WARNING: Spoilers for Dissonance ahead
The Emperor
At a glance, he didn't seem like much. He was short, shorter than herself. With crimson colored locks. His eyes were crimson too. But they held a piercing gaze. Those eyes, she had thought, was what made Akashi Seijuro who he was. An intimidating and dominant presence both on and off the basketball court. That was where she had first met him, even if it was a brief meeting his words were burned into her mind. "Akashi Seijuro, remember it." As simple as they seemed just thinking of it made the girl shiver. Even if she would have much rather left their first meeting as their last meeting, it quickly became apparent that Akashi Seijuro wasn't going to leave her life that easily.
She had Kuroko to blame. It was after all, him joining the Basketball Club in the first place that led up to everything. Though, she also supposed that it was in part her own fault for choosing to get involved of her own free-will. At first she had done it for Kuroko, he was pretty much her only friend aside from Etsu. So, visiting and supporting him in the Basketball Club was only the right thing to do in her mind. Her more than frequent visits for both moral support and the basketball portion of the school newspaper had started it all. As she became a familiar face to the club, they grew more relaxed and at ease when she was around.
Developing a friendship with Momoi had been the first part. The two females had bonded surprisingly quickly due to Kaed's own interest in the sport. And along with Momoi, the girl's relationships gradually stretched to the players who would soon be known as the Generation of Miracles.
When Akashi had been named vice-captain of the Teiko Basketball Club, she found it hard to be surprised. With his aura, anyone could believe he was in a position of power. It was also around this time that Kaed had found herself with not much to do in the Newspaper Club. As such, she had begun helping out the team where she could. Running errands, recording games, and taking notes for Momoi. Time went on and she eventually found herself even having to play practice dummy for the first-stringers at times. Though, she never did consider herself a part of the club until that one particular day.
There was something wrong with the usual picture Kaed was a part of on her way home from school, that much was obvious. At first, she hadn't noticed since she was mixed in with the wave of students leaving. But as she drew closer and closer to home and the crowd thinned out she realized there was something wrong. Usually, ten minutes into her walk and five minutes until she reached her destination, she was the only one on that route, with the exception of the few neighboring people. This time there was someone with her, and as she turned around to see who it was, she nearly choked on air.
It was Akashi. Akashi Seijuro, the vice-captain of the Teiko Basketball team, following her. Needless to say, Kaed was in shock and did the only thing she could. She spluttered. "A-a-akashi-san! What are you doing?!"
A bored, uncaring glance was all she received, "Walking you home," and that clipped statement.
"I can see that, but why?" Kaed questioned further, hoping he wasn't planning something.
"It is both captain and vice-captain's job to make sure all club members are well," he said simply.
"But…" she started, untidy ponytail letting some strands of hair into her face, much to her annoyance, "I'm not an official club member."
The red-head remained silent; a small, knowing smirk perfectly in place.
By the time she arrived at the door to her family's small two-story home, Kaed was quite uncomfortable with Akashi's presence. Shifting her feet she unlocked the door and stepped inside. "I'm home," she called inside. Taking a glance back at the red haired captain a forced smile made its way to her face, "Look Akashi-san thanks for walking me home and all but it was really-"
"Welcome back!" a perky voice cut Kaed off. Turning back to the inside of the house, Kaed inwardly cursed her bad luck. The voice belonged to a tall, middle aged woman who looked a bit out of place in Japan; she was obviously of another ethnicity. Her long dark hair was twisted into a half-up position, brown eyes shining along with her smile. "Oh?" she said, noticing her daughter was quite obviously not alone. "Are you a friend of Sumiko's?"
"Kaa-san he's just-" Kaed tried to explain.
"Akashi Seijuro," he introduced politely. His eyes had shifted briefly to Kaed when her mother had referred to her, something he would keep note of. "I'm from the Basketball Club."
The woman's smile widened, "Ah! A friend from the club, do come in," she ushered. Both Teiko students didn't really have any say in the matter, landing them in the dining room table. "I'm Tsuji Sofija, Sumiko's mother, it's nice to meet you Akashi-kun, my daughter rarely has friend's over."
Nodding, Akashi replied in turn, "Thank you for your hospitality Tsuji-san. If you don't mind my asking, why do you call Tsuji 'Sumiko'? She introduced herself as 'Kaed' being her first name."
A light chuckle sounded from Sofija as she caught sight of her daughter's lightly flushed face. "Well, you see Akashi-kun, 'Kaed' is a nickname she got in elementary school. She never did like being called 'Sumiko' so the nickname stuck and now her father and I are the only ones who call her 'Sumiko', isn't that right?"
"Yeah, it is," Kaed said, still recovering from her mother telling Akashi of all people about that. Noting the small smirk that tugged Akashi's lip upward slightly, she clenched her uniform skirt anxiously.
"I hope you don't mind me getting to the point," Akashi said, "but I do need to ask you something."
Peppy smile still in place, Sofija nodded, "Ask away."
"Well, Tsuji still isn't officially a part of the Basketball Club, but she does help us out quite a bit. But for a coming training camp I would like her to attend, and because of her position I would need your permission," he explained professionally.
"Permission granted!" Sofija exclaimed, looking all too happy. "My daughter here needs to get out more anyway, feel free to borrow her whenever. Say, would you like to stay for a cup of tea?"
"Kaa-san!" Kaed gave a strained cry. Her mother simply smiled at her and brushed off the girl's horrified facial expression, much to Akashi's mild amusement.
Standing and placing his chair in its original position, Akashi shook his head, "Thank you for the offer, but I really must be going now," his head lifted up confidently, "but I'll be sure to take you up on your…other offer," this was said more to Kaed, who shrunk down in her chair.
