Maybe it was never meant to be yet many say opposites attract. But not in this case; at least not romantically.
It all starts with a clear blue sky.
It's the first day of school and his lips curve into a rare small smile as Kuroko recalls the promise between his dear childhood friend. His feet automatically walk to the signup table of the Teikou Middle School Basketball Club and steals an application form. Someone bumps into him but is ignored as they run off.
He hands the form in later, doing his best during the tryout. He pushes himself hard, dismissing the light sheen of sweat and the light-headedness that comes along with it. He wants to play basketball so badly, body aching and loving it. He works harder, the goal of the white and blue jersey strong in his mind.
When the list is read out, Kuroko feels his face fall in disappointment. He then consoles himself later by remembering how his name was read out. He was accepted and hopes that he can play along in an official game soon.
He eyes his phone, recently bought. Kuroko's fingers drift over the keypad and begin to type. A few seconds later, he deletes it. There's no need to tell him yet, Kuroko can meet Ogiwara-kun in a match later.
A strange yet nostalgic rush of adrenaline comes flooding in, Kuroko itching to grab a ball and head out to practise for tomorrow.
It's another hot day, too hot for May. Summer is coming faster than usual. Aomine dumps himself onto a creaky bench; paint rusted from years ago, and gulps down water. Out of the corner of his eye, a small petite boy crouches into a jump and releases the ball into the net. Nice form, he thinks and watches in pity and surprise as the ball bounces off the ring. The boy's face falls in disappointment.
Aomine sighs and pushes his straining muscle forward. There is still time left for practise. But when he looks back to search for the ball, he is shocked to find that it disappeared together with the boy. Dread begins to fill him and Aomine he severely hopes that it wasn't a ghost, whatever it was that had thrown the shot. Before he can ponder the many different beasts it could have been, something hits his head. Hard.
"Oh. Your head is like a hard-boiled egg, isn't it?"
Aomine pauses, indignation filling him. Reeling the urge to rebut back, he hesitantly turns his head. He catches a glimpse of light blue but it fades away just as quickly as it had appeared. His mind rids of all sense, going blank as terror locks his limbs down.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH! It's a ghost!" Tripping backwards, he lands on his backside, facing the apparition.
The ghost frowns. "That's not nice. I am human too, just as you are, Aomine-kun."
Aomine warily inches forward. The ghost continues to stare at him. He slowly inches his arm forward, before poking the curiosity on his side, successfully zapping the 'ghost'. Immediately, he spazzes with the shock of the nasty blow. With the boy's reaction, Aomine is satisfied.
"Great to see you're human. Now, who the heck are you and how in the Gods of Basketball, do you know my name?"
The light blue haired boy frowns, disgruntled at the sudden attack.
"Ah, I apologise for not introducing myself earlier. I am Kuroko Tetsuya. It's a pleasure to meet you. And also, I am in the basketball club too, just like you. You are quite the famous one here, being renowned for your basketball skills. So therefore, of course I know your name. "
Aomine pauses and squints his eyes at Kuroko. "I haven't seen your face around before. When did you join?"
"I was here since the very start... Although, no one notices me."
Aomine scratches his head, feeling embarrassed. He was ashamed to say, but he didn't notice Kuroko either. Stretching his hand, he made it into a fist, raising it to Kuroko's eye level.
"Nice to meet you...Tetsu"
Kuroko blinks, before placing his own fist against Aomine's. Aomine grins and Kuroko manages a small smile.
"Why 'Tetsu'?"
It was hard not to see Kise's loving adoration for everyone, the world and just about everything. Being the social butterfly he was, the first years of the first string received about 20 texts per day. They usually ignored them. He would occasionally tell them the latest gossip, due to his connections in the modelling industry, or just recount his day in detail.
Kurokocchi! I need help with homework! Please please please (x1000) come over to my house! Thank you so so so much desu!
Kuroko looked up from his phone, and glanced at Aomine, showing him the phone. Originally, the two of them were going to play basketball together, but it seems that Kise needed help. Shaking his head and sighing internally, Kuroko stood up and packed his things, heading towards Kise's house.
Meanwhile, said man was actually hiding under the window, where he peeked into Aomine's house to see Kuroko gone. Sighing, he leaned against the wall, glad that he was able to split the two up. He knew that the two had a special relationship, but the sexual tension between them had been too much. He sighed. Kise disliked Kuroko's dull eyes, he disliked how they remained dull despite the smiles, and he disliked it when Kuroko brightened at the sight of Aomine.
Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder, making him jump in surprise. Looking back, he saw a terrifying sight. An angry Kuroko.
It was a truly beholding sight. His fists were balled up tightly, lips thinner than usual. But it was his eyes that made his stomach sink to the bottom. Kise flinched, pressing his back against the wall, hands searching for anything, anything to calm Kuroko.
