Konori loved her job at Judgment more than anything else (other than Kuroko). She loved helping good people and making sure the bad guys couldn't hurt those good people. She loved the order, the neatness of the process as well as how everything worked. It was so much more satisfying than her time in Big Spider, and the love she had now was much more passionate than the crush she had back then.
However, in Judgment, as in all jobs, there were a lot of parts that were unpleasant. Paperwork was one of those parts, the major one in fact, though the lack of appreciation ranked pretty high up there as well. And right now she was buried in the ink and paper of their latest case.
Konori sighed, "Why do you never wait for backup, Shirai?" she demanded of the room's only other occupant. While they were alone she didn't dare call Kuroko by her first name, as requested, in case anyone walked in on them. Besides, acting cold was the best way to show the teleporter that she was irritated.
Huffing, Kuroko crossed her arms as she looked off to the side, unsure how to respond. While normally she wouldn't have hesitated to argue her side, she knew in this case Konori-senpai was right. Because of her impulsiveness, they had to do more paperwork than usual, which ultimately meant less time together.
Still, she was not one to back down, so while in her heart she knew she was wrong, her pride would not allow her to give in. Thus, Kuroko straightened up, sticking out her chin defiantly as she met her senpai's eyes.
"Because I can handle a horde of imbeciles by myself."
"Can and should are very different things, Shirai. Our ability to distinguish between them is what sets us apart from those 'imbeciles'," Konori calmly stated, easily tearing apart her argument in a manner that only someone who knew Kuroko as well as she did could.
Kuroko winced slightly at Konori's statement, the older girls words only serving to deal another blow to her already wavering pride. Her jaw tightened in response as her eyes flickered down.
"While I can admit that taking on three level 1's in a well populated area was perhaps not the best decision-" Kuroko started, shifting her gaze back onto Konori, "you can not deny the results! No civilians were injured." Kuroko argued back.
"I know you're capable, Shirai, but that doesn't change the fact that being reckless can get you hurt. Even when it doesn't, it gives us a lot more work to do than necessary when it's over," Konori sighed, "I should have just left this for you. It is your work after all..." Still, she knew she would always help Kuroko, whether it be out in the field, in the office, or during their personal lives. That was just the kind of relationship they had.
Kuroko swallowed down a pang of guilt. This was not the way she had wanted today to go. Her eyes shifted to her desk before lowering to the basket carefully tucked underneath it.
Clearing her throat, she attempted a smile as she navigated her way around the subject. "I simply wanted to act quickly so that we may possibly finish up early and leave for the day. If I had realized that the opposite would occur, I would've given more thought to the task." she took a deep breath. "Thank you for helping me with the paperwork, senpai."
Konori turned her head to cock an eyebrow at the other girl. "Why would you want to do that? Do you have some homework to get done?" Kuroko rarely ever left early and often times stayed longer than necessary, so expressing a desire to get off work sooner was odd.
Kuroko considered Konori-senpai's words for a moment. Would broaching the subject that had been occupying her mind for the past few days be appropriate? She searched Konori-senpai's eyes for a moment.
The older girl didn't seem that upset at her. She allowed a slight grin to lift her lips, "No, not homework…" she trailed off as she moved a bit closer to her senpai, careful to keep just enough space between them so that their proximity wouldn't raise any eyebrows if someone were to walk in. "I actually wanted to take you out."
Konori fidgeted slightly as she saw Kuroko draw closer; the air around her and the look in the younger girl's eyes reminded Konori a little of a snake about to strike. Konori blushed, darting her eyes around the room to make sure no one was there."W-what?" she stammered.
Kuroko smiled in response to Konori's question; the flustered expression on her senpai's face made her heart skip a beat. She stroked her fingers down along the older girls arm before curling her hand around Konori's. "I want to take you out on a date, Senpai."
Konori's blush turned luminous as she pulled away. Her heart thundered as a sense of nervousness ran along her spine. "Kuroko," she scolded her girlfriend as she swivelled her head to double check that they were alone. She was about to reject the other girl when a small seed of uncertainty bloomed in her mind.
It was true that this wasn't the best place to ask her, but Kuroko seemed so eager, and the pair hadn't gone on a date for a while now. Maybe it would be alright... but then again…
A pout surfaced on Kuroko's face at the sliver of doubt she could see in Konori's expression. Still, she pressed on, hoping her persistence would sway the other girl in her favor. "We have not gone out together in two weeks, senpai. I do not wish to continue sneaking kisses." She stepped forward, catching Konori's hand once more. "And I want to be able to hold your hand for longer than a moment."
That adorable pout on the younger girl's face combined with the slight physical contact did far more to shake Konori's resolve than the words themselves. Saying no at this point was practically impossible, but her nervousness made her hesitate to say yes either. "W-we have work to do," she reminded the other girl, changing the subject as she picked up the pen she had dropped and resumed paperwork. Subconsciously she was still holding Kuroko's hand, too distracted to notice she had yet to let go.
Kuroko stepped forward so that she could loom over Konori's shoulder. She squeezed the older girls hand gently in order to get her attention. "I will make sure the work is completed before we leave." she stated determinedly, releasing Konori's hand so that she could walk over to her own desk and begin her paperwork.
The second the warmth of Kuroko's grasp left her own Konori felt a bit empty. Her heart was still beating far too fast for someone sitting at a desk doing paperwork, and the blood had yet to leave her cheeks. She stared at the paper in front of her without really seeing it. This was the other reason that Konori didn't like flirting in the workplace, in addition to the obvious issues, it made it so hard to focus on her work when Kuroko's smile was stuck in her mind, preventing any other thoughts from taking root.
