Which makes him even more rattled because he didn't know that Shin-chan could even be funny. (On purpose, anyway.)

 He always saw the guy as comically serious, having a stoic, serious, no-nonsense demeanor while having some sort of lucky item hanging off his person and not even knowing what was wrong with that image. The fact that his tall friend did all this without even trying to be funny is what makes the guy even funnier.

 But he never thought that Shin-chan would purposely set him up with the scariest, most intimidating high school point guard in Japan. (He would’ve been much happier if Shin-chan would have set him up with Kasamatsu-san instead.)

 Thinking about it, it could be his own fault for giving his friend the idea. It was all said in passing, really. It was just a slip of the tongue. He and Shin-chan were shooting the breeze one time with their usual conversations - about school, basketball, and anything under the sun - when he got the shooting guard to talk about his middle school days.

 "So you were good friends with Akashi, weren't you?” he nudged.

 Shin-chan frowned and side-eyed him. "I wouldn't say that."

 "Come on, Shin-chan,” Takao pursued, leaning closer. “You rarely talk about middle school, and he's usually in your stories when you do."

 Shin-chan glowered and adjusted his glasses. "We were Teiko's basketball captain and vice-captain respectively,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Of course we had to interact with each other on a regular basis."

 Takao chuckled. "You just don't wanna admit it?” He flapped his hand at the wrist dismissively at Shin-chan. “It’s all right. You don’t have to say it out loud. I know how you really feel, Shin-chan~” he cooed in a sing-song voice, blatantly ignoring Midorima’s protests. “So what's the guy like? If I weren't so concentrated on the game, I would've pissed my jersey shorts when we had that one-on-one in the Shuutoku versus Rakuzan game last tournament. Makes me kinda wanna know what he's like as a person. You know, wonder if he really eats people alive like I think he does. 'I am absolute! Know your place!' and all," he ended his drawl with the best Akashi impression he could muster, puffing out his chest and trying to look and sound as intimidating as possible before bursting into unrestrained laughter and clutching his sides at his attempt.

 Well, he isn't laughing anymore.

 Through his own doing, this is how he, Takao Kazunari, ended up having Akashi Seijuro as his family's tour guide during their vacation in Kyoto.

 He curses his big mouth. He bets Shin-chan is feeling really smug right now. He guesses it was payback for all the grief he put the guy through by interacting with him on a regular basis.  (‘As if!’ Takao thinks. ‘No way that’s the reason why. I’m an absolute delight!’)

 So here he and his family is, waiting for Akashi at the meeting spot both of them had agreed upon. They left Tokyo before sunrise to make it to Kyoto early enough for them to see as many sights as possible. Akashi had asked Takao what his family would like to do, so they could make arrangements together. The two of them had exchanged numbers to make it easier for them to coordinate.

 He fidgets and turns his phone in his hands, then reads the latest text Akashi just sent him.

 From: Akashi Seijuro

I am on my way.

 He taps on his phone to reply:

 From Takao Kazunari:

Okay. We are already here. Will wait for your arrival.

 There’s no way he could back out from it now. Shin-chan already set the appointment with Akashi, and it would be rude to cancel it. Not to mention, horrifying because he doesn’t know what the redhead would do if he cancelled the agreement. But then again, would it be less nerve-wracking to having his family and himself alone with such a scary, unpredictable personality during their family vacation of all times…? He was able to take Akashi on a one-one-one, so he knows that he can survive, but what about his parents and Mi-chan? He still can’t forget that time the guy sank one in his own team’s basket just to make a point. He just couldn’t trust the guy with his family.

 “Onii-san,” Hitomi prods, pulling on to the end of his shirt and effectively cutting into his internal brooding. “What’s this Akashi guy like? He’s Shin-chan’s friend, right? One of the Generation of Miracles?”

 That’s the question of the day. Takao’s trying to think of an answer when flashing before his mind’s eye is the memory of Akashi saying he was going to gouge out his own eyes and offer them to his teammates if they didn’t win. Talk about intense. How is he gonna answer the question?

