Just Practice - IwaOi

Chapter 13: Desperate Acceptance

"I don't understand." Iwaizumi said, his breathing was erratic as he stared down at Oikawa, who's face was blank as the tears continued to fall.

"Mayumi saw us." Oikawa breathed, burying his head in his lap. He said it as if that excused Mayumi's actions of what she did. She ruined them both.

"This changes nothing, Oikawa."

"No, this changes everything, Iwa."

Iwaizumi's head was pounding, his eyes continuing to produce tears without his consent. Their team had probably already saw it. Other schools will eventually hear about it. His mouth was dry.

"Damn it!" Iwaizumi shouted, his fist then collided with his bedroom wall. The pain didn't distract him from his thoughts.

"Iwaizumi, stop."

Oikawa was now on his feet, and had a firm hand on his shoulder, obviously an attempt to comfort him. Sadly, it did nothing to relieve him of the stress building in his chest, but he turned to embrace Oikawa.

Oikawa hugged him back, almost desperately. They both needed this, just to know they were on the same side.

Their phones beeped in unison.

There were messages sent from their teammates. It was in bittersweet humor that they'd all been sent minutes apart. Everybody knew. But, they appreciated how positive the messages they sent were.

That they still liked and respected them.

The fact that being forced to come out like this would stir different reactions out of other students made Iwaizumi sick to his stomach, and Oikawa seemingly had similar thoughts as his brief smile weakened.

They then tossed their phones aside. Iwaizumi looked at him as hard as he could.

"I'm here, Tooru."

"I know."

Their lips connected briefly, he noticed Oikawa's face was wet from the tears. Iwaizumi brought his hands up to caress his face, and he felt him lean into the touch.

They didn't deserve this.

They spent the rest of the night basking in each other's warmth, trying not to think about what would happen after the weekend was over. Their phones forgotten on the floor.

Iwaizumi slowly awoke, the sun streaming into his room through his blinds. He wrapped an arm across Oikawa's middle, making sure he was still there. He felt him move under his touch, watching him shift so he could stare into his eyes.

God, he was gorgeous.

"You snore, Iwa-chan." He said, smiling too innocently for the blatant tone he used. Iwaizumi felt a familiar irritation burn in his chest, a comforting normalcy.

"You stole the covers, Shittykawa"

Oikawa rolled his eyes, leaning forward to press a small kiss to his nose. Iwaizumi pulled him in tighter, and Oikawa let him as he placed his chin on the crook of Iwaizumi's shoulder.

"Can't we just stay like this?" Oikawa mumbled into his skin, causing Iwaizumi to rumble with laughter.

"You wish. We still have to figure out what we're going to do about the 'situation'," Iwaizumi replied, feeling Oikawa stiffen.

"I thought the plan was not caring about what anybody else thinks." Oikawa said simply.

"We don't want to make anything more awkward than it already is."

Oikawa laughed bitterly at that.

"If Mayumi hadn't been such a bi-"

"Oikawa."

Iwaizumi watched as Oikawa buried his face in the pillow next to him, letting out a muffled drawn out groan. They both had come to terms with what would ensue when they went to school on Monday morning, but they certainly weren't ready for it.

Iwaizumi finally obtained the willpower to throw his legs over the side of the bed. He felt Oikawa tug at his sleeve to get him to stay, but he just shot him a heatless look as he got to his feet.

"I'm thinking we go out to eat today." Iwaizumi said absentmindedly, peeling off his shirt to put a new one on. Oikawa hummed into the pillow his face was still pressed in. Iwaizumi grabbed a hold of Oikawa's foot that was currently out from under the covers. He gave it an experimental tug before Oikawa shot up.

"Okay, I'm getting up!"

Iwaizumi grinned at that, watching a drowsy Oikawa rub the sleep from his eyes as he rose to his feet. Oikawa took awhile to finally say he was ready to go. I think he'd accepted that the dark circles under his eyes wouldn't go away the more he stared at them in the bathroom mirror.

"I look like shit."

"You're outside finally matches the inside, Shittykawa." Iwaizumi said grinning, and Oikawa reacted in mock offense.

"Aw, thanks."

It didn't take long before they were walking downtown towards one of their frequented restaurants. Iwaizumi hated to admit how worried he was they might be seen by somebody that might recognize them. Even Oikawa was keeping a reasonable distance away from him. It was understandable, but the thought still stung.

They sat down at a table across from each other, exchanging small talk like usual. It felt tense to be together in public now, but he was hungry. Food first. Anxiety later.

"Oikawa?"

Iwaizumi hadn't called his name. When he looked behind his head there stood Matsukawa and Hanamaki, wide-eyed.

Damn it.