Iwaizumi Hajime is awakened by a rooster crowing by his window. He stretches the kinks out of his back. Sleep had been restful and easy, but his body is sore from lying on the ground. He would need to get used to it. He slips his tunic back on, tying the sash around his waist and toeing on his shoes. He runs a few fingers through his hair.
He takes a deep breath and steels himself.
Light filters into the Prince's bed chamber through the window. The closed drapes flutter a little in the morning breeze. He picks his way around the carnage to throw the drapes open, letting the sunlight spill through unimpeded.
Iwaizumi takes in the full damage. The book case is toppled over, some of the shelves splintered. Books are strewn across the room, some torn apart, some just bent out of shape. There is a gash in the paint of the wall, and a broken painting at its feet. Shards of glass are littered around it and Iwaizumi immediately sets to pick those up, carefully cupping them in his hand.
He steps out of the room entirely, seeing one of the maids moving through the hall. He waves at her, spilling the shards into one of her sacks to be disposed of.
"It's good to see you, Iwaizumi." She whispers with a smile.
Iwaizumi nods, pursing his lips, "Do you know the Prince's schedule today?"
The maid glances at the closed chamber doors, "He has maths and history lessons today in the library. He'll be having breakfast separately."
Iwaizumi nods with a frown, "Thanks."
She smiles at him, ruffles his hair and steps away to continue her sweeping. Iwaizumi slips back into the bed chambers. He pulls his leggings up, pulls his tunic back down neater, reties his sash before deciding to stop procrastinating.
The Prince is still sleeping in his enormous bed, still cocooned. A small little lump. The word cute comes to Iwaizumi's mind and he shakes it off.
"Prince Tooru?"
He hears a groan from the lump as it shifts in place.
"Prince Tooru," Iwaizumi sighs, reaching his hand out to nudge the royal's shoulder.
The Prince pulls back, never spilling free from his silken prison and lets out a shout, "Don't touch me!"
Iwaizumi freezes. Right. Of course. Servants can't just touch royalty. He should have realized. He brings his hand back down. He wonders if this is it. Any mistake could be it. The King isn't one to stand for them, so why would his son?
"Give me a moment to collect myself." The Prince murmurs from his spot. Not angry, it seems. A bit...distracted, if anything? Iwaizumi says nothing and waits. He watches the lump shift, as the Prince evens out his breathing and after a moment, slowly sits up.
The sheets slip from him then, revealing his thin naked chest and unruly bedhead. Iwaizumi feels inclined to avert his eyes, but the Prince's brown gaze holds him, "What was your name again?"
"Iwaizumi Hajime."
"That's a boring name." The Prince decrees, and Iwaizumi feels his eyebrow twitch, "You need something better."
"I don't thin--"
"Excuse me? Who is the Prince in this room?" The Prince tuts with a teasing smile.
Iwaizumi can't help raising his eyebrows, squinting his eyes.
"Oh wow! I've never seen so many wrinkles on a child! Did I pick an old man?" The Prince jeers.
Iwaizumi glowers, "I'm almost 10!"
"Well, so am I!" The Prince crawls closer, "When's your birthday?"
"June 10th." Iwaizumi murmurs.
"Mine's July 20th." The Prince grins, and Iwaizumi decides not to point out that he knew that already. That The the whole kingdom knew that. "So you're a month older than me, but you look forty years my senior!"
Iwaizumi glares at him, "Shouldn't you be respecting your elders then?"
The Prince blinks and lets out a little laugh, a hand coming up to cover his mouth, "Oh, you're so cute! I like you, Iwaizumi-kun."
Iwaizumi feels his face redden. He rolls his eyes as the Prince continues, "But see, Iwaizumi-kun is such a long name don't you think? Not cute at all. Don't worry, I'll think of something."
Iwaizumi doesn't know how to respond to this. The Prince before him now so different from the one last night. So, he doesn't respond; instead he moves on, "Today your lessons are in the library." The Prince hums, hands gliding through his hair and tugging at his bangs. "Breakfast is being prepared for you, would you like me to draw a bath?"
"Will anyone be joining me for breakfast?" The Prince asks, with an almost sneer decorating his face. He swings his legs around to slip off the bed, heading toward the bathroom attached to his chambers. Iwaizumi follows after him.
"Not today."
The Prince shrugs, seemingly unbothered, "Figures."
Iwaizumi feels curiosity pulling at his tongue, but he bites it down. He begins drawing water for the bath, making sure it's not too hot nor too cold. He helps the Prince out of his shorts and into the bath. He scrubs his back, a bit too roughly at first by the whine he elicits from the boy, but he gets it right eventually.
He grabs the shampoo, but the Prince swats his hand away roughly, "No one touches my hair but me." The Prince snaps, squeezing some oil into his own palm.
Iwaizumi doesn't press, taking a step back. He turns his head away to take a moment to breathe and unclench his jaw. The thought of having to deal with this every day for the rest of his foreseeable life was crushing him. It had only been a half hour and the novelty had completely worn off.
"Rinse me off!" The command interrupts his thoughts.
What a brat, Iwaizumi can't help but think.
