Chapter 5: Tie

Both their eyes stay on the bird as it pokes and prods at various things in search for food; neither say a single word.

However, the metaphorical gun goes off with the little flying creature spreading its wings and takes off with such ease that it's only comparable to the take off of the two runners. Already do they barrel down the first straight of the track, having started at the end of one of the curves, their hearts shattered from their calm states and their muscles forcing their way through the cold start. Their arms move, their breaths come in deep collected breaths and their eyes remain forward as they do not bother with shoving the other over. To win by cheating- shoving, cutting off and the like- would do neither of them any good. For Aomine his pride wouldn't stand for it- he doesn't mind playing unfair in basketball but this is another matter entirely. For Tensai, even in Stride she hasn't bothered to jockey for a better position, she's never had to- habit takes place in this event. They slow as little as they can as they take the first curve and bound over the distance onto the second and final straight, silently agreeing that only one round is needed in order to decide who will win. However, as they come to the end of the second straight, they still run step for step, Aomine's longer legs being matched by Tensai's lighter frame. They care not that they are getting their uniforms dirty and sweaty, finding no point in caring in the first place. Instead, they focus on stretching their legs as far as they can go as they hit the second curve and head for the starting point at which the race began.

"I win!" the shout is echoed by the opposite gender for either of them as they cross the invisible finish line made by either of their mind's eye. And yet as they slow to a stop, they turn to face their opponent with frowns on their faces.

"I obviously won," Aomine insists, narrowed gaze thinning into nothing but slits as he stares down at the tall girl, more than just a little confident in the fact that his left toes had crossed the line first.

On the contrary, Tensai disagrees, "Keep telling yourself that. But I was the one who won," she argues.

"Hah? You? No, I won! Didn't you see my toes?! They obviously got over the line before yours!"

"You can only wish that you won. The victory is mine; you lost. There's no need to throw a fit over it".

"I'm not throwing a fit because I won," he insists, "Get it through your thick skull. Just because you're good at Stride doesn't mean you can just do normal running".

"I could say the same thing about you and basketball," she threatens, stepping closer to him despite the fact that doing so forces her to tilt her head back to keep a hold on his gaze. Her own green gaze is deadly, serious in a sense that won't let her back down. She won and she knows it. Why doesn't he see that?

Aomine steps closer himself, lowering his head but straightening his shoulders to their full width. A natural movement of intimidation. "Would you just give up already and admit that you lost? You don't have to be a sore loser".

The white haired girl glares harder, her lips pulling back to show sharp white teeth. "Neither do you," she cares not for the intimidation tactic. It does nothing for him.

Before either first year can continue, or even bring their argument to fists, a third voice interrupts them. Calm and collected, if not a little amused by the sight of the two feuding, he corrects the both of them at once. "Actually, it was a tie". He watches with no small amount of amusement this time as the two jump apart in their surprise, eyes wide and bodies defensive as they swivel to turn towards him. As though he were attempting a surprise attack, either of them look ready for a three way fight. However, he has no intention to hurt either of them. After all, why would they fight in the first place? It would make no sense at all to do so. Never the less, his smile remains. "I just so happened to be closing up the gym when I spotted you two having a race. You guys are both very fast," though this is an understatement, "Though you're evenly matched. There wasn't a point in time where you two weren't right next to one another". To him, seeing the two argue like that brought a new type of vision to his gray eyes. It was like watching a snow leopard standing against a jaguar.

The silence that greets this news is tangible, irritated blue and green eyes stare at the third year as though ready to tear him a new one for stating this. A tie? As in they made it across their starting line- which doubled as the finish line- at the exact same time? They can't exactly remember what the hell the had been racing for in the first place. Their favorite spot on the roof? Quite possibly. Either one of them could see themselves doing that. "You've gotta be kidding me. Imayoshi, you're joking," Aomine demands at last, bland and more than just a little displeased.

"I'm afraid I'm not," the senior student replies. "But if you're going to have a rematch, instead of arguing like two children," seeing the irritated eye twitch of the male of the duo amuses him. Just as does the furrowing of the girl's brows, obviously insulted. "Might I suggest that you have a longer run? I'll stay here and finalize who won if you like".

Careful, Tensai stares the basketball Captain down- at least, she's pretty sure he's the Captain. Why would he willingly watch them run? It doesn't make much sense to her. "...Why?" she demands.

"Hearing that you two yelled at one another until your throats were raw isn't exactly the first thing I want to do in the morning tomorrow," he casually insists, "It's much easier if you have someone start and stop you anyways".

