And All the Prince's Men (haikyu)

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 3

Iwaizumi Hajime is awakened by a rooster crowing by his window. He stretches the kinks out of his back. Sleep had been restful and easy, but his body is sore from lying on the ground.  He would need to get used to it. He slips his tunic back on, tying the sash around his waist and toeing on his shoes. He runs a few fingers through his hair.

He takes a deep breath and steels himself.

Light filters into the Prince's bed chamber through the window. The closed drapes flutter a little in the morning breeze. He picks his way around the carnage to throw the drapes open, letting the sunlight spill through unimpeded.

Iwaizumi takes in the full damage. The book case is toppled over, some of the shelves splintered. Books are strewn across the room, some torn apart, some just bent out of shape. There is a gash in the paint of the wall, and a broken painting at its feet. Shards of glass are littered around it and Iwaizumi immediately sets to pick those up, carefully cupping them in his hand.

He steps out of the room entirely, seeing one of the maids moving through the hall. He waves at her, spilling the shards into one of her sacks to be disposed of.

"It's good to see you, Iwaizumi." She whispers with a smile.

Iwaizumi nods, pursing his lips, "Do you know the Prince's schedule today?"

The maid glances at the closed chamber doors, "He has maths and history lessons today in the library. He'll be having breakfast separately."

Iwaizumi nods with a frown, "Thanks."

She smiles at him, ruffles his hair and steps away to continue her sweeping. Iwaizumi slips back into the bed chambers. He pulls his leggings up, pulls his tunic back down neater, reties his sash before deciding to stop procrastinating.

The Prince is still sleeping in his enormous bed, still cocooned. A small little lump. The word cute comes to Iwaizumi's mind and he shakes it off.

"Prince Tooru?"

He hears a groan from the lump as it shifts in place.

"Prince Tooru," Iwaizumi sighs, reaching his hand out to nudge the royal's shoulder.

The Prince pulls back, never spilling free from his silken prison and lets out a shout, "Don't touch me!"

Iwaizumi freezes. Right. Of course. Servants can't just touch royalty. He should have realized. He brings his hand back down. He wonders if this is it. Any mistake could be it. The King isn't one to stand for them, so why would his son?

"Give me a moment to collect myself." The Prince murmurs from his spot. Not angry, it seems. A bit...distracted, if anything? Iwaizumi says nothing and waits. He watches the lump shift, as the Prince evens out his breathing and after a moment, slowly sits up.

The sheets slip from him then, revealing his thin naked chest and unruly bedhead. Iwaizumi feels inclined to avert his eyes, but the Prince's brown gaze holds him, "What was your name again?"

"Iwaizumi Hajime."

"That's a boring name." The Prince decrees, and Iwaizumi feels his eyebrow twitch, "You need something better."

"I don't thin--"

"Excuse me? Who is the Prince in this room?" The Prince tuts with a teasing smile.

Iwaizumi can't help raising his eyebrows, squinting his eyes.

"Oh wow! I've never seen so many wrinkles on a child! Did I pick an old man?" The Prince jeers.

Iwaizumi glowers, "I'm almost 10!"

"Well, so am I!" The Prince crawls closer, "When's your birthday?"