Once the Prince is dry and clothed, Iwaizumi follows him out of the chambers and down the stairs to the Great Hall. The servants greet them as they go, and the Prince gives a wave or two in return. Iwaizumi keeps his head down. They enter into the dining room, one of the seats dressed and ready with a meal set out.
The Prince takes his seat. And waits. And waits. Brown eyes glance toward green, ones, eyebrow raised. It sends a jolt through Iwaizumi's spine as he remembers the first rule of many he had been taught about the Prince.
The Prince must wear gloves to every meal.
Iwaizumi scrambles to the cupboard, taking out a fresh pair and slipping them onto the Prince's waiting hands. He feels the Prince's smile at the top of his head but doesn't look up, feeling foolish.
"Sit down, Zumi-kun."
"Excuse me?" Iwaizumi can't help snapping.
The Prince laughs into his gloved hand, "I agree, that one's silly. I'm still thinking. But sit."
Iwaizumi sits next to the Prince, putting his hands on the table, unsure what to do with himself. He glances at the Prince's meal, a piece of toast with egg, some miso soup and juice. Iwaizumi quickly looks away, less a groan from his stomach give him away.
"You're hungry."
"No, sire."
The Prince snorts, sliding the miso soup toward his attendant, "You are a terrible liar, Iwaizumi. You should stick to honesty."
Iwaizumi frowns, looking down at the soup, "This is for you."
"Yes, and I hate the taste of it. I don't care for this kind of food. Father insists I finish everything on my plate though or he throws a fit. So, you would really be helping me out if you ate some."
Iwaizumi purses his lip. The Prince rolls his eyes, "Should I order you to?"
Iwaizumi frowns, taking the spoon. It's the nicest spoon he's ever seen, pure silver and freshly polished. He takes a sip of the meal and is floored. His eyes widen, and he drinks it up in desperate gulps as the taste hits his tongue.
When he finishes he finds the Prince laughing beside him, "Were you raised in a barn? Did they not teach you table manners?"
Iwaizumi feels his face redden and he takes the Prince's napkin to wipe at his face. The Prince grins at him, "You're so cute, Iwa-chan."
Iwaizumi's face contorts in a sneer, " No."
"Ooh," the Prince coos, "I like that one. It flows right off the tongue. Doesn't it Iwa-chan?"
"I hate it," Iwaizumi replies.
"I love it," Oikawa decides, "And I win. Because I'm the Prince."
"That's not fair! You can't just call me whatever you want!" Iwaizumi snaps, and the Prince looks surprised, eyes blinking at the outburst ass if he had never been questioned. Iwaizumi wouldn't be surprised if that were true and for a moment, he finds himself a little nervous he'd crossed another line.
"Well, what if I let you call me something special, too?" The Prince offers and Iwaizumi's shoulders drop in confusion.
"Huh?"
"Prince Tooru Kageyama is a mouthful too," the Prince murmurs, bringing a finger to his chin thoughtfully, "It's a lot of words and you don't seem very bright." He ignores Iwaizumi's loud 'hey' in favor of continuing, "You can call me Oikawa."
"Oikawa?" Iwaizumi repeats, tilting his head.
The Prince smiles, leaning forward, lips brushing against Iwaizumi's ear, "It's my mother's name," he explains, and then, even softer and more conspiratorially, "Father hates it."
Iwaizumi touches his ear, staring at the Prince who's smile seems a tinge sad. But the boy shoves toast in his mouth, and the look is gone. Iwaizumi drops his hands back into his lap. He watches the Prince eat, carefully and controlled, not a drop spilling on him. His gloves receive not a single stain. When he finishes, he drinks up all of the juice in one big gulp and flashes a bright grin, "Iwa-chan, I have a secret assignment for you."
"Okay?"
"Figure out a way to put a break into my schedule without making Father mad."
"You don't get a break?"
Oikawa blinks at him, "Aren't you supposed to know my schedule?"
"I'm still learning." Iwaizumi huffs, "It's been like, a week."
"Yeah, but you could just write it down and have it. It doesn't change much."
"I'm still learning how to read." Iwaizumi murmurs, scratching his upper arm self consciously. Oikawa blinks again, pursing his lips into an 'oh' shape. He pulls his gloves off, standing up from his chair with a little stretch.
Iwaizumi stands up to, cleaning up the Prince's place and leaving the items on a tray for the scullery maid to take care of. He follows the Prince out toward the library at the north end of the castle in a not uncomfortable silence. When they reach the doors, a man is waiting for them. Oikawa greets him with a forced smile and steps through. Iwaizumi moves to follow but the man stops him.
"You must be the new attendant," the man says and Iwaizumi nods, "You may go attend to your other duties. Oikawa will be in studies the rest of the day. Come collect him at sundown."
Iwaizumi frowns, "What about lunch, sir?"
"He has that brought here. Now, if you'll excuse us." The man turns away, and Iwaizumi hears him ask Oikawa to turn to a certain page in his book. The Prince's features are wiped of their seemingly usual mirth, eyes glazed over.
Iwaizumi turns away. He steels himself and lets his mind start mulling over his new assignment.