"How'd the game go?"

"Fine."

"Did you play?"

"No."

"Lame."

I snapped the phone shut, and fell back on my narrow dorm bed with groan.

When we had returned from the game, the whole team was still amped up with energy buzzing under their skin. We'd spent the week hyping ourselves up for that match, but ended up having nowhere to direct that energy. In the end we had all ended up back in the gym, sans Aomine, and had divided up into teams so we could play against each other for a while. And when that still wasn't good enough, Wakamatsu had begun yelling out more and more absurd challenges and we had all gone along with him.

After the last one where we'd had everyone standing under a hoop, trying to sink the basketball in at the same time as the others, we'd given up and gone our own ways for the evening, finally worn out.

Idly I wondered when we'd be scheduled for another match. By that point Watanabe would be recovered from his food poisoning, so I probably wouldn't even be on the bench, but up in the bleachers with the rest of the basketball members who had not yet made the cut, cheering on the team down below.

That would be lame indeed.

I groaned again, like an old man or something, and pushed myself off the bed. As I headed for the door, I grabbed my gym bag.

The early evening was pretty quiet. There were a few other dorm kids that would still be on campus if they hadn't gone out for the evening. I knew at least Imayoshi-sempai and Susa were dorm kids, but they were probably studying or something. I didn't know Susa very well, and I also didn't particularly know much about Imayoshi-sempai. Outside of practice we all tended to keep to our selves quite a bit. Our connection only extended as far as the lines of the basketball court.

For all I knew Imayoshi-sempai could have been off running an underground crime ring in his spare time.

I was surprised to find the doors unlocked, although everything was shut down and all was quiet. I'd have to mention it to Imayoshi-sempai, or Momoi-san at practice the next day.

Those of us who stayed in the dorm had keys, since we were in prime position to open it up first thing in the morning. Anyone else would need to track down the set kept in the office. I supposed the school figured that if we residents were responsible enough to stay on campus to begin with, we were responsible enough for keys to the gym. Well, and they'd made us sign a waiver with our parents. Either way, at least I hadn't needed to go out of my way to find a street court. The travel back and forth would just eat into the time that I could use to practice.

I'd always played as something of an all-rounder, which was a natural by-product of growing up in a small town. The middle school team I had joined hadn't had many players, and a lot of the time that meant needing people who could work well enough in multiple positions. There were a few people who were clearly more skilled in one area than another, or had the advantage (or curse) of an early growth period that had landed them in specific positions, but everyone else just made do.

My own lack of specification probably had a lot to do with how new I had been to basketball at the time. Before then my exposure to basketball had been limited to tossing a ball back and forth in a parking lot with my friends, trying to make ridiculous trick shots. It was only by chance that I'd made a friend who had taken it a bit more seriously and had egged me on in joining the basketball club with him.

Susa sempai was also an all-rounder, which was why he held the position of small forward on our team. If they had decided that I was decent enough to serve as back up for him (well, technically I was back up for his back up) I would have to lean into that if I ever wanted to establish a more stable place on the team.

Since coming to high school I hadn't really been sure what I should have been focussing on. The brochure I had received upon my recruitment offer had informed me that Tōō valued 'freedom to explore one's individual strength'. This had been a novel concept for me, since a small town didn't have the kind of resources it took to support each child's unique interests or abilities, and maybe that had been a bit of a hobble for me, since I wasn't even sure what my particular talents were supposed to be.

My recruitment had involved a lot of words like 'promise', 'potential', and 'unpolished talent' without much indication of what specifically had earned me their recognition. I had just sort of accepted that figuring it out was going to be part of the learning process. Maybe I was being a little impatient since we were barely two weeks in to the school year, but so far I hadn't figured out much.

Without direction, it'd been difficult to figure out how exactly I was supposed improve upon my supposed 'unpolished talent'.

