Chapter Text
It's not that Asahi didn't know.
It was always been a fact that Asahi was huge with his 184 cm muscular form,
He'd also knew that Noya is the least tall of all, proudly standing with his somewhat 160cm stature.
Their heights, like any of their team mate's were always been a fact, lying dormant in the depth of his mind. Like any other common knowledge. A fact.
But standing side by side before the begining of a match was when Asahi started to really notice,
Nishinoya was really small.
The top of his spiky hair was hardly reaching the top of Asahi's left shoulder.
Asahi wondered if in another world where his heart was made of something sturdier than glass, Noya's height combined with his would be a formula of a perfect cuddles. Imagine those soft looking cheeks squeezed on his chest!
But, with his height, the top of his head wouldn't even be reaching his goatee, so... Asahi would have to slouch further to tuck Noya's head under his chin.
Not that he minds, if he's being honest.
Or..in a less ideal world, a perfect recipe for a child predator-child victim couple, thought the ace grimly. His anxiety once again clouded his thoughts, making all colour drained from his face and his palms all sweaty.
Speaking of palms,
I wonder how small his hands compared to mine.. Asahi pondered, observing the lines on his gigantic palm (Suga once mentioned that volleyball looked like the size of an orange in his hands, which he knew was wrong, per se,- but it's still sent his mind spiralling, were they really? but maybe that's just Suga being his exaggerating self. Maybe.)
And all that pondering, leads to fantasizing, leads to want.
The ace couldn't stop staring over the tiny libero during their match, throwing a side glance every now and then each time he was rotated to the back, once again side by side with Noya, and everytime they practice serve and receive together. And everytime he's sitting on the sidelines,resting. And everytime,-
"You know, you've been eyeing Noya so much lately," Suga interrupted his train of thoughts, giving him a knowing look.
Of course Suga of all people would notice (and torments Asahi with all his sugary sadism, Asahi wouldn't hear the end of it)
So Asahi pouted, took a deep breath, buying himself some time while thinking his retort, (even though he's pretty sure that his breathing technique didn't stop his face from blushing rosy hue)
Steadying himself, he answered, "I'm not," Asahi's almost proud he didn't stutter, "I was just...thinking that there's something strange with his t-shirt, is all," lame, lame lies, but he'll take whatever his brain could muster at the moment.
"uh-huh.. sure you are, Asahi" Suga still wearing his all knowing grin, "though I'm pretty sure that half of the team notice too. You know, yesterday, Tanaka asked me if you two fight again or something."
"He,- he did?" Asahi asked in an undignified high pitched whisper-scream.
"So you admit that you've been staring" Suga pointed out, mirth glazing over his face.
The ace buried his face in his towels, he's been caught, how embarassing! if there's a hole he wanted to be buried in it. (If his cheeks were previously pink, he's sure that they were crimson right now)
To his dismay, the silver haired vice-captain laughed, "Yeah, don't worry. The libero himself didn't notice tho."
A familiar slap on the back startled Asahi, forcing a yelp out of him, "For someone with such a heightened instinct on the court, Nishinoya is such a thick headed person when it comes to other people." Daichi commented, joining their little conversation.
"Thicker than a concrete wall," Suga nodded, affirming the captain.
Asahi groaned as he buried himself deeper to the towel, as far as he could at that point.
"Asahii.. " Suga whined like a frustated child, "You know that you can tell us anything right? clearly there's something bothering you about Nishinoya."
The ace just curled in around himself to that, "It's just.. It's nothing really, I,- It's just,- It's stupid, i can not tell you guys."
Asahi groaned to the towel, hoping that it could hide his hopeless blush. Why is something so mundane like this sounds so humiliating when put into words?
Daichi furrowed his brows, "Well, it clearly is not 'nothing' if it bothers you enough that you messed up two-thirds of your jump serves during your one-on-one practice with Nishinoya."
The ace flinched, somehow managed to wore a kicked-puppy-face, which was ironic considering his misleading manly appearance. Daichi lets out an exasperated sigh.
"Look, Asahi, we're just looking out for you. If there's something bothering you that much that it's hindering your performance, i'm sure it's worth to be shared." Daichi patted his shoulder, "We're just concerned, Asahi."
Suga faked cough, "And curious"
"And curious, of course." Daichi smirked.
The captain-vice captain duo once again pestered the ace.
The ace sighed deeply, once again eyeing the little libero on the court, who currently spiking playfully with Tanaka. God, why is the action of spiking that Asahi's been doing since middle school looked so cute when it's done by Nishinoya? Unacceptable. "I... promise you won't laugh and i'll tell you"
Daichi nodded solemnly, Suga made a crossing motion over his heart with his finger,
"SpillAsahi, we promise we won't laugh."
Okay, here it comes, "Um.. well, i've been thinking that, uh.." the ace looked down, one hand clutching on his towel, the other one scratching on his nape, a nervous tick.
Suga and Daichi leaned closer, eyes wide open, bodies tensing with anticipation, waiting. "Lately, I've been thinking that.. Nishinoya,- well, it's not that i didn't know, i mean, everyone knows, obviously,- I mean," Asahi cleared his throat, "Lately, i've been noticing.. just,- how small Nishinoya Is."
Daichi and Suga tilted their heads simultaneously, glaring question marks floating on their face. Oh God, they don't understand, he'd have to explain
"And.." Asahi trailed off, "and I'm just,- I don't know, i think it's kh,- kinda," Asahi once again buried his face in his towel. "Cute." He breathed out the word, cheeks blazing to the impossible level of redness.
A moment of silence passed, before they broke. Suga hid his mouth with his hand, body obviously shaking. Daichi was not any better, with his face contorted so hard to hid his smile.
... so much for their promise.
"aww.. Asahi.. " Cooed Suga, before he anchored himself on Daichi's shoulder, "my baby Asahi is all grown up now." he faked wiping his imaginary tears.
Daichi hid his laughter with a series of purposeful coughs, "and that's bothering you because..?"
"Because.. i've been thinking about.. you know, how he's pretty small in general, but he's minuscule compared to me.. I mean, I know that I'm bigger than average high school student, but, it's just.." Asahi took a deep breath, looking down at the clenched back of his palm. "I wonder how small his hands are compared to mine" He concludes lamely, which, to be honest it's not just his hands, more like his everything.
Suga guffawed at that, sputtering something along the line of "I can't, I can't with him, Daichi!" and sauntered out of the gym hall, leaving Asahi alone with his scary looking captain that now stand eeriely silent.
when Daichi's face darkens, Asahi knew something scary was about to happen.
"Asahi.."
A yelp, "Yes Daichi.. -san?"
A heavy hand on his shoulder, making Asahi jumped.
"Asahi... If your horny man-bun can not control yourself and hurt our one and only libero, you shall face the consequences." Daichi warned him with his serious captain face.
"WHA!-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU IMPLYING, DAICHI-SAN?!"