Vicious || Aomine D.

Nine

[ A Pity Fest ]
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Aomine was killing it and Riyo couldn't help but feel a little bit proud. She had to bite down the smile that threatened to break loose when she watched him play better and harder than in a long time. Just because she wished not to care about him didn't make it so.

Aomine and Kagami went at it on the court. Both entered the zone and pushed themselves to the limit. Both were furious, like beasts in the wild. And she saw then just what Kagami could've been if he had gone to Teiko with the rest of them. He would've been one of the Kiseki no Sedai. Another monster obsessed with winning and capable of casting aside anyone who got in the way of that.

Riyo watched as Aomine scored the formless shot she'd helped him perfect. He made it look so easy, effortless. A few minutes later he dunked with so much power the hoop was left clanging loudly. Show-off.

Whenever he had the chance, Aomine would shoot a glance her way. Most of the time Riyo managed to avoid eye contact but when his blue eyes met her brown ones she felt a longing that threatened to pull her under. He had been her world.

Aomine had been the person Riyo would call in the middle of the night for no reason, just to hear his voice. The person who'd made her laugh, even when all she wanted to do was scream and cry. The person who she would've trusted with her life. The person who'd taken care of her whenever she needed him to even though he liked to act all tough. He'd patched her up whenever she'd injured herself on the court.

***

"Uh oh." Kise gripped the railing. "Aominecchi is really giving it his all."

"Mmh. He must be overjoyed to have finally found an opponent who pushes him that far," Midorimacchi noted.

"You don't think he's just trying to impress Miyocchi?"

"Tsk. No."

"But you said he had a soft spot for her-ssu..." Kise pouted.

"He does, but he's never played basketball for her. I don't think that has changed."

"Mmh."

In the end, Touou won the game.

***

Kagami, Kuroko, and the rest of the team were left devastated after their loss. As the starters slowly sauntered back to the team's bench, Riyo caught Aomine's eye. For a brief moment, they held each other's gazes and had a wordless conversation. The only person who could beat him was himself.

Kagami's injury was worse and he could barely stay upright. As Riyo positioned herself under Kagami's arm so that she could support some of his weight, Aomine stormed out. She didn't watch him leave but she could feel his presence vanish from her vicinity.

"Can you walk?" she asked Kagami.

"Mmh." He nodded while holding back tears.

"Just lean on me. I can take it," she assured him.

As per her request, Kagami gave more of his weight to her. He was heavier than she'd thought but she didn't let it show as she helped him to the locker room. Even the air in the room was heavy with disappointment.

Riyo didn't belong in that room nor in the conversation that was about to ensue, so she escaped into the hall. Her stomach rumbled. It had been hours since she'd last eaten and even that had been a small meal of rice and curry chicken. She figured her best bet for finding food would be to hunt down a vending machine.