••••••••••••
Chapter Three
When you can't win
••••••••••••
Watching the first years' struggle to keep their footing on the sand delights the upperclassmen. Riko plants her hands on her hips and shouts at them to keep moving.
"Those muscles aren't going to develop themselves!" The coach shouts, picking up the ball that's gone out of bounds and throwing it back to the team.
It's the second day of training camp and their practice match with Shutoku is scheduled in the afternoon. The morning's training started at dawn where they jogged along the coastline. When the sun had risen substantially, Riko procured a basketball from the gym and set up a match by diving them into teams of four.
The drill works on their leg strength and ball-passing abilities. Kuroko slumps with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Izuki claps him on the shoulder, wearing the smile he's patented when he's about to impart a particularly witty pun.
"Don't start, Izuki," Hyuga cuts in, panting. "We're two points behind." He turns to Hajime, one of their freshmen, and calls for a quick huddle. "Steal the ball then shoot if you've got an opening; otherwise pass it to me."
They all nod and Riko gets the timer going, counting down the last fifteen seconds.
Bare feet move on the heated sand, kicking up particles as hands scrabble for possession of the ball. Before they know it, Riko's whistle sounds and the winner is declared. It's Kiyoshi's team who will be facing Mitobe's for the final round.
Kagami cracks his knuckles, almost scaring the two freshmen he's got on his team with Mitobe. "Alright!"
They play until the sun has reached its apex and their stomachs are grumbling. The losing teams' punishment is to cook lunch while the final match takes place. Mitobe's smile is a little more radiant that usual at their win while Kagami's pride is of the more boisterous kind. He barges into the dining room, drowning out the noise with his exclamation.
"Man, I'm hungry!"
Almost immediately, there comes a reply. "Hi Hungry, I'm Takao!"
The Shutoku group chokes on their food in abrupt laughter. The second years around Takao stare at him as Kagami whacks him behind the head as he passes. Takao grins to himself and resumes eating.
"You're awfully friendly," Midorima says as he puts down his bowl and chopsticks.
Takao pauses mid-sip. He lowers his drink and turns to the shooting guard. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"Don't."
There's an edge in Midorima's tone that quiets Takao's joking nature. He knows what not to do when Midorima gets all prissy like that and in any case, they have too many an audience should he dare to press the issue. Takao just shrugs, "Whatever you say, Shin-chan."
Kagami consumes three servings of lunch plus that side dish that Kuroko refuses to eat. They're given one hour to prepare for the practice match and this time, Riko lets Kagami participate. The two schools have their warm-up together then huddle at their benches for a pre-game strategy talk. Shutoku's starting line-up is led by their new captain Jenrya. With him are two more seniors and the team's own light and shadow. Over at Seirin, Hyuga skips the pep talk in favor of rearranging their lineup; they all know who they're dealing with.
Midorima leads the charge, playing like he's trying to prove something. When his fourth three-pointer sinks in, he cuts his gaze to Kagami who gives him a smirk in return. It irritates him. Even Akashi has told him that Kagami is simply another Aomine but Midorima had never felt such animosity with his former teammate. He acknowledges Kagami's skill, deemed him worthy enough to become a rival but there's something more. Something he can't quite put into words.
Kuroko steals the ball from Shutoku and passes to Kagami but Takao intercepts it. Takao finds a split second to send Kagami a smug grin before whipping around and driving the ball towards his ace.
"Shin-chan!"
The ball slams into his palms and Midorima feels his sense of purpose renewed. He aims and shoots, perfect form ingrained in muscle memory. The Iron Heart is too late in attempting to block this attack.
Takao comes up to Midorima as the ball sails for the hoop, offering a grin and fist. "Nice shooting!"
The gesture is familiar and at the same time foreign. It gives Midorima the chills when he bumps his fist with Takao's. A small smile manages to slip through. "Naturally."
The net swings, releasing the ball and earning them another three points.
Kuroko dries his face with the sweat band around his wrist, watching the exchange and feeling unnerved. Kagami halts beside him as the rest of Seirin get into their offensive positions.
Kagami doesn't seem surprised by the display and he doesn't seem vexed at all that Takao had stolen the ball from them earlier either. He even looks eager.
