Hello everyone, it's been a really long time! Sorry about that, life and other stories have taken my attention, and this is still just a reserve chapter I've been saving. But! It's a chapter and it's being posted, so I consider that a victory.
Thanks to Guest (I have so many reserves solely because I had a lot of free time and inspiration for this story for a while. Unfortunately, inspiration is fickle, so my reserves are running out. But I'm glad you enjoyed!), Alexageek (Thanks! We're getting there, I promise! This is most definitely a poly Miracles fic.), manbir (Thanks for the review.) and LetTheWorldHonorTheFallen (Honestly, the inspiration of this fic was entirely another fic where Kuroko was just as manipulative as the rest of the Miracles, and I've enjoyed exploring him so much. He's my boy and I relate to him probably way too much, lol! But I'm glad you're enjoying!) for reviewing, all 76 followers, 57 favorites and 6,301 readers!
This chapter might read a bit weird, fair warning, cause it skips around POVs a lot thanks to the episode it is. But we've got three Miracles narrating, so their voices are very distinct and easy to tell apart.
Enjoy!
Chapter 8: The First King
Kuroko didn't expect much the day after he watched Shutoku in their game, but come lunch time, he got roped into helping Riko and Kagami lug heavy boxes of DVDs so they could be watched after school.
Kagami complained, but Kuroko didn't mind it that much. He's carried heavier things before with both Akashi and Nijimura (and Coach Shirogane...they were all various levels of sadistic, honestly).
But still, he agreed with Riko. Analyzing the enemy was important and over-analyzing is never a bad thing. And without Momoi to help, Kuroko would have to help Seirin do it themselves.
Besides...Seiho was the final barrier between himself and Midorima. He wouldn't let Midorima down, not with this. Not ever, if he could.
"DVD?" Midorima questioned blandly as Takao held the disc up to him as the two of them stood near a window after school.
"Yeah, of Seiho." Takao confirmed. "We're the only first year regulars, and we don't know anything."
"I'm not interested." Midorima stated bluntly.
"Just because Kuroko and Kagami aren't on it, don't be like that." Takao scolded.
It is not Kagami I am interested in, only as far as he is used as a tool for Kuroko. Midorima thought to himself, but didn't say anything out loud. Takao would probably call him a tsundere again, which he was not!
"These are the guys to beat in the finals." Takao continued, unaware of Midorima's thoughts. "Besides, we're off today, it's not like you have anything better to do."
"No…" Midorima protested, even though he knew it was futile. He had no defense to give and Takao was stubborn, extremely so.
"It's decided, then!" Takao declared.
"Hey." Midorima protested again, unhappy even as he had expected this outcome.
Of course, he probably wouldn't be with Takao right now if his fellow first year wasn't as stubborn as he was, but still...he'd never tell him that.
Kuroko wasn't surprised that he scared Kagami. Even after three years together, he had still managed to scare every member of the Generation of Miracles, excluding Akashi, almost once a week.
What did, however, surprise him was the DVD that had been left in the club room.
Curious, he and Kagami turned it on to watch it.
"I see." Midorima hummed as he watched the DVD. "I can see why they are considered one of the Kings. Their defense is especially strong. However…"
"Their movements are kinda weird." Kagami commented as they watched. "I mean…"
"I forgot to mention it, but this school holds special practices." Takao explained. "I don't know how they do it, but their mobility is exceptional. They run the best defense in Tokyo."
But not in Japan. Midorima thought to himself, feeling his right ring finger twitch in response. Murasakibara…
"This bald guy's defense is especially tough." Kagami commented as he rewound the DVD.
"I know him." Kuroko stated. He would never forget that boy, who had shut down Kise before they were the Generation of Miracles. They had made him pay back then, of course, but with how he was playing on the DVD, Kuroko had no doubt the boy had not learned.
He would make him learn this time, he swore it.
"Huh?" Kagami asked.
"I played against him in middle school." Kuroko explained. "We had only just started, but he stopped Kise-kun."
Kagami looked at him with shock in his eyes, for his new Light finally understood just what it meant to stop a Miracle. Kagami had only barely managed to stop Kise now, when he was at the height of his middle school growth and still growing ever stronger. But to stop a Kise who was still starting out...that still could not be comprehended.
