Kuroko rubs his unblinking eyes that are beginning to become as bloodshot as Kagami's before he goes to one of his university basketball games - hell, he even got those eyes during their high school games. Sadly, Kuroko thinks he doesn't work it as well as Kagami, at least Kagami's eyes remotely match with it, his own pale blue irises contrast the red and pink far too much. It makes himself look like some sort of alien, or maybe a monster you'd dress up as for Halloween.
Kuroko has been staring at his laptop propped up on his desk, for far too long. His readings every night for his English literature class haven't been getting any smaller. He'd been hoping this would better his English, but somehow it just ends up giving him a migraine. At least some of the stories are interesting.
Kuroko's wearing his usual 'I really don't feel like trying after spending the entire day walking from building to building at this damn university' outfit; a pair of baggy oversized dark grey sweatpants and his favourite loose t-shirt that his Mother found at a thrift store back in highschool. The t-shirt looked horrible back when he received it (obviously he didn't tell his Mother that, he's not a complete dick), with the head hole all stretched and sagging against his collarbones and it made it a million times worse that it was a vibrant neon pink with peeling writing in cursive 'I love puppies', and a ridiculous graphic of a cartoon puppy underneath it (also peeling off, it must be pretty cheap, or far too overused). His mother thought it was cute. At the time Kuroko thought it was embarrassing and horrible.
But after trying it on, it was the only shirt that has just the perfect amount of softness and bagginess, the sleeves were longer than normal t-shirts too, and kept him warm. Kuroko couldn't dislike it enough to throw it away or shove it to the bottom of his shirt drawer.
So this is the horrible shirt he decides to wear on the nights he seriously doesn't feel like trying. At all. Kagami died of laughter the first time he saw Kuroko wearing it, but after a few minutes of silent treatment from a pissed off Kuroko - well Kagami was opening up about his horrible Hawaiian shirts he wore sometimes that Alex gave him from America. Apparently, Kagami didn't have the heart to say no, so ever since he has loved Hawaiian shirts. Unfortunately, that meant for every holiday such as Kagami's birthday, Christmas, New Year's, maybe even Valentine's day, she sends him another new one. Kuroko had forgiven him then and teased Kagami about how much of a big stupid liar he was. A sweet liar at heart. Kuroko had thought the fact Kagami made the most innocent of lies to make sure he didn't hurt anyone's feelings to be completely adorable. Not that he'd ever tell Kagami that. The buffoon would only let it get to his already jumbled up brain. (Kagami mixed up so many historical figures Kuroko isn't even sure he knows who's President of America - and he lived there!)
Kuroko is curled up and stretching his arms in his dark room. Well, he shares the room. His roommate, Takao Kazunari, the holder of the 'Hawk Eye' at first was far too mischief for Kuroko's liking. But they turned out to work well rooming together and now Kuroko could probably call Takao his actual friend. Which is really progress. All Takao really does is follow around Midorima, who's planning on getting a Phd in who know's what. Seriously, Midorima tells nobody anything. Kuroko thinks Akashi is probably the only one likely to know what he's studying. Besides Takao, of course. And no one asks Akashi questions - unless you want to be seriously injured in the future.
After stretching and pushing away from his desk, Kuroko hears a knock from his door. An obviously nervous knock because the person only hits it once. Kuroko stretches and expects to maybe see Furihata, who's a few doors down from him, and in most of the same classes as Kuroko - the boy is still nervous half the time and he normally only knocks once, so he guesses he may be asking about the reading or maybe for advice on how to deal with Akashi. Lord does Kuroko not know why Furihata even bothers trying to understand the complicated nature of the heterochromatic eyed former Rakuzan captain. Kuroko seriously doubts the whole 'he's really nice, and a great friend' thing that Furihata has going on with Akashi. It's obvious that Akashi is probably trying to win him over or something of that nature (who knows what he's planning to do to poor Furihata) - Kuroko thinks Furihata's far too innocent to even know yet, or his head may combust to dust from flushing so hard. So Kuroko pretends to be clueless about it. For Furi's sake.
