Warning: Slight Violence Ahead
CHAPTER 5:
As the Panther Pounces Its Foe, It Becomes Its Prey
After Roll-Call. At the old shower area near Block A. Be there.
Even though it was only said through a whisper in his ear, it was loud and clear for Aomine to understand what Oshiro meant by those words. Without a doubt, Oshiro's envy towards him dated way back when they were both still serving under the police force, eventually gave rise to his unreasonable hatred over the dark-skinned man. Aomine, finally being triggered by the skinhead's provocations, started losing his temper then and, no matter how you look at it, he had his feet tangled within a nexus of Oshiro's design. Indeed, the said man's stirring him up, provoking him to engage on his dangerous game of one-sided loathing and abomination.
Well, Aomine has realized that beforehand and he was still greatly annoyed by it. Aside from getting pissed off by Oshiro's goading and by Kise's unintentional implications, Aomine was mostly annoyed by letting himself get caught up in Oshiro's scheme that he had become stupid and done some impetuous actions. But he also knows that there's nothing he can do to change things back. There's no use crying over spilled milk. The only thing he can do for now is to face his former colleague and settle things with him for once and for all.
As the roll call ended and every prisoner were good to settle back on their businesses, Aomine began preparing for his own. Using a strip of cloth he managed to fabricate from old pieces of clothing, he wrapped his hands tightly, from his palm down to his wrist. Aomine couldn't predict whether Oshiro will bring in weapons to attack him or not but in whichever way it is, he doesn't have any to bring with him and so he will just solely entrust things with his fist as it was the only thing he could use. And this strip of cloth he had just secured will serve as a simple protection for his hands in which it will make it last long from punching.
"What's that for?" Imayoshi probed in as he saw the former cop doing his hands.
"Nothing." Aomine answered, not bothering to explain, and quickly stood up to make his way out of the cell.
It took him quite a little time to find the old communal shower area. Aside from him being unfamiliar with the whole prison yet, the area is completely hidden and seemingly unpopulated. It hasn't been used for several years and so it's rare for the prison guards to check it. However, for most inmates, it has been secretly used as a smoking area, a sex den, or a place for some turf wars or confrontations. That is why, even though inmates are fully aware of the old shower area to be always occupied, they are quite wary of going near it for they might get into a mess of some sort.
"Took you a while to come here! I almost thought you got your tail stuck between your legs already…" Oshiro mockingly greeted with his infamous annoying smirk as Aomine's figure appeared right in front of him. He continued as he jumped down to his feet from sitting on a tiled surface near the sink, "Or am I just right to assume that?"
Feeling no need to explain things nor let himself be played more by the skinhead, Aomine didn't say a word; he, instead, stared at the two guys- most probably Oshiro's men- turning up right beside his former colleague. He doesn't know if Oshiro is going to play it dirty but whether he will be fighting with the other men too or not, he ought to be ready.
"Don't worry, these two are just here to watch for the guards outside or any intruder; since this shall be our game and no one else's." Oshiro said as he noticed Aomine being wary with his underlings.
Though Oshiro assured him that, the dark-skinned man didn't let his guard down over the two. He isn't being paranoid, but rather, he was just being cautious of the possibilities that might happen. Who knows if one of the guys suddenly hit him with a pole or something? It's too early to say yet that Oshiro's playing fair with him even though it was evident that he decided to not use weapons he could easily have with him.
Doing some arm and neck stretching, Aomine finally spoke, "Then, let's get this on now."
"Heh, being proactive, aren't you?" Oshiro retorted as he started to stretch his arms too.
There was a pervading feeling of arrogance, perverseness, and danger within the place. It was as if the tiled area was reflecting the tension forming between the two and this tension is definitely unstoppable. Oshiro kept his smirk up his expression, a proof that he's totally enjoying what is going on; on the other hand, Aomine maintained his apathetic look which made things more interesting for Oshiro.
At first, a silence has been unfolded that even the intake of air by their lungs is enough to be perceived by anyone in the room. Within this silence, two pairs of eyes were staring straight right back each other with great intensity – a pair of cunning black orbs and a pair of raging sapphire blue. And these pairs of eyes somehow became a means of their communication as it slowly counts…
1…
…2…
…3!
