Iwaizumi flinched when a branch grazed his leg. One of the wounds in his right leg was inflamed, but it didn't bother him as long as nothing touched the wound. But at the moments like this the pain was unbearable. He sat down for a moment, taking a deep breath while waiting the ache to stop. Iwaizumi had cleaned and bandaged the wounds, but he knew it wouldn't be enough and was prepared to inflames. How long has it been, eight days? He was nearby his organization's headquarters, but hasn't found a way to get in to his father's office. Actually he had a plan, but he couldn't pull it off because of his leg. He just had to wait a little bit more and hope that the wound would heal.

That was three days ago. The inflame had become even worse, and Iwaizumi knew he shouldn't wait any more. He had to take an incredible risk and act in a little reckless way, but he didn't have time to hover. He threw the bag on his shoulder and carefully walked down the steep hill that led to the main entrance. The guard recognized him immediately.
"Stop! Who are you and what are you doing here?" the man that Iwaizumi identified as Ryan shouted.
"You are pretty blind if you don't recognize me yet", Iwaizumi snorted. "You called yourself my friend sometimes." Ryan was quiet for a while, clearly not believing what he saw.
"Hajime", he gasped. "I was told that you were dead, that your mission failed and the target killed you."
"So they didn't bother to tell the truth", Iwaizumi sneered and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I'm not even surprised anymore." He stepped a little closer Ryan. "I'm not going to glorify this. My mission failed, yes, but that was because I didn't fulfil it myself. I even warned my target. You know what that means. It's true that I'm supposed to be dead, but the ones who tried to kill me were Thomas, Matt and boss. I'm a traitor, if you wish to put it that way." Ryan tensed a bit, but for Iwaizumi's surprise he didn't raise his gun from his waist.
"So you are telling me that boss lied to us? I mean, that isn't unusual, but he had never before lied of a situation like this", Ryan said. "He actually likes to discredit the traitors."
"I guess he didn't want to make it look like his own kin betrayed him", Iwaizumi hummed. "Pharisaic."
"So why are you here?" Ryan asked a little suspicious. "To revenge?"
"That's right. But don't worry, I've had enough of killing", Iwaizumi assured. That was true, he didn't want to kill anyone anymore. He had thought that he would shoot his father without any regrets, but changed his mind in these eleven days. "I just want answers from my father – and return these drugs and stuff."
"I'm going to get killed if I let you in, you know that?" Ryan murmured. "But I guess it's worth it. I don't like this place, especially the boss. He is like a dictator. If you can do anything to that, you are free to go. I personally don't mind even if you shoot him."
"Thanks, I owe you", Iwaizumi thanked and patted Ryan's back. "And you know, if I get caught and you get in trouble, you are free to shoot me. I don't mind that, my life is over anyway." Ryan looked confused but didn't ask anything, just nodded and let Iwaizumi pass him. Iwaizumi was incredibly lucky and he knew that really well. Ryan was a new one here, but the assassins closer to his father were incredibly loyal. They wouldn't let him pass so easily.

As he thought, he was caught and pinned down at the exact moment he stepped to the huge hall known as The center. It was a hangar-looking hall that didn't have almost any furniture. The assassins gathered and spent time here.
"Hajime?" the assassin that hold him down gasped. "How in the hell are you here? Weren't you supposed to be dead?"
"I guess so", Iwaizumi hissed from between his teeth, trying to ignore the pain in his leg. "Let go of me. I just want to get some answers from my father."
"Well, since you are one of us I don't have a reason to keep you down-"
"He isn't one of us anymore." The deep, threatening voice cut his sentence short. "He's a traitor. Why are you here?"
"Just came to chat, Matt", Iwaizumi snorted sarcastically. "What do you think? I want answers."
"There isn't anything we could say to you anymore", Matt stated. "How are you even alive?"
"That is something I'll tell to my father. Where is he?"
"Here I am, my dear son." His father had showed up from the throng and stared at him with cold eyes. "Let him get up." The man instantly let Iwaizumi go, and the brunet stood up, keeping his guards up.
"I'm surprised", his father said slowly. "Come with me. I guess you are here to meet me." Iwaizumi didn't like the sound of his voice, but did he have a choice?
"Boss, is that wise?" Matt objected. "He's here to kill you."
"He's not", the short man chuckled. "He can't do that. Not anymore." Iwaizumi squinted and felt like he was being underestimated. He didn't say anything, but Matt was clearly suspicious of the cold flame in his eyes. Iwaizumi lifted his bag from the floor and followed his father with tense, careful steps. When they got to the shady office, his father sat down on his chair and leaned onwards. Iwaizumi didn't sit down and faced his glare with confident eyes.
"How?" The question was quiet but harsh. Iwaizumi smirked and lift his chin a bit.
"You made a mistake", he told. "You underestimated me." That was something he had always wanted to say to his father, who seemed to be careful and perfect with his actions. "But that's not important. Tell me, why Oikawa of all the people? I hadn't even talked to him in two years. Why did you choose him?"