But when Kuroko opens his door, he's greeted by the tall, fiery red-headed ace that he's known since high school, Kagami Taiga. The said guy appears to be glancing down the hallway, and scratching his neck. Kuroko immediately knows he only does this when he's nervous. His usual muscle shirt and sweats aren't on, instead, Kagami's wearing an actual black hoodie, zipped up all the way, and some dark washed jeans. Kuroko has to blink a few times to get used to the differently dressed best friend of his. Kagami showed up to class half the time sweating bullets, wearing a muscle shirt and a pair of shorts - at least in the one class they have together - looking as though he just ran half a mile, which knowing how much Kagami loves to train, he probably did. But there is zero sweat on his tanned skin and his eyes are darting around like a fly in your house during summer.
Kuroko can tell his friend is on edge so he just turns around back into his room, leaving the door open for him.
"What, no muscle shirt, Kagami-kun? Trying to dress up for me?"
Kuroko normally never is joking around, he's awful at it half the time. But he can tell that something's off, and he just wants his friend to laugh whatever's on his mind away so that he can be back to being Taiga. The same Taiga who wouldn't appear hesitant to step foot in Kuroko's room and keep adjusting the one strap holding his backpack in place over his shoulder.
Kagami finally decides to walk in, though his eyes seem to be strangely not looking directly to Kuroko. Not even one second of eye contact with the tall man.
Kagami fakes a light laugh but it comes out as a cough for some reason. Kuroko decides instead of panicking about what this is about, to seem normal so that Kagami can calm down whatever he has been worked up over in his head. So Kuroko sits back in his mundane lumpy chair at his small desk, and begins continuing to read his assigned reading.
Kagami shuffles annoyingly behind him for a few agonizing minutes before actually slumping onto Kuroko's bed, like usual. It took two minutes longer than the usual time it takes for Kagami to act - meaning he's being cautious and thinking before he acts. This is stranger than Kuroko thought. His small legs are curled up on the chair, and Kuroko restrains the urge to pull his baggy T-shirt over his legs to stretch the material further. It's a serious bad habit of his. Takao always says 'you're a fucking toddler Kuroko, a toddler for God's sake, and you're getting better grades than me.'
'Everyone gets better grades than you.'
'You're still a fucking toddler! A five year old does that! Kagami must seriously care about you to glaze over this weird habit of yours!'
That's where most of their conversations ended because Takao would either get seriously distracted by something else he remembered that has nothing to do what they were talking about or he asks about how long it will be until Kagami and him will end up dating. Kuroko zones out from listening after that.
Kagami seems to have returned to this planet. "You're wearing it. That shirt again. God Kuroko, have you no shame?"
"You know I like this shirt."
"But still. At least try to peel the rest of the letters off. It's starting to say 'I ove uppies' that doesn't even make fucking sense."
Kuroko turns to his friend his eyes averting from the writing for a moment. Kagami's in his usual spot lying back on his single sized bed, his long legs basically reaching the end of the mattress. Kuroko's used to seeing Kagami sprawled out on his bed, lying either face down on days when he's angry or just tired, and face up, looking at the ceiling, on days when he's in a good mood. Today Kagami seems to be in between somehow. Lying on his side and propping up his head on his strong right hand. Calloused and slender, familiar to Kuroko more than anyone. He has sent passes to that hand for years and exchanged fist bumps and pats on the back for the same amount of time.
"You're being rude. I like this shirt." Kuroko knows he's pouting now. He doesn't care if it seems childish. He's been reading too fucking long.
The pout seems to work because Kagami closes his eyes and sighs with a slight smile.
Finally.
Kuroko had been worried. I never used a joke Kuroko thinks heatedly. He is getting pretty desperate when it comes to Kagami, making sure nothing falls out of place between them. It's been working far too well for them to ruin it anytime soon. Kuroko wants Kagami to just act like he normally does. He can handle a regular Kagami. An unexpected Kagami is not his cup of tea. And Kuroko does enjoy having lots of tea. Kagami gave him one of his favourite expensive flavours for his birthday last year. Kuroko had to only save the tea for special occasions. Most of those occasions included Kagami.
Kuroko shakes his head, smiling from what he's remembering before looking back at his laptop.
