Chapter Text
Monday
“Leon-chan. ..look look look!” Leon and Hayato looked up from their lunches as Tendou started shaking them both. “He’s doing it again!!!!” Tendou hissed. He turned their heads to the left slightly. Ushijima was sitting across and a few seats over.
“He is staring at someone…” How Tendou could sing that quietly was a mystery to Leon.
“What do you mean staring?” Hayato whispered back. Tendou turned their heads even more to the left.
“Staring staring at herrrrrrrrr….” Tendou grinned as their gazes fell on the back of the riding team captain, Saotome Mikasa. “He’s been staring at her alllllll weeeeek looooong.” Again with the musical whispering. They turned their glances back to Ushijima. He was still looking toward Mikasa. His eyes shifted to the three, and he gave them a puzzled look.
“I saw yoooooou!” Tendou wiggled his fingers and stood up. Ushijima frowned slightly.
Tendou never made sense. He was always speaking in song lyrics, movie quotes, poetry, hell he even communicated completely via haiku for an entire day. Ushijima really didn't care for deciphering all the nonsense. He found that if he stared at Tendou long enough, Tendou or someone else would restate things in plain language.
“Of course you saw me. I am not hiding.” he muttered. His thumb hurt. A stray ball had caught it just right...or wrong yesterday, and jammed it. Ushijima had spent the rest of practice and most of this morning alternating between hot and cold packs. He tried to bend it and it didn't move much. Tendou reached over and pinched it. That hurt.
“No no no no nooooo. I saw you saw you.” Ushijima smacked Tendou’s hand.
“Stop,” The smack was louder than he had intended. Heads turned to see what was going on, and Tendou put his hands on his cheek.
“ Waka you brute!” Tendou started carrying on about how Ushijima was too cruel and flopped over on the table. Now the entire cafeteria was staring.
What have I done to deserve this? Ushijima collected his lunch and stood up. He stalked out of the cafeteria. Thankfully, Tendou stopped following him as his audience was in the lunchroom. Ushijima stared at his thumb. Coach was going to make him sit out of regular practice today.
Stupid thumb .
“ Excuse me, Ushijima-san?” a girl’s voice behind him interrupted his brooding. He turned around and froze.
It was her. Saotome Mikasa. Captain of the Riding Team. Year three, class seven. Height: 164cm. Weight: around 50kg.
Why did she follow me into the hall? Ushijima could feel sweat trickling down his back.
Did Tendou put her up to this? Wait how would Tendou know that I like Saotome-san? I haven't told anyone about this. Ushijima kept trying to form a reply, but the words kept getting jumbled. Mikasa’s blue eyes narrowed.
“Can you please move? You're leaning on the girl’s bathroom door.” her finger tapped the restroom icon next to his shoulder. Her nails were painted a bright pink.
Bathroom door? Ushijima looked behind him.
Shit. Now I just look like a creep. He stepped to the side, still staring at Mikasa. Say something. Apologize, Waka. She’s going to think you're a creep if you don’t. She pushed the door open.
“You wait here. Don't lean on the door, because I will come back out in a minute.” The door slid shut, and Ushijima groaned quietly.
How embarrassing. He started to turn away from the door and froze.
She told me to wait here...did she actually want me to wait, or did she think I was going to follow her into the bathroom if she didn't? He turned back toward the bathroom door.
What do I do? Do I wait? Do I go back to my class? Does it matter? This is confusing. Stupid, you have to apologize to her! Shit, what do I say? Sorry for standing in your way? Yes. That is simple, and doesn't sound like I was waiting for her...okay.
“Helloooooo?” Mikasa was waving her hand in front of Ushijima's face. He jerked. When had she come out of the bathroom? He could feel his face getting hot.
“Hello.” The reflex was too strong. Ushijima bowed politely. Mikasa stared at him before bursting in to giggles. Ushijima could not straighten up. He wanted to sink into the floor and never return. Talking to girls should not be this difficult and painful.
I guess I will have to avoid the cafeteria for the rest of the year...and walk to my class from a different direction so I don't pass by her classroom. And not talk to Leon outside of practice ever again because they are in the same class. Oh shit, what if she comes to our games?
“You are ridiculous. We are in the same year, and I see you talking to Leon-chan all the time. We have met before.” She tousled his hair and laughed again.
Why is she touching me!? Mikasa knelt down and looked at Ushijima. His eyes were squinted shut in a grimace. She poked the tip of his nose, and his eyes opened. Ushijima had no idea what was happening, or how to react. Mikasa was kneeling on the floor, looking up at him. She had just poked his nose. She looked confused.
“Ha...” He bit his lip nervously.
Why is she kneeling there? I can't stand up now. What do I do? This is awkward.
“I-I am sorry.”
“For what?”
“Standing in your way earlier.” Mikasa smiled.
“Apology accepted.”
“What is happening?” Hayato narrowed his eyes. He felt Leon shrug next to him. They were peering around the corner at Ushijima and Mikasa.
“I think she broke him.”
“They have been talking for ten minutes...” Hayato snorted. “You'd think Waka would get a cramp or something from staying leaned over like that.”
“I wonder what they are talking about? I can barely get complete sentences out of him.” Leon mused.
“Maybe she's a closet volleyball fan...”
“Riiiight. You know we can't tell Tendou about this.” They exchanged a wary glance.
“Agreed. He would destroy Waka.”