Iwaizumi Hajime (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
toughlovin) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
victory_road2022-03-03 03:30 am
toughlovin) wrote in victory_road2022-03-03 03:30 am
Network/Log: Backdated Feb 24th + Catch All For March
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.]
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.]
no subject
[Tooru wanted to snarl back that Iwaizumi worries too much and doesn't trust him enough to take care of himself, but he doesn't. Especially when he's too busy wincing at the sting of antiseptic and being patched up, as well as using his free hand to get stray feathers still stuck in his hair, and a couple of sticks.
He should really sit still while Iwaizumi patched him up, but sitting still would have him undistracted and likelier to get snappy back at Iwaizumi. Being restless was a better option than starting a whole fight with him stomping off who knew where for the rest of the day, which would ultimately make everything worse.
Finally, when Iwaizumi was done, Tooru inhaled then let out a long sigh. One of resignation mixed with irritation, just letting it out because he needed to swallow that "insignificant pride" Ushijima accused him of having, and then spoke. Quietly with no traces of his tenseness and irritation. While keeping his back turned and looking at his patched up left arm.]
Sorry.
[It's just one word, but it's all he really needs to say when it means more than just that, meaning he's sorry for worrying Iwaizumi and letting himself get hurt. For going off so recklessly. For hiding behind a smile and not immediately asking for help. For being so stubborn.]
no subject
Iwaizumi had never been scared like this before. Volleyball had no real danger associated with it. Accidents happened. Mistakes could be made. But actual danger wasn't something he had ever had to think about or worry about.
Now he was.
Now he was looking at every encounter they had had so far and how many ways it could have gone wrong. Oikawa was reckless. For all his smarts he didn't always put himself into the equation. And that was going to be a problem if he kept running off and getting himself hurt.
Iwaizumi didn't say anything as he cleaned up the mess he'd made and then just sat on the edge of the bed, his back to Oikawa, looking down at his hands. There was a smudge of blood on his palm. It wasn't his... It made him feel sick. But he kept it together. Somehow. And behind him Oikawa spoke. Iwaizumi sighed and pushed himself up his feet to go and wash his hands.]
I know.
no subject
You know I wouldn't have let myself get in serious danger, right? That I'm a lot more aware of things than it seems? Aoi wouldn't have, DIDN'T actually, let that happen either. He wouldn't leave my side to go battle when as a bird he'd have a way to fight in the air.
[There's a slight edge to his voice, but it disappears quickly, replaced by a sigh and following Iwaizumi. He's careful not to step on the now sleeping pair of Mika and Kuroo, rolling his eyes at the two dark types.
But then he huffs, smirking just a bit as to lighten the mood and distract Iwaizumi from falling into a spiral of doubting himself that he can sense may be coming.]
Instead of moping, help me get this attempted eagle nest out of my hair, will you? Unless you want baby bird Pokémon to suddenly make a home of my hair, since yours is too spiky!
[He even sticks his tongue out, childishly poking his eyes as he reaches for a comb and tilts his head toward the tub.]
no subject
And he was deliberately not looking at Oikawa.]
Shirt on and get on the bed. I'll brush it out.
[No need to hang over the tub, he'd just bring a towel through to catch any bits. Iwaizumi looked over then and raised a brow.]
Unless you're getting in the tub?
no subject
[There's a playful glint in his eyes, keeping up with his distraction attempts and being as light-hearted as he can despite him being the cause of Iwaizumi's doubts at the moment. This is the least he can do at the moment.]
As long as you don't try to drown me, you can mess up my hair as much as you want to.
[Rare, that he was allowing for anyone to mess up his hair like that, even rarer that he offered. But he knows it's a situation where it's better to loosen up than be wound up.]
no subject
No promises on the drowning. But I'll help.
[Making himself useful was best for someone like Iwaizumi. Sitting around waiting for something to happen was maddening. He'd been on edge ever since Oikawa had left his side. And now that he was back, Iwaizumi actually didn't want to separate from him.]
no subject
You drown me and you'll suddenly have a lot more Pokémon on your hands, and try explaining to the large bird why his trainer's gone or to the electric cat. Or to Kuroo and Mika out there.
