here

2.6

when yamaguchi walked into the kitchen, he wasn't sure what to think.

he was scared, even though (and probably because) he recognised the person sitting across from oikawa immediately. the thing that scared him was why the fuck he was sitting at their kitchen table, drinking from his spare mug and eating the bread he'd gone out to buy a day previous.

the tension in the room was more than obvious. yamaguchi could feel it constricting him, making it hard to breathe. iwaizumi looked up at the sound of irregular breathing, and sat back slowly, setting the mug down.

"sit," he said, gesturing to the chair next to oikawa. it made the poor younger boy feel like a hostage, as if he was being interrogated. he shakily pulled a chair back, wincing at the sound it made as it scratched across the tile floor, and sat down, glancing up at oikawa's face. it was, however, unreadable, staring down at his cereal as if it was the only thing left on earth; the only thing worth his attention in that moment. yamaguchi's face must have given away his panic at the sight, as iwaizumi continued speaking.

"that face," he remarked, a repressed sound of gleefulness in his tone, "means he's going to do his absolute best to avoid the situation at hand. because he runs from problems rather than confronting them." his eyes switched to pierce right through yamaguchi's. "you learn those kind of things about him if you know him for a long period of time."

"i-i see," he replied, cursing himself for his stutter. he didn't want to display weakness. even though that was what his personality was based off of, in a way; he was always the weak one. he felt as if the intimidation was going to physically drive him into the ground and mush his entire being together until he was merely one cubic centimeter in size.

"his trust also comes with time," iwaizumi said lowly, his glare now directed towards oikawa himself, "a lot of time."

"quit it," oikawa bit, "stop interrogating him. stop being so petty. i'm willing to let you talk to us if you quit the fucking attitude."

"i'm no-"

"you are. you're acting out. it's unpleasant. you're not usually like this. if you even want a chan..." he trailed off, gulping. "just stop."

"so there is a chance?" iwaizumi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"as if i know," oikawa groaned, running a hand through his hair, sliding it down to his neck, nervously rubbing over the skin, "you're confusing me. can we just get this over with?"

"tooru?" yamaguchi asked quietly, "uhm, what exactly's going on? i'm confused."

"iwaizumi's... he's here, because, well..." he started, but never finished. iwaizumi snorted and sat up over the table, folding his hands together.

"i'm here because i want him back. because i should have him back. because we're in love."

"you... you two..."

"tadashi, it's not like that," tooru sighed, "i know i sound like an ass. but he's been my best friend since before we were bron. part of me will always love him, in a way."

yamaguchi stared at him with wide eyes, dread spreading from his head to his toes. he felt like he was going to throw up. maybe faint. maybe both. he hoped to god not both, he'd seen matsukawa pass out while puking once and it was not something he wanted to experience himself.

oikawa took his hand under the table, before bringing it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss against the back of his fingers. relief spread through him just as quickly as the dread had, because oikawa's physical contact was always genuine; that he knew. he took a deep breath, blinking tears away.

"he insisted on talking. i admit, i thought about it. but i'm not going to leave you for him."

"oikawa-"

"iwa-chan, please," he begged, glancing over at him. "i am not going to discuss past potentials with you. you know why we broke up."

"because of distance. because of miscommunication."

"because we couldn't make it work."

"and i'm sorry," iwaizumi said, his tone growing more and more frustrated, "i'm sorry we didn't make it work and i'm sorry i was so dishearted by your disappearance i didn't fucking know what to do. but i don't deserve straight up rejection. i fought for you on multiple occasions, through the homophobes in high school, through my father's antics and through the fucking distance between us. you just tossed me away on one assumption and i should've acted, and i'm so fucking sorry i didn't. but i deserve a second chance. i deserve for us to try again, because now there won't be a distance, and i can be right here next to you. without stupid homophobes or insane parents or whatever the fuck. i'm sorry that means you having to break someone's heart and honestly, i feel awful about advancing on someone that i know is taken but i've been in pain for too long and i just want another shot at this." he sat down again after realising he was standing, and his previously intimidating posture was now weaker than yamaguchi's. "you're going to break someone's heart anyway. mine or his. i'm sorry for putting you in that position. i just want you back, tooru, i just want you back. it's not fair that we gave up like that and i miss you so much. i miss you so fucking much."

oikawa was crying at this point, sniffing and wiping his cheeks, his teeth clenched as he absolutely ached. "nothing's fair, iwaizumi. nothing's ever fair."

"tooru, please, please don't push me away now. i'm sick and tired of being pushed away."

"i can't do this," oikawa said, standing up, letting go of yamaguchi's hand, "i can't. please leave."

"tooru, don't run away."

"just fucking leave! as if putting me in this position is so fair!"

"you think i like putting you on the spot?! of course i don't! but it's worth it! you, no, we are worth it!"

"i need to be alone," he said, taking a deep, shaky breath, "alone."

"tooru," tadashi tried, to which he replied, "alone."

iwaizumi stormed out. oikawa walked to the bedroom. tadashi sat at the kitchen table, lost.