Chapter 8
A waitress walked by with a small silver platter and Suga raised his head to get a better look. On the platter, in the dead center, was a giant milkshake, topped with mile-high whipped cream, a glistening black cherry, like dried blood, Suga noted, and two shiny red straws bent at exact right angles. Suga clapped his hands and nudged Kageyama with enough force to almost knock him over.
“Hinata wasn’t kidding about this place. It’s straight out of a movie!” Suga brought his hands together in front of his chest. “Please tell me we’re going to share a milkshake like that as we stare into each other’s eyes?” He fluttered his eyelashes and brought his hands under his chin to plead. “Please?”
Kageyama blinked at him. “Why can't we just get two milkshakes?”
“Aw, what’s the fun in that? We could stare at each other all longingly and play footsie under the table. It’ll be great!”
“No,” Kageyama answered slowly, like he didn’t understand exactly what he was refusing to do. “Footies?” He asked.
Suga ran his hand down his face. “Footsie, Kageyama. You've never heard that? It’s romantic!”
“I still don’t understand what you’re talking about. Are you making things up again?”
“No! Have you really never seen that before? In movies or shows or anything? I thought it was pretty universal. You know, for a guy who knows everything about everything, you can be really clueless,” Suga pointed out.
“Why would I care about things that don’t interest me?” Kageyama asked with question with more curiosity than malice.
“Nevermind Sherlock, forget it.”
Suga rolled his eyes and tried to wave off the conversation, but Kageyama’s scowl softened. He blushed and ran his fingers through his hair, letting it fall over his eyes. “You really think I’m like Sherlock Holmes?”
“That’s not necessarily a compliment,” Suga reminded him.
Kageyama’s phone buzzed with a notification and he growled. Suga peered over his shoulder. He recognized the format of the blog tried to grab the phone out of Kageyama’s hand, but Kageyama’s long arms and extra inches protected the device and kept it out of Suga’s reach.
“I can’t believe you're still signed up for notifications on Tsukishima’s blog. You look like you’re going to kill someone.” Suga was a little miffed that Kageyama used his height against him, so he chose his revenge by pinching one of Kageyama’s cheeks. “Not that I don’t love you just the way you are, prickly exterior and all.”
He wriggled out of Suga’s grasp. “He always starts it.”
Suga didn’t point out the fact that Kageyama might not start anything, but he never did a hell of a lot to smooth things out between them. “You know we should stick together, right? Community and all that?” Kageyama nodded in agreement, but his mouth was still twisted into a grimace. “Come on. I can’t help but worry that the trench you two insist on digging will hurt everyone.”
This seemed to catch Kageyama's attention. “I know. It’s just, even when I try to say something nice to him, the words get stuck in my throat and all I can think of is how much I don’t like his face- ” Kageyama’s phone buzzed again. “Speaking of idiots,” he grumbled, “Hinata said he just left the mall with Daichi. They should be here in fifteen.”
Suga’s stomach fluttered pleasantly at the mention of Daichi’s name and he hummed his approval. Kageyama went back to his phone to tap out a reply with comically unnecessary force and Suga watched him. “Just thinking aloud here, but the only other person who gets more helpings of your fine-tuned grouchiness than Tsukishima is Hinata. I have to ask,” Suga whispered, “have you slept with Tsukishima, too?”
Kageyama looked like he was going to throw up on the spot.
“I mean, when you see Tsukishima’s face you clench your knuckles so hard that I’m actually afraid for your hands, and when you see Hinata, your shoulders tense and all you do is get up in his face and complain,” Suga listed the comparisons on his fingers. “It’s okay if you did, or do, but you can see why I’m concerned for you and your type.”
Kageyama chewed on Suga’s words and thought carefully before he spoke, even though his face and neck remained a charming shade of red. “They’re different, Hinata’s different. I’m hard on him because I know he can take it, and that he can be better. And don’t forget that he’s always shouting at me, too!”
“That’s certainly not hard to miss” Suga chuckled. “But can he take it? I mean, Tsukishima’s been in the business for a bit now, so he’s built up a fine, calloused exterior, but Hinata's pretty green.”
Kageyama looked at him like Suga had just told him the sky was falling. “That might be true, but I’ve never seen someone draw like him, and draw as much as he does. He’s a monster.”
“Aw, Kageyama, don’t kid yourself. You both are monsters,” Suga joked. “But seriously, do you like him, like him? Like, actually like him in a single milkshake two straws kind of way?”
“I’m not sure what that means, but maybe,” Kageyama admitted. “We’re partners now.”
