Hey all; haven't posted anything in far too long. But here's a little something to celebrate me handing in my last university assignment ever! So; apologies for inaccuracies etc, but I'd had this thought lying around for quite some time and kind of wanted to write it.

So, I hope you enjoy!

The first door was nothing.

To Aomine Daiki, pushing past that fickle gate that guarded the Zone was nothing. It was a door that for most men would obstinately remain locked, but that was forced to yield under Aomine's overwhelming talent. And so, with a burning heart, he forced his way through, in pursuit of even greater strength.

But then came the darkness; deep and seemingly endless. And this, he did not know so well. Where the first gate could be flung open by force, this place was calm. This place was silent; with some strange, unseen force guiding him deeper. And the deeper he sank, the quieter it got, until all he could hear was the thud of his own heartbeat. And how deep he went, and how fast he sank –those were not things he could control.

And right now, he was not deep enough. He knew, as soon as he opened his eyes. Above him; far above him, there was still a faint prickle of light –the glimmering of the gate; threatening to call him back. Aomine watched it; watched it until it finally faded away into nothingness and the darkness swarmed around him.

Maybe it would be too late.

He still had so far to fall, and he felt too weightless. Somewhere, somewhere below him, he could feel it calling to him; but the call was faint, and its magnetism muted. He should have known that sometimes, even he had to bow to the will of the Zone. In a wave of frustration, his thoughts flashed to a far-off court; to where his breaking body was battling on –to where he was encountering yet another unstoppable force of the same breed as his own. He could still feel his heart racing.

He was too impatient.

And too angry. Here; this silence, it was meant to focus his mind. Help him concentrate. To fully immerse himself in the waters of the Zone. But something felt wrong. The darkness felt thick, and he knew he could go no deeper.

Blue sparks faltered.

Was this all he could do?

He knew where he had to go; he knew the way, but had never walked the path. And the Zone being what it was, would hear nothing of his begging.

There was fatigue all around him. He could see defeated comrades and watchers full of doubt, and breaking bodies surviving on nothing but sheer willpower and the strength in their hearts. Their talents were exhausted.

But not Aomine's. Of all of them, his talent was unsurpassed; limitless. If any of them had the power to stand before monsters and make them kneel, it was him. If that obstinate gate crumbled before him, then they too would yield. He had to do this. If anyone could unlock the power to their salvation, it was him. It had to be him.

But this frustration; it bound him; caused the waters of the zone to turn stormy, and instead of sinking into calm seas, he felt as though he was struggling to stay afloat.

Blue sparks faltered.

And then, on that court, he felt a warm hand clap his shoulder; sweaty, yet steady and firm. And he turned towards the touch and saw red eyes sparking at him in a way that he sometimes still saw in his dreams; a way that from the beginning, had assured him;

I'm here.

(Finally, was what Aomine had thought, the first time he saw those eyes.)

In those eyes, he saw determined ferocity, and conviction, and something that Aomine might've sworn was joy. He stared, for a moment –couldn't help himself. And then the mouth below those eyes twitched up into a grin, and Aomine felt himself smile back.

And deep in the Zone, the dark waters grew calm around him.

Finally, everything grew quiet. He let himself float free; let the Zone take him where it would. He no longer felt his heart racing in his chest, but rather, sensed it all around him; a steady pulse; a soft, rhythmic thudding. It felt peaceful and timeless, and he drifted; eyes closed, not knowing whether he was sinking or floating or simply suspended in darkness. Perhaps he was lost.

And then something shifted, and out in the darkness, he heard a voice.

"Aomine."

Calling his name.

Aomine's eyes snapped open to find a new light piercing the dark waters; and it was from below him, and it was red.

Relief and understanding washed over him as he turned to face this new light. He was not alone in this endless darkness. There was another who walked this path; and there was something tugging in Aomine's chest; urging him on towards them as if by some unseen new force. He was drawn; a moth to an ever-growing flame.

The light grew brighter as he grew closer, and when his feet finally touched down, he had to shield his eyes. He knew this place; knew the door that stood before him –the door that despite all his strength had always refused to budge for even him.

"Aomine."

He heard that voice again. It was strange. Those times he'd delved this deep, he'd been met with silence; met with a shadowy figure who had always stood, unmoving and unspeaking, in his path; barring his way and guarding the second door. Aomine had never seen his face; not here, but now that he understood what lay beyond the second door…he knew his name.

"Tetsu…" he murmured, pulling his hand away from his eyes and squinting against the light to see the outline of that gate. "Is that you?" He took a small step forward, his eyes aching as the red light began to fade; began to take form; illuminating one figure, and casting another in shadow. For the first time; the guardian of the gate had his back to him; one hand pressed carefully against the door.

Waiting for him.