As they join the team's strategic play, Kuroko wonders about the other things Shutoku's shadow might be stealing.
••••••••••••
Out of habit, Takao wakes up at five-thirty on the dot. On normal school days he'd wash his face, go down for breakfast and then have a shower. Once he's dressed, he'd hop on his bike and make his way to Midorima's where the man and his cart will be waiting. They'll stop by Midorima's usual antiques store if the day's lucky item isn't already on hand.
He rubs the sleep from his eyes, stretching out his back and arms as he sits up. Given the size of the varsity team, five to six people are assigned to each room. Takao shares this one with Midorima and three other second-years, none of whom are awake yet. He takes a moment to watch his partner. Even in sleep, there is a certain rigidity to Midorima's features; as though a good night's rest is an art to be perfected.
And speaking of rigid things…
Takao bites his bottom lip, well aware of his body's natural reaction to his own sweet dreams, fueled further by having their protagonist in the futon right beside his. Long lashes are fanned over smooth skin that looks soft to the touch. Takao very badly wants to do so but he resists; he's not worthy. Even when he's prone in sleep, Midorima is untouchable as ever. So Takao slips out quietly, tiptoeing to the bathroom where he can take care of his business in peace.
He tucks himself back into his shorts, exiting the stall with as much dignity as a man who'd just jerked off to his best friend can. He's washing his hands at the sink when the door cracks open and someone peeks in. In the back of his mind, Takao wonders if this is supposed to be a sign or something.
"You could've been a little quieter," Kagami grouses, setting his cup and toothbrush one sink away from Takao. He fills the cup and goes on with his morning routine.
Apparently, his shame left him to elope with his dignity. Takao finds a leer stretching his lips. "Waiting on me?"
"Shaffup," Kagami says, brushing his teeth. Accidentally walking in on that sort of thing happened a lot back when he was in America; it's not exactly surprising.
Takao shrugs. He splashes water on his face, raking wet hands through his hair to keep his bangs at bay. "What're you doing up so early?"
Spitting out his gargle, Kagami rinses one more time before answering. "I dunno. I just woke up and figured might as well do a little jogging. You wanna come?"
I just did, Takao's mind supplies but he holds that thought and instead goes with, "Sure."
The owner of the inn is outside, sweeping at fallen leaves. They greet the old man good morning before going on their way, already changed into running shoes.
It's been a long time since Takao has been to the beach and he savors the salty air that wraps around him. Sunlight is unobtrusive at the early hours, rising from the sea and dispelling the cold. They run the length of the coastline in an even rhythm that gets his blood circulating properly. At the end of the run, they stop by a convenience store. Kagami tells him he took innumerable trips to the place last year to get drinks for everyone while they had their practice game.
As it happens, Takao finds money in his pockets. He could almost hear his mother complaining how he needs to store his finances properly and not forget them wherever. So far, Takao has rediscovered bills tucked in his jackets, pencil case, and even the pages of his comics. He browses the aisles and smiles when he finds a section of red bean soup drinks.
Kagami crinkles his nose at the chilled can Takao brings to the counter. "Soup?"
"It's Shin-chan's favorite."
By the time they return to the inn, most of their teams have already woken up. They part ways and Takao heads to the kitchen to store his purchase in the refrigerator. He helps set the table and that's where Midorima finds him.
"You've gone somewhere," Midorima starts. Seeing the sweat drying on Takao's skin, his brows furrow a little but he makes no comment.
"Just did a bit of running," Takao explains. "You didn't oversleep, did you?"
"Of course not." Midorima pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I woke up in time for Oha-Asa's broadcast."
"Really? So how are Cancers faring today?"
"Dismal."
Takao pauses in the middle of arranging cups and bowls to take a good look at Midorima. There's a nervous edge that highlights his unnatural pallor. "You got your lucky item, right?"
Midorima purses his lips. "I drank the last of it before bed last night."
Sitting back, Takao has to wonders if Scorpios are topping the charts for the day but dares not ask in the face of Midorima's despair. "Red bean soup? That's surprisingly easy."
"To be precise, Oha-Asa suggested to have my comfort food on hand." Midorima says that like it's going to be his last meal. "I have already checked the vending machines on site and they don't have it. We'd have to go out and buy one now."