"Please...D-Don't get mad…..Here! Take this!" Kise threw a cylinder and faintly recognised it as his drink, before running the hell out of there.
Kuroko looked at it, before taking a cautious sip. His eyes widened almost comically, before shining in delight.
"It's…..good….."
Kuroko- 1 Kise- 0
Aomine grumbled as he walked home, feeling an unusual emptiness. He kept looking to the left, expecting to see a familiar mop of blue hair, only to meet with the side path. Satsuki also stayed behind to help so the quietness was almost unsettling and eerie. On most days, Kuroko walked home with him, but not today. Akashi had wanted Kuroko's presence after school, if he had any presence at all that was. But what bugged him out the most was that as Aomine left the gym, those red eyes gave him a triumphant glare.
Why does Akashi want Kuroko's help anyway? Everyone knew that he had the power to do anything. He was the emperor after all, the all high and mighty. Not only that, it seemed that everyone was ganging against him. Kise had hooked Kuroko onto vanilla milkshakes, often giving him a cup of it every day before basketball practice to hype him up. Damn...
Murmuring under his breath, he continued on his way, suddenly receiving a text message from Kise.
Sucker! :P
His fingers twitched. It seems like he would have to tend to someone tomorrow…
Aomine- 0 Akashi- 1
Kuroko had lied. Despite the numerous claims of his incapability to cook, the product was not bad; quite decent if he had to say so.
There were few things in the world that made Murasakibara happy. Food was one, and quite recently, Kuroko, to be honest. Murasakibara did not like sharing, and was known to selfish acts. Therefore, it was little wonder as to the consequences.
"Kuro-chin, do you have food?"
Lying against the table, Murasakibara mumbled under his breath, stomach audibly growling. He stared intensely at the boxes, sniffing the air that was tangible with a small hint of salmon and rice. Kuroko and Aomine looked back, pausing in mid-step as they looked at Murasakibara, one in curiosity and the other in annoyance. They were preparing to go onto the roof, holding their belongings and in Kuroko's hands, were two bento boxes.
Murasakibara made a grab for the dark blue box before Aomine could yell at him to stop, or for anyone to react. A few seconds later, the box was handed back. Aomine glanced hopelessly at it. It was completely empty, not even a grain of rice left inside.
"That….was…...MINE!" Aomine tackled Murasakibara to the floor, which was quite a feat as he was the size of a titan.
Murasakibara frowned. "If it was yours, then why was Kuro-chin holding it?"
Aomine hesitated and lowered his eyes into a fierce glare; the desire to knock a certain someone out was pushed down by embarrassment. "He…..he….he made it for me!"
Murasakibara smiled leeringly at Aomine. He glared back.
Kuroko sighed, seeing only one way out of this mess. "If you would like it so much, I'll make one for you as well but please do not expect anything too extravagant."
Murasakibara smiled. It seemed like the sun shone brighter. And then maybe, he'll do it, for Kuroko.
Aomine- 0 Murasakibara- 1
Pushing up his glasses, Midorima stared hard at the offended dark skinned basketballer.
"I…...didn't…...DO IT!"
"It must have been you. Who else is as barbaric as you to touch another's property? How dare you kill Kero-chan! It was my lucky item as well! I demand payment,"
Aomine whimpered and looked away, eyes pleading for help.
"I didn't do it…. Now stop interrogating me and let me go home!" True as it was, the analogue clock across the locker room glared back at Aomine. It was already past nine, and this was their fifth hour.
"No! I'm getting my revenge. I know you'll just swoon up to Kuroko and Momoi to help you, so you'll do it at school. You'll be doing the homework that you have skipped out in class since the very start of the school. Everything!"
A scream of terror echoed in the corridors.
Aomine- -10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Midorima- 1
Momoi smiles triumphantly as Kuroko stands in the doorway of the modest and somewhat tidy apartment. It belonged to both Aomine and Momoi, as they had grown up with each other.
"Please excuse the interruption," Kuroko says tonelessly as he slips off his sneakers.
Momoi smiles even brighter than ever and leads him into the study where Aomine glares balefully at the alarming number of textbooks.
"Aomine-kun, please prepare yourself. I will fulfil my duty as a friend by cramming in everything."
"Ah, Tetsu, please go easy on me~~ I'm a fragile, growing boy."
"No can do. Now, shall we start on the geography of Japan?"
With the ruthless begging of Aomine and the reluctant agreeing of Momoi, they all head out to the public courts to play a short mini game.
Of course, Momoi just had to mail everyone of the location.
"Ah, Kuro-chin, Mine-chin, nice to see you~"
"AOMINECCHI, PLEASE PLAY ONE-ON-ONE WITH ME!"
"Ryouta, Atsushi, calm down. You are being nuisances to the neighbours. Oh, Tetsuya. Lovely to see you."
"Hmph, it's not like I wanted to come."
