Pairings: Izuki/Tamaki.

Warnings: AU Universe. OOC. Gender swap. Nice Akashi. Assassin Generation of Miracles. Violence. Gore. Character deaths.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

Chapter Ten: Like

"The saying that what doesn't kills you makes you stronger is true in a way." - Akashi Seijuro

XXXXXX

For an entire week, the members of ICE could barely find time to meet up at Ashiya's like they normally does due to the Inter High.

Aida Riko, Seirin's coach had placed the noses of the entire team to the grindstone, even upping their normal training regimes to make sure that they are ready for the tournament. It got even worse when Tamaki started drawing up new training regimes for each of them. As a result, Seirin didn't have too many problems during the first few matches for the qualifying rounds.

One of the qualifying matches that annoyed all of Seirin had been their match against Shinkyo that had that large foreign student from Senegal. It is almost laughable how that particular school thinks that their foreign ace is enough of a match for the Generation of Miracles.

And clearly, that particular team had also pissed off Tamaki worse than anticipated, for she had changed the game strategy just a mere five minutes before their match against Shinkyo Academy had begun—no one in Seirin knew just what Shinkyo did, but Izuki had a slight hunch that it must be because of all that crap that Shinkyo is talking about the Generation of Miracles during their warm-ups.

Tamaki didn't even play until the second half of the game, but when she did, she barely let Shinkyo had possession of the ball. By the time that the final buzzer went, Seirin was in the lead by more than twenty points.

Their match against Seiho and Shutoku was nearly three days later.

Izuki had seen how deadly Midorima could be as a sniper during their 'night job'. But he is as much of a monster on the basketball court, especially when he was up against Tamaki. Seirin barely managed to clinch a victory against Shutoku—and this is with all of Seirin, Tamaki included, going all out.

Tamaki and Izuki also have an additional house tenant living with them now—a cute little black and white puppy that Tamaki had named Aoi that they've somehow adopted when Tamaki had found the little puppy abandoned by the roadside on the way home. Seirin had also fallen in love with the cute little puppy when he had followed Tamaki and Izuki to practice one day, and had somehow adopted the puppy into their little family. Kagami is probably the only one who wasn't that thrilled at having a dog at their practice due to his fear of dogs.

XXXXXX

Tamaki watched coolly from behind the viewing glass in the underground training room of Ashiya's even as Izuki works on his marksmanship skills.

To be honest, he had already come a long way for just being with ICE for only two months. While he would probably never reach their level, he is now at a level good enough for Tamaki to consider putting him on the field with a partner.

"Has he been training by himself?" Akashi wondered, watching Izuki as well. That day is Friday, and Akashi had just returned from Kyoto like always—only having arrived at Ashiya's along with Shigehiro and Murasakibara just two hours prior. "He's improved from the last time when we took him on that training trip to Karuizawa."

Akashi, Shigehiro and Murasakibara always sleep over at Ashiya's for the nights when they were over in Tokyo, and as a result, ICE often met up with each other for the weekends, even when they do not have any missions.

"Well, most nights we usually spend it at Ashiya's, as I've been a little busy for the past week. So I guess it is entirely possible that he had been training by himself." Tamaki shrugged. "I wouldn't exactly recommend putting him out on the field without a partner just yet, but I do think that he's ready for fieldwork now."

Akashi glanced at his cousin knowingly. "…Are you going to go after Saki-san's murderer?" he asked suddenly, and Tamaki turned towards him sharply, taking her eyes off of Izuki for the first time since stepping foot into the training room. "…I ran into Hayato before I headed to Ashiya's. He told me that you've been investigating the murder for an entire week. Any free time that you had that isn't involved in basketball training, it is investigating the murder." Akashi rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Did Saki-san's lover make a request?" He enquired.

Tamaki was silent for a long time before she nodded her head. "This is pure underground business," she answered. "I won't be able to make it an official mission. But I'll go after the guy myself if I have to. I can't drag the others into this—not when all of us have tried so hard to put the past behind us."

Akashi frowned at that before he blinked, seeing what he'd missed the first time—the new additions of a choker and silver hairpins adorning his cousin's slender neck and teal blue hair. "Is that new?" he asked with interest. "I've never seen it before."

