Link:
AO3
Rating: General Audiences
Category: M/M
Fandom: Haikyuu!!
Relationship: Oikawa Tooru/Sawamura Daichi
Language: English
Additional Tags: mostly Canon Compliant , Feelings , Friendship , Idiots in Love ,Short One Shot , Fluff and Crack , Do Not Repost Without Permission
Part 1 of a 2 part series — The Space Between the Stalwart Crow and the Prideful Vine
Originally posted at 2020-06-24 Words: 1434 Chapters:1/1
Summary:
Oikawa Tooru approaches Sawamura Daichi before a match.
(A short one-shot which vaguely explores a scenario where Oikawa and Daichi became friends in their early years of high school)
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Of course, Daichi thinks. Of course it’s when Daichi is in the middle of his usual pep talks right before a match is about to start that a certain Seijoh captain decided to approach him and his teammates.
Because Daichi has long found out that Oikawa Tooru is nothing if not stubbornly persistent when he wants to be. It does not surprise him anymore.
The determined fire amongst his teammates, ignited by Daichi and their sensei's words, willing to be put to use, is temporarily blown off by the shock and bewilderment that overtook them when a flash of white and teal enters their field of vision.
“Well, well, if it isn't the pesky crows,” Oikawa greets, his voice light and airy with no deep malice behind it. The perfect balance of sincerity and jest to know he isn't really looking down on them, not really. He probably just wants to ruffle their feathers a little bit, like a predator playing with his prey.
But even with all the dramatics and vanity Oikawa shows most of the time, Daichi knows better nowadays. He’s slowly learning not to be bothered by Oikawa’s pretenses and carefree-sounding words and instead focus on his actions especially when he’s playing on the court. Honestly, it's scary how Daichi spends enough time with this annoying space-loving nerd that he's come to know the hidden intentions behind his lilting tones most of the time.
Daichi can practically feel Kageyama tense beside him as soon as Oikawa steps closer. “Oikawa-san…” he says, practically huffing out his former senpai’s name.
“Ah, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa says, barely even acknowledging Kageyama. “Stop right there. Let the adults do the talking.” Without casting the raven-haired boy a second glance, leaving him to sputter in disbelief, he turns to Daichi. “Sawamura-kun, my favorite captain! It’s been a while.”
Casting an apologetic glance to his team and mouthing an I'll handle this, he walks toward the bothersome setter and tries to ignore his teammates from acting like they’re not planning on eavesdropping on them by making a show of looking in the opposite direction and attempts to disregard the fact that Oikawa just called him his favorite captain as surely just one of his jokes to get under Daichi’s skin.
Daichi sighs. He can already feel a headache forming.
“What do you want, Oikawa?”
“Ouch!” Oikawa dramatically puts a hand to his chest as if Daichi physically injured him. “Is that how you greet a dear old friend, Sa~wa~mu~ra-kun?” he says, playfully enunciating every syllable of his last name.
Daichi raises an eyebrow, unamused, and musters all the exasperation for his friend in a deadpan expression, mouth set in a thin line that’s saying, Get on with it. We don't have all day.
Oikawa seems to get the message and relents a tiny bit by raising his hands in mock surrender. “Geez, Captain-kun, I just wanted to make sure you and your crows are on top of your game—”
“Of course we are!” he interjects, head already throbbing in irritation. Is Oikawa seriously doubting them now?
“—we wouldn't want a repeat of when you received my deadly serve with your handsome face now, would we?”
The instant Oikawa uttered those words, the entire Karasuno volleyball team gives up all illusion of pointedly not listening in on their conversation in exchange for openly staring at their captain in amazement, wrapping their heads around the sheer fact that Daichi played volleyball against Oikawa Tooru, of all people , before and actually getting his face smacked in the process. For the first and second years, it was unheard of, for their reliable captain simply does not receive a ball clumsily through his face. For his fellow third-years, they merely come to a silent agreement that they will pry the truth out of Daichi once the match is over.
