Chapter 1: Coffee

If there was a reason for Kagami to regret, then it would be that second that he dumped that can of coffee in Kuroko's hands. He did not know at first, but he was already too late anyway to change what had transpired. Who would've thought that his partner, the infamous shadow, had a strange (in)compatibility with coffee?

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko poked him using the tip of the mechanical pencil.

"What?" Kagami faced him, twisting his body to give a stare at Kuroko who sat at the chair behind him.

"You do not like dogs, do you?"

"What the hell is that question?" Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Of course I freakin' hate them!"

"I see…" Kuroko answered, and his voice sounded so sagely. Kuroko wore a pondering look, before he fished something out his bag. "Here's Nigou, then." Kuroko dropped the dog atop Kagami's head, which created a very interesting response from the redhead.

"Ku-KUROKO!" Kagami yelled as he convulsed by the sensation of a dog near his body. He (literally) shook the dog in his head, which sent the poor animal flying back into the shadow's hands. "What are you doing, teme?!" He finally stood up from his seat, sending a dangerous look at his teammate. "Are you trying to kill me?!"

"Kagami-kun, why will I ever think of that?" Kuroko deadpanned, brushing Nigou's furry body who just dug his head deeper into his master's chest. Perhaps the dog was traumatized for being flung away by a violent force (Kagami in particular). "Nigou looks lonely."

"How can you even tell that the dog is lonely?!"

"Of course, Kagami-kun." Kuroko answered, looking quizzically at his partner. "If I stuff you in a bag, would you not feel lonely too?"

"Then why do you stuff your dog in your bag then?" Kagami retorted.

"Good question, Kagami-kun. Sometimes, you can really say smart things," Kuroko responded, which ticked the redhead.

With a quick shove, Kagami easily enveloped Kuroko's head under his hands, his red orbs narrowing towards the latter with irritation and disbelief. "You… teme…" He hissed. "You're not trying my patience, are you? Right? Right?" He muttered, leveling a really menacing glare down at Kuroko. However, his eyes widened when he noticed that the soft strands that he felt by his fingertips did not belong to Kuroko… but a dog that seemed happy at the touch of the ferocious redhead.

"GAHHH!" Kagami erupted again, immediately pulling out his hand from the dog's fur. He was practically shaking his hands as if he had touched a really, really filthy substance, his eyes threatening to spill some tears. "My hand! My hand!" He wailed, as if his hand would be rendered eternally useless.

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko slowly stood up from his seat, as he pulled his bag up and placed it atop his desk. He drew out a greenish plastic bottle, untwisted its cap and laid it out in front of his partner. "Do not overreact, Kagami-kun." He said. "Here, have an alcohol."

Kagami instantly placed his palms under the bottles nuzzle and waited for the liquid to drop, as Kuroko squeezed the item in his hand. As soon as the redhead felt the cool liquid upon his skin, he rubbed his hands together like mad, scrubbing his extremities as if wanting to erase even his skin. However, just seconds after he spilled the liquid all over his hands, Kagami smelled something odd.

He looked down at saw that his hands were now perfectly glazed in thick, gelatinous, film of some brownish liquid.

"Barbeque?" Kagami stared incredulously at his hands before he shot his eyes back at Kuroko.

"Oh, I thought that was alcohol in my bag." Kuroko answered, looking innocently at the bottle in his hand. "It's barbeque sauce,"

"What is that thing doing in your bag?!"

"I-It's not like I'm bringing it for you, Kagami-kun," Kuroko twisted his face and avoided Kagami's stare. "Please do not have some strange ideas."

"What the hell, Kuroko?! You're seriously scaring me!" However, Kagami finally discerned that the person he was speaking to vanished before him. The redhead began to look around him, whirling frantically just to discover where the hell his partner went to again. Fortunately, Kuroko made his effort a lot easier when said teen appeared beside him – without any warnings. "GAAAHHH!" Another blood-curling scream resounded all-throughout the classroom.

In fright, Kagami held out his hands, over his face, covering his eyes as if trying to block out the sight of a ghost. Nevertheless, because of his heightened anxiety, Kagami forgot that his hands were still covered with the sticky sauce. It was too late for him, with the sauce coating his face.

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko stood tall in front of the cowering redhead. There was a glint of amusement in his eyes, but there was also a telltale sign of incredulity floating inside those neutral orbs. "I never knew that you have some barbeque sauce fetish," Kuroko said, with an obviously audible at the end of his words. "As your friend, I promise that I won't tell it to the others, especially to Hyūga-senpai," he added, looking away from Kagami, shying away whatever expression the shadow was sporting on his face.

"HAA?!" Kagami retorted. "Barbeque what?!" He shouted. "Where the hell did you get the idea?!"

"Because… Because you were screaming like there is no tomorrow while you smear the barbeque sauce in your face… I thought––"

"NO! I don't want to hear it anymore!" Kagami cut Kuroko off, placing his hands in between him and the shadow. For heaven's sake, what was happening to Kuroko?!

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko called out once again, tilting his head to avoid the large hand plastered over his face. "I want to tell you that Nigou's favorite food flavor is barbeque."

Just as soon as he heard that, Kagami Taiga instantly dashed off from the classroom, with an excited pup trailing behind him. Kuroko observed from afar, slightly surprised that even Kagami could run faster than he usually did while playing basketball. Kuroko Tetsuya just shrugged off his shoulders upon seeing the weird display from his partner, while settling himself back at his seat. Perhaps, Kuroko would not mind Kagami's behavior for now. He just hoped that he would be alright during practice – they couldn't mess up with their dream to become Japan's number 1.

As he readjusted his desk, Kuroko noticed the can of coffee Kagami handed him earlier. He had only taken some few sips. Better take more… he said in his head, before he tipped the drink into his lips, gulping the coffee into his system.