A/N: I don't own Haikyuu! If I did, I would make Asanoya canon. Or maybe they already are but Furudate-sensei is waiting for the perfect moment to tell it to us readers? *crosses fingers*

1.

The first time it happened, it wasn't long after Karasuno had finally got their Ace and their reliable Libero back in the team. It was only a day after the practice match between Karasuno Volleyball Club VS Karasuno Neighborhood Association had ended, resulting in Asahi and Nishinoya's official return. That day the two of them were so pumped up to catch up after a month's absence, that they got the team fired up with them.

But it seems a month's absence would definitely take a toll on one's ability. More precisely, one's accuracy.

They were on a break when it happened. Although he had left the club for a month, Asahi still has great stamina, and he was keen to get his spiking back in shape, so he had asked Suga to help him practice his spiking. The first years (mostly Hinata and Kageyama) were in awe of their senpai's powerful spikes.

But a powerful spike can sometimes be dangerous, especially if it went flying uncontrolled. Especially if it hit someone.

And it hit against Nishinoya's head.

Hard.

"Noya-saaaaaaannn!" Tanaka was the first one to react after everyone inside the gym stopped whatever it was they were doing when they heard the loud slam. When Nishinoya didn't give so much as a twitch after he fell face first to the ground, the whole team quickly gathered around the young man who was now held by a crying Tanaka.

"N-nice kill, Asahi…" said Daichi to which he received a punch on the shoulder by Sugawara.

"This is no time to be joking around, Daichi!" he scolded before turning his attention to Tanaka. "Is he alright, Tanaka?"

"Is he even alive?" murmured Tsukishima.

"I don't think so…" replied Yamaguchi without taking his eyes off the dramatic scene.

"Noooooo! Noya-senpai, don't die!" Hinata cried dramatically while joining Tanaka on the ground next to the unconscious Nishinoya.

Kageyama smacked him on the head, "Of course he won't, dumbass! Now get off him so Shimizu-senpai and Coach can take a look at him" He then pulled Hinata away by the back of his shirt while the smaller man struggled, still reaching for his senpai in tears.

It turns out, Hinata and Tanaka were right to worry themselves to tears because Nishinoya wouldn't wake up.

"Alright, Tanaka! Go carry Nishinoya to the nurse's office, but be careful-" "YES, COACH!" As soon as he was told, Tanaka lifted the limp Libero to his back and started running without looking back.

"I SAID BE CAREFUL!" yelled the Coach, but it went unheard. The only source of comfort for them was Takeda-sensei and Kiyoko quickly running after him so they can make sure that Nishinoya was alright. After a few moments, Ukai broke the silence by assuring everyone that everything will be okay (and no, Nishinoya's not going to die, Hinata!) and ordering them to continue today's practice.

"Alright guys, you heard the Coach! Let's continue practice!" yelled the captain, to which they all, except Tsukishima answered loudly before they resumed their free practice.

"Hey, Daichi…" murmured Sugawara while staring at a lone figure whom he concluded didn't move an inch since Nishinoya was carried away.

"Yeah…" Daichi sweated mimicking Sugawara. When Daichi received a loud 'Yes!' from the team, he and his vice-captain didn't really expect one of the members to answer. They slowly approached their frozen best friend, only to find his face white as sheet.

"Asahi…?"

"I killed him, I killed him, I killed him… oh my God, I killed Nishinoya… I killed him, I killed him, I killed him-" the Ace of Karasuno repeatedly murmured the same sentence over and over again, not hearing Daichi and Sugawara's coax.

"Yep. He's dead."

When he opened his eyes, Nishinoya immediately felt pain on the back of his head.

The brown eyed boy slowly sat up, he placed his hand against the bed he was in to hold himself up while carefully massaging his aching head with his other hand. He vaguely remembers Daichi's loud warning of "Watch out, Nishinoya!", before feeling intense pain on the back of his head. After that he couldn't remember anything.

"Augh, what the hell happened..?" he groaned.

"You got hit by a ball…" His response was so quiet, Nishinoya felt he imagined it. But then he saw a giant figure hiding behind his bed curtain.

"Uwaah! Asahi-san you scared me!"

Hearing Nishinoya's scream, Asahi flinched. "I-I'm sorry Noya!"

"Geez…" The boy grumbled, "what are you doing here anyway? You should be at practice!" he scolded, making the older of the two flinch again.

"Umm… I came to check on you. Then the nurse told me to stay here because she had to run for some errand. She, umm, she said she wouldn't be long, but it's been a while since she left…" Nishinoya raised an eyebrow when he noticed Asahi avoiding his eyes. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the Libero let out a sigh while laying back on the bed, his movements made the older man look at him.

"So you stayed with me to be my bodyguard huh, Asahi-san? My hero~" Despite his pounding head, Nishinoya couldn't help but tease his friend.

"More like your doer…" mumbled Asahi.

