Archive of Our Own

It’s the time of year when the cherry blossoms decorate every street with its beauty. But while everyone else is looking with fascination and a deep fondness at pale pink petal in soft winds, Ushijima is elsewhere.

He is in a dull, bland classroom with dark grey walls that made it look more like a court than anything else. But here, in this classroom, Ushijima has one thought.

Professor Tendou Satori has red hair. It’s the deepest red he’s ever seen. Ushijima doesn’t know if his eyes are deceiving him, or if he’s over-observing, but he uplifts the dullness of the classroom just by walking in. Perhaps it’s his choice of clothing. Maybe it’s because he’s always smiling when he does, Ushijima doesn’t know.

It’s strange -not Tendou’s clothing choices- but the fact that Ushijima notices more about him than he knows when he actively tries to notice.

Today, Tendou is in a bright blue short sleeved shirt that if any darker, would’ve clashed horribly with his hair. (Or at least Oikawa keeps saying so.) Ushijima isn’t quite sure. Tendou could probably pull off many styles and still look presentable. Probably not polished enough to be a teacher at Shiratorizawa University, but presentable.

 That being said, there is something on him Ushijima wouldn’t mind seeing gone. Tendou is wearing glasses Ushijima’s sure he has no need for. But perhaps he’s a bit biased, giving the fact he likes when he sees Tendou’s eyes clearly, bright, and red like his hair.

“Of course, even if we know that Akaashi-San’s potential is xx if he fell from the school roof, I hope you don’t actually try throwing him off the roof to find it, please and thanks.” Says Tendou while he pats Akaashi’s shoulder.

 Akaashi smiles and shakes his head, and a few others join in with soft chuckles. Oikawa, who’s beside Ushijima, snorts.

Ushijima doesn’t really get why the joke is funny, but Tendou’s smile is contagious enough for him to have to consciously keep his lips down. That happens a lot in this class, give or take.

It’s rare that Tendou walks all the way to the back where Ushijima sits. Where he is sitting right now with a blue mechanical pencil spinning in his left hand and a purple notebook that he’s seen on several desks below them.

Oikawa bites his pencil eraser, scowling as he stares at his own notes. Then, he erases a perfectly written word and mumbles that it’s too scrappy. To Ushijima, his writing is fine. He thinks Oikawa should focus more on what the teachers are actually saying since the readability of his notes are actually higher than most. But Oikawa says that too many things are fine to him, and whatever he means by that, Ushijima is clueless.

There are big stair-like structures going all the way up to the back rows, and on each stair, there are a few long desks that can seat two or three people.

 Oikawa always sits near him despite his claims of hating him. Then again, they’re roommates. Actually, Ushijima is not about to try to understand. He thought that was all the more reason Oikawa would want to be away from him if, after everything, they had to sleep in the same dorm.

Anyway, Tendou isn’t coming up to the back today like Ushijima predicted he would. He loiters more in the middle rows, and it’s become a strange entertainment that Ushijima has developed against his will. Guessing where Tendou will be next is more interesting than Physics. His parents would be disappointed if they’d heard him.

“You stare a lot, you know, Ushiwaka.” Oikawa says.

“He’s the teacher.” Ushijima says.

Oikawa erases another word and the page wrinkles. He can’t possibly think it’s getting better like that. Ushijima would tell him but he’s not about to gamble whether he’d get a book to the head or not. He always lost bets in the past. Then again, he’d never joined then on his own volition to begin with. He was coerced.

“I like how you know who I’m talking about instantly.” Oikawa smirks and points his pencil at Ushijima’s nose.

Ushijima stares at it briefly, then back at Oikawa, “We don’t know anyone in this class but each other, if you forgot.”

Actually, there is one. Sugawara Koushi, but he’d forgotten about him for a second and he’s grateful.

Ushijima’s ears heat up anyway. Why does he feel like he’s been caught?

Oikawa clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes. “I can’t believe this.”

“What can’t you believe?”

“Figure it out yourself Ushiwaka!”

***

Apparently, people openly discuss their kinks. Then again, Oikawa isn’t exactly people.

“Don’t you think fingers are just so sexy?” he says at lunch.

Ushijima is glad that the lunchroom is a breathing ground for noise because if anyone hears them talking, he might end up being the one they stare at. He doesn’t know how to look away first(sometimes) and people tell him it’s unsettling. Ushijima feels inclined to disagree. One should not eavesdrop on a conversation they are not apart of to begin with.

Kenma, who’s been on his laptop for some time, sighs and says nothing.

Semi squints at Oikawa over his orange juice box. “Don’t tell me you have a finger kink.”

“To be fair, his boyfriend does have nice hands.” Sugawara says.

In his hands is a cheeseburger that looks unhealthy enough to give anybody heart disease. Was Sugawara not on a diet?

