Chapter Text
“Nice receive!” Hajime shouted to Yaku.
Semi set the ball, and Hajime spiked.
“Nice kill!” Yaku called back. “And nice, toss, Semi-san!”
“You’re one hell of a libero, Yaku-san,” Semi complimented. “I look forward to working with you! And Iwaizumi-san…I suppose I don’t hate you as much as I hated Oikawa-san – no offense, of course.”
“None taken, because he hates you too,” Hajime laughed, slapping the setter’s back. “However, he is my boyfriend, so don’t make a habit of insulting him.”
“I knew it!” Semi gasped. “Reon! You owe me money! Iwaizumi and Oikawa are dating!”
Reon looked over from where he was drinking water. “Since when, though?”
“This week,” Hajime replied.
“I don’t owe you a cent, Eita,” Reon said, making his way back to the court. “You said only if they were together in high school.”
“Dammit,” Semi pouted. “Congrats, though.”
Hajime huffed a laugh and scratched his neck. “Uh, yeah, thanks.”
“They’re sickening together,” Yaku complained.
“Luckily for you, we’ll be at his place this weekend,” Hajime laughed, tossing the ball in the cart.
Yaku fake gagged. “We know what that means.”
“Says the one who was checking him out Sunday morning, but sure, go off.”
“I was not.”
“It’s okay, I get it, he’s hot. We’ve all been there.”
Moniwa snickered from where he was cleaning up. “Oikawa is upsettingly gorgeous, I’ll give you that.”
“He is, and I hate him for it,” Semi complained.
“You’re pretty too, Eita,” Reon assured him, patting him on the head. “Iwaizumi-san, you’re doing sports medicine too, right?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to study together,” he said. “My friend at a nearby school is also sports med, so we could meet up with him if you’d like?”
“You’re inviting him on your study date with Yamagata?” Semi asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It isn’t a date,” Reon corrected. “He said that he’s dragging his roommate along too, and one of his teammates.”
Hajime shrugged. “Sure. Yaku, wanna come?”
“Sure.”
“Great,” Reon said.
“I’ll catch up in a second…just let me tell Oikawa not to call me tonight yet.”
Haji: hey nerd I’m doing a study group tonight so I can’t skype
Tooru: booooo
Tooru: its ok tho I’m with refreshing-kun
Tooru: have fun ily!
Haji: love you too
Hajime and Yaku followed Reon into the café, where he saw Shiratorizawa’s old libero and a couple of guys he didn’t recognize. Yaku, on the other hand, did.
“Kai!” Yaku cheered. “Nice to see you!”
“You too, Yakkun!”
Yaku grinned at him, but it melted when he saw their other companion. “Oh…Daishou-san.”
“Yaku-san. Where’s Rooster-kun?”
“Not here.”
Hajime looked between them. “Um?”
Yaku narrowed his eyes. “This is Daishou Suguru, former captain of Nohebi.”
“I see… And they are?”
“Our rival.”
“I see.” Hajime sat down at the table. “Nice to meet you, Daishou-san. I’m Iwaizumi Hajime.”
Daishou offered a smile and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“He’s a bastard but he’s my roommate so it doesn’t matter,” Shiratorizawa’s libero said. “Anyways I think if I don’t bring him places he’d never leave our dorm.”
Daishou rolled his eyes. “I’m only here because you offered to pay.”
“So, what’re studying? Professional manipulation?” Yaku asked, sipping his drink.
Daishou glared at him. “Pre-law.”
“Professional manipulation!” Yaku laughed.
“Everyone, be nice,” Kai sighed. “Let’s just study, okay?”
Hajime pulled his phone out after about five minutes of bickering between old rivals.
Haji: im bored
Tooru: aww poor bby
Haji: why does everyone hate each other?
Tooru: hmm…bokkun, Tetsu-chan, and dai-chan don’t hate each other!
Haji: true, but I mean
Haji: rivals, everywhere
Haji: too much drama
Haji: doesn’t feel like I’m actually away from you :P
Tooru: !!!!!!!!! Iwa-chan!!!!!!!!
Haji: sorry I’m kidding I love you
Tooru: you know im only fake annoyed right
Tooru: like I do like that we can still! Tease each other! Like the old days :( so you don’t have to apologize for OUR THING u know? As long as I get to Hit That im fine with other things being how they’ve always been!
Haji: that was a surprisingly mature moment of communication from you
Tooru: I guess all that kink negotiation was good for something huh ;)
Haji: you know what. I’ll let you have that, yes, it was.
Tooru: it was your idea, dummy
Haji: oh yeah, it was, wasn’t it? Well, still, you know
Tooru: soooo
Haji: I kind of want to get used to being together before we talk alien roleplay
Tooru: dammit
Haji: and I’m not judging you…but I do want to ask…why…?
Tooru: are you saying you don’t want to fuck an alien, iwa-chan?
Haji: not particularly?
Tooru: you’re a dirty fucking liar
Tooru: good thing you’ll be the alien
Haji: you’ve really thought about that, huh
Tooru: since before we were dating, iwa-chan
Haji: pervert
Tooru: …what did you think about
Haji: I am in public, we’re not having this conversation
Tooru: Ohoho? Really now? What did you think about, Iwa-chan?
Haji: Oikawa.
Tooru: booo
Haji: later
Tooru: wait really
Haji: yes, really
Tooru: 😃😃😃😃🎉🎊✨
Haji: you’re so embarrassing
Tooru: I can’t wait to hear about it
Haji: do you ever think about anything else
Tooru: of course!
Tooru: I think about how much I miss spending time with you every day, just us time, when we’re walking to and from school and eating lunch together and really just taking for granted how intertwined our lives have always been🙁
Haji: …oh
Tooru: yeah! And talking about this stuff and teasing you is like…coping kinda
Haji: I know
Haji: And I miss you too. Long-distance sucks and it’s barely been a week.