After five minutes of staring at the paper without a single word written down Konori gave up. She stood up. "We've worked hard today, maybe we can go a little early just this once," she reasoned.
Smiling to herself, Kuroko stacked her paperwork up into a neat pile before reaching underneath her desk to take out the basket she had hidden earlier. She held it in her arms as she turned to Konori. "I was thinking a picnic in the park?"
Konori's eyes darted to the basket. She sighed, "how long exactly were you planning this for?"
Kuroko smiled sheepishly, "A while."
At the shy smile and reply, Konori chuckled despite herself. Normally the park would be a little too public for her tastes, but knowing that Kuroko had put some thought and planning into this... she didn't want to disappoint the younger girl by denying her. "Alright," she said as she grabbed her bag.
Mentally cheering, Kuroko teleported over to Konori's side and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, senpai." she stated sincerely before releasing the older girl. "Let's go."
Konori blushed at the hug before walking out the door, trying to calm herself with a few deep breaths. "So what's in the basket?" she asked.
"Oh," Kuroko giggled lightly, "You'll see."
Konori was sorely tempted to use her abilities to look in the basket. It was more an abundance of curiosity that tempted her than it was a lack of trust. Kuroko was an exceptional cook and surely the food would be delicious, and ever since that first time she hadn't put any more aphrodisiac in anything she cooked.
The thought of using her ability, as well as the memory of that time with the aphrodisiac also reminded her of the possibility of using her x-ray vision for another purpose altogether. The idea of taking a peek under the other girl's clothes made her blush grow deeper and she couldn't look Kuroko in the eye.
A cheshire like grin spread across Kuroko's cheeks when she noticed Konori's blush deepen. Her mind raced with possibilities; she could only imagine what thoughts set her senpai's cheeks aflame. She saddled closer to the older girl, "What are you thinking about, senpai?" she asked, her voice low and tempting.
"N-nothing," she denied quickly, in a panicked tone that revealed the falsehood of the answer.
Kuroko's grin widened. She stepped to the side, allowing the older girl room to breathe as her shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. "Okay." She would get the answer out of her beautiful girlfriend one way or another.
In the meantime…she glanced down at her basket, happiness swelling inside her once more. She had made sure to fill the basket to the brim, adding all of her senpai's favorite delicacies.
She tempered the urge to reach out and grab her girlfriend's hand. There would be plenty of that soon enough.
Konori kept up her pace until the blood left her cheeks and she could actually look at the other girl. "So which park are we going to?" she asked.
"The one near the arcade."
Konori nodded, "that one has a nice lake in the middle doesn't it?" She said, "it's really pretty."
"Not as pretty as you, senpai."
Yet again Konori's face flushed with color at her girlfriends words. As always the younger girl knew just what to say to embarrass her. "We're in public," she hissed at Kuroko, eyes darting around. She didn't really mind if she was honest, but her embarrassment often manifested in anxiety.
"I doubt someone was listening." Kuroko responded dryly, "there is hardly anyone around."
Though she could understand Konori's worry, she did wish the older girl would relax sometimes. Having to be on edge at all times because of the nature of their relationship was...bothersome. She simply wished to compliment her girlfriend without having to worry about any backlash from the older girl. To be honest, it oftentimes stung.
Konori heard the tone in the other girl's voice and realized she had said something a bit insensitive. She really did act way too hesitant when it came to the younger girl. She looked around once more and confirmed that there was indeed hardly anyone around and decided to be a bit bold. She grabbed Kuroko's hand in her own and leaned close, "You're pretty too," she whispered with a blush.
And like that, the hurt that had swelled inside Kuroko's heart was replaced by joy. Her exasperation faded as her cheeks darkened; she squeezed Konori's hand tightly. "Thank you."
They walked the rest of the there like that. There were time when they passed a group of people where she briefly thought of letting go, but a small squeeze from Kuroko was all that was necessary to dispel that idea.
They arrived at their destination shortly after. It was a beautiful day, with ample amount of shade despite the shining sun. Kuroko worriedly scanned the area; she knew that her girlfriend would not be able to relax if they were to sit somewhere out in the open. Considering what she wanted to do to the older girl, she could not have her senpai skittish and uneasy during their time together.
Her eyes lit up when she noticed an unoccupied spot underneath a tall willow tree. It was secluded enough so that they could be alone without having to worry about anyone noticing them.
Konori spent a few minutes looking around the park and taking in the scenery. The lake was calm, only occasional ripples marring the otherwise mirror like surface. Several trees dotted the landscape, providing shade with their leaves and a bit of beauty to the area. There were also several flowers, further enhancing the beautiful scenery and adding a pleasant smell to the air.
Unlike Kuroko, Konori had not been born in Academy City. She was born out in the countryside of Japan. Adjusting to the city had taken a while and if she was honest she had never really gotten used to the city air. Being in the park surrounded by nature made her feel a little more at home.
Kuroko gazed up at her girlfriend, enjoying the serene expression on the older girls face. Due to the nature of their job, it was rare that she got to see her senpai look so calm. She giggled to herself before pointing to the spot she noticed before, "Lets sit there, senpai."
Konori nodded as she went over to the indicated spot, in the shade of a beautiful willow with its dangling fronds. "Is there a blanket or something to sit on?" She asked.
