He didn't pace himself. At first it was fine. He just sat down and polished off a six pack with the ease of drinking soda. But as the food was dished out and he stood up to join the rush, everything started to sway.
"I should suspend you from club activities" Ittetsu warned him. Waving him off Ukai lit up a smoke, watching the hiccuping Nishinoya with a gleeful sense of superiority.
"There'll be no need for that sensei. He'll be suffering for it tomorrow. Hear the Nishinoya, suffering." Flipping him off as he munch down a hot kebabs, Nishinoya ignored their co-ordinator's fussing.
"Yes but under-age drinking? We have a duty of care to these students."
"Not outside of school we don't." Exhaling a puff of smoke, Ukai glanced towards the carefree team with a smile. But Ittetsu was not so easily convinced.
"It gives the team a bad rep and Nishinoya already has a record. What happens if he gets caught? The vice principle will do anything to get him booted off the volleyball team and out of the school if he could." Shaking his head, the coach beckoned the tipsy Libero over.
"Don't get caught okay? Sensei is worried that you're going to get done by the vice principle. One more and you're done for the night."
Nishinoya was already one step ahead of him. Stomach full of meat and alcohol, his head was swimming and he was beginning to feel ill. Bad move since his heart still hurt and it had done nothing to help him forget Asahi. If anything it had him ever more aware of his pain and now on top of that he had a tummy ache.
"And if you're going to throw up, do it out on the street and away from the shop. Otherwise I'll make you clean it up." Pulling a face, Nishinoya slapped his cheeks.
"I'm not going to be sick. Calm your tits." Laughing at his response, Ukai waved over the happy pair of newly inaugurated neighbourhood association boys.
"Look at this little rebel, he's tanked as. I'm sure you two have a couple of similar stories." Laughing, Daichi caught a slinking Nishinoya as he tried to exit the conversation. Arm around the short boy's shoulder, the ex captain tightened his grip as he felt the boy tried to squirm away.
"A couple. What's wrong with you? You've done nothing but sulk all night." Giving up on his escape attempts, Nishinoya mumbled something about exams and pressure, hoping he'd be left be. Unconvinced, Daichi pushed on regardless. "Since when did you care about grades?"
"Daichi has discovered he can't drink imported vodka, because it makes him scary angry." Changing the subject with a not so subtle interjection, Sugawara grinned gleeful at Daichi's sour expression. "And I," he continued. "Have a limit of four drinks before I become a useless, clingy drunk." Pink flooding his cheeks, Sugawara sighed, his hand snaking behind Daichi's to pull Nishinoya into a one armed hug.
"How's our team been? Not going to lie, I've kind of missed everyone." Pulling a face, Daichi flicked his friend's neck playfully.
"Need a tissue Mama Suga? Missing your brood?" Ignoring the jibe, the silver haired boy back looked expectantly at Nishinoya, awaiting a reply.
It felt good to have them back around. And Sugawara's quick read of the situation had saved a bundle of unhappy confessions. He was good like that. Karasuno was at a loss without their Mother, but at least he was coming back to check up on them. Wedged between the pair, Nishinoya fell into a comfort place, both in body and mind. Listening to the familiar chatter of his two friends was a small gift he was going to treasure long after they'd left.
As the night drew to a close, Nishinoya's fuzzy vision and staggers had not dissipated. Snapping the gate shut behind him, the short boy waved off a fussy Sugawara who'd followed him out from the party.
"Come I'll walk you home, it's not far from my place, just let me get my bag." Shaking his head, Nishinoya pushed the silver haired boy back towards the gate and the party continuing beyond it.
"I'm finnne. Had some faith in me Suga. I've lasted the last couple of months without you." Giving him one final shove, Nishinoya ruffled his messy, silver hair. "Go back and have fun. Everyone's missed you. We'll chat next week." Frowning Sugawara went to disagree, but paused as the gate opened and a very tall, lanky frame stepped out.
Nishinoya almost stopped breathing. No no no! He'd been having such a good time, his entire mood had brightened for the first time in months and now he just wanted to hide under a rock and not come out.
"I can walk you home." Asahi voice was calm and maybe a little hopeful. If he was hoping to patch things up with him by acting like nothing had happened, he'd be in for a very rude surprise.
