Pairing: Akafuri Akashi x Furihata

Rated: K

Summary: Akashi loses for the first time ever and Furihata is there as support and to help him learn from his mistakes.

Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose

Chapter 1

"You can't win you know."

The cruel voice inside Akashi's mind whispered.

Akashi had frozen up. He could barely register what was going on around him. His body wasn't functioning properly, his teammates were yelling at him. The perfection he had spent his whole life believing in was crumbling before his very eyes. He no longer knew what was the right thing to do. He could feel victory slipping through his fingers. How was he supposed to respond to a mistake? What was he supposed to do when he made a mistake? Akashi felt himself making more and more mistakes and for the first time in his life he was absolutely terrified. How could this have happened? What did he do wrong?

"You have lost."

The voice in his head repeated itself over and over again in Akashi's mind like a mantra. There was nothing more he could do, his will had shattered along with his pride as an all knowing emperor.

Akashi barely registered when the game ended. He had lost. For the first time ever, Akashi had been defeated. His team blamed him for their loss and even he couldn't be angry with them. But it still hurt. He had never imagined that he would desire the comfort of others or that he would need to learn something from someone else. More than anything he just wanted someone to tell him what he did wrong, someone who would show him some sort of compassion after being so confused and lost.

"Why would anyone show compassion for a loser like you?"

Akashi cringed from the sound of the voice. It was right. Who would want to show kindness to someone who was so vicious in his own conquests. Akashi never showed compassion to others when he won so what gave him the right to have such compassion show to himself? Akashi felt a dark chuckle forming in his mind. He was no longer an emperor he was just ordinary now. Another average person who loses and makes mistakes. The only difference was, he didn't know how to fix them.

Furihata was grinning from ear to ear. Seirin had beaten the king Rakuzan High School. They had won the Winter Cup! It felt amazing but at the same time something was bothering him. The way Akashi had looked when he lost kept repeating itself over and over inside his head.

The first time Furihata had met Akashi, he had looked both confident and terrifying. When Furihata had gone up against him on the court he could feel that confident aura all around him. But during the last few minutes of the game it felt as if Akashi's aura had turned empty and confused. It reminded Furihata of a roaring fire turned to nothing but smoke. And for some reason, seeing the look on Akashi's face when he lost was a very disturbing sight. Furihata vaguely wondered if anyone was even going to comfort him. Since Akashi was such a terrifying person, the chances of anyone wanting to help him was pretty close to none. Just the thought of Akashi being completely alone as well as having to deal with his first time losing made Furihata somewhat sad. Nobody should have to deal with something like that alone.

When everyone else had left the locker room, Furihata grabbed his bag and went to find the Rakuzan locker room. He just felt that it was important that somebody needed to be with Akashi right now and if nobody else would do it then he would.

It didn't take Furihata long to find the locker room. He noticed everyone from the Rakuzan team walking out of the room. Everyone except Akashi. Furihata felt a little pain in his chest. How could they abandon their own teammate like that?

As soon as the coast was clear Furihata walked into the room. Akashi was sitting on a bench staring down at the floor with his head down. It seemed that the red head didn't notice Furihata walk in. The brunette mustered up his courage and squeezed Akashi's shoulder.

"A-Akashi-san?"

Akashi raised his head slowly. His eyes were kind of glossy as if he wanted to cry but was holding back the tears. Just looking at Akashi's pitiful state made Furihata want to cry as well. Losing was such a painful thing, it would be natural for someone to cry after a loss like that and yet here the fallen emperor was. Alone in an empty locker room trying not to cry.

"…"

Akashi felt a name match to the face above him. Furihata Kouki, the Seirin player that had guarded and scored on him at some point during the game. Akashi felt his stomach clench. Of all the people that could have come, it was someone completely unexpected as well as completely ordinary. After so many harsh words from his teammates, this unexpected kindness was a god send. The red head felt thin arms wrap around his body timidly as if the boy was afraid that the contact would be unwanted. Akashi slumped and let his head fall against Furihata's shoulder.

