Hello everybody,

this is my first Haikyuu!-fic so i can't wait to hear what you guys think of it ;-)
The fic happens after the third season (so after the first Preliminaries of the spring tournament) and will be completed with all in all nine chapters. I will update every sunday (if real life happens it might turn to every other sunday, but it will be updated!)

The story mainly focuses on Asahi and Nishinoya, but as it's close to canon, the others aren't left behind of course.

Because I'm a non-native I have an awesome Beta to help me with this fic, but I'm still eager to improve and welcome all forms of concrit, so please don't be shy ;-)

I hope you'll enjoy this story!

Chapter 1

"Thank you for the game!"

They bowed deeply, mirroring the movement of the other high school students on the other side of the net.

"This was indeed a successful day," coach Ukai praised from the sidelines, grinning broadly and clapping his hands. "Better be grateful to the Ougiminami's team for coming over just for this practice match, even during the week."

"Thank you!"

They bowed unanimously again in front of the other team before they went forward and shook hands under the net.

"Oh, we have to thank you," Coach Ninomiya replied, patting Ukai on the shoulder, "since our girls' team also has a training game at our place today, we wouldn't have had any chance to train today otherwise."

"Well, if you say so …" Both coaches also shook hands. "Anyway, next time we will visit you."

"I would really appreciate it, especially if it's during the weekend so we could share some sake afterwards."

After the other team had left Karasuno's volleyball team spent several minutes discussing the past afternoon, but despite some criticism, the words of praise outnumbered the negative ones by far and they had good reasons to be in such a good mood. They had won almost every single set.

Of course Ougiminami wasn't one of the strongest teams in their prefecture - Karasuno had already dominated them during the First Preliminaries of the spring tournament in August - but while the crows had been preparing for the championships in Tokyo, Ougiminami had taken the tournament-free time to completely review their strategy and that seemed to pay off. They had become much stronger, although they were still no match for Karasuno.

"That was so cool! Did you see Kageyama, the last ball made a really nice swoosh and it landed right on the line. That's what I call skill."

"I thought it sounded more like a puff," Tanaka interjected with a laugh, sticking his tongue out at the short middle-blocker.

"That was because Hinata only hit the ball with the palm of his hand and not with the whole hand," the Kageyama explained seriously. "It was a fluke, nothing more."

"What the heck?!" Hinata jumped straight at the other. "That was a swoosh and fully on purpose to hit that line! If I don't hit them right, they otherwise feel more like a blop."

"Is this yet another primary school level conversation?" Tsukishima smirked, throwing the remaining balls into the basket.

"Hey, you over there," Daichi interrupted them, "get on with cleaning up, it's already late and we all have school tomorrow."

"Those of you who have a longer way home should go ahead and change," Sugawara agreed, "we will take care of the rest. By that I mean especially you Hinata! It's already dark and you have a long way to go over the hill."

Sugawara swiftly dragged their team's greatest decoy away, who was just trying to get into a fight with Tsukishima.

"Hey, can I go change, too?" Tanaka asked while Yamaguchi and Ennoshita locked Hinata between them and pulled him along, followed by Kinoshita, Narita, and Tsukishima – who didn't live that far away at all. "My sis is visiting today and I …"

"Yeah, go ahead, we're almost done anyway," Daichi approved with a wink.

"Oh Daichi, you're really good-natured today, aren't you?" Asahi took the folded net from his captain and put it over his forearm.

"Oh you know, I thought because you had such a good day today, you can clean up the rest all by yourself."

Laughing, Daichi patted his ace strongly on the shoulder, who was visibly appalled by that statement.

"Don't always take everything I say so seriously, you wimp. You don't even get a joke, do you?"

"Oh, Daichi. Don't make it even harder for the poor guy, he finally had a decent day today." From behind, Sugawara approached, pushing the ball basket in front of him.

"Thanks Suga... I guess."

Mocking each other – with the team's ace having to take in the most – the third-years continued to work quickly. Except for Kageyama and Nishinoya, the others had left to change or had already set off.

Both Mr. Takeda and coach Ukai had left right after the briefing to attend an important counsel of the school's various coaches and club advisers. Maybe they would get a slightly higher budget for the volleyball club for the upcoming new year.

Shimizu and Yachi on the other hand had not managed to move their appointments around to attend the short-term practice match. Mr. Takeda had only received the request last Friday.

But none of the remaining ones were bothered that they were so few; setting up before and cleaning up after a workout was part of the daily routine and almost had something meditative about it.

Today, with most of the team's trouble makers already gone, it also had something pleasantly quiet.

"Did you notice it?" Sugawara whispered to his captain while watching the rest of those present from the corner of his eye. "Nishinoya is unusually quiet."

