Title in English: The Grey in Rainbow

Decided to title this in my mother language for no reason in particular fufufu. It's read like keh-lah-boo dee phe-lung-ee, I think.

I really should be thinking what I'd write for my poem assignment, but my heart just isn't in it. Oh well.

Pairing: slight NijiHai at the end

Warning: OOCness, some angst, language

Standard disclaimer apply.

Enjoy~~

Kelabu di Pelangi

Haizaki blinked stupefied. For some reason he'd ended up in front of his senpai's house. He'd been walking around without direction, having too much free time now that he had quit basketball and somehow his feet had brought him there. (He would never admit to feeling bored without basketball to distract him though).

"Why the hell did I come here?" he muttered to himself, already preparing to turn back and walk home.

"Haizaki?"

A voice called to him, stopping him in his track. The teen turned his head to see that his senpai was standing on the doorway looking gobsmacked. He was carrying a black plastic bag. About to throw out the trash then, Haizaki noted idly.

He lifted a hand in greeting, looking as bored as ever. Nijimura rolled his eyes while closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he neared the gate.

The younger teen shrugged. "Dunno. Was wandering around and ended up here. Why do you care?"

Nijimura flinched a bit at that, remembering how coldly he had brushed off Haizaki's resignation from the club. It wasn't like he could do anything, Kuroko tried and that didn't bring any result. (He ignored the small voice in his mind that screamed 'Lies! Coward!' again and again.)

"Ah well…" he trailed off, not sure how to respond. "Wanna come in? Since you're here and all."

"Sure, why not," Haizaki replied easily if more coldly than how he usually was.

Damn, he fucked up big time, Nijimura thought self-deprecatingly.

Once they were inside Nijimura's room—Haizaki chose to sit on the floor across the bed instead of leaning against the bed like he would usually do when visiting—Nijimura sat down in silence as he pondered how to start a conversation. It had been two to three months since he'd last seen the younger teen so he wasn't sure what to talk about with him.

Haizaki's eyes roamed around the room, taking in the changes (there wasn't a picture on the desk before, was that of the basketball club's first stringers?) and remembering what he hadn't seen for a while. He either didn't notice Nijimura's predicament or didn't give a fuck about it.

After five minutes of awkward silence, Nijimura sighed heavily. He crossed his arms and stared at Haizaki pointedly. "Are you angry at me?"

The grey haired teen blinked and focused back on the older teenager. "Huh? Why are you asking that? Why would I be angry at you?" he asked with raised eyebrow.

Of course he knew why Nijimura asked that. He wasn't a saint or dense. He did feel bitter when his capta—former captain didn't even try to confront him about his reason to quit the team, but it wasn't like he had any other expectation. Teiko's rules were ruthless, he'd known that since day one joining basketball club. If you couldn't keep up, then you'd get stomped on and discarded like trash. (A small part of him still thought it unfair because he freaking won but he still got kicked out).

The dark haired teen groaned, falling back to lean against the headboard in exasperation. "You know what I'm asking, you punk."

Haizaki snorted. "Yeah, yeah. I'm not angry, idiot."

"Then why are you so cold to me?" the question sounded accusing.

Haizaki lifted his head to stare straight at Nijimura's eyes. He could see the slight hurt in them, something that shouldn't make him happy but did. Because that meant he was still worth something in the older teen's eyes.

The younger teen sighed, leaning his head on his folded knees. He hated telling others his thoughts and feelings, but he felt that he needed to do this for Nijimura. "No, I'm not angry, really. I'm a bit bitter, yeah, but not at you. It's just… is it even fair that I am the one who had to leave when I fucking won against Ryota? That's what I felt that time. But now, I realized that they're just not fit to be my teammates… I am not fit to be their teammates."

His eyes sought Nijimura's from underneath his bangs. "Didn't you feel that way too? That's why you pointed Akashi to be captain so soon."

A slight wince confirmed Haizaki's suspicion. Nijimura ran a hand through his dark locks, a dry smile on his face.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. They… they're genius. I don't think I've ever seen any players as strong as they are. It's almost scary how fast they develop."

"Everyone except Tetsuya is monsters. But he's strong in his own way. I pity the poor sap, being in a team with those guys."

A pillow flew to Haizaki's face courtesy of Nijimura. The senior was scowling lightly. "Don't talk about them like that. Freakishly strong or not, they're still my brat juniors."

Haizaki rolled his eyes, throwing the pillow back. "Whatever, you mother hen."

"I'm not a mother hen!"

"Sure you're not."

"Tsk."

Silence descended upon them once again, but it was mostly comfortable silence. Haizaki took the time to scoot over to lean on the bed. Seeing that, something in Nijimura loosened up, relieved.

"Hey, Nijimura-san," Haizaki started slowly, staring up at the white ceilings. "Do you think it's because I'm grey that I'm kicked out?"

"Huh?" Nijimura's tone was bewildered.

Haizaki gave a lopsided smirk at his senior. "Well it fits, doesn't it? They're a rainbow team. Hell, your name is freaking rainbow village. And grey doesn't fit anywhere in a rainbow, right?"

"Don't make fun of my name, punk!" Nijimura growled, knocking Haizaki's head hard with his fist. "But now that you said it…" he trailed off, pondering, thinking.

Haizaki didn't say anything, waiting for Nijimura to finish his pondering.

"Hm. Yeah, I guess you're right. But you're wrong on one aspect."

"Hm?"

Nijimura scooted closer, reaching out to turn Haizaki's head towards him. "You see, rainbow usually only showed up after rain. And you know what a rainy sky's colour is?" He grinned. "Grey."

"Pfft," Haizaki snorted, pulling his head out of Nijimura's hold. "It still means I got kicked out because I'm grey. The rainbow won't show when it still rains, when it's still grey."

The older teen shrugged. "But at least the rainbow needs you to appear before it can show, right?"

"The hell's with that logic?" Haizaki laughed out loud, the first time since he'd lost his connection to his teammates, to his senior in front of him.

Nijimura smiled hearing it. He never realized he'd miss Haizaki's laugh. The phrase that you'd only realize what's important to you after you lost it was true after all.

Oh.

Something suddenly clicked in Nijimura's mind and he stood up abruptly. Haizaki blinked when the taller teen loomed over him.

"Uh... Nijimura-san, what are you doing?" he asked uncertainly.

A wide smirk bloomed on Nijimura's face, sending shivers down Haizaki's spine. "I just realized something..." he started in low voice.

Nijimura knelt down, placing his hands on the bed on either side of Haizaki to trap him. He ignored the surprised expression on his junior's face as he leaned closer until their breaths mingled together. His smirk widened and he whispered, lips barely brushing against Haizaki's.

"The rainbow needs its grey after all."

I have no idea what I wrote, really.

Thanks for reading. Please review on your way out~