Pairings: Sugawara/Tamaki. Possible Shigehiro/Yachi.

Warnings: AU Universe. OOC. Gender swap. Minor character bashing. Mature scenes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke and Haikyu and any of the characters, but the OC characters belong to me

Chapter Sixteen: Silent Rain

Pain. Pain everywhere.

Blurred images appeared in front of her; their voices almost inaudible.

"…Hey! Are you all right?"

"Blood…! There's so much blood!"

"Iwaizumi, don't move her too much! There might be internal injuries!"

"Iwa-chan! Are you all right?"

"Never mind me! How is she?!"

"Don't you dare to move anywhere!"

"Call an ambulance!"

It's all right if she just rest, right?

She's tired. So tired of everything…

"…Tamaki, stay awake! Keep your eyes on me!"

Darkness is slowly overtaking her even as she felt herself being pulled into the lull of unconsciousness.

XXXXXX

In the end, it was Aoba Johsai who had taken care of everything; seeing how all of Karasuno was panicking; with some of them (Nishinoya and Tanaka) ready to bash in Aomine's face.

With the entire commotion at the front gates, it had no doubt garnered quite a lot of attention, including Aoba Johsai. Oikawa had hurriedly dialled for an ambulance without even needing Iwaizumi to prompt him when he had taken in the entire situation.

Iwaizumi who had his white and blue Aoba Johsai jacket stained red with blood due to how he is trying to staunch the bleeding; with teal blue hair already being stained red with blood.

Aoba Johsai ended up having to restrain Karasuno from beating up the yet unknown basketball team (to them); including, much to their surprise, Karasuno's vice-captain who looked to be a step away from committing murder, judging by the look on his face—unusual for the normally gentle and kind teen.

It had only taken five minutes for the ambulance to arrive, but to all those on scene, it seemed to have taken an eternity before one had arrived.

The events after that were a complete blur to everyone. But somehow, they have managed to get to the hospital where Tamaki was taken to, with the two teams of Karasuno and Aoba Johsai waiting outside the emergency room. The unknown basketball team was present as well, though they were sensible enough to keep away from Karasuno.

This was the scene that one Akashi Seijuro had walked in on after receiving a panicked phone call from his best friend; and all that he could make out is that his cousin had somehow been hit by a car because of a certain ganguro.

Sugawara was the first to spot the redhead, considering that he is standing the closest when Akashi came walking down the hallway, though running should be a better description. He is still dressed in his Rakuzan blue and white jacket and jersey—probably having came as soon as he could after he'd finished his match, maybe?

"Akashi—"

Slam!

That sound caught everyone's attention immediately; and they looked up only to see a furious redhead slamming Sugawara Koshi against the wall, grabbing a fistful of his collar as he did so.

"Hey! What are you doing to Suga-san?!"

"Stop it!" Ogiwara was the one to hold back Tanaka. "I know him. He's my best friend, and Tamaki's cousin."

That stopped any attempts from Karasuno immediately, as all of them but Sugawara trained their eyes on Ogiwara. Even Touou and Aoba Johsai.

"Her cousin?"

"What happened?" Akashi almost growled. "You were there with her! How could you let this happen?!"

"Seijuro, calm down!" Ogiwara gripped Akashi's wrist and physically pulled the redhead off Sugawara—not a very difficult thing to do considering that Ogiwara is both bigger and taller than Akashi. "It's not Sugawara-san's fault."

"What happened?" Akashi asked impatiently.

"…She was hit by a car." Ogiwara admitted at last.

Akashi's brows almost went to the top of his head with surprise, and he paled slightly before regaining his composure. "…That's not possible," he murmured. Those that didn't know him would think that Akashi is just saying that to reassure himself, but Ogiwara knew better.

With how Tamaki's parents have died in a car accident, the teal head herself had a phobia of cars and roads since—though she never let it show. She had always been really careful when crossing the roads—never jaywalking, and always using the pedestrian crossings; always making sure to cross only after she is sure that the cars are going to stop or have passed by.

