A/N: Yo guys, I'm back after the long weekend! AND HOLY SHIT I'M ALMOST CAUGHT UP TO THE CURRENT ONE PIECE EPISODES I'M SO HAPPY AND SO UPSET AT THE SAME TIME!
Kagami had unconsciously slowed down next to Aomine after they had stormed out of the Healing Unit. They were both still walking a bit awkwardly, their rhythms slightly off. Neither were used to setting their pace to others, usually it was the other way around. So every time they'd make a decision to go one way the other seemed to want to go the opposite. It made it for a very aggravating walking situation.
Damn Takao! He'd looked like he was enjoying their terrible situation when they had left. Though now that the anger and shock was wearing off a bit the first thing that came to him was, what now? They'd be stuck together for at least three days, so that meant everything; meals, sleeping (though mostly for Kagami's sake), and other things he'd rather not think of like… bathing.
Sure here in the Old World they generally bathed together, but in the New World they had showers for private use only. Kagami had been getting used to the way some things were different here but that was with his comrades, bathing with Aomine is something else entirely.
Kagami paled, oh god where is he going to sleep? HOW are they going to sleep? He glared at the string tying them together. Knowing Aomine he wouldn't keep his grubby, touchy hands to himself.
Sighing he stopped walking and turned to Aomine, "Oi, bastard. What are we going to do now?"
"Baka. How should I know?"
"…I suppose you wouldn't want to sleep in the Soldier's Quarters huh?"
Aomine shot him an incredulous look, "Oh fuck no. We're definitely staying in my room." Kagami cursed, he really didn't want to go back there. It was secluded and…closed off. Kami-sama only knew what would happen there. Not to mention all he could think about was what had occurred the last time that he went into Aomine's room. He shivered, which he wasn't certain was in fear or excitement.
"Well then come on," Kagami tugged on the string to lead Aomine away from the Healing Unit.
"Um I knew you were stupid but I didn't know you it was this bad. The Mansion is the other way."
He shot a glare at Aomine, "dumbass if were staying in your room then I need my clothes and stuff. Unless you're offering yours up?"
Aomine's nose wrinkled at the thought, "Nah, lets go then and get your shitty stuff." Kagami's eye twitched, this guy really knew how to piss him off.
They stepped through the corridors to the Seirin segment of the Soldier's Quarters side by side. All the while dread was creeping up on Kagami, the more he thought about it he hoped there wasn't anyone in there. How was he supposed to explain this situation? ("Oh yeah guys our souls are so damn compatible that they got stuck together"… "Hm? Oh we're just connected on another level is all") He could hear the laughter already, his ears burning in trepidation.
Aomine raised an eyebrow at the pained expression and slumped shoulders Kagami was sporting. "What's wrong with you?"
"Oh you mean other than the fact I'm going to have to deal with a perverted, ganguro asshole for three days, figure out how I'm going to train, and work in the Cooking Unit? Hm… I don't know!" Kagami's voice slowly got louder towards the end till he was almost shouting.
"Geez, forget I even asked," Aomine grumbled, a little put off. He didn't know why he asked in the first place, it was very unlike him to notice about others.
Kagami sighed. He felt a little bad for snapping at Aomine when this was the first time that he'd said something without insulting him. "Ugh. Forget it. I guess were kind of in the same predicament after all. I'm just frustrated about this shit."
"Stop being such a girl about everything."
Forget feeling bad, the guy was a dick. He glared at the bluenette before opening the door to the regiment sleeping area and came face to face with almost all the Seirin platoon. They were lounging around, in their free time of the day it seemed. Though once Kagami and Aomine stepped through the doorway everything went silent. He guessed that they made a pretty interesting pair by the way their eyes bugged out in shock. It was pretty well known that Kagami did not like Aomine at all, and vice versa (though that was heavily debated behind their backs –it is a fine line between hate and love).
"Kagami…General Aomine?" Hyuuga said a bit disbelievingly. Kagami knew the exact moment that he noticed their string, if possible their eyes got wider and mouths dropped open. "What the hell is that?"