But apparently I'd missed the whole damn point. What I needed to focus on was making sure my foundations were solid. I needed my fundamentals to be as balanced as I could get them. That seemed the best way to make sure I was someone who could be counted on as a small forward.

Practicing on my own narrowed down what I could work on, but there were still a few things. I already knew that my stamina was a weak point, but I'd been accounting for that where I could. I'd added a run in the morning, and my route took me around the block, and involved several flights of stairs, so with time I would see some improvement. That would also just increase with regular practice, and playing games if I got to. I figured the next thing I could focus on was shooting, since that didn't necessarily require another person to practice, although shooting under pressure was better than just free throwing.

I considered the court as I stretched, trying to make up my mind. It was dimly lit. I hadn't seen much point in drawing attention myself, and I didn't need every light in the place turned on. Instead, murky shadows seeped out if every corn, obscuring the far ends of the court in a way that made it seem impossibly huge. There was something about how eery the basketball court could be like that, without the normal clamour and din that filled it.

Weirdness aside, I had work to do.

Maneuverability, I decided, was probably a good skill to practice on my own, and I didn't necessarily need others to work on that. I collected a stack of pylons from the equipment room, and set them up in line for me to weave around as I dribbled. With this I'd practice both my control and I'd improve on the sharpness and agility of my movements. And over time I could lessen the space between them, making it harder and harder to avoid slipping up or getting distracted.

I was there for a while, and it was not easy. The hardest thing was making sure I was paying attention to both my route between the pylons, and the ball bouncing off of my fingers. If I focussed too much on my feet, I would mess up my dribbling. If I focussed too much on that, then I'd run into one of the obstacles, Oof swing out too wide by accident.

It was fully dark out when I sent my basket ball bouncing away from me for the millionth time, having screwed up and bounced it off the toe of my sneakers. I grumbled, stringing together a series of curse words I never would have gotten away with uttering during actual practice, and slouched after the ball, half considering that I might need to switch over to something else before I got too frustrated.

"Man, you really suck," A voice drawled from the far end of the gym, where the stage was.

When I say that my heart nearly leapt out of my throat, I mean it. It rattled so hard in my chest you'd have thought it was the basketball.

The string of expletives returned, significantly louder this time, as I whirled on the voice emanating from the shadows.

There was a shift of movement, and Aomine appeared from where he'd apparently been reclining on the stage in the dark, like some sort of horrific zombie.

At least now I knew why the gym had been unlocked.

Once I managed to return my heart rate to something a little less spastic I asked, "how long have you been there?" I tried to ignore the way my voice nearly cracked.

He grinned, teeth flashing in the dim light. "I was here first."

So the whole time, then. Damn, I actually felt embarrassed. "And you couldn't have said anything?"

He shrugged and yawned widely. "Why?"

Because it was what any normal, sane person would have done. But, I had to admit, I probably would have also taken the opportunity to scare the living daylights out of a person if they'd just walked in on me, completely clueless. Actually, I might have gone step further and played at being a ghost just to see them freak out and lose their minds little bit.

"What are you even doing here," I decided to ask instead. It wasn't like he had been practicing. Just lurking about in the shadows after everyone had gone home.

He flopped back on the stage, and there was a rustle of paper. "None of your damn business. But I was here first and listening to you flail about is irritating. Go somewhere else."

"Well if you're so freaking smart, maybe you could give me some pointers," I snapped.

"What would be the point of that? It's not like you could ever do what I do." He derided. "What, are you one of those pure hearted idiots who think anything is possible if you just try hard enough?"

I considered throwing another basketball at him, but held back because I had a feeling that if he ever decided to throw it back at me he wouldn't miss like Wakamatsu. "And so? Are you saying you never practiced in your life? You just picked up a basketball one day and never grew any? Never improved at all? You were always exactly as skilled as you are now?"

There was a long beat of silence, and then another rustle of paper, like the turning of a page. "Ha. Did I hurt your feelings?"

