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“So, I just pretend to be your boyfriend for the week and then we go home and everything is back to normal?” Suga asked, a little concerned about what he had agreed to. He took a sip of his coffee, hoping it would wake him up. The coffee shop was pretty empty so the usual cheerful bustle wasn’t there to wake him up at all.
“Yeah, pretty simple. I’m sorry about dragging you into this, but since me and Kuroo broke up like a week before I’m supposed to take a boy home to meet my family… I don’t know I just don’t want them to spend the whole week fussing and worrying.” Daichi smiled easily, not showing any of the conflicting emotions that were wrestling in Suga’s own heart.
“It’s no big deal, what are best friends for after all?” Suga said with a too-wide grin. He wanted to puke. This seemed like it could be fun at first, like a chance to win his best friends heart but as it drew closer the more awful it seemed. Like all he would get is confirmation that Daichi would never care about him as anyone more than a friend.
Not to say that Suga didn’t value their friendship as it was, because he did. It was the only thing that kept him bottling everything up over the past three years. He would not ruin the closest friendship he’d ever had. He wouldn’t dare let this stupid crush ruin it.
Though, admittedly, it had been three years and this crush didn’t seem to be fading at all. Three years with not so much as a hint that Daichi might feel the same way.
It shouldn’t bother him this much. People had unrequited crushes all the time, everyone else managed to get over them and live their damn lives without agreeing to pretend to be their unrequited crushes boyfriend for a weekend. Suga was pretty sure no one else was that stupid.
Daichi grinned and replied earnestly, “You’re the best. I’ve gotta run though, I’ll see you at the airport tomorrow?”
“Yep, bright and early.” Naturally, what could be the worst week of his life would start bright and fucking early.
Daichi left and Suga stayed at the coffee shop awhile longer.
They met at the airport and Suga’s dread was at an all time high. The second they landed, they would pretend to be dating.
That means stuff like holding hands, and hugging and kissing and sharing a room with Daichi. Which would be a literal dream come true if it were real but now just seems like getting a taste of something completely unattainable, and inevitably having it be ripped away.
They got off the plane after an uneventful flight and Daichi spotted his family pretty easily and Suga was barely resisting running away.
“Ooh! Sugawara! I didn’t realize it was you who was the mysterious boyfriend!” Daichi’s mom giggled, she turned to Daichi and scowled, “You could have just told me it was Suga, I’m not the kind to forget the person who was your best friend all through high school you know.”
Daichi smiled sheepishly, “Yeah, yeah, I know. We haven’t been dating for very long so..”
“..So you were still unsure if it would go well? I mean, I always figured you two might end up together so I’m not sure why you were so silly about it.” She laughed.
Suga’s mouth went dry. Great. Daichi’s mom thought we would have been a cute couple even back in high school. If her son shared the same feelings I’d be much happier right now.
Suga’s chest felt tight as he muddled through greetings. Suga just put on a brilliant smile and no one seemed to notice the way his smile was just a little forced.
“Hey, are you alight?” Daichi asked him softly.
Suga nearly jumped out of his skin he was so surprised, “What? Yeah, of course. Just tired from the flight I guess.”
“Mmhm. You seem a little off, when we get back to the house you can take a nap before dinner if you want.” Daichi suggested.
“Yeah, that sounds pretty nice.”
Daichi did notice things, and he did care about Suga a lot. It would be easier to fall out of love with him if he wasn’t so kind, if he didn’t care so much about Suga. He cared, but not in the way Suga wanted him to, and it was tearing Suga’s heart to shreds.
It was strange. All of it was very strange.
Because his heart fluttered when Daichi would take his hand even though he tried to convince it to calm. I don’t have a chance.
Stranger still was the casual contact of an arm on his back when they walked to a restaurant with Daichi’s family. You don’t even have a chance with Daichi. The quick peck on the lips in the kitchen so his mom would stop eying them after she said “Don’t you two ever do anything like a couple?” the night before. It’s not real, this isn’t real. Daichi’s hands are calloused. Suga didn’t notice that until his fingers held his face as he kissed him. It’s not real. I don’t really have a chance. Suga’s face burned bright red, Daichi barely seemed flustered. See? It’s not real.
Most bizarre was waking up next to Daichi, even though they were on different mats. This will never happen again, he will never wake up next to you after this week ends. It was strange and heartbreaking to wake up a few minutes before Daichi did and see his sleeping face just a few inches away from where Suga himself had just woken up. For this week only, never again. It’s not real. Daichi’s eyelashes were longer than Suga had realized.
Suga called it strange because keeping it foreign meant he wouldn’t get used to it. So he wouldn’t go home and wake up alone, his sleepy mind wondering where Daichi was. He didn’t dare get used to it. Not waking up beside him, not holding hands or quick morning kisses or teasing from Daichi’s mom. He acted the part, though it seemed his face was red for most of the week. Every time Daichi kissed him, elation flowered in his chest, quickly followed by the ache of dread. It’s not real. In private, Daichi acted the same as he always did. He even apologized for kissing him. See? He didn’t want to kiss you, this isn’t real.
None of this is real.
And they went to the airport on Monday, Daichi’s mom ruffled Suga’s hair fondly and sent them back off to Tokyo. They sat next to each other on the plane, claimed their luggage and then went home to their separate houses.
Suga went home and left his luggage on his bedroom floor and went to sleep.
When he woke up, his eyes bleary and his mind barely awake, he wondered if Daichi had gotten up earlier than him for once.
And then a cold, dark feeling settled under his ribs.
He was alone.