author notes - okay this is shameless self indulgence, written purely to satiate my GoM x Akashi needs, because man, WHERE are the GoM x Akashi fics? *sulks*

Disclaimer - KNB isn't mine. I wouldn't mind an Akashi plushie tho. Or maybe a keychain. *cries at the lack of KNB merchandise I own*

Kise Ryouta can be safely called an idiot, but he certainly isn't one regarding the matters of the heart.

So when his heart stutters as he watches his Captain perform a beautiful lay-up, he instantly recognises the signs.

Akashi lands lightly on his feet, lithe as a cat, and Kise looks on with spine tingling anticipation as Akashi lifts his head to look at him.

Akashi smiles, soft and hesitant, and Kise Ryouta becomes the first victim of Akashi's innocent charm.

Midorima Shintarou is a well-mannered intelligent young man with traditional Japanese etiquette drilled into him, most of which described the proper posture to be adopted by a young boy of his age while seated.

He knows the way Akashi sits, one leg hanging freely, the other comfortably curled underneath him, is one of the more improper ways of sitting, something he isn't supposed to find endearing, not at all.

"Midorima." Akashi's voice is a low pleasant hum, while his own voice is caught in the purgatory that is adolescence.

"Akashi," he acknowledges, wincing slightly as his voice cracks towards the end, indicating his discomfort at the situation.

"Won't you play a game of shogi with me?" Akashi's lips curve up in one side, and Midorima has already lost the battle before he ever began.

He sighs, pretending irritation, as he sits in front of the redhead.

He loses spectacularly, but he supposes he can forgive his mind for wandering this one time, seeing as his opponent is the object of his affection.

Midorima smiles slightly, as he watches Akashi curl up like a cat on the bench and settle down to sleep, since his chauffeur is running late today.

No, it's not proper at all, but that's what makes it- him, so beautiful in Midorima's eyes.

Aomine is a simple man with simple tastes.

He likes girls, especially girls with big boobs.

He doesn't like bossy, short people who think they're God's gift to mankind.

So, why is he watching with rapt fascination as beads of sweat travel down a certain redhead's delectable collarbone?

"Aomine," said redhead calls, and Aomine lifts his gaze guiltily from his Captain's pretty neck to his prettier face.

"You'll be helping me do stretches," Akashi informs him, and Aomine thinks that someone must hate him so very badly, because that request is like an early Christmas present and a ticking time bomb rolled into one.

He nods, only because refusing would look more suspicious, and walks over to the boy he's secretly lusting after.

Akashi lies on his back, and throws Aomine a look over his shoulder, and Aomine almost spontaneously combusts from the sensuality of the scene.

Needless to say, there is no stretching that day.

Murasakibara loves eating.

He loves eating so much, but he doesn't like working because working makes him feel sweaty and dizzy and all round terrible.

Which is why it isn't surprising for anyone when Murasakibara declares (quite vehemently at that) that he hates the basketball club because it is the embodiment of the two things he detests - work and a ban on eating.

What is surprising is, his almost fanatic devotion to the Captain of the basketball team.

If anything, he should hate the short redhead who often made his life a living hell, but Murasakibara can't bring himself to even think about hating Akashi, Akashi who smiles at him always, Akashi who gives him snacks when his own run out, Akashi who lets Murasakibara ruffle his hair even though he doesn't allow anyone else to even touch his being, Akashi who stays by Murasakibara's side, always.

Murasakibara likes Akashi almost as much as he likes his sweets.

Though, he often wonders what Akashi tastes like.

If he indeed does taste sweet, Akashi has a very good chance of overtaking his beloved snacks.

Kuroko Tetsuya has always, throughout his life, been ignored.

He has never had someone tell him he's worthless, because he's too worthless for someone to even acknowledge his worthlessness.

He hasn't had people tell him that he has talent, talent that could be shaped up into something tangible to help someone.

For that, he'll be forever grateful to Akashi.

"Suicide runs!" His Captain hollers, and the entire first string complies without a single protest.

It's amazing how this boy who is the same age as him can achieve so much, while he himself is -

"Kuroko, don't puke!" Midorima's warning comes too late, as Kuroko is already emptying the contents of his stomach.

Akashi sighs softly, and walks over to the Phantom sixth man who is doubled over, wheezing.

"I'm supposing that you've more than reached your limit, Kuroko. Go home for today."

Kuroko gives him a weak nod.

"Good work today, Kuroko."

Kuroko troops to the showers to take his bath after cleaning up the floor and rinsing his mouth.

Practice is usually hard, but Kuroko doesn't mind.

He doesn't want to let his Captain down.

He washes off quickly and is in the process of getting dressed when he spots Akashi, who enters the lockers dripping wet.

He must have just taken a shower, Kuroko muses, trying to avert his eyes. But it is one of those situations where his misdirection comes in handy, because Akashi barely notices him.

He removes his wet t-shirt, and Kuroko greedily drinks in every inch of that beautiful pale skin as it is revealed.

Akashi is easily prettier than any girl he's ever seen.

Akashi lets out a quiet groan as he stretches languorously, and the sound wreaks havoc over him, making him imagine what other sounds Akashi would be capable of producing.

He frowns slightly, it seems even with his impassive facade, he hasn't escaped the annoying influence of hormones.

Then, Nijimura enters the room, and Kuroko wilts, because how can he, any of them actually, compete with their beloved senpai?

"Oi, Akashi," he says, and Akashi turns eager eyes to his senpai.

Kuroko envies him.

He envies the fact that Nijimura has the affections of their Captain, and that their Captain has eyes for nobody but the black haired senpai, who is so painfully, obviously, straight.

Of course Kuroko knows how the Generation of Miracles feel about their Captain, he is supposed to be the most observant of them all.

He sees the adoring glances Kise shoots to the oblivious redhead, the slight flush in the high of Midorima's cheeks when he talks to Akashi, the lustful gaze Aomine gives Akashi when he is changing, the way Murasakibara shares his snacks only with their Captain.

He also sees the absolutely besotted way their Captain trails after Nijimura, Nijimura who is oblivious to it all.

Sighing, he walks out the lockers, to catch sight of his friends (the word brings a sense of warmth) who wave at him enthusiastically, bar Midorima, and he hopes that they remain this way forever.

Years later, when Kuroko looks back on his Teiko days, the memory would stand out clearest in his mind, untainted by the toxicity of his later days in Teiko.

It is the last happy memory he has, before everything goes downhill.

end notes - Hope you enjoyed! :)