[Tooru grabs for the extendable shower head and turns the water on, waiting for it to heat up, carefully avoiding leaning against his patched up arm as he holds the shower head out for Iwaizumi with the water spraying against the wall instead of being a jerk and flipping it around to spray his friend.]
Here.
no subject
Taking it he aimed it down into the tub and gestured for Oikawa to lean over the edge of the tub. He'd grabbed the shampoo to keep it within reach after that.]
Who said I wouldn't revive you after?
[He asked then, a little smirk tugging at his lips.]
You piss me off, Oikawa. But I don't actually want you dead.
[He'd be an idiot if that was true. And a hypocrite. With how much he worried about even minor hurts, having Oikawa dying on him was the very last thing Iwaizumi wanted. He wanted to protect his bestfriend, not put him in harms way.
He just wished that Oikawa could realise that and not give him such a hard time.]
no subject
Some days it seems like you do with how much you smack me around.
[He takes a breath, masking it as being prepared for water and dirt to get in his eyes, when in reality he'd been just as scared. Just as worried something terrible would have happened. But at least it was just his arm scratched up and nothing else torn to hell.]
What're you waiting for, the water to be as hot as possible?
no subject
[He deadpanned with a perfectly straight face. Though once Oikawa had actually bent over the tub he couldn't stop a little smirk from appearing on his lips. He was quick to wipe it away, just in case Oikawa looked at him.
Really, he'd just been trying to work out how he was going to do this. It wasn't as if he had extensive experience in washing other people's hair.
Iwaizumi stepped up to Oikawa's side and brought the showerhead over to begin wetting his hair. One hand held the water, the other hand carefully brushed through his best friends hair, dislodging more of those little leaves and things and making sure it was fully wet before he lowered the showerhead.]
Hold this for me.
no subject
[Now he can't help but laugh, despite this being very wishful thinking, yet can't help but be a brat. And boy was it wishful thinking.
If only, if only. But he stomps that out for the moment as he takes the shower head. He gave contented hums with the warm water hitting him as well as his hair getting brushed through. It's relaxing and admittedly he could nap right there, but doesn't.]
I think there's something right at the back by my neck, it's scratchy. I think it's a twig that broke into tiny pieces.
no subject
Hmm... yeah, hold on.
[Iwaizumi brushed his fingers through the hair at the back of Oikawa's neck, picked at the bits of stick and tossed them into the tub until he was pretty sure he'd gotten everything. To be sure he ran his hand along the Oikawa's neck and his hair, trying to see if he could feel anything... But figured if there was anything he missed he'd catch it with the brush later.
Once he was satisfied he reached for the shampoo and applied some to the palm of his hand, rubbed them together and then dropped them into Oikawa's hair. He grinned and took pleasure in messing his hair up getting it all lathered up.]
no subject
[Tooru's eyes flutter closed for a few seconds, not realizing he's thinking out loud, though nothing slips out about his true feelings. It's just that one thing in a very relaxed tone that borders on sleepiness, his hair being played with or messed with just completely relaxing him when he's around people he can drop his guard with.
Especially with Iwaizumi. But he does keep himself awake once a little bit of the shampoo gets in one of his eyes, just a bit grateful that snaps him back to focusing on the present before something embarrassing slipped out.]
no subject
Only when he was satisfied did he pull his fingers three of Oikawa's thick hair and reached for the showerhead again so he could rinse it off.]
Almost done. Think you can stay with me long enough to get the shampoo out?
no subject
[He almost told Iwaizumi not to forget the conditioner, but he'd done that his last shower and knows he doesn't need to use it every time he washes his hair. While not a diva about it, Tooru does care about looking good, hair included.]
'm hungry too, if you have any snacks when we're done.
no subject
But he answered him even as he was reaching for the conditioner.]
I've a few things in the other room. When we're done here you can eat and rest.
[And then he busied himself applying and running the conditioner through his friends hair, doing his best to ensure it covered each strand.]