VI. Melancholic

"Ah-! Sorry, Aida-san. I didn't notice you." Makoto dipped his head sheepishly in an apology. If their own coach Aida knew about this, it would certainly be a death sentence for them. Unaware of his thoughts, the smaller Aida only blinked and shook her head.

"It's fine, Makoto-kun. More importantly…were you heading towards the gymnasium?" Brown eyes blinked at his surprise and narrowed with amusement as a scoff reached her face. "Did you think I didn't notice the times you and Haruka-kun sneaked in? And the bentos that Kuroko-kun brings in are just typical of you, Mama Koto!"

"Hahaha…'Mama Koto'?" He scratched the back of his head. He knew his classmates were talking about that, but he hadn't expected it to reach the ears of his coach's daughter. "Ah…But as expected, you're still practicing even now. Will I be disturbing if I go in now?"

"No. They should be cleaning up by now." Aida beamed. "And if they aren't, you're free to stop them with your methods, Captain Mako." She smacked his back for emphasis, hopping away cheerfully.

Makoto wondered why she was so happy. It sent tingles down his spine, ones that were reminiscent of the ones Coach Aida would give ever so often when he matched them up against a particularly splendid swimming team. Suddenly, he dreaded the next upcoming practice for Tetsuya and his team. Should he be there for moral support? Aah…should he bring Haru along?

"…Makoto?" When did he reach the gym? Powdery blue eyes blinked up at him. "It's rare that you'd enter through the front door."

"Hm? Who's it? Who's it?" A cattish looking teen cocked his head curiously. Makoto took a second to recognize him as Koganei, a peer from Class 2-2. "Oh! If it isn't Makoto! So you're Kuroko's mysterious housemate…Why are you here?"

Makoto took a moment to overlook the entire team, and recalling Aida's words, coughed loudly.

"Hyuuga-kun, I thought Aida-san gave orders to clean up?" The basketball captain stiffened at his tone. Makoto tilted his head as he smiled, intentionally lifting his head to let the light shine into his eyes, making them seem harder than they were. "It's not good, isn't it? For a captain and team to not listen to the coach's orders…What if there are any casualties? You wouldn't want anybody to get hurt…ne?"

The team shivered at the implication and Hyuuga ducked into his role, immediately shooting orders left and right for cleaning up.

"You're right. I can't imagine the effects if Coach returned to see us playing…or even worse, Coach's Dad." Hyuuga was visibly shuddering when he came up to Makoto.

The swimmer chuckled and patted the player warmly on the back.

"Coach Aida isn't all that bad, Hyuuga-kun. Even if he loses his temper sometimes, he is a skilful coach who pays attention to the needs of the team. In fact, Aida-san was also noting your limitations when you're playing. I'm sure she only wants the best for you guys." Hyuuga slumped further, if possible.

"You're awfully good at being a captain, Makoto." (Guilt tripping was more like it, Hyuuga thought secretly.)

"Eh? That's not true! Ah, but thanks anyways."

"But really, what are you doing here?" Kagami grunted as he brushed passed them moping the ground. "You don't normally come to get Kuroko like this."

"Well, it's ice-cream day afterall." Makoto smiled, ignoring the memories that flickered passed at the mention of this unofficial day. "Every week on Fridays, Haru, Tetsu, and I would go out for ice-cream to celebrate the end of the week. There used to be more people, but…well…" He shrugged, looking down to hide his darkening eyes.

It is unreasonable, how much malice he felt towards them. Even now, he could still remember the sight of Tetsu as he curled into Haru's side that day, as if to hide himself away from the world – from them. Makoto himself was not normally a violent person, but…to remember how Tetsuya was utterly shattered by those miracles and had to be pieced back together, one by one…It made him want to demand revenge, just to make things fair for his best friend.

A cool hand on his shoulder rooted him to reality, and Makoto released a breath he didn't know he held when he realized it was Haru.

Knowing cobalt eyes peered into his, calm and soothing, and when he next looked into Tetsuya's powdery blues, it was with hearing the words that released the tension from his tight fists.

"I was thinking since just now…But would Kagami-kun mind joining us on this night's out? It's been a while since Makoto let me visit Maji-Burger." That was definitely a pout on Tetsuya's face.

