Bidding his mother good night and snuggling beneath his sheets, Nishinoya jumped as his phone beeped. Searching around beside his bed, he pulled up the message screen and winced at the bright artificial light. A cheerful and slightly ill worded message stared back at him from Sugawara. While some of the words were missing, it wasn't a struggle to read. Chuckling as he realised the likely probability of the boy being drunk, Nishinoya tapped open the message.

Coach is holding 'welcomme to the neighbourhood team;'' party for the returnfing third years. Yall in initved abd shoud come. Is on Friday, please come. Miss you

Smiling at the thought of the slender, silver haired setter drunk, Nishinoya dropped his phone back to the floor with little care. He missed his friends, Sugawara and Daichi especially, but if they were going to be there, Asahi would be as well. Frowning, his face felt home and his cheeks ached from scowling. There would be no way around it and it would be rude if he didn't come. No doubt the whole team would be going. There was really no excuse he could make to avoid it. Rolling over again, Nishinoya stared at the wall until the wallpaper looked fit to start dripping. Sleep would not come easy tonight, not with the burning pit in his stomach aching and his broken heart pining.

The week seemed to fly by, much to Nishinoya's distress. Come Friday and he was almost willing to accompany his parents on their trip away. He decided against it in the end. The team would have his ass if he opted out of this event. It was important to them and he did truly miss his friends.

Walking with a collection of team mates back to their coach's store, Nishinoya shifted the half of the table he shared holding with Hinata. Dragging his feet as anxiety ate at his gut, he was struggling to keep pace with the bouncing redhead.

"I wonder if Asahi has grown any more, has he?" Pulling a face, Nishinoya rubbed his chin on his shoulder, feeling the bite of the heavy table dig into his fingers.

"How should I know." Blinking owlishly, Hinata gestured for them to put the table down and rest their fingers.

"Well you're his best friend right? Was he taller then when he left?" Clearing his throat, Nishinoya spat into the near by gutter, his mouth bitter.

"I haven't seen him since the finals."

"What?" The ginger had never looked so shocked. Another time and another place Nishinoya would have found it funny, but now it just made him angry.

"I haven't seen him, I haven't spoken to him. I don't fucking know. You ask him." Taking a big step back, Hinata put his hands up in surrender.

"Okay, I'm sorry."

"Shorties slacking?" Tapping Nishinoya on the top of his fluffy crow, Tsukishima pointed at the table. "Not far now, don't just leave it on the street." Swiping at him as he passed, Hinata stuck his tongue out at the tall blonde.

"We're just taking a breather." Pushing his glasses up his nose, overloaded plastic bags in hand, the new captain sighed.

"You can take a break at the party, hurry up." Catching Nishinoya's blazing gaze, Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "Or you can just help us settle up. Just move. You're blocking the footpath."

Grumbling as they picked up the table, Hinata hissed at Tsukishima's back as he pushed ahead.

"Stealing tables from the school will get us in trouble won't it?" Ignoring the second year's ramblings, Nishinoya's mind raced as he thought over Tsukishima's words. The crafty second year was more perspective then Nishinoya gave him credit for. It seemed Daichi didn't make him captain for reason.

Reaching the coach's backyard, the pair of short aces pitched their table and help the rest set up. The barbecue rack wires were red, with the coals blazing hot beneath it. Chairs and table were scattered around the yard, as the team settled in around the shade feeling the afternoon sun cooled down. Members of the neighbourhood team soon began trickling in, dishing out high fives and beer with smiles.

Dragging a faded lawn chair under a tree, Nishinoya positioned himself close enough to the gate for a quick escape but close enough to the food so that he wouldn't have to fight for it or miss out.

"What's got you in such a tizz?" Catching the soda Tanaka tossed to him, Nishinoya shrugged.

"I'm just tired. Sick of this shit." Lopping down beside him on the lawn, the lanky third year looked confused.

"Sick of what? The sun?"

