Author's note: There's some M-rated stuff later in this one shot, so please skip that if you're uncomfortable with it. Unfortunately, there's no place where I can transition from normal story to smut, so it's not marked out. This is also an entry for WinterRaineeDay's May Canon Pairing Contest On Wattpad.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke or the cover picture.
Kuroko Tetsuya was a book.
No, not literally, but to one Akashi Seijuurou, it truly seemed that way. The blunette was the most intriguing book he had ever chanced upon, whose cover was plain and unassuming, but whose content was more riveting than anything else he had come across before.
Every chapter held a new discovery, and each line held promise of being so much more. The plot twisted and turned, always surprising him with its uniqueness and literary prose. There were none of the cliché repetitions he had come to hate, nor was there poor grammar, lousy spelling, or disgusting punctuation.
No, Kuroko was a good book. One that kept him on his toes, kept him curious and guessing about what would happen next. For no matter how he tried, he could not seem to predict the outcome. It was irritating at first, but in the time since then, he had come to find it wonderfully refreshing.
Yes, he decided. Kuroko Tetsuya was a book he liked very much.
It was a pity his price wasn't that of cold, hard cash.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Tetsuya." Akashi stood at Kuroko's elbow after the class was over, patiently waiting to escort him to their next class. Kuroko tried to hide his exasperation, but Akashi picked up on it right before his emotionless mask slid back into place.
"Akashi-kun. You really don't have to wait for me. I can walk to the next class on my own."
"Nonsense. We share the same classes, and can attend them together. I insist."
Kuroko muttered something under his breath, standing up and pushing past the redhead. Akashi was sure he said 'Nobody cares if you insist.'
Hmm. It was odd how much that statement could wound his heart.
Pushing aside the nagging insecurity, Akashi tailed Kuroko to their next class, plopping himself in the seat next to the blunette and glaring at anyone who dared to sit on his other side. The unfortunate students caught under his accusing stare would back away quickly and rush to find another place. Soon, the lecture theatre was crammed with people, but the seat next to the blunette was left unfilled, as per usual.
Kuroko sighed. "Akashi-kun, building friendships with other people is a normal, healthy part of societal norms. Would you kindly stop scaring off everyone who attempts to sit near us?"
"Hmm." Akashi pretended to contemplate his question. "Nope. You have enough friends and too many admirers, Tetsuya. It is my job to keep these lions away from you."
Kuroko rolled his eyes. I think you're the lion here. How long has it been since you first noticed me and refused to leave me alone? "You're acting like a possessive boyfriend, Akashi-kun. And the last time I checked, we were not dating."
There was silence for a heartbeat, then Akashi asked, "Would you do me the honour of being my boyfriend, Tetsuya?"
Kuroko blinked, then turned away. Lion indeed. Going straight for the jugular up front, how forward.
"What are you trying to achieve, Akashi-kun?"
The redhead tilted his head in confusion. "You said we weren't dating, yet I was acting like a possessive boyfriend. I was simply attempting to rectify the first issue."
Kuroko forced himself to keep an impassive face. No, it would not be good to facepalm at the obliviousness of Akashi Seijuurou. As tempting as it was, he was determined to retain his status as 'living' for a good long while.
He did not reply, for fear of saying the wrong thing. Instead, he started thinking about the events that could have led to the occurrence of this phenomenon.
He had two theories to explain this rare display of denseness: One, the redhead was acting dumb. (Which was completely unthinkable, especially because it was beneath the tyrant to dampen his superior intelligence.) Two, the redhead did not have much experience in trying to court the object of his affections, and thus his best attempts came off as creepy and (borderline) stalker-like.
Kuroko was more inclined towards the second theory, especially because he doubted that Akashi knew how overbearing his actions were. He didn't dare to bring it up, but if the redhead couldn't be persuaded to change his methods soon, the blunette would have to call in his group of self-proclaimed bodyguards. (Not that they would be able to protect him if Akashi really felt like getting what he wanted.)
"Akashi-kun." Kuroko said slowly. "I ask again, what are you trying to achieve? There are many people out there who would be delighted to be on the receiving end of your attentions." I think I have made it quite clear that I am not one of them.
Akashi wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Those people are not Tetsuya. I only want Tetsuya."
Kuroko didn't think that the redhead knew how adorable his pouting and childish petulance was. Wait, what? Stop it, brain, he's not cute at all.
"Nonetheless, Akashi-kun, following me around and preventing me from blending in is not going to win my affections. You will have to find a different method of breaking down my walls."
"So your affections can be won." Akashi said triumphantly. The innocence he had witnessed earlier was completely gone, and Kuroko vaguely wondered how much of it had been an act.
"Mark my words, Tetsuya, I'll find a way to make you fall for me."
"I look forward to seeing you try, Akashi-kun."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
It wasn't until a few weeks later that the redhead began acting on his bold promise. That wasn't to say that Akashi had mysteriously stopped bothering Kuroko, but he had, in fact, taken his aggressive approach down a notch. The blunette was grateful for the breathing room, but it seemed to him that this was the calm before the storm.
He was right.
They were packing up after their last class of the day when Akashi asked, "Can I come over to study tomorrow morning?"
Kuroko stared. "What?"
The redhead repeated himself calmly, as if he had said nothing out of the ordinary.
"I understood you the first time, Akashi-kun. What I mean is, why do you want to come over? Your grades are perfect. There is nothing you can learn from studying with me."
