Prologue: Stay Hydrated

Summary:

Empty vending machines can create some unexpected chances for late night team bonding.

This fanfiction is not sponsored, but, you know, it could be. Looking at you, Pocari Sweat.


Izuki grumbled as he shuffled down the hallway away from the locker room of the Ryokan's onsen. All he wanted was a relaxing evening in the hot spring- though he should have known better than to expect peace and quiet when his team was anywhere close by.

He huffed and pulled the towel around his neck tighter. First, they try to peep on the girls - why did he have to open his mouth and let slip that he saw a group of college students he saw on check in? Kiyoshi started it! - and then those smug pricks from Touou had to show up and spout their superiority. At least Aomine wasn't there. Izuki was sure his smirk would have been enough to set him over the edge.

He took a deep breath and exhaled long and let himself relax. There was no sense in dwelling on it and letting the memories ruin what little relaxation time he had left. He was going to buy a Pocari Sweat from the vending machine - his one hundred fifty yen at the ready - and then relax by the open window in his room.

The thought almost made him smile.

Until he was greeted with a glaring red "sold out" indicator under his favorite bottled drink.

It's official, the universe was conspiring against him. There was no other explanation. The only question was, what had he done to deserve such suffering? He was not going to let the universe win. He was going to have his Pocari Sweat if it meant he had to hike over the mountain.

That, or walk down to the convenience store he saw on the way in. He'd even treat himself to custard milk bread. He'd more than earned it.

He carried himself to his shared room a bit quicker than he would have otherwise, but he was a man on a mission. He was going to steal as much quiet time in the room as he could before his loud fellow second years joined the room with him.

Good bye, peaceful sleep.

Unlocking, the door to his room, and shaking his slippers off, he grumbled more to himself about "loud degenerates" and "smug Touou assholes." It wasn't until he had dug his wallet out of his back pack that he noticed he wasn't alone in the room

"You know, Shun, typically people come back from the onsen less stressed out."

"Going somewhere, Izuki?"

The boy in question looked at the two of them, Tsuchida and Kiyoshi, and could feel his irritation rise from their slight smirks. "Vending machine is sold out of Pocari Sweat. I'm gonna grab some at the convenience store."

To his surprise, both the other second years expressed an interest in the sports drink, insisting they tag along with their point guard.

And that is how Izuki found himself shuffling toward the store on the south corner of the block where their Ryokan was located between his two taller teammates who were chatting idly over his head as he spaced out, wondering when he'd get his peace and quiet.

Eventually, Tsuchida pulled him from his thoughts by nudging his shoulder with his own. "Earth to Shun!" All of Izuki's thought's were replaced by confusion. He blinked at his friend, speechless.

Tsuchida snickered. "Daydreaming? Teppei asked how your face is feeling." Tsuchida was chuckling, but his face had a similar faint bruise to his own.

"Man, don't remind me! I didn't even try to look! I tried to get the others to stop!"

"You're telling me! Though I guess I could have helped a bit more."

"Wait, was Kiyoshi the only one she didn't hit? Talk about unfair," Izuki groaned.

"Why didn't you look?"

Once again, Izuki was confused. "What do you mean, Kiyoshi? It's disrespectful, of course!"

"Well, yeah, but I don't think the others would deny that." Kiyoshi gave Izuki his signature soft smile, the one that made it crystal clear that there was more he wasn't saying.

"I don't have the patience tonight, Kiyoshi. Get to the point."

"You never answered Koagnei's question."

Izuki pouted again, wishing he had pockets in his shorts to shove his hands into. "What are you talking about?"

"You mean when Koga told you to not pretend you weren't interested? I have to admit, I was curious when you avoided answering that as well."

The sudden interrogation brough heat to Izuki's face. Uncomfortable feelings welled in him, ones that he often does not acknowledge until he is alone in his room back home. He could think of many ideal places to NOT think about it. Off the top of his head: at a training camp where he still has to share a room with five other classmates.

Kiyoshi and Tsuchida were circling dangerously close to feelings he had never said out loud.

So, instead of admitting that, he dodges. "What about you? You didn't look either? I don't see you getting interrogated."

To his sheer annoyance, that smile on Kiyosh's face didn't falter. If Izuki wasn't determined to pass the buck, he might have shown more of that irritation in his face.

Kiyoshi hummed in thought. "Well, I suppose you could say my reason is similar to Tsuchida's."

"HAAAAAAH?"

