Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

"You don't fucking understand, Toru!" 

Sugawara's bottom lip quivers as he runs his hands through his hair. His slender fingers mess up his neatly brushed silver locks and gently tug at them, causing a slight burn to his scalp. 

"Sugawara, calm down. It's not that big of a deal, no one will find out. It'll all be okay." 

Oikawa slowly walked over to Sugawara and gently patted his back, his heart clenching as he looked at the quivering mess that is his best friend. Sugawara was the optimistic one, he was always the one in a good mood, and he was always the one to help someone out in need especially when it was Oikawa. Comforting was Sugawara's job, not Oikawa's. But he'd be damned if he didn't try his hardest. 

"You can't possibly be this composed. What I did was illegal, I could lose my job, my teachings license, I could probably go to fucking jail." 

Sugawara pulled away and started to pace around his classroom, his mind unable to fathom the crime he had just committed. 

Oikawa scoots onto one of the  desks, his feet slightly dangling off the floor, "All you were trying to do was prevent him from going into a potentially dangerous situation." 

Sugawara snaps his head in Oikawa's direction and glares daggers into him, "Who am I to do that?? I'm not his fucking mom, I'm not his dad. I'm no one! All I am is a measly teacher and I have no right to say where he can and cannot go."

Sugawara's voice was stern and sharp, venom dripped off his words as he continued to glare at Oikawa like this was his fault. 

"Right, but as a teacher we are obligated to make sure students stay safe-" 

"Fuck, Toru! Yes. We as teachers are obligated to make sure students are safe, while they are on school grounds. Other than that I am nothing but their sensei. I crossed the fucking line, stop trying to justify my actions!" 

Oikawa swallowed the lump in his throat and licked his now-chapped lips, he didn't want to play the victim in this, but he hated that Sugawara's distress and anger were now targeted at him; all he was trying to do was comfort a friend. 

"I have no right to judge their parental figures and decide which parent a student gets to go home with. And if I had a concern about home life not being safe or suitable for a child the legal thing to do would be to contact Ushijima-san and report to child protective services my concern." 

Oikawa sighed and nodded along with what Sugawara was saying, "Yes but you illegally took matters into your own hands." 

Sugawara nodded and the tears started to flow down his cheeks more freely now.

Sugawara paced around his classroom.

His vision was blurry and he was on the verge of vomiting.

"Oh my fucking god."

Oikawa hopped off one of the children's desks he was sitting on and walked over to Sugawara and pulled him into a crushing hug.

"Shh. It's ok."

Sugawara choked out a sob, "No it's not Toru! C-Can't you see that?!"

Oikawa nodded subtly and ran a hand over Sugawara's small back, caressing it gently in an attempt to calm the shorter male down. "I know," was all Oikawa could muster up.

He sighed gently as his friend sobbed into his chest, soaking up the front of his tee with snot and tears. 

There was a small knock on the door, and both Sugawara and Oikawa jumped. Sugawara pushed Oikawa away and straightened his appearance, wiping his eyes dry and fixing his ruffled hair. Oikawa watched Sugawara before answering the door, to make sure he was ready for whoever was at the door. Once Sugawara nodded softly Oikawa unlocked the door and opened it, Akaashi and Kenma stood, hand in hand as their bored faces looked up at Oikawa. Oikawa let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and swung the door open, "God, it took you guys long enough." Kenma shrugged and walked into the classroom first, dragging Akaashi by his hand behind him, "We were making out in the library," he stated nonchalantly. 

As if on queue Sugawara breaks down again into ugly sobs, his eyes screwed shut and he tried to wipe the ongoing tears as he wailed out like a child. Oikawa quickly closed the door and locked it, before catching the noticeable bafflement on both Kenma's and Akaashi's faces. Kenma was the first to break the ice, his face quickly morphing into a grimace because of the loud noise, "What's his problem?"

Oikawa sighs, partly because he's tired and partly because he feels bad because he doesn't know how to help. "He feels guilty, and is scared he's going to get in trouble for what he did." 

"What'd he do?" 

Sugawara wasn't sure whether it was Akaashi or Kenma who asked, all he knew was that he was going to answer the question. 

"I told Ms. Sawa- I mean Ms. Emiko and her lover that Mr. Sawamura had already picked up Kento." 

"Okay?"

Sugawara sniffles before he continues, "He hadn't. He hadn't come to pick up Kento. I watched her stomp off and leave. I then called Mr. Sawamura to come pick him up.." 

