Chapter Text
"Thanks for getting us in, Kindaichi-chan~” Oikawa said as he walked past the underclassmen.
"Oh, um, it's fine, Oikawa-san." Kindaichi wasn't exactly sure why Oikawa wanted to get into Chuck E. Cheese. He figured he wanted to bring his nephew. But instead, Oikawa had Kunimi and Yahaba trailing along after him.
Yahaba gave a small 'thank you' as he passed and Kunimi gave a small nod. Kindaichi was confused. He really was. "Have fun, I guess..." He mumbled and scratched the back of his head before closing the door behind them.
"We will~" Oikawa called before running off to go buy tokens so he could play games. Kunimi headed over to the salad bar, judging almost every piece of lettuce he put on his plate while Yahaba headed off to play skee ball.
After a while, Oikawa had rounded up Yahaba and Kunimi. Well, more so Yahaba. Kunimi didn't want to get up from the booth he had claimed. Luckily, Kunimi's booth was close to the climbing equipment, which is what Oikawa wanted to show them.
"I bet you can't climb up to the top, Yahaba-chan~” he said, baiting the younger male.
"You'd win that bet, Oikawa-san. I'm too tall. I can't fit in the tubes..."
Oikawa pouted. "Oh, come on! We can race to the top! Come in the tubes with me!"
"Oikawa-san... You're taller than I am... We're all too tall for the climbing tubes..." Yahaba sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.
Oikawa proceeded to pout. Yahaba narrowed his eyes. Kunimi was getting annoyed. Oikawa tried a few more times to get Yahaba to go into the tubes before Kunimi got fed up and got up from his seat.
“Ah, wait, Kunimi-chan! Where are you–?” Oikawa asked as Kunimi walked around where himself and Yahaba were standing. He watched the underclassmen get to the entrance of the climbing equipment and pause.
“Kunimi, don’t–!” Yahaba tried but it was too late. Kunimi crawled inside and started climbing. Yahaba and Oikawa watched as Kunimi proceeded to crawl through the tubes, too surprised to say anything else. Their eyes trailed after the younger male. What in the world was Kunimi thinking?
Apparently, he wasn’t.
Kunimi got to an opening up at the top that was covered by a fabric net and shifted so he was sitting inside the tube, his knees nearly up to his face. “I did it, Oikawa-san,” he said.
“I… can see that, Kunimi…” Oikawa was kind of surprised.
“Oikawa-san…” Kunimi said after a moment of silence.
Yahaba had a bad feeling about this.
“Yes, Kunimi-chan?” Oikawa tilted his head to the side.
“I’m stuck,” Kunimi stated.
Yahaba and Oikawa exchanged a look.
"I'm calling Iwaizumi-san..." Yahaba stated, taking out his phone. Oikawa gasped dramatically and tried to snatch the phone from Yahaba's hand but Yahaba pulled the phone to his chest and angled his body so Oikawa couldn't reach the device.
"You can't call Iwa-chan, Yahaba-chan! He'll blame this on me!" Oikawa protested as he tried again to grab Yahaba's phone. Yahaba leaned away and held the phone out so he could call Iwaizumi. Oikawa decided that the next best thing was to swat the phone out of Yahaba's hand, which did work–as well as successfully pissing off Yahaba.
"Oikawa-san, Kunimi needs help! We can't just leave him up there!"
"We're not going to leave him up there! We'll get a manager or something!"
"And they'll call the police or fire department to cut Kunimi out. Do you really want to get thrown out of this place?"
Kunimi frowned. "Guys..."
Oikawa huffed indignantly. "I'm sure there's another way to get Kunimi out without calling Iwa-chan or some firemen!
Yahaba rolled his eyes and reached for his phone. Oikawa whined and pulled Yahaba back.
"Um... Guys..." Kunimi reached a hand up to grab the fabric netting.
"We need to do something , Oikawa-san!"
"We'll think of something else!"
Kunimi watched the two upperclassmen continue to argue and shook his head before trying to shift enough to grab his phone from his pocket.
<To: Iwaizumi-san>
help im stuck...
[You have shared your location with this contact]
When Iwaizumi got there fifteen minutes later, Matsukawa and Hanamaki trailing behind him, Oikawa and Yahaba were still bickering. They hadn't noticed their teammates until a stern "what the fuck" interrupted their argument. Both setters turned slowly to face their team's ace, who was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.
Oikawa visibly paled as Yahaba shifted nervously.
"First, someone is going to tell me why you're at a children's arcade in the first place..." Iwaizumi started.
Kunimi rolled his eyes. That wasn't important right now. He was stuck . He gripped the fabric netting and shook it a little.
Iwaizumi's eyes flicked up to where Kunimi was inside the tube before his gaze was back on Oikawa and Yahaba. He narrowed his eyes before continuing. "Then, you're going to tell me why Kunimi is stuck ."
Oikawa glanced back and up at Kunimi before he slowly turned his head to look back at Iwaizumi. "He just went wild, Iwa-chan. Suddenly he was running around and then climbed inside the tubes! I couldn't believe it!" He gave a side glance at Yahaba, asking for back-up. Yahaba pointedly ignored Oikawa and kept his mouth shut. Traitor , Oikawa mentally accused the second-year.