"I'm fragile," I barked back at him. "I'm telling Wakamatsu-sempai you think no one should practice because they'll never be as good as you anyway."

"Do what you want. You're the one wasting your time."

I looked at the ceiling and prayed for patience. "So is that why you don't practice then?"I tucked the basketball under one arm and neared the stage. "Some whole protest against your own ability?"

Another page turn, and now that I was closer I could see that he was reading a magazine with an unfamiliar model on the cover.

"I'm already the best. No one can beat me but me."

I whistled at that, more impressed by the fortitude it'd take to say something so cringey than at his own self-assurance. "Not even your old teammates?" I hazarded, deciding I would at least humour him on this.

Another page flip, and a long round of silence.

It didn't seem like he planned on answering. "Why don't you just give up then? No one is making you play basketball."

He sat up then with an irritated sigh. "You aren't going to leave?"

"Woah, is someone making you play basketball? Is that it? Was I right?"

He scowled. "You've got something wrong with your head." And then he pulled himself to his feet, somehow sluggish and graceful at the same time. He hopped down over the edge of the stage, and started towards the door without a glance back.

I bounced the basketball up and down a couple of times as I watched him go and just as he was about to exit, I called out after him. "You should probably take a statistics course. 'No one' seems pretty unrealistic if theres eight billion people in the world'."

Obviously he did not deign to reply to that. Aomine was king of dramatic exits, after all.

O O O

I yawned as I lurched into first period several days later, and seeing Sakurai sitting at his desk, looking panicked and hastily flipping through his books, I suddenly recalled Aomine's request for notes previously. I'd never actually lent mine to him.

"Yo," I said, as I dropped into the seat in front of Sakurai's desk, even though it wasn't mine. "Did you ever talk to Aomine? I think he was planning to shake you down for your homework or something."

Sakurai's head darted up like that of startled deer. "W-what? No! Sorry. I didn't know that! Sorry!"

I hummed and leaned the chair, trying to ease a crick out of my shoulder. "Damn. I hope it wasn't too urgent. Or maybe Momoi-san finally caved." I stopped and thought about what I knew of our bizarre ace. "Suppose he could have just stolen them. Hope he didn't harass some poor nerd."

"I'm sorry! It's my fault! I'll ask him if he still needs him later!"

I shrugged. "Sure, go for it. Well, I guess he might ask you first."

Sakurai looked down at his notes, his face caught between terror and despair. I wasn't sure the reason. Knowing Sakurai he could have been scared of Aomine, or he could have just been distraught in general. His meekness rarely seemed directed at anything in particular.

"Hey, I've got a favour to ask you."

He stared at me with huge eyes, face pale like I was about to ask him for a loan or something.

"You're a decent shot, and I need to work on my guarding. Dunno if you'd find that useful, but we should practice sometime. Maybe during lunches, or free periods. If not, maybe give me some tips sometime after practice if you notice anything I could work on?"

"O-oh. Sure. Yeah. Sorry."

"Not too often. I know you're busy and stuff."

"I'm sorry! But we can practice sometimes, yes!"

It was so awkward asking this guy for anything. I couldn't tell if he was actually fine with it, or if he thought he had to. It felt like I was stealing candy from a kid, or mugging an old lady or something, not asking a fellow team mate for pointers.

I considered him for a second, and then reached into my bag and pulled out a bag of gummy candy I'd been saving for later. "Thanks. Here. Take these. I hear sugar is good for studying. Or when you're tired or something, I don't know dude."

My phone buzzed, distracting me from whatever it was he said in response.

I read the message and grunted, tired, then snapped it shut without replying.

"Hey, has anyone said anything about another game being scheduled?"

Sakurai stared at me in horror. "No? Sorry? Is there a game? But we played just a few days ago? I didn't know! I'm sorry!"

"Ah, no it's fine, I don't think there is one, I just wanted to see if you'd heard anything."

