Hello, everyone! It has been much too long and this update is mostly to reassure you all that this story will continue (even though this is a reserve chapter and I still haven't written episode 12, BUT MY POINT STANDS!)

In any case, I hope you all are doing well and that the wait wasn't too horrible!

Thanks to LetTheWorldHonorTheFallen (They will definitely cut a bitch, and I am not going to hide that at all), irislxi (Thank you!), Guest (Thank you!) and HeyVen (Thank you as well!) for reviewing, all 48 followers, 39 favorites and 2,601 readers!

Bit of a decent sized chapter this time and FINALLY Midorima is officially getting his chapter title and a more extensive POV (he's so difficult sometimes, I swear), so I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 7: The Sharpshooter Miracle

As soon as Shinkyo tried to get the point Kuroko and Kagami scored back, Kuroko moved, stealing the ball and passing it right next to the hoop, allowing Kagami to dunk the ball right away.

"That was amazing. Has Kuroko always been this good? Are you feeling that bad about being called a kid?" Hyuuga asked as they ran back to their side of the court.

"Yeah." Kagami answered for Kuroko, who was thinking along the same lines Kagami no doubt was.

"I'm disappointed they're so weak. The Generation of Miracles is nothing, but children."

"It's like, don't talk until you've played them." Kagami explained.

And Kuroko completely agreed. And now, Dad was playing a Miracle, he was playing Kuroko. And Kuroko would show him, would show them all, just what a Miracle is and why their name was synonymous with that of monsters.

At the end of the first quarter, with the score 23-8 in Seirin's favor, Kuroko was taken out of the game.

From there, he remained on the bench and watched Kagami closely. Watched as he caught up to Dad...and became a threat to the foreign student's shots. As he did, he remembered what Kise had said.

"Someday he will achieve the level of the Generation of Miracles and grow apart from his team. When he does, do you really believe Kagami won't be a different person?"

And Kuroko could feel the worry that Kise's warning had inspired stretching under his skin, trying to choke out his voice and silence his heart.

He still remembered, clear as day, the day he lost Aomine, the day he no longer recognized his Light, his best friend, his first found soulmate. And then...that very same day, he had lost Akashi too, to an Akashi he did not recognize, an entirely different Akashi from the one who had guided and led them all kindly, yet firmly.

That day would remain one of the worst of his life, but his love for basketball (though dim, back then), his bond and his promise to...to…, well his promise kept him on the team, until that horrible day, that horrible game, finally arrived and he left.

But he had to trust himself to prevent history from repeating. He knew where he had gone wrong, where Akashi and he had gone wrong when they tried to prevent Teiko's damage from spreading even further. He would not let Kagami fall to those same mistakes, would not let himself mess up again.

And besides...if this was to work, he would have to trust Kagami as well.

There were five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the score 60-51 in Seirin's favor.

"Kuroko-kun, can you go the last five minutes?" Riko asked, drawing Kuroko's attention to her.

"Actually, I've been ready for a while." Kurorko admitted.

"Sorry." Riko apologized, bowing her head with a sheepish smile before she stood up and pointed to the court. "Then, go!"

And Kuroko did, stealing the ball and passing it faster than anyone could see. His presence, even as low as it was, put Shinkyo on edge, making it all the easier for Seirin to score, to win.

Kuroko would not allow anything less, they would win, no doubt.

"Don't let your guard down until it's over!" Hyuuga shouted. "Let's get them!"

And then, finally, Dad attempted one last shot. But he did not make it.

Kagami jumped and completely blocked his shot. And as he did so, Kuroko read his lips, too far to hear him clearly. But he knew what Kagami was saying, all the while.

He was defending the Generation of Miracles, defending Kuroko and Kise and everyone he had yet to face, from Dad. And Kuroko allowed himself to smile at that, to let his happiness fill up inside him and share itself with Kise.

The model seemed to understand after a moment, sending bright reciprocal happiness back, filled with pride in Kuroko's victory and content that Kuroko's anger had been soothed.

The buzzer rang out, the final score 79-67, Seirin.

"Game over!" The referee declared as they all lined up. "Sixty seven to seventy nine, Seirin!"

"Thank you!" Kuroko chorused with all the rest, before he turned his head towards the spectators and his right hand covered his left wrist.

For standing right by Kuroko among the spectators, his eyes on the phantom alone, was none other than Midorima.

From there, the preliminaries of the Inter-High continued. In Seirin's second game, Kuroko didn't step onto the court even once, and they easily won, 118-51.

