Chapter Text
They met during the school festival in their first year of middle school. Oikawa Tooru was put to work making sign after sign for his class’ cafe. No one trusted him to do much else even though he would look striking in one of those uniforms thank you very much. He groaned in frustration because really, it was his tenth sign. Why did they even need that many signs? Oikawa stood to stretch out his vastly growing limbs when he swung his arms to the side and felt it come in contact with something. A body hit the ground along with several items that scattered around the floor. Oikawa stared in horror at the dark haired boy that looked ready to snap his neck. He quickly bent down and frantically threw everything back into the box all while stuttering, “I’m so sorry!”
The boy didn’t reply. He only sighed in annoyance and shot a glare at Oikawa. He wondered what class the boy was from, he had never seen him before. Or maybe it was because Oikawa didn't pay enough attention to anything that wasn’t volleyball related. He kept glancing up at the angry looking boy, not knowing why he was so fixated on him. Once everything was placed back into the box, the boy stomped away. Oikawa pouted, well, that was rude. He could have at least said thank you, but then again, he was the one that knocked the kid down. He shrugged and plopped back down to the ground once more. He had about a million more posters to make.
---
They met again during the school festival. Or well, Oikawa met the boy again and the boy met a giant bear holding up a sign. After Oikawa had finished all his handiwork, he had prompted the females in his class to allow him to wait at their cafe. They had all been smitten with him in the black and white uniform, flashing smiles and winks at any female within a five meter radius. It had almost worked too, but on the day of the festival and he had spilt coffee three times in the span of the ten minutes they had been open. He was then downgraded to being the sign boy. In a bear costume. He didn't understand why! Sure the cuteness of the bear was to attract customers, but he was ten times more cute than it! Who could possible say no to his beautiful face and dashing personality? He groaned and pouted inside the costume. It was hot and cramped. It was just so boring holding a sign! It wasn’t until the two hour mark when the boredom had finally gotten to him and he decided that twirling the sign would be a good idea. He had seen people on the side of the road do it and really, how hard could it be? He smiled to himself and twisted the sign up in the air, but the costume made it hard for him to look up and see where the sign was. He saw it fall down in the corner of his eye. Right up top of a person. There was a loud thud and hiss of pain before Oikawa pushed off his costume head and looked at the damage he had done. All the blood in his body rushed to his face because it was the boy again. His glare even more frightening than the last time.
“I’m so sorry!” Oikawa said frantically, “I really didn’t mean to knock you down—again!”
The boy didn’t even look at Oikawa, he just brushed himself off and stood, his eyes casted at the mess of takoyaki on the ground. Oikawa cursed and blush even harder. “I’ll—I’ll buy you a new one if you want.”
He didn't looked up from the ground, instead he knelt down and started to pick up the dirtied food. Oikawa went to help him. Once the two boy tossed it in the trash Oikawa offered to repay him again, but still no answer. How rude! He might have knock him down twice but that’s not reason to ignore someone! He puffed out his chest in a thuggish manner, well, as thug that you could be in a bear costume. He placed a hand on his hip. “It’s very rude to not answer someone when they are talking to you.”
The boy blinked a few times and squinted, he knocked in head to the side in concentration before pointing to his ears. As if that was any indication of anything at all! Oikawa huffed in frustration again.
“I apologized and offered to buy you food twice but you haven’t said a word to me!” He pouted.
The boy in front of his scrunched up his eyebrow and pulled at little notebook out of the pocket of his hoodie. A small pencil was attaching to the top and scribbled something down quickly. Oikawa waited with his arms crossed over his chest still annoyed but he took the notebook anyway when offered. His eyes widen because written in very neat writing it said ‘I’m deaf.’
---
Something shifted in both of their worlds after that. For the better, mostly. After the awkward silence (for Oikawa) he had tried to stammer an apology again but then blush furiously. The boy in front of him laughed at how flustered Oikawa had become. He had offered to buy him takoyaki again, this time writing on the paper. The boy had shrugged and the two of them made their way through the festival, Oikawa abandoning his post for good. They sat on a bench in the shade. It was there that Oikawa learned the boy’s name. Hajime Iwaizumi. Oikawa decided that it was one of the most beautiful names he had ever heard.
