Jack's Ball.
— Filler takes place after chapter fourteen (Time for garnishing) of 'A Simple Thread', and just before chapter fifteen (Dance, Dance Revolution!).
The afternoon sun beat down on the basketball court of Seiyo Academy, casting a warm glow over the deserted campus. The only sounds that could be heard were the rhythmic bounces of a basketball and the occasional swish of the net. Fujisaki Nagihiko and Souma Kukai, both members of the Seiyo Academy basketball team, were engaged in a competitive one-on-one match. Their movements were fluid and precise, a testament to their years of training and experience on the court.
Together they were a dynamic duo—the basketball court was their playground, and the ball was their way of communicating and their shared weapon.
Nagihiko, captain of the team, had his long indigo hair tied back in a ponytail and was steadily bouncing the basketball between brisk exchanges of his hands, whilst hazel-ochre eyes scan along the court for an opening towards the net.
Beside him stood Kukai, the co-captain of the team. His spiky russet hair matched his fiery determination, and his emerald-green eyes were fixed on Nagihiko's every move.
Their Charas were floating off to the side by the bleachers, beside Nagihiko and Kukai's duffel bags and school sports jackets. Two large water thermos containers sat at the forefront of the boy's gear—luckily having a steel insulation in them to keep some semblance of coolness.
Rhythm was cheering his bearer on with a mirroring Daichi doing the very same at his side—at the top of their tiny lungs, whilst Temari was more than content in being free to sit outside of her egg and watch, sipping along some tea she had brewed for herself. A pleasant wisteria and honey flavor.
"You GOT this, bro!" Rhythm shouts out.
Daichi gives a frown and shake of his head, "No way! Kukai's got this one in the bag, for sure! C'mon! Show 'im what big kids can do!"
Temari casts a sweat dropping side-glance at her younger twin brother and his friend, before shaking her head softly with a simpering giggle against the rim of her cup.
All too abruptly, with a nimble burst of speed, Nagihiko was quick on his feet, almost instantaneous, darting around Kukai and heading towards the basket. The sound of the ball bouncing against the pavement growing faster and faster.
The russet-haired senior didn't waste any time, quickly recovering from his stupor, and his feet begun pounding against the pavement as he tried to keep up with Nagihiko—but the captain was too quick, effortlessly evading Kukai's attempts to steal the ball.
"Come on~. You got to be quicker than that, Skater Boy~!" The Fujisaki heir huffs that taunt over his shoulder with a notable laughter, and with a swift flick of his wrist, then a steadfast halt of his feet, turned straight jump, Nagihiko sent the ball flying towards the hoop.
Kukai leapt into the air, his arms outstretched, but it was too late. The ball sailed through the net, the sound of the swish echoing through the now empty campus' backyard space.
Rhythm erupts with a bellowing, "Heck yeah! That's my bro!" And tosses his small fist into the air in an excited pump.
Daichi puffs up his cheeks, glowering at Rhythm from the corners of his eyes.
Back on the court, Nagihiko couldn't help but smirk to himself, knowing he had once again outmaneuvered his co-captain. He cants his head to the side, cracking the joints in the back of his neck and shoulders in a slow roll—fixing that smirk of his onto his friend.
Kukai landed back on the ground, his sneakers thudding under his weight against the pavement, a look of frustration on his face and a panted grunt. "Oh, you can wipe that smug look off of your face. We're just gettin' started, Fujisaki!"
"What smug look?" Was the indigo-haired male's response—though the mirth was more than a little evident in his gaze.
"Ohoho, nah," Kukai chortles, "nah, nah. Don't play all innocent with that smirk." He tacks on with a shake of russet spikes, a hand on his hip and a wag of his finger directed over towards Nagihiko.
With that statement, the Fujisaki heir snickers as he gives a broad grin over towards the older male. Amusement clear as day by the twinkle in hazel-ochre, and he watches as Kukai collects up the ball in mid-bounce in its descent from the hoop's net, passing it over towards him with a rough lunge of playful force behind it.
The long-haired male would catch it with an 'oomph!', the ball having been aimed at his gut, and he chuckles some more, "My, my~. Someone's losing their temper~." Nagihiko coos in a sing-song hum, a mix between his alter ego's pitch and his own.
