Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kuroko no Basket!
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1st year – Too Academy
The weeks passed by and soon it was three weeks since Mac had started Too Academy. She liked it, and she had gotten used to the new team. Well, mostly. There were still times she felt a little uncomfortable and wants to pull back, but she is mostly content with them. Susa especially seemed to be able to see when she feels too uncomfortable and would make it easier for her to get some air or pull back without the others questioning her.
Mac sighed as she leaned her head in her hands and stared out of the window at the basketball court outside and the gym class that was apparently going on right now. She could see Namamura and guessed his class was the one having gym at the moment. She sighed again as her thoughts moved away from the gym class she observed and back to what was bothering her.
Kiyoshi. Her boyfriend who had been acting strange lately, he had found excuses for not seeing each other and when she was there he had kept a distance to her making her confused. Yet, there were times he would stare at her. He would deny it when she asked him about it and goof it off like he normally did.
It felt wrong and she knew what it meant, even if she didn't want to admit it, not even to herself. She sighed again and ignored the look Sakurai gave her or the fact that Daiki was busy with Fujimoto and that she needed her best friend right now. She heard the giggle from Fujimoto and refused to turn around to watch them.
She was worried and she wanted to talk to someone, but there wasn't anyone she could really talk to about boys. Daiki and Seijuro were the two she would consider going to but they were both not really an option for this. She didn't want to start to imagine how they would react and how they would blame Kiyoshi when she knew it wasn't his fault.
...
"What am I going to do, Riko?" Kiyoshi asked looking at his coach who was sitting on a chair next to his bed and looked at him worriedly. "I… really like her but…I can't keep this up…"
Riko sighed, "You need to talk to her, Teppei."
He nodded but he wasn't looking forward to that conversation, but he couldn't keep it up anymore. He had desperately wanted to deny the fact that he wasn't the one Mac liked and wanted. He had clung to her denying himself the right to getting angry and while jealous he kept smiling and keeping it together.
"You know…you have a right to be upset," Riko said gently.
"I know, but… she doesn't know why she reacts like that, Riko," Kiyoshi said looking at his friend. "Mac…she is loyal and kind and I know she doesn't want to hurt me, and I never want to hurt her either. She isn't aware of how she feels about Aomine."
Riko frowned and looked at Kiyoshi who sighed and looked out of the window. He remembered all the times Mac had come and visited him, how she had spent hour after hour in here with him never letting out that she was bored or that she had other things to do. She had helped him with his rehabilitation
"Mac is a good girl," Riko agreed. "But by being like this…you're not really doing her any favours, Teppei."
He nodded and looked at the drawing she had given him. It really was perfect and a good image of their perfect date. It felt really like an end for them, he realized now. He had known for a while what he had to do and had postponed it. Now he saw just what damage he had done to both himself and her by doing so.
...
Mac found that the magic lesson was a great way to distract her from her troubled thoughts and worries so she focused really hard on the lessons she had with Sato that day. She thought he might have noticed as he had given her a few strange looks, but he didn't say anything just let her continue. By the time she left she was tired but had managed to distract her mind enough that she was ready for a new day.
Mac ignored Daiki again when Fujimoto was with him and focused on doing her homework during breaks and when the final bell finally rang she got up and made her way toward the gym.
"Hi Kenzie! Wait up!" Daiki called and Mac automatically stopped and turned seeing Daiki coming up behind her.
"I'm going to be late for practice, Daiki," Mac said.
"Well, I thought I would go today," Daiki shrugged and Mac arched a brow.
"Alright," she said. "Come on, let's go."
Daiki walked beside her through the hallway and was chatting about an anime he had seen the day before. Mac couldn't help but smile and listen amused as he waved his hands to explain the show to her.
They reached the locker rooms and split to change before they met up again at the gym. Daiki was holding a ball and twirled it on his finger with a lazy look on his face. Mac sighed, but she decided that she wasn't going to let him do what he wished today so she reached out and stole the ball from him before he knew what happened.
"Kenzie!" he growled but there was playfulness in his voice as well.
"Take it back," she teased, "if you can."
Daiki smirked at her and she smirked back before she started to run across the court with Daiki right behind her, but she knew Daiki and knew how he thought so she was able to avoid him and keep him from stealing the ball back. She dribbled the ball twisting and twirling out of his reach and ducked under his arms once with the ball going between his legs.