---
They became almost inseparable after that. Iwaizumi tried to escape from Oikawa’ clutches at first, but if he had to admit it to himself, he liked the other boy’s company. He was sparkly and energetic to the point of annoyance at times, but Oikawa brought out the Iwaizumi’s playfulness and in turn he taught Oikawa to relax. The two made a perfect pair, and during the first few months of their friendship their conversation had consist of note writing. They filled in several notebooks in the first month alone and finally Oikawa had gotten fed up of not being able to communicate with his best friend (yes, best friend!) he had taken out several sign language books from the library and threw himself into learning it. There were a lot of long nights and, of course, he kept it hidden of Iwaizumi for the time being. He would tell him when he was ready! Oikawa spent months on the books and even bought some of his own when he had to return most of them to the library.
They sat eating their lunch, not having a conversation. It was hard to eat and write at the same time. Oikawa was chewing on his pork bun, kicking his legs back and forth in contentment. He hummed a simple tune under his breath. It was stopped when Iwaizumi had turned around and told Oikawa to knock off the kicking, and he had told him no right back. Iwaizumi shot back in confusion. He stared at the hands held in the air, eyes widen. Oikawa quickly tucked his hands into his pocket, embarrassed. Everything seemed to have stood still all around them, Oikawa bit his lip in anticipation at what his friend would say next. But instead of saying anything, Iwa-chan had smiled. A large, toothy grin that made his eyes crinkle at the sides and dimples formed on his cheeks. Oikawa’s breath caught in his throat and his mind went blank. It was like he was staring at the sun. He hadn't registered that Iwaizumi had signed something to him until he felt a punch on his arm. He winched and pouted at his friend, now paying attention. Iwaizumi placed a hand on his mouth and moved it down. Thank you.
---
Their friendship blossomed as the seasons past and soon wherever Iwaizumi was, Oikawa wasn’t far behind. He kept working on his sign language over the next couple of years, and soon he was able to speak quite fluently with Iwaizumi. Their classmates usually relied on Oikawa to translate, but he felt annoyed about being used, so being the brat that he was, Oikawa put his own flare in his translation, much to Iwaizumi's irritation.
In their second year of middle school, Oikawa dragged Iwaizumi to tryouts. “Whatever the coach says I can just translate for you!” He had said, “Don’t worry!” He went, because really, he couldn’t say no to the large brown eyes filled with life and the large grin that was meant for him. It turned out that he was very good. He had only played a few times with Oikawa but he was able to keep up with most of the regular players from last year and even hit Oikawa’s sets. He had not only made the team, but he had also made it onto first string. With Oikawa. Always with Oikawa.
---
During their third year of middle school something changed. A slight discrepancy became of their system, a loss screw, an un-greased gear. The smooth friendship that they have been functioning with come to a halt when Kageyama Tobio joined the team. Kageyama, the genius first year, the one that was going to give Oikawa a run for his money. The new shining star of Kitagawa Daiichi. Without knowing it, he was the reason for the worst year the two of them had ever experienced. The reason why everything almost fell apart right in front of them.
The third year were playing around on one of the court after practice. They had wanted to play a game against each other before graduation and of course Oikawa and Iwaizumi have been placed on the same team. They made sure of it. Oikawa smiled at his friend from the front of the court and gave him a cheeky smile. The game was about to start when a shy voice piped up from the other side of the court. The first year fidgeted with his shirt, face red. He repeated himself, “Can I play?”
Oikawa snorted and rolled his eyes, “What makes you think you can keep up with us?” He mocked.
Even without being able to hear him, Iwa-chan had seen his expression and knew that Oikawa had been rude. He gave him a stern look and shook his head. Oikawa held back a growl as the smaller boy entered the court, standing as tall as he could in front of his senpais. The setter from the other team must have liked his determination, because he shrugged and called Kageyama over to his side of the court. He went to sit the the bench to watch instead, telling the other boys that he could play in their next game. Kageyama now stood right across from Oikawa, the picture of joy and innocence. Oikawa stuck his tongue out at the boy in a childish manner, glad that Iwaizumi couldn’t see him doing it. He got ready for the game, having full confident that his team would win. At the end of the third set, he was the one that let the ball fall. The sound of the volleyball hitting the floor beside him echoed all through the gym. His ears rang during the impact and he had not yet registered that he had lost his team the game until the other side of the court started cheering and patting Kageyama on the back. He smiled timidly at his senpais and bowed several times in thanks. Oikawa hadn’t registered anything until he felt a hand pressing to his back. It was Iwaizumi. Of course it was.