"Why are you still reading?" Kagami sounds bored but there is definitely something different about his tone. It doesn't sit right.
Kagami's voice is normally warm, leaving with a rumble in your ears. It's a reminder of his laugh when he's not even laughing. Kuroko wishes his voice could be like that. Sound so warm but have a slight edge that doesn't leave any room for confusion. It practically hugs the air around you, leaving you warm on the inside. The effects of Kagami are completely toxic for Kuroko.
"Why not?" Kuroko is still reading. His eyes don't leave the screen.
"You're always reading."
"I have to, Kagami-kun. You need to read the books to pass the tests and the exam."
Kagami shuffles and grumbles, "Isn't there movies on these books?"
Kuroko's fingers tighten on his knees, clamping viciously. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying that reading is a waste of my time, Kagami?" Kuroko can't stop himself from sounding accusatory. He hates it when Kagami says things that don't make any actual sense. It only works when Kagami's being oblivious. Now he's just being ignorant.
Kuroko's narrowed eyes land on his friend and Kagami sighs, "uh... Never mind."
Those mumbled words somehow diffuse the situation. The room is less tense and Kuroko loses himself in the small text blaring back at him. He feels like he's swimming in words at this point. But Kagami is beside him and somehow this doesn't seem so bad.
Kuroko works on reading and Kagami is silent.
It lasts longer than usual. A glance at the bottom of Kuroko's screen tells him that it's been an hour. Kuroko wonders if Kagami fell asleep again. He wouldn't put it past the red head. He knows he doesn't sleep nearly enough as he should and he welcomes Kagami to sleep in his room because somehow his even breaths get him working productively. It never bothers him.
Kuroko turns to his friend, but Kagami is still awake. Not really. He appears awake, his eyes are open and everything. It's all wrong though. His eyes have a glaze like in the bakeries when you glaze icing over your Cinnamon bun, and the colours of the brown pastry become warped, and you're seeing the colour through the haze of the icing. Kagami's eyes are like that. Have an icing blocking the cherry irises from reality. Kuroko doesn't think Kagami is really looking at him at all, looking past Kuroko maybe, but not at him.
"Kagami-kun? Do you need to head back? It's almost 11."
It is almost 11 pm, Kuroko just checked a second ago. Kuroko glances at the digits on his screen one more time, ensuring he didn't imagine the time it is.
10:56 pm.
Kuroko's right. He turns back to his friend, who hasn't moved a muscle in an hour. Kagami is rubbing his forehead with his left hand, his eyes are closing tightly.
"Kagami-kun, are you feeling well? You look like shit."
"Yeah, thanks a lot. I feel completely peachy right now. Just wonderful."
"Sarcasm is not needed Kagami."
"Oh. Really? Since, when?"
"Since now," Kuroko smirks playfully.
Kagami is shaking his head, "Ugh. What am I gonna do with you?"
"Maybe not show up at my door wearing normal university student clothes, and lounge on my bed like a bear while I try my best to read." Kuroko knows he is grinning too much right now. Him and Kagami haven't talked like this in awhile. Basketball season has started up and Kagami has been jam packed with practice matches, plus all the classes he goes to regularly. There is barely any time to have any fun conversations anymore. Takao was even complaining about all the matches and normally Takao loves basketball. Even if he doesn't plan to play professionally like Kagami. Takao is planning to become something Kuroko doesn't even know. Kuroko isn't sure he wants to know what profession Takao ends up in. The guy can never stay on one topic. How can he decide on what to be if he can't decide on what flavour of ice cream he likes most? (Kuroko's favourite is vanilla, Kagami's has always been chocolate)
Kagami is smiling but it still seems off. Strained almost. Kuroko can normally tell these things. He wishes he can smooth out the straining on his friend's face, to carefully do it against the heated skin, so that his eyebrows won't always be lined. So that his smile doesn't appear so fake. He's been avoiding it, but it seems getting Kagami's mind off it isn't the correct course of action. Maybe I should ask him what's wrong?
Kagami interrupts his worried thoughts before he can even plan a proper course of action. "Kuroko, I need a favour." This is just like Kagami to ruin his methodical thinking just by rushing into things. He doesn't enjoy being caught off guard like this.
