Chapter 6: Slave

"Go get me lunch". Was the first demand he had given her the next day, bland and uncaring. Droll. Of course he was in her spot on the roof, looking at an idol magazine- a different one from the day before. She had gone to the roof out of pure habit due to it being the best place to nap whilst ditching classes. She should have assumed he'd be there already or soon after her. They seem to be on the same mental wavelength more than just every now and then. She had wanted to refuse, demand that he get his own lunch, but then she remembered her bet.

Her and her damn big mouth.

No, more like her and her damn curiosity.

Why is it that whenever she finds someone or something interesting, she can't leave them or it alone? Why does she have to figure out how it works? Why does she have to constantly poke and prod at it like a sleeping bear? Sure, in the past, that proverbial bear never woke, but since this time the bear's name is Aomine it did. Just as it would if its name were Tensai. The last time this had happened she ended up friends with Nobuyuki, but then again he wanted to be friends with her and tricked her into trying to figure him out. Even when they were kids he was brilliant. But this bear wanted nothing to do with her. Awakening it was a bad idea.

His slave for the rest of the year?

Gah!

Thus, fifteen minutes later finds her trudging up the stairs to the roof, a small assortment of food in a plastic bag offered to her by the nice lunch lady behind the counter. She honestly didn't know what Aomine liked best. So she just up and got one of everything. Reluctantly she opens the metal door, only to find him not looking at his idol magazine nor napping but sitting on the edge of the roof as though he's the king of the world. An infernal smirk spreads across his lips upon spotting her walking through the door, his navy blue orbs narrowing in his amusement. "Took you long enough. The lunch room is practically right below us on the first floor. What took you so long?"

Tensai sighs and puts the bag down at her new master's feet, "I don't know what you like to eat. So I got one of everything" she admits.

Aomine raises a brow, curious, before dipping his hands into the plastic bag only to pull out one thing after another. Shortly after he began, he ends by placing one last type of sandwich along side the rest of the assortment of food. Honestly, to the common student it would be a feast of lunch food fit for a king. To the blue haired menace, however, it is merely another meal. While he isn't all that active any more, not to the extent that the rest of the basketball team is at least, his metabolism is still rather high. It hasn't been long since he stopped practicing after all. All the same he picks up the nearest sandwich and rips open the bag, leaning back on his free hand despite being dangerously close to falling off of the three story building. Without much care, he takes a large bite into the noodle and sauce meal, not caring that some of it gets onto his face for the time being. Huh. It's good. He had never had this before now, so it's not surprising he's surprised. Ahh, and to think he got all this without even trying.

Grooooowwwwllll

The sound of something, an animal of some sort, catches his attention. Since when to animals come onto the roof of a school? Aomine's eyes drift open as they had been closed, finding nothing in general to look at. However, now they do. Locking onto the girl sitting in front of him, her back to his person and his feast, he pauses.

Ggggrrrowwlll

Huh. There it is again. Though this time he's able to zone in on where the noise came from. The basketball ace pauses, not quite certain until a third grumble comes from the stomach of his servant. "Did you not eat or something?" he demands of the white haired girl, watching as she flinches as though caught doing something she shouldn't have. He rolls his eyes, knowing well that she's just sitting there doing nothing. But hey, if he needs her service then at least she's near by. He doesn't have any way to contact her as it is.

Tensai sighs and nods as she lays onto her back, finding that since she has no command coming her way she can relax for the time being. She would leave, but she'd hate to be accused of just up and leaving her commander when he has no way of contacting her. "I didn't. I ran out of money after getting you something," she admits. She had after all only taken so much money with her after she left the house. Of course, that amount of money was also meant to last her the week- having left the house with the money on Monday and today being Wednesday. "Plus, you're supposed to buy me lunch from now own- I did win the other bet after all. But since you're my master now I shouldn't really mention that, now should I?" although she just did so her statement is a mute point

"...Huh. I forgot about that part".

She blandly glances at him, giving him a look that tells him that she isn't surprised at all that he did. Although if it were her as the master, she would have remembered. "It's fine," she waves off, ignoring the painful clench of her empty stomach. It feels like it's trying to digest itself- or worse, anything else inside her. "I'll just eat more when I get home after school".

Aomine pauses and stares, but thinks nothing of her words as the vibrant green eyes close and her body comes to a forced position of relaxation. If she says she can wait, then so be it...But then again, he did lose that bet. And what kind of man would he be if he didn't stand by his word as easily as she- a female- is? His old man did always say to stick to your word no matter what, that's for sure. With a sigh as he gulps down the rest of his fourth type of bread- it had been loaded with bits of cheese on the inside, something his tongue appreciated- his eyes scan over the pile of food she had purchased for him. He could just keep it as his own and then go down and get her something. But then again not only is that a waste of his time but also there's probably nothing good there any more. And at this point, would she really care if he didn't buy what he could offer her?

