Sent To: ✧ ✰ 。*Asahi✧ ✰ 。*
[text]: Ill met you outside the bar okay
[text]: you know just so you don't go in and get assaulted by noya or hinata lol
[text]: not that they would but like if they do I cant act as a human meat shield
Received from: ✧ ✰ 。*Asahi✧ ✰ 。*
[text]: id appreciate that lol
[text]: you almost there?
Sent To: ✧ ✰ 。*Asahi✧ ✰ 。*
[text]: two stops away taking the bus
Received From: ✧ ✰ 。*Asahi✧ ✰ 。*
[text]: okay ill take my time walking then
[text]: thought I should stretch my legs im still a bit jet lagged lol
Sent To: ✧ ✰ 。*Asahi✧ ✰ 。*
[text]: okay see you soon!
Suga stared down at his little phone before flipping it shut. There was a slight feeling of anxiety that was crawling through him; he didn't feel ready for this reunion. Not everyone could make it though. While Friday nights were an amazing time to go out and partying, Tuesdays were vicious. He knew Tsukishima couldn't make it since he was working late and Kinoshita was sick. Still this was going to be the first time in ages since the old team would be all together.
They'd all changed.
It nagged at him, how he was still stuck in what seemed like an endless loop. Yes, he wasn't some kid in high school anymore, but still the more he thought about it what difference was there from Karasuno's #2 and Dr. Koushi Sugawara? He had a PH.D, he lived on his own, he paid he own goddamn bills and yet nothing had changed. Still the same smile, same haircut, same thoughts.
Trying to shake away this feeling, he quickly opened his phone again.
Sent To: *✲゚*Captain*✲゚*
[text]: are you there yet?
Received From: *✲゚*Captain*✲゚*
[text]: Yeah I am we're just waiting on Shimizu rn
Sent To: *✲゚*Captain*✲゚*
[text]: well remind aka noya not to crowd asahi too quickly
[text]: and not to over do it with the drinking
[text]: I s2g if I have to deal with a drunk noya I will hit someone
Received From: *✲゚*Captain*✲゚*
[text]: Arent you suppose to be a nice person? Nvm bad day?
Sent To: *✲゚*Captain*✲゚*
[text]: bad in the sense it kept dragging on ε=(。ˇo ˇ。)
Received From: *✲゚*Captain*✲゚*
[text]: Aww poor baby. Don't worry if we get enough shots into you youll forget it
Sent To: *✲゚*Captain*✲゚*
[text]: true
He shut his phone again and quickly reached for the yellow cord and yanked it. He got off and quickly took in a lung full of the cold, spring night.
It was a minute walk before he made it to the bar. It was smaller, but that meant less of a crowd. On the 'rare' weekend, sometimes they'd all get together and play a set or two and come to the bar afterwards. The rarity of the weekends only applied to playing volleyball. Almost every Saturday night they'd spend the night drink and being young idiots. It was enough that the owner knew them by name.
Like he had promised, Suga waited outside. He leaned up against the wall of the building next to the bar. Waiting was hard, harder then it normally was as his thought kept wandering back to his situation. It bothered him how he couldn't move on from the nagging thoughts. Another thing he was stuck in. Even his mind didn't feel safe.
"I hope you weren't waiting long!"
Suga turned his head and smiled quickly. No surprise, but Asahi was still limping a bit and looked tired as hell. His face was cleaned shaved though and his hair seemed less dishevelled.
"Not too long I promise," he responded as he made his way to his friend. "You look better."
They stop before each other and Asahi gave a toothy grin. "Are you saying I looked horrible yesterday? Rude."
"Not like that. Like you look like you got sleep. And cleaner. I like you more with a goatee then a beard."
He looked away, still smiling yet blushing. "Thanks." Asahi looked back, staring intently into Suga's eyes, worry etched in his own. "So shall we?"
A smile played upon Suga's lips. He gently touched his arm before speaking. "Only if you're up to it."
"Tch like I have a choice. If I don't go in, I disappoint all of them. Then Daichi gets mad. I'm still scared of him too."
"Really," Suga responded, laughing. "After all this time? You really are wimp."
Worry was replaced with a fond look. "He bullied me Suga. He may not be the scariest thing that's happened to me, but he will always be in the top 5."
"Oh my god. Suck it up and come on in you big baby. I promised to be your meat shield remember? That applies to verbal assault too."
"Thank you Koushi."
He shivered slightly at that. It was always odd hearing his first name from anyone except Daichi.
Stepping into the bar, Suga was instantly hit with warmth and a soft orange glow. There was casual chatter from all corners of the place and instantly was able to pick up on his friends voices. Daichi was the first to notice their presence, looking away from Yui. He smile and waved them over.
They didn't even make it a single step.
"ASAHI!" Nishinoya cried out. He ran over and Suga instantly turned to face Asahi who had right behind him. His eyes had gone wide and he paled slight. He didn't stop the smaller man from hugging him though, in fact he had opened his arms with a nervous smile. Like he had the day before, Asahi yelped out when Noya squeezed too hard. That was met with slew of apologizes and countered with no worries and it's alright.
Sugawara thank god that no one else got up from the table. Instead they were met with large smiles and Tanaka yelling at them to sit down. Suga made his way to the table with the two other men, Noya keeping his hand around Asahi's waist sputtering out how good it was to see him.
And that's how the night went on. No one seemed to really breach the subject of 'So what exactly did you do in Syria?' but rather focuses on how it was, was he glad to be back and what had happened to them in the three years he had been gone. It seemed to be too much for Asahi to process at times, his face scrunching up and rubbing his neck nervously.
