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Chapter One
These numbers represent a countdown
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Takao is a bad person. Despicable, says a voice in his head that sounds a lot like Midorima. After all, he really shouldn't be harboring these thoughts, these feelings – they're not healthy. Not to mention counter-productive. And if there's anything Midorima hates, it's letting good things go to waste.
The game is down to its last stretch and things are getting intense. Insanely so, if Takao has anything to say about it. Playing against the Generation of Miracles is one thing, but to see them play each other… It broadcasts loud and clear how way out of his league they are.
Spectators venture to their area from neighboring courts, every other game paused in favor of watching the showdown of epic proportions. The slam of the worn rubber ball on pavement rings loud and clear as the crowd collectively holds their breath in anticipation.
Murasakibara provides a screen and Akashi passes the ball to Midorima. The clock ticks down to four seconds and the ball soars from deft fingers, a perfect arc towards the hoop. There's a reverent silence when the basket counts a split second before the buzzer sounds, tying the score for their second overtime.
"Nice shooting, Shin-chan!" Takao shouts from the bench, breaking the silence. His throat is dry from the simmering heat but none of it registers when Midorima's sharp gaze finds him and his ace acknowledges him with a nod.
"Damn you, Midorima!" Two identical shouts come from the court. Kagami and Aomine, who, upon realizing that the other had shouted the same thing, redirected their frustrations. "Stop copying me, bastard!" "No, you stop copying me!"
Midorima slides his glasses up the bridge of his nose, muttering, "Fools, the both of them."
"Now, now, don't argue." Kise slides himself in between his teammates. He pushes Kagami and Aomine apart with a palm on each chest, but the duo's glares remain unbroken over his head.
"Mou~ This is getting boring." Murasakibara yawns, pushing his hair out of his face with one hand while the other rummages through his pocket. Crumpled candy wrappers spill on the floor until he unearths a yet-uneaten lollipop.
Akashi watches him with a frown, lowering the handkerchief he'd been using to wipe the sweat from his neck. He opens his mouth to say something but someone else beats him to it.
"Atsushi, don't litter on the court," Himuro admonishes, coming up from the sidelines. The high heat of the afternoon doesn't appear to affect his naturally-occurring fluidity.
"Sorry, Muro-chin," Murasakibara says around the lollipop. He folds his impressive height into a squat as he helps Himuro pick up the brightly-colored plastic sheets. Himuro rewards him with a smile.
With Murasakibara taken care of, Akashi turns to Midorima. "This match is going to continue being a stalemate. We'll call it a draw for now." And let's get out of this sweltering heat remains unspoken but it's evident in the way he wipes at a bead of sweat before it soaks into the collar of his shirt.
Takao jumps up from his seat after Riko and Momoi, the women agreeing with Akashi's non-suggestion and calling the game set. As the players head back to the benches to get some shade and drinks, Takao's focus lingers at the back, where his – no, Shutoku's – ace and Rakuzan's captain are taking their time. Reflexively, his arm curls tighter around the diaper-wearing baby rabbit that stands as Midorima's lucky item for the day. There's that feeling again, bubbling up in his stomach, an ugly acidic thing that has no place in this new atmosphere of rekindled camaraderie that he's blessedly (undeservedly) a part of.
It's good that the Generation of Miracles' middle school dispute has been laid to the ground, that they can all enjoy basketball again – very fortunate indeed, Midorima would say if he was in any way inclined to express his true feelings about it. Takao can see how much happier Midorima is these days, how much more dedicated he is in keeping his practice regimen because he now has a good reason (a very healthy one, at that) to push himself farther, to rise to an unreachable level of talent… One that Takao wholeheartedly wants to match. He wants to never lose sight of Midorima Shintarou.
"Shin-chan, catch!" Takao yells, throwing a cold can of red bean soup at his teammate… maybe-intentionally-not aiming a little off-target.
From seven feet away, Midorima acts on reflex, grabbing the tumbling can with both hands like he would a basketball. "Takao!"
"Hehe!" Takao flashes a half-apologetic grin and adds a peace sign for good measure.
Akashi raises a brow at him. From the thin line of his lips Takao knows that Akashi sees right through him.
Ah, he really is a bad person.
••••••••••••
Kagami's still undecided whether living alone is a blessing or a curse.
Given that there's no restaurant with enough seats to accommodate all of them even if it's just for snacks, it was unanimously decided that they'll crash at Kagami's place for a while. Their other option is to let Akashi "deal" with the shopkeeper of whichever restaurant they choose and nobody is exactly comfortable with the idea.
More than a dozen teenagers file into his apartment and Kagami thanks the heavens that Alex is back in America for the time being. Himuro leads Murasakibara to the kitchen and Kagami joins them after telling everyone else not to touch anything. Mitobe and Koganei volunteer to help out in food preparation which makes Kagami grateful and gets Momoi and Riko pouting when a resounding "NO" comes from the group at their offer to help.