"That to." Glaring at the flickering light filtering down through the leaves above him, Nishinoya sighed. "Everything I suppose." Cracking open his can, Tanaka leant back against the tree.

"It's not like you to be so negative, you sick or something?" Sipping the sugary soda, Nishinoya shook his head.

"Nah, just struggling." Watching some eager first years get shut down by some of the older neighbourhood boys, they hid their smile as the firsties looked around for back up.

"You've always got the team yeah? Like we've always got your back." Forcing a smile, Nishinoya's heart jump as the back gate opened.

"I'm thankful. Trailing off as the gate swung open wide, the unique silver of Sugawara's hair had both Tanaka and Nishinoya jumping up and dashing across the lawn to embrace the setter.

Caught up in the moment Nishinoya couldn't help but grin as he jumped up and down on his friend's shoulders, surprised to see he'd grown.

"Suga Suga Suga!" Overwhelmed the small boy fumbled with the varying degrees of affections coming from left, right and centre.

"Hello hello, Daichi is here as well. Mob him." Pointing over his shoulder as the dark haired boy pushed his way through the crowd, Nishinoya tackled the ex captain. Clambering up on his tippy toes, Nishinoya fluffed the stocky boys hair. Noting its new length, Nishinoya laughed.

"Well well college boy, don't they have hairdressers in Tokyo?" Pushing him off, Daichi straightened up, grinning wildly.

"Says you! I haven't show my dad yet though. I'm a little scared to." Cracking up in fits of laughter, Nishinoya felt his mood lighten immediately.

They looked good. And it was only the two of them. Secure in the knowledge that Asahi wasn't with them, Nishinoya relaxed. They were both taller, but then again, everyone looked taller to him. Sugawara was filling out well, but maybe that was all of Daichi's home cooking. The new length of Daichi's hair suited his face as the soft edge of youth began breaking away into the harder ridges of manhood. Nishinoya would have been lying if he said he wasn't jealous. He'd always imagined that one day he'd top the height of his seniors, but as he'd grown that wish was becoming more and more distant. Not that it matter, they both looked happy, more manly and he was overjoyed to see them.

Watching Hinata zip around the pair, squeaking excitedly as the coach teased and bullied them, Nishinoya looked around nervously in case Asahi had appeared in the flurry of excitement. Pleased by the apparent lack of height in the group, he went back to his tree. Sugawara and Daichi would be staying for some time over the summer, he could catch up with them then. In a quieter time, when the team wasn't flooding them attention.

Falling back in his chair, the smile on his face reflected on each and everyone one of his team mate's faces. The ex students had been dearly missed and having them back to train with them for the summer was a real asset. Hands behind his head, Nishinoya grinned as Kageyama compared his height to the still growing Daichi. The click of the gate's lock forced his heart to jump to his throat.

Asahi looked the same as ever. He might have gotten taller, Nishinoya couldn't tell, certainly not from distance at least. Happy cheers came from those gathered as their ace shyly accepted their hugs and well wishes. Choking up Nishinoya suddenly felt faint, how weak. Three months was no where near enough time for him to get over Asahi's blunt words and implication. If he wasn't good enough for Asahi to waste time on then so be it. The Libero was sure to make the feeling mutual.

Catching the eye of the ever frowning Kageyama, the short boy raised an eyebrow in challenge. He was being uncharacteristically reserved, people must have been picking up on it. Had it only been Sugawara and Daichi he would be butting heads with Hinata and Tanaka to hear all about their college adventures. But it felt as though the life had been drained from him, leaving him feeling bitter and cold.

"You just going to sit here the whole night? If you're going to play the maiden all forlorn, you can fuck off home." Cocking his hip against the tree, beer in hand, Ukai stared down Nishinoya's glare. "You're bringing everyone else down. Buck up." Looking away Nishinoya attempted to ignore the interfering coach, but his attempts were foiled as a can was squashed down on his hair. "I don't know what went on with you and Asahi and I don't want to know." Twisting the can down harder until it buckled and crunched. Ukai went on. "But just get over it all ready. There is nothing worse then holding a grudge, especially when it's your best friend." Immediately open his mouth to defend himself, the coach quickly shut him down. "Go be polite, you have manners don't you? Just say hi, hello, supp? Test the waters, maybe you'll forget to be an asshat for a minute and act like a man, not a scorned little girl."

