Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko No Basket nor do I make money from this work of fiction.

Warnings: This is a Yaoi/BL fic that will touch on heavy themes like domestic violence, low self-esteem, poor self-image, etc. If this is not your thing, please go ahead and hit that back arrow.

Kagami Taiga

On the outside he is the picture of cool indifference. The music is blaring directly into his ears via his large black headphones, but he stopped listening to it a while ago. As he stares blankly out the window, the deserted scenery twists into signs of life signaling that he is finally nearing his destination. The closer he gets, the harder he can feel his heart thumping his chest. More than once he has to wipe his sweaty palms on his jeans as his nerves get the better of him. He makes an effort to stop bouncing his leg up and down in his seat, but his mounting anxiety won't allow him to stop for more than a few seconds. His nerves are almost as shot as the night before a big game, but instead of excitement he feels uneasy. He has no idea how to settle his heart let alone the thoughts racing through his head. It is ridiculous to think that all this anxiety is because of one person. SO ridiculous in fact, that he does not want to admit it—even to himself. This person has been on his mind, nonstop, for the past two weeks. They are the first thing on his mind when he wakes up and the last thing on it before he falls asleep. If he manages to fall asleep at all, that is. /I don't know what to do. I mean, look at me; traveling almost an hour just for the small possibility that I will get to see him. This has gotten way out of hand/.

Despite his reservations and complaints, he still gets off the bus when it reaches his stop; Osaka University. After walking through the main gates, he takes a seat on the large fountain in the middle of the courtyard to wait. His crimson eyes scan the bustling crowd of students, but he fails to recognize anyone. Classes only started three weeks ago, but people already appear stressed. They are running around carrying freshly purchased books and talking animatedly with fellow classmates. /Really, what am I doing? I should be back at my own school getting my shit together too. But…he goes here. I may get the chance to see him/. Not that the redhead WANTS to see him that badly…or so he tries to tell himself. /Seeing him will just help me get rid of this weird feeling. That's all/.

"Hello Kagami-kun."

He nearly tumbles back into the water as his heart lurches up into his throat. When he looks to the side to locate the source of his heart attack, he finds large pale blue eyes staring right back at him. /Dammit' I haven't been spooked by him in a long time/. "Dammit Kuroko, make some noise or something will you?!"

"Have you been waiting for long?" As usual, the bluenette shows no reaction whatsoever as his old teammate glares down at him. Even though they video chatted often, this is the first time he is seeing him since coming back to Japan. He has not seen him in person since the airport after their game against Jabberwock. He had expected him to be different but, he looks just as Kagami remembers; big unexpressive eyes, short sky-blue hair, and milky white skin. Maybe he has grown an inch or two since high school, but to Kagami he looks as short as ever.

"No, I just got here." He answers after realizing he has just been standing there staring at him.

"How was the bus ride?"

"Long and boring."

"Are you hungry?"

"Mm yeah, show me what's good in Osaka."

He offers a curt nod and together they walk to a quaint little place not too far from main campus. The food is decent enough, but when Kuroko orders a milkshake Kagami knows they only came to satisfy his addiction. After eating his fill, the light and shadow duo took a stroll into town and ended up on a street basketball court. It was inevitable that they played for awhile and it was also inevitable that the redhead moped the floor with the shorter teen. Kuroko did not appreciate the giant's gloating so in reconciliation, he treated him to a vanilla ice-cream. Since they were close to all the downtown shops, he accompanied Kuroko to the bookstore and browsed some sport magazines while the bluenette shopped for missing textbooks. By the time they make their way back to campus grounds, the sun is just barely clinging to the fiery-orange sky. /It's going to be dark by the time I get back/. He inwardly sighs since he was not planning on staying out so late. Time just seems to fly when he is with his favorite teammate; even when they are not doing anything special. It has always been that way.

"I would show you around the university, but it will soon be too dark for that."

"Yeah." Kagami agrees with a tired groan. "It's going to be a pain in the ass getting back. The buses run at even slower intervals in the evenings."

"Is that so?" The shorter teen thinks for a moment before asking, "Do you want to come over and play? You can spend the night."

"Yeah? You sure?"

"Mm." He shrugs as they walk past the fountain again and start in the direction of the dorm buildings. "But I have to warn you, I do not have enough instant ramen or dorayaki to satisfy a hunger like Kagami-kun's. We'll have to figure something else out for dinner."

