#maybe its because hes still in teiko

[japeneselunchtimerush]

Remember how we discussed akashi could get anyone to do anything by batting his eyelashes? Well I got curious and turns out he does actually have pretty long eyelashes

[vespersposts]

Wildchild

A Knb long story featuring you, Akashi Seijūrō, Aomine Daiki with hints of KuroMomo.

Comments, constructive criticism and advices are so welcome and appreciated; my dm box is open and I won’t cancel comments unless they are insulting.

The characterisation of the personalities was inspired by the canons and works of the following Tumblr authors, whom I thank in advance: you are a great source of inspiration.

@sabyss, @touchstarvedirl, @mhynvxii, @aominedaikitheace,@storyhuntress13 @lamnwar .

Let me hear your voice!

Disclaimers corner:

All characters belong to their respective authors, they are used for writing purposes only.

[content suitable for mature audiences will be reported in the relevant chapter post].

1

The familiar sight of Earl grey tea, its deep orange warmth, the delicate smell of bergamot filling your nostrils as the waitress smiles at you, gracing her way of serving you the perfectly blended drink.

A small moment of pure bliss.

"It won't need sugar, will it?" he says, in that gentle tone that wins everyone's heart, and, after those crazy years, maybe yours too.

You smile at him and nod, thanking the girl who leaves you alone at the breakfast table of the beautiful manor house. 

"I'm going to miss this garden so much," you acknowledge, turning your gaze to the French window that leads directly into that corner of paradise where the two of you usually spend your free time discussing art, music and life. 

“Stay then”, he suggests with a small smile on his lips, because he knows how inflexible your resolutions are once made, but he still loves to tease you, sure he can easily turn the tables on you if he really needs to.

After all, he has chosen you since Teiko's time to be his muse not only because of your impeccable demeanour and undisputed musical talent, but mostly because he couldn't tame or understand your way of thinking.

"I'll miss you too Seijūrō" you smile faintly, returning your attention to him.

The handsome boy shakes his head lightly as his magenta gaze reaches the right page of the morning paper, where his father's company has announced the annual program of the "Shiori Akashi Foundation" gala night. 

"Has he accepted our final project?" you ask, closing your eyes briefly as you sip the delicious drink, ready to listen to his smooth voice.

Akashi's expression switches from a slight frown to something undetectable, a mix of so many emotions alternating in his mind that even he, the king of self-control, got lost in the translation process.

He blinks twice, his hands letting go of his grip on the thin inked paper falling onto the table, then he covers the smirk on his face with one hand as he stares blankly in your direction.

What the hell is going on? 

Why are his eyes suddenly burning with that sinister light again?

"Seij" you call back to him, intertwining your pale fingers with his long ones and under your tender touch he seems to rejoice, the ghost of his dark shadow being chased away like leaves in the warm spring breeze.

"Ma fille prodige!" he announces, letting go of your hand and coming closer to show you the result of your plan. You almost choke on your tea as his sensual scent reaches your core, your skin can feel a sudden weave of heat caused by his proximity: sensations you've learned to master over those years of rehearsals  and confidential talks but at the same time vibes you can't deny or get used to. 

"Here, darling," his gentle voice invites your eyes to read the paper, although they don't want to follow anything but the bright expression on his face, his velvety red pools full of unanticipated joy, his lips curved into a playful, almost childlike smile. You lean back just to get closer to him as he puts his right hand on your shoulder and drags the chair close to yours, still focused on his target.

"I think you were right... He couldn't treat you the way he treats me, that's why we're going to have our concert just the way we imagined it," he announces, still stunned by the result of your previous encounter with his powerful but intimidating parent.

"I didn't do anything special," you reply, "I just told him that celebrating your mother's life through her son's happiness is one of the highest forms of love, and I mean that, so basically I was just being myself. No need to thank me, you see?" you stumble over your own words, as your brain refuses to function properly now that he's a breath away.

" It's you, it's all because of you my precious" he breathes softly "Thank you with all my heart, it means a lot to me," he continues, taking your hand in his, squeezing it a little to seal the moment, enjoying the sight of your flushed face.

"Sei I..." you hold your breath as he lifts his hand to your temple to caress your head gently, unaware of the risk he's taking. 

Your lips curve upwards, your eyes widen and the sudden idea of grabbing him by the back of the head and locking his lips into yours was more than real in your intentions, if it wasn't for a double knock on the door that broke the spell.

"Come forward!" he raised his voice, not moving from his position.

"Young master, Miss, good morning," the butler announced himself  "The car to the train station is ready at any time," he concluded, closing the door behind him.

"Time to go back to Tokyo and get your award" the young man points out, putting some space among you to scan your emotionless expression for some clue.

"It's just a graduation ceremony," you huff, leaving your chair and walking towards the window  to carve the image of the flowering garden in the clear morning light into your mind.

You hear his footsteps as he approaches, his gaze fixed on you.

"Did I say something wrong ?" he asks, leaning his back against the window pane to make sure he has your full attention.

“It's just that I really, really don't want to go home," you answer reluctantly, tightening your shoulders.

"You have a chance to inspire someone to be like you, and people like me need people like you" he smiles, ignoring the knocks on the door.

"Seji, don't use your charm on me, you know being good at music is hardly a point" you smile crossing your arms over your chest, casting a resigned glance at the door.

The young man looks deeply into your eyes and reduces the distance between you two, lowering his voice, his warm lips so close to your skin it makes you shiver."Come back soon, that's the point," he finishes quickly, whispering in your ear as an embarrassed butler coughs to disclose his presence in the room.

2

Okazaki, 

Hamamatsu,

Shizuoka, 

Tokyo.

Estimated journey time, approximately 2 hours 48 minutes, under current weather conditions.

The Shinkansen's loudspeakers repeat this in an endless refrain.

You sit down in the spot indicated to you by a kind stewardess in white gloves, thank an attentive passenger who offers to put your small luggage in the hatbox next to his, and inhale. From the bag on your shoulder, your hands extract a notebook, your mobile phone and wireless headphones, which now form a sort of technological still life on the table in front of you. You smile as you turn down an invitation to have coffee at the dining room car just to discourage the logorrhoea of your travelling neighbour who retires in good order.

3 hours to try to find peace for what for anyone else would have been a festive occasion, but for you takes on the status of a test of courage.

3 hours to figure out how to get around the city where you grew up, but where now only the ghosts of your former life remain.

You check your bag again and hold in your hand a raggedy ribbon to which are attached three keys scaled in weight and shape. You smile, because your grandmother gave them to you on the first day of junior high school, as a celebration of your entering adulthood.

"When I'm gone, I'll leave this house to you" she often told , and so it was, even though no one had lived in the building for almost two years, since your world had decided to crumble under your feet.

The loss of your grandmother, the divorce of your parents and that injury that had almost cost you your future had pushed you towards Kyoto, where Seiji had offered you a comfortable life, far away from the dramas of Tokyo, far away from the disappointments of everyday life and above all far away from all the explanations that you would have had to give to justify your lack of courage to her, who even though she loved you like a sister, would never have understood your choice.

You smile at your mobile phone, because quite by accident, she has just sent you an email full of pictures of your old school, and in a precise order, "in case you don't remember where the gym is anymore". 

"Satsuki" you slowly mumble her name, earning a smirk from your seat neighbour who now, along with his coffee, has a good enough reason to trap you in an endless conversation.

You express your thanks and take another bite, only not to let slip a sarcastic remark at yet another unfortunate comment by the hostess.

"What I'm saying, is that my daughter can't think of investing all her time in a hobby when she should be focusing on the direction she has to take her life. She could take an example from you and build a future for herself, instead of wasting her days behind the whims of Shinichi's son and that basketball team," the young woman concludes by bringing her arms to her chest for more authority, shifting her gaze from the face of the old lady sitting next to her to yours in seeking approval.

'Some things will never change' you think as you lower your wands and inhale, looking for a gentle way to silence her now that, like every other night, she has turned into her daughter's worst detractor. 

You respond to the smile on Satsuki's beautiful face that with that simple gesture invites you to let it go, you can already imagine her shrugging her shoulders later telling you that she didn't even notice, that her mother and grandmother sometimes misspeak, and other innocent lies she tells herself to cope with the pressure she is subjected to every day. She who, like you, has sacrificed everything for her passion but who, unlike you, is mocked and who, despite everything, does not lose her optimism or her hopes. Sa-chan who protects anyone who thinks she can be misunderstood, Sa-chan who can never see people's pettiness nor claim loudly what is hers, and for that she is criticized.

What kind of friend would you be if you agreed to that?

"With all due respect, your daughter isn't doing anything different from what I've been doing all these years" you explain "You see, if I hadn't entered Kunitachi my whole future would have been jeopardized, because it's true that I'm only interested in playing, but unlike Satsuki, I don't know how to do anything else" you conclude, drawing Momoi's grandmother's bored gaze on you.

"Kyoto has made you quite talkative," she says, twisting her mouth a little to disguise the dislike she has always harboured for you.

"Would you like to give me some good advice obachan?" you ask amiably, taking a sip of water, sure that your provocation has not gone unnoticed.

"I think it's time to go for a bath, we have a meeting to attend tomorrow," the pink haired girl interjects, suggesting you follow her to her room to avoid further confrontation.

When you close the door, one look is enough for you to burst out laughing in perfect unison.

You had forgotten so many things about her: how easy it was to be close to her, how soft her hair and skin were, but above all how comfortable you felt in her presence, sure that she would always read your gestures without malice.

 "I've missed you so much," she tells you as soon as you embrace her and you know it's true because you can't stop feeling that childlike love feeling that has united you since your first meeting.

You kiss her on the cheeks and she blushes, just like she always has, you sit on her bed and for a moment time goes back, to stop at some day in your lives, just "before".

 "Well?" she asks you, clasping her knees against each other, her hands to her face and her mind already on the gentle face of her first love.

"I don't think there is a more adorable man than him!" you inform her with a smile "He even gave me a present, wait!" you conclude, moving towards the travel bag that lies at the foot of the desk chair, from which you pull out your diary which you open to reveal that little treasure. Momoi smiles, turning in her hands the picture of three smiling children in front of a white piano.

"Testu-kun's mother used to let us all play together after the lessons, remember?" she asks you, giving you back that little treasure that you put on her lap, sure that it means much more to her than to you.

"You've come a long way since then. It took time, but that's all it took," you smile at her, finding that worried look in her eyes that requires you to change the subject quickly if you don't want to find yourself talking about him.

You let your back go on the soft mattress and stretch, hoping that your friend will change her worried expression into something more reassuring; then you start talking again, if only to break that silent wall you're afraid will set between you.

 "I think this picture should stay here, where the ancient temple dedicated to Kuroko Testuya stands, high priestess Satsuki!" you tell her. "Let's find a good place for it among the other heirlooms!" you conclude with a smile, because you still remember exactly where all your childhood secrets are kept.

You get up and head for her desk, but you know she's not listening, caught up as she is in that thought that's been brooding all afternoon.

"Wait, please, sit down," she tells you before you can even take a step, "Is it true what you wrote to me in your last email?" she pauses, lowering her eyes for a moment and then resuming what for her must be one of the most difficult speeches she's ever had.

"Is it true that you and Akashi-kun..." she concludes, letting the words die in mid-sentence, ready to study every tiny expression on your face.

"No, Satsu" you tell her simply " He's already committed and I'm not one to get in the way" you explain, hoping her expression changes, but paradoxically it only gets more confused.

"You don't have feelings for him, right?" she asks you, her intense eyes roaming your face. You tighten your lips and can't bring yourself to smile and downplay it, because she's already read you like the simplest of books.

You can see her annoyance. 

Her hands clenched into fists, her lips pressed against each other, her eyes almost glazed over with the bitter disappointment of your words that ruin her expectations for the future.

Why couldn't you keep quiet? What did you think you would gain by sharing your thoughts about Akashi with her? 

"Sa-chan" you start, but she doesn't leave you any time.

"Explain it to me" she asks you adamantly "Explain it to me in detail because I don't understand it and I don't see, in fact, how this can be possible!" she concludes, uncomfortably brushing her hair behind her ears.

"It just happened" you begin, shrugging your shoulders "Sei is so kind, polite and charming... It was natural to start feeling something different, but as I told you..." you try to finish your explanation, but she has moved away to pick up a silver frame from the desk that holds a familiar picture to you.

"I really need to understand, explain it to me" she repeats, letting the cold and heavy object slip into your lap, which you slowly scan with your eyes.

The basketball court near your house, the dark blue rubberized floor and two people in the middle of the scene. They are sitting on the ground, close together. She is dressed in white, a light dress that reveals her knees and shoulders, posing for the camera.  

He does not care about the photograph, busy as he is contemplating her face, either to tease her, or as if he was afraid not to see her anymore and wanted to build a mental map of her features. He has one hand on the basketball between his crossed legs, the other resting on the floor, next to the girl's.

You only have to look at his expression, at his lips folded into a half-smile to feel his amber skin again, so warm next to yours, his deep voice in your ear that becomes a sigh when your breaths meet.

The memory of him dwells there, silent, in a deep part of you, where it is nourished by desires never expressed,that you thought you had isolated between the quiet brackets of distance. You can decide to ignore it, but as soon as you let your guard down, its presence claims your every thought, redirects your every priority, makes you relive every reminescence in function of that person you want to forget but to whom you do not want to stop belonging.

You look away to get away from your fantasies, but reality doesn't seem any easier to deal with.

"Satsuki, I..." you begin, but all you can do is turn that old photo so that it's no longer in front of your eyes. Your friend gets close to you, because she's already figured it out.

"I can't let you do this," she tells you, speaking as gently as a mother consoling her child after a nightmare.

"I don't want to hear you say that," you whisper, letting her hands caress your head.

"It would be such a mess, the worst kind of betrayal," she repeats, making sure she has your attention. "Is Akashi Seijūrō really worth that much?" she inquires, pulling her warm hands away from your face and crossing them over her chest.

"It's worth it to the point where it makes me feel loved, understood and needed. He means everything when your best friend is four hours away from you and answers e-mails in her spare time. He can pick up on my discomfort even just from the inflection of my voice and he is there. He is always there: no matter how long and tiring his day has been, no matter how busy he is or where he is. Seijūrō Akashi is always with me, for me only.No blackmail or punishment will make me put this person aside, I will no more make the mistake of relying on someone who does not care about me" you finish, underlining the last words.

You see her bring a hand to her watering eyes. You know she is bitterly sad, you know you have woken her abruptly from that dream she has been cradling for as long as she can remember, but you cannot continue to fool her. 

You will not follow through with a story based on someone elses’ needs.

"He's going to break down," your friend replies.

"Whether it is, you can't protect him forever, Satsuki" you point out to her, getting a long sigh as answer. 

You remain for a few minutes next to each other engulfed in that silence you so despise, until the hostess remembers her first intention. You hear her leave to gather her things for the bathroom, you follow her with your eyes as she moves around the room to stop on the threshold to wait for you, again with that broken glance in her eyes. 

"What hurts me is that I did it on purpose. I thought he would understand, I thought he would listen to me when I told him about your life in Kyoto, I thought he would take action sooner or later. I did everything I could to make you feel lonely because deep inside I hoped you would crack at some point, giving me the illusion that I was right, but you know what? I'm not, and that makes me sick,' she concludes, sobbing. 

You should retrieve a change of underwear and something to wear for the night from your travel bag, but all you can do is reach out to hug her. The tighter you hold, the guiltier you feel, the more you search for something to say, the more Tetsuya's words ring in your mind. 

You close your eyes and see him again, a few hours earlier, as he walks you to his girlfriend's house and asks you to listen carefully to what he is about to say.

"You and Aomine-kun should stop dragging Satsuki into this. I will no longer tolerate you using her as a battleground, if you love her find a way and end this ridiculous feud, or leave her for good, because she's in too much pain and I can't allow that." 

He was so different from the usual nice guy you were used to know, the commanding tone he used to express his point of view gave you goosebumps. For the first time you are speechless in front of his blue eyes, mortified by his blunt but truthful words.

"I'll fix it, leave it to me," you pledge once again, surrendering to what seems to be your fate. 

Light blue eyes turned into warm brown eyes again.

“Please, do” is all she can reply.

You wipe the last tear from your friend's cheek and smile at her, telling yourself that she alone is worth trying one more time.

[shoichee]

is it alright if i request hcs for midorima introducing his shy g/n s/o to the team (maybe they’re his lucky item for the day? i cant see his tsundere self introducing them volutarily) and midorima is being soft with them cause they’re a bit scared of the team??

