#angat

Noya is at the other side of the court pushing a trolley of volleyballs. You stand at the other end watching whatever he's doing.

"We are here...to have a little exercise," Noya grabs a ball and serves it to your side with you catching it with ease.

"Exercise?" You ask in confusion.

"It's like a mental and physical exercise. Okay, listen carefully," he gets another ball and comes closer to the net. He bickers you to come closer. You comply.

"All of us have our own insecurities and doubts in life. It's an everyday battle," he says.

You nod understanding the truth in all of that.

"It's never an easy task. I know that for sure. However, you can fight it by believing in yourself," he takes a few steps back and throws the ball over the net. You catch it immediately.

"I did remember you saying that you played volleyball a few years back," he added.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I thought of a fun exercise we can do. That ball you are holding...imagine that as all your insecurities and doubts in life,"

You don't seem to understand fully what he wants you to try, but you did as he says putting your full trust on him. You look down on the ball and grip on it tight.

My insecurities...my pear shaped body, my facial appearance, my plans in life.

Doubts...my every courageous step I do.

"Okay. What's next?" You say and look up at him.

"Try hitting it to my side. Hit it hard. Think of it as throwing all those insecurities and doubts away from you. Hit them to throw them as far away from you. You don't need them. Think of them as pests that you need to throw away. Gets?" He said with a smile.

"Pests," you chuckle.

"I'm serious. Trust me on this," he puts a palm on his chest. You do trust him. You don't know why, but you just did.

"Okay,"

You look down on the ball in your hands again. You inhale and exhale remembering all the things that bring you down. You have that inner will to want to get away from it. Now seems like the time to do so. This might be the push that you need. You take another deep breath and look ahead.

You throw the ball up and take a step forward before hitting it hard. The ball goes over the net, but Noya runs fast and saves the ball and brings it back to your side.

"Why are you bringing it back?"

"Our greatest enemy is ourselves. Eventually, these insecurities and doubts will come back to you. Therefore, the only way to be immune from it is to hit it back," Noya's gaze sharpens with determination. You nod at the idea. He serves another ball to you and you catch it.

The ball returns back. Noya receives it as well. Eventually it becomes a rally. From time to time, Noya wouldn't be able to bring it back. Noya would serve back a ball and you make sure to bring it back. The adrenaline builds up in you as you receive it and hit the ball hard. All that pent up anger slowly washes away from you as you hit every ball. It's as if you are actually throwing all those insecurities and doubts. A feeling of being free covers you and it becomes easier for you to move.

Though, not having much greater stamina than Noya, you eventually catch your breath. Noya stops as he sees you crouch down to catch your breath. Laughter escapes your mouth as your legs give out and sit down on the floor.

Noya walks over to you and sits beside you. "Feeling better?"

"Much better," you sigh. You turn to him and give him a soft smile. "Thank you,"

"Feels freeing, ain't it?" Noya said as he leaned back and lay down on the floor.

"Indeed," you say much softer.

"What?" Noya jolts up and when you turn you do not notice how close his face is to you. You freeze for a moment seeing his hazel eyes close to you.

Though, little to your knowledge, Noya likes being this close to you. It feels warmer and he definitely wants to always stay close to you. Though, before he even says something, you pull away.

The door sliding open snaps you in your own thoughts. You immediately stand up and turn to the group of men arriving.

"You're early today, Noya," A man way much taller than you comes closer.

"Daichi-san!" Noya stands up and cheekily smiles at them.

"This is Y/N. Y/N, these are the weirdos I'm talking about," he glances at you.

You shyly smile and bow to greet all of them.

"Oh! I didn't know you have a girlfriend," Tanaka you assume comes forward and teases Noya.

However, you did not think much and blurted "I'm not his girlfriend,". You awkwardly laugh.

"But you're his girl...friend," Tanaka smiles widely.

"Ah," You only reply with another awkward smile. Noya seems to notice the discomfort and immediately pull you away from them and back to where your things are.

"We are actually having a practice match. Do you...want to come watch?" He said. Looking at his face, it seems there is hope in his eyes that you will watch.

Maybe he's just being polite. A random thought comes to your mind.

Though, you suddenly remember what he told you awhile ago and what the whole rally game was about. He's done so many things for you from comforting you and actually trying his best to understand you. That's...what you believe now. Maybe this could be your way to return the favour.

