Author's note: This plot bunny somehow didn't turn out quite right. Hopefully it gets better in subsequent chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke, or the cover image.

Chapter 1

Midorima stumbled to his room, pulling open the door roughly before collapsing on the bed. He shakily reached for the top drawer of his bedside table, rummaging roughly through it before he came across what he was looking for: a tiny package, wrapped in muslin. He hurriedly unwrapped it, anxiety intensifying when he could not undo the knot and when the cloth did not unravel quickly enough. A deep sigh escaped him when the cloth finally gave up its struggle, its contents rolling out on his palm. The object's slight weight comforted him somewhat, but another look at the item caused his emotions to ratchet up a notch as nostalgia overwhelmed him.

Midorima bit his lip, rubbing a thumb over the shiny wooden carving. It was the most treasured of his childhood memoirs, the only thing that could calm him down when he felt the overwhelming anxiety of peer pressure and social trauma. The carving itself was extremely old, and the grooves that marked what kind of animal it was worn smooth with the numerous times he had traced over them in the past. He rolled over, burying a muffled sob in his pillow as he gripped the small toy. Its tiny edges bit into his palm, but they were so weathered that they no longer caused any pain. Somehow, that fact only caused his grief to heighten.

My friend, why did we have to part? Why could we not have stayed? You were my first friend, and the only one I had ever had over the years. And now… I can't even remember your name.

Silent tremors wracked his body as his emotions ran rampant through him. The pillow was drenched and the light had long faded from the room by the time he had worn himself out. The small hawk in his hand could offer no comfort, its sharp eyes and rough edges now shabby and smooth, the promise it once represented lost in memories past.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Takao Kazunari yawned widely, stretching out over the handlebars of the rickshaw. It was not yet seven, yet he was already somewhat awake and waiting in front of Midorima's house. He yawned again, deciding to close his eyes for just a minute. It wouldn't hurt, especially since Midorima had not yet appeared, anyway. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, and the weak rays shining through the clouds did nothing to alleviate his sleepiness. Why did he ever agree to pull around the ace of the basketball team again?

He drifted into a semi-dream state almost immediately, a clear image rising unbidden behind his eyelids. Two young boys playing next to a dumpster, digging through the discarded fabrics of the tailor store. They grabbed long rolls of torn cloth, pretending they were birds and the cloth was their wings. They flew through makeshift skies, leaving their earthly troubles behind as they sank deeper into their make-believe world.

Suddenly, the smaller boy tripped over something, and was sent rolling into the debris of the carpenter's store. "Oww."

"Shin-chan! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so. What was that I tripped over?"

They crawled over to the misshapen object on the ground, and the other boy picked it up, examining it from all angles.

"It's a wooden block. And it's almost completely whole! We could carve this into something nice, maybe a toy?"

"We'd have to find carpenter tools first. Do you think there are any in this junk pile?"

"Could be! Come on, Shin-chan, help me look!"

They spent what seemed like hours digging through the pile, getting grimy and dirty. The boy called Shin-chan kept coughing, and it worsened to the point that he could not stop hacking for a whole minute. The other boy paused his digging and pulled his friend away from the mountain of dust, patting his back until the coughing subsided into a slow wheeze.

"I'm so sorry, Shin-chan! I completely forgot about your sickness! I shouldn't have made you help me." The boy's eyes filled with tears, and he looked at the ground, afraid to see the rebuke in his friend's eyes.

He saw the slight shake of the other boy's head, and Shin-chan tugged on his hand, placing something in it before closing his fingers over the item. It was smooth and cool, and the boy opened his hand slowly, scared of what he might find.

A small chisel winked at him, its small size fitting perfectly in his palm. It was covered in wood shavings, but its blade was still sharp. The boy looked at his friend in shock. "Shin-chan, don't you hate me for putting your life in danger? You could have had an attack and I wouldn't have known how to help you!"

Shin-chan shook his head slowly, smiling at his friend. "I don't care about my health. As long as I'm with you and you're happy, that's all that matters, Kazu."

