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Asahi has been on the team for two weeks now. It was a relief to the team, finally having their star Ace back in session. Back on the court, giving the best spikes he could. Asahi's dominating frame and soft presence was unmistakeable, and irreplaceable. In the two weeks he's been back, the team has improved exponentially. But the time frame is annoying. It's an endless barrage of reminders and questions. It's been two weeks.
Nishinoya hasn't said hi yet.
There are so many ways to greet a person. Hinata got an enthusiastic hello, followed by a tackle or a hug, either started by him or the one greeting him. He loved the contact, loved the feel of hands meeting his own. Kageyama gave a brief nod to any greeting, but he appeared to appreciate pats on the shoulder when it accompanied a hello. Sometimes, when he appeared to be in a bad mood, a light hit on the back would knock Kageyama out of his funk. Tanaka was loud, and Nishinoya only ever shouted out "Hey!" to him, before the two would start on their usual antics. They're loud but fun, and Nishinoya enjoys every second.
It was so, so easy to say hello. He would turn to Asahi and smile, and begin to mouth the word when his voice would die in his throat, and he would be so lost. It used to be easier than this, a comfortable sound slipping out of his mouth when he saw Asahi. And the gentle giant would smile.
They don't say hello anymore.
That's not to say they aren't getting along. They talk, Nishinoya in a loud excited voice and Asahi in his deeper, softer rumble. A pat on the back, or a ruffle to the hair and occasionally a long hug because Nishinoya is an excitable touchy person. Asahi doesn't mind. They talk, and their conversations are lively, and the whole team appreciates their ability to come together.
They don't greet each other.
Sometimes in the hallways, Nishinoya gets a wave and a happy nod. He responds with his own enthusiastic wave, often tumbling into a roll right after. When they meet up before volleyball, they mouth "hello" and move on to the exercise. It's simple, a routine that's gotten commonplace. But Nishinoya thinks about all the greetings in the world. Sugawara likes a slow, simple greeting, but he doesn't mind ruffling Nishinoya's hair after a particularly energy charged shout. Daichi doesn't mind energy but prefers a curt greeting packed with emotion rather than a drawn out one. Tsukishima, for all of his grouchiness, likes soft greetings. Luckily for him, Yamaguichi gives soft greetings, a small mewl really, and prefers pats on the head with his greetings. It's all a formula. Everyone has their own greetings.
Asahi used to like softer greetings too. But when Nishinoya would smile and shout, pulling at his arm with a wide smile, well Asahi seemed to like those greetings as well.
Nishinoya wonders if he still does.
It's been two weeks since Asahi has joined the team and Noya wants to give him a proper greeting. So he watches and analyzes, sees how Asahi greets and is greeted by his fellow peers. But it's hard, because Hinata gives loud sweeping greetings and Asahi laughs every time. Sugawara is more reserved in his own waves, but in all it's softness and delicacy there is a feeling of dependability that no one can refuse. Ennoshita gives soft greetings too, but he always follows it up with a strong voice. And every time, Asahi smiles.
So Nishinoya goes home and practices. Wonders when he became so obsessed with hellos. Wonders why in the middle of the game he would wish for Asahi to turn around to him in the middle of the spike. Because the libero is in the back for a reason, and it's not to be looked at. But sometimes, he watches Asahi and wishes that Asahi watched him too.
There are many different ways to greet people. Nishinoya tries a loud 'What's up!?' but recoils, because a gentle giant like Asahi wouldn't like that. He shrugs and manages a cool 'hey' before deciding it's too... Tsukishima for him. Which is gross, because he does not want to be related to four eyes, even if it's just by hellos. So he calms down and watches himself in the mirror, mouthing out the word 'hello' like it's the world. He hangs onto the ending before dropping it and finds it ridiculous, thinks Asahi would find it silly too, and tries again. This time the second year lets the word die off in a crisp finish and nods. Short and sweet would suit Asahi nicely. But then he smiles, and says 'hi!' in the mirror and thinks, in an embarrassing moment, that Asahi might even find it cute. But he chirps the word and then drags it out, before switching greetings and nodding through those. He experiments with his hands, remembering ruffling Hinata's hair even though he needs to stretch his arm a little; he remembers patting Kageyama on the back and latching to Tanaka the first few times they talked. He reminiscences, and thinks about Asahi. About how they used to greet each other.
But it's hard. Because Asahi used to take it all. He smiled when Nishinoya would jump at him, screaming hello and latching himself to his arms. Laughed when on the occasion Nishinoya would flush, his face bright red and when the younger boy buried his face in Asahi's arm, muttering a small greeting. He gave him a pat on the head when he said it slowly and ruffled his hair when he seems particularly energetic. And Asahi would greet back, always prompting a "how are you" because he liked listening to Nishinoya. Liked watching his face lit up when something good happened, or lending a helping hand on those occasional bad days where Nishinoya doesn't want to get out of bed. Sometimes, when the day is just neutral, Asahi would treat him to ice pops and the day would brighten up so much. And every conversation was prompted with a "hello" or a "hi" or even a "Sup?" and every time, Asahi would respond with his bright smile.
So Nishinoya finds a balance right before bed. Imagines Asahi besides him and flushes for a reason he doesn't know, imagines the crisp line of the uniform and Asahi's broad shoulders. Thinks hard about the gentle smile on his face, and the way his eyes lit up when spotting Nishinoya. His cheeks redden at the thought, but he pulls himself together. Looks straight in the mirror and says "hello". The first part is slower, but then the word drags just so slightly before dropping off. Short enough to appeal to most, but long enough to be considered acceptable. He practices a few time, mouthing the word in bed and imagining Asahi's smile and response. He forms an "O" shape with his lips and thinks, muttering the word and wondering when he'd be able to use his new technique.
