Tough (Iwaizumi x Reader)

chapter twenty three

Iwaizumi had been adamant that he would be fine walking home, insisting that you didn't need to worry about getting him a ride. While he may have been physically able to, the residual guilt you were feeling over injuring him took precedence over his pride. So you did the only thing you could think to do in such a situation and put in a call to your favourite captain.

Oikawa answered promptly, agreeing that he would come and pick Iwaizumi up from your house. However, he insisted that after this you would owe him a massive favour. You almost hung up the phone right then. But you didn't.

At the very least, you didn't know anyone else who would answer on short notice and that drove. Hanamaki and Matsukawa seemed to answer in three to five business days and everyone else wasn't 18 yet. So, reluctantly, you accepted Oikawa's terms and he immediately came over to take Iwaizumi, reminding you a few too many times that it meant you owed him. You waved him off, nodding and rolling your eyes; you couldn't help but be concerned for what he'd make you do.

You did your best to relax after Iwaizumi left, trying not to let memories of the past day consume you. It felt like it had been eons since that time you spent with the setter-ace duo in the park. So much had happened and it was almost more than you could process. Not to mention that any time you strained yourself too much -whether that be thinking or moving- your head reminded you of that punch you'd taken with a dull throbbing pain.

With every influx of pain to your head, you were reminded of Kentaro. Your best friend. Your best friend who had been ignoring your texts for the past five hours. You knew he'd seen them. Each time your messaged he read it pretty much straight away. But he never replied, the three typing dots never even made an appearance.

What could you possibly say to him? There was no way you could make this any better for him. It's not like you could just toss your true emotions aside and date him just so he was appeased. You were certain he wouldn't want that anyway. After much thought, you settled on just giving him some time. Hoping that by the time you saw him at school on Monday he would be calmer and he would consider talking to you or at least consider what you had to say.

--

To your surprise, that next Monday morning, you were greeted by a familiar figure standing at the bottom of your garden facing away from your house.

'Iwaizumi?' You called, uncertain if your eyes were playing tricks on you.

The spikey-haired boy turned quickly to face you, his features lit up with the brightest smile you had ever seen spread grace his handsome face. You felt your heart squeeze in your chest at the sight of it.

'Hey, beautiful.'

You stopped in your tracks at the new pet name but he seemed unfazed; not even stuttering slightly over his words and his smile remaining wide and warm. You barely even noticed the grin that was spreading on your face to match his.

'What're you doing here?' You inquired after collecting your scattered thoughts.

'I'm here to walk you to school,' He informed you with a look of slight confusion on his face, like he wasn't sure why you would even question him being here so early on a Monday morning.

'But, why?'

'Because...' He stumbled to find a reason before landing on a snarky question, 'Have you never had a boyfriend walk you to school before?'

You widened your eyes as you neared him and you got watched as the realisation spread across his face, his smile morphing into panic.

'Not that I'm your boyfriend but- just- y'know like in general,' He rushed to rescue himself from his little Freudian slip.