Tamaki looked confused for a moment before she smiled, touching the choker around her neck gently. "Yeah. He gave that to me," she responded, looking through the viewing glass at Izuki.

The door that leads to the underground training room swung opened just then. "Tamaki, you got a call! It's Ishigami." Yase's voice echoed.

"All right. I'll be there in a moment." Tamaki responded before the echoing sounds of Yase's footsteps faded away. She then turned towards her cousin. "Stop him in about five minutes. He has been at it all day ever since school had let out."

Akashi nodded his head before his cousin turned and headed up the steps that leads to Ashiya's. Tamaki had always been the one that understood their limits best, and would step in to prevent themselves from going beyond their limits. Sadly, they couldn't say the same for the only girl amongst ICE.

The redhead then raised a brow as he saw the number of bullet holes riddled in the target that Izuki had been using for his shooting practice—with the bullet holes mainly located near the chest, head and even the liver area. Akashi then rapped gently on the viewing glass, and when Izuki turned around in surprise, the redhead made a 'come here' motion, knowing that Izuki will never be able to hear him on the other side.

"I didn't hear you come in." Izuki confessed as he exited the training area, his body covered with a sheen of sweat, and Akashi tossed him a light blue towel sitting on the bench that Izuki caught easily. "Where's Tamaki?"

"She got a phone call." Akashi responded. "And I would have called out to you when I came in, but you were so focused on your training. Atsushi and Shige came with me as usual, but they went out sightseeing with Daiki and Ryota. Shintaro would join us for dinner later—he's still stuck at his school for basketball practice. Seems like he's pretty pissed with himself for losing the match against your school."

Izuki nearly sweat dropped at this, but he laughed nervously even as he wiped the sweat from his face and neck with the light blue towel draped around his neck, trying to ignore the assessing look that Akashi gave him.

After having spent nearly two weeks under the tender mercies of the first and second-in-commands of ICE, he had a pretty good idea what Akashi Seijuro the assassin is like. In fact, he reminds Izuki of Riko too much for his liking save for the one fact that Akashi likes messing with the heads of his teammates.

"You've improved quite a lot since I've last seen you in action." Akashi commented, and Izuki turned towards him, surprised. "You've been practicing, I can see. In fact, you're actually doing quite well for having just joined us for two months. Tama is saying something about putting you on the field for the next mission we get—but with a partner. And I can tell you now that Tama's requirements for being out on the field is way higher than mine."

Izuki grinned weakly. "I've mainly been assisting her as a hacker for the last three missions that we did. She probably did tell you," he said, not looking at Akashi even as he dismantled the training gun that he had been using. No one in ICE uses real guns and real bullets when they are training—real ammo are way too expensive, and they usually have to stock up on ammo and weapons after a mission. "I've seen Kise, Aomine, Midorima and even Tamaki in action on the field." Tamaki was just sent out on the field just that one time on their last mission when they requires her abilities to attack airborne, thus, Izuki was stuck being the sole hacker for that particular mission. "They're way too good." Izuki admitted, finally looking at Akashi in the eye for the first time. "I can never be as skilled as them. Even my skills as a hacker are mediocre at best when you compare it with Tamaki's. And then again, she had been the one who taught me how to hack into computer systems."

Akashi hummed in understanding. He can understand Izuki's feelings to a certain point. While Shigehiro is also mainly the second hacker and intelligence agent of the team, when they needs him out on the field, he is there as a combat specialist—a close frontal combat specialist rather similar to Aomine in a way.

Amongst the seven of them even back when they were still back with Black Sun, the weakest amongst them had been Kise, and that is only because his main expertise had been infiltration. Not that Kise isn't as skilled in combat. He is, just not up to the level of the others. However, when it comes to disguises and interrogation, no one is better than Kise. Even Tamaki who is arguably second best in ICE when it comes to disguises, infiltration and interrogation couldn't match Kise's skill in that.

"…Tell me something, Shun. You had never been forced to kill someone whom you cherished with your own hands, have you?" Akashi asked, eyes darkening over as he recalled his own 'trial'. The redhead glanced at Izuki who looked startled. "In that case, you shouldn't be surprised that you can't match up to our skill level. You're actually at a level better than I've anticipated for just having joined us for two months. Me and the others…" Akashi trailed off slowly, a grim smile tugging at the ends of his lips. "We're as good as we are now because we are forced to. The only other alternative is death."

Izuki's eyes widened in shock. "What…do you mean?"

Akashi hesitated, glancing at Izuki. So his cousin hadn't said anything. It's kind of a surprise, seeing how…fond Tamaki had been of the older teen, and the two have been living together furthermore. And then again, out of the seven of them, it had been Tamaki who had the most reasons for not wanting to remember their past.

"Tama didn't say anything, did she?" Akashi asked Izuki who shook his head, and he sighed. "Well, can't say that I'm surprised." He muttered, but Izuki heard him. Clearly, the training that Tamaki had put him through to hone his senses is working better than he'd expected. "All of us…" Akashi hesitated, eyes closing before opening once more, flashes of death, pain and rain appearing behind his eyelids. "We're as good as we are now because we are forced to. Tama has to tell you her story on her own—once she's ready. She'll get angry with me if I tell you. And the last thing that I want is Tama angry at me." Akashi smiled weakly. "The saying that what doesn't kills you makes you stronger is true in a way. We were all forced to be as good as we are now, as the only other alternative for us is death."

"You mentioned that before." Izuki frowned, recalling Yase's words to him a long time ago. "What does that mean?"

Akashi shook his head. "Tama has to tell you once she's ready," he said again. "To be honest, the past is something that none of us liked to think about. And I can see that Tama is slowly starting to trust you. She doesn't trust too many people outside of ICE. Hence why it is such a surprise to us when Tama agreed to bring you into ICE. I think that the reason why she agreed is probably because she can see some of herself in you. All those years back… When we first started working for the government… We have the same reason that you did when you first joined ICE."

Izuki was taken aback. "I…"

Akashi sighed and glanced at Izuki. "You know, just because I'm not in Tokyo for five days out of the seven doesn't mean I am completely oblivious," he deadpanned. He looked at Izuki straight in the eye, impressed that the older teen could hold eye contact with him without flinching away. The only one who could do that is just Tamaki. "You like my cousin." He stated bluntly.

Izuki flinched. "…Yes," he admitted. "But I wouldn't do anything to her. Even if we're living together…"

Akashi raised an eyebrow. "My cousin is no damsel in distress. She'll kick you from one side of Tokyo to another if you even tried anything with her," he responded, and Izuki almost sweat dropped. That…is true. "Besides, I think Tama kinda likes you too." He looked at Izuki. "…When we when in Teiko, there were a few boys that actually asked her out. But she turned them down. Our double lives…isn't exactly something that we can just tell anyone. It is the same reason why none of us ever have girlfriends." Izuki did wonder the same thing way before he had found out about ICE. "Besides, I think that you will be good for my cousin. I only ask one thing of you: don't lie to her. We have been surrounded by too many of them. Enough is enough."

"What do you—"

Whatever that Izuki is about to say was cut off as Tamaki's voice echoed down the stairway. "Shun, can you come with me for a moment? I need to head to the Prime Minister's residence, and I need you to come with me."

XXXXXX

Izuki Shun had never been to the Prime Minister's residence before, so he is understandably nervous even as Tamaki took him through the winding halls that had several paintings and vases along the walls that looked as if it cost a million.

The older teen had even met Ishigami Hideki in work mode, and to say that Izuki is nervous is an understatement, as the older man just had this way of looking at Izuki that makes him feel as if every single thought that he ever had is laid bare to him.

Ishigami had introduced himself as his father's superior, as he never had the chance to do the necessary introductions the last time they have met nearly two months ago, since Izuki was way too depressed then to think about anything else. The man however did tell Izuki that ICE had been given the go-ahead to crack down on Shiranui, though they have to be careful how they do it as the man is highly paranoid.

Following that, Tamaki had disappeared into a room with Ishigami, telling Izuki to wait for her outside the room.

The older teen had merely amused himself with observing his surroundings to pass the time when a pair of voices could be heard echoing down the hallway.

"—shouldn't be here, Shiranui-san."

Izuki froze when he heard the words 'Shiranui-san'. So this must be…!

Izuki felt a hot white flame of anger rise in him even as two men appeared from around the corner. Both were in semi-casual outfits, and they have detective lanyards around their necks—marking their positions as Metro PD detectives. One is a man with sleek black hair wearing glasses whilst the other had slightly wavy dark hair and he had a mean look in his eyes. Izuki is ready to bet even his own eyes that the latter must be Shiranui.

Shiranui frowned when he caught sight of Izuki. "Who are you?" he demanded harshly, and Izuki recognised the voice immediately. The teen rested his hand over the dagger concealed within his sleeve.

It is so simple—just one flick of his wrist—

—A hand covering his right wrist stopped Izuki in his actions, and he turned only to see Tamaki beside him, with Ishigami standing behind the teal head. "Stop." Tamaki muttered to Izuki in a low voice so that only he could hear her. "Is there a problem here?" She directed this question to Shiranui.

Shiranui's lips curled with dislike as he laid eyes on Ishigami. "Bringing kids into the Prime Minister's residence now, are you, Ishigami?" he sneered. "Not very professional for the head of Public Security."

Ishigami's eyes flashed with dislike and slight anger. "This one's my cousin," he answered curtly, resting one hand on Tamaki's shoulder—keeping to the cover story ever since he'd first started teaching ICE how to adapt back to normal society that Tamaki is his cousin so that they'd have an answer should anyone ask why Tamaki is always heading to the Prime Minister's residence whenever she got called. "The boy is her friend. Is there a problem, Shiranui?" His voice is sharp and cold.

"No. Nothing at all." Shiranui sneered before he moved on his way, disappearing around a corner with his companion.

Silence reigned for several moments.

"…So that's Shiranui?" Izuki was understandably shaken and quiet. After all, this had to be the first time that he had seen his parents' murderer for himself ever since hearing their murders whilst hidden beneath the floorboards that night.

"Calm down, Izuki-kun." Ishigami placed a reassuring hand on the teen's shoulder.

"We'll get him one day. But we have preparations to make since he is a pretty high level cop in Metro PD, and we need cover stories and fake autopsies reports once the deed is done." Tamaki told him quietly.

"I know." Izuki muttered, unclenching his hands from the fists that they were balled in.

Ishigami looked between the two teens before he sighed. "Why don't you both go to the festival in town tonight?" he asked, and the two looked at him curiously. "It's the Star Festival tonight. There are supposed to be shooting stars and fireworks. I heard about it from Goto and Kurosawa. I think that Goto is taking the Prime Minister's daughter to the festival tonight." He had a smirk on his face at that. "Why don't you two go to the festival to take your mind off things?"

Izuki looked curiously at Tamaki, wondering if she'll agree. The teal head looked really thoughtful before she smiled and nodded, glancing at Izuki. "A festival sounds great," she responded.

Izuki smiled. The Star Festival, huh? Akashi's words resounded in his head just then. Maybe the festival is just the time for him to tell her…

XXXXXX

The Star Festival is a pretty crowded affair, with booths and stands everywhere, and there is even a tent that had a man-made planetarium in there that had quite a long line queuing up just to take a look at the stars and planets of the skies.

"I should have probably worn a yutaka." Tamaki muttered, tugging at her light blue hooded jacket worn over a white tee and black shorts with light blue and white sneakers. Aoi, the little black and white husky is currently nestled in the hood of her jacket.

Izuki smiled at his companion, dressed in casual clothes as well. "I think you look fine as it is," he said, and is rewarded by one of Tamaki's small smiles. "So what do you want to do now? Have some food? Or do you want to try one of the games?"

"I want to try the shooting game." Tamaki had a mischievous look in her eyes at that, and Izuki stifled his chuckles. He knew from experience and from his conversations from some of the others in ICE, that while Tamaki isn't that great in skill as compared to a sniper like Midorima, she is still pretty skilled with handguns. In fact, the only one in ICE outside of Midorima who could match up to Tamaki's skill with guns is just Akashi.

Hence why Izuki is this skilled in his accuracy right now, especially after having gone though Tamaki and Akashi's training. When he'd first joined them, his accuracy and computer skills are just the only things that he got going for him, thus why Tamaki and Akashi have both made sure that he honed it to near perfection. Tamaki had even made sure that every single time he fires a gun, the bullet actually makes it to where he had intended it to go.

"Try not to traumatise the shop vendor." Izuki barely managed to get his words out via his chuckles, and Tamaki smiled.

He will never get tired of seeing Tamaki smile—especially not when nearly the entire Seirin team had been trying to get her to smile or even laugh since day one.

Tamaki managed to easily knock down the two prizes that she wanted—two leather bracelets that seem to be couple bracelets. Izuki was surprised when Tamaki handed one to him. "I hadn't given you anything especially after you gave me this." The teal head touched the choker around her neck even as they left the shooting game booth, much to the vendor's relief. "Anyway, I think that it's about time for the fireworks to begin. Let's go somewhere higher. We can see it better from there."

"Then I think I know the perfect place." Izuki smiled.

Tamaki only raised an eyebrow.

The 'perfect place' turns out to be an overlooking hill that had a nice view of the night sky. In fact, the fireworks begun the moment that they've arrived at their destination. Izuki actually glanced over at Tamaki in the middle of the fireworks exploding and was mildly surprised to see the almost childlike awe in her eyes.

In fact, a lot of the things that he found as normal mundane things seem to interest Tamaki. Even Kagami had mentioned once that Tamaki seems almost socially awkward. It sometimes makes Izuki wonder—just how did Tamaki and the others grew up?

And where are their parents?

"It is beautiful." Tamaki murmured. "It is like flowers in the sky."

"Yeah."

A rustle in the bushes behind them caused Tamaki to prick up her ears just then, and by instinct alone, she slipped the dagger in her sleeve into her right hand. "Aoi, stay." Tamaki commanded, and the dog gave out little light happy barks as he danced around their feet.

"What's wrong?" Izuki asked curiously.

"Quiet." Tamaki shushed, pretending to be busy staring at the fireworks as she caught a glint of metal in the darkness behind them—the glint of the steel of a gun. Faster than before Izuki could comprehend, Tamaki was gone from his side, and there was a loud clang.

"What is going on?" Izuki headed towards the direction where Tamaki had disappeared towards, and was mildly startled to see her holding a man by locking her arm around his neck from behind, and holding the blade of her dagger against his throat. A black steel gun lay on the ground not too far away, and it didn't take long for Izuki to put the pieces together.

"Hang on… I've seen you at the residence earlier…!" Izuki said slowly, staring at the man's face. He is the man who is with Shiranui earlier!

"So you…had been the one…poking around about Shiranui-san…!" The man choked even with Tamaki's tight hold on him. "Who…the hell are you? You're not normal! Normal kids wouldn't be able to do something like this."

"Your worst nightmare." Tamaki said simply. "Answer one question. The murder of the courtesan in the Kabukicho area a week ago… Was it sanctioned by Shiranui-san?"

"I…don't know…!"

"I see." Tamaki had an impassive look on her face before she placed the edge of her dagger closer towards the jugular vein. "Hell is waiting for you."

Izuki averted his eyes even as Tamaki sliced through the neck cleanly with her dagger. The man was dead before he'd even hit the ground.

"The courtesan that you were talking about? Saki-san?" Izuki asked, almost surprised at himself with just how calm that he is taking it especially after having seen Tamaki killed someone. Tamaki glanced at him even as she cleaned the blood on her dagger with the clothes of the man whom she had killed. "Was that the one that Hayato-kun was talking about awhile back? Why are you taking it so personally? I've never seen you like this before."

Tamaki closed her eyes briefly before standing up again, looking at the fireworks in the sky.

"…Then promise me, Tamaki. That you'll protect me?"

Tamaki finally turned her eyes towards Izuki. "…Because they made me a liar."

XXXXXX

Akashi Seijuro placed the phone to his ear, waiting for the person on the other end of the line to pick up.

"Akashi?"

"Daiki." Akashi greeted. "Listen, there is something that I need you to do for me. It's regarding Tama."

A/N: Please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!