Beep Beep Ting! Beep Beep Ting!

Kagami glanced over at his phone in annoyance. This was already the fifth time that stupid Ahomine had texted him.

Drying his hands on the dish towel, Kagami exited the kitchen and sat down on his couch before flipping open his phone to check the messages.

'Oi'

'Bakagami'

'Oi'

'Are you listening?'

'I wanna show you something. Come to the street courts by Majiba.'

Kagami scowled while a vein popped out on the side of his head. Who did he think he was, ordering him around all the time?

Grabbing a hoodie from the hook by the door, Kagami headed out while absently wondering what exactly it was that Aomine wanted to show him.

Kagami wouldn't say that he had a hard time looking for Aomine, more like it was Aomine that was hiding. Behind a crowd.

By the time he had spotted the dark teen chatting away at the center of what looked to be a group of gangsters, half an hour had already passed.

Making his way warily to the court, Kagami slunk around the outside of the fence to confirm what he saw was true.

Aomine, a group of gangsters, and Kuroko; looking out of place and slightly uncomfortable.

Stepping into the court with a bewildered look on his face, Kuroko greeted him courteously before he explained quietly, "These are Aomine-kun's friends. They've come to play basketball with him."

"Hah…." Kagami answered, still eyeing Aomine tousling with other guys in hoodies or sweat shirts that revealed ripped abs and strong muscles.

These weren't ordinary people. They were definitely athletes of some sort.

"Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun is here."

Without even noticing it, Kuroko had slipped to the tanned teen's side and informed him of his arrival.

Aomine faced him with a feral grin and slipped an arm around Kagami's shoulder (much to the red head's chagrin).

"Yosh! Now we can start a game! This guy here is with you guys and Tetsu's with me!"

Aomine gave a lilting smirk as Kagami protested.

"Wait, six on two? Isn't that a bit unfair?"

Aomine scoffed, resting his head on Kuroko's.

"Oi Oi, don't start nagging at me. I know what I'm doing. You wouldn't be able to beat me without Tetsu anyway."

"Is that so?" Kagami bit out, fire in his eyes. "I'll show you."

"Bring it on," Aomine taunted, grinning in irritation while headbutting Kagami.

The bluenette watched with mild exasperation before resigning with a sip of his vanilla shake. Aomine had used the shake as bait to get him to actually show up, that and a promise of a game with Kagami-kun. He wasn't expecting these other people, nor was he expecting to team up with Aomine-kun.

The thought of it sent a chill of nostalgia, bringing a small, wistful smile to his face.

"Tetsu!"

Kuroko looked up, and outstretched towards him was Aomine's large, warm hand. He took it.

"Let's show these guys a lesson!"

"Yes," came the familiar monotone response.

Kagami had not had time to familiarize himself with Aomine's friends. But he knew they were strong. They had that smell to them. Not as strong as the smell that came off one of the GOM members, but strong nonetheless.

This was going to be fun…

The first few minutes, Aomine was a show off, moving smoothly between people and only passing to Kuroko when he felt like it. The bastard.

But something changed after three people marked him and Kagami had dunked and another guy scored a three pointer.

He laughed. A crazy sort of laugh that to Kagami sounded like 'Finally!'

It was the opposing team's ball, and Aomine stood there dribbling the basketball, hunched like a predator on the prowl.

Chills went up Kagami's spine and he knew he was about to witness something amazing. A collective shudder passed throughout Kagami's team. They felt it too.

Something weird was happening to Aomine and Kuroko. They were standing side by side, but something was undeniably different.

Kagami had barely enough time to register it before Kuroko dissipated from sight and Aomine suddenly lurched forward, put into action.

There was a small rustle and the whoosh of the basket as a point was stolen in the blink of an eye.

'eh?!'

A whisper came by Kagami's right ear. It was Aomine. He hadn't even seen him pass him, but there he was, jogging back to their side of the court.

The message replayed in his mind. "Number one: Always keep track of Tetsu. Never lose him."

(An unspoken 'Like I did' lingered around Aomine's head. He shook it off.)

Kagami was frozen. He'd faced Aomine before, but never like this. Now that he looked at them properly, the redhead noticed something he would not have recognized if he himself had not been partners with Kuroko.

The two were breathing in time.

This fact shocked Kagami. That such a small detail- no. It wasn't just that one thing. It was a number of things. It was like they were literally one.

Kuroko and Aomine breathed at the same times, had the same stances; Kuroko standing slightly behind Aomine as if he was a real shadow.

When they moved, they flowed around each other; Kuroko gravitating around Aomine like how the shadow would flicker around the flame of a candle when blown by a breeze.

They matched each other square inch by square inch; every slight motion mirrored between them.

Small looks and glances, facial movements, a flick of the wrist could have been a billion words between the two. Kagami wouldn't even deny it if someone claimed they used telepathy.