I HEAR YA LOUD AND CLEAR, A VERY CUTE REQUEST, i gotchu fam <3

@knb-kreations

Midorima x shy!Reader

[Headcanons]

as a reserved individual himself, Midorima is not one to broadcast his relationship out to everyone, and this sentiment is only stronger when he knows that you’re even more introverted than himself

even so, after dating for a substantial amount of time, he wants to include you into his life and potential dream career in basketball… and that would entail bringing you to meet his inner circle of his friends teammates

the only problem (and the reason why he’s held off in introducing you to them for so long) is that his teammates can be quite rowdy (and have some… unique quirks? but Midorima isn’t really one to talk)… especially that Takao Kazunari

still, he never felt like he had to introduce you to them right away… when the right opportunity will present himself, he’ll do it

besides, you don’t seem in any rush to meet them anytime soon from the way you’d rather prefer spending your time with Midorima alone

well, until one day, the Oha Asa predictions presented that opportunity:

“Today, Cancers are in a unique situation from the rest! It seems like their luck can be quite stagnant or off the charts depending if they have their lucky item for today! Ready to hear it, everyone?! Today’s lucky item for Cancers isn’t a standard one! It may differ for every Cancer, and that’s the beauty of fate!~ Cancers should bring along with them something that they cherish the most! But be careful…! Cancers should also take care in making sure nothing happens to their lucky item today!”

Midorima, in hearing the prediction from his TV, flinches out of surprise, mostly because the first thing that came to his mind after hearing “most cherished” was you

but alas, he’s going to follow fate down to a T, with no exceptions

when he approaches you early morning, he tells you with the straightest face:

“(y/n)-san, according to the Oha Asa, you’re my lucky item today.”

“U-U-Uh… um, is… is that a pick-up line?”

“Hmph! As if I would stoop myself down to Takao’s level. The Oha Asa predicted it so, and I will not take any chances today.”

“Um… what do I have to do then?”

Midorima softens his gaze at you and mumbles, “Nothing really. Just stay by my side for the entirety of today.”

thankfully, today was a Saturday, so at least school wouldn’t be an obstacle between the two of you being separated

so here you are, tagging along with Midorima to do some mundane trips around the neighborhood

Midorima please… this is literally just a date but he refuses to acknowledge it as such

he still had basketball practice that evening though, so by then, it was time for him to go to the gym to start warmups

… but wait, that would mean he’d have to bring you there too…

“Ahem… you…” Midorima clears his throat. “Do you mind just sitting on the benches inside? There’s no need for you to make conversation if you do not wish to do so.”

“O-Of course!” you exclaim. “I… I wanna see you play too… even if it’s just practice, I-I hope your teammates won’t mind?”

“Well I’ll make sure they’ll mind their own business.”

“Would I really bring good luck to you by just sitting and watching you, Shintarou…? It’s hard to believe that the Oha Asa said that I’m… supposedly lucky?”

“The Oha Asa is never wrong,” he says confidently. “Besides, I don’t see it anything but an advantage when I know you’ll be here to provide support in your own way. After all, you do make the most out of your capabilities and do your best, nanodayo…”

Midorima makes sure to enter the gym first, with you tailing behind and taking shelter behind his broad back

even despite that, nothing could prepare you for the chaos inside

a basketball FLEW to you and nearly killed you if it wasn’t for the fact that Midorima easily stopped the ball in its projection

“Fools! Are you ever careful in shooting?!”

“Ah shut it! Not everyone’s like you, Midorima!”

“If you have that much energy complaining, then you have the energy to start warming up, rookie.”

Midorima sighs in response to their comments, but you’re behind him peeking out a bit and then ducking behind his back again when you saw how intimidating they were

“Wh-Whoa!! Shin-chan brought someone over?!”

“What?”

“Where?!”

“The brat brought someone over?!”

Takao immediately skips over to him and you, curiously peeking to see who Midorima, the ever-so serious and hardworking dude, brought to practice; it’s very rare that he’d bring his own Teiko ex-teammates along, let alone anyone unrelated to basketball

“Oh! Aren’t you (y/n)-chan?” Takao asks, tilting his head with a childish wonder

“O-Oh, um…” you reply, darting your eyes to Midorima before continuing. “It’s nice to meet you… I’ve heard a lot about you from Shintarou, Takao-kun.”

Midorima turns red and denies it to his breath as he hounds on Takao as an outlet for his embarrassment

Miyaji and Ōtsubo are peeved but lowkey curious about why Midorima brought you here, so they ask… to which Midorima replies:

“(y/n)-san is my lucky item for today, nanodayo.”

“Captain, can I throw my family’s pineapples at him??”

“Shin-chan, I’d normally laugh, but did you just label a person as an object?” (to which Midorima immediately interjects, “A-Absolutely not!!”)

“Alright, you little shit, you 1st-years are really getting on my nerves right now…”

“W-W-Wait…!” you exclaim, slightly stepping out from behind Midorima’s back. “Please don’t be mad at him… I wanted to watch too…” but when everyone’s attention immediately shoots to you, you squeak and hide behind his back again

from the way you clutch onto Midorima’s shirt from behind, Midorima immediately turns around to you with a soft tone of voice

“Hey, come on now… they’re not bad people, nanodayo. You know I’ll be there by your side if anything happens, (y/n)...”

everyone’s REALLY quiet hearing how Midorima talks to you, and they’re like WTF???? WHERE DID THIS SIDE EVEN COME FROM….?

only when Takao blows a slow whistle to break the silence does everyone break into quiet snickers, ready to make fun of Midorima to death about it

as Midorima gives you a short pat on the head and turns to walk to put down his duffel, all of his teammates follow him to give him those “playful” hits and slaps on the back and arms LMAOO some may have actually knocked his spine out of his body though ngl

you’re just standing there timidly, not knowing what to exactly do next, and Miyaji notices you and approaches you

“Oy,” he says with his usual rough tone of voice. “If you really wanna watch, you can sit over there. Don’t be in the way though.” He points to the specific bench, but softens his usual Spartan-like, harsh frown just a tad bit when he sees you cowering a bit

“Sorry… uh, (l/n)-san, right? Take care of the idiot for us.”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Midorima immediately stalks over to the two of you, knowing full well how… scary Miyaji can be, and Miyaji’s frown comes back

“Huh? Nothing for you to be concerned about, rookie.” Miyaji KICKS Midorima to the court to start doing shooting drills and then turns to you like nothing happened

“W-Wait, Shintarou…?”

“He’ll be fine,” he sighs, ruffling his hair. “If he does anything stupid, let one of us know, alright?”

“He’s been, um, good to me.”

and Miyaji gives a little smile for the first time as a stamp of approval, and then he goes back to practice while you lightly skip to the bench… that smile MAY have convinced you that Midorima’s team wasn’t so scary after all

“Sooooo....” Takao says, jabbing Midorima’s ribs. “Your lucky item, eh?”

irk marks appear on Midorima’s head as he prepares to strangle Takao, only to remember you were watching him

“Ahem… (y/n) is my lucky item, regardless of what day or prediction.”

“Eurghh, that’s so sappy, what the fuck—”

“Shut up if you know what’s good for you, Takao.”

the entire team = your personal bodyguards for REAL, and it’s almost scary how every single teammate uses their own “softer” side when talking to you directly like… Midorima is now kinda regretting that he introduced you to them so late? he didn’t know that his teammates would be THAT considerate to you

especially Takao… he’d say a bunch of jokes to get you to laugh but he’d know EXACTLY when to back off and let you chill out??

the upperclassmen would be very polite and soft spoken with you?? like they all have their own respective younger siblings, so they’d definitely treat you like one

Kimura always offers you to taste-test his family’s produce for free, free of charge, zilch, nada

Midorima wonders if they like you better than him (spoiler alert: of course they do)

to get under Midorima’s nerves while you aren’t around, they’d always go, “Bro, where’s your lucky item???” in referring to you LMAOOO (Takao is ESPECIALLY guilty of this)

[miyuwuki]

Not sure if you accept requests at the moment but can you write Miyuki captin with a female s/o who have been together for a long time but they keep their relationship secret ? One day Kazuya brought with him some video tapes to help Sawamura and Furuiya about their pitching and so these two plus mochi + nori + 1st years cathers all gathering infront of the TV but suddenly the video is an old recording of 2 cute babies (Kazuya + S/o) ? Like maybe just sleeping together or playing catch ball but the girl just keeps hitting Kazuya face not mat and he is cutely angry.Or she is crying because she dropped her icecream and baby Kazuya being so gentel and comfort her and sharing his with her. You know just small moments like that were recorded but because of this mistake everyone is asking about this girl but its obvious she is Y/N and so he is caught and had to make it official. Bonus. Kazuya is trying to turn off the video but Mochi is holding him on the floor 💪💜😂 sawamaru asking when did that gentle pure nice Kazuya has gone and why he now Captin is an evil 🙃

AWWW I LOVE THIS SOO MUCHHH THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME JOY TO WRITE

warnings: none

miyuki kazuya x reader

caught!

“ah, this is nice.” you hummed, laying on miyuki’s shoulder on the benches that no one uses. his hand was slowly gripping your thigh and he chuckled, “we have to go back soon. we’re going to review the game against teiko.” you let out a soft “hmph” and snuggled closer, closing your eyes.

“it’s so hard keeping our relationship a secret, kazu.” you grumbled. it’s been a secret for years now, and somehow no one ever caught on. growing up together, you both were bound to be a couple, like those typical childhood friends to lovers clichés. although miyuki wanted to keep it a secret, not out of ill intention but to avoid any unnecessary attention. you agreed, not wanting to be the talk of the town, but sometimes you couldn’t help but want to shout to the whole world about your pretty boy.

“sorry,” he whispered, kissing your forehead. he let go of your thigh and got up, reaching out a hand to you. “i’ll sneak into your dorm later to make it up to you. you can drool on me all you want.” you laughed as you took his hand and playfully hit him with your other, “i don’t drool.”

“whatever you say.”

you guys arrived at the dining area where the team was already gathered by the television, staring at miyuki as he walked in.

“MIYUKI-SENPAI,” sawamura shouted, “YOU’RE LATE. HOW CAN I REFINE MY PITCHING IF YOU DON’T SPARE ME THE TIME?”

“be quiet, sawamura,” miyuki sighed, “put the tape in.”

sawamura grabbed the tape from miyuki’s hand and hurriedly ejected it into the dvd system. “furuya, hurry and get a notepad,” he said to him.

the tape started to play as everyone sat back. you and miyuki stood in front on the tv, your memo pad ready in your hands to take notes on each pitch.

“miyuki,” kuramochi muttered, “are you sure you gave the right one?”

suddenly, a laugh emitted from the tv; not just any laugh, but a baby’s laugh, and it filled the silence of the room. everyone just stared at the screen in confusion, wondering why they were watching a baby hitting another baby that was sleeping.

you squinted your eyes at the tv, slowly recognizing what it was. “kazuya!” you shrieked, redness blooming across your cheeks.

“is that you, kazuya?” kawakami asked, “you had glasses since way back.”

miyuki stood there in disbelief because of what was playing in front of him, anxious that the secret he’d been keeping was slowly unravelling itself. wanting to get it over with quickly, he said, “alright everyone enough, i’m going to change it.” kuromochi quickly ran in front of him, blocking his way. “quick, sawamura!” he uttered, “hold him back!”

with a loud laugh, sawamura wrapped his arms around miyuki, holding him still while your eyes stayed glued to the screen. even though you were extremely embarrassed, you couldn’t help but watch and adore the old memories you had with him. time really flies, huh?

the next part of the tape showed a young girl crying, holding an empty cone with her ice cream splashed on the floor. the boy with glasses next to her was looking at her in annoyance, telling her to stop crying and that she can have his. he gave her his ice cream cone and the girl immediately stopped crying, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. the boy smiled and pat her head, telling her not to be sad anymore. “aww’s” and “ooo’s” went around, the team enjoying the wholesome content.

“is that you, y/n-senpai?” furuya murmured.

your focus on the tv was interrupted by that one question, as you shyly looked at miyuki, unsure of how to answer. if you said no, well, you’d be lying. but if you said yes, the whole team would find out about you and him, exposing years of your relationship. so you chose the most reasonable one.

“uh, no, i think that’s—”

“it is y/n, furuya.” miyuki breathed, cutting you off. he said a “let go of me” to sawamura and kuramochi before going to you and holding your hand. gasps came out of the mouths of the team, earning one from you too.

“kazuya..”

“y/n and i are dating,” he announced, “and we have been for a while.”

“WHAT!” sawamura shouted, causing kuramochi to kick his back. “I THOUGHT YOU GUYS WERE SIBLINGS!!”

“it was so obvious,” kuramochi rebutted, holding him by the collar.

“mm, we knew.” kawakami added, making an apologetic face.

“huh? but we never told anyone.” miyuki replied, “we’ve kept it in secret for years.”

“yeah but we always see you guys on that bench that no one uses.” kuramochi teased, “we make sure not to go there, right everyone?”

“WAIT REALLY?”

“shut up, sawamura.”

miyuki sighed and brought you closer, “well that’s embarrassing..” you laughed, partially because this whole situation was pretty comical, but because you were happy that you didn’t have to be in private anymore.

“but..” sawamura started, trailing off. you turned to him and cocked your head to the side, “hm?” you hummed. “what’s wrong, sawamura?”

“WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT NICE MIYUKI KAZUYA! WHY ARE YOU SO EVIL NOW, SENPAI. YOU ARE RUTHLESS, CRUEL, WICKED, IT’S SO TWISTED!” sawamura cried, tears flowing down his face.

miyuki cackled at this, his signature menacing smile forming on his face, “well, thank you!”

“IT’S NOT A COMPLIMENT.”

and that’s how seido found about your—already exposed— relationship. shortly after this event, everyone started calling you guys the parents of the baseball team. miyuki acted like he hated it, but you lowkey loved it, now being free to tease and love your boyfriend however you want.

BONUS:

“i never knew you kept those tapes with you, kazu.” you teased your boyfriend after that whole fiasco.

“bring it up one more time and i won’t bake you bread.”

“i’m sorry.”

I HOPE THIS IS OKAY <3

[myriadlabrynth]

Kiridai vs Players They Have Their Eyes On

And why this could be the case(another interesting thing to look into!)

Referencing the Kurofes Book

Hanamiya - Has his eyes on Kiyoshi

An obvious one.A fellow non-rakuzan uncrowned king who is the exact opposite of him.

Like Furuhashi said, Hanamiya hates the type of person Kiyoshi is, and when things don’t go his way.

He wants to crush Kiyoshi so badly, both physically and mentally for his fluffy pure ideals. I’d imagine Hanamiya has met people like Kiyoshi, and is usually successful with breaking their pure beliefs, but Kiyoshi has been a brick wall for him.

Him being unsuccessful pisses him off beyond belief.

Things don’t go his way at crushing the type of guy that he hates??? Good god.

His whole point of joining basketball was that “there were a lot of annoying people there”

So of course he has his eyes on Kiyoshi, he’s his main target. An unbreakable one at that.

If anything, I think Hanamiya should take pointers from Murasakibara(fellow Kiyoshi hater lol), because he was more successful at breaking Kiyoshi

Seto - Has his eyes on Imayoshi

Fascinated that this is another smart and ruthless player that knows Hanamiya better than anyone. Imayoshi is almost like another Hanamiya, just minus the rough play, cause Imayoshi frankly doesn’t need it to still irritate the other players all the same.

And the fact that Hanamiya acknowledges and believes that Imayoshi is worse than himself??? Now that piqued Seto’s interest.

The “I don’t really know him, but are you one to talk?” line

Seto is still shocked that Kuroko was the one who ruined the spider web, something that Seto plays a key role in.  Hanamiya said that Seirin was the first to “ruin his plans”, so of course Seto was usually successful.

I actually think this is maybe why Seto feels comfortable sleeping during matches, because he doesn’t expect to fail. Every match beforehand was the same song and dance, so he didn’t have to worry about whatever happened earlier in the match, he assumed things would go according to plan as always.

So to see Imayoshi be able to stop Kuroko in the Seirin v. Touou 2 match, the player who essentially caused Seto to fail for the first time, only piqued his interests in the touou captain further.

I don’t think Seto is that passionate about basketball, but failing for the first time made him more motivated to practice(though it doesn’t really matter since the kiridai practices have become more brutal anyway after the seirin v. rakuzan match)

 He likely took the things he saw from the Seirin v. Touou 2 match and took it into consideration during practice, so if/when Kirisaki Daiichi meets with Seirin, he’ll be prepared.

Furuhashi - Has his eyes on Akashi

The other characters who have their eyes on Akashi (Nijimura, Shirogane, Midorima) have some noticeable relation to him, (Previous Teiko Captain, Head coach of Teiko, a close friend, respectively).