"Huh? What was that?" asked Nishinoya with one eye open. "I couldn't hear you from all the way there Asahi-san, come closer!" He could see Asahi biting his lips, his face contemplating if he should even be near Nishinoya right now.

'I've rejected him more than enough,' Asahi thought back on how he had turned his back on Nishinoya of all people, so he moved to open the curtains wider before closing them again and stepping forward to sit on the chair next to the younger man's bed.

"So I got hit by a ball?"

"You got hit by my ball."

"Ah… so that's why you sound so guilty." Asahi flinched for the third time.

"I'm sorry." He stuttered, making Nishinoya laugh.

"Why are you apologizing? It was an accident, Asahi-san, it's not like you intended to hit me, right?" At that, Asahi shook his head hard.

"Never! But… I'm still sorry." Nishinoya felt a tick on his already pounding head.

"Seriously, Asahi-san, if I hear another apology coming out of you…"

"Sor-" "Asahi-san!"

"Yes! Al- alright. I'm sor-" Asahi tensed. "I mean, it's just impulse…" The bearded man looked down, he suddenly find the blanket covering Nishinoya very interesting.

Nishinoya sighed. "Man, I seriously don't know what to do with you." He then gave a small smile. "You and your glass heart..." The boy said, not unkindly. Staring at his kouhai's smile, Asahi felt his face hot. "Well anyway, I think I'm going to sleep again." Normally, Nishinoya would never let an injury keep him from practicing volleyball, but his head was pounding so hard and he felt nauseated. So to avoid coming back to practice only to throw up and getting scolded by Daichi and Coach, he would focus on getting better.

Before he could close his eyes though, Asahi gave him a glass of water and a pill (the nurse had told Asahi to give that to Nishinoya if he'd wake up before the nurse was back) to ease his pain. After he complied, he expected Asahi to stand up and leave, but the bigger man didn't move.

"Asahi-san, you should get back to practice." Asahi shook his head.

"I… I don't want to leave you." Nishinoya frowned in annoyance.

"I may be smaller than you, Asahi-san, but I'm okay if you leave me alone. I'm not a baby you know" Asahi shook his head even harder, not wanting to offend Nishinoya in any way.

"No, no! That's not what I meant!"

"Then what?" Nishinoya sat up again, not tearing his gaze from his senpai's distressed face. "Aha! You're tired aren't you? That's what you get for skipping practice for a month, Asahi-san!" he then crossed him arms while shaking his head with his eyes closed as if thinking. "But you shouldn't skip anymore practice just 'cause you're tired you know, or Daichi-san will have your head."

"That-that's not it either…" The man with the bun murmured, making the boy with the tuft open his eyes and said, "Then what? Well, it's nothing new but…" at Nishinoya's change of tone, Asahi looks up to meet his eyes. The boy sighed before continuing, "why are you being like this, Asahi-san?"

"I thought everything's okay again. I thought we're okay. Are you alright? Are you having doubts about the team again? If so then what can I do to fix it?" Asahi swore he could hear Nishinoya asking those questions in his mind. Before he could stop himself, he grabbed Nishinoya's hands and squeeze them. He could see the boy's expression turned from worry to shock, his eyes wide with a hint of vulnerability.

Nishinoya who is so strong and independent, who is so energized and confident, and who is so sacrificial and reliable. How could a person like Asahi cause the boy so much suffering because of his own weaknesses and cowardice. Asahi doesn't deserve a friend like him.

But yesterday at the practice match Nishinoya had encouraged him again. He had helped him gain the courage he needs to move forward.

"Call out for a toss once more, ace!"

Hinata, Kageyama, Daichi and Suga had helped him realized how much he loved and wanted to play volleyball again. But it was Nishinoya who encouraged him to move, to pick himself up and spike that ball. It was thanks to Nishinoya's save that he could spike Suga's toss again.

Nishinoya has helped him in so many ways, and despite Asahi doesn't deserve any of it, he wanted nothing more than to repay him.

He wanted to be the man capable to support and encourage Nishinoya too.

"Asahi-san…?" Asahi snapped out of his thoughts but he didn't dare tear his eyes away from Nishinoya's gaze. Staring at Nishinoya's eyes, Asahi made a commitment.

"I don't want to leave you again. I will never leave you again."

The older man watched as the younger man's eyes widen in realization. He watched as Nishinoya began to understand why Asahi was so adamant about his refusal to leave him. And he watched as tears began to form in Nishinoya's wide, unblinking eyes.

Asahi felt Nishinoya's hands squeezing his as the latter hid his face in Asahi's chest, lightly knocking his head against it. His could feel his heart breaking when he heard his kouhai sniffed softly, but he stayed quiet.

"Asahi-san" Nishinoya let go of one of Asahi's hand to grip lightly on the latter's shirt, as if holding it can keep him from going anywhere.

"Yes, Noya?"

"Stay with me." Asahi's eyes widen for a moment before he relaxed again. He then put his hand on Nishinoya's back, rubbing it slowly as a sign of comfort while his other hand still holding the boy's.