In their third, Kuroko was once again rarely utilized and they still won, 92-71. Of course, that didn't stop Riko from noticing just how restless Kuroko was. He just...he wanted to play, even if it wasn't against his team. He'd always been this way, Aomine and Kise used to tease him that if he went too long without playing in a game, he'd become too noticeable and his misdirection would be less successful.

Of course, Akashi took that seriously and let Kuroko play in the very next game, so he didn't mind too much.

Unfortunately, that didn't work this time, even as Kise continued to tease him over both text and their bond. Aomine's teasing was rarer than it used to be, but the night before their fourth game, Kuroko received a text message.

Aomine-kun: If they don't let u play soon, ur gonna be noticed from space, tetsu

Kuroko had only smiled at the sight of his former Light's sloppy script, unchanged from even before his talent bloomed.

Kuroko: Thank you, Aomine-kun. Good luck to you as well.

Aomine hadn't answered, he rarely did these days, but that was okay. Just that small tease made Kuroko feel warm.

Of course, then their fourth game turned out to be against the guys who Kuroko, Kise and Kagami had destroyed at three-on-five streetball, which...Kuroko enjoyed immensely as he and Kagami, simply by saying hello, caused such a visceral reaction.

Kise seemed to enjoy Kuroko's feelings on the situation as well, even more so when Kuroko called him that night to explain what happened after they destroyed their opponents, 108-41, especially since Kuroko got to play this time.

But, of course, before he told Kise about this, he stayed behind with his team, listening as they talked about the Three Kings of Tokyo, Shutoku, Senshinkan and Seiho, and, of course, their possible match against Shutoku in the finals of the preliminaries (it would not be a possibility, Kuroko would make sure they made it to the finals, so he could battle Midorima). And then...Shutoku entered the gym they were in.

"First years, prepare yourselves." Riko announced as she stood up from the bench. "You're going to see something amazing today. They're supposed to be even more amazing this year. One of the Three Kings of Tokyo, Shutoku High."

And as the rival team approached, Kuroko's eyes never strayed from Midorima, carrying his lucky item as always, and his right hand covered his left wrist.

Of course, then Kagami decided to stand up.

"I'm gonna go say hi." Kuroko's new Light declared as he made his way over to Midorima.

"Sure." Hyuuga agreed before what Kagami said processed and he tried to stop him. "Hey!" It was, of course, to no success and Kuroko stared after his teammate, knowing the only way this could end.

As Midorima walked with Shutoku across the gym's court, to the shouts of the members who were not part of the first string cheering them on from the stands, he was all too aware of an unknown boy approaching him.

"Hey. You're Midorima Shintaro, aren't you?" The boy said as he stopped in front of the sharpshooter. Midorima glanced at him coldly behind his glasses, examining him.

There was nothing obviously special about this boy, and yet, based on his uniform and what information Midorima had collected from observing Seirin's games, there was no doubt that he was Kuroko's new Light. And from what Kise said, this boy thought he could defeat all six Generation of Miracles, not counting Kuroko as they were teammates.

How laughably arrogant. Though, of course, Midorima could only think so because he knew that he had both the gods and Oha-Asa on his side. Nothing would go against him today, not with his lucky item in his grasp.

"Yes, but who are you?" Midorima returned, pretending he knew nothing. He heard Takao laugh behind him and if his teammate ratted him out, he'd make him pedal back home without any breaks. Luckily, Takao seemed to know better, or he had gotten better at reading Midorima since their acquaintanceship began. The boy before Midorima, however, did not say anything and simply offered his left hand out to the sharpshooter. "You want to shake hands?"

The boy did not say anything, only smirked. Sighing, for he was not rude like Aomine, Midorima moved his lucky item from his right hand to his left and held it out.

But instead of shaking it, the boy took out a marker, grabbed his hand and wrote 'Seirin number 10 Kagami Taiga' on his hand.

Midorima could only stare at the boy, Kagami, in wide eyed shock.

"You look like the kind of guy who'd claim he doesn't remember me if I introduced myself normally." Kagami stated. "I want the guy who I'm about to get revenge on for my senpai to remember me."

"Hmph. Revenge?" Midorima scoffed as he pushed up his glasses. "You're rather reckless, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

"You're from Seirin, aren't you?" Takao jumped in smoothly. "Haven't your senpai told you anything? Last year, the Three Kings destroyed Seirin when they tripled their score."

Kagami's eyes widened at that and Midorima watched as all the first years turned towards their senpai, excluding Kuroko, who's eyes never left Midorima. His hand was covering his left wrist, and Midorima flexed his left middle finger subtly.