"Are you sure?" Glancing nervously between the pair, Sugawara didn't look convinced. "I really don't mind. There's plenty to catch up on." Nishinoya went to agree, to nod his head and turn his back on Asahi with an imagined grace and elegance. Instead he just stood there, mouth uncomfortably dry and knees trembling.
"It's all good. Nishinoya and I need to have a talk anyway." Asahi chuckled dryly. "I've actually gotten pretty good at corralling drunks home. On campus living will do that." Setting his lips in a worried smile, Sugawara slowly nodded against his better judgement.
"...alright. Well give me a text when you get home. Just a piece of mind." In case you both kill each other, he thought internally. "If you're good to catch up over the weekend give me a text. Daichi can come to." Stepping out from between the two, the setter had trouble ignoring the painfully blank look on Nishinoya's face. But something had been off with the pair, he'd felt it after their finals and now felt the same. If something needed to be fixed, they could sort it out together. They were adult enough. Watching Nishinoya turn around and wander off down the darkened street with Asahi following, he hoped they were adult enough to deal with whatever issues they had.
This footsteps pounding the pavement, Nishinoya set his gaze straight down the road. It was impossible to ignore Asahi's hulking, great footsteps stomping behind him. All he had to do was get home, slam the door in the ace's face, then sleep, sleep and cry like a little girl. Maybe Ukai had been right. The sound of a throat clearing from behind him caused him to stop mid stride.
"How have you been-"
"Don't" Clenching his teeth hard enough to break, Nishinoya rounded on the tall boy. "Don't you fucking speak words." Spitting at his feet, Nishinoya heard his voice crack with an embarrassing burst of emotion. "I don't want to see you. Ever." Taking a breath to steady his nerves, he couldn't keep the sob from his voice. "I never want to see you again. I don't want to speak to you again. Just leave okay. Go back to the party and leave me alone."
Taking a step back, Asahi visually winced. Running a hand through his hair, his fingers trembled as he worked to block the boy trying to force his way passed.
"Nishinoya, just calm down please. I understand why you're angry, but please just listen." All but pushing the giant out of his way, Nishinoya was fuming.
"No, I can't. I don't have the time." Leering in his shocked face, Nishinoya was pleased to have thrown that back at him. Pain flashed across Asahi expression at his words, his sadness was obvious enough, but it didn't stop Nishinoya from raging on. "Fuck off."
"I missed you." Tears streaming down his cheeks, Asahi sobbed loudly. "I thought about you everyday, everyday since the finals. I tried calling you, you wouldn't answer. I tried facebook and email. I tried to get Tanaka to talk to you for me. You never replied, I never heard a thing back. You could have been dead for all I'd known." Taking a deep breath, his eyes leaking tears and his nose running, Asahi swallowed thickly. The thick tuft of Nishinoya's hair almost looked deflated, his head bent as if the weight of his words had hit him like a truck. Maybe he'd been a little to hard on the younger boy. Though nothing he'd said had been a lie, he wouldn't lie to Nishinoya. But hell, his heart ached just looking at his sad eyes.
"I'm not dead." Not sure whether to laugh or cry, Asahi just stared. It was something at least, more then he'd expected from the hot headed Libero in one of his moods.
"I can see that, and I'm thankful."
Now he just sounded smug. His outburst had been welcomed, finally Asahi was showing some kind of emotion that wasn't depression or anxiety. His heart of glass was famous within the team, and Nishinoya had thought in his time away he might have harden up somewhat. That was apparently not quite the case, and even with his new know found bravery, Nishinoya would make sure to bring him down a notch.
"You missed me? What bullshit. You just wanted your perfect little graduation and your perfect little new life. You didn't have time for me." Shaking his head, Asahi stamped his foot, his frustration with the young drunk making him see red.
"That wasn't what I meant, it wasn't what I wanted. I just didn't want to ruin our chances. Your chances for the future as well as mine." Blowing a loud raspberry, Nishinoya scoffed.
"Chances? What fucking chances? My grades are shit, I'd never pass this year even if I wanted to. You get to head off to some fancy college in Kyoto, I'm going to be working here with coach. So you go off and live your perfect little life. I'll just be here, rotting away with the rest of them. I'm fucking useless, I know."
"Don't be like that." Head hot and angry, Asahi sniffed, wiping his runny nose with the back of his hand. "I don't want any of that. I don't have any of that." Looking away, Asahi coughed over his words. "And you're not useless, you're perfect."
