notes: reposted from tumblr. originally written for basketballpoetsociety's OTP Battle.
Kuroko, he has come to realize, is not someone to openly show affection. Naturally, he has always known, but it is only after they entered a relationship that he could confirm that. He does not show it the way a lover normally would - they never hold hands in public, let alone kiss each other, not even when they are alone. In school, during practice, he does not give him any more attention than he always had.
(He is still drawn to Aomine – like a moth to fire, there is some higher power at work that pulls them towards each other, but that is something he never expected nor wished to change. Their friendship cannot be expressed with words.)
Instead, Kuroko's feelings are expressed in the way his gaze would linger a little longer on him, the way his voice softens when he calls him by his name, lips almost curving into a small smile and how his eyes shine whenever they meet. He has seen the way he treats Momoi, with the respect and appreciation she deserves, he has also seen the way he treats Aomine, his best friend, joking and looking after him in his own quiet way. And he has noticed the polite distance he always held towards him, which has just become a little less after they started dating. With him, seemingly meaningless gestures gain much more depth and significance. He makes subtle gestures that are unnoticed by anyone but him, he is observant enough, he can pick them up.
Behind closed doors, it is an entirely different matter. There, a part of him comes to life. It is something you would never see off-court – his normally emotionless façade disappears for a expression full of passion and love that is rivaled by none. Kuroko embraces him with a fire he would never show anyone, kisses him with the intensity of a lover, and he wonders, is this what it means to be loved and cherished. Even then neither of the two talk much, but that is alright. They don't need the assurance and promises spoken words give, because their actions speak louder than words. And his eyes tell him everything he feels.
Once they leave, there is no evidence of what has happened, except for the slight smile on Kuroko's lips and the marks on his neck that he carefully hides from others' eyes. However, Kuroko still knows they are there, and he doesn't mind. It's their little secret after all.