“Don’t touch Iwa-chan.”

“Wasn’t planning on it.”

Ushijima zones in and out and in again.

He lets them talk as they please and he sips his tea. He also makes sure his eyes don’t wander too far, lest he catch somebody’s gaze. (Don’t mind the fact that he drinks tea in the middle of the day.) But when one particular name passes through his ear, it doesn’t come out the next like he’d expected it to. It stays there swirling about like the aroma of his tea, which isn’t anywhere near unpleasant.

“What do you think of Tendou Sensei’s fingers, Ushiwaka?”

It’s a strange question, but everyone seems to perk up. So, Ushijima will answer for the sake of the fact that he can’t avoid it. Telling the truth, in most cases, is the most efficient action to take.

Semi scrunches up his brows, “Why would Ushijima-san care about a teacher’s fingers-”

“I suppose they’re long. And pale.”

Suga raises a brow and Kenma lifts his head to study Ushijima’s face. When he finds what he’s looking for (or lack thereof) he’s once again engrossed in his laptop. Semi is simply speechless.

“Is something the matter?” Ushijima asks.

“How do you know that? How do you know what Tendou-sensei’s fingers are like?” Oikawa says with a smile too innocent to be true.

“I observe, I’m sure you observe others as well.” He says.

“Whatever you say Mr. Observant.” Oikawa says.

Semi snorts but looks away, “I have no part of this.”

He says that, but he is still grinning.

But that is not Ushijima's problem.

With that, Ushijima looks around and sees Tendou pass by the cafeteria. He watches him talk to the chemistry teacher, Kuroo Tetsurou in a secluded corner. What is that about?

They’re laughing and Ushijima can’t hear them over the others. He wishes he could.

Oikawa clears his throat.

Ushijima’s gaze snaps away and even Kenma is staring at him again, albeit slightly amused.

“What excuse is it now?” Oikawa asks.

His eyes go from him to Tendou, and then back again.

“I…”

He doesn’t have one.

***

Today is finally a day Tendou comes up to the back rows. And for one reason or another, Tendou getting even closer makes his heart race. It’s a horrible feeling, like when his little cousin forced him to go on a roller-coaster. But at the same time, he’s curious.

Oikawa is sniggering beside him and it’s slightly infuriating because Ushijima wants to ask him what’s so funny, but he doesn’t want to look away from Tendou either.

And out of interest alone, his eyes run to Tendou’s hands as he comes up the big stairs.

Tendou’s hands are long, and paler than his like he knew they were. And when they move so gracefully when he talks, he’s drawn in. How would they look next to his? Smaller? Bigger? Around the same size? How would they look on his hand? Are they soft?

How would they feel on his chest?

Ushijima squashes the thought as it comes. Today is not the day for this. The day for this is never. He is behaving in an inappropriate manner and even if he didn’t say anything out loud, it’s absurd.

And the worst (best) possible thing happens.

“Oh my.” Comes Tendou’s voice, standing right next to his table. His slight grin is still in place, but he moves his microphone far from his face.

It takes a moment for Ushijima’s brain to catch up. But long enough that Oikawa nudges him in a not-so-subtle manner.

“Good evening.” Ushijima says, gulping.

“Well, there are two things I noticed. Do you want to hear one, or two?” Tendou says.

He significantly closer now, face pleasant and unassuming. Ushijima’s heart is racing again, and he think he’s about to feel sick. He swallows his sudden nerves away. He’s being irrational.

“It’s more convenient if you said what both of those things are, correct?”

Tendou raises a brow and then laughs. “I like that answer. Very well.”

He’s flush with the table and points to the notebook on Ushijima’s desk.

“If you want to get this diagram right. I have extra classes on this. You can join if you want since it’s free. I’m always in the library.” He winks.

Ushijima has two options. He can:

• Cover his face because he knows he’s blushing
• Cover his horrible diagram
• Be Ushijima Wakatoshi who will do neither of those things.

He chooses option three. Anything else is counter-productive, not that he knows what productivity he’s trying not to counter.

He opens his mouth, closes it. Then he opens it again with the blandest expression ha can manage while losing braincells, “Thank you, I’ll think about it.”

He doesn’t mention that Oikawa’s already shown him how to do it. Speaking of Oikawa, he’s gone deathly silent.

“And the second thing is, well,” He leans near Ushijima’s ear and Ushijima’s shoulders go up at the sudden warm breath the side of his face, “You’re hard.” He whispers.

Ushijima’s breath sticks in his throat, and he dares not move.

It’s true. His pants are unbelievably tight. And so is his ribcage, actually. What happened to oxygen?

But before he can say anything else, Tendou’s backed away with a smirk that seems more wicked than before. Ushijima can’t help the way his gaze lingers. Can anyone blame him?