"So you lied to his Mom, and let her go home thinking that her son already had gotten picked up." It was Akaashi who was talking. 

Sugawara nodded rapidly and continued to sob again, "I- I never told him, his mom came, instead we played in here with the dinosaurs..-" 

"That was very stupid of you." 

Sugawara's eyes widened and his mouth closed as his tears died down, with his glassy eyes and watery vision he stared at Akaashi in awe. Oikawa swallowed visibly, waiting for the wrath that was thrown at him previously while Kenma pulled out his phone, disinterested in the whole situation. 

"What possessed you and made you think doing that was a good idea??" 

Sugawara shrugged weakly and stayed quiet, his lip quivering as he tried his hardest to hold in his tears. 

"Honestly Sugawara-san, I think you're being pathetic. Why are you over here crying your eyes out and pitying yourself for actions that are already done and can't be undone? No one in this room feels sorry for you, so stop crying like a child and face the consequences of your actions." 

Sugawara nodded as he roughly wiped his eyes, his body still shaking slightly. He wiped away the wrinkles in his clothes and took a deep breath, "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry." 

Oikawa's face morphed into complete mortification as he watched Sugawara 

Akaashi nodded, "I highly doubt anything is going to come of this, but if it does just remember that this is on you." 

"Okay, I'm done drawing my picture." 

Sugawara smiled softly as he looked at the potato people at the bottom of the page, "Do you want to read me your story now?" 

"Yeah but, can I read it to Daddy too?" 

Sugawara nodded softly, "Of course, do you want to go get him?" 

Kento shook his head as he grabbed a crayon and started to scribble in some grass in his drawing, "Can you go get him? I forgot to draw the grass and flowers." 

Sugawara swallowed his spit as his mouth got ten times wetter, he then nodded, pushed out in his chair, and got up, "Of course, I'll be back, hurry and finish the background before he gets here." 

He stepped away from the kitchen table made his way to the mouth of the hallway and walked into the door that he saw Mr. Sawamura enter earlier. As soon as he stepped through the threshold a putrid smell hit his nose, sending a tingling almost burning sensation to his nasal cavity. His nose twitched and he stopped himself from sneezing when he heard talking. 

"What's your problem now?"

Sugawara slowly tiptoed to another door in the room that was open, he could see a sink and a puddle on the floor, he assumed it was the master bathroom, and Mr. Sawamura was on the phone. 

He slowly peered his head through the doorway and listened and watched carefully. 

Mr. Sawamura pulled the phone away from his ear and put his phone on speaker, for a reason Sugawara didn't know but he wasn't complaining because now he could hear the other side of the conversation.

Mr. Sawamura spoke again as he tiredly rubbed at his eyes,

"I don't know what you're talking about. I got a call from the teacher after the school closed to pick him up because you never showed up despite you texting me, telling me you were going to pick him up. How could you set him up like that?"

A familiar feminine voice laughed sarcastically, "You're delusional Daichi, I came to pick him up after class, and the teacher told me you already got him."

Sugawara's heart sank. 

He knew exactly what they were talking about. 

Just yesterday he made the mistake of lying to Ms. Emiko, just so Mr. Sawamure can pick up Kento instead of her. She was just now calling to confront him about it, and of course, Mr. Sawamura was absolutely clueless because Sugawara had told him that she never came. 

Sugawara's heart started to pound against his ribcage, and his mouth instantly got dry as his breathing got more irregular. 

He closed his eyes and held his breath as he continued to listen in on the phone call. 

"Emiko, I'm really not in the mood to argue with you."

"Are you saying I'm a liar?"

"You know what? Yeah, I am. You're a fucking liar. A lying, cheating, whore, who is highly unqualified to be a Mom."

There was silence on the other line and then she hung up on him. 

Sugawara's eyes snapped open. 

Is that how Mr. Sawamura always talked to his wife? 

Sugawara took a quiet deep breath and bit his lip, thinking deeply about the conversation he had just "overheard." 

To be frank he didn't know how to feel about the conversation. 

What Mr. Sawamura said definitely seemed out of line from the position he was standing in, but what if Mr. Sawamura had a different view than Sugawara, and Sugawara couldn't see the whole picture?

That obviously was the case because Sugawara knew little to nothing about the Sawamura's situation, all he knows is that the married couple is splitting up, and from what he just heard from Mr. Sawamura that Ms. Emiko is "A lying, cheating, whore, who is highly unqualified to be a Mom."  