A gentle shaking roused Takao, and he blinked blearily up at the person who was doing it. His tired eyes vaguely registered a shock of green hair and a pair of spectacles towering above him. The sun had risen higher in the sky, and the person appeared to have a halo of light outlining his body. Pretty, he thought. Really angelic. Out loud, he said, "Shin-chan, is that you?"

A huff of exasperation was heard, and the person stepped back, taking the illusion with him. The unfettered light shone directly in Takao's eyes, making him wince. A controlled voice answered him, oblivious of his discomfort. "Obviously. Who else could it possibly be?"

Takao sat up and stretched, yawning hugely. The dream was not yet completely out of his system, and he couldn't help but notice how the boy in his dream was also called Shin-chan. A coincidence, perhaps? Was that a memory or a dream, anyway? It was too fuzzy around the edges to tell. Then again, it was so vivid, it couldn't have been just a dream…

He tried to reply as nonchalantly as possible to hide how disorientated he was. "Dunno. Maybe one of your neighbours, to chase off the vagrant who comes here every morning at the crack of dawn?"

"If you could cycle faster, then you would not need to arrive so early."

"If school was not so far away and you and your lucky items weren't so heavy, then maybe I wouldn't need to come so early." Takao settled himself in the bicycle as Midorima sat down in the cart, pushing off easily in the direction of Shuutoku High School.

"Speaking of lucky items, what's it today? The cart seems awfully light." Takao teased as he pedalled. Midorima was silent for such a long moment, he began to get a little worried. "Look, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I was just teas-"

"A memoir from your most trusted friend."

"Most trusted friend…?" Takao couldn't believe his ears. At the next traffic light, he twisted in his seat to stare at Midorima. "Who's your best friend, Shin-chan? I'm curious."

And he was. Midorima wasn't the most approachable of people, with his weird idiosyncrasies and social awkwardness. He had excellent grades, but the lucky items he lugged around every day caused him to be a social pariah. No one wanted to be associated with him, even if he was the top student. He was at the apex of the school's 'loser' list, and Takao could count the number of people he had as friends on one hand. Heck, one finger would do, as Midorima did not exactly count his Teikou teammates as friends. So… Who could it be?

Midorima looked away, a small scowl on his face. "None of your business. Drive, the light has turned green." Takao faced forward reluctantly, mind in a whirl. He couldn't tell if Midorima was being his usual tsundere self or if there was something that he was hiding. He was right though. It was none of his business. Even if they were sort-of friends. 'Sort-of' meaning that Takao pestered Midorima at every spare moment he had, and surprisingly, Midorima did not push him away.

They arrived on school grounds all too quickly, and Takao paused to let Midorima clamber out of the cart. He couldn't stomach the heavy tension he had been feeling since that last traffic light, and blurted out before the other boy could leave. "Shin-chan, about what I said earlier. I'm sorry." The taller boy raised his eyebrows in question, and Takao huffed impatiently. "You're right that it's none of my business. I shouldn't be prying. So, I'm sorry."

Midorima was silent again for a long moment, then he said, "You need not apologize. I suppose you have a right to be curious. I'm not exactly sociable, like how you are." Takao grinned and was about to say something when Midorima interrupted him.

"I cannot remember their name."

Now it was Takao's turn to stare, and Midorima grew red under his scrutiny. "It was a long time ago, when I was a young child. That person was my only friend, and when we moved away, I never saw them again. I have the keepsake, but the person's name and face are long gone from my memory."

Takao pouted, though inside, his heart tore for the greenhead. "That's kinda sad, isn't it, Shin-chan? Not being able to remember your best friend?"

"No, nothing like that. It is simply an inconvenience."

"Aww, Shin-chan, you tsundere."

"Go and park the cart, Takao. I will bring your bag to class. Not because I want to, you understand?" Midorima turned away quickly, but Takao managed to catch a glimpse of his blushing face.

"Thanks, Shin-chan, you're the best!"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The day passed by with little event, although Takao was dying to ask Midorima more questions about his forgotten best friend. He could tell that the other boy did not want to discuss it though, as he kept turning away every time he opened his mouth.