"Yeah, right."
"Mido-chin, such a liar. Bad boy."
"WHA-"
"Enough. Now, for the teams, we'll have Atsushi, Shintarou and me against Tetsuya, Daiki and Ryouta. Momoi-san, please be the referee and take note on what to improve."
"Roger that, Akashi-kun!"
They played for a few minutes, the game getting more intense as each team scored. Momoi sighed, wondering why she allowed the 'mini' game in the first place.
Kuroko realises he's in love during a practice match out on the streets. Both Aomine and Kuroko fly past their opponents, too dazzling and too far ahead for anyone to reach out and look at them. The thrill and elation of basketball pumps their blood hard and strong. Kuroko's passes sends his beating heart to Aomine who dunks it in return, grinning. They're connected so strongly, knowing fully where they'll be in the next second, how long it takes to go back into formation. Kuroko needs to know more, to become stronger and maybe, just maybe one day, he'll stand on equal stage with the rest of them.
And Kuroko thinks this is it.
It's a shame that he chose the wrong year.
Aomine evolves faster than ever, faster than anyone and anybody else. It's frustratingly slow, how Kuroko's progress still renders him useless of a drive, dribbling and shooting. So he chooses to work on his passing skills instead. Each night, both hands are swollen into a rainbow of colours. It's mainly black and blue, occasionally throwing in some purple, green and yellow into it. The next day, the swelling has gone down slightly to a dull pink, enough to practise again,
Kuroko practises and practises, hoping and hoping. His muscles are slowly developing and when Kuroko steps out of the bath and looks at himself in the reflection, he is taken aback. Gone is the baby fat from the stomach and legs and replaced with lean muscle. It's not quite like Aomine's, strong and powerful as it ripples gracefully through the air, or Midorima's arms which bulge up as he takes his shot, certain and reliable.
Kuroko reassures himself that he is getting there, and ignores the painful ache in his chest.
In the meantime, Aomine stops practising more than usual. He tries to put less effort and work in, so that maybe the others can catch up so perhaps a challenge will arise. Maybe if he sleeps instead of running, then he'll grow slower and slower so that the opponents can steal the ball, rather than standing by as Aomine runs past full throttle.
So he hopes and hopes, skipping practice over and over. Aomine grows tired, but his body aches for a long run to where he can stretch his muscles and just let everything else dissolve into spirals and blurs.
Aomine feels himself getting more and testier. And it's not just him either. Murasakibara's drives and shots are more powerful, blasting everyone away like a tornado that can only be calmed by time. Midorima's shots are faster, longer and even beautiful if he must say. It's heartbreaking, because Kise still demands for one-on-one plays.
Aomine's bones creak and rust of power and strength. He refuses them because maybe if not today, then perhaps tomorrow there'll be a guy stronger than him.
Akashi grows distant, making the final link of the team fall apart and Aomine finds himself not really caring. He says useless things, words tumbling out of his mouth without a second thought. They are like daggers, sharp shards of glass that hurt people.
He knows this from Tetsu.
During practice, there's another mini game but no one is really putting in effort. Akashi stays nonchalant.
Aomine's had it when a guy lets him slip past. White hot anger fills him and the next moment he's storming out.
Damn, he shouldn't have done that. He's done it three times already. Maybe he'll get demoted. That's bad.
Later, the coach finds him. Aomine prepares himself of the worst, already hearing the words of his demotion. The coach struggles with his words, and when it does come out, Aomine wished that he didn't wake up this morning.
"If you don't want to...you don't need to attend practice anymore. However, you must turn up for our matches. I won't say anything as long as you win."
The world dulls and somewhere in the distance, a kid screams at his mother for dropping his ice-cream.
Tetsu comes looking for him. He ought to appreciate it but he can't find himself to. Tetsu's voice is still as monotone as ever, but the smooth texture sends chills of numbness throughout his stiff body.
It's weird, how humans can feel so many emotions at once. Anger and rage fills him, but the sadness is crying, and the joy of seeing Tetsu after so long washes over him in waves.
But then again, why should Aomine go to practice? What would be the point of it all; it's not like it'll affect his performance in matches. After all, that is what matters the most.
100 Victories, 100 wins.
Aomine stands up too quickly, blood rushing to his head. His mouth opens and curses Tetsu, curses his body and nature. He wants to be like Tetsu so badly, to at least have a goal in life that he can work towards. Aomine doesn't want to be a homeless guy out on the streets, but he doesn't want to put in effort either. He is confused and never had he had such overwhelming emotions before.
It's during that moment when he realises that he'll never be able to go back again. Back to the times when he had enjoyed playing basketball, together with Tetsu.
Even though they had many memories together, and they would be cherished forever, maybe, it really wasn't going to work. After all, the only one who is up to his standards is himself, right?
"Because I don't even remember how to receive your passes anymore…"
END