He was running, running through the streets, everything in front of him was a blur, he couldn't see, he didn't know where he was going. He didn't but his feet led him to a small house by the end of the street. He walked to the door and hit the wood with all his might.

No response.

He leaned against the door, falling to his knees.

The door wouldn't open

It wouldn't open

This time either, no one would open the door for him, he felt like he had been punched in the stomach, he couldn't see in front of him, the rain was blinding him, breath coming out in pants as the door finally opens and he bursts in, arms wide open.

Tears were rolling in his cheeks as he saw that familiar face in front of him, he smiled weakly "Hey, Kurokocchi." He whispered softly as he reached out to his friend but his whole world was shuttering down, his eyes closed and he allowed himself to fall.

The petite figure looked up confused meeting the other man's eyes, he could tell that everything had gone wrong. At that moment, his older comrade crumbled down and his body almost fell to the ground before the young teal eyed boy reached out and grabbed him, by his arms, just barely managing to secure the weight off the other. He sighed, why was he still doing this?

Golden eyes slowly opened, almost hesitantly, as he saw the familiar figure of his friend, looking at him, his arms crossed, a frown on his face. Kuroko was never the type to speak first so he waited, waited until Kise would decide to explain himself.

"Are you angry, Kurokocchi?" He questioned trying to crack a smile "I am sorry for coming like this so sudden-" his words slowed down as his mask failed to crumble and shatter right in front of his dear friend and rival.

"I am." The shorter figure responded sharply and Kise cringed at the tone the other male used. He leaned against the sofa and he decided that it was better to look the other in the eye after all, he knew all of his antics, Kuroko can easily tell if he was lying.

"They…forced me to quit. The doctor said that my foot can't no longer keep on." His hands turned into fists as he broke the eye contact and looked down, trying to stop those tears from escaping him but it was futile. He couldn't stop.

Kuroko was standing there frozen before taking a deep breath and approaching the fallen blonde whose gold had dulled inside those seconds, he walked slowly and rested his hand on the other shoulders "You did it?" He questioned and then he lingered a bit more before speaking again "You quit?" his voice was bitter, Kise looked up. What he saw reflected in those eyes made him shatter down.

Disapproval

Pain

Betrayal

"I thought you loved basketball, Kise-kun. I thought you loved playing against us with your teammates."

What, w-what was the matter with Kurokocchi? His breath got caught on his throat, as he felt himself unable to realize what was going on. What had he expected?

Comfort?

He was so stupid, wasn't he? He started laughing "Of course I did!" He stood up and grabbed him by the shoulders and started shaking him "WHAT SHOULD HAVE I DONE?!" He cried out, finally the mask had fallen off his face completely "NOT GIVEN UP? I SHOULD HAVE KEPT ON TRYING?!" His hands wrapped around the other, their hold becoming stronger and stronger by the second, as those dull golden eyes shone with anger "Have you realized Kurokocchi?" His voice slowly became weaker until it faded to a whisper, he looked down "I can't even walk anymore." Those words made the younger of the two pause and stare at the man he had in front of him.

Kise-kun was the best player.

Yet,he couldn't play? Yet, he couldn't even walk anymore?

"That is unfair." He murmured and then smiled "I am sorry." He said as soon as those words left his mouth but he knew that it was unfair, Kise's grip loosened. Those eyes were pitying him.

"Unfair, huh?" He muttered and then he let his defenses down and he leaned against Kuroko's chest sobbing "Then tell me, what can I do? Tell me." Please. No response. Again. No response. Everyone he asked, just pitied him.

The Miracle that had fallen. That was what he would be called. The next years, he would be remembered as the man who quit it. The only one who actually would quit.

"Kise-kun is my rival, I am glad it is you, Kise-kun." Golden eyes looked up straight to those teal ones "Even if you can't play anymore,even if you can't walk anymore, you will still be my rival." Kise let a small laugh "Really, Kurokocchi?" Those words helped him stand again. He wouldn't let them pity him. He wouldn't.

He would still fight on his own way.

"Kurokocchi, can I stay here?" He asked and the other blinked as the blonde male smiled sheepishly "I can't walk back now, it is pouring out here." He motioned outside and Kuroko pouted "Please leave." Kise now grinned and leaned closer to him "No. After you said that, I need to thank you." Kuroko didn't understand him, then two arms wrapped around him and his face was against Kise's chest, letting him, hear his heartbeat loud and clear beating softly.

"Arigato." And with that Kise laid his lips on the other's head and smiled brightly.

He was stupid for grasping such a small hope, he was really but he couldn't cry anymore, he couldn't handle it so instead he acted normally but on the following days, Kuroko would notice him, crumble and fall to the floor.

Yes, he wasn't lying that day.

He couldn't walk. They rushed to the hospital. Even running had damaged his foot, not jumping, everything he did made it worse. Now he was using a wheelchair smilling at them completely broken.

"Hey." He would say and become a shadow of his past self, only Kuroko could see him, the Kise-kun he always knew, he would pull of that stupid mask and look at him in the eye, then there he would be the happy and stupid idiot who he knew so well.

One night at the hospital, he dreamed of the blond boy walking with him a basketball in hand smiling brightly "Let's play again Kurokocchi!" He said and the other followed him with a smile.

The end