Dedicated to School-Read-Sleep-Routine for the inspiration to write about everyone's favorite "Mother Hen."
"I don't like the idea of leaving him alone in there, with that –" Koganei paused, eyeing the members of Tōō as they lay scattered around the outside of the sauna. He lowered his voice and continued, "– that shady character."
"Our Captain isn't shady..." Sakurai said, his cheeks bright pink and his hair plastered to his face. "Um, I mean... sorry. I shouldn't have been eavesdropping on you and if I did I shouldn't have said anything…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –"
"He's a tough one," Hyūga comforted Koganei. "I have faith in him. He will win this for us." Hyūga didn't look much better than Sakurai and his glasses were still fogged up, but he managed to wobble over to the cooling pool and found a seat between Kawahara and Fukuda.
"He'd better win this for us. I don't think we have the budget to pay for all these drinks," Hyūga muttered. Koganei and Sakurai both look toward the door as the sound of Imayoshi's laughter drifted out.
"Nine brothers and sisters?!" Imayoshi laughed, pushing his sweat-soaked hair back from his face. "Ya'll know what's causin' that don'cha?" He used a finger to wipe a bit of the condensation off the inside of his glasses, but it hardly helped. Communication with the mute man in front of him was hard enough without the other man's active participation, but it was harder still without being able to see his hand gestures, so Imayoshi carefully edged his way around the bench so the two were seated perpendicular to each other.
Yeah, I've taken the sex education class too, thank you, Mitobe chuckled, and you can stay over there if you don't mind. He saw the move as less of an attempt at communication and more of an intimidation technique. Mitobe was tall, unusually so, but the man next to him seemed like he was even larger than Kiyoshi-senpai.
"You really don't talk do ya? When Momoi called you the 'silent but strong Hook Shooter,' none of us took it literally. We'll have to apologize to the little lady."
Momoi said that about me? Mitobe shrugged, trying to hide the fact that he was secretly pleased that the beautiful young woman had even noticed him. At least if I blush in here, there's no way he'll notice.
"That's alright. I don't think I'd have much to say either if I had nine brothers and sister. You probably don't get a chance to speak even if you wanted too."
Ouch, that hits a little too close to home, Mitobe nodded.
"Somethin' tells me a man who does not speak is probably a heluva good listener, am I right?"
Mitobe shrugged. That's an understatement.
"There is this tradition where I come from, that when you're in a sauna to cleanse the body, it is also the perfect time to cleanse the soul. Do ya have anythin' you'd like to get off your mind?"
Mitobe stared as the Tōō captain swayed in the heat. He doesn't look too good. Maybe I should help him out of here.
"No?" the other man said. He was so used to his overly chatty teammates that in the delirium of the heat, he forgot who he was talking to as his glasses once again fogged over.
"Are you two alright in there?" Koganei called, pounding on the door. I'm fine Shinji, don't worry about me. It's hotter than this in my house in the summer. I can handle it.
"I haven't drowned your friend yet," Imayoshi called back.
"Ok, if you're sure, Rin," Koganei answered. Imayoshi raised an eyebrow which Mitobe chose to ignore.
Imayoshi paused and added another coal to the fire. "Not that I'm not enjoyin' your company immensely, but I think the faster we get outta here, the better we'll both feel, isn't that right?"
The quicker I get away from you, the better.
"Maybe I could convince you to leave first? Are you moved by money?"
Mitobe looked away, sighing. My team is worth more than a few yen.
"Yeah, I didn't think so. Maybe I can tell you ghost stories? Are you easily frightened?" Imayoshi asked, his smile widening.
Only of that smile, Mitobe thought. Really, who smiles like that?
"You're a hard one to figure out, Mitobe-kun. You ever play poker?"
Mitobe shook his head.
"No? Well you are hereby invited to my Friday Night Point Guard Poker Game. We don't play for money, but you are required to bring food, sweets preferably. Takao only brings healthy, good for you crap and Kasamatsu thinks that ramen is a delicacy."