This heart beating loudly in his ears, Nishinoya couldn't think, his mind was blanking. Either the alcohol or his rage was getting the better of him, but his staggering and words were becoming more and more disjointed.
"Can you just not? Everything about you makes me sad. Go away." The awkward slip of his foot, caused the pint sized ace to fall to his knees. Automatically his retrieving skills kicked in and he swooped into a dive. Knees to elbow, stretched out on pavement, his aching head and heaving stomach reacted immediately. Wrenching into the gutter, his dinner and stolen beer run down the drain. Coughing and spluttering in misery, Nishinoya caught his chin just before it hit the edge of the Footpath. Strong hands clasped his shoulders, pulling him up and into a kneel. Grasping for breath, Nishinoya pushed Asahi away, or tried to. Failing as his body shook with sorrow and nauseous, the small boy moaned, his eyes watering and mouth tasting sour.
"Why? Why did you leave me?" Large hands touched his crown, smoothing his sweaty hair back from his forehead in a gentle, caring motion.
"I didn't want to." It was like he was whispering in his ear, Asahi was so close he could feel the soft breeze of his breath on his skin. "Don't make it sound like that. What else could I do?" Weeping openly, Nishinoya had never felt so ashamed. This wasn't manly, it wasn't even girly, if anything it was just sad, pitiful.
"But you did. You left me. How could you..." Trailing off with a quiet squeak, arms were suddenly wrapped snugly around his chest. Squeezing impossibly tight, Asahi buried his nose against Nishinoya's hair, his tears wetting the back of his neck.
"But I love you. I didn't want to." Punching his fist against the pavement, his heart overwhelmed by the softly spoken giant's words, Nishinoya groaned.
"I...I just wanted to see you again."
Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Asahi held the sobbing Nishinoya closer, feeling his heaving chest and the hot drip of tears run down his face.
"I'm here." Shushing his wailing, Asahi looked up and down the empty street. If someone was to stumble upon them now it would be an awkward conversation and then some. But it was worth it, just to hear Nishinoya's voice after so many months alone. He'd never been far from the ace's thoughts, ever since the night of the final. He'd messed up, but he couldn't back out once he'd said it. It was the kind of person Nishinoya was, hot headed and strong willed, and Asahi wouldn't have loved him so much he was any different. But it meant he'd lost him, lost his trust and his friendship. The kiss they'd shared had all but spelt disaster for the pair even before they could explore it further. Nishinoya's sobbing slowly stilled, leaving him panting,sniffing and limp in Asahi embrace.
"We should probable get up." Sitting back on his heels, Nishinoya scrubbed at his eyes. His stomach had settled but his face was still hot, puffy and tight, the tears probably hadn't help.
The arms at his chest slid down his torso, pulling him up with a jerky tug. Looping a hand around his knees, the Libero was swept off his feet and up high into the air.
"The fuck are you doing?" Brushing away his protests, Asahi laughed. Nishinoya was such a power pack of muscle and tall hair, his small figure was deceivingly heavy. Struggling with his wiggling handful, Asahi smiled at his friend.
"Walking you home, just like I promised. Can you stop squirming please, I'm going to drop you." Flopping back as a dead weight in his arms, Nishinoya did not intend on making his job any easier.
"I don't need to be carry Asahi, and I'm still mad at you, don't think I'm not still mad at you." It was impossible to hold back his grin, as Asahi tossed the Libero around gently in his arms.
"Just in case you fall down again, we don't need you out for your last season. A word to the wise there is not a lot of time to play volleyball at college." Groaning, Nishinoya kicked his legs feebly.
"I won't be going to college, I can play with the neighbourhood association all the time. Bad knee or not." Shaking his head, Asahi turned the corner, remembering the path to Nishinoya's house off the top of his head, he was happy to feel the agitated Nishinoya settle in his arms.
"Your parents picking you up?" Humming as they drew closer to Nishinoya's family home, Asahi shrugged.
"Probably not, I'll just walk back to coach's place, one of those boys will drop me off. Or I'll just crash with one of them. No biggy." Shaking his head, Nishinoya was released steady on his feet with a soft thud.
"Nope, not having it. I may still be pissed at you, but I'm not letting you crash on coach's smelly old sofa. I'm angry, not a dick."