"K-Kagami-kun… We might get caught…"
"Don't worry, everyone has already left."
Seirin's locker was filled with soft giggles and the sound of jerseys rustling against each other. It was about 8 p.m and the Seirin members had already left. Riko senpai had invited all of them for a treat in Maji Burger to celebrate their victory against Rakuzan, but the first year duo had decided to celebrate it in their own ways. So the two excused themselves and stayed in the lockers a bit longer. However, their stay in there took a bit longer than what they themselves had expected. And now they found themselves not being able to split from each other.
It felt hot; Whether the atmosphere or his body, Kuroko didn't know. He found himself helping the hands that were removing his jersey. His eyes were still close. He was really tired after the match, and it was probably the crave for Kagami's embraces and touches that had kept him awake until then.
"You were amazing, Tetsuya…"
"I.. I believe you were the most amazing, Kagami-kun." He still refused to open his eyes. The red head guy's body behind him felt as hot as his, and his arms were so reliable around his waist that tempted the bluenette to lean back. It made him feel relaxed and safe, like this was the end of his world. It made him feel like an old man that only wants to lie down on a beach and enjoy the comforting warm rays of sun in his last days of life. But there was no denial about the apprehension he felt in the bottom of his heart.
"So… You won't break your promise, will you?" Kagami lowered his head, brushing his face on the soft blue hair. The time had come… The time for answers, for making decisions… But, something in the back of Kuroko's mind was afraid to accept it.
"What promise are you talking about, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko said, expressionlessly.
"No joking!" Kagami said, as he turned the guy in his arms to face him. His face did not express anything close to humor. He grabbed the shorter's shoulders. "I have passed the condition, I beat all the members of Kiseki no Sedai; Now it's time for you to do as you promised!"
Kuroko sighed. The idea of teasing Kagami had always worked, but it seemed that the guy was really serious about the matter this time. And Kuroko knew that there was no way for him to escape the topic whenever Kagami and him would reach to that point.
He remembered the first time, almost a year ago… It was at a Tuesday night, and they had a match with Kaijou the next day. When he had arrived home and just a few minutes after taking a shower his cell phone had vibrated, informing of a received text message. He could easily guess who it was from, and right, it had been from Kagami-kun. Reading the message, he had rolled his eyes and walked to his room to change. 'Does Kagami-kun have even a single brain cell?' He had asked himself. It was about 7 at night, and there was the match with Kaijou tomorrow. Only an idiot like Kagami-kun could ask him to meet up with him in such a situation. He could have easily refused to meet Kagami-kun there and then, because not even he was extremely tired because of Couch's cruel trainings, but also he needed to get ready for tomorrow. Not that he would ever admit, but he himself kind of wanted to meet his partner as well… Did that mean that he was an idiot like Kagami-kun? Well, Who knows. Besides, it was right that Kagami-kun had been an idiot for calling up for him in that situation, but he wasn't too idiot to call him there for something unimportant. So, he was going. He definitely was…
There, by the window had been his light, sitting on the booth they usually took whenever they went to Maji Burger; the two of them. He had been staring out at the street with a serious, yet nervous expression. He had gone and sat in front of him, waited for him to finally notice his presence. And unusually, this time it had taken the red head no time to realize about Kuroko's arrival.
"So, What's up, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko had asked, and observed how Kagami-kun's expression had gotten even worse, so much that it had started to make him worried.
