Chapter Text
Seirin gets the first ball.
After so many rounds of struggle, Seirin knew better than anyone that they couldn't afford to slack off in the beginning. Despite it, Maemi and Riko held their breaths, knuckles still white with anticipation.
"Taking on a superior opponent too casually is like giftwrapping the advantage with a bow on top. We've gotta take the lead in the first quarter. To do that we need to skip the pleasantries and attack!"
Maemi nodded in agreement.
The air was electric with anticipation.
The ball went straight to Kuroko and Kagami. The benched players cheered.
"An alley-oop! Way to go!"
Their excitement proved to be premature.
Midorima, seeminly appeared out of nowhere and slapped the ball away from Kagami mid-air, halting what would've been a smooth play.
"Who could block that?"
Maemi could hardly believe her eyes. In her first meeting with Midorima, as awkward and intimidating as he was, she couldn't imagine him being so skilled on court. His eyes were frighteningly calm, confident that he could crush them. As opposed to Kagami's chaotic strength, Midorima played the part of the skilled maestro on court, perfectly capable of changing the rhythm of the game.
Takao had possession of the ball. Dribbling down straight through all the Seirin members, he weaved in and out as if he could see where everyone was at all times.
Can he see everything?
All their efforts went to waste however, when they missed the shot.
Both teams stood at a stalemate, neither giving an inch to their opponent.
The flow of the first quarter didn't give any indication over whose game it could be. For two and a half minutes, neither team scored only grappling desperately for control only to lose it over and over again.
Maemi tried to stare at everything happening, wanting so badly to not sit by helplessly. She stared at the burliest and tallest members of Shuutoku hoping that by some miracle she'd be able to pin point their weaknesses but to no avail.
When her eyes landed on Midorima, it was far too late. In a flash, his teammates passed him the ball and he shot.
It went in perfectly.
The high arch was as beautiful as it was terrifying, its journey so painfully long.
When the basket swished, both Maemi and Riko groaned.
Just as the audience believed that the first quarter belonged to Shuutoku, Kuroko and Kagami came in swinging once more. The ball sliced clean through the air right into Kagami's waiting dunk.
3-2.
It was anyone's game.
There was no time to waste in awe.
Maemi steeled herself once more, fighting to see with her limited sight if there were any weaknesses, any gaps that she could report back to Riko.
I can't see anything.
Takao side-steps past Izuki and passes. Another basket for Shuutoku.
Think Maemi, think!
Shuutoku's coach called out to his team.
"What's happening Riko?"
Riko glares hard at the other coach, dissecting his brain. "He's made Takao mark Kuroko. What the hell is up with that?"
Maemi wishes she could answer.
And the answer becomes much more clear in the plays following.
It was difficult for Maemi to track Kuroko despite his shock of teal hair. There were so many bodies blending into each other on the court that he all but disappeared completely. However, when his next pass fails due to Takao's interception, she could see him so plainly, it spooked her.
I can see him. Who else can?
"Riko! Call a time-out, please," Maemi cried out. "I think I know what's happening. Takao can see Kuroko."
Startled at the younger girl's desperation, Riko requests for the time out.
As the team gathers around them, Maemi spills out her thoughts.
"Kuroko, before when you went into the bathroom, Takao-kun could see you right?" He nodded, realisation dawning. "Your misdirection won't work on him. He can see you. Not just at the bathroom but all the time. That's why their coach made him mark you instead."
Izuki speaks out, confirming her claim. "On the court, he could dodge and weave past everyone, even passing with scary accuracy. His ability is like mine -- no -- probably even better. He can see everyone on the court. He's not just looking for Kuroko... he knows where everyone is."
The team settled into a tense silence as they brainstormed how they could get out of the pinch.
"Will you be fine, Kuroko? Your misdirection won't work." Kuroko nodded.
"For the last three and a half minutes, can you let us play as we have been?" The rest of the team yelled out their disbelief while Riko only stared long and hard at the blank-faced boy. She turned to Maemi, sighing.
"Thank you Mikoshiba. We'll figure something out soon." Riko turned to the red and blue-haired duo. "You too, keep doing what you're doing. Keep Takao busy but don't lose even one inch to them. I'm trusting you."
With that, the team marched back onto the court.
Riko and Maemi stood still, watching the boys be sent back into the court with no real plan or strategy.
"I'm sorry, I should've thought of something instead of just bringing the morale down."
"Don't worry Maemi. It's better you tell us everything you see, even if it doesn't seem like its worth it. For now, we can't do anything against it but at least we know instead of continuing on with brute force." The girls finally sat down, leaning forward in anticipation.
The gap continued to widen. Each time Shuutoku scored a three-pointer courtesy of Midorima, Seirin countered with a dunk. The flow of the game was still contested, but it was no denying that the gap between talents showed itself.
And doubly so when Midorima scored from the half line.
Was it even possible outside of practice?
Growing up with two best friends who were basketball fanatics, she'd often have to watch Tatsuya and Taiga attempt half-court even full-court shots. Not a single time was it possible.
But seeing it in person only made the dread of potential loss even more potent.
Her gaze flicked over to Kagami, the fire in his eyes only raging even harder. He hadn't given up hope. No, it was wrong to say that it was mere hope driving him.
He wanted to crush Midorima. Nothing more and nothing less would satisfy the hungry tiger.
He aimed for the hoop from where he was standing. The trajectory of the ball was for sure going to miss but Maemi knew better. That crazy guy never cared for normalcy.
A one-man alley-oop. It was enough to get him scouted into the NBA, she was sure of it. Barking out a laugh, Maemi stood up to cheer, not caring that they were still behind in points and far from winning the game. Hearing her, Taiga shot her a cocky smirk and a wink before facing off against Midorima who ground his teeth in frustration.
As impressive as the score was, the reality of the game still weighed on Riko and Maemi.
"I'd like the gap to close to at least four before this quarter. To do that we're gonna need some more three-pointers. Lucky we can rely on Hyuuga for those," Riko smiled seemingly innocently. Sensing the danger from the bench, the back of Hyuuga's neck shivered, hairs raising up in instinctual fear.
"When we lost last year, Hyuuga blamed himself for not having accurate aim for three pointers so I gave him a little motivation," Riko snickered. Suddenly, vivid memories of the coach and captain flooded Maemi's mind, her cheeks burning bright as she fanned herself.
Riko, knowing what was flooding through her juniou's mind screeched in embarassment. "Not like that Maemi! Every time he missed, I broke a figurine." She held the back of her neck and muttered under her breath. "And besides, that was before we started dating."
Cheeks still hot and eyes dizzy as she tried to shake the memory of their private moment out of her head, Maemi nodded and turned her attention back.
"Hey Riko..."
"Yeah?"
"Did you ask him out or did he initiate?"
"Maemi!"
Sure enough, Hyuuga didn't miss the basket earning Seirin another three points.
"King? More like a bunch of babies. Just die!" The now hot-blooded captain screamed at no-one in particular.
Riko sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It also warped his personality a little too much."
Their celebration was cut short when Midorima gained possession of the ball once more.
"There's no way he can make it from there!"
"Stop...he's a monster."
From the complete other side of the court, Midorima jumped and let loose.
Swish.
The first quarter ended with Shuutoku in the lead.
14-21.