Furuhashi is the only one who doesn’t. So he’s purely looking from an outside perspective. As far as we know, he doesn’t personally know Akashi.

An obvious reason for the intrigue is just because of Akashi’s skills. That could be the reason why any player may have their eyes on a GoM. The question becomes “Why this particular GoM player?”

I think Furuhashi may be interested in ankle break, and learning it himself

He’s particularly interested in being able to make players kneel before him, instead of simply falling over.

His special ability is the worst of Kiridai so that must have proven tricky

Although Furuhashi is mainly on Kiridai for the roughplay, he perhaps has some interest in improving his basketball skills too.

And who better to look at than Akashi right?

His main interest in Akashi either stems from prior knowledge of him, or after watching the Seirin v. Rakuzan match.

Hara - Has his eyes on Murasakibara

The hardest for me to figure out honestly

Similar to Furuhashi, a case of “It’s natural to have your eyes on the GoM, so why is Murasakibara specifically the one that interests Hara the most?”

He’s also the only one with eyes on Murasakibara

I honestly think Hara simply admires him. His reason for joining basketball was because he thought it was cool right? Murasakibara may be one of the reasons, if not THE reason he thinks it’s cool. 

Murasakibara is so lax and yet he’s one of the top high school players in Japan?? That’s what struck Hara.

The two are similar. Purple hair, carefree/childish attitude(though their carefree-ness are different), though they still perform well in basketball despite this.

And actually since fujimaki depicted Hara with blonde hair in the manga, and there’s common headcanon that Hara dyes his hair. If you go with that headcanon, you can think that Hara chose lilac to kind of match Murasakibara(a huge stretch but why not)

Interestingly enough, Murasakibara is also a part of the health committee

Murasakibara also usually has something “in his mouth”, in his case its food. Though he never does during matches, unlike Hara and his gum.

I also like to imagine that Hara used to be the tallest of Kiridai before Seto joined, beating Hara by a couple of centimeters. This annoyed him a bit, could be a pride thing.

And here is Murasakibara who is undeniably the tallest out of the whole league, and he’s younger than Hara.

So I think it might just be the skills and similarities Hara sees in Murasakibara, and his height is an aspiration.

Yamazaki - Has his eyes on Moriyama

The only one with eyes on Moriyama, but unlike Hara, it was a bit easier to come up with reasons why.

Fellow Shooting Guard, fascinated by his unorthodox/underhanded shot

Might also be interested in Moriyama because of him being a ladies man. Not that Yamazaki  wants to be one himself or necessarily wants a relationship per se

Yamazaki being in Kiridai gives him a bad impression, even if he’s the most sensible guy. People generally tend to stay away from the group, and thus, away from him.

4 out of 5 are “bad”, what are the chances that the one guy left will be any different right?

The cheerful girls that Yamazaki prefers, or girls in general see him and immediately flee, which bothers him.

Moriyama being a ladies man might give Yamazaki pointers on how to seem more presentable to girls, so they won’t run at a first glance at his uniform.

Yamazaki only knows that Moriyama is a “ladies man” from word of mouth though, he doesn’t know that Moriyama isn’t that successful either lol

Also I just realized the name similarities? Its all a coincidence but

Kiyoshi and Imayoshi rhymes

Furuhashi and Akashi rhymes

Hara and Murasakibara rhymes

And Yamazaki and Moriyama both have “Yama” in their name

[theshinsun]

KNB for the fandom ask thing if you’d like to!!

(sorry this took forever, work was crazy this week ;;-;;)

send me a fandom and i’ll tell you…

the first character i ever fell in love with:

Kagami. (I know, right?) I started watching the show when I saw the way he was drawn, and came to really love his character throughout seasons 1 and 2. 

Side note: I really only fell in love with Aomine once I saw how he looked in the manga, and got more into his backstory in late season 2/early season 3. 

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not:

Idk I used to like, unironically like Himuro, and subscribe to canon’s endgame portrayal of him as a harmless nice guy (with no personality to speak of). Now I like him, but like... only in the sense that he can be used narratively, and to comedic effect. I also still like his play style, but I don’t like him like, as a person.

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not:

I don’t really wanna bash any ship in this show, since the characters are loose (read: underdeveloped) enough for their actual ship dynamics to kinda be up for interpretation. 

The one example I can think of, though, for a ship I used to enjoy that now kinda bothers me, is KiKasa. I just don’t see much genuine affection between these two, and yeah I get that people show their love in different ways and all that, and there is definitely something there to work with if you read between the lines, but still... I dunno in canon it mostly seems one-sided at best and antagonistic at worst to me.

my ultimate favorite character™:

...C’mon, you know who it is. The number one spot has to go to Aomine, every time. Someday I’ll write a whole in-depth character study to explain why, but if you want the thesis statement, it’s this: Aomine is the most interesting, developed and multi-faceted character in the entire series, and you can fight me on that.

prettiest character:

If we’re talking manga, then Aomine, but since he looks like a raisin in the anime, I have to give the award to Midorima, with Mibuchi coming in a close second.

my most hated character:

Heh. Uh... funny story, it used to be Hanamiya, or possibly Haizaki, but now I think my hatred for Akashi has actually surpassed them both, because we’re meant to dislike them so at least they serve their most basic function. Whereas Akashi’s arc is so forced and anticlimactic it’s infuriating, and that’s before even getting into his personality.  

my OTP:

You know what, it’s still AoKaga. After six fucking years, they still have my heart. If I can bend the rules and slip in an OT3, I’d say AoKagaKuro, but otherwise, if I had to pick one ship, it’s those two idiots with their rival dynamic, interesting chemistry and essential narrative function of pushing each other to get better. 

my NOTP:

Like I said, I don’t want to bash any ship, but if I have to pick one that just grinds my gears, it’s AkaKuro. I just... don’t get it. I mean, I get it, I know why it exists, but I don’t get it, you know? 

...I dunno, if that’s your cup of tea, more power to ya, but I personally don’t ship it and I don’t think I’m ever going to. 

favorite episode:

Episode 37: I Look Forward To It. 

Ah, the onsen episode... I know this one by heart. 

Okay, I guess I should explain myself, because on the surface this looks like pure empty fan-service (on both sides), but this episode actually has some really great character and plot-related moments. It’s the part I always jump back into when I re-read the manga, because it’s where things really start to kick off. Seirin’s been beaten down and hopeless and finally have their chance at revenge, and they find out in this episode that they’re going to be getting it right away. There’s some really great Seirin and Touou bonding, some more evidence of Momoi being a data-gathering badass (though her actual appearance in this ep bombs the Bechdel test and kinda just rubs me the wrong way). 

My favorite part, though, is Aomine and Kuroko’s confrontation in the bath house. I’ve heard someone say once (and I agree) that this episode shows a whole team of naked men (and two naked women) and yet the scene with the most sexual tension has everyone fully clothed. It’s also just a super emotionally-charged moment, full of saying things without saying them, and Kagami showing up to declare Seirin’s intentions of victory is the cherry on top. I love this episode, I’ve probably watched it about a hundred times, but I’d gladly watch it a hundred more and that tells me it’s my favorite.  

saddest death:

Himuro’s character development. I mean uh... Kiyoshi’s leg breaking, yeah, that’s totally it. Actually, him leaving at the end of season 3 is really sad, we don’t get many third years retiring in this show but that hit just as hard.

favorite season:

Season 2. It’s where the show kicks into high gear, and the plot really gets rolling. It’s well-paced and exciting up until the middle of the Yousen game, and shows so much awesome development for the characters it introduced in the previous season. Everyone gets some new abilities, but my favorite reveals have to be Kuroko’s Vanishing Drive and Overflow (that moment when Izuki gets “erased” in the Seirin/Touou game lives in my head rent free), and of course the Zone. Season 1 is nice and season 3 has some really iconic moments, but season 2 is great from start to (almost) finish, and that makes it the strongest of the bunch.

least favorite season:

As I said, it has some iconic moments, but KNB’s weakest season by far is its finale. For one thing, it focuses almost entirely on a single game, and so that game drags on forever, beyond the realm of enjoyment until it becomes tedious to get through. Besides that, though, it goes out of its way to introduce plot threads and characters that don’t really go anywhere (Haizaki and Ogiwara come to mind...) the animation budget takes a noticeable beating, and so do the trajectories of two of Season 2′s most interesting antagonists (Himuro and Akashi). The main saving grace of this season is the Teiko arc, but, enjoyable as it is, under a critical eye it’s still a lengthy, pretty unnecessary detour that stops the main narrative dead in its tracks and all but kills the tension for the final game.  

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate:

Would it be gratuitous to say Akashi, at this point? It’s funny, because I never really liked him, and didn’t understand why so many people did, but I never had any strong opinions about him until recently, when I started looking at his character up close bc I’ve run out of reasons not to. Again, if you like him, that’s totally fine, but I just can’t agree.

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave:

Uhh... Imayoshi, I think. I don’t know what it is about this guy, but I love him so much. He’s a shit, and he knows it, but he’s also smart, and funny, and kind of just a big dork? Severely underrated character, with a really unique look (I don’t care if he doesn’t have eyes except when he’s pissed, it’s good character design, you guys are just mean). 

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave:

Oh, Kuroko... sidelined in your own damn show. I’ve heard people argue that Kuroko is not the protagonist of KNB, and in fact it’s Kagami, and just... whether that’s true or not technically, it just makes me sad for Kuroko bc once again he’s being overlooked in favor of other, more flashy characters on screen. Maybe that’s the point, but still, I don’t see this guy get nearly enough attention considering his name is in the fucking title. Kuroko is every bit as valid and interesting as the other GoM, and the other members of Seirin, often even more so, and he deserves all the love.

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship:

Pretty much anything with Haizaki, but because this is me we’re talking about... AoHai. I used to be interested purely from a hatefucking standpoint, but recently I’ve seen some art and short little ficlets, and... have started to maybe ship it... unironically? Um. Yeah, so that happened.

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship:

KiKuro. I don’t think I’ve really talked about them before, I love their backstory and dynamic, and I tend to write them together off on the sidelines, but I’m not very passionate about this one. Maybe because it is often used as a background ship, maybe because they both work better with other people (side tangent: their dynamic instantly becomes more interesting the second you throw a third person in the mix... doesn’t matter who it is either, KiKuroKaga? AoKiKuro? KiKuroMomo? I could go on) Idk. It’s sweet, but I don’t often give this pairing a whole lot of thought on its own, maybe I ought to...

[geometricalien]

U bet I'm gonna ask for my boys Aomine & Kagami!!

Hey!!!!!! I will gladly talk about your boys!! I LOVE YOU, thank you for the ask sweetheart <3

Kagami

Why I like them - He’s great, just great. His fire and passion. The fact that he gets so excited about playing a match that he can’t fall asleep. He’s scared of doggos, that’s adorable! His extra two toned hair and split eyebrows. The fact that he’s just so cool. I think about him growing up gay in california alot. God what a great character, so much to play with

Why I don’t - I j-just said that I like him?? OH I don’t like the fact that he leaves after The Last Game (I do though because it creates a fun long distance dynamic which could be fun for ships, you know long distance pining and then a reunion at long last, but I also hate it which I will get in below)

Favorite episode (scene if movie) - Hmmm I’m not sure… I don’t think I can pin point an exact episode, I really love his moves in the Seirin vs Rakuzan match, like covering the key like Akashi did and when Akashi steps in he steps back and passes the ball off because thats a hard nope, the moment he fucking dunks on Akashi with Meteor Jam. I love seeing him in the zone, it's so entertaining

Favorite season/movie - Maybe the first season?? Because you are still getting introduced to him and who he is as a character

Favorite line - “Life is all about challenges, there’s no point in living if there’s no one strong to play with, it’s better if I can’t win.”  (tell me that him and Aomine aren’t soulmates, I dare you, they are literally foils for each other, they truly understand each other and complete each other)

Favorite outfit - I don’t remember if it's when he leaves for training in America or he leaves to go back to America, but he’s wearing a hoodie and headphones. Those headphones make him feel so real?? You know??? I want to know what he listens to

OTP - AoKaga

Brotp - (can I say AoKaga again??? fjdsaljf) If not, Kagami and Himuro, obviously jfdklaj

Head Canon - After his mom died (maybe she left?) Kagami took it on to learn how to cook because his dad worked late. He still can’t get her katsudon quite right. 

Unpopular opinion (I don’t really have an unpopular opinion, so this is kinda a surprising Head Canon) - Kuroko would successfully get him used to dogs and then he would adopt 2 big ole doggos

A wish - I really hope he makes it into the NBA, its my favorite career for him

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen - Leave Japan after The Last Game…. OKAY HEAR ME OUT, what happens if Kagami leaves? Huh? If we are being frank here, Seirin doesn’t do well at nationals (assuming they qualify if they don’t go against other GOM teams) because yeah, they got like 2nd in Nationals when it was just the senpais, but we have the monsters from Teiko now and without another monster to combat them in some way it's a landslide in points. But Rachel, Kuroko is a GoM! You’re right! And he would definitely help them get points, but my point still stands, Kuroko is a support/booster who can’t even be in the entire match. AND THEN they won’t be able to beat Touou, at all! AND THEN IT WILL ONLY BE WORSE WHEN THE GOM ARE 3rD YEARS! Secondly, Aomine…. I fear the fact that they separate from each other. Because it's so easy for Aomine to slip back into his depression, But Rachel, Kise is still in Japan! He would be a good competition for Aomine! You are right, that’s assuming he actually could beat him But Kise has finally broken the ideology that Aomine is special and can’t be copied! And I say again, you are right. Give me this fic. I want this fic. Please make your words a reality, otherwise I won’t accept this. Because Aomine will be left alone with no strong fiery companion to fight against, and it's easy to slip into old thought habits when your brain follows the same path… SO PLEASE SEND ME A LINK TO A AOKISE FIC WITH THIS PREMISE

5 words to best describe them - Passionate. Stupid. Heart-of-gold. Determined. Tiger-man.

My nickname for them - ….. Kagami…. I know I’m so smart. Besides that, Basketball Idiot #1

Aomine

Why I like them - Have you seen him??? He’s so hot and slick, I fall in love a bit and bit more when I watch him play basketball. No but really, I love his more childlike innocent playful side. Even when he’s sarcastic slinging an arm over his boyfriend Kagami’s shoulder. Like, What are you doing here bitch? He’s fun, and has a lot of depth

Why I don’t - He’s crass?? Like in irl, I would either be deeply scandalized by him or he would make me laugh uncontrollably while transforming into a tomato, no inbetween

Favorite episode (scene if movie) - I think… oooo, I really love the first 1 on 1 between him and Kagami, “Your light is too dim” because he was looking for a light for himself too. Someone who would push himself to being better, to bring him out of the darkness. BUT, him in the zone and dancing with Kagami is also really good. I watch those amvs every other week

Favorite season/movie - hmmm the second Seirin vs Touou match, BECAUSE THEY’RE DANCING, THEY COULD DANCE ALL DAY try to catch me try to catch me, im sorry I had to

Favorite line - “That’s it, show some spirit so you can entertain me, even a little.” The sexual tension when he drops his arm over Kagami’s shoulder, and like… that’s definitely something you could read in a smut fic jfdklsj

Favorite outfit - HIS ASS KICKING OUTFIT. I love his parka 

OTP - AoKaga

Brotp - AOMINE AND MOMOI!!!! THE BEST OF FRIENDS, I THINK ABOUT THEM PLAYING IN SANDBOXES AND ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AS BABIES AND MY HEART GETS SOFT

Head Canon - He fell down a lot as a child and has many scars on his legs. 

Unpopular opinion (I don’t really have an unpopular opinion, so this is kinda a surprising Head Canon)- I guess, he plays 1 on 1s with Kagami every Saturday at sunset and they go to Maji afterwards until it causes a hefty dent in his wallet and hangs off of Kagami to get him to cook for him. Also, they get some other GoM’s to join in their weekly fun matches, Kuroko, Kise, and Momoi

A wish - He also goes to NBA :)))

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen - He fucks up his leg and isn’t able to play basketball anymore, too tragic for me to even think about

5 words to best describe them - Depressed. Let-down. Child-like. Intense. Feral energy.

My nickname for them - Ahomine (yes I stole it) and Basketball Idiot #2

[v-thinks-on]

Tsukishima

Note: This was inspired by @umisabaku‘s masterpiece, Designation: Miracle, which I highly recommend to any fan of sports anime (or anyone who wants to get into it)! This is a little idea I had for an AU of the series where Tsukishima (from Haikyuu) was created by Teiko (an evil lab that creates and trains superhumans).

