For anybody who's confused, the timeline of the story is little (lot) messed up. The GoM have yet to turn bad which means Akashi hasn't played against Murasakibara and therefor is still relatively sane and Coach Sanada was only made the head coach lets say, about a week before the story.
I don't own Kuroko no basket or its characters but I do have a croc pinned to my wall
Chapter 2: the weeks that followed
I spent the following weekend pacing around my apartment wondering whether I should tell him or not. I have lived alone for 2 years now, my father died from overdose of drugs and my Mother remarried soon after and now has a new family of her own. I wasn't upset at this arrangement because I'm used to people not paying me any attention and the lack of company helped me concentrate on the current problem at hand. But when Monday came I was no more ready than I was when I first woke up in his bed.
"Morning Kurokocchi!" Kise's piercing voice broke me out of my trance. "Your voice is too loud Kise-kun." I said as I quickly his my worry behind my blank façade. "Kurokocchi, what's wrong?" Kise suddenly asked seriously. Damn, I should have realised Kise, who faked smiles all day, would see through my stoic expression. "Kise-kun, it really is nothing to worry about." I sighed. Kise didn't look so convinced but he didn't question me further. "Now, if you'll excuse me but I have to get to class." I quickly lied and made my way to my classroom. My lack of presence made it easy to slip away and into my classroom without being noticed by my friends. Thank the God's that I don't share my class with any of my teammates. I sighed in relief knowing that I don't have to come into contact with them yet, although I should have slapped myself at that moment because 7 hours later and the final bell rang signalling for students to make their way home or head to afterschool activities in Kuroko's case.
"Kurokocchi?" Kise called quietly outside the gym. "Kise-kun." I acknowledged. "I meant to ask you this morning but why weren't you at the practice match on Sunday?" I instantly froze at his question, I had completely forgotten about the game due to all my worrying. "Oh, don't worry, I told them you had called me saying you were sick and the game was a breeze, against us they had no chance and were thrashed." Kise said cheerily but I noticed that the usual shine in his eyes was gone. "Thank you Kise-kun, it was just a cold." I mumbled out before I made my way to the gym.
"Kuroko-chan, Kise said you rang him telling him you were dying and only had 4 days to live." Sanada said the moment he noticed me walk through the doors (it took a few minutes). It took all of my willpower to not face palm. "I'm sorry I didn't make the game but I just had a cold, Kise-kun must have exaggerated my condition." I lied casually. "Yes, we thought so seeing as it is Kise. Everyone was worried though and it took Kise bribing Murasakibara with sweets to hold down Aomine and block off the entrance." Coach Sanada sighed. "I'm sorry if I caused any problems." I said curtly and bowed down in apology. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go get changed." I rushed off in the direction of the girls change room. I didn't need to hurry but I needed to find Akashi and get it over with. "Tetsu-chan!" I heard Momoi's voice call for me the moment I exited in my gym clothes. Seriously? I can't just get 5 steps before being stopped. "Yes Momoi-san?" I said politely, I had to force down a groan. That is until I noticed how worried and upset she looked. "Tetsu-chan! Aomine left practice, he ran off when he was told he was to strong to play against!" She said quickly. All thoughts of getting to Akashi vanished when I thought that Aomine-kun has finally been pushed over the edge. "I'll go find him." I said immediately. "Coach Sanada has already left for him." She told me swiftly but the words just flew in one ear and out the next as I ran out the building "I'm going to get Aomine-kun." I told a baffled Midorima, hoping he would tell the others.
It took a gruelling 10 minutes of running in the rain until I found Aomine under the old bridge near the convenience store.