"I always come prepared." Kuroko handed the basket to Konori and lifted the top. She pulled out a red and black woolen checkered blanket and unfolded it. She draped it on the ground and smoothed out the corners.
Konori nodded in thanks and sat down. "So miss prepared," she teased, "what's in that basket of yours?"
"Well…" Kuroko opened the top of the basket and reached inside. With a slight smile, she pulled out a clear container full of food. "I made all of your favorites."
Konori smiled and held out her hand for the container. Kuroko had made her "romantic lunches" a couple times before so she knew the quality of the food would be sublime and she was absolutely positive that Kuroko had prepared a meal tailored exactly to her tastes. Full of cheese, tonkatsu, and miso soup that made Konori's mouth water simply from thinking about it.
A light blush dusted Kuroko's cheeks. "I hope you like it, senpai."
"Of course, I always love your food Kuroko. You'll make an excellent wife one day," Konori said unthinkingly, before realizing what she had just said and blushing intensely, "um... I mean-"
"Konori-senpai's wife…" a dreamy expression appeared on Kuroko's face as she repeated the older girls words in a whisper. Her eyes softened at the thought, the knowledge that someday they would get married and she would be Konori-senpai's wife. Just the idea of it brought her more joy than she thought possible. She imagined cooking for her senpai, sneaking glances at the clock as she eagerly awaited Konori's return from work. Her heart swelled at the image.
"I don't-" Konori sighed as she watched the younger girl get lost in her fantasies. The older girl did not have the heart to interrupt them and potentially shatter that look of happiness on the other girl's face. Kuroko was an optimist and a romantic, so her mind was no doubt running all over the place with an image such as that.
Konori was not so positive however. She loved Kuroko so much, more than anyone else she had ever known, and she loved being with her. But, when she imagined their future together, she just felt the same fear for the consequences that always stopped her from acting when they were together. So many things could happen to tear them apart, and she just couldn't muster up the hope that everything would turn out alright.
That wasn't to say she didn't wish she could be a little more optimistic. She wished that she could join in on Kuroko's fantasies, she honestly did, but she just couldn't look at things the way the younger girl could. So, for now, the idea of the two of them in some idyllic married life was too far off to see clearly.
Kuroko immediately snapped out of her fantasies when she noticed her girlfriends downcast expression.
"What's the matter, senpai?" she asked, concern present in her voice as she moved towards the older girl.
Konori looked at the other girl, and heard the worried expression on her voice. She realized that she had let her slightly depressing thoughts show on her face. She didn't want to worry the other girl so she brightened her demeanor and said, "Oh, I was just a bit, disappointed. There doesn't seem to be anything to drink and I'm a bit parched."
Brows furrowing, Kuroko pressed forward. "Are you sure?"
The pained look on Konori's face left room for doubt.
Sometimes, when things were slow at work, Kuroko would spend quiet moments discreetly studying her girlfriend. She had watched the older girl for months now, memorizing the things that would make Konori smile and laugh, noting the pensive looks, the frowns that would appear on the older girls face when the couldnt figure out a difficult case, and subsequently, the way those eyes would light up when the pieces finally came together.
Therefore, she knew when her girlfriend was being less than honest with her.
Konori rested her hand on Kuroko's shoulder. "I'm sure. There's nothing to worry about ok? I'm just a little... envious of how you always seem to see the bright side of things."
Kuroko blinked, not expecting that answer. "What do you mean?"
"You seem to be so... full of hope. I never see you doubting that things will go your way, even when that gets you into trouble. You don't seem to have any doubts that this relationship will work either. Have you ever even considered the possibility that things might not work out?" Konori asked. Kuroko would be worried no matter what she said, so she might as well be truthful and hope that honesty really would be the best policy.
"Of course." was Kuroko's immediate reply. "Even I have moments where I give pause, senpai." she placed her hand over Konori's and squeezed. "But I don't let that hold me back from my goals or my happiness."
"And that's exactly why I'm envious," Konori admitted, though she felt a bit relieved and wasn't quite sure why. Then her expression switched from relieved to curious. "On another note, did you actually pack anything to drink? Because I can't see anything from here."
With a slight smile, Kuroko squeezed her girlfriends hand once more before returning her attention back to the basket. "I did, actually." she rummaged through it before pulling out a container of Musashino milk. "Here you go, senpai."
Konori smiled as she took the milk from Kuroko. "Thanks," she said before taking a big glug from the milk and digging into her food.
"Good?"
"Of course it's good. Your food is always so delicious." Konori said once she finished her mouthful and gave the other girl a bright smile.
A blush spread across Kuroko's cheeks. "Thank you. I'm glad."
Konori looked over at her. "Aren't you going to eat some?"
"Oh!" Kuroko's cheeks darkened further. "Of course." Kuroko prepared herself a plate and began eating. They sat in silence for a few minutes before her eyes lit up in realization.
"I actually got you a present, senpai." she stated as she began rummaging through the basket.
"A present?" Konori repeated, her curiosity piqued once again. "What is it?"
Kuroko's pulled out a velvet box. "We've been dating for a while now and I wanted to get you something almost as special as you are." she gingerly held out the box to the older girl.
Konori gasped as she saw the jewelry box. "Kuroko... I... I can't accept this... This is just- it's way too-"
"Shh." Kuroko leaned forward to place her finger against her girlfriends lips. "Nothing is too much when it comes to the depths of my love." she smiled, her expression softening as she pressed a kiss against the older girls cheek. "I love you, senpai."
