Author's Note: So I am not sure how many people saw the nasty comment posted on the last chapter before I deleted it (if you did I am sorry you had to see that) but if it becomes a reoccurring problem I will turn on comment moderation or require people to be logged in or something. Not entirely sure what my options are or what would be best but I'll figure it out. Thank you to everyone else who commented on the first chapter though. I am glad others are enjoying this fic.
I think I understand the timeline better, and I've already messed it up. I think if I am understanding correctly most people turn sixteen in their first year of highschool, not their second like I had been thinking.
*Edited 6/17/16 changed the age people get their soulmate names from sixteen to seventeen*
Chapter Two
"Daichi-san, can I talk to you about something?" Nishinoya asks the upperclassman one day after practice. He's already told Ryuu to go ahead without him, so Noya hopes Daichi has the time to talk to him today.
He's nervous. He feels ridiculous for being nervous, but he is. He's in his second year now, and his seventeenth birthday is fast approaching. And he still hasn't told anyone.
Daichi takes in the expression on his face and seems to make a decision based on what he sees, though Nishinoya isn't sure what that is.
"Sure." Daichi responds.
When Daichi says goodbye to Suga, they don't kiss. Noya notices the way their hands linger on each other, though. The two have been dating since Daichi's birthday, but Noya's only seen them kiss once and only then because he forgot something in the club room and had to go back for it. He's never been sure if their avoidance of PDA was just a personal preference or if they were trying to avoid additional hassle from others.
"You want to grab something to eat while we talk?" Daichi asks as he grabs his bag and heads to the door of the club room. "My treat"
Despite the nerves, Noya smiles.
"Hell yeah" he responds, following Daichi out of the door.
They wind up at a ramen shop not far from the school. Daichi tells him to order whatever he wants. He orders the biggest thing on the menu, because practice always leaves him starving.
Daichi waits a few minutes after they've ordered, probably trying to give Nishinoya a chance to start the conversation himself. Eventually he seems to realize that Noya is not going to start the conversation and clears his throat.
"So, you had something you wanted to talk to me about?" Daichi says. Noya knows Daichi is looking at him but he continues to pretend to be very interested in the small potted plant on their table.
"Uh, yeah." Noya starts. He had planned for this, he'd gone over all of the things he wanted to say a thousand times, but now that it was actually time to do this he couldn't remember any of the things he had prepared. "Ummm… so my birthday is coming up…"
"Mhmm" Daichi responds like he already knew this, which he probably did. Last year Ryuu had completely derailed practice with a variety of birthday themed surprises. "You're turning seventeen right?"
"Uh… yeah" Nishinoya responds. He's so frustrated. This shouldn't be so hard. But he's never done this before, and it is reaaaally hard.
Their food arrives and there is a few moments of silence while they both start eating. Nishinoya is not sure if he has the courage to start the conversation up again.
"You don't seem excited about that." Daichi states eventually, saving Noya the trouble. Daichi doesn't ask why, Nishinoya isn't sure if he's just being patient or if he's already figured it out.
"Yeah, um… I don't even know if I'll get a name right away or anything… but um, when I do…" Nishinoya takes a deep breath before barrelling forward with the rest of what he has to say. "It's going to be a boys name."
Nishinoya can't look at Daichi. He picks at his food instead. He isn't sure what expression Daichi has on his face. Logically he knows Daichi's not going to be upset or weirded out by this, but fear isn't logical and he's scared.
"Okay." Daichi says, it's calm and level. It's not exuberant approval or anything, not that he was expecting that, but Nishinoya thinks he prefers this simple acceptance. "Thank you for trusting me with this information."
Nishinoya isn't sure what to say next. He has things he wants to say, things he wants to ask, but he has no idea where to start.
"Does your family know?" Daichi asks, once again rescuing their conversation from Noya's ineptitude.
"Um, no." Nishinoya starts, he fidgets with his chopsticks nervously. "You're actually the first person I've told. Like ever."
Noya tries to chuckle, to relieve the awkwardness he is feeling, but it sounds off and nervous even to him.
Daichi seems a little surprised by this admission and Nishinoya doesn't want to admit that he knows why. So he goes back to picking at what remains of his food instead.
"So, you haven't told Tanaka?" Daichi asks. Noya knew the question was coming but it still kind of feels like a punch to the gut when it does. He feels soooo guilty about not having told Ryuu, the fact that other people apparently expect him to have just makes it worse.
