Chapter 1

"Aka-shi?!" they gasped as their captain's menacing aura came on.

Kise stumbled slightly getting onto the bench, and his legs felt weak and weightless. The muscles along his legs were quivering from the strain of the Zone. He shivered slightly as he remembered Akashi's arm around him, how he immediately knew the emperor was back, with his cold, calm voice and dominating presence. If only he was in longer... Kise squeezed his eyes shut and grasped the cloth of his shorts tightly. The Zone had been a whole new experience for Kise, it really had felt like he was drifting in a dark ocean, but somehow he was clearly aware of everything at the same time.

He opened his eyes to see Akashi doing a few quick, deliberate crossovers and Nash Gold Jr. falling to the floor, disbelief in his eyes. Akashi merely walked past the gaping man and shot a three pointer. Kise sucked in his breath. Akashi was really strong.

Suddenly Kise felt a drop of water on his hand, and then a smaller one on his arm. He looked up to see a gray sky with some blotches of dark cloud. A few more drops of water fell on his face and soon the cement was littered with rain. The players on the court looked up too as the rain started falling harder. The players got ready to continue again although it was raining. In a few seconds, the entire court ground was several shades darker and the players were drenched. The referee blew the whistle and called the captains and coaches over, saying that the game would be rescheduled when the weather got better.

"Aww.... Just when the game was getting started...." Murasakibara grumbled.

"I have a strong feeling of deja vu...." Kagami mumbled.

"Hey! Let's go!" Aomine called as Momoi, Rika, and some other benchwarmers scrambled to get the bags and jackets.

Kise tossed his jacket over his shoulder and stood up shakily. The rain was quite refreshing, cooling both his body and mind.The team hurriedly went to the direction of some shelter.

"There's a hotel nearby somewhere, I recall..." Midorima remarked to Akashi, checking his phone.

"Very well. Let's go."

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As the group trudged on through the rain, Kise looked up into the stormy sky, water dripping into his eyes. He didn't really care, he was tired and all he wanted to do was sit down and rest. Suddenly he felt gentle hands tugging at his jacket and draping it onto his shoulders.

"You'll get cold, Kise-kun," Kuroko stated, gazing emotionlessly at Kise in his usual deadpan expression.

Immediately birds were chirping and the sky was filled with rainbows.

"Omg! Kurokocchi is sooo caring! So cute suu~!" Kise squealed and wrapped his arms around the small, slightly annoyed bluenette.

"Please let me go, Kise-kun," Kuroko pleaded.

Akashi merely looked back at the two disdainfully.