Be Patient with Me
Shin-chan wasn't a terrible person, or so Kazunari had decided. Their initial meeting left a lasting impression: one of arrogance and cruelty, but that had been amended on their second meeting after school, a little bit before they could go to greet the other members of the basketball club. During their second meeting, Kazunari realised that Shin-chan's problem wasn't that he was mean, just weird. Yes, very weird.
In the span of three or four days, Kazunari became acquainted with Shin-chan's many quirks. He liked to bring strange items into practice because apparently they helped with his shooting. He liked to tape his fingers using a very precise method (three times from the right hand) because apparently it helped with his shooting. He liked to stay for hours after mandatory practice just to ensure that he could better his shooting. He didn't like being called Shin-chan or being touched, he didn't like loud or sudden noises. Yeah, Shin-chan was a pretty strange guy but he was a decent person.
Kazunari kind of liked Shin-chan. Kazunari's philosophy was that happy people are winners. There wasn't any point being mad about the fact he couldn't get revenge for himself by antagonising his teammate. Instead, Kazunari was going to get rid of all that pubescent angst over the loss to Teikou and take advantage of the fact that he had been given the jackpot of all curveballs: the guy was on a monster on the court. That's all what matters. So what if he was a little weird?
Well, there was one issue with that. Off the court, Shin-chan didn't really want much to do with Kazunari even though they were in the same class. At every break, he would disappear before Kazunari even had the chance to invite him over and eat lunch with him. Kazunari's association with Shin-chan was kind of making it hard for Kazunari to meet other people in the classroom who could deal with the seeming "package deal" between Kazunari and Shin-chan.
Barely anyone in the classroom wanted anything to do with Shin-chan. They saw him as too strange to function. He was too tall, too green-haired, too cold, and too eccentric. He dragged around things like fluffy rabbit toys and plastic ferns. These all attributed to the consensus that Midorima Shintaro was unlikeable. Kazunari found a few of those things strangely endearing: after all, it helps with his shooting and that's all that matters.
After a particularly challenging period; the content wasn't particularly hard, it was just the way it was delivered. The teacher had unexpectedly fallen ill and due to the short notice, no one could cover the class so the students were left to their own devices with a simple instruction: "Do the reading" but for Shin-chan, the instructions proved to be extraneously hard. He was irritable the entire lesson and snapped at anyone who tried to talk to him. He picked at the wrapping on his fingers and seemed to seethe the entire lesson.
This was the first time Kazunari had seen Shin-chan like this and it was more than a little concerning. Kazunari had been one of the people Shin-chan had ripped into. All Kazunari asked was: 'You alright?' but Shin-chan had bitten his head off for it.
Rather than do the reading, Kazunari had spent most the lesson staring pensively at the back of Shin-chan's neck. He was so bristled and disturbed. It was bizarre. He couldn't work out an answer from the evidence. Shin-chan did like silence and normally, they worked peacefully in silence but since they were unsupervised, even the most studious of his classmates was having a chat after they finished the reading. It just seemed strange to Kazunari that Shin-chan was having such an irritable reaction to a little bit of chatter. They were barely being loud. The classes next door hadn't roused on them yet so it couldn't be that bad.
As soon as the bell rang, Shin-chan bolted. He took his bag and hurriedly exited the classroom.
Kazunari got up. 'Hey, Kazu, you wanna play cards with us while we eat?' a classmate called out to him and playfully held up a deck.
'Nah, I'll skip.' Kazunari said and he grabbed his bag. He decided today will be the day he works out where Shin-chan goes during lunch.
Thankfully, Shin-chan is a very noticeable person so it didn't take much detective work to follow him. Kazunari did follow sneakily though. He ended up following Shin-chan to the roof. The guy had a roundabout way of getting there but it got him past anyone who would stop him from accessing it.
He even had a key that unlocked the door. 'Hey, Shin-chan!' Kazunari called out suddenly and Shin-chan stopped in his path. He trembled as he turned around.
'Please go away!' Shin-chan snapped.
'Not until you tell me what's wrong. You seem grumpier than usual.' Kazunari said.
'Please stop interrupting me.' Shin-chan retorted.
He turned around and unlocked the door. Kazunari hovered in the doorframe and gave Shin-chan space. Shin-chan sat down as far away from Kazunari as possible. He took out his lunch.
'So this is where you have lunch, huh? Nice set up, eh...' Kazunari mused conversationally. He noticed that Shin-chan was still trembling and that his breath was uneven. Something was seriously off. Normally, Shin-chan was so in control. 'I honestly thought you ate lunch in the toilets or somethin'...'
'No. That's filthy. I would never.' Shin-chan spat back.
'Can I come sit next to you?' Kazunari asked.