“That’s it, Ushijima-san. I’ll get going.”

He waves at Oikawa and Oikawa waves back, looking dazed. But as soon as Tendou turns around, Oikawa shakes Ushijima’s shoulder uncontrollably.

“Oh my god.” Oikawa says.

Ushijima uses his bag from the table to hide… the thing. He hopes no one else notices. Oikawa doesn’t sound like he did, and it better stay like that.

“He knows my name.” Ushijima mumbles.

“That’s what you realise?” Oikawa asks, wide eyed.

Of course not.

“Is there something I missed?” He says instead and he tries his best to not sound defensive, to not squirm at the tightness in his pants. He’ll think about that later when he’s not lucid enough to care about how pitiful it would be to scream into a pillow.

Oikawa puts a hand on Ushijima’s shoulder, “He was literally hitting on you, you idiot.”

He does not think that was the case.

“By asking me to come to extra classes? I believe not.” He says.

“And look at you. You’re redder than his hair.”

“I am not.”

Going by the fact that he feels like his face is in an oven, chances are that he is. And he may or may not have a thing for fingers.

“Oh! And what was the second thing?”

Ushijima looks away, “I don’t want to tell you.”

Oikawa has the audacity to laugh at him. At least he doesn’t persist. Maybe that makes it worse.

***

Ushijima doesn’t need to go to this extra class. It would be a waste of space in Tendou’s class and whether he wants to or not, that makes him feel guilty.

But with Oikawa for a roommate, he doesn’t get a choice.

“You should wear this magenta cardigan. It makes you look softer.” Oikawa says.

His eyes are trained between the teal cardigan and the magenta that he placed on Ushijima’s bottom bunk bed. Ushijima can’t tell what really makes the magenta any better than the teal. He’s never been that good with colours.

“I still don’t see why I have to go to these classes. You’re teaching is good enough.” He says.

When he’d come home after that class last week, he had to sit in his personal bathroom and listen to a boring podcast about rain until he was completely calm.

He’s not sure how calm he was since he had a night full of dreams. He would rather not think about them. He’d have to go back to the bathroom again.

Tendou didn’t seem to mind the problem between Ushijima’s legs, but who is Ushijima to take his word for it even if that was days ago.

“See? Your ears are red again. You want to see him.”

“Not particularly.”

It’s quite the contrary, honestly. He’d rather lay in his plain white blankets than worry himself over teal and magenta and men with red hair and boners.

“Don’t lie to me, young man.” Oikawa chides.

Ushijima pulls the magenta cardigan over his shoulders and closes his eyes. Maybe if he closes them long enough, he can disappear.

He doesn’t.

***

Professor Tendou’s lesson class is pretty small. Six people attend, including Tendou. That makes Ushijima want to hide under the table, and it’s unsettling because he’s never felt anything of the sort before.

This table is situated between two bookshelves which hides them from the general space in the library. Ushijima likes it since it’s more peaceful this way.

And now that Ushijima looks closely, there are people he knows in this class besides Oikawa, truly.

Sugawara is here, looking very prepared and focused.

Hinata Shouyo’s in this class as well. He’s so passionate that Ushijima feels like he should leave. What is he doing here taking up time of people who are serious?

Tendou is running his hand through a yellow binder folder with a serious expression at the head of the long table they’d chosen. He hasn’t looked up to see Ushijima yet, who’s on the opposite side, and he lets himself come to terms with the fact that he wants Tendou to catch him staring.

It’s makes him excitable, somehow. He’s never telling that to Oikawa. He’s hardly telling his own self.

“Alright, finally found the handout I wanted to give you guys. The printer was weird today, so it may look a bit wonky. Hopefully, you don’t think I’m totally incompetent.” Tendou says with a grin.

But the way he says it, all light-hearted and musical has the group chuckling just a little bit. Ushijima has yet to learn how he manages to do that.

A man with freckles and brown hair is the first to get the handouts and he passes it around with enthusiasm befitting someone who knows what they’re doing with their life.

Ushijima can’t say the same about himself (for the first time, ever). Not even when it reaches him and he passes the hands-out to Hinata, who slides the remainder back to Professor Tendou across the table afterwards.

It’s a crisper version of the diagram he’d been struggling with before. So many angles, and lines, and numbers. Oikawa was a lot of help, but for the sake of his own sanity, Ushijima can pretend he doesn’t understand all over again.

“Many might think this class is useless, but all we’re really going to do is go through, step by step, how to draw this as accurately as possible. The higher your test score, the better, non?”

Somebody sighs under their breath, but Ushijima didn’t get to see who it was.

Tendou explains the steps and gives pointers of where to start at first. Ushijima knows the steps already, but he does it slowly and tries to see it as mere revision. It works.

It works until Tendou starts talking again.