“Pathetic,” their creator sneered, as he always did when there was a failure among their ranks.

G1172 heard the doomed project begging through its tears as though there was anything it could do to change its fate.

Their creator and his entourage of scientists only turned and retreated back down the hall.

Only when they had turned out of sight did G1172’s morbid curiosity get the best of him, and compel him to peer around the corner.

He froze.

It wasn’t just any Grey Eleven doubled over on its hands and knees, sobbing, defeated. It was G1148, his successful older brother who had taken G1172 under his wing and helped him figure out how to use his powers. His brother who was the strongest member of Generation Crown, who was clever and strong and kind when so few others behind Teiko’s walls were. He had seemed invincible. If he was a failure then G1172 didn’t have a chance.

All of humanity was pathetic too, even worse than failed projects, their creator said.

Years later, when G1172, now known as Tsukishima Kei, saw two pitiful humans attempting to lord their meager strength over another, all he could think to do was sneer, “Pathetic.”

He did not expect the smallest, weakest one, who could not even fend for himself, to start following him around.

At first, he ignored the human as he ignored most things that he found mildly irritating. But, although he would not admit it to himself, he got used to the boy’s company and eventually came to appreciate it in his way. They would never be equals - Yamaguchi, a clumsy human, and Tsukishima, a failed project - but they suited each other somehow. Yamaguchi’s presence became a routine and Tsukishima stopped thinking about it, like how his thoughts rarely lingered on his time in Teiko.

The only thing Yamaguchi did on his own, without Tsukishima, was play volleyball. For reasons Tsukishima could not fathom, he loved the sport, though he knew he would never succeed at it.

“You should play volleyball, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi insisted yet again as they walked home from school together. “You’re so tall, I’m sure you’d be an unstoppable spiker- or blocker. And you pick everything up so quickly, I’m sure it’d all come easy to you.” He gave an awkward laugh. “You’d be better than me in no time.”

Tsukishima replied reflexively; “Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

But the next time Yamaguchi went to practice, Tsukishima followed him into the gym.

It was easy. Even though he was a failure, Tsukishima was still faster and stronger than any ordinary human and he naturally fell back into training. He barely had to try at all to play just better than average, and though Yamaguchi struggled, at least he knew better than to get riled up over a game. So, they played and practiced a little and never drew too much attention, and it just became yet another routine. Every so often, someone would lament that if only Tsukishima tried harder, he would be truly competitive, but that was the last thing he wanted.

Then they went to Karasuno. Karasuno could not but remind him of Teiko. The volleyball team was small and intense and had a desperate obsession with success and it seemed only Tsukishima was aware that their dream was impossible. The worst of them all was Hinata, the most desperate of the lot, who could only remind him of an Orange Seven - a failed line of projects created to fly. Tsukishima could not compete against him.

But everything would have been fine as long as Tsukishima and Yamaguchi did what they had always done; play, but never try too hard, never get sucked in to caring too much. It hurt more than Tsukishima could have imagined when Yamaguchi started caring too. They both knew that he was just setting himself up for failure and devastation.

The last thing Tsukishima expected was for Yamaguchi to confront him. Timid, quiet Yamaguchi who was so easy to underestimate just because of how much he underestimated himself. Yamaguchi who believed in Tsukishima more than he believed in himself. Who somehow now had enough confidence for both of them.

When had this weak, pathetic human become stronger than him?

And for some reason, Tsukishima wanted nothing more than to prove Yamaguchi right. To prove that he could be more than a failed project. He could never be a success, there would always be someone stronger. But maybe Bokuto was right, maybe all he needed was one moment, one victory that was his own. In Teiko that wasn’t nearly enough, but he wasn’t in Teiko any more. Maybe the world outside was different after all.

[countryshitposts]

You’re Shooting Your Bullet The Wrong Way

Chapter 1

AO3 Link

Death of a Bachelor

Trigger Warnings; murder, violence, blood

-

Name Guide

Nippon Koku- Japan

Teikoku Nippon- Japan Empire

Sulian- Soviet Union

Renmin- China

Choson Inmin- North Korea

Daehan Minguk- South Korea

Daehan Imsi- Korean Provisional Government

-

"Koku, our brother's calling us!" Koku lifts his head up from where he was loathing the words he had just typed on the keyboard, a small twinge of excitement in his face. He immediately closes the bright screen of the laptop and exits his bedroom, running down the long and winding stairs that he loved playing on when he was a sweer child, along with his older brother who'd accompany him.

He lands on the floors gracefully, seeing Teikoku staring at him with a huge smile on his face.

"Teikoku!", Koku exclaims, running towards his brother, laughing a little. He feels Tokyo's grimace from far away, giving him a sense of discomfort that will plague him for sometime before deciding that his brother is simply just jealous of the affection Teikoku gives to him.

(Sometimes he'd see the desolation in his children's eyes too; a spark of hope that Teikoku would move on from Koku so he could embrace them in such a filial way, and ocassionally, Koku would wonder why he wouldn't notice his own children.)

"How are you today?" Teikoku ruffles his hair and Koku - with a smile - protests against it.

"I'm fine, onii-chan!", he replies with a small laugh. "I'm finishing the latest chapter of the book I'm writing."

Teikoku chuckles, "Well, tell me if you're finished with the whole thing; I'd love to read it. But first let's have dinner, shall we? Manchukuo!" He calls onto his butler, who scuttles out of his room, all stumbling and awkward as he fixes his glasses.

(Koku thinks that Manchukuo should - say - be more prepared and look absolutely professional and impressionable, lest many think that their bodyguard... isn't a bodyguard and more like a chaperone who would read books and a cup of coffee in his spare time.)

"Yes, sir?", he stutters, causing Teikoku to frown up at him; Manchukuo fixes his tie and hair, leading it to become more dishevelled rather than kept, like a dog with fur sticking on their ends.

"Start the car. We're going to have dinner someplace else." Teikoku's tone was crisp- like he wanted to hit Manchukuo in front of everyone to humiliate him, showing how intolerant he is of his behaviour and the way he works. Manchukuo rapidly nods as he scampers towards the exit doors, Teikoku's eyes following him in an ill-mannered and impatient face; one second and he'll be shot at.

Koku smiles a little at Teikoku, whose frown turns upside down as he looks at his half-brother, the simplest speck of light in the cloud covered sky, reaching to the dark depths of the sea to pull out the orient pearl in the murky waters.

He looks at Koku brightly with a glint in his eyes, "Where would you like to have dinner, then?"

Koku shrugs, knowing full well that he's not fond of making decisions of his own. "Where do you want to go, Teikoku?"

Teikoku thinks for a moment before clicking his tongue. "There's this new restaurant that opened at the centre of the city; you'll adore it."

Koku nods, "And I trust your judgement."

("I don't", Tokyo whispers to Hokkaido, who hums affirmation, Koku barely catching their exchange before moving on.)

"Your ride is ready, sir", Manchukuo's head protudes from the front door, and Teikoku's mood immediately sours, already strutting to the doors, Koku and the others trying to catch up with his fast pace.

Manchukuo and Teikoku were busily talking - out of earshot - as Koku, Hokkaido and Tokyo busy tehmselves in the passenger seats (Okinawa sits on Hokkaido's lap, his half-brother steadying him).

He looks out the dark lenses of the windows, giving everything a much darker and subtle tone of sadness; from the evergreen shrubs Koku had planted years ago with his tiny hands, being helped by his brother as he works, turned to a much more darker shade of what has transpired.

The car ride was not annoyingly noisy to the ears nor unbearably silent- Manchukuo and Teikoku were making small talk in hushed voices, like a buzzing bee in Koku's ear thinking the small insect has hit jackpot before being swatted away by a large force. Okinawa was getting fussy on Hokkaido's lap, gurgling and wanting to be transferred towards Tokyo, who was silently reading, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, looking so much at peace.

Koku would sometimes envy at how... normal they seem to be around each other, like they are the best of friends who stick through even the most hardened times, and whenever they look at each other there was such understanding in their eyes, like they empathise in whatever way. And he remembers that whenever Teikoku arrives, they'd freeze up and halt their conversation, their eyes following after their own blood with fear, like he was a predator in their area full of prey. Like they were wary that Teikoku would turn his head to them with either a small smirk on his face, intent on humiliating them, or with an angry frown that'd mean it was the end of their world and he'd tear them apart until they were shreds of life.

They were awkward and wary around Koku too; a simple smile at their direction is enough to make them flinch or send them running to the other direction. Like he was Teikoku. Like he means harm and he needs harm to sustain his lifeline.

(He will never get why they are not fond of their own blood.)

So Koku sits in silence, grey eyes on the car's carpeted floors (credits to Teikoku).

-

Manchukuo parks the car in a spot where the sun never leaves them, always bothering them despite the fact it is being conquered by the moon and stars who wish to devour the light to make way for the darkness, and the dying sun forging its flames on the surface of the moon, mangled holes giving off the light the sun but weaker before it dies, and at twilight it rises back from the dead and the cycle continues.

"Ugh, the suns' reaching everywhere", Koku says as he exits the car, arm above his head and shades present underneath his eyes, the glaring light of the sun still escaping through the darkest filters of his innate boundary. "For a dying light against the sky, it's still annoyingly bright."

Teikoku laughs a little as he emerges from the car, "Don't worry, dinner's coming."

The brand new restaurant seems to be jam-packed, despite the fact that - according to Teikoku - it had just opened yesterday. Its huge windows reflect himself, his dark hair and pale complexion, striking gray eyes that looks through the reflections and into the thrums of people inside them; the people already comfortably seated on the seats around the tables, waiters and waitresses serving them their long-awaited dishes for the day, the chandelier above them glowing golden with its light bulbs looking more like waxed candles dancing with flames than inventions of electricity. It was enticing, and at the same time making Koku uncomfortable; for some reason he can never really be at peace with the notion of being in a place full of people, strangers- maybe it was because he only grew up knowing and getting used to only his family talking to him, so that talking to another person was now an act of force and a chore (although chores are much, much better than talking to a complete stranger).

Koku spent so much time admiring the place and daydreaming that he has - once again - built a glass dome, protecting himself from any disturbances that will disrupt his thought process and serenity, which can only be shattered like a vulnerable and pricey vase with one voice.

"Koku!", he feels a hand snake around his shoulders, and he jumps a little before instinctively calming down when he is faced with Teikoku's small smirk on his lips. "Daydreaming again, weren't you?"

Koku absently nods, his eyes turning back to the inside of the restaurant, its golden streaks of light looking much more realistic than it intends to be, making the whole venue all the more charming. "This place is beautiful."

Teikoku chuckles a little. "That it is- you want to go inside? I'd made a reservation a week ago."

"Of course I do!"

"Well then", Teikoku takes a step and Koku's feet follows, "let's go in, shall we?"

Once the door opens to let his family inside of the grandeur, he feels a rush of cool air collide with his warm cheeks, the scent of cooked food filling the air, jazz music playing from the speakers above them and small chatter reaching his ears. He hears the clinks of wine glasses and people laughing, trying to look and act their absolute best in the midst of formality. The sizzling of frying pans reaches Koku's ears too, as the door to the kitchen swishes back and forth like a baseball bat in a player's hands, ever so ready in a match and ever so used to the feeling of the hardened wood around his palms. The smell of the atmosphere makes him wonder if he could eat thin air; a mix of wine, roasted beef and many other specialties he can trace, lingering in the air as its smoky fingers play with their heartstrings one by one, being replaced with another, then another, then another.

Koku takes a seat right beside Teikoku, who was once again talking to Manchukuo in a hushed voice.

(Seriously, what are they talking about and why are they keeping the conversation from him? Was the question in his mind, along with others, but he swallows them down in fear of making his brother ultimately mad.)

So he keeps his eyes straight forward, eyeing every detail that catches his eye- that Okinawa is now playing with Tokyo and Hokkaido's wine glasses, making airplane noises; that the chandelier above them is swaying slightly as the air changes its course towards it; that a waiter is covering his face with a mask, hands clasped, leg bouncing impatiently, looking everywhere, turning his head left and right like he was expecting a guest- until at last, he looks right ahead at Teikoku before fast-walking to the kitchen's door...

Koku blinks, his eyes never leaving that door until he hears someone snap his fingers, and he turns his attention back to his family, now ordering their desired meals. Teikoku looks at him expectantly, fingers drumming the table and raising a brow at his direction. Koku deliberately has no time for ordering, so he tells Teikoku he wants what his brother wants.

Teikoku blinks a little, "Are you sure you want spicy food?"

Koku nods with no hesitation. "Sure."

Teikoku dismisses the waiter with a little wave, before resuming his conversation with Manchukuo.

The ignored boy decided to dream about how one day, he will become a world renowned writer. He can already imagine his books in many a shelves, waiting to be read by people who wishes to read the words he has so carefully integrated into the delicate pages that can be folded or thrown into the lake but words still readable (of course he would not accept his book being treated that way), and interpretative to the audience as their eyes roam around the words looping the page with hunger, beads of sweat dropping from the pores of their skin as their finger bends to turn the page.

(He would accept the fact that not everyone would like the way he write though; at least he would get the pleasing of a few audiences and even good compliments and reviews that will make him red for the next few months.)

He hums a small song his mother used to sing to him before she mysteriously vanished (a melody he hums everyday to remember his mother by), trying to look busy by examining the plain white napkin and tissue at his side of the table, at what is the highest tone the wine glass can go when he starts hitting it purposefully with a spoon, and basically tuning everything out until it becomes a static buzz like it is all in his head.

And then like a bomb buzzing throughout the sky to create a cataclysm of events, the whole world implodes all around him. Then the next second seems like everything was in slow motion; there was a buzzing and ringing in his ears that were like a whole garbled mess of another language that a barrier had been formed around them all. Everything was falling to bits in such a slow pace, he wonders if he really is in a movie setting but seemingly so real- the chandelier, instead of plummeting to the floors is slowly but steadily falling like the flipbook did not fully construct its drawings properly and the choppy fall of the chandelier is the result of it; he hears Teikoku shout but the rest of it is slurred and drunk, their table flipping over as glass shards fly across the restaurant, everyone else seemingly stuck in a choppy format, eyes widening in surprise, drinks being spilled, trays being thrown away by the sheer force of the explosion...

And then the spell breaks, as the chandelier plummets to the ground, light bulbs shattering and splaying all over the face. One even tries to impale him right over the eye, and he tries to dodge it, but it seems that his feet are glued to the floor, only watching it come closer, closer to his face to hit its target-

A hand yanks him back down behind a dining table, which has now been turned to a shield; nearby, he hears the sounds of guns clicking and people shrieking and screaming, the thudding of feet loud in his ears. He slowly turns to face Manchukuo, pursed lips and furrowed brows, as he readies his own gun for a battle.

"Stay here with Tokyo and Hokkaido, alright?", Manchukuo tells him, tight-lipped, "me and Teikoku will handle this mess." Koku nods absently, his gray eyes following Manchukuo's departing body from their hiding spot and into the mass of blood.

Koku is in a state of shock, unable to move nor get up from where he was hiding with his siblings. Instead of the air and wind supporting him in his every breath, they are puncturing his chest as his bones break apart to form splinters surrounding his heart but his ribs trying to shield the damned source of his life, beating the way his ears are now ringing a high melody. Koku chokes a little, feeling small particles of dust being absorbed into his throat, his lungs suffocating him whole. Koku tries to get up, but his legs feel like jelly, like they've been broken to tiny pieces. He breathes in and out, but he cannot inhale that fast and hard as his lungs start to fall apart underneath all this smoke and dust, hidden beneath gaps to conjure up a surprise attack reserved for him and only him.

So he follows his chaperone's word and stays with Hokkaido and Tokyo, both shell-shocked and trying to soothe Okinawa who is now shivering and shaking.

-

Manchukuo has been trained - blood and sweat - for this; it's pulsing in his veins, as he finally put all his hardwork for good work. He can feel a sense of relief once he can finally hold the smooth surface of a gun again, its shine rivalling the moonlight from outside, which had just risen to conquer the orange ball lighting up the entire day. He takes a look at it for a moment, admiring its handiwork, before filling it with bullets meant to target people, sinner or saint.

He sees his boss in the midst of the stampeding crowd, causing more chaos and difficulty rather than easiness. The crowd in front of him were like animals- one single event will conjure surprise, shock, panic and fear that will cause them to go hooting and making the situation even worse. Manchukuo then hears a group shouting in a spur of languages: Korean, Russian, Chinese; and he turns his head towards their direction, seeing them cock their pistols, ready to shoot at Teikoku and give themselves a well-earned pat on the back for a job well done.