Kukai bursts into an exclaiming cackle, "Ayooo, shut up and start dribbling, captain." Was his snorting chuckle of a retort.
"Hey! Seducing coos is foul play!" Daichi huffs out from the bleachers.
"Huh?" Rhythm and Temari shoots over a mirroring expression of grimace at the teal-haired Chara, both sweat dropping. Oh, what a field day a certain little 'chibi devil' would have with that statement in itself.
Nagihiko sweat drops as he bounces the ball on the court, glancing over towards Daichi. "That is far from my intent. It's all just playful banter—" he starts to explain in his call over towards their Charas, only to be caught off guard by the sudden whisking of a harshly charged breeze zipping past him! "H-huh?!"
The beat of the ball ramps up, bounding along with heavy footsteps—and just as quickly, a grunt and thunk are made from behind Nagihiko. He turns on the heels of his sneakers, spotting Kukai dangling briefly on the hoop and the basketball pitter-patters in faded bounces along the ground. It rolls some towards Nagihiko, nearing the nose of his shoe.
"NOW THAT'S A SLAM DUNK! TEAM SOUMA FOR THE WIN!" Daichi's voice cheered aloud, echoing out, and Temari places her teacup down to cover her tiny ears.
"HEY! No way! That was interference! That point shouldn't count!" Rhythm exclaims, jabbing a pointed finger at the teal-haired Chara's chest.
Daichi tilts his head with a wide, boyish grin. "Naaah~. Not my fault Nagi-boy let himself get distracted~."
Rhythm's brow twitches as he growls, pouncing up onto Kukai's Chara, giving him a noogie, ruffling up those spiky teal-green tresses.
Kukai's biceps tense, flexing as he briefs a short pull up over the hoop's edge and lowers himself, letting go of the hoop in a drop against the pavement. He grunts once more, grinning over towards the baffled Fujisaki heir. "Nah, once you start dribbling the ball, it's all fair game." He calls over towards the wrestling Chara boys, that smug smile of his still aimed over at Nagihiko.
"Souma wouldn't have even gotten that shot, if it weren't for you yellin' out that crazy crap!" Rhythm complains, shifting from a noogie to winding an arm around Daichi's neck. The teal-haired Chara grunts, clutching at Rhythm's arm sleeve, "Gah!"
Temari, still covering her ears, watches the two tiny boys, that sweat drop remaining at the side of her head. How they had so much energy… she'd never know, and she, quite frankly, didn't think that she had even wanted to bother in figuring that out.
"The no-good Jack is right." Nagihiko finally says after the wrestling exclamations, making Kukai's brow twitch upon hearing that old nickname from once upon a time. Barely ever used by the younger of the pair, but the reaction he'd gotten whenever he'd sprinkle it back into existence was positively hilarious to him.
Rhythm froze in his strangling of Daichi, and Daichi sighs out with a curious few blinks of his big, round orange eyes—with a simultaneous: "Say what?"
Nagihiko nods his head as he crouches down to pluck up the ball with an amused raise in brow. "What he's said is fair." He repeats in a matter-of-fact tone of seeming indifference, rolling the ball about his palms and aimlessly studying the orange and black bouncing orb.
Kukai bobs his head in a nod. "See? No hard feelings, Fujisaki. Right?"
"Oh, sure. Of course not~" he replies with a shrug of his shoulders, before slowly dribbling the ball as he turns about on the heels of his shoes. "Just like how it's completely fair game in charging at your left open hoop."
Both Kukai's and Daichi's expressions went pale as that realization dawned onto the both of them.
"That's my boy." Temari chirps her little cheer, a proud little smile tracing her lips with a soft clap of her hands, and her twin brother perks up—essentially leaving Daichi to plop to the bleacher seat from his grasp, flinging his arms into the air and over his head in a stance of a silent huzzah.
"H-hey!" Kukai stutters in a chuckle as he jogs over towards a now jogging-turned-sprint from the indigo-haired male. "Hey, now. Hold on! Nagi!"
"Sorry." He calls back, eyes brimming as they'd glimpse up to his upcoming target: the basketball hoop. "Can't make out what you're saying from the basketball hitting the pavement." He rambles off in a hurried rattle.
One of Kukai's brows twitches, "Oh, that's straight up BS!"
