insouciant || ON HIATUS

ℂℍ𝔸ℙ𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟞

"What you can do for the team? That's what you guys were talking about?"

Aomine walked between Kuroko and Mamoru. Maiko stood by Mamoru's free side, quietly enjoying the pocky box Mamoru had bought for her as a snack.

"Yes," Kuroko admitted. He walked with his head down, though Mamoru was sure it wasn't from disappointment. His face was too confused, too thoughtful to be considered disappointment. "I'm not a good shooter like Mamoru, so I thought it would be either passing or assisting."

Mamoru silently tugged Maiko a little closer when she got too close to the street.

"Hm? Well Akashi isn't almighty either, so maybe it's something only you can do," Aomine suggested.

"For instance?"

They stopped walking for a moment when Aomine made a wild slashing movement with his arms. "Like a pass that totally bends and stuff. Like, whoosh!"

He made some more sound effects and wild arm movements. Beside Mamoru, Maiko laughed quietly behind a hand.

When Kuroko didn't seem to get it, he stood farther and said louder, "WHOOSH!" and made even more extravagant arm motions.

"Enough," Kuroko and Mamoru said at the same time. People were starting to stare.

They started walking again, throwing around ideas when Kuroko stopped by a bookstore. "I'm going to stop here."

Aomine patted his back and waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow!"

Before Mamoru was aware of it, Aomine patted his and Maiko's head gently. "Get home safely. See you two tomorrow," he grinned.

Maiko glanced at Mamoru for his reaction knowing he didn't particularly like to be touched. She was a little shocked to see him smiling lightly. "See you tomorrow, Aomine-kun," he nodded his head.

Before they left for home, Mamoru caught a hold of the book Kuroko held up inside the bookstore.

Techniques for Guiding Lines of Sight

──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────

Mamoru sat at the kitchen table, watching a YouTube video on card tricks. One of the kids in school had given his friends a little show of card tricks and Mamoru watched out of interest.

He focused on the card between his index and middle, and thumb. At the moment, it appeared he held one card in one hand. In truth, he held two.

He shook his hand, using the middle finger to switch the front card to the back while shaking. The card that was in front was now hidden in the back. The trick was to angle the cards in a way where the back card hides the front card.

"Hmm." Mamoru stared at the cards in his hand, a little frustrated. The physical part of the trick was easy, but trying to dive into the psychological part of it was difficult. There was something he wasn't getting and it was driving up the wall.

Behind him, Claire leaned against the counter, hiding a smile behind her cup of decaffeinated coffee. Frustration wasn't the most positive emotion, but it was an emotion.

Mamoru turned around and faced Claire. "Claire-san, would you like to see a card trick?"

"Sure, Mamoru-kun. Let's see it," she hummed, setting down her cup and leaning back on her elbows.

He'd practiced the simple trick for almost an hour straight, determination unwavering. As a result, he very well had it down pat.

Claire blinked, watching the card switch. "Neat," she complimented. "You picked that up pretty fast."

"Did you see the card in the back?"

"Was there a card in the back?" He gave her a slightly incredulous look. "Sorry, just kidding. No, I didn't see the card in the back." She scratched her cheek sheepishly. "I was actually watching your hand when you were shaking the cards."

"You were watching my ha-" He stopped talking, a lightbulb worthy thought springing to life. "Oh. I see. Thank you for your insight, Claire-san."

He stood up and made a beeline for Maiko who was drawing in her room. "Maiko, would you like to see a card trick?"

"Sure!" He showed her the same trick, this time angling it down slightly so she wouldn't see the card in the back. "Whoa!!"

Mamoru smiled slightly at the look of amazement on her face. "What were you really watching?"

"..."

"Was it my hand? I won't be mad."

"Yes. The shaking kind of distracted me," she admitted softly.

"That's perfect, thank you."

He left his confused sister in the room and went back to the computer Claire let him borrow. He wanted to practice a few more tricks, just to gain a conclusive result. He was starting to see what Akashi meant by turning Kuroko into a weapon.

The next day, Mamoru sought out Kuroko at lunch. Maiko trailed behind him, giving Kuroko a friendly wave.

"I think I've figured something out," Mamoru said seriously, unpacking his bento. He discovered a while back that Claire could not cook for her life and therefore took on the role as house cook in return for shelter.

Beside him, Maiko let out a pleased noise at the sight of cute octopus sausages next to rice onigiris and various fruits and vegetables.

"What did you figure out?" Kuroko asked, a little confused. He unpacked his own bento which held only three rice onigiris and an apple.

"How to utilize your lack of presence," Mamoru explained, bringing out the card deck he bought on the way home yesterday. "Watch carefully, please."

The first one he did was the card switch. He made sure to face Kuroko and angle the cards directly in front of him. With a wild hand flourish, he quickly switched the cards so the front card was now in the back.

Kuroko looked surprised. "And you learned this in a day?"

"Not important right now," Mamoru waved off his question. "What were you looking at?"

"The shaking..."

"Good. Watch this one." He held one card this time in between his middle and ring finger, and his thumb. Mamoru moved his wrist so it looked like he was going to throw the card.

On the third extension, the card seemed to disappear. He held up his hand and shook it.

"What were you focusing on?"

"The hand movement?"

Mamoru then turned his hand around to show him the card that was currently stuck on the back of his hand. The two edges of the card were stuck in between the crevice of the pinky and ring finger, and the middle and index finger.

"How does this help me?" Kuroko asked out of genuine confusion.

Mamoru put the cards away and picked up his rice ball. "We'll conceal your presence through body movement," he clarified.

"Later today, I'll teach you."