I never thought I would return to thank you...

Chapter 24.5

The water burned my eyes, the night didn't help my sight at all and neither did the speed the water was moving. I blinked a few times, trying to see in the chaos of darkness, my feet gritting against the rock-filled land, trying to maintain my balance.
Never the less, the current dragged me in it's flow, making it hard for me to spot Tetsuya or Daiki.

Perhaps they got out?

But no, my mind new it wouldn't've been that easy. Daiki covered Tetsuya's body so he wouldn't get hurt, but Daiki himself did.
They were still down here, Tetsuya wouldn't be able to help himself, let alone Daiki in this situation. He doesn't even know how to swim!

Balanicing myself for a moment, I closed my right eye, focusing only on my left to find the two. One moment was all I needed before the water carried me away another time. I didn't lose sight of them however, and did all I could to swim to them.

Tetsuya was obviously terrified. He thrashed around, trying to shake the tanned teen awake, feet moving in a fast manner in attempt to swim to the surface.
All was in vain for all he did would only make it easier for the flow to take them.
I swam as fast as I could toward the paler teen, he now seemed to shine in that dark pit, letting the water help me as well while desperation started to kick in, the harsh reality of the situation burning every inch of my body, making it harder to hold my breath. I wanted to scream, freeze the earth's rotation with my fury, since I knew: I couldn't save them both, I had to choose who would live and I believe many of you guessed my choice.
Call me a killer, stone hearted, pathetic, a desperate human being. You'd be right...

With the attitude of an emperior and the mind of a god I killed many hearts' dreams and will. A perfect heir for the Akashi bloodline, such useless things as emotions have no place in my heart, therefore, it's made out of stone. The fact that I am in fact down here makes me pathetic. And being so hopeful that Tetsuya would accept me makes me desperate.
I was desperate for love, affection. I was desperate for someone who'd understand.
And so on… any insult you'd find would fit me, because I am absolute in many ways, even in imperfection.

The slow movements of my brother had me out of my thoughts in an instant, alarms going on in my head. That's right, you can hate me later. Right now, I needed to save my other half.
I made up my mind, forcing my limbs to move faster, I finally had a hold of Tetsuya's cold arm. But by the time I did that, his eyes were closing and he wasn't holding his breath anymore, legs gone limp.
Panic erupted in flames, so big that even the water wouldn't put them out. I put my feet on the rocky ground, then pushed away from it with as much energy as I could, attempting to get our heads out of the water, well at least Tetsuya's.

My plan half worked, half went to hell.
I managed to get us over the surface, but only for less than a second. As I breathed in the much needed air, another wave came crashing onto us, sending us back into the water and filling my lungs with it as well. I chocked, the little breath I took long gone.
For a moment I almost lost my grip on Tetsuya as we crashed into an enormous rock.
Most would've given up at that, it was almost obvious we wouldn't make it, but not I, I couldn't give up when Aomine did all he could to let Tetsuya live, not when I had this one chance to finally save my brother from his misery. I couldn't let us die when he jumped thinking we didn't care, I had to fix that. And to do that I had to live, for if we died I wouldn't have a chance to since I was sure I'd end up in hell and he in heaven.
I wouldn't let our roads seperate there.
I pushed against the rock and swam up and to the side so we'd be able to reach land this time.

We almost made it, almost...
The surface was reachable, the land, however, scraped by. My fingers merely brushing against rocks, dirt and grass but I couldn't get a grip strong enough to pull us out of the water.
It was frustrating, hopeless even. We were so close, yet so far from the ground's safety.
I could feel my energy draining, in a desperate attempt, I tried to get a hold of a passing rock.
I didn't catch it, however something cought me.

In the darkness of the night I could make out a large hand, looking up I saw that it belonged to my friend, Murasakibara. He had that same old bored look in his face but I could see worry in his eyes as he pulled us up.  I also noticed his hair was wet and Aomine laying not too far away from his side, meaning he must've jupmed after us. Perhaps he thought we were weak, perhaps he was smarter than I thought or he just cared for us, but I couldn't ponder about it for long.

I coughed water as my limbs finally touched safe ground, immidietly laying Tetsuya before me, putting my ear on his chest, checking for a heart beat. There was none.
My heart raced while my hands worked on pumping his chest, tears filling the corners of my eyes. I was barely aware of Murasakibara doing the same to Aomine.
I was very much aware when the tanned male coughed and breathed heavily and it angered me.
“Come on Tetsuya! Come on, come on! Don't you die on me!” It wasn't fair, nothing was fair in this world but it was even worse on Tetsuya. Why do all the best people suffer the most? “Don't give up Tetsuya! Come on! Breathe damn it! Breathe!!!” Tears ran down my face, falling onto Tetsuya's. I hurridly wiped them away, I was still an Akashi damn it! “Tetsuya!!!”

What in reality might've been minutes, felt like hours to me. Finally with one strong push, my brother coughed out water, his eyes wide open and chest moving up and down.
I breathed a sigh in relief, my heart finally beating normally, even though, I was secretly hoping it was in sync with my brother's.

“Thank god.” I muttered, watching my brother lock eyes with Daiki, the latter shakily holding his arm up for a fist bump. A wave of nostalgia hit me as my brother also raised his arm, moving it to Aomine's. But my heart sank when his energy left him and the arm fell, not touching the ground as Murasakibara's  hand cought his midway and bumped their fists, a small smile on his face. We all smiled, Tetsuya's not as noticable but still there.

We stood there, letting the night air hit us until Tetsuya's eyes dropped and he was out cold. We stood there until shouts were heard in the distance.
We stood there, drained of our energy, but content.
We made it.

Can you find out what's wrong with Akashi in the last two chapters?