Silents greets the trio again, however as opposed to the tense displeasure vibe that the two underclassmen were feeling, there is a subdued sensation in the air. "Whatever," Aomine allows. He likes the Captain, to a point, so he'll play nice with the guy. He means, of course he could crush the guy, but it's easier to play nice every now and then. "Whatever," he grumbles. Walking forward, he grips the back of his opponent's shirt, not caring for the fact that she chokes and scrambles whilst claiming that she can make her way to the start line on her own. He wants to get this over with. He's tired.

Imayoshi watches the duo carefully, finding it uncanny that their similarities are so defined even when it comes to something as simple as getting ready to run. Upon seeing that they are set and ready to go, he announces that the race will be four laps around the track instead of a single one. Neither bother to acknowledge this information, but the senior figures that they understand this well enough. Giving them the go ahead, he watches with no small amount of fascination that the two take off as though thrown from cannons, their muscles springing and pushing with such power that unfortunately his own body would break if he were to try and recreate it. Watching the two go, he realizes that it really is unfair. If either of them wanted to, they could probably dominate just about anyone in any sport they took interest in. Probably. To have even just the potential to do that makes his stomach twist in slight jealousy. However, at the same time he's happy with being above average at basketball alone.

As the two dash forward, much like last time racing at neck and neck, step for step, Imayoshi takes notes about his apparent subordinate. How he runs, what his breathing is like, his stamina. Everything he can at his own level of observation. However, due to his level of observation only going so high, he can only deduce once more that there is a reason why people like Aomine and Tensai can do whatever they please- even for the most part coast through high school. Because they are strong. Strong to the point that it shouldn't be possible. The sight of someone standing by his side catches his attention. "Oh, good evening Hanabusa. It's a lovely night, isn't it?"

However, the brown haired youth only has eyes for the two that have begun to argue while they yell, throwing profanities at one another here and there and demanding that the other give in. He sighs as he crosses his arms over his chest, orbs glued only to the duo on the track. However, his attention in total is split between them and he man he's come to stand next to. "Did I not request that you keep Aomine away from Tensai?"

"Did you? I can't recall," Imayoshi replies, though his lips twitch ever so slightly further into his smile. "Of course, even if you did it's not like I can control Aomine as well as you seem to believe. Not that you have a very tight leash on your own loose cannon".

Hazel eyes narrow in annoyance. He really does hate the basketball Captain, the man always pretending to be nice but instead actually being quite the asshole. Hanabusa has had the unfortunate luck of not only going to the same school as Imayoshi for the past six years, but also to be in the same class as him as well. To say that the fox-smiling man is annoying is an understatement. The Stride person does not do well when it comes to sly people- oh, he knows how to get around their plans perfectly fine- it is just their personality in general that irks him. Almost always smiling, almost always plotting. Just like his brother. Being related to someone like that is hard enough. But being coupled with someone like that almost all the time as well is nearly too much for the serious Captain. "That may be, but Aomine brings out the worst in her".

"Hmm? You talk like you know her well".

"She is not difficult to figure out," not for someone whom is so skilled at profiling people like Hanabusa is, at least. "She is a complex but simple girl. The base of her personality is a playful girl- out going and ever friendly if not with something of a temper and a high amount of confidence- but there are two branches which make her dangerous". The fact that she can so quickly bring forth one of these parts of her is honestly scary. One moment she could be one way, another she could take to the branch and stay there until she decides it's time to leave it. He has noticed these things in his time training with her for two weeks. Add to that the information he's gotten from Nobuyuki, and profiling her became as easy as breathing. "She's very observant, going on to say that she can read people very well- figure out how they work- and manipulate them as she pleases is one branch". It is a darker side of her that he as yet to see the full extent of. "And then she is also curious, letting her mind wander and wonder whenever she pleases, trying to pick certain thing apart or becoming curious about one thing to the point of obsession".

Imayoshi is silent. But then he smiles, "And where does my little Aomine come in on this?"

"Aomine is the first person she's ever met that is like her. Unbeatable, lazy, and obviously confident. Nobuyuki has informed me that because he is so much like her, that she has become curious as to how exactly Aomine ticks, and would like to see if she cannot become friends with him".

"Oh? So she wants to flirt a little. Are you jealous? She is a pretty young girl, even if younger than you," Imayoshi finds the twitching of Hanabusa's eye amusing.

