Chapter 5

Aomine Daiki: The Ace

When Aomine first discovered basketball, it was as an escape. An escape from her home with her mother forcing her into dresses and ribbons, and making Aomine into a respectable "young lady" or a father that bemoans the fact that he did not have a son.

In basketball, Aomine was free of responsibility because who cares what gender she was when she could beat even the middle schoolers who played on the street courts. The was a thrill in playing, in showing everyone that she wasn't just a disgrace in her parent's eyes but someone of worth.

Basketball is addicting to Aomine. It is like giving a starving man food and seeing the life flood back into his body. There is a fierce light growing in Aomine's eyes like she had just started living for the first time.

-o-

After a while, she even managed to drag a reluctant Momoi to come with her. The pink-haired boy was never into physical activity, but watching Aomine play basketball and seeing her grin with such delight brought Momoi back to the court every time.

"Someone has got to be here to keep you out of trouble," Momoi says but Aomine can see it in his eyes that basketball has captivated him as much as it had to her.

Momoi never plays, but keeps himself content watching Aomine play. There were summer evenings when Aomine plays for so long that she falls asleep on the court and Momoi would always be there to piggy-back the girl back home.

Momoi promises that he won't ever leave Aomine by herself and she doesn't realize until later how important that moment would be.

-o-

By the time, Aomine reached middle school, she didn't even look that much like a girl anymore. She had cut off all her long blue hair, to the shock and displeasure of her mother, and her skin was tan from all her hours in the sun.

Boys gave her second glances now though Aomine ignores them.

"You are sort of pretty, Dai-chan. In a boyish kind of way," Momoi had told her and Aomine throws a pillow at the pink-haired boy. "If anyone is pretty than its you," Aomine snorts.

But all those thoughts are gone the moment that Aomine signs up for Teikō's basketball club because basketball was the only thing on her mind now.

-o-

Aomine doesn't like the looks of pity that the other boys give her when she first joined up. They were judging her worth based on her gender and Aomine's blood boils. How narrow-minded. How idiotic.

Aomine throws herself into the practice and everyone is blown away. There are three other girls, probably just as talented as she was, but it is Aomine whose everyone's eyes were on.

"Even then, Aomine-san, you shine so brilliantly. It was captivating."

She is sent straight to first string and almost immediately made a member of a starting lineup. It wasn't a surprise.

-o-

There were some boys who would complain to Assistant Coach Sanada, that girls were sent directly to first string while other boys were stuck back at second and third string. Most of the complaints were directed towards Aomine because she is the one that shows off the most and was not nearly as polite as the other girls.

Assistant Coach Sanada's words were simple. "We will hold a practice match here and Aomine will play. Watch her and if you can still complain that I will talk to her."

Aomine might be a girl, but she would play basketball with such vigor and passion that you could forget that little fact. Aomine was not born to curtesy in pretty little dresses and eat with perfect manners. Aomine was made to play basketball, to run across the court dripping in sweat and grin like an idiot as she does what she loves most in the world.

There is no one who can say that the tanned girl playing on that court doesn't belong there. Aomine lives and breathes basketball, her limbs flexible and agile, and her cropped hair mussy with sweat. It is when she is playing that Aomine is truly alive.

The next day, the boys say nothing when Aomine is made a member of the starting line-up. In Teikō, victory speaks the loudest of all.

-o-

Tetsu is a once in a lifetime discovery, a one in a million chance, and a perfect partner. By pure chance Aomine had investigated the fifth gym, looking for a ghost and finding a teal-haired girl who loves basketball almost as much as Aomine did.

Even Momoi, who was usually so cynical around girls, adored Tetsu. "I am in love," Momoi declares to Aomine and proceeds to glomp Tetsu at any moment they see each other. Aomine laughs as Tetsu sends her the most straight-faced "please help me" the world has ever seen.

They had almost nothing in common, but they became best friends in record time. Aomine was tall while Tetsu was short. Aomine was straight-forward and Tetsu was polite. The one thing that brings them together was basketball and strangely enough their friendship seems to work. Aomine believes in hard work and there is no one who works harder than Tetsu, who stays hours upon hours after to practice.

When Akashi looks at Tetsu with a cryptic smile and Aomine knows that she had unearth a diamond from the rough.

-o-

Tetsu is Aomine's other half. That was the best way to describe their relationship because they can play like they can read each other's mind. Back in those days, Aomine wasn't the ace. It was her partnership with her shadow that was truly the ace play of Teikō.

With Tetsu by her side, she is an unstoppable monster. Aomine tears up the courts with pure talent while her shadow follows her and makes sure that there will be nothing that can stop her rampage.

