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The ball hit the ground as the buzzer sounded. The perfect buzzer-beater, Kuroko remarks. He allows a smile as Kagami and the rest of Seirin cheer victoriously. They had every right to - they'd just beaten Kaijou, practice match or not.
"Kuroko!" Kagami grins, holding his hand up, palm facing him. "Up top!"
He smiles. Kuroko raises a hand and high-fives him. His hand stings ever so slightly. Kagami, on the other hand...
"Holy shit!" He yells in accented English. He cradles his palm to his chest, hissing and blowing at the reddening flesh. "Oi, Kuroko, you little shit! My hand isn't a fricking ball!"
"Ah, sorry, Kagami-kun." He hadn't meant to use the same force he did when passing. His weariness and the injury must have messed up his regulation. Kuroko turns his attention to his palm. It stings. It buzzes from the slap. It's a different feeling from his and Aomine's fist-bumps.
Aomine...
Those fist-bumps are reserved for him and him alone. He'd have to beat him, first. Before his best friend could return the fist-bump.
In all honesty, he isn't sure if Aomine sees their fist-bumps as something special like he does. After all, he didn't pay it any mind after he ignored his outstretched fist.
But, Kuroko did. He was Kuroko's second friend - ever. Ogiwara (thinking about him hurt) was the first person to ever see him, other than his parents, and when he left, Aomine came in, helping him practice and gifting him the name of 'Tetsu'.
Kuroko treasured Aomine and everything he taught and gave to him. Aomine gave him the pleasure of something as small as fist-bumping. It was theirs and theirs alone.
Kagami could have high-fives. It'd be just as special, but it didn't feel like he was replacing his best friend and former light.
"Aomine-kun, could you do me a favour?" Kuroko asks, exhausted to the point of being unable to walk without Kagami's support. They won. They got Touhou back and they won.
"Huh?" Grunted Aomine, sweaty and clearly tired.
He holds a shaky fist out. "That fist-bump... You never returned it."
Aomine's eyes widen. "Y-You still remember that?" There's incredulity in his tone, but Kuroko can hear the small desperation and warmth hidden within it. Aomine's lips thin and his eyes shine. It's different from the tears he shed when he realised he lost. "Yeah..." His voice is small - smaller than ever - and his fist is shaky too when he raises it.
Their fists collide and Kuroko begins tearing up all over again.
This is what he missed.