Iwaoi | Damaged

Chapter one: "Get well soon"

       🌸 Artist credit: Gusari on Tumblr 🌸

                                      • • • •

His eyelids burned intensely as they crept open. There was little light that seeped through the curtains. But this advocated the migraine he had. The pungent smell of hospital sterile reeked the room. He'd only been asleep for hours but it seemed that days had passed. It felt a bit foreign for him to wiggle his toes, even though it had only been about a week since his admission. He hadn't moved a muscle.

A sudden punch embraced his leg. "Ow, ow, owww!" He whined.
"Shut it stupid Oikawa! Just remember I'll kill you if you don't get better soon."
"Hey-, I'm getting out tomorrow." Tooru whimpered childishly. 
"I know dummy." He looked down as a bittersweet smile creased his lips.

It had been at least three years since he's seen such an irked expression, heard such familiar words, or even felt close to tears because of gaiety.

"Don't worry Iwa-chan," his voice was chipper, he couldn't contain his smile. He stopped and wondered why, even through all the commentary that would have driven Iwaizumi crazy before, did nothing now. Oikawa leaned his back against the hospital bed and studied Iwaizumi. After a moment he began to speak. But stopped.

"Gifts from your fangirls." He motioned over to a corner in the room that was unoccupied. But now nestled in the space were dozens of elaborate 'Get well' baskets. Oikawa chuckled and brought his hand to his chin.
     "I won't put yours in the corner," He assured.
  "Yeah, cause I'm not a fangirl." It's only a card stupid! "But honestly if you're not going to use them have the staff hand them out to other patients. They'd appreciate them."

Oikawa glanced toward Iwaizumi as he nodded his head approvingly. "You're right. I'll ask the nurse to take care of them later."
      A consistent rapping occurred at the door as Oikawa rested against the bed. A nurse strolled into the room. "Hey, Tooru I've brought your new IVs." Her voice sounded trained and robotic. Like one of those automated voice machines. Iwazumi squinted at her informality. Oikawa politely smiled and stretched out his arm.
     Iwaizumi looked from the nurse to Oikawa's arm with pursed his lips. He sat his back to the plastic chair and tapped his foot against the worn tile.
He didn't want to see Oikawa like this. The unfamiliarity was unsettling to him.
"Iwa-chan?" Iwaizumi snapped from his daydream.
"Huh?" He asked drowsily.
"You can go home. It's getting pretty late. And don't you have something  important tomorrow ?" Oikawa jokingly pestered.
"No," Iwaizumi turned towards the window in the chair and closed his eyes.
    " Iwa-chan, you can sleep next to me."
Oikawa lightly patted the space next to him. " Like hell !" He shouted as he threw the pillow. He laughed profoundly.

A laugh that was music to Iwazumi's ears. One he hadn't heard in three years. He ran his hand through his short black hair. Avoiding Tooru's gaze, his face felt hot.
    Oikawa gasped. "Did you get a girlfriend Iwa-". "Huh?" "Well you're  blushing. I thought you had a girlfriend you didn't want to tell me about." Oikawa rubbed the back of his matted hair and laughed awkwardly.

Iwaizumi brought the neck of his black tee over his face. His speech was muffled. "Stupid Oikawa."
    "Mr. Iwaizumi visiting hours are almost over." A voice beckoned from the doorway.
    Oikawa frowned. "Awe, Can't you stay since it's a private room."
"I don't wanna spend more time with you than I have to." "So harsh Iwa-chan." His tone quite over dramatic. Iwaizumi stood and shook his head. "You haven't changed a bit."

Tooru beamed. Iwaizumi swung his backpack at him. "Like I said, get better or I'll kill you."

"No worries Iwa-chan." He gave him a thumbs up and a silly grin.

He'd come by again tomorrow. There was no need to tell him such.

•••

The crisp autumn air hung around like a canopy. Iwaizumi straightened the straps of his backpack and continued down the sidewalk. Oikawa would be discharged tomorrow. He wanted to get him something. Something better than the flimsy 'Get well' card he gave today.
    It was around dusk when the lampposts began to turn on. He clucked his tongue to his cheek and shoved his hands in his pockets. He had roughly four hundred and thirty dollars. He walked down the road and took in all of the side shops that lines the street. The bare trees were prematurely decorated with Christmas lights. The scenery was ablaze with vibrant colours of red and blue.
     He wondered what to get him. To Iwaizumi it appeared that Oikawa had everything he wanted. He never complained that he wanted anything either. Iwaizumi frowned in frustration and walked into a small crafts shop.

Handmade crafts lined the walls. Creative and attention drawing in their right. Iwaizumi walked through the place sighing inconspicuously at the thought of not being able to find anything. He approached the counter after a while of searching and set his eyes upon a bracelet behind the glass counter.

"Excuse me." At this a middle aged woman turns from her current occupation towards Iwaizumi. "Hello, how may I help you?" She smiled. "Umm...do you...would-." He hurriedly looked out the window to finish the sentence. "Would this be a good gift?" He didn't refrain from looking at the window. She laughed a casual laugh accompanied by a smokers cough. Emphysema? "Well, I don't think a girl would like this. It's a mans bracelet." He gazed at it.

The thick, brown leather strap and tiny pieces of crystals that dangled from the side along with a short rope of red and yellow beads. Iwaizumi couldn't put the two together. The bracelet didn't suit Oikawa at all. "Do you have anything else? Its for a guy friend." "Ohh. I thought you were shopping for your girlfriend." She put her hand over her mouth as if to stop the laughing.

His face flushed. "Ahh, don't be embarrassed hun. I'll go see what we have in the back." She offered a smile and went behind a curtain that lead to a probable stockroom. Moments later she emerged with a necklace. It was a set, matching lockets. But instead of hearts they were rectangular shaped glass enclosures. His eyes gleamed. Strong enough to rival moon watched water.

"I'll take them." He ginned. "I knew you'd like them." She reached from under the cabinet and grabbed a mid-sized jewelry case. It was rose red with a yellow bow. She also handed one of those frilly Valentine looking carrying bags. "But I told you -." His face reddened as he laid the money on the counter. "Oh I'm sorry." She flailed her hand. "We had no other bags." Her tone was expressed in plain sarcasm. Iwaizumi bowed and about faced sheepishly to walk out of the shop.

What am I doing? I'm twenty acting like a nine year old, tsk.

Stupid Oikawa.

Oikawa...

He didn't know what the lady was trying to imply but that definitely wasn't such. The grating mid autumn wind smothered him. It'd be a while before he got to his dorm at Tohoku. He buried his face in his scarf and persisted towards the Miyagi Prefecture.