Disclaimer: I don't own KuroBasu.
Warning: Cutting, physical and mental violence, character death.
How to destroy a life.
Relationships, no matter what kind, be it friends, lovers, parent and child or barely knowing each other, they are all living things. They are born, they grow up, they mature and they also die. Because they are living things. Maybe they don't breathe like we do, maybe they don't feel and maybe they can't speak, but they are living, existing and are.
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Akashi was the one who found Kuroko, his talent and his future potential on the court. Even if people thought it was Aomine, the light and ace and hero that guided Kuroko, showing him what and how and when, it was actually Akashi, had been him all along. Akashi taught Kuroko, guided him, advised him.
Kuroko was Akashi's even before the blue haired boy realized it himself, even before Akashi had decided that.
It was a new and budding relationship, an usual one that had nothing to do with friendship. Own and be owned – that was their relationship. Break and be broken, control and be controlled. It was something simple and yet complicated, something that couldn't be quite put into words.
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Kuroko grew, got more skilled in what he had been taught to do. But it was only to be expected, Akashi was teaching him after all. They were now second years, their first championship victory achieved and the second one would soon follow, it was, once again, only to be expected. Because Akashi was their captain, after all.
They were all busy sharpening their own skills, training to become even better, better than anyone else. And Akashi still trained Kuroko, controlled him and taught him. But no longer just in basketball, no. Their relationship had evolved now; Kuroko had given in, stopped struggling against the inevitable. Master and pet, something like that but not quite.
No one noticed the glances exchanged between the two, no one saw the fear in Kuroko's eyes whenever Akashi would look at him. It was more than a look; Kuroko had learned that well after the first victory when Akashi had showed him what exactly Kuroko was and what was expected of him from now on.
If once Kuroko had admired Akashi, then now he only feared. Because he was a shadow, weak and obedient.
If Akashi had once longed to have Kuroko, then now he wanted to own him – body and soul and heart. Because his orders were ultimate, he was always right.
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The first time Akashi had claimed Kuroko physically was also in their second year, just after the after-school practice in the dark and humid locker room. Kuroko had let Akashi down, hadn't kept up with his training regime and allowed his skill to slip, just a bit. So he was to be punished, it was only to be expected.
But this time was different. Akashi was already bored of the usual – scratching, hitting, and making the other do things that he would never do – he wanted to do something more. He wanted more of Kuroko
It had been only pain for Kuroko, burning and destroying and hurting. His face pushed against the cold, dirty ground, leaving a red bruise on his cheek and hands tied behind his back, nails scratching onto the skin on his waist and Akashi moving in and out of him – fast, hard, deep, uncaring. There was blood and pain and sweat and tears and the tormenting feeling of emptiness that slowly took over him.
Kuroko took the next four days off from school, using the fever and feeling sick as an excuse.
Akashi didn't go to check up on him, he didn't care. He would wait for Kuroko to get back to school to continue his training, but this time not in basketball.
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Their third year was the last that they would spend together, Kuroko had long lost the will to be freed from the chains that Akashi had placed on his wrist and ankles, he no longer cared. If anyone from the team had finally noticed the weird looks and signs of ownership on Kuroko's body then they kept quiet and looked away – Akashi's words were absolute. No one dared to oppose him.
Kuroko was alone, all alone and suffering and broken and being controlled. He was a pet, a toy, a doll that only knew how to keep quiet and nod his head at every order. He was broken, empty and tired, so very tired.
At the end of the third year he disappeared, leaving behind only a resignation letter and his basketball uniform. No one could tell where he had gone, his parents refused to tell and Akashi was left furious.
His property had disobeyed him. Unforgivable.
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It was a year later that Kuroko was seen walking aimlessly through the streets. They had all gone to different schools, a promise still connecting them to each other. Except for the shadow of the team. Akashi was behind this promise, like he was behind everything else concerning the miracles. But the one that managed to escape his grasp, his ever watchful eyes was Kuroko. Until now, that is.
Surprisingly, they all got together, something that Akashi wasn't expecting to happen, to go where the missing shadow had been seen. It wasn't much, but maybe he would be there, is what someone had said. He was there, walking slowly and barely dodging the people. Pale, paler than he should be, wrists bandaged and skin bruised in places. Eyes empty.
There was no sign of life in Kuroko, nothing was left.
It was only then that Akashi realized just how much he had broken the other, just how much he had played a bit too much and taken things too far. He had been young and stupid, or so he thought to himself. In reality, he still was – young and stupid and wanting too much. He was still just a child.
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It was only days later that they managed to finally talk to the blue haired teen. He looked at them, unsure why they would talk to him suddenly, unsure about who they were. But they managed to make him remember, remember the broken relationships they had shared before and remember the pressuring emotions that had attached themselves to them.
But it was when Kuroko spotted Akashi that his eyes went wide and words refused to come out anymore. He simply started at the one who had once owned him. Left hand grabbed onto the left wrist, Kuroko never allowed his eyes to drift away from Akashi as he did this. It seemed like he was sending a message, and maybe not just for Akashi alone – no one could tell.
You did this to me, Kuroko muttered low and quiet. There was blood now seeping through the bandages and it probably hurt but Kuroko could no longer feel the pain, he couldn't feel anything. You destroyed me, what more do you need; it was a silent plea, that much Akashi could tell.
They didn't see Kuroko after that.
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His old roles as a teacher and captain and owner had made Akashi come here in the middle of the night. It was like his past relationships were trying to tell him something, to show him something and guide him along the way. Or maybe it was simply fate, not that Akashi believed in either.
But the sight of Kuroko standing on the rail of the bridge and looking down at Akashi wasn't a dream. It was real and maybe was meant to be, who knew.
They didn't speak, there was no need to. A toy and an owner, finally alone together but not like before. The roles in this meeting were reversed, or maybe there were no roles. Akashi was sure that it wouldn't matter either way – the future wouldn't change, he knew, he had seen. So he just stood there and watched the broken doll before him that momentarily regained its humanity and soul and will.
Akashi had been young and needy and dominant and a fool. He could have had a relationship more precious and enjoyable with Kuroko than of the one that broke and the one that was broken, he realized now. But he had been young and foolish and inexperienced. Maybe he still was.
Kuroko smiled down at him, taking Akashi's breath and heart away and with him as he fell to his own death, into the cold water below. This time the one doing the breaking was Kuroko and the one being broken was Akashi.
This time was the last.
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Relationships are born and relationships die. Sometimes they are forced to come and be and sometimes they are killed. You can never undo was has been done and you can never make something that had died come back to life. Relationships are living things – you have to cherish them. Or they will disappear and take your heart into the abyss with them.
A/N: I have no idea how this came to be, I really don't. And I really do think that Akashi isn't like this towards Kuroko, or anyone in that case, but… But somehow… This happened. I'm sorry.