Drowning in a Misunderstanding
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KUROKO NO BASUKE AND THE COVER IMAGE!
It was the first day of summer and the Generation of Miracles and Kuroko found themselves at the beach. They normally wouldn't do much together after they separated to attend different schools. However, when their former captain sent a text about spending the day together, the other five knew better than to reject the order. The day was hot (as expected) and the boys had quickly stripped until they were only left in their swimming trunks; everyone but Kuroko.
Kuroko had quickly declined the invitation to swim in the ocean, and instead, had lay down on a towel, reading a book. The silent teen took a few glances over his book to stare at the blond teen in front of him. The copycat was slightly tan, and his white swimming trunks hugged his figure nicely. The sun's light highlighted the model's golden eyes, as well as his smooth, shiny locks of gold. The teen's form wasn't overly muscled, but was still firm and there was a hint of a six pack starting to show. When gold met sky blue, Kuroko quickly looked at his book again, trying to hide his blush and the fact that he had been admiring his friend's (sexy) body. The model jogged towards the other teen, smiling, as he approached his crush.
"Kuroko-cchi! Akashi-cchi wants you to come join the rest of us in the water." The teen would have normally refused immediately, but it normally wasn't Akashi that asked (commanded) him to join the Miracles. Kuroko also suspected that his former captain knew about the boy's love interest for the Miracle currently making himself comfortable on the sand next to Kuroko. The misdirection user was sure that Akashi was using the fact that Kuroko loved Kise to his advantage. It was always hard to deny the blond anything (especially when he used his puppy dog eyes).
"Kuroko-cchi! Are you alright? You were spacing out and you still haven't given me an answer."
"If Akashi-kun wants me to, I better go." Kuroko closed his book (after quickly checking what page he was on) and dropped it into his beach bag. When he looked over to his blond companion, he saw a look of concentration and deep thought on the teen's face. Gold eyes stared at him and Kuroko felt unworthy to have gained the attention of those mesmerising eyes. He always thought that he had never been much of a good looking teen, and that he wasn't worthy of Kise. The Miracle was handsome, smart, talented, a model, and had an amazing personality. In some ways, the two teens were complete opposites, but it always made Kuroko feel even more attracted to the model.
"I feel like you're hiding something from me," the blond said seriously.
"There's nothing to hide, Kise-kun." Kuroko quickly got up (whilst taking off his shirt), and made his way to the water, hoping that the other teen hadn't seen through his lie. He quickly glanced behind him to see Kise still sitting on the sand, disappointment on his face. Guilt started to overcome the smaller teen, knowing it was his fault that Kise looked so disappointed. Many people saw the model as a happy and over-the-top person. Kuroko knew better than that, and he could see that the blond was upset about Kuroko lying to him, and it seemed like the blue eyed teen didn't trust the blond.
"Tetsuya, are you coming?" Akashi had been watching his two former teammates, and saw that his plan hadn't quite worked. The former Teiko captain was very observant, and had quickly noticed the copycat's adoration for Kuroko. After he managed to get the blond to confess that he loved the misdirection user, Akashi decided to help the model. He cared for his former teammates and he wanted them to be happy.
"Yes, Akashi-kun," Kuroko answered hesitantly. He wasn't very fond of water and tried to avoid it, but he had never told his teammates (past and present) of his fear.
"You made Ryota upset," the redhead stated calmly. He made a quick motion with his hand, telling the blond to join them. The model quickly stood and jogged over to Akashi. Kuroko was stuck; he could avoid Kise (as well as the redhead's upcoming interrogation) and go further into the water, or he could stay away from the water and talk to Kise. Both options seemed terrifying in their own way, but Kuroko felt too guilty to face the model right now. Even if he did, he would probably have to confess his fear to to be forgiven, and then the blond would want the misdirection user to face his fear head on. His decision had been made and the teen walked further into the water, whilst Kise was still running towards Akashi.
"Ryota, are you alright?" Kise faked a smile, telling the former Teiko captain that he was alright, but the younger teen saw right through the mask. Akashi had known for a while that the model tried to hide his feelings of sadness, frustration and disappointment behind a mask of happiness. The redhead saw the way the taller teen gazed at Kuroko with love and pain. Akashi was sure that he had never experienced the kind of pain that Kise was suffering from at the moment.
The Rakuzan player was about to speak again when he and the blond heard a shout which sounded like Kuroko. They faced the ocean and saw a flash of blue hair, before a wave covered the view. Adrenalin swept through Kise's body, as he saw a hand desperately trying to reach out to them, before another wave swept over the outreached arm. Without thinking, the model ran through the water, rushing to reach Kuroko. He quickly dove under and searched for his former teammate. His hand touched something and he immediately grasped it, hoping it was the smaller teen. The older teen rose to the surface and lifted Kuroko into his arms, as he carried the misdirection user to shore.
