In the Middle of Practice?

SI Waters

*image credit to Viria

Confessional Series: Book 1

Sugawara and Sawamura

Daichi understood he could never act on his feelings. He glanced over in class towards the silver haired setter. They were in the same third year class, had been in the same class through their other High School years as well. Sawamura knew that he was irrevocably in love with Sugawara, but he also knew that he couldn't damage their current relationship. He looked down at his notes, pushing a hand through his short locks of dark hair.

Suga looked up from his note taking. He hadn't been able to concentrate on anything the teacher had said all day. He was merely writing down unrecognizable formulas onto his paper. Suga could feel someone in the class watching, he vainly wished for it to be Daichi and that every time he looked up, he might catch the captain in the act. He looked over his shoulder at the brunette, seeing that he was diligently taking his own notes. He bit his lip, it was probably just some other starstruck girl that he'd have to kindly turn down. He looked back up the board, once again feeling the eyes hit his back. Groaning, assuming it wouldn't be Daichi at this point, he focused on the blur of letters and numbers on the board.

Suga had a distinct feeling that he should probably get glasses rather than straining his eyes constantly to make out the correct words on the board. He never did, not wanting to wear them in the club. Suga knew he'd get teased because they were friends, but the fear of them falling and breaking was more troublesome than not wearing any at all.

Daichi glanced between the board and Sugawara. He could tell the teen was squinting more than usual. Suga was in the middle of the class where Daichi was situated near the back. He wondered why his crush needed to squint at all, knowing he could see perfectly well from his accurate sets in Volleyball. He had felt someone watching him not too long ago, he had looked up in excitement at it being Suga trying to get his attention, only to find the teacher drilling more formula's into the chalk board. He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair again. Sighing, he figured being friends with the setter was better than nothing.

-oOo-

"Nice serve Daichi!" Suga called out during practice. He glanced over to the male who was focusing solely on the three-on-three game. The ball flew over the net and Nishinoya accurately sent it up into the air for Tsukkishima and Kageyama. The latter set it towards the tall blond, but Daichi was ready for the receive.

Compliments flew as Suga got under the ball to set it, Asahi grabbing the attack and sending it flying past the other three.

"Good one Asahi," Daichi complimented.

"Nah, that was all Suga." Asahi quickly deflected. Daichi smiled, clapping the setter on his shoulder.

"You doing okay?" He asked quietly, missing the flush in Sugawara's cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He brushed off, glancing back at the captain who still looked concerned.

"Can we talk later, when we're walking home?"

"We always do," Suga smiled at him. "You can hold on for the next hour of practice can't you?"

"Calling me weak?" Daichi chuckled, pulling away from his friend.

"Never," was the whisper that the captain was almost positive didn't actually happen.

-oOo-

"You're sure you're feeling okay?" Daichi asked once the others had left the club room. He was working on locking the door while Suga leaned on the banister, looking out at the school yard.

"I'm fine Daichi, you sneezed a lot at practice today, are you sure you're not the one we should be worried about?"

"Nah, just had a bit of pollen float in. I'm mildly allergic," Daichi brushed it off as they moved their way down the stairs. "You were squinting a lot at the board in class today,"

"You were watching me?" Suga warmed at the thought.

"Well, where you sit you're in the line of sight, so-" he drifted off and Suga nodded, immediately feeling his hopeful heart sink.

"Right, I forget you sit at the back. The light today was just a bit bright, hard to see the board is all." Daichi couldn't remember any outside light at all during that class period, but decided to let it slide.

"I noticed you talking to one of the girls in our class earlier, do you maybe have a crush on her?" He slid in as a change of topic.

"What? I talk to one girl and you suddenly assume that I like her that way?" Suga was laughing, Daichi loved his laugh. "No, the person I like isn't her. I'm pretty sure they're not interested anyway."

"What makes you say that?" Daichi turned an interested eye.

"It's more of a personal matter." Suga swatted away his probing question. "What about you though?"

"What about me?"

"Have anyone you like?" He prompted as they looked into the window of Ukai's family store. Takeda-sensei was there and the two seemed to be arguing.

"Yeah, but like you I'm sure it's unrequited."

"You're a good looking guy though Daichi, surely you could get anyone you like to accept?"

"I—well, you're good looking too!" The captain shot back, realizing suddenly that their coach and sensei were in a very tight lip lock.

"Oh that's," Suga blinked.

"New," Daichi nodded in agreement. "Come on, let's just head home for the night."

His shoulders hunched forward as he walked away, backpack drooping slightly. Suga watched him, faintly feeling his heart break a little more.

-oOo-

Suga's phone buzzed violently, making him roll over in bed. He hadn't been sleeping at all, just lying awake for the last two hours. He flipped it over, staring at the screen to see that for some reason Daichi was still awake as well.

Can I make a confession to you? The message read. Unsure of what the captain could possibly have reason to confess, he sent his own positive reply back.

You have to promise to not freak out.

Daichi, do you not trust me? We've known each other for so long already—I won't freak out.

It's a really personal matter I'm about to tell you.

If you don't want to tell me, don't feel obligated to.

No… I want to.

