Chapter Text
Life is unfair. After not asking to be born, then thrown into societal expectations, as well as a de facto class system, it was hard to understand one’s true purpose. When everything is decided or laid out for you your whole time on this planet.
One of the things Iwaizumi never understood was why pixies looked down upon the fairies. He thought it was wrong to judge another fairy based on their wings. After all, they were practically the same species, or started out the same… at least.
___
Hajime was sent out by his mother; his first mission alone. One of the first rites of passage into their community for young caterpillars like him. He was going to prove to his peers that he could do something useful.
After wandering for a few minutes, or hours, he lost track of time, and he came across a beautiful patch in the forest. One where the trees met perfectly above to let through golden rays of sun that danced off the area around him. A magical sight. One that happened to have plenty of resources.
Hajime bent down to scan the nearby mushrooms, reaching out to pick a spotted red and white one.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” an unfamiliar voice called out from behind the thick of the trees, “unless you want to choke and die, it's venomous.”
He absentmindedly corrected, “I think you mean poisonous,” before jolting up and trying to find the source of the voice, “wait, who’s there? Stop hiding.”
A brown haired boy peeked his head out from the foliage, who couldn't be that much older than Hajime himself.
“Well, I think you mean to say thank you for saving my short lived life.” The boy put his hands on his hips and tilted his head, a smug smile plastered across his face.
Their first interaction was nothing special, both of them just gathering food on their first solo outing, a common coming-of-age tradition in their world. Around the second or third time they happened to bump into each other, however, the little brunette one finally perked up.
“Fancy seeing you here… again.”
“Oi, if I recall I’m always the one here first, are you stalking me or something?”
“Please, if anything you’d be stalking me , I’m clearly a catch.”
“Hmph, in your dreams. I’ll have you know this is my favorite spot in the woods, alright?”
“Fine, keep your secrets. Who are you anyway?”
“You first…”
“Jeez, you need to learn to be more trusting. Oikawa Tooru, nice to meet you!”
“Iwaizumi Hajime, and you need to be less trusting.”
The boys shook hands, Tooru seemingly more eager than Hajime. They both neglected to say which clan they were from, maybe just assuming they were from the same one, not that it mattered to them anyway. They were just kids, neither caring about the relations between the fairies and pixies.
Their friendship grew quickly, as most young boys’ friendships tend to do. Both would find an excuse to sneak off into the forest, to their spot, and just hang out. They would play warriors and fight fake battles, and talk about where their wings will take them once they grow in. They would share stories of their families and speak of their hopes and dreams. In a few years, nothing could get past each other, they were so close as friends it was almost telepathic.
But the years went on, and their clan duties increased. For years they didn't meet, busy on their own time, they promptly forgot about the other, just a faint memory now of some friend they pay no mind to anymore. They never had a falling out or anything, it was just part of life. Nothing more and nothing less.
___
The sun peeks over the horizon, the cold morning air starting to warm up as the orange rays graze the world beneath it. This is always Iwaizumi’s favorite sight. The reason why he drags his friend out at dawn to start their training so early.
Iwaizumi loses his arrow as he aims too high, going to retrieve it. Picking it up and standing back up, he makes direct eye contact, with some notably familiar eyes staring at him mere feet away. A moth boy about the same age as him.
"Hajime?"
Iwaizumi froze. Though deeper, he recognized that voice immediately, and memories of his past came flooding back, a smile flashing briefly in his mind. The annoyingly cheerful boy he once knew was standing in front of him, with almost nothing changed but his age and his wings. His wings? He took in the sight of Tooru's dark fuzzy wings, hypnotizing detail among them.
“Been a while huh?” He emerged from his place behind the tree, sheepishly hiding his wings best he could behind his frame.
Curious, Hajime asked “Why are you here?”
"Been coming here for years, it's a good spot to escape everything," Tooru looked around, "You know it's where we met."
Hajime glanced at the surrounding greenery. He was right. Though worn with age, the familiar trees and stones were obvious. "Wait is it still–" he walks over to one of the bigger trees, "it's still here" running his fingers along the base, where they carved their initials into it many years ago. He turned back to Tooru, peeking at his distinct wings
"You… never told me you were a moth" Hajime tried his best to mask his awe between this new revelation and seeing a ghost of a memory in person again.
"Could say the same about you, well, but with being a butterfly," Tooru's eyes examined Hajime's wings, the sun reflecting through them making the vibrant colors even brighter.
Hajime lowered his own, how is he supposed to respond in this conversation? How's he supposed to feel? Moth fairies were typically looked down upon; in a society where beauty was the standard, though Hajime never really understood that ideology.
The same thought must’ve been running through Oikawa’s mind as well, after a breath of silence he quietly said, "I understand if you want nothing to do with me now, though." Tooru looked away, turning to walk back into the thick of the trees. A hint of sadness catching on the tip of his tongue.
Hajime jumped forward to grab his shoulder, stopping him, "Now why in hell would I want to do that?"
Tooru turned back around, the surprise clear on his face as he tried to ponder a thought or response. Right as he opened his mouth to say something–
"Hey Iwaizumi" a voice from behind them called out, "where'd you g–" The owner of voice emerged from the trees, stopping his question short upon seeing the moth and other butterfly, "Oh, uh–"
Hajime quickly dropped his hand from Oikawa’s shoulder, hearing a quick breath from the moth boy next to him.
Shit "Uh hey Mattsun, sorry I forgot we were training, I'll just be a second," Hajime ushered Tooru to stand behind him, having no clue how the other pixie would react to the moth.
"And you're not gonna introduce me to your uh" The other pixie's eyes scanned the fairy's wings
"Oh Tooru's just an old childhood friend" Hajime blurted out, trying his best to get this over with. Next to him, Tooru inhaled sharply.
Mattsun looked between them, walked over to Tooru, held out his hand and smiled, "well nice to meet you Tooru" he leaned in to whisper, "pay no mind to Iwaizumi, he's stubborn" before ruffling Tooru's hair, turning to punch Hajime in the arm, "but hurry up with your boyfriend Iwaizumi, I'm getting bored out there" he turned and walked away, humming to himself before disappearing.
Tooru chuckled lightly, " boyfriends " he repeated back to himself.
"Uh yeah, sorry about him" Hajime turned back to scan Tooru for any distress. "You okay?"
"I missed you Hajime" Tooru looked up, displaying a somber smile.
Hajime hung his head, "I’m sorry, I should’ve made an effort to keep up."
Tooru grabbed his hands, prompting Hajime to look up at the other's face, "that's okay, we can still catch up, plenty of time for that."
Hajime's mind flashes a signal, thinking of the impending war he was set to be drafted to once he comes of age in a few months, "yeah..." but couldn't bear to fully tell the truth to Tooru’s face, to that smile.
Plenty of time...