Izuki and Tsuchida reeled in almost comical synchronization.

"You have a girlfriend?" Tsuchida beat him to it.

The confusion on Kiyoshi's face only made the entire situation more weird.

"What, nothing like that."

"Kiyoshi, I swear. Did the hot spring get to your head like Kuroko? When are you going to start making sense?"

"Tsuchida just said his reason was different! Mine is too. What I mean is I guess I already have my eye on someone. And I don't really care to observe the bodies of others just for fun."

"So, you have a crush on a girl, and that means you think you can't look at any others?"

Kiyoshi smiled again before clarifying, "Not quite. I guess I never really have an interest in looking at others' bodies. It's just bones and muscles and skin. What's the appeal? I guess I won't lie and say I don't understand. At least a little. There is one body I enjoy looking at, but that really because of the brain attached to them. If that makes sense?"

"Not at all." Izuki exhaled. Kiyosihi didn't like the appeal of bodies? Some days Izuki was convinced he was going to have a heart attack from the blood pressure spikes he got with how much he admired many of the bodies in his close proximity. He'd happily stop feeling that if he had the choice.

"I think I get it." Tsuchida had a look of serious thought on his face. "You don't feel, or at least havent felt, physical attraction until you've gotten to know the girl personally."

Kiyoshi looked thoughtful for a moment, even sheepish, before answering, "Something like that. Forgive me. The rest is quite personal to me."

The other two had no choice but to hum in resignation, that they were not going to get anymore out of the gentle giant. Though, Izuki was content not to pry. His classmate had already shared more about his personal life than he usually would.

Thankfully, before either one of them could direct the conversation back to him, they reached the convenience store. He barely registered the clerk's quiet welcome, heading straight to the back of the store where the tall drink coolers were. He heard the footsteps of his teammates which indicated they had followed him, no doubt the same idea in their heads.

It didn't take long for him to locate his prize, well stocked, just for their taking. Izuki plucked the familiar white and blue bottle from its place in the cooler, then a second, thinking that, if Coach pushed them as hard as she usually did, he didn't want to be met with an empty vending machine yet again. He pouted slightly at the price - one hundred eighty yen, figures - but kept the second bottle in his grasp regardless.

He and his teammates quickly grabbed what they were looking for, Izuki grabbing his custard bread, a small amount of annoyance leaving his tense shoulders in anticipation.

All too quickly again, the trio was out in the cool night air again. Any respite Izuki had was lifted, and he felt exposed once more. Tsuchida didn't waste any time. "So, what about you, Shun?"

Izuki didn't bother asking for clarification. He knew what he was asking. But instead of facing it head on, Izuki, like usual, stalled. What was it about groups of boys together that always ended up talking about what girls they liked? Did groups of girls talk about boys?

He took that perfect opportunity to open his Pocari Sweat, dowing half of it in one gulp. Much to his chagrin, but not his surprise, his friends just waited for him to continue. They really knew how to back a guy into a corner, didn't they?

"I wasn't interested. Koganei was just wrong."

He should have known better than to think they wouldn't pry. Izuki was an easier target than Kiyoshi after all.

"Got your eye on someone?"

"No one in particular."

"But you still weren't even interested? I'm not surprised you didn't peep, but you didn't even show an interest in the girls at all. You saw them at the desk didn't you? They didn't catch your eye?"

Izuki had half a mind to smack the giant; He deserved it after all, unfairly escaping the ire of their coach. "No. They didn't." He hoped Kiyoshi would take the hint and back off. He wasn't so lucky.

"Could that be because your eye isn't drawn to girls?"

Izuki actually stopped in his tracks and could do nothing but stare at the taller boy. He was speechless.

"I-" Say something, Shun! Even a cringey pun is better than this silence. Still, no words formed in his head. He was reeling from being bared like this in front of his friend, if they were his friends much longer.

"I'm sorry, Izuki. I think I may have said too much. Is that not something you want the guys knowing?"

Izuki was still rooted to the spot. Kiyoshi hadn't taken back his statement, definitely implying Izuki's preference was not toward girls.

"Teppei, are you implying that Izuki . . .?"

Tsuichida, to his credit, did not look disgusted, nor upset, just confused, like he was putting the pieces of a puzzle together in concentration. And maybe it was the window of opportunity Izuki needed to finally say it.

"I'm gay."

