Work Text:
Nishinoya Yu loves to travel. He loves the first step into a new place, whether into a bustling airport, a busy dock, or through a large gate with border agents stare over their mirrored glasses at his passport.
After a few years of travel, he has developed a checklist of sorts. A basic guideline he follows in every new city, or country, or wild land.
First he finds a place to stay. Sleeping is important for adventuring and exploring. Sometimes that place is a campsite with a mountain view, local wildlife snuffling outside his tent at night.
Sometimes it's a hostel, where he can spend his evenings playing cards with other travelers, trading cultural food and communicating in half formed sentences and charades.
Sometimes he finds a little apartment, or rents a room from a host family. This is his preferred place to stay, his favorite way to see a place. He gets to learn the language and customs from his neighbors, gets to participate in everyday life, and sees all the little things that transcend language, distance and belief: food, family, and friends.
Secondly, Noya finds something to do. He spends a fair amount of time adventuring. He hikes, canoes, climbs, visits ancient ruins and museums. He walks down all the market streets, tries all the local cuisine, learns how things are made and done.
He takes pictures and writes articles, sends them to magazine editors and bloggers for pocket money. It’s not the way he wants to make money, makes him feel a little like a voyeur into another person's world. But people love to read about other places, and tickets must be paid for.
His favorite thing to do is contribute. To find a temporary job, a small hole to fill within the community. Nothing too big or centering- he isn’t a missionary! Something like working at the local grocery, unloading supply trucks, doing deliveries to learn the layout of the city.
While the blogs and articles and ads of travel gear allow him to stay a traveler, his other jobs let him live and experience every new place.
And so, Noya will spend a month, or two, or three. He will join family dinners and drool over the delicious new flavors. He will climb breathtaking mountains and dangle from cliff faces, looking at the world below. He will dive headfirst into clear quiet likes, and watch the fish swim below the surface.
And he will play volleyball whenever he gets the chance.
Tanaka will get a barrage of every nude statue and carved sex act Noya finds. Daichi and Suga will get videos of wild karaoke nights, Noya leading the J-Pop dancing. Noya makes sure to take pictures with every group he plays volleyball with and sends it to Kageyama and Hinata with an ominous “you're next”.
As Noya lives in the place, learns the city streets or wilds around a village, he starts to make mental notes.
“Here is the best bar, with a great beer selection and a welcoming staff.”
“This is the best textile stall in the market, where the old woman shows customers exactly how she dyes the patterns and weaves the fabric.”
“This is the perfect view, you can see all the stars and hear the babbling waterfall down the trail”
The third thing Noya does is make plans. He buys tickets, makes reservations, gets a suite at the nicest local hotel, and prepares to share this new place he’s found.
Finally, one morning he jumps into whatever transport he’s found and heads to the airport. So far, it’s been a moped, a moving truck, but usually public transportation…though on one occasion it was a bright red convertible to drive along the sea.
He waits in the pick up area, smiling when he sees a tall figure appear. He waves excitedly while taking in the messy ponytail and travel weary eyes.
Noya will barrel straight into his chest, beaming up and exclaiming:
“You’re going to love this place, Asahi.”
Then the tornado begins, bags will be thrown into the back of whatever transport, helmets may be slapped on, and Noya will take Asahi’s hand and dive right in giving a quick overview of plans as he carreens towards the hotel.
But when they drop off the bags, Noya always stops, pulls Asahi close, and whisper “I missed you.” The kiss him deeply, arms wrapped around his neck.
They will spend the next few weeks adventuring, as Noya shows Asahi every beautiful thing he’s found. Asahi will be dragged up mountains, stuffed full of local cuisine, and shown views that take his breath away. Noya will excitedly tell stories about his new local friends, explain the history of every building, and watch the brightness in Asahi's eyes and warmth of his smile. Because what’s the point of learning a new place if you don’t have someone to share it with.
After doing all they can, dancing the night away at a club, buying beautiful fabrics, and watching Asahi cling to the railing as the stare over the edge. Stumbling into their room, clinging to each other, Noya will ask between kisses;
“ What was your favorite part?”
And Asahi will answer, laughing in his nervous way as he presses Noya into the bed, trailing his hand down his narrow chest;
“You”