"Kuroko… Well… There's something I've been wanting to tell ya…" Kagami-kun had replied, finally daring to look at him in the eyes. The look in Kagami-kun's eyes was something different from whatever that the Shadow had ever seen. Sure, he had noticed that sometimes the brightness in his Light's eyes were only shown to him and no one else, but he had always thought of it as a sign that showed he reminded Kagami-kun of something he was in love with, basketball. And so, he had been happy that something in him resembled basketball, so his tall friend could feel comfortable with him. But this time, what he saw in Kagami-kun's eyes was something beyond brightness or excitement… It was… something new that made butterflies in Kuroko's belly…
After confusing Kuroko with a long and stupid foreword that only Kagami-kun himself could make, "Will you go out with me?!" Kagami-kun had blurted when he saw that Kuroko was showing no clues or understanding of what he had been trying to say. Kuroko couldn't help it, he knew that his eyes had gone so wide that could cause Kagami-kun a heart attack. He knew that his face had gotten so red that could cause Kagami-kun a nosebleed. But he couldn't help it. It had been a few weeks since he had met the red haired guy, but he had easily came to admire his everything. Like, everything of him, from head to toe. His color of hair, his broad shoulders, his manly chest, his well formed abs, his muscular legs, his strength, his way of speaking, his way of behaving, his way of living… and his unique eyebrows. There had been no single thing in the guy that Kuroko could not admire. It was just that… he looked like his childhood friend and his former light, Aomine… And that always scared him, hurt him to no ends. What if the same thing that happened between him and Aomine-kun was going to happen between them too? What if Kagami-kun was going to finally find him no match for his strength in basketball?... His worries had gone even more when he had realized that his way of thinking for the tall guy was more than just admiration. Much more…
Now, Kagami-kun had asked him out… He had never ever expected this to happen. He was hardly noticed by people, and even his teammates. He was weak, he was boring. But he wanted Kagami… He had been craving him without knowledge of it. Let's say, he had loved Kagami Taiga. It made Kuroko panic, get pale like a mummy. If they started going out, new 'what if's were going to born in his clear mind. He was no match for the guy he loved… That was what he believed. What if Kagami-kun was just trying to see if it could work between them? What if he would finally find that he deserved more than Kuroko? What if…
It had been enough. He was done hurting himself by his own thoughts. He was done fearing. He was done suppressing his feelings…
"Kuroko?! You alright?!" Kagami-kun had worriedly asked when he had heard nothing from the Kuroko. His expression had started to hurt the red head and his pride… but he couldn't help it, he couldn't believe that the guy he had his eyes for, was asking him out, and he was on the verge of bursting in tears because every damn thing of future was scaring him… Cheers to fate.
"Hey… Sorry… Well…" Kagami had rubbed his nape, trying to make one of the smiles Kuroko's heart was allergic to, but shamefully had failed. "I'm… sorry. Forge-"
"In one condition." Kuroko had replied immediately before the delay could ruin everything. Kagami-kun's eyes had widened.
"W-what condition?!"
And it all had gone that way, with Kuroko buying time for himself to get ready to face the future, and kill the source of 'what if's in his mind. To get brave enough to start a new path with Kagami-kun. "Beating the GoM" had been his condition. He had been unfair to Kagami, he knew. But he couldn't help it. He wasn't ready, he was weak and scared. He needed time to overcome the fears he was carrying from his past, the fear of being abandoned again… And that could bring him months to think of what he was going to do. At first, he had thought that Kagami-kun would give up, but when he saw that wild and passionate look in the red head's eyes after winning Kise-kun the next day, he had gotten sure that the red head's feelings for him were true and pure ones. It had made him so happy that he couldn't sleep for a whole night. Everything had gone normal between them after that night, except for the taller male that got clingy sometimes and dragged Kuroko into an empty class, confessed to him and made sure that Kuroko hadn't forgotten his promise. It hurt Kuroko to see that he himself was hurting the guy he loved when Kagami-kun asked him if he was serious about everything. It hurt him to see that his love looked awfully depressed sometimes because he thought that Kuroko was just using him for his own purpose to beat his former teammates. So he had decided to confess to the red head, making him relieved. And he had done so, in one of the times that Kagami-kun had been seeming too down in mood, Kuroko had been the one to drag him into a corner and confess. And Kagami-kun was no same person when he had heard the blunettes confession. He had hugged Kuroko to the verge of making him out of breath. But it ended there because Kuroko persisted on keeping everything, unfairly every fucking single thing after starting to go out.
