Kuroko and Aomine's story here out of the Hollow Miracle universe. On the whirlwind ride of angst we go.
Disclaimer: characters belong to their respective owners
An excruciating pain.
A dark sky.
A feeling of loss.
Those three were most distinct in my first memories.
At the beginning, I had rose and walked in all directions, any direction, with no clear destination in mind.
I could not tell if I was going in circles or treading on a path that lead to infinity. Either way, I didn't have the knowledge or ability to care.
Soon I had encountered others, who I had called "friends". They told me of what this place of endless darkness was called.
"Hueco Mundo," they said. It meant "Hollow World". It was fitting for a lifeless shadowed desert.
Wandering in groups, we observed others like us "hollows" interact. Unlike us, the outsiders had engaged in violence and tore at each other's bodies, consuming their masked brethren.
I had not understood. Were our "friends" supposed to act like so?
"No, no, we're special!" they had gushed. There was still doubt, but I had believed them. After all, they were our "friends".
We had continued on, even as little by little, our "friends" breathed for the last time.
"-vives is deemed the strongest!"
"Hoorah!"
"Shut up, you idiot! It might hear us..." an unknown hissed.
"But it doesn't know any better though. Like a newborn."
"Like a newborn, but with immense power."
"Do ya think it was born like that?" one asked.
"There can be no way it could have," a third piped in.
"It's judgement is pretty dim, so it's alright to assume it wouldn't know if it was already dead, right?" another perked up.
"Once we consume more of the weaker it has unconsciously killed, only then will we have it as our meal. We will ascend from Adjuchas to the top class of Menos," the apparent one in charge bit out, "the Vasto Lorde."
What were these classes? They all had spoke of "Adjuchas" so thus I was one too? Who would they consume next? What did "dim" mean?
From their outbursts, they had planned on eating one stronger than they were.
Ah, but I didn't care, as long as my "friends" accompanied me. If they wished to be stronger I could only comply as their friend. I trotted to the carved rock where my "friends" had told me to nap on, leaving my "friends" to their whispered conversation.
"...just make sure you keep your distance, or you will suffer the consequences," the head Adjucha warned, unheard by "it".
Eventually, all of my first "friends" had disappeared. Later, I would find the correct term to be "killed".
Observing my "friends" mingle with one another, I decided to test out how it felt. Reaching out to a nearby "friend" I had touched them with a hand, as I'd seen others do before.
He had screamed and shouted, watching as the spot of contact disintegrated and spread throughout his spiked body.
The nameless Hollow had disappeared immediately. How strange, why only then did I realize our "friends" had dwindled in number, as if this sudden death had opened my eyes.
My "friends" had fled soon after, and I had observed from afar as they retreated to begin slaughter of our "friends" as they massacred their allies to become the strongest. They had finished each other off after several moonless nights.
And yet, no outside parties had interfered.
This memory was most memorable to me, as it made a lasting and unique first impression of myself and others.
The deaths of following "friends" were all the same. My presence overwhelmed every one of them, and soon they sensed the promise of death that trailed me like a shadow. None had bothered to befriend me, only aiming to devour. Those days were uneventful, tiring, and most of all hurtful to my will to live.
There were more "foes" than "friends" and I was overcome with desolation. It was a foreign and painful feeling, to me who did not know many emotions. It felt like I was dying. I could see hallucinations, bright colors, and shadows for the first time, thinking maybe peace will come to me soon enough to put me out of my misery.
Why, why is it that I bring death to those I hope to become close with?
I am lonely. I want this this depthless feeling of solitude to end.
"Oi, why did you just split off from my body?"
"Likewise," a monotonous voice replied.
"Tch. Whatever."
The larger, darker of the two newly halved beings reached for a torn rag amongst the surrounding corpses. Wrapping it around his tan waist, he peered at the smaller figure crouched on the sand. Its appearance was strange, as the small Hollow was shaped with pale flesh and no unique features but for the signature Hollow hole in the center of its torso. The larger regarded the attached horned helmet it bore on its head, with the left eye covered.
The other's light hair was most fascinating, and he remembered their previous one entity had never seen a color so vibrant in this dreary world. What was the color again? It resembled something Hueco Mundo did not have.
Sky.
That couldn't be right. After all, this sky was complete darkness.
No, it wasn't this expanse of lifeless emptiness; the sky, the one of another more beautiful world.
"I would like to see it someday..." he murmured. He noticed that the one with the sky-colored hair was staring at him. Its eye is the same too.
"What is it, small one?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I was wondering what I should call you, dark one," it replied, a question apparent in its visible eye, though emotionless its face stayed.
"Call me? I think our 'friends' each had one of their own, back when we were one person," he recalled. "Gyah, what was the word? I'm having trouble remembering."
"I am certain it is called a 'name'. It was used to identify one's self and allow others to identify them," it explained in the same quiet tone of voice.
"How does one decide on such a thing?" This level of thinking was not suited for the larger one.
Pausing, most likely to flip through memories, it slowly gave an uncertain answer, "It was not explained, but I assume that the decision on a name would come from something of their liking."
Something of their liking, is it? He was just born; what would he have liked from these few moments he was just split in two? Searching for something of interest, his eyes eventually landed on the slighter one's blue hair. He made his decision.
"I will be named...Aomine," he announced, hoping to allow the still crouched Hollow to know the reason behind it.
"After the color of your hair, I presume, Aomine-kun?" it asked. My hair is also blue, huh? I must appear vain in this person's eyes.
"Nah, I just took a liking to the sound of it. Your hair is also blue, young one."
"My body is about the same age as you, which would technically be a few minutes," it deadpanned. "You can assume I am male as well. Do not think I am younger merely because of my appearance, Aomine-kun."
"I told you, my name is Aomine."
"That's right, very good, Aomine-kun." Was that sarcasm he heard in that quiet unassuming voice of his?
"Well, just call me whatever you like. It's your turn now, little one," he insisted. "Who are you?"
Aomine had asked the wrong question. 'What is your name?' he meant to say.
His eye of clear blue had turned back to gaze at the sand where his shadow and Aomine's crossed each other. Several moments passed, the helmeted naked boy still sitting and Aomine towering above him. With a gulp, he finally spoke, glancing up at Aomine, eye glinting and voice laced with certainty.
"I am Kuroko."
Breaking into a bright smile, Aomine slapped Kuroko on his back and threw a rag over the boy Hollow. "Kuroko, that's great! But if you're going to stick with me, you need to be fully clothed. Isn't that right, partner?"
"Ah, yes," Kuroko agreed, wrapping the rag cloak around his pale shoulders. He couldn't have said anything other than yes. The boy Hollow considered Aomine's tan figure, the other's smile still imprinted in his mind.
How dazzling this person's smile is. Though he appeared opposite of "bright" he seemed to be filled with light, something he knew he was not...He couldn't allow this pure person to experience what was brewing inside of him. After all, he was probably the one that allowed Kuroko to "exist".
I will protect Aomine-kun's beautiful soul from these dark feelings I now keep hidden in this body.
That is the reason for my existence, surely.
I want it to be.