Burning Ice (A Haikyuu AU)

9. Fall

(3rd Person Pov)

Irene looked at them and facepalmed. "Great, so I'll have two members of Ice and one of Flames, and two of those people are the sisters of the gang leaders. And apparently they're friends."

Vio smiled. "Sounds about right."

Aya pulled out her phone, a smile on her face at her new friend, and was about to click on Cassy's number when she saw the text that made her blood run cold.

She kept her voice even. "Hey, Cassy says she's held up. Is the security good around this house?" Years of lying came in handy, though she saw the slight narrowing of Vio's eyes.

Ah, that can't be helped. Vio's known her for years.

"Yeah, the doors and windows are bullet-proof. We live in Miyagi, for god's sake, bascally run by you guys." Irene said. "Why?"

Aya put on a nochalant smile. "Just wondering. Okay, I gotta get Cassy."

With that, she went out the door and started running. Vio narrowed her eyes even more. "She's lying."

"What?" Irene asked. "She seemed pretty honest to me."

Vio sighed. "I've known her for years. But the best thing to do is to stay here though, Aya keeps a calm mind even when she's worried."

"Now now." Irene asked, thoughtful. "Tell me about this Cassy."

Aya dashed through the streets, though she was calm enough to remember to put on the mask. The message running through her head.

From: Kawa, To: Aya

Iwaizumi Hajime.

She ran faster. Why? The name could only mean one thing. She hoped to dear god Kawa wasn't alone. Iwaizumi Hajime, known for the quickness and stamina of his relentless attacks in one-on-one combat. Just let Kaashi or Koshi be there. She prayed. Or Kiyo.

Kawa definitely wasn't weak, but his strategetic style wasn't going to work well.

The mansion finally came into view. She burst through the door to nearly run into Akaashi. "Kawa?" He gave a tense nod. 

Damn it. That means Kawa was alone. "Hurry, Kaashi."

And he was gone in a flash, with Aya chasing after him.

(different perspective)

Oikawa's breaths were coming in short intakes. Damn it. How does this guy have so much stamina? He hoped the messages sent to Ice had at least reached some of them.

His stamina was running out by the second.

As he dodged another series of well-executed attacks, Oikawa lost balance. He winced at the image of his head hitting the concrete.

(slight flashback)

He had been walking, after Suga had let him get some fresh air. He had gone straight to his favorite park, an isolated place on the outskirts of Miyagi, and decided to practice for a bit.

He was about to head back when he saw Iwaizumi Hajime. Oikawa was torn. The boy was stronger and had better stamina, but he had the element of surprise.

However, something made him pause. Maybe it was the way his dark brown hair that perfectly complimented his olive-green eyes. 

Maybe it was the way he looked so vulnerable, standing under a tree with his eyes cast down. Oikawa didn't know a mafia member could look that vulnerable.

Maybe it was the way his shoulders pulled taut, seemingly lost in some sort of memory.

And he lost that element of surprise. The boy looked up, all trace of the still, vulnerable person gone, and he had started raining blows and slices at Oikawa.

(back to present)

Oikawa fell, his arm going behind him to brace for the fall. However, that wasn't needed.

A gentle but strong grip held on to his wrist, as he looked into the green, warm eyes of his supposed enemy.

Kawa's eyes widened in surprise. Wait, what? He's your enemy! Get your knife and use this opportunity to attack!

But his other arm stayed at his side resolutely. Instead, it went up, with the intention to trace his jawline which looked like it was sharp enough to give him a papercut.

"Let go of him." Akaashi's voice demanded, cold and hard like his eyes. 

Oikawa jerked away from Iwaizumi, who was back to the cold, fighting machine he was before.

He saw Iwaizumi take in Akaashi and Aya, who were both giving him the signature, cold and heartless Ice stare, and their knives in hand.

And the next thing they knew, he disappeared, a silent shadow deftly cutting through the silent streets.

Oikawa collapsed. "Kawa!" Aya's brown eyes, so much like her brother's, were wide with relief. "You ok? Do you need Vio?"

A cut on his forearm was seeping through his dark jacket, but besides a few smudges of dirt, he looked alright. "Yeah, definitely. My hair's all messed up!" He protested.

Akaashi gave a laugh that was more out of relief than amusement. "Toru Oikawa! You should get that cut sorted." He offered a hand to a very annoyed Kawa, who gratefully took it and stood up.

"I'm just really tired." Oikawa admitted. "He's a stamina monster."

"Come one, let's get you home." Aya supported his left side. "Vio had probably seen thorugh my lie already."

The pair of beautiful green eyes flashed in Oikawa's memory.

Haijime Iwaizumi... Why didn't you let me fall?