These were memories that were flowing in both Kagami and Kuroko's head, for some reasons they didn't know. And here they were now, standing in the Seirin's locker, with the condition being fulfilled and the red head waiting for his answer.
Kagami's hands loosened on Kuroko's shoulders. "Don't… Don't tell me you were just playing arou-"
Kagami's lips were stopped from moving with Kuroko's thumb gently pressing against them. The red head's lips felt soft and shivering against Kuroko's stilly finger. He didn't want to hear that, never wanted the man he loved to think of him like that. He looked up at Kagami, unaware of the great amount of fondness he was showing in his face. "Kagami-kun… Do you think I am such a person?" His hand slowly moved to rest on the guy's cheek.
"Then what?!" Kagami's left hand raised to cover Kuroko's on his face, cupping the blue head's cheek with his right hand. "Go out with me and prove it!"
Kuroko's hand slowly fell, as well as his head. But the giant palm of the other guy held his hand firmly, and the right hand moved beneath his chin to make him look up at the owner.
"Kuroko Tetsuya! Prove your words and go out with me! Will ya?!" Kagami's voice had raised unconsciously, making more pressure on the bluenette's heart. Releasing his face, Kuroko looked away again. "I… I…"
"I didn't hear you , Tetsuya!"
"I will!" Kuroko said, looking up at Kagami and trying to look as serious as he could.
Kagami's face opened up with a smile, at first a small one, but then a wide one, the one that fluttered Kuroko's heart, the one that encouraged him, the one that gave him hope and life… and the one that made him blush. He covered his face with his hands. This meant that he was going to get close to Kagami-kun. He was going to spend much time with him differently. This meant that Kagami-kun was going to treat him differently, and make him feel special, what he had been longing from long ago… He had been awaiting this moment, for almost a year. And now, he had found this moment far beyond his toleration. The rush of happiness and joy had overwhelmed him. He opened his eyes to find himself enveloped in Kagami's arms, hearing the soft and comforting sound of his chuckling near his ear.
They splat, as Kagami's right arm gently moved up on Kuroko's back to give his hand the access to cradle the blue head's head. The red head was still keeping the smile and Kuroko started to feel the guy's wildly pumping heart against his chest as Kagami pulled him closer, removing the gap between their faces to make their first kiss bloomed out of months of attempts and worries and patience. Kuroko closed his eyes, waiting for the lips he had craved pressing on his lips... This was the best prize for all the things that they both had suffered. The lips were closer than a centimeter to his, and he could taste the red head's hot and familiar breath in his mouth…
The guys opened their eyes in shock with the sound of a cell phone vibrating.
"It's mine." Kuroko uttered.
"Ahh damn it," Kagami said. The person calling didn't seem to give up.
"It may be important…" Kuroko talked again, hoping that Kagami would let him answer his phone.
"Alright." Rolling his eyes, Kagami removed his arms from the blue head.
Kuroko grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and answered the call.
"Akashi-kun?!" Kuroko said in surprise. Giving Kagami and apologetic look, he left the locker.
"Tetsuya, are you at your house yet?"
"No, Akashi-kun. Why?"
"Where are you exactly?"
Kuroko hesitated. Akashi-kun was calling him after his lost match against Kuroko? And now he was asking him where he was? Weird…
"I'm still in the gym."
"I know you want to spend your time the way you like. You have the right to celebrate your victory. But you must leave it for now and do what I'll tell you."
"What? I'm sorry Akashi-kun but I-"
"Listen, Tetsuya. You need to leave the gym right now. There will be a black car in front of the out door entrance, a butler will lead you to it. You must get in with no resistance, 'if' you want everything to go without trouble." Akashi's voice was filled with an unpierceable seriousness.
"You don't have my attention, Akashi-kun! I don't know what this all about and I am not going to-"
"This is my father's order."
Alright, that was something. Akashi-kun's father? What did he possibly have to do with the weakest member of the team that had beaten Akashi's?
"Quick, Tetsuya…" Akashi hung up.