You sure?

I'm gay. The person I like is a male, like me. That's why I believe it's unrequited. Suga sucked in a sharp breath. He had not been expecting a confession like this. It was obvious it was something that sincerely bothered his friend, Sugawara himself had accepted his own sexuality the year before. Now he was curious as to who Daichi liked though, hoping he didn't further break his own heart.

Okay. Do you want to tell me who it is now? I kind of hope you're not going to say Asahi because I was personally thinking he has a thing going with Noya…

No, no. It's not Asahi. It's someone I know really well. I don't want to tell you the name right now—it's not really important.

Does he play volleyball?

Yeah.

Is he on our high school team then?

Well, yeah. Just—that's all I'm going to tell you Suga. I have your word you won't spread this around the club?

Do you think I'd really be that petty? Come on Daichi, I want to help you with your love life. I gotta figure out if this guy is gay too, then we can go from there.

I'm pretty sure he's not gay, he never dates any girls but he gets confessed to a lot—and I mean A LOT. Suga bit his lip, he was thinking, trying to figure out just who in the club Daichi could really have a legitimate crush on.

Kageyama? Tsukishima?

Not them, gross, way too young for me.

They're two years younger than us Daichi.

Still feels and sounds weird.

You don't like Coach Ukai do you? Because that whole thing with Takeda we saw earlier kind of puts him out of the market.

Sugawara Koushi! Suga jumped at the use of his full name, even in text. He stared down at Koushi. It was so normal for them all to call Daichi by his first name over Sawamura (similar to his own last name), or for them to call Asahi by his first over Azumane—Suga just wondered what it'd be like to hear Daichi call him Koushi in person.

Alright, alright. I get the hint. He decided to drop the subject for now and just observe his friend to see if he could identify his true crush.

So are you going to tell me who you like? I bet she's pretty.

I'm not telling you anything about mine if you don't tell me the name of yours.

Will you at least tell me if she's pretty?

Not a she. After sending that last message he quickly turned off his phone. He was getting into too dangerous of waters with Daichi. He had just found out that Daichi was gay, like him, but he was still sure the captain had no interest in him. He rolled over trying to think, knowing his friend would be mad at him in the morning. He fell asleep considering all the options in the club for Daichi's crush.

-oOo-

"You are a horrible person," Daichi whispered in Suga's ear the next day as they were getting ready for club. He nearly jumped, turning his head slightly to hide his flushed cheeks from the captain.

"And what makes you say that?" He asked, reaching up to pull the net tightly into the pole.

"You text me that kind of a message and then don't respond?" He growled. Suga was glad the captain couldn't see his face. Daichi's eyes fell to the part of Suga's lower back that was being revealed by the sweater he was wearing. The setter always wore a sweater, even in the hot heat of summer.

"Sorry, my phone died after I sent that. Couldn't reach the charger and so I decided to head to bed." He shrugged, trying to get himself back into a somewhat collected manner.

"And that is what makes you a horrible person. You let me sit there, thinking I was spilling some huge secret that you'd overreact to—anyone normally would, only to do that."

"Daichi, I accepted the fact that I was gay a year ago. No I never told anyone because I knew it might have repercussions. Yes other people would overreact. I'm your best friend though, you could have told me that you sleep with a giant stuffed octopus and I'd ask you what color it is. So what you like someone on the Volleyball team, I have someone I like too and I think as long as we're not liking the same person, we won't have any issues."

"Wait, you like someone on the Volleyball team too?" Daichi's head tilted slightly.

"Shit, didn't meant to just announce that." Suga's head fell into his hand.

"I don't think we like the same person," the captain blushed.

"Well, for both our sakes I hope we don't." he agreed, heading for the closet where the cart of volleyball's were waiting.

Practice went on, the captain still sending occasional glares to Suga who ignored them. He was watching how the captain interacted with everyone, trying to identify who might be Daichi's mysterious crush. When Ukai called for a break halfway through practice, Suga quietly approached his captain.

"Ennoshita?"

"Shit, no Suga." Daichi shook his head. "Look, it's obvious you're not going to drop this. So if I tell you then you have to tell me who you like with no judgement."

"Alright, it'll save me being curious."

"Out of all the possible people I could like in this club, it's you. You're the one I'm attracted to," Daichi closed his eyes, bracing for the rejection. What he didn't expect was to feel another set of lips suddenly pressed firmly to his. Suga's hands clutched at his shirt, pulling him down slightly. In shock, he opened his eyes, hands splayed to the side unsure of what was going on.

"Absolutely certain we don't like the same person," Suga mumbled against his mouth. Daichi chuckled, putting his hands on the setter's waist to pull him in much closer.

"As much as I am supportive of your relationship, it'd probably be best if you didn't have too much PDA in the middle of practice." Ukai called over to them. Suga jumped back, flushing red. The team was staring at them in shock, a ball that had been lobbed into the air by Kageyama, came back down, bouncing off Hinata's head.

"Sorry, got a little carried away." Daichi quickly apologized, Suga looked like he wanted to melt into the floor boards.

"Alright boys, back to practice." Takeda called out, picking up a few of the stray balls.