Oshiro immediately took the lead and made his first move. He swiftly swung a fist over Aomine that directly hit the man's jaw hard. Hard enough for his lip to get cut. And though Aomine was fully aware that he's been inside a fervent battle and was expecting an attack from the other in case he had been the first one to raise a fist, it still rendered him surprised. Not like this has been his first time to fight someone, in fact, he's too used to matches like this. But it was probably due to the shocking force of the heavy blow to his face that it triggered his instincts to get him startled. It wasn't a bad thing though, since eliciting his instincts activates his whole body into an all-out battle mode. It was as if the blow that was sent to him coursed throughout his body like electricity.
As the taste of blood from his cut lip spread all over his tongue, Aomine didn't hesitate to pay back the attack Oshiro gave him. Especially now that his wild side has been switched on, nothing can stop the adrenaline surging inside of him. He quickly threw back a punch of his own, making a ringing sound inside Oshiro's ears, and straightaway, kicked the guy in the gut that shoved the said man on the floor. He, then, grabbed him by his collar- almost ripping it- and slammed him against the tiled wall.
"Kiss your sorry little ass goodbye." Aomine gritted through his teeth and gave him another taste of his fist.
Oshiro's nose started bleeding as the punch the dark-skinned man gave him was harder than the first, however, that didn't seem to hurt him. It rather made him feel more challenged seeing that he has managed to bang his head over the other, and, as he broke free from Aomine's clutch, he took his chance to give the man a dose of his own medicine by kicking him too in the gut.
"Who's gonna kiss his own ass now?" Oshiro evilly laughed in triumph.
Due to the mix feeling of pain and giddiness taking over his body, Aomine slumped down on the floor. Of course, Oshiro didn't hesitate to make an attempt of booting him more while he's down on the ground, but he was only able to do it once as Aomine succeeded in dodging his second kick by rolling on his side.
The skinhead lowered down to try catching him on the floor but, as he tried to do that, Aomine quickly got up on his feet and struck his head with his knee that caused Oshiro to be this time, be the one feeling dizzy and writhing in pain on the floor. And with just a glance, everyone can tell that Aomine has dominated the said battle.
And like a panther charging within an onslaught, he pounced atop Oshiro, his prey, and hit him in the face with the hardest he could give and far more than the guy could ever take. Oshiro's face was all bruised and swollen and, at the same time, blood was oozing out of him. It wouldn't be hard to believe that the man has broken down several bones on his face- maybe his nose or his jaw or his cheekbones but whichever it is, it surely will make him look terrible. If only Aomine could realize what he has done, he would have stopped punching his former-colleague-turned-foe. He's a human who has mercy after all, but he couldn't. He couldn't stop the savageness taking over his body. He couldn't stop being the wild animal he was when it woke up from a deep sleep. He couldn't stop being a dangerous panther who could turn its foe into its prey.
Tanned fist was covered in blood, the crimson dancing across his knuckles was like a festival of red. Bloody and grimy. It wasn't pretty for a sight, the scene of a former cop savagely hitting with bloody fist a half-conscious man, moreover his former colleague, non-stop; but it wasn't just like that at all. A lot of things has happened and Aomine can't be the only to blame at all. He was insulted; he was provoked. And now he couldn't stop himself after being switched on. He may be the most untamed and dangerous person in the place right now, yet he doesn't realize it. He cannot hear anything but the sounds of his hits. He cannot see anything but the flexes of his fist. He cannot think about anything but to devour his enemy. He's not only incarcerated in Teikou Island Prison; he's incarcerated inside his mind and instincts too. He's not aware of anything including the fact that someone's stopping him now.
It was only through another punch on his face that got him back to his senses. It wasn't just like the punches Oshiro gave him a while ago; it was different. It's heavy, it's fierce, and it carried a great impact. It was as if from the attack of a predator meant for preys. It was just like his.
Dumbfounded that it sent him off of Oshiro's body, Aomine looked up and there he saw a 6'3" guy with a muscular body. His hair is a dark tone of red and the end tuffs are in a shade of black. His eyes that has the same color is narrow and pointed. Together with his head up high, he gives off an overwhelming aura that doesn't quite match anyone Aomine has ever met yet here in this prison and if we're talking about predators here, he will surely be considered as one- a tiger, wild, ambitious and extreme.
Raising his thick eyebrows that remarkably splits into two while nodding his head once towards Aomine's direction, he spoke "You, speak up. What the hell is happening here?"
The moment he uttered those words, Aomine knew there isn't a slightest chance they will be in good terms. There was a part of this guy- maybe his tone, maybe his attitude, maybe his aura of superiority- that causes Aomine's blood to boil incessantly and now, there's one question that continuously probes into his mind…
Who the fuck is this guy?
