Akaashi's 18th (and the events that followed...)

16. Brave and Impulsive

Asahi's apartment was exactly how Noya had imagined it. Well, how he had pieced together more like.

Asahi had sent him a few photos of his work, and posted updates of his apartment-decorating process on his private story, enabling Noya to guess what the place would look like. Good. At least his gift would work, then.

The floor was a plain, white vinyl, and so were the walls, however they were filled with shelves bursting with bolts of fabric, thread, sketches and succulents, resting on the window sill. The entire place was barely big enough for the narrow single bed, desk, wardrobe, and mini-kitchen. There was a box about the size of a vending machine at the end of the room. That would be the ensuite, then. Very luxurious.

"You can sleep in my bed and I'll take the floor," Asahi said, pulling out a blow-up mattress.

"It's fine, 'Sahi-san. I'll have the blow-up mattress, I'm smaller. Besides," Noya added as the mattress had fully inflated. "It's bouncy!" He said, jumping onto it before tumbling off.

"If you're sure then," Asahi quickly changed into a looser shirt and boxers before turning off the lights and falling into bed, pulling the grey duvet over him. Noya hadn't brought any pyjamas, so he grabbed a baggy top from Asahi's wardrobe and put it over his underwear. The cool moonlight peeking through the edges of the curtain illuminated the room just enough to get dressed.

It was then that he remembered what he had bought after purchasing his knee pads. "I have a late birthday present, by the way," he added, handing Asahi the package he had been carrying in his bag.

Asahi looked down, smiling. "You like it?" Noya asked, though he already knew it was a success as he watched Asahi run his fingers over the fluffy blanket. It was grey, faux-husky fur, and really thick. "I thought it would go with your apartment."

Asahi grinned. "It will, definitely." He handed it back to Noya. "But you can use it tonight if you want." His voice had suddenly become deeper, and Noya smirked to himself as the ace coughed.

Noya beamed. "Alrighty then, goodni-"
But he didn't have time to finish his sentence before a tug on his shirt brought him close to Asahi. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw Asahi leaning in. He met him halfway, wrapping his arms around the ace's neck and pulling their mouths together.

Nishinoya felt Asahi's hands loop underneath his thighs and pull him up onto his lap, legs either side of his hips. Noya sat up straighter to lean deeper into the kiss, pressing his lips firmly onto Asahi's and gripping him tighter. He wouldn't let Asahi go a second time without saying goodbye.

Asahi responded by placing his hands around Noya's waist, who felt his back arch into the taller man's chest. "'Sahi." Noya murmured. Asahi hummed in reply, and Noya felt their lips curving into smiles, still locked on each other. Noya brought his hand up to Asahi's cheek, cupping it and rubbing his fingers curiously along the stubble of the chin. He felt the heat of Asahi's face, a stupidly triumphant feeling bubbling through him as he realised he had yet again made the ace blush.

After they had been kissing for a couple of minutes, Noya felt Asahi relax more, so he decided to gently push his tongue between Asahi's lips. Asahi let out a surprised noise, but opened his mouth slightly, deepening the kiss, and they both lost themselves in the gentle rhythm of each other's lips.

"Looks like my wild side is rubbing off on you," Noya smirked as they pulled away, after he and Asahi had both been brought back to Earth. His head felt light, and slightly fuzzy.

"About that trip..." Asahi said, lying back down into bed. "I think I will go."

Nishinoya yawned again, leaning over the bed and pulling Asahi in quickly for another brief kiss that left both of their cheeks slightly pink. "Sounds good. Night, 'Sahi."

"Night, Noya." Nishinoya fell back onto the mattress, which emitted a contented puff.

After a mere thirty seconds, he scrambled up again.

"Noya - your feet are cold!" Asahi gasped as Nishinoya wriggled into his hold, becoming a small spoon.

"Tough. I want to sleep with your warm arms cuddling me."

"Yuu~" but he had already made himself more than comfortable in the heat of Asahi's hold.

Nishinoya stared at the ceiling, dark blue from the late night light, thinking of his and Asahi's future adventures as his breathing slowed and he relaxed under the blanket.

It would always be volleyball that had connected them first. It had brought so many of their friends together, too, and held them there. It was the saviour of friendhships, of close bonds. But now, Noya was glad that they had something else to bind them, something that held prospects and promises for the future.

(Word count: 824)
(Total word count: 19,263)