Forever With You. And You. And You. And...
@oikawararepairweek day 7: free day
It was the last night before three of the four third years were set to leave for Tokyo and college and everything that lay beyond the doors of their high school. Tooru found it all bittersweet, so to save him from his moping, the team decided the best way to lift his spirits was a walk down memory lane.
They made it two stops before disaster struck. A new record.
It was at the park by Hanamaki’s house, the one where all nine of them had come together into a cohesive whole. It was where Tooru had had his first kiss with Kyoutani, and Kunimi had first confessed to Iwaizumi. It was a park loaded with memories, and it made Tooru want to cry.
“I don’t want to give this up,” he whispered.
“You won’t have to, Oikawa-san,” said Watari, something akin to sass in his voice. Tooru glared at him. “We’ll all still be in a relationship, it’ll just be long- Matsukawa-san, no!” But it was too late. Matsukawa had already managed to wedge himself into the baby swing. He lifted his long legs off the ground, and the entire thing promptly collapsed. Matsukawa was left in a pile of dust and metal bars, looking confused, but pleased with himself.
“Geez, Mattsun, can you go anywhere without breaking things?” Hanamaki asked, helping Yahaba lift Matsukawa to his feet. The baby swing remained stuck around his waist. “Oh my god,” Hanamaki said.
“All right, you grab the other side and we’ll both pull,” Yahaba grumbled. Kunimi pulled out a camera phone while Hanamaki and Yahaba tried in vain to get the swing off of Matsukawa.
“Looks like you need more… lubrication,” Hanamaki said, waggling his eyebrows. Kindaichi made a distressed noise in the back of his throat and went to see if he could help. Tooru was left alone, standing on the edge of the park and watching his family, the loves of his young life, scrambling around a children’s playground at three in the morning.
Kyoutani came to stand next to him and crossed his arms, shaking his head at the goings-on. “He did it on purpose,” he said.
“Of course he did,” Tooru replied. “He’s trying to cheer me up.”
“Is it working?”
“I’ll let you know.” Tooru looked at Kyoutani and Kyoutani looked back at Tooru, and the world seemed to slow. Tooru licked his lips and tore his eyes away. “Tomorrow I’m leaving,” he said. “And so are Makki and Mattsun. And Iwa-chan is going to Hokkaido next week. Everything is about to change.”
“It only changes if you let it,” Kyoutani said. “Pick your battles. Isn’t that what Iwaizumi-san is always telling you?”
“I think he’s always telling you that,” Tooru sniffed.
“Whatever. It fits. If this is a battle that’s worth wining, then pick it. If not, then we’ll find a way to move on without you.” Tooru stared at Kyoutani.
“What are you saying, I’m replaceable?” he squawked.
“No,” Kyoutani growled. “I’m saying that none of the others are going to let themselves get left behind. Iwaizumi-san has already set up virtual study sessions for next year, and Matsukawa-san and Hanamaki-san are already planning their first visit back here during golden week. You’ll only be replaced if you let yourself be replaceable.”
With that, Kyoutani stalked off toward Matsukawa. He strolled right up to him, looked him in the eye, and with one rough motion tugged the swing - and Matsukawa’s pants - down around his ankles. Matsukawa thanked him and stepped out of both the swing and his pants, standing as confident as could be in nothing but a t shirt and his boxers. Tooru shook his head, something like laughter bubbling up in the middle of his chest. He let it out, only to find that it was tears instead.
“Oikawa-san, what’s wrong?” Kindaichi screeched.
“I love you all so much,” Tooru sobbed. Iwaizumi strolled over to him and Tooru braced himself for a smack upside the head. What he got instead was a gentle pull into Iwaizumi’s shoulder and strong arms wrapping around his waist.
“We love you too,” Iwaizumi whispered into his hair. “More than you will ever know.”
“I don’t want to leave,” Tooru wailed.
“Oh, sweetheart,” said Hanamaki, leaving Matsukawa and coming to join in Iwaizumi’s hug. “You have to. It’s your golden opportunity to shine. You would be wasted here.”
“But what about them?” Tooru sobbed. “I don’t want to leave them.”
“It’s only for a little while,” Iwaizumi said. “And someday, you’ll come back. And someday after that, we’ll all be together again, one big happy family.”
“Big happy family,” Tooru repeated. The words carried with them the dream he hadn’t allowed himself to hope for, that one day it really could be the nine of them against the world, holed up together in one big house with a yard and a dog. “Iwa-chan, do you really think-”
“Of course he does,” Hanamaki said, resting his forehead on the back of Tooru’s neck. “We all do, stupid.”
Tooru peeled himself away from them to look at his team, his family. Iwaizumi, his best friend for as long as he could remember. Matsukawa, who always knew how to make Tooru laugh. Hanamaki, surprisingly quick-witted and sharp-tongued. Yahaba, who tried so hard to be worth something when he was already worth the world. Surly Kyoutani who just needed a push to be understood. Clever Watari and his soothing calm that held the team together. Earnest Kindaichi and sleeping Kunimi, who had the world at their fingertips and still chose Tooru. They all chose him, time and time again, and Tooru could never be more grateful for that than he was in that moment, standing in the park in the middle of the night with his teammates.
“Come on,” Iwaizumi said, clapping Tooru on the shoulder. “Let’s go get some sleep. We’ll be there in the morning to see you off.”
“Okay,” Tooru said, taking one last look at his lovers, his future.
“Okay.”