Kuroko tries to act indifferent, his eyes back to his reading, "Hm? What is it?" As though Kagami didn't just interrupt their bantering with a random request out of fucking nowhere. As though none of this weirdness isn't bothering him.
"Did you read Charlotte's Web?" Kagami blurts it out quickly, a little too rushed for Kuroko's ears, but he catches onto his words despite how quickly they run from his friend's mouth.
"Charlotte's Web? Isn't that a children's book?"
"Yeah, is there something wrong about that?" He sounds angry, defensive. Kuroko doesn't like it.
Kuroko turns in his chair to properly face Kagami, he has a feeling the man's being serious about something. Hesitantly he comments, "No… it's just a surprise coming from you. Did you pick it up for fun or something?"
"Fuck no. Kuroko. God."
Kuroko shrugs. "Just asking a question."
Kuroko can tell by the unamused look on Kagami's face that he's thinking 'a dumb question'. Kuroko gives him a raised eyebrow, a look saying 'coming from you, not really'.
Kagami shakes his head from their silent conversation. Probably wanting to get back on track. About Charlotte's Web - which apparently is completely relevant to Kagami right now? At this time of night?
"This is for a dumb test in my English reading class. It's one of those fucking mandatory ones. I can't get out of it." Kagami seems angry about this, which isn't a surprise. He is never good at schoolwork. The thing is Kagami doesn't do school. It doesn't work for him. He needs to be moving around, using his body, thinking with his body. He always does things in large actions, that's how he is. Basketball helps him in that way, it helps him from going crazy in all the schoolwork. Kuroko can't imagine Kagami's life without basketball. That would basically be a life without a proper Kagami Taiga.
Kuroko puts his feet down. They were starting to fall asleep from being propped up too long. He swings his feet as he props his head onto his left hand, elbow resting on the desk. His pale blue eyes reflect a little against the light emitting from his laptop.
"So, is this from one of your Open classes?" A lot of people called it 'where the fucktards go' because most of the students didn't have great grades in high school. Anyone could really take the courses. Basically most of Kagami's classes were Open. Kuroko wouldn't stand a second in those classes. He heard last week from Takao one kid sent an entire hive of bees to run rampant in the classroom. Kuroko has never liked bees. They're loud (that buzzing would drive him mad) and scary - he'd rather not get stung by one again like he did as a child.
"Of course it is. It's fucking English." Kagami scowls as though Kuroko should know what he's talking about already. Kuroko supposes he should, he is his friend after all. Best friend in fact. University life has gotten them farther apart than normal, now that Kuroko isn't playing basketball on the University team. He still loves the sport, it's just that he doesn't wish to play professionally.
The point is Kagami is horrid at English. Despite living in America. He's never really good at writing anything really.
"So what's the favour? I don't really know anything about Charlotte's Web. Are you confused about something?"
"Yeah… something like that."
"Did you try looking it up?"
"Uh...no." Kagami is looking away from Kuroko's bloodshot eyes. the pale haired man raises an eyebrow at the response, seriously at a loss of the problem.
"Well, you can start there. I'm sure you can understand it clearly after that. Then just reread the part you weren't sure about. The test will likely be easy questions." Kuroko begins to turn at his laptop, his hands reaching to type up and search for any websites that might feature some topics in the children's book.
He only types 'Charlotte's' before Kagami's large hands grip at his wrists tightly out of nowhere. Kuroko turns, his shoulders raised from being startled.
Kagami's face appears uncomfortable and his red eyes are narrowing at Kuroko's mid typing but now frozen hands. "Don't do that."
Kuroko cocks his head. "Why not?"
"Just. Stop." Kagami's breath is harsh and Kuroko doesn't like this feeling pooling in his gut.
Kuroko retracts his hands, slipping from his friend's tight grip and turns back to Kagami, who's not lounging as he was before. He's sitting up at the edge of Kuroko's bed, staring at his lap, his red hair (well, not really red in the dark of the room, but Kuroko can see some red from the light streaming from the screen) is blocking his eyes. It's obvious he's avoiding looking up back at Kuroko.
