Network/Log: Backdated Feb 24th + Catch All For March

[toughlovin]

Network Post: UN: iwaizumi

Question.

[Iwaizumi had been thinking about this for a while now. And after having won his first gym battle, after a few weeks of training his Pokémon with Oikawa, the question had played on his mind even more.]

What's the end game here?
You battle these gym leaders of staggered levels. There's bigger and better gyms after that. But what's the goal? What do you get at the end of it?

[Prestige didn't seem worth it if everyone was aiming for the same thing. It wasn't unique. As far as he could tell it was just something to do. Was it fun? Sure. The same way beating a tough level in a video game was fun. He'd go for the next as well for that same reason. He wanted to beat the final boss.

But being the 'real world', just what happened once the game was over. When the final boss was defeated?

Iwaizumi was curious. The video showed him, sat in a pokecenter while his Pokémon were being looked after, just genuinely curiously asking the masses what they thought the end would look like.]


Log 1: Union Cave (Closed to Oikawa)
[They'd already been there a day and already Iwaizumi was getting a little tired of the dark and the dank. And the cold.

He had Taiyō on his shoulder almost constantly, half hanging on his backpack since she was a pretty hefty girl. But she kept him warm. And because she was warm he found himself keeping close to Oikawa's side so it would radiate out toward him.

It was hard to tell day and night cycles but once they were tired that was when they would stop and set up camp.

Iwaizumi had fed his Pokémon and had half a sandwich hanging out of his mouth as he unfurled and straightened out his sleeping bag, doing his best to remove any rocks from under it that would keep him awake. He spoke to Oikawa around his sandwich.]

I'll be glad to get outta here. I've forgotten what sunlight looks like.


Log 2: Azalea Town
[A buff young man with an adorably fluffy fire bug in his arms will be found wandering around Azalea Town off and on for around a week. Just seeing the sights and enjoying the sleepy town.

Iwaizumi will actually find he enjoys an evening at the jazz club. Or at one of the diners.

But its Ilex Forest Treetop Adventure Park that really gets him enthusiastic! It's a work out and it's fun, best of both worlds!]


Log 3: Ilex Forest
[Toward the end of the month they'll find themselves at Ilex Forest.

Iwaizumi is fascinated here. For the first few days he doesn't catch any Pokémon at all, he can be found sitting on a rock or a log and just watching them and what they do. How they interact. Their behaviour... and whether he can get them to come up to him without aggression.

It doesn't always work. But when it does he's utterly delighted!

It's at that point you'll see a rare, dorky smile on the Ace's face.]

Comments

Just to keep this all organized for March, for my sanity

[grandtrashking]

[(ooc: just to make things easier on us both.)]

Closed prompt time

[grandtrashking]

[Tooru was really, really, glad that he'd kept Iwa-chan on his team for the journey. As well as deciding to take along Aoi and others who could help keep the duo warm at nights. Taiyō was also a blessing with that cold. Going through caves any time of the year was bad enough, but the temperatures outside were still cold with winter, even if that was ending soon.

While Iwaizumi got their sleeping stuff ready, Tooru'd been making sure their Pokémon weren't uncomfortable, and fortunately he'd found they weren't.]

No kidding, I'm gonna just lay down and soak it all in like a plant. Maybe I'll become a plant, who knows.

[Tooru searches through his own bag for a moment before pulling out a blanket and tossing it towards Iwaizumi, having thought ahead to buy an extra one for the road.]

Open your sleeping bag completely so we can both lay on it, we can cover up with this and my sleeping bag while Iwa-chan, Taiyō, and Aoi huddle around us.

[toughlovin]

[Iwaizumi stopped what he was doing. He'd almost finished setting out his sleeping bag when Oikawa threw a blanket at him and made his 'suggestion'. So he threw it back. At Oikawa's head before grumbling.]

Could have said that before I'd finished...

[But it was a good idea. The more warmth the better for the both of them. So he went and unzipped the sides and opened the bag out to spread across the ground. Once again making sure there were no rocks or jagged edges that could tear the fabric or their skin.]

[grandtrashking]

You coulda asked too y'know, but you can't tell me it's not the smart choice. Or is Iwa-chan already growing out of sleeping next to me like we've done since we were kids?