Kagami could feel the heat in his head, rushing through his body, energizing him. He wanted to beat them so badly!

He blocked and dodged, trying desperately to fight back against the two. Even with the help of his team full of monsters, they were destroyed in an instant.

Aomine versus Kagami and Kuroko might have been equally matched, but with Kuroko on Aomine's side, it seemed like the beast that was Aomine fully awakened to it's utmost potential.

They were in complete tandem, moving in a mysterious pattern that had no definite shape. A twist here, a slip there, disappear and re-appear; pass, dribble, pass, shoot, dunk. All a sort of drunken dance between the two.

Aomine jogged up to Kagami and whispered something to him before ducking to the left, retracing to avoid Kagami's block and twisting to the side before bouncing the ball between the red head's legs to Kuroko's waiting hands.

The phantom player in turn threw the ball lightly to the side, narrowly missing someone's head, before it reconnected with Aomine who scored with a hook shot.

"Number two: A light and shadow are inseparable. Move with him, and he moves with you. You are the same."

What was the purpose of this stuff Aomine was whispering to him? He didn't have time to think. Just when he thought there was some kind of way to read the looks they were giving each other, Aomine switched to a whole different ball game.

Aomine took the lead, leaving Kuroko to accompany him a little behind.

This stunned Kagami. What was he doing? The realization hit him when he saw the sweat dripping down the bluenette's face and the way he was starting to wheeze.

Kuroko always had a lot less stamina than others. It was a miracle he had lasted this long. Wait. This long?

How long has Kuroko been in? It's been about an hour already! Kuroko's effectiveness should have worn off long ago!

It dawned on Kagami that this was Aomine's doing. He purposely moved in a way that didn't require Kuroko to move excessively. And with his aura, all attention was drawn to him rather than his partner, prolonging his effectiveness.

Somehow Aomine knew Kuroko's limits even before Kagami noticed. He probably knew instinctively, the red head surmised. It wouldn't be surprising, seeing as how those two were synchronized beyond normal standards.

Kagami stood back and watched the duo dance through his team's members. They had a sort of harmony to them that made them feel whole. Like as if Kuroko's pale skin and Aomine's ganguro color sort of melded into this one being that flashed across the court in bursts of power.

Although Kuroko lagged back, they still cooperated without any need for signals. They had already memorized each other. They worked flawlessly, never needing to confirm to know the other was there, waiting.

Their play was stunning.

A grinning Aomine burst out of the crowd by the key and came up to Kagami saying, "Oi! Keep your head in the game Bakagami! Its no fun if you give up on me here!"

"Like hell I will!" Kagami answered heatedly, breaking out of his reverie.

A nod from Aomine and then, "Number three: Support Tetsu like he supports you."

Kagami knew the meaning of that one. He had gotten a demonstration first hand at just how skillful Aomine was at using Kuroko's potential to the max.

Chasing after that streak of light, Kagami happily joined in the game once again, eager to learn his fill on how to be a proper light.

The game ended with a score of 142 to 56. The latter obviously being Kagami's team. It was a devastating blow to have your score doubled, but to Kagami it fueled his drive even more.

Like Kantoku said, he was definitely a basketball idiot.

Murmurs of "You guys are monsters!" and "Atcha, we lost!" spread throughout the group and a triumphant Aomine grinned like a Cheshire cat.

Pulling a tired bluenette to his side, Aomine gave Kuroko a noogie before sauntering over to Kagami with a happy grin.

Coming to stand beside each other, both Kuroko and Aomine extended their fists towards Kagami.

Accepting their offer, he bumped their fists together using both his leaden limbs. "Thanks for the game," he muttered. He couldn't help admire how both of them were so dazzingly strong. It was like the contrast between Aomine's bright light and the pitch blackness of Kuroko's shadow was blinding him.

Kagami was broken out of his thoughts when a large hand was placed on his shoulder.

Glancing up, he was met with a wistful and almost regretful expression on Aomine's face when the tanned teen spoke.

"Last thing: Cherish him. He's you partner now Bakagami. Make sure your light is not so dim so as to weaken Tetsu's potential. Make sure that next time when I see you I get a really good game!"

Aomine ended his sentence with a grin before turning to Kuroko and fist bumping him as if it was the last time they would play on the same team.

It was full of companionship, admiration, and lingered a little, as if hesitant to break the connection their fists made.

Before Aomine slipped out, a small glance was sent his way as if waiting for confirmation.

Kagami could only nod.

It seemed Aomine had taught his final lesson.

Haha, hello~ It seemed I was due to contribute to the fandom - u - Please leave a review, it makes me want to write more! Btw, I fixed some of my grammar mistakes: they were driving me over the rainbow and burying me in a pot of dirt instead of gold. -_-'