Shootin' hoops (Ivan tags any)

[Ivan Demarco]

Ivan was in no hurry to head home. He'd have to listen to his father's bs about how same sex marriage should be illegal and that ALL immigrants needed to be sent back to where they came from. Did he not know that this was the 2000's not the 1800's?

He headed to the boys locker room and slipped into a pair baggy knee length navy blue shorts and a gray muscle shirt which displayed his nicely formed biceps. He took a dollar with him and bought a bottle of water before hitting the gym.

He stretched for a bit then grabbed a basketball and started to shoot some hoops. This helped him unwind and let the stress of the day and family life leave him or at least till he got home.

He dribbled the ball a bit and went for a layup shot and missed. Try and try again. He took the ball and did the set up again, getting closer this time.

He puffed out a breath of air, and this time focused on the hoop. He took his running start, and jumped.

The ball went in.

He was rather pleased with himself and took a quick water break. He saw someone sitting there and offed a quiet, "Hey." to them.

[fryn]

Takumi was hot and tired after spending the best part of the last hour collecting bits of paper, food wrappers, cans, bottles... even blobs of gum... off the ground in the main quadrangle. His punishment for skipping school that morning. His first of five such after school activities. He wiped a hand across his forehead, leaving a dusty streak in its wake before dumping the black plastic bag that was filled to its brim next to the other sacks by the trash cans at the back of the main building. He needed to wash up before making for hiome and as the nearest facility was the locker room next to the gym he set out for there.

Ten minutes later - and a lot cleaner - he was set to go but noise issuing from the gym drew his attention.

He wasn't as alone as he'd assumed.

Curiosity got the better of him and he could also do with something to drink and so he ducked inside the gym, spotting the unknown boy throwing a ball into a basketball ring. He looked engrossed and so Takumi grabbed a bottle of fruit-flavoured water and dropped down to sit next to the dispenser. He unscrewed the top and took a deep drink, closing his eyes in pleasure as the cool liquid quenched his thirst. He wasn't even aware that the ball had stopped bouncing... Not until a voice drew him from his semi-comatose state.

"Hey."

His eyes opened and he looked up at the boy who had been on the court moments before.

"Hello," Takumi replied. "You have far more energy than you need. Perhaps you could lend me some for a while?" he asked with a friendly smile. "I am Takumi," he added, reaching up a hand still slightly damp from their wash. "Yoshino Takumi. Are you new to school?" That said, he could hardly call himself an 'old face' either.

[Ivan Demarco]

Ivan gave a smile to the Asian teen. "Ivan Demarco. I'm an old face here, been here since my freshman year." He gave a firm gripped handshake to the teen. "I just tend to be quiet and stay in the back, makes things easier most of the time."

"I wouldn't say I have more energy, I just store it up till I need it." He took a drink of water, replenishing what liquid he had lost. "This is also good for working out frustration. Its not violent, its constructive and no one gets hurt, well, unless someone gets hit by the ball and I haven't had that happen yet."

"So Takumi, how long you been going here?" Ivan asked, seeing how this would make his fathers' blood boil, his son being seen talking to someone who wasn't white or as what some would call a Chink. "I hope I said your name correctly."

He didn't like being associated with a man like that but a kid can't chose their parents. His father's viewpoints had always been a tough spot for making friends in school at any time.

[fryn]

Takumi smiled back at the far taller boy. In fact, he had to beat Takumi on that side by a good 6 inches. Perhaps even more. "I have been here since the 14th... Valentine's Day," he replied with a bright smile. "So not all that long. Long enough for me to end up in detention for today and all of next week," he added with a wry lift of his shoulders. "Still, the outdoor area has never looked so clean!" Detention or not, Takumi took a certain pride in his work! "Hai, you said it perfectly," he assured Ivan. "Although most people seem to like to shorten it to Taki... I am fine with that as well."

He peered up at the other boy. "I have never played this game before. Can you show me how to do it? Basketball isn't all that popular in Japan... That's where I'm from. Probably because no-one there is tall enough to do it properly." Takumi laughed as he spoke but it was the truth. A tall Japanese boy - or girl - was a rarity.

"I must warn you, though. I have co-ordination that is worse than bad!"

He scrambled to his feet with a hopeful glint in his eyes. Ivan seemed friendly. So much so that he didn't look the kind to laugh at Takumi when he screwed up... as he knew he would.

[Ivan Demarco]

"Just in time for cupid's arrow to strike." Ivan teased gently. He admired the kids' enthusiasm. "You know if trouble is lurking about, it'll pounce out right away." He bounced the ball a couple of times. "You have a good work ethic, your taking pride in what you do, stop that, it makes the rest of us look bad!" He laughed. "I'm kidding, it's good to have that." Ivan absorbed the nickname. "Taki, that's one I can remember easily."

"Sure, its not that hard to learn. Just like anything it just takes practice." He got up and set his water aside then headed to the gym floor. "I'll give you the basics for now, come on down."

"First you want to get used to the ball." He went and grabbed one for Taki. "Bounce it a few times, then turn that into a dribble, thats where you are going to keep a rhythm with it with a gentle push of your hand." Ivan gave a demonstration. "Once you get this mastered, then comes the shooting of the ball."