[And then he smirks, while scratching Aoi on the top of his head and giving Taiyō a gentle head pat while he puts the blanket over his arm and brushes any rocks and pebbles away from the edges of the bags before spreading the blanket out on top of the sleeping bag. Fortunately it was large enough they both could wrap up into it like a burrito.]

Y'think it'll be warm enough in here, even with those three watching out for us? Along with me keeping you warm?

[toughlovin]

[Alright, sure, he could have asked. But so far they'd stuck to their sleeping bags so was it any wonder he just assumed the same thing.

He rolled his eyes and finished getting everything ready for them to sleep.]

Should be enough. Stop making it weird, Crappykawa. But yeah. Should be enough. You can hug a pokemon if you get cold. Just watch it with Taiyō. [Looking over at his pokemon, he grinned and reached out to pet her under her chin.] She's sticking with me.

[grandtrashking]

I'm not making it weird! It's just a question!

[Tooru huffs and puffs his cheeks out like a child, feigning offence at being told he's making things weird.

No, making things weird would be getting nervous and acting like one of his fangirls whenever they'd given him a confession or talked to him for the first time. He wasn't nervous, in fact it's the opposite.]

Oh I see, you'd let your best friend freeze? How cruel! How MEAN! Well fine, I won't let you have Aoi to cuddle with either.

[toughlovin]

[Iwaizumi hid a smirk by reaching over to 'fluff up' the thin pillow. He probably wouldn't have said things like that if Oikawa didn't react so predicable. He sort of liked it when he got all huffy and bent outta shape. In an odd way he'd always found it cute. Iwaizumi didn't really talk to people the same way he did Oikawa for that reason.

Sometimes it was interesting to get a reaction.

Like now.]

That's fine. I'll just cuddle you.

[grandtrashking]

[There's times Tooru wants to smother his best friend, because of the things he says. Right now is one of them because maybe then it'll stop his hear from skipping a beat, because he wants nothing more than that. And to kiss him but that would ruin their friendship.

So he just gives a teasing smirk as he plops himself down and looks up with his face in a hand that's propped up by his elbow.]

Iwa-chan, are you flirting with me?

[Wishful thinking, but Tooru knows he's not, and that Iwaizumi is just being himself. They've done that ever since he could remember when it's cold. Even when it's not, because both of them are safe to each other, at least Tooru thinks so.]

[toughlovin]

[He wasn't looking, but he could imagine the look on Oikawa's face right then.

So he did the only thing he could do to wipe it away. He picked up the pillow he'd been fluffing and with smoothest of moves, he twisted and brought the pillow down onto the top of his friends head.]

With you? In your dreams.

[Iwaizumi was laughing though, he wasn't nearly as annoyed with the comment as he was with most anything else Oikawa said. Mainly because... it was in his dreams. Oikawa flirted with everyone. The only one he never flirted with was him. Iwaizumi wasn't always sure how he felt about that.

It was fine, really. They were how they were. Bestfriends through and through. They could tease and taunt, but at the end of the day there was no one else he would want at his side than Oikawa. Or keeping him warm in a cold cave in a mysterious world far from home.]

[grandtrashking]

HE--[And then there's a pillow on his face, and the sounds of Iwaizumi laughing. Tooru struggles to get that pillow off and then just huffs before scooting closer to the other boy to steal his warmth.]

Humph! Who'd flirt with your grumpy and grouchy face! Everyone flirts with me because they know I'm nice. You're just mean.

[Of course he means none of that playful insult, the only person Tooru's flirted with for real lately was Iwaizumi. Especially after his ex broke up with him and told him he spends too much time with volleyball, as well as being able to tell his mind was on someone else.

He felt bad for that, of course, but she'd been right after he let himself think more about it.]

[toughlovin]

That's because they don't know you.

[He shot back with a roll of his eyes. Call him grumpy and grouchy? Well fuck you, Oikawa! Maybe he didn't want anyone flirting with him? Maybe he was too damn busy to go screwing around with every girl who fluttered her eyes at him?

Iwaizumi wasn't jealous. Course he wasn't. Why would he ever be jealous of all the people Oikawa took out on dates? That'd be weird of him, right?

He reached over and grabbed his pillow to put it back on his 'bed' and tugged at the blanket to crawl in, only then realising that Oikawa had moved closer to him. He frowned.]

If you're cold just get under the blankets. What're you waiting for? A written invitation?