Mancukuo swallows his nervousness away, his nervousness because he has grown accustomed to the ways of the mob, its deep, sick, and twisted insides that are all full of rot but he has no mind for this: Teikoku promises his children will be spared from his great wrath, if in turn he works for him.

He remembers that night clearly; there was a slight glimmer of malevolence in his eyes as he offers this deal to Manchukuo, all those years ago, but he thinks nothing of it, young and immature with nowhere to go, accepting the deal and taking Teikoku's hand, then training hard, to murder, to be a puppet, and ultimately becoming Teikoku's right-hand man in the scale of things, a blurred view of what is right and wrong.

(Every night, when he comes home to his children, barely old enough to understand the basics of the entire world and how it revolves around the sun, he thinks; thinks if he is doing the right thing, the right will, the best of the best to keep his children safely underneath his arms, to the end of his days.)

So, he takes another deep breath to make himself at peace that he is going to have to kill once again, before pulling the trigger, once, twice, thrice. All of them drop to the ground like flies once their monster pulls out a repellent that has murdered them all. Blood oozes from their bodies, but their murderer is now running towards his boss, who is shielding himself with a table, gunshots being heard and he tries his best to dodge them.

(For someone wearing glasses, he was a good shot- he'd use it to make people underestimate his prowess.)

"Sir, Soviet and his mob must have known of your plans for the day", Manchukuo pants, finally reaching Teikoku, veins in his hands pulsing, a glare set on his face as he peeks outside of their barrier before almost getting shot by a stray bullet.

"I know that", Teikoku replies, "the question is how to get rid of them."

Manchukuo looks back to dozens of men in black, holding out guns poised to shoot and kill in one motion, towards the sea of bodies surrounding him and Teikoku. The first option was to run like an idiot towards the perpetrators before getting shot or stomped to the death with heavy feet by the crowd. The second was to hide in the same spot, hoping and praying to the gods above that this entire operation will go down the ground, since they are, in this case, outnumbered, them finally becoming the prey.

"There are too many of them, sir", Manchukuo notes, "we don't have enough men to fully wipe out all of Soviet's men coming for our blood tonight."

"Are you underestimating my power?" Teikoku pulls his trigger and lets out a bullet, straight to one's head, but before he falls another bullet goes straight to his head to hit his comrade behind him, also dead. "Anata wa?"

Manchukuo blinks at the two corpses, whose lives had just been shot through the heart abruptly by Teikoku himself, the sun that even the plants wilt and dry up. He shakes his head, "Iie, Teikoku-sama."

(He learns the hard way never to cross even the slightest side-eye from him, his gray eyes showing the bespectacled boy a portal to the fiery pits of hell itself.)

Manchukuo inhales and exhales, relaxing himself as he aims the gun on two more violators and shooting them, straight through their head, their bodies falling like the plague has taken them one by one. And then he sees a spurring object, almost hurdling towards him before he sidesteps out of the way just in time. His glasses fall out to the floors, and he is overcome with panic as he drops to the floor, searching for his glasses while his vision swims like a river flowing right at him.

Then he hears the cock of a pistol, its metal clinking against its owner.

"Manchukuo", the newcomer greets, allegedly knowing his name; his voice was... familiar, except it was now in a lower tone of voice, no innocence left in him. "It's... nice to see you again."

Manchukuo feels the smooth and cold handles of his glasses, and he puts them on, blinking a little to satisfy himself of his clear vision. Then he sees him- the face on the missing posters he's hung up in his room to reminisce a time where everything was kept in their house, just a block away from where he is residing now. The old, abandoned house, grass overgrown and conquering the old white walls, untouched for decades, a ghost in time, but a ghost visible to his eyes nonetheless. The phantoms of the past loves to toy with him, as he walks by that same old house he has left all those years ago, to pursue a desperate way to get money, without his brothers by his side, and Teikoku had taken him in like a small cat stuck in the jaws of death, mangy and beaten.

"Renmin?", he asks, narrowing his eyes as he takes a step closer, but the other falls back. "Is that you?"

Renmin's eyes linger from the gun in his hand, and to Manchukuo's face, searching for a sign, with an unreadable look in his eyes. Manchukuo's lips curl to a small smile and a sad laugh resounds from deep within him, finally being released after years of anguish.

"It is you!", Manchukuo embraces the young man, Renmin struggling underneath his grip as his gun falls to the tiled floors, making a sharp sound from underneath the sounds of gunshots and the sight of crimson liquid everywhere. "How long has it been since we last saw each other? Two years? Three?"

"Ten years", Renmin deadpans, lips pursed to a thin line, eyeing the gun on the floors. "We haven't seen each other for ten years, and here we are."

Manchukuo's smile falters a little, but he keeps it glued to his face, overjoyed at the sight of his brother, obscured from the entirety of his life for a decade. "But... we finally see each other again. I would've preferred a much more decent setting", he looks at the broken and shattered glass windows, the once highly refined setting of this venue tumbling to ruins after just a day of its reign, a king succumbing to his land after just annexing the furthest of regions in his empire, "but we meet again nonetheless."

Renmin nods, breaking away from Manchukuo's arms, "So we have."

Manchukuo's mind was not on the corpses scattering to the floors, the foreign languages swirling around his head, making him dazed the longer he is with Renmin, the one that got away. Tears were forming in his eyes, a dam about to break to unleash a wave of unresolved emotions, trying to break out of the cold and frozen prison hidden behind his eyes to punish him for ever letting them dry up. He holds his brother's hand, smooth and warm underneath his rough and calloused palms, and he wonders; if his life with Soviet was smooth sailing, the seas calm in his grasps, the sky blue and the water clear. And his life was rough, always a stormy day and night, his boat rocking back and forth as the angry waves try devouring him deep into the waters like they are sirens luring their hypnotized prey only to be torn to shreds.

"We can escape this madness, you know?", Manchukuo says, voice breaking, clasping more onto his younger brother, his hands growing colder like death is overtaking him. "I can start the car. We can leave. Not without my kids though, I love them to bits, and you'll adore them. We can rent an apartment in another city, out of this shit we've dug into."

Renmin's eyes show no sign of comprehending his older brother's message, always empty, and then... it shines a little. His unreadable face turns to one of excitement (but it looks forced, for Manchukuo's part), the hands on Manchukuo's warming like its life had returned to it, hope rekindling from this life of misery. "That would be... lovely, Manchukuo. Away from everything we've ever known, and into the unknown. That's such a brilliant plan. Come here for a moment."

He pulls on Manchukuo's arm, and he follows, compliant. Before he can think clearly however, Renmin pushes him to the floors, pistol on his hand, a small smile tracing over his face, watching his brother below him widen his eyes in surprise before realizing how dire the situation is; Renmin aims the gun at Manchukuo and shoots- he misses his head, but he gets his thighs at the very least.

The bullet was like a small little button, just deadlier and thicker, his delicate skin being punctured by the cursed thing and blood comes spilling out. The pain was unbearable- a thousand needles cutting deep into his skin, trespassing to the deepest crevices of his soul as the blood gushes out towards his wool clothing, the dark hue of his pants clashing with the crimson red, pulsing in his veins, pooling into his clothes and absorbing it like a wet sponge after washing the dishes. His breathes are ragged, struggling to stabilize his condition as his heart beat increases faster, panic rising in him as he trembles and shakes; he has only ever felt the metal clad against his head whenever he speaks out too many times against Teikoku, but he has never been shot.

Until now, that is.

A thousand screams were trying to erupt from his mouth, mind and veins, pulsing too much, his fingers engraved deep into his palms, puncturing him ever so slightly, in the simplest of ways, blood dripping from his mouth due to biting too much.

"Dàgē", Renmin's voice was soft and dim, Manchukuo straining to hear his voice. "This is goodbye."

He does not lift his hand however, but Manchukuo sees it- a dot a distance away from them, growing increasingly nearer and before he has time to finally get ahold of his situation, everything goes black, the end of his act, the end of his play.

-

Renmin stares at the limp figure that used to be his brother, tuning out all sounds from anywhere else as he looks at those dark eyes- full of hope to have a new life, away from the mobs, away from Teikoku, away from this madness; now just a listless stare into the oblivion he is now falling through. He hears a cry from somewhere distant, but he pays no mind, kneeling down and closing his eyes, his face cold as death had come to him fast, the hole where the bullet went through dripping out blood, glasses askew. Renmin takes in a deep breath, sighing a little before he feels two arms wrap around him like a coat during the winter season. He feels a kiss on his cheek, and all of a sudden he grows warmer.

"Sulian...", he sighs as he kisses his lover on the lips, the larger chuckling as they deepen their kiss on enemy ground, the floors splattered with blood, all screaming in pandemonium. But Sulian was his heaven, a dream come true, and with him everything is serene. Sulian breaks their kiss however, uttering a needy whine from Renmin but he shushes him.

"Listen, lyubov". Renmin's ears stop clouding the drenches of his skull, then he hears it- blares of a police siren.

"Gāisǐ de", Renmin swears underneath his breath, already realizing how heavy their situation is right now. "Gather the men, get out of here before the goddamn police arrive." He finds another strapping young man eyeing Teikoku, eyes narrowed, hands relaxed on the gun, poised to kill. He sighs a little, "I'll take care of Inmin."

Renmin swerves and ignores the mangled bodies scattered about the floor, the gunshots never scaring nor hindering him as he makes his way towards his goal- the unhinged man by the kitchen door, his only remaining eye furious with passion and fiery vengeance on the one who ruined his life and made him plummet to where he is now. The blaring of the sirens were getting louder now, becoming a source of irritation in his ears.

"Inmin." The adolescent almost drops the pistol he was holding until he reflexively catches it with a hand. He glares at Renmin and stares back at his target. "We need to leave; the police are here."

"I don't care!", Inmin hisses, eyes still on Teikoku, murdering his way through the bodies, looking more like a deity punishing the mortals than a man himself. "I want to kill him. I want to torture him so that he can feel the pain he gave me."

"Now's not the time Inmin!", Renmin snipes, hands on Inmin's arms, pulling him back to the exit, comparable to a mother scolding and forcibly taking a child from a store of sweets. "The police are there and if they see you with a firearm they're going to handcuff you! We are not bailing you out!"

Inmin growls, trying to shake off the firm grip on his arm, "So what if I get stuck in a cold cell for the rest of my life?! At least I know what happened to my mother!"

"Your mother wouldn't like it if her dearest son sees you in a prisoner's outfit, would she?" He knows he should feel bad about threatening Inmin like this, but he'd done this to him most of the time; from doing housework chores, guilt tripping him, and to this. One word of his mother not being appreciative about his life, Inmin's whole confidence comes crashing down to a zero, just the way Soviet likes it.

Inmin's arm goes slack, and he lets Renmin drag him from the chance of finally getting the sweet vengeance he so desired ever since he was a child. Revenge was calling out to him, a voice seducing him to kill Teikoku before it is too late, trying to bribe him of a life of riches for one soul. One heartless and wretched soul, enough to rid the world of one person who doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as they do. He sees Teikoku smile, shooting as many people as he wishes, sometimes missing Inmin's comrades to shoot civilians, and sometimes he would aim perfectly at his comrades and shoot, one last drop of life disappearing from the world. And he was laughing; the bastard was laughing, enjoying what he has done, enjoying himself trampling all over the corpses.

The last thing Inmin sees before Renmin closes the door behind them was Teikoku's gray eyes on him, his lips in the form of a wide smile that sends shivers down his spine.

-

Inmin needed a peace of mind after the latest gathering from his mob. He takes a cigarette out from his coat's pocket, lighting it up, serving as the only source of light, the moon being covered by the clouds like a gray blanket hovering over the sky. His hair was flaked with sleet, and he shakes them off for the umpteenth time this night, sighing as he takes a load of the scenery outside of the cramped spaces he's been living in. Inmin sighs at how wondrous the buildings portray a scenic landscape in the night, the small glow of the stars trying to conjure and replicate the glow of the moon. The dim lights of each building shows silhouettes of family, friends, and couples doing something private, only for it to be broad casted by the lights inside of their home, and whatever they are doing.

Inmin did not get high of the feeling of a cigarette in his mouth, releasing a puff of smoke, watching it stretch across the sky like a wisp before it completely disappears. He wants the feeling of cannabis underneath his nose, enlightening him and making him feel like he has no problems at all, his sadness drowning away just from snorting the plant until he feels like he is happy enough to do his own thing, and then the spell wears out few hours later, leaving him weary and tired, cursing the effects.

(Of course, his comrades would decline him of his usual stash this night; he was thrashing about, swearing and making the newest members overwhelmed with his act.)

"Family...", then his only eye lights up, finally remembering what he has to do to finish the night off.

Repeating the address he promises never to step foot after they rejected his offer to help find their mother by looking for a mob that will aid them and their financial business. He remembers the shit he's said to them, as he steps on the dead cigarette stick as he runs from the edges of the city until he finds an apartment building.

He has seen the building change, all those years ago, becoming much refined, more appeasing to look, no more moldy walls and rotten would that is sure to make the whole place collapse with one slam of a door. Inmin walks towards it, steps light, not wanting anyone to be aware of his presence, of him going back to the home he deserted in search of someplace else. The eye underneath his eye patch was tingling, as if sensing he belongs here, to the family he has his eye on ever since leaving, ever since he has become an outlaw, a watcher in their lives leading and progressing on.

Inmin dips low as he watches Minguk through a window, book on his hands, and he focuses hard on the words on the large book his twin was holding, but all he can comprehend are words ever changing, flying out of the covers of the book and into the window, and he becomes disgruntled at the fact he can never do anything right, even read a goddamn title. Minguk's mouth was moving, perhaps reading and memorizing the passages in the book he was reading, coffee on the table.

Ah, Inmin looks at the dark circles underneath his brother's eyes, the way his fingers would twitch when he flips to another page. He's pulling an all-nighter again. Baegchi.

He looks through another window, seeing his samchon cooking something, a small smile on his lips, eyes closed as he lets his dream over take him, back to the days where everything was alright and dandy.

Inmin sighs- nothing has changed from the last week, his family still being poor ignorant souls while he is searching for their mother, their souls giving up on the probability she is alive and well.

So he runs, to the midst of the night, the sky camouflaging him as he runs back to his mob.

