…

I. Port town

A new town welcomed him when he alighted. It was a town with high humidity and surprising heat, a town with a rundown station that had newly laid tiles contrasting with the faded red of its roof, and a town where he would be staying for next year.

…Somehow, just that knowledge itself made the town seem suffocating. Pale hands tightened their grip over his luggage and travel bag, lips pursuing uncomfortably as he stepped out onto the platform, watching other passengers alight and trickle out of the station. Even from here, he could smell the salt from the ocean and hear its crashing waves. It is going to be hard imagining himself back in Tokyo.

"Ara~ Are you Tetsuya-kun?" He jumped at the finger that tapped his back.

Whirling around in a brief moment of frenzy, it was only when he met a familiar warm smile that he calmed down. Tetsuya blinked, subconsciously burying himself into his sweater as he dipped his head in a nod. There were only a handful of people who could notice him that easily. He should have known.

"Aunt Natsuki, it's been a long time."

The widening of her smile brought warmth to his heart. He leaned in when her arms wrapped around him.

"Please take care of me while I'm here."

…

II. Moving on

Heavy panting drifted over to the audience's platform while several pairs of sports shoes squeaked clamorously as the players leapt into action. Below them, phantom shots were flying around the court, meticulously supporting the team as they waged a war against the opponents' team. Amidst the many players, a certain teal-haired teen caught his eye as he flung yet another ball in the direction of that same gangly dual-colour haired teen.

Makoto could feel his lips tugging into a smile as he watched Tetsuya flicker about the court, back in his element.

"Tetsu-kun seems happy, doesn't he?"

"Yeah." Haruka nodded in agreement.

"He…finally-" Makoto bit his lips as he gripped the stand tighter. He was finally able to move on.

Nothing. There is nothing that brings greater satisfaction to him than the sight of his two best friends, being free in their own element. Haru and his water has always brought a type of quiet soothing joy, while Tetsu and his dynamic plays in basketball brought jubilant elation that moves the heart. And for Tetsuya to finally be back with his beloved sport, passing balls to new teammates who he thought he could trust...Honestly, Makoto felt so happy for his friend that he could cry.

"Makoto, let's go. Classes are gonna start soon." Despite the cold words, Haruka bumped shoulders with him on his way out.

"Y-Yeah. I got it." Jogging over to the changing rooms, he left Tetsuya's waterbottle outside with a note before running back to flank Haruka.

'Tetsuya, congratulations.' For finding a team that he could finally trust. For finally, being able to move on.

…

III. Boy in the Water

"Haruka, I'm home!" Despite his aunt's announcement, no response came. She sighed, placing her arms on her hips. "Jeez…That boy must be out at the swimming club again. Even though I told him to stay here and hold the ford…Ah, Tetsuya-kun, come on in. I won't bite. Not anymore than your mother anyways."

The joke which was accompanied by a wink loosened his shoulders at once. Tetsuya hid a chuckle behind his hand, lugging his luggage behind his Aunt as she led him into the two-story apartment.

Inside, like every other apartment in Tokyo, there was a kitchen, a dining room, and two washrooms. As his Aunt Natsuki led him up the stairs, Tetsuya was strike by how homey everything seemed. The aged tatami, sliding doors, and even the scratches marked into the new furniture…All of it gave off an aura that was regal yet heart warming. As they tracked up the stairs, Tetsuya wondered how it would have been like if he had lived with his late grandma here in this plate. No doubt, it would have been less cold than his apartment back at home.

"And this is your room, Tetsuya-kun." The door swung open to reveal his new room for the year.

Taking awe in how the furniture were arranged the same way as his room in Tokyo, Tetsuya stumbled forward and gazed at the mattress, subtly pushing his hands down. It was soft. His tight grip on the sling of his bag relaxed. For the first time since he left Tokyo, Tetsuya decided that it might have been better that he would be living here in Iwatobi. The warm smile on his aunt's face only seemed to support that.

"Take your time to get used to this town, Tetsuya-kun." She said gently. "I know this is not Tokyo, but if you give Iwatobi a chance…I'm sure it would appeal to you soon enough."

"…Mn." He nodded, not trusting his voice to answer in words.

"Well!" Natsuki brightened up. "With that, I should get down to making dinner. Until then, why don't you take the opportunity to explore the town? There's a map there in case you get lost, and if anything happens, you know my number, so you could always call."

"I got it." Tetsuya nodded, thinking about the ocean which they had passed. As the sun prepared to descend down beyond the horizons, Tetsuya was sure that it would be a breathtaking sight.

And it was.

Even years later, it was still hard to forget the skies of Iwatobi that day. With the slow descend of the sun that day brought a slew of blue and purple and pink that stained the sky with their gentle mix. The warm yellow of the sun mixed with the dawning red to form orange, and in the distance, he saw the first twinkles of stars mixing in with the scenery. It was a breathtaking sight, reflected fully by the serene waves of the sea.

Suddenly, from the edges of his senses, Tetsuya saw the silhouette of a boy standing on a cliff leap into the oceans.

"Haru-chan!" An exasperated voice shouted out.