Sighing for what felt like the fiftieth time Kagami pinched the bridge of his nose. "Uh…A string." He scowled when Aomine cracked up at how dumb he'd sounded.
"…"
"Okay…? Why is there a string between you?" Koganei inquired tentatively as if sensing Kagami's mood.
"Magic accident when we were training." Best to keep it simple. It's not like they needed all the other details.
"Hm. That seems like a hassle. Is there any side effects?" Kiyoshi spoke while coming to look at it closer.
Aomine and Kagami shared a look, they never did ask Takao that. But since he never said otherwise, "No."
Izuki looked like he was about to blow, to which Kagami glared at him. He knew what was coming. "Oh god I'm sorry Kagami… So you guys tied the knot huh?" Hyuuga just slapped Izuki and gave him an apologetic look. Though the others chuckled behind their hands.
"Ignore Izuki. You came for your clothes then Kagami?"
He blinked, "Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"
Hyuuga snorted in amusement, "Because you knew there was no side effects its obvious you already went to the Healing Unit. Since it's still on you I'm assuming that you can't get it off, therefore I came to the conclusion that you're here to get your sleeping things. General Aomine would never sleep in the Soldiers Quarters."
Aomine smirked at that, "Damn straight, especially not in Kagami's bed. Now grab your shit already."
"Shut up you'd love to get into my bed." Kagami almost slapped himself after he said it, the look on Aomine's face proof that he'd regret it.
Almost immediately a dark gleam came to those eyes and the smirk stretched into a deliciously sexy smirk. "Ooh?" He sauntered over closer to Kagami and drawled, "Is that an invitation? Hm… Tiger-chan?"
He turned around quickly before he could see the very evident flush he was sporting and started packing his stuff. "My name's Kagami, not 'tiger' and its most certainly not a fucking invitation. You'd probably never leave," he turned to face the still smirking Aomine once the blush was under control.
"Kagami-kun."
"GAH~!" Everyone freaked out when the blue haired boy seemed to appear in the midst of them.
Kagami gripped at his heart, "Fuck! Kuroko you little shit, where'd you come from?"
Aomine nodded at the guy, "Yo Tetsu." He was the only one who'd only jumped a bit. The only reason was he's probably used to it from the past hundred or so years.
"I've been here the whole time. I was waiting for you guys to stop talking. It seemed like you were enjoying yourselves."
His eye twitched, "Enjoying myself? How the hell did that look like I was enjoying myself?"
With a straight face Kuroko answered, "You always glow whenever Aomine and you fight. So I figured it was from happiness."
Aomine laughed at that, "Man you just can't admit you have a crush on me." A smug look appeared on his face, "It's alright, nothing to be ashamed of. I am sexy after all."
"I DO NOT!" Kiyoshi and Hyuuga were holding him back from pummeling Aomine. Which was a harder task than usual because of the string. "AND YOU'RE NOT SEXY! EGOTISTICAL BASTARD," though that was a complete lie. Not like Kagami was ever going to admit it.
"Aomine-kun."
"Haa?" Blue eyes clashed with blue.
"Your face glows too." Kuroko gestures towards the fuming redhead. "It's only around Kagami-kun. I can tell he makes you very happy." Thankfully Kagami didn't hear (he was still shouting insults), or he may have looked closer at the slightly flushed cheeks Aomine had.
"Tch. What are you going on about? That baka does no such thing. I've only known him for two days, not counting the opening ceremony."
"Time doesn't matter with feelings Aomine-kun," he deadpanned.
Aomine scoffed, "Now you're just making shit up. There are no feelings between Kagami and me. Unless you count lust, or anger."
Kuroko let out a small smile, then turned to the now out of breath Kagami, "You never showed up to our practice session."
"Oh… I kind of forgot," he smiled sheepishly, itching the back of his neck. "Sorry."