Sugawara just desperately wanted to know more, he wanted to see the whole picture, and he wanted nothing more than to help. 

With his back pressed against the wall, he couldn't see what Mr. Sawamura was doing, but he heard rustling around. After taking a deep breath he finally decided to show himself and step into the doorway. (Begining of Mentioning of Vomit) Mr. Sawamura was squatting over the puddle of what Sugawara assumed to be vomit and that's why it stunk so bad. He slowly wiped it up with toilet paper and discarded the soaked tissues into the trash. (End of Metioning of Vomit)

Sugawara watched with wide eyes, he wondered if Mr. Sawamura was ill.

Despite just hearing Mr. Sawamura lash out at Ms. Emiko he felt bad for the man.

He didn't just pity him because the man broke down in front of him in his classroom.

He didn't pity him because of the dark bags that seemed to live permanently under his eyes.

He didn't pity him because he could tell his physical appearance was declining.

He didn't pity him because he had a small attraction for him.

Or at least that's what he told himself. He told himself he didn't like Mr. Sawamura.

He told himself that everything was going to be fine.

He told himself that it was not his place to go asserting himself in other people's situations.

He was so stubborn,

he never listened to anyone,

not even himself. 

Mr. Sawamura finally looked up, his deep brown eyes widening at the sight of Sugawara.

Mr. Sawamura's body tensed as his lips parted slightly it seemed like he had something to say, but maybe the words got lodged in his throat. 

Sugawara plastered a smile on his face and quickly broke the silence, "Um Hi-" 

He then internally cursed himself, because what in his right mind made him think that saying "Hi" would make the situation any less awkward. 

Mr. Sawamura was obviously not amused by Sugawara's attempt to break the ice. "Uh hey, how long have you been standing there?" 

Sugawara could see the masked embarrassment and worry all over the other's face but luckily he would rather die than tell the truth, and it was a good thing that he was good at lying. 

"I just go here, sorry I shouldn't have barged in like this, I probably should have knocked or something."    

Mr. Sawamura stood up, "Uh no it's fine-" 

"Are you alright?" 

The words came out before he could even process them.

Sugawara inhaled sharply, "I mean, do you need like a doctor or something?" 

Mr. Sawamura's brows scrunch,

"Why would I- 

Oh." 

He was quick to shake his head after he realized why Sugawara would ask him such a question, "No um- I just-" 

"Sugawara-sensei, what's taking so long?!" 

A little boy bursts into the room with a paper in hand. 

"I finished!" 

Sugawara smiled softly, "Already?" 

Kento nodded eagerly and shoved the paper up at Sugawara, "Read it! Read it!" 

Sugawara gently took the paper and looked down at the many misspelled words on it, "Why don't you read it, Dear? It's your story after all." 

Mr. Sawamura straightened, took a step closer to Sugawara, and peered down at his son who focused on the paper in his hand. 

"Can you tell me the title of your story?" 

Kento looked up at Sugawara and nodded, "It's called Team Daddy and Kento."  

Sugawara smiled softly, "Alright, go on and read it. We're listening." 

"I love my daddy very much. He is the best daddy in the world. He plays with me and reads me books and buys me pastries. He always hugs me and tells me he loves me. I hope he never leaves me like Mommy did. Mommy went away with her new boyfriend and she doesn't live with me and Daddy anymore. I wish Mommy would come back and be nice to Daddy again. But Daddy says she won't. He says we are better off without her. He says we are a team and we have to stick together. I like being on Daddy's team. I don't want anyone else to be on our team. Just me and Daddy. Forever."

(Beinging of Vomiting) Before Sugawara could even react Mr. Sawamura rushed to the toilet and hunched over, vomit started to quickly feel the toilet bowl and an acidy scent was quick to fill Sugawara's nose. 

"That was a great story Kento, why don't you go sit back at the table, I'll be there in a few seconds." 

A look of worry was plastered onto the child's face as he peered into the bathroom, staring at his father, "Is Daddy going to be okay?" 

Sugawara nodded swiftly and gave Kento a little nudge out of the bathroom doorway, wordlessly prompting him to go back to the table, "Yes, he'll be fine." 

Kento just clutched his paper and walked off, seemingly trusting Sugawara's words. 