Daichi just nodded and started collecting the last towels.

"Just leave him be, tomorrow he'll be alright again, you'll see."

Nodding, though not entirely convinced, Sugawara looked around. They were done.

"I'm leaving now as well. See you tomorrow," Kageyama waved at them, leaving without even waiting for an answer. He hadn't even changed and neither of the two third-years knew when he had had the time to fetch his bag.

"Kageyama on the other hand seems quite satisfied," Sugawara said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You think so, Suga? He didn't look that different to me." They headed for the locker room. "Our Asahi, however, was really at his best today if you ask me."

The vice-captain laughed softly: "Yeah, he almost seemed like an ace, right?"

"Too kind Suga." Said ace entered the locker room behind them, a frozen smile on his lips and a small worry crease between his eyes.

"Oh, Asahi, don't always take everything to heart. I was just really impressed by how consistent you were today - and so confident."

Asahi didn't seem entirely convinced by Sugawara's words. He shrugged off his sweaty shirt.

"Why does this sound more like an insult out of your mouth?"

Again, the other two third-years laughed, but were rendered silent when the door opened behind Asahi and their libero came in.

Sugawara and Daichi exchanged a serious look and almost missed how Azumane regarded Nishinoya for a long moment before he nodded reassuringly to himself.

"Hey Nish…"

"Daichi, Suga. Why don't you two get going? You have already changed, and I can lock everything up; I don't have a long way home. See you tomorrow, alright?"

Surprised, the two stared at their ace with big eyes and open mouths. They didn't know what was more unusual. That Asahi had, in fact, interrupted Daichi or that he told them to leave without him.

Mentally they discussed what to do, but came to the conclusion that if Asahi already had set his mind to deal with Nishinoya himself, they should respect that and not unnecessarily doubt his momentum of self-confidence.

"Well, fine with me, here's the key to the front doors, Asahi. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you, Asahi, Nishinoya."

Both libero and ace waved goodbye. Nishinoya without even looking up while taking off his shorts. Asahi with an almost self-assured smile.

"Really don't know which of the two worries me more," Sugawara mused as they left the gym behind.

"Nah, don't stress yourself, Suga. Nishinoya just wasn't at his usual best today, that's it. Tomorrow he is definitely fine again. Asahi, however, concerns me as well. We have to be careful that Mister Arrogant here doesn't become too full of himself. We don't need an Oikawa 2.0. in addition to Kageyama."

They both laughed.

"Luckily Asahi has little in common with Oikawa, so we don't need to worry about that at least. But sometimes I'd wish he'd at least take a leaf from Oikawa's book of confidence," Sugawara thoughtfully admitted. "It's a good thing he has Nishinoya."

"I guess that's why he stayed."

They turned around a corner.

"Since Asahi is such a wimp, he notices quickly when others in the team are struggling with themselves …"

"... And if that one's our Nishinoya, of course it beats up Asahi too," Sugawara finished Daichi's sentence with a sigh. "Especially because Nishinoya is always so strong and confident and knows what to say whenever Asahi has a hard time, I think it's almost worse for Asahi when Nishinoya is feeling down."

Daichi nodded in agreement and slowed down his pace as they reached the crossroad where they would go their separate ways.

"I just wonder if it's really necessary to give Nishinoya a pep-talk. He is not a machine, he sometimes makes mistakes, and he knows that best of all. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."

Sugawara folded his arms and paused.

"You disagree?"

"What? Oh no, no. But I wonder if Asahi noticed something that we missed. After all he wanted to talk with Nishinoya knowing that he'll be alright. He knows Nishinoya's quirks by heart and still he wanted to talk with him, so..."

Shoulder shrugging, Daichi also stopped, but his vice-captain already showed his wide grin again.

"Oh well, I'm probably worried for nothing. Maybe our wimp of an ace will finally grow up and become a real man. "

Laughing slightly, Daichi walked on, waving at Sugawara in goodbye.

"Don't expect the impossible, Suga. I bet by tomorrow, Asahi will be the same wimp as always."

"Just let me dream a little bit."

Not half as confident as mere seconds ago, Asahi took off his gym shoes and stuffed them into his bag together with his other sports clothes.

A few seconds ago, he had believed that he knew exactly what he had to do. But now that he had sent Daichi and Sugawara away and nobody was left besides the thunderhead called Nishinoya, he wasn't so sure after all.

"So that's what I'd call a successful practice match," he said laughing half-heartedly, "and we only had to do a few penalty laps."

Behind him, Nishinoya grumbled something under his breath in agreement .