"Say what you want, but the difference in strength is absolute." Midorima said aloud. "Even if we meet again in the championship, history will only repeat itself."

"No." Kuroko stated as he stood beside Kagami. "You can only speculate based on the past. You don't know what will really happen until you play, Midorima-kun."

"Kuroko, I don't like you." Midorima stated, his eyes narrowing, frustration at the silence from their once strong bond flowing through him. And even then, when it had been open and flowing free… "I can't tell what you're thinking, especially from your eyes. There is plenty I would like to say to you, but telling you now would be meaningless. Join us in the finals first."

It would only be when the two of them battled that Midorima would speak to Kuroko as he wished to. Until then, he would be patient.

"You've got a mouth on you." Takao mused as he approached Kuroko, his stance seemingly lax, yet Midorima knew his eyes were as sharp as a hawk, just as they were on the court. He swung an arm around Kuroko's shoulders and pulled him close. "You're one of those, aren't you? You went to school with Shin-chan, right? Don't let it bother you. He's just a tsundere. He's actually really interested in you. He even went to see your first preliminary game."

"You shouldn't make up so many stories, Takao." Midorima snapped as he pushed his glasses up. He was not a tsundere and he cursed the first day Takao first called him that, as surely as he cursed the first day Aomine had.

"How long are you going to keep talking? Get ready!" Otsubo, the captain of Shutoku, called from where the rest of the Shutoku team was making their way into the locker room.

"Okay." Takao dutifully drawled in response as he made his way over there. Midorima followed him, allowing himself the briefest of moments to turn back and stare into Kuroko's eyes one last time.

"Kuroko, I will show you just how naive your thinking is." Midorima stated. To have chosen such an abysmal team for a battle such as this, to think those who are weak without you are worthy of your style of basketball, you truly are naive, Kuroko.

And that was it. From now on, he would remain apart and show no weakness.

Nothing less could be expected from a Miracle, after all, especially not from someone of Midorima's caliber.

When it was time to start the game, Midorima made a request of Otsubo.

"You want to start?" The captain repeated in surprise. "Didn't you say you didn't want to play because your fortune was bad?"

"I bet you're excited after meeting an old friend!" Takao teased, a grin no doubt on his face.

"I've had enough of your wild speculations." Midorima scoffed. All I want is to show Kuroko how far away he is from winning our battle, if it comes to that. After all, what point is there to a Miracle attending this game if I do not play as such? "I just wanted to test my shooting."

"Sure, but don't forget the coach is only willing to let you get away with what you want three times a day." Otsubo reminded him. "Two more times, and I'll be pissed."

Midorima simply nodded. Otsubo, objectively, was terrifying when he was angry, but he could never reach the levels of Akashi (either of them) or Kuroko (especially when one of the Miracles was hurt in some way). It was simply impossible and Midorima would never be terrified of anyone, but them.

However...that didn't mean he wasn't nervous, not like that meant anything. It actually meant nothing at all and was hardly worth mentioning.

"As long as you make your shots, I don't have a problem with it." Otsubo continued, unaware of Midorima's train of thought. "Using your poor fortune as an excuse isn't worth shit." With that said, the captain turned and walked away.

And Midorima began to unwrap the tape from around his fingers. As he did so, his eyes briefly rested on the six faded names, once so bright and crisp and clear, that rested on the back of his index, middle and ring fingers of each hand. Without thinking, his body moved on autopilot and he curled his fingers in, hiding the names from the world, for they were for him and him alone.

"I cannot miss." Midorima declared. "Today's lucky item is a stuffed bear. I have compensated for my bad luck."

It was time and he knew Kuroko was watching. He would not disappoint.

As Kuroko observed the game, he was not surprised when the score was 38-8 in Shutoku's favor so quickly. They were already a top school, even without Midorima on their team. But with Midorima...their potential could reach even higher.

"They're already 30 points ahead with four minutes remaining in the second quarter." Riko noted. "I'm not surprised."

"They're not doing anything that differently from us, but they make it look so easy." Kawahara mentioned. "I wonder why?"

"Because they don't make mistakes." Hyuuga stated. "In basketball, the ball's always moving back and forth at high speeds. Without exception, strong schools always have solid basics like passing, handling and running. They make it look easy because their fundamentals are so solid. But those are only the fundamentals. Naturally, there's another reason. It's because...they have an infallible scorer."

"What an amazing dunk!" Kawahara gasped as they all stared down at Shutoku's captain, dunking even through two opposite players jumping up to block him. Even Kuroko could admit the skill of the captain was impressive.