Kuroko eyed Aomine and the string between them, almost like he was amused. Then dryly said, "I see that. Seems like you were busy." Aomine looked away pointedly, only Kuroko could make him feel awkward. "Are you done packing Kagami-kun? I want to get some training in before its dark."
"Yeah, let's go."
Kuroko took them to an empty training room in the Mansion. It was a special room that was used only for magic training. There were runes and magic guards all around, on the walls, floor, and ceiling. The room was almost like a library but only the expanses of the walls were covered in books. One table and a couple chairs stood off to the side, they were all covered in protective spells also.
"You know if the damn Kaijo regiment was allowed to train in here then this string shit wouldn't have happened," Kagami grumbled.
"Sorry Kagami-kun. Most non-purebloods aren't allowed in the Mansion." The bastard was obviously not sorry at all. He was reveling in Aomine and Kagami's pain just like the rest of them.
"Tch, whatever." Aomine dragged Kagami to the table, took a chair and sat down. He wasn't going to stand the whole time if he was going to have to wait here.
"Kuroko," he paused and chewed on his lip for a moment. "I'm just warning you. Magic and I, let's just say we don't get along very well. As in it hates me. Ruthlessly."
"Kagami-kun, you obviously are capable of magic if Momoi-san's scan said so." Kuroko shot him a curious look though; he wondered what Kagami had meant.
"I know I'm capable of magic, but that doesn't mean I'm good at it. Actually I think it endangers me more than it helps."
"You just have to find the right type for you. Don't worry Kagami-kun. Akashi-sama put you under my care, so that means I'll keep trying till I find the answer." Those apathetic blue eyes bore into Kagami making him squirm a bit. He just gave up, there was no point fighting the guy.
"You always get your way don't you?"
Aomine answered for Kuroko, "That's for damn sure. If there was a magic like that I'd say Tetsu possessed it."
Kuroko gestured for Kagami to sit down while he waved his hand and sent various books soaring towards the table. "First is a practical lesson."
Kagami groaned, "Fuck."
"It wont be that much I promise," Kuroko said. "Now first we'll go over some general human magic. Most that manifest powers don't have unique magic's that they control unlike vampires. There is Offensive and Defensive magic's then there is also the most common that everyone can do such as Conjuring. The most usual general types are elemental, psychic, witches, and enchanters. Each one has spells made up of offensive or defensive magic, though some tend to lean toward one or the other. Such as Enchanters, whom are usually defensively inclined."
He pulled out a book and showed it to Kagami. Then he went on to explain more in depth about each of them. "Though almost all humans can do any type of magic, they usually are only adept at one or two. So it's not shocking that you say you aren't good at magic." Kagami was very doubtful, to his knowledge he'd tried every type without success. Other than his still unknown healing powers the other magic's usually blew up.
"Let's do a general test for each."
"Greaatt. How long is this gonna take Tetsu?"
"As long as I want Aomine-kun. Complaining is not going to make it faster." Aomine pouted a bit and went back to laying his head on the table.
Kagami stood up so he was facing away towards the center of the room and not the table. "Don't be surprised when none of them work." Kuroko smiled a bit and proceeded to teach him one of the easiest spells for enchanters. It was a simple force push, but simple for Kagami? Not so much. Right as he did the required hand movements plus words and the spell left his hands he knew it was bad. Halfway into the room the whole thing burst into flames and flew outwards, making Kagami duck. Kuroko just put up a blockade of wind for him and Aomine.
"BAHAHAHA!" Aomine was slapping the table with glee. "That was the lamest fucking excuse for magic I've ever seen!"
"OI! Shut your fuckin' mouth! I said I was bad alright?!"
Even Kuroko seemed mildly shocked, "I don't think I've ever seen a spell do that before. You did all the correct steps…this is quite a conundrum. Though its safe to say that you are definitely not an enchanter."
He huffed and crossed his arms. "Lets get this over with." This time is was an elemental spell, one for fire. Kuroko had seen how it had burnt into flames before bursting, so he was hoping that maybe it was an indication.