Gritting his teeth at the dose of tough love, Nishinoya refused to acknowledge his coach's words. First Tsukishima, now Ukai, did the whole team suspect something? Or was it just the nosey ones? Tensing to stand, his legs nearly gave way as he stood . Propelled by pure willpower alone he wormed his way through the crowd with his ears were burning and face the same. Not like that was embarrassing. Coming to stand shoulder to shoulder with Hinata, Nishinoya forced his head up, meeting Asahi's eye in a gut wrenching moment.

It was like everything stopped, or maybe he'd gone deaf due to a drop in blood pressure. Asahi looked the same, ever this close. His long elegant nose still had the bend from many a failed dive. His beard might have been a little thicker, his side burns were the same. His soft brown eyes were still kind and large. He was as beautiful as he'd always been. Nishinoya knew he was staring, but he couldn't help not. Not when the world was crumbling down around his ears and the only thing he could see was Asahi.

"Hey." Timid as always the giant smiled at him, a tremble on his lips the only indication of his uncomfortable inner turmoil. "Good to see you."

Lair.

Nishinoya almost said it out loud. But that would have been cruel and uncalled for, and they weren't alone. He didn't want to give Tsukishima and Ukai the privilege of being right. He'd rather die.

"You to." The squeak in his voice was prominent, enough so that Hinata noticed and laughed. Swooping in Tanaka scolded the tittering second year about respecting his elders, only to be laughed at in turn.

The smile on Asahi's face grew, coupled with a flood of relief, he let out a heavy breath. Reaching out for Nishinoya's shoulder, the Libero moved quicker then he'd expected. Taking a huge step back, he was stared down by an intense set of brown eyes, glimmering with rage and something dangerous, Asahi's heart sunk. Three months had not been enough time for the boy to have forgiven him. He shouldn't have been surprised. Three months hadn't been enough for him to calm his nerves on the issue, why would the emotional Nishinoya be any different?

Nodding awkwardly, he straightened his headband and turned to Yamaguchi, enquiring about his serves and how they were coming along.

Now he was just angry. Heart pounding in his ears, Nishinoya stepped back into the crowd, heading straight back to his chair and relative safety. Falling out of the crowd and into the open yard, he frowned as a collection of neighbourhood boys had taken residence in his spot.

"You old enough to drink yet?" Makoto asked innocently, watching the small boy sort through the ice in the ice chest next to the barbecue rack.

"Maybe" Nishinoya said without hesitation. He'd drunk beer before with Tanaka and his sister when she'd been nice enough to buy them a six pack. Her reasoning had been simple enough, keeping an eye on them was better then them getting drunk in a solo, dangerous situations. Apparently it was a philosophy shared by the neighbourhood boys as they ignored his searching and success as he cracked open a can.

The bitter tang of the beer was perfect for calming his seething nerves and gave his hands something to do rather then just clench and unclench. His short nails had already stung, sharp little half moons into his palms and any deeper he'd draw blood. Chugging down the ice cold beverage, he tried to block out the sounds of Asahi chatty, happy tones behind him. It was so distinctive, even after three months he could still pick his voice over the loud crowd of others.

"Keep going like that and you're going to get hammered." Finishing his drink with a loud burp, Nishinoya nodded. Crumpling the can in hand, he tossed it towards the open bin beyond the fence.

"Good" he said carelessly. Cracking open a second can, he suddenly felt guilty. "Put it on the team tab, as approved by captain Tsukishima." Grinning the older boys laughed, watching him drink deeply.

"Sure thing kid, just pace yourself."