Work Text:
One voicemail received: Hey, my plane been delayed from the snow so I probably won't be able to make it home for Christmas. A pause. Sorry, don't stay up for me okay?
-
I'll be home for Christmas. You can plan on me.
Tooru taps his fingers restlessly against the cup of his coffee, rubs at his tired eyes. He is not the only one here. He recognizes a few other stragglers from his flight from Argentina. They sit with their own mugs of coffee as they type ferociously on their laptops in hopes to clear some of their workloads before Christmas during the layover.
That is one thing Tooru does not have, and he leans his forehead against the cafe window in hopes to see something interesting that might cure him of his boredom. But there is nothing but the stationary planes on the tarmac and the moon that hangs low in the night sky.
He sighs, pulling his phone out of his pocket. No messages. He should have expected that, it's 11pm on Christmas eve in Dubai and 4am in Japan, but he feels his chest ache painfully still.
He taps the Godzilla keychain on his bag, rubs his thumb along its face. "Don't frown," he tells it, even as his eyes burn with tears. "We'll be home before we know it."
-
The first Christmas Oikawa can remember is one with Iwaizumi.
He had been bawling in his mother's arms because Iwa-chan's present was a toy Oikawa wanted and it wasn't fair that he got it instead of him.
Iwaizumi had stumbled shakily to him then, arms outstretched with the toy in his small hands. "I give you," Iwaizumi had said steadily even when his eyes were wet with tears as well. "Don't cry," he said.
-
"Oh my god, remind me never to let Makki and Mattsun of all people to be in charge of the games ever again!" Oikawa laughs, "why can't we just play the Shotoku Taishi game like normal people?"
Kyoutani is getting more enraged by the minute from being unable to decipher the words, while Kindaichi is flushed red to his ears from figuring them out but is too embarrassed to say the words.
Meanwhile, Hanamaki and Matsukawa are repeating the lines they have created to the other first and second years smugly with not a single trace of embarrassment in their attempt to discomfit them further. Only Kunimi is unfazed, and he remains poker-faced throughout as he repeats the correct words back.
Iwaizumi is doubled over from laughing so hard throughout the entire game that he has to lean on Oikawa for support, and he turns to Oikawa with eyes squinted from grinning so widely that Oikawa cannot help but smile back. "We have to do this again next time," he says.
Before Oikawa can retort with how bad an idea that would be, Hanamaki and Matsukawa has found them, dragging them by the legs into their horrid game to increase participation.
-
Please have snow and mistletoe. And presents on the tree.
Oikawa is speeding down the corridor with his luggage in tow. Finally, finally.
He settles into his seat by the window, and it seems to take forever before the plane finally takes off. The sun has begun to rise, and it colors the sky in a lovely shade of pink.
He splays his palm across the glass, looks to the distance. He would have been home by now if not for the delay.
He sighs, lying back into his seat, and he drifts off to thoughts of home.
-
Oikawa is laughing silently into his hand as he watches Hanamaki and Matsukawa drunkenly attempt to hit on the bartender. He looks to see Iwaizumi's reaction but he is frowning at his glass, his fingers running through the condensation it has formed.
"Iwa-chan?" He asks dazedly, half-drunk with his hand propped under his chin to keep his head upright.
"Hm?" Iwaizumi looks up at him, and his face is flushed red from the alcohol. "Nothing," he looks back at his glass, "I'm just thinking how we have spent every Christmas together."
Something lurches in the pit of Oikawa's stomach. "Is that..." he begins, "is that a bad thing?"
"Of course not dumbass." Iwaizumi turns to him in fond exasperation. "Why would it be a bad thing?"
Iwaizumi is warm where Oikawa is pressed against him in the cramped booth, so close that he can smell the cologne Oikawa has given him for his eighteenth birthday. With candlelight dancing over the side of his face that casts Iwaizumi in a warm glow, he wishes this moment would last forever.
"Good," Oikawa smiles, the alcohol haze has the words leaving his mouth before he can think twice. "Because I want to spend every Christmas with you."
He does not see how Iwaizumi's face has frozen in place as he takes another swig of his drink.
-
Christmas Eve will find me. Where the love light gleams.
It is Christmas in its physical embodiment all around him. Everything sparkles and festive music blares from every corner. If he rushes, he might make it right in time before Christmas is over.
Oikawa flags down a cab. The wind bites at him and he shivers. He has forgotten how cold Tokyo can be in the winter. The driver looks at him almost pityingly, recognizing a fellow comrade like him who is about to miss Christmas as well. Oikawa ignores it, and soon the cab is speeding off.
Christmas songs are playing from the speakers, but they are turned down so low it fades into the background. He leans back into his seat, looks out the window.
Couples are walking hand in hand on the streets, groups of friends banter with each other as they move from one party to the next, and everything twinkles with the fairy lights strung up on trees lining the road.
It is so familiar his heart aches.
The cab stops longer than it should for a red light. Oikawa frowns as he sees taxis jamming the road as partygoers move from one destination to the next in celebration. He huffs in annoyance and looks at the time on his phone, it is almost midnight.
The taxi driver looks at him pityingly once more, and Oikawa gives him a forced smile. His fingers drum a steady rhythm against his thigh that matches the beat of his heart.
He can only hope for the best.
-
It is cold, and Oikawa has his hands tucked into Iwaizumi's pockets much to his chagrin. His mouth is sweet with the Christmas cake they ate earlier, the Christmas decorations are strung up beautifully along the sidewalk and Iwaizumi's arms are warm where they are wrapped around him.
"What's with that ridiculous look on your face," Iwaizumi says.
He smiles wider at Iwaizumi. "Nothing," he says cheekily.
Iwaizumi scowls cutely, he is about to say something in return before he is interrupted by shouts of excitement along the street.
"What's happening?" Oikawa asks.
Iwaizumi laughs as he checks his phone, breath puffing in front of him. His face is radiant under the Christmas lights. "Merry Christmas Oikawa," he says.
-
By the time he reaches the apartment, it is long past midnight. He trudges his way in in defeat, dragging his heavy luggage in behind him.
It is dark except for the fairy lights wrapped around the Christmas tree in the living room. And sitting at the table is Iwaizumi asleep with his head on his arms.
Iwaizumi lifts his head blearily as he hears Oikawa come in. "Hey," he says.
Time stops for a moment before Oikawa can breathe again.
"Hajime," he says.
He crosses the distance between them, crosses the distance that has spanned from more than a thousand miles to a few steps, he crosses it all and finally he has Iwaizumi in his arms.
I'll be home for Christmas. If only in my dreams.