The entire time I was writing this chapter, I cant help but think of Toradora.
I'm also laughing at the slight parallels.
+++
"Hey, did you hear?"
"Aika-chan! You scared me!"
"Sorry about that but did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"The delinquent!"
"You mean the scary one that sits near the window?"
"Not too loud but yeah, that one! I heard he got into a fight the other day in the bathroom with some of the boys from the other class."
The two girls conversing near his table continued to talk, bringing up rumors or news they heard from the others and shared said mentioned information with their friends that had join into their conversation.
Not far to the right, a group of boys huddled together into a measly circle, their supposed private discussion is easily overheard by others considering he could hear them talk. They weren't exactly being discreet with it either.
"Oh shit man. Is that the reason why Jiro got three months detention and a week of suspension?"
"Damn. I wouldn't be on the wrong side of Igarashi Ryuu."
Kuroko kept his gaze down, focused on his mobile phone he had placed into the drawer of his table as he patiently waited for a certain message. He tapped a finger over the page of his pocket sized novel, currently in no mood to read the words present before him. His attention is on one thing.
Using one free hand, he tapped on a button on his phone and went into his messages.
'Rumors going abt. Worried?'
He sighed as he reread the message he sent just moments go. Kuroko wondered if he had been too direct with his delivery in his message considering that he might had annoyed or ticked Ryuu off seeing as the time interval since he last sent that message began to grow longer and the black haired teen decided to not answer back in retaliation.
He checked again.
No reply.
Another sigh left his lips before he allow his hand to drop onto his lap. Just as he was about to indulge himself into his book, his phone went off with a soft 'ping'.
'tbh I could careless of rumors spread abt. I expect that shit anyway when I enrolled. Eventually it would die down.'
Kuroko tapped on a button and cast a look at the clock on his phone before typing down his reply.
'Are you going to schl?' he typed down.
He is curious to know if the black haired teen would face his peers after the disastrous incident that had gotten his hand badly cut or would take a day off from school to heal since after all, his wounds were not something to laugh at.
A reply came quick.
'Duh. Now off the phone. I'm at the gates right now. I won't reply the next txt you send me after this.'
Another message.
'I'm serious.'
The corners of his lips twitched upwards as the teen stash away his phone, placing it on silent as a cautionary measure before he returned back to his reading.
It was much easier to focus on the words now.
The commotion around him dulled into a hum at the back of his mind as he concentrated on his book. Images and imaginary scenes conjuring up in his head as he continued to read word by words, Kuroko is engrossed in his reading to pay any mind to his surroundings. It was only when a bandaged finger tipped his book backwards, it snapped him out of his stupor and his concentration wavered. He trailed his gaze up the finger and followed the hand that belonged to a certain person.
Ryuu quirked an eyebrow at the teal haired teen as he stood there with his bag slung over his shoulder, his black hair a mess as if he tried to comb it with his fingers but frankly that's how the male looked like most of the time. It's not that Kuroko is saying that Ryuu look like a horrible mess, far from it actually. He would admit that it has a certain type of appeal that only the black haired teen could pull off.
If someone tried to mimic the look, they would certainly fail and those who can pull the look off, it won't exactly match Ryuu's appeal.
"Hey."Ryuu greeted awkwardly as he retracted his bandaged hand away from the book.
Blue eyes followed the movement as long bandaged fingers tugged in the black fabric of their school jacket before disappearing into the pockets of their uniform slacks.
Kuroko briefly recalled the thick callous on Ryuu's hands as his own fingertips brushed over the thick skin as he worked to wrap his handkerchief around the bleeding lacerations. The work Ryuu might have done. The fights that the black haired teen participated in the past.
He tore his gaze away to avoid the awkward confrontation to why he was staring if Ryuu had caught him and instead gave a slight nod in greeting. "Good morning."
They fell into silence, both parties not knowing what to say to fill in the gap between them. Usually it would be something random like Ryuu going on whatever came off the top of his head or Kuroko stating out the obvious. At times they would talk about their school work when they are paired of together. It shouldn't be strange for them to fall into uncomfortable since that surrounds them but this was the first time they talked faced to face after the incident that occurred yesterday.
