#ikedai

He's very grumpy in the mornings

His choice of drink is beers, even shitty ones

He's one of the least pickiest eaters you will ever meet, tries everything (within reason) at least once. He was the one eating his siblings' leftovers because he wouldn't want anything to go to waste.

His family has a cook book that was passed down to him from his mother's side. He likes cooking a lot, both caused by the necessity to do so to provide for his family and because he just really likes to eat (he's canonically the second biggest eater I mean??)

I don't think he'd be as oblivious as people sometimes joke about him being? I think he'd realise that Michimiya has a crush on him (and maybe that the tension he keeps having with the captains might also be them being flirty).

One scenario relating to that last one that I thought about: Kuroo flirts with him but excuses it for being competitive, he doesn't think Daichi picks up on it and acts all cool and cocky until Daichi flirts back. That man is GONE.

Also, since I'm talking about crushes and whatnot, I think Ikejiri and him had a kind-of-but-also-not-really relationship at some point (both were figuring things out, so maybe more queer-platonic?). I mean, the scenes with them are so cute I just can't

In my head that man is BI. In some iterations, I can totally see him as trans ftm as well (I just struggle with thinking about how that man went through high school already being stealth)

He is SILLY. That man has a secret mischievous side. Suga and Asahi know it, and Suga has used it multiple times to prank underclassmen and friends. Because Suga they don't trust, but if he gets the reliable captain to be on his side? Guaranteed success.

He's competitive. Even in the timeskip, I'd say. His responsible act drops pretty quickly if you make a competition out of it.

Do not challenge him to wrestle, though. That man was trained from a young age (play fighting with his siblings, they'd dogpile him when he was an older teen)

He actually stays in contact with a lot of people post-timeskip, I'd say? I mean especially his old teammates, he will forever have a soft spot for them in his heart.

Daichi's parallel to the first year's is Hinata. similarly to Sugawara's being Kageyama (I made a whole post about this), Daichi cares a lot about Hinata and is the one who bought tickets for Suga, Asahi and him for the MSBY vs Adlers match.

I know it's rather unrealistic but I often think about him living together with the captains? Not all of them but the usual combination you see of him with Kuroo, Oikawa, Ushijima and Bokuto. I could go INTO DETAIL about how wonderfully chaotic that household would be (I might one day)

He is very disciplined about staying fit/flexible, but he was not exactly blessed genetically. He gets back pains pretty early post-timeskip and asks Ennoshita for advice through his number. (He also always makes sure to check in on how his former underclassman is doing)

He can grow facial hair but usually shaves it because he doesn't really enjoy how itchy it feels. (It does look good on him though)

Suga was the one who got him off 3-in-1 shampoo, now he uses the bare minimum of products (soap, shampoo, etc.), with the addition of hair oil as it tends to get dry very easily.

Suga and Oikawa are very close friends and they both enjoy teasing Daichi whenever they can, eventually they rub off on him and he gets interested in gossip and shows they're interested in.

He's the kind of guy that says "I don't get why you watch this" but will continue to stand by the TV for half an hour to 'sneakily' watch it.

Family is very important to him. Contrary to what most people think though, to him family is not about blood and genetics but the people who are dear to you (I wonder why he came to that conclusion *ahem* his father *ahem*)

He's really protective when it comes to his siblings. If there was ever a case where they got bullied, he'd be the kind of brother that would pick them up from school to intimidate the bullies. (As cringe as it might be)

His siblings visit him but also come over when they need his help or a place to stay. He is always happy to help them.

Also, here's a very specific one: He can walk in heels. Why? His sisters used to play dress up with him (I mean the whole nine yards, makeup and hairpins and a tiara), and he ended up wearing his mothers heels.

I also had a full concept for his family's names and (kind of) meanings so I'm just going to throw this in there (since it fits with my angst post about him having an absent father):

Kōzui (dad) -> flood

Moemi (mother) -> abundant, thriving

Daichi (eldest) -> earth

Takemi (oldest sister) -> strong, beautiful

Riku (middle child, brother) -> land, shore

Mirai (youngest sister, twin) -> future

Kōji (youngest brother, twin) -> good fortune, peace

Daichi is the grounding eldest and sadly kind of the foundation of the family. Takemi was the first daughter, her mother promised her to nurture her strength but also her beauty. Riku was the shore after rough times at sea (peek at his fathers name, the parents were on a very rough patch). Mirai and Kōji gave their mother hope for the future (their father truly left them during that pregnancy).

