The first battle in the World Jam, was Teiko vs Kaijo.
As Kuroko entered the building with his crew, he noticed that the place was already crowded with shouting people, and there was dust or smoke in the air. As they walked to the middle of the room, Kuroko saw their competition.
They weren't the toughest of guys, but they did look fast. They were clapping their hands together, puffs of powder or dust coming off their hands, filling the air. It must be apart of their dance.
"The first dance battle in the World Jam, is Kaijo vs Teiko!" A man shouted, causing cheers and shouts from the crowd.
"Kaijo, are you ready!?" The team smirked, as if they already won.
"Teiko, are you ready!?"
Was he ready?
Kuroko thought this, as Kaijo began dancing first. Could he really be in a competition with such talented dancers?
Kaijo's dance reminded him of a predators; An animal's.
They did swift but joint movements. One was even crawling and growling like a tiger.
How they could go low and stop, was amazing. They were practically holding themselves up with nothing back just their muscular strength. Every time they clapped their hands, more dust escaped into the air.
They started dancing close to Kuroko's crew, as if taunting them, daring them to do something about their dance. It reminded Kuroko of the park that one day, against that Kirisaki Daiichi guy. He was taunting and doubting him before he danced, and now Kaijo was doing the same!
Now he was fired up. And now it's their turn.
Though sadly, Kuroko remembered what Akashi said. He wasn't supposed to dance in this one, he was just supposed to watch and see how it goes.
His crew went in strong, but it was barley close to what they were really skilled at doing. Basically, they were taunting as well. This dance was mostly based on their robot dance. Swift but joint movements.
They pushed Kaijo back a bit to dance better and to show that they would win, but the group just pushed back. This time, someone with black and red gloves came out. Their hands moved too fast for Kuroko to see, and he frowned slightly. It was good, but did it count as dancing?
Teiko just came back. Now they ever started using the powder that covered the floor. Aomine even slid up to one of the Kaijo members, and clapped their hands by their head so the powder covered their hair. Though he moved back with the crew, just as their best robotics person came out.
Almost like a remote, he controlled the dance. He summoned players to battle.
Kuroko watched as Himuro was summoned, and watched him do all series of moves. He always thought that Himuro was best at hip hop, but look at him now. They must have been training really hard.
Teiko soon began pushing Kaijo back, all the way into the crowd. They overtook the dance floor.
But soon they were pushed back by the man before. The teams growled at each other, but they already knew the winner.
"The winner... Is Teiko!"
Their crew burst out into cheers and yells. Pats and slaps on the back were everywhere, and a few hugging here and there. Kuroko was actually surprised when Kise came up to him, and hugged him to where he wasn't even touching the floor.
Teiko won the first round in the World Jam. Now they had to train and create a new dance for the next battle.
~.~.~.~.~.~
A video camera was turned on, and Kise moved in front of Akashi. "Now it's your turn to be behind the camera. Do you want make up?" He asked, which got a few chuckles from Aomine, Kuroko, and even Midorima.
Midorima walked up, touching Akashi's shoulder. "It's not easy being the one recorded huh?"
"Keep walking." Akashi said, but he was slightly smiling.
"Fine fine." Kise handed the recorder to Kuroko, and soon the three others left leaving Kuroko and Akashi.
"So, what do you like about dance?" Kuroko asked, recording Akashi.
"...I don't know... The dance music has always been there for me, I guess." Akashi said, hesitating slightly. There was silence before Akashi smiled. "Why?"
Kuroko shook his head, smiling slightly. "Come on, you can do better then that."
Akashi looked away for a second, before looking back at Kuroko, at the camera. "...My parents used to be dancers. They created this place for people like them... They didn't want to just be back up dancers. They wanted to do their own thing, go get their own respect.
And I thought it was cool, so I wanted to follow up their tradition, but in my own way, you know?"
Kuroko nodded, before tilting his head. "What did they think when you turned this place into a mad house?"
Akashi hesitated, his smile disappearing. "...They never got to see it."
Kuroko stared at him, slowly turning off the camera. "I'm so sorry.." He said, setting the camera down.
"No, don't be. It's alright." Akashi said, smiling again.
"So that's why you're so devoted to this place? Because you want to keep on the tradition?"
"Family is family." Akashi said, looking around. "Dance used to be their life, and now it's mine."
"It's amazing what we do for our family sometimes." Kuroko said, and Akashi nodded.
"Now tell me about your parents."
"There's nothing much to them." Kuroko said, shrugging slightly.
"I see." Akashi said, and Kuroko handed him the camera.
"So, you going to black mail us with that footage?"
"No," Akashi said, smiling "Just you. Now you should get to school, otherwise you'll be late."
Kuroko nodded "Thank you for reminding me." He said, before running off. Akashi watched after him, smiling and shaking his head.
~.~.~.~.~
Kuroko looked down the steps in his school, looking for Kagami. Why can't he spot such a big guy?
He walked down the steps, looking around. Where could Kagami be? Once he walked downstairs, he saw Koganei, Mitobe, and Kagami sitting at a table. Kuroko walked over, touching Kagami's shoulder. The boy jumped, and looked around before spotting Kuroko. "Geez Kuroko, don't scare me like that!"
