All the broken things - Asanoya

4: (Not) Just friends

The world felt like it has stopped and then restarted moving in the wrong way. Everything was wrong.
Nishinoya was in the hospital ward for a few hours now.
He stopped caring about good manners long time ago, so he pulled his knees to his chest on the uncomfortable white plastic chair. The sleeves of the sweatshirt he put on in hurry got loose from hours spent fidgeting with them, but it didn't look like it will end soon, although time-to-time the libero's mom gave him an unappreciative look.
Opposite to them were the agonized members of Azumane family. The mother of the injured boy sat cross-legged with a toddler in her lap, she was nursing the little boy to sleep with a forced smile on her face, mumbling something that sounded like a lullaby. She seemed paler and way more tired than before, her cheeks fall-in, the familiar brown eyes were surrendered with red and puffed eyelids. There was a line of partly removed makeup in the corner of her cheeks. She pulled her hair in a messy bun that was barely enough to keep the long brown locks away from the child.
Right next to her was her oldest son, Mino. There was nothing left from his previous happy and teasing appearance, his fingers were almost white from the strength of how he was grabbing on his knees, and Nishinoya would swear that from the spot he was sitting he still heard sometimes the man's teeth crunching against each other from the tension in his jaw.
A young woman, probably his wife, with short black hair, black eyes and pale skin, a typical Asian beauty, was trying to calm him down, while keeping an eye on the older kid playing on her phone. She was thin and short, not as short as Nishinoya's mom, but she still looked like a doll next to her enormous husband.
- How long will you pretend you can't see us? – Daichi sighted. He was standing next to his teammate patiently for nearly half hour now – Don't be childish. We all are here for Asahi, and because we love him.
- I know – Nishinoya mumbled to himself, still refusing to look on the captain. He couldn't forget or forgive the things they said this morning.
The captain and Sugawara arrived last to the waiting crowd, and while Daichi tried to maintain a conversation with Noya, Sugawara was bringing coffee and snack to everyone from the vending machine little down in the hall. It looked like being responsible for something and having a purpose helped him to not fall back into a crying mess he was since the moment his father told him the news.
Daichi silently asked for a few minutes he could talk with the libero without his mother there.
- I should go home anyway, and change place with Yuu's father. He is the worst in tucking the kids in the bed, not to mention their lunch for tomorrow won't prepare itself – she ruffled her son's hair, but then leaned closer so only he could hear what she had to say – Are you alright? Dad will be there in a few minutes. As soon as you know something, tell me. I will pray for him, okay?
When Nishinoya agreed, she gave him a loving kiss on his forehead.
- You are a strong boy, whatever happens – the woman added, then left the hospital in hurry, her long green coat waving behind her.
- Look, everyone is worried and frustrated, and everyone deals with it in different ways – Daichi sat on the plastic chair next to him - You know, at first Koushi tried to look on the situation like you did, but his father talked to him and explained things. He talked about the worst situations. Dr. Sugawara is a really pessimistic man, and I think that conversation broke something in Koushi. He was never in a situation like this, his grandparents are all still alive, no one had a serious injury or died before that in their family, so he has no idea how to deal with those stuffs. Please be patient.
Nishinoya didn't answer, just nodded. He barely knew anything about the private lives of the third years, but he heard some rumors about Daichi being raised by his aunt and uncle because his parents died in a car crash when he was just a child, so if somebody then he understood the seriousness of the situation.
- You still want to skip practice?
Another nod.
- I can't make you stay against your own will, but Noya... You have talent. Promise me, whatever happens you will rejoin the team after we graduate. It is about your whole future, you can make a carrier from it. And just imagine how pissed will Asahi be if he finds out that you left volleyball.
The libero winced.
- I will try, I can't promise I could do it – he answered, a strange feeling appeared in his chest as he thought about Asahi being pissed off, every cell in his body opposed to the unnatural picture - But he wouldn't be angry...
- You are right – Daichi smiled a little- He never gets angry, especially not on you.
- What do you mean by that?
- Are you alright? Need something? – The vice captain interrupted their conversation.
- Everything is perfect, sit down a little – Daichi pulled him on the third chair next to them, and Sugawara obeyed him, his head fell on the black haired boy's shoulder with exhaustion.
- Kou-san is still not here – he mentioned tiredly, just to say something.
- Maria is in the ninth month of her pregnancy with the twins, and they were visiting her parents in England when they got the news, it could be quite difficult for them to come, but I am sure they are trying – his classmate reminded the silver haired boy.
- I know, but still...
- Who is Kou? – Nishinoya asked them curiously.
- Oh? – Sugawara looked up on him – You don't really know Asahi's family, right?
This question left a bitter taste in the short boy's mouth. He knew nothing about Asahi's family before the accident; he was not part of the spiker's life outside of the volleyball court. He knew nothing. He was nothing. What right he had to be there? To act like he was important for him?
- Kou-san is Asahi's other brother - Daichi explained - he is younger than Mino but still a lot older than Asahi. He will probably give you a hard time when he arrives.
- Why? – He was now clearly confused – Did he gave a hard time for you too?
- No, never. But you are different, they heard too much about you. He just wants the best for Asahi, he feels like he is responsible for him – the vice captain said while sitting up properly, but staying enough close to Daichi so their shoulders could touch.
- They heard? – The pressure on the libero's chest increased – You mean because of our fight? I behaved awful! Do they know about it?
- Take it easy – Sugawara smiled on him reassuringly – Asahi tells everything to his family, but I believe his behavior will be more because Kou thinks he has to take over the father's place.
- What's with their father? – an uneasy feeling settled more and more as Nishinoya realized how little did he really knew about the boy he claimed to love.
- He died – Daichi added, but before Nishinoya could ask any further or apology for bringing it up, he continued – It was a long time ago, I think Asahi was only 5, and it was a natural death, he was older than his wife for approximately twenty-five years if I remember correctly, and even she was quite old when Asahi came in the picture. The father had a known heart disease for years. It is not a big trauma, Asahi barely remembers him, and the others accepted it peacefully.
Suga gave Nishinoya a tired smile, some of his old teasing behavior returned.
- Don't think that only because Asahi doesn't have a real father it will be easier for you, he has two really good replacements. Kou is the strict, Mino is the cool father, but I am sure you should fear Mino more if you ever mistreat their precious Asa-chan.
A red color spread across Nishinoya's face.
- I don't know what you are talking about... I don't... I... - he stuttered.
Sugawara stood up to face Nishinoya properly, with one hand correcting the blue scarf around his neck.
His eyes were kind, but worried, full of the sadness he experienced in the previous days. Asahi was the closest thing he had to a brother, losing him will be like losing part of his own being.
- If Asahi... - Suga quickly corrected himself, avoiding more arguing – When Asahi wakes up, tell him as soon as you can.
Nishinoya didn't even try to deny his feelings anymore. It was more than obvious that both upperclassmen figured out the reasons behind his behavior. He would have liked to ask more about it, maybe ask if Asahi knew too, or what he thought about him, but his father arrived so those types of conversations had to end.