Fingies

Ushijima didn't know when he started noticing Tendō's hands, his eyes just absentmindedly locked on them, and he didn't know why.

The way that Tendō's index and middle fingers were always taped with thin white adhesive, the way Tendō flicked his wrist whenever he did a good successful block.

Surely Tendō's fingers hurt, right? Ushijima had felt what it was like when his miss timed a spike one time, his fingers had only clipped the edge of the ball and it had left pins and needles on the tips of his fingers.

Whenever Ushijima spiked or served his hand and fingers connected with the ball with all his strength, but it felt like he had more control over where his digits were.

However when Tendō blocks, he has no idea where on his hand the ball will hit nor how hard, Ushijima had seen what a poorly placed block can do to a person's hand back the Miyagi Prefectural finals, he was pretty sure he had hit the ball so hard it had dislocated that tall blond boys pinky finger.

How was Tendō able to constantly throw himself in front of a speeding volleyball?

Ushijima looked down at his own hands, they were rough and calloused due to his intense spikes, but other than that they were just normal hands.

Ushijima clenched and unclenched his fists looking from his hands back to Tendō's, stopping to realise how thin Tendō's hands really were.

They were like twigs! How hadn't they snapped yet?

"Whatcha ya doing Wakatoshi-kun?" Tendō said cheerfully smiling at Ushijima, he must have spaced out because he had completely forgotten that he was still at practice. But Tendō didn't seem to mind.

"Oh, I was just... looking at your hands" Ushijima responded honestly, he and Tendō were friends so there was no reason for him to lie.

"My hands?" Tendō questioned looking at Ushijima confused before glancing at his hands then back to Ushijima.

"Yes" Ushijima answered

"What about them?" Tendō smiled, resting one of his hands on his chin.

"Don't they hurt?" Ushijima said gesturing towards the tape of Tendō's slender digits.

"No not really. I mean whenever I block a ball my fingers kind of tingle, but I find that exciting. Cause it means I've gotten into the game, you know?" Tendō giggled, twiddling the fingers of his free hand.

"I see" Ushijima nodded. "Why do you tape them then?"

"The tape just gives my fingers an extra layer of protection, like armour, but for my finggies" Tendō chuckles, doing jazz hands to see if it will make Ushijima laugh.

It works and Ushijima lets out a small giggle.

"Oh, has Wakatoshi-kun got a soft spot for finger jokes?" Tendō teased, happy his gestures got a reaction.

"No... I was just worried about your hands" Ushijima stuttered, not completely confident in his answer

"Oh Wakatoshi-kun that's actually really sweet" Tendō said honestly, a small blush rising to his cheeks

"Well you were the first one to really talk to m-" Ushijima started before he was cut off by Tendō.

"Wakatoshi-kun, I know, I was there." Tendō said, smiling and placing a hand on Ushijima's shoulder.

"O-oh yes, right umm I don't know why I said that" Ushijima said nervously, his cheek turning red from embarrassment.

"Did I just get THE Ushijima Wakatoshi to blush?" Tendō smiled and raised his eyebrow at Ushijima.