Konori pulled away and pressed a hand to her cheek where Kuroko's lips had been. They felt so hot it was as if they were on fire. She couldn't bear to look Kuroko in the eye. But she reached forward, putting her hand over the box and Kuroko's own. "I- I love you too Kuroko."
Kuroko cupped Konori's cheek and gently stroked the skin there. "Look at me?"
Konori turned her head to look Kuroko in the eye, getting lost in the pink-brown depths.
"I love you." Kuroko repeated before kissing Konori softly on the lips.
Konori kissed her back briefly before remembering that they were still out in public. She drew back so fast it was like she had been bitten. "Erm... th-thank you for the present..." she stammered as she glanced around nervously, noting with relief that nobody was looking their way.
Disappointment briefly swelled in Kuroko's chest before she released it with a sigh. She turned her attention back to the basket and finished pulling out the rest of the contents.
Konori opened the box and looked at what lay within. She gasped again. "It's beautiful."
It was a necklace with a simple white gold chain that lead into a heart shaped pendant that matched the color of Konori's eyes.
The joyful expression on Konori's face made Kuroko smile despite the slight rejection. She moved forward once more. "May I put it on you?"
Konori nodded and turned around, brushing her short hair aside to allow Kuroko access to her neck.
Kuroko stroked her fingers down along Konori's neck and her upper back. She pressed a sweet kiss against the older girls neck, smiling a bit when she felt Konori's slight jump. She straightened up and drew the necklace up around Konori's front before fastening it.
"Lovely. Just like you."
Konori blushed again. "Thank you," was all she could say after the embarrassing yet touching gift.
Kuroko smiled wide and returned to eating her food.
Konori continued to admire the necklace. It was very beautiful, yet simple. A perfect gift to have received from her gir-.
Konori's eyes widened as she realized something. The necklace was clearly from a partner, there was little doubt about that.. so how would she explain it to her roommate, or Uiharu? She began to get a bit nervous. Her roommate had already raised suspicions that Konori had found someone. Luckily Konori had managed to deny them satisfactorily enough for Aomi, but this would surely confirm it. And it wouldn't be that hard a connection to figure out who her partner was.
She reached up and undid the clasp. "It's so beautiful, I wouldn't want it to get messy." She put it away in the little velvet box and put the box back into her pocket. "I'll be sure to treasure it."
"Wait." Kuroko set her plate down and reached over to place her hand over the bulge in Konori's skirt pocket. "It's meant to be worn, senpai. I don't mind if it gets a little dirty."
"I'll... I'll put it back on when we're done eating alright? Thank you so much for giving me such a wonderful gift," Konori assured the other girl.
Kuroko frowned, once again noting that Konori was being less than honest. She sat back on her haunches. "Are you sure you like it?" Kuroko questioned, wondering why her girlfriend was acting so weird. She was sure she had made the right choice. The way Konori seemed to light up as she gazed at the necklace told her that much. So why…?
Konori resumed eating, though Kuroko's frown and slightly disapproving gaze was a bit unsettling and made Konori feel quite guilty. "Of course I like it. It's very beautiful," she answered honestly when Kuroko asked her. "It's just... it's the first physical proof of our relationship and... something like that is hard when we need to keep it secret. I like it, I like it a lot, but I still can't actually wear it unless we're alone."
A sour feeling swirled in Kuroko's stomach. "Oh." was all she could manage; she felt as if something was lodged in her throat, making it difficult for her to speak. She lowered her eyes. "Okay."
Konori reached up and cupped Kuroko's cheek. "You know I don't mean it like that. You know I love you. If it was up to me I would declare that fact proudly... but society frowns upon what we have."
"Sure." Kuroko replied, her voice lacking emotion.
"Kuroko..." Konori began, the distant tone in Kuroko's voice making her feel even worse about her decision.
She was about to continue when a sharp scream broke the silence of the afternoon. "Someone! Help!" A voice cried out.
Kuroko's head snapped over in the direction of the voice, and in an instant, she was gone.
Konori also looked towards the direction of the scream. Five thugs surrounded a couple of girls in a fairly menacing manner, one was holding the girl as another covered her mouth "Shut up" the man said. The thugs were big muscular teens with spiky dyed hair and ripped jeans that just screamed "delinquent". And now Kuroko was standing in the middle of them. "Shit," Konori cursed her impulsive partner as she ran towards them.
"This is Judgment." Kuroko announced calmly, her eyes sharp and clear despite the pain that still resided in her chest. "Please cease your delinquent activities and or else I'll be forced to stop them for you."
One of the thugs scoffed as they saw Kuroko. "You be on your way little girl. Unless you wanted to join in on the fun..."
Sighing, Kuroko placed her hands on her hips a she surveyed the boys around her. She kept her features blank, her expression disinterested even as she laid a calculating gaze on the delinquent who spoke.
The officious smirk on the boys face irritated her; the smug, condescending way he leaned into the girl his friend was holding made her fingers twitch.
Still, her lips twitched up into a smile. "I will not ask again."
"Go to hell," was the only reply.
"Stop," Konori ordered as she finally reached them. "Stop immediately or we will be forced to arrest you." She stated as she flashed her armband.
The thugs stopped momentarily to look at this new threat. The looks turned to stares which turned to leers quickly. The two who were holding the girls let them go. "Alright. We'll stop with them." They turned to Konori, 'You seem like you'd be a lot more fun anyway."
