"Why did you skip class again, Aomine-kun?"
No more than 10 minutes ago, Kuroko angrily slammed open the library door only to find a napping Aomine hunched over one of the tables. He had chosen to slump down beside the male with a sigh. Kuroko assumed he was being noisy because Aomine snapped his head up just as he sat down.
The two sat in silence, Aomine watching the blunette work. Now, at present time, Kuroko has broken the awkward silence.
"You seem weird today. Did something happen?" the tan teen queried with a raise of his brow. Kuroko gave him an exasperated look causing Aomine to jump in surprise. "S-sorry! Geez, you don't gotta get all mad. I was just asking.." the ganguro trailed off, more mumbling toward the end.
Kuroko blinked apologetically, pacifying his face. "Apologies, Aomine-kun."
"It's whatever.. Is something bothering you?" Aomine leaned his arms over the table, peering at the, still, working blunette.
"No, Aomine-kun. I'm fine," Kuroko replied, never taking his eyes off the binders he was sorting. He was surprised Aomine hadn't asked about them. The ganguro probably didn't care about it, anyways.
Aomine shrugged and flopped back on the table listlessly. "Whatever you say.."
As time went on, Kuroko completely finished sorting the plans and Aomine drifted off into another nap. The blunette was thankful for the tranquility.
The second period soon ended and Kuroko shook the sleeping ganguro's shoulder. He's said it once and he'll say it again. Dejavu.
"Aomine-kun, it's time to wake up. I don't wanna have to pull your chair out again," Kuroko directed as he picked up his backpack and the pile of folders. As if those words were magical, Aomine's eyes snapped open before he jumped out of his seat. "I'm awake! No need for that!"
Kuroko laughed softly while turning toward the library doors. "Then, let's head to class."
Aomine chased after the blunette and threw an arm over his shoulders. "You seem to be in a better mood now! That's good! Scary Tetsu is bad Tetsu!" the navy-head barked out a laugh.
Kuroko just shook his head amusedly.
"Hey, I never asked. What are all those binders for? Assignments for class?" Aomine snatched the top folder before opening and examining it. "Are these plans for the Inter-high!?"
Kuroko chuckled. Of course Aomine would be excited about anything basketball related.
"Yes, Aomine-kun. These are fundraiser ideas," Kuroko explained, seizing the binder from Aomine, earning a whine.
"I didn't know you were in the student council. Didn't you say before that no clubs or activities interested you?" Aomine catechized, causing Kuroko to sigh. He knew Aomine would ask that question. "Koganei-senpai asked if I could help out with some simple stuff. I couldn't refuse."
"That's cool of you! Speaking of, I think my team captain is actually the student council president... Have you met him yet?" Aomine raised an eyebrow when Kuroko averted his gaze.
"You can say that.."
"What is that supposed to mean?" the navy-head eyed Kuroko suspiciously. "Did you have a bad run-in with him or somethin'?"
"Ah! Look, we made it! Let's head inside!" the blunette exclaimed uncharacteristically. He hurriedly entered class before plopping into his seat with a sigh. Kuroko felt bad for ignoring Aomine's question, but he really wasn't in the mood to complain about the Teiko basketball captain right now.
Aomine soon entered with a bewildered expression. He took his seat and just glared at the back of Kuroko's head. The blunette disregarded the feeling of someone staring at him and opened his textbook, turning to the page written on the board.
He'd just worry about class for now and explain everything to Aomine later.
xXx
As the third and fourth period ended, lunch soon followed through. Kuroko informed Aomine that he would meet with him after he turned in the work he'd done for the student council. The tan teen didn't stop him, only gave a sound of acknowledgement before making his way to the cafeteria.
The blunette walked quickly, evading any and all students roaming the hallways. Upon ingress, Kuroko spotted a tall purple-haired teen leaned up against the wall next to the student council office door. The teal-head took notice of the maiubo in his large hands, as well. The teen was munching hungrily at it.