Suga’s eyebrows almost hit the ceiling and he clutched his heart. Kageyama was still everything he used to be, rough around the edges, steely-eyed, and generally closed-off, but maybe there was something different about him, thrumming underneath the surface. He had always been confident in a way Suga had never been, but he had always been alone. And, despite his pomp and success and talent, Kageyama was also young and still growing in so many ways. Suga was glad to see him finally let someone else in, though he knew that partnerships weren't easy. He never felt like he had much to offer Kageyama in terms of writing advice, but that didn't mean he wouldn't help in any way he could. “I’m happy for you guys, and I know we talked a little bit about it at our meeting last week, but if your publisher ends up not wanting to support you and Hinata, Asahi’ll be willing to help.”
Kageyama’s eyes lit up and Suga thought it was a good look on him. “I haven’t told them yet, but I'll keep in mind. You’d help too, right? Asahi can be indecisive and slow.”
“Be careful what you say to his face, you might make him cry,” Suga winked. “And of course I'd help. I really liked what we went over. Is that the story you and Hinata are going with?”
Kageyama nodded. “I liked what you presented as well.”
“Oh,” Suga scratched the back of his neck. “It was just a little idea to fill in the gaps at the end of the meeting. I’m not sure it’s going to turn into anything.”
“It was good,” Kageyama reassured him. “And people, I mean we’re all really excited that you’re working on something new again. It’s been,” Kageyama tried to count in his head and Suga had to laugh when he gave up, “awhile.”
“True, but you know I don’t write for other people, as much as I love them. I'm just waiting on some inspiration.” Suga said serenely.
“Inspiration like… Another person?” Kageyama asked delicately.
“Maybe," Suga admitted.
Kageyama shed whatever tact he was pretending to have and fell back into his comfort zone, blunt honesty. Straight and to the point. “You’ve never been interested in strangers before. Why him?”
Classic Kageyama, Suga snorted. It was a good question, though, and one that had kept Suga up at night as he tossed and turned and tried to figure out exactly what it was about Daichi that hooked him so immediately and so intensely. It had been nothing and everything, the way he smiled at Hinata, the way he held Kageyama’s books like precious cargo, the way his presence felt like solid ground, the way he flushed when Hinata said something nice about him, how his dark eyes matched his hair, or his American rock band shirt. He wasn't about to admit any of that aloud, however. He kept it close to his heart and found better, more appropriate answer. "He seemed nice. And Hinata said he liked my work, remember?”
“Nice?” Kageyama spit out the word like it had personally offended him. “Suga, sorry, but that’s crap. Lots of people are nice and lots of people like your writing.”
“I don't know about that, but he is nice," Suga deflected, "he was nice enough to let you back into his store after The Great Defilement,” Suga sang. He had come up with the name after Hinata had spilled the story and used it every chance he got. Kageyama turned red again and Suga laughed aloud. “But, seriously, he seems like someone who brings people together and that’s… Nice.”
“Okay, fine. He does seem, er, is nice,” Kageyama relented.
Suga continued. “And when I stand next to him, it feels like something good would happen. If that makes sense."
“He gives you hope?” Kageyama asked quietly.
“Huh, yeah," Suga felt his chest fill with warmth, "Something like that.”
The door chimed and a cold gust of wind welcomed new arrivals into the restaurant. Hinata stood on tiptoes to look around the restaurant, so Suga caught his eye and waved him over, careful not to overflow completely at the sight of Daichi in his jeans, keys in hand, looking as handsome as he remembered.
He and Daichi didn’t get much of a chance to talk over dinner, despite it having been Suga’s surprise plan to get Daichi to go out with him, and he was the first to admit that he might've let himself get a little carried away as the meal progressed. Finally, at the end of the meal, when Suga was tipping a spoon back with his index finger to fling another round of whipped cream at Kageyama, Hinata stopped squawking, Daichi cleared his throat, and time itself seemed to stand still. Suga turned slowly to Daichi, who nonchalantly slurped the last of Suga’s unprotected milkshake. Suga reached for it, but Daichi pulled it back, shrugged, and told him that if he hadn’t been horsing around with the children, he would’ve been able to finish it himself. Suga suppressed the overwhelming desire to kiss him for such an artful display of savagery. He prided himself on his intuition, and was satisfied to know that they hadn't failed him.
After exiting the restaurant, Hinata and Kageyama ran off before anyone could say anything and left Suga and Daichi under a streetlight, next to Daichi’s car. Suga inhaled the cool air, felt the evening breeze brush his cheeks, and enjoyed the quiet, muffled city noises around them.
“Suga?” Daichi bit his lip and adjusted his jacket for the fifth time since leaving the building. “I just wanted to say that it was a pleasure seeing you tonight. Hinata doesn’t have a great track record with surprises, but I might have to give him this one.” He gestured to the car. “I’d love to give you a ride home, if you’d like.”
“If I’d like,” Suga repeated. He didn’t like. He wanted more. “What if I’d like for you to take me out for round two? Know any good bars around here?”
