note: this was requested on tumblr by an anon who wanted nijikuro! i love nijimura x kuroko! (but i struggled writing this HAHA) btw, this oneshot takes place in an au where nijimura is back in japan, leading vorpal swords on the side. here, vorpal swords has continued into their mid-adult years, and that allowed everyone to be close friends lalala.

warning: one broken heart, but don't fret—this is not angst or hurt + comfort. lots of dialogue. alcohol?

"I believe we all have a mutual understanding that if any of us ditches the room to get out of this game, Kise will become a pest and ruin our reputation—"

"The way you're wording it sounds harsh! It's only pictures. You're just winning it back whenever you choose dare." There's a sheepish expression painting itself in colors of red-pink over the blond's once glowing face as he lands a playful slap on Midorima's shoulder. "Are you playing too, Kurokocchi?"

A glance is all it takes, from the neat arrange of cards on the center of the bed to Kise's sickening puppy look, holding pictures he's extorted over the years to the subtle petrified look swimming around behind plastic-framed glasses, for his head to dip down in defeat. "It's never an ordinary game of Truth or Dare with you, Kise-kun."

Kuroko can't miss the way a mischievous glint flies across the blond's face as he lets out an innocent giggle. "You know me so well! We're going to spice it up with some alcohol. You take a shot whenever you choose truth."

"What—"

"—more is it going to take to maintain my image, Kise?" Glazy eyes that quaver with words tumbling out in a slur, a hand running through disheveled hair, and red dusting the apples of his cheeks—although, Kuroko isn't sure if it's purely from the alcohol anymore; it doesn't stop Kagami from reaching for another glass cup and downing its contents. He lets out a sigh of satisfaction before swiping the liquor from his lips with the back of his hand. "To answer the question: no, I've never had my first kiss."

"That's not what Aomine-kun told me," Kuroko purrs nonchalantly, and he pats the redhead's knee clumsily as if it's to comfort him, "people do say there's a fine line between love and hate."

Kagami only rolls his eyes wearily, swatting his hand off in a grumpy manner. "People also do say that the ignorant should stay silent. Especially if they're drunk beyond belief."

Hazy from the alcohol fogging up their minds, the underlying note of sadism that Kise flashes at everyone in the form of a grin, is a passerby from usual perusal. "Now, now, you two," then, he warbles in shrill volume, winking at the latter, "Kagamicchi, you know what you have to do when you lie."

"Ever since day one, I never expected the tenson to have this result," the smaller of the four clicks his tongue in disappointment, his eyelids drooping lower and lower, "you and Aomine-kun hid it from us for so long."

Begrudgingly, Kagami throws off his tank top for the blond to snap another photo of him. "You bastards, it's not like that!"

"Anyways, it's my turn to ask someone." Midorima interrupts, reaching for a card. "You guys don't really hold your drinks well, do you?"

"Kuroko's the most drunk, but I don't know how you're completely sober," Kagami groans, putting an arm over his eyes, "do you drink regularly or something!?"

Kise giggles uncontrollably, his eyelashes flutter in glee. "I didn't know Midorimacchi was a heavy drinker!"

"Me neither, Kise." The green-haired man mutters sarcastically, crinkling his forehead in annoyance. "Besides, I'm only doing this to get my pictures back." His hand reaches for the alcohol, passing it to Kuroko. "Here, it's your turn. I doubt you're going for this dare."

Hallucinatory noises buzz from left to right, his vision mixing everything in one giant swirl. Uncharacteristically puckering his lips, it took a while for the latter to accept the drink, gulping it down in one go. "You know me so, so, so well, Midorima-kun! What's the question?"

"Yeesh, you look like you're about to pass out any moment now. It asks who your first love was."

"Eh?"

"Who is your first love?" The blond echoes after Midorima, leaning in closer with eager eyes narrowing at the sight of the heavily flushed sight in front of him.

Kuroko sways, crooning in ecstasies. "I'm still in love with my first, Captain—"

And suddenly unconsciousness hits him like a truck; like a ragdoll, his body falls back on the bed lifelessly.

To: Akashi-kun
Subject: 3
- Today, I found out that you're Kurokocchi's first love~

Message was sent.
Message was read.

To: Tetsuya
Subject: Tetsuya
- Ryōta, give Tetsuya his phone back. This is too sudden.

You've read the message!

To: Akashi-kun
Subject: (;
- He's passed out, so I'm playing matchmaker! Have a goodnight, Captain~

Message was sent.
Message was read.

To: Tetsuya
Subject: …
- Then… tell Tetsuya I'll stop by his house tomorrow. Goodnight to you both.

You've read the message!
Whole conversation was deleted.

At the expense of keeping his pictures safe from the public eye, Kuroko completely forgot he was a lightweight. So, waking up the following morning, unable to distinguish the knocking on his bedroom door from the pounding on his temple, Kuroko knows he's gone overboard the previous night.

The light-blue-haired man trudges his way, stopping by the mirror to smooth down his bed head—to no avail—and messily rub lotion all over his face. "You can stop knocking now! I'm coming."

When Kuroko swings the door open, he swears it's almost as if the hangover's messing with his eyes because instead of his roommate, Kagami, there stood the captain of Vorpal Swords. The captain he's been with ever since middle school.

"Tetsuya"—at the sight of Kuroko, shock that registers on Akashi's face causes him to falter a bit—"a-are you okay? I can come back later. I just wanted to take you for a stroll."

