Flutter

Possi of Junebugs

When Ushijima set the meal on the table, your heart lept. It looked divine, just as good as it smelled. Your mouth watered, you could hardly wait to eat. Ushijima served you first, then himself before grabbing the wine bottle from the counter and setting it on the table between the two of you. The two of you said your blessing before you picked up your fork and attacked your food ravenously (in the least obvious way possible). You groaned, was it possible to marry food?

"Are you okay?" Ushijima asked, with valid concern. "Your eyes are rolling back in your head?"

You shook your head. "I'm fine, what is this? It's delicious!" You brushed it off, like it was normal to act that way.

Ushijima, accustomed to your odd behaviors and obviously enamored with you despite (or perhaps because of) that, replied with "coq au vin", and completely ignored the spectacle and proceeded to ask if you wanted more wine.

"Where did you learn how to cook like this?" You asked. Most of his life spent at Shiratorizawa, you were surprised he had managed to learn how to cook in that time.

"The internet?" He said, as if it was obvious.

You rolled your eyes, taking another bite. "You are expecting me to believe you learned how to cook this by looking it up on the internet?" You snorted, taking another sip of wine.

"You can learn anything on the internet," Ushijima said solemnly, eating in even, well-spaced bites.

"Last time you learned something from the internet, you thought a crush was cancer." You pointed out.

You meant it to come across as more humorous than it did. Still, this was Ushijima, and his humor was a bit sparse at times. He opened his mouth to speak, you figured it would be something to counter your comment, but all that fell was an awkward silence instead.

A few seconds passed before you continued skewering your mushrooms with your fork. You knew Ushijima had planned this meal well in advance and was probably reallying trying to impress you. Why else would he have learned to make such an obscure and difficult French dish?

"It was not just a crush." He stated, taking another swig of wine and looking at you intently in the eyes. You looked away, unable to stand his gaze. Your cheeks flushed. How could he say something so embarrassing with a straight face?

"I'm sorry." You muttered.

"Why are you sorry? We do not get to choose who we fall in love with." You met his eyes again, they bore into your soul a little bit less.

You brought your fork up to your mouth and muttered a bit bitterly, "obviously."

"What do you mean by that," he inquired, no hint of anything but pure inquisition.

"If you could have chosen anyone, it wouldn't have been me." You said, somehow managing to take another bite. This may not have been the most appetizing conversation, but the food Ushijima had made would have been a shame to waste.

He cocked his head a bit as he continued chewing. He found little to no discomfort in discussing such matters at the dinner table. "And why shouldn't I?"

You scoffed, gesturing at him with your fork, admittedly a bit rudely. "Look, you and I, we don't exactly mesh well from outside perspective." he raised a brow at you as he raised his glass, waiting for you to continue your explanation. "You are volleyball-obsessed, if volleyball was a sentient being, you would marry it." Ushijima shrugged, he was used to people seeing him only for volleyball, it wasn't something that bothered him. Other people's opinions didn't matter, well, with you as the exception.