 “Hmm…that’s a pretty difficult question, Mi-chan…” Takao starts, scratching his head trying to think of a way to describe the point guard. “Akashi is…Akashi is…”

 ‘Oh boy…’ he thinks to himself when he finally catches a glimpse of Akashi making his way through the crowd of people and towards them. ‘Speak of the devil.’

 Takao figures he was this close to actually pissing his pants maybe even a bit…maybe puking because his stomach was doing backflips. He could feel his heart pounding, and a sudden cold electric chill runs up his chest and makes him shiver. He really wishes he brought Shin-chan with him. Shin-chan knows how to handle Akashi. How is Takao going to handle Akashi alone? He barely even knows the guy! He figured his natural sociability would help him in this situation, since that was how he got along with most people, but this is different. Akashi isn’t like most people. Shin-chan is like an Akashi expert or something, and he’d know how to deal with the guy, and oh boy maybe he should let go of his pride and message Shin-chan-

 “Hello, Takao, his family,” Akashi glides in, bowing his head as he addressed each of them. “I see you have gotten here early. I hope I did not keep you all waiting for too long. I am Akashi Seijuro, Midorima Shintarou’s friend, though I imagine that you know him better as Shin-chan,” he says with a small, fond chuckle. (‘I knew that Shin-chan was close to Akashi! This just proves that they still talk!’ Takao perks up and mentally notes to rub this in Shin-chan’s face the next time he sees him.) “Welcome to Kyoto. I hope you all enjoy your time here.”

 “Thank you, Akashi-kun.” Takao’s father extends his hand and clasps Akashi’s in a firm handshake, which Akashi returns along with a polite smile. Takao gulps. For a moment, he can’t help but be worried that Akashi might pull that scissors stunt he did to Kagami on his dad. “My name is Takao Akitaka, and this is my wife Kotori and daughter Hitomi. You already know my son Kazunari.” Akitaka gestured to each of them as he spoke.

 “It is a pleasure to meet all of you. Shall we get going then?” With that practiced, polite smile still on his face, Akashi gestured to his limousine.

 Akitaka could not help but take a step back in surprise, his eyes growing wide and his arm swinging forward then close to his chest as a sort of arm shield. The rest of Takao’s family follows suit, squeaking “Eh?!” in unison. Takao should have warned them beforehand that the guy was loaded, but even he was surprised that Akashi would bring a freaking limo with him.

 “W-what is this, Akashi-kun?” Akitaka manages to inquire after getting over the initial shock.

 “It is a limousine, Takao-san,” Akashi replies as if it were the most normal thing in the world. (‘Well, duh, it’s a limousine! Anyone can see that,’ Takao thought, wanting to facepalm. ‘It’s the fact that you brought one that surprises us so much! We didn’t talk about that.’)

 Takao notices Akashi’s red eyes glancing at him for a moment, and as if reading Takao’s mind, Akashi explains, “In order to make the most of your short stay here in Kyoto, I thought that bringing our own mode of transportation would be quicker and more efficient than roughing it out in public transportation, so I brought sit upon myself to lend you my family’s limousine. That is, if you don’t mind.”

 Takao’s family finally finished gawking when Akitaka beams, “That was very thoughtful of you, Akashi-kun. We highly appreciate it. Thank you.”

 The redhead gives them a polite nod. “You are very welcome, Takao-san. Now, if we may?” Akashi proposes, gesturing to the vehicle.

 Before Takao could thank Akashi himself, his family loses all pretense of politeness and jogs to the car, squealing and screaming about numerous things at once like how nice the limousine was and how this was going to be ‘the best family vacation EVER!!!!’.

 Part of Takao is relieved that Akashi didn’t do anything funny to his family, but another part of him can’t help but be embarrassed of his family acting this way in front of Akashi. Takao winces visibly before turning to the guy. He can’t help but feel uncharacteristically tense and paranoid around him, and his family acting that way just makes him feel even worse. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, a crooked smile forced on his face. “Sorry about that. They’re just naturally excitable, and we’ve all been looking forward to this vacation for a really long time. This is my little sister’s first time in Kyoto.”

