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You sat curled up on one end of your couch, facing a window. Your cold hands were wrapped around a steaming mug of your favorite hot drink, holding the contents right beneath your nose and warming your face from the steam coming off the top. You took a deep breath, inhaling the scent as you closed your eyes and tried to absorb its warmth. With a heavy exhale you took a sip, feeling the warmth cascade down the back of your throat. Your toes curled in your fuzzy socks that mimicked cat’s paws, sticking out of the bottom of your most beloved fleece blanket. As your body began to warm, your eyes closed gently as your mind began replaying some of your favorite memories.
Memories that included you being the manager of the Karasuno volleyball team. Spending all your free time with those boys for three entire years. Going to practice games in Tokyo. Making it to Nationals not just once… but all three years in a row. Having ridiculous sleepovers at your house while trying to pack ten heads to a room. Watching everyone set goals and grow right in front of you.
Those moments made for some bittersweet memories.
When your eyes opened again, they drifted outside, watching snowflakes lazily float down and collect on the frozen ground. Tears pricked at the edges of your vision while a smile played at your lips. This was the first year you wouldn’t be walking the streets of Miyagi with your team. An image of the orange-haired big ball of sunshine in particular made you take a deep, shaky breath.
It was too quiet. Too cold. Too lonely.
It didn’t feel like the holidays without them.
You missed them. You missed them so much.
Finishing your drink, you set it down on your coffee table before wrapping yourself up in your blanket like a tightly wrapped burrito as you continued to watch the snow. You wondered how everyone was doing. You talked to them all on a video call just a couple days ago, but that already had felt like an eternity. As far as you could tell, everyone had plans for Christmas, and then for New Years. So here you were, your phone sitting far away from you, face-down, to remind yourself that nobody would be calling. After all… the only who didn’t have plans was you.
That just left you with your thoughts.
No matter how hard you prepared yourself, the winter blues would always creep in. Some years, you would get all the way to Christmas eve before it hit. Regardless, it happened eventually. The last three years with the team had been a blessing; giving you something and someone else to focus on besides yourself.
This year, you would have to figure something out on your own.
You glanced over at your tiny tree. Only three feet tall, it was adorned with make-shift and home-made ornaments. You smiled, remembering how you attained each and every one of them. A volleyball keychain from Daichi in honor of joining the team. A cross from Sugawara, because you helped him catch and sacrifice “Jesus Asahi” to the net the first year you were assistant managing. A laminated sunflower from Shoyo because you always called him your daily dose of sunshine. A tiny kitten plushie from Tadashi, who you always shared cat pictures with. A literal saltshaker dangling from wire from none other than Tsukishima. There were more, and multiple from the same people over the years, as well as some you had acquired from other teams like Bokuto and Akaashi from Fukurodani, Oikawa from Aoba Jousai, and Atsumu from Inarizaki. But those… those were your favorites.
You had made so many friends, and so many memories, that it was hard to believe you were all alone on this holiday dedicated to appreciating friends and family alike.
Glancing under the tree, there sat a single present for yourself, mailed to you from your parents. Even they had plans to go out, so you would be opening it on your own sometime tonight. The other presents were for your friends and old teammates. Instead of mailing them out, you decided to wait until you saw them next, so they could open them with you.
You couldn’t wait for that day to come.
A sudden knock at your door startled you. At first you weren’t sure if you had even heard a knock, but another string of raps made you jump from the couch. Not even bothering to unwrap yourself from your blanket, you moved to the door.
As soon as you unlocked the door it burst open. Your eyes widened and your heart skipped a beat as a barrage of voices reached you all at once, yelling your name excitedly.
Suddenly orange hair blocked your vision as a pair of strong arms wrapped around you. “Merry Christmas, manager!”
You were too shocked to speak as Hinata pulled away from you, beaming a wide smile before stepping inside and letting the next wave of people come towards you.
Sugawara and Daichi tackled you at the same time with a squeal. “It’s been too long, (Y/N)!”
“Wha-what’s going on?!” You stuttered, finally finding your voice. “Why are you here?”
Suga and Daichi slapped you on the back as they moved out of the way. Asahi held a present in his hand has he rubbed the back of his neck. He had to duck to get in your front door. “Surprise!”
You stood jaw-dropped as more people came into your house. Everyone you knew from the three years you worked as a Karasuno manager, including Yachi and Kiyoko. As an added bonus, Akaashi, Bokuto, Atsumu, and even Osamu were among the group, too.
Kageyama, who brought up the rear of the flood of people, had a basket filled with wrapped gifts. “Um, Tendou, Lev, Yaku, Kenma, Kuroo, and Oikawa couldn’t make it. These are from them.”
Tears fell from your eyes as the reality of your friends being here at your house finally settled in. Kageyama looked flustered and confused at your emotions as you thanked him with a peck on the cheek, just to see his face go red.
Pulling Kageyama inside so that you could close the door and lock out the freezing cold winds, you turned back to the group to see some boys were setting up bags and boxes on your kitchen counter while the girls were raiding your cupboards for plates and silverware, and everyone took turns throwing gifts under and around your tree. Bokuto caught your eye with an enthusiastic wave and a smile. “Hey hey hey! Come in, we brought supper and we are STARVING!”
Tears continued to drip down your cheeks. You stood in the hallway watching them run back and forth. Their voices went straight to your heart, their laughter and bickering filling the entire house and warming you to your core. Your voice came out so quietly you weren’t sure anyone would even be able to hear you. “Thank you…”
Akaashi turned to look at you, his eyes softening. Hinata went to ask him a question only to follow his gaze and freeze in his tracks, beaming a smile at you. When Hinata went silent, everyone paused whatever they were doing and turned to look at you with smiles on their lips and in their eyes.
