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Sometime during their first year, Yamagata had noticed Ushijima had a habit of shuffling around awkwardly in the mornings, like he had a problem with his feet. Tendou had elaborated that it was only before he took his usual seat in the dorm breakfast canteen near the radiator, and it was probably something to do with the cold.
“... We should probably do something about it.” Reon hummed at Semi’s statement, though he did nothing to expand on it further. Sleepy morning silence followed, only broken by the clacking of chopsticks against their bowls and the occasional cough. Yamagata was face down on the table, so they could only presume he was asleep and not dead.
“GoOOOOD morning m’dudes!” Tendou slams open the canteen doors, as bright and lively as he always is in the mornings. Nobody even reacts anymore, since they’ve been here four months. All the first years are used to Tendou barging in at Does-This-Time-Even-Exist O’clock with cheer, vigour, and enough noise to wake the horses in their stables.
Tendou merrily makes his way to the table, grabbing two bowls of rice on the way, and like clockwork, Ushijima comes slowly shuffling in after him, heading straight towards the radiator seat where he presses his socked feet against it with a contented sigh, and thanks Tendou as he starts eating.
“Cold feet?”
“No? I’m… Not getting married. At least, I have not been told so.” Tendou and Semi laugh, although Semi is much more adept at hiding his little snicker against his uniform collar. Reon muffles a warm chuckle as Yamagata opens and closes his mouth like a fish.
“That’s- That’s not what I meant. Not ‘married’ cold feet, but like, y’know… Actual cold feet. Temperature feet. Uh, temperature cold. On your feet. How they feel. It’s too early for words.” Ushijima’s eyebrows furrow together, trying to make sense of Yamagata’s babble. Reon intervenes.
“He means; do your feet feel cold?”
“Oh. Yes. It’s always a problem in the mornings, although it’s worse in winter.”
“Then why don’t you-” A bell rings, and Ushijima quickly polishes off his rice before he rises.
“We’ll talk later. I don’t want to be late for practice.” The only problem is that by the time practice has finished, nobody can remember what they were talking about beforehand. And the problem persists, even as they move into second year.
The day that they’re introduced to the first years, they notice that beneath the cool, calm exterior, they’re both excited, but Shirabu looks fit to burst, his gaze of wonderment constantly drifting to Ushijima and blushing as he snapped it away. The team knows idolisation when they see it, and Tendou takes great delight in teasing Shirabu for his awed gaze.
It takes Ushijima falling down the stairs whilst holding a plate of spaghetti for it to sink in to Shirabu that Ushijima is just a human too, not the god he had been seeing him as. But that doesn’t stop his great admiration.
The team moves from their dorm canteens to the main school one, so they can eat their meals all together. Semi sighs as he looks out the fogged-up window, the threat of winter’s chill creeping in.
“I can’t believe it’s going to be Christmas soon…”
“Already?”
“It is the 12th, Yamagata.”
“Huh. That means in a couple of months, we’ll be third years.” Tendou shrieks as he leaps across the table to cover Yamagata’s mouth.
“We don’t talk about that!! It’s bad luck!!! No mentioning it!!!” Yamagata rolls his eyes, prying Tendou’s hands from his face.
“Alright, alright, I won’t mention it.” Reon puts a hand on Tendou’s shoulder to pull him back into his seat, as Kawanishi and Shirabu come over to join them. The only one missing is Ushijima, who insisted Coach wanted to talk to him. To stop the conversation from stalling, Semi turns it back towards what started it in the first place.
“What’s everyone doing for Christmas?”
“I’m going home for a week. The family shrine needs tidying up, especially as there’ll be lots of guests asking for blessings.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot your family looked after the shrine…” Reon nods humbly, although they can tell he’s proud on the inside. Tendou clears his throat, slumped across the table with his arms outstretched as he pats them in a rhythm.
“I’m staying in the dorrrrrms. It’s gonna be lonely.”
“You’ll make do.”
“Aw, don’t be like that, Semi-Semi!”
“Don’t call me that!”
“Semi-Semi-Semi-Semi-Semi-Semi-Semi-Se-!”
“That’s it, I’m killing you in your sleep!” Yamagata lunges to stop Semi throwing a plate at Tendou, giving him such a look that Semi immediately plonks himself back down in his seat and turns his attention out the window.
“I’ll be here too, Senpai.” Tendou practically glows as he grins up at Kawanishi, and that’s when the first year realises his mistake and groans. There’s no doubt Tendou will put him through extra middle blocker practice.
“Yamagata-Senpai, please say you’ll be here to save me.”
“Ahaha! Nope! Sorry, Kawanishi, me ‘n’ Semi are off to the mountains with our families. We’ve been skiing together since we were like, 10!”
“8.”
“Since we were 8!” Kawanishi groans, moving to sit down opposite Tendou and try to ignore the ramblings of what they’re going to do together, apparently.
“Christmas…” Shirabu’s soft mumble gives him just the excuse.
“Mhm? What about it?”
“If it’s Christmas, are we giving presents to each other?” The table exchanges looks before the second years nod and grin in unison, and Reon gives Shirabu a thumbs up.
“Of course.”
“What would… What would Ushijima-senpai like…?” Quieter than usual, Shirabu glances away with his head hung low so his fringe hides the very faint blush over his cheeks - not that Tendou misses it.
“The big guy? Probably something practical! Or like, another volleyball for his bed. Or a magazine full of advertisements!”
“Something practical…”
If Ushijima notices eyes on his back for the next couple of weeks, he doesn’t say anything, nor does he change his routine or show any sign of discomfort. It’s more likely though, that he’s too busy with volleyball and planning to go home for Christmas Day, to have noticed Shirabu’s sudden observing in the first place.
Shirabu researches, learns, and makes his decision.
On the 23rd, the night before Ushijima is due to go home to spend Christmas Day at home, Shirabu approaches him with a small, wrapped present. Chewing nervously on his bottom lip, he almost chickens out before Semi notices him and smiles encouragingly, calling Ushijima’s name to draw his attention and point him towards the first year.
“Can I help you, Shirabu?” Flustering, Shirabu turns the present around in his hands, and then shoves it towards Ushijima as he bows deep at the waist.
“M-Merry Christmas, Ushijima-Senpai!” Ushijima takes the present, deciding not to mention that he’s buddhist, and Shirabu bolts before he can even say thank you.
“Open it, open it!” Tendou jumps against his back with an enthusiastic cry, and the others hover around as he picks at the tape, undoes the ribbon, and carefully peels back the paper. Tendou and Yamagata burst into laughter, clutching at their stomachs. Reon turns away to hide the fact that he’s chuckling, and Semi snaps a photo as Ushijima’s face melts into a warm grin, eyes soft as he looks down at his present.
Slippers. Bunny slippers, covered in pastel rainbow stripes, and fluffier than anything he owns. They’re childish, maybe even a little embarrassing, but to Ushijima they’re a wonderful gift - practical and thought through.
“I like them.” He kicks off his shoes and slides the slippers on, smile dawning into a grin as he feels how warm and cozy they are, perfect for his cold feet on winter mornings.
“I love them~.”