Chapter Text
The first time they interact results in Iwaizumi having Oikawa pinned against the boards of Seijohs home arena.
The crowd loudens at the sight, encouraging a fight between the two.
They say the first interaction isn’t important seeing as you make a good impression on the second.
At this point, Oikawa thinks the second interaction might result in being sent to the penalty box, with how much the other is testing his patience.
It was the middle of the 2015-2016 season when The Seijoh kings played The Nekoma tomcats for the first time that year.
Oikawa remembers the coarse black hair that shot from underneath his helmet. He remembers the smell of icy body odor as a damp back pressed against his bare collarbone. His head slammed back onto the glass as he tried to maneuver his stick between the opposing’ legs.
He remembers verbally making a blech sound and seeing a grin flash across the other's face as he took the puck and passed it to his captain. The body that pressed him down was gone as soon as he realized it was there.
As the game continued, Oikawa kept silent tabs on the man who previously checked him. He watched from the sidelines as number 17 got eager and shot from halfway down the ice.
It was an easy save for Watari but Oikawa couldn’t help from thinking that the man was being careless. If he was playing with the opposition, he would’ve waited to pass until they were within shooting range. Shots on the net wouldn’t help his stats, he needed to actually score to make use of himself.
Oikawa laughed quietly about the misfortune until he saw his coach quietly lecture him about his attitude. he could practically hear him boasting about maturity and what it means to have good sportsmanship.
What bullshit.
The clock quickly counts down to zero, signaling the start of the second-period intermission.
Each team empties into their respective locker rooms as the crowd starts to stir, heading to refill their drinks and stand in the lines for the bathrooms.
Oikawa chooses to sit deep in the corner as the athletic trainer reminds them of the importance of lacing up as tight as possible. He offers to demonstrate and the team groans in response like they haven't been skating since they could walk.
Oikawa had spent a lot of time with him in the past weeks, learning about an abundance of stretching techniques and the many parts of a leg.
After his assistant coach pulls out a whiteboard he spaces, opting to come up with his own fantasy plays.
As Oikawa steps back onto the ice with the others in the third line he finds himself face to face with the dark brunette again. The name Iwaizumi is printed across his back, the red adhesive contrasting nicely against the black jersey.
This time he wasn’t going to let Iwaizumi steal the puck from him. He thought it was a careless choice putting another third lineman against him in the face-off. Oikawa had proven himself time and time again. He still came out on top when it came to one on one skills.
The whistle sounds and he dips his stick down, sending it to Mattsun. Hanamaki makes his way up the ice as Kunimi holds the puck waiting for them to get into formation. It should’ve been Kenma, Oikawa thinks.
Kunimi passes to Hanamaki who meets Nobuyuki Kai on a hashmark. Makki battles for possession as other players join the pile-up. Kindaichi moves from his position to take the puck back to center ice. Oikawa receives it and passes it to Mattsun. Mattsun then skates around the back of the net to find Yamamoto waiting for him on the opposite side. He turns, keeping the puck at his side, and shoots into the left corner. The puck flies upward and Yaku defends, sending it back down to Mattsuns feet. Another shot and Yaku fails to make a save.
The arena goes crazy as their victory song plays over the crowd's chant. The scoreboards flash above them. Matsukawa's headshots take the place of the replay. Followed by Oikawas, which congratulate him on the assist.
Matsukawa embraces Oikawa in a hug as they congratulate each other.
Hanamaki meets them on the bench and complains about not getting a point on his name.
“How am I supposed to get any goals if you two hog the puck all game.”
“What a weird way of saying good goal, Makki” Mattsun blanks.
“Hurry up a little and I’ll pass to you next time” Oikawa winks at him.
“You're such a jackass.”
“A jackass with two assists this game” Oikawa reminds them while slinging a leg over the gate. He squishes himself between Kindachi and Mattsun: two of the biggest guys on their team. Their subs stream out onto the ice and just for a minute, Oikawa feels the energy radiating off the rows of seats filled behind him.
The arena is filled to the brim with fans for both teams, boasting of their sellout.
As Oikawa watches his seniors maneuver around the ice he can't help from mentally critiquing them on their mistakes.
He knows his primary use as a rookie is his face-off skill so why aren't they utilizing it? Nekoma's captain, Kuroo Tetsurou, takes possession again. The brace on his left knee aches as he thinks about the practice punishment they'll undergo for this tomorrow.
He leaps onto the ice and finds himself face to face with Iwaizumi, yet again. More like face to forehead he thinks to himself. He has at least 5 inches on this guy.
The referee blows his whistle and drops the puck in front of the two men. Oikawa almost doesn't notice, instead thinking about their previous encounters.
He’s only knocked back into reality when he realizes Iwaizumi just sent it flying to his vice-captain. Readjusting his eyes he skates off to go sit back down.
They sent him out just for that play he realizes, physically cringing at the look on his coach's face.
“Oikawa what the fuck was that?”
“I don't know,” how is he supposed to explain that he was just beat at his own game? “I spaced out I guess.”
“Wipe that sweat out of your eyes and get your head in the game.”
“Yes sir,” he murmurs, picking at the black tape on the blade of his stick.
Sitting at the end of the bench he waits to be subbed, opting to keep his mouth shut after his confidence took a major hit.
80 seconds are left during regulation and Nekoma has leveled the score with Taketora Yamamoto scoring two goals within minutes of each other.
“We’re going into overtime boys,” Oikawa says, breaking the silence and spraying a sports drink into his mouth. He now has three assists. two passes to Mattsun and the third being when he let himself get distracted, resulting in Yamamoto's goals. He hasn’t had the chance to fuck up again, meaning he hasn’t had the chance to redeem himself either. Matsukawa grunts in response and Kyoutani wobbles on his skates.