“Drawing the lines from the top to the bottom usually works best for most.” Tendou says.

But then he looks up, right into Ushijima’s eyes and he feels like prey in the middle of a forest. There are no books to speak of there. No lines, no angles. Just Ushijima and Tendou.

“But going from the bottom to the top is just as fine. Don’t you love switching things up?”

Ushijima really hopes he’s talking about lines, and nothing else.

He gulps and lowers his gaze. Is he supposed to respond?

“Tendou sensei, can’t we start from the middle?” Hinata asks.

God bless him and his cluelessness.

Tendou laughs, “By all means. But if you’ve been doing that the whole time, chances are that’s why you’re in this class.”

So, he is talking about lines. Ushijima is definitely not disappointed.

Hinata huffs. “Fair.”

The freckled guy snickers and Hinata sticks his tongue out at him. It reminds him of Oikawa, somewhat.

Oikawa. The reason Ushijima’s in this mess. Talking about fingers for one. And now this. Ushijima blames him for it all.

It all goes fine for a while, but how firmly can Ushijima hold this ruler when he feels like eyes are on him? Tendou started walking around the table as he spoke.

“You forgot the ninety degrees here.” Tendou says over his paper in a whisper.

He’s done this with everyone so far, but Ushijima feels himself sweating.

“I believe that’s where the one-eighty degrees is supposed to go, Sensei.” Ushijima mumbles.

Tendou rests a hand on Ushijima’s shoulder and Ushijima looks around to make sure that no one can hear the sound of his own heart in his ears.

No one else can hear it, right?

Tendou passes his hand along Ushijima’s back and all it leaves is a trail of fire on his skin through his cardigan.

“Not everything is a straight line, you know.” Tendou says.

“N-noted.”

He’s talking about lines. He’s talking about lines. He’s talking about lines.

Ushijima writes a ninety-degree angle anyway, though he knows it makes no sense.

“Good boy.”

That’s when Ushijima catches Sugawara looking at him and his gaze is so exposing.

He knows. He must know. That smile he gives says that he does.

Ushijima presses really hard with his pencil like that will get him to stop feeling tingles all over. Like he could help him will his reddening face away.

Sugawara doesn’t say anything.

The class goes pretty standard after that and Tendou doesn’t make any more advances towards him. When the time is almost up and Tendou passes by him again, he drops a folded paper on his eraser and lets his hand linger for a moment.

He moves on another student. One Ushijima doesn’t really remember seeing.

Ushijima looks around. Hinata is making an airplane with a folder page and the man with freckles is poking his pencil at his other seat mate, who’s face is as prickly as a porcupine.

“Yamaguchi, I didn’t come to this class with you for you to slack off.” He mumbles, and then fixes his glasses.

“Sorry, Tsukki. But maybe you should get something done too. Your work is worse than mine.”

Hinata snorts and when “Tsukki” glares his way, he shuts up.

What a strange trio.

But the thought is long forgotten when Ushijima looks back to the note slipped towards him.

He takes a soft breath and takes the paper up. It feels like everyone is hearing him unfold it, that his thoughts are loud. But no one is listening or looking at him at all.

Meet me in the hallway after class.

Ushijima peeks at Tendou across the table, but he’s not looking at him at all.

What does he want? It’s what plays in his head until the class is finally over.

What is Tendou going to ask him? If Oikawa is right, is Tendou going to ask him out?

Ushijima isn’t used to getting nervous like this.

Exactly two minutes after everyone leaves, Ushijima packs up his things and strolls out of the library like he isn’t about to explode.

Tendou is out in the hall just like he said he would be. He’s leaning on the wall with folded arms and his eyes are closed.

He’s singing a song and it sounds like the same song Oikawa was listening to the day before.

He steels himself, says, “Excuse me. You requested to meet me in the hallway.”

Tendou opens one eye and grins. “Yes, that I did.”

Tendou doesn’t say anything for a second and Ushijima shifts uncomfortably.

“Is there something you needed, Sensei?”

Tendou hums, “I have these boxes that I have to carry to the main staff room from the physics lab. You look sturdy, do you mind helping?” He asks.

“I can help.”

It’s as he thought. Of course, Tendou would not ask him out. The thought makes him feel slightly hollow, however. He shouldn’t dwell on it.

They start walking down the hall side by side towards the staff room.

Ushijima sees Semi on the way, talking to someone by his classroom door. But as they pass, they catch each other’s eyes. Semi watches between him and Tendou.

 Ushijima doesn’t know what Semi is seeing that makes him grin in the way that he does, and he feels like he should.

“Why the long face, Ushijima-kun? Did you think I was going to ask you something else, by chance?” Tendou says.

Ushijima straightens up immediately. Does he look upset?

“Not particularly. No.”