"Sure, I would love to watch," you say grinning.

"Yes!" He quickly hugs you, but immediately steps away. "Oh sorry. I...I didn't mean to invade your personal space,"

"Um...I mean...it's okay," you say, unable to look directly into his eyes.

"You can sit with Coach Ukai over there," Noya smiles.

You nod and walk to the bench where Coach Ukai is. You greet him together with their manager. They happily greet you and let you take a seat as the men warm up. Eventually they began practicing their serves and receives for a few minutes before a team from another school arrived for the practice match.

Then the game began.

You never actually watched Noya play before, so you were surprised how good he is at playing. You also don't miss his other team's skills. You're also quite impressed with Kageyama, and Hinata. Each of them have their own skills and it seems they compliment each other. Sometimes, Hinata and Kageyama would bicker at each other and Daichi would scold them. You thought that they are a handful but people that are enjoyable to be with.

Though, it's Noya who you watch more. You'll probably cheer for a nice receive whenever he does so. You root for him throughout. You don't seem to notice, but Noya would steal a glance at you and see how you smile whenever he makes a receive. That simple action just fires him up.

However, his glances are becoming more frequent, and you don't notice much since you are focused on the game. Though, because of this, he does not notice a spike coming for him. As a result, the ball hits him hard on the face. He falls back on the floor.

You immediately see him fall back. His teammates turn to him asking if he's okay. You stand up and take one step forward waiting for any sort of movement from Noya. You hear a groan from Noya and he slowly stands up.

"Nishinoya," Coach Ukai called.

Nishinoya comes closer to his coach. His coach gives him a bit of an earful, but in the end asks him if he's alright. He's told to sit on the bench and that's when you went over to him. Kiyoko gives Noya an ice pack when you sit next to him.

"You alright?" You asked. You lightly pull the ice pack from his bruised eye.

"It's fine. It's not that hard," he replied with a chuckle.

"Make sure to press hard on it," you say. You stood up and went to Kiyoko asking for something and immediately went back to Noya with an ointment on your hand.

"I think it's better if we put some ointment on it," you say. You don't seem to mind at all or you just unconsciously did it, but you pulled the ice pack away from him and began applying some ointment on his eye.

You are too focused on applying some ointment that you didn't even notice the little glitter on his gaze as he admires you up close. It's not everyday, you'll be like this to him. For you it seems natural because of how comfortable you are with him or rather how you are too focused aiding him. However, what you seem to not notice is how Noya's beating heart is pounding louder against his chest. The yearning to be close to you has become attainable in his perspective.

Something in him is building up. That certain feeling that he has been harboring for so long now. The more he looks at you, the more he wants it to stay like that. Though, there is one way that could give him a chance to be this close without a wall being a divider to stop him from maybe...kissing you.

Therefore, he goes for it.

"I like you," he blurts out.

"What?" You asked without pulling back.

"I like you. As in...like you like you," he says again, still looking straight into your eyes.

You seem to forget the game is still playing as you process those words. However, the more you understood what those words meant...the more you didn't believe it. The more you didn't believe that reciprocating feeling you have for him. And the more you look into his eyes dearly the more you slowly feel your heart aching and cracking.

I like you too…

But…

I don't think I should.

NIA’S MASTERLIST

Roman yawned, glancing over at his still sleeping roommate. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall in the space between their respective sides; 7:30am. Too early for Virgil, possibly, but definitely early enough for him. He stood up and decided to go get himself some breakfast. Maybe he’d meet a fellow early bird! Maybe they’d become best friends, maybe boyf-

He was knocked out of his thoughts when he was suddenly falling halfway way down the stairs.

“Oh-” was all he could exclaim before his face met the floor with a thud. Well, that was one way to go down the stairs, he thought.

“I do apologize, that was entirely my fault, as I was too immersed in my book to actually look at where I was going. Are you okay?”

When he finally sat up, Roman almost forgot to reply to the concerned person standing over him. His hair was almost as neat as his own, and he wore a light blue tie, a wonderful contrast against his black shirt. His glasses fit perfectly, and his eyes were possibly the most pure and ocean-y shade of blue Roman had ever seen. More ocean-y than the ocean!

