Kuroko didn't think the first time he saw Aomine after middle school would be like this. He still felt it, like something deep in his chest, the ache where their friendship had been. Maybe some part of him sought out Kagami for that reason, maybe he was nothing more than a replacement for a light he couldn't reach. It made him sick to think that way, Kagami deserved better than someone still pining for something he'd lost. Something that no longer existed.
Aomine was leaning against the wall, miraculously alone, and Kuroko didn't know if it was better or worse that Momoi wasn't with him.They hadn't spoke since the last school year ended, but their friendship had evaporated the moment Aomine decided he didn't need him, the ghost of that memory still ached and he almost clutched his chest at the sight of Aomine's shoulders cocked sideways and nonchalant.
"Aomine-kun." Part of him wondered if he should have used san instead, had it really been that long?
"Oi, Tetsu." His voice was deeper, but the inflection was the same, he hadn't sounded excited about anything since second year.
"What are you doing here? This is my school." And it was. Aomine was posted up just outside Seirin's gymnasium and if he didn't leave the rest of the team would see him soon.
He shrugged, and the shoulder of his jacket scraped against the textured wall. "Satsuki said you replaced me."
'Replaced me', like you were ever mine to begin with. "Kagami-kun is a talented player, but I can't replace what I don't have. You don't need me, remember?" He hadn't meant to sound so bitter, but it was there in his voice and it was too late to take it back, to pretend it had been a joke.
Aomine lifted an eyebrow. "Okay." He said, and he stood up straight and turned to go.
"Okay, what?" He heard himself ask. Aomine turned, just a fraction, and Kuroko could see his profile reflected in the spring setting sun. "Okay that you threw me away like a toy you'd outgrown, Aomine-kun? Okay that-"
"Tetsu." He hadn't moved an inch. The silence stretched and Kuroko felt the tears welling in his eyes. He shouldn't have been this emotional, it should have been easier. Aomine was no one to him after all, just a boy he'd known in middle school, just a stranger now.
"Goodbye, Aomine-kun. See you at the interhigh." He hoped his voice didn't shake, he was lost.
"Ha." He laughed, a derisive snort, and he turned away. He lifted his hand to wave. "See ya, Tetsu. If you make it far enough."
FILL Team: Nishinoya Yuu/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Rated: g
444 words
Kuroko didn't think the first time he saw Aomine after middle school would be like this. He still felt it, like something deep in his chest, the ache where their friendship had been. Maybe some part of him sought out Kagami for that reason, maybe he was nothing more than a replacement for a light he couldn't reach. It made him sick to think that way, Kagami deserved better than someone still pining for something he'd lost. Something that no longer existed.
Aomine was leaning against the wall, miraculously alone, and Kuroko didn't know if it was better or worse that Momoi wasn't with him.They hadn't spoke since the last school year ended, but their friendship had evaporated the moment Aomine decided he didn't need him, the ghost of that memory still ached and he almost clutched his chest at the sight of Aomine's shoulders cocked sideways and nonchalant.
"Aomine-kun." Part of him wondered if he should have used san instead, had it really been that long?
"Oi, Tetsu." His voice was deeper, but the inflection was the same, he hadn't sounded excited about anything since second year.
"What are you doing here? This is my school." And it was. Aomine was posted up just outside Seirin's gymnasium and if he didn't leave the rest of the team would see him soon.
He shrugged, and the shoulder of his jacket scraped against the textured wall. "Satsuki said you replaced me."
'Replaced me', like you were ever mine to begin with. "Kagami-kun is a talented player, but I can't replace what I don't have. You don't need me, remember?" He hadn't meant to sound so bitter, but it was there in his voice and it was too late to take it back, to pretend it had been a joke.
Aomine lifted an eyebrow. "Okay." He said, and he stood up straight and turned to go.
"Okay, what?" He heard himself ask. Aomine turned, just a fraction, and Kuroko could see his profile reflected in the spring setting sun. "Okay that you threw me away like a toy you'd outgrown, Aomine-kun? Okay that-"
"Tetsu." He hadn't moved an inch. The silence stretched and Kuroko felt the tears welling in his eyes. He shouldn't have been this emotional, it should have been easier. Aomine was no one to him after all, just a boy he'd known in middle school, just a stranger now.
"Goodbye, Aomine-kun. See you at the interhigh." He hoped his voice didn't shake, he was lost.
"Ha." He laughed, a derisive snort, and he turned away. He lifted his hand to wave. "See ya, Tetsu. If you make it far enough."