Kuroko opened his eyes slowly after seeing the sunlight's determined shine through his eyelids, and stretched himself on the bed, minding not to stretch too much or he'll be rendered disabled by muscle cramps. After a moment of breathing and fetching his mind back to Lydusshire, his current home, Kuroko stood up and stretch once more.
Another day, same old, same old. He sighed. Deep within his mind, he wished something unusual would happen to him that day. Maybe for an eagle to come swooping his food down, or a nobleman toppled into a mud puddle, or maybe a see a weak opponent winning in the weekly mock battle. He always loved it when someone used their brain and not just brawl unintelligently in the ring, because he can show to people that during their time, having a brain is useful too.
He went to grab the towel and change of clothes, and went downstairs to see Hyuuga, his landlord and also master, had been waiting for him at the door.
"Oh good, you're awake. Riko's still cooking, so we'll have to go to the river first," said Kuroko's master. Kuroko nodded and followed Hyuuga to the said river, and didn't forget to bring along a soap and bucket for them to scoop the water.
The river was crowded today, like it was a National Bath Day. Speaking of which, the king should really make a holiday out of that. Kuroko, while maintained his poker face, stared at the enormous amount of people swarming the river like ants to sugar glaze. Hyuuga yanked Kuroko's hand and brought him to an empty spot, quickly stripping down to his undies and started to splash his skin with the water.
Kuroko usually strips down to none, easier for him to clean himself well, but today he felt like someone was watching him. When he turned around, still in his shorts thank God, he saw a tall blond hiding behind a building nearby the river. His eyes were glued to Kuroko.
The blue-haired boy grew goosebumps, and proceed to strip down only to his underwear, just to make sure that the most-probably-a-pedophiliac-if-not-a-homo person did not pounce on him when he was careless. While Hyuuga was coating himself with soap, Kuroko took the bucket and began his bathing ritual like usual, now he has more scrubbing to do after he knew a pair of eyes were watching him.
After they were finished, Kuroko picked up the soap and threw it into the bucket, and hanged the towel on his shoulder. His eyes momentarily took a peek at the previous hiding place of the staring man, only to find the blond was still there, persistently looking at the crowd and especially Kuroko.
Maybe he needs help, thought the small boy. Kuroko excused himself from Hyuuga that was still changing into a fresh set of clothes, and walked towards the blond that now seemed flustered and restless.
"Can I help you?" asked Kuroko as soon as he arrived at the blond.
"Uwaa!"
The small boy blinked. "I'm sorry. Did I surprise you?"
The blond nodded and chuckled. "I thought I saw you holding the bucket right there and then suddenly BAM you're in front of me."
"So you were watching me."
The blond sealed his lips tight; both astonished and speechless, and sinking in the fact that he's caught. "I… Um…"
"Do you need something from me?"
"Yes," replied the blond hesitantly. "I haven't taken my bath yet, and I don't have the equipments…" His hazel pupils kept glancing at the towel and the bucket Kuroko was holding, and the boy understood the signal immediately.
"Alright, I'll lend you mine for now, only if you give something to me in return," said Kuroko and he headed back to his master to tell about his temporary absence in the shop to help a stranger.
After Hyuuga had went back, Kuroko pulled out the man from his hiding place to the river, and he ogled at the outfit the stranger was wearing.
"Those are cotton and silk," muttered Kuroko as the stranger stripped his shirt and pants, and now in his underwear revealing his chiseled figure.
"Yeah. My dad and servants got them for me," chirped the blond happily while he's occupied with his bath.
"Servants." Kuroko eyed the stranger with every move he made.
"Yeah."
Although with a stressed pronounciation of 'servant', the man didn't seem to falter, and Kuroko was even more curious. After a moment of bathing, the blond looked at Kuroko and gave him pleading eyes.
"Um… Can you help me?"
Kuroko's eyebrow tilted. "With what?"
"Washing my back."
Curiouser and curiouser. Either Kuroko was overthinking this or this stranger was a nobleman getting thrown into the den of poverty here. Nevertheless, Kuroko grabbed the soap and began wiping it at his back while the blond sat down to give better access to Kuroko.
"Thank you," said the blond.
"No big deal," retorted Kuroko. His focus was still on washing the man's muscular back.
"I still don't know your name though."
Kuroko's attention was stolen for a moment, and he settled his calm blue eyes to the hazel orbs of the blond. His mind balancing the pros and cons of introducing himself to a total stranger. "Kuroko Tetsuya."
The blond nodded slowly and faced back forward. "Don't you want to know what my name is, Kuroko-kun?"
"Not really."
The blond whined, feeling a little unappreciated by his act of friendliness. After a second of silence, he told Kuroko, "My name is Kise Ryouta."
He still tells me anyway, Kuroko thought, hands busy on cleaning the stranger's back. In his mind, he constantly searched for dukes or barons with the same family name. In the end, he failed to find a match, and he sighed in desperation.
"It's done," said Kuroko as he handed the soap back to Kise.
"Thank you, Kuroko-kun!"
Kise's smile gave Kuroko's heart a ray of warmth. He might be a total stranger, but he certainly know how to act kind. After the blond had finished putting his clothes back on, he gave the bucket and towel back to the blue-haired boy.
"About the compensation…"
Kuroko's eyes went back to Kise. "It's okay. I'll let it slide today."
Kise's mouth gaped open. "A-Are you sure? I mean I may not be able to pay you back now but if I ask my father later-"
"I said it's fine, Kise-kun," cut Kuroko. "I'm heading back to my shop. You should go back to your manor too."
At the word manor, Kise stiffened. He was caught once again.
"How did you know?" asked Kise with curiousity, his steps deliberately following Kuroko.