Akashi and Ogiwara are probably the only ones who even knew about this fear, outside of Ukai Ikkei, that is.

With how careful Tamaki had always been around cars and roads, there is no possible way for her to get hit by a car.

"Ask him!" Sugawara looked furious, glaring at someone over Akashi's shoulder.

Akashi Seijuro followed the direction of Sugawara's line of sight only to see about half the people gathered in the waiting room looking in the same direction. His eyes fell on the one person he honestly didn't expect (and didn't want) to see.

"Aomine?" Akashi almost snarled the name out. Majority of those in the room flinched; as they could almost hear the venom and hatred in his tone. And something told them that angering this redhead is going to end up being very painful for them.

"He shoved Tamaki onto the road!" Tanaka snarled, trying to escape Asahi's firm grip on him; flailing to get free just so he can punch the bastard in the face. "He damn near killed her!"

"If it wasn't for Iwaizumi-san, she would have!" Kageyama looked upset, glaring at Aomine. Next to him, Tsukishima looked as if he is contemplating the best way to charbroil Aomine alive.

"Hey now, it was an accident." Imayoshi, the Touou captain tried to diffuse the situation; he honestly couldn't see any way in which they can get out of this unscathed. And to make matters worse, fucking Akashi Seijuro is present, and he looked ready to skin them alive with every word that the volleyball players were saying!

"Tripping someone is an accident. Accidentally spilling something on someone is an accident." Akashi stalked towards Touou slowly. By sheer instinct, the two teams of Karasuno and Aoba Johsai gave the furious redhead a wide berth and gave him a clear path to his target: Touou. "Pushing my cousin onto the road and nearly getting her killed? I don't call that an accident. I call that attempted murder!"

"I didn't mean to do it." Aomine protested in a small, subdued voice. This is likely the first time that Touou had seen their normally arrogant ace look so subdued and small. And dare they say it? Scared.

BUAK!

Momoi gave a squeak as Akashi's fist impacted with the side of Aomine's face, sending him flying and hitting the opposite wall. He sat up slowly, cradling the side of his face gingerly, staring at Akashi like he couldn't believe his former captain had just punched him.

For all of Akashi's verbal threats back in Teiko, the entire basketball team—hell, the entire school knew that Akashi would never lay a hand on them. He much preferred to cut them down with his sharp tongue alone.

Only the Teiko regulars knew that it is probably because of his father's abuse to him and his mother when he was young that he detests violence, and hates men who hit women even more. It is also why he was so overprotective of his only cousin, especially after her parents died.

Akashi panted heavily, having given Aomine the hardest punch he could. Despite his petite stature, Akashi had one hell of a punch, considering that he also holds a black belt in karate.

There have been loads of times back in Teiko when Akashi had to restrain himself from punching Aomine and about half his team—especially back in his third year. It is only because of his cousin that he had never acted on his desires.

"Aomine-kun!" Momoi cried out; but she took one look at the murderous expression on Akashi's face and hesitated. With the mood that Akashi-kun is obviously in, he wouldn't take well to anyone defending Aomine at the moment.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now!" Akashi snarled.

"Hey now—"

Any protests that Imayoshi was about to say was cut off when Wakamatsu of all people covered his captain's mouth. The blonde shook his head, glancing at Akashi warily. Even he had heard of how dangerous Akashi Seijuro could be when angered. Last year's championship league match was one such example.

"Haven't you done enough damage? Haven't you done enough to my cousin? Leave her be! What has Tama ever done to you for you to torment her like this?!"

Tanaka who is still being restrained by Asahi felt his eyes widening at this statement. He narrowed his eyes at the bastard who had nearly gotten his precious kouhai killed. So he's the reason why Tamaki never smiles, and always looked like the sky is about to fall on her head?

Majority of Karasuno were of similar mind-sets. Even calm-headed Ennoshita was growling lowly, and Asahi looked as if he would like to let Tanaka go and beat the crap out of Aomine himself.

