Tough Luck|| BnHA/MHA {Bakugo X OC}

Chapter 12 - A Union

Art credit: On Amino

The campus was silent. I could hear the crickets chirping from the bushes and the fireflies dancing in the distance. Every basket echoed in the silence and the dawn had barely cracked in the sky.

I counted twenty hoops. "Hey!" I waved to Todoroki as he walked nearer. "You're up early?" I dribbled the ball in my hand. He was damp with sweat. The white cotton tee drenched around the collar, sticking to his torso. "Can I try a few shots?" He wiped the wetness beneath his fringe by his sweatband. "Sure," I tossed the ball. He winded a few steps back and ran forward, launching a toss when he jumped. "Try again," I returned the ball to him. In two steps, he dribbled the ball around his waist and dunked it into the basket. "Show off," I applauded. "I  just learnt it during class." He tossed the ball back at me. Liar.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Toya called out from the distance. My whole team was here. "Hey guys!" I called to them. "What made you call us so early in the morning?" Misaki surveyed the grounds. "Just a casual match," I shrugged. "Bring it on! Who are we beating today?" Sakura marched up to Todoroki. "I'm heading back to my jogging routine." He pointed to the jogging track encircling the grounds, ignoring her. "Wait a minute," Misaki narrowed her eyes at the two toned male. "I know you." She inched an index to the tip of his nose. He wasn't intimidated. "You were the guy in the cafeteria who emptied all the soba!" She frowned. "Doesn't ring a bell." Todoroki scratched his chin. "When?" I interjected. "That-that day, during lunch! I even told you." Misaki jerked her head at me. "Doesn't ring a bell." I scratched my chin. She groaned. 

"It's alright, nodoby cares now." Tsukki placed a hand on Misaki's shoulder. "Someone would have cared if they were starving after a long day of touring this entire campus!" She huffed. Toya chuckled, "Can we play now?" Todoroki made the wiser choice and decided to leave. "What are we going to play?" Misaki returned to the court. "Let's just practice man-to-man defense and be done with it." Tsukki grabbed the ball from me. "Defend against what?" I asked him. "Easy," he spun the ball on the tip o this index. "Each team will toss the ball to their member and the other team will block."

"Teams? But we are an odd number." Toya pointed out. "That's fine, I'll judge." Tsukki suggested. "I'll call out 'Switch' every five seconds and the teams playing offense and defences will switch roles. So it'll be two versus two." He tossed the ball to Sakura. "Sakura, Rylie on offence and Toya, Misaki on defence." He lifted his palms on either side. "Take your positions... and start!" he yelled. Sakura ran away from the ball, trying to create some space between Misaki and herself. I tried to shake off my defence but Toya was just as fast as me. As soon as Sakura and I closed the distance, the ball left her hand. "Switch!" Tsukki called. On instinct, Misaki grabbed the ball and I raced for her. It was wise to have Sakura's broad frame block Toya's tall jump.

Misaki knelt low, dribbling the ball behind her, keeping an arm out towards me. She scanned for her team member. Toya immediately spun out from behind his defence and the ball flung towards him in no time. His hands reached for the ball. Sakura heard his finger slap the ball. She spun towards the ball but it had left his hand. "Switch!" Tsukki barked. I immediately caught the free ball and lent it back to Sakura. Just as she pushed it out, Toya flung himself in front of her and ran with it to the other side. It was a 1-1 for both.

"Switch!" Tsukki called. Sakura raised her palm at the referee. "Rylie, exchange defenders with me." She looked firm like she had a plan. "Understood." I nodded. Sakura charged towards Toya, leaving him little room to pass the ball to Misaki. She tried to spin right and left to shake me off, but I could read her like an open book. "Switch!" Sakura snatched the ball from Toya immediately and passed the ball to me. That leaves us ith 1-2. I passed the ball to her again, but Misaki covered in front and Toya took over the free ball. "Switch!" I raised my arms in front of her. As if in sync, the two ran together making multiple passes at each other. Of course! A full court defence is the weakest defense. Smart of them to exploit this! "Woah, that was 1 and whatever Toya and Misaki scored." Tsukki smiled. The opponents high-fived each other. We went on for multiple rounds like that, finding ways to break the rules to trick the other. It was fun.