Chapter Text
“That one’s mine!!”
Even in the late evening, after countless practice matches, Hinata was still as active and jumpy as a spring.
He was pointing at the futon next to Tanaka, which was, for today, also the one next to Kageyama. And as Yamaguchi had already taken the other side of the dark-haired boy, Hinata settled on stealing Nishinoya’s spot. That bastard.
Nishinoya was about to protest until he looked around, trying to find another spot where the ginger could sleep in. The closest one to the window, right next to Asahi. He thought about it: this was the third year’s last camp, right after their graduation. Was he really going to let Hinata sleep next to the third years? When he could get the chance to spend the last days they had all together right next to them? Hell nah. The spot next to Asahi is now his!
He fake-sighed, trying to look humble and giving. “Fine. You can have it.”
The younger boy showed the biggest smile and raised his hands in joy
“Noya-saaaaan!!!”
He then turned to face his new futon, tossed all his stuff next to it and dove on top of it as if it was a swimming pool, not a barely ten-centimeter-thick mattress. He stretched his arms and legs like a cat and turned his body to lie on his back.
“I have no idea how you can just- do that. Without breaking anything.” He looked to his side to see the ace sitting up, looking down at him.
“Libero magic, I suppose” He said smugly. Asahi let out a small chuckle and put his bag on his lap, going through it like he was searching for something.
“Forgot something at home?” Nishinoya questioned, noticing the ace’s slightly upset face.
“Uh. Yes, I think.” He started, still rummaging through his stuff. “I was sure I brought my hair ties with me, I had like a bag of them!”
He moved to take off the one he was wearing, letting his hair fall to the sides of his face and rest on his back. He showed the tie he was holding to the libero.
“Look, this one’s about to break. You can literally see the elastic under the fabric. God, this is why I triple check my bags before I leave.”
Nishinoya was looking at Asahi with a shocked, almost funny face. Asahi really looked like another person with his hair down. Wow. If it wasn't for the stubble he would look so close to a girl. Well, if it wasn't for- Oh wait. The hair ties. Yes.
“I think i got just the right thing for you, my dear Asahi” he started announcing theatrically.
Getting his backpack, he looked through the smaller pocket and took out one of those small ikea hermetic bags, full of colored hair ties and clips. They were his mom’s, she always had a colorful tie to match with her daily outfit. Her wardrobe looked like a unicorn had just puked in it.
Asahi used to advantage of the contents of that bag on a regular occurrence, whenever he’d stay at Noya’s for the night he’d choose a hair tie that he would use throughout the day and give back after evening practice. It was one of the secret little routines the two had.
“Oh my god” he let out a small laugh again. Noya was glad to hear that his last-minute idea had proven worth it. “Thank you, Noya! Are you sure your mom was fine with you taking these, though?”
Ehmmm.
“I kind of.. didn't ask her.”
“I expected as much.” Asahi said with a smile, taking a few colorful and frilly things out of the bag and putting them on his wrist. “Why on earth did you even take these?”
“Originally, it was if Kiyoko needed one, so she’d have a range to choose from”
“Makes sense.”
It wasn’t a blatant lie. Noya could never. Just,, a half-truth. Sure, Kiyoko needing something to tie her hair with was a secondary reason for him to put the little bag in his backpack. But in his mind, their little “mom’s hair ties routine” was something that wasn't meant to be broken. Thinking about it now, it seemed stupid, but it proved useful, so fuck it.
This was the last couple of days where they could spend the time in their usual ways. No uni or bullet train to Tokyo yet, no facetime just to see each other, no. They would spend these days with the others, having fun, and playing volleyball like they have been for the past months and years.
He placed his backpack back into its place, and laid down onto the mattress, pulling up his extra blanket to stomach length. As he was about to close his eyes, he heard a quiet ‘goodnight’ from his side, turning to look at Asahi, he found the ace already facing the other way.
Putting his foot outside the blanket for a second, he scooted his mattress a few inches closer to Asahi’s. If anyone could see his face, they’d just see a concentrated pout, a face he always made unconsciously.
He then proceeded to tilt his head until it touched the ace’s back.
It might’ve looked odd, but that was just how it was for them. Again, another routine, a little ritual. Noya had kept that position ever since their first sleepover, and it wasn't gonna change now just because they weren't at his house??
It honestly surprised him, how they established these little things without ever talking about them. They had always been on a similar, if not the same, wavelength. It was a source of comfort to both, it seemed. Someone you could just,, find yourself with. Someone so different yet so similar, yet so important.
Mind you, the teasing from Sugawara was endless. Especially for Asahi, the poor guy. Suga had always pressed them a bit for possibly being closer than just friends. He did so for so many members of the club, but Asahi was his best friend, so he got it worse. It wasn't like they confirmed anything, but Noya had never discarded the thought, and he had never heard the ace do so either. He didn't like to dwell on his feelings too much, so he never got to explore any possibilities. Maybe it was better that way. Maybe it was for the best.
But as he listened to Asahi’s controlled and even breathing, he slowly drifted off, and fell asleep.
—
Just to wake up to the last thing he wanted to happen.
All the bits of sleep left in him were fading fast as he heard giggling and snickering from above him, along with phone camera clicks. He barely had the time to wipe his eyes and actually focus on what was going on when he noticed that,, yeah. this is not my mattress i’m layin on.