Aomine could have laughed at himself for having stood before the figure who had always held the key to the power beyond the second gate, and never recognised him. And when that figure; the one who had always been cloaked in shadow, glanced over at him with Tetsu's face, Aomine did laugh; something soft –something choked; to hide the way his eyes had begun to sting.

And though he still said nothing, Tetsu's expression softened; a gentle, proud smile gracing his lips and nostalgia in his eyes as though he had been knowingly and patiently waiting for this day to come. And then, even as Aomine remained frozen in place, Tetsu smiled again; a knowing, fond smile, and glanced away from the door –and when Aomine followed his gaze, he realised that the light too, had a face.

A hand extended out towards him, and Aomine's eyes widened in recognition and wonder; now knowing who owned the voice that had been calling his name in the darkness. And Kagami Taiga stared right back, an eyebrow quirked and proffered hand outstretched expectantly.

"You coming, or what?" he asked of Aomine, with eyes daring and bright, and lips twitching up into a grin. And Aomine couldn't help but snicker under his breath as Tetsu, in the background, smiled at them both, and nodded. He reached out and accepted Kagami's hand; his palm calloused and faintly sweaty and somehow so real; and let him guide him towards the door; fingers laced.

And when they stood shoulder to shoulder before that gate, Kagami's hand left his and took up residence around his shoulders. Aomine looked across at him and saw fire in those eyes, and grinned privately to himself.

The best.

"Oi, oi; focus on where we're going," Kagami snorted; jostling Aomine so that his eyes turned up to see a new light piercing through the doors from the other side; and that gate –the gate that had taunted Aomine for so long –it began to open, and the light was white and blinding; and he saw the court –saw the team; saw his friends…

And there was Tetsu, holding the door; inviting him to finally pass through; smiling as if welcoming them home. All Aomine could do was to stare in wonder at what had lain beyond the door –what had always been within reach but which he had never truly embraced until right now.

"Let's show him, Kuroko," Kagami decided; eyes gazing at something beyond the light in the doorway; and to Aomine, his voice sounded determined and full of promises of wonder. And maybe Tetsu heard that too, because he smiled and extended a fist to each of them.

"Let's show them," he proposed, head held high and eyes filled with that unwavering spirit that had brought them all together to where they stood today. And then, with a smile so trusting and honest and simple, he added, "I believe in you."

Aomine didn't know who exactly those words were meant for, but as Kagami's fist met Kuroko's with resolve, and red eyes glanced over at him expectantly, he understood. Clucking his tongue to hide his grin, Aomine mimicked the action, before making to move towards the light. He took one step forward; through the doors –to a Zone he had yet to walk. First, he glanced at Kagami, who smirked at him, and tipped his chin towards the distance.

"They're waiting for us."

And then he looked at Tetsu, standing to his other side; and Tetsu nodded. And for a brief moment, he paused; eyes softening and creasing at the corners, and he opened his mouth to speak. But then, unable to hide a smile, he let out a soft scoffing sigh. Maybe they already understood.

But maybe they didn't.

So, just in case, he thought; maybe, just this once -here -it would be okay to utter the words he had for so long kept in his heart.

"Thank you."

The world came rushing back to him in a deafening roar of sound and adrenaline. His heart was racing; thudding in his chest with a thousand tempos -as though more than just his own. Sweat dripped off his forehead, and with blue sparks dancing in his eyes, Aomine grinned.

A gasp rolled through the crowd like waves breaking upon the shore as he landed; knees groaning in protest and hands stinging from the pass he'd just received. The hoop was shaking; still ringing from his thunderous dunk. It was a beautiful sound. And Aomine could swear, in that moment, that he had never felt more alive.

A cheer rose up; strong, and full of the same hope that had suddenly blossomed across the faces of his teammates still standing with him on the court. It was them that Aomine saw –far more important than the shocked, leering faces of their enemy; but there was one face that shone brighter than the rest; and it was him, that Aomine came to stand beside; staring down the monsters that they were ready to slay; together. Blue and red sparks flashed, unwavering –and the intensity –the sheer, raw energy of the pair of them standing shoulder to shoulder like that; like protective, wild beasts; was enough to shake even the mightiest of foes.

"You ready?" Kagami asked; and though his voice was hoarse and his chest heaving from exertion, there was no sign of fatigue in his eyes. And suddenly, Aomine found a foreign fist offered to him.

"Yeah," Aomine smirked, steeling himself –and as his fist met with Kagami's, and they turned to face this foe; this amazing, brilliant foe –he felt a determined, excited grin spread across his face.

"Let's go, Taiga!"

So, sorry if it's a weird interpretation... But is it so wrong that I want an AoKaga fist bump in Extra Game? It's kinda different from what I usually write, but i hope you enjoyed it!

Much love,

xx K