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[Kuroko No Basket belongs to Tadatoshi Fujimaki]
[English isn't my first language, so please be kind]
5
Sheep's clothing
Sana P.O.V.
The stone path seemed endless. After we entered the forest the trees covered the sky, making it impossible for me to figure out exactly how long it had been since I separated from Kise. Aimi walked forward, humming a song, holding a basket now full of food that she brought from the restaurant. Sometimes when we found a flower or another along the way, Aimi would quickly bend down to pick it.
- You're very quiet, Sanacchi - Aimi said suddenly. It was the first time someone had addressed me with the nickname Kise had given me. It was a little strange when he wasn't the one saying it.
Since I was behind her, I couldn't see her expression, just the back of her purple clothes and her brown hair carefully tied with the silk ribbon that Imayoshi had given her as a gift.
- No, it's just... - I thought carefully about what I could say, but in fact I had several questions related to her and the oni we left down there.
If my mother were here she would probably say I was being nosy, so I wasn't sure whether to ask or not. My head started to spin, but maybe it was because of the effort I was putting into walking so much.
- If you want to ask a question, you can do so.
- Really? - I replied in surprise, she gave me permission so I wouldn't be quiet anymore - So, how did you and Aomine meet? Did he kidnap you or something? How do you live with an oni? Isn't he cursed? How does it work...
I ended up bumping into Aimi, that's when I realized that she had stopped walking and had finally turned towards me. For a second I thought I had angered her, that my mother's words were right and that I was rude. Worse than that, she was the wife of an oni, so did that mean she could have him kill me for this?
But my worries disappeared when I saw that Aimi was smiling.
- I don't know many sincere people like that - Aimi said - let's talk inside.
She pointed to a dark corner of the forest, to a swirl of shadows, similar to the one Kise and I passed through to get here. I had no idea what was on the other side, but I felt my body shake with fear at the thought of getting too close.
- Wait! - I tried to say to Aimi, but she crossed the whirlpool before my voice reached her, leaving me alone in the middle of the forest.
I took the first step into the shadows, keeping my face out as much as I could until I felt my body being sucked in.
It was quick and painless, and the next thing I knew I was looking at an uneven two-story wooden house with a narrow entrance, where the trees seemed to give space for grass to grow, as well as small yellow and pink flowers and some even grow on top of the ballast stones on the roof. Some of the branches were so long that they were about to go through the windows.
A light came on inside the house and soon Aimi appeared to hang a second lamp near the door.
- Come in! - she waved to me.
I ran closer to her, even though that corner of the forest didn't seem so scary now that she was nearby. Even the heavy air that grew around the trees seemed to be different here.
Aimi held my hand and helped me inside, placing my shoes next to the entrance looking excited to have a visitor. The house was really narrow even on the inside, but what made me feel cramped was the amount of things that were scattered in every corner. Decorated wagasas, drawings and paintings, small jewelry boxes, leather bags that must have belonged to travelers scattered around the corner, bedding folded in every corner.
Despite all these objects, Aimi's lively and smiling presence gave it all a cozy look. She dragged some things off the floor and took other objects from a small wooden table, then returned with a tray with tea cups.
- Let me help you.
- No, no! - she replied firmly - I'm already used to lighting the fire and you're the only visitor we have besides Kise.
I waited a few more minutes until Aimi returned with a kettle of hot water and served me a cup of delicious-smelling tea along with a small plate of namagashi.
The dishes she used were fine and elegant, much more elegant than the wooden house she lived in.
- Aomine brings all these things after a battle.
- A battle? - I asked after taking a sip of tea, I was already on my second sweet - Does that mean he really faces those who enter the forest?
-Aomine doesn't fight like he used to anymore-Aimi said, she had a peaceful look and I felt like I could trust her-I mean, not after he brought me here. Now he just scares the tourists, which keeps people away and the rumors weak enough away from the capital and the hunters.
I nodded, not knowing exactly what to feel at that moment. I didn't want to say that I felt sorry for her living there alone.
- Do you like living here? - that's what I asked, I thought it was appropriate. After all, if Aimi was happy I had no right to retort.
Aimi broke into a big smile.
- I really like! -she poured me some more tea when she realized that my cup was almost empty-I no longer have family in the village, and I love Aomine.
- But what about the other guy? - I asked, realizing that I was indeed nosy.
Aimi placed one hand on the silk ribbon that fell over her hair.
- Are you talking about Shoichi?
Suddenly I couldn't swallow the sweet properly, I felt like I shouldn't have asked that, but I didn't have time to apologize, as we were interrupted by a huge explosion that opened a big hole in the wall of the house.
I think I blacked out for a few seconds, because when I opened my eyes I didn't know exactly if I was seeing a giant snake or a tall, slender man with long, greasy hair who looked like he was moving too fast for a human.
The sawdust from the cut wood started to burn my eyes, but I felt a hand push me to the other side when the snake attacked again, right at the place where I was sitting before.
- Aimi! - I screamed when I saw blood dripping onto objects scattered around the house. The dirt and dust, not to mention the darkness of the forest made it almost impossible for me to see straight, but I saw the man standing close to me. He wore torn clothes and seemed to be searching for something, until he looked at me.
I muffled a scream with my hands. His arm was full of blood.
"Yōkai", I thought, full of terror.
- It's the wrong one - I heard him say with a hoarse voice, which made me despair.
He had hurt Aimi even though I didn't know where she was.