[grandtrashking]

If you're comparing that to you knowing me, that's not really fair. We grew up together, you know all my embarrassing secrets.

[It's not Tooru's fault he had a reputation and kept up nice appearances as a flirt, it helped keep his thoughts in one places and not distracted by other things. Or people. Especially when he'd seen Iwaizumi get confessions, which made his stomach turn.

He could admit he was jealous, but also kept quiet about it and made a reasonable excuse to why he practiced so hard. Not like it was a lie either, wanting to beat Ushijima and Kageyama.]

No~~ just for you to say so, so I wouldn't be kicked out of any blankets.

[Though that doesn't stop him from getting even closer before the comment. Iwaizumi was safe, comfortable, almost "home" or as close as one would get.]

[toughlovin]

You should remember that next time you piss me off.

[He smirked. Though lets face it, Iwaizumi wasn't the kind to spread rumours. Even if they were true.

He rolled his eyes then, Oikawa getting close like that... If he didn't know better he'd suspect he was getting desperate. With no one else to act flirtatious with he was venting in his direction. It didn't work.

Correction, it had already worked. Iwaizumi had fallen hook, line and sinker. The problem was Oikawa was only messing around with him, he was a tease and a shameless one. Iwaizumi knew his type, and that type wasn't him. He'd made his peace with that a long time ago. It was how he could be so close and not react, how he could be happy to lay in the same 'bed' as the one he cared about without having a meltdown. Because their friendship came first. Oikawa, for all his faults and annoyances, was his bestfriend. And very important to him.

Which is why Iwaizumi brought a hand up behind him, grabbed the back of his head in the palm of his hand, and pushed him down to the blankets with a huff of a laugh.]

Shut up and get in. You need to warm it up for me.

[Is what he said, but he was already pulling the corner of 'his side' of the covers so he could crawl under and start warming up.]

15th March, Azalea after bird chaos like we'd discussed

[grandtrashking]

[So all that bird chaos he took off to help with and told Iwaizumi to help out in town? Tooru's wiped after fighting with a giant Braviary with two others, Romelle and Yuzu. Instead of going back on foot, which would take him almost two weeks to return, Tooru elects to take a warp back to the Azalea Pokémon Center.

Immediately he makes his way back to the inn they've been staying at, pulling a sleeve down from a scratched to hell arm and shoulder. He knows Iwaizumi's going to bark at him for it, but Tooru's fine, just a little banged up. He's good at faking that something doesn't hurt, outside of when he'd sprained something.

Maybe if Iwaizumi's not there, he can take care of it without getting fussed at.]

Iwa-chan? If you're here, I'm back, it took a little longer than I thought... ehe, sorry.

[toughlovin]

[Oikawa was shit outta luck. Iwaizumi had been waiting up for him. Technically he'd been doing this every since Oikawa had left. He'd been getting only a few hours sleep and spending the rest either training his pokemon or keeping an eye out for Oikawa's return.

Right now saw him sat on the window sill looking out at the world below. Or he had been, but at some point his eyes had closed and his head tipped to rest his forehead against the cool glass.

He didn't like that Oikawa had left... But hadn't been able to stop him. Didn't even know the words that could have. All he could do was watch tensely as he walked away. And that tension had remained. Iwaizumi was wound up tight and ready to snap...

Behind him he heard the door to their room open and his head lifted, turning sharply to watch as Oikawa appeared. His heart was pounding so hard Iwaizumi's ears were ringing. There was a near overwhelming urge to run at his friend... but he remained where he was and spoke quietly, laser focused on the man before him.]

What took you so long?

[grandtrashking]

[Of course that's the first thing he'd expect from Iwaizumi, demanding to know what took so long. So he sighs, plasters one of his usual insincere smiles when he's being sneaky about something, and just shrugs while sending out a Purrloin.]

This cat, Kuroo, here, is part of it. The little brat decided to make off with my 'gear for a day after we got the Braviary taken care of.

[Yes, he'd named the mischievous looking purple cat after Nekoma's captain.]

It was also getting late, so I stayed another day and got some useful TMs, including one of Headbutt for you. But enough of that, how'd you do with helping everyone else take a bird down?

[Tooru's just going to ignore the sting from his shoulder as he plops himself down on the bed, keeping his sleeve pulled down and jacket adjusted enough so a scratch didn't show, hoping Iwaizumi wouldn't comment on that.]