He left that hanging in the air as he took another gulp from his drink. He couldn't bear the stagnancy, so he pushed himself past his two taller friends, who followed after him, silent. Izuki didn't know what he had expected; more questions, maybe. One or both of them to yell at him, maybe.

His two friends following in silence, was not something he'd planned for. Coming out to the two of them wasn't something he'd planned for either.

The gravity of what he'd said caught up with him. the sudden fear that Tsuchida and Kiyoshi would out him to the others, that they would be uncomfortable around him in the ryokan room, that they wouldn't want him in the locker room showers with them after practice. That they might not want Izuki around anymore, that they-

He stopped in his tracks, and Tsuchida and Kiyoshi stopped only after they'd stepped past their point guard. They turned back to him, patience on their faces as they could see the clear discomfort in his stance. He knew they were waiting for him to speak, but the words just weren't coming.

"Say, Teppei, what do you think Shun's type is?"

Tsuchida was grinning at Kiyoshi, who was, to Izuki's horror, matching him with a wide smile of his own. "Hm?" He raised his hand to hold his chin in thought. The spectacle was almost offensive. "I would guess Izuki likes guys who are muscular. Like, hugely muscular."

Tsuchida lit up. "Oh, I see, someone who can be the big spoon. I bet Wakamatsu would fit the bill. he's back at the Ryokan."

"Hm. Wakamatsu is a bit too loud for Izuki. Maybe Ootsubo from Shutoku. I did catch Izuki looking at him."

Izuki could not believe his ears. Not two minutes ago, he was having a crisis over whether or not he'd have to find a whole new school to start over at, his teammates were out here in the open, discussing izuki's type of guy!

"What are you two even saying? I-"

The amused look in their eyes made him stop. He saw many things in their looks: warmth, joy, but most of all what he saw, made him feel normal. Without addressing it one bit, his friends made him feel not only comfortable, but normal! Like nothing was different.

And really, it is because nothing was different. He'd put words to a thing he's known for a long time, but that did not change how these two would treat him. Because he realized - no, part of him knew before - that even if he liked girls, they'd be having this exact conversation. His friends won't change how they include him, despite this new information. Izuki had no idea how to express his gratitude.

So instead he played along. "If you really pressed me for an answer, I like guys with glasses."

The three friends continued walking, despite the raging heartbeat in Izuki's chest.

"Is that so?" He could hear the amusement in Kiyoshi's voice. "Should our captain watch his back, then?"

For not the first time that night, Izuki regretted speaking without thinking. "That's- No, of course not. Hyuga-"

"What about Imayoshi? He more your type?" He couldn't tell if he should thank Tsuchida or punch him.

The image of Touou's captain flooded his brain. He couldn't deny that the slender look of the captain's toned arms and thin face was attractive. He'd never admit out loud that part of his nervousness from marking him in their games didn't come from the opposing point guard's skill - though Izuki couldn't deny that either - the guy was nice to look at! Then the guy had to open his mouth and kill every bit of Izuki's arousal.

"You kidding? That smug asshole?"

"Midorima?"

That caused Izuki to stop walking again. At that moment he realized Kiyoshi hit it right on the head. The tall shooting guard filled his brain. That scowl hidden behind half rims, he was practically dripping good looks and talent. And Izuki had to force himself to look away every time the guy sank one of his insane three-pointers. His two friends could pry all they wanted but he would never let slip how hot he got watching the green haired giant turn and walk back to his own basket before his shot ever cleared the net. Stop, Shun! He couldn't have those thoughts in the middle of a game! Midorima was his opponent.

Didn't stop the thoughts from slipping back in once the game was over, though.

His two friends snickered at him, no doubt because of the bright red color replacing his pale features. "Teppei, you're on to something! Who knew Izuki would like them tall, muscular, AND with poor vision. It's your eagle eye isn't it? You like knowing you have better eyes than your suitor?"

"That's just ridiculous, Tsuchida." He picked up the pace, knowing his friends would follow. They were not going to let this go.

"Not denying it though." He heard Tsuchida whisper just loud enough that he knew Izuki would hear.

Izuki, despite his efforts to remain irritated, couldn't help but smile. His questionable taste in guys aside, he was able to talk about it without his life falling apart.

Downing the rest of the bottle, he finally got to savor the sweet taste of his sports drink. It tasted the way it always did. And Izuki knew that when he woke up the next morning, he'd return to practice, like normal, and he'd still be their eagle eye point guard. He just had two friends that knew a bit more about him now.