[ I got you ]
_____
Someone repeating Riyo's name and telling her to wake up, penetrated through the blackness as she was slowly regaining consciousness. When her eyes finally fluttered open, she was met with deep blue eyes filled with unfiltered concern.
Aomine?
Riyo had to blink a few times to process what she was seeing and verify she wasn't dreaming. And what eventually tipped her off that it was, in fact, real, was the fuming redhead standing behind Aomine stuck in a loop, one second he was scowling at the back of Aomine's head and the next shooting worried glances at Riyo.
Aomine was really there. For whatever reason, this time, she hadn't sensed his presence or seen him in the crowd.
"You're okay," Aomine breathed out, relief washing over his features but only for a second before Riyo grimaced and hissed as the throbbing pain in her knee kicked in.
"It's okay. I got you," he said soothingly, though she wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure her or himself.
With Aomine's help, Riyo sat up, trying to focus on breathing through the pain. It wasn't helping. There was a commotion on the court as the organizers were trying to assess whether or not she needed emergent care.
"Ah. I'm fine," she grumbled as she bit down on her cheek, hard, to school her features into a more neutral expression.
Aomine leveled her with a look. He could tell she was lying. He could always tell.
Damn his mind-reading abilities.
And he wasn't even wearing the superhero costume Riyo had imagined for him. It wasn't fair for him to use his powers without wearing the clothes. Those pink tights and the white cape would've suited him perfectly. Maybe then she would've noticed him in the crowd too.
A laugh bubbled out of her, though it quickly morphed into a groan.
"Here." Kuroko unexpectedly handed Riyo a juice box, of all things. "You need sugar."
She hesitantly accepted it and took a sip. The bitter apple flavor on her tongue was an instant boost.
"What... happened?" she asked trying (and failing) to sound unaffected by the pain.
"You fainted," Teppei told her, his features drawn in concern.
"Not before that IDIOT sideswiped you," Kagami growled shooting a death glare at the boy who Riyo had been going head-to-head with the entire game. He earned a few nasty looks from the opposing team.
Aomine made a disgruntled noise in the back of his throat before he rose to his feet. The loss of his touch made Riyo feel cold in a way she hadn't anticipated. She shivered, missing his warmth. He didn't notice, he was too busy sizing up the guy that had been hounding her the entire game. Riyo's breaths came turned quick and shallow when she realized what he was about to do.
No, no, no.
It was written all over Aomine's face as his eyes shimmered with rage, and his nostrils flared. Dread coiled in the pit of Riyo's stomach. If Aomine hurt that boy, it could cost him his basketball career. At the very least he would be suspended for an unforeseeable number of games, maybe even the rest of the season, and with the Winter Cup coming...
There was no way Riyo was going to let him throw away the future he'd dreamed of. Even if they weren't friends, she couldn't be the one responsible for taking basketball, the only thing he loved, away from him, or for taking him, the monster prodigy away from the tournament expecting to challenge him.
"Hey!" Riyo grabbed Aomine's leg. He gazed down at her, and a moment of hesitation passed. Apparently, she held some lingering sway over him. Riyo shook her head slightly. "Don't."
Aomine flicked his eyes between her and the boy, contemplating. He clenched his jaw and blew out a breath through his nose as she gave him a pleading look. She was trying to convey exactly how stupid it would be to risk everything for a street tournament. ...for her.
She didn't give room for that thought. Aomine was a hothead and his fury had more to do with disgracing basketball than messing with her. Or so she told herself.
Just when Riyo thought she was getting through to him, Kagami started angrily mumbling right behind Aomine, pulling him straight back into fighting gear.
"OI!" Riyo snapped but it fell on deaf ears.
The two hotheads rallied and stalked to confront the bastard whose dirty play had resulted in her injury.
"Reckless idiots..." Riyo muttered under her breath as she pushed herself up on her good leg. Riyo instantly staggered back and lost her footing so that Tetsuya and Teppei had to catch her. Otherwise, she would've fallen on her butt again.
"Woah. Take it easy," Teppei scolded, holding her upright. Two sets of steady arms supported her.
"Gah," Riyo groaned. "I'm fine. I just need to stop those two."