Once Kento fully exited the bedroom Sugawara turned around to find Mr. Sawamura still hurling and gagging over the toilet in a hunched-over stance. (End of Vomiting) Without a second thought he reached over to touch him, his slender hand was matched with Mr. Sawamura's tan broad back that felt hot to the touch. He let his hand rub softly, his fingertips grazed over the smooth skin as he attempted to soothe the other. With one hand still clutching the toilet seat Mr. Sawamura used his other hand to wipe his mouth as he panted lightly. 

"I'm so sorry," his voice hoarse and shaky as he croaked out the response. 

Sugawara let his fingers snake into his hair while his nails gently scrapped at his scalp, "Don't be sorry, it's okay, really." 

Mr. Sawamura went back to clutching the toilet seat with both hands, his eyes closed as he let Sugawara caress him soothingly. 

Sugawara made a mental note of the tears that pricked the corner of the man's tightly closed eyes. 

"I'm going to get you some water, alright?" 

He let go of the toilet seat and started to straighten back up, "No, you're my guest you really shoul-" 

Sugawara snorted softly and let his hand fall from Mr. Sawamura's hair, "It's fine really," he waved him off with a reassuring smile. 

"It's the least I can do." 

Mr. Sawamura smiled weakly, "You're too kind to me." 

Sugawara made his way out of the bathroom and shrugged, "I think it's better me than no one at all." 

"Buddy, it's just that things are complicated."

Kento's frown deepened, "But you said no secrets.."

Daichi nodded slowly, "Yeah you're right buddy, I did say that."

Kento continued to stare at the floor, he now started to pick at his hands, "So-" He hesitated, he licked his lips, and finally looked up at Daichi, his big hazel eyes were dull and full of worry, "Why is Daddy sad?"

"Do you ever miss Mommy?" 

Kento shrugged, "No? We still get to see her." 

"That won't be the case for long bud.. Mommy's going to leave, and she'll take you with her and you'll never see Daddy again." 

Kento's eyes widened and he blinked owlishly, "What? I-I don't want that to happen.."  

Tears pricked at the brim of the small child's eyes, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he stared at his father. 

"She's gone bud, and she's not going to come back, and soon you'll follow with her." 

"No! I don't want that!" The tears cascaded down the boys face as he stared at his father, almost angry now. 

"I don't want that either, I like having you here, you and I, we make a good team." Daichi kept his voice even and battled the tears that tried to trespass his eyes and run along his cheeks, 

"A team?"

Daichi nodded, "Yeah, we're better off without her, we got to stick together, just me and you." 

Kento repeated his father's words, "Just me and you, a team." 

"Forever, bud. I promise Kento will always be on my team." 

Kento's tears have long dried and he gives his father a tired smile, "A team forever, me and Daddy." 

(Begining of Vomiting) Slightly before Kento could finish his story Daichi could feel the bile rise to his throat, when the word "Forever" escaped his son's mouth he darted to the toilet.

A familiar acid scent started to fill the air as he filled the toilet. (End of Vomiting)  

His head was empty and his vision was cloudy when he heard murmurs, behind him. 

He continued to gag over the toilet when a cold hand had landed on his back, it made his muscles tense but they quickly relaxed at the refreshing feeling of the cold against his searing flesh. 

The hand rubbed at his back, the skin on the fingertips softer than anything he'd ever felt. 

He wiped at his mouth, the embarrassment from the situation finally caught up to him and choked him violently; he drowned in it and couldn't feel anything else. 

"I'm so sorry." His throat was sore and the taste on his tongue was far from pleasant. 

The hand trailed up into his hair, it petted him softly and scratched pleasantly at his scalp "Don't be sorry, it's okay, really."

Daichi grabbed at the toilet again, his knees felt like they were going to buckle any moment, he exhaled softly as he closed his eyes, his only hope of fighting off the tears that tried to emerge. 

"I'm going to get you some water, alright?"

He let go of the toilet seat and started to straighten back up, "No, you're my guest you really shoul-"

The teacher snorted softly and let his hand fall from Daichi's hair the soothing sensation was instantly missed, "It's fine really," he waved him off with a reassuring smile.

"It's the least I can do."

Daichi smiled weakly, "You're too kind to me."

The other made his way out of the bathroom and shrugged,

"I think it's better me than no one at all."

Daichi's brows scrunched while the teacher walked out, he didn't know what he meant by that, and for whatever reason it didn't sit right with him. 

He flushed the toilet and then grabbed his toothbrush out of the toothbrush cup once more, the bristles on the head were still wet as he put toothpaste on it. He stood in front of the vanity and brushed his teeth again, scrubbing at his tongue roughly as he stared at his reflection.