[toughlovin]

[Would that smile ever work on Iwaizumi? Had it ever worked? He didn't think so and he wasn't about to let it start now. His eyes narrowed and he barely gave the new pokemon a glance before he was turning to face Oikawa.

He was quiet, just watching him. The way he moved. The way he held himself. The way he deflected... Did Oikawa really think he was stupid? That he could hide anything from him? How long had they known each other? Iwaizumi knew when Oikawa was hurt before even Oikawa knew, half of the time.

The problem was... Iwaizumi truly hated it when Oikawa lied to him and hid things. He understood why he did it. It was just who he was as a person. He didn't want anyone to worry, believed he could shoulder it all himself, didn't think it was that big of a deal. Didn't realise how much it hurt his bestfriend.]

It went fine.

[The reply was curt. Before Iwaizumi could stop himself he was on his feet and walking over to that bed Oikawa had lay down on. He didn't know what he was going to do before he actually did it, and that was to sit himself down on the edge of the bed beside Oikawa... and reached out to grab his arm.]

[grandtrashking]

[He knew, Tooru knew, better than anyone, he knew Iwaizumi saw right through his deflection and dancing around everything. No matter how often he did so, no matter how often he brushed it all aside to do all the hard things himself and bottle it all up to keep a respectable face for the team and at school; no matter what, Iwaizumi saw through his bullshit.

And yet he'd still hide and deflect, a lesson never learned.

Even with the tone that sent chills down Tooru's spine with the response he got from Iwaizumi, but he keeps up that façade and lets his Zorua, Mika, out of her ball as well to go curl up with the Purrloin on the floor. Though that façade drops the moment Iwaizumi grabs his arm, causing him to wince and yelp.]

Careful! Jeez, don't be a brute.

[It's a hopeless wish, but Tooru hopes that Iwaizumi won't be even rougher with him and yank his sleeve up to reveal scratches from bird claws. Or yank his shirt collar to show the same marks on his shoulder. And so, he prepares for the worst.]

[toughlovin]

[That's all it too.

He'd seen the way Oikawa was holding himself, the way he'd dropped onto the bed, there was no mistaking it. And sure, it was a dick move to have just grabbed Oikawa the way he had, but if he'd have asked Iwaizumi would only have been lied to. And deflected. Attempts at distraction. None of which would work because Iwaizumi was already pulling up the sleeve of Oikawa's shirt.

He wasn't rough. Though his expression was one of pissed off concern.]

STOP HIDING WHEN YOU'RE HURT! Dammit, Tooru! STOP! Just let me look!

[Why did he have to fight this? Why couldn't he just have a partner who walked in and was honest with him? The hiding was the worst. It made him feel like shit. Worse than useless.

And that, of course, made him angry. And that's why he yelled at Oikawa. Really yelled at him, even as his hands pulling up the sleeve were as gentle as he could make them. Angry as he was, he didn't actually want to hurt his bestfriend.]

A possibility of CW for minor injury, just to be safe

[grandtrashking]

[Well. Shit. He'd expected that, prepared for it, but hearing Iwaizumi yell his first name still made him flinch. It was just enough of a flinch to drop his guard and have that sleeve pulled up before he could yank his arm back and spit something back, but even the sleeve pulled up has him wince.

The scratches could have been worse, but they did need patching up. Fortunately no stitches were necessary, he'd been smart enough to see to a nearby nurse and wave off with a smile that he'd handle things back "home" after being told he'll be alright.

But that didn't mean each claw mark didn't hurt, it still hurt like hell.]

Iwa-- HAJIME. It's NOT as bad as it looks, calm down! It's not like I need stitches, I just need to clean them off and dress them. I'm FINE. I wasn't gonna tell you because you'd yell at me for it more than you are now!!

Don't tell me you forgot when I sprained my ankle at the beginning of the school year, yelling at me because I got hurt. At least I didn't sprain my knee like everyone was worried about, even if I landed on hard on it.

[Though that was also due to over-practicing, but still. He'd been yelled at for overdoing things.

But then there's an irritated grumbling, incoherent as he does manage to rip his arm away, only to remove his jacket and shirt, knowing he'd be yelled at to do that anyway.