The russet's only response that was given to him by the indigo-haired male was outright laughter.
Their one-on-one matches had become somewhat of a routine for the two friends. It was a way for them to hone their skills and bond as teammates. Keeping up with their talents was a top priority for the two, especially since they were the captain and co-captain of their team.
Kukai lunged forward to intercept the ball, but Nagihiko was quicker, weaving around him with a swift grace that left Kukai staggering. A smug grin spread across Nagihiko's face as he effortlessly made a shot, scoring another point.
Undeterred, Kukai playfully scowls, recovering with his emerald-green eyes flashing with renewed determination. He was always up for a challenge, grinning back at Nagihiko and launching himself at him again. He wasn't going to let Nagihiko's quick moves intimidate him!
Their competitive spirits were on full display! Kukai would let out a hearty laugh every time Nagihiko managed to outmaneuver him, while Nagihiko would flash a smug grin whenever he scored a point. But amidst the friendly banter, their determination to win burned brightly in their eyes.
"You're getting faster, Nagi!" Kukai exclaimed, his emerald eyes sparkling with excitement.
Nagihiko chuckled in response, his dark hair falling slightly in front of his face. "Or maybe you're just getting slower, Kukai." He quipped, his tone teasing yet playful, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Age catching up to you, hm?"
"Ayo! Don't take that, Kukai!" Daichi calls out as he waves his fist towards the court, making the twin Charas snicker amongst each other.
Upon the court, Nagihiko is heard having a hearty chuckle at Kukai's frowning expression at him. But the twitching corners of the older male's lips gave proof of him accepting the quip as only further teasing wit.
As the game went on, the intensity grew. They were both determined to win, but it wasn't just about winning for them. It was about the love of the game, the thrill of competition, and the bond between friends—a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect between the two captains. They pushed each other to be their best, and it was clear that their partnership was a crucial factor in the team's success.
Nagihiko ducked, deftly spinning past Kukai, and he makes a daring leap towards the basket, Kukai's outstretched hand managed to disrupt his shot, sending the ball flying off course. But Nagihiko was quick to recover, his agile body twisting in mid-air to catch the ball and send it back towards the hoop.
A rebound swish!
Kukai shook his head, laughing, "Seems those dancing lessons with your mom still has you pretty nimble and light on your feet, haha!" He retrieved the ball and passed it back to Nagihiko. "Your turn to defend," he calls out with an awfully wide grin, and just as quickly as that was said, the former jack charged forward, his spiky hair bouncing with his energetic steps—and the two boys continued to battle it out on the basketball court, their sneakers squeaking against the pavement as they moved with dexterity and haste. The ball flying back and forth between them, each determined to come out on top. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, and their chests heaved with exertion, but neither showed any signs of slowing down.
Kukai's skills as a skater translated seamlessly into his basketball strategy, allowing him to effortlessly glide and maneuver around Nagihiko's attempts to steal the ball. Nagihiko barely had time to react as Kukai swooped past him—and with the brute momentum, he bounds in a lofty leap, slamming the ball into the hoop with a harsh dunk.
"You and that brute strength," Nagihiko chuckles—half teasing and half in actual awe. The russet always seemed to be the backbone in both their friend circle and their basketball team. And that, the Fujisaki heir could never cease in respecting of him.
Some of the teammates even compare the full-speed-ahead attitude of Souma Kukai to that of a nonstop bulldozer—plowing through expectations to pave his own path forward. That determination of his was unshakeable. Almost dangerous and frightening, in its own way.
Kukai chuckles outright, a hand tucked onto his hip, and he flexes his other arm, "What can I say, heh, I'm a force to be reckoned with!"
Nagihiko's smirk never left his face as he rolls his eyes at that prideful quip of Kukai's.
"Don't go stroking the guy's ego, Nagi!" Rhythm shouts over, and Daichi tackles the indigo-haired Chara into his side, earning a muffled grunt from him as they'd tumble about the surface of the bleacher seat.
Temari sighs, "Will you boys please stop with all the wrestling? It's a friendly basketball practice for them, for gods' sake." At this point, she just figured that both Daichi and Rhythm had the zoomies and was letting that energy out with all their roughhousing. Boys will be boys, though she'll never understand.
