Conquering the Great King

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 47

Iwaizumi's fingers were shaking.

He had just gotten back from his... God, how many cigarette breaks had he taken today? How many had he smoked during each one?

His mouth tasted like mint and ash. His fingers were cold and shaking like they had no flesh to them, like they were just rattling bones attached to his hands.

His stomach was jumpy, shivering against his insides. It reminded Iwaizumi of the first time he had ever smoked his first couple cigarettes; the empty ache of his stomach, the caffeine induced shiver climbing his spine and throat. He felt sick, queasy, like he was going to lose the lunch he didn't eat all over his desk.

"Excuse me," he said, shoving his chair back with his knees.

Kunimi had been staring holes through him all day. He probably knew exactly how many times Iwaizumi had left his desk. Hell, he probably knew how many cigarettes he had smoked, somehow.

Iwaizumi made his way to the restroom. He threw open the door and stood inside a stall, bracing himself against the metal divider without swinging the stall door shut behind him. He grit his teeth, ground them together against the rising sickness he felt in his throat.

Iwaizumi didn't know how to describe it. It was like his spine was crumbling. He could feel his insides giving way to a wave of pain, weakness, like his emotions were pressing his body into submission.

Iwaizumi squeezed his eyes closed.

The bathroom door opened behind him. Iwaizumi wasn't sure if the footsteps were especially quiet or if he was too wrapped up in not vomiting or not crying or both that he just didn't notice.

"Go home."

Iwaizumi opened his eyes, moving his gaze to glance at Kunimi behind him. Iwaizumi turned away from him. "No."

"You're smoking so much that you're giving yourself a panic attack. Or you're having a panic attack so you're smoking too much. Either way smoking and panic are both involved, and you're not doing us any good here."

Iwaizumi sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Apologies won't fix it."

Iwaizumi's lip twitched, a knowing sneer working hard to stay off his face.

"Is it because of the email?"

Iwaizumi steadied his breath, "It's part of it."

Irihata had sent out a departmental email after sending him a personal one, apparently.

"You'll be gone for three days and two nights. Shouldn't it be good to get away?"

"No."

There was a silence.

Kunimi let loose a heavy sigh, "You need to go home and rest or become more productive. Eat, maybe."

"I'm fine," Iwaizumi said, casting him a glance over his shoulder. It was a very obvious lie, but going home probably wouldn't help him right now.

Kunimi blinked at him, "Oh?"

Iwaizumi's brow twitched up at the borderline taunt of Kunimi's voice.

Kunimi pulled out his phone, "If you don't do something to remedy this situation, I'm going to call someone who will make you."

Iwaizumi shot him a dirty look, "Who in the hell do you think--"

Kunimi held out his phone, tipping it back and forth in front of Iwaizumi's face. The displayed contact read, "Sugawara-san."

"Jesus Christ, fine," Iwaizumi said, turning to look more directly at Kunimi, "what do you want from me?"

"I already told you."

Iwaizumi sighed, "You know, the way you're dealing with this kind of reminds me of Suga, only in reverse."

Kunimi stared blankly at Iwaizumi.

"Suga covers his forceful nature with overt kindness," Iwaizumi's eyes went flat, "and you cover your kindness by being an asshole."

Kunimi shrugged, "That's fine."

Iwaizumi almost smirked. He liked Kunimi. If he took the job up north, he was going to promote him to his position.

Kunimi didn't know this of course, but it was an easy decision for Iwaizumi to make. It would be the only one.

"Fine, I'll eat."

"Don't smoke another cigarette either, you smell like cancer."

"Thank you."

"Go stand next to an air freshener or something."

Iwaizumi chuckled as he told him to fuck off.