From the Concrete (Ushijima Wakatoshi x Reader)

Chapter 3: Practice

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There was something poking your forehead and you rubbed your eyes groggily, trying to focus on the figure in front of you. The flaming red hair gave it away immediately and sleeping through this period suddenly seemed like a great idea. "Hey (L/N)-san, did you miss me?" Tendou poked your forehead once more, "Don't go dozing off during our study session, I didn't skip class just to watch you sleep."

You groaned before turning to Ushiwaka, who stood right behind Tendou. "What about you? Did you skip class?" His unwelcoming gaze locked onto you, no hesitation at all. "No." 

Huh, well that's great. I got one word out of him.

Raising an eyebrow you prodded with another question, "Okay, well are you going to stand there all day?" Tendou was already sitting across from you and had taken out his notes from the lecture. "Yeah Ushiwaka-san, you should sit down. You seem tense enough to punch a wall." This seemed to get his attention because he slid his bag off his shoulder before taking a seat. 

"Tendou-san, why would I punch a wall?"

Oh my- was he really this dense?

You couldn't help but laugh at his seriousness, "It's an expression, it means that you just seem uptight."

"I am not uptight."

This time it was Tendou's turn to respond, "Okay Ushiwaka-san, calm down. Let's just study."

For a few minutes the only noise between the three of you was pages turning or the occasionally scribble on a piece of paper. This unit was on ocean acidification and how carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can cause the pH level to rise. It wasn't difficult to understand, yet the boys were a few questions behind you.

"(L/N)-sannnnn, I don't get number 3, can you explain it to me?" Tendou whined, despite seeming like he knew what was going on. You looked over the question and the answer you had written down.

"Oh, that's an easy one. If you took chemistry at some point, this would have been easier to understand. The question is basically asking you how the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere mixes with the seawater." You hoped that he was at least paying attention when Sensei was discussing this in class, but after thinking about what actually happened in class, you remembered Tendou was just talking to Ushijima the whole time.

"Okay...so how does the carbon dioxide mix with the seawater?"

Tendou was hopeless and you secretly thought that Ushijima was smarter than him. "Oh for the love of- Ushijima-san, do you know the answer?" 

"Yes. The carbon dioxide enters the seawater through wind-wave exchange."

Wow, he was paying attention after all.

"Y-yes, correct. Do you know what is created after the two mix?" You held your breath, maybe you were a bit harsh during the lunch period. Although Ushijima seemed fierce at first glance, there was more to him than just his tough exterior. 

He stayed quiet for a moment before answering, "The carbon dioxide and seawater create carbonic acid." Though he was not one to speak much, he was still smart. Tendou was watching your interaction with him closely, this was the most he had seen Ushijima talk to someone other than his teammates. 

"Got that Tendou-san? Honestly, you didn't even need me here, you could have just asked Ushijima-san. He has everything down for the most part." 

He just smirked at you before adding, "Yes, (L/N)-san, but just in case let me have your phone number. The period will be over soon and I still don't have everything done." You input your contact into his phone and handed it back to him. Ushijima said nothing and you took it as a sign that he did not need your help with completing the assignment.