-

Dàgē- big brother in Chinese

lyubov'- love in Russian

Gāisǐ de- damn it in Chinese

Baegchi- idiot

Samchon- uncle

[k-urokonobasket]

kuroko no basket and tarot concepts

the fool - kuroko and ogiwara playing on a streetball court, but they dont see a group of highschoolers approaching (the sky is sunny w the kids side but stormy where the teens are entering frame ykwim!)

the magician - kuroko and kagamis first fist bump, maybe outside a maji burger in street clothes. this is the first step in their journey to becoming numer one and their most valuable resource is each other!

the high priestess - momoi!! her analytical and obersevent eye, drawing patterns and conclusions easily. and i think it might be really cool to show her with some sort of playbook, five players with a skill plot. her ability to intuit like that.... it should be in a seirin/touou match when she predicted how players abilities would grow and evolve.

the empress - i think this would be fun if it were aida riko standing at the head of their tables in a maji burger, stance wide with her hands on her hips, and everyone on the seirin team is listening with rapt attention. because the empress represents traditional femininity, a connection with nature, fertility and stuff, yeah? but i think it'd be more powerful to show how she can rule over her people through well-earned respect, not demanded.

the emperor - duh. akashi seijuro! and this is post split, so you can see his duochrome eyes. i think it would be REALLY cool to either show murasakibara on the ground, after their middle school one on one, but i think that might be too raw! maybe right when he stabbed kagami with the scissors, or when we approaches the miracles at the winter cup, standing on the highest step and all these strong and powerful players and turned with their heads up to watch him enter. but even if like, scale wise akashi wouldnt take up the whole frame, he is so obviously the focal point.

hierophant - so this is INTERESTING. both kagetora and alex have played basketball at a national level and are mentors to these kids who they reach out to when they hit a wall, it might be really cool to show half the card w alex on a streetball court and kagetora running drills in a gym (duality on environment!) but i think it wouldnt be impossible if we were to show kuroko recounting his teiko days, because that context is so important and his stort brings new things to the table, and the whole series is about kuroko developing and honing his style of basketball (light and shadow within the greater complex of team play) is the best kind of basketball! so idk.

the lovers - so i think it would be really really fun to have bokushi/oreshi standing back to back, hands touching, vorpal swords reconnection style. we're never shown a canon romance, and i could insert romance but i dont want to! i think these two parts of akashi being able to reconnect is very selflovecore which. stan.

the chariot - while visually it would be fun to show takao pulling midorima in a rickshaw, i think it would be way sexier to have aomine and kise in their interhigh match, one going into a drive and one going to block. going into conflict!

strength - kagami slowly reaching a hand out to nigou, who is being held by kuroko (sitting on the ground) because like! overcoming fear for the sake of a friend is true strength or w/e and i think thats really sexy. maybe the background is like, on a train? outside a gym? at the park? idk.

the hermit - midorima with balls scattered all around the hoop. he is alone in the gym and he is drilling his threes. self reliance and study babey!!

wheel of fortune - tip off of a basketball game, with the audience filling the bleachers at the top of the frame, and the referee below, whistle in his mouth. two hands reach up and wrap around the ball, and at this point its anyones game!! visually its really sexy bc basketballs are WHAT? round! duality of bias and observation of a game. no matter what someone has done until now doesnt matter, once youre on the court its anyones game.

justice - the referee babey!! specifically during a krisaiki daiichi match with a screen by one of the players to block the fouls theyre delivering onto kiyoshi. the ref is supposed to be an unbiased deliverer of the rules, but just like the sword is tilted, he cannot see through or beyond whats blocking his path.

the hanged man - HUH! so this is about revitalization, renewal and new perspectives, yeah? so i think either kuroko looking at books on misdirection and magic, or maybe him in a game! idk how easily you can represent that in a static frame, but maybe in like the seirin practice match or even teiko, just showing a completely different style of play!

death - this. could be that fixed match btwn teiko and ogiwaras school, showing the 111-11 with kuroko having a breakdown abt it lol! or maybe it might be better to instead show the first time aomine rejected kurokos fistbump, a major change and ending of their relationship as it used to be. or if theres something better for the lovers, the akashis reuniting would be POIGNANT here!!! or maybe even misdirection overflow... huh.

temperence - ohhhh furihata marking akashi! maybe he isnt super skilled but he can slow down the pace of the game, make people think and reevaluate, take caution, and even in the face of a huge power imbalance its still useful!

the devil: either hanamiya or jason silver/nash gold nasty bad player ANTICS

the tower - the generation of miracles all turning their backs on each other and kuroko!! poetic cinema.

the star - this is midorima watching oha asa getting his lucky item of the day. man proposes god disposes babey this card was made for him. as long as he does what hes meant to, fate will take the rest!

now my mind is so big.

the moon and the sun should be matching cards, with kuroko standing w his hand outstretched for a fistbump, dark colors and the moon is illuminating the sky and this might be on a streetball court and the sun is kagami opposite kuroko and if you put the cards together their hands connect because they are the LIGHT AND SHADOW DUO!!! kagami gets a sun and a beauitful sunrise while kuroko gets a sky full of constellations and anyway its sexy

judgement - hyuuga throwing the final free throw during the rakuzen match.

the world - the final shot of the last game movie, with the miracles in their vorpal swords uniform and seirin versing them. or maybe its everyone huddled in kurokos house for his birthday - or maybe everyone is in their vorpal swords uniforms in a huddle! its not about the game its not about fate its about hard work and teamwork.

THANKS MY WHOLE ENTIRE MIND.

[alternatecode]

Memories

AkaKuro Day 5 (April 15*) - Teiko AkaKuro Day Flight | Advice | Reset Quote: “I’ll keep this with me.”

ASDFGHJKL this one is much softer and sweeter. Honestly, if I had more time then the memory would have lasted longer. Not the biggest fan of how I wrote it but egh. When I rewrite this for AO3 it’ll be better.

“Tetsuya, can you grab the book on the coffee table?”

Kuroko didn't bother to respond, nodding to himself instead as he stepped into the room that had the table in question. His eyes scanned the in hope in finding the book. He approached the wooden furniture and pushed aside the array of book filled boxes scattered around. It only took a few moments for him to find it, hidden behind one of the said boxes. Unfortunately, when trying to retrieve it, he accidentally ended up knocking the box over, all its contents spilling out onto the floor.

Letting out a low sigh, Kuroko knelt down and began shuffling through them. One by one, he would put them back into the box. They were all to be donated to a charity to help fund schools for supplies and sport goods. They had more than enough books to give in this large building they called home.

There was one thing that caught his eye. In one of the books, there seemed to be something sticking out. Kuroko recognized the book as something he read during his teenage year. Curiously, he opened and and flipped the pages before getting the the thin object, and what he saw surprised him.

It was a blurry picture from his second year in Teiko years ago. Him and Akashi. His own expression light with laughter as visible pink could be seen on his face while the captain appeared to be glaring at someone off screen.

He remembered this day vividly.

It was sunny, the air cool thanks to the breeze. Practice was ending and most of the team had left, save for the ‘Generation of Miracles’.

“Goodnight, Kuro-chin.”

Kuroko waved goodbye to their tallest member, adjusting his grip on the basketball in his arms. With an heavy breath of exhaustion, he went back to his task of cleaning up the leftover balls scattered around the court.

Presently, it was only himself, Kise, and Aomine left. Murasaki and Midorima went home not too long ago.The other two were currently engaged in some sort of one on one match and left Kuroko do as he pleases. He didn't mind. In fact, he was impressed that Aomine even came to practice today. The boy hardly showed up this past week and started to make Kuroko worry. Maybe that worry was misplaced.

“Kuroko, why are you cleaning like some second string first year?”

The strong voice brought him out of his reverie. His gaze shot up to find it was none other than his captain, Akashi Seijūrō, standing before him.

His cheek were now pink from something other than exhaustion. Kuroko had thought the captain had left already, which made him feel a bit sad if he were to be honest.

“I'm doing because I want to.”

“I see.” There was a sense of fondness in Akashi's voice that surprised him.

Not wanting to suffer from the toils of being around his crush, Kuroko was prepared to make his way off the court. “I'll see you tomorrow then, Akashi-kun.”

Akashi raised a brow, arms crossing over his chest. “You are aware it's the weekend tomorrow. Unless you want to come in? I'd be more than happy to come up with a trainingー”

He shook his head, not waiting for the other to even finish his sentence. “No, it's fine. My mind was just elsewhere.”

Well elsewhere in a sense that the person currently plaguing his thought was actually standing before him. While they weren't particularly close, Kuroko found himself becoming overly aware of the captain's presence. Soon enough, admiration became something more.

A frown replaced confusion. “We can't have that affecting your play. What's on your mind?”

You.

Fighting his rising blush, he, instead, replied, “I was just worried about Aomine-kun’s behavior lately.”

“Yes,” Akashi agreed, glancing over the their resident troublemaker, “I'll speak to him about his truancy, don't worry.”

Somehow, Kuroko felt both relieved and worried.

“Say, Kuroko, I was wondering if I could ask you for some advice?”

This was a turn he didn't expect. Akashi? Asking for advice? Asking Kuroko for advice?

Though uncertain, he nodded. “I don't know how useful I'll be but I'll do what I can.”

A grin, reminiscent of the ones he wore when they smoothly headed toward victory, spread across Akashi's lips. “Excellent. Now, Kuroko, tell me… To you, what place is an ideal spot?”

“Eh?”

Did Akashi just ask what he thought he just asked?

Mildly still stunned, Kuroko managed to somehow form a response. “A… A cafe, I guess?”

Akashi didn't miss a beat. “Well then, Kuroko Tetsuya, go to a cafe with me.”

Say what now?

“Tetsuya! What'sー? Oh.”

Kuroko turned to see Akashi walk into the room.

“I was wondering why you taking too long. Did you get sucked into a book again?” asked the other man, running a hand through his red locks in attempt to hide his anxiety. “You weren't responding me. I have been calling your name for the several minutes.”

Shooting Akashi an apologetic glance, he closed the book and set it back on the table before showing the man the object of his daydreaming. “I'm sorry, Seijūrō-kun, but I saw this and got may have gotten a bit too reminiscent.”

“Hm? Ah I remember this. I planned on asking you out on a date but that annoying Daiki had to go and ruin the moment by throwing a basketball at Ryouta,” Akashi spoke, his tone sounding more irritating by the second. “However, I had forgotten that Ryouta had snuck a picture.”

He took the photo from Kuroko's hands, eyeing it for a few moments before pulling out his wallet and tucking it inside.

“What are you doing, Seijūrō-kun?”

Smug grin crossed Akashi's lips. “I'm keeping this with me, of course. It's so very rare to get a picture of your flustered expression.”

With cheeks tinged pink, Kuroko didn't spare a second to shoot the other a glare. “Please remove it.”

Akashi just laughed, shaking his head before holding out a hand toward the other. “Maybe some other day, but for now, don't we have a honeymoon to be heading out for, Akashi Tetsuya?”

[berry-cat7]

Treasure

@kurokolovesakashi

For AkaKuro Month! The prompt is Fairy tale AU, so I went with trapped in a tower with a dragon, but with my own twist.

Can be read on AO3 or Fanfiction.

Kuroko no Basuke

G Rating

Brief mention of nudity

2,032 Words

Characters: Akashi Seijurou, Kuroko Tetsuya, Momoi Satsuki (Ft. Aomine)

Summary: A new knight approaches Kuroko's tower. It goes better than expected.

"Oh dear." Kuroko remarks rather flatly.  

His reaction is more appropriate for noting an impending rain, rather than the sight of another knight preparing to storm his tower. However, he feels mild annoyance towards both phenomena, so perhaps it is quite fitting. If they were a messenger, they wouldn't have been so heavily armored, and nobody lugs around a broadsword for fun.

This knight can't be too unreasonable if they decided to make their approach from the forest though. While it is filled with many dangerous creatures and the terrain quite treacherous in general, it does provide excellent cover from the dragon's fiery gaze. The last fool who thought to take the mountain path directly to the western face of his tower saw their death approaching long before they had a chance to even catch a glimpse of the 'damsel' himself. Admittedly his keeper was feeling rather agitated that day, since that was the fourth challenger that week; usually the dragon is charitable enough to at least let them approach his fence, and give him a chance to send them away with their lives.  

Not that they ever listen.

Between their greed towards the ridiculous amounts of riches the dragon has amassed in this castle, their desire to slay a mighty beast, and the power they've attached to his name; many chose to ignore him and press on.  This usually results in the forest fauna coming out for a midnight snack on the remains if the dragon is out of sight. Kuroko doesn't like it when the dragon chars his lawn to burn the bodies, and the dragon refuses to actually eat them, so what isn't scavenged, is scattered along his grounds in warning.  

This knight is definitely promising though.

Rather than charging in blindly while the dragon is still out of sight, they slow their steed to a trot and carefully examine the area. Kuroko knows that his companion has taken to the skies, silently observing the situation. The knight is too far for Kuroko to read the insignia painted onto their shield, but the powder blue of their cloak, and the style of the horse's reigns match those of Teiko, his kingdom of origin. Despite their cautious pace, the knight approaches with absolute confidence. The vibrant red plume decorating their helmet wavers in the wind, and their cape billows artistically as they draw nearer. Honestly, Kuroko is rather impressed. Usually people don't have that kind of flair for dramatics anymore.

At this distance, the golden dragon insignia of Teiko is clear and just as they reach they the barrier around his tower, they pull their horse to a halt. The knight is silent for a moment, before they reach up to remove their helmet. Messy pink hair drawn up into a loose bun, and a feminine face. It seems to be another woman this time.

The knight's voice rings loud and true through the clearing. "Fair prince, I am Sir Momo! Momoi Satsuki! And I have heard tales of your beauty and virtue! They say you are held captive by a fearsome beast and I have arrive to rescue you, and offer my hand in marriage! Where is your captor?"

It's a pain to strain his voice, but Kuroko addresses the challenger from his window. "Fair knight, I thank you for coming all this way, but I fear your quest has been for naught! I am in no peril! And I am no prince! Nor am I looking to marry!"

Her eyes widen in surprise.

"...Then who are you? There are many tales of your royal status!"

"I was but a humble farmhand! I befriended the local dragon, and moved into this tower! People have come and gone, spinning ridiculous fables of increasing fantasy!" That's quite an over-simplification of the situation, but it's unwise to shout such a long and personal story out of a window to a potentially dangerous stranger.

Overall, he's not quite sure how things escalated to this point himself. At first a few travelers stumbled across his little abode and the dragon was content to watch from afar. But once he had almost been killed by a roving band of looters, he supposes some rumours had begun to spread once the survivors regaled their harrowing tales. The average wanderers stopped appearing, and the warriors and knights started flocking in for various reasons.

Kuroko is far from captive when he travels back into town every other week for supplies. Not that many can recognize him.  

"I apologize that you have come all this way! I can only offer my regrets." The last time he had bribed away an intruder, the dragon had sulked for days, curling around the tower's treasures possessively until Kuroko polished quite a few in repentance.

The knight shifts on her saddle as she thinks over this new development. "...Are you sure you require no aid? Are you truly unthreatened by the dragon?"

"Not unless you offer repair services." All of the rain has been rather troublesome. His wood fence is starting to rot from all of the moisture.

"Unfortunately, my main craft is the blade. My apologies for the disturbance then. Though I do hope you won't mind if I return for a visit? Someone as lovely as you should at least have human company every now and then." Ironically, he gets plenty of human company, it's just that they're usually hostile while the dragon is a reprieve.

She's been polite, outwardly nonthreatening and respectful, patient. Kuroko is about to grant tentative permission when a distant roar echoes in warning. It seems the dragon has grown tired of their guest. Thankfully she's aware enough to understand this unsubtle warning herself. "It seems I've overstayed my welcome. I bid you farewell, and may our paths cross again." She says with a sweet smile and a wave. Quite the juxtaposition from the worn armor broadening her frame and the gleaming blade strapped to her back.

Although she intended to take her leave, it seems her horse has other ideas. It continues to graze on the lush grass of his property, regardless of its rider pulling at its reigns. "Oh come on! Dai-chan, you can eat later!" The horse takes its time chewing through one more mouthful before it finally heeds its master's cries. And once the knight disappears into the forest from whence she came, the dragon is quick to land.

Kuroko rolls his eyes to himself once he is safely out of sight, and heads to his front door in order to greet the dragon in person, taking the spare cloak with him. He really is a sight to behold, gleaming wine-coloured scales and magnificent wings. Large eyes focus on him, one cranberry red and the other daffodil gold, both scanning for a hair out of place even though the knight hadn't even unsheathed her weapon. It's ridiculous and over-protective, but he can't complain when it's done for his sake. The dragon sort of sighs out a puff of smoke and a flurry of embers, a sign that he is satisfied with what he sees and Kuroko is permitted to move.

"See? I'm fine. But thank you Seijurou."

The dragon's lipless mouth is unmoving, but a velvety smooth voice can still be heard. "I don't understand why you won't just leave with me, and be done with these vermin."  

Kuroko puts a hand on the dragon's warm snout, each nostril almost half of his height and every exhale a visible heatwave. "As hot as you can keep the cave and as lavishly as you furnish it, I'd rather not actually live in a cave. Kagami-kun already claims that I'm so isolated I may as well live under a rock, the last thing he needs is validation."

The dragon releases a burst of hot air at the mention of one of his few friends. He's close enough that the twin jets of scalding steam billow out past him without harm, but it's still uncomfortably hot at this distance. He smacks the dragon with a frown in reprimand, but the gesture is more symbolic since he doubts it was really felt through such thick skin.  

"I can be human too." Kuroko is sure it's supposed to sound ominous or maybe even vaguely threatening, but he's learned to associate that tone with a petulant child. He absently resumes running his hand against the dragon's face. The larger, shield-sized scales covering the rest of his body are mostly cold and sharp, but his face is covered with smooth snake-like soft-scaled skin.  

He has to tread carefully, because the last thing he wants to do is offend. Inter-species relationships – romantic or otherwise – are always complicated. "...Yes, I know, but even I would like to see other faces every now and then. I'm not a jewel Seijurou, I need more than just safety."

He can feel scales heating beneath his palm, just shy of painful as the dragon shifts. He closes his eyes against the bright light but he can already feel a feverishly warm cheek resting in his hand. Two very human hands grab onto him. One rests overtop of his, while the other carefully grips his fragile wrist. It wouldn't take much to turn his joints into mush, break his legs and render him immobile – completely helpless and dependent. But the dragon is careful, his touch always almost annoyingly feather-light with his unspoken fear.  

He opens his eyes to meet red and gold.

There is a possessive look in Seijurou's eyes as he speaks, low and reverently. "I know human's require a lot of care to remain in optimal condition, but I can't help but place your physical well-being before your happiness. It's fine if you hate me. As long as you are alive and within my sights, I don't care what you do if it's not detrimental to your health. Your life is short as it is. You are my most precious treasure." The dragon places a tender kiss over the pulse point of Kuroko's inner wrist, and the human flushes a bright red as he recalls Seijurou's bare state. Seijurou himself always stands proud, completely unbothered by his nudity because he only wears what Kuroko forces onto him.

