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Ushijima frowned.
“Reon, have you seen the jacket anywhere?”
“Oh, yeah, I think Hayato has it. I lent it to him after I wore it to practice.” Reon said from his desk. This was nothing new. For some reason the majority of the team, though mostly the first string players who had all grown rather close, had taken a liking to stealing Ushijima’s jacket, to the point where all of them, Ushijima included, thought of it more as a team jacket, hence referring to it as ‘the jacket’ instead of Ushijima’s jacket.
“Alright. Thank you. I’ll go see if he has it.” Ushijima said as he headed out towards Hayatos dorm.
“Yeah, come in.” Hayato said after Ushijima knocked.
“Hello Hayato, I was just wondering if you have the jacket?” He asked as he stepped inside.
“Nope. Taichi was complaining about being cold on the walk from practice back to the dorms so I shoved it over his head to shut him up.” Hayato said, glancing up from his laptop. “Sorry though, he might still have it.”
“It’s alright. Do you know where he is?”
“I think he said something about getting an early dinner, so probably the cafeteria?” Hayato said Ushijima nodded.
“Thank you.” he said as he headed out towards the cafeteria beginning to feel like he might be on a bit of a wild goose chase.
Ten minutes later he’d made it to the cafeteria, coincidentally, right as Taichi was heading out.
“Oh, hey Ushijima.” He said as he caught sight of him.
“Hello Kawanishi, do you have the jacket?”
“Yeah. Before I came down here that is. I gave it to Shirabu, he left the cafeteria like ten minutes ago.”
“Do you know where he was heading?”
“He said he had a paper, so library?” Taichi guessed.
“Thank you.” Ushijima said as he left, heading towards the library. It was going to be a long evening.
“Me and Semi were getting a little extra practice outside the dorms and he nicked it from me before I could stop him.” Shirabu said as he and Ushijima began walking out of the library after Ushijima caught Shirabu on his way out, Shirabu having given up on finishing the paper. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were looking for it.”
“No, it’s quite alright. Thank you anyway. I’ll go see if I can find Semi.” Ushijima said. Shirabu nodded.
“Sounds good. I’m heading back to the dorms to drop my stuff off, but good luck.” Ushijima nodded, heading off towards the dorms, again, knowing full well his chances of getting the jacket back tonight were growing slimmer by the second.
He knocked on Semis' dorm room door a few minutes later.
“Yeah? Who is it?” Semi asked.
“Ushijima.”
“Oh, come on in.” Ushijima opened the door and stepped in. “Hey. Something up?” Semi asked without taking his eyes off his book.
“Not really. I’m just trying to find the jacket. Do you have it?”
“Oh, no. Tendou was bugging me about it, so I gave it to him before he went down to dinner.”
“Alright. Thank you.” Ushijima said. Semi glanced up.
“Sorry though. If I’d known you wanted it I wouldn’t have let him take it.”
“No need to apologise.” Ushijima assured him as he left, now heading down to the cafeteria, seriously doubting that he’d get the jacket back tonight.
“Wakatoshi-kun!!” Tendou called as he waved to him from his table in the cafeteria.
“Hello Tendou.” Ushijima greeted as he approached. “Do you have the jacket?” he asked, despite seeing that Tendou wasn’t wearing it.
“Ah, that's what you’re looking for?” Tendou asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “I gave it to Goshiki. He was exhausted and I know it helps him sleep.” He explained. “But we can go get it since you're looking for it.” He said, standing up.
“Oh, I don’t think that's nes-” Ushijima was cut off by Tendou grabbing his wrist and dashing off towards the first year dorms. Ushijima sighed. It was getting late.
The next thing Ushijima knew, they were standing outside Goshiki’s dorm room. Tendou knocked on the door, and it swung inward a bit.
“Huh, I guess it was unlatched?” He said, cautiously pushing the door all the way open.
“Wha- Is someone there?” asked a barely conscious Goshiki as he raised his head up and looked towards his door. Ushijima froze, surprised Goshiki had already been asleep.
“Just us, Tsutomu.” Tendou assured the boy.
“Oh, is something goin on?” He asked, looking between the two of them.
“Well-” Tendou started, but Ushijima stopped him.
“No, nothing. I apologise for waking you.” He said. “Please, go back to sleep. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Ushijima said. Goshiki nodded and sunk his head back into his pillow, having not really woken up to start with, as Ushijima and Tendou stepped outside and quietly closed the door.
“What was that? Didn't you need the jacket?” Tendou asked as they headed back towards their dorms.
“He needed it more.” Ushijima said simply.
“Aww, Toshi, you really are a big softie, aren’t ya?” Tendou asked, playfully slinging an arm over Ushijima’s shoulders. Ushijima smiled a little. Maybe he was.
Ushijima didn’t get the jacket back until the following Tuesday.