"No, you tell me: Who else?" his father stated a counterargument. "Your mother is dead. You don't have siblings. The only options were your friends. And even I know that Oikawa was special for you." Iwaizumi grinded his teeth and slammed his fists to the table.
"Don't talk shit with me!" he snarled. "If you knew that, you wouldn't have chosen him. You knew that I wasn't ever going to complete that mission!" His father grinned and leaned back on his chair.
"That's right", he admitted. "I needed to get rid of you. You were on my way."
"I knew it", Iwaizumi hissed with disgust. "You are appalling. You could have just shot or banished me. But that wouldn't have been good for your ego, right? What did I do wrong?"
"You still have kindness in your heart", his father hissed, turning up his nose in disgust. "It isn't needed in this career. You were the heir of this organization, as you know. I would never in my life leave this place to you."
"That's good. Because I don't want this place, but you will have to abandon this. I told the police about you. They should be here shortly. You will spend the rest of your worthless life in jail." Iwaizumi kept his face emotionless, so the lie wouldn't show that way. He hadn't talked to the police, but this was all he could make up in this short time. For the first time in this conversation Iwaizumi's father didn't remain emotionless. His eyes widened and he straightened himself.
"You did what? I've put my everything in this place!" His voice was a bit shaky, he was clearly on the edge of snapping. "You will be caught too! Are you some kind of idiot, sneaking yourself like that? You really are stupid, Hajime. We all will get a death penalty of this."
"You'd have to go to the USA for that", Iwaizumi hummed. "And I don't care anymore. You took everything I had already, remember?" His voice changed to bitter. "All I want is to get this organization to its end. If you think I care about myself, you are wrong."
"That's why I hate you", his father hissed. "Always putting others first. That's not how assassins work! Do you think I'll let you go?" He stood up and reeled a few steps back to the large, covered button in the wall. "You are wrong. This may be the end for this place, but the cops won't get me!" Iwaizumi's eyes widened when he realized what his father was going to do.
"Don't press-" he was cut short when his father slammed the button down. Iwaizumi gasped when he heard loud explosions from the center. It was like from some bad action movie, but his father had been insane enough to install a destroying system to the headquarters. The whole place was going to collapse. Iwaizumi run out of the office door leaving his manically laughing father behind.
"Get out of here!" he shouted to the group of assassins that swarmed in the center. "The whole place is going to blew up!"
"What the fuck, Hajime?" Matt yelled, ignoring the hysteria that was spreading like a wildfire among the crush. "Are you going to get us all killed?"
"It was father", Iwaizumi answered. "Now get out of here if you want to stay alive!" All the other assassins were already running towards the exit, but Matt stayed still. The roof was already grumbling, and Iwaizumi saw that the rear room was collapsing.
"Where is he?" he asked, not letting Iwaizumi past. "Are you going to leave him here?"
"He chose it himself", Iwaizumi answered, getting more and more nervous as the seconds passed. "Matt, he was the one who did this! Leave him here!"
"Is that how you speak of your father?" Matt growled and gripped Iwaizumi's shirt sleeves. "You are even worse traitor than I thought! You won't go anywhere!"
"How ironic that I once considered you as my friend", Iwaizumi hissed and tugged himself from Matt's embrace. "Open your eyes! This place isn't worth dying for."
"It is for me", Matt stated. "It is everything I have left! You said your everything went along that stupid guy. You can die here with me!"
"This isn't the end I want", Iwaizumi hissed. "But if it is for you, I can't help." Without giving Matt any time to react he spun around and kicked the other man's head with all he got. Matt fell to the floor, and Iwaizumi started to run towards the door. The grumbling noise was tearing his ears and his leg felt like it was going to fall off, but he ignored the pain as well as he could and didn't stop running. He got out of the door just in time, because he wasn't even ten meters away when the whole entrance collapsed. He quickly glazed behind his back but didn't see anything but dust. He pushed away the guilt he felt of leaving his father and Matt there. It couldn't be helped. He let out a relieved exhale and fell to the ground, turning to lay on his back. The building was still collapsing and the noise filled Iwaizumi's mind, but he only felt the throbbing pain in his leg. Did he knock it somewhere?
"Hajime!" Ryan's voice made him open his eyes. The other young man stared at him with a relieved expression. "You are safe. Did you get injured? I would have never thought that you'd pull this off."
"Shut up", Iwaizumi groaned. "I didn't plan this. My father just snapped."
"The others are gone already. The only ones who really were loyal were the ones who stayed in the building. We don't have to worry about them anymore."
"That's good", Iwaizumi sighed. "You should go too."
"But are you okay on your own?" Ryan wondered. "Aren't you going back?"
"To town? Why would I?"
"Umm, this is just a rumor I heard, but that guy who you were supposed to kill… He might be alive", Ryan said carefully. "The rumor of that spread among the younger assassins. I don't know if it's true or not." Iwaizumi stared at him like he didn't believe his eyes, ears or even his sensation.