The urgency in Midorima's tone is as amusing as it is endearing to Takao. He wants to throw his arms around the teen and kiss him like a mother would her precious child. There's inexplicable calm in his psyche when he pats Midorima's shoulder (the most contact he could allow himself) and tells him not to worry. "Lucky for you, I found a convi while I was running the beach strip."
"Really? How far is it?" Midorima perks up. Takao could almost imagine sparkles in those enlivened green eyes.
"Hehe, right this way." Takao stands, leaving the table setting to the first years and leading Midorima into the kitchens. Shutoku's ace is understandably confused when he produces the chilled drink from the refrigerator.
Taped fingers handle the can as though it's some holy grail. Midorima stares at his partner like he'd just revealed the answers to the universe.
"Aren't I awesome?" Takao beams. "I would've bought more but I didn't have my wallet with me. We could go back later–"
"No, this is fine." Midorima interrupts. "Thank you."
At that moment, Takao could die happy.
••••••••••••
Jenrya barks orders as Nakatani crosses his arms and assesses his team. With three of his starting five having graduated the previous year, it was nothing short of a miracle that they've held up through the InterHigh and claimed the coveted title from their most formidable opponent in the past season. In a way, having a slew of never-before-seen players, each with their own set of enviable skills, has been the key to their success. They won't be having that advantage in the coming Winter Cup, however, so it would be wise to train his players to develop their playing style further.
They're on their last set of sophomore sprinters and Takao is more spirited than usual. He touches down on the end of the court and quick feet carry him to the starting line in a mere six seconds. Kinoshita hits the stop clock, and gives him his time, the two of them high-fiving at the amazing record.
After the individual workouts comes the team practice. They're split into groups of three with the starting players distributed among them. The eight teams are further divided into two blocks to decide which side of the court they'll be playing. Midorima's team is part of the first match-up for the A-Block. Takao watches him avidly from the sidelines of the B-Block court.
Midorima has gotten better at socializing. People aren't as wary of him and there's a lot of trust invested in him as the team's ace. If nothing, he has the whole team's respect and that in itself goes a long way. His practice team consists of a third year and a second year. Even with the other team's strong defense, Midorima's shooting is unstoppable.
Takao's team isn't as lucky. His teammates are decent shooters but leave a lot to be desired. They manage to scrape through the first round by a two-point lead but they're overwhelmed by Jenrya's team in the semifinals.
The final match-up is between their captain and their ace. It's a hardwon game but by virtue of a well-executed free-throw, Midorima's team secures the top spot, winning themselves an exemption in cleaning duties for the next day.
"Looks like your luck has turned around," Takao pipes up as Midorima takes to the bench beside him.
Midorima indulges him with a smile. "It has."
••••••••••••
Since Shutoku has taken the court all morning, Seirin makes use of it the entire afternoon. Their final practice match is scheduled for the next day, the last day of the training camp.
Kiyoshi claps his hands to garner the team's attention before Riko explains the exercise regimen she had come up with for each of them using the data gathered from the previous days of camp.
With Kagami's jumping prowess having literally reached unimaginable heights, he's tasked with balancing that strength with aerial ball handling. He works on passes and receives with Izuki, Fukuda, and Furihata, whose game record is on a steady increase. Under the hoop, Hyuga coaches Kuroko on better shooting techniques with Kawahara and Mitobe on defense. Kiyoshi, Tsuchida, and Koganei focus on the first years, imparting knowledge on the famous run-and-gun play that Seirin has become known for.
Riko ends practice at five, giving them enough time to rest before dinner. The team files out of the gym, complaining about aching muscles and agreeing on the benefits of power naps.
On a corner of the court, a lone man remains sprawled on his back, towel draped over his face. Kagami squints up at the ceiling lights, vision finding focus on the face that's grinning cheekily at him.
"I just had the best day ever, Tai-chan!"
"Ugh." Kagami swats Takao's hand away and the towel flops back over his face. "What are you doing here?"
