So...yeah, it's been a month...

I have no good excuse, I honestly just didn't feel like writing sad and/or angsty stuff lol (sorry) so I did try to make this chapter slightly fluffier, idk how that turned out but...well, read on if you want to find out ^_^

"Iwa-chan," Oikawa mumbled, tiredness pulling his eyelids down. He had cleaned and bandaged the spiker's knuckles, and was looking forward to getting some sleep―well, yes, he'd had the past few days to sleep, but he just couldn't fall asleep without his friend's calming presence beside him. Now he was trying to convince the ace to sleep next to him, but Iwaizumi kept hesitating. "Iwa-chan, come on," Oikawa whined, pulling the covers back from the side of the bed where his friend was standing.

"But I―" Iwaizumi began, but Oikawa interrupted him.

"Iwa-chan," he groaned, raking a hand through his hair. "Please." Oikawa looked up to meet Iwaizumi's slightly shocked gaze. "I…" Oikawa swallowed. "I need you."

With a sigh, Iwaizumi finally slid into the bed beside Oikawa. "Happy?" the spiker grumbled.

Oikawa only let out a confused breath. "Why are you acting so weird?" he asked softly, gaze fixed on the sheets between them, "You were fine with helping me fall asleep before. Is it...I mean, I know I should be getting better by now, but I thought that you of all people would still stay with―"

"Oikawa," Iwaizumi interrupted sharply, startling the setter. Oikawa flicked his gaze up to meet his friend's gray gaze as he continued, "It's not that, not at all. I will always be here for you, Oikawa. When have I ever let you down, or even lied to you?" Oikawa stayed silent, unable to think of a single example. Iwaizumi went on, "It's just that...Ushijima's got me on edge. I'm...I'm scared for you, Oikawa. But not just because of him, but also...because of the way I reacted when I saw him. I just...I went overboard." He paused to take a breath, then mumbled quietly, "I don't want to lose control like that around you."

"You won't," Oikawa answered immediately, "I know you won't, because I trust you, Iwa-chan. You shouldn't ever worry about something like that. And…" Oikawa glanced away again, remembering Iwaizumi's voice saying, You can talk to me, you know. Whenever. You can tell me anything. "You can tell me anything, Iwa-chan."

Iwaizumi adjusted his body so that he was facing Oikawa. "I'm sorry," he said, "for not telling you. I just...wanted to be someone for you to lean on, whenever you…" he paused, letting out a soft choked noise, then quickly said, "whenever you needed me." Oikawa's gaze was fixed on Iwaizumi's, and he took in every change in expression on the ace's face as he spoke. "I just didn't want you to feel different around me, or be nervous around me, or―"

"Iwa-chan," Oikawa groaned. "You're my best friend, why would I ever feel uncomfortable around you in any way? Come on. You know how much I need you." Oikawa noticed a quick flash of something―what was it?―in Iwaizumi's eyes, but it was gone before he could figure out what it meant.

"Yeah," Iwaizumi sighed, turning onto his back. "Let's just get some sleep, ok?" Then, as if it were an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and Makki and Mattsun want to visit this weekend."

Oikawa felt his heart begin to race. "They―what?" he gasped out, "What am I supposed to tell them? What did you tell them? Iwa-chan, I don't want anyone to know, only you, I can't―"

"Calm down, Oikawa," Iwaizumi cut him off, reaching across the bed to grab the setter's trembling hand. Oikawa gladly accepted the touch, squeezing Iwaizumi's hand as the spiker continued to speak in a hushed, calm tone, "All I told them was that you were sick, and that's why I had to stay home with you the other day to take care of you. It's going to be fine, it's good for you to talk to more people. You don't have to tell them, but just being around them is healthy, right, Tooru?" Suddenly Iwaizumi snapped his mouth shut, a mortified look on his face.

For a moment Oikawa didn't realize why he had stopped talking. "Wait…" Oikawa blinked, feeling his brow furrowing as he peered at Iwaizumi's expression. "Did you just call me…'Tooru'?"

"Sorry, sorry," Iwaizumi hastily backpedaled, indecipherable emotions flickering through his gray eyes, "I just―it was just that―"

"Don't apologize," Oikawa said with a soft smile, shifting closer to Iwaizumi, squeezing the spiker's hand tighter. "I liked it," he breathed out, a warm feeling in his chest just from hearing Iwaizumi call him by his given name. "Can you…" he hesitated, wondering if it was ok to ask this of his friend, then decided that no matter what he said, Iwaizumi would never judge him. "Can you call me that again?"

"I―I―" Iwaizumi stuttered, a light blush dusting his cheeks, "I guess I can...Tooru," Iwaizumi mumbled, refusing to meet Oikawa's gaze. Oikawa let out a little laugh, interlacing his fingers with Iwaizumi's.

"It sounds nice when you say it," Oikawa mused, then looked up at Iwaizumi with his best puppy-dog eyes until the spiker finally looked back at him. "Can you call me 'Tooru' from now on?" he pleaded, the hitch in Iwaizumi's breath not going unnoticed by the taller brunet. With a ghost of a grin, Oikawa added, "It makes me feel so special."

Iwaizumi grumbled a bit before reluctantly agreeing with a slightly annoyed, "Alright, Tooru, now go to sleep already!"

Oikawa felt a laugh bubbling up in his throat. He slid closer to Iwaizumi, breathing out a soft, "Thank you," feeling his stress melt away just from the single conversation. Iwaizumi just sighed back, and Oikawa squeezed his hand one more time under the covers before closing his eyes and letting himself finally drift to sleep.

Iwaizumi struggled to keep his breathing even, at least until the setter fell asleep. He could feel the heat on his own face throughout the entire conversation, and hoped to God it didn't show in the semi-darkness of the room, which was lit only by the faint glow of moonlight that filtered through the window shades. He wondered if Oikawa had noticed the dry rasp of his voice whenever he'd said 'Tooru', and he wondered if this was a normal thing.

Best friends don't call each other by their given names...do they? Iwaizumi stared at Oikawa's relaxed, sleeping face. Is it possible...that Oikawa feels the same way about me that I feel about him? He cut off the thought immediately with a sharp shake of his head. No, no, I can't psyche myself out like that...he's just being Oikawa, way too personal, way too oblivious. That's just who he is. Still, Iwaizumi couldn't deny the emotions that coursed through him when Oikawa had asked, almost meekly, 'Can you call me that again?'

Iwaizumi could have punched himself for all the self-disgust he suddenly felt as the thoughts ran through his head. What the hell am I thinking? What the hell is wrong with me? He clenched his fist, feeling the aching burn flash across his injured knuckles. He needs a friend right now, he just went through this horrible thing and here I am, worrying about my own stupid feelings.

With a sigh, Iwaizumi pulled his hand from the setter's now-limp hold and allowed himself one moment of relaxation, one moment of selfishness, one moment of weakness, to just look at Oikawa as he slept. The darkness masked the pallidness of the setter's face, and the shadow of his eyelashes covered the bags beneath the closed eyes. His hair fell in soft waves across his forehead and cheek, and his breathing was deep and even and relaxed.

Iwaizumi felt a smile twitch at his own lips as he thought, What a lovely image of a team captain.

Still trying to figure out where I'm going with this lol

Lemme know whatcha think!