 Akashi waves it off. “It’s fine. I understand. I actually find it endearing,” he replied. As the redhead turns his head to look at Takao’s family chatting and helping each other deposit their luggage inside the limousine, Takao notices the ends of Akashi’s lips turn up, and the practiced, polite smile turning into something sincerer, more genuine. Akashi turns his eyes back to Takao. “Shall we join them?”

Takao’s face slowly breaks into a grin. He can’t help but smile back. “Yes. Let’s.”

 And he and Akashi walk alongside each other to the limousine.

     Their time together turns out to be much more pleasant than Takao imagined, and it proves much of Takao’s apprehension and fear were unnecessary (Well, you couldn’t really blame him. It’s kinda hard to forget when someone makes you fall flat on your butt and says something like “I don’t allow anyone acting against me to look down on me. Lower your head.”). He internally laughs at himself for becoming so fidgety and worried like Shin-chan. He almost called the giant carrot for help too! Shin-chan would never let him live it down!

 If anything, Akashi is a most gracious host. With Akashi’s extensive knowledge on Kyoto and its sights and history coupled with his calm, smooth voice, it is as if Takao’s family hired their own personal tour guide. In all honesty, this Akashi seems to be a whole different person from the one he encountered in the Winter Cup tournament. Takao finds the contrast between those two sides of Akashi quite unnerving, but he might as well enjoy his family’s vacation while he has the chance. There’s no use worrying over it if nothing happened.

 Akashi offers to pay for their activities, but Takao’s parents insists they pay for themselves. It would have been too much if they let Akashi pay for them as well. He was already providing them transportation; that was more than enough. Instead, his family asks Akashi to join them in their family pictures (rather than just taking their picture like he had originally planned to do). Takao’s family is the master of the wacky group pose, but Akashi always turns out to be the funniest-looking in the picture from how stiff and proper he looked in comparison to them.

 Around they go the Golden Pavilion Temple, taking pictures of Golden Pavilion in the center of the scenic zen garden and buying lucky charms for their health, studies, and family life. (Takao buys a ‘lucky in love’ charm for Midorima just for laughs.)

 Into Kodai Yuzen they enter for their yuzen dye experience, sitting around together and sharing stencils and yuzen dye to decorate their souvenir handkerchiefs with pictures of flowers and fruits. For fun, they exchange the handkerchiefs they made. Takao gives Akashi his handkerchief of a rickshaw covered in multicolored fruits. Akashi gives Hitomi his handkerchief of birds sitting on flower branches. Hitomi gives Takao her handkerchief of butterflies sipping nectar from flowers. As they go exploring in the shop, Hitomi spots a white yukata dyed with royal blue and magenta stargazers that she can’t take her eyes off. Takao and Akashi encourage her to try it on, and it’s obvious from the sparkle in her eyes and the way she twirls in it that she has fallen in love with it. Takao is about to tell her to take it off, so they could go sightseeing some more, when Akashi reaches out for his wallet and buys it for her.

 Takao stiffens. “You really didn’t have to do that, Akashi…”

 Akashi smiles as he watches Hitomi squeal in delight and skip in her new yukata. “Think nothing of it. She obviously wanted the yukata, and she looks beautiful in it. It looks like it was made especially for her.”

 Hitomi spends the rest of the day wearing her new yukata (and staying by Akashi’s side and holding his hand whenever possible. As if Takao wouldn’t notice that. The perks of being a ten-year-old.).

 Up they go the steps of the Fushimi Inari shrine and through the tunnel of tall orange torii gates, taking note of the names of the individuals and companies enscribed on the back of each gates and enjoying the view at the end of the mountain trail. When they get back down, they take pictures with the fox statues - Inari’s messengers.

 Right before nightfall, Akashi brings them to Gion, and their family treats him to dinner. It’s the least they can do. They eat okonomiyaki at a nearby restaurant and go to the famous geiko district to see the kimono-clad geiko and maiko walk to their appointments on high wooden shoes which clack on the stone pavement.

 Takao and Akashi get a chance to be alone and talk when Hitomi and Takao’s parents follow the path of one particular geiko in order to take her picture.

 “I bet you must’ve seen this happening with your Emperor Eye,” Takao chuckles. The day was exhausting, even for him, and it’s a surprise that even Hitomi could manage walking as much as she did, though he knows better than to underestimate his family’s energy. Hitomi is a volleyball player herself, he reminded himself. Of course she could take it.

 Akashi looks at him and grins in reply. “Even my Emperor Eye could not have predicted how much I would have enjoyed today.”

 Takao smiles himself and leans closer to pats Akashi on the shoulder. “Hey, thank you for taking time out of your schedule to tour us around Kyoto.”

 Akashi stiffens at first, then eases into the touch. “It is no problem at all. It was truly my pleasure.” Akashi’s ruby eyes twinkle from the soft glow of the streetlights. “Your family is wonderful.”

 Takao guesses it’s the exhaustion getting to him, but he feels himself let his guard down and become more sentimental. A wide, dopey grin spreads on his tired face. “Thank you. I love them a lot, you know? But you didn’t have to go and buy Hitomi that yukata! You went and spoiled her! Heck, you spoiled all of us with that limo and all that explaining you did! Man, I’m so embarrassed! How the heck am I supposed to pay you back?!”

 “I don’t have any siblings myself, so it’s fine. It was nice to have a little sister for a day.” Takao isn’t sure he heard right when he hears Akashi offer, “Why not keep in touch with me more often?”

 Takao blinks. “That’s it? Are you sure?”

 Akashi props his arm and places a curled finger under his lip thoughtfully, bending his other arm at the elbow for support. He takes a moment to think. “Why not tell me about how Shintarou is doing and if he has been getting into any more Oha Asa-related antics? You know the ones,” he suggests with a mischievous smirk.

 Takao breaks into a wide, toothy grin. “Grilling Shin-chan? With one of his former teammates? Tell me some embarrassing stories from middle school, and that would be my pleasure! Sign me up!”

 Akashi laughs. It’s the first time that Takao hears him laugh more than a chuckle, and even the guy’s laugh sounds elegant. Why do people like Akashi get to be the model of beauty and grace even when they laugh when Takao gets told that he sounds like a mad hyena when he does the same thing?! “Sounds good,” the redhead replies, then looks at his watch. “I apologize, but it’s getting late, and I still have some errands to run. sIf you wouldn’t mind?”

 Takao shakes his head. “Not at all. Here, let me escort you to your limousine, my prince,” he bows in an overdone fashion and throws his arm in the direction of the vehicle.

 It obviously catches Akashi by surprise because he clutches on to his sides and the laugh that comes out of his mouth is breathier, more chopped, and less elegant than it first sounded. Takao figures he likes the sound of this laugh more. Makes him feel better about himself and his own hyena laugh. Akashi has to wipe a tear from his eye with his finger before he can speak again. “Thank you, but you still have a long way to go if you’re going to be an escort or a butler.”

 Takao gasps loudly, spreading his fingers in a fan over his breastbone. “How mean of you!” he proclaims, reciting each syllable slow and deliberately, sounding as hammy as he possibly can. “I can show you otherwise!” He extends his hand to Akashi and winks, “Come this way, Akashi-sama~”

 Akashi stares at him incredulously at first, his own hand retracting from Takao’s, before relaxing and taking up the offer. He places his hand in Takao’s, and it’s rough and calloused from hours upon hours of playing basketball, but Takao can’t help but feel a sense of victory that he managed to convince the top high school point guard in Japan. Now, if he could convince Shin-chan to do more things with him more often…

 “Oh yeah, before I forget, my family wants to thank you for today as well, and my parents said you’re welcome to stay with us any time when you happen to be in Tokyo.  We could show you around then!”

 A small, pleased smile spreads on Akashi’s face. “I would love that. Thank you. I will certainly take you up on that offer if ever I find myself in Tokyo.”

 “Just be careful though! You’ve already seen how hyperactive my family can be,” Takao teases. “I hope it won’t be too much for you.”

 “It’s not a problem at all. I would love to see you and your family again. Give me a great tour in Tokyo, okay?”

 Takao beams, “I’ll give you the best one. Oh yeah, Akashi, I just wanted to say…you’re actually a pretty cool guy. I admit that I was afraid of you at first with Winter Cup and all, but you’re actually really nice!”

 Takao swears he sees the faintest blush dust Akashi’s face, and he feels Akashi tighten his grip on his hand ever so slightly. “…thank you, Takao…” Akashi whispers. Takao thinks it’s cute when Akashi loses his composed façade and shows these different sides of himself.

 Takao squeezes Akashi’s hand. “No problem, Akashi.” He takes his hand away from Akashi’s to open the limousine door for Akashi and, with a flourish of his hand, gestures him inside. “Your carriage awaits, my prince.

 Akashi brings a hand to his mouth to laugh. “Thank you very much, Takao-san.”

 Akashi is stepping inside the limousine when Takao remembers, “We have each other’s numbers, right? Text me when you get home. I wanna know if you get home safely.”

 A small smile blooms on Akashi’s face, that faint blush dusting his cheeks yet again. “I will. Thank you for the concern…and thank you for the wonderful day, Takao.”

 Takao brings up his hands and shakes them at the wrist. “No, no, Akashi. The pleasure is all ours. We should be thanking you! Good night, Akashi.”

 “Good night, Takao,” was the last thing Akashi said before he closed his car door, and it drove off into the night.

 Among the soft orange glow of the street lamps of Gion, on the stone pavement, Takao waves goodbye to Akashi, a wide smile on his face and a warmth lingering in his hands.

Notes:

(1) There are two types of Flagrant Fouls, as follows:

Flagrant "1" (FFP1) - unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent. The opposing team is awarded two (2) free throws and possession.

Flagrant "2" (FFP2) - unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent. The opposing team is awarded two (2) free throws and possession and the player committing the foul is automatically ejected.

(2) Mi-chan is Takao’s little sister’s nickname in this fic. I chose Hitomi to be Takao’s little sister’s name because it means ‘beautiful eyes’. I imagine her to look very similar to Takao and also has the Hawk Eye.

 This fic has traveled a long way tbh. It's been months since I had this idea, and I was so busy with school that I only got to write most of this during the 13-hour plane ride from the Philippines to America. (TakaAka made its way with me to America hahaha)

I admit that MidoAka is my OTP, and I came to ship TakaAka due to the faction between MidoTaka and MidoAka. In all honesty, my obsession with TakaAka started because I wanted everyone to get along by getting rid of the middle man (I still love Midorima though. Make no mistake hahaha.) Now, after exploring the possible interactions between these two, it has become a genuine, sincere love for this ship. This ship is so cute, and I think it has so much potential! I hope you enjoy this fic as I enjoy thinking of scenarios for it and writing it.

Warning though: out of all the categories of creative writing, I am worst at writing fiction. I'm a non-fiction writer, and I haven't written any fiction in six years. I've also only been writing technical papers for three or four years, so please bear with me. I would also highly appreciate it if someone would give me tips and give me constructive criticism, since I'm so rusty hahaha.

I'll also be including my own headcanons and character interpretations in this fic if you guys don't mind. I'll try my best to make them as interesting and accurate as possible.

The vacation Takao's family had in Kyoto is based off my own time in Kyoto. I was a cultural exchange student in Japan and went to Tokyo and Japan two years ago. :) I actually have the butterfly handkerchief! It was a great experience. I'll be using my own personal experiences and knowledge and commenting on them in the notes in this fic from time to time. I am (was) also a basketball player in my college's varsity and am getting into watching NBA, so I'll try to include technical basketball terms from time to time as well.

I would really appreciate reviews and/or constructive criticism. :) hmu in twitter @ mihosakibarachi! Let's talk about more TakaAka and KNB! \(^o^)/