Brothers

Seashell

"Ne, ne, Aomine-cchi!" Kise called. "Let's have a chicken fight!"

"A what?" Akashi asked while Tetsuya continued to splash around and play with Momoi.

"You know, that game people play in pools and beaches!" Kise said, "You get on top of someone. In this case, Midorima-cchi or Murasakibara-cchi and you try to push your opponent,"

"Interesting," Akashi said.

"I won't be dragged into your foolishness," Midorima said.

After a few minutes of persuasion, Akashi and the others had finally dragged Midorima into the water to spend time with them— it had taken a few threats from Akashi, a whining Kise, and a teary-eyed Tetsuya to make him move.

"Why not?! It's fun!" Kise said.

"I don't do fun," Midorima said, glaring at Kise for being too loud.

"You could've just said you're afraid, Shintaro," Akashi said. "We would've understood,"

A vein popped from Midorima's forehead upon hearing the word. Aomine took the hint and smirked.

"Yeah," Aomine said. "Although the name of the game suited you... chicken,"

"What did you say?" Midorima snapped.

"I didn't say anything," Aomine said trying to act innocent. "I mean, if you're too weak to go against me and Akashi it's fine and all,"

Midorima leered. "I didn't say I'd back out,"

The persuasion and jeering were enough for Midorima to join in and the next thing he knew, he was facing Murasakibara's lazy gaze with Akashi on top of him while Aomine rode Midorima.

"This is gonna be fun," Aomine said with a smirk.

"Try not to cry when you lose, Daiki, Shintaro," Akashi said with a smirk.

"I shall not lose," Midorima said.

"Can we eat snacks after this?" Murasakibara asked.

"Mooo! Why am I not included?! I thought of the game!" Kise whined who was standing in a safe distance next to Momoi who held Tetsuya.

"Go for it, Akashi-kun! Dai-chan!" Momoi cheered.

"Nii-chan!" Tetsuya called along, cheering for Akashi.

"What about me, Tetsu?" Aomine asked.

"Mi-chan!" Tetsuya cheered as well.

"Ryota, you start the countdown," Akashi called.

Kise pouted. "Fine, but I'll be going next if one of you loses," he said, "The only rule will be pushing, got it?"

Akashi and Aomine smirked at each other as they clasped hands and prepared to push, Murasakibara and Midorima doing the same.

"San..."

"Ni..."

"Ichi!"

The wave crashed but both tall males held their ground as they pushed hard at each other with the strength they acquired from playing basketball. Aomine and Akashi above did the same and ended up in a stalemate despite Aomine's bigger build than Akashi.

"Fool," Midorima told Murasakibara through gritted teeth. "Oha-asa predicted that Cancer will win over Libra today,"

The current helped Midorima to push, making Murasakibara step back.

"This is so bothersome," Murasakibara said.

"You may be right, Shintaro," Akashi said through gritted teeth as he fought hard against Aomine's push. "But you forgot... I am absolute,"

Another wave crashed and Akashi took this advantage to push Aomine back, putting all his weight on his arms, causing Aomine to tumble back along with Midorima with a huge splash.

"Akashi-cchi and Murasakibara-cchi won!" Kise announced followed by Momoi's cheers.

"Congratulations," Midorima said, though his lips formed a thin line.

"Ne, Midorima-cchi, no need to pout over it!" Kise said, "It's just a game,"

"I'm not pouting over it," Midorima said.

Akashi chuckled. "I had to admit you almost had me," he said, "But the waves were just on my side today,"

"Hmph," Midorima said. "Oha-asa did predict that Saggitarius will overpower Cancer today,"

Aomine looked up. "It's getting hot, let's go and get lunch," he said. "Wouldn't want to get a sunburn,"

"But Aomine-cchi's already dark is it is," Kise muttered, making Aomine give him a chop on the head.

"Baka, I meant Tetsu," Aomine said.

The group moved back to the cottage they were staying for lunch, but Tetsuya had other ideas. He didn't seem to want to leave the beach and had started crying when Momoi removed him from the water.

"Ne, Tetsu-kun, don't cry," Momoi said, rocking Tetsuya. "We'll be back later, we still need to eat lunch or you won't have enough energy to swim,"

"She's right, Tetsu," Aomine said, ruffling his hair.

"Tetsuya," Midorima called as he approached them and handed Tetsuya a white seashell.

"Wow! That's pretty! Where did you get it Midorima-cchi?" Kise asked.

"I got it when I landed on the water earlier," Midorima said.

Tetsuya stopped crying and admired the shell in Midorima's hand. He looked up at Midorima, his eyes asking what it is.

"That is a seashell," Midorima said, "You put it against your ear so you can hear the ocean,"

Tetsuya took the shell and put it against his ear, slowly smiling once he heard the ocean in the seashell.

Akashi smiled and ruffled his hair. "That way, even after we go home, you can still hear the ocean," he said.

Tetsuya smiled at Akashi and handed the seashell. "Nii-chan," he said.

They spent the rest of the afternoon digging for seashells and Midorima found it enjoyable as well as Tetsuya and saved Akashi the trouble of babysitting him because, at night, it was Akashi who suffered a sunburn for spending too much time in the water.

"Nii-chan," Tetsuya called while Akashi lied on the bed, face down, while Midorima put aloe vera on his burnt skin.

"It's okay, Tetsuya," Akashi smiled. "It's just sunburn,"

"Just sunburn he says," Aomine muttered. "Have you heard yourself talk earlier? Cursing everything when cool water hit your back?"

Akashi reached up and threw a pillow at Aomine who was able to dodge it but hit Kise instead.

"Ow! Akashi-cchi what did I do?" Kise whined.

"Murasakibara, stop eating on the mattress," Midorima scolded.

"Make me," Murasakibara muttered as he continued to chomp on his snacks while sitting on the lower portion of the double bunk bed.

"Why are we sharing one room again?" Kise asked.

"Because Tetsuya would want to see us together rather than in separate rooms," Akashi said, "Isn't that right, Tetsuya?"

But the toddler gave no response as he dozes off from the exhaustion and fun he had for the day. His hands clasped around the seashell and a smile on his face as he dreamed about their time at the beach.