"Kenzie!" Daiki glared but she just laughed.
"Come on, Daiki," she laughed. "Are you having trouble?"
Neither was aware of the rest of the team had arrived and was staring at them with wide eyes as they had never seen the two playing together before. Not like this, not looking so carefree and happy.
"Wow," Inoue said summing up what they all were thinking. "I never thought Mac-san could do anything like that…"
"She's keeping Aomine-san away from the ball like it's nothing," Abe said awed.
Imayoshi watched with great interest as Daiki reached for the ball and he knew that against anyone else he would have gotten the ball, but Mac seemed to know what he was doing and gracefully avoided his arm and moved to the side taking the ball with her in a perfect show of ball-control.
"I know she's one of them," Susa said from beside him making Imayoshi glance over at his friend, "but I don't think I ever really saw her as one of them. She can hold her own against Aomine-san."
Imayoshi nodded and a smile spread on his lips, "how fascinating."
"Kenzie, I'll get you," Daiki called and Mac stuck out her tongue at him before she jumped and released the ball in the air and they watched as the ball flew through the air and into the hoop.
"Too late," Mac smirked. "I win."
"I'll get you," Daiki said but he smirked and picked up the ball.
"The team is here," Mac said and she calmed down facing the team. Daiki scowled as if they had interrupted them by showing up where they weren't supposed to be. Mac rolled her eyes at her friend, but she seemed more serious than she had been only moments before.
...
"Oh-oh," Imayoshi said with a smile on his face making Mac look away from Yamaguchi who was telling a story about his latest vacation. "If it isn't Kiyoshi Teppei."
Mac spun around and saw Kiyoshi standing just inside the door to the gym looking a little sheepish as he was rubbing the back of his head.
"Hello," Kiyoshi waved at them.
"What are you doing here?" Daiki snapped at him as he suddenly appeared beside Mac.
Mac rolled her eyes a little, but she noticed that Kiyoshi eyed Daiki with something that resembled annoyance.
"Hi Teppei," Mac said before he could answer Daiki. "I didn't know you were planning on stopping by today,"
"I know," Kiyoshi looked at her. "I thought your practice ended around now?"
"It does," Mac said and moved away from her team. "Let me just change and I'll join you outside."
"Okay," Kiyoshi nodded and watched as Mac left the gym.
"You know our little star manager/player?" Imayoshi asked with a grin.
Kiyoshi looked at him and wondered if he may have made a mistake coming to meet her after school, he just wanted to get to talk with her and didn't know how to ask for her to come over by a text. It seemed cruel to ask her to come to him with what he had planned.
"He's her boyfriend," Daiki solved the problem of what to say for him.
"Really?" Imayoshi looked at him and then he frowned a little but Kiyoshi wasn't sure what he saw. The other boy always put him on edge. "I see."
"Well, I should go," Kiyoshi said without looking at Daiki. While he didn't blame Mac he did feel more resentful toward Daiki and right now he didn't really want to look at him. He turned and walked back out of the gym.
"Who was that?" Sakurai asked before shrinking together when Daiki turned his glare at him. "Sorry!"
Daiki huffed and walked to the side to pick up his jacket.
"Kiyoshi Teppei," Imayoshi said glancing at Sakurai, "he's one of the Uncrowned Kings. A strong Centre and Ace."
"Where does he play?" Namamura asked curiously. "I think I remember him for his Middle School days, but I don't remember what team he went to."
"Seirin High School," Imayoshi said with a thoughtful look. "But he's injured now, though."
...
Mac walked quietly next to Kiyoshi and noticed that he too was being uncharacteristically quiet, there was not light chatter about his team or a TV show he had recently watched or even a game he had played with one of the older men at the rehabilitation centre. She glanced at him and saw the serious and sad look on his face.
Mac wanted to say something to fill the silence between them, wanted to get the look off his face but no words came to her as she walked beside him. She glanced at him again and saw that his hands were fisted at his side and a distracted look was on his face as he didn't look at her. She wasn't told she was good at reading the body language of others and observing for nothing, and now when she was really looking at her boyfriend she saw more than she ever wanted to see, more than she was ready to see.
She wanted to turn around and walk away from him, she wanted to avoid what she knew was coming. Yet, she knew she couldn't. She couldn't avoid it and she tensed her shoulders knowing that she had to face it and remain strong. At least for now.
