Chapter Text
Oikawa watched the nurse take his wrist between two slim, pale fingers and he blinked back his tears. He would never say that Yahaba was the most robust person he'd ever met, but right now he was nearly as pale as the white sheets he was laying on and Oikawa's entire being felt like it was being pulled tight with worry.
He forced hismelf to take a deep breath and crossed his legs. He tried to make himself think more about the way the rough wood of the chair dug into the back of his knee rather than the rather worrying rasping sound Yahaba was making every time he drew in a labored breath. Oikawa was the prince. He had to keep his cool. Of course he could keep his cool. At all times. Even when his lovely aide hadn't come to wake him up this morning, or even responded beyond a pained whimper when Oikawa had sought him out instead.
"He'll be okay," Oikawa pressed. The nurse, a dark haired beauty named Kiyoko sat up and pinned Oikawa with a level stare.
"I can't say for sure right now," she said. Oikawa was frowning deeply before she even fnished her words and shifted in his chair, uncrossing his legs only to immediately cross them again. He brought his hand up and pressed it nervously to the side of his neck as if he could physically force his pulse to calm by doing so. Kiyoko was kind enough to let him more or less stop fidgeting before she continued. "He was okay last night?" Oikawa nodded, then paused and thought deeper.
"He seemed more stiff than usual, but I didn't think too much on it," Oikawa admitted. His brow furrowed, pouring through everything that had happened last night. "He's been staying up late with me recently so I thought he was just tired."
"The council elections?" Kiyoko asked. Oikawa nodded, but didn't give her details. There was the king and queen, his parents, then himself as the main ruling party. However, just below them there was a small council of ten people from the larger towns in Seijou who spoke on the behalf of citizens and served as a second opinion on pretty much every subject. Elections happened every five years and all of it centered here, in the castle and the city that spread out around it.
"A lot of chairs are changing hands this time around and there's been a lot to think about," Oikawa explained. In fact, it was deeper than that. There were several large and far reaching policies in the ether right now, and Yahaba had been fretting over letting them float through the elections or rushing and getting the matters settled beforehand. Oikawa sighed and pressed his fingers to his temple. He could feel his mind throbbing in his skull just thinking about all this. Kiyoko turned back to Yahaba when he shifted and groaned softly and the sound felt like it was physically tearing into Oikawa's chest.
"I don't know much about that," Kiyoko said and pulled the sheet up a little further on Yahaba's chest when he shivered. Oikawa knew that was a lie. While she wasn't privy to the specifics on anything political, she was sharp and Oikawa was sure she understood why they were all so stressed over something so immaterial. "But, did you two deviate from your routine at all last night?" she asked. Oikawa sat up, fingers tapping on his leg as he thought back.
"Not really..." he started then paused again. "It's stupid, but I didn't eat dinner last night. Yahaba told me I was being petty for not eating that atrocious looking tomato soup," he huffed. Kiyoko gave an intense look.
"And?"
"He was more than happy when I gave it to him." They looked at each other with worry and a cold tendril of fear worked it's way up Oikawa's back.
Once word got out about Yahaba's likely poisoning, things moved quickly. Oikawa never ate anything that hadn't first been tested by someone else. The knights were all brought on duty and Oikawa couldn't so much as turn a corner without walking into one of them posted at a door or following a governement official around. Within just a couple days, extra security had been brought into the castle and everywhere the atmosphere was crowded and tense.
Oikawa looked up from the apple he was peeling and glared into the doorway. A tall man dressed in dark and somewhat worn clothing stood just inside the room, back pressed against the wall next to the door. Instead of pretending Oikawa wasn't there, or, which the prince would greatly prefer, standing in the hallway instead, the brunet merely lifted his brow and met Oikawa's gaze with an even confidence.
The prince pouted. "Shigeru, what do you think of my new bodyguard? His name is Ushijima and papa spent a loooot of money on him," he said, pulling a thin slice of apple away from the whole and offering it to his aide. Over the last few days Kiyoko had been looking into every kind of antidote she knew of and under her care Yahaba was coming back around, though a little too slowly for Oikawa's taste.