"There is plenty to be learnt." Akashi rebutted. "It is important to look at the other side of the picture, though I disapprove of decisions that are made without first passing through a proper thought process. Stupidity is not something that humanity can be cured of anytime soon, which is all the more reason for discussing it."
Kuroko maintained his poker face. I think he just said that I am stupid, and lumped me together with people who don't make informed decisions. How rude.
Of course, he would never say that to the redhead's face. "Are you certain you will do nothing except study?"
What are your true motives? Do I need to prepare a bat for self-defence?
Akashi regarded him with an amused look. "As of now, the plan is to study. Do you wish for something more to happen, Tetsuya?"
"No. Studying is fine." Yes, let's study. I'll show you who's the imbecile, you arrogant jerk. "What time will you be coming over?"
"8 a.m. I trust that it is sufficient time for you to awaken."
"I will be awake, but Aomine-kun will still be asleep. He doesn't wake up before noon on weekends."
Akashi rolled his eyes. "Tetsuya, I don't believe that a sleeping Daiki is capable of disrupting our studying."
"That's true." Nothing short of World War III would wake Aomine-kun before noon. That, and Momoi-san.
"Then, I will see you tomorrow, Tetsuya."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
A loud knock at the door disrupted Kuroko's reading, and he carefully bookmarked the page before rolling out of bed. He barely spared his snoring roommate a glance before he walked over and pulled the door open. Akashi stood on the other side of it, a small smile on his face. "Good morning, Tetsuya."
"Good morning, Akashi-kun." He led the redhead to his side of the room, then pulled on a string. A flimsy curtain crept across the ceiling, effectively blocking their view of the lump of blankets known as Aomine Daiki.
Seeing Akashi's questioning look, Kuroko hurriedly explained. "I'm sure Aomine-kun knows better, but if he sees you here when he has just woken up, he's bound to throw a fit. That doesn't mean that he can't hear us, so don't try anything funny."
The redhead gave him a mock-hurt look. "I would never. Have you so little faith in me, Tetsuya?"
"Based on past experiences, yes."
It was true that Akashi had tried to (subtly) gift him kisses and other sorts of physical endearments before. It was shockingly forward of him, and Kuroko had long suspected that he might be after something more, if he could only get past his 'guard dogs'. (These actions certainly did nothing to endear Akashi to the blunette, and though he had made that clear on several occasions, the other never seemed to get the message.)
Now, as the redhead sat facing him, Kuroko wondered if allowing Akashi into his room had been the right decision. If the redhead did decide to do something, he would have to fend for himself. Aomine certainly wasn't going to wake up, even if his best friend's chastity was in danger.
A genuine look of hurt flashed across Akashi's face, and Kuroko almost felt guilty. "If you really don't trust me, I can sit on the floor. It would put some distance between us."
Now he did feel guilty. "It's alright, Akashi-kun. Stay on the bed. I would be a poor host if I allowed my guest to sit on the cold hard ground."
"Okay." The childish innocence was back, and Kuroko peered at the other boy through his eyelashes, silently assessing him.
Really, Akashi Seijuurou was a conundrum.
On one hand, he was known as the Emperor, and for good reason. He was harsh and unforgiving to those who crossed him, and those who had survived the ordeal were so terrified that they either avoided him (forever) or moved away. This pristine, flawless side of him was the face that most people saw, and when he presented this façade to the world, his left eye burned a brilliant amber.
On the other hand, Kuroko had seen a less terrifying side of him on several occasions. This other face was meeker and more polite, and at times was oddly tender and clingy. It was almost like having a smaller, cuter version of Kise, minus the whining and enthusiasm. When this side first presented himself to Kuroko, it was when they were in private, and for a brief period, they had not been arguing. The personality change when he next spoke was astonishing, because as far as he knew, no one had ever witnessed Akashi Seijuurou not looking down on them. This development was met with much uneasiness on his end – until he had met Akashi's eyes.
To his great surprise, both of this persona's eyes were smouldering ruby.
It was enough to convince him that they weren't the same person - not completely, at least. (After he got over the initial shock, he had to admit that he quite enjoyed the company of nice Akashi.)
Kuroko couldn't make head or tail of the whole split personality fiasco at the beginning. He could barely tell the two apart, as they shared many traits, including their intense attraction to him. Yet there was a defining line that separated the two, and interaction with one persona was never the completely the same as interaction with the other. It was also bizarre in the sense that while the two did share memories, sometimes parts of a conversation with the nice Akashi wouldn't be remembered by the scary Akashi and vice versa. It was almost as if they were two separate souls living in the same body. Of course, how much they remembered from the other's time in control remained to be seen, as Kuroko had only spoken to nice Akashi a handful of times when the redhead was calm enough to lower his defences. For all he knew, Akashi was fully aware that he was periodically less dictatorial and oppressive when he spoke to Kuroko. (And maybe he didn't truly have split personality disorder, but that wasn't for him to judge.)
It was interesting but unnerving, for he had to be on guard all the time.
The redhead himself gave Kuroko a reprieve, even if he was not aware of it. By checking the colour of Akashi's eyes (when he could get away with it), he could differentiate between the two. It wasn't an obvious difference, but under the right conditions, it was easily done.
As of right now, though, he couldn't tell exactly which Akashi it was. His left eye was flickering between red and gold, as if he didn't know whether it was safe enough to let his guard down. The uncertainty was something not born of scary Akashi, but of what the blunette thought of as his better self. More than ever, Kuroko felt like giving the redhead a chance. After all, the vulnerability of the kinder Akashi reminded him of himself, and he wished someone had been there for him when he had needed a friend.