"...I just walked up..." Had he been gone so long that Kagami is forgetting to see him?...
"..I see." Kagami said, and Koganei waved as well at Mitobe.
"What were you guys talking about?" Kuroko asked, looking at Koganei.
"When our next basketball game is."
Basketball game? Oh.
He forgot all about basketball.
Well, who was he to think he could dance, have school, and play basketball at the same time?
"You haven't shown up to practice in a long time." Kagami said irritatingly. "Your dance practice is getting in the way."
Did Kagami know about the competition? No, he remembered he told him he was just practicing dance. Well, it wasn't a lie. He just didn't say he was practicing with Himuro and the crew. "You're disappearing like Tatsuya was.." Kagami mumbled.
Kuroko looked at him, before looking away. "Sorry."
Kagami stood up, along with Koganei and Mitobe. "Well, we got to go."
"Wait, Kagami-kun." Kuroko said, and Kagami looked at him. "I'm sorry I wasn't around. I'm here now, and I'll be at the game. I promise."
Kagami looked at him, before waving off Koganei and Mitobe. He then looked back at Kuroko, before sighing. "I can't play without my shadow after all."
Kuroko nodded, and raised his hand. Kagami bumped their fist, before he began walking off. "Alright, I really do have to go."
"Good bye, Kagami-kun..."
~.~.~.~.~
After school, Akashi decided to give Kuroko a break from practice. He took him out into the city, and bought him his favorite drink; Vanilla milkshake.
"Stop complaining." Akashi said as they crossed the street.
"But.. I understand my love for vanilla milkshakes, but this cup is huge..." Kuroko said, making Akashi smile. Kuroko then looked over at a sign, before walking up to it. "Look, it's you."
"That is not me, It looks nothing like me." Akashi said, shaking his head.
"Yeah it does, from the red hair, to your cute little mismatched eyes. Even got the video camera." Kuroko said, before walking back to Akashi.
"I would never put myself in those signs."
"But you do love film making. You don't fool me."
"It's just for fun." Akashi said, shrugging as they continued walking.
"...What if Teiko and the rivalry with Kirisaki Daiichi didn't exist? Then would you make films?"
"Yeah well it's not an option, so I don't think about it." Akashi said, not looking at Kuroko. They kept walking, but once they turned the corner, Kuroko looked at Akashi. "So tell me how you do it."
"Do what?"
"Get all your amazing footage."
"I don't know," Akashi said shrugging. "I just try to see things that no one else sees."
"Will you show me?" Kuroko asked, and Akashi stared at him, before shaking his head. "Follow me."
~.~.~.~.~
Akashi led him somewhere down below a bridge, and Kuroko could do nothing but follow. "Where are you taking me?" Kuroko asked, and Akashi started climbing a ladder with one hand, the milkshake in the other. "Come on."
With help from Akashi, Kuroko got up the ladder with his milkshake, and they stood on a big box looking machine. "What are we doing here?" Kuroko asked, and Akashi smiled.
"Wait for it." He said, and a moment later a huge gush of wind blue from beneath them. Kuroko yelped in surprise, before smiling. "What is that?" They had to yell to talk, but Kuroko didn't mind.
"Watch this." Akashi yelled, before getting his straw from the milkshake. He gathered a bit inside, before blowing a little out. Kuroko expected it for it to fall, but instead the wind picked it up. It looked like streamers in the sky. "How did you do that? I want to try!"
Kuroko got his straw, and did the same thing. It still flew with the wind, and he laughed slightly watching it. "Did you see that?"
Kuroko tried doing it again, but his straw blew with the wind. Though he just laughed again, watching it. "My straw!"
Akashi smiled, chuckling as he got his straw and placed it into Kuroko's milkshake. Kuroko looked at him, smiling slightly. He didn't move away as he saw Akashi lean down slightly.
Kuroko smiled a bit more as he felt Akashi's lips on his. He slowly returned the kiss, only hesitant because he never kissed before, but Akashi didn't seem to mind.
Though they broke apart, smiling and laughing. "How old are you again?" Kuroko yelled, and Akashi smiled. "19."
"...Is that old enough to call you a pedophile?"
"You're only 17, almost 18. You'll be okay." Akashi said, chuckling a bit.
Akashi pressed his forehead against Kuroko's gently, still smiling. He then leaned down, softly kissing the boy again.
~.~.~.~.~
Later in the day, when it was dark at night, Akashi was still in his room and going through his recordings of Kuroko. His reasons of dance.
It was great, how Kuroko explained why he danced. At first it made no sense, but if you thought about it, you can tell he was born to dance.
Though when he heard footsteps, he looked over and saw the male he was just thinking about. He paused the tape, and looked over at him. "Tetsuya, something wrong?"
"When is the next battle?" Kuroko said, seeming a bit nervous.
"...8:00, why?" Akashi asked, turning in his chair to face him.
"I have a test the same exact day."
"Tetsuya, you have to be there. If you aren't there, we can be eliminated." Akashi said, standing up.
"I know, I know... I don't know if I can.."
Akashi walked over to Kuroko, and slowly pulled him closer. "Look, we need you. Just find a way to make it work, okay?"
Kuroko looked up at Akashi, before slowly nodding. But, if he had to choose, what would it be? Dance or his education?