Chapter Text
Cornered again.
This was the third time Sato had managed to get Oikawa alone. He knew what was coming because she was standing there with a note in her hand and her ears all flushed. Her lips were moving, but Oikawa didn’t hear a thing. How could he get her to stop? He wasn’t interested. Like, at all, but she just would not take no for an answer.
“Sato, I -”
“You know we would be so good together. We like all the same things! I love all the same music and movies as you. I love watching you play volleyball - well who doesn’t like watching you, you're like a star..”
She took a breath before she continued. “Go out with me, please Oikawa”.
Oikawa recognised that they had a lot of similarities and she was cute, don't get him wrong. She was short, had kind eyes, bangs, light brown hair - almost like his own, but there was no spark. She did not spark joy.
Oikawa was about to turn her down for the third time, in as many months, with the same excuses as previously: He wasn’t looking for a relationship, he wanted to focus on his studies and volleyball, he thought she was a nice girl, but he did not want to get into a relationship when he wasn’t all in - it would not be fair to her.
If he gave her the same explanations she would just try again and he would be cornered again in exactly a month.
How could he get her to give up on him?
He could tell her he was moving, but how would he explain that when he - indeed wasn't moving? Should he move? Change colleges and start fresh somewhere else? No, that was a stupid idea.
Perhaps he was pining for a girl on another campus - yes, an unrequited crush he just can't get over. No - she would tell him to get over her, and maybe she could help him get over her. Another terrible idea.
He needed to come up with something fast. Sato was staring at him and with every second he didn't answer she became more and more hopeful. He could see it in her eyes - she was realising that her plan was working. She was wearing him down and stripping him of all of his defences. Think, think, think.
Oikawa, realising that the only answers she would accept were Yes, I would love to go out with you or No, I'm already in a relationship. The problem though, he was not seeing anyone or interested for that matter.
Small droplets of sweat started to appear along his hairline - was he actually about to agree to this union - to date Sato? No - think Oikawa, THINK!
At that moment a familiar figure rounded the corner, appearing behind Sato.
An idea formed inside Oikawa's head as quick as flicking a lightswitch, and before he could even think about it he blurted it out.
“Sato, I’m already in a relationship. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner and leading you on like this”
Sato looked both stricken and sickened. “What?! You are? With who?”
Oikawa's eyes found the person behind her, who had obviously heard the exchange and looked equally shocked and confused.
“I’m dating Iwa-chan”, Oikawa exclaimed.
Satos mouth fell open. As did the mouth of the person behind her, Iwa-chan.
“Wha-” Iwa-chan started, but Oikawa grabbed his arm and dragged him towards himself from behind Sato.
“You two are dating?” Sato asked, visibly confused.
Oikawa could feel Iwa-chan's eyes piercing the side of his face. He didn’t meet his eyes, he just smiled at Sato and said, “Yes, we have been for a while, but we’re keeping it quiet for now”
Sato's eyes flickered between the two of them. She seemed to be thinking or evaluating, was she not buying it? She had to - this had to succeed! Oikawa sensing his plan not working, interlocked his fingers with Iwa-chan's and looked at him with what he hoped was a lovey dovey kind of look. Iwa-chan looked back at him with astonishment and his eyes kept flitting between their hands and Oikawa's face.
Oikawa's ears were pounding.
He could feel his heart beating throughout his whole entire body. He was sure Iwa-chan could feel it through his hand.
The droplets of sweat along his hairline were multiplying rapidly, and now his hand in Iwa-chans were clammy too.
Sato’s whole demeanor slumped. “Alright” she sighed. “I’m sorry for bothering you Oikawa” she bowed quickly, her eyes misty as she straightened. Sato turned on her heels and more or less sprinted around the corner and away.
For a good ten seconds Oikawa and Iwa-chan stood completely still staring at the space Sato had occupied.
Hands still interlocked, Oikawa let out a deep sigh as he looked up towards the gray afternoon sky.
It worked.
It worked!
His celebration was short-lived as Iwa-chan pulled his hand from Oikawa’s, crossed his arms and stood in front of him.
“Explain”
“You are an idiot”
“Iwa-chan! I panicked, okay!”
Iwa-chan grunted and put his face in his hands leaning on the small table between them.
After their little exchange with Sato they silently walked to the nearest cafe, found a table and sat in silence for about two minutes before Oikawa had explained the ordeal to Iwaizumi.
“It’s not that big of a deal Iwa-chan” Oikawa tried to reassure him. “No one will know, it was just a stupid lie to get her to back off. It’s not like we are actually dating” Oikawa sat back in his chair.
“I know,” Iwa-chan grunted, the sound muffled by his hands. “What if she tells someone? Huh?” He sat up and looked at Oikawa. “What then?”
Oikawa scoffed, “She won’t”.
“Even if she did, who would believe her? There are literally no reason for people to believe we are dating”
Iwaizumi kept staring at Oikawa with a look that said you must be the most idiotic person on earth.
“No reason for people to think we are dating? Oikawa we are together all the time. We do everything together - we have since we were kids. You sleep over at my apartment every weekend, we study together, we play volleyball together, we have the same friend group!” Iwa-chan was whisper-yelling as he leaned towards Oikawa across the table. “The only time we are not together is when I’m at work and when we’re in class”
Alright so he had a point. They really did do everything together and had been since they met in elementary school. They were best friends - and that is what best friends do. But why did that matter?
Oikawa must have made a face, because Iwa-chan sighed in defeat.
“You are making a way too big of a deal of this Iwa-chan”
“Oh really?”
“Yes! Do you really think that just because I told Sato we were dating that she would go tell everyone and they would just automatically believe her because we are already inseparable and must therefore be madly in love with each other?”
Iwa-chan raised one eyebrow.
“Well that won’t happen,” Oikawa declared.
It was, in fact, exactly what happened.