"No, I'm so sorry, I don't know! I'm sorry you didn't get to play! I'm sorry that I did?"

"What? Oh. No. You're fine. A friend of mine just was curious is all." I pulled myself out of the seat knowing class was about to start and whoever sat there would be wanting their desk back soon. I paused and glanced down at Sakurai before I left.

"Keep an eye out for Aomine, yeah? He likes to jump out at you like some sort of weirdo. He could be anywhere. Wouldn't want you to get surprised!" I grinned cheekily as Sakurai's face paled further, and he glanced around nervously as if Aomine was already waiting to pounce on him.

O O O

"That's not going to work."

"Well you try Aomine-kun!"

I froze, pretzel halfway to my mouth, and turned slowly in the direction of the voice, not entirely sure if I'd heard right. I was starting to fear that I was somehow cursed.

Because there was maintenance being done on the gym's air conditioning system, practice had ended early. With a little extra free time on my hands, I decided to reward my recent hard work with a bit of a break. I'd ended up at a nearby arcade that seemed pretty popular. It smelled of popcorn and soda and teenagers. There was some sort of Vocaloid music playing over the speakers energetic and half drowned out by the sounds of the arcade machines.

The energy of it all had hit me so hard that I'd suddenly realized since coming to Tōō I had spent most of my time in a gym, in class or in my dorm. This was only ever broken up by the odd foray out to get food from a convenience store or restaurant. I wasn't sure the last time I'd gone out just to mess around and waste time.

Delighted, I'd done nothing but idly flit from one game to the next and snack on garbage. I was minding my own business, having a nice time on my own, not thinking about basketball for once, but lo and behold it had not been meant to last.

I stared at Aomine and Momoi as they argued over one of the claw games with its alluring array of brightly coloured plushies and action figures, lit but the blinking technicolour lights.

They hadn't noticed me yet. I still had time. If I was quick I could get out and go somewhere else with no one the-

"Okabe-kun!"

I sighed, feeling the irony at this repeat performance, and turned back around slowly. "Momoi-san," I greeted tiredly. "Hello!"

Aomine was scowling at me, arms folded across his chest as he leaned back against a concrete support pillar decorated with old flyers of different local event and tournaments. His eyes were practically screaming at me to go away. Momoi-san was smiling and waving excitedly, her pink hair swishing back and forth as she hopped from one foot to the next slightly, completely oblivious to the death glare I was getting from her comrade.

Well, nothing for it then. I shoved the pretzel into my mouth and strolled on over, grinning. "Fancy meeting you two here!"

Aomine huffed irritably and looked away, but Momoi-san continued on as if she hadn't heard him. Maybe she wasn't oblivious after all and just wasn't willing to acknowledge all Aomine's various hang-ups.

"Same to you! I figured you would have been practicing somewhere!"

Of course she knew, given her eery information gathering skills. Well, actually, it probably hadn't taken that. Aomine had probably told her.

I decided to ignore it and glanced into the clear plexiglass case full of toys. "What one were you trying to go for?"

"That one!" She pointed to a soft, powder blue rabbit with a deadpan expression. "It looks just like Tetsu!"

I didn't know who this Tetsu person was, but I glanced at Aomine over her shoulder. "What, you're just going to stand there and criticize her, but not even lend a hand? For shame Aomine!"

He rolled his eyes. "No. It's bothersome."

I rose an eyebrow and looked back at Momoi- who had blown her cheeks out in the affectation of a childish pout. "Momoi-san, I think this is beyond him. I think he might have finally found a foe beyond his abilities. Now if only we could put the whole damn thing in a jersey and stick it on a basketball court," I commented, leaning back to study the machine speculatively.

Momoi-san grinned at Aomine slyly. "You might be right," she agreed. "Maybe I should talk to the coach about it."

Aomine sneered down at us over his nose. "Stupid," he mocked, clearly not falling for it.

Momoi-san glanced at me and shrugged. "He's always such a grouch," she informed me lowly, though I doubted Aomine missed it.

