After The Rise, Comes The Fall
Akashi Seijuurou is young. Too young and too small to carry the burdens of The Akashi family. But as much as he is young, Akashi Seijuurou is a genius.
(And as much he is a genius, he still is just a child.)
He has many duties as the next heir, therefore his schedule is busy. He has to keep perfect scores in his studies and improve his music skills, learn about proper etiquette and politics. Even his hobbies, few as they are, need to be up to Akashi's standards.
Seijuurou doesn't understand what it truly means, only that he has to succeed. (He has yet to notice the childhood he's missing.) He's happy with it. (Having never known anything else.)
Seijuurou doesn't mind it. He doesn't because his mother smiles and pats his head, proud of his work and taking him aside to reward him with a quick trip to a nearby candy shop or a walk in the park.
Seijuurou is perfect and he's happy.
Seijuurou still is young, a child; but he's smarter than before, just a little bit more aware of his situation.
He doesn't score 100 in his latest math test and his father calls him to his study room. Seijuurou stands still in front of the wooden table, head slightly low and arms hanging on his sides. His father is angry and disappointed, he knows, and he has to hold back the urge to cry. ("Akashis don't cry, Seijuurou. Stop acting so disgracefully.")
"What's the meaning of this, Seijuurou?" Masaomi's voice is harsh and unforgiving and it takes every bit of Seijuurou's self restrain not to flinch.
"I apologize, father. It will not happen again." He tries, he tries so hard not to sound deflated and lost. He doesn't sound like himself.
He's dismissed, but the pressure is still there, just heavier. He starts to understand a little more what means to be an Akashi. (It's so cold and lonely. He isn't sure he wants to be one.)
Seijuurou starts to get what his future is going to be and doesn't really like it. So like the child he's still is, but shouldn't be, Seijuurou goes to his mother.
His mother knows about his grade, but she smiles. "You did great. I'm proud of you."
It's something he wishes his father would say to him, but Seijuurou somehow knows that this isn't going to happen.
He latches on her lap but doesn't cry because his father's words never truly leave his mind.
Seijuurou is perfect, but he doesn't believe it.
His last piano lesson was hard-his fingers hurt from trying to reach the notes and he has a headache from focusing too much on the sounds, but his performance was perfect and that is what matters.
Seijuurou stretches his hands in an attempt to soothe the pain. He still has to finish his homework and the extra bits his father gave him, but writing with his hand like that slows the process and he panics a little, thinking he won't finish them in time.
But ahead of him is his mother, a warm and welcoming figure.
"Sei, come with me," she says, a smile adorning her features, "I have a present for you." Her hand gently holds his as she lightly tugs him to follow her.
They go to the garden-a big and vast place; beautiful and full of different flowers. Shiori picks an orange ball, giving it to him.
"A basketball. You deserve a little break from all the studying."
The ball is big and rough in his hand. Seijuurou remembers his mother showing him a game on TV, explaining the rules and sharing with him her memories from her childhood, when she played. It was the happiest Seijuurou ever saw his mother.
"Homework can wait, sweetheart. Now is time to have fun!" Her smiles brighten and he feels his heart accelerating, worries about his duties quickly forgotten.
"Will you play with me, mother?"
Seijuurou is perfect, if only because his mother is there.
The sky is pretty-there are no clouds, the sun is out and the blue seems bluer than usual. It's a nice day, but it isn't.
His little suit suffocates him, even if he's already used to wearing it. The maid checks one more time his necktie and shirt, making sure there is no wrinkles. She stands, seizing him up with meticulous eyes and once she deems his appearance acceptable she takes his hand and they start walking.
"It's an unfortunate occasion and I'm very sorry for what's happening, young master," she says, not really meaning it, "but Akashi-sama needs you to be in your best behavior. It's just as hard for him as is for you, please understand this."
Seijuurou answers her, but it's not really him who answers. He knows because everything feels so far and he's not really there. He listens to her talking but it's like he's underwater and her words are too distant.
He's in auto-pilot, he guesses. Every movement he makes doesn't feel real, doesn't feel like him; everything he sees is separated by an invisible screen, just like one of a TV.
There is a void in his chest and Seijuurou just wants to curl in a ball in his mother's lap.
He wants his mother.
She's not there anymore.
The funeral is much more a public thing than a private one. Too many partners from his father company than family. It feels like it's one more of the fancy parties his father holds to show the public how great he is.
It makes Seijuurou want to cry.
He doesn't, though. It's not him, but it's him. It doesn't matter anymore.
