"The uniform suits you, Tobio-chan," said Oikawa, studying him with a raised brow. He tilted his head, taking in the sight of Kageyama decked out in full prison guard equipment. To anyone else, he may have appeared formidable, a professional, but Oikawa knew better. "Who was dumb enough to think you could handle this job?"
Kageyama's cheeks darkened. "I can handle it just fine."
"Oh?" said Oikawa. "How long have you worked here?"
"Well, I... This is my first day."
Oikawa's face felt strange, his skin too tight, and he realized it was because he'd gone so long without smiling. He never would have thought that Kageyama, of all people, would be the one to uplift his mood. It had always been the opposite.
In the past, when Oikawa had imagined going to prison, he'd always thought it would be for murdering Kageyama, not for stealing money.
"I went through training," said Kageyama. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "Six weeks of it. I know what I'm doing."
"Sure you do." Oikawa glided closer. "When you were in training, did you tell them how you should be on this side of the bars?"
Kageyama frowned down at the floor. "There aren't any bars here."
"You know exactly what I mean, Tobio-chan."
Kageyama turned his face away, chewing at the edge of his lip. "I didn't do anything wrong."
"Then why are you so nervous about it?"
"I'm not nervous."
"Whatever you say." Oikawa shrugged and tucked his hands into the pockets of his ugly orange pants. "If you didn't do anything, then you won't mind if I tell Captain Sawamura how you and I know each other."
He made it six paces away, and likely only that far because Kageyama was too stunned to immediately respond.
Kageyama seized him by the arm and yanked him back around, panic flashing in his eyes. "You can't tell Sawamura-san."
"Why is that?" Oikawa smiled and pretended Kageyama's grip wasn't tight enough to bruise. He glanced down at the OC spray tucked into a nondescript pouch on Kageyama's belt, and the baton fastened behind it. "Almost sounds like you have something to hide."
"You can't tell him."
"Or what, Tobio-chan?"
Kageyama released him and took a step back. They faced one another in the hallway, tension tying them together with a gut-wrenching knot. One of Kageyama's arms drifted down, the heel of his hand resting on the pouch of his belt.
Oikawa felt the first stir of dread as he realized he may have misjudged Kageyama. Regardless of their history, he was a prison guard now, and Oikawa was just another inmate. Kageyama was the one with the power here, if he only stepped up to take it.
Kageyama took a breath, his fingers lingering at his belt, before he let his hand fall away. "Please, Oikawa-san," he said quietly. "Don't tell Sawamura-san. I need this job."
Relief rolled through Oikawa in a satisfying wave. He still knew Kageyama, after all.
"Oh, Tobio-chan," he said. "You know I was only joking. Of course I won't tell him."
Kageyama perked up. "Really?"
"Of course. You can trust Oikawa-san." He smiled, a hard flash of teeth. "Your little secret can stay right here between you and me."
Kageyama nodded, as if he was truly reassured, as if he still trusted Oikawa's word even after what had happened. "Thank you."
"Did you know I was here?" said Oikawa. "When you took this job?"