The match continued on, the two friends trading sides of the court once more. The sound of their laughter chortling out between them. Sweat was beginning to drip down their faces, but that wouldn't stop them until the game was finished.
Back and forth they went, scoring points and blocking shots, complicated footwork bounding in thrashes over the court's surface—the grunting and hissed breaths stemming from the two males as they'd grapple to get the ball as many times as they could to score another point in their loft. It was a close match, and neither was willing to give the other an inch.
Nagihiko jumped to block Kukai's shot and stole the ball mid-air. He grinned at his friend's surprised face before twisting on the nose of sneakers and concentrating a full pivot in launch towards the other side of the court.
Kukai makes a startled grunt, skidding himself to a stop and turning on the heels of his shoes to give chase after his long-haired companion.
If Kukai was the brawn of the Seiyo basketball team, then Nagihiko was the calm before the storm when it came to quick-wit and meticulous, sprightly plays. Ones, that he'd no doubt use from his many years of dance as influence—trained to be light on his feet and the ricocheting cap of improvisational theater. If one play didn't work out, then charge headfirst with an immediate change of pace—immensely shaking up the entire rhythm of the field.
If she'd ever seen basketball as some intensive work of a dramatic art, then, no doubt, Mitsuki Reiko would be proud.
And in that grace, the Fujisaki heir gives pause, feeling the rushing brunt of Kukai's momentum searing past himself, and he'd swiftly side-step and pivot another charging leap, aiming an underhand shot from under the hoop and over, scoring another swish of the net.
Kukai wasn't discouraged, in fact, admiring that quick underhand shot. It wasn't an easy feat to accomplish most of the time. He'd wipe the sweat off his brow and forehead. "Nice one, Nagi!" He says, reaching out to clap his friend on the back once he'd landed on the ground from that jump.
Nagihiko pants but gives a breathless smile towards the tall russet. "You have so much energy, haah… haha," he notes. Yes, Nagihiko was pretty quick on his feet, but he wasn't the forever bubbling cauldron that Souma Kukai was when it came to exhausting stamina. "It's taking everything in me to push and keep up with you." He'd confess, rotating in a side-to-side twist about his waist to loosen some muscles.
Another pat was given to his back from Kukai, "Well, that's what this practice is for, right? I'm helping you with your stamina—and you're helping me with my speed. Win-win." Simple as that, and he jogs off.
The dark-haired male chuckles with a sigh. The energy that guy has is insane. Nagihiko watches his companion jog over to collect the orange ball, and once he does so, he aims a chuckling grin towards his long-haired companion—and he wordlessly tosses it towards the team's captain. Nagihiko fumbles with the ball, giving a wilted and scolding expression over towards Kukai. "Haha, a little warning next time is appreciated."
The russet merely gives a wide grin Nagihiko's way, "Got another round in you?"
Nagihiko shakes his head some, some of those long tresses sticking to the sides of his face, forehead and the back of his neck, his lips shaping into a grin from the contagious one that Kukai wore. "You're on," he replied, the two friends gear themselves up for another thrilling round.
"Alright! Let's get it, man!" Kukai exclaims out, patting Nagihiko's shoulder.
The sun had started to set, casting long shadows on the court, and the hues of a dusty yellow now plume into a warming mix of misty indigo and oranges. The remaining hours slipped by unnoticed. Despite the rising fatigue, their smiles never faltered—enjoying the pure delight of the sport.
Kukai made a daring out-of-the-blue move, dribbling past Nagihiko, and making quick effort to aim and sink a three-pointer with ease. A perfect and clean swish, netting him with the winning point.
A cheer exclaims out from the russet-haired male's Chara, followed by some clapping of tiny hands, "My man!"
Nagihiko chuckles, joining in the short applause of his friend's cunning move, "And that's game! Nice cast!"
Kukai took the compliment with a bow before throwing the ball back to Nagihiko. "Heh! Not bad, yeah? Been working on that bad boy for about a week." He beams with a wide grin.
The Fujisaki grunts with another 'oomph!' as he sighs out an overly dramatic huff of breath, catching the ball. "Haha, you know this is why some of the team are scared of you passing to them."
"Huh," Kukai hums with a baffled expression.
