Chapter Text
“Hey, Wakatoshi-kun,” Tendou strode over to his friend, hands held behind his back as he bounced on his heels. “Ya wanna come to my place for studyin’ after practice?”
Ushijima was silent for a moment, picking a ball from the basket and twirling it in his hands before shrugging. “Okay,” he said simply. Tendou let out the breath he hadn't even realized he’d been holding and grinned brightly.
“Studying, huh?” Semi asked with a smirk, coming up behind Tendou to playfully jab an elbow into his ribs. Tendou felt his face flush slightly at the other’s sly tone. Damn him.
“Shut up, Semi, oh my god.”
-----
Studying. I’m s’posed to be studying. This is not studying, Tendou mentally scolded himself. He honestly had no idea what he’d been reading from the textbook that lay in front of him. The words were blurred and meaningless while his mind was somewhere else entirely.
“You look stressed,” Ushijima said suddenly. Tendou started, looking up from his homework and meeting Ushijima’s passive gaze.
“Do I?” Tendou laughed, wincing internally at how forced it sounded. Ushijima watched him a moment longer before turning back to his own schoolwork in silence.
Usually, silence would make Tendou feel antsy; restless. He could concentrate better with music in his ears or some other white noise in the background. But this silence was... comforting, somehow. Maybe because it was Ushijima, for whom quiet was normal and not unexpected. There was nothing awkward about long stretches of quiet when he was with Ushijima, and Tendou was incredibly thankful for that, especially in moments like these when he needed time to gather his thoughts.
“Here,” Ushijima murmured, setting a glass of juice in front of Tendou, who opened his eyes (he didn’t even remember closing them) and snapped back to the present. He hadn't even heard Ushijima get up or make any noises in the kitchen, which-- That's a little ridiculous. Tendou needed to get a grip.
“Oh, Wakatoshi-kun, that’s very kind of you!” He smiled cheerfully, reaching to take the glass. Ushijima shrugged, taking his seat again.
“I just thought you’d be thirsty.”
“You thought right!” Tendou replied with a small laugh, setting the glass down after a long sip, letting the coolness of the drink ground him.
He watched Ushijima return to his textbooks. Tendou had pretty much given up on his own schoolwork at this point, and he rested his elbows on the table, nervously twining his fingers together. “Say, Wakatoshi-kun…” he began slowly, ignoring the feeling of his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest as Ushijima glanced up at him with a quiet hmm?
C’mon, Satori, this is the actual reason you invited him over, y’know.
Tendou took a breath before powering on. “How about... I give you a nickname?”
Ushijima was looking at him directly now, and that was too much for Tendou, who was sure his face was as red as his hair at this point. He averted his gaze and began fiddling with his glass of juice, as he waited for Ushijima to respond, in order to give his jittery hands something to do. He felt hot-wired, like if he didn’t start moving right now he might spontaneously combust. He had no idea what Ushijima was going to--
“Sure, whatever.”
Tendou blinked, freezing up completely before grinning hugely. He laced his fingers under his chin, closing his eyes and humming in thought. “Alright then,” he said after a moment, “what if I call you… Wakkun!” He smiled hopefully, tilting his head slightly in a silent what do you think?
Ushijima stared at him, his face blank, and Tendou was pretty sure he could hear the wild pounding of his own heart. He fought the urge to start twiddling his fingers or tapping his feet, a feeling of not completely unpleasant expectation swelling in his chest.
And then Ushijima was grinning at him (and he smiled with his eyes closed, why did Tendou find that absolutely precious? ) and saying, “Sure, it’s fine.”
Holy shit I’m so gay, Tendou thought with a dreamy sigh. The tension melted from his body and he was sure he looked really stupid right now but he couldn’t care less, Ushijima has the prettiest smile ever. He was in love all over again.