"I mean getting the ball in the basket." He forgot that the meaning might sound different to someone not familiar with the game.

[fryn]

Takumi gazed up at the ceiling, mind already latching on to Ivan's words... Eyes distant, the scene changed slightly... A haze washed over the gym and the sound of a ball hitting the floor in a monotonous rhythm was the only noise that kept company with the heavy breathing of the person controlling the motion. Takumi saw himself emerge from the haze, the ball rebounding from the floor and back to the palm of his hand. He caught it... and threw it towards the roof. His eyes narrowed as he tracked its path and then he slowly brought up an Uzi. Open bolt, blow-back operation Israeli submachine gun. He lifted the weapon higher still and brought up his right hand also to grasp its butt. He held his breath... and fired, bullets tearing into the butyl rubber ball... It ripped to shreds and rained down around Takumi as he slowly lowered the Uzi...

"I mean getting the ball in the basket."

"Huh?" Takumi blinked as Ivan clarified his comment. "Not shoot?" The mental imagery faded in a swirl of disappointment.

He shrugged it off and watched Ivan instead, determination filling the void left by the shatted illusion. "Like this?" he asked and he tried to copy Ivan's actions....

"Kuso," he swore beneath his breath. "I'll go and find it," he said as he watched the basketball vanish over the low wall that formed the viewing balcony above the court. Takumi darted off with a wry grin at his tutor, vowing to himself to try harder whilst at the same time to curb his enthusiasm a tad.

"Show me again, Ivan-chan!" he implored.

[Ivan Demarco]

"That's what its called, shooting. I guess because its like a cannon ball leaving a cannon." Ivan wasn't really sure but it sounded good to him. He dribbled the ball a few times as Taki tried to mimic him.

He covered his mouth to cover a laugh, it wasn't Taki he was laughing at, it was the situation. He waited as Taki retrieved the ball, even spinning the ball on his finger for a moment.

"I'm going to call that The Godzilla. It scaled the city and stopped at nothing to get to its destination." He nodded thinking the shot had a good name to it. "If this were an actual game, you would have taken out a few spectators, which isn't always a bad thing. There can be some obnoxious people watching."

Ivan was trying to think of a good way to explain how to dribble the ball. Something came to him and maybe it would work. "Have you ever used a yo-yo before?" He asked, knowing the motion was similar. "Slowly drop the ball and let it come back when it does, gently push it down." He hoped that would give it a bit better explanation.

[fryn]

Takumi nodded a few times and laughed when Ivan said he'd have hit some spectators. "Its probably a good idea that I don't take up basketball professionally, hai?" he said with a broad grin. He knew he was bad but where he lacked skill and coordination he certainly made up for it with effort.

"Yo-yo?" He nodded again. "I can do that," he added, hope filling his eyes. If it was like that then he stood half a chance of getting it close to right.

The eternal optimist.

Takumi motioned playing with a yo yo to practice first before trying it with the ball. "I did it!" He exclaimed in surprise. No, it was more akin to shock. He looked up at Ivan. "Now I will try it while running..."

Pride definitely does come before a fall.

Takumi scowled at the ball as he peeled his face away from the basketball court floor. "You make it look so easy and yet the ball has a demon inside it. I'm sure it does! I must practice this drooling and then I will improve."

[Ivan Demarco]

Taki's eagerness and everlasting optimism really had made Ivan smile and forget about home life. He laughed as he talked about not taking up basketball professionally. "What happened is nothing. I've been to games where the guys are going so quickly, they trip and find themselves flying into the crowd. What you did is very minor."

Ivan did the motion along with Taki. "That's right just like that, now add the ball." Taki, it seemed, had gotten the hang of it. "Looking good there!"

Thats when the new challenge had reared its ugly head.

"Taki, wait..." Ivan started but it was too late. Taki had started to run and dribble at the same time, which had disastrous results. Down he went face first to the gym floor.

Ivan went over to him and offered a hand to help him up.
"Its like anything, you have to practice, after all you didn't just jump on a bicycle and start riding right away?" The one piece of decent advice Ivan's father had ever given him.

"There's no demon, you just need to," Ivan started to reply when Taki got him with practicing and he'd improve. "That's right. Anytime you want to practice, just send me a message."

[fryn]

The two boys swapped mobile phone numbers and Takumi offered his thanks to Ivan one more time. "I will take you up on your offer," he added with a dip of his head. For now, though, he really needed to head for home. He'd called his mother and told her he'd be late and Izzy also already knew. Hopefully there would still be time for them to meet up later and do something fun together. The day hadn't been all that bad, though, despite his detention. He'd met Jett - and Izzy's other pals... and made other friends earlier that morning (although he wasn't all that sure where he stood with Sebastian, he had to admit). All in all things had gone well. Ok. he wouldn't have minded missing the after school activities that lay before him all next week but all things taken into account, today had been good.

He waved a farewell to his latest friend before setting off for the car parking area and a certain bright red Vespa. The weekend lay before him... All manner of possibilities and adventures were contained within it. Izzy... Lia... Dare and Evan for the music practice. And then bowliong on Sunday. It promised to be a fun-packed couple of days!

(wrapped for Takumi and thanks for the fun thread )