Those words caused Kuroko to snap. Before Konori could utter another word, Kuroko drop kicked the boys leering at her girlfriend. Stunned and horrified expressions appeared on the remaining thugs faces at seeing their friends so easily taken care of.
One of them attempted to swing at her but she sidestepped it gracefully and spun around so that she could kick the boy in the back. As he fell, she turned to last two delinquents, her eyes hard as she teleported over to them. She grabbed one of the boys by the mouth, much like his friends had done to the girls they had been manhandling, and teleported him so that his body was on his back in the air.
She slammed his head into the ground before teleporting in front of the last boy. He jumped, startled by her sudden appearance and fell back onto his ass.
"W-wait," he smiled awkwardly, sweat dripping down face as he realized just how screwed he was. "W-we were just mess-"
Kuroko smashed her foot in his face before he could finish. "You are under arrest." she stated in a bored tone, lowering her leg.
Konori's eyes widened and she facepalmed. "Don't you think that was a little excessive?"
"These types only learn through a show of strength, senpai." Kuroko said importantly, sweeping her hair to the side. "Besides, I could not let them get away with-" she paused, glancing down at the boy groaning beneath her. She smirked slightly. "Well, nevermind."
The older girl raised an eyebrow. "You were defending my honor?"
"You are strong enough to defend your own honor." Kuroko returned her gaze to Konori, her smirk softening into a smile. "I simply didn't like it."
Konori felt herself smiling despite herself. She looked past Kuroko to see that the girls had scampered off. "We should cuff and process these guys," she sighed, "Looks like our picnic is ruined... sorry about that."
"Oh." The picnic. The pendant...Kuroko's earlier distress slammed into like a mallet. She turned away from her girlfriend and began cuffing the delinquents. "Right."
Sighing, Konori took a step forward and put her arms around Kuroko. "I'm sorry, but... we could always do this again some other time... in fact, what do you say we resume this tonight, once we're done with work?"
Kuroko's ears perked up at that and spun around so that she was facing Konori, her arms wound tightly around the older girls waist. "Really? You mean it?"
"Of course," she chuckled, amazed at how quickly Kuroko could transition from depressed to happy. It was one of her cuter attributes.
Burrowing her face in Konori's chest, Kuroko let out a slight squeal. "Thank you, senpai!"
Blushing, Konori looked from side to side, before patting the smaller girl's head and pressing a quick kiss to the top.
Kuroko continued nuzzling Konori's chest for several minutes, way past the acceptable time for an embrace such as this.
"Umm... Kuroko, I think it's time to let go now," Konori said after a minute or two, feeling embarrassed as this dragged on.
"No." Kuroko whined, feeling a bit petulant. Konori was soft and warm; she didn't want to let got yet. She wanted to indulge in her senpai's particular brand of warmth for a moment longer.
"Kuroko, we have to do our job," the older girl sighed, "how about you go and pack up the picnic and I'll cuff these guys and contact Anti-Skill."
Kuroko frowned, realizing Konori was right. She sighed, squeezing her girlfirends midriff one last time before reluctantly releasing the older girl. "I'll be back momentarily." She promised and disappeared.
Konori shook her head in both exasperation and affection for the younger girl before she got out her phone and placed a call to the proper authorities, explaining the situation and that they would need a couple of squad cars sent to their location.
A minute later, Kuroko returned with the basket in hand and the blanket tucked underneath her arm.
"Are they on their way, senpai?" she asked, bored and curious at the same time.
Konori nodded. "How about you head back and get started on the paperwork," she said. Kuroko didn't always handle Anti-Skill well and she didn't want to have apology letters stacked up with the other paperwork because of a careless comment. Besides that she did use slightly excessive force and Konori did not want her girlfriend to get in trouble for that. That would really ruin their date.
"Are you sure?" Kuroko looked around at boys sheepishly. "I can stay if you want?"
"I'll be fine," Konori waved off with a smile, "I'll meet you back there when all of this is done."
"Understood." Kuroko teleported away.
Konori stayed until Anti-Skill arrived, informed them as to what had happened, and answered their questions. Luckily, the agent who arrived was one who Konoi had experience working with so the process was quick and painless.
Once it was over Konori began heading back, until a thought occurred to her and she made a slight detour. Once she had gotten what she needed she headed back to Headquarters. "I'm back," she stated as she came through the door.
"Senpai!" Kuroko resisted the urge to run over to her girlfriend. "What took you so long?" she asked worriedly, glancing at the clock and then back at Konori. She had been worried that another altercation had taken place while she was gone. Kuroko had just been about to go out and search for her girlfriend when she arrived.
"Oh you know how fussy some of those Anti-Skill people are," she said with exasperation in her voice, "nitpicking over everything we do." It was a perfectly plausible lie, one that Kuroko, who didn't care for authority, would be likely to sympathize with.
Kuroko rolled her eyes. "How bothersome." she muttered, sinking down into her chair. "We are simply doing our jobs. I do not understand why they have to complain about everything."
Konori shrugged and sat down at her work station. "So have you been working hard in my absence?"
"Of course."
"That's good," Konori smiled and turned to her computer to begin work, humming a cheerful tune in anticipation of the continuation of their date. Though she was not nearly as distracted by it as before and actually managed to get her work done.