"And he just loves talking down to people, but can't be bothered to get off his ass," I agreed in aloud whisper.

Aomine shoved off the pillar and started to stalk away.

"Ah! Aomine-kun!" Momoi-called after him in irritation.

I glanced at the claw machine in thought. "You want me to give it a try? No guarantees or anything. I was never that good at these. Honda—ah, a team mate from middle school— was way better at it. Usually could get them in one or two goes."

"Wow, really?" Momoi-san asked, fumbling for some change. "Yes please!"

I nodded. "Alright then. Here goes nothing."

The first try was no good, but Momoi insisted I almost had it and fed more money into the machine for another shot. To both our surprise and excitement, I managed to get the claw to get a good grasp around the creatures head, and one ear flopped over the claw in a way that felt like a promising help.

Momoi squealed with delight when the bunny fell into the dispenser, and it was so shrill I had to lean away from her.

She grabbed the stuffed animal and swung it around in the air, holding it up out of the way.

"Thank you Okabe-kun," she sang. "I owe you one! Do you want a drink or something?"

I thought about declining and making my exit, but then I realized Momoi-would probably have some good advice for me about basketball, and might even be willing to share some stories from her days as manager for the generation of miracles. "Sure," I relented in the end.

I followed her over to the small concession, and we found Aomine perched on a stool making his way through a box of chocolate banana pocky with gusto. He glanced over as Momoi-san pranced up beside him and grunted in greeting.

She shoved the plushie in his face pointedly. "Look what I got," She enthused, waving the bunny back and forth so that its ears flapped through the air.

Aomine shoved the offending prize away with his hand. "Bet it was only luck," he taunted.

I shrugged as I joined them, and leaned against the counter. "They say luck is a skill too." And then because I thought it might be funny, I continued with a different topic, one Aomine had probably forgotten all about. "I spoke to Sakurai about you copying his school work."

Aomine shot a glare at me, and Momoi-san's face began to flush with vexation.

"Aomine-kun!" She started, but he cut her off.

"You're twisting words again," he snipped at me. "I just wanted to borrow his notes."

Based on Momoi's expression, we both doubted his intentions had been as honourable as he was implying.

"Sure, sure." I didn't see the point in pushing it. I got the feeling Momoi-san would do that for me. "Anyway, he said he hadn't spoke to you. I hope it wasn't anything super important. I guess you must have been too busy brooding about basketball or whatever."

Momoi-san glanced at me sharply, as if she'd not been expecting me to mention that so openly. It hadn't seemed like a secret though, given how obvious the moody ace was. Maybe she was more worried I'd set him off again.

"You're the one skulking about, practicing in the dark." Aomine smiled, but it was not a friendly thing.

I wasn't sure he was capable of smiling normally. Every one that I had seen made him look like he could have been in Imayoshi-sempai's underground crime ring. I bet he would have made a great loan-shark. I could totally see him going around, kicking down people's doors, showing up at their work, or popping out of random alleyways to harass them about giving him money.

Maybe Tōō was just a front for some deeply nefarious after all.

"Hey, Momoi-san, if you guys end up trying to sell off my organs, can you at least get a good price for them?"

"Huh?"

I shrugged at her. "Nothing. Don't mind me."

Aomine stood, rolling his head a couple times so that his neck cracked. "Well, I've got better things to do than talk to some benchwarmer, so…"

"You're just running away before I can challenge you to something you're bad at," I grinned at his retreating back.

He sighed. "C'mon Satsuki."

Momoi-san hummed thoughtfully, pressing a finger to her chin. "Mmm, but it could be fun."

My smile widened. Our manager was pretty alright. At the very least she could appreciate giving someone a hard time.

"Whatever," Aomine groused, as he shoved his hands into his pockets and continued to walk away.

