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Iwaizumi remembers snapshots. Bursts of light and sound snatched from the depths of his brain. Things others might see as inconsequential, but to him they are valuable. They tell his story and by extension Oikawa's.
He's six years old. Cicadas are screaming in the trees. It's a few days since the Oikawas have moved into his neighborhood. He waits in the front yard of their house with his butterfly net while Tooru finishes his lunch.
Mrs. Oikawa puts sunscreen on Tooru's nose and makes him put on a sun hat before he goes out again. It's a floppy bucket hat that makes him pout. Hajime giggles at the stuff on Tooru's nose.
"It's not my fault I burn easily," Tooru says, repeating what his mom told him.
Still he throws his hat at Hajime. Hajime picks it up and puts it on because he's a responsible child. He grabs Tooru's hand and drags him off into the woods in search of the beetle they've been hunting all morning.
*************
Hajime is nine. His parents bought him a cat for his seventh birthday, but she's run away. He remembers how sweet she was, how she cuddled up to him at bedtime and purred up a storm. Sometimes she was so loud he had trouble getting to sleep, but he would never kick her out.
He's sitting on his bed holding her collar when suddenly the door is being pushed open. Hajime quickly runs his sleeve over his face, wiping away tears and snot.
"Hajime! Hajime look!"
It's Tooru. In his arms is a towel wrapped bundle. A small gray paw peeks out of the towel.
"Miki!"
Hajime is off his bed in an instant. Tooru meets him halfway and places the bundle into his arms.
"Where did you find her?! We looked everywhere," Hajime smiles from ear to ear though his eyes are shiny.
"My brother found her up a tree a couple of blocks over. She wasn't that high up so I climbed up after her. She was so scared she scratched me." At this he stretches his arm out.
Tooru's got a couple of small bandages on it. There's antibacterial cream smeared on the uncovered ones. Mrs. Oikawa being her usual overprotective self.
Miki rubs her head under Hajime's chin bringing his attention back to her. He pets her head with care.
"Thanks for bringing her back."
Tooru smiles his self-conscious smile and rubs the back of his neck.
"That's what best friends are for," he says.
"Best friends," Hajime repeats softly. After a moment he steps forward and hugs Tooru tightly. Miki protests being squished between them. Hajime adjusts his grip so he can hug both of his best friends in the world. He puts Miki down only after putting her collar back on.
"Want to go play with her in the living room?" he asks Tooru.
"Yeah. Do you still have that feather toy? I want to see how high she can jump."
*************
He is ten. Tooru has discovered volleyball and Hajime has been roped into this new obsession. He notices that the flowers bordering the yard smell nice in the soft breeze waving the net. Hajime serves the ball so Tooru can practice setting. Tooru mistimes his set and the ball bounces with a thud off his head.
Hajime can't help but laugh. Tooru rubs the top of his head and pouts. Hajime chases the ball down in the flowers.
"Come on Tooru, let's try again," he says, trying to smooth over his best friend's disappointment.
He brushes dirt off the ball and tosses it. This time the ball finds its way into Tooru's waiting palms. It arcs beautifully toward Hajime and he smacks it down over the net.
Hajime looks at his palm with wonder and when he meets Tooru's gaze he knows that he felt that rush too.
*************
He's 14 and Tooru is sobbing into his pillows. His first girlfriend has just broken up with him because he didn't pay her enough attention. Tooru really liked her. Hours earlier he had called Hajime and blubbered that he was heartbroken. Hajime told him to come over.
His window is open and the thin white curtains blow in a gentle spring breeze. He looks over at Tooru, unsure. After a minute he resolves to make it better. He digs in his DVD tower for his copy of Tooru's favorite movie. Hajime doesn't particularly enjoy the bad special effects or terrible dialogue, but he'll sit through it for Tooru's sake.
He drags Tooru to the foot of the bed by the ankles. Hajime sits him down with a blanket and Miki for company. In the kitchen he scoops two bowls of ice cream, salted caramel for himself and strawberry for Tooru. He goes back to his room with the bowls and pops in the DVD. He hands the strawberry bowl to Tooru and sits next to him.
"It'll be okay."
With a sniffle Tooru says, "It doesn't feel like it."
"Watch the movie. I'm not suffering through this by myself."
"Tch. This is a masterpiece, you're just too uncultured to understand it Iwa-chan."
Hajime snorts, "Whatever you say."
*************
He's 16 and it's dark. The magnolia tree in Tooru's front yard is heavy with fragrant blossoms. They're stumbling home from a party at Matsukawa's house. It's Hajime's third time drinking and he feels only a little tipsy, sober enough to keep Tooru upright. Tooru is a lightweight and he wobbles to the left before Hajime evens him out.
He leans Tooru against the magnolia and heads to the gate. He pops it open and slips into the backyard. Tooru was supposed to leave the back door unlocked for them, but he knows that Tooru's unreliable at the best of times if it doesn't involve volleyball. Just like right now. With a sigh he starts back to the magnolia.
Tooru is still leaning against the tree, he's just slipped a bit down the trunk. Hajime loops one of Tooru's arms over his shoulder. He doesn't get a chance to move before Tooru spins him around and pulls him close.
There, surrounded by the smell of magnolia and the taste of alcohol he gets his first kiss, courtesy of his best friend. Hajime kisses back for a second before he comes to his senses. He pushes Tooru away, but stays close just in case he stumbles.
"Come on," he says, voice gravelly with an emotion he can't name.
When they get to his house he puts Tooru in his bed. He leaves a glass of water on the bedside table and sets out a futon for himself. He lays awake for a while. Before he finally closes his eyes he decides to not mention the kiss, to ignore the tightness in his chest when Tooru stands too close.
*************
Hajime is 19. He has about a month before his second year of college starts. The previous month was spent at home with his parents and Miki. Now he's on his way to the seaside to help his uncle out with his shop.
He hasn't seen Tooru in person for a few months. Their demanding schedules leave little time for a social life and Tooru has been practicing hard with his team. He remembers the last long weekend they spent together, exploring Tokyo. Tooru showed him his favorite places to eat and to practice when the weather was less blustery. Hajime remembers how he looked when they said goodbye at the train station. Tooru's eyes bright above his scarf and his hair disheveled.
He finally arrives at the little town. It's actually bigger than it used to be when he was younger. When he gets to his uncle's house he finds Tooru waiting for him in the kitchen with a tall glass of lemonade.
"Hi. I wasn't expecting you."
"I called your house yesterday and your mom said you were on your way here."
"So you came out here?"
"It's closer to Tokyo," Tooru says by way of explanation.
Then he's up and in Hajime's space. He envelops him in a hug so tight Hajime's breath hitches.
"You okay?"
Tooru mumbles something into his hair and squeezes once more before loosening his grip. He crowds Hajime against the counter, cups his face with both hands, and leans their foreheads together. Hajime holds his breath. Tooru presses his lips against Hajime's.
There's white noise for a couple of moments. The first thing that Hajime registers is that Tooru tastes like lemonade. The next is that Tooru is kissing him, he's kissing him and he's, presumably, sober.
*************
He's 23. He's back in his uncle's house for the summer.
It's a Sunday and the shop opens late so he wakes to the sound of waves washing in and children jumping in puddles from last night's rain. He turns over in Tooru's arms and looks at his sleeping face. So peaceful in the faint gray light of the room. None of the stress from volleyball or school present in his features. Hajime scoots closer and rests his head against Tooru's chest. He closes his eyes and lets himself be lulled back to sleep by Tooru's heartbeat.