Kuroko leaned forward to try and read Akashi's notes upside down, and heard a soft sigh from the boy. He hoped that meant that the personas had settled their debate and had decided on who would take control.
"What was it you wanted to study, Akashi-kun?" He tilted his head upwards to glance at Akashi, and found himself enraptured by a set of ruby eyes. Ah, it's the nice Akashi. Yay.
"I was hoping that we could debate the reasons for slow economic growth." The melodious tone reached Kuroko's ears but he couldn't bring himself to reply just yet.
Because, wow, his eyes were really nice.
Why haven't I noticed this before? Oh, right, because he creeps me out and I don't dare to look him in the eye too often.
Akashi's eyes were bright ruby, fringed by long crimson lashes that fanned out against his cheeks whenever he blinked. There was a minute sparkle in their depths that displayed his glee, and a slight darkening that showed his apprehension.
Reading Akashi's emotions through his eyes should be considered a fine art, Kuroko mused. After all, the redhead wasn't known for displaying emotion outside of his haughty glare. Even nice Akashi was tight-lipped with his emotions, though he tended to slip up more often than his flip side.
Deciding that it was about time he replied - really, what am I thinking, I'm supposed to be mad at him for insulting my intelligence - Kuroko pulled back and stretched leisurely. "Alright, Akashi-kun. Would you like to start first?"
"Certainly." There was no hint in those scarlet eyes that showed he suspected something was amiss, and Kuroko breathed a quiet sigh of relief. This may be nice Akashi, but he could switch back at any time. That would not be fortuitous.
"There are many factors pertaining to slow growth..."
The hours flew by, and their discussion slowly turned into a heated debate, sparking off arguments that had completely no relation to any of the topics they were studying. Kuroko was aware that they had gotten horribly off-track, and that their voices were a decibel level above what was considered normal, but he couldn't bring himself to lower his volume.
Nor did he feel like steering the conversation back onto the safe ground of schoolwork. He hadn't known that he was allowed to insult the Emperor, and now that he had started, he couldn't stop himself. (Nor did he want to. After all, opportunities such as this one did not grow on trees.)
This is actually quite fun. I know it's the nice persona, but really, I could get used to shouting at Akashi-kun. Why did I hate him so much before?
Similarly, Akashi was enjoying himself immensely as he exchanged jibes with Kuroko. He never thought that the blunette had it in him to raise his voice, nor had he expected such underhanded tactics. It was quite an amusing discussion, but like all good things, it had to come to an end.
It was simply unfortunate that their conversation was stopped by the awakening of Aomine Daiki.
They had just switched topics again, their educational train car derailed and abandoned long ago, when the curtain was drawn back harshly with a loud screech.
"Oi, Tetsu, can you keep it down-" The navy-haired boy's words died in his throat when his eyes alighted on Akashi's figure, and he gulped nervously before yanking the curtain back shut. A moment later the door to the room opened and slammed shut, thumping footsteps receding down the hall.
Akashi blinked slowly, feeling the familiar burn in his left eye as the colour bled out of it. "Daiki is being unseasonably rude this morning," he said drily, and Kuroko chuckled. It was a warm sound, quite unlike his usual monotone.
"I think he was surprised to see you, Akashi-kun." The blunette grinned lazily as he picked up one of the many pages that had fallen between them. "I didn't realise Akashi-kun was capable of sarcasm."
"There are many things I am capable of, Tetsuya." Akashi reached across the sea of paper and grabbed Kuroko's hand, squeezing it lightly. The blunette tensed and glanced up at him, his expression turning surprised for a split second. "Don't underestimate me."
Kuroko's face softened a little. "I never said I did, Akashi-kun." He looked like he was going to say something else, but the door slammed open then, loud cries disrupting their trains of thought.
"Kuroko/Tetsu!" The curtain was shoved to the side roughly, and large hands grabbed Kuroko off the bed. Akashi's eyes followed the arms back to their respective owners, staring coolly at Aomine and Kagami, who had Kuroko sandwiched between them. They glared at him in response, and though their faces gave nothing away, Akashi could see that they were trembling.
The cerulean-haired boy stuck in the crossfire looked distinctively uncomfortable, and prodded lightly at the cage of arms that held him captive. "Uhm, Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun. I'm alright, you can let me go."
"Are you sure you're alright, Tetsu? This monster didn't do anything to you?" Aomine shifted his body so that he was half-blocking Kuroko from Akashi's view. If Akashi wasn't so entertained by their over-protective display, he might have taken offense at the fact that Aomine called him a monster.
Kuroko huffed in exasperation. "Yes, Aomine-kun. We were only studying."
"Studying what?" It was Kagami who spoke this time, and his tone suggested that they were engaging in activities best not heard by public ears.
Akashi could see Kuroko rolling his eyes. "Economics and debate and history. You are welcome to sit on the bed and check, if you are so worried."
Aomine and Kagami glanced at the bed (and the boy seated on it), then shared a look over Kuroko's head. "No, thanks."
They released the cerulean-haired boy, then stepped back and began inching out of the room. "Bye, Tetsu. Kagami and me have places to be."
"Y-yeah, places to be." Kagami echoed dumbly. Kuroko watched the two of them with an inscrutable look.