They finally ended up in a park and she watched as he walked a few paces in front of her and stopped. She stopped too and watched his strong back for a moment before he turned to look at her, there was no happiness in his warm brown eyes that now seemed sad and resigned. He did smile slightly, but it was sad, soft and final.
"Mac," he said quietly. "We need to talk."
She had always thought that the phrase 'we need to talk' was something dramas and literature exaggerated for dramatic effect, but she felt the finality in those words like nothing else.
"I know," she whispered.
"I think we should break up," he said bluntly and straight to the point.
Mac almost managed to hide the flinch going through her body at his words, but she couldn't completely and Kiyoshi noticed it. Even knowing what was coming she had to struggle to process his words. She looked up at him with slightly wider eyes than normal and one simple question slipped through her lips before she really could think it through.
"Why?"
He sighed and for some reason, she couldn't help but picture him how he was on their date only a few weeks ago. She knew she was unreasonable asking for a reason because she knew deep down that this had been coming. Yet, she couldn't control the need to know…
"You know why, Mac," he said looking at her. "You don't like me anymore."
This time Mac couldn't control her flinch at all and her eyes snapped up at him with a frown settled on her face as she stared at him. She could see he was honest and he was looking so sad and resigned that she felt her heart hurt.
"What? Of course, I like you!" Mac denied. She did, didn't she? She liked him; she had for a long time! "I…"
He sighed and smiled slightly, it was like a default reaction for him when he found her cute and even denying his statement she was adorable with her small glare and genuinely upset look on her face. It warmed him slightly to see it. It proved that he did matter to her.
"Perhaps I spoke to unclearly," Kiyoshi said. "I know you like me, Mac. I know you care about me, but…"
He trailed off unsure about what to say or if he should say it at all. He didn't want to confuse her or seem too jealous or something. He worked hard to remain kind and understanding.
"But?" she pressed.
"I'm not the one you can't leave, Mac," Kiyoshi finally said a note of frustration in his voice. "I'm not the one you can't seem to let go and I can't be your second choice anymore."
Mac frowned and opened her mouth to protest, but he shook his head and stepped closer to her. She closed her mouth and fought the confusion and denial that was building inside of her, the sadness that filled her was almost overpowering as she stared at Kiyoshi.
"I don't understand," she finally whispered frustrated.
"I know," he said quietly. "I…I have known for a while now, but… I was being selfish… I didn't want to let you go, Mac. I like you and I care for you, so I wanted to have you for myself a little longer."
Selfish? Kiyoshi Teppei calling himself selfish? That was just wrong because Mac knew very well that selfish was the last thing Kiyoshi were.
"You're not," she protested. "I'm…I'm…"
"It's okay, Mac," Kiyoshi said reaching out and lifted her head up so she met his eyes with his hand. He smiled softly at her again and she saw the emotions in his eyes, she saw how hard this was for him and she felt bad. She felt guilty because she had hurt him, she had hurt the one who least deserved it.
"I'm sorry," she said forcing back a sob. She couldn't cry now, not here. Not in front of him. "I…I don't understand, but I'm sorry I hurt you. I never… I never wanted that…"
"I know," Kiyoshi said and pulled her into a hug. She tensed at first before she let herself sink into the warmth one more time, but at the same time, it felt different. It felt strange and opposite from the other times he had hugged her when she had felt warm and safe and protected. Now there was something else there and she felt like crying even more. She used all her strengths and all the techniques she had learned as a little girl stuck with the Dursley's to stop herself from crying. It wasn't right to let him see her tears.
"It's going to be okay, Mac," Kiyoshi said after a while when he pulled back. He kept his hands on her shoulders, though. "I will still be your friend. I'll still be here and I hope you'll still come and see me. I meant what I told you. I will always be here for you; it just has to be as your friend."
Mac swallowed and pushed her denial and questions away as she looked at him. He was serious and honesty shone through his eyes, and she knew…she knew that he meant what he said and she knew that she wanted him as her friend. She just… had to get over the hurt and pain she felt right now as she looked at him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered again feeling that she couldn't stop apologizing.