They sent text messages to one another but it's the usual 'how are you' or 'I'm fine'. Nothing compared to their vocal conversations.
"How's the hand?" Kuroko asked after a while, eying the bandaged hand that hid from view.
Ryuu pulled his hand out and made a fist by curling his fingers inwards. "Nothing serious." He said, "Just needed to apply some disinfectants to avoid any infections."
Kuroko noted that Ryuu barely winced at the pain as he effortlessly made a fist. His hand should be stinging from the lacerations he received but he barely showed ant sign of discomfort other than the fact he wanted to hide the bandages from public view.
Kuroko nodded, "That's good."
"Before I forget," Ryuu duh into his bag and pulled out a white handkerchief that is neatly folded into a square for conventional means of storage. He forked it over to Kuroko and upon closer inspection, the teen recognize the white handkerchief to be his. The one he lent to Ryuu the day before. "Here."
Kuroko gingerly took the clean handkerchief into his hand, noting that there was no stain left behind. Not even the evidence of dried blood was left behind. He took a mental note about asking what cleaning product Ryuu had used to remove the stain.
It worked wonders.
He blinked when he ran a finger over the fabric, feeling it much softer under his fingertips.
"It's soft." He noted.
A faint blush could be seen on Ryuu's face as he kept his gaze on the white handkerchief instead of meeting Kuroko's curious gaze. "Blood is not easy to clean off," He replied, "Especially on white fabric which by the way makes me wonder why you chose the color white for your handkerchief."
Something in the air changed. It felt lighter somewhat compared to the before.
"It was on sale," Kuroko mentioned, "I have several like these."
The corner of Ryuu's lips twitched upwards. "Weirdo."
It was not antagonizing as one presumes when Ryuu had said it. The tone is much lighter, less tense and carried no heat. How the black haired teen said it, it was close to enduring like an owner addressing a troublesome pet they are fond of.
"Good morning class!" Their homeroom teacher chirped, walking to the front with a book in hand and cheerful as ever. Her appearance disrupted the comfortable atmosphere the two created.
Students began walking back to their seats, dragging their chairs from underneath their tables. Kuroko rubbed his ear when one particular student had dragged their chair across the floor to create a loud 'screech' which sent many seated nearby to grind their teeth together and let out a hiss.
Ryuu returned back to his seat but not before sparing a look at Kuroko. The black haired teen settled into his seat all the while ignoring the looks shot as his direction from war classmates that had heard of his feat.
Their classroom teacher cleared her throat once as everyone finally settled. "I see that almost all of you are here," she noted, and as always skipped over Kuroko's presence like everyone else.
He sighed before taking one look over at Ryuu and flinched when he found golden eyes watching him.
Blue clash with gold.
+++
Ryuu perched his chin on top of his bandaged free hand, barely giving any of his attention to his rambling homeroom teacher at the front. He hid a frown behind his fingers when he felt eyes staring intently at him and it's not the kind of feeling he would get when he caught Kuroko staring.
He was tempt to send a sneer at them to kindly fuck off but at the back his mind, his conscious is telling that acting aggressive towards them would make the problem worse than it already is. Rumors are being spread around the first years like forest fire and eventually the entire student body would have at least heard of him. Acting out would further bury him in a grave that he dug for himself.
Feeling his temper rise, Ryuu took a deep breath before letting it out. He repeated the process several times while staring out of the window to distract himself from the eyes that stared and his temper from further rising.
It worked and slowly his temper lowered down to a controllable level.
"-we have a transfer student today and I hope that you all treat him well," Hoshino said with a smile as everyone began talking in hushed tones, her voice cutting through layers of Ryuu's thought.
The burning sensation of eyes gazing upon his form were gone much to his relief. It raised the hairs on his neck to stand when he felt those gaze on him. Instinct told him to be guarded when his back is turned. Experience told him such and it stuck.
Golden eyes flickered to the front like everyone else. Their homeroom teacher barely flinched under their gaze when all eyes settled on her petite form, simply she allowed her eyes to skirt about with a smile on her face before landing on the towering figure standing next to her. Whispers broke out through the crowd when they took in the sight.