By the time Kuroko finished typing up the last of her report, it was after dark. She glanced at the window before looking over at her girlfriend. Noticing that the older girl seemed engrossed in her work, Kuroko allowed a smirk to slip onto her face.
She gently shut her laptop, carefully pushed her chair out and quietly snuck up behind her girlfriend. Her smirk grew into a wide smile as she wrapped her arms around Konori's neck, "Senpai," Kuroko whined, pressing a soft kiss against the girls cheek. "Can we go?"
Despite her training in martial arts and her usual perceptiveness, Konori didn't hear Kuroko approach her. Only the familiar feeling of Kuroko's warmth and the sound of her voice kept the older girl from throwing her apparent assailant over her shoulder.
"Kuroko, you can't sneak up on me like that." She chided the smaller girl as her heart resumed its normal rhythm.
"Who else would be hugging you in our office, senpai." Kuroko reasoned as she tightened her hold on her girlfriend.
Konori sighed. "That's not the point Kuroko," she stated before shaking her head. "I just have one more thing to get done with here and then we can go."
"Anything I can help with?"
"Nah, it's just one last form. Just wait and keep yourself distracted for five minutes until I finish it up," Konori said as she turned her attention back to the computer.
Kuroko pouted, hanging on to Konori for a few more seconds before sitting down in the seat next to her. While normally she would have held on for longer, she didn't want to distract her girlfriend unncessarily and further delay the continuation of their date.
Instead she sat and watched her girlfirend work. Propping her elbow up on the table, Kuroko allowed her eyes to run over the older girls figure.
Her girlfriend really was beautiful. This was something Kuroko was more than aware of but still, Konori's beauty never failed to take her breath away.
'I'm so lucky.' Kuroko thought with an adoring smile. Her eyes lingered on Konori's chest. 'Really lucky.'
Konori quickly finished up the last piece of work then stood up, retrieving her bag and her jacket and looking at the younger girl. "Ok, I'm ready to go now."
Kuroko jumped up, practically skipping over to her girlfriend and latching onto her arm. She simultaneously squeezed Konori's arm and tightened her grip on the basket she held in her other hand. "Let's go."
Konori nodded and the pair left the office, heading for the same park as before. It was late and the skies were black. But the streetlights that lined the road flooded the streets with light so it wasn't exactly difficult to see. High above the full moon hung heavy in the sky, bathing dim whiteness upon the places the street lights did not touch. Other than the massive white sphere the sky was empty, the pollution and light from the city making the stars all but invisible anywhere in the city. Vague memories of looking up at the sky as a child were all the proof that she had of their existence.
Shivering, Kuroko huddled closer to Konori, attempting to keep the cold at bay. It was strangely chilly for this time of season, but Kuroko could not bring herself to regret not grabbing a jacket on the way out.
Any excuse to indulge in her girlfriends warmth was a welcome one. She looked up, noting how her senpai didn't seem all that bothered by the cold. She released Konori's arm and grabbed the older girls hand.
Kuroko gasped a little. Konori's fingers were freezing. "Senpai, you're so cold."
Konori shifted her gaze from the sky to her girlfriend. "You're one to talk... you're shivering." The older girl smiled and pulled away from Kuroko slightly. Now was as good a time as any. "Close your eyes."
Eyes widening, Kuroko felt her heartbeat pick up. Excitement coursed through her and she had to keep herself from jumping Konori then and there. She closed her eyes, making sure to pucker her lips in anticipation for what she was sure to be a series of kisses.
Missing the expectant expression on the younger girl's face, Konori reached into her bag and moved behind Kuroko. She moved to drape something over Kuroko's shoulders. "Ok, you can open them now."
Brows furrowing in confusion, Kuroko slowly reopened her eyes and reached up to finger the material of the item around her shoulders. "A jacket?"
Konori smiled as the younger girl examined it. "It's a gift. I wanted to apologize for being so rude about the necklace, so I decided to get you something in return." She moved around to the front, "it matches mine," Konori pointed out as she gestured to the red leather jacket she was wearing. It was of a similar size as well so it hung a little low on Kuroko and the sleeves dangled past the younger girl's hands, but in Konori's opinion that just added to the cuteness of her girlfriend.
Kuroko cheeks darkened as Konori reached over to zip up her jacket. While it wasn't a kiss like she had expected, a familiar heat still twisted in her stomach. She looked down, running her fingers along the soft leather fabric in awe. It was the first time she had received a gift from anyone in years.
Even her parents didn't get her anything for her birthday, opting instead to add an extra bit of money to her already overflowing account.
To know someone, especially someone she cared for immensely, went out of their way to get her a present for no other reason than that they wanted to made happiness swell in Kuroko's chest.
A wide smile overtook her face as she launched herself at Konori. "Oh, thank you, senpai! I love it." Kuroko gushed as she nuzzled her face in Konori's breast.
Konori smiled wider at the obvious joy in her girlfriend's expression. "I'm glad you like it," she said as she stroked the other girl's back. "It'll be useful with winter coming up. You can wear it all the time. That way you can keep nice and warm."
"I'll be sure to do that."
"I'm sorry I can't do the same with the necklace, but this way we can always be connected."
Kuroko beamed up at her girlfriend. "I love you, senpai."
"I love you too Kuroko... now don't we have a picnic to get to?" Konori smiled back at the girl.
Giggling, Kuroko leaned up to peck Konori on the lips before grabbing the older girls hand to teleport them to the park. Barely giving Konori a moment to collect herself, Kuroko dropped the basket and jumped on the older girl once more.
