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The last high school match. Daichi couldn´t believe how soon it would be over. In a way, it already was. The competition ended, and if it weren´t for Suga and Takeda, they wouldn´t be standing in front of the Seijoh who agreed to have the last “practice” match as a goodbye for the third years.
Daichi got there first, not even Takeda arrived yet. Surprisingly, Suga and Asahi weren´t rushing in the same way he was. His chest tightened. Slowly, he dressed in his uniform soon to be retired when he noticed another presence. Out of everyone, it was Iwaizumi Hajime who came in sooner than the rest of them. Daichi looked out for Oikawa.
“It´s just me,” Iwaizumi informed through the window like he read Daichi´s mind.
Daichi hurried out to greet him. “Are you alone?”
“Behind. I-I needed this time for myself,” Iwaizumi admitted.
Daichi examined him, his fingers playing tapping each other, eyes burning through the Daichi´s skin ready to tackle someone. As always, Iwaizumi Hajime was full of conflicting information, for Daichi at least. That´s what made him such a compelling rival. Daichi frowned. That´s what would make him such a powerful ally.
“Shall we?”
They walked in, Daichi leaving his confused mind outside. Iwaizumi changed in silence while Daichi´s insides screamed. What is this? Why does he have to think like that? Why is Iwaizumi Hajime such a captivating presence all of a sudden? Daichi watched him closely. He thought of Suga, as he began to notice the small things Hajime did, on purpose or out of habit.
When he got lost in thoughts, he tilted his head to the left. When he crouched for the ball, he cracked his left finger. When he got thirsty, he disheveled his hair and put one hand behind his back.
Daichi gasped. If he could notice these silly little things in such a short time while do they do their warm-ups, what else can he absorb about Iwaizumi while playing? Hopefully, nothing.
Daichi Sawamura was wrong.
Others arrived without him noting. It was Suga who pulled on his earlobe to get his attention. “Finally!” Suga giggled.
“That took you some time,” Asahi agreed.
“What?”
“We know.”
“What do you know?”
“What you don´t, obviously.”
Daichi´s gut hardened. Was he staring, not realizing it? How can someone be so oblivious?
“That´s okay, we won´t tell,” Suga assured him.
Daichi was speechless. His stare met Oikawa, glaring at him, analyzing him. If Daichi weren´t so stunned by the revelation, he´d jump at least two steps back.
Oikawa smirked and turned to Iwaizumi, who put his fingers into the eyes of the net, holding them out of habit as he always did if standing close to the net.
“Oh no.”
Daichi focused solely on the game as their last practice match of high school began. This surely had to clear his head completely. It would if he could stop staring at the Seijoh former ace. As luck would have it, when the second set ended with both teams getting a win and leaving it at the deuce, to Kageyama´s aversion, Suga came up with the most excellent, most terrible idea Daichi could at that moment think of. Oikawa changed his tune and agreed wholeheartedly.
They decided to mix their teams.
Daichi shared his spiker position with Hanamakki and Iwaizumi, Noya as libero and Suga as their setter with Tsukishima and Mattsun as middle blockers. The opposite side had Oikawa, Watari, Asahi, Tanaka and Yuda, Sawauchi, Shido.
They tossed the coin, Daichi´s team was to start with him serving. Before he jumped and hit the ball, the corner of his eye brushed Iwaizumi´s intense stare. The ball was out of bounds. “Sorry!”
Surprisingly, he kept a captains façade. Daichi tried to steal another look, but he wasn´t lucky. Iwaizumi kept the rest of his focus on the team, interacting with Daichi too little, maintaining their very high quality with a few words.¨
Daichi and Sawamura had very similar strengths. Some would say their styles might clash because of this, but the opposite was the truth. When one came up with the plan, the other carried it out perfectly. When one couldn´t jump or run to a designated place, the other was there to fill for him or to call out others. When the teammates were confused or discouraged, they connected together correctly to keep them afloat. It was perfect synch between equals with a hard exterior and soft interior, which Daichi figured after watching this man closely, with arising interest.