"He's not Iwaizumi," Yahaba noted. He took the piece of fruit and nibbled at it with disinterest, his appetite lacking since he'd been poisoned. Even though Oikawa frowned at him for more or less playing with his food he appreciated that Yahaba was alert enough to catch onto Oikawa's attitude and join him in not acknowledging the man posted at the door. "Why not?"
"Iwa's with papa for the time being. A lot of the knights are," Oikawa shot Yahaba a look that said 'I tried. I really did,' and Yahaba made a listless hum in the back of his throat. "Papa said he'd rather hire someone to watch me so he wouldn't have to execute one of his knights if something happened to me," Oikawa explained with special emphasis. When he looked the brunet at the door. He hadn't moved, like he hadn't even heard the dig Oikawa had just made at him. The official explanation had been partially what Oikawa had just stated, but added to that, his father was hoping that having a well known mercenary around him at all times would act well enough as a deterrent at a second attempt on Oikawa's life, considering that the presence of knights alone had defnitely not worked the first time. Yahaba shoved the last bit of apple in his mouth and chewed slowly as he looked Ushijima up and down.
"I've heard of him," he said after several seconds. "His group did some work in Karasuno recently, yes?" It was the first time that either one of them had spoken to Ushijima directly since Oikawa had come in to visit. Ushijima shifted to his other foot before leaning against the wall again.
"Yes," both Yahaba and Oikawa waited for more, but after several seconds it was clear Ushijima didn't intend to add anything. Yahaba visibly restrained from rolling his eyes when he turned back to the prince.
"I heard good things about it. I'm not surprised the King went to them first." Oikawa frowned. "Well, is he nice?" Yahaba pressed and Oikawa took a deep breath.
"No," he huffed and started cutting into the apple again. "He showed up, went through everything in my chambers and then told me he was surprised no one had come in after me already," he growled. Yahaba bit his lip and Oikawa thrust another slice of apple at him. "He says that it's pitifully easy to get in my room." Oikawa could see Ushijima setting his jaw in the corner of his eye and grinned.
"He's just doing his job, isn't he?" Yahaba sighed, exasperated. Oikawa sat back and looked down his nose at Ushijima as he turned to check the source of footsteps in the hallway. When he turned back, their eyes met. After several tense seconds, he caught Ushijima's eyes make a quick course down and back up to his face. Oikawa smirked.
"I bet he's just taking notes for himself," Oikawa accused. Ushijima's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I am," he pressed. Oikawa straightened up at that and Yahaba shot a curious look between them. "It makes it easier if I know the entry points." Oikawa huffed and he must have looked like he was about to snap at Ushijima, because Yahaba reached out and weakly tried to paw the rest of the apple out of Oikawa's hands. Oikawa pulled it away and then used the same hand to push Yahaba back into the mattress.
"The fact that no one actually has come in and tried to take your life means that either your father is a good regent or that your knights are competent," Ushijima added. Oikawa made a barking laugh.
"You hear that? He thinks Iwa and the others are competent," Oikawa said, his voice light and hiding the spike of frustration in his veins. "That's awfully kind words coming from a big, bad mercenary, right?" Now Yahaba did roll his eyes, but now it was aimed at Oikawa, who ignored it. "Should I tell Iwa and let him know of the honor he's been graced with?"
"I think you should spare me," Yahaba shot back gently. Oikawa leveled him with a sharp look. "You don't have a choice in this, do you? I know it sucks but it's only until we figure out who did this," Yahaba pressed and that was enough to sober Oikawa. The prince was quiet for several seconds before he sighed and tapped Yahaba on the cheek.
"You'll be okay. I'll find who did this to you and give him just as good," Oikawa said. Yahaba nodded and ignored when Oikawa brushed his fingers through his hair in some little effort to straighten up his appearance.
"I'm already fine. Just be good. We're busy enough as it is and you should get along with the only person who has the time to keep you in line."
"He's not keeping me-" Yahaba ignored him and turned to Ushijima.
