~"It was the first time I've been talked to like that... I was truly happy. You're not alone. It's like he told me: It's fine for you to be here."~
Kuroko had actually realized it already. He couldn't do anything to chance what was happening. He was too late to see it and even if he did see it in an earlier time, it was impossible to stop. He could try all his might. He could cry and try to knock senses to the guy but it was not enough. The way things were, no more bumping of fists, no more going home together, no more eating ice-cream together, just gradually drifting apart, he never felt more alone than this.
He had gone through the same thing in the past. He was never one to stand out or be noticeable. It was a miracle to be a member of the basketball club in the first place. No one would notice him nor take time to even talk to him. He could count the people, who had paid attention to him and they were less than two fingers, including his family.
He had thought that it was for the best. Aomine always wanted to be the best in basketball and who was he to stop his friend? Who was he to be the reason why the other must stop his development? He had thought that it would go back to normal after some days. They would return back to their usual routine, the same closeness. Could anyone blame him for hoping?
Thinking back, he might have been foolish. It was impossible to return to that time. It was simple impossible. He knew that. He knew that far to well. That was why he decided not to cry, to hide whatever he was feeling, the loneliness, the isolation, the heartbreak...
He wondered when he had fallen for the idiot but he knew that every time, he thought of it, he would get crushed at the memories of the time when the other loved basketball more than anything.
He decided to lock away everything but every so often, he had a wishful thought. He wished that he could let it all out, cry all his might, screamed that he didn't want to left alone like a child.
Staring at his tiny hands and shorter legs than usual, Kami-sama must have been bored to have granted the wish. He had thought nothing of it and just went to school, already preparing for whatever react his friends would have. He would deny it later but being treated as a child was a nice change.
However, the person, he wanted to treat him with such affections, was not there. "Is Aomine-kun not here yet?" he dared to ask when the answer was obvious. He expected an instant reply but he received a silent instead. He wondered why but then, he noticed that they were staring at him, especially Akashi and Midorima.
"Waah! Kuroko-chi, don't cry!" Kise surprised him by the sudden hug but he supposed it was suspected from the idol. "Aomine-chi is probably just late or something."
Kuroko struggled but his small figure was no match from the other, more so now that he was a child. "I'm not crying, Kise-kun," he said bluntly, inwardly wondering if his face was really close to crying a while ago. "Please let go. You're being annoying."
"Eh? Kuroko-chi's being mean!"
He decided not to dwell on it. He had already made a choice of locking away his emotions. He couldn't go back from them. He didn't want to as well.
"Ah, see, Kuroko-chi! There's Aomine-chi!" Kise's yelling snapped him out of his daze and his blue eyes turned to the person with darker shades. "Hey, Aomine-chi! Look, look here! Kuroko-chi turned become even cuter!"
"Huh?" Kuroko tensed at hearing the familiar yet unfamiliar voice of his partner and he tensed even more when the other moved closer to him. "What are you talking about? Where's Tetsu?"
"I am him," he received a chuckle at his answer and felt something heat up when Aomine patted his head and commented his cuteness. "It hurts, Aomine-kun!"
The ace player laughed even more and the child felt a similar hope blooming from his heart. It had been a long time since he had heard the other laugh like that. Even if it wasn't about basketball, he felt it was an achievement, nonetheless.
He was not listening but he had managed to hear the dark player say, "I just just came to get something I forgot."
Kurko felt a part of him breaking and before he could stop himself, he had stolen the ball from Murasakibara and had quickly ran after the blue-haired teen. "Aomine-kun!" his voice was hoarse as if he was about to cry or was he really crying now? He didn't know nor could he understand why he had acted like this. "Shall we go training together? Let's play together?"
"Sorry, I'm busy," Aomine looked away.
He had decided to stop his feelings. He decided to lock away whatever he was feeling and yet, why did it hurt him? Why did it...?
"Un...," he felt a tightness in mouth. It became uneasy to breathe. Alone, he was always alone. But then, Aomine found him training harder than anyone else and had befriended him. He had felt happy to finally be acknowledged.
Dammit, he cried. Loud and clear, he cried as if there was no tomorrow.
Aomine had never seen Kuroko cried or express more emotions than his black and slight moved face. He didn't know what to do but he knew he hated that crying face. His insides felt like they were ripping at the sound. He didn't understand. He just wanted it to stop.
"T-tetsu, what is it?!" he quickly went to the small child and looked for any sign of injury. "Are you hurt?"
Watery eyes and wavering voice, he still cried, "Please don't throw me aside... Please don't leave me alone!"
He knew that it might have been the cause of being deaged but somehow, a part of him, the one he always ignored, knew that it was real. All of it was real. The tears, the words, the emotions, all of it was Kuroko's, child or not.
He excused himself and carried Kuroko at his back, intent of getting the tears off his shadow. He felt the light weight on his back relaxed and faintly, his hand touched the smaller hand on his shoulders.
"Were he this small before?" he wondered aloud and felt a slight fear in his stomach. "He could easily disappear and I wouldn't be able to find him."
Somehow, his words had scared him more than he wanted to admit it. It was like even the tiniest thing could take away the person on his back and he wouldn't be able to get the other back. It was like his presence was decreasing that it was harder for Aomine to find him.
The taller player tightened his hold on those tiny hands. He didn't know why but he definitely hated the thought of letting the other go.
A/N: Oh kami, I needed to get this out of my head! Ugh, why is it that every single time I tried to search for AoKuro dj I find sad ones? That is so not fair! Anyway, this is very based on an AoKuro doujinshi (I don't know the title) because I wanted to have a continuation though I can't think of the continuation at all. Someone want to continue?