He's about to call Kagami's name, but his throat clamps and suddenly he's unsure on how to proceed. Damn. Kagami rushed him too much - if he had the chance to think things over before Kagami opened his stupid mouth, this may not be happening right now. None of this.
"I… didn't…" Kagami is mumbling, but Kuroko can't hear the end of his sentence.
"You didn't, what?" Kuroko echoes, for clarification.
He didn't expect Kagami to snap his head up and yell, "I DIDN'T READ IT!"
Kuroko's eyes are widening, his irises almost a white against the light of the laptop. His mouth is agape, "You… didn't read it?"
Kagami seems to have calmed down, his shoulders are heaving a little though, breaths hitching out like a dragon's. "Yeah." He's nodding a lot, Kagami only does this when he isn't sure on what else to do. Kagami normally always knows what he wants to do.
Kuroko clears his throat to recover his momentary shock, "W-when is this test? Next week?"
Kagami's adam's apple bobs, swallowing saliva before whispering out, "No… it's tomorrow," his fingers scrape against his dark washed jeans, "If… if I don't pass this I may fail the course. Coach says I got to up my grades soon or I'm off the team."
"So… what do you want?" Kuroko is seriously losing it right now. What is Kagami expecting from him? "You can read the book tonight. It's not very long. It's a children's book, you'll be" -
"I-I can't." Kagami is whispering and Kuroko feels that his ears are hurting from listening so carefully.
"What do you mean, you can't?! You can read, Kagami!"
"Of course I can fucking read!"
"Then read it!" Kuroko is glaring at Kagami now. This isn't making any sense. "What were you expecting, that I'd read it for you and do all your work?!"
"It isn't…" Kagami sounds tired, deflated, Kuroko interrupts him quickly.
His voice is ice, "Then what is it? What else would you mean? You did come here to ask me to do it for you, didn't you?!"
Kagami is shaking his head again.
"Then what is it?!"
"Yes! I was planning on you reading it for me?! You're smarter and" -
"I can't believe you think you can use me to do your own work Kagami. I'm your friend not a person to do your work for you!"
Kagami is standing and waving his hands around frantically, "It isn't like that - it's just - I can't." Kuroko is ignoring his gaze.
He finds himself glaring at his fucking reading that's 50 pages long and Kagami's here complaining about reading a large sized font, grade schooler novel. He can't believe what he's hearing right now. "That's a lie. And you know it Kagami. I know you can read."
"It's not that I can't fucking read Kuroko! Jesus Christ, are you even listening! I came to get help, I thought if anyone could help it'd be you."
"Then what is it - tell me, enlighten me, oh-so-great fucking genius, Kagami Taiga," Kuroko rarely swears out loud. Ever. And he wonders if he may have crossed some invisible line that tells you 'you really shouldn't say this stuff to your best friend in a fight'. How would he even know if he crossed that fucking line?! Kagami's not even making sense. Kuroko's had enough people use him for his brain. Kagami knows that, he knows the times Kuroko's been used and left to his misery by people who 'just need one look at the assignment, I swear I won't copy anything' or the classic 'i lost my notes and was wondering if you had any study notes I can borrow'. One assignment turns into every single night's homework, or what answers might be on the test since they missed the lessons. It's all been done, it got less frequent in University now that most people are at the same level of intelligence as he is - but still Kagami always saw it all. They were inseparable in high school. Kuroko faintly remembers some of those kids apologizing profusely while sweating bullets whenever making eye contact with Kagami. Why would Kagami do this to me? Why is he making it seem like I'm the bad guy here?!
"Tell. Me." Kuroko is growling at this point. He doesn't growl.
"I CAN read it's just… just that it doesn't make any sense. Like it goes into my brain but like I can't make sense of it. I can't do this. Like if I waste my time reading it, I'll fail!" Kagami is exploding right now, eyes narrowed, his breaths uneven, shoulders sagging in what seems to be exhaustion. Probably from putting up with all the fighting.
Kuroko is shocked once more. He's still wrapping his mind around what his friend is telling him when Kagami begins bending down and slinging his backpack (all black, because Kagami has some sort of love for extremely dark and plain things) and begins walking to the door muttering a, "Nevermind Kuroko, I'll see you" -
I shut him up with a simple grab of his elbow. "You're an idiot Kagami-kun."