"Of course."

"Ukai-kun, I'm going to check on Nishinoya-kun again if you don't mind." said the messy haired man.

"Sure, Sensei. Give me an update, yeah?" the blond received a smile and a nod as a response. 'He's smiling, but he's clearly worried about the kid.' thought Ukai as he watched the older man walked away. He was about to focus back on the team when he heard Hinata's loud voice.

"Sensei! Takeda-sensei!" At Hinata's call, Takeda stopped. "Hinata-kun? What's wrong?"

"You want to check on Noya-senpai don't you? Can I come? Please!" Takeda held his up his hands, he was caught off guard when the boy suddenly bowed in front of him. He was about to reply but the captain of the volleyball club beat him to it. "Oi Hinata! We're in the middle of practice!"

Hinata tensed and started to sweat. Kageyama scoffed. "You dumbass."

"Shut up, Kageyama!" He turned to Daichi. "I'm- I'm just worried about Noya-senpai, and… and we're not having a practice match anyway, so…" Hinata mumbled the last part. Daichi seemed annoyed, but he can understand the middle blocker's worry. Takeda-sensei, Tanaka and Kiyoko had told them that according to the nurse, Nishinoya was going to be okay, just that he would be having a hell of a headache when he wakes up. He himself was also wondering why Asahi hasn't come back after seeking his permission to check up on the boy.

"So I can focus on practice more, Daichi! You know I can't calm down without seeing him alright for myself…" Asahi had said about half an hour ago.

"Maa, maa. How about we all see him for a bit?" Takeda looked at Ukai for approval.

The blond gave a sigh while scratching the back of his neck. "Fine. You guys haven't been focusing for the last hour anyway. Maybe seeing your teammate alright can get you back in gear." At that, the team let out a whoop.

When they all reached the nurse's office, Sugawara opened the door. "I'm sure Nishinoya will be happy."

Tsukishima's mind went back to remembering how loud and hard his small senpai has received that blow to the head. "If he's even alive." though he commented quietly, it was still heard by Tanaka.

"What's was that, Tsukishima!?"

"Tsukki…" Yamaguchi sweatdropped.

"Oi, keep it down!" bristled Daichi.

The team crowded at the door only to find a missing nurse and that one curtain was closed while the others remain opened. They all kept themselves quiet, even Hinata. Again, Sugawara was the first person to reach their destination and when he opens the curtain, they were greeted by a surprising sight.

Nishinoya was sleeping on his back with his hand on his stomach while the other was being held in Asahi's. The latter was in a chair, his position slouched against the bed while his free arm was being used to hold his head as a makeshift pillow. He was also sleeping.

"Nice one, Noya-san!" Tanaka grinned while taking a picture on his phone.

"How cool, Noya-senpai!"

"What's so cool about that?"

"Pfft" laughed Yamaguchi.

"Why you, Tsukishima! Yamaguchi!"

"Oi, you're too loud, idiot!"

"They look cute…"

"Kiyoko-san thinks they're cute!?"

"Oi, pipe down!"

"We should really keep it down guys" said Kinoshita.

"Minna-san, we should go back to practice now-"

"But sensei, what about Asahi-san?" Narita asked.

"Well…"

"They're back…"

At Sugawara's comment, everyone went quiet.

"Suga-san?" It wasn't just Sugawara. The first years could see that after realizing the meaning of their vice-captain's words, their senpais have a certain look on their faces; a nostalgic one.

"I remember the expression on their faces a month ago…" The mother hen of the team started again. Daichi nodded.

"Both of them were so angry at themselves, it was downright frustrating."

Tanaka hummed. "I thought Noya-san looked like he wanted to cry."

"We all wanted to cry, really." Ennoshita said.

"Why aren't you berating me!?"

"Don't you DARE give up on the shots I've worked so hard to receive!"

"But to just accept defeat so selfishly... That's something I cannot forgive!"

Staring at the peaceful expression on a sleeping Asahi and Nishinoya, while comparing this scene to the scene that happened a month before… they don't ever want to see them make an expression like that again.

In their quietness, the team seemed to make a mutual agreement in their minds.

"We won't let that happen again." Daichi said with conviction. Around him, his teammates nodded.

They now have their reliable Ace and Libero back.

And they will definitely go to the nationals.

tbc.

(A/N)

So, as you dear readers can see, this is not a normal 5+1 story. This will be a multi-chapter fic with a 5+1 theme, but with other headcanons that I'd like to add, making this a longer fic.

At first I wanted to make a short fic/one-shot, but that seems to be impossible for me because I'm an Asanoya girl. Please bear with me lol

I hope you all will enjoy this story! :))

P.S: sorry for bad grammar

P.S.S: I posted this story on AO3 on April 4th 2017, and seeing as AO3 readers like this story, I hope you readers also come to like it :)

by the way, my Pseuds on AO3 is louandhaz. Cheers!