With a long sigh, Hanabusa watches the running duo begin their fourth and final lap, "If Aomine is just like her, then how am I supposed to get her to come and train? He'll further influence her already bad habits. I cannot control her as it is, but if she becomes friends with him it will be like attempting to tame a wild animal". A snow leopard to be more exact.

But all Imayoshi does is hum, as though taking in the information, "I understand that you want to win. But because you're weaker than her, you can't control her. Sometimes there have to be exceptions to the rules". There is a pause as he ignores the further cursing of the two runners until he steps forward and calls, "And goal!" the two begin to slow down, however her does not bother to wait for them to approach him, "It would seem that you're both far too evenly matched! It was a tie again".

The panting figures currently drenched in their own sweat quiet their breaths, their eyes wide with surprise. However as their tired minds register what their Senpai has uttered, neither of them can help but stop and stare. Seriously? Again? What the hell do they have to do in order to break such an unfair happening?! In their disbelief there is only one word they can utter.

"EHHHHHH?!"

Three weeks have passed since that day. And yet there has been no change in their relationship. No comfortable silence, no welcoming greetings, no inside jokes. Nothing along those lines belong between the two teens. Instead, it is a game of unwilling cat and mouse. And unfortunately for Aomine, Tensai just so happens to be the cat. "So, what do you say to a game of basketball?" She intones as she lays not far from him, hands behind her head in the form of a make shift pillow. She stares at nothing in particular, looking up at the sky as she pesters the ace once more. One would think that she'd give up by now, five weeks after meeting him in the first place- Aomine would hope she would give up- however she is a determined young woman. Aomine is interesting, he's just like her. She wants to be his friend. Is that too much to ask?

"Didn't I tell you I didn't want to be your damn friend? Go away".

According to Aomine it is.

The blue haired bronzed student turns away from her, laying his body in a fashion that gives his back to her completely. He's tired of her being around. Why do annoying girls flock around him anyways? It's crazy of them to do so after all. He's not playing basketball with her; he wants to sleep now. But the girl behind him continues, "We can make it interesting, you know," she allows. "If you win, you get whatever you want from me. If I win, I get anything I want from you. Sound fair?"

"Oh dear Kami if it makes you shut the hell up!" Aomine snaps at the girl, turning and rapidly standing to his feet. Bearing white teeth at her in the form of a dark snarl, he turns now towards the door of the roof that leads further into the building. More than just a little annoyed, he stomps his way loudly down the stairs, the girl hot on his heels. "We'll play a game," he relents, heading to his locker where he keeps a few of his things- namely his shoes, a basketball and different issues of his preferred magazine. Flopping the glossed pages onto the stack of the others, he swiftly changes shoes, slipping from those used for indoors to the ones he normally wears outside of school. Grabbing the orange globe along the way, he slams the metal door shut and turns, ignoring the building in which he knows the basketball team to be currently practicing in. Instead he silently leads the way off of the school's campus and to a new place, a small park near by that currently isn't in use. Stepping onto the empty black court, he turns to face the girl he is more than certain is directly behind him, the ball swirling and twirling, balancing on his index finger with such ease.

Tensai tilts her head, having followed him without hesitation. "We're going to play here?" Curiously, her eyes roam the area, taking in the distance between hoop to hoop, the white lines that mark the court in its entirety, the slide and swing set not far away, the bench along side the court, the teeter totter not far from the slide and the weird animals on springs that she knows would rock back and forth- in any direction really- should she prompt them to. She takes in the mulch that for some odd reason bothers to replace simple grass while off to the side sits a set of monkey bars as well as some thing to hang off of while it swings back and forth depending on the momentum provided. Her eyes return to the teen whom has removed his blazer, opting to let it sit on the near by bench, and then they roam to the ball that sits there motionless on the ground.

"Yea. You know the basic rules, right?"

She nods, "Sure do. Anyways, like I said, we can make this worth your while. What do you want if you win?"

What does he want? For her to go away so he can now go home and relax in his bed with little care. That's what he wants. However, he does not voice this opinion. Instead, he thinks of something that could probably sting him later but honestly he cares not. "If I win, you buy me lunch for the rest of the semester".

"Fair enough," she allows at length, "Fine. If I win, I want you to by me lunch for the rest of the semester as well". She offers a grin now, serious Tensai gone for the time being- it's unknown just when she'll return.

"Good," he directs her to stand across from him which she complies to do. "All you need is one point. I need fifty. Got it?" She nods to answer, "Then let's go".