"Can we at least watch TV? Or a DVD, or something?" Aomine grumbles, dawdling by the home entertainment system while everyone else tries to settle down somewhere.
"Daiki, sit down," Akashi says, having claimed the detached sofa seat. Somehow his mere presence makes the blandly sleek furniture look like a throne. Midorima stands behind him, cradling the day's lucky item on the crook of his elbow like it's a live young.
"It's okay, Akashi-kun." Kuroko picks up the remote and turns on the TV. "Kagami-kun won't mind as long as we put things back in order."
From the kitchen, Kagami rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"Ooh, can we watch this, then?" Kise pulls out a case from the DVD rack, showing it off to a sea of unimpressed faces.
"We're not watching that." Riko steps up and returns the case. She puts a finger on her lips as she chooses a different film.
"This one!" Momoi points to the exact title that Riko had been eyeing, taking it out and presenting it to the room with a flourish.
Seated beside Touou's Sakurai, Takao nudges the jumpy brunet. "Typical, ne?" To which he gets a flustered "I'm sorry I've never seen this movie before!" in reply.
"Wow, really?" Aomine plops down as the DVD player loads the disk. "Me neither."
"Then, hopefully, this will be an enlightening experience for all of us," Akashi declares from his not-throne.
Hyuga looks over at Riko, brows rising to his hairline but he remains mum. Teppei is the brave soul who dares to ask the question that's hanging over everyone's head, "Ah, so you've never watched it either, Akashi-kun?"
Even the kitchen-people stop what they're doing to hear Akashi's reply. Nobody turns their head to look, as though not-seeing would make them less guilty, but their ears all strain to hear the answer.
"No."
The Menu Screen shows up and all noise resumes. Everyone gets into position to watch; those who can't squeeze themselves on the couch settle on the floor. Kuroko selects play, getting comfortable with his bag on his lap. Nigou pokes his head out as the zip opens.
Looking over from where he's setting drinks on a tray, Kagami grimaces. "What did I tell you about that dog, Kuroko?"
"Ah, shut up, it's not doing anything." Aomine smirks, anything to rile up his rival.
Sensing a friend, Nigou wiggles out of Kuroko's bag and jumps over to Aomine. He's greeted with a friendly ruffle between the ears.
Kagami sniffs and turns away. He catches Himuro's eye and gets a consoling smile from the older teen. Himuro taps Murasakibara's shoulder, asking for the cookie butter spread at the back of the cabinet – his personal stash since Kagami hates that thing and makes it a point to hide the jar when he isn't around.
As Koganei cleans up, Mitobe cuts the sandwiches they prepared into quarters, stacking two whole loaves' worth of it on a large platter. He had just placed the last square on top when Murasakibara picks it up, chews it once, then swallows.
"Nobody's going to get full from that," Murasakibara grumbles, eyeing Mitobe with great disappointment. "You should make bigger portions, hm."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Ah, Mitobe says getting full on sandwiches wouldn't be good since it's almost dinnertime," Koganei chips in as he sets the last of the clean utensils on a rack to air-dry.
Murasakibara is definitely not sulking when he turns away from the silent hook shooter. "… Muro-chin, I'm gonna eat my candy now." He digs into his own purchases before Himuro can stop him.
Izuki, Tsuchida, and Seirin's incoming second-years get up to help distribute food and drinks. Kagami sits on the island counter, munching on his personal stack – a meatloaf sandwich swimming in condiments that prompts Murasakibara to use Himuro as a shield against the travesty and makes Kuroko morally obligated to call out how it's "so very American of Kagami-kun."
"Well, I'm not forcing you to eat it," Kagami tosses back defensively, holding the plate closer to his chest. "And I made your stupid shake, didn't I?"
Kuroko takes a sip of the homemade vanilla shake and smiles serenely. "Yes. I appreciate it very much, Kagami-kun."
Kagami shoves as much of the sandwich that he can get into his mouth and looks away. When he looks up again, it's to find Kuroko whispering something to a very confused looking Aomine who then leans back and shakes his head. Nigou barks happily when Aomine feeds him a sandwich square and Kuroko's attention is completely diverted from the movie. Not like Kuroko was a movie sort of guy, anyway, Kagami figures, having been told one too many times by the shorter teen that the books are better than the movies.
They're a noisy bunch of movie-watchers but it's not like they understand the spoken dialogue, anyway. Akashi is sitting back with his fingers steeped together, watching what is essentially a children's movie with eerily intense focus. Kise is undoubtedly live-tweeting the movie with the way he's constantly typing on this phone. On the couch that the Seirin students have claimed for their own, Koganei and Tsuchida are discussing the movie at-length, guffawing every now and then when they remember the comedic parts – that is to say, most of the film. Riko and Momoi are also under discussion but of a more heated type regarding the game play depicted and instead of underclassmen listening in with interest they have Hyuga and Teppei serving as buffers.
