Singular Love

Author: Kiyohara Shi

Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basket is not mine

Fandom: KnB

Rating: PG

Pairing: Takao x Midorima

Warning: Grammar, Structure, shonen-ai, Angst?

(Midorima Shintarou's PoV)

It wasn't easy for someone like him. He was used to be alone. Even in his Teiko's years, he was used to be alone. Not completely, but he was too used to this kind of life. His parents were always busy, his Grandparents used to be there, but those were on his early education days only. Nevertheless, it didn't mean he got no love. He got plenty of them actually, even in his teenage years like now. Friends? He had some, at least he thought he had. He knew that with the way he raised, his personality become too mature at some point for other children to understand, so it did hard for him to find his match, a friend who can bear with his way.

And now… Shuutoku High School, he had somehow gained—dare he say—some people who happened to know how to deal with him, keep up with all his quirks, and how to make him smile, truly smiling.

Even so, sometimes he felt like he's alone.

"Shin-chan, don't forget that you promise to accompany me buy that book, I'll wait outside later, kay?"

So Takao said to him earlier on practice. And now, he was standing here, not too far from Takao; who happened to be surrounded by his fangirls. He frowned in annoyance. He walked closer to his partner in Shuutoku, only to be halted once he heard their conversation.

"Nee, Takao-kun, will you accompany us to karaoke today?" One of the girl said. "You promise us that you will~".

He could see Takao grinning like an idiot. "Sure! Why don't we go now? I'd love to company you girls~!" Takao answered them with that smiling face of his.

Somehow this broke something inside. He flinched slightly. His lips quivered, eyebrows twitched, and somehow his eyes felt a bit wet, however he didn't cry. He was going to yell at the number 10, but he tried his best to keep his cool, adjusting his glasses. He scowled darkly as he saw Takao went away with the girls. "What am I thinking…. Of course he will choose to spend some times with them instead. You shouldn't jump over conclusion, Shintarou," he thought to himself. He just took a deep breath then walked away, following the path home that he usually take with Takao.

The feels of loneliness made his chest heavy.

The dark cloud that had been covering the afternoon sky since few hours ago, finally dropped its tears. Tear drops-like water hit his green hair softly before it finally got damp by the rain. He kept walking, ignoring the now chilled air hugging him. The rain was getting heavier. He didn't bring umbrella, since Takao always bring them one. And now, there was no Takao.

His chest was about to burst.

He passed the usual park where they would stop and chat, or went to the swing and had fun. At least, Takao (and the rest of the team, sometime) had fun. He would simply sit and swing it slowly, enjoying the afternoon breeze. But now, he was alone, no one dragged him to enjoy the day. It wasn't really important. However, the feeling of being needed, to be together with someone who could make him feel belonged to somewhere, he did miss it.

Now he was standing in the middle of the park. He walked to the swing he used to take when they were here. He put his now wet bag on the floor before he sat, ignoring how cold it was now. He swung slowly. With heavy breath, he looked at the dark sky.

"Takao…you liar."

He blinked.

He cried.

He bowed his head, tears after tears slid down from his eyes to his chin, dropped to his laps along with the tears of the sky. Rain poured hard on him, he knew that he would get ill, however, he didn't care at the moment. He needed to, he wanted to let out his pent up frustration. He cursed himself for all these idiocy he ever made. He felt like he didn't worth their affection, moreover love. He knew why people tend to leave him alone without even trying to get to know him, he couldn't change it. Why? Because he got so confused on how to deal with people who try to get close to him. That was why, he no longer wondered why they were gone in the end.

"Just like Takao…." he smiled bitterly.

"Just like me, Shin-chan?"

"This voice," he looked up hurriedly. His glassy eyes found a boy with raven hair stood not too far away from him with white umbrella on his hand.

Takao. Was. There.

"Just like me what, Shin-chan?"

Takao walked closer. Now he was mere inches away from him. He knew that Takao finally could see his teary eyes.

"…Shin-chan, why are you…crying?"

He only bit his inner cheek, to hold his wail of pain. He chew his lower lips slightly, one hand tried his hardest to wipe all the tears away. However, a tan hand hold his wrist. He looked up, Takao. Umbrella gone; fall to the ground.

"…..I'm sorry, Shin-chan…I left you, I didn't mean to….I was side—"

"It doesn't matter," his voice cracked. "It is not your fault anyway. Now, let my hand go."

"No, listen to me, Shintarou," Takao called his name softly, hands circled on shoulder; pushing his head to rest under Takao's chin, "I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to leave you like that, I should deny their wishes. I went back to school half way, but you weren't there, so I tracked you down here….I didn't mean to leave you, Shin-chan….."

"….But you did…."

He knew his reply broke his 'partner', but he couldn't help it. He thought it was better for Takao to stay away from him. He would hurt him anyway.

"Shintarou, I know what you're doing…. You can't push me away, you know?" he could sense Takao's smile from here. "You're stuck with me forever, Shin-chan."

He snorted, bitterly, but he was clearly amused by Takao's claim. "What am I, your wife?"

Takao laughed softly, "I'd love that if you don't mind me."

The pale skin of his face turned a bit pinkish due to his blush. "Stop saying something like that if you can't hold your simple promise, Takao," he whispered.

Takao flinched slightly. He felt Takao's hand slid down to his shoulder, and then the shorter teen kneeled, so his eyes could staring his green eyes. "Will you forgive me and give me second chance, Shintarou?"

"What, so you can hurt me?"

"No," Takao shook his head lightly, his tan hands circled on the paler one's neck and it seemed he put something around it, a necklace. "So I can learn to make you smiles sincerely again, so I can fix my wrong doings…. So I can wipe this tears away when you are down," Takao moved to kiss his wet cheek, "And loving you forever, Shintarou."

Midorima blushed at his claim, "….". His left hand trailed the thing that now hanging low to his chest, a ring.

"So, Shin-chan…. Will you let me in your heart once again? Please?" Takao smiled softly at him.

He bit his lips, "Retribution."

Takao blinked, "Eh?"

"I demand retribution."

Takao chuckled, "Sure, Shin-chan. Now, let's go home and dry our selves up, 'kay?". Takao stood up then took the umbrella from the floor before grabbing the green haired teen's hand then pull him up.

"Naa Shin-chan…"

"Hn?"

Takao pulled the necklace.

He had to bend down if he did not wish to be hurt by it. "Wha—"

Takao kissed him. On public. Under heavy rain. His only reaction was blinking dumbly in shock.

Takao grinned, "Yappari, Shin-chan, daisuki… Maa, more like aishiteru though."

He blushed hard as he retreated. "Uruse damare, Bakao."

With that, the two of them walked back to get Takao's bike, and went home together.

Indeed, he pushed people so he won't get hurt, so he won't hurt people because of him. Not many people knew that it pained him to see them sad by what he did. That was why he pushed them away, trying not to get too close to them. Some people left him be. Some people did not, like those stubborn head teammates of his in Shuutoku. They were indeed trying so hard to be part of his life. Some others gave up half way; the rest strived to be the champion of his heart. And right now, the people who could free him from this chain of loneliness were his teammates, friends from both pasts and presents, with his partner as the champion.

And he didn't mind it at all.

-fin-