She felt lost and she wanted this moment to end, yet…she also never wanted it to end because that would mean that it was really over. She didn't know how to react to all this. She could see that he was struggling as well and she sighed looking down. She felt him gripping her shoulders tighter and she looked up again to see that he had come closer. He was watching her with a look she couldn't read before he slowly moved forward and pressed his lips to hers. It wasn't more than a brief touch of lips against lips, but she felt both of their emotions being conveyed through the kiss. He pulled back and let go of her taking a few steps back. He smiled a pained smile and she knew it was time. She nodded and without a word she turned and walked away from him, she felt him watching her for a little while but when she reached the curve of the lane she couldn't resist turning back to look, he was gone.
...
Mac allowed Nao to get out of her bag and she cuddled the fox close to her chest, he had recently found out how to make himself smaller so he was comfortably cuddled in her arms. He was making soft noises like he was trying to comfort her, sensing her pain.
She was walking aimlessly around even as it was getting dark outside. She didn't want to go home, not yet. She wasn't ready to face Taiga, he would ask what was wrong and she didn't want to talk about it. Not yet. So she walked around and didn't really mind where she was going.
The conversation, the break-up, was spinning in her mind over and over again and she still felt confused about some parts, like who he was alluding to. She hadn't wanted to ask, she couldn't because deep down somewhere inside of her she knew and she wasn't ready to know. Not yet.
Hours later she finally made her way to the apartment she shared with her uncle and cousin. She opened the door as quietly as she could and made her way inside. There was a light on in the living room and she paused to see Taiga sleeping on the sofa. It was clear that he had been waiting for her and something inside of her warm but also clenched in pain. She silently made her way over to him and nudged him awake.
"Ugh..um…what?" he groggily murmured as his red eyes blinked open and widened when he saw Mac. "Mac!"
"You should sleep in your bed, Taiga," Mac said quietly. "Go to bed."
"Where have you been? You're late!" Taiga got up but Mac was already on her way to her room and her back was to Taiga.
"I didn't mean to worry you," Mac said. "I'm sorry, Taiga. I just lost track of time."
"Mac…" Taiga said.
"I'm tired," Mac interrupted him. "Good night, Taiga."
"…good night, Mac," he said before she closed the door to her room and she leaned back against it and exhaled heavily. She sank down until she was sitting on the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees hugging them tightly to her chest.
Now she let her tears escape and sobs shook her body as she realised that she didn't have a boyfriend anymore. He was…not hers anymore. Why did everything end?
...
Taiga paused outside of his cousin's room and watched the door with a concerned look on his face. Something was wrong with her, he knew it. She was pale and her eyes had been red around the edges like she had been crying. Why would she have been crying? Had something happened? He worried. He reached out as if to knock but he paused just before he touched the wooden door.
Frowning he could hear the muffled sounds of what sounded like crying and Nao's barking. He lowered his hand and fisted it. He wasn't sure how to comfort her, and he was sure she didn't want him seeing her like that. With one last look at the door, he walked to his own room and closed the door before going over to his bed and lying down.
He had been worried when she didn't get back as it was getting darker outside. She was normally always on time back and he was worried when she wasn't. He had almost called his dad, but something held him back. He didn't want to get her in trouble either, so he had decided to remain on the sofa waiting for her. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he must have.
He sighed. He wished he knew what was wrong.
...
Mac jerked awake and breathed harsher than normal as she sat up in her bed. Confusion filled her as she noticed that she was still wearing the clothes from the day before. She blinked and then everything came back to her.
I think we should break-up.
She fell back on her bed and closed her eyes. Nao barked softly next to her and she felt something wet against her cheek, she opened her eyes to see Nao having pressed his snout against her cheek. He looked at her sadly, worriedly.
"I'm fine, Nao," Mac said trying to calm her worried fox down. "I'm just a little sad."
"Ow-wow-ow," Nao cried and licked her face making Mac smile slightly and reach out to pull her little companion closer to her and settled him on her chest.
"What am I going to do, Nao?" she sighed. "I don't know how to tell Daiki or Seijuro… They'll overreact…"
She didn't want them to go into the overprotective mood and accuse Kiyoshi or corner him or something, she didn't want that… yet, she needed her friends. She needed them because she felt so alone. She hated being left, and while she understood why Kiyoshi broke up with her and her feelings for him had changed he had still left her.