Daichi hesitated. “There is a bar I like not far from here. Should we tell Hinata and Kageyama?”
“Kageyama probably already has his hands down Hinata’s pants. Round two is going to be just us,” Suga clarified. Daichi froze and was quiet for so long that Suga was afraid he had stopped breathing. Suga held his own breath; he might’ve pushed his luck too far for one evening.
Finally, Daichi loosened his shoulders and grinned. “I’d love to take you out.” He held out his arm. “Walk with me?”
“What a gentleman,” Suga cooed enthusiastically. He looped his arm through Daichi’s and let himself be led down the street, trying to catch glimpses of their profile when they walked by a window. They looked good together, Suga decided.
When they were seated at the bar, drinks in hand, Daichi interrupted their comfortable silence. “I never got to tell you how much I enjoyed your books.”
The sincerity in his voice weighed heavily on Suga’s heart and the compliment sunk into his stomach like a lead weight. He felt like a jerk, but compliments never sat well with him, even though he knew he deserved them, rationally, at least. He smiled as genuinely as he could manage. “You’re too nice.”
“And they weren't easy to track down either,” Daichi laughed, “but the effort was worth it. I finished them both in, like, a week.”
It was too much. Suga brought his hands to his face and groaned. “Ugh. I can’t believe you actually read them.”
Daichi leaned forward. “What do you mean? Of course I read them?”
“I was young and stupid, and maybe went a little overboard with the graphic descriptions. You’re probably one of, like, ten people who have read them.” Suga stared into his drink and wondered what about Daichi made him feel like he could spill his guts so easily. Kageyama had said it earlier in the evening, but he didn't necessarily take well to strangers. Daichi was proving to be an exception.
“Then I’m lucky," Daichi responded with searing sincerity. "I know it doesn’t mean much, because I’m not a literary critic or anything, but I couldn’t put yours down.”
Suga let out a little breath of relief and fought back a smile. He took a sip of his cocktail.
“I also saw those zines you did with Shimizu Kiyoko.”
Suga immediately spit out the sip he just took and dropped the glass to the table. “You saw those? Oh my god, Asahi is such an asshole!"
Daichi reached out to Suga, but stopped short of touching his arm and let his hand hover. “Suga? Are you okay? What? Why?” Daichi asked with a frantic edge to his voice.
“I'm fine, but you must think I’m some sort of psychopath!" Suga moaned.
“If I thought you were a psychopath, I wouldn’t have let you bully me into taking you out."
“Hey!” Suga picked his head up and looked at Daichi, who stared at him earnestly, with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “For the record, I didn’t bully you,” Daichi hummed in response, “and I don't really like the idea of people outside the horror community reading them because they’re downright gruesome, especially with Kiyoko's unique talent for the disturbing.”
Daichi leaned back into the booth. “Honestly, I might’ve gagged a little bit the first time I opened them, but when I read them, I was sucked in. Even after the guy was turned inside out from… botched time travel, was it? And even after those women drilled holes in people to suck their blood to feed their vampire babies, and even if you robbed me of a couple hours of sleep, I thought they were cool.”
“Cool?"
“Definitely.” Daichi looked like he was thinking something over. “It's not Asahi's fault, you know. I think Noya was the one who stole them.”
“Oh, I’m going to smack Asahi a little bit. But that’s pretty par for the course," Suga paused, "wait, you know Noya?”
“I went to him after the con to see if he knew how to get a hold of your books. He works at the comic store in the mall, so it was easy to get a hold of him.”
Suga smiled wide. “Oh yeah! I had totally forgotten!”
“It’s funny, Hinata was friends with him first, and now my other employee, Tanaka, and him are thick as thieves, like some unholy alliance or something." Daichi shuddered as if he were reliving a horrible memory, "but, yeah, I hope you’re fine with him taking your stuff from Asahi. Suga? You okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine. It’s fine.” Suga reassured him. He knew he looked ridiculous, smiling ear-to-ear like a kid on their birthday, but he couldn’t help it. “You just keep surprising me, Daichi, like you’re part of the community already.”
“I don’t know about that,” Daichi brushed it off. “And I’m not sure about a community, but I thought it was my night to be surprised?”
Suga bumped their knees under the table. “Sorry to ruin everything. You can go if you want.”
Daichi pushed back and held up his glass. “No, I'm sorry. You’re stuck with me until I finish my drink.”
“Oh, well" Suga smiled, "woe is me."
And, at the end of the night, long after their drinks were finished, when ice was fully melted and the glasses were pushed aside, after they shared stories about Kageyama, and Hinata, Asahi, Noya, Sports World, and writing and everything in between, Daichi finally worked up the nerve to ask him for his number.
Suga pretended to consider it, like he wasn't already gripping his phone under the table in anticipation.