Thread by @celestialshell2

#ushioi /oneshot spoilers🧵

Kageyama is a fine setter, one of the finest Ushijima’s ever had. Iizuna, too, is perfectly good. But watching Goshiki, Sakusa, Hinata, and all the others hitting Oikawa’s cunning sets…

After the game, Ushijima can’t help but blurt out, “Set to me.”

They’re shaking hands under the net, and he realizes belatedly that he’d interrupted Oikawa’s “Good game.” He could kick himself. His whole life, he’s done nothing but say the wrong things to Oikawa. Add this one to the list.

“Forget it,” he opens his mouth to say, his shoulders deflating already, ready to maintain his pride by avoiding Oikawa the rest of the night, but Oikawa interrupts him this time. “Okay.”

Ushijima looks up at him, shocked. “Okay?”

Oikawa’s eyes are flitting across his face, something he’s experienced across the net dozens of times. But this time, it’s less intense, less aggressive, more… curious. And then he drops Ushijima’s hand and spins around. “Shouyou!”

Hinata, that scary little concrete-smashing ball of smiles and energy, zooms over to them. “Yeah, Oikawa-san?”

“Will you go get a ball and throw it to me so I can toss to Ushiwaka-chan?”

And so Ushijima finds himself standing in position to make his approach, nerves twisting in his stomach. He usually tells setters how he likes his tosses, but something tells him Oikawa wouldn’t appreciate it.

Hinata throws the ball to Oikawa, easy and underhanded, and Oikawa jumps up to meet it with all ten fingers, tossing it as elegantly as always, right where Ushijima is arched back and ready to slam it into the empty court.

It’s exhilarating. If they had more time together to sync up, he knows Oikawa would adjust, that it would be /perfect./ He turns to thank Oikawa, but Oikawa holds up a hand to stop him.

“Higher. I know.” He’s got that fire in his eyes, one that Ushijima knows well from across the net. The one that makes him look like he’s about to spit blood. The one that never let Ushijima feel comfortable or secure, even if Shiratorizawa was ten points ahead. “Shouyou, again.”

Ushijima gets back into position. This time, when the ball leaves Oikawa’s hands it seems to hover right where Ushijima needs it; his spike is confident and devastating, the kind that annihilates blocks and hits the floor so hard it echoes.

When his feet touch the ground again, Oikawa asks him “How was that?” but he smiles like he already knows the answer, smug and triumphant, and Ushijima smiles, too. His answer is honest.

“It was perfect.”
/ fin

something short & sweet.. ty @monsweirdo for the brainworms!!! 💖 also, if you like ushioi, i'm modding an ongoing exchange - this week we're revealing all of the works our awesome participants made! check it out here: @UshiOiExchange