For two glorious years, Aomine and Tetsu works seamlessly, complimenting each other like night and day. Darkness to emphasize the brilliance of light.

Then came the day when Aomine grows far too strong. Her light brightens the room like a flare and with such brilliant light there is no where for a shadow to stay. For where can a shadow exist when the whole room was lit up with light?

Then came the downward spiral, the escape that has now become a prison. Aomine was stuck in a cage of her own talent with Kuroko stuck on the outside with no way in. Aomine stays there losing hope while viciously fighting anyone who tries to set her free.

Oh how ironic her life has become.

-o-

"The only one who could beat me is me."

Aomine says it with such pain that Kuroko's heart hurt. Victory twisted Aomine, made her a monster that believed herself above the everyone else.

"I don't even remember how to catch your passes anymore, Tetsu."

Kuroko feels the last rays of light leave her clenched fist and Kuroko curses herself.

-o-

"Aomine-chan, when you play you do not wish to win," Imayoshi could see Aomine's shoulders tighten and knew that his words had hit their mark," Tōō do not need an ace that does not desire victory."

"If you truly want to win than you may be the ace for Tōō."

Aomine gives the glasses-wearing boy a smirk, "I'll consider your offer."

-o-

"Satsuki, why are you going to Tōō. Didn't you want to follow Tetsu to whatever high school she's going to."

"Tetsu can take care of herself, Dai-chan, its you who I worry for."

Aomine snorts and rolls back over to take a nap. Momoi looks at Aomine whose face held clear stress lines now and who had lost her childish smile and wishes for the past.

-o-

Kagami Taiga, according the Satsuki, was Tetsu's new light and Aomine can't help but feel disappointed. The red-haired boy was so boring boasting nothing but power and instinct, and just so predictable. Besides, Aomine wrinkles her nose, Tetsu had terrible taste in boys. The girl was always going for the basketball obsessed nice guys and Kagami was the epitome of that.

"Your light is too dim. Tetsu is wasted on someone like you."

Kagami's eyes are wide and angry, but Aomine doesn't care. Tetsu had given her talents to a nameless school and to a boy that had no chance of beating Aomine. How pathetic.

-o-

Aomine looks down at Tetsu who was sweating profusely and had long lost the ability to stand on both feet. Kagami is on the bench, glaring and useless though Aomine doubts that he would be any help even if he could play.

Tōō wins with a double score and Aomine doesn't even feel that disappointed because this was the expected result. Aomine sees Tetsu's tears for the first time and knows that it is the price of victory.

Aomine has long forgotten how sweet victory could taste.

-o-

Satsuki is crying, but at that moment Aomine doesn't even care.

"Why didn't you let me play! I'm the only one who could match Akashi, but you made coach pull me out!"

The pink-haired boy shouted back,"You idiot! If you played in that match, you would've been injured even more."

"You've always been so overbearing, Satsuki! Let me live my own life for once!"

Satsuki stands up straighter and runs away into the rain leaving Aomine behind. Satsuki had always been such a drama queen, but at that moment Aomine wonders if he was going to come back. Satsuki would always come back, won't he?

-o-

The way that Kagami splutters at Aomine at the hot springs makes her laugh out loud. The boy's face was almost as red as his hair despite the fact that Aomine was at least modestly covered in a towel.

"Honestly, its like you've never seen a girl before."

"Shut up, Aomine."

She leans a little bit closer and Kagami backs up against the wall like Aomine had a contagious disease or something.

"Really? I mean you should have seen Tetsu in a bikini before. Satsuki says that you Seirin guys do pool training. But then again Tetsu is much to look at, even in a swim suit."

Kagami now resembles an overripe tomato and Aomine almost laughs. Even Midorima hadn't been this easy to tease despite her standoffish and stifling nature.

"Kuroko was at least wearing some clothing."

"How prude, but I guess that's Tetsu's type."

Aomine smirks and walks away leaving Kagami spluttering and bright red, "I hope you've improved or our next match will be incredible boring."

Kagami glares back, "We are going to beat you, Aomine."

"The only one who can beat me is me, but feel free to try."

-o-

Aomine loses. There is the feeling of frustration as she thinks of all that she could've done, but maybe this was the best thing that could every happen to her. Because Tetsu and Kagami might have been the one to let her free.

-o-

". . . thank you, Tetsu."

This chapter was so hard to write. That was one of the reasons this came out late. The other reason was taking exams and going through the Kikasa tag on Tumblr. I have a problem. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter should be a little more funny . . . hopefully. I'll do a Midorima character study thing when I get inspired, but don't expect it soon. The next few chapters would probably just be random, awkward situations with fem!GOM.

Special Thanks for Reviewing: I ate fruit loops this morning, xxxLucyxharemfanxxx

-SWP