"A peasant won't ask someone else to wash their backs and most certainly," his eyes rested on Kise's shirt, "don't have the luxury to have cotton tunic and silk tights."
Kise eyed his outfit and let out a nervous chuckle. "Wrong choice of wardrobe, I guess."
"You guess?" said Kuroko sarcastically, when he suddenly caught a movement at a nearby bush. He readied himself for what's to come. "Kise-kun, be careful."
"Eh?"
Three figures appeared from the shadows and clad themselves in ragged garbs and rusty weaponry. "Give us those silk and cotton if you want to walk away alive!" yelled one of the man.
Kuroko sighed. This was what he didn't want to get involved with.
"Kise-kun, I suppose you know any self-defense moves?"
The blond thought for a second before answering, "well, I do fencing once in a while. Hey, maybe I could use that stick over there as my sword?"
Just when Kuroko thought Kise would run out of stupid ideas.
Kuroko held the bucket tight. It might come in handy if the robbers got aggressive.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Out of the blue, an angry shout came from behind the three robbers. After recognizing whose voice it belonged to, Kuroko put on a relieved smile.
"Long time no see, Kagami-kun."
The man named Kagami was covered in armor, signaling that he had enrolled in the palace's knight forces, and was glaring daggers at the three mysterious figures.
"Get the fuck outta here or I'm going to beat your asses off Lydusshire."
Even without the venomous voice, the three would certainly feel frightened to the bones. They quickly scampered away from the crime scene, running away from the beast. After the three men had ran away and vanished for good, Kagami walked towards the two. "And what's with you walking around with those outfit? This is not the place to show-off your wealth, ya got that?" said Kagami with an angered tone.
Kise flinched at Kagami's voice, but Kuroko assured Kise that the knight was only worried about them. The blond nodded, still unsure, but at least he knew Kuroko was dependable.
"Kuroko, give that customer the pendant you worked on yesterday," ordered Hyuuga from the back of the shop. The boy that was lifting boxes of steel nuggets immediately put them down and went to fetch the piece he had put most of his effort on.
"Here," said Kuroko, as he handed Hyuuga the pendant.
"I said give it to her yourself," sighed Hyuuga. "Or is it because you don't want to show yourself again to a customer?"
Kuroko gave him a smile. "Isn't it good enough if they like my work?"
The master shook his head, taking the item in Kuroko's hand and later walked towards the customer that was waiting outside of the shop. It was a girl clad in beautiful corset dress, pink and frilly. She stood there elegantly, while the others were wondering how can a person be so pretty and majestic by just standing around.
"Miss Momoi, here is the pendant you requested," said Hyuuga, as he lifted the said item, layered by a clean cloth above his hand. "And it's forged by the goldsmith you asked."
The woman, named Momoi Satsuki, looked at the pendant meticulously. She scrutinized the detailed design and cannot stop herself from falling in awe by the unique way of the goldsmith to make a pendant. So flowy but ravaging; Suited for a duchess like herself. She lifted her face to Hyuuga with a soft smile on her lips.
"I like it." Momoi held out a bag of silver coins and exchanged them with the pendant. After taking one last look at the pendant that is now her posession, she walked back to her home, leaving Hyuuga in front of the shop. He didn't waste a second to peek inside the small sack, and his eyes glitter at the enormous amount of silver coins in it.
"Riko~! Kuroko~! We're going to have a feast tonight!"
"Like I said, I can't hide you in here forever," stressed Kuroko as he put the boxes in the storeroom, and a tall figure followed behind him. "Go back to your mansion, Kise-kun. Your parents will get worried."
The blond pouted, and Kuroko was so frustrated at how cute and masculine it looked.
"I don't wanna!"
The baby blue-haired boy sighed for the nth time, thinking of how he can get rid of the rich kid behind him.
"The night will get cold."
Kise flinched. He's not good with cold.
"And I'm not sure if we have enough food for you."
And apparently he's not good with fasting too.
"How about if I play with you in the evening, Kuroko-kun?" asked Kise, now have given up on his idea on running away from his teachers at his mansion.
"I think I will have some free time, but Kagami-kun and Aomine-kun will join too," replied Kuroko, eyes still glued on sorting out the supplies to their respective boxes.
"Eh? Aomine-kun? You mean THE Aomine?!" asked Kise, astonished, and Kuroko put a finger on his lips and made a loud whisper with 'Ssshh!' Realizing his mistake, Kise covered his mouth with his hand and chuckled cheekily. "Sorry."
"Yes. The Aomine. The head of the royal knights in Lydusshire. He's my best friend since we grew in the same household, and I also know Momoi-san, the Duchess who the prince was supposed to marry."
Again, Kise was baffled, and another gasp escaped his lips. Kuroko became even more uneasy because even Kise with his mouth covered, he's fucking noisy.
"So, Kuroko-kun. Have you met with this prince?"
Kuroko turned to his back, facing Kise with his brow cocked upwards. "No."
That explains it, Kise thought. His cold sweat had began to disappear. Kise really didn't want to tell Kuroko about the prince who ran away from his castle because he wanted to be a good prince but end up getting lost in the Shitbrook, and it's not even a mile away from the capital. Kise didn't want to tell Kuroko that the prince is an idiot with a brave and kind heart, and always jump into things without thinking about the end results. How he's still alive remained an eternal question, and it's all written on the stars, according to the prince's greenhead advisor. Kise didn't want to tell the boy that the prince was so confused at how he should get back to his castle without getting mobbed by street burglars, until he met a boy who he was attracted with; Mostly because he thought the boy was a girl.
And lastly, Kise didn't want to tell Kuroko that the prince was actually him.