"You shouldn't blame me. Vanilla milkshakes for all three meals of the day is no good for your health." Makoto somehow found it in himself to reproach the other.

"Well, I don't mind so long as we go for some burgers after that." Kagami interjected.

"And some mackerel too." Haru added.

"Jeez! All three of you are equally bad!" Makoto cried, exasperated, earning laughter from the onlooking Seirin Basketball team.

It's okay, he thought as he smiled along with them. No matter how much hurt those idiotic Miracles had dealt to Tetsuya, Tetsu was slowly recovering with the help of this team, healing from the scars of the past. There is no reason to get melancholic, not with Seirin around.

VII. Endearing

Looking at Tetsuya as he interacted with Haru…Honestly speaking, Makoto could think of nothing other than how endearing the sight is.

In the beginning, Tetsuya had been nothing but scary. A person who could slip past the attention of everyone…Makoto could not believe that there is such a person on earth. But as time moved on and he grew more used to seeing Haruka dragging his cousin around, it just became more and more endearing. The fact that Haru could see beyond Tetsuya's lack of presence is sweet. And to see his childhood friend stepping forward for the first time to take charge of a younger relative…Although unusual, Makoto could only think that this is a good change for his normally unsociable, uncaring friend.

"Makoto-kun, is there something wrong?" Powdery blue eyes blinked up at him.

"Eh? Ah, no, there's nothing wrong." He smiled. "And also, like I've been saying, drop the 'kun' already." He sighed. Now he knows how Haru feels.

"What flavour ice-cream would you like, Makoto-kun?"

Makoto sighed at the petulant look on the phantom swimmer's face and shrugged.

"Anything will do, Tetsu."

"I want the mackerel flavoured one."

"You're going to give yourself a stomach ache, Haru!" He hurriedly intervened.

From the edges of his vision, he saw the side of Tetsu's lips lift up in a minute smile before disappearing. Makoto returned the smile with a wide one of his own, tousling the teal locks with a large hand. Of course, it helped that the Haru's cousin is a year younger than them, with the same large puppy eyes that reminds him of Ran and Ren. He is always sweet in his own considerate manner, helping them out as much as he can, even with that emotionless face. In any case, Makoto finds him absolutely endearing and has all but adopted him into his family. Just like Haru.

VIII. Kaijo

A single hit in that moment blinded out the world and tossed him to the ground. As startling pain shot up his limbs and his head pounded as though someone had literally slapped him upside down, Tetsuya registered the sound of a whistle piercing through the air and the worried cries of his teammates. Amongst them, Kagami and Makoto's stood out.

…Just what was he doing? He blinked and shook his head, attempting to shake out the red that was filling his vision. This match is important for both their teams and his friends. He should have known that, so…why did he stand so near to Kise in that instance?

He tried to numb out the hurt at the answer to that question. As he thought, he should have known that Kise had long forgotten how to sense him. He should have known that, yet instinctively, as though he was still in a practice game with his old teammates, he still stood closely, foolishly trusting Kise to know. The shock and horror that flickered through Kise's face told him that it was unintended. Yet…It didn't help to relieve the bitter taste in his mouth in the slightest.

As he attempted to stand up for his teammates only to fall again, he wallowed in grief at how similar the situation is to back then, when he trusted the miracles to play seriously against Ogiwara.

"Tetsu…" Cool large hands tousled his hair and touched his cheeks. Even without parting his eyes, he knew it was Makoto from touch.

"Makoto…Haruka…I failed…I failed again." He whispered as the bandages were wrapped tightly around his head, stopping the blood which flowed. "Why…is it always…?" Even though they brought him back to Iwatobi and reminded him of their starting days. Even though they gave him another chance to save them…

The droning of the coach's voice comforted him. It helps to know that the team isn't looking at the foolish, weak him as he failed again.

Another hand gripped his shoulder as the bandaging stopped. He parted eyes wearily to meet cobalt blues.

"Tetsuya." Haruka stated firmly. "You still haven't failed. Believe in this team and trust that they will win against Kise."

"That's right. Afterall, you chose this team, didn't you?" Makoto added softly.