"Karasuno looked as if they would like to devour that guy alive." Matsukawa murmured to Hanamaki warily. This is the first time they saw Karasuno looked that furious, and even he has to admit that they looked scary.

"I never wanted to!" Aomine got to his feet gingerly and slowly, keeping a wary eye on Akashi, still cradling his cheek. Honestly, it's a wonder that no nurse and security is here yet; with the racket that they're making. "I never wanted to hurt her! I didn't mean to! It's not my fault!"

Akashi felt the few strands of his patience snapped with those words. The same words that he kept hearing back in Teiko.

It's not our fault.

They're just weak.

Give him another chance.

"You're always this way. You and those idiots." Akashi said in a low and dangerous voice. Ogiwara sighed, leaning against the wall next to Sugawara. Oh well. It has been a long time coming, with the number of times Seijuro had ranted at him about his team over the past two years. He knew that Seijuro had wanted to punch the hell out of them more than once, Aomine especially. "Always running from your responsibilities. Thinking that nothing matters but yourself. That as long as you're good at basketball, it doesn't matter even if you're a shit of a human being!"

Aoba Johsai's eyes went towards Iwaizumi—they definitely heard their vice-captain say that to their captain more than once; though that was more out of exasperation than anything else.

Tsukishima frowned. 'Basketball?'

"Even back in middle school, it was always Tama and myself that are always cleaning up your damn messes! Whether it be you missing practice or classes, or getting into fights every other day with students from other schools! And every single time, you denied all responsibility. Momoi probably didn't really help with catering to your every whim all the time either." Momoi flinched, and Touou looked at their manager curiously. "I'm done with it. I told you that day—the day of the championship league match." Shigehiro flinched. "I told every single one of you. I said that I would not let this go."

"We didn't—"

"YOU DESTROYED MY COUSIN'S LIFE!" Akashi exploded, punching the wall next to Aomine's face, and he flinched back by sheer instinct. "She was just this close—just this close to ending her own life no thanks to you! Why the fuck do you think I let her go to Miyagi of all places? I couldn't give a flying fuck if she gives up basketball and everything sports-related, as long as she stays alive!"

Hinata drew in a sharp breath, his face pale. What the hell is this guy talking about?

"If you want to blame anyone, Akashi-kun, blame me as well!" Momoi blurted out from behind the two arguing boys; but neither one turned around. "I was the one to keep pushing for you, Tamaki-chan and Coach to give Aomine-kun chance after chance even though I knew what it is doing to Tamaki-chan—"

"Yes, and I'll deal with you later." Akashi hissed, and Momoi flinched. "You played a big part in destroying my cousin's life. Your own best friend!"

"Leave Satsuki—"

Aomine choked even as Akashi gripped his throat hard enough to cut off some of his air supply, Akashi's fingertips digging into the tender flesh. With how hard he is gripping Aomine's throat, Aomine would not be at all surprised to find bruises the next day.

"You and Teiko destroyed my cousin's life. And it's not just her." Akashi hissed. "How many people do you think whose lives were destroyed because of you? How many people do you think had their dreams and aspirations destroyed just because they had the misfortune to wind up facing you? How many suicides do you think Tama and I have fucking stopped?!"

The eyes of everyone in the room widened with shock.

Akashi released his hold on Aomine who slid down the wall slowly like a puppet whose strings had just been cut. Everyone in the waiting room were watching with bated breaths; watching this all play out with wide eyes. "You destroyed my cousin's life. You damn near killed her. Do you deny it?" Akashi said at last, his voice trembling.

Aomine stared at his shaking hands. "…I…never wanted to upset her…" he said with a trembling voice, unable to bring himself to look at Akashi. "I…cared for her… More than I did for anyone… It's just… It's so hard to understand her sometimes… It's so hard to get on the court…"

"Not that hard, you idiot." Akashi scoffed. "I managed just fine. You want to have fun playing basketball? Maybe you should remember that all of us want that as well. You're not the only player on the court. What you and the others did is unforgivable. I will never let it go. I said that I'd destroy you. And I don't go back on my word."

