- You can do this! Common! – Nishinoya’s voice echoed through the room and the whole house.
Asahi was grateful for the encouragement but letting Noya to see him like this still made him uncomfortable.
It wasn’t the libero’s fault. He was nice, and kind, he never pushed Asahi for things that weren’t for his own benefit.
It’s just... Asahi felt like a damaged goods. Especially now, when just standing up put him in this state. He was gasping for air, the perspire already forming on his forehead as he tried to stand on his thin and wobbly legs. That’s what months of lying in a bed does to someone.
Nishinoya was standing right next to him, Mino just a step behind, and Kou with their mom at the door, all ready to jump to him and help if needed. For sure their wives and the kids would have been here too if they wouldn’t fly back to their homes a few days ago.
Asahi couldn’t help himself but feel like a performer in the circus. He knew they are there to help, and because they like him... But still. He hated being the centre of attention.
He made one step, small, barely more than just shifting his weight on a leg before him. His knee wanted to give up. His weight lapsed in the wrong way. But just before three pairs of hand could catch him, he stabilized himself. One more step.
That’s it.
Asahi tried to sit on the bed, but it was more like falling on it without any grace.
Nishinoya let out the breath he didn’t know was holding till now.
- You did it! – he exclaimed happily.
- Nice job, Asa-chan – Mino tapped Asahi’s shoulder with fatherly pride.
This were Asahi’s first steps outside the physiotherapy, on his own.
Nishinoya would swear he saw tears in Mrs.Azumane’s eyes as she went out the room with a happy smile.
Her sons followed short after, taking the wheelchair with them.
Nishinoya was left alone in the room with Asahi.
Today was a special day. Not only because if the older boy’s first steps. Today was the first night Nishinoya will spend at the Azumane house. It was still a wonder to Noya how they parents allowed it. Asahi’s family wasn’t even a question, they acted like Noya belonged to the family the same as Kou’s and Mino’s spouses. But Noya’s parents were still battling with their reactions sometimes, although they were trying really hard. Sometimes too hard. For example, the memories from yesterday will for sure make Noya cringe for an eternity. His dad wanted to give him THE TALK, since he is going to spend the night at the person’s house he is attracted too, only to realise halfway through it that his knowledge does not include relevant things for him. So, he left and half hour later came back with some printed out information that he gave to his mortified son.
Not like anything even close to that information could have happened tonight.
In the last month since he confessed his feelings to Asahi, they spent a lot of time together, but never get to do more than just hold each other’s hands. They did spend a lot of time together, but it was mostly Nishinoya talking about his feelings to Asahi, who was much more held back, mostly just trying to finally believe that it’s not a dream.
- Should I sleep with you in the bed? – Nishinoya blushed a little bit on the thought of their bodies so close.
- Yeah... I mean if you are comfortable... I won’t... You know... Do things to you... I don’t mean it like I don’t want to... Because I would... But not like that... OH MY GOD - Asahi was getting more and more crimson coloured.
- Just stop talking – Noya smiled at him as he sat down on the side of the bed – I know what you mean.
The other one seemed to calm down somewhat as he flashed a shy smile on his underclassman.
This was the first time they were truly alone, not surrendered with the hospital stuffs or the constant supervision from their families, and of course let’s not forget their friends. Noya loved how strong the friendship is between the volleyball players, but come on! It seemed like there was always someone who wanted to visit Asahi and hung out with him. Those times Noya had to watch himself not to sit too close, not to linger his eyes on his upperclassman for too long. Asahi clearly kept his orientation a secret in high school, so it Nishinoya worked extra hard to not accidentally out him.
The libero dreamed about being finally alone almost every day, he had it all planned out... But now his brain was empty. What could he say without being awkward?
At the end it was Asahi who broke the silence.
- How are the things at the team?
Noya looked on him for a second with empty eyes, then managed to get back to reality rather quickly.
- Good, the regionals will be in three weeks as you know... The first years are quite interesting, last year’s success really brought in a lot of talented kids. Ennoshita wants me to spend more time with that freshmen libero, to bring him up to speed... You should come and check us out – he got quite excited from his own ideas.
- I don’t know about that... – Asahi’s whole body tensed up – My volleyball carrier kind of ended already.
- If you don’t want to come, I get that, but you are still part of the team – Noya reached out to grab the other boy’s hand.
- Maybe, we will see – he smiled at the short boy.
- You will finally be back in school on Monday, excited? – Nishinoya leaned back in the bed, with his head turned to Asahi.
They will be classmates from now, since the older couldn’t graduate with his own generation. Most likely Mrs. Azumane had something to do with it too, that her son ended up in Noya’s class so he can help him out with moving around the school, classes, ... But she never admitted it.
- I wouldn’t really use that word... Rather terrified. Everyone will be watching... I will be the student with the wheelchair.
- The wheelchair is cool! – he grinned – But I get what you mean. Don’t worry, it will be just a short time, you are going to be running around in no time.
- Not running, but I will walk...
Nishinoya stopped smiling for a second and reached out to turn Asahi’s face forward himself so he could look in his beautiful chocolate brown eyes.
- You should know I will be there for you through the whole thing, no one can say anything stupid or even look at you funny. You are a fighter, a hero! And they should behave like that. I will be there to make sure they know it!
Asahi felt like he forgot how to breath for a few seconds.
The person he had a crush on for years was there, in his bed, with all of his beauty and the positive energy radiating from him, trying to convince him that he is valuable.
- Are you sure you want that?
Noya wasn’t really sure what the question meant but he knew the answer.
- Of course.
His fingers were still lingering on Asahi’s face, and as he realized this an army of butterflies started dance inside him, and he was sure that even Kou in the next room can hear his heartbeat.