Tetsuya blinked dazedly and sat up with the aid of his friends. On court, his new light ran about busily, slamming balls into the basket and fighting head to head with Kise. Even when overtaken, even when Tetsuya wasn't by his side, he still fought hard for the victory, much like Aomine once did.

He clenched his fists in determination when the Coach absently talked about how it would be better with him there, and stood up to join his team. Throughout it all, Makoto and Haruka only watched on with supportive albeit worried eyes.

IX. Kise Ryota

"I don't like him." …Was his only impression.

"Eh? Don't be rude, Haru!" Makoto yelped as he shut his locker and raced after him out into the indoor pool. Watching the other swimmers take their turns, he lowered his voice and cupped Haruka's ears, whispering softly. "And why don't you like him? He seems energetic, much like Nagisa. And he seems perfectly fine in swimming too…" He trailed off, watching as the blonde step out of the changing room.

Haruka narrowed his eyes.

"He…disrespects the pool." It was his simple reason, but it was a huge reason.

"EH?! For that reason-?!" Haruka all but dived into the pool to suffocate his surfacing irritation.

The water accepts all, reflecting everything it sees, and draws out their emotions. For someone like Kise Ryota, who merely puts on the façade of any other swimmer he sees and fails to face the water with honesty, the water is merely another means to the end. He didn't truly like the water. And for someone like that to be in their midst…It irritates him.

No matter what, that blonde is the only one he refuses to lose to. It would be the greatest humiliation if he loses to someone like that.

Much to Makoto's relief, it takes only half a month before the flamboyant blonde found a different sport to take interest in. As the blonde handed in his club transfer and cheerily left, Haruka blew bubbles into the surface of the water and glared after his back. Good riddance.

Months later, when the swimming and basketball teams had a joint training session under the cooperation of Makoto and Nijimura, Haruka is irritated when he found himself once more matched against that gaudy junior of his.

However, as the whistle blew off and they dived into the waters, he is surprised by the absence of a façade with which Kise swam, now truly and sincerely putting all his effort into the training. Even while taking on the styles of others, there was just a sort of confidence with which he swam with, now fully comforted by the fact that he has a target, a goal, and a team to play with.

Haruka still reaches the end before him, and he watched as the blonde tore off his goggles and swimming cap after he did his. Kise swung an arm over the separator, laughing cheerily as he gazed up at him with admiring eyes.

"As usual, Haru-sempai is good! As expected of the Ace of the Swimming team!"

Haruka frowned, taking in the way his eyes flickered to the Ace of the Basketball team. Well, it's none of his concern. He gazed at Kise, who hummed questioningly under his stare.

"Honesty suits you a lot better than the lies you put up before." Haruka stated, his one and single advice for Kise Ryota. "It'd be nice if you could put that attitude to things beside basketball as well."

"Haru." A hand extended out to him. Haruka took it and was returned with a gentle teasing smile from Makoto.

"…What?"

"Nothing." Makoto chuckled.

As they left to join the other swimming team members, the echo of a loud 'thank you' from Kise drew all eyes to the model. Haruka sighed when the flamboyant teen gave him a grin and a wave, putting some of the attention onto him instead. As he thought, he didn't like Kise Ryota in the least.

X. Trust

It doesn't take Haru for him to know that their relationship right now is unstable. Constant fretting over the youngest boy of the trio, an over protectiveness that frightened even Makoto himself…These things which were born when the Miracles dumped a broken and empty Tetsuya back onto their laps were merely jeopardizing their long held relationship.

To put it another way, Tetsuya makes his own decisions, and if he gets hurt, it is his own responsibility. Sure, the other two will always be there to heal his wounds. However, at the end of the day, just like with Haru, Tetsuya still takes charge of his own life and does not need a worried mother to constantly be overlooking him.

The end of the Kaijo match brought relief and pride, as Tetsu smiled alongside his teammates and bowed to signal the end of the match.

Something changed, with his win. It wasn't just an unimportant spark of pride, but something else. The chains which have been cuffing him down somewhere in the back of his mind seemed to have been released, and as Tetsu nodded up at the two of them, punching a fist at them triumphantly, Makoto thought he finally understood. Tetsuya is Tetsuya. He makes his own decisions, his loses are his own, and so are his wins. Makoto could trust Tetsuya to stand with his own feet now, at least – especially, he amended when Kagami ruffled Tetsu's hair – with Seirin by his side.