"What?! I " -
"No. Not like that. I mean you should have explained this earlier.. Why… why didn't you tell me this? And how are you even doing all the other readings you're assigned?" Everyone is assigned reading, the fact that Kagami can't comprehend exactly what he's reading doesn't make any sense. He would have dropped out by now.
Kagami's scratching the back of his hair, it's always a mess and today doesn't seem to be an exception. "W-well. I normally find an audiobook or something. But at the library there wasn't one for Charlotte's Web. I was planning to ask Takao or Furi. Furi's normally the one who puts up with me, since he doesn't mind rereading 'classics' he says, apparently it helps him get over his fear of reading out loud in front of people. But he's busy studying for a big Biology test coming up. And I guess Takao isn't here… so I was planning on asking you…"
"You… you should have told me this before." Kuroko couldn't think of anything else to say. How could he not know this about his best friend.
Not just best friend, the guy you've been hopelessly crushing on since their second year of high school Kuroko heatedly ponders in his mind, eyes darting at the ground. He knows he's frowning and his eyebrows are knitting in a deep line. He wonders if Kagami ever felt like smoothing the anger out of his face. He doubts it.
"I-it didn't really come up in conversation." The avoiding of Kuroko's gaze is so blatantly obvious it seriously pisses Kuroko off. He's not even trying to hide the fact that he's lying. Not that it would work anyways. Kagami's emotions can be read by anyone, that's one of the reasons Kuroko fell for this hopeless buffoon. Kuroko's always wanted to be like that. Filled with obvious emotions, so no one is confused about you, ever. For him he can't work like that - but Kagami can. And it's a serious blessing in times like these.
"Bullshit. I should know about this Kagami, we're friends, right?" Kuroko is asking the question, but he isn't really asking anything. It's obvious what the answer is.
"Yeah. Sorry. I-it's embarrassing, you know?" His hand goes up to scratch his head again. Kuroko begins thinking it's a bad habit. Kagami continues, "I-I don't want to be a disappointment. You love reading, it felt like an insult if I asked for your help to have you read to me like I'm some fucking two-year old."
Kuroko sighs, "You thought I'd judge you over that? It's not your fault your mind works that way Kagami." He points his finger at Kagami's heart to further emphasize what he's saying, "It's who you are, and that's all."
Kagami is looking down at the top of Kuroko's head, because they're standing now and Kuroko is pretty close since the laptop and desk were only a few centimeters away from Kuroko's bed. Literally right next to each other. Kuroko cranes his neck, wondering what expression Kagami is wearing now. He hopes he isn't too angry for what he stated before. Those things were horrible, he promises not to lose his cool around Kagami ever again.
Next thing Kuroko knows, Kagami is gripping onto him in a tight hug, like some sort of bear hugging one of its cubs. Kuroko gets a waft of Kagami's warm scent immediately filling his nose. He smells like Kagami, like a sunny day sitting in the grass, always with a hint of sweat. But Kuroko rarely cares, it's how Kagami always is. He could probably sweat from standing in the freezing cold if he could.
Kuroko's tired of being squished up against the zipper of Kagami's black hoodie, so he tries moving his head, despite the huge pressure of Kagami's hands on his back, he definitely wouldn't budge if Kuroko remotely tried to free from Kagami's grasp right now. Kagami's face is on his head, chin tucking over the spiky blue hairs, but as Kuroko squirms he lifts his head away and stares down at the man peering up to him.
Kuroko mumbles, "That was far too sudden, Kagami-kun. And you say I do embarrassing things." His mouth is moving against the fabric of Kagami's thick sweater and the red headed man just chuckles. Kuroko enjoys feeling the chest expanding next to him with his hearty breaths. Kagami's eyes are so warm and relieved that Kuroko can't help but sneak out a slight smile. One of his rarest ones he saves for Kagami only.