A tall male stood beside their teacher with a bored look on his face but his appearance made it seem that he rather be somewhere else than standing in front. He towered over them all, the difference in height all too obvious when Hoshino stood next to the male with two tone deep dark hair and red eyes. The tall teen emit an intimidating aura and with the glare in his eyes, people can assume that this teen is like Ryuu. The whispers became louder.
Out of all, what drew Ryuu's attention are those eyebrows. One thought course through his mind and the only thing he could focus on at the moment.
What are those?!
Unfortunately while Ryuu stared at those atrocious eyebrows with narrowed eyes, wondering if the tall teen fucked up as a child and shaved his eyebrows off which caused it to grow back as weird as it is, onlookers and the red haired teen found his scrutinizing look to be a look of challenge.
Added to the fact that everyone perceive Ryuu to be a delinquent at first glance save for Kuroko who knew that Ryuu stopped being one, the blank look on his face alone is intimidating enough to scare people into submission. Let alone had they seen him actually enraged enough for him to contemplate homicide.
Ryuu remain unaware that his golden gaze is intimidating as it already is. The frown on his face and his appearance are factors to add to his intimidating appearance.
The red haired teen stiffen under Ryuu's gaze, his lips pinched together into a thin line and his hands that limply laid on his side, clenched into fists. The tall teen stared hard at the former delinquent with a glare of his own when their gaze connected.
Ryuu blinked, baffled by the sudden show of intimidation because he was certain that if the red haired teen held a vendetta against him in middle school year which is unlikely since Ryuu transferred to a high school far away, the former delinquent would have at least remembered meeting the other male. A guy with that height, especially those eyebrows, people like him are not that hard to forget.
With a scowl appearing on his lips, Ryuu raised his head up at the teen, silently taunting him as his unwavering eyes bore into red ones.
He might not know what or why the red haired teen decided to threaten him in a display of dominance but Ryuu's certain that if looks comes to blows, he'll take the guy down even if it means breaking legs. He won't take shit while lying down.
The whispers around them died down, not that Ryuu cared in the first place, as all eyes are on the two intimidating figure that are locked in an intense stare off. Gold and red clash violently against one another.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the next shoe to drop but unlike the students who are waiting for a brawl to occur, Hoshino paid no mind to the tense atmosphere or was oblivious to it. Her body posture revealed no hesitation or fear like the other students that were showing it.
"Introduce yourself," she said to the red haired teen who tilt his head at her direction but kept his eyes locked on Ryuu.
"Kagami Taiga." The teen introduced himself stiffly, "nice to meet you."
Despite Kagami's brief introduction, it did not solve the tense atmosphere they were in.
Hoshino praised the teen before telling him to take a seat at the back, next to Kuroko and very near to Ryuu. Exactly behind the black haired teen. Kagami nodded and made his way over to his assigned seat, keeping his eyes on Ryuu as the distance between them grows smaller.
Those who were unfortunate to be seated near Ryuu felt the temperature around them dropped to several degrees, with bated breaths they watched on warily –prepared both mentally and physically to jump out of the way if a fight actually broke out between the two- as Kagami strode past Ryuu with one final glance before their gaze disconnected.
Ryuu decided that he should have stayed at home, taking up his mother's offer to let his hands heal before returning to class because having some asshole silently challenge him just before first period starts is not what he or anyone had in mind.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire as one might say.
He stopped himself from groaning out in misery or walking out of class while chanting 'fuck this shit', instead dug into his bag and pulled out his notebooks just as class began.
+++
"Holy shit guys, the 'dragon' and 'tiger' having a glare off."
"That's some intense shit right there."
"I almost expect them to actually fight here in class you know."
"Tone down your voice you dick! They might hear you!"
Kuroko wondered if everyone in his class has some problems when it comes to whispering secrets to one another.
They were trying to be discreet but frankly, they fucked that up as well.
Kuroko brushed away rubber that had been shaven off his eraser before deciding to make little conversation with his seat mate who remained tense throughout the period. Said mentioned teen is tense like a snake coiled up and ready to strike at a moment's notice.
