Kuroko no basket: sweeter than marshmallows

-20-

The crowd start cheering when we enter the court and I spin around to look how big it is, and let me tell you one thing. It's huge.. I can feel my head getting dizzy and my heart starts pouncing in my throat.

I take a seat on the bench and start flipping trough my notebook, I stayed up all night to research Seirin, the coach couldn't make it today so I'll be running this game by myself. That doesn't help with the nerves as well...

I totally forgot to research Kaijo tonight. Let's just hope that we're okay and that we'll make it.

"What is your strategy?" Himuro looks down on me and I sigh.

"I don't know..." I admit "I need the first quarter to come up with something.." Ten minutes should be enough time to learn their moves and style. We can close the gap in the second quarter and I can figure something out in the mean time. "Mura-kun will stay on defense as usual, he should save his energy for the upcoming match." I take a look at the crowd and see Seirin sitting, they are staring at us. "We shouldn't show them what we're made off just yet." I say.

Himuro nods "the only problem is Kise Ryouta." He says and I sigh again.

"I know.. He's a problem. But even he won't be able to score against Mura" copying the generation of miracles took it's toll on his body already. He won't be able to play for a while if he keeps it up.

 And that would be a shame.

The rest of the team gathers around me and I look around for a bit "okay so I have to admit that I've been a bit sloppy... I don't have a strategy prepared." I can't lie to them, that would be wrong.. "So I'll have to ask you to wing it the first quarter. Mura-kun you're on defense, Muro-chan you're guarding Kise... Don't let them create a gap bigger than ten points."

The bell rings and they walk to their positions.

The first quarter is, weird. Kaijo made the first point, angering Murasakibara a bit because the ball hit his head, Himuro shot a three in the same minute. It was a slow quarter, we both scored four times in total. Kise didn't manage to get the ball due to Himuro guarding him.

 But something seems off.

I look at my notebook with a frown, I wrote down all of Kise's movements, the patterns and his favourite tricks. I did the same with the rest of their team. But the patterns look off, they are relying on something but I can't figure out what it is.

"Did you figure something out?" Himuro sits down next to me, the first quarter just ended and we have a small break.

I shake my head "something seems off, but you're doing a good job with guarding Kise." I shake my head again and sigh "Wei-kun, please focus on scoring in the next quarter. I want to see them defense."

The bell rings again, the second quarter begins and Kise grabs the ball, dashing towards our hoop with an incredible speed, only to be stopped by Murasakibara. Who's not giving him any space to dunk or do something else.

Forcing him to copy one of the generation of miracles. Aomine Daiki, the master of formless shots.

It goes in and the crowd starts cheering.

But Murasakibara doesn't seem to mind at all, as if he's testing the waters a bit. He just returns to his place under the hoop and yawns. 

Eight more minutes pass and Wei tries to score, only to be blocked by Kise. It doesn't go smoothly, Wei dunks the ball with full force and Kise falls on the ground.

Kaijo takes the ball and starts heading to our hoop but Kise doesn't follow.

A frown appears between my brows and I start getting up when I see what's going on, he can't stand up. His legs are shaking and his ankle is turning red.

The referee seems to notice this as well and calls a time out.

I run to Kise and sit down in front of him in a hurry "are you okay?"

He nods, trying to get up but ends up whimpering from the pain. "I can still play."

I shake my head and look around for a bit "Mura-kun!" I look back at Kise "you can pull a muscle if you continue playing." I touch his ankle slightly, making him hiss. It doesn't look good at all...

"What do you think you're doing?" I look over my shoulder and see a chubby man walking towards us.

"I'm making sure that he can still walk after this." I say, turning my attention on Mura-kun, he's standing besides me "please help him up." I stand up and turn to Kaijo's coach, who's looking at me in surprise.

Murasakibara lifts Kise in the air throws him over his shoulders, I would have laughed if it wasn't a serious situation.

"Murasakibarachhi! What are you doing?!" Kise yells.

"He can't play anymore." I say to the coach "he can pull a muscle and won't be able to play for the rest of the tournament."

Himuro hands me my bag and I put it on my shoulder.

"I'll do for him what I can, they can continue with the game." I walk passed him and sit down in front of Kise.

He looks down on me with a frown "I told you, I can still play."

I touch his ankle again and look him in the eye "you can't fool me. I'm friends with Murasakibara. Please take off your shoe, I'll tape your ankle." I grab the tape from my bag and hand him a bottle of water and some pain medicine. "These should help against the pain."

 It's the same medication I use against my period cramps, it should work wonders for him.

The game continues after Kaijo subbed another player in. There are two minutes left to play until the ten minute break.

"Why are you doing this?" He takes off his shoe and continues to frown.

I shrug and start taping his ankle "I won't let anyone play with an ankle like this on my team. You may be on a different team but your health is important." I look up to him and smile "besides, it would suck if you'd have to stop playing basketball because of an injury."

I look around in my back for the ankle bandage I bought for Mura-kun and hand it to him "please wear this in your next game, it should prevent your ankle from twisting."

He takes it and I stand up "your ankle is now taped, have fun with it."

The bell rings and I take my leave to meet my team at the bench.

"Mura-kun" I say "you'll be benched for the rest of the game." It would be rude to let him play, they won't stand a chance and will be crushed the second they'd try to make a move.

We can still win even without Mura-kun.