[Closed for crowdad1] Sleepless Nights

[azuhi]

Asahi isn't sure that he has ever been this tired in his entire life. A combination of the restless nights that led up to Nationals and the exhaustion after the first match of the tournament have Asahi sure that he would be out like a light in no time flat.

Sure enough, when he tucks himself into his futon that night, he's drifting off before his head hits the pillow. But even though his body is bone-dead tired, his mind is racing. He can't stop replaying moments from that day's matches, and from the footage Coach Ukai had shown them of their next opponents....

He hears shuffling from a nearby futon, and pauses. That's... Daichi's, he's pretty sure. Normally he wouldn't speak while everyone's trying to sleep, but lately their captain's been especially high-strung... Plus, he was usually the type to conk right out.

"Dai...?" Asahi whispers softly. "You okay?"

Comments

[crowdad1]

"You came back."

No one could do that without will. Daichi curls his hand around Asahi's shoulder. To make sure the words stick.

"You came back, and you're still here. You broke through the Iron Wall to do it."

[azuhi]

God. Asahi... he didn't even know he was waiting to hear those words, and yet when Daichi said them, it was like something inside of him become unknotted. He'd been back on the team for months, but other than some playful ribbing about how out of practice he was in the beginning, Daichi and Suga had never really acknowledged the fact that he'd been gone. Asahi always wondered why they took it for granted, that he'd come back, whether they knew how hard it was--

And now he has an answer. His lip quivers for a moment, but he manages not to cry, at least.

"T-Thank you, Daichi."

[crowdad1]

There's a suspicious tremor, in Asahi's words. Daichi squeezes this time. Trying to anchor him.

"We didn't - I didn't - Want to pressure you."

Although - It hurt, every time Asahi ducked away. Turned around to another hall, wouldn't make eye contact. As if their friendship depended only on volleyball. Daichi had swallowed down that pain. Telling himself it didn't matter.

He was wrong. Asahi deserved to know that, too.

"I missed you. Not just because of the team."

[azuhi]

Asahi can feel his eyes start to burn, and hopes that it's dark enough that Daichi can't tell, at least, that he might cry.

"I missed you too. Every day... it was really the loneliest month of my life. I'm glad you convinced me to come back. You, Suga, Nishinoya, the first years... I'm so grateful to all of you."

[crowdad1]

"It felt like a year."

Daichi glances away. Trying to be tactful.

"If there's ever something like that again - I don't mean volleyball, just - Anything. Please keep talking to - us?"

Me is what he meant to say.

But - for some reason - it switches out at the very last second.

[azuhi]

Asahi reaches up and scrubs his own cheek shyly. "Will do," he promises. "Maybe you'll get sick of me messaging you during exams and turn your phone off."

He's smiling, though, so obviously he means no real offense.