A River Runs Through Us - Haikyuu [IwaOi]

Run

Inside the palace, servants and councilman were running frantic through the halls, trying to make sense of what was happening outside. Iwaizumi watched a particularly old advisor feebly charge through the entrance to assist, a rusted sword in his hand. Iwaizumi wanted to tell him to turn back, but there was no time. He blindly hoped the old man would be alright. Other servants were arming themselves, with vase shards, with kitchen utensils, the bravest forming their own lines of defense. He wound his way through the halls, pushing past anyone within his path until he got to Oikawa's room. Makki and Mattsun stood outside, both of their weapons drawn. 

"Everything's- 

"Fine, we're-" 

But Iwaizumi paid no attention to their report, bursting into the room. Oikawa sat at his desk in his night clothes. He leapt to his feet, flinging his arms around Iwaizumi in a grip that was almost unbearably tight. His hands were in his hair and his lips were on his mouth and Iwaizumi allowed himself to be held for a moment, until the gash on his arm ached, until he realized he had gotten blood on Oikawa's robe. The young samurai took a step back, still hot with battle. 

Oikawa looked down at the bloodied prints on his white robe, then back up at him, his eyes wide. 

"That's not mine, I don't think..", Iwaizumi grumbled. The cut in his arm stung more now that he was still, the adrenaline fading. He ripped a length off the bedsheets, holding it out to Oikawa, clutching his wound, "Tie this here for me?" 

Oikawa nodded, his hands shaking slightly, "Is it Goda?" 

Iwaizumi made a noise of confirmation, listening to the crackle of fire, the clamor of fighting. He pulled away from Oikawa, calling to the two guards stationed at the door. "Makki, Mattsun, go to wall. More warriors are needed there." 

They both turned, looking at him a bit pained, then looked at each other in a silent determination before sprinting to exit. Iwaizumi hoped he wasn't sending them off to- no, he couldn't think like that. Oikawa stood nervously behind him as Iwaizumi redrew his sword, scanning the corridor. "Iwa-chan, what's going on outside?" 

Iwaizumi thought of the fire, the bodies, the genuine horror of the world outside the castle. He decided to hold his tongue. Vague. No need to harm him. "Fighting." 

"Obviously, but what- how could this have happened-" 

Iwaizumi tensed, struck by realization. He hadn't received any word from the border scouts, which he should've found automatically suspicious. Iwaizumi had been so wrapped up in his own life, he had neglected the minute details of his role. It was a silence, when unobserved, that  had proved deadly. His heart caught in his throat and he was almost certain his legs would give out right in the doorway. If only he had been paying a bit more attention..

This is all my fault. 

A great crash echoed through the castle, and the scream of steel seemed to grow louder. He flinched, his whole body primed in anticipation. There was no way- 

"Iwaizumi!" 

Mizoguchi came running from the direction of the crash, relatively unharmed, his eyes flashing. He put a hand on Iwaizumi's shoulder, steadying himself. 

"They've breached the wall, surging in with the peasantry. There's fighting in the East Wing." 

His eyes flicked to Oikawa, "You need to get him out of here. We'll keep them off your trail. The back gate should be unobstructed. Go through the woods." 

Iwaizumi and Oikawa both stared at him, a bit dumbly. Somewhere close by, a woman screamed. A body dropped at the end of the hallway, one of Goda's men, a knife in the cavity of his chest. Oikawa inhaled sharply, grasping Iwaizumi's wrist in surprise, but Iwaizumi could barely feel it. A numbness was spreading through him.