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“Kiss me.”
The words had a presence. They seemed to linger in the space above Daichi’s head like a fog, blurred and dizzying. It left him clueless, as if his heart might have stopped or perhaps only the air around him that seemed to still with his breathing; Suga was the only thing that moved in the midst of it all, the slight tilt of his head reminding the captain that things were not completely frozen.
“What?”
Sugawara smiled softly at the question, and now Daichi was certain that his heart had stopped beating.
“I said kiss me,” the setter repeated, though he knew full well that it did not go unheard the first time.
Daichi blinked.
Suga sighed quietly. He took a step forward. “We’ve been walking home together for two years,” he began. “You meet me here every morning.”
Still unsure as to how the two related, Daichi stayed quiet. It was easy, just to watch as the pale orange glow of the sky painted a background behind his friend. Suga looked good in that color, he realized. Or maybe he had known for a while.
“Two years and you haven’t kissed me yet.” The vice captain let his shoulders drop in a dramatic sigh, eyeing Daichi with sincere reverence. “Either I wait for next year…” He hesitated only briefly at the possibility, before adding, “Or you can kiss me now.”
It wasn’t often that Sugawara let his walls down. In all the time they had known each other, Daichi had always respected his setter for being strong, for his fortitude and his ability to carry the team and their spirits on his shoulders; Daichi wouldn’t have been able to do it alone. He could rile them up, sure, or ignite their desire and hunger to win. But picking up the pieces after a loss – Sugawara did it better than anyone else.
Watching him now, the captain couldn’t help but feel that maybe all of it had begun to weigh more on Suga than he had imagined.
“I didn’t know,” he started. And then stopped. And though it was only the end of their second year, Daichi couldn’t help but notice the beginnings of the loss he would feel when he had to say goodbye to Karasuno for good. It settled heavily on his chest.
When he met Suga’s eyes again, it was only for a moment. Daichi took a few purposeful steps forward, one hand outstretched to curl around the nape of Sugawara’s neck to close their distance completely. And then all he could think about was how genuinely relieved Suga’s sigh felt against his lips and that his own chest felt lighter from the warmth of the kiss. And how familiar it was despite being their first time.
Suga gripped the front of Daichi’s uniform, fingers only loosening when the captain pulled back to meet his eyes. “It took you long enough.”
Daichi chuckled softly, grateful that the setter was kind enough not to mention that blush that was no doubt spreading over the bridge of his nose. Sugawara was smiling as well, his usual refreshing, reassuring smile. It had Daichi’s chest tightening again, though not like the pressure he had felt before. Suga’s smile was radiant, light in a way that made Daichi certain that no amount of their combined worry would ever be enough to keep him down.
“You’re a good listener,” Sugawara said, after they had started walking once more. “If I’d known, I would have told you to kiss me a long time ago.”
Daichi shook his head at the remark, though he was aware of the heat that rose to his cheeks at Suga’s words. “I only listen to you,” he said casually, only thinking about it when Sugawara flashed him a satisfied smirk. “Don’t –”
“I didn’t say anything.” He hadn’t, but there was definitely something playful in the smugness of his expression.
Just to be sure, Daichi leaned in to press another kiss to Suga’s lips, feeling the setter’s grin widen at the touch.
“Is this going to be a regular thing now, Daichi?”
“Is that okay?”
“Kiss me again.”
“Okay.”