Me? I'm not a Point Guard? Mitobe thought. Now that Imayoshi had spent at least ten minutes alone with the quiet young man, he thought he could almost hear what was going on behind that very expressive face.
"Yes, you; since you're the only other one here. I know my reputation, but I promise you, I'm not a psychopath, I'm only a narcissistic sociopath. I enjoy my own company, but I don't feel the need to talk to myself."
That's surprising, since you seem to abhor silence.
"Well, if you won't take advantage of the confessional nature of the sauna, I will," he continued from a thought so far back, that Mitobe had to rewind the conversation in his head to remember the topic. "And I feel like I can tell ya anythin' without fear of hearin' it repeated back to me ad nauseum."
Oh please, don't tell me your murdered one of your kōhai.
"Don't look so worried. If you faint, I'll tell your teammates so that they can carry you out. But what I regret…" he sighed. "I regret the way I allowed Tōō's basketball to develop this year. On paper, that may seem stupid, or conceited, since we haven't lost a single game this season, but I'm worried that Aomine's ego will do this team more harm than good in the long run."
Mitobe wasn't surprised; a forced smile like that wasn't completely unknown to him. He watched people all the time and anyone who has to fake a smile, usually does so in order to hide something.
"Then there's Sakurai. In his own way, that poor boy is worse than Aomine. I swear to you, he came to us that neurotic. I've always looked at the world with long eyes, ya know? You can't just look at what's in front of you, you have to plan for the future and all. Even though I won't be with them to see it, I still feel responsible for what I predict is coming."
I don't know what to…
The Point Guard moaned, and sagged forward. Mitobe carefully removed the other man's glasses and saw that he wasn't 100% with him anymore. He patted the man's cheek until he roused some sense into Imayoshi.
"I'm sorry to ask this of you, but could ya help me outta here. I don't think I can stand on my own right this moment."
Mitobe hesitated. Is this just another one of your schemes?
"I promise you," pants Imayoshi, "I will concede defeat, on my honor."
Mitobe's mouth twisted up into an unbelieving smile.
"Alright, you can push me out the door first if it'll make you feel better," Imayoshi grinned.
Mitobe pulled Imayoshi to his unsteady feet and made sure that the Point Guard's towel was secure around his waist, before he slung the older man's arm across his shoulders and snaked his left arm around the Captain's waist. Imayoshi's imposing presence when seated was immediately diminished when Mitobe realized that he was at least 6 centimeters taller than the other man, who was now swooning off of him, groaning like a drunk.
Mitobe dragged Imayoshi to the door and careful toed it open. Koganei, Hyūga, and Sakurai were all there in an instant and verified that Mitobe was the last man standing in the sauna challenge. Mitobe passed his burden over to the nervous first year Shooting Guard and then received the congratulations of his team.
"I knew you could do it," Hyūga said, patting Mitobe on the back.
"I was hoping he wouldn't kill you," Koganei said, relieved.
I'm stronger than that, Mitobe's expression clearly said. Not all my brothers and sister are sweet, charming kids after all.
"I know, I know, but, well, someone's got to worry about our worrier," Koganei shrugged.
"Can someone find my glasses? I seem to have left them in the sauna," Imayoshi called. Mitobe stepped back into the steamy room and found them exactly where he'd put them.
Later, once Imayoshi's color had returned to normal, he climbed out of the cooling pool and staggered into the changing room only to find Serin's silent Hook Shooter was already there, wearing a light blue yukata.
"I do believe I owe you a drink," he said as he slipped into his own robe and rubbed down his hair with a dry towel.
Yes, I believe you do, Mitobe acknowledged. Imayoshi found his coin purse among his other belongings and put in the maximum cost of a drink in the vending machine before stepping back and allowing Mitobe to make his choice. He picked a strawberry-flavored sports drink.