They stay like that for a few more moments, Kagami, brushing strands of Kuroko's messy hair down - only for them to go back up again. Kuroko raises an eyebrow, "Wait… how did you ever get Takao to read to you? He can barely even do his own assignments…." Kuroko would have no clue how Kagami could get Takao to read an entire chapter to him, let alone a children's novel. Most of those would have Takao cracking up and laughing on the ground. Imagine his reaction to The Magic Treehouse or hell, even Goosebumps. That would be horrendous.
"Oh, Takao? Why? What, are you jealous?" Kagami is grinning from ear to ear.
Kuroko shoves Kagami and he topples onto the mattress while laughing hysterically. Kuroko isn't amused at all.
"Hmph." He's heading back to his laptop, getting ready to continue his damn reading. A glance at his clock tells him it's already past eleven. Damn. Kagami sure is a distraction whenever he tries to be productive.
"Oi. I was only joking," Kagami's kicking at Kuroko's old wooden chair, with a lumpy old cushion to sit your butt on. It's hardly comfortable for Kuroko, he vowed to change it months ago, but never has. Most things he wished to change he still hasn't. It's what University does to you.
Kagami is definitely smiling broadly, "Hey, you promised to read to me."
"You're horrible. You smell. And have no sense of others feelings." Kuroko's eyes aren't leaving the screen this time, he promises himself. He's back to his curled up position so he can calm himself down.
"Are you sure about that? You got a good whiff of me before, I thought you liked how I smelled." Definitely a smirk in that. A dangerous one that Kuroko rather avoids from risking their constant dynamic - this friendship of theirs.
"Kagami. You're wrong. You do smell sweaty. And I definitely don't like that smell."
"Oh, really. Fine, then. Just read me the damn book Kuroko. We're wasting precious Charlotte's Web time. I hear it's about a pig or something like that."
"Have you ever gone to your classes? You should know for sure that there's a pig involved, I'm certain there's one on the cover. And spoiler alert, there's a spider in it too," Kuroko is smirking by now, he really can't help it. Their banter has never been a bore.
"Awww… now who's avoiding other people's emotions, you can't give away that!" Kagami laughs towards the beginning of his sentence, practically snorting at the end of it. Kuroko can't help but giggle at the ridiculousness of all of this.
Kuroko hears the zipper of Kagami's bag opening and then he feels the corner of a paperback novel poking at the right side of his body. Right against the visible skin of Kuroko's arm. Kuroko tries to ignore it for a few moments, until the poking is getting out of hand, happening continuously every second.
"Will you quit it?!" Kuroko is trying to push the book away, but Kagami's dodging his grabs, and still lands the pokes on Kuroko's pale arm.
Kagami is smiling, "Kurokooo… just come over here for a few minutes to read this damn thing. Then I'm outta here and you can drool over whatever romance drama you're reading now."
"It's not a romance drama it's To Kill A Mockingbird."
"Whatever. Sounds romantic. Like somebodies gonna die. Probably."
"Will you please just shut up." Kuroko actually grabs the book this time and is getting up from his rickety old chair. Kagami is sprawled on the bed again, but he begins sitting up, now alert and smiling wide since Kuroko's up on his feet.
His red eyes are excited, "Does that mean you're gonna read me it?!"
"No."
Kagami's face falls.
Kuroko rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. His feet stop shifting and are firmly planted on the ground, "Not until you tell me how you got Kazunari to read to your stupid ass face."
"So mean, Kuroko, so cold, "Kagami jokes, while he clutches at his heart dramatically on the bed, his body squirming on Kuroko's neat sheets. They're now all wrinkled. His acting is distasteful to Kuroko.
The redhead grins once more, "Calling him Kazunari now? Don't tell me you're mad, don't be."
"I'm not mad, just want to get my point across. Now. Tell me."
"Hm. Fine, I'll take that deal, now get the hell over here already, you idiot." Kagami is already pulling down Kuroko before he can muster an objection and the two end up curled against the wall. Kuroko sitting on Kagami's lap, so that he can hear better (Kuroko is still soft spoken, he doesn't plan to waste his entire vocal chords just to read a children's book to Kagami) and Kagami's head is poking down on Kuroko's bony shoulder. Kagami's head rests for a moment as Kuroko holds up the book in between his fingertips, flipping past the cover and title page, to the first chapter of the novel.