Asahi's palms started to sweat; he wanted to do this right, didn't want Nishinoya to leave with such a bitter aftertaste. To be totally honest Asahi wasn't good at lifting somebody's spirit – because usually he was the one in need of encouragement – but that was also the reason why he knew how important it was to comfort a team member.

Especially if it was their team's backbone who struggled; especially if it was the very one who hardly ever doubted himself.

"Although I have to admit that Towada-san has improved a lot. His new role as captain seems to suit him; still he's no match against Daichi."

Nishinoya grumbled something barely understandable again, but Asahi didn't mind as he slowly got a feeling for this conversation. He put his shirt on.

"It was only because Ougiminami functioned that well as a team that we were able to try out some really weird stuff."

Carefully, he buttoned up every single button and reflected on the past afternoon.

"My jump serves improved a lot, but the delayed spike still gives me some difficulties. I almost jumped into the net one time, looking as stupid as Hinata."

This time he received no reaction and when he turned around he saw Nishinoya holding his uniform, his head lowered.

It hurt.

It was alright for Nishinoya to be disappointed; he could grow loud, angry, downright scary if he wanted. That was alright, as long as he screamed his anger into the world.

But this...quiet brooding with a bowed head, this didn't fit their libero at all. Yet Asahi knew that kind of behavior almost too well and that was the very reason why he needed to act.

"Hey Nishinoya, it's …"

"Don't say it."

Nishinoya hadn't moved.

"I don't wanna hear it."

It was okay, Nishinoya was hurt, disappointed in himself; that was why he was talking with such an angry voice.

Taking a deep breath Asahi nodded to himself in confirmation, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Come on, Yū, everyone of us has such days some..."

"Shut up, will ya?!"

Nishinoya slapped his hand away.

"You have no idea what's going on!"

Nishinoya spun around and stared him down, crumbling the jersey in his hand.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad, Nishi …"

"Five times!"

The libero almost shoved his outstretched hand in Asahi's face.

"Five times you had to fend off attacks that were intended for me today, because I sucked at my job."

It hurt when Nishinoya looked at him like that.

"Nishinoya, it was just a practice match, and what's so bad about me polishing my defensive sk...?"

"No!"

Asahi took a step back.

"I can't attack or block, I can't even serve. My only damn job is to save the balls, so you can score points. This is my fucking job! That's the only shitty reason for me, the only damn right I have to stand on the field!"

This time Asahi didn't move as Nishinoya took a step towards him.

"If you have to receive a ball because I didn't, because I couldn't cover you, I take away your opportunity to score a point. At that moment I'm nothing but a hindrance, a burden. If I play like today, I lose my purpose and have no right to call myself a..."

"Hold it right there!"

Now Asahi was the one to step forward as he looked down at Nishinoya. His heart was raging, and his fear was towering above him. Fear of those fierce eyes, those hurting words, those shaking fists.

But this time he wouldn't run; this time he would face Nishinoya and stand his ground, just like the other one usually did.

"I never want to hear you say that again, understood?! Not ever again!"

The depths of his own voice surprised Asahi, but even more, it seemed to also impress Nishinoya.

"Let's get this straight; you are the libero, specialist of defense - and you are the best one I know."

Nishinoya tried to interrupt him, but Asahi was just picking up speed.

"But even you make mistakes and even you have bad days and to be totally blunt that reassures me a lot. I never planned on saying it out loud, but you and Kageyama, the two of you are that damn good, it really puts a lot of pressure on us mere mortals."

Nishinoya didn't look at him anymore, but dropped his head. For the first time he didn't try to speak up; maybe Asahi would now be able to reach him.

"By the way, I don't care how many times you mess up and how many mistakes you make. The only thing that matters to me is that you're with me on the court till the end of each single game. I will get twice as many points for each mistake you make; after all, that's my job as the ace. I know you think, because your duty is defense, that you have to deal with it on your own, but only one person can get a point at a time and there are six of us on the court. So, I really don't mind giving that opportunity to somebody else if that means I can cover your back. After all, the most important part of the game is not to have the strongest offense but to keep the ball in the air."

He was breathing heavily, like he had just lost a race against Hinata, but Asahi felt good. He had found the right words – at least most of the time – and he meant everything he had said. They were a team and if one of them weakened, the rest would support the struggling one. It didn't matter if he got that point or another one; the most important thing was that the ball stayed in the game.

For what felt like half an eternity they were both silent and Asahi began to feel stressed about whether he had said something wrong and how he could keep the conversation going.

"You don't get it."

Nishinoya still wasn't looking at him and just shook his head.

"You just don't want to get it."

"What are you talking about, Nishi…"

"I don't want you to defend for me!"

Nishinoya's head rushed upwards and Asahi almost stumbled back.