Lying is exceedingly difficult and not something Ushijima prides himself in doing. But the way Tendou squints at Ushijima...

It’s like he’s seeing right through him anyway.

“I suppose my gut feeling was off. How unfortunate.” Tendou shrugs.

But he looks amused beyond words.

The physics lab is as quirky as Tendou himself. In the middle of the space, there’s a huge portable white board covered in yellow post-it notes that Ushijima isn’t about to start reading. The desk is fairly tidy, but in some areas, Ushijima can tell Tendou just dropped it there, left it there, and forgot it there.

Not to mention all the blinds are open. Every piece of furniture has a halo. But when Ushijima looks Tendou’s way, he has to control himself to keep from widening his eyes.

Were his eyes always so bright?

“Open arms, please.” Tendou says.

There are many boxes next to the board like Tendou said there would be, and he starts shamelessly stacking them in Ushijima’s hands while counting in French. Big, sturdy boxes.

He only gets to four before he stops, hums with way too much delight.

“I knew there was a secret behind those arms of yours. You definitely lift weights. You don’t look like you’re struggling. Hold on, you deserve a nickname for your services. Lemme think…”

Ushijima tries to see over the boxes, but he can’t without a box trying to slide out of place, “I don’t believe there is a secret behind my arms. Anyone who lifts weights can eventually hold many boxes. Not to mention you can’t see my arms. I’m wearing a cardigan.”

This is a valid response to Tendou’s gushing, but he feels like he’s sinning, somehow. Not to mention the long pause after that.

But then, Tendou giggles and pats him on the shoulder. “Gosh, you’re so funny.  Trust me, honey. Anyone looking closely can see that you’re ripped.”

And then, way softer than that, he says, “I’ve got a cute one on my hands.”

“Excuse me?” Ushijima wishes he could see what expression Tendou is making.

Tendou just pats his shoulder again.

Ushijima wants to know one thing.  Is Tendou one of those people looking closely?

‘Do you want it to be?’

It would be wonderful if he knew it was no.

He can’t see because the boxes are blocking him. It makes him feel a bit off centred since he tends to misinterpret words alone sometimes. Tendou doesn’t seem to catch that though.

“Alright, Miracle Boy. To the staff room!”

There are two questions Ushijima wants to ask. One being why he has a feeling Tendou isn’t holding any box at all, and the other being what that name even means. But he doesn’t ask either of those because he, admittedly, likes helping.

He likes helping Tendou, specifically.

They make three rounds at most to the physics lab and back to the staff room.

“I guess this is it. Good job.” Tendou says. He reaches up and ruffles Ushijima’s hair slightly.

Ushijima blushes, shoulders hiking up all on their own. When has he ever felt this subdued?  

“Alright.” Then he adds, “See you later?”

And there he goes, talking without thinking. Oikawa would call him a hypocrite.

Tendou winks and waves him away, “Of course, of course. You’ll be seeing a lot of me soon. Love that cardigan, by the way. Where it again for me, yeah?”

How did he-?

Ushijima is left wondering what anything this guy does means. But he knows something else.

He is romantically interested in Tendou Satori, his physics teacher.

***

When Ushijima thought he’d have peace of mind to analyse his thoughts, Semi and Oikawa catch up to him in the hall. And this time, Iwaizumi Hajime is with them, though he looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here. Ushijima can’t say for sure.

They sit at a table in the cafeteria room even though its way passed lunchtime and if they stay too long, the part timer in the cafeteria, Kyoutani Kentarou, will glare at them silently.

He never chases them off or causes a ruckus. Ushijima wants to believe that’s just his face. Oikawa won’t stop calling him ‘mad dog-chan’ and Ushijima doesn’t get its appeal.

“So, you made any progress?” Semi asks Ushijima.

Ushijima feels like he knows what Semi means but he doesn’t want to assume.

“Progress in what, may I ask?”

Oikawa squints at Semi, “I thought you said you were no part of this.”

“People change.” Semi shrugs, his eyes flicker to Ushijima slightly.

Oikawa and Semi glare at each other like they’re about to bicker.

Iwaizumi sighs, “Here we go again.”

That catches Oikawa’s attention instantly, “Right. Is there progress between you guys at all? I don’t expect much from a rock like you, but a guy can hope. Tendou-sensei doesn’t look as hopeless as you, at least.”

Ushijima keeps his face set like stone. “I just helped him carry boxes. There’s no progress to be made. It is simply a teacher-student inter...”

As he says that, he sees Tendou walking towards his table and waving. Didn’t they just say good-bye? Why is he coming back?

Oikawa sighs, “Inter-what? What is it?”

Iwaizumi looks towards where Ushijima is looking and then back with a raised brow in minor shock. “And I thought Shitty-kawa was full of it.”

