Chapter Text
Since Akashi-kun hadn’t been fond of street basketball (not to mention Teikou’s firm ‘only school-sanctioned matches’ rule), this small unofficial tournament was a first for Kuroko.
Kagami-kun looked in his element for the first time since losing to Touou, dribbling and feinting and dunking past their opponents. It was almost like he had come back to life, the light of his passion renewed.
Then a strange bird came and postured against Kagami-kun. The bird had long legs, black feathers covering the left side of its face, while an orange makeup-eyeshadow pattern covered the right one, and eyes hooded by the longest eyelashes Kuroko had ever seen either on animal or human beings.
“Tatsuya…”
The bird croaked a couple of times, as if responding, and Kagami-kun talked with the bird.
“What are you doing here?” he asked in English.
Kiyoshi took a step forward. “Hello, nice to meet you,” the bird chirped something that made the nervousness from his senpai fade away. “Thank you. Are you Kagami’s friend?”
The bird cawed something that had Kagami-kun blushing and spluttering. “Tatsuya! No, he’s Himuro Tatsuya; he’s my friend from America, but he was born here.”
Was he born at the zoo?, Kuroko wondered, but he knew that asking that would be kind of rude.
“Are you playing in this tournament?” Kiyoshi asked. Croak. “Then I look forward to playing you.”
Everyone tensed up, and the bird flexed its legs back, ready for the tip off, but a single Maiubo reached it before any hand could.
“Muro-chin, you know we’re not allowed to play outside the school.” The bird (Himuro-san?) croaked something that sounded mildly sheepish.
Kuroko blinked. “Murasakibara-kun?”
Murasakibara-kun looked down and his eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Eh? Kuro-chin? Long time no see,” with a fond smile, he leaned over to ruffle his hair.
“Please stop that,” Murasakibara-kun stopped, but not before smiling at him again and opening a box with cookies.
“Is he another of your ex-classmates?” Kagami-kun asked, and Murasakibara-kun frowned at him.
“You have weird eyebrows,” he said, and Himuro-san croaked at him. “But it’s the truth,” Himuro-san then flew to his shoulder and nipped at his ear, “Fine fine, I’ll be nice to Weird Eyebrows.”
“How long have you been back in Japan?” Kagami-kun asked, and his expression fell at Himuro-san’s answer. “Ah, I see. Did you join the basketball club at your school?” Croak. Kagami-kun tried to smile, “I look forward to playing against you in the Winter Cup.” Himuro-san turned around and flew away.
Then it started to rain.
“Eh? What a bother. Muro-chin didn’t even think to warn me about the weather and I’ll have to dry my snacks before opening them.” Murasakibara-kun sheltered his face with his hand, but he might have as well done nothing for all the good it did. “Ja, see you later, Kuro-chin.”
“Kuroko,” Kuroko only looked back at his light once Murasakibara-kun and Himuro-san were gone. “Your friends are weird.”
“Isn’t this what you call pot calling the kettle black ?”
Kagami-kun frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”