Regardless of the late afternoon hour, the air was still heavy and hot. Hot enough for the pair to contemplate swimming and get dressed for such. Shyly watching as Daichi striped down to his single speedo, Suga suddenly felt incredibly inadequate. He looked so small in comparison to his team mate. Daichi had the makings of a very strong man, while Suga still had the physique of a twelve year old girl. Not at all fitting for a boy soon to become a man for eighteen that winter.
"You going to hop in or just stay around here?" Suga suddenly realised he'd been staring, holding his shirt up around his waist in mid strip. Wrenching it off and over his head, he smiled nervously.
"I'm not really a strong swimmer, but I'm happy to splash around for a bit. Anything to keep this heat away." Nodding as they paced in waist deep, Daichi winced at the cold. Regardless of the lingering heat in the air, the water was ice cold.
"It'll be great for cool downs. Especially since those running tracks around the lake look like hell." Chafing warmth into his chilly limbs Daichi took a deep breath before taking a dive into the open water. Resurfacing with a snort of bubbles and water, the chill lost its sting as he kept his chest under the waves.
"Jump in all in one go, it feels so much better." Following his captain's example, Suga rubbed water from his eyes as he popped up beside his friend.
"Still cold, I'm still cold." Laughing Daichi couldn't help but splash the sulking setter.
"It's not that bad. Can you swim freestyle?" Shaking water from his hair, Suga nodded.
"Only a little, I'm a volleyball player not a swimmer." Floating on his back, Daichi stared up at the slowly darken sky. The sun was still hanging hot and heavy in the sky, the light cast across the water turning the shimmering depths into liquid red and gold.
"You want to practice a little then?" Pointing towards the shore, the captain flipped up right. "Just a little" he added, watching Suga's unsure expression. "If you think you're going to drown call out and I'll come save you." Sour faced, Suga kicked off towards the shore, not bothering to wait for Daichi to catch up.
Towelling his hair dry Daichi fidgeted with the hot sand underfoot. Trying hard to avoid kicking it up as he sat down. The captain fluffed out his towel and waited for Suga with his stomach growling. The lake was amazing, this would be the perfect for their camp, especially if they could get the grant. Watching a group of kids beginning to set up for a game of beach volleyball, he made a note to watch their routine and ask for some tips before they left. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked towards the udon stand, with Suga standing to one side, towel about his shoulder.
Regardless of his previous anxiety back in the hotel room, their afternoon had been pleasant. Suga had had a good time as well from what he could tell. Once he'd gain a bit of confidence around the water, he'd happily raced him up down the shoreline until the light completely faded from the lake. The stalls and shop fronts along the edge of the water were brightly lit in the early evening, strings of fairy lights lined the walls and stairs leading up and down to the lake side. Even as the night moved in around them, hoards of people were still coming down to the cool waters and sandy banks along its shores. Friday night was obviously a popular night for the township, it would be the perfect place to train up for the finals that coming year.
"Heads up. You wanted extra sauce right?" Ducking as Suga stepped around the towel and settled down beside him, Daichi grinned. His hands full of plastic bowls of hot noddles, he passed one to the captain before digging into his own.
"Your memory is legendary. Thank you." Mouthful Suga nodded, the spicy taste on his tongue completely overwhelming his sense as his nose began to run. Picking at his noddles, Daichi slurped up the almost soupy texture of the meal. Staring at the dark lake and the few braving its waters, Daichi glanced sideways at his friend. Watching the setter out the corner of his eye, the captain munched down his mouthful. Suga was undeniably adorable, there was something about the boy that gave him such a gentle and harmless being that other players usually underestimated him. While it worked in their favour, Daichi couldn't have disagreed more. There was such strength and endurance in his slender frame, setting the ball at the steady and correct pace every time was an almost impossible skill that he'd worked so hard to perfect. Daichi admired him, more then admired, he loved him.
Tilting his head slightly to the side without seeming rude, Daichi admired the pale of Suga's skin against the bright florescent light flooding down around them. He looked transparent, glowing almost, his silver hair damp but springing back into its messy curls as it dried in the lingering heat. His body was so different from his own, the slender length of his legs and arms looked delicate and soft, but held the strength of the hard working athlete he was. He was like a human illusion, all wrapped by in a neat little package just ready to kick your ass at a moments notice.
Lowering his gaze quickly as Suga turned towards him, the captain focused on his noodles.
"You have sauce on your cheek." Humming as he looked up, cheeks bursting with dinner, Daichi raised an eyebrow, silent due to an over stuffed mouthful. Laughing, Suga put down his chopsticks, using his thumb to wipe his friend's face clean. "Not even Noya eats this messily. I suppose extra sauce will do that." Automatically sucking his thumb clean, the smaller boy caught his captain's eye for a second, suddenly frozen.
Had that been inappropriate? He'd only been helping. But Daichi wasn't mad, or at least Suga didn't think so. He'd seen the captain fuming and furious quite a bit in the more recent months and now was not one of those times. His dark eyes were liquid, almost bottomless, gleaming as he managed to swallow and take a shaky breath. Feeling his cheeks flush, Suga couldn't break his eye contact. Had they always been sitting so close? He could feel the soft puff of Daichi's breath on his cheeks, feel his body heat radiating in waves off the larger boy. They were sharing a single beach towel as a table, of course they sitting close. No one would think any different of it, he was sure. But he was close, so very close. Close enough that Suga swore he could hear the beating of his heart, trying to steady his breathing, the smaller boy realised in an uncomfortable moment that it was his own heart, beating loud and clear in his ears.
Licking his lips the salty flavour of the udon brought him a moment of clarity. It was happening again, the same thing as in the inn room. They kept drawing together, subconsciously, like the unseen force that paralleled a wayward ball, they just kept coming together. Swallowing thickly, Suga followed the line of his captain strong chin and inviting lips. They were close enough to kiss now, one of them had to be moving and for a mortifying second Suga worried it was himself. But with his back bent ever so slightly he could see how far Daichi had moved across the towel, his pride was saved, they were both moving. A quick flash of something passed the tall boy's features as Suga drew closer, pausing as their noses touched an intimate pre decision making moment, a volleyball came crashing down between them.
Nearly knocking heads as they pulled back, a chorus of apologies came from the direction of the net and its crowd. Clearing his throat and tripping over the sand to stand up, Daichi tossed the ball back to the players, inquiring about a game as he did. Greeted with a friendly invitation, the captain offered a hand to his setter, pulling the smaller boy to his feet.
"No better time to experience beach volleyball I suppose." Head spinning with the sudden turn of events Suga could only nod, getting into position quickly as the game kicked off and the evening progressed. They had almost kissed, almost but not quite. As if by some cruel twist of fate, volleyball the thing that had brought them together had broken them apart. Although he didn't really believe in coincidences, there must have been a greater power at work to have forced the two apart. His heart sinking the more he thought about it, Suga was convinced it was a sign. This was not their time, his feelings would continued to be unrequited and he would lose Daichi.