- Noya, you can have anyone – the older guy’s voice was almost pleading – You can choose someone who is way better than me, even a girl, ... Don’t settle for me just to make me feel better.
- Choosing anyone else would be settling, I want this... – Noya kept the eye contact as long as he could, but now he had to avert his eyes.
Even he couldn’t understand what was this sudden shyness coming over him, but before he could analyse it more deeply a hand touched his chin and pulled his face back.
Asahi leaned closer and before he could chicken out, he pressed his lips to Noya’s.
------
The crowd cheered louder as Kageyama set the just a few centimetres above his head. In less than a moment Hinata was high above the net shooting the ball in the left back corner.
Asahi still wasn’t sure what he was doing on that bench. It was their last match in the season, I didn’t really have any weight to it, only the few scouts from the university teams who were hiding between the other spectators. They played against Aoba Johsai. At the beginning of the year, they had some difficulties to get used to the lack of the previous third years, especially the lack of Oikawa and Iwaizumi could be felt, but since that they all grew up to the task and became an awesome team together once more.
If it would have been on Asahi, he would have been definitely sitting next to Suga and Daichi, who came back from their college for the weekend, but the team kind of forced him to put on his old jersey and join them as an honorary member on their last game.
Tanaka just scored a point after one of Nishinoya’s awesome saves when coach Ukai looked at Asahi with a smirk.
- Your turn!
Asahi looked on the older man with shock as he pushed the sign with the number on it, which indicated who he was supposed to substitute, in his hand.
Asahi was mostly healed, that’s true, but an accident like that won’t pass without lasting effects. For him it cost the mobility of his right knee. He still had to wear a knee brace just to support his own weight.
- Don’t look at me like that! You just have to serve, Nishinoya told me you do that sometimes to help him practice. Now go! – with that Ukai pushed him off the bench in the way of the volleyball field – And NO jumping serves!
Asahi looked up on the team ready to excuse himself for messing up their perfect game, but they were already turned to him with big smiles welcoming him.
The crowded cheered for him as he exchanged his place with a first-year spiker and stood next to the base line.
23 – 20, they were leading, but not for a lot. He might make them lose the whole game if he is not good enough!
- Hey! Don’t worry, you got this – Nishinoya looked back at his boyfriend, and that was enough to calm him down.
The ball flew through the air in a slightly curved line. It wasn’t bad, but the other team could receive it easily and made an attack from the backline. Asahi saw it coming in his way, exactly to the open place where he was supposed to get it, if he would be able to dig for the ball.
- Mine!
A small body jumped before him, preventing even the possibility of him trying to get the ball and injure himself while doing that.
Asahi just stood there and admired the perfect form of the libero as he gave the ball to the setter. Tanaka attacked, Kunimi received with some difficulties, Yahaba set it to the middle and Kindaichi hit, but Tsukishima was already there with his incredible height and blocked him.
24-20.
Nishinoya collected the ball which bounced to him.
- One more! – he grinned on Asahi as he gave it to him.
- Thank you for the save – he answered whispering.
- Of course!
The libero gave one last wink to his boyfriend before going back to his own place. He heard the whistle, and although it was so small that anyone who wasn’t already concentrated on Watari would miss it, but Noya would swear he saw the other team’s libero, Watari stirs he realised where the ball is headed, but he held himself back just for a moment before digging for it. He missed for maybe a few centimetres.
The whole hall fell silent and then broke out in the loudest chair of the day.
Asahi did an ace serve and won the game!
The short boy looked around, nobody seemed to notice Watari’s hesitation, only the said player himself winked at Noya when he noticed his gaze on himself.
They both are going to keep it a secret, that was sure. Asahi deserved to win the game.
- You are amazing! The true Ace of the team did an Ace Serve! – Nishinoya turned to the tall guy and embraced him.
The whole team was jumping around them celebrating.
- Thank you – Asahi looked on their coach with happy tears in his eyes.
- It was Hinata’s idea – Ukai answered showing in the way of the short orange haired boy who was watching Asahi with starry eyes – But everyone wanted to get you back a little bit.
A pair of cold, small hands closed Asahi’s eyes from behind.
- Guess who am I!!
The brunette reached up to pull the hand to his lips and kiss into them.
-I don’t know.
- Really? Then you kiss everyone? – Nishinoya laughed as he came from behind him.
After the game Ukai came for Noya in the changing room and took him to talk with someone, so Asahi was sitting before the gym till now waiting for him.
- Only if they look this good – Asahi answered and pulled him down for a kiss.
It didn’t matter how many times they kissed, it still made Nishinoya’s heart explode just like the first one.
- What did they want from you?
- I got invited to a university team in Tokyo – Nishinoya beamed proudly flashing one of his most beautiful smiles.
- That’s awesome! – the taller boy hugged him – YOU are awesome!
- But today’s MVP was still you!
Nishinoya dig his fingers into the brown hair of his boyfriend, it was finally starting to get back some of its length reaching almost to his chin, and it nicely covered the surgical scars on his skull.
- Do you want to celebrate tonight? - Asahi pulled him closer to himself.
- Sure! You know there is that dinner tonight cause of the last match for us and those things... We still have some time till it, and you can change at my place too, you have some clothes...
- Where are you going with this, Yuu? – Asahi laughed out loud at the obvious plotting.
- Fine – Nishinoya leaned closer to whisper in his ear – My parents took the siblings to some cartoon movie in the cinema, they won’t be home for a few hours...
- Okay, you got me – the older one stood up as quickly as his bad leg let him – What are you waiting for? Let’s go!
Nishinoya caught up to him and slipped his hand into his.
- I love you!
- Me more.
A. N. : thanks for reading the story, sorry if I made you cry and sorry for the wait too! I hope you are not disappointed by the ending!