"You mean you're going on a date?" Akashi could detect a hint of cheekiness in Kuroko's question, and he watched in amusement as both boys started spluttering in indignation, their quest to make a dash for it halted.
"We're not-"
"Dating?! Are you crazy-"
"Who wants to date this idiot-"
"Speak for yourself, Aho-"
"What did you say, Bakagami-"
"Enough." Akashi's cool tone silenced everyone, and he slid off the bed, pulling himself to his full height. Kagami and Aomine began shrinking away from him, and even Kuroko took a step back at the dark aura he was radiating.
It's kind of amazing, Kuroko thought. Kagami-kun and Aomine-kun are so much taller, but they look like children compared to Akashi-kun. Ah, he's saying something.
"It is obvious that neither of you are about to admit it to each other, thus, I have a better plan to suggest." Akashi tilted his head to the side, allowing the tiniest of smiles to twist his lips. "You will both go out to the movies tonight. Tetsuya and I will chaperone."
The three boys gaped at him for a heartbeat. Then all of them began yelling at the same time.
"Chaperone? How old are we-"
"There's nothing to admit 'cos there's nothing between us-"
"Why do I have to chaperone them-"
"Wait, yeah! Why you and Kuroko-"
"Shit, it's a double-date thing, isn't it-"
"Don't go there, Aomine-kun-"
Akashi smirked. "Well, Daiki, aren't you perceptive today."
They had all fallen silent again, and after a moment of processing, Aomine looked positively horrified. He obviously did not expect to have guessed correctly, nor did he expect Akashi to answer so bluntly. Beside him, Kagami's eyes flickered from one boy to the other, his actions betraying his nervousness. As for Kuroko... His expression was impassive, revealing none of his thoughts.
The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to slice with a knife. No one moved or dared to speak up. Akashi's gaze skimmed over them briefly before he continued speaking.
"This is a chance for the two of you to redeem yourselves. There are only so many times you can anger me in a day. Go for a movie, and the two of us will follow you. The chaperoning works both ways, although I assure you that I am not that immature to require someone to watch my every movement."
There was no reply, nor did Akashi expect one. He turned away and began packing up the scattered papers, putting them away neatly. When he turned back, all of them were still frozen in place. He sighed internally. The bigger boys jumped when he started speaking again.
"I will return here at 6 p.m. You will all be ready and waiting by then. Tetsuya," he turned to Kuroko and smiled briefly. "Thank you for the discussion. I enjoyed it immensely."
The cerulean-haired boy bowed hastily. "The pleasure was mine, Akashi-kun. I should thank you for helping me with the topic." He led Akashi to the door, showing him out with a promise to be punctual.
The door clicked shut behind him, and Kuroko leaned against the door, exhaling deeply in relief. The tension bled out of all those still present in the room, and as they relaxed their stances, Kuroko braced himself for the barrage of questions that was about to begin.
Deflecting the worries of the other boys seemed to take forever, but he knew they had a good reason to be worried. If your best friend was suddenly on good terms with his worst enemy, you'd be curious too.
Even I wonder how it happened. I never expressly hated scary Akashi in the first place, but when did that dislike diminish to become something close to tolerance? And from tolerance to... Admiration?
It couldn't have happened in just the few hours we spent debating, could it?
I was pretty sure I had been having a discussion with nice Akashi, but it seems that my feelings extend towards him as a whole. They do share the same body, I suppose.
It's true that I feel a lot less hostile towards him now, partially because of nice Akashi. Sometimes, I forget they're really the same person.
But how could he have broken past my barriers in just a few hours? All we did was yell at each other.
What am I missing?
...there's this emotion I get whenever I'm near him. It's been there since the first time we met, but I've never identified it. I thought it was admiration, but that's not close enough.
I'm not sure I want to know.
There's more to this than our heated debate, and my weird feelings. When did I begin to acknowledge him? ...yes, that's a good question.
Was it when I realised that there were two versions of him, and one of them was genuinely nice? Was it when I realised how brilliant he was, and that his arrogance actually had backing? Or was it when I spoke to him and my heart felt as if it had found someone who truly understood what I was going through, who really knew what it felt like to be surrounded and alone all at once?
This feels like a bad sitcom instead of my life. But the cliché-ness of this situation can only be explained that way.
I feel like an alien in my own body, sorting out emotions that don't seem to belong to me. I know their names, but all of them feel foreign.
Humour. Happiness. Satisfaction.
Love?
What is love? This can't be it. It's too volatile and unsteady. It doesn't bring me comfort, only excitement of things to come. Wasn't love supposed to be like an anchor that grounded you to reality? Or was that supposed to be reason?
I give up. This is going nowhere.
Kuroko sighed out loud, pausing Aomine and Kagami's ranting. "I don't know what happened, but it did. I can't explain it. Kagami-kun, Aomine-kun, will you humour me, please? Let us go for this movie date that Akashi-kun was talking about, and I'll tell you afterwards how I feel about him. I need to sort my emotions out first. And before you ask, I can take care of myself. I'll be fine."
To his surprise, Kagami clapped his shoulder, nodding briefly. Perhaps he did zone out for too long. The hot-headed tiger was not usually this accepting of his arguments. "I get it, bro. If you need me to deal with him after tonight's meeting, I'll do it, emperor be damned."
"You're only gonna lose your life that way, Kagami. Let Tetsu deal with him. He doesn't need our protection from that pyscho anymore." Aomine looked away, but Kuroko could hear the note of pride in his voice. A warm feeling spread through his entire body, radiating outward from his chest.