"Are you serious?" he gasped, a little hope lighting up his heart. "He's alive?"
"As I said, I don't know for sure", Ryan said, trying to not build up meaningless hopes. "But I can take you there, I have a car. I owe you, after all. You freed me from this hell."
"Thank you, thank you so much", Iwaizumi breathed out and got up, then reeled back a bit when his leg felt like giving up under him.
"So you are injured", Ryan stated with concern.
"It's just an older wound, it inflamed", Iwaizumi told, grinding his teeth. "It's nothing serious."
"Well, I'll help you anyway", Ryan occurred and let Iwaizumi lean on his shoulder. "Let's go."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Shit", Iwaizumi snapped and closed his phone. "It still doesn't work." He wanted to call Makki or Mattsun, anyone who could know something about Oikawa. Even that he had left a letter to his boyfriend, he never really believed that he was still alive. "Please, let that rumor be true", he whispered to himself. Ryan hadn't said anything for a while, he clearly felt a bit guilty of giving a possibly meaningless hope for him. What would he do if Oikawa was dead after all?
"Do you remember their numbers?" Ryan asked, keeping his eyes on the road. "You could borrow my phone."
"Right", Iwaizumi muttered. "I think I remember them. Can I?" When Ryan nodded, Iwaizumi took his phone from the console. He typed Makki's number and pressed the phone to his ear. After three "beeps" the phone was picked up.
"Hanamaki Takahiro on the phone" an insecure voice answered and Iwaizumi's chest suddenly felt heavy. "Who is there?"
"Makki, Iwaizumi here", he answered, trying to keep his voice calm. "Can you talk?"
"Iwaizumi! Holy shit, you don't even know how long we have waited!"
"Is Oikawa…?"
"Captain is alive, you idiot", Makki blurted. "Where have you been? He is going crazy out here!" Iwaizumi covered his mouth with his hand, trying to keep the tears away. He was alive. Alive. Oikawa was alive.
"Hey, are you still there?"
"Ya, I am", Iwaizumi whispered and jolted onwards on the seat, leaning on his hand. "I'm so glad. I'm so, so glad." His voice was shaky and tearful, but he didn't care.
"Yea, I know- oh, I guess I should give the phone to captain." Iwaizumi's heart skipped a beat, and the line fell quiet for a slight moment. Then he heard a shaky breath from the other end.
"Iwa…?"
"Tooru", Iwaizumi gasped. "Oh my god. You really are alive. You are alive." He heard a nervous, tearful laugh and knew that Oikawa was crying.
"You are okay", Oikawa cried. "Where are you? I was so damn scared, you idiot! I thought that you… you…" He broke down to tears, and for a while Iwaizumi could only hear sobbing from the other end of the line.
"Hey… Stop crying."
"You are crying too, Iwa-chan."
"No I'm not!" Iwaizumi wiped his tears from his cheeks and sniffed. "Anyway, we are there soon. We can talk then."
"I can get outside", Oikawa said. "I'm allowed to go for a walk per day. See you at the entrance?"
"Yup. See you."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"You sure you can walk?"
"Just come already or I'll go ahead!"
"Well, I guess I'll follow you." Ryan was clearly uncomfortable, but Iwaizumi couldn't hide his excitement. "You'll trip and fall if you don't have anyone near you."
"I'm not that helpless", Iwaizumi protested. "Hurry! It's that building!" He ran towards the hospital a few meters ahead of Ryan. His heart was racing and he couldn't think anything else but Oikawa. Even his leg didn't bother him that much right now. His pace got even faster when he saw a familiar silhouette in front of the hospital doors. Oikawa was leaning towards Hanamaki's shoulder, but when he saw Iwaizumi he took a few steps away from Makki. Iwaizumi snatched Oikawa in his embrace and buried his face to taller brunet's neck. Oikawa gripped his shirt like he was afraid of losing Iwaizumi again. The taller brunet was visibly shaking.
"You are fine", Iwaizumi mumbled. "Thank God. I thought that you…" Oikawa didn't say anything right away, but he broke in to tears.
"I was scared", he cried. "I thought I lost you. Where were you?" He didn't wait for an answer and pulled a little away from Iwaizumi, going him through with his eyes. "You aren't injured? You went to your father's, right? How in the hell you got out of there in one piece? Don't ever again do anything like that! I was worried." The words weren't louder than a whisper, and tears were streaming down Oikawa's face. For a slight moment Iwaizumi couldn't say anything. He was incredibly happy and a bit sad at the same time. Oikawa was alive, but he wasn't alright. Standing clearly hurt the taller brunette and he was pale and thin.
"I'm sorry", he whispered. "About everything. You didn't deserve this."
"Don't", Oikawa put his finger on Iwaizumi lips. "We can talk about that later. What are you going to do now?"
"Hey, lovebirds, we should get back inside", Mattsun interrupted them with a grin on his face, then turning his gaze to Iwaizumi. "We are happy that you are back, Iwaizumi."