Having seen the movie too many times to count, Kagami opts to people-watch instead. It's not something that he does often given his one-track mind on basketball but he's feeling superbly at ease right now – like he always does after a good blood-pumping game. They are supposed to be resting, in any case. His heart is still beating faster than usual, body still heated to the core. He knows he reeks of sweat, but then again, don't they all? Showering can come later. He surveys the room at large and not for the first time, he wonders how things would've been if he went to middle school in Japan and not America; if he and Tatsuya never had that falling out; if things would've turned out different had he faced the Generation of Miracles at an earlier stage. That last one Kagami knows the answer to: he wouldn't have stood a chance.
Passion for basketball alone could only get him so far, he knows that now. He looks at the Seirin team and his heart swells with pride, with a rightful sense of belonging. His eyes focus on Kuroko and his heart leaps to his throat. Nothing would've been possible without him. Kagami knows that it was never meant to be him, that Kuroko could've chosen anyone to be his new light, but he's infinitely grateful that he is. Wanting to be stronger for yourself is entirely different from wanting to be strong for someone else. Kagami looks to his side where Himuro is leaning back against the same counter he's sitting on, Murasakibara's arm not-so-subtly cushioning Himuro's recline.
Partners.
They could've been that once, him and Himuro. They had been closer than anyone he knew, bound by shared love for the sport but that love had been tainted – tainted with jealousy and blind devotion. It all seemed unsalvageable by the end of the Yosen-Seirin match at last year's Winter Cup but when Kagami had given up, Kuroko had not. It's all thanks to Kuroko that Kagami got the courage to reach out again, to fix what he'd naively thought to be over.
Kuroko seems to be an expert at those kinds of things – repairing friendships, keeping hope that everything will turn out right. Kuroko is amazing, not just on court, but off of it, where it really counts. Kagami watches him now, surrounded by his middle school teammates – friends – and not for the first time he wonders if Kuroko sees him on the same level. He wonders if he is someone Kuroko would go to great lengths for, if he's worth something – anything at all – to his teammate, partner, friend.
(Maybe something more.)
(Hopefully.)
"Tetsu."
Kuroko turns to Aomine and is greeted with Nigou's paw bumping his nose. Aomine cackles loudly at having successfully played his trick. Kuroko smiles through his reprimand, "You should watch the movie you insisted on having Aomine-kun."
"Yeah, well, these guys are a bunch of jokes." Aomine jerks his head at the screen, setting Nigou back on his lap.
"Really? Those Nerdlucks kinda remind me of a certain group," Kagami mutters loud enough for Too's ace to hear.
"What did you say?" Aomine turns around to face him, brows knitted together.
"You heard me." Kagami returns the glare with a smirk.
A burst of laughter rings out from the middle of the living room. Takao stands up, chortling, "Ah man, someone finally said it!" He side-steps Sakurai, shielding Kuroko and Aomine from Kagami's view as he walks past them. "The color scheme is a little off, though," Takao says, bumping his empty cup to Midorima's shoulder. "Right, Shin-chan?"
Midorima fixes Takao with a look, pursed lips speaking for him.
Takao takes it in stride. "I'm getting a refill, need one?"
"No, thank you."
"Suit yourself." Takao shrugs, making his way to the kitchen. He gives Kagami lopsided grin as he passes.
"Muro-chin, does that make me the purple one?" Murasakibara asks.
"I'm thinking you don't like him?" Himuro ventures.
Murasakibara shakes his head. "He's not the tallest so it can't be me. And the little red one should've played the leader so it matches Aka-chin."
Himuro politely covers a snort with one hand and the whole room cuts itself short from letting any more than a quirk of humor escape. Even Aomine has enough common sense not to laugh out loud; he faces the TV and sits still. It lasts for a few seconds then he's leaning over to Kuroko and saying something in an undertone that gets Kuroko's shoulders shaking in silent laughter.
Kagami gobbles up the last piece of his sandwich a little more viciously than necessary.
"So you and I are in the same boat, huh?"
Takao laughs when Kagami nearly falls off his seat, offering a smile in apology when Seirin's ace glowers at him.
"What are you talking about?" Kagami grumbles, swallowing his food.
Takao drinks up, meaningfully leaving his eyes clear over the rim of the cup so he can stare some sense into Kagami. It takes a quick glance over to the front of the room and arching up his brows for Kagami to get the right idea.
"It's not like that," Kagami denies even as his ears turn red.
"Mm-hm, yeah, it totally is," Takao grins wider. "I don't see anyone else getting homemade milkshakes."
"What are you trying to say?" Kagami narrows his eyes at the shorter teen.
Takao shrugs, leaning on top of the counter. "It takes one to know one, that's all."
