Best I Ever Had [IwaOi Angst]

Chapter 17

"Thank you for letting me stay the week, Uncle." Takeru bows his head at the airport. Oikawa scoffs, patting his head and ruffling his hair. Taleru isn't very amused by this.

"Anytime, Take-chan." Oikawa insists with a smile, "I love the free labor."

Takeru rolls his eyes, re-adjusting the strap of his messenger bag, "Aren't you an adult now? Shouldn't you know how to make your own bed?" He huffs. The pair take a sidestep as a business woman rushes past them toward the check-in counter. Takeru has already checked in for his flight.

"As an adult, I don't have time for such simple chores." Oikawa explains easily with a little wave of his hand.

"All you do is watch Netflix." Takeru counters with a frown, "And go to work sometimes."

Oikawa tuts, "I'm at work all morning. You just wouldn't wake up until noon."

Takeru purses his lips and grabs at the handle of his luggage. Oikawa knows he's stalling. He has time until his flight, but he still needs to go through security. He wishes the boy would just come out with it.

"Uncle," Takeru begins, and his hand squeezes the handle tightly, "When are you coming home?"

There it is. Oikawa knew it. It was probably his sister's doing. His entire family had been pestering him for months now to at least come and visit. And Oikawa knows it's a reasonable request but he can't. There's a wall between him and Japan greater than any ocean. He's not sure he can cross--can ever cross it. He'd been running for so long he's not sure how to stop.

He forces on a pleasant smile, "Well, I'll be going home as soon as you leave me here."

Takeru scowls at him, "That's not what I meant." He mutters, "You know what I meant."

Oikawa shifts his weight slightly onto his other leg, "I'll visit Japan at some point. I'm really busy right now, is all." He lies.

"I saw the e-mail." Takeru suddenly blurts out, frowning deeply, "I saw the e-mail you keep ignoring."

Oikawa feigns ignorance, "What are you talking about?" There's prickling inside his lungs and he wants the conversation to end.

"The e-mail offering you a job in Japan. A better job. The deadline to accept is a week from now. You should take it." The teen is looking at the ground, hand squeezing and unsqueezing the handle of his luggage to the beat of his racing heart.

Oikawa grits his teeth but he keeps his mouth closed to hide it, "You shouldn't go through people's things, Take-chan. You can go to jail for that, you know."

Takeru lets out a growl, "I'm not a kid anymore, Uncle! I'm being serious."

Oikawa frowns, eyes narrowing, "You are a kid."

"I'm seventeen." Takeru snaps back looking up finally, as if to prove a point. But Oikawa is still taller than him by a few inches and it only makes him feel small.

"Seventeen year olds don't know anything." Oikawa bites back and even he can tell its a bit harsh. But it's true. It's the truest thing he's said in a while.

Takeru growls under his breath, impatience leaking through him, "Mom's worried about you. And Grandma misses you. And--"

"And?"

Takeru glares at him, "You're so annoying!" He huffs, "Why don't you want to come home? Do you hate us? Is that it?"

"I don't hate any of you." Oikawa responds immediately, "Why would you think that?"