Without context, that whole speech would be rather concerning, no doubt that knight would come sweeping back to rescue him had she heard some of the other things he's said. But Kuroko knows that the dragon would never treat him like that. An object to be hoarded in the dark. He's merely voicing his opinion, the disgruntled grumbling of the guard of a particularly troublesome treasure. Kuroko pulls Seijurou into an embrace, surrounding himself with the dragon's heat. He rests his chin over the other's shoulder. "I know. You're my most important person too."  

In all of his years of life as a simple farmhand, Kuroko Tetsuya had never seen much value in his life. He considered it a good life, but like any peasant, he thought he wasn't worth more than the mud he toiled in. It was mere chance that he had stumbled across this abandoned structure filled with wealth, and perhaps some would call it misfortune that it turned out to belong to a dragon; but his restraint had been his saving grace, and once the dragon had located him further down the path the rest had become history.

It's another irony, one he thinks about every day, that a dragon – creatures notorious for their material greed – believes that his life is worth more than his weight in gold.

It's easy to slip out of Seijurou's hold, all hard muscles and soft grip. It's not as bad as it used to be, but he's still embarrassed that he was in the arms of a naked man out in the open. He carefully throws the cloak he brought over Seijurou's shoulders, one of the only articles of clothing he'll wear without a word of complain, and leads the dragon by the hand into his castle.

The lifeblood rushing through his veins, every breath he draws, every day for the rest of his days – all of it, Kuroko is more than happy to give him to cherish.

[vespersposts]

Wildchild [1]

Good afternoon you all! Inspired by the amazing works of my mutuals here on Tumblr, I wrote something (I'm blushing). It's gonna be a pretty long story, mainly focused on you, Akashi, Aomine and some great music. I'm gonna label delicate content if the story will interest anyone, this is a first attempt, so I might decide to put it down, but hey, fell free to send me all your opinions, critics and doubts. I apologize for every grammar/typing error, but English is not my first language. Let me know what you think.

dividers by: @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

The familiar sight of Earl grey tea, its deep orange warmth, the delicate smell of bergamot filling your nostrils as the waitress smiles at you, gracing her way of serving you the perfectly blended drink.

A small moment of pure bliss.

"It won't need sugar, will it?" he says, in that gentle tone that wins everyone's heart, and, after those crazy years, maybe yours too.

You smile at him and nod, thanking the girl who leaves you alone at the breakfast table of the beautiful manor house. 

"I'm going to miss this garden so much," you acknowledge, turning your gaze to the French window that leads directly into that corner of paradise where the two of you usually spend your free time discussing art, music and life. 

“Stay then”, he suggests with a small smile on his lips, because he knows how inflexible your resolutions are once made, but he still loves to tease you, sure he can easily turn the tables on you if he really needs to.

After all, he has chosen you since Teiko's time to be his muse not only because of your impeccable demeanour and undisputed musical talent, but mostly because he couldn't tame or understand your way of thinking.

"I'll miss you too Seijūrō" you smile faintly, returning your attention to him.

The handsome boy shakes his head lightly as his magenta gaze reaches the right page of the morning paper, where his father's company has announced the annual program of the "Shiori Akashi Foundation" gala night. 

"Has he accepted our final project?" you ask, closing your eyes briefly as you sip the delicious drink, ready to listen to his smooth voice.

Akashi's expression switches from a slight frown to something undetectable, a mix of so many emotions alternating in his mind that even he, the king of self-control, got lost in the translation process.

He blinks twice, his hands letting go of his grip on the thin inked paper falling onto the table, then he covers the smirk on his face with one hand as he stares blankly in your direction.

What the hell is going on? 

Why are his eyes suddenly burning with that sinister light again?

"Sei" you call back to him, intertwining your pale fingers with his long ones and under your tender touch he seems to rejoice, the ghost of his dark shadow being chased away like leaves in the warm spring breeze.

"Ma fille prodige!" he announces, letting go of your hand and coming closer to show you the result of your plan. You almost choke on your tea as his sensual scent reaches your core, your skin can feel a sudden weave of heat caused by his proximity: sensations you've learned to master over those years of rehearsals  and confidential talks but at the same time vibes you can't deny or get used to. 

"Here, darling," his gentle voice invites your eyes to read the paper, although they don't want to follow anything but the bright expression on his face, his velvety red pools full of unanticipated joy, his lips curved into a playful, almost childlike smile. You lean back just to get closer to him as he puts his right hand on your shoulder and drags the chair close to yours, still focused on his target.

"I think you were right... He couldn't treat you the way he treats me, that's why we're going to have our concert just the way we imagined it," he announces, still stunned by the result of your previous encounter with his powerful but intimidating parent.

"I didn't do anything special," you reply, "I just told him that celebrating your mother's life through her son's happiness is one of the highest forms of love, and I mean that, so basically I was just being myself. No need to thank me, you see?" you stumble over your own words, as your brain refuses to function properly now that he's a breath away.

" It's you, it's all because of you my precious" he breathes softly "Thank you with all my heart, it means a lot to me," he continues, taking your hand in his, squeezing it a little to seal the moment, enjoying the sight of your flushed face.

"Sei I..." you hold your breath as he lifts his hand to your temple to caress your head gently, unaware of the risk he's taking. 

Your lips curve upwards, your eyes widen and the sudden idea of grabbing him by the back of the head and locking his lips into yours was more than real in your intentions, if it wasn't for a double knock on the door that broke the spell.

"Come forward!" he raised his voice, not moving from his position.

"Young master, Miss, good morning," the butler announced himself  "The car to the train station is ready at any time," he concluded, closing the door behind him.

"Time to go back to Tokyo and get your award" the young man points out, putting some space among you to scan your emotionless expression for some clue.

"It's just a graduation ceremony," you huff, leaving your chair and walking towards the window  to carve the image of the flowering garden in the clear morning light into your mind.

You hear his footsteps as he approaches, his gaze fixed on you.

"Did I say something wrong ?" he asks, leaning his back against the window pane to make sure he has your full attention.

“It's just that I really, really don't want to go home," you answer reluctantly, tightening your shoulders.

"You have a chance to inspire someone to be like you, and people like me need people like you" he smiles, ignoring the knocks on the door.

"Sei, don't use your charm on me, you know being good at music is hardly a point" you smile crossing your arms over your chest, casting a resigned glance at the door.

The young man looks deeply into your eyes and reduces the distance between you two, lowering his voice, his warm lips so close to your skin it makes you shiver.

"Come back soon, that's the point," he finishes quickly, whispering in your ear as an embarrassed butler coughs to disclose his presence in the room.

[shoichee]

part 4: hcs dedicated to reactions: seirin (their precious lil manager going out with that scissor-wielding emperor bastard!?) and rakuzan (their captain was in love with that girl who cussed at him near the vending machine?!? ITS SO FUNNY) ++ angst where akashi gets jealous of readers teammates (IZUKI kuroko kagami furi... but mostly izuki bc point guards with eye powers) because he still feels bad about what happened and thinks he doesnt deserve her -- teiko anon

OUR LEGENDARY TEIKO ANON HAS SPOKEN OF AN EPILOGUE, alright y’all the finale FINALE 🧘🏻‍♀️ OKAY, i don’t think I hammered too hard on the angst, but enjoy the fluff and subtle crack😌

OOH, looks like another anon wants a pt. 4! :0 Since it is primarily the Teiko anon’s request, I will be prioritizing the first request, but I will combine a few aspects of this request to make a fuller headcanon epilogue! Hope everyone enjoys this! part 1 here // part 2 here // part 3 here

Akashi x Reader

Part 4: Epilogue

[Teiko!manager Headcanons]

in the aftermath of the Winter Cup, your relationship with Akashi has certainly gotten much better, and dare you say, more intimate and romantic; though you were still healing a bit from the emotional scars from Teiko, they seemed to be going away faster than you realized, especially when everyone gathers for Kuroko’s birthday party

you were with Seirin, helping with the decorations and setting up the plates before Kuroko comes in the evening, but what no one expected was for him to bring in the GoMs

YOU’RE SHOOK AND YOU’RE BASHFUL SEEING AKASHI IN HIS WINTER ATTIRE, you’re getting MAD butterflies, but no one seems to notice because everyone’s attention is on the GoMs and Kuroko

of course Akashi was scanning the room for you first, and you immediately look away from his affectionate stare because you were still not used to the old Akashi, let alone his sweeter side for only you

Izuki notices how quiet you got and nudged your ribs with his elbow before telling a stupid pun… the thing is, you were one of the few people who genuinely found his jokes funny LOL

Akashi widens his eyes, staring at you laughing so unabashedly, and he feels really, really bad that he never got that level of a reaction from you whenever you were with him even despite knowing you for longer

now as the party goes on, Akashi is seeing your dynamics with Seirin for the first time and he’s just really grateful that you found an amazing support group during your low times; he’s not particularly someone to get jealous, but he’s getting a BAD case of FOMO because he’s thinking of all the “what-if’s” and all the times he could’ve made you happy and stress-free

“Akashi-kun?”

“Ah… yes?” Akashi snaps out of his daze to see a mild smirk coming from Kuroko on his right side, and Kuroko was about to ask a question about who he was looking at before a shout of “Watch out!” and a ceramic plate came FLYING across the table to hit the Rakuzan captain square on his face

CUE SCREAMS OF PANIC AS MOMOI PUNCHES AOMINE ON THE HEAD AND RIKO JUMPS TO STRANGLE KAGAMI, AND YOU LITERALLY ZOOMED TO HIS SIDE TO CHECK ON ANY INJURIES

see, he could’ve easily dodged it, and he supposed that it’s his fault for not paying attention and dodging on time

thankfully, the plate didn’t break because Kuroko caught the plate before it reached the floor and placed it back on the table

Akashi still has a bruise or two on his face though… and ngl, everyone gulped when they saw him checking out the injuries with a handheld mirror, ready to get their ankles broken

you were so worried over his safety, he finds it really endearing… but he wants to elicit an expression other than looks of worry or tears or anger (flashback to when you cussed him out)

“Wait, but (y/n)...” Koganei said. “Since when were you so close to Akashi that you didn’t hesitate to touch his face?”

a few moments of silence for everyone to register his words

“EHHHH?????!!!!”

everyone is throwing QUESTION after QUESTION at the two of you, and Akashi just has a neutral face with his mouth parted while you were so embarrassed LMAO

Kise being a real best friend, tells them:

“Alright, alright, everyone! Let’s not forget about the birthday boy! Kurokocchi should be the center of our attention today!”

“Kise, that’s…”

“Anywho! Let’s light up the cake and find those party poppers…”

after the party though, when you all return to school, Seirin was READY to jump on you for interrogation, and you do reluctantly tell them that you and Akashi are a tentative couple

Riko: “SERIOUSLY? I mean… that’s kinda cute though…”

Hyuuga: “I mean… yeah, as long as you’re happy, it’s none of my business.”

Teppei: “I hope he treats you well, (y/n)-san.” and of course he gives you his signature head pats

Furihata, Tsuchida, Kawahara: “??????????????????? But why?”

Koganei: “Huh, guess that explains a lot.”

Kagami: “???????????? pt. 2 LMAO” and also “What do you even see in him?” in genuine curiosity

Izuki: “ I guess you two dove into this relationship without hesitation, eh? Get it, get it? Because doves are a symbol of lo—”

“Izuki, shut the fuck up.”

“It means that you love (Ai)kashi—” [Ai means love]

“IZUKI.”

Kuroko simply pretends that this is the first time he’s heard of you dating Akashi, and he gives you his heartfelt congratulations, and as long as Kuroko approves of it, you feel like you’re on the right track (he’s such a good judge of character!)

you and Akashi actually live VERY far apart, considering that your schools are equally just as far in distance, but that being said, for our rich boy Akashi, distance isn’t much of a problem when he can easily find ways to come visit any time

he can also pay for your transportation to visit Rakuzan if you ever felt like visiting him too (although, you insist to pay for your own things, but he’s not having it because he says it’s a treat for him to see you too)

whenever Akashi stops by the Seirin campus to visit, he’s just kind of awkward standing there like the prince that he is, waiting for the perfect opportunity to walk in, but every time, he’d ALWAYS notice how you’re so happy being with everyone here, especially with Izuki, and his guilt just comes back full force again

he wonders if this was right of him to date you when there’s so much people who can easily do a better job in getting you to smile and be completely yourself, especially since he’s been the source of your anguish for all these months (maybe even a year or two if he was counting the duration of your entire crush on him that you assumed to be unrequited)

“Seijurō!” your voice rang out, beckoning him to walk towards you and the group

all of the Seirin teammates are so wary of him, and are all hyper aware of his movements LOL, and Kuroko is just like “hi, you’re back” very casually

Kagami uses this as a chance to challenge a one-on-one on Akashi

Kagami gets destroyed in a few minutes flat

the whole time you’re just watching Akashi with heart eyes, unbeknownst to him while he was focused on Kagami

after the interrogation and Akashi passing the “first stage” of acceptance, you and him find time to have a cute date at a local shopping district to walk around and sightsee

Akashi finds it fun, he really did, but there’s a part of him that thinks you’d have more fun with people who know you better… a.k.a. Izuki, or legit any other Seirin member

he’s visibly distracted by his own thoughts, and you wave a hand to his face, asking if this was too boring for him

“No, no, of course I’m enjoying this with you,” he muses, putting a gentle kiss to your temple. “Shall we get moving?”

“Something’s bothering you isn’t it.”

“No,” he chuckles, giving a gentle smile, but you only frown at him… once again he sees that you weren’t smiling at him

“I’m serious Sei, I want to get to know the real you,” you softly chastise, pinching his cheek. “So I also want you to speak your mind around me.”

“Oh ho… I see that your boldness is still very present here,” he says in referring to your touch.

“Oh my god, can you drop it already? That’s so embarrassing—I cussed you out one time… hey don’t change the subject!”

“Hmm…” he hums for a bit before he comes clean. “I’m afraid that I might not be the right person to be worthy by your side after hurting you for so long.”

“... What makes you think that?” He hesitates, for the first time, not being so sure of himself and his emotions; he immediately thinks of Izuki and your good chemistry with him but dismisses the thought

“... I just do not think I’m capable enough to make you happy.”

“But you are. I’m very giddy to be with you right now.”

“Even happier than when you are with… your teammates?”

“Huh?”

“I apologize,” he hurriedly says. “They are your friends. I was out of line to question them.”

“No, no, it’s okay. Talk it out to me.” He’s uncharacteristically quiet as you both continue to walk and browse through the shops, and you carefully watch Akashi while he’s examining a few souvenirs on the display, patient for him to continue talking

“... the point guard.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Seirin’s point guard.”

“Izuki-kun? What about him?”

“While I’m aware that you only spend your time with him as a good friend… I want to spend just as much of a koala-ty time with you whenever we have the chance.”

he... says this with the straightest face, and you’re utterly confused before you saw some animal plushies on the store window, and the the koala plush, and then the cogs started turning in your head

“... Did you just say a pun?”

“Was it not sufficient?”

a few moments of silence pass and Akashi thinks he did something wrong because he wanted to make you smile (HELP poor captain), before you break into hysterics

between your fits of broken laughs and wheezes, you managed to ask if he was jealous of Izuki, to which he wholeheartedly kept denying until you wouldn’t stop being persistent

you reassure him over and over that he doesn’t need to act like Izuki to make you happy, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Akashi crack a “joke” nonetheless

he’s a bit new to the concept of dating and is still quite unsure of how to navigate this PLEASE GIVE HIM TIME

the date that day was a success (some of the Seirin teammates TOTALLY weren’t spying on you mid-date or anything…)

while Seirin is okay with you dating, visiting Rakuzan ALONE with the scary-ass captain and his “CROONIES” (hint: the rest of the team LMAOO) IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY

RIKO AND HYUUGA are just like:

“What’s wrong with him coming here to visit you? Why do you gotta do the effort to visit him?”

“Uh… because I want to…”

“Yes, but who would you call to help over if something wrong happens? You’d be too far!”

“Uh, Akashi can help me if something happens.”

“With what, his scissors?” Kagami gives a deadpan look, and everyone turns to look at him in utter confusion LMAOOO like what does this redhead mean by SCISSORS???

Kuroko immediately jabs Kagami’s sides to silence him and smoothly changes the conversation before anyone asks any more questions about the “scissors” and potentially make them more reluctant to let you go

oh Kuroko, being the mediator and negotiator as always, trying to set some safety protocols for you to follow before everyone finally agrees to let you go see the infamous team alone

you know, Teppei is honestly just like, “Just go! Don’t worry about our (y/n) too much!”

