Akaashi's 18th (and the events that followed...)

12. Goodnight and Go

Both this chapter and the next one are based on the lyrics of a song that I've loved since I was little: 'Goodnight and Go' by Imogen Heap. If you want, you can search it up and listen to it whilst you read, or before you start reading.

Also, I'm posting this a day early because it's not really long enough to be a chapter so I made it part one; part two, Cold, is coming out tomorrow. Part one is based on the first half of the song, part two on the second half :)

That feeling of separation returned the second Iwaizumi heard a cough from behind him. He turned around, not bothering to hide his irritation.

He glanced back at Oikawa, but his friend's face had one of those hideous fake smiles graffitied over his natural face. "Can we help you?" Iwaizumi asked the couple that had snuck up on them.

"Well..." the girl fidgeted with her fingers. "Aren't you Oikawa Tooru?"

Iwaizumi's stomach knotted. Of course that would be it. "The one and only!" He felt sick at the false-cheery tone his friend put on.

"My girlfriend is a fan of yours," a very disheartened-looking man said pointedly. "She wants to have a photo with you." Iwaizumi's arms twitched with the need to grab the girl's boyfriend by his jacket lapels and shake him. How dare he request a photo in the middle of the night, whilst Oikawa was off guard, and as if it wasn't even a question?

"Of course! But on one condition." Iwaizumi whipped around to stare at Oikawa, who winked at the girl. "That you let my amazing best friend Hajime join in the photograph." At the girl's apprehensive expression, he added. "He'll be famous one day too, an athletic trainer for a brilliant volleyball team. He's training at a very prestigious college in California."

At that, the girl brightened considerably, rushing over to them with her phone and holding it out in front of them. Iwaizumi scowled as she took the photo, so Oikawa took another with the girl as 'poor Hajime just isn't in the mood for the paparazzi today - what a shame'.

After the photoshoot was finished, and he had given the girl an autograph and listened to her squeals for what felt like hours, Oikawa began to reprimand Iwaizumi on his 'unmodel-like pout'. At least that made the girl and her idiot boyfriend leave them alone.

"That guy clearly thought you were going to steal his girlfriend from you," Iwaizumi scoffed.

"Ah... so naive," Oikawa chuckled. "He should know Hajime is the only one in my heart!"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes and cuffed the back of Oikawa's head, who let out another whine. Why did he have to be so damn... cute? No, he couldn't think like that. Iwaizumi's eyes widened as he shook his head to rid himself of the thought. It was bad enough they got along so well as friends, without Oikawa feeling comfortable whining and pouting flirtatiously at him. What's more, it was impossible to ignore him. "C'mon," he said, placing a hand on the small of Oikawa's back. "Let's head back to the hotel. We need to sleep before you go back tomorrow." Oikawa averted his gaze, giving Iwaizumi an uneasy feeling.

He realised why as soon as he spotted the bags in the doorway to their hotel room. All packed and ready to leave. He stared at them, dumbfounded, for several moments.

Oikawa glanced at him sheepishly. "Sorry Hajime, I really need to leave this evening. I have to get going."

Iwaizumi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Bakakawa could have just said so. Although, a small, stupid part of his brain wanted to just tell Oikawa to stay another night, for god's sake. "What time are you leaving for the train? I'll drive you."

"Ah Hajime, it's late - don't worry I'll call a..." Oikawa trailed off as he stared at his phone screen. "Oh."

"Oh what?"

Oikawa glanced up at Iwaizumi sheepishly, and Iwaizumi knew in that instant, that Oikawa had totally messed up.

"I've missed the last train before my flight."

(Word could: 604)
(Total word count: 14,681)