The next morning is bright, sunlight dipping into Nishinoya's room as he yawns. Moves from the blankets covering his body and strips the pajamas. Looks into the mirror and splashes his face with water before remembering. And then, he looks in the mirror, to himself, and whispers the word. It's shorter than yesterday, more crisp and fresh, and lighter. He thinks he likes it this way. He thinks Asahi would too.
Then he's off. Walking to school and wondering when he can test out his new skill. He mouths it again and again, saying it softly under his breath and wondering how he can jam-pack more emotion into it; then he's wondering if he even should. He's too busy muttering to himself to realize that he's walked in a route that he's recorded to memory, and it's not to his first class. Steady hands, large warm hands, grasp his shoulders and when he realizes that he's stopped moving, he looks up to see well-formed muscles on a broad chest. He looks up further and involuntary has a sharp intake of breath at the sight of Asahi. Behind him is Daichi and Sugawara, and he's about to ask them why they're all at gymnasium 2 when he shakes his head. He looks at Asahi, remembers the short, crisp new way to greet him and breathes. Asahi smiles and opens his mouth, but Nishinoya is faster because it's been two weeks and he wants to be able to greet the team ace. So he opens his mouth and forces the word out.
"I love you"
There's a stunned silence and Nishinoya doesn't realize why. The voice is soft and shaky and high, sounding too much like a fragile child. He looks at the three of them, and sees Daichi's shocked face and Sugawara's encouraging satisfied one. He turns to Asahi and sees the fragile "glass heart" of the team turn red, bright red that sweeps from ear to ear. And then it hits him. The shaky voice, the way they are reacting. He...he just...
Nishinoya Yuu does NOT give random confessions early in the morning in front of an audience. But oh god, he just did and now his face is heating up, a dusting of pink on his cheeks that slowly turn red. Mortification, he realizes, when Asahi doesn't respond and settles for staring at the two year. Sugawara nods and grabs Daichi, pulling him away from the scene and suddenly Nishinoya wants to escape, because he didn't mean it. He doesn't want to scare off anyone, and he did and now he just wants to leave because it's obvious Asahi doesn't love him back and it hurts. It hurts in his chest and he tries, he desperately tries to think of the practices, of the ways to greet and be gone but he can't and it hurts. Love isn't supposed to hurt, but it does.
Nishinoya turns and Asahi realizes that he's slow, that Nishinoya is moving, moving away from him and he doesn't want that to happen so he grabs the boy's hand. And Nishinoya whirls around, looking more like a hurricane seconds away from destruction rather than a high schooler. But Asahi sees, he sees the bits of fragility, the bits of self-doubt that seldom come out but exists. He sees and feels guilt, because why didn't he see this earlier? Why didn't he help out Nishinoya earlier? He wonders how he managed to miss such an obvious, important statement. But he did miss it, and it's time to make up for it. So he grasps Nishinoya's hand and pulls him close and musters up all his courage.
"I love you too," and they kiss. It's short, and nothing more than a peck. Nishinoya feels his eyes widen, feels his face burn unbearably hot at the sensation and he risks a glance at Asahi. Asahi's eyes are closed, clenched together as though the kiss was something long and unbearable. And in a way, the shortness is. So Nishinoya pulls away, finds himself staring at Asahi. Stares at the long hair wrapped up in the pony tail, and Nishinoya wants to take it out, wants to run his fingers through the soft strands. Realizes that Asahi is bending slightly, to accommodate for their height difference and laughter bubbles up in his throat. Watches Asahi's pupil dilate at the sight of him, watches Asahi lick his lip ever so slightly and watches his hands twitch, like he wants to pick Nishinoya up and take him away. Eyes the red cheeks and the bob of his adam's apple when he stares at Nishinoya, now to scared to make a move and Nishinoya sighs and leans in.
The second kiss is better. It's all closed mouths and just a mushing of lips, but it's fine. Nishinoya feels himself get on his tip-toes and in the back of his mind he's embarrassed, but Asahi is hot, so hot. He grabs the hair tie and pulls, runs his fingers through the now free hair of Asahi. Feels rather than hears the moan, smirks against the kiss and feels the soft locks. They're softer than he originally thought, but Nishinoya prefers it this way. He feels himself give a gasp when Asahi's hand is suddenly on his hip, pulling him higher and for a brief moment the world spins and he gets lost in the taste, the smell, the sound of Asahi. Asahi, Asahi, Asahi... He's everywhere and Nishinoya could stay with him forever.
He feels Asahi break away first this time, and they both gulp in some very needed oxygen. He knows that his face is bright red, knows that he's never going to be able to forget this moment and strangely enough, doesn't mind. Doesn't mind the fact that he has to get up on tip-toes to kiss Asahi. Doesn't mind that Asahi grabs his hips, covers his body completely like he belongs to Asahi because now he does. And he flushes, because he doesn't understand how he didn't realize after hours of practicing how to say "hello" that he was in love; he is in love with Asahi.
So Nishinoya smiles up at Asahi. Watches the twitch of lips before a soft grin covers Asahi's face, and his eyes pinch together because Asahi's smile is so wide. He stares at the man's eyes, at the gentle light in them that call for love and Nishinoya feels himself falling over and over. But he didn't practice for hours yesterday for nothing. So he mouths it one more time, and it's crisp and short yet long and important and it's perfect. He looks up, looks at Asahi and looks at his smile. Nishinoya breaths in once, twice and then opens his mouth.
"Hello"
It's perfect.