"Now. Tell me." Kuroko's voice is a whisper and Kagami's breath trails against Kuroko's neck.
"Er… well… I kind of helped him figure out where Midorima goes, his newer hiding spots for studying."
"That can't be all, Kagami-kun. I'm not a fool. Tell me it all. Even I could've done that." It's true, Kuroko probably knew even more of Midorima's favourite studying spots, because Kuroko often needed to escape from his loud friends also. Especially Takao.
"Well, he convinced me to challenge Midorima. For old time's sake. Said it was important or something. That the nerd needed a break or something. So I did it."
"That's all?"
"Uh.. you'll never let me out of this will you?!" Kagami whines, practically squirming against the wall.
Kuroko's chuckling by now, "It can't be that bad."
"You clearly haven't seen the extent of Takao's craziness Kuroko."
"I room with him."
"Exactly. He isn't going to show you his true colours completely! No one really does."
"Hm. I guess so.. now tell me." Kuroko pokes at Kagami's right cheek, pouting up at him in a way he knows Kagami can't possibly refuse. "Now."
Kagami's forehead plants itself against Kuroko's shoulder and he mutters out. "He-he had me sing an entire song on a tape recorder. To prank Midorima. He set it as Midorima's ringtone and had it go off in class. It was horrible."
Kuroko elbows Kagami roughly, but not really roughly. Not according to Kagami, he's made of rock. A rock that would never budge.
"What song, Kagami, tell me what song." Kuroko's heart is hammering from the wait.
Kagami is sounds defeated and mumbles out, "It was..."
"Just say it." Kuroko can feel the smile forming onto his face, it's trying to stop from widening, but really Kuroko can't help himself. An embarrassed Kagami is the best.
"It-it was….Single Ladies."
"Pfffttt…."
Kuroko can't stop from laughing and Kagami can't stop himself from yelling out in complete embarrassment. Kuroko would probably say that reading Charlotte's Web to Kagami on a Thursday night is not where he'd ever wish to be. But sitting in these warm arms, with Kagami's laugh rumbling against his back. He can't help but smile a little more. Maybe a lot more. Until he feels like his smile has stretched too far that it can never go back to being emotionless.
And this is why he loves Kagami.
He doesn't think he can ever find someone who can make his face tear apart from smiling as much as Kagami does.
And Kagami kisses him at the end, when Kuroko's certain his voice is dying off from straining for so long, from whispering all these words out loud and into the air. And into Kagami's mind - because that's how Kagami reads, through hearing it out loud.
He thinks to himself that maybe Kagami loves him too. And that maybe he feels like his smile may never stop when Kuroko's around.
Kuroko would like to think that to be true.
Because this fiery breath, hot hands, and warm lips are different than anything in the entire world. And they're only for him. For Kuroko alone.
A/N: this is slightly based off of a scene from a book I loved, called Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. It's only the basis for the idea, Kagami's circumstances are similar to the character Levi in the book who listens to audiobooks instead of reading. Rainbow did any entirely different route, and I wanted t change it up so I really tried in making it my own :)
I decided to actually write my first ever oneshot. For some reason I always do multichapter fics that I never end up finishing cause they are far too big ideas for my actual life to handle. So I decided to change it up and do a oneshot. I love knb and I'm working on a mutli chapter akafuri fic. I think I have two of those actually. and I now have plenty oneshot ideas.
btw I also posted this on ao3 as 'obsessionofcookies' - (I'm mostly on ao3 now, because of my new found love with the format of the stories and also cause I love knb)
thought I'd start a oneshot with the ship I first started shipping in knb, so this is sort of a commemoration for starting up my love for this fandom. everything is so great about it!
and yes, I couldn't think of a far more ridiculous song than Single Ladies, idk why, but it was first thing that popped into my mind when thinking for a song. XD
thanks for reading, leave a comment if you like! (oh and I actually read Charlotte's Web way back in grade 3, hbu guys? To Kill a Mockingbird I read like two years ago, i think? For high school, so I thought that would be something Kuroko would read since it's higher level English - and a classic novel.) btw i love adding funny quirky things to characters - like Kuroko's ridiculous shirt :3 oh and the fact Kagami always dresses to be playing basketball