Kuroko remembered that day, just as he remembered all the others.
The referee blew the whistle.
"Twenty-four seconds over time!" He yelled.
"What?" Kise cried, looking over his shoulder nervously.
"Kise, you kept the ball too long, you idiot!" Aomine scolded, glaring at the blonde.
"Sorry!" Kise, still so new and so nervous at being surrounded by his soulmates, cried out. Kuroko could feel the blonde's genuine, gold embarrassment and remorse, alongside Aomine's sharp blue annoyance.
"Kise-chin, give me a break." Murasakibara sighed, his own emotions a dark purple exasperation.
"This is why you aren't any good." Midorima stated, his forest green scolding shining brightly through their bond.
"Kise-kun, please pass the ball." Kuroko requested firmly. He had a feeling his own frustration was bleeding through the bond as well, icy and sharp like ice.
"Kurokocchi, even you're mad?" Kise gasped, sounding honestly scared. He never sounded like this in public, so genuine in how he felt, his aura within their bond matching his outward appearance. But this was an exception, all things considered.
"Kise, you're the only one twenty points under your norm." Akashi scolded from the sidelines. His own anger came across as a red fire, not the warm comforting one they were used to outside of games, but bright enough that it stung their bond as easily as real fire would sting their skin.
Even Momoi, silent as she was, came through loud and clear with her cherry blossom soft annoyance.
"Sorry, but Kurokocchi…" Kise trailed off, instinctively straightening up. Akashi was to be listened to, always, and he was terrifying.
"Kuroko's different." Akashi stated firmly.
Kise grunted and Kuroko marveled as his fear, embarrassment and remorse transformed into anger, warm and golden and bright like the sun as he turned to the boy who had caused all of this in the first place. And as he did, Kuroko felt everyone else's anger rise in tandem.
True, they were mildly annoyed at Kise (and would certainly scold him some more later so this never happened again), but it was this boy who had their anger. You did not make a fool of one of them without expecting the others to react.
"What's your name?" Kise demanded. "Because of you, I'm the only one getting yelled at today."
"Tsugawa Tomoki." The boy, Tsugawa, answered. "They're yelling at you, huh? That's great." The boy smiled and Kuroko felt the bond's collective anger grow stronger. "I love seeing people get upset."
"Who is this guy?" Kise whined, playing up his persona even as his anger cooled, becoming a warm yellow star ready to lash out at any moment. "Will someone change marks with me?"
"To be honest, I do not particularly wish to go against him." Midorima stated, remembering the last time he faced Tsugawa.
"But you're the only one who can take him." Takao argued. "Their defense is good on a national level. They might even be able to stop you." The buzzer in the DVD went off. "It's over. Seirin won't be able to overcome this wall. Sorry, but we're gonna have to play these guys in the finals. Keep that in mind."
"I know." Midorima stated, even as he held onto the thought that he would not be playing Seiho.
After all, Kuroko was not the type to give up so easily, even in the face of impeccable defense (the phantom had defeated Midorima himself and Murasakibara in too many three-on-three's after arguments got out of hand to think otherwise). If there was anyone who could defeat Seiho, it would be Kuroko right now.
Besides, when Kuroko agreed to take part in the Oath, it meant that only another Miracle was allowed to defeat him. That was the rule for them all. And it would be obeyed, no matter the cost.
Finally, the day of the semifinals had arrived. As they warmed up, Kuroko found himself staring at Midorima across the gym. He was so close to the next battle, this one the first official one even, he could taste it.
He would not let Seiho, let Tsugawa, take this away from him. He'd made a promise, an Oath, and he intended to keep it. No matter what.
"You're staring down the wrong guy, idiot." Hyuuga's scolding of Kagami brought Kuroko back to reality as the captain forced his new Light's head to turn. Kagami wrenched out of Hyuuga's grasp, holding his neck. "No matter how hard you stare, if we lose this next game, you'll look like an idiot."
"I was just looking at him." Kagami protested. "I'm focused on our next game."
Kuroko simply listened as the rest of Seirin talked about the big players of Seiho, Iwamura and Kasuga, as he observed them. This would be a difficult game, if his estimation of their defense was correct.
But that did not mean it was unwinnable. All it required was time to break through their defense. If they did it even once, Kuroko knew he could push the team even higher, and they could win.