"I highly doubt that," Iwaizumi said with a sigh before looking at Yahaba. "And what about you?"
Yahaba tensed up, Oikawa smirked next to him. "Ah... um... I was just about to call you! I figure you'd be able to get Kunimi out!"
Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow at that. "And why did you think that?
Oikawa's smirk widened as Yahaba's eyes did the same as he realized the situation he had gotten himself into. Go ahead, Yahaba. Tell him that you thought he could help because he's smaller than us. Do it, Yahaba~
"W-well..." Yahaba stuttered and shifted nervously again. "Because... Because you're more heroic than myself or Oikawa-san, of course."
The smirk disappeared completely from Oikawa's face. I've taught him too well...
Iwaizumi's eyes widened this time. "Oh..." was all he said in reply, Yahaba's words catching him off guard.
Hanamaki and Matsukawa flashed thumbs up behind Iwaizumi and Yahaba grinned. After a moment, Iwaizumi gave a small nod. "Alright. I'll go get Kunimi. All of you stay here," he said before walking over to the the entrance to the climbing equipment and attempting to slip inside.
Of course, no one accounted for the fact that Iwaizumi, while shorter, was wider than most of his other teammates. He was only halfway inside when he realized he couldn't move anymore. He tried to shift back and pull his upper body out of the tubes but it didn't work.
After a moment of Iwaizumi not moving, Hanamaki finally spoke up. "What happened to going up there and getting Kunimi..?"
It was silent for another moment before Iwaizumi started trying to shake himself loose, which just caused the tube he was stuck in to shake. "I'd have already gotten Kunimi out–" more shaking– "if I wasn't stuck , myself!"
"Uh-oh..." Hanamaki and Matsukawa replied in unison. Oikawa visibly tensed next to them. Yahaba just looked defeated.
Kunimi shook the netting of the tube he was stuck in. "So... I guess I'm not getting out anytime soon, then..?"
Matsukawa looked up at Kunimi before walking over to the climbing equipment. "What if we try to save him from the outside..?"
"I don't think that will–" Kunimi tried to protest but Hanamaki was grinning and that was never a good sign.
"Climb the tubes and rescue the princess~"
"Prince!" Kunimi retorted.
"Okay, the prince! Rescue the prince!"
Yahaba rolled his eyes as Matsukawa started climbing the exterior of the climbing equipment.
"This is an awful idea..." Iwaizumi called. "Someone just pull me out or something!"
"No can do, Hajime. I have to spot Issei and make sure he doesn't fall."
Yahaba considered trying to pull Iwaizumi out for a moment before deciding against it. He wasn't exactly sure where he'd be grabbing Iwaizumi and it seemed really awkward. He'd just try and make sure things didn't get out of hand while Iwaizumi was stuck. Meanwhile, Matsukawa had made his way over to where Kunimi was and tried to rip open the netting. The fabric was too thick, though, and he wound up just hurting his hands and almost falling a couple times.
"This isn't working..." he sighed, a little defeated.
"I told you so..." Kunimi mumbled.
"Nothing we can do about it, then..." Hanamaki said. "Hey, Issei, you look like King Kong up there!"
Matsukawa gave a laugh before he started shaking the climbing equipment. Kunimi looked horrified.
Hanamaki grabbed a few balls from the nearby ball pit and started tossing them at Matsukawa, making shooting sounds as he did so. Matsukawa held onto the equipment and batted the plastic balls away with his hand before roaring. The two of them laughed.
"Don't do that! You'll attract attention!" Yahaba scolded his upperclassmen. Hanamaki and Matsukawa just shrugged before they continued.
"Somebody get me out of here!!!" Iwaizumi shouted, successfully scaring some nearby children. Oikawa laughed.
"You're scary even when kids can't see your face, Iwa-chan~"
"When I get out of this tube, you're dead, Shittykawa!"
"If you get out, Iwa-chan~
Iwaizumi shook the tube again. Matsukawa roared. Kunimi made small, startled noises. Yahaba tried to get everyone to calm down.
"M-maybe we should call Watari...?" Yahaba tried.
"No, he'll be disappointed in us," Oikawa stated casually.
"You said that about Iwaizumi-san!"
"And I was right!"
"Just do something!" shouted Iwaizumi.
Yahaba gave an exasperated sigh before pulling out his phone. Fine. No Watari. He'd call in someone else, then.
At that point, Oikawa had run off to go play games and ride the little kid rides. He was getting bored of Matsukawa and Hanamaki's antics and Iwaizumi was being mean. Yahaba could handle the situation.
A good twenty minutes later and Yahaba had finally talked Matsukawa down from the climbing equipment and Hanamaki was sulking at being scolded. Kunimi was still stuck. So was Iwaizumi. But Yahaba's backup had arrived.
Kyoutani raised an eyebrow as he took in the situation. "And what, exactly, do you want me to do about this...?"
Yahaba sighed and gestured to Iwaizumi. "Pull him out so I can go in there and get Kunimi out..."
