A/N: Hey there, everyone! Been a LONG time, but I'm back(ish) - and this time with some Haikyuuties! I've been RPing Daichi and Sugawara here and there, and this popped into my head after writing out a tag so I did a thing. :3 It'll be short and sweet this time around.

Pairing/Ship: DaiSuga/SugaDai. M/M romancey-fluffy business. Don't like it? Click the little "x" on this tab in your browser. Problem solved. C;

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING. (Literally. Try me.)

**Spoilers** for chapters 117? through 125 of the manga, and season 2 of the anime (around episode 17/18).


After the win over Wakunan, it was back to business as usual for Karasuno. Their substitute captain had done his job well, and with the rightful leader of the crows back on his feet and at the helm again, things would be normal again soon enough.

While most players ascended the stairs to watch the next match, two third-years lingered behind them. In truth, Daichi had though he was alone until he turned his head and caught a glimpse of Sugawara standing somewhere off beside him. Internally, he sighed. He'd known this moment would come since the setter had first delivered those playful punches to his midsection minutes ago. Needless to say, he hadn't been particularly looking forward to it.

But it wasn't as though he could avoid it, either. He wasn't quite sure he wanted to, even. He and Suga were dating now, albeit in secret; and truthfully, there was nothing the silver-haired third-year could do to make his boyfriend want to avoid him. So, instinctively, the captain turned back toward him.

"What are you waiting for? You're missing the next game." Daichi even appended a small smile onto his statement, but it was no use. Suga wasn't listening to his words, that much was clear. Instead, hazel eyes traveled quietly over the glaring red scrape on the taller player's face - red and swollen, fresh wound obviously still irritated, sore.

There wasn't a need for verbal communication between them to know what the setter was thinking.

"Daichi-"

"I'm fine," Daichi interjected, then corrected himself. "It feels fine."

Hadn't he said this all before? Yet, this time around, Sugawara's expression seemed nonplussed. A hand rose, aiming to assess that side of his captain's face. But no matter how benign or gentle the curve of those fingers looked, the wing spiker still instinctively flinched and discreetly turned his cheek away.

That previously-nonplussed expression then turned to an outright frown, and Daichi found himself fumbling for the right words to mend it.

"It-... well," pausing, he slid a palm around his neck and scratched at the back of his head sheepishly, "The pain meds are probably starting to wear off now, so-..." He was as stout as he was proud, but certainly not smooth. Even if he was, he still couldn't hide - not from his boyfriend.

Brown eyes turned up and away in subconscious avoidance, Daichi staggered back a step, having not had time to brace himself as Suga abruptly thudded into him with unexpected weight. Hands clutched at black fabric, forehead coming to rest against a pronounced-but-sturdy collarbone.

"You gave us all a pretty good scare out there," he murmured after a moment, laughing bitterly into the fabric of his captain's jacket. A breath drawn in through his nose afterward could easily be read as a sniffle. Whatever it actually was, it still gave just cause for wing spiker's heart to sink, brows lifting in concern.

"Koushi…" he breathed, the setter's first name typically one he only used when they were behind closed doors. Though they weren't this time, it seemed appropriate. Arms circled around his shorter teammate snugly, fingers threading into fine strands of pure silver at the back of his head and reflexively combing through.

Being against his chest, Suga could feel Daichi draw a breath to speak again in the moments after, and pre-empted him.

"Don't apologize." He lifted his head, looking none the worse for wear. Only a heartbeat lapsed before he summoned a resolute smile. "You're here with us now, and everything's okay. We even won the match!" Though he didn't want to rub that part in. "We're one step closer to what we used to dream about, Daichi."

"Yeah, we are," the taller player affirmed softly, low voice still rich with joy. On his face was a smile to match, lifting the ends of his mouth perhaps a bit too much. It took only the faintest flicker of discomfort - just the twitch of an eye - for Suga to notice. His expression fell somewhat.

"How does it feel?"

Hadn't Daichi just answered that question?

He drew a breath to answer, but was cut off by the softest, most feather-light press of lips at the corner of his mouth, just aside the scrapes of the earlier accident. His lip had to be sore still, so Suga used every ounce of care and caution to not push too hard, and make matters worse for the both of them.

It might have started off as a delayed reaction, but Daichi's eyelids soon fluttered closed as he turned into the kiss in desperate effort to reciprocate somehow, lips brushing his boyfriend's cheek in reply. In that moment, the rest of the world faded out - the comparative chill of the air around them; the distant roar of the crowd from other games; the fact that they were in a place where anyone could walk by and see them. None of that registered as Karasuno's captain slowly allowed himself to let go for a moment; to get lost in such a simple, sweet gesture.

In fact, it wasn't until Suga spoke again that soulful brown eyes flicked back open to see the setter looking back at him from not an arm's length away, donning something not unlike a self-satisfied smirk.

"And? How does it feel now?"

Daichi mirrored that expression, in his own way - smaller; warmer; more grateful.

"Better, actually."

And the strangest thing was, that wasn't exaggeration.