Silence.

There was a loud click; and every single pair of eyes in the room turned towards the doors of the emergency operation room when it swung opened. A doctor in surgical garbs stepped out, already removing the surgical mask from around his face.

"…Dr. Midorima." Akashi murmured, inclining his head to the doctor.

Midorima Shuji nodded to the redhead. "It's been quite awhile, Akashi-kun," he said, hiding his bewilderment at the number of teenagers there currently are in the waiting room. "A word, if you please? It's about your cousin."

XXXXXX

Sugawara sat on the couch in the hospital room, gazing at the sole occupant on the bed with a look on his face that seemed as if he's begging for some sort of miracle. The steady beeping of the machines hooked up to her were the only sounds that could be heard in the room.

"She's going to be fine." Daichi murmured to Sugawara—with the captain and vice-captain of the team being the only ones present in the hospital room now. Daichi had sent the rest of his team back home to rest, with promises to keep them updated on Tamaki's status. Aoba Johsai was also promised the same—though majority of Karasuno was giving them wary looks, since they are due to face them in a match the next day.

The basketball team that was also with them in the waiting room; they were hurled out of the hospital after a whole lot of threats from Akashi Seijuro, with the accusations of attempted murder being amongst them.

Daichi knew for one that their coach and the redhead were currently in a meeting with the attending doctor—a Dr. Midorima. All that Karasuno knew is that Tamaki is in a coma; having hit her head when the car had hit her. And as with head injuries, it is extremely delicate. And while Tamaki is in no serious danger at the moment; even the doctor isn't certain just when it is when she would wake.

"I know that." Sugawara admitted, never removing his eyes from Tamaki's prone form. "She's a fighter. She won't give up. It's just…" He trailed off. "I knew that things were bad when she was in middle school. But I just didn't know just how bad it was. Just…" He struggled to find the words.

Why didn't you tell me? Don't you trust me?

Daichi could read the look on Sugawara's face immediately. "You remember what Ogiwara said before," he said. "The past is not something she wants to remember. I don't think Tamaki herself wants to remember it. It's probably why she never talked about it. It's not that she doesn't trust you, I think."

Sugawara managed a small smile at Daichi before his attention returned to Tamaki.

"Though we're in some deep trouble tomorrow without Tamaki." Daichi sighed. "I don't even think the team will be in the best of moods to face Aoba Johsai even. Ogiwara for one will be in a very foul mood, I will bet. As is Coach Ukai."

"…We'll manage." Sugawara murmured.

Daichi sighed before nudging Sugawara's shoulder. "Come on, we should get home. Visiting hours are almost over. She'll be fine. Coach Ukai said that he'd let us know if anything changes."

"A-All right." Sugawara sounded very reluctant to leave; thus, Daichi was forced to grip his vice-captain's arm and pull him to his feet, dragging Sugawara to the door. Both the third years paused at the door even as Daichi slid it opened, looking over at Tamaki.

The teal head had bandages bound around her forehead, and a thick gauze on her cheek, along with bandages around her left lower arm. Honestly, with how the car had hit her at close range, it's a bloody miracle that she's still alive. If it wasn't for Iwaizumi of Aoba Johsai who had acted fast and had cradled her body even as the rest of them were staring with shock, she would have died.

Daichi made a mental note to thank the vice-captain of Aoba Johsai the first chance he got.

"She'll be fine." Daichi said again, seeing the look on Sugawara's face.

Sugawara only nodded.

"…Tamaki, please wake up." Sugawara whispered.

The door shut behind them.

A/N: It's been a long time. Sorry for the wait! Honestly, this chapter is really difficult to write, due to the heightened emotions and having to keep the characters in character as well. I'll be delving more about Karasuno's reactions next chapter.

I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!