"A stroll?" Kuroko stumbles back a bit, shaking his head. "No, no, it's fine. You can come in and wait on my bed. I hope you don't mind waiting for me."

"Your room is a mess. I hope everything was alright last night…"

"Ah. About that. Kise-kun came over with Midorima-kun, demanding a game of Truth of Dare in return of photos he's collected over the years—although I have a feeling that he has more in his room somewhere…" Kuroko mumbles, brushing his teeth aggressively before spitting the foam out. "He brought over alcohol, despite knowing I don't drink much. Neither does Kagami-kun, but he handled it better than me."

"I imagine that you four didn't pick dare."

"Quite the opposite actually. Midorima-kun was desperate for his photos back, and to do so, you would've had to complete a dare." Shifting over to the door, Kuroko put his palm over an eye. "I apologize if I seem unlike myself. This hangover's one of the worser ones."

Akashi nods, discretely linking their arms in a friendly manner—or at least in Kuroko's perspective. Leading him down the stairs, a lively hum came from the man. "I read in articles that nature is good for hangovers."

In all honesty, Kuroko had no idea as to why his captain suddenly showed up at his house and decided to drag him into the park. He had to admit that it was a nice change from the cold-hearted exterior Akashi seemed to emit during team training, something that certainly didn't change over the years they spent apart.

Perhaps his captain had a change of heart; even so, being the president of the entire college they regularly trained at, it didn't allow much free time in his schedule.

"Thank you for taking me out today. It's been a bit stuffy these days with the finals and all."

"You're welcome, Tetsuya, After all, our feelings are mutual. Isn't it?"

Taking a peek at Akashi's reddening face, Kuroko pouts. "Akashi-kun, you should know you're one of my closest friends."

The captain's eyes widen, "I thought Kise established this for us yesterday."

"Kise-kun what?"

Suddenly, realization comes tumbling down from the sky, and Kuroko pulls apart from Akashi's grasp. From his confession prior to his black-out to Akashi showing up at his house to the blushing mess in front of him, everything made sense in the worst possible way. "I-I believe Kise-kun misunderstood."

"Misunderstood?"

"I was asked who my first love, someone I still… fawn over, was… but, the punishment for choosing truth was taking a shot. Akashi-kun, you know I'm not a heavy drinker. So, I mentioned Captain without elaboration." Facing the glossy eyes of Akashi, Kuroko bows; shame washing over him like a waterfall on a rock. "I didn't mean you. I'm sorry for the situation and for… wasting your time today.."

"No, I enjoyed the day until now at least." He lets out an uncomfortable laugh, "it was my fault for acting rashly…" A smile stretches across Akashi's face, yet it doesn't reach the bitterness in his eyes. "Is your first love—"

"—Nijimura-san?"

Aomine tugs on his bag strap, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "He was energetic like always. What's with that question? Is Nijimura mad at you or something?"

"That's what I want to know," Kuroko heaves a sigh in an attempt to push the burden of upsetting someone off his shoulders, "I said my usual greetings to him, but he flat-out ignored me."

"That's it? Well, I suppose he is a bit friendlier and touchy with you than the rest of us," the blue-haired man hesitates, eyes flickering over to their teammates lingering in the gym, "I mean I saw Kise chatting up a storm with him earlier. I don't really know what they were talking about, but Nijimura looked irritated. You might find him in his—"

"—thanks, Aomine-kun!"

It's all or nothing is all Kuroko thinks about when he rushes outside the gym into the office standing at the end of the hallway. Unlike his polite knock, he slams the door open and immediately shut, gasping for air as he leans against the door with a hand on his chest.

"What are you doing here, Kuroko?"

His heart skips a beat, looking up from the ground and onto Nijimura's stone, frigid face. It feels almost like rejection when Nijimura stares at him with the unusual lack of friendliness. Kuroko shouldn't care, really. But, it hurts so, so much. "I wanted to ask how your weekend went…!"

Staring hard at the older captain's face, there's a brief second when fondness warms up his facial features before his previous expression floods back. "You're dismissed," is his only response as he turns around towards the cabinets lining the back of the room.

"I'll just get to the point." He inhales shakily. "Did I do something to anger you? Why are you being like this?"

"Fine," Nijimura spits out, wiping at his eyes, "I'll get to the point, too." He whips around with a heartbroken look that masks his expression. "I was under the impression that we had the same liking for each other. I guess I was wrong, since you went on that date with Akashi. Kise told me everything."

"You're wrong." His voice comes out as a whisper. He sounds desperate, but it's nothing like the tone that Nijimura uses with him. It's almost secretive, a quiet request for Kuroko to deny what he's just said. And Kuroko does. "Kise misunderstood… my answer."

"Answer to what?"

"Just"—a sigh of exasperation—" I hope this explains everything to you." With a hand gripping the back of Nijimura's head, Kuroko forces him down to his height and meets his lips with his own.

When they break apart, Nijimura is the color of Akashi's hair, covering his face with his hands. "I-it does."

by the way:

a) least to most easily drunk: midorima, kagami, kise, kuroko. i had a hard time deciding whether kagami should be first or midorima… because apparently, it's hard to get drunk when you're bigger. kagami weighs more, but midorima's more taller… + he only weighs four pounds more than kise who is shorter than kagami. SO. but it doesn't really matter, huh? BHAHAH

b) kuroko considers nijimura a captain because he was his middle school captain :3

c) nijimura's part is rushed, iM SO SORRY

d) i might make a part two. but for now, this is a finished oneshot!

e) HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE