One thing that I never knew about Akashi Seijuro? He is a gambling man. It is twenty-five minutes until tip-off, and two staff members are walking in amongst the guests collecting bets, as Kise and Kuroko argue passionately about who will be the victor of this round. One thing that I have always known about Kise? In his eyes, Aomine Daiki is the greatest basketball player to ever live, despite there being a time, well remembered by all of us who played in our third year of high-school basketball, where Kise Ryota neck-and-neck with both Aomine and Kagami for that honour. Strangely, Kise and I still have not spoken today, but in his defence, Akashi has spent the last hour glued to my side, introducing me to all manner of prestigious guests and waxing lyrical about the basketball powerhouse that he has built since taking over Alvark Tokyo. He has always been a prideful man, but his pride now displays as warmth and care; a true satisfaction in what he has built, rather than a relentless striving not to fall from the pedestal that his family (and, it must be said, his teammates) created for him. He credits Kagami's competitive drive, Genki Kojima's sensitive and flexible leadership, and the determination of his chosen head coach (whose name he has still not revealed to me) for the success enjoyed by the basketball team since he took over. This kind of pride is a good look on him, and now that my bizarre flare-up of anxiety has abated, I am enjoying just listening to him speak as if no time has passed.

I've missed him.

As game time approaches, Akashi stands in front of the two-way mirror looking down onto the court and taps a teaspoon against a glass of champagne.

"Your attention, friends, if I may."

Every eye in the room turns to him, as Kuroko comes and takes a seat next to me.

"My sincere thanks to all of you for coming to watch what I am certain will be one of the highlights of our season."

He smiles, and it is genuine.

"Before the players take to the court, I would like to take the opportunity to welcome and to toast the health of some very special guests. First of all, for the first time I would like to welcome a true legend of the National Basketball Association, 5 time NBA champion Dennis Rodman."

There is an enthusiastic round of applause from all in the room, and the enormous man rises to his feet, giving a slight wave.

"It is truly an honour to have you here with us, Rodman-san, and from all of us at the Alvark Tokyo Basketball Club, we hope that you enjoy the game."

Akashi, as always, has total command of the room, and continues his speech.

"I would also like to extend a very special welcome to some close, personal friends of mine, some of whom many of you will be familiar with, and one who is meeting you all for the first time. A warm welcome back to Kuroko Tetsuya, Deputy Headmaster of Teiko Academy, and to the incredibly talented Kise Ryota, who doubtless you all recognise from his lauded television career. And welcome for the first time to my dear friend and middle-school vice-captain Midorima Shintaro. It is, truly, a great joy to be reunited with you."

There is another warm round of applause, and it strikes me that as much as this private box is a gathering of the rich and powerful, it is evident that Akashi clearly enjoys a good relationship with all present. He speaks warmly and with genuine feeling, and I feel strangely proud of him for having built such a positive circle of acquaintances through his various business enterprises. Kise and Kuroko are here, which means he's managed to maintain old friendships while striking out into God-knows-how-many new business ventures, making what is clearly an obscene amount of money, and managing to become a seemingly happy and well-rounded individual. The one thing that seems to be missing... well, I haven't picked up any evidence of there being a Mrs Akashi, and with the programme about to start and the eyes of the whole room on him, I do believe I have missed my opportunity to ask. One for another time, then.

"So, if those of you with glasses could be upstanding, I would like us to raise our glasses to our guests, to friends old and new, to Kagami Taiga and Aomine Daiki, to Captain and Coach, and to the continued success of the Alvark Tokyo Basketball Club. Kanpai!"

"Kanpai!"

"Please welcome our guests, SeaHorses Mikawa!"

The lights in the Arena Tachikawa Tachihi have dimmed, the players have warmed up and subsequently returned to the tunnel, and the atmosphere in the stands is electric. Both teams form parallel lines inside the tunnel, and Kagami looks across at his opponent for the day, who is eyeing him up with the air of a lion surrounded by zebra. Aomine Daiki. Of all the incredible basketball players that Kagami has had the joy of going toe-to-toe with, none sets his blood on fire like him.

Aomine quietly sniffs the air, and wrinkles his nose.

"You smell good", he mumbles under his breath, and Kagami chuckles, even as his Captain, Genki Kojima, gives a self-satisfied smirk.

"Remember that smell, Aho-mine... that's what defeat smells like."

Aomine scoffs at the mere suggestion, and the pridefulness of his body language only serves to fire Kagami up even more.

"Taiga, if you think you're gonna come off the court smelling like cologne then you've got another thing coming. I fully intend on kicking your ass today, but if you want to change that, you're gonna have to fucking work for it. I'm on fourteen game streak, and fifteen is a much nicer number."

"Care to bet on that streak you're so proud of?"

"Head Coach, Riko Aida!"

As Kagami's former high-school coach takes to the court ahead of today's rivals, he grins. Aomine is right to bet on his streak, because after Mikawa's Coach Nakatani-san retired last year, his long-serving assistant coach has taken the reins, and somehow the best-coached team in the B. League has gotten even better. It'll be exciting to play against Riko rather than for her, for once.

Aomine blows a quick snort of air through his nose, and shrugs.

"Yeah, whatever. When I win, I'm coming by your crib after the game and you're gonna cook me as much Kadhi Pakora as I can eat. And you're buying beers."

Kagami ignores the chuckles of his teammates, and nods gruffly.

"Done. But after I kick your ass, you're still coming by my crib, and you're gonna suck my..."

"At the Point Guard position, standing at five-feet, eleven-inches, number five: Izuki Shun."

The rest of Kagami's challenge is lost to the announcer over the tannoy, but Aomine hears. His natural complexion means it's impossible to tell whether or not he blushes, but as it stands, he just laughs, as Izuki takes to the court with what sounds like a terrible pun involving the 'hard-wood court'.

"In your fucking dreams, Taiga. But I'll take that bet. I hope you've got chillies in that oversized fridge of yours, 'cause I've been craving spicy food all fucking week."

"At the Center position, standing at six-feet ten-inches, number fifteen: Papa Mbaye Siki."

"I'll give you something spicy in your mouth alright, you..."

Captain Kojima clears his throat, and both players promptly shut up.

"Let's save that for the court, shall we gents? There's press about."

"At the Power-Forward position, standing at six-feet ten-inches, number twenty-one: Shayne Whittington."

As the stocky white guy takes to the court, Kagami thinks back to Genki's comment about them dominating the boards tonight, and wonders if it'll be as easy as all that. DJ's one of the best rebounders in the league, for sure, but having two opposing players at six-ten is never going to be fun when you're trying to box out after a missed shot. He looks ahead at DJ, who catches his eye and grins. There's no such concern visible in his eyes, and Kagami is immediately at ease. Mikawa may be the reigning champions, but every single player on Alvark Tokyo is a born and bred competitor, and none of them will go down easy... And truth be told, Kagami quite fancies winning today.

"At the Shooting-Guard position, standing at six-feet four-inches, number twenty-four: Reo Mibuchi."

Aomine has got himself an exceptional team. With Riko's hard, physical style of coaching, a deep bench, and the addition of one of the best tactical point guards in the league in Izuki, they are well balanced, well-conditioned, and set up well for the fluid, unpredictable style of basketball that Aomine has perfected during his time in the B. League. He's a good Captain, an even better player, and whatever the result today, Kagami knows that it'll be a game to remember. All the fatigue from the last game washes away, as the announcer calls forth his greatest rival (and much-else besides):

"And at the Small Forward position, standing at six-feet seven-inches, and the only six-time MVP to ever play in the Japanese Basketball League... SeaHorses Mikawa Captain, number eight: Aomine Daiki!"