Tooru: hmm…do you think we’re codependent, haji?
Haji: yeah a little
Haji: we’ll figure it out. I guess now’s when we learn how to be…ourselves, yeah?
Tooru: yeah
Tooru: it has come to my attention that I am a massive dick lord
Haji: I’ve been telling you that for years but who is this?
Tooru: it’s suga!
Tooru: but don’t worry, oikawa does in fact know that about himself now!
Haji: well, that’s good
Tooru: yeah! It helps to hear it from someone who isn’t always teasing, you know?
Haji: who, you?
Tooru: me
Haji: well, alright then, sugawara-san
Tooru: just Suga is fine, Iwaizumi!
Tooru: im back, sorry, idk why he stole my phone 🙄
Haji: don’t worry about it.
Haji: I should probably really try to study, huh?
Tooru: probably <3 ily
Haji: I love you too
Hajime looked up, seeing Reon and Yamagata comparing notes while Yaku listened to music, Daishou idly flipped pages, and Kai rewrote things from one notebook to another. He frowned at his own pile of homework. He knew exactly what he needed to do, on which days, and figured out how to make it work with his volleyball schedule, but he was still reluctant to start.
He took a deep breath, pulled out his headphones, and started anyways.
Hajime and Yaku finished the rest of their work at home, probably staying up too late given they both had morning classes.
“Are you going to Oikawa’s tomorrow, or Saturday?” Yaku asked suddenly.
“Saturday,” Hajime replied, not looking up from his homework. “Why do you ask?”
“One of my old teammates – you remember Lev? – wants to stop by tomorrow to do extra practice. I guess he’s been getting better at receives and wants to show me.”
“Okay, do you need me for anything?”
“I was thinking, if he brings Kenma, you could spike for us to receive.”
Hajime shrugged. “Yeah, sure.”
Yaku smiled. “Thanks, Iwaizumi.”
Hajime hummed, then, “Hajime is fine, I think.”
“Really?”
He shrugged. “We’re adults. Why not?” He looked up. “Hey, Yaku…are you sure you don’t like this Lev kid?”
Yaku laughed. “Why?”
Hajime shrugged. “For someone who annoys you so much, you seem happy that he’s stopping by, is all. On the other hand, I heard you tell one of your best friends on the phone you’d rather die than he come here.”
“That’s because Kuroo is a dick, and I’m trying to protect you,” Yaku said solemnly. “Though I’m sure your boyfriend has told you all about that.”
“He seems to like Kuroo,” Hajime said. “Although, if he likes him, there must be something wrong with him.”
“He likes you, doesn’t he?” Yaku laughed.
“It doesn’t count; he’s known me since before he was a shitty person.”
Yaku leaned across the table. “You know, for someone who you love so much, he seems to annoy you a lot.”
Hajime snorted. “You’re not wrong.”
“Why? If that’s okay to ask?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think I could explain it.”
“Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa ran into his bedroom, holding up a volleyball. “Can you hit my tosses? Please!! It looks so fun! Please, please, please, please–?”
“Shut up, I’m coming,” Hajime grumbled, following him outside. “Can we look for bugs after this?”
Oikawa pulled a face. “Why do you always wanna look for bugs, Iwa-chan!”
“They’re cool!”
“They’re gross!”
“You’re gross!”
“Iwa-chan!”
“You know when you enjoy something, so you do it all the time, but then you lose your joy in it somewhere along the way?” he asked.
Yaku shrugged. “Yeah, I think so.”
Hajime nodded. “It’s worse to watch it happen to someone you always want to be happy, then.”
“Dammit, Lev, I thought you said you were improving!” Yaku barked. “Get back up! Do it again!”
Lev stood up, a pout on his face. “Yaku-san is mean, I am improving! Iwaizumi-san just has scary spikes!”
“We’ve gone to Nationals, you dolt! Hajime is no better than any of them!”
Hajime raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“It’s nothing personal, Hajime, but we’ve faced off against all top three aces,” Yaku reasoned. “Kenma?”
“Yep.” Kenma tossed another ball to Hajime, which he spiked harder than the last.
Lev dove for it, but he picked it up. “How was that, Yaku-san!”
Yaku hummed. “Do it again.”
Lev pouted harder than the last time. “Yaku-san!”
“Lev.”
“You’re not technically my senpai anymore, you know! I thought we could have fun today!”
Yaku frowned. “Hah?”
“He missed you,” Kenma mumbled. “Obviously.”
“We saw each other less than a week ago,” Yaku pointed out, confused.
Hajime rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh. So, that’s how it is. He turned to look at Kenma, who snorted and nodded.
“One more,” Hajime said, “then why don’t we head back to our place?”
“I’m going home afterwards,” Kenma said. “I would come with you, but I don’t want to.”
Yaku laughed. “Kenma, don’t you ever change for anything.”
“I didn’t plan on it,” Kenma sighed, tossing to Hajime again.
Hajime wondered if Yaku felt like such a third wheel when Oikawa was there, the way Hajime felt sitting on the sofa while Yaku and Lev battled on the floor for who got to pick a movie. Well, Yaku battled, and Lev whined. But even while yelling and insulting, Yaku seemed not to be as annoyed as he often pretended to be around Lev.
“That’s a stupid movie, just give me the remote, you skyscraper!”
“Maybe if you watch it again, you’ll like it this time!”
“I seriously doubt that, Lev!”
“Yaku-san!”
Hajime snorted and scrolled through his phone. He had a feeling they wouldn’t get around to a movie tonight, but that was fine.
He frowned when Oikawa’s caller ID popped up.
“Hello?”
“Iwa-chan…”