“That was one – one! – time, Oikawa, and you know it!” he puffs in embarrassment, heat rushing to his cheeks, completely failing to notice that Oikawa just called him handsome as he recalls the time they had a private one-on-one when they were still impressionable first-years, where he convinced a young much more prideful Oikawa to practice his jump serves on him so that he, on the other hand, can improve his receives. Daichi remembers well the awe he felt when he saw Oikawa jump serve for the first time, marvels at his technique and power, and realizes a little too late that the ball is sailing towards him. Instinct to catch the ball at all costs took over a second later, propelling him forward just a tad bit more than needed, which ended up with the ball mercilessly and painfully colliding with his poor face. If the ball ended up any lower, Daichi suspects it would've definitely knocked a few of his teeth loose. And Oikawa, the cause of his misery, did not help him at all. Not right away, no. He had the nerve to laugh at Daichi’s pain with no reservations whatsoever, eyes sparkling and smile so gleeful with a laughter so earnestly happy and free that it’s one of the most beautiful things Daichi has ever witnessed. Eventually, Oikawa calmed down enough to help Daichi up and walk with him on the way to the Sawamura residence, making sure they've put an ice pack to his already bruising face before leaving with a promise of Let’s play again next time, okay?
Oikawa, taking notice of Daichi's flustered expression at remembering such an embarrassing memory – eyes pinched closed and mouth set in an adorable pout – unconsciously lets out a genuine chuckle into his hands at realization that he is the reason for the usually calm and collected Karasuno captain looks like this. Adorable and precious and oh-so-beautifully endearing.
Deciding that this moment has gone on long enough, Daichi, after finally regaining his composure and understanding that Oikawa only means well, gently swats the setter's arm and says, “We'll be fine, Oikawa, don't you worry. I'm not the dumbstruck first-year Sawamura Daichi anymore.”
“Ha?! Who said I was worried?” Oikawa squawks incredulously because he isn’t . He does not worry every time he watches the strong foundation of Karasuno effortlessly unrestrainedly moves his body in a dashing receive, eyes fully locked-on the ball. He does not worry if one day it will not only be Daichi's face injured but maybe something much worse, something that might end up fundamentally broken . No, he does not worry at all. He does not.
Because he is not looking at Oikawa Tooru of frequent reckless abandon but at Sawamura Daichi of constant strong fortitude and of resolute spirit.
“Good. Because we're going to come at you with everything we've got.”
Oikawa scoffs and gives Daichi a firm pat on the shoulder. “Don't lose to anyone but us, got it?” he says, deep and serious. The playful mirth in his eyes completely gone.
“We won't,” Daichi says simply, along with an amused laughter at Oikawa's attempt to intimidate him. He has long gotten used to it. “We won't lose to you guys either.”
Oikawa grins at him wickedly. Daichi returns it with a lethal smile of his own, adrenaline pumping in his veins.
And it's nice. This thing he has with Oikawa. The excitement sparking throughout his nerves. The feeling of facing someone who sees and acknowledges him as an equal. It's refreshing and amazing and nice.
It's nice. Oikawa's nice. Sometimes.
But it’s Oikawa he’s talking about here and not even a second later has passed that Daichi immediately eats his own words when Oikawa decides to embarrass Daichi again by exaggeratedly blowing him a kiss and gleefully crying out, “Good luck, Dai~chi~! I'll be rooting for you~!!” as he waltzes away, getting the last laugh as he usually does, that jerk. Never mind the effect that ridiculous spectacle has on Daichi's heart, threatening to beat loudly out his chest, hoping – yearning – for something he can’t quite place.
After calming down his restless heart, Daichi spares a glance at his nosy teammates still a bit shell-shocked and speechless.
A moment of silence reigns over the team after the whirlwind that is Oikawa Tooru and Daichi patiently lets his team process what they’ve witnessed between him and the Seijoh captain in its wake.
Sugawara is the first to break the peace. “Daichi,” he says, accompanied by a smile all sweet and absolutely devious. “You're going to tell us what the heck that was all about, alright?”
He pretends not to hear the light threat in Suga's prompting.
“Later. For now we've got a game to win.”
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Additional Tags: Oikawa being Oikawa, Daichi being in Denial, i tried writing oidai
Notes:
bonus ending: iwaizumi makes a cameo and drags oikawa away before he causes any more trouble lol
i havent caught up with the manga when i wrote this so im sorry if theyre ooc anyways i cant write even if my life depended on it but i really wanna give oidai some love and i fell in love in love with the idea of them being friends even before canon events started. something about oikawa giving most people nicknames but with daichi its just plain sawamura-kun and one could argue that maybe he doesnt care about daichi enough to give him one BUT it got me thinking what if its because he kinda respects daichi in this looking from afar kind of way where he cant really get a read on him so he just settles for sawamura-kun. simple cute and polite, just like daichi. BUT THEN it also got me thinking what if they were closer in canon what nickname would oikawa give to daichi? what if they actually knew each other even before canon events?? and it snowballed from there I JUST THINK OIDAI HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL MAN