The Best Damn Thing

Chapter Twenty-One

Oikawa hefted the chest into the back of the truck and lifted the tailgate. "You're all set." He smiled and the lady tipped him, climbing in and driving off.

Barely making it back inside before his knee gave out, he caught himself on a desk.

"Are you okay?" Suga was watching him, a concerned expression warming his delicate features.

"I'm fine." He adjusted the brace and stretched out his knee.

"You're not. Go home. I can manage the store."

"That's not neccessary. I said I'm fine."

"Fine. I'll put it this way. Take the rest of the day off or you're fired."

"You can't do that."

Suga stood. "I can and I will. Your knee needs a break."

"My knee just needs the brace tightened." He wouldn't go home.

"I don't believe you, but if it happens again, you're off for the rest of the week. Got it?"

He nodded and turned to greet the customer that had just walked in. Suga watched him the rest of the day, eyes boring holes into the back of his shirt.

By the time Suga's dad arrived that evening with a new shipment, the tension between them had grown thick.

Unloading was slow and painful, Oikawa's knee quivering under the weight of each item, but it held out until the last one.

The large, solid-oak, vanity dresser was immensely heavier than any of the previous pieces. Oikawa's breathing labored as he backed into the shop, his knee finally buckling under the pressure. Suga grabbed his end before it completely crushed him and his head smacked the ground.

Iwaizumi rushed to grab his end of the dresser and helped move it aside. Oikawa had forgotten that he was picking him up. Suga hauled him into a chair.

"I told you that you needed to take it easy!" He tugged off the brace and pushed up Oikawa's pant leg. "It's already swollen from earlier and it's getting worse. Idiot, why did you push it?"

"Koushi, that's enough. Go get him an ice pack."

"Just toss him out in the snow," interjected Iwaizumi.

"So mean, Iwa!"

Suga slipped away to the backroom and Mr. Sugawara knelt in front of Oikawa, his wrinkled fingers prodding gently at the joint. "You'll have to take some time off to let this heal."

"Didn't Suga just get another job? He can't be here all the time."

Iwaizumi smacked the back of Oikawa's head. "I'm always cleaning up after you, Crappykawa. I've already volunteered to help out when needed. It's no problem for me to get the time off."

"You shouldn't hit someone when they're hurt, Iwa," he pouted. Suga returned from the back, dragging over another chair for Oikawa to prop his leg on. He pressed the ice onto his knee, wrapping it with a towel. "T-that's cold!"

His best friend held his leg still. "If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have hit them."

Suga grabbed Oikawa's chin, looking him in the eyes. "Twenty minutes. That's how long you're going to leave that ice on. You sit here while we get everything all cleaned up."

He nodded, not liking the look on his face, despite the caring tone in his voice.

The three began wiping down the furniture, rearranging displays to fit nicer, and shutting down the store. He watched them, shivering, but he didn't dare take the ice off early. Every once in a while, Suga would check his watch and shake his head. Oikawa's eyes focused on him.

He didn't do much of the heavy lifting, but from what he did lift, Oikawa could see the hint of underworked muscle showing through the tight fabric of his shirt. It seemed that his ass barely squeezed to fit into his jeans.

"You're drooling," Iwaizumi whispered to him and Oikawa tore his eyes away from Suga.

"I am not!" He blushed, wiping at his mouth to be sure.

"You can take the ice off now, Oikawa," Suga called and Oikawa pulled at the fabric. He rubbed at his knee to warm it when two hands clasped on his wrist. His eyes met Suga's. "If you rub it, you'll make it worse."

Oikawa watched Suga's dad disappear into the backroom. "Sorry, sorry, Mr. Refreshing," he laughed. "Ow, Iwa!" Iwaizumi grabbed his ear, pinching it red.

"Stop it, Flirtykawa. Can you get yourself in the truck or would you rather I drag you out?"

"I'll walk. Let go," he whined. Suga laughed and his breath hitched. Iwaizumi was already pushing open the door to leave.

"You'll be walking if you don't hurry. I've got a date and I won't be late because of you."

Oikawa rubbed at his ear and stood, pushing his pant leg down. His knee stiffened in protest, but he slowly made his way out to the truck under Suga's watchful eye.

Heat blasted him when he opened the truck door, hauling himself up into the cab.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Iwaizumi glanced at him, backing out onto the road. "You're favoring it."

"It hurts."

"At least we know one good thing that came of this." Iwaizumi cut a side glance at Oikawa, a smile playing on his lips. "Suga couldn't take his eyes off you."

Oikawa smiled.