That hadn't changed about him.
Sometimes, Asahi would look over to Suga and Daichi quickly with a slight look. He really didn't like being the centre of attention. That died down though eventually and the attention while still there wasn't as intense anymore. Suga took a long sip on his beer, listening to Kageyama go on about a somewhat embarrassing yet hilarious blunder of Hinata's during a recent practice. Every so often Hinata would interject with a tiny tidbit and that would make Kageyama smile.
Those two had changed for sure.
The night went on and Suga felt slightly tipsy by the time 10pm rolled around. 11pm he was pretty sure he was getting on the line of being drunk.
It was then that the subject was breached.
"You never did say what you did while in the Middle East."
It wasn't exactly something they all agreed to talk about, but rather something that just seemed a bit too soon to talk about. They'd all seen the news, it was to be blunt a shit storm. Soldiers died all the time and so did civilians. Bombings were common.
Kageyama's statement wasn't meant in malice, just curiosity. Still there was a slight shift in the atmosphere, all of them seemed to be holding their breaths waiting for a reaction. Kageyama was quick to apologize.
"I'm sorry I hope I didn't I over-"
"No it's fine!" He blurted out quickly, waving him down. "I... I can totally answer that if you really are curious. I mean, its fine I'm up to that for sure. No prob-"
"You're rambling," Daichi interrupted.
Asahi was quick to look down and shut his mouth. There was a intensity in his eyes then, a mixture of shock, anxiety and something else Suga couldn't name.
"Basically," he almost whispered. "We were policing. Sometimes there would be attacks and we'd be there on the scene trying to help the civilians and stopping the threat. Japan's military hasn't been a proper military since World War Two but rather a defence force, helping employ peace in areas of the world that need it. I worked close with American, Canadian and French UN peacekeepers for a good period of time."
The pause was impregnable yet so fragile, for a moment Suga wondered if he would continue.
Asahi looked from his lap to the rest of the table again, a light smile place on his face. "There's not much more to say. It was very basic."
The mood was back and chatter began to seep its way back to the table. There was a strange feeling to Asahi now and to everyone's credit, they left him alone.
It was almost midnight when they decide to wrap it up.
As they were wishing each other goodbye and leaving, Asahi grabbed Suga by the arm.
"You don't live to far do you?"
"It's a 5 minute bus ride but its like 45 minutes to walk home."
"I see..."
A pause. There was an implication behind his words that wasn't making its way to Suga's muddled mind. Then it clicked.
"I feel like walking through."
Twenty minutes passed before Asahi spoke up.
"I knew they'd treat me like I'm broken."
"You're not broken," was all that Suga could respond with. He really couldn't think properly. His body felt tingly and floaty and his mind was making connections like normal.
"What if I am?" He whispered. Suga shook his head.
"You're not."
"Suga..."
"You're just weird not broken."
Asahi chuckled softly. "Thanks Sugawara."
"Yep."
Silence again.
"Suga?"
"Yep."
"Things really are different aren't they."
"Stop that."
"Stop what?"
"You're getting nostalgic," Suga turned to punch him softly on the shoulder. "Things are always different. Tomorrow will be different and the day after that. Did you honestly think three years would pass and things would remain frozen."
"Its... its not like that. Everyone seems different. The world feel different. I feel..."
"You feel what," Suga responded briskly. He felt bad for seeming rude, but had a feeling where this conversation was going and he did feel as if he could help. That helplessness turned into frustration directed at Asahi real fast.
"I feel like I've woken up from some hellish dream to find that life is too different and I'm still me, but not in a good way."
That resonated deep in him.
"Suga I feel stuck."
It took everything for him not to cry out 'Me too!'. Instead he remained quiet.
"Suga-"
"Give it time."
"What?"
He stopped then and looked up with an angry expression.
"You just got back. Give it time and just wait. Y-you... fuck... You need to assess where you are and go from there. God I don't know I'm just spewing out nonsense. Fuck me. I just... okay lets just keep walking."
And they did. There was silence till they reach Suga's apartment building. As he walked up to the door Asahi spoke out.
"I don't think I have time to give."
Sugawara turned to look back at his friend. He took in what he saw and he saw someone who was just tired.
"What makes you say that?"
"I feel... Suga I feel like time is frozen like I don't have time to give and nothing to gain. Like I honestly feel awkward and weird in this state."
Suga sighed. "Its takes a while to get use to life again. Look just take your time and let things hit you slowly. Change is inevitable and it will happen to you again. You were a world away in a situation none of us will experience. Just relax and go with the flow."
If only he could take his own advice.
Asahi didn't answer back. He just stood there solemn looking down at his feet before meeting Suga's eyes. He stayed quiet, just brown eyes gazing into hazel ones. It seemed slightly too intimate and Suga just had to break the moment.
"I'm sorry Asahi, I can't give you advice."
"Cause you don't understand my situation?"
A voice screamed I am in your situation, but his mouth had other plans.
"No cause I shouldn't have let Daichi hand me all those drinks. I'm so fucking drunk."
The solemn look was gone and replaced by a slight crooked smile.
"Goodnight Koushi."
He returned the smile softly.
"Goodnight Asahi."
It wasn't till he hit his bed when he realized something. That unnameable look that Asahi had after talking. It had been anger. How strange.
AN:
Sorry this chapter is slightly short!
So now things are happening isnt that something and look the title of the fanfic made it into the story so earlier on, what is this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