I had already accepted that I would be the next victim until something powerful seemed to knock the creature out of the way. I dragged myself to what used to be the entrance to the house, which now made a strange sound. The second floor was about to collapse, but I managed to get to my feet and run before the impact.
Above me, moving throughout the forest, Aomine was fighting an intense fight with the invader, I heard screams from both sides, but Aomine's screams seemed to be of suffering.
I wished I could go back to the other side to try to recover Aimi, but when I realized she was already beside me, unconscious, with her clothes stained with blood.
This time I threw myself on top of Aimi to protect her when a third creature appeared out of nowhere, but the feeling of terror and despair passed when I realized it was Kise. He was now a large yellow fox, much bigger than the one I saw on the stream near my house, which growled as it stared at the scene in front of us. His claws were the size of my face, and he only had one tail.
I had never seen him in this form before, not so glorious, but I knew it was him. And he wouldn't interfere in his friend's fight.
The house completely collapsed with Aomine's new attacks with his club, which seemed to be the last ones. Kise didn't let me see, covering my view with his large body, but I heard the sound of flesh being torn apart.
Suddenly the fox looked like Kise again, with two legs, two arms, and two ears on top of his head that made him look like a cat. I didn't care if he was naked and I hugged him tightly while letting the tears that I hadn't been able to shed during the fight fall.
- Are you hurt, Sanacchi? Are you hurt? - was all I heard Kise say. I wanted to say I was fine, but I couldn't.
Then Aomine returned, more oni than man, with his club covered in blood and pieces of flesh in his black nails. The bandages on her body had been torn, revealing scars. He hugged Aimi, still unconscious, and I tried not to cry when I saw so much despair in his eyes, then both disappeared from my sight.
I couldn't sleep after the yōkai attack, but my hands stopped shaking when Kise was around. I didn't even realize he was walking naked around the small room we had available until my senses returned to normal.
- You have to help me get dressed, Sanacchi - he said with a gentle smile to try to cheer me up, or hoping that I would have the motivation to fall for the provocation, but I couldn't. So I helped him without saying a word.
I stayed by Aimi's side during the three days she was unconscious. Apparently Aomine left her in Imayoshi's care before he disappeared. When Kise and I returned to the restaurant she was already being attended to by a doctor who happened to be having dinner at the restaurant that night.
Kise didn't say anything, so I didn't know if I could express my suspicions, but I didn't like the way Imayoshi reacted when we arrived, as if we weren't supposed to be there. He seemed completely devoted to taking care of Aimi and would probably spend these days at her bedside if I weren't here. Despite this, I still felt like something was wrong.
Aimi woke up on the fourth day, but I cried too much looking at her when I tried to thank her for saving my life, so Kise thanked her instead.
- Where is Aomine? -I knew that I wouldn't be able to answer that question, but she seemed to feel comfortable asking only when we were alone after the doctor showed up to change the bandages on her abdomen. She had also broken an arm, so Imayoshi and I took turns helping her eat in an awkward and tense interval in which I couldn't help but look at him suspiciously.
- I think he feels guilty - I said, holding my breath.
She had finished eating the soup, so I adjusted her head on the pillow. Imayoshi had placed her in a large room with a view of the garden and the mountain.
- He can't sleep away from me – Aimi said.
The girl who was so smiley when we met gave a long sigh as she looked out the window, and I felt miserable.
- Will he take good care of her? - I asked when Kise and I began to prepare to leave, which left Imayoshi ecstatic.
He gave us a big basket of food for the trip, but I didn't take it. I no longer wanted to eat his food or breathe the same air as him, so I was eager to leave even if it meant leaving Aimi behind.
- He loves her - Kise said, eating what he could from the food basket despite my anger - and you take care of those you love.
- He sent a monster after her!
- He sent an enemy after Aominecchi - Kise said - it may not seem like it, but he caused a lot of problems across the country before he met Aimi and settle in the forest.
- Obviously I can imagine that, he is an oni after all!
I took a deep breath, I was taking my anger out on the wrong person. When I finally told Kise what I was thinking, I was surprised that he thought the same.
- Aominecchi made several enemies and I'm sure Imayoshi tried hard to find one, he just didn't count on me returning to the mountain so soon and bringing someone else with me.
I lowered my head, I felt hurt despite not having any injuries, and extremely guilty.
- Two women confused the yōkai, and Aimicchi tried to protect you.
Kise stopped eating, then picked up a wooden box that was on the table, pulling out a new pair of shoes for me.
- Imayoshi has nothing to do with this - he said - I found the shoes in the village.
- Did you find them?
Kise smiled, but I accepted it since I had been walking around barefoot for days.
- No stealing for a while - I said.
The fox nodded and helped me put them on. They were beautiful shoes with hand-embroidered figures of orange foxes.
Imayoshi was turning on the lights at the front of the restaurant and the kitchen would soon be full of people.
I didn't want to say goodbye to him, but I would come back for Aimi.
So Kise and I continued our journey.
Hello! It's been a while since I wrote an action chapter for a fanfic and I think this chapter turned out good!
I'll be traveling this weekend, so I won't update the fanfic this Saturday. So this chapter was an advance gift for you.
I know there are still a lot of questions about Kise and what he's going to do, not to mention his relationship with Sana, but this will be more prominent in the next chapters. Today's chapter was more focused on Aomine and Aimi, who are my favorites, and you can read more stories with them on my profile.
Also, Murasakibara and Kuroko will be the next Miracles to appear!
Wait for my return!