Hajime´s tosses weren´t usually perfect, but they were enough for the chosen player to hit the ball, usually falling at the particular place on the other side of the court. Not a mistake, but a tactic. When Hajime was successful with his move, he smirked. If he decided to be the one to go for it, fire poured out of his aura.
After making a successful spike, he licked his upper lip. While high-fiving, he stared the person down. When tying the shoelaces, he made two bows. When drinking the water, he lifted his little finger, a bit crooked. Daichi got out of his trans when Iwaizumi put the bottle down, staring right at his old rival and temporary teammate.
“Anything wrong?” Iwaizumi took the towel.
Daichi gulped. “I- I like playing with you. We make a good team.” He wasn´t sure if he sounded as confident as he thought.
Iwaizumi smiled. “We were great together.” It wasn´t just a statement. Daichi heard something more behind those words. “Anything else?”
A challenge? Daichi had no doubts about either of their sexualities, they never kept it a secret. This was different. These two knew each other, yet they had no idea what lay beneath.
Regardless, Daichi was willing to try. He stepped closer, when loud “Iwa-chan” interrupted them. Oikawa came rushing in to give him something. The moment they smiled at each other, Daichi knew. He turned, avoiding Suga´s gaze.
“I almost asked out a taken man. Silly.”
Daichi woke up to the sound of a doorbell. He must´ve overslept after the exhausting matches. The clock chimed seven in the evening which was too late for a nap. The bell rang again, then the voices echoed up the stairs.
“Son, you have a visitor.”
“Coming, dad.”
Daichi ran down expecting Suga. He gaped directly at Oikawa Tooru.
“So,” he asked not waiting for the two of them to be left alone, which eventually happened. “What the hell do you think you´re doing?”
“Excuse me?”
Oikawa shut the door and made himself at home without a direct invitation. “Unbelievable. So me and Mr. Refreshing-kun plan this whole thing and you just – boom! You blew it!”
“Blew what?”
“Certainly not Iwa-chan,” Oikawa deadpanned.
“How- who told you, you may eat those cookies?” Daichi frowned at too comfortable Oikawa. He raised a brow and crossed his feet. The fight of the wills.
“The practice match.”
“Well, it was your idea, and I agreed. Hesitantly, but I did.” Daichi wasn´t going to lose.
“And who got rid of that – hesitantly?” Oikawa chuckled. “You are like an open book, Sawa-chan. I knew from the moment you exchanged first non-sport related words with him. I knew with both of you. When Suga-chan agreed with me, it became my duty to open your eyes.”
Daichi stood in his own home like an invader under the interrogation. “What are you talking about?”
Oikawa stood up, imposing on everything and everyone with his stern demeanor. “Are you truly this dense? Iwa was surprisingly honest about it. I guess he also noticed. But how could he be sure, when you are such a wimp when it comes to your feelings?” Oikawa threw a challenge at Sawamura.
Daichi let out a small gasp. It clicked. All of it fell into its place.
“Suga planted the idea of a practice match, and I materialized it, but I- damn, you two are good. Scary and good.”
Oikawa let out a laugh. “We know.” He tapped Daichi´s shoulder playfully. “Shame nothing comes of it. You and Iwa-chan would have made a great couple.”
Daichi´s heart rang an alarm of hairs standing up on his body. “I-“
“Don´t go there. He leaves tomorrow for the UNI. He set himself a deadline with you. Today at practice match was the last chance for the two of you to try. Then he moves on with a clean slate and a new beginning. You blew it.”
Daichi cracked his knuckles. “Then why did you tell me? What was the point?” Anger seeped into his voice like sand into a hole of shoes making the owner uncomfortable and irritable.