They stayed that way for a while until Akashi finally spoke. His voice was calm but it was quiet.

"What did I do wrong?"

Furihata held Akashi a little tighter in response. Akashi's voice sounded lost, but it also sounded lonely. Furihata remembered the first time Seirin lost and a lump formed in his throat. For Akashi to feel worse than he did at that time and to not have anyone to comfort him must have been awful. Furihata let go of Akashi to kneel before him and cover his hands with his own.

"Umm… it's okay to lose sometimes as long as you learn from it."

"What do you mean?"

Akashi looked at Furihata as if he had never found something so interesting before. Furihata blushed and looked to the side. It was embarrassing to have those eyes looking at him so intensely. Furihata began speaking again with a tinge of nervousness. How did Akashi stay so calm in such an intimate situation?!

"Y-You just have to try h-harder next time. You can't a-always expect to win, you have to put in an effort…and you can rely on your teammates sometimes too."

Akashi tilted his head to the side with a thoughtful look on his face. Furihata let out a breath, at least Akashi wasn't looking at him like that anymore. Furihata watched as the confidence seemed to return to the red head. Furihata smiled, he was glad he helped even if it was just a little bit. Akashi gave a slight nod of his head before giving Kouki a gentle smile.

"Thank you Kouki."

Furihata's face turned a bright crimson and his heart was beating a mile a minute. That smile should be illegal! Who knew the emperor could smile like that! And as Furihata's brain slowly became a puddle, Akashi began leaning closer until there was barely space between their faces. Furihata gulped, it looked like Akashi's confidence was really coming back. The two hadn't even realized that they had moved from the bench on to the floor. Furihata suddenly found himself with his back against a locker with Akashi right in front of him.

"A-A-Akashi-san?!"

"Yes Kouki?"

Furihata could feel Akashi's sweet breath on his ear. Oh My God. Akashi's eyes were bright with what appeared to be a mixture of relief, happiness, and mirth. Furihata vaguely wondered if he was the one that had brought out this kind of reaction in the red head and if so, how exactly did he do it?

Akashi noticed Furihata's flushed cheeks. Now that he had a chance to really look at the boy, he was adorable. Even more so since he had given him the one thing he needed more than anything at that moment, compassion and honesty. And he managed to do it within the short 30 minutes they had been in the locker room together. Akashi raised a hand to caress the side of Furihata's face before kissing him softly on the forehead. Akashi gave Furihata a warm hug, this boy was an angel and Akashi had no intention of letting him go.

"W-Why d-did you k-kiss me?"

Akashi stood up and held a hand out to Furihata. Furihata took his hand and Akashi pulled him up.

"Because I like you."

Furihata just stared. How could someone be so open about something like that? Akashi had his superior look again and Furihata felt himself become slightly intimidated. Even if he had lost Akashi was still as close to perfection as you could possibly get. What could someone like that see in someone like him? Before Furihata could protest Akashi had put his number into Furihata's phone.

"I have to go now Kouki. We'll meet again soon."

Akashi gave Furihata a kiss on the cheek and then left. Furihata lifted a hand to his pink cheek.

"Okay. See you soon."

To be Continued…

Kimiko: Well I really love how this is going so I think I'll add at least one more chapter to this :D This is for Akashi 3

Akashi: You made me lose…. *twirls scissors*

Kimiko: B-But you got Furi! Isn't that a good trade? ehehe… *sweat drops*

Akashi: Who is this Furihata Kouki person any- *spots Furihata giving Kuroko a vanilla shake*

Kimiko: He's a nice boy, you'll like him- Hey! Where are you going?

—-

Akashi: *Watches as Furihata does a bunch of good deeds*

Furihata: A-Akashi-san? D-Did you need something?

Akashi: Did it hurt?

Furihata: H-Huh? D-Did what hurt?

Akashi: Falling from heaven.

Furihata: O/O

Kimiko: O.O