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

13. Cold

This chapter is also based on the lyrics of 'Goodnight and Go' by Imogen Heap (this one probably more so). If you want, you can listen to it whilst you read again.

Iwaizumi's heart stopped, then suddenly sped up, pounding with twice the vigour. "You're sure, Shittykawa?"

Oikawa hadn't taken his eyes away from the phone, as if staring at it would reverse the minutes they had spent in the park. "I think I stayed taking photos for too long and didn't check the time. Kuso! Why do I have to be cursed with so many adoring fans?"

"You're seriously being arrogant and joking at a time like this?" Iwaizumi barely managed to restrain an eye roll.

"Well I don't know what to do!" Oikawa admitted.

Iwaizumi sighed. "Just tell the airline what's going on and ask if you can postpone your flight for tomorrow."

"Oh, right!" Oikawa hastily dialled the airline, and Iwaizumi heard his sweet tones from the bathroom as he began to wash his face and brush his teeth.

Oikawa was still on the phone when Iwaizumi came out from having a shower and began preparing the pull-out bed for another night's stay. The setter was probably calling his coach to tell him about the delay. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, but paused as he saw a fluttering of the room's curtains. He paused, hesitating over an idea. He couldn't... could he?

Ensuring that Oikawa was fully engaged in his call, Iwaizumi toed his way over to one of the curtains and pulled it back slightly. A cool draught blew against his cheeks, which were red from the shitty hotel showers being too hot.

Quickly, he pushed the top window open further, and put the side windows on the latch - locked, yet still slightly open. He pushed his bag in front of the curtains so they couldn't flap in the night and give away the fact that the windows were open, before making his way back over to the bed, switching on the sports channel on the TV opposite him.

What came up was a volleyball match - France vs Italy. Iwaizumi snickered as Oikawa heard the familiar sounds and wrapped up his call in a flash, running up to the bed and bouncing over to where Iwaizumi sat, leaning against the pillows.

"Can we stay awake and watch it?" Oikawa asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.

Tch! Any excuse to stay awake, baka, Iwaizumi thought. He had been acutely aware of Oikawa's imminent departure for the entire day, and now he would do anything to save these last few moments.

After a mere two minutes of staring at the screen, Oikawa began to comment on the match. "Italy's libero is amazing, but France's spikes just keep getting through their blockers. That'll tire him out too quickly for him to be at his full potential, as he's had to save his team too many times."

"It's because the blockers aren't adjusting well to who's spiking," Iwaizumi offered. "Their number fifteen has a lower jump, but usually hits cross-shots, getting through the annoyance of a tall blocker easily."

"Wow, you have kept up, Hajime," Oikawa laughed. "But unfortunately it's not that simple when you're playing."

"Of course not, I'm just saying they aren't using all of their muscles properly..." and he began to debate with Oikawa about the game. It was calming, reminding Iwaizumi of the days that they would watch games after school together, back when being a professional volleyball player seemed as simple as a few hours of practice every day.

Too soon, the game was over. Iwaizumi checked the clock. "Three a.m. - we'd better get some sleep before you leave. What time tomorrow did you reschedule your flight for?"

"Ten, so we have five hours to sleep as I already packed everything."

"We?"

"Yeah, you're driving me, remember?" Oikawa smirked, and Iwaizumi's cheeks heated up a little.

He turned away. "Get some sleep then, Bakakawa." He lightly pushed his friend to the floor, onto the pull-out bed underneath the king-sized one that Iwaizumi had been sleeping in alone for the past few days.

"Remind me how I ended up with this bed again?" Oikawa asked, his tone more than a little irritated.

"Because I paid for the room, and you can't be trusted with the TV remote," Iwaizumi grunted, disgusted at the grudging fondness entering his tone.

"Ah, okay then," Oikawa pulled the covers over him, and Iwaizumi did the same, setting an alarm for eight a.m. before placing his phone on his bedside table.

Barely five minutes later, Iwaizumi heard a sniffle and a sneeze. "What is it Shittykawa?"

"It's c-cc-c-cold~" he sneezed again.

Shit. Iwaizumi had forgotten about secretly opening the windows. Well, at least his plan had worked. "I'll go tell the staff," he said, remembering the plot he had crafted.

He stepped outside of their room, walked to the end of the corridor, waited for two minutes and then came back. "Staff are saying the heating's down."

"Sue them," Oikawa huffed, his lips, bluish from the cold, forming a pout. "Hajime~ I'm so cold - I'll never get enough sleep like this..." he stared hopefully up at Iwaizumi, who had made his way over to the beds.

Iwaizumi instantly relented, but managed to disguise his slight excitement. "Don't wriggle - and no cold feet on my legs either!"

Oikawa cheered and scrambled under the covers, laying flush up against Iwaizumi and spooning him from behind. "Oi!" Iwaizumi felt a cold pair of hands snake around his waist to wrap around his stomach, squeezing tightly.

"But my hands are freezing! How do you manage to keep the bed so warm, Hajime? I'm always freezing at night, even in Argentina - I have to warm up the bed with heat pans in the winter because it gets so cold!" He paused, then buried his head into Iwaizumi's back. Iwaizumi shivered as a cool, wet nose rubbed against the nape of his neck. "But you're so warm~" Oikawa let out a satisfied hum.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes one last time before relaxing into Oikawa. He breathed in, and the scent of his friend's washing powder - familiar from all the times he had to wash his training kit during sleepovers - enveloped him.

The next day, Oikawa would be gone. Gone for another three whole months. He had to enjoy this moment, before sleep overcame them both.

(Word count: 1032)
(Total word count: 15,713)