"A-Ah, K-kagami-san!" One of Oshiro's underling interrupted, "Y-you see, this isn't what y-you think it is…. we… w-we're just playing around and…"
The other one interjected too, supporting his buddy's gibberish excuses, "Y-yes. We're just… p-playing around and… well… things just got a little o-out-of-hand…" and laughed nervously as if their excuses were pretty good.
"Oh I thought you two became deaf since you hadn't been answering my questions from a while ago." Kagami sarcastically commented with his all-serious and all-calm expression.
The two evidently shuddered in fear.
Ah, right now, they are his prey.
Kagami sighed in annoyance, "Alright, tell me the real thing, what the fuck Oshiro did this time?"
The two guys who had courageously tried to save Oshiro's ass eventually yielded over Kagami's arm and, though he had felt it from the start, somehow, from that moment, Aomine confirmed that Kagami isn't just something that can easily lose to the skinhead. Or, rather, to say it more appropriately, Oshiro cannot just easily win over Kagami.
"W-were actually not sure but… O-oshiro-san just ordered us to be on s-stand-by just in case… s-someone intruded their g-game." One of the guys answered.
"And what is this game about?"
"W-well… s-settling things…?" The scaredy-cat faced Aomine as if confirming with his eyes if what he said was true but Aomine didn't bother answering.
When Kagami noticed he wouldn't get any confirmation, he just decided to speak. "Alright, carefully get Oshiro out of here without being noticed by the guards and tell Teppei-san outside to send Takao or any infirmary worker from our gang to aid your troublesome boss. We can't afford to let things this time get to the warden, especially now that he's eyeing our gang, or our meals will surely be cut off as punishment."
With a tense expression, the two underlings immediately did what Kagami ordered them to do. They supported with their shoulders the unconscious Oshiro to stand up and quickly brought him outside. And though Kagami's ability to order those two around pretty much surprised Aomine, Oshiro's state shocked him the same without a doubt.
He didn't notice it that quick as he was stunned by the red-head's aura and now he has realized that Oshiro's battered face that left him on that dreadful state were all due to his very own hands. And somehow, he felt his heart starting to pump faster as if nervousness dwelt inside him, an anxiety that tells him he had almost buried Oshiro six feet deep that easily; but it wasn't just that at all, there's also this hidden excitement coursing throughout his body that says his instinctual desires has been completely satisfied.
Aomine shuddered and was almost deep in thought when Kagami suddenly interrupted him, "You. What's your name?"
"Why do I have to tell you?" Aomine retorted after staring straight at those fierce red orbs.
Raising yet another of his strange-looking thick brows, Kagami huffed out a small laugh. "You've got guts, huh?"
"And what if I do?"
"Heh, I'll tell you this now, newbie. I don't like your attitude. Rather, I don't like you at all. If you don't want to get in trouble, better know your boundaries and stick to it or you'll be dead meat soon. Keep that in mind."
Kagami's short-temperedness can be evidently seen in his raging eyes that is gazing right back at Aomine. Anyone who can see that can definitely say that it was the eye of a tiger, piercing through you. He may be scaring him with those words but Aomine isn't threatened at all, because he knew for a fact that he isn't just someone who he can be crushed with a stomp. He may be a predator. A tiger. But Aomine is a panther, one that is fearless and ferocious.
And Aomine knows they are foes and they are predators. Either one of them, with just a pounce, can quickly turn into each other's prey.
Notes: Hello! Damn I feel so motivated right now so maybe expect more early chapter updates in this fic. Wanna know why? Because my beta-reader told me that she saw my fanfic getting recommended on tumblr! Yay! I feel so happy I almost cried~ Like I mean, I am just a newbie and somehow this fanfic was appreciated by someone and added it to her recommendation 3 I think her name was Coco. So Coco-san/chan, thank you very much 3
Ehem. Anyway, this chapter is what I enjoyed writing the most so far :D I have never tried writing a fighting scene before so this thrilled me up big time XD I hope you'll be thrilled too ;) And yep, Kagami has finally been on the scene! though it was only for a moment lol but I promise to give more exposure to this big guy. I mean, he is a significant character to our AoKise 3 So watch out for it~
Well, thank you very much for reading and staying tune ^^ I hope you like this chapter~
Expected Update: Nov 9 ( or most probably earlier) (this was supposed to be on Nov 13 but I thought that I could finish a chapter utmost by 9)