However...it was still nothing compared to Murasakibara or Akashi or especially Aomine.

"Is he really a high schooler?" Furihata questioned.

If this is your reaction to Shutoku's captain...you may not survive Aomine-kun, Murasakibara-kun or Akashi-kun...this captain's abilities are notable, but nothing when compared to a Miracle. Kuroko thought as he observed his teammates.

"He's gotten even stronger." Riko whispered.

"We couldn't do anything about him last year." Hyuuga explained.

"Otsubo on the inside and a normal outside was Shutoku's game until last year, but this year…" Riko trailed off.

"He's five out of five so far." Kagami stated. "Looks like Midorima's playing well."

"Is that right?" Kuroko questioned.

"I don't know." Kagami grumbled, glaring down at him. "Shouldn't you know?"

"I don't know. I've never seen him miss." Kuroko stated. Midorima-kun does not miss, he will never shoot unless he is certain it will go in. And as a Miracle, with his shots, it never fails. And sure enough, just then, the ball was passed to Midorima and he shot with his perfectly high arc. Before the ball even went through the hoop, he turned and made his way to the other side of the court, calling for the other boy, Takao Kuroko remembered, to follow him. And without fail, the ball went through the hoop. "As long as Midorima-kun doesn't lose his form, he makes 100% of his shots."

"Seriously?" Izuki asked, sounding nervous.

"That's just not fair." Koganei complained.

Nothing about Teiko was fair. They pushed us to be the best and we excelled more than they could have ever imagined. We became Miracles because they pushed us and we worked ourselves to the bone. These gifts did not come easily, so do not complain about fairness. Kuroko thought, keeping his face carefully blank. He would not show his anger at his senpai's ignorance. Nobody outside of Teiko, outside of the seven Miracles and those who shared the gym with them, knew the truth of what they had gone through, what they had put into that time.

Kuroko rubbed his wrists, and basked in Kise's warmth, pushing away the cold anger that rose within him like ice.

"He's heading back to defend even before he makes his shot." Tsuchida noted. "He's impossible to counter."

"The time until he actually makes his shot is abnormally long." Riko noticed. "It really gets you mentally."

And this is not even the height of Midorima-kun's strength. Kuroko smiled internally, pride in his teammate welling within him. It is his final secret, the long range his shots truly have.

But not once did Midorima reveal this secret in the game, even as spectators whispered around Kuroko if this was Midorima's true strength. But even when the score was final, 153-21 Shutoku, the whole of Midorima's strength still remained hidden, protected until he fought a Miracle.

And at the end of the game, Midorima stopped and stared up at Kuroko, his face impassive. But even still, Kuroko could see the challenge in his eyes and his blood burned with the want to meet it. But first, he had to get to the finals in order to meet that challenge. And he would, he'd make sure of it.

Kise's amusement at how pumped Kuroko was, was bright at the back of the phantom's mind and he didn't mind at all, allowing his first returned soulmate to wrap his soul tightly within his.

If Kuroko had any say, by the end of the year, they would all return and his heart ached with longing at the thought. His mind was simply too empty with just him anymore, and his heart had been given to six others long, long ago.

The day did not end there for Kuroko, however. In fact, they had to play one more game in a few hours.

Of course, the conversation about that reminded them all that if they made it through this next game, the semifinals and finals would be on the same day. And their opponents would be two of the Three Kings, Seiho in the semifinals and Shutoku in the finals.

And while the other first years (excluding Kagami) were scared, Kuroko found himself excited. These past games hadn't been nearly as challenging as he would've liked. But two of the Three Kings...and Midorima to boot...he had never been so excited for two games before.

Perhaps there would be an actual challenge in these games...Kuroko hoped so, he didn't want the apathy of winning to set in again. He'd do anything to make sure that didn't happen.

Kise's soul was a warm reassurance, like a soft hug, in the back of his mind and he had never appreciated a bond such as this as he did at that moment.

And there we are! Can you tell I'm a romantic at heart? Pretty sure I'm projecting onto Kuroko, but ah well. Hopefully his voice still sounds like the canon version, considering I'm walking a line of Kuroko being the same and slightly different from canon.

Not much else to say...the next update is up in the air because I am going to make sure I write the 12th chapter first before I post chapter 8 because I do not want to use all my reserve chapters up, no way. So if I disappear for a while, very sorry, but I'll do my best! This truly is a comfort anime for me, so going back to watch it again is very much in the cards, which is exactly what I need to get inspiration.

I hope you all are doing well in the meantime! Stay safe and I'll be back when I can! Bye!