I also made an art post (I don't like that one all too much but still it exists) about it, but I think Daichi could have a tattoo with their birth flowers if he ever thought about getting tatted.

Daichi is multilingual (from taking up interest in learning other languages and/or helping out his siblings when they study them) Here are a few fun ideas of how it plays out:

He scares the living hell out of Oikawa by suddenly speaking fluid Spanish to him (Oikawa muttered something in Spanish when he was frustrated). Oikawa later makes it a habit to say things in Spanish when he only wants Daichi to understand/hear it

Daichi kind of bonds with Nishinoya over it because he travels so much

It's great for his job, he can communicate with tourists and foreigners well (plus its extra intimidating when you're being ridiculed by a cop in your native language)

Languages: German (this one is just me wanting to add a language I speak and adore), English, Japanese (obv), Spanish, maybeee more but less fluently?

Spanish: seemed somewhat easy enough, spoken in a lot of places

German: He wanted to see if he could, since its considered very difficult to learn

English: Good for his job, broadens the horizons a ton

“Suga.” I responded. “What’s up?” My lips curled into a smile when my eyes met his.

“Get your lazy ass up and come eat lunch with me.” His tone was demanding, and a playful grin crept up onto his face.

“Couldn’t be nicer about it, huh?” My eyebrows knitted into a frown, but my smile remained.

“Nah.” He always liked joking around like that. His body jerked off the door frame he was leaning on, and I watched him, with a hand supporting my chin, walk over to the desk I was sitting at. “So you’re just not gonna eat lunch? Isn’t coach Ukai always telling us to eat to get stronger and repair our muscles or whatever? C’mon, Daichi! You weren’t planning on sleeping all lunch, were ya?” He put a hand on my desk and the other on his hip, cocking it out.

I shook my head at his sassiness. After a few seconds of thinking it over, even if there wasn’t much to think of, I’d never say no to Sugawara, I stood up from my chair and playfully flicked his wrist, returning the sassy attitude.“Sure, I’ll get something from the vending machine.” He followed behind me when I started walking out of the classroom.

We walked all the way downstairs and finally arrived at a vending machine. I examined the glass for anything that looked, at least, half edible, and when my eyes landed on the prize, I grabbed a few coins from my pocket and inserted them into the machine. Sugawara imitated the beeping sounds the machine made when I typed the number of the chips I was getting. I squinted my eyes and eyed him as he did so, judging him silently, as if I wasn’t actually smiling at his gesture.

“You’re not getting anything?”

He shook his head. “Nah, already ate.” Despite that, he still stole a few of my chips. We sat at a nearby bench chatting away the little lunch time we had. I stuffed my hand in the bag of chips, looking for the last chip, but Sugawara had ate it before I could. He looked the other way like he wasn’t guilty. The bag of chips crumbled into a ball in my hands, and I threw it in the trash can next to the vending machine.

“Oh hey, is that Michimiya over there?” Sugawara gestured with his head at a group of girls in the distance. Among them, there was indeed Michimiya.

“I guess so.” I squinted my eyes to try and get a better look at the girl like that would make my vision clearer. I didn’t bother to move from the bench.

“You’re not gonna say hi to her?” He asked. His arms were crossed, and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

I shook my head, i’d rather stay sitting here with him. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Always had the impression you two had something going on.” He was implying a relationship. I’m not sure where he got that from.

I shook my head again. “We’re just friends, I thought you of all people would know that.” I chuckled. It was surprising to see Sugawara assume something like that.

“Eh, why do you say that?” He titled his head to look at me. His hair fell to one side of his face, and I reached my hand over to fix it. His eyes stared right into mine, and suddenly I got that familiar feeling of déjà vu.

It felt like I was back in my old club room in middle school. I remember everything so vividly like it was just yesterday and not three years ago.