"That's fine, let's just order take-out. I'll treat since I'm crashing at your place."

"Sounds good."

"Wait a minute…have you been living off of cup ramen and dorayaki this entire time?!" His scowl deepens when his blue eyes wonder away from his contrasting red ones, purposefully avoiding his interrogative glare.

"…I do not have the ability to cook like Kagami-kun." Comes to monotone reply. His blunt, matter-of-fact way of putting things has always annoyed him and being apart for a few years has not changed that in the slightest. He was going to give him grief about his eating habits when a shout from behind stops him short.

"Kurokocchiiiiii! Kagamicchiiiii!"

It feels like an electric current just passed through his body. For the second time today, he can hear his heart beating in his ears. His skin feels prickly under his hoodie and suddenly he feels much too warm. /There is only one person who addresses me that way/. Sure enough, when he turns around he spots Kise Ryota sprinting across the almost deserted courtyard to catch up to them. Judging by the stylish clothes he has on the blonde must have just gotten back from a modeling gig. His skin-tight designer jeans and fashionable sweater hug his athletic body well. The light cardigan does nothing to hide the deep v-lining of his shirt which exposes a generous amount of skin. Kagami wills his wondering gaze away from his chiseled chest back to where they belong; on his face…that sinfully pretty face. /Shit, what is wrong with me?!/

"Hello Kise-kun."

"Don't just 'hello Kise-kun' me. Kurokocchi, what is this? You and Kagamicchi are hanging out behind my back?"

"We've been together all day, although there is nothing 'behind your back' about it."

"Huh? How could you?!" He puts on a hurt expression before pointing an accusatory finger at the suddenly quiet redhead. "I've been trying to get you to play with me all week and you go with this guy? And what are you even doing here?" He sulks and Kagami's eyes snap to those pouty pink lips. "You don't go to Osaka."

Kagami's focus is instantly drawn to the fierce gold eyes currently attempting to stare him down despite their slight height difference. /How are a guy's eyelashes so long? It makes no sense/. Somehow, he maintains a natural scowl when he answers him. "Is that anyway to greet somebody? And no, I go to Kobe."

"Oh really? Kobe? Takao-kun and Aominecchi go there too."

"Oh yeah? I didn't know that." Honestly, besides Kuroko and Kise he has no idea where his previous rivals, senpais, and teammates ended up. Or how many of them decided to go to university at all. He is surprised that Aomine got in anywhere though…well Kobe does not have the hardest entry exams around. After all, it is the same reason he managed to get in as well. That and the fact that the transfer program helped him out. He almost sighs out loud recalling his piss-poor entrance exam scores. Good thing he is good at basketball. And he is pretty sure Aomine is reaping the same lucky benefits of being a basketball prodigy.

"How could you not know that?" Kise is looking at him like he has a screw loose or something. "The first thing I did was find everyone I know."

"I've been in America up until last month."

"Fair enough. You know Kasamatsu-senpai goes here too. Can you believe both he and Kurokocchi refused to room with me?"

"Heh, of course I believe it. Who would want to room with an annoying idiot like you?" /I would/. He swallows hard at his own thoughts, but no one else seems to notice his hesitation.

"Hey! You never told me why you're here loudmouth! You are a long way from home. It takes like an hour to get here from Kobe—on a good day."

"What? I answer to you now? I came to hang out with Kuroko obviously, shit for brains."

"No fair~ Kurokocchi refused to go anywhere with me but is willing to go on a date with you?"

"D-Date?" He nearly chokes on the word and when he looks over at the quiet bluenette, he looks just as unamused as ever.

"Don't be ridiculous Kise-kun. If you want, you can come over to my dorm tonight. Kagami-kun is sleeping over."

As much as he would like to deny it, Kagami cannot help but feel excited at the prospect of being in such close proximity to the person that has been preoccupying his mind for so long. He came all this way to catch up with Kuroko, yes, but there was a part of him hoping to run into the blondie all along. The redhead never imagined he would actually see him let alone spend any time together. /Maybe now I can figure out what the hell has been going on with me. These confusing feelings…they cannot mean what I think they mean. There's just no way. Once I'm around him and I am remined of how much of an annoyingly arrogant asshole he is, I'll be just fine and I can move on with my life/.