His eyes were red and swollen,

his face was pink and splotchy,

he looked like a mess. 

Embarrassment's hands tightened around his throat ever so slightly and he was on the brink of passing out from the lack of oxygen. 

Before Daichi could finish viciously scrubbing at his mouth Sugawara was back in the bathroom, a soft smile on his pale pink lips. 

Daichi spit into the sink and rinsed his mouth out with water before he looked into the mirror to see Sugawara staring at him in his reflection. 

"Are you feeling better?"

Daichi put his toothbrush back into the cup and nodded, turning around to face the teacher slowly. 

"A bit, yeah." 

Sugawara held out a thermos water bottle, Daichi took it without hesitation and pushed the cap button; the cap popped open and he put the bottle to his mouth, tilting his head back he felt the cold water slide down his sore throat and heard ice clanking around in the inside of the bottle. 

After a long swig, Daichi pulled the bottle down from his lips, "Thank you."

Daichi looked down at the bottle and examined it. It was a light blue, so light that from far away it could be mistaken as white, and there were various stickers stuck to it. A dinosaur, an owl with glasses, a star and moon with a little green alien hanging off the moon, and a cat in a teacup, they looked slightly worn out. Before Daichi could examine the bottle any further with a slight furrow to his brows Sugawara spoke up. 

"There were no water bottles in your fridge, and I thought it would have been faster to grab my water bottle instead of rummaging through your kitchen for a cup so I could use the fridge dispenser. I hope that's okay-" 

Daichi nodded, "Yeah no, thanks" he chuckled softly as he turned the thermos in his hands once more to see the name "Koshi Sugawara" written in a neat print, "It's a cute bottle." 

Sugawara flushed, "Ah- Thanks. Third year of high school some friends and I decided to get matching bottles before we went our separate ways, each sticker represents a different friend." 

Daichi nodded to let Sugawara know he was still listening as he clutched at the water bottle a little tighter and focused his gaze on it. 

"Well, I'll leave you to uh do whatever it is you need to do. I'm going to finish the lessons and get out of your hair as soon as possible."

It has been almost an hour since the little incident, Daichi was making a grocery list in the kitchen because he had nothing better to do after putting the laundry into the dryer and thoroughly scrubbing every inch in his bathroom.  

"Alright, look at that! Now draw a face on it and it'll be all done." 

Daichi looks through the large kitchen serving window watching Kento and Sugawara finish their origami dinosaurs. 

Sugawara started to pick up the workbooks and all the material he brought and put them back into his book bag. "Well, we're all done, I hope you learned a few things and had a little fun." 

Kento nodded eagerly, "Uh Huh, I learned a lot." 

Sugawara smiled and closed his book bag, "Good, I'll be testing you in class." 

Kento's eyes widen, "Nothing too hard, right?" 

Sugawara chuckled as he zipped up his bag, "No, of course not." 

Sugawara then shifted his gaze towards Dachi, "So, same time next week?"

Daichi nodded and set down the pen he was using to make the list, "Yeah, I'll uh set a reminder so I can make sure I actually have clothes to wear." 

Sugawara laughed softly and waved him off, "It's not that big of a deal, really." 

"Yeah, but it's quite embarrassing for me." 

Sugawara hoisted his bookbag strap on his shoulder and smiled sweetly, "I'm sure, I'd be super embarrassed myself. But seriously, we're too adult men, I mean, we have the same parts and all that." 

It was now Daichi's turn to laugh as he walked with Sugawara to the genkan, "Yeah, you're right." 

There was an awkward pause as Sugawara grabbed his shoes from the shoe rack and slipped them on his feet. 

Daichi cleared his throat softly, "Well, thank you for coming, even though the calls didn't go through, I really appreciate it." 

Sugawara nodded, "Yeah of course, maybe we should um see if I have the right phone number or something, that way we can text or call if anything comes up."   

Daichi nodded, "Right, of course. Hold on a second." 

He swiftly made his way into the master bedroom and into the bathroom, where his phone sat face down on the vanity, and sitting right next to it was the pale blue bottle with warn-out stickers littering the surface.

He felt his face heat up before he grabbed the bottle in one hand and his phone in the other before he made his way back into the genkan. He handed Sugawara the water bottle first, "Again, thank you for everything." 

"There's really nothing to-" 

Daichi interrupted him, "No seriously, Thank you. I mean it with every ounce of my being when I say you're a very kind man Sugawara-kun." 