"You haven't." Daichi says, probably having read the answer on Nishinoya's face. "That's ok, you know. As much as possible coming out should be something that happens only when you are ready for it to happen."
"My birthday's in less than a week. I'm pretty much out of time for 'finding the right moment'." Noya responds, he tries to keep the bitterness out of his voice but isn't sure how successful he is. Having a soulmate seems great, being outed by his soulmate's name, not so much.
"There's been plenty of opportunity but I keep chickening out." Noya adds.
"Then don't tell him." Daichi says matter of factly. Nishinoya looks at him skeptically.
"I'm serious." Daichi says in response to Noya's facial expression. "If you don't want to tell him, don't."
"But my birthd-" Nishinoya starts but Daichi cuts him off.
"Is in less than a week, we've established that. But so what? Like you said you might not even get a name right away. And if you do, well, he'll know then right? If you don't want to tell him, you don't have to." Daichi says.
Nishinoya admits that what Daichi is saying has a certain appeal, but he still feels so guilty. He's been lying to his best friend, and keeping what feels like a really big secret.
"I feel so guilty about it though." Nishinoya says, voicing his concerns.
"Well, you can't really control what you feel so I'm not going to tell you something like 'don't feel guilty' but I am going to tell you that you don't need to feel guilty. You're not doing anything wrong." Daichi says, he's already finished his meal but he sips his drink in the breaks in their conversation.
"I'm lying to him, and keeping a really big secret." Nishinoya can't keep the emotion out of his voice. He can't identify what exactly that emotion is, just that it feels shitty.
"We live in a society that forces heteronormativity on people. Lying because you aren't ready to be out yet isn't something you need to feel guilty for." Daichi says. Nishinoya isn't exactly sure what "heteronormativity" means but it sounds smart and Daichi seems like he knows what he's talking about so Noya just decides to try and believe him and look the word up later.
"For what it's worth, I don't think he'll care." Daichi adds on. " That you're into guys, or that you didn't tell him. I mean, you know him better, but this doesn't seem like the type of thing that'd get to him."
Noya can't entirely believe what Daichi's saying, and he still feels guilty when he thinks about lying to Ryuu, but he does feel a little better. Like the pressure that has been increasing on him as his birthday crept closer and closer has been eased somewhat.
"How do you think things will go with your family?" Daichi asks. He is straightforward, but Noya can see a slight apprehension in the set of his jaw and the too tight grip he has on his cup. Noya's never thought to wonder how Daichi and Suga's families handled them being outed, there had been so much drama with the volleyball club to focus on instead, but now he wonders.
"I don't know, I don't think they'll be happy exactly, but I don't think it'll be too bad." He replies shrugging. "Mom probably won't care once I remind her that this doesn't necessarily mean I won't have kids."
"I'm glad." Daichi says, smiling at Nishinoya's response.
When the bill comes, Daichi drops some cash onto the little tray. Nishinoya isn't the best at math and he's not sure exactly how much their food was, but he's pretty sure that is a fair bit more than a reasonable tip.
They gather their belongings and head to the door. The restaurant is getting busier so they probably need the table.
"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?" Daichi asks once they are outside.
"Uhm, no." Nishinoya says. There probably is, but he can't think of anything right now.
"Here, give me your phone. I'll add mine and Suga's numbers. You can text or call either of us if anything comes up." Daichi says, holding his hand out. Nishinoya unlocks his phone and hands it to him.
Daichi enters both numbers in without having to look at his own phone, which means he has Suga's memorized. Then he hands the phone back to Noya.
"Thank you Daichi-san." Nishinoya says with a bow.
When he straightens up again Daichi has his hand on the back of his neck and an expression that looks like a toned down version of something Asahi commonly wears.
"It's no problem. Thank you for trusting me with this." Daichi responds. "I hope I was able to help somewhat."
"You totally did!" Noya exclaims loudly. Daichi reprimands him for shouting in front of the restaurant, but he can't entirely keep the smile from his face so it doesn't work as well as he was probably hoping.
They say their goodbyes and head their separate ways.
It's dark now, but the weather is nice and the stars are bright and Noya feels better than he's felt outside of the focus of volleyball in a long time.
End Note: So I don't really know what ramen shops are like, I've only been to one once and I don't remember it very well. My version of Daichi is based on a post I saw on tumblr and can no longer find (I have too many pages of Daichi stuff on that blog) that talked about the idea of Daichi being a rich kid. I really liked that idea. So I'm rolling with that.
Hope you enjoyed, comments are greatly appreciated.