She hobbled a few steps her teammates doing most of the work, holding her weight. It was a futile effort because, by the time she would reach them, there would be no intervening. It would be too late and they'd have a whole other mess on their hands. Without Kagami and Aomine both Seirin and Touou would be in trouble in the Winter Cup and would probably end up handing the victory to Kaijou, Yosen, or Rakuzan.
Riyo halted with a groan, balancing on one leg. "Go hold them back," she exclaimed to Tetsuya and Teppei between ragged breaths. She was so frustrated she wanted to scream.
They exchanged an unsure glance before leaving her side.
"I'll just sit right here..." Riyo mumbled to herself as she tried to lower back down onto the ground.
It wasn't nearly as graceful as she'd hoped and she ended up tumbling on her behind from higher than she'd expected and probably earned herself another bruise. Pain radiated from her knee up and down her leg and she bit her tongue to keep from cursing. For a split second, she wished she could stalk over and knock that guy's teeth in.
Teppei took a step in front of Kagami, stopping his advance. He towered over the redhead and held onto his shoulders. Aomine, however, was quick enough to land a hard punch before Kuroko got to him. The scene unfolded in slow motion, and Riyo's stomach dropped. The guy's eyes widened in shock before he stumbled back, holding his face and cursing. People were yelling and a few others joined to escort the guy away from Aomine and Kagami who were held back.
Watching Tetsuya try and keep Aomine from doing something stupid, brought back memories, Riyo had tried to push aside. The phantom still knew exactly how to handle him, though, he'd been a fraction of a second too late. She prayed Aomine's coach and the organizers of the Winter Cup wouldn't hear about this, that no one would find out.
The four of them returned to Riyo.
"Baka!" Riyo shouted at Aomine, whose knuckles were bright red. "What were you thinking?!"
He didn't say anything.
"That guy deserved it!" Kagami piped up, and even though Riyo agreed, she didn't think it was worth the risk. "He should've gotten way worse!"
Someone had found an icepack and the guy was now holding it against his face. There was a trickle of blood coming from his nose. It looked like Aomine had landed a good hit. A small part of Riyo hummed with satisfaction, though it was overshadowed by worry.
"You two are playing in a national tournament. You can't go around beating people up!" Riyo hissed, her frustration lacing her voice.
"We need to take you to the hospital, Riyo," Teppei said, his tone leaving no room for argument. She had no choice but to let the matter go.
"Yeah, okay," Riyo relented. She looked to Aomine, though it might've turned out as more of a glare. "Help me up."
He didn't have to be told twice. He crouched down and scooped Riyo up in his arms.
"O-Oi!" she protested. She held onto him so as not to fall.
This was not what she'd had in mind. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Taking you to the hospital," he replied, tilting his head to give her a nonchalant look.
Was he going to carry her to the hospital?
"Put me down," Riyo demanded, slightly agitated and a little embarrassed.
She didn't want him to carry her around like she was a child who couldn't take care of herself. Especially when there were still so many people around, most of them shooting dirty looks at the tall Touou ace who had just punched a guy.
"I'm not letting you limp there on your own," Aomine told her sternly. He almost sounded... frustrated?
"Aomine-kun." His eye twitched and his lips pressed into a thin line. "Put. Me. Down."
"No."
No?
"Guys!" Riyo's gaze flicked between Tetsuya, Teppei, and Kagami. "A little help?"
Kuroko shrugged, clearly deciding not to offer her aid.
"I think he's got it," Teppei replied, scratching the back of his neck. He smiled awkwardly but his eyes were shining with mirth.
"Kagami-kun?" Riyo pleaded. He was her last hope.
Don't let him carry me around like a caveman.
She tried to send her thoughts to him.
"I got you," Aomine nearly growled in Riyo's ear, definitely unhappy with the idea of the Seirin ace intervening.
His voice made her knees go weak and she was suddenly glad she didn't have to stand on her own. She might've buckled.
"Yeah. Erhm... What he said," Kagami folded.
It was so unlike him that Riyo's jaw dropped. She stared at him over Aomine's shoulder in shock but Kagami merely averted his eyes. Why wasn't he jumping at the chance to go against Aomine? They were rivals, and he hated the guy...
"Unbelievable."
She could've sworn she heard Aomine chuckle but when she glanced up at him, his blank expression was giving nothing away. She narrowed her eyes at him.
Stubborn ass.