Haikyuu Oneshots

Ushijima Wakatoshi ☆ Home Practice

You sat on the porch, watching him bump and set to himself on the court in his backyard.

You did this often because living alone got, well, lonely, and it was nice to come to Ushijima's house where a family lived instead of your empty apartment once in a while.

You were supposed to be taking notes, collecting your observances from practices this week, and drawing up some plans moving forward. You were Shiratorizawa's manager but you did just as much coaching as you did managing.

You could be as stern as coach sometimes, but couldn't help but baby the boys, baking them treats and forcing Washijo-sensei to go easy on them once in a while.

This was normally one of your favorite things to do, organize your thoughts, re-calculate new statistics based on the week's gameplay, draw out some new plays on your iPad where you kept all your volleyball info (what Tendo-kun calls 'the volleyball bible').

But today you just didn't want to. The comforting, rhythmic pats of skin hitting the slightly soft, round ball in the evening air became elevator music to your internal melancholy.

Ushijima must have noticed your unintentional pouting because he caught the ball at his chest and held it there, concern creeping across his normally stoic face as he turned toward you.

"(Y/n)-chan?" He called for you in his deep voice, his tone, however, softened. "What's the matter?"

You closed your iPad and attached your pencil to the magnetic stripe on the side as you adjusted your seating. You crossed your arms around your little volleyball bible and pulled your knees to your chest for comfort in a subtle sitting-up fetal position.

Staring at the ground, at nothing at all, you opened your mouth to respond but you simply didn't have the energy.

It made you think exhaustion was a good excuse to avoid telling him the full truth of why you were feeling down.

"I'm just tired from this week, that's all. Hard to focus." You answered with a half-smile.

Because you really were tired, it wasn't a full lie.

You avoided his gaze for a little while but it eventually forced you to look up at him as he walked closer, almost hovering above you before he bent down to your eye level.

"What's really the matter?" He inquired further, not believing your half-ass answer.

You looked back down at the ground again and half-smiled once more, this time a real one.

You two had been friends since he was first scouted in junior high. You'd been playing volleyball alongside him for years now and just as you knew the ins and outs of his strengths and faults on and off the court, he'd come to know yours just as well.

He knew so well that it became harder and harder to fib to him, an increasing issue because you had some feelings you thought better kept to yourself.

"I really am just tired Ushijima-kun—" you politely tried to insist as he cut you off.

"If you're tired why don't you lay down? Get some rest here before you go home," he offered, his hand gently cupping your chin, directing you to look at him.

You made eye contact and looked right back down again, shoving him away slightly.

"It's not for all that, I don't need to inconvenience—" you began before he took your tablet from your hands, setting it on the porch next you.

"Oh c'mon—" you started before his actions cut you off again.

His hands scooped you up from under both of your arms as he hoisted you up to carry you, shifting you to his left side now standing. His arm held you in place on your bottom like one would hold a toddler.