'There. You can sit there...' Shin-chan said and he robotically pointed to a spot on the cement.
Kazunari came close and sat where he was directed. 'C'mon, man, you can tell me what's wrong. I'm your point guard, if you can't trust me then, well, then good luck playing a team game solo.' Kazunari said.
'I don't want to... I don't want to tell you what's wrong.' Shin-chan was choked up. He looked stressed out of his wits.
'Okay then... Is there anything else I can do for you if you don't want to vent?' Kazunari asked.
'I-I don't know. Normally, I just wait it out...' Shin-chan admitted.
'Wait what out?' Kazunari asked.
'Quit hedging that!' Shin-chan yelled.
Kazunari shut up. He took a deep breath. 'As your friend, I'm concerned. That's all.' Kazunari said, a little more passive-aggressive than need be. Shin-chan stared at him. He looked tense and guarded but also touched that Kazunari had said that. He was acting as though he misunderstood the sharp lash that Kazunari had accidentally let slip into his voice and was taking what he had said on face value; no subtext whatsoever.
'Your friend?' Shin-chan echoed softly.
Kazunari nodded vehemently. 'Yep, your friend.' Kazunari said.
Shin-chan fell silent and sat stiffly. He looked as though he was recalling something bittersweet. 'My previous "friends" never cared when I had my... my melt downs.' Shin-chan said.
'Then they mustn't have been your friends 'cause if you're not feeling well, then it's your friends' business to know why and work out what they can do about it.' Kazunari said.
Shin-chan smiled curtly and Kazunari's heart fluttered. 'I don't want to tell you my "problem".' Shin-chan said.
'Clearly but if I can help, then I will do my damned best to help. I know that we haven't really known each other for that long but I do consider you a good friend.' Kazunari said. 'But if it's something intensely purpose then, you don't have to tell me.'
'I have my reasons as to why I don't want to tell you.' Shin-chan added.
'Fair enough. At least give me somethin' to do. Like, want me go buy you some water or...?' Kazunari's voice trailed off. It was hard to problem solve an unknown problem but he was going to try his hardest regardless because that's just what he does. He doggedly helps people no matter the issue or circumstance.
Shin-chan took a deep breath and glanced embarrassedly at Kazunari. 'I'm autistic...' Shin-chan replied. 'The best thing you can do is be patient with me.'
'Oh.' Kazunari breathed.
'I just don't want you seeing me as only my autism, that's why I didn't want to tell anyone but since you insist you are my closest friend then, you deserve to know but if we fallout, which I predict we will, then you can't tell anyone.' Shin-chan said.
Kazunari began to chuckle and Shin-chan's anger spiked. 'Why are you laughing?' he demanded.
'You don't have to worry about me only seeing you as your autism. I'll only ever see you as the guy who can play basketball exceptionally well and I don't really have anyone to tell so I'll take it to my grave if that's what you wish.' Kazunari said.
'...How do you take something to your grave? You'll be dead... and you can't hold a secret...' Shin-chan mumbled.
'It's just a figure of speech.' Kazunari informed Shin-chan.
'I know... I remember now. My father uses it occasionally. I just forget sometimes because of how people speak.' Shin-chan replied. His cheeks were red.
Kazunari smiled. 'It's alright, Shin-chan.'
'And stop calling me that. We might be friends but we are not that close.' Shin-chan barked.
'Yeah but it's my habit: when I like someone heaps, I just gotta let 'em know by being affectionate.' Kazunari said.
Shin-chan paused, as though scandalised, but his expression turned to that of deep thought. Kazunari left him all the time he needed to mull over it.
Shintaro likes habits. He also likes patterns. They are almost one and the same to him. He likes other people's habits as much as his own. He only remembers certain people by their habits.
'I suppose that makes it acceptable then... Further discussion about this may be needed.' Shin-chan said.
'Okay then.' Kazunari said.
'Thank you, Takao. Your patience means a lot to me.' Shin-chan murmured.
'And do you know what would mean a lot to me? If you can outline a few things about autism. I don't know all that much about the topic – y'know, 'cause it's bit of taboo. But I get that it affects everyone on the spectrum differently. Mind telling me how it affects you? That way, I can help when you get into stressful situations and stuff. Like with today, what was it that really freaked you out?' Kazunari replied.
'At a school, we are supposed to have teachers but last period, we did not and there was chaos because of it. That sudden irregularity to the timetable stressed me out.' Shin-chan admitted.
Kazunari nodded thoughtfully. 'I understand. So what can I do about it next time it happens?' he asked.
:
[AN: If I have portrayed autism insensitively in any way, shape or form in this fic, please let me know and I will make corrections or take it down if necessary.]