Ikejiri and I were close back then. It was disappointing to find out we were going to different high schools, but life goes on, no? It may have seemed like neither of us cared all that much. I mean, of course, we cared, I did. I had been playing with Ikejiri for the past 3 years, it was hard to go our separate ways. Our last match together wasn't regrettable, not in that sense. I tried my best, we tried our best to make it to the next round. I did everything I could to play one more game with Ikejiri. That night, in the club room we were the last ones there. We were talking about whatever you'd expect a middle schooler to be talking about, and changing while doing so. I'd say it's ironic to be having a conversation about girls when you can't take your eyes off the shirtless guy in front of you.

“What about you, Daichi, saw any pretty girls today?” He asked after he’d finish talking about a girl he saw in the bleachers.

I huffed. “I’m not interested in that stuff.” Except I was, but the one I was interested in was right in front of me.

“I suppose that’s fair.” He tilted his head with a shrug after he got his shirt over his head. His hair was messed up. I reached my hand over and fixed his hair.

The only thing I regret was not being honest with him when I did have the chance to play volleyball with him, or rather be honest with myself. It’s hard to come to terms with yourself, but it’s even harder doing so years later. If only I had freed my feelings then, maybe I wouldn’t be looking for him in other men.

“Daichi. Earth to Daichi?” That familiar raspy voice spoke, and I was back in that bench again. Sugawara was holding on to my wrist, and our hands laid close by his legs. His head was still tilted, but his hair was no longer messed up; I must’ve fixed it before blanking out into my own thoughts.

My eyes widened when his voice called out my name.

“Ah, there you are.” He said.

“Sorry, I just zoned out.”

Ikejiri felt it when he arrived―dread adangerous thing on his mind. It was something on the half broken lights, on thebadly synced cheers, on the glossy sound of the court’s wood. I don’t like this, he had muttered tohimself, hands wrapped tight around the railings on the second floor, knuckles whiteto the point of transparency. One of his classmates had heard him and told himnot to jinx it, like it was meant tobe a joke―Ha!

Too late, he had thought.

The aisle is dark and silent now. In the middleof it, the light flickers on and off, not completely keen to give away its lasthope on survival. A pathetic attempt.

It’s been at least ten minutes since Ikejirisaw someone walk through this area, almost everybody has gone home or madethemselves sparse. Someone is bound to ask him ―them― to leave soon. When he stands up, his legs threaten to giveunder their own weight; by then, he’s spent more time on this bench than watchingthe game.

Inside the changing room, Sawamura is less thana shadow.

His grief had always been a quiet thing. Ikejirihad remembered it when Tokonami lost their game back at Inter High and hisown tears wouldn’t stop coming―loud and obnoxious and so extremely embarrassing.He remembers it today, when he blinks the darkness away to find Sawamurasitting in the far end of the room, his posture defeated, shoulders drawn inand eyes cast down. He always wore sorrow like a shield. Back at Junior High,Ikejiri hadn’t know how to breach through it, so he had say nothing and doneless. He isn’t sure he knows how to now.  

“Hey,” he says anyway, all crooked and awkwardand tentative; and far too loud in the dim light that comes from the ajar door.He wonders if Sawamura stood up to turn the light off, if he asked a teammate,if someone just did it without noticing he was still inside.

Sawamura doesn’t speak up, he doesn’t move, hekeeps staring at the floor like Ikejiri isn’t even there.

“Hey,” he tries again and sits beside him. Thisclose, even in the shadows, Ikejiri can see the trace of tears that fall,silent and not quite there, on his cheeks. Ikejiri knows Sawamura makes noattempt at wiping them because he was alone before and because it’s him and noone else that came inside. His hand is bandaged in tape that Ikejiri suspectsmust be shiny white but looks plain gray. It’s already resting on a sling ―colour like shame― hanging from his neck.

“Out for―,” Sawamura voice breaks, rough likeregret, “’ve got an appointment tomorrow for testing, but probably notbefore the tournament is done.”

Ikejiri nods, searches in the dark for Sawamura’sother hand on his knee and entwines their fingers. He gives a small tug at itand presses their bodies together.

Outside, the corridor light flickers off. It feelspermanent, until it’s not and light crawls up to their feet again.

Ikejiri always thought all gymnasiums are likea promise waiting to happen.

He knows, this one, today, this night, is not exempt.

Ikejiri nudges Sawamura’s knee, caresses theback of his hand with his thumb and says “Let’s go.” 

By the way Sawamura holds on to him as he risesto his feet, Ikejiri believes he understands.