over.

"Yes, sir?" He asks, standing before him.

"Where's Oikawa?" The man asks.

Iwaizumi's used to this. He's been the keeper of Oikawa News ever since he met the boy. And Oikawa has always been the same for him, "He's at the doctor's for a check-up."

Their coach gives a nod, "He should have told me." He sighs, and Iwaizumi wonders if he's allowed to go back to practice. The coach has more to say, however, "How is he doing?"

"Much better." Iwaizumi grins, "He's actually doing physical therapy and it's paying off."

"You think I can put him in games again?" The coach adds.

Iwaizumi thinks a moment, "Well, as long as the check up goes well I think so." And he would love it.

The coach looks at his clipboard, "That's good to hear." Iwaizumi nods his head in agreement, "That boy has so much talent it'd be a waste if it ended here."

Iwaizumi's grin widens with pride, "I know, sir."

The coach cracks a smile, "Alright, remind me to speak with him at tomorrow's practice."

Iwaizumi nods again before racing back over to his post on the court. Hanamaki looks over at him with a sly brow, "Someone's happy."

Iwaizumi blinks at him, "Hmm?"

"You're practically jumping in place." Matsukawa adds, thoughtfully.

"What did coach say? Did he complement your spike?" Hanamaki probes, poking Iwaizumi's shoulder.

Iwaizumi shakes his head, "Oikawa's going to be allowed to play again soon."

"Finally." Hanamaki breathes, but there's no denying the grin on his face. Practice isn't the same without Oikawa setting them tosses, pushing them to their limits, pointing out where they need to work and congratulating them on their successes.

Iwaizumi grins at them.

That night, Iwaizumi visits Oikawa's room. Oikawa looks over at him as he enters, putting down his phone and sitting up.

"What did the doctor say?" Iwaizumi asks, immediately.

Oikawa pouts at him, "What? No hello kiss?"

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes but acquiesces, stepping over and pressing a chaste kiss on Oikawa's lips. He can feel the other teen smile beneath him.

"Well?"

Oikawa hums, "The doctor said I'm recovering faster than expected!"

"Really?"

Oikawa nods, "I told him I'm in the care of an excellent nurse-in-training." He teases.

Iwaizumi feels his face flare up and so he smacks Oikawa's arm, "Shut up, idiot."

Oikawa laughs, "I love you too, Iwa-chan."

Iwaizumi huffs, "Well, I have good news for you."

Oikawa blinks, "You do?"

"Yeah. Let's just say, Coach is going to talk to you tomorrow about something important." Iwaizumi states, vaguely, with a smirk.

"About what?" Oikawa presses, intrigued.

"I'm not spoiling it."

"Iwa-chan, you can't just say that and not tell me." Oikawa insists.

"Except that I can. Because I did." Iwaizumi points out easily.

"Iwa-chan!"

"Nope."

"Dr. Iwa-chan, please."

"Oh my god."

"What did Coach say?" Oikawa pleads, shaking him. Iwaizumi grins at him.

Oikawa pauses, bites his lip, "Am...Am I gonna play again? Is he going to let me play again?"

Iwaizumi's grin widens.

Oikawa's eyes are dazzling, lit up brighter than Tokyo Tower, "I'm back on the court?" He squeaks.

Iwaizumi pecks his lips.

Oikawa hugs him tight to his chest, "Iwa-chan!" He cries.

"Get off me!" Iwaizumi laughs, pushing away half heartedly. But Oikawa's nuzzling his face into his neck, and his breath tickles his neck and soon he finds himself hugging back. Holding him close.

"Iwa-chan!"

"What?"

"Thanks." Oikawa grins, kissing his neck.

Iwaizumi huffs, "You don't have to thank me. I'm your friend."

"Best friend." Oikawa corrects.

"Only friend." Iwaizumi counters.

Oikawa pouts at him, but it's short lived as he keeps peppering his neck with kisses. It tickles. Iwaizumi cranes his neck, shifting a bit until they're face to face.

Oikawa looks at him, "Boyfriend." He corrects, again.

Iwaizumi kisses him.

Oikawa laughs, "But really, I don't know where I'd be without Dr. Iwaizumi."

Iwaizumi looks at him, "It does have a nice ring to it." He muses.

Oikawa looks at him, licks his lip, "Oh? Does Iwa-chan like that? Dr. Iwaizumi, I think I'm in need of a check up."

"You're disgusting." Iwaizumi huffs.

"You love me." Oikawa murmurs.

Iwaizumi sighs heavily, but bumps their foreheads together lightly, conceding to the fact.

"But Tokyo's your top choice, right?" Oikawa sips at his drink across from Iwaizumi. The other nods.

"If I can get in that, is." Iwaizumi sighs, realistically.

"Iwa-chan, all you have to worry about is your social science marks, and I can help you with those." Oikawa waves off, "You'll get in."

Iwaizumi takes a bite of his rice dish, "Yeah, yeah."

"And you're going to be pre-med?" Oikawa continues, because it's very important to him he knows Iwaizumi's life plan by heart.

"Yeah...I mean, nothing else seems that interesting to me." Iwaizumi shrugs, digging his chopsticks into his food.

Oikawa smiles, "It'll be hard."

"I love challenges." Iwaizumi reminds, "I've been friends with you for what? Thirteen years? Forcing myself to stick around so long's the greatest challenge I've ever faced."

Oikawa sticks his tongue out, but grins, "You'll make a great doctor one day, Iwa-chan. I'm sure of it."

"Uh-huh." Iwaizumi grunts, taking another bite of his meal.

"I take pride in being your first ever patient." Oikawa continues.

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes, "And you? Is Tokyo your first choice?"

Oikawa's smile seems to falter. Iwaizumi notices it, finds himself hesitating and puts his chopsticks down.

"Actually," Oikawa begins, looking to the side, "I've been looking at these scholarships..."

"Yeah?" Iwaizumi probes, ignoring the way his heart starts to sink.

"Volleyball scholarships." Oikawa continues, concentrating on a point behind Iwaizumi, distant.

"Yeah?" Iwaizumi probes, ignoring how his heart sinks deep, deep into his stomach.

"In America."

Iwaizumi blinks, swallowing down, "Oh." Oh.

Oh.

Iwaizumi tries to hide his disappointment. Tries to hold it in because it's not fair to Oikawa. But they'd always been together since starting school and he never really considered that ending. He always assumed they'd just, keep being together.

"Yeah." Oikawa fidgets, pulling at a strand of hair hanging in front of his face, "I mean, Tokyo is my top choice within Japan." Oikawa defends, quickly, "And nothing's final or anything. I mean, I'm just looking right now. But there are some really interesting scholarships out there and my dad wants me to apply and it would be cool, you know, to play volleyball outside Japan for a bit."

"Yeah." Iwaizumi agrees, despite everything.

Oikawa's shoulders wilt. Iwaizumi can tell. And he feels terrible because he needs to support his boyfriend in this moment, not discourage him.

"I mean..." Oikawa repeats again, "I also have to get in."

Iwaizumi swallows down his apprehension and puts on a stern face, "Are you kidding? You're top of the class and the best player on our team."

Oikawa blinks at him.

"You're a shoe in."

And Iwaizumi knows what he's saying is true, and it breaks his heart all the same.

im on spring break so here's an update!

only one chapter to go! thanks for stickin with me

reviews make me smile

see you next time