She wrapped her arms around Konori's neck and hugged her tightly, reveling in the knowledge that they were finally alone.
As Kuroko touched Konori's lips with her own, the older girl's cheeks flared with color. But she had no time to react before her hand was grabbed and the two disappeared. After a series of teleportations she found that they had reached the park.
Once again the smaller girl gave her no time to recover, this time from the disorientation that teleportation always caused her. Her girlfriend nearly tackled her and, with the dizziness caused by the disorientation, she fell over. Luckily the grass was soft and cushioned her fall.
Kuroko nuzzled Konori's neck, mumbling her name. She pressed her lips against the creamy skin, whispering soft, loving words before leaning up to kiss Konori on the lips.
The older girl tensed slightly, but Kuroko didn't let that deter her. She slipped her fingers through silky locks, fisting the back of Konori's head as she probed her tongue against her girlfriends mouth.
Konori blushed deeply as Kuroko began showering her with kisses. But despite her embarrassment she felt herself melting into the affection, returning the kisses and hugging Kuroko tightly to her.
That was until Kuroko's tongue began stroking her lips, then she panicked a bit and pushed Kuroko away slightly. "D-don't you think we should eat first? Wouldn't want the food getting cold..."
Chuckling, Kuroko allowed a small smirk to lift her lips as she nodded. "You're right." she agreed, stroking her finger along Konori's blush. "We wouldn't want that."
She pressed another kiss to Konori's cheek before reaching over to the forgotten basket and settling it between them.
"Umm... aren't you going to get off?" Konori asked, embarrassed at the warm, pleasant feeling of her girlfriend's weight upon her stomach
"Nope." Kuroko grinned as she opened the top of the basket, pulled out the half empty container of tonkatsu and a pair of chopsticks. She opened the lid, picked up a piece and held it up near Konori's lips.
"Say 'ah'."
Konori's blush intensified and she glanced around, her paranoia once again flaring. But when she couldn't see anyone she allowed herself to relax just a bit. "A-Ah..." she said hesitantly as she opened her mouth.
Kuroko giggled, feeding Konori before picking up another piece. They continued like that for several moments, alternating between feeding Konori and herself, until it was all gone. Once they were finished, Kuroko set the empty containers aside and wrapped her arms around Konori's neck again. The pair sat in silence.
Konori's blush still lit up her face from the experience of being fed by the girl on top of her, but now she actually had a moment to recover she began to calm down. She looked at the jacket on her kouhai, then moved up to her eyes, before they settled on the sky.
She stared at the black infinity that stretched before them and sighed.
Ears perking up, Kuroko leaned back a bit in the girls lap and glanced up at her. "What's the matter, senpai?"
"Just thinking... You were born here weren't you Kuroko? Have you ever seen the stars?"
Kuroko pondered that question for a moment. "I've never really paid attention." she answered honestly, her shoulders lifting in a half shrug. "I guess not."
"That's too bad... when I was a kid I used to love going out into the fields and looking at the stars. My dad would point and trace out the constellations. Like the swan and the southern cross..." She sighed again with an air of nostalgia, "it would have been nice to be able to show you..."
"I wish I could've seen it with you." Kuroko remarked sadly, her hold tightening on the older girl. "But maybe one day we can," her voice grew cheerful. "Maybe when we get married we can visit your old home."
"Yeah," Konori said absentmindedly, a little too distracted to hear what Kuroko had said. She raised a hand up to the sky and traced constellations that weren't there. "I just wish there was some of that beauty around here too..."
"I think you are more beautiful than any star, senpai…" Kuroko started, "However, its not as if Academy City does not hold its own sense of beauty." she pointed a little ways away towards the still bustling city, at the lights that illuminated the entire town. "To me, those lights are beautiful. The way they shine, flickering in the dark, like a guiding beacon beckoning me home," her gaze softened considerably. "And this is my home, senpai. The people I've met here, the things I've accomplished here...this city will always be beautiful to me."
Konori's face once again flushed crimson at Kuroko's compliment, and she was about to respond when Kuroko continued, pointing out the distant city lights. "I suppose they do have a sort of beauty.," she agreed and smiled, "so tell me. What's that light a part of?" She asked, just like she had all those years ago with the stars in the sky.
Kuroko released a breath. "The Primex building," she nuzzled Konori's neck once more. "I went there on a school trip once."
"Oh really?" Konori asked as she grinned, somewhat enjoying this game. "And that one," she pointed to another building way in the distance.
"The Chariot Inn. Not as fancy as you would expect given such a name."
Konori chuckled at the slightly snobbish tone in Kuroko's voice. "And that one?" She asked, pointing off to a massive white building lit up with an odd array of colors.
"The Ichinose Shopping Mall. I'm surprised you've never been, senpai." she softly kissed Konori's neck. "We should go sometime."
Konori nodded, reaching a hand up to stroke Kuroko's hair as they lay down on the soft grass. "We should," she agreed, not telling Kuroko that she had been there several times before, and was just going along with the game.
Kuroko pressed further into Konori's form, her legs settling on either side of the older girls frame. Despite how tumultuous a day it been, Kuroko felt content. How could she not be in the arms of the girl she loved more than anything?
"Sorry about everything that happened today," Konori apologized again, "you probably weren't expecting so much trouble when you prepared that picnic were you?"
"Not really." Kuroko started, shrugging a bit, "But given how many miscreants there are in the city, I am not surprised."