Oikawa´s easiness was replaced by a dreadfulness. “You deserve the same suffering as he goes through now, and before.” The thunder invited the sun inside in the form of Oikawa´s chuckle. “Enjoy your day and thank you for the cookies!” He left, letting Daichi to be swallowed by a confusion.
It was like he´s never been there. It was like none of it happened, yet it hurt like crazy.
Daichi couldn´t sleep at night. All he thought about was Iwaizumi Hajime. His mind trailed to the past, figuring out everything said to him. When he couldn´t stop thinking about Iwaizumi´s eyes searching for the team banner before the start of every match, how he slapped the bottom of his left shoe before running to his place, how he ruffled every teammate's hair after any game, how Iwaizumi yelled and laughed and cried when he felt like it.
Daichi stared at the dark ceiling. He was screwed. He didn´t know so much about himself, but somehow, Iwaizumi got his attention without realizing it until now. Now. When Iwaizumi didn´t wish for him anymore.
“Congrats, Sawamura.” He slow clapped. “Congrats.”
The first sunlight showed its claws and Daichi knew this was his opportunity. He went for a run to clear his head that would otherwise inevitably implode very soon. Five in the morning was his favorite time, but when he opened the door, someone waited for him in running gear.
“Let me guess,” Daichi started with hamsters dancing in his throat, “Suga?”
Iwaizumi nodded and began jogging.
Daichi ran as fast as he could. His body was giving up. It wasn´t able to follow the man in front of him. Not until his mind was preoccupied with too many unresolved feelings.
“Why are you here? Didn´t you-“ Daichi wasn´t sure Iwaizumi heard him. The silhouette in the distance slowed down, turned and walked back to him. He played with his sweatshirt tassels.
“I came to apologize. For Oikawa. He sent me a text at midnight about having a talk with you. Since I know how he can be, but when I saw you at the door, I went blank.”
Daichi exhaled. “Thankfully, me too.” If it wasn´t so gloomy, they´d laugh. “He was okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. He read me pretty well.” Daichi stared at the pavement and Iwaizumi let out a shaky breath.
We´d be good together. It´s a shame, honestly.” Iwaizumi stepped closer, then he reverted. “If I knew I´d be the one to make the first step, I think.”
Daichi sought to close his eyes and listen, but he desired to keep them open and look at Hajime forever. “I am sorry for not knowing myself.” It was the only thing Daichi could offer to him.
“No,” Iwaizumi disagreed. “Don´t you dare say that.”
“But it is a shame,” Daichi repeated the words used by both Oikawa and Iwaizumi. “I´d be willing to go for it, even now.”
Iwaizumi shook his head. “No. You are going elsewhere, too far. And this is simple infatuation. Let´s not dwell on it. I´m just happy you know.”
“I am also happy I know.” Daichi found the courage to look him in the eye. It hurt like hell not to be able to kiss him.
“I should go. My train is leaving in two hours. Goodbye.”
“One day!” Daichi yelled. “One day, I ´ll meet you again, and I will ask you out.” I will be brave enough because this can´t be just infatuation.
Iwaizumi waved, face red from tears running with him. Daichi wanted to believe in his own words so badly, but how could he? They were teenagers going to other parts of the country with no base in their relationship.
He jogged back home, giving the sun a gaze of hope. Maybe our paths cross again, perhaps not, but it was worth it.
I won´t be a coward anymore, with anyone.
“I found you,” Daichi typed into a computer on the second month of UNI.
“I guess you did. Oikawa and Bokuto say hi.”
“Say hi back to them.”
“(ᵔᴥᵔ)”
“That was Bokuto.”
“I figured.”
No typing.
Daichi hypnotized the Twitter to do something when he shrugged and tried one more time.
“I know we are far, I know you said not asking you out. But, would you consider a virtual, casual date between two friends/potential romantic partners in the future? No ties, of course.” Hit send.
Daichi had a sudden urge to hurdle himself out of a window.
The computer made a sound.
“Yes, I would love to.”
Daichi sighed in relief and smiled.