"Eh?" The model looks a bit taken aback by the spontaneous invitation. "Oh, uh, are you sure about that Kurokocchi? I mean, won't your roommate be troubled by so many people?"

"No not really. He has a part-time job, so he is hardly ever home. Even so, he is a lively and outgoing kind of guy."

"I see…" /What is with that look?/ Just a moment ago, he was all goofy smiles and playful energy, but now he looks worried about something.

"Anyway," Kuroko adds after realizing he is not going to say anything else. "You rent an apartment on your own, don't you? Can't we go there?"

"Normally I would love to have you over but…" Again, there is that odd shifty look on his face. Both Seirin alumni's cock an eyebrow at each other when he pulls out his cellphone and checks the time. "I have a prior, uh, engagement that I can't be late for."

"How childish of you." Kuroko tuts after understanding dawns on him. "You whined about me not wanting to spend time with you when all this time you had something to do already."

"Aaaaw, don't be that way Kurokocchi". The bluenette nearly rolls his eyes as the taller teen latches onto his shoulder and soaks the back of his shirt with phony tears. "We will definitely hang out next time. You too Kagamicchi~" Without bothering to wait for a response, he sprints away from them and towards the campus gates. He throws them a peace sign but does not bother looking back as he rushes to see whoever is so important. Kagami cannot keep his eyes off his retreating form and the farther he gets the more his disappointment grows. There is only one question on his mind; who is he in such a hurry to see? Last he knew, his admiration for Kuroko bordered on fanatical, so it is really strange he would blow him off for someone else. /Could he have a girlfriend?/ His blood runs cold at the thought. /What a stupid question. Of course, he has a girlfriend. Why wouldn't he? He's locally famous, good at pretending to be cool and kind, amazing at sports…good looking. N-Not that good looking. Not like I care. But I am not an idiot. There's a reason why he has had such a long and successful modeling career. Obviously, someone has noticed those plump lips, thick lashes, honeyed eyes, flawless skin, tight—/

"Kagami-kun?"

"Huh, uh yeah?"

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah…" He spares one more glance back, but the blonde is no longer in sight. Still, he remains on the ace's mind for the rest of the night.

….

Kise Ryota

The tearing sensation is the worst part. It is almost unbearable. It is a searing pain that makes him writhe and whimper with every sharp thrust. He can hardly make out his own pathetic cries over the guttural grunting in his ear and the loud thumps of the headboard slamming into the wall above him. His skin is slick with sweat and the air feels so heavy. It is getting harder to breathe. The heavily muscled body moving on top of him is not making it any easier. It is like an unmovable weight keeping him pinned to the bed and rendering virtually immobile. /It feels like I'm going to pass out. I'm suffocating/. Nails dig into his hips hard enough to break skin and causes him to yelp like a wounded animal.

"Quit with the whining."

/I can't. It hurts so much/. No matter how many times they do this, when he is this rough, he feels nothing but agony. There is blood leaking from the bite marks on his neck and collar and he is pretty sure there is blood somewhere else too, but he rather not think about it. Not right now. He tries sinking his teeth into his bottom lip to silence himself, but that only ends up with him biting through his lip and drawing more blood. "Ah! O-Ow, ugh—"

"I said SHUT UP!"

"Ngh!" His airway is cut off completely as a strong arm reaches down and closes around his throat. The blonde squirms and kicks, but with his legs spread and a hard body in between them it proves futile. He tries clawing at the arm keeping him pinned, but the vice-like hold on his throat does not loosen in the slightest. If anything, it only serves to make the male angrier and the iron-grip on his windpipe tightens to the point that Kise thinks he will crush it completely. Below his waist the aggressive pounding gets faster, but the pain takes a backseat to the fact that he can hardly breathe. Despite the ringing in his ears he can hear the awful smack of his hips slamming into his ass over and over. Tears prickle the corner of his halcyon orbs as he tries to plead with his eyes alone. /Can't…breathe…/ Black dots color his blurry vision and he knows it won't be much longer before he loses consciousness. The last thing he sees as his vision fades is the smirking face of the man moving on top of him.

The man he loves.

A/N: Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please consider letting me know what you thought of this first chapter. The second one is coming soon. And see if you can guess the mystery guy Kise was with. Oh and Happy Holidays!