You swallowed hard, your voice swaying as you repeated yourself. “Thank you so much.”
Everyone exchanged glances. Your (arguably) best friend, Hinata, stepped forward to take your hands in his, pulling you into the dining room. “Holidays just aren’t the same without the team!”
You quickly found out that all their supposed “Christmas plans” was actually them hiding and planning for this surprise. They collaborated months in advance to get as many people together as possible, taking time away from their actual families to make sure you wouldn’t be alone. Turns out, after spending three years with you, they knew once you moved away from your parents in Miyagi to pursue a sports psychology degree, that you wouldn’t have anyone nearby to spend the holidays with.
A couple of them were even planning to stick around long enough to go to the New Year’s festivals with you.
“Honestly I’m just surprised that Bokuto was able to keep it a secret,” Sugawara spoke with a snicker.
Akaashi sighed heavily. “That’s because I didn’t tell him until yesterday.”
You burst out laughing as Bokuto’s hair fell. “I’m still mad about that, by the way!”
“We couldn’t help it, man.” Atsumu shook his head. “You can’t keep anything a secret even if it would save your life.”
“Yes I can!”
“No you can’t!” Hinata prodded. “I work with you every day. You couldn’t even keep Sakusa’s birthday present a surprise for one week.”
“That was one time!!!”
Your cheeks hurt from smiling so widely throughout the meal. As soon as the last person was done eating the flood of presents started stacking on the living room coffee table, some of the boys pushing you to go sit on the couch so they could all watch you start opening gifts. You pulled against them, giggling as you repeatedly asked them to “Wait!”
You ordered everyone to find a spot to sit. Couch, chair, floor, it didn’t matter. Everyone gathered in your living room and waited with exchanges of confused glances as you began passing out their gifts. Tsukishima’s wide eyes blinked as you handed him a small, nicely wrapped box with a bow on top. “You didn’t even know we were coming, and you still got us gifts?”
You nodded, passing out presents, one for each person who was there. There were a few other boxes that had to stay beneath the tree, but you still would wait to give those in person. “Of course. Just because I thought I wasn’t going to see you around Christmas doesn’t mean I can’t get you something.”
Now it was your friend’s turn to cry. Even in the depths of your depression, you were still thinking about them. Even though it would have been so much easier to forget about the holiday entirely and try to block out the loneliness, you instead embraced it; using the gifts as a reminder that they were out there, caring about you, somewhere, even if you couldn’t be with them.
Even the manliest of the group, Daichi and Tsukishima, were sporting the traces of tears at the corners of their eyes. Hinata, Bokuto, and Atsumu were sobbing, in comparison.
You shied as you sat down behind your tower of gifts. “I just feel bad… I mean, undeserving gifts aside, I have no idea how I’m going to house all of you tonight.”
“FIRST OF ALL,” Ennoshita bounced in his seat with a loud voice, “You deserve every single one of those presents…” Everyone nodded in agreement. He continued. “And secondly, don’t worry! We rented a bus. Everyone has their sleeping bags and other stuff stored in there for later.”
“Except for Hinata.” Kageyama interrupted. “He forgot his sleeping bag.” Kageyama stated matter-of-factly, making the orange-haired shorty jump up and make excuses for how it was Atsumu’s fault for not reminding him.
Deep down you knew they weren’t just here for you. It was an excuse. A good excuse, and one you were thankful for. Everyone here was having a hard time adjusting to their new lives… their new schedules. Some people like Hinata, Bokuto, and Atsumu ended up working together, which helped ease the pain of being apart from the others, but it still just wasn’t the same.
Not without everyone.
As you opened and watched your friends’ open gifts, you felt strength returning to your soul. Even if every year, you still got all depressed and sad and lonely, it only served to remind you of how important these connections really were. It made you cherish your time with them on an entirely new level.
You knew that you would never feel more loved than when you were surrounded by these people. The most important things in life isn’t your job, your savings, what you’ve accomplished, or even your dreams. Instead, it’s those few people who have been with you through thick and thin. Seen every side of you and still choosing to hold you close. The simple act of wanting to be with you for the long haul… hoping from the bottom of their heart that they will get the first-row seat of the (Y/N)-show… watching you grow and feeling honored to be a part of that process. Those few people who, even after months of being apart, will gravitate their way back to you, regardless of where life has taken them.
It’s those people.
Hold them close and never let them go.
“I believe in Santa Claus
Oh I believe in Santa Claus
I believe there's always hope when all seems lost
And I believe in Santa Claus
I believe in Santa Claus, I'll tell you why I do
'Cause I believe that dreams and plans and wishes can come true
I believe in miracles, I believe in magic too
Oh I believe in Santa Claus and I believe in you
I believe in family, in country and in smiles
Knowing who your neighbors are is something that's worthwhile
I believe in lookin' up the farther down we get
And when somebody hurts us to forgive and to forget
And I believe in Santa Claus
Oh I believe in Santa Claus
I believe there's always hope when all seems lost
And I believe in Santa Claus
I believe in saying what you mean and meaning what you say
Sometimes all you gotta do is make it through the day
And I believe in seeing life as a journey we're all on
Enjoying every moment before the moment's gone
I believe that everything in life is what it's supposed to be
I believe that there is a God out there although he's hard to see
And I believe I am, I believe that you are too
And all our better angels will help us make it through
And I believe in Santa Claus
Oh I believe in Santa Claus
I believe there's always hope when all seems lost
And I believe in Santa Claus
I believe there's always love when all seems lost
And I believe in Santa Claus
Oh I believe in Santa Claus.”