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自宅

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Staring at his reflection in his bathroom mirror, Kuroko couldn't help but smile. It was Friday afternoon, and he was welcomed by one Akashi Seijuurou at the gates of Seirin, surprising not only him but all of his teammates, especially Kagami. Akashi himself was very much amused at seeing their reactions, and though it would have amused him further to play with their minds further, he and Kuroko had promised to spend the weekend together since Kuroko's parents will be going out of town tomorrow while Akashi's father, well, he hardly cares where Akashi spends his weekdays as long as he does not make any more mistakes, like losing the Winter Cup tournament, for example.

And so, with as much politeness from the Akashi heir, he said his greetings to them followed by a quick goodbye before he stole their beloved phantom from them, despite Kagami's grumbles.

Kuroko knew for a fact that he had loved the redhead since middle school but he never expected for those feelings to be reciprocated – after all, who would have thought that he, plain, boring, middle-class Kuroko Tetsuya will ever catch the attention of Akashi Seijuurou?

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Kuroko sighed. "We're out of food," he muttered loud enough for the redhead to hear. Kuroko straightened up and closed the refrigerator. Of all the times to forget grocery shopping, it just had to be now – now when he had one Akashi Seijuurou staying over at his home. "I'm afraid we have to go out and do some grocery shopping."

From his seat on the dining table, Akashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Why do we have to go out when we can just order in?"

Kuroko leveled a blank stare at his boyfriend of five months. "Are you afraid of eating my homecooked meal, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi smirked then stood up as he grabbed the keys on the counter, making Kuroko frown. It was his keys, his house. "Fine. Let's go, then."

Outside on the front steps, Nigou pranced around Akashi's legs as the redhead locked the door behind them with Kuroko's keys, while Kuroko pondered on what to buy for tonight's dinner. Truth is he was a little nervous, since this will be the first time that Akashi will be staying over, barring that one time in middle school.

"So, where are we going?" Akashi asked, heading towards him, keys jangling in his hand.

"The supermarket," Kuroko replied, taking the lead. "It's just around the corner."

Akashi followed him, his steps regal and graceful, gray jacket draped around his shoulders with its empty arm sockets dangling uselessly on his sides. "It's alright. I like walking around with you, Tetsuya."

Kuroko hid his blush by turning his head to the side as they stopped at the intersection, waiting for the light to turn. "It would be rude to leave you alone in my house while I do the shopping. My mother usually drops by the supermarket after work but it seems that she will be late tonight, same with my father, so – "

Akashi stopped his ramblings by holding his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I said it's alright, Tetsuya. You don't have to worry that much."

"O-okay, then," Kuroko stuttered, and they crossed the street just like that, with their hands linked with one another, despite his subtle efforts of tugging it from Akashi's grip.

They entered the supermarket and Kuroko felt relieved and disappointed when Akashi finally let go of his hand to grab a small silver cart from the line near the front door. The redhead then looked at him expectantly, making Kuroko's eyes dance with amusement at the sight. Seeing his obvious delight, Akashi tilted his head to the side as if to say, "What are you laughing at?"

Kuroko bit his lip to stop himself from smiling. "Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "It's just that Akashi-kun looks so domestic right now."

"Do I?" Akashi looked thoughtful. "Tetsuya looks ravishing in an apron, though."

"I fail to see the appeal of the apron," Kuroko stated flatly as he led Akashi to the vegetable section. He was standing in front of the carrot stand when Akashi left the cart and sidled up to him, pretending to choose among the carrots on display. Akashi picked one and turned it over in his hands.

"You look ravishing anytime, Tetsuya, but the thing with aprons is that it is easy to remove and exposes your backside completely, granted that you are wearing one without anything else under it."

"Akashi-kun!" His face was now beet red upon hearing those suggestive words, and it doesn't help either that Akashi purposefully said them in a low, husky voice, the one he used when he was seducing Kuroko. Kuroko wouldn't have minded it but they were hardly in a private place at the moment! "You should not –!"

Akashi swiftly pressed a quick kiss on the bluenette's cheek before resuming his post behind the cart. "Let's finish this quickly then, Tetsuya. And since you'll be cooking dinner, wear an apron, okay?" Akashi chuckled darkly as Kuroko looked up, asking for patience from the gods to deal with an impish Emperor.

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"Mom? I thought you're going to be late," Kuroko asked as his mother led Akashi and him to the kitchen, where they deposited the shopping bags on the dinner table. Kuroko's mother thanked them and peeked inside the bags to see what they had bought. There's tofu and an odd mix of vegetables and some shrimp and chicken meat. She looked at the two teens behind her and stifled a smile. It seems like they'd walked around the supermarket and just picked up whatever they fancied.

"I remembered that Akashi-kun is staying over for the weekend so I finished work early," she replied. She turned to the redhead. "I know Tetsuya is adorable and all but he hardly knows his way in the kitchen."

"Indeed, Kuroko-san," Akashi said with mock pity. "I told Tetsuya that we can just order something but he seems bent on cooking dinner."

"Ah, don't be so formal, Akashi-kun. You've called me Auntie before." she admonished playfully. "Well, Tetsuya wants to impress you, I think," the older female said with a laugh.

"Tetsuya is right here, and he can hear you perfectly," Kuroko grumbled beside Akashi. Both Akashi and his mother laughed at that, and he cannot help but laugh along with them.

"Go on, wait in the living room, boys," she said, waving them out of the kitchen. "I'll prepare dinner so you two can do whatever you boys do when no one is looking."

Akashi laughed as Kuroko gaped like a fish out of the water. With a face that almost matched Akashi's hair, the bluenette cried out.

"Mom!"

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