Kuroko assumed the male was just waiting for someone.
Omitting the male, the blunette walked up to the door, about to knock when it flew open in his face. An all too familiar redhead stood at the entrance, a smirk growing on his face as he observed Kuroko. "I see you got everything done on time, just as I asked."
Kuroko's, usually emotionless, expression grew vexed at the sight of the infuriating captain. All the blunette wanted was to turn in his crap and go to lunch-not stopped and mocked by a provoking redhead.
"Yes, Akashi-kun. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to return these and head to lunch," Kuroko tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, but it slipped fortuitously. Akashi narrowed his eyes and stepped to the side. "Come inside, then."
Kuroko entered warily, deciding on placing the pile of binders on the desk closest to the door. Once done, the teal-head marched out the office without a word. He could feel Akashi's probing heterochromatic eyes following his every move. Kuroko ignored it, of course.
Just as Kuroko exited the office, a voice made him freeze.
"Aka-chin~ Are you done yet~?" the blunette glanced to the side, realizing it was the giant purple-haired teen that had just spoken. It wasn't directed at him, so he just continued on his way.
"Yes Atsushi, we are done now. I apologize for the wait. We had to wait for a certain someone to bring our project files." Kuroko knew Akashi was just trying to provoke him, however... It worked.
"Oh, my apologies, student council president. I didn't know I was supposed to turn those in early. I am truly sorry for my incompetence," the teal-head was speaking sarcastically. It wasn't like he was going to genuinely apologize when he had done what was required of him. Akashi was just being a dick.
"Is that attitude I hear? I would have assumed you'd know how to speak to someone of higher status, by now. Y'know, considering your place here," Akashi crossed his arms, mockingly. Kuroko hated that stance. It was always as if the redhead was asserting dominance. Which he was.
"Higher status? Last I checked, you and I are both first-years. I wouldn't speak so boldly. You never know what the upperclassmen would say," Kuroko hissed back, clenching his fists mildly. Akashi barked out a laugh. "The upperclassmen have nothing on me. I have achieved more in less than a year than they have in the last 2 or 3 years. For I am absolute."
Kuroko rolled his eyes before placing his hands on his hips jeeringly. "You are absolute? Who pampered you so abundantly for you to believe such a thing?"
"I don't need to be told. I just know it. I am always right," the captain scoffed, causing the blunette to sigh in displeasure. "Of course you do." Having enough of Akashi's overbearing attitude, Kuroko turned back toward the hall.
"I wish you the best day today, president," the sarcastic comment had Akashi sneering. "Same to you, chibi-chan." The nickname obviously irked the blunette, however he decided to ignore it; not wanting to humor the redhead any longer. Aomine was probably waiting for him as well.
Akashi watched as the blunette walked away indignantly. The smirk was still evident on his face. Since nothing more had been said, Akashi got the last word. Meaning, he obviously won that verbal 'fight'. He always made sure to win.
"Aka-chin isn't usually so mean~ What changed?" the neglected Murasakibara pouted, taking another munch of his maiubo. He had been a spectator of the 'smack talk' between his captain and some random blunette.
"Nothing of importance, Atsushi," Akashi assured. "We shall head to the mess hall to eat now. I presume you are hungry."
"Always Aka-chin~" the center commented as he took off toward the cafeteria. Akashi followed behind with a stoic expression.
xXx
Aomine was beyond bored. Kuroko was taking way longer than he should have. The ganguro could do nothing but eat and involuntarily listen to Kise rant about his day. The blonde was interesting, but Aomine'd rather study than hear about how Kise was mobbed by fangirls 24/7. It pissed him off just thinking about it. The model always was a bragger.
A slow fifteen minutes had passed, by the time Kuroko sat down at their table with a bento in hand. "Apologizes, Aomine-kun, Kise-kun. Turning in the binders took a little longer than I anticipated."