"Sciretur ignis," he shouted aiming towards a conjured mannequin. His hand was held out to guide the fire but it didn't seem to do what he wanted. It crackled and turned almost white before lightning crackled, and shot from it. Kagami instantly stopped channeling his magic after it practically made the mannequin combust, "Huh, that one wasn't that bad!"
Two pairs of astonished blue eyes turned to face a seemingly proud Kagami. He turned to them and grinned, but it faded when he saw them. "What?"
"You think that wasn't that bad?" Aomine gaped. "I dont wanna know what's you doing terribly. You'd probably destroy the whole mansion, defensive spells or not." Kuroko nodded in agreement.
He scowled, "Yeah well I hit the target."
"It wasn't even the same damn spell! Bakagami, if your spells go that haywire then you never know what the hells gonna shoot out of your hand."
"Whatever Ahomine."
This process continued on for another three hours, before they exhausted most of the easy spells from each of the general magics and some even from more reclusive magic's. All the while Aomine made fun of his shitty attempts and antagonized the frustrated Kagami. Neither noticed the confused yet speculative look in Kuroko's eyes. It shouldn't be like this, he'd never seen anyone quite so bad at human magic before. Even those that had a unique ability never had a disastrous outcome on all the other magics.
Kagami was panting at this point; doing magic for an hour straight would tire anyone out so three was pushing it. Especially since he never practiced. "I think that's enough for today Kagami-kun. We'll pick this up in two days. Try to be on time next session."
"Yeah yeah. See ya later Kuroko."
Aomine dragged Kagami further away from the door where he had paused. It was clear the redhead didn't want to be there, which made Aomine a little giddy. Embarrassing Kagami was quickly becoming one of his favorite hobbies. The human just had too man amusing expressions, and he never failed to entertain Aomine. That he also never backed down to a confrontation with him also made Kagami automatically more interesting than any other human he'd met, and even most vampires too.
Ever since his powers and skills had blossomed Aomine had fallen into a dark place. The hope of ever finding someone that was at least somewhat of a challenge dwindled after the first two hundred years. But after that opening ceremony, when he fought Kagami, something had changed. It'd been a while since he felt something like hope. So he'd been trying to crush that feeling ever since, to no avail. Aomine glanced at the grumbling Kagami, whom was sorting out his bag; he just didn't want to be disappointed again. He didn't know if he could take it.
He'd been trying to suppress it by avoiding the redhead, going so far as to stay in the mansion where he knew he wouldn't be. But when Akashi had assigned him to train him and they'd been tied together he knew it was going to be a downward spiral. Seeing the redhead's eyes light up with fire or his face flush, or even that angelic smile was becoming addicting. And he hadn't even touched on the topic of his blood yet.
Aomine didn't realize he'd been staring at Kagami so when he noticed him giving him a slightly worried look he broke out of his trance. "What?"
"Nothing baka, come on. It's getting late and we have to be up early," he was pulling him to the bed when the string tensed. Aomine raised an eyebrow over his shoulder.
Kagami's mouth was open in shock, then his eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Okay. Who are you and where's Aomine?"
"The fuck's that supposed to mean?"
He just kept glancing around, "You have to be a stunt double or something. Aomine would never say something so considerate."
Aomine sneered, "I'm just tired, this wasn't about you."
This time is was Kagami's turn to raise an eyebrow, "you don't even sleep."
Aomine paused, quickly thinking of a way out of his lie. "Vampires need to regenerate their strength when they're out in the sunlight for too long." Which wasn't a complete lie.
"Huh. Didn't think about that. Makes sense," Kagami was more inclined to believe that Aomine hadn't been thinking about Kagami than that he'd actually thought about another person.
Aomine turned back, before getting on the bed he pulled off his pants, leaving only boxers on. Kagami did the same and awkwardly climbed on the bed. They lay side by side in silence. "Better not roll around aho," he finally said to break the tense stillness in the air.
