Note: WHO IS READY FOR THESE CUTIES TO BE ANIMATED!? Me!
This story is based a little way into the future. The third years have left for college and everyone has moved up a year. Please enjoy and much thanks.
Why were all the new first years so ungrateful? Ever since their win at the finals, the school had been flooded with a new breed of player, so excited for the chance to up their skills and make a name for themselves. But they were in for a harsh wake up call. Nishinoya pitied Tsukishima the most (he if had any pity the snarky blonde at all). Daichi had passed him on the role of Captain with a heavy hand and a sigh of relief and while the new second year has stepped up eagerly, he was still just finding his pace with the title. He was getting better though, not that the new first years made it easy.
"You all have to stay after practice and help clean up, those are the rules! That's the way it's always been, deal with it." Yelling over Tsukishima's negative lecture to a group of fleeing first years, Nishinoya squared his shoulders, staring down a pair that were nearly double his size.
"But I have swimming practice to get to now." The larger of the two said, looking at his friend for back up. Glancing at his new captain, Nishinoya was pleased to see Tsukishima was leaving this one to him.
"In that case I think you should focus on swimming then. One sports club for your entire three years. Dedicate yourself to it or else you're just wasting your time and ours."
Grumbling, heavy boy flung his bag over his shoulder and gestured to his group of buddies.
"Fine, swimming it is." Slamming the door behind them as they left, Nishinoya nodded sharply rounding quickly to smile at Tsukishima.
"That's another four down, do we still have too many?" Trimming the fat wasn't such a bad idea in their circumstance. There were so many promising new players, but not all of them were as dedicated or hard working enough. Most just wanted the title of Soaring Crows and cared little for volleyball itself.
"Maybe a little, the first couple of practice games should weed out the rest." Humming as he spoke the tall blonde shook his head, watching his fellow team mates, clearing up and bickering among themselves good naturedly. "We still have a strong team, new blood or not. I miss Asahi height though and Daichi reliability." Coughing to cover his embarrassing, Tsukishima looked down at the grinning Nishinoya, pleased in having caught the captain in a small moment of venerability.
"I'll have to pass that along to Daichi when I see him next." Pushing his glass up on his nose with an air of disdain, Tsukishima hissed.
"That might be sooner then you think." Blinking Nishinoya cocked his head to the side.
"What?"
"Gather round." Ukai's booming tone broke out over the gym as all cleaning ground to a halt and the scattered group scrambled to surrounded their coach.
"So, Ittetsu-sensei is finalising the first round of practices matches for the coming summer break. Remember to thank him when you see him next, he's working really hard on this. Secondly summer break is just around the corner and we have our training camp coming up. I need everyone who is thinking of coming to put their names down. Because if we end up having too many people, we'll have to find somewhere else." Taking a breath Ukai looked to his second and third years. "Now I'm not sure if you're all aware, but the college holidays start this weekend. Lucky college boys get three more weeks off then we do. So expect some extra training with them once they get back. And if they disagree, bug them until they do." Laughing Hinata bounced eagerly up and down on the balls of his feet, glancing at Kageyama as he did.
"I want to practice with Suga-senpai again, maybe he can give you some tips for training up the first years. I wonder how Asahi-senpai is going, he went to college all by himself. At least Daichi and Suga had each other."
Breaking apart the group slowly started heading off home with the promise of a seven am practice, Nishinoya waved Ukai and Yachi off as he started to lock up.
The third years were coming home for the first time since they'd left three months before hand and it would be a bitter sweet reunion. He'd chatted with Daichi and Suga bit online and over the phone, but he'd heard nothing from Asahi, not that Nishinoya could blame him.
The evening of their win at the finals, the boys had been so caught up in the moment, it had been like nothing had matter. They had won and were now completely invincible, which is why they'd kissed. Kissed and in that spilt second everything had changed. They couldn't even blame it on an accident or a slip of the hand. One moment they'd been staring at each other in post victory bliss, the next Nishinoya had his legs wrapped around Asahi's waist as the giant bent down to catch him, taking his lips in an almost bruising kiss. It had doubtless been the most confusing yet perfect moment of Nishinoya's life. The ecstasy of their victorious battle coupled with the perfection of finally getting his teeth into Asahi had been the highlight of his year.
But that had been it. Later once the team had retired to their dorms, the Libero had tried again to engage the ace in a bit of play only to shut down and violently.
"Not now. It can't be now." Blinking in confusion, Nishinoya had scratched the back of his head. Swinging his legs off the balcony, he turned on the stuttering Asahi.
"Why not now? We won. We did it. You guys have your final win, K is-"
"It doesn't matter." Standing up Nishinoya had approached his friend cautiously. Asahi had never sounded this angry before, at least not when it hadn't concerned volleyball.
"Of course it does. Doesn't it?" Letting out a heavy breath, Asahi ran a hand through his hair, loose and damp from a recent shower.
"I can't deal with this right now Nishinoya. It's just not the right time."
Speechless Nishinoya could only shake his head. Reaching out, he grabbed the ace's hands, dwarfing his own as he held him tight.
"Don't be like that Asahi. Now is the perfect time."
"Can you actually think for once!" Tugging his hands away, Asahi went to lean on the balcony railing, looking out on the city below. "I have my exams in two weeks. You have to start thinking about your future Nishinoya, what are you going to do after school? Volleyball will only get you so far." Laughing out loud, the small boy patted his friend on the back.
"See now, you say that but-"
"No Nishinoya, there is no buts. This is real okay?" Sighing, Asahi sniffed, feeling the sting of tears burning his eyes. "I can't deal with this right now." Cocking his head to the side, Nishinoya tried to pull the giant back to face him.
"Can't deal with what right now?" Turning sharply, Asahi gestured to the space between them.
"This! Us! That kiss, these feelings. Whatever it was. I can't deal with it. Not right now. And either can you dammit Nishinoya, you have to start thinking about the future, about real life. Outside of high school, outside of volleyball. We can't..." He stopped, swallowing his tears. "We can do this right now, it's not the right time."
And that had been the end of it. Nishinoya had travelled back with the team the following morning and hadn't say a word. That Monday they bid goodbye to their third years and wished them the best in the coming year, and then they were gone. Asahi was gone and Nishinoya still hadn't heard a word from him. It hurt. It still hurt, even after three months, the scars from his words still felt as fresh as had been since the night of his rejection.
Nishinoya couldn't blame Asahi, not really. How could he? A hard working and valiant student with the world at his feet, how could he be expected to date a good for nothing rat bag who had no luck in his exams and already had a job lined up at his coach's grocery shop. But still there was nothing Nishinoya could do to ease the pain and his loss. He'd thrown himself into volleyball harder then ever before, even his grades had improved ever so slightly, but even that wasn't enough. He was average in everything but volleyball, what chance did he have in following someone like Asahi to a fancy college in Kyoto? Not a fucking likely one that was for sure.
Slamming the door of the gym shut and securing the lock, Nishinoya pushed away his tears, opting to slap his cheeks lightly before making his way home. Maybe Asahi wouldn't be coming home with the rest of them, maybe he'd stay in his classy college with all his new upper class friends. Maybe he wasn't even playing volleyball any more. Scuffing his shoes on the footpath as he dragged his feet home, the tiny ace looked up at the darkening sky, wishing desperately for the pain in his heart to subside. He still loved Asahi and it hurt him so much to admit it.