Let’s go, Iwaizumi signed.
Oikawa nodded slightly and swallowed the lump in his throat. He shakily walked off the court following Iwaizumi off of the gym and into the cool night. The only thoughts rumbling around his mind were ‘That was my serve. That was my serve, and he did it better.’
They didn’t talk on their way back home. Oikawa was too stuck in his thoughts to say anything and Iwaizumi was concentrating on something quite hard. When their reached the streetlight it was time for them to go their separate ways. He was usually upset when they would reach this point. He wanted to spend every waking minute with his best friend, but today he couldn’t wait to get home. Oikawa waved tiredly at Iwaizumi before making his way back home, he didn’t turn to see the concerned expression on his best friend’s face. Oikawa laid face down on his bed, breathing small breaths of air in the hopes that it would slow his heart rate down. He held his pillow close to his chest when he turned to his side, staring at his volleyball jersey that was neatly hung on his wall. Staring at the medals and pictures of the team that was place on a shelf above his desk, anger rushed through him and he threw his pillow across the room. His vision blurred as tears of frustration as he seethed at the thought of Kageyama replacing him as the first-string setter. He would show the first year that Oikawa Tooru was a force to be reckoned with.
---
He had forgotten to text Iwaizumi the next morning in his rush to get to practice. He was the first on there, begging the janitor to open the gym for him to practice. Oikawa did his jump serve over and over again within the hour and a half he arrived. When he heard the squeak from a pair of shoes coming he turned around and beamed at the bewildered coach. “Good morning!” He smiled and threw the ball in the air. His coach shook his head in disbelief but didn’t say anything. He figured that he was allowed to come again the next day. He kept up his serving until the team came trickling in one at a time. He hit a particularly good one and was about to pat himself on the back when a volleyball collided with his head. Oikawa shot forward in pain and cradled the back of his head, he spun around to see a seething Iwaizumi in the archway of the gym entrance. His face was red, and steam was partially coming out of his ears in anger. He stomped over at Oikawa and grabbed his collar, shaking him viciously. If Iwaizumi spoke, Oikawa knew that he would have spewing so many curse words at him that he would to wash his mouth out with holy water afterwards. He held his hands up in defeat as Iwaizumi hit his head once more before finally standing with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for Oikawa to explain himself.
He ran his hands through his hair before signing, Let’s talk about this later.
Let’s talk about this now! Iwaizumi scowled.
He heard the coach’s whistle blow and he signed in relief. Practice is starting, Oikawa signed hastily before jogging over to the rest of the team. He knew that Iwaizumi wouldn’t let the topic drop anytime soon, but postponing it for a couple of hours was better than nothing.
When Oikawa saw Kageyama standing opposite of him clinging onto every word that the coach said, he felt a scowl form on his face. He quickly thought of all the times he’s told Iwaizumi that he would get wrinkles at a young age if he kept scowling, but Oikawa couldn’t bring himself to care. Once practice started, he got back into his momentum. He let out a ragged breath, determination coloured his vision. There was no way he was going to let a first year surpass him. Oikawa practiced during lunch too, so when Iwaizumi came to his classroom he was already jogging towards the gym.
---
Come on, let’s go home, Iwaizumi signed after practice. He was breathing hard from the exercise they had just done and was ready for a long hot bath. Oikawa on the other hand, looked like he wanted to run two and a half marathons, and maybe bike up a mountain afterwards. He grunted, Go without me, I want to get some extra practice in.
Iwaizumi made a face, You came early this morning and practiced all through lunch.
Oikawa ignored his friend and tossed the ball into the air, readying himself for another spike. A hand came out to catch it midair and the ball was chucked to the other side of the court.