"Maybe I'll even treat you to a snack as well," he said, gesturing to the other vending machine. Mitobe's eyes immediately wandered over to the Kit Kats and his two favorite flavors Wasabi and Hot Japanese Chili, but he turned his gaze away quickly, hoping that he hadn't been misunderstood. The wager was only for a drink, not a snack.
"Don't be a freakin' martyr, if you want a Kit Kat, I'll buy you a Kit Kat. After all you coulda left my sorry self in there, but you didn't," Imayoshi said and strode over to the machine. All the Kit Kats were the same price so he dropped in two yen and then looked back over his shoulder. "So which do you want? The Wasabi or the Chili?"
Either one, Mitobe flinched, startled that man's observation could be so keen with such narrow eyes. He didn't notice which button Imayoshi hit, but he heard the distinctive sound of a package hitting the bottom tray of the machine, followed by the addition of two more coins and then a second package falling.
"I haven't had the Wasabi before. How about we split 'em?" Imayoshi asked, throwing the Chili ones at Mitobe, who reached out and caught them.
As they walked out of the changing area, Sakurai was rushing down the hall with a towel grasped tightly around his waist. Giggling came from further down and then the sound of heavy rushing feet. Imayoshi pushed Mitobe to one side of the hallway as Sakurai ran by them, screaming "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Two members of Tōō that Mitobe only recognized from the sauna came down the hall, fully dressed, intent on catching the Shooting Guard.
"Captain," one one of them acknowledged with a nod as they sped past.
Do I even want to know?
"I swear, I've never put a hand on him, but he really does leave himself open to such torments from others," Imayoshi said, holding his hands up in surrender. Held up between them, Sakurai was hauled back toward the hallway opening where three girls tittered, camera phones at the ready.
"They just want to talk to you, Sakurai, get it together and don't embarrass us," one of them snapped and used his free hand to punch Sakurai in the gut.
On his feet once more, but still wrapped only in a towel, Sakurai took one look at the girls and fainted dead away.
"That is so pathetic," one the girls remarked, looking at the comatose first year with disgust.
"Come on, we'll buy you drink to make up for this," the boys offered.
Mitobe rushed over to Sakurai as the others left, knelt, and patted the stunned boy on the cheek. If I have to revive one more Tōō…
"What are ya, his mama, leave him be?" Imayoshi said, squatting beside him. He poked at Sakurai and wondered if he'd live through the end of the season.
Sakurai snapped up, startling them both before scrambling to his feet and running straight into the girl who had been left behind. His towel dropped to the ground and they both starting shrieking and then Sakurai fainted plank-stiff backwards, his naked body on display for all to see.
After her initial fright, the girl began snapping pictures with her cellphone.
Mitobe snatched the towel off of Imayoshi's shoulders and dropped it over Sakurai's already wounded dignity.
Stop her, for pity's sake.
"If you come to poker on Friday, I'll take care of her," Imayoshi bargained as he watched the girl begin to type out a message to go along with the picture.
Anything you want, just do something, but don't hurt her, Mitobe nodded, vigorously.
"Miss, no one wants to see that," Imayoshi stood and took the phone from her even as she protested. After a few seconds he flashed the phone to Mitobe and showed him the empty file. "See all gone." The girl glared at them for only a second and then seemed to notice that Imayoshi's smile wasn't as good-natured as it first appeared. She grabbed her phone from his outstretched hand and backed down the hallway, before turning and fleeing.
Mitobe sighed and used the second towel to make a pillow for Sakurai's head. Imayoshi reached into Mitobe's pocket and synced their phones.
"I'll text ya the time and place. Don't worry, we meet at a coffee-house right near the Tōō dorms. You go on along now and I'll take care of this…mess. I don't want your team thinking I drowned you in the shower room, now do I?"
Mitobe took one last look at the supine boy on the floor and then up at the grinning man above them. There was something very predatory in that smile, but at the same time Mitobe understood that was a defensive act. He was more worried for Imayoshi then he was for Sakurai.
Thanks to my Beta Reader Andarkness23!