I'm so happy to be finally uploading this! I spent a good few months writing out all the chapters (short though they are) and so the entire story is finished and completed. Because of this, updates will be regular and this story won't be abandoned.

Disclaimer: 'Kuroko no Basuke' isn't owned by me. Any OCs featured are mine, however.

Please enjoy!

1 – literally, rather than poetically

If there were one thing Daiki Aomine would never admit to himself, it would be his imperfections. He would never willingly reconcile with his wrongdoings, the inevitable mistakes that came so often as a consequence of life and of living. If ever he came to commit one of these, he would deny it.

It was his opinion that the further away from being human he was, the better.

This too also included being away from humans in general. He liked being alone, for the solitude allowed silence and required no effort. Perhaps a small part of him would argue that, if he was without company, then he could do no one else any harm; that part of him was small, and kept locked away and buried under years of arrogance and apathy, and defeated opponents. However both options, laziness or thoughtfulness, were adequate explanations as to why he was out so late at night, avoiding the stifling company of his parents.

Though it was still summer, his breath became smoke in the cool night's air. Later, he would wonder if, with solitude being is goal, it would not have better suited him to have gone home instead. In that moment, however, he didn't realise this.

His company announced itself rather unexpectedly, and incoherently.

"Uhnf!" This exclamation was shortly followed by a sharp, "Ow!"

Slowly, surprised, Aomine let his gaze fall towards the ground. He had to admit, even when compared to his own height, that she was tall. It wasn't until she stumbled back after colliding with him that he was able to see more than just her lank, black hair.

"Watch where you're going." He growled.

The girl glanced up, bewildered. "What?"

"Watch it." Aomine repeated, this time with more bite.

She stared at him. "Are you an idiot?"

Aomine frowned, in turn becoming perplexed. He considered just walking away, and ignoring her completely.

"You walked into me," she continued to explain, eyes narrowing, "So you should apologise."

"If that's what you think, it seems like you're the only idiot here."

She inhaled deeply, her chest swelling. Aomine absently noted that she was barely a b-cup; that, coupled with her attitude and severe, intimidating features, immediately turned him off.

Without warning, he felt his body jerk forward. He scowled, his fists clenching even as her own hand gripped his shirt.

"You think you're so tough." She spat.

He leaned forward, arching over her as though it could ever intimidate her. He might pretend it would, but it was obvious she was not the type.

"I could crush you-" Aomine declared.

"You wouldn't even get close."

"-like an ant."

"Keep dreaming."

"I can prove it, right here."

"Go ahead."

"I will."

"Sure you will."

The girl's hand was still fisted in his white top, yanking him even closer as the tension rose to unbelievable heights. By his side, Aomine began to stretch his fingers out in preparation because, like all poor, misguided people, he believed in equality and if he would hit a guy, then why should a girl be any different? It was also his opinion the person before him was only just barely that–a girl.

But before he could even resolve the internal conflict, it was ended for him.

The next thing Aomine knew, the girl's hand had left his shirt, and she was tumbling away from him. He was close enough to watch the change in her expression with intense detail – her brown eyes widening, corners of her lips tugging into an even fiercer scowl.

"Rika!" cried a sharp voice, "I told you not to run off again."

Swiftly and decisively, also now ignoring Aomine, the girl – Rika, apparently, was her name – turned around. "I didn't run off, you just walked slower than me." She argued coolly.

As his way blocked by the two figures, Aomine shifting himself slightly to left, peering around Rika and to the newcomer. His initial impression wasn't exceptional. The person was a boy of reasonable height, who wore a loose jacket, pants and striped scarf that gave away no clues as to his physic. Considering the boy's androgynous, if slightly more femininely-inclined features, Aomine felt it safe to decide he was nothing more than weak.

"Just because you're taller than me. It's not fair that you get to be taller and I'm the guy." The boy shot back.

Like Rika, he had dark hair, albeit it differed in that it was both curly and shorter. Perhaps they were related. Or, given her brown eyes and his murky green, perhaps they weren't. They certainly argued with the familiarity of siblings – though the concept was relatively foreign to Aomine, who had no siblings at all.

"And," the boy declared, seeming to recover his original thoughts, "the point is you always get in trouble when I'm not around."

"It's not my fault. This jerk was asking for it." Rika protested irritably, gesturing towards Aomine.

"Not my fault you ran into me." defended Aomine, growing steadily bored.

The boy huffed irritably, breath steaming from his lips. He stepped around Rika, readjusting the bag on his shoulder, inadvertently drawing attention to the baseball bat peeking over his shoulder and the convoluted scar racing across his left hand.

Aomine had a feeling that they were used to such strangeness as he was witnessing.

"I hope you don't mind, but there's no way you'll get Rika to apologise to you." He informed nonchalantly, as if only mildly interested – something which Aomine could relate to.

"Whatever, I'm leaving anyway." Aomine replied, already beginning to walk around the pair.

So much for being alone, he thought bitterly.

"Pretentious ass." grumbled Rika.

But Aomine had already decided that he wouldn't be troubled by them any longer. By now, he had walked too far away, and there was no way they would be worth the effort.

In the distance, the boy could be heard, muttering a reply. "I agree."

Aomine almost changed his mind – almost. Maybe if he had, things might have gone a little differently.

So, how was it? I know not a lot about the plot might be clear at this point, which is why the first two chapters (which introduce the story) will be uploaded at the same time so that you can read on and get a better idea of what you're in for. Following, updates will be weekly.

For those of you who don't know, 'Rika' is a character who appears in my Murasakibara/OC oneshot 'Deep Down' and the two stories could be interpreted as if they were set during the same time (though it's never explicitly stated).

I hope you're interested in reading more! Please don't hesitate to message me if you have any questions. Thanks :)