Sinking

by BaubleWallflower

Akashi is usually very calm and collected, even in the most stressful of situations. He takes on heavy workloads and responsibility without defiance, he excels in every task and never falls short-but is he really so strong as he appears? Is soon becomes evident to more people around him that his walls do crack and they can see he's starting to sink. But how can...(continued inside)

2. Dipping Feet

I suppose I lacked to mention this story will contain spoilers for the series if you are not caught up with the anime. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

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Basketball was the one thing Shiori left behind for her son and Akashi had full intentions of keeping that alive. When it had come time to pick a middle school, he picked Teiko. They were known for their slogan proclaiming victory and that's just what Akashi wanted. Even if she couldn't watch or play with him anymore, he wanted to play well and win for her.

When students were being recruited for clubs, he informed his father of his plan. Masaomi regarded his son with his conditions if he were to go through with it. "I expect nothing less than the best. A man of the Akashi family must be capable in all areas. If you are to play basketball, you will be on the first string and lead every game to victory. If you were to lose a game you would quit." These words were final.

Initially, Akashi wasn't particularly worried. He practiced hard and still managed to keep up his studies. It wasn't until the night before tryouts he started to stress. Doubts clouded his mind and when he was late for dinner a servant found him hunched on his bedroom floor. Blood was seeping from the hand pressed to his mouth.

The doctors, like before, found no answers or any signs of harm.

Akashi returned to school the following day as he normally would. He didn't feel sick the slightest bit and easily breezed through his classes. Tryouts came and he was soon appointed as one of the rare first years to make first string. Not long after, he became a regular. Everything was going as it usually did.

Akashi continued to succeed and it almost seemed he was doing even better than before. He made friends from the team and seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself. He may have even developed a crush, in which his first kiss was soon to follow. Oh yes, things were doing better for sure.

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AN: Let me know what you think in a review. I'll be glad to know your opinion and hear any suggestions or feedback. Feel free to inform me of mistakes.