Vivid Doses ; Iwaoi oneshots !

[11: aches and sicknesses / comfort]

Hello guys! Hope you're doing well these days. Advanced Merry Christmas by the way!

Here's a treat for me to you. This oneshot's actually one part of a larger shogun - emperor alternative universe story that I wrote with my two broccoli friends. I never actually finished the story (because it ends with someone's death and I never got around to writing it with justice) but I decided I liked this part so I wanted to share it with you. Even now, I swear it still makes me "kilig" lols.

Quick disclaimer: I have no idea how shoguns and emperors work exactly so there might be a bunch of stuff I changed and made up on my own. Despite that, I hope you enjoy the story nonetheless :)

My next post will probably be next year and this time, it'll be a freshly written one. Happy holidays everyone!

AKAASHI BELIEVES IN YOU

—

It's only a few weeks into Iwaizumi's appointment to Shogun when Oikawa realizes something.

Shoguns are pestered around for hours on end on weekdays, alternating between meeting with the emperor, well, himself, and meeting with the several other military leaders of the kingdom and the neighboring clans but they have the weekends off. Completely undisturbed, unreachable like they took an elevator to the gates of heavens.

Oikawa's seen the toll the adjustments has had on Iwaizumi. Outside their usual nobility meetings, whenever he passes his childhood friend, he doesn't give him any of his snarky remarks or the usual aggression. He merely offers a nod, his eyes the windows to his more or less short circuiting brain, before going about his business. He knows better than to bring it up with the other royals, who would just chide him and criticize his inability to handle his duties.

That doesn't take away his concern though. His own spiral of meetings and emperor duties deprive him of the chance to think about it but every chance he got, he would slip in orders of tea and sushi for him.

On Friday afternoon, he confirms with Iwaizumi's personal guards that he had no more pending work to catch up on before he makes his way inside his room in the palace.

He pushes the golden plated door open and finds Iwaizumi passed out on his bed. At first he thinks he's probably just tired and fell asleep, but his expression quickly shifts to concern upon approaching him. He's paler than usual, drenched in sweat, eyes fluttering open and close.

"Iwa-chan," he says softly, pressing a hand against his forehead but recoiling almost immediately like a spring. "You're burning up! Hey, let's get you cleaned up okay?"

He cups a hand on his cheeks and uses the other to help him sit upwards. Iwaizumi groans in response, shivering.

"Oikawa...," Iwaizumi murmurs, his eyes hazy as they search his own. "why...why are you here?"

Oikawa moves swiftly, brisk walking around his room in search of a small towel. He finds one and makes his way to the sink.

"When was the last time you had a proper meal, Iwa-chan? A good night's sleep?" The faucet screeches as the water comes cascading down. Oikawa swoops the towel underneath.

"I...I don't know," he hears the boy reply. Wringing the damp towel fosters a similar squeeze to his chest upon hearing his feeble tone.

"You always tell me to take it easy," Oikawa makes his way back to his bedside, placing the folded damp towel on his forehead. The tension in Iwaizumi's expression relaxes slightly. "But you don't seem to."

"There was just—"

"I don't want to hear it," Oikawa cuts him off. He busies himself to Iwaizumi's closet and picks out a comfortable pajama set. "It's your first few weeks of being Shogun, Iwa-chan. You need the rest more than ever."

Oikawa walks back to him, and starts to help him pull apart his wrinkled silver kimono. It falls apart effortlessly and Oikawa picks it up from the ground. He suppresses the heat rising on his cheeks upon seeing him bare. He whirls around and scrapes his sock on the aqua-gold carpet.

He's still pissed off. He can't be drawn to him like this.

Oikawa hears the soft ruffling of clothes and only turns around a couple minutes later. Iwaizumi's  more at ease but his head is still sloped in an uncomfortable angle on the pillows as his chest rises up and down evenly. Did he fall right back asleep? Oikawa sighs.

"Iwa, go under the blankets," he instructs, poking his arm. He gets an incoherent sound in response. "Iwa-chan." Still no progress. "You're going to make it worse."

Oikawa resigns to tucking him in for him. It reminds him of all the times when they were kids when Iwaizumi would storm into his room, scold him for pushing himself too hard, but remained by his bedside until he got better. He drapes the comforter over his torso, just until his shoulders and finds it warming him up as well.

"Don't you...don't you have work?" Iwaizumi asks. His tone is grainy like asphalt. "You don't have to do this."

Oikawa waves a hand dismissively. "Doesn't really matter right now. We're supposed to be in it together. I can't have my best man down."

"Don't have to worry about me," Iwaizumi frowns.

"Well, I choose to. Move over a bit." He lightly nudges his leg. Iwaizumi shifts his body to the side and the bedsheets dip down.

"You're the emperor. I can call over a medic."

"And you're the love of my life." Oikawa says flatly. "So shut up."

Iwaizumi's eyes shoot open at that. His crocodile green eyes do not have its usual vigor but they gaze at him flamingly. His cheeks turn rosy. "There are things to do for the kingdom. Tensions rising."

Oikawa gives him a look. "Since when have you been the workaholic between us?"

"There might be a war."

"So let them fight. We won't hold down."

"I need to meet them," Iwaizumi says but his eyes are rolling back to his head again.

"You need rest," Oikawa says like it's a sacred doctrine. "We have time to fight when you're better."

"Need to protect you..." Iwaizumi insists, eyebrows knitting together.

"Let me protect you first now," Oikawa says quietly. He leans towards him and plants a small kiss on his cheek. "And we'll be the strongest warriors in the battlefield tomorrow."

Oikawa doesn't remember falling asleep beside him, but when he wakes up again, darkness is branching out around them, only the moonlight filtering through the pellucid curtains emitting a glow. Iwaizumi's back is to him, but his arm is slumped over his body and their hands are intertwined loosely.

"I love you," Oikawa whispers, allowing the words to tarry. He thinks about the tattoos on Iwaizumi's arms, kanji characters in onyx ink of all the things that he's valued and wonders if he made the cut.

To his surprise, Iwaizumi squeezes his hand.

When morning greets them with a fiery glow and a silky breeze, their bodies are tangled around one another, clothes still intact. Oikawa's head is pressed against Iwaizumi's chest, enthralled by its rhythm. He taps his fingers on Iwazumi's arm to the beat of his pulse. Slow, even beats reverb around him and he translates them. He listens in silence.

He feels Iwaizumi stir a bit and he cranes his head upwards to look at him.

"Hey. You feeling better?"

"I think so. What time is it?"

"Morning." Oikawa says cheekily. Iwaizumi scrunches his face, a deadpanned look in his drowsy eyes.

"I know it's morning."

"It's the weekend. You can go back to sleep if you want." Oikawa knows he personally wants to. The past week had worn him down as well and all he wants is to cuddle. He goes back to nestling his head on his chest.

"Even if we're not on duty today, I still have to send people to supervise the festival prep." Iwaizumi points out.

An idea blooms in Oikawa's mind and his eyes brighten. "We can do it ourselves! Let's make it a date."

He gets his answer when Iwaizumi does not protest against it at all.