No, it was not every day that his self-proclaimed bodyguards decided he could take on a giant by himself. And though it seemed like they were stepping back from their duties, Kuroko knew it was the opposite.
They trusted his judgement enough to let him do as he pleased, though not many weeks ago he was still at loggerheads with Akashi. How had their relationship progressed so far in just a couple of weeks? (Not to mention that they had been a very good and quiet few weeks due to Akashi's reduced attention towards him.)
He didn't have an adequate answer for that. Perhaps it could be attributed to discovering that Akashi wasn't as big of a jerk as he thought he was, or maybe finding out that the great emperor actually had flaws. (Not that anyone else needed to know that. It was their little secret.)
If Kuroko was being honest with himself, he was a little shocked at his forwardness this past fortnight. Akashi had been 'stalking' him since the school year began, but he had never retaliated or responded until the first term was almost complete. Perhaps the redhead really had worn him down with the constant dogging of his footsteps and his persistency.
Whatever it was, it had led to the study session that they had just wrapped up, and Kuroko didn't know to feel more proud or mortified now that he had the time to reflect on his actions. Not many people could - or were allowed to - stand up to Akashi Seijuurou, educational debate or not.
...even less people were called on by Akashi to chaperone and go on a date at the same time. Kuroko was stumped for reasons, and the only thing he could come up with was that this was only a small part of Akashi's elaborate scheme.
I'll worry about the 'why' later. I've spent enough time thinking today.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Kuroko smiled softly at his two best friends - the two biggest idiots, and best protectors he could ask for. They had helped him so many times in the past. It was time to return the favour.
"Thank you, Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun. Don't forget though, this evening was initially planned for the two of you to pledge your undying love to each other."
"Wha-"
"Tetsu!"
Both turned beet red before making a grab for the smaller boy, and Kuroko couldn't stop a peal of laughter from escaping as he ran from the room.
Tonight will be very interesting indeed.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"...Tetsuya."
"Yes, Akashi-kun?"
"Why did I suggest this in the first place?"
Kuroko followed Akashi's line of vision to a bickering Aomine and Kagami. They were holding up the line for popcorn, unable to decide on what they wanted. The girl behind the counter was at a loss of what to do, looking helplessly between the two testosterone-charged males.
Kuroko smiled wryly. "Because you knew that that was going to happen, and it would make great blackmail material."
Akashi chuckled. "It was a rhetorical question, Tetsuya. But I like the way you think."
"Thank you, Akashi-kun. Would you like to rectify the matter, or shall I?" Kuroko frowned slightly at the ruckus caused by the two stubborn boys. "The management might kick us out if they don't stop."
"I would like to see how Tetsuya resolves this matter. It would certainly be a lot calmer than if I attempted to stop them."
"I'm not sure about that, Akashi-kun." Kuroko commented drily as he approached the duo.
Akashi folded his arms and leaned against the wall, watching the scene unfold with faint amusement. Kagami and Aomine jumped a foot in the air when Kuroko slid between them, expertly dodging their punches once they had recovered from the shock. The cashier looked dumbfounded by his appearance, but nodded smartly and dashed off, possibly to get the refreshments that the blunette must have ordered.
When she returned, Kuroko pushed the drinks into Kagami's hands and the popcorn into Aomine's, paying up swiftly before dragging them away. As the trio approached him, Akashi saw the cashier slump in relief for a brief moment before she had to start taking orders again. Behind them, a few of the people in line looked distinctively cheerier the moment they left.
The two bigger boys were still arguing when they reached him.
"Salty is definitely better than sweet, how many times do I have to tell you-"
"Ah? What does it matter, it's still food-"
"Flavour is important-"
"You eat everything, so it doesn't matter-"
"Oi, I can taste the difference, I can cook, unlike you-"
Kuroko rolled his eyes as he returned to Akashi's side, tiptoeing to whisper in his ear. "I got a mix of sweet and salty. It's your turn to deal with them, Akashi-kun."
Akashi turned his head and gave Kuroko a quick peck on his forehead. "Of course, love. Parents have to take turns to discipline the children, after all."
He smirked internally as a light blush dusted the blunette's cheeks, a little surprised that he did not refute him. He didn't have time to think on it as he forced his gaze to the pair before them, clearing his throat loudly. They froze immediately, slowly revolving to face him, trepidation written all over their faces.
Akashi raised one eyebrow. "If you are done squabbling like infants over a toy, perhaps we could move on. Alternatively, Tetsuya and I will watch that movie alone, and the two of you can stay here and wait for us."
"No!" Kagami and Aomine barked in unison, their fight forgotten.
"No way am I letting Tetsu go alone with you."
"Yeah, who knows what you might try in there."
They shared a knowing look. Then, as if realising that they were agreeing on something, they promptly blushed and turned away from each other. From his place next to him, Kuroko sighed. He walked forward and grabbed them by their elbows, forcing them to walk backwards to keep up with him. "Come on, Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun. If you want to protect my chastity, you need to actually be in the theatre with me."
That snapped them out of their respective dazes. "Chastity?!"
Akashi could feel Kuroko rolling his eyes. "What were you thinking of earlier then? I was sure the perverted Aomine-kun would have thought of something weird like that."
"What do you take me for, Tetsu?! I didn't even think that far!"
"Are you sure you didn't, Ahomine?" Kagami teased.
"Of course not! I'm not always that dirty-minded."
"Oh hmm, really."