The teal haired teen took precaution to not make any sudden movements let he get decked painfully in the face by a high string male.
He obtained that helpful information from a documentary when dealing with wary animals that are likely to kill you if you suddenly sneeze in their presence.
He patted the black haired teen on the shoulder, eliciting a flinch but the soft groan leaving Ryuu's lips indicate he's aware of his presence.
"Do you know each other?"
"No." Ryuu answered, "The fucker decided to pick a bone with me just like that. Like what the hell, I barely know the asshole."
Kuroko tapped the end of his pencil on the top of his table, creating a random rhythm he heard on the radio during breakfast before he left school. "You're glaring." He noted.
"No, I'm not." Ryuu denied.
The teal haired teen raised an eyebrow and gave him a pointed look when the former delinquent finally tore his gaze away from Kagami's bulky form that's seated in the front with another student like how he and Ryuu joined their tables together like always during language period.
Upon seeing Kuroko's pointed look being caught in his own little lie, the black haired teen turned away and preoccupy himself with his work despite completing his work earlier than Kuroko.
"Shut up." He muttered.
"Okay."
"I'm being serious."
"Okay."
Kuroko didn't believe him.
+++
"How do you solve this formula?"
Kuroko looked at Ryuu when the black haired teen did not answer or provide any explanation on question seven. He found him glaring at Kagami who remained seated at the front for the day since he is at least a week behind of class.
Again.
"...."
The teal haired teen shook his head, "I thought you were serious."
It was then Ryuu paid heed to him.
"What is it?" he asked.
Kuroko sighed.
+++
"Do you know what solution you're supposed to pour this in?"
"Psh, yeah I do–"
"No you don't, Igarashi-kun. I saw you glaring."
+++
"Igarashi-kun."
"What? I'm not glaring at him!"
+++
The glaring the two intimidating teens shared was enough to scare away most of the students seated near them. Kuroko noted that those students would slowly inch away–even moving their tables during lessons– from the glaring the duo shared when one of them pass each other or made direct eye contact.
Frankly, Kuroko felt the whole thing is just ridiculous, both at his classmate and his unruly friend.
He could definitely see a dragon and a tiger having an intense stare off, growling under their breaths to see who would be the first one to yield under the pressure. It's amusing that while Ryuu is the 'dragon' following his namesake, dragons are supposed to be big and all but Ryuu is the opposite of that. The same could be said for Kagami when placed in a similar situation.
Kuroko kicked Ryuu's leg table, ignoring how Ryuu jumped slightly in his seat and had mange to knock his leg against said table in the process, the black haired teen rest his forehead on top of the table, a pained hiss leaving his lips as hands rubbed the sore area.
"What the fuck, Kuroko?!" Ryuu seethed.
"I wouldn't have done that if you weren't busy staring at your crush." Kuroko replied, flipping through the pages of his textbook.
"One, how dare you and two, you didn't have to kick my fucking table!"
"I would gladly stay out of your love life but we're in class and I can't have you slack off." Kuroko said, ignoring the mutter of 'what are you? My mom?' and settled on the page they were supposed to be on, "You're my lifeline when I can't figure a question out."
"You little shit."
"Likewise, Igarashi-kun." He answered back in a heartbeat, unfazed by the glare Ryuu shot at him, "Can you–"
"Oi."
Both he and Ryuu froze when a third voice joined in their conversation. They crane their heads back, following the direction of the source and found themselves staring at Kagami who looked slightly unsettled as he stared at Ryuu. The tall teen looked ridiculous sitting there due to his large stature, slightly hunch over the table as he does his classwork.
Kuroko is reminded of a purple giant back in middle school before pushing the thought away.
"What?" Ryuu snapped.
A flash of anger can be seen through red eyes and if Kuroko was not staring at them intently, he would have missed the fear within them but anger carefully conceal it from prying eyes. Kagami ran a hand through his red hair, sighing heavily under his breath as if he was troubled to choke out his words. He looked like an overgrown adult struggling to communicate with a person.
"Look," He began harshly, visibly gulping when Ryuu's face darken and continued in a much softer tone, "I'm not going to ask if you're insane seeing how you talk to yourself but what's the big deal, huh? What have I ever done to you?"
Ryuu turned his body to fully face Kagami, his body posture turning from relaxed to irritated, "Ha?"
"I don't get what's your business with others but what do you want from me?"
"Me?" Ryuu insinuate, pointing to himself as if he was at fault, "What about you asshole? I barely fucking know you and you decided to pick a fight with me? I should be asking instead of you!"
Before Kagami could open his mouth, the teacher in front caught the two of them conversing when it had been strictly stated that conversation is kept to a minimum or risk being sent out of class as a punishment. Their teacher had not been in such a joyful mood seeing the dark look on his face. It's easy to assume that the class before them had somehow manage to get the man livid (The enraged screaming form a few doors down could be heard an hour ago. No one dared to make a peep lest they risk hell upon them).
Luckily, he had missed Kuroko's presence and focused his attention on Ryuu and Kagami.
"You two!" the teacher barked angrily, "Out!"
Ryuu got up his desk and made his way out while Kagami tried to explain to the teacher but was quickly shut down with a dark look. The tall teen followed after Ryuu who stood outside the class, his back turned to them with his hands shoved into his pockets. His entire demeanor showed that the black haired teen is unaffected by the teacher's foul mood.
Kuroko wondered if he should sneak to the front and chaperone the two testosterone high males standing outside.
"I'm sure they'll be fine."
He hoped.
+++
Ryuu stood next to Kagami with his hands shoved in his pocket and preoccupy himself by staring out the window in front of them, staring at anything that held his interest instead of focusing on the tall teen standing next to him. From the corner of his eyes he could see Kagami glance at him periodically, saying nothing more before turning away.
He turned his head slightly, noting that their teacher had his back turned on the class as the older man wrote something on the board before turning his gaze onto Kagami.
"What do you want?" The black haired teen asked Kagami icily, in a low tone so that his words could not be overheard by extra ears, "The pride I took from you? Do you want to see me fall beneath your feet because of the humiliation? Or did you come here to gloat that I left the game?"
Kagami turned to him, a look of confusion seen on his face. His red eyes flickered to the teacher inside class before returning to meet gold when the coast is clear. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play pretend." Ryuu hissed.
"Whatever delusion you're living in, I want no part in it." Kagami snapped, "All I want to know is what do you want with me, okay? No need to be a dick about it. I barely know you and I just want to come to class, learn and not feel attacked once I step through it."
Ryuu stared at Kagami, scrutinizing his face for any faults in his word. He found the look in Kagami's eyes genuine and took his words into account. He took a deep breath and let it all out, feeling drained over nothing. He was being an asshole over nothing just like the time he threaten Kuroko when they first met. He shuffled from one foot to another, balling his hands into fist for being a total asshole before turning back to Kagami who have yet to turn away.
He found the red haired teen watching him, waiting for a response.
"We got off on the wrong foot and gave each other bad first impressions, I'm sorry." Ryuu admitted before pulling his hand out towards Kagami, "Igarashi Ryuu."
Surprisingly Kagami took the bandaged hand, sparing it a short glance without any question and allowed his larger hands warp around Ryuu's hand.
"Kagami Taiga." He replied.
"Welcome to Seirin high."
Standing in the middle of an empty hallway with their hands clasp together into a handshake, Ryuu felt that the two of them have shared mutual respect to one another despite such a bad beginning. He won't consider Kagami as a friend, he still has no clue how Kuroko manage to be classified as his friend, but a classmate just like everyone else.
Mutual respect.
Both of them flinch and drew their hands away at the sound of their enrage teacher, "You two!! What did I say about talking!? Face forward!!"
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Eyy I honestly have mixed feelings when I wrote the scene where Kagami and Ryuu confront one another.
I see Kagami to be the type to confront people when he has a bone to pick with them, regardless how or where the situation will take him (and in this case, almost got himself beaten up by Ryuu).
Regarding to the Toradora reference, I'm crying. Ryuu is the delinquent but smol and Kagami is the good guy but tall. A complete opposite to the main characters in Toradora where Taiga is smol but a delinquent and Ryuuji is good but hella tall.