♡ ♡ ♡

the boy now turned his figure towards you, his movements nothing short of cautious. as your gaze moved upwards, you realized he wasn't exactly staring.

he had this concerned look on his face. his eyebrows were furrowed as his eyes darted towards this box he was holding and you. your shoulders relaxed, tilting your head sideways.

"um... are you okay..?"

"....you're from shiratorizawa," were ushijima's first words to you.

"and so are you... i don't think i've seen you around."

"i don't think i have either."

as the silence slowly began to envelop the two of you, it was then interrupted by impatient chirping. and as expected, it was coming from the box he was holding. his eyebrows furrowed once again.

"a bird?"

his gaze darted towards you, nodding slowly. he brought the box towards your eye level, giving you a better view of the contents in the box.

a sparrow, flailing uncomfortably around the box covered with cloths. one of the wings looked completely fine, but the other was hanging off of its tiny body.

"oh, you poor thing! did you find it like this?"

ushijima hummed in response. "over there, next to the bushes. i guess the person who placed it in here didn't have time to tend to its wings, so...," he trailed off, his gaze continuously fixed on the little creature.

"let's.... let's take it to the vet! any effort counts right now, we have to make it quick," you stated almost immediately, kicking some sense into your supposed (and most definite) schoolmate.

---

to you, it was a miracle that he found the bird amongst the bushes, waiting to be saved.

to him though, it felt like he just witnessed both a miracle and a blessing. there are many things that ushijima has wanted, so with enough effort, he'd been rewarded through and through.

so how did it start from saving a bird to now nurturing it - with a person he'd just met - till it could finally fly?!

"hm. your schedule seems a little packed. how about this, i'll bring the bird back to my place, and you come visit it every now and then! and if you're free on certain days and would like to bring it back home, that would be fine too, right?"

"wait... wouldn't that be.. troublesome? isn't your schedule packed too? i could always-"

"not really! besides, i heard the volleyball club has it rough this year. don't worry about me! think of this as a... conjoined effort."

giggling, you continued.

"....this bird would love to meet its savior often, too. i can't take all the credit now, can i?"

he found himself shaking his head amusingly each and every time he found himself thinking of those words.

amusing because of how easy she made it look talking to him. so much so that he wondered if he even had such a rough exterior after all. or was that just the wall he's built around himself?

the daydreaming seemed to have gotten out of hand too. it started off with him wondering about the day he could bring the bird home, to wanting to spend at least 10 minutes talking to you.

the focused face you had when you were cleaning the bird's cage, or the way you tend to fidget a little with something you were holding when you seemed nervous or curious. he thinks you haven't noticed, but your presence alone has made him crack a smile or two.

nothing of this didn't feel like a routine - he would head home after practice (not without tendou mentioning feeling a different... energy ushijima was emanating), receiving a text from you about some supplies you ran out of on certain days, heading to a nearby store.

and when he reached the entrance of your home, he made sure not to look disheveled from all the running he did but fails regardless, considering he spent the afternoon working on his moves as a spiker.

when you began hearing more talk of the volleyball team's captain around school, you noticed how most people found him 'cold', 'unapproachable', 'heartless' even.

maybe he was a different person in the court overall. but were they really talking about the same boy who always stopped by your house? the gentle boy who held the little bird in his palms like glass? who had that soft look his eyes when he looked at you?

"you should visit more often," he broke your train of thought, moving his hands towards the cage to gently set the little sparrow back in.

"where?"

"the court. lots of people stop by, anyway. don't be shy."

his guilty conscience told him you would view him a different person the moment you saw him in action.

but it all washed away in an instant when he noticed from the corner of his eye how you were on the edge of your seat; your eyes fully focused on his stance. the way you would clasp your hands together, praying that he got the next hit. you would then be standing up and cheering when he scores a point for the team during friendly matches. he thanked all gods above that playing this game made his face flushed; otherwise, he would feel his red-haired teammate's stature looming over him for a whole week.

the bird was subject to this blessing and miracle after all.

---

ushijima offered to carry the bird cage out of your home as you walked side by side.

the bird had been ecstatic, showing off its moves to the both of you as it flew around the cage. it had been fully recovered, thanks to your efforts.

which also meant it was ready to spread its wings, to find its new home. what better way to see it off than heading to the nearby park?

"the bird's looking at you," you poked his shoulder, but noticed the solemn look on his face.

"hey... don't be sad. i'm sure it wouldn't forget about us. who knows, it might keep watch from afar, or even visit us when it has the chance!"

ushijima chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"...you're right. i was also thinking. about some things."

"are they good things?"

he looked at you, pursing his lips.

"....definitely."

the soft summer breeze was starting to cool down, indicating fall was on its way. the two of you came to a stop, admiring the slowly setting sun from a distance.

your fingers came into contact with his as you both had the same idea - to unlock the latch and set the bird free. clearing his throat, he aligned his fingers with yours, turning the latch.

the bird perched atop the metal bar, spreading its wings as wide before taking off. it may not have looked back, but the freedom it finally felt must feel like pure bliss.

ushijima had his eyes on the bird but only for a few moments before he took in the breathtaking view in front of him, the golden hues accentuating your beautiful features.

"did you see that?! it's flying! it's finally flying!"

setting the bird cage down on the grass, he gently placed a hand on your shoulder. looking back at him, you noticed the soft look in his eyes once again. turning your figure towards him, a curious smile appeared on your face.

"something's on your mind. let me guess. the 'good things' you told me about earlier."

"then i shouldn't really beat around the bush," he folded his arms, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"this bird of ours...has shown me a lot. well, i'm not a master of words, but..."

our bird? you couldn't help but fluster. he's never said that before, but it felt heartwarming to know he needed to include you.

"i'm listening," you reassured him.

"one of them being this...feeling in my heart. this feeling for you that i do not want to let go. so i want to know."

he extended his hand out towards you.

"do you share the same feelings as i do?"