"Why you-"
This time, Akashi could see Kuroko rolling his eyes as he slipped out from between them. The two were so busy arguing that they did not notice the disappearance of the other boy's presence. Kuroko fell in step with the redhead, sighing lightly at his friends' ridiculous antics. "Did you foresee this, Akashi-kun?"
Akashi pretended to think about it. "This was the most likely outcome, although I had hopes that the percentage of the probability of it happening would be lower. If you want to flee, I have a back-up plan." He suggested.
Kuroko shook his head. "Not yet, Akashi-kun. As they mentioned, things happen in darkened movie theatres. I only hope that the theatre is empty enough that no one will care what the two of them get up to later."
"Oh?" Akashi felt a spark of curiosity. "What do you think will happen, Tetsuya?"
Kuroko threw him a sour look. "Do you really want me to answer that, Akashi-kun?"
"Yes." It was not as if he didn't know what they would do - even a blind man would be able to see the sexual tension stretched tight between the two boys. No, he was asking because it was Kuroko, and his answer was going to be either painfully direct, or completely off-track.
"They are going to start groping each other and probably try to have sex in there." The cerulean-haired boy stated flatly, staring straight ahead. Akashi smirked. Painfully direct, it is.
"I did not think Akashi-kun was asking because he did not already know the answer." Kuroko continued.
"Of course I already knew. I am absolute. I asked because I wanted to see your reaction, Tetsuya. What would you do when it happens?"
When, not if. He's awfully certain that they would start something in there.
"I suppose I would use my misdirection to flee the scene. If they start disgracing themselves in public, they are no longer related to me in any way." Kuroko deadpanned, and Akashi regarded him with an unreadable expression.
"You are welcome to join me when my back-up plan is executed later, Tetsuya."
Kuroko kept his expression neutral. "Let's see how this goes, Akashi-kun. Perhaps we should collect some blackmail material before I take you up on that offer."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Sometimes, Akashi wished he wasn't absolute.
This was one of those times, made all the worse because the theatre was empty. There had been a few couples in there with them, but most of them had disappeared long ago, most likely to engage in activities best left unsaid.
Now it was just the four of them, and Akashi was thanking his foresight in choosing the outermost seat, while trying his best not to cringe. As uninteresting as the movie was, he had to settle for the bright lights searing his corneas. It was that or watch the unadulterated porn occurring live just two seats down from him. He wondered how Kuroko was tolerating it.
Nudging the cerulean-haired boy lightly, he brushed his lips past his ear, eyes still fixed on the screen. "Tetsuya, do you have enough blackmail material yet?"
"Almost. Is this making Akashi-kun uncomfortable?" There was a teasing lilt to Kuroko's voice, and if Akashi wasn't so disturbed by their sticky situation, he might answered a little less casually.
"I do not need to re-take sex ed, Tetsuya. Even though schools would never educate us on how to best give a handjob in a theatre, it is not something I wish to pick up from the likes of Daiki and Taiga."
"Fair enough." Came the mumbled reply. There was a subtle click, almost unheard in the medley of moans. "I'm done. My misdirection can cover both of us enough to get us out of here. Let's go, Akashi-kun."
A small hand grasped his, and Akashi allowed himself to be pulled along. Behind him, the chorus of lewd voices never let up, and he was grateful when the darkness of the theatre finally gave way to the harsh lighting of the corridor.
Now that he could actually see where he was going, Akashi led the way, tugging Kuroko to a deserted side corridor before banging his head against the wall a few times. With his head still resting on the wall, he said, "Never again, Tetsuya. This chaperone idea must be my worst idea to date."
The hand he had forgotten he was holding squeezed his gently. "I didn't realise Akashi-kun was capable of having bad ideas. I admit that the experience was terrible, but," Kuroko paused, a gleeful note entering his voice. "I have the best blackmail material ever. I should send these to Kise-kun and ask him to find them a contract for porn stars."
Akashi lifted his head from where it was pressed against the wall, looking down at a grinning Kuroko. "I did not realise Tetsuya was capable of such evil ideas. I must be rubbing off on you."
Kuroko shrugged, a mischievous aura still surrounding him. "Maybe so, Akashi-kun. This is really good material though. It'd be a waste not to use it."
"Oh?" Akashi raised an eyebrow at that. The cerulean-haired boy didn't seem to be talking about blackmail any longer. In fact, the longer they stayed on the current topic, the more flushed his face got. His breathing was a little unsteady, and he seemed to be taking unusually deep breaths to compensate for it.
A quick glance downwards confirmed Akashi's suspicions. It's impressive how he managed to hide it for this long.
A smirk curved his lips upwards, and he tugged on Kuroko's hand, pulling him towards a corridor he had noticed earlier. The blunette didn't protest or ask where they were going, which was more than a little surprising. Then again, maybe it wasn't, with how far gone he looked.
They turned through several quiet hallways before a toilet materialised before them, and the redhead pushed inside, drawing Kuroko in after him.
"What are you doing, Akashi-kun?" Kuroko sounded mildly panicked.
Seems like he finally noticed.
Akashi didn't reply. He drew the blunette into the last stall, locking it behind them. He turned to face Kuroko, a feral grin lighting up his face, his gold eye burning intensely.
"Now, then, Tetsuya. How long were you going to hide it? Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
Kuroko lowered his head. "I don't know what you're talking about, Akashi-kun."
