"Nice pass, Tetsu!" Aomine said with a grin as the eight-year-old successfully passed him the basketball and had Aomine dunk it in the ring to score for their team.
"Kise-nii!" Ogiwara complained as the yellow-haired pilot was once again outsmarted by the eight-year-old cyan head.
"Mooo! It's not my fault Tetsuya-cchi suddenly pops out of nowhere!" Kise complained.
"If I know better, you were admitting that Tetsuya is better than you when it comes to basketball," Midorima said, making Aomine laugh, as he sat quietly beside Akashi while reading his book.
It was a Sunday today and everyone, except Murasakibara, was home and enjoying the nice weather outside-- Kise and Aomine had Tetsuya and Ogiwara play basketball while Midorima and Akashi sat by the gazebo and had tea while watching them play.
"That's because Tetsu's got a great mentor!" Aomine said, pointing at himself.
Tetsuya smiled at the older men as he held his basketball. "Daiki-nii's a very good mentor," he said.
"So annoying!" Ogiwara pouted, "Kuroko switch members with me, I don't like Kise-nii!"
"Hey, that's not a nice thing to say!" Kise complained.
Tetsuya chuckled. "Alright, Ogiwara-kun," he said.
Aomine clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I don't like him as my teammate, Tetsu," he said.
"Hey!" Ogiwara complained.
Nevertheless, they proceeded with their second game with Tetsuya being partners with Kise and Aomine having Ogiwara. The kid had been coming over every weekend to play basketball with Tetsuya since Akashi was uncomfortable with Tetsuya playing outside and argued that they have a court inside the premises of the mansion and that they were free to use it any time of the day as long as it won't hinder Tetsuya's study time.
"What are you thinking about?" Midorima asked, glancing at Akashi to see him deep in thought.
"Not what, who," Akashi answered.
"Are you still thinking about what Tetsuya told you?"
Akashi didn't answer.
"Well... it is normal for his age to start looking for a mother and father when he grew up with only having us," Midorima said.
"But why would he?" Akashi asked, "Why would he look for... for..."
Midorima couldn't help but smile at Akashi's statement. "Is that a question that I need to answer?" he asked.
Akashi frowned and sighed. "Have you called the principal of his school?" he asked.
Midorima nodded. "She told me that she already contacted the student's parents and was willing to hold a meeting with you tomorrow,"
"They should be," Akashi said, "I didn't enroll Tetsuya in that school just to get bullied around. The moment I saw him, he was... I was afraid he would revert back to his old self,"
Midorima sighed silently. "I really don't understand why some children have the capability to try and hurt others just because they're... different,"
"Tetsuya is not different," Akashi said.
Their attention was brought back to the game when Tetsuya fell on his knees after Aomine accidentally bumped into him and had him off balance.
"Oh no, Tetsuya-cchi, are you okay?" Kise asked and helped Tetsuya up.
Tetsuya nodded with a smile, but his knee got scraped and he winced when he tried to move-- the raw skin stretching.
"What happened?" Akashi asked as he approached them and looked at Tetsuya worriedly.
"I'm fine, nii-san," Tetsuya said with a smile.
"I didn't notice him, sorry Akashi," Aomine said, scratching his nape. "Sorry, Tetsu,"
"It's alright Daiki-nii,"
"Ne, ne, Kuroko!" Ogiwara called with a smile and showed him an unopened band-aid. "Let's patch it up with this,"
The brunette kid had an abnormal desire when it comes to band-aids and seems to have them plastered all over his body where he gets minors wounds-- the only thing Akashi didn't like with Ogiwara, aside from the fact that he was calling Tetsuya with his last name. Akashi hated Tetsuya's last name.
Tetsuya nodded and walked to the gazebo and sat down while Ogiwara patches his knee. "There, all better," he said with a wide grin.
"Thank you, Ogiwara-kun," Tetsuya said with a smile.
"I guess that's enough playing for today," Akashi said, ruffling Tetsuya's hair. "Let's go inside and have some afternoon snacks, what do you say?"
Tetsuya nodded and they all proceeded to the kitchen where Midorima prepared sandwiches for all of them.
"Tetsuya, you have to finish at least two sandwiches today," Akashi said, handing a sandwich to his brother.
"I'll try," Tetsuya answered as he took a small bite from his sandwich.
Tetsuya's appetite, despite his conditions improving, stayed the same as it was when he was younger. He eats like a bird, as stated by Aomine, and it worried them at how Tetsuya was the smallest in his class because he lacked the nutrition he needed for his growing body.
"Also drink your milk," Midorima said, placing a glass of milk next to Tetsuya.
"Oy!" Aomine called, taking their attention where the blue-haired police frowned at Ogiwara who was shoving sandwiches in his mouth. "They were made for all of us, not only you!"
"Neee, Aomine-cchi! It's alright since Midorima made a few so we can all have one," Kise said, trying to get in between the two bickering individuals.
"Shut up, Kise!" Aomine said, stuffing his face with sandwiches and glared at Ogiwara. "I won't lose to a kid like you, you brat!"
"Like I'd let you win!" Ogiwara said, chewing faster to eat more sandwiches.
"What is this, an eating contest?" Midorima muttered.
In the end, they finished the sandwiches Midorima made with the others having a taste as well. But Tetsuya only finished half of his second sandwich before downing his milk and declared that he was already full.
"Ne, Kuroko! Let's play video games in your room!" Ogiwara said, tugging Tetsuya's hand.