Semi snorts. “Same, until I saw it with my own eyes.”

Oikawa huffs. “Would it kill you two to be nice- oh my gosh he’s coming to our table. Ushiwaka, smile!”

“I most certainly will not.”

He’ll look like a fool. Wait, why does he not want to look like a fool around him?

Semi looks like he’s absorbing all of Ushijima’s unseen nervousness with how he starts fidgeting with his phone, drops it, and picks it back up again.

Iwaizumi smiles and shakes his head, “Oh god, help us.”

Tendou finally reaches the table, albeit looking beat. “Why are you so hard to find?”

Is he? The thought of Tendou going to such lengths to find him is doing things to his insides.

“I go to all the same places every day. I would think that to be fairly predictable.” He says.

“Bold of you to assume that between correcting papers and drowning in coffee I have all day to observe you,” he pauses and lowers his eyes and smirks, “Unless you want me to.”

Iwaizumi blushes in his stead and tries to hide, but it’s failing. Oikawa looks so smug that it’s slightly destabilizing. Semi looks like he wants to squeal, but Ushijima can’t say for sure.

Ushijima sips his coffee to hide behind it. He’s been doing that a lot today. “T-that would not be necessary.”

“Bommer.”

Tendou studies the faces of the people sitting near Ushijima on the table and makes a satisfied hum. “You must be Ushijima-kun’s friends. I see some familiar faces.”

Oikawa waves. “That would be Moi. The Oikawa Tohru.”

Semi bows slightly, “I’m Semi, and well, I’ve heard about you. First time meeting though.”

“Iwaizumi Hajime. Nice to meet you, sensei.” Iwaizumi says.

Tendou nods, “Hello, no need to be so formal.”

Then there’s a pause.

Ushijima clears his throat even though there is nothing there. “Did you need something, Sensei?”

Tendou looks clueless for a second until he brightens up again, “Oh right. You forgot to take something.”

“Oh? What would that be?”

He’s fairly sure he has everything he brought today.

Tendou pulls out another paper, and at first Ushijima is horrified that it’s the same note from the library, but that’s in his pocket. Either way, he’s not being discreet about whatever it is this time.

Tendou passes it to him and tilts his head to the side. “Go on. Make sure it’s yours.”

That makes Ushijima confused, but he does.

When he unfolds it, it’s a phone number? And signed right next to it is Tendou’s full name.

(xxx-xxxx)- Tendou Satori.

Text me, or don’t. It’s up to you, Miracle Boy 😉

Ushijima finds his lips quirking up a tiny bit and somebody at the table gasps. He tries to stop smiling too, but he really, really can’t. He looks away and looks back, bringing a hand to rest his jaw on his hand.

He meets Tendou’s eyes again.

“So, what do you say, Ushijima-san? Is it yours?”

By some other worldly power, Ushijima doesn’t kiss Tendou on the spot. Baby steps. He can play this game, today, at least.

“I’ll have to see about that, Sensei.”

Tendou puts a hand to his chest, “You wound me. I thought for sure this was for you.”

 Ushijima writes on one of his own folder pages, heart racing. He’s really going to do this. He reads it over.

‘Why don’t you make what you really want yours already? I will keep the number, however.’

He has no clue how to sound flirtatious, but he’s not about to overthink it.

And when he slides it to Tendou at the table and he reads it, it’s the first time he sees Tendou blush. All the way down to his neck. He’s redder than his own hair. Ushijima has to look away.

“You beat me to it, didn’t you?” Tendou huffs and stands up.

Oikawa, Iwaizumi, and Semi watch as he does.

“Well, I’ll see you later for real this time, Miracle boy. That’s a promise.”

As soon as he’s gone, Ushijima rests his head in his palms. “I unsure of what to make of this.”

Oikawa squeals. “What did he give you?”

Oikawa will find out if he lies anyway.

“His number.”

Oikawa squeals again so loud that Iwaizumi slaps him behind the head.

Semi can finally hold his phone without it falling. “I can’t believe what I just witnessed. I’m telling Suga, asap.”

Ushijima doesn’t bother to respond.

***

Tendou doesn’t make a move after that, and for a short time, Ushijima thinks he was being too forward.

In high school, people told him all the time that he was as blunt as a safety-scissors. It was a running joke between classes.

He wasn’t sure whether to feel uncomfortable that most people never wanted him to be honest when they said they wanted him to be honest, or the fact that a child’s safety-scissors isn’t that dull if it can still cut paper.

He can’t say he isn’t a bit disappointed or that Tendou’s lack of attention wasn’t doing things to him. He’d stay up thinking about it sometimes. Tendou doesn’t send him any notes in the lessons anymore. He liked those.

Maybe Tendou wasn’t really all that intrigued. Maybe Ushijima got ahead of himself.