Also standing (and pulling Kaed up), Sofija sighed as she escorted the red haired boy to the door, "Such a shame. I was really hoping for some company today." Opening the door she nodded toward the leaving Akashi. Speaking quietly, she spoke into his ear as he passed, "Thank you for looking after Sumiko."
Stopping briefly on his way down the porch stairs, he turned to give the two females a half-smile, half-smirk, "No problem at all, we at the Basketball Club enjoy her presence quite much." With that he turned to leave.
"Come by anytime!" Sofija called out cheerily while waving.
It didn't take long for Kaed's sharp eyes to lock onto Akashi's subtle smirk and prideful stride as he walked back the way they had come. Blinking, it took a second for what had just happened to sink in. Realizing what had just gone down, her mouth twitched into a slightly opened spot. Shaking it off surprise was replaced with annoyance that she had just been, well, had. Clenching her fists, she took a small glance in her mother's direction and seeing her happy smile, Kaed's eye twitched, that little sneak had planned this!
Her mother's airy laugh drew Kaed back to reality from her mental cursing of the short red-head. Tuning down her near murderous aura, she turned to her smiling mom; who at the current moment was giggling like a school-girl. "Why didn't you tell me you were friends with such a polite young man?"
Kaed's eye twitched yet again, "We aren't friends Kaa-san," she said stressing the close term, "He's just the vice-captain of the Basketball Club."
Sofija raised an amused eyebrow, "Vice-captain and only in his first year? That's quite impressive. You know he's quite handsome as well…" she trailed off, teasing glint in her eyes. "Just wait until I tell your father about this. He'll be ecstatic!"
The ash brown haired girl had to keep herself from slapping her face with her palm. Her mother just didn't listen to her at all. "Kaa-san," she said, now a bit exasperated, "it isn't like that at all!"
Lightly ruffling her daughter's hair, Sofija smiled down at the younger girl, "Just teasing Sumiko. You know I only want the best for you," she said stepping back inside the house.
Kaed sighed before also stepping inside and closing and locking the door behind her. Skipping several steps on her way upstairs, she flung open the door to her room, tossed her bag on the floor, jumped into her bed, and slammed her head on the mattress. Flipping onto her back to stare at the ceiling, she once again sighed, though this time it was more of a tired groan. Now the vice-captain of the Basketball Club had her mother on his side, not a good thing. It was especially not a good thing considering how…odd Akashi could be.
Well there went her hope for a nice, calm first year of middle school.
School the next day definitely didn't help her and forget the past day's events. Kuroko (ever the observant one) had mildly questioned her on why she had been avoiding him in general and ignoring him in class. She had simply responded with more silence. It wasn't like she wanted to make him feel even more invisible, but Akashi's home visit had put her on her guard for anything…suspicious. And that included possibly using Kuroko for something.
She had been quite wary going into the basketball gym, looking around as if she was expecting to be jumped. The large club had looked over at her curiously more than a few times, but knew better than to get involved with the first-year girl who was mixed up with the prodigious freshmen. A certain pink haired girl paid no heed to Kaed's anxiety however, and jogged over, smile on her lips. "Tsu-chan~! Can you come with me?"
Immediately relaxing at Momoi's friendly voice, Kaed smiled softly, "Oh, sure. Why?"
"Well," Momoi put a finger to her lip, "Akashi sent me to get you. He said something about wanting you with the first-stringers today."
The color quickly drained from her face, "In that case…" Kaed said, "tell him I'm not here!" she cried before attempting to make a break for it. That was quickly intercepted by Momoi latching onto her arm.
"But Tsu-chan! You can't just leave!" Momoi exclaimed. "I'm sure it's nothing bad." Her lips drew into a cute pout as she looked at Kaed.
"Fine," Kaed sighed, not wanting to have to be completely guilt tripped by Momoi…again. Walking with her to the other gym, Kaed silently made a checklist of everything she never got to do.
It was much quieter in the first-string gym than it was in the other ones, owing to the lack of people within it. "I'm back with Tsu-chan~!" Momoi greeted.
"Hey Tsuji," Aomine called out casually, halting his practice for the time being. "What brings you here?"
"I called her here," Akashi said, stepping forward. Meeting the group's questioning gazes, he smirked. "We're welcoming her officially into the Teiko Basketball Club."
The various reactions of the team were quite an interesting sight. Aomine tossed a friendly arm around her shoulder as he questioned the very shocked (and slightly irritated by Akashi) girl. Midorima adjusted his glasses and looked suspiciously at Akashi. Momoi's jaw dropped before letting out a happy shriek and joining Aomine in smothering Kaed. Murasakibara stopped chewing to briefly pat Kaed on the head. To top it off, Kuroko popped out of nowhere (and startled the group quite well) to ask, "Why didn't you tell us earlier that you were joining the Basketball Club?"
"Well, that's because…" the new member tried to come up with the right words. "I didn't know I agreed to join until just now," she blurted out.
"Yes you did," Akashi said simply, "yesterday remember?" he prompted.
For a minute Kaed forgot how to string together words, "Ah, oh, yeah, yesterday, right."
A sly look was held in the red-haired boy's gaze. Kaed froze in place for a second, before shaking it off. It couldn't be that bad, could it?
"I look forward to working with you Tsuji," Akashi said, seemingly speaking for the whole club. "Let's…make something of these three years."
Evidently, it could be that bad. Now, whether this was a miracle or a curse, was debatable. That of course would be decided in the coming years.
A/N: Well I can't believe I just wrote that. I really hope Akashi wasn't too OOC, since this is first year and all. A little shorter than what I had wanted, but if I made it longer there would have been way too many spoilers for Dissonance.