With the third period ending in a tie, the men will play three on three for five minutes before moving to a shootout. It is sudden death so they want to be the first to score.
After a quick intermission, the selected trio representing the two opposing teams make their way to center ice. Six foot four, Lev Haiba, from Russia and Yamamoto Taketora, take the wings for Nekoma. Kyoutani Kentaro and Issei Matsukawa meet them there. In the middle, we have Toru Oikawa, who has had a limited amount of ice time tonight, along with the cats’ captain, Kuroo Tetsurou.
A drop and Oikawa wins cleanly sending the puck to his right-winger, Matsukawa. Yamamoto chases after, taking possession and turning the tides of the game. He shoots and Watari’s leg is there, sending the puck back out into play.
Kuroo comes to a stand as his teammates make their way to the bench, Kenma Kozume and Iwaizumi Hajime taking their places.
Oikawa manages to find a break in their passes and tries to move the play. Kozume wins a footrace to the puck and changes its course.
The interval starts as a game of cat and mouse. The plays continue to be on Seijoh’s side of the ice and Nekomas shots on the net outnumber The Kings 5 to 1.
As we approach the halfway point of the miniature period, Issei Matsukawa finds the rebound off of Watari and passes to Kyoutani. The three men speed up the ice as a pass is sent to Toru Oikawa from Kyoutani. The former shoots and Yaku swats it down.
Iwaizumi tries to clear it. Matsukawa reaches to keep the play in Nekomas court, keeping the puck close.
Iwaizumi comes to challenge but Matsukawa has already passed to Kyoutani who defends from five foot seven Kenma Kozume.
Kozume moves to intercept a pass directed to Matsukawa, sending it off-kilter. Oikawa manages to move into its path and shoots into the left corner of Nekoma’s net. A save from Yaku.
Kyoutani is there for the rebound and shoots flat down the middle, scoring through the five-hole and ending tonight’s game with thirty seconds left.
The crowd cheers as Kyoutani pumps his fists into the air. Oikawa can see the disappointment on his competitors' faces as they line up to shake hands. He pulls a glove off with his teeth and tosses his helmet onto the bench before lining up.
He shakes Kenma Kozume’s small hand and moves down the line. Everyone moves in a blur until three people are left. The sadist who happily held him back and has occupied his thoughts since, Captain Kuroo, and their goalie Yaku.
He slows once he sees the scowl plastered on Iwaizumi's face.
“Good game,” Oikawa smirks looking down on him.
Iwaizumi skates off, unbothered, and Oikawa is only a little disappointed that he couldn't get a reaction out of the shorter. He shakes Kuroos hand with the same sly smile and then moves to thank the referees.
“Oikawa!” Yachi squeaks out “Your nose is bleeding.”
Oikawa takes off a glove and swipes under his nose. Sure enough, a line of red-stained his skin.
“Huh, it must’ve been from when that brute slammed me into the boards.”
“That brute was a first-round pick last year,” Hanamaki chimed in.
“He was in the same draft as us?”
“Yeah, Hajime Iwaizumi.”
“I never would’ve known. He looks like a veteran with the scowl that lives on his face,” Oikawa jokes. The name did sound familiar to him. He was majorly disappointed when he was only picked 3rd round, Hanamaki following, and Mattsun in 4th.
“If you would’ve figured out you were bleeding we could’ve ended that game earlier,” Kunimi says glaring at Oikawa “He would’ve gotten a major and I know we could’ve scored.”
“He was too interested in him to throw him in the box Kunimi” Matsukawa deadpans while brushing through his thick hair.
“I was not,” Oikawa whines “I just don’t think he was being smart about his plays. do you know what his stats are lookin’ like?” Everyone looks to Hanamaki but he just shrugs.
“He’s a fucking rookie so probably not great.”
“I’m a rookie too. What’s your point makki-wakki?”
Hanamaki winces at the nickname “you suck too, now you’re just proving my point.”
“Maybe he's scared of blood,” Kindaichi tries “Iwaizumi probably didn't want to see it.”
“Or Oikawa's face” Mattsun yawns out.
“All I know is that I would not want to on the opposing side of his punch.”
“It seems like Oikawa is already on his bad side” Yahaba smiles and shoves Kyoutani closer to the showers.
The night drips by alike to the fifth shower that no one uses, but somehow Oikawa gets stuck with tonight.
Grumbling out a few choice words as the water pressure falters he listens to his teammates finish up and move out. This routine is so old that he has memorized the way Kindaichi slows the door before it shuts and how Kyoutani slams his locker shut, practically throwing his stick into the wooden rack.
Oikawa pouts at himself in the mirror, long enough for the motion sensor lights to switch off. Leaving him cold and in the dark, no one even said goodbye.
His mistakes and misfortunes of tonight’s game antagonize him through his trip home, piling onto all of the others he keeps to overanalyze whenever anyone compliments him.
Throwing a couple of bills at his driver, Oikawa covers his head with a fresh towel as he steps out of the car. He makes his way into the 15 story building and signs himself in. The pin pad feels greasy and he desperately tries to wipe the feeling away onto his gray sweats.
The elevator lights up as it comes to a stop, opening to the 10th floor. Oikawa walks down the hallway grateful that he gets to sleep in the comfort of his bed tonight, opposed to the seats of a travel bus.
He pulls out his phone soon after slipping into bed, opening the search engine as his fingers move to see Iwaizumi Hajime.