"Don't lie to me, Tetsuya." Akashi purred, tracing his jaw lightly with a finger. His touch was feather-light, but it burned a trail into his skin. The blood seemed to rush out of his head, moving southwards, and his knees trembled despite his best efforts to keep them steady.
He kept his eyes locked on Akashi's, hoping that his face wasn't giving away as much as he thought it did. Now that he was fixated on something else, he found his gaze traversing the redhead's face, mapping out the perfectly sculpted features.
He's so beautiful.
With that thought, Kuroko had to place his hands on the wall behind him to steady himself, as his knees threatened to buckle. His breathing came a little faster, and the uncomfortable pressure in his jeans increased.
Red and gold eyes sparkled with mirth, and he cursed himself for being so weak-willed.
"It seems that Daiki and Taiga's display has left you a little...disturbed, hasn't it?" Akashi bent his head, his nose skimming along Kuroko's collarbone. He let out an involuntary whimper, and felt Akashi chuckle as he pulled away. The redhead regarded him with amusement, though the blowing of his pupils suggested that there was lust mixed in there as well.
"I'll let you choose, Tetsuya. I could help you with your little problem, or you can do it yourself. There is, of course, a catch." His eyes glinted dangerously, and Kuroko felt a light thrill of fear skitter down his spine.
"If you do it yourself, you have to watch your prized blackmail videos while doing it. If you allow me to help you," he leaned forward slightly, "I expect you to help me in return."
Kuroko swallowed nervously, trying to formulate a reply even though his brain processes weren't working properly. He was hyper-aware of their close proximity, but didn't dare to move. The ache in his groin was becoming unbearable, but he managed to force out a noncommittal answer. "What if I pick neither?"
"Then we will return to campus now, and I will stay with you the whole night until Daiki and Taiga return. But until they return, you are not allowed to touch yourself. And I will stop you if you try."
Kuroko gulped. That's an even worse choice than the previous two. What should I do? On one hand, I never actually want to watch those videos. Witnessing it once is enough to scar anyone for a lifetime. But if I choose the other, I'll be allowing Akashi-kun into my pants, which is precisely what was not supposed to happen.
His mind floundered for a solution, but found nothing. Akashi's predatory gaze wasn't doing much to help either. If anything, it made the heat pool lower in his belly, and his fingers were itching to unzip his confining jeans.
"I'm waiting, Tetsuya."
It was the redhead's melodic voice that did him in. Kuroko released a shaky breath, then pushed himself off the wall, drawing himself as tall as possible. Looking up at Akashi through the veil of his eyelashes, he attempted the sultriest look he could muster. "I want you to help me, Akashi-kun."
He swore he saw the redhead's eyes widen, heard his breath hitch. When Akashi next spoke, his voice was huskier. "Say that again."
Kuroko tossed his reason out of the metaphorical window, and locked his logic in a safe. No going back. Time to test and put a name to these newfound emotions.
He took a step forward, pressing his chest flush against Akashi's, grinding his hips against the redhead's. He nearly passed out from the delicious friction it caused, but managed what he hoped was a coy look.
"I. Want. You."
The next thing he knew, he was pushed roughly against the wall, lips and teeth clashing with his own in a sloppy, passionate kiss. A faint part of his mind was horrified that this was how he lost his lip virginity, but he pushed it aside. He was going to live in the moment, no matter how much he might regret it later.
Akashi was rough, his movements displaying more of a desperate need than reflecting the elegant man he thought he was. It was strangely attractive, to know that he was imperfect, and Kuroko felt emboldened by this revelation, proceeding to slip his tongue into the other's mouth.
Akashi gasped into their kiss, fisting his hands in Kuroko's hair and pulling his head back for better access. He pushed the blunette back, taking control of their battle, though a small part of him was very pleased at Kuroko's assertiveness. Their tongues danced wildly, dipping in and out as teeth scraped and nipped, as lips pressed too hard, hard enough to bruise.
No, not enough. More.
Kuroko pressed back, his hands fisting in the material of Akashi's shirt as he tried to devour the other. The space between their bodies disappeared, and he ground his hips harder against the redhead's, trying to get some relief while still confined within the boundaries of his pants. He couldn't seem to get enough - there was no pressure that was sufficiently forceful to satisfy his craving.
Akashi broke their kiss to trail butterfly kisses down Kuroko's pale, milky white neck, dropping their frantic pace and allowing him time to think. If their earlier display of animalistic behaviour wasn't him accepting the redhead's advances, then he would never know what it was. As Akashi's mouth and tongue worked at the unmarred skin, his hands drifted downwards to undo Kuroko's belt and zipper, his hand brushing against the bulge that expanded from the confines of the material.
Kuroko jerked up into his touch with a sharp intake of breath, crumpling his shirt further. Akashi looked up into his eyes at the movement, his pupils blown black with desire. He stood up and pressed a tender kiss to the blunette's mouth, murmuring, "Do you want me to continue?"
Kuroko kissed him harder in response, and Akashi allowed himself to be swept up in the passion for a moment before he allowed his hands to wander again. Pushing down Kuroko's boxers took little effort, and as his cock bounced up from its cotton prison, he had to admit that he was impressed with its length.
He lamented that there was insufficient space in the toilet stall, because it would have been a delightful experience to show Kuroko how much better a blowjob was compared to the handjobs that Aomine and Kagami favoured. Nevertheless, he could make do with what he had - after all, he was Akashi Seijuurou, and any handjob he gave would be so much better as compared to one given by someone of the likes of Aomine.