It was lunchtime before he could finally snag Midorima for a question-and-answer session, dragging the boy to their rooftop retreat despite his protests.

"Come now, Shin-chan. You can't avoid me forever."

"I was not avoiding you. There are simply other matters that require my immediate attention." Midorima focused so intently on his bento, one would have thought that it would burst into flames. Takao rolled his eyes and snagged a piece of meat from Midorima's bento box.

"Takao! Cease this childish behaviour!"

"No, Shin-chan, you stop being childish. If you don't want me to ask you more questions about your best friend, you could just say so, like a regular person. You don't have to pretend that you need to do more math questions. Differentiation can go solve itself."

For a brief second, Takao thought he saw a hurt look flash across Midorima's face before the greenhead started spluttering about how it was impossible for math to solve itself. It was almost like their normal banter, comfortable and easy. The only problem was that Takao grew so sleepy from contentment that he almost face-planted himself in his bento.

"Takao. If you were tired, you could have just said it instead of talking to me."

"Hmm? Is that an offer, Shin-chan? Thanks." Takao scooted closer to Midorima and set his head on his shoulder. "Wake me up when it's time for class."

He could feel Midorima grumbling, but no move was made to push him away. He smiled to himself and allowed his mind to drift. As with earlier that day, a very realistic scene surfaced from the depths of his mind. He was beginning to question where these distinct visions came from, but the dream had already swept him away in its thrall.

"Shin-chan, look, look! It's a hawk!"

"Oh, wow! Kazu, you're really good at this! Maybe you can be the carpenter's apprentice."

"Nah. He wouldn't take in a brat like me. And if I became his apprentice, I would have less time to play with you, Shin-chan."

"That's true. You shouldn't be his apprentice after all."

The dream shifted, and this time the boys were slightly older, and they were grasping each other's hands like they never wanted to let go.

"Shin-chan, you can't leave!"

"I don't want to either, Kazu. But my parents are leaving, and they refuse to leave me behind. I asked them if you could come, but," he looked down and whispered. "They said a homeless brat like you wasn't worth their pity and clemency."

"But you don't think that, do you, Shin-chan?" Kazu sounded desperate.

"No, never like that! You are my precious friend, I could never see you that way."

"Then take this. A reminder of our friendship. Never forget me, alright, Shin-chan? We'll meet again someday, for sure!"

"T-this… This is your hawk! I can't accept this, it's too precious!"

"Nothing's as precious to me as Shin-chan. Never forget me, alright? Promise me!"

"I promise, Kazu. I'll come back for you one day."

A soft shaking roused him from his sleep, and he tried to bite back a whimper that threatened to slip out. "Takao. Takao. What's wrong?"

He couldn't respond at first, still half-trapped in the dream. A fading flicker of images that was the conclusion showed him nothing decipherable, but the flurry of emotions that followed told him the gist of it. The boys were never reunited. It was as if he had lived out the moment himself because somehow, that knowledge was unbelievably heartrending.

A few more seconds passed, and his eyes belatedly noticed a worried looking Midorima peering down at him. Hold on, peering down at him? He snapped into awareness, and realised that somehow, he had ended up in Midorima's lap. And that Midorima was still waiting for his answer. "N-nothing, Shin-chan. Just a really sad dream. Don't worry about me."

"But you're crying." Midorima lightly cupped his face, wiping tear tracks with his bandaged thumb. Takao took a few deep breaths, quelling the lingering sorrow that he felt for the boys. Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream. He chanted to himself. Nothing but a dream. Focus on something else. Like how you're lying in Shin-chan's lap. Which, hmm, is actually pretty comfortable.

"It's alright, Shin-chan. Really. You don't have to do that for me. Your bandages will get wet." He caught Midorima's hand and pulled it away from his face, scrubbing away the remaining tear tracks. He then tried to sit up, but a firm hand to his chest pushed him back down. Emerald eyes met silver, and the determination shining in those gems told him that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Takao. We both know that nothing gets you down that easily. Tell me, and hold nothing back this time. What was so bad about your dream?"