"You're Kagami-kun, aren't you?" A familiar voice called out and Kuroko turned to see Tsugawa approaching Kagami and him. "Your hair's so red! Scary!"
Kagami-kun is not scary. Akashi-kun is scary. Kuroko mentally corrected, feeling the slightest bit of frustration in his chest. This boy was planning on facing off against two Miracles, both this very same day, and he looked as if he were going to the beach instead. He had lost to the Miracles before, they had made sure of it, yet here he was subtly insulting them to Kuroko's face (though he might be reading too much into this and it was highly likely Tsugawa didn't even notice Kuroko at all).
"What?" Kagami asked bluntly.
"Captain, this is the guy, right?" Tsugawa called out, turning towards his captain, Iwamura. "Seirin's really weak, but they have one strong guy!"
That is the furthest thing from the truth. Kuroko thought, his frustration growing sharper. Kise's warm glow reacted in confusion, but Kuroko couldn't pay him much mind. This guy...he thought a Miracle would go to a school with only one strong player?
…
If Murasakibara were here, Kuroko would have quietly and politely told the giant he was free to crush this boy.
"Ow!" Tsugawa cried as his captain hit him.
Good. Kuroko thought vindictively.
"Quit messing around, you idiot." Iwamura scolded. "Sorry about that. This guy can't read situations, so he just says what he's thinking." As the captain spoke, he pushed on his kouhai's head and forced him down into a bow.
"You don't need to apologize." Hyuuga said. "We're going to win. If you look down on us like you did last year, you'll end up in tears."
"That won't happen." Iwamura stated. "Besides, we weren't looking down on you. You were just weak, that's all."
"What? Captain, you're not mincing words either." Tsugawa protested as he was led away, the back of his shirt held up by his captain.
"You idiot, I just don't sugar-coat my words." Iwamura scoffed.
Kuroko simply stared after them, reminded of all the times the Miracles had looked down on others for being weaker. Perhaps they, too, had earned that same sense of arrogance that the Generation of Miracles has.
However…
That did not mean Kuroko would let them continue to do so. Not for his team, nor for his fellow Miracles who he represented in this match.
He would win. There was no other outcome.
Kise was walking happily beside Kasamatsu as they made their way to watch the semi-finals of the Tokyo preliminaries for the Inter-High. Kise was glad Kasamatsu had come with him, he liked hanging around with him (he was a bit rough around the edges, but...he was a good senpai. Like Nijimura was, is).
And, of course, Kise was paying attention to both his phone, which was playing the Oha-Asa for the day, and to his bond with Kuroko in the back of his mind. Kuroko was, currently, a bright blue of determination, like snow preparing to become an avalanche and Kise had almost forgotten just what this felt like in the time he had been without it.
He didn't think he could do it again, and his heart ached at the idea of never reforming his bond with the others.
Just wait...just wait.
"What are you looking at?" Kasamatsu asked, bringing Kise out of his thoughts.
"A recording of this morning's Oha-Asa." Kise answered easily. "It's their morning horoscope. When this thing's good, Midorimacchi's good."
"The guy from Teiko. What's his sign?" Kasamatsu asked, sounding curious.
"Cancer. Kurokocchi's an Aquarius." Kise answered.
"I didn't ask." Kasamatsu grumbled.
Nobody ever does about Kurokocchi. Which is why we all mention him when we can, so he isn't forgotten.
"First place goes to Cancer." The Oha-Asa recording announced. "Congratulations! You'll have no complaints today! Last place goes to Aquarius. Play it quiet today."
"Uh oh." Kise grunted, pausing on the steps to the stadium as he did so. He struggled to hide his worry, knowing Kuroko would feel it and wonder why. Unless he'd already seen the recording...which was likely, since he knew he'd be seeing Midorima today and Kuroko never went to meet Midorima without an extra lucky item for Cancer (he was always the one who remembered, protecting Midorima in that little way…).
"What?" Kasamatsu asked.
"This is terrible." Kise stated, looking back at his senpai sadly.
It was quiet in the locker room, the air tense and undisturbed. Riko, of course, was the one to break it, but Kuroko doubted she got the response she was looking for when she offered them all a kiss on the cheek if they won (honestly, Kuroko didn't care. He found his soulmates already, he didn't plan for any affection of that sort from anyone else).