Akashi wrapped his hand around the base of Kuroko's cock, feeling the heavy girth of him hot in his palm. He pumped it experimentally a few times, and was rewarded by a moan. He could already see the pearly pre-cum beading at the tip, and wondered how long Kuroko had been waiting. He smeared the liquid all over the head of the penis with his thumb, and was rewarded with the blunette bucking into his hand every time his digit dipped into his slit.
Kuroko's breathing dissolved into harsh pants as more and more of the pearly liquid dripped out. "Aah- Nngg-!"
"Come now, Tetsuya, let me hear your voice. Don't hold back." His own voice sounded rough and scratchy as he bent to nibble Kuroko's ear, but he didn't care. The picture of the squirming blunette was something he had waited far too long to witness, and his pride was a small price to pay for it.
He slid his hand off Kuroko's weeping cock, and the blunette whimpered at the loss of contact. Akashi smirked at his flushed cheeks, his eyes dark with lust, his uneven breathing. He knew the blunette was watching him, and so made a show of slowly undoing his belt and pulling out his massive member.
Kuroko's expression was better than anything his imagination could come up with. The blunette's breathing got shallower, and his dripping cock twitched at the sight. A mixture of awe and disbelief was painted on his face, and he reached a tentative hand across the small space between them, holding on to Akashi's penis lightly, his touch wondering and curious.
Akashi couldn't muffle his groan. The pressure was too light to ease the ache, but maybe that wasn't Kuroko's intention. His hand drifted up and down, barely touching, ghosting over his head and setting the nerve endings on fire. He was teasing, Akashi realised belatedly, and when he caught the blunette's eye, he knew it was true.
Growling low in his throat, he stepped closer to the blunette, backing him up against the wall and rubbing their dicks together. Kuroko moaned wantonly, his head thrown back at the unexpected sensation.
The friction was undeniably delicious, the hot heavy length against his own foreign but so, so satisfying. He rutted up and down more quickly, eliciting a chuckle from Akashi.
The redhead put one hand around their cocks, but one hand wasn't big enough to encircle both. Kuroko added his hand on the other side, stroking hard and fast, much to Akashi's amusement. More pre-cum flowed out, and Akashi smeared it down their lengths, the lubrication allowing their cocks to slide past each other more easily. He then matched Kuroko's speed, pumping and grinding as they slid in and out of their pre-cum slick hands, the obscene sound of skin slapping against skin echoing through the bathroom.
The pool of heat in his stomach wound tighter and tighter until it was close to bursting, and Kuroko gasped, "I'm coming-", to which Akashi only pumped harder and faster, leaning forward for a kiss. The last upward stroke had him coming undone, and he jerked up as he came, messily spilling his seed everywhere as he muffled his shout in the redhead's shirt. He felt Akashi shudder as he reached his own climax, and the redhead leaned forward to bury his face in Kuroko's neck, sinking his teeth into his skin to stop himself from crying out. The blunette didn't even feel the pain through the haze of euphoria.
He leant his head against the redhead's as they basked in the afterglow, their breathing slowly petering back to normal. Akashi raised his head and pressed his forehead to Kuroko's, smiling lightly at him. He leant in for a kiss, and was happily surprised when it was lightly reciprocated.
This kiss was nothing like their first; it was light and innocent, completely at odds with the animalistic mating ritual they had just undergone. Pulling back with a satisfied smile, Akashi turned to pull off wads of toilet paper to wipe off the evidence he managed to catch. Kuroko scurried to help him, and together, they cleaned up as best as they could, pointing out stray streaks on each other's shirts and pants.
They left the bathroom with little fanfare, passing by the theatre which they had vacated earlier. Kuroko squeezed Akashi's hand, making the redhead look at him.
"Do you wonder if Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun are still in there?"
Akashi wrinkled his nose. "I hope not. That would be a poor thing for the cleaners to discover."
Kuroko laughed, a light sound that reminded him of chiming bells. But his expression turned serious quickly, cutting short the melody. "Akashi-kun, can I ask what our relationship is now?"
Akashi smiled wryly. "Always straight to the point, Tetsuya. What do you want our relationship to be like?"
Kuroko pursed his lips as he thought. "I don't know. I've only recently started tolerating you better. And just now- I don't know what to make of it."
Neither do I. I'd blame hormones, but it's so much more than that.
"If I were to disappear from your life right now, how would you feel?"
"Upset." Kuroko supplemented immediately. "Hurt. Angry. Sad." He looked up at Akashi in confusion. "Does that mean I actually like you?"
Akashi chortled before kissing Kuroko's cheek lightly. "I think it does. Tetsuya, would you do me the honour of being my boyfriend?"
If the familiar words affected the blunette, he didn't show it. He only turned away with a small smile and a deep blush on his cheeks. His answer was unexpected.
"I want a week for a trial run before I accept."
Akashi laughed. Really, Kuroko never ceased to surprise him.
"Deal. You won't regret it."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
The price wasn't as steep as Akashi thought it would be. But that was okay.
After all, Kuroko Tetsuya was a book worth paying an arm and a leg for.
Author's note: If anyone is curious as to why the story has got nothing to do with reading, let me explain. This story is about how Akashi watches Kuroko exceed his expectations time and again, be it by doing something completely unexpected, or by going the extra mile. It's about how a good book always leaves you hanging on and waiting for more, and while the result is unexpected sometimes, it is never disappointing. I hope that clears things up!