A soft pink blush arose on Sugawara's face as he put his water bottle into his bag, "Thank you, you're very kind." 

Daichi only smiled in response and then handed him his phone, "Here, you should probably put your number in, and then I can text you just to make sure we got everything settled." 

Sugawara nodded and typed his number.

"Was it not you that called me yesterday? "

Sugawara smiled and handed the phone back, "It was but I called from the school phone." 

Daichi saved the contact, "Oh, Okay" and sent a quick text, 

>>Daichi: Hey.

And as soon as the text was sent a ping went off in Sugawara's bag and the silverette's smile broadened, "Alright then, I guess we have that all settled. I'll see you next week?" 

Daichi nodded and opened the front door for Sugawara, "Yup, I'll see you next week." 

Sugawara headed out with a gentle wave, and Daichi watched him walk all the way to the curb before he closed the door. 

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and walked back into the kitchen where he could see through the serving window that outlooks the living room Kento sitting on the couch with his sky blue dinosaur in hand as he stared at a cartoon playing on the TV screen. 

Before Dachi could decipher what cartoon was on there were loud beeps coming from the garage, which means Daishi has successfully done laundry on his own.

He pads into the garage and pulls open the dryer door. He grabbed the whole load, the heat from the clothes seeped into his bare chest as he pushed the garage door open wider for him to walk through with his foot. He made his way into the master bedroom and set the load on the bed before there was a knock on his door, accompanied by rustling and running across the house, "I'll get it!!" 

"Wait Kento, no-" 

Before he could even finish his sentence he could hear the front door knob being turned and the door being swung open, the door stopper hitting the wall violently. 

Daichi cursed under his breath before he grabbed a pair of sweats from the freshly cleaned pile of laundry and quickly stepped into them. 

"What's up little man, how are you doing?" 

"Uncle Iwaizumi!! Are you going to the park with us??" 

Daichi peaked his head out of the bedroom, the sliding door to the genkan left open as he saw Iwaizumi and Kento in his arms. 

"Sure bud, if you want me to."

"Daddy! Uncle Iwaizumi is going to the park with us!!"

Daichis fully stepped out of the bedroom, a soft smile on his face as Iwaizumi released Kento from their hug and looked at Daichi with wide eyes. 

"Is that so?" 

Kento nodded enthusiastically, "I'm going to get changed!" and without another word, the child ran past his father and down the hallway, into his bedroom. 

Iwaizumi was back to his resting face and took a couple of steps closer to Daichi, "Are you okay?" 

Daichi nodded softly, words not being able to leave his lips. 

Iwaizumi stepped closer and this time reached out, his big hands grabbed at Daichi's bare waist. Iwaizumi's hands were rough and incredibly cold against Daichi's searing skin, it was almost enough to make him jump.

Iwaizumi looked down at him, though Daichi wasn't sure how he did it because he swore there was only a couple of centimeters height difference between them but despite that Iwaizumi's eyes looked down at him, they weren't judging but more so searching. His forest green eyes scouring for answers; answers that would extinguish the worry that was trapped inside. Daichi sighed and finally leaned into Iwaizumi, he let his forehead rest on the other's shoulder and his arms wrapped around his ribcage, holding tighter than necessary. Iwaiumi kept his firm hold on Daichi's waist while their bodies pressed together, he buried his face in the crook of Daichi's neck. 

Daichi could feel Iwaizumi's hot breath ghosting over his skin, sending goosebumps to prickle all over him and a shiver to run down his spine.

He knew he shouldn't feel this way, but the electricity and buzz of euphoria that flowed in his veins and coursed through his body as his bare torso was flush with the thin cotton shirt Iwaizumi was wearing that hugged his body just right was overpowering. His mind fogged up and his breath got caught in his throat, he could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage as he felt calloused hands run slowly up his sides.

It shouldn't feel this way, but it did.

Maybe he was selfish for basking in it for as long as the other allowed him to. He held on until Iwaizumi pulled away, and gazed over his face still searching for the answers he never got, but the worry was piercing through a little more than before, Iwaizumi's mask was slowly crumbling and it was a sight Daichi got to witness firsthand. It sort of stung knowing his mighty and usually unbothered friend was breaking down just because of him, but there was an odd sense of comfort about it too. And maybe he was fucked up for feeling that way about it. But just thinking about the fact that Iwaizumi was willing to drop his nonchalant act just for him made his heart sore, butterflies flew wild in his gut and he couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face. 

