"Yo, Tecchan! Time to wake up!" That voice, unfazed energetic reminded you of the blonde model, Kise. He didn't care what others thought and wasn't hurt by your blunt words. Still, it wasn't Kise. The man who sat on the edge your bed, probably with a tray of food was not a friend from Teiko. None of the generation of miracles were allowed to visit by your 'caretaker.' That's when everyone called him now.

Takao was the one who responded first at the practice match. He had been watching the practice match with Midorima. He had vaulted the barrier between the seats in the court. From what people said he'd noticed as soon as the elbow made impact but something was wrong. His hawk-eye was the natural enemy of your misdirection, and it gave him a quicker reaction time. Even your own team was stunned when he had run over and ordered your coach to take a timeout. He'd run out onto the court. Where you nearly collapsed. You felt yourself lifted off the court and then you fainted.

Shuutoku's point guard coaxed to you into sitting up and put a spoon in your hand "I made you essential vanilla cereal this morning Tecchan. After you eat we've got to get ready to go out." Since that game you've been staying at his house. Your parents had gone abroad and weren't contactable. Takao's parents seem to travel a lot as well and his younger sister only came around occasionally to tease that you were turning her older brother into a housewife. She sounded similar to Takao, she never gave her first name, but Takao said you could call her 'imouto' if you wanted to. You didn't do it though, you wouldn't feel right. Calling a stranger so formally.

As you began to eat Takao began to talk, it didn't bother him that you spoke only occasionally. And you didn't mind listening to him. He filled you in on what others said. Ever since he threw the 'rainbow squad' from your bedside, he only relayed messages. It was a comical scene. You could still just imagine their faces.

Kise had been the first to show up. He started talking so quickly and crying that Takao had kissed him to shut him up until Kasamatsu showed up. He'd kicked him, then dragged him away. Though he was shocked from the kiss, Takao had joked "Kissing someone who cried like him is like kissing a puppy who got stuck in the ocean."

Midorima was the second, he didn't linger. He seems strained and his tsundereness was pouring out. He cut across to the bedside and set down a plush dog, like Nigou. he spoke in a strained voice "Well Kuroko, this is your lucky item. You'll need all your power to recover." He seemed to start to cry. You could imagine him adjusting his glasses as Takao said "Mah, Mah, don't cry Shin-chan. He's in good hands, the best hands." He left after you heard Takao say "Don't make me treat you like Kise, Shin-Chan." Then he left in silence.

Next he had been surprised to hear his voice tremble, but it had you could hear it, it wasn't easy to imagine tears on his face. But Aomine was crying, you felt warm tears dripping onto your forearm. Finally he spoke "Damn Tetsu, You were supposed to play me again. Why the fuck did this happen? You were supposed to be okay and play me so I could fight you again…We were supposed to face off..." You didn't know what to say, so you were thankful when Takao spoke "Dai-chan... There's a chance he'll recover, but having you upset won't help anything." There was a flurry of movement, and you no longer felt tears dripping onto your arm. You assumed by the gasp of Takao-Chan had given, and knowing Aomine and his personality that Takao was lifted by his shirt collar. Aomine yelled "How the fuck are you so calm?! How can you be smiling despite all of this?! What do you know anyway?! You are just a damn point guard who can barely do anything off the court!"There was a loud crack of hand to skin, and then an even lower one followed, following it there was a thud of impact. Which made the floor tremble a bit. It was obvious Takao both gave and received a hit. You'd never heard Takeo angry but when he spoke he had a glare that made Aomine silent, though his lip was split, and he had a lisp, he had never seemed more menacing. You could feel the chill in the air, the power in his voice as he spoke was quite surprising "No, Aomine. You don't seem to understand. Although, would an ace who is clueless to anything that doesn't have a basketball involved understand? The trauma to the frontal cranial lobe, damaged his eyes. There is a chance that Tecchan can recover. It just takes time. He needs support, he isn't dead. To stop mourning you damn idiot." He cleared his throat and you can imagine him straining himself to keep from tears, you had heard his sister "Kazu-nii" but Takao silenced her. Somehow, he continued a steady voice "Dai-chan I assure you, your old shadow will be fine. I won't neglect him so rely on me. Don't give me your bull shit. And you better not be thinking you're the only one that can do this." The doorbell had rang and a little while later you heard an apology and a trembling voice and Aomine had been shepherded out by Touou's shooting guard.