He quickly looked down at the very red Asahi under him, avoiding Noya’s glance and staring off into his side. Even though the ace was obviously flustered, he didn’t look happy to be in such a predicament. Asahi’s brows were furrowed and his mouth sat in a weird pout that made Noya’s mind race at worrying speeds.
Only then did he actually notice what was going on around the room.
He looked up to see a smug Suga looking down at him with a teasing grin. That expression was screaming “Knew it!” and even though Suga wasn’t talking, both Noya and Asahi knew that they were not gonna hear the end of this.
And it upset Noya. It really did.
Everyone’s giggly and amused faces turned into awkward ones as he stood up and walked to the bathroom without sharing looks or words with anyone.
The door closing behind him muffled the quiet talking of their teammates, and he had time to process everything in peace.
He washed his face, shame now growing in his stomach for letting himself get so close to Asahi knowing something like this could happen. The others were laughing at him. Laughing at them. Why couldn’t everyone just mind their own business. Anger built up in him, not actually directing it towards anyone but himself.
God. He couldn’t even trust himself while asleep.
Wasn’t it enough for his body to be clinging to Asahi for the entirety of the day? For matches? Hell, even at school there wasn’t a moment during breaks when they weren’t together.
He knew what it was. He knew he liked Asahi a lot. Actually, everyone seemed to know about his undying crush except the guy himself.
God. And Asahi looked so upset and embarrassed because of him. What was he thinking? He couldn’t afford to lose the ace’s friendship. He would’ve never forgiven himself. never in a million years.
“It’s too fucking early for feelings” he ended up mumbling to himself, taking a deep breath and walking out of the bathroom where he had been taking refuge in for the past 20 minutes.
Outside, where he had expected to receive a spectacle of mockery, there was only the long haired boy, he was sitting on his futon, changing into another t-shirt, the movement letting Noya catch a glimpse of his back and the details of his spine. Stop it. Get it together for fuck’s sake.
He stood there. Selfishly, he wanted Asahi to turn to face him first. Instead the taller boy simply glanced at him with the corner of his eye and immediately looked back at his hands
“Asahi?” it was quiet, he was truly worried (and almost certain) the guy hated him for embarrassing him, so he wanted to test the waters.
He slowly moved to sit next to him. Alright Noya. Straight to the point.
“Are you mad at me?”
It sounded pitiful. Embarrassing. Like a child who accidentally spilled water on the floor or a dog that scratched the couch too hard.
Noya was trying to be strong, like he always was. Uncaring and bold, but there was no use with Asahi, he saw through him as if he had been glass. And at first, it threw him off, his fears and unpleasant feelings had always been kept at bay, hidden from others and himself, but he learnt to embrace them, and was extremely grateful to Asahi for being a safe shore to land on whenever he felt like exploding.
“No, im not mad, not really.” the libero looked up to face the ace, who kept staring at the floor and fidgeting with his hands. “I just feel,, very exposed.”
“Yeah. You got that right.” Noya whispered with a forced and noticeably fake chuckle. “You seemed ashamed earlier, I guess I shouldn’t have moved my futon closer.” He was really trying to be cheerful, but the thought of him making Asahi feel embarrassed because of his dumb need to be close to him made his stomach ache.
“Noya,” the ace now looked back down to actually meet his eyes. He had the smallest smile forming on his face. It was bittersweet, but it was something. “We both know it would’ve appended no-matter the circumstance. It’s not like this is the first time we end up like that.”
It wasn’t the second time, not even the third time. But sometimes, whenever they slept at one-another’s house and one of the two wasn’t feeling the best, they would end up hugging on the bed and would wake up with Noya completely sprawled on top of Asahi.
They would laugh about it, joke amongst eachother, with a faint but detectable blush on their cheeks. It was sweet. Comfortable intimacy they weren’t scared of, never crossing the boundary between friendship and something more, however, the thought was always there.
“It’s the first time I’ve felt,, weird about it. I don’t like being seen in a vulnerable state by others, you know that. Not even Tanaka ever got to see me like you did.”
In Noya’s head, that counted as a full-blown confession. Being this open with someone? Talking feelings? So early in the morning too? That was a privilege only Asahi had the misfortune to acquire. He felt like a wet puppy, ears down and sad howls.
“I know, and i get it.” the older boy’s smile now seemed genuine, compassionate, not piting. He stood up and the libero followed “I’m so happy to have you by my side, Noya. I would never be ashamed of that.”
And then he smiled. That smile that could effortlessly brighten the entire room. Nishinoya could feel his heartbeat spiking and his face heating up. Asahi wasn’t ashamed, he was happy to have him by his side. The words kept playing in his head uncontrollably, and if he hadn’t know any better, he would’ve jumped up to kiss the man right there and then. The butterflies in his stomach took all the power he had to speak, so he stood there, looking at Asahi as he tied up his long hair with one of the pink frilly hair ties Noya had given to him the night before. He felt proud of that, for some reason.
The ace, noticing the unusual stillness of his libero, turned to him. “Hey, you ready for breakfast? The canteen is about to close, I wouldn’t wanna miss it.”
As if he had been snatched from paradise back down to earth he went, and with a jolt, ran toward his backpack.
“I STILL NEED TO CHANGE!! WAIT FOR ME!!” he yelled, making sure he picked the clean shirt instead of the crusty one he had ruined yesterday while eating ramen. And with that, and the cutest laugh from Asahi when they left the room, heading for the canteen, they were ready to go through another day of playing together, of having fun with other teams, win… and constant teasing.