It was a beautiful motion that was filled with elegance. He did not flail in the midst of his descend in mid air. He did not hesitate in the slightest. Instead, the boy in the waters welcomed it, carving his place into the water as the waters surged in as if to engulf him. Even then, he did not quake in the slightest, and in the midst of the transparent waters, Tetsuya saw him lifting his legs to accept his place in the ocean, resurfacing only moments after.

A gasp of air was accompanied by raven locks swaying side to side, brushing off water droplets which shone a rainbow of colours in the glow of the sun. As the boy in the waters lifted his head, their eyes met – a contrast of powdery blues and cobalt blues – and something changed.

In that instance, as Tetsuya forgot about the crunch of sand beneath his feet and focused on how picturesque the boy looked standing in a pool of rainbow colours, he thought it was the start of something new.

…

IV. Kagami Taiga

At first glance, everything about Kagami Taiga reminds Haruka of Aomine Daiki. For a start, he was tall, gangly, and tan. The way he plays basketball reminds Haruka of rough waters, which was just the kind that Haruka hates the most. Then, there was the fact that Tetsuya was passing to him and that he was receiving those same phantom passes without appreciating it.

With a second glance though…Well, Haruka has never cared about anyone besides his family and Makoto, so he doesn't take second glances.

However, even without a second glance, it was evident from the moment Haruka laid eyes on him that Kagami is a second coming of the Generation of Miracles. Phenomenal potential, bright hair, and even an arrogant attitude? All of it matched the profile of that team. And as much as Haruka couldn't care less about Kagami, he remembers to date how broken Tetsuya had been mere months ago…and he resolves to never see his cousin that way again.

The glint in Makoto's eyes when they sat by Kagami and Tetsuya told the same. With a polite smile that contrasted with his eyes, Makoto introduced them to the redhead who was stuffing himself with burgers like a hamster.

"Mfphmmnmahmnh"

"Kagami-kun, please swallow before you talk." While Tetsuya sipped on his vanilla shake, Haruka none too discretely placed half his fries on the younger teen's tray and received an exasperated glance. Kagami swallowed.

"I'm Kagami Taiga, Kuroko's teammate. Nice to meet you, er…Nanase and Tachibana, right? I didn't know Kuroko had housemates." He shot a curious glance at Tetsuya, no doubt because of how private a life he leads.

"Just call us by our first names, Kagami-kun." Makoto chuckled into a hand. "Haru is Tetsuya's cousin. Since we're attending the school here and Tetsu's mother was worried about him living alone, it only makes sense for us to live together."

"Is that so…" Kagami sipped on a drink.

"Please excuse me. I need to be using the lavatory." Tetsuya pardoned himself – at a perfect time, as Haruka could see from Makoto's eyes.

The lines in his body tilted as Makoto straightened into a more intimidating pose. While the gentle smile fixated itself on his face, green eyes turned into shards of icy green where the green of spring grass had been before. Haruka would have shivered if he hadn't shared his sentiments. While things may have been different when they were younger, it was now a fact of life that Makoto is the bigger and easily stronger one of them. Depending on the circumstances, this could be terrifying or reassuring, and at the moment, it is the later.

Even Kagami, dense as he seems, instinctively sensed the change. He dropped his burger, not edging away but instead drawing his shoulders back to seem bigger as an unnerved scowl climbed onto his lips.

"…You…" The word sounded more like a stunned growl of sorts than anything else. "…Why are you sticking close to Kuroko? What do you intend to do to him?"

They paused. And Makoto beamed.

"Relax, Kagami-kun. I won't do anything." Haruka watched Makoto pop a fry into his lips out of the corner of his eyes, munching absently on his own. "Just…I just wanted to make sure you're as reliable as you seem, and not hiding behind a façade of your own." Just like the Generation of Miracles.

"…What do you mean?" Kagami's brows scrunched up in confusion.

"Nothing much, really. Just…I'm sure Tetsu-kun has told you before about his old teammates. Given how Tetsu-kun was once used by them before being thrown away, I wanted to ascertain that you wouldn't do the same to him thereafter-"

"Of course I wouldn't!" A fist came down on the table with a clamour. Haruka blinked, surprised by that. "I don't know what happened to Kuroko before, and I won't force him to speak unless he wants to. But…I definitely won't forgive you if you think I would hurt my teammate at all."

The furious gleam in his eyes certainly lived up to his name. Quietly watching, Haruka was unsurprised when he saw the façade Makoto was bringing up fall for a second, revealing shock and a mixture of conflicting emotions. No sooner had it tumbled though, Makoto was quick to replace it with a false, confident smile.

"If that's the case…I'm sure you wouldn't mind swimming against Haru just to see who can better protect Tetsu-kun."

"…Makoto." Haruka shot his best friend a long suffering gaze. He was not dragging him into this.

"If you could win, I wouldn't mind letting Tetsu-kun continue play with you. But if you lose, we'll have Auntie transfer Tetsu-kun to a different school to continue playing. Afterall, it'll still be basketball no matter which team he's playing with."

Frank lies were unbecoming of Makoto. Besides, since when did Tetsuya become a prize to be won? Haruka shot him a deadpan stare, sighing at the desperation that flickered past his face in a split moment. Fine, he'll do it.