Aomine shoots a confident, not-entirely-unsexy grin at Kagami before sprinting out onto the court, arms stretched wide, and it is a testament to his status in the Japanese basketball world that fans of both teams alike go absolutely bananas. Aomine Daiki, in many respects, is to Japanese Basketball what Michael Jordan was to the NBA – the Alpha male among alpha males, the face of the league, the premier competitor in a very competitive era, and, according to just about every barbershop conversation in the last ten years or so, the greatest basketball player Japan has ever produced. He laps up the adoration like it's keeping him alive, and with a fond smile, Kagami takes just one small moment to join them in their admiration, before shutting down that sentimental emotion and readying himself. Six MVP awards or no, Kagami fully intends on adding his name to more than a few of those barbershop conversations tonight. This is his court, his city, and this game is his for the taking.

"Aaaaaand now... please welcome to the court, your Alvark Tokyo!"

The same level of hysteria that was unleashed when Aomine took to the court continues, as the home fans are undeniably hyped up for this clash of the titans.

"Please welcome your Head Coach... Nash Gold Junior!"

I turn to Akashi and my incredulity must be clear on my face, because he just grins back.

"Explain yourself, Akashi."

He gives a small shrug by way of explanation and takes a sip from his glass of champagne.

"I would have thought you, of all people, would understand my reasoning. It is simply the most efficient coaching choice. I have neither the time nor the inclination to coach a professional basketball team, and regardless of our personal distaste for the man, I require absolute commitment to victory from any business that I own. If I were to let personal dislike colour my hiring process, then I would not be supporting Alvark Tokyo to the best of my ability. If you look to the bench, you will see Hanamiya Makoto, who assists Nash as the assistant coach. They ensure that every day that our players spend in training produces the highest possible growth percentage, and, in a team with so many strong characters on the court, absolute respect and discipline is key. Nash and Hanamiya were recruited at the end of last season, and their game record speaks for itself."

Akashi does, of course, make total sense, and it is a testament to the absolutism of his vision for the team that this potentially volatile coaching duo have done such a good job.

"I commend you, Akashi... It is certainly a bold move, but not unlike you in the slightest."

Akashi flashes me a predatory smile and turns his attention back to the court.

"I have a considerable amount of money riding on you seeing the results of my ownership today. It will be an interesting game."

"At the Small Forward position, standing at six-feet four-inches, number thirteen: Shohei Kikuchi!"

As Shohei takes to the court, Kagami turns to Dorsey and grins.

"You good, Dorsey?"

The Greek shooting guard turns and nods, not quite smiling, but with fire in his eyes.

"I'm bringing my A-game today, Kagami. No fucking way am I letting Mibuchi drop thirty on me again."

Kagami slaps him on the back with a laugh.

"You've got this. Call for the switch when you need, okay, and remember the film sessions – you know the real from the fake, remember that. Don't bite too soon, and stay in his face, alright?"

"You better make sure that cocky bastard eats his words."

Kagami laughs, and stretches his arms high above his head.

"The only thing that cocky bastard's gonna be eating tonight is my massive..."

"At the Shooting Guard position, standing at six-feet five-inches, number five: Tyler Dorsey!"

Dorsey runs out onto the court with a whoop of excitement, as the crowd become even more enthusiastic in their applause. The enthusiastic shooting-guard has been a fan favourite ever since his transfer from the Israeli Premier League, developing a reputation for making clutch-time baskets at crucial moments. Kagami himself has found Dorsey a hard-working, reliable, exciting player to play with, and in a team where Kagami has taken on the primary scoring load, he values Dorsey as the energetic, fundamentally sound, ride-or-die third option that he is.

"At the Center position, standing at six-feet eleven-inches, number thirty-three: Darius Jones!"

With a roar of "let's fucking go, Taiga!", DJ storms onto the court, every ounce of nervous energy channelled into a competitive passion that lets Kagami know in no uncertain terms that DJ's putting up a double-double tonight.

Ever since they were playing pickup on the streets of Los Angeles together, DJ has matched Kagami's drive and fire at every turn. He may be a loud-mouthed, class-clown type of guy in the dressing room and in the club, but on the court, Darius Jones knows exactly what he's good at, and pours one-hundred and ten percent into it: rebounding, hard screens, punishing under-the-rim defence, and some of the most unsettling, creative trash talk present in Japanese basketball. With DJ carrying the heaviest load when it comes to rebounding, Kagami is so often free to operate the way he does best, and the strength and hustle that DJ brings is vital to the success that Alvark Tokyo has enjoyed.

