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Murasakibara considered himself a simple man. He loves sweet things and basketball, hates activity and he's not the best at expressing basic human emotions.
Tomorrow is another match, he didn't bother remembering the name of the team. Most likely will crush their team so he didn't dwell on it.
So here he was, sneaking away to the nearest convenience store, since the vending machines in his hotel were broken and his stash was consumed an hour ago. It was about 8pm, already dark, but who in their right mind would try and burglar him? No, really, he actually wants to meet this person.
The walk wasn't long, got himself two full bags of snacks, accidentally scared the cashier when he growled for not finding his favorite candies and exited. Opened first snack he touched, it was strawberry umaibo stick and instantly took a bite. Walk back shouldn't have taken too long, but commotion in an alleyway got his attention. Usually he wouldn't care, but he heard a female voice and a bunch of males and usually his mere presence can scare people off, so it's not even too big of a deal. Plus, he's not a douchebag to just leave a girl in danger... and his sisters will have his head if they discovered. And he was sure they would find out.
Upon turning the corner to the dark cliché alleyway he saw a tiny dark-haired girl in school uniform surrounded by three older men. She wasn't just tiny, she was a gnome. Well, in the eyes of a giant. Maybe 5'1"-5'2" give or take, looked like she was from middle school. While the guys were about 6 feet tall and looked in their lonely thirties.
Atsushi actually felt irritated. They really had no shame, what's fun in picking on the small and obviously weak ones? Taking into consideration that it was a girl and three guys, basketball player did realise what they were planning on doing to her. He can be naive and childish but he wasn't a complete moron.
"You really shouldn't be all alone in here", said one in a disgustingly sweet voice that made Murasakibara want to crush the guy.
"Yeah, yeah", came rather boring answer from the girl. That helped Murasakibara notice that there wasn't even a grain of fear, only utter boredom, "Can I go now?"
"I think we should help you get back home. What do you think guys?" asked the other one and here Atsushi decided to move, before something bad happened.
Just when one of the men reached his sweaty hand towards the girl did her expression change.
Poor half of umaibo stick fell on the ground with a soft crunch. But Atsushi didn't notice, didn't notice his own mouth was ajar or how a few crumbles fell.
There, he saw this tiny gnome kick one of the men in his shin. Hard slam the other with her bag right on the nose. Then it was a literal beating of three grown men. They did try to say something, to give them some credit, but the girl was fast and instantly fought back. Atsushi could tell that she wasn't the strongest here, if anything he could break her like a twig if he wanted to. But she had agility. And boy did she have one. She nicked one on the neck with a the heel of her palm, which made the guy fall with a yell. Took another ones finger, broke in half. Third wanted to get her from behind, but the way she quickly turned around with a death glare... Murasakibara felt something warm inside his belly. And with last moves she kicked each one in the face, making him lose conscience.
Murasakibara felt weird. How this smurf just took out three big guys, was left with a few bruises, a cut lip and just... just left them lying there. She didn't even notice him, too preoccupied in searching for a tissue in her bag, that's why she bumped into the giant and almost fell on poor snack long forgotten.
"Ow!" Atsushi didn't find the sound cute. No, fuck you, "Sorry! Didn- Are you with them?" again, instant change in the tiniest gremlin.
"No", blinked Murasakibara in normal voice. Well, to the girl it was normal, to anyone who knew Atsushi long enough could hear surprise and awe in tone, "Just walking by."
"Oh, okay. Sorry for misunderstanding", came awkward tone.
"Want one?" dumbly asked high schooler taking first thing out of his bag. It was a box of chocolate pocky.
"Um... okay?" girl was even more confused, but took little box, "Are you sure?" hesitantly asked girl with a few dark bruises on her face, disheveled hair and round beautiful dark eyes, that Atsushi found himself mesmerized by.
"Yes", breathed poor boy finding that her eyes reminded him of purple skittles the way they gleamed under the street lamps, "Whole box."
"Oh, thank you, um, i'm gonna go now. My dad will be worried." She awkwardly took the box and was turning to go.
"Wait!" Atsushi wanted to punch himself, "What's your name?" he really wanted to punch himself.
She was looking at him weirdly now, craning her little neck and he felt a little twinge of something inside that he liked but also hated.
"Mine is Murasakibara Atsushi", why he felt his face heating up? Is he getting sick?
"Akumu Shirokawa", said Akumu relaxing a bit, "Nice to meet you, Murasakibara. Well, i really gotta go. Um, bye?"
"Bye", dumbly waved looking at the spot where Akumu just stood.
She was gone. Just like that.
"Shiro-chin..." Atsushi tried the name on his tongue, "Aku-chin..." yeah, he liked it. It weirdly suited her.
Murasakibara considered himself a simple man with simple tastes. He likes sweets, loves basketball and prefers tall girls, so he doesn't break his back or loses her in a crowd. But then why his heart skipped a beat when this tiny creature of a human being punched the guy on the face with all her might? Or when she stared at him with those round eyes that looked like these little dark chocolate almonds that gleamed under the light.
He took out a bag of gummies and grumpily stalked towards hotel. He absolutely wasn't wondering if this girl could beat him in a fight and absolutely didn't tell Himuro he had this weird feeling in his chest. He will die before tellyng him.
Himuro instantly knew something happend. And Atsushi can't lie to save his life.
Himuro, for his part didn't believe Atsushi about mysterious small girl beating three guys three-size bigger than her. Even he wouldn't be able to do that. Atsushi is shit at lying, but still he just couldn't believe it. Probably some misunderstanding. But he did believe that Murasakibara started to feel something beside laziness. Simply because Murasakibara shared. And he confessed doing it. Especially when Atsushi just layed on the bed for the rest of the evening, bags forgotten on the floor, only empty bag of gummies in his hands that he also forgot about. And just kept staring at the ceiling with thoughtful and intense expression that Himuro didn't even know he was capable of doing. Looked like it hurt.
Akumu just got home, her dad greeted her from the kitchen and her cat was already coming up to her purring. As soon as she came into the kitchen her dad instantly got worried sick upon seeing her face. He immediately got on his feet to help her treat the bruises, said how proud he was of his little fighter and went to get all the medicine.
Akumu was a simple girl, she likes one manga, patiently waits every week for a new chapter and episode of same anime. She just wanted to get Limited Edition poster of her favorite characters that was sold only in that particular store. Not only she didn't get one, but she felt so down, she didn't notice where she turned and then some perverts decided to try their luck with a high schooler. And like a cherry on top she got a split lip. Bruises will heal in a few days and make-up can cover them up, no big deal. But it still hurt like a bitch.
And then this weirdo gives her Pocky. It was her favorite, the chocolate one, so she wasn't complaining. The interaction itself was weird. Who gives a girl a treat after a fight he did not participate in any way and then also asks for a name? She'll give him credit, he was cute, but tall as a tree and her neck is already strained. She has enough of these giants at school and now they were on the streets. Where next? Her bedroom?
Though, the name sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember where from. Was it Kuroko who told her something similar? She really couldn't function after 9pm.
"I should text him", whispered Akumu with a quick glance at a clock, "Or not."
It's almost 11pm, he's probably asleep, he has a game tomorrow. Akumu shrugged, decided to save Pocky till morning and share with dad. He helped to treat the wounds, while cat, little Napoleon, produced mental help on her lap simply by existing. Her dad quickly put some food in her system and then finally went to sleep.