Dammit Trashkawa, stop being such an idiot!
He huffed and stuck his tongue out, Fifteen more minutes! I promise!
Ten.
Fifteen!
Iwaizumi shucked in a breath and nodded slight. He pretended that the bright smile that overcame Oikawa’s face didn’t take his breath away. He sat at the far wall of the gym, watching his best friend slowly destroy himself.
---
The next few days went about the same. He didn’t bother waiting at the streetlight anymore, he knew that Oikawa was already at school. He started to join during the lunch practises, bringing a small lunch so he could eat it in a few bites. It’s the afternoon that usually takes a turn for the worst because for some idiotic reason, Oikawa doesn’t seem like he’s capable to holding himself back. It’s like he’s a storm that had something to prove to the people he crushes under his wrath. His best friend, the gentle arrogant boy that smiled at the sun and laughed with the stars turned into a monster. Iwaizumi couldn’t hear, he couldn’t possibly know the god awful things that Oikawa said to his juniors in a fit of jealously and rage, but he saw. He saw soft lines of Oikawa’s face turn sharp and the pale of his complexion turn a raging red. He noticed the way the gym would come to a halt whenever Oikawa opened his mouth, and observed the way that his teammates looked at him: disgusting, tyrant, arrogant, obnoxious. All the things that Iwaizumi knew he wasn’t but was acting like.
He wasn’t caught in Oikawa’s crossfire of rage, however. Never, not even once. Oikawa was all smiles, like his old self. But his grins didn’t hold the light that they use to. His personal practises stop being fifteen minutes and slowly inched to thirty, and then to an hour. Soon Oikawa didn’t leave the gym until nine with a tired Iwaizumi beside him. He had cut Oikawa off at two hours, even a second after over the time he haul the other boy’s ass out of the gym to get change. No matter how much Oikawa whined and begged for an extra ten minutes he knew that that would turn to another two hours somehow, and he didn’t know much more his heart could take.
---
Oikawa saw red whenever he saw Kageyama. A fire would burn in the pit of his stomach with rage and envy. He was determined to beat the boy no matter what it took. He smiled at Iwaizumi as he entered his class during lunch. The other boy looked grimly at Oikawa, Let’s skip lunch practise today.
A worried look crossed Oikawa’s face, Are you feeling sick, Iwa-chan?
Iwaizumi shook his head, I think you should take a break.
Oikawa didn’t miss the fact that Iwaizumi had said you and not us. He pushed the scowl down and smiled brightly at his friend. A crushing feeling took over his chest, Sure Iwa-chan. Let’s just relax today.
The two boys sat on a bench outside. Iwaizumi eating his bento and Oikawa chewing mindlessly at his pork bun. He couldn’t stop fidgeting. He wanted his body to move. He wanted to run and spike and set. He felt a punch to the side before he noticed Iwaizumi was signing to him, he apologized.
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, Stop fidgeting. You’re like an energetic squirrel.
He pouted, How rude!
My sister is coming back for Tokyo this weekend, she wants to take us out to a movie and ice cream, Iwaizumi told him.
Oikawa took a long time to chew his food. He didn't want him to know that Oikawa did training on the weekend too, pretty much the whole day. He had lied and had told Iwaizumi that his parents make him visit his grandma over the weekend. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go, but since he was slacking now he had to make up for it during the afternoon and weekend.
Can’t you miss one weekend?
He shook his head and cringed inwardly at the lie. He hated it, he hated lying to his best friend but there was nothing else he could do.
Iwaizumi tilted his head to the side and looked at him in concentration, Is everything okay?
Taken back, he nodded.
Are you sure? Because you can tell me anything, you know that.
Oikawa felt his heart in his throat. How could he tell his best friend that flew with the birds and moved mountains with his actions that he felt small and insignificant because of some twelve year old. Instead of living through that embarrassment, he swallowed down his anxiety and gave his best friend a smile. There’s nothing to say. But there was, there was so much.