"He's fired up... that's good."

Kagami turns to his Captain and grins in agreement.

"What about you, Genki?"

Captain Kojima just smiles back, his face a cheerful, carefree façade hiding one of the most well-disguised competitive obsessions that Kagami has ever seen. He reminds him, ever so slightly, of Kise, in his friendly, affable manner and his boundless yet perfectly controlled energy on the court.

"Kagami, I am your Captain. I'm always fired up, but I know exactly what I need to do to win. Do you?"

With an almost feral snarl, Kagami thumps his chest with a fist – Genki always knows how to push his buttons.

"Kick some ass, Captain!"

Genki gives a short, sharp nod, and turns away as his name is called out:

"At the Point Guard position, standing at five-feet eleven-inches, number one: your Alvark Tokyo Captain, Genkiiiiii Kojimaaaaaa!"

With his face the picture of serenity, Genki walks onto the court, leaving Kagami alone in the tunnel (as is always the case with B. League games, the bench players are already seated at the side-lines). And it is in this singular moment of solitude that Kagami closes his eyes, lifts his head skyward, and prays. He would never call himself religious, or even as subscribing to a faith. But since his injury, every day he has decided to speak with whatever strands of cosmic divinity govern the universe and call them G-d.

"Hey G-d, hope you're watching today. Thanks so much for the gift of basketball, and for healing my knee. Protect all my teammates from injury, bad officiating, and foul tempers, give us all wisdom and energy, and, if it's your will, give us this fucking win! Amen."

And then, it is time: time to face the lights, the screaming of his home crowd, and the looming, ever-present basketball nemesis that is Aomine Daiki.

"And nooooow, at the Power Forward position, standing at six-feet nine-inches, number twenty-three: yoooooooour reigning B. League Most Valuable Player, Kagamiiiiii Taigaaaaaa!"

The song playing over the Arena sound system changes to the thumping bass of Duckwrth's 'Start A Riot', as Kagami runs onto the court, throwing his arms in the air as the mania of the crowd reaches fever pitch. The arena lights begin to strobe, as he casts his eyes around the arena, taking in the hundreds of fans wearing his Jersey. Some of them are even sporting his number ten jersey from his time in Chicago. This is his city, it always has been, and Kagami bears as much love for the screaming fans as they do for him. Ever since he returned to Tokyo from playing in Chicago, he has been amazed at how dearly the fans hold him, and every game he strives to give them the best show he possibly can.

Today just might be the best show of them all.

The music fades, and the players take their positions, DJ and Papa Mbaye facing each-other for the tip-off. Across the half court line, Aomine slowly and deliberately licks his lips, every nerve focussed and poised, ready the explode into action. Kagami closes his eyes, waiting with bated breath for that first whistle.

It's time.

(Author's Note: And we're back! I am so glad to finally update this, and I can only apologise for how freaking long writing this next section has taken me. Between the unrelenting busyness of my work, my own focus on maintaining my mental health, and, it must be said, my wife and I discovering the joys of painting Warhammer together, it has been really difficult to find time to actually sit down and write this.

There is a lot more to this particular chapter, but I felt it best to split the game into two individual parts (namely because I really wanted to get something up for you guys).

My passion for this story, these characters, and what I am doing with them has not waned in the slightest, all that has changed is that I physically have less time and energy to write at this present time. Nonetheless, the work is ongoing, and I am excited about where I am taking this story. Practically, the challenges of writing a competitive basketball game will likely mean that the rest of this chapter takes a while to write, and I sincerely hope that the result is worth the wait.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading this story, and I'd like to extend a particularly heartfelt thank you to Arise and Awaken of for their in depth, wonderful reviews and character analysis. While I'm here, a massive shoutout to both Shinsun and hybristophilica of AO3 – your writing inspires me greatly, and the AoKaga vibes I'm putting out are mainly because I love you guys and your writing.

I'm so glad I've finally gotten something posted for y'all, and I hope you're all well and blessed

Keep living

melodramaticglassescharacter)