Let Me Hold You Tonight
It was cold, far too cold for everyone's liking, especially Kuroko, who was at this moment curled up inside three blankets and with Nigou to boot.
The program on the television was a documentary he had seen earlier, about dolphins, so he found it was easy to doze off with it as soft background noise. The dolphin documentary had ended and the next begun by the time he shook himself somewhat awake and checked his phone for the time.
There was a small 7:56 in the upper right corner, but before he noticed that he saw he had a message from Kagami. He opened it and started for a moment.
Nigou stuck his head out of the tangles of fabric, sniffing the air and looking very drowsy indeed. Kuroko glanced down at the puppy before turning his attention back to the screen. The message had been sent just over twenty minutes ago, and Kuroko could tell at a glance that something was off.
Hey Kuroko, would you mind me coming over today? I know it's kinda late, but I could use some company. That is if it's okay with you.
That was far too polite for Kagami. Kuroko wondered briefly if maybe one of their senpai snatched his phone, but he typed his answer quick anyway.
Of course Kagami-kun, you may come over.
It wasn't even two minutes before the reply came.
Thank you.
Kuroko almost raised an eyebrow but refrained, setting his phone to the side and stretching somewhat in the confines of blankets.
He turned back to the documentary, now about Australian Great Whites, and was quite engrossed until the doorbell was rung and he reluctantly left his blanket fort for the door.
He opened the door and murmured a quiet greeting, stepping aside so the taller redhead could come in.
Kagami smiled and said his own greeting, but Kuroko noted his furrowed brows and that the smile didn't reach his fiery eyes like it usually did effortlessly.
After Kagami had taken off his shoes and Kuroko had hung his coat in the hallway closet he followed the small bluette into the living room, chuckling as Kuroko wasted no time at all in wrapping himself back up.
Nigou had come out, albeit sleepily, to greet him and sat at his feet, looking up at him with his big blue eyes as he squinted in a yawn.
To Kuroko's unseen never-ending surprise Kagami then picked up the small canine and set him down on the couch next to Kuroko.
Kuroko turned his gaze to the redhead and looked him up and down, looking for signs of this person being someone other than Kagami Taiga.
But the redhead just smiled sheepishly and said he would go make some hot cocoa if Kuroko was that cold. After he had disappeared into the kitchen Kuroko stared at Nigou, who seemed to be as shocked as he, though pleasantly if his slightly wagging tail was anything to go by.
And when Kagami returned soon after with two mugs of hot cocoa Kuroko tugged off one of his blankets and attempted to toss it over his shoulders, though it got caught on his hair halfway.
Kagami chuckled but wrapped it back around Kuroko, claiming not to be cold, but then scolded Nigou when he almost stuck his nose into one of the mugs.
"Chocolate isn't healthy for dogs."
He ruffled the small ears almost affectionately, and this time Kuroko stared openly. "Kagami-kun…"
The redhead shrugged. "What? You said you wanted me to be nice to him…"
But Kuroko swallowed his mouthful of hot cocoa and shook his head. "Not just that, are you feeling well today?"
Kagami took an enormous gulp of his drink. "Brilliant. Why?"
Kuroko shrugged. "No reason."
They sat in silence for a while, each wrapped up in his own thoughts and only slightly listening to how fast the shark had to swim to propel itself out of the water in order to catch its prey.
At some point Nigou had found his way back into Kuroko's lap after he set down his empty mug, and the small bluette leaned back, letting his eyes drift shut.
He was woken only when something large was trying to gently squeeze in between himself and the back of the couch. He was confused for a moment, until he felt Kagami's arms wrap around him and felt his chin on his shoulder.
"Kagami-kun?" His voice was soft with sleepiness.
Kagami shifted but did not remove himself. "Sorry, did I wake you up?"
Kuroko blinked. "I'm sorry I fell asleep, I suppose I'm more tired than I thought."
But Kagami shook his head. "It's fine…" There was a pause, and Kuroko could tell he had more to say. "Is it okay if I stay like this? Just for while…"
Kuroko turned to the side so he could see Kagami's face. He looked almost as distressed as Nigou when Midorima decided to turn him into a furry basketball.
The bluette turned to sit sideways. "I'll let you if you tell me what is the matter."
Kuroko could tell that his words had deeply surprised Kagami. His expression was completely open, and not only that, but a dozen different emotions were taking turns flitting across his face. Kuroko recognized the ways he expressed fear, surprise, hope, and a deep, deep sadness.
When his expression finally settled into one of extreme distress and he began to move away, Kuroko reached out and placed his hand on his forearm, eyes downcast.
"I'm sorry Kagami-kun, that was unfair of me. You do not have to tell me if you do not wish to." At this Kuroko opened his arms, and Kagami immediately moved forward into them, his arms coming around Kuroko's body and his face in his shoulder.
After a moment of this fairly uncomfortable position, Kagami moved so that Kuroko was sitting sideways in his lap and proceeded to hide his face in the smaller's neck.
Kuroko began to run his fingers through Kagami's short red hair, which was, contrary to popular belief, really quite soft for a male.
After a moment Kuroko felt the redhead begin to shiver, and he was just moving to pull one of the blankets over him when he felt something warm and wet fall onto his collarbone and soak into the fabric of his shirt.
Now thoroughly concerned, Kuroko nudged Kagami's face towards him. The redhead sniffed, his bright crimson eyes turned upward towards him and still quite watery.
"Sorry…" He mumbled, but Kuroko effectively surprised him yet again by pulling him back into an embrace, carding his fingers through his hair once more and whispering. "Do not apologize."
It only took a few seconds for Kagami's tears to come back full force, and when they did Kuroko just held him tightly.
Though even he had to admit, this was very unexpected. Kagami could be emotionally driven, sure, but not like this… Still, he wouldn't pry, because he knew Kagami would tell him eventually, like he always did.
Unbeknownst to him, he had been making soft cooing noises, and only noticed when they had a profound effect on Kagami.
The redhead stiffened and looked up at him, his eyebrows furrowed and his cheeks almost the same shade as his irises. "W-what?"
Kuroko blinked. "What?"
Kagami looked confused. "You said…" There was a short pause. "You said you wanted to… h-hold me tonight…"
Kuroko, unperturbed, brushed aside his bangs gently and pressed a light kiss to his forehead.
Kagami looked at him with somewhat wide, hopeful eyes, and Kuroko obliged him a smile. "Will you let me, Kagami-kun?"
Kagami almost teared up again, but from happiness, and his grin as he pressed a tentative kiss to Kuroko's cheek was radiant.
When he pulled away he swept Kuroko into his arms and hugged him fiercely, and the bluette's smile stayed in place, knowing that he was at least a bit closer to making his Tiger happy again.
A/N
/sigh/ I guess this is just another of those times when I need some way to vent an' all that shiz. T_T I just wanted to write these two, because trust me, from someone who has Kagami's personality, when we fall, we fall /hard/ and it fucking /hurts/. Sometimes small shit just gets to you, and then sometimes there's a hugelifechanging fuckingTHING thattries toruinyourlife. Ugh, I binged on my depressing music playlist while writing this in like, an hour and a half, so now I'm tired and freaking upset and ugh I want to write my other shit but I cant ATM and URGHH. RAR. I need sleeps TT_TT Also, title is from A Thousand Miles because I was feeling particularly sorry for myself :) Sorry to bore you with more stupid AN's, but meh. Enjoi...maybe.
characters © Fujimaki Tadatoshi
story © MarluxiaSutcliff116