The Trump Card - Kuroko no Basket Season 2 (Akashi x Reader)

EP 18

    Neither Seirin's nor Touou's players moved while Aomine and Kagami were focused on their battle. It was a magnificent show between the two aces and there wasn't much for the others to do. 

    When they lost the ball, someone would eventually get it back to the aces for them to continue. Almost an entire minute had passed and neither of them had scored yet, such was the closeness in power.

    All everyone else could do was watch both aces go back and forth. Everyone was amazed with what they were witnessing and also nervous with the outcome.

    Momoi and (Y/N) were watching Aomine. Although he looked completely focused, the longer his battle with Kagami went the happier he looked. The difficulty of the situation, having Kagami keep up with his every move, made him feel a happiness he hadn't felt for a long time.

    It was as if their show was never going to end, and everyone was so captivated by them both that they sort of wished this would keep going forever. However, a conclusion was finally being drawn. 

    Kagami had the ball and, in a quick move, he managed to pass by Aomine, who looked shocked by it. Was Kagami faster than him? Kagami finally scored making it 95-98, with only forty seconds to go. The crowd and Seirin shouted in glee with his feat.

    Touou's players couldn't believe Kagami had just been faster than Aomine. Then, the answer came as they looked at Aomine's frustrated face. He was no longer in the Zone, he had reached the time limit. That was what gave Kagami that small advantage over him and allowed him to get past Aomine.

    With the gap between scores so close, Seirin was even more determined to win, now. They were almost there!

    Touou's players and even Aomine didn't understand how Kagami could still be in the Zone. How could he still not have reached his limit? 

    Then Aomine realized why, he remembered Kuroko's words a few minutes before. 'An ace carrying his team mates' wishes cannot lose. I believe in Kagami-kun.'. Aomine frowned, he could not accept that having sentiment for his team was what was giving Kagami that extra strength. He was so different from him. 

    Aomine tried to shoot the ball, but Kagami had a lot more motivation than him, he had the motivation of his entire team. With that feeling, Kagami jumped and smacked the ball away when Aomine released it. It had been such a strong move and Aomine was so caught out of guard that he fell back on his butt. That had to be the first time anyone on his team ever saw this happen.

    Izuki quickly caught the ball Kagami had gotten back, and they ran towards Touou's basket to score. He gave the ball to Hyuuga and he scored two more points, making it 97-98 with thirty seconds to go. It was now or never.

    Aomine was still sitting on the ground and people thought that maybe he was having trouble with what just happened. 

    Touou's coach went to ask for a time-out and Aomine's team mates went to see if he was ok and help him get up. Aomine, of course, rejected all their help. He didn't need help, he wasn't an overwhelmed boy in need of comfort. He had been simply assimilating the amazement and joy he felt. Not only that, but he was starting to feel that pressure of having to do something because he was in risk of losing. He was excited like hell! 

    He would not lose, though. He was going to show that even without the Zone, he was still the best. The game was almost ending and he still could go on. His coach saw Aomine's behavior and decided to not ask for a time-out, after all. All his players knew that it was now or never, they didn't need to discuss strategy for these last seconds, they needed to be let free and deal with it with their own strength.