Hello! Another KnB fanfiction (about Akashi again ahahaha)

*I don't own any characters from KNB

So I thought it would be interesting to look into the team dynamics of Rakuzan and how that would change after the Winter Cup and all the drama then (team dynamic study cum character studies maybe?) :)

If you could take the time to leave a review I would be really thankful :D Enjoy!

"Team"

"チーム"

(2,029 words)

"Yo, Reo-nee."

The greeting, emanating from Hayama Kotaro's mouth, was oddly lackluster. Normally, it would be at least an octave higher, and perhaps ten decibels louder.

Not that anyone was surprised.

The first training session after a loss is always a bitter one. Particularly for Rakuzan, the reigning high school basketball champions who had quite recently been unseated from their throne.

"Ah, Kotaro." Mibuchi Reo paused, turning his gaze to the blonde boy sitting on the court in a lackadaisical posture. "Where are the others?"

"I'm here," a thin, but nevertheless snide, voice interjected just as Hayama was about to respond. Mayuzumi, as befitting of the 'new phantom sixth man', had escaped their notice. But now that he had made his presence known, they clearly saw him listlessly rifling through the pages of a light novel, a bland expression on his face.

"And Nebuya?"

As if on cue, a loud burp reverberated through the gym, causing Mibuchi to wince in disgust. The person in question came trundling in, approaching the group.

"I suppose he's made his arrival known," Mayuzumi remarked in his usual deadpan manner. "Speak of the devil, indeed."

Mibuchi could feel his left eye twitching.

"So we're all here, except for…" Hayama trailed off as a presence fell over the group, the kind of silent presence that instantaneously commanded, demanded attention from everyone. And this could only mean one thing.

Akashi Seijuro had arrived.

"Hello everyone, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Honestly, they had no idea what to expect.

Since that Winter Cup game, they knew that Akashi had definitely changed. Besides the more obvious differences – like his heterochromatic eyes returning to normal, they had sensed a certain personality shift within their captain. It wasn't quite a shift, they had to admit, for the characteristics were still very Akashi. Rather, it was more like different aspects of his personality had become more dominant. He still valued victory, but he did not stick to it so doggedly that he stepped on anyone who stood in his way, threatening, intimidating, instilling fear into those around.

They liked this Akashi more, that was for sure.

But all of them – Hayama, Mibuchi, Nebuya, Mayuzumi, still felt a certain apprehension stirring inside. After all, they had only been with the Akashi who had been obsessed with victory and victory alone. The different side of Akashi was a side they had not truly met, who they were still unfamiliar with.

What if he wasn't much different?

There were still some unchanged characteristics, Mayuzumi noted. Like his domineering, dominating presence, his calm, unpertubed expression, his sharp, discerning eyes.

"Ah, it's fine," Hayama said, coughing awkwardly to break the tension-filled silence. "We are early anyway."

Silence ensued. No one knew what to expect – both of Akashi, and of this training session. Really coming to terms with their loss was something each of them – except maybe Akashi – had been subconsciously trying to put aside over the past few days.

What would Akashi make them do?

"This training session, we…" Akashi began, clearing his throat, his gaze moving from one to another, before finally resting on Mayuzumi, who had set down his light novel.

"…are going out to eat."

It was an astounding sight, to say the least.

Rakuzan High School's Basketball Team regulars, seated around two tables at the local Maji Burger during their training session.

Nebuya, as usual, had bought way too much food (Akashi was, with amusement, reminded of Aomine) and was occupying a lot of elbow space, leaving Mibuchi squashed to a corner, greatly annoying him. Mayuzumi was silently nursing a vanilla milkshake ('How like the other phantom player,' thought Akashi.).

"So…again, why are we here?" Hayama finally asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

Akashi's sudden, unexpected declaration had been met with perplexed gazes and a loud chorus of "Huh?" They had expected a lecture of some sort, or even an order to start some grueling, tormenting training regime. Not to be taken out to eat. "It's on me," Akashi had even said.

Hayama knew Akashi was rolling in money, but looking at the twenty burgers Nebuya had bought, he wondered if Akashi was perhaps starting to regret this decision.

And really? Them coming out for a meal? What was this, a bonding session? Since when did Akashi care about this sort of thing?

"Don't you think it's strange that we're a team, but we haven't really sat down together like this outside a school setting? I thought, given that the recent competition has ended, we might as well go out to celebrate as a team."

Hayama blinked once.

Then another time.

"Oi Akashi, are you alright? Has someone possessed you?"

If anything convinced Hayama that Akashi was in fact not possessed, it was the defining, trademark impassive look Akashi shot him, showing that he wasn't amused.

"I am not possessed. I have merely, for lack of a better phrase, seen the light. Staying together as a team is important, I've realised." He paused. "That's how Seirin won."

The last line sent all of them into silence.

Akashi really has changed. It almost frightened Hayama.

"And well, to be victorious the next time round, this," he gestured towards them, "is something we must do, of course."

Well, not completely.

What did Akashi Seijuro want?

All his life, he had been given practically everything he wanted.

Actually, no. That was not quite right. He had had to earn it, from a very young age. He had starved for victory. He thought that was what he had always wanted.

But now he realised, maybe that was not quite the case.

He wanted to stand with his teammates on the same court, as a worthy captain, as a trusted friend.

I want to be able to connect with people without making them wary of me.