Furihata is so concerned for your safety for valid reasons, but you reassure him that you won’t “die from the trip,” and no, this wouldn’t “be the last time” they’d see you before you leave

so when you stopped by Rakuzan’s gym after school after looking at the online maps, Hayama lets out a screech of terror before he starts pointing at you and calling you the “crazy ass chick” who tried to have a first-row seat ticket to death LOL

Hayama’s commotion brought everyone else’s attention to you, and Akashi was very surprised to see you all the way here

but he’s just standing at the back to watch how his teammates are reacting to you

Reo is the guy who would welcome you very warmly and would introduce you to the other team members who aren’t the starters, and he would actually ask if you were okay from last time

Nebuya is very laid back and throws a few muscle jokes much to Reo’s dismay, and he makes a comment about not you possibly not eating enough because at the time, he saw you almost tripping up your feet after you cussed out Akashi… he offers you his extra bowls if you ever feel hungry VERY SWEET GUY

Mayuzumi thinks you have balls, like who the fuck would come out alive after cussing out his captain but then COME BACK to said school of the captain… like why would you willingly walk back into the lion’s den??? so he thinks you’re dumb, but he has a shred of respect for you

Akashi is so amused at the spectacle and finally walks over to you after you noticed him

and he gives you an embrace and a chaste forehead kiss, and the entire gym goes silent

“Sei! I wanted to drop by as a surprise! Did you expect me?”

“Hm, I may have expected you to come sooner or later, but definitely not this quickly. Were transportation fees too much of a hassle?”

“Nope! I got everything covered! Do you want me to give you any chiropractic massages if you and your teammates need it?”

“You don’t need to do that, (y/n). You came here as a guest, not as a manager.”

“But…”

“Shhh, as soon as practice is done, I’ll take you anywhere you want in Kyotō. How does that sound?”

“Er… captain?” Reo holds up a hesitant finger to interrupt the two of you, while everyone else looks horrified at the sight of their captain looking serene

“Get a room, will you?” Mayuzumi only tuts in irritation while turning away to grab a nearby water bottle to down in one go

Nebuya merely stares in astonishment at the two of you, and his mind is thinking how the hell did you reel in this guy?

nah man, Hayama is GONE at this point: his brain has stopped functioning a while ago, and he’s standing there as stiff as a statue, scratching his head like a lost monkey // like he’s thinking how the fuck did this shit add up?? in his mind, he’s taking 2 plus 2 but it somehow ends up 94… that’s how he’s processing what he’s witnessing

the rest of the benchers and lower-string players are confused? who ARE you anyways?? Akashi?? dating??? that’s Rakuzan gossip of the century

TLDR; your first trip to Rakuzan may be awkward because the two of you stick out like a sore thumb, but eventually after multiple trips, the team slowly begins to consider you as one of their own

as per Akashi’s “suggestion” (hint: not a suggestion, but a strong recommendation), you were to be retreated with respect and kindness

why? Because Akashi never wants a repeat of the situation at Teiko ever again :(

as long as he is captain, and as long as he has the power and authority, he will do everything he can to make you happy and comfortable

don’t worry though, the Rakuzan starters are more than willing to punt any kid who talks shit about you

surprisingly, once Hayama comes around and accepts the fact that you were dating the captain, he’d be the most adamant and vocal protector, and he’s the one who shares the “inside tips and tricks” about the captain EEEE it’s so wholesome !!

the Rakuzan team is your certified bodyguard group, no debate

Reo might be the nosy mom who asks about who confessed first and the like…

the END, and I DO MEAN THE END THIS TIME

[anonimo283]

Byakko Francis - OC - Information It is the basic information of my OC, as well as curiosities, I hope you like it and if you want the real image you can see it in: https://anonimo283.deviantart.com INFORMATION -Name: Francis Byakko -Kanji: び ゃ っ こ f ら ん し s -Nicknames: Byakkochi, Byo-chin -Nationality: American -Sex: Female -Age: 16 -Height: *Okami: 165 cm *Teiko: 153 cm -Weight: 45 kg -Birthday: 8 May -Zodiac sign: Aries -Type of blood: or positive -Physical skills *Speed: High, despite his short stature, his speed is like that of an animal, which allows him to pass between his opponents easily. *Strength: Very high, although his body is small and thin is possessing a great strength, almost supernatural, but even so its great use causes injuries because his body is not able to endure. *Flexibility: Its flexibility allows you to take big leaps and more with your small body, to other that it helps you to pull from any point of the court and position. *Zone: She can enter the area easily and of her own free will at any time, yet avoids its use because that quality was inherited from her father. *Resistance: High, can last hours playing or working, because I used to work when I was barely a gir. -Family *Father: Albert Gold His parents never married *Big Brother: Nash Gold -Best subject: Physics and Mathematics -Worst subject: Spanish and Chemistry APPEARANCE Of low and thin stature, due to its bad growth, I do not develop hips or bust, so it has a childlike appearance. Of clear skin, big orange eyes, very peculiar, and white hair with gray tips. His hair is short, could be said as a man and a long fringe between the eyes, like two strands capases cover the end of his eyes. His expression is always the same, of a serious and cold girl, but his eyes always show their true emotions although his expression is just as serious. CHARACTER Although it does not seem like it Byakko has an explosive and impulsive character, since he does not hesitate to defend himself from an abusive person or give himself a place in any situation. At the same time also sentimental, because in a situation of risk where it involves your loved ones, you can get to do things without thinking only by impulse and decay very quickly by your emotions. Byakko always thought about being strong and not depending on anyone, like hiding her emotions before others, because they always thought her weak because of her appearance or even because she was a woman. The idea of ​​socializing or making friends annoys him because he believes it is a waste of time, so he prefers to work either to make money or in his physical abilities to make himself better and demonstrate his strength to his father. For her, playing basketball is a distraction, just as winning was not necessary, you just had to have fun. She is not very feminine and those things of fixing dislike her because she thinks it is uncomfortable, so her dress is usually very simple or manly. She is afraid of her childhood memories as well as her mother's, so she suffers from insomnia since she usually has nightmares about her and her children, and in many cases depression from her emotions. The coexistence with his father is of hatred and resentment for what he does not usually talk to him, on the other hand with his brothers he is very affectionate and considerate. He likes sports, K-pop music, anime and manga, as well as manhwas and manhuas, video games and his adoration is to try new food. *Motto: "Cruelty is the strength of cowards" BIOGRAPHY Byakko lived in Canada with the care of the maids, from 5 years with the order of his father. Byakko did not know the reasons just as he did not know his own father, the memories of his mother wavered in his own mind without being able to remember it at all. But Chiaki's company and his friends, like his brother's, helped him lead a normal life despite the hatred of his father But things change when his father tells him to move to Japan and although he refused, he had no choice but to accept. And so Byakko knows his new friends and rivals. *Postscript: This is a very short summary, so as not to bore you. RELATIONSHIP WITH AKASHI She did not get along well with Akashi, and even in Teiko her talks were short, even though she came to admire him for her great decision making, she also understood very well the feeling of losing your mother, but I never consider him her friend or something similar. But his admiration changed because of hatred, perhaps because he had become someone cocky, which reminded him of his father, even though he never related to him. But their relationship changes with Seirin's help in knowing the defeat even though their relationship is still very distant. *Postscript: This is a very short summary, so as not to bore you. CURIOSITIES 1-Byakko also has a lack of presence, but only when she wants to and in due time, so she only uses it in the locker room so that she can not see her changing. 2-The first to know that she was a girl was Nijimura and Momoi. 3-Byakko is flat-chested so hiding it is not a problem. 4-Something peculiar of her are her eyes since her pupils react with her emotions although her facial expression is different, her eyes are the truth of her personality. For example, when she gets angry they contract and when she is sad they dilate too much to the point that her eyes instead of versé oranges they look black. 5-Although it seems hard to believe Byakko snores and dribbles in the night, and usually moves a lot when he sleeps, that's only when he does not have nightmares. 6-Due to her nightmares Byakko is used to sleeping with someone, Chiaki always slept next to her when she stayed at home, but after her death, her brother voluntarily proposed to sleep with her. 7-His brother was always very affectionate and protective and more when he falls into depression, and has come to hate his father for such treatment towards his sister. 8-Byakko never had a pet, because when she was a girl she rescued a cat, but her father ended up killing her in front of her and because of the fear that it would happen again to another helpless animal, she would have a pet. 9-Chiaki was her boyfriend at the end of high school, so his loss affected him more. 10-He used to get involved in fights in elementary and high school so he always had bruises and punches. 11-She and her half sister never got along.

[loose-leaf-teacanons]

More of that recent KiKasa snippet. Will be assembled into a proper fic at a later date.

“I’m thinking Shuutoku next,” Kasamatsu-senpai says, out of the blue.

He’s just ordered a ten minute break to rest and rehydrate, the team scattering to root through their bags for drinks and towels, or working their way through some half-hearted cool-down stretches.

In the middle of wiping down his neck and arms, Ryouta squints as Kasamatsu-senpai sits down next to him with a bottle of water and a clipboard in hand.

“I’d like you to tell me what we’re up against.”

For a moment, Ryouta is unable to get the words to make sense. Even as blunt as they are, it’s hard to wrap his head around the fact that his captain is asking him for tactical input, instead of any of the more experienced second- or third-years. True, Ryouta is the one who has first-hand knowledge of his fellow Miracles, but that doesn’t make the request any less surprising. Back at Teiko, the only ones who ever gave anything on his opinion were Kurokocchi and Momoicchi, and that was mostly just for fun – Akashicchi forged his strategies in secret, without anyone’s input, and that’s how they ended up playing, regardless of their own ideas.

Kasamatsu-senpai is different, though, Ryouta is starting to figure that out. He listens. He instructs. He takes the team into consideration with every decision he makes. There’s no running until you puke here, no ignoring sprains until the end of a match, no playing favorites or tacit ignorance of petty rivalries.

He still feels guilty for taking as long to notice as he did.

Still, he’s not sure what to do with this new development. Kasamatsu-senpai is looking at him oddly, one eyebrow raised, and Ryouta realizes he’s been silent and gaping for nearly a full minute now.

“Oh! Um. Midorimacchi– he’s, he’s really cool. I mean, you probably wouldn’t think that if you met him anywhere else, but he’s a totally different person on the court. It took me ages to figure out how to copy his shooting stance, and boy was he pissed off the first time I did!” He chuckles. “I still can’t score from anywhere, not like that, but–“

“That’s not what I was asking.” Kasamatsu-senpai is frowning at him, annoyance plain in his tone.

Ryouta blinks again, not sure what else there is.

“You can do trips down memory lane on your own time. I want your analysis.” He taps his clipboard for emphasis. A quick glance at the top sheet reveals a list of data similar to what he’s seen Momoicchi compile on occasion, though nowhere near as detailed. Basic physical data on Shuutoku’s players. Team strengths and weaknesses. Prognoses. Midorimacchi is the big cipher in the midst.

Biting his lip, Ryouta nods. “Well… Midorimacchi is… complicated. He’s an amazing shooter – I’ve never seen him fumble a shot in all the time we played together. Doesn’t matter where he aims from, it’ll go in. Once he’s fixed on the hoop, there’s no way to make him miss.”

He pauses, glancing at Kasamatsu-senpai, and can’t help the eleventh-story elevator plunge in his chest. The annoyance is gone from Kasamatsu’s face, replaced by an intensity Ryouta isn’t sure what to do with.

Complete attention.

The elevator cable shivers, pulling taut.

He swallows, trying to gather his thoughts. “But Midorimacchi, he’s also… a pretty difficult guy, personality-wise. He can rub people the wrong way real easy.”

“Seems like you two have something in common, then,” Kasamatsu-senpai says, a faint smirk touching the corners of his mouth.

“Mean, senpai,” Ryouta says, though it comes out nowhere near as whiny as he’d like. The combination of that intensity and the rare flash of good humor is making his voice embarrassingly breathy. “But, no. Midorimacchi is really particular about a lot of stuff. Kind of inflexible, though that’s more off the court than on. I mean, if he gets the ball, you can bet he’ll use the earliest opportunity to shoot. He’s not really the kind of guy who passes or fakes or anything like that, so if they’re smart, the others will coordinate their play around him, I think.”

Kasamatsu hums, motioning for him to go on.

“But by inflexible, I mean he can get put out about the weirdest things. Being forced to team up with Kurokocchi always really bothered him. Actually…” Ryouta taps a finger against his chin. “Do we have an Aquarius on the team?”

In a flash, Kasamatsu-senpai’s expressive eyebrows are threatening a thunderstorm again. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Ryouta grins. “Well, Midorimacchi is big on astrology stuff. Really big. Checks his horoscope every day and follows its suggestions religiously kind of big. If Cancer is ranked low, he’ll take care to avoid people he thinks he’s incompatible with, and he claims Aquarius is the most incompatible of them all. Which is why it’s hilarious to watch him around Kurokocchi. He actually likes the guy okay, but Kurokocchi’s an Aquarius, so…”

Kasamatsu-senpai’s eyebrows have taken to hovering near his hairline.

“You can bet he’ll have checked our horoscopes thoroughly by the time we play. So, if you have a list with our birthdays somewhere, I could figure out if we have an Aquarius to weaponize.”

“Are you serious,” Kasamatsu-senpai says, sounding torn between amazement and calling bullshit on principle. Ryouta supposes that, to anyone outside of Teiko, it would all sound perfectly ridiculous.

“Failing that, we could always show up for the game with a mascot,” Ryouta says, unable to help the fluttery glee at astonishing Kasamatsu-senpai and possibly getting back at Midorimacchi for two years of constant bitching. “Senpai, how do you feel about black cats?”

“You are serious,” Kasamatsu says, and then, “We’re not going to psychologically destroy your ex-teammate.”

“Boo, no fun.”

That earns him a swift and painful rap upside the head. “Basketball should be plenty of fun for you, brat.”

Rubbing his abused skull, Ryouta pouts. “I was kidding, senpai! Mostly. Anyway, we might not even get to play him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Depending on how bad his horoscope looks on that day, Midorimacchi might sit out the game.”

“Sit out the game,” Kasamatsu echoes.

“Yep.”

“Because of a bunch of magical mumbo-jumbo.”

“Yeeeep.”

“And at Teiko, you let him.”

Ryouta sighs with feeling, blowing the bangs out of his face. “Akashicchi didn’t consider it a problem. Besides, it’s just easier to go along with Midorimacchi when he gets like that.”

“I have a hard time imagining someone like Ootsubo-san condoning this kind of behavior.”

Ryouta tries not to make the “Ootsubo Who?” face. He hasn’t been as on top of learning about the other teams as he probably should be, and he has the feeling those gaps in his knowledge won’t be appreciated. Instead, he shrugs.

“Like I said, if Shuutoku are smart, they’ll learn to work around Midorimacchi. Otherwise, they’ll just end up subjected to a dissertation on the negative karmic energy Venus is radiating on Cancers that day or something, and trust me, senpai, nobody wants that.”

“I’m not even going to ask how you guys got anything done as a team,” Kasamatsu-senpai says, sounding almost offended at the thought.

Not much, by the end.

The fact that he can even agree with his captain on that is another new thing – he didn’t think there was much of anything wrong with the way things were run at Teikou, didn’t even really notice what was happening until Kurokocchi broke away from them with nary a word.

Though if he’s entirely honest, that’s not true, either. Kurokocchi tried so hard to get them all to listen, to get Ryouta to listen, but by then, victory had become their drug of choice and nobody much cared how they got there. In fact, it was annoying that Kurokocchi was the one who kept caring.

Come to think, Ryouta might have told him so, at some point, because Ryouta is apparently kind of a shitty friend. Was. Will stop being, once he figures out where it all went so horribly wrong. Hopefully.

He’s acutely aware that Kasamatsu-senpai is watching him again, eyes too sharp not to discern some of those uncomfortable truths.

Shaking his head, Ryouta grins again. “Maybe now you see how lucky you were to end up with me, hm, senpai?”

“You–! Ten laps around the school, freshman,” Kasamatsu shoots back immediately, back ramrod straight and glaring full force. “That ought to take care of your big ego.”

“Whaaaat?!” he whines, fake hurt and outrage obscuring whatever else Kasamatsu-senpai might have been able to see.

“Get going, or I’ll make it twenty,” his captain says in a tone that implies he’ll throw in a knuckle sandwich for free, and Ryouta goes, because ten laps around the school ought to be just the thing to clear certain thoughts from his mind.