"You said you wanted to talk, well I'm here now, you can lay it all on me." 

Daichi nodded once more. In all honesty, he didn't really want to talk about it, at least not right now.

His mind wasn't thinking straight at the moment, and the odd giddy feeling he was basking in right now would be absolutely destroyed the second he even thought about what he wanted to talk about. 

"We should wait till we get to the park, Kento seems really excited about it and it'd be cruel of me to make him wait any longer." 

Iwaizumi's hands dropped from his waist, his eyes no longer searching, when he gave a curt nod with a tight smile on his face. His eyes went back to how they usually were, unreadable. Daichi would be lying if he said he wasn't slightly upset about it. Iwaizumi's eyes were gorgeous when they poured with emotion like they did just seconds ago, it was really a sight to be held.

Now the forest green eyes held their usual icy stare, which sent a different type of shiver down Daichi's spine. 

"I'm going to get dressed, but make yourself at home." 

He knew Iwazumi had something else to say and that's why he made sure he padded into the master bedroom before even a sound could be uttered out of the other's lips. 

The car ride was mostly awkward, Iwaizumi insisted on driving so Daichi let him do just that. Daichi sat in the passenger seat of his own car as he bit at his nails, almost tuning out the conversation Iwaizumi and Kento were having. There was an odd knot in his gut, and it seemed to only tighten the longer he was in that car.

The butterflies that were once in his gut had turned to moths and they were eating at his insides.

It didn't hurt too much, but it definetly was an uncomfortable experience. 

The park was bright, almost too bright for Daichi's eyes.

With the bright playful colors of the playground and then the shining sun it was blinding. There were sounds of kids and laughing, running in the black rubber mulch. The air was crisp as the fall season was approaching the perfect weather in Daichi's opinion. They had gotten out of the car and the second the playground had come into view Kento ran to join the other children that were there before them.

This left Iwaizumi and Daichi where they are now, sitting on a yellow bench as Iwaizumi watched over Kento intently and Daichi stared up at the clouds, as his head screamed millions of thoughts at him. 

"Kento had told his teacher that he likes me more than Emiko." 

Iwaizumi hummed in acknowledgment, he didn't take his eyes off of the playground, but Daichi somehow knew he was still listening. 

"He told his teacher that Emiko was mean to me and that it made me sad." 

This time Iwaizumi did look, and maybe Daichi was imagining it but he saw that worry flash in those emerald eyes before they were masked again.

"He told his teacher that she didn't love him." 

Daichi paused and finally, his head fell, staring at the inky black rubber mulch rather than the bright blue sky. 

"I don't know why but it made me sick. It made my head spin and I felt like I couldn't breathe." 

He chuckled pathetically at the memory that happened only hours ago, 

"I couldn't even fully make it into the bathroom before I was hurling all over the floor." 

He could hear Iwaizumi swallow before he answered, "Is that when you called me?" 

Daichi nodded, his eyes fixating on the rubber bits below, "Oh, and then Emiko called, right after." 

"What'd she say?" 

Daichi looked up and not at the sky but at spring grass-colored eyes, "Do you remember yesterday, at the bar?"

Iwaizumi nodded briefly, "Yeah, you ran out on us because Emiko never picked up Kento." 

"Yeah well, she called me, yelling at me because apparently I picked him up before she could."

Iwazumi blinked dumbly, "You picked him up like an hour or more after school ended, though?" 

Daichi nodded in agreement and leaned his back against the rear of the bench and looked out ahead of him; eyes silently searching for his son. 

Once his eyes landed on his son he started talking again, "I guess she was mad at me for picking him up before she could and not telling her about it. The weird thing is that she claimed to have come to pick him up right after classes ended and at that point, the teacher had told her that I had already picked up Kento." 

Iwaizumi hummed in understanding his eyes not leaving Daichi's face for a split second, "Do you think she's on drugs?" 

Daichi snorted lightly, "Probably. I don't know man... I sorta lashed out on her and called her a lying whore or something along those lines. I kind of feel bad about it now though." 

"I mean you didn't lie," Iwaizumi mumbled under his breath. 

"It's not about that.. It's just that I'm supposed to be the bigger person, the good example, and I'm not that if I'm stooping down to her level." 

Iwaizumi shrugged and stopped the staring, looking at pigeons that rested on a power line close by, "You'll always be the bigger person, Daichi. You were upset and you had every right to be, and well every sane person knows that when people are upset they tend to do things without much thought. You were all in your feelings, I'm not going to hold it against you." 

