I Fell In Love With You On New Year's Eve

Chapter 16

The match between Aoba Johsai and Date Tech was over quickly, with Seijoh taking both sets, but not without having to jump over some hurdles to get there. At first, the team had been intimidated by the sight of the other school's new giant setter, who was only a first-year, but they soon realized that with his age came a lack of experience and a lack of talent.

Despite this, however, Date Tech wasn't known as the infamous "Iron Wall" for nothing, and Oikawa had quickly learned this more than anyone else, as even his most powerful spikes were continuously blocked out by the seemingly unbreakable fortress. Of course, Hanamaki and Matsukawa took this as a prime opportunity to berate their captain relentlessly about his shortcomings.

"What the hell was that, dude? Aren't you supposed to be like, good or something?"

"Yeah, I fucking set you the ball and everything. You had literally one job."

"Iwa-chan, are you hearing this!? This is no way that a captain should be treated."

"How many times do I have to tell you to just block them out!? They get off on getting a rise out of you so just stop and focus on hitting the damn ball!"

In the end, it was Iwaizumi who was able to finally break through the iron wall, which had slowly been chiseled away at by the rest of the team. He'd started to get pissed off as Oikawa tried setting differently in an attempt to get past the blocks, so he took him aside and explained that they should "just do what we normally do. Let me take on this challenge." The setter had attempted to protest, but was effectively shut up as Iwaizumi grabbed his face, squeezing his cheeks tightly, and looking at him so intently, Oikawa could have sworn he was staring into his soul.

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, you know that."

"Then just get me the ball. I'm going to win this for us. For you." And he had done just that, scoring the final point of the set and solidifying Aoba Johsai's slot in the next match.

"Karasuno, huh?" Oikawa asked in disbelief as he and Iwaizumi examined the newly-updated brackets. "I don't know whether to be more surprised or impressed that they made it this far."

"I'd say a mixture of both," Iwaizumi shrugged and slung his arm around his boyfriend. "Are you feeling okay?"

Oikawa looked puzzled, "of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you aren't putting too much pressure on your knee. I noticed that you were favoring it during the last half of the second set and it's kind of my job to look out for you if you aren't going to do it yourself," Iwaizumi playfully punched him in the side.

Oikawa leaned down and placed a kiss on the tip of his boyfriend's nose, "This is me promising you right now that I am completely fine."

"You don't need to rest it at all?"

"No, Iwa-chan."

"Do you want me to get you some ice?"

"No, Iwa-chan."

"Maybe I should help you do some of the stretches that your doctor gave you to do."

"No, Iwa-chan."

"Okay, but I really think that-"

"Hajime. I already promised you that I'm fine. I appreciate you worrying about me, but you're starting to sound like your mother."

Iwaizumi scoffed in response, "You take that back, I am not nearly that bad!"

"Hmmm," Oikawa pretended to be deep in thought, "you're right. You're actually worse."

"Hey!" Iwaizumi took off after Oikawa who had slunk out from his boyfriend's arm and started to run, already anticipating the ear-full he was about to receive and the pair erupted into laughter as he was promptly tackled to the ground, not caring at all who was watching.

Oikawa spoke first once he'd regained his composure. "Now let's go teach Tobio-chan a lesson."

"Let's go teach all of them a lesson."

"Yeah...but mostly Tobio-chan."

And so Oikawa found himself, face-to-face, with the very Kageyama Tobio that he wanted so badly to put in his place, fighting over a ball during warm-ups and staring each other down with fire in their eyes. Eventually, the third-year let go of the ball, practically in hysterics, as the first-year went flying.

Hanamaki approached Iwaizumi, who was simply watching the scene unfold as he rubbed his temples. "Is this guy really a third-year?"

"Unfortunately."

"And you're sure you want this one?"

"Unfortunately."

"Because you know there's always room for you with me and Mattsun," Makki wiggled his eyebrows. "I can just go over and tell him that you'd rather be with real men than a child."

"Shhhh," Iwaizumi waved the other off. "Just let him get it out of his system. Go spike a ball or something."

"Okay!" Makki perked up suddenly, "I'll get Kunimi to set some for me! Oh, son!"

"That's probably not the best...idea..." Iwaizumi had attempted to warn his friend, but trailed off as the strawberry blonde skipped away happily. I might as well just pay for Kunimi's therapy at this point.

His eyes scanned the rest of the gym, taking in his surroundings. He could feel himself getting a bit more anxious as Ushijima's words from earlier echoed in his head.

"This is the last tournament of your high school career..."

Even though Iwaizumi had nothing but confidence in his team, there were still doubts that found themselves trickling in. What if this actually is the last one? What if I mess up? What if the training I had them do wasn't good enough? What if we lose? What if Oikawa decides that he'd be better off without me as dead-weight halfway across the globe? What if I don't get to tell him that I love him? What if-

But the relentless waves of "what ifs" were almost immediately calmed as he felt the warm presence of a hand in his own, grounding his thoughts and bringing him back to reality. He looked up and saw the smiling face of his boyfriend's staring back at him. "It's about to start, Iwa-chan, we need to meet up with the others now," Oikawa spoke in a soft voice and gave the other's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Iwaizumi returned the smile before he yelled out and ran over to the team, effectively hyping both them and himself up. You need to stop overthinking this, Hajime. You're going to win and then you're going to tell him how you feel. Now... let the game begin.