KnB One shots

A Strategist At Heart Part 1 (Akashi x Reader)

You sat in a coffee shop, waiting to meet someone you had met originally online. You were both extreme strategists, which was what had drawn you to each other. But, unfortunately there was one complication; he played shogi and you chess.

He had agreed to meet with you somewhere in order to teach you effectively. You stared down at your drink, wrapping your long fingers around the warm cup.

The door opened, ringing the little bell that hung from the frame. You looked up from your steaming beverage to see a red-headed young man glance around, scanning the faces of the other occupants of the coffee shop.

As you stood up, he turned to face you, and upon realizing that you must be the person he was meeting, he began to walk to you. You could definitely tell that this was Akashi, a celebrated shogi player. His two different color eyes were filled with focus and gave you an intense, meaningful stare. His face was almost expressionless and as he spoke, his mouth moved deliberately and only enough to get his point across.

"Akashi-kun" you greeted, bowing your head slightly.

"(F/n)" he held a bag over his shoulder and motioned to the table from which you came. "Sit."

You nodded, sitting down and moving your drink off to the side to make for more space.

"I'll assume that you are at least proficient in chess?" Akashi asked, rummaging through his bag.

You let out a light chuckle, causing Akashi to stop and look up at you, "Proficient? Ha!"

"Well compared to me, proficient is the highest level of honor I'd be able to bestow on you" he stated matter-of-factly. He placed the board on the table between you.

"Honor?" you raised an eyebrow. "It seems as though you're underestimating me, Akashi-kun..."

For a second, a smirk crossed his lips before returning to their neutral state, "No, (f/n). I've just fully analyzed the situation."

"You're saying that I'll end up losing?"

He gave you a small nod and you continued, "How can you be so sure? I don't even know how to play yet. Maybe if I-"

"Yes but if you don't have the required knowledge in the first place, isn't that the same as losing? You are at a complete disadvantage."

You pursed your lips slightly but stayed silent, deciding not to provoke someone of his character.

"Anyways, I believe we shall start now..." Akashi picked up a piece and held it up for you to see. The tile was shaped as an elongated pentagon with a character in black on its face.

"O-Sho. King" he explained as he set it down on the board; first row, fifth file, on your side.

"Are the opposing pieces different colors?" you asked, wondering out loud.

"No. Their shape is so for a reason. Your pieces point forward towards me and vice versa..."

He picked up another piece, "Kin-Sho. Gold."

This piece he put beside your king and placed another of its kind on the other side.

"But what do they-?"

Akashi cut you off by sternly shushing you, "All will be explained eventually. One thing at a time..."

The next one he had called 'Gin-Sho' or Silver, which was placed on either side of Gold. Then 'Kei-Ma', Knight; 'Kyosha', Lance; 'Kaku', Bishop; 'Hisha', Rook; 'Fuhyo', Pawn.

"All of that is great" you said as the board was completely set up on your side. "But what does each piece do?"

"One. At. A. Time" he told you, his tone that of a warning. "Now to test if you've been paying attention..."

He sat back and motioned to his side of the board, which was barren.

"Set up my side. Know the opposing side better than your own."

You pick up a piece and studied the character closely.

"Gin-sho?" you spoke, your tone more of question than statement.

Akashi shook his head almost sadly. You puffed out your cheeks slightly, frustration playing on your nerves.

"Kei-ma" Akashi told you after several minutes of silence.

Nodding, you placed the piece on the board before looking up at Akashi to see if you had done it right.

Without taking his eyes off of you, he moved the tile one space to the left with one finger.

"It goes here..."

You blinked slowly. You were so sure that you had gotten its placement right... You couldn't help but feel stupid and the blank stare that he gave you certainly didn't help.

Quietly, you picked up another piece and named it, your voice coming in a quivering whisper.

"Kyosha."

Akashi gave you a curt nod as you proceeded to place the piece correctly on the board.

"One over."

You moved the piece over, feeling glad that you had been at least close to its starting position.

You completed his side and sat back, letting out a long breath. You stared at each other, silently for a moment before he dropped his eyes to the board.

"Good... We'll continue tomorrow."

"What?" you asked in shock. "But I have work tomorrow and-"

"You will come to my house" he stated with an air of finality.

Puffing out your cheeks, you nodded, a slight frown upon your face. You watched as he put the board with his pieces in his bag.

"Why can't I just learn it all today?"

"Rome wasn't built in a day" he answered, not bothering to look at you.

"Huh?"

"Just like Rome" he continued. "You can't master something completely in one day."

He stood, pushing his chair in. You got up to your feet, grabbing your now empty coffee cup. You walked together to the door and you tossed the cup into the trash can about five feet away. Akashi watched out of the corner of his eye and stopped for a moment, waiting for you to catch up.

You walked back happily but stopped in your tracks as you noticed him staring at you.

"What?"

"Nothing. We'll be leaving."

You shrugged and followed him out, your mind swimming with newly learned shogi concepts.

A/n
I finally completed it! And all the while my kohai kept calling me a bum and asking me to love her... *shrug* Oh well!

Next up:
Kise x Reader
Aomine x Reader