What on earth was going on?... He was supposed to have one of his most memorable nights with Kagami-kun and Akashi-kun was ruining it! Kuroko's hands curled into fists. He didn't care if Akashi-kun was his former captain, or if he was the richest guy he had ever seen, or if his father was one of the most important men in the country. Right now Kuroko Tetsuya was so angry that made even Kagami that had now come out of the locker panic.
"T-Tetsuya?! Is.. everything alright?!" Kagami slowly, hesitantly reached a hand toward the blunette.
"I'm sorry, Kagami-kun…"
"What's wrong?!" Kagami retreated his hand. But then, he raised them again to grab Kuroko's trembling shoulders.
"I… I don't know what's going on… But… I need to go!" Kuroko said, slipping from the red head's grip and running toward the exit.
"Tetsuya! OI! TETSUYA!"
As he ran, Kagami's voice slowly melted away from his ears. Instead, tears filled his eyes. Why did it always have to end like that… Why could he never reach to Kagami?… He ran faster…
…
As he found the way out, as Akashi-kun had said, a butler was standing in front of the entrance which leaded him toward the black limousine. With no words but a bitter scowl, Kuroko followed the butler and got in the car. He didn't know why all of this was happening. He didn't even know what was happening. He didn't know why he had obeyed Akashi.
The car finally stopped, a butler opened the door for Kuroko. The teen got off the car and observed his surrounding. He was standing in front a big, big entrance to an even bigger building. The building looked like a traditional mansion.
"Tetsuya."
Hearing his name being called, he turned his sight toward the owner of the voice. It was Akashi-kun. Anger and confusion started boiling in him again, and this was probably visible in his eyes since the first thing Akashi said again, was words of apology. Something so far from Akashi-kun's personality.
"I'm sorry. I would have never made you come here at a time like this if it was something on my own decision."
Kuroko was angry. He didn't give a damn about what Akashi was saying now. All the thing he had ever wanted was to spend a night like that with Kagami-kun. But the hurt Akashi had caused him in middle school didn't seem to be enough, now Akashi-kun wanted to hurt him in his new life again.
Kuroko had expected an explanation, but the apology had at least lessened his rage, and his fists opened, letting blood flow through the vessels of his sweaty palms again.
"Please follow me," The red head said after making sure that Kuroko was going to follow him. They went inside, passed through doors and finally stopped in front of a big door. Akashi knocked, with a sound of approval they went inside. Akashi stopped after taking a few stapes in, and Kuroko stopped behind him. The room was big, and strangely dark. Kuroko couldn't see much, but he could see that the room looked much like an office. There was a big table with many chairs surrounding it, probably used for formal meetings, in the left side of the room. In the right side, there was a large desk with many files and papers and a laptop on it, with its chair a bit further than where it's normally supposed to be when no one is sitting on it, meant that someone had been sitting on it not long ago. A little further than the desk, was a leather sitting set with a small end table in the middle, arranged the way to form an L, the way the guest could easily pick a sit just after entering the room, used probably for less formal guests. On the bare ground laid a carpet only to make everything look much formal and perfect. Even with the dim light, Kuroko could see that it was one of those famous carpets with strange patterns of amazingly beautiful tiny flower bushes and buds with different colors that were in a match with each other. The patterns were weirdly made out the way that made the flowers look like they were moving and dancing on the silky background. Kuroko couldn't believe what he was seeing. The carpet was definitely one of those famous handmade carpets which were prepared only in Asia, Iran, and cost millions of yen. As expected from a rich household.
The bluenette blinked, he remembered why he was there again. He looked further, to the where the only source of light was, at the fire place. And there… he saw a man standing in front of the fire place, with his back facing the two teens, and his hands entangled to each other behind him… Was this Akashi's…
"Welcome… Kuroko Tetsuya."
A welcome wasn't what Kuroko needed now. He needed-
"Or rather, Akashi… Tetsuya…"
A/N: I hope it was good enough to make you guys want to read the next chapter. Please let me know what you think of it and whether it's worth to keep working on.
Thank you so much for reading.