"Do whatever you have to to make him behave. He's unruly at best, though I'm sure you already know that. He has no idea how to keep himself safe so I'm going to trust you with that for the time being," Yahaba said. Ushijima nodded and seemed to soften the smallest bit. Oikawa stood from his chair and straightened his clothes before he went around the bed and headed for the door, shoving the remainder of the apple into Ushijima's hands.
"Alright then, Shigeru, I'll leave since you're scolding me," Yahaba scoffed at that. "Get some rest and I'll come back tomorrow," Oikawa gave Yahaba a flippant wave over his shoulder as he stepped into the hall, unmindful of how Ushijima followed not two steps behind him.
"You're not staying in here," Oikawa pressed. He was already half undressed when Ushijima had just come into the room from trekking up and down the hall doing only hell knew what. Oikawa could feel Ushijima's eyes lingering on pretty much everything between his shoulders and hips and the prince tossed his shirt at him to break his attention.
"I am," Ushijima said simply. He caught the shirt, shifted it between his hands for a couple of seconds before deciding to just set it at the foot of the bed. Now his focus was on Oikawa's face, everything about him solid and unmoving. "What's the point of being your guard if I'm out in the hallway?"
"You're not going to be in the hallway. You're going to be in the hall with the rest of your little gang," Oikawa said. He shooed him away with a flick of his hand. Ushijima moved and grabbed the chair at Oikawa's desk. Oikawa watched him pull it across the floor and hide it in a corner of the room, away from both the doors and windows.
"You're going to lurk over there in the corner?" Oikawa asked.
"I'm going to sit here and watch the room for the night," Ushijima explained.
"So you're going to creepily watch me while I sleep." Oikawa got a little surge of satisfaction when a wrinkle rose in Ushijima's forehead.
"I'm going to do my job," he pressed and Oikawa thought his voice sounded tense.
"Well, you're out of luck because there's no way I can sleep with you just sitting there."
"You'll get used to it," Ushijima shot back. He straightened and they locked eyes again. they stared at each other for several seconds before Oikawa smirked and arched his back a bit, fingers hooking in the front of his breeches. Again, the prince could see Ushijima's eyes waver for a second, then they tracked deliberately down the floor and back up again. Oikawa laughed derisively.
"You think you're really lucky, don't you, you son of a bitch," Oikawa growled, "I bet you're gonna tell me I have to get used to undressing in front of you too, huh?" Ushijima's eyes went narrow and hard and the prince backed up a step. It wasn't like he wasn't used to be looked at. Women gave him that same sweeping once over all the time and even Iwaizumi did it pretty openly. But when Ushijima did it, here when they were both locked in his personal chambers, it made goosebumps raise on Oikawa's skin. Whether it was fear or interest, Oikawa couldn't figure out and it bothered him immensely.
"No. I can go out into the hallway for a few minutes while you get into bed," Ushijima said, his expression smoothing out into something more relaxed. As he said that, he stepped to the door and pulled it open. "Only a few minutes," he reminded and went out into the hallway.
Oikawa chewed the inside of his cheek. He thought about walking over and locking the door, simply locking Ushijima out. Then he thought of Yahaba urging him to get along with this guy and he figured he wouldn't stoop to that level of pettiness unless Ushijima really decided to test his patience. So Oikawa forced himself to take a deep breath, to tamp down his frustration. He undressed quickly, setting the rest of his clothes with his shirt and climbed into bed nude. He didn't call out and tell Ushijima he was ready for him to come back in because frankly, he wasn't. He never wanted him to come back, but sure enough after several deep breaths the door creaked open again and Oikawa watched Ushijima step back into the room.
He shut and locked the door behind him and Oikawa tried to play at ignorning him as he stepped around the room, slow and steady, checking every window, every dark corner until he was apparently satisfied that nothing was amiss. Ushijima never said anything, not even when he settled into the chair in the corner of the room and Oikawa never urged him to. Instead, he tucked himself further under his blankets than he normally would, trying to ignore the unwavering foreign presence in the room, the sound of another person breathing nearby, the feeling of sharp eyes on him as he tried to force himself to sleep.