Nishinoya looked at Asahi's clasped hands, then put his over them. He knew the other wouldn't pull away. Even if...
"Asahi."
His voice was hoarse from lack of use. He hadn't talked much in the past few days.
"What is it?"
"If I died, would you miss me?"
"Of course! What kind of question is that?!"
"No, no, I'm phrasing it wrong. Would you..."
"Take your time."
"Asahi, are you ever going to forget me?"
It came out as barely a whisper, but the man heard it nonetheless.
"...of course not. You're everything to me."
"You mean it? You really mean it?"
"...yeah, I do."
"Asahi..."
"...yeah?"
"I'm going to die."
The night air was still. The crickets seemed to have stopped chirping, and the only thing that could be heard was a faint trill in the distance. Was it a bird? Was Asahi imagining it?"
"...I don't understand," he finally responded.
"I'm going to die one day, Asahi, and then you might remember me, but then you'll go, too, and then it'll be like I was never born. And honestly, that scares me a whole lot."
"...yeah. I guess so."
"It's always scared me."
"Yeah?"
"Asahi..."
And then he noticed that Nishinoya was crying into their interlocked hands.
"Promise me you'll never forget me, for as long as you live!"
"Nishinoya? I-"
"Promise me!"
"I- I promise!"
Their voices rang out in the night, and then it was silent again, and the only sound that could be heard was Noya's loud sobs. They wracked his body, made him shiver, almost, and Asahi couldn't remember the last time he had ever felt so broken, or if he had ever felt this broken, because he was watching his best friend break away from him.
"I- I don't understand. Why are you scared?"
He did understand. He understood completely. He just needed to hear Nishinoya's voice one last time.
"Because, Asahi, I'm going to be gone soon. Who knows when I'll see you again? Who knows if I'll see you again?"
"You can always call or text."
"No, no, no! I can't, Asahi, I can't bear talking to you without seeing your face! I might never get to gaze into your eyes again, and I'm scared!"
"I'm not going to leave..."
"I know. But I am. I'm leaving, tomorrow, to travel the world, and I was scared that if I didn't do this I'd never say goodbye. So I have to do it now."
His voice was choked with tears.
"Goodbye, Asahi."
The words hit Asahi like a rock. "Why can't you just-"
But before he could find the words that he needed, the one person he had to say them to had walked away. They might never see each other again.
"-stay..."
If only he could turn back time, go back to the happy high schoolers who only cared about grades and volleyball.
If only they'd never had to grow up.
So, turns out on the third update I cranked up the angst knob. I hope you enjoyed it anyways. I almost started crying writing this, so yay.