Maybe, for once, he put everything out of proportion the moment Tendou started talking about lines, and ninety-degree angles. Love is subjective.

Ushijima is not a man of romance, but if it finds him, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t take it.

On some of the days, Ushijima catches Tendou watching him like a hawk. He looks away as soon as Ushijima sees him, however.

Tonight, thinking back to it, Ushijima sighs.

And apparently that’s the end of Oikawa’s patience.

“Tendou-sensei’s up to something! Stop acting like you’re mourning the dead.” Oikawa says with his huff.

It must be after 12:00 in the morning and normally, Ushijima would pretend to be asleep. But that would give him away more this time since he’d just sighed a few seconds ago.

“What makes you think such? And I am in no way mourning the dead. No one close to me is dead.” He says.

“Don’t make me hit you with this pillow I have here. You know what I mean.”

Ushijima knows he’s difficult to talk to, but that doesn’t mean it’s by mistake every time.

“But you need that pillow to sleep.”

“If I throw it, then you can give it back to me.”

“What makes you think I won’t accidently fall asleep with it?”

“You don’t like huge pillows!”

“But what if I do now?”

“You know what? Shut up and let me speak.”

“Alright.”

If Ushijima were anymore lucid, he probably wouldn’t have rolled his eyes the way he did. Oikawa is rubbing off on him and it is extremely concerning.

Oikawa takes a breath, the way he takes a breath when he’s going to talk for a long, long time. Ushijima braces himself.

“He promised you, remember? So, think about it. If he’s avoiding you, it must be because he wants the next time you talk directly to be special, or something. I don’t know. I did that when I wanted to ask Iwa-chan out. He got mad at me and- don’t tell anyone this- but he cried, Ushiwaka. Then he kissed me, but then he hit me. And well, I learned my lesson.”

“Not everyone does bizarre things like you do.”

 “Mean! Anyway, Tendou sensei is being an idiot, but he’s lucky you’re you. Maybe when you guys finally kiss, you can hit him as revenge for avoiding you.”

Oikawa sounds so sure that would happen.

“Do you really believe I have a chance?”

And he knows his voice probably shows no signs of hope, or despair. No inflection at all. Just Ushijima Wakatoshi being Ushijima Wakatoshi but having a crisis.

Oikawa is silent for a moment that Ushijima thinks that’s his answer until Oikawa gasps, “I just got an idea. How do you feel about hair gel?”

“I’m not sure. But I am concerned about where you’re going with this.”

“You shut your trap.”

“Alright, I’ll go to bed.”

“Wait, wait, I take it back.”

Ushijima does pretend to be asleep then, and Oikawa leaves him, even if it’s after a slew of swear words he must’ve learned from Iwaizumi.

***

There’s a bottle of gel sitting on Ushijima’s forehead when he wakes, and it rolls off when he can’t help but furrow his brows. What is this? A dream?

“No use trying to run away.” Oikawa says, sitting at his bedside.

It’s kind of creepy, the way he smiles.

Ushijima closes his eyes. “I’ve already given up.”

Half and hour later Ushijima is in a dress shirt his mother bought, but he’s never worn and a pair of khakis he never wants to wear again after this even if he admits it makes his legs look good. It’s black and matches the black-tie Oikawa let him borrow, but he didn’t exactly need. He looks like he’s going to a job interview.

He can see the sign already.

‘JOB REQUIREMENTS TO SEDUCE PROFESSOR TENDOU. CALL xxx-xxxx IF YOU THINK YOU’RE TALENTED ENOUGH’

He’d be rejected on the spot. He knows it, Oikawa knows it too, but he is Oikawa and Oikawa is unreasonable more times than not. Ushijima does not mean to sound mean, but it is a fact.

Ushijima’s hair is now styled in a side part with a few strands falling over his forehead to make him look more ‘attractive.’

Oikawa’s word, not his.

“And you’re saying you want me to seduce him out of avoiding me.” Ushijima repeats slowly as he looks at Oikawa through the mirror.

“Exactly.”

He despises the way his ears colour on their own, “I don’t think I’m capable of anything of the sort.”

“Oh, I know. But Tendou seems to find you interesting anyway, so you’ll be fine.”

He’s not sure.

But he goes to class anyway and people keep staring at him in the halls. It’s uncomfortable, but Oikawa looks pleased. He even waves a few of them because Ushijima won’t do it himself.

They’re a few of the last to make it to class, and Tendou is there too, sitting at his desk looking serious.

Oikawa clears his throat when he sees Tendou and speed walks up the stairs ridiculously fast, leaving Ushijima to fend for himself in khakis he’ll never wear after today.

Tendou looks up, their eyes meet and stay met.

“Uh, hi.” Ushijima says.

