Ship: Ryoma/Kirihara, Imayoshi/Hanamiya, PoT ensemble, KnB ensemble Fandom: Prince of Tennis & Kuroko no Basuke Major Tags: tags omitted Other Tags: tags omitted Square: burnout Word Count: 455 words
Because eventually, everyone retires.
***
“Oishi and I still want to play League with you!” Eiji said cheerfully, hugging Ryoma, “Don’t worry, o-chibi. We aren’t quitting League. Just professional play.”
“Eiji’s right,” Oishi said with a smile that held no sadness in it. “We’re a good duo lane but we’re not the best duo lane anymore. GoM took that from us and now we want to take a break for a little.”
“If you leave, will you be able to come back?” Ryoma asked, pushing Eiji away more from habit than because his hug really was too tight. “What if they hire someone else and don’t have the budget for you?”
“Then we’ll keep cheering for you from the audience,” Eiji promised and tousled his hair. “This isn’t goodbye. We found a flat nearby and we’ll still be your training partners.”
Ryoma scrunched up his face. “Who’s even going to replace you?”
“You know the streamer DemonMode?” Oishi said carefully.
“Yeah--” Ryoma started to say, then wrinkled his nose. “He’s crazy.”
“But he’s also an excellent, unattached ADC,” Eiji pointed out. “And he can match your intensity. Not many people can do that.”
“He keeps talking about killing people and painting them red!” Ryoma said.
“But he’s never actually killed anyone outside of League,” Oshi countered.
“That you know of,” Ryoma said darkly.
Oishi and Eiji exchanged looks. It seemed like convincing their midlaner he’d be okay without them would be harder than they’d anticipated.
*
“If I have to play another game,” Aomine said, voice tight with the strain of keeping his temper, “I’m going to throw the computer out the window.”
“We need to practice,” Akashi said flatly, narrowing his eyes at where Aomine was slouched in his chair. “We have to get the timings of the ganks down perfectly. You and Kuroko can’t carry the game on your own.”
“Of course we can! That’s why you’ve got me.” Aomine raked his hands through his hair, glowering at Akashi. “I’m sick of this. I’m sick of practice, I’m sick of doing what you tell me do, I’m sick of killing everyone else like they’re just bots.”
Louder, harsher, “I’m sick of League.”
A startled silence fell over the room; when Aomine shoved his chair back and stormed out the room, only Kuroko and Kise ran after him.
“Mine-chin’s right. League’s getting boring,” Murasakibara grumbled. “I just sit in top lane and take damage. It’s no fun anymore.”
He left and nobody went after him.
Now alone, Akashi and Midorima eyed each other.
“Should we tell them about the roster changes to Prinz?” Midorima asked.
Akashi nodded after a second. “It’s either that or lose them. They need to know Prinz is being revived.”
FILL: TEAM PRINCE OF TENNIS, A1, T
Fandom: Prince of Tennis & Kuroko no Basuke
Major Tags: tags omitted
Other Tags: tags omitted
Square: burnout
Word Count: 455 words
Because eventually, everyone retires.
***
“Oishi and I still want to play League with you!” Eiji said cheerfully, hugging Ryoma, “Don’t worry, o-chibi. We aren’t quitting League. Just professional play.”
“Eiji’s right,” Oishi said with a smile that held no sadness in it. “We’re a good duo lane but we’re not the best duo lane anymore. GoM took that from us and now we want to take a break for a little.”
“If you leave, will you be able to come back?” Ryoma asked, pushing Eiji away more from habit than because his hug really was too tight. “What if they hire someone else and don’t have the budget for you?”
“Then we’ll keep cheering for you from the audience,” Eiji promised and tousled his hair. “This isn’t goodbye. We found a flat nearby and we’ll still be your training partners.”
Ryoma scrunched up his face. “Who’s even going to replace you?”
“You know the streamer DemonMode?” Oishi said carefully.
“Yeah--” Ryoma started to say, then wrinkled his nose. “He’s crazy.”
“But he’s also an excellent, unattached ADC,” Eiji pointed out. “And he can match your intensity. Not many people can do that.”
“He keeps talking about killing people and painting them red!” Ryoma said.
“But he’s never actually killed anyone outside of League,” Oshi countered.
“That you know of,” Ryoma said darkly.
Oishi and Eiji exchanged looks. It seemed like convincing their midlaner he’d be okay without them would be harder than they’d anticipated.
*
“If I have to play another game,” Aomine said, voice tight with the strain of keeping his temper, “I’m going to throw the computer out the window.”
“We need to practice,” Akashi said flatly, narrowing his eyes at where Aomine was slouched in his chair. “We have to get the timings of the ganks down perfectly. You and Kuroko can’t carry the game on your own.”
“Of course we can! That’s why you’ve got me.” Aomine raked his hands through his hair, glowering at Akashi. “I’m sick of this. I’m sick of practice, I’m sick of doing what you tell me do, I’m sick of killing everyone else like they’re just bots.”
Louder, harsher, “I’m sick of League.”
A startled silence fell over the room; when Aomine shoved his chair back and stormed out the room, only Kuroko and Kise ran after him.
“Mine-chin’s right. League’s getting boring,” Murasakibara grumbled. “I just sit in top lane and take damage. It’s no fun anymore.”
He left and nobody went after him.
Now alone, Akashi and Midorima eyed each other.
“Should we tell them about the roster changes to Prinz?” Midorima asked.
Akashi nodded after a second. “It’s either that or lose them. They need to know Prinz is being revived.”