I slowly walked up to his form but he caught me out before I reached him. "Tetsu, huh? Why aren't you at practice?" "I came as soon as Momoi told me what happened." I said to his back, "Aomine-kun, lets return to practice." I tried to usher him like I've done a hundred times but I was only met with the sound of rain. Eventually Aomine spoke up, "Why?" he said as started to get up. I kept silent, as I did not know how to respond 'what does he mean why?' "Why should I return to practice? Why, when I'll win matches even when I don't want to? Should I play at full strength like you told me to, just so I can more thoroughly crush opponents who have already lost their will to fight?" He asked coldly. "I understand, but…" I was cut off by Aomine's shaky voice. "Understand? Ha…what could you possibly understand? Tell me, what can a girl like you, who can't do anything by herself, understand? You know, I wish I could have been born like you, Tetsu. I could have had so much more of a goal in life." His words hit like glass in my heart, "I'm also…envious of Aomine-kun and everyone else. If I could, I'd like to try dunking, making 3-pointers and dribbling past my opponents." My voice cracked and shook as I continued, "But…It's no use lamenting on things I can't do. So I'm putting all I have into my passes…" "Passes?" Aomine once again cut me off, "Kise? Midorima? Murasakibara? Or, if they're for me, to what end? Even though I can win all by myself, against anyone even without your passes?" I just stared at him in shock, tears threatened to spill out of my eyes as I recalled what he said to me last night, 'The only one who can beat me is me.' Aomine's head was hung low and shadowed, his voice so low and sad it could make normal people cry when listening to it. "I haven't received a single pass form you since then…even though it was only a little while ago…it feels like it's been so long." He raised his head to reveal the usually strong and persistent light now with tears trickling down his face and a desperate look of sadness, his voice quivered "I…don't even remember how to receive your passes anymore."
That was more than I ever wanted to hear, I ran off in the direction back to the gym.
I walked into the gym in soaking wet clothes and noticed how the room was empty save for Akashi who stood in the middle. "Akashi-kun…I'm sorry I ran off without permission but Aomine-kun…" I said slowly. Akashi said nothing and draped a towel around my shaking body. "Forget about him, you're soaking." He said coldly. Shocked, I looked into his eyes and suddenly realised his left iris had turned golden in colour. "Akashi, what do you mean forget about Aomine-kun?" I asked. "I mean that he no longer has to come to training if he wishes not to, as long as he shows up at games and wins. The same rule applies to all the regulars, including the phantom sixth girl." He said coldly. I only stared at him in shock; the Akashi I knew would never permit such laziness. Without I muttered, "Who are you?" He looked into my eyes with his unfamiliarly fierce mismatched one "Why, I'm your boyfriend Akashi Seijuro of course, Tet…su…na." He uttered slowly and darkly. Without noticing, my legs had started to back away in fear towards the nearest exit. "I'm going home." I said as I took off in a full on sprint for my apartment.
Once I reached my home I face planted into my bed. Everyone was acting weird and nationals start on Friday, first Aomine then Kise now even Akashi. I'll just sleep off my worry, maybe in the morning I'll think about it more.
Want to know what happened next morning? I spent the entire day avoiding the team and reaching no conclusions, this actually continued at practice and went on till Friday afternoon. Great work there, Tetsuna.
Ever so expectant of the legendary Teiko, we breezed through the match, and the next one, and the one following and every single match following that we played for about 3 weeks. Usually I would be happy about winning our games but so far the team has only been playing around with our opponents, aiming to see who could score the most points. Last game the winner was Midorima, he's the only one who isn't joining in but his high-arc 3 pointers still make his opponents psychologically damaged. Suddenly my phone chimed for a text message.
'Hey Kuroko, Meiko made it through to the finals! Maybe we'll fight Teiko and we'll finally be able to keep our promise!' I smiled at the text, I haven't spoke to him in quite a while. I started to type my response, 'Hopefully we will, I'll show you how I have improved.' I pressed the sent button and walked over to the head coach Sanada. "Please put me in this next game Coach." I said as I bowed to show respect.
I was accepted permission to play on the note that we should save the strength of the other 5. The game went by with ease and I could see out of the corner of my eye an impressed Ogiwara, I was meaning to show him how I have been doing.
Suddenly I felt my stomach churn like it has been doing for the past few days now, 'shit not during a game!' "This is ridiculous, we trained until we were puking up blood but were still not even worth a glance by them." I heard one of the twins seethe out. Before I knew it I had been hit hard at the back of my head and had fallen to the floor on my back, as my vision began to darken I heard the shouts of my teammates. Then it went black.
Thank you to everyone who faved, followed or reviewed! It means so much to me! I was so happy that I couldn't resist writing another chapter AND most of chapter 2 (my internet was down so I though 'why not?') Don't forget to tell my about improvements I could make so I can satisfy you! Don't forget to fave, follow and review to encourage me to keep writing
#smilesout
