Multicolored Hearts

Jump! (Riko x Kagami)

Always count on friends to push you to do new things, right? This is what Kagami thought, but Kuroko had other ideas.

It was during practice where Kagami pulled Kuroko over a side. Their coach, the short but terrorizing when needed, Riko, allowed them a small break. Kagami asked Kuroko for help, but the bluenette always responded with the same answer: Just Do It. Kagami would then grow red with anger that the blue haired boy, his "shadow", was not helping at all.

It has now been a few weeks since Kagami realized he found himself attracted to their petite coach. She stood out to him a lot more on the court now, and even the ace himself was confused on why she stood out a lot to him. Perhaps it's because she has been doing some personal training with them to work on his legs? It could be any possibility, but to Kagami, it didn't matter. He just knew that deep inside, his heart jumped an extra beat for her.

"One more rep let's go!" Riko commanded. With a blow of her pink whistle, her team did another rip of complicated leg and arm drills that Riko claimed was "good for hand-and-eye coordination", and that they had to practice.

Kagami was sweating down to his shoes. every drop of sweat felt cool but slowly turned warm as it streamed down his warm skin. his red and black hair was drenched, and his feet feel slippery in his socks. He believed that the extra sweat was from nervousness.

The last drill was completed, and Kagami looked over to talk to Kuroko but jumped when he realized he wasn't there. It was normal for him to disappear like that, but where did he go this time?

"I wonder what Kuroko is telling coach." Kagami heard his fellow teamamate, Izuki, ask the captain, Hyuuga. Kagami jerked and snapped his head to the other side where he saw Kuroko conversing with the coach, and she was staring right at him.

Kagami felt his head spin. Could Kuroko be telling her his true feelings? Why would he do that! After he promised not to! The world grew heavy on Kagami's shoulders. The sudden weight was pushing Kagami down to his knees, but he tried to stay up. His knees wobbled and a flash of pain ripped across his shoulders. But this pain wasn't pain that hurt physically, it was the pain of embarrassment. How could he live with himself now knowing that his coach knew that her own player had developed feelings for her? Oxygen suddenly became rare, and Kagami was now breathing heavily.

"Kagami-kun. Kagami-kun. Bakagami!" a voice yelled at him.

"Huh? W-what?" responded Kagami, heavily breathing.

"Are you okay? You looked like you were being possessed or something." Izuki said.

"No, I'm fine. Just tired." Kagami said, wiping his sweat from his brow with his shirt. Kagami dared to look back at Kuroko and Riko. When he did, see was somewhat relieved that Riko was no longer looking at him. Kuroko wouldn't tell her, right?

Kuroko walked back to the court and Riko followed, whistle in her hand. "Okay, we'll shoot some hoops from different spots and we'll call it a day." And with the blow of her whistle, the team gathered up some basketballs and began to shoot from the three point line, two pointers, and the free point line.

"Kagami-kun!" Riko shouted.

Kagami flinched. Did Kuroko snitch?

"Yes, coach?" Kagami asked, getting near her so he can hear what she had to say to him. He clenched his hands. He couldn't be nervous. He was the ace for Pete's sake. If the ace carried his team to victory, why could the ace not carry himself to ask a girl out?

"Kuroko told me you had a question to ask me?" she said, arching a brow.

Kuroko, I am going to kill you! Kagami thought, giving a Kuroko, who was standing near Hyuuga, a quick, deadly glare. The pain in his neck flashed out again, spreading across his body and slowing his heart to a beat a minute.

"I. . . just wanted to know when our next personal practice was, that's all." Kagami said, internally punching himself. He couldn't look her in the eye, not in this state.

"Hmm. I was thinking perhaps this Thursday or so, whenever you're available really." Riko said, adjusting her weight to her left leg.

"That works, thanks." Kagami said, and he trotted back to Kuroko.

"Well?" Kuroko asked.

"You little punk! I told you not to tell her!' Kagami loudly whispered, grabbing Kuroko's collar.

"Kagami!" Izuki exclaimed, throwing a basketball at him in which he caught at the very last minute. Kagami squeezed the basketball hard, and aimed for a three pointer that surprisingly went in. A shock of anger began to spread through Kagami. He looked at Kuroko, with veins twitching and arms aching to grab his hair and pull. Dealing with feelings wasn't something the ace aced in. He didn't know how to react or what he should do. Clearly, asking Kuroko wasn't something he should have done.

"What did she say?" Kuroko asked, looking at Kagami with those usual emotionless-looking eyes.

"I didn't ask. I couldn't do it." Kagami said, crossing his arms and looking down. For once in his life, Kagami actually admitted to not being able to do something that seemed so simple, but actually took so much out of you.

"I knew you couldn't do it." Kuroko said bluntly.

"You little punk!" Kagami shouted this time, grabbing Kuroko's collar again.

"Kagami! What are you doing?" Riko shouted at him, marching her way across the court and stopping right in front of the two of them.

"Coach, Kagami has something he wants to ask you." Kuroko said, out loud, in front of the entire team.

"I thought you already asked me?" Riko said, sounding confused.

"What he asked you wasn't what he wanted to ask you."

"K-Kuroko!" Kagami choked.

"Well?" Riko said impatiently.

Everyone's eyes were on Kagami now. Instead of his heart slowing down, it sped up. Sweat began to race down his neck and down his shirt. He heard the blood gush in his ears and his temple throbbed. This simple task suddenly turned in a herculean task, it was like climbing the ever growing Mt. Everst, or swimming down to the bottom of the ocean.

Why were these feelings taking over?

"F-fine. Riko, umm, I've been meaning to ask. . .ugh, " Kagami facepalmed, but slowly dragged his hand down and faced Riko, looking at her right in the eye.

"Would you like to go on a date with me this Friday night?"

Silence filled the gym. Riko's jaw slowly dropped, her eyes widened simultaneously. There was a loud gasp that belonged to Hyuuga and his body immediately turned to jelly. Izuki gaped, followed by other reactions from the rest of the team. Kuroko smiled at Kagami, who was breathing hard and turning red, awaiting Riko's answer.

A small smile crept up her lips. It slowly formed into a large smile then led to a laugh. Kagami didn't know what to feel at this moment. He felt his head spin. Why was she laughing? Because he seemed like an idiot in front of everyone, in front of her? Perhaps it was because players don't normally date their coaches. 

Riko finally calmed down and wiped her eye, but her smile stayed glue on her lips. 

"If you jump from this far past the free point line and dunk, then pick me up at seven."

Hyuuga was hugging his stomach now and Kagami was astonished, but his surprised looked morphed into a smirk. Kuroko threw a basketball at his head. He smiled. Kagami returned an apologetic smile.

With a running start, and ball in hand, he jumped far from the free point line, arm in the air, waiting to dunk on the hoop.

Now Kagami had another question to ask Kuroko, where do I take her for a first date?