Chapter Text
Asahi grinned and raced to meet him at the door, “Nishinoya, I’m coming! Don’t bust down my door!”
“Why would I do that when all you’d do is make me replace it?!” His voice, muffled, floated underneath the door, “or Daichi would make me.”
“Don’t doubt that I’d make you replace it all by yourself. With zero help,” a lie, but funny anyway. He swung open the door and immediately was attacked by a feral, wild libero. A narrow forehead-collision missed, Noya’s ‘Jumping Thunder’ sprung higher than usual. Asahi braced for impact and caught him mid-air, with Noya securing himself with his arms around his neck and feet around his hips.
Only at the cost of Asahi’s high bun, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s fine! It was starting to give me a headache anyway,” He untangled the smaller boy and rubbed his neck sheepishly.
“Here, I’ll fix it! Sit down over there!” He yelled. Great, he just got here and is already yelling. Grabbing the things he brought over, he raced to the kitchen counters with everything and returned. “Do you still have your hair tie?”
“It’s on the floor over there,” He pointed, already sitting on the couch. Like an excited puppy, he spotted it, retrieved it, and jumped up on the couch behind his favorite person in the whole wide world.
“And, done,” He tied the loose style off, thoroughly satisfied with the work done.
“Did you braid my hair?”
“Well, yeah. Natsu taught me how!”
“It’s awesome!” Asahi reached back to feel it, then raced to the bathroom to see it.
“Wait for me!” He chased after him, only to be intercepted halfway there as Asahi was already returning. Picking him up with strong hands and arms, he hoisted him up and engulfed him in a hug.
“I love it! And you,” He pecked him on the forehead and set him down.
While cookies baked in the oven, the tree decorating began. Chocolate-caramel-pecan, Nishinoya’s favorite.
Both of them fed off of the other’s chaotic energy, reverberating it only after amplifying it. Fifteen minutes later, the tree dazzled. Embodied in glimmering lights and light red garland, every aspect shone. The ornaments danced brightly on each of the sides, clothing each branch with its own originality.
The tree skirt underneath read: “Fly” just like their fight banner for the volleyball games. After all, it was the original one. When his third year of high school closed, he found himself torn apart by the fact that he was no longer going to be the ace to the best team he could ask for. Of course, his family of crows took notice of this and sent him off with the banner to keep for himself.
Then, he altered and sewed the piece to fit right underneath his Christmas tree. The perfect resting place for haphazardly wrapped gifts with pretty colored bows. It was there to hold them, to protect them until the morning of the 25th.
“Looks like it’s missing something,” The Libero’s face scrunched to the side like it did when he was wondering about something. Really hard.
“Don’t hurt your brain too much, it’s missing the star.”
Oh. Didn’t think of that.
Rustling through the boxes, he shot his hand into the air victoriously. Clutching the star tightly...and then not so much, and then not at all. It soared reverently for a moment and then juggled back into waiting hands.
After the familiar panic head-rush and jump, Asahi nearly suffered from a heart attack. Let's not break everything in this room, shall we? No need for hearts to entirely fall out of chest cavities and spill to the floor.
‘Noya apologized several times, and bobbed up and down, trying to place it on the top. Being a volleyball player, his vertical wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t enough to reach the top of the tall tree. Not even Asahi could reach all the way up there by himself.
“Do you have a ladder anywhere?”
“Well, yeah. But, I have a better idea if you’re up for crazy ones.”
“Oh yeah? Always.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Always.”
“Get up on my shoulders.”