"Hey, over here Kuroko!"
"No you don't-"
"Hyuuga-senpai, please don't hurt yourself…"
"Shut up Kuroko, I can handle your passes now!"
Chuckling softly to himself, Kiyoshi Teppei watched his teammates hash it out on the outdoor courts.
"You guys need to come in soon! The snow is getting thicker and I won't have you bums getting sick and skipping practices!" Sighing, Aida Riko placed herself next to Kiyoshi on the half frozen bench, a blush in her cheeks and a glimmer in her eyes. Blowing into her fists, she stared dreamily at the descending flakes and murmured, "Isn't it beautiful, Teppei?"
"It is-"
Riko let out a shriek as Kagami slipped on a wet patch, nearly slamming his head into the goal post. "KAGAMI, YOU IDIOT, WATCH OUT! YOU CAN'T WEATHER ANYMORE HEAD TRAUMA!"
"Sorry coach!" He flashed her a grin and charged after Hyuuga. Shaking her head, Riko's critical eyes watched the game, the boys' passes, blocks, rebounds. They'd come far since the summer tournament, but now the last rounds of the Winter Cup were upon them, and she couldn't risk losing a single man.
"Don't worry about them too much, Riko." Kiyoshi admonished. "They'll learn one day."
"Hopefully not the way you had to…"A palm flew to her mouth and she flushed with embarrassment. She knew Teppei wouldn't be upset by her comment, but she tried to avoid bringing it up.
"It's alright, Riko. I feel the same way." His sweet smile sobered as he watched the boys continue in their play. "I would hate for any of them to have to go through what I have, but I would go through it again if I meant sparing someone else."
"Teppei…"
"Besides, I'm not sure they'd handle it quite the same. They'd all learn I'm sure but…we're all like snowflakes, I suppose." He mused. "All so different, but very alike in basic principles…"
"It's true." She smiled sadly. "Any one of them could be injured at any time, but I'm not quite sure they would handle it as well as you did, Teppei."
"I suppose…" He trailed off as Riko's small, cold hand squeezed his own, a reassuring quirk in her lips.
"Now," She hopped up. "Let's get these crazy kids inside before they free- KAGAMI TAIGA YOU PUT THAT SNOWBALL DOWN RIGHT NOW! HYUUGA, LEAVE IZUKI ALONE! NO, I DON'T CARE HOW HORRIBLE HIS SNOW PUN WAS, YOU-"
Kiyoshi erupted with laughter as he watched his teammates scramble for cover from Riko's wrath, the snowflakes still falling in their own individual patterns all around them.