The white haired girl feels something placed onto her sternum. Something light enough that she can't feel the texture of her uniform shirt. Curious, she opens an eye that she had closed, determined to not even think of food in her current state, only to find a small plastic wrapped morsel. Bread with cheese and meat and bean paste. She dare not touch it though as she looks up at the blue haired man sitting on that ledge as though he were a dare devil.

"What are you looking at?" Aomine demands, face bland as he stuffs his face with something similar to what is on her chest but lacking in the meat section by the looks of it. "Eat. I don't feel like listening to your stomach complain the whole time we're up here".

Tensai continues to stare before a broad, pleased grin spreads across her face. Her eyes light up with joy, the look of a starved being no longer hidden from view. The plastic is ripped open like the flesh of a carcass handed to a savage beast, tossed to the side for the time being in the form of a little ball. Her mouth waters even as she opens up and takes a bite, her composure brightening even further when the lovely taste hits her tongue. Ah! Her master is a saint! She grins as she chews quietly, thinking of nothing other than the delight her stomach sings the moment her first bite drops into it. However after a moment, she pauses and swallows the last of it, it having been devoured in only a moment. With an award winning grin, she offers Aomine a happy grin, "Thank you".

The blue haired ace grunts, swallowing his food. Her change in demeanor reminds him of a kid, yet somehow the words she delivers to him have the maturity of someone older hanging off of them. She's so weird. "Whatever," he grunts and tosses another morsel to her. This time it's a package of dumplings, hidden within most likely being more bean paste or something similar. Spicy bread dances on his taste buds in the mean time. He watches with only slight amazement when he ends up seeing just how fast the girl can eat. No delicacy at all- nothing like Momoi's natural grace or girlishness- and in fact she eats more like him than he imagined her capable of. "Did you not eat breakfast either?"

"Hmm?" She tilts her head as Aomine speaks, pausing just before she was about to take a bite, "I did. But as you can imagine with how active I am, I burn food real fast". Coupled with her naturally fast metabolism, to say she has quite the appetite is an understatement. She grins now, flashing him a pearly white smile as though a child thanking someone for a balloon or ice cream, "But you saved me Aomine. You may not have bought me lunch like you were supposed to, but you gave me some of yours anyways".

"...You're really simple, aren't you?" the girl is an idiot, isn't she? She was certainly cursing him a few moments ago. And he knows for a fact that she was calling him all sorts of names during their race last night. She's not an air head, this he can tell through her desire to know about him and become his apparent friend. The trouble she went through to watch a sport she doesn't even play just to figure out a little bit of his past. Her explanation of their similarities was short but thorough. So no, she's not an air head. But she's definitely an idiot and definitely simple.

Tensai tilts her head as she finishes her second portion of a meal, though her stomach could certainly use more. "No person is simple, Aomine," she denies, "Each of us is complex in a way that one cannot understand at a mere glance".

And there she goes, saying suddenly wise words. She's so weird.

The female watches the male closely, silently amused by his confusion. No. she truly does not find herself to be simple. Happy, yes. A bit too trusting, probably. But simple? No way. She's not the kind of person Aomine can figure out in only a number of weeks. It took even Yuji a few years to fully understand what went on in her head. And he's a freaking genius for all she cares. She watches him out of the corner of her eye, pretending that those two morsels will do her for now. Though she realizes that they'll probably be burned from her system within the hour. She studies him, watching his simple mannerisms and trying to read his eyes even as he stares at nothing in particular- surely there's something going on in his head.

He's just so interesting!

She wants nothing more than to become his friend and learn how he ticks.

She'll be the first to admit that she's a weird person. In fact, if anyone other than Nobuyuki knew that she liked to pick personalities apart they would suggest that she become a psychologist or psychoanalyst. However, she loves Stride more, and honestly doesn't want to be seen as the girl who picks people apart because then they'd avoid her. So what better idea than to draw people towards her- and even approach others- than to be friendly as she naturally is?

Aomine in the mean time stares at the girl. No person is simple? What kind of person says that in the first place? With a sigh and a shake of his head, he finishes the rest of his feast. "Oh yea," he realizes and stands, digging a hand into his left front pocket. The action as planned catching her attention further. A lopsided smirk appears on his lips as from his deep pants pocket he pulls forth a collar. It is a simple and thin piece of leather, however there is a tag that reads 'property of Aomine' and a brass buckle. Nothing too noticeable. "I want you to wear this from now on," he orders, holding it out by dangling the loop on one finger.

Tensai pauses as she looks the piece over, blinking as she does so. However when the words click and allow her to understand just what he meant by that, her eyes widen and her jaw drops to openly show her state of surprise. "E-Eh?!" she cries, leaping to her hands and feet in a crouch. Like the animal he wants her to be marked like, she stands there defensively, hands and feet ready to carry her away and lift her to just her legs for a full on retreat. "You want me to what?"