Scratch marks up and down his arm, and a couple on his shoulder from when he was chased down. They look worse than they are, but still enough to need taking care of.]

[toughlovin]

[Oh no he wasn't. Oikawa thought he could yell back at him? If it wasn't for the fact his friend was already hurt he'd have knocked him on his ass for that.]

TOORU! Just because you don't need stitches doesn't mean it's not fucking bad, you idiot! What if you got an infection? I yell at you when you hide dumb shit from me!

[Because no, while he might have yelled at Oikawa for not being more careful, his yelling would not have been nearly as shaky or as loud knowing that Oikawa would have hidden this all from him. There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach Iwaizumi was trying hard to ignore.

And then the jacket and shirt were removed and he was able to see what was going on.]

I always yell at you. But it only hurts when you hide this stuff.

[Oikawa was muttering, Iwaizumi was glaring, and since he couldn't physically hit him he decided to go for the low blow. Then he pushed away from the bed to retrieve the first aid kit from his bag so he could return and clean those wounds up. But only after a pit stop at the bathroom for a small bowl of warm water.]

[grandtrashking]

[And there's the cringe and being shut up for yelling, preparing to get whacked for worrying Iwaizumi with his recklessness. But that didn't come, much to his surprise. Which also gave him one last burst of courage against Iwaizumi.]

Yeah well I was GONNA take CARE of it, I just didn't want you to worry so much. It wouldn't get infected, I'm smart enough to know how to clean up scrapes!

[Then there's a heavy sigh, all that fighting energy going out the window as soon as he hears the next words, slamming into his chest with guilt. Words were Tooru's weapons, fists were Iwaizumi's, but they both were equally capable of weaponizing the other where needed.

And right now, Iwaizumi was using words as a weapon, which had more of an effect on Tooru in that moment. Effective enough that he doesn't even have a comeback to what's said other than huffing and turning his head away like a child while adjusting onto his right side so that his left was exposed. He'd sit up only when told, refusing to look towards the bathroom. Pouting and feeling like shit.]

[toughlovin]

[WHEN? When would he take care of it? When he got away from Iwaizumi? If there was anything that screamed Oikawa didn't trust him it was those words. And yes, it hurt. Because Oikawa didn't even realise that was what he was saying. In that idiot head of his he'd twisted it to make it seem like he had Iwaizumi's best interests at heart. Didn't want him to worry. Except by hiding it and lying, it only made him worry more... And worse, it made him doubt.

So he was quiet when he returned to Oikawa's side. He sat on the left side of the bed, his jaw clenched to keep him from saying something else he knew he would regret.

After getting Oikawa to sit up he then he just bent to cleaning Oikawa's wounds. First with the water, making sure there was nothing imbedded in the cuts and grazes. After dabbing it all dry he applied antiseptic. It was going to sting like hell, but Iwaizumi was as gentle and thorough as he could be.]

[grandtrashking]

[Tooru always tried to do things on his own, to lessen the worry he'd cause, though he knew it did just the opposite. He could see it in how his friends reacted and looked at him, especially Iwaizumi, but Tooru was stubborn. Too stubborn, and didn't learn from those things unless it was about the team itself, then he loosened up only a little.

Otherwise, he tried shouldering all of his problems on himself. It's just how he was.

Though he grumbles when sitting up, still not looking at Iwaizumi, knowing his friend well enough that the silence was dangerous. He'd learned that lesson long enough ago not to poke the bear. An apology right now might just get him snapped at, better to wait until everything's taken care of.

Until the antiseptic is applied, then he whines. Loudly.]

OW, THAT HURTS-- Iwa-chan be careful!!

[toughlovin]

Don't be a baby! Maybe next time you'll be more careful?

[He didn't mean to dab a little harder as he said that, but the next time he'd gentled again, calmed after Oikawa has scared the hell out of him by shouting. Iwaizumi's heart was thumping but he was glad he hadn't actually jumped out of his skin.

Then he went back to being quiet.

Once he was sure all the areas were covered, he began wrapping them up. Some needed gauze and bandages to keep them protected, some of the smaller cuts only required a band-aid. In the end most of Oikawa's arm and shoulder ended up wrapped up. But Iwaizumi was good at what he did since he'd taken a few first aid training courses to better help with any injuries his team sustained. He just hadn't imagined those injuries would be made by an angry bird.]