The only ones who remained by her side were her friends, and right now she needed them. She closed her eyes again as the memories from the day before went through her again. It was like a never-ending cycle. At least it was the weekend so she didn't need to worry about getting up and ready for her magic lessons or school or even basketball practice.
Knock, knock.
Mac opened her eyes and eyed the door in silence until it knocked again.
"Mac?"
It was her cousin and she heard the worry in his voice even through the door. She sighed and pushed Nao down to her lap as she sat up and rubbed her eyes trying to get rid of the evidence of tears.
"What is it, Taiga?" She asked hoarsely.
"Um, well…It's pretty late and… I thought you might be hungry," Taiga stuttered and she could imagine him blushing.
"I'm not hungry," Mac said forcing her voice to be calm.
"Oh…" he said sounding sad, "I made breakfast."
Mac felt bad and closed her eyes momentarily trying to force her emotions down. She could tell that her cousin was worried about her, and it warmed her that he had gone out of his way to try to help.
"Fine," she said giving in. "I just need to change."
"Ok," he said sounding relieved.
Mac heard him walking away from her room and sighed again. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and started to look around her room for something comfortable to wear. She didn't feel like dressing up and the jeans she was wearing now was kind of uncomfortable.
She changed into a pair of sweatpants and a loose t-shirt before tying her messy hair together in a bun without caring how it looked. She didn't have the energy to care about that right now.
"Come on, Nao," Mac said and Nao jumped up in her arms without further prompting and she had a feeling that he was going to be clingy for a little while.
...
Taiga glanced up when he heard the shuffling of feet and had to work not to show how worried he got when he saw his cousin. She looked paler than normal and had dark shadows under her red-rimmed eyes.
Nao was in her arms and he was eyeing Taiga with a suspicious look in his brown eyes, something he hadn't really done in a while now so Taiga shifted nervously in his seat.
"Food's still hot," Taiga said awkwardly. "I made pancakes."
"Smells good," Mac said quietly. "Thank you."
He nodded and watched as she sat down and instead of putting Nao on the floor like she normally did she simple adjusted him so he was comfortable sitting on her lap as she reached for the food. She ate in silence and pretended not to notice how she was being watched as she ate.
When she finished eating she got up and took her plate to the sink and washed it before placing it in the dishwasher and tried not to think about Kiyoshi or how she couldn't send him a text and ask how he was feeling.
Without saying anything she went back to her room and closed the door unable to care that she was being rude to her cousin, unable to care that he was worried. She just had to be on her own. Her eyes fell on the teddy-bear Kiyoshi had won for her on their first date and she gingerly reached out to pick it up. She swallowed as her throat felt thick and her chest clenched in pain. Suddenly her mind was overwhelmed by memories and she sank down on the floor as memory after memory played in her mind.
Hello! I'm Kiyoshi Teppei.
She remembered the wide grin on his face as he introduced himself.
I look forward to playing you.
She clenched the teddy-bear tightly to her chest as tears ran down her cheeks.
Isn't basketball fun for you?
Why?
Good game. You played well. I was surprised.
Why? Why?
I love the game and I believe that you never know the outcome as long as someone is fighting. It's not anything particular reason for why I get up. I just don't like the alternative.
Everything changed.
I suggest you walk away. Before I make you.
Always.
I'm her boyfriend. So, I suggest you leave. Now.
Why did it change?
I like you. I have for a long time now and I wanted to ask you if you wanted to be my girlfriend.
Why did people always leave?
I want to make you smile. I want to make you happy. I believe I can make you happy, Mac.
Where were her smiles now? Why did her feelings for him change? Why did his feelings change? Why wasn't she good enough to keep him? Why? Why? Why?
I think we should break-up.
...
...
AN: *Hides in a corner*Sorry, sorry, sorry! I'm sorry! Don't hate me, please :S
It had to come, and it was even more difficult than I ever imagined. Ugh, I think I hate myself a little right now. Poor Mac, poor Teppei... I just couldn't postpone the breakup any longer, I probably already have done that too many times already. Who knew it would be that hard to break the two of them up. I hope I managed to get their emotions across right, I struggled a little with that.
The chapter is a little shorter than normal, only because I didn't feel it was right to move onto something else right away and I needed the chapter break to move forward.
Next chapter will be up tomorrow! Promise.
I'm sorry TT_TT
Thank you for reading.