The former Teiko players quickly made their way over to Kise and Kuroko. Akashi quickly gave a few orders and the other three left to do the jobs that were given to them. The blond noticed none of this, his focus was only on the boy that lay on the sand. The adrenalin was still pumping and Kise immediately began checking for signs of breathing. Akashi watched carefully, but didn't dare interrupt Kise. He knew that the blond was a force to be reckoned with when he was passionate about something; especially when it came to Kuroko.
"Kuroko! Kuroko, answer me!" Kise didn't bother with the usual Kuroko-cchi; his mind could only focus on keeping the smaller teen alive. He readied himself to begin with the chest pumps and mouth-to-mouth, when the misdirection user started coughing and water spurted from his mouth.
"Kuroko, are you alright?" The blond felt relief wash over him, but checked the other teen for any injuries, and that Kuroko had coughed up all the water he had swallowed a few minutes ago.
"I'm fine." The teen sat up carefully and looked at his surroundings. He noticed Akashi a bit further away and Kise was kneeling next to himself. The blond looked worried and furious at the same time. Kuroko was about to ask what the Kaijo player was upset about, when the model started speaking.
"Why didn't you tell me that you couldn't swim? I would've never asked you to join us, if you would have told me! Do you really hate me so much that you would rather endanger your life?" Tears were threatening to fall from the model's eyes and Kuroko was left speechless. He hadn't realised how much he had hurt his former teammate by his behaviour and lack of communication.
"Ryota, you shouldn't put stress on Tetsuya after what just what happened. Give him some time to rest, and you can have your discussion when he has recovered properly." The model didn't reply to Akashi. He gave a look of pain to Kuroko, before he stood and left the beach. Silence surrounded the remaining pair and neither could figure out what to say. The redhead desperately wanted to tell the misdirection user that his feelings of love were reciprocated, and that he should finally get together with the blond. Yet, he couldn't, because it wasn't his right to tell Kuroko the secrets he had been entrusted with by Kise.
"You should talk to him. Unintentional or not, you hurt him; more than you think." Kuroko simply nodded and stood, trying to wipe away some of the sand stuck to his skin.
By the time Kuroko found Kise again, it was already night time. After searching almost everywhere (the hotel they were staying at, the shopping district, and any other place that Kuroko thought might interest the blond), Kuroko found him on the same beach they were at this afternoon. The model was sitting on the sand, watching the waves come closer and then retreat, his mind somewhere else.
"Kise-kun, can we talk?" After Akashi's warning, the smaller teen was going to be careful with what he would say to the other teen. The blond simply nodded and the Seirin player felt a pain in his chest. He had never really thought about it, but Kuroko enjoyed Kise's energetic exclamations, his bright personality, and enthusiasm. He was so used to the model's presence and the happiness that came along with it, that this silence made Kuroko feel more guilty than before, and realise how much he truly loved the Kaijo player.
"I don't hate you. I never have." Kise still looked at the ocean and showed no signs of the words having an effect on him. Silence followed and Kuroko hated that he couldn't figure out what the blond was thinking. Kuroko knew he should say something, but he was nervous.
"The truth is, I admire you. You're a model, an amazing basketball player, although you only started two years ago. I didn't want to look bad in front of you, because I didn't know how to swim, so I didn't tell you. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you and made you worry." After his emotional speech, Kuroko became restless. The silence was torturing him and he wondered if his friendship with Kise was over. Tears were threatening to fall, when the blond finally spoke.
"Why? Why did you not want to look bad in front of me?" The teen's voice sounded hoarse from not speaking for hours. Kuroko gulped, wondering how to answer the question. If he lied, then Kise would probably never forgive him. If he told the truth, then he would be confessing, and he was scared of the model's reaction. Either way, he would risk losing Kise.
"Because I love you." The misdirection user stared at the sand, afraid of the other teen's reaction.
"Kuroko, look at me." The shorter teen felt his chin being tilted, and golden orbs met sky blue ones. Before Kuroko could realise what was going on, the other teen had already pulled away. Kuroko softly touched his lips, wondering if he had dreamt about Kise kissing him. He stared at the model and noticed a soft smile on the Kise's face.
"I love you too." The blond gave a quick peck to the speechless teen, before he stood and brushed off the sand from his clothes. He offered a hand to Kuroko, who took it gratefully. As Kise was about to let go of the shorter teen's hand, Kuroko grasped his lover's hand tightly. He didn't want to let go, afraid that if he did, everything that had just happened would seem like a dream. Kise gave Kuroko's hand a firm squeeze, as they walked along the beach; the place where it all started.