Of course, then she started yelling at them with tear filled eyes...and Hyuuga talked about how Seiho was so strong, the second years had all hated basketball last year.
And Kuroko...Kuroko understood that, on a level more than anyone else could (those last months of middle school, where he couldn't even enter the gym without feeling sick, revolted and like he had lost. Never again, never again…).
So when they exited the locker room, he hung back for a moment.
"Is something wrong?" Kagami asked, turning back to Kuroko.
"Kagami-kun, have you ever hated basketball?" Kuroko questioned.
"What?" Kagami asked, turning around to fully face Kuroko. "No, I haven't."
"I have." The phantom admitted. "I believe my reason was different, but I know the feeling. They're cheerful now, but hating something you love is a painful feeling."
The bond cutting off, Kuroko collapsing to his knees, pain flooding his body, his heart, his mind, what have they done, what have they done, what have they done?!
"When I spoke with Midorima-kun, I told him the past and future aren't the same, but they're not completely separate." Kuroko forced himself to continue, to focus on the present and not the memories assaulting him. Kise was in the back of his mind, a warm reassuring presence tinged with the slightest sunburst of worry, right where he belonged. He was not back there, he was here. "I think this game is important for our senpai to get over the past. So…"
"Let the first A block semifinals match between Seirin High and Seiho High begin." The announcer declared as they all stood on the court. And the referee tossed the ball into the air.
"You took so long buying a drink, the game's already started." Kasamatsu scolded as Kise and him walked into the stadium, to watch Seirin's game against Seiho. At the same moment he spoke, Kasamatsu punched Kise's shoulder, causing him to trip over his feet, though thankfully he didn't spill his drink.
Kise, however, was more focused on Kuroko's presence in his mind as they entered the stands. It wasn't just a determined, bright avalanche anymore, no. Now, the threat of hail, of frustration and worry, clouded Kuroko's presence.
And as soon as Kise entered the stands he knew exactly why.
"Huh?" He gasped.
The first quarter was almost halfway over and the score was 12-0, Seiho.
"What?" Kise gaped.
"Whoa, seriously?" Kasamatsu gasped.
But Kise didn't think his senpai understood the magnitude of this. Kuroko was on the court. Kuroko was on the court and it was as if it didn't mean a thing.
A Miracle on the court should not result in a game like this!
Even with that one boy who had stopped Kise in their second year of middle school, Tsugawa, marking Kagami, something like this shouldn't be possible because Kuroko was on the court.
"What are they doing?" Kise asked, trying to suppress his nervousness as he tried to figure out just how Seiho was able to shut down not just all of Seirin, but Kuroko.
"I thought so when we played them, but Seirin's a slow starter." Kasamatsu commented. "Kagami's usually the one to put his foot on the gas, but without that, they can't hit their stride."
Things were not looking good to Kuroko. They hadn't reached dire straits yet, but still...if Kagami continued to get angry like this, they would be in dire straits.
"Kagami-kun, you already have two fouls." Kuroko scolded his new Light. "Get five and you're out."
"I know." Kagami ground out, irritated. "Somehow, their movements are impossible to play against."
Kuroko understood that frustration, as the game continued on. Somehow, Tsugawa had become even more annoying than Kuroko remembered and the rest of Seiho was just as bad as him. With how they played, how they moved, Kuroko couldn't pass, couldn't use his misdirection.
And until he could, his Miracle would sleep and the game would continue on in this way.
There had to be a way out of this, there had to be!
"Seiho's defense is man-to-man, but this is no ordinary man-to-man." Kasamatsu commented thoughtfully. "They're creating pressure by staying right on their guys the whole time. You can't break away from them easily. No matter how good you are at passing, if no one's free, you're playing at half power."
"Their defense is strong, but they'll never last until the end of the game playing like that." Kise added. He remembered just how many stamina drills Akashi and Coach Shirogane put the Miracles through to get their stamina high enough that they rarely needed to be switched out for exhaustion. It had been hell on Earth, but it had worked, yet even they had never played like Seiho was and Kise couldn't see any amount of stamina training helping them last the whole game like this.
"But they do, because…" Kasamatsu smiled.