---
The foundation cracked the next week. The ground beneath them finally crumbled under Oikawa’s stress and Iwaizumi’s worry and it left the two boys tired, broken, and alone. It was one of Oikawa’s crazy self practises again. He was spiking away and didn't stop even when Iwaizumi pushed him roughly. He simply shrugged it off and grabbed another volleyball out of cart. Iwaizumi scowled and slapped him upside the head, Hurry up and clean Oikawa! Your two hours are up.
Ten more minutes
No!
Oikawa did something he had never done before, he scowled at Iwaizumi. He pushed the other boy away and threw the ball in the air, ignoring his friend. Pissed off, Iwaizumi took Oikawa by the shoulders and shook up. Anger was filling all parts of his body until he felt like he would explode.
Just give me ten god damn more minutes!
I said no Oikawa! You’re working yourself to the grave!
“You just don’t understand! You don’t have a genius coming at you at full force! You would never know what it’s like to feel this helpless and weak! Just shut up already!” Oikawa roared and shoved Iwaizumi back.
The other boy stood in disbelief and held his breath. He didn’t need to know what Oikawa said, because the crease that formed on his forehead and the red splotches that painted his face told him everything he needed to know. Oikawa finally registered what he had said and deeply regretted his words because he held out a shaky hand over his mouth, an apology at the tip of his tongue. Iwaizumi was already turned away, leaving him behind in the heap of mess that he had created for himself.
---
They didn’t communicate for a two weeks. It’s was all turned backs, and twisted mouths and watery eyes whenever they were in the same room. Oikawa stopped attending his extra practices, with the gaping hole he felt on his chest, he found it hard to breathe normally, let alone while playing volleyball. Something that Oikawa never thought was that he could feel worst than he did when he saw Kageyama. Surely there was nothing that he dread more than being replaced on the team, but he was wrong. He was so wrong because while the thought of Kageyama made him ill to his stomach, the face that Iwaizumi had stopped communicating with him felt like sharp knives on his skin and fire seeping through his whole body.
Trying to distract himself was easier said than done. Oikawa had plenty of other friends and for the first couple of days after their fight he had tried to spend his free time with them. It simply didn’t help. The fight kept replaying in his mind and he figured that he wasn’t the most enjoyable person to be around so he stopped. Oikawa kept wondering how Iwaizumi was doing, he wasn’t letting it affect his volleyball like Oikawa was, but the scowl that was pastured on his face was different than his usual one. The team knew that they weren’t on their best game, but they were smart enough not to ask either one about it.
After a particularly hard practice, where he had messed up several sets Oikawa glared at the tips of his shoes in frustration as he shoved his belongings in his bag. He heard a small voice say his name and a shot of hope ran through his body. It was stupid, Iwaizumi didn’t talk. When he turned around and saw Kageyama, anger flared up.
“What?” He snapped.
“Oikawa-senpai! Please teach me how to serve.”
He didn’t know what happened next. Red coloured his vision and he felt his arm raising over his head, in one swift motion it came down but something stopped it before it could hit Kageyama. Oikawa’s eyes shot to the other figure in the room and sucked in a breath. Iwaizumi held his arm in a vice grip. His dark eyes shot daggers into Oikawa and he shot a look at Kageyama that meant ‘leave, now.’ After the first year escaped the gym, the two of them stood in silence. Oikawa had since pulled his arm out of Iwaizumi’s grip and rubbed the sore He couldn’t look at his friend in the eyes without wanting to cry, so he opted to look at the gym floor. Embarrassment washed over him and his face was red. Oikawa almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
Are you okay?
Oikawa gave his friend a strained smile and nodded, his heart hammering in his chest.
Iwaizumi scowled and knocked his forehead against Oikawa’s knocking him onto the ground. Iwaizumi towered over, hands clenched at his sides with a dark expression upon his face. Oikawa swallowed and closed his eyes when Iwaizumi’s hands shot forward. Strong arms wrapped around his body and his face was pressed against Iwaizumi’s chest. Relief washed over him like nothing he had ever experienced. With shaky arms Oikawa returned the gesture and pulled Iwaizumi’s flat against him, he smiled when he heard his friend grunt but he didn’t pull away. They walked home slowly, cold night air washed over them but Oikawa only felt warmth. From the way Iwaizumi walking closely beside him, and from the way their shoulders bumped ever so slightly all the way home.