FORTUNATE - [Kuroko no Basket One-Shots]

Popsicle Stick - Seijūrō Akashi

"Here, Akashi-senpai," the redhead was awoken by a cool wrapped icy treat against his forehead.  "Wake up."

In a split second, you felt scissors barely graze your cheek.  "W-Waah!" you took a step back, holding your arm in front of your face.  "A-Akashi-senpai, it's me!"

Akashi looked up, sighing in annoyance.  "Didn't I tell you not to bother me when I'm resting?" he retracted his arm, setting the scissors on the small table.  The murmuring of the small electric fan serenaded the cicadas outside, but nothing else stirred in the summer heat.  You had asked your childhood friend Akashi to come over to help you with your Christmas in July party since he was good with scissors and all, but he wasn't really doing much in your room.  Just sleeping and dangerously waving scissors around.

"I'm sorry, I just thought you'd like a popsicle," you sweatdropped, picking up the fallen popsicle.  "Ah, let me get you a new one.  This one's a little melted."

Akashi watched you hum to yourself as you walked out of the room, and he couldn't help but wonder how complete polar opposites became friends like the two of you.

Oh, that's right.  It started with a popsicle stick, didn't it?

--[  F L A S H B A C K  ]--

"(f/n)-chan, you're crying again.  What happened?" Akashi's short toddler arms opened out to receive the sobbing you who ran into his arms.

"I got bad luck again, Sei-kun!" you wailed, holding up your popsicle stick pitifully.  "How do I get to be lucky like you?"

Akashi grinned widely.  "Haha, well, you have to be great in everything like me!  Dignified and great!"

"..." you stared up at your childhood idol in awe.  "Really?"

"Really!  Here," he held out a jar of popsicle sticks.  "These are all my good luck ones!  You can take one!"

"But won't I be stealing your good luck?" your (e/c) eyes were superstitiously staring at the sticks.  "Won't kami-sama get mad at me?"

"Naah, I'm pretty sure he'd want me to share with you!"

--[     E     N      D     ]--

Well, that would explain why you always tried to get involved with everything at school.  Everyone knew you as the overworking but easygoing girl who tried to help in any way and tried to excel in everything.

Akashi had been laying his cheek against the table, staring at the pictures on your dresser in disinterest.  They were of the variety of clubs you had joined, but he noticed with slight annoyance that he wasn't there.

You walked back into the room.  "Here you go, I found a new type.  It's tofu."

Akashi stared at you incredulously.  Did you really go to try and find a popsicle that tasted like his favorite foo-

"Just kidding," you set it down before him.  "I couldn't find anything like that.  Sorry about that," you gave a grin.

Akashi merely watched as you tore open your packet and began to eat the popsicle.  "Oh, I know!  While we're taking a break, let's play shogi!  Is that okay, Akashi-senpai?" you clapped your hands together as the popsicle was in your mouth.

She was always like this, wasn't she?

"That's not very dignified," the redhead replied in a monotone voice, clearing the table by merely swiping his whole arm across the area of the small table.

"Akashi-senpai!" you protested as all the snowflakes the two of you had been cutting drifted to the floor.  "Oh well," you set the board on the table.  The mess could be cleaned later.