Disclaimer: I don't own KnB
Ten years ago in a dream
It was raining hard. The rain tasted like bitter tears in a small blue haired boy's tongue. He was trudging down a path, not having the single idea where and how he got there in the first place. He walked, and walked despite the beating rain.
His tiny feet led him in a vast garden of well tended flowers of different colors and a few green plants. The clash of colors were beautiful if not for the rain that made everything dull and looked withering, tainting the atmosphere a sad grayness.
Amidst the colors was a mop of red. As little Kuroko came closer, he realized it wasn't from any flowers, or an exotic plant. It was from another person, a little kid, a boy probably around his age.
"Hello. Are you alright?" Kuroko asked as gently as possible. "You'll get sick."
The redhead tilted his head slightly, gazing sideways. "I'll be fine." He didn't bothered to spare Kuroko another glance in regards to their contrasting outfit. "Please tell the maids I'll be returning this evening."
Kuroko was tad bit confused, but decided to let it pass. The unfamiliar surrounding was already puzzling enough. "I'm not from here," he muttered as he noticed the redhead went back staring blankly far away as if contemplating. He looked like a young prince in red velvety robes, sitting regally on a patch of grass, commanding with an authoritative tone, and seemingly calm with Kuroko's small presence.
But Kuroko knew better. It was a natural talent to read people's feelings despite the lack of facial expression, which himself had mastered.
The redhead was broken from the inside. Like a doll tossed at the sidewalk.
"It's okay... to cry." Kuroko found himself with an armful of a redhead a few seconds later. He remembered how his loving mother calmed him down before with soft pats on his head and short soothing strokes at the back with matching cooing words. But Kuroko knew he was never good verbally, and so decided to try the former.
The redhead went stiff for a while, but eventually gave in, burying himself more at the small chest. Kuroko gladly welcomed him in a warm embrace. "I'm Kuroko Tetsuya."
The bluenette dismissed both the muffled sobs and dampness at his chest. Dampness from the hot tears of the unknown redhead.
Present Time
Nobody prepared him for this.
Nobody prepared him for a comatosed Kagami Taiga.
His roommate who never failed to make him smile inwardly with his love for basketball and food. His best friend who never ceased to amaze him with his cooking and motherly tendencies. The strong man that always made him feel safe was lying lifelessly at the stark white hospital bed with different machines attached and a beeping monitor assuring him he was still alive, but with barely the chances of waking up.
Kagami was way too heroic to save two kids in the middle of the highway with a bus speeding down towards them. He was too much honorable to not think about his own safety. If Kuroko had been with him, would there be no Kagami Taiga lying in front of him? Lots of 'ifs' hanging in the air, juggling on his brain, pricking his conscience.
Kuroko wanted to take the blame only to himself. Not to the reckless drunk bus driver, nor to the two grade school kids crossing without company. He wanted to cry, but doing so would only resulted with Kagami yelling to him for his out of place guilt, the taller teen would unconsciously ruffle his hair, making them messy like his bed head, and then Kagami would flash him a loop sided smile or his trademark toothy grin.
Kuroko missed him already. He already missed his idiotic but caring roommate, very best friend, and a non-biological brother. He wanted to return to the moment when Kagami was lively making him breakfast while humming an English song, forcing him to eat more healthily aside from the daily dosage of vanilla milkshakes. He wanted to return to the time when he could still remember how happy they were together after a tiring practice or a victorious match.
He wanted Kagami back.
He'll live, he wanted to convince himself badly, but found it rather difficult with the dangling apparatuses and an IV dripping a clear liquid. Kagami-kun will live. He'll survive this. He's strong and will never give up. He wouldn't forget the promise we made to each other that we'll be the number one, and bring Seirin to the top. Kagami-kun...
An erratic beeping sound pierced the cold silence. The ECG monitor displaying a flat line. A very flat line.
… will never leave me, right?
The sound was killing him, contorting the inside of his heart into twists. It was so heart wrenching and Kuroko hardly bear it. He reprimanded himself for not even daring to shed a single tear for the man who held a soft spot on his heart. He stood there, fixated in place, his feet wouldn't budge. Fearing that any moment he turned away or even blink would make Kagami fade into thin air.
Kuroko wanted none of that.
It took a minute for the nurses and a doctor to rush in. They didn't notice the bluenette and somehow he ended sitting limply at the hard bench, watching them trying to revive his precious friend with all their might. As painful as it was, Kuroko would never dare to leave him.
Because somewhere in his heart, he was holding into a thin strand of hope that Kagami would wake up. And when he did, Kuroko wanted himself to be the first one to be seen.
Because it was the only thing he could do right at the very moment.
Too wait. Too hope for the best.
And to believe in Kagami's will to live.
TBC
Forgive me if the angst is too crappy. :I
Please do leave a review!