Without a referee to throw the ball as he normally would, Aomine bounces it once against the ground once harshly, sending it high in to the air and allowing both parties to prepare for its return to earth. He readies his body, lowering and loading his legs with a tension meant for jumping high and hard. Across from him, his opponent does the same, her hands at the ready to take the all into her possession. All the while she recalls basic rules of the game. No contact- hence no shoving or pushing- out of bounds means the other team gets the ball. Shooting from certain lines gets you certain points. Holding onto the ball for too long- though as the only two players as of currently this doesn't count- gets the player a foul. With the motto of 'he who strikes first, wins' ringing in her head, she leaps at the same time as Aomine, her hand stretched out high as her fingers reach for the orange that mocks her.

Surprisingly, she manages to gather the ball into her hands, urging her to dribble it forward and behind Aomine's honestly shocked body. However, this state only lasts a fraction of a second, his body hanging low in its stance as he rushes his way forward. His sharp eyes take not of the way she handles the ball. Not clumsy as he expected, but certainly not the way a conditioned player would. She looks like she actually has to concentrate to focus the power of her push with her finger tips rather than the whole of her hand. Keeping it in reach of her seems to slow her down a little too. Not that it makes any difference to him. It is easy to take the ball from the flimsy defense she makes when he springs forth to attack. Her surprised gasp and curse in reaction are amusing. The girl he currently scores against is a strange one indeed. One moment she's open and happy and energetic- in a way that reminds him heavily of Kise and his middle school years- and the next she is droll, and smooth- like himself- confident in just about everything she gives herself to. He can't tell which one is the real Tensai, or if there is real Tensai made from the two sides he's seen.

Never the less, he lands with ease from his simple free-form throw of the ball, not bothering with the logical two hand toss those taught traditional skills do. When the ball is returned to her, he fights with ease against her offensive attack. Granted, it is her dexterity and natural agility that give her something of an edge, but nothing worthy of him taking seriously. They dance in one spot, the young woman watching his eyes as though that would help her figure his movements out. As though to prove her wrong- which he does- he shifts his eyes purposefully to the left, only for his right hand to dart out and scoop up the orange globe before it can brush against her dribbling fingers. He steals the orb, again shooting from where he stands earning him three points with skilled ease. Surprisingly though, she has yet to give up, her face only growing more and more determined.

"Damn it, I swear I'll get a basket in if it kills me!" she grumbles as again the taller male chuckles as he makes his most recent score. With it becoming forty eight to zero, she only has one last chance to try and win the bet.

Aomine would have stopped long ago if it weren't for one thing. This girl's determination. In the past he has seen all sorts of determination levels. The only ones that did not waver under his power were the other members of the Generation of Miracles. None of them bothered to give up even when he was trouncing them into the ground over and over again. Everyone else, however, did not have this about them...Or so he thought. Covered in sweat and his body burning with the heat made by his working muscles, he couldn't help but find her struggle amusing. She can't make him fight like he would like to, but the fact that she has yet to give up is saying something. "I'll sooner wear out before you get a point," he taunts as he dribbles the ball, his body hunched low as he meets her gaze, his own like that of a predator's.

Tensai's eyes narrow. It has been quite some time since they've begun to play, her muscles ache from the odd use of them, not used to the constant stop and go that is the pace of most basketball. Thank god he decided to take it easy on her. But even so, she is determined to win the bet. Hearing his amused chuckle is something new, earning it would make her grin if it weren't or the fact that currently she's rather frustrated. As a person in general, her dexterity and agility are far above average. In Stride, her skills are also far superior to a normal person's. But in basketball? She's probably as good as a toddler compared to him. Blind children could play better than she could when compared to the ace in front of her. She knows for a fact that she can hold her own- and even often beat- people that would probably only be on the third string if they tried to join the team. But against someone as strong as Aomine? Forget it.

"I'll do that too! Just you wait and see!" She snaps as she takes the ball back from him, hands swift to defend her as she goes. Despite her lack of skill, one cannot say that she doesn't learn incredibly fast. Quick to adapt- however no where near on Kise's level. Aomine notes- she has shown the ability to learn how to handle herself better in the situations he forces her in to. However that hasn't upped her chance at scoring at all.

"You wanna bet?"

"Hell yea!"

Aomine chuckles, amused if nothing else. "Okay. I bet you can't wear me out. If I win, then you're my slave for the rest of the school year".

She thinks nothing of it, "And if I win, you've gotta be my friend for the rest of the year. Like, full blown buddies!" She's going to get a basket and wear him out if it's the last thing she does!