"Sure thing!" Even he must say that Kagami Taiga is definitely ignorant to not have heard of his reputation. Why else would he have agreed? "Let's head to a pool right now! I'll show you why Kuroko has got enough reason to stay with us! And if I win, you apologize to Kuroko for treating him like a prize to be won!"

Oh god.

With a message to Tetsuya, they were off to Seirin for her indoor pool. It was amusing, Haruka must say, to watch Kagami fumble as he tried to select the right swimsuit of suitable size, though the glare he shot Haruka was not. Then, there was that gobsmacked look when Haruka stripped down to reveal his swimsuit. That expression is secretly one of the many reasons Haruka wears it on the inside.

"On your marks. Get set…Go!"

The water welcomes him with its embrace. Haruka flowed through the serene waters, brushing aside the reminder of the violent presence of Tetsuya's new partner beside him. His swimming is violent in a manner not unlike Rin's, and however clumsy he certainly is, he could feel, rather than see, the effort that Kagami is putting into his swimming. The water conveys all that it sees to him, and in that moment, when he felt Kagami's determination surge through him, he breathed and started swimming harder. It isn't about the water anymore, but it's about winning. Kagami has that thing to him that's oddly inspiring.

Haruka met the end of the pool several seconds before Kagami did.

As the redhead ripped off his goggles and swimming cap and panted, gritting his teeth as he slapped the water, Haruka was surprised to find himself thinking that it was a pity. Why? The redhead sure has potential, like Kise from a long time ago, but basketball is just so obviously his primary priority.

"…Shit! I lost…" Haruka blinked when he saw Tetsuya approaching. "I lost…and now, Kuroko would have to…"

"…stay in Seirin and continue playing his best." Makoto finished.

"…yeah…eh?" The look on Kagami's features proved that he was an idiot, as expected.

"It was a lie that we would take Tetsuya away. Makoto never intended to do that, and it's not like we could control his actions either." Haruka revealed, subtly shooting a look at his best friend alongside Tetsuya. No doubt, Tetsuya has realized the topic of their conversation by now.

"I'm sorry, Kagami-kun!" Makoto yelped, slapping his hands together before him. "I was just a bit worried about Tetsu-kun, so…I admit I got a bit carried off."

"Even so, to do that to a teammate is harsh even by your standards…No, I should say especially by your standards, Makoto." Tetsuya's lectures were enough to get Kagami to relax a bit.

"But then…Why had me swim against you?" Kagami's question was muffled under the water which soaked his ears. Haruka drifted off on his back.

"It's just to see your potential in swimming." And since they're lucky, they could rope Kagami into one of their impromptu relays anytime. "And to see your determination."

"Eh?!" Haruka performed a backflip in the water and trailed over to the redhead, leaning forward to level their gazes.

"The way you swam back there conveyed your intentions to me. You truly intend to be Tetsuya's teammate and win the nationals together." It was a good thing Tetsuya was still preoccupied scolding a remorseful Makoto. "And despite what Makoto has done…we believe that you'd do it too. Afterall, Tetsuya did choose you as his new light, and he has always had good eyes for people." That is true even way back in the past.

"Th…That…Gh-!" Kagami lurched back, flustered as he stammered. "Y-You definitely is Kuroko's cousin…you've got that same corny streak to you too."

"Hn." He didn't understand.

"More importantly, let's get the two of you out of water now, shall we? It's too late to be swimming, and we should go get dinner since our meal was disrupted."

"Come over and eat with us, Kagami-kun."

"Well, if it's alright with you, then yes I'll go."

Haruka huffed as he dived back into the waters. "Haru! What are you-?" If he was going to be dragged into this mess to begin with, he should be compensated with more late night swimming. Screw whatever Makoto has to say.

…

V. Free

That day, at that place where the skies met the sea and where the sea reflected all that it sees, Haruka was mesmerized by that boy sitting by the sea.

Where powdery blues had been enamoured with the sight of a boy dipped in rainbow, Haruka had been overwhelmed by his own reflection in the boy's eyes – which were so much like the water which just accepts and reflects. Beyond that, in the midst of a darkening sky, the teal of the boy's hair was a shard of the skies in the day, bringing to mind the sight of eagles and birds soaring freely in the heavens. Freer than anything, even him.

Before he knew it, Haruka was trudging up the sandy ground, dragging himself away from the seas.

Close up, the boy on the beach seemed less free, trapped by a body that was even smaller than his own. Fragile limbs were thin as twigs, and though powdery eyes were blue as the skies, there was just something in them that made him feel bounded, as if something was trapping the boy against his will. Subconsciously, Haruka just wanted to see what the boy would look like being free – how far the boy can soar if the chains were released, letting him into the wild.

"Oi," He squatted down to the boy's seated height. "You…Won't you join the swimming club? I'm sure you'd do well over there."

The boy with the teal hair blinked, surprised, and slowly, he gave his assent in a nod.

"…Okay."

…

TBC

...

A/N: Send me a ':)' if you liked it. This will be my last attempt at crossovers.