I pushed myself away from the counter and followed. "What? Are you really going to let me scare you off every time Aomine? You're pretty boring. I guess I'll just continue being the undefeated champion of Tekken. At this rate I suppose I'll never meet my match." And then because I just couldn't resist, "the only one who can beat me is me after all."

I wasn't sure if it was the words or the pose I struck that bothered him, or maybe both, but when he sighed this time I knew I'd won.

"Nerd," he snipped, but his direction had changed in the direction of the arcade machines.

I glanced back at Momoi-san eyebrows raised. "Coming?"

She laughed, and followed us.

O O O

So maybe I wasn't the undefeated champion. I wasn't bad though, and I could see Aomine getting competitive about it which was probably the first time I'd see him start putting effort into anything other than avoiding me, which was nice. He still wasn't smiling like a normal person though. Any victory he earned and his smirk just got more and more evil, until I was about ready to put it in the hall of fame right next to Imayoshi-sempai's.

Momoi-san had the courtesy to cheer for me, which I appreciated, and she played a couple rounds against both Aomine and I, doing well enough to catch us both off guard. I don't know why. She was a skilled information gatherer, and once she'd figured out the moves for the different characters, she was scary good.

Somehow she ended up matching off against other players in the arcade while we cheered her on. Well. I did. Aomine was too cool for such rambunctious behaviour. But he looked pretty damn smug any time she won.

And then she managed to defeat one player several times in a row. Honestly they got defeated pretty damn easily, but they kept on challenging her to rematches. Based on the voice I could hear angrily cursing from the other side of the machine, I had a sneaking suspicion who it was, but I decided to just let things play out on their own.

Sure enough, after the fifth rematch, when Momoi-san was starting to look a little uncomfortable, a familiar face surged around the side of the machine, face read with the sting of wounded pride.

"AH!" Wakamatsu shrieked when he saw who had defeated him so soundly. "AH!" He shrieked again when he saw me and Aomine standing behind her.

I waved.

Aomine yawned.

"Of course it's you!" He yelled at me furiously.

"Who? Me? I'm not doing anything. Momoi-san here is the one who's made you look like a total loser."

"Yeah! Let's see you play then!" He demanded.

I mean, I could have. I was pretty sure he'd still lose, especially now that he was so riled up. I could almost hear the groan of the plastic where he was clutching the arcade machine so hard. Plus, I'd been struck with an even better, infinitely more funny idea.

"I mean, I could, but I promised Momoi-san here we could play a little DDR. You can join us if you want. We can make a it a four man tournament."

"HA?" Wakamatsu roared.

"Ha?" Aomine growled.

Momoi-san clapped her hands excitedly.

"It's good exercise," I shrugged at Wakamatsu. "Great aerobics."

He fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Not that it was a complete lie or anything. I just figured if I posed it as something advantageous for basketball he'd be more easily persuaded.

Aomine looked less convinced. His usual slouch had somehow managed to deepen in its lethargy.

"Come on, old man," I poked. "You can't tell me you're worn out already."

"Yeah, c'mon Aomine! It's been so long since we did this!" Momoi-san needled.

I could see the moment he caved, and high-fived Momoi-san for her hard work. There's no way he would have actually agreed if was just me and Wakamatsu.

And dammit, but I should have expected Aomine to be ridiculously OP. I'd seen his mad footwork at the basketball game, it was no wonder he'd kill at DDR.

In the final match, after both Wakamatsu and I had been eliminated and it was down to Aomine and Momoi-san, my phone dinged.

"Having fun?"

I jerked my head up and looked around. Other than my fellow basketball club members, I didn't see anyone familiar, but unease tickled along the back of my neck. I winced, and tried to roll a sudden tightness out of my shoulders as I typed back a message.

"What?"

"It's pretty boring without you here, Hide-kun."

I do not know anything about basketball or sports in general, and wiki trawling can only get one so far, so forgive me the shakiness of my knowledge. I'm going for 'pretty convincing' at best.