Beaming in pride, he clapped for the team.

"Congratulations, Seirin Basketball Team!" He called out through cupped hands.

The team who had been overwhelmed by the Kaijo's cheerleaders up till now lit up as though Christmas was here. Basking in their joy at the claps from the audience, Seirin celebrated their victory before preparing to leave.

"Tetsu," Makoto called as he jogged up to the tealnette. "Do you need us to accompany you to the hospital?" He bit his lip.

"…Do you have something else on?" Powdery blue eyes seemed a bit dazed, much to his worry. "I was thinking that we could celebrate together with the team."

"Unfortunately, Coach Aida took advantage of this opportunity to also arrange a practice with the Kaijo Swimming Team. The rest of the team should be arriving soon." Makoto chewed his lip as he looked around at the team. "…What should we do?"

"Don't worry so much already, Mama Koto!" A harsh smack on his back had him coughing in pain. Aida punched her fists and smiled. "We'll look after Kuroko and send him home for you!"

"That's right…Give us a bit of trust, will you?" Hyuuga drawled. "No need to worry."

Makoto pursued his lips and glancing at cobalt blues which fully agreed with them, dipped his head in a nod.

"Then, I'm relying on you."

"Yeah!"

They waited outside the gymnasium for the bus to arrive. Unwilling seen by the Kaijo Basketball Team captain, they were coaxed into waiting inside, where the hot sun could not reach them. Makoto sighed in exasperation when he saw Haru shifting from feet to feet, an impatient expression on his face giving away his irritation at having to wait to swim.

"Makoto-sempai, Haruka-sempai!" Like before in the swimming pool, a peppy blond player stopped before them with a cry that resounded and drew all attention. Then, much to his disbelief, Kise bowed from waist down with a loud yell. "I'm deeply sorry!"

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the Kaijo captain dropping his jaw along with the ball he had been holding onto. The coach himself seemed to have stoned entirely.

"I didn't mean to cause Kurokocchi that much pain…And now that I think about it, the rumours about his friend being in the opposing team back then must definitely be true. I'm sorry! Even though you trusted us to take care of Kurokocchi as a teammate, all of us completely failed! Please forgive us!" Makoto could hardly register his words as well. The arrogant miracle was finally apologizing-?

Haru elbowed him once and he snapped out of it.

"I…Well, what should I say?" He chuckled nervously. Haruka sighed, obviously irritated with this whole situation, and shifted his feet again. Makoto smiled. "For a start, it's true that Ogiwara-kun was so deeply hurt he quit basketball." Kise flinched. "But even then, rather than apologizing to us, shouldn't you be saying those words to someone else instead?"

Kise looked up – and were those tears he sees?! Makoto could never deal with the overdramatic teen. Haru sighed again.

"Just get going already." Haru frowned. "If you get Tetsuya's forgiveness, we'll forgive you as well." Perhaps, Makoto would not have been able to say that before today, but now, he trusted Tetsu enough to make that decision for them. Knowing cobalt blues flashed to him. "But treasure your new team this time round."

Haru's words from that day seem to return to Kise's mind – 'It'd be nice if you could put that attitude to things other than basketball.'

Kise blinked his widened eyes and nodded in determination.

"I'll make Kaijo the best while treating them with honesty." He nodded affirmatively, and Makoto could see surprise on the faces around them. Jeez…How badly has Kise been treating them before? "Thanks a lot, Haruka-sempai, Makoto-sempai. I'm off!" And he dashed off.

"OI! You still haven't informed us about your leave! And just when the words have left your mouth!" The Kaijo captain tossed a shoe in the blond model's direction.

Makoto chuckled at the odd dynamics of the duo and looked down at his partner.

"We should invite him over for dinner sometime soon." He was honestly tired of begrudging people and being angry at them when Tetsu himself wasn't even remotely pissed. They should just share a meal and laugh about meaningless things. "Just like old times."

Cobalt blues blinked up at him.

"Do whatever you wish."

...

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows! As usual, plz leave a ':)' if you were happy with the chapter