"Hahaha! You pass the ball so roughly." Nagihiko points out, angling the ball to snug in hold underneath his tricep of his arm and his torso. "Myself, Sakubeya and Ōenoki are the only ones who aren't afraid of catching your passes."
The Souma tips his head to the side with a blank expression now, "I only throw it that way to make sure they can catch it."
"I get that, but they can't very well play with a bruised gut, can they?"
"Honestly, man, I hadn't thought that I was throwing it that rough, but… haaah, guess I can ease up." He chuckles with a nod of his head. "Oh! While we're on this pause! Got a little nitpicking for you."
Nagihiko chuckles at this, canting his head some to the side, "Yeah?"
Kukai rests a hand onto his hip, shifting his weight as he points at his own eyes and then over towards Nagihiko's own. "You have this tell about you when you're about to make a quick charge for the hoop. You don't do it all the time, so I didn't notice it at first."
With blinking eyes, the Fujisaki heir hums, contemplating to himself, "I do?"
"Yeah," Kukai affirms, bobbing his head in a nod. "Like I said, you don't do it all the time—and I think that I only noticed it because we practice often together. You do like… just before you jet out with that speed of yours. Like you're maybe making out a route or something."
Nagihiko's laughter bursts out as his free hand gives lift to ruffle the side of his hair, feeling the sweat against fingertips. He'd definitely need to wash his hair tonight. "I mean, that's because I am."
"Haha! You do this thing where you size up whoever is in front of you and then stare behind them, then you shift into the direction you want to try a full-speed charge."
The dark-haired male sighs with a faint smile, a bit relieved that it was Kukai of all people to call him out on it. If not fully on the mark, he figured a good gist of it. Better his co-captain notices it, than an opposing team. He'll have to work on that for the future.
The court lit up by the nearby streetlights, making Nagihiko slowly blink a few times. "It's gotten that late already?" He asks, perplexed. Last he looked at the sky, the sun was cast in about an hour after evening.
"One more?" Kukai chirps, and the indigo-haired male quickly turns his face to fix a wide-eyed expression on his russet-haired friend.
Oh, had that expression made the older of the pair outright burst into fullhearted laughter. Kukai walked over to Nagihiko. "Nah, haha! I'm just messing with you, Nagi," he says, extending his hand for a congratulatory high-five. "Up top!"
Nagihiko returned the gesture, a wide grin on his face. "Heh, I was going to say, haha. But, same to you," he replies.
Kukai grinned back, his competitive spirit temporarily forgotten in the rush of the game with the call of simmering down. "Don't go thinkin' this means I'll go easy on you the next time we practice."
"That's my line." Nagihiko says with a playful roll of his eyes as he hands Kukai his ball. "Thanks for the advice, Kukai. I'll try to be mindful of the pivot thing."
The two of them head over towards the bleachers, situating their things and collecting up their thermoses to gulp down a couple of swallows.
"Yeah, no problem. Got to spruce up all the possible gaps before the big game, you know." Kukai sighs out as he sits himself on the edge of the seat, glancing over to their Charas who had roughhoused themselves to sleep—the only one still wide awake being little Temari. She offers a smile up towards her bearer and his friend, "You both were amazing! Good job today." The female Chara claps her hands with a warm giggle.
"Heh, thanks, Temari." Kukai grins and turns to the side some, poising his fist down towards the kimono-cladded female fairy. She'd beam a small smile and another giggle, carefully rolling her sleeve back and reaching her tiny fist out to return that offered fist bump.
"Heh heh! Nice, little lady!" Kukai compliments her, giving a small playful scrunch of his nose and a boyish grin.
Nagihiko couldn't help himself from smiling at the exchange between his close friend and his Chara. "Haha, thanks, Temari," he chimes in as he hooked a finger into the collar of his jersey, trying to fan in some air against his chest. But as he did so, he caught a whiff of his own collected sweat, and his nose scrunched up in disgust as he let out a cough, the smell overwhelming his senses. "Mother is going to have a fit, haaah…," he sighs.
Kukai takes notice of his reaction and lets out a chuckle, amusement evident in his emerald-green eyes. "Yeah? She hates it when you come home after basketball practice?"
Nagihiko gave a weary smile towards his friend. "Kukai… you have no idea…" he replied, his voice trailing off with a wilted laughter.