"Okay..." Kyoutani agreed with a small shrug. He was all for helping Iwaizumi. He walked over to where Iwaizumi was stuck and grabbed his ankles before giving a hard tug.
Iwaizumi groaned but didn't budge. "Try again!" he called.
Kyoutani nodded and pulled again, this time with more force. Unfortunately, Iwaizumi didn't move once again and Kyoutani's grip on Iwaizumi's ankles slipped, causing him to pull the older's sneakers off his feet and fall backwards into the ballpit. Hanamaki and Matsukawa erupted into a fit of laughter and Yahaba cringed.
"Get out of there, it's disgusting! You're going to get pinkeye!"
"No, fuck you. I'm staying in here," Kyoutani stated before throwing a ball at Yahaba, whose eye twitched in response.
Hanamaki and Matsukawa went dead silent as they watched Yahaba's eyes narrow as he glared at Kyoutani. Kyoutani didn't seem to care and tossed another plastic ball at Yahaba, who promptly snapped and picked up every ball in his vicinity (which was quite a few, thanks to Hanamaki and Matsukawa) and started chucking them at Kyoutani along with a few choice words.
At this point, Iwaizumi was absolutely done with his team's bullshit. He growled and shook himself again, trying to get free. What he didn't expect was that the bolts holding the pieces of climbing tube together would give before he was freed from his plastic confines. And they did. There was a loud thunk as the piece of tube fell to the ground with Iwaizumi in it. Kunimi watched nervously as Iwaizumi managed to get himself to his feet with sheer willpower, since he didn't have his arms to help him. Hanamaki and Matsukawa turned around at the sound and their jaws dropped but they made no sound or move. Yahaba and Kyoutani were too focused on each other to pay attention.
"Where. Is. He," Iwaizumi seethed. Hanamaki and Matsukawa just pointed in the direction Oikawa had run off toward earlier. The top half of Iwaizumi's face was just barely sticking out over the top of the tube. Normally the two would laugh at such a thing, but neither of them were prepared to die today. Once Iwaizumi had run off in search of Oikawa, Hanamaki and Matsukawa turned to look at each other.
"Rest in peace, Hanger-san."
"More like pieces, if you ask me..."
It wasn't hard for Iwaizumi to track down Oikawa. Of course, one does stick out when they're approximately 6'3 and riding a ride made for 7-year-olds.
"Oikawa......." Iwaizumi practically growled.
"Mind your temper, Iwa-chan," Oikawa replied as the little car rocked back and forth as he sat on top of it. "You're going to have high blood pressure when you get older and I'm not going to take care of you in your old age. You'll have to hire a nurse or something because we all know you'll never get married and have kids of y–"
"Shut. Up."
Oikawa pouted. "Rude, Iwa-chan. Interrupting is rude. Plus, you look like a potted cactus. I can't possibly take you serious looking like th–"
Oikawa never got to finish that statement, as Iwaizumi finally couldn't stand listening to Oikawa talk and body slammed him, knocking the entire ride over in the process, since he was still stuck in a large plastic tube. Oikawa's shriek could be heard all the way over by the climbing equipment, where Kunimi was still stuck.
At this point, Kindaichi was finally alerted to the fact that something was off. He knew that voice. He set off looking for Oikawa but came across the others first. He paled and gaped as he stared at the scene. Hanamaki and Matsukawa had joined Yahaba and Kyoutani's ball fight. Kunimi was sitting up inside the tubes. This was a disaster. When did the rest of the team even get here?
Unfortunately, one of Kindaichi’s managers was also alerted to the crowd of rowdy teenagers. “What in the world is going on here?” he demanded. The boys stopped and stared, balls falling from their hands. Kunimi whined from where he was still stuck.
“I want all of you out of here now! ” He looks over the four of them and then turned to where Oikawa and Iwaizumi were. “You two, as well! Get out, all of you!”
Kindaichi wanted to cry. His manager turned to face him. “Do you know these boys?”
He couldn’t find it in him to deny it, so he simply hung his head in shame.
“You’re fired!” the manager shouted at Kindaichi. “Turn in your vest.”
Kindaichi did as he was told and held it out toward the manager, who took it and stormed off. The rest of the team looked at Kindaichi, regret on all of their faces.
“Kindaich–” Yahaba started, wanting to apologize.
“Out,” Kindaichi interjected.
Yahaba nodded and everyone slowly turned and filed out of the Chuck E. Cheese.
Kunimi whimpered and Kindaichi’s eyes shifted to look at his childhood friend trapped up in the tubes. “Do I even want to know what happened…?” Kunimi shook his head and Kindaichi sighed. He signaled that he’d be right back and walked away, returning shortly with a knife.
He walked over and climbed a bit so he could reach the netting. He cut it open so that Kunimi could escape and climb down.
“I thought you were going to yell at me, too…” Kunimi stated softly.
Kindaichi shook his head. “Even if I was upset with you, I wouldn’t yell at you. I know you don’t like that.”
Kunimi gave a small smile. “Ah, but, won’t you get in trouble for cutting me out?”
“What are they going to do, fire me?” he asked.
The two exchanged grins before leaving the Chuck E. Cheese.