"Seiho uses old martial arts techniques." Riko stated as soon as she called a time out and they were all on the bench.
"Old martial arts? You mean this kind of thing?" Kagami asked before he struck a 'kung fu pose' and let out a sound that the American movies thought a ninja made.
"That's not old martial arts." Riko said bluntly, her eyes disappointed. "To be precise, they incorporate movements from old martial arts. One of the techniques they use is called 'namba running'. Usually your arms and legs move in opposite directions when you run, but when namba running your arms and legs move together."
"Apparently, by avoiding twisting, you reduce the strain on your body and the energy you spend." Kasamatsu explained. Kise had never heard of this before, though he had no doubts that Momoi and Akashi did. Still, curious that his senpai knew.
"You know a lot about this." Kise commented, probing.
"They're an unusual team." Kasamatsu shrugged. "They've been interviewed by Basketball Monthly, too."
I see. So that's how they do it. Kise thought, his emotions settling into a quiet confidence. He could feel Kuroko's answering confidence swell like the first frost of the year, gentle and yet memorable in its simple beauty. Tsugawa's defense is even stronger than last year. However...they won't take this sitting down for long.
"In addition to namba running, they use all sorts of martial arts techniques for effortless strength, moving quickly without missing a beat, and other basic movements." Riko continued to explain. "That's how Seiho moves. But it's not like they can fly or disappear. They're high schoolers, just like you. They'll fall for fakes, and they'll lose their balance if you catch them off guard. They're playing the same basketball you are. If you play like you always do, it'll work. This isn't over yet."
The referee blew the whistle and they returned to the court. As they did, Kuroko focused on Kagami.
"Izuki-senpai..." His new Light said.
"Huh?" Izuki questioned.
"Could you pass me the ball?" Kagami asked, rather politely.
"What?" Izuki asked, thrown.
"Let me go against Tsugawa again." Kagami requested.
"Do you have a plan?" Izuki inquired.
"No, but he's only human too, right?" Kagami asked rhetorically. "I just have to be faster than him."
"What are you saying? Are you sure it'll work?" Izuki asked in disbelief as Kagami walked away.
"Probably." Kuroko piped up, drawing Izuki's eyes to him. "He does what he has to do."
"Should we leave this to him then?" Izuki sighed.
Kuroko just silently watched Kagami. Kagami was not the same as the Generation of Miracles. He could not play a game by himself and win. But he could start the game and give Seirin the fire it needed to truly start playing. If he could do that...then Kuroko could use his Miracle to help them win, to make sure they win.
So, yes. It all rested on Kagami.
And as the game restarted, Kuroko could only watch as Kagami took the ball, faked left and drove past Tsugawa on the right.
And as he watched his new Light charge, Tsugawa too slow to catch up and the rest of Seiho too shocked and on their marks to pick up the slack, Kuroko remembered his own words.
"I think this game is important for our senpai to get over the past. So...now that I think about it, I really want to win this game."
And Kagami dunked the ball into the basket.
"Did that really just happen?" Someone cried as the ball bounced right into Kuroko's hands and Kagami walked towards him.
"We will win this game." His new Light said. Kuroko said nothing in response and the two of them turned over their shoulders.
Hyuuga, Izuki and Mitobe were smiling, Riko and the others on the bench cheering loudly.
And Kuroko could feel Kise's joy and excitement, bright like a newborn star, radiating in the back of his mind, his emotions infectious as Kuroko's own happiness grew.
"This game's finally started." Kasamatsu stated as Kuroko's happiness settled around him like a heavy snowfall, cold and yet so very comforting and oh so beautiful to witness.
But all Kise gave away to the joy and excitement and pride he was feeling was a small smile. His bond with Kuroko spoke enough for him.
And as he stood below on the court, Kuroko prepared himself. This game was only starting...and it would end as it was expected to. He made a promise to Midorima and the rest of the Generation of Miracles, and Kise was watching. He would not disappoint them, any of them.
Never again.
And there's the chapter!
Okay, I know I said I'd finish episode 12 before the next update and I am going to start that right after I post this! Hopefully I won't get too distracted again and take another year to update, but we'll see.
I do promise I will not forget about this fic, I love all these dorks too much to let them go. Leave a review to let me know what you think! Bye!