However, even as she does her best to drag out the game, Aomine still manages to make basket after basket. Earning him the points he needs in order to bring the game to a close. Even as she runs harder and faster, upping her game to the point where she even throws a few speedy gimmicks into the mix, she still only just barely manages to take the ball from him. Whenever she tries to score, he is there slapping the ball out of the air. And she can feel it, the air about him that made him seem so intimidating on the court when she was watching videos of him- watching him slowly turn into something of a basketball god. No wonder he's the ace of the school's team despite only being a first year student.

Yet she still refuses to go down. She will win! She'll make a friend out of him yet damn it!

Tatsumaki's lungs beg for air, much in a way they would if she were running at a Stride match. However, as always she refuses to stop and take a quick breather. There's no way she can! Aomine's larger frame is already blocking her, standing like the wall he is in order to keep her from making a shot again. She dribbles the ball over and over, her arms tired from the unfamiliar constant motion though she dare not stop. No holding the ball, after all. She wavers to the left, though he is there, then to the right but again he is ready. She watches him, meeting his gaze as he stares her down like a predator. It's as though she can see the haze of energy wafting around him, blue like his eyes and glowing as though to say 'better watch out, I'm stronger'. However, facing a stronger opponent has never stopped her in the past; it's what made her into the strongest person she is today. She has not once in her life known the meaning of 'run away' or 'retreat'. They are terms that do not fit in her mental dictionary.

So she takes a chance, a use-it-or-lose-it toss, slamming the ball not between her legs as she'd learned to do part way through their mock game but rather between his. Right in the center of his guard where he least expects it to go. The sharp angle at which the ball bounces forces it forward and high up, she takes this chance to swiftly step around him and his guard literally ducking under his arm and over his left spread out leg to just barely fit around his position at the closest point possible- making the straightest line to her goal as she can. She leaps or the ball, catching it with both hands and landing before sprinting forward. She can hear him thundering after her, his footsteps resounding sharply in her ears. She realizes that if he catches up, no doubt about it he will take the ball from her and score.

She'll have none of it! And so, choosing to swim instead of sink, she throws the ball literally at the back board, its roundness pushing off of her hand as she does so flying forward. She races after it, knowing that it'll probably bounce off and give her nothing. However with the ball no longer taxing her mind and body, she is free to use just plain speed to get to it. As she is still ahead of the blue haired menace, she has maybe a chance of getting there first. She pushes off, dominating the concrete below her swiftly as again she just barely manages to get to the ball and shoot a second time- this time far more controlled. However, there is a hand in the ball's way, causing it to tip off his fingers and fly higher than it is supposed to. Tatsumaki watches as the orange and black globe continues to go, however, determined to continue on its course. It bounces off of the faded red rim of the basket once, twice, and then a third time.

Swoosh!

And then silence.

That is before Tatsumaki grins and throws her fists into the air with a beaming grin that could out shine the sun. "Yes! Ahaha! Yatta!" She dances a little, not caring that the motion is embarrassing, before trotting to the now stationary ball, picking it up from the spot where it rolled to. She turns to face her menace, the man she had tried so hard to get a point on for the passed hour and a half. "I win the bet~!" she proclaims, more than just a little pleased for herself. Though obviously in a real game he would have won instead, right now she is beaming with the sensation of the underdog moment.

Aomine pauses, his eyes honestly wide in shock and disbelief. She just...Got a point! Granted he really wasn't trying all that hard- about as hard as he tries against anyone else. But the fact that she, someone who doesn't even play casually, got a point on him is saying something. It's saying that he went too damn easy on her. Through out the game he watched her as she adapted to his skills rapidly, watching and changing the tempo of her dribbling to better counter him. It was nothing on Kise's level, whom could see a single move once and copy it perfectly, but it was still a far faster adaptation than anyone else he had seen. Using the long sleeve he had long since rolled up due to the heat of his body to wipe his face free of sweat, he grunts. "So what? I can still play more. You didn't wear me out".

And that breaks her moment of glee. Tatsumaki pauses in her joy only to look him over and register just what he was saying. Wait...He can still do more?

"Ahh damn it!" She whines, "I should have known!" After all, he is just like her. She could still run a Stride match and win if she wanted to at this point. It was more than a warm up, but not enough to push her to her limits. The clicks her tongue, displeased. One small victory for a bigger loss, it would seem. That's annoying. "So I lost that bet," she groans as she walks up to him, shoving the ball into his hands. "What do you want me to call you? Master? Aomine-sama?"

Aomine pauses before grunting, "Just call me Aomine," he denies. He doesn't want people asking questions if she starts calling him weird names all of a sudden.