"Tch, shut up baka."
"Aho." Somehow when Kagami said the insult, it didn't really sound like an insult.
Aomine just made a noncommittal grunt and closed his eyes, flicking his hand to turn the witch lights off. He fell into his trance surprisingly easily, but Kagami couldn't help but squirm a bit. Pulling the covers up a bit further he inhaled to try and relax but almost choked when he smelled something amazing. It was slightly spicy and there was something unique about it that made him stuff his nose in the pillow. Almost immediately after realizing what the hell he was doing he jerked his head forward. He did not just smell Aomine's pillow, nope, definitely not. Fuck, that was something girls did, not men. Especially not to other men! What the hell was happening to him?
Trying to calm down he evened out his breathing. Thinking about it would only cause him to panic more. He put those terrible contemplations out of his head and pondered on what Tatsuya and Alex were doing, and if they were alright. Those were his last thoughts before he slipped off into an unstable sleep.
The world was a blur of color, the once green ground covered in red, even the sky was red, like it wept bloody tears for the horror of what was being committed. Kagami stumbled over something; looking down he realized it was Hoshikawa. His mouth was open in a silent scream, blood pouring out of the gaping hole in his stomach. Blinking, he shakily let out a breath; there was no time to scream for the death of his friend before the next person was on him.
Terrible howls of death and anger surrounded him, making his head swim with the sensations. But oddly enough what was in front of him was clear as day to him, it was as if everyone was going so slow. Kagami twirled around the man, slashing under his guard. A gurgle was let out of his mouth before he fell to the ground, never to move from his deathbed. Trying not to picture his face as he had cut him down, he moved on to the next. This was for his friends, for his country, he tried to reassure himself. Though all the excuses felt empty.
Even as he struck his enemies down his stomach clenched in pain. This was all wrong, THESE PEOPLE AREN'T YOUR ENEMIES his mind screamed at him. But he couldn't stop. His body seemed to move on its own. Tears ran down his face, but his sword kept getting bloodier and bloodier. More Ishiyama soldiers fled through the magical barriers that were steadily being put up. All these people he was fighting, they were people he knew, people he'd visited when he went to their country. It just wasn't right, how did it come to this? His soul cried out at the monstrosity around him, cursing Zenchou for what he had caused.
A pile of bodies laid strewed around Kagami, streams of red flowing from various nicks his body had acquired. Yet he felt none of them, only the pain of his heart crumbling. This shouldn't have happened… he should have stopped this. None of the fights he'd fought in before was ever this awful or bloody.
A helmeted captain from the Ishiyama faction spotted him and carved a way through to Kagami. By now Kagami's mind was somewhere completely different, his instincts had taken absolute control of his actions. It was all he could do to stay somewhat sane in this battle.
The man circled around him, contemplating on where to attack. Kagami's eyes followed him wearily. A flash was the only warning before it had begun. They clashed swords, beginning the deadly dance of life or death. As much as Kagami hated killing, the thrill of the fight never failed to bring out his competitive spirit. And what a fight this was, the captain was very skilled. Only attacking at the open spots Kagami had, as slight as they were.
Kagami blocked the swords downward stroke before kicking out a knee to hit a wound the soldier already acquired before. He hissed in pain and automatically dropped to a knee, Kagami hesitated at the look in the man's eyes. There was no hatred there, only sorrow. Sorrow for his people dying, sorrow for the pointless war, sorrow for Kagami.
He stumbled back, falling to the ground as he dropped his sword. Looking at his hands he only saw red, he moved franticly trying to get the blood off. No matter how hard he tried it wouldn't go away. He looked up at the sky and then he screamed.
A/N: Okay, so I guess I lied about not too much angst… Sorry, it really wasn't meant to happen but apparently I like torturing myself. Although there's a reason, so I mean hopefully that makes it better? Lol probably not. You guys are in for a treat next chapter though~! *rubs hands together evilly* MUAHAHAHAHA, you'll like it though, promise!