The amused grin spreads further across his lips, finding her reaction all too funny. However he keeps a fairly even tone. "You heard me. As your Master I order you to wear this. It'll show everyone not to try and take you from me. And if you get lost, they know who to bring you to".

The insult stings her hard, causing her to narrow her green eyes as she brings herself to her full height just a tad shorter than his own. She glares directly into his eyes, seriousness resonating in her voice, "Are you insane or just crazy? I'm not wearing that. People will start to talk about not just me but you too. I'm more than certain that you don't care but I do".

"But I'm your Master now," Aomine insists, stepping closer and his lips falling into a frown. He towers over her if only just by a few inches, something he uses to his utmost advantage. "I have the right to tell you to wear this. So wear it. You lost the bet".

This chokes up any further denial she was going to send his way. Realizing his words to be true, the defensive young woman falls silent and steps back, her head hanging low and gaze to the floor at her feet. Ah. She did basically give her word to follow through with the bet, didn't she? It wasn't said but it was implied. And since she had already begun to comply to his commands- the first of which was for her to get him food- she can't back out now. Her fingers curl with discomfort, her legs heavy with displeasure. She wants to just turn and call the deal off but...She can't. The guy isn't even her friend- she lost that bet- and yet she can't even turn her back on him. Damn it all. It boils down to being her curiosity's fault again. She really is a person of her word- something she's always prided herself in being. If she says she's going to win a Stride race, then she wins it. If she says she's going to crush a team, take away their dreams, she breaks them. If she says she's going to eat three tubs of ice cream, damn it she does with gusto! But she can't do this simple little thing?

Aomine watches the white haired girl as her bangs hide her eyes from the world, shadowing her face despite their lack of color. He can see turmoil in her despite not looking at her eyes. It's written in everything she does, silently whining about how stupid she is- or something like that. But still he holds out the collar, waiting for her to take it from him and put it on and then grin like an idiot. Would she bark if he told her to? She could probably pass for some sort of naked dog if they did the costume right- he could take her to a show and win money. Or maybe walk her around town on a leash- no, that sounds like shit some asshole pervert would do. And sure, he likes his idols and certainly he's an ass. But he's not both at the same time. He watches as slowly a sigh escapes her, her head rising resolutely and her hands moving forward to take the leather from his hand. Moving her short and long locks to the side as need be, she rounds the leather around her neck, only fumbling for a second when she makes to tighten it. She wears it loose around her neck, letting it dangle against her collar bone and the metal of the tag that reads 'property of Aomine' against her skin.

"There, okay?" she grumbles, not bothering to look at him in her frustration. She'll get him back for this. She's certa-

"Take it off," his voice cuts her from her thoughts, surprising her. When she doesn't move, Aomine sighs and reaches forward, bringing his arms around her as to undo the clasp and take the leather from her flesh. "I said take it off. I was just messing with ya. Seeing if you would actually do even that". Something as demeaning as putting on a collar of all things.

Tensai pauses, curiously staring up at him now, confused. "A...Test?"

"Yea. Making sure you'd actually go with your word and crap like that," Aomine mumbles as he stuffs the thing back into his pocket and makes to lay down. With a full stomach, he has no reason to stay awake. And with the last class having started about twenty minutes ago, there's no point in joining everyone else. Sakurai can just give him his notes again- like he always does- anyways. It's how he's been surviving school thus far as it were. He's not brilliant by any means, but Sakurai's notes are so easy to understand that Aomine has found himself asking few questions when stuck on something like homework that he'd sneak into the teacher's lounge before going home every day.

A test. He was testing her? Obviously she passed, she realizes, or he wouldn't be wearing that look. Understanding, a smile replaces the frown. "You know, you're a really weird guy". It makes her laugh, saying that, but it's true. Playfully she taps her knuckles against his shoulder, nudging at him as though she has known him longer than just over a month. Of course, thus is not the case. In all reality she has only just recently started to pick him apart. But for him to pull a fast one on her- it's honestly amusing.

"I'm weird? You're the one that's weird," Aomine groans and glares as she lifts her fist from his chest, throwing an arm over his eyes from his downed position. "This is an order: take a nap or something".

The white haired girl snickers a little, finding her amusement and actual like for this guy to grow. He's so interesting and fun! It's been a while since someone could pull the wool over her eyes like that- not since Yuji a few years back did that though she doesn't remember why. The order rings in her ears and she shrugs her shoulders, rolling them casually before she too lays down. She can forgive him for taking her spot today, she supposes. So instead of the usual spot, she lays next to him, about fifteen feet away in order for the both of them to have their personal space. She closes her eyes, blocking the sun from blinding her and turning her head to the side in order to further keep her vision normal.