“Hello? You seem to be-”

“I’m…fine, I’m fine!” Roman stuttered, hoping to god he wasn’t blushing. The very handso-other person adjusted his glasses, nodding.

“Do you mind if I ask what your name is? I feel we could form a friendship over this. Again, I apologize for causing you to fall down the stairs.”

“Pft.. it’s Roman. Yours?” Roman chuckled at the way he phrased his second apology, and he definitely believed a friendship, (maybe more than a friendship) could be formed over this.

“My name is Logan.” Logan said, then held out his hand, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Roman.”

“You too!” Roman gladly took his hand, allowing Logan to help him up. He bit back a protest when he then let go of his hand.

“So, what might you be down here for at such an early time? Most people with morning classes would already be in them by now, and people with night classes often get the sleep in.” Logan asked him as they walked towards the cafeteria.

“Midday classes,” Roman shrugged, “You?”

“Same, I do not see the point in working when it is early and you have only just woken up, or when you are tired and probably want to sleep, or do a fun activity like stargaze or go on a date, if you are romantic. If you are not, a picnic night with friends, or even a campfire.”

“Woah…” Roman blinked at Logan’s explanation, so detailed and…smart. He quickly looked away, those stupid butterflies that had started fluttering in his stomach ever since he had first laid eyes upon this man multiplying rapidly.

“Are you okay?” The question hovered in the air, like the butterflies. It was barely the first day and he had already fallen for someone. Was he okay? He didn’t know. Maybe he’d hit his head too hard when he’d fallen down those stairs, or maybe he was dead and was walking with and talking to an angel. The latter option seemed plausible, at least for him. He might as well ask this incredibly clever heavenly being just in case, of course.

“Am I dead?” Roman asked, glancing back at Logan, who’s seemingly permanent expression of concern had changed to one of complete confusion.

“Uh…,” Logan cleared his throat, then looked Roman up and down. “Well, I… don’t think so? However, I am not sure a living human could make me feel as I do…”

“How do you feel?” Roman asked, and he could’ve sworn Logan was blushing as they made eye contact. The slightly shorter man looked away and cleared his throat again.

“It is of no importance.” Logan concluded, regaining his composure. Roman sighed and they continued walking in silence after that, but it was a comfortable silence.

Unlike what it had been about half an hour before, in Logan’s dorm. Or what it was like when he came back.

Logan opened the door, immediately met with loud, annoying music, sung by someone he vaguely remembered hearing the several times his older brother forced him to put the radio on. However, louder than the actual music was the female voice singing over it.

“Alexis, could you please sing a little bit more quietly? I’m sure there are an infinitesimal amount of people that do not want to hear somebody who sounds like they are going through puberty again screeching at the top of their lungs.”

“Has anyone ever told you the meaning of that word?” Alexis turned down her Britney Spears and laughed at Logan’s mistake. He rolled his eyes and sat on his bed. He didn’t have time for her, not when there were other things, other people on his mind.

Alexis turned her music completely off, not that Logan noticed, and walked over to him. The fact that he was blushing intrigued her - This could be some juicy gossip.

“Ay, what’s up Nord? Found your soulmate?” Logan flinched and looked at her, then shook his head.

“I believe the correct word is ‘nerd’. To answer your question, I do not quite believe in soulmates.”

“Shut up, you don’t have to believe in them for them to be real! Soulmates aren’t like Mothman or the Loch Ness Monster, they’re your true love! Everyone has a true love!”

“What if you are aromantic?” Logan asked, raising an eyebrow. Alexis baffled him when she said things like this.

“An aro what now?”

“….nevermind.” Logan glared at the wall, his thoughts drifting back to the person he had had his breakfast with. He was imaginative, a dreamer, and he gave Logan lots of positive vibes. It amused him, how one person could make him feel like something, multiple something’s, were fluttering in his stomach, trying to escape. He had seen it described as 'butterflies in your stomach’ somewhere on the internet.

“Earth to nerd! Earth to the nord!” Logan frowned - he didn’t even notice he was smiling - and turned back to Alexis, who was grinning at him.

“So who is she!?” She asked, excited for a reason he didn’t understand.

“I do not know what you mean.”

“Your soulmate! Is she pretty!? Kind!? Funny!?” Logan rolled his eyes. Roman was all three of those, but like hell he was confirming that when she couldn’t even get the gender right.