Seijuurou stays by his father's side, a cold mask of nothing. He greets and thanks people who probably don't even care for his mother.
The funeral is silent for the most part and only a handful of people are actually crying. Seijuurou barely recognizes them, but slowly, the realization sinks in.
Mother's family.
They cry and wail. They huddle together as if they can trust no one there, as if no one understands their pain. People around them shoot semi-sympathizing, semi-disgusted looks. They do not have a reputation to uphold, so they embarrass themselves freely.
("Akashis don't cry, Seijuurou. Stop acting so disgracefully.")
Seijuurou averts his eyes.
Neither of them cries.
Seijuurou is perfect, even if he isn't just only one anymore.
Middle school is... different.
Seijuurou still is the best in his year (and in the whole school), his grades never slipping; he gets in the first string in the basketball club even when everyone said it was impossible; he gets the vice-captaincy even though he is a first-year and he's a starter member.
He being what an Akashi is supposed to be, didn't change. (Here and there, his other one would slip in, but that wasn't much of a surprise.)
The other first years, on another hand, he didn't expect. Almost as talented as him, 3 other boys were accepted in the first string during the try-outs, each as different as possible.
Midorima Shintarou, he already knew. Midorima too, comes from a famous and prestigious family and Seijuurou met him during one of his father's parties. They aren't close, per se, (not yet) but he is a familiar face. He has a strange obsession with Oha-sa and carries even more stranger objects, but he is smart and proper. A good companion of sorts.
Murasakibara Atsushi is giant. And a child. He is lazy and petulant, there is no fear to hurt others with his harsh and cruel remarks, but he's easy to manipulate with candies and snacks. He's, however, smart and a genius of his own kind.
Aomine Daiki is a teenager down to the point. Cheerful and thoughtless, guided by instincts, living in the heat of the moment. He is not bright, but Seijuurou can't deny his talent in basketball. They do not get along very well, too different to understand each other, but they do respect one another.
Momoi Satsuki, the only woman in their group may not play the game, but she is just as essential as the players. Her data, Seijuurou admits, is something else. Momoi is all about brains and beauty and she knows how to use both perfectly; but she is also about caring and happiness—like a second mother to all, she makes sure they stay healthy and happy, although her cooking skills are debatable.
The first year comes and goes and, not only his group stays by him, but it grows.
Kuroko Tetsuya is an enigma—unassuming and bland, but with a talent Seijuurou did not expect. He may be weak and naive, but he's the one always surprising Seijuurou, always surpassing his expectations. Beyond his meek figure is a burning passion just as strong as Aomine.
Kise Ryouta is someone Seijuurou gladly takes to substitute Haizaki, but that unexpectedly worms his way to Seijuurou heart like the others. Although petty and sometimes vain, Kise is witty and smart in his own way. He has a clear line between friends and others, able to be cold towards those without his regard, but extremely affectionate to his friends.
It takes a while to admit but eventually, Seijuurou has no problem to say he has friends.
Seijuurou is perfect and, somehow, the people around him are too.
The friendship and happiness don't last, just like his mother, who withers away in a hospital bed—painfully slow but certain. And just like then, Seijuurou does nothing but watch his world crumble.
It start with Nijimura-san retiring and passing the captaincy to him. It starts there, because even though Seijuurou have been taught how to lead his whole life he was not taught how to help the despair of geniuses. He sees how things are not working like before; how Aomine lags in the training but excel during the matches; how he doesn't smile anymore; how his friendship with Kuroko starts to strains.
Everyone starts blooming, their true talents coming to life. Seijuurou also notes how he starts to fall behind.
(He panics. He's the captain, he's an Akashi. He's supposed to be better than everyone.)
(Seijuurou switches more now. He has to be perfect.)
Aomine stops coming to practice; Kuroko despairs.
He tries to be better-a better captain, a better friend, a better player.
It's too much.
And then, Murasakibara defies him.
Seijuurou breaks.
(Losing is not an option; it never was. There is no choice, they switch.)
Seijuurou wins.
There is no more friendship or happiness, because they are not needed. Winning is breathing and Seijuurou wants to live.
(There was no choice.)
It's cold and numb, but his heart beats and he stays at the top. He feels nothing.
(The media calls them 'Miracle', their opponents, 'Monster'.)
Kuroko breaks. The phantom turns to a ghost.
("Do you enjoy playing basketball?")
Seijuurou is nothing but perfection.
(Seijuurou is nothing without perfection.)