He knew that in his time as captain, he had ruled by fear. And very quickly, it had crumbled.

Now that he had been given the chance, he wanted to start anew.

Looking at his teammates now, he felt an indescribable sense of gratitude. They had given him another chance, as his old teammates had.

"Guys, do you think I can use Lightning Dribble on this burger?" Hayama was waving his half-eaten burger around. "I want to try it!"

"Don't play with your food," Mibuchi reprimanded, frowning, before he raised his burger. "I'll literally shoot you into Oblivion."

"Was that a pun? Was that a pun? On your own move? Muscle gorilla, what do you have to say?"

"I'll… Muscle… Dunk… you," Nebuya said, though barely anyone could make out what he had said between wolfish bites of food.

"Well," Akashi interjected, raising his own burger.

"I could always ankle break all of you."

None of them would admit it, but they all felt rather scared at that moment, until they turned and saw the smile on Akashi's face.

"Akashi-"

"Sei-chan-"

"You're smiling!"

They had seen it at the Winter Cup, but it was seeing such a carefree smile on Akashi's face was still something new to all of them.

Akashi simply continued to smile. "Why, is there a problem?"

"No, Sei-chan, of course not! I just thought I'd never live to see it again." Mibuchi sniffed, dramatically wiping away imaginary tears (though whether they were imaginary or not was a mystery in itself.).

"What a surprise," Mayuzumi simply said, though for the usually wordless phantom player, this was significant in itself.

"Akashi." Hayama suddenly stood up and walked over to Akashi, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hayama…" Mibuchi started rather nervously. Despite Akashi's change in personality, he still doubted whether Akashi would tolerate any funny behaviour.

"Are you the real Akashi?"

The redhead looked slightly surprised.

"Are you a doppelganger?"

The subject of his interrogation remained silent.

"Well then," Hayama sighed. "I know just the place to bring you to."

Flashing lights, beeping sounds, ear-piercing music.

"This is the arcade alright," Mibuchi noted, slightly amused at Hayama's…interesting…choice of location.

Hayama was ignoring him, instead choosing to fixate his attention on Akashi's reaction, or in this case, lack thereof.

"Hmm…my old teammates used to come here often," was all he said. "This could be interesting. Let's go play."

For the umpteenth time that day, all of them were simultaneously rendered speechless. It was Nebuya who broke the silence.

"Well alright then! I want to win some food!"

So his teammates had split up to find games suited to their liking. Nebuya was playing whack-a-mole (he looked like he could break the machine). Hayama was animatedly tapping away at the DDR machine (Dance Dance Revolution – that much Akashi knew). Mibuchi was, unsurprisingly, at the photo booths. Mayuzumi had blended in easily, but Akashi quickly spotted him at the claw crane game, attempting to get a 'Ringo-tan' figure.

To Akashi, everything was unfamiliar. But unfamiliar territory was territory to be conquered, so he strolled around to find something to his liking.

At last, he stopped.

In front of the basketball game machine.

His old teammates had liked that game lot, if he was not mistaken. He was not sure why – the game seemed awfully simple, and posed no challenge at all. What possible fun or entertainment could they get out of it?

Nevertheless, he felt there was no harm trying, so he slotted a coin into the slot. Immediately, the machine came to light with flashing LED lights and dramatic music.

A quick read of the instructions confirmed his expectations – the game was very simple. It simply involved tossing a ball into a hoop, and to advance, he had to beat the score stated at the start of the level. Compared to an actual match, this was indubitably child's play.

Yet, he pressed the start button all the same.

The basketballs rolled down towards him, and so he began, tossing ball after ball into the hoop, not once missing.

And to his surprise, he found that the game was relaxing, as all the tension in his shoulders quickly disappeared. The rhythm of picking up the ball and tossing it into the hoop was like a light dance in itself. The swishing of the ball as it delicately fell through the hoop was soothing music in his ears. The sight of the balls rolling down gently into his waiting palms was calming – everything fell into its place.

There was no stress, no tension, no pressure. He did not need to strategise or analyse or try to outwit his opponents. He did not even need to use his Emperor Eye. All he had to do was relax, and enjoy.

Yes, the game was minimalistic, and so simple. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, he found himself having fun. The sense of tranquility and peace that fell over him was like gentle rain on sunbaked crops – he relished it, he savoured it. This game…it was therapeutic.

'No wonder Kuroko and Aomine like it so much.'

A light chuckle escaped his lips.

201…202…

Had he already shot that many hoops? It had felt like such a short time.

He was only one shot away from being on par with the high score.

Suddenly, a hand shot out in front of him and grabbed the ball, shooting it into the hoop with a clean shot. With that, his score was at 203, same as the current high score.

Akashi turned around, to see his teammates standing behind him. Nebuya, devouring some Pocky sticks he had gotten as a prize. Mibuchi, admiring the roll of glossy film with his pictures on them. Mayuzumi, with a box tucked not-so-inconspicuously under his arm. Hayama, grinning at him.

"Go for it."

Time was running out. Akashi quickly grabbed the ball in front of him and shot it into the basket. As it fell through, a buzzing sound filled the air – the game had ended.

204 – congratulations, you have set a new high score!

A buzzer beater that had gotten him the new record – a fitting way to end things, as he saw it.

Akashi turned and smiled at his friends (Yes, he decided, he could call them that now).

They were his team, and he could not be happier.