Takao dropped his gaze, a few stray tears leaking out unbidden at the unexpected kindness. "Nothing much. There were two boys, and one of them was leaving because his family had to move. The one that was moving was sad because his friend was homeless and his parents didn't want to help. And he felt really bad but he couldn't do anything." Takao threw a hand over his eyes, the tragedy of the situation seizing his ability to think. "I dunno, my mind's coming up with a lot of weird things all of a sudden."

He could feel Midorima stiffen under him, and squinted at his clenched jaw. "Shin-chan? It was just a dream, stop worrying."

"What if it wasn't a dream?" Midorima murmured softly, his hand jerkily tracing nonsense patterns on Takao's chest.

"What?" Takao strained his ears. It did not help that he found Midorima's nervous drawing soothing; it was making him sleepy again. "I didn't catch that."

Midorima repeated himself, and Takao could sense the tension radiating off him. "How could it not be just a dream, though? It's not as if I know the boys."

"Could you see their faces?"

"Uhm, come to think of it, not really."

"It could be a supressed memory from your childhood. The brain sometimes works that way to block out traumatic experiences."

"Really? I don't know about that though. I can't remember my childhood. Although," he said thoughtfully, "One of the boys was named Shin-chan."

Midorima's hand stilled, clenching into a heavy fist over Takao's heart. "Do you know anyone by that name?"

"Aside from you, nope. Not that I can remember. You seem awfully tense, Shin-chan. Is something wrong?" Takao reached up and poked Midorima in the cheek, only to have his hand slapped away.

"No, nothing." He thought for a moment. "Actually, there is something."

"Hmm?"

"What you just described sounds awfully like how I parted from my friend all those years ago. It was highly traumatic." A faint crack of his voice gave him away, and Takao peered up at his friend in concern. If Midorima thought his experience was traumatic, then his dream could not possibly have come close. After all, dreams were not reality, as reality was harsher and more biting. It was kind of weird that he had the same dream as described Midorima's past though.

That was not important right now, he resolved. Midorima was many things, but upset and sad was not one of the things he wished to experience right then. Especially because they were in school, and he had already established that the boy was a total recluse. Embarrassing himself to death was definitely off the list for the day, principally considering that he would not do well to lose any of the little respect that their schoolmates paid him. Takao, however, had a lot of respect that he could throw away, in regards to a certain tsundere that he knew.

He decided to throw caution to the wind, flinging his arms around Midorima's waist and snuggling close. It was the simplest way to get his attention, to draw his musings away from his current melancholic state. Unfortunately – or perhaps it was quite fortunate - this action resulted in him being half-on and half-off the greenhead's lap. To heck with anyone who saw them like this. If anyone saw them, that was. He was going to enjoy this guilty pleasure while it was still allowed.

"Takao. What are you doing."

"Shin-chan needs to be less gloomy. Maybe we met each other in the past, or maybe not, but right now, that's all it is. Past." He emphasized heavily on the last word while sneaking a peek to assess how much trouble he was in. To his relief, Midorima looked slightly annoyed, and the solemn air about him had already dissipated. He was certain that the dark things they spoke of were not completely forgotten, but at the very least, they were now suppressed. In my opinion, an annoyed Shin-chan is a whole lot cuter than a sad Shin-chan.

Rrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnggg.

The school bell rang just then, startling both of them and alerting them of the start of the next lesson. Takao sighed, reluctantly untangling himself from Midorima's frame. He stood up, offering a hand to the basketball ace. "Come on, Shin-chan. We're gonna be late. And if that happens, math really will have to solve itself, because you won't be there to do it."

"That is utter nonsense, and you know it. Just for that, I'll ask Coach to give you extra training." Midorima took the proffered hand, coolly brushing off Takao's jibes.

"Hey! He wouldn't agree to that! Shin-chaaan!"

The two of them returned to class, feeling somewhat lighter after their somber talk. Despite that, a different sort of knowledge weighed heavily on both their hearts.

What if they actually knew each other when they were children?