Hi guys, thank you so much for the reviews and the multiple follows! Feel free to drop a message on what I can improve on and where you think the story should be headed or just comments in general!

I know this deviates slightly from the manga, but bear with me. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

"You want me to what?!"

Kuroko gave off a tiny frustrated sigh, "Aomine-kun, this is the fourth time, but please teach me how to shoot."

Aomine had arrived at their usual courts just on time and out of breath. He had spent the hour after Tetsu's unexpected phone call, for a lack of a better word, primping. His bedroom currently resembled the aftermath of a hurricane which had combined with a tornado and just for good measure, followed by an earthquake and consequent tsunami. Aomine had tried on outfit after outfit, found minor faults in each one then discarded the garments over his shoulder. It wasn't until he checked the clock and realised that he had a quarter of an hour to make the twenty minute trip it would take to get to the courts that he made his final decision. Giving himself a final once over in the mirror – he looked pretty damn good, if he did say so himself – Aomine flew down the stairs an after a hurried goodbye to his mum, he raced out the door.

All the way to meet Tetsu, Aomine practised the multiple ways in which their conversation would go and how to respond to each avenue of possibility. His favourite one so far was a little farfetched, he would admit;

"H-hi Tetsu."

"Aomine-kun. You're probably wondering why I asked you here."

"W-well…"

"I like you Aomine-kun. I've liked you for a long time now and I would like it if we started dating."

Then Tetsu would lean in on tippy toes – being utterly adorable all the while – he would be close enough so that Aomine could count the individual lashes on his fluttering eyelids, trace the endearing, pink cupid's bow to his lips, feel the warmth of Tetsu's small hand on his shoulder and the little puffs of warm air on his own lips. Here, his inner self gave a little shrill girly squeal which made him freeze in his tracks. God, he was really losing his mind here, he needed help. Shaking himself physically, he jogged on to his planned rendezvous.

So when the phantom player had cut through the pleasantries and brusquely asked the favour in his customary blank voice, Aomine's bubble of hope was burst unceremoniously. He desperately tried to grab onto the fading imagined scenarios, implementing some of the phrases he had rehearsed but Tetsu just spoke over him and asked the question again.

Grumbling under his breath about how unfair the situation was – damn it, Tetsu shouldn't have sounded so propositional and inviting – he grudgingly gave his agreement. Aomine knew just how impossible the task he had just undertaken was; after all he had practiced many hours alone with his ex-shadow during their Teiko years, even before the light haired boy had become a regular. He brightened a little at this realisation. The amount of time it would take to teach Tetsu to shoot would mean more meetings and more time spent in his presence.

"And", Inner Aomine interjected whilst doing a happy dance, "Notice how he didn't go to Bakagami for help? Instead he came to us!"

His mood now lifted, Aomine proceeded enthusiastically with the lesson.

He had forgotten just how terrible Tetsu was.

Sighing, he picked up the ball and tossed it lightly to the Seirin player. Aomine positioned himself behind the smaller boy, and adjusted Tetsu's stance with a gentle nudge between his legs and guided his arms into position with his own; showing him the gentle flicking movement of the wrist that would guide the orange ball into the hoop.

"Okay, you ready?"

With Aomine directing Kuroko's movements, the ball flew into a perfect arch and swished accurately and silently into the ring.

"There you go. Do you remember the movement and power I just used?"

Aomine had unconsciously leaned down to ask the question so he could distinctly feel the slight tremor that ran through Tetsu's body and hear his sharp intake of breath. When Tetsu answered with a tiny 'yes', there was a breathless quality in his voice that puzzled Aomine. It wasn't until the light haired boy shifted slightly that Aomine realised exactly what position they were in. The full length of his body was pressed against Tetsu's with his feet framing the others, his arms were practically cuddling the smaller boy and if he tilted his head down a notch, his face would be buried in the soft silky locks that he had always wanted to run his fingers through.

A hot flush swept over his body and he cleared his throat self-consciously. Dropping his arms and stepping back, he gestured his hand in the air weakly, "Now you try it."

The look that Tetsu shot him over his shoulder looked a lot like disappointment and for the life of him, Aomine could not figure out the reason. Shaking it off, he watched closely as the boy picked up the discarded ball and prepared to shoot. Disturbingly girly thoughts invaded his head as he observed the other male, thoughts that he should definitely not have towards another guy; how lean and perfect his ex-shadow was, how his light blue hair seemed to dance in the slight breeze and shone in the sunlight, how determination shone from his usual blank gaze, how there was a slight pursing of those full pink lips in concentration and how grace and delicacy seemed to exude from his every movement. Aomine felt a sudden surge of protectiveness for the phantom player, he wanted to bubble wrap the small boy and hold him tight so that he would never ever get hurt again.

The familiar dull thunk of ball hitting the metal rim jolted Aomine out of his musings. He barely managed to repress the fond the smile that was threatening to slide across his face when he saw the dejected and sulky pout that Tetsu had developed; he resembled an extremely put out puppy that just had his favourite toy taken away. Moving to scoop up the basketball, Aomine chuckled softly and ruffled his hair as he passed, completely missing the intense burning look that Kuroko shot at his back.

Aomine couldn't and wouldn't even if he could, stop the look of immense pride and adoration he was wearing as he watched the match against Seirin and Yosen. After hours of failed practice, he had realised that while normal players pass with their palms, Tetsu passes like how a normal player shoots, applying in fingertips and wrists in the process. So when Tetsu tries to shoot, he uses the same technique, but as a shot and a pass are completely different, he has trouble gauging the distance to the hoop. After this epiphany, Aomine encouraged Kuroko to use the palm of his hand to thrust the ball forward from his chest. And slowly, the Phantom Shot was developed.

The match was over. Seirin had won. Aomine turned to leave amid the celebrations and overwhelming noise; cheers, whoops of delight and mutterings and chatters on the newly emerging no-name school. He had spotted Akashi lurking among the spectators and really, the less he saw of his terrifying ex-captain, the better.

By the time Kuroko caught up to him, Aomine had reached the gate that lead into the sports arena where the Winter Cup was held. He hadn't expected to feel a small but strong hand latch onto the crook of his elbow and forcefully turn him around. The tanned player looked down to meet his friend's eyes and lost focus immediately. Tetsu had clearly run after him immediately after the match, he hadn't even stopped to dry off; his hair was in ruffled strands where he had run his hand through it in an effort to lift it off his forehead, his cheeks were pink from exertion and alluring beads of sweat were rolling down the side of his face towards his neck and delicate collarbones. Aomine had the sudden absurd urge to trace the path of the salty liquid with the flat of his tongue, follow the contours of Tetsu's jaw and down to that delectable pale expanse of flesh that peeked from the neckline of his basketball uniform.

"Aomine-kun."

The light reprimand in Kuroko's voice, which told him the Seirin player had tried to catch his attention multiple times, broke the train of his thoughts which was decidedly heading down a lecherous path.

He gave a distracted, "Hm?"

"I wanted to thank you. If Aomine-kun had not helped me in the past few days, today's victory would not have been possible."

And with that, before Aomine could do more than blink, Tetsu leant in, grabbed the collar of his jacket and jerked his head down. He felt a light pressure on his lips which vanished as suddenly as it began. Raising a shaky hand to his mouth, Aomine looked around him in a daze, searching for a familiar head of shocking light blue hair. Not a soul could be seen in his immediate vicinity. Damn bastard had used his misdirection to disappear!

Wiki really helped me out a lot in understanding just how the phantom shot works, so the brilliance of the explanation is totally not my work. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!