Kagami blinks, then swerves to look at where Midorima has pulled over a barstool to where he's sitting beside Akashi. Beyond Teikou's ex-captain-and-vice-captain pair, Kagami sees Kuroko and Aomine playing with Nigou. "… Yeah."
"I mean, it's good that they're not out to kill each other anymore" – Kagami gives him an unimpressed look and Takao revises – "In a manner of speaking. But, man, it's like middle school all over again. I hated middle school, just so you know," he adds.
"It's not like they're untouchable," Kagami says, trying to be helpful.
Takao snorts. "Easy for you to say, Mr. Super-High-School-Level-Jumper."
"What?"
Takao waves a hand at him. "Never mind." Figures the guy doesn't have a life outside of basketball. "Let me put it this way: in a comic book world, people like you and the Generation of Miracles are the big damn heroes. Me? I'm just a sidekick. Do you know how many Robins Batman has disposed of in his career?"
"Uh… I can't say I do." Kagami turns in his seat to face Takao properly, his back to the movie and his guests. "But, ah–" he scratches at his cheek "–sidekicks can turn out to be heroes, too. In a way they're already heroes in their own right."
Silver eyes shine as Takao tilts his head, fluttering his lashes. "Aw, aren't you sweet? Why don't you give me your number and maybe I'll call you back."
"Oh. Okay." Kagami takes the proffered phone and is in the middle of typing his number when it hits him. "Wait, what?"
Sputtering laughter spills from Takao. "Aw, man, and it was going so smoothly, too!"
"Were you coming onto me?" Kagami hisses while his whole face burns. He checks to see whether Himuro or anyone else close by is looking - they aren't, but he keeps his voice to a minimum nonetheless.
"Just save your number," Takao urges. "You're the one who started it, with that whole sidekick-hero crap."
"I'm pretty sure that was you," Kagami says, blush receding as he returns the phone.
"Mm, maybe." Takao types in a name and saves his new contact before pocketing his phone. "But any maiden's heart would've totally swooned at your lines." He winks. He's about to leave when Kagami holds him back with a tap on the shoulder.
Kagami extends his phone over to Takao. "Your number."
"My, my, what for?" Takao preens as he takes the mobile and punches in his cell number.
"Just to make sure I know who's going to be prank calling me in the middle of the night," Kagami replies.
"I would never." Takao puts a hand to his chest in mock-hurt. He returns Kagami's phone and returns to his spot in the living room, not once looking back.
Midorima shifts slightly, dropping a hand into the outer pocket of his bag, pretending to search its contents. Florescent light glints at the edge of his glasses as he scrutinizes Kagami from his periphery. Takao took an awful long time in getting a refill but nothing seems to be out of the ordinary in the kitchen. Midorima straightens up, holding his lucky item a little closer than before, just to be sure.
The movie finishes and everyone stretches out their limbs. Nigou has fallen asleep and Kuroko carefully swaddles the pup with his dirty laundry before closing the gym bag with his pet in it. They say their goodbyes – Himuro's not staying over this weekend since it's enrollment period at Yosen – and Kagami closes the door, savoring the blessed silence.
Kagami's first order of business is to take a shower – a long and hot one, to relieve the stresses of the day. He takes a nap before dinner, after which he cleans the dishes that have piled up since that afternoon. His phone buzzes with a new message just as he's finishing. Drying his hands on a wash cloth, Kagami picks up the device and reads the series of messages he'd been ignoring the past twenty minutes.
From: Takao
Subject: Tai-chan~!
:: Shin-chan's abusing my love for him again! He beat me at rock-paper-scissors and now I have to cart him home! Not only that, but he invited Akashi over which basically makes me their chauffeur! Do I look like a chauffeur, Tai-chan?
From: Takao
Subject: Re: Tai-chan~!
:: We're stuck in traffic right now and I will never get over the shame of driving a rickshaw in the middle of Tokyo. Also, Shin-chan has graciously decided NOT to include me in what is surely some riveting conversation that the two of them are having behind my back.
From: Takao
Subject: Re: Tai-chan~!
:: AKASHI. HAS. A. CAR. WAITING. AT. SHIN. CHAN'S. HOUSE.
:: I. AM. SO. DONE. RIGHT. NOW.
Kagami exits his mailbox, frowning and wondering what had gotten into his brain for him to willingly subject himself to this curse. The phone buzzes in his hand and Kagami decides that he won't stand for it any longer, he's going to tell Takao to stop flooding his inbox and –
From: Takao
Subject: Re: Tai-chan~!
:: Do you believe that first loves never die?
Kagami chokes on air, staring at Takao's message on his screen. Where did that come from? The phone buzzes again.
:: I do. Saw it with my own two eyes.
He sighs. Who knew that basketball players could be so dramatic?
Curses. Blessings. Different sides of the same coin, really. Kagami hits call.