"I don't need your help! I'm the libero, the guardian deity. I am the one who guards your back, not the other way around. I don't need your help! I don't need you!"

It hurt.

"You're offense, I'm defense! It's not your fucking job to protect me and I don't want you to guard me! Got it?!"

Nishinoya ripped his bag from the cupboard and rushed out of the door, leaving Asahi behind. When he reached out, the other one was long gone.

Asahi's body trembled and his jaw quivered.

He had to calm down; it was fine - Nishinoya was just angry at himself because he was having a bad day. He certainly hadn't meant those words that way. Asahi wasn't good at cheering up other people, so he must have said something wrong to upset Nishinoya even further.

Slowly he pulled his hand back; the very one Noya had slapped away.

"He didn't mean it that way," he whispered into the empty room, but he couldn't stop the tears as they slipped down his cheeks.

"He certainly didn't mean it that way."

He had been running the whole way back home – not that it was such a long way; maybe five minutes.

Today had been a hell of a day.

Somehow his legs hadn't been working properly; his feet had felt heavy like stones and his hands clumsy, like he had carried weights attached to his wrists.

No, it had been anything but a good day.

During the first set he had missed four points simply because he had been too slow, points he could have saved if his body had moved only a little bit faster, responded a little bit better.

Afterwards it had only become worse and he had grown more and more frantic; his usual calmness, which was of great importance for his game, had been gone. During the second-last set he had wanted to ask coach Ukai to not send him back on the court. He had been scared; he didn't want to fail over and over again, leaving holes for his teammates to fill the moment he left the field.

But he hadn't been able to come up with the words he needed. He hadn't even found enough courage for that.

He knew Daichi had noticed it immediately; the captain with the solid defensive, good enough to make up even for a failing libero like him. During the course of the game Daichi had quite subtly expanded his area of defense and had taken the more difficult balls, leaving the simple ones to Nishinoya - but even there he had messed up.

It hadn't just been Daichi. Even Hinata - who handled every second ball with his head or chest - had almost been better than Nishinoya today and that was certainly not due to the first-year's skills.

He had no idea what was going on, why he hadn't been able to simply function.

Furious, Nishinoya hurried into the bathroom and jumped under the freezing jet of water, still completely dressed.

He was the libero, the deity of defense, the backbone of the team. He could not attack, nor block, nor serve. His sad attempts of setting a ball had failed both times he'd actually dared to do so.

Actually, he wondered why Kageyama hadn't said anything about it, hadn't stared at him with that sour glare he often gave Hinata or Tsukishima.

Asahi was wrong, the only superhuman among them was clearly Kageyama. Although they had used this training match to try out new tactics and tricks, their youngest team member had hardly seemed insecure. Nishinoya on the other hand - he angrily hit the shower wall – he had made so many mistakes that he hadn't even been able to count them.

I will get twice as many points for each mistake you make, after all that's my job as the ace.

Surprisingly, they had hardly lost any sets, despite all his mistakes, despite all the tests, and no one, neither the coach, nor Daichi or Kageyama, not even Sugawara or Tsukishima, and certainly not Hinata or Tanaka, none of them had called him out even once. Not once had they looked at him in anger or frustration.

His comrades were awesome.

And Asahi…

Next one, Nishinoya!

Good receive, Nishinoya!

I got this one!

Don't worry about it, Nishinoya!

Nishinoya!

Don't worry, I'm here! I got you! I'm right behind you!

By the way I don't care how many times you mess up and how many mistakes you make. The only thing that matters to me is that you're with me on the court til the end of each single game.

Shaking his head, he turned off the water.

When the hell did Asahi become so awesome?

He realized it now: during the last two sets, when he had barely been able to keep himself from running away, his ace had kept close to him.

Now that Nishinoya reviewed the final scenes in his mind, he could see it very clearly; he'd thought Asahi had covered him five times, but now he realized that it had been way more often. It had been more than five times in the last set alone.

It wasn't Asahi's job - he was offense. He was the damn ace!

Frankly, Asahi wasn't the best when it came to defense, he was not as good as Daichi by far and yet he had been there, especially whenever the captain hadn't been able to do it. Asahi had exceeded himself, partly because Nishinoya had simply sucked today.

I never want to hear you say that again, understood?! Not ever again!

Slowly he nodded. Asahi was right after all!

He was the libero and even though he made mistakes and even though today was his worst day since he had joined the club, he was still a good defender and he was not alone - there were six of them on the court.

So even though Nishinoya didn't like it, even if it was his job to guard the others' backs, he quietly admitted to himself that it was incredibly reassuring to know that he didn't have to carry that burden all alone.

That's my job as the ace.

When the hell did Asahi become so awesome?