OPEN POST

[beautymarker]

PSLs, meme thread continuations, random texts, whatever!

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[crowdad1]

[Suga slows. Stops. He looks surprised, but not shocked.

Daichi holds up his hands in a peace gesture. He's not going to push. Name things that aren't there, or might still be growing. He only wants to keep the door open. Let Suga decide when to use it.]

Look. I know I'm not observant about these things.

But if you found a guy who's on your level? I want to support you. Both of you. That's it.

[beautymarker]

No no, Daichi, that's - that's not -

[What's the point of this, really? Why keep denying it so long and loud if Daichi sees no problem with the idea?]

- it's not -

[It's not what should have happened. It's not what Suga wanted. It's not a good idea! It's probably not even possible, at least in a requited way. Again.

But it's true, isn't it?]

- ohhhhh no.

[crowdad1]

[Oh boy. Daichi recognizes that response. He winces as a metric ton of bricks crashes down on Sugawara's reality.

Once the protests splutter out - ]

Suga?

[beautymarker]

I thought... [Suga's gaze dances around wildly as he talks through the epiphany, upending thoughts like chunks of rubble and scanning for any truth that might shake loose.] ... it's not like I didn't notice anything, but I just figured, you know, I was working through stuff! And he was there! It's just, like, transferring all those feelings somewhere else! That's why rebounds happen, right, that's why people take time after breakups, you can't really know -

[But the way Daichi described the situation really drove something home for Suga, and when he picks up that simple truth and looks at it from every angle, there's nothing else left to do but look Daichi in the eye and admit to himself:]

- but it's him. Specifically. I - I like. [Goddamnit.] I like Tsukishima.

*Tsukki sneezes back in the hotel*

[crowdad1]

Okay!

[Those terms sting. 'Breakup.' 'Rebound.' Daichi's not just close to Suga's heartbreak. He's the epicenter. Not on purpose, but there's still a responsibility.

He peers closely at his best friend. Gauging how to build from here.]

And he's... a possible option?

[beautymarker]

[Is he a possible option? That means so much more than just liking guys as well, though Suga's sure that's what Daichi means.]

... is he? I'm about to graduate and he's still got two more years of high school ahead of him. That's not a lot of time together before it has to turn long distance, and then I'm a university student dating a high schooler - is that going to look weird? Is it weird? And I don't even know what he thinks of me, like, you know how there are those senpais that are more like uncles than big brothers because they just feel so much older that it makes them uncool? What if -

[This is one of the big reasons why Sugawara focuses on the well-being of others and lets it buoy him along. When he looks too hard at himself and his own desires, all the confidence just drains out of him and he starts to sound more like Asahi than himself.]

[crowdad1]

Whoah, whoah! Slow down!

[Daichi's hands land on Sugawara's shoulders. Shake him a fraction.]

You just admitted you like him! Let's - Just talk about that?

First of all, it's not weird! Yeah, two years could be a lot, if we were talking about Kageyama or Hinata, but Tsukishima's not the same.

[beautymarker]

… okay, yeah, you’re not wrong. [Suga laughs and squares his shoulders, like he’s physically shaking off the weight of all that worry.] One step at a time.

[The strength of Daichi’s insistence that there’s nothing untoward about Suga’s attraction plays a huge part in helping him relax. Two years really isn’t that much, is it? Would he criticize Daichi if he said he wanted to date Yachi? Not at all. So why…?]

You have to see how he’d be uniquely… intimidating to think about confessing to, though.

[crowdad1]

Sure.

I mean, I can't say it from the same place. I'm not the one attracted to him! But the kind of person Tsukishima is... It would take a certain kind of nerve.

[Daichi smiles, reassuring.]

I happen to know you have that nerve.

[From personal experience. Though Daichi's not going deeper than that. Suga's last confession is still too raw for them both. So he's sure to add - ]

You don't have to decide now.

[beautymarker]

[God bless Daichi for always being so gentle with his emotions. No matter how resilient and carefree Suga works to appear, Daichi never just assumes that "Suga can take it" when the opposite is true. Somehow he respects Suga's softness and his strength in equal measure.

He'd be a wonderful partner, in another life. In this one, he's a priceless friend.]

No decisions of any kind until we get back to Miyagi, for starters! [He agrees with a chuckle.] Honestly, though, I'm... still kind of surprised that I'm so attracted to Tsukki. I usually have a pretty definite type and there's not much about him that fits into it.

[crowdad1]

[Suga's an incredible person, but not indestructible. He deserves friends - and a romantic partner - Who understand. Daichi's sure he'll pick someone worthy of that job.]

Good call.

So you have a type, huh? Is it too arrogant to ask about that?

[For all they know about each other, this is unexplored. Suga's (understandably) always dodged the topic. Daichi's been too busy with the team and school to chase it.

He can't help the curiosity.]

[beautymarker]

[When Suga thinks about it, Tsukishima's shown the exact same ability to tell bravado from actual cheer and react accordingly. He's not as forward about offering support, but his silent presence somehow turns out to be comfort enough.

God, Suga's been so blind.]

Hang on... [He pulls out his phone and scrolls back in one of his text chats to where Tsukishima himself summed it up perfectly.] ... apparently it's dark-haired, athletically inclined leaders. So yeah, you were a shoo-in.

[Here and now, at least, a bit of joking appears to be okay.]

[crowdad1]

[Daichi's bark of laughter echoes from the closed-in buildings.]

Geeze. I think I should be flattered? Wait, leaders?

[Emphasizing the plural.]

[beautymarker]

Well, there has to be more than one to make it a type!

[Don’t ask who else don’t ask who else don’t ask who else.]

[crowdad1]

Is that so?

[Too late. Daichi's not always the quickest, but he is persistent. He folds his arms, thinking. Fighting back a grin because Obviously this is Serious Business.]

Dark haired... And I don't think you really have time to watch anyone in other sports...

[beautymarker]

Stop! [Suga can’t help but laugh, which kind of ruins his objections.] I’m in no state to defend my crushes right now.

[crowdad1]

Oh, come on!

Kuroo is probably a catch!

[He's confident that's a wrong guess. Best Friend Hunch.

He just wants to keep Suga laughing.]

[beautymarker]

Oh my God - [That really does kick his laughter up a notch.] - I don’t like Kuroo! And I can’t even ask why it’s always him because he really should meet all my standards!!