"I hope you had a nice time despite that."
"I did."
Konori smiled as she continued to stroke Kuroko's hair. Even though they were in public no one was around and even if they were Konoi was too relaxed at this point to care. "That's good"
"Mhm." Kuroko nodded, growing weary of the idle chatter. It's not like she didn't love listening to her girlfriend speak but...it was dark. They were alone- and there were much more enjoyable things they could be doing with their limited time.
With that in mind, Kuroko leaned up to push her lips against Konori's.
Konori gasped in surprise as Kuroko pressed her lips against her own even though she had pretty much known this was coming. They were so close, pressing up against each other so tightly. Konori was frankly amazed that Kuroko had taken this long to make her move.
Kuroko bit down on her senpai's plump bottom lip, taking advantage of Konori's surprised gasp to push her tongue into her girlfriends mouth.
She felt Konori stiffen beneath her momentarily and she raised her hand so that she could gently scratch her finger along Konori's pulse point, knowing from past experience that was the best way to loosen her senpai up.
Konori heard a soft sound of pleasure slip past her lips as Kuroko's tongue slipped into her mouth and the younger girl's fingers brushed along her neck. Her hand fisted in Kuroko's hair, drawing the teleporter even closer.
A muffled whimper escaped Kuroko; her hips rocked slightly against Konori's, arousal pulsing through her as she palmed her girlfriends breast.
She felt how soft they were through the layers. She longed to feel her senpai's bare chest, wanted to run her fingers along the girls naked frame, spray them across a toned stomach, feel the muscles quiver under her touch until finally she would slip them inside.
She wanted that more than anything; she ached for it.
The sounds of pleasure got louder as Kuroko moved her hand down to Konori's large, sensitive chest. Her face was bright red but she was far too lost in the moment to care about her embarrassment. She tugged away Kuroko's hand and pulled the smaller girl's body closer to herself, feeling Kuroko's small, yet beautiful chest pressing against hers.
In much the same way that the younger girl was completely obsessed with Konori's large breasts, Konori loved Kuroko's flatter chest. The slight swelling that still managed to be unbelievably soft was the target of more than a few of Konori's gazes and caresses over the months. It was a bit selfish but Konori didn't want Kuroko to ever grow as she had. She would prefer the teleporter keep those lovely small breasts exactly as they were.
"Konori-senpai…" Kuroko breathed, her eyes hazy with arousal, red dusting her cheeks. She kissed Konori again, nibbling on the girls lips as she slipped her hand along the space between their bodies and under Konori's shirt.
Kuroko grasped at Konori's bra covered breast, pinching a hard nipple.
"mmph," Konori groaned, before she grabbed Kuroko's arm. If possible the older girl's face was even brighter red than before, the sudden sensation breaking her out of her trance and allowing her embarrassment to intensify. "K-Kuroko... d-don't you think that's going a little too far?"
Releasing a ragged breath, Kuroko squeezed her eyes shut as she lowered her head to Konori's neck. She swallowed, attempting to reign in her arousal as her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She didn't want to stop. The last thing she wanted to do was stop.
Again Konori began to stroke Kuroko's hair in a comforting and relaxing manner, though who it was meant to comfort and relax was debatable. "I'm sorry but I don't think this is the time or the place for that kind of thing and... I'm just not sure I'm ready to go that far. And you... you're only in middle school, I don't think you're ready for it either."
"But…" Kuroko faltered, unsure how to proceed. She wanted to argue her case, insist that she was more than ready but, in all honesty, she was a bit scared. Though Kuroko was sure that she would spend the rest of her life with Konori, a part of her, albeit a small part, was anxious about taking that next step.
Besides, as tempting as she found her girlfriend in that moment, she did actually want their first time to be in a bed.
Kuroko took a deep breath. "I love you, senpai. As long as it was with you…" she paused, licking her bottom lip in an attempt to collect herself before she continued, "I-I am sure that I would be ready."
"I love you too, but I still think we should wait, ok?" Konori replied, continuing to stroke Kuroko's hair.
Disappointment and a hint of relief swelled in Kuroko's chest. She sighed, placing her head in the crook of Konori's neck once more. She curled her fingers in Konori's shirt and mumbled a muffled. "Okay."
"I love you," Konori said once more, pressing a brief but affectionate kiss to Kuroko's lips.
"I love you too." Kuroko tightened her hand. "I really do, Konori-senpai."
Author's Notes 1 (By TPK): Well here it is, the third collab I've started, though technically it's the second completed one and perhaps the second posted one depending on how it goes.
This one is a bit different since I decided to write Konori instead of Kuroko like I did in the other too. Because of that you may have noticed Konori was a bit different than the other two times, though because she was written by two different people anyway it's not as if you weren't used to slight shifts.
She ended up being a bit more bold but their relationship is progressing so she probably would get bolder as time went on.
Anyway I'm happy to have written this and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.
Author's Notes 2 (By ReaperLuca): Hello, long time no see. I hope you all are doing well. Sorry for my long absence for any of you who actually know who I am. I was honored to have my good friend TPK ask me to do a collab with her. It was strange but exciting to write Kuroko in a relationship with someone other than Mikoto. I hope you all go easy on me, it's been quite some time since I've written though I have been know to the work of a few other authors on here. Thank you sincerely for reading our one shot and I'm sure you can expect more greatness from TPK and the other talented writers she plans on collabing with.
Until next time
Luca.