Kukai raised a brow, knowing exactly what Nagihiko meant. Nagihiko's mother was a neat freak—a perfectionist, one that is always making sure everything in their house was spotless. She couldn't stand the thought of her son coming home covered in sweat and dirt.
"She seems like the type who'd try to hose you down before letting you in the house, Nagi," Kukai said, his grin widening.
Nagihiko let out a small laugh, knowing that Kukai was probably right. "You have no idea, Kukai. She's already threatened to do it before," he replied, shaking his head in amusement. "Baaya-san as well." Nagihiko hadn't known how true to their word they would be on that sentiment—and, quite frankly, he didn't want to find out.
"Could you two use the shower inside of the school?" Temari interjects the suggestion with a tilt of her head, making the dangling violet fringe of her side bangs brush along the sides of her face.
"Yeah. We could… but are you alright with having to sit in the hall by yourself?" Nagihiko asks his female Chara, whilst Kukai pokes Daichi and Rhythm to wake them up, and in his other hand, he was sending a text out.
"I don't mind. I assure you." She smiles warmly.
A short shake of Kukai's head is made, "Nah. I'm not going to let her sit out by herself. Daichi can keep her company," he says this, upnodding to the slowly rousing teal-haired Chara. "Right, bud?"
Sleepily rubbing his eyes, the tiny fella angles up a groggy thumbs up. "You got it, dude. I can piggy-back Rhythm." With bleary orange eyes, he'd turn to his friend, patting his shoulder. "C'mon, man. Wakey-wakey."
Rhythm stirs, waving a hand with a murmured grumble. "Five more minutes…"
Temari, Nagihiko, Kukai and Daichi all chuckle in unison at the indigo Chara. The little guy, for him to be so energetic, was always the most difficult to wake up.
"If you want, Nagi," Kukai prompts as he gives another glance at his phone, checking over his texts before continuing to rattle off, "Diva is swinging by to pick me up. Maybe she can drop you off at home after we're done showering. Might can pick up something to eat too."
Nagihiko blinks a few times, the nozzle of his thermos pauses at his parted lips. "I think that I misheard you." He says this, raising a brow. "Utau-san is coming to pick you up? With Ikuto, I'm assuming?"
The older of the pair shakes his head. "Nah. Diva just got her provisional about a week or so ago. She's been practicing—picking me up after practice, to and from school—back home. All that jazz."
"Huh," Nagihiko muses with a soft smile. "I would've never guessed. Haha, it's pretty nice that you're supporting her growth like that."
Their Charas manage to gather up: Daichi piggy-backing Rhythm and Temari is close at his side, rubbing her twin brother's back softly whilst he grumbles about wanting to lay in the comfort of his bed or something rather. She glances up between the two bearers, "I'm surprised that you two haven't mentioned it to anyone."
"Eh," the russet shrugs his broad shoulders. "It's not really my big news to share. It's Diva's. I only wanted to be sure that our boy got home safe. So, I just asked if she wouldn't mind making an extra stop before dropping me off." He expresses, gathering up his duffel bag and slinging it over his shoulder. His jacket is grabbed, along with his thermos as he sends another message to, at this point—presuming, Hoshina Utau—also dubbed as 'Diva'.
The dark-haired male watches Kukai from his peripherals, a soft smile worn upon his lips. It was nice—what Utau and Kukai had. He hadn't known exactly when or what brought them to become so close, but he could never deny that it was a certain comfy-like air about the two of them that just resonated a nice vibe. Nagihiko slowly blinks, shuffling his bag onto his shoulder and looping his jacket about its strap—hazel-ochre catching the line of sight of emerald-green.
Kukai gives a thumbs up, "She said she's cool with it. As long as you're down with something from WacDonalds…? Heh heh, the gal's craving nuggies." He snickers with a shrug and amused shake of his head.
"Heh," Nagihiko snickers as he angles out a hooked pointer finger to give a brief affectionate brush against Temari's cheek. "Who am I to complain, when I'm not the one behind the wheel?"
"Atta'boy!" Kukai cackles with a hinted grit of a growl along that exclamation, hooking an arm about the dark-haired male's shoulders. The pair laughs together, trudging off towards the back of the academy's building: the two Charas floating between the Fujisaki heir and the laughing Kukai.