"You might not but I do. 

It was uncalled for and I should have never raised my voice at her let alone use the words I did." 

There was a tired sigh that left Iwaizumi's lips.

He must be tired of Daichi's shit, of all the whining and bitching and complaining.

Daichi looked back over at Iwaizumi, his features fully setting in. Nothing stood out, he looked the same as he usually did. Broad shoulders and strong arms, it reminded Daichi how he used to look like before he started thining out. He was ever on Iwaizumi's level, the latter always being bulkier and rougher looking than he ever could, but Daichi was somewhat up there with Iwaizumi. He took his eyes off the bulky biceps to look at the side profile of Iwaizumi's face instead. His facial features were also sharper than Daichi's. His jawline resembled the blade of a knife, cheekbones sticking out a healthy amount with a perfectly shaped nose. Then he noticed the purple hues swirling around with the golden skin under his eyes. It wasn't too prominent, you wouldn't notice it unless you were looking for it. The slight eye bags weighed down on Iwaizumi's eyes,

and then he remembered last night or this morning, technically.

How Iwaizumi had texted him back instantly at around 3:30,

how Iwaizumi was basically at his beck and call,

reassuring him with sweet words at ungodly hours. 

"You're too nice. I think you're looking too far into it Daichi, everyone makes mistakes and that was one of yours. It's nothing to beat yourself up for, and to be frank, if it were me I would have exploded on her a lot sooner."

"You would have?" 

Iwaizumi chuckled lowly before looking back at Daichi, their eyes now meeting as they stared at each other, "God yes. I would have kicked her the fuck out when I walked in on them, I wouldn't even give her a chance to pack her shit." 

Daichi smiled softly, that was part of Iwaizumi's charm; he didn't take any shit. He admired that so much, maybe more than anything else in the world. 

Iwaizumi was the ideal man, a man who could make any other man crumble.

At least that's how Daichi saw it. 

"How ruthless of you, Iwaizumi-san." Daichi teased, his smile only broadening as Iwaizumi continued to chuckle. 

"You're handling this very naturally Daichi. Honestly, I envy you. You didn't let your emotions take the reigns like I would have, and that makes you the biggest person I've ever met." 

Daichi's eyes widened, he wasn't sure what the feeling he was feeling was. 

A mix of shock and an overwhelming amount of joy, whatever it was it felt good. 

It feels like how when he was younger, his father was first teaching him how to ride a bike, and after much practice, Daichi had been able to do a full lap around their yard without falling off or crashing into anything. His father had congratulated him with sweet words and a sundae from the cafe a couple blocks away from their house, he was so happy that day he could cry. 

And well he was so happy now, that he did cry. 

He didn't even realize that his eyes dampened and salty tears pushed past his waterline and ran freely down his cheeks. It was Iwaizumi that made him realize that fluid stream of tears that ran down his face and It was also Iwaizumi that broke the dam once more just after it had been repaired. 

He didn't realize that he shoved his face in the crook of Iwaizumi's neck and held at his waist to hold him still to make sure that he didn't leave him.

He didn't want him to leave,

he'd be devastated if he left. 

"Hey it's okay, let it all out." 

A hand ran soothingly up and down his back and light whispers were in his ear. He couldn't hear what they were over his sobbing, over the pounding in his head, and the loud screaming voices that wouldn't shut the fuck up. 

He didn't know how long it took for his eyes to finally dry out, for his heart to stop thrumming roughly in his chest, or for his breathing to slow down and for a dizzy lightheaded feeling to take over. 

"I'm sorry." Was the only thing his head was clear enough to murmur out. The neck of Iwaizumi's shirt now soaked up with his tears. 

The hand on his back never stopped moving and the whispering never stopped, "Don't be sorry Dai.. Don't ever be sorry." 

Daichi sniffled and let his fingers press into the flesh of Iwaizumi's waist, "This must be embarrassing, huh?" 

The hand on his back traveled up to his hair and gently rubbed at his scalp, it made Daichi melt.

He was clay, bendable, and moldable and Iwaizumi was a sculpture able to move, push a poke, and show off all the perfect imperfections. 

"Not even close." 

Daichi laughed into Iwaizumi's skin his hold only tightening, "Don't bullshit me." 

"I would never dream of doing such a thing." 

His skin felt tingly and his mind was finally empty, his smile pressed against Iwaizumi's neck. A hand was placed on his side while another raked through his hair. 

This felt right. 

This felt better.