Kise laughed off the apols. "Don't worry about it Kurokocchi! I was just telling Aominecchi about my day." The navy-head scoffed. "More like bragging."
"You consider it bragging. I consider it typical behavior for someone like me," Kise blew his bangs out of his face and leaned on the table. "Are you jealous, Aominecchi?"
Aomine's face grew a tinge of red before he smacked the model on the head. "Of course not! Why would I be jealous of you?!"
"It-ai! Aominecchi doesn't need to hit me so hard!" Kise whined as he held the place Aomine hit. "You might damage my brilliant mind!"
The power forward scoffed before turning his attention back to the blunette. "Alright! Study time!"
"You are excited today, Aomine-kun," Kuroko tilted his head, however his face remained expressionless. Aomine shrugged in return. "I'd rather get it over with."
"Aw~ Aominecchi is trying to be smart? How cute~" Kise teased as he mockingly held his face with both hands. "Aominecchi is gonna be just like me when he grows up!" Aomine growled. "Why would I wanna be like you?! And, I'm already grown up, dammit!"
"Aomine-kun, please lower your voice," Kuroko ordered as he took a bite of his food. Kise giggled at the blunette's bluntness.
Rubbing his temples with a groan, Aomine pulled out his book-bag before dropping all his textbooks on the table. "Alright Tetsu, let's get to work." The ganguro rubbed his hands together, prepared.
"Shouldn't I be telling you that, Aomine-kun?" Kuroko teased while closing his bento box. Aomine just grumbled, ignoring his comment.
Kise watched on the sidelines as Kuroko started explaining the basics of Algebra I and Geometry to the demented gangruo. It was amusing, to put it mildly. The blonde would have offered to tutor the tanned-teen but after seeing the struggle Kuroko was going through right now-he was glad he hadn't.
Aomine wasn't stupid, he was just a slower learner (when it came to school, that is). No one on the basketball team had the patience for that. Kise was glad the blunette had accepted Aomine's request- no, demand to help him because otherwise, the teen would be failing drastically.
The school year had just started and, here Aomine was already getting F's. The dramatic drop in his grades even had Akashi shocked.
Kise chose not to interrupt and just observed the befuddled navy-head and exasperated bluenette. The young model assumed Kuroko had reasonable grades, considering Aomine asked him to be his tutor. Only Aomine would start failing almost every single one of his classes so early in the year.
Kise chuckled inwardly as Kuroko sighed while rubbing his temples. "Aomine-kun, these are called functions. You calculate them by-" the bluenette was cut off by Aomine's confused, yet trailed off voice. "I thought these were called radicals..."
"Aomine-kun, you won't start learning radicals until the end of the school year," Kuroko explained as the power forward raised an eyebrow. "Then why was I told these were called radicals?"
"I don't know, Aomine-kun. Someone was either joking with you or just being straight-out stupid." Kise barked out a laugh at the blunette's reply. Kuroko sure is amusingly blunt.
The teal-head glared at Kise warningly. The blonde flinched and smiled apologetically. "Forgive me, Kurokocchi! Continue."
After 30 minutes, Kuroko had gotten Aomine to understand the basics of expressions, functions, and systems of equations. Things Kuroko had already been taught in his previous math year. The blunette was sorta of a math nerd.
"Man~ I didn't know we learned all three of these already," Aomine hummed, rubbing the back of head with a pencil in hand. "Thanks for the help, Tetsu." Kuroko nodded with an appreciative smile.
Sadly, the palpable truth set its weight on Kuroko's shoulders. Math was only one of the subjects Kuroko was helping the power forward with. Considering how hard it was to get Aomine to understand one math formula, things weren't gonna be easy. They had a lot of work to do.
xXx
A/N: Is the story moving too fast? Are the parts too long? I really hope it's not confusing. I wanna make this story as clear as I can. I wrote most these parts in the same day so~ I hope they correlate to one another-
Anyways, thank you for reading! Don't forget to review! Have a nice day!
To be continued...
~Rin