Momoi sat by your side and she held your hand. It managed to pet her hair and she said in a soft voice "Tetsu-kun, there is proof that there are treatments would've worked. So you can't give up. You absolutely can't. I didn't fall in love with the quitter. I'll help you. However, I can!" She was in tears but she knew what happened earlier, so she was trying her hardest be strong for you. You reassured her "I don't plan on giving up Momoi-Chan. After all I still have to beat Akashi-kun. I can't let my senpai down." As she was leaving she said something interesting and very weird to Takao "I'll support you Takao-kun"

Murasakibara's visit was less wet and much more whiny. You can imagine his pout as he whined "No fair Kurochin! I wanted to play with you again." He popped a vanilla candy in your mouth when you had tried to comfort him. Takao had taken over, you heard a very loud thud and a whine. Takao had fallen over when he'd been glomped by Murasakibara "At-chan, you're getting crumbs all over me…Ack!" His sister commentated while Murasakibara ate the crumbs off the hawk and kept commenting how sweet he was. Somehow for some reason it annoyed you. You could hear Takao trying to escape, but he was out powered. He spoke in an exasperated voice "At-chan you-" and his words became muffled by the purple haired teen lips. At that moment a murderous or a had filled the room. You imagine Himuro standing in the doorway before he spoke "Atsushi, I knew you would cause trouble, but this is something else entirely."There was a rustling wrappers as Murasakibara sat up "Eeeeh Murochin, Takaochin is just really sweet, you should try!" Takao sat up rubbing his head when he got up he was saying "Sorry Tatchan, I…" His voice was cut off again and there was a click of the camera and Takao a moment later was saying "Oi Tatchan" his voice was mixed with Murasakibara saying "No fair Muro-chin" his sisters giggling and Himuro saying." Just taking back a sweet treat." Shortly after they left in a commotion of sound.

Well after Takao had gotten them out of the house Akashi have entered, ignoring the protests over the lateness of the hour. You missed the 'Real Akashi' because this one was inconsiderate and absolute. Akashi had walked over to you, he didn't seem teary-eyed at all. He spoke without a quiver in his voice and he seemed more authoritative than anything "Tetsuya, you will recover. I will hear nothing else, if Kazunari fails to help you. I will take over your treatment and care. It would be annoying to lose such an interesting opponent. So because my rule is absolute you will recover. Do you understand me?" Before you say anything Takao had entered the picture, you just judging by Takao's annoyance he pulled the little emperor from your bed. He spoke with the same annoyance he had with Aomine and once again without a tremor in his voice "Sei-chan, listen to me and listen well you annoying little emperor. I don't care who you think you are. And I don't care what you think you can do. Tecchan is in my care, and I will do everything to help him. So you will not remove him from this house, you will not make such false accusations. Hence you will not be coming back here because your absolute authority is not something that Tecchan needs right now. Yes he needs assurance that he will recover, but not the demands to recover. That being said and done, it is late, I don't care how far you've traveled it is time for you to go home." Akashi had started to protest and it seemed that he'd used his emperor eyes and ankle-break to bring Takao to fall. But it was weird, because Takao didn't fall he sunk to one knee, in a knights kneel and got back up. Needless to say that shocked Akashi "How did you do that, no one can stand against me. No one can look down on me. So do not try me Kazunari." Takao had responded with an icy tone "Well Seijuro, I am standing against you and I am looking down upon you right now. You will be leaving this house. That is not an option. Chi-Chan is here for you, so it is time for you to leave" you assume that he meant Mayuzumi Chihiro from Rakuzan, you'd met him once, and just like you and Takao, he was labeled the shadow. You heard from Takao that Mayuzumi was the only one who stood against Akashi, who didn't care or treasure the little emperor as much is Akashi desired. There was a bit of a scuffle outside the room but you heard a calm voice say "No worries Kazunari." And that was it.

After that flashback, you realized you'd finished your cereal. Takao-kun really was an excellent cook. Takao had caught you up on what you needed to know from what your doctors had said, the weather seemed to be keeping several of the specialists from getting out to you, you assume that it was snowing considering it was winter. Then something unexpected happened; Takao started speaking, but his voice seemed sad "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry for all this trouble Tecchan. I wish I had responded quicker if I had said something...If I had called out... Maybe, maybe. You wouldn't have gotten hurt. I hate to see you in pain." He was silent for a little while and you thought maybe you should say something, but just as you decided that you should he spoke again "I mean, once Shuutoku beat Seirin, I was planning to…" He was silent but you could tell that he was building up to something so you were patient "I was planning to tell you something, something that might've made you hate me… But somehow I just really wanted to tell you… Ne Tecchan? Would you like me to tell you now? You can say no if you want to, I mean we do have to get ready for that appointment anyway. Actually... I don't want to do anything that'd upset you before we leave." He sighed and before waiting for your answer. He'd said "Anyway I've drawn a bath for you, let's get you washed up, huh?" You could imagine his hurt smile, Takao always smiled but sometimes you noticed that there was a serious pain in his eyes.. You couldn't figure out why, but then you heard from Midorima that Scorpios hid all their emotions behind some sort of mask. For the first time you found yourself wondering if there wasn't some truth to horoscopes. Takao really was like you in a different sort of way, you seemed to understand him better than you thought. You sighed, because it didn't seem like right now you'd be finding out what he wanted to say.