ღ✎Authoress's Noteღ✎: This is actually a repost from my DeviantArt, so if you saw it on there then it's the same, and if not, WELL HAVE FUN WITH THIS CRACKFIC. XD

He was always number one. It was a principle engrained into him since he was old enough to understand the word success. He could do anything perfectly.

There were no exceptions to his flawless perfection, not a single one.

"Akashi-kun, what are you reading?" Your voice rang out from behind the book's cover and Akashi fought not to look up at you and give himself away.

"Nothing particularly interesting," he covered smoothly, keeping his eyes focused on the words in front of him.

"Oh really? That's not like the giant textbooks you're usually stuck reading," you pressed, a dangerous amount of playfulness in your tone- you were probably the only one who would ever talk to him like that. Normally, it was a reprieve, and right now it was his own personal hell.

"(Surname)-chan, I'd appreciate if you let me get back to reading."

"Right. Right."

Akashi listened to the slight screech as you twisted your chair back towards the front of the class, pretending that you were paying attention to the teacher.

"Oh, and Akashi-kun."

"Yes... (Surname)-chan?" He was going to regret this. He was never wrong and he knew that he was going to regret this.

"If you really need to learn how to tell jokes, just try em out on me; that cheesy knock-knock book is never going to help."

Akashi promptly shut the book as if the entire classroom heard you and your big mouth. He stared you dead in the eyes, crimson hues narrowing. "How did you know?"

You looked over your shoulder at him, amusement in your eyes. "I have my ways." Fortunately, you spared him any other questioning, skipping right to the most important part. You twisted the chair back around, leaning on his desk with both elbows. "All right. Give me your best shot."

Akashi deadpanned as he looked at you, torn between trusting you with this task and ignoring you for the sake of his own sanity. He had nothing to lose besides his dignity, but as Teiko's basketball captain he knew that practice was the key to perfection, so he'd have to swallow his pride. "Why did the coach let the elephant play basketball?"

Why am I not surprised it's a basketball joke? You were already smiling to yourself as you shrugged your shoulders in a show of feigned ignorance. As brilliant as he was, even Akashi had to have a flaw somewhere.

Akashi put on his best poker face. "Because he already broke the bench."

Nothing. For a few seconds, Akashi managed to make you completely and utterly speechless- that feat alone should have gone into a world record book somewhere. Though, when it hit thirty seconds and you were still staring at him like a goldfish, that's when he started to get worried.

"(Surna-"

"BAHAHA WHAT WAS THAT DELIVERY, HOW CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE?! YOU'RE EVEN WORSE THAN KUROKO." At this point you stopped to gasp for air, clutching onto your stomach and doubling over like your life depended on it. "HOLD ON, IF I'M NOT BACK IN TIME TELL SENSEI I WENT TO THE RESTROOM- I CAN'T BREATHE." Without waiting for his response, you ran out of the classroom, practically plowing Midorima down as you went. Midorima stumbled back, scolding you for running so frantically into the hallway.

Akashi glanced over a Midorima, still smiling. "I think I win our little bet."

Midorima let out a sigh, swearing mentally. "What joke did you even tell her? She laughed like a madwoman..."

Akashi pulled out the knock-knock book, returning Midorima's lucky item to him. "Sometimes it's not about the joke, it's about the execution. Besides, the important part of a joke is to make someone laugh, after all." He could still hear your laughing echoing down the hallway. It was so completely inelegant, yet at the same time, Akashi decided that he definitely had to tell you more 'jokes' in the future.