"Well I just had to tell someone or else I'd explode." Takao squats down beside Seirin's ace. "Remember the drink I brought this morning? Turns out it was Shin-chan's lucky item! And because I acquired it for him, he was especially nice to me today~"
"Lucky item?" Kagami scoffs, pulling the cover from his face and to give Takao an incredulous look. "It's surprisingly not big and obnoxious."
Takao sticks his tongue out.
"You weren't spying on our practice now, were you?" Kagami asks.
"What would be the point when we're going to face off tomorrow anyway?" Takao cocks his head, grinning. "Be prepared to be annihilated." Their score is tied at one-all.
Scoffing, Kagami sits up. "Yeah, whatever. You can't even dunk."
"Is that a challenge?" Takao leans in.
The quiet gymnasium is interrupted by the squeak of rubber soles and purposeful thump of the basketball on court. Kagami plays defense to Takao's attempt to prove that he can dunk. He stares down Shutoku's point guard with a smirk. "Any time now."
"It's called strategizing," Takao replies, standing still as he dribbles with his right hand. He goes for a drive but Kagami sticks to him, not letting him get into form. Takao doesn't give up though; it's not in his vocabulary to quit. Takao feels like he can do anything right then and so he does.
Kagami backs away when Takao charges in spite of his block, he goes for a steal but Takao has predicted that move. His opponent swiftly turns heel and goes around him. Kagami stands back, feeling a misplaced sense of pride at being outwitted.
Recklessness will be one way to put it but Takao has been running on endorphins all day and he's never felt so free. He puts everything into that jump, slamming the ball in and gripping the hoop with white knuckles. He hangs over Kagami as the ball drops, practically radiant with the lights shining down on him.
"Stop looking so happy, it's obscene."
"Obscene is listening in to a guy jerking off in the bathroom."
Kagami sputters. "I was NOT!"
Swinging a little, Takao calculates the distance if he falls to the ground. Then he thinks of a better idea. "Catch me."
Takao's happiness – the insanity – must be infectious because Kagami doesn't hesitate in opening his arms.
As with all poorly thought-out plans, their execution fails entirely… but at least they didn't break any bones. Neither of them are exactly thrilled to be explaining any injury to their respective coaches.
Heaped on top of Seirin's ace, Takao laughs until tears collect at the corner of his eyes. "Oh my god, I've caught the stupid!"
"That's my line!" Kagami interjects, snickering. Their laughter combines and fills the gymnasium, sweat-sheened bodies shaking with the hysterics.
Wiping at his eyes, Takao works on steadying his breaths. He pushes himself off Kagami and lies on the court beside him, chuckling to himself at the definitive romcom-quality of that moment. One of his ex-girlfriends was a big fan of those and Takao has to admit he's collected quite the array of admittedly cheesy lines and dating tips. His face muscles are hurting by the time he calms down enough. His next words come in a sigh. "You cannot imagine how happy I am that you're here, Tai-chan…"
By this point, Kagami has surrendered to the nickname. He turns to Takao, propping himself up on elbow to look down at the Shutoku player.
A silhouette retreats from the half-open gymnasium doors, tight-lipped and with an even tighter grip around the can of lukewarm red bean soup. Midorima doesn't need to hear any further. He walks back to the inn proper in silence, thoughts buzzing as a vice clamps over his chest. It's not until he walks into his room that it finally hits home.
"Midorima… Are you okay?" Ueda asks, sounding half-afraid to do so. "D'you need to lie down?"
"I'm fine," he replies in what he presumes is his usual indifference.
"I don't think you are," Kinoshita protests, putting down the manga he's been reading.
Teammates look after each other on and off the court is what Takao always tells him when the shorter teen goes out of his way to do things for Midorima. The memory of those times brings a bitter taste to his tongue and Midorima tries not to openly grimace. "I just over-practiced." A filthy lie. He knows how detrimental that could be and Takao insists on regulating his solo shooting every time but… Takao… Takao is sprawled over Kagami, too-close for casual friends… Kagami leaning over Takao who's lying on the court, about to say, to do something…
His two roommates look at each other, concerned. Ueda speaks up, "…You're shaking all over, Midorima, and…" He bites his lip, nodding at Kinoshita to finish his statement.
"You look like you're about to cry."
But Midorima doesn't. What's left of his wounded pride doesn't allow it.