He must look like an absolute fool. Ushijima fights to keep his hands at his sides and not put them in his hair or behind his back. So, he just stands there and stares into Tendou’s eyes.

Tendou blinks owlishly, cheeks colouring pink. He opens his mouth but for a second nothing comes out. Then he shakes his head and smirks.

“Don’t leave after class until I say you can.” He speaks.

That makes Ushijima’s blood run to all the wrong places, but he nods curtly, averting his gaze. If he were a robot everyone keeps saying he is, he’d start heating up right here and now.

But he is not a robot, so instead, he walks like his legs forgot how to be legs and his arms forgot how to be arms, hobbling up the stairs with a brain that walked out on him. He does not turn back to Tendou when he reaches his seat.

Oikawa waves his hands around with too much energy.

“What did he say?” Oikawa asks.

Ushijima pulls out his same blue notebook and pencil and stares.

“To stay back after class.”

Oikawa hums, “Told you it’d work.”

“I didn’t seduce him.”

More like he seduced Ushijima.

Oikawa rolls his eyes and takes out his own notes. “My work here is done.”

And the way he says it makes it seem like he knew something Ushijima didn’t from the start.

Class goes as normal as normal could be after everything that’s been going on. Tendou doesn’t come up to the back, but he doesn’t look away when they lock gazes anymore, as it should be.

People filter out in groups when class ends, and to not look suspicious, Ushijima pulls out his phone to play Sudoku. Oikawa left with Sugawara and their grins were way too wide.

He hardly notices when Tendou’s by his side.

“Mind making a bit of room for me?” Tendou whispers.

To say Ushijima almost dropped his phone would be an understatement. “S-sure.” He says.

He scoots around and puts his phone in his bag pocket. He moves a little too fast, and with hands that shake too much. Tendou says nothing about any of it.

“Two questions. Which one do you want to hear first?” Tendou puts both his hands together and claps once.

Ushijima pretends to think, but his head is already empty. “I suppose I should say one.”

Tendou hums, “Number one. What’s the occasion? A birthday party that I’m not invited to? A baby shower? A wedding? A date?”

Each word, and he’s closer to Ushijima’s face.

Ushijima shakes his head and their noses brush, “There is no special occasion.”

He’s only getting closer, close enough that Ushijima finds himself leaning back, heat pooling at his neck when Tendou’s arms rest on the table and the other by his waist where it seems comfortable staying.

“Number two. Then, who’s it for?” He asks, his voice is so soft that it’s a whisper, so low that it could be a growl. Ushijima’s breath almost sticks in his throat, he feels sweat beading under his chin at Tendou’s eyes trail from his eyes to his neck. His eyes roam everywhere. “For you.”

There, he said it.

Tendou grins and his hand rests properly on Ushijima’s waist. It doesn’t stay there long; it slides over his chest to his tie. He rubs his fingers on it and it shines.

“Do you know how much self-control I’ve been trying to have for the past few days? But I give up. My plan is already in place anyway.”

Ushijima doesn’t know what to make of anything Tendou is saying, but he blushes anyway and tilts his head to the side in question.

“Plan?”

“Yes. Make sure to thank your seatmate since he’s the reason this could happen.”

Ushijima furrows his brows. Oikawa?  “Alright, but why?”

Tendou blinks and goes silent for a second. Then, out of nowhere, he cackles. “Don’t tell me your jealous.”

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are. What should I do to make up for it, lovely?”

Ushijima looks away to his desk, then to the dull boring walls and wills his face to say nothing. Okay, maybe he is jealous. Only a little.

 “I want you to kiss me.”

Maybe a lot.

Tendou snorts, “That’s it? Alright.”

 Tendou does it anyway. A soft, chaste peck on the lips that only lasts for less than five seconds. But it’s everything to Ushijima, and by the way Tendou sighed into his mouth, he liked it too.

“Now, I’ll take you on a date! How does that sound?”

“Does this mean you’ll finally claim what’s yours?” Ushijima asks.

Tendou’s entire face goes red, and Ushijima is glad that he’s the cause.

“And here I thought you forgot what you said.”

Ushijima shakes his head, heart fluttering, “That is not easy to erase from memory. And there is something else I did not forget.”

Tendou hums, “What would that be?”

Ushijima thinks better for a second, but then decides to throw all caution into the wind when he flicks Tendou’s forehead. Tendou yelps. Ushijima doesn’t bother to hide his small smile.

“Ow, what was that for?”

“Revenge for avoiding me.”

Ushijima isn’t always this petty, he swears.

Tendou snorts and it’s completely unmarred by mischief, soft and inviting. Just as captivating as any of his other grins.

“I can’t deny that.”

“No, you cannot. I would not let you.”

And with cherry blossoms blooming outside the windows, and two fools peaking in at them by the door, it marks the beginning of a new love story.

Fin.