Tetsuya looked up at Akashi, asking a silent question. Tetsuya's room was equipped with a television and a video game console which had been a birthday present from Kise. To ensure that Tetsuya is not badly influenced by the video games he played, Akashi had strictly implemented that video games are only from Friday afternoon up until Saturday afternoon. It was a good thing that Tetsuya was a good kid and had obeyed his big brother's rules.
However, with Ogiwara asking, Tetsuya had silently tried and pleaded Akashi to allow him since Ogiwara had only asked for the first time after so many visits.
Akashi smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "It's alright," he said, "Go on and play while Ogiwara waits for his mother to pick him up,"
Tetsuya's face lit up with a smile. "Thank you, nii-san!" he said then ran off to his room with Ogiwara to start playing.
"Well that was a rare thing to see," Aomine commented as he helped Midorima clean up after their snacks.
"Tetsuya's grades have been maintained and I don't find any reason why I should not let him play video games today," Akashi said, "Besides... he needs to take his mind off of things that he should not be having problems with,"
"Eh? What do you mean, Akashi-cchi?" Kise asked.
Midorima glanced at Akashi then turned to the kitchen to wash the utensils they had used for the day.
Akashi sighed silently. "I suppose it's pointless to keep you in the dark," he said, "I wanted to wait for Atsushi before telling you... but I seem to have let my tongue slip carelessly,"
"Why? What's wrong with Tetsu?" Aomine asked.
Despite being well and having a normal life, Tetsuya was still at the age where his mental state was still a delicate thing to handle. Since he underwent abuse when he was younger, he was more prone to mentally breaking than other kids his age and can easily revert back to his old broken self-- a thing the five older men were avoiding.
"The other day, Tetsuya came home from school," Akashi said, "He looked like he got into a fight,"
"Tetsuya-cchi?" Kise asked, "Are you sure?"
"I don't think he started it, though," Akashi said, "Tetsuya would never do such a thing,"
"So who did it?" Aomine asked and Akashi actually smiled at their concern. Tetsuya was also like a little brother to them and he had grown pretty close to Kise and Aomine as well.
"I asked him what happened, but..." Akashi said, his brows furrowing as he remembered the question Tetsuya asked him that day. "He asked me about his father,"
"His... father?" Aomine asked.
"Why would he ask such a thing? Was he the one that hurt Tetsuya-cchi?" Kise asked.
Akashi shook his head. "It was one of his classmates," he said, "Tetsuya didn't tell me the reason, but if he was asking about his father, then that might be the factor to why he was caught up in a fight in school,"
Aomine clicked his tongue in annoyance. If Akashi and Aomine shared a trait, it would be their hatred towards their parents-- or in Akashi's case, his father.
"Damn kid should be taught a lesson," Aomine said, cracking his knuckles.
"Aomine-cchi!" Kise scolded him.
"I've already talked to the principal, or rather... Shintaro did," Akashi said, "And we'll be able to meet the other kid and his parents and demand what his problem is with Tetsuya,"
Their conversation was cut short when their doorbell rang and Ogiwara's father stood by the door, apologizing for coming so late and told them that he was going to pick Ogiwara instead of his mom.
Ogiwara dashed down the stairs after bidding goodbye to Tetsuya and grinned at his father. Ogiwara's father thanked Akashi and the others and bid goodbye as well before holding his son's hand as they started walking home together.
Akashi glanced at Tetsuya, who was standing just beside him and could see the pure sadness and envy in his eyes the moment Ogiwara held his father's hand. He knew the kid was thinking about his own father and Akashi couldn't help but feel angry-- at Tetsuya's father for disappearing just before he was born, and at Tetsuya... for looking for his father when he had Akashi and the others.
"Tetsuya," he called. "What's wrong?"
Tetsuya blinked and pushed his emotions down. "Nothing, nii-san," he said with a smile.
"You know you can tell nii-san everything, right?" Akashi asked, holding Tetsuya's smaller hands.
He expected Tetsuya to start talking, but he knew Tetsuya was a smart kid and was very observant. He knew that Tetsuya knew Akashi didn't like talking about any topic related to fathers as it was a sensitive topic for him-- considering he never had the chance to spend time with his own until he died and it was already too late for the both of them.
Tetsuya smiled. "Of course, nii-san," he said, "But I really am fine,"
"Are the kids at school giving you a hard time?" Akashi asked, making Tetsuya look down on his own lap. "You know I can transfer you to other schools,"
Tetsuya shook his head. "It would still be the same," he whispered, "Besides... I don't want to leave Ogiwara-kun behind,"
The other three older men were quietly listening to the siblings' conversation but didn't engage themselves as they knew they wouldn't make much of a difference.
Akashi smiled and kissed the top of Tetsuya's head. "Alright," he said, "If that's what you want, then I'll just have a word with the kid's parents about what happened and make sure it won't happen again, okay?"
Tetsuya nodded with a smile. "Thank you, nii-san," he said, hugging Akashi.
"Of course, anything for you," Akashi as he ruffled his hair. "Now go and take a shower, we will have dinner once Atsushi gets home,"
Tetsuya nodded and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower, leaving Akashi to his thoughts as he watched his brother disappear to the bathroom.
"That was unexpected," Midorima said as he cleaned up after them.
"What was?" Akashi asked.
"What you said," Midorima said, making Aomine and Kise exchange glances and smiles. "Tetsuya really brings out the best out of you, Akashi,"
Akashi smiled sadly. "But I can't do the same," he said.
"Ne, Akashi-cchi, I don't think that's fair for your part or for Tetsuya-cchi," Kise said, "I may not have an